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Best cat video ever?
Sep. 13th, 2008 02:55 pmStealth cat [Youtube link]
If you're feeling as bored as I am, comment on this post with a photo of your wristwatch, if you have one. If you use a mobile phone, pocket watch or grandfather clock, that'll do too. Interesting facts about it optional
My watch looks like this:
( Pic below cut )
I bought it at 'Watches of Switzerland' on Market St (?) in Cambridge, which I think might actually not now be a mobile phone or coffee shop. I'm fairly sure it was for my 16th birthday, which makes it, erk, 13 years old. Nearly all the glowy stuff has come off the minute hand, and it could probably do with a service. It is also clockwork but winds itself automagically. Which is handy when you're on planets that don't sell button cells.
My watch looks like this:
( Pic below cut )
I bought it at 'Watches of Switzerland' on Market St (?) in Cambridge, which I think might actually not now be a mobile phone or coffee shop. I'm fairly sure it was for my 16th birthday, which makes it, erk, 13 years old. Nearly all the glowy stuff has come off the minute hand, and it could probably do with a service. It is also clockwork but winds itself automagically. Which is handy when you're on planets that don't sell button cells.
(no subject)
Aug. 21st, 2008 08:32 pmI feel a bit like Boingboing, but this is a pretty neat awesome steampunk good set of photos. A sort of cross between pinup and roadkill. Any volunteers for a more British Leyland remake? ;-)
[flickr link]
[flickr link]
(no subject)
Aug. 21st, 2008 07:55 pmFurther to this post of ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ewx's, I saw this today:
Click for bigger.
*And* it's on an MG!
I still have a Darwin fish unused, but I've not quite brought myself to attach it to any of my shinies. I did have one on my Rover 100, though...
ewx's, I saw this today:Click for bigger.
*And* it's on an MG!
I still have a Darwin fish unused, but I've not quite brought myself to attach it to any of my shinies. I did have one on my Rover 100, though...
Brompton World Championships
Aug. 18th, 2008 03:23 pmI was about to ask if any of my Brompton-wielding LJ-friend fancied entering the Brompton World Championships at Blenheim Palace on the 28th of September.
But then I noticed the following sentence in the T&Cs:
"For health and safety reasons, it is an absolute condition of participation that a helmet is to be worn."
My views on this and yours, if different, aside (no flamewars please!), would this put any of you off attending, if indeed you're interested? Would you be interested despite this? Interested in testing the wording of the rules? It doesn't say which body part you have to wear the helmet on, after all...
It's a pity. I'd never really got into organised cycling events, but I was all up for giving this one a go.
But then I noticed the following sentence in the T&Cs:
"For health and safety reasons, it is an absolute condition of participation that a helmet is to be worn."
My views on this and yours, if different, aside (no flamewars please!), would this put any of you off attending, if indeed you're interested? Would you be interested despite this? Interested in testing the wording of the rules? It doesn't say which body part you have to wear the helmet on, after all...
It's a pity. I'd never really got into organised cycling events, but I was all up for giving this one a go.
I was the one that you know
Aug. 18th, 2008 12:18 am
Courtesy of a very silly viral ad website, I bring you: Yearbook Art through the ages. I think I prefer 1956 on balance. :-)Also, I've just noticed quite how young I look in my userpic (November 1999). Sigh.
Cowley Classic Car Show 2008
Aug. 17th, 2008 08:25 pmToday, I went to the inaugural Cowley Classic Car Show, an event organised by the local Rotary club emphasizing cars built in or near Oxford. Quite a respectable turnout for its first year - supposedly around 170 cars. Paddy Hopkirk of Mini Cooper rally driving fame also turned up.
Why yes, I took quite a few photos.
Why yes, I took quite a few photos.
(no subject)
Aug. 9th, 2008 02:11 pmMany thanks to sesquipedality, who suggested a tour of the Bodleian. I've been in Oxford for *mumblenearlyten* years now, and I had no idea you could tour some of the areas we saw today.
I took some pictures (flickr link).
Fascinating from start to finish. Particular highlights for me included the mechanism for transporting books along the tunnels (which they're probably going to rip out, boo!) and a shelf of children's books our guide pulled out from among the racks. It was beautifully colourful, like a little rack of jewels among the 2 million or so books in that area. Sadly, I was unable to take a picture of the latter.
sesquipedality, who suggested a tour of the Bodleian. I've been in Oxford for *mumblenearlyten* years now, and I had no idea you could tour some of the areas we saw today. I took some pictures (flickr link).
Fascinating from start to finish. Particular highlights for me included the mechanism for transporting books along the tunnels (which they're probably going to rip out, boo!) and a shelf of children's books our guide pulled out from among the racks. It was beautifully colourful, like a little rack of jewels among the 2 million or so books in that area. Sadly, I was unable to take a picture of the latter.
Andrea Pininfarina, CEO/Chairman of the Pininfarina design house has died in a Vespa accident.
Pininfarina as a company is responsible for a sizeable number of the world's prettiest cars, and his death comes during a major corporate restructuring. I hope that, despite this sad news, they keep on making pretty designs for a long time.
This is the nearest I have to a Pininfarina-designed car:
( Image below cut )
MG were unable to get the proportions right for the GT version of their open-top tourer. Pininfarina adjusted the height of the windscreen and some other details and the result is, IMO, a very pretty shape.
Pininfarina as a company is responsible for a sizeable number of the world's prettiest cars, and his death comes during a major corporate restructuring. I hope that, despite this sad news, they keep on making pretty designs for a long time.
This is the nearest I have to a Pininfarina-designed car:
( Image below cut )
MG were unable to get the proportions right for the GT version of their open-top tourer. Pininfarina adjusted the height of the windscreen and some other details and the result is, IMO, a very pretty shape.
Shabbington Steam Fair
Aug. 4th, 2008 08:15 amThis weekend, I went to the Shabbington steam fair. As well as lots of impressive old steam hardware:
there were very large horses:
classic cars:
commercial vehicles:
and motorbikes:
Amusing cognitive dissonance of the day: a man explaining how many photos he could fit on his digital camera, to a man shovelling *coal* into his *steam engine*...
Good fun!
there were very large horses:
classic cars:
commercial vehicles:
and motorbikes:
Amusing cognitive dissonance of the day: a man explaining how many photos he could fit on his digital camera, to a man shovelling *coal* into his *steam engine*...
Good fun!
The *what* Mac?
Aug. 1st, 2008 01:31 pmThoroughly silly video from Apple Computer in 1997 [Youtube link]. There's something about Apple in its forward-looking self-indulgent days that I miss. Yes, this is different from its shiny white-and-aluminium self-indulgent days!
Had to do a double-take at "the Vista Mac" though.
Had to do a double-take at "the Vista Mac" though.
(no subject)
Jul. 30th, 2008 09:51 pmWow, what a lovely evening that was. Managed to take out both the MG and then the Enfield. I think the following image sums it up rather well:[1]
[1] If you try to view the original size on the flickr page, the photo is upside down. Not yet worked out why.
[1] If you try to view the original size on the flickr page, the photo is upside down. Not yet worked out why.
(no subject)
Jul. 26th, 2008 04:46 pmToday, ms_saffie and I went to MGFest 2008 at the Heritage Motor Centre Gaydon. My MGB was one of only 8 non-MGFs there. Nice to feel special. ;-)
We started out with a road run from the Dog House near Abingdon - the MG factory's local pub - and headed down to Gaydon via a scenic set of country roads.
Amusing highlights include firstly the reverse steering competition. I didn't twig until I actually tried to steer the red MGF round the course quite what "reverse steering" meant. I turned the wheel moderately left, and ploughed off course to the right. Whoops!
Once I'd got the hang of it, it was quite fun - requiring a large dollop of concentration. Don't think I did too well, though - 5 penalty points for slamming on the brakes when I realised what was wrong with the car, and a few cones touched.
The second thing I tried my hand at was the "loudest exhaust" competition. They encouraged any of the 8 MGBs to come forwards, so I felt I had to represent my 'team'. I don't think the organisers were quite expecting what happened - my exhaust not only melted the spoffle on the decibel meter, but also lightly toasted the measuring man's gloved hand, and covered the meter in soot. Whoopsy. All taken in fun and sarcastic comments, though. :-)
Slight downside to the day was as I drove my MG out of the garage. You know those car radios with removable fronts? Well, turns out my removable front was left in the path of my MG's wheel. Crunch. Can anyone recommend a good modern radio with a slightly retro look? The car already has its original radio in the original position, but I hide another modern radio under the dash on the passenger side.
ms_saffie and I went to MGFest 2008 at the Heritage Motor Centre Gaydon. My MGB was one of only 8 non-MGFs there. Nice to feel special. ;-)We started out with a road run from the Dog House near Abingdon - the MG factory's local pub - and headed down to Gaydon via a scenic set of country roads.
Amusing highlights include firstly the reverse steering competition. I didn't twig until I actually tried to steer the red MGF round the course quite what "reverse steering" meant. I turned the wheel moderately left, and ploughed off course to the right. Whoops!
Once I'd got the hang of it, it was quite fun - requiring a large dollop of concentration. Don't think I did too well, though - 5 penalty points for slamming on the brakes when I realised what was wrong with the car, and a few cones touched.
The second thing I tried my hand at was the "loudest exhaust" competition. They encouraged any of the 8 MGBs to come forwards, so I felt I had to represent my 'team'. I don't think the organisers were quite expecting what happened - my exhaust not only melted the spoffle on the decibel meter, but also lightly toasted the measuring man's gloved hand, and covered the meter in soot. Whoopsy. All taken in fun and sarcastic comments, though. :-)
Slight downside to the day was as I drove my MG out of the garage. You know those car radios with removable fronts? Well, turns out my removable front was left in the path of my MG's wheel. Crunch. Can anyone recommend a good modern radio with a slightly retro look? The car already has its original radio in the original position, but I hide another modern radio under the dash on the passenger side.
(no subject)
Jul. 24th, 2008 11:56 amGlastonbury festival 2008 Police HorseCam! [Youtube video]
Their videos of 999 "emergency" calls are also amusing/depressing.
ETA: They also have a video of the scrapyard fire that was causing problems for people arriving at Glastonbury on the thursday.
Their videos of 999 "emergency" calls are also amusing/depressing.
ETA: They also have a video of the scrapyard fire that was causing problems for people arriving at Glastonbury on the thursday.
(no subject)
Jul. 23rd, 2008 08:40 pmThe great thing about my iPhone is that I can update LJ while I wait for the RAC to come. *sigh*. Looks like a battery/ charging issue, so shouldn't be hard to fix. *twiddles thumbs*
Today, I went to the Vintage Motorcycle Club's 'Festival of 1000 Bikes'. And, as last year, got to run my dad's 1962 AJS 7R 'Boy Racer' round the track at Mallory Park. If there's anything that beats normal motorcycling, it's riding a purpose-built racing machine round a track. Being able to rev an old single-cylinder to 7000rpm is somewhat frightening!
Plenty more pictures in this flickr set - including a Brough Superior (cf. Lawrence of Arabia) and a Vincent, estimated at 90-110,000 pounds and 125-150,000 pounds respectively. Ouch!
In other news, I finally caved and bought an iPh*ne. It is every bit as shiny as expected.
(no subject)
Jul. 8th, 2008 09:47 pmI've been a little busy with the MG this evening. Having discovered that it is eligible for white/black plates because it was built in Oct 1972 - even though it was first registered on 1st Jan 1973, the rules say "constructed before 01/01/1973." So...
Before:
(Click for bigger)
After:
(Click for bigger)
Complete set
What do you think? An improvement? Prefer yellow?
Before:
(Click for bigger)
After:
(Click for bigger)
Complete set
What do you think? An improvement? Prefer yellow?
