How To Build A Fake House
They were putting this up as I walked past this morning.
I went back last night to take a few more pictures and spoke to the contractor. He told me, it will look like the surrounding houses when it’s finished and that Hackney Council were very co-operative.
We don’t have too many eye-sores around here, but I’ve seen places in London and other cities, where a house in say a terrace is well past its renovate-by-date and surely this technique might be a much more affordable way to create a new house.
It will be interesting to see what it looks like when it’s finished.
The Future Of Cash Machines
This article raises a few questions about cash machines and how they will look in the future.
I don’t have a problem with the machines themselves, but increasingly over the last few years, I’ve had problems with the placement of a few machines, due to being unable to read them in the sun. And it’s not just cash machines, as this post shows.
I also have problems with some touch-screen technology.
And of course, if they insists on a smart phone in some way, they can forget it!
As they can, if I get charged to take out my money!
I think we’ll see the standard design last a few more years yet!
My House Is Hot Today
When I left this house about eleven, I deliberately left the curtains open and the air-conditioning off.
As you can see the sun was also pouring in through the skylight, but the temperature on my return was over thirty degrees. After about an hour the air-coditions has got it down to 27. But it’s still hot!
i do think though, that the skylight is one of the major causes of the overheating. But no-one can make a blind to keep the sun out.
Crossrail Again Shows How To Be A Good Neighbour
Let’s face it, Crossrail is a large project and in some ways it’s as disruptive as letting several herds of elephants roam Central London unchecked.
I myself don’t get much aggro, except as I indicated here to the various bus routes I sometimes use.
This story though, shows how they are minimising bad publicity, by doing positive things in the community. How many of the kids talked to in this story, will get a better University place or job, because of the experience?
PR often gets a bad press, but used properly it can bring positive benefits to everyone.
Is This Bad News For Cancer?
This report from the Independent headlined, Exclusive: Cancer – A cure just got closer thanks to a tiny British company – and the result could change lives of millions, was flagged up on BBC Radio 5 this morning and is a fascinating read.
It seems that researchers may have found a way to get the body’s T-cells to attack the cancer cells.
I think everything in the report sounds feasible and the company in Oxford; Immunocore, have now got masses of backing from two of the largest pharmaceutical companies. So money for the research won’t be a problem.
In some ways, this research all fits with my belief that if you have a healthy immune system, you are less likely to get cancer. Hence my gluten-free diet and abhorrence of smoking.
I Thought We Were Past This Too!
This story about a woman, who wants to be a mechanic, shows that sexism is alive and well in some parts of the motor trade.
I always remember a story from myt father, who did some sort of job, that meant he drove all round East Anglia during the Second World War. He was having problems with the old Ford he was driving and pulled into a garage in a small village near Sudbury in Suffolk. Nobody was about, but he did see a pair of legs sticking out from under a car. So he called out and in a few moments, as he would say, a gorgeous tall blonde extracted herself from under the car and stood over him. She asked what the problem was and he told her. She said he’d better sort it out with the boss in the office. He found the boss and the problem was sorted, whilst he had lunch in the cafe next door. On returning he asked the owner, who was the mechanic, as even in wartime, you didn’t come across female ones very often. He was told she was Lady something and she was the best mechanic he’d ever had.
I Thought We Were Past This
You don’t here of too many racist stories these days, but this one from Wakefield in the Independent seems to be a throwback to forty or fifty years ago.
The only things you judge a cafe or restaurant on, are the quality of the premises, the food and the customer service. In fact, in my case, several of the cooks and chefs I’ve met with black African or West Indian origins, have understood my need for gluten-free food better than a lot of others I could name.
It’s just a pity, I have no reason to go to Wakefield, otherwise, I’d pop in fior at least a cup of tea.
Multi-Lingual Signs At The NRM
The Keep Off signs were in three languages.
Multi-Lingual Signs At The NRM
But then there seemed to be a lot of foreign visitors. I was talking to a couple of Germans by the two paintings in this post.
A guide told me, that some visitors had come all the way from New Zealand
In The Workshop
These are photos, I took in the workshop.
Flying Scotsman cuts a very sorry state in the back row.
There Were Crowds At York
To say the crowds at York were big would be an understatement,as you can see from the previous post.
These pictures were taken outside. Bear in mind that I timed my trip to get there as the museum opened.
But at least my only cost was getting to York, as the entry to the National Railway Museum was free.
The Anonymous Widower 