Just dropped M off for a day of teaching the little darlings at school. Hopefully, just like the governments advert for tachers at the moment, just when she needs something, it will appear miraculously on the active white board.
The school is baking at the moment in this heat. The only room with air-conditioning is the ICT suite. We were remembering back to our days when during the summer we would have lessons outside if it got too hot to be inside. At my infant/junior school we had a big playing field so each class could de-camp into a different part and not disturb the others. That was one of the advantages of book learning. We had the option to take a book outside, you can't be doing that with technology based learning.
Of course, the other reason you probably can't do it now is in case the children are exposed to the sun.
Oh dear. I'm off into "things were better in my day" mode again.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Swimhiking
On Countryfile tonight they had an article about Swimhiking. Quite fancy this. I prefer the swimming bit to the hiking but unfortunately it all seems to be round the Lake District at the moment. I'll keep an eye our for the future.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
French Travels
A nice day yesterday in France, or 5 hours at least. Although I prefer the south of the country near Beziers even Pas-de-Calais has it's delights. And despite the chance of getting the Brits across for second homes the house prices are still good.
For instance, the photo shows a 5 bedroom property for sale at less than the cost of our two bedroom flat in Isleworth. You can get another 4 bedroom in the loft if you want to convert it. And there's 80mtrs of river frontage if you fancy the idea. £200k goes a long way just the other side of the channel. And taxes for the year are under £1,000 per annum, £400 less than our council tax.
Oh, and I was good, I had the baguette but not the vin rouge.
For instance, the photo shows a 5 bedroom property for sale at less than the cost of our two bedroom flat in Isleworth. You can get another 4 bedroom in the loft if you want to convert it. And there's 80mtrs of river frontage if you fancy the idea. £200k goes a long way just the other side of the channel. And taxes for the year are under £1,000 per annum, £400 less than our council tax.Oh, and I was good, I had the baguette but not the vin rouge.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
It's a Shutterlanche!
I am making a very quick visit to France tomorrow. I'll be in the country for about three and a half hours then back again. There is a place near Calais that has an admirble array of window shutters. More than a young man can even dream of, and therefore I'm off for a look. I dare say there'll be time for a baguette and a vin rouge though.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Banking on a Winner
Following yet another disagreement between myself and Lloyds TSB I have moved the company accounts over to Barclays. And I am greatly impressed with everything that Barclays are doing! They are damned efficient, respond to queries, have polite and helpful call centre staff, and their on-line banking system security is great. My business manager has probably done more to help me in the last 3 weeks than the other lot managed in 9 years.
For me to think any bank is good takes a great deal of effort on their part. I hope they can keep it up.
For me to think any bank is good takes a great deal of effort on their part. I hope they can keep it up.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Another CD for the Vault
There are CDs you know you shoulf have because they were given critical acclaim but you never get round to buying them because there's something more urgent to buy when payday comes round. However, thanks to Sainsburys knocking it out for £6 in their sale I now have Raising Sand by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.
Not being a fan of Led Zeppelin I don't have a working knowledge of Plant but Krauss I do know if only in passing listen to country.
Only listened through once but I suspect I'll be transferring a number of tracks on to my personal favourite track list.
I'll not do a full review because music is so personal a thing that one mans Meatloaf is another mans Poison Ivy but I should think that most people with a wide listening knowledge will like it.
Not being a fan of Led Zeppelin I don't have a working knowledge of Plant but Krauss I do know if only in passing listen to country.
Only listened through once but I suspect I'll be transferring a number of tracks on to my personal favourite track list.
I'll not do a full review because music is so personal a thing that one mans Meatloaf is another mans Poison Ivy but I should think that most people with a wide listening knowledge will like it.
Maskerade
Yes, I have spelt that right.
I went to see an "am dram" production of Terry Pratchets Maskerade this weekend that had some friends in it. They were brilliant and so was the production. If ever you see it on in your area get a ticket. You'll have a thoroughly enjoyable night out.
I went to see an "am dram" production of Terry Pratchets Maskerade this weekend that had some friends in it. They were brilliant and so was the production. If ever you see it on in your area get a ticket. You'll have a thoroughly enjoyable night out.
Capital Sums
I heard on the news a few weeks back that the population of London was now only 52% British according to the Office of National Statistics. For their purposes British would include all residents with British Nationality despite colour and place of birth. Thought I'd just mention that in case anyone thought they were extrapolating figures of just "white born here" residents.
This lead me to wonder, if you took out the Scots and Welsh from those figures as, although they have London as their capital for British purposes, they don't for National purposes, does that drop the London population to less than 50% English? And if so, is London the only capital in the world with less than 50% residency of it's own nationals? I've been wondering but don't know where to check it.
This lead me to wonder, if you took out the Scots and Welsh from those figures as, although they have London as their capital for British purposes, they don't for National purposes, does that drop the London population to less than 50% English? And if so, is London the only capital in the world with less than 50% residency of it's own nationals? I've been wondering but don't know where to check it.
The Elephant in the Room
The BNP have made further inroads into the UK political scene. I think there are a number of reasons.
Firstly, everyone seems to be running round blaming MPs expenses as a strong reason why people have placed their cross against the BNP candidate, but I think they are wrong. I don't believe the BNP would be the party of choice per se for that protest vote.
One thing that the BNP have managed to do recently is to market themselves better than previously and it shows in the fact that their literature tends to give them a better face. They could do even better if they didn't occasionally have a spokesman go into rant mode. This is a lesson that their opposition should learn. If the BNP can show themselves to be more acceptable, their detractors need to put up a better attack than "Don't vote for them, they are evil and rascist!". That is a statement, not an argument. The problem is that this will just incite some to vote for the BNP out of sheer cussedness as they won't be told what to do.
This morning a Tory MP was saying that the public do have concerns about immigration and they need to be proplerly addressed. That is correct but who is going to tackle it. To even discuss that there might be a problem with immigration is to invite a charge of rascism against you.
For the past five and a half months I have been sorting my ex-girlfriends benefits out, the last 8 weeks concentrating mainly on trying to get her housing benefit sorted. As always in these situations you chat to people in the queues. I met a guy last week, probably in his 70s, white, dressed in blazer and tie. He told me he had been trying to get some housing benfit but it was hard going, not just in the form filling etcetera but because he really didn't want to be doing this. He had been paying his way for all his adult life and to ask for a handout was shame for him. A couple of places ahead of us a newly arrived resident to the area was with an interpreter as they spoke no English. They asked for a housing benefit form, and then when they were given it asked for two more as their cousins needed it as well. Now, how should that old guy deal with the situation? Be told to toughen up as he is entitled to his benefits and it's his own fault if he doesn't claim them? Be proud to live in a country that invites people in and lets them receive benefits virtually from day 1 despite never contributing to the country or even speaking the language? I have no idea what way he votes obviously, but I can see how the BNP might just appeal to people in his position.
For myself, I doubt I could ever vote for the BNP but then the only party I've ever said I would never vote for was the Labout Party. This is why the BNP have a chance to make huge inroads into the voting publics psyche with the correct marketing. Don't expect them to go away soon, they are the elephant in the room.
Firstly, everyone seems to be running round blaming MPs expenses as a strong reason why people have placed their cross against the BNP candidate, but I think they are wrong. I don't believe the BNP would be the party of choice per se for that protest vote.
One thing that the BNP have managed to do recently is to market themselves better than previously and it shows in the fact that their literature tends to give them a better face. They could do even better if they didn't occasionally have a spokesman go into rant mode. This is a lesson that their opposition should learn. If the BNP can show themselves to be more acceptable, their detractors need to put up a better attack than "Don't vote for them, they are evil and rascist!". That is a statement, not an argument. The problem is that this will just incite some to vote for the BNP out of sheer cussedness as they won't be told what to do.
This morning a Tory MP was saying that the public do have concerns about immigration and they need to be proplerly addressed. That is correct but who is going to tackle it. To even discuss that there might be a problem with immigration is to invite a charge of rascism against you.
For the past five and a half months I have been sorting my ex-girlfriends benefits out, the last 8 weeks concentrating mainly on trying to get her housing benefit sorted. As always in these situations you chat to people in the queues. I met a guy last week, probably in his 70s, white, dressed in blazer and tie. He told me he had been trying to get some housing benfit but it was hard going, not just in the form filling etcetera but because he really didn't want to be doing this. He had been paying his way for all his adult life and to ask for a handout was shame for him. A couple of places ahead of us a newly arrived resident to the area was with an interpreter as they spoke no English. They asked for a housing benefit form, and then when they were given it asked for two more as their cousins needed it as well. Now, how should that old guy deal with the situation? Be told to toughen up as he is entitled to his benefits and it's his own fault if he doesn't claim them? Be proud to live in a country that invites people in and lets them receive benefits virtually from day 1 despite never contributing to the country or even speaking the language? I have no idea what way he votes obviously, but I can see how the BNP might just appeal to people in his position.
For myself, I doubt I could ever vote for the BNP but then the only party I've ever said I would never vote for was the Labout Party. This is why the BNP have a chance to make huge inroads into the voting publics psyche with the correct marketing. Don't expect them to go away soon, they are the elephant in the room.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Holding up a mirror.
Congratulations to the psychiatrist who was on the BBC 10 o'clock news tonight.
Talking about Susan Boyle he talked about her and then explained why talent/reality programmes deliberately choose weird, dysfunctional, ugly, eccentric people - "because unfortunatley (turns to camera and points at it), those are the people you want to watch!"
If only they'd have let him finish with "perhaps it's not Susan Boyle who needs help, perhaps it's the audience that 120 years ago would have flocked to see a Victorian Freak Show"
I dare say he's in for some flak from some members of the public.
Talking about Susan Boyle he talked about her and then explained why talent/reality programmes deliberately choose weird, dysfunctional, ugly, eccentric people - "because unfortunatley (turns to camera and points at it), those are the people you want to watch!"
If only they'd have let him finish with "perhaps it's not Susan Boyle who needs help, perhaps it's the audience that 120 years ago would have flocked to see a Victorian Freak Show"
I dare say he's in for some flak from some members of the public.
Fings Ain't Wot They Used To Be.
I spent a pleasant couple of hours this afternoon down Nostalgia Street with my good friend A.J. And, as he reminded me, we are but a short time away from having known each other 50 years, man and boy. And in fact incredibly young boys. And Hello dear boy should you finally find your way to this online tome.
We partook of a small libation at a hostelry in Ealing and gazed out upon the rolling plain of Ealing Green and our old school beyond. Not that it is a school now. In fact very little is the same here since we left 35 years ago. A wander up the high street from what was the Queen Vic reveals just 1 shop that is the same as it was then, and even then I'm not sure it was there. Crispins Wine Bar was definitely around but might have been up near The Mall. No more Martins the Newsagent where we would rush to get to our Rhubarb and Custards and our Kola Kubes, sherbert pips and Jubblys on a summers afternoon. No more Beggars Banquet record store which excelled itself a few years later by playing Ivor Bigguns Winkers Song (Misprint), at full volume over the external loud speaker.
No, Ealing isn't what it used to be, but then 35 years on, neither are we.
We partook of a small libation at a hostelry in Ealing and gazed out upon the rolling plain of Ealing Green and our old school beyond. Not that it is a school now. In fact very little is the same here since we left 35 years ago. A wander up the high street from what was the Queen Vic reveals just 1 shop that is the same as it was then, and even then I'm not sure it was there. Crispins Wine Bar was definitely around but might have been up near The Mall. No more Martins the Newsagent where we would rush to get to our Rhubarb and Custards and our Kola Kubes, sherbert pips and Jubblys on a summers afternoon. No more Beggars Banquet record store which excelled itself a few years later by playing Ivor Bigguns Winkers Song (Misprint), at full volume over the external loud speaker.
No, Ealing isn't what it used to be, but then 35 years on, neither are we.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Misleading & Suspicious
Following M&S being caught out over their Scottish Salmon by giving it a bogus name it's interesting to see the new 125th Anniversary advert. Interesting and annoying from my point of view. I can spot three things that are either misleading or suspicious.
1) In the opening scene a loveable cockney barrow boy says hello to Twiggy. He was well travelled for the 1880s as their original Penny Stall was in Leeds! I hate the idea that anything that has ever happened in England can only have happened in London.
2) They claim that they introduced the Avocado Pear. Interestingly so do Sainsburys in their 140th anniversary advert. Sainsburys however have given the year they did it. Who knows, but I'm leaning towards Sainsburys with M&Ss record.
3) Claiming they introduced proper bra fitting service. Quite possibly they were the first high street chain to do so because at the time they were probably were the only high street underwear retailer. Of course, retailers of ladies foundation garments had been measuring ladies lumps and bumps well before that. Even today their measuring service is fine for fitting their own bras but isn't right for giving a lady her correct sizing for the "real" market.
Has anyone else spotted any other untruths?
1) In the opening scene a loveable cockney barrow boy says hello to Twiggy. He was well travelled for the 1880s as their original Penny Stall was in Leeds! I hate the idea that anything that has ever happened in England can only have happened in London.
2) They claim that they introduced the Avocado Pear. Interestingly so do Sainsburys in their 140th anniversary advert. Sainsburys however have given the year they did it. Who knows, but I'm leaning towards Sainsburys with M&Ss record.
3) Claiming they introduced proper bra fitting service. Quite possibly they were the first high street chain to do so because at the time they were probably were the only high street underwear retailer. Of course, retailers of ladies foundation garments had been measuring ladies lumps and bumps well before that. Even today their measuring service is fine for fitting their own bras but isn't right for giving a lady her correct sizing for the "real" market.
Has anyone else spotted any other untruths?
Monday, May 25, 2009
Classical Brits
Decided last night to watch the Classical Brits 2009 as there wasn't anything else on worth watching.
Oh dear!
Nothing wrong with the actual awards thmselves which, from the nominations I could see, went to decent singers/composers/conductors. The dire bit was the between award entertainment.
Item 1) Tyrell. Nice enought girl. Actually saw her on the reality show that found her and had a good voice. She's been "marketed". She sang a song. basically lyrics over The Blue Danube Waltz, which of course Strauss hadn't lyricised, whilst she wa backed bysome dancers doing faux ballet without getting anywhere nearer than you or I might if we jumped about a bit with our arms out and kicking.
Item 2) Placido Domingo & Opera Barbie (TM Gert {just in case she reads this]) Placido, what are you doing, you don't need to perform with Katherine Jenkins just because someone tells you she's popular. You are light years in advance of her and your help and support would probably be much better used to support an actual opera singer not someone who calls herself that even though she has never sung in an opera.
Item 3) Alison Bolsom. Young trumpet player who can ctually do what she is meant to do particularly well. Someone should have told her though that her dress didn't do her any favours. Blonde, nice figure, but clingy dresses dont work if you want to move the way Alison does in performance.
Item 4) The Priests. It would be easy to diss them but they are genuine. They are Priests and they sing religious music. Not quite my cup of tea but at least they aren't covering Take That tunes or something. It would have bee nice if they were allowed to sing something other than Ave Maria though.
Item 5) Herbie Hancock & Lang Lang. Intersting mix. They played Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue. Lang Lang, who is a brilliant pianist looked a bit out of sorts but Herbie Hancock was a revelation. So well known for his popular music that, even though this wasn't what you'd call straight classical, he was much better than I would have thought as most "crossover acts" whichever direction tend not quite to work but he's on the button.
Item 6) Jonas Baufmann? I missed his name because I slipped out of the room for a couple of minutes. Good singer but the choice of Donna e mobile was pandering to lowest common denominator.
Item 7) Opera Barbie. Again! If she sang "send your daughter to the slaughter" it wouldn't make her a heavy metal artist!
Item 8) Jose Carreras. Getting the lifetime achievement award and then performing. He has sung 60 full operas and recorded 50 of them. There Katherine, that's an opera singer. He was also described as singing from The Classical repertoire. Now, if KJ claimed herself as doing that then perhaps she wouldn't get such "bad press" from within the opera world. Jose also managed to get some feeling into his piece where KJ doesn't. Maybe that's why she doesn't do opera. You need to act and be expressive as well as singing.
So, on reflection, good in parts. Generally, good meant the real classical musicians and the rest were there to entice a public who would be unlikely to watch anyway. Still, perhaps next year "The hairy Angel" will top the bill. I'm sure Simon Cowell would be pleased to do for classical music what he's done for pop, as long as he's paid enough.
Oh dear!
Nothing wrong with the actual awards thmselves which, from the nominations I could see, went to decent singers/composers/conductors. The dire bit was the between award entertainment.
Item 1) Tyrell. Nice enought girl. Actually saw her on the reality show that found her and had a good voice. She's been "marketed". She sang a song. basically lyrics over The Blue Danube Waltz, which of course Strauss hadn't lyricised, whilst she wa backed bysome dancers doing faux ballet without getting anywhere nearer than you or I might if we jumped about a bit with our arms out and kicking.
Item 2) Placido Domingo & Opera Barbie (TM Gert {just in case she reads this]) Placido, what are you doing, you don't need to perform with Katherine Jenkins just because someone tells you she's popular. You are light years in advance of her and your help and support would probably be much better used to support an actual opera singer not someone who calls herself that even though she has never sung in an opera.
Item 3) Alison Bolsom. Young trumpet player who can ctually do what she is meant to do particularly well. Someone should have told her though that her dress didn't do her any favours. Blonde, nice figure, but clingy dresses dont work if you want to move the way Alison does in performance.
Item 4) The Priests. It would be easy to diss them but they are genuine. They are Priests and they sing religious music. Not quite my cup of tea but at least they aren't covering Take That tunes or something. It would have bee nice if they were allowed to sing something other than Ave Maria though.
Item 5) Herbie Hancock & Lang Lang. Intersting mix. They played Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue. Lang Lang, who is a brilliant pianist looked a bit out of sorts but Herbie Hancock was a revelation. So well known for his popular music that, even though this wasn't what you'd call straight classical, he was much better than I would have thought as most "crossover acts" whichever direction tend not quite to work but he's on the button.
Item 6) Jonas Baufmann? I missed his name because I slipped out of the room for a couple of minutes. Good singer but the choice of Donna e mobile was pandering to lowest common denominator.
Item 7) Opera Barbie. Again! If she sang "send your daughter to the slaughter" it wouldn't make her a heavy metal artist!
Item 8) Jose Carreras. Getting the lifetime achievement award and then performing. He has sung 60 full operas and recorded 50 of them. There Katherine, that's an opera singer. He was also described as singing from The Classical repertoire. Now, if KJ claimed herself as doing that then perhaps she wouldn't get such "bad press" from within the opera world. Jose also managed to get some feeling into his piece where KJ doesn't. Maybe that's why she doesn't do opera. You need to act and be expressive as well as singing.
So, on reflection, good in parts. Generally, good meant the real classical musicians and the rest were there to entice a public who would be unlikely to watch anyway. Still, perhaps next year "The hairy Angel" will top the bill. I'm sure Simon Cowell would be pleased to do for classical music what he's done for pop, as long as he's paid enough.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Driving Miss Lillibet
One of the things about living on a main arterial road into Central London is that we quite often have outriders stopping traffic and letting some VIP through Sometimes I have soft fruit in the car in case it's Gordon Brown but mainly it's a President or Prime Minister of a country we are presently trying to woo. Occasionally though it's a membe of The Royal Family.
As I'm a Royalist I'm quite pleased to see them but especially if it's the Queen. And yesterday it was, on her way to Kew Gardens to celebrate the 250th anniversary. I'v seen her a few times before in the Royal Queenmobile but yesterday was the first time I'd seen her looking so happy. Maybe she was looking forward to the visit, maybe Prince Philip had just cracked some joke sat next to her, maybe she was just feeling happy in the pink outfit with matching hat she was wearing?
A couple of minutes delay and we were off. And for once I didn't ming being delayed because it was HM and I'd much rather that then be delayed as normal by idiots who don't know how to negotiate a set of traffic lights with a filter!
As I'm a Royalist I'm quite pleased to see them but especially if it's the Queen. And yesterday it was, on her way to Kew Gardens to celebrate the 250th anniversary. I'v seen her a few times before in the Royal Queenmobile but yesterday was the first time I'd seen her looking so happy. Maybe she was looking forward to the visit, maybe Prince Philip had just cracked some joke sat next to her, maybe she was just feeling happy in the pink outfit with matching hat she was wearing?
A couple of minutes delay and we were off. And for once I didn't ming being delayed because it was HM and I'd much rather that then be delayed as normal by idiots who don't know how to negotiate a set of traffic lights with a filter!
Friday, May 01, 2009
Ungrateful gratitude.
I recently auditioned for a lead role in Gilbert & Sullivan's Patience. I got one, but not the one I was after. It's a fine line between being fed up 'cos I didn't get the part I really wanted and being grateful I at least got a lead role even if it's a lesser one.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
It's a Miracle.
There will be more news shortly but someone I know has opened a can of prunes and has found a "siamese prune". Is this the first case of conjoined prunes known to man? Tomorrow I shall take pictures and we may attempt to seperate them. Will there be a conjoined stone? Will both halves survive?
Try not to get over excited with the anticipation!
Try not to get over excited with the anticipation!
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Back of Beyond
Just to let you know I'm in Wales. North Wales. Bloody big hill behind the house North Wales. Bloody big hill behind the house that stops any mobile signal for calls or internet access North Wales.
Back to civilisation at the weekend.
Back to civilisation at the weekend.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Gone but not forgotten.
I managed to resist the urge to comment about Jade Goody's death until today. I ignored the hourly bulletins on the stste of her health. I've managed to avoid the posts on even the Screwfix forums, though why big butch builders are so distressed lord knows. But the new edition of OK is the straw that breaks the Kennamatics back.
Apart from fronting it in black as a sign of mourning, the head caption is " a nation mourns for it's brightest star".
Good grief. (Or bad grief depending on your outlook).
If all the people who are sending letters of condolence, wringing their hands in despair at the loss of someone they didn't know and planning to attend the "private funeral" for which the location has been leaked well in advance so crowds of mourners turn up, I have an idea.
Instead of spending your life worrying about someone who is famous for being famous not being famous any more, why not offer your services to a hospice or hospital to visit patients who are dying of cancer and help actual real people you can make a difference to. Or work for a cancer charity to raise money to help future generations. But then, that's really not what your grieving is about, it's being part of something you see as exciting. Then again, when was reality tv ever meant to put you in touch with reality?
Apart from fronting it in black as a sign of mourning, the head caption is " a nation mourns for it's brightest star".
Good grief. (Or bad grief depending on your outlook).
If all the people who are sending letters of condolence, wringing their hands in despair at the loss of someone they didn't know and planning to attend the "private funeral" for which the location has been leaked well in advance so crowds of mourners turn up, I have an idea.
Instead of spending your life worrying about someone who is famous for being famous not being famous any more, why not offer your services to a hospice or hospital to visit patients who are dying of cancer and help actual real people you can make a difference to. Or work for a cancer charity to raise money to help future generations. But then, that's really not what your grieving is about, it's being part of something you see as exciting. Then again, when was reality tv ever meant to put you in touch with reality?
Friday, March 20, 2009
A view with a room.
Have had a quick look at Googles new Street Level facility, (if that's what it's called).
It would just be of passing interest to me except for one thing. If I am going out to see someone's house for shutters, or windows or other stuff for that matter, I can see the house in advance. This gives me the chance to think about it before turning up which in turn means I will be able to give the potential client a better service as I've already "seen" the house.
I shall also check what some of my installations look like where I don't have photos.
Then I can also check roads to decide whether to put leaflets there rather than driving round an area.
Let's hope not too many people delete their properties from view.
It would just be of passing interest to me except for one thing. If I am going out to see someone's house for shutters, or windows or other stuff for that matter, I can see the house in advance. This gives me the chance to think about it before turning up which in turn means I will be able to give the potential client a better service as I've already "seen" the house.
I shall also check what some of my installations look like where I don't have photos.
Then I can also check roads to decide whether to put leaflets there rather than driving round an area.
Let's hope not too many people delete their properties from view.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)