At last some warm sunshine. Even the paddling pool has managed its first outing of the year. Shame it’s not going to last.
Here Comes the Sun
What’s New?
So what’s been happening? Speedway is running again in the Conference League (the lower league), the Elite team has disbanded. At least we survived this crisis for now. I have a Flickr account, I’m just working out how to join it with EE. I have a Facebook account (don’t ask) and I did the wedding photography for my sister-in-law last week, more about that later.
Time to post regularly here again…
Benchmarking
What the hell is benchmarking I hear you cry! It’s one of my sad little hobbies I reply. What is a bench mark I hear you cry! I’ll let Wikipedia explain…
“In surveying a bench mark is specifically any permanent marker placed by a surveyor with a precisely known vertical elevation (but not necessarily a precisely known horizontal location). These reference points may be chiselled into a wall, or more typically, marked by small brass or aluminium disks, iron pins or bolts that are permanently attached to a stable foundation, such as concrete posts, bridge abutments, buildings, or a specifically constructed concrete block. These markers are then used as starting (control) points by subsequent surveyors and other users to establish the elevation of nearby points.”
Where is this leading? Well, it leads to my latest little toy, the Google Maps API. As a useful exercise in learning the API I have created a Google Map of my benchmark images, you can find it at the URL below.
http://www.jochta.com/maps/benchmarks.php
It’s a bit basic at the moment style-wise as it was really the API I was interested in, I will embellish as I learn and add some more information.
Oxford Speedway RIP?
The news all Oxford Speedway fans have been dreading broke this afternoon, the immediate closure of the club mid-season. When it came it was a bolt out of the blue as the promotion had held a fan’s forum on Friday and painted a rosy picture of the future. It was all lies. A whole part of my life from when I was a boy appears to be over, another outlet for the local children taken away.
I shed a few tears this afternoon for all the memories, good and bad, Oxford Speedway has given me over the past 30-odd years. But the loyal supporters will fight hard to keep speedway in my once fabulous city and we shall see what transpires over the coming days and weeks. I truly hope that this isn’t the final bitter end.
Gutted
Oxford 1-2 Exeter (Agg: 2-2)
Exeter win 4-3 on penalties
So disappointed not to get a trip to Wembley. Not so much for myself but for my son who had been so looking forward to it. How many other chances will he get to see Oxford United play at Wembley? But to be honest Oxford played awful tonight and we missed three penalties when we had the advantage.
What a Picture
Well I’ve eventually taken the plunge and bought myself a Digital SLR camera. I plumped for the Nikon D40 which has a 6.1 megapixel sensor as it produces sharp images at a very reasonable price. The kit lens supplied is very good, an 18-55mm zoom. I also bought a 55-200mm zoom to go with it plus a few filters. It takes fantastically sharp images, puts all the compact digital cameras I’ve owned to shame. The nice thing is its portraits, no sign of any red-eye and super crisp images.
I’ve also been trying out some astrophotography with it, hit a snag trying to do prime focus photography on my driven telescope as I cannot achieve focus, but I have a plan. Had some success with afocal projection and you can see some results in the photo section here.
Next Day Delivery
If I order something on Monday morning for next day delivery I understand that to mean I will receive the order on Tuesday. Not the day after you decide to dispatch it. Let me get this straight, I order on Monday morning for next day delivery but you won’t dispatch it until Wednesday for next day delivery on Thursday? Eh? How does that work then?
The Album: Part 4
This is it the final part….
16 – The Cure – Boys Don’t Cry
Well we don’t do we? Or we’re not supposed to anyway.
17. Hazel O’Connor – Will You?
From one of my favourite films, Breaking Glass. This is a lovely moment in a traumatic film and I’m a softie for a good saxophone solo and there is a cracker in this song.
18. Roy Orbison – I Drove All Night
This belongs to the 7” single days again. The lyrics are quite funny, I drove all night to make love to you, is that all right? No, I’m tired, now bugger off!
19. The Pretenders – I Go To Sleep
I used to go out with a girl who looked exactly like Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders were one of my favourite bands (still are) at the time! Chrissie was and still is gorgeous.
20. Radiohead – Motion Picture Soundtrack
The song I want played at my funeral! I will see you on the other side, maybe a bit maudlin but it will be my funeral, so tough!
The Album: Part 3
Here comes tracks 11 through 15….
11. Scaffold – Buttons Of Your Mind
The Scaffold were famous for several 2 minute ditties, silly songs. Many people will know many of them, Lily The Pink, Thank You Very Much, Ging Gang Goolie, Liver Birds etc. but might not know the name of the band who wrote them. This track was on the B-side to Lily The Pink which was coincidentally #1 in the singles chart on the day I was born. Another two minute piece of fluff it has my all time favourite lyric.
And I wonder if I ever knew the more elusive inner you,
For the buttons of your mind were difficult to find and my fingers far too clumsy
I sometimes give off the wrong impression of myself to people, which is somewhat deliberate it has to be said. Stand offish, non-approachable, scary, grumpy, taciturn are all words that colleagues have used to describe me! Ah, if only they knew the more elusive inner me 
This is one of two tracks on the The Album that I had to buy as I only had a vinyl version of the song.
12. Melanie C – Never Be The Same Again
Am I going to get stick for liking ex-Spice Girl Melanie C’s solo stuff? I don’t care, I like it and I love this song.
13. The Psychedelic Furs – Pretty In Pink
My all-time favourite song by any artist. This is the original version but the version used in the film of the same name (which I have never seen) is just as good. Love it, love it, love it.
14. The Sensational Alex Harvey Band – Boston Tea Party
Does anybody remember this being played on Top Of The Pops back when it was a hit? The guitarist dressed as a clown etc.? I do and this song is another summer holiday driving around the country track. It reminds me of warm summer days on holiday with the family.
15. Elvis Presley – Always On My Mind
I could take or leave Elvis until my wife to be house shared with a total Elvis nut. He had everything and I could still take or leave his early rock-n-roll stuff. But I like his later material and I could put one of a few tracks on here. I chose this one.
The Album: Part 2
Tracks 6 through 10…
6. Ginger – The Man Who Cheated Death
I wanted something bang up to date on The Album and this fitted the bill nicely. Ginger was the singer, guitar player & song writer in The Wildhearts. I particularly like the lyrics in this song.
When the Devil had tried to tempt me,
When there was not a single angel around,
When the Demons they sent me were guaranteed to put me down,
What in Heaven or Hell is ever going to kill me now?
7. John Otway – Josephine
The album wouldn’t be complete without some Otway! Famous for having a hit back in the 70s (Really Free) and then totally flopping this guy has toured the pubs and clubs ever since. An Otway show is an absolute must and if you see one near by make sure you go to see him. I could have put several songs on here, in fact I originally had Poetry & Jazz from one of his newer albums, but I chose this one. I was introduced to Otway by my late sister and her husband and this is a beautiful track from his early days and proves that he is a superb songwriter. This is with Wild Willy Barrett.
8. Hans Zimmer – Vide Cor Meum
An operatic number from the OST to the movie Hannibal. Why is this on here? Well, I was listening to this shortly after my sister died, it holds a strong emotion for me.
9. Kow Otani – The Opened Way
Another OST track this time from a video game! This is taken from the PS2 game Shadow of the Colossus. Gaming has been an important part of my life and this game was one of the most moving experiences I have encountered in a video game. This track plays as you fight with the giant Colossi, imagine a huge beast stomping around as you cling on for dear life, and the tragedy as you kill the mighty and beautiful beast just so you can save the girl.
10. Masters Of Reality – Rolling Green
My second bluesy number. A summer holiday track, laid back on a warm summers day in the countryside. Ginger Baker of Cream fame is playing drums.