Concrete Achievements

Blog

  • Right, but repulsive

    George Galloway’s hard-nosed performance at the Senate yesterday has been noted around the web. He was right on a lot of things, of course, and his bullish manner was something Sen. Norman Coleman presumably didn’t expect – the House of Commons and Jeremy Paxman are good teachers, it seems.

    That’s not to say, though, that Mr Galloway is any more of a pleasant man than he was yesterday. He still exemplifies everything wrong about the old left – arrogant, self-righteous, pious, dogmatic. And his election tactics in my former home of Bethnal Green and Bow were right out of the demagogue’s handbook. Please God, don’t let him become some sort of hero for the Democrats.

    Coleman vs Galloway, louse vs. flea – which shall be the victor?

  • On that last point

    My former school surely has the UGLIEST web site in the world. And don’t get me started on the URL.

  • Ever onward

    There are some extraordinary IT Anthems at ZDNet (link from MeFi). Most are just parodies of current songs, but there are a few specially-composed songs, most notably the venerable Ever Onward IBM.

    They are all utterly cringe-worthy, but to be honest, not any more so than the school and college songs I had to groan along to. Sadly neither the Carmen Berkhamstediense nor the Carmen Petrinum are available on the web, but take it from me they have more weak puns than a kid’s joke book, and a fair ton of synthetic enthusiasm. Plus, they’re in Latin!

  • All about the Croxley rail link

    At the TfL site.

  • New town, new name

    This blog has changed its name because my (marvellous and talented) wife has secured herself a new job, and we now have to move pronto to Amersham, in the Chiltern Hills, way out on the end of the Metropolitan Line.

  • EU exists: official

    Don’t tell the islanders, but the CIA’s world factbook – which lists countries and their vital statistics – now lists the EU. Link: A Fistful of Euros.

  • Hotel Babylon

    Hotel Babylon is an entertaining book – it takes you through a fictional day in a fictional hotel, but is a vehicle for real stories and anecdotes about life working in a luxury London hotel. It feels like a snack rather than a full meal – the type is large, and the margins wide – but it’s written in a punchy, cynical style that keeps the pace going. In its darkness, it reminded me slightly of the Mike Leigh film Croupier. Not as disgusting as Kitchen Confidential, and unlikely to be as controversial, but a good read.

  • A stupidly hard football quiz

    And hence irresistible.

  • Two railway links

    Pictures of Historic & Listed Railway Buildings.

    And the New Adlestrop Railway Atlas.

    That is, if you like that sort of thing, ahem.

  • rule forty-two

    rule forty-two, home of misheard lyrics, interesting articles about English life c. 1998, and photos of NYC.