Bath 'n' Stuff

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2011-11-30T11:19:00.001Z

BT Home Hub manager - Home

2011-11-17T08:00:00.001Z

or Why do they do this to us?

It seems that we are constantly subject to the vagaries of BT Openreach when we sign up to a broadband package over BT’s ‘last mile’.

Suffice to say – an agreement to call between 15:00 and 17:00 was only notable for the brief missed call which rang once and died.

BT Openreach - ‘providers of fair and equal access to the network for CPs’ seem to have a strange method for resolving connectivity problems. Over the last several days my broadband quality has been in decline. Finally I’d had enough and initiated a call to BT Broadband’s help line. My broadband connection was resetting the Home Hub 2 every 3 to 5 minutes making BBC iPlayer on the satellite box impossible – I’m glad I’m not a £20 a month BT Vision customer. The prospect of doing a bit of out of hours work over VPN and a Remote Desktop session from home was a non-starter.

Some weeks ago I’d had my line connection upgraded from the ‘up to 8Mb‘ to the advertised ‘up to 20Mb’ on my Unlimited Total Broadband Option 3 package. Since I live only 400m from the exchange I had been getting just over 7Mb download speed which is good by anyone's standard so following the upgrade I was able to brag to a friend that I was now getting 19Mb download speed.

Openreach have now clocked my connection down to:

Downstream 11,356 Kbps

Upstream 440 Kbps

…and its just gone again…

Needless to say I’ll be back on the phone this morning stumbling my way through the switching system ‘til I reach India, to be told that I can book a time when they can call me!!

BT Home Hub manager - Home

The Star Inn's 8th Annual Cornish Beer Festival 2011

2011-07-03T11:19:00.000+01:00

Yet again by a happy coincidence (thanks Paul) The Star Inn's Cornish Beer Festival falls on the same weekend as my birthday celebrations.

The Star Inn, Bath

Here is the date - it starts on Thursday 14th July and runs until the ale runs out. Last year a 9 gallon barrel of Spingo lasted less than 90 minutes from first pint to last pint. If you have a particular favourite then you need to be there when it's ready because it won't last long.
Further details will follow as they are gleaned.
Cheers Paul, I'm looking forward to it.

The Star Inn - 7th Annual Cornish Beer Festival
The 6th Annual Cornish Beer Festival - The Star Inn
5th Annual Cornish Beer Festival 2008

St Pauls Carnival Bristol

2011-07-03T09:56:00.001+01:00

Fingers still sticky with Hot Sauce, a haze of ganja and scorched Jerk Spice hangs heavy in the sound and humidity.

St Pauls Carnival 2011

What an amazing day - the constant sound of ever changing beats and rhythms preceded us we walked down from Stokes Croft through Portland Square and down to the bottom of Grosvenor Road. Where every other house in the street was either banging out another track from another deck through another stack of speakers, selling Jerk Chicken Rice 'n' Peas or cans of cold Red Stripe from their front gardens. Truly an assault on all the senses coming smothered in smiles.
Thank you St Pauls.

The Plainest of Plain White Loaves

2011-07-02T10:46:00.000+01:00

'ere 'tis for those that have asked.

This recipe is for Bread Making Machines and the ingredients are added to the pan in the order listed. As a rule I try to do as much measuring with the pan on a set of those electronic scales, that you can set back to zero after adding each ingredient.

18g Rapeseed Oil
290g Water
1tsp Salt
3 tsp Golden Caster Sugar (the unbleached stuff)
450g Doves Farm Organic Strong White Bread Flour (http://www.dovesfarm.co.uk/)
1½tsp Packet Dried Yeast (the fast stuff)

Use the normal program (#1 on my Kenwood BM256) and set the weight for a 750g loaf and the crust of your choice.

Enjoy.

A Fine Day for a Picture

2011-07-01T10:32:00.001+01:00

I woke yesterday, barely remembering that there was a Venice Simplon Orient Express (VSOE) outing due through Bath Spa on its way to Bristol. This is important to me because I like steam engines and also because one of the carriages is called Zena.
After a brisk walk to the end of Hampton Row through the centre of Bath, up the Warminster Road and along the canal tow path I reached the proposed shooting location to find so much over growth I had to scramble through a hedge and set up the camera in the corner of a field.
Anyway here's the picture of the train from London Victoria pulled by engine number 35028 - Clan Line, a preserved Merchant Navy Class locomotive built in 1948.

and Zena, an original Pullman coach built in 1928.

3 Thirds Loaf

2011-06-24T08:09:00.000+01:00

I have finally settled on a combination of ingredients to produce a reasonably consistent and tasty loaf of bread from my machine. As requested, this is how it goes (in order of addition to the pan):-

20g Rapeseed Oil
290g Water
1 tsp Sea Salt
3 tsp Golden Caster Sugar
150g Wholegrain Spelt Flour
150g Strong White Bread Flour
150g Wholemeal Bread Flour
1½ tsp Dried Yeast (Suitable for bread makers!!)

With a Kenwood Bread Maker, I use the Wholemeal Loaf programme which takes three and tree quarters of an hour when set for a 750g loaf with a moedium crust. The flour is usually Doves Farm Organic and everything else is Sainsbury's.

Enjoy.

Edgcumbe visits Bath - Solihull to Bristol via Reading

2011-06-20T08:15:00.000+01:00

Saturday saw me at Bath Spa station again to see GWR 4073 Class 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe operated by Vintage Trains Ltd. from Tyseley Locomotive Works formerly Birmingham Railway Museum.
Here she is in all her restored beauty, preparing to leave Bath Spa, just as an Inter City 125 (HST) was about to arrive.

...of yeast and a bread making machine

2011-06-12T11:18:00.000+01:00

Sometime ago I started making my own bread with a machine. The decision was prompted by Sainsbury's who changed their policy on discounting products with a 'one day' shelf life. I used to be able to purchase their 'Organic Wholemeal in-store baked loaf' when shopping after work (early evening), sometimes it was discounted and I'd stock up the freezer, but usually they had some. When the new policy came in there was never any left by five o'clock let alone half past six.

I started making my own loaf and tried out different combinations of flours, yeast, salt, sugar, oil and water until I'd managed to get a bread that I enjoyed and had a decent fibre content. The yeast I used initially was Sainsbury's sachets and then I went on to try Hovis sachets. The recipe I used for the amount of flour required 1.5 teaspoons of dried yeast, so I was constantly using part sachets which I found awkward.

One day while shopping for yeast I spotted little tins of Allinson's Yeast on the shelf - "whoopee" I thought, "no more messing around with part sachets!!" What I had failed to notice was that this yeast was 'Not suitable for Bread Makers' in the small print on the front of the tin. Ooops!!

Anyway, what I have done is modify the method I use for preparing and adding ingredients to the baking tin. Previously I would add ingredients in the following order: oil, water, salt, sugar, flour and finally yeast. Now, what I'm trying is to reactivate the yeast with part of the sugar and water. So now it's: oil, water including reactivated yeast mixture, the rest of the required sugar, flour and now the salt goes in last on top of the flour where it doesn't come in contact with the yeast.

Once I've done it a couple of times I'll report back on the success or not of this experiment.

34067 - Tangmere on 'The Welshman'

2011-06-12T09:31:00.000+01:00

+Yesterday I had the luxury of seeing and photographing 'Tangmere' 34067 - Battle of Britain class steam locomotive pulling a train through Bath. A luxury because although I am a keen railway enthusiast, I tend not to make the time to practice particularly often.
Either way here she is passing through Oldfield Park by Brougham Hayes bridge.

Later I was at Bath Spa station waiting for her return from Cardiff when the station announcer obligingly informed all present that she was still there. Making an effort I returned home and sat on the 'gen' site for news of her from Cardiff, which came through at 18:35 reporting 18:30 as the time of departure. A quick calculation against the original timings would bring the train through Bath just before 20:00.

Camera over my shoulder I got myself down to the station to get 'the shot'.
As is so often the case, getting a picture across another track always runs the risk of another train being in the way. It was one of those days...

and away...

Hey Ho!!!

...something of an apology

2011-06-12T09:08:00.000+01:00

To all those people who were eagerly awaiting the sequel to the 'holiday' blog, I'm afraid as is evident elsewhere on Bath 'n' Stuff, I tend to over do the writing and fall flat on my arse...

Suffice it to say that the weekend is admirably recorded and reported by The Millbooker (see The Daily(ish) Millbrooker link to the right).

Advise from a long time blogger is 'keep it short and use lots of pictures'.

Holiday Part Deux - Gigspanner Day

2011-05-18T12:59:00.000+01:00

Friday in Rame is Gigspanner Day - perhaps my host is right - it is becoming a small tradition for a party of friends to assemble for the annual Gigspanner gig in Kingsand Village Hall. The day started with a cracking breakfast of everything, at nearly lunch time. Eight hours sleep following the excess of the previous day was rejuvenating and not being woken up at stupid o'clock by Bath's seagull population squabbling over the last of the pub goers suppers was a relief. During breakfast the day was discussed and a walk proposed. In various states of wellness; hang-over, heavy cold and creeking limbs we found ourselves slowly working our way up the steepest part of the climb to the view point at the top of Maker Lane.

Pausing for long moments at gates on the way ostensibly to gasp at the views and in my case catching a breather, we snapped away with our digitals.

The view from the top was, as ever, breathtaking. Despite the slight haze all the landmarks, from St Austell's Hensbarrow Beacon, through Bodmin Moor and Carodan Hill and up the Tamar valley to Dartmoor's Tors, could be seen.
From the top of Maker Lane we crossed the road and headed over the top of Maker Heights past the Victorian Barracks (now an arts comunity) and turned nort-east towards Maker Church.

More later...

What I did on my holidays!! Part 1 (Coming to you direct from Millbrooker Towers)

2011-05-15T17:57:00.001+01:00

It's now the start of the final (non-traveling) day with The Millbrooker, Mrs The Millbrooker and and other guests at Millbrooker Towers. I had intended to take advantage of their hospitality for just Friday to Sunday in order to enjoy the music and performance of Peter Knight's Gigspanner at a local village hall but since the Wreckers Morris were appearing I had been persuaded (not hard) to arrive on Thursday. The Morris was great fun but I wasn't feeling 100% by 8 o'clock Thursday - a long day.
Thursday actually started badly; on Wednesday. It had probably been one of the worst weeks for a long time and only 3 days! I finally got to sleep early Thursday morning and the alarm clock was set for 06:15. As usual nothing was packed ready so I had all that to do before getting the usually late 08:57 Penzance train down to Plymouth. As usual it was announced on Bath Spa Platform 1 as running 8 minutes late but managed to arrive on time - go figure!! The run down on the train was pretty straight forward until Nailsea and Backwell where we were stopped. The announcement from the Train Manager sent an almost silent groan through the carriage - 'The train is being held here due to a vehicle striking a bridge' then a few minutes later 'The driver has has been allowed to to take the train on at reduced speed'. By Taunton we were only eight minutes late, much of which was made up caning it up Whiteball. The rest of the run was uneventful with my ears full of Black Sabbath and passed the time playing Solitaire on my phone. I do believe I am becoming blazé about one of the most spectacular engineering achievements in Britain, the Brunel masterpiece between Exeter and Plymouth, because a barely gave it a glance.
Plymouth was sunny and as I walked down Armada Way, I realised that I had left my baseball cap at home. I would either have to squint in the sun for 4 days or buy one then and there. Quicksilver or whatever had not much with a big logo on it - I don't like paying for someone to advertise on me - so across the road to BHS for me. They were running a 20% off day so a quite simple summer sun cap for just over £6 was perfect.
Off now to walk down to the Admiral's Hard for the Cremyll Ferry. I got as far as the Taxi Rank and shelled out a fiver for the privilege of not walking down there. 10 minutes to wait for the boat, then across the Tamar to the first pint in Cornwall.
The Edgcumbe Arms served me a fine pint of Proper Job which at only just after midday went down with unhealthy haste while waiting for Sausage and Mash and pint of Tribute. It was blowy and the sun was out so after lunch I found a corner in the lee of an old building by the quay and waited for the bus to Millbrook.
Off to Millbrook on the bus by way of Maker Church and the magnificent view up the Tamar to the Saltash bridges, then down into Millbrook village. By quarter past two I was sat on a bar stool in the Devon and Cornwall Inn enjoying a fine pint of Timothy Taylor's Landlord and the company of budding mathematician Emma behind the bar. It was quiet and Russell was scurrying around preparing for the evenings jollity. a couple of pints later I strolled round the corner to check for undelivered texts.
There a few corners of Millbrook where the finger of Vodafone reaches and these are spots where incoming texts arrive. As I turned back to the pub the phone sprang to life and found that in anticipation of my arrival The Millbrooker had alerted me to the fact that I would find him 'on the patio'. Bidding goodbye to Emma I made my way to Millbrooker Towers. Following Kedgeree 'knocked up' by The Millbrooker he donned his 'tatters' we all went of down to West Street where the Morris was to take place outside the D&C. It was a wonderful evening and although I was completely beered out and knackered managed to develop a face strain from so much smiling. A wonderful antidote to what I'd left behind in Bath.
The Millbrookers blog of the entertainment is here.

The Western Riverside - Disaster Symptom I

2011-04-25T14:43:00.000+01:00

Well!! The disaster has begun, the bulldozers and pile drivers are hard at work and the roofing timbers are in place on Building 4B.
When we met in the Hilton Hotel all those years ago to protest and complain to the Architects and and others about the impact of the plan we were evidently ignored. I personally told the Architect that I thought his designs were brutal and he was surprised. Either way Bath will be a less pleasant place to live in the future.
My reason for writing on what is now a redundant issue is more to do with my feelings on Public Transport. I am not a car owner nor a driver having never taken a single lesson in car driving.
My concern lies in the continued wholesale destruction of, what will come to be know for the crass stupidity that it is, old railway routes.
In the case of the Western Riverside it is obvious for all to see that when, in not too many years time, we need an additional rail corridor into the centre of Bath from Bristol and Radstock it will no longer be available having been planned out of existence. Buildings B4 and B10b sit squarely across that route.
When will these short-term profit driven strategies be finally outlawed.
We are continually being preached to about saving the planet. We recycle what we can, we use energy saving bulbs, we eat food that's sourced as locally as possible but all that is worth nothing, while profiteering councils and other planners continue their headlong destruction of ours and our children's future. Denying the preservation of access to the resources and refusing to countenance anything that involves long term commitment.

I am so angry.

KEEP THE FECK OFF OLD RAIL ROUTES FOR THE USE OF METROS AND TRAMS - this is one for central government if its got the balls to face up to the petrol heads and the oil companies.

PLAN TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR FECKING CARS - and this one's for local authorities if they've got the balls to get out of the pockets of the local business community. They'll look pretty silly when customers can't get to them to be profited from.

THEY WILL DESTROY US ALL IF WE LET THEM

GIVING UP BOOZE CAUSES CANCER - shock study • The Register

2011-04-11T11:13:00.000+01:00

GIVING UP BOOZE CAUSES CANCER - shock study • The Register There are lies, damned lies and statistics.... (Who said that?) Yet again the health lobby rears its ugly and expensive (funded by the taxpayer) head in an attempt to justify it's own existence. 'If we don't keep saying something (however wrong) we'll get rumbled and (heaven forbid) scrapped with the other 'waste of money' quangos. What fun!!!

The Beer Duty Escalator Rumbles On

2011-03-24T12:29:00.004Z

BBC News - Budget 2011 at a glance: George Osborne's key points: "No additional changes to alcohol duty rates but 2% above inflation rise in excise duties for wine, spirits and beer to go ahead"

Well this will close a few more pubs then - not enough to continue to allow the Pub owning Property Companies (Punch, Enterprise and their ilk) to carry on fleecing their tenants and their tenants customers, this 'Pub friendly' lot have hammered another nail in the coffin of that Great British institution - The British Pub.

When Britain finally wakes up and finds that between the Pub owning Property Companies and the Treasury they've sleep walked into a situation where there is nowhere left to sit and chat with friends over well cellared, hand crafted ales or indeed gas filled euro-fizz for that matter, then a little more of what makes Britain and the British unique will be gone forever. See what's happening in Cornwall.

We know what happens when Beer Duty is increased because we've seen it before. The Treasury puts 7.2% on the Duty for every pint as it leaves the brewer. The Pub owning Property Company will then squeeze a little more off the price they're paying for the beer from the brewer, then add it and more back in to the price they sell it to the tenants for. The poor tenant has no choice then but to put the price up, lose more customers and go to the wall. I don't expect that the rise at the bar will be any less than 10p on a pint and could be as much as 20p.

This is why when you pop in to the pub next Monday evening, there will be fewer people drinking fewer pints, to talk to.

Now we come to the supermarkets; with this 7.2% increase the duty on a pint will now be 44p add in another 50p in VAT at 20% and we're on about £3 for a pint of ale in a pub. The supermarket will sell a 4-pack (about 3 pints) for no more than £3.50 (Tesco - 2 for £7) of which £1.32 is Duty and 70p is VAT. So cheap alcohol bought in the supermarket costs not only the British Pub dear it also amounts to a loss of 26p per pint to the Treasury. On the 2010 figures for UK beer consumption, and bearing in mind 52% (11,618 million pints) of beer is purchased in supermarkets and drunk at home costs the UK £3,021 million pounds.

Where should we go from here? I'm no genius but I can see that if we are going to see the pub survive and tenants able to make a proper living while curtailing the ill effects of excessive consumption the obvious answer is to curb alcohol sales in supermarkets while pricing the beer to the pub competitively with off-sales pricing. The bonus is of course, more drinking will be done in a controlled and 'responsible' environment and less damage will be done to peoples health through excessive consumption of cheap supermarket booze.

My feeling is that an 'off-sales' levy should be brought in to reduce the price difference and at the same time compensate the Treasury for the reduced tax take due to falling volumes. In addition a reduction in health care cost due to excessive consumption would keep the health lobby happy. The only losers would be the supermarkets but business is business!

...and another Shameless Introduction - 2011 Version

2011-01-12T19:09:00.009Z

I saw the hit count on this blog quadruple last week so I thought I'd better check what my few visitors were looking for and lo and behold it was people looking for the text of the new Shameless introduction. Nothing unusual there as over the years most visitors are looking for that or the link to WNXX but it seems I have failed.

What you've all been looking for is the NEW new Shameless Intro.

Well here it is as far as I can get it despite the muffled and sometime unintelligible bits.

Anyway 'ere 'tis...

Anyone watching thinking, "we know fuck all about knowing fuck all about 'owt", needs to watch their back.

So you've had your Labour reclassifying skunk sending prices sky high literally, literally taking the grass off its own roots.

Now you've got your con-dem-nation, Liberals noshing Tories like altar boys picking dibs up.

Have we had a national fucking stroke or what?

Is revolution a word or was it never?

Anybody watching needs to know we cope better than average with irony in Chatsworth.

Well for fuck sake we live in Manchester and they charge us for water.

I wandered lonely as a cloud necking mushrooms rarely found. Green and pleasant land in ancient times?

Yap, yap, yap, yap, yap, yap, yap, yap.

It's not theirs anymore. This is our England now.

Party!!!

Correct me if I'm wrong please.
Full credit to the author.

Thanks anon. for the 'necking', Regards.
Thanks anon. for the 'skunk', Regards.
Thanks anon. for the 'clown', Regards.
...following the Comment below and listening again I think it is probably 'cloud' after William Wordsworth. Ta Anon. Regards.
Yes of course 'owt' is correct rather than 'ought'. Thanks Anon. Regards.
...so is it 'alter boys picking dibs up' or 'alter boys picking dimps up'? Regards.

Slow Roasted Pork Belly – with the Cajun ‘holy trinity’ of Bell Peppers, Onions and Celery

2010-11-07T13:41:00.004Z

Feeds 2 – 3 hours cooking - Easy
This dish was inspired by an ‘Mmmm that looks nice’ feeling when I saw their Pork Belly Stack with Rosemary Mash and Deep Fried Leek Strips, at The Nineteenth House pub in Bath. I’d only dropped in for a pint on the way home.
The dish is relatively easy to cook requiring very little experience; something to impress without too much effort. Serve with a Dijon Mustard Mash.
Ingredients:
Pork Belly - cut in rectangles and about 350g per person
1 Red Onion
2 Bell Peppers
1 Carrot
1 Stick of Celery
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 bottle of Red Wine (150ml for the dish)
2 tsp. Herbes de Provence
Potatoes sufficient for 2 portions of Mash
1 Egg
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
2 dstsp. Crème Fraîche
½ pint of vegetable stock (Bouillon)
2 tsp. Corn Flour
Salt and Black Pepper
Method:
Light up the oven and preheat to Gas Mark 8 (450°F, 230°C, Hot)
Score the skin and fatty surface of the pork into 15mm (1/2 inch) squares, sprinkle with a little of les Herbes de Provence with Salt and Pepper to taste.
Place in a fairly shallow roasting tin and place in the centre of the oven. After about half an hour check and if the skin is ‘crackling’ up nicely, reduce the heat to Gas Mark 3 (325°F, 165°C, Moderate) and roast for a further hour.
Now prepare the vegetables. Peel the potatoes sufficient for two portions of mash.
Cut the Bell Pepper into 2cm squares, along with the onion. Thinly slice the celery and carrot, crush and chop the Garlic.
When the meat has been in the oven for an hour and a half, take it out cover on a warm plate and set aside while the cut vegetables are tumbled in the juices in the tray, seasoned with black pepper and sprinkled with the rest of les Herbes de Provence . Rest the meat on top of the vegetables and return to the oven for a further hour.
With half an hour to go, make the Mustard Mash. Boil the potatoes and mash. Stir in the egg, Dijon Mustard and Crème Fraîche and a couple of twists of fresh ground black pepper. Put in an oven proof dish and place in the oven to keep warm.
Preheat a second roasting tray. Remove the meat and vegetable from their cooking tray and place on the fresh tray and return to the oven.
With the original roasting tray, place it on the hob and heat. When boiling, add the wine to de-glaze ensuring you stir in all the rich caramelised juices from the meat and vegetables and then reduce. Add the vegetable stock and thicken as required with a little corn flour. Finally glaze with a knob of butter before serving.
To serve the dish, place a pile of Mustard Mash on a warm plate. Pile the vegetables on the mash and pour a little of the sauce over it before topping out with the Pork. Dress the rest of the plate with the sauce.
Enjoy.

PS. I’m going to try this again but vary the flavours with Chilli and chopped leaf Coriander.

Something Nice from Inexpensive Lamb

2010-09-19T17:27:00.002+01:00

This is Moroccan Slow Cooker Lamb

I found a pack of their 'Basics' Stewing Lamb in Sainsbury's yesterday so I thought I'd give this a bash. It's loosely based on a Moroccan style Chicken Dish I made a little while ago but this time I dispensed with the Harissa Paste.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1.2Kg Stewing Lamb (larger pieces are good and bone-in will add to the flavour)
3 large Onions peeled and quartered
3 Peppers of various colours, deseeded and cut to 2.5cm pieces
1 Butternut Squash, peeled deseeded and cut into 15mm pieces
3 salsa strength Chillies sliced thin
3 large cloves of Garlic, crushed and sliced
1 x 250g carton of chopped tomatoes
125g dried apricots, soak just covered in water
1 tbsp. flaked almonds
2 tsp. Ground Coriander
2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Caraway seeds
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 Lemon, zest and juice
Coriander Leaf, you can never have too much

Method:
Prepare your slow cooker: this usually involves reaching in, over or up, to the most out of the way place in the kitchen. It may even require standing on a chair so be careful. Give the lid, outer rim, handles and the cable a good wipe over with kitchen cleaner and a damp cloth. Plug it in and turn it on and set it to low, splash some water into it (a couple of tablespoons) and a teaspoon of bouillon or other powdered stock to warm the beast up.
In a large frying pan add the Olive Oil, Coriander, Cumin, Caraway Seed and Cinnamon. Bring up the heat and cook until it just begins to smoke then lower to minimum and allow the spices to release their flavours into the oil. Meanwhile cover the lamb pieces in flour. Add the lamb to the frying pan and increase the heat again. Cover the lamb in the hot oil and spices turning to ensure all sides are sealed and seasoned. When ready turn the lamb out into the slow cooker and cover.
Into the frying pan put the Chillies and Garlic and turn about for a minute to release their flavour. Add the Onion, Peppers and Butternut Squash and turn over. Allow the edges to darken slightly for flavour but try not to burn the Garlic. Tip the vegetables into the slow cooker and work in around the Lamb. Pour the Chopped Tomatoes into the frying pan to deglaze it and pour them straight in to the slow cooker.
Allow the slow cooker to come up to its working temperature. You'll find the Low setting will give you a very gentle simmer. Now tip in the Apricots and the water they were soaked in into the cooker and halve them. Add the Flaked Almonds, Lemon Zest and Juice and stir in.
Now leave cooking for at least 2 hours and certainly until the Lamb falls apart (be careful, you want it to stay in as few pieces as possible).
When ready to eat chop up a shed load of fresh Coriander, throw ¾ of it into the slow cooker and fold it in. Save the rest to garnish.
Prepare your Couscous, Rice or other accompaniment to taste and place it on a large serving dish as a bed and spoon the contents of the slow cooker over it, garnishing with the rest of the chopped Coriander leaf.
Serve with a Minted Yogurt

Enjoy. As before - any comments? You know what to do.

Agressive Aetheist and Proud

2010-09-16T15:09:00.002+01:00

If any god bothering extremist wants to have a bash they're welcome. I don't give a ****.

To be continued...

...this Cooking Thing!!

2010-09-13T14:15:00.003+01:00

It seems that I may have made a poor career choice some years ago. Once I had given up nicotine my taste buds went ape!! My waist line has become a testament to that. The result of course is that I am getting a bigger and bigger kick out of banging together really nice tasty good food.
Anyway here goes with another recipe...
As usually the inspiration for this beast of a curry was the Butternut Squash which I'd bought on a whim and had sat in the fruit and vegetable bowl for a few day.

Nick's Thai Style Red Curry
Ingredients:
Fats:
3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 tablespoon Ghee
Meat:
3 or 4 Chicken Breasts - Skinned
Corn flour
Salt
Black Pepper (Fresh ground)
Sauce:
3 large Onions pealed and cut to 2cm pieces
3 cloves of Garlic
A thumb sized piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and slice thinly across the grain
1 Butternut Squash, peeled deseeded and sliced to 3 or 4mm and cut into 15mm pieces
2 tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste
3 salsa strength Chillies
3 large Peppers - deseeded and cut to 2cm pieces
1 cup Garden Peas (fresh and shelled or frozen)
10 -12 Cherry Tomatoes
15oz (tin) Coconut Milk
8oz Baby Spinach Leaves
Coriander Leaf
Method:
Cut the Chicken Breasts into 2cm cubes and toss in corn flour seasoned with salt and pepper to coat thoroughly.
Preheat a Wok and add the fats. Immediately add the chicken and toss to cover and seal with the hot oil. Allow time for the coating to brown slightly while turning frequently. When done remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Bring the oil back to temperature and add in turn the Onions, Garlic, Ginger and Butternut Squash turning constantly to prevent burning.
Once the squash has begun to soften add the Thai Red Curry Paste, Chillies and Peppers. Stir well to distribute the paste evenly through the vegetables.
Once the Peppers have softened add the Peas, Cherry Tomatoes and Coconut Milk. Bring back to the boil and turn down to a simmer.
When nearly time to serve add the Baby Spinach Leaves. Stir to combine the leaves with the sauce. The spinach will wilt away to nothing very quickly so don't over stir them.
Finally add the Coriander leaf and server at once over Rice or Noodles cooked to your own taste.

If you have any thoughts please don't hesitate to contact me via the Comments link below.

Tagliatelle 'uddersfield

2010-09-09T00:23:00.004+01:00

This little beast was inspired by the left overs in the fridge this morning. I have an epithet of 'short date' by virtue of the fact that I can't resist buying food that has a limited shelf life, which is why I ended up with a pack of Co-Op Fresh Tagliatelle in the fridge this morning. Stashed away at the back with the bacon could also be found a quarter of a Huddersfield Black Pudding. Purist would have you believe that the only good Black Pudding comes from Bury in Lancashire. Not true. I have found that the Black Pudding sold in The Market in Bath is gorgeous and comes from Huddersfield thus: 'Tagliatelle 'uddersfield'.
In a moderate (Gas Mk 5) oven place a tray with quartered half inch slices of a quarter of a Black Pudding ring to crisp, be careful they don't go hard. Take 2 chopped Banana Shallots, a large clove of Garlic, chopped; 2 rashers of Smoked Streaky Bacon cut small and some Sage and Oregano and sweat off in a saute pan with Olive Oil, adding thin sliced White Mushrooms when nearly done. Meanwhile bring a pan of water to boil and cook the Tagliatelle. Once the Tagliatelle is cooked to taste drain and toss into the sauted vegetables to coat with the juices. Beat two Eggs and mix into the pasta and vegetable mix and serve with the pieces of Black Pudding on top. Serves at least one person so adjust for more.
If you rate this let me know. Cheers...

..Cornish Beer (Part III)

2010-07-17T10:03:00.002+01:00

I'm not sure yet, but it may be a bit of a struggle to get up to The Vineyards this afternoon but one things for sure it would be worth it.
Last night's session began for me at about quarter to seven. The Star was already filling up but there was still space on 'death row'. I started with another pint of the Gull Rock (4.2%) - or was it Cornish Gold (3.8%) - from the Tintagel Brewery. This one is such a good brew. It turns out the Gull Rock of the pump badge is the one off Trebarwith Strand and not Potreath's as I thought. I had to try the Roseland Cornish Shag (3.8%) again to confirm my earlier experience and second time around proved to be much the same as the first. A colleague joined me half way through the Shag and when finished it I went straight for a half of Wheal Maiden Brewery's Grandma's Weapons Grade Ginger Beer (5.5%) which couldn't have been more ginger - delicious. By now the Spingo and the Gull Rock had gone and there were 2 more ales on tap. I followed the ginger beer with Penzance Brewery's Potion No. 9 (4.0%), a golden ale which started on the palate with sweet peachy flavours and then rounded out to finish with a balance of sweetness and citrus tones. A good session beer. The last ale that I consider myself fit to judge was Stoked (3.6%) from Hogswood Brewery. This beer was almost mild like with a darker colour than the golden ales we'd become familiar with. It was gently fruity and not over bitter, refreshing - a great quencher and session brew. Although I did drink another pint I'm not sure if I can be objective enough about it. It was becoming increasingly difficult to make the notes. All I will say is that All Saints Brewery's Blest Bitter was yet another golden ale - a good one to be true with a complex hoppy bitternes on the finish. I'd certainly like to try it again. Perhaps if I make it up there this afternoon there'll be some left. Cheers.

..Cornish Beer (Part II)

2010-07-16T17:09:00.006+01:00

Well, back up to The Star Inn again for another afternoon session. Managed to make it before the first barrel of Spingo Special (if you want links look at my previous post) was still going (just!!). Started on a Gull Rock from the Tintagel Brewery. The rock on the pump badge is very similar to the Gull Rock of Portreath. Now, having just checked their site it appears that the beer can only be their Castle Gold (3.8%). Whichever it is, it went very well with the Pasty - a Cornish Bakehouse bite - the beer, with its light body is 'Golden' ale and delivers a fine sweetness from the malt and a rush of hops as it washes over the tongue with strong citrus flavours on the finish that's just begging for more. Further down the glass I got a whiff of Ginger which then appeared on the tongue. Of course since he was there Lewis had to find the ginger as well. The other half of yesterday Spingo (6.6%) followed and then it was on to Roseland's Cornish Shag (3.8%). This is an unassuming light ale which swallows well; after the Spingo I suspect my pallet was still swamped. Further down the glass more of its character became evident. A good quaffing ale that you could enjoy all night. Nicely finished. Back home for Cornish Sardines baked with Chili, Lemon and Garlic - nothing Cornish about that but it was Sainsbury's 'short date' - you can't mess up Cornish New Potatoes. Cheers

The Star Inn - 7th Annual Cornish Beer Festival

2010-07-16T10:17:00.009+01:00

What a wonderful coincidence; my birthday and a Cornish Beer Festival starting on the same day. This was the reason for the earlier change of shirt. Suitable dressed I again left the flat and strode up through town, again dodging showers. Popped in to see BathZena in her dungeon before climbing Milsom Street and along The Paragon to The Star Inn. I had intended to be there for opening time but, well breakfast was worth taking time over. Just as I was within sight of the pub another, heavier shower hit so I had to run - only a bit - I don't do running. The bar person who will have to forgive me - I can't remember his name (I'll ask later) was waiting at the door for me (actually he'd chosen that exact moment to steal out side for a cigarette).

The menu for this years festival is most interesting. Of the 11 ales available over the weekend there are 3 familiar favourites and no less than 6 from new breweries. The three available for the lunch time session were indeed not the strangers; St Austell's Proper Job - a beautiful golden bitter ale and my usual pint at the Edgecombe Arms on my arrival in Cornwall via the Cremyll Ferry (Timetable). Proper Job is a very bitter ale with a strong flovour of grapefruit on the finish. Next in the line was the famous or should it be infamous Spingo Special - a true monarch of ales. Brewed at the back of the Blue Anchor in Helston it is a rich and fruity dark beauty and a strength such that many would advise only drinking halves. It was early in the day to be drinking Spingo so I too heeded the advise. The last one in line was one of my favourites from the Skinner's Brewery in Truro - Heligan Honey. Light in style and flavour amber ale with a hint of the honey from the bees of the Lost Gardens of Heligan. Before I left at 3 pm I had one more Proper Job. A most pleasant lunch time session.

Sixth Decade 3rd Birthday

2010-07-16T08:46:00.019+01:00

According to the scheme used by The Millbrooker I am 3 in my sixth decade which is cool and confusing at the same time. Yesterday, my actually birthday, began as days sometimes do if you let them, with the campaign plan slipping into a dawdle around the web checking the weather, monitor pricing (LG E2250V) etc. etc. Eventually an hour later than planned I meandered up to The Kings Arms to see if their new breakfast would come up to expectation. Deb's has only just started them this week. The 'Full On' breakfast with a pot of tea for £7.49 was a cracking good eat. It took 23 minutes to demolish and then I had to just sit and drink more tea before I could move. The meats were gorgeous - finest thick rashers, the meatiest sausages and delicious black pudding with a decent amount of barley in it (too little in some I've eaten). Beautiful flavoursome eggs and then there were mushrooms, hash browns, a door step of soft granary toast, tomato and baked beans. Quality eating. Suitably stuffed I headed home, dodging giant rain drops, to change into my St Austell Brewery's Tribute drinking shirt ready for the afternoon's inactivity. 50 metres down the road I realised I hadn't paid - Doug slapped the back of his hand to remind himself to take the money off customers when he sells something. Thanks to both, a great start to my day.

Just a couple of things

2010-05-28T18:52:00.003+01:00

Hi - Long time no see - I am minded to solve a puzzle or two that posed themselves last weekend.

The first was a question of details of the Prince Albert piercing - I can confirm that the bar does pass down the urethra and emerge next to the frenulum of the penis. The bar is beaded at each end to prevent loss. You can look this one up yourself.

The second was a question of the origin of Vin du Pay D'Oc which does according to the entry in Wikipedia (trust it if you will) come from the Languedoc-Roussillon area in the South of France. Indeed a Vin du Pay and equivalent I suppose to AOC over Vin du Pay. The Languedoc region getting its name from the language of Occitan, spoken in the region.

Now we know.

The Compleat Tom Paxton - Update

2010-01-15T10:33:00.003Z

Way back in the mists of time (March 2008) I was on here bemoaning the fact that I could not get hold of the CD of The Compleat Tom Paxton; well, my very dear friend Finglebone arrived in Bath yesterday clutching the vinyl double gatefold LP version.

I have not seen one of those for more than 30 years.

Thanks Mate. I owe you big time.

Next time you're in Bath we must have a session - good food, good ale and the best company. Cheers.

Just Testing

2009-12-21T22:23:00.000Z

This exercise may prove interesting. This App is called OneNote from Microsoft. It allows text entry and a limited amount of formatting. How cool is that. The previous text was pasted to this entry (it lost the formatting). BathNick MOBILE Signing off from the Kings Arms, Bath.

A Thought

2009-12-14T08:52:00.000Z

How easy is this to use from my mobile phone? Well, the screen is certainly usable and typing is not an issue for a 2 finger typist. So I think I may start blogging from here or here or there. Where am I? Eeeek!!! Time to go. I'm late.

The 6th Annual Cornish Beer Festival - The Star Inn, Bath

2009-07-08T12:32:00.007+01:00

It's that time of year again. As last year Paul at The Star Inn in Bath is, as I type organising his annual 'home from home' Cornish Festival of Ales and Food. I've just received a text confirming that most of the ales are already cellared and the pasties are presently being made for this great event.

The date for this great event?

Thursday 16th July

I am looking forward to seeing as many lovers of great Cornish Ales as I do every year and hope the the singing reaches the same tuneful heights as ever. Now where's my song sheet from last year?

Cheers!!

Thanks to http://real-ale.blogspot.com/ for the flag

The Great British Pub... Going, going, gone!!!

2009-07-04T11:56:00.009+01:00

Here we go again... The steady decline of the Great British Pub continues.

What a wonderful place The Harrow Inn in Wanborough should be. I'm not sure how long the web site will remain.

When in the name of whatever_you_believe_in will this wanton destruction of our traditional community meeting places cease.

I may be wrong but I speculate that Enterprise Inns pushed the tenants to the absolute limit of their overdrafts, credit cards, life savings and still expected them to pay more for their overpriced tied beer and rent based on an inflated expectation of market growth where there is none. With £4.5bn in debt to maintain then the likes of Enterprise Inns and their ilk will have to ensure they can take an average of £50,000 pa profit out of every site they own. It's a disgraceful business model that should not be allowed to ride roughshod over peoples lives, their homes and our communities any longer.

Why not write to your MP and support your local Licensees - use their pubs or you will surely lose them.

Fair Pint

Justice for Licensees

The Morning Advertiser

The BEC Report - Pub Companies

Picture copied from http://www.theharrowinnwanborough.com/

Wacky Jacqui - Down and Out

2009-06-02T14:50:00.001+01:00

BBC NEWS Politics Home secretary 'set to step down'
No one could be more pleased than I to see the last of the Jacqui Smith - Home Secretary, who has almost single handedly made the role a complete farce. All we have to do now is make sure all the crap that's been introduced under her watch is swept clean away.
Cut the cost of ID Cards - scrap them!!

Grandad Again - Thanks Kate

2009-05-04T13:40:00.007+01:00

Hi All. Thanks to my daughter Kate (and her husband Keith) - I'm a Grandad again.

Tully-Mae was born at 11:27 this morning weighing 6lb 8oz.

I was on my way to Sainsbury's...(another Alcohol Question perhaps?)

2009-04-19T19:19:00.015+01:00

I was on my way to Sainsbury's this afternoon...

If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I probably wouldn't have believed it Ho Ho Ho... the antics some people get up to when they may have stayed too long at the Bar!!

That'll cost a pretty penny to put right and there's no mistake.

Young whippersnappers what will they get up to next.

An engineer assessing the site this afternoon said it was done some time early Sunday morning.

I was in Sainsbury's yesterday... (The Great Alcohol Question)

2009-04-17T13:43:00.006+01:00

I was in Sainsbury's yesterday evening to pick up the odd bit of shopping and to check what was left on the 'short date' shelf, as I do.
After collecting potatoes I passed the cheeses and turned left into the spirits aisle to pick up a bottle of vodka. Clustered round the vodka shelves was a small group of lads in their late teens and early twenties deciding what to get - "we'll get this one 'cause its only about 3 quid each" I overheard. That's a Sainsbury's litre of vodka at about £12 a time.
Some 15 minutes later I spotted the lads sat around on a makeshift bench, near the exit to the Green Park Station part of the Sainsbury's site in Bath. Between them on the bench were 4 paper cups, a 2 litre bottle of a famous brand of cola and the aforementioned vodka.
This activity seemed so well organised that I can only assume that it's a regular occurrence.
"We'll go to town for a night out, but on the way we'll pick up a bottle and get half pissed on the cheap, before finishing the night hammered in a pub or club"
We are currently being bombarded by talk of initiatives to curb our 'binge drinking culture'. The government, medical officers and advisers are issuing statements and reports left right and centre asking for increased controls on the 'on-trade' such as pubs and clubs and yet these are the very places where alcohol can be consumed in a safe and controlled fashion.
Somehow we have ended up with more alcohol being consumed on the way to the pub than in the pub. Go figure.
One of the core issues here is price - as always when the consumer is being considered. Either alcohol is too expensive in pubs and clubs, or it's too cheap in supermarkets. At the moment the pubs are caught between a rock and a hard place. Most of the tenanted and leased pubs in this country are paying high rents and are being charged higher than free market prices for stock. Pubs are completely unable to compete with vodka at £12 per litre plus cola at 60p per litre. A large (50ml) vodka and cola in a pub will cost £3.50 or more and only 70p from a supermarket.
The companies that own the pubs that the tenants and lessees rent have massive debts running into many billions of pounds which they used to buy their great estates in the first place. In order to service this debt in a shrinking market they are overloading the rents on the properties. In addition with tied supplies the property owners can negotiate large discounts with the brewers and continue to charge their tenants the full price (or more) while pocketing the difference to further support their debt repayments.
The end result is, that this country is not only losing a valuable community resource - pubs - closing at the rate of 6 per day but the drinking masses are getting hammered at home on cheap and relatively unregulated drink.
I can truly see a time when there will be so few pubs in some areas that for any sort of social drinking life will be had by popping down to the the back door of the local shebeen, knocking and asking for Fred. Heavy drinkers will be going blind on the poorly distilled alcohol and criminals and terrorists will be providing the product and the security.
I do hope I'm wrong.

The Mark of Friendship, Millbrook

2009-04-16T11:09:00.005+01:00

The Daily(ish) Millbrook: "'Arking Back"
Congratulations and a warm welcome to the new lessees of The Mark of Friendship in Millbrook.
I had seen the ad in The Morning Advertiser and wondered who would be brave enough in these straitened times to take it on, and I'm still wondering how a place as small as Millbrook is able to support one local hostelry let alone 3.

Things being what they are with Punch et.al. these days, I hope Dick and Megan managed to squeeze a really good deal out of their BDM on the rent and tied supplies to get them a good start.

That said I am very much looking forward to enjoying the fruits of their cellar and wish them the very best of luck with this venture.(Picture courtesy of The Morning Advertiser/Punch Taverns)

Steeleye Span - St Georges Bristol

2009-04-15T14:08:00.002+01:00

Steeleye Span at St Georges Bristol
Prompted by The Millbrooker's reminder about The Gigspanner gig at Kingsand, I went for a Google and found that Steeleye Span are indeed touring their music as the 40th Anniversary Tour, complete with Maddy Prior on vocals. Woo-hoo. Now I'll have to check my bank balance, train times, bus times and which planet I'm on, but I'd love to go.

Here's a question...

2009-03-27T18:40:00.003Z

Has anyone worked for a company who, when you hand in your resignation withholds your last months salary and pays it late - 'to ensure that there is no overpayment'?

Why don't they just get it right? Oops! Sorry - the entire pub industry is run by underpaid and over worked administrators, managed by incompetent bean counters who have only one priority - the great god 'Shareholder Value'.

I would be delighted to open a list of companies that do this.

1. Spirit Group
2. .....

I look forward to adding to this list.

You might think it could be condemed

2009-03-24T14:28:00.000Z

'Fundamentally flawed, almost certainly illegal': Gov't databases - Software - Breaking Business and Technology News at silicon.com

I have to say it's good to see that someone is still allowed to question the government on its ubiquity.

Hooray?

'I will regulate pubs, but I don't visit them' - General news - Politics - Morning Advertiser

2009-02-18T14:11:00.001Z

'I will regulate pubs, but I don't visit them' - General news - Politics - Morning Advertiser: "Alan Campbell"

Can you imagine our government being any more ridiculous. It must be time for them to leave. Perhaps a large bell and a call of 'Time Please Gentlemen and Ladies' should be rung at great volume from the visitors gallery of the House of Commons.

For Alan Campbell and whoever appointed him this clearly demonstrates the crass stupidity of this administration.

As I have said in a previous blog which I can't be bothered to look up (you can if you want): The only effective way to control the damage people are doing with excessive alcohol consumption is to restrict access to the only controlled drinking environment - the pub. If you force pubs out of business and allow the whole sale price slashing of other suppliers then the consumer will get just as drunk at home or in shebeens that will spring up where there were once local pubs.

Will someone please call a halt to this stupidity!!!

Join the Facebook Cause 'Save the Great British Pub' and have a look at the Campaign for a Fair Pint too.

What a Surprise

2009-02-04T12:55:00.002Z

Well, after a break of over six months due to nothing more than total apathy I was amazed to find that this Blog had received 39 page hits last week. On closer investigation - I went to the counter site (sitemeter) and found that the new series of Shameless which I managed to miss last night had yet again attracted attention. The page in question is buried deep in the archive pages from last April (http://bathnstuff.blogspot.com/2008/04/shameless-introduction.html). David Threlfall stars as Frank the head of the dysfunctional family of Gallaghers living on the Chatsworth Estate. Amazing show - please everyone watch and enjoy.
Now I should appear further up The Millbrookers Links list.

5th Annual Cornish Beer Festival 2008

2008-07-22T09:58:00.007+01:00

Last Thursday (17/7/08) marked the start of Bath's Star Inn annual 4 day Cornish Beer Festival.
The obvious question is; why a Cornish beer festival at one of Bath's premier real ale pubs owned by Abbey Ales (our local brewery), and famed for its great Bass served in jugs from stillage behind the bar. The answer is that Paul the landlord hails from Hayle? No? - Penzance. He and his brother run pubs for Abbey Ales in Bath. Thus we have Cornish Beer Festivals at The Star Inn. Incidentally there is also a Cornish Ale celebration each spring on St Piran's Day.
As in previous years Paul the landlord managed to source some familiar and some not so familiar ales for us to quaff until our pockets ran dry. There were fresh pastys from the local branch of The Cornish Bakehouse (not my personal favorite) to soak up some of the ale and on Friday Star Gazy Pies appeared.
Now to the important part; the ales. Of the 13 Cornish ales listed on the programme I managed to try 7.
Spingo Special - What a treat - normally the only place to find this finest of strong ales (6.5%) is in and around the Blue Anchor in Helston, where it's brewed behind the Inn. A darker ale fully flavoured, rich in fruit and malt and hops. Delicious, and it went down well with the pasty.
Skinner's Heligan Honey - Gently flavoured with honey from the famous Lost Gardens of Heligan, this pale amber ale from Skinner's Brewery at 4.0%, has a fresh character leading on to the light malty, honied palate and finishing with a crisp hoppyness.
St Austell IPA - As a straight forward thirst quencher, this 3.4% pale ale from St Austell Brewery has a character beyond its strength. The copper colour hints at the slightly richer malt flavour leading to a delicious flowery late hopping, which I suspect is the Willamette hop. At the finish this ale just begs to be drawn again.
By the time I'd reached this end of the row of pumps the Spingo had finished although I did persuade the barman to squeeze the last couple of gulps out for me.
Next on was Sharp's Will's Resolve - At this point my taste buds were becoming a little blurred; however I was surprised by this ale which reminded me very much of Doom Bar from a few years back before Sharp's Brewery upsized the operation. Very pleasant sweet maltyness with a lovely hoppy finish - still with that flowery hint so familiar in many of the Cornish ales.
Unfortunately or not (after 4½ pints) I had to call it a day.
On Saturday afternoon Zena and I made it all the way up Walcot Street and round to the Paragon to see what was left. The tone of the place was slightly subdued, but judging by the absence of all but one of the pump clips arrayed above the stillage, a good time had been had by all; however there were 3 brews still on tap.
Blackawton Brewery's Original Bitter and their Exhibition Ale were on, alongside Keltek's Magik. As I waited to be served the Original finished so that was off the list, but the good news was that the last remaining ale to go on was Skinner's Ginger Tosser.
Keltek Magik - This fine 4.0% quaffing brew has a clean bitterness on the nose and the slightly darker colour gives a hint of the malty richness to follow. It is not over hopped on the finish leaving a sweetness on the palate. Keltek Brewery is on a trading estate in Redruth which perhaps isn't The Cornish Idyll but does produce some good beer.
Next up - Skinner' Ginger Tosser 3.8% - All you'd expect from a Skinner's brew. A golden ale with light hopping and the sweetness of honey washed through to the ginger finish. Delicious.
I finished with a half of Blackawtons Exhibition Ale at 4.7%. Brewed at the Blackawton Brewery in Saltash, probably the most easterly brewery in Cornwall. A rich fruity ale with a broad hoppiness deserving of a little time to fully appreciate the depth of flavour within.
All in all I have to say that this was a great couple of days of drinking and look forward to the next one.
Thanks Paul.

Drunken Delinquents!!

2008-07-20T10:50:00.002+01:00

Drunken Delinquents!! Is there a problem?
I'll say there is when a passing group of youths who are patently drunk cast aspersions on your partners sexual history in an attempt to get a rise out of you. After being asked to disburse by police you'd expect that to be it, but to find the same antagonists have followed you to another location is very disturbing. Worse still one of the them was overheard to say that his spell in prison for such behaviour was pointless.
A number of issues are raised by this:
1. Who sold them their last few drinks - It is illegal to sell alcohol to persons you suspect may be drunk.
2. Having been warned by police to 'go home', why were they left to continue there night harassing strangers. Warnings must be enforced.
3. Having been convicted of a drink related offense, why are these morons still allowed out to repeat their offences. A drink related offence should bar you from access to alcohol.
If we're going to allow people the right to drink responsibly then we must have sanctions that protect us from people who abuse that right.
The punishment must be hard enough or there is no deterrent and worse, the deterrent becomes a goal - 'It didn't hurt so I'll do it again.'
Comments please.

Identify this Bird, Please

2008-07-20T09:33:00.002+01:00

Hi. I took this picture of a bird on my feeder yesterday and I can't find it anywhere on the net. I checked the RSPB Bird Identifier which hasn't got enough pictures of birds of each species so finding some females and most juveniles is tricky.

Anyway, have a look at the picture and if you know what it is let me know. Thanks.

Georgian City Kit - More of the Jigsaw

2008-07-18T00:09:00.004+01:00

Now I wonder where these pieces'll fit?

[wnxx] End of the Line: Withdrawn & Stored Locomotives UK

2008-07-17T23:41:00.000+01:00

[wnxx] End of the Line: Withdrawn & Stored Locomotives UK
Here's a gem for enthusiasts. This site contains the the entire whereabouts of locomotives on the UK railway network. Generally it logs the comings and goings locations and status of the bits of kit that haul the freight and passengers around this island. Fascinating stuff, enjoy. PS Get the downloads.

The things you can do with a longer lens... AKA Georgian City Kit II

2008-07-12T20:00:00.009+01:00

A little while ago I mentioned the 'Georgian City Kit', well now I can show you what I see.

The new shopping/housing/parking/transport interchange being assembled as chunks of bath stone faced concrete slab on a reinforced concrete skeleton - hence 'kit'.

Block A is the building at the top of the site, which has nearly got a complete roof now, was the first to get its clothes. Having seen a slab on a lorry a couple of weeks earlier I was intrigued to find out what bits looked like in place.

Anyway, one of things I noticed at the Iceland end was how the masons had worked the stone 'in situ' to reduce the impact of errors in the architects drawings - NOT!!

Check this out....

...and closer.

It's such a shame.

Happy Birthday to Me

2008-07-12T19:38:00.005+01:00

It comes around every year and this time it's on Tuesday; anyway I spotted the item that I'd asked Zena to get me and it was a very good price; so I bought it - a lens - to be precise, an Olympus Zuiko Digital 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 lens. The fact is' I missed the 10x Optical zoom I had on the Fujifilm S5000 that my daughter has since I bought the Olympus E410.

As a great big - Thank You to Zena here are a couple of pictures of The Girls having a busy day.

EU accidentally orders ISPs to become copyright police | The Register

2008-07-10T11:32:00.000+01:00

EU accidentally orders ISPs to become copyright police The Register

Oh Boy - Can we please kick Europe into touch. There is so much bullshit and bollocks we have to take from the unelected arse'oles in Brussels and twice a week (or whenever) in Strasbourg it can't possibly be worth the Objective 1 funding we get. Give In or Get Out!!

Wow! A Wonderful Weekend

2008-07-09T11:23:00.016+01:00

Hi Blog Readers. Well after a couple of days getting my feet back on the ground and under my desk I can now look back on a wonderful weekend.
First off, many, many thanks to The Millbrooker and Mrs The Millbrooker for their hospitality at what turned out to be very short notice. I slept well both nights and your bread is gorgeous.
The weekend came at the end of a week's leave that I still had to take from the previous years quota, otherwise it would have been lost. Having seen the Millbrooker blog entry about the impending Gigspanner gig at Kingsand I found the amazing 'The Butterfly' track on the bands web site and began listening to it on my PC in a continuous loop. A lovelier piece of music I haven't heard for a long time!
The first attempt to contact The Millbrooker about visiting was lost in the ether that is The Inter Web. Second time around using email in place of the blogger comments process yielded a successful communication. I was going to be there for the Friday performance. Woo-Hoo.
Thankfully the journey down to Plymouth was uneventful. Thanks First. The weather was threatening to rain but apart from a few drops and a little drizzle it stayed dry. I found a great hairdresser in central Plymouth who did a good 'No.2' all over (hair and beard) for only £9 - I left a tip. Zena thought I looked too unkempt and didn't want my appearance to reflect badly on her. Thanks Zena.
I made my way on foot down to Stonehouse where I could take the Cremyll Ferry across to Cornwall. Of course there's a break in service at lunch time so I popped into The Vine pub to find a very good pint of Skinners Betty Stoggs and a window seat where I could see the ferry leaving Cremyll.

The ferry only takes 7 minutes to cross the Tamar. On the far side is the Edgcumbe Arms. Thus followed my first pint of Cornish ale in a Cornish pub. St Austell's Tribute is always a good beer and the Edgcumbe know how to keep it at its best. Before the bus was due I followed the Tribute with a half of Proper Job also from St Austell Brewery; a delicious, refreshing, citrus, golden, IPA style brew. I'd like to see more of that one.
(I started writing this on Tuesday - It is now Thursday ) Hey Ho!! I left the Edgcumbe Arms 5 minutes before the bus was due to leave and found it waiting. After a brief chat with the driver about his employer (You've guessed it - Fist Group) we were off - I was surprised to find the bus no longer took the picturesque route around Millbrook Lake and Anderton. Apparently when the buses were changed they couldn't use that route so it was changed but the older buses were restored but the route remained unchanged.
Off the bus and straight into the Devon and Cornwall Inn for a fine pint of Moles bitter brewed in Dorset. It was a very pleasant hour I spent there before venturing out into the rain towards Millbrooker Towers. As soon as a Vodafone signal was available I began a call to check someone was at home but as I rounded a corner there was The Millbrooker striding towards me so I hung up, only to get a call back from Mrs The Millbrooker asking if I'd just called (Sorry). I about faced and together we went to the shops TM was after some flour for bread making and I took the opportunity to pick up a pasty from the Spar shop (Delicious after all that Ale).
Once everyone had arrived we ate, not what had been planned but a fine cheese omelet and home made bread before heading off to Kingsand for 'The Gig'. We were to meet the rest of the TM party in The Rising Sun which was heaving. The poor staff were having a great deal of difficulty delivering food to those who'd ordered it but they were consoled by the fact that after a pint we were off up the road to the Community Hall.
As a late bookee my ticket was on the door under the name of 'BathNick' which was appropriate if not a little surprising.
Gigspanner were amazing and I only had to wait until the start of the second half to hear 'The Butterfly'. I will bow to TM's review of the performance at this point. After the gig we joined the band in The Halfway House for more ale and enjoyed the impromptu performance of various well known songs in variable quality. On our return to Milbrooker Towers we enjoyed a couple of drams of the finest single malt before surrendering to sleep.
The following day I stirred at about midday with the vague idea that I walk around Rame would be a fine way to reacquaint myself with the area. After mentioning it to TM we sallied forth with the expectation that there was an adequate window in what was really not very nice weather. I was wrong by the time we got to the top of the lane to Wiggle it was blowing a gale and none of us were dry.

By the time we hit the top of the cliff overlooking Whitsand Bay we had to bend into the teeth of it and we were drenched. The rain was being blown into our faces with such force that it stung. As quickly as possible we made our way down to Cawsand where we dove into The Cross Keys for warmth and ale. The floor was soaked by the time we left. Just as well it wasn't carpet. I think the worst part was putting a wet jacket back on for the mile and a quarter up hill and down dale to Millbrook.

Showers and dry clothes were quickly donned and we reassembled in the living room for the previous days much delayed meat pie that TM prepared. Fully refreshed we awaited the taxi to the second performance of Gigspanner. Owing to the fact that we had a mini bus rather than a taxi and due to there not being another cab available we did a detour twice round the village to collect others going the same way, eventually to the Rising Sun for more of their Skinners Helligan Honey - 2 pints this time although I was the last to sink it and back up the hill to the gig.
The hall was laid out differently this time and as TM recounts - it was a very different gig which I for one enjoyed immensely. All too soon it was over and after bidding our farewells left Gigspanner and started back to Milbrook. I think the plan was to call for the guy who brought us up but he wasn't available so we walked. A very much more pleasant walk than earlier since most of the storm seemed to have passed.
It was an early night for most of us for one reason or another so we had a night cap and found our way to our beds. I wanted to be away soonish in the morning, so woke just before nine. Mrs TM drove TM and me to the Cremyll ferry and after crossing back to Devon walked up through Plymouth to the Station. It was going to be pot luck with the train and I had an idea that I might still get a photo of the Torbay Express on its way to Kingwear. A luck has it sometimes the train to Bath Spa straight through was in 10 minutes - I had just enough time to grab a pile of Ginster's stuff and a pint of skimmed from the station Spar before boarding and a rain storm descended.
As we came in to Newton Abbott I spotted a man with a camcorder setting up so I knew I hadn't missed the express. Getting closer to Exeter through Teignmouth and Dawlish past Red Rock and Dawlish Warren camera'd groups of enthusiasts gazed up the lin and I was sitting well up in case it passed and I missed it. As we pulled in to Exeter St Davids it was there. I could almost hear the curses as an HST pulled in between camera and 34067 Battle of Britain Class 'Tangmere'. I knew I should have got off at Newton Abbott but my train was going all the way and I wanted to be home. I almost nodded a couple of times be fore we arrived in Bath heralded by a sudden downpour - yesterdays weather was still here then.

Are the ice caps melting? | The Register

2008-07-08T11:52:00.000+01:00

Are the ice caps melting? The Register: "Dr Richard Feynman said, 'Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts.'"

Weekend in Bristol

2008-06-30T15:12:00.006+01:00

We've just returned from a weekend in Bristol. Many months ago we purchased tickets for Mick Hucknall's first performance of his 'A Tribute to Bobby' show. For the uninitiated Bobby 'Blue' Bland is a seriously respected blues and R'n'B singer who came to prominence in 50's and 60's America. Mick, who has decided to end the 'Simply Red' part of his performing life has decided on Blues and R'n'B (the real one) as a new direction.

Some weeks after getting the Sunday night tickets an email arrived from his marketing people asking if we would like to take up an offer of joining 500 others at just over £40 a head for the rehearsal - no hesitation - thus we've spent 2 days in Bristol.

Many thanks to friend Wozz who put us up at The Mall pub he runs in The Mall, Clifton.

Saturday lunch was spent at Las Iguanas in Whiteladies Road with a woman that Zena knows from her childhood and her husband. The four of us ate and drank and drank and 8 bottles of wine later we returned very drunk to get ready for the first of the 2 gigs. I have no idea how I managed it but I was still well away as we taxied down to the Colston Hall. The rehearsal gig went down a storm. It was very relaxed and intimate as the band and Mick ran through their set before slipping a couple of SR numbers in.

On Sunday after a roast dinner at The Mall pub we strolled along to Clifton Suspension Bridge. Neither of us are particularly good at heights but we did manage to get over and back. Once back on the Clifton side we went up to the turreted building overlooking the gorge and bridge. Climbing to the top of the tower we took a look inside the camera obscura that someone is restoring. What an amazing device!

The main performance on Sunday was good although there were a couple of times they lost it and one song had to be restarted twice. Once because they messed up and the second time because someone fell ill in the audience (hope he's OK).

Fist Group are at it again!! Update

2008-06-26T10:18:00.002+01:00

Great news for the people and businesses of Colerne.

Small independent bus operator Faresaver will operate a service Monday to Saturday http://www.faresaver.co.uk/timetables/228.pdf

Details of how this has been managed with help from B&NES are here http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/BathNES/media/press+releases/2008/transportstreets/Axed+bus+routes+Council+steps+in.htm

Sorry People... Fist Group again........

2008-06-18T08:50:00.003+01:00

I suspect that this might be turning into an obsession; this constant itch that is 'Fist Group', that rears its ugly head repeatedly; but do you know what? I don't give a twopenny damn.

Last evening I was in a hurry to get home from work - I was to look after my partners niece for a couple of hours.

I had reached the top of Bathwick Hill at 1743 to catch the bus that is due to leave the bus stop at the University at 1741 the next stop on the route is The Youth Hostel and is timed at 1746 which is about a quarter of a mile down the hill. The bus was already on its way down the hill.

A dozen other passengers arrived, waited, chatted, took cover from the rain and walked on down the hill. By 1815 there were still a dozen or so people waiting so in all I estimate that 2 dozen people had expected to catch a bus to town from the top of Bathwick Hill in the previous half hour.

I'd had enough, I knew there wasn't a bus at the top so couldn't really expect a bus empty enough to board within 15 minutes. After missing 2 buses out (1756 & 1811) there was bound to be a queue at the top and this fact was borne out by people who stopped to comment as they continued to walk down the hill.

A couple of minutes later a bus slowly ground its way up the last stretch of the hill full of passengers for the university, followed by another 50 yards behind with a few people on board, followed another 50 yards behind by an empty bus.

By now I'd had enough, I called a taxi to collect me from outside the house across the road (they're not allowed to pick up fares without an address?).

Five minutes later an empty bus - the last one to go up - came down - 'Sorry, not in service' was the only comment. Everyone groaned, shrugged their shoulders and a couple more walked on down the hill.

Finally at about 1828 a laden bus arrived and picked up anyone still left at the stop followed immediately by a less full bus. I declined the opportunity to board as the arrival of the taxi I'd called was imminent.

The cab duly arrived moments later and I was in town before the last bus down.

This morning a went to the bus station to find out what had happened to the buses above and what explanation they could give:

1. It's the University's fault for not letting them know about the Open Day. They had put 2 extra buses on. I pointed out that they only had 4 buses out when I saw all 4 of them between 1745 and 1845.

2. I had no idea about traffic conditions in Bath yesterday evening (my fault?). I pointed out that if conditions were bad then they should know about it very quickly on a route that has a 'round trip' time of 30 minutes. Why were there no extra buses put on to meet their commitment to a timetable?

3. If we want more buses we would have to pay higher fares (Blackmail). Fist Group make profit hand over fist at the expense of the taxpayer and private individuals. Fist Group will not put extra buses on because they don't have to. There is no compulsion to provide anything more than a minimum service. Their only legal obligations are to run to the published timetable when they have no one else to blame for not doing so and the great god 'Shareholder Value' - screw the traveling public we'll just have to wait for the next bus.

4. I don't know anything about running a bus company. I pointed out that I had worked for Bristol Omnibus Company some years ago and had been a bus user in Bath for 37 years - I don't drive and don't own a car, of course I know about buses.

The real kicker is that the Chief Executive of Fist Group - M. Leekhead has been given a knighthood for 'Services to Transport'.

Way hay, their shares just dropped another 14p. So much for shareholder value.

When are we going to get the Public Transport Services that this Town, Country and Planet needs to survive the CO2 overload? The answer to that question is - When it gets NATIONALISED - not for profit means proper investment. Public Service must be Public and a Service.

Introducing the 'Georgian City Kit'

2008-06-10T10:52:00.004+01:00

This Blog is called Bath 'n' Stuff because at the time that I created it I was in a real piss about the monstrosity that was being perpetrated on us by B&NES, the developers and owners of the Southgate area of Bath.
In particular I was distressed because they had gone to a great deal of trouble to produce a Georgian look alike for the shops, residential and leisure part of the development and then demolished a perfectly balanced piece of 30s built classical Georgian styled construction; only to replace it with a modern glass and concrete horror for the bus station (Fist Group again, sorry).
Anyway the first of the new buildings has now emerged as a forest of concrete pillars supporting concrete floors. This is now being clad in its dressing of precast and Bath stone faced panels some 10ft square and bolted on to the concrete pillars.
A couple of questions come to mind. In the first instance; knowing how porous Bath stone is; how long will it be before lumps of this Bath stone facing start falling off the concrete backing? Secondly; having seen how easy it now is to produce a Georgian style building in Bath stone faced concrete panels; when will we see Georgian Bath spreading across the country? You fake it anywhere now.
Am I right to be worried about the devaluation and disappearance of the artisan crafts and skills that will be wiped away when the last Bath stone mason pops his clogs?

Fist Group Again - Timetables

2008-06-06T09:53:00.002+01:00

Now I'm sure that for the few readers I have, this whole Fist Group thing that I have going here is getting boring, so perhaps this'll be the last for a while (here's hoping).
Anyway - yesterday morning I arrived at the bus stop in Corn Street at 0925 and boarded the bus (18) to the University. While passing my Uni-Ten card through the reader I asked the driver when he was off and he replied "0926". I thanked him and he drove off, it was by now 0926. All around town and on the First Bus website the timetable (as described at the time of linking) for the 18 stated that the buses from Corn Street to Claverton Down ran on the hour and quarter hours. I was puzzled because you'd expect the driver to know when and where he's driving as it's all written down on his card but here was a bus that wasn't running to the published University Holiday timetable but one invented by First for their amusement perhaps.
This morning I went in to their office at Bath Bus Station and asked the man there what I should do and was informed that the timetable was in fact wrong but that it would be right next week. Go figure. The suggestion that they get the web based timetables fixed was met with amusement and I suspect that suggesting they correct the sheets on all the Bus Stops would be met with the same response.
Right there you have it. Is this any way to run a Public Access Transport Company??? Ha!!

Fist Group Strike again

2008-05-30T09:39:00.005+01:00

I am now convinced (even more than before) that Fist Group are sticking it to us again.

Whilst queuing for the bus this morning I noticed 2 people carrying their folding bicycles. This is not unusual as everyone in Bath knows that getting up the surrounding hills on a bicycle is not easy; thus a folding bicycle allows you to get the bus up the hill and ride the bicycle down.

I was astonished to find that both gentlemen were refused access to the bus. No warning, no notice period, nothing. They and several others have been using the buses in this way for a long time - why the change?

According to a gentleman at Fist Bus Station in Bath, it appears that bicycles should only have been carried if folded and fully enclosed.

Having checked the current(?) Customer Care Terms and Conditions, no such rule exists. There is no specific mention of bicycles. Who's lying?

When are Fist Group going to wake up and get real - they need all the customers they can get - shareholder value (37% down since January '08) - and our towns, country, and planet needs all the passenger miles it can get onto the buses and out of their cars. A great big Doh!!! To Fist Group again.

Fist Group are incapable of providing a public service - It is neither Public nor Service.

Bath needs a proper public service vehicle provider that acctujally gives a sh*t about our town and the people in it. Come on B&NES kick them out!!!

Why 'Fist Group'? I call them Fist Group because they are fisting everyone of their fare paying passengers and any local authority that has to use them to provide subsidised bus routes.

A Broadband Saga - Satisfaction

2008-05-02T14:22:00.004+01:00

I have today received a telephone call from Caroline at BT Customer Service asking whether my issue had been resolved satifactorily.
She took my point that a satifactory conclusion could have been arrived at at the time of the incident but agreed that that was hardly possible now.
BT do not offer compensation for loss of service or anything else however as a gesture she could offer me 6 months free line rental.
I graciously accepted their offer on the proviso that there training had been improved and all call centre staff now knew that it is possible to change the name on a subsribers account without them losing any services provisioned on their line and that they knew how to do it.
Thank you BT.

December Post
March Post

Logo Madness (or could it be blindness)

2008-04-24T12:22:00.004+01:00

This is a cracker if wasted public money amuses you.
The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) felt they needed to rebrand their identity to more closely associate the identity with their market. I know its bollocks but stay with me.
After discussions with a consultant in these things they came up with the original idea of using the department initials in a simple but creative fashion - squash them together thus:

To see what happens when the logo is rotated clockwise 90° click here.

Brilliant eh?

(Taken from The Register)

Fist Group are at it again!!

2008-04-23T15:13:00.008+01:00

Wow. This is turning into a veritable Fist Group Hate-Fest!!

FURY AS VILLAGE'S BUS SERVICE TO BATH IS SCRAPPED (The Bath Chronicle)

A few miles to the east of Bath is a delightful village called Colerne. A pub, a Church, a village school, everything you'd expect of a small English village (pop. About 2500). From the end of June it will be cut-off for anyone without access to a car. This is ironic as Colerne has been working very hard to become an Eco-friendly village.

No longer will it be possible to catch a bus up Bannerdown to Colerne to enjoy lunch and a beer at The Fox and Hounds.

No longer will you be able to catch the bus up to Hunters Hall to visit Rocks East Woodland.

In a decent world where public transport might be a service, you'd need a proper socio-economic review before arbitrarily ending a service. As a company Fist Group should be investing in their services, promoting and marketing them in partnership with communities and local businesses for mutual benefit.

The 'We're stopping it 'cos nobody wants it' attitude is complacent and non-productive. A bus will always be undersubscribed if it's not running when it's wanted. Early buses for people and school children to get in to Bath; late services on Fridays and Saturdays for people returning from an evening eating and drinking in Bath or Colerne. If there's no service of course it won't be used.

Where are the posters promoting the local out of town services to the hundreds of thousands of visitors to Bath? What a great opportunity for anyone else who thinks they might be able to make a living from it. Best of luck to them, and show Fist Group shareholders how bad their management is.

Google has 3,110 references to Colerne and the 228. A large proportion of these pages contain directions and 'How to find us' type pages that will have to be rewritten. There's a job for someone.

It could happen to anyone?

2008-04-22T16:09:00.002+01:00

A friend of mine fowarded this pic to me and I couldn't resist posting it here.

These men are installing bollards to stop cars parking on the pavement outside an Irish sports bar. They are cleaning up at the end of the day. How long do you think it will be before they realize?

Found on Scottish Webcams Live

Chronicle items that aroused my interest

2008-04-22T13:52:00.002+01:00

First up is the item about Fist Groups non-running of the Bristol - Weymouth seaside specials this year. BEACH TRAIN SERVICE CUTS? Appalling!!!

Oddly enough the second item also has a Fist Group element to it. The plan to use the old Midland Railway track bed from Locksbrook to Windsor Bridge as a bus route. As if there aren't enough roads. TRANSIT ROUTE PROTEST GROUP CONTINUES FIGHT and a followup TRANSPORT CHIEF TO HEAR BUS WORRIES

You'll find my comments at the bottom of the first 2 items as NickC

Just so there's no illusions about what is being done to the bottom of town in the name of Transport Integration check this out. NEW LOOK FOR STATION AFTER £10M FACELIFT Surprise, surprise - Guess who runs the dominant bus and rail services in Bath - It's Fist Group again.

My thanks to The Bath Chronicle which used to be an evening paper then went daily and has now deteriorated to a weekly.

Alastair Darling is Barred

2008-04-16T10:39:00.003+01:00

A Search UK on Google brings up 32400 entries for 'Alastair Darling is Barred'.
I am very glad to see that the campaign against Alistair Darling has gathered apace. If anyone missed it the Chancellor of the Exchequer decided to put 4p on the price of a pint of beer. The stated aim was to reduce the amount of 'binge drinking' in the UK (or is it just England and Wales?). A counter productive strategy since drinking beer in pubs is a much more tightly controlled activity than purchasing spirits in supermarkets and drinking at home.

The upshot is that if Alistair Darling wants to drive the already declining pub trade further into the ground then increasing the tax on beer is the best way to do it. Thus the idea was born to bar him from every pub in the land. If he is unable to get a pint of good ale anywhere in the country then perhaps he'll rethink this appalling strategy.

On behalf of CAMRA Mike Benner penned a most succinct letter in support of pubs against the tax rise. Mike Benner's letter can be found here.

Support your local landlord drink more beer. If he's gone bust then it's everyone round to mine for home brewed ale (just something I'm musing on at the mo').

WANTED for Conspiracy and Identity Theft

2008-04-08T11:08:00.004+01:00

Nice one here that I picked up from The Register (it's probably the only thing I read) on the continuing campaign against our Government allowing our identities to be stolen.

Privacy International have published this poster for download and printing - please do so and display prominently.

A Shameless Introduction

2008-04-02T09:24:00.003+01:00

I've recently started watching a series on Channel 4 called Shameless which is now in its fifth season. UPDATE - Shameless 2011 Intro
The one thing that caught my imagination more than any other aspect of the show is the piece spoken by the hero(?) Frank Gallagher as the titles roll which goes like this:

Tickets this way to the Chatsworth Express! Come and watch pikeys making a mess of their lives they were given by Him upstairs! And kids, they're convinced, aren't actually theirs.
What sounds on earth could EVER replace kids needing money? Or wives in yer face... 'cause this, people reckon - and me included - is why pubs and drugs were kindly invented to calm us all down and stop us going mental! These are Chatsworth estate's BASIC essentials!
We are worth every penny for grinding your axes...You shit on our heads, but, you pay the taxes!
Imagine Britain without Chatsworth buccaneers, we'll cum on your face for the price of a beer... eh?
Make poverty history! Cheaper drugs now! Make poverty history! Cheaper drugs now!
Heh heh heh heh... scatter! Party!

YouTube of course have the new version above when you search for new shameless intro and the original version is here.
Outstanding British drama.

Tom Paxton and an elusive CD

2008-03-20T14:54:00.003Z

If anyone out there remembers* the late 60s then you will have heard of Tom Paxton. Amongst his large collection of albums released is one called "The Compleat Tom Paxton" and more recently "The Compleat Tom Paxton (Even Compleater)".

The recording was done in 1970 as a 'Live' concert at "The Bitter End" in New York. The 'Even Compleater' version was released in 2004 with 6 additional tracks on a 2 CD set.

What I am looking for is anyone with a copy of either version of the CD that they would be willing to sell.

Any responses gratefully received. Suffice it to say I have ordered it on-line from several suppliers who have all subsequently been unable to supply due to stock control issues - They don't actually have it but never realise until someone orders it.

* "If you can remember anything about the sixties, you weren't really there." Paul Kantner

Westgate Street - Shambles

2008-03-18T09:53:00.003Z

They're still at it. Lorries I mean, mounting pavements and trashing the slabs.

When are B&NES going to stop this destruction and manage the access better. It must cost a fortune replacing and repairing the paving repeatedly. Patches of ugly black Tarmac are spreading down the street.

The worst thing is that road users have this strange idea that they have the right to displace anyone in their way. You try pointing out to a lorry driver that he shouldn't be on our pavement and they get bloody rude.

What road users have to realise is that the days of personal transport and nation road distribution networks are numbered. Our roads and towns and country and ultimately the planet can't sustain their use much longer.

There should be comprehensive pedestrian rights over all highways. One day it will be so.

A Broadband Saga - Sometime later

2008-03-14T12:48:00.002Z

Way back in the mists of time (last December) you may remember there was a total cock-up by BT which resulted in me losing my land line number and the associated Pipex Broadband connection. At the time I wrote a letter of complaint to BT at there Customer Services(?) office in Durham with copies to Ofcom, BT Openreach, Pipex and BBC Watchdog.

To date I have only received a sympathetic response - from the BBC.

Do YOU think anyone actually gives a shit? What a waste of my time their reputations (already in tatters) and in the case of Ofcom - tax payers money.

What a lot of BOLLOCKS!!!

Budget - Bull's Doo-doos

2008-03-14T10:59:00.003Z

Well, well, well! No surprises in the budget are there. Tinkering, take some away, give back a little less and call it a speech.

Alcohol duty: Why present a tax increase across the board as a way to curb binge drinking? Patent, high gloss, gold plated, bollocks. Those that 'need' to drink will continue to do so. In that respect it's probably yet another tax on those less able to manage their lives. For the rest of we ale quaffers it's yet another nail in the coffin of our local hostelries. BBC Report. If the government want to do something about people drinking too much then this strategy is flawed. Your local landlord is not permitted to serve you alcohol if you're drunk. Sainsbury's or ASDA or any of the others will happily take £25 off you for 2 litres of Vodka and a mixer with or without 79p/litre more duty and you can still be in A&E with a poisoned liver within hours. This increase in duty will not reduce binge drinking. BBC Report.

Tax on Gas Guzzlers: This is pointless. If you can afford a big engined car you can afford the tax. It will do nothing for reducing pollution or encouraging the use of public transport. It's just another source of revenue for the Exchequer. Hey and guess what - You know the income won't go into improving public transport!!!

Conclusion: Overall I think this Budget demonstrates conclusively that this government(?) is bankrupt of ideas and should be ousted at the earliest opportunity. Sailing blissfully into a global financial meltdown with no attempt to got our borrowing requirement under control is a recipe for a disaster that the people of this country will have to pay for for years to come. God(?) bless us and all who sail with us!!

Minister defends National ID Register security | The Register

2008-02-28T13:15:00.000Z

Minister defends National ID Register security The Register

"Home Office minister Meg Hillier defended the government's plans...", "fewer than 100 people will have access to the National Identity Database", doesn't really square with "asked exactly which bodies would be allowed access and in what circumstances. Hillier said that the number of institutions were too many to list".

You've got to hand it to her; you will not find better quality bullshit anywhere else on this planet. How can they possibly expect us to believe this crap is beyond imagination.

Some of us may have voted for this bunch of schiesters last time around but the wholesale erosion of our freedom and sovereignty that they have sanctioned would certainly exlude them from my future list of possible candidates to mandate.

ID cards: Gov't slap on fines of up to £1,000 - Public Sector - Breaking Business and Technology News at silicon.com

2008-02-27T16:49:00.000Z

ID cards: Gov't slap on fines of up to £1,000 - Public Sector - Breaking Business and Technology News at silicon.com

Hey-ho!!! Yet more ID Card bollocks. They must know by now - 'it ain't go'n'a work.

Facebook loses a few bitches | The Register

2008-02-26T13:09:00.001Z

Facebook loses a few bitches The Register

Well it does look as though The Millbrooker is neither the first and certainly not the last to leave social networking sites alone. They certainly are not a necessary part of online and connected existence.
Personally I can't stand the endless stream of pointless games that compare everyone you've said hello to with everyone else.
It's just got rather boring!!

Mergers and Acquisitions

2008-02-26T10:50:00.002Z

Following the Microsoft offer to Yahoo!, The Register came up with a competition to name the new organisation the results of which are here. Enjoy!!

One Month on...

2008-02-25T13:13:00.003Z

A brief rant - 3 things that bugged me this morning.

1. Why can't my doctors surgery allow me to collect a repeat prescription on Saturday mornings? Our surgery doubles as the local NHS Direct Walk-in Centre. It is staffed lit and heated but because the surgery reception is not open I cannot collect my prescription, that repeats every 2 months, losing me an hours work time every time.

2. Not many years ago I took several pictures of a lorry with it's front off-side wheel stuck firmly in Boots of Westgate Street's cellar. http://people.bath.ac.uk/mnsngc/20030730/Lorry_in_a_Hole.htm . These pictures were subsequently published in the then daily Bath Evening Chronicle. Needless to say the grating that failed was replaced by a steel sheet and tarmac patching. Despite the cost of constantly repairing and patching the situation is allowed to persist and yet again my morning walk up to the bus stop in the High Street was disturbed by lorries driving down our pavements with the distinctive crunch as yet more slabs crack.

3. Why do people who board the bus to the University insist on clustering at the front preventing full access to the rear. It misleads the driver into thinking his bus is full and deprives following passengers of a timely arrival at their destination. I thinks it's ignorant and selfish.

Whoops!!!!! There goes my Blood Pressure again!!!!

Government?

2008-01-25T10:57:00.000Z

We'd all like to to see the government we want; be it left right or centre (wherever that is this week) but this blog really is a fine piece of on going work. Enjoy The Ideal Government.

A posting a little way down on 22/01/08 says it all for the ID Cards farce. No, not farce; ID cards are not funny. It refers to the news that Accenture and BAE do not want to be involved - as John Oates of The Register puts it - 'Let's walk quietly away from this impending disaster'.

BRB Just had to push this one out when I saw it.

The Millbrooker came to Bath

2008-01-23T15:11:00.000Z

It was truly a surprise to get a text on Monday last from my dear friend The Millbrooker.

At the time I was gently working my way round Gateshead's Metro Centre with Rhiannon who was desperately trying to spend yet more money on clothes, prior to returning to Bath by air a couple of hours later, and that's a story in itself.

The New Inn's brews were as good as ever and we had a really good time wending our way through verbal trivia for a few hours.

Cheers to all.

A Broadband Saga - Some of the answers

2007-12-11T17:43:00.000Z

Hi folks,

As you may have gathered from part one of 'A Broadband Saga' beasts have been afoot chipping away at my sanity.

Suffice it to say that I have a new telephone number and all my troubles have stemmed from that little but not insignificant fact.

Linked here is a letter I have since penned to BT.

A response should be forthcoming and when it is I shall publish that too.

Update 1 - It's good to know I'm not alone :) http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/12/11/ofcom_reports_bt/comments/ in these comments about the original article here.

A Broadband Saga

2007-12-05T13:19:00.000Z

How open and reachable is BT Openreach?

Who took the service out of the telephone service?

Why does it take Pipex 5 days to provide a MAC code?

Why should you want to migrate your broadband if it hurts so much?

These and other questions will be answered soon.

Rail Ticket Pricing

2007-11-29T10:01:00.000Z

It's that time of year again, when the Government hands over more of our money to Train Operating Companies and the fares still go up.
I don't travel abroad; why would I, I haven't seen all I want to see of this country; and anyway flying is not the greenest way to travel. The result is I have never needed a passport.
Some time after Yuletide I will be traveling to Newcastle to celebrate my son Daniel's birthday.
To travel by train it will cost me about £130 return. By EazyJet it is £55 plus intermediate travel which I estimate at £20 including a baggage allowance and insurance. Add in the cost of a passport, and within a very few trips I will have saved the cost of my passport and be in pocket.
Of course the planet will be in pocket several hundred kilos of CO2 too.
How can it be sustained. In country air travel should be taxed out of existance. Train Operating Companies must be forced into non-profit making status and the revenue from all transport taxation should be ploughed into rail infrastructure. 2 penny worth done.

Wednesdays - Love 'em or Hate 'em

2007-11-28T13:16:00.000Z

Wednesday is that dreadful day in the calendar of those lucky enough to work in a Monday to Friday job when you reach half way through the week. First thing you still have over half the week to go before a weekend and by 5 o'clock there's only 2 days left and one of those is wonderful out to the pub Friday. So between waking and sleeping your psyche can do the equivalent of an emotional switch back.

This Wednesday is a grey day and from my window on Claverton Down, through a feast of red berries on the tree outside I can see a watery sun struggling to gain access to the planetary surface.

The wind is getting up now and the promise of a days sea fishing off Weymouth this Saturday is receding. I for one do not want to go out in an open boat with a Force 7 Gail blowing. Ah well perhaps another day. It'll be off to Sainsbury's for Mondays fish dinner.

Thanks to all those who have found me here and are actually reading this stuff.

How safe is the data on us? Prequel

2007-11-21T16:30:00.000Z

I have a feeling The Register has the origin of this tale of CDs here.

How safe is the data on us?

2007-11-21T15:02:00.000Z

Well there we go. Advertised and now removed from ebay are a pair of CDs which allegedly contain data from the Child Benefit agency. Although ebay or the seller have removed the item from sale I did manage to print a copy to a .PDF file here.

In this instance its hard to test the truth of the vendors claim. I expect someone in trench coat and trilby hat will be knocking on the vendor's door to do just that.

Be aware all the data about you could be turning up anywhere, anytime.

Don't you just hate it......

2007-08-11T16:51:00.000+01:00

Don't you just hate it when you indicate to a speeding driver that he should slow down and he shows you his middle finger.

Don't you just hate it when you tell someone that spitting on the pavement by the pub table is disgusting and he throws your pint across the road.

Don't you just hate it when the a tosser jumps a red light and ends up parked across the pedestrian crossing.

Don't you just hate it when drivers fail to indicate and then get in a piss because you stepped off the kerb.

Don't you just hate it when the only thing you went to the shop for has sold out.

Don't you just hate it when the baby gulls steal all your gold fish.

A Birthday Treat

2007-08-06T12:22:00.000+01:00

It was my birthday on the 15th of last month. I can no longer deny that I am in my mid 50's. 54 to be really honest.
I had a wonderful day. Zena and I and Rhiannon got up at the crash of dawn (0630) ready to catch the first bus to Bristol Temple Meads station. You have to get the bus because there isn't a train to BTM from Bath Spa that early.
So why did we need to be at BTM so early? At 0917 The Torbay Express hauled by King Edward I left with 300+ railway enthusiasts for the run down to Kingswear on the Dart estuary.
A couple of months earlier I had commented that The Torbay Express was running on my birthday and Zena asked if I'd like the trip as a present. I did and there we were.
The weather was grey and damp, but it didn't seem to dampen anyone's spirits as the sheer joy of being steam hauled gave all a wonderful grin.
After a water stop at Taunton the train stormed up Wellington Bank to Whiteball Tunnel and down to Exeter.
A word of advise to anyone who wants to hang out of the carriage window, taking photos of steam hauled trains as the take the curves; get some safety glasses. I ended up with very sore eyes at times. Each time the driver opens the engine up the bed of the fire lifts and shoots tiny pieces of clinker out of the chimney which then fall out of the sky hitting rail enthusiasts in the face at 70 mph.
By the time we got to Kingswear it was very grey and damp but after hanging about for trains to do what the do at the end of the line (running round and shunting) we boarded the ferry for Dartmouth.
Dartmouth is a delightful little place hanging on the edge of the valley leading the Dart out to the sea. We did a circuit of the centre before choosing the Fish and Chip restaurant for lunch. They had Skate on the specials board which I chose and it proved to be perfect. The batter was light and crisp and the flesh just melted. Washed down with a bottled Speckled Hen it was lovely.
All too soon it was time to cross back over the river and board our train home. It was an exiting run back and after taking on water at Exeter we managed to get on to the main line right after a Virgin Voyager which we managed to chase through to Tiverton Junction (Parkway - yuk). Stormed up to Whiteball and were ahead of schedule by the time we reached Taunton. The crew wanted to get back to BTM early so after a few phone calls, Notwork Rail let us out of Taunton early so that we could get to Weston super Mare before the stopping train was due out. The King was wonderful, she must have maxed out across the levels and was in to WsM for 2045 well ahead of the departure time for the stopper. Dropped passenger and left smartish for BTM which we reached in plenty of time to get back to Bath for a last birthday pint in The Trinty.
A wonderful day. Thank you.

This Blogging Thing!!

2007-08-06T12:16:00.000+01:00

This extended lapse in concentration has brought one obvious fact into plain sight. The older and more abused ones brain becomes the less effective it proves to be in remembering - anything!!

I should either get into the habit of putting something up every day, however trivial or knock it on the head.

I shall try the former but fear the latter may be the end result.

I guess we'll all just have to watch this space.

Easter Weekend (Part Tres)

2007-05-31T17:00:00.000+01:00

Sunday began gently.

I just made it down in time for breakfast and Zena asked that she might have some tea and toast on a tray that I could take up to her.

Before the person I believe to be Mrs Wrench the proprietress had finished assembling the tray Zena arrived having decided that she would join me for breafast.

After breakfast we returned to our room and packed ready for the next part of our weekend.

The plan was that we should walk down to The Admirals Hard and get the passenger ferry over to Cremyll where my and now our dear friends Josh and Nicky would meet us.

I hadn't got more than 100 yards before I realised that I was no way fit to pull the wayward case all the way to Admirals Hard.

We sat down on a wall, called a taxi and waited for it to arrive.

It was a lovely morning and the views across Plymouth and westward were lovely from outside the back of a large hotel.

The taxi arrived and we were whisked to the Cremyll Ferry in a very short time.

Amasing - there was a ferry waiting - we quickly paid the driver and boarded.

A few minutes later we were sailing across the Cornish Tamar to Cremyll and Mount Edgcumbe House.

Being an hour earlier than we were expected I thought we'd take a detour and have a look at the Orangery Restaurant in the Italian Garden.

It was beautiful and as Zena settled into her chair with a book I made off, camera in hand to gets some snaps of the place.

The amusement was seeing an obsolete Wet Paint sign that had run in the rain.

We had planned to be there for midday and the original idea was to eat at the Edgcumbe Arms but of course being Easter Sunday it was fully booked.

Nicky however had got us a table at the D&C in Millbrook.

We made our way back to the road by the ferry and I called Josh and Nicky who shortly jumped in the car to fetch us.

It was wonderful when it became plain that Zena and Josh knew each other from when they were either side of the bar in the Kings Arms.

The Millbrokers house was as lovely as ever, something quite cosy.

Lunch at the Devon and Cornwall was delicious and such great fun.

The ale was fine the company great.

I'm not sure the waitress knew what to make of us but I don't think we frightened her!!

After lunch we went for a lovely walk to Kingsand and along the beach toward Fort Picklecombe, and returning via the meadow whose name I am unable to recall. We returned up and over the hill back to Millbrook seeing deer and buzzards and other delights of fauna.

I'm sure we went to the Mark for beer later and we may even have eaten but I am struggling to remember after so long.

6/8/07.......all this seems so long ago - I'm not completely sure what happened but I do know that we had a wonderful time with the Mr and Mrs Millbrooker and their friends.

The following day was Monday. Zena and I took ourselves off map in hand up Donkey Lane to Whitsand Bay. We lunched on Burger and Chips down at the foot of the cliff and walked a short way along the beach before tackling the climb back up the cliff. We took the long way back to Milbrook via Cliff Lane and Withnoe Farm.

Again my memory is failing me but I'm certain that a quality pint was consumed at The D&C later.

Tuesday we returned to Bath.

Easter Weekend (Part Deux)

2007-04-12T13:44:00.000+01:00

Saturday was the reason we were in Plymouth.
We were invited to the wedding of friends James and Donna. James and his colleagues at the University of Bath some 8 or ten years ago worked at The Forum and Firkin (now O'Neill's) in Bath. During that time Zena was the cook (and still is) preparing all those meals that so many enjoy with a pint. As well as making sure that 'her children' were fed properly she ended up doing their washing and on at least one occasion even washing a rugby team's kit. Joe the best man may even have managed to illicit a small tear from Zena on mention of the above tale in his speech.
The wedding was held at St. Mary's Church in Plympton in the afternoon and it was wonderful. After the service everyone left for Langdon Court a marvellous establishment nestling in the south Devon hills close to Wembury Head. Sparkling wine flowed and everyone relaxed a little in the afternoon sun. The meal that followed was delicious. I started with a Goats Cheese and Red Onion Tart and Zena had soup, this was followed by Boeuf en Croute with vegetables which were perfect and the dessert was a Cheese Cake with Raspberry Meringue. After the speeches and toasts we all left the dining rooms for coffee and cake. The bar was open and the local ale Dartmoor Best Bitter was great. By 10 o'clock I was weakening so we called a cab and made our way the six miles back to Plymouth. We both went out like a light as soon as our heads hit the pillow.

Easter Weekend (I)

2007-04-10T19:11:00.000+01:00

Wow. What a wonderful weekend we've had.
On Friday we travelled down to Plymouth by train (neither I nor Zena drive). We taxied to The Riviera Guest House (AA ***) in Elliot Street and were met at the door by Lester who kindly carried our monster case all the way to the top of the house where we were to stay for two nights. After a cup of tea and little relaxation we left the Riviera and walked up to The Hoe where Sir Francis Drake allegedly played bowls as the Spanish Armada sailed by. The day was sunny and we walked around the Citadel to The Barbican where we bought Fish and Chips which we ate on the steps leading down to the water at the end of the harbour. After lunch it was off to Bretonside to pick up bus timetables for the evening's expedition over to Keyham to see Lizzie and family; before wandering around the shops in and around Armada Way. There was a 'Continental Market' there selling all sorts of exotic stuff. We settled on a giant frankfurter in a short roll and some delicious potatoes cooked in cream and cheese and onions and garlic. After eating we decided to wait until Lizzie rang rather than going up to Keyham so went back to the Riviera. Later that evening Lizzie called and she came and took us to her house where we had a lovely evening with her family.

UK Railways? (I)

2007-04-05T16:44:00.000+01:00

I have just begun reading Christian Wolmar's book 'On the Wrong Line: How Ideology and Incompetence Wrecked Britain's Railways (Christian Wolmar :: Books) and within just the Introduction a chuckle broke from me - I quote "...providing the world with an object lesson in how not to privatise an industry.".

As I read I'll continue to post the bits that amuse or shock as I go.

American Political Satire??

2007-04-04T13:10:00.001+01:00

For those readers who didn't believe that Americans could do satire this will amuse.

The Apple iRack

Nice one!!

Boy am I busy this morning :)

Returning the complement

2007-04-04T12:20:00.001+01:00

My thanks to The Millbrooker http://themillbrooker.blogspot.com/ for refering to my meagre blog in his substantial journal.

As you can tell from the infrequency of the entries, I am not as verbose as some but then this is early days. Either way there is quite a lot of me and mine on (Obsolete but still redirects http://www.coopers.dsl.pipex.com) Try http://www.coopersnet.co.uk. Edited 200807161245BST

Oh! And trains!!!

For those who are longing to meet the lovely Zena, here she is.

Casablanca - My favourite scene

2007-04-04T10:57:00.000+01:00

Saw the film again the other night - annoyed the heck out of Zena by pausing it at the point where Rick (Humphrey Bogart) opens and reads the message delivered by Sam at the station in the rain in Paris.

I just had to copy it down.

Richard,
I cannot go with you, or ever see you again.
You must not ask why.
Just believe I love you. Go, my darling and God bless you.
Ilsa

Probably the most moving moment in the entire film.

There are some great moments and bits of script on http://crowemovies.tripod.com/casablanca/ which pick up the other 'best bits'.

Southgate and the Demise of Churchill House

2007-02-26T18:52:00.000Z

Well, well, well!!!

At last the editor of The Bath Chronicle has woken up and seen what is replacing Churchill House. Well done Sam.

I have been aware for a year or more that BANES managed to sneak a nasty amendment to the planning consent for 'The Southgate Project' as a replacement for Churchill House past the electorate in Bath. On the early graphics displayed for many months in the current Southgate Precinct there has been a small but not insignificant round object where Churchill House presently stands.

It has now come to light and public knowledge (not always the same thing) that the planned building to house the offices of First Bus in Bath is an abomination in aluminium, glass and steel.

In concert with First Group, the developers and BANES, a monster is to be perpetrated on the people of and visitors to Bath. First insisted on a size of bus station that has forced the developers to destroy a piece of beautiful example of Art Deco Georgian pastiche complete with interiors. Yet again First are screwing with us and our money for the benefit of their shareholders. This is our city and First are only meant to run bus and train services. They must not be allowed to get away with this arrogance.

This is a World Heritage city next to the site is a proposed World Heritage Site in Brunel's Great Western Railway and our elected representatives want to destroy the context and endanger the proposed status of the GWR.

Well done Sam for coming out.

A Thought for The Last Day

2007-02-22T14:10:00.000Z

Fact: The planet Earth, our home, is about 8000 miles wide.
Fact: The useful part of our atmosphere, which we can breathe, fly through and provides our weather and climate is about 8 miles thick.

Take a beach ball of diameter 1 metre and the useful atmosphere is a mere 1 millimetre thick.

Have a look at pictures of the earth from space. http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/search/search.cgi?searchpage=true&selections=AS17&browsepage=Go&hitsperpage=5&pageno=11 or from the moon http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_102.html.

Now you know how precarious life on this rock is.

PLEASE LOOK AFTER PLANET EARTH

Policing the Smoking Ban in public places? Why?

2007-02-20T10:39:00.000Z

Well here we go. Our dear government has announced that it will provide £30m for local authorities to 'police' the smoking ban in our public places.
My feeling is that following the scottish experience that £30m would be better spent funding the support service for those that are giving up smoking prior to the ban.
After all, the citizens of this country who don't smoke will happily 'police' the ban themselves once the legislation becomes active in July.
Already our local service in Bath is stretched and as was seen in Scotland the number of people giving up smoking will increase toward the dead line.

Post Past the First

2007-01-24T17:19:00.000Z

There is no way that I could be described as quick and as ever I come late to this blogging thing. As a middle aged male I have reached that time when everyone I know knows when I'm 'off on one' and their eyes glaze over. I suspect that the intention is that I should go 'off on one' on the pages with whatever rant I care to chose and do it with inpunity. Watch this space.