Red Button
Week from Monday 7th August 2023 - I spent a thoroughly thrilling Sunday afternoon watching the ELITE MEN'S ROAD RACE at the World Championships in Glasgow, although I didn't get the result that I'd hoped for. MADS PEDERSEN had to settle for fourth place - all that effort and skill, never putting a foot wrong for the whole day, and he just missed out on getting a medal for his trouble! He deserves some kind of "COMBATATIVE" award, at least! (The top three were Van Der Poel, Van Aert and Pogacar.)
I opted to watch the whole race coverage UNINTERRUPTED via the RED BUTTON channel, as the Beeb being what it is when there's a number of events going on at the same, keeps jumping about in an 'attention deficit' manner on its terrestrial channels. Just as you're getting into a really important race - Whherpp! over to another venue where there's some BMX stunts going on! They do the same thing at the OLYMPICS. The BBC programmers SEEM to think that: (a) ALL sport is of EQUAL importance; folks are going to be equally invested in whatever is put before them and will watch it with equal enthusiasm, and (b) People will watch any sport if it's presented by CLAIRE BALDING (who might know a thing or two about doggies and gee-gees, but appears to be clueless about professional cycling).
Also of interest (and something a bit different) was the MIXED RELAY TEAM TIME TRIAL. It was fascinating to watch, even if, like me, you didn't particularly care about the outcome. I rather enjoyed watching some of the CROSS COUNTRY and MOUNTAIN BIKE events as well, but mostly with the telly sound turned off and some music on the hi-fi.
The LiDL-TREK team have announced a number of new signings for next season, one of whom is TAO GEOGHEGAN HART. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I might have a hard time saying "Welcome To The Team" to somebody I spent several years jeering on and wishing the worst, all the time he was a member of the loathed SKY-cum-INEOS outfit. I suspect it'll probably be the same situation as when RICHIE PORTE was 'welcomed' to the squad. He'll stay for a season or two, not really achieve much, then crawl back to where he belongs.
The ASLEF "work to rule" continued into this week, but I didn't notice it affecting my OWN railway journey in any way. Even the TICKET OFFICE was open, with a friendly face to greet me and the possibility of a cash transaction. But this week's SOMETHING DIFFERENT was encountered when I got to Winchester. Folks are already turning up for the weekend's BOOMTOWN FESTIVAL (nope, no idea!) on the edge of town, so all arrivals on Platform One are sent trudging over the footbridge to the main gates located at Platform Two. The TICKET BARRIERS on Platform One are closed off altogether. There are also yellow fences running the length of the platforms to HERD everyone in the right direction, and dayglo-tabbarded staff with hand scanners to check your tickets. Outside the station are hoards of backpackers waiting for their shuttle buses to the festival site, so there's not much left in the way of pavement space for us reluctant pedestrians...
I opted to watch the whole race coverage UNINTERRUPTED via the RED BUTTON channel, as the Beeb being what it is when there's a number of events going on at the same, keeps jumping about in an 'attention deficit' manner on its terrestrial channels. Just as you're getting into a really important race - Whherpp! over to another venue where there's some BMX stunts going on! They do the same thing at the OLYMPICS. The BBC programmers SEEM to think that: (a) ALL sport is of EQUAL importance; folks are going to be equally invested in whatever is put before them and will watch it with equal enthusiasm, and (b) People will watch any sport if it's presented by CLAIRE BALDING (who might know a thing or two about doggies and gee-gees, but appears to be clueless about professional cycling).
Also of interest (and something a bit different) was the MIXED RELAY TEAM TIME TRIAL. It was fascinating to watch, even if, like me, you didn't particularly care about the outcome. I rather enjoyed watching some of the CROSS COUNTRY and MOUNTAIN BIKE events as well, but mostly with the telly sound turned off and some music on the hi-fi.
The LiDL-TREK team have announced a number of new signings for next season, one of whom is TAO GEOGHEGAN HART. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I might have a hard time saying "Welcome To The Team" to somebody I spent several years jeering on and wishing the worst, all the time he was a member of the loathed SKY-cum-INEOS outfit. I suspect it'll probably be the same situation as when RICHIE PORTE was 'welcomed' to the squad. He'll stay for a season or two, not really achieve much, then crawl back to where he belongs.
The ASLEF "work to rule" continued into this week, but I didn't notice it affecting my OWN railway journey in any way. Even the TICKET OFFICE was open, with a friendly face to greet me and the possibility of a cash transaction. But this week's SOMETHING DIFFERENT was encountered when I got to Winchester. Folks are already turning up for the weekend's BOOMTOWN FESTIVAL (nope, no idea!) on the edge of town, so all arrivals on Platform One are sent trudging over the footbridge to the main gates located at Platform Two. The TICKET BARRIERS on Platform One are closed off altogether. There are also yellow fences running the length of the platforms to HERD everyone in the right direction, and dayglo-tabbarded staff with hand scanners to check your tickets. Outside the station are hoards of backpackers waiting for their shuttle buses to the festival site, so there's not much left in the way of pavement space for us reluctant pedestrians...
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