Saturday, 13 June 2009
Friday, 12 June 2009
Sunday, 7 June 2009
BBC NEWS | UK | Ex-spy chief warns of web dangers
Sir David Pepper talking about security and the difficulties the Internet poses for GCHQ
more about "BBC NEWS | UK | Ex-spy chief warns of...", posted with vodpod
Saturday, 6 June 2009
Lest we forget
The Anniversary of D-Day, probably a date as important in European history as the Battle of Hastings. The battle for Normandy was vicious, the German army suffered higher daily losses than during the battle for Stalingrad. The image is a reminder from an earlier war, the war to end all wars. Check it out full sized by clicking on the image.Friday, 5 June 2009
Thursday, 4 June 2009
Toilets
The original gents toilets at Tenterden Station. Now replaced with up to date facilities. Photo edited to highlight the buckets and signs.Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Morning sun
Took this at 06:38 this morning. Adjusted slightly to bring out the colour of the clouds and the reflection. Also on Flickr if you want to see it full size
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Friday, 29 May 2009
Thursday, 28 May 2009
MP's expenses
I'm really pleased that some of the MP's have had the grace to recognise that they can't continue. It's not about "following the rules", it's about what is right, proper and moral. Taking money for duck houses, to build a cottage for your gardener or your brother is wrong and they should have realised that at the time - they've been lining their nests' but morally bankrupt.
Call me greedy but I want more. I don't want these people to get the automatic parachute payment to which MPs are entitled if they lose their seat. I'd much rather they didn't complete the time between now and the election and I certainly want my money back. Allowances and expenses last year were nearly £93M. That's how much MPs decided to pocket over and above their salary. Now that's not all of them but just the greedy ones. Nor is it all, by any means, shady. But if we cut that by 50% we could pay a few more teachers and nurses and coppers. We could even get rid of the silly changes to HE funding.
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
In a country churchyard
I took this in Loose Churchyard this afternoon. Feeling all artistic again....
Saturday, 23 May 2009
Four minutes to go
30th may 1999. A beautiful day like today. Wembley. The Division Two play-off, City managed by (Kevin Keegan - wrong! It was Joe Royle!) trying to get out of the old Third at the first time of asking. We'd seen teams play at Maine Road who treated the visit as a cup game, teams who might otherwise not have been to Moss Side to the ground where Joe Mercer had worked his magic to bring together the Bell, Lee, Summerbee team thirty years earlier.After 86 minutes of, frankly, turgid football City were losing by 2 goals to Gillingham who had finished fourth in the league, a place below City. Blues were streaming out of the stadium dreading the temporary stand at Macclesfield again, more visits to Wrexham and Colchester. The next 60 or so minutes is given to be the most exciting in play-off history. Horlock got City a consolation goal after picking up the loose ball from a Gills tackle on Goater. At 90 minutes the fourth official showed the sign with five minutes extra time. In the fifth of them Dickov got the equaliser! City fans on the concourse outside Wembley heard the noise and heading back in - others were already on the tube and missed the end of the game.
Extra time was when the Gills fans watching in the pub where Jemma and I had been ribbed all the way through went quiet and started filtering away. Penalties and Weaver saved two, the second from Guy Butters. City were up and Gillingham were devastated. For years afterwards I'd have abuse scrawled in the dirt on my car if I parked anywhere in the Medway towns (and sometimes further afield!)
Why am I trawling over this old history? Well ten years on Gillingham are back at Wembley for another play-off final, this time against Shrewsbury. I wish them well and hope they get up - and it also gave me a chance to practice my "newspaper" writing style and reflect on the stuff that's happened over the last ten years - gulp!
C'mon you Gills!
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
Sunday, 17 May 2009
Nostalgia
I moved here about 14 months ago so I thought it was time I did a bit more unpacking. Started unloading the vinyl and came across The Steve Gibbons Band "Any Road Up". released in 1976 and still as fresh today. As a nipper I'd trudge round the north west to Steve Gibbons Band gigs - we once saw Ted Nugent ("The Motor City Madman") because Gibbons was support act. I know I've already blogged about this before but he's still gigging and if you get a chance hear some of his music and catch him live. Here's a little taster (from "Any road up")
Thursday, 14 May 2009
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Sunday, 10 May 2009
Just a quickie
Bloke runs in to a library and when he gets to the counter he says loudly
"Can I have a bag of chips please?"
The librarian replies
"Sssssshhh! This is a library!"
The man looks chastened and whispers
"Sorry, can I have a bag of chips please?"
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
What's in a name?
- Posted using Mobypicture.com
Friday, 1 May 2009
Monday, 27 April 2009
Dylan
Sunday, 26 April 2009
Student again
Saturday, 25 April 2009
Friday, 24 April 2009
Thursday, 23 April 2009
Happy birthday
The Open University was established by Royal Charter in 1969. On April 23 of that year The Queen endorsed the proposals and asked for a Charter to be drawn up. This was to establish The Open University for the "advancement and dissemination of learning and knowledge by teaching and research by a diversity of means such as broadcasting and technological devices".Happy birthday OU!
Monday, 20 April 2009
Friday, 17 April 2009
Thursday, 16 April 2009
The biter bit!
Just found this while working through the blogs of the LCC group. Someone took a photo of me that I didn't know about. I look drunk!
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Monday, 13 April 2009
Steam railway's new station
This is the railway that Cal and I visited.
more about "Steam railway's new station", posted with vodpodSunday, 12 April 2009
Amazon FAIL
Open letter here. And the petition is here.
One needn't be GBLT to think this decision is wrong and to sign the petition. But even if you don't sign make people aware!
Saturday, 11 April 2009
Be aware
It's madness of course but it's being done in our name. John Naughton has a post rounding this up and there is more on Amateur Photographer web site (and others). Be aware and remember "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing". Terrorism is certainly a threat to this country but so are the actions supposedly meant to protect us.
Thursday, 9 April 2009
40th Anniversary
Today is the 40th anniversary of Concorde's maiden flight. A rare example of a technology where we've subsequently gone backwards. Costs killed Concorde. I'm one of those lucky enough to have seen this wonderful aircraft in service and it really was beautiful.
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
Retired manager owns giant lizard
The title doesn't really do this clip justice. Well worth a watch
Saturday, 4 April 2009
Today
"To mark the paper was the decisive act. In small clumsy letters he wrote:
April 4th, 1984.
He sat back. A sense of complete helplessness had descended upon him. To begin with, he did not know with any certainty that this was 1984."
Quote from here - (the complete book online) and image from here
And from a different source
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride"
Image from here, the lyrics are from U2 "Pride, In the name of love" for anyone not familiar with them.
Friday, 3 April 2009
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Yummy!
