tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62675542012-01-28T11:54:51.217ZNatural yogurt.Natural yogurt, that's a thought.Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.comBlogger9941100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-72805780930384668002012-01-28T09:31:00.001Z2012-01-28T09:31:50.433ZThat feeling again.
I had that feeling again, yesterday. The feeling hit me out of the blue and seemed to come from nowhere. I went to the Baron's Court, Toby Carvery for a meal before I went to visit Gail in Llandough Hospital. I had finished my meal and the ice cream when suddenly it hit me. The feeling was the same as last time and just as acute.
Back in 1991, I was living on my own in a Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-70995300525789289422012-01-27T12:51:00.000Z2012-01-27T12:51:20.583Z A temple to Atheism, yes or no?
There is an interesting article in the Guardian newspaper today about the philosopher and writer Alain de Botton's proposal to build a 46-metre (151ft) tower to celebrate a "new atheism" as an antidote to what he describes as Professor Richard Dawkins's "aggressive" and "destructive" approach to non-belief.
Dawkins criticised the project on Thursday, Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-3687217126135554692012-01-26T23:26:00.001Z2012-01-26T23:26:34.987ZBilly the Hood.
And on other beard news today, we have my father this morning in Morrison's.
With Gail in hospital and our home rather full of food and drink, I did not have much to buy today on our weekly shop at Morrison's in Cardiff Bay. So I whizzed around with a trolley, paid for the goods, went to the car and drove to re-fuel. Because I parked in another car space I went back in the Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-70267874958390977152012-01-26T00:00:00.001Z2012-01-26T00:00:45.359Z Disneyland moves into the 19th century .
Oh, some cultures are backward and are stranded in the middle ages. Disneyland appears to be making a move not into the current 21st century but proudly, for Disneyland, into the 19th century. Many companies throughout the world have ridiculous dress codes that employees must follow.
From 3 February, employees in Disneyland Florida and California will Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-85596090166078340792012-01-23T23:36:00.001Z2012-01-23T23:36:24.036ZHome alone.
Oh, it feels strange, being home alone. I came home tonight to an empty house. No little dog running to the door and no television set on. The house was deserted and quiet. It felt very strange indeed.
Gail went into hospital today to have her left knee replaced. Barney went to stay with friends until my day off on Thursday. So I am home alone, a feeling I have not had since 1991.
Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-79575811491358921002012-01-19T20:46:00.001Z2012-01-19T20:46:48.827ZPhew! All at peace in our little house.
Things have returned to normal in our little house tonight. Gail and I were so used to it just being the 2 of us at home. That was until Tuesday 20th December when my Mam and Dad came to stay with us. We thought it best that Dad stayed with us whilst Mother was admitted to hospital.
We noticed a big difference with Dad living here and his habits can be Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-79760557499547329182012-01-16T20:23:00.001Z2012-01-16T20:23:37.949Z Take your hat off to Robyn!
So, at London Fashion Week, Robyn on the 21st February at a trendy studio in Shoreditch, will show her autumn/winter collection of hats. What interest have I got in hats? Is it the fact that Robyn Coles is a top Welsh fashion designer?
No, what surprises me is that Robyn wants her hats to get noticed and does not want anything else to distract the audience. Why haveStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-2339603078061468212012-01-15T16:37:00.000Z2012-01-15T16:37:53.473ZThe sun is shining and dogs love to play...
Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-16858891759315801522012-01-14T18:05:00.001Z2012-01-14T18:05:18.440Z Hammersmith flyover opens for VIP's.
Yesterday saw the reopening of the Hammersmith flyover in London. It was reopened with only one lane in each direction, beforehand it had two lanes running each way. But now it has one VIP lane each way. Oh yes, this is a dedicated Very Important Person lane, dictated by a 6' 6" (2 metre) width limit. This width restriction is being enforced by Police Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-50310349905608443832012-01-13T14:40:00.000Z2012-01-13T14:40:21.516Z She had a point, you know.
Okay, this story has been playing on my mind just a little. Much was said about Teresa Gambaro, the Australian MP who said that new arrivals needed to be taught about "what are norms in Australia", which also included how to queue properly.
"Without trying to be offensive, we are talking about hygiene and what is an acceptable norm in this country when you are Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-16846759643424052192012-01-12T14:39:00.001Z2012-01-12T14:39:35.270Z Snow White (Rose Red crime thriller series) by Saffina Desforges .
Meet Detective Inspector Cassandra Red Rose, the central character in the start of Saffina's new crime thriller series. This novel is awfully British and is written in the style of the long running television series called The Bill.
Snow White is a run of the mill police investigation with nothing new or really involved. Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-956745195179636762012-01-11T18:34:00.001Z2012-01-11T18:34:47.406Z Body of Proof .
I thoroughly enjoyed the first episode of a new drama called Body of Proof on Channel 5 television last night. This fictional drama programme is about the work of medical examiners in the coroners office of Philadelphia. This is an American television programme but it is very suitable for the British viewer. The accents are not strong and you can understand every word. Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-82691791803872315572012-01-10T20:50:00.000Z2012-01-10T20:50:01.890Z The One Jasper Carrott
I watched The One Jasper Carrott on BBC1 television last night. Jasper opened his set by teasing the audience that he had not been on television for a long time. He claimed this was because he does not cook, dance or skate. This was his first television programme for 13 years and having watched last night's I can see why! Thankfully comedy has moved on in those 13 yearsStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-39339315753657770112012-01-07T20:38:00.000Z2012-01-07T20:38:01.656ZFunfare?
I wish passengers would read the terms and conditions when they purchase a Funfare, that is why the fare is reduced...Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-34226842560543196392012-01-06T17:08:00.000Z2012-01-06T17:08:09.626Z Fastest finger first!
We can all do it, you know. Type quickly on a keyboard and make the odd keystroke error. Nobody is exempt, even our party leader!
Sadly Mr Bob Holness died peacefully in his sleep early this morning aged 83.
A message posted from Ed Miliband's Twitter account read: "Sad to hear that Bob Holness has died. A generation will remember him fondly from Blackbusters."
The Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-1258112240006166062012-01-05T18:28:00.002Z2012-01-05T18:28:40.630ZGirl on girl action.
Men quietly like it when girls have a little fight in public. It does not have to come to blows or have lots of hair pulling. A good old shout and finger signals can be enough. Of course in the 21st century, girls can have their scraps on-line and men can still watch and smile at the action. These scraps are quite local but one girlie fight has made the national news.
In Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-80343775083017260522012-01-04T17:09:00.000Z2012-01-04T17:09:01.597Z Want to look at donkey dicks?
I, like most liberal minded people, do not believe in censorship of the media. I think that the public should be able to choose, on an individual basis, what media they use. Nothing should be out of bounds and it should be all down to personal choice. I do not think it should be the remit of politicians to tell us what we can't view. If we want to look at donkey Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-32452278929378776712012-01-03T18:35:00.000Z2012-01-03T18:35:27.633Z Perspective .
Yesterday the Christmas decorations in our home were taken down and stored in the garage. At this time of year I get a lot of ribbing from friends about my dislike of Christmas decorations, lights and trees. They call me Bah Humbug and I take their ribbing on the chin. Now our home has lost it's Christmas junk, life can go back to normal and our perspective can be regained. Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-5101960197577926282012-01-02T20:59:00.002Z2012-01-02T20:59:46.732ZWomble strikes again.
I am not a fan of bodging but sometimes it does the job quickly and cheaply. Yesterday I did some washing up in the kitchen sink. When I finished I pulled out the plug but it had got stuck in the drain hole. The plug was still attached to the waste pipe cover.
I forced the plug off the cover and could see that the plastic securing bolt had broken. Without this tightness Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-46256692143911791412012-01-01T17:53:00.001Z2012-01-01T17:53:31.473ZThis girl can hold her drink!
Went out last night to friends to celebrate the new year. It was only 10 minutes walk away and it is great to be invited for beer and a buffet. Of course drink affects people in different ways, some people show it and some don't. Some people can drink a lot and it does not affect them. Some people can be rather drunk but it does not show. The phrase commonly used isStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-51415390406805260432011-12-30T17:57:00.000Z2011-12-30T17:57:09.064Z A Week in December by Sebastian Faulks .
The rear cover of this books states...
London, the week before Christmas, 2007. Seven wintry days to track the lives of seven characters: a hedge fund manager trying to bring off the biggest trade of his career; a professional footballer recently arrived from Poland; a young lawyer with little work and too much time to speculate; a student who has beenStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-51691483650692521662011-12-29T20:18:00.000Z2011-12-29T20:18:59.106Z A glance in the supermarket .
It was like a scene from the movies this morning. I was shopping with my wife Gail in Morrisons down at Cardiff Bay. We were discussing the merits of buying a trifle, was it worth the extra and should we go for the sherry or the strawberry. I looked closely at the refrigerator and turned back to offer my wife an opinion. I leaned towards her to whisper that I Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-50273838880740623352011-12-27T11:11:00.003Z2011-12-27T11:11:58.180ZOff duty Gloucestershire police officer in kebab shop salad rage.
I am not making this up but people do get angry when they do not get a full portion. An off-duty policeman assaulted two kebab-shop workers following a row over salad on his late night snack. The 32-year-old, of St Swithins Road, Oldcroft, Lydney, who has since resigned his post with Gloucestershire Police, pushed a worker at the Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-19472474849721600652011-12-26T09:23:00.000Z2011-12-26T09:23:08.001Z The rush to the sales .
Following the season of giving many people are rushing to the sales. Sometimes there is a siege mentality with shoppers as they surge forward to grab the goods.
Of course shopping in America is even more aggressive as crowds who had queued for hours rushed into stores to get their hands on a pair of Air Jordan 11 Retro Concords. Such was the competition for the blackStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-64932850847661200612011-12-24T14:08:00.000Z2011-12-24T14:08:27.945Z “It is not a question of whether the structure will collapse, it is a matter of when.” a source close to the Hammersmith Flyover project said last week.
There was gridlock in London yesterday when the Hammersmith Flyover was closed until further notice. Transport for London (TfL) has been carrying out temporary repair work in the 50-year-old four-lane stretch since October. A source close to Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-82025378020524345212011-12-23T12:44:00.000Z2011-12-23T12:44:31.248Z Cowboys driving taxis in South Wales .
I have noticed for a long time now bad driving by taxi drivers in Cardiff. These taxi drivers are driving like cowboys, pulling out in front of traffic, making U turns, pulling in anywhere and blocking traffic and junctions. These cowboys are a disgrace to our city. I have often wondered with such poor driving standards, if the same cowboy attitude appliesStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-55513520534025193372011-12-22T20:26:00.002Z2011-12-22T20:26:24.631Z Plead guilty and get just 2 years.
Beatrice Mawamba (Right) and Shamirah Grant Photo: ROSS PARRY
I was really shocked today when I read about the tragic death of 9 year old Shamirah Grant. Beatrice Mawamba, 34, was driving a green Vauxhall car when she careered down a narrow alleyway into a grassed children’s play area and crushed Shamirah Grant and injured two other girls, one Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-49838286953478433372011-12-18T14:15:00.001Z2011-12-18T14:15:58.109ZThe mess that people leave.
I am appalled every day at the mess that some people leave on our coaches. There is no need whatsoever for this mess and this shows what sort of passengers we carry. These people are so inconsiderate and lazy, they just drop anything on the floor that they no longer want. Chatting to drivers working for South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach, they really hate operating aStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-37385482906644886112011-12-17T15:28:00.002Z2011-12-17T15:34:25.489Z Is that right Paddy, you will fit that door when it comes in for a service?
Ah, that's right Paddy, the boys at Wrightbus in Northern Ireland could fit that door onto to New Bus for London at a later date! It is not just the Portuguese who can build funny bus and coach bodies which makes you wonder which planet they are on.
Enter the New Bus for London, with it's open rear platform. ThisStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-67633126713351452052011-12-14T10:59:00.001Z2011-12-14T10:59:25.567Z I always said things are good.
Walking our dog yesterday, I stood on the path whilst Barney was busy in the bushes. I was minding my own business when I was approached by an elderly couple. I have seen this elderly couple strolling around Ely before and their dress sense screams out God Botherers' to me.
Sure enough, the elderly woman offered me a leaflet which I declined and I advised her Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-46774575755566640282011-12-11T18:54:00.001Z2011-12-11T19:27:15.493Z The end of an era
Today marks the end of an era for National Express in Cardiff. Up until today, passengers had to present their ticket to a guy in the National Express office to obtain a boarding pass before attempting to board their coach. The passenger would then hand that boarding pass to the coach driver, give him their luggage and board the coach. When all the passengers had boarded, Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-12861363634877814882011-12-10T18:56:00.001Z2011-12-10T20:05:24.748Z Damaged Goods by Helen Black .
Accused of murdering her junkie mother and abandoned to a children’s home, 14 year old Kelsey Brand is running out of allies. Until childcare lawyer Lilly Valentine enters the picture…
Abandoned by her mother and placed in care, 14-year-old Kelsey - along with her younger sisters - is just another forgotten child of the state. Unable to cope with the care Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-77829987183064306272011-12-09T20:50:00.001Z2011-12-09T21:22:22.917ZJust get on with it, will you.
Spurred on by Matthew's jibe and my response about positive discrimination, here is a little post about getting on with life. Passengers travelling on our coaches love the front kerbside seats. These seats are in high demand because you get the best view out of the coach. You do not get the back of anybody's head, including the driver, you have the prime seat. Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-32312932877790201782011-12-08T19:48:00.001Z2011-12-08T19:53:27.146ZEver wondered what those Chinese symbols mean.
Many women have tattoos on their lower backs, which have earned the nickname of tramp stamps. Quite often you see British girls sporting tattoos of Chinese symbols and you often wonder if they know what they really mean. They may have been tricked and their tattoo could really raise a smile to people who know! I wonder if one drunken lady had this Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-45980672464380305142011-12-07T20:48:00.001Z2011-12-07T20:48:11.189ZI wasn't born yesterday.
Back to work tomorrow and the job is regular. Passengers present their tickets, I read them, say okay and the passenger boards my coach. The tickets for the nationwide company are easy to understand and are not a challenge. What made me laugh recently was what happened at the Cardiff University stop on Sunday.
A male passenger presents me with his mobile telephone. It Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-86136736473364098212011-12-06T18:54:00.001Z2011-12-06T18:57:07.247ZThe nuisance of jaywalkers.
Here in Britain we have the problem of jaywalkers. These stupid people just walk across the road in front of moving traffic and expect drivers to avoid them. In America it is a criminal offence to jaywalk and you can only cross the road at recognised crossing points. Sadly ignorance in Britain sees people crossing just where they like, often a couple of metres from a Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-75277921582801511732011-12-05T12:10:00.001Z2011-12-05T12:10:18.268ZI do like those low slung jeans on women...
Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-85677433492600782802011-12-04T14:17:00.001Z2011-12-04T14:40:56.930ZWorkplace decorations.
What a shock I got yesterday when I went down the farm. I walked into the traffic office as usual and stopped in my tracks. What the devil is going on, I thought. The whole traffic office was decked out in Christmas decorations. There were streamers, ribbons, tinsel, lights and a tree. I thought I had walked into Santa's Grotto not a traffic office.
I said to Andy "Is Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-13542908842821930792011-12-01T18:34:00.001Z2011-12-01T18:39:38.278ZAre you thinking what I'm thinking?
Tug, tug, tug, WHOOSH!
You don't get an invite like that very often.Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-16367625403924001492011-11-30T18:51:00.001Z2011-11-30T18:58:09.262Z My Transsexual Summer
Last night was the last of four programmes on Channel 4 television in a series called My Transsexual Summer . It featured 7 people who are transsexuals, 4 were born as boys and 3 were born as girls. Some were starting their journey of gender reassignment and one had completed the change within the series. My Transsexual Summer made a great television programme as it Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-36751835208399995502011-11-26T14:59:00.001Z2011-11-26T15:00:36.154Z A golden night .
We minded our friends' dogs the other week and as a thank you Steve gave me some beer. Steve and I have similar tastes in real ale and always enjoy different ales from all around the country. If we see a beer that we have not heard of before, then we try it.
Steve and Trisha went down to Cornwall to visit some friends and rather than bring back something touristy, brought backStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-60601583830134075362011-11-25T20:36:00.001Z2011-11-25T20:40:52.150Z Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes .
Meet Cathy Bailey, is she a mad woman or a victim? Cathy has developed OCD an Obsessive–compulsive disorder and has a vigorous checking regime. Into the Darkest Corner sees the author use the first person narrative very well. Elizabeth speaks the voice of Cathy so well that you can really take her character on board although you will doubt Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-9963700733143231152011-11-23T12:39:00.001Z2011-11-23T12:41:46.404Z An hijab and six inches heels walk into the Palace.
Well, that is a sight for any photo
caption competition. Muslim women tend to dress rather modestly and shuffle around in plain flat shoes. Many wear a hijab to cover their hair and these women go unnoticed as they go about their daily business. But Hayrunnisa Gul, wife of Turkey’s president is a little different. Hayrunnisa was wearing Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-70365610076872290432011-11-22T14:05:00.001Z2011-11-22T14:06:23.097Z Kindle Daily Deal .
There is a new feature on the Amazon website called the Kindle Daily Deal. There are many ebooks available for the Kindle at a pound. Look around the Kindle part of the Amazon website and you will find them. You can spend many an hour browsing around the Kindle Store and it is very easy to wander off-track.
The Kindle Daily Deal is different. Click the link on the left Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-36251225414396016042011-11-20T14:19:00.001Z2011-11-20T14:20:49.959Z Don't call the wee-lassie obese.
It is well known that increasing numbers of children in Scotland are becoming dangerously overweight.
But NHS officials now insist that the word “obese” should not be used when staff speak to parents. Guidance aimed at health, education and social-care professionals also warns that even the term “overweight” should be used with caution. It suggests “unhealthyStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-88681790958215737902011-11-19T19:47:00.001Z2011-11-19T19:49:17.619Z Double Decker or Bendy Bus ?
Which do you prefer, a double decker or a bendy bus? Anoraks on boys, I prefer single deck rigid low floor buses.
But there are some Double Deckers that I do like and these are not made by Volvo. The double deckers that I really like have two layers of crispy cereals and nougatine wrapped in delicious Cadbury chocolate - and there's a small amount of coffee in Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-52850503096661524252011-11-16T21:24:00.001Z2011-11-16T21:26:07.816Z Godfathers comes to Cardiff.
The other day we went out with my brother and sister-in-laws to the Plymouth Arms down the hill at St. Fagans to celebrate David's birthday. We have not been into the Plymouth Arms for a long time and I wondered what beer they would have on offer. What a surprise it was to find both a brewer and a pint I have never heard of before. Due to the location of the Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-22845717430039383752011-11-15T20:56:00.001Z2011-11-15T20:59:02.993Z Big Brother is coming to Oxford.
Big Brother is spreading fast around Britain and I am not talking about that dreadful Channel 4 television programme. Big Brother is the growing monitoring of our daily lives by CCTV. These cameras and their digital recorders are sprouting up everywhere. Nowhere is safe from this encroachment into our privacy.
The coach I drive every day is fitted with 8 CCTVStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-90940380340117457602011-11-14T16:27:00.001Z2011-11-14T17:06:45.868ZWhat is it with London?
My posting on this blog has been quiet of late. I have been finishing work late all this week and have not bothered to go online to publish my blog. Very often you get the one bad day on the London service but the next day things are back to normal. But not this week, it has been a week of continual delays. It makes no difference whether you come out from London along theStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-18489755325231854702011-11-08T15:39:00.000Z2011-11-08T15:39:31.659Z The Jury is out.
Oh yes, the jury is out and not just in the Jacko trial.
Last night on ITV1 television saw the start of a new five part drama called The Jury . The website states...
Julie Walters stars as Emma Watts in this compelling, character-based series. The Jury focuses on the everyday people who find themselves at the centre of one of the most controversial criminal re-trials of Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-81309917819332985942011-11-07T17:45:00.000Z2011-11-07T17:45:36.711Z Play Dead by Harlan Coben .
Laura and David are on honeymoon. Laura returns to their hotel to find this note from David...
LAURA,
BE BACK SOON. WENT FOR A SWIM IN THE OCEAN. I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER. ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT.
DAVID
...Only David does not come back.
The introduction to this book states...
Okay, if this is the first book of mine you're going to try. stop now. Return it. Grab Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-79371250943451612512011-11-04T10:55:00.000Z2011-11-04T10:55:40.116ZI think I can choose myself thank you.
I had an email the other day...
Dear Customer,
TalkTalk fully supports the Government’s recent recommendations to help protect children online. We believe in safe broadband, affordable for all, which is why we invested in creating HomeSafe™ - our unique, free, online security.
HomeSafe™ is the only UK online security to offer parental controls and virus Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-23456825032166867172011-11-03T19:40:00.002Z2011-11-03T19:40:29.669Z Cross Dressed to Kill by Andrew Lucas .
This novel was released as a 575 KB Amazon Kindle eBook and was written in 2011. This is not your usual crime thriller but a humorous anthropological study of Britain today. This story is written in the first person, from the point of view of a male hairdresser working alone in a fictitious small British town. He is a lovely, likeable character with a Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-35669730559538110932011-11-02T19:43:00.000Z2011-11-02T19:51:21.741ZWhat makes a good novel?
Over on The Writer's Guide to E-Publishing there is a very interesting post by A. R. Silverberry about what makes a good novel? You can read many, many books and some ring a loud bell and others quietly fall from memory. Why is this? It is because some novels are really good and others are simply dim? But A. R. Silverberry hits the nail on the head, it is all about Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-50286825859963235032011-10-29T11:54:00.002Z2011-10-29T11:54:41.477ZInsert coin to open.
Quite often I have passengers who claim that the coach toilet door is locked. No, I assure them, the toilet door is not locked, you simply slide the door backwards. The toilet door on the current model of the Caetano Levante is a sliding door and this confuses passengers who try to pull or push the door open. These passengers who are fooled by a sliding door are amazed when Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-78663914091733129912011-10-28T10:16:00.000Z2011-10-28T10:16:08.687Z Copy and paste but this is good.
Okay, this is not an original post today from Stephen. It is a simple copy and paste job. Deborah Ross writes a lovely entertaining little column in The Independent newspaper. Yesterday she wrote a very witty classic about a 24-hour hotline for middle-class emergencies. I will not paste the whole of her article which you can view by clicking this link but Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-39290039736053591902011-10-27T18:38:00.000Z2011-10-27T18:38:38.137Z An error of judgement.
Okay, the inquest is over and it has been found that Amy Winehouse died of alcohol poisoning. Amy had drunk more than five times the legal drink-drive limit. The inquest at St Pancras coroner's court, attended by Mitch and Janis, Winehouse's parents, heard that the singer had returned to drinking after three weeks of abstinence. Police recovered two large bottles of Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-64394870208862587122011-10-26T17:44:00.001Z2011-10-26T17:44:55.165Z I read his name is Patrick .
I was reading a book whilst sat on the sofa next to Gail last night. Gail was watching one of her favourite television programmes, a soap opera called EastEnders on BBC1. I have no time for any soap opera and simply ignore them all.
However, when I get to the end of a paragraph in my book, I quite often glance up at the screen. All of a sudden I burst out Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-1475249373417654262011-10-25T18:01:00.000Z2011-10-25T18:01:12.420Z You Terrorist
We all enjoy watching videos on You Tube as it is just harmless voyeuristic fun. There is something for everyone and you would not think there would be anything for our Police forces to get their knickers in a twist over. All human life is shown on You Tube, some videos are very tame and some are for certain niche groups like FILTHY DIRTY BARE FEMALEFEET . These barefoot Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-9002396698067931892011-10-24T16:25:00.004Z2011-10-24T16:25:57.220Z 5.1m viewers watch the last episode of Spooks .
It was the end of an era for drama on television last night as Spooks came to it's final episode. After 10 series, Spooks on BBC1 television has come to an end. This drama involving British intelligence officers working for MI5 has been sharp, witty, politically aware and very entertaining. It depicted intelligence staff working the grid with Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-46452567025589389382011-10-23T18:49:00.000Z2011-10-23T18:49:39.854Z Bullying phone calls .
Telephones are a communications tool that can be used by anyone to speak directly to whoever you choose. I am not a fan of the telephone as I feel it takes away personal choice when the caller can demand instant attention and response from the receiver of that call. You are expected to drop everything and respond to that telephone call. You are no longer living your own Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-78791705127367479372011-10-22T17:32:00.000Z2011-10-22T17:32:52.507ZThe Lovers by Vendela Vida .
Yvonne, a 53 year old widow, goes on holiday to Datca in Turkey. With the title of The Lovers and a widow going on holiday on her own, you have the promise of a romance far from home. Yvonne rents a large house in Datca and when I read at location 156...
The third floor was smaller, with only a single bedroom and a balcony. On top of the bed, a piece of exercise Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-36670838164154494262011-10-20T11:47:00.000Z2011-10-20T11:47:09.312Z Would you recognize this man in the street?
Walking along any street in Britain today, you are fairly anonymous. You pass people and do not know them from Adam. Gail however is very observant and yesterday at the vets she said to me "Do you know who that is?". "No, I haven't a clue" was my reply. She insisted the guy was an actor who used to appear on Belonging . "Really, I didn't recognize Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-14818910826708421432011-10-19T13:41:00.000Z2011-10-19T13:41:51.788Z Facebook saves dog from further abuse .
I am not a fan of Facebook but this video has saved a dog in Grimsby from further abuse by it's owners. This video has caused quite a storm since it was posted on Facebook and a mob of at least 50 arrived at a house in Stanley Street, Grimsby to confront the owner. The occupant of the property – an adult male – was escorted out of the house by police atStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-3898751719684377022011-10-17T19:03:00.000Z2011-10-17T19:03:27.295Z We all do it!
Gail says that ladies don't do it. I say that everybody does it, including the Queen. No, I am not talking about walking in the woods!
And on tonight's hot gossip I give you a wonderful sound bite from Katy Perry,..
"I love coming to London so I can have baked beans on toast. They do bloat me and I'm afraid I'm going to go off like a firework, but I do love them.”
...OhStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-64496889639116859682011-10-16T19:41:00.000Z2011-10-16T19:43:40.206ZGlobal Handwashing Day.
Yesterday was Global Handwashing Day a campaign to motivate and mobilize millions around the world to wash their hands with soap. It takes place on October 15 of each year. The campaign is dedicated to raising awareness of handwashing with soap as a key approach to disease prevention. Hygiene is a big issue to a lot of people here in the UK.One in ten people have admittedStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-64198010045206079042011-10-15T19:09:00.002Z2011-10-16T17:50:37.228ZSlights by Kaaron Warren.
Meet Stephanie Searle - also known as Steve or Stevie. Slights is written in the first person and you follow the life of Stephanie from age 18 onwards. Sadly Stephanie is involved in a car accident in which her mother dies. This book was Kaaron's debut novel and was written in 2009 and I bought the Kindle version which is a 574 KB file.
The beauty of this novel is thatStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-28023406802198593422011-10-14T19:48:00.000Z2011-11-06T20:10:22.912ZMind your own business.
Yet more rubbish has been spoken by our democratically elected representatives. We voted representatives to govern our country, the nitty gritty things of government that supports the country's infrastructure etc. We did not elect a government to bully someone eating a packet of biscuits.
This newspaper article really annoyed me. Both parties are moaning on about what Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-47084088202849894492011-10-12T19:44:00.001Z2011-10-12T19:44:16.198ZNo granny grabbing in Pompey.
Oh yes, it is in the newspaper, there is no demand for granny grabbing in Portsmouth. So no rumpy pumpy in Pompey! Those over 60's have great fun travelling around on buses with their free travel passes. But when it comes to sex they are not so quick off the mark.
A workshop for pensioners to learn about "sex in later years" has been cancelled due to lack of Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-91849362459264572072011-10-11T18:29:00.001Z2011-10-11T18:29:07.435ZTicking the boxes.
We have a culture in this country of ticking the boxes. Management believe that if you give staff enough forms for them to fill out, then the job will be done properly. Also by collecting these forms the company will then demonstrate by this paper trail that their operations are being run safely.
However, in the real world I have known for a long time, that ticking the boxes Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-12759963429587197622011-10-10T16:04:00.001Z2011-10-10T16:04:39.835ZThe joys of telephone call centres.
Catching up on the interesting articles posted on the internet whilst I was away on holiday, I came across this article by Mark Steel. It is all about making a motor insurance claim and is written in Mark's usual very dry humour style. Mark bought his motor insurance in good faith but the outfit he purchased it from actually were agents for someone else. This Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-67020088895379225512011-10-08T18:57:00.001Z2011-10-08T19:04:27.562ZSinema: The Northumberland Massacre by Rod Glenn.
There's a newcomer to the small Northumberland village of Haydon...a charming novelist and film buff, researching a crime thriller about a serial killer on a rampage in a remote Northumberland community. The only trouble is, it's a work in progress and it's going to be non-fiction. 392 men, women and children stand in his way to achieving a Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-22094983863717384832011-10-07T15:16:00.001Z2011-10-07T15:16:34.927ZTap, tap, tap.
Tap, tap, tap, Stephen has now finished typing and he has posted his holiday review on his stand alone holiday blog. Before I went, Matthew - down on the farm - was teasing me and said do not write about awful entertainment from animation teams, as every Arab hotel is the same. Well, the Resta Grand Resort was very different and adult. There was no childish animation team members Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-58117527704786108482011-10-06T20:54:00.002Z2011-10-06T20:54:33.851ZAnd we're back.
Stephen is safely back from his holiday in Egypt and is back online. I will start knocking up a holiday review so that my loyal readers will know how much I enjoyed my holiday. Reference Matthew's comment in the post below, I did not have holiday tummy but I did gain 4 pounds in weight!Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-81648296972940435582011-09-19T15:04:00.000Z2011-09-19T15:59:35.678ZStephen is going off on his holidays.Hello loyal readers of natural yogurt, Stephen is off on his holidays to the Resta Grand Resort hotel at Marsa Alam along the Red Sea in Egypt. I have not been to Egypt before, so this is a first. Gail and I are going with 4 friends who we mix with every week and have been on holiday with before.
I view holidays as a break away from normal workaday life and shall not be accessing the internet Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-92177342286814178462011-09-18T19:56:00.000Z2011-09-19T15:58:55.731ZBrixton Beach by Roma Tearne.
The rear cover of this book reads...
When family tragedy strikes, Alice Fonseka, a dreamy, artistic child with a Singhalese mother and Tamil father, leaves the beautiful island of Sri Lanka. Unable to bear the injustice of what has happened, her family heads for England.
...That sounds promising I thought, a tale of an immigrant in London. Sadly Brixton Beach doesStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-57748959369203841672011-09-16T20:43:00.000Z2011-09-16T20:43:04.290ZDon't be so hard on yourself.
I remember in June when this story broke and how Johann Hari explained his reasons for reporting an interview by using content from other sources. Johann gave a full explanation of why he filed his copy in the way that he did. I accepted Johann's explanation and felt that his apology should satisfy everyone.
Well it did not satisfy everyone and Johann Hari has Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-87355664648972542372011-09-15T20:02:00.002Z2011-09-15T20:02:33.496ZPreaching to the converted.Over on The Writers Guide to E-Publishing there is a very interesting post written by Mark called Don’t Be A Dinosaur. The Future Is Digital. As a fan of the Amazon Kindle this article is like preaching to the converted but Mark has written a very good post and I feel that he really has his finger on the pulse. The forecast for the traditional bookshop and the paperback is very bad. Their days Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-62489344035780453912011-09-14T18:37:00.001Z2011-09-14T18:37:11.861ZHospital staff banned from wearing Crocs.
NHS staff have been told they cannot wear Croc-style clogs while at work because of health and safety concerns. But some nurses have criticised the policy, claiming the popular shoes, with their distinctive hole design, are a source of comfort during a 12-hour shift. A nurse working in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan said: “We work 12-and-a-half-hour Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-46250909508839091312011-09-13T10:08:00.001Z2011-09-13T10:10:15.684ZSomething not available on the website.
Deborah mentioned the other day about a new range of filled doughnuts available from Greggs. This was news to me so we stopped on the Grand Avenue to investigate. I believe that Greggs offer rather good value for money and have a wonderful range of products to choose from.
There in the window tempting me was a stack of lovely looking plump doughnuts with a little sign "maple and pecan". That Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-30083786974439841322011-09-12T19:28:00.001Z2011-09-12T19:28:37.750ZMr Caddy Man comes to Cardiff.
Mr Caddy Man begins sitting along kerbsides from today in Cardiff. Mr Caddy Man is short, fat and brown. When he is happy his handle is erect and you can't see what treasures lurk below his lid. When Mr Caddy Man is sad his handle droops down and you can flip his lid and feast your delights on his innards.
Click this link to learn all about Mr Caddy Man.
Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-20031878772149675112011-09-11T12:43:00.001Z2011-09-12T16:45:48.736ZWhat's in your lunch box?
I had a change yesterday for my meal at work. Rather than my usual big pot of yogurt I had some of Morrisons blueberry and cinnamon muffins. They are something different to take to work and when you try something new, it is always a bit of a gamble.
These blueberry and cinnamon muffins were delicious though. They were a real treat and I shall buy them again. For Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-47632534891555669242011-09-09T20:43:00.001Z2011-09-09T20:43:12.409ZTwenty years.
Twenty years, that is two decades, where has the time gone? The past twenty years have flown past really quickly but today I had to present a card. Not just any card but a 20th Wedding Anniversary day card to my wife Gail.
We have come a long way in the past 20 years but in other ways it seems as though we have always been together. I think of my mates John and Tim in the West Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-11274551495587510862011-09-08T19:05:00.000Z2011-09-08T19:32:06.060Z Golliwog in the window .
My memories of childhood include a harmless toy called a Golliwog . They are a harmless child's toy and should not be hidden away. Later memories of childhood revealed popular figures of speech such a "having a chip on your shoulder". This figure of speech was often directed at people of black skin.
Roll on many decades and what do I read in today's newspaper...
A Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-32388174942226148972011-09-06T20:29:00.002Z2011-09-06T20:37:59.802Z Billie the saggy bottom .I think I wear my trousers just right but some blokes wear their trousers a little low. I have no problem with this and think it is their business how they dress. I would never refuse a passenger travel because of how they dress. It is no big deal to me if the passenger has low fitting trousers or jeans that reveal underwear or bottom cleavage. Some staff however claim Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-70652074151563004102011-09-02T14:59:00.002Z2011-09-02T15:14:45.274Z Muammar forms a men only club in Libya .
Men around the world treat women differently, some men treat women as equals while others treat them as second class citizens. It can be fun to poke fun at women for the way they are and also to joke about some men being girly. But some men hold their heads up high and proudly declare themselves to be misogynists . Years ago in South Wales there were Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-65811574250831251642011-09-01T18:31:00.004Z2011-09-01T18:49:59.505Z How to get the Muppets to sit down quickly.
When you are loading your coach, sometimes there is a delay and passengers can't quickly get to a seat because other passengers are queued up in the aisle. This happens when there is very little luggage for the driver to stow away. You think to yourself, what is the problem and why can't the Muppets sit down? This happens quite often on a 48 seater Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-81414267183952049242011-08-30T19:36:00.002Z2011-08-30T19:55:50.676Z The Conspiracy Files: 9/11 Ten Years On
I thoroughly enjoyed The Conspiracy Files: 9/11 Ten Years On, which was broadcast last night on BBC2 television. It only last for 60 minutes but it covered a lot of ground. The programme was well balanced and let the viewer form their opinion of the veracity of each conspiracy theory. Here are five of the most prominent 9/11 conspiracy theories Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-41909011439215008672011-08-27T19:18:00.003Z2011-08-27T20:00:21.873Z Bleed For Me by Michael Robotham .
Ray Hegarty, a highly respected former detective, lies dead in his daughter Sienna's bedroom. She is found covered in his blood. Everything points to her guilt, but psychologist Joe O'Loughlin isn't convinced.
This novel is set in Bristol and Bath, which is rather nice as I lived around Bristol for 20 years. It is easy reading and has a steady pace. Bleed Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-25274860449425229002011-08-24T16:01:00.002Z2011-08-24T16:33:02.449Z Radiator hose clamps .
I thought I would change the engine coolant on my Citroen C3 today. The anti-freeze has not been changed since I bought the car new in March 2007. A simple job of remove the radiator bottom hose clamp, drain the coolant, flush and refill with a 50% anti-freeze mixture.
I look at the radiator hose clamp and it is not a common Jubilee Screw/band (Worm Gear) clamp but a Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-27365682602665483842011-08-23T18:56:00.002Z2011-08-23T19:19:47.474ZAmy Winehouse toxicology reports showed 'no illegal substances'
People were so quick to jump to conclusions about the tragic death of Amy Winehouse. Okay, so Amy did have a history of drug use which was well known but her death could even have been caused by a double decker bus. I thought that Amy's death was very sad and I was further saddened by people's assumption that she had a drugs Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-44417571442935993482011-08-22T16:39:00.002Z2011-08-22T16:59:56.774Z "Beep!", that's clever.
I have had our Citroen C3 since the 1st March 2007 and I am very pleased with it. I like the design and it does just what I want from a car. We have had no problems with it and all we have paid for is the routine replacement of tyres and oil plus filters.
I switched the ignition on yesterday and watched as the dashboard electronics booted up and went through the normalStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-17821283623911682632011-08-19T19:53:00.004Z2011-08-19T20:22:36.641Z "Duh! What day is it?"
Driving all around our country in my coach I pass many, many billboards. It is only natural for me to read them and take notice, even if it is something that does not interest me. I view advertising billboards as an art form and look forward to new advertising campaigns. The billboard campaign for the new series of Big Brother is rather striking. It really gets the Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-4276749758513562572011-08-17T18:12:00.002Z2011-08-17T18:34:18.185ZJudge Elgan Edwards in knee jerk reaction.
Two men have been handed four-year jail terms for setting up Facebook pages encouraging people to riot – even though the riots never took place. Jordan Blackshaw, 20, from Marston near Northwich, and Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, 22, from Warrington, appeared at Chester Crown Court yesterday and both pleaded guilty to inciting violent disorder.
The court Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-4505041905750021652011-08-16T18:19:00.002Z2011-08-16T18:48:13.612ZShining a light on.
I am not a fan of soap operas but Gail loves them. Last night I was sat on the sofa next to Gail reading a book. At the end of each paragraph I would glance up at the television, take in the scene and return to my book. Gail enjoyed her trio of soap operas, Emmerdale, EastEnders and Coronation Street. What amazed me was the lighting used on all the soap operas. Each programmeStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-58436566904162311332011-08-14T18:14:00.003Z2011-08-14T18:53:08.022Z"Look, I'll pay you another 30 minutes."
Today was the London Olympics 2012 test event . People were warned in advance of severe traffic congestion in London, particularly in West London as the London Surrey Cycle Classic takes place on closed roads along a 140km route which runs from central London to Surrey and back. Roads were closed from 04.00 this morning and the Transport for London Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-43262492271242318062011-08-12T17:08:00.003Z2011-08-14T18:00:09.394Z Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra .
I read the product description on Amazon ...
An enormously satisfying, exciting and enriching book, Vikram Chandra's novel draws the reader deep into the lives of detective Sartaj Singh and Ganesh Gaitonde, the most wanted gangster in India. Sartaj, the only Sikh inspector in the whole of Mumbai, is used to being identified by his turban, beard and the Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-84808065276863010152011-08-11T19:14:00.002Z2011-08-11T19:51:07.368Z Out of bounds in Birmingham .
What sort of country has Britain turned into? I thought we lived in a free society where people had freedoms of movement and expression. I thought people could wander about openly in public spaces and enjoy the freedom of our cities. I thought the idea of a police state belonged to parts of Russia. No, the police state is a little closer to home, like Birmingham.
Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-41353916214282198542011-08-07T18:25:00.003Z2011-08-07T19:52:10.165Z the whole truth by David Baldacci .The rear cover of this novel reads...Nicolas Creel, a super-rich arms dealer, decides that the best way to boost his business is to start a new cold war - and he won't let anything or anyone get in his way....the whole truth has 545 pages and was written in 2008. This book is a conspiracy and it is one of the better ones. It is an enjoyable tale and is one ofStephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267554.post-54164212314244570742011-08-04T17:06:00.002Z2011-08-04T17:24:54.414Z More than the odd picture .Home computer users quite often have a number of images on their computer. Bus spotters can collect a huge number of images of buses and coaches. Look at the Bus Pictures Group on Flickr and you can whip yourself into a frenzy over 129,672 images in this pool. Now then 129,672 is an awful lot of buses to look at but this is less than half the number of images on Stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16860766779706141009noreply@blogger.com1