Sunday, 31 October 2010
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
Sunrise
Of course the day I don't have my camera there is the most amazing sunrise over the peninsula. I had to get off the bus and capture it with my iPhone
A new paper
Last night in the Evening Standard there was an advertisement for a new paper; I suppose that as the Standard is London only and in the evening they don't see the start-up as direct competition.
Welcome the first new daily paper in a quarter of a century (or thereabouts). It's from the people who bring you the Independent and it's called "i".
A paper for "time-poor" people. My first reaction was - why would I pay 20p for something I can get for free? There were vouchers in the Evening Standard to get the paper for the rest of the week so I thought - why not? Of course today is Tuesday so there wasn't much point me taking Wednesday's voucher this morning, so I still paid 20p.
First reactions. A good size paper. Lasted me from waiting at the bus stop until just around Green Park. Unfortunately still not in the style of the London Lite with ink that doesn't come off on your fingers and a longer read means dirtier fingers! The layout is good - I liked the colour coded sections; I like the little "i" boxes with extra info and I liked the TV guide sorted by 'what you like to watch'.
I didn't much like the journalistic style I found it a little more informal than I would usually expect in a newspaper; in an article about mortgages "lending grew by a measly £1.6bn in September" - I think I expect less adjectives and adverbs in formal writing.
Pretty much my only complaint though. Not as much advertising as I thought there would be... not enough letters, but I suppose that is a bit much to ask in your first edition!!
I did found a read more of the non-news pages than I do with the Metro... I've got today's Metro so at some point I shall do a more detailed comparison - I wouldn't go out of my way to buy "i" but if I have 20p and a passing a newsagent...
Welcome the first new daily paper in a quarter of a century (or thereabouts). It's from the people who bring you the Independent and it's called "i".
A paper for "time-poor" people. My first reaction was - why would I pay 20p for something I can get for free? There were vouchers in the Evening Standard to get the paper for the rest of the week so I thought - why not? Of course today is Tuesday so there wasn't much point me taking Wednesday's voucher this morning, so I still paid 20p.
First reactions. A good size paper. Lasted me from waiting at the bus stop until just around Green Park. Unfortunately still not in the style of the London Lite with ink that doesn't come off on your fingers and a longer read means dirtier fingers! The layout is good - I liked the colour coded sections; I like the little "i" boxes with extra info and I liked the TV guide sorted by 'what you like to watch'.
I didn't much like the journalistic style I found it a little more informal than I would usually expect in a newspaper; in an article about mortgages "lending grew by a measly £1.6bn in September" - I think I expect less adjectives and adverbs in formal writing.
Pretty much my only complaint though. Not as much advertising as I thought there would be... not enough letters, but I suppose that is a bit much to ask in your first edition!!
I did found a read more of the non-news pages than I do with the Metro... I've got today's Metro so at some point I shall do a more detailed comparison - I wouldn't go out of my way to buy "i" but if I have 20p and a passing a newsagent...
Sunday, 24 October 2010
Nightmare journeys
This week was a terrible week for anyone who uses the Underground. On Monday there was a power failure which left commuters on the Jubilee Line trapped in tunnels and having to eventually walk back to stations. The same thing happened the following day on the Victoria Line. Then on Wednesday there were sever delays and disruptions due to failures, over-running engineering works and trains taken out of service.
On Thursday a cracked rail was discovered early morning just before the morning rush hour on the Jubilee Line near Green Park. This closed large parts of the line for most of the day and the severe delays continued well into the evening rush hour.
My boss and I arrived at Green Park around 7pm. The indicator boards on the platform were empty. We sat down to read our Evening Standards (that is how few people were bothering with the tube on Thursday night, there were still copies of the Evening Standard left at that hour!). We sat there, and sat there. Every so often the PA system would spring into life and apologise to customers - at which point my boss muttered "Apology not accepted". After about 20 minutes a train eventually turned up... and crawled down the line. An hour after I left the office I arrived at Green Park... this on the same evening that I sat waiting for a train and read that the fares are going up in January.
On Thursday a cracked rail was discovered early morning just before the morning rush hour on the Jubilee Line near Green Park. This closed large parts of the line for most of the day and the severe delays continued well into the evening rush hour.
My boss and I arrived at Green Park around 7pm. The indicator boards on the platform were empty. We sat down to read our Evening Standards (that is how few people were bothering with the tube on Thursday night, there were still copies of the Evening Standard left at that hour!). We sat there, and sat there. Every so often the PA system would spring into life and apologise to customers - at which point my boss muttered "Apology not accepted". After about 20 minutes a train eventually turned up... and crawled down the line. An hour after I left the office I arrived at Green Park... this on the same evening that I sat waiting for a train and read that the fares are going up in January.
Giant planets
I was recently sent details of some filming of giant helium filled planets down at the Observatory in Greenwich. I don't usually share this sort of story 'after the event' as it were - but the You Tube video is amazing!
Shame to have missed this as it looks totally amazing... I don't have Sky so I shan't see the TV show either - but it looks well worth watching if you have the right channel!
The press release is below:
To celebrate the launch of Sky 3D, Europe’s first 3D TV channel, spectacular scenes from its forthcoming 3D premiere of The Universe: 7 Wonders of the Solar System were brought to life above London’s Royal Greenwich Observatory.
Nine helium filled ‘planets’ measuring between two and six metres in diameter were floated and illuminated above London’s skyline creating a unique spectacle ahead of the screening of the new programme from History™.
The Universe: 7 Wonders of the Solar System is the first episode from a new series of the popular History series The Universe and will be screened in 3D. The programme is part of the 3D entertainment line up for Sky’s ground breaking 3D channel, which launched on 1 October 2010. Viewers will be transported to the outer regions of space from the comfort of their sofa on Sunday 24 October at 9pm on Sky 3D.
John Cassy, Sky 3D’s Channel Director comments: “The phenomenal universe we live in has captured the imagination of generations for centuries and we wanted to add yet another dimension. It’s taken a team of 17 people over 100 hours to recreate the Solar System over the London skyline, with the impressive Jupiter dominating this celebration of ‘The Universe’ on Sky 3D.’
Sky’s groundbreaking new 3D channel is Europe’s first domestic 3D TV channel offering a variety of movies, documentaries, sports arts and entertainment. The channel is available through all existing Sky+HD boxes and compatible with all ‘active’ and ‘passive’ 3D TVs being produced by LG, Sony, Samsung, and Panasonic.
The Universe: 7 Wonders of the Solar System will screen on Sky 3D, channel 217, on Sunday 24 October at 9pm.
Shame to have missed this as it looks totally amazing... I don't have Sky so I shan't see the TV show either - but it looks well worth watching if you have the right channel!
The press release is below:
To celebrate the launch of Sky 3D, Europe’s first 3D TV channel, spectacular scenes from its forthcoming 3D premiere of The Universe: 7 Wonders of the Solar System were brought to life above London’s Royal Greenwich Observatory.
Nine helium filled ‘planets’ measuring between two and six metres in diameter were floated and illuminated above London’s skyline creating a unique spectacle ahead of the screening of the new programme from History™.
The Universe: 7 Wonders of the Solar System is the first episode from a new series of the popular History series The Universe and will be screened in 3D. The programme is part of the 3D entertainment line up for Sky’s ground breaking 3D channel, which launched on 1 October 2010. Viewers will be transported to the outer regions of space from the comfort of their sofa on Sunday 24 October at 9pm on Sky 3D.
John Cassy, Sky 3D’s Channel Director comments: “The phenomenal universe we live in has captured the imagination of generations for centuries and we wanted to add yet another dimension. It’s taken a team of 17 people over 100 hours to recreate the Solar System over the London skyline, with the impressive Jupiter dominating this celebration of ‘The Universe’ on Sky 3D.’
Sky’s groundbreaking new 3D channel is Europe’s first domestic 3D TV channel offering a variety of movies, documentaries, sports arts and entertainment. The channel is available through all existing Sky+HD boxes and compatible with all ‘active’ and ‘passive’ 3D TVs being produced by LG, Sony, Samsung, and Panasonic.
The Universe: 7 Wonders of the Solar System will screen on Sky 3D, channel 217, on Sunday 24 October at 9pm.
Friday, 15 October 2010
Letting sleeping cats lie
Cass and Tink have had a busy week. Getting into things that they oughtn't get into, going places they oughtn't to go and generally getting into trouble where they can find it. Pretty much being kittens.
Now it is time for the little brothers to curl up together and take a nap.
Now it is time for the little brothers to curl up together and take a nap.
Calling time
If you were going to go to the expense of buying tickets for a concert, if you were going to go to the trouble of travelling to the venue, the least that you would want is to see the entire show.
This would, by all accounts, be quite difficult if you were going to see Guns 'n' Roses at the O2 this week. The band is famous for arriving late for performances - making your way from the inside of the main arena at the O2 back to North Greenwich underground station would probably leave you with no way back to Central London as the last tube going west leaves just after quarter past midnight. Granted you can still go East until gone 1am - and provided that the Blackwall Tunnel is open you can still get the 108 to East London - failing that there are always a reasonable amount of licensed taxis on the taxi rank.
However, I cannot take any venue seriously that has to warn customers to leave early in case they get stranded.
This would, by all accounts, be quite difficult if you were going to see Guns 'n' Roses at the O2 this week. The band is famous for arriving late for performances - making your way from the inside of the main arena at the O2 back to North Greenwich underground station would probably leave you with no way back to Central London as the last tube going west leaves just after quarter past midnight. Granted you can still go East until gone 1am - and provided that the Blackwall Tunnel is open you can still get the 108 to East London - failing that there are always a reasonable amount of licensed taxis on the taxi rank.
However, I cannot take any venue seriously that has to warn customers to leave early in case they get stranded.
Saturday, 9 October 2010
Sight and vision
Yesterday it was time to visit the optician. I used to go every year after the repeated bouts of optic neuritis but as that hadn't bothered me for some time the frequency of my visits had decreased to every two years. This time I wasn't just going to get my eyes checked but to have a contact lenses assessment. I didn't approach this with much optimism due to a) I'm very squeamish about putting things in my eyes (eye drops are enough hard work) and b) the sensory problems in my fingertips might make it difficult. However, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
The eye check went off very well. My prescription is unchanged (for the first time ever in the twenty or so years I've been wearing glasses) and all the other health checks got the green light. Time for the contact lenses. The first time the optician puts them in for you... it took a few tries as I kept flinching each time she came near my eye - and then, wow! Amazing! Total clarity for entire field of vision... which with the modern predilection for small thin glasses you just don't get with spectacles. Easy (almost). Time for me to go and be 'trained' by the dispensing optician, who made it look so easy taking the lenses in and out without even the aid of a mirror.
Not so easy for me. The lack of feeling in my finger tips didn't really seem to hinder my efforts... my comfort with sticking things in my eye was the problem. You have to put them in and take them out three times before they let you go! I spent over two hours at the optician in total - but I will be able to start my free trial - as soon as the lenses turn up that is, with a little practice I think I could be a convert!
The eye check went off very well. My prescription is unchanged (for the first time ever in the twenty or so years I've been wearing glasses) and all the other health checks got the green light. Time for the contact lenses. The first time the optician puts them in for you... it took a few tries as I kept flinching each time she came near my eye - and then, wow! Amazing! Total clarity for entire field of vision... which with the modern predilection for small thin glasses you just don't get with spectacles. Easy (almost). Time for me to go and be 'trained' by the dispensing optician, who made it look so easy taking the lenses in and out without even the aid of a mirror.
Not so easy for me. The lack of feeling in my finger tips didn't really seem to hinder my efforts... my comfort with sticking things in my eye was the problem. You have to put them in and take them out three times before they let you go! I spent over two hours at the optician in total - but I will be able to start my free trial - as soon as the lenses turn up that is, with a little practice I think I could be a convert!
Monday, 4 October 2010
London Conversations
Optimistic man at bus stop: Is the tube strike still on do you know?
Me: Oh yes, very much so.
Deflated man at bus stop: Of course it is, silly me.
Objective achieved by unions, chaos on Monday morning.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Me: Oh yes, very much so.
Deflated man at bus stop: Of course it is, silly me.
Objective achieved by unions, chaos on Monday morning.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, 3 October 2010
Tube strike - the sequel
From 7pm tonight the staff of two of the unions that staff the underground are going on strike... again. Just what you need to start the week, as if Mondays weren't enough to deal with!
As usual keep an eye on TFL's website for travel info.
If you have a smartphone keep an eye on Twitter by doing a search for '#tubestrike' - if not helpful you'll feel better for knowing others are in the same boat!
As usual keep an eye on TFL's website for travel info.
If you have a smartphone keep an eye on Twitter by doing a search for '#tubestrike' - if not helpful you'll feel better for knowing others are in the same boat!
Proof reading?
I received an email this morning with a discount code - the terms and conditions at the bottom of the page were very interesting!
Friday, 24 September 2010
Sunday, 19 September 2010
Things kittens do
Tink just walked across my keyboard on his way from A to B (in fact the arm of the sofa to the favoured spot next to me). As he went he managed to press a sequence of key... result, somehow Firefox was put onto full screen (and then some).
Garden decoration
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| Panther |
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| Some of the many frogs |
I have been inspired by Esmee over at Plaid Pages and her lovely collection of garden ornaments to share a few of the many in my garden. A good few of them live on our patio - safe from the attentions of garden wildlife!
These poor fellows don't seem to have been made for the weather conditions
that they need to survive. We have two frogs and a cat from the same range
which never made it out of the living room!
that they need to survive. We have two frogs and a cat from the same range
which never made it out of the living room!
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These three look after the fish pond - they never fail to raise a smile - especially the jolly duck and the happy turtle.
This frog can be found relaxing, appropriately enough, next to the frog pond. There used to be a ceramic frog with a welcome sign - until a fox knocked it over and the frog broke. It has now been mended, but lives inside out of harms way!
This is a small selection representing some of my favourites... it is an ever growing collection with a couple of new items (at least!) added every summer - lucky we have a large garden!
And here are some, belonging to my nearly-mother-in-law, which I am not so fond of. I don't like gnomes - I find them freaky.
Saturday, 18 September 2010
London by night
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| The famous lights in Piccadilly Circus |
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| It's kitsch if you aren't a tourist |
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| Spotting a theme |
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| Big Ben goes green - I'm not sure why |
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| Westminster Abbey |
After meeting a friend in a bar just off Piccadilly Circus I made my way back to Westminster to pick up the Jubilee Line. I had forgotten how vibrant and full of life London can be, even after dark.
Autumn preparations
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| Blue sky |
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| Cloudy moment |
The weather the past week or so has been a bit unpredictable - we have had some heavy rain and some beautiful sunny moments - often in the space of a few hours! Of one thing there is no doubt - Autumn is here.
We have been out in the garden this afternoon preparing for autumn - the grass has had its last cut of the year, the shrubs are pruned and the leaves that are on the grass have been picked up ready for the real downfall to begin.
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| Spiders' webs |
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| Still flowering |
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| Hops - anyone for beer? |
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| Blackberries |
Most of the flowering is over for the year and there is an abundance of seeds and berries. I have been trying to persuade the bird population to take advantage of the fushia berries (and so create a new generation) but so far without much success. The annual hop crop of SE7 is in full swing.
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| Path rediscovered |
At the far end of the garden (where the compost bins live) we discovered that a small landslide had covered the path. Rich dug it out again and I created a small retaining wall either side so hopefully there will be no more path incidents!
The problem is that the foxes spend a lot of time playing in that area - they are number one suspects in the path disappearance - but I think if the path can survive until a rainfall that should bed it in nicely.
Most of the toads seem to have gone off to hide under dark damp places or wherever they go for the winter but the King Frog and his entourage are still around - and last weekend King Frog was out enjoying the sun.
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| King Frog |
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
Tubes on strike
The anticipated chaos of today's tube strike has descended on the capital. I started my journey early this morning as I was pretty certain that would have to find an alternative route. The easiest thing to do would probably have been to take to the main line trains... but I figured that is what everyone else would be doing and they would be mobbed... added to which I still have to get from Charring Cross to the office which is probably not the best spot to try and pick up a bus. This leaves two alternatives; get the bus all the way (which involves three different buses door to door) or get the boat. It was a lovely sunny morning so I opted for a trip up the Thames (thanks to Rich who prodded me in the right direction!). The buses in SE7 were quite quiet. North Greenwich was quiet too - the station there is actually closed. The boat service at North Greenwich was also quiet (it is a bit of a trek from the bus station).
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| Greenwich from the boat |
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| Waterloo Bridge |
The Thames Clipper is a great way to travel. A little expensive - but on a sunny morning like today it was great. No overcrowding as standing isn't allowed. You can surf the web or whatever with your phone all the way and even get a cup of coffee.
There is a bit of a petrol smell if you sit out on the rear deck, but it is a small price to pay for such a relaxed commute. I sat and kept track of what was going on with the strike on Twitter and the hash-tag 'tubestrike'.
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| 'Boris Bikes' |
The only draw back of the boat is that it leaves you at Embankment which is still a bit of a trek to the office - I really wish the commuter boats would go to Westminster! I walked up Northumberland Avenue, and a lot of the 'Boris Bikes' were in their stands - journeys completed, I guess. This was confirmed later when I encountered another full bike stand with several annoyed looking cyclists unable to dock their bikes and checking the status of other local docking points on the screen - all of which were also full. I wonder if someone who has trouble balancing on two legs would manage on two wheels?!
I saw more regular cyclists than I did people on the hire bikes - but Embankment/Trafalgar Square always seems full of cyclists at that time of day.
As I made my way through Trafalgar Square I saw a number 9 (which would take me to Piccadilly and the end of my journey) which was absolutely heaving. I resigned myself to walking the rest of the way - to my delight the full bus was followed by another number 9 - totally empty. What luck!
All in all I only added about a quarter of an hour to my overall journey and felt a lot more relaxed because of it. The real challenge, of course, is getting home again when the concentration of journeys start in one place instead of across the city. That I am not looking forward to at all.
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| Best not to bother, really. |
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