shaun's bicester info blog.

Remembrance.

2009-11-08T03:54:00.000-08:00

Kamui Kobayashi, The Fast And The Furious!

2009-10-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

This guy is a racing driver to look out for.
Kamui Kobayashi can only be described as mental! after his awesome F1 debut in the 2009 Brazilian GP. The fast and furious Japanese driver drove his F1 Toyota to 9th place ruthlessly defending against World Champion, Jenson Button, until the blistering Brit dispatched him with a fantastic dummy down the pit straight and into tern one. Kobayashi's fellow Japanese driver, Kazuki Nakajima did not fare so well when, thinking he had the job done passed Kobayashi out of the final tern only to have the place taken back by the new wild-man of F1 at the start of the next lap - and in true death race 2000 style got put in the wall for good measure with a chop that was Senna and Schumacher rolled into one. Fantastic!. This is what we need in F1 : a driver who has some villain like credentials, who is fast out of the box and will not say, 'after you Mord' when challenged. I hope he gets the gig with Toyota full time!

FIA To Investigate Illegal Fan Car From 1978.

2009-08-31T04:07:00.000-07:00

As well as investigating a crash involving Nelson Piquet Jn which happened last year and had been forgotten about by just about everyone, the FIA fun police, in an outrageous move are going to re-open an investigation into the 1978 Brabham BT 46 B 'Fan Car' which was designed by Gordon Murray to take on the dangerous 'ground affects' cars that were starting to dominate the F1 scene way back then.
Norman 'jobs worth' Pilkinton who is the (FIA, fun polices) chair person, said today that a complaint had been brought to his attention involving illegal funny business to do with a racing car that hit the track way back in 1978. The, ahem, 'funny business' was uncovered Mr Pettyracerkid-who-has-only-been-watching-F1-for-five-minutes-and-spotted the suspicious 'Fan Car' racing at The 1978 Swedish GP on YouTube. 'I could see that the car had some flat panel heat exchangers on the bodywork of the car to replace conventional water and oil radiators...and it had a big fan on the back. This i thought was underhand and must be reported to the correct authority. I then proceeded to send the data to Mr Pilkinton, blar, blar, blar...' He went on a lot longer than this to our reporter who had started to lose the will to live and had to tell Mr Pettyracerkid to shut-the-f*ck up!.
63 year old 'Fan Car' designer Gordon Murray had the shock of his life when he was woken up in the dead of Sunday night by a phone call from Mr Pilkington informing him, 'that he could be facing anything from a slap on the wrist to being lowered through a meat slicer feet first - whilst being fed live sparrows - until the beaks stick out of his stomach.' Mr Pilkington then hung up the phone.
A spokes-person for Mr Murray said that the F1 designer, 'still has not stopped shaking.'
Bernie Ecclestone was 'The-Fan-Car' teams owner at the time and now he owns F1. This will also get investigated - and this means that the FIA stewards/fun police will be in work for a very, very long time indeed.

S.

Bicester News On The Bicester Blog For a Change...

2009-08-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

A Few things that were interesting about Bicester happened today - and both of them arrived in my living room.

First things first. I was reading the front page of The Bicester Review about how great the town centre is, etc, when i noticed a mention about a company called Wirth Research - located on the Telford Road industrial estate. The piece pointed out that this company is partners with Manor Grand Prix Racing (one of the new F1 teams that have signed for 2010) and that the design and building of the new cars would take place here in Bicester, creating 100 new jobs.

As i was reading this i was amazed to then see Bicesters Threshers Off-licence being featured as the Off-licence of choice for the BBC1 Saturday Kitchen cooking show. The Scene was set by one of the shows wine experts standing at the bottom of Sheep Street describing the Town as Beautiful Bicester? (first time i've heard it described as that). She then went on a short journey to the Threshers shop via The Market Square and once inside the shop, recommended some wine for the food that was being cooked on the show. How random i thought. I also though, i've been in that shop...

This was some nice work by the Towns Council for a change...very good for the centre of town businesses.

If you want to watch it for yourself - click on this link which will take you to the BBC iplayer : The feature involving Bicester is about 1hr : 17min and 30 seconds into The Saturday Kitchen Best Bits Program.

Michael Schumacher To Come Out Of Retirement!.

2009-07-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

Schumacher is back!

Almost as shocking as his resent appearance on Top Gear - seven times F1 world champion Michael Schumacher has announced that he will return to F1, driving the Ferrari missing mans car of Felipi Massa at the European GP on the 23rd of August 2009.

Read all about it here.

Daniel Schumacher : No Relation To Michael...

2009-07-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

After watching and enjoying the German GP from the Nurburgring on Sunday. Today (Monday) i thought i would watch it again. I also watched the pre-race BBC program for a second time and just as i hit the fast forward button to avoid having to see and hear some German X-Factor winner sing the Whole of the German national anthem, i heard the local race track compare announce the singers name, Daniel Schumacher. Now then, the first time round - when i watched the GP 'live' on Sunday, i had the program on delay by about two minutes. To watch and catch back up with real time i have to wait for something uninteresting (in the bad old days of ITV commercials i would hit the stop delay button then) Danial Schumacher gave me this opportunity on the uninterrupted BBC program. Schumacher is not an unusual Sir name in Germany of course, so i don't think all Schumachers are related to the F1 ace, Michael...you will be horrified or maybe pleased to know that i have researched this and can confirm that Danial is not related to Michael...
Anyway, i have found some information about D.Schumacher on Wikipedia and have pinned up a video of his work...see how long you can watch/listen before having to switch off the 'music' and then go for a long walk to forget...sorry.

Michael Schumacher Interview With ITV Team.

2009-07-12T07:49:00.000-07:00

Watch : Full twenty minute interview with seven times F1 world champion Michael Schumacher Here

Silverstone GP 2009 : Name dropping.

2009-06-23T00:11:00.000-07:00

Once again this year i got to see the British GP for nowt by grafting on the pit-straight Grandstand gate checking tickets and trying to keep tempers at bay on the Saturday Qualifying - after the organisers decided letting anyone with a grandstand ticket into any grandstand was a good idea. It coursed mayhem.
Anyway it went good in the end and on Sunday the grandstand was packed with people with the right tickets.
The media compound is situated behind our gate - and this year we had a new set of celebs to spot...in fact we wanted their autographs as well, which we managed to get. The new BBC team was great, they took time out to sign fans tickets and other pieces of paper/plastics/body parts - and of course pose for pictures. The most popular people seemed to be Jake Humphrey's and of course David Coulthard...yes!, he stood next to me whilst having his photo taken with a fan!. I was star struck!.
The BBC team were thoroughly decent throughout the whole weekend and i will not hear a bad word said against them...even Johnathan Legard, ha ha!.

S.

Isle Of Man TT : Experience Motor Sport At It's Most Dangerous.

2009-06-10T08:09:00.000-07:00

If you have ever thought F1 was not as dangerous as it was forty years ago...or ten years ago for that matter? you would be right. You can sit back and watch a GP on a Sunday afternoon safe in the knowledge that you will not see your favourite F1 driver get wiped out in front of your very eyes. However there must be just a little curiosity - as is the case with me as to what it must have been like as a F1 fan in the 60's. What was your mind set knowing that the drivers were doing a sport that could be extremely deadly. How would you regard the drivers bravery?...and would you say to your self, 'sod doing that for all the tea in china?!'.
You could talk to people who were about at the time; or, you could watch this years Isle-Of-Man TT races...
The Isle of Man has hosted these unique races for over a century - and in the early years cars would take part and it also featured on the Moto GP calender, which it of course does not any more.
One of the reasons is because compared to the other circuits on the Moto GP calender - it is very long...37.5 miles. The other thing is that Moto GP riders would all of a sudden face the prospect of instant death in an accident (check above video, and you will see what i mean). Imagine Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso and all the other currant F1 drivers being told that for one race per season they would have to go and race at the old Nordschleife race track - without seat belts or hands devise...and for that matter...maybe divert the circuit through a few villages and...oh yes! take down all the armaco barriers?. It would be a team bosses worst nightmare. He could lose his best driver to the angel of death laying in wait round every tern.
The Isle of Man TT races are on now (21:00pm ITV4). The riders are TT specialists and even though the circuit is maned by marshalls and medics of the highest quality...death could be the end result for any one of the riders on any part of the circuit at any time. It is terrifying just to watch. But it is also thrilling!.
S.

Jenson is no Schumacher and Lewis is no Senna.

2009-05-25T02:50:00.000-07:00

With five wins out of six races - and a fantastic win in Monaco to boot, Jenson Button is now starting to get referred to as 'Schumacher esc'.
Last year Britain's Lewis Hamilton was referred to as, 'Senna esc'.
Both drivers in their own right are very good in F1 terms. But, Schumacher and Senna they are not...or maybe they are when they are in a good car? but which F1 driver isn't?.
When Lewis drove in the wet last year he was deemed as good as Ayrton Senna, who was, as we all know, sublime and stunning in the rain. Just like Lewis at Silverstone in his well behaved McLaren, Senna could knock the other drivers into a cocked hat. But, the Brazilian could do this sort of stuff in a badly behaving Tolman, at Monaco, in the rain. The Tolman was nick named, The General Belgrano (a battle ship) by the teams mechanics because of it's sluggish handling. But, in the hands of Senna at Monaco, in the rain, in 1984, the driver flattered the cars inabilities. This is when Senna's team realised he was no ordinary driver. He was a genius.
Micheal Schumacher, when it counted, could put stunning laps together to get a dog of a car on poll, or get the same misbehaving machinery into the lead before and after pit-stops. Senna and Schumacher of course had their time in the best cars, but in these cars they made it look easy.
Button and Hamilton might be able to simulate something drivers in a different league could do when those drivers were in inferior machinery, but, just like Lewis has found out this year and Jenson in previous years : they are just mere mortals when trying to wrestle a misbehaving car round a circuit.

S.

Rubens Barrichello : Out Of The Ferrari Pan And Into The Brawn Fire.

2009-05-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

Pictured left is one of F1's most talented drivers. One of the most talented drivers never to have won the F1 world championship. The picture is of Barrichello standing on the podium in tears after winning the Brazilian GP, his home GP. The image could also be a summing up of the downside of his career. After taking F1 by storm driving for Jordan in his 1993 debut at Donnington, a race in which another Brazilian, Aryton Senna, drove one of the finest F1 races ever, Barrichello went on to impress in other teams such as the Stuart Team - where it became apparent that he was championship material. However, this was not to be.
In 2000 the Brazilian joined Ferrari. The team brought him money, fame, glamour and a parking place with his name on it at the top of the F1 grid. It could also bring him his first F1 win and a championship...well, a win perhaps but not a championship. There was one slight catch to driving for Ferrari and that was the fact that only one car was supposed to cross the finish line first and that car belonged to racing legend, Michael Schumacher.
Schumacher at the time was number one and had a reputation for trouncing team mates who dared to take him on.
This marked the end of Barrichellos title hopes; at least until 2005.
After winning nine GP's with Ferrari (these wins were when Schumacher had no chance of winning or after the German ace had secured the title) Barrichello left the team looking for a shot at the title with Honda. His team mate was Jenson Button, who did not have the mite of Schumacher but still had a reputation of trashing team mates and being the number one driver.
Ok, they had good years and bad years - but lets get right up-to-date. In fact, as up-to-date as last Sundays Spanish GP (10/05/09).
Before last weekends race, Button had won three of this seasons the first four races and finished third in the remaining one. Rubens felt he could win the fifth race of the season at Barcelona. To cut a long story short. He did not win. Jenson did. Not only did Rubens look mortified and was crying inside after race because it looked as though his old Ferrari boss, Ross Brawn, had instigated coded team orders to blunton Rubens three stop charge and a chance of a win, but it also told him that once again he was going to be rear gunner to his team mate and forfeit the championship.
It looks like Rubens championship 'ship' has now set sail and on board is Jenson Button.

My Two Sense :

Ross Brawn is a brilliant, ruthless boss who owns a motor racing engineering team. The drivers are employed to get everything out of that engineering. This might be Brawns best chance of a championship double. It is his choice and it is logical to favour the younger driver who is leading the championship. He and the team are doing a great job and Britain should be proud of them for their success. However, his old Ferrari history is being brought up by the success hating moaning minis. This is now a golden era for F1, on track and on TV. Rubens says he will quit if he thinks he is the victim of Brawns team orders. Unfortunately there are plenty of drivers who would gladly bring this giant among drivers career to an end by replacing him; and Ross knows it.

S.

Beyoncé Live...

2009-05-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

This video moved me to tears of laughter...take it away girl!.

Ok, i know someone has played with her voice on some sort of electronic gizmo...

Why is google in Morse code? Y M-A ASK (You may Ask)

2009-04-27T12:23:00.000-07:00

Text Messaging champions are said to be the fastest tapped message senders on earth...and they are usually teenagers.
Perhaps today some of you might have thought that Google had had a few problems with their logo and maybe there was a page error? because the logo was broken?. There was in fact no problem with Googles page. The dots and dashes were Morse code, spelling out the word Google. This stunt was put up by Google to commemorate the invention of the some-what dated form of communication. However, the code might be dated, but it is not a slow way of tap, tap, communication. In the hands...or 'fingers' of an ex Morse code expert the dots and dashes can be delivered to there translator far quicker than any teenage text addict can send a message via their Mobile. These old vets even invented the so called 'text speak' short hand by, for example, using the Morse code for 'U', as 'you', etc.
Follow the link and read about the 93-year-old Morse code vet who, in a Morse-code verses text competition, blew the doors off a whizz-kid text champion.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article381748.ece

Lewis Hamilton : Would he make A Move To Ferrari?.

2009-04-13T06:38:00.000-07:00

After being stripped of his Melbourne third place and then being told he could...along with his McLaren team 'be throne out of the 09 championship', the talk is that Lewis Hamilton could terminate his contract early (which runs out in 2012) with McLaren and don some red overalls with a big yellow shell stuck to them...and of course the name, Ferrari also embossed on the out-fit as well.
It is said that the prancing horse would go so far as gallop! - kicking the other top flight teams to one side! - in a bid to secure the Brits services.
Would Hamilton - who as a ten year old boy was taken under the wing of the Woking team and then in 2007 given the chance to drive for them - securing the title in 2008 want to leave?; and if so, why go to his deadly rivals Ferrari?.
Well Ferrari pay a lot of money to their drivers...up to $23million per season in Micheal Schumachers case. But like Schumacher, he doesn't really need a money incentive...he needs - just like the vilified German, security.
Ferrari give their drivers more protection from all the haters...and the FIA of course than any other team on the grid. Micheal Schumacher was getting sick of being black flagged, penalised and called a cheat when he drove for Benetton. Ferrari offered a shield from all that, although it still went on because just like Lewis, Schumacher was a marked man. 'A German that seems to lie and cheat, how typical', would be the thoughts and comments from those people who are just a little, lets say...backward in their assessment of a Human being from a different land.
Ferrari could not only take the bullet for it's drivers but they could also fire back. Schumacher (although still being accused of cheating by his somewhat special followers, who hate him - and put in the same category as Hitlers black army - who did some sickeningly nasty things over forty years ago) was now allowed to get on with what he did best. Racing.
There are a lot of so called 'F1 fans' out there with the same retarded backward views that were bestowed on Schumacher, who is German!, yes!, watch out! he might pull you finger nails out!, oh my god!. Might these people also get confused about Lewis Hamiloton, who is a British man and is black...oh my god!, he might mug you the next time you get near him!. These sad individuals find it much more relaxing to sit in their chairs and watch the blue eyed white Brit driver, Jenson Button, win the championship; it makes more sense to them and is easier for their lonely brain cells to process.
Lewis from now on, will still be accused of this that and the other...and will always be called a cheat by the ignorant plebeian, so called 'F1 fans' that cant get their heads round him and who are also obsessed with hatred; but if he joins Ferrari, he will be able to race. He will be able to mesmerise and entertain the real F1 fans...and he will be protected.

S.

Jason Plato : Car control Genius!

2009-04-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

Jason Plato gets out of the impossible in the third heat of last weeks BTCC at Brands Hatch.
It has been described as 'One of the best pieces of car control ever!.'
I agree. This piece of driving for just a moment was Senna and Schumacher combined!.

F1 Australian GP (Melbourne) preview, 2009.

2009-03-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, it kicks off this weekend in Melbourne Australia - and before the lights go out and the drivers show us fans what the 09 cars can do...and who's done the best pre-season job of it...thank the god of pod casting that Sidepodcast-TV are back with a great preview video. Thanks guys! - so, if you want to know all about the changes to the cars this year and your trying to get your head round KERS, slick tyres, and adjustable front wing buttons...and you are totally confused?; this video using fantastic graphics and 'exactly what it says on the tin explanations' will put you straight and allow you to hit the ground running when the GP starts this weekend.
I totally missed the sidepodcast race predictions montage this year because i was away...i think - so here they are : 1st, Robert Kubica, 2nd Alonso, third Hamilton (he will surprise us...i think?). I have never been right with my first race top three - so this year will be no different...

Go to BBC's F1 website for full TV race schedule.

S.

Grid positions : Australian GP 2009.

1. BUTTON Brawn
2. BARRICHELLO Brawn
3. VETTEL Red Bull
4. KUBICA BMW
5. ROSBERG Williams
6. GLOCK Toyota (Disqualified : will start from pits)
7. MASSA Ferrari
8. TRULLI Toyota (Disqualified : will start from pits)
9. RAIKKONEN Ferrari
10. WEBBER Red Bull
11. HEIDFELD BMW
12. ALONSO Renault
13. NAKAJIMA Williams
14. KOVALAINEN McLaren
15. HAMILTON McLaren (Has been demoted five grid positions to 18th for gear box change)
16. BUEMI Toro Rosso
17. PIQUET Renault
18. FISICHELLA Force India
19. SUTIL Force India
20. BOURDAIS Toro Rosso

Australian GP 2009 : Race Results.

1. Button Brawn GP
2. Barrichello Brawn GP
3. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
4. Glock Toyota 5. Alonso Renault
6. Rosberg Williams-Toyota
7. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari
8. Bourdais Toro Rosso-Ferrari
9. Sutil Force India-Mercedes
10. Heidfeld BMW Sauber
11. Fisichella Force India-Mercedes
12. Trulli Toyota : 25 second penalty
13. Webber Red Bull-Renault
14. Vettel Red Bull-Renault
15. Kubica BMW Sauber
16. Raikkonen Ferrari

Retired : Non Classified Drivers.

Massa Ferrari (B) 46
Piquet Renault (B) 25
Nakajima Williams-Toyota (B) 18
Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1

Jim Clark - The Quiet Champion : Documentary.

2009-03-22T07:27:00.000-07:00

Apart from the this years 09 season being shown on the BBC in just a weeks time, another Formula-1 must see on the same channel is a documentary about the sixties F1 legend, Jim Clark. The program will be shown on BBC-4 and repeated on BBC-2 over the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend which falls on April 12.
Check out the trailer below to wet your appetite.

JACKIE STEWART - The Flying ScotBBC 4 / 7.00pm / April 11

JIM CLARK - The Quiet ChampionBBC 4 / 7.00pm / April 18

GRAHAM HILL - DrivenBBC 4 / 7.00pm / April 25

BBC Formula-1 Web-Site Up And Runing.

2009-03-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

With the up and coming 09 F1 season just weeks away, Sunday March 29th, the BBC are cranking more gears up with it's F1 champagne than Lewis Hamiltons V8. Little trailers are appearing in between programs and the BBC now has it's own F1 web-site check out Jake Humphrey's blog.
Lets hope the BBC don't go over the top with the full size trailers, like they do with the Rugby. We F1 fans are not supernatural beings from Greek mythology - with flint-like eyes going into battle with rival supporters of teams or drivers; marching towards each other, chanting Dalek rhetoric to an equally Psychotic looking army of androids marching the other way. Also, although the drivers are Gladiator like. I don't want to see a trailer featuring them being borne of smelted metals that have been forged by Thor himself in the bowels of Hell and Brimstone. Then the said mythical being pores the solidifying driver into a Chariot with wings cast from the golden fleece - which morphs in-to an F1 car. I will feel a little wrong and uncomfortable with that sort of OTT stuff. Oh, by the way, they, The BBC will be bringing back the Chain theme music for the show. Please keep it exactly the same as it was...no remixing!.

S.

Lewis Hamilton's generous gift to Chris Moyles.

2009-02-25T11:15:00.000-08:00

Generous Lewis Hamilton has sponsored Radio-1 breakfast-show host, Chris Moyles £10,000 in aid of his...and eight other celebs attempt at climbing Mount Kilimanjaro next weekend. The red nose appeal climb is going to raise money for people all over the world who are less privileged than our self's.
Lewis was interviewed by Chris and his news reader, Dominic Byrne at the McLaren HQ in Woking after the show finished yesterday. There was not much talk about F1, but Lewis gave Chris a few fitness tips and went along with the light humour of the show. You can watch the interview by clicking this link. Lewis hands Chris a cheque for £5,000 in the video, but then later told the 35 year old DJ that he would stand him another five grand if he made it to the top of the Mountain.
The BBC seem to be cranking things up a notch by getting Moyles to promote the sport of F1 in his own unique style as the season draws near.

09 F1 Cars Are Closer Than They Have Ever Been.

2009-02-22T07:15:00.000-08:00

In the resent F1 pre-season tests at Jerez and Bahrain it was pretty much established that there is 'not-a-lot in-it' when it comes to which team will have the fastest car at the first GP in Melbourne on the 29th of March. This has been a pleasant surprise to everyone - being as all the teams have designed their cars from a clean sheet of paper due to the rule chances which were brought in to aid overtaking - and as a result have gone about the whole thing in lots of different ways; in other words : their own unique style. Put this all together and cross your fingers (hoping the new design rules will do what they say on the tin) and we might be treated to some close racing again...a little like this. Watch video of one of the greatest ever laps in F1 history below.

Schumacher Bike crash : Racing Driver Teases Death.

2009-02-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

The seven times F1 world champion, Michael Schumacher escaped serious injury today in a German Superbike test. Whilst under braking the Retired ace was throne off his machine and it is rumored that he was knocked-out in the crash. He had a routine check up and will be kept overnight in hospital.
This is evidence that drivers like Schumacher don't leave F1 because they think they have dodged the fatal crash bullet, or that they need to give their families nerves a well deserved rest. Superbike riders still lose their lives (as resent as last year) and this sport has more risk at the moment than F1. Racers like Schumacher still need the 'dice with death' experience to get that adrenalin rush; it is and always will be a part of their makeup.

S.

Worst Snow In Britain for Twenty years?

2009-02-02T10:14:00.000-08:00

You may have looked out of your window today - if you live in London - and seen a sight weather forecasters are saying hasn't been seen on such a biblical scale in the Capital for twenty years?. The horrific sight was not a meteor strike or Aliens from another planet - or a tolerant traffic warden. No, it was some snow...SNOW!, IN LONDON!?. Wheres superman?; will it be another twenty years before things get back to normal?; will Gorden Brown lend the jack-ass Banks more money so that they will survive the disaster?. I'm sorry...i was being a bit silly there and exaggerating a bit. You will never see a tolerant traffic Warden. They are all Stazi buffoons.
Out-side of London however we have been having snow fall - and some of it over six inches - for years, i even sore some last year!, oh yeah!. But when there's a bit in London, the place grinds to a holt...as if the authorities thought it would never happen!. A Jumbo Jet takes off from O'Hara Airport in Chicago, where there is 4ft of snow and can't land at London Heathrow because of three inches of snow. Did they come to work in the morning, look at the runway and say, 'wheres it gone?. It seems to be covered in something cold that fell out of the sky?. STOP ALL THE FLIGHTS!. Don't panic!, don't panic! (in a Jonesy from Dads Army voice).'
Other countries have snow ploughs to clear the runways?. Have none of the people in charge seen the Airport disaster movies?. In these films the stricken aircraft could land...just as long as the snow was ploughed off the runways in the nick of time - and that was back in the seventies!.
It is so embarrassing to be British when minor disasters like this happen. I spoke to people today at work who told me that temperatures in Poland and Finland were -45 with snow drifts up to 6ft!. Britain does not have this sort of weather in London that often - but try getting any sympathy from someone 400miles away in Scotland!. No wonder they think we are a bunch of softies.
On a serious note though : there are people bedding down for the night on the streets of London, Oxford and...well all major Towns and Cities throughout the UK. These people are homeless and they do feel the cold. I know it's the credit crunch at the moment and all charities are struggling but if you do have just a few quid to spare you can click the button at the top of this site and donate some money to Shelter. I directed a poor man to Oxfords night shelter this morning who had just spent the night on the streets of modern Britain. He told me he was 'fu**ing freezing!.' The night shelter is funded by charities like Shelter, this means the the man would have got a hot drink and a hot meal, some warmth for a few hours and maybe some warm clothes. When you look out of your window tonight, remember there are people trying to sleep outside in the dark, in this this bitter weather.

S.

The Stig Is Ben Collins.

2009-01-24T10:27:00.000-08:00

As we all have known - and was also reveled on this site last year - Top Gears, 'The Stig' has let slip that he is in fact racing driver Ben Collins : http://www.mirror.co.uk/2009/01/20/the-secret-identity-of-top-gear-s-stig-revealed-115875-21056047/

The Mirror broke the story after receiving a leak that Ben Collins told owners of an art store that was selling 'The Stig In Action Prints' that he was the real thing. It has been long suspected on Internet sites that Collins, who gets paid about £80,000 a year by the BBC to play The Stig, is...'The Stig.'
He is just a normal jobbing race driver who is ideal for the job; think about it? : Why hire a famous ex, F1 driver - who would demand millions to play the part in disguise! so know one knew who he was? that would be a waste of money. A well known driver would have to use his famous face to promote the feature and the show - also he would hardly have time on his hands to do the show; even famous F1 drivers like Niki Lauda from way back in the 70's and 80's are up to their eyeballs with TV presenting and promotion work. Ben Collins on the other hand can drive metronomic high-speed laps, is race sharp and will do it disguised as a character who can be what the show wants him to be, ie : not of this world, a machine/computer, etc. With the Internet no one can be the masked man any-more. Some people would say...this is a shame...i don't.

Is This Man The Real Life Homer Simpson?.

2009-01-16T11:36:00.000-08:00

Sorry, i know there are lots of things going on in F1, but before i write anything more about the most exciting sport on earth (in my opinion) i just had to put this post up about about the worlds most gullible man.
Not only did he hand over his bank account details to Nigerian con men (fone jacker style) on one occasion, losing tens of thousands of pounds - but he then got an e-mail from an FBI Internet fraud site telling him they would get his money back for a small fee...and by the way, they needed his, Baaank accaaaunt detaaails sir. Yes, you've guessed it : they were more Internet fraudsters - who sucker punched him for the rest of his cash. To be fair, i'm sure the victim is a nice guy...but what a chump!.

Full story here : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1116067/Postman-loses-130-000-savings-Nigerian-internet-scam-duped-friend-met-MySpace.html

Should we believe everything we are told about pirates?.

2009-01-11T06:03:00.000-08:00

Bit of a break from F1 before testing starts in Jerez on Monday. Check this article out that was written for the independent. Food for thought i think.

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-you-are-being-lied-to-about-pirates-1225817.html?startindex=100