Thursday, 28 January 2010
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
...wondering about the niceness of suburbia
Has the idyllic but superficial nature of the appeal of the suburban neighbourhood been ruined with the boom in local council's use of the wheelie-bin?
In other words:
Is the wheelie-bin the modern blight on the wafer-thin gloss of suburban aesthetics.
So many Victorian terraces, Barratt-built modern toss and everything before, after and in-between has be compromised by the introduction of the one-size-fits-nothing wheelie-monster.
The idea of Victorian housing, whether terrace, flat or house, was to have the best parts of life showing. The best room; the Sunday-only front room was, well, the front. You sit there in your best clothes, watching everyone else's sitting there in their best, looking back at you. All was well in society and at least on one day, you knew exactly where you where in the grand scheme of your street. You, in Victorian society, knew where you were in every other aspect of life all the time anyway.
But today, there is no front in the same fake 'all is well' sense. So many houses of the past are now flats, flats are now studios. Fit it in, it's all introverted living anyway.
When you now drive up and down any suburban context in Britain today, it's not the houses that you first see, it's the bins, the masses of bins. Wheelie with many various coloured recycling boxes on top. Don't get me wrong, I recycle like a nut myself. But it's strange how the rubbish now controls the area between the front door and the pavement. What next, we literally do the laundry in the gutter outside, in the street. No, that's just silly, we have machines in the kitchen, integrated and hidden, for washing and drying that lot. No, we, as modern-lifers, seem to be proud of our shit, the waste of our- until quite recently- prosperous lives.
It's really bazaar why it's got like this. But until some bright-light a few years ago thought of the wheelie being the answer to the question no-one asked, the back alley, the back passage, the rear run, was thought to be a thing of un-need. Now, it would be the thing to make the wheelie work without the visual blighting we have at present. The trucks could run up or down them, with the technicians or whatever, working behind. That would work right?
I don't know, I'm asking you!
In other words:
Is the wheelie-bin the modern blight on the wafer-thin gloss of suburban aesthetics.
So many Victorian terraces, Barratt-built modern toss and everything before, after and in-between has be compromised by the introduction of the one-size-fits-nothing wheelie-monster.
The idea of Victorian housing, whether terrace, flat or house, was to have the best parts of life showing. The best room; the Sunday-only front room was, well, the front. You sit there in your best clothes, watching everyone else's sitting there in their best, looking back at you. All was well in society and at least on one day, you knew exactly where you where in the grand scheme of your street. You, in Victorian society, knew where you were in every other aspect of life all the time anyway.
But today, there is no front in the same fake 'all is well' sense. So many houses of the past are now flats, flats are now studios. Fit it in, it's all introverted living anyway.
When you now drive up and down any suburban context in Britain today, it's not the houses that you first see, it's the bins, the masses of bins. Wheelie with many various coloured recycling boxes on top. Don't get me wrong, I recycle like a nut myself. But it's strange how the rubbish now controls the area between the front door and the pavement. What next, we literally do the laundry in the gutter outside, in the street. No, that's just silly, we have machines in the kitchen, integrated and hidden, for washing and drying that lot. No, we, as modern-lifers, seem to be proud of our shit, the waste of our- until quite recently- prosperous lives.
It's really bazaar why it's got like this. But until some bright-light a few years ago thought of the wheelie being the answer to the question no-one asked, the back alley, the back passage, the rear run, was thought to be a thing of un-need. Now, it would be the thing to make the wheelie work without the visual blighting we have at present. The trucks could run up or down them, with the technicians or whatever, working behind. That would work right?
I don't know, I'm asking you!
Sunday, 24 January 2010
...going to...
...plug my Milly Moo.
Not actually pluging her, but the crappy poem I wrote about her. Still needs a bit of tidying I think, but anyway....
Nobody knows were the Milly Moo goes.
Plus, her she is, rabbiting to the birds last Sunday
Not actually pluging her, but the crappy poem I wrote about her. Still needs a bit of tidying I think, but anyway....
Nobody knows were the Milly Moo goes.
Plus, her she is, rabbiting to the birds last Sunday
Sunday, 17 January 2010
...going to push on up and out...
...yeah, I don't know what I mean either. Something about not getting so sleepy all the time.
Well I've started my have a big roast dinner:
Roast chicken breast (over cooked to taste perfection but it shrunk like no-bodies business)
Roast carrots
Roast Parsnip fingers
Steamed runners
Steamed peas
Steamed carrots
Steamed Broccoli
Roast potatoes
Bread sauce
Chicken gravy from steamed veg water (vitamins, hopefully)
Yorkshire Puddings
It might be bad taste to advertise my gluttony but I don't always eat like this. Normally it's a bowl of cereal or a fortnight on Tuesdays, Dominos 2-for-1 (which we eat over 2 nights)
Anywho, here's a picture of said meal:
Well I've started my have a big roast dinner:
Roast chicken breast (over cooked to taste perfection but it shrunk like no-bodies business)
Roast carrots
Roast Parsnip fingers
Steamed runners
Steamed peas
Steamed carrots
Steamed Broccoli
Roast potatoes
Bread sauce
Chicken gravy from steamed veg water (vitamins, hopefully)
Yorkshire Puddings
It might be bad taste to advertise my gluttony but I don't always eat like this. Normally it's a bowl of cereal or a fortnight on Tuesdays, Dominos 2-for-1 (which we eat over 2 nights)
Anywho, here's a picture of said meal:
Saturday, 16 January 2010
...sleepy sleep
Yeah, I don't know what it is, or why, but I've been so sleepy this last week.
Shame really, I've wanted to do more writing and I'm full of ideas too, but yeah, I'm shattered.
Maybe it's the cold or the fact that it's been really, really dark here in the Second City of the Empire, but...
...I've struggling to stay awake longer than three hours at a time.
Anyway, I'll eat more veg, maybe that'll do it!
Shame really, I've wanted to do more writing and I'm full of ideas too, but yeah, I'm shattered.
Maybe it's the cold or the fact that it's been really, really dark here in the Second City of the Empire, but...
...I've struggling to stay awake longer than three hours at a time.
Anyway, I'll eat more veg, maybe that'll do it!
Monday, 28 December 2009
...listing what I should have been doing online...
...instead of comparing vacuums...
Blog and bother:
Kolo and the Lamborghini stereo
Kolo and the fog lights of others
Kolo and all the neighbours cars, with all the pictures
The new Opel/Vauxhall Astra v the older but better looking Astra
The charette, what is a charette, oh a competition where no-one loses, how very PC
Team2 and second class charette, inc. you can’t plan anything else when architecture’s involved
The resulting work from the international charette
What I would have done with the campus if there was more time
The sadness of Wednesday, the day after it was all over
The Great Western (City): the background history as an index
Start with the scene behind the bullet-proof glass
A second novella from the view of a man on the street, a secret diary from outside the ‘organisation’
Complete the ‘sister’s friend’ story, maybe write again as a script
Write up the sketchbook’s notes for the script
Don’t forget: Fast Car, Twin Sized Bed, A View from the Edge,
Sketchbook up ideas for the new campus of the GSA, bring A4+A3 paper and my paper-roll
The Great Western party badge (pin badge, lapel badge, uniform logo, banner logo & flag etc.)
Blog and bother:
Kolo and the Lamborghini stereo
Kolo and the fog lights of others
Kolo and all the neighbours cars, with all the pictures
The new Opel/Vauxhall Astra v the older but better looking Astra
The charette, what is a charette, oh a competition where no-one loses, how very PC
Team2 and second class charette, inc. you can’t plan anything else when architecture’s involved
The resulting work from the international charette
What I would have done with the campus if there was more time
The sadness of Wednesday, the day after it was all over
The Great Western (City): the background history as an index
Start with the scene behind the bullet-proof glass
A second novella from the view of a man on the street, a secret diary from outside the ‘organisation’
Complete the ‘sister’s friend’ story, maybe write again as a script
Write up the sketchbook’s notes for the script
Don’t forget: Fast Car, Twin Sized Bed, A View from the Edge,
Sketchbook up ideas for the new campus of the GSA, bring A4+A3 paper and my paper-roll
The Great Western party badge (pin badge, lapel badge, uniform logo, banner logo & flag etc.)
...comparing vacuum cleaners...
...yes, I don't know why either.
But here goes my impression of Which? Magazine...
Today I'll be test driving my iRobot Roomba 560 with Momo's new Dyson DC25AllFloors Ball.
As I looked for my missing Milly Moo in the understairs cupboard, I discovered Momo's new purchase, the new in late 2008 Ball Vacuum by BallBarrow and cyclone, bagless vacuum inventor James Dyson. It's a perfect marriage of his two best creations. A dirty-cyclone-rolling-ball-carpet-&-hardfloor-upright-vacuum-thingy-ma-jiggy.
Only last month, or the month before, before that did I bring my iRobot Roomba 560 fully automated vacuum robot cleaner machine to Momo's to help her out. Since her Skeletal TB has left her with three half eaten vertebra, her surgeon's told her not to hoover, stand on chairs to change light bulbs and generally not do any housework of any type.
So it brings me to this test; a fully automated, schedule-programmed thing from a Japanese 80's video or Dyson's best.
So what's involved? Well, it's a fair test; the same house to be cleaned, with myself cleaning.
First, set up:
I wasn't there when the Dyson arrived but it's instructions to construct it into a functioning vacuum looks like a piece of p*ss on the label still flapping off the neck of the machine. A click here, a click there, done. Then plug the mother in, press the big red button on the neck and off you go, cleaning like a domestic sevant.
The Roomba is just as easy, if not a bit more. There is a dock, plug that into the wall. There are 'walls' you put the fattest of batteries in, sadly not included. Then pull a but of plastic tab from underneath of the actual robot to free it's battery and get it to sit on it's dock. Initially for 16 hours, or until the clean switch on it's centre glows from red, to orange then ideally, green.
Secondly, the first clean:
As for the Dyson, off you go, clean like you mean it. Unless you're a complete clot when clicking it all together, it should just go, sucking up everything in it's way. The first drive is accompanied with the burning smell, so very light of oil and other bits from the factory. It goes by the third or fourth go-round-the-house.
The iRobot has to be set up, you have to but in the day, time first. If you're a VHS-player-phobic, don't worry, it's like setting up a digital alarm clock after a power cut. Then program in the days and times you want you little friend to go around your house. Done. Well, not quite. I would recommend you press clean there and then and follow it, the way you would follow a new servant around when their CV is questionable. Roomba's not a thief but it is a vacuum. It'll suck up any loose gold earrings or other some but important bittibobbies left on the floor. Once you've made you home Roomba friendly, then it's all plain sailing forever on.
Thirdly, living with them longterm:
At the end of the day, the balled Dyson is just like any upright, a bit heavier than Momo's old DC01 and my old Hoover upright. The pivoting ball idea is clever but a tad gimmicky; you have to turn the thing on your wrist and being as heavy as it is to drive around the sofa as it is, you still only go stripy on the floor. Yep, after all that's said and done, it's too heavy to do anything but use it like any no balled machine. Shame really. It's a bit of genius design. The DC25 is a real improvement over the original bagless DC01 of nearly 10 years ago, in the way you empty it. The whole notion of Dyson's design was that his daughter or son or cat or monkey was all allergic to dust and things. Well the cleaning might be so when you're about the house but when it came to emptying the bagless tube, dust would go everywhere, plus you have to touch it's inner yellow cone which will be caked in dusty dust. I can't empty the DC01 because I too, am an 'allergic'. Now though, it's click to release the DC25's tube then another click for the tube's bottom to flap open over a bin or next to one if you're one of those dyspraxics. Then push the bottom closed and click back into the DC25 itself. Easy.
So to the 560 version of the Roomba that's been running about your home for months now. In the price we paid for this addition to the Dawson-Bartlett house, it came with 3 years parts, labour and full replacement warranty. So if like me, you have heard of other people's Roombas dying after a few months, then at least we have 3 years of complete peace of mind. It is also so easy to empty too. It, like the Dyson is bagless. Press a button in the top and pull it's backbox out, tip it's contents into the bin, the filter, included in this box flips out and the fluff just falls away, none of the Dyson DC01's finger rubbing either. If you want to be a complete Monica Gellar about it, you can turn the 560 over and press a pair buttons to release to the two brushes to de-tangle your hair from them. Only do it monthly as per instructions if you're more Rachel Green about the home, then you're in keeping with the warranty too. I'm a bit too Monica and do it everyday, same with emptying the back box.
Fourthly, cost:
At £300, including the warranty, the Roomba's not cheap, but I've also heard of Dysons dying or burning out too. They, in the price include a 5 year parts and labour guaranty. So at £290 for the basic DC25AllFloors, it wins on price and err, reassurance. But they both lose compared to any other vacuum cleaners; Hoovers start at £90 for a bagless upright. £60 if you shout. But the Dyson is a rounded bit of kit, pun not intended. It is solid, really well put together. Hard wearing and solid, like an 80's Merc saloon.
The iRobot is well made like a new Merc; built to a cost but it is designed to be easy to completely take apart and it's so stupidly simple too. Only a micro computer makes it more complicated then a hair-dryer. Don't take it apart though. Unless your qualified and certificated by the manufacturer to do so.
Fifthly, so which is best?
The iRobot Roomba 560 silly!
Apart from the initial follow about and Roomba proofing of your home, it's a doddle. Yes you have to pick it to take it upstairs (like every other vacuum) but it's only 1.5Kg unlike the Dyson, which is nearly 5.9Kg. Plus the Roomba won't fall back down them, it's clever.
But think about it; the Dyson or any other cleaner is like you're doing the housework, the Roomba is like you're Wooster from the 30's. Why do it when you have a servant to do it.
Simple.
Sixthly, the links:
iRobot Roomba 560
Dyson DC25
if you have domestic help, or are the domestic help....
....tell me I'm wrong below, in the comments box.
But here goes my impression of Which? Magazine...
Today I'll be test driving my iRobot Roomba 560 with Momo's new Dyson DC25AllFloors Ball.
As I looked for my missing Milly Moo in the understairs cupboard, I discovered Momo's new purchase, the new in late 2008 Ball Vacuum by BallBarrow and cyclone, bagless vacuum inventor James Dyson. It's a perfect marriage of his two best creations. A dirty-cyclone-rolling-ball-carpet-&-hardfloor-upright-vacuum-thingy-ma-jiggy.
Only last month, or the month before, before that did I bring my iRobot Roomba 560 fully automated vacuum robot cleaner machine to Momo's to help her out. Since her Skeletal TB has left her with three half eaten vertebra, her surgeon's told her not to hoover, stand on chairs to change light bulbs and generally not do any housework of any type.
So it brings me to this test; a fully automated, schedule-programmed thing from a Japanese 80's video or Dyson's best.
So what's involved? Well, it's a fair test; the same house to be cleaned, with myself cleaning.
First, set up:
I wasn't there when the Dyson arrived but it's instructions to construct it into a functioning vacuum looks like a piece of p*ss on the label still flapping off the neck of the machine. A click here, a click there, done. Then plug the mother in, press the big red button on the neck and off you go, cleaning like a domestic sevant.
The Roomba is just as easy, if not a bit more. There is a dock, plug that into the wall. There are 'walls' you put the fattest of batteries in, sadly not included. Then pull a but of plastic tab from underneath of the actual robot to free it's battery and get it to sit on it's dock. Initially for 16 hours, or until the clean switch on it's centre glows from red, to orange then ideally, green.
Secondly, the first clean:
As for the Dyson, off you go, clean like you mean it. Unless you're a complete clot when clicking it all together, it should just go, sucking up everything in it's way. The first drive is accompanied with the burning smell, so very light of oil and other bits from the factory. It goes by the third or fourth go-round-the-house.
The iRobot has to be set up, you have to but in the day, time first. If you're a VHS-player-phobic, don't worry, it's like setting up a digital alarm clock after a power cut. Then program in the days and times you want you little friend to go around your house. Done. Well, not quite. I would recommend you press clean there and then and follow it, the way you would follow a new servant around when their CV is questionable. Roomba's not a thief but it is a vacuum. It'll suck up any loose gold earrings or other some but important bittibobbies left on the floor. Once you've made you home Roomba friendly, then it's all plain sailing forever on.
Thirdly, living with them longterm:
At the end of the day, the balled Dyson is just like any upright, a bit heavier than Momo's old DC01 and my old Hoover upright. The pivoting ball idea is clever but a tad gimmicky; you have to turn the thing on your wrist and being as heavy as it is to drive around the sofa as it is, you still only go stripy on the floor. Yep, after all that's said and done, it's too heavy to do anything but use it like any no balled machine. Shame really. It's a bit of genius design. The DC25 is a real improvement over the original bagless DC01 of nearly 10 years ago, in the way you empty it. The whole notion of Dyson's design was that his daughter or son or cat or monkey was all allergic to dust and things. Well the cleaning might be so when you're about the house but when it came to emptying the bagless tube, dust would go everywhere, plus you have to touch it's inner yellow cone which will be caked in dusty dust. I can't empty the DC01 because I too, am an 'allergic'. Now though, it's click to release the DC25's tube then another click for the tube's bottom to flap open over a bin or next to one if you're one of those dyspraxics. Then push the bottom closed and click back into the DC25 itself. Easy.
So to the 560 version of the Roomba that's been running about your home for months now. In the price we paid for this addition to the Dawson-Bartlett house, it came with 3 years parts, labour and full replacement warranty. So if like me, you have heard of other people's Roombas dying after a few months, then at least we have 3 years of complete peace of mind. It is also so easy to empty too. It, like the Dyson is bagless. Press a button in the top and pull it's backbox out, tip it's contents into the bin, the filter, included in this box flips out and the fluff just falls away, none of the Dyson DC01's finger rubbing either. If you want to be a complete Monica Gellar about it, you can turn the 560 over and press a pair buttons to release to the two brushes to de-tangle your hair from them. Only do it monthly as per instructions if you're more Rachel Green about the home, then you're in keeping with the warranty too. I'm a bit too Monica and do it everyday, same with emptying the back box.
Fourthly, cost:
At £300, including the warranty, the Roomba's not cheap, but I've also heard of Dysons dying or burning out too. They, in the price include a 5 year parts and labour guaranty. So at £290 for the basic DC25AllFloors, it wins on price and err, reassurance. But they both lose compared to any other vacuum cleaners; Hoovers start at £90 for a bagless upright. £60 if you shout. But the Dyson is a rounded bit of kit, pun not intended. It is solid, really well put together. Hard wearing and solid, like an 80's Merc saloon.
The iRobot is well made like a new Merc; built to a cost but it is designed to be easy to completely take apart and it's so stupidly simple too. Only a micro computer makes it more complicated then a hair-dryer. Don't take it apart though. Unless your qualified and certificated by the manufacturer to do so.
Fifthly, so which is best?
The iRobot Roomba 560 silly!
Apart from the initial follow about and Roomba proofing of your home, it's a doddle. Yes you have to pick it to take it upstairs (like every other vacuum) but it's only 1.5Kg unlike the Dyson, which is nearly 5.9Kg. Plus the Roomba won't fall back down them, it's clever.
But think about it; the Dyson or any other cleaner is like you're doing the housework, the Roomba is like you're Wooster from the 30's. Why do it when you have a servant to do it.
Simple.
Sixthly, the links:
iRobot Roomba 560
Dyson DC25
if you have domestic help, or are the domestic help....
....tell me I'm wrong below, in the comments box.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
