crisps

You'll get what you pay for (or not in this case), as others have said. I don't know how local bands make any kind of living these days, there are so many promoters/venue owners who seem only willing to offer 'exposure' or beer for musicians' time. It's insulting for those who actually take the time to practice and hone their craft (and lug their equipment around), to think that their efforts are only worth beer or 'exposure' whilst organisers take all the money the acts help to generate. It's greed, pure and simple.

You need an amp or interface with a USB output. These outputs usually have a speaker emulation applied to the signal, in order to eliminate the need for a mic. There are some amps that do this, but to be honest you may need to pay slightly more. The Blackstar ID series (not the ID Core) do this and sound great. Another option is a USB audio interface for guitar, like a Line 6 Pod. However, you would then need some full-range speakers to amplify it (so that you aren't running an emulated speaker sound through a speaker that is already tuned for guitar-only frequencies - this would sound awfully muffled). PM me if you would like any help.

I have seen various incidences of bullying. I have worked in the NHS for a number of years. Senior nurses have been the worst culprits, IMO. They belittle staff, manipulate statistics to give the impression of good leadership and intimidate staff who dare to become ill during their employment. The impression I get is that they all look after each other, and so raising grievances does absolutely nothing to solve the problem. The unions are also ineffective, because their representatives often 'get on' with the people accused of bullying. I have witnessed staff being talked to like they are children on so many occasions that it becomes almost accepted. It won't change until the NHS employ people who aren't watching each others' backs to deal with the problem.

Football is amazing. I've yet to meet a lady who agrees (maybe that's why I'm still single?) but my hope is that one day I'll meet a lady who will shout WITH me, not AT me when it's on the TV. I was chatting with a female friend yesterday, and she told me that she pretends to like football in the early stages of a relationship, but then progressively limits the amount of footy her fella can watch. Apparently the reason she likes to have a 'special' night on Saturday is to avoid Match of the Day

How's your job at The Samaritans going?

Could you please elaborate on that?

It was just after 6.30pm. I'm going to phone the council tomorrow and put my opinion forward re: CCTV. If it was just one attacker I'd have felt more confident in terms of intervening but I couldn't see if there was anyone else (in addition to the two attackers) hidden under the nearby tunnel and so I didn't want to end up boxed in. I'm buying an attack alarm ASAP. It's made me think about how relaxed I have been in general about walking through those areas when it's dark. I really hope the victim is OK.

It was in the Bramall Lane underpass. Two blokes mugging another bloke. I wanted to try and help but they were both large blokes and I'm only 5'4" so I scarpered and rang 999. I heard them hitting him and shouting at him. I did go back soon after to try and help the injured victim but he was gone. When I was first entering the underpass there was another bloke with me but he legged it. Would have been useful to get his description of the muggers to try and help the police. I felt awful for not trying to help him but they could have been tooled up and I'd have likely only taken a beating myself and then I couldn't have done anything. Just a warning, really. Don't use the underpass at night. These scumbags will probably be waiting to assault you and relieve you of your belongings. They were both of Asian ethnicity, wearing hooded tops and one had a bike. I hate that people do things like this to others.

Ward managers do not have a say in how their wards are staffed, and that is the crux of the problem. Being a nurse on a busy ward entails trying to do all of the above whilst being constantly interrupted and having insufficient resources to complete said tasks to a standard that Joe Public would find acceptable. This is what causes complaints. It isn't all bed baths and tablets either. Many patients (especially elderly) have social needs that have to be addressed before they are discharged. It generally falls on nursing staff to do this, also. Bottom line: there are too many tasks, too few minutes and too few staff.

There are not enough members of staff to deliver 'customer service' in the NHS.

Much cheaper. I can also attest to their quality.

I think the problem is that a) the public doesn't know (or care in some cases) quite how much of a backlog there is and b) there is no way to find out where our parcels actually are. I think the posties, delivery drivers and workers at the sorting offices are doing a brilliant job under intense pressure from a very arsey public.

I should have probably provided a bit more detail. He was provided with an explanation (the backlog, the parcel not actually being at the site) but still wouldn't stop having a go at the poor guy behind the counter. Just because you represent a company doesn't mean you have any say in how they manage a situation such as this. Therefore it doesn't mean you should have to put up with numerous angry customers without support from a manager (there wasn't one on site, apparently).

I went to collect a parcel from the Woodseats office this morning. Some people were very rude to the staff. One moron kept saying "This isn't acceptable!" over and over, as if he expected the staff to make his parcel appear from thin air. I really feel for the front line staff. They seem to be getting it in the neck.

An electric guitar I'd wanted for ages. Bought for me by my g/f at the time. Sadly we split before the next Xmas (I was hoping for a nice amp ) but it's by far the best Xmas present I've ever had.