Thoughts and ideas of a dyslexic designer/developer
In England and Wales, when the car owner pays for parking, they pay for the whole zone/bay. Which means if your on a motorbike you can park next to them if you don't block them in and fancy your bike being knocked over. Although I don't think you can do the whole German thing of parking two smartcar's side by side in one bay.
This however just makes me mad.
I park my bike in a secure underground park and came back recently to find it on the floor sideways. A woman ran up to me and said shes really sorry and she was going to write a note but she couldn't lift the bike back up. Anyway it turns out she had been reversing and didn't see my bike which I'd like to add was parked in a motorbike bay and is massive and silver colour. So now I need to see how much its going to cost to replace all the damage shes done. The problem is its a old bike and already has some damage so I'm unsure if its worth claiming on the insurance as the amount of scratches to the panels is going to cost a lot to replace. So I'm actually better off getting someone to patch it up for me instead then charging her for it maybe? Ether way, I'm currently not a fan of car drivers.
I don't mind being asked about my time in Manchester, I've come to really enjoy Manchester even with its changeable weather. So changeable that I usually keep my sunglasses on my head even when its raining. Anyhow I was interviewed by Ariel which is BBC's internal weekly newspaper about my move to Manchester. As usual what was printed does not truly reflect what was said. For example at the end, its writen that there are things you couldn't do in London such as hold meetings in the bar. Well actually no, I said there's lots you can not do in London such as host external usergroups from around the region in our bar and meeting rooms after hours. The picture isn't too bad, but I did think there were many better ones which reflected Manchester better that a tatty billboard with club flyers over it. We did shoot pictures inside the bars on deansgate locks but instead they picked that one. in Anyway its done and I'm left feeling that lack of trust again for mainstream media. If your interesting in reading the whole piece, you can read it here.
So when I wrote the entry about the flats, it was late and I didn't go into much detail about the flats themselves. Its hard to because for example islington wharf doesn't yet have the floor plans up yet and its worth noting that theres 20 different types of styled apartments. Chips I do have the floor plans for but again theres many different types. A couple of friends did comment on Facebook about the entry which I noticed in Gwibber.
Rachel Clarke –
I'm quite liking the quirkiness of Chips, at least from those 2 sites which don't give a lot away.
Sheila Thomson –
Both buildings look amazing! Am green with envy
As Rachel says, there's very little info to go on here though, so based purely on architectural style, I'd say Chips.
So from memory here's the deal
Islington Wharf – The flats I was looking at have two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The view is looking north towards the Manchester City ground and the rest of Ancoats (its 25k extra for the same looking south into Manchester Central). From memory the 2nd bedroom is slightly bigger that what I have now for a 2nd bedroom, so it holds a double bed and wardrobe and not a lot more. The 1st bedroom is the same as what I have now. The living room is open plan and includes the kitchen which has everything including dishwasher, fridge freezer, etc. There's no balcony space but there is a huge communal grass covered area bigger that the size of a couple basketball courts. On top of that there is a large decking area, for when the grass is wet or you want to do a bbq or something. Its on the 2nd floor above the carpark, so its residents only. The carpark is secure and comes with the flat, I think theres even bike parking space, so I could rent out my space to someone else. The windows on the living room are huge and I can choose between a 2nd floor and 9th floor apartment. Of course it has two lifts and only about 6 flats per floor. Each floor has sound proofing between the floors and the general build quality is very good. Generally this is a great flat with some good views and a standard formation.
Chips – There is only one flat I'm really considering to buy and its on the 4th floor. Two bedrooms and one bathroom, on the east side of the Chips building. I can see the City ground again from the living room. This flat has a thin balcony which you can stand on but not much else. Like Islington Wharf there is a communal outdoor area and its on the back of chips. Its about quite large but no where near the size of the space in Islington Wharf. There is a carpark but its going to cost extra or you can park on the wasteland for free which is outside chips right now. Chips looks pretty impressive and its super styled inside too. Pink and Black walls with bear stone work ceilings. Inside the apts its white but theres elements of bright colours. For example the kitchen covers are cherry red and the sliding door for the 2nd bedroom is Green. Yes you heard me right, sliding door. Its a odd layout too, like a ring with a bedroom off one end. If like me your not using the 2nd bedroom as a bedroom, you can pull the door back and make the living room much larger. and to be honest it needs extending because the space is small. The bedrooms are smaller that islington wharf again but rooms do have those great european windows which open 2 ways and there huge. The general build quality isn't as good as the other one and you don't get a washing machine or dishwasher but you do get a quirky layout and a bit of cupboard space in one of the most known developments in Manchester.
So a couple of other things. Urbansplash the maker of Chips are well known for quirky designs and to be fair there not for everyone. So the resale value maybe very different. I also heard from someone that Urban Splash's development in Sheffield had fallen through and that the company might be experiencing a few problems. Islington Wharf is sometimes refered to as the fishbowl because you can see directly in and theres no curtains/blinds when you buy the flat. So which one would you choose if you were in my position?
The flat hunting is coming close to the end now. I've seen some amazing places and almost bought a couple but now its come down to two very different developments on the same plot of land. The plot of land is the much talked about New Islington or Ancoats. If you say Ancoats to most people who live in Manchester and they shudder and I see why. Its got a bit of crime problem, no where near most of the places in London I've lived in (such as Woolwich). Actually when I took this picture I had 6 youth come up close and tell me to stop taking pictures of them. Not afraid, I made it clear that I was not taking picture of them. To which I was called a prick while they walked away of course. Anyway that aside, the place is having a major redevelopment and the new tram stop and other things do make it a first time buyers ideal location. Its also just a short walk from Manchester Piccadilly Station and the trendy Northern Quarter.
Question is which development is the one for me? Chips or Islington Wharf?
I have no words to explain how silly it is that PETA are worried about this…
I almost don't know what to say except these guys are simply amazing. Full credit to Damien Walters and Tim “Livewire” Shieff.
Found via 7Deacons, German food scientist have found traces of Cocaine in Redbull Cola.
About a year ago, the makers of Red Bull, the famous caffeine-loaded energy drink, decided to come out with a soda, unsurprisingly named Red Bull Cola. The shared name implied the same big kick. But could the cola's boost — supposedly “100% natural” — come from something else? Officials in Germany worry that they've found the answer — cocaine. And now they have prohibited the soda's sale in six states across the country and may recommend a nation-wide ban.
Now to be honest I'm a bit shocked and I don't think I can really buy another one till I know for sure what's going on. Don't get me wrong I know its only a trace amount (0.13 micrograms) and you would need to drink liters to feel any effect but I'm going to let this one play out a little more. It would be a shame if it gets banned or they can't redo the formula. Redbull Cola was lovely to drink and strangely moreish (i'm kidding). Tell the honest truth, I've been drinking Pepsi Raw the last few weeks instead of Redbull Cola.
Latest Diggnation includes a story from Tru-TV's (think cheap TV, like Sky3) version of the Real Hustle (yes remember the Real Hustle was first on BBC). The Cash Machine Scam is basically the scam/criminal act of skimming cards at a cashpoint and using a mini camera to spy the pin code. I did try and find the equivalent from the UK's real hustle but its so common and everyone knows it, I don't think the show even bothered. I do however remember a scam where they put a card reader on the outside of the bank's door opener, so you would need to swipe your card to open the door. Most people would swipe there card there going to use inside.
Anyway, the American real hustle video shows a guy putting a skimmer with camera on top of the cashpoint's card entry. A lady comes up and uses the cashpoint, she leaves and the scammer takes the skimmer. Scammer goes to his van, makes a card and then goes to the cashpoint and uses it.
To anyone in the UK, your most properly yawning and thinking so? However in America this is all new, it would seem. Kevin Rose on Diggnation seems to think its some kind of joke. And to be honest, my experience of spending time in America, is consistent with Kevin's thoughts. People don't protect there pin numbers at ATM/Cashpoints. It was natural that the scammers would move in at some point and they must be making a killing there. Time to protect your pin…
Found in the supermarket the other day, Redbull in 473ml cans. Its noteworthy in my mind because the original can of 250ml can was superseded by the 355ml can which you now find Redbull Cola in. While the other energy drinks companies have moved to 500ml cans which are easily mistaken for Beer Cans, Redbull has stuck to its guns and kept the tall can to hold the new size Redbull. Interestingly the supermarkets have copied the Redbull cans instead of going for the Beer Can style.
I've been on holiday recently, yep totally breaking myself off from work stuff for a short period. I actually been doing the boring stuff like shopping, cleaning and arranging. For the first time I've visited the Trafford Centre (outskirts of Manchester) and actually spent a good amount of time in the Arndale (central Manchester). Usually I'm in and out as fast as my legs can take me, but I did a proper look around last week.
Anyway I ended up in the Puma Store because I am looking for new trainers (sneakers, tennis shoes, whatever) and tried on a T-shirt. The T-shirt in question is a special edition which has the name of the city it was bought in on it. So as you can see above he's the Manchester one. I tried it on and thought it was a little too loud but what bugged me the most was the label.
MCN? Where's that then? The thing across the T-shirt is meant to be a airport sticker thing. So why has it got MCN on it instead of MAN which is Manchester's International and only Airport shortcode. So where on earth did they get MCN from? Me thinks someone was making this stuff up and screwed up. And for that reason I decided not to buy the T-shirt. Attention to detail Puma!
All text for this frankly sad and hilarious video is taken directly from a online Christian fundamentalist forum. Just because you don't subscribe to religion doesn't mean your void of morals too. There are plenty of people who subscribe to a religion and are void of all morals…
I tweet as I walk into the Accident and Emergency (or the Emergency Room for you Americans) of Manchester Central Hospital, thinking about the advice of my GP early that day, that I should go to A&E right away do not pass go and pick up 200 pounds. I could have a life threating blood clot in my left leg which could move to the heart, brain or lungs.
in manchester central A&E. my birthday weekender is off i'm sorry to say.say. will update why later
The feedback from Twitter followers was amazing and heartfelt. Thank you to everyone who replied, called and texted me. I had a schedule of things I was going to be doing this weekend and now that schedule is cancelled because the doctors have given me some drugs to stop the swelling in my leg, ordered me to not to walk on it much and finally keep it up. So I'm watching movies with my leg resting on a hackday beanbag. I'm meant to do this for the next 3-4 days.
After the 16 hour flights I recently had to endure, having someone do something like this might have gone down pretty well.
I love the taste of Pepsi Raw and Redbull Cola. Now to be fair neither Redbull or PepsiCo have claimed there drinks are (air quotes) Healthy
so you can't really blame them if people who can not read the labels start chunking it down there throats like there going out of fashion. I actually like the taste of these drinks, they taste very watered down but in a good way. There's still caffeine included so you always get that slight pick me up too. What I don't like about these drinks however is the prices. I was traveling back from Bristol the other day and stopped in at WHSmiths in Bristol Temple meads for a drink for the journey. I kid you not the Pepsi Raw in a 250ml can was selling for 1.79. That is almost 3x the amount of a standard Pepsi 330ml can or in the same store 2.5x. Pepsi may claim Raw is a premium product but at that price its a total luxury. Redbull Cola isn't far off that price either I have to day. If your lucky you might find it in a supermarket for just over a pound but some places are add as much as 50 pence on top of the supermarket prices.
