Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Comments:
nick: As it happens, I did think after writing it that perhaps I ought to have qualify my suggestion in just that way.
Yes, I was thinking just of going over there and doing a bit of it. Could maybe do the little train again (I've never done that since we were last there, which was 4-Jun-2010) and I think there are cycle paths that are ex-railway lines around there.
nick: Mmm fair point - eye test is 9.10am, how long do they last, about half an hour? Could drive to portsmouth I suppose, and be there in time for 11am ferry but you're right it's not leaving so much time. Or I could postpone the eye test I suppose, and we could start earlier.
Tim: I'm seeing 2h 20m from MIC which might save a bit of stuffing around if I join you on the train.
Tim: Possible hitch: there's a big music festival at Portsmouth this weekend (my football fixture was postponed as a result). Could be mayhem.
Tim: Actually, this is getting annoying. Why oh why oh why can't we ever sort anything out more than two days in advance? How about we just do a normal trundle this time and an IOW ride next? There must be a possible date we can all make?
Steve: I would agree (didn't know you got annoyed Tim), let's do the simple option this time.
Shall we train to you and head back to BSK this time?
BTW I do have a book of rides with a 22 mile one around Odiham near Fleet entitled "Basingstoke Canal". Maybe another time.
Tim: I can line up some tucker here, or meet you at the station and go, as appropriate. Keep me posted re ETA.
nick: Tim do you think you could arrange a route that goes over the Winchester viaduct thing? I've never found it again since the time you last took us that way. Must be near Winchester though.
Steve I assume you are coming in the car (as opposed to bringing the bike on the train)? In which case if you want to aim for my house at 10:30am I should be back from the optician by then. Trains from MIC are at 10 past the hour so we could aim for 11:10 if that sounds OK
Steve: Yes got that thanks. Car yes, a day trip by train is very long. Although traffic for a bank holiday could be savage.
Tim: Ok lunch about 12 then we'll be off. I'll have a look at the map later - Hockey Viaduct is at J11.
Steve: It seems that the "pie" range has increased for vegans with some cheaper options: https://www.pieminister.co.uk/meetpatty/
nick: They had the pasty things in our Sainsburys so I've got one for my lunch (as well as some salad-y bits from Lesley: the pasty things aren't that big)
Steve: Equally importantly, did you go to Bournemouth?
We stayed at home in the end - too hot and crowded to go anywhere we thought.
And I've just unearthed that pile of CDs...
nick: did you go to Bournemouth? we didn't - Lesley's back was not too good and she wasn't up for the walk from Bourmemouth station to the beach. We stayed home and got hot in the garden instead! Your basil is going well and we are using it for meals thanks.
Tim: No pie news here.
But I can report that my bum hurt on Sunday.
We went to Portsmouth on the train and it was manic (wouldn't have fancied trying to get a bike on) and had a wander round Old Portsmouth and thereabouts, an area we never go to these days. Then along the sea to the common where the festival was on. It was fenced off but we could still hear Ziggy Marley for free, I've always been a reggae fan.
nick: I finished the audiobook of "Birdcage Walk" by Helen Dunmore yesterday - it was pretty bad. In the afterword she says she wrote it while she was (unknown to her at the time) suffering from what would be a terminal illness, so I can't help but wonder if some of the better reviews are being kind for that reason. She said that she wanted to write stories about people who history had forgotten, but in this case I think history may have done the right thing.
I reserved "Sweet Tooth" by Ian McEwan for my next book (I've read it before and liked it), and that will be available tomorrow. So I had a day to listen to the BBC's ten hour dramatisation of Proust. Listened to the first bit on the way in today, got past the madeleine episode within the first twenty minutes so it must be pretty abridged. But it didn't do it for me, so it'll be podcasts on the way home
nick: Came across this and thought I’d just listen to the intro, couldn’t help watching it all https://youtu.be/8yVWwjI932k
Tim: And after that Close to the Edge starts. I don't know who sings for Yes these days but they should probably have a woman. From up north ideally.
Actual news: Tina's got an op scheduled for the 11th. There are certain risks obv., but mostly it sounds relatively minor.
Steve: Greatly appreciate the update Tim, best wishes to Tina as ever.
So I got speaker stands nearby for £20 - bargain really. Gets the Missions off the window sill and removes bass boom!
Just been to Leeds, not a bad art gallery with a Gormley scale model for massive Leeds station statue that never happened: Brick Man
nick: Good to hear about progress for Tina, I'll be praying for her.
That statue looks like it would have been amazing but I can't help wonder how much actual creativity he's showing. I mean, anyone could do that, if they had enough bricks and planning permission.
Tim: It doesn't seem to be bursting with originality. Even the title is dull. And maybe if that had been built we wouldn't have had the Angel OTN, which I quite like.
Steve: But it's in such a crap location!!!!
Also one of the galleries had some stunning paintings in it with a Damien Hurst sheep in a box in the middle of the floor. What *is* the point? The level of skill is embarrassing in that context.
And I ditched The Blind Assassin and am reading Scandalous Risks by Susan Howatch. (Another terrible title.) Learning lots of church vocabulary for crosswords. But really more desperate to finish it and get onto an Alan Furst WW2 resistance one I got from a charity shop at the weekend.
nick: Ella and Ryan had their baby boy last night: Spencer Ryan Brazier. We were at the hospital with them in the evening and they seem pretty happy. They're hoping to come home today. i have to get used to being called Grampy now, which - because my Grampy always seemed so old to me - feels a bit strange.
Well done for giving up on the book: I think that's sometimes necessary although personally I always find it difficult.
I read all the six Susan Howatch CofE books and did enjoy them. Still working through the Ken Follet "Century" trilogy and am now into book three, where it's 1960 at the moment and the "Freedom Riders" are making bus journeys through the American South and getting horrendously attacked.
Tim: Hurrah! But I think they said Grumpy.
Speaking of which, I listen to Close to the Edge just ONCE, and end up with it stuck in my head all week, argh.
Steve: Great news - you can start offloading all of the baby gear.
Hmm playing tunes Tim, there madness lies.
Still not dared to try the TD albums.
Currently researching snap-proof locks - as if I didn't have enough top worry about.
And wondering whether to move my pension funds into safe investments before they do it by default. Is a crash due?
nick: I've been inspired to listen to more early Yes as well. Bill Bruford really is good
What is a "snap-proof lock"?
I have no idea what to do with investments, I think it's probably a mugs game to try and second guess what will happen - I've heard it's best to pick a low-cost index tracker, and even if there's a crash you'll probably be OK (tracker funds lost money in the 2008 crisis but after a couple of years had regained what they lost, or so I heard). My pension started moving increasing proportions into "safe" funds a couple of years ago. Don't know how safe they are though (e.g. I hope they're not £sterling!)
Steve: I'll do the worrying on locks.
And the issue with trackers is where is the market when you want to take them out. But I suppose, draw-down is less prone.
Finally got First Circle on CD - sounds pretty familiar. Must have borrowed it.
Did they do some of this when we saw them at Hammersmith, them walking towards the stage playing as they went?
nick: Did they do some of this when we saw them at Hammersmith, them walking towards the stage playing as they went? Yes! I remember that - they walked in doing the first track I think. And didn't Fripp and the League of Crafty Guitarists do something similar when we saw them at the South Bank? I think in the Q&A someone asked "why did you do that?" but I can't remember what the answer was
Steve: Some funky percussion which reminded me of the home-made cow-bell sequencer.
And I played CttE last night and really enjoyed it - the new Steven Wilson mix. No ear worm.
nick: First Circle! Some great tunes on there, I must avoid listening to it too late for me: I'm halfway through it now
Steve: Tim I just found Fennesz Live at Revolver - did you give this to me Tim or have I badly misplaced your copy? (Was in a jazz box set!)
And I don't remember the crafty guitarists leaving their setas :)
Tim: No idea, I'll check. It's quite possible I foisted it on you; I was very impressed with it at the time.
Steve: Thought so, I was fairly sure it was mine. Well done for finding it, being a cardboard slip-case. Time to rip it then!
Tim: Oops! Quick update sorry- she's been postponed until next Thursday. And she's got to check in at 7:30 am, gah.
Steve: So back on the weekend theme, what Tim said for not great:
Sep 7, 28
Oct 12
Nov 2, 16
Dec 7, 21
What I have possibly free:
Oct 5/6
Nov 2/3
Nov 9/10
Nov 30/1
Dec 7/8
Tim: Also gradually approaching is some Steve Reich premier at the Barbi on Wed 23rd October. Great news I spotted the other day is that it starts at 7:30pm and only lasts about an hour (there's a second performance at 9:30).
nick: I'm not getting reliable emails from the blog so only just noticed Steve's post from this morning. For the dates Steve mentions:
Oct 5/6 - Sat OK for me, Sun I have church duty
Nov 2/3 - Sat OK for me, Sun I have church duty
Nov 9/10 - good for me
Nov 30/1 - good for me
Dec 7/8 - good for me
nick: Addendum to the above - in fact I'm busy Sat Nov 2 in the evening because I'm going to see Big Big Train with Tony. I remembered because Tony just texted me and said he's got a spare ticket. Anyone want it? I think Steve has heard of them
nick: Ok yes please.
I've let Tony know. Sorry but due to lack of mail from the blog, I only just saw your reply (10.34am this morning). I'll confirm with you what he says
Tim: I'm just back from the hozzy, everything massively delayed but otherwise straightforward apparently. After getting over the general anaesthetic Tina seems largely unaffected. Was promised some hoarseness (temporary or permanent) but not much of that even. She automatically gets kept in overnight but hopefully due for an 8am checkout. Test results on removed bits in a fortnight.
Steve: Lovely weather Fri/Sat thanks near St Ives & Ely. Got one ride in - actually a bit hilly where we were.
Adults only site (which sounds dodgy) but is the way forward, makes you feel young compared to the rest!
And the Supreme Court has ruled against...
nick: gmail caught a spam today from "Steve Bachini " I wonder how they did that?
I have had several addressed to "nick57@nickoh.com" with a subject of "Ellaella" saying "this is to prove we know your password, send us bitcoins or else". I am pretty sure this came from a linkedin breach (see https://haveibeenpwned.com and check the username "nick57@nickoh.com") but I changed that ages ago and don't believe I use it anywhere. But it is initially a bit of a shock to get an email like that.
nick: gmail caught a spam today from "Steve Bachini " I wonder how they did that? that is not appearing properly on the blog web page but the address it said it came from was "sbachini@hakko-house.jp"
Steve: Yeah I had a blackmail one that showed me my old LinkedIn password, horrible.
Heard Thom York on R4 Desert Island Disks so been having a Radiohead week at 51A.
What I liked was they were offered a record deal on a demo and decided to go to uni first then come back to it.
A lot of it is not big on tunes Tim :) D will attest to that!
Tim: Well I still seem to be available for the 5th and thereabouts. The weather guesscast is light rain so far.
Steve: Shall I do the usual and visit BSK for the day then?
And yes this is the Birmingham thing we considered this year so I'm up for it. But no Barbieri???
Birmingham has a great museum, canal and probably music shops.
nick: Sat 5th still clear with me. Lesley is away in the Scilly Isles this week and I think she's not back until Sunday so she won't be around. If you are coming to BSK then maybe worth trying the Basingstoke Canal thing? I have no idea what the weather will be like though. Is the route online anywhere?
I pencilled in the Birmingham weekend for next year
Steve: Weather still says rain.
It looks like someone has put it on there: Odiham And Basingstoke Canal
Tim: That route is near Hook station, but guess what? Engineering works at Hook this Sat, and replacement buses.
Steve: 3 bikes and 3 passengers is not really doable even in my car.
I recently bought a secondhand bike rack but can't undo the towbar bolts to fit it.
Tim: Just for future reference, I see that another ride option for that canal is to do the full length of it, Hook to Woking or one of the small stations beyond.
nick: I'm not sure how much that route goes adjacent to the canal. I can come up with another circular route around that side of BSK if you fancy it (we sometimes got through Odiham on the saturday morning rides), or could to MIC<->HDE or not a bike ride at all.
We have "staff lunch" every other Thursday here, and the company provides lunch (usually gets from Waitrose or Sainsbury or local Deli or takeaway). It was suggested some time ago that we could have a fully vegan lunch, so I offered to help cater for that, not appreciating that it coincided with the week Lesley's in the Scilly Isles. So I was cooking for most of yesterday afternoon and have brought in a load of stuff today. It's not as easy as Lesley makes it look
Tim: How about this time we do a circular route from yours which reaches the canal, then another time we start from Hook and go further along it, etc.
nick: ok well if you both can get to my house in the morning I can do a route from there that goes eastwards and touches the canal at some point. I can do breakfast before and dinner after. Heads up we have two new kittens who might be running around a bit at home
Tim: Is there any mileage (literally) in me skipping breakfast and you do a route that starts at MIC and ends at yours?
Steve: I had to reread that as I thought you were going without breakfast!
I can get there early, 9?
And I just dressed for BSK (wet) weather for my lunchtime ride - doh!
nick: Could start at MIC if you want, although I think we'd pretty much be going past my house on the way out. It's about 5 miles from MIC to my house. I was aiming for a total of 25-30 miles based on the MIC->HDE distance
Steve 9 is fine
nick: Sort of feel like I ought to take the opportunity to see Al Stewart at the Anvil but it's pretty expensive
Tim: Or how about starting at Basingstoke?! Yes I'm just trying to wangle it so I do less riding than you two, as opposed to more. No big deal though and either way I suppose the 9:40 from HDE is looking likely.
nick: Probably will be road rather than off-road so if you bring road bike rather than mtb that would be fine Steve
Tim: That was a good ride. Legs (and body generally) ache a bit today but not too bad.
Looking at the schedules above our next opportunity isn't until November, so Wed 23rd Oct is our next meet. Like I said, I've got the day off so I'll be in town in the afternoon, game to do anything.
Tim: Excellent route. What options are there for getting a route into your ear? It cuts down on the map stops a lot. Is it only possible by planning it on a Komoot map?
nick: What options are there for getting a route into your ear? I use komoot because it lets you plot a route (using the desktop web UI) and then (after you send it to your phone and use it) it pretty much sticks to it: if you go off-plan it guides you back to the route. I had a go with google maps but the trouble with that is that it keeps trying to re-route you to find the fastest way to your destination. I guess there are other apps you can use (I can see various ones on the app store which claim to have similar functionality) but I found komoot fairly good. I use it with one ear pod connected over bluetooth. I first used it for the Ireland tour and it was invaluable - I don't think I could have written down route plans because all the roads in the country looked so similar - and have used it for other tours since then.
Tim: Looks like you can import GPS files (gpx, fit, or tcx). Seems like I ought to be able to export one of those from Bing (which has OS maps) or elsewhere.
Steve: Yes was great thanks and the vegeburgers and crossword!
Did you decide on Al Stewart? Not something I would fancy.
nick: Seems like I ought to be able to export one of those from Bing (which has OS maps) or elsewhere you can make me a map and I'll try it if you want - route me from work (TW12 4NP) to the car (Jubilee Mount car park)
TBH I quite like it when you do the map navigation, it seems quite nice to stop every so often and see where you are. But I didn't have time to plan it that way for Saturday
re: Al Stewart - no I don't think I'll be going: seems like he's potentially doing a fair amount of stuff I've never heard of. More likely (but not certain) is Focus at the Haymarket (the little theater where we saw Rob Newman, Tim). Feel I ought to try and get out to see things when possible
Steve: Def not suggesting we go but Yes are touring the UK next year and doing all of Relayer. Only Howe and White originals. Poster looks amazing.
nick: I don't really like it when they say they're going to do an album in that way:takes the surprise out of it. But: could be the last chance to see this live! I wouldn't be surprised if Tony wants to go
Steve: Well the other half of the concert is a "surprise" but with Yes is it?
I thought of an interesting project - buy (some of) the recommended top albums. What with the silly used prices I might make some discoveries with no great loss on the duff ones. I'll fob them off to you Nick. I got one this time around - Marquee Moon by Television. Certainly had way more than £2 of enjoyment out of it already.
Now which book do I use as my guide, I have a Mojo and a 1000 albums before you die one.
Tim: Relayer is probably the most consistently good Yes album, and I'm slightly surprised that they are doing it, but I can't say I really fancy going that much.
How many albums in the Mojo book, Steve?
Steve: I can't see a number but going by page numbers and if I start in the 60s, about 700?
To be honest a lot of them look pretty unsavoury like Fleetwood Mac for example!
Been listening to Joni Mitchell album Don Juan's Reckless Daughter and thinking it seems good but hard work to get to the end. Turns out it's a double LP and an hour long. Really highlights the clueless instant way you(I) can buy music now I suppose.
Steve: Wow biggest in Europe, are they mad?
They also need to use the Fopp pricing model - they are the same company.
Tim: Tina just got the all-clear. We're celebrating with huge coffees in Costa. Will be really hyper after.
nick: Excellent! So you must be pretty much on holiday for the rest of the year then? Where are you going? Pass on congrats to Tina from us
Steve: Yes great news, what a relief. Time to retire then.
BTW I watched a great film last night on iPlayer about the King of Norway during the German invasion: The King's Choice
Another interesting little episode.
Tim: Yes, we've got to try and get back into the idea of making decisions again (not that we were ever great at it). Hmmm.
nick: Thanks for the "King's Choice" film recommendation, will try and watch at the weekend.
Currently plodding though Don Quixote which is quite long. It reminds me a bit of Canterbury Tales (although I'm not sure I've actually read all of that) in that much of the book is taken up with stories and tales told by people Don Quixote meets. The language is quite nice (sentences are elegant and long and convoluted and you have to pay attention to work out what the meaning is) but I'm constantly wondering "how on earth did he translate that from Spanish and make all the rhymes and puns work?"
Tim: Wednesday - anyone know what they're doing? I'm thinking of arr. WAT 12 or 1. Looky round the Tate Modern or anywhere else.
nick: Well having said I was free Wednesday it turns out I've got customer meeting in the morning so I probably won't be taking time off (not sure how long it will go on for) and will come up in the evening so I think best is to see you in Barbican foyer
nick: I finished "Shout at the Devil" by Wilbur Smith this morning(!) - I was really impressed: I thought it would be a bit corny and naff (it's written in '68 I think) but I was quite gripped by the storyline. I see there was a film of the same name with Roger Moore, and this sounds like the sort of thing you may have seen/read Steve. So if you have any other Wilbur Smith books in those shelves of yours at the top of the stairs, I'd be interested!
Steve: Not read any - they always look too old-school.
We were actually advised to WFH today as there are noisy meetings in the office due to no rooms being available!
So see you later at Barbican. Start is 7:30 BTW.
You must have my ticket Tim else I would have paid you.
nick: Not read any - they always look too old-school. that had been my impression too, but this was a good one.
I assume tim has tickets, see you in Barbican at 7.30. I am taking afternoon off, but won't be leaving until customers have gone, and plan on going back to BSK so I can train in from there.
I will bring Steve's BBT ticket
Steve: That was great thanks. Images "algorithmically derived from Richter’s painting".
I'm still confused what we saw looking at the online programme. It only mentions a 16-minute Runner which must have been the first part.
I can't find evidence of a CD of the new piece so maybe it was a general signing.
Tim: Coincidentally I just came here to post:
I finally realise that the programme lists two pieces! Runner (2016 apparently) and Reich/Richter. Yes that's the title of the new work, NOT Runner by Reich/Richter.
Tim: Sounded like Steve Reich to me. I wouldn't mind hearing them again. Hardly seems essential though when I can just play 18 Musicians instead.
Steve: Recent charity shop £1 purchases were Art of Noise Below the Waste and Shostakovitch The Jazz Album. Piano Concerto #1 seems promising but 4 movements!
And finally I have Tea For Two on CD :)
nick: I've been listening to AoN a fair bit lately. I like "Yebo" and "Spit" off Below the Waste. Also really like the Max Headroom version of Paranoima
Steve: Got Robert Plant on at the moment, seem to be having a non-electronic phase for a while now. I think I'm going to be fine in retirement as long as I don't go deaf and my Naim doesn't go wrong. I am a bit worried that the cheap hobbies of reading, music and cycling will mean I become an even more boring person to my sons but maybe not my good old mates! Of course I won't come into contact with many other people.
nick: reading, music and cycling sound pretty idyllic to me. I don't think you're that boring Steve. I've got Djam Karet on at the moment, trying to write up appraisals.
Today is my 15th year anniversary for working here. I was at Digital/Compaq/HP for 19 years so it's conceivable I'll be here longer. It still feels like the vast bulk of my working life as at DEC though, and I've only been here "recently"
Tim: Oh great, another election. Thank goodness for the fixed term parliament act.
I just saw that our MP won't be standing, I don't know why. They'll have to find someone else for me to vote against.
nick: And the opposition seems in a bit of a mess - there are at least two websites telling you who to tactically vote for, and they don't say the same things. In the Guardian a commenter said "you don't need websites to tell you; it's obvious: if the Tories lost last time, vote for the party that beat them; if they won, vote for the party who came second". So there are three ways you "should" vote to get the Tories out.
Tim if you're interested the Winchester Skeptics talk tonight is at 7.30 in Winchester Discovery Centre.
Tim: That commenter is saying exactly what I've been saying elsewhere. Loads of people do tactical voting and always have. If it's not obvious who to vote for then it's not going to work. Luckily it is obvious, even though some people don't get it.
Can't be arsed with the talk but cheers. Maybe next time (no really).
nick: Next month's talk : Denialism - what's the alternative? sounds good. I imagine it'll be a case of preaching to the converted, although there have in the past been audience members who've disagreed with the speaker which can make things interesting
nick: Poltergeist talk last night was perhaps the weakest I've seen there. I thought that The presenter ought to have been good given her credentials (editor of Skeptic magazine and founder member of Winchester Skeptics) but it was not much more than a ramble through some notable Poltergeist cases with her reflections on likely cultural/social factors. Nothing much in the way of skeptical analysis/detailed evidence; just the opinion that lots of them (or at any rate the ones she talked about) have children involved and probably the children were just playing tricks on the grown ups.
I have higher hopes for the Denialism one next time though
Tim: Tangerine Dream have an exhibition at the Barbican library Jan 16 - May 2, and a UK tour spring/summer (I wonder where?).
And did we ever bother to actually work out that Barbakane means Barbican? Can't say I did.
Steve: Yes it was good, I was a bit embarrassed to be centre circle when Nick and Tony were off to the side with obscured view. They are prog and have their own style, other bands you keep hearing references to previous greats. Quite a lot of singing and about tangible subjects like war heroes or Voyager I. A band that perhaps has too many (great) musicians e.g. 2 lead guitarists and two keyboardists (sometimes three).
The fans were ecstatic and gave a standing ovation.
Not sure I would buy any.
And the TD thing looks worth a go, next time we are the I assume?
Steve: This doesn't come around very often: 29th Feb
Anyone apart from me up for this?
Also Art of Noise are on there in June but I'm guessing it's what we already saw?
nick: At first I assumed that was Ronnie Scott’s which implied a start time of 11pm or something. But jazz cafe might be a bit earlier I’d be up for that Steve
Steve: OK noted, it's the day D comes back from India but hey-ho.
Remember how good he was at Bluedot.
nick: Thanks Steve, I paid you £19. What about I pay you for Tim's as well, then I don't owe him so much for the Reich ticket the other day?
nick: On the way back from BBT, I was talking with Tony about the three-body problem in the context of determinism. I hadn't quite appreciated this, but
A (simple) argument for determinism is that if you know the position/motion of every object in a closed system, you can predict exactly what state the system will be in after any time. Therefore, everything is (in theory, anyway) pre-determined.
But three-body problem shows it is provably impossible to predict what will happen in any system that has just three bodies in it. Let alone a large number. I can't quite get my head around that. Tony said it's like saying "if all you know is that (x+y)=10, you cannot tell what x and y are". I still can't get my head around it though. Even after reading the Wikipedia page I can't really believe it's provably impossible.
I don't remember this from the Liu Cixin book (although I didn't actually finish it)
Steve: Here's a laugh, Paul gives me 2 nice new wheels for my Dawes - 10 speed.
Luckily very near home, first time out the narrow chain jams between the front cogs - we forgot to take the older spacing of the 6/7/8-speed into account.
So, what to do, new 10-speed crank or back to 8-speed? Has to be the miserly 8-speed for me then! Tougher cheaper chains.
nick: So the front chain rings are spaced differently for a 8 vs 10 speed rear? I didn't know that - I thought the only consideration for chain width was the number of gears on the rear cassette.
"There are, at the time of writing, 5 online tools that try to help you work out how to vote tactically". So says that website, which explains how to make sense of them and what to do when they say different things (which they do for Luton South - not sure if that's you Steve?)
Steve: Yes I am Luton South. No idea who to vote for so probably will give it a miss. I can't bear either of the main two.
2 Luton MPs - both Labour, one suspended due to allegations in 2017 so is independent, the other (mine) jumped to Change UK and is now also independent!
nick: No idea who to vote for so probably will give it a miss
I suppose you could spoil your ballot (maybe lots of people will do this).
Or vote Green? I'm a Green party member, although I'm not comfortable with all their policies I do feel that voting for them at least may have the effect of pushing the green issue up the agenda
It's really frustrating that our system means that whoever gets in claims a mandate for their whole manifesto ("this is what people voted for"), even though voters might only have gone for them because they liked some of the policies.
nick: Went to see Steve Hackett again in Reading on Saturday. I was surprised at how much of "Spectral Mornings" I recognised (he played a lot of that in the first set). The Genesis stuff was pretty good too:I thought perhaps I've heard it live too often, but it was still thrilling (plenty of bass pedals going on). One of the band played e-wind instruments, and was playing of the some lead keyboard lines in cinema show (as well as bass pedals) which worked really well.
Apparently Big Big Train are playing a warm-up gig in June(?) next year at Aylesbury if you're interested Steve (they've put the picture of us on their home page: I can see Tony, and my arm, and presume you're in there somewhere
Steve: I will pass on that offer thanks. I was not standing, so pretty sure will not be visible in the photo ha ha.
nick: I understand Tim and Tina are going to be going to the Canaries shortly. Hope you have a good time, and get lots of photos, because when you come back it'll be about time for a new blog entry I reckon
nick: Ella has been telling people about this "Against Dairy" video (I watched it, and it's fairly measured rather than ranty, but still quite upsetting). As a result, Ryan has become vegan. Lesley also is going to switch to being vegan (once all the cheese in the fridge has been used up). My mum is on to plant milk now.
Steve: So this Netflix film is making waves although it could be cherry-picking evidence: The Game Changers. One of Paul's die-hard meat eaters is switching. It answered every question I ever had as well.
Last night this was harrowing: Meat: A Threat to Our Planet? presented by the lady I spotted at Bluedot.
nick: Yes, someone here mentioned that they knew people who'd become vegan after watching "The Game Changers". Incluing the CEO of Greggs!
I did see the start of the TV programme you mention last night, but had to switch over. I can't even watch the David Attenborough BBC nature programmes now, I just get too upset by the seeing the beauty that we're trashing.
Going to the Basingstoke election hustings next week (they're being hosted at my church). I'm not actually in the Basingstoke constituency but they were interesting last time. I submitted my question:
What changes have you made in your own life in response to your concerns about climate change, and how will you
personally go about pressing for this issue to be addressed by parliament?
Not sure how likely it will be to get put though
Steve: I have The Whirlwind which is very good but long. I also have SMPT-e but could not get into it - let me try again. Bombastic would be a one-word summary.
I saw the Neal Morse band a few years ago with Flower Kings supporting. Completely amazing. Mike Portnoy was drumming.
nick: Went to the Basingstoke hustings last night. It was interesting. I'm not in the BSK constituency but if I had been, I'd have switched my vote from Green to Labour. I have a lot of misgivings about Labour party but the candidate was really good: you felt that she really meant what she said and that she had experience that would be useful (she's deaf, has disabled child, has been involved in special needs teaching, campaigned against fracking...). I thought "that's the kind of person we want in parliament". Green candidate sort of said the right kind of stuff but he didn't come across nearly as passionately. Tory incumbent (57% last time) predictably slick and slippery and went for cheap applause lines about getting Brexit done. Independent (ex-UKIP) candidate was also very good; obviously meant what he said and didn't seem "gammon" at all, very sincere about Brexit and other stuff (he was good on my green question: said he'd given up a car 6 years ago and his shop only sold recycled stuff - he owns an antique shop)
It made me feel hopeful that there are people who are in politics who aren't about spin and are doing it because they believe in what they're standing for
Steve: There is this happening next year but I'm guessing we have been there seen it done it: Kraftwerk London
And it can't be as good an experience as last time, if a lot nearer.
40,000 people as opposed to 20,000.
Although The Orb are also there.
Tim: Not a bad holiday cheers but I had a cold for the duration. Still better than being here.
I wouldn't mind seeing Kraftwerk again, just not yet though.
And it's election day, hurrah, I can't wait to vote later.
nick: Got home about 10.30 last night, saw the exit polls, went to bed. Didn't want
to stay up and be miserable all night. In fact I don't feel as bad as I'd
thought I would, so I guess my subconscious must have priced in a Tory
landslide. Oh well.
I see Labour won both Luton N and S. Conservatives won in BSK and NW Hants
nick: Hildur won an Emmy! I haven't seen the TV series but perhaps Steve has?
Skeptics talk on flat earth's last night - sorry but forgot to invite you Tim.
The speaker was very good (he works for a charity that aims to influence
people and politics by promoting science, and has had some success in getting
homeopathy out of NHS.
When I've brought up the subject of flat earth at work (having listened to
podcasts) people always start asking me "so how to they explain XXX then?" as
if I should be defending it. There was a bit of that in the Q&A last night,
but main points he made were that (a) there are lots of different (mutually
inconsistent) explanations for how flat earth works; (b) most of believers
seem to have concluded it's right because of what their senses tell them ("the
horizon is flat", "airline pilots don't continually have to angle their planes
downwards when flying") and then look for rationalisations. So when talking to
them you need to know (a) which variant of flat earth they subscribe to, and
(b) that any arguments they come up with are not the reasons they believe;
they're just reasons to back up their belief: you're not going to argue
anyone out of their belief; the best you can hope is to plant ideas that they
might investigate that will get them to go away and maybe review where they
stand (he's spoken to various FE proponents; the ones who are seriously bought
into it are too far gone, but people on the fringes may be rescuable). It's
very hard for anyone to admit "I was completely wrong about that"
Said that recent resurgence (early 2000s?) was sparked by newsgroup
discussions where there was one bunch of fairly unsophisticated readers who
thought there might be something in FE, and another bunch who were
deliberately trolling, as a sort of intellectual challenge to come up with
plausible-sounding arguments about how "gravity" might work if the earth was
flat. These arguments are hard to counter unless you have a fairly good
scientific background and became used by the true believers. Says that these
trolls have pretty much gone now (no more challenge) but the ideas they
introduce persist.
Also interesting about the rise of the phenomena (which he says he thinks is
now in decline). Of a survey he did (at a FE conference I think), he said that
all but one of the people said they'd come to believe it based on watching
youtube videos. The last person said he'd been persuaded by his son, who'd
watched a youtube video. Said that in the early days of search engines,
people tried to game search results in order to have their website appear at
the top of the rankings. There was a sort of arms race as Google fixed their
algorithms and SEO came up with new ways, which google then blocked etc.. The
point being that it's in google's interest to deliver relevant results, so
they try and prevent gaming of the system. With youtube it's different:
youtube wants people to watch videos for as long as possible. So videos with
catchy titles "9/11 towers were hollow" are likely to get views - either from
people who believe that, or people who want to ridicule the idea, or from
researchers who want to understand why such videos are made - and youtube
doesn't care who's watching as long as people are watching. And if you watch
one of those, youtube will suggest more of the same, based on how many other
people have watched them. So there is a non-virtuous circle where people who
start watching FE videos will be fed further ones
He's doing the same talk in
Bedford next month Steve so you could go
Steve: No not seen that TV, Sky I think?
And I'm firmly back in hermit territory thanks, I really struggle to get enthusiasm to go out in the evening.
Tim: So that you can't say I didn't tell you:
TD are having some sort of event thing at the Barbican library in January connected to the exhibition that will be on.
nick: Happy new year
I don't currently have any excuse of being busy for the TD thing but I'm not particularly attracted
Had a fairly busy Christmas with people staying, all of whom had colds. I luckily missed out until they went home on 28th and I've been feeling rough ever since. Probably well enough to go back to work tomorrow but see how I feel.
I have an annual reminder in my diary to do my tax return at the end of the year, and I've kept "snoozing" it until finally getting round to getting the P60 out to do it today. Made a list of all the figures, then logged into HMRC to find I already completed the 2019 tax return back in April (must have been just after I got the P60). So that was nice.
Need to catch up with my book reviews though because I'm about 8 months behind. Many of the books I've read since then I probably can't remember.
i did get "The Cruel Sea" as a present, following recommendations from Steve. Looking forward to reading that one. Currently working through "The Forsyte Saga" (another suggestion from Steve I think). I bought a kindle version which is the complete set of novels/stories and it looks like it is pretty long. It tells me I'm 4% through and have 59hours of reading still to go. So perhaps I won't read all the books in one go
nick: One of my resolutions last year was "be vegan" which I think I mostly managed. Unfortunate accidental milk over Christmas in a cup of tea that Ken made for me. Come to think of it, I hadn't been sick since last Christmas, but have since had a cold. So maybe I've developed lactose intolerance already. Probably need a Greggs vegan sausage roll to make myself feel better
And time for a new post/pic Tim?
Steve: Hmm that exhibition day seems terribly vague on what you are getting above the free version.
Greggs are doing a vegan steak bake now so life became even better.
I intend to become vegan, just not sure when. The freezer will need to be "run down". Deborah is very tolerant food-wise. I've been pretty close for a while although there is wool and honey to watch out for.
Would be a great way to not get any more chocolate next Christmas.
I do a tax return every year and get about £300 back. Maybe I would get that anyway but seems unlikely.
Currently reading Hornet Flight by Ken Follett which is good but too much faff and not enough WW2 spy stuff.
Caught up on a missing Hans Fallada on my Nook recently so will try more e-books from the library. Night-light is a boon.
And I don't get colds now I rarely go on public transport, fab.
nick: I think you need to persuade Deborah to go vegan Steve, it makes it dead easy when the person preparing the food is vegan. Ryan, Ella and Lesley are all vegan, and Caitlin (Ella's cousin) is doing Veganuary. Spencer is also vegan, although when we babysat over New Year and tried to feed him vegan formula from the bottle, he wasn't very keen (I imagine it tastes pretty bad).
Lesley made a peach curry over Christmas which was surprisingly fab, and I could taste it even though I had a cold.
Steve: Sadly there is no chance Deborah will go vegan. She insists that she needs to eat dairy to prevent osteo problems.
And all baby food tastes vile to adults with the lack of sugar and salt so it would surely be impossible to tell if vegan formula is worse than dairy!
nick: Still trying to shake off this cold - I can't believe it's going on so long; I thought I'd be feeling dodgy for a couple of days, and scoffed at Wikipedia's claim that the average duration of cough is eighteen day but I think it may be right. Wikipedia also says the average adult gets 2-3 colds a year. There must be a heck of a lot of people getting more than that then, because I don't see that many absences from work in my office.
I'm really looking forward to the feeling of not having it any more and realising how lovely it is to be well
Steve: Randonee this year? Trying to get in early this time diary-wise. Note that this is no longer the early May bank holiday weekend.
Looks like Portsmouth are away on the 3rd.
Tim: Indeed I see that we're playing Burton that day, where I was on Sunday (Burton 2-4 Northampton).
Tim: While we're at it, what other dates have we got? Max Richter 17 Feb.
Tom Middleton 29 Feb. Owt else?
nick: I didn't have the Richter thing in my calendar. What time is it? The link I have doesn't give any details.
My calendar does have "seventh wave festival of electronic music" from 6-8 March but I don't think we've actually booked that
Nothing else I can see for us apart from Randonnee
Steve: And D is in India 15th Feb, home 29th. So there could be possibilities, for example, again Portsmouth away on the 22nd :)
The Sunday of that festival looks good, but D has already booked me in on something.
nick: I'm fairly free for 15-29th. Was this the fortnight we were going to do a cycling tour of the outer Hebrides? Maybe we could get a cheap Eurostar to visit some nice place in France
I managed to hire someone last June but he handed his notice in and is leaving (commute was too difficult) so I now have TWO posts to fill. Feel free to point people in my direction. I have seen quite a few candidates who are really not that great but there must be decent developers out there somewhere
nick: Just had a CV from someone who includes in their qualifications "Time Magazine Person of the Year 2006". And I checked, and he's not wrong. But perhaps it's not quite so impressive as it might seem. Caught my attention though
nick: Great! Do you want me to try and book it? I'll ask Tony too, he probably would be interested. We've been to that venue before - similar size to the Brook so you'll get a good view
nick: Tickets not on sale until 20-Jan but I'll make a note to book then. I assume Tim wants one too, maybe even Tina?
nick: I didn’t know he’d been ill. pleased that we got to see them play a few times. And I’ve been listening to permanent waves and vapour trails this week. Maybe should try clockwork angels again.
nick: I am listening to a dynamic playlist at the moment of "tracks that have a play count of 7, in random order". Some of them I'm really surprised to think I've listened to them as many as seven times ("Rain Machine" by Subsonic Park but nothing else off that album) and some I can't believe I've only listened to them seven times ("Jacob's Ladder"). Currently there are 256 tracks left; when I've finished this, I'll try a playlist of "tracks that have a play count of 8". Oh wait.. hang on...
Steve: I simply cannot get on with Clockwork Angels - the only Rush album that has failed me.
And I've never heard of Subsonic Park - what happened there?
nick: It's this - I assumed it had got to me after doing the rounds with you two but perhaps Tim gave it to me to pass on to you and I forgot.
Tim needs to do a new post: the only recent pictures I've got are of babies and cats so I'm relying on a good Canary Island one from him
Also, suggestion for trip for us (no doubt Steve has already been but I haven't) Duxford from the same person who recommended Bovington.
Tim: Duxford looks good. Wasn't there another air collection we were supposed to do?
That Subsonic Park is a spare if anyone wants it, and if they don't then Neil might.
Meanwhile Tina's had the results of her post-surgery blood test: her remaining hemithyroid is working fine.
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nick: As it happens, I did think after writing it that perhaps I ought to have qualify my suggestion in just that way.Yes, I was thinking just of going over there and doing a bit of it. Could maybe do the little train again (I've never done that since we were last there, which was 4-Jun-2010) and I think there are cycle paths that are ex-railway lines around there.
nick: Mmm fair point - eye test is 9.10am, how long do they last, about half an hour? Could drive to portsmouth I suppose, and be there in time for 11am ferry but you're right it's not leaving so much time. Or I could postpone the eye test I suppose, and we could start earlier. Tim: I'm seeing 2h 20m from MIC which might save a bit of stuffing around if I join you on the train. Tim: Possible hitch: there's a big music festival at Portsmouth this weekend (my football fixture was postponed as a result). Could be mayhem. Tim: Actually, this is getting annoying. Why oh why oh why can't we ever sort anything out more than two days in advance? How about we just do a normal trundle this time and an IOW ride next? There must be a possible date we can all make? Steve: I would agree (didn't know you got annoyed Tim), let's do the simple option this time.Shall we train to you and head back to BSK this time?
BTW I do have a book of rides with a 22 mile one around Odiham near Fleet entitled "Basingstoke Canal". Maybe another time.
Tim: I can line up some tucker here, or meet you at the station and go, as appropriate. Keep me posted re ETA. nick: Tim do you think you could arrange a route that goes over the Winchester viaduct thing? I've never found it again since the time you last took us that way. Must be near Winchester though.Steve I assume you are coming in the car (as opposed to bringing the bike on the train)? In which case if you want to aim for my house at 10:30am I should be back from the optician by then. Trains from MIC are at 10 past the hour so we could aim for 11:10 if that sounds OK
Steve: Yes got that thanks. Car yes, a day trip by train is very long. Although traffic for a bank holiday could be savage. Tim: Ok lunch about 12 then we'll be off. I'll have a look at the map later - Hockey Viaduct is at J11. Steve: It seems that the "pie" range has increased for vegans with some cheaper options: https://www.pieminister.co.uk/meetpatty/ nick: They had the pasty things in our Sainsburys so I've got one for my lunch (as well as some salad-y bits from Lesley: the pasty things aren't that big) Steve: Equally importantly, did you go to Bournemouth?We stayed at home in the end - too hot and crowded to go anywhere we thought.
And I've just unearthed that pile of CDs...
nick: did you go to Bournemouth? we didn't - Lesley's back was not too good and she wasn't up for the walk from Bourmemouth station to the beach. We stayed home and got hot in the garden instead! Your basil is going well and we are using it for meals thanks. Tim: No pie news here.But I can report that my bum hurt on Sunday.
We went to Portsmouth on the train and it was manic (wouldn't have fancied trying to get a bike on) and had a wander round Old Portsmouth and thereabouts, an area we never go to these days. Then along the sea to the common where the festival was on. It was fenced off but we could still hear Ziggy Marley for free, I've always been a reggae fan.
nick: I finished the audiobook of "Birdcage Walk" by Helen Dunmore yesterday - it was pretty bad. In the afterword she says she wrote it while she was (unknown to her at the time) suffering from what would be a terminal illness, so I can't help but wonder if some of the better reviews are being kind for that reason. She said that she wanted to write stories about people who history had forgotten, but in this case I think history may have done the right thing.I reserved "Sweet Tooth" by Ian McEwan for my next book (I've read it before and liked it), and that will be available tomorrow. So I had a day to listen to the BBC's ten hour dramatisation of Proust. Listened to the first bit on the way in today, got past the madeleine episode within the first twenty minutes so it must be pretty abridged. But it didn't do it for me, so it'll be podcasts on the way home
nick: Came across this and thought I’d just listen to the intro, couldn’t help watching it all https://youtu.be/8yVWwjI932k Tim: And after that Close to the Edge starts. I don't know who sings for Yes these days but they should probably have a woman. From up north ideally.Actual news: Tina's got an op scheduled for the 11th. There are certain risks obv., but mostly it sounds relatively minor.
Steve: Greatly appreciate the update Tim, best wishes to Tina as ever.So I got speaker stands nearby for £20 - bargain really. Gets the Missions off the window sill and removes bass boom!
Just been to Leeds, not a bad art gallery with a Gormley scale model for massive Leeds station statue that never happened: Brick Man
nick: Good to hear about progress for Tina, I'll be praying for her.That statue looks like it would have been amazing but I can't help wonder how much actual creativity he's showing. I mean, anyone could do that, if they had enough bricks and planning permission.
Tim: It doesn't seem to be bursting with originality. Even the title is dull. And maybe if that had been built we wouldn't have had the Angel OTN, which I quite like. Steve: But it's in such a crap location!!!!Also one of the galleries had some stunning paintings in it with a Damien Hurst sheep in a box in the middle of the floor. What *is* the point? The level of skill is embarrassing in that context.
And I ditched The Blind Assassin and am reading Scandalous Risks by Susan Howatch. (Another terrible title.) Learning lots of church vocabulary for crosswords. But really more desperate to finish it and get onto an Alan Furst WW2 resistance one I got from a charity shop at the weekend.
nick: Ella and Ryan had their baby boy last night: Spencer Ryan Brazier. We were at the hospital with them in the evening and they seem pretty happy. They're hoping to come home today. i have to get used to being called Grampy now, which - because my Grampy always seemed so old to me - feels a bit strange.Well done for giving up on the book: I think that's sometimes necessary although personally I always find it difficult.
I read all the six Susan Howatch CofE books and did enjoy them. Still working through the Ken Follet "Century" trilogy and am now into book three, where it's 1960 at the moment and the "Freedom Riders" are making bus journeys through the American South and getting horrendously attacked.
Tim: Hurrah! But I think they said Grumpy.Speaking of which, I listen to Close to the Edge just ONCE, and end up with it stuck in my head all week, argh.
Steve: Great news - you can start offloading all of the baby gear.Hmm playing tunes Tim, there madness lies.
Still not dared to try the TD albums.
Currently researching snap-proof locks - as if I didn't have enough top worry about.
And wondering whether to move my pension funds into safe investments before they do it by default. Is a crash due?
nick: I've been inspired to listen to more early Yes as well. Bill Bruford really is goodWhat is a "snap-proof lock"?
I have no idea what to do with investments, I think it's probably a mugs game to try and second guess what will happen - I've heard it's best to pick a low-cost index tracker, and even if there's a crash you'll probably be OK (tracker funds lost money in the 2008 crisis but after a couple of years had regained what they lost, or so I heard). My pension started moving increasing proportions into "safe" funds a couple of years ago. Don't know how safe they are though (e.g. I hope they're not £sterling!)
Steve: I'll do the worrying on locks.And the issue with trackers is where is the market when you want to take them out. But I suppose, draw-down is less prone.
Finally got First Circle on CD - sounds pretty familiar. Must have borrowed it.
Did they do some of this when we saw them at Hammersmith, them walking towards the stage playing as they went?
nick: Did they do some of this when we saw them at Hammersmith, them walking towards the stage playing as they went? Yes! I remember that - they walked in doing the first track I think. And didn't Fripp and the League of Crafty Guitarists do something similar when we saw them at the South Bank? I think in the Q&A someone asked "why did you do that?" but I can't remember what the answer was Steve: Some funky percussion which reminded me of the home-made cow-bell sequencer.And I played CttE last night and really enjoyed it - the new Steven Wilson mix. No ear worm.
nick: First Circle! Some great tunes on there, I must avoid listening to it too late for me: I'm halfway through it now Steve: Tim I just found Fennesz Live at Revolver - did you give this to me Tim or have I badly misplaced your copy? (Was in a jazz box set!)And I don't remember the crafty guitarists leaving their setas :)
Tim: No idea, I'll check. It's quite possible I foisted it on you; I was very impressed with it at the time. Steve: Thought so, I was fairly sure it was mine. Well done for finding it, being a cardboard slip-case. Time to rip it then! Tim: Oops! Quick update sorry- she's been postponed until next Thursday. And she's got to check in at 7:30 am, gah. Steve: So back on the weekend theme, what Tim said for not great:Sep 7, 28
Oct 12
Nov 2, 16
Dec 7, 21
What I have possibly free:
Oct 5/6
Nov 2/3
Nov 9/10
Nov 30/1
Dec 7/8
Tim: Also gradually approaching is some Steve Reich premier at the Barbi on Wed 23rd October. Great news I spotted the other day is that it starts at 7:30pm and only lasts about an hour (there's a second performance at 9:30). nick: I'm not getting reliable emails from the blog so only just noticed Steve's post from this morning. For the dates Steve mentions:Oct 5/6 - Sat OK for me, Sun I have church duty
Nov 2/3 - Sat OK for me, Sun I have church duty
Nov 9/10 - good for me
Nov 30/1 - good for me
Dec 7/8 - good for me
nick: Addendum to the above - in fact I'm busy Sat Nov 2 in the evening because I'm going to see Big Big Train with Tony. I remembered because Tony just texted me and said he's got a spare ticket. Anyone want it? I think Steve has heard of them nick: Ok yes please.I've let Tony know. Sorry but due to lack of mail from the blog, I only just saw your reply (10.34am this morning). I'll confirm with you what he says
Tim: I'm just back from the hozzy, everything massively delayed but otherwise straightforward apparently. After getting over the general anaesthetic Tina seems largely unaffected. Was promised some hoarseness (temporary or permanent) but not much of that even. She automatically gets kept in overnight but hopefully due for an 8am checkout. Test results on removed bits in a fortnight. Steve: Lovely weather Fri/Sat thanks near St Ives & Ely. Got one ride in - actually a bit hilly where we were.Adults only site (which sounds dodgy) but is the way forward, makes you feel young compared to the rest!
And the Supreme Court has ruled against...
nick: gmail caught a spam today from "Steve Bachini " I wonder how they did that?I have had several addressed to "nick57@nickoh.com" with a subject of "Ellaella" saying "this is to prove we know your password, send us bitcoins or else". I am pretty sure this came from a linkedin breach (see https://haveibeenpwned.com and check the username "nick57@nickoh.com") but I changed that ages ago and don't believe I use it anywhere. But it is initially a bit of a shock to get an email like that.
nick: gmail caught a spam today from "Steve Bachini " I wonder how they did that? that is not appearing properly on the blog web page but the address it said it came from was "sbachini@hakko-house.jp" Steve: Yeah I had a blackmail one that showed me my old LinkedIn password, horrible.Heard Thom York on R4 Desert Island Disks so been having a Radiohead week at 51A.
What I liked was they were offered a record deal on a demo and decided to go to uni first then come back to it.
A lot of it is not big on tunes Tim :) D will attest to that!
Tim: Well I still seem to be available for the 5th and thereabouts. The weather guesscast is light rain so far. Steve: Shall I do the usual and visit BSK for the day then?And yes this is the Birmingham thing we considered this year so I'm up for it. But no Barbieri???
Birmingham has a great museum, canal and probably music shops.
nick: Sat 5th still clear with me. Lesley is away in the Scilly Isles this week and I think she's not back until Sunday so she won't be around. If you are coming to BSK then maybe worth trying the Basingstoke Canal thing? I have no idea what the weather will be like though. Is the route online anywhere?I pencilled in the Birmingham weekend for next year
Steve: Weather still says rain.It looks like someone has put it on there: Odiham And Basingstoke Canal
Tim: That route is near Hook station, but guess what? Engineering works at Hook this Sat, and replacement buses. Steve: 3 bikes and 3 passengers is not really doable even in my car.I recently bought a secondhand bike rack but can't undo the towbar bolts to fit it.
Tim: Just for future reference, I see that another ride option for that canal is to do the full length of it, Hook to Woking or one of the small stations beyond. nick: I'm not sure how much that route goes adjacent to the canal. I can come up with another circular route around that side of BSK if you fancy it (we sometimes got through Odiham on the saturday morning rides), or could to MIC<->HDE or not a bike ride at all. We have "staff lunch" every other Thursday here, and the company provides lunch (usually gets from Waitrose or Sainsbury or local Deli or takeaway). It was suggested some time ago that we could have a fully vegan lunch, so I offered to help cater for that, not appreciating that it coincided with the week Lesley's in the Scilly Isles. So I was cooking for most of yesterday afternoon and have brought in a load of stuff today. It's not as easy as Lesley makes it look
Tim: How about this time we do a circular route from yours which reaches the canal, then another time we start from Hook and go further along it, etc. nick: ok well if you both can get to my house in the morning I can do a route from there that goes eastwards and touches the canal at some point. I can do breakfast before and dinner after. Heads up we have two new kittens who might be running around a bit at home Tim: Is there any mileage (literally) in me skipping breakfast and you do a route that starts at MIC and ends at yours? Steve: I had to reread that as I thought you were going without breakfast!I can get there early, 9?
And I just dressed for BSK (wet) weather for my lunchtime ride - doh!
nick: Could start at MIC if you want, although I think we'd pretty much be going past my house on the way out. It's about 5 miles from MIC to my house. I was aiming for a total of 25-30 miles based on the MIC->HDE distanceSteve 9 is fine
nick: Sort of feel like I ought to take the opportunity to see Al Stewart at the Anvil but it's pretty expensive Tim: Or how about starting at Basingstoke?! Yes I'm just trying to wangle it so I do less riding than you two, as opposed to more. No big deal though and either way I suppose the 9:40 from HDE is looking likely. nick: Probably will be road rather than off-road so if you bring road bike rather than mtb that would be fine Steve Tim: That was a good ride. Legs (and body generally) ache a bit today but not too bad.Looking at the schedules above our next opportunity isn't until November, so Wed 23rd Oct is our next meet. Like I said, I've got the day off so I'll be in town in the afternoon, game to do anything.
Tim: Excellent route. What options are there for getting a route into your ear? It cuts down on the map stops a lot. Is it only possible by planning it on a Komoot map? nick: What options are there for getting a route into your ear? I use komoot because it lets you plot a route (using the desktop web UI) and then (after you send it to your phone and use it) it pretty much sticks to it: if you go off-plan it guides you back to the route. I had a go with google maps but the trouble with that is that it keeps trying to re-route you to find the fastest way to your destination. I guess there are other apps you can use (I can see various ones on the app store which claim to have similar functionality) but I found komoot fairly good. I use it with one ear pod connected over bluetooth. I first used it for the Ireland tour and it was invaluable - I don't think I could have written down route plans because all the roads in the country looked so similar - and have used it for other tours since then. Tim: Looks like you can import GPS files (gpx, fit, or tcx). Seems like I ought to be able to export one of those from Bing (which has OS maps) or elsewhere. Steve: Yes was great thanks and the vegeburgers and crossword!Did you decide on Al Stewart? Not something I would fancy.
nick: Seems like I ought to be able to export one of those from Bing (which has OS maps) or elsewhere you can make me a map and I'll try it if you want - route me from work (TW12 4NP) to the car (Jubilee Mount car park)TBH I quite like it when you do the map navigation, it seems quite nice to stop every so often and see where you are. But I didn't have time to plan it that way for Saturday
re: Al Stewart - no I don't think I'll be going: seems like he's potentially doing a fair amount of stuff I've never heard of. More likely (but not certain) is Focus at the Haymarket (the little theater where we saw Rob Newman, Tim). Feel I ought to try and get out to see things when possible
Steve: Def not suggesting we go but Yes are touring the UK next year and doing all of Relayer. Only Howe and White originals. Poster looks amazing. nick: I don't really like it when they say they're going to do an album in that way:takes the surprise out of it. But: could be the last chance to see this live! I wouldn't be surprised if Tony wants to go Steve: Well the other half of the concert is a "surprise" but with Yes is it?I thought of an interesting project - buy (some of) the recommended top albums. What with the silly used prices I might make some discoveries with no great loss on the duff ones. I'll fob them off to you Nick. I got one this time around - Marquee Moon by Television. Certainly had way more than £2 of enjoyment out of it already.
Now which book do I use as my guide, I have a Mojo and a 1000 albums before you die one.
Tim: Relayer is probably the most consistently good Yes album, and I'm slightly surprised that they are doing it, but I can't say I really fancy going that much.How many albums in the Mojo book, Steve?
Steve: I can't see a number but going by page numbers and if I start in the 60s, about 700?To be honest a lot of them look pretty unsavoury like Fleetwood Mac for example!
Been listening to Joni Mitchell album Don Juan's Reckless Daughter and thinking it seems good but hard work to get to the end. Turns out it's a double LP and an hour long. Really highlights the clueless instant way you(I) can buy music now I suppose.
Steve: Wow biggest in Europe, are they mad?They also need to use the Fopp pricing model - they are the same company.
Tim: Tina just got the all-clear. We're celebrating with huge coffees in Costa. Will be really hyper after. nick: Excellent! So you must be pretty much on holiday for the rest of the year then? Where are you going? Pass on congrats to Tina from us Steve: Yes great news, what a relief. Time to retire then.BTW I watched a great film last night on iPlayer about the King of Norway during the German invasion: The King's Choice
Another interesting little episode.
Tim: Yes, we've got to try and get back into the idea of making decisions again (not that we were ever great at it). Hmmm. nick: Thanks for the "King's Choice" film recommendation, will try and watch at the weekend.Currently plodding though Don Quixote which is quite long. It reminds me a bit of Canterbury Tales (although I'm not sure I've actually read all of that) in that much of the book is taken up with stories and tales told by people Don Quixote meets. The language is quite nice (sentences are elegant and long and convoluted and you have to pay attention to work out what the meaning is) but I'm constantly wondering "how on earth did he translate that from Spanish and make all the rhymes and puns work?"
Tim: Wednesday - anyone know what they're doing? I'm thinking of arr. WAT 12 or 1. Looky round the Tate Modern or anywhere else. nick: Well having said I was free Wednesday it turns out I've got customer meeting in the morning so I probably won't be taking time off (not sure how long it will go on for) and will come up in the evening so I think best is to see you in Barbican foyer nick: I finished "Shout at the Devil" by Wilbur Smith this morning(!) - I was really impressed: I thought it would be a bit corny and naff (it's written in '68 I think) but I was quite gripped by the storyline. I see there was a film of the same name with Roger Moore, and this sounds like the sort of thing you may have seen/read Steve. So if you have any other Wilbur Smith books in those shelves of yours at the top of the stairs, I'd be interested! Steve: Not read any - they always look too old-school.We were actually advised to WFH today as there are noisy meetings in the office due to no rooms being available!
So see you later at Barbican. Start is 7:30 BTW.
You must have my ticket Tim else I would have paid you.
nick: Not read any - they always look too old-school. that had been my impression too, but this was a good one.I assume tim has tickets, see you in Barbican at 7.30. I am taking afternoon off, but won't be leaving until customers have gone, and plan on going back to BSK so I can train in from there.
I will bring Steve's BBT ticket
Steve: That was great thanks. Images "algorithmically derived from Richter’s painting".I'm still confused what we saw looking at the online programme. It only mentions a 16-minute Runner which must have been the first part.
I can't find evidence of a CD of the new piece so maybe it was a general signing.
Tim: Coincidentally I just came here to post:I finally realise that the programme lists two pieces! Runner (2016 apparently) and Reich/Richter. Yes that's the title of the new work, NOT Runner by Reich/Richter.
Tim: Sounded like Steve Reich to me. I wouldn't mind hearing them again. Hardly seems essential though when I can just play 18 Musicians instead. Steve: Recent charity shop £1 purchases were Art of Noise Below the Waste and Shostakovitch The Jazz Album. Piano Concerto #1 seems promising but 4 movements!And finally I have Tea For Two on CD :)
nick: I've been listening to AoN a fair bit lately. I like "Yebo" and "Spit" off Below the Waste. Also really like the Max Headroom version of Paranoima Steve: Got Robert Plant on at the moment, seem to be having a non-electronic phase for a while now. I think I'm going to be fine in retirement as long as I don't go deaf and my Naim doesn't go wrong. I am a bit worried that the cheap hobbies of reading, music and cycling will mean I become an even more boring person to my sons but maybe not my good old mates! Of course I won't come into contact with many other people. nick: reading, music and cycling sound pretty idyllic to me. I don't think you're that boring Steve. I've got Djam Karet on at the moment, trying to write up appraisals.Today is my 15th year anniversary for working here. I was at Digital/Compaq/HP for 19 years so it's conceivable I'll be here longer. It still feels like the vast bulk of my working life as at DEC though, and I've only been here "recently"
Tim: Oh great, another election. Thank goodness for the fixed term parliament act.I just saw that our MP won't be standing, I don't know why. They'll have to find someone else for me to vote against.
nick: And the opposition seems in a bit of a mess - there are at least two websites telling you who to tactically vote for, and they don't say the same things. In the Guardian a commenter said "you don't need websites to tell you; it's obvious: if the Tories lost last time, vote for the party that beat them; if they won, vote for the party who came second". So there are three ways you "should" vote to get the Tories out.Tim if you're interested the Winchester Skeptics talk tonight is at 7.30 in Winchester Discovery Centre.
Tim: That commenter is saying exactly what I've been saying elsewhere. Loads of people do tactical voting and always have. If it's not obvious who to vote for then it's not going to work. Luckily it is obvious, even though some people don't get it.Can't be arsed with the talk but cheers. Maybe next time (no really).
nick: Next month's talk : Denialism - what's the alternative? sounds good. I imagine it'll be a case of preaching to the converted, although there have in the past been audience members who've disagreed with the speaker which can make things interesting nick: Poltergeist talk last night was perhaps the weakest I've seen there. I thought that The presenter ought to have been good given her credentials (editor of Skeptic magazine and founder member of Winchester Skeptics) but it was not much more than a ramble through some notable Poltergeist cases with her reflections on likely cultural/social factors. Nothing much in the way of skeptical analysis/detailed evidence; just the opinion that lots of them (or at any rate the ones she talked about) have children involved and probably the children were just playing tricks on the grown ups.I have higher hopes for the Denialism one next time though
Tim: Tangerine Dream have an exhibition at the Barbican library Jan 16 - May 2, and a UK tour spring/summer (I wonder where?).And did we ever bother to actually work out that Barbakane means Barbican? Can't say I did.
Steve: Yes it was good, I was a bit embarrassed to be centre circle when Nick and Tony were off to the side with obscured view. They are prog and have their own style, other bands you keep hearing references to previous greats. Quite a lot of singing and about tangible subjects like war heroes or Voyager I. A band that perhaps has too many (great) musicians e.g. 2 lead guitarists and two keyboardists (sometimes three).The fans were ecstatic and gave a standing ovation.
Not sure I would buy any.
And the TD thing looks worth a go, next time we are the I assume?
Steve: This doesn't come around very often: 29th FebAnyone apart from me up for this?
Also Art of Noise are on there in June but I'm guessing it's what we already saw?
nick: At first I assumed that was Ronnie Scott’s which implied a start time of 11pm or something. But jazz cafe might be a bit earlier I’d be up for that Steve Steve: OK noted, it's the day D comes back from India but hey-ho.Remember how good he was at Bluedot.
nick: Thanks Steve, I paid you £19. What about I pay you for Tim's as well, then I don't owe him so much for the Reich ticket the other day? nick: On the way back from BBT, I was talking with Tony about the three-body problem in the context of determinism. I hadn't quite appreciated this, butA (simple) argument for determinism is that if you know the position/motion of every object in a closed system, you can predict exactly what state the system will be in after any time. Therefore, everything is (in theory, anyway) pre-determined.
But three-body problem shows it is provably impossible to predict what will happen in any system that has just three bodies in it. Let alone a large number. I can't quite get my head around that. Tony said it's like saying "if all you know is that (x+y)=10, you cannot tell what x and y are". I still can't get my head around it though. Even after reading the Wikipedia page I can't really believe it's provably impossible.
I don't remember this from the Liu Cixin book (although I didn't actually finish it)
Steve: Here's a laugh, Paul gives me 2 nice new wheels for my Dawes - 10 speed.Luckily very near home, first time out the narrow chain jams between the front cogs - we forgot to take the older spacing of the 6/7/8-speed into account.
So, what to do, new 10-speed crank or back to 8-speed? Has to be the miserly 8-speed for me then! Tougher cheaper chains.
nick: So the front chain rings are spaced differently for a 8 vs 10 speed rear? I didn't know that - I thought the only consideration for chain width was the number of gears on the rear cassette."There are, at the time of writing, 5 online tools that try to help you work out how to vote tactically". So says that website, which explains how to make sense of them and what to do when they say different things (which they do for Luton South - not sure if that's you Steve?)
Steve: Yes I am Luton South. No idea who to vote for so probably will give it a miss. I can't bear either of the main two.2 Luton MPs - both Labour, one suspended due to allegations in 2017 so is independent, the other (mine) jumped to Change UK and is now also independent!
nick: No idea who to vote for so probably will give it a missI suppose you could spoil your ballot (maybe lots of people will do this).
Or vote Green? I'm a Green party member, although I'm not comfortable with all their policies I do feel that voting for them at least may have the effect of pushing the green issue up the agenda
It's really frustrating that our system means that whoever gets in claims a mandate for their whole manifesto ("this is what people voted for"), even though voters might only have gone for them because they liked some of the policies.
nick: Went to see Steve Hackett again in Reading on Saturday. I was surprised at how much of "Spectral Mornings" I recognised (he played a lot of that in the first set). The Genesis stuff was pretty good too:I thought perhaps I've heard it live too often, but it was still thrilling (plenty of bass pedals going on). One of the band played e-wind instruments, and was playing of the some lead keyboard lines in cinema show (as well as bass pedals) which worked really well.Apparently Big Big Train are playing a warm-up gig in June(?) next year at Aylesbury if you're interested Steve (they've put the picture of us on their home page: I can see Tony, and my arm, and presume you're in there somewhere
Steve: I will pass on that offer thanks. I was not standing, so pretty sure will not be visible in the photo ha ha. nick: I understand Tim and Tina are going to be going to the Canaries shortly. Hope you have a good time, and get lots of photos, because when you come back it'll be about time for a new blog entry I reckon nick: Ella has been telling people about this "Against Dairy" video (I watched it, and it's fairly measured rather than ranty, but still quite upsetting). As a result, Ryan has become vegan. Lesley also is going to switch to being vegan (once all the cheese in the fridge has been used up). My mum is on to plant milk now. Steve: So this Netflix film is making waves although it could be cherry-picking evidence: The Game Changers. One of Paul's die-hard meat eaters is switching. It answered every question I ever had as well.Last night this was harrowing: Meat: A Threat to Our Planet? presented by the lady I spotted at Bluedot.
nick: Yes, someone here mentioned that they knew people who'd become vegan after watching "The Game Changers". Incluing the CEO of Greggs!I did see the start of the TV programme you mention last night, but had to switch over. I can't even watch the David Attenborough BBC nature programmes now, I just get too upset by the seeing the beauty that we're trashing.
Going to the Basingstoke election hustings next week (they're being hosted at my church). I'm not actually in the Basingstoke constituency but they were interesting last time. I submitted my question:
What changes have you made in your own life in response to your concerns about climate change, and how will you
personally go about pressing for this issue to be addressed by parliament?
Not sure how likely it will be to get put though
Steve: I have The Whirlwind which is very good but long. I also have SMPT-e but could not get into it - let me try again. Bombastic would be a one-word summary.I saw the Neal Morse band a few years ago with Flower Kings supporting. Completely amazing. Mike Portnoy was drumming.
nick: Went to the Basingstoke hustings last night. It was interesting. I'm not in the BSK constituency but if I had been, I'd have switched my vote from Green to Labour. I have a lot of misgivings about Labour party but the candidate was really good: you felt that she really meant what she said and that she had experience that would be useful (she's deaf, has disabled child, has been involved in special needs teaching, campaigned against fracking...). I thought "that's the kind of person we want in parliament". Green candidate sort of said the right kind of stuff but he didn't come across nearly as passionately. Tory incumbent (57% last time) predictably slick and slippery and went for cheap applause lines about getting Brexit done. Independent (ex-UKIP) candidate was also very good; obviously meant what he said and didn't seem "gammon" at all, very sincere about Brexit and other stuff (he was good on my green question: said he'd given up a car 6 years ago and his shop only sold recycled stuff - he owns an antique shop)It made me feel hopeful that there are people who are in politics who aren't about spin and are doing it because they believe in what they're standing for
Steve: There is this happening next year but I'm guessing we have been there seen it done it: Kraftwerk LondonAnd it can't be as good an experience as last time, if a lot nearer.
40,000 people as opposed to 20,000.
Although The Orb are also there.
Tim: Not a bad holiday cheers but I had a cold for the duration. Still better than being here.I wouldn't mind seeing Kraftwerk again, just not yet though.
And it's election day, hurrah, I can't wait to vote later.
nick: Got home about 10.30 last night, saw the exit polls, went to bed. Didn't wantto stay up and be miserable all night. In fact I don't feel as bad as I'd
thought I would, so I guess my subconscious must have priced in a Tory
landslide. Oh well.
I see Labour won both Luton N and S. Conservatives won in BSK and NW Hants
nick: Hildur won an Emmy! I haven't seen the TV series but perhaps Steve has?Skeptics talk on flat earth's last night - sorry but forgot to invite you Tim.
The speaker was very good (he works for a charity that aims to influence
people and politics by promoting science, and has had some success in getting
homeopathy out of NHS.
When I've brought up the subject of flat earth at work (having listened to
podcasts) people always start asking me "so how to they explain XXX then?" as
if I should be defending it. There was a bit of that in the Q&A last night,
but main points he made were that (a) there are lots of different (mutually
inconsistent) explanations for how flat earth works; (b) most of believers
seem to have concluded it's right because of what their senses tell them ("the
horizon is flat", "airline pilots don't continually have to angle their planes
downwards when flying") and then look for rationalisations. So when talking to
them you need to know (a) which variant of flat earth they subscribe to, and
(b) that any arguments they come up with are not the reasons they believe;
they're just reasons to back up their belief: you're not going to argue
anyone out of their belief; the best you can hope is to plant ideas that they
might investigate that will get them to go away and maybe review where they
stand (he's spoken to various FE proponents; the ones who are seriously bought
into it are too far gone, but people on the fringes may be rescuable). It's
very hard for anyone to admit "I was completely wrong about that"
Said that recent resurgence (early 2000s?) was sparked by newsgroup
discussions where there was one bunch of fairly unsophisticated readers who
thought there might be something in FE, and another bunch who were
deliberately trolling, as a sort of intellectual challenge to come up with
plausible-sounding arguments about how "gravity" might work if the earth was
flat. These arguments are hard to counter unless you have a fairly good
scientific background and became used by the true believers. Says that these
trolls have pretty much gone now (no more challenge) but the ideas they
introduce persist.
Also interesting about the rise of the phenomena (which he says he thinks is
now in decline). Of a survey he did (at a FE conference I think), he said that
all but one of the people said they'd come to believe it based on watching
youtube videos. The last person said he'd been persuaded by his son, who'd
watched a youtube video. Said that in the early days of search engines,
people tried to game search results in order to have their website appear at
the top of the rankings. There was a sort of arms race as Google fixed their
algorithms and SEO came up with new ways, which google then blocked etc.. The
point being that it's in google's interest to deliver relevant results, so
they try and prevent gaming of the system. With youtube it's different:
youtube wants people to watch videos for as long as possible. So videos with
catchy titles "9/11 towers were hollow" are likely to get views - either from
people who believe that, or people who want to ridicule the idea, or from
researchers who want to understand why such videos are made - and youtube
doesn't care who's watching as long as people are watching. And if you watch
one of those, youtube will suggest more of the same, based on how many other
people have watched them. So there is a non-virtuous circle where people who
start watching FE videos will be fed further ones
He's doing the same talk in
Bedford next month Steve so you could go
Steve: No not seen that TV, Sky I think?And I'm firmly back in hermit territory thanks, I really struggle to get enthusiasm to go out in the evening.
Tim: So that you can't say I didn't tell you:TD are having some sort of event thing at the Barbican library in January connected to the exhibition that will be on.
nick: Happy new yearI don't currently have any excuse of being busy for the TD thing but I'm not particularly attracted
Had a fairly busy Christmas with people staying, all of whom had colds. I luckily missed out until they went home on 28th and I've been feeling rough ever since. Probably well enough to go back to work tomorrow but see how I feel.
I have an annual reminder in my diary to do my tax return at the end of the year, and I've kept "snoozing" it until finally getting round to getting the P60 out to do it today. Made a list of all the figures, then logged into HMRC to find I already completed the 2019 tax return back in April (must have been just after I got the P60). So that was nice.
Need to catch up with my book reviews though because I'm about 8 months behind. Many of the books I've read since then I probably can't remember.
i did get "The Cruel Sea" as a present, following recommendations from Steve. Looking forward to reading that one. Currently working through "The Forsyte Saga" (another suggestion from Steve I think). I bought a kindle version which is the complete set of novels/stories and it looks like it is pretty long. It tells me I'm 4% through and have 59hours of reading still to go. So perhaps I won't read all the books in one go
nick: One of my resolutions last year was "be vegan" which I think I mostly managed. Unfortunate accidental milk over Christmas in a cup of tea that Ken made for me. Come to think of it, I hadn't been sick since last Christmas, but have since had a cold. So maybe I've developed lactose intolerance already. Probably need a Greggs vegan sausage roll to make myself feel betterAnd time for a new post/pic Tim?
Steve: Hmm that exhibition day seems terribly vague on what you are getting above the free version.Greggs are doing a vegan steak bake now so life became even better.
I intend to become vegan, just not sure when. The freezer will need to be "run down". Deborah is very tolerant food-wise. I've been pretty close for a while although there is wool and honey to watch out for.
Would be a great way to not get any more chocolate next Christmas.
I do a tax return every year and get about £300 back. Maybe I would get that anyway but seems unlikely.
Currently reading Hornet Flight by Ken Follett which is good but too much faff and not enough WW2 spy stuff.
Caught up on a missing Hans Fallada on my Nook recently so will try more e-books from the library. Night-light is a boon.
And I don't get colds now I rarely go on public transport, fab.
nick: I think you need to persuade Deborah to go vegan Steve, it makes it dead easy when the person preparing the food is vegan. Ryan, Ella and Lesley are all vegan, and Caitlin (Ella's cousin) is doing Veganuary. Spencer is also vegan, although when we babysat over New Year and tried to feed him vegan formula from the bottle, he wasn't very keen (I imagine it tastes pretty bad). Lesley made a peach curry over Christmas which was surprisingly fab, and I could taste it even though I had a cold.
Steve: Sadly there is no chance Deborah will go vegan. She insists that she needs to eat dairy to prevent osteo problems.And all baby food tastes vile to adults with the lack of sugar and salt so it would surely be impossible to tell if vegan formula is worse than dairy!
nick: Still trying to shake off this cold - I can't believe it's going on so long; I thought I'd be feeling dodgy for a couple of days, and scoffed at Wikipedia's claim that the average duration of cough is eighteen day but I think it may be right. Wikipedia also says the average adult gets 2-3 colds a year. There must be a heck of a lot of people getting more than that then, because I don't see that many absences from work in my office.I'm really looking forward to the feeling of not having it any more and realising how lovely it is to be well
Steve: Randonee this year? Trying to get in early this time diary-wise. Note that this is no longer the early May bank holiday weekend.Looks like Portsmouth are away on the 3rd.
Tim: Indeed I see that we're playing Burton that day, where I was on Sunday (Burton 2-4 Northampton). Tim: While we're at it, what other dates have we got? Max Richter 17 Feb.Tom Middleton 29 Feb. Owt else?
nick: I didn't have the Richter thing in my calendar. What time is it? The link I have doesn't give any details.My calendar does have "seventh wave festival of electronic music" from 6-8 March but I don't think we've actually booked that
Nothing else I can see for us apart from Randonnee
Steve: And D is in India 15th Feb, home 29th. So there could be possibilities, for example, again Portsmouth away on the 22nd :)The Sunday of that festival looks good, but D has already booked me in on something.
nick: I'm fairly free for 15-29th. Was this the fortnight we were going to do a cycling tour of the outer Hebrides? Maybe we could get a cheap Eurostar to visit some nice place in FranceI managed to hire someone last June but he handed his notice in and is leaving (commute was too difficult) so I now have TWO posts to fill. Feel free to point people in my direction. I have seen quite a few candidates who are really not that great but there must be decent developers out there somewhere
nick: Just had a CV from someone who includes in their qualifications "Time Magazine Person of the Year 2006". And I checked, and he's not wrong. But perhaps it's not quite so impressive as it might seem. Caught my attention though nick: Great! Do you want me to try and book it? I'll ask Tony too, he probably would be interested. We've been to that venue before - similar size to the Brook so you'll get a good view nick: Tickets not on sale until 20-Jan but I'll make a note to book then. I assume Tim wants one too, maybe even Tina? nick: I didn’t know he’d been ill. pleased that we got to see them play a few times. And I’ve been listening to permanent waves and vapour trails this week. Maybe should try clockwork angels again. nick: I am listening to a dynamic playlist at the moment of "tracks that have a play count of 7, in random order". Some of them I'm really surprised to think I've listened to them as many as seven times ("Rain Machine" by Subsonic Park but nothing else off that album) and some I can't believe I've only listened to them seven times ("Jacob's Ladder"). Currently there are 256 tracks left; when I've finished this, I'll try a playlist of "tracks that have a play count of 8". Oh wait.. hang on... Steve: I simply cannot get on with Clockwork Angels - the only Rush album that has failed me.And I've never heard of Subsonic Park - what happened there?
nick: It's this - I assumed it had got to me after doing the rounds with you two but perhaps Tim gave it to me to pass on to you and I forgot.Tim needs to do a new post: the only recent pictures I've got are of babies and cats so I'm relying on a good Canary Island one from him
Also, suggestion for trip for us (no doubt Steve has already been but I haven't) Duxford from the same person who recommended Bovington.
Tim: Duxford looks good. Wasn't there another air collection we were supposed to do?That Subsonic Park is a spare if anyone wants it, and if they don't then Neil might.
Meanwhile Tina's had the results of her post-surgery blood test: her remaining hemithyroid is working fine.
New post.
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