AUTUMNWATCH TIME!!!

England's Rock Art - the aftermath

We're slightly hacked off today because some of B's images, with permission granted for use in the booklet and website, have been used by various places to report the story without proper credit given.

For instance:
BBC blog
Guardian slideshow
Guardian blog

Grrrr!!!

One of the best photos, this one of Kettley Crag, is being used in quite a few places. It's a fantastic shot, and reminds me of the exact day it was taken. I still laugh when I think of the farmer's cursing.

Here's a close-up of the poppy field (well OK the closest I could get to with my zoom, thanks again to the farmer)



Here's a photo of the berries on the tree I was hiding behind while listening to the cursing:



And here is a candid photo of B at the site!



What more can I say? Just for now, nothing. But we will be having words with others.

Big Brother and Baghdad

I was watching some of the live streaming of this year's Big Brother House on E4 yesterday. I found myself warming to them as they were playing "Top Trumps" with nutritional information panels from food labels!!! That's great, but how bored do you have to be before you do this??? Hahahaha.... then, I realised I was sitting watching people playing Top Trumps with nutritional information panels from food labels...


And this morning, I was amused to discover that Nicholas Witchell is now BBC Baghdad correspondant. This is entertaining because up until quite recently (so recently the BBC website today still shows it as such) he was BBC Royal Correspondant. Notably a couple of years ago Prince Charles was overheard referring to "that man" in the phrase "These bloody people. I can't bear that man. I mean, he's so awful, he really is!" and old Nick never quite seemed comfortable in the role ever since. So whether it was his idea or the Beeb's, I think it's pretty amusing, and we can all make up our fly-on-the-wall version of what went on in the office of the Head of BBC News the day he got his new job .....

As a footnote, I'd like to present the following screendump I got from Seti.

Vic Reeves - what happened to your mojo?

Prompted by a conversation on one of my regular forums (fora?) I found the wiki page for Vic Reeves' Big Night Out and I've been having a really good chortle to myself, remembering how absolutely hilarious it was... and it really really was, not like some relived memories of other stuff I just thought was funny at the time but now falls flat.

I mean - Donald & Davey Stott - I can feel the tears of laughter now from the momories of uncontrollable laughing fits when I first saw them.

The catchphrases ... the surrealisms ... you could tell they loved doing it too.

The Living Carpets... Man with a Stick ("what's on the end of the stick, Vic?")

dear oh dear. I have two copies of the video somewhere. I bought a second because I forgot I had one. Sadly, I have no working VCR now, bless Youtube, I feel a session coming on ...

I heard that rumour ... you lying get! oh god ... I think I've fallen ..

It's not all walking:

Gretna Green Starlings part 2

The next day, I remembered my camera. There were loads of cars parked up, two police patrollers and a TV van with big dish and twirly antenna pole!

I got this short film and the photos below....
I love the way the traffic noise seems to compliment the bird's flight!
If you watch closely, there's a bit where a small flock swoop low across the field.

One week to go ...

I had a dream about this foot last night - I dreamt they were trying to repair it, and the new bit had long nails, painted different colours. I blame Dexter.

The other bits of my dreams involved my boss being nice to me - this is surprisingly based on reality. I spent a large part of the day with her yesterday and she is being incredibly nice to me. Not sure of the psychology of this, but my last boss did it too, and the one before that...

Said goodbye to some more people yesterday. I'll miss some of my customers as much as the folk from the office, because it was my job to be nice to them and many were nice in return, and I enjoyed their company. None of the customers know yet, so if you're one of them don't be offended (not that I have to keep you sweet any more!). I hope to keep in touch with some - perhaps through this blog - but everyone knows that usually this doesn't happen. It's one of those facts of life things that no-one tells you, you just have to learn by experience.

It's like a story I heard about Richard Harris - how when he finished a play or film he would announce, rather than be subjected to cast and crew members vowing to keep in touch: "it's been nice, and goodbye".

Time Team on Newsbiscuit - Love it!

I've bought B some tickets to see Tony Robinson when he comes to the Sands in May. We are big Time Team fans and thanks to the Discovery Channel re-runs, I reckon we've seen most of them at least three times!

So I loved this story on Newsbiscuit, especially this bit :-

But he was able to confirm that the long thin metallic object was ‘a rusty nail’ and that the medium sized stony objects were ‘stones’.

Brilliant! Every time I find an old bit of brick in my garden, the thought crosses my mind that it might be Roman pottery... some chance!

Cumbrian Rail Crash

I received a phonecall late on Friday night suggesting that I switched on the TV and see the news about a train crash which had just happened about 40 miles south of here.

My family's first thought was for a cousin who was involved with Pendolinos and training the drivers (he was fine, obviously). He was one of the first people to learn how to drive one in this country, and has passed his knowledge on to others.

It was quite impressive seeing reasonably-good pictures coming out of that area near Tebay / Kendal, which is near to one of the few patches on the motorways still difficult to get radio reception. As Friday turned into Saturday and the news-channels' reports got more repetitive (Q: "What can you see of the crash from where you are" - A: "Nothing it's pitch black") so we went to bed and knew by the morning everything would be clearer.

When I saw the pictures, wow! How impressive! Last year I got to travel on one of these Pendolinos and I can say honestly that I felt completely safe (if a little claustrophobic because of non-opening windows).

I've got no problem taking a repeat journey, in fact I am really looking forward to it, and intend to invest in first class. Trouble is, you can't buy any more than 12 weeks ahead (how daft is that?)

And bravo to the driver of the train, and all those who trained him.

(what a strange word "train" is)

Holy crap, Batman! or "Why I am suspicious of colonics"

I've just been reading this fantastic Guardian article by Ben Goldacre. It's quite specific in its discussion of one particular individual but summarises quite nicely my suspicions of all new-age health fads.

... that's exactly why you do scientific research, to check your assumptions. Otherwise it wouldn't be called "science", it would be called "assuming", or "guessing", or "making it up as you go along".

Don't get me wrong, I have watched and enjoyed "You Are What you Eat", but for it's enjoyably sensationalist cruelty, certainly not it's nutritional advice. (I find myself laughing out loud at the table full of bad food, the shocked expressions on the unhealthily-skinny one's face, the reactions to the poo...). And, there's nothing wrong with some of the advice; eat more fruit and veg and less fried food, drink less, take more exercise etc.

Next time you're in a bookshop, pick up (and I don't mean "buy") a copy of the book, and look for the hilariously touched-up photo of the author - she is almost unrecognisable. This vanity, coupled with the fact that she is married to a lawyer who writes threatening letters to people who publicly disagree with her, must ring alarm bells with most free-minded individuals.

All this got me thinking of a conversation I had with a work colleague last week, where she mentioned that most of the people she knew had regular colonics. She reported that it made her feel better, rejuvenated, fresher.

Well... so can a really big poo!

Big Brother – Another fine day at the Coliseum

I admit it, I am a Big Brother fan; I’ve watched every series since the first one.

The theme tune always reminds me of a particularly hot summer in my old terraced house, watching TV with the windows open and wearing next to nothing (cos it’s hot as an oven). I watch it because it’s carcrash telly, and pure entertainment. I’ve always had a slightly sick sense of humour and this satisfies it completely. I enjoy watching from the start, as the producers pick the widest spread of personalities and backgrounds. I’m always amazed that anyone still wants to put themselves through it when they can’t fail to know what it involves.

Who would have predicted was has gone on in this series?

Who on earth would have thought that Jade Goody’s actions lost the programme its main sponsor, after over 30,000 complaints to Offcom? Before the series started and before I knew she would be taking part, I had admitted to myself that I actually quite liked Jade Goody, who I declared as “a special kind of thick”, and fairly harmless. She has come a long way thanks to Big Brother; she didn’t even win the series she took part in, and yet has done the best out of any housemate ever. Until now.

Jade recently launched a perfume – some shops have now refused to stock it. Danielle the scouse model, who I had never heard of in my life before BB, had decided to try and cash in on Jade’s popularity and as a result has lost a lucrative modeling contract. Hey, but I’m sure they’ll both survive.
( NB Some reports said she was dropped as patron of an anti-bullying charity but in fact she merely donated to it)

The most ridiculous thing is that they carry on carrying on; because none of them have any idea how mad the press coverage has got. I mean, the Chancellor of the Exchequer had to make a comment on it during his visit to India, ffs!

Anyone who has watched any previous BBs will know that the situation is completely typical of many arguments that have happened before. Extreme characters are bound to act a bit over-the-top when put under stress in a false environment, that’s the whole point, doesn’t anyone get it?

Is it racism? Well how you answer that depends on your perspective. I have at various points landed on both sides of the fence, depending on outside influences and the direction of the wind, probably. I think the programme is very carefully edited – tonight, lots of new viewers will watch to see what all the fuss is about, and most of them will regret it, because if you haven’t watched it before, let’s face it you probably shouldn’t.

It’s certainly bullying; and there’s always a victim. The saddest thing for me is that Shilpa Shetty will now be known to many in the UK as the victim at the centre of this whole mess, when in fact she is showing herself to have a peaceful personality, self-respect and pure class.

Meanwhile, people are joking that when Jade gets out, a TV documentary is waiting to be made, where she travels to see “the real India”.

But who will the winners and losers be… YOU DECIDE!

I for one can’t wait to find out.

We Love You, Dr Alice!

There’s this great programme called “Extreme Archaeology” originally made by Channel 4 but I think we’ve been watching it on one of the Discovery Channels... One of the team members is Dr Alice Roberts.

Now if you are a man of a certain age and with certain interests you may remember her from Time Team, where her bright red hair and wide smile appeared from underneath her hard hat while she triumphantly produced a bit of bone or something she’d found in a big hole in the ground.

She fascinates me; you could almost say she is one of my heroes. She manages to have incredible experience and qualifications whilst appearing to all observers as if she is still in 6th form. Her style is one of a perpetual student; with a keen enthusiasm for new adventures and knowledge, while her cv reads as if she should be old and crusty and smell of old books. I admire everything about her, from her zig-zag parting to her silver lizard rings.

She’s got it all… the brain, the body, the looks, the humour, the career… one thing I’ve got that she hasn’t though – real red hair!!!

Awwww we love you Alice!

What do Witchetty Grubs and Traffic Lights have in Common?

I’ve just been watching Ray Mears' wonderful new programme Wild Food. While I was watching it, I was reminded of a train of thought I was working through yesterday whilst driving.

I was travelling along an urban street having spent much of the day with lovely open rural scenery, and I was mulling over how different the available information was in the two environments.

For instance, in the countryside you have to be aware of the winding roads, the condition of the road surface and any standing water, animals on the road etc, all this while enjoying the scenery and judging how fast you can go without coming off the road or bumping into other vehicles.

In the town, there are roadsigns requiring instant understanding of languages, more road markings giving other signals, dazzling signs and traffic lights with yet more messages, and many other distractions all whilst trying of course not to bump into anything. Both situations demand using the flashing, flexible and analytical brain processes that modern humans possess, and I had concluded that compared to walking in open fields this was very confusing, and how calm a life our ancestors had before moving at speed became the norm.

Then in Wild Food, he visited a group of Australian aboriginal people who showed him and his companion how to spot the signs given all around them to find food. For instance, the leaves at the top of a vine give and indication of the tubers below ground; the cracks in the soil lead you to another root crop; if you know what a witchetty tree looks like you can find the grubs hiding inside the wood underneath.

Their eyes never stopped moving and flitting from one clue to another; they spotted a lizard swimming in the river and immediately swung into action preparing a fire and searching for vegetables to accompany their meat. Meanwhile they had probably identified the plant that provides the fibre that makes the bag that stores their harvest.

The skills that humans have developed over millions of years and used to find everything we need to survive, has been reduced to an abstract greed for speed and gathering of goods we don’t need.

When that big solar flare comes and blows our electronic systems to nothing but electrons; or when access to cheap energy ceases, who is going to remember how to survive while we are fighting to find our feet?

Answers of a piece bark please…