A friend of mine (who is a fine wine fan) recently returned from a New Zealand wine tour - he recommended the following reds to me:
Stonyridge Larose 2006
Esk Valley The Terraces 2006
Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2007
Seresin Rachel Pinot Noir 2006
Felton Road Cornish Point Pinot Noir 2007
And suggested I try some Muddy Water rieslings as some of them were quite pleasant. (He knows I'm a bit of a riesling fan).
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Sent from my Blackberry handheld / iPhone - Gah!!!!
I hate lame autosignatures. Turn them off!
I don't care if you have the latest gadget. I'm not interested in excuses for bad spelling/grammar or for writing emails in abbreviated text message language.
I don't care if you have the latest gadget. I'm not interested in excuses for bad spelling/grammar or for writing emails in abbreviated text message language.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Appeals, Forest, My Crummy Commute and Conception!
I notice this morning the papers (well Metro at least) is covering the BBC's decision not to screen a DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee) appeal for Gaza due to concerns about being perceived as partial politically. (Sky have now followed suit and made the same decision.)
Interestingly - I suspect the appeal has garnered far more publicity by the BBC choosing not to screen it, than it would if they'd screened it. Which is good news, as regardless of your views on the Israel / Palestine conflict, there are people in Gaza who need help.
* * *
Earnshaw equalised for Forest in the 64th minute at Pride Park, to force a Forest/Derby replay in the FA Cup. (We're also now one point clear of Derby in the Championship - tho' they have a game in hand. It has been some years since we last sat above them in the league iirc. Of course if we do get through to the next round of the cup - we've drawn Man Utd - who despite facing injuries will be a formidable opponent. We'd have home advantage though - so maybe there would be a small chance! Tuesday night Forest play the fowls (Sheff Wednesday) in the league. Bah! Their owl logo doesn't even have a scythe - rubbish!
* * *
My commute has been ruined by the DLR opening of Woolwich Arsenal station on the South bank. Trains are so rammed leaving Woolwich Arsenal - that by the time they get to West Silvertown the trains are unboardable. This means we have to trek over the bridge to the Beckton line (adding 5-10 mins to the commute). This is further worsened by the excessive volumes of passengers having a knock on effect on the Jubilee Line at Canning Town (I wasn't able to board that either today or a couple of days last week) - so my commute is now seriously rubbish.
* * *
Conception (a roleplaying convention in Dorset, England) is this week. So I have Wednesday/Thursday/Friday off. Wicked! There are some very funny videos on YouTube that someone has knocked up - to mock the fact the convention is always so oversubscribed!
See:
"Trouble Getting a Game at Conception?" - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=i65_-dcIVcc (3min 50s)
followed by
"Tries his hand at GMing after not getting a game at Conception" - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rmsqap0Rsfk (3min 18s)
followed by
"The FFFRG travel to Conception 09" - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7tvZKdvHkBM (2min 2s)
I must not drink half a box of wine whilst playing Living Force and start getting obsessed with Bitty! It's not healthy. Really not healthy at all!
Interestingly - I suspect the appeal has garnered far more publicity by the BBC choosing not to screen it, than it would if they'd screened it. Which is good news, as regardless of your views on the Israel / Palestine conflict, there are people in Gaza who need help.
* * *
Earnshaw equalised for Forest in the 64th minute at Pride Park, to force a Forest/Derby replay in the FA Cup. (We're also now one point clear of Derby in the Championship - tho' they have a game in hand. It has been some years since we last sat above them in the league iirc. Of course if we do get through to the next round of the cup - we've drawn Man Utd - who despite facing injuries will be a formidable opponent. We'd have home advantage though - so maybe there would be a small chance! Tuesday night Forest play the fowls (Sheff Wednesday) in the league. Bah! Their owl logo doesn't even have a scythe - rubbish!
* * *
My commute has been ruined by the DLR opening of Woolwich Arsenal station on the South bank. Trains are so rammed leaving Woolwich Arsenal - that by the time they get to West Silvertown the trains are unboardable. This means we have to trek over the bridge to the Beckton line (adding 5-10 mins to the commute). This is further worsened by the excessive volumes of passengers having a knock on effect on the Jubilee Line at Canning Town (I wasn't able to board that either today or a couple of days last week) - so my commute is now seriously rubbish.
* * *
Conception (a roleplaying convention in Dorset, England) is this week. So I have Wednesday/Thursday/Friday off. Wicked! There are some very funny videos on YouTube that someone has knocked up - to mock the fact the convention is always so oversubscribed!
See:
"Trouble Getting a Game at Conception?" - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=i65_-dcIVcc (3min 50s)
followed by
"Tries his hand at GMing after not getting a game at Conception" - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rmsqap0Rsfk (3min 18s)
followed by
"The FFFRG travel to Conception 09" - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7tvZKdvHkBM (2min 2s)
I must not drink half a box of wine whilst playing Living Force and start getting obsessed with Bitty! It's not healthy. Really not healthy at all!
Friday, December 05, 2008
Why does no-one make the stuff I want to buy?
Had an annoying week - our kettle broke - so I bought a new Morphy Richards one from Argos (basically same features (and make) as the previous one - though somewhat pricier.)
The new one had a much cheaper/nastier plastic base than the last one. Which may account for why the whistle on boil function was broken out of the box - so I had to return it.
Is it really too much to ask to get a stainless steel 3kw cordless kettle which whistles on boil and doesn't have cheap plasticky bits.
Apparently it is - coz there is nothing out there. Only the Morphy Richards ones seem to offer whistle on boil (which is essential IMO - otherwise you end up forgetting and pointlessly reboiling water and wasting energy.) I did consider the tefal quick cup - but again it's horrible and plasticky and reviews say it doesn't boil the water so it's crap for making cups of tea.
So manufacturers - please can you make a decent kettle to my demanding specs - I'll happily pay!
On a similar note can someone hurry up and make an upscaling DVD recorder and twin tuner PVR in the same box. Well there are technical reasons why it's hard to get a twin tuner PVR to work with a dvd recorder[nigelwhitfield.com] but they ain't insurmountable - and some of us would happily pay for the privilege. I wouldn't buy a single tuner PVR - or a twin tuner one that only records one channel at once (some crap ones on the market do this apparently). While you're at it - make it a three tuner one!
The new one had a much cheaper/nastier plastic base than the last one. Which may account for why the whistle on boil function was broken out of the box - so I had to return it.
Is it really too much to ask to get a stainless steel 3kw cordless kettle which whistles on boil and doesn't have cheap plasticky bits.
Apparently it is - coz there is nothing out there. Only the Morphy Richards ones seem to offer whistle on boil (which is essential IMO - otherwise you end up forgetting and pointlessly reboiling water and wasting energy.) I did consider the tefal quick cup - but again it's horrible and plasticky and reviews say it doesn't boil the water so it's crap for making cups of tea.
So manufacturers - please can you make a decent kettle to my demanding specs - I'll happily pay!
On a similar note can someone hurry up and make an upscaling DVD recorder and twin tuner PVR in the same box. Well there are technical reasons why it's hard to get a twin tuner PVR to work with a dvd recorder[nigelwhitfield.com] but they ain't insurmountable - and some of us would happily pay for the privilege. I wouldn't buy a single tuner PVR - or a twin tuner one that only records one channel at once (some crap ones on the market do this apparently). While you're at it - make it a three tuner one!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Battery recycling
I've been a bit uncomfortable throwing batteries in the bin for some time now - given the heavy metal content, but despite research, I've yet to identify anywhere in Newham that takes used batteries.
However, I have now discovered that Hammersmith & Fulham (where my office is) do offer battery recycling points in their libraries.
Also the BBC will collect and recycle them too - via facilities management.
Next steps if I can be arsed would involve contacting Newham council to try and get some better local provision.
However, I have now discovered that Hammersmith & Fulham (where my office is) do offer battery recycling points in their libraries.
Also the BBC will collect and recycle them too - via facilities management.
Next steps if I can be arsed would involve contacting Newham council to try and get some better local provision.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
iPlate
BT have just launched an adaptor called the "iplate" that plugs into your master phone socket and disconnects the bell wire (the wire that carries the old school ringing noise for old phones) - apparently this can significantly reduce interference on the line and lead to noticeable improvements in broadband connection speeds.
See PCPro article on the iplate here.
It should give improvements on ADSL2+ connections as well as standard ADSL connections so am tempted to give it ago - if I can be arsed to shift my sofa to figure out what kind of socket I have...
See PCPro article on the iplate here.
It should give improvements on ADSL2+ connections as well as standard ADSL connections so am tempted to give it ago - if I can be arsed to shift my sofa to figure out what kind of socket I have...
Thursday, October 09, 2008
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