Bilirubin

So apropos of this weekend past I noted Newcastle during my ride north. Was really surprised at how attractive it was! I guess I expected it to be a giant junkyard or something

the list of those who were anything less than (a) pretty much exactly as they present themselves online and (b) absolutely lovely to spend time with has been updated to a nice round zero. Either I've been lucky or - and I choose to believe the latter - we've managed to amass a splendid selection of fine upstanding forumites around these parts.

pretty much have to agree with this! StH makes the world a smaller place.

speaking of which, hoping our official leprechaun will make a showing next meet up!

How jealous do you expect Jason would be were I to describe this morning's breakfast Mark? :D

But holy christ would it kill you all to turn up the thermostat a bit? I am packed for seasonal, not winter. Had to go buy an extra jumper, the one I brought is starting to demand voting rights.

was an excellent pub and better company! Was great to meet Meta, Rhone, Mark, and Malin (with friend Paul), and see Ade again! Really helped reset my jet lag well too. Must do this again!

Looking good folks!

Also whatever you do don't write anything in blood.

Have fun kids! And save some beer for me!

well if you don't cross a picket line its golden right?

:(

Arsebollockswankwaffle! I won't be able to make it, as the Journalist's Union has been called in for mandatory arbitration (*) on the tenth of may. I was quite certain the arbitration would be scheduled for monday the 13th, but now I'm screwed, and wont be able to get to London. My heart, it is sad.

 

 

(*) This is a normal part of the Norwegian system of wage disputes - before any conflict or strike, the unions and employers have to sit down for mediated negotiations. If they still can't agree, THEN there can be a strike. In our case, if we haven't reached an agreement by 24.00 friday night, there will be a nationwide journalist's strike.

Can you strike the strike?

That was where I felt the earthquake last visit to London!

 

Sadly was booked on the 18th, ...

 

What would your second choice be? 'Cause the Alhambra won't always be available when I want it, either.

Expedia was having a sale so I got a really good deal on a place over Paddington-Bayswater. I've stayed in the area before but the last place I can't really recommend; we'll see about this one. I really prefer the Kings Cross area because I know it better having stayed there for an extended period in the late 80s but it was a very good deal and quite a bit posher than I would normally choose. Plus Kings Cross was booked solid except for very expensive places.

Probably about an hour and 40 mins or thereabouts.

Bit far for a quick visit sadly given my schedule. :(

That was where I felt the earthquake last visit to London!

Sadly was booked on the 18th, when I return back from the northern wilds before heading to the land of tinned fish.

How far are you from Edinburgh Hugh?

Appreciated! I'll let you know one way or the other in the next day or two.

Happy birthday!

If I do stay in London on the night of the 12th it will be Kings Cross to catch an early train the following day

Haven't booked yet, am waiting on word from colleagues. I may wind up taking a late train to Cambridge and crashing there.

I'll be arriving on Sunday the 12th at 1:30 at Heathrow and can be anywhere via the tube in about an hour thereafter.

Yeah I assume the projection rendered irrelevant by the pickups! :D It does change the manner in which the top and bottom resonate against each other which will change the character of the tone pretty dramatically over a solid body for sure.

We have a mandolin builder on another forum I belong at who is also a PhD in acoustic science who has experimentally measured all this stuff (Helmholtz frequencies, trampoline frequencies bunch of other physical properties of these things we call musical instruments) and I could copy pasta some of that for you if you are interested. the tl;dr: ff holed instruments have a different, higher, Helmholtz frequency, and push sound via two openings (as you might guess), all of which contributes to the different sound and projection.

I can't say I understand most of what he says when he posts.

Nice guitar Mark!

RE f holes: changes the response quite dramatically, plus the serve to focus and project the sound. Oval holes will sound fuller but the sound decays quickly the further you move away from the instrument. In the mandolin world that translates to the oval holed instruments being used for playing your local Irish session, and the f holes are mandatory for bluegrass.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDtClJYJBj8[/media]

 

Brave, truthful and necessary. The contrast between this and Ed Milliband's nauseating, cowardly platitudes is heartbreaking.

Excellently well said, and the dressing down the Conservative member got from the Speaker was wonderful

I see the cost of the funeral is rapidly going skyward. Now there is talk of fear of Irish Republicans and "far left groups" so security is getting amped.

Starting with the complete lack of penetration by the Michigan back court?

We now have motherfucking LASER GUNS

Oh well. Good game for sure! And all those freshman have such experience now