Beiber fans are fakes & shoppers are confused?

I see that the Canadian singer Bieber is once again grasping for publicity, well theres no such thing as bad publicity is there! the story the BBC are carrying indicate that 50% of his "Twitter fans" are fakes because he has more than Lady Gaga.  Amazing what you can do with a few figures in a survey!

The death of Margaret Thatcher has spawned a  hate song that looks to be a chart hit if the BBC will play it!  Strange how the BBC can be the arbiter of what we can listen to when we pay their way, well some of us do!  We have had this kind of thing before and they always end up looking foolish so why don't they just play it.  Free speech and all that! I wonder if there'll be protesters at her funeral????????

My "favourite" paper once again has a cracker of a headline today for us "Back pain cured by a single injection" followed by "breakthrough treatment to bring relief to millions".  Reading the text behind the headline it talks of,  "bone marrow injections into the spine" and mentions the treatment "may be effective in certain patients!"  

A lengthy story on Sky news drones on about shoppers being confused by supermarkets packaging "own brand" items in similar or same shape containers and "almost" copying pictures and text on "branded" products.  Shoppers are said to be "annoyed" or felt they had been "mislead" after "mistakenly" buying an own brand instead of a branded product.  Maybe they should look at what they are buying in the first place, still it provided the "consumer group" responsible for the report with something to do!

Dont text while driving seems to be the thrust of This story by sky news about the death of a person who died after crashing their car while texting.  The threat of a fine and points on the licence seem to be non effective in the race to "stay in touch".  I remember a few years ago being amused while walking around Hong Kong because it looked as if "everyone" was staring at their mobile phones.  We are almost there! 

The bit of land at the top of the gardens to our terrace of houses looks as if it might have changed hands once again.  At one time each house had a very long garden but a developer who owned all the houses, chopped them off half way in the hope of building another house.  He however fell foul of the planning laws and in the end sold the land.

Our next door neighbour John "he of the garden tip" was taken to task about where he had placed a fence at the top of his patch as well as where his dog had been "doing her thing".  The "owner" of the land has said he will erect a fence across a bit of Johns garden because "I know where the boundary's supposed to be from the deeds".  In reality this is bullshit because there are no measurements on the deeds just a line on a piece of paper.  However proving it could prove expensive so i suggested John line his fence up with ours as he's nothing to lose really. 

Good news for John though in the last week he's had a new Central heating boiler fitted and bought a van to replace his "over 200,000 mile" ageing and sometimes sick Safira! times must be good.  The jungle drums indicate he might be moving in July - - -.  

Just checked our Euro millions ticket and  - - not won again, Sally has however just pointed out that the ticket is for TONIGHTS draw!    - - - Its my age!

Enjoy the day

Follow this link to see our weather website

Or this one just to see the live birdfeeder webcam

Toms midnight clash of the titans & green shoots of spring at last

Much to my surprise one morning, Sally told me of being woken in the night by what was obviously cats fighting downstairs.  She had heard this racket and got out of bed to see Sainsbury the tabby by the bedroom door with eyes like saucers, hes not a fighter by any means!
On turning the downstairs light on she heard the cat flap bang as what we suspect was the "interloper" making its escape.  Tom was obviously agitated and soon followed it out but cam in not long after.  Toms getting a bit old for fighting but what can you do? 

I see a teacher is behind a campaign to hold street parties over the death of Margaret Thatcher - - - Ah free speech is a wonderful thing  - hey?

There have been a number of stories about boats and other things being washed up on the coast of the USA from the 2011 Japanese Tsunami.  An amazing story though recounts how a fish, presumably washed "on board" one of the ships at the time was still "alive" when the vessel was inspected on the Washington coastline not long ago.

North Korea has been in the news recently with lots of "sabre rattling" going on which has been taken seriously by the USA and Russia!   The story however reports a number of "incidents" which make you wonder how much support Kim-Yong-Un really has!

Back home it appears some of our Country pubs don't want walkers with muddy boots darkening their doors.  We used to frequent a local pub (The 3 Stags) where walkers would come in with plastic bags on their boots while other would take them off outside rather than "dirty the carpets".  It all shows lack of foresight i think in the eyes of the pub landlords/managers as to who the customers base really are!

The pub mentioned above has changed hands with alarming regularity in the last 10 years and all the incumbents have failed.  While still open, for now,  the huge "For Sale" sign above the gable end does not inspire anyone as to the quality of its "gastro pub" menu. 

I heard the other day that "it is rumoured" another of our past "locals" "The Church" with its "never run a pub before" couple have handed in their notice.  Their attempt at making it a gastro enterprise just hacked off the locals and they lefty in their droves. 

On the other hand our favourite lunch spot, "The Grouse" at Froggatt has not changed its menu since we have been going there in 16 years.  It has a healthy "specials" board and is well patronised.  Whats that old saying "If its not broken  - don't fix it"  alas some people subscribe to the twisted logic of, "If its not broken - fix it until it is!"

Finally - - - We can see "the green shoots of spring" in our seed trays shivering away in the greenhouse.  In desperation not long ago and with the snow still around we filled up the pots and trays in the greenhouse in the forlorn hope that "spring was just around the corner".
Here's a pic of our first "seedlings"  Sally checks them everyday so if these are (now) only 2 days old we might be in for some very big courgettes!

Enjoy the day

Follow this link to see our weather website

Or this one just to see the live birdfeeder webcam

Psssst! Wanna buy some Nutella? & Maggie shuffles off

Thieves in Germany stole 5.5 tonnes of Nutella from a parked lorry trailer and police say a similar theft of energy drinks had been stolen from the same location earlier.  Put those 2 together and you would be "going" fast!

The express came out with a headline that "Statins save your life" I seem to remember not long ago "one" newspaper saying they were bad for you - - hey ho.

Judges, yes the people with silly wigs and stuff come in for some Stick in a Telegraph article.  Some of the revelations are pretty startling though when you think these people are directing juries on how they should deliver a verdict on some of their "clients".  Some of the "comments" below the story are priceless though!

I see Maggie Thatcher has shuffled off, like her or hate her she certainly made a difference to our country! - - - me? firmly in the like camp. 

We have had enough of the snow around here and hope its well and truly finished with us until December!  An interesting story though with a pic or two of a couple of pub landlords trapped in their premises makes interesting reading. Sally had lunch with her sister the other day and they had found a small country pub with 10ft drifts still nearby. 

The chilly weather however is set to be with us for another couple of weeks according to the Telegraph story where there are pics of new born lambs with what appear to be jackets on!

I have a day off today before one final shift of my pattern tomorrow.  We are venturing to the wilds of Chesterfield for a little retail therapy before going up to our logging area at a friends farm to try and kick start our logging season!

Finally  - - - I received a few pics from Ginny my "Ice Climbing" partner of the beginning of March the other day.  So here's one of me, with Adam in attendance, learning to arrest a headlong slide down the snow on a mountainside in Glencoe before being let loose on Ben Nevis the following day!

Enjoy the day

Follow this link to see our weather website

Or this one just to see the live birdfeeder webcam

Ooops missed the bin man again & dont look if you dont like spiders

I've mentioned before that we have a glittering array of rubbish bins provided graciously by our council who are no doubt getting Euro points or fulfilling some mandarins box ticking exercises somewhere in the euro zone.
 
Bins for this and bins for that, the confusion (what can you expect at your age!) made me set up an "alert" on my diary to tell me which coloured bin we should be put out and when.  It will however probably come as no surprise that this morning with Tom curled up on my knee and me looking for "blog inspiration" The bin lorry with its flashing lights filled the view from the front window! 

Bugger! missed it again i mused and half arose wondering if i could beat the lorries progress and get the bin down the 2 steps and out to the "designated spot on the edge of your property" as prescribed in Local directive 2, subsection 3, paragraph 2b.  No! i decided and made a note to add the story to the blog.  Lorry still there though  - - - maybe they are taking a break - - - I bet they move off as i get to the door i thought, dumping Tom on the chair as i make a move for the door.

Wrong wrong wrong! is the look Tom gives me as the lorry glides noisily to its next stop along the road and Tom curls up again on my knee!

All this recycling is for nought though according to the Daily Mail this morning who's headline screams "Recycling The Great Con Trick" The detail of the story reveals how our sorted rubbish is being shipped abroad, sometimes as far as China to be put into landfills. - - - All the fault of our politicians - - - - naughty politicians!

Stop! No! Good Boy! What a clever boy! dragged me from the arms of Morpheus last night!  It soon became clear that Sainsbury the Tabby and "Ace Hunter" had yet again dragged in some poor unfortunate creature.  Sally was "The voice" and as I descended the stairs I discerned, clutched to her, it has to be said, "Ample boosooom" a baby rabbit. 

The "Good Boy" reference in the para above is a throw back to not wanting to admonish Sainsbury for "anything" due to the loss of his dear little sister after her being hit by a car.  Sainsbury seems to be well aware of the label of "precious little man" and plays along 100%!

The poor creature was set free at the top of the garden by Sally at 2230, dressed in her PJ's only to be discovered by me under the dining table this morning dead as a door nail!

The mention of China earlier made me remember a story i saw in the Telegraph about Chinese children having to scale ladders up a cliff to get to and from school.  Worth a read unless you belong to the Health and Safety Executive!   

Finally - - - a new species of Tarantula has been discovered in Sri Lanka in the story for some bizarre reason the size of it is likened to "the size of a human face".  This is just to make it a more creepy story i guess -  worth a look just for the pics!

Finally - Finally I joked about a hosepipe ban not long ago amid the downpours and blizzards, the Express carried a headline the other day after some kind of warning of a ban from the water companies "Outrage at new alert"  Outrage? No! - - -  Inevitable? Of course!

Enjoy the day

Follow this link to see our weather website

Or this one just to see the live birdfeeder webcam

Towering inferno in Chechnya is gods will! & The boss ticks all the boxes

There's a number of pics resembling the film Towering Inferno in a story on Sky News but the remark by the Chechen President that it was "Gods Will" seems a bit cock eyed!

The Daily Express carries a front page headline that claims a"Cure For High Blood Pressure, Five Easy Steps That Can Beat The Killer"  I guess then the cure they reported in Dec 2012 has tarnished a little!

A rather creepy little story about a Saudi Criminal who is about to be paralysed surgically is covered by Sky News.  The man stabbed "a friend" and paralysed him a number of years ago.  It seems that Sharia Law allows for "an eye for an eye" punishment unless the victim accepts a "Blood Money" demand!

Credit card fraud has taken a new twist in a story on BBC News The story reports that almost any machine where you poke in your credit card is now open to skimming devices.  Parking ticket machines, Pay at the pump petrol stations and rail ticket machines are just a few of the new ways of attacking your plastic. - - - worth a read! 

Back at the Fun Factory (Matlock sainsbugs) its been a busy old time keeping up with the returning shoppers as the weather gets a little better.
One bit of news for my boss, "Lets call her TracEy" she had her annual brow beating session with the store boss, "Lets call him Michael".  He's a bit of a "go getter" and not for nothing does he have "the devils" number, 666 on his car registration!  Anyway it appears TracEy ticked all the boxes and will not be banished to the far flung reaches of the store at Pistol Creaks or some other "punishment posting!" So unless she burns down the store we are likely to have her as Bakery boss for another 12 months.  Better the devil and all that. lol!

Finally - - - It was quite sunny yesterday so we did a little clearing up work in the garden.  I had wondered for a long time how i was going to dispose of my much used (a long time ago) and loved windsurfer.  "Lets make it a garden feature" i suggested to Sally.  Anything to avoid throwing it away in the back of my mind.
So here it is, now mounted behind the tiny greenhouse that has the birdfeeder webcam in it. 

All you can see is a pointed white thing, pity the colours don't show!  We are going to wind up our neighbour John, he of the "tip" to the left of our garden if he ever notices it!

Enjoy the day

Follow this link to see our weather website

Or this one just to see the live birdfeeder webcam

End in sight for coldweather & a Weighty problem for Samoans

I didnt touch a PC until around 1930 yesterday! The withdrawal symptoms started around mid-day!

 I was making the usual hasty exit from my previous batch of shifts down at the Fun Factory when my boss, "Lets call her TracEy" sidles up and asks me to work Tuesday rather than start my shift pattern on Thursday.  About to say "No" she hangs out the carrot of "You can swap it for Saturday".  No brainer!

So i worked yesterday, we are still suffering form the "bread overload" of Easter weekend so there was a lot of "overs" bread from previous deliveries to contend with.  I can see heads rolling further up the Sainsbugs chain of command as we finish up almost giving away "Taste the difference" hot cross buns because some "Manderin" flooded the whole country with them! 

Anyway - - -we have good news on the weather front with an apparent warm period on the horizon according to a number of reports.  I noticed that my weather machine recorded +9.9c yesterday afternoon even though we have a frost this morning and its +0.9c just now.

We are used to hearing about wildfires in Australia this time of year but there's an interesting story carried by the BBC about wildfires near the Scottish town of Fort William.  Its day 5 of a battle with heathland fires and one family at least had a nasty scare as the fires approached their house.  Worth a read and some scary pics. 

On an amusing note there's a test to see what Class you come from, also by the Beeb.  No personal info just a few boxes to tick - - - try it

I read the other day that airlines were thinking of charging for tickets by a persons "weight".  Well it looks to be already up and running for one Samoan Airline  "The price" is per Kilo and Its a hit with some people with kids.  Some other, larger Samoans, will not be so happy!

Finally - - We have noticed that a visitor to our birdfeeder is now a bit of a "regular".  A nice looking thrush has for a while been sitting on the perch below the feeders and having a go in at the fat balls in particular.  We have the feeder webcam running on the web server machine most of the time since noticing an absence of birds some time ago.

Last night about 1930 we noticed the bird and i thought it would be nice to get a still pic and post it on the blog.  A reader from Hereford had spotted the bird and e mailed me a "print screen" pic at the moment i sat down to copy it.  So thanks to "Bulmer" of Hereford and here's a copy of his pic.

Enjoy the day

Follow this link to see our weather website

Or this one just to see the live birdfeeder webcam

Dead fleas in Germany & the pond plants get cut down to size

I spotted this little Gem on the BBC news site a story bout 300 fleas from a Flea Circus all die because of the cold!

It was cold yesterday even with the sunshine we experienced in the garden.  Once a year we cut down the plants in the pond of which we have a number contained in 2 large plastic baskets.  We disturbed but hopefully didn't kill any of the mature or young frogs who were diving for cover as we pulled out the first one seen in this pic

Here Sally cuts away the growth outside the (green) basket.  The amount of extra growth can be seen discarded in the box on the bridge.  The idea is just to stop the plants taking over.

The second one just had a haircut as the underwater bits didn't look too bad and the water was Freezing on the hands.  It all looks a bit extreme at first but the new shoots always win the day.

It was a nice sunny day, Iff not a little cold out of the sunshine.  You can just make out "Tom" the cat as a black splodge sitting on the left hand chair (middle bottom of the pic). 

  Our other cat "Sainsbury" was having none of it, preferring to lie on a cushion on a bedroom windowsill while I clean the window!

Flushed with our success in the pond department we brave the elements to sit in the sunshine and have a glass of wine.  "Tom" has the warmest seat! 

The weather features again in a Mauritius story  carried by the BBC.  11 people die in severe flooding as a result of a few hours rain, blamed on climate change. 

Finally - - - our next door neighbour "John" he of the garden stories featured in the blog!  has posted on his facebook page that his car has broken down again!  I popped a note on his door telling him he can buy my Freelander! 

Enjoy the day

Follow this link to see our weather website

Or this one just to see the live birdfeeder webcam