Monthly archives: October 2007

Biofuel duty cut

This entry was posted in Biodiesel on by

I missed this when it was announced, but I think it’s a step in the right direction-

Small biodiesel producers will no longer have to pay duty of their fuel, while medium sized manufacturers will only have to pay quarterly rather than monthly. Under changes to the duty process which will come into force on Saturday (30 June) only those producing more than 450,000 litres per annum will not see any changes to the amount or way they pay duty. An HMRC spokesman says: “We can confirm that, with effect from 30 June, producers of biofuel of less than 2,500 litres annually will no longer need to pay any excise duty. Those producing up to 450,000 litres annually will only need to submit and pay returns quarterly.

Technorati tag:

Gordon Brown's climate cowardice

This entry was posted in Gordon Brown nuclear power renewable energy on by

I’ve been away for a while, sorry about that. (And I flew across the Atlantic whilst I was away, I’ll have to look into offsets.) But I’m back again now, and with something to really rant about.

Ministers are drawing up plans to abandon plans and promises to drastically increase Britain’s renewable energy production. Faced with some expense and a bit of hard work, new New Labour (or whatever we’re supposed to call them now Gordon’s in charge) want to bottle out and go home. So they’re trying to team up with Poland and others to try and have the targets turned down before the final draft goes through.

Some of the reasoning behind this move is nonsensical to say the least.

One of the main objections of government to meeting the renewables target set by Mr Blair is that it will undermine the role of the European emission trading scheme. This scheme was devised by the Treasury under Mr Brown and allows wealthy governments to pay others to reduce emissions. “[Meeting the 20% renewables target] crucially undermines the scheme’s credibility … and reduces the incentives to invest in other carbon technologies like nuclear power”, say the papers.

Investment in reducing emissions is going to harm investments in reducing emissions? That doesn’t make any sense.

Gordon could find the estimated £4billion a year required to make the change, probably quite easily. For one thing he could stop funding terrorism by bringing all of our troops back from Iraq and coming up with a more coherent plan for Afghanistan. He could create a multi billion pound industry in this country by subsidising start ups in the renewables sector (who’ll than employ lots of people and pay masses of tax). And he could champion smaller, local, schemes that aren’t as doomed as resurrecting nuclear power or hopelessly long term as a Severn barrage. Mini barrages up and down tidal estuaries might be an idea. Or community geothermal schemes. Taxing/ banning incandescent bulbs and putting a rebate on compact fluorescents would help cut the country’s energy needs drastically, as would increasing the standards for new build homes.

There’s so much that could be done that would pay back so quickly. I fear our political class lacks imagination and spines.

Technorati tag: , ,

Review – Crooked Little Vein

This entry was posted in Review Warren Ellis on by

Warren Ellis’ first novel is full of subject matter that should be familiar to you if you visit his blog regularly. Started, he insists, as something of a joke to appease his agent he had to finish it when she managed to sell it almost immediately.

Mike McGill is a private investigator fallen on hard times and with a knack for getting the most screwed up cases. When his new client describes him as a “shit magnet” he can’t even argue with them. That client is the President’s chief of staff and he wants McGill to track down the alternative Constitution of the United States, a book that will help reboot the country’s morals to those of a simpler, more repressed age.

With a half million dollar expense account and a polyamorous assistant along for the adventure McGill sets off for a trawl through America’s underbelly, where the Constitution has become a form of pervert currency. Along the way he has to deal with testicular saline injectors, cattle mutilators, porn barons and serial killers and then decide whether he should even hand the book over if he finds it.

Crooked Little Vein is a short book, Ellis’ prose is sharp and trimmed down, but it’s packed with dark humour with some hilarious one liners and set pieces. I read it in a few hours whilst waiting to do some extra (sorry, Supporting Artiste) work on Friday and was lost to the world for a few hours.

Creepy EBay stuff – what's so gaily interesting about smelly trainers?

This entry was posted in ebay fetish homosexuality scally on by

I like browsing through the “Other” section of EBay, because it brings to light interesting stuff such as male chastity devices. Today’s bizarre find is even harder to understand. What, really, would be the gay interest in smelly trainers, especially scally ones.

Enlighten us, but don’t make us go too Eeeeeewwww!

Perfection and more perfection

This entry was posted in books food on by

I keep catching bits of Heston Blumenthal’s programme on cooking the perfect versions of iconic meals. It’s no surprise that there are two books out based upon it and the previous series, and Alex has commented that he may buy them. The next time youi’ve got eight hours to dedicate to making the perfect bolognese, these are what you should refer to.

New York, London, Paris, Munich

This entry was posted in lyrics Paris on by

Get up…
Get down…

Radio, video
Boogie with a suitcase
Your livin’ in a disco
Forget about the rat race
Let’s do the milkshake, sellin’ like a hotcake
Try some buy some fee-fi-fo-fum

Talk about, pop musik
Talk about, pop musik

Shoobie doobie do wop
I wanna dedicate this
Pop pop shoo wop
Everybody made it
Shoobie doobie do wop
Infiltrate it
Pop pop shoo wop
Activate it

New York, London, Paris, Munich
Everybody talk about pop musik
Talk about, pop musik
Talk about, pop musik
Pop pop pop pop musik

Singing in the subway
Shuffle with a shoe shine
Fix me a molotov
I’m on the headline

Wanna be a gun slinger
Don’t be a rock singer
Eenie meenie mynie moe
Tell me where you wanna go

Talk about, pop musik
Talk about, pop musik

Shoobie doobie do wop
Lyin’ in the tree (?)
Pop pop shoo wop
Eenee meenie
Shoobie doobie do wop

Pop pop shoo wop
You know what I mean

Hit it…

Now you know what to say…

Talk about, pop musik
Pop pop pop pop musik

All around the world
wherever you are
dance in the street anything you like
do it in your car in the middle of the night
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la

Dance in the supermart
Dig it in the fastlane
Listen to the countdown
They’re playin’ our song again

I can’t get jumping jack
I wanna hold – get back
Moonlight muzak
Knick knack patty whack

Talk about, pop musik
Talk about, pop musik

Shoobie doobie do wop
It’s all around you
Pop pop shoo wop
Gonna suround you
Shoobie doobie do wop
It’s all around
Pop pop shoo wop

Hit it…
New York, London, Paris, Munich
Everybody talk about pop musik
Talk about, pop musik
Talk about, pop musik
Pop pop pop pop musik

Now… listen…
Talk about,
Pop pop pop pop musik…

M – Pop Musik

JOE040

This entry was posted in Bikes bot-crossing flickr Manchester photo on by

JOE040, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

Having found a wicker basket for one joe I happened upon this metal one on the back of another bike not that far away.

JOE037

This entry was posted in Bikes bot-crossing flickr Manchester photo on by

JOE037, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

I set myself a challenge- if I found a bike with an old school shopping basket on it I’d put a joe in the basket. I found the basket on Piccadilly Gardens, a wicker one at that.