Bye Hatchy.

Thanks for looking after him for all these years Mum & Dad.

It all kicked off in Ealing tonight. Of course, I was in the pub so only caught the aftermath. Click for gallery..

jimmysicedcoffee.com

Thanks BDW for putting me onto this startup. Now I just have to find some of their iced coffee to put them to the test. Mmm Ice Break, Farmer's Union, IC, Big M how I love thee...

UPDATE: This blogger writes word things my brain thinks but doesn't put in places where people will read good yeah. Finally. A British milk-based drink that doesn’t suck.

www.mckenziesfoods.com.au - Ward's Fruit Saline

"Great tasting refreshing and revitalising lemon drink. Used every morning, this traditional favourite will 'kick start' your day. Also popular as a mid afternoon pick me up. Kids love the fizzy flavour and nose tickling bubbles. Delicious any time, but perfect on a hot day or after sport. Revitalise, refresh and rehydrate with a cool bubbling glass of Ward's Saline."
"Caster Sugar, Sodium Bicarbonate (500), Citric Acid (330), Tartaric Acid (334), Lemon Oil"

After returning from a Chilterns club ride somewhat dehydrated (I know, you wouldn't think this would be an issue in England, in winter!) I had a flashback and sudden craving for a childhood favourite - Fruit Saline!

After some google wrangling, what I was after appeared: www.mckenziesfoods.com.au - Ward's Fruit Saline. Guess it's not as popular as it should be. Soon after I'd placed an order with my dealer (me Mum) and some tins were on their way.

This white stuff comes in a tin and you quickly dump two big spoonfuls into a glass of water. As you stir the bi-carb soda fizzes up. While it's fizzing - drink!
Lovely and refreshing. Is there anything like this in the UK, I wonder?

On 13 May 1787 11 ships sailed from Portsmouth, to establish the first European colony in Australia; it also marked the beginning of prisoner transports to that continent. It is known today as the First Fleet in Australia. from wikipedia

5 years ago, on this day, I arrived in the UK from Australia. I'm off to steal a loaf of bread..

You'll have heard of the Digital Economy Bill: it introduces powers to cut your Internet connection if you're caught illegally downloading films, music or software. It does more than that. It takes your photographs from you, too.

Until now, if someone found one of your photographs and wanted to use it commercially, they couldn't without first asking you. Clause 43 changes all that by allowing the use of “Orphan Works” - photographs, illustrations and other artworks whose owners cannot be found.

Clause 43 says that if someone finds your photograph, wants to use it and decides that they can’t trace you, they can do whatever they like with it after paying an arbitrary fee to a UK Government-appointed “licensing body”. You’ll never know unless you happen to find it being used in this way, in which case you might be able to claim some money.

There’s more. Clause 43 also introduces “Extended Collective Licensing”.

This means that if someone finds your photograph and can trace you, they still don’t have to contact you for permission to use it. They can go to a UK Government-appointed “collecting society” and ask them instead. They’ll pay an arbitrary fee and be able to do whatever they like with the photograph. Your photograph. Again, without asking you first.

At, least, so we think - because the Bill leaves much of this undefined, unclear and to be dealt with by secondary legislation based on “consultation” that the Government can ignore. Can you imagine what this would mean if we were talking about cars rather than photographs?

Mal has made some crocheted earrings. Keep her busy by buying them from etsy.com!

www.etsy.com - Malwinki

I mean, the UK, but it may as well be Russia, it's cold enough.

After 34 hours and 17 movies watched in transit, Mal and I arrived yesterday to drizzle and sleet.
I don't know what day it is. I don't know what time it is. I do remember where I live and work though so all is not lost.

A very close friend of mine turned 30 last weekend. Since he doesn't really like birthday parties yet still wanted to do something to celebrate, he went to Barcelona with Malwina.

It was bloody fantastic.

The weather was only 10-15 degrees warmer than London but the sun was out for all 3 days and I've come back with a tan, sunburn even! We spent time sun-baking on the beach, eating Spanish food, drinking lots of cerveza and whisky con coca cola, wandering the town checking out Gaudi's gaudy architecture and other random stuff. It's amazing what some sun and a scenery change will do! Thanks Mal!

You're not getting our money you scumbags. Trying to book a trip to Spain for my birthday.. online check-in this, £30 for checking in bags, non-EU citizens have to pay extra..

Your procedures are a fucking shambles and I'd rather and now WILL spend my money elsewhere.

What am I ranting about? Read about Ryanair's Online Check-in Scam.

Ryanair Sucks
ryanaircampaign.org
www.ihateryanair.co.uk

UPDATE: Still not flown with these bastards since, don't worry. Just thought this was worth adding:
YouTube - Cheap Flights

My Aristarco EMA 75 coffee grinder is finally at home.

Professional coffee grinder with a 1 kg. hopper capacity, adjustable coffee doser from 4.5 gr. to 8 gr. Grinding production per hour up to 8 kg. It made of painted light alloy with grinding wheel in special steel of 64 mm of diameter. In the automatic model the grinder starts to restore automatically the grinded coffee level into the batch as soon the coffee fall to the minimum quantity.

Dimensions (W,D,H) W=200 D=400 H=550 mm
Input power 230V~50 Hz
Power 380 W
Revolutions per minute 1400 r/min.
Grinding flat blades diam. 64 mm.
Colour Metal gray
Total weight 12 Kg

Aristarco Spare Parts

www.guardian.co.uk - Australian bushfire death toll its worst ever

www.telegraph.co.uk - 'Black Saturday' worst blaze in country's history

Live Victorian Bushfire Maps



While we have the heaviest snowfalls in 18 years, my thoughts are with those who are suffering or have lost property or loved ones to the bushfires in Victoria.

Activist comedian Mark Thomas draws up a map of Britain that reveals the places the government and the establishment do not want the public to know about, disproves the claim that the government is an 'open' institution, and looks at the secret democracy that Britain really is. (Channel4, 2002)

Previous tale of Gaggia dismemberment here.

Happy Donkey sorted me out with a new 3-way solenoid valve (which didn't look like it'd fit but it did) and the Gaggia machine was rebuilt..







Wicked! I now have a Gaggia Baby D to sell and the Gaggia Classic arrived today except it has a smashed water container! Nooo! Will see if Happy Donkey has a spare..

Mal and I made coffees today. Can't believe I held off on getting a machine for so long and now I have three..