Whitson 2.0 (beta)

(financial) Doom, I'll tell ya... dooom!

2008-10-02T15:12:00.000+01:00

Following the problems in the sub-prime lending market in America and the run on HBOS in the UK, uncertainty has now hit Japan.

In the last 7 hours Origami Bank has folded, Sumo Bank has gone belly up
and Bonsai Bank announced plans to cut some of its branches. Yesterday, it
was announced that Karaoke Bank is up for sale and will likely go for a
song, while today shares in Kamikaze Bank were suspended after they
nose-dived.

Samurai Bank is soldiering on following sharp cutbacks, Ninja Bank is
reported to have taken a hit, but they remain in the black. Furthermore,
500 staff at Karate Bank got the chop and analysts report that there is
something fishy going on at Sushi Bank where it is feared that staff may
get a raw deal.

Tsunami Bank has been hit by a wave of bad debts, and it is understood
That the numbers at Sudoku Bank just don't add up. Satsuma Bank is apparently
going to be restructured by being broken up into smaller segments, and
rumour has it that Koi Bank has been netted by a major foreign competitor.
Meanwhile shares in Judo Bank have been thrown into turmoil and are likely
to hit the floor soon following an announcement from Hara-Kiri Bank that
it was going into voluntary liquidation. Management at Rickshaw Bank have
asked all the staff to pull together to get through this difficult time.

Plans for recapitalisation at Kimono Bank remain under wraps. Further news as we get it.

A great big slide at the Ashleworth Show 2008

2008-08-31T18:53:00.001+01:00

This is my first post from Flock
Th

Blogged with the Flock Browser

from flexwindow

2008-06-21T23:00:00.000+01:00

Toe names

2008-03-12T21:53:00.001Z

Florence was asleep and Beatrice was bored so she named the toes of my right foot. Starting with my big toe and working down here are my toe names:

lassar
tata
gaga
dada
tat

sweet love

2007-10-20T10:46:00.000+01:00

"I don't expect no Don Quixote or nuffin, but you could be more.... you know...."

"Don Quixote????......Don Quixote???? what, like windmills and giants???? ohhhhh Don Juan"

The Odious Complex

2007-10-09T21:50:00.000+01:00

Overheard on a bus in Gloucester

Her: "I gotta do Freud"

Him: "I thought you did that"

Her: "I did that last year but I gotta do it again.
He's a really freaky guy. He's got this theory right.

When a girl is born she fancies 'er dad and is jealous of 'er mum. When a boy is born 'e fancies 'is mum and is jealous of 'is dad.

It's called the odious complex.

See this [girl points to book], 'the odious complex'."

The playlist for Kate's party

2007-08-05T09:30:00.000+01:00

Most of this music was chosen by Kate and isn't what I normally play. I did enjoy an early hokey cokey though.

Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes - (I've Had) The Time Of My Life
Kylie - Better the devil you know
Phill Collins - Can't Hurry love
Lionel Richie - All Night Long
Tom Jones & Stereophonics - Mama Told Me Not To Come
Aqua - Barbie Girl
Hokey Cokey - Hokey Cokey
Various - Mambo vs. Ketchup
Michael Jackson Vs S Club 7 - Don't Stop Movin Billie Jean
Spice Girls - Wannabe.mp3
Uptown Girl - Westlife
Elton John - I'm Still Standing
S Club Juniors - One step closer
Atomic Kitten - Ladies Night
Van Halen - Jump
Starship - We Built This City
Frankie Valli - Grease
The Beatles - I Saw Her Standing Ther
Beatles - Hard Day's Night
Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock
Beach Boys - I Get Around
Showaddywaddy - Under the Moon of Love
The Crystals - Da doo ron ron
Elton John - Crocodile Rock
Los Lobos - La Bamba
Mavericks, The - Dance The Night Away
Jive Bunny - Swing the Mood
Bette Midler - Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
Christina Aguilera - Candyman
The Commitments - Mustang Sally
John Parr - St Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)
Cher - The Shoop Shoop Song (Its in his kiss)
John Travolta & Olivia Newton John - The Grease Megamix
Irene Cara - Fame
The Kids From Fame - Hi Fidelity
Ricky Martin - Livin' La Vida Loca
Neil Sedaka - Oh Carol
FREEZ - IOU
Grandmaster Flash And Melle Mel - White Lines
Bananarama - Love in the First Degree
Dead Or Alive - You Spin Me Round
Pink - Get this party started
Boys Town Gang - Can't take my eyes off you
Meck Feat. Leo Sayer - Thunder in My Heart Again
Vicki Sue Robinson - Turn the Beat Around
Earth, Wind & Fire - Boogie Wonderland
Tavares - Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel
Martine McCutcheon - On the radio
scissor sisters - Filthy gorgeous
Donna Summer - No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)
Geri Halliwell - It's Raining Men
Cardboard Box - Booty Luv vs Inaya Day vs Camille Jones vs Freemasons vs Madonna vs Loo & Placido
George Michael - Careless Whisper
Leo Sayer - When I Need You
Kids From Fame - Starmaker
Tony Christie - (Is This The Way To) Amarillo
Monkees - Daydream believer
Elton John - Don't Go Breaking My Heart
Frank Sinatra - New York, New York

Last night's setlist

2007-07-15T21:41:00.000+01:00

Dancing Queen, ABBA
Switchin Alive, Bee Gees vs Will Smith Vs Cheekyboys
Bowie X (Go Home Productions), David Bowie vs Liberty X
Don't Stop Movin' Billie Jean, S Club 7 Vs Michael Jackson
Booty Luv vs Inaya Day vs Camille Jones vs Freemasons vs Madonna vs Loo & Placido, Cardboard
Who? Yeah!, Spice Girls vs Usher
Sharp dressed party, ZZ Top vs Pink
Supermen Lovers Vs Donna Summer
Just A Little, Liberty X
Macarena, Los Del Rio
Saturday Night, Whigfield
Cha Cha Slide, DJ Casper
Aint no stoppin us now, McFadden & Whitehead
Money, Money, Money, ABBA
Let s Twist Again, Chubby Checker
Booker T and the MGs, Booker T and the MGs
Louie Louie, The Kingsmen
Johnny B Goode, Chuck Berry
Love Me Do, The Beatles
I Saw Her Standing Ther, The Beatles
Twist And Shout, The Beatles
Jimmy Mack, Martha & The Vandellas
Needle In A Haystack, Velvelettes
Tainted Love, Gloria Jones
Sweet Home Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd
You Really Got Me, The Kinks
She Sells Santuary, The Cult
Should I Stay Or Should I Go, The Clash
Teenage Kicks, The Undertones
Hate To Say I Told You So, The Hives
Song 2, Blur
Sweet Caroline, Neil Diamond
Ladies Night, Atomic Kitten
Car Wash, Christina Aguilera Missy
Groove Is in the Heart, Deee-Lite
Jump, Girls Aloud
It's Raining Men, Geri Halliwell
Day & Night, Billie Piper
Lady Marmalade, Patti Labelle
Le Freak, Chic
Can you feel it, Jacksons
Bingo Bango, Basement Jaxx
BENDOVERSOLE, PILCHARD
"God Save the Queen", British National Anthem
When I Need You, Leo Sayer
True, Spandau Ballet
Careless Whisper, George Michael
Daydream believer, Monkees
New York, NY, Frank Sinatra

Baby books

2007-07-08T20:42:00.000+01:00

for the last week or so Beatrice has been asking to see pictures of babies. So apart from photo albums of her we would be stuck if it wasn't for Flickr.

meez.com

2007-07-03T23:25:00.000+01:00

How much is my body worth?

2007-07-03T20:42:00.000+01:00

$4765.00

It's a baby

2007-06-18T20:37:00.000+01:00

It's very early days but baby 2.0 is on the way. Exciting and scary at the same time.

Hello Gizmoz

2007-06-01T17:26:00.000+01:00

Express Yourself with Gizmoz Video Clips

Gizmoz

2007-05-31T23:59:00.000+01:00

Express Yourself with Gizmoz Video Clips

Bea's first house

2007-04-27T21:23:00.000+01:00

Weird ideas that work - Robert I Sutton

2007-04-20T22:50:00.000+01:00

I saw this on amazon...

Weird Ideas that Work takes an unusual perspective. Professor Sutton is focusing on how companies can be more creative for tomorrow, while still being effective at delivering today's products and services. He chooses to call these ideas "weird" to get your attention, and to acknowledge that the ideas may not send too obviously correct to you the first few times you hear them.

The three key principles are:

increase variance in available knowledge
see old things in new ways
break from the past

The 11 1/2 "weird" ideas for implementing those principles are paraphrased below:

Hire smart people who will avoid doing things the same way your company has always done things. ( Diversify your talent and knowledge base, especially with people who get under your skin. )
Hire people with skills you don't need yet, and put them in untraditional assignments.
Use job interviews as a source of new ideas more than as a way to hire.
Give room for people to focus on what interests them, and to develop their ideas in their own way.
Help people learn how to be tougher in testing ideas, while being considerate of the people involved.
Focus attention on new and smarter attempts whether they succeed or not.
Use the power of self-confidence to encourage unconventional trials.
Use "bad" ideas to help reveal good ones.
Keep a balance between having too much and too little outside contact in your creative activities.
Have people with little experience and new perspectives tackle key issues.
Escape from the mental shackles of your organization's past successes.

Going swimming

2006-04-05T22:41:00.000+01:00

Going to Luke & Claire's Wedding

2006-04-05T22:36:00.000+01:00

Not sure

2006-04-05T22:29:00.000+01:00

On the play mat

2006-04-05T22:28:00.000+01:00

With mummy on Mother's day

2006-04-05T22:25:00.000+01:00

2006-03-01T15:19:00.000Z

2006-03-01T15:18:00.000Z

2006-03-01T15:16:00.000Z

2006-03-01T15:15:00.000Z

Daddy Daughter Night

2006-02-20T20:50:00.000Z

Monday night is daddy daughter night, I think I might have told you this before. You have been a bit grumpy - you won't have your bottle. Mummy tried to feed you, herself, then with the bottle then from a special baby cup. Nothing worked.

I took you upstairs to your crib and put on yout mobile, with the horse, elephant and GIraffe. For the first 10 mins you were delighted, smiling, cooing and kicking your little legs. You are grump again now and the only wat to stop you crying is to let you suck on my finger as I type.

good job i love you bumble-bee

wot u lookin at?

2006-02-11T18:06:00.000Z

with mum

2006-02-11T17:54:00.000Z

love the 1970's flick...nice

Smiler

2006-02-11T17:52:00.000Z

B

2006-02-11T17:51:00.000Z

B's chair

2006-02-11T17:50:00.000Z

PJ Girl

2006-02-09T20:56:00.000Z

Monday night

2006-01-23T18:13:00.000Z

Now monday night is a good night for me as mummy has choir practise at Gloucester catherdral. Tonight, the plan is to gurgle along with you and iron some shirts, maybe watch TV too.

The weekend just gone was rather good fun as G&G Peace came to visit, then on Sunday we all went to see G&G Whitson.

Heave Ho

2006-01-17T13:15:00.000Z

You were weighed today at the baby clinic. You new weight is 11 lbs 2 oz. However you haven't pooped for a few days so who knows how much you actually weigh and how much of a stinker it will be.

Ooooh, what's that?

2006-01-15T14:58:00.000Z

Smiley Culture

2006-01-15T14:49:00.000Z

Lots of Beatrice

2006-01-15T14:47:00.000Z

Having a nap with Mum

2006-01-15T14:41:00.000Z

With Great-Grandma Clayton

2006-01-15T14:39:00.000Z

With Great-Grandad Peace

2006-01-15T14:37:00.000Z

In the left corner.....

2006-01-11T19:04:00.000Z

Weighing in at a massive 10 lbs 6 oz having just returned from her first tour of Sheffield - Beatrice Evelyn Patience Whitson

Lots of toys

2006-01-07T23:48:00.000Z

Having a nap with dad

2006-01-07T23:47:00.000Z

Having a nap wth mum

2006-01-07T23:45:00.000Z

Nap time with Daisy Alma

2006-01-07T23:41:00.000Z

Wearing an outfit from Andrew

2006-01-07T23:39:00.000Z

On the bed

2006-01-07T23:37:00.000Z

NCT Reunion

2006-01-07T22:24:00.000Z

Here are the babies

Click here to view or download the high resolution version (1.7Mb)

New Blog

2006-01-07T13:03:00.000Z

As you can see I have copied all the entries over from the old Yahoo! blog. This is because Blogger has better support for pictures. I hope to post lots, real soon.

Later today we're off to meet with our friends at the NCT. I'll tell you all about it later

Entry for December 19, 2005

2006-01-07T12:52:00.002Z

Busy, busy, busy - so much to say but but not enough time to say it. Anyway, I forgot to mention that we named you Beatrice Evelyn Patience.

You are a lovely girl and I'm truly proud to be your Dad. I'm really looking forward to Christmas!

Daddy xxx

Entry for December 09, 2005

2006-01-07T12:52:00.001Z

Wow, so much has happened, so much to say. Here goes

Mummy went into hospital on Tuesday December 6th to be induced, that means she was helped to give birth to you. We got to the hospital at 8 in the morning, We spent a lot of time listening to your heartbeat, which was nice. The gave mummy medicine at 9am, 12 noon and 4pm. Mummy had contractions start at 9pm (I recorded the time of each contraction in a book I was reading). At midnight the ladies looking after mummy suggested that I go home,which I did.

Anyway, it all kicked off after I left.

Fifteen minutes later, mummy's water broke and the midwifes called me to come back. When I arrived mummy was have strong contractions and was in quite a lot of pain. I held mummy's hand but she said "Don't Touch Me!". Just after the midwife left the room and mummy and I were alone together mummy said "Get me something to be sick in". I rushed out the room to find someone to help. Everyone was busy because there were twins being born (Kylie & Derren) as well as other babies too. I came back to the room to find mummy lying on her side, with sick dripping off her arm onto the floor. All mummy could manage was a weak "Too late". Poor mummy. Anyway I cleaned her up and she felt a bit better, (very yucky!)

Mummy was in lots more pain until they gave her an injection in her back called an epidural. Wonderful stuff! It made mummy feel much better. At 5 in the morning mummy and I listened to Queen's greatest hits and then we fell asleep until 6am listening to the audiobook of The Da Vinci Code.

Mummy had to start pushing you out at 7 in the morning (now Wednesday 7th December). But because you were so big the doctor's had to help pull you out with foreceps.

So you were born at 8:52 and weighed 8 pounds 12 and a half ounces, which is quite big

Entry for December 04, 2005

2006-01-07T12:52:00.000Z

SUNDAY night 19:50, watching TV, watching BBC1

I forgot to say that mummy has had a REALLY bad cold for almost a week now. She's not been very well at all, maybe that's why you're not here yet. Maybe you're waiting for mummy to feel better, that's nice.

Anyway, it looks like you won't be here until the until the end of next week. That means that your birthday will probably the 10th of December. Looks like you'll be getting a joint birthday and christmas present each year....good for me bad for you. Mummy says that your birthday parties won't be picnics in the sun, I disagree!

Entry for December 01, 2005

2006-01-07T12:51:00.000Z

Knock, knock
Who's there
Baby
Baby who
Well, it's not baby Whitson because you are still inside mummy

Your official due date WAS Saturday November 26th. But it's December 1st now and you're still not here. Maybe you don't like the idea of being a November baby. The bad news is that the longer you stay inside mum the longer I have to think of REALLY weird middle names for you. Are you gonna pay :-)

See you soon, Dad xxxx

Entry for November 22, 2005

2006-01-07T12:48:00.000Z

Mummy and I went to visit her midwife today, she's the lady that looks after mummies when they are waiting for babies. Mummy's midwife is called Bev, she's very nice - mummy sees her most weeks. Mummy had some tests done and she's got very slightly high blood pressure (I'll try to explain it to you one day - when I understand what blood pressure really means), mummy also has protein in her wee (I'll explain more another day).

It's nothing to worry about but tomorrow I am taking mummy to the hospital for some further test, to make sure that you and mummy are both OK. It's possible that the nice people at the hospital either look after mummy for a little bit so she can have some rest and they might even help you be born sooner. I can't wait to meet you!

On a completely different subject, I've been listening to Waves by a band called Blancmange. I'll play it to you one day, I promise.

See you soon, Daddy xxx