IE8 - Less than "Great"

Great things certainly weren't expected from the recent release of Internet Explorer 8 BETA and boy we weren't disappointed!

Another pathetic attempt by Microsoft to create a browser to rival Firefox or Opera, and they have failed miserably again!

The best bit is that IE8 actually crashes whenever a Google-based application tries to run in the browser!! Even a simple plug-in like Google Maps on a Contact Us page causes the browser to shut-down, it's such a pathetic and virtually immature way to stop users from using your main competitor.

Everyone in our office is just waiting for Google to release an operating system so that we can be done with ALL Microsoft applications forever! (Hands up anyone who has managed to run Microsoft Windows XP or Vista successfully without it ever crashing??)

To further highlight Microsofts incompetancies, I tried to access Microsoft Ad Center (where you give them money to advertise on their search platforms) and found that I couldn't view certain parts of the system with Internet Explorer (that's Microsofts own browser!) and resorted to using Firefox, which worked perfectly!

Do us all a favour Microsoft and start paying attention!!

Fears of Chopping the Mop

I hope I'm not alone in my anxiety over getting my haircut - whilst it remains an unarduous task, I can't cease my apprehension once the appointment has been made.

It's the forced conversation, the inability to move, fidget or escape eye-contact that brings the social skills crashing down.

Now I'd quite happily sit there in silence with my eyes shut, comfortable in the knowledge that I have little in common with a hairdresser and that an exchange of pleasantries was sufficient interaction. But hairdresser training school dictates they must put their clients at ease with some light banter and chit-chat.

As I wait, flicking through a well-thumbed copy of Mens Health, I catch the guy looking at the appointment book for my name before he wanders past with a friendly "hiya Matt hows it going?" - all very friendly but having seen through his methodoligies I mentally refuse to view him with any higher regard in my "Hairdresser Mates" High Score Table.

I catch a vague whiff of vomit as I am ushered to the icy chair of death - my mind works overtime as I envisage all the employees suffering from chronic hangovers, all blowing chunks out the back due to excessive consumption of Barcardi Breezers last night in Ritzys.

It's possible non of them can actually see straight this morning, I could be the victim of an involuntary Van Gogh ear remodelling if everything goes pear-shaped!

The initial question catches me slightly under prepared - "So have you got the day off work?", now its bad enough to sacrifice a perfectly good lunch hour for the ordeal, but does the clipper-wielding temptress seriously think I'd use a days holiday for my short-back and sides?

Right on cue, the second cliched question soon rears its ugly head - "You doing anything nice this weekend?" - my mind goes blank, mainly due to the shock of being asked such an absurdly typical hairdresser's question! My initial reaction is to laugh but I retain my composure and begin to think of evil retorts such as "No it's my mums funeral."

I resist the temptation to completely confuse her by preempting her third attempt for a cliche hattrick by asking her "Are you going on holiday this year?" - instead the phone rings and she is required to answer it, prolonging my suffering further.

Finally, the mirror gets flashed behind my head, I nod and fake delight. The financial penalty is paid and I run...

...and they say women have the worst "monthly" ordeal!