I haven’t been on either of the bikes since before my degallbladderisation (yes, that’s the correct terminology, I checked and everything). I’ll admit that the
Category: Stuff
Blogathon 20/16: Snapshot Saturday
I know a guy who restores neglected motorbike relics. This isn’t a hobby, it’s what he does for a living. Today’s Snapshot Saturday is a
Blogathon 19/16: Liveblogging Salt
Welcome to this liveblog of the action/spy/thriller Salt. Please fasten your seatbelts because this could be a bumpy ride. The film begins. It’s two years
Blogathon 18/16: Travel Planning
I went to Birmingham today. Yes, I know. Commiserations and all that. Anyway. I went to Birmingham today. And it wasn’t even the wrong side
Blogathon 17/16: Not Knowing When To Give In
Up until May 2007, she was an Event rider. She worked with and competed on horses, at various levels, in National and International, One Day
Blogathon 16/16: Fortnight
It’s was two weeks ago today that I had my encounter with the surgeon’s knife, and became degallbladderised. Yeah, I’m sure that’s a word. Things
Blogathon 15/16: New wheels pending
Despite the best efforts of the Very Scary, Hugely Fearsome Guardian Dinosaur Of The Garage Of Immense Treasure, I’m hoping that both the ZX9R and
Blogathon 14/16: Happy Birthday
Settle comfortably down, because once again it’s time for another musical respite from the usual nonsense that goes on in these parts. Yesterday was the
Blogathon 13/16: Snapshot Saturday
As the kitchen roll of doom meets the snotty nose of eternity, it’s time for another Snapshot Saturday – a story with pictures and occasional words.
Blogathon 12/16: Snot
It’s almost inevitable that as I reach the tail-end of post-operation recovery, I come down with a cold. Immune system taking a bit of a
Blogathon 11/16: Tinkling the Ivories
As the rushing hand of fate swoops in to firmly strike the pertly dimpled bottom of eternity, it’s time, in the barrel of laughs that
Blogathon 10/16: Stick It In Your Ears
There’s usually music around me. If my iPod isn’t blasting away in my ears, a radio will be tuned in to some music station or
Blogathon 09/16: Windy? Not Really
A week ago today I found myself sitting in front of an anaesthetist. I listened, keenly, as he checked my medical history. Then he told
Blogathon 08/16: How To Fix The Oscars
Later this month (February 28th, to be precise), the 88th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will honour the
Blogathon 07/16: A Really Big Motorbike Trip?
I’m reading a couple of books at the moment. One of them is ‘Through Dust and Darkness’ (a motorcycle journey of fear and faith in
Blogathon 06/16: Snapshot Saturday
I’ve stolen this idea from Young Masher. I am shameless. And lacking apology. So anyway. I’ve had a huge amount of health & safety training,
Blogathon 05/16: Mankad. Out! Not Out!
The controversy known as ‘Mankading’ has raised its head in First Class cricket once again. The name ‘Mankad’ originates from Vinoo Mankad, the Indian left
Blogathon 04/16: Friends Disunited
Arguably the first ‘social network site’ Friends Reunited is now sending ‘Dear John’ emails to everyone who has ever registered with the website. Friends Reunited
Blogathon 03/16: It’s Groundhog Day. Again.
This was the post I had planned for yesterday (2nd of February, Groundhog Day), but circumstances overtook it. But I enjoyed writing it, and I
Blogathon 02/16: Well this is nice
This is not the post I intended to write. It’s the very early hours of Tuesday and I shall shortly have a small but troublesome
Blogathon 01/16: Hot (and cold) under the collar
When we bought this house we inherited a number of ‘features’. We have improved some of these ‘features’ by throwing them in to one of
End of January again? Already?
The last day of January 2016 has brought with it another few well-known names to add to the list of those who have unfortunately checked
Doctor, doctor!
This cracking letter was in this morning’s Times newspaper. Everyone should get a copy of this and send it to their MP.
The fickle finger of fate
As I’m no longer able to continue inflicting my idiosyncratic style of cricket on the world, owing to my much-surgeried left knee, I have decided
I bet he drinks…
Still makes me laugh…
Sunday’s on the phone to Monday
Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, top quality, time-insensitive music is not in the ear of the listener. It is very
New ride coming/Motorcycle Live & rampant sexism
New ride coming I’ve been mulling over a change of chariot for a couple of months. This started when I thought I wasn’t enjoying the ZX9R,
low-hanging fruit
If I was a hacker of whatever denomination (mischief-maker, terrorist, cyber-thief), and I was looking for a big, fat, high-value, minimal-security-set-to-the-lowest-common-denominator target… This.
Flights and Films
It is about 18 hours of flight-time to get to Shanghai. That’s a round-trip of 36 hours. Sitting in an aluminium tube. With all of
Fuel for thought?
I couldn’t help noticing that the vast majority of Shanghai scooters had ‘LPG’ stickers. Does this mean that LPG is more widely available in China?
Party hard, dude?
They know how to party in Shanghai.
Lost in translation
I’ll just leave this here without further comment:
Temple of… Love?
(with apologies to ace band Sisters of Mercy, for stealing the title of their best track for the title of this post) Rather than trudge
Two-wheeled confusion
I saw a smart scooter today. It was in Royal Blue, with the Union Jack boldly painted across the front. I mean it was a
Interesting firewall rules
From here, in downtown Shanghai, Google does not exist. Not in any of its various guises or products. Gone. So too is Facebook. And Twitter.
The global economy
We are accustomed to seeing the inevitable stores in ‘other’ countries. Countries we don’t live in, but visit. You know the stores. Starbucks, Costa, Chanel,
China, in my hands
Drat, my Carol Decker fixation seems to be peeping through It’s 1am and I’m awake because jet lag. Social media doesn’t work here in the
In transit
I’m slowly digesting a larger than sensible breakfast, sitting at the departure gate for Dubai, at Birmingham International Airport. Is there a Birmingham Domestic Airport?
Money, and how not to save it on the front line
It is quite difficult to voice my thoughts on this in a cool, calm, dispassionate manner. And that is often the way when the topic
Rice works!
Apple products (I’m talking about iPhones and iPods) are notorious, nay infamous, for being moisture sensitive. I’m avoiding using the word ‘water’, for reasons that
Score! (arriving at the list)
I had been thinking about revisiting my list of All Time Top 10 Films for some time, when it suddenly occurred to me that there was
Droning on and on and on…
It is as if we are on the tipping point of a Really Big Thing. They’re all droning on about it. The media. Especially the
Road raging?
Stolen this from Facebook but what the hell…
Baby I got your, erm, number?
Once upon a time car numberplates used to reflect the location/area/district where the car was first registered, as well as identifying the year that the
Uncle Sam owned/pwnd by the ECJ
Having a keen interest in ownership of data, and considerable experience in datacentre and public- and private-cloud hosting, today’s ruling by the European Court of