This us David the owner of the blind piper bar in brest . If you get the chance to visit Brest then pop along and tell him that his namesake sent you.

I was reading the BBC website today, commenting on the remarkable Olympic achievements of our athletes.  Mr Sri Chris Hoy (TBC) was truly outstanding in becoming Scotland’s most successful athelete ever (and also the most successful athlete in the games for TeamGB).  I think it’s truly remarkable the difference that the lottery has made to the funding of the team, and it’s a perceptible difference in the nation’s psyche that we were “just a silver”…. I think it’s a passion that’s been missing for two long, and if anything it shows the government and Mr Brown that we simply must continue to back our athletes- support them, and they can do remarkable things.

I think China hosted a massively successful Olympics but I think that we shouldn’t just hand them unviersal acceptance on a plate- they must now step up to the plate and allow democracy. Come on I mean:

“Communisim is flawed, Tianimen Square happened - free Tibet”

A personal statement, above, but one that will automatically mean that this post is never read by Chinese eyes.  I mean, freedom of expression - the probably with Communism, is that simply put - if it’s so wonderful, then why are they so scared of a few words against them and their views.  Give the people a choice china, the second you let your people buy a Gucci suit, a Lexus or eat a Big Mac was the day you opened the walls (the great wall included) to Democracy, sure it might not have happened now, but it’s a ticking clock, and you can choose to ignore, move against it or embrace it- it’s going to happen regardless.

The revolution is coming- and it will be televised- the broadcasting techniques and systems that your wonderful games helped produced ensured that it will be seen by all.

China… we’re watching

Cammy is a Brest legend.

Is it wrong to be utterly impressed with yourself?  That’s the question that I am asking myself this afternoon.  I’ve been having a relaxed day (more about that after) and got around to reading back on my blog- impressive when you write quite profound things that you don’t really realise are until after the time.  I’ve been blogging for almost 3 years now, and I’m enjoying the way that I can watch my thinking change, my moods, what’s important to me… reading back before Glasgow I realise how unsettled and unhappy I actually was- and how much better my life has gotten - I think I owe a big thank you to the city of Glasgow, the people that’ve met during the way, my family and a big thank you to Glasgow Caledonian University and it’s staff.  Gamma was great for me, and whilst a stepping stone job, it got me the skills and experience that got me to my current job with Alcatel/NCR.  I just think that now adays all you have to do is want something badly enough- and then go and take it… don’t sit in a shite job, go out, work hard and get what you want- it’s not that hard!!!

As I write I am in Brest, in Brittany , Northern France attending another training towards my ACSE qualification in voice networks.  It’s always pretty relaxed when we get over here, the newness has worn off and we are now at a point where it’s routine, and mostly enjoyable.  The training has been really good these last few sessions, but i must say I am looking forward to a while without Alcatel traini sng when I can sit down with the equipment and work rather than feel that all I’m doing is reading and thinking.

My Cisco has been a little bit on hold over the last month, you can’t really help it, and there is only so many hours in a single day.  Anyway I know that once the Alcatel training is out of the way, I’ll have my evenings and weekends back again so can crack through the CCNP.  I’ve slightly delayed this now, and I wanna achieve full CCNP certification in 2009, probably quarter 3.  That gives me one year to get it, and also allow myself the time to learn my job.  I want to get into the data side of Alcatel products if I can help it- but we will need to see how the NOC pans out.

Breast itself is a surprising town, surprising mostly for the fact that it is so modern.  During the war, thanks to it’s link to the North Atlantic fleet, the Germans bombed the city flat.  As a result of said bombing the buildings now are all of the same age (circa 1950) and whilst a lot of redevelopment is seeing these replaced with more fetching designs, I have to say that I’m quite partial to the big expansive buildings such as the hotels and shops that make up the city centre.

We stay at the Oceania in Brest, a really lovely , modern and bright hotel with a nautical theme.  The rooms are excellent, it’s centrally located and the staff are all very plesant, and can understand our bad French, and often reply in excellent English- which always eases your mind on a long stay.   We’ve got another 4 or 5 trips out to Brest, and I’d definately like to come back on my own terms, when I’m not working and see the place as a proper tourist- nothing much beats sitting drinking a half pint on the pavement in the sun :-d

Chris loves blind pipers. He’s here all week folks.

NORMAL - WELL NORMAL FOR CHRIS

ADD BEER

ET VOILA- TALKING PURE PISH!!!!!!!

So I finally rectified a problem that I’ve had due to a bad decision in September last year.  When the first generation iPhone was announced there was too long a wait for it to launch in the UK, so in the meantime, I needed a phone and bought a Motorola RAZR2 - a nice phone given, but no iPhone.  It’s always kinda grated me that when you put it next to the iPhone it looked like an old brick.

With the launch of the iPhone 3G, my one major reason for not buying an iPhone was gone, in fact two were.  Firstly the phone had the needed 3g feature that the orignal had been lacking, and secondly they were litrally almost giving the phone away on contract.   The final straw came at the end of last week when I found that my RAZR2 had started to get really slow and the number 2 key, for no apparent reason had decided to only work on the odd minutes of the hour.  I popped into the O2 store in Kinnaird Park in Edinburgh, and I’m now migrated over to an iPhone- pretty much the best choice and easiest I’ve ever made.

Sure I’ll have to pay out the remaining 5 months on my Orange contract- but for under 200 quid its pretty much the same price as the original iPhone would have cost me.  Added to that that the package is unlimited data, 1200 minutes a month and 500 texts and it’s pretty much a compelling package.  I’ve added some extra programs to it, and used it as a drop in replacement for my iPod Touch- loving the facilities, fast smooth intutive and cool.

Test of iPhone blogging.

Loading up iPhone 3G cj where the he’ll are you?

I’ve had toys all my life, as anyone will tell you I’m a gadget freak, but the Audi takes some beating.  I still honestly don’t believe it’s mine it summariese all that I’ve worked for too me, and it’s just a thrill to take it for a spin or see its reflection in a window as i drive past- I think it is theeeee most handsome car on the road.

One thing I was very keen on was getting the A4 in the S-Line trim , which is

an upgraded trim package with better wheels, tires, improved suspension,

fittings etc.  It’s a £2500 option but the car looks so much more poised and purposeful with the body kit , the spoilers and extra badging and details.  I really like the funky LED lights, though the always on aspect of them worries me soemtimes - if you see me behind you in the fast lane of a motorway, please do get out of the way- but know the lights aren’t on for road rage

purposes!

1000 cups of coffee whilst studying CCNA

500 notepads to work through Alcatel.

2 years hard work.

Driving home your new audi : Priceless