The North Woolwich aircraft carrier.

I have just got back from the cinema, where Ian and I went to see The Boat that Rocked. I have read many reviews, ranging from the dismissive to those that heaped praise on the thing. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the movie; it has both technical accuracy issues and plot holes wide enough to sail a ship through, but these really do not matter. The casting, acting and photography are all spot on; I am glad to say that it is somewhat darker than the usual Richard Curtis fare, though it still is a real "feel good" movie. I know my own offshore broadcasting experiences were from the late eighties, rather than their 1960's heyday, but as someone who has been there and done it, I can strongly recommend the film.

On another radio - related note, local station Time FM (formerly Radio Thamesmead) has gone bust and has now left the airwaves. You can read all about it here.

Something very unusual happened on Wednesday afternoon. I was leaving my Dad's nursing home, which is located on directly the opposite side of the River Thames to the London City Airport. I was walking up the nursing home path when the ground started trembling and a deafening rumble filled the air. Car alarms went off and added to the cacophony as I looked over the river and upwards I witnessed a USAF Boeing 747 Electronic Countermeasures aircraft lifting off from the tiny City airport. How on earth the behemoth managed to land and subsequently take off from the miniscule runway beggars belief. My wild guess is that the 747 was part of the small fleet of decoy aircraft that escorted Air Force One on its' way to the UK this week. By the way, if you did not see my posting of a few months ago, I have President Obama as one of my Flickr friends. I just wish that I had my camera with me to capture the sight of the surprisingly agile aircraft ascending heavenwards.

Soap box time. Disposable razor blades. Are they machined out of platinum and lubricated with pure cocaine? No? Then how come they are so amazingly expensive? Seven quid for four small pieces of metal and plastic seems unreasonable at best; I would not mind so much, but the Gillette Fusion blades I use seem to wear out after only two uses - any further attempt to shave ends up with scrapes and skin irritation. I have tried other brands with no better result. The manufacturers have got us blokes by the short and curlies and there is little we can do about it. I just wish someone would come out with an Immac equivalent for men.

Erith River Festival has been cancelled this year; I don't know why - there was little further information on the signs blu tacked to the revolving doors in Morrison's where I saw it announced. I am deeply disappointed, as last years' festival was excellent. Click here to see my photos of the event.

I had a very annoying incident on public transport this week (what - again? I hear you say). Just this once it had nothing to do with buses; this time it was Southeastern Trains. I had got onto the service at Plumstead on Thursday late afternoon, and it proceeded on its' way to Erith. Upon arrival at Erith Railway Station, it sat there for a while, whilst muggins repeatedly pressed the button to open the doors. Nothing happened, and the train duly drew out of the station and headed on to Slade Green. When I eventually managed to get off the train, the driver's cab was surrounded by what could only be described as a lynch mob of angry commuters who had been unable to leave the train at Erith. Fortunately I was able to walk through the foot tunnel and pick up a train back to Erith within a few minutes. The numpty behind the wheel (or whatever train drivers use to control the train with) deserved a jolly good kicking for inattention - in another situation it could have led to injury or worse.

The video clip this week continues the watery wireless theme; it is a recent local TV news report featuring Radio Caroline and the Ross Revenge, and includes an interview with my former boss, Caroline station manager Peter Moore. It just goes to show how a Hollywood movie can galvanise interest in a subject.