Order of the Bath

Although they say that everything on facebook is there for ever, in practice the visibility of any one item is very transient. This fantastic rap came up on Radio Free Babylon last week and has already dropped off the front page. I think it is worth preserving so I reproduce it here (with thanks and slightly improved formatting). All credit to the original authors.

We’re reformed. We’re fundamental.
We’re traditional. Experiential.
We’re Shakers. We’re Quakers.
We’re Baptists. We’re Trappists.
We’re Friends. We’re with the Brethren.
We’re addicts. We’re reverends.
We’re insecure. We’re not so sure.
We’re being cured. We’re not so pure.
We’re Charismatic. We’re problematic.
We’re Latter Rain. We feel your pain.
We’re old fashioned. We’re progressive.
We’re laid back. We’re aggressive.
We’re a throwback to the fast track.
We’re with the Jew—and He’s with you.
We’re disciples. We’re students.
We’re careless—and imprudent.
We’re sinners. We’re winners.
The air seems thinner. We’re at the dinner.

Where you’ve been and where you’re gonna be is not for us to see.
What you did and what you’re gonna do is not what qualifies you.
Is it true that we’re just what we perceive—or what we think we believe?
We’re just trying to finish the float—and there’s room in the boat.

Throughout November and December we are replacing our current ticket and MCV machines with new smart card enabled machines.

FirstBus

Actually—no! You are introducing new “Dumb cards.”

The old ones were open season tickets which were validated on first use and then available for 7 or 31 days. I buy a wad of them when they are on discount and use them as needed. The new ones have a start and end date on them when purchased so you have to know in advance when you are going to want them. No late booking of holidays then else lose a chunk of your season ticket.

Anyway, these are only interim tickets read by eye-of-driver as the full network of machines won’t be installed and operational until April (according to the Council) then real smart tickets become available, but I wonder just how smart they will be and in whose favour.

It is as well to make sure you are doing the right thing with your TV licence because the agency is notoriously unforgiving, very hard to convince about unusual situations and can harass you mercilessly. They have recently clarified the requirements regarding internet watching and laptops etc. The relevant rules are….

Watching TV on the internet
You need to be covered by a licence if you watch TV online at the same time as it’s being broadcast on conventional TV in the UK or the Channel Islands.

Your parents’ TV Licence will not cover you while you are away at university unless you only use a device that’s powered solely by its own internal batteries. You must not plug it into the mains when using it to receive TV.

So it looks like you may be able to get away with a laptop without a licence so long as it is either running on battery and internet (no aerial and the charger is not plugged in—that includes not using an external monitor) or you are only using catch-up services. But I suspect it will not be easy to convince them if they turn up on your doorstep. If you use a TV capable for reception as a computer monitor it can be incredibly hard to convince them that you don’t receive programs on it. Make sure there are no internal aerials or cables nearby capable of connecting to a rooftop aerial e.g. provided by your landlord.

You don’t need a licence during the summer holidays
Good news. If you move out of your term-time address for the summer months, you can ask us to give you back the cost of the licence for that time – which could be around £37. (As long as your licence is still valid for at least three full calendar months and you don’t need it again before it expires.)

So remember to apply for a refund when you finish for the year.

I have just been introduced to this organisation which is promoting independent shop traders in Bristol. They have produced a series of six recipe postcards, one for each major shopping thoroughfare in Bristol. This is the Gloucester Road one and I have also seen the Whiteladies Road one. Each one has on the back a recipe supplied by locals and which can be easily made from ingredients purchased in a short walk down the road rather than a car trip to Jamie’s or Delia’s emporium. Look out for them in your area.

See my post from July to learn more about this fascinating street.

I first saw one of these adverts at the beginning of the summer. It was scrawled onto a piece of cardboard torn from a box and tied to a lamp-post with string and I thought “they have got to be kidding”. Since then this slightly smarter one has appeared in a similar place and now I have seen a more detailed one stuck to the door of a car which adds “Up to full market value paid. Fast, reliable service. No agent fees.”.

Is this some sort of scam or is it they just don’t like estate agents? At a guess I would say they they were exploiting people who are having trouble meeting their mortgage but I will be glad to be reassured that they are above board.