Eye Spy

Walking past the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre this morning, we noticed that for the next few days they are hosting a Euretina conference.

“What”, we wondered, is a “Euretina”? In my febrile imagination it immediately resolved itself as a strange glockenspiel/concertina hybrid. The visualisation was hampered by the dawning of the fact that I don’t actually know what a glockenspiel looks like. I think I may be confusing it with a barrel organ, but I don’t, as I type this, know. (I could look it up on Google, but where would the fun be then?). Anyway, it would have the squeezy bit of the concertina attached somewhere. A more expensive Euretina would have an accordion attachment instead of the concertina.

This I fancy, is a worthy addition to my mental stock of improbable musical instruments as typified by the maudelin, an oblong, short necked, one stringed instrument played with a bow, or the Donk, a huge J Arthur Rank style gong made of solid and highly polished pine wood, that sounds like its name.

Whether the Euretina would displace the Cacophone in my affections is another matter. The Cacophone (pronounced cackofon) is essentially three French horns joined to a single tube and operated by means of a pedalled bellows and keyboard arrangement, which operates the valves. If ever I win the jackpot on the lottery, I shall have a prototype built.

As it turns out, Euretina is something to do with retina experts, presumably European retina experts. Worthy, I suppose, but boring.

I like my version better.

Eye Spy

Walking past the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre this morning, we noticed that for the next few days they are hosting a Euretina conference.

“What”, we wondered, is a “Euretina”? In my febrile imagination it immediately resolved itself as a strange glockenspiel/concertina hybrid. The visualisation was hampered by the dawning of the fact that I don’t actually know what a glockenspiel looks like. I think I may be confusing it with a barrel organ, but I don’t, as I type this, know. (I could look it up on Google, but where would the fun be then?). Anyway, it would have the squeezy bit of the concertina attached somewhere. A more expensive Euretina would have an accordion attachment instead of the concertina.

This I fancy, is a worthy addition to my mental stock of improbable musical instruments as typified by the maudelin, an oblong, short necked, one stringed instrument played with a bow, or the Donk, a huge J Arthur Rank style gong made of solid and highly polished pine wood, that sounds like its name.

Whether the Euretina would displace the Cacophone in my affections is another matter. The Cacophone (pronounced cackofon) is essentially three French horns joined to a single tube and operated by means of a pedalled bellows and keyboard arrangement, which operates the valves. If ever I win the jackpot on the lottery, I shall have a prototype built.

As it turns out, Euretina is something to do with retina experts, presumably European retina experts. Worthy, I suppose, but boring.

I like my version better.

Il pleut

I have probably now seen it all.

Outside it is, or has just been, raining. At this actual moment, it’s more of a drizzle (or it may have stopped) but on two separate occasions this afternoon, it has hammered down, albeit briefly.

Other than an odd spit here and there and one corking thunderstorm about a month ago, I can’t really remember any rain since at least February. We seemed to move from an unusually cold and snowy winter directly into drought conditions. April showers signally failed to appear. This means, of course, that with the tear less than half gone and summer not yet fully under way, there are tracts of browning grass in parks everywhere. By August it will be a dustbowl out there unless we get more of this.

The point of this ramble is that for a large proportion of my 52 years, I should have not believed it possible to witness (predominantly) English people in an English office staring excitedly out of the window and commenting happily on the fact it’s raining.

Il pleut

I have probably now seen it all.

Outside it is, or has just been, raining. At this actual moment, it’s more of a drizzle (or it may have stopped) but on two separate occasions this afternoon, it has hammered down, albeit briefly.

Other than an odd spit here and there and one corking thunderstorm about a month ago, I can’t really remember any rain since at least February. We seemed to move from an unusually cold and snowy winter directly into drought conditions. April showers signally failed to appear. This means, of course, that with the tear less than half gone and summer not yet fully under way, there are tracts of browning grass in parks everywhere. By August it will be a dustbowl out there unless we get more of this.

The point of this ramble is that for a large proportion of my 52 years, I should have not believed it possible to witness (predominantly) English people in an English office staring excitedly out of the window and commenting happily on the fact it’s raining.

Dickheads on a Power Trip MZ-CT

Back in 2008, flywingedmonkey published a review of his experience of eating at The Masala Zone in Camden Town.

To cut a long story short, he didn't like it. It was, by his account an unrewarding experience.

MZ_CT as they also like to be known in certain circles (their own) have, after a three-year gap, discovered this disadvantageous review and instead of addressing the issue by say, inviting the worthy correspondent back gratis, perhaps, to see how they have improved, they simply left an anonymous response to the review:

Dickheads on a power trip
It think that says it all - I doubt they would want you back.
By the way your review comes in on page 4 of searches.
No worries for MZ _ CT
Go fuck yourselves

A few more reiterations of this and flywingedmonkey's post, complete with links may just promote them up the search page rankings.

It is an ambition. It may be a petty ambition, but an ambition nonetheless.

Maybe others have an opinion on them, too. With links, perhaps.

Dickheads on a Power Trip MZ-CT

Back in 2008, flywingedmonkey published a review of his experience of eating at The Masala Zone in Camden Town.

To cut a long story short, he didn't like it. It was, by his account an unrewarding experience.

MZ_CT as they also like to be known in certain circles (their own) have, after a three-year gap, discovered this disadvantageous review and instead of addressing the issue by say, inviting the worthy correspondent back gratis, perhaps, to see how they have improved, they simply left an anonymous response to the review:

Dickheads on a power trip
It think that says it all - I doubt they would want you back.
By the way your review comes in on page 4 of searches.
No worries for MZ _ CT
Go fuck yourselves

A few more reiterations of this and flywingedmonkey's post, complete with links may just promote them up the search page rankings.

It is an ambition. It may be a petty ambition, but an ambition nonetheless.

Maybe others have an opinion on them, too. With links, perhaps.