What’s happening at Motorcycle Live 2020? Join in Online: during the week of 21-29 November 2020

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic this year’s Motorcycle Live will be different with fans set to indulge in a virtual experience for the week November 21-29.

Hosted on the Motorcycle Live website, through email campaigns and supported by the industry, fans will be able to witness the unveiling of new bikes, enter competitions and take part in Q&A sessions with some of the UK’s biggest motorcycle stars, including former World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty and fans will even get a chance to win a private chat with Foggy himself courtesy of Bikesure. 

As fans won’t be able to roam the NEC in Birmingham, Motorcycle Live Online will have a themed day, everyday for the week: 

21st – Launch Day and New Metal (although this theme will be running through the whole show)

22nd – New Metal (although this theme will be running through the whole show)

23rd – Sports/Naked

24th – Future Day

25th – Adventure/Off-road Day

26th – New Riders

27th – Classic/Retro/Custom

28th – BSB Day

29th – TT Day

www.bikesure.co.uk

Don Rides the fantastic Honda Gold Wing Tour - part II

 

So, I had the fantastic Honda GoldWing Tour (with DCT & airbag) for 48 hours - Weds, Thurs & Fri. "What travels & adventures did you get up to then Don", I hear you ask. Actually not so much! For the three days that I had the bike it tipped down with rain!  I had a great but very wet & windy ride down on Weds. Nothing at all on Thursday - owing to non stop rain & pressure of work. On Friday, for half of the return journey to Doble Motorcycles in Coulsden the skies threw with rain! When I got to Guildford it started to dry up - then the rest of the journey was dry. My route was Waterlooville, A3 to Tolworth, Stoneleigh, Ewell, Banstead, Chipstead, Coulsden.

I'd have loved to have spent much of my 48 hour loan - in the saddle of this lovely bike but the weather truly wasn't conducive to truly having fun on a 383Kg (yes you did read that right) bike. Such a shame. God willing lets see if we can revisit this experience in Spring or Summer next year? When I wasn't worrying about the downpour or the state of the roads - the ride was sublime: smooth but powerful ability to cruise. This would be a wonderful bike to tour on - for rider & pillion. Kim didn't get to go for a ride on the Wing, but she had a go in the rear seat & found it very comfortable. Calli liked it too!

The Gold Wing is a truly impressive machine: 1800cc flat 6 engine, 7 speed DCT gearbox, 4 speaker sound system, SatNav, cruise control, heated grips, heated rider & pillion seats (pillion seat is independently adjustable), perspex air dams offering wonderful wind & rain protection, electrically adjustable windscreen, keyless start, start / stop technology, great luggage capacity, & amazing fuel economy for such a big beast (best part of 50MPG).

The finish is typically top drawer Honda - paint was beautiful in "pearl hawkseye blue". You could imagine the pride of ownership that comes with such an amazing motorcycle. However as I observed in Sept 2018, you'd struggle if this was your only bike - it is very big(!), not sure it's the right tool for scratching round the back lanes on a weekend... 

I handed the wonderful Wing back to Paul @ Doble & collected my amazing Ariel from Robin in the service dept. I have to say, I love my CB1000R+ - what an incredible, life affirming bike! It rained for ~1/2 the journey back but because she is so short, light, fast & dynamic - I didn't really notice it! I had to give her a good scrub (Praise the Lord for MuckOff!) before tucking her away in the garage.

www.doble.co.uk

Bobby Ball 1944-2020 RIP. Rock on Bobby

 

Bobby Ball, one half of the comedy double act Cannon and Ball, has died at the age of 76, his manager has confirmed.

His death comes after the actor and comedian tested positive for Covid-19.

Ball was one half of the comedy duo alongside his long-time friend and colleague Tommy Cannon.

He also starred in several sitcoms including Not Going Out, Last of the Summer Wine, Benidorm and Heartbeat.

YouTube: Legendary comic, Bobby Ball, comes 'Together' with staff at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, to unite everyone together in reaction to the Covid-19 situation.

Thanks Bobby for bring joy to our lives, there'll be tears of laughter in Heaven.

www.bbc.co.uk

In these difficult days - everyone needs Good News

 

The Bible is a collection of 66 different books and letters, written over a period of approximately 1500 years up to about 100 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It is divided into two major parts, called the Old Testament (the first 39 books) and the New Testament (the last 27 books). 

The Bible is a book primarily about God’s revelation of himself to mankind and his relationship with people.  It is not just a book of history, but its accounts of God’s dealings with individuals and nations are as relevant to the modern world as they have been to every age since they were written.

The Bible has stood the test of time, the greatest test of all literature.  It was completed nearly 2,000 years ago, yet is now read more than any other book and by people of widely varying cultures.

Although the Bible is the World's best selling book - there is no need for you to buy a copy. Request a FREE Bible: if  you would like a free Bible for yourself or someone you know, please fill out the form on this link.

www.goodnewsuk.com

Ariel my CB1000R is in for a service @ Doble - look what I have for a 24 hour loan!

Ariel: my lovely CB1000R+ is in Doble Motorcycles for a somewhat overcooked 600 mile service. While arranging the service I asked the nice chaps if I could have a 48 hour loan of the 2020 Gold Wing - they agreed - so I have her from Weds to Fri this week!

When I woke up this morning, it was raining cats & dogs in Denmead! I thought this is going to be a very wet day's riding! Doble are in Coulsden (near Croydon) so a fair old trek in the rain... However, as it happens (thanks Lord!) the ride up was pretty much bone dry. Ariel is a fantastic bike - wonderfully quick, nimble & satisfying to ride, especially on fast, twisty A roads. This morning I didn't notice the buffeting (she's a naked bike - so no wind protection) that has plagued me on motorway journeys in the past. Perhaps that's just an issue on particularly blustery days? I went up the A3 to Tolworth, then East to Ewell, Banstead, Coulsden - a fab ride!

After a good chat with Robin, Steve & Paul at Doble, we swapped bikes & I headed back home - the scenic route: via Reigate, Dorking, Horsham, Petworth, Goodwood, Chichester, Denmead. Great roads, but terrible weather! Varied between fine skies, absolutely throwing it down, howling wind, roads were very wet & loads of slushy leaves - so not ideal conditions for playing with this wonderful & very powerful machine - ho hum. Fortunately my Rukka gear kept me dry & warm. What also helped was the the GoldWing's excellent weather protection including an electrically adjustable windscreen and toasty heated grips & seats!

I have previously spent an hour or so in the seat of a big wing - loved it then, still love it now! Deffo one for my fantasy garage. More of my thoughts & findings on this remarkable bike to follow over the next couple of days. TTFN!

www.doble.co.uk

Ooo, look! Zoom now has end-to-end encryption at last!

 

Zoom’s end-to-end encryption (E2EE) has arrived, letting both free and paid users secure their meetings so that only participants, not Zoom or anyone else, can access their content. 

Zoom says E2EE is supported across its Mac, PC, iOS, and Android apps, as well as Zoom Rooms, but not its web client or third-party clients that use the Zoom SDK.

E2EE has launched in technical preview, which means Zoom is asking for feedback on the feature for 30 days. However, the company says that E2EE will continue to be available after this period. Instructions on how to enable it can be found in Zoom’s help centre.

Once E2EE is enabled, you can check Zoom is using the more secure kind of encryption using the green shield at the top left of a meeting window. The shield will show a padlock rather than a checkmark if the meeting is encrypted end-to-end.

www.theverge.com

Allow me to introduce a friend: James Leeper - Executive, Career Management & Change (Life & Spiritual) Coach.

JAMES LEEPER BA (Hons): I am an Executive, Career Management & Change (Life & Spiritual) Coach. I offer 1-to-1 Coaching for those aspiring to lead a ‘Full Life' successfully when encountering job, or life transition. I am a Unitive™ trained coach and an Accredited Practitioner with PRISM Brain Mapping

I coach people who are encountering change. I delight in supporting individuals encountering change in challenging environments. I work with people who have ambitions, who want time-out to download, review and re-energise; those who are facing anxious or are in turbulent times; those who would like to have a steadying, helping hand. I accompany people in setting out to find their direction, in obtaining and maintaining fulfilling work that is right for them - “no panic buying!”

There are so many possible situations that can be a cause of concern, very likely with fear or uncertainty and trepidation or even possibly with a sense of despondency and despair when we are meeting change head on. What situation, change or transition are you encountering? These are just some I know people can experience: -

• Working from home and isolation is sapping or impairing your focus.

• Undergoing job loss.

• Wanting to, yet, finding it a real difficulty to change jobs.

• Struggling to move on in life.

• The CV is not working.

• Failing to get any interviews.

• Making a hash of interviews.

• Your manager is the “demon from the devil’s side”.

• Being impacted by events from outside work.

• Wanting to perform better to meet your aspirations and ambitions.

• A new role through promotion or secondment.

• Seeking a return to work after having had time out for a break.

• Being in a family supportive role with loneliness and despair creeping in.

• After a period of illness, need help in rebuilding confidence in finding the right job for you.

People value me as a calm and caring person with sensitivity, underpinned by my own set of values founded upon and around “Generosity of Heart”. I empathise with the difficulties people face and how it can impact upon performance and self-worth. This allows me to engage as a trusted companion on their journey; to motivate and navigate them in their desire to manage and develop in their life.

My own change journey started when I became a self-employed Consultant after working within Specialty Insurance in the Lloyd’s of London Insurance Market for 20 years. I hired a Sales Coach and a Personal Coach so that I could learn, develop and grow. My Personal coach, Charles Bentley, inspired me to become a coach because he saw and believed in my skill as Coach. 

When I was a seconded Non-Exec Director/Charity Trustee of SCOPE, this introduced me into the emerging world of Diversity and Inclusion. My own functional dyslexia, along with a family member coping with mental wellbeing means that my whole life experience enables me to journey with others to explore the ‘Undiscovered Country’, to step beyond seemingly daunting change frontiers and be true to ourselves and the world around us.

I am married (40 years) to a lovely wife and we have 4 grown up children and one grandchild. We live in a small cottage in Cumbria in the beauty of the surrounding Howgills. We have a young and very exuberant “Blue” Great Dane”, who occasionally likes to be my personal assistant in “recycling” my recycling! We share our garden with Red Squirrels and a variety of extraordinary wildlife, that all adds to the wellbeing and spiritual side of my coaching for you.

Give me a call on 03330 064219 (standard rate) or send an e-mail - and let’s arrange a video call. We can discuss what’s going on in your life? and let’s get you moving on.

www.adsumaux.co.uk

Reading for today: Hold fast to the truth, but quid est veritas?

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy, Chapter 4

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Gospel of John, Chapter 8

www.gotquestions.org - What is Truth?

Disposing of rechargeable batteries or appliances with fixed batteries? Please recycle safely!

 

Small fires like the above are surprisingly common at recycling centres. Somewhere in the UK there is one every day, on average.

As a result the industry has become good at extinguishing them, but they would rather not deal with them at all, particularly as recycling centres are full of combustible materials.

The problem is that however attentive staff might be to the threat of fire, they can't control what people put in their recycling bins.

The Environmental Services Association (ESA), which represents waste firms like Biffa, Veolia and Suez, says too many batteries are going into either recycling bins or black rubbish bags, where they are easily damaged by sorting equipment and start to burn - so-called "zombie" batteries.

The ESA has launched a campaign called Take Charge which encourages people to dispose of batteries properly.

"Unfortunately, the majority of batteries thrown away in the UK at the moment are not put in the proper recycling bins. Fires caused by carelessly discarded zombie batteries endanger lives, cause millions of pounds of damage and disrupt waste services," says Jacob Hayler, executive director of ESA.

www.bbc.co.uk

What’s new in the Windows 10 October 2020 Update

 

The Windows 10 October 2020 Update has started to become available to customers as a free update.

This year has continued to bring about change for many of us. Change in how we connect to one another, how we work, how we learn, even how we have fun. And that change is starting to feel more permanent, especially with kids going back to school adapting to remote learning and connection with their teachers and classmates or workplaces shifting to hybrid environments. Throughout all of this, the PC has become the essential device to keep us connected across our lives; it’s become our office, our classroom, even our playground. As we all adapt, live and learn through this together, one constant that remains is our commitment to you, our customers. We know you are counting on us, on Windows to stay connected to what matters.

As part of this commitment, we’re pleased to share the features and improvements coming with the Windows 10 October 2020 Update, many of which are requested features from you to help make your experience on Windows even better. 

www.windows.com

Former Google CEO Calls Social Networks "Amplifiers for Idiots"

Former Google Chief Executive Officer Eric Schmidt said the “excesses” of social media are likely to result in greater regulation of internet platforms in the coming years.

Schmidt, who left the board of Google’s parent Alphabet Inc. in 2019 but is still one of its largest shareholders, said the antitrust lawsuit the U.S. government filed against the company on Tuesday was misplaced, but that more regulation may be in order for social networks in general.

“The context of social networks serving as amplifiers for idiots and crazy people is not what we intended,” Schmidt said at a virtual conference hosted by the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. “Unless the industry gets its act together in a really clever way, there will be regulation.”

www.bloomberg.com

Honda have just released the new look MSX125 Grom Mk3. Dunno that this is an improvement...

 

Since 2013, our MSX Grom (Mini Street X-Treme) has been transport of choice for a whole new generation of young riders around the world. It’s easy to see why; individual looks, compact dimensions and full-sized motorcycle-specification, suspension and brakes. Add a peppy 125cc engine, and it’s the perfect partner for busy urban life. And now, there’s a new MSX Grom on the block, with extra power, an extra gear, and even more style.

Well you learn something new every day: MSX stands for Mini Street X-Treme! I had no idea what MSX stood for! Dunno if we like the new design - looks like someone has machine-gunned it! However the Grom now has 5 (count 'em!) gears, how very modern-ish! Think we'll stick with Grommit.

www.honda.co.uk

Looks like a motorcycle tour of France will become even more appealing soon!

Compared to the UK’s motorway network, much of the French autoroute network already put the UK’s aged motorway network to shame. Break stops every ten kilometres or so, open-air picnic-stops and a relatively high level of facilities – although to access some of these you will need to be riding on a toll road.

Now though, the APRR (Autoroutes Paris-Rhin-Rhône) is making motorway motorcycle touring across the channel a much more pleasurable affair with the inclusion of motorcycle-specific – and in some cases motorcycle only-facilities.

 Le Repaire des Motards (Motorcycle Corners) will provide travellers with some essential maintenance equipment, chain lube, tyre repair kits, cleaning kit, straps and even rain kit! On top of that, riders can also take advantage of free helmet storage while taking a break.

Some areas are even getting what APRR is calling a ‘bikers relay’ which is reported to offer free coffee to riders and even an area for wet and weary travellers to dry out their riding kit!

Véronique Tallon, Customer Director of the APRR said: “We are boosting our service offers free of charge or at the price charged outside the motorway, with a network proportionate to the needs of our customers. Here, with motorcycle professionals, we provide a complete response awaited by bikers. Our goal: to facilitate and safely accompany their trips, to provide maximum pleasure!”

www.visordown.com

Poppy Appeal 2020 - please support those who serve

Every poppy makes a difference to the lives of our Armed Forces community.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, we are working hard with our members, staff, volunteers and partners to create a range of ways for people to get involved in this year's Poppy Appeal. From buying a poppy in your local supermarket or making an online donation, to doing your own fundraising with family and friends. 

Like so many things this year, the Appeal has had to adapt to the threat of Covid-19. We're calling on the public to support us like never before, because every poppy counts.

Buy a Poppy: support The Royal British Legion by buying your poppies and poppy items online, at the Poppy Shop, this Poppy Appeal.

www.britishlegion.org.uk

Reading for today: come into the light

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 

This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

www.biblegateway.com

MC Garage Video: The Motorcycle Kill-Switch Mystery (safe or not?)

What’s the right way to shut off your bike—with the key, or with the kill switch first? And is there any harm in doing it one way or the other? 

While you may think this is a silly question (we certainly did at first), it turns out there are loads of people concerned about this very topic. 

So whether you’ve never considered the subject or you think about it every time you shut off your bike, we’ll get to the bottom of things in this video from the MC Garage.

www.motorcyclistonline.com

Calli has been for a (long overdue) wash & brush up - look!

 

Owing to various things, Kim & I missed Calli's last haircut slot with Pam - so our darling pup had turned into a proper shaggy dog story! 

However the revised date arrived today & Pam worked her magic on our dear dawg - what an improvement! 

Well done Pam - as always x

www.k9-4pawsandthegroomingroom.co.uk

The Social Dilemma - a brilliant new film that explores the threats posed by social media

We tweet, we like, and we share - but what are the consequences of our growing dependence on social media? As digital platforms increasingly become a lifeline to stay connected, Silicon Valley insiders reveal how social media is reprogramming civilization by exposing what’s hiding on the other side of your screen.

The world has long recognized the positive applications of social media, from its role in empowering protesters to speak out against oppression during the Arab Spring uprisings almost a decade ago, to serving an instrumental role in fighting for equity and justice today. And in 2020, during an astonishing global pandemic, social media has become our lifeline to stay in touch with loved ones, as well as proving to be an asset for mobilizing civil rights protests. However, the system that connects us also invisibly controls us. The collective lack of understanding about how these platforms actually operate has led to hidden and often harmful consequences to society—consequences that are becoming more and more evident over time, and consequences that, the subjects in The Social Dilemma suggest, are an existential threat to humanity.

The Social Dilemma is a powerful exploration of the disproportionate impact that a relatively small number of engineers in Silicon Valley have over the way we think, act, and live our lives. The film deftly tackles an underlying cause of our viral conspiracy theories, teenage mental health issues, rampant misinformation and political polarization, and makes these issues visceral, understandable, and urgent. Through a unique combination of documentary investigation and entertaining narrative drama, award-winning filmmakers Jeff Orlowski (Chasing Ice, Chasing Coral) and Larissa Rhodes (Chasing Coral) have once again exposed the invisible in a manner that is both enlightening and harrowing as they disrupt the disrupters by unveiling the hidden machinations behind everyone’s favorite social media and search platforms. 

The film features compelling interviews with high-profile tech whistleblowers and innovation leaders including Tristan Harris of the Center for Humane Technology; the co-inventor of the Facebook “Like” button, Justin Rosenstein; Tim Kendall, former President of Pinterest and former Director of Monetization at Facebook; Cathy O’Neil, author of Weapons of Math Destruction; Rashida Richardson, Director of Policy at the AI Now Institute, and many others. Demonstrating how social media affects consumers on a personal level, these fascinating insider insights are seamlessly woven into a captivating narrative, including Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men), that illuminates the very real consequences these seemingly innocent technologies can have on our everyday lives.

www.thesocialdilemma.com

LibreOffice rains on OpenOffice's 20th anniversary parade, tells rival project to 'do the right thing' and die!

 

To mark the 20th anniversary of Apache OpenOffice, the project's main rival, LibreOffice, published a letter asking OpenOffice to tell its users to switch.

Many people, the letter says, are unaware of LibreOffice because the OpenOffice brand is still so strong, despite the lack of significant updates over the past six years. To remedy the situation, LibreOffice is asking its competitor for an endorsement.

"Make them aware that there’s a much more modern, up-to-date, professionally supported suite, based on OpenOffice, with many extra features that people need," says the letter, penned by the board of The Document Foundation (TDF), steward of LibreOffice. "We appeal to Apache OpenOffice to do the right thing."...

www.theregister.com

Rowans Hospice: Moon & Stars Memories Walk

 

This October, the Rowans Hospice Charity are excited to bring together their two biggest fundraising events, Moonlit Memories Walk and the Starlit Walk, to create the ‘Moon & Stars Memories Walk’. 

This FREE to enter virtual walk takes place on Saturday 24 October from 5.30pm. You can choose to walk 1.5, 3, 6 or 9 miles. Sign up with your household or support bubble (up to 6 people) and follow a local route that you are already familiar with. Alternatively, you can do the virtual walk on a treadmill, laps around your garden, or your local area from your doorstep.

Once signed up try to collect as much sponsorship as you can by setting up a JustGiving page or using a sponsorship form. Those who raise more than £50 will receive a medal.

To support you, adults will be able to collect a Moonlit Memories t shirt and children are encouraged to wear fancy dress to impress and we will have a candle and sweets available. 

The Moon & Stars Memories Walk is your chance to walk in-memory of your loved ones. You will be able to light a candle during your walk for them and also wear a bib on your T-shirt which you can personalise as you wish. For children they will be able to decorate and dedicate a memory star. 

On the night of the walk you can then join in a mass virtual Zumba warm up and enjoy the entertainment. Just before we all set off, there will be a moment of reflection to remember a loved one. 

For further details and to book your FREE place have a look at:

www.rowanshospice.co.uk

Slashdot Poll: will techies be buying the new Apple iPhone 12? Spoiler: NO!

 

I'm not very keen on Apple kit - overpriced & difficult to support.

Virtually none of the techies that I know, use or recommend Apple kit.

Hmmm, what is the moral of this story...

www.slashdot.org

Microsoft Office 2010 is now End Of Life and out of support!

 

What does end of support mean? Office 2010, like almost all Microsoft products, has a support lifecycle during which we provide bug fixes and security fixes. This lifecycle lasts for a certain number of years from the date of the product's initial release. For Office 2010, the support lifecycle is 10 years. The end of this lifecycle is known as the product's end of support. 

Office 2010 hit end of support on 13th October 2020.

Microsoft will no longer provide the following:

Technical support for issues

Bug fixes for issues that are discovered

Security fixes for vulnerabilities that are discovered

Because of the changes listed above, we strongly recommend that you upgrade as soon as possible.

Are you still using Office 2010? Urgently Contact Donline for advice in planning upgrades and migration to an up to date productivity suite.

www.microsoft.com

Basic IT training: have you tried turning it off and on again?

 

OK, it's a bit of a cliché - but true nonetheless: switching an IT device off, waiting a while, then switching it back on - often solves a myriad of problems!

What counts as an IT device? Traditionally a desktop PC, but nowadays it could be a laptop, phone, tablet, smart TV, Router, printer, etc.

Why does this work? IT devices are complex things - a combination of hardware & software, often from many different vendors. Sometimes these devices have been running for days, weeks, even months without a reboot. Occasionally things go wrong. The easiest way to clear an error condition is to power that device off cleanly (not via the power switch - unless it can't be avoided). For a Windows 10 system: Start Button, Power, Shut Down.

A clean shut down will tidily close any software (applications, operating system). 

Then wait (say 30 seconds) & a cold boot (switching the system on - from a powered off condition) will allow the operating system & any applications to load up cleanly once more. This should clear most simple errors.

Hibernation & power save modes can cause issues - often a user doesn't realise that their device hasn't had a restart in many days. Again: turn it off, turn it on again is your friend! More IT hilarity like this from: Roy, Moss & Jen: The IT Crowd - on Netflix!

If you get stuck, and need IT support: contact Donline.

www.donline.co.uk

A little bit of Heaven on Earth: Miserere mei, Deus (Allegri) by the Tenebrae Choir

 

Wikipedia: Miserere (full title: Miserere mei, Deus, Latin for "Have mercy on me, O God") is a setting of Psalm 51 by Italian composer Gregorio Allegri. It was composed during the reign of Pope Urban VIII, probably during the 1630s, for the exclusive use of the Sistine Chapel during the Tenebrae services of Holy Week, and its mystique was increased by unwritten performance traditions and ornamentation. It is written for two choirs, of five and four voices respectively, singing alternately and joining to sing the ending in 9-part polyphony.

Composed around 1638, Miserere was the last and most famous of twelve falsobordone settings used at the Sistine Chapel since 1514. At some point, it became forbidden to transcribe the music and it was allowed to be performed only at those particular services at the Sistine Chapel, thus adding to the mystery surrounding it.

Three authorized copies of the work were distributed prior to 1770: to the Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold I; to the King of Portugal, John V; and to Padre (Giovanni Battista) Martini. None of them succeeded in capturing, however, the beauty of the Miserere as performed annually in the Sistine Chapel. According to the popular story (backed by family letters), fourteen-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was visiting Rome when he first heard the piece during the Wednesday service. Later that day, he wrote it down entirely from memory, returning to the Chapel that Friday to make minor corrections. Less than three months after hearing the song and transcribing it, Mozart had gained fame for the work and was summoned to Rome by Pope Clement XIV, who showered praise on him for his feat of musical genius and awarded him the Chivalric Order of the Golden Spur on July 4, 1770. Some time during his travels, he met the British historian Charles Burney, who obtained the piece from him and took it to London, where it was published in 1771. The work was also transcribed by Felix Mendelssohn in 1831 and Franz Liszt, and various other 18th and 19th century sources survive. Since the lifting of the ban, Allegri's Miserere has become one of the most popular a cappella choral works now performed.

Gregorio Allegri's Miserere mei, Deus

Performed by the Tenebrae Choir, conducted by Nigel Short

Filmed at St Bartholomew the Great, London

www.youtube.com

Microsoft releases Win10 update to prevent swollen laptop batteries - affecting various HP Business Notebooks

Microsoft has teamed up with HP to work on a fix for a problem affecting various HP Business Notebooks. The flaw not only causes a reduction in performance and battery life, but can also lead to swollen batteries.

The problem lies with the HP Battery Health Manager, and the update from Microsoft and HP is rolling out to enable a new charging algorithm to help alleviate the issue.

KB4583263 is an optional update that can be optioned via Windows Update, Microsoft Update or the Microsoft Update Catalog. HP points out that the update will only be visible to systems that need it, saying: " Windows update KB4583263 only impacts those systems that already have HP Battery Health Manager in the BIOS. KB4583263 will not update your BIOS".

www.betanews.com

Reading for today: Seek the Lord with all of your heart

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Read Jeremiah 29 at Bible Gateway

Places to ride to in Surrey and West Sussex - by Motolegends

If you live in Guildford or Godalming, Motolegends may well be your closest motorcycle clothing shop, but the truth is that we do always seem to have attracted visitors from further afield. And these days, we are often truly humbled by the distances we discover people have journeyed to come and see us.

A lot of people come a long way to see us. And so we wanted to create a video, and ultimately a website (coming soon), that shows bikers cool places they can ride to in and around the area; more specifically in Surrey and West Sussex. Now it’s true that we cannot offer the grandeur, the expansive vistas and the sheer isolation that you can find in the Highlands, for example. But we do have some really nice roads. And there are lots of great places to visit. Places for breakfast and afternoon tea. We’ve got interesting bike shops, great fish and chip restaurants, peaceful pubs, the freshest farm shops and the like.

We hope you enjoy watching this video. As we go into winter, there will be fewer days where you are going to want to cruise around the back roads of Surrey and West Sussex; but don’t worry; most, and hopefully all, of our recommendations are still going to be there next spring.

So if you’re planning a trip to come and see us at some point, build in some extra time, and explore the local environs a bit. You won’t be disappointed. And it’s a lot warmer and drier than Scotland!

www.motolegends.com

Utility Warehouse: Which? Utilities Brand of the Year 2020

UW has won the Which? award for Utilities Brand of the Year 2020. The Which? awards are the Oscars of the consumer world, and we’ve scooped a gong.

The awards recognise the achievements of companies at the top of their game, and Which? is the UK's leading independent consumer champion. Other award-category winners include brands like Apple, Nationwide and Waitrose & Partners. So now you can tell everyone we're the UK's No.1 utilities provider – and that our products and services are the very best in class.

We know customers love the simplicity of UW. We look after all your home services so you can focus on the more important things in life. And now it’s clear the experts at Which? like it too.

Earlier in the year, we were the only utilities provider to earn Which? Recommended Provider status in more than one category. Both for mobile phone services, and the only broadband provider endorsed by Which?. UW has been a Which? Recommended Provider for over 10 years.

To have won the Which? award for Utilities Brand of the Year 2020 is the icing on the cake. To have won it twice is an outstanding achievement.

We beat some pretty big names in landing this award, including Asda Mobile, giffgaff and Octopus Energy. You can count on us to be loud and proud about this award over the coming weeks and months, and we know you will be too.

Have you made the switch yet? 

Ready for better service & smaller bills?

Contact Donline to find about the benefits of switching to The Utility Warehouse!

www.utilitywarehouse.org.uk

Psst: wanna hot tip on cryptocurrencies? DON'T GO THERE!

 

Excerpt from a letter to the Telegraph: In January I read an advert for home working on the website of a national tabloid newspaper. It turned out to be cryptocurrency trading with an investment firm called Global1Exchange. I looked up some reviews online, which were mainly positive. Initially I invested £190, just to get a taste. I was assigned an account manager, who seemed very astute. I provided proof of my identity, as per money laundering regulations, including high-quality photographs of myself. The first thing Global1Exchange did after setting up my account was show me how to withdraw money. An identity check appeared on my account at ClearScore. Global1Exchange proceeded to call and email me. I made three withdrawals from my supposed account to the tune of £9,000. My investments seemed to be doing well.

Over a few weeks I invested £240,000. Then the entire sum was lost in one trade. Or so I was told. Then it dawned on me that my investments didn’t really exist. The whole thing had been a scam and I had lost everything...

www.telegraph.co.uk

Motorcycle Live Online kicks off Saturday 21 November!

 

With Motorcycle Live Online kicking off on Saturday 21 November, what can you expect from an ‘online’ version of the show? Here are the answers to some of the questions that you may have…

What will happen during the show? There are a number of ways you can get involved with Motorcycle Live Online – all of which are completely FREE.

The best way to get involved is to sign up to the newsletter here to receive the Motorcycle Live Online newsletter each day of the nine-day show. You’ll receive newsletter exclusive discount codes and have clickable links to the latest and greatest stories and videos on the Motorcycle Live website.

Just like the physical show – there will be something for everyone – whether you’re a new rider or have travelled thousands of miles on two-wheels. We’ll be hosting a number of themed days across the course of the show too, such as Future Day and Adventure Day – with more being announced the closer we get!

Make sure you’re following Motorcycle Live on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube as there will be content shared regularly on the social channels. But do bear in mind, you won’t receive the exclusive content that recipients of the newsletter will…

What will I see? We don’t want to spoil the surprise, but what we can say is that the Motorcycle Live team are busy working with manufacturers, previous exhibitors, as well as top racers and celebs to bring you some cool content to make you smile. Imagine cool video content, interviews with experts and racers, competitions and discounts from top brands. There will be some throwbacks to key moments in the show’s history too.

Just like at the physical show, we want to hear from you – so be sure to comment on our posts and share any content that you think is cool with your mates so that they can see it too.

What happens if I miss it? That’s the beauty of it – you can’t! The content, once loaded on the website either before or during the show, will be hosted there for you to visit whenever you like for the duration of the show!

What can I do before Saturday 21 November? We’ll be loading discount codes, news stories and competitions onto the website before the ‘opening day’ so keep popping back to see what there is. There are chances for you to get involved too with our #AskTheExpert and #WhitTalks interviews – where you can send us your questions to be asked to the interviewees.

More details will be released as we get closer to the event!

www.motorcyclelive.co.uk

Remembering: Eddie Van Halen

Eddie Van Halen forever changed the vocabulary of the electric guitar. With blistering speed, control, and melodic feel, he perfected the art of shredding, unleashing two-handed finger tapping, dramatic whammy-bar moves, and other astonishing never-before-seen techniques.

Innovative, like his hero Les Paul, Eddie reimagined the sonic possibilities of the guitar and became an inspiration for an entire generation of musicians who worshiped his sound and style.

His band Van Halen kicked the American hard rock scene into high gear in the late Seventies, became rock heroes on MTV in the Eighties, and gave rise to a steady stream of shredders and trailblazers ever since.

Rock In Peace Eddie. Thanks for being an important part of the soundtrack of my youth.

www.rockhall.com

The marketing consultants have been round again: Google Apps became G Suite - now called Google Workspace!

G Suite just got better - introducing Google Workspace. 

Everything you need to get work done, now in one place.

Tools that you love, thoughtfully connected. An integrated workspace that’s simple to use, Google Workspace lets you spend less time managing your work and more time actually doing it.

Smart suggestions to help you prioritise. Address what’s important and let Google handle the rest with best-in-class AI and search technology that helps you work smarter.

Flexible solutions for every business. Work from anywhere, on any device – even offline – with tools to help you integrate, customise and extend Google Workspace to meet your team’s unique needs.

Ready to begin? See how Google Workspace can help you get more done with business productivity and collaboration tools loved by billions of users.

From Gmail to Docs to Drive, it's a fully integrated way to work. G Suite is offering a 14-day trial. Sign up using my link and ask me for a discount code. 

Check it out: http://goo.gl/8ZSk9x

Electric motorbikes - has their time come?

 

It’s time to take electric motorbikes seriously. In 2016, Germany voted to ban the internal combustion engine by 2030, and the UK Government is under pressure to bring its ban on the sales of new petrol and diesel cars and vans forward from 2040 to 2032, leaving electric vehicles as our only current viable alternative. We're expecting this to have a direct impact on the bike market too, but what do you need to know about electric motorcycles?

Tesla have made huge steps towards bringing electric cars into the mainstream, even working to improve the infrastructure by installing fast-charge points at service stations. It doesn’t look like they have any interest in launching a motorbike anytime soon, but others are making serious progress and they’re getting pretty good. Ranges of over 100 miles are already possible, making an EV bike a viable proposition for many commuters as well as those who just want to have fun. Furthermore, there are plenty of electric mopeds out there should you need a lower-cost, more practical solution.

Time I played with a few more leccy bikes I think! Last month I rode & was very impressed with the Harley-Davidson LiveWire. Royal Jordanian is a YouTuber who I have followed with interest for a few years. Here is his glowing review of the Zero FXS. Perhaps we need to reset our heads. Bikes (and cars) don't need to be powered by recycled dinosaurs. If your trip is further than the range of your bike, stop off for a coffee at a service station & top off the battery...

www.motorcyclenews.com

New Honda H’Ness CB350 model released - but only available in the Indian market. Great looking bike, terrible name though!

 

Honda is set to do battle with India’s biggest domestic manufacturer as the H’Ness CB350 does battle with Royal Enfield.

HONDA has pulled the wraps off the recently teased retro that will be doing battle in one of the globes most competitive motorcycle markets. The Honda H’Ness CB350 is a clear statement of intent that Big Red is aiming to steal a march on Royal Enfield, right in its own backyard.

The H’Ness (yes, it’s a bit of a naff name) or CB350 is a classically styled retro machine, featuring a twin shock design, telescopic forks, a single front disc brake, and a stylishly contoured fuel tank. At first glance the bike looks a bit like a small scale CB1100, yet with the upright single-cylinder thumper being reminiscent of classic singles like the Royal Enfield 350s and 500s.

While most of the bike screams retro, some of the features of the machine are distinctly modern, something that Royal Enfield will be no doubt paying a lot of attention to. The bike includes LED headlights, selectable torque control, Bluetooth connectivity, and Honda Smart Voice control system. The bike will be available in two versions, DLX and DLX Pro.

The bike has been designed specifically for the Indian market and with that in mind is designed to withstand the rigours of life on India’s roads. That said, Honda isn’t ruling out selling it elsewhere, although it has been confirmed that it will primarily go on sale there before any other market.

Pricing for the H’Ness is estimated to be IND Rupees 1.9 lakh or around £2,000.

www.visordown.com