在伦敦地铁卖艺

刚来英国的时候，觉得在地铁卖艺是一件容易的事情，其实不是：

Busking on the Tube was illegal until London Underground began allowing musicians to perform in stations in 2003. Would-be performers have to fill in an application form and pass an audition.

Waiting lists are up to six months long, but 80 per cent of those who apply are granted licences.

Licensed buskers phone the organisers every other Tuesday to reserve two-hour slots at the pitches of their choice for the following fortnight.

They are allowed three slots a week in the most popular places such as Leicester Square station, and a maximum of six hours a day in total.

Busking websites

www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/arts/busking: Transport for London information about getting a licence to busk on the Underground

www.livemusicforum.co.uk: A campaign group to review the laws restricting live music in England and Wales, which make it easier for buskers to do their thing

List of busking competitions across Britain

Further details are available at www.vocalist.org.uk/gigs_busking.html

Licensing information for street art is at
ww.artscouncil.org.uk/publications/

7 Days in September

以下是Google video 发给我的其中一个RSS文章.昨天是9/11事件的五周年,这个是一个美国的导演制作的一小时短片,是采访不同的市民大众.

---

From: A Googler
Posted At: Friday, September 08, 2006 8:43 PM
Posted To: GoogleBlog
Conversation: Official Google Blog
Subject: 7 Days in September

Posted by Cliff Samaniego, Google Video team

A while ago, New York filmmaker Steve Rosenbaum produced 7 Days in September which tells the story of a week -- September 11-18, 2001 -- with the help of many filmmakers and a multitude of perspectives. As Rosenbaum notes, "Those seven days are full of fear, anger, pain, loss, and a deep sense of community," adding that 7 Days "isn't meant to be an answer, but rather a sounding board that may help people to ask deeply personal questions." We're honored to share it with you on Google Video.

Read more

再谈黑鬼

我之前曾经讨论过有关在英国黑鬼的问题。其实我并不是种族歧视，但是很多事实都主导者偏偏又是黑鬼。

但是上个星期，我的一个很好的同事离开了公司，大家都很舍不得他，然而他又是黑鬼。

他为人很好，虽然已经40多岁了还是保持着青春的活力，经常和我开玩笑。而且在公司工作了有六年了，认识了很多在不同部门工作的人，人缘特好。

我在想究竟是什么因素让我们对黑鬼有偏见呢？

这里我收集了香港电台的一分钟阅读的其中一端，《小心偏见》

按这里下载

Tesco online shop coupon

Just received these two coupons today:

1. 1000 extra point when spend ?75 online: XXD4G2, expires 29-Oct-2006
2. 100 extra point for any groceries shopping: XXTRLM expires 29-Oct-2006

Please feel free to use...

Homebrew Shop

Homebrew Shop

一直以来都以为英国人不喜欢在家酿酒,只是喜欢在超级市场里买.我问过很多朋友,说为什么你们那么喜欢喝红酒,何不自己家酿呢?

我想原因有好几个:
1.酿红酒的工艺很复杂,不是每个人都能handle的.而且不同地方的葡萄都有不同的风味.不象米酒,基本都一样.
2.英国人根本就没有这个习惯.

但是居然还有这样一个网站介绍在家酿酒的工具,但是作为一个购物网站,居然没有产品的图片.?

很落后啊!!

练口语,赚英镑

这样的工作简直就是好,自己制定工作的时间,赚英镑...哈哈哈!

其实就是一些聊天热线,人家打10p一分钟的电话进来和你聊天(当然要迎合顾客的需要拉....),然后你和电话公司分帐.

有两家公司:

1. www.exceltelemedia.co.uk
就是纯粹聊天.

2. www.4dtelecom.co.uk
这个公司经营sky的873/874频道,你要自己制定短信发到电视上,然后吸引观众打电话进来...(坐班制,11pm到7am)

Go to work by Thames - River Commuting

=====================

River commuting by Julia Buckley, Tuesday 5 September 2006 16:00

Fed up with spending half an hour or so each day in a packed and stuffy Tube carriage with your nose inches from someone’s armpit? Then commuting by boat could be the thing for you.

The craft that ply the Thames are no Greek island-hopping rust-buckets. Instead, you travel to work courtesy of a flotilla of privately owned, designer-draped pleasure boats with names such as Hurricane, Sun, Moon and The Viscount ? boats so swish that people hire them by the hour.

They’re not slow either ? a journey from the Savoy Pier (between Temple and Embankment) to Canary Wharf takes 23 minutes in Thames Clippers’ 32mph flagship, Hurricane, while the same route via the Underground takes 19 minutes.

And who wouldn’t sacrifice four minutes for the privilege of arriving in a machine such as Hurricane, adorned with Damien Hirst decoration? It runs from central London to Canary Wharf and on to Woolwich on weekday evenings at peak hours.

During busy Thames Clipper periods, you’ll be met by the Sun and Moon clippers. At 32 metres long, they are the big daddies of the fleet, and capable of carrying 138 passengers. They run from the Savoy Pier to Canary Wharf and Woolwich.

Putney-dwellers can try Thames Executive Charters’ John Harriot, a 24-seater with a mahogany-lined saloon which runs from Putney to Blackfriars via Chelsea Harbour, Cadogan Pier and Embankment. Two other TEC boats ply the Putney route.

With Thames Clippers claiming on-time stats of 98 per cent, you have to ask: “What’s the catch?” The only restrictions are route ? if you don’t live on the river, it won’t help you ? and price. Boats don’t come under the Oyster umbrella ? although being an Oyster-holder gets you a one-third discount ? and a commute from the Savoy Pier to Canary Wharf with Thames Clippers costs ?4.85 return (?7.30 without a travelcard).

TEC has Putney-Blackfriars tickets for ?11 standard return, and Chelsea to Embankment is ?8 return.

Then there is the frequency of service ? Thames Clippers runs boats every 30 minutes (every 15 minutes between 8.30 and 9.30am) and TEC services range from 15 to 45 minutes apart.

Add the fact that you could be chugging a cappuccino on your morning journey and a beer on your return, and you quickly realise why river commuting is increasing by 50 per cent year on year.

Fast facts

More than 700,000 Londoners a year commute by boat with Thames Clippers and Thames Executive Charters ? companies working for Transport for London

Passengers can take bikes on board or leave them in cycle racks at most piers

At every pier, a tracking system tells you when the next boat is due

Stringent passenger limits mean that you might not be allowed on if boats are full, but the boat companies insist this is a rare occurrence

All boats guarantee you a seat and all boats have toilets

River commuters have been increasing by 40-50 per cent year on year. In the wake of the 7/7 bombings, they went up by 80 per cent

Contacts:

www.tfl.gov.uk/river
(020 7941 2400)
www.thamesclippers.com
(0870 781 5049)
www.thamesexecutivecharters.com
(01342 322440)

Tube Hotels

Tube Hotels - hotels near London Underground stations

最近有一个很hot的话题,就是web 2.0了.我看了这个网站就得它可能不是web2.0的应用,只不过是Google Map 的API应用罢了.但是它确有很强的生命力.

我记得很久以前,有人在香港特意出了一本书介绍不同地铁站附近的厕所,这个有异曲同工的味道!

Desert Idea: - Peach and Amaretti Semifreddo

What's Amaretti biscuit?
================
Server:10
Preparation: 20mins
=====

• 90g amaretti biscuits
• 250g mascarpone cheese
• 80g icing sugar
• 2 X 284ml tubs low-fact crea, lightly whipped
• 2 large ripe peaches, peeled, stoned and cut in to eight slices
• Clear honey, to serve

=====================

1. Line a 2lb loaf tin with clingfilm. Put 30g of the amarettei biscuits into a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin until finely crushed. Arrange the crushed biscuits over the bottom of the loaf tin.
2. Beat together the mascarpone and icing sugar. Fold in the cream. Add on third of the cream mixture on top of the araretti biscuits in the tin then arrange four peach slices on top. Roughtly crush the reamaining biscuits and scatter halif in between the peach slices.
3. Cover with another third of the cream mixture (making sure there are no gaps), the remaining peach slices and the rest of the crushed biscuits in between. Cover with the last of the cream mixture.
4. Cover with clingfilm and freeze until firm. Remove from the freezer 20 mins before serving. Cut into slices to serve. Dizzle with clear honey!!!

Weetabix breakfast idea for it website

以下是我从http://www.theweetabixweek.co.uk的到的资讯，它建议我每天都用它的产品来作早餐，不过不知道它的盐含量多不多？？？

================

The Weetabix Week makes it easy to have a healthy, nutritious breakfast showing you an inspiring collections of tasty, simple serving suggestions to help keep breakfast interesting. Here is the full list of recipes we have pulled together, but if you have your own favourite click here and let us know what it is.

• 2 Weetabix, hot milk and chocolate dusting
• 2 Weetabix, hot milk, cinnamon and raisins
• 2 Weetabix, jam and low fat spread
• 2 Weetabix, milk and Alpen sprinkling
• 2 Weetabix, milk and fruit face (dried fruit, apricots, strawberry and sliced banana)
• 2 Weetabix, milk with kiwi, mango and melon
• 2 Weetabix, milk, apples and raisins
• 2 Weetabix, milk, Greek yoghurt (0% fat) and chopped walnuts
• 2 Weetabix, milk, Greek yoghurt and honey (not suitable for under 1)
• 2 Weetabix, milk, natural yoghurt (0%) fat and raspberry compote
• 2 Weetabix, milk, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries
• 2 Weetabix, milk, sliced banana and toasted flaked almonds
• 2 Weetabix, milk, vanilla yoghurt, semi dried apricots and raisins
• 2 Weetabix, fruit smoothie
• 2 Weetabix, strawberry pouring yoghurt and sliced strawberries.

The 14 Best Foods Ever

This week, I read the article on Mens Fitness that suggest there're 14 best food ever for us health:

1. Carrots
2. Mackerel
3. Garlic
4. Oats
5. Bananas
6. Kiwi
7. Blueberries
8. Tomatoes
9. Broccoli
10. Walnuts
11. Watercress
12. Quinoa (这个究竟是什么东东？）
13. Chicken
14. Oliver Oil

Bullying Online The UK's #1 Bullying Resource

Bullying Online The UK's #1 Bullying Resource

Bulling is a cruetly, and very effect the way child grows up. I think this website very help purpils, and parents to gain information about how to prevent it.

Check it out....

ASDA Healthy Living

ASDA Healthy Living - Welcome!

我其实都看过不少超级市场的健康网站，但是我觉得这个可以很棒！特别是有很多factfeet，而且每个月都有superfood of the month！

芽菜鸡肉沙拉

Cooked Chicken, cucumbers, red pepper, spring onion, carrot, lemon, sesame oil and soy source.

芽茶不合适我们作为沙拉，我回想其用烧鸡的肉，加上garlic应该很好吃。

Cool Lunch Idea.....

黑鬼又如何？

阿姨经常说在英国我们要特别注意黑鬼和阿叉。因为黑鬼经常用假币，阿叉浑身都是奇怪的味！！

很多时候我都在想这是典型的种族歧视，我们不应该这样。回想新中国刚成立的时候谁和我们最亲？不是黑人的第三世界么？现在我们又在非洲推行能源外交，歧视都不是很好。

“愿望是美好的，但是现实是残酷的！”

我上星期五上班的时候，一台白色的货车从outside lane突然插了进来，幸亏我们的司机Chris的及时反应，才免至一场车祸的发生。Chris但是让货车停在一旁，车下来了一个黑鬼！而且态度十分恶劣。

哀！！！

再看The X Factors

上个星期录的The X Factors还没有看完，今天不用上班就在家里无聊的看着。看到一些参加海选的人苦苦地哀求评判，让他们通过。我在想人生失落的时候都很多，为什么总要求人了？不过就不过罢了！！！

但是，我又在想如果在这个节骨眼的时候，你没有尽力去争取的话，日后会后悔的。其实这个节目都举行了好几年了，在我的印象中又没有什么一个哀求就通过的，哀！！！

x factors

一年一度的The X Factors又开始了，如果不是我上个星期无聊的时候看到电视预告，而且我又用了sky by mobile来控制我的sky plus，我都没有那么好运录上这个节目。

上星期六的节目到今天才有时间来看。这个节目的海选阶段不单好笑而且又有很多温情的部分。

面包店的推销

每天下班的时候都会经过这个维多利亚火车站(Victoria Station),每天的人流都有很多,因为Gatwick Express还有南部的货车交通都从这里出发,这样的一个平台对于很多商家来说是一个极好的推销平台.

今天就遇上了面包公司在做推销。开始的时候还以为有免费面包送，但是只有涂了牛油的一片面包试吃。。。唉！！！！

还是放弃了，因为吃了面包要刷牙,不划算.....

究竟我的这个Blog要写一些什么呢?

我开始写这个Blog已经有一段时间了,但是很多时候都没有focus。我想了很久,也看过不同人的blog,觉得就要有自己的特性。

首先我要将每天的所见所闻记录下来，何况我又有一个camera的手机。第二我现在没有了hot lunch，所以我要把我枯燥的午餐记录下来，因为我很馋嘴......

我们要坚决抵制iTune 和iPod

10 reasons why I’ll swap my iPod for a Zune

I was given an iPod as a birthday gift a couple of years ago. Immediately, I fell in love with it, and it revolutionised my listening habits. It looks good, it is easy to use, and my particular model stored 5,000 songs, about half of my CD-based music collection.

But my love affair quickly turned sour. Over time, I have experienced various problems with the iPod and iTunes, some of which are listed after the jump.

My iPod is theoretically full (well, it would be, had it not refused to upload 40% of my digital music catalogue), meaning that I need a new one with more storage space, but because of these issues I’m going to wait for Microsoft’s ‘Zune’. I don’t expect MS to fix everything, but I just can’t commit to investing in another overhyped, underperforming device from Apple, beautiful as they are.

So here are my top 10 issues with iPod and iTunes:

1. iTunes = TOO EXPENSIVE. You pay over the odds for albums that often cost way less on Amazon. So if you’re prepared to wait for a CD to arrive then do so, because you get some added extras like packaging and artwork, and hey, it’s a hard copy! Ok, iTunes is great when you just want one or two tunes, but you end up buying full albums. One Cocteau Twins ‘box set’ was being sold on iTunes for twice the price of the much nicer hard copy - ?35 vs ?18. Outrage!

2. iTunes = TOO SINGLE-MINDED. Variable pricing is needed, especially for the indie labels and the vintage material. Blame the greedhead record execs for this. I can’t come to terms with buying a new tune for the same sort of money that I pay for something that’s already made millions in profit for these swine. Or that the really weird only-me-and-three-others-will-buy-it-this-year song costs the same as some guff from Coldplay. But no, some obscure track costs the same as a new, uberpopular, 15-weeks-at-number-1 hit single.

3. iTunes = UNFORGIVING. It gives you the songs once, and no more, so you have to remember to make backups. You can’t download them again! And yes, I'm bitter, I forgot (procrastinated / relied on my iPod for backup). I just didn’t get to this in time and my rubbish Dell laptop died some months ago, leaving me 40% stuffed (see 6. for calculations). Like I said, buying a CD gives you a hard copy to begin with, so why bother with iTunes? iTunes suggests that you always backup downloads. Presumably you need to buy blank CDs to create ‘hard’ backups. Ridiculous, when you can just buy the CD to begin with, for less money.

4. iTunes = HORRIBLE USER EXPERIENCE. But it’s APPLE! Apple wins design awards! Jonathan Ives! Righty-ho. Well here it is: iTunes sucks, from a usability perspective. I may save my bitchin’ for a whole new post ? that’s how sucky it is. Clunky, heavy, image rich, slow, imprecise, poor search functionality, no watchlist. Why can’t I search by label? Why can’t I properly personalise iTunes? How come it doesn’t seem to remember which albums I have bought, when recommending me new material? I think Apple has missed a trick in this area.

5. iPod = CRASH. It’s gonna happen, happens all the time. I’ve stopped shuffling ‘All Songs’, because, like a blind alcoholic driving a bus with faulty brakes, that’s a guaranteed crash-in-waiting. Sometimes it will stick on one song, keep you waiting, then move to another, repeat several times, then play the opening of a song before giving up entirely. This forces you to perform a hard reset. Sometimes, a hard reset will put the iPod in a coma for days, before you see a miraculous recovery, like some kind of gift from the iPod Gods. And you, poor iPod user, remain none the wiser. The brave can opt for a factory reset, but then you need to re-upload all of your songs. Pain! Woe! Craaaash!

6. iPod = FALSE DAWN. Believe me, if you’re a music fan who hasn’t made the switch to digital music players then you don’t know what you’re missing. You will be amazed at how an iPod changes your listening behaviour. But then, it will Let You Down, as technology often does. Sometimes you are told that you MUST update your iPod, even if it is working perfectly, and sometimes this course of action results in Big Problems. Technology is never simple, is it? Figuring out how to make iTunes and iPods work when things go awry is not straightforward. I couldn’t get mine to speak to one another for a number of annoying weeks. When it finally did start talking it only uploaded about 60% of my music catalogue. And then my Dell laptop stopped working, so now I’ve lost 40% of my digital music collection.

7. iPod = UNETHICAL? Apple has been on the receiving end of accusations about using sweatshops in China (The Mail On Sunday pointed the finger last month). Sure, iPods look pretty cool, but would you feel comfortable paying ?300 for a device built by “workers, who work 15-hour days but are paid just $50 a month - miserable even by China's standards”?

8. iTunes = PROPRIETARY FILE FORMAT. A ghastly, lock-in strategy from Apple, which doesn’t realise that people don’t like this sort of thing. It will be interesting to see what Microsoft’s Zune offers, in terms of acceptable file formats. We do know that it is “planning to let you download for free any songs you've already bought from the iTunes Music Store”.

9. iPods = QUALITY ISSUES? Not according to VP of iPod Marketing Greg Joswiak, who says the iPod has a 5% first-year failure rate, compared with 30% for many mobile devices. But there have been many reports of breakages, of battery failures, of scratchy surfaces. And hey, 5% of the 8.1m iPods sold in the last three months is 405,000, which is a lot of broken devices.

10. iPod = NOT ZUNE! Yup, MS is going mano e mano with Apple, which currently dominates the digital music space with about 80% market share. This is almost certainly going to fall with the release of Zune, which we also expect will enlarge the overall market. Don’t bet against Microsoft, not when it is this serious. It is planning to pour hundreds of millions of dollars into the Zune rollout, and has a 5-year strategic plan. Serious Commitment. Look at how well MS has done in establishing the Xbox as a competitor to Sony’s PS2. At the time, many thought launching a console was folly. I’m highly likely to give Zune a whirl when it is launched. Especially if it is Wi-Fi-enabled. And, of course, for the 9 above reasons…