Saturday 31st October 2009 10:30
Today was a nightmare... could it have had something to do with Hallowe'en?! Well, the majority of it was. I heard you all ask why, so sit down, make yourself comfortable and I'll begin...
As I said yesterday, I'd arranged to view three cars today, a VW Golf at 09:00, a Peugeot 206 at 10:30 and another Peugeot 206 at 16:00. The first was in Emsworth, just a stone's throw away from us. I love Golfs, they're a great looking car and incredibly reliable, however, this was the most basic of models, plus the interior was somewhat shoddy. What put it down even further, particularly as the asking price was £1500, was the fact that it had 186K on the clock and there was three door, had no air conditioning, no sunroof and, more importantly, no CD player. Too overpriced and too basic. Next!
From there, we then drove up to Winchester to view the first of the two Peugeot 206s. Both had the same specifications, model and engine size that is, yet one had 10K more miles but was slightly cheaper (obviously). No sooner had I seen this one, I liked it. The colour appealed and it was in immaculate condition both inside and out. I had a test drive in it and was given the opportunity to drive it (unlike the owner of the Golf who drove it for me!) and it drove nicely. Was this the one for me?
We drove back home and managed to stop off at Sainsbury's in Farlington, where we grabbed ourselves a big breakfast (we were absolutely famished) and by which time I'd more or less made up my mind that the Peugeot we'd just seen was the car I wanted. The trouble with car hunting is that there will always be a better bargain around the corner, it's just that time was the major issue with me, we couldn't depend on Tanya using Damien's car on the never never, nor could I expect to keep using Tanya's car.
Sainsbury's breakfasts really are something else, and incredibly cheap with it. For more information, please click on the logo above.
So, after filling a hunger gap, we came back home, had a quick look to see if any other cars had been added on Auto Trader, which they hadn't, and then I made the 'phone call saying that we were prepared to buy. I tried haggling with him and although I was unsuccessful at getting him to drop the price by £200, I did manage £100 off the price. We'd already drawn out £600 so I suggested that we paid the balance by BACS transfer from their computer at home, that way it would be quicker and safer, particularly as I bank with RBS and the closest branch open today was in Reading. Bollocks to the idea of driving all the way there.
Before we set off, there was the small matter of making sure I insured myself to drive again. Swiftcover had had the audacity to question why I'd cancelled my Direct Debit with them (I shall make sure I name and shame them in due course) so I wanted to start afresh with car insurance. Although slightly pricey, I chose the reputable Direct Line as my insurance company. I've heard nothing but good reports and this time I also opted for the 'Hire Car plus'... what that is, only time will tell (although I'd rather be in a position to never find out). So, I was now insured... just the simple case of picking the car up...
For relatively cheap car insurance, please click on the logo above.
From where we are, Winchester is just over 20 miles away, so it's not too long a journey time. We arrived there within the hour of confirming our interest to buy. We handed the £600 over and I then logged on to my internet banking to make payment, only I'd forgotten that when I add a new payee, I need to use my security card reader that generates an authorisation code that I then need to key in. Fuck, fuck, fuck! Ah well, I could transfer the money to Tanya and then she could transfer it to them, since they both banked with the same bank... brilliant. Once Tanya had made the payment, it turned out that her bank then 'phones her as a means of a secure authorisation... only we weren't at home. Bollocks! Calling her bank may resolve the issue... they'd contact her immediately on my mobile to authorise payment... only they didn't. She 'phoned back and they promised the same thing... nothing. A third call to the bank resulted in Tanya being told that this wasn't possible and we'd have to wait until Monday before payment could be authorised. What a load of lying twats bankers are.
There was little else we could do so we took the £600 back and arranged to drive over on Monday. To say I was pissed off was an understatement... in actual fact I was livid, mainly because most people in call centres, banks or anyone else at the end of automated messages that evoke suicide are just fuckwits, imbecilic fuckwits at that.
Once home, Tanya decided to try speaking to someone at the bank one last time... and it turned out that she talked with someone who actually knew how to do their job without getting shitty or trying to sell her something with complete disregard as to how stressed out we both were. The transaction was cleared and we contacted the couple once more to arrange to drive over, yet again. Over 120 miles later and almost three hours of travelling, I finally left with my new car. Thank fuck for that.
Although the 207 has now superseded the 206, I'll provide a link to the superb range of available from Peugeot. Just click on the 206 logo above to find out more.
We did finally manage to go round and see Damien (we'd planned on going there early afternoon) and headed off to the The Wheelwrights Arms in Havant for a good few pints... namely Courage 'Directors' and Greene King's 'Abbot Ale', both splendid pints.
Friday 30th October 2009 15:29
Ever since receiving the payout for the injuries I sustained from my car accident over a month ago, Tanya and I have been hunting around in a frantic fashion, in the hope that we'd be able to find a replacement car. Tanya had bought this week's Auto Trader, although it appeared that all the bargains had already been snapped up. Having said that though, since Auto Trader's website is updated continuously, it did mean that I managed to find three cars, all of which fitted my brief and were still available.
Considering I passed my test some years ago, I've owned very few cars... VW Golf, Peugeot 205 (x2), Vauxhall Cavalier and a Ford Escort (and whatever car I end up buying this weekend). Strangely enough, I've arranged to view a VW Golf and two Peugeot 206s.
Anyway, if you just happen to be hunting around for that perfect car or bargain, please click on the logo above.
Thursday 29th October 2009 21:00
Tonight, Channel 4's flagship documentary series, 'Cutting Edge' covered the harrowing ordeal that former model and television presenter, Katie Piper, suffered in 2008. In March last year, Piper's ex-boyfriend, Daniel Lynch, cajoled Stefan Sylvestre to throw sulphuric acid at her face, right in the middle of the day, on a busy North London street. The attack left her blind in one eye and she has since had to have numerous operations to rebuild her face. As to whether she will ever have the confidence to rebuild her life remains to be seen.
Since then, both men have been found guilty and sentenced for the viscous attack, with Lynch also being convicted of rape prior to this. One was for 12 years (Sylvestre) and the other (Lynch) had two life sentences (to serve a minimum of 18 years)... hardly a deterrent for anyone wishing to commit such a cowardly crime and I always thought a life sentence meant life? So basically, once Katie Piper reaches her 40s, she may spend it fearing for her life. Don't you just love justice? Fucking outrageous if you ask me.
To watch the episode all about Katie, please click on the image above.
Wednesday 28th October 2009 14:37
Running your own business has its benefits and pitfalls. Usually, most emails or standard mail I receive are junk, yet I received one from a company called 'Moo' today, a popular online printing company that originated in London and now has offices that operate in both Europe and the United States.
So, what are Moo about and what do they have to offer? Well, they allow you to use images that you've uploaded directly or you can browse from their own designs via their designer galleries. They also believe that business should be conducted in a fun way, rather than a business way. This becomes clear when you take their first product, MiniCards, business cards about half the size of standard ones, obviously with your company's details on them, yet each one of a box of 100 could have a different design or image on it. They also print the usual sized business cards as well as greeting cards, postcards and stickers, along with accessories that complement some of the products.
To find out more, please click on the logo above.
Tuesday 27th October 2009 16:02
On the way home today, I stopped off at Sainsbury's for a restock on real ale, particularly as Damien had mentioned 'Bishop's Finger' by Shepherd Neame this morning. Whilst there though, I also picked up a multi-pack on my favourite crisps, Walkers 'French Fries'. I can take or leave virtually every flavour except for Worcester Sauce... they are incredibly addictive and I'd go as far to say as there are very few crisps and flavours that even come close to how scrumptious they are.
I'm 100% certain though that back in the 80s, Smiths Crisps used to make them, although I'd go as far to say as there is little difference to how they tasted then as to how they taste now. As a teenager, I remember going on holiday with my mate and his parents and we decided to buy a box of 48 packets to take with us. We arrived at our destination late one Saturday afternoon and snacked on them whilst we were there... by Tuesday, they'd all been eaten! I remember one of the 'sittings' being six bags in a row... makes me laugh out loud just thinking about it!
To my disappointment, the Walkers Crisps website doesn't have a single section to do with French Fries, so you'll have to make do with the standard Walkers Crisps website by clicking on the French Fries logo above.
Monday 26th October 2009 17:21
I received an email from my Dad today, pointing me to what can only be described as high drama in the village of Blackrod, where I lived for the majority of my life. Where I used to live is 3.6 miles away from Bolton's Reebok Stadium, just in case you'd never heard of Blackrod (I think you'll find that most people wouldn't have had a clue - Ed).
Anyway, back to the drama... Police were called out at 9:15am by Post Office owner, Rakesh Chapanery, when he had noticed a suspect package taped to the postbox outside his premises. It was feared that it could well be a bomb and no sooner had they arrived, a 100 metre cordon was set up, around 30 houses were evacuated and bomb disposal officers were called to the scene. The bomb disposal unit used a robot called a 'pigstick' to both inspect and detonate the package. This particular device blasts water at suspected packages which usually disables them.
Minutes later, it turned out that someone had been foolish enough to strap a green shoebox to the postbox, containing nothing but a housebrick, although the person had gone to some lengths to make it look like a bomb by including some protruding wires. It's ridiculous that it totally wasted the time of a police squad who could have been dealing with proper crime, yet I can also see the funny side... I mean, a shoebox and a brick?!
For more information about the whole fiasco, please click on the logo above.
Sunday 25th October 2009 12:16
Spent most of the day compiling a price list for Straightpoint UK, incorporating the various 3D drawings that I've completed recently. In between all this though, I also nipped to Waitrose because even though we'd had our shopping delivered earlier, they hadn't been able to provide what we'd planned for our Sunday Lunch. Fucking typical.
So, whilst out, I bought some Quorn Quarterpounders and some Linda McCartney Country Pies (yes, Damien is a vegetarian). Obviously I had a quick look at the real ales as well and ended up buying a few more bottles, mainly from St. Peter's Brewery (I shall talk about that brewery at some point).
Vegetarian food is something I've never covered on my blog and although I love chicken, pork and bacon, I reckon I could cut red meat out of my diet fairly easily. As for poultry and fish, I very much doubt it. Anyway, Quorn is probably the best-selling meat-free product in the market and covers a huge range of food. Quorn is incredibly low in fat due to the main ingredient being mycoprotein; not only that, it's a great source of protein, relatively low in calories and is completely free of cholesterol. I suppose you're wondering what mycoprotein is, well it's made from a member of the fungi family, which means it's high in dietary fibre and contains all the essential amino acids your body requires.
Please click on the Quorn logo above (recently redesigned) for more information about the huge range of foods that are produced.
Now then, Linda McCartney Country Pies... they are incredibly delicious and not once did I think I was eating something vegetarian. I'm not sure just how long ago it was that she died, what I do know is that her passion for great tasting meat free food made her an original food pioneer and even to this day, Paul and their two daughters continue to dedicate their time into continuing with that passion. As well as being meat free, every recipe is kept as simple and natural as possible, avoiding the use of genetically modified ingredients and hydrogenated fats, all being fully endorsed by the Vegetarian Society.
For much more information, please click on the logo above.
Before completing today's blog, I do have to point out that Bolton's 3-2 home win over Everton and the fact that we're now 12th in the table hasn't gone unnoticed...
Saturday 24th October 2009 13:08
Tanya's brother, Damien, had taken our advice and decided to stay with us for a few days whilst he is recovering from the keyhole surgery on his knee. This meant that we had an extra mouth to feed, and although we'd planned for our shopping to be delivered tomorrow, there were a few essentials needed... one of them was obviously beer!
I'd been given several chores to complete (I say chore in the mildest of fashions, after all, I'd decided to take a trip to Southwick Brewhouse). Morrisons was the first port of call, followed by a swift visit to Westbourne Bakery (yes, that hasn't been mentioned for quite some time) and finally, a trip to buy some real ales.
Every time you buy at least six ales there, whoever is serving you signs the beer box, a 'box' with six compartments and a handle to carry them... not sure if it has a scientific name or not. Anyway, once you have four signatures, you can have a free bottle of ale... it was time for a free bottle! I left the premises with 13 different ales and a huge smile on my face for we were in for a very pleasant and civilised afternoon.
Between the three of us, we managed to sample 8 of the 13 ales, of which I've chosen to write about three of our favourites.
The first, 'Proper Job' is a 5.5% ABV bottle conditioned India Pale Ale and is absolutely superb. Brewed with Cornish spring water and a combination of malts (namely Cornish grown Marris Otter barley), this hoppy golden bitter from St. Austell Brewery is a triumph. It has to be superb, it won Gold in the SIBA South West Beer Festival this year.
For more information, please click on the brewery logo above.
Next up was'Sheepshaggers' brewed by The Cairngorm Brewery Co. Ltd. Not only was this a very pleasant ale, the name of it would make anyone chuckle (anyone with a sense of humour that is).
This is another great tasting light amber ale with a spritz-citrus taste, with a zesty aftertaste. This 4.5% ABV bottle conditioned golden beer has quite a dry finish and has a surprisingly strong taste.
To find out more about Cairngorm Brewery, please click on their logo above.
The final ale was 'Atlantic Red', an organic Celtic ale by Newquay based Atlantic Brewery. At 5% ABV, this full-bodied copper-coloured ale has a well rounded hoppy taste and is brewed use Pale, Wheat and Crystal malts, along with First Gold and Fuggles hops. The maltiness of this ale gives it a distinct sweet caramel taste which is perfectly balanced by the citrus flavours of the First Gold hops.
Click on the logo above to find out more about The Atlantic Brewery and the other beers brewed by them.
Friday 23rd October 2009 16:57
At the beginning of this month I talked about the passion I have for architecture. This time though, I thought I'd take a step much closer to home, namely Scotland.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the Glasgow born architect, designer and watercolourist is undoubtedly one of the most creative figures of the early 20th century. He was involved in the Arts and Crafts movement and also the main exponent of Art Nouveau within Britain, having considerable influence on European design.
Born on the 7th June 1868, he was the fourth oldest of eleven siblings and the second son to William Mackintosh and Margaret Rennie. In his early life, he attended Reid's Public School and the Allan Glen's Institution before he was apprenticed at the age of 16 to architect John Hutchinson. He worked there from 1884 to 1889, becoming the second winner of the Alexander Thomson Travelling Studentship a year later. In 1900 he married Margaret MacDonald who was a fellow artist at the Glasgow School of Art, who were members of a collaborative group known as 'The Four'.
He designed many superbly designed buildings, namely the Hill House, located in Helensburgh (owned by the National Trust for Scotland), The Willow Tearooms on Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow and the Glasgow School of Art, all of which I've been lucky enough to visit and are truly sensational - particularly the Hill House.
Unfortunately, his life ended rather abruptly, and having lived in the south of France for five years, he and his wife were forced to move back to London in 1927 due to him becoming very ill. That year, Charles Rennie Mackintosh was diagnosed with throat and tongue cancer and although a brief recovery meant he could return home for a few months, he sadly died in a nursing home on December 10th 1928, at the age of 60.
To find out much more about this incredible man, please click on the logo above.
Thursday 22nd October 2009 10:09
You're probably wondering why I haven't mentioned fonts for some time... the worry is well and truly over.
One of my favourite foundries by far, Dalton Maag, has been designing fonts and logos since 1991, increasing their skills and knowledge and now employ ten professionals in three offices across the world.
Dalton Maag in London was where it all started; assisting design agencies to provide high quality logo designs and font solutions to their clients. Most of the design and all production work is carried out from this office by a team of designers and engineers.
Dalton Maag Switzerland opened in 2006, supporting and liaising with German-speaking clients in all font-related issues, as well as enabling their close relationship with other font foundries, assisting with queries about their products also. Dalton Maag Brazil followed some two years later in the hope that they will be able to contribute greatly to high quality branding and design in South America.
To top it all, they also support and assist people in broadening their typographic skills and have accepted internships for students and design practitioners for a number of years, some of which have become well-known designers and have created successful font families.
Please click on the rather unusual logo above to find out more or to buy one of their amazing fonts.
Wednesday 21st October 2009 15:07
Amidst all the bad news of late, there was a glimmer of hope on the horizon... a settlement cheque from elephant.co.uk for the recent car crash I'd been involved in. It's a long story as to how I arrived at this, and one that I'll take immense pleasure in sharing with you - not only that, I'm going to tarnish a particular insurance company's name that much, I hope they wish they'd never gone into business.
Anyway, I shall steer away from the doom and gloom and concentrate on giving elephant.co.uk a major plug. The company, part of the Admiral Group plc, was launched in August 2000 and now have over 350,000 customers. They can almost guarantee that their insurance will save you money, even in areas outside the 'traditionally cheap'.
As well as that, they support the work of the Born Free Foundation, an international wildlife charity that constantly aims to reduce the amount of animal suffering and make people aware that all animals should be treated with respect. They also support the work of Tusk, a charity that promotes the conservation of African wildlife, particularly those that are endangered. What's that? Yes, they do actually sound Human don't they?!
Please click on 'Trunkie', the elephant.co.uk mascot, for a quote...
Tuesday 20th October 2009 18:20
Making headlines on virtually every news channel tonight was the story (and video footage) of a runaway bus in Russia. The bus crashes into the rear of a car whilst a man, who is walking across a zebra crossing somehow manages to escape being ran over by the shunted car and then the bus that continues because its brakes have completely failed.
All in all, nineteen cars were crushed and four people were admitted to hospital by the time the drama had ended in the Russian city of Perm. Witnesses to the event saw passengers jumping from the bus as it ploughed through busy streets, with it eventually coming to rest after it mounted a raised plaza within the city centre.
Incredible footage... please click on the QuickTime logo above to see the pedestrian's brush with death.
Monday 19th October 2009 14:34
Since my car was deemed a Total Loss, Category C, I've been waiting for my insurance company to transfer funds to cover the cost of my car. It seems to have taken forever but at last, the money had been transferred into my account via BACS.
BACS, for those of you who don't know, is a not for profit, membership based, industry body which was responsible for processing more than 5.6 billion UK payments, with a total value of £3.85 trillion GBP, last year alone. It provides two principal electronic payment schemes; Direct Debit and Bacs Direct Debit. This payment method has been at the heart of the payments industry for over 40 years (it celebrated its 40th anniversary last year) and is responsible for the schemes behind the clearing and settlement of automated payments in the UK. Just in case you were wondering what the acronym stood for, it's Bankers Automated Clearing System.
For more information, please click on the logo above.
Sunday 18th October 2009 16:39
I managed to watch the repeat of 'Match of the Day' this morning, so that I could watch three incidents, all of which were of interest to me. The first was during the Aston Villa v Chelsea game where Anelka clattered into Villa's manager, Martin O'Neill, and literally upended him. The second was Darren Bent's goal for Sunderland against Liverpool, his shot taking a nasty deflection off a red beach ball (got to say, that was very amusing) and finally, to watch Defoe's sending off.
For your fill of football, go to the BBC's Match of the Day website by clicking on the logo below.
Mid-morning, we both had a lovely walk around Emsworth Mill Pond (yes, it does seem absolutely ages since we last did). We had loads of stale bread so we took the opportunity of feeding the ducks, swans, seagulls and the occasional coot with it. It was an absolutely glorious day, to the point where the both us were comfortable in t-shirts, even though we'd wrapped up expecting Arctic temperatures.
Whilst walking around, we noticed signs for an art exhibition at Emsworth Community Centre, so decided to have a look around. Whether it's surprising or not, there are a hell of a lot of talented artists within the small town, maybe the beauty of the place attracts them, I don't know. What I do know though, it's great to see, especially as there are several of these exhibitions, along with the May Day Arts Trail that really pulls the whole community together.
Later on in the day, I managed to catch up with my blog (as you probably noticed), yet I really struggled to convert the Energy Saving Trust video so that I could upload it to my space - yes, I'm fully aware that you can embed such things from YouTube and the like, yet there's no guarantee of the video's life on there and vixy.net just didn't seem to be recognising the URL I was trying to convert... desperate measures, until I found an online converter, in the name of Media Converter. You can upload files, enter links or browse You Tube via the site... there's also a Firefox extension, should you be impressed.
Please click on the logo above and see for yourself.
Saturday 17th October 2009 09:41
We started the day off by going to ASDA with Damien (yes, his knee is still bad but he has finally been given an appointment for it to be operated on... this coming Friday). Before we attempted to brave the crowds, we all thoroughly enjoyed an absolutely superb breakfast there... not only that, the price was ridiculously low! When I say low, a 'mega' breakfast of two eggs, three rashers of thick bacon, three sausages, three hash browns and a decent-sized portion of beans was £4.00. You'd be incredibly hard-pushed to buy that in the store and cook it for the same amount of money. Of all the supermarkets we've had breakfasts at, ASDA exceeds the quality and quantity of any.
Once home, I managed to watch two important football matches... Manchester United v Bolton and Portsmouth v Tottenham Hotspur. Both were end to end stuff and both deserved to end in a draw... what's deserved and what actually happens are two different things, unfortunately.
Bolton lost 2-1, although scoring a goal at Old Trafford is something, especially when Bolton had the upper hand for the last fifteen minutes or more and nearly clinched the equaliser in the dying seconds of the game.
Pompey also lost by the same scoreline and didn't just deserve a draw, they deserved to win. Spurs' goalkeeper, Gomez, managed to keep the visiting team from being walked over and thankfully, Defoe was sent off for severe misconduct. Horrible little man.
Now then, last week I mentioned how we'd been to another beer festival and that I'd review a couple of ales, so here goes... I'll review another tomorrow so, for the time-being, I'll stick to one brewery, Ascot Ales.
We tried two, 'Alley Cat Ale' is one of Ascot's latest additions and this light copper-coloured ale has a distinct fruity, yet citrus taste. At 3.8% ABV, it makes for a great session ale and is brewed with Brewers Gold, making it refreshing and hoppy.
'Posh Pooch' was the second one we tasted, this one being a rich copper-coloured ale with a sweet malt and toffee taste, counterbalanced with a mix of Chinook and Cascade hops which introduce a sharp bitterness. Ascot's flagship ale has strong citrus aroma with a hint of spiciness and would also make a great session beer at 4.2% ABV.
For more information, please click on either pump clip above.
Friday 16th October 2009 15:57
As a Mac user, there's nothing more frustrating than receiving PC files, particularly ones that are created in Word, Excel or PowerPoint. I'm all for the way that these programs work on PC, yet most PC users just cannot seem to understand that the files they send over to proper designers just aren't compatible with Macs.
Luckily, for Mac users, iWork '09 works a dream with such files and allows you to view them and convert them to PDF, if you so wish (yes, PC users, I am fully aware that this can be done via your programs too).
There are three incredibly versatile programs within the iWork package.
'Pages' (the equivalent of Word) is both a streamlined word processor and an easy-to-use page layout tool. It allows you to be a writer one minute and a designer the next, always with a perfect document in the works.
'Numbers' (the equivalent of Excel), on the other hand, has great-looking templates, easy-to-create formulas, and dynamic tables and charts, making perfect sense of spreadsheets.
The final piece of this jigsaw is 'Keynote' (the equivalent to PowerPoint) where you can create your own presentation with powerful yet easy-to-use tools and dazzling effects put the show in slideshow and you'll be a hard act to follow.
Click on any one of the logos above to find out much more about iWork and see how advanced the Mac packages are in comparison to Microsoft.
Thursday 15th October 2009 19:38
Today's blog covers the 'green' aspect of living, particularly making people like you and I aware of energy wastage, yet there's a particular part of this advert that tickles me immensely - call me sad, but every time I watch this, it just makes me laugh. It's 13 seconds into the advert... it involves a fridge and a penguin who knows Dave... brilliant.
On the serious side of their campaign, the independent UK-based organisation want to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by helping people to use energy more efficiently, conserve water, reduce waste and make renewable energy sources more accessible, as well as help people choose greener ways to travel at home and at work. With a range of advice services, they provide practical solutions to environmental issues with enthusiasm and passion.
Click on the logo above to watch the campaign advert or click here to find out more about organisation.
Wednesday 14th October 2009 20:00
Tonight saw the final World Cup qualifying match for England and Belarus, the first leg was played almost a year ago in Minsk and England managed a 1-3 win. Luckily, England had already qualified which meant that they could relax a little with their last two games. Unfortunately, Capello's 100% record had been tarnished last Saturday with a 1-0 defeat against the Ukraine, so it was a chance for England to redeem themselves on home soil.
It was an incredibly lively start to the game and within 3 minutes, Gabriel Agbonlahor flicked a fantastic cross for Peter Crouch to just scrape in with the bottom of his boot... playing with this sort of pace, this could be an absolute walkover. Sadly, that wasn't the case and although each team had their chances, they just couldn't convert and the half-time score was 1-0 to England.
Bizarrely enough, Capello hadn't made any changes during the break, deciding to make his first change by taking Aaron Lennon off and bringing David Beckham on. Sure enough, from a 58th-minute Beckham corner, side-passed out towards the edge of 18-yard box, the ball broke for Shaun Wright-Phillips who drilled in a low shot that brushed the fingertips of Zhevnov, the Belarus goalkeeper. At last, England had found a way through the resilient visitors' defence.
England looked far more comfortable after that and started to play in much the same way that they had within the opening minutes. A 66th-minute substitution added more problems for Belarus when Gabriel Agbonlahor was replaced with Carlton Cole... they just couldn't cope with the height of the two strikers and sure enough, in the 75th-minute, Carlton Cole managed to stay onside and pelt a thumping shot towards goal which Zhevnov saved, only the force of it meant he couldn't keep hold of it and Peter Crouch poked the ball into the net to score his 18th goal in 17 starts for England. The game finished 3-0 and Capello even managed a smile!
Tuesday 13th October 2009 22:00
Not sure what's wrong with us two at the moment but we've both been to Camera Club for several weeks running, mind you, we'd both entered the first DPI (Digitally Projected Images) competition of the season - not only that, it was the first time that either of us had EVER entered this competition, usually we only bother with Prints.
Tanya had entered two good images, one of which was incredibly strong. I, on the other hand, had entered two 'images' that had been manipulated that much, they didn't even resemble my original photographs. I created both 'images' on the 2nd April 2002 and always wanted to enter them into some sort of competition, just didn't really fancy taking the risk in a print competition.
Unbelievably, the judge actually liked the first one that was projected (shown on the left). He described 'Midnight Hour' as being very abstract yet he could see different forms, almost the shape of a woman, as if looking through glass... 8½. I was stunned, particularly as I had been expecting both to bomb out.
Originally, he'd said that he preferred 'Midnight Hour', so my worse fears were that 'Northern Lights' (shown on the right) would be given a 7 at the very most... ah well, it was a huge gamble I'd taken... wait a minute though... he went on to say that he was going to change his mind, he loved the subtle colours and shapes along with a huge amount of intrigue... he didn't care that he had no idea what it was... 10. I couldn't believe he'd given it a 10... full marks!
Please click on either image to view a larger version.
Monday 12th October 2009 23:58
Yesterday, I completed the outlined drawing to the very last of the 3D drawings I've been creating for Straightpoint UK... nevertheless, I spent the whole of this afternoon and evening 'colouring' it in. Out of all of the drawings, this was probably the most intricate, both in structure and in lighting, due to its unusual shape.
All of these drawings will be included on the recently revamped Straightpoint UK website (Tanya designed it all) and in a price list, of which I have been working on a layout and need to have that finalised by the end of the week so I can complete it.
Please click on the image above to visit Straightpoint's new-look website.
Sunday 11th October 2009 20:00
Today's blog is a 'for those of you who know me' one. The reason I say this is because it sort of explains my sense of humour... sick (at times), yet I do enjoy clever jokes too. In the past, many people, and I do mean many, have commented that I need help. Maybe I do. Trouble is, sick jokes ARE funny, end of, although if friends or family were asked to give me a character reference, I'd struggle to predict what they'd say...
Now then, I shall leave it entirely up to you if you choose to click on the logo above...
Saturday 10th October 2009 10:42
We did our customary shopping this morning, along with Damien, who's still in agony with his knee. It was a trip to Morrisons and before we attempted to do any sort of shopping, we sat down and enjoyed an exceptional breakfast there; two Full English Breakfasts along with two drinks, all for around a tenner.
As we were on our way back, Tanya asked Damien what his plans were for the day and he mentioned something about a pub called 'Hole In The Wall' down in Southsea (a posh part of Portsmouth) that was in the midst of its third Beer Festival. At the time of telling us, he'd almost given up with the thought of going because he'd have had to travel on his own and wasn't quite sure whether any of his mates would be there.
Once we'd dropped Damien off and unpacked our shopping, I suggested that I looked at my funds to see if we could afford to go down there on the train and enjoy a couple. Damien seemed delighted with that decision so we drove down to his and then journeyed by foot to Havant station.
From there, it was another slightly longer route to the pub but Damien made it in one piece... the thought of beer helped him along the way.
The 'Hole In The Wall' is a very quiet, modest-sized establishment with very friendly staff and helpful staff who know a thing or two about real ale. I had quite a chat with Jon, the landlord, and told him about my blog and mentioned I'd be doing a write-up about his pub. As with great pubs, particularly free houses, they constantly change their stock and have a large range of cask-conditioned ales available - even outside of their Beer Festival. On top of all that, as a pub that's on the outskirts of a city centre, it's busy, very busy, yet the folk it attracts are all like-minded and not once did I feel uneasy - it's just a very convivial and relaxed atmosphere.
For more information, please click on the logo above.
Hopefully, a write-up about several of the ales should appear here soon.
Friday 9th October 2009 23:15
I received some really bad news today, my car had been deemed a total loss and had been declared a write-off; news that I had been expecting, yet trying to eradicate at the same time. Trouble was, even though my worst fears had been confirmed, it still pissed me off with titanic proportions.
Earlier in the day, I'd had some good news which sort of counterbalanced the whole disappointment...
I'd had a brief meeting with Malcolm Irving, Director of Irving Brewers & Co. Ltd., about the potential revamp of some of the brewery's pump clips, along with the possibility of him using several of my images to create some eye-catching publicity posters. Obviously I'm incredibly excited about the whole project and he's hoping to have something finalised by New Year.
Whilst there, I couldn't help but purchase 4 pint cartons of both 'Frigate' and 'Invincible' (I shall write a review of these some time next week)... he kindly chucked in a free pint glass with the brewery logo on it as well.
To find out more about the superb range of ales they produce, please click on the logo above.
Thursday 8th October 2009 12:47
A bit of indulgence for both Mac and PC users today... although any Mac user clued up with the internet (which most of them are) will probably know about the site I'm about divulge.
The idea behind OldApps.com is simple, clever and effective. The site owner's mission is to provide their users with a large variety of both current and obsolete versions of familiar software, for free. Their extensive database is brought up-to-date on a regular basis, particularly older versions of software as they become readily available. They also guarantee that their meticulous screening of each program means their users will not end up with any malware, trojans or other malicious viruses.
Newer versions of programs can often result in their user base struggling to understand them, particularly as they progress to the point where some may find them more complicated to use. As much as I love new ideas, I sometimes feel as though the market moves too fast at times. Anyway, the great thing about this site is that it allows you to download the 'familiar' programs, especially when the majority of software providers exclude their older versions, so, in turnOldApps.com has the monopoly on a certain market niche.
Please click on the logo above to find out more about old Mac apps or navigate your way through the site to the PC section.
Wednesday 7th October 2009 06:21
First thing this morning, I noticed that the usual Google logo had been replaced with a bar code design. Now then, sad as it may seem (oh dear, this must be very sad indeed- Ed), I have quite some history with bar codes, so intrigue got the better of me to the point where I investigated.
It turned out that the patent for the bar code was celebrating its 57th anniversary. Why Google would choose to pick the 57th year baffles me a little.
Anyway, on October 7th, 1952, inventors Norman Woodland and Bernard Silver were granted the first patent for their invention. The only difference between the bar code we know today and the one they invented was that it comprised of a series of concentric circles, not the 59 black-and-white vertical lines synonymous with the current design. The bar code that Google used today is a Code 128 and scans as "Google" so I chose to create a Code 128 that, if scanned, would read "www.igimages.co.uk" (now that IS sad - Ed).
There are many bar code application packages available, both for Mac and PC, with SNX being the premier bar code graphic software provider worldwide. Since 1978, they have been creating innovative bar code software technology to every industry sector and boast an installed user-base of over 150,000 companies through the world.
For more information, please click on the logo above.
Tuesday 6th October 2009 21:00
You may or may not remember how much I enthused last year about a particular crime drama called 'The Fixer', shown on ITV1.
Well, some six weeks ago, it returned to the fray with a second, 'bigger and better' series. Luckily, ITV's new director, Peter Fincham was so impressed with the first series, he asked production company, Kudos, to shoot six more hour-long episodes, the last of which was shown tonight.
All the main stars, Andrew Buchan, Tamzin Outhwaite, Peter Mullan and Jody Latham have been part of this thrilling second series (last week's being the best episode of all). Rather than me talk and talk about just how fantastic the whole show and its characters are, you're better off just clicking on the ITV Player logo above where you're still able to watch all six episodes. all of which will expire in 30 days from today.
Click on the thumbnail above to view Episode Five where the team are plunged into the violent underworld of cage-fighting in order to deal with an elusive criminal and gang leader. In typical 'Fixer' fashion, John Mercer (Andrew Buchan) has to literally fight his way out...
Monday 5th October 2009 13:19
Ever wondered how everyday 'public use' products are manufactured, and more to the point, who manufactures them? No, didn't think so. It's not exactly something at the forefront of anyone's mind. The products I'm talking about are things like bollards (same to you - Ed), cigarette and waste bins, posts and rails, seating, shelters and so forth.
I've got to admit, even as someone who is relatively observant, you take certain things for granted, not because you don't appreciate them, more a case of them being a part of everyday life.
Anyway, today I stumbled upon a very interesting website (well I think it is) all about the sort of products listed above. There's a company called Furnitubes based in the Hertfordshire town of Barnet that began in 1946 as a small family business, producing such items using traditional methods and meticulously finishing each product by hand. Since then, they have celebrated over sixty years of excellence, gradually growing into the international company it is today.
For more information, please click on the logo above... you'll be pleasantly surprised!
Sunday 4th October 2009 12:18
It has to be said that I felt shittier than a shit thing covered in shit this morning. I'm 41 for God's sake, I should know better than to make myself feel this ill. On the plus side however, Tanya felt equally rough, although she was the first to dare venture in a vertical fashion. I tried it and it just didn't feel right... dizziness made being horizontal a necessity. So, since being in my 20s, I found myself glued to the bed until gone noon.
We did eventually make our first steps and they were precarious ones... the stairs proved a challenge but I prevailed. From then on, the rest of the day was a bit of a haze and I just remember that I doused the both of us with Tetley Tea all day, in the hope that dilution would finally take place.
Since Tetley Tea was the saviour of the day, they deserve a life-saving link.
Saturday 3rd October 2009 10:40
What a day to remember... in many ways!
A few weeks ago, we visited the quaint little village of Selborne and whilst I was doing some of my usual internet research, I noticed the 5th 'Zig Zag Fest', a beer and wine festival held at the beginning of October each year. "Beer and wine festival... sounds like my sort of thing", so Tanya and I also invited her brother, Damien and his mate, Jamie. I ordered four tickets which arrived within a few days and, after a further search, we decided that the quickest way of getting there would be to catch the train from Havant to Liss and then bus it from Liss to Selborne. Well, that was the plan anyway.
Unfortunately, Damien hadn't allowed himself enough time to walk to the station from his house, mainly due to the pain that he's still experiencing with his knee. Tanya and I were unsure as to whether him and Jamie had boarded the train or not because we were quite late in arriving at the station, so ended up catching it anyway. We arrived at Liss some 20 minutes later and eventually found somewhere to have a coffee and a bite to eat. In the meantime, Damien and Jamie had decided to catch a train to Petersfield, rather than hang around for another hour, and then try and find a bus that went from Petersfield to Selborne. That proved an easy task, only the bus that they had chosen to catch (and us join them on it) had broken down. Bollocks.
Anyway, the bus company responsible was Stagecoach and, since it was absolutely pathetic that they caused disruption to other people who had planned to travel from both Petersfield and Alton in particular, I feel it's my duty to have a good old rant about how crap public transport is. Every now and again, you decide to give it another try, only to find that it's just a shit as you last remembered it. In the end, Damien and Jamie had no alternative but to order a taxi from Petersfield to Selborne, picking us up via Liss, with the journey coming to a total of £18:60. Thanks for that, Stagecoach.
If you want to take a gamble with public transport, please click on the logo above.
At around 12:20, we finally made it. We could now relax and enjoy the day ahead. First port of call was The Village Hall... why? Because that's where the majority of real ales were along with live music from a band called The Newtrons who hail from nearby Newton Valence. The atmosphere of the whole event was fantastic, how couldn't it be when everyone who's there is there for the same reason?!
Out of the 32 different ales to sample, we all managed 22 of them, one way or another, whether it be drinking an incredibly generous 'half' of each one or whether it be tasting what one another's was like. Nevertheless, we all drank a copious amount of ale and, truth be known, I have little or no recollection with certain conversations I may or may not have had but hey, it's not as if we make this sort of thing a regular feature of our lives. Tanya and I finally made it home (me in a typical zig zag fashion) and zonked out as soon as our heads hit the pillow.
Rather than try and cover all the beers we sampled, I've chosen three of my favourites to comment on, they are Bowman's 'Swift One', Flowerpots 'Autumn Blaze' and Irving 'Captain Buggernuts'.
Bowman Ales - 'Swift One'
Up until the Zig Zag Fest, I'd only ever tried one of Bowman's Ales before, 'Nutz' and I thought it was absolutely superb. Being familiar with a brewery always helps, albeit on a small or large scale... the good thing was, Bowman Ales had three ales here and it would have appeared incredibly rude not to try them all (honestly, it would).
Out of the three, 'Swift One' was a firm favourite with all three of us and at 3.8% ABV, you may expect it to lack the punch of stronger ales yet the flavours of this hoppy ale shine through, leaving quite a sweet taste at the end. A superb session ale.
Please click on the pump clip above to find out more about the brewery.
Flowerpots Brewery - 'Autumn Blaze'
This microbrewery, based in Cheriton, operates from The Flower Pots Inn which also has a modest B&B there, just in case you fancy a weekend of nothing but beer drinking!
On a serious note, the rooms look fantastic and the pub offers serves food throughout the week with special curry nights on Wednesdays. Okay okay, you want to know about the beer!
We all rated 'Autumn Blaze' as being the best ale at the Zig Zag Fest and at 5.1% ABV, it's oozing with flavour, as you'd expect from a seasonal ale. Brewed with Dunkel, a pure Munich Malt, this chestnut-coloured ale has a delicious fulfilling finish.
To find out more about the pub, B&B and their range of ales, please click on the pump clip above.
Irving & Co Brewers Ltd - 'Captain Buggernuts'
This Portsmouth-based brewery has to be the closest to where I live, and more to the point, I shall be meeting Malcolm, the director, this Friday - more about that later in the week.
Apparently, this ale started off as a joke, for Malcolm expressed that he would NEVER brew an ale called Captain Buggernuts. At 5.3%, it was the second strongest ale of the day and it's one that has been especially produced for festivals. It appeared to be an acquired taste to some, yet I thought the spicy rum ale was absolutely delicious. Obviously possessing a dark sweet taste, the spiciness of cinnamon, together with the flavour of vanilla and a general fruitiness made this one stand out as one of the best ales of the day.
Click on the Captain Buggernuts pump clip for more information about the brewery.
Friday 2nd October 2009 14:00
A fellow designer sent me this via email today. I could have a good old rant about the whole thing, yet virtually every gripe I have about PC 'designers' is included in this... just brilliant!
Click on the crappy Word logo below to watch... bad language used.
Thursday 1st October 2009 18:57
There have been many occasions where I've talked about design, fonts and other subjects related to art, yet I don't think I have ever commented about my love of architecture. Luckily, both Tanya and I have the same enthusiasm for it and, although we're not remotely interested in religion, we both appreciate just how incredible many of England's churches are.
Further afield, there have been some incredible architects, way ahead of their time, one of which was Spaniard, Antoni Plàcid Guillem Gaudí i Cornet, born on 25th June 1852, his English translated name being Antonio Gaudí. He was a Spanish Catalan architect who belonged to the Modernist style (Art Nouveau) movement and became famous for his totally unique and surreal designs.
Gaudí's final years were fraught with the tragedy of close family and friends dying, to the point where his attitude started changing and he became reluctant to talk to the press of have his photograph taken. He put all his efforts into trying to complete his masterpiece, 'La Sagrada Familia', a building devoted to the Catholic church which was to have 18 towers; 12 for the apostles, 4 for the evangelists, one for Mary and one for Jesus. Sadly though, this masterpiece wasn't completed by him for he was run over by a tram, dying three days later on the 10th June 1926, aged 73.
Although there doesn't appear to be a dedicated website showcasing his work, I can provide a link to what has to be one of his most amazing pieces of work, 'Casa Batlló'. Please click on the logo above for more information.
