♪ ♫ Ghost Riders in the Sky on the Storm

Hmm, bit of a mashed up title mixing two great songs linked by the word 'Riders'. I just can't decide which of the songs I like best. No contest, though, as to the best video (in my opinion).

Writing this post was inspired by the previous blog post featuring Riders on the Storm and, coincidentally, saw a tweeted link to Frankie Laine's Ghost Riders in the Sky which featured a great video - so good that it's included below for you to enjoy...

The Doors

A vague title that allows a number of items to be covered. Obviously, in musical terms, reference to the artists who gave us Riders on the Storm is a must, and the video below is a 'must see' for Doors fans. It's 7 minutes so here's some information to read while it plays...

This post also refers to patio doors of many kinds:

• bi folding doors (various frames)
• sliding doors (various shapes & sizes)
• slide & turn doors (various frames)

For each section, there is an introductory paragraph and a link to more information.

Bi Folding Doors are retractable which means that they open completely to the sides of the opening, allowing maximum width of access. They are double-glazed doors with side frames on which the hinges are attached to enable the doors to zig-zag open as they slide and fold. Double-glazing, therefore each door, is quite heavy so that the frame and hinges need to carry that weight, carry that weight a long time. This means that stronger aluminium framed doors can be manufactured with slimmer frames than pvc, which is how to tell them apart at a distance. SunSeeker Doors is a manufacturer and installer of aluminium framed bi folding doors.

Sliding Doors can overlap to open or retract into the wall (pocket doors). There are manufacturers who create glass sliding doors that are better than the 'bog-standard' patio door; these include extra large glass doors with panels up to 3 metres by 6 metres, sliding doors that open from a corner, plus curved glass doors and windows. All are available from Sightline Doors.

Slide and Turn Doors are fully retractable, similar to bi-folds but without hinges, therefore all doors open independently. Available with UltraSlim side frames or as Frameless glass doors, they are manufactured by SunSeeker Doors and ideal modern replacements for old patio doors or as room dividers. Demonstrations of Slide and Turn Doors are available on YouTube.

Post submitted by The BPc on behalf of clients.
Thanks for listening! 

Music Analysis 1960s & 50 years later

Why did songs from the 1960s convey feelings of unrequited love or of the hurt that follows rejection, whilst the trend today is more about sex or aggression? Discuss.

There was limited social acceptance of teenage boys and young men admitting to 'soft' feelings in real life during the 1960s therefore the rock-and-roll outlet was a credible alternative to release the angst and share with others who were secretly feeling the same way.

So many examples come to mind from Ben E King's 1961 hit Stand By Me, Go Now in 64/65, and a number of Lennon-McCartney songs, including: I'm A Loser, If I Fell, You've Got To Hide Your Love Away, Don't Let Me Down (okay so they are mainly John Lennon's lyrics - he had a lot of angst).

These days, homosexual relationships are not illegal (it was a criminal offence in the 1960s) and it is more acceptable for boys to confess their 'soppy' feelings to sympathetic ears, male or female. It is less 'taboo' to harp on about sex (previously disguised in songs as 'making love') unlike in 1969, when Je T'Aime… Moi Non Plus was banned in several countries for being too explicit.

There are other frustrations for today's youth, leading to a growth in rap (ranting-to-a-beat) which, regretfully, I'm unable to comment on as I haven't listened to much of it, except some Run DMC which is the exception that proves the rule!

Agree or disagree? Please feel free to comment but keep it polite and keep it clean, thanks.

BP2

♪ Great 'Mama' Songs!

Mama Mia - obvious, so obvious, too obvious. Well, That's All Right Mama because there are far better ones! Mama, oo-ooh, didn't mean to make you cry... Mama told me not to come... ♪♫ Here's the Three Dog Night version:

 

Recommended Music Blog: soundsandvision

Beebopalula

Reading Sir ACD's Sherlock Holmes

Thanks to a free download from Amazon book store to my kindle, I've been reading through the full Sherlock Holmes stories for a while now and I'll be sorry when I'm finished (which I nearly have, so I've slowed down) because I'll miss the companionship of Holmes and Watson. Sounds odd, I know.

Another odd thing I noticed while reading was that, in my head, Sherlock Holmes' dialogue was delivered in the style and voice of Jonny Lee Miller (from the SkyTV series "Elementary") yet my head-based Watson was played by Martin Freeman.

Of note: Moriarty barely featured in the books, same with Irene Adler, both hyped up from the original stories. I also recognised a few expressions that had been 'borrowed' from the stories, too. Not so many as from Shakespeare's works, of course, but interesting (I never could get to grips with Will's style of writing). Thumbs up for ACD!

Here's a link to the free downloadable version: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1661

Forever Replacing Household Appliances

Our central heating boiler is over ten years old and we expect to have to replace it any time soon, probably in the middle of the coldest winter since records began.

We recently replaced the washing machine, the previous one was over ten years old, and we've had the tumble drier for about nine years (it occasionally leaks).

The kitchen was renovated five years ago therefore the oven, hob, extractor hood, dish-washer and 'fridge-freezer are that age too. The oven has always leaked condensation through the door, requiring constant clearing up, and the fan button needed fixing a couple of years ago. The extractor is rarely used. We had to buy new pots and pans to use with the induction hob but it has been brilliant - until recently when, through no fault of its own, the top shattered when a heavy object fell on it. Apart from having to replace this, most of the appliances should continue to work well for some time (except the dish-washer, which is making clunking noises) and the kitchen still looks good. The 'fridge-freezer has been mostly trouble-free except for the ice dispenser which is constantly blocked; we won't be buying one of those again.

Small appliances have been replaced several times since the kitchen was fitted - we're on our third toaster, our third kettle and our second coffee pod machine.

To summarise, it seems that the cheaper the appliance, the shorter its anticipated life expectancy:

• Boiler - up to 15 years
• Large white goods - up to 10 years
• Small appliances - approximately 2 to 3 years

Financially organised people will need to put aside £50 per month into their 'household appliances replacement fund'.

h/o

Releasing Green Belt Land for Housing

What really bugs me about this is that the ordinary citizen who wishes to build a modest individual home of tasteful design on a quarter of an acre plot in a quiet, non-estate location has to fight tooth and nail for permission. Yet, completely spoiling acres of beautiful countryside by cramming in as many ugly cloned homes as possible seems to happen frequently.

Does it make sense? You can't build a single house in a field as it will spoil the natural beauty of the area but you can pile tons of bricks, tiles, concrete and tarmac in a field with inadequate infrastructure for the influx of families and an average of an additional vehicle per bedroom.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that affordable housing is necessary. My point is that the individual who wants to undertake a self-build home can rarely find a decent plot with permission.

It would be great if the Letchworth principle of individual homes was applied to a portion of the acreage released for mass new building. Seeing rows of regimented housing is quite depressing.