I will miss the Old Place

I have been told that the place where I have worked for 20 years is moving.
Now.... the Big Dipper is not a guy who likes change and so this whole "20 years and now for something completely different" vibe is not floating my boat..... In fact it is down-right depressing me.

My work venue is changing, my work description is changing, the whole working-on-your-own thing that I love is changing.... Did I mention I hate change?

Worst of all.... I have to meet and greet the 'General Public'. Aaaarrrrrgghh!!!

I am also moving away from Canterbury, the city I have seen blossom from a 1970's dump to a fantastic tourist and shopping area.
I have seen so many changes in this place since childhood. But the little workshop I work in has hardly changed at all. *sigh*.
I'm going to miss Canterbury. *big sigh*

Here is a picture tour for y'all.
Americans beware... there are buildings pictured here older than your Nation.

In the shadow of Canterbury Catherdral is my 'lair'

When I see this I know I am nearly at work.

The 'Crooked House' on the corner of the road I work in.

The Sun Hotel has been a jewellers for more than the 20 years I have worked here. There was an armed robbery in the 90's. I seem to remember that the owner was shot.

Canterbury Cathedral Gate.

Ye Olde Starbucks, next to the Catherdral Gate. It used to be ye olde Pizzaland and before that I think it was an empty shell with shabby curtains covering the windows. It was also a hotel and still has some rooms available today.

Canterbury is full of small alleys. This is alongside Gap and has several places to eat along it.

Canterbury's newest resturant. Cafe Rouge, opened last month. Notice the temporary Rememberance monument wear you can place a Poppy cross to remember those fallen in the wars.

The 'Golden Archs' sit in the 1970's part of town. The horrible flat roofed buildings will be rebuilt one day.

The ClockTower is part of a church which was destroyed by bombs during WW2. The Luftwaffe would fly back from having bombed London and empty the bombs they had left on parts of Kent. The Tower is the only bit of history left standing here.

Now we are close to the newest part of the city. this is the department store Fenwicks, formerly Ricemans. This is the start of the Whitefriars shopping complex. The whole area was part of an archaelogical dig before it was built. Because of Canterbury's historic past then the law states that any new developments must have an excavation before it can continue. Several discoveries were made over the course of a couple of years. Find out more here

The new Whitefriars shopping centre.

In a bizarre twist of irony, we have Virgin nextdoor to Ann Summers sex shop.

The Marlowe Arcade

Heading back into the High Street, the cathedral can be seen from most places.

Moving back to the cathedral gates, lunchtime is over. I will not get to see these sights next week.

I will miss the old place.

There have been some great, great memories here. *sigh*

I will be very busy this week so I will post when I can. Sorry that it has been a long post but I hope you enjoyed some of the sights. I have more images and will share them later.

Remember Them

"They shall not grow old as we who are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM."

It is November 11th and those that gave the ultimate sacrifice and those who are giving that same sacrifice today, are remembered by us, the people they fought for to keep this world free.

We should never forget the men and women who die for us. They are put in situations that we would consider to be hell on earth. No matter where you stand on the war debate, you have to respect the fighters who are risking and giving their lives so we do not have to.

During the World Wars the general public were called upon to fight for their country. How many of us would be willing to jump into that Spitfire cockpit or set sail in warships to risk being burnt to death or drowning?

The British Legion sell Poppies for us to wear to remember the fallen soldiers. The Poppy is a flower of the fields in France where the mud and blood ran together during World War 1.

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the gun below."
John McCrae
(1872-1918)

There were some terrible decisions to be made during these wars. Many men were forced to take the life of another human so they could live. I am filled with respect for the veterans of WW1 and WW2 who, today, return to the graves of their fallen comrades and are full of forgiveness for their German counterparts.

I can only imagine the thoughts that some of these 80 year old gentlemen are thinking as they stand in silence today for 2 minutes at 11am.
They must re-live all the life they have lived and grieve for their friends and colleagues who fell at such a young age, never to see the things they have.

No matter what political viewpoint you have, Please Remember the brave men and women who gave their lives so we can live the life we have today.

The poll this week asked -

Would you fight for your Country :

Hell yeah -------------31%
No ---------------------19%
I don't know----------50%

HNT # 17

Read 'em and weep...




One is sad and the other sparkling...
Guess which one is looking at you.

Happy HNT peepholes.

Check out Osbasso for some more Nekkidness

Random Shite:

Little Goodbyes - SheDaisy

Egg Chasing

The All Blacks, New Zealand Rugby team started their tour of Britain with an impressive performance (eventually) against Wales.

Some of you visitors to this and Paul's Blog will be aware of the Haka, the dance the All Blacks perform before the game to intimidate their opponents.

Some are... err ... let's say ...turned on by it, eh Kalani?

Well the English have been practising their own aggresive dance to answer the mighty Haka.

Powered by Castpost



Check it out and compare it with the (lame) New Zealand effort. :)
If you computer can cope then play them both at the same time....
err Good Luck to England, I think we might need it!

Random Shite :
One Minute Man - Missy Elliott

Run to the Hills

I was wondering... Do any Native American Indians sit around moaning about all the people in their country who don't speak the language?

Random Shite :
Breathless - The Corrs

I Have Nothing

"Buy Nothing Day" is coming up soon.

I don't know who is behind it but sounds like a good idea to me.

Random Shite :
Little Bit Lonely - Billy Currington

Penny for the Guy?

Tomorrow night is Guy Fawkes night.

To celebrate the fact that Parliment survived being blown up in 1606 then we blow up stuff ourselves.

Bonfire night, Firework night... whatever you want to call it , British people have been braving the chilled, autumn wind and rain since childhood to celebrate the failure of a Middle Ages Catholic Terrorist.



When we were young we used to build 'Guys' and take then around houses asking '..penny for the Guy?'
Stuffed clothes and papermache heads for your Guy. He was often put in push-chairs and taken around the neighbourhood.
Nobody does it these days due to the increase in popularity of Halloween.

There was also the gruesome act of throwing your Guy onto the bonfire... Parents encouraging burning Catholic effiges!... it seemed right at the time.

The fireworks that go off constantly for two weeks cause the emergancy services a major headache. Fireworks on sale in superstores for anyone to buy (over18) is a bad idea. Every year there are stories of dogs and cats having fireworks tied to their tails. Fireworks through letterboxes and burnt children are also increased during these few days.


We went to a scouts display the other day and one of the fireworks flew off at a right angle over the kids heads and exploded 6 feet off the ground. Another didn't take off and exploded on the ground.

I don't think members of the public should be allowed access to explosives. We will go to the big display at the local beach tomorrow. It will be big and flashy . More importantly it will be safe.

Remember, Remember the 5th of November. Gunpowder, treason and plot.

The poll this week was
Fireworks are..

..cool -----------------------67%
..a nuisance ---------------0%
..like burning money ---11%
..over-rated --------------11%
..dangerous --------------11%

Random Shite:
Our House - Madness

HNT # 16

Somewhere over the nipple

Happy HNT to everyone and if you don't have a clue what HNT is then go see The Wizard, Os

Random Shite:

Emily - Bowling for Soup

Easy Money

I am working on a project at the moment (news to follow) and it involves setting up a website.

I have got the bare bones sorted out. (any tips are welcome dipper@dsl.pipex.com )

It involves getting a domain name. I searched and found there are hundreds of places that offer to sell you blahblah.com.

Isn't this a bit like naming stars and charging for it? Who says these companies have domain names to sell you?
Bizarre.

Happy Indecisive Day.... I think! (see post below)

Random Shite :
Dog Eat Dog - AC/DC

The Brits are coming...

I recieved this the other day from Paul who shall remain nameless...err...ooops.
It is titled - An open letter from John Cleese. Whether it is from the legend himself, I doubt.

*EDIT - Thanks Lori for a more detailed list. I have updated it. *

Big Dipper disassociates himself from the comments but secretly smirks to himself.

A message from John Cleese to the citizens of the United States of America:

To the citizens of the United States of America, in light of your failure to elect a competent President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective today.

Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II resumes monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths and other territories. Except Utah, which she does not fancy.

Your new prime minister (The Right Honourable Tony Blair, MP for the 97.8% of you who have, until now, been unaware there's a world outside your borders) will appoint a Minister for America. Congress and the Senate are disbanded. A questionnaire circulated next year will determine whether any of you noticed.

To aid your transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:
1. Look up "revocation" in the Oxford English Dictionary. Check "aluminium" in the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you pronounce it. The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'favour' and 'neighbour'. Likewise you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters. Generally, you should raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. Look up "vocabulary." Using the same twenty seven words interspersed with filler noises such as "like" and "you know" is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. Look up "interspersed." There will be no more 'bleeps' in the Jerry Springer show. If you're not old enough to cope with bad language then you should not have chat shows.

2. There is no such thing as "U.S. English." We'll let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter 'u'.

3. You should learn to distinguish English and Australian accents. It really isn't that hard. English accents are not limited to cockney, upper-class twit or Mancunian (Daphne in Frasier). Scottish dramas such as 'Taggart' will no longer be broadcast with subtitles.You must learn that there is no such place as Devonshire in England. The name of the county is "Devon." If you persist in calling it Devonshire, all American States will become "shires" e.g. Texasshire Floridashire, Louisianashire.

4. You should relearn your original national anthem, "God Save The Queen", but only after fully carrying out task 1.

5. You should stop playing American "football." There's only one kind of football. What you call American "football" is not a very good game. The 2.1% of you aware there is a world outside your borders may have noticed no one else plays "American" football. You should instead play proper football. Initially, it would be best if you played with the girls. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which is similar to American "football", but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like nancies). You should stop playing baseball. It's not reasonable to host an event called the 'World Series' for a game which is not played outside of America. Instead of baseball, you will be allowed to play a girls' game called "rounders," which is baseball without fancy team stripe, oversized gloves, collector cards or hotdogs.

6. You will no longer be allowed to own or carry guns, or anything more dangerous in public than a vegetable peeler. Because you are not sensible enough to handle potentially dangerous items, you need a permit to carry a vegetable peeler.

7. July 4th is no longer a public holiday. November 2nd will be a new national holiday. It will be called "Indecisive Day."

8. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and it is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean. All road intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left. At the same time, you will go metric without the benefit of conversion tables. Roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.

9. Learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips. Fries aren't French, they're Belgian though 97.8% of you (including the guy who discovered fries while in Europe) are not aware of a country called Belgium. Potato chips are properly called "crisps." Real chips are thick cut and fried in animal fat. The traditional accompaniment to chips is beer which should be served warm and flat.

10. The cold tasteless stuff you call beer is actually lager. Only proper British Bitter will be referred to as "beer." Substances once known as "American Beer" will henceforth be referred to as "Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine," except for the product of the American Budweiser company which will be called "Weak Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine." This will allow true Budweiser (as manufactured for the last 1000 years in Pilsen, Czech Republic) to be sold without risk of confusion.

11. The UK will harmonise petrol prices (or "Gasoline," as you will be permitted to keep calling it) for those of the former USA, adopting UK petrol prices (roughly $7/US gallon, get used to it).

12. Learn to resolve personal issues without guns, lawyers or therapists. That you need many lawyers and therapists shows you're not adult enough to be independent. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, you're not grown up enough to handle a gun.

13. Please tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us crazy.

14. Tax collectors from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all revenues due (backdated to 1776).

Random Shite:
Oh My God - Kaiser Chiefs

Happy All Hallows Eve

I work part-time as a soccer tournament organiser. One evening a ball was kicked out of the play area into some woods. I retrieved the ball only to find it had a 4 inch, serrated bladed knife sticking out of it. I brought the knife home with me and it has been in our kitchen drawer for over a year until, two nights ago, I had to carve the pumpkin for Halloween. I saw the knife and thought it looked ideal for the job.

Here is 'JAcK'. Take this warning dear reader. JAcK is evil.. You see, the knife used to carve him was used in a bloody murder and thrown into the very woods that I found it. The victim had their eyes carved out after the murderer had removed the inside of the poor souls head. His mouth was slit to produce a grizzly smile that haunted the police officers that made the gruesome discovery.


JAcK has the spirit of the victim inside him and will come alive tonight to seek vegance from the owner of the knife........

Mwuu ha ha ha ha haaa. Happy Halloween

Seasons

Voting for the favourite season turned up Summer as the winner with Football in second place. Does Football count as a winter/autumn vote though?

Spring ----19%
Summer --33%
Autumn ---14%
Winter -----10%
Football ---24%

One of the things I love about living in Britain is that we have real seasons. The seasons are a mirror image of life itself.

Spring is fresh and young, full of life and sparkling.
Summer is warm for living and enjoying life to the full.
Autumn is when things start to fall apart but is truly beautiful while its happening.
Winter is the end. Cold and barren but with a cozy feel sometimes.

I have a few photos of some seasons from over here taken with my own camera.



Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

HNT # 15

How's your eyesight?

Happy HNT. If you don't know why there is a pornstar pose on my blog then check out the HNT pimp here.

Random Shite:
Goody Two Shoes - Adam & The Ants

No Fags Allowed

It's been decided by our Government that smoking will be banned in all pubs, clubs and indoor establishments in England and Scotland. I think the Scottish ban starts in a few months time.




The drip-drip effect of making smoking a nasty habit and dangerous has allowed a 'nanny state' to stop one of the social pleasures for some people.

I'm not saying I think smoking should be allowed around other people who don't want it. I just want to raise the question of a 'ban culture' being a dangerous route(rowt/root) to go down.

Banning things seems to be the answer to everything for some people. Stopping or changing peoples rights is not fair though. It's only a matter of time before they get around to banning something you enjoy.

The Government doesn't really want to stop smoking altogether. The revenue the British Government gets form smoking far outweighs the healthcare costs. They cannot afford for everyone to stop smoking.

It is more dangerous for people to walk in the street with exhaust fumes being breathed than it is for them to smoke or breathe in smoke.

I do understand that a lot of people welcome this ban. Smoking can leave clothes smelly and damage your health. Like a typical Libra, I'm not sure where I stand.

Random Shite:
The Handsome Life of Swing - Lostprophets

The English Language # 423

A question for my American friends.... If this (routine) is pronounced Rooteen then how can this (route) be Rowt?

In the mother country this (route) says root.

...not that I am anal or anything!!

Random Shite:
Mean Woman Blues - Roy Orbison

Tossers

I haven't got much today. Sorry. Just a thought for Arsenal's Robert Pires and Thierry Henry.....
It's a twelve yard shot at goal... shoot it!!!! What possible way does your tricked up penalty give you an added advantage? Arsenal should have dropped some points after that embarrasment but they got away with it.

If you don't know the story then I won't bore you. Check it out here

Random Shite :
Jump - Van Halen

Space..The final front ear

The next World War could be fought over the moon. You may have seen the Chinese rocket that recently launched two men around the earth. China's ultimate goal is to land on the moon. President Bush recently announced that America was going to start moon landings again.

Why the interest in the moon again? I hear you ask.
Well it seems that scientist believe a Helium Isotype is abundant up there and I heard the BBC report that this Helium 3 could be the answer to the Earths fuel problems.
Apparently a bath-tub of Helium 3 would be enough to power Britain for a whole year.
The complete supply could keep the Earth running for 10,000 years. read more here .

...I think this new 'Space Race' to the moon could prove to be a new catalyst for conflict here on Earth. Who will get to 'own' the moon first. America has been there first but if the Chinese can get set up and established will they want to claim it all for themselves.

For those people who claim the Iraq war is all about oil then this new battle for Helium 3 could spell out the end for our future generations. On the other hand the world might get together in peace and harmony to harvest this future power supply. Hmmm....what do you think?

The poll result this week was close:
NASA's Space Program is....
...important --------------------23%
...a waste of money ---------23%
...essential for the future--- 23%
...trippy man------------------- 31%

Random Shite:
Open Arms - Journey

HNT # 14

The cold Autumn weather is here so I thought I'd revisit Summer with a sandy beach pose.

The hair is wild, the shoulders burnt but Big Dipper is Half Nekkid.


It's the only picture I have that qualifies for HNT so it'll have to do. *note to self.. must take more Nekkid pictures of myself*

Happy HNT everyone and if you don't know what it is all about then go see the Boss.

Random Shite :
Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down

Racism in Soccer

There was a documentary that aired in the US recently on ESPN2 about racism in football(soccer). The online radio I listen to, The Ticket in Dallas, were discussing the program. If you can listen to it then give it a go. I have posted it but I know a lot of people can't listen to some media.



The astonishment by the Ticket guys made me realise that because we have grown up with the problem then we, in this country, seem to take it for granted that it happens. Yes, we throw our hands in the air and denounce it for what it is. We also brush it off some times as rivalry getting out of hand.

The program discussed the fact that in the 70's and 80's black players were subjected to 'monkey chants' and had bananas thrown at them. Only a few months ago, Spain hosted a game against England and blasted our black players with the same monkey chants and abuse.

The American sports journalists were claiming that Europeans are regarded as forward thinking liberals and the USA is thought to have racial problems. This would, however, never be tolerated in the U.S. It would never happen at an NFL or NBA game. We are shocked too but because we have seen it so often we are de-sensitised to it a little bit and don't realise how aborrant the rest of the world see it.

What fascinated me was the Ticket guys, Bob and Dan, were amazed that Spanish people would be racist because, in their eyes, Spanish people are a different race. In Britain we see continental Europeans as 'white' and of the same race. It's funny that Texans think Spainards are not white because of Mexico.

Racism is very wrong and I think the players should walk off the pitch. It was 10 years ago that Eric Cantona launched into the crowd with a 'kung-fu' kick because of the abuse he was getting for being French. I think the black players show great dignity at something that must hurt them a lot.

With the World Cup next year, let's hope that the bigotted, facist element of the fans keep away.

Random Shite :
No Surface All Feeling - Manic Street Preachers

Fear

This video is for New Zealand Paul and all the other Kiwis who may stop by.

The All Blacks are the New Zealand rugby side and are awesome at it too. Would you want one of these guys running at you, full pelt, and you have to tackle him... nah, didn't think so. Judging by Paul's HNT this week, I don't think the big guy would have a problem with upending them though.

Random Shite:

Lost in France - Bonnie Tyler

Keith Urban gig

Keith Urban - Hammersmith Apollo(Odeon)
October 14, 2005


The journey begins up the M2 motorway















Canary Wharf - East London





The Millenium Dome where North Greenwich Tube Station is situated.
£5 for parking is not bad at all.






Barriers to the Underground.





All change at Westminster Tube station.











Destination Hammersmith, West London.






Coffee and tickets before the show.







Hammersmith Apollo, formerly, Hammersmith Odeon.




Keith Urban came out Rocking










The only gig I've been to where a banjo has been used!





It was a fantastic gig. There was a great light show and video display. It's the first country gig I have been to, hence the first banjo I have seen played in anger.
Keith Urban is a rock based country artist and reminds me a lot of Bryan Adams, who he toured with earlier this year.

It was a strange experiance to hear all the female voices singing along and cheering. There were so many women at the gig. They had dragged their men along but it was evident that the guys were not that familiar with Mr Urban's work because it was the girls voices that screamed out the words when Keith asked them to sing along.

It was like being at an Under 18 International Football match where the majority of the crowd are kids screaming.

The other observation I made was the amount of mobile phones illuminating the front few rows of people. They were all snapping away or video-ing the gig on their phones.
The cell phone is the 'new' cigarrette lighter. Waved along in the air while the gig goes on.

Keith Urbans sore throat held up well and the gig was one of the best I have seen. Well worth checking out if you get a chance. Yee Harr!

It's my birthday today and my profile has changed to, the 'all-too-real', 38 years old.
Another day nearer eternity and another digit closer to 40. *sigh*

Random Shite:
Gypsy Road - Cinderella