I know I've been saying this for a while, but fuck you Linksys. New thing: the wireless has been moderately reliable (more so for me than Stepdaughter), but the wired connection to the "main" PC has gone odd. Essentially, every second or so (although intervals don't always seem regular) XP says "cable disconnected" then it connects again. Bear in mind this is the wired connection. So, I change the cable in case it's dodgy: same. Change the physical port on the router (it has 4): same. Add a network card (that machine has a built-in one): same. The one thing I haven't tried is a different computer on a wired port but I don't have a 10 metre ethernet cable handy (I do, but it's a crossover) and I am very lazy.

I think the router is fucked. SD turning it on and off all the time may not have helped but I'm also partially guilty. Anyhow, this is not good as Mrs. H. has to use mine and:

1. I have not set it up to restrict access to my pr0n stash
2. It doesn't have her documents on it

They have Belkin ones in PC World for £70. Tempted. I popped in there on the way home (if nebbish is reading, he may know the joy that it Purley Way) to see if they had a 10m non-crossover cable (yes) for a reasonable price (no).

Any Husiites have comments on the relevant merits of different types of wireless gear?

I also desperately need more storage on this machine (see point 1 above) and them have 250GB disks for, like, £70. Also tempted. Managed to walk out of there without buying anything as we are supposed to be on an economy drive. Also, I don't like buying from PC World on principle (big company - must be crap/unethical in some way) but they are considerabley cheaper than Maplins.

So, anyway, holiday stuff.

SD is 13, into dodgy metal music and a vegetarian. Rural Brittany has little to offer for such a person - when the only fish they'll eat is fish fingers. I seem to recall not enjoying similar holidays when I was that age. Small Boy, by contrast, was hyper excited about almost everything from the moment we got on the ferry. I was not totally convinced about the value of the French club we've been sending him to after school, but while his vocabulary isn't up to much, his accent is brilliant.

The food issue, particularly in restaurants, was a problem with SD. Whilst the locals pay lip service to the concept of "vegitarian" I am not sure they really understand it. I think SD was quite offended by my first meal which was a good-old salade de la fruits de la mer with a large complete langoustine rampant (who I christned "Dave"). Actually, not having taken them on in this form before, I had trouble with Dave. Could've done with some pliers or a screwdriver. Hard bastard.

The first few days, it was just the four of us, but we had deliberately booked a large 4 bed house anticipating one or other set of grandparents to visit. In the end, the both did and overlapped for 3 days - which was ... interesting. Maybe more of that later.

Moaning about the news

Whilst I am no fan of violent porn (I prefer to see ladies depicted as enjoying themselves, possibly together) I have concerns about this legislation. Admittedly I haven't researched the subject, but where would you draw the line between some anti-semtic alcohlic's "mainstream" movie about a scantily clant man being tortuted by other men in leather and skirts, and a bit of fun with ropes and gimp-masks?

This reminds me, Mrs. H. and I watched The Green Mile while we were away (it was one of the English language videos belonging to the house). It has definitely put me off electrocuting anyone.

Has anone heard from the Borg recently? Oh wait - I saw that picture he posted of his wife's cleavage.