General - Hey Mr Sitar Man

My work year is over on a high. As I went out of the door earlier today I had a good feeling in my bones.

The first demo in Foresthill went well enough and the two of us made our way across London to posh Highbury and Islington. I knocked on a town house door, you know the type of tall building with steep steps at the front and more floors than a house should be aloud? It was answered by Balu and his lovely wife.

This charming and friendly chap is one of the finest sitar players in the world according to his website

‘Baluji is one of the greatest sitarists of India with the ability to enthral an audience
regardless of their level of understanding of the musical genre.’

We ended up chatting as they fed me with Indian treats and lots of tea before heading over to Angel on the bus. It was a rare occasion that I went out of the house with no GPS receiver and I’ll tell you it felt strange not to have the access to POI and street information that I now take for granted.

We strolled down a long crowded street perfumed with spices and oriental fragrance and threaded between stall holders in that special London way on chapel Market until we found a restaurant called the Indian Veg Bhelpoori House. The vegetarian Indian food was plentiful and extremely inexpensive. We paid under 14 quid for two beers and as much food as we wanted and its worth a visit if you’re in north London, just amazing snap.

I may try and get Baluji for a quick interview to put on the blog as this guy really has a story to tell. Oh, and he sells cds on amazon. This wouldn’t matter a jot if he was a jerk, but he’s a lovely man and this afternoon was a pleasure.

I’m on the train moving towards Epsom stuffed with food crunching on the last few aniseeds’ left from the restaurant. I may go for a pint in the pub but am bloated and tired now.

General - Last Week of Work

It was fantastic getting together with old friends in the north east last weekend and I have some great memories to take away. It won’t be long until I have work up that neck of the woods once more and I can’t wait to nip over to North Shields again.

The 30th party was excellent with lots of nice food and drinks plus the coolest living room I’ve ever been in.

I worked in the office yesterday and sent the old laptop back to be fixed, handed in some stock and managed some admin. Last night I came back to Epsom but wasted it by sleeping from half 6 onwards which is a shame as the idea had crossed my mind to order in a Tandori Mixed Grill.

My work takes me to Birmingham for the next two days but I don’t know if I’m staying in the area or coming back home. Thursday I my last day of work in London then I’m off for 2006 YAY!! The weekend should find me partying a little with friends and tying up some loose ends for the move.

It is now 3 years since myself and Clare started um, hanging around with each other and things are good.

Whisky - Glenfiddich 12 40%

Everyone loves to knock Glenfidich as a rubbish or dull malt just because it’s the best selling single malt in the world and not fashionably peaty. This is a shame really as without this gentle whisky single malts may never have been evangelized amongst the masses. William Grant and sons upset the industry by heavily promoting a single malt and really wagered the firms future on the endeavour. It has evidently played off.

Nose: fresh pares banana and malty beer?!

Pallet: those bananas again and bourbon maturation. Sweet, a little unexciting but with no off notes.

Finnish: short but kind of intriguing.

Comment: betters most blends with ease and very drinkable. I do find it a little soft but at the end of the day it could explain its appeal to many. Not really my cup of tea but I wouldn’t turn one down.

Score: 72%

General - Going NorthEast

I’m speeding towards Newcastle on a GNER HST125 train that isn’t WIFI enabled which is rather a bugger. Clare’s also on the train but as we didn’t embark at the same station and these things are very big indeed it will be virtually impossible to find her, this is not helped by the fact that it is also packed to bursting. I did rather well and am sitting working on the laptop and sipping water in first class.

Donna came to mine last night after going to a gig and we had a beer or two with some friends before turning in at around 2. I’m pretty tired now so will stop this ramble. Next stop Doncaster.

Technology - BT gets Plus Netted Out

It would appear that BT wish to buy the Sheffield based ISP Plus net and the offer has been recommended. This is a sign of consolidation in the ISP industry and I sincerely hope that BT will not just turn Plus net in to another of its blands.

Apparently jobs and the plus net brand will stay as a separate company based in Sheffield but for how long? I guess they wish to have not only the high end punters who normally flock to Plus net but also the conformists who would be lured over to a BT brand on good terms. This will be an interesting one to watch. Anyway, check out the link above and I really hope it won’t force me to move ISPS.

General - Moving II

The countdown to my move to Ipswich is well and truly on with less than two weeks left in Epsom. It looks like I’ll be having a bash in the Riser the Sunday before I leave. I took Monday off work such were my exertions with people who should know better in the Riser on Sunday but nevermind. Jaid and I travelled over to Swansea on Tuesday for a Trekker demo so took my lunch break in the Yard bar in Cardiff to chat to an old college friend. That’s one of the nicest parts of this job and the travelling as the trains themselves can get pretty dull.

I’ll be in Taunton later today for more demonstration goodness and Donna stays over at mine tonight as she’s at a gig in croyden. Jaidy and I are back on the rails on Thursday evening and heading up to Newcastle for a 30th birthday celebration so really not much time left for moving preparations though I have sorted out a good amount of stuff with my parents last weekend.

Whisky - Longrow 10 Year OB 46%

Now for a 10 ear old Longrow whisky from the springbank distillery. They release a new bottling each year and this batch is the2004.

Nose: Smokey and malty. Not as expressive as an Ardbeg or Laphroaig, gentle.

Pallet: peaty and bourbon influenced. Creamy with that mustiness I get in some springbank products. Its not bad here though.

Finnish: lingering, a bonfire on your tongue, burning twigs and autumnal.

Comments: too expensave and I’d sooner take an OB Laphroaig or Ardbeg.

Score: 80%

Technology - Window-Eyes Public beta 3 now online

Yet another beta for my fave screen reading program with stability fixes. No new features this time.

Whisky - Bruichladdich 10 year 46%

Bruichladdich 10 year has long been a favourite whisky of mine and it is now discontinued in favour of a new 12 year old version matured in bourbon cask. The 10 year is from second fill sherry and bourbon barrels.

Nose: green apples oak and honeysuckle with a salty tang. Water kills the apples and brings out a wif of coconut.

Pallet: a sweet burst of oak sugar followed by a citric note. Toastyness from the casks, not what I’d call smooth.

Finnish: short with the citrus lingering. Elegant for such a young whisky. Salt.

Comment: shame to lose this one. It is really nice half and half with water and ice as a long drink as the sweetness comes out.

Score: 85%

General - think on

In Singapore it is illegal to have oral sex if it
does not lead to full intercourse. What a smashing bloody law!

Railway - Plug N Play Trains for Next Gen Intercity?

'Acknowledging criticism of the heavy Pendolino and Voyager rolling stock operated
by Virgin Trains, Alexander noted that "more mass equals more energy consumption.
Lighter trains are good for the environment, because they consume less energy. They
hammer the track less hard."
A flexible design which could easily be lengthened or shortened was essential, he
added, both in commercial and environmental terms. "A full train is much more energy-efficient
than one that's half-empty," he said.
The transport secretary concluded: "So, we now have a much clearer idea of how the
future will affect our Intercity Express. A lighter, more efficient train, with better
acceleration, that offers a far greater number of route choices and service options.
Flexible power options and flexible configurations; more accessible coaches; with
anticipated shorter engine replacement cycles to allow for a faster change in technology."'

General - From a Hotel Room in Preston

Work has taken me to Norwich and Preston over the last two days. I am meeting up with the two Dolphin Daves to grab some breakfast shortly if our plans come off. My hotel is just on the corner of church street and as the show will be held in the Minster this is a rather useful bit of planning on my part IMHO.

I didn’t get in to Preston last night until 6 past 10 so took a taxi to the hotel dropped off my baggage and had the driver take me to the fox at which point I purchased a quick half. I then tried a half in the New Britannia and lastly a pint in the D and P before heading off to the King for the finest Curry I’ve eaten since the last time it was my pleasure to scoff in that fine establishment. Hunger was belting hard as the only things to pass my lips all day were a glass or two of water, a cup of tea, small piece of chocolate cake donated by those good people at Norwich rehab and a chicken sandwich from Tesco. It can be hard finding food when the diary for a particular day does not allow time for snuffling around stations in order to find a processed bit of nastiness to fill up on. This is exacerbated when the prat pushing a trolley up and down a train does not have change and is ultra unhelpful. Jaid and I did just over 8 and a half hours travel yesterday which is possibly a record to date on my Humanware job. It was our misfortune to sit next to a drunken Scottish lady on her way back to Blackpool on the last leg of the journey. I was sitting in a 4 block, you know the kind in witch you have two seats facing each other? Anyhow it was Jaid and I plus a youngish bloke finishing work plus this hag and another dood over from Denmark for the weekend. Well, first this old wench latched on to me because of the dog and after the cold shoulder decided that our European friend was the next target of her drivel. The poor bloke really did not know what had hit him and eventually was rescued by the other gentleman. She was a proper mentalist and ranted and raved for the 45 minutes or so from Manchester to Preston and I’m sure was on the verge of spilling her guts over us. We did get a good misting of saliva spray in any case.

We will inevitably find our way round Preston this eve and as they say ‘paint the town red’ Who’s is that saying anyway?

It looks like my last big dining occasion with friends in Epsom will be a Christmas dinner in the Rising Sun. A little early, but the menu is fantastic and I shall post it on this blog when I get back home and scan the bugger. I'm obsessed with my gut. I'll be like a bloody rugby ball at this rate!

Technology - A K1000 Development Blog

What a nice move from the KESI crew. I'm off to read now as we crawl to Manchester for my change to Preston.

Music - Allen Lande - The Battle - 2005

Magnus Karlsson was the instigator that put the cd together. Not content with only creating one metal monster last year with Tony Harnel from TNT in the form of Starbreaker he decided to better it, play all the instruments apart from drums and involve two of the finest metal vocalists in the world. He also shreds and uses his guitars like nobody has since the mid 1990s and is so flewid.

A colossal metal album is how I’d describe this. The disc is in the melodic metal camp but has elements of keyboard sprinkled through underpinning the distorted guitars. The songs are great possibly a little samey at times but with quality this high who cares? The chief attraction is Jorn Lande and his vocals are at once powerful and tender when necessary, this man really is the metal version of David Coverdale for this generation of metal heads. One must not forget Russell Allens contribution as he is a phenomenal vocalist in his own way and his band Symphony X. have followed the lead of Dream Theater and Faiths Warning and produce a good version of prog metal themed around legends ETC. This album is more mainstream with hooks a plenty and just amazing to blast on a good stereo system.

The moody introduction to the title track sets a dark tone but suddenly bursts in to life with swirling guitars and a Celtic influenced wall of drums and keyboards. The track relates to the end of a relationship and just smokes.

Russell Allen takes the mike for the Hunters night but this isn’t one of the strongest tracks though by any standard its good and a speed up in tempo.

Search for a miracle sees the two trading vocal lines and is a standout in my books. The emotion Lande puts in to this takes the track to the next level, a perfect euro metal song that his former band Masterplan would have loved to have recorded I’m sure..

We have one or two ballads on this disc and reach a little longer is the first. Typical piano intro but rather dark, a song of hope and resolution, rather uplifting actually.

We then speed up with a few rockers most notable to me at least is truth of our time which after a quick piano intro hits with a memorable hook and the two trading vocal lines once more like lives depended on it.

Ask you anyway is Russell Allen’s time to shine and this he does admirably. This mid phased stompper with its bombastic intro could be my favourite track on the album. What a dark song about someone in torment but with that glimmer of hope that lifts the listener up. I think most people have been in a relationship like this or is it just my past captured in song form? Things are much better now though!!

The album ends on a ballad, ‘the forgotten ones’ I played this rather a lot over the summer and love the track which could be about anything from refugees to people who are depressed and can’t cry for help. It could also be a little religious but I can handle that such is the quality of this tune.

The cd appears to have a theme of conflict and struggle about it but once the last notes fade its so easy to hit play once more and jump back on the emotional rolacoster that the two have created. The lyrics can be a little cheesey at times but I simply don’t care a jot. This is one beautifully produced and recorded disc and Mr Carlson deserves much credit for pulling this off. It should be noted that its very different to Starbreaker with les of a modern rock sound.

General - Weekend Roundup

What a cracking weekendClare Jaid and I enjoyed. Clare came over on Friday and we went out for a few ales and then had a takeaway from Nandoes. Saturday was a rather interesting day or should I say evening. We sleapt in for most of the afternoon and then went out with a bunch of people for curry and lots of beer in the Rising Son. Clare purchased me a chocolate cake and bubbles for my birthday and these went down quickly, especially the bubbles.

Don and a bunch of friends came over when the pub had shut and I’m afraid to say that I became rather inebriated on good malts.

We went out for Sunday dinner today and are now on our way to Ipswich for a farewell party arranged by Clare’s Ausy uncle in the Sorrel Horse. I intend to have an Adnams or 3 and could conceivably force down a spitfire.

Well, its all over now and was interesting to chat to Claris family and am not put off moving to Ipswich by this experience. Chris and I had a gps demo in west London yesterday and then I went over to casualty with me knee which is still grotty. I had an ale or two last night with Epsom Mark and am working from home today. The workload for my week is hecktic to say the least so I’d better crack on.

Technology - New BrailleNote dictionary and Free Keysoft update

The concise oxford dictionary and thesaurus are now available for Keysoft running on all flavours of Braille note. This is rather nice as it integrates in to the spell checker and correct pronunciations for words can be read aloud as well as word searches and many other features. I rather like this add-on.

Check out more info on this cool new feature at
http://www.humanware.com/Products/Notetakers/ConciseOxfordForKeySoft.asp

A second update is a new build of Keysoft 7.2 which is a free maintenance release that fixes some problems in the DAISY player and other bug fixes for some applications. More info at
http://www.humanware.com/Resources/downloads/KeySoft7_2_b47.asp

General - back from the meds

Back from the hospital now and they’ve pulled a load of blood and fluid from my knee cap. The consultant believes I’ve knocked it. I don’t have to take anymore pills so will have a beer tonight. I’ve got to use this tide grip thing over my leg for the next week which is a little uncomfortable. Better crack on with some work.

General - Birthdays and Hospitals

What a few days. It all started last Friday afternoon just after I posted the link to Kurzweil 1000 11 information. I went to the GP as my knee has been swollen for a few weeks now. I had a word with the gentleman and he immediately called up the hospital and sent me to orthopaedics with a nice letter. I had expected to go on the Saturday as I had been looking forward to the Kathryn Roberts gig, but no, it was get up to Sutton strait away so off we went.

I had expected a rather long wait in the hospital and true to form and after a blood test x-ray and the like I was diagnosed with Patella Bursitis or water on the knee after 4 hours. A week later with many anti-inflammatory and antibiotics swallowed and the offending limb is not much different. At least its not getting any bigger so I take consolation from this and hope I can get off the pills soon. As a consequence I’ve not had a drink since last Wednesday and don’t appear any different because of it. The roomers that it was the alcohol in my blood stream keeping me alive are therefore null and totally untrue thank you very much.

Going back a little it was Guy Fawkes weekend so rather than wait in the A and E waiting Room an cope with the screams of sparkler and firework mutilated brats I decided to stay in the small anti-room to pass time as the results of my blood test came back from the lab. I was immensely grateful to the nurse who fetched me a cup of tea after 3 hours of waiting, it made all the difference even though I was passing time listening to audio books and music on my Maestro.

The Trekker came in useful on our way back to Epsom as the driver didn’t know the way and insisted on trying to traverse the one way system in the wrong direction. The motorised route got me back home and we did have a laugh about that one.

I went out with Andrew and his Philippine girlfriend Sarah on Sunday night to Nandoes to celebrate his birthday but had to retire early because I was nackered and had to be up early on the Monday.

I spent most of last week working in Leamington and am now awaiting some transport to get me back to the hospital for a check over. I really hope they don’t give me more horse pills to gulp down as it would be nice to have a few beers on my birthday weekend.

I’m typing this on my new work Thinkpad t42 and its really a nice laptop with lots of potential.

Technology - Window-Eyes 6.0 Beta2

Beta 2 of Window-Eyes the screen reader from GW Micro is now up for download from www.gwmicro.com/beta

A number of bugs have been fixed and a smattering of enhancements and new features added. Almost done...

Bethnal Green The hush-hush catastrophe

I found this Guardian Article rather interesting strangly enough I’ve been doing lots of work in the East end over the last 3 weeks or more.

‘It was the worst civilian disaster of the second world war: the night 173 people
died seeking shelter at Bethnal Green tube station during an air raid. It was followed
by cover-up and rumour. Why? Jessica Lack asks the witnesses’

Beer - Greene King on the Fire

I hate GK and try not to buy GK beer. The Vintage Suffolk Ale is a winter treat though. They’ve just also ruined Speckled Hen too by dropping the ABV of this traditional ale.

From the Guardian

‘More than 400 years after Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the monarch and his parliament, bonfire enthusiasts in a Sussex town yesterday embarked on a new plot to unseat a deeply unpopular king.

The pub and brewing chain, Greene King, has enraged the people of Lewes by trying
to ban the sale of the locally brewed Harveys ale in the town's landmark pub, the
Lewes Arms. Yesterday, they gathered outside the 207-year-old pub in bonfire night costumes to mock a theatrical Greedy King, who swaggered down the street with a vast gut and an unpleasant leak from a Greene King beer pump strapped to his lower belly.

Lewes has a bonfire-night history of parading effigies of its enemies through the
streets before blowing them to bits with fireworks. Recently, they constructed a
gigantic Gordon Brown caning a naked Peter Mandelson across the buttocks and an Osama bin Laden straining on a toilet. Greene King, whose chief executive, or his effigy at least, was blown apart three
years ago when the company first threatened to stop selling the local Harveys, can
expect a further fiery assault tonight. Up to 60,000 people are expected to take
to the town's streets to watch torchlight processions of men, women and children
dressed as smugglers, native Americans, Venetian boatmen - and beer drinkers.

Greene King has already incurred the wrath of Camra, the campaign for real ale, by
buying up and closing three traditional breweries - Morlands, Ridleys and Hardys
and Hansons - in a campaign which has left it controlling more than 2,600 pubs…

Railway - Some Comments from trainblog.co.uk

Ok, so the last post should have read 2012 for the Olympics’ but I can’t be fussed to edit the article.

I found these at www.trainblog.co.uk


They focus on One ate the moment but are widening scope. My comments have ‘ around them.

Smelly Food
"Thanks to the chap who sat next to me last night on the 2300hrs from London to Ipswich and ate a pasty, packet of crisps and a crunchy bar. Disgusting animal."

'That would be me then'

"Would the hurray-Henry's who come from Woodbridge kindly keep the volume of their inane whitter, communal crossword solving and clinking of champagne glasses down."

‘That sounds like the South West train from Epsom to Wimbledon then'

Ipswich Bike Park
"My sympathy to the bloke who's front wheel was pinched off his bike yesterday. Why do ONE allow some people to treat the bike area as a Halfords smorgasbord for spares?"

Ipswich BIKE LIGHTS
"To the B*****D who pinched my bike lights at Ipswich station. I hope you rot in
hell."

Virgin Galactic
"I hope Branson's new service launches smoothly. One question though, I just got
the bus replacement for my broken train, what will replace the galactic service when
that breaks? Bus from moon to Norwich? Markzz"

New Trains?
"They are Virgin's second hand cast-offs. 'one' specified that the seats were to
arrive 'pre-knackered'."

One Train Service again
"We will not supply you with air con or offer you complimentary drinks but for the
3rd day in a row you will be late home because the gaffer tape holding the overhead
cable together has snapped again...."

Railway -Up to Two More Decades of Rail Problems

Yet one more rant about the Ipswich trains from Clare’s dads paper. I’m so glad that speedy repairs and improvements are being considered for the East of England mainline from London to Norwich.  You would have thought they would have wanted to sort out the problems before the 2010 Olympics hit the east of London?  I guess this is why journey times have lengthened in contrast to the other mainlines and I’ve noted that we don’t hit 100 MPH on my GPS until we get past Colchester.

‘ENGINEERS could take more than 20 years to solve all the overhead wire problems on the London to East Anglia main line, the region's top rail boss warned today.
A section of the overhead wire in Essex dates back more than 50 years as it was put
up by pre-nationalisation company LNER in the late 1940s.
Now it has been warned it could take another 20 years before this infrastructure is completely replaced.’

One Completes £25m Trains Upgrade

They got ripped off for £25000000.  Personally I don’t find any difference?  Its just a lick of paint and tart up.  I want wifi and at seat Power Points as on most other providers mainline services.  This just isn’t good enough, though we are going through silly Suffolk and Norfolk, in Ipswich we don’t have digital TV or Radio yet, so I guess I shouldn’t be shocked they got away with it.  BTW those Class 90 locos are the ones Virgin got rid of a few years ago before the introduction of the new Pendalinos and Voyagers, and the reason?  They were in a shocking condition.  Please forgive my ranting about the railway in the east of England today but this will be important for my job next year.  If it does interest you read this article. in the

‘REGIONAL train operator One yesterday celebrated the completion of its £25million
investment in more modern rolling stock for its main line London to Norwich services.
The fleet of 118 newly refurbished Mark 3 carriages offers more seating and improved
air conditioning compared with the previous Mark 2 stock and complements the Class
90 locomotives which have already replaced the ageing Class 86 units used on the

route for the past 20 years.
The refurbished Mark 3 carriages include completely new seat covers, carpets, curtains
and décor, improved access and facilities for the disabled and upgraded buffet areas,
in addition to the restaurant and at-seat trolley services which have been retained
from the days of the Mark 2 coaches’.

Free Rail Journey Clampdown

This article in the Evening Star shows that One wish to make changes to Felixstowe station which could be interesting for VI travellers.

I do think the train operators should get their revenue, but how would a guide dog get through a turnstile on an unmanned station?  I will have to call One Railway soon to be my local rail provider on this as myself and Clare use this route.

Even if this isn’t a turnstile will the machine be accessible?
‘Brian Frost from ESTA said: “When Ipswich Town are at home there are real problems
- you get trains crowded with people and the guard cannot get through.
“I have been on single carriage trains which have 72 seats, with about 110 people
on board.”
A spokesman for 'one' Railway said: “In the past there have always been security
concerns about having ticket machines at unmanned stations.
“But Felixstowe station is reasonably open and it is overlooked by the police station
so we may feel it is all right to install a machine there.”’

Guy Fawkes Axed!!

This is surely taking the pss?  For those who don't know about the gunpowder plot, check out these pages.  Are we going to ban Christmas celebrations next?  This is really going too far in the name of community relations and it would never happen in other countries.

'Officials in Tower Hamlets, East London, say the story of the Gunpowder Plot is
now too old so there will be no bonfire and no Guy.
Instead officials have spent £75,000 on a celebration in Victoria Park that will
centre on a Bengali folk tale called the Emperor and the Tiger.
A mock Bengal Tiger will pace a giant catwalk surrounded by Bangla drummers and
dancers. The area has a large Asian population.

John Midgley,spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: "There's
a time and a place for everything and November 5 is for Bonfire Night.
"It's time to tell bureaucrats that actions like these undermine our historic occasions
and harm community relations."'

Technology - Kurzweil 1000 V11 announced

Kurzweil  Educational have announced version 11 of the popular reading and productivity tool Kurzweil 1000 for the PC.  The official press blurb is available at this location.

I was lucky enough to beta test this program and the new forms recognition is magnificent giving blind people and those with partial sight independence to fill out paper forms that we have never had since the days of the Opticon.  You can simply import printed signatures in to the product so its even possible to sign your name at the bottom or in the places requested.

New recognition engines from Scan soft and Abbyy are included making the product more accurate when processing the paper or digital document than ever before.  I’ve re-recognised some books scanned with earlier versions, IE v10 and both the engines are significantly better with the new Scan soft probably having the edge over fine engine 8.

pSo much was included and I don’t have time to comment on it all.  Steve and the guys have put together another smashing version full of useful innervations’.

Beer - Innis & Gunn Oak Aged Beer 6.6%

This unusual beer is an offshoot of the finishing of whisky in ale casks.  The malty ale is matured in casks which are then used by William Grant for an Ale Cask reserve product.

Nose:   toffee and treacle, rich and something sharp cutting through, could be hops I guess.

Pallet:  so creamy and toffee like, clawing but not overly so.  

Finnish:  like eating thauntons toffee with a hoppy edge rather long and luxuriant

Comment: a good beer for Christmas and a treat.