I do like a nice infographic, and this one’s a belter! Graphical depiction of the 100 most popular websites, their size representing the number of visitors they get. Clearly the Google, Facebook and Youtube trifecta form the core of the non-dark web.

Ranking the Top 100 Websites in the World

Whisper it quietly but I have to say I quite enjoyed the weeks of Covid lockdown earlier this year. No cars, deserted streets, nobody in the parks. It was blissfully quiet. Then the lockdown ended and everything went back to normal, including the noise.

If this year has helped me realise anything it’s that I’m not as good at processing noise as other people, which I see now has shaped how I live my life in many ways.

I’ve never enjoyed going to noisy pubs and nightclubs, parties or mass gatherings – apart from sports events where you can focus your attention on a specific thing. The sensory overload gets overwhelming and induces a feeling of panic, needing to get away to somewhere quieter.

It also helps to explain why I’ve plugged myself into a Sony Walkman / CD Player / iPod / mobile phone when out and about. Curating the soundtrack to my life gives me some control back and filter out the noise.

The increased stress levels brought on by the joys of 2020 have served to heighten my sensitivity to noise, especially the car exhausts as they accelerate up the hill next to our house, and the neighbour’s frequent “garage parties” that go on to the early hours.

The good news is that we’ve ordered some retrofit double glazing – replacing the single panes in the existing frames with double glazed panes – for the rooms facing the road/party house, including my bedroom. We’ve just had an installation date of 5th October, and providing it’s effective I’m looking forward to hearing less in the near future…

Last weekend would have been the 100th birthday of one of the loveliest people I’ve ever met. Her name was Lena Bodecott, but to be she was Nanna.

My childhood was much richer (and my waist much rounder) for her wonderful roast dinners, steamed puddings and baking.

She could drink most people under the table, laughed regularly and heartily and always saw the best in a situation. One thing she said to be in my teens has always stayed with me :-

“Life is too short to be unhappy”

I’ve tried to live by that and hope she would approve of what I’ve done.

She also believed I wouldn’t settle down with a Hull girl, and thought I’d end up with a foreign lass. Well, Leeds seemed a long way off back then! I know she would have gotten on like a house on fire with The Duchess, just a shame they never got chance to meet.

Happy Birthday Nanna. XXX

Fascinating true crime tale about an audacious casino heist, bound to be turned into a film at some point. Pour yourself a drink, take the phone off the hook and enjoy a half hour of interesting on me. You’re welcome.

The Zero-Armed Bandit