City 2 - 3 Wolves: Rubbish!

City were dismal again last night apart from a couple of bits of magic from RF & JFH. Roger Johnson must be gutted. I think he's been one of the outstanding players of the season so far, but manager Dave Jones dropped him for this match claiming defensive frailties had let us down in recent matches. Quite right, but not really RJ's fault in my opinion. He then sees skipper Darren Purse installed in his place make a mistake (again) for Wolves first goal, and Glenn Loovens outmuscled for their second, and then the defence concede a third from an unmarked header!

City defended so deep (they always do) they needed oxygen to get into Wolves half most of the time. Is it in their contracts that they're not allowed in the opposition's half? Give a side 30 yards free space and they'll make you pay - and they did. Apart from RF's cool penalty and JFH's neat finish from a great move City were poor. They need to improve for Saturday against those big hitters Scunthorpe, before we have the little matter of next Wednesday's visit to Anfield in the Carling Cup. Given Liverpool & City's form, it'll probably end up 8-9!

Stephen McPhail's been wholly ineffectual in the middle of the park - he's supposed to be a "playmaker" yet he passes 90% of balls backwards, and 10% of the rest sideways. I can't remember the last time he scored for City - or even if he has, and we're desperately missing Ricardo Scimeca to bolster that middle Gavin Rae didn't impress me early on, but he's improving, making telling tackles and even has a couple of goals to his name (listening Mr McPhail?)

Seriously, City are in relegation form at the moment, and they need something to happen quickly. I'm not sure bringing in yet another goalkeeper (Man City's Casper Schmeichel) on loan is the answer - what is it with City? We seem to sign more goalkeeper's than any other type of player put together and then don't use them.

Bring on Scunny!

England's Glory

What a great week it's been for English sport. The England football team qualify for next years European Championship, the rugby boys win the world cup and Lewis Hamilton wins the F1 Championship in his rookie year........errr - not.

Let's face it, when push comes to shove, this last week highlights all that's wrong with English sport. Over-hyped and generally over estimated.

Still, could be worse. You could be a Cardiff City supporter - lost again yesterday. Premiership material? What was I saying about over-hyped?

Sent by Treo 680

Customer Support - not!

You’ll have to bear with me on this, but at the end might understand why:

a) I’m a grumpy old git

b) Have little patience with anything these days

c) Am losing hair at a rate of knots

Last week I had a call from my broadband supplier Pipex. A nice call. As an existing customer, how would you like a faster connection speed for less money and no catches? Yes please. And whilst we’re at it, free evening & weekend calls?

Well our domestic landline useage isn’t high, and I’m already on a near as dammit free Talk Talk package, but why look a gift horse in the mouth?

The confirmation emails from Pipex started rolling in. Order underway etc and then – “Please contact us – problem with your order”. So I did.

They said they could complete the order because I had a Talk Talk “tag” on the line and I had to get Talk Talk to remove it. So I rang Talk Talk.

Talk Talk said we can’t remove the tag as the line is “owned” by BT. So I rang BT. Meanwhile, each time I rang each company and groped tortuously through their call messaging services they told me how much they valued my call and that they’d be with me just as soon as they could, although they were terribly busy right now. Aren’t they always? GET MORE STAFF!

Anyway, BT kept me on hold for 20 minutes and I got fed up and rang off. Tried again this afternoon, got through quickly via the new sales line (ha ha – good trick) whereupon I was told, “Not our problem mate, need to talk to Pipex”. Notice a theme occurring here? Pass the buck? They also gave me a MAC code. For all you techies out there you’ll know this is a code needed when transferring a broadband service (which is strange because I wasn’t).

However, I rang Pipex and the nice man there said “Why did they give you a code? All you need to do is cancel the call package with Talk Talk, set up a line only rental with BT, and when you confirm that we’ll set up your call package”.

But what about my broadband upgrade I whined? Oh that’s all done and completed he said!!!!!!!!! I refrained from shouting at him (it wasn’t his fault) but kindly pointed out that if someone had told me that first thing this morning it would have saved me a great deal of irritation, frustration and dents in the desk where I’d been banging my fists. As it turns out you see, I’m not that really concerned about my call package, as it’s the broadband increase I was really after, but I seem to have been misinformed and understood that it was all tied together.

Maybe I didn’t read my emails properly, or maybe I was just given the wrong info. Either way, it’s clear that none of these companies really “value you” once they’ve got you. Customer Service is a laugh . They’re all too quick to push you somewhere else just so they can make the next sale.

Oh, and whilst making these calls, BT also managed to cut me off 3 times.

Scores:

Pipex 6/10

Talk Talk 6/10

BT 3/10

City 2 - Burnley 1: a home win at last

For the first time since March City finally won at home. In a nail biting affair against fellow Championship side Burnley, City went one up in the first half through Joe Ledley (pictured), only for Burnley to equalise through yet more sloppy defending early in the second half. Half time substitutions by the opposition, perked up the Clarets who'd looked very ordinary in the first period and they went close on a couple of occasions. Paul Parry though, having a decent game but unable to deliver anything like a decent cross decided the best way was to run at the defence and shoot; 2-1 City. Why oh why don't run at defenders more often?

Burnley though will have done their homework and knew that City have conceded very late in several games this year. They threw people up front and you could feel the tension in the crowd as the time ticked down, and the howls on anguish as 4 extra minutes were posted. But the Bluebirds hung on as the whistles for full time, more reminiscent of a winning FA Cup match, eventually saw the ref blow up we gained three valuable points as we start to climb the table.

The official MoM was Joe Ledley, but my pick was Gavin Rae who's looking stronger and more authoritarian in the midle of the park as the season progresses.

Gordon or David? And does it really matter?

So we're still waiting to find out if the Chancellor - sorry - Prime Minister, is going to call an autumn election. Frankly, the conference season has passed me by. I'm sure that I should be interested in politics, but you can understand why so many people are apathetic about it.
For one, there actually seems to be little difference these days between Left and Right. Policies are similar and the legacy of years of 'spin' make many believe politicians are not to trusted, whoever they are or purport to represent.
Secondly about 75% of the electorate will vote the way they always have anyway - irrespective of policy and manifesto from any of the main parties. I reckon these fall into 2 main groups. Those that will never forgive the Conservatives for the years of Maggie even though that was years ago, and those that think anyhing left of Ghengis Khan is old Labour. Naive all. Oh, and there are a few of those Liberal Democrat folk who'll do anything to be best mates.
I can be turned, but probably more by local issues than national. I just wish Gordon would call it so we can get it all over with for the next 4-5 years.

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Can't keep a clean sheet

City remain unbeaten away from home this season, but can't keep a clean sheet to save their lives. turning round a goal deficit in the 1st half against Sheffield United to lead 2-1 at half time (another one for Robbie!), we went 3-1 up early in the second only to concede 2 in the last 5 minutes to draw 3-3. A win would have put us comfortably upper mid table, instead we lie mid table, and certainly not comfortably being only 2 points above the relegation zone. Promotion form? Not.

Black Gold (or cyan or magenta or yellow)

Two things.

1. Never skimp on quality (although see point 2.) I've now bought at least 3 "value" inkjet cartridges for my aging HP 940C deskjet (it might be more), and on each occasion the cartridge has been naff. The colour one I put in yesterday decided that green is the new yellow. Granted it had been on the shelf for about 4 months, but it was unopened and still had the seal across the head. Cleaned the thing via the software, cleaned it under a running tap, shook it, threw it across the floor. Still yellow is green - or rather a sickly vomit colour. Morale? Avoid cheapo's - there's just no point. Stick to HP cartridges. And so to point 2.
2. I bought the cheapo ones, because they were just that. Cheap. Relative that is to HP's own. But they don't work (for me at least). So off I trot to PC World on my way home (I know, I know - but I was desperate and it was on my way home.)
   
   £35 quid!!!!!
   
   For 19 ml!!!!
   
   That's about £1.90 per ml!!!
   
   And the chances are I'll run out of one of cyan, magenta or yellow well before teh other colours run out so I won't get my full 19ml's worth anyway!!!
   
   'Scuse me, but that's bloody ridiculous. If I'd needed a new black cartridge too I might as well have bought a new printer.
   In fact I might next time. There's nothing wrong with mine (apart from the extortionate ink costs), but it's a few years old now and according to the PC Pro mag their A listed tea making duplex printing Canon Pixma iP5300 is only 75 notes (and I bet I can find it cheaper), and their 2nd choice the 5300's little brother the 3300 is only £32!. Stupid.
   

Robbie's Return

The draw for the fourth round of this season's Carling Cup has just been made and guess what! Cardiff City go to Anfield to play Liverpool. A dream return to his old hunting ground for Robbie Fowler, and the chance to put one over on his old muckers. What a draw! Need to find out about tickets, as me & mini-Stats will be well up for this. City always have a good away support, and with a tie like this should take several thousand up to Merseyside. C'mon you Bloooooobirds!!!

Scare stories

How many times have we seen something that appears to herald the doom of mankind, or at least likely to give us the snuffles only for it all to blow over, or at least fall into distant memory as the next big thing takes it's place. For example, we've had mad cow disease that had everyone avoiding beef and burgers and although bovine spongiform encephalopathy is a real disease, it doesn't appear to have had anything like the devastating effect that was predicted (yet). Similarly SARS (remember that), avian flu, salmonella etc, have all been linked to the end of the world as we know it. Until something else comes along.

I blame the media.

Don't get me wrong. I don't for one moment doubt the authenticity of such health problems, or the anguish that those who suffer as a result, directly or indirectly undergo, but if you listen to the "popular media" (define whatever that is if you can) the human race will be wiped out by the weekend. And it's all usually down to climate change. Or not washing hands properly. Or poor immigration controls. Or just because these things happen.

Me; I take it all with a pinch of salt. Or at least I would if I hadn't heard recently how the salt in my diet will do for me.

WBA 2 - 4 Bluebirds

So, my hunch came true. City sneaked past WBA 4-2. More like a hammering methinks, with Robbie Fowler & Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink on the scoresheet. Who'd have thought that 6 months ago? Let's hope for a massive tie in the next round.

Skittles

The skittles season is here! "Hoorah" I hear you all shout - or at least they would if anyone was reading this...

Skittles is a top game in South East Wales, played by finely honed athletes, of a dark winters night, on cold alleys with a pint of Brains Dark to hand.

Seriously, it's great fun - you should find a pub with an alley and try it. There are variations on the game all over the country, but ours is best. You can check out all the form and details at our very nice web site Dinas Powys Athletic "B" Skittles

We start this Wednesday with a home tie against the Legion A.

We're on the road to Wembley, la la la la, la la la la

Tonight City play the mighty West Brom (not) in the Milk, sorry, Worthington, sorry, Carling League cup thingy. To be honest we've done well to get this far, edging past those giants of the game Brighton & Hove Albion and Leyton Orient, and face stiff opposition tonight away at the West Midlands outfit. In our favour is our away form this season, and I think we could just edge it...then Man U away in the next round.....

We'll see

Queues

I think I've mentioned before that I hate queues of any sort. and it's getting worse. The older I get the more impatient I become, and to be honest I've never been the most tolerant of people anyway.

Why is it that whenever I have the choice between two queues, I always pick the wrong one? You know what I mean - you weigh up the options, choose the one that's moving fastest and then the person in front of you hasn't got the right change, or drops the change all over the floor, or can't converse in the language required etc.

And it's not just queues of people. Traffic, "virtual" queues when you're stuck listening to how some company or other really "values" your call and will be with you "just as soon as our next agent becomes available"....yeah! (Handy tip - when ringing a company that has a series of choices, always choose the option for sales - your call will be answered much quicker than the support/advice option).

Worst of all, queues are eating away at my valuable life time. I'm into my late forties now, so if I have a good innings I might get another forty (but then I might not), and I don't want to spend that precious time stuck behind someone or something. And do you realise just how much time you spend in queues?

There's the school run and thence to work. Typically going it's 50 minutes for a 13 mile trip - over an hour on bad days, but as little as 35 minutes on good days. The home journey can be done in 25 minutes, but more typically 35, and currently with the M4 roadworkd around Cardiff 45. That's if you can get off the Buisness Park in less than an hour because there's only 1 access road and that's straight onto Junction 30 M4 (Planners - D'oh!). That's 40m or more a day, over three hours a week that I could gain if it weren't for the traffic queues. That's a lot of time.

Then there are other various miscellaneous queues:

• At the bar on skittles nights when I need my pint of Brains Dark
• At the take away on Friday's
• At any shop
• Getting out of Ninian Park after Cardiff City's latest home defeat/draw (never a win)
• Trains - don't talk even to me about queues and trains......
• Airports - a queue haters nightmare, but thankfully only faced a couple of times a year
• Time waiting for your PC to boot up (technically a queue of instructions)
• Waiting for the kettle to boil (mental note - must get one of those jobbies that promises to boil a cup of water in 3 seconds)

and so on...

But what to do about it? Be more patient? Not in my nature. Get more stressed? In my nature but not good for my health. Go with the flow? Wish I could. Answers on a postcard please.

City 2 - Preston 2

I went to Ninian Park today quietly confident that at last City would get their first home win of the season, and that either Robbie Fowler or Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink would get on the scoresheet.
Sure enough, RF opened his Bluebirds account with a great poacher's header, but PNE equalised it early in the second half after some more dire City defending. When RF doubled his tally, it looked like we'd bagged all 3 points, but in injury time a needless free kick on the edge of the area, well worked by PNE put the scores level. Worse, City's star man (in my opinion and that's over the last 18 months) central defender Roger Johnson was injured in that goal and stretchered off after prolonged treatment for a head injury. Hopefully it looks like he'll be OK, because neither of our other 2 centre backs (Purse and Loovens) are fit yet!
So I went home feeling like we'd lost. It's a point, but that's not good enough, and the defending has got to improve. God knows what RF and JFH are thinking about the sloppy goals we give away.

Spam, spam spam

For as long as we've had email (well almost) we've had spam - unsolicited emails, usually suggesting you part with wads of cash for some potion or pills that will perk up your libido so to speak. Generally, most people get onto spam lists quite unintentionally by responding to requests to provide their email address which is then sold on by a third party, or because they naively respond to a spam email itself which does little more than verify the email address is active, and therefore continues the cycle...

I've always been pretty responsible in the respect (I thought). Careful about who and under what circumstances I provide my email address to, and for several years actually didn't suffer from too much spam. In the last year though, I've noticed an exponential increase, and now I get shedloads on a daily basis.

I use a program called "Mailwasher" to filter my spam on my host ISP server before I download it, and this helps enormously, but it's still a right royal pain in the ****. I can't undestand why there isn't a more concerted effort to try and tackle the perpetrators of spam. Unless of course there's a financial incentive not to. But then maybe that's just a cynical viewpoint.

Premiership? Not yet

I loyally bought my Cardiff City season ticket way back in May, confident that we'd be able to push for promotion this year. With money in the bank from the sale of Michael Chopra to Sunderland for £5m, manager Dave Jones had money to spend.
8 new players in, included the ageing but Premiership experienced duo of Robbie Fowler and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink - great coups.
Sadly our start to the season has been decidedly mediocre. 3 home losses. 2 away wins and a draw. JFH finally got off the mark with a stunner against Watford last night, but we still lost 2-1. We can't defend (although having Purse, Loovens and Scimeca all out doesn't help. Fowler looks off the pace, but you can see his (and JFH's) thought processes are a step up on everyone else.
There is a long way to go, but we need to start winning at home. Bring on Preston this Saturday!

Via Vox

Another shiny gadget

I'm just a sucker for shiny gadgets and 8 months after replacing my broken Treo 650 smartphone with it's 680 successor I've made the move from the Palm platform to Windows Mobile. I'm now using an HTC S710 or "Vox".

It's a Windows Mobile 6 smartphone, smaller than the Treo with a slide out QWERTY keyboard which when opened automatically switches the screen to landscape mode.

With WIFI, and GPRS it really only lacks 3G, but frankly I don't need that sort of performance.

Whilst I still can't bring myself to ditch the Palm platform entirely, I must admit I like the Vox. Cool.

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Sunny Days

We've just returned from a fortnight in Puerto Pollensa in Majorca, and jolly nice it was too. Hot sunshine, cold beer and warm seas - just the thing to forget about the rat race. we've been before, in fact this is our 3rd trip to the same place. The kids loved it (it was a Thomson Superfamily hotel), the scenery is superb up in the mountains, and for me and the missus it was a nice relaxing holiday. We've only been back a day or two and have already got some brochures for next years outing. Time to start saving the pennies...
For anyone interested, our top highlights of the holiday were:

1. The Pirates Adventure show in Magaluf - stunning acrobatics
2. Evening horseriding at Rancho Grande in Son Serra de Marina, followed by a meal, shedloads of sangria and a chance to make a fool of yourself on the Bucking Bronco - I managed 34 secs and was only beaten into second spot by a 13 year old who managed 35 secs!
3. The drive down to Sa Colabra - must be one of the bendiest roads on the planet - tough in a car - we met about 30 coaches coming up!
4. The beach at Formentor - pictured - almost like being in the caribbean!

Look out Shane Warne

Proud moment today, as "Junior" aka "Mini-Stats" played cricket for the Sunday senior side - at 12 and a half the youngest player on the pitch by some distance and in his first senior competitive match . Not only did he field well, but given the chance with the ball bagged 4-13 with his leg breaks against a youthful, but talented Blaengarw side. 1 bowled, 1 catch and 2 stumpings is an impressive return. With his 1-0 in a senior warm up, he's now got 5-13 in his 2 senior matches to date. He genuinely turns the ball, and boasts a googly and flipper. Let's hope he can keep that going, for Dinas Powys CC and England's sake!

In 5 U13 matches this year he's averaging a tad over 37 with the bat as well, and if he keeps working hard, could turn out to be a fine young cricketer. I on the other hand, coming to the end of my career am struggling to hit the ball off the square, and can't bowl because of my dodgy knee. Time to move over I think...