Indian call centres attract of attention in the press; Delhi graduates dumbing down to answer boring questions about bills and invoices; workers being treated little better than slaves; stressful environments and racist abuse. But there’s another side to this as well; the social impact of this interaction. I phoned up BT today because of broadband problem and was talking to someone for well over half an hour, and it’s interesting what can be put into such a conversation, and how an identity of alienated labour can be shared across a distance of 6000 miles….all in real time. Don’t tell the bosses that they’re creating the conditions for their own grave diggers to thrive. And so from that sublime trans national encounter to one which I might call ridiculous, except it was so much fun. Until my brain started working again.

We’ve got the Jamie Oliver Cookbook about Italy so I thought I’d make some real pizza dough. But I’m struggling to understand the differences between the various varieties of yeast (active, dried, easy-bake, dried active). It is truely amazing how much information there is on the internet about all of this. I was taken in by the phone number on the small tin of yeast I’m thinking of using. It’s the Allinson’s Homebaking Club and if you ’simply call 0870 240 2237′ they give you advice - about yeast, and I’m sure about all sorts of other things as well.

Sound great? Yeah, don’t we all get excited. Except that i) I could have gone across the road and asked my neighbour who is a fantastic cook and she would have told me for nothing and it would have been a more social interaction and ii) 0870 numbers are more expensive than normal calls.

We’re getting lost not in the technology, but the constant demands and needs of the greedy capitalists and corporations to use every bit and byte to squeeze every pound and penny out of us.