The Loving Hut sounds like it should be something to do with psychedelia and the swinging 60’s, but it is actually a new-ish eating place in Southgate that has an entirely vegan menu. While I am not vegan myself, or even vegetarian, some of the family are and they have been raving about this place ever since it opened. [Read more →]
Sociable Crawley
July 2nd, 2017 · Posted by Skuds in Life
We went along to two events this weekend that really capture the sociable side of living here.
On Saturday there was a lot of activity in the Memorial Gardens in the town centre as part of Crawley festival. There was entertainment on the main stage and various stalls all around. There was Runway Radio piping out music, a bike workshop, cookery displays, a fire engine and of course food and drink. With organisations like the Crawley Campaign Againt Racism having stalls and the entertainment provided by lots of local groups the vibe was a bit like a freshers week, with people finding out more about groups and signing up with them.
Today was a bit more local because it was the annual Eid party in Langley Green. We had the grandkids with us today so it was the obvious place to go – a selection of bouncy castles, ice creams and slushy drinks for them, and a big spicy chicken wrap for me.
Both events were greatly helped by the hot sunny weather. In both cases the numbers were boosted by families sitting out on the grass and chilling. My default position is to be a miserable, unsociable curmudgeon, but even I enjoyed myself.
Comments Off on Sociable CrawleyTags: Crawley
New ways to spend money
June 17th, 2017 · Posted by Skuds in Life, Technology
It seems like each new advance in technology just gives you more opportunities to spend money buying stuff you already have. The advent of CD led a lot of people to buy new copies of LPs they had on vinyl – a trend that is now getting reversed to an extent. The advent of DVD got us buying films we already had on tapes – a trend that is not likely to ever reverse because video tape is objectively worse in every way possible. Blu Ray didn’t get many people replacing DVDs but there must have been some.
I have even bought some e-books that I already have as paper copies, but only if they are on a really spcial cheap deal of the day or something.
All that is fine I suppose, although getting to be a bit moot given that we can choose to not own that stuff at all and just stream it on demand now. But it is down to choice. You can choose to keep the old hardware and media and not get sucked into buying replacements.
The exception is PC computer games. I tried to take a trip down memory lane today by installing Age of Empires II which I still have the CDs for. It just won’t work on Windows 10. Something to do with the Safedisc DRM that these old games use being removed because it was a security vulnerability. Sure I could keep an old Windows XP machine just for playing games, or I could set up virtual machines with old OSs on them but that is a lot of hassle.
If I really want to play AoE, and probably Rise of Nations, Caesar II, Zeus/Poseidon, I will have to buy them again through Steam. Or not try playing games that are nearly twenty years old I suppose.
Comments Off on New ways to spend moneyTags: Doh!
Silent crossing
June 15th, 2017 · Posted by Skuds in Life
I learned a new thing today, while I was crossing London Road.
The crossing by the junction with Martyrs Avenue has pelican crossings, or maybe they are puffin crossings, anyway they have the little buttons for pedestrians to push, and the bumpy pavement bits so that blind people know there is a crossing there, but it occurred to me the other day that there is no beeping when the man goes green.
Today there was an engineer working on the signals so I asked him if the crossing was supposed to beep and he told me that it does not, because the two halves of the road are not green for pedestrians at the same time. So I asked him how blind people, having determined that there is a crossing because of the bumpy paving, know that it is safe to cross.
He showed me that there is a little button underneath the control panel, and when the little man turns green the button rotates. How clever. Mind you, the way car and lorries stop across the crossing in heavy traffic or run the red lights in light traffic it can be pretty dangerous crossing there even when you can see, but I am still chuffed about learning this tiny little new thing today.
Comments Off on Silent crossingTags: WILT
One-wheel drive
June 15th, 2017 · Posted by Skuds in Life
I think I have done my bit for increasing the general level of happiness in Crawley this week, because when is a fat bloke on a bicycle not funny? And if he is puffing away, even though not going very fast it is just funnier.
The thing is I have had early meetings in the town centre for three nights running. It is less than two miles and the weather is dry so why not blow the cobwebs off the bike and use that instead of driving? Well maybe the shock to the system of actually exerting myself could be a reason. By the time I get there I feel like a heart attack waiting to happen, but I’m sure it will be OK when I get used to it again.
Apart from anything, if I am going to be part of the decision-making process on cycle route provision I might as well get more familiar with just how it all works.
Comments Off on One-wheel driveTags: Cycling
Only an idiot
June 13th, 2017 · Posted by Skuds in Politics
At the council today I gave the go-ahead to a change that only an idiot could object to. I have been down to Corals to place a bet on how many councillors will complain and who they will be. Just wondering what to spend my winnings on.
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Mexico to Jamaica
June 13th, 2017 · Posted by Skuds in Music
Somehow this managed to escape my attention when it came out last month, but Ozomatli have a new album out (Spotify) called Non-Stop: Mexico to Jamaica.
About ten years ago, Ozomatli started getting a bit of a reputation as one of the best live acts in the world, with a lively mixture of Mexican-flavoured Latin and hip-hop. As if that wasn’t catchy enough they have now taken the latin/hip hop mix, added reggae to it, got Sly & Robbie to produce it, and roped in more guest artists than on a Santana album.
On top of all that, one of the tracks is a cover of Land of 1000 Dances, already one of the catchiest songs ever. Completely recommended for steaming through headphones at work.
Comments Off on Mexico to JamaicaTags: Spotify
Letting the side down
June 13th, 2017 · Posted by Skuds in Life
I do feel like I have betrayed my basic priciples today. I worked from home, but still wore my work suit.
To make up for it, when I clocked off I changed into cargo shorts and a t-shirt to go to a council event.
Comments Off on Letting the side downTags: Doh!
Glad all over
June 12th, 2017 · Posted by Skuds in Politics
Now the election is finally done and I am not feeling so much “Glad all over” like the Dave Clark Five sang but “glad its all over”, and I’m sure I am not alone in that. There does seem to be a bit of election fatigue round here. Because we elect our borough council by thirds and have a county council election in the odd year, there is an election every year in Crawley already. After a recent general election and then a very divisive referendum, we really didn’t need a totally unnecessary hubris-driven snap general election this year. [Read more →]
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The Irregular
May 22nd, 2017 · Posted by Skuds in Life
I have a book to recommend. The Irregular by H.B.Lyle.
Last month I had proof copies of two different new novels that trade on a connection with Sherlock Holmes. The first was Arrowood by Mick Finlay, which was interesting enough, but I have to admit that I found The Irregular to be much more exciting. Let’s put it this way; both seem destined to tbe the first in a series but it is the sequel to The Irregular that I will look forward to more. [Read more →]
Comments Off on The IrregularTags: Books·Reviews·Sherlock Holmes
