No geek
is an island

I’m experimenting with Opera Mini (link to follow via PC) on my mobile phone. It’s much better for browsing than the installed browser, with an improved display and proper handling of cookies. This means I’ve been able to update my CNPS stats on the move - having got four plates today after another slow week - and now I’m trying Wordpress.

Alas, there seems to be a limit to the number of characte

This post from Ryan has been spotted by the BBC:

Some bad news for those Lib Dem leaders who believe they have finally cast off the image of the party as full of anoraks and train spotters. One internet blog from a conference visitor - if not a windup - details the excitement he experienced driving to conference. “On the way across the country I managed to spot consecutively number plates 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287 and 288 a consecutive record for myself. The only problem was that I failed to find 281 first”. How on earth can Charles Kennedy compete with that once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Oh no, it’s not a windup.

Update: Former LibDem blogger Hazel’s on the site too - with photo.

After nearly a month of searching, I have found a 105!

Now to pick up the 106, 107 and 108 that have taunted me around Edinburgh for long.

In other news, Dominic Tristram has a brief review of the new Who. It is somewhat more positive than the even briefer review I received by text message from my brother, whose expletive I shan’t repeat here.

Apologies in advance for this particularly nerdygeeky post.

I’ve noticed around Edinburgh that many cars have number plates consisting of three letters and four numbers, e.g.: LCZ 2981. More than you would expect appear to have Zs in.

Anyone know why this should be? Was there a separate number plate system in Scotland at some point? Olav’s British Number Plates doesn’t seem to have the answer, unless it’s just a variation of “1931-62 re-registration” plates.

I’m also mildly curious about the preponderance of 71 (e.g. N71 AFL) number plates in Edinburgh. Not that I have an interest in number plates - I’m just inquisitive.

A chap waiting with me for a rail replacement bus service (my third of the day) at Edinburgh Waverley this evening was wearing a long navy overcoat. Presumably because of the similarity between this and GNER uniform, he kept getting asked questions about the buses and seemed quite bemused.

Having failed in my CNPS during the previous two bus journeys today, I have positioned myself in the second best number plate viewing spot on the top deck.

Very pleasant time in the country last weekend. A big group of us had a Youth Hostel (now on the market and very suitable for a secret evil lair for any budding Blofeld) to ourselves. Went for a couple of walks through the countryside (admittedly both ended at pubs); drank beer, cider and wine; had a cream tea (my heart screamed no but my tastebuds insisted); and ate some excellent food, including a magnificent feast on Saturday night for which all credit to the chef who had spent all day preparing it.

We also played various silly games, including the box game which, despite my not insignificant stature, I jointly won.

Met lots of new people, including Rob, and got to know better others I’d met before, including Anders.

The only down site was that despite travelling hundreds of miles by car, I didn’t see the 91 I was looking for until I got back to work on Tuesday.