Quite Frankly my dear

Frank is Canada's answer to Private Eye. Bob Edwards was doing this stuff a century ago in the Calgary Eye-Opener. He was the William Cobbett of Canadian journalism - so it goes.

New Gonzo

John May is on a Hunter S. Thompson kick.

Buckeye Bullet

Sister website SCOOT got a big hello from Pete Miller at the Buckeye Bullet Program. Wazzat you may say? Check it out here.
The Buckeye Bullet holds the all-time electric car speed of 321 MPH, the U.S. Land Speed Record at 315 MPH, and the International Electric Land Speed Record at 271 MPH.
The car is powered by batteries that provide power to an electic motor.
There are links to podcasts and the Buckeye Bullet Blog.

First Snow

Owen Shaw has been out enjoying the skiing up north of Barrie, Ontario.
He says "We went cross-country skiing on Saturday in the Hardwood Hills just north of Barrie, very nice. I started to get the hang of it after falling on my face a few times."

CPR Holiday Train fundraiser

Check out the cross-country trains with musical artists here. As a bonus check out the CPR steam train here.

Marsh on the podium

Matthew Marsh finished third in the PICCA race at the Macau Grand Prix. For a race report go here.

Marsh to the front

Matthew Marsh will start the Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia race in Macau on Sunday from the front row of the grid. The pole-sitter is Darryl O'Young.
In a welcome return to form Marsh finished second in the recent Carrera Cup Asia support race to the Chinese F1 Grand Prix in Shanghai.

Rocket Rant

Doug Chiasson sent me this picture shot in the forward studio above Fox & Sons on Bonfire night in Lewes.

Banking and biscuits

I'm back in Toronto, arriving yesterday on Air Transat - Gatwick was a zoo so I upgraded to Club Class for the trip across the Atlantic and caught a taxi from the airport to my flat. It took fifty-five minutes in all from getting off the aircraft to my front door - not bad and boy was I glad to be back home. The radio gig in the UK has knocked the stuffing out of me.
Today I went to Mississauga in the smart car - it fired first time after standing for three weeks. We stopped at HSBC bank in the Mississauga Chinese Centre at 888 Dundas Street East - I deposited a sterling cheque no problem.



We then proceeded to A Bit of Home at 4-600 Burnhamthorpe Road West which specialises in quality Irish and British goods. This is the only known source of garibaldi biscuits in Canada, ending a four year search. They aren't cheap but a source of comfort for the desparate.

Down like the stick

The closedown on Rocket FM came around 11:30 last night as Andy Thomas, Peter Flanagan, Andy Reeve, Dino Bishop and myself wound up the season. A splendid cake with five candles baked by my sister was produced and a few glasses of wine supped. We chose a few tracks each and burbled about the run. We were too tired to be sad - and elated to reach the end of two weeks of grafting. Here's to 2006.
P.S. Good to host Doug Chiasson in the studio on Bonfire night with his good lady - here in Lewes from Toronto in Canada.

The good samaritan

My cousin Katharine Willmett has been in a spot of bother in Uganda. Despite being an old Africa hand she was mugged in Kampala, losing all funds and passport. Following this disaster she contracted malaria and was in the hospital unconscious, unable to pay for her treatment. The British and Australian Embassies offered no help at all - the British Embassy saying she would have to travel to England to obtain a new passport when she has been resident in Australia these many years. She was finally rescued by Don Campbell of the Canadian Embassy, a thirty-year veteran in East Africa, to whom we are all grateful. We wish Katharine a safe trip home to Hervey Bay, Queensland.

Huge Buzz

Six hours of live broadcasting on Rocket FM last night on the big Bonfire broadcast.
We closed the show at midnight after a great phone-in segment with our reporters from the firesites. I was back in Commercial Square in time to see Paul Wheeler address the crowd as the Waldstadt Fäger Band stole the show with their storming style in an impromptu concert - the crowd bopping happily in the streets as Bonfire 2005 wound up. Back to Thomas Towers for light refreshment still running on adrenaline. Nearly five hours sleep and I'm back up early at 06:45 not to miss Martin Leeburn, Andy Thomas and Peter Donaldson review the Sunday papers.

Big Gig

Less than two hours to go to the big Bonfire gig on Rocket FM. In the words of Ian Dury "First night nerves with every one night stand." England expects.

Put a Rocket in your pocket

The build-up to Bonfire continues. The Waldstadt Fäger Band are here from Waldshut-Tiengen in the Black Forest - the twin town of Lewes. This exotically-attired ensemble are an old Bonfire favourite and I've practically worn out their CD on Rocket FM over the years. Peter and Hubert from Germany are billeted at my sister's house until Sunday.

A concert is scheduled for Thursday night in the Town Hall, which is a sellout, and of course the band will be marching in the procession on November 5th.
The band are the guests of the Commercial Square Bonfire Society who will be featured on the Drivetime Show today - Chairman John Botting attempting to keep order among his excited crew. I can't wait.