Hay Fever in Switzerland
You’d expect the Swiss to be fairly professional about this and this web site is very much so. The trouble is finding it was difficult as typing something like “pollen forecast switzerland” into Google, gets all sorts of crap paid for sites mainly from the United States.
The interesting fact, is the Swiss thinks a lot of their hay fever comes from an imported plant called ambrosia. They are now attempting to eradicate it.
Originally from North America, ambrosia (ragweed) is a weed with two specific properties: an extremely high spread potential and highly allergenic pollen. Pollination begins in mid July and continues until the first autumn frosts.
In the last twenty years ambrosia has spread on a massive scale in Europe. In Switzerland it has now spread over vast swathes of land in the Geneva and Ticino regions. North of the Alps its presence is limited to specific areas, but without appropriate countermeasures there is an imminent risk of it invading the whole country.
To avoid this scenario, from July 2006 ambrosia has been declared by law a plant that must be disinfested / eradicated.
I wish them luck.
We Need More Duchesses!
The late Duke of Devonshire and his wife, who is now the Dowager Duchess have spent a lifetime turning Chatsworth into a commercial proposition. Some may argue that they were wrong, but surely the people who flock to the house in droves aren’t doing it because they hate it.
But I do like Matthew Parris’s tale in The Times today, where the current Duke is organising tours around the scaffolding, that clothes the House now, so that repairs can be performed.
It is a great idea, as when restorations are performed, the public should be encouraged to see the skills involved, especially, when taxpayers or lottery losers money is involved.
On a similar level, few would argue that the ViewTube at the Olympic Park has not been a success.
So let’s see more exhibitions, webcams and viewing galleries on major construction sites.
At least Network Rail put up a small exhibition at King’s Cross, but where is the information around the new CrossRail stations? It might be on the web, but many of those who might be interested probably don’t have a computer to hand.
Th SS Robin Opposite the ExCel
The SS Robin is the last steam coaster left and now after a certain amount of rebuilding it is sitting on a barge in the Royal Victoria Dock behind the ExCel Exhibition Centre.
If you want to go and see it take the DLR to Custom House and walk down to the dock.
Halifucked Or Spam From the Halifax
Over the last couple of days, I have received several spam e-mail from a marketing company, working on behalf of the Halifax. They all offered me a new credit card, which is like offering someone like Andy Murray a new tennis racket, as the ones I’ve got, are perfectly adequate for my modest needs.
So not only do we have bail out this wunch of bankers, but we have to endure their spam in our inboxes. Interestingly, it very much looks genuine and some of it has come to e-mail addresses, I’ve not used in at least ten years. I’ve kept them as spam traps for tossers like these and they’ve worked well.
Interestingly, the Halifax web site appears to have no means of contacting the bank on it, that is obvious to an irate non-customer.
The IKEA Obstacle Race
I need some stuff from IKEA and want it to be delivered, as that way I don’t have to carry it all the way on a bus. The total was of around £300 and was a total of 10 pieces.
The order went through efficiently from the web site and they said delivery would be around the 16th of July. I do take IKEA a bit sceptically about delivery dates, as some of the items I have ordered in the past, have arrived a few days after the originally quoted delivery date. But as someone who understands scheduling very well, I know that you can’t meet all the quoted dates, but I would have been quite happy to wait a few more days.
However, yesterday they phoned me and the courier firm said that the earliest they could do deliveries would be the 4th of August, which is quite a way into the future and four weeks later than I was originally quoted.
So this morning, I cacelled the order. I still want the goods, but they are just a bit much to bring home on the bus. And one of the pieces wouldn’t fit in my son’s old Mini.
Why is it that other companies like John Lewis, Dixons and Marks and Spencer, seem to get the last delivery right, but others, like IKEA just cause more and more hassle?
Incidentally, in this case, I would have paid a few extra pounds to get the item delivered on a day convenient to myself.
Are Fake Job Adverts Returning?
I haven’t seen any for some time, but this one turned up this morning.
Hot Jobs from Reliable and Successful Company Running its business since 2005, Company has several openings for goal-oriented and independent individuals looking for excellent career opportunities.
Requirements
– 25+ years old
– UK citizenship
– No criminal record
– Good credit history
– Basic computer skills
– A proven level of secondary educationWhat we offer
– high and stable income
– exciting career opportunities
– two weeks’ paid holiday a year
– great team to work with
– bonuses and our private employee loyalty programme benefits
– and many other thingsWhat you do is just work from home and get advantage of all these opportunities, as the job we offer requires only a few hours of your time spent on your computer.
You are full of energy, learn fast and seek for best career opportunities? Do contact us at xxx@xxx.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
We look forward to welcoming you as a new employee.
Sincerely,
irvine thierry
It was a bit better than most of the previous scams, which are designed to get your bank account details, so you can donate large sums of money to the criminals. It was even sent from what looked like a valid UK e-mail address, although mine was addressed to a man called Fidole Shem, who is definitely not me.
It was also marked by my anti-spam system as spam.
But what was a real giveaway was the low level of paid holidays. I wouldn’t get out of bed for a job like that!
So it went the way of the others and I dispatched it humanely with the delete key.
Thea Ford
This is a singer I know. For more info click here. Hopefully, I’m going to see her perform at the O2 Academy on August 5th.
Anne Boleyn at Shakespeare’s Globe
I’d never been to the Globe on the South Bank and I don’t think I’ve ever been to the theatre on a Sunday before in the UK.
The picture shows the outside in the fine weather.
Outside Shakespeare's Globe
And this one shows the people inside just before the play started.
Inside Shakespeare's Globe
I enjoyed the experience a lot and it is good venue. The play by Howard Brenton was good and was very much worth seeing.
I’m looking forward to seeing some Shalespeare in a theatre similar in layout to those for which it was written.
My Dustmen Do Sundays
As I left this morning, a Hackney Council truck was outside with its flashers blinking. It had wire sides and seemed to be collecting junk like old sofas and other furniture bought years ago in places like MFI. The driver turned up after a few minutes and I asked him if he’d mind taking an old wooden shelf that I’d left outside my house, hoping someone would steal. But the shelf was obviously too poor to even half-hinch for firewood! But the driver said “No problem, Guv” and chucked it on the truck.
So what happeneded to the renowned jobsworths, who wouldn’t take anything unless you obeyed a set of rules that weren’t published?
Do We Mislead Tourists?
I travelled to London Bridge today and on the train I met a couple of ladies from New Zealand, who were trying to get to the Churchill War Rooms in Whitehall. But their hotel had told them to go to London Bridge to see something similar by the London Dungeon. I put them on a Jubilee Line train to Westminster.
I also met an Australian tourist and her family going to the London Dungeon. I suppose they had kids, but at least I was able to point out Borough Market and Sothwark Cathedral. Let’s hope that when London Bridge Quarter gets finished, they put up some decent information.
At least though I saw this outside the Globe Theatre a few street’s away.
I have a simple tourism rule. I don’t pay to go into anything, unless it’s National or special interest museum. I’ve never been to Madam Tussauds, the London Dungeon or any of the other places in London setup to relieve tourists of their money. These places are not an asset to London, just as others of a similar ilk aren’t in Paris, Amsterdam and New York.
Many of the best tourist sites in London are free and all some require are a London Travelcard or Oystercard. Here’s my favourite top ten.
- The front at the top of any London double deck bus. Favourites include a 24 from Victoria to Hampstead and the two heritage routes (9 and 15). I like to play bus roulette and get on the first that turns up.
- The British Museum. It’s worth going in, just to see the roof and have a nice coffee. Special exhibitions are extra, but the main museum is free, althougth they do like the occassional donation. When it’s not too busy, you can handle some of the exhibits. I’ve seen little girls, and big ones for that matter, in Roman necklaces.
- The Olympic Park. But go before June 2012, as I suspect you’ll find views will be shut off for security before the Olympics.
- The Imperal War Museum.
- The Kensington Museums; Science, Natural History and V & A. There’s even a good Carluccio’s nearby.
- The Victoria and Albert Embankments. At low tide, look for the beach at Tower Bridge.
- The North and East London Lines on the London Overground. They connect lots of small, good museums, Hampstead Heath, Kew Gardens and Crystal Palace. There is also a superb panorama of London in several places.
- The Docklands Light Railway. Take it from Bank to Canary Wharf and on to the Thames Barrier.
- St. Pancras Station. Even the French think it’s the best railway station in the world. It may not be by next year, as King’s Cross may outshine its neighbour.
- Green, Victoria and St. James’s Parks.
- The Regent’s and all the other canals that take you from Islington to Stratford and Docklands.
I suspect this list will grow.
I did like this bike though.
Mobile Low Carbon Tourist Office
Is this the first mobile low carbon tourist office?
The Anonymous Widower 