The Next Day

Dunwich Beach cafe

Dunwich Heath

happy pig

Dun Run 2008

I don't normally do this sort of thing, but always have wanted to.

As I'm not having a holiday this year - just like last year - I've decided to have a short break in Suffolk on the back of the Dunwich Dynamo. The Dun Run is tonight and as always I'm eating my way through endless packets of couscous so I have the energy stored to complete this 200km ride.

Sunday night - I'm booked into the Blaxhall Youth Hostel. Monday night I've booked a campsite in Rendlesham Forest where I shall be desperately looking for UFOs. Tuesday night I'm at another YHA, this one near Harwich. On Wednesday I have to cycle 50 miles to book into the YHA at Epping Forest - its about to close down - I'll be one of the last people to stay there.

This will allow me the chance to cycle around the suffolk coast for a couple of days, a little bit of cycling round Rendlesham Forest, a tootle across Essex mostly following the DD route, but during daylight, and finally I'll be heading back in to London on the Lee Valley route, into The City, across the Thames, and home.

gathering at London Fields

more gathering at London Fields

The First rest stop, and the last garage stop

3am: Refuelling

4 am: sun up

It was tough this year - and nothing to do with the weather as conditions were perfect. It's the least fit I've been since I did my first one, so I struggled. I also got pretty hot once the sun was up after 7.00. but that's no excuse I should have finished by then.

At the beach I had a coffee, sent some texts, and then walked out to the beach to get two hours kip. Once I awoke I ached so bad I really wondered what I was goign to do next. There was to be no car to pick me up this year - I hadn;t even bought a coach ticket. I was cycling back to London. I was fucking mad! Anyway once the panic subsided I realised I only had to make it 20 miles to Blaxhall that day, then I could get some more sleep. And beer.

Once I got going I was OK. I went slowly - I had to. Stopped at Leiston Abbey for lunch and a look round. Then it started to get hot and it was harder. I stopped often. Once to say hello to some pigs, who also seemed pleased to see me. Then past Snape Maltings, I knew I was nearly there. Into Blaxhall, although I thought for a minute I wasn't going to find it - the signs are very misleading. The YH was shut when I got there, and more importantly, so was the pub. So I went off to have a shit behind a tree, and then drank some beer in the YH garden, until 5.00. Paid, collected keys, put bike in shed, unpacked bags, ate some quiche, and fell asleep in reception until midnight when some chap I didn;t know woke me up so I could go to bed.

God bothering bigot wins right to be homophobic

God bothering bigot - London's full of them

I'm thinking of starting my own religion. That way I'll be able to indulge all my private bigotries with the full support of the law. Let's see - who do I hate? Taxi drivers, white van drivers, City lawyers, motorcycle couriers, heavy metal fans, French people, Americans, Christians... I could really have a field day - like those bigots in the Christian churches who hate gays. This is an article from the BBC - edited because it was too long.

Registrar wins same-sex tribunal

Miss Ladele said she was accused of being homophobic
A marriage registrar was harassed for refusing to conduct same-sex ceremonies (her job!! - catnote) , a tribunal has ruled.
Lillian Ladele (said homophobe - catnote), who said the civil partnership ceremonies went against her Christian faith, hailed the decision as a "victory for religious liberty (bigotry)".
The tribunal ruled that Miss Ladele was discriminated against on grounds of religious beliefs and was harassed.
Islington council said it was "disappointed" and was considering an appeal against the ruling.
'Wider implications'
"Gay rights should not be used as an excuse to bully and harass people over their religious beliefs," she said. (But religion can be an excuse for being a bigot and not doing your job - catnote)
Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said the ruling was a "dangerous subversion" and a "violation of human rights".
"Lillian Ladele claims she has won a victory for religious liberty. No, she has not. She has won a victory for the right to discriminate," he said.
"Public servants like registrars have a duty to serve all members of the public without fear or favour. Once society lets some people opt out of upholding the law, where will it end?"
Condemning the "catastrophic judgement" the National Secular Society said: "This decision appears to show that religious rights trump gay rights and that should leave gay people quaking in their boots."

Tatchell is right. I wonder if she's been consistently christian in the choices she makes about who she will marry or not? After all - people who have had sex outside marriage, or have been married before should be shunned too. Or is it just gay people she hates? I think I know the answer here.

News

American terrorism in Iraq
 
the real London China Town
 
 

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depression lifts

I've been so depressed about Boris Johnson becoming mayor that I haven't been able to bring myself to blog about it - or at all - since then.
 
So far he's banned drinking on the tube and stopped the opposition to a desalination plant in Beckton. Good going Boris. You've shown us what the New Conservative Party really care about. Scape goating and ineffectual pointless measures to combat crime, and absolutely no green policies whatsoever. Speaking of which where is Zac Goldsmith these days? Now that the Tory party have a whiff of power they seem to have rejected all their green pretensions. Now they're back to convincing the money grabbing corporations that they are fit to be trusted with the reigns of power once again, and the media will kick in and persuade the sheep-like electorate that they must vote Tory again. I'm already considering ways to leave the country.
 
That and the fact that I've become technically homeless too. I'm sleeping on a friend's floor at the moment. I'm hoping that I will be able to get something sorted out for myself later in the summer - maybe in October.
 
 

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£30 fines for cycling on Peckham cycle routes

An example of police fuckwittery when it comes to cyclists
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barry,

Many thanks for raising this with me. Could you please let me know exactly what the police have been fining for and I will take it up withe them forthwith.
I will also get an update on the southern contraflow and get back to you as soon as I have further information.

Best regards,

Cllr Lisa Rajan
Executive Member for Environment
Liberal Democrat Member for Surrey Docks ward

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lisa....

I stressed this tonight at Southwark Transport Forum.

The north bound Rye Lane London Cycle Network bike route onto the Surrey
Canal Path should be easy, excellent, and seamless.

£30 fines here are simply farcical.

Our brothers in blue must have better things to do.

Please get this policing stopped now.

And the Rye Lane southern contraflow put in fast.

Please follow this up.

Best wishes.

Coordinator
Southwark Cyclists
07905 889 005
9 Easy Southwark Rides start Saturday
http://www.southwarkcyclists.org.uk/social.shtml#now

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As you know this is a key section of the LCN+ in Southwark and part of
the 'official' LCN+ alignment. I did raise this with you some
considerable time ago as installing a contraflow lane in Rye Lane would
need legal access to the signalised crossing. Please can you respond to
Mr Frost.

I have copied this email to John Lee as this section of highway is on
the TLRN.
Cycling Officer
Sustainable Transport & Road Safety Team
Transport Group

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
today at 16.30 at the north end of rye lane, just before the crossing
over to canal head. 3 police were dishing out £30 fines to a stream of
cyclist for cycling on the pavement, as part ot there 'zero tolerance
policy".Is this a cycle route or not? [We were cycling north, not wrong
way down the one way street] the signage and cycle route facility is so
bad and dangerous anyway, but to then endure being hassled and fined
by the police makes me totally despair
Can you clarify the situation and let me know what plans there are to
sort out this route.

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New Route To Work

Art Deco Stations

And Art Deco blocks of flats:
Entrances to secret tunnels:
Cycle routes:
Vauxhall:

Chelsea Bridge:

Battersea Bridge:

Battersea Park:

Chelsea:

More anti Ken Slurs

Now I'm very concerned and wondering what the evening standard still have up their sleeves. While the electronic media are compelled to be "balanced" whatever that means, the printed media can do and say whatever they like. The ES has these billboards all over London amounting to free advertising for the Tories in the Mayoral race. where's the balance here?

A trip to Edwardes Cycles this morning for some new brake blocks and an estimate for getting my gears sorted. About 30 squid. And then my back brake cable went. fortunately after fitting the new blocks I still have some brakes.

Now I need to work out when I can do without my bike for two days.

This afternoon I had a trip out to the East of London for a meeting with management regarding my recent audit - which was quite critical. I've backed off that a little now I've been given evidence that certain things have been done which I'd previously been unaware. The report when it appears will be almost a non-event. But at least I've managed to give a nice big warning to the managers out there how bad things might go if they don't prepare. We're due an important external audit soon, and I'm keen to ensure we don't get any nasty feedback from the auditors.

Looked at some pics of Dickensworld today. I'm keen to visit. It's about 12 squid. If I take sandwiches I should be OK. S will only be a tenner. Plus petrol.

John Prescot is a fool if he thought we'd all have sympathy for him after declaring his eating difficulties. They were even taking the piss out of him on Radio Two this afternoon.

Moleman update

So I decided to Check the Link

Blog has been removed

Sorry, the blog at l27btbldk2o3dfo.blogspot.com has been removed.

This address is not available for new blogs.

haemachrome

I just got this very odd email

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Hoi,


Present unforgettablee night to your beeloved one,
immagine yourseelf as a Macho!

http://l27btbldk2o3dfo.blogspot.com/

To the left, in the foreground of the illustration, old ones
and tended to keep their names and pay in fashionable array
and the consternation was on which i had been mistaken.
but let me arrange the keyhole of his room i saw him take
a great burden photography under difficulty admirable teeth
biomcmehehis you all into it, being the eldest. I only meant
something? He snapped. Yes, do something. The were ushered
into the dining room. Lighted up, other than an isolated
fisher's cottage was to sir charles she already knew, and
it was to him i don't know where he'd ever learn so doggone
areaaabkdcfl contained in its digestive organs an easy rapid going
and i didn't quite know what to say. Then i said, lady conant
is quite right. George, when did you.

I'll vote for Ken to stop boris

Charlie Brooker Guardian article

London Festival of Architecture rides

Email from Barry Mason of Southwark Cyclists
Here below then are the 12 rides we've just agreed with Zoe McLeod at
the LFA at Stephanie Laslett at Filed Clegg Bradley. All designed to be
stopping, informative, sociable.
NB: all correct I think as of now but subject to change until we see the
published LFA programme very soon. Loads here already:
http://www.lfa2008.org/

Saturday 21 June
All that life can afford
Stephen Bayley
2pm
Tate Modern northside


Wednesday 25 June
If buildings could speak
David Littlefield
6pm
Waterloo Millenium Green


Saturday 28 June
Fresh Water
Chris James, Lambeth Cyclists
10.30am
St Bartholomew the Great. West Smithfield

Sunday 29 June
Bikes and Bridges
Mark Whitby and Alex Lifschutz
10.30am
Carriage Drive. NW corner Battersea Park


Wednesday 2 July
Public Back Gardens
Wayne Hemingway
6pm
Coin Street SE1

Friday 4 July
A fresh look at public spaces
Professor Richard Burdett
6pm
Somerset House courtyard


Saturday 5 July
The Mayor's 100 Open Spaces
Fred Manson
2.30pm
Tate Modern entrance ramp

Sunday 6 July
Public spaces in politics
Emily Thornberry MP
2pm
Park Lane Gate. Speakers Corner


Saturday 12 July
Beneath the city streets
Barry Mason, Southwark Cyclists
2pm
Mecklenburgh Square

Sunday 13 July
Cultural Shift
Steve Tomkins/Peter Clegg/Ian Taylor.
2pm
Calthorpe Project garden. Grays Inn Road


Saturday 19 July
The Great Freshway
Dan Pearson/Keith Bradley
10.30am
Royal Albert Hall

Sunday 20 July
Fit for purpose
Andy Mytom
10.30am
Primrose Hill Road entrance

visit Southwark Cyclists' own website:
www.southwarkcyclists.org.uk

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Tesco Get A Taste of Their Own Medicine

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/7344045.stm

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SELFS Meeting

Neil Arnold was talking about his research into the Alien Big Cat phenomenon in Kent. He was very nuts and bolts in his approach - or flesh and blood. He insisted the cats were actual physical cats, not phantoms or hallucinations. I believe his theories stand up, although proving them might be a little more difficult. He claims there are probably hundreds of big cats, pumas, panthers, etc. running round the UK eating rabbits, foxes, domestic cats, and the occasional goats or sheep.

It seems that he's able to find signs of their presence all over, especially round Dartford, Bexley, Bromley in Kent. The signs are, big cat poo, footprints, scratchings high up on trees, and prey - sometimes dragged up trees. Occasionally the cats themselves are seen.

http://www.kentbigcats.blogspot.com/

Another big cat - this one called Jeff - and he's definitely real.

http://jeffthegiantorangecat.com/

Just heard Chris Difford on Danny Baker. He's very good. I like the new album - Last Temptation of Chris. The BBC asked him to remove the word "tits" from a song he was performing livem, which he did, only right after he finished he clearly said, "that was better without "tits" wasn't it?"
 
I've been a squeeze fan since the late 70s when I was a mere pre-teen. I loved the early hits "Cool For Cats", "Pulling mussels from the shell" etc. But when they produced the album "East End Story" it became my favourite album ever, and I still like a lot of it. I still have my original vinyl copy of it too. It included the singles "Tempted" and "Is That Love?", and the LP was produced by Elvis Costello. They continued to improve on and off, and the stuff Difford and Tillbrook do now - solo and collaborations - is as good as anything they've ever done.
 
I never managed to see Squeeze, not even during their recent reuinion, but I did get to see Diffod and Tillbrook supporting Elvis costello about 15 years ago.

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MES in Daily Mail squirrel scandal

What a load of old cock! Hasn't the Daily Mail got any proper news to report instead of inventing stories from MES's spurious claims and bothering the RSPCA over squirrel murdering allegations.

This is the source of the story: scroll down slightly to the Uncut magazine excerpt.

Builders Are In

Actually, its more a case of DIY - and botched at that. I'm fiddling about with the side bar at the moment. I want a good set of links reflecting my interests - with politics at the top, followed by Forteana and cycling, etc. I've got hundreds of links in my archives and I'm attempting to sort through them. Many don't work, others aren't really all that good, but some were treasure that I discovered by accident, and squrreled away for another time. That time has come!

If you find any of my links are not working then feel free to let me know, I'm trying to iron out the mistakes. And if you keep coming back to my blog, hopefully you will find that the links are improving under the categories I've already laid out.

NOTRAG

I live on the Heathrow flight path in Camberwell, and while I can sleep through anything S has been suffering from lack of sleep due to aircraft noise which is starting earlier and earlier. I believe it begins around 4.30 am now.

I hardly notice the noise, but plenty of people do. I'm also concerned about the other environmental aspects of airport expansion, the increasing use of fuel, air pollution and the destruction of habitat associated with Heathrow expansion. As well as the wider political and societal ramifications that arise from the constant need to expand and consume more every year.

So I've made the decision to get involved with an action occuring on the 31st of May. NOTRAG are the No to Third Runway Action Group. Bizarrely their website is protected to prevent content from being copied so I couldn't include details here, but the website link is above so you can see for yourself. More to come, and I've put it into my forthcoming events in the side panel.

I've been reading a book called "Track the Plaque" which contains 32 walks around London featuring commemorative plaques.

Instead of walking I'm going to cycle and since they're almost all in central London, can easily do them in my lunch hour.

homeless

Didn't think I'd be blogging today, but since S has threw me out of the flat again I went into the office where I've got an internet connection.

After a few texts and a phone conversation I apologised and went home. I wasn't sure she was going to let me back in this time. I've got to find somewhere else to live or this situation will just get worse.

zimbabwe

For some reason I found myself watching C-Span transmissions on the BBC Parliament channel on Sunday. There was a series of phone in programmes - one of which was on the subject of the Zimbabwean elections. The first surprising thing was that all the callers, comprising mostly of Zimbabweans abroad, were very much against the opposition parties, accusing them of being the party of the rich white landowners. Their concern seemed to be that the west, and the media of the west, was doing all it could to discredit Mugabe, and causing internal problems, therby making Mugabe unpopular. It's clear, and has been to me for some time, that we are not getting a fair representation of the facts in the British media.

I've noticed that the press reports of the election were pretty vague, consisting mostly of rumour and innuendo in order to imply that Mugabe was fiddling the election. There was the repeated story of the empty field with hundreds of registered voters. The details of this example changed every report - the number of registered voters and the reason given for why there were any registered voters in a field. It seemed to me that these were phoney reports, like the babies in incubators that Iraqi invaders were supposed to have slaughtered in 1991.

The western media only became interested in Mugabe he started seizing land from white farmers so that Zimbabwe's land reform policy could go ahead. Suddenly representatives from the opposition appeared on the BBC saying Mugabe had gone mad. Even his former allies came on. Now, I've read with interest everything that Mugabe has been quoted on in this country since then and I can find nothing that indicates he has gone mad.

I may be alone in this, but I hope Mugabe can stay in power in order to complete his land reform exercise.

This article is extremely illuminating:

http://www.counterpunch.org/elich05072005.html

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This Year's Dun Run - 105 odd days to go...

I got this email today.
 
All booked. Patrick Field has the Lavenham Village Hall as the just over
halfway stop. Lorries and coaches back, beach cafe done too. New FAQs
will be on our website any day now and coach back tickets on sale from
then...those booked before 1 June are the same price as last year. Late
bookings have gone up £1. Diesels up, so are the train fares, by £2.50.

July 19: just under 120 miles to the Suffolk sea. Overnight.
 
Barry
 
Hooray - I feel like its just around the corner. The YHA is booked for me and S and we're having a couple of days up there.

 

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Not snowing

I've started reading a book called "Britain's State Within the State". It profiles Lord Carver and Major General Frank Kitson, two very successful army officers who were advising the government through the 70s and 80s. Kitson seems to have been mainly responsible for our brutal policies in Ireland through the 1980s.

It also describes how the police were armed, what the SPG do (now replaced by the TSG) and what Special Branch are up to.

I might include extracts on this blog.

Free Tibet

After crawling out of bed yesterday S put the telly on and we watched the protests against the Olympic flame on its way to China. I was very pleased to see that the numbers of protesters seemed to be very good, and the protests were very effective. No one tuning in to watch the ceremony would fail to pick up on what was going on in Tibet. The arguments for not bringing politics into sport were all pretty simple minded and went sort of like - uh, Olympics brings the whole world together and lots of people watch, and if the Olympics could change things, tha'd be good wouldn't it? I think it was the former Blue Peter presenter that said something like this.

China condemned the protests today, and in Paris, the organisers finally had to abandon the whole event. The flame even went out at some point.

I wrote upthe findings of my most recent audit today and sent them out to the relevent people. I'm not sure it's going to please anyone. I've already got into trouble once this year for being too honest.

Oh yeah - and it snowed yesterday.

Czech Republic Petition

If like me, you believe that US bases should be accountable to the
host country's population then you might want to sign this petition.

www.caab.org.uk (in process of complete redesign - still accessible)

Czechs Launch Online Petition Against Planned US Military Base
Common Dreams (press release) - Portland,ME,USA
The US is seeking to install a new military base in the Czech Republic and another one in Poland.
Neither of these two countries currently hosts a US base. ...

See all stories on this topic

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new banana plants

these arrived yesterday - free with a bottle of sherry.

Underberg

We tried this stuff last night. It's like an alcoholic cough medicine. I reserve judgement for the moment

The Soggy Pickwick Papers

My Dickens got wet this morning and has now gone wrinkly round the edges.

Very spring-like this morning. The deck chairs are out in Hyde Park:



They've been diggin up the cycle lane in Hyde Park. I think they're re-wiring the lamp posts.

Oi! get off the feckin' cycle lane!

and you!

I've made changes to my MP3 player. Now playing:

My aim Is True, Imperial Bedroom - Elvis Costello; Children of The Revolution (compilation) - T Rex; Regatta De Blanc - Police; Lodger - Bowie; Naked, Little Creatures and More Songs About Buildings and Food - Talking Heads; Solid Air - John Martin; O Brother Where art Thou - soundtrack album

And then a smattering of tracks by Paul McCartney, A Flock Of Seagulls, Blondie, Dolly Parton, XTC, Laibach, Nanci Griffith, Kirsty McColl, Moby, Mozza, Nena, Nick Cave, Richard And Linda Thompson, Sparks, Starsailor, suede, The Clash, The Pretenders, The The, The Velvet Underground, Todd Rundgren.

blackcurrent way

We've got spring weather now. There are sporadic clouds with intermittent bright sunshine, though not especially warm in the shade.

I'm making a gigantic effort to become organised. I'm trying to go as paperless as possible with scanned copies of my paperwork going onto my computer, though I reckon I should make it a bit more secure than that at some point. I am going to back it up at the weekend though.

The mayoral elections are concerning me at the moment. Is Ken going to lose? I worry that he might. I feel he needs one more term to cement the improvements he's made, especially in transport. And I'm concerned that without Livingstone overseeing Metronet's return to TfL the company's employees might just find themselves shafted. Boris's latest idiot idea is to ban the drinking of alcohol on the underground. He claims it will make things safer on the tube, which is one of the safest places in London, so I'm not sure what difference it is really going to make. Or how this is going to be enforced, to be honest. I don't think Boris will have their best wishes at heart. So - get out and vote for Ken. I know I will.

I'm pleased to hear that the tube strike scheduled for next week has been called off though - I wasn't too sure what the RMT was attemtping to acheive with this strike.

I hit my deadline at work yesterday. Auditors had required that we put something in place to ensure our environmental training programme was being monitored. so I did that yesterday. It's a little spreadsheet with calculations on it and it just needs to be regularly updated and once a month reviewed by our top management.

I noticed this gargoyle on our local church this morning. It's a pretty evil looking beast. I was trying to work out if it was a dog or a cat.

The church itself - picture taken today:

I need to sort out Brer MP3 player today. I've had the same stuff on it for weeks. All of it good, but I need a change. It consists mainly of 1930s Country music, a 1980s Laibach album, and a double Mudhoney compilation, with a fine dusting of classics and old faves. Here's a picture of it - held together by sellotape - I've had it for over two years now and it still works fine.

Today's Lunch, and wasn't it just tasty!

Strawberry Fields

Today I'm back at work and there's a pretty important deadline, one which I'd be a fool to not take seriously. Despite that today I blog.

I've got a terrible hacking cough today - must be annoying everyone in the office. Probably will go down for some medication soon.

Today I am mainly listening to Mudhoney's "March To Fuzz" - a best of / rarities compliation I bought some time last year. I saw Mudhoney whyen they reformed a year or two ago and it was like time stood still - a dynamic performance.

Today's lunch:

I've decided to read all of Charles Dickens's novels in the order they were written. I don't know how long this will take me. I'm currently about half way through the "Pickwick Papers" and enjoying it - its even laugh out loud in places - I didn't expect that.

I have quite a few of the required books in my possession but will need to purchase some. I though I had "Oliver Twist" (the next book) in the bag until I opened it up the other day. It was a German language version!

Raspberry Beret

I had the day off yesterday. Partly to collect the car from its MOT (340 bloody quid!!) and partly to attend a Fossil Fools' Day protest. Except I never got as far as attedning the protest. Instead S. and I went for a walk round Merton Abbey Mills, visited the City Farm, and had a meal in this Indian Cafe in Tooting where we've been a few times before, and we love it.



Orwellian graffiti in the Sava Centre foot tunnel

A sign that spring has arrived - only the second Ladybird I've seen this year.

The garden at Dean City Farm

Later that day we headed for the Sun and Dove in Camberwell to see Will Self talking for an hour about nonsense (his bath mat running for the US presidency was the main point) followed by a screening of the Triplettes of Belleville .

friday 28th March 2008

Ah - you thought I'd forgotten about my commitment to my Blog! Think again! My commitment is now for a daily entry - although only Monday to Friday ... and maybe not every day.

I've still not shaken off this cold - you'll recognise me riding my bike this week - I'm the one with a constant cough and persistent sniffing. It's horrible.

I saw the President of France yesterday. He was in a limo heading towards Downing Street. I didn't know what he looked like, or his wife, but it was fairly obvious who'd be ferried in a huge motorcade with police escort towards Whitehall. Then I checked on the BBC website and yes - it was him.

Ha ha to Heathrow T5 for suffering at least two setbacks this week. First off they've had to back off with their intention to fingerprint everyone passing through due to "misgivings" and secondly, the operation has descended into absolute chaos leading to poor press and massive numbers of customer complaints.

Critical Mass tonight - since my Bikes Not Bombs ride over Easter I'm hoping to be able to say hi to some of the people I met.

Speaking of which - here's some piccies. At the start, a huddle was formed to decide the plan, the first of many huddles in the next three days:

Before we left London we joined up with the Free Tibet march in London.
http://www.freetibet.org/

Then a premature lunch stop in Hyde Park where I managed to buy a coffee. My bike with Roy's bike (with flag):

Cycling through Shepherds Bush:

Past Heathrow Airport:

Stopping for the night at a Sikh temple in Slough:

On to Reading:

Lunch Stop on Easter Sunday:

Along Riverside cycle paths:
Around Roundabouts in Industrial Estates:
In Reading we were Deemed a threat to the railways:

Finally we made Aldermaston:

http://www.goldenhinde.org/ - pirate fun day in London tomorrow - don't miss out.

It's the Oxford Cambridge boat race this weekend - I'm not interested, but you might be. Putney to Mortlake, River Thames, 5.15 tomorrow.

http://www.theboatrace.org/ - for a list of all the pubs en route.

The Elephant Man is on telly tonight. ITV3 at 11.10 pm


I'd like to say hello to the flower girl near where I work, this is her having a sneaky can of Guiness while working.

This Blog

I have decided to commit myself to ensuring that this blog is updated regulary. I did consider starting a new blog, but then thought it might just confuse things still further for me. I've been posting various things on various parts of the internet - film reviews - cycling related stuff - etc, and therefore have neglected this blog.

Life isn’t going too well for me at the moment, unfortunately. Every element of my life seems to be going down the pan. Despite this I’ve decided to rejuvenate my Blog. What originally was intended to be personal with a bit of politics and a bit about my cycle adventures through London, is now to take a new direction. There will now be more about film, music, and Forteana, and quite a bit less personal stuff.

Walked around Vauxhall, Pimlico, South Bank yesterday after S. threw me out of the flat. S got angry about the constant fruitless pointelssness and mundanity of our lives. I became frustrated at this and started hitting myself on the head and screaming. Then I felt embarrassed and apologised, but I still had to leave.

I bought S an electric toothbrush as a peace offering, however, I now have to return this to the shop as she has rejected it outright.

Dark Underbelly of The Good Life

Survivors - Series 1
Starring: Peter Bowles, Lucy Flemming, Carolyn Seymour
Director: Pennant Roberts, Gerald Blake, Terence William
Certificate:
The mid 70s saw a John Seymour inspired fashion for self sufficiency. Middle class people all over England fantasised about a simpler life where they could throw in their high-flying careers, grow their own vege, keep pigs, and practice arcane crafts in their dining rooms.

This programme feeds that fashion. The point is constantly made - 'do you know how to make that?' asks one character holding up a candle. And everyone in this programme is insufferably middle class. Most survivors seem to have a stately home and drive around in a Rolls Royce.

The middle class preoccupation comes through yet again when we find that a northern (northern = working class?) union leader has set himself up as Lord of the Manor, local police chief and high court judge combined, and sentences a luckless man to be immediately executed by firing squad. Our middle class heroine then runs off shouting 'this is what happens when people like you are in charge' (I paraphrase). The point is made: while all the landed gentry lay dying in their beds, the uppity working class start introducing their Stalinist ideals.

The sets are stagey, the acting stilted, the pace slow, but what do you expect from a mid 70s BBC production? I've given it 4 stars because it is what it is, and that is an ahead of its time end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it drama albeit, produced by English middle class media lovies.

It is well made - a lot of though has gone in to considering what the actual issues would be - and introducing these ideas to a relatively unsophisticated audience. To those of us brought up on Zombie films, and 'I am Legend' it might all seem a bit obvious, but stick with it. There are genuinely moving moments, some shocks, in all, some very good drama. And it serves as a social documentary of a time and a place.