Goodbye mint

I used Linux Mint 10 when Ubuntu went to the Unity desktop and was very happy with it.
The upgrade from 10 to 12 was  disaster though.  The root of the problem is that /home is on a separate Hard Disk and all the stuff in /home is therefore preserved. Something in there in a config file doesnt work.

the Desktop it as you see it

-ERROR: ld.so: object '/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded: ignored.
 recedes every command line execution  ( but skype is OK!)
-desktop shortcuts don't work
-terminal command line  stuff doesnt work
-no desktop background ( not that important)

Ive posted on the LM forums   but no suggestions /solutions so far so I need to try something  different . So ive got a different HD and with LXDE mint on it , so I'll see whta happens there. ive also got a seprate machine with gentoo installed, but id forgotten what ahassle gentoo can be to get everything set up ( Im sure its fine when its done, but i haven got the time at the moment)

Watch this space

the things you learn......

I went to the Councils' Cycling forum. They have a webpage devoted to cycling  its been going a couple of years  or so, and actually seems to be working quite well  - they take notice of comments, you can see progress on projects.
im sure having Katya  and the Newcastle Cycling Campaign there helps.

So other than the usual stuff about cycle parking   and looking at routes , there were a couple of other things of interest,.

There is  a terms of reference document which was discussed. I timed the discussion over this Agenda item  -12 minutes. And whats missing ? - a policy about what to do about Mobile phones during the meeting . I'm in favour of staring at people  and listening to the conversation if they answer it  during a meeting but this wasnt a universally adopted.  I don't think there actually was  a decision ( rather than leave things as they are - people leave the room to answer a call if they have to) .

And at some schools  in Newcastle pupils have to show some sort of ID before they are let in the school. Pupils ?????. I can perhaps see that random adults shouldn't be wandering round schools , but pupils ? They are worried about  kids who have gone to the wrong school or who, instead of bunking off and hanging round Eldon Square , decide to go to an English lesson ?

And scratchbikes is a well used means for students to get back to Jesmond after a night out