And he gives off such an evil heat.

hawkeviper also paid a flying visit on the weekend, dropping off — as well as the smelly cheese and red wine — a box of Ubuntu Linux 5.04 CD packs (32-bit x86, i.e. most PCs). These have the live CD (test drive Ubuntu on your PC; also includes a pile of Windows software) and the install CD. And have a lovely graphic-designed colour sleeve. Anyone who wants one (or more), comment here and/or email me at dgerard at gmail dot com with your address. For the moment I'm leaving them on the tube a lot.

Any questions?

Get a bottle and push it on down.

This evening I got home and read LiveJournal sitting out the back with the laptop having a refreshing cig. (Smoking cloves is big, clever, gets the chicks and makes you thin and gorgeous.) Here's to wifi. I was slightly annoyed that the Netgear card could only pick up signal if I sat right near the back window; I'm sure it could pick up signal all the way to the table at the far end when I tried it in April (on the 560X under Windows). I might try again with the NetComm NP5430, which I already know Just Works under Ubuntu. This is living.

arkady came over with body fat scales — you put in your height, the device sends currents through your feet and tells you your body fat and water percentages. £14.95, down from £44, at the Lloyd's Pharmacy on Higham Hill Road. Since when did scales need a manual.

I spent today at work doing work (my boss is just back from two weeks' holiday; in the civil service, they happily let you go on holiday and happily let two weeks' crap build up for you to come back to) and doing exercises at my desk. Leg lifts under the desk, lifting myself onto my elbows by the arms of the chair. Keeps the heart rate up, keeps me from falling asleep, keeps my arse from falling asleep and I can feel the strain in my upper arms. Let's see if this has a visible effect.

I remember Karl Rove quoted in the NYT magazine having a go at "the reality-based community" and saying "that's not the way the world really works anymore." Where reality now appears to be that which is not susceptible to spin. It's such a pity their all-encompassing incompetence had to come out in quite this manner. Faith in castles in the air is a fine thing, but you do need to put foundations under them sooner or later. When the rubber finally hits the road, burnouts are so unstylish.