Suspension of blog

I've decided that I cannot afford the time to update this blog each day.

Not having my Blackberry - a continuing situation - has not helped.

I intend continuing with the re-editing of earlier episodes of the blog to make them more technically clear regarding particular model railway issues and methods.

The blog will resume when there is something significant added to the layout, but, as I say, I simply don't have the time at present.

Back to Dubstep

Nothing to report regarding model railway - don't seem to be enough hours in the day at the moment. Perhaps I should be reading books like these.......

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Currently listening to:

Youngsta on Rinse FM

Came across some Podcasts on Rinse FM and clicked on the first one in the list. Turned out to be a recording of a Dubstep evening at some London club - brilliantly urban and atmospheric.

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Last night's dinner:

My new replacement phone takes great photographs but I'm unable to transfer them to my laptop!!!!!!

So a photo of last night's dinner is not available.

But it was a pot roasted beef recipe from this book...the Bible of Italian cooking.

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Currently Reading:

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Miscellany:

This afternoon saw our third Hollywood movie in 10 days - all three heavily infused with Americana and all brilliantly enjoyable.

And, today's offering was probably the best - "American Hustle".

The other two films were:

They could actually have formed a trilogy they were so similar in intent and feel.

Preiser HO scale figures and furniture

Recently, as reported in this blog, I purchased some HO scale chairs and tables from the German manufacturer, Preiser, and also some HO scale laser cut chairs and tables (mock cast iron) from Scale Link.

Preiser chairs and a table

Scale Link chairs and tables

Scale Link chair (gave up on the tables)

And here are the HO scale Preiser figures.

The picture on the box suggests that the figures are a perfect fit for the tables and chairs.

And here are my figures on both kinds of chair.

Scale Link

Scale Link

Preiser

Preiser

Preiser

Preiser

Preiser

They look better seated at a Preiser table.

The pieces are pretty wobbly and unstable; everything will have to be glued into position.

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Currently listening to:

Rinse FM based in London

In the past 9 months my listening pleasure has been greatly enhanced by discovering internet radio stations and free streaming websites such as Rinse FM.

Viz:

Based in Paris

Based in Berlin

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Last night's dinner:

Supermarket pizza

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Currently reading:

Not as hilarious as I'd hoped for, but very readable and Ned Sherrin comes over as a very humane individual.

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Miscellany:

For the last 12 months I've been getting my hair cut at the Yorkhill Barbers which is run by two French Algerians.

Frankly, getting a haircut at this establishment is a sensual experience; and one that in the past I'd never thought I would either enjoy or even put up with. But I've changed my mind. The care and attention to detail, the pampering, the courtesy, the lack of conversation, the number of different trimming tools that are selected, the intoxicating Eau de toilette that they spray on and the powder brushes that finish off the process equals a wonderful experience..and all for £8.50.

Still no camera!

Without a decent camera, recording activity on model railway is a waste of time.

My telephone provider has apologised and is sending me an Android smart phone tomorrow (gratis) as compensation and it will have a camera. But I miss my Blackberry and it's days away from being repaired.

But, perhaps it is a good thing to spend some time being deprived of the electronic crutch that  the Blackberry had  become.

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Currently listening to:

And,

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Last night's dinner:

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Currently reading:

Bertrand Russell

While on hold for 35 minutes this morning waiting for the next chapter of my Blackberry saga to unfold, I turned to the Stanford University Online Philosophy Encyclopaedia, and began my self-directed study of Bertrand Russell's "Logical Atomism".

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/logical-atomism/

Getting to grips with "Logical Atomism" will be a sound introduction to metaphysics.

As a young man.

As a boy.

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Miscellany:

Cycled 26 miles yesterday, all in the course of carrying out various errands.

How They Brought The Good News From Ghent to Aix

Wire - multi-stranded or single core

From now on, I will be using only multi-stranded wire to bring electricity to the various lights that have still to be installed on the layout.

Single core wire has its advantages eg easier to poke through small holes, but it has a tendency to snap when it is bent around corners. When it snaps it is the metal wire inside the plastic covering which snaps, not the plastic covering. Therefore, one does not discover that a breakage has occurred until something stops working; the exterior of the wire looks absolutely fine.

Multi-stranded wire (as in the lower wire) is more flexible when bending. In terms of soldering, I actually find that multi-stranded wire is once again superior to single core. The solder seems to be nicely caught between the strands whereas with single core, the solder has a tendency to run along the wire and then drop off.

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Currently listening to:

The Incredible String Band

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Last night's dinner:

An utterly superb Red Snapper with roasted peppers, olives and sun-dried tomatoes.

AND I STILL COULDN'T TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



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Currently reading:


Nothing - can't find anything to read.



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Miscellany:

Thank goodness my Philosophy of Mind class is on tonight. I've noticed that over the weeks we all five students increasingly slouch in our seats. Last week, one chap even put his feet up on a neighbouring chair.

A couple of weeks ago on the BBC website there was an article about how to sit comfortably at one's desk and the slouch in this photograph was deemed more healthy for the spine than sitting bolt upright. Good news for me.

Special Announcement

I've decided that when I reach 50,000 visits to this blog, it's going to switch from a daily to a weekly blog except for when on holiday in France when one can reasonably expect there to be something French to report upon each day.

There is simply not enough to report upon about the model railway each day.

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Currently listening to:

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Last night's dinner:

A tin of Coq au Vin

The vin, in this case, is Tursan from that south-west corner of France that we visit each year.

The contents empties out of the tin in a solid lump like a cylinder made from jelly.

The ingredients are clearly seen.

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Currently reading:

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Miscellany:

Cycled along an excellent cycle path (ex-railway line) from Lochwinnoch to Johnstone and back.