SCREEN Savers

I have a folder of some of my best photos like this Prehensile-tailed Skink and the Lace Monitor, below. I use it as the slide show folder for the screen saver. It has the title ‘Pretty’ and that’s what it started off as – a folder of pretty pictures. I suppose that even more controversially I could have called it ‘Cute’.



I’m not sure that either title is still appropriate but the idea remains good!

British Grand Prix

Yesterday, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton dominated a wet and chaotic British Grand Prix to storm back to the top of the Formula One standings in front of his home fans. Hamilton, the first British winner at Silverstone since David Coulthard in 2000, was fourth on the grid but ended up lapping all but second placed Nick Heidfeld in a BMW Sauber (who was 68 seconds behind him) and the Honda of a jubilant Rubens Barrichello who took third place.



One minute and eight second sounds like the sort of gap caused by tyre changes, pit stops and things like that but he and Heidfeld were on the same tyres throughout and most of the field, including Heidfeld, only had one stop. For the last twelve laps Hamilton was told by McLaren to slow down!



Anyone who doesn’t rate Hamilton as one of the best drivers ever should replay this race and his Formula Two winning race of two years ago when he came from the back of the field. They are classic wins. Hamilton described it as "... the best weekend ever."



The 23-year-old's third win of the season ended a two race barren run to send him level on 48 points with Ferrari's Brazilian Felipe Massa, who was 13th and last, and world champion Kimi Raikkonen.

But how many winners of the British Grand Prix have been British?
And can you name them?

And some more questions.
Which nationality of driver has won the most Grand Prix since the inception of the World Championship?
Who has won most British Grand Prix in his career?
How many drivers have won more than one British Grand Prix?
How many British Grand Prix have there been (as part of the Formula One World Championship)?
Can you name the three venues at which the British Grand Prix has been held?

The answers will be posted later today – around 6 pm assuming Google’s scheduling works OK.

LAINEE's Dad's Bus

People are forever commenting upon how strange I am to get excited by things like Pillar Boxes, Hoverflies and Fruit Labels. So it is always nice to come across other folk with unusual enthusiasms. My friend Lainee the Painter, for example, is a bus fanatic. Her Dad used to be a bus driver and she can recognise a Leyland Atlantean at 400 metres. (Me, I can’t even see any bus at 4 metres without my glasses, but that’s neither here nor there.)



For all Lainee’s fellow fanatics, here is her Dad’s bus – it was a Leyland Atlantean run by Wallasey Corporation. The picture was taken by John Bennett at the Kidderminster Road/Rail Rally on 12 October 1997 and shows Fleet number 1 (FHF 451) with slight damage to the engine cover. This is the actual vehicle represented by Corgi Classics 1/50th scale model 97232.



FHF451 is regarded by many as the first Leyland Atlantean to be purchased and placed into service by any bus company, entering service with Wallasey Corporation Motors in December 1958 as their fleet number 1. This bus carried 77 seat full height bodywork constructed by Metro-Cammell in Birmingham and was in fact one of three pre-production Atlanteans to enter service in that month. It was not until 1966 that one-man double deck operation became legal although, on occasion, Wallasey operated them as one-man single-deckers by taping off the staircase. Thankfully, as befits a vehicle of its significance, No.1 has been preserved.
 

PAINTINGS galore

I’ve been sorting through some of my paintings recently and deciding which to keep. This pastel of the Callanish Stones has gone up to live in the Hebrides with GB.



Meanwhile, this abstract, another pastel, is living on the hall wall.

COMMENTATORS

I wouldn’t be a commentator for a big clock. or even two big clocks. It is a difficult job. Finding things to say when nothing is happening; keeping up with the action when it is; recognising players; pronouncing their names; all very difficult. But that isn’t going to stop me picking on them when they make comments like:-

“I’ve rarely heard a player praised so highly pre a game and perform so poorly in a game”. Pre a game? What’s wrong with ‘Before a game’?

“..we can sit here and pontiflicate, err, pantifocate, err. all afternoon...”

“Today she has no pressure. She can swing for the fences.” What on earth is that supposed to mean???

“One of them must win this match.” - Tennis commentator.

“It doesn’t look as though either of them could win this match.” – Tennis commentator.

“...titanium pigment flew up...” Tennis commentator - What happened to good old chalk?

“Let’s see what is eventuating out on Court Four.”