This is a World War 2 spigot mortar position, set up to defend against a potential German invasion force. Many of these relics have been destroyed over the last few decades, as they aren't seen as important pieces of history. Personally, I think we should save these 20th Century fortification so that future generations can see how prepared we were for invasion.
Perhaps the people of the future will see these in the same way we see medieval castles today?
03/18/2008
07/25/2007
Vox Hunt: Favorite Compilation
Audio: Show us your favorite compilation album.
Submitted by Mana'olana.
OK, so I'm a child of the eighties. I can't deny it.
06/24/2007
Dragon Boat Racing
Nothing like spending a Sunday messing about in boats. Or rather, watching other people messing about in boats. Racing up and down the Severn to the Hawaii 5-0 theme. And all in aid of the hospice, a very good cause.
06/10/2007
A Day at the Seaside
What better way to spend a sunny June Sunday than at the beach? A couple of hours in the car, with the children entertained by a DVD and it's sea, sand, picnics and ice cream at Aberdovey.
Click on the link under the photo to see more pictures from the day.
The Brentford Chainstore Massacre
It never ceases to amaze me why Robert Rankin isn't a household name. His humour is comparable to Wodehouse, he's more original than Pratchett, and his prose stands with the best. In fact. there's a stream-of-consciousness dream sequence at the start of this book that could have been written by Joyce.
This is the fifth book in the Brentford Trilogy, but don't worry about that. It's a trilogy that can be started at any point, really, as the continuity between books is, er, minimal.
If you've never read Rankin, why not start here?. It's great.
06/08/2007
Richard Herring - Menage a Un
Richard Herring - Menage a Un
Oakengates Theatre
I was a big fan of Lee and Herring back in the days of "Fist of Fun" and "This Morning with Richard Not Judy" and I've been reading his blog for a couple of years now. So it was great to see that one of the last dates on his current tour was at Oakengates Theatre in Telford, just a few miles up the road from me.
We arrived at theatre about ten minutes before the gig was due to start; enough time for a quick drink in the bar before we were ushered through to the theatre. The venue was something like half full, perhaps 120 people. Once everyone was settled, music from the Go! Team and a rather cheesy MC introduced us to Mr. Herring himself.
I have to say that I don't think I've laughed so much before. The first hour of the gig was non-stop and the material showcased Herring's wry observational style. The subject matter ranged from the banal to the outrageous, but was always funny, and only one couple didn't return for the second half as far as I could tell.
After the 20 minute interval, the second half of the gig was more subdued, but never any less funny. I suspect the 40-odd dates prior to this one in the tour had taken their toll, leading to a slightly calmer performance. Having said that, the first joke of the second half about living your life by a motto was probably my favourite of the evening.
If you ever get the chance to see Richard Herring, do so. Highly recommended.
05/25/2007
Vox Hunt: Puppet Show
Video: Show us your favorite TV show or movie with puppets.
Who wouldn't want to be indestructible? Could this be the secret behind "Heroes"? Is Claire the Cheerleader an agent of the Mysterons? I think we should be told.
05/22/2007
New Addition to the Family
A couple of new toys arrived today. The first is this Dell Inspirion 6400 laptop. Considering it's somewhere very near the bottom of the range, it's pretty smart. Vista home basic running on a pentium dual-core with 2Gb RAM and an 80Gb hard drive plus a lovely 15.4" widescreen display. Supposed to be for college work, but Halo 2 might just find its way on there.
05/18/2007
Vox Hunt: My Favorite Children's Movie
Video: What is your favorite children's movie?
Submitted by I-Luv-Eeyore.
If you haven't seen it, get it now. No, really.
05/16/2007
Coffee and Gadgets
I can't deny it, I love gadgets. Let's face it, I'm posting this from my phone. But sometimes, simplicity wins. Take this coffee cup for example. Nothing should stand between a man and his java in the morning, not even the fact that no-one else in the house drinks the stuff. Two dessert spoons of your favourite rocket fuel, add water, stand for a few minutes, plunge the plunger and bob's your mother's brother. Perfect cuppa joe. Design simplicity, thank you Sebastian Conran.
