Craig Sawyers

The blower I posted pics of is definitely a replica - there are only two of the 40 originals in existence. But it produces 182hp using 10lbs per square inch of boost from the supercharger and a top speed of up to 120mph. Engine was a 4.4 litre straight four with twin carbs. Physically it was pretty imposing. 14 foot 4 inches long. There is a good write up here https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/classiccars/10068232/Bentley-4-Litre-Blower-review.html Particularly that there are reputedly 100 replicas out there

That is truly awful Brent. RIP Michael - far, far too young.

Spotted on a walk this weekend. Bentley Blower. Probably a replica, but still at least $1.5m worth.

RIP KoKo - quite a higher primate.

I think that sort of thing ought to come with a health warning ⛔

Confused? Or even worse https://giphy.com/gifs/emoji-smileys-rE4Nl0NhfY9Qk/tile

I think it needs some new kind of "like". Something that both appreciates the piss take on DT, despair at the weird shit the guy says, worry about what might happen under his administration, and anger. Kind of this, I guess https://media3.giphy.com/media/rE4Nl0NhfY9Qk/200w.webp

I don't remotely know what sort of emoticon to leave for that spooky and frighting vocoded Trump. Like, sad, confused, ha ha. It could be either of those. But not congratulations Mr T, definitely not.

It starts with a slight fever and dryness of the throat. When the virus penetrates the red blood cells, the victim becomes dizzy, begins to experience an itchy rash, then the poison goes to work on the central nervous system, severe muscle spasms followed by the inevitable drooling. At this point, the entire digestive system collapses accompanied by uncontrollable flatulence. Until finally, the poor bastard is reduced to a quivering wasted piece of jelly.

Happy birthday!

Sounds like you needed steak and wine therapy quite badly

This is a POV by a guy who knows Nevis exceptionally well - all the routes. This is long, but utterly mesmeric. He goes from the head of the East Gulley (itself a challenging grind) to the top of Nevis via the Great Tower. A technically challenging scramble. The scariest bit is at about 1h5m, on the way back down from the Tower along a knife edge with lethal drops, and then Tower Gap - a vertical slab with certain death if you make a mistake. I don't have any wish to scramble at anything like that level.

Ben Nevis in perfect Winter conditions. Very rare, and with a guy who knows what he is doing, going up one of the more challenging routes.

Oh I totally understand the challenge of books like this. I'm definitely going to buy it.

I'm with you there. Urethane varnishes (a) lose the appearance of the wood - you see the varnish, and not the wood (b) it seals the wood and stops it from moving. But it does move and the eurethane cracks (and/or yellows) (c) the only way to recover this is to strip and sand back - then apply an exterior grade Danish or Teak oil. Apply an extra coat every 6 months to a year.

You might want to looks at building regs for loading of upper floors, because I think you're exceeding them. That said, it will probably be just fine - but it might give you a problem with property insurance if you need to make a claim - which could be for anything - but insurance companies will find a way of weaseling out of paying if they can find some wriggle room.

That beast is on ground floor, on concrete? I guess if it isn't, it will be, soon!

The double ribbon tweeters at the top of those speakers seem to be way off-axis at the listening position. Just sayin'

The perils of a mirrored bar

Yeah - Mick. He's done a couple of my longer walks (15 miles or so), and if the weather is sunny and warm - off comes the shirt. Seems it works with the ladies - he's hitched up with one of the unattached ones pretty quickly.

I do this walk leading thing now to keep myself out of mischief. So I ended up volunteering to lead our local Ramblers group on their Summer Awayday on a 12 mile route in the Cotswolds yesterday. Biggest group I've taken out so far - 20 turned up! Anyway, this is the group. The little stream just behind us is the early bit of the river Windrush, which is a tributary of the Thames - it joins the Thames after another 35 miles. They all seem to have had a good time from their comments at the end. I'm the guy with the red hat.

For some reason that reminded me of Pink Floyd's 1969 stage equipment on the cover of Ummagumma Live. Pretty primitive given the monster rigs at modern concerts. And a little van to fit it all in. The amps and speakers were designed by Charlie Watkins (WEM), who toured with the band and mixed for them. Watkins also did the multi-kW sound systems for the Stones, Hendrix, the Isle of White festival - one of the titans of sound reinforcement. My son has a WEM Dominator bass guitar cabinet that I picked up for nothing, and sorted out when Watkins was still alive and sent me parts to refurbish it (he was a really nice guy you could just phone up). Died in 2014 at the age of 91.

Have a great birthday Özgür!

Sounds like Marvin from Hitchiker "My capacity for happiness, you could fit into a matchbox without taking out the matches first" "Funny,” Marvin intoned funereally, “how just when you think life can’t possibly get any worse it suddenly does I’m not getting you down at all am I? Incredible… it’s even worse than I thought it would be I won’t enjoy it Sounds awful

I just love Google translate