Phil Mercer

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Bottle tops

 

Spain 2011, a set on Flickr.

It's November, so I am on my annual pilgrimage to Spain for Nico's birthday.

It's just the two of us this time, which suits me fine, as I could do with a bit of wind down time.

That said, in a desperate need to do a little bit of 'culture' tomorrow we are off to Granada.

Today was a lazy day, with a nice walk along the coast at Paya de La Llana. This is the northern spit of Mar Menor. It takes in a large stretch of saltpans and has been set aside as a nature reserve. The Flamingos love it.

One thing that disturbed me a little though was the state of the beach. I know you don't expect things to be pristine, but within the flotsam and jetsam lining the sand it was amazing to see how much plastic was caught up in it. Lots of little things like bottle tops and plastic string. Really not good.

Labels: Breaks, environment, rant, Spain

# posted by Phil @ 4:59 pm

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Monday, August 23, 2010

Over doing it!

 

I'm currently sat in bed finally winding down after yet another busy weekend.

The world service are debating binge drinking and why it seems to be so prevalent here in the UK.

In my typical hipocritical way I have a habit of moaning about the phenomenon, but when confronted with a night out on the scene find it almost impossible not to join in!

Maybe it's contagious? Everyone else is drinking so why shouldn't I? I'm pretty sure part of the problem is created by the pubs/bars deliberately. It's in their interest to sell as much beer as possible. The most efficient way is the vertical drinking establishment (a bar with no seats!).

We fall for it hook line and sinker!

I love meeting my friends and catching up. Yet, It is so tiring when you have to stand all the time; you can't hear what anyone is saying as the venues are pumping out loud music; plus bizarrely i now find myself on a warm night standing outside hardly able to breathe as all the smokers are our there feeding their habit!

Nothing about that is fun. Yet it is the place to be. My friends are there and so are potential new ones and I do have a great time. Maybe the flow of Guiness helps! Just don't get me started on the subject of pub toilets!!!

PS/ The weather bods had warned we were in for a wet night. It's 0138 and the rain has arrived. I wonder if I'll need to crack out the inflatables in the morning?

Labels: drinking, pubs, rant, weather

# posted by Phil @ 1:39 am

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Monday, February 25, 2008

Splat!

 

I had a great weekend. After an eleven day stint of work (I'm not complaining... I seriously needed that work!) it was finally a day off. So I popped in to London to meet up with a friend who has purchased himself (and his partner) a lovely flat in the heart of Zone 1 and drink plenty of wine.

That we did. On the way home from his local hostalry at about 1am, we were accosted by a one legged drunk on crutches, begging for some cash so he could keep up his drinking. He was pretty foul mouthed and smelling, so as he lunged for us, missed and fell over... it was hard for my mate and I to take it seriously. So we walked on. Leaving him on the floor.

I'm not proud of that really, but it was very hard to tell what might have happened had he managed to stay on his feet. Or if we had tried to help him up!

I don't beleive in Karma, but if it does exist. It took roughly twelve hours to get its own back.

After a bit of work and a trip round the National Portrait Gallery I made my way to Paddington for the 50 minute trip home. When I arrived there were hundreds of people staring blanking at the laser display boards, which mostly flashed "CANCELLED" down at them. This is never a good sign!

True enough, it turned out someone had ended up getting hit by a train. At that point it seemed like a suicide, but later I heard gossip about whoever it was getting pushed. The result was no trains leaving Paddington for the forseable future. So I took the only alternative, back on the tube and accross to Waterloo to get the Reading service and pick up my normal train from there.

It took me four hours in the end! Is that bad karma?

Assuming it was a suicide, then once again it reminds me what a selfish action it is to take. You have to have a complete disregard for anyone around you. I know thats a sweeping statement, so i'll leave it at that!

I do think that the police and those investigating these incidents need to come up with a better system. It seems that their only priority is to find out as much about what happened as they can, no matter how long that may take. Personally I feel the priority should be on clearing the way for the many thousands of people affected by it, so that life can get on. It's the same with motorway accidents and the like.

We have chosen to create a society that is all about getting from A to B as efficiently as possible. If we want that to continue, then the priority should be to clear the way quickly. I'm not saying don't investigate... but balance the cost of an insurance claim or court case against the cost of holding up an entire afternoons use of the Great West railway and the many thousands of lives that get displaced as a result.

I have a feeling it is another knock on effect from our paper work obsessed, litigious society. Let's have a bit of common sense and a respect for all, including the ones stuck on the train!

I'm getting off my soap box now!

Labels: delays, rant, soap box, suicide, trains

# posted by Phil @ 9:57 pm

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