All posts by Keith

I’m a controversialist and catalyst, quietly enabling others to develop by providing different ideas and views of the world. Born in London in the early 1950s and initially trained as a research chemist I retired as a senior project manager after 35 years in the IT industry. Retirement is about community give-back and finding some equilibrium. Founder and Honorary Secretary of the Anthony Powell Society. Chairman of my GP's patient group.
history, topographical

Abbots Bromley Horn Dance

The Abbots Bromley Horn Dance is this year on Monday 9 September.
The Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, first performed at the Barthelmy Fair in August 1226, is one of the few ritual rural customs to survive the passage of time and now takes place annually on Wakes Monday.


After collecting the horns from the church at eight o’clock in the morning, the Horn Dancers (six Deer-men, a Fool, Hobby Horse, Bowman and Maid Marian) perform their dance to music provided by a melodian player at locations throughout the village and its surrounding farms and pubs. This involves a walk of about 10 miles (16km). At the end of this long and exhausting day, the horns are returned to the church.
There are more details of the route, schedule and general visitor information on the Abbots Bromley website at www.abbotsbromley.com/horn_dance.

words

Obsolete Words

Earlier in the week I came across a wonderful list of 18 obsolete words, which never should have gone out of style.
They’re all wonderful, but here’s a selection …
Snoutfair: A person with a handsome countenance.
Pussyvan: A flurry, temper.
Wonder-wench: A sweetheart.


Spermologer: A picker-up of trivia, of current news, a gossip monger.
Tyromancy: Divining by the coagulation of cheese.
Beef-witted: Having an inactive brain, thought to be from eating too much beef.
Resistentialism: The seemingly spiteful behaviour shown by inanimate objects.
Bookwright: A writer of books; an author; a term of slight contempt.

And I think my favourite of all …
With squirrel: Pregnant.
English is such a wonderful language!

current affairs, ramblings

Government and IT

Yesterday’s Independent carried a short article under the headline

Using computer technology ‘could save state £10bn a year’

Yes, you bet it could! Here are extracts from the article:

Civil servants could cut the cost of government by £70bn in seven years just by making more use of computer technology, a think-tank report … claims.
The ambitious claim … is almost 10 times what the Cabinet Office hopes can be achieved.
The report … highlights ways government departments waste money by using too much paper.
Offenders include the Crown Prosecution Service, which prints a million sheets of paper every day, the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency, where “two articulated trucks loaded with letters and paper pull in every day”, and the Passport Office, which prints out forms filled in online and posts them back to applicants to sign.

Oh FFS! I know I worked for a large IT company but set in its ways though the Corporation was even we got rid of most paper forms 10 years ago!
So you bet the government could save £10bn a year, but it will happen only if:

  • They learn something about IT and how to manage IT projects
  • They are prepared to listen to advice from suppliers
  • They are prepared to invest some money up front
  • They are prepared to grasp the nettle and tell the civil servants that this is how things will be done — no push-back allowed.

Will all of those happen? … No.
Will any of those happen? … Probably not.
Gawdelpus!

photography

Weekly Photograph

Here’s one from years ago (like 2008) when I went to London Zoo — and yes, for some unknown reason they let me out again!
No story to this, just a pretty picture!

Click the image for larger views on Flickr

Birch Tree
Birch Tree
June 2008, London Zoo

memes, personal

Five Questions, Series 4 #5

So, at last, we get to the final question of series 4 of Five Questions.

Question 5: What is the biggest obstacle that stands in your way right now?
There is only one possible answer to that … ME!
You think I’m joking? Then you’ve not seen the size of me!
What?! You want a more serious answer?! You mean that isn’t good enough?!
Well if you push me then the answer has to be (a) depression and (b) not enough hours in the day to get done what I want to do.
But isn’t that essentially the same for everyone? … There isn’t enough time and we just can’t push ourselves to do more.
– oo OO oo –

OK, that concludes Five Questions, Series 4. I’ll do another series in a few months.
Meantime, I would like questions to answer — ask anything and I will see if I can answer it. No promises though ‘cos you really don’t want to know about my … TMIA!

words

Word: Chatoyant

Chatoyant
Having a changeable, undulating, or floating lustre, like that of a cat’s eye in the dark.
Hence also a chatoyant stone or gemstone, such as the cat’s-eye.


From the French present participle of chatoyer, to shimmer like cats’ eyes; from chat, cat.
The OED records the first use in 1798 in a scientific description of crystals.

environment

National Zero Waste Week

Starting next Monday we bring you National Zero Waste Week which runs from 2 to 8 September.
National Zero Waste Week, which is now in its sixth year, invites you to reduce landfill waste and save money. This year they will be concentrating on tackling food waste. There is research which suggests that on average in the UK we bin a quarter of all the food which is produced. That is northing short of scandalous!


So yes, the aim of National Zero Waste Week is to drastically cut the amount of stuff which goes into landfill by either (re)using it or recycling it. Ultimately it is for the good of our environment, and almost certainly our wallets too!
As always there is more over on their website at www.zerowasteweek.co.uk.