Is Arundel Safe?

A quite bizarre turn of events has taken place in the Sussex town of Arundel over the past year.

The first was a fire at the Fire Station in October last year, which caused extensive damage to the building and destroyed the Fire Engine. Apparently the station is served by retained fire fighters and was not manned at the time. The main problem was that the station did not have a smoke or fire alarm system, so it was left to the neighbouring Ambulance Station staff, who noticed smoke, to report it.

This week a Police Man at the towns Police station had his car stolen from the Police Station while he was at work. It was not clear whether the car was broken into with or with the keys. The news report is not clear on this, but did suggest that the thief first broke into the Police station. May he stole the car keys from there.

I bet the Ambulance service, next to the Fire Station, are wondering if they will be next on the “Strange, But True” list?

Related Links
Blaze hits no-alarm fire station
Red faces at police station theft

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Chav TV Is On The Loose....Again 8-(

OH GOD!

Big Brother has started again. Which means I won't get a look at the television for the next eight weeks or so. I will have to put up with inane conversations about sad people that have no self respect or intelligence.

The sort of people who sign up to Big Brother must be lonely souls with very low self esteem. Why else would they do that to themselves? I can't think of anything I'd rather do less than to spend my time sitting round talking to those sad people.

My comment would be, "Get out there and get yourselves proper jobs"

On a positive note, all the TV deprivation will allow me to keep my blog more up to date. You lucky, lucky people 8-)

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The Building Work Is Nearly Done

We are now a two toilet family and after many years of waiting we finally have our shower installed.

About 10 years ago I started a bathroom refurbishment project, which has taken far too long to complete. I said that I would not start any other projects until it was finished, but my Wife had other ideas. There always seemed to be something better or more important to do. As a consequence it has never been completely finished.

Since the bathroom was started we have done the lounge, dining room, double glazing and last year a down stairs toilet/laundry room extension. Over the last month we have really pulled our fingers out and things have moved along at a huge pace. The shower has been fitted and both the upstairs and downstairs toilets have been fitted. I have to admit that I only did the plumbing for the down stairs loo. We got a plumber in to do the rest.

It does mean that I can now get on with the finishing touches and yesterday I moved the washing machine from the kitchen to the laundry room. Amazingly it was actually a "five minute job", which took five minutes and not my usual two days. My wife was surprised how smoothly it all went. To be honest, so was I.

When I plumbed the extension a few weeks ago I ended up flooding the kitchen twice in one day. The washing machine in comparison was a breeze.

Today I'm supposed to be wiring up the extensions lighting system, but as yet I haven't found the motivation. Catching up on my Blog seems a more inviting prospect. The torch will have to remain a little longer. However, I've promised the wife that I'll fit a new worktop in the kitchen to cover the space left by the washing machine. Me and my big mouth.

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May Is Just A Blur

For most of May I've been rushed off my feet working 24/7. Well at least that's how it felt.

Over the first May Bank holiday I was supposed to work three night shifts, which ended up becoming five nights due to various technical hitches allong the way. I had a few hours rest on Wednesday 8th, by Thursday I was back on days. Friday 4th I was back to nights and managed to set a new record by doing two separate commissionings in one night shift.

I spent the next week unable to sleep at night and feeling wiped out during to day. I just couldn't stay aware at work. Last weekend (20th & 21th) I did nothing but rest.

Having just reviewed what I wrote in the last few paragraphs it doesn't add up. Looking back at all the long and confused days & nights I've worked this month it doesn't fit. It's as if someone stuck another week in May when my back was turned. I can clearly remember spending last weekend (20th & 21th) hacking the garden and I've got the new plants to prove it too. Maybe I just imaganed resting!

I think I need a holiday, but I doubt my boss will let me have the time off 8-(

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Moore blames women for 'banal' TV

This is an interesting article that I found on the BBC News Website today. Although I agree in principle with his views, some of his statements, I feel, are a little sexist. However, I particularly liked his thoughts on Big Brother.

"I would rather be dead in a ditch than appear on Celebrity Big Brother."

I doff my hat to you Sir Patrick.

My problem with Saturday night television is that there nothing that interests me. The only exception being Dr Who, of which I’m a big fan. The whole evening is filled with banal quiz shows, reality shows and the National Lottery. I’m not in the slightest bit interested in watching some “Z” list celebrity dancing or ice skating. And what the hell is all this “X” Factor rubbish all about?

What I’d like to see on a Saturday night is a good film.

Here endith the ‘Grumpy Old Man” whinge. Now who’s moved my slippers?

Original BBC Article - Moore blames women for 'banal' TV

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You’re So Vein, I Bet You Think This Blog Is About You

Mrs.P. has always had prominent veins in her legs and recently they have been giving her pain. The main problem is that she is a sales assistant for a major UK stationary chain and she spends much of her time at work standing still for extended periods.

She had to have some time off work and our Doctor referred her to a specialist. After quite a short wait, she was summoned to our local hospital for surgery to have them removed.

The appointment was set for early March this year and would be performed in the day surgery, which meant she would be home the same day. As she would be unable to walk for a few days, I’d arranged with my boss to work at home for the week so I could take care of her every need. Unfortunately, on the morning of the appointment she had a sore throat, which meant that they were not happy to operate. It was back to work for me the following day. Shame as I was looking forward to working from home.

Fast forward to yesterday and it was time to try again. We arrived at the hospital and Mrs.P. went through all sorts of interviews, questionnaire and tests to allow the medical staff to be ready for all eventualities. During the first one of these interviews we discovered that the surgeons name was Mr. Nounou. I immediately had a vision of a blue hoover doing the operation with assistance being provided by the Teletubbies.


The second interview was with the anaesthetist. When she made reference to Mr. Nounou, I had to bite my lip to stop myself laughing out loud. I decided not to accompany my Mrs.P. to the third interview, as it was with Mr. Nounou himself. I would only have made a prat of myself by making a Teletubbie joke.

I stayed with Mrs.P. until it was “Time for Tubbie Bye-byes” with the anaesthetist. At which point I went home to collect Jnr. from school and await a phone call from the Hospital.

They rang at 4:30pm to say that all was well and I could collect her an hour later. When I arrived at the hospital, as usual the car park was completely full so I had to park ½ a mile away. She wasn’t ready for collection as they still had to measure her up. They didn’t say what she was to be measured for, but we were hoping it wasn’t for her wooden box. To our relief the measurements were for a support stocking.

She was told that she MUST rest in bed for the remainder of the day, only getting up for toilet breaks. Of course she totally ignored this instruction, sat on the sofa with her leg on the coffee table and contently kept getting up to wander around. Women!

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Take Care Where You Get Your Camera Out

For many years I’ve wanted to take a long exposure photograph of a railway platform at rush hour. The idea of using a long exposure is to blur all the train passengers, but keep the train, platform and other object in focus. This gives a great sense of movement.

The problem has been to find the right location to allow me to look down on the platform to maximise the effect. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a Railway Signalling engineer and at present I’m working at London Bridge signal box. Last week I found the perfect location to give me the required angle and on Monday I set off for work armed with a large rucksack full of tools, my packed lunch and camera gear.

At precisely 9:15am I had positioned myself on the over bridge above platforms 9 and 10, just as hundreds of commuters were de-training. I took four photos and was almost instantly mugged by a member of Network Rail staff. It transpired that I needed permission from the station manager to take photos of the station as I might be a terrorist. A far point I suppose and at least it shows that Network Rail is taking the travelling publics safety seriously. However, if I had been a terrorist surely I would be taking photos covertly with a small discreet compact camera. Not, as I was, using a bloody great Digital SLR in a very public and non-discreet manner.

Not wanting to be arrested on the spot, I clearly explained who I was and what I was doing on the station in the first place. I even showed him my Network Rail approved photo ID to prove that I was allowed to be there, but he was having none of it. I just packed up my gear and went on my way with a flea in my ear.

Next time I’ll get permission first and make a meal of photographing the station.

The photos I did get were OK at best, but I will try again soon. Here is the best one.

It's not brillient, but I think it shows the effect I'm after.

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A Few Hours Freedom

Last Saturday, Pablos and I finally managed to get out for a ride. Traditionally we go for a morning ride sometime over Bank Holiday weekends and Christmas. However, we haven’t achieved this since our trip to the Lake District last September.

The weather was perfect, if a little nippy when we set off. Therefore I decided that I would wear my thermals under my leathers. One of the problems with my leathers is that they are made from perforated leather and thin stretchy material and the wind goes straight thorough. This is brilliant on warm summer days, but not so cleaver on the motorway in the early morning fog.

Our first stop was at Devils Dyke, near Brighton for a few photos of the Sussex countryside. It was a bit misty still, but we managed a few passable vistas. Stop number two was the seafront at Brighton, this time for some died pork wrapped in bread and yet more photos.

The West Pier has always fascinated me and its current state of disrepair saddens me greatly, but it does offer lots of interesting photo opportunities. It seems that quite a few other people had the same idea. We photographers were falling over each other trying to find that perfect angle. In the end we ended up taking photos of each other.

By the time we we’re back on our bikes the temperature had risen considerably and I was starting to melt inside my leathers. The thermals didn’t seem so sensible as we rode home.

I told Mrs. P. that I’d be home by 12:00pm, but I didn’t make it until 1:05pm. I made up a story about the clock on my bike still being set to GMT. I’m not totally sure I got away with it though, but I'm still alive which is a good sign.

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TGV Sets New Rail Speed Record

On April 3rd a specially modified TGV, called a V150, set a new speed record on the newly completed Paris to Strasburg high speed line. It reached a top speed of 574km/h (356mph), beating the previous record of 515km/h (320mph) set in 1990.

This was achieved by fitting an additional motor and boasting the traction power from 25,000 volts to 31,000 volts. We are told that the set is capable of producing 25,000 horsepower!

Somehow I doubt we will ever see such innovation on our railways. However, it would be possible to extend the current high speed line, which runs from the Channel Tunnel to London, further north. Perhaps as far as Edinburgh or Glasgow. The major problem with that is one of finance. When it comes to our railways the “Westminster Muppet Show” tends to keep its hands firmly in its pockets. Wars in the Middle East and identity cards schemes are so much more useful you know!

Here is a video of the event for your pleasure.

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The Perfect Bacon Sandwich

Scientists from the Department of Food Science at Leed University have spent many hours trying to decide what constitutes the perfect Bacon sandwich. Their conclusion was:-

1. Grill 2 or 3 rashers of back bacon at 240C (475F) for 7 minutes.


2. Place bacon between 2 slices of 1 to 2cm thick Farmhouse bread.


3. And eat, presumably.

They have even developed a formula for the whole process, which is:-

N = C + {fb (cm) . fb (tc)} + fb (Ts) + fc . ta

Where N=force in Newtons required to break the cooked bacon,
fb=function of the bacon type,
fc=function of the condiment/filling effect,
Ts=serving temperature,
tc=cooking time,
ta=time or duration of application of condiment/filling,
cm=cooking method,
C=Newtons required to break uncooked bacon.

It’s good to know that our Universities are educating our youth wisely!

Source = BBC News Website

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