Today (January 26th) is Australia Day. All over the world Aussies are going into pubs and drinking their favourite (usually overpriced) Aussie tipple (mine's a VB) and probably having a shrimp on the BBQ, or a vegemite sandwich. So, as they say in the Visit Australia ad here in the UK:
Where the bloody hell are you?!
Friday, 26 January 2007
Wednesday, 24 January 2007
First Snow for London
Last night the first snows happened in London for this winter. Everywhere looked nice and white, and the wind stayed away.
Go over to my photoblog to look at some of the photos.
Go over to my photoblog to look at some of the photos.
Tuesday, 23 January 2007
2012 to 2012
Today is a momentous occasion for London (and the rest of the UK); there are now 2012 days to go before the 2012 Olympics. You would think there would be some sort of celebration to try and drum up some enthusiasm. Nothing. All we had this morning on the BBC news was Lord Coe going on about how he wants the games to be the greenest games to date. Woo hoo. That has really got me excited... Not! Where's the "Today is a great milestone in the journey to the Olympics!", message? I don't want to hear statistics on how little waste there is going to be. I want to hear about how great things are going to be! It's not even the main news item on the London 2012 website!
The Olympics is becoming so over budgeted that someone soon is going to say 'enough'. Then what will happen? Less seats in the stadia? Already there is going to be less money going to non-Olympic good causes due to the increased funding required from the National Lottery fund.
I think the British Olympic Committee (BOC) has missed a perfect occasion for positive promotion of the Olympics today. If people feel good and excited about something as big as the Olympics, then they won't focus so highly on the money aspect.
I am a big fan of the Olympics. I think that it is a good way to promote racial equality, sportsmanship, sports for health. Having never been in a country leading up to hosting the Olympics before, I am unaware of how other countries and people viewed their government's handling of money and publicity for the event. I am perhaps talking for a point of ignorance slightly, but I feel that the BOC were a bit ignorant at what the overall costs would be; you would have thought they would find out about things like VAT first! I also feel that the press are not getting enough "good news" from the BOC and therefore have to dig up dirt for their papers. The BOC needs to get their house in order and start 'attacking' the British view on the Olympics by releasing good publicity as soon as possible. After all, we all like an excuse to celebrate don't we?
The Olympics is becoming so over budgeted that someone soon is going to say 'enough'. Then what will happen? Less seats in the stadia? Already there is going to be less money going to non-Olympic good causes due to the increased funding required from the National Lottery fund.
I think the British Olympic Committee (BOC) has missed a perfect occasion for positive promotion of the Olympics today. If people feel good and excited about something as big as the Olympics, then they won't focus so highly on the money aspect.
I am a big fan of the Olympics. I think that it is a good way to promote racial equality, sportsmanship, sports for health. Having never been in a country leading up to hosting the Olympics before, I am unaware of how other countries and people viewed their government's handling of money and publicity for the event. I am perhaps talking for a point of ignorance slightly, but I feel that the BOC were a bit ignorant at what the overall costs would be; you would have thought they would find out about things like VAT first! I also feel that the press are not getting enough "good news" from the BOC and therefore have to dig up dirt for their papers. The BOC needs to get their house in order and start 'attacking' the British view on the Olympics by releasing good publicity as soon as possible. After all, we all like an excuse to celebrate don't we?
Thursday, 18 January 2007
Every Man Should Know His Limits
Yesterday I mentioned how manly I feel when pressing the button of my umbrella to see it fully extended while others are still fumbling with theirs.
Today I found that it is a quick tranisiton between feeling cool and manly and looking like a complete tit while fighting with your umbrella in 60 - 80 mile an hour winds.
Sometimes you are just meant to get wet!
Today I found that it is a quick tranisiton between feeling cool and manly and looking like a complete tit while fighting with your umbrella in 60 - 80 mile an hour winds.
Sometimes you are just meant to get wet!
Wednesday, 17 January 2007
Every Man Should Have One
Every Man Should Have: A Push Button Umbrella
I have a good quality compact push-button umbrella. When I press the button, it extends out instantly to cover me from the rain while people are fumbling with their old fashioned hand extended ones.
It makes me feel very manly when I have to whip out my umbrella.
Tuesday, 16 January 2007
Customising One's Blog Template on Blogger
One of the features of blogger is that I can view/edit the HTML of my blog template. I have been trying to work out how to do this. I think I have finally done it. If you visit here and see everything messed up, I have pressed 'Save' rather and 'Preview' and am probably weeping in a corner.
It's not fun unless I am pulling it apart and figuring how it works.
It's not fun unless I am pulling it apart and figuring how it works.
Monday, 15 January 2007
I Need a Wii
The trend nowadays is to drink water like there's going to be a drought tomorrow. However, water drinking was taken to extreme in the U.S. when a woman died from drinking too much water while competing in a competition to win a Nintendo Wii:
BBC News: Why is too much water dangerous?
This is an unfortunate accident where someone who dropped out of science class as soon as possible to study media studies didn't know that cells swell when given water. If given too much water, these cells will eventually burst.
So there you have it. Too much water is bad for you. Limit your intake to about 2 litres per day (including tea, fruit juice, etc.), and you should be fine.
Next they will be telling you breathing is dangerous!
BBC News: Why is too much water dangerous?
This is an unfortunate accident where someone who dropped out of science class as soon as possible to study media studies didn't know that cells swell when given water. If given too much water, these cells will eventually burst.
So there you have it. Too much water is bad for you. Limit your intake to about 2 litres per day (including tea, fruit juice, etc.), and you should be fine.
Next they will be telling you breathing is dangerous!
Sunday, 14 January 2007
What I Learnt Today
1. If you don't do your trainers up properly, you will get a blister on your toe.
2. If you don't look where you are going, you will step in a muddy puddle.
3. If you wear predomintantly white trainers to a park after it rains, they will get dirty.
4. If you try to use Jedi mind tricks to get someone out of your photo, they will not move.
Went for another walk today. I went all the way to Streatham Common and back with a good walk around the Rookery. I will post photos on my photoblog most likely, but this photo is one I particularly like.
Saturday, 13 January 2007
And rest...
I feel great. I always feel good when I do something I said I'd do.
I have just come back from my walk. I wasn't out for the whole time since my last post, but I was out for about 3/4 of an hour. I power walked down to the library and got some recycling bags. I also got my watch fixed having broken it about five months ago while camping. All of this was done while trying to keep my heart rate up, so wherever I walked, I did it quickly.
Now I'm back home having some water, and I'm about to have something to eat. It is lunchtime after all!
Having mentioned the benefits of water in my last post, I am now going to mention a bit about the food side of exercising. If you find yourself getting more and more into exercise, you should begin thinking about what you eat and when. When you exercise, even going for a brisk walk, you burn calories, and lose moisture. When you return home from exercising, your body will tell you it needs food and now! It will also tell you that the best thing for it is yummy sugary or fatty foods. Avoid eating fatty foods and simple carbohydrate* foods (sugary foods). Instead, try and feed your body a bit of complex carbohydrate* (potato, bread, pasta) and perhaps a bit of protein (chicken, fish, lean meat). After light exercise, the best thing you can do for your body is have a tuna sandwich (easy on the mayonnaise, add lettuce if you have it), washed down with about a litre of water. Simple, easy to make, and good for you.
Now where did I put that mars bar... :-)
*The main difference between simple and complex carbohydrates is the speed they are absorbed into the body. Simple carbs (chocolate, sugary drinks) are a quick fix; you feel good quickly, but will lose that feeling equally quickly. Complex carbs (potato, pasta, bread) release their energy steadily and slowly; keeping you energised for longer and you don't have a come-down like that of simple carbs.
I have just come back from my walk. I wasn't out for the whole time since my last post, but I was out for about 3/4 of an hour. I power walked down to the library and got some recycling bags. I also got my watch fixed having broken it about five months ago while camping. All of this was done while trying to keep my heart rate up, so wherever I walked, I did it quickly.
Now I'm back home having some water, and I'm about to have something to eat. It is lunchtime after all!
Having mentioned the benefits of water in my last post, I am now going to mention a bit about the food side of exercising. If you find yourself getting more and more into exercise, you should begin thinking about what you eat and when. When you exercise, even going for a brisk walk, you burn calories, and lose moisture. When you return home from exercising, your body will tell you it needs food and now! It will also tell you that the best thing for it is yummy sugary or fatty foods. Avoid eating fatty foods and simple carbohydrate* foods (sugary foods). Instead, try and feed your body a bit of complex carbohydrate* (potato, bread, pasta) and perhaps a bit of protein (chicken, fish, lean meat). After light exercise, the best thing you can do for your body is have a tuna sandwich (easy on the mayonnaise, add lettuce if you have it), washed down with about a litre of water. Simple, easy to make, and good for you.
Now where did I put that mars bar... :-)
*The main difference between simple and complex carbohydrates is the speed they are absorbed into the body. Simple carbs (chocolate, sugary drinks) are a quick fix; you feel good quickly, but will lose that feeling equally quickly. Complex carbs (potato, pasta, bread) release their energy steadily and slowly; keeping you energised for longer and you don't have a come-down like that of simple carbs.
It's Good to Walk
I have decided to do more exercise.
Like many people, I indulged a bit too much over the Christmas and New Year period. I've put on a few pounds (which I took off last year!), and really want to increase my fitness level.
One thing people think when they decide to start exercising is that they need to run a long way often, or lift heavy weights until it hurts. Increasing your base fitness level is not that hard. A minimum of 20 minutes exercise three times a week is all it takes. The simplest and cheapest (free!) way to exercise is go for a walk. You needn't go and buy loads of kit. Put on some comfortable shoes and trousers and go for a walk. Walk slightly faster than you normally would to increase your heart rate, and try to keep it up for 20 minutes.
Simple ways to ensure you walk for 20 minutes:
Get off the train/tube/bus a stop or two earlier.
Park your car a little bit away from your house.
Explore a part of your neighbourhood you have never been to.
Explore a part of your friends neighbourhood.
Go for a ramble.
Walk to the shops when you are off to get milk/eggs/the paper, and take a longer route.
Doing even one of those suggestions will ensure you get a bit more exercise, and boost your fitness levels.
So, now I have to put my money where my mouth is. I'm off for a walk to my local library to get some recycling bags. Boring, I know, but it gets me out, and will take about 20 minutes there and back. I feel healthy just writing about it!
Finally, and most importantly, drink water. Take some with you, or have some in the fridge for when you get back. Your body loves water, and it helps the body to flush toxins, regulate your body temperature, and lubricate your joints, muscle fibres, and arteries; and that's just a few of the things water does for you!
Like many people, I indulged a bit too much over the Christmas and New Year period. I've put on a few pounds (which I took off last year!), and really want to increase my fitness level.
One thing people think when they decide to start exercising is that they need to run a long way often, or lift heavy weights until it hurts. Increasing your base fitness level is not that hard. A minimum of 20 minutes exercise three times a week is all it takes. The simplest and cheapest (free!) way to exercise is go for a walk. You needn't go and buy loads of kit. Put on some comfortable shoes and trousers and go for a walk. Walk slightly faster than you normally would to increase your heart rate, and try to keep it up for 20 minutes.
Simple ways to ensure you walk for 20 minutes:
Get off the train/tube/bus a stop or two earlier.
Park your car a little bit away from your house.
Explore a part of your neighbourhood you have never been to.
Explore a part of your friends neighbourhood.
Go for a ramble.
Walk to the shops when you are off to get milk/eggs/the paper, and take a longer route.
Doing even one of those suggestions will ensure you get a bit more exercise, and boost your fitness levels.
So, now I have to put my money where my mouth is. I'm off for a walk to my local library to get some recycling bags. Boring, I know, but it gets me out, and will take about 20 minutes there and back. I feel healthy just writing about it!
Finally, and most importantly, drink water. Take some with you, or have some in the fridge for when you get back. Your body loves water, and it helps the body to flush toxins, regulate your body temperature, and lubricate your joints, muscle fibres, and arteries; and that's just a few of the things water does for you!
Thursday, 11 January 2007
Londoner's Blog Worth Reading
Having put Londonist and Random Acts of Reality into the links section, I remembered a blog I used to read, but hadn't in a while.
Diamond Geezer blogs a lot about life in London. He is witty, writes well, and writes about interesting topics. I especially likes some of the features he does like following the meridian line through London from Royal Greenwhich Observatory.
Go and have a look. You won't be disappointed.
Diamond Geezer blogs a lot about life in London. He is witty, writes well, and writes about interesting topics. I especially likes some of the features he does like following the meridian line through London from Royal Greenwhich Observatory.
Go and have a look. You won't be disappointed.
London Bloody Transport
How difficult is it to ensure that a commuter train is running? It's the busiest time of the day, and yet, this morning I was late for work because "The 08:07 train to London Bridge has been cancelled due to a lack of carriages."
What?!?!
If I went and asked Southern Trains why this is, they will say that due to vandalism they are short on carriages. I accept that some carriages get vandalised so badly that they need to be taken out of commission. However, I also feel that during the busiest time of the day, they should at least make an effort to field enough trains for commuters. We in the UK pay the highest prices per mile to travel compared with anywhere in Europe. Is it unreasonable for me to expect my money to go towards ensuring I can make it to work on time?
What?!?!
If I went and asked Southern Trains why this is, they will say that due to vandalism they are short on carriages. I accept that some carriages get vandalised so badly that they need to be taken out of commission. However, I also feel that during the busiest time of the day, they should at least make an effort to field enough trains for commuters. We in the UK pay the highest prices per mile to travel compared with anywhere in Europe. Is it unreasonable for me to expect my money to go towards ensuring I can make it to work on time?
Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Exercise
I just got home with every intention of going out for a walk and then decided I couldn't be bothered.
Bloody winter!
At the moment I'm too caught up with getting used to blogging, as well as playing with my photos in my photo blog and my flickr.
I'm going to have to start excercising at some point. I think I'll have to make that my priority this weekend.
Until then, back to flickr, and photoblogging!
Bloody winter!
At the moment I'm too caught up with getting used to blogging, as well as playing with my photos in my photo blog and my flickr.
I'm going to have to start excercising at some point. I think I'll have to make that my priority this weekend.
Until then, back to flickr, and photoblogging!
iPhone Revealed
As often as possible I'm going to comment on a news story I've read in the papers or online. Today's pick isn't really a revelation, but I've go to start somewhere!
So, yesterday Steve Jobs of Apple unvailed the new iPhone. Everybody is swooning over it. Jobs said in his presentation "The iPod changed everything in 2001. We're going to do it again with the iPhone in 2007." I have no doubt about this. Apple is such a strong brand that you would have to be six feet under to miss it.
Like iPods, I feel that the first generation will be good, but wait for the 2nd generation as they will have got most of the bugs out. The best thing about the iPhone, I feel, is that everyone else will be forced to raise their standards. Be on the look out for smart phones that do what the iPhone does, but cheaper and in some cases better. iPod did that for music, so why can't iPhone do that for mobile telephony?
So, yesterday Steve Jobs of Apple unvailed the new iPhone. Everybody is swooning over it. Jobs said in his presentation "The iPod changed everything in 2001. We're going to do it again with the iPhone in 2007." I have no doubt about this. Apple is such a strong brand that you would have to be six feet under to miss it.
Like iPods, I feel that the first generation will be good, but wait for the 2nd generation as they will have got most of the bugs out. The best thing about the iPhone, I feel, is that everyone else will be forced to raise their standards. Be on the look out for smart phones that do what the iPhone does, but cheaper and in some cases better. iPod did that for music, so why can't iPhone do that for mobile telephony?
PvP has a great little comic strip about it today. Brent is a Mac yuppy in case you are slightly confused.
Some Links to Pass the Time
I have added some of my favourit links for you to take a look at. As I add more I will probably end up categorising them, but they will remain in list form for now.
PvP Online is a comic strip I read almost every day. It's about a gaming magazine company and all the characters which make up the staf (including a mythical troll called Skull). It is very witty and you do not really need to know about games to follow it.
Dilbert is another comic strip I read on a regular basis. It has been going for quite a while now, mainly because Scott Adams is such a fine observer of office politics.
Random Acts of Reality is a blog by Tom Reynolds covering all aspects of his life centering mainly around his work in the London Ambulance Service. The stories make for compelling reading and give one a healthy respect for all Ambulance personnelle everywhere.
My final link today is Londonist. It is a blog covering as much as possible of the goings on in the Greater London area. I usually dip into it every now and then for a mild diversion and to see if there is any cool stuff happening.
PvP Online is a comic strip I read almost every day. It's about a gaming magazine company and all the characters which make up the staf (including a mythical troll called Skull). It is very witty and you do not really need to know about games to follow it.
Dilbert is another comic strip I read on a regular basis. It has been going for quite a while now, mainly because Scott Adams is such a fine observer of office politics.
Random Acts of Reality is a blog by Tom Reynolds covering all aspects of his life centering mainly around his work in the London Ambulance Service. The stories make for compelling reading and give one a healthy respect for all Ambulance personnelle everywhere.
My final link today is Londonist. It is a blog covering as much as possible of the goings on in the Greater London area. I usually dip into it every now and then for a mild diversion and to see if there is any cool stuff happening.
Tuesday, 9 January 2007
Wilkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome
Welcome to Mouse's Musings. This is the sister blog to SheyMouse's Photo Blog. The photo blog was started because I wanted to take more photos and see if I could capture any good ones to show off. Early days is all I have to say on that one.
I started this blog because I keep on wanting to write about what I'm thinking, observing, looking at on the web, etc., but my photobolg is not for those kind of musing. Therefore, this is where my musings will be placed. The aim is to put links and musings here whenever I get the chance.
I started this blog because I keep on wanting to write about what I'm thinking, observing, looking at on the web, etc., but my photobolg is not for those kind of musing. Therefore, this is where my musings will be placed. The aim is to put links and musings here whenever I get the chance.
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