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Continue reading →: Tick, tock, hummmm…Watches are all about oscillations and oscillators. A watch needs to have something inside it that moves in a way that can mark time. Since the fourteenth century, this has been a balance wheel, mounted on pivots and powered by a spring. The ‘tick, tick, tick…’ you hear when you hold a watch…
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Continue reading →: My guilty secret. Vintage digitals.
In theory, we should all love digis. Ask a digi-wearer the time and assuming he’s not an actuary, he’ll tell you, precise to the minute. It’ll be “five-forty-seven”; none of this vague and analogue “about quarter to six”. Digis are robust, never need servicing and are ready to go as…
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Continue reading →: Rock ‘n Roll actually *is* noise pollution.
Oxford City Council has opened a consultation about the dreadful menace that is “non-compliant busking and street entertainment”. Presumably, this will mean that only council-sanctioned, compliant busking and entertainment will be – at a push – acceptable. In the meantime, there will have to be auditions… The scene opens on a meeting room…
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Continue reading →: Top Gear = Middle Lane
The camera pans onto the three new presenters of “Middle Lane”, the BBC’s replacement for the disgraced Top Gear. They are John Prescott, Boris Johnson and Harriet Harman. Each sits on a special chair, crafted from recycled Routemaster seats, complete with tartan upholstery. Prescott gets two to himself. They sit…
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Continue reading →: How to start collecting watches.
Starting a watch collection is a dangerous thing. Like most addictions (for it is just that) it sneaks up on you. That first step – from having just one utility watch that tells the time to buying the second – seems simple. “Just one,” you say, “I’ll get one good…
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Continue reading →: Could you still drive safely if your speedo broke?Imagine. You’re driving – or riding – along and suddenly your speedometer breaks. The dial in front of you suddenly reads zero and the needle’s not moving. You have absolutely no idea what speed you’re travelling at. One question… Can you still drive safely? The answer’s rather obvious, isn’t it? There…
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Continue reading →: Storm in a (free) teacup
Diplomacy. The art of telling someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip. I thought of this when an email from Waitrose arrived today. I am no great advocate of being rude to customers. Neither am I fan of sugar-coating the truth. Customers…
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Continue reading →: The best writing advice. Ever.
Sixty four years ago today, George Orwell died from tuberculosis in a London hospital. Not only was he – in my opinion – the finest writer in English, in Politics and the English Language he left scribblers some of the finest advice. Here it is… “A scrupulous writer, in every…
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Continue reading →: The curse of sounding professional.
A while ago, I was amazed to get a letter from my bank telling me I was in credit on my credit card. I came across it in an old file today – and it’s just as I remembered. It was from a real person – Paula Stevens from Card Operations. But…
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Continue reading →: Three wheels on my wagon
Bikes have been part of my life since I first tried a friend’s 50cc Monkeybike at the age of 11. I couldn’t wait to get a licence. In Frome, there was an independent BMW dealer, Difazio’s. I’d walk the 3 miles from home to stand and gawp at the unfeasibly…
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Thanks for dropping in. There’s all sorts of stuff here, from reviews of watches to thoughts on driving and riding. And you’re welcome whether you agree with any of it or not.
MMC Musings 