Journal Entries
Sinatra in Concert
Posted Mar 16, 2008
Friday morning a colleague at work came in raving about Frank Sinatra. His significant other had taken him to see a stage show in Brighton that uses old film clips of Sinatra with a live backing and dancers and all the lights and mirrors that Sinatra didn’t need.
Anyway, he’d suddenly discovered Sinatra. Even though I’ve been a bit of a fan for years, I hadn’t heard of this show. But I was able to get tickets for last night’s performance and after a pleasant, but wet, afternoon strolling the prom and an Italian dinner, went along.
With a couple of reservations, It was brilliant. The dancers mingled with the old time film on the mobile screens. The band played on and Sinatra delivered like only he could. The production was slick and original, at least I’ve never seen anything like it.
The only criticism, and it’s a small one, is that the music from the band didn’t emulate the backing that Sinatra had. The softer, slower numbers had the same swing sound that the heavyweight numbers had. No strings you see. But hey.
I never saw him in the flesh but it was almost as good. It makes me wish that I had. A worthy tribute.
Man, that guy could sing.
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Latest reply: Mar 16, 2008
New Scope
Posted Feb 17, 2008
I had a little bit of luck last week. I was out for a walk with Mrs Deke last weekend and came across an advert in a newsagent’s window. It was for a Meade ETX-90 telescope complete with Tripod and Autostar go-to computer.
It’s a slightly older ’scope but it was at a knock down price. I hummed and hawed over it through the week and yesterday went to have a look at it. The good lady that was selling it had it outside at 6pm to take a look through at the moon. Compared with my old clunker the clarity of the optics was surprisingly better even though it is a smaller aperture. So I jumped at the chance.
Being a Maksutov-Cassegrain it is a whole lot more compact and easier to get in and out of the house. I got it set up at home last night and focussed in on the moon and the nearby Mars. It was quite a revelation to see it so well. I’m looking forward to a few less chilly nights though.
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Latest reply: Feb 17, 2008
Amazing,,, Full House.
Posted Dec 13, 2007
All on the same day. amazing!
Front page... Apollo Missions
Waiting Final Polish... Apus, Bird of Paradise
With Sub-Editor... Antlia the Air Pump
Picked... Aquarius the Water carrier
Full house
DK 
Discuss this Journal entry [4]
Latest reply: Dec 13, 2007
Oh... the thrill of it all. 1
Posted Oct 6, 2007
We broke out of the cloud cover at 5,000 feet into clear blue air. The cloud layer stretched out as far as the eye could see. A white floor to the sky with blue above and only marred by a few high flying whisps of cloud above… much higher above. Peering from the front seat through the windscreen only a couple of feet in front of my nose and through the arc of the Texan’s propeller it was another world. My reflections on the scene were interrupted by the instructor from the seat behind, his voice tinny in the headphones. We were coming up to the right height for the lesson.
As we levelled out we came up to the edge of a gigantic formless basin in the cloud that went down to ground level leaving the Florida landscape laid out like a map at its base. Roads, fields, farms and lakes were spread out in minute detail as we banked to the left to follow the wall of cloud around the side of the basin. Way below, a twin engine aircraft stooged around near the ground with flashes of sunlight off its wings as it turned and twisted near the ground.
The instructor demonstrated the first manoeuvre, a simple loop and I have to follow through and repeat it. A slight increase in revs from the engine, a bank to the left and then to the right with a look around to make sure no one else is going to get in the way. Then a slight forward pressure on the control column to put the aircraft into a shallow dive and build up speed to 180. Watching the airspeed indicator as the needle crosses the mark, a gentle pull back on the stick brings the nose up further and holding the stick back in the crotch, further still. Nothing here is ever done suddenly or hurriedly, the secret of a good loop is in the smoothness of control.
There is little sensation of movement but arms and head become heavier as we fight gravity. The horizon falls away and gradually nothing except blue sky can be seen in front. Looking up and the landscape is stretched out above, but really below us. We drop down into the full harness as we hang in the harness and our weight is taken on our shoulders. Coming over the top of the loop I relax a little pressure on the stick to keep it circular and suddenly we are on the downward leg with the nose pointing to the ground.
Pulling back on the stick brings the nose up from the vertical and once more gravity takes hold and pushes us into our seats. Smoothing out the bottom of the circle is easier. Just letting the stick return to its central position as we regain the horizontal and our normal weight. Oh bliss, just to put the cream on it we are still heading in the same direction that we were when we began.
Discuss this Journal entry [1]
Latest reply: Oct 6, 2007
Woolworths Service
Posted Sep 22, 2007
It seems a bit extreme, but he was probably just trying to attract the attention of a member of staff to get some service.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2007/09/21/knifeman-in-suicide-at-woolies-89520-19824511/
Discuss this Journal entry [2]
Latest reply: Sep 22, 2007
Deek
Researcher U27380
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