Flat Earth

The warmer weather has brought some of my little buddies out of hiding.

More on here;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46984194@N00/

A recently installed flashing "slow down 30mph speed limit" sign up the road from my home raises the issue of, why is it needed? There is a speed limit of 30mph on the road, a big sign indicating such, street lights, regular police presence busting good numbers of blind, stupid, ignorant idiots, unaware of such a speed limit, especially one that applies specifically to them. Watching the new sign light up for most cars has become a new pass time for me. Watching the brake lights on nearly every car light up as the sign flashes at each of them. Why does a flashing sign work when a regular 30mph sign has no effect whatsoever, or even a police radar speed gun pointing at them backed up with a fine and penalty points. Human behaviour never cease to amaze me.

I picked a book off one of my book shelves this morning, nothing unusual in that one might think, a very everyday sort of thing for many of you. But this book is special, why? I have failed to finish it twice since I bought it in an airport bookstore about 20 years ago. I read it for a week in between competitions in Germany, then put it down for a few years even though I was barely half way through it. The same happened a few years later. Is it a good book, a good read, what about the ending? I'll let you know if I finsh it this time. But what is the book you are screaming? Famous author, one of his best books according to the blurb - John Le Carre - A Perfect Spy. Do not tell me the ending!

I received a surprise package this morning all the way from upstate New York. loads of goodies inside, including real maple syrup, plus Black Raspberry jam, which probably will not last the weekend. I had never heard of it until a few months ago. Looks like blackberry but is a raspberry. Should be interesting eating.

Just as I thought the problem with my compact digicam was sorted the whole thing decided to call it a day and work no more. Cheap Canon crap. Bloody bad timing as I'm away at the end of the month and will now have to buy a new compact for the trip. Probably buy another crap Canon as it is a good camera to use just poorly made. Lots of bells and whistles but held together with rubber bands.

Being a bloke I regularly dream of new cars, but being a poor bloke I only drive a little putput diesel which I recently discovered does about 75mpg, far more than I thought and way more than the official figures. I buy fuel in litres but still think in gallons which is why I've taken so long to work out a more accurate figure. Most of my driving is on open roads, no town driving, I use my legs around town, it's quicker. So out went dreams of a new VW Passat, not even close to the now required mpg, out went the sports car and several other models. I did discover a new model that does about the same as my current putput so I think I'll go check one out, just to be prepared for when my 8+ year old car fades away. It has worked hard, already done 172,000 miles, mostly going to work and back, with occasional forays to N. Wales etc etc.

Happy New Year everybody !

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46984194@N00/

Sorry, not a recipe but the current weather conditions in Lincolnshire. Thick fog for 3 days, even some frost. Nothing new in that you say and I would agree with you entirely. Also the stupid gits driving in it with zero lights on is nothing new either, but then this is Lincolnshire, cabbages don't know how to flick a switch. Ooooh, bitchy tonight and for absolutely no reason. Good to keep in practice though for when I need to be sharp. Practice, practice, practice, otherwise all that talent gets wasted.

Some folk don't like it but hey if you've got it flaunt it. So check out this link to some old photos from 1982, a 2 Mile track race at UCLA, that's in Los Angeles. Ignore the photos at the top of the page, the good ones are along the bottom. An old buddy sent me the link today, tickled me, the photos, not my buddy.

http://www.runningentertainment.com/Running%20Shots-11.htm

Regular readers will be aware of my summer habit of photographing insects and other invertabrae in the UK and whenever I travel abroad. Being the typical amateur everything, photographer, athlete, naturalist, I do it for fun, because I enjoy it. Over recent weeks I've been adding rather a lot of photos to my Flickr.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/46984194@N00/ pages, including several photos of Stick Insects seen in Ecuador. Turns out that somebody out there in Web Land is seriously into Stick Insects, PhD research/scientist in Switzerland no less and asked to use the photos on his website. Naturally I agreed in return for some information as to the species names. Being an amateur, asking for money, just doesn't occur. But anyway I digress, as usual, turns out several of the photos are of species new to science, which means should they ever get named, yours truly will be getting a "ii" on the end of my name, that's Latin folks, species named after me, what more could an amateur naturalist ask for. Made my day just thinking about it, never happen of course, but come late January/February when I return to Ecuador again I could be doing some serious amateur insect hunting.

For this afternoon. First get off the sofa, but not until I've finished this, removed my laptop from my lap, had a drink........

Then I must go for a walk, I must go for a walk, I must go for a walk. No matter how many times I write that it looks the same, sounds the same, smells the same, unless I move to a parallel universe then perhaps, maybe, there could be slight differences, but I doubt it. One day somebody will write an epic, best selling book on the subject. Will I get any credit for the original idea? I'll sue the buggers if I don't. As for the movies rights, let's just not go there.

Then it will be time to take over the kitchen again. Cake and curry, what more could a man ask for? You could answer that if you like but it isn't necessary, you are not in any way obliged to come up with any interesting, amusing, thought provoking answer at all.