Weight loss update: today’s weigh-in: 13st 0lb! yay! 2lb lost! only 1lb more to go!
Actually the needle rested slightly below 13st, but let’s not get too excited yet.
But at this rate, next week I’ll be able to eat my first pie in nearly two months!

Interesting article although it doesn’t touch on what I think is the biggest issue facing the UK housing market (both for purchase or rental), which is the supply side issue. House prices are likely to remain high, as changing demographics and social norms in the UK mean that demand continues to exceed supply in most areas.

Not good. Not good at all.

You know how you get to learn the order that the tracks go in on your favourite albums, so that you can be listening to it and start singing the next tune as it starts? Oh, just me then.
What’s really worrying is that I’m now able to do this with large chunks of radio grayblog. Really must add more tunes.

Claire by Gilbert O’Sullivan. Warm fluffy song about babysitting, or something more sinister?

Pet hates:
People who say they will telephone, and then don’t.

More than once.
I get the feeling I’m being messed around. And there is nothing that I have less patience for.

The West Cornwall Pasty Co. (no home page?) have opened a branch that is conveniently located on my main route into and out of the city centre. They sell very fine Cornish pasties. They are the perfect food for people who have been traipsing around the city centre on a very wet Saturday morning and are feeling a bit sorry for themselves.

Another thing that is good for people who are feeling a bit sorry for themselves is shopping. And this morning I have purchased a new shirt and a tie in the sale at Army and Navy, a pair of shockingly (for me) trendy jeans from D2 and a highly exciting diary insert for my filofax. And in my travels, I bumped into Nikki and was treated to a laugh and some sympathy for my woes, which was good.

Our very own Lord Percy needs to go and teach our very own Dave a lesson or two about dairy products.

Yay! At last! Brighton have finally broken their run of 13 (or is it 14? I’ve lost count) losing games with a 3-2 home win over Bradford. That in spite of keeper Michel Kuipers being sent off and conceding a penalty for a professional foul. Plank.

ChilledBeats.org - bloody excellent. Bookmark it now!
Then amble over to radio grayblog where you lucky people will find that I have added another nine (count ‘em!) new tracks. Playlist update to follow very very soon.

Going out with fifty quid and coming home with fifteen is not good.
Nor is going out with a bad attitude and coming home with friends who are now pissed off. Sorry guys.
Anyway, vodka and slimlines tonight with Polly, Abby, Sarah, Paul, Guy, Paul F, Malcolm, Mark, Clive, Matt, Kearn, Hamish, Ruth, Tim W, Alex, and assorted others.
Positive thinking…. positive thinking.

There are two guys outside, with a Ford Transit precariously parked on the kerb, attempting to unload an enormous piece of awkwardly shaped and evidently heavy furniture of indeterminate purpose.
The Ford Transit has so many connotations in the English psyche, right from White Van Man driving like a lunatic as he hares around the suburbs making deliveries, through to the rusty vans in The Sweeney that always seemed to end up exploding in a quarry somewhere.
The one outside is definitely nearer the exploding-in-quarry end of the spectrum, being quite well dented, and with the windows down the side covered over with floral print wallpaper taped on with brown parcel tape. To hide what, I wonder?

Staying in Jack Regan’s world… Sweeney Pong.

The radio grayblog homepage is now updated, including improved listening instructions after one or two people reported problems, and a fix for a broken link. The playlist now includes yesterday’s new additions, and these and future addiditons are/will be highlighted with the word "new" in red.
As I say, one or two people have reported problems with getting radio grayblog to work. The new instructions on the homepage should make it straightforward enough, but if you really can’t figure it out, just open Windows Media Player (assuming you are on a Windows PC), click on “Open URL” in the “File” menu and enter “http://www.live365.com/play/295011″ - and Bob’s your uncle.

Beer tonight with Bren, Greg, Paul F, Paul the other one and Ted in Aldwick at the Ship. A good night.

As usual, something in my life isn’t working out the way I had hoped.

gah.

Best just go to bed really.

With possibly the most transparent piece of obfuscation yet seen in blogging, Rodney hints at a pending announcement, for which much backslapping, cheering and firm handshaking is called for.

Oh, and if any of you were worrying about me this morning, don’t bother, as I’m developing (well, actually I’ve had it for most of the weekend) a potentially dangerous gung-ho attitude to life and "stuff" that, most likely, will all end in tears, but might be fun whilst it lasts.
Just so that you know.

I feel really tired, which is not good as I have to go to a CIM presentation this evening, where I will be called upon to look and act smart, network, socialise and generally stay awake.

Lonnie Donegan, RIP.

Just got back from the CIM presentation, where my hatred for being the subject of photography was reaffirmed. Cicestrians should get to see some of the results (a picture of me, Hev, Libby, Paul and Nicola) in the Observer this week next week (probably).
The presentation itself was not very exciting, although praise was heaped upon the recipients (which included me) which is always nice. Heather was given an armload of silverware, although she had to give the biggest bit back, as she gained the highest results in the region.
We decided not to stay for the talk that was given afterwards, as just about three quarters of the assembled guests scarpered after the presentation and sandwiches. Hev also noticed that the vast majority of the recipients of awards were female and wore dark suits - in a way, it was a shame I didn’t get to network more, but there was gossiping to be done with Paul and Nicola.
However, amongst the people we did meet was grayblog reader and occasional comment author, Robbie Boy, who seems a very good egg indeed.

Today’s horoscope is one of the best I’ve had in ages:

In other words, keep my trousers on and my mouth shut!

It’s gone 4pm, and I’ve not felt the need to rein in my libido yet. I am beginning to suspect that my horoscope may be wide of the mark.

<elton>little bit of politics</elton>….
Nick Assinder on IDS’s appalling leadership of the Tories
Matthew Tempest, perhaps predictably taking a broader swipe at the Tories
ITN lists the rebels and abstainers from last night’s vote
Gary Gibbon suggests that IDS’s strategy will buy him neither time nor peace
"If we do not show a semblance of unity, we will be seen as having lost the plot and not fit or worthy to govern."
More links tomorrow, when the dailies have published their editorials.

Didn’t I say the Tories elected the wrong man? Yes, I did.
My opinion (still forming): the Tories are currently not following the right strategy. They say that they want to create policies that “reflect Britain as it is today” and not as it was 20 years ago. But the actions of the leadership do not reflect this intention. The vote on adoption underlined that in the view of electors across the country - the Tory leadership is not aware of the “real” world.
IDS’s handling of the rebellion is also weak. He has not shown that he is a strong and commanding leader with the power to unite his party when he needs to, nor the self-assuredness or strength of character to give his party its head at times (do you see Blair or Kennedy throwing a wobbly when a few members do not follow the party line? and what of IDS’s own track record? it smacks of hipocrisy).
Since the Tories’ humiliation at the polls in 1997, and their subsequent lurch to the right, we have seen the LibDems under the redoubtable, affable and generally likeable Charles Kennedy surge in popularity and fill the middle ground, to such an extent that they seriously threaten the Tories as the main party of opposition. They appear more credible and cohesive. They also have policies and ideologies that are in tune with voters. Not bad for a party with a leader with red hair (remember the last red-haired party leader!).
In my view, unless the Tories adopt a more social liberal conservatism (and you all know who I’m talking about here) - what I always used to believe in as Conservatism when I was younger and voted for them (i.e. small government, allowing people to live their own lives, encouraging entrepreneurism, helping those genuinely in need, robust fiscal policy), and effectively tackle the government’s multitudinous failures (immigration, education, rural affairs - the list goes on) - and not employ a strange mixture of being the government’s hyperactive yes-men (particularly in the field of foreign policy, where the tactic seems to be to agree with everything that the grinning fool says, only more so) one moment, and then disappearing off into a Never Never Land of Daily Mail style politics the next (adoption) - unless they adopt social liberal conservatism, then they will become marginalised and unlikely ever to form a government.
The question is, can the Conservative Party survive? I honestly doubt it, at least not in its present form. Unless there is the chance of the party being successfully led by the “dream team” of Clarke and the now-almost-respectable Portillo (in the roles of leader and chancellor respectively), and if they have the support of the majority of the parliamentary party, then I think it is unlikely. Why? Well, it’s the nature of the beast really - it doesn’t matter if the left or the right of the party have control, the opposing faction will be snapping at their heels the whole time. The party is simply too factional, a situation that has existed since Margaret Thatcher really started to lose the plot, if not long before then if truth be known. There will always be some issue to fight over, be it benefits, spending, social inclusion or, worst of them all, Europe.
The most likely outcome? A split in the party, I believe, into those who are truly right wing (IDS, Howard, Davis, etc. aided by Thatcher and the Chingford Skinhead) on one side and the more centrist members (Clarke, Portillo [although he is fairly right-wing himself, but seems to have developed something of a social conscience], Maude, Heseltine and the suddenly famous Bercow - aided by a few famous former MPs like Chris Patten) on the other. Which will of course mean that neither group will be big enough to form a government on its own, but may be able to wield power in the (pretty unlikely) event of a hung parliament and a coalition, messy and unpleasant as that inevitably will be. In other words, they will only ever be marginal players.
Which leaves a fairly stark choice, one of the few things that IDS has correctly identified: the party must “pull together” or “hang apart”. The question is, pull together behind whom?

links:
Michael Portillo
Kenneth Clarke homepage from the 2001 leadership campaign - might be due a refurb?
The Conservative Party
IDS page at conservatives.com
Liberal Democrats
Charles Kennedy

Do we need more evidence? Cal is evil with his new lyric quiz.

AFF: a respectable 14 points.
TFF: also respectable, with 27 points.
In both instances, the result of good defending, not goal scoring.

More politics….
Patrick Wintour on the Conservative Party’s past and future
Ed Vaizey emplores the party to stop fighting, although I’m not sure about his statement that IDS has embraced social liberalism. If this is the case, why on earth impose a three line whip over the adoption bill?
Telegraph opinion implores MPs to back IDS and warns that to fail to do so will result in death of Conservative Party by 2025.
Slightly barmy article by Janet Daley which raises some good issues (poor party management, definition of "nice" and "nasty" and wondering what exactly is IDS’s direction) as well as a few simply strange ideas (suggesting the gay community were driving the argument - muh? Ken Clarke is not well known as a gay rights activist!).
Ben Macintyre looks at IDS’s psychology - "IDS’s desperate day was desperately weird".
Mrs T: the Tories will never die.

Urf. On Lemsip due to sore throat and general feeling of malaise.
I’ve also noticed that when I go on a political ramble here, hardly anyone ever comments. Yet, if I were to talk about cheese…

Worrying news from Charlie this evening, who is in hospital, but is going to be ok. I’m not really in a position to go hospital visiting at the moment, as this cold is getting worse, and not better, but I shall think of something.
Be well very soon, babe.

I’m not even going to mention the test cricket. gah.

Silliness.

More politics:
Clarke says IDS’s woes self-inflicted.

Sniff. Cough. Urg.
And I have to give a talk tonight to the assembled masses of Ferring. Plus ready myself for a very long day tomorrow.
I’ll be very surprised if my weight-loss programme has reached its goal by tomorrow’s weigh-in - sugary cold remedies are not good for that sort of thing, plus I’m inclined to feed myself properly whilst I’m ill.

English law - we love it.

Expect much silence tomorrow (unless I can be arsed to use Waplogger) as I traipse to Birmingham by train (complete with phlegm and snot) to wear a particularly ridiculous hat and gown, shake someone’s hand, get given a rolled up piece of paper, and then traipse back again. There may be piccies if you are very unlucky.

Yesterday’s weekly weigh-in: 13st. No change. So it looks like I must diet for another week to shed that final pound.

Yesterday’s CIM graduation ceremony:
Well, I must admit that I was slightly worried that it might be a rather long and tedious affair. But it wasn’t, and I am really really glad that I went.
We (being me and my parents) set off early by train for Birmingham (leaving around 7am to go via Southampton) and arrived at Birmingham New Street with plenty of time - I’m glad we took the train, even though the journey home was pretty bad (late and hugely overcrowded, at least until we got past Reading), as the weather was grim and driving would have been pretty unpleasant, especially with the cold I’m still suffering with. We found the Symphony Hall easily, and I set about registering, getting kitted out in my robes and mortarboard and getting my photo taken. There are some photos we took on the digital camera too, and I’ll pick out the best one or two to put here in the next day or two (yes, new piccies for all you graypies to admire!).
By this time I’d met up with Frances, Libby, Heather and Leigh. Charlotte was running late due to a puncture, but made it on time, and I saw her briefly after the ceremony. We grabbed a bite of lunch, then hung around waiting (we had figured it better to be early than late and flustered) until we went into the hall for the ceremony.
All the diplomates were seated in alphabetical order, so I was some way from the others, but had some great neighbours in my row, and we instantly started chatting and laughing about the whole thing (hi to Veronica Staar - good luck wth finding new work, and to Claire and Debbie Spencer - there were more Spencers present than any other surname). Once we were all seated, there was some organ music (jokes about “Here Comes The Bride”) and then the CIM top brass filed in. After a couple of speeches, the presentations began, with us being filed out of the hall and back in through a stage door as each name was read out - top marks to the MC for confidently reading so many difficult and foreign names (I think he was glad when he got to our row as we were easy to say!). It’s an awfuly wide stage to walk across when you are wearing silly garb, everyone is looking at you and applauding, and you have to not fall over your own feet and succeed in smiling and shaking two people’s hands!
After we left the stage, we were given our diploma in a side room before returning to our seats. Once everyone had been presented, there were a couple more speeches (including a rather rambling one from Dianne Thompson of Camelot), before the national anthem was played and everyone filed out for a glass of wine before leaving.
There was quite a change in the atmosphere - before the event everyone had been a bit blasé about it, but afterwards, the sense of pride in our individual and collective achievements was quite palpable. There were really quite few young diplomates there - most were in their late twenties at least, and some were much older. We’d all juggled work, social and family lives to finish our diploma, and this day was the end result.
I was certainly proud. In fact, I caught myself grinning.
Afterwards, parents and I retired to a really good restaurant next door to the Symphony Hall for dinner, before heading back to the station. I certainly was very tired when I got home, but it was definitely worth it.

I’ve just been reading Robyn’s about page (which reminded me how terribly out-of-date mine is), which I note has been updated since I last looked, wherein Robyn talks about her family being full of firsts.
I was wondering what claims I might have to firstdom - I think I have the first postgrad diploma in the family, but that’s about it. However, I could become the first to completely fail to take a golden opportunity because I completely failed to put any effort into it at all. I’m working on an amazingly important document for it at the moment, but so far all I have is a cover, a contents list and the line

More effort required, methinks, especially as the document must be ready by Friday morning.

Let’s consider it an extension of my graduation celebrations, shall we?….
Tonight, drinks with Arron, Brenda, Greg and Guy, followed by dancing at Thursdays (yes, *that* Thursdays) with the beautiful Claire (happy birthday!) and the splendid Gilly until 2am. With sightings of (I’ll never live this down!) Jo, Andy, Nikki, Helen, Kirsty and several other regular faces.
God. Me? Dancing? My reputation is in tatters.

Strangely enough, I feel quite tired today. I wonder why?

As promised - me in silly garb:

Competition - best PhotoShopped version of the piccie below will be posted here and will earn its creator a firm handshake and a packet of pickled onion flavour Monster Munch.
Send you submissions now!

Well, today just has to be one of those object lessons in life - get over-optimistic, and things will definitely not turn out the way you hope. No major setbacks, dear reader, just a bunch of small minor issues. But cancelling tonight’s firework party due to the awful weather was really just the icing on the cake. Except that icing and cake are nice.
I’m going to head down to the bar later to see if the Herbie Mash Trio are playing, although I haven’t quite figured out what I might buy any drinks with. Gah.
In the meantime, I guess it is back to The Document.
And, of course, I’m sure things aren’t really that bad, but just feel like it at the moment.

When you listen to Chill Factor 100 over at Chilledbeats.org, you can view a real-time playlist on their homepage. The stream is on Live365, like radio grayblog, and the information is obviously culled from Live365 but does not include the Live365 links. And it can be viewed without using the Live365 player.
Any coding genius out there want to help me set up something similar for radio grayblog? I’m afraid that there wouldn’t be anything in it for you other than maybe a few beers and my eternal gratitude, but I’m hoping someone will take pity on me.

The Herbie Mash Trio were playing an awesome gig in W2 tonight before a capacity crowd. Banging tuneage abounded!

China: the world’s factory floor. And the moral of the story? Start learning Chinese, because I predict that within 20 years they will be the world’s greatest economic power, way ahead of Japan or the US.

Made some progress with The Document last night. It is in nine parts, and I have now written parts 1, 2 and 3. Parts 4 and 5 should be fairly straightforward, with part 5 being the real substance of the document, laying down the principles and ethos of the new business. Part 6 will probably read “more research required”, as I don’t have sufficient knowledge to do that bit without getting some professional advice, but should include some vague ideas and my current gut feelings. Part 7 will be the all the numbers, and will probably also have a few blanks in it for now. Part 8 should be reasonably easy. Part 9 will be vague waffle (my favourite part!). All-in-all, I expect it to run to about 25 or 30 pages.

A fine example of when a marketing department gets stuck on one promotional idea and just flogs it to death. The trouble is that by doing what they have done, AOL are killing a perfectly effective and legitimate promotions tool by overkill.

Well, Lord Percy has done us proud with not one, not two, but three submissions for the graduation photo contest. And he has promised another. Entry/ies also promised by Bella.
So, I’ve set up a page to post them all on. The best will be put on the grayblog front page and win the Monster Munch. Send your entries now! I’ll choose a winner at the weekend.
UPDATE: new entry added by CSide.
FURTHER UPDATE: new entry supplied by Arseblogger.

Flying lawnmower?

Lots of thought fodder to be found here, along with one of the best designs I’ve seen in ages. And a link to Rhizome, a site that I linked to ages and ages ago but visit far too infrequently.

Brighton drew away to Wolves tonight. Not a bad result, but a pity that we were ahead for most of the game and couldn’t hold out until the end. Judging by the text commentary on the Beeb, I think we did well to get a (very valuable) point.

Working until 0:15 on The Document makes for a sleepy Graybo. However, progress is good and I’m pleased with it so far. I may even get it finished in time.

You too can be Peter Snow with the BBC’s handy Iraq Navigator. How handy.

Just received a rather disturbing email. I wouldn’t normally publicise this sort of thing, as so many of these messages are hoax, but it comes to me from a very reliable source and seems, sadly, to be very plausible.

Sound advice. I haven’t heard of any cases in Chichester yet, but I guess it is just a matter of time.

Lord Percy has sent the first animated gif in for the photo comp. Keep the entries coming!

Spot On? Ummm… nope, don’t think so.

New photo competition submissions from Vicky and ML. Not sure that either of the comparisons are flattering!
UPDATE: And Dave.

Coffee, choccies and flowers this evening with Pete and Charlie (on the mend - yay!).

AFF: a mediocre 10 points.
TFF: a much better 40 points. yay!

Interesting if you’re a blogger/personal publisher or generally involved in web site design and maintenance.

The photo competition is proving to be one of the most popular things I’ve ever done at this site. Excellent new entry from Ade now added, as well as another from the prolific and completely barking Lord Percy.
Time for more entries yet - I’m going to make my judgement on Saturday.

Burny-burny hot hot!.
And, sticking with science, it isn’t anti-matter, it’s mirror-matter.

Have been working on The Document all evening. Am exhausted. Not finished, but must sleep. Damn - I’m nearly there, but have a few gaps to fill, and sections 8.1, 8.2, 9.1 and 9.2 to write yet. And the newly created section 1.2 too. And I’m hoping to drop it into the powers-that-be tomorrow so that they have a chance to read it before our meeting on Friday morning. Hopefully, I can fill a few gaps tomorrow morning at work (just don’t tell anyone that I’m not doing nursery work!).
Have two new pics from arseblogger. Will post them tomorrow night, but they provided moments of humorous interlude, so thanks mate!

I’ve been invaded by the cat as I sit at my desk this morning. He has installed himself in my lap, and is now fast asleep. I’ve also just realised that I picked up a smart sweater this morning by accident (it is a black Gap sweater, just like my less-smart black Gap sweater that I often wear to work, only less faded) and that he is moulting all over it. Still, he’s warm, and it is pretty cold and wet outside, so it wouldn’t be fair to turf him off.

Of course, having said that, Dad has just walked into the room, and since it is Dad that usually feeds Seamus, he’s suddenly woken and got up, just on the off chance.

I’ve just got Office 2000. And I thought the version of Clippy in Office 97 was annoying! Argh! Must switch the annoying digital bastard off!

Two new photos on the photo comp from Arseblogger.
You’ve only got until Saturday to get your entries in - so hurry!

Finished The Document this afternoon, after another four hours or so, and delivered it ready for tomorrow’s meeting - 25 pages of glorious perfection, or something. Tonight’s task is to organise my files and get an early night.

I haven’t said anything about the current fire brigade strike yet, although I’m sure you can guess my opinions.
However, what is really cheesing me off at the moment is the way that some sections of the media, and particularly BBC TV news (much less so online), keep going on about how inadequate the Army’s “Green Goddess” fire engines are. I’m sorry, but that is total rubbish. Clearly they are not going to have the same kit that a modern engine has, but they are excellent tools - the average age of the fleet might be 50 years, but the average mileage on the clock is just 300. Of the Army’s fleet, all but one is in perfect working order. They have all-wheel drive, a feature that regular fire engines do not possess. And, as any resident of Chichester who escaped the floods of the last few years will tell you, they are extremely effective and you’d be bloody glad to see one when you needed one!
Additionally, the retained (part-time) firefighters are still working, with their full training and modern kit. And there are RAF and Royal Navy crews with the very latest kit too.
I honestly think that a lot of this media coverage is the result of FBU spin doctors, trying to make out that we can’t survive without firemen, inflating their own self worth.
Oh, and for my next rant: the firemen have a legal right to strike, fair enough, but why does that mean that the fire appliances, owned by the local authority and paid for out of our taxes, have to be left locked in the stations?

Weekly weigh-in: 12st 12lb. Woo! yay! I’ve passed my target by a whole extra pound! The diet is officially over.
Now to resist the temptation to pig out on pies.

After completing The Document yesterday, in little under half an hour I have The Meeting. Hopefully, tonight I will have The Celebration. If not, then I will have Some Consideration.

The Meeting was very long (seven and a half hours) but very successful, and so was followed by celebration last night with beer and champagne in the company of Paul F, Kearn, Lady Bren, Lord Percy and Kristian.
I can’t really say much more about the whole thing at the moment. Details will, undoubtedly, creep out over the next few weeks and months. We expect to go public with the whole thing in March, but before then it should be clear what is happening. I expect to make a couple of announcements later this week.