I am afraid I may have to reconsider my intention to propose matrimony to Ms Patty Pie of Whitehall, New York following the arrival of Ms Playchute’s rhubarb and her preparation of the season’s first rhubarb and strawberry crumble. So much for the tedious dieting we have been enduring since our return from the Great Restaurant Ramble 2007. This crumble is outstanding and, unfortunately, our rhubarb has put on a spring growing spurt which means that we shall have to eat our way through several hundred rhubarb and strawberry crumbles over the next few weeks. Mercy!
The good weather has also brought the bluebells in Badby Woods out a week or so early – we went up on Friday afternoon and took the usual selection of photographs which you can endure by clicking here. Enjoy.
The web site also contains a link to Pete Taylor’s developing web site chronicling his attempt to visit every major league baseball stadium, and to visit every state in the Union (including Alaska and Hawaii) and, in those states which do not have a major league baseball team, to attend a minor league game. He is also, as most of you will know, visiting various sites associated with music during his seven month odyssey.
Many of you are on Pete’s mailing list and his diary entries so far have been fun – it’s interesting to follow his progress. If you’re not on his mailing list, however, you can read his diary on his web site as well as have a glance at some of the photographs he has taken so far. He did ask in a recent mailing if everyone on his list could please apply for the lottery to secure tickets to the baseball all star game in San Francisco in July. I hope that everyone who is on his list has done so but, if you’re not on his list or for whatever reason you have not yet applied to the lottery, do it straight away. There is no obligation to purchase anything and if you should happen to win the option to purchase some tickets Pete would be delighted to relieve you of the opportunity. Pete described how to apply in a recent diary posting:
| “Before I give you my report for today, I want to ask each of you a favour. “I am desperate to obtain a ticket for the All-Star game, which takes place in San Francisco in July, and they are like gold dust. Major League Baseball has just placed the remaining tickets on their web site, and are organising a ballot to enable the successful candidates to purchase the remaining tickets. I have registered, of course, and am hoping that as many of you as possible will register too, to improve my chances. If you do register, there is no financial commitment. If your name comes out of the hat, you are given the opportunity to buy tickets, which you are free to decline. So if you were successful, you would e-mail me and I would let you know if I still needed the tickets. The draw takes place at the end of May. “If you are willing to help me, here's what you do. “Go to http://www.mlb.com. “From the row of buttons at the top of the page, click on "tickets". “You will then be presented with a page full of team names. Click on "giants". “You will then get a menu of options. Click on "ticket information" “You will then see a colourful page with various rectangles, one of which says "All Star Week Ticket Opportunity". At the bottom of this square, click on the words "register online now". “Then you see a page full of script, which basically tells you in detail what I have just explained above. Scroll to the bottom of the page, fill in the form with your details, and click on "submit". “Then let me know when you're successful, and I can go to the All-Star game.” |
So, good luck to everyone!
I ran across two stories on the BBC web site this week which I thought would be worth sharing mainly, of course, because it means that I have to write much less. The first struck a particular chord because the gorgeous Ms Playchute brings me a fruit smoothy every morning, since we both acquired such gargantuan proportions following the Great Restaurant Ramble 2007:
Alcohol 'makes fruit healthier' The fruit contains compounds that can protect against cancer, heart disease and arthritis. But having them with alcohol, such as in a daiquiri, boosts these antioxidant properties, the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture says. Nutritionists said the "detrimental effects" of such drinks could cancel out such benefits. The researchers, from the Kasetsart University in Thailand and the US Department of Agriculture Research Service, were actually looking for more effective ways of keeping fruit fresh during storage. They found that treating strawberries with alcohol enhanced the antioxidant capacity within the fruit - which boosts the fruit's power to neutralise destructive molecules called free radicals - by a third. Free radicals are highly reactive oxygen molecules which damage DNA and cell membranes. They are linked to a wide range of diseases and are thought to be one of the chief causes of ageing. Treating blackberries in the same ways also had beneficial effects. But Dr Frankie Phillips of the British Dietetic Association said: "It's well known that some preparation of fruit and veg can enhance the availability of nutrients and other plant chemicals including antioxidants. "For example, cooking tomatoes or stir frying pepper facilitates availability of the lycopene and beta-carotene they contain. "That's why the five-a-day message states to include a variety of fruit and veg as fresh, frozen, juice, dried and canned, and encourages different preparations." She added: "Whilst this study suggests that consuming strawberries with alcohol increases the antioxidant capacity, there are clearly detrimental effects of consuming alcohol in terms of cell damage. "So any potential antioxidant benefits may be cancelled out by the potential liver damage caused by too much alcohol. "Our advice is to enjoy summer berries but don't expect a panacea in the form of a strawberry daiquiri." |
So, from now on I am going to start insisting that my morning smoothy be made with champagne and strawberries – even better for me!
The second story to catch my eye this week was an article concerning the 25th anniversary of the release of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, the home computer which set Ben and me on the slippery slope of the information technology dirt track. Ben, of course, was into it’s innards and quickly developing his programming expertise; I remember he had a program published in one of the early magazines devoted to the Spectrum. Me? I just found it fascinating.
How the Spectrum began a revolution In April 1982 a small British company, led by Sir Clive Sinclair, launched the ZX Spectrum computer and sparked a revolution. The computer was the brainchild of British technology entrepreneur Sir Clive Sinclair who also, with the Sinclair Cambridge, developed one of the first cheap and slim pocket calculators in 1972. The Spectrum was the third home computer to be released by Sinclair - following the ZX80 and ZX81 - but was the first aimed squarely at the home. For many people in the UK the Spectrum was their first experience of using a computer and it quickly gained a loyal following. Rick Dickinson, who was responsible for the look and shape of the machine, said the company had no idea it would make such an impact. "We started selling kit computers to hobbyists and thought we would sell 1,000 machines a month. "We went on to sell 200,000 a month and ran into supply problems." He said cost was the driving factor behind the design. "At the time Sinclair was producing pocket calculators, electronic watches, miniature TVs and until they were made, they did not exist in the market. Likewise, with the ZX80, ZX81 and Spectrum, there were no references. Everything was cost driven. The design was the face of the machine.” Many of today's video game luminaries cut their teeth on Sinclair computers, among them Dave Perry, who runs Shiny Entertainment, and Tim and Chris Stamper, who founded Rare. Many computer programmers today say they owe their careers to the Spectrum. Nick Humphries, a programmer in the UK who runs a website devoted to the machine, said: "The Spectrum was the first computer we owned. "It was quite intimidating at the time. We had to get a neighbour round to help get it working. But it had an astonishing impact. I did an incredible amount of experimentation with it during my time with it. It was a great tool." Two more models were released by Sinclair Research between 1982 and 1986, before Amstrad bought the Spectrum range and brand. More models with improved processor speeds, more memory and built-in disk drives were released but the machines were facing intense competition from cheaper PC clones, Japanese manufacturers, and the arrival of dedicated games consoles. It was officially discontinued in 1992. For many people the Spectrum now lives on through emulation; there are many computer programs for PC and Mac as well as mobile devices, that can play digital versions of old Spectrum games. But there are also a number of web sites dedicated to the machine. Martijn van der Heide, who runs the website World of Spectrum, said the day a friend received his Spectrum is one he will never forget. "We were all sitting there, looking intently as he opened the box, pulled out the various pieces of hardware, manuals and tapes. It was nothing short of astonishing, with a colourful loading screen, weird noises coming out of the speaker while loading, and the games on that tape. Simple ones, sure, but they made a great impact." Mr Humphries said: "The enthusiasm lives on. It's partly nostalgia but also because at the time we were too young to master the machine and take it to the next level. Now we can." |
The small, black computer with iconic rubber keys ignited the home computer age in the UK and beyond, led to an explosion in computer manufacturing and developed software programming talent that is still in evidence today.So, happy anniversary to the Sinclair Spectrum and just excuse me while I top up this smoothy with a Jeroboam of champagne.
Love to you all,
Greg
Oh. You can read about Day Four of the Great Restaurant Ramble 2007 (Hartford, Connecticut to Lake George) here.
The following are allegedly stories from British newspapers:
1) Commenting on a complaint from a Mr. Arthur Purdey about a large gas bill, a spokesman for North West Gas said, "We agree it was rather high for the time of year. It's possible Mr. Purdey has been charged for the gas used up during the explosion that destroyed his house." (The Daily Telegraph)
2) Irish police are being handicapped in a search for a stolen van, because they cannot issue a description. It's a Special Branch vehicle and they don't want the public to know what it looks like. (The Guardian)
3) A young girl who was blown out to sea on a set of inflatable teeth was rescued by a man on an inflatable lobster. A coast guard spokesman commented, "This sort of thing is all too common". (The Times)
4) At the height of the gale, the harbourmaster radioed a coastguard and asked him to estimate the wind speed. He replied he was sorry, but he didn't have a gauge. However, if it was any help, the wind had just blown his Land Rover off the cliff. ( Aberdeen Evening Express)
5) Mrs. Irene Graham of Thorpe Avenue , Boscombe, delighted the audience with her reminiscence of the German prisoner of war who was sent each week to do her garden. He was repatriated at the end of 1945, she recalled. "He'd always seemed a nice friendly chap, but when the crocuses came up in the middle of our lawn in February 1946, they spelt out 'Heil Hitler.'" ( Bournemouth Evening Echo)
And the following is, equally allegedly, a list of announcements that London Tube train drivers have made to their passengers...
1) "Ladies and Gentlemen, I do apologize for the delay to your service. I know you're all dying to get home, unless, of course, you happen to be married to my ex-wife, in which case you'll want to cross over to the Westbound and go in the opposite direction."
2) "Your delay this evening is caused by the line controller suffering from E & B syndrome: not knowing his elbow from his backside. I'll let you know any further information as soon as I'm given any."
3) "Do you want the good news first or the bad news? The good news is that last Friday was my birthday and I hit the town and had a great time. The bad news is that there is a points failure somewhere between Stratford and East Ham, which means we probably won't reach our destination."
4) "Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for the delay, but there is a security alert at Victoria station and we are therefore stuck here for the foreseeable future, so let's take our minds off it and pass some time together. All together now.... 'Ten green bottles, hanging on a wall.....'."
5) "We are now travelling through Baker Street ... As you can see, Baker Street is closed. It would have been nice if they had actually told me, so I could tell you earlier, but no, they don't think about things like that".
6) "Beggars are operating on this train. Please do NOT encourage these professional beggars. If you have any spare change, please give it to a registered charity. Failing that, give it to me."
7) During an extremely hot rush hour on the Central Line, the driver announced in a West Indian drawl: "Step right this way for the sauna, ladies and gentleman... Unfortunately, towels are not provided."
8) "Let the passengers off the train FIRST!" (Pause .) "Oh go on then, stuff yourselves in like sardines, see if I care - I'm going home...."
9) "Please allow the doors to close. Try not to confuse this with 'Please hold the doors open.' The two are distinct and separate instructions."
10) "Please note that the beeping noise coming from the doors means that the doors are about to close. It does not mean throw yourself or your bags into the doors."
11) "We can't move off because some idiot has their hand stuck in the door."
12) "To the gentleman wearing the long grey coat trying to get on the second carriage - what part of 'stand clear of the doors' don't you understand?"
13) "Please move all baggage away from the doors." (Pause..) "Please Move ALL belongings away from the doors." (Pause...) "This is a personal Message to the man in the brown suit wearing glasses at the rear of the train: Put the pie down, Four-eyes, and move your bloody golf clubs away from the door before I come down there and shove them up your arse sideways!"
14) "May I remind all passengers that there is strictly no smoking allowed on any part of the Underground. However, if you are smoking a joint, it's only fair that you pass it round the rest of the carriage."
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