Positively F-frigid

The last few days have been very cold indeed. A couple of snow showers of an inch or two, but but very, very cold. Early morning temperatures have read down to -14C from the car on the school run, exceptional, even for here. In addition, snow either falls and partially melts or freezing rain covers everything in an often thick layer of ice, so-called ice storms.

Since US electrical utilities still use wires stretched between wooden poles to go the final few miles to most consumers it means that either trees loaded with ice crash onto the cables, or the weight of ice on the wires themselves brings them down so power is a frequent victim.

I think many visitors to the US are surprised at the state of its infrastructure; massive cables strung alongside urban roads, potholes, post-industrial wastelands, rusty bridges, run-down railways, and even cell-phones seem stuck in the 80s. I think we'll be hearing a lot about this from the new US President. At least, America should hope so ...

Anyone for badders?

Well, I've survived three or four weeks of badminton, American style.

American style? Actually, it's just the same as everywhere else. First Monday nights, then Wednesday's, then move to a new location for a couple of weeks, then back to the original venue, but on a Friday night.

Yes, just like British badminton ...

As for the players; the Monday night guys are pretty keen, and there are a few very good players there. I feel quite at home with the Wednesday evening crowd. There are even one or two Brits to help me feel at home.

If nothing else, I've learned how to mark out a badminton court with masking tape and a bit of knotted rope. You never know when that might be useful.

Adele : Joe's Pub NYC, part II

For those of us who missed out on tickets to see Adele at Joe's Pub, a reprieve ...

There was a hint and also a gap in the Joe's Pub schedule the day before Adele's March 18 show, and it so happened that when I checked out what was going on this morning Joe's had announced an additional show on the 17th.

Click here fast if you want tickets.

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*See my hifi / media index here.

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Adele : Joe's Pub NYC

Okay ... so maybe it's hype, but I don't know ...

I first heard of Adele only a few weeks ago. The Guardian deconstructed her "Chasing Pavements" video, which admittedly is rather strange. But what came through for me was this really rather extraordinary performance from a woman who is barely nineteen. Jeez!!! Her mum's young enough to be my daughter fer'g'ness sake!!!

Well, I daily, diligently trolled, via the web, the most likely place Adele might play in NYC, or at least near to here, but to no avail ... Checked Joe's Pub this evening ... Adele to play 18 March, 2008. Check box-office ... SOLD OUT!!!! Pah!!!!!!!

How annoying ... oh well ...

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Update : 23.02.2008 >>>

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*See my hifi / media index here.

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What A Week To Give Up Smoking ...

So there we are ... Plymouth Argyle tootling along nicely in The Championship. A useful team. Engaging fans. A committed manager ...

Committed manager ... Oops!!! Oh well.

I'm not blaming Ian Holloway for taking a new job where he's probably being paid twice as much, but he should be really careful about swearing undying love with team and town just days before resigning.

Anyway, following the Argyle is a bit of a masochistic pursuit, as anyone in the Green Army will tell you, so we're pretty used to disappointment so I suppose this can go on the list of exes.

But in the course of following the soap-like twists and turns I've found a couple of Argyle fans who live in NJ, one not ten miles from where I live. Hopefully we'll meet up at Nevada Smith's in NYC next time Plymouth are on Setanta.