Are birthdays over rated?
As some of you know, i hate the over commercial "days" such as mothers day or fathers day or secretary day etc. This also extends to having a bad memory for birthdays and yes, it is well known that i don't do 25th December in the way most people do. The later mainly spring from my work and personal life in my formative years.
Midhurst Bridge. Twinned with Patcham Treacle mine & Wigan Pier
I came, I saw, I ducked.
Recently i was introduced to the lesser known Midhurst Bridge. Every one knows it has a tunnel remaining from the Chichester to Midhurst (or vice versa) railway and is currently full of bats and terminates at Holmbush.
The bridge is one of those awesome sights that is best viewed when the wind is right and the sun is in a parabolic eclipse. The Highways department know exactly where it is as can be seen from their regulation road sign as you approach its last known location.
Salthill Lodge just off Centurian Way is a lovely little find.
Following through an old railway bridge on centurian way, next to some Tank traps from the 2nd world war, lies a once loved and now sad little lodge house
Beating the boundary
Many years a go there used to be 3 big traditions in the Uk, we had the Winter Beltane solstice on December 21st - the shortest day,. There was December the 25th aka Christ Mass, and then there was January 1st where beating the bounds took place.
Other names for this were walking the bounds, perambulation (where the word prams springs from ?) but my favourite is Beating of the bounds, traditionally done with willow sticks to drive the spirits out, while showing locals where boundaries were - especially young boys who were bumped at the main locations . Clearly a pagan tradition that then got "integrated" into christianity where the parish boundaries would be walked.
Online printer deals with multiple customers at the same time
Recently i watched one of the largest on line printers drop so many clangers that bordered on rudeness and gender abuse that i was shocked.
For the transcripts, i have changed the names of the agents, and the printers name.
To set the scene, the printer has a webchat form that can only be accessed while logged into your account, and you have to enter the basic first/last name, whats your issue into the boxes. I know for a fact these boxes were filled out with "do not use" in the first name and the question was "copy my postcard design to same sized flyer design"
Why i hate Chichester signs
Why i hate Chichester signs is because no one takes care of them.
Take some modern examples. This bus stop map. Dreadful condition and right outside the cathedral. What makes it worse is that it lists services that stopped running 5 years ago,
If you want to get information, don't follow this sign that's hasn't shown the correct location for 5 years since the Novium opened.
why i hate Chichester cycle routes
Chichester is one of the smallest cities, with one of the highest tourist rates, and apparently a non existent budget for road maintenance.
it has a glorious cycle route called the Centurian way that skirts the city from the Fishbourne edge all the way to west dean. however some of the access to it is by 1990s design [naff] award winning entrances.
its main downfall is it city center velo route.
chichester hates bikes?
chichester supposedly supports cycling, but like the trike demonstrates above doesnt quite get it.
inclusive or exclusive
Recently an organisation I work for held a meeting following a slight reshuffle. This group is currently flying the "everyone is included" banner and promoting accessibility (aka a11y*).
While at the 'decide a date' stage, the facilitator asked what was preferred, Google Hangouts or Skype. When one of the members complained that it was not really suitable for them and could it be audio recorded if it was on hangout.
Thinnest piece of metal ive seen
I have had the bikes for about 6 weeks and seems to be going fine.
That was until at about 10mph, while cruising, a slight "mechanical failure" happened.
The rear derailleur bracket decided to snap, causing the rear derailleur to swing into the spokes, bend the carrier, twist the chain and stop the wheel dead.
Basically the back wheel stopped, i stopped, but the dog didn't.
More...
New name - non existent service.
I will never learn. recently friend F and i decided to go for a carvery and booked on line at a re branded harvester, now called 'Stonehouse Pizza & Carvery'.
The booking part went fine, the car park had spaces, the restaurant was not busy. and that's where it all went downhill.
at the reception desk (two women with a laptop) we were behind a couple who were being told they should have booked, and there might be space in the bar. i commented quietly i'm glad we did.
so i gave my surname, and that was checked, and then... i have NEVER ever been addressed by my first name in ANY restaurant by a member of staff.
my new raleigh array e bike
For a few years now i have had a hybrid bike, called an "Active" designed by Raleigh (more like someone stood next to a proper Raleigh and copied the design on an envelope). Its getting on a bit and is showing rust bubbles.
when work came up with the cycle to work scheme i decided to take advantage and get a new proper bike. Yes it took me ages to decide but for the sake of husky racing and speeding to work i went for a Raleigh Array. an E-bike, pedal assist.
when it arrived in a massive box, all that really needed doing was to straighten the handle bars and tighten.
Bognor Bus Stops
A while ago i posted about the Brighton area bus stops that just didn't make sense. this time i will post about Bognor and Chichester.
Bognor town center has a good one by the post office where the yellow box (remember buses should stop on the yellow line if the bus stop is empty) that goes way beyond the kerb and blocks the side road.
This means buses have to pull up short to service it and by doing so block the loading bay.
Another way to be overcharged by 1and1
1and1 have history for overcharging or attempting to charge people to pay charges for odd items. Here is another method they have. As they place several contracts under an account, if you wish to split that account and have two accounts to spread your contracts, then 1and1 will charge you for the pleasure. They consider that a new contract and also as an imported new domain, even if its the same person !