London’s Swedish Black Cab Driver
I found this article about London’s only Swedish black cab driver.
I wonder what other unusual or unexpected nationalities drive London’s black cabs.
I remember years ago, when we lived in Suffolk, our postman was Californian. He’d come in the USAF, married an English girl and he’d stayed.
He actually preferred the climate, just like the Swedish cab driver says he does.
The View Of Assange In The Press
This article on the BBC, gives a summary of what the world’s press has said about Julian Assange’s press conference yesterday. The Guardian, which would have been considered to be a likely supporter, said this.
“At around 2.30pm Assange emerged on to the balcony, a pallid figure dressed in a business-blue shirt and maroon tie. There was an enormous roar. Assange managed a thumbs-up, then tapped the microphone and inquired: “Can you hear me?” This, perhaps, was the moment for someone to shout: “‘E’s not the Messiah! ‘E’s a very naughty boy!”
The Independent, another possible supporter, was in a similar mood.
“A competent image consultant could have warned him not to emerge into the public eye looking as he did. Far from giving him a Churchillian look, his blue shirt, crimson tie and cropped hair created – as one wag pointed out on Twitter – a curious resemblance to John Inman, from the 1970s’ sitcom Are you Being Served?
“But what was much more serious – the elephant in the room, so to speak – was Assange’s wilful failure to say anything about the actual reason that the Swedish police want to question him.”
But The Sun, which seems to be an increasingly serious paper these days, was similar in tone to The Independent, without the theatrical references was quite matter of fact.
“Odious Julian Assange loved every second of his pompous balcony rant. His speech was long on egotistical claptrap, but oddly failed to mention what this extradition case is actually about — the rape of one woman and sexual molestation of another.
“If Mr Assange really does believe in the importance of transparent justice in a democratic state, he should subject HIMSELF to it now and get on the first plane to Sweden.”
Moving to Assange’s home country of Australia, the Australian takes a more practical approach.
“Assange is an Australian and Australia is a staunch US ally. If Assange’s legal future became a major talking point in this country, you could probably expect a bit of nationalism to intrude. It’s likely, though not certain, that Assange would be seen as wearing the white jersey and the US perceived as wearing a black one. In other words, it probably wouldn’t transpire as a US public relations triumph.”
It’s a mess and the sooner it’s cleaned up, the better.
Swedish Cheats Didn’t Prosper
It is being revealed in various newspapers this morning, that before they played England, the Swedes knew some of the England plans. It’s here in the Mail.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought England won in the end.
It all goes to prove that Swedish cheats didn’t prosper. Perhaps the adage doesn’t exist in Swedish.
Swedes 2 – Turnips – 3
I bet that headline turns up on one tabloid in the morning.
They could have played a bit better, but this was only Roy Hodgson’s fourth match in charge.
That Was A Strange Half
England are winning, but it was one of the strangest halves of football I’ve ever seen. it was so slow! Even the goal was good and slow!
Ball Bearings, The Mosquito Airliner and The Gay Viking
This story from Coast last night was fascinating, as it told the story of how the British ran the German blockade of Sweden during the Second World War to obtain essential supplies of ball bearings and other advanced technology.
I have been fascinated by the Mosquito, de Havilland’s Wooden Wonder, since I was a child and after reading the definitive book on the aircraft about thirty years ago, I realised just what a superb aircraft it was. Last night, they showed rare film of Mosquito airliners of BOAC, running the blockade to Sweden to obtain the ball bearings.
But they could not carry very much, although they were successful despite being unarmed.The airliners had a pressurised cabin, so they could go very high and remember that at the time the Mosquito was one of the fastest aircraft in the world. So they relied on height and speed for defence.
This was where the Gay Viking and her siblings came in. They were fast motor gun boats, built by Camper and Nicholsons, who are more well-known for their yachts for the rich and famous. They could bring in forty tons of cargo. The trips are described on Gay Viking’s Wikipedia entry.
Clerkenwell Design Week
I went along to Clerkenwell Design Week today, which lasts until Thursday.
Clerkenwell Design Week
It was well worth a visit and was a much more worthwhile event than Grand Designs Live.
The first thing of note, I saw was this folding chair concept called a Flux Chair from The Netherlands.
Flux Chair
This video shows how it opens and folds flat.
Now I have to admit that I like origami and a designer, Reg Bentinck I used a few years ago was a great exponent to create interest in a product.
Anglepoise is a respected British company, renowned for the famed lamp.
Anglepoise Lamps
They had a big display, with lots of new versions. I’d love a large one in brass to go with my colour scheme in my new house.
I walked around the floors of the Farmiloe Building and saw some impressive furniture and lights, but none that really struck me for my needs. There were lots of pendant lights, which are no good for me, as I have concrete ceilings and no points wired to put any. I didn’t see any decent wall lights at all.
As I left this caught my eye.
Furniture Construction Set
It is a sort of construction set for small items developed by Pal Rodenius from Sweden. He had some clever ideas that I liked and I’ll look out for his name in the future.
A Different Approach
This idea of his, is a method for constructing objects, by cutting around different coloured lines to get a chair, a table or a desk. It is a very different approach to creating affordable furniture. I may have got this wrong, but it seems you just trace the design on a piece of plywood and then cut around the appropriate coloured line to get your furniture. See his web site for more of his fascinating work.
I couldn’t miss this as I left to catch a bus home.
A Striking Floor
it was advertising a company, who’ll put any image you want on your floor. Like this map.
A Map as Flooring
I might go back again to dig a bit deeper. It is certainly worth a visit. Especially, if you’re interested in design, as either a practitioner or a purchaser.
Engineering Pornography
I needed a 17 mm. ratchet spanner to try to fix the stairs. They may be more expensive, but they are so easy to use if you have gammy hands. Or just one good one like me!
So I bought this double-ended one made by TengTools from Franchi in the Holloway Road.
A TengTools 17/19 mm. Ratchet Spanner
It looks, feels and works so good it’s almost pornographic.
Twenty years ago, this sort of hand-tool, might well have been made in the United States, but TengTools are a Swedish company. So perhaps the United States isn’t building on its traditional strengths to get itself sorted out.
