The Anonymous Widower

Good Idea, Bad Packaging

It was a good idea of Waitrose to sell prepared onions.

Good Idea, Bad Packaging

But why do they put them in such terrible packaging.  It was bad enough before I had the stroke, but now it’s downright impossible.

As they stick two packets together it makes it even worse.  I’d just like to buy one prepared onion.  Please!!

August 31, 2012 Posted by | Food | , , | Leave a comment

Terrorism Can’t Stop This Woman

Martine Wright lost her legs in the July 7th, 2005 terrorist bombings in London.  Since then she has got married and had a son.Today, she appeared in the British sitting volleyball team at the Paralympics.  The story is here in the Standard.

I wonder if her inspiring story will appear on NBC.

August 31, 2012 Posted by | News, Sport | , | 1 Comment

Wobbly Carrot Amnesty

The Times reports today, that because of the dreadful weather, the supermarkets are relaxing their standards for vegetables. The Times calls it a wobbly carrot amnesty.

Where is Esther Rantzen when you need her?

August 31, 2012 Posted by | World | , , | 1 Comment

NBC Treats Paralympics With Contempt

Two of the UK’s broadsheets; The Times and The Telegraph, have turned their ire this morning on to the American broadcaster NBC,  for its appalling coverage of the Paralympic Games.  read the report in The Telegraph here.

I know I’m not watching the Paralympics live, as I don’t watch channels with adverts, unless it’s an important sporting event, that I’m interested in. But I am following the Games on BBC Radio 5 Live and television news reports.

I could cynically suggest that no-one in America would advertise in the breaks of the Paralympics, as it might give your organisation the wrong image. But I don’t know the facts.

Here in the UK, all the major channels have back-up digital channels, like BBC with BBC3 and BBC4 and Channel 4 with More4 and E4, which they use to compliment their major coverage, so can’t NBC put the Paralympics on a back-up free-to-air digital channel or is America so sophisticated that it doesn’t have an equivalent of our Freeview.

August 31, 2012 Posted by | Sport | , , , , | 6 Comments

More On Connecting Hackney Downs And Central Stations

The reason I went to the Hackney Records Office was to see if I could find any trace of the track level walkway between Hackney Downs and Hackney Central stations. I have talked about this before.

I didn’t find any pictures, but I did find a 1934 Ordnance Survey map showing the footpaths and two sets of steps to climb or descend from one level to the other. So it seemed that the link wasn’t some large piece of engineering, but a simple walkway alongside both tracks.

I’m no expert, so whether it could be easily reinstated, I wouldn’t know! But it might be possible to make it a London version of the High Line, as proposed here by the Londonist.

But unlike the High Line it would also have a proper transport purpose in connecting the North London line to the Lea Valley lines towards Tottenham, Walthamstowe, Enfield and Cheshunt.

August 30, 2012 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , | Leave a comment

Fun At The Hackney Records Office

I wasted an hour or so this afternoon at the new Hackney Records Office by Dalston Junction station.  The welcoming and competent Sian showed me where everything was and I quickly got all the information I needed.  Printouts were just tens of pence each.

I’ve used other Records Offices in the past and Hackney was streets above all the others.

August 30, 2012 Posted by | World | , | 1 Comment

Signing Off In Style

I suppose that when you’ve gone, it doesn’t really matter to you.

But surely this is the way to go. Especially with such a pair of beautiful and well-behaved horses.

The undertakers are called W. G. Miller, which I often pass on the Essex Road. My father was W. E. Miller and signed his articles and letters in technical journals as WEM.

August 30, 2012 Posted by | World | , , | 3 Comments

Lifts and Crossing The Road At Euston Square Station

I had to go to University College Hospital this morning and took a train to Euston Square station.

The new lifts from the westbound platform to street level aren’t as well signposted as they should be and I met a young lady, who had got rather harassed trying to get to the street.

Coming back, I wanted to get a 30 bus to either Islington or home, so I decided that the quickest way was to take a train to Kings Cross and get the bus from there. I got to the stop just before one arrived.

Public transport from the hospital isn’t as good eastbound as it might be.

August 30, 2012 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , | Leave a comment

Naga Munchetty Has Wings

That’s what it looks like on BBC Breakfast this morning.  It’s probably the way Naga Machetty is sitting and the silly chairs on the picture behind, look like she’s wearing a pair of red wings ready for a pantomime or a kid’s party.

August 30, 2012 Posted by | World | , | Leave a comment

How Long Does It Take To Lend Out £10,000 On Zopa?

£10,000 was transferred into my Zopa account on the 23rd of August. It did take a couple of days or so to actually arrive after leaving my bank account, but then that is the bank transfer system.

Surely in this day and age, it can be an instant event!

My old mate, David, once said that banks make up to a third of their money on overnight lending.  So my £10,000 for two days lent out at only three per cent, whilst in the care of the banks would make them about £1.64.  Not much, you may think, but it’s pure profit and how much money is there in the system? I bet they lend it at a higher rate than three per cent too.

After the £10,000 arrived in my Zopa account on the 22nd, on the 23rd, I had £11,960.43 either offered for lending or being processed.

A week later and that figure is down to £9060.43. So effectively £2,900 has now been lent out. £9,300 in total is being processed, but some of that comes from money that has been reinvested.

So it would appear that Zopa has a processing limit.

August 30, 2012 Posted by | Finance & Investment | , | Leave a comment