These days many have SatNavs but so far not I. Yesterday there was a mini
HCPT Group 35 reunion and fete at St Elizabeths Much Hadham Hertfordshire to which
I had to drive from SW20 with another HCPT Group 35 helper to map read.
The RAC and AA direction finder websites suggested entirely different routes
with one suggesting taking a ring road around London and the other advising
on going through the City to the East End and then heading NE.
We opted for the latter but got hopelessly lost in East London when
all road signs to any where and every where petered out completely.
Taking a large SW London conurbation like Wandsworth, there are road direction
signs to motorways M3 and M4 local Clapham and not so local Portsmouth.
Parts of of E and NE London on the other hand seemed devoid of any such motorists'
aids. In Wimbledon the M25 is signposted despite it being miles away
why not the nearby M11 in Hackney?
East London had copious signposts for cyclists which of course is
very laudable but such politically correct weighting the road signing
towards cyclists seems illogical when alas the majority of
road users still rely on the internal combustion engine.
For the politcally correct or more fairly, those interested
in fighting global warming, the public transport options were
limited by the closure of the Victoria Line for engineering works;
the cost of two train fares from Liverpool Street would
have been higher than thepetrol cost of the journey.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Light (and Sound) Relief
The more upbeat part of the post the blog title implies appears later
but to start with one of the worlds' current manmade tragedies:
The plight of the inhabitants of Zimbabwe is stark and prayers were offered
at Mass this morning for that country ravaged as it is by so much tyrany.
I was going to add my h'ppence worth on ablog piece today but instead signed
a petition that had been drawn to my attention by HCPT Group 35 helper Cathryn.
My recent postings seem alas to reflect so many of mankind's problems that a reminder of
the great inventions and advances that have been made in the quality of life even since
WWII, seems apt. Add some personal trivia to that hopefully
gives the rest of this week's post a lighter flavour than others in the recent past.
The image above was published by the BBC yesterday to commemorate the
60th anniversary of the programmable Manchester uni computer "Baby". Despite the whole
room space it took, today's Ipod can do far more yet be held betweeen thumb and finger andof course the lives of countless numbers
have been improved or even saved by the development of computers since 1948.
Our 16 year old Panasonic CD player having finally given up the ghost a decision was needed as
to how to replace it. My preference for a second hand Bose Acoustic W ave® + 5 disc cd changer
(about £440 on Ebay) was laughed out of court by the younger members of the household.
Hideous looks and too big. In the end I accepted their suggestion of something called a "Sony NAS-EH35HD Giga Juke Hi-Fi System" - cost under £250 new.
This is a mini computer in itself and not only can play the old CDs
but also store 100s or is it 1000s, digitally if desired and download
or play direct from an Ipod.
A fraction of the size of Manchester Uni's 1948 Baby thankfully.
but to start with one of the worlds' current manmade tragedies:
The plight of the inhabitants of Zimbabwe is stark and prayers were offered
at Mass this morning for that country ravaged as it is by so much tyrany.
I was going to add my h'ppence worth on ablog piece today but instead signed
a petition that had been drawn to my attention by HCPT Group 35 helper Cathryn.
My recent postings seem alas to reflect so many of mankind's problems that a reminder of
the great inventions and advances that have been made in the quality of life even since
WWII, seems apt. Add some personal trivia to that hopefully
gives the rest of this week's post a lighter flavour than others in the recent past.
The image above was published by the BBC yesterday to commemorate the
60th anniversary of the programmable Manchester uni computer "Baby". Despite the whole
room space it took, today's Ipod can do far more yet be held betweeen thumb and finger andof course the lives of countless numbers
have been improved or even saved by the development of computers since 1948.
Our 16 year old Panasonic CD player having finally given up the ghost a decision was needed as
to how to replace it. My preference for a second hand Bose Acoustic W ave® + 5 disc cd changer
(about £440 on Ebay) was laughed out of court by the younger members of the household.
Hideous looks and too big. In the end I accepted their suggestion of something called a "Sony NAS-EH35HD Giga Juke Hi-Fi System" - cost under £250 new.
This is a mini computer in itself and not only can play the old CDs
but also store 100s or is it 1000s, digitally if desired and download
or play direct from an Ipod.
A fraction of the size of Manchester Uni's 1948 Baby thankfully.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Irish Noes Are Smiling
The result of the Irish referendum on whether or not to ratify the EU Lisbon treaty was
a resounding "no" to more big government and "yes" to more national democracy.
Forming an association geared to trading makes sense for European countries.
Mediterranean oranges for example could be appreciated in the UK as
London financial services might be in Spain. However why should the Spanish
be involved with any decision making about how many hours a week a UK worker
should be permitted to work or for that matter why should the UK be involved
with any debate about Spanish employment rights?
Forming a Common Market made logical sense but the EU defies logic. Huge conglomerate
type nations such as the former USSR or even Russia today, the USA, and China do not
inspire smaller nations with their regard for what might be termed the higher or
altruistic aspects of humankind's nature. The larger a country, the larger invariably
its army and weaponary becomes and the more the temptation for that power to
be used for national self interest if not the selfish interests of those in charge.
Alas some smaller countries too are badly if not malevolently run, but the larger the nation
the greater number of people that may be affected. The UKs previous
status was akin to that of a large nation by virtue of its colonies.
The over-sized country government aftermath from the UK past, is taking
as long to shake off as
some of the the colonies themselves. This results in decisions like Tony Blair's to
send the country to war in Iraq, on the same pretext as the USA the huge nation that
took over some of the mantle of the UK's too much government past.
Once the nations of Europe have agreed their common market they should
leave the running of the countries to the individual governments. The
down sizing of the USSR to Russia and a collection of individual nations, seems to
have been a step for the good. The needs of commerce and trade still warrant
those now independent individual nations negotiating their own common market-type
arrangements with each other but the subdivision of the old USSR so far is
beneficial as regards national governments and their peoples.
Maybe more benefits will be accrue if Russia itself subdivides more;
maybe the USA is now too large for its boots and needs to downsize into
smaller countries. China certainly does as some of its constituent
country components are only held together by force.
One trend that Europe needs to avoid is sizing up like the USA or China or Russia
we need to keep nationhood smaller and more user friendly in my view.
So yes to the Common Market and No to the EU.
a resounding "no" to more big government and "yes" to more national democracy.
Forming an association geared to trading makes sense for European countries.
Mediterranean oranges for example could be appreciated in the UK as
London financial services might be in Spain. However why should the Spanish
be involved with any decision making about how many hours a week a UK worker
should be permitted to work or for that matter why should the UK be involved
with any debate about Spanish employment rights?
Forming a Common Market made logical sense but the EU defies logic. Huge conglomerate
type nations such as the former USSR or even Russia today, the USA, and China do not
inspire smaller nations with their regard for what might be termed the higher or
altruistic aspects of humankind's nature. The larger a country, the larger invariably
its army and weaponary becomes and the more the temptation for that power to
be used for national self interest if not the selfish interests of those in charge.
Alas some smaller countries too are badly if not malevolently run, but the larger the nation
the greater number of people that may be affected. The UKs previous
status was akin to that of a large nation by virtue of its colonies.
The over-sized country government aftermath from the UK past, is taking
as long to shake off as
some of the the colonies themselves. This results in decisions like Tony Blair's to
send the country to war in Iraq, on the same pretext as the USA the huge nation that
took over some of the mantle of the UK's too much government past.
Once the nations of Europe have agreed their common market they should
leave the running of the countries to the individual governments. The
down sizing of the USSR to Russia and a collection of individual nations, seems to
have been a step for the good. The needs of commerce and trade still warrant
those now independent individual nations negotiating their own common market-type
arrangements with each other but the subdivision of the old USSR so far is
beneficial as regards national governments and their peoples.
Maybe more benefits will be accrue if Russia itself subdivides more;
maybe the USA is now too large for its boots and needs to downsize into
smaller countries. China certainly does as some of its constituent
country components are only held together by force.
One trend that Europe needs to avoid is sizing up like the USA or China or Russia
we need to keep nationhood smaller and more user friendly in my view.
So yes to the Common Market and No to the EU.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Politician's Survey
A survey flysheet from local Wimbledon MP Stephen Hammond,
received a couple of days back was interesting as much for the questions
he asked about local concerns as the possible answers. The idea of canvassing
his electors with unsolicited questions about views on topics they consider
to be important is a good one although doubtless as a politician the questions
are formulated in such a way to project him and his Conservative party in
good light.
One question reads:
"Plans are currently being discussed to expand Heathrow Airport further. What is your
view of this idea?"
As I regard shares investing as a good thing and as a better Heathrow should
also be better for business and share prices, the logical answer
to Mr Hammonds question would be that it is a good idea.
However ethics and green issues often have different time frames from businesses and it didn't take the blast
of a jet plane's engines coincidentally intruding into what had until then
been a glorious morning reading the Sunday papers over coffee in the garden,
to make me appreciate that society as we have known it in C20 has to change
in C21 and that ever increasing jetting around the planet is simply unsustainable.
In the UK politicians have to be re-elected every few years so it takes a brave
MP or government to make a stand against an issue such as airport expansion,
where in the short term, the stand will be costly, detrimental to business and employment yet which could well, in the long term, catalyse the kind of sea change for society that environmental
conditions on planet Earth, not to mention oil price rocketing, mean brave governments
have to make in C21 for the common good and survival of human life on the planet.
Stephen Hammond deserves a few replies, if not answers.
received a couple of days back was interesting as much for the questions
he asked about local concerns as the possible answers. The idea of canvassing
his electors with unsolicited questions about views on topics they consider
to be important is a good one although doubtless as a politician the questions
are formulated in such a way to project him and his Conservative party in
good light.
One question reads:
"Plans are currently being discussed to expand Heathrow Airport further. What is your
view of this idea?"
As I regard shares investing as a good thing and as a better Heathrow should
also be better for business and share prices, the logical answer
to Mr Hammonds question would be that it is a good idea.
However ethics and green issues often have different time frames from businesses and it didn't take the blast
of a jet plane's engines coincidentally intruding into what had until then
been a glorious morning reading the Sunday papers over coffee in the garden,
to make me appreciate that society as we have known it in C20 has to change
in C21 and that ever increasing jetting around the planet is simply unsustainable.
In the UK politicians have to be re-elected every few years so it takes a brave
MP or government to make a stand against an issue such as airport expansion,
where in the short term, the stand will be costly, detrimental to business and employment yet which could well, in the long term, catalyse the kind of sea change for society that environmental
conditions on planet Earth, not to mention oil price rocketing, mean brave governments
have to make in C21 for the common good and survival of human life on the planet.
Stephen Hammond deserves a few replies, if not answers.
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Seismic Lifestyle Shift Needed
Yesterday I had to travel from London SW to Wallington Surrey but without
a car which was being borrowed for the week end. The Transport forLondon
website tfl.gov.uk provided a plethora of public transport options. Tram 3 then 'bus 410
matched the time line requirements for the journey.
The tram was well used and alighting at Wandle Park for the 410 was straightforward.
The trams and buses seemed frequent and timetables reliable - one of the
legacies of Ken Livingstone's reign as London Mayor.
Bus 410 provided the revelatory part of the journey. The roads were crowded with cars presumably mainly travelling
on shopping trips to the nearby retail trading estates of Purley Way and IKEA. However the
bus was almost empty and there was hardly anyone at bus stops on the route, with the result
that the bus part of the trip was very quick indeed. The overall time for the journey
was only slightly longer than the average time taken by car.
The huge number of individuals using cars apparently mainly for local shopping
excursions, obviously helps to prop up the British consumer society but
at what expense to the environment? The nation's balance of payments?
Drivers' health? Personal cash flow? The huge rise in the price of fuel hardly
seems to have dented the nation's love affair with its motor cars - yet.
Local and national politicians need to consider whether having roads full
of personal cars and empty buses (slight exaggeration accepted) can or even should remain
a viable way for us all to live.
a car which was being borrowed for the week end. The Transport forLondon
website tfl.gov.uk provided a plethora of public transport options. Tram 3 then 'bus 410
matched the time line requirements for the journey.
The tram was well used and alighting at Wandle Park for the 410 was straightforward.
The trams and buses seemed frequent and timetables reliable - one of the
legacies of Ken Livingstone's reign as London Mayor.
Bus 410 provided the revelatory part of the journey. The roads were crowded with cars presumably mainly travelling
on shopping trips to the nearby retail trading estates of Purley Way and IKEA. However the
bus was almost empty and there was hardly anyone at bus stops on the route, with the result
that the bus part of the trip was very quick indeed. The overall time for the journey
was only slightly longer than the average time taken by car.
The huge number of individuals using cars apparently mainly for local shopping
excursions, obviously helps to prop up the British consumer society but
at what expense to the environment? The nation's balance of payments?
Drivers' health? Personal cash flow? The huge rise in the price of fuel hardly
seems to have dented the nation's love affair with its motor cars - yet.
Local and national politicians need to consider whether having roads full
of personal cars and empty buses (slight exaggeration accepted) can or even should remain
a viable way for us all to live.
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