A Comparison

I am annoyed.

On Saturday night, some lackwit managed to clip my (parked) car, scraping and cracking my front wing. The damage isn't significant, and experience has taught me that even if it was, reporting it to the police is utterly pointless. So the culprit will get away scot free.
On Sunday evening, I made a mistake driving through an unfamiliar area, and ended up in a bus lane by accident. There's a bus lane camera right there, so I'll probably end up £60 poorer for an honest mistake. 
And the contrast between the two is exactly why so many people in the UK are feeling a rather significant lack of justice right now. Damage to someone's property: no punishment. Mistake with no impact on anyone else: £60. Britain in 2009.

 

Autumn is in the air

And the trees…

The Edge of Autumn
The Edge of Autumn

Remains of the Leaf

Remains of the Leaf
Remains of the Leaf
The skeleton of an autumn leaf, spotted in Holborn

Mother Courage & Her Children

IMG_1262

Once upon a time, I had plans to write a review here, but this photo sat as the sole content of the draft post for six months. So, facing up to reality, I'll just share this photo of stage set and audience, done using AutoStitch on the iPhone.

Charity for Time Travellers

Charity Books

I assume whomever donated The Best Bed & Breakfast 1998 to our office charity lending library is under the illusion that we have a couple of time travellers in the office.

Charity for Time Travellers

IMG_1252
I assume whomever donated The Best Bed & Breakfast 1998 to the Estates Gazette charity lending library is under the illusion that we have a couple of time travellers in the office.

Back to the 1990s

I did a little scanning last night of random photos I had lying around, so I could shred the originals and keep the digital copy.

Here's me and an old girlfriend of mine around 1993:

At the Valentine's Ball
At the Valentine's Ball

Here's one of a series of pics shot of me for my student union election campaign:

Scan-090913-0002
Scan-090913-0002

 

Freecycle Splits

The UK arm of Freecycle, an initiative that allows people to give away things they no longer need thus avoiding landfill, is in the process of splitting from the US founders. 


Freecycle was a life-saver for us as we cleared out my parents' house after Mum died last year. Big items, like the three-piece suite, couldn't be given to charity shops, and they were in great condition, so there was no need to landfill them. But, through Freecycle, we found people who needed them, and gave them away. 

With a little bit of luck, this split will allow the UK's Freecyclers to innovate and push up the amount of goods Freecycled, rather than undermine a fabulous initiative.

Which reminds me - anyone want a small, exercise-style trampet?

Freecycle Splits

The UK arm of Freecycle, an initiative that allows people to give away things they no longer need thus avoiding landfill, is in the process of splitting from the US founders. 


Freecycle was a life-saver for us as we cleared out my parents' house after Mum died last year. Big items, like the three-piece suite, couldn't be given to charity shops, and they were in great condition, so there was no need to landfill them. But, through Freecycle, we found people who needed them, and gave them away. 

With a little bit of luck, this split will allow the UK's Freecyclers to innovate and push up the amount of goods Freecycled, rather than undermine a fabulous initiative.

Which reminds me - anyone want a small, exercise-style trampet?

Waterloo Panorama

Waterloo, Morning


Waterloo Panorama

IMG_1237

BananaramaBack

Bananarama - Love Comes
Blimey. Bananarama.

It's bringing back memories of fetid teenage years and desperate crushes.

Shame about the song.

QotD: Happy Labor Day!

How are you spending this Labor Day? Bonus points if you show us pictures.

At work:


It's not a holiday in the UK, you see...

QotD: Splurging for My Future

What's something you would splurge on this year to improve your future?
Presented by Intel, Sponsors of Tomorrow.

Well, ideally, a house...

Acorn

Acorn


Acorn

IMG_1564

New Flats? No Way.

New Flats - Just Wait

Graffiti seen on a derelict site in Totnes. They'll be waiting for the next economic cycle upswing, I'd guess..

New Flats? No Way.

IMG_1179

Graffiti seen on a derelict site in Totnes. They'll be waiting for the next economic cycle upswing, I'd guess..

When is a fruit not a fruit?

Most of the time, it seems.

Men Are Drooling Morons, Say Scientists

I love what I call "no sh*t, sherlock research". Scientists proving what we already knew. From The Telegraph :


The research shows men who spend even a few minutes in the company of an attractive woman perform less well in tests designed to measure brain function than those who chat to someone they do not find attractive.
Researchers who carried out the study, published in the Journal of Experimental and Social Psychology, think the reason may be that men use up so much of their brain function or 'cognitive resources' trying to impress beautiful women, they have little left for other tasks.


We now have scientific proof of the phenomenon that causes many serious, intelligent male journalists of my acquaintance to become drooling morons in the presence of pretty PR women. Hurrah.