Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Living in Old Town Dubai
Old Town is a brand new development, still under construction.
It's separate - and nowhere near - Bur Dubai, which is the old part of town.
(And I suspect "Bur" actually means "old")
It's also at the foot of The Burj Tower
(Which isn't the building usually called as "The Burj", that's technically the Burj al Arab - the worlds most expensive hotel. This Burj is just The Burj)
Which means it's rather depressing to try and get back home.
Because every day you think "ah - I can see the Burj - I must be close now!"
And then you remember that its the worlds tallest building. So its probably still just a little way off....
It's separate - and nowhere near - Bur Dubai, which is the old part of town.
(And I suspect "Bur" actually means "old")
It's also at the foot of The Burj Tower
(Which isn't the building usually called as "The Burj", that's technically the Burj al Arab - the worlds most expensive hotel. This Burj is just The Burj)
Which means it's rather depressing to try and get back home.
Because every day you think "ah - I can see the Burj - I must be close now!"
And then you remember that its the worlds tallest building. So its probably still just a little way off....
Monday, May 12, 2008
you know you are on the edge of civilization when
The local radio DJ utters the line...
"Now for a song about a Big Marine - yes, its Stan Ridgeway and CAMOFLAGE !!"
(Re-live the moment yourself....)
"Now for a song about a Big Marine - yes, its Stan Ridgeway and CAMOFLAGE !!"
(Re-live the moment yourself....)
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
you know you spend too much time in hotels when...
You stay at a friends house and feel an overwhelming urge to take their soap, shampoo and toothbrush home with you
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Are Led Zeppelin Toast ?
Looking on Amazon.co.uk for a new toaster (ours has broken) my eye was drawn to the Russell Hobbs 10617 Glass Toaster
I was attracted to the listing not for its innovative and unusual design
But because there were 22 (twenty two) customer reviews of it.
Thats two whole football teams (as of 27/4/08) of people who have a strong enough opinion about a toaster to go online and share that opinion with the world.
Well, I do like a bit of toast myself, but I really can't see how a toaster creates that much strength of feeling. I mean, you put bread in it, it comes out browner and warmer than it went in, thats about it really.
But 22 people!!
I was attracted to the listing not for its innovative and unusual design
But because there were 22 (twenty two) customer reviews of it.
Thats two whole football teams (as of 27/4/08) of people who have a strong enough opinion about a toaster to go online and share that opinion with the world.
Well, I do like a bit of toast myself, but I really can't see how a toaster creates that much strength of feeling. I mean, you put bread in it, it comes out browner and warmer than it went in, thats about it really.
But 22 people!!
This means that there are four more people in the world with opinions about this toaster than there are who currently have an opinion on the digitally remastered version of Led Zeppelins seminal live album "The Song Remains The Same".
Led Zeppelin's live re-union gig at the O2 arena was a world-wide instant sellout, with reports of tickets selling for hndreds of times face value.
A rumoured re-union tour might be the biggest grossing rock tour of 2009 should it take place.
Led Zep live appearances are exactly the sort of things that A LOT of people care A LOT about, big time.
But the Russell Hobbs 10617 Glass Toaster creates more buzz, in fact over 22% more buzz than Led Zeppelin's best ever live performance.
Imagine then what sort of response a series of live dates from a Russell Hobbs 10617 Glass Toaster might create.
"Tonight, please welcome to the stage here at Madison Square Garden - the Russell Hobbs 10617 Glass Toaster!"
"HELLO New York - We're gonna Toast Some BREAD TONIGHT"
Monday, April 21, 2008
Breakfast - why?
The British seem to the the only nation in Europe to favour the "full-English" style hot food fryup for breakfast.
The French occasionally heat up the odd croissant, but its hardly griddle-fresh bacon, sausage, eggs and a fried slice.
The Spanish may push the boat out with a touch of egg & potato based warm tortilla, but it's not "fried, scrambled, poached or boiled sir?" is it?
The Scandinavians basically have a platter of museli, and if they are feeling especially adventurous they spread it on some bread made from cardboard and museli.
But the most puzzling of all are the Germans. Becasue they are basically museli, with a bit of stale bread and - if you are lucky - a thin slice of processed ham and a marginally thicker slice of rubberized cheese.
For a nationality who's culinary approach to every other mean of the day seems to be "we'll have hot grilled, fried or boiled meat for starters, and mains, and desert, and we will have all three with a side order of hot boiled, griled or fried meat on the side please" how did they miss the possibility of a hot meat based breakfast?
Doh!
The French occasionally heat up the odd croissant, but its hardly griddle-fresh bacon, sausage, eggs and a fried slice.
The Spanish may push the boat out with a touch of egg & potato based warm tortilla, but it's not "fried, scrambled, poached or boiled sir?" is it?
The Scandinavians basically have a platter of museli, and if they are feeling especially adventurous they spread it on some bread made from cardboard and museli.
But the most puzzling of all are the Germans. Becasue they are basically museli, with a bit of stale bread and - if you are lucky - a thin slice of processed ham and a marginally thicker slice of rubberized cheese.
For a nationality who's culinary approach to every other mean of the day seems to be "we'll have hot grilled, fried or boiled meat for starters, and mains, and desert, and we will have all three with a side order of hot boiled, griled or fried meat on the side please" how did they miss the possibility of a hot meat based breakfast?
Doh!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Air-conditioned bus shelters for Dubai
From Gulf News: Published: May 10, 2006, 00:00
Dubai: Air-conditioned bus shelters, the city's next landmark development, will be ready before next summer.
"Dubai will be the first city in the world to offer the luxury of air-conditioned bus shelters for passengers," said Mattar Al Tayer, Chief Executive of the city's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), at the launching ceremony of the prototype shelter.
"The aim is to lure people into using the city's public transport, and ease the pressure on its crowded roads," he said.
Well, I guess taking more cars off the roads will help the environment.........
Lets just hope that the energy saved is enough to aircondition 800 bus shelters...!.
Dubai: Air-conditioned bus shelters, the city's next landmark development, will be ready before next summer.
"Dubai will be the first city in the world to offer the luxury of air-conditioned bus shelters for passengers," said Mattar Al Tayer, Chief Executive of the city's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), at the launching ceremony of the prototype shelter.
"The aim is to lure people into using the city's public transport, and ease the pressure on its crowded roads," he said.
Well, I guess taking more cars off the roads will help the environment.........
Lets just hope that the energy saved is enough to aircondition 800 bus shelters...!.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Anti-Chinese Protests
Britain and France have both been swept by a wave of anti Chinese protests in recent days, linked to the arrival of the 2010 Olympic Flame.
Now, speaking personally I would probably - if pushed - express a slight preference for Curry or Pizza. And I am quite partial to a Thai every now and then.
But even so, actually taking to the streets and protesting against Chinese seems to me to mean that someone is taking it all a bit far.
And particularly for the French to do so is even more bizzarre.
Whilst your average Chinese in France is probably a touch bland, Curries in France are uniformly atrocious - the French should get their priorities right and protest against Indian food if anything.
Now, speaking personally I would probably - if pushed - express a slight preference for Curry or Pizza. And I am quite partial to a Thai every now and then.
But even so, actually taking to the streets and protesting against Chinese seems to me to mean that someone is taking it all a bit far.
And particularly for the French to do so is even more bizzarre.
Whilst your average Chinese in France is probably a touch bland, Curries in France are uniformly atrocious - the French should get their priorities right and protest against Indian food if anything.
Monday, February 11, 2008
If Primal Scream lived in Chiswick
Spoken section at the beginning of the Track : "Loaded"/Album : Screamdelica
"Just what is it that you want to do? "
"We want to be free! We want to be free to do what we want to do!
We want to be free to ride.
And we want to be free to ride our machines without being hassled by The Man.
And we want to get loaded.
And we want the District line to stop at Turham Green at peak times as well as late nights and early mornings.
And we want to have a good time!
And that’s what we’re gonna do.
We’re gonna have a good time.
We’re gonna have a party!"
"Just what is it that you want to do? "
"We want to be free! We want to be free to do what we want to do!
We want to be free to ride.
And we want to be free to ride our machines without being hassled by The Man.
And we want to get loaded.
And we want the District line to stop at Turham Green at peak times as well as late nights and early mornings.
And we want to have a good time!
And that’s what we’re gonna do.
We’re gonna have a good time.
We’re gonna have a party!"
Friday, February 08, 2008
If Star Wars was set in West London - Part Deux
The Death Star slowly moves behind the massive yellow surface of Yavin in the foreground, as many X-wing fighters flying in formation zoom toward us and out of the frame. Light from a distant sun creates an eerie atmospheric glow around a huge planet, Yavin. Rebel fighters flying in formation settle ominously in the foreground and very slowly pull away.
INT. RED LEADER STARSHIP - COCKPIT.Red Leader lowers his visor and adjusts his gun sights, looking to each side at his wing men.
RED LEADER : "All wings report in"
INT. ANOTHER COCKPIT.One of the Rebel fighters checks in through his mike.
RED TEN : " Red Ten standing by"
INT. BIGGS' COCKPIT.Biggs checks his fighter's controls, alert and ready for combat.
RED SEVEN (over Biggs' headset) " Red Seven standing by"
BIGGS : "Red Three standing by"
INT. PORKINS' COCKPIT. PORKINS : "Red Six standing by"
RED NINE (over headset) : "Sorry, I'm still stuck on the M4 just coming up to Heston services right now. The traffic's horrendous, but of course John Prescott's bloody bus lane is still empty. Why on earth they wasted all that money to set it up when all it does is create more traffic problems is beyond me!!"
INT. WEDGE'S FIGHTER - COCKPIT.WEDGE : "Red Two standing by"
INT. LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER - COCKPIT.
RED ELEVEN(over headset) : "Red Eleven standing by"
LUKE : " Red Five standing by"
EXT. LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER. Artoo-Detoo, in position outside of the fighter, turns his head from side to side and makes beeping sounds.
INT. RED LEADER'S FIGHTER - COCKPIT.RED LEADER : "Lock S-foils in attack position - and Red Nine, if you want to risk the cameras in the bus lane, its your call"
EXT. SPACE. The group of X-wing fighters move in formation toward the Death Star, unfolding the wings and locking them in the "X" position, with one fighter still missing from the formation.
INT. RED LEADER STARSHIP - COCKPIT.Red Leader lowers his visor and adjusts his gun sights, looking to each side at his wing men.
RED LEADER : "All wings report in"
INT. ANOTHER COCKPIT.One of the Rebel fighters checks in through his mike.
RED TEN : " Red Ten standing by"
INT. BIGGS' COCKPIT.Biggs checks his fighter's controls, alert and ready for combat.
RED SEVEN (over Biggs' headset) " Red Seven standing by"
BIGGS : "Red Three standing by"
INT. PORKINS' COCKPIT. PORKINS : "Red Six standing by"
RED NINE (over headset) : "Sorry, I'm still stuck on the M4 just coming up to Heston services right now. The traffic's horrendous, but of course John Prescott's bloody bus lane is still empty. Why on earth they wasted all that money to set it up when all it does is create more traffic problems is beyond me!!"
INT. WEDGE'S FIGHTER - COCKPIT.WEDGE : "Red Two standing by"
INT. LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER - COCKPIT.
RED ELEVEN(over headset) : "Red Eleven standing by"
LUKE : " Red Five standing by"
EXT. LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER. Artoo-Detoo, in position outside of the fighter, turns his head from side to side and makes beeping sounds.
INT. RED LEADER'S FIGHTER - COCKPIT.RED LEADER : "Lock S-foils in attack position - and Red Nine, if you want to risk the cameras in the bus lane, its your call"
EXT. SPACE. The group of X-wing fighters move in formation toward the Death Star, unfolding the wings and locking them in the "X" position, with one fighter still missing from the formation.
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