tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post3182232004589411247..comments2024-03-27T09:27:33.931+00:00Comments on Idiotic Hat: The A303Mike C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-70269854541842944322011-05-27T09:08:44.179+01:002011-05-27T09:08:44.179+01:00After he died, they brought him back here, and his...After he died, they brought him back here, and his grave is in the municipal cemetery just up the road. As far as I know, it is not a site of pilgrimage to compare with Jim Morrison's grave at Pere Lachaise.<br /><br />Though at night I quite often hear ghostly gold-tops a-rattling in their crate. <br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-88197268791586353132011-05-27T02:30:55.874+01:002011-05-27T02:30:55.874+01:00Kula Shaker hymned the A 303, but it's certain...Kula Shaker <a rel="nofollow">hymned the A 303</a>, but it's certainly true that it doesn't match up to <i>Route 66</i>. <br /><br />Benny Hill was living in Teddington when he died, I'm guessing to be still near Teddington Studios. Ernie's nemesis, of course, was Two-Ton Ted from Teddington, who drove the baker's van, although in the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e1xvyTdBZI" rel="nofollow">video</a> for the single, Ted is played by Henry McGee who, while suitably villainous, is more Cassius-like than perhaps someone with the nickname "Two-Ton" ought to be …Martyn Cornellhttp://zythophile.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-15591072100083219332011-05-26T20:45:09.321+01:002011-05-26T20:45:09.321+01:00Dave,
Even if you make it rhyme, it's Benny H...Dave,<br /><br />Even if you make it rhyme, it's Benny Hill:<br /><br />God say, "You can do what you want Abe, but<br />The next time you see me comin’ you better run".<br />Well Abe says, "Where do you want this killin’ done?"<br />God says, "Way out there on the A301"<br /><br />Benny was a Southampton man, of course.<br /><br />Do you want it pasteurised, 'cos pasteurised is best?<br />She said, Ernie, I'll be 'appy if it comes up to me chest...<br /><br />(mind, that always makes me laugh).<br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-1354219135768842342011-05-26T20:13:00.682+01:002011-05-26T20:13:00.682+01:00Perhaps God (despite being an Englishman) would ne...Perhaps God (despite being an Englishman) would never had said, "Abraham kill me a son - out on the A303".<br /><br />Possibly because he wasn't a poet either.Dave Leekehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17971308602082668644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-767884455809809262011-05-26T10:42:25.112+01:002011-05-26T10:42:25.112+01:00Martyn,
What I will never understand, is why &quo...Martyn,<br /><br />What I will never understand, is why "A303" can never be as evocative in a song as, say, "Route 66" or "Highway 61" -- indeed, sounds faintly ludicrous -- whereas, on the other hand, "Ratcliffe Highway" or "Great North Road" work just fine.<br /><br />It's a mystery.<br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-74420540853825529552011-05-26T10:34:24.818+01:002011-05-26T10:34:24.818+01:00The iPlayer works fine abroad provided you use a V...The iPlayer works fine abroad provided you use a VPN, which lets you pretend to the BBC that you're based in the UK. If you're not in the US, a VPN is also essential for getting the best out of Google Books, since many sources, for alleged copyright reasons, are "snippet view" only for readers connecting from outside the US. And a VPN is also essential for connecting to <a href="http://www.jesusandmo.net/" rel="nofollow">Jesus and Mo</a> if you live in the UAE.<br /><br />Ah, the A303 - forever associated in my mind with my girlfriend of the late 1970s and early 1980s, who came from Devon.Martyn Cornellhttp://zythophile.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-13678491087111102242011-05-25T03:23:00.024+01:002011-05-25T03:23:00.024+01:00Negatory on video in the iplayer here in USA. Radi...Negatory on video in the iplayer here in USA. Radio seems to work though.Kent Wileyhttp://www.manmadewilderness.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-36825312832969101972011-05-24T23:32:45.436+01:002011-05-24T23:32:45.436+01:00OK, that's a definite read for the Macfarlane....OK, that's a definite read for the Macfarlane. I've read "Findings", too, but let's leave my piles out of it.<br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-55793379094338588802011-05-24T20:28:36.521+01:002011-05-24T20:28:36.521+01:00I watched the Wild Swimming one as I really enjoye...I watched the Wild Swimming one as I really enjoyed the Deakin book - and like you, I've got all his and love them. I must admit that I found Alice Roberts a little coy in the skinny dipping bit but I guess I'm just getting old and one step nearer to "dom" status.<br /><br />Anyway, "The Wild Places" is a must read. I dipped into it last week and have been thinking about reading it again. "Findings" by Kathleen Jamie is hopefully in one of your piles too.Dave Leekehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17971308602082668644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-39044404516082981782011-05-24T11:35:43.633+01:002011-05-24T11:35:43.633+01:00Huw,
Totally agree on the Kindle -- several times...Huw,<br /><br />Totally agree on the Kindle -- several times now I have had the same experience -- it's especially bad with heavily footnoted books. A lot of this could be overcome by more subtle / dynamic use of the navigation bar at the bottom (it could show chapters, etc, rather than just "progress").<br /><br />There are several evolutionary steps needed before e-readers become acceptable to most people. Colour, obviously, but intuitive layout, less dependence on menus, and easier navigation are top of my list.<br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-53217748152976085592011-05-24T11:09:28.430+01:002011-05-24T11:09:28.430+01:00Mike,
There are a few black and white pictures bu...Mike,<br /><br />There are a few black and white pictures but they're printed on the paper (i.e. aren't 'plates'). I have his earlier book <i>Mountains of the Mind</i> for the Kindle and the equivalent grayscale images are OK.<br /><br />Huw<br /><br />PS My main Kindle gripe is how books rarely finish at 100%. A recent one finished at 60%, the rest taken up by poorly formatted indexes and further reading, so my sense of pacing and anticipation was completely wrong. Should probably get my own blog . . .Huwnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-36354663110989626632011-05-23T14:09:00.491+01:002011-05-23T14:09:00.491+01:00Huw,
I know the feeling -- Amazon has deeply misu...Huw,<br /><br />I know the feeling -- Amazon has deeply misunderstood me, because of the many birthday purchases I've made over the years. Honest, Amazon, I really couldn't care less about Star Wars.<br /><br />Is it illustrated? If not, I'll get a copy for my Kindle.<br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-8146421927948356232011-05-23T14:03:49.978+01:002011-05-23T14:03:49.978+01:00Mike,
It's a strong recommendation. I was cu...Mike,<br /><br />It's a strong recommendation. I was curiously wary of it (despite - because of? - Amazon constantly badgering me to buy it based on my previous purchases) but found it deeply readable, considered and inspiring. <br /><br />HuwHuwnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-38610378029366931832011-05-23T12:06:22.720+01:002011-05-23T12:06:22.720+01:00Huw,
I'm aware of it, but haven't read it...Huw,<br /><br />I'm aware of it, but haven't read it. If you recommend it, I'll add it to my ever-increasing list of books to read. Of course, that's just the third division -- the 2nd division is the pile of actual unread books next to my desk, plus the virtual pile cumulating in my Kindle ...<br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-49799358300192781742011-05-23T11:35:47.531+01:002011-05-23T11:35:47.531+01:00Mike,
Have you read Robert Macfarlane's The W...Mike,<br /><br />Have you read Robert Macfarlane's <i>The Wild Places</i>? Definitely Natural History as something that's experienced. He comes from it the same angle as Deakin: semi-academic (he's a Fellow at Cambridge, but in English) and very physically involved.<br /><br />HuwHuwnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-639216154008081742011-05-23T09:23:35.496+01:002011-05-23T09:23:35.496+01:00Huw,
Yes, I've all the Deakin there is (sadly...Huw,<br /><br />Yes, I've all the Deakin there is (sadly), plus a fair bit of Annie Dillard, Richard Mabey, Kathleen Jamie, and some of the others who have established the contemporary "nature writing" genre, where Natural History is something you do, rather than something you study.<br /><br />When I was kid, I wanted nothing more than to be a "naturalist" -- I collected moths and butterflies, fossils, natural detritus of all kinds. Unfortunstely, our school insisted that Biology, English and German was not an allowable A level combination... Mind, I did Geography instead, which was great. I can feel a post coming on...<br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-34211838274838859582011-05-23T08:36:16.711+01:002011-05-23T08:36:16.711+01:00Mike,
Richard Klein has been BBC Four controller ...Mike,<br /><br />Richard Klein has been BBC Four controller since 2008 and has commissioned some excellent programmes, often tying them into short seasons like last week's. I enjoyed last year's Japan season.<br /><br /><i>Wild Swimming</i> was delightful; have you read Deakin's <i>Waterlog</i>? It conforms perfectly to your vision of 'semi-academic / quasi-artistic / mildly physical enthusiasm'.<br /><br />Like David we can now watch iPlayer via our television and it makes a huge difference (although it's mostly used for <i>Zingzillas</i> and <i> Chugginton</i>).<br /><br />HuwHuwnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-34059240109727815332011-05-23T08:20:01.638+01:002011-05-23T08:20:01.638+01:00David,
Strange as it might sound, I have come to ...David,<br /><br />Strange as it might sound, I have come to like watching TV on the PC -- we only have a 12" TV anyway, so the difference is not huge, and I can multitask in the dull bits. I think once you've watched something as intense as all four series of The Wire on your PC, you come to have good associations with the setup.<br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-8258146740262106322011-05-22T23:49:58.333+01:002011-05-22T23:49:58.333+01:00Mike
We have recently been able to connect our ro...Mike<br /><br />We have recently been able to connect our router directly to our Humax satellite box, and that enables us to watch iPlayer through the TV - more convenient than sitting at the computer. If your broadband service has a monthly limit, however (ours is 10GB / month) you can get to the limit pretty quickly by watching iPlayer!David Brookesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-13845992999215913112011-05-22T11:34:34.549+01:002011-05-22T11:34:34.549+01:00David,
I think the rest of that week's "...David,<br /><br />I think the rest of that week's "landscape" programmes are probably worth a watch, too.<br /><br />I've only just started using the iPlayer, and can see it's going to soak up a lot of my spare time quite enjoyably (I watched Alice Roberts swimming in a Lakeland pool last night, for example, all in the interests of landscape research, of course).<br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-61671080280585573802011-05-22T00:23:08.671+01:002011-05-22T00:23:08.671+01:00Mike
We watched this programme and thoroughly enj...Mike<br /><br />We watched this programme and thoroughly enjoyed it (far more enjoyable, in fact, than the traffic on the A303). I agree with your comments about the British tradition of amateur enthusiasts - probably one of the reasons why I enjoy your blog.David Brookesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-25042769454034727812011-05-21T23:39:33.052+01:002011-05-21T23:39:33.052+01:00Damn, and I thought everyone knew what a palimpses...Damn, and I thought everyone knew what a palimpsest is!<br /><br />The white of the cut is what it is, where it is, and I didn't put it there... That's what makes it so attention-grabbing -- a big white trench slashed through what used to be a gently rolling chalk hill. Some people find it an offensive symbol of what we do to our environment, a lot of people don't even notice it any more.<br /><br />I suspect the Victorians who built the viaduct (which simply took a railway line over a small river -- this is not the Grand Canyon) would have relished the opportunity to show off by putting a tunnel through instead...<br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-33941906677387776732011-05-21T22:45:31.789+01:002011-05-21T22:45:31.789+01:00palimpsestic?
Eschew obfuscation!
Nice image, th...palimpsestic?<br /><br />Eschew obfuscation!<br /><br />Nice image, though the white of the cut is a little abrupt?<br /><br />BronBronislaus Janulis / Framewrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15839855368056037541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-40330893121930610682011-05-21T18:38:28.250+01:002011-05-21T18:38:28.250+01:00I've just watched this on the iPlayer. Thanks ...I've just watched this on the iPlayer. Thanks for the 'heads up'.Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13494219959077922220noreply@blogger.com