Snow Hits Britain
February 2, 2009
Britain has come to a virtual standstill after heavy snow fall. Bus, train and flight services have been cancelled or delayed, with many travelers becoming stranded.
The majority of the UK is blanketed in snow, with the heaviest fall in many years. The Met Offices has issued a severe weather warning for the South and South East, with driving conditions said to be treacherous.
Of all London airports only one runway at Gatwick is still open resulting in long delays.
The Transport for London website said:
“All London buses have been withdrawn from service due to adverse weather and dangerous road conditions.”
The AA has advised people to keep warm clothes in the car adding:
People often treat their car as an overcoat. But when you break down you are suddenly vulnerable to the weather. If you break down on a motorway, the safety advice is to get out of the car and wait behind the barrier. Unless you have extra clothes you really are flirting with hypothermia.”
Everyone must be very careful when travelling anywhere in the snowy weather. I for one am hoping to be sent home from work as the weather will get so bad. I just hope I get snowed in at home and not work. I think getting snowed in at home is just what everyone needs!
It is funny that some countries deal with treacherous weather conditions all the time. When England gets hit the whole country comes to a standstill. I think we English in particular are real drama queens!
This week a fire broke out at a fire station in Japan. According to sources cooking crew members left the station in response to an emergency while leaving a stove burning.
The chef, Seiji Hori of Nagoya City Fire Service said it took 10 fire engines from other stations to put out the fire.
“We are an institute that should be in a position to educate people about fire, so we are extremely sorry that such an incident happened,”
Hori said, adding that they would consider ordering-in for dinner from now on.
Furniture Jealousy
January 16, 2009
I went to my friend’s house this weekend; she had refurnished the whole of her house. She had done the majority of downstairs with beautiful oriental furniture.
The bedroom had a large traditional Chinese wardrobe, there was loads of space and the finish was beautiful. Though it was nice, it wasn’t the walk in wardrobe that I aspire to have. I imagine having all my shoes in their boxes, lined up and my clothes hanging beautifully along an array of rails.
I personally go to the cheap pine shop down the road which serves me well. I like rustic wood effects and they have some brilliant bargains to be bought.
I do wonder though with the style of my house whether I could integrate a piece of oriental furniture into my house. It would either accessorise the room, making it look a bit kitsch or it would stand out like a sore thumb?
I love the oriental rustic dresser, though I am not yet at that age where I own a dinner set to display in its cabinets. Perhaps I should hold off becoming too much of a desperate house wife just yet and enjoy being young? I’ve got the rest of my life to think about furnishings!
107 Year Old Wants Husband
January 13, 2009
A woman who was afraid to marry when she was younger has now begun to look for a husband at the age of 107. Wang Guiying is looking for a fellow centenarian though, I think she may struggle as the pool of fish is quite small.
Wang said:
“I’m already 107 and I still haven’t got married, what will happen if I don’t hurry up and find a husband?”
Wang grew up as a salt merchant’s daughter in Guizhou and witnessed her uncles and other men beat their wives, often finding her aunt crying in the wood shed. Wang said she was frightened of getting married and that women had few rights and low social standing. During this period many women had their feet bound to make them appear daintier and more marriageable.
Wang worked as a farmer until she was 74 and no longer strong enough to work the fields. Currently her nieces and nephews look after her though, with the youngest at 60 she worries they are getting too old to look after her.
Locals are helping Wang find her one hundred year old groom. They are appealing to old people homes in an attempt to find a suitor.
Chart to Ditch CD Sales
January 9, 2009
The commercial radio chart has said today that they are to drop CD sales from their official figures. The weekly chart for singles broadcasts on over 130 radio stations and will as of this weekend be based solely on digital download sales.
Global Radio, owner of the commercial radio chart has said that downloads cover 96 percent of data that the chart is compiled from. The new set up will be as of this weekend and broadcasted on Sunday.
The show has 1.9 million listeners weekly. Paul Jackson, Director for Global Radio’s Hit Music Network has said:
“Downloads have now become the driving force for record sales, as the statistics clearly show. It makes complete sense to reflect the changes in how people are listening to music.”
I for one have never bought music off the web and can’t see it happening any time soon. That said, I’m not a big purchaser of albums.
I doubt we will be affected much, if at all by this change… though, I am still grieving the loss of Top of the Pops. Some changes just aren’t good for us!
The Sad Wedgewood Story
January 6, 2009
The English pottery industry has been in a poor state for some time now. Though, now it seems that the last stand has finely fallen and the heart of the Stoke-on-Trent pottery industry is set to die.
Stoke-on-Trent was built around the pot kilns and smoky sky’s many years ago. The culture, economy and people have had pottery in their blood for 250 years and now sadly it looks to be coming to an end.
The loss of jobs shouldn’t be forgotten but I think the whole of Britain should morn in the loss of the great manufacturing giant of years gone past. A truly global dominator from what now seems history. I doubt very much that the Chinese or whichever newly industrialised country takes over the production will do the goods justice. It does beg the question as to whether people will buy Wedgewood if it is not produced in the UK as surely that was the whole point?!
A Bleek Outlook For 2009…
January 5, 2009
Well, Christmas is over and we are officially back to work with 2009 moving full speed ahead.
What does 2009 hold for us? The recession has officially kicked in and unemployment is growing at an unsustainable rate, businesses are going under and Britain is getting depressed. Christmas brought a much needed holiday to the misery that is the UK at the moment.
The youth of today have no interest in politics and have learnt from an early age that politicians talk crap and have no grip on reality today. How can they? Earning £60,000 a year each and rarely mixing with normal society.
I do worry about Britain; it’s true it’s going to the shitter. The people entrusted to run the country have no idea; they talk of ideals while the rest of us worry how to pay the bills.
I do hope that this year improves as it is going to be a long 2009 if it doesn’t!
Finishing For Christmas
December 30, 2008
I must have worked hard this year. I don’t know where the time has gone and I feel exhausted!
Never before have I felt so ready for the break. In years gone past I have been a real bar-humbug! This year I am totally prepared for Christmas, my presents are under the tree and I am sorted! I have a full week off work to chill out and be festive and I for one am going to make the most of it!
My only problem is that no matter what I do, I have to keep one eye on my young puppy dog as he seems determined to open my presents before Christmas morning!
Pipe Dreams And Lottery Wishes
December 25, 2008
My Dad always said that if he ever made it, he would buy a big yacht; could you imagine the shipping insurance on that? He said he’d only ever buy one if he could afford the top of the range model with luxurious interiors and that could house the whole family. I bet at the moment we couldn’t even afford the shipping insurance! It’s all pipe dreams and I am quite sure that unless some kind of lottery miracle occurs this will never happen.
I have decided that the best way forward is to have lots of small achievable goals. My first point of call is a small, newish, hatchback car with some ultra modern applications such as; power assisted steering, central locking, electric windows and perhaps even remote locking. Yes, at the moment a three point turn has me looking more like Popeye than Olive Oil and I really don’t need a work out every time I turn my car around!
Then perhaps to be out of debt, though I can’t see that one happening any time soon? When I went to university they told us that we have brilliant deals on our student loans and that the government had our backs and that the money would come out of our bank accounts as we started to earn more. Now I have a decent job, mind you not decent enough to be able to afford to pay off a chunk of my student loan off, but somehow I ended up owing an extra £600 on last year?! I guess I must have imagined it when they said it would be a good rate?!
Oh well, I guess I’m yet another poor old soul that will be waiting on a Lottery Miracle!!
What Are You Doing This Christmas?
December 23, 2008
Make the most of this Christmas with Free Online Bingo! I am sure many of you will be getting new laptops off Santa Claus so you can have a crack at internet gaming! With so much competition in the online gaming industry companies are offering bigger jackpots and free online bingo games.
I am not much of a gambler however, since I received my new laptop I have now become an online shopping addict. In my younger years I was a high street shopaholic, well at least until the credit card companies caught up with me!
Now I am far more reserved shopping on the high street and only buy things when I really want them and they fit perfectly. My new problem is that online they look so pretty on the screen and the model makes the clothes look so nice! I always think that they will look that nice on me and I am hook line and sinker for something that I just don’t need.
The other problem is that the bargain that I have inevitably fallen in love with has a massive delivery charge, which means the bargain is not actually a bargain at all! Spewing!