Troll alert...suddenly trolls (I use the phrase to describe a much wider group than a collegue) are very interested in work I've got to and demand people jump and that work happens immediatly for what they know. Now, hypothetically of course, if you were planning a project, and had defined some dependencies (at length) you might have spoken to the people who's work your relying on the let them know...

In other news, I'm buggering off for the weekend to Dublin to have a good time with some old mates, some of whom I've not seen in a very long time. Can't wait!

Planes and Wii

I see a lot of people have got upset at violent video games again. Now, there are specifics in this case which I won't touch on, but it brings an interesting topic - do video games make you violent?

In a word, no - but with a caveat. If your already of the mind that you want to use violence against someone, playing violent games and watching violent films will let you live out the fantasy. However, there have always been a few people who would go ahead and do it in real life, regardless of what they have watched and read. It's a sympton of the society we live in, it's not the cause. Video games and films may have made it more accessible though.

The main issue people are having is with this game as it's on the Wii and (for those who don't know) you use the controller wirelessly and it let's you wave it around or whatever the game requires. So, if your ten pin bowling you make that movement and it works out if you bowled it straight etc. Some people don't like the fact that in this new game you use the controller in a stabbing motion, and I can understand that. But will they ban Star Wars as every 30 year old relives his light saber dreams???

The other thing that caught my eye was that someone has ordered a superjumbo for personal use. It's a 300 million dollar plane!!! Unbelievable. It sounds like it's been done by someone very wealthy in the Middle East (the company wouldn't comment, only to say it wasn't the US or Europe, which narrows it down a lot...). My favourite quote though was from the environmental lobby who said it was like "buying a filthy coal-fired power station just to use to charge up your mobile phone."

Now there's an idea....

Hamilton wins another GP. The boy is not normal. I mean, he is 22 years old, and driving like nobody else I've seen, lap after lap. He's more mechanical than Schumi was, although he has a lot more personality. However, for me there are more interesting characters in F1. David Coulthard for example. Quick driver, knows how to setup a car and is a fair racer. You just wonder though that if he hadn't spent so much time chasing women how much further he could have gone. He was in a championship winning car at McLaren alongside Hakinnen, and then alongside Kimi, although he never won the cahmpionship he was always challenging and could have won had he been more consistent.

Then you have Ralf. Ralf is Michael Schumachers brother. I wouldn't trust Ralf to drive me to the airport, never mind with a multi-million pound race car. The boy is utter crap, and blagged his way thoughout his carear on his brothers tails. At the start of this season he proclaimed " I'm one of the best drivers in F1, I can win the world championship". Oh yeah? 7 races in and 2 points says you can't... Your teammate is 5 points ahead of you, so it's hardly the car now is it. He causes accidents and blames everyone but himself - at the weekend he locked up his brakes and crashed into DC, and he blamed DC for being in his way. Pillock.

I love racers, people who can properly drive. Go to YouTube and search for Rene Arnoux and Villeneuve and you'll see what I mean!

Nutters

I've never understood motorbike racing. Particularly on the TT course. Here, a bunch of amateur racers, dress up like superheros in day glow orange, green and yellow leather suits, strap on a gimp mask, and climb onto a throbbing machine capable of doing 200 mph. They are all nutters. The fact that it's done on closed public roads through all the country villages, which means that the run off area will consist of a house, or perhaps a very large tree, means that any accident will result in instant death. Or at least a very sore head.

What makes it worse, is the people who go and watch it on the "race replica" bikes. These people, who could be your banker, or even the local vicar, still dress up the same gimp costume, and have a machine that is not a million miles slower. However while you look stupid riding it, you look even worse when you stop and remove the helmet. You can't walk in bike boots (much like ski boots, you have to walk like the Honda AIBO robot) so you look even more silly. You may think you look cool, but really you look as comfortable as Jade Goody in an Indian restaurant.

In saying all that, I have respect for people who push themselves like that. Instant death is a mere pothole away, which would mean going to hospital while wearing a gimp costume?. Now THAT'S balls.