Loft space

We went up in my parents loft to store away the bedding from the caravan for the winter. Up there we found:

• Some pans (prpbably mine)
• A duvet
• An Ironing board
• A vaccum cleaner (not mine, but mine was fire damaged)

So I've got a head start with all this furnishing.

The agency have moved offices to their main office in Skipton, so there may be a slight delay in sorting the contract out. It didn't take this long in Cambrigde.

News from overseas

The news of the boost to Kerry's campaign provided by the evidence that looted explosives were there when the US army look control had me giggling more than it should.

Whereas the news of Osama Bin Laden's video message to the USA had me going "Oh no that's all we need."

I hope that US voters are sophisticated enough that not letting Bin Laden affect theri democracy, means that the message should have zero effect either way. This means that they should equally not vote for Kerry because of the threats, but that they should not vote for Bush in direct defiance of the message.

E-Mail

Panic over, after three calls to BT, managed to restore the old account as pay as you go.

The things people say

Amusing things tourists ask or get asked.

Update

Well, it seems like good news. The agency got back to me and said that they had put the applications to the landlord who was looking like choosing mine. This morning I got a call from one of my referees saying they had received a letter asking for a reference, so it looks like everything is going ahead and I shall have somewhere to live soon.
I’m quite pleased as well as a little bit excited at having a place of my own. Friends and family have been very kind, some have offered furniture, others seem to be sharing my enthusiasm. It’s going to be expensive for a bit, but fun I hope.

Name that book

Anders Hanson highlights some quotes from a book that might just go on my to-be-read pile. As one or two readers here may have read it, I thought I'd set a little quiz.

"Political correctness is what right-wing bigots call what everybody else calls Being polite, or what everybody else calls Not being a right-wing bigot...I would never seek to deny that a few stupid people can take a perfectly good idea too far, but I stand by my contention that political correctness is more sinned against than sinning."

Standard competition rules plus anyone who's recently read the quote on Anders' site is excluded.

Still living.

Not much to report... spent the weekend at home at my parents, while they were off at the caravan, didn't get a good night of sleep Monday, so went to bed early last night and watched Room 101 before trying to go to sleep.

No news on the house, hoping this means that everything is going ahead and that I would have heard if someone else had got it.

Looking at my stats came the dawning realization that the reason I get so many hits for "Pumpkin recipes" was because I'd used a common misspelling of recipes. I've fixed my spelling now, as well as correcting the spelling of Atonement in the sidebar- my blog was in the top three for the misspelling of that book.

The application is in with the letting agents so in the next few days, fingers crossed I should be returning to next week to pay the deposit and arrange a date to pick up the keys to my new home. Just a little nervous about whether I'm going to get it or miss out to someone else, but hopefully soon I should be getting on with my life.

Called in to Nicola's on Wednesday to pick up some things up. Could only call in on the way to Explorers, so she wasn't there as she was at guides. It took a little longer that I expected and was a difficult experience- to say more would not be appropriate. Put the key through the letterbox once I'd locked up so that chapter is more or less over.

Went back to Explorers on Wednesday, but things were a little awqauard. They havn't been communicating with me, however this is probably my fault as I seem to have accidentally unsubscribed myself from the email list. However I would like a little more respect as the person who set the whole thing up, and for the fact that I still may have some of the answers.

I've also started a new blogging project. I'm not going to say too much about it, because I'd rather my name not be linked with it as it is with this blog. That's because there is a political (but not party political) element, and also because it's a bit lightweight and childish. But it amuses me for now, and I hope will amuse others.

I worked late last night as I was having trouble getting somthing to work in lab conditions. Yes that's a problem engineers have as well as scientists. My boss has a big idea about streamlining part of the testing process, and the work to Any way just as I got it to work, the cleaners told me they wanted to lock up, and I had to go. Just as well as it was getting late.

On the way home I listened to Radio 4. This was not a good time to listen as there was a documentary about care homes in Germany, which made me feel a little depressed.
I am, it has to be said, a sensitive person. I got this idea into my head on my way back that some people might have the wrong idea of my part in ... recent events. Having been hurt is bad enough without people thinking I was a contributing factor.

Dialect

Just come back from the canteen where I've been eating my lunch. One of the admin people came in to speak to the MD who was having her lunch at the same time. It seems that they wanted to invite the MD on a company girls night out. Part way through the conversation the office girl mentioned that so-and-so wanted to pull. Which caused slight consternation as our MD is American, and apparently didn't understand the term. After a struggle I was asked if I could help explain, which I couldn't as I could only think of terms that were either slang, worse than pull, or both.

Well… it is later now.
It was a good weekend. The main product will probably be a workbook to make the Scout Forrester’s badge easier to administer, along with some nature activities for Cubs, Beavers and Brownies. I don’t think I had much to contribute, but a weekend spent with friends is usually a positive experience.

Today visited a property, which I am now looking to rent. Only problem is it was very nice and two other parties were there to see it. So I have filled the application form in and will be camped on the doorstep of the letting agents first thing tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed I should be moving in soon.

When I arrived home Anna and Emily were visiting us. "Simon" yelled Emily as I entered the front room. I was immediately required to sit down and read.
Later I asked Emily what she’d had for tea, and was told chicken, I then asked her what noise chickens make, which Anna told me was a terrible faux pas. I’ll have to be more careful as my niece gets older, but perhaps with an Uncle like me she won’t grow up to be a faddy eater.

Internet

...is down to an ISDN straw here, so no updates till later.

Hiatus

So I managed 17 days of daily postings... and then dried up. Not bad all things considered.

Actually I did have subjects I wanted to discuss. The Harlequin ladybird caught my attention the other day. Then there's the terrible plight of Charlotte Wyatt, and the misleading terms in which commentators and the media have discussed the case. There was also National Poetry Day yesterday, which content wise could have been a bit of a gift.

But unfortunately I've not been able to think of much to say on any of these subjects.

The conservative party conference has been going on all week, but the thought that anyone would be taking any of their laughable proclamations seriously (as one person in the Question Time audience last night had) was too depressing.
Anyway there's been quite enough politics on this blog over the past few weeks, and it's time for a bit of balance. This isn't a political blog, I just talk about politics, because it's part of my life, and indeed affects everyone's lives.

Not much has been going on in life recently, I've been commuting to work from Manchester, which is a 95 mile round trip, almost twice as far as the regular 50 miles, but not twice as long given that 70% of the journey is on motorways and 70mph dual carriageways. I was in Leeds Monday night for a medical appointment, followed by a sub committee meeting of the local Lib Dems that I'm not sure I'm allowed to talk about. I haven't been to either Headingley or Roundhay Explorers this week.
Househunting is not going well, I hope something turns up soon.

Tonight I'm off to Giants Seat near Bury for the SAGGA Theme Weekend, where we will be participating in think tanks on various Scouting and Guiding related topics. It will be nice to see people, I hope it hasn't mattered that I didn't formally book in.

A month is a long time...

Autumn is relentless with politics, even though no actual work is going on. First the Lib Dems, then Labour, now the Conservatives are heading for the cost for their conference. And in the mean time there were smaller parties like UKIP and Health concern (who had their conference in a large back garden).

After Hartlepool the Conservatives seem to be getting increasingly desperate with shriller and shriller claims, and rash statements that don’t quite amount to anything. "We aim to reduce taxes," they say, "but aren’t making any promises."

Actually oddly enough under the extreme surface some of what they propose is reasonable for them. There is talk of cutting stealth taxes, which I can only take to mean reopening tax loopholes. However instead of silly swipes at the tax system, the headline policies are tame enough like having a bit of a look at inheritance tax, council tax, and stamp duty. All things that affect the haves, more than the have nots, but due for a tinker nonetheless, most of it is already Lib Dem policy. It is usually the case that politicians of an extreme position like the Tories hide their extreme policies in a sensible headline, but unless it’s a double bluff we have the opposite here. What gives?

The main tactic of the Conservatives seems to be to try and inflate a misplaced public sense of fear and persecution. Motorists are, we are told, a case in point. But according to John Redwood one of the things the Conservatives would do to stop this "persecution" would be to roll back the proliferation of speed cameras. While this is not a new tactic it is still as misleading as it is misguided. It is simply pandering to popular prejudice to say speed cameras are persecuting the ordinary "law-abiding" motorist as anyone who is caught by a correctly functioning camera has clearly broken the law. Even if we misrepresent fines as a revenue stream, is it not just that wrong doers, to use rightwing parlance, should pay more to the upkeep of society than the careful amongst us?

Meanwhile elsewhere the Swivel Eyed Loons (aka UKIP) appear to be suffering from a bit of a hangover from their recent conference and post Hartlepool celebrations. Their main benefactor, Paul Sykes, has had what can possibly described as a bit of a think in light of their deciding to try and take on the Conservatives en masse, rather than ignoring the more euro-phobic MPs. Paul thinks that this was tantamount to the Europhobic movement shooting itself in the foot, and has withdrawn his support. Robert Killroy-Silk’s comments about killing the Tory party are said to have been the final straw. Sykes claims that he has just been listening to the Conservatives’ message on Europe, while John Redwood (yes him again) claims to have had more direct contact. Mr Sykes has not yet formally pledged any money to the Conservative Party.
Nigel Farage, UKIP MEP, seems to have admitted UKIP have made a mistake and need to re-think taking on the Tories, and seems to think the party can tempt Sykes back. Anything can happen in politics it seems.

First day from Manchester

Had a break from blogging yesterday, as I didn't have anything to say. Spent the day at home at my parents not doing very much.

Now going through the process of updating my banks with my temporary address, and setting up a mail redirect. Annoyingly I haven't brought any ID with me today that they'll accept, I have my wallet and driving licence, but they won't accept it without the counterpart.

Moved out

A slightly traumatic day today as I finally move out of the house that has been my home for most of this decade. The remaining items, including my PC, stereo, TV, and enough bedding and clothes for three weeks have been packed into my car, and taken to Manchester. While I'm not lacking on the book, video, clothes and nicknacks front, I don't seem to have built up any furniture to speak of and have lost any kitchenware I ever had.

Looking at a house in Saltaire, 2 doors up from where two friends from SAGGA are temporarily based. They think it's OK, and a friend from work absolutely raves about the area. So we'll see how that goes.

Hartlepool

No I didn't stay up to hear the result as it happened but caught it on the Radio this morning. What a result! Jody did well for the Lib Dems, but admittedly disappointingly, not quite well enough to see the Labour vote completely collapse and a victory for the Lib Dems and Hartlepool. The strong second place shows we are now the main challengers to labour in much of the country.

The big story of the night is however the disaterous result for the Conservatives. Coming in 4th behind UKIP. This is surely a measure of how weak their credibility is and bodes well for the forthcoming general election, whenever that may be. The idea that we may be seeing the death throes of the Tory party is a nice one, but the UKIP rising to replace them, even in as a third or fourth party in parliament leaves a bitter taste. And here's why (Thanks to Steve Guy for the link.) UKIP supporters however don't seem to like being shown the reality of what they've voted for, possibly because they mistakenly assume the writer is having a go at them as well, so for that reason I wouldn't want to be thought as lumping UKIP voters in with the party. Hopefully UKIP may well kill off the Tories just before imploding themselves.

Unfortunately it seems win or loose, some aren't any good at either. Ian Wright was said to have given an unfortunately graceless acceptance speech, which typified his behaviour throughout the campaign. Fathers 4 justice candidate Paul Watson (who was the one who called me and Simon D from York Uni "d*******s" last Saturday) was the bad looser in that during Jody Dunn's speech he assaulted her with some sort of purple powder. Apparently Fathers 4 Justice were demonising her during the campaign because she is a barrister in the family courts. Guacamoleville has a picture of the incident with some valid comment of its own.