It was a busy weekend in Wokingham what with the wine festival inside the Town Hall and outside the annual motorbike clubs Santa run with something like 2000 Christmas themed bikers filling the streets to bring presents to the local Banardo's.

At the 1st Wokingham wine festival, organised by the round table, The Association of Small Direct Winemerchants and raising money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society I recorded some interviews to bring the spirit of the event to your ears.

And we finish off with Wine Woman and Song by Johnny Ferreira.

Find links to more info on all this at inwokingham.com

Wokingham Wine Festival

Stanlake Park Stanlake Park Wine Estate was established in 1989 and is Berkshire's most prolific and prestigious vineyard. We are close to Ruscombe, Twyford and Hurst. We focus on English Wine and make around a dozen different varieties - white, rose, red and sparkling. We make a number of varietal wines including Ortega, Bacchus, Gewurz and Madeleine Angevine. Our newly opened Cellar Shop provides an atmospheric environment to sample the wine and select from our wide range of wine accessories, and wine-related gifts. We also have a restored 16th century event barn. Details, including directions and an on-line shop, can be found at: www.stanlakepark.com

Round Table Website: www.wokinghamrt.org.uk

ASDW - The Association of Small Direct Winemerchants www.asdw.co.uk

Multiple Sclerosis Society www.mssociety.org.uk

Music from the Podsafe Music Network.

Podsafe Music Network - Heth and Jed Christmas...sweeter than wine

Podsafe Music Network - Johnny Ferreira Wine Woman and Song

inWokingham - The Wokingham Berkshire UK - Pub, Eating and Leisure Newsletter & Directory

Wokingham Wine Festival

Nick of Nick Dobson Wines

Tony Hill of Bordeaux Et Beyond - Home

Music from the Podsafe Music Network.

Podsafe Music Network - Larry Winfield

Podsafe Music Network - The New Autonomous Folksingers

MUSIC: Fireworks (Start of) by Podsafe Music Network - Vanessa Peters and Ice Cream On Mondays

Well, the clocks go back tonight, and so those coming morns will be lighter and the thus the evenings will be darker. Either way the changing of the clocks will not hide the fact that the days continue to shorten until December.

The 11^th of the 11^th brings Remembrance Day and the Poppy Appeal was launched this week.

Wokingham is now well into Autumn and Winter beckons. Chilly morns with mist and coolness broken only by the shallow warmth of sunbeams from that sun that is getting lower in the sky each following day. The traditional British Guy Fawkes celebrations are mixing in with that US import Halloween, being a favourite of the retail trade as, apart from fireworks, the traditional Guy Fawkes doesn't give many selling opportunities. Guy Fawkes - Wikipedia being a firework festival to commemorate the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 to blow up the British parliament. Before the uptake of Halloween, kids used to make a 'guy' with old clothes and newspaper for stuffing, take their artistic or otherwise creation to a street corner to collect donations toward the fireworks and lemonade for Nov 5^th.

Coming up next week we have the Wokingham Cantley Firework Event. Find details via http://inWokingham.com. And http://wokingham.gov.uk have a full listing of local displays downloadable as a pdf format file.

With the US election so much in the news, more of that later, WBC tell us that many seem disinclined to register for the English elections,

Wokingham Election

Wokingham Borough Council - Coronation ward by-election Thursday 13 November 2008

Wokingham Borough Council - New bus services - from Monday 27 October 2008

Though it seems there will still be no buses after 6pm or on Sundays, what chance of gettiing peeps out of there cars?

Wokingham Mobile Speed Signs

I mentioned that the Flower Corner shop in Broad Street had moved along the road to smaller premises, and the vacated site has been redeveloped internally and has re-opened as a Zizzi eatery. Pizza, pasta and other Italian is the core menu. They are part of the ASK chain of eateries. An interesting feature that has provided extra space and is similar to Pizza Express along the road is the covering of the old garden area at the rear with a large conservatory. The only thing I found about the Pizza Express conservatory is that that glass acts as a sound panel, reflecting and bouncing sound around, making it anything but a calm, quiet place for a get-together, although for lively stag or hen parties, (in the gender sense, rather than the wedding sense) the buzz it creates is enlivening, if such enlivening is ever needed.

I'll be interested to hear how diners at Zizzi enjoy this new place, I have seen comments about 'not another Italian' but it is looking very popular so far, though maybe this is just the “buzz of the new”.

Their website is here Welcome to Zizzi, but it does need Flash installed on you browser (why do they do that) anyway you can find a pic of the menu here Zizzi Menus if you don't have or want Flash, or are browsing with a iPhone or iTouch that doesn't support Flash.

Talking of buzz and politics, an old story has come back into the spotlight, not too much of a surprise when so many are poking around in so many corners. Barak (barark) Obama was the focus of a story

In January this year the English Newspaper The Daily Mirror printed a story titled:

Barrack's British background - mirror.co.uk

in July the story developed, with the Wokingham Times, part of the Guardian Media group reporting that Al Jezerra filmed a guide to walking in the footsteps.

Al Jazeera TV puts spotlight on Wokingham over Barack - News - getwokingham - The Wokingham Times

And then this week I get a call from a journalist in Canada asking for information about any escorted tours of “walking in the steps of “ I had say I don't know of one, but if any listener does know of one, or plans to start one themselves, then please let me know.

The US election has become a real world-wide phenomena and although many in Wokingham say “what has it to do with us”, but for many there are wild diversions and this is one. From the PMN at http://mevio.com , a band from NYNY with a track in WOMAD world music style.

Podsafe Music Network - Manze Dayila & The Nago Nation

CD Baby: MANZE DAYILA & THE NAGO NATION: Solé

If you have news, info, pics or pointers inWokingham now has a drop.io dropping place. To drop stuff there you'll need a password and sign in as a guest, the password is, as of now, “stuffforinwokingham” spell it out as one word.

Well there has been a significant gap since the last podcast, but I have tried to keep the news flowing via my social networks including Twitter http://twitter.com/mikethebee and Friendfeed I have also had the chance to produce a couple of shorts shows for http://specialselection.mevio.com which, I am pleased to say, is now available directly from iTunes

Also on the eating in Wokingham front, we saw the conversion of the Plough, pub and steak house, at the motorway end of London Road and its re-opening at the end of June as a Loch Fyne restaurant and traditional bar. The lease is still owned by Greene King and the bar serves real ales from the GK portfolio which includes IPA, Abbot and Old Speckled Hen. Loch Fyne are famous for their seafood counter, open preparation area and a modern flair to décor and menu. Website: Loch Fyne Oysters and Restaurants - Home] “

From a small, roadside stall on the banks of Loch Fyne, a group of businesses have developed based on the principles of good food, sustainably sourced and simply presented by people who care”

They actively support raising funds for the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) which is no bad thing and is wearing their good neighbour credentials on their sleeve

Satisfaction reports are mixed at this early stage after opening, so any comments you may have would be welcomed at http://inwokingham.mevio.com . The manager Xavia is very open and welcoming, he appreciates the importance of the restaurant to Wokingham, and knows he will be measured against Loch Fyne's other local outlets at Reading and Henley.

Last weekend saw the second

Wokingham food and drink festival - this weekend!

Broad Street Tavern Clive and Beth celebrate 10 years with a Beer Festival Thursday 11 ^th September 2008 http://broadstreettaven.co.uk

with 14 real ales planned.

Don't forget that you can download a PDF of the Borough Newspaper. http://www.wokingham.gov.uk/council-meetings-democracy/news/wokingham-borough-news

All the news in full colour and available at their website for locals or expats anywhere in the world..

Youngsters get active at the pod WBC News release - Details

Smoking out under-age and illegal tobacco sales

Green Watch

Free green workshop for community groups in the Wokingham Borough

Free green workshop for businesses

Survey launched to make sure 10,000 businesses aren't rubbish Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

 
The partnership would now like to hear from as many of the 10,400 businesses in the re3 area as possible via the confidential and easy-to-use electronic survey – which can be found by logging on to www.re3.org.uk  
 
It takes around 10 minutes to complete and asks businesses a number of things including: 
• Size of company 
• Business sector 
• If they recyclewhat they recycle 
• What types of bins they use 
• How frequently they have waste collected 
 
Once the survey finishes on Thursday September 18 the results will be looked at in greater detail so that practical steps can be taken to support the area’s businesses. 

Update on the J11 project

Green for go at M4 junction 11

Planting party proves a fun day in Gorse Ride

Composting workshops at Wokingham Borough's libraries

Wokingham level crossing closure

Countdown to London 2012

One of the big differences I notice between Ireland and Wokingham is the visual community support of the Olypic hopefuls

Wokingham youngsters pack their bags for south africa

I mentioned last time the Battle of the band festival day at the Youth centre intending to raise funds for a trip to South Africa.

Respect campaign in Wokingham Borough

There have been howls of delight this week after Dinton Pastures Country Park was shortlisted as one of the best places to walk pet pooches in the UK.

Dinton takes the lead in dog walking

Dinton has been shortlisted in the annual awards and members of the public can now vote to make the area one of the country’s top 21 dog walking parks. Voting closes on Sunday November 30 and members of the public can vote for Dinton by logging on to www.21topdogwalks.co.uk  
 

Life is good in Wokingham Spot

Costume service is fit for the Queen

Celebrating healthy schools

A level results published

Wokingham Borough pupils were yesterday - August 14 -celebrating after A level results were announced and almost all of the schools in the borough achieved or surpassed the overall national pass rate, which is a real credit to all the pupils, their teachers and support staff.   
 
Initial calculations of the provisional results available from schools so far show that the overall pass rate - A to E in the borough is 98.4% - slightly higher than last year’s results of 97.9%.  This means that the borough is again above the national pass rate - 97.2%. 
 

MUSIC: Four Legs To Travel On by  Podsafe Music Network - Bryan Cogshell

The cold blustery Spring has lead to a great delay in plants starting the get-go in the growing dept, not that the birds have minded, although with bare trees their nest prep has been more visible.

I have continued with the travelling about which a great chance for comparing and contrasting Wokingham to other places. Now, getting a chance to walk about Wokingham again, I see that the changes are continuing apace. A small group of several residential homes near Wokingham town have now been demolished and work has started on a what the developers describe as disconnected apartments. I wonder how that works, and imagined a futuristic cartoon design from the fifties with pods floating in the air and jetcars pulling up outside. Anyway the building boom seems to be containing in spite of the reports in the media that tell a different tale.

And obviously others are following the reports the of Wokingham of having the Highest Quality Of Life Is Near London as the large pub restaurant in London road called The Plough for all the years I've been in Wokingham, is closed and undergoing conversion to a Loch Fyne [Website: Loch Fyne Oysters and Restaurants - Home] outlet, a specialist seafood eatery. Their Tagline from the website reads:

“ From a small, roadside stall on the banks of Loch Fyne, a group of businesses have developed based on the principles of good food, sustainably sourced and simply presented by people who care”

They are recruiting for the new Wokingham outlet which opens Monday 30th June 2008 and for Bracknell/Ascot/Windsor at the former Crispin pub.

They actively support raising funds for the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution)

In other conversion work, that that was on going at Montague House in Broad street is now mostly complete, accommodating The IMMO restaurant and with apartments above. Access to the Waitrose car- park has now been reopened. The whole building looks good and is such an improvement as it had become so tatty looking after Wokingham and Bracknell College moved out, with weeds and decay taking over more everyday. And then I hear the the planning people are giving IMMO grief over their entrance design. What gives with that!

I said last time that I find it surprising that they seemed to be taking an understated approach to marketing this new branch in Wokingham. But news reaches me that there have been changes at the place and front of house staff now co-ordinate a more local welcome, it is good to hear that such comments elicit a positive response.

The while new IMMO restaurant is proving popular and I am told that it has had no adverse impact on business at the many other Italian places in the town such as Rossini, who are having to implement two sittings on Saturday nights due to demand, another sign of the prosperity in the area.

Though I must say, having not been shopping for food in the usual way recently, now I have been back to routine, I really notice the increases in regular item prices, inflation in our budget is no way at 3% as we are told, ours must be closer to 10% and that is without the Fuel., or Gas as our US listeners will know it. We're now paying £1.14 ($2.10) per Litre and Irelland are rapidly catching up even without the EURO Sterling exchange getting closer and closer to par.

House prices 90k too high for many

Residents reminded to find about the M4 Jct 11 project at exhibitions Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

Last time I mentioned planned junction improvements close to the Majestki Football Stadium, home of Reading Soccer Football Club. Work on the £65m scheme to improve the notorious Junction 11 bottleneck began last month with the project expected to be completed in the Summer of 2010. Of course the stadium is not just used for Soccer, rugby, and even American football have been played, but there may be smaller crowds for Readings games this year after the team were relegated from the Premiership League giving great disappointment to their fans, though probably not a lot of surprise. They were calls for the Manager Steve Coppell to resign and more calls for him to stay, which he has now agreed to do.

And I found an Irish connection with Yahoo! Pointing to a www. guardian.co.uk article from 2007 [ Big interview: Steve Coppell | Football | The Observer]

Where “Softly spoken Steve Coppell tells Amy Lawrence of the hunger that drives his Reading team and how five pints of Guinness helped him to sign Kevin Doyle. “

Interesting considering the closeness of the Courage brewery to Reading and the recent news of the closure of Guinness's 60 acre central Dublin brewery site.

And hearing that the BBC enunciation dept have been briefing presenters and interviewers on the correct pronunciation of Barrack Obama's first name. Not 'Barak' but 'Barrark' apparently, I read at the localberkshire news site that a local lad [Bebo site Daniel Priddy] [ Blog]

Local Berkshire | News | Help Daniel witness US swearing-in

Teen hopes to make it to the White House - News - getwokingham - The Wokingham Times

Last summer he was nominated to attend a two week Global Young Leaders Conference in Washington DC. The event was attended by 250 young potential leaders from every corner of the world although Daniel was one of just two students from Britain

Due to the skills that he demonstrated at the Global Young Leaders conference, Daniel was selected by the University Presidential Inaugural Conference to attend a week-long course which includes seeing the inauguration of the President and the Vice President of The USA

The 18 year old is currently raising funds to pay for a trip to the White House “Hopefully people will be willing to sponsor me, and I have a few fund-raising ideas, such as scaling Britain’s Three peaks this summer.” Daniel needs around £1,300 excluding flights, but only has £350 so far.

Again, another encouraging story of GenX youth. I hope he gets the sponsorship quickly, and wish him all the best for the future.

Hot News

TRL mini-town set for refusal – GetBracknell – Meeting 22May08

Pupils march for crossing Walking Bus promotion highlights safety issues with walking. No crossing, high speed limits and more. Its amazing how driving blinkers so many people, the motorvarty, Big Wheels Little wheels unpowered wheels and feet.. And I do notice on this story that a commenter complains about comments being deleted by the newspaper site. I guess this is an distinguishing element of old media adopting new media technology and pure new media ones.

Tea rooms and cricket make city No1 in North York is the ninth most British place in the country, according to local information website locallife.co.uk. The Yorkshire city has more attractions and businesses deemed to be "truly British" per capita than almost anywhere else - with one tea room, cricket club, pub, fish and chip shop, holiday camp, stately home, pet shop, distillery, curry house and theatre for every 628 residents. But Wokingham in Berkshire is the worst place to go if you're looking for "a brew and a queue". The town finished bottom of the Britishness league table, in 324th position, with each pub, cricket club or other British attraction serving 5,429 people. Lol at the comments on this one, good northern grit :-) This site includes the comments in the article page, but has a similar look and feel to the 'Get' sites.

Council looking for more foster carers

Bracknell and Wokingham ’s best-kept secret Bracknell & Wokingham Swimming Club's great successes.

Cllr David Lee, newly-elected leader of Wokingham Borough Council

DAVID Lee saw off Earley councillor Matt Deegan to become the new leader of Wokingham Borough Council in an election last night.

Cllr Lee, who represents Norreys ward, replaces Frank Browne who stepped down as Tory leader and as a councillor on after the local elections on May 1.

Town centre bank raid - News - getwokingham - The Wokingham Times

Wokingham Local government News

Game, set and match for Wokingham Borough Council Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

Borough's bus service on the right route! Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

Wokingham Borough Council teamed up with Thames Travel in January to provide an enhanced bus service for residents and commuters and over the past six months it has proved so popular that the service is now being enhanced to provide an even better service.

Live music event at Wokingham Youth Centre Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

MySpace.com - Sister Gracie (Now booking for 2008!) - Windsor Reading, UK - Indie Punk Pop Punk - www.myspace.com/sistergracieband

MySpace.com - FreeStone - UK - Rock Blues Classic Rock - www.myspace.com/freestoneband

MySpace.com - Streetfight Silence - Berkshire, UK - Pop Rock Progressive - www.myspace.com/streetfightsilence

Initial design for multi-million pound building project at Waingels College Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

Online booking service to launch Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

Green Watch Spot

Disposable nappies get a bum deal at real nappy coffee morning Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

Arts and crafts market launched Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

There will be even more reason than normal to visit Wokingham town centre on the first Sundays of each month soon, when an art and craft market is launched on June 1.

Green workshop Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

TVP News

National Tackling Drugs Week, which started yesterday (19/5) Current press releases

Residents to remain vigilant after a property caught fire as a result of a cannabis factory

Four arrested in connection with robbery of Porsche - Slough

Waingels College Brochure

Prometheus Music - To Touch the Stars

"... I am thrilled by this new collection of original songs celebrating the beginnings of our great endeavor to reach for the stars."

— Buzz Aldrin
(Apollo 11 Astronaut)

To Touch the Stars includes a stunning 32-page photobooklet with song lyrics and essays by award-winning space science author Marianne Dyson and Mars Society President Robert Zubrin .

Spring time in Feb replaced by a wintry feel at the end of March

Wokingham battered by rain and high winds - News - getwokingham

February and March have been busy months, I have been travelling about and comparing and contrasting Wokingham to other places. So it was interesting to see that “ Town voted least British in the UK “ and also “ Highest Quality Of Life Is Near London”

So I have been keeping up with news on Wokingham via the web. And checking the logs on the eating.inwokingham.com site I see that the new IMMO restaurant is proving popular. Owned by the same company as Prezzo I find it surprising that they seem to be taking an understated approach to marketing this new branch in Wokingham. The space for the venue was created from a classic building in the centre of town that accommodated the Library before the new one in Denmark street was built, and then part of Bracknell and Wokingham College.

The big news for the area comes with the approval of a major upgrade to Junction 11 of the M4. The main exit for Wokingham is a Junction 10 and many drivers pop along to Reading via the M4 and J11, which is close to the Courage Brewery, Majestki Football Stadium and several Retail Parks.

Builder & Engineer - £60m M4 upgrade gets go ahead

Talking about the M4, if you are didn't know that you easy & free access to many cameras around the UK, check out the web links in the show notes. Why would one want to do that? Weather & traffic are just 2 that tweek me. Combine the cams with a weather radar map and you can see if that snow shower has reached wherever in real time. Check the traffic volume on the M4 before a journey West or east. etc

Surveillance cameras on M4 and in Reading on the web http://bbc.co.uk/berkshire

Taking liberties – chris atkins YOUTUBE from DSC

Spitzer caught by population surveillance aimed ostensibly at crime. Call girl complains about publicity., AP

Four webcams and a funeral: Far-flung relatives pay £75 to see ...

UK Govt to ISPs: 'You Have Until April '09 to Punish File-Sharers'

Virgin Media Will be the First UK ISP to Disconnect Illegal File-Sharers

Dog The bounty hunter in the UK – 40mins on DSC721.

And I came across two example of silly scheduling, The on platform waiting rooms at Bedford Railway station being refurbished, and the refurbishment of the nearest recycling centre for Wokingham.

Wokingham Borough Council - Longshot lane waste site closure

The same happened in Cambridge and Bedford except in there cases there was total closure for many months. I say “take recycling seriously” it should not be a game. In Ireland the WEEE implementation has led to an extra charge on every item, the amount depends on the size and value of the item.

Bin collections will not change – pledge - News - getwokingham

Comments in DSC-721

And after a lot of upheaval in the town over the last year because of gas main replacement works, news came of a Major gas leak closes town roads Bell foundry lane

Chlorine gas leak hits five at leisure centre

TECH NEWS

There was a lot of talk about 3 undersea cables being cut somewhere in the gulf

undersea DATA cable aimless anchor Tech5

Connecting The Many Undersea Cut Cable Dots

GREEN NEWS

Pupils’ green idea bags an achievement gong

Don't Forget you can find the shownotes at http://inwokingham.com

URListening 2

Welcome to Indigo Whisky 029 for the 17 Jan 08 I am your host mikethebee

Those who I missed over NY, HNY to you and to everyone else who i've seen on twitter and elsewhere welcome to the show.

Podsafe Music Network - Kiallio

Music:Background:3m20s: Kiallio-I Love My Soul-Jan. 2 2008-Techno

Weather: the word of weather since Christmas: has been Wet Wet Wet, No cold really in Wokingham yet, but Feb is usually the snowy month. The birds are busy marking out there territories , the blackbirds are fascinating as the Ladies seem to woo several suitors at a time and fight them and they with each other, but the men have been hopping in and out of the new improvised bird bath I created. Even on those frosty days when I removed the ice from the top.

The Telegraph.co.uk on the 14 Jan reported the racing at nearby Newbury Horse Racing course was expected to go ahead, but by Yesterday it had been called off due to water-logging.

Newbury optimistic despite forecast of rain - Telegraph

Many of those that are still not back in their home since the previous floods are fearful of the days of downpours forecast for the next week. The council are continuing with the flood victim support programme.

Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

The Wokingham Borough continues to celebrate excellent GCSE results with the publication yesterday (January 10) of the national GCSE attainment and achievement tables.

GCSE Results Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

Cafe Nero WIFI, Wetherspoons wifi Sponsored Service 512mins

Apple launches new iPod Touch (tm)

Nokia N810 offer at www.curry.com

Barack Obama's stepmother living in Bracknell reveals the close bond with him ... and his mother | the Daily Mail

BBC NEWS | England | Berkshire | Third arrest over election fraud

Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

icBerkshire - Hitting back against winter woes

Fire at Cannabis factory TVP

Music: Jeanne Backofen Craig_Star Spangled Banner

IcelandReview - Online

And for those that listen to the archers will be familiar with there story of newts

Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

And after Christmas when lots of cycles etc – postcoding and marking

Current press releases TVP cycle coding

Christmas tree recycling

Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

http://frozenpeafund.com/

The web is often slagged off of a dangerous and wild place, The Queen, but there is also a lot of caring and supportive people out there. Susan Reynolds and the frozen pea story.

MUSIC: Manic Street Preachers Autumn from Podshow.com

Cheers from here inWokingham

URListening -Special

Welcome to Indigo Whisky 028 for the 02-Jan-08

Review of 2007- look back at what's been achieved in Wokingham during the last year. An impactful year for us with me starting the Podcast in March, It was an idea I had for a while but was triggered into action when I found Adam Curry the pirate radio jock and MTV star had begun Podshow

Also inspired by the great tracks provided by musicians to the Podsafe Music Network, The free, ad supported hosting which is giving me a starting window, his great enthusiasm for an open and fair approach to broadcasting and the global and local nature that the web is developing into.

Weather: Well the weather over the year was strange. Hot and dry in march april, wet and windy in June July August, no real winter.

I had no real audio recording experience when I started, and so this has been a learning year for me. But I agree with those who say just do it. This is a philosophy that is big in Ireland or at least with those who travel from Ireland, to California, London, and most places in the world, where people tell me there is always a 'Shamrock bar'. Its a change in philosophy for me, being a cautious chap. But with my brothers passing at such a young age and so many of our generation having less time than they or we expected this feels right, even if financially its a gamble.

Podcamps Birmingham, Kilkenny. Meeting. Groups EstebanUk, Podcasters such as Neville Hobson, GreenDragon, Heather Goringe and so many more, listeners and fans of the shows, and those wanting to learn how to do it. It was great. And they are a great bunch, so diverse in character and career.

We missed the Barcamps, being out of the area each time one took place, whichever area it happened to be, but we hope to make the time available in 2008 and we should get more notice..

We Recorded at festivals: Reading and Bedford Beer festivals Oxford and Wantage Folk festivals. Morris dancers snook in on many occasions and added their jingle of bells.

Farmers, market, twinning visit from Erfstadt and Viry-Chatellen. May fayre and November Winter Carnival. All the life of Wokingham.

Common themes ran through the year: many Wok Pubs changing time and time again. And just like a Bar the Web is becoming a place of conversation, community and contact. Maybe now so many bars are no-smoking the time for outdoor venue bars has arrived. From Pub, to Bar, to Shed, to outdoor venues. Building boom with Houses replaced by flats, middle family homes by over 55s only. Roadworks, powercuts & new Italian restuarants. Were part of the consequences.

Thoughts for 2008:

Get to more festivals meet more morris dancers even , develop TSOL philosophy, Home brewing. Grow your own, use less - make more of it, recycle, relax . Meet more people by keeping in touch more. And the tools of the web are here to help. www.Twitter.com, www.Flickr.com. www.Eye.fi wi-fi picture upload card. Podshow has the potentialk to be a fine social network as well a great source of entertainment. I hope its the the year of PS, it should be with BT's support in the UK.

Our mix of Old and New Media with www.Bookcrossing.com of SN did not seem to be a success for us, as our first book disappeared without further reports. But it was worth a go, and Lou enjoyed the serendipitous nature of the book.

The Madeline McCann story has stayed high In the old media, but although supportive New media has tired of the way the story has been badgered by the old media. Wev'e reported selected news from WBC and TVP, and contrasted life inWokingham with Dingle, SanFran and the UK.

MUSIC in background Patricia Paay And the Star Sisters - Melody

A major surprise hit of the year was Strictly Come Dancing on BBC and Dancing on Ice on ITV PP featured in the Danish TV version of Strictly as is has become known.

I play out with a selection from some of the tracks we have played over the year.

Wokingham News: Several days of French market over Christmas.

Mix-up selection of tracks played on our Podcast over the past year.

Included:

Strange Weather Excellent Adventure

Suil a ruin Ceili Moss

Orchard Of Mines Dann from Vanton & Globus 8

Seven Beer Bitch Adrenaline Factor

Tear it up - Original mix Deltawave

In Saint Lou 7 Shot Screamers

Cheers To You Dust Rhinos

Thursday Night Drinking Song Alun Parry

You Dont Know The Sarah Mac Band

Puppet got Brand New String Sandie Shaw

Good Times Never Last Katie Ellen

Surf Puppy Bob Kirkpatrick

Medley Remix 2007 Patricia Paay & The Star Sisters

And you can follow on inWokingham on twitter.com at Twitter.com/inWokingham

Don't Forget you can also find the shownotes at http://inwokingham.com

MUSIC: Charlie-Crowe_little-drummer-dude -background

Charlie-Crowe on Podshow

Weather: Cold and frosty most mornings, brightening up but not warming up in the day. And Fog arrived today disrupting the airlines on the most inconvenient day for holiday travellers.

Last night was the longest, in the past celebrated as Saturnalia and we can look forward to longer days from now on

Wokingham News:

And you can follow on inWokingham on twitter.com at Twitter.com/inWokingham

Lots of demand for the Wetherspoon special Christmas Roast at the Lloyds No.1 bar the Gig House. We had lots of visitors to our http://eating.inwokingham.com listing from http://maps.google.com and GE where the new image service is proving popular. Rossini and Sorrentos

Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details Wokingham borough’s young people have elected a new Member of Youth Parliament (MYP), who has pledged to get their voices heard on a bigger stage Adam Connell from Wokingham, was elected by youngsters aged 11 to 18 from across the Wokingham borough during a five-day ballot earlier this month, after receiving 593 of the 1,976 votes cast. He will take over from current MYP Yan Couper-Harris on February 1, 2008 It was revealed at a special ceremony on Thursday (December 13), The overall results were: 
· Adam Connell, 16 from Wokingham  – 593 votes 
· Shabana Karim aged 15 from Earley – 516 votes 
· Carlie Norwell aged 15 from Wokingham - 401 votes 
· Salah Elnour aged 15 from Lower Earley - 257 votes 
· Paula Frost aged 15 from Wokingham - 209 votes. 

Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

In October 2006 Mr Vic Moszczynski made a voluntary and legally binding agreement with the court to refrain from encouraging the public to his property. 
 
The agreement expires in January 2009 and bars him from encouraging members of the public to visit his home, either directly or through family members or friends. 

  Council killjoys order homeowner to pull the plug on his 20,000 Christmas lights | the Daily Mail

upmarket Sonning at the northern end of the borough, ex fireman raised £55k over 18years.

Borough Council - News releases - Details 20/12/2007 Wokingham schools go global with rafi.ki

Rafi.ki (ki is the country domain code for Kiribati ) is an online community where any school can set up its own web page, similar to a ‘myspace’ page, and can buddy up with other schools to work on a huge variety of projects in different subject areas.  For example, a business studies project might see two UK schools set up rival businesses, or a philosophy of religion project might involve pupils at a Hindu school in India comparing their lives with pupils from a Catholic school in France

Rafi.ki is operated by gemin-i.org, a UK registered charity that specialises in developing web-based education tools for use around the world. The company runs three different social enterprises including rafi.ki.  Schools who would like more information on Rafi.ki can contact project manager Trine Petersen at trine@rafi.ki or on (020) 7702 9629 or can visit www.rafi.ki to find out more. .ki - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And wondering if we will have snow this Christmas I was listening to the http://TWIT.tv network WindowsWeekly tech prog #44 and was amused by Leo Laporte and Paul Thurrott firstly discussing the problem of living in small town USA

Recording: Bus bit

and then about snow clearing challenges in even smaller town US.

Recording: snow bit

Some local worker here have been working to head off potential Christmas problems.

Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details 20/12/2007 Keeping Christmas spirits high but legal. Wokingham Borough Council’s licensing and trading standards teams visited various pubs across the borough to make sure that they were complying with their licence conditions and selling authentic branded spirits in the run up to Christmas and New Year celebrations. 

Wokingham   Current press releases 19 December 2007 Marlow officers test pub-goers for drugs Marlow police were targeting illegal drug users at the Cross Keys on Saturday evening (15/12).

The operation was the second time the Ion Track Drug Trace Detection Device- or itemiser, has been used in Wycombe rural and was used with the full cooperation of the licensee. The Itemiser works by reading a swab taken from flat surfaces or someone’s hands as drug residue is resilient to normal cleaning. Results are ready in seconds and if a sample taken from the hands is positive, the person will be searched. No illegal drugs were found on Saturday at no one was arrested.

And we think of those who will be working over this holiday time, Council, travel and utility workers, Carers and Hospital staff and so many more.

And check out http://specialselection.podshow.com

next week for my Christmas Special Selection, the all music show (well mostly) with songs by Duran Duran and Alice Cooper

Music: Christmas! Of course! Bill deRome

Don't Forget you can find the shownotes at http://inwokingham.com

MUSIC: brobdingnagian_bards -Moria INSTRUMENTAL -background

Weather: A mixed week most mornings have been damp and dull, but many days have seen the afternoon as dry and sunny, that sun makes all the difference, clears some of that SAD feeling of this time of year. last w/e was Carnival weekend, and was poor in the morning, but the wind dropped and the rain stayed away for the procession, which was nice as so many people had worked hard for on the floats, this wasn't a NY Macy's style parade http://www.rocketboom.com/vlog/rb_07_nov_21 ECHO with giant balloons of Scooby Do!, but a smaller more con-fraternity type event, typified by the Cats ensemble with a flat bed lorry carrying the little ones and those slightly bigger trotting on behind, I had to laugh at the crowd of mums and dads running along beside with coats, scarf's and mobile phones, one mother parading along with her little one in front, her ear glued to a mobile phone and paying no attention to the cheering crowds along the route. Is this Web2.0?

MUSIC: 2: Larry Seyer Larry's Waltz

Wokingham News:

Horsey Business.

Two mounted police officer are to ride into town from MK to help deal with and crowd disorder that may occur over the Christmas period.

Q: How do you stop street fights? A: With a lollipop - Get Wokingham

Mini-town is ‘inevitable’ at old TRL site - Get Wokingham

Stopblocking.org

A campaign to end business blocking of employee access to the Net — Stop Blocking! as a site designed to serve as a hub information resource for those who believe the benefits of providing access far outweigh the risks.

And you can follow InWokingham or Me on Twitter .com

CSCI: Councils improve but eligibility criteria keep on rising

Cheap fares scheme is safe - Get Wokingham

icBerkshire - Fury as controversial charity plans could be approved

Newbury Today | Railway worker killed on tracks

FTD.de - Business English - Ideas with a high sporting impact

Response Source | Press Releases - Middle Managers are the Most Habitual Hoarders of Documents, Files and Email | Journalist enquiries, press releases and more!

E-Discovery: New Federal Rules Require A Proactive Strategy -- E-Discovery -- InformationWeek

Document and business process management solutions, enterprise capture, litigation services, maintenance support, imaging and print solutions

Anacomp team

Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details Dinton Pastures Country Park has suspended its day fishing scheme at White Swan Lake as a preventative step to protect carp from the killer disease Koi Herpesvirus (KHV).

KHV was detected at a fishery in the Berkshire area in late October and the Department for Environment, Rural Affairs (DEFRA) ordered a restriction of fish movement into and out of a number of fisheries in the immediate area.

While Dinton Pastures was not included in the movement ban, Wokingham Borough Council’s countryside service, which runs fishing at the country park’s lakes and rivers, has taken the step of stopping all day-fishing passes at White Swan Lake to ensure that carp do not contract the deadly disease.

KHV has not been detected in the Wokingham borough but with the closure of other lakes in Berkshire the borough council is mindful that anglers whose regular lake is closed, and whose equipment may have come into contact with the virus, may use Dinton Pastures on an ad-hoc daily basis instead.
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Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details Wokingham borough's young people head to the polls

Text:

Young people in the Wokingham Borough are set to head to the polls next month (December) in the forthcoming Youth Parliament elections. And with five candidates standing, young people will have a tough decision to make on who to vote for.

Voting in the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) elections is set to take place in the Wokingham Borough between December 3 and 7. Hundreds of young people aged between 11 and 18 years will cast their votes at the annual elections, and polling stations will be found at local schools and youth centres across the borough during that week

Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

Royal visit to mark the 300th anniversary of Shinfield schools

Text:

His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent made it a day to remember for pupils, staff and governors when he visited Shinfield on Wednesday (November 28) to mark the celebrations of Shinfield Infant and Nursery School and Shinfield St Mary’s CE Junior Schools’ 300th anniversary.

Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details Local residents are invited to join Wokingham Borough Council’s mayor Cllr Annette Drake to sing-in the Christmas season with traditional carols around the tree, on Friday December 21 in the Mall at the Civic Offices, Shute End in Wokingham.

Carols hosted by the mayor are held each year and local residents are welcome to join in the festive fun where they can enjoy a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie, and sing along to favourite Christmas carols between 2pm and 3.30pm.

Berkshire Maestros South Berkshire youth brass group will be providing the music, and the mayor will be joined by councillors and officers. There will also be a collection for the mayor’s charity, Building for the Future.

Wokingham Borough Council - Events

Berkshire Ornithological Club Circle Dance

Fun and friendly dance based on international folk dance. No experience necessary and no need to bring a partner.

Buddhist meditation classes - suitable for a

Wokingham Choral Society Concert

Twyford Singers Christmas Concert

Current press releases

Budding musicians are being invited to take part in a Battle of the Bands contest which is being organised by the Winnersh Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG).

The event, which is open to youngsters throughout Wokingham Local Police Area, will take place on January 18 with auditions being held at the Wokingham Youth Centre, in Reading Road, on December 8.

Story from DSC#682

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Featured Artist and Podsafe Music Network Track 

I've been playing acoustic guitar and other stringed instruments for about 29 years. These days I usually play Scottish and Irish music and perform in a couple of Seattle area bands. I've been working on some solo guitar and multi-instrumental music for some time - so here's my go at it. Podsafe Music Network - Christian Hoffman

A Cheerful Song

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Colder but sunny and a good weekend, one minor shower. African floods, Mexican floods, Georgia going dry.

Marathon CNN an American who came 20 ^th or something, what about the winner, oh he was from some foreign place, and the BBC all over Paula Radcliffe also no mention in the headlines of the winner. Hopes for new media.

And to be parochial myself.

a fine, bright and not too cold weekend for the fireworks. This last weekend

Recording: of Remember Remember the Fifth of November rhyme

Music: great-day-to-be-a-martyr-417CDAC9d01.mp3 from the Podsafe Music Network - DC Sills

We went to the horse racing at Ascot. There was a lively hen party and here we see the prospective bride, she told me the cake indicated all the vices she enjoyed, beer, fags, food and more..

Hen at Ascot Pic

Wokingham fireworks on Flickr

Legoland UK Website

LEGOLAND(Registered Trademark) Halloween Fireworks

2 6-28 Oct & 3 Nov 2007

Witches and wizards will be descending on Windsor for a ball this Halloween and conjuring up a fantastic fireworks display for all the family to celebrate the end of the season.

During the day there’ll be plenty of fantastic Halloween-themed activities and ghoulishly good entertainment, not to mention eerie LEGO models of skeletons, ghosts and pumpkins to spot around the park! This hugely popular event is one of the most spectacular firework displays in the South of England so come early to avoid disappointment. The park will open as usual from 10:00 and the show will commence at dusk. Normal admission rates and conditions apply. Rides will close approximately one hour before the show begins.

In our We are all GEEKS NOW moment.

Google earth Google Earth teaches Americans about the world, the real world.

Dvorak Uncensored tech5 | BTPodShow

Iphone launches here this week.

Nokia n810 Nokia Nseries

Google phone

Webcasts on ZDNet

Dana Gardner, opensource is makes good business sense. Beta is checked, improved and reused

no clock on Jim's phone Nokia 6833 ?

Podsafe Music Network - DC Sills

Prezzo PLC: Restaurants specialising in Italian food IMMO to open in Broad Street. this week?

G:myDocs_currentprojectswebsites-podcastseating.inwokingham.comeating-inwok-pics

Fireworks in Wokingham, fireworks Ascot Welcome to Ascot Racecourse , Legoland LEGOLAND® Windsor Fireworks

Remembrance Sunday fall on the 11 ^th day 11 ^th month. Thinking of those who fought and what they fought for.

Back to something lighter

Ellybabes an inspiring person and Grannymar 's daughter, both of whom we met at podcampireland points us to a fun cartoon about cats. Which is also linkable at YouTube - Wake up Cat

archers 1 sec. If you recognise those notes. An everyday story of country folk.

And if you are an Archers fan

also at podcampUK we met Heather Gorringe November at Wiggly Wigglers a great Podcast for those interested in food, or life in rural England, in episode 103 Heather tells us rare news about vegetables.

Recording: WigglyWigglers

So a great episode of TWIT this week, a podcast I heard Nigel Staffordshire – of running from the reaper Running From the Reaper has only just discovered.

from Twit105 comes this weeks 'Web2.0' moment. The TWiT Netcast Network with Leo Laporte

Veronica Belmont of Mahalo Daily , Leo Laporte of the T W I T network.

Robert Scoble of Scobleizer – two great bits, first they are discussing social networks and Google new open interfacing project., Facebook and a similar one called Plaxo. For those that use outlook and struggle to copy their contacts to another platform.

Recording:

Then he talking about iphone's there is a revealing truth.

Recording:

In our green space watch and WBC news: first solar powered school Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

and check out the winter schedule of activites in your local library. Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

It will not come as a surprise to hundreds of young library visitors in the Wokingham Borough that Elizabeth McDonald has been chosen as one the best young librarians in the country. Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

Wokingham Borough Council recently came 12th in a national assessment of best-performing councils at the Local Government Human Resources (HR) Summit 2007. Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

Earlier this year a project was initiated to support the borough’s population of great crested newts, which are a fragile protected species that is thriving in the area. This secured £9,200 from Natural England towards creating six new ponds Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

Under the Road Safety Act 2006, being introduce in the new year, limousines, chauffeur services, executive hire, courtesy cars and novelty vehicles - which are vehicles that have been converted into private hire vehicles, such as out-of-service old buses and fire engines - operating in the Wokingham borough will have to be licensed by the borough council. This will allow the council to check these vehicles and their drivers are safe and suitable. Wokingham Borough Council - News releases - Details

Don't FORGET

Visit our website for links to the items mentioned here, find us at at inwokingham.podshow.com. You can sign up free of charge make c omments and give news tips I will incorporate in future shows.

Also it is a new month so I ask you to visit www.podcastalley.com and vote for inWokingham this months voting round. If you enjoy the show please vote if you have comments or suggestions add them to the comments section.

I'll see you on the next episode and in the meantime "cheers from inWokingham"

DC Sills Sometimes You Surprise Me.mp3 from music.podshow.com

Give us feedback at MikeTheBee Blog or at inWokingham show comments page on Podshow.

The last show was a couple of weeks ago and came from the West of Dingle studio. These past few weeks have been rather busy, I went firstly to Podcamp-UK a great event held at Birmingham, a city in the West Midlands of England, that has really changed since my last visit. It has the matching end British Telecom Tower (Birmingham) – [Wikipedia] of the microwave phone link that is matched with what was previously called the PostOffice Tower, now is the BT tower BT Tower - [Wikipedia] in London. And to take a short diversion down a rat-hole, I find it interesting to know that one of the intermediate links in that microwave chain is in Stokenchurch BT Tower - [Wikipedia] where the huge and rare raptor birds, Red Kite - [Wikipedia], were reintroduced and can be seen soaring and swooping around the tower. Its on the route we took to Birmingham. Then we were off on our holiday to Ireland, to Dingle and West and finishing up on the way back to Wokingham, with a stop in Kilkenny for PodCamp Ireland.

In Ireland, following my mission of comparing and contrasting Wokingham with elsewhere, another link in the history of the all things Internet occurred to me.( Recording: a series of pipes) on the next peninsular south of Dingle is Valentia Island where the first Transatlantic telegraph cable

comes ashore in Europe with the US end in Newfoundland It was successfully laid after several previous failures by Isambard Kingdom Brunel's SS Great Eastern

and it is still linked-on from the coast by the same type of British Telecom microwave network - [Wikipedia] used in the UK. If you are interested in diving down this rat-hole further, check out the show-notes for lots of links.

Returning to Podcamp Ireland....

Although the number of attendees was smaller than at the UK event, it was just as welcoming. I found everyone friendly at both places though others enjoyed the traditional Irish welcome more. Certainly one difference I noted was that the UK crowd seemed more upfront, somewhat older and more involved with the media in their day to day jobs. I met up with some of the same faces in the both UK and Ireland, including Neville Hobson who is from Wokingham and produces an excellent PR and Marketing Show with Shel Holtz, a colleague of his , the show is called FIR ( For Immediate Release: The Hobson and Holtz Report ), Brian Greene from Ireland Talking Voices : Podcast Production, one of the organisers, and Dean Whitbread from the UK an enthusiastic supporter of shows being delivered as this one is.

I plan to do some separate shows about my trips to the Podcamps and my trip to Bedford Beer Festival, featuring more video and interviews with Morris Dancers, something that has become a regular slot for inWokingham it seems. My thinking on this is, that this content is of interest, to more than just those who listen to inWokingham and it will allow me focus THIS inWokingham show on the raft of news that has come in over the last two weeks.

The weather in Wokingham has been pretty wet while I was away and there were many dull days, although the sunny ones have been warmly welcomed. I think Ireland was getting the best of weather, maybe a result of the La Nina conditions, which I think have changed the flow of the weather systems that come over the Atlantic from the US. Which itself is still having a late summer heatwave in places like Chicago and New York, as we heard on reports about last Sunday's marathon And those who struggled to cope with the heat.eg. http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/news/08102007news.shtml

Now we have passed the autumn equinox the nights are drawing in more quickly and we shall soon, be moving the clocks back an hour, to bring us off the Summer DayLight Savings Time and return us to GMT or UTC as its becoming known.

Under matters Arising from the last show:

On IW020 I played the two Esteban tracks in the wrong order. They came from a sampler CD that Esteban gave me when at PodcampUK where they were the guest band. Unfortunately I played them in the opposite order to that that I intended so I will correct the credit here and now.

“Say it Loud” was in fact the second track and Mass Aura was the first. I'm sorry for that it did rather spoil my carefully thought out intro, but both tracks are up on the PMN for you to replay at any time. And I found video of the group playing “Say it loud” on the web, check the show-notes for a link. Estebanuk at podcamp UK in Birmingham - watch the video, vlog, or video podcast on Mefeedia

Music: sputnick from Nasa

Talking of the equinox, I've commented before on the stars and clear sky's in the west of ireland and this 4^th Oct was the 50^th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik it must be one of the first world events I remember and I found a track on the PMN that reminds me of this. The new version of Google earth not only incorporates a free Flight Simulator game, but has a Sky View setting that maps out all the stars and planets. If you haven't used GE check it out soonest.

Bio:Podsafe Music Network - Spaghetti Cake
Spaghetti Cake is an original rock band for the whole family from Connecticut. They are a touring group that performs for children and parents in schools and festivals all across New England. Their music is pure rock & roll, (which surprisingly they say) appealing to adults as much as kids. They released 2 CDs, "Jam Food" & "Sunflower". Under the children genre on the PMN.

Music: Man in the moon

Travelling around the county since I got back, I picked up some the news.

My hopes that F&M had been contained quickly and cleanly have been dashed by the extending of the watch area to East Berkshire. Although just a protection measure, it is disruptive for many leisure activities and this was re-enforced when travelling across Windsor Great park where the road passes right through the centre and they provide car parking and walking routes around the Queens estate. Well the car parking was barred and the footpaths closed, a disappointment for many people.

And the Farmer’s fears over spread of foot and mouth - Get Wokingham Wokingham Times reports that a farmer in Fichampstead, a burb south of Wok is asking to close a footpath across his farm and permission has been refused, as he is told we are outside the surveillance zone. I have sympathy for the farmer who , apparently, breeds rare cattle, but this is a part of the current mess, most footpaths run, in part across farmland and if they are all closed, then access for walking outside the towns would be restricted to the roadside, as it is in many parts of Ireland, where walkers and traffic are often forced to mix, a bit like oil and water, it is to be sure..

Talking of Finchampstead I see that the TVP have been busy.

Motorists have been taking part a “road safety event” run by Thames Valley Police and Wokingham Borough Council.

This 'event', as it is described in their press release,lved three and a half hours of speed checks Thurs 4th October 2007 at two sites near Finchampstead with 30mph speed limits. 34 motorists were stopped for driving above that limit the along Nine Mile Ride fines of £60 and three penalty points were issued to nine drivers. 25 were cautioned by police and received “education” from the Wokingham Borough Council Road Safety Officer. 15 motorists were stopped on Finchampstead Road. 3 were issued with a fixed penalty notice and 12 received a caution and similar education.

They note fastest recorded speed on Nine Mile Ride was 46mph and on Finchampstead Road 45mph.

And all over Wokingham the police are to clamp down on bad driving at school crossings

Police in Wokingham are warning drivers that if they fail to stop at school crossings face three penalty points, a fine of up to £1,000 and the loss of their license.

The advice comes after School Crossing Patrollers, or ‘lollipop’ persons as they are better known, complained to Wokingham Borough Council that an increasing number of drivers are failing to stop at crossing patrols.

And separately, although maybe it is connected. As I remember a story of a friends colleague would was so zonked one Monday morning after a night before, that when he complained to colleagues about the state of road locally they had to point out that a mini-roundabout had been installed over the weekend.

Anyway:

The number of people drinking or drugging and then driving in the Thames Valley remains too high according to figures compiled from a summer campaign run between Monday 30 July and Sunday 2 September

A total of 1,446 motorists were breath tested as part of the national crackdown on drink driving. 213 drivers (15 per cent) were subsequently arrested, including those who failed to give a sample of breath. Of course there is no drugalizer, except the good old fashioned walk the white chalk line.

There are lots more statistics in the TVP press release.

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/news/default.asp?dismode=article&apage=22&artid=12129

Mc WiFi

Being a techie person I was interested to hear that McD joins Wetherspoons (the pub restaurant chain) in offering Free Wi-Fi, there is only BK in Wok, no McD, the nearest is in Bracknell Town Centre where they have a big sign announcing WIFI has arrived there, although when I was in Bedford I saw no similar sign. However whereas Weatherspoons only offers a half hour session for free, McD is, apparently, making it unlimited. I'm don't know it is that simple and I together with other commentators am not sure I would be comfortable with all those kiddies, and even older flying, around my laptop computer with McFluurries in their sticky hands.

http://mcdonalds.co.uk/pages/global/wifi.html

While bizarre stories surrounding the continuing disappearance of Madeline McCann still appear in the press, there is Good News of Samantha Osborn who was found safe and well (from Buckinghamshire BCU)

Samantha, a 16-year-old from Buckingham whose disappearance I reported previously, was reported missing in April, has been found safe and well. She phoned the National Missing Person’s helpline in the afternoon on the (3/Oct) and was then put in contact with Thames Valley Police.

A spokesman said: “Sam has been missing for several months and we have been increasingly concerned about her well being. I would like to use this opportunity to thank the media for their continued support in keeping her disappearance in the public domain.” Hopefully we did our bit to help.

What WBC events I missed:

1. food festival mud Cantley House Hotel and the Sultan Balti ran food demonstrations, there was live music. It did leave its mark on Elms Field which is normally only used for such events in the summer. But as the green spaces of Wokingham are gobbled up the Council struggle to find places for marques and the like. And Elms field itself is likely to be built over shortly if the developers get their way.

1. Circus mucks up elms field even more, but the wood shavings help ease the mud.

1. borough in bloom prizes presented

A New chief executive, Ms Susan Law who was appointed in early September will be moving down from Doncaster.

1. national poetry day, and prizes awarded

1. mayors banquet

WBC website wins acclamation – maybe my help helped

Wokingham Borough Council’s website is working well – and Wokingham residents are more likely than any other unitary authority’s residents to use the website as their main source of council information according to a press release.

out of all the UK unitary authorities, Wokingham has the highest percentage of residents who use the council’s website as their main source of council information.  At 24 per cent,

And good old fashioned paper was Commended as well.

Residents also said the most popular way for them to find out about council services in Wokingham was through council leaflets and newsletters (44 per cent).  This also places Wokingham Borough Council in the top quartile of all local authorities, suggesting that the council is succeeding in producing printed information that people find useful and easy to read.

The Wokingham letter bomber was tracked down and appeared in court.

UK Blog aggregator. http://www.britishblogs.co.uk/search/miles%20cooper/

brings us a link to the story at http://mreugenides.blogspot.com/

Miles Cooper, 27 from Cambridge a primary school caretaker sent a series of letter bombs to protest against "overbearing" state control over individuals, he told a court.,, said he had been angry at authorities and "very concerned about the direction my country was heading in". He said

Mr Cooper told the jury, his anger at the country's authorities had intensified when his father Clive was unable to have DNA samples removed from the police database, even though he had been cleared in 2003 of assault. "I felt my father had been used and I felt unable to do anything about it," he said. Now if he had been in Scotland his DNA would not have been kept according to other reports on the new English and Welsh DNA database that holds DNA info on “anyone who helps police with their enquires”.

Mr Cooper added that prior to this, he had campaigned about government's proposals to introduce ID cards, but that his approach changed after the episode with his father. It certainly did!

He sent a series of seven letter bombs, including one to a Wokingham accountancy firm Vantis, injuring a worker, has been jailed.

During his trial at Oxford Crown Court, the jury heard from Richard Gorringe, who works at in Oaklands Park and opened one the letter bombs.

In follow up to an earlier story: Reading Borough Council has agreed to quash its controversial traffic regulation order which would have made the Reading inner distribution road (IDR) one-way.

And footpads are alive and well in the Thames Valley. Hang on to your laptop in Slough, and your handbag and your number plates in Bracknell.

Police are appealing for witnesses after two boys on bicycles tried to steal a girl’s handbag as she walked in Bracknell.

15-year-old girl was walking through the underpass when she was approached from behind by two youths on pedal cycles. They rode up so there was one on each side of her, and one of the youths tried to grab her handbag. However, the girl managed to pull the bag out of his grasp and ran away.

The boys are white, aged 14 to 16 and 5ft tall. The one who tried to steal the bag is slim with a local accent and a high-pitched voice. He was wearing a beige balaclava, a hoody and was riding a silver bicycle.

First it was mystery manhole thefts and now number plates

Bracknell Forest police area, said: “We’ve been getting up to three reports a week of number plates being stolen from vehicles. Sometimes both plates are missing, but usually only one is taken. “Our investigations have shown that the number plates are not being used on stolen cars, or to avoid parking tickets, speed camera fines or the congestion charge cameras in London.

BTW it is amazing the number of passing comments I am hearing from Americans about UK surveillance cameras. More of that later

They continue. “We are therefore appealing to the public for information about who could be taking the plates and why. “It has been suggested that vehicle registration plates may be used to reinforce the bottom of skateboards, but this has not been confirmed. “Some time ago, there was a craze amongst young people for collecting the badges from cars, and we are wondering if the number plate thefts are another fad.”

And from the dept of the “stating the bleeding obvious”

The TVP wish to remind parents that BB guns don't make good toys- High Wycombe

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/news/default.asp?dismode=article&apage=23&artid=12125

A spokesman said: “In light of recent shootings, a BB gun is not an ideal toy and although they look like harmless fun, we are appealing to parents not to buy them and to think of a more constructive toy.”

No suggestions were made.

ADD Recording from CG84

Cranky Geeks John C. Dvorak's crowd of cranky geeks were discussing the, and said that the with the England being covered by cameras no crime went un monitored, and about waste of time of CA cops spend chasing Johns with stake out and stings. Well Slough police report they are using ASBO's to tackle street prostitution.

In our “Green Space Watch” Segment

Elms field a mud bath. Well not quite but its getting there.

Bungalow blaze was arson

Arsonists may be responsible for a blaze at a derelict bungalow in Old Forest Road where, surprise, a developer wants to build 34 homes. The house in was gutted by the blaze, which fire-fighters think was started deliberately. It'ss one of six in the road owned by developer George Wimpey, which has applied to Wokingham Borough Council to knock them down and build 34 houses and flats.
Residents living near the disused houses say they have attracted vandalism and underage drinking.

Check out the WT website for more on that story.

But, on the up side, that green handkerchief space that is your front garden is the new open space and must be celebrated.

Now in its ninth year, the wok in bloom competition has gone from strength to strength and aims to reward gardeners who work hard to brighten up their local community ( they are certainly needed, if they don't do it, who will). Mary Jenno and Bob Mould from the Wokingham Horticultural Association joined Cllr Annette Drake to judge the competition.

Winner of the Best Summer Display for Front Garden was Tim Downes of Barkham Road in Wokingham. The judges noted ‘his garden is a delight to passing folk'. I guess this may be the Tim I know well for our local, but haven't seen recently, and who is a regular runner, a bit like Nigel Staffordshire who does a regular podcast that I enjoy at http://runningfromthereaper.com

His theme music has always captured our ears and I intended to ask him what it was, then I heard it on RTE introducing the Sports programme and then again on a TV advert back here. Curious I thought, then AC played it on the DSC 662 and attributed it to the PMN. It is up there as well as elsewhere such as MySpace. There record label is Wichita Recordings who have a chunk of artists up on the PMN with many tracks from each.

There are four mixes of “young folks” on the PMN this is the diplo remix Sep. 5 2007 Alternative Pop

Their Bio: Peter, Bjorn and John were formed in Stockholm in the late 90s. Björn and Peter had known each other for ages and were tired of playing their songs without a drummer. Enter John, who was not only a brilliant drummer but actually a full time member of internationally acclaimed percussion collective Kroumata.

Podsafe Music Network - peter, bjorn and john

Wichita Recordings They have a chunk of artists on the PMN and many tracks from each.

And check out the WBC website for more on the following stories.

The Borough libraries have been and are about to be very busy.

Library News -

Spread the Word at Wokingham libraries

to encourage library users to swap reader recommendations. The Spread the Word scheme was launched at Lower Earley Library as a pilot in March and such has been its success that it will now be available at all the borough’s libraries. It offers readers the chance to fill in recommendation cards with details of their favourite books and why they like them – these are then posted up around the library for other readers to take advantage of.

Sounds a great idea, and one that surely lends itself to webalisation in this media savvy age.

Also on the card are DVD movie nights, family learning, fun baby sessions, book start day, computer training courses, and there will also be four technology events at Wokingham Library next year. These will be on “Using your digital camera”, “Using your mobile phone”, “Using eBay” and “Managing your money” and details will be published in the new year. 

Hillside school visit RSSL a place I only know of from chocolate tasting

Pupils at Hillside Primary School shape the future of food

The report says:

A group of gifted and talented pupils from Hillside Primary School in Lower Earley donned lab coats and safety glasses when they visited a high-tech food laboratory to gain an insight into food manufacturing.

20 pupils from year five and six met scientists, technologists and food experts from project sponsors RSSL to work on a food design project which aims to help pupils understand key aspects of food safety and nutrition, and the environmental impact of global food distribution and packaging. During the eight-month long project each team will have approximately £75 to design their product including the packaging Over the coming months, pupils will be working on the project with the help of volunteers from RSSL.

Pupils will design a food product as well as producing a video diary and a community video or leaflet which discuss the ‘human footprint’ of designing food products and packaging.

“We hope the children will develop their own entrepreneurial skills but they must also understand their responsibilities as business people to the consumer and to the community.”

RSSL said: “We wanted to do something really special to mark RSSL’s 20th birthday

And the Borough has welcomed 100 new teachers to various schools at a special event.

Nearly 100 new teachers started their careers in the Wokingham Borough this month and were given a warm welcome at the ceremonies, organised by Wokingham Borough Council, on September 19 and 20.

The newly qualified teachers (NQTs) were introduced to Wokingham Borough Council, which will be supporting

them during their careers at the borough’s schools.

http://Mediaforum.ie Dave Dunn discuss media studies in schools. If anyone can help Dave, click the link.

council pledge action on the Danger of A boards.

CAMPAIGNERS fighting to get "dangerous" A-boards removed from Wokingham town centre say the backing of council bosses is a step in the right direction.

Wokingham Area Access Group says some A-boards make it difficult for people with mobility problems to get around safely.

On the national front, no not the National Front, but things that affect us in Wokingham that come from on high. Upping of age for fags to 18.

And later this Month in WBC

Look out for news of Wokingham's first Age Conference.

Karen Jackson, head of disability and older people’s services, said: “The idea of turning the annual conference into a celebration came from the older people’s forums who wanted to highlight the positive aspects of age. There is a perception that old age is about ill health and decline, but that is completely wrong. In the Wokingham borough older people are incredibly active and play an important role in the community and this conference will highlight that.” Everybody is welcome at the conference, which will take place at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre in Rushey Way, Lower Earley, from 10am to 4pm on Thursday October 18.

Flooding grant check the WBC website if you were affected and haven't heard that there may by some extra help available from the government via WBC

Dinton pastures consultation has now closed and but they have open a new bird watching hide for Bitten, no web-cam yet.

They held a customer service week

and a road show on child safety seat checking.

With reports just coming in of a mini boom in private jet sales being attributed to the Rugby world cup currently taking place in France, and despite the disappointment of of the Irish at being knocked out too early, with the England vs France coming up this weekend it is still a good time to report the TVP reminder:

Don't Pay the Penalty during the Rugby World Cup.

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/news/default.asp?dismode=article&apage=32&artid=12032

Police and the NHS are urging people to enjoy the Rugby World Cup safely this month.

“There is a hardcore minority who will use it as a reason to drink to excess. When people are drunk they lose their inhibitions and people can be a risk to themselves and others.” Those who drink too much and step out of line can expect to be issued with an £80 fixed penalty ticket or even be arrested

And to think Chris Vallance said Wokingham was a “bit traditional” when he interviewed me at podcampUK for on BBC radio 5 pods & blogs programme, part of which was aired recently. BBC - Radio - Help - What is a podcast?

I'll finish with a another Maria Daines track who I played last time but forget to mention she is UK based, and more bio

Maria Daines Grass is Greener Dec. 18 2006 Folk Rock

and also has some new music up on the PMN

Don't FORGET

Visit our website for links to the items mentioned here, find us at at inwokingham.podshow.com. You can sign up free of charge make comments and give news tips I will incorporate in future shows. Also please visit inWokingham on PodcastAlley.com -- The place to find Podcasts

and vote for inWokingham during the October voting round.

I'll see you on the next episode and in the meantime "cheers from inWokingham"

Music: Grass is Greener Dec. 18 2006 Folk Rock Podsafe Music Network - Maria Daines

Recorded: Ad for TSSS

Do you like music, do you want free music for your Ipod, Mp3 player or media centre, we can help fill that need with a new show playing rock&roll, folk, country, and all the variety of the PMN. Each episode looks at one style and provides pointers to more of the same. Check it out at SpecialSelection.podshow.com

Indeed Welcome to Indigo Whisky O Two One for the 18th of September 2007.

Another report from West of Dingle in the green land of Eire. The Indian summer lasted over a week and now the mixed weather has set in, albeit warmer than usual. Back to sun, showers and rain, wind and calm. It's still warmer in Wokingham during the day but Dingle hold its own with warmer overnight temps.

The signs of the end of the summer are here, being an hour further west this is a time of year when we can maximise the daylight by rising with the sun at 6:30 and retiring as the sun sets behind the mountain at 9pm. The first swallows have formed large groups and departed for the South, it was a good year for those swallows and we had some nesting around the sheds for the first time in several years. The later hatchlings are swooping and wheeling, feasting on the abundant flying food basket to build their strength for their journey south, those that left in the last couple of days will have had a helping hand from the strong northern winds that blew up.

The remaining birds are busy sorting out their territories, the three robins have each got to have their own, the wagtails seem content to share, the Jackdaw adults have their chimney and the youngsters will have to be content with the trees, the wrens have plenty of fushia hedging to divide up and the starlings a gathering in great flocks. The Magpies and the Crows are still picking at each other.

My hopes for better Internet connectivity this far west in Europe were raised by the startup of a new isp, but a shortage of aerials and the high prices per month and for the setup mean its back to the internet cafe for the moment. 3 the UK mobile phone service provider offer 3G data service in Ireland and have connectivity in this area so I am going to look at their offering.

So I haven't had a lot of news from Wokingham this week, but I was pleased to hear news of www.bbc.co.uk/radio5 BBC Radio Five Pods and Blogs show , a programme that airs through the night on BBC digital streams, had a report from the first PodcampUK, the un-conference we attended at the beginning of the month that was held in Birmingham. Chris Vallance from the Radio5 attended the 2 day event and recorded a few interviews including one with myself. Part of that interview was featured in the show and I welcome any new listeners who have joined me after hearing that report.

I said in the interview how I like to contrast life in Wokingham with that elsewhere and my current trip around Ireland gives me much inspiration. Wokingham used to have a proper football stadium and team, but when the stadium was sold to housing developer's the team disappeared from popular comment, I recall the previous enthusiasm of the supporters that was driven home when I saw the Black and Yellow of the team colours on one of dozens of football scarf's pinned to the ceiling and walls of the Ponderosa restaurant on highway 108 in Orlando. Mixed in amongst other UK clubs including the red of Man.United, the blue of Chelsea, and the canary yellow of Norwich the restaurant manager, who hailed from England, said that regular customers had started donating their scarf's some years ago and he was proud of the collection. It was interesting that this particular restaurant, although part of a franchise chain was owned by the manager rather than simply being managed by him and a lot of English and Irish visitors to Orlando seek this place out for breakfast and dinner. Unlike the others in the chain, this establishment had the ice cream machine up and running at breakfast. This gave a great treat to the kiddies who after some cereal or the like to satisfy their parents, headed straight to the whippy machine for chocolate, strawberry and vanilla whirls of ice cream.

The manager said when he took over the place the machine was always off for cleaning in the morning, but he had seen the disappointment of the kids, particularly the English and Irish ones and so he tried making it available and it was a great success on two fronts, with less of the regular stuff, sausage, rashers hash browns etc, being taken and not eaten, more English customers seeking the place out and more profit as the ice cream is a low cost item to supply in the all you can eat buffet breakfast selection.

This connection with football and the enthusiasm of supporters was also reinforced this last weekend when the All Ireland Gaelic Football final took place on Sunday afternoon. After a week of joshing, picking and poking between the two teams the match felt as though it had already been played over, but eighty thousand packed the National stadium in Dublin and most of those had travelled up to 200 miles for the event, setting of by bus, train and car from County Cork in the far south west and County Kerry the bordering county to the North. Always the greatest rivals, a match and especially a championship final saw The red and white of Cork and the green and gold of Kerry side by side in so many homes that have a corkie and kerryeir in the same family.

Well the result was a stonking 35 th  win for Kerry and a great disappointment for Cork. The analysis will continue for the rest of the year, but the common or garden Irishman has a love for all and any sport and with the Rugby World cup taking place in France, and the Soccer season starting there is plenty to look forward to.

The Madeline McCann Story continues its meanderings with Kate and Jerry McCann being made formal suspects. Kate McCannn gave an interesting and honest sounding interview with the BBC programme Womans Hour which was available as a Podcast for off-line listening.

The report of the Foot and Mouth outbreak being contained proved to me wrong, with another case being discovered south of Heathrow in a place called Egham, which is far less rural than the area around Guildford but obviously still has some dairy farms. This is disappointing news and I hope the cause and transmission route is identified quickly. Ireland still has a great farming economy and they are rightly concerned about visitors bringing disease into Eire, and providing antiseptic sprays as you left the ferry and are banning cheese, butter and raw meat imports from Great Britain.

Now to finish I have chosen a track from the PMN by a prolific podsafe artist who has a lot great tracks listed. There seems to be an rights for the animal world theme behind many of her tracks and she is obviously a passionate person.

Intro to M aria Daines Too Late 22secs

http://music.podshow.com/music/listeners/artistdetails.php?BandHash=278601cc828d39c1b58f9f7abde6c484

But politics aside, there are great guitar rifes, great voicing and great production in all the tracks. Check the track Too Late or House of the Rising Sun. But we are going to play another track, Maria Daines performs. “night-for-the-lonely”

Maria Daines  

Don't FORGET

Visit our website for links to the items mentioned here, find us at at inwokingham.podshow.com. You can sign up free of charge to make c omments and give me any news tips you would like me incorporate in future shows. Also please visit www.podcastalley.com and vote for inWokingham during the September voting round.

I'll see you on the next episode and in the meantime "cheers from inWokingham" still in Dingle

maria-daines-podshowintro.mp3

M aria Daines Night-for-the-lonely

Maria Daines  on Podshow

It has been a couple of weeks since the last Podcast and I am sad that there has been this delay but time and connectivity has challenged me schedule and won somewhat. After the last show I was heading off to the premier podcampUK event held at Birmingham and then back to Wokingham for a few hours before setting out for Dingle on the West coast of Ireland.

The weather really perked up for the podcampUK weekend which was great news as it allowed us to explore the refurbished Birmingham, in the few hours of spare time that the event allowed, and gave us a dry run to and from the event. This was the start of a sunny and warm spell in a bit of an Indian Summer. This weather has extended to Ireland and has seen crowds of children and adults swimming in the sea, without wet-suits, a rare sight even in this holiday area.

I will bring you more news of the highly successful PodcampUK weekend later but now I would like to play a track by the guest band from the Saturday Night. It was a rare treat to be greeted individually by the lead singer of the main act of the evening, but that is how we met Esteban, and from their recent EP I bring you a appropriately named track. As the restaurant space in the hotel was rather small for a powerful, high energy band that Esteban are.

Music: Esteban: “Say it Loud”

“ Say it Loud” from Esteban, who start a Dutch tour in october. Get details at http://myspace.com/estebanuk

stripe location section maybe by selected places to reference, or history 60sec

I n Wokingham news I found Berkshire in headline news.

On the last show I was looking forward to Reading (previously known as the POP) festival, and we had concerns of the mud and muck that was likely. Well the wash-up review brought good news, a washup, not a washout, all the hard work sucking up surface water paid off. The weather turned hot and sunny and many 'sweltered' in the heat. A real surprise turn for the good. And the music was succesfull too. An with my technology binoculars focusing on the festival I found a surprising new business opportunity being exploited by a trade vendor, not hot-dogs, donuts, wellies or sunhats, but a long line of folks queuing for juice.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2007/08/25/rfest070825_feature.shtml

BBC Berkshire on the 28 th Aug said: “The View” seem to be today's most popular act, but the hundreds of people in another queue near the entrance might never see them. I followed the snaking queue to its head and discovered: a mobile phone recharging hut. According to one festival-goer midway back in the queue, they'd taken an hour just to reach that point. Moral of the story: get one of those wind-up mobile phones, or buy a spare battery! Or, of course, learn to live without one. Would you miss hours of festival action for the sake of a text?

Isn't technology wonderful.

The official report in to the causes of the Foot and Mouth or Hoof and Mouth outbreak has been published, and from the news reports it seems that it cites the floods, poor drains, management and a multiple of non specific reasons of no particular responsibility for the outbreak. I has not read the actual report yet but this sort of conclusion comes as no surprise to me.

I was invited to help the web team at WDC review the updated website that they launched a year ago and provide them with my user feedback. I was pleased to do this. One area I commented upon was the lack of any RSS feeds for news and updates, and the non-promotional nature of the home page compared to counties like Kent. We are all in marketing now! My contribution is part of a wider public consultation, so if you have any comments or ideas contact the web team at the council. I look forward to seeing the changes appear.

I saw that Bloomberg(.net) news are reporting a local Berkshire law case that has reached the lofty heights of the European Court of Human Rights. A U.K. property developer has lost their ten year legal battle to regain ownership of 23-hectares of agricultural land worth many millions of pounds when the court ruled that laws on squatters' rights had struck a fair balance. The owner had agreed some decades before that a couple could use the land for grazing. When that agreement expired at the end of 1983, the couple ignored an order to leave and continued to use the land without permission. In 1997 the couple said that under U.K. law enough years had elapsed to make the land rightfully theirs. Going against the 2005 ruling of its lower chamber, the European Court of Human Rights' Grand Chamber today dismissed by 10 votes to seven the property developer's complaint

Going against a previous ruling of 2005 by the lower chamber, the European Court of Human Rights' Grand Chamber today dismissed, 10 votes to 7 the complaint.

The court did acknowledge that the U.K Land Registration Act of 2002 puts the registered owner of property ``in a better position.'' where under the new rules, squatters who want to register as new owners must make a formal application after 10 years of adverse possession and give reasons why they are entitled to the land if the legal owner opposes the application.

They say that the ruling will still have an impact on other property disputes because the 2002 law isn't retroactive.

The case is 44302/02, Pye v. the U.K.

To contact the reporter on this story: Anna Jenkinson in Brussels at ajenkinson@bloomberg.net

News of madeline mccann, the liitle girl missing in portugal, continues to headline the news media, which was the original stated goal of her parents. A lot more speculation but no sign of the little girl yet.

In our “Green Space Watch” Segment

In a previous show I talked about the plans for a mini town on the TRL (previously known as TRRL) site. And the Daily Telegraph reported on the 30 th August that

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/30/nhomes130.xml

Gordon Brown's building plans rejected Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 29 Aug 2007 ... yesterday Government inspectors for the south-east of England said that 32000 homes a year should be built annually in Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire, ...

In our “its a great place for visitors” segment

On the last show I promoted the 25 Aug 07, performance of the Aldbrickham Clog & Step Dancers, from Reading.

I shot some video, took some pics and did an interview with their caller. The quality of the video was somewhat compromised by the quicktime compression process, but I feel the content brings the spirit of the event to a wider audience and I hope it will encourage people seek out one of the live performances of this entertaining troop. Find the Movie at http://inWokingham.podshow.com and the pics are up on Flickr.com

And to finish, a quick review of our trip to PodCampUK. Well over a hundred people passionate about podcasting turned up at the NTI in Birmingham England for the two day event. Many stayed at the recommended hotel, the Aston Business School and Conference centre. The staff were very welcoming and helpful. The rooms are modern clean and quiet, even with Esteban performing downstairs. The conference rate gave us a big discount other wise it would have been too pricey, and the bar was priced to suit.

The podcampUK sessions were close by at a place called the NTI and streaming video was provided at http://blogtv.com , and the archives can be viewed there still. I found the visitors came from a wide range of backgrounds, a lot of marketing and media people, amateur podcasters and mixed business entrepreneurs.

I briefly met a chap called John Lindsay, a profess-er-orial character who was involved with the Internet when it was only a series of tubes, and seemed a really interesting chap to chat to, although I didn't get enough time.

The organisers, John , Linda and others had done great job and continued their hard work all weekend. For those who thought of going and didn't make it, I can only say to get your name down for the next one. In my case that next one will be podcampIreland http://podcampireland.com , which I can tack on to the end of my Dingle trip.

Recording: Brian-Greene bumper

Recording: Keep it real

For those that wanting to "keep it real - ale that is" our pub of the street

The CAMRA http://camra.org.uk/ Good Beer Guide (GBG) proved itself the invaluable guide that is promoted as, when we found the Bull, in Price Street , while at PodcampUK This is a genuine Inn, run by a very welcoming landlady and bar staff. A bit like a mother hen she looked after her guests like lost sons, getting taxis and giving advice on making the most of a stay in Brum. They served a great pint of Ansells mild, and real ales both regular and guest. And beer is many pence a pint cheaper than in Wokingham pubs. We would not have known it existed without the GBG and would not have found it had it not been for a friendly bobby heading in the cop shop for a tea break who directed through the maze of tunnels that surround Birmingham city centre.

“ On this day” segment

I found a website dedicated to to all things Bond, and they listed a local connection to 007.

http://commanderbond.net/article/2516 . This Month In Bond History, September 3, 1984: The “A View to a Kill” film crew recreated the Royal Ascot races at the Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, Berkshire, England.

Now I will play out with another track from Esteba, I am well pleased to promote them after their gig at podcampUK and if you are in the Burton on Trent area on Saturday 22 Sept check them out at BAR 15, or 5 Lamps in Derby on Friday 26 th October.

With an 80's style start and thoughtful lyrics, this track comes their extended EP. Take a trip to their website at http://myspace.com/estebanuk

Don't FORGET

Visit our website for links to the items mentioned here, find us at at inwokingham.podshow.com. You can sign up free of charge make comments and give news tips I will incorporate in future shows. Also please visit www.podcastalley.com

and vote for inWokingham during the August voting round.

I'll see you on the next episode and in the meantime "cheers from inWokingham"

MUSIC: Esteban: Mass Aura.

Recorded: Ad for TSSS

Do you like music, do you want free music for your Ipod, Mp3 player or media centre, we can help fill that need with a new show playing rock&roll, folk, country, and all the variety of the PMN. Each episode looks at one style and provides pointers to more of the same. Check it out at SpecialSelection.podshow.com

Our friend has to move out for 6 months and has struggled to find accommodation.

Australia and America continue to to have all the Heat and all the Wet in disparate places, resulting in wild fires and floods in the same season. Not to mention the hurricanes.

I n Wokingham news this week.

Foot and Mouth or Hoof and Mouth has been contained in the small area and is not getting any publicity, although I am sure that scientists and farmers are still busy on the consequences.

That sport is Crown Green Bowling? Flat or crowned. Facilities I've been told that crown and green bowling are different and crown greens are have a crown. Need to find more info about this. If you have input use the comments at http://inwokingham.podshow.com

Road Works in Milton Twyford Road

On the last show I mentioned 31/07/2007Wokingham Council announced a worrying event. engineers are concerned at the alarming theft of some 80 drain covers from across the Borough in recent days.

Grate drain robbery!

It seems it is s preading to and from other places

www.bridgwatermercury.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1615039.mostcommented.hazard_is_drain_on_resources.php

on 14 August 07.

reports that Sedgemoor has lost over 60 drain covers.

JOHANNESBURG is to replace its vandal-prone iron manhole covers with new ones made of concrete, in a project that will take two years.

February 1, 2005

Many of the city's drain covers - made from brass and cast iron - have been stolen, according to the City's water utility, and sold as scrap metal. Others have been damaged or vandalised.

http://www.joburg.org.za/2005/feb/feb1_manhole.stm

Poingent given the death of a man trapped in a manhole through the gloucester floods.

And not only drain covers, road sign are popular for scrap.

http://thepurplecat.blogspot.com/2006/10/strange-case-of-missing-road-signs.html

Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

The price of scrap, has led to scrap cars being worth breaking up, not the case for years, and triggered recycling thefts. www.getwokingham.co.uk/news/2014/2014089/businessman_offers_500_reward_after_chase_drama

I found a website that aims to help citizens improve their environment by informing the local councils of problems via a central service.

http://www.fixmystreet.com/

not really needed as Wokingham has a comprehensive website that allows reporting of issues, or pots or mail can be used.

I said that the Thames valley police website looks really good and is useful. I said that I learnt a new TLA from the site, people asked what a TLA is, so for the non techies TLA stands for Three Letter Acronym, a recursive joke among techies.

www.thamesvalley.police.uk/

It is over 100 days since madeline mccann and the portugal police joined by uk police for contiuning invesigations.

Samantha Osborn is white, slim, approximately 5ft 2ins and has shoulder-length brown hair. She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a light-coloured padded jacket and light trainers. She also has a surgical scar above her left eyebrow. When last seen she was wearing two rings, one on each hand. The ring on her left hand had a large white stone.

It is believed that Samantha may be in the Bristol area, but she has been known to travel to Milton Keynes on occasion.

Ca n you or someone you know, speak Polish? Thames Valley Police needs YOU!

Operation Lion Cub: still on the prowl – Bracknell

Neighbourhood police teams are continuing to crack down on anti-social behaviour throughout the summer holidays.

Between 1 June, when the operation started, and 19 August, officers have:

• Stop checked 92 people.

• Arrested three people on suspicion of drug possession and/or excess alcohol.

• Seized alcohol from underage drinkers on 20 occasions.

• Sent 29 letters to parents informing them of anti-social behaviour and underage drinking by their children. A leaflet was also enclosed informing them of council-run activities for young people.

• Issued four warnings to people using mini motos or nuisance riding off road (on footpaths, etc). If the riders are caught again, their vehicles will be impounded at some cost to them.

• Issued one fixed on-the-spot fine for being drunk and disorderly.

• Spoken to hundreds of people, young and old, from all sections of the community. www.thamesvalley.police.uk/news/default.asp?dismode=article&artid=11840

In a reminder of the British troops still in action abroad, the Wokingham Times reports that Capt David Hicks, aged 26, a local man, valiantly refused morphine after being mortally wounded in the attack on his base in the Helmand Province, Afganistan, insisting he wanted to return to the combat. His father Alun said, his son was “a young, professional officer doing a difficult job in extremely challenging circumstances”. www.getwokingham.co.uk/news/2013/2013822/outstanding_soldier_killed_in_afghanistan

And in a story that is a warning to all young students looking to celebrate with an extravagant Debs Ball. We hear from Cork in Ireland, the sad story of monies paid by up to 3000 students to a 'professional' Event Organiser apparently disappearing two weeks before their do's. The students who took on the liaising role where suspicious when problems first became known, but reluctant to make a great fuss while all the exams were in progress, for fear of the worry spoiling exam takers results. After last years christmas club collapse this is another warning about the trustworthiness of those holding peoples money.

Irish Examiner - 2007/08/01: Net closing in on debs ball organiser

http://mediarequests.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/pat-browne-debs-ball-organiser/

Cruelty to tortoises & hedgehogs in US and MK, maybe a sign of school holiday boredom.

www.thamesvalley.police.uk/news/default.asp?dismode=article&artid=11852

The next police surgery is being held at the Norreys Church, Norreys Avenue on Wednesday September 5 between 1pm and 5pm.

www.thamesvalley.police.uk/news/default.asp?dismode=article&artid=11835

In our “Green Space Watch” Segment

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/SaveElmsField/ Dara Cotton a Holt school pupil

http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=3684767894

Her e-petition first attempt rejected because it included web links. A new petition is now up. Deadline to sign up by: 22 February 2008

http://www.thegovernmentsays.com/

http://www.thegovernmentsays.com/cgi-bin/rss.cgi

http://www.thegovernmentsays.com/cgi-bin/rss-comments.cgi

RSS of comments

• Past Posts

• RSS of posts

Dara Cotton a Holt school pupil and in more school news. An exam results summary is now published on the Wokingham Borough Website. They seem to show a general decline in pass rates and Avg point score, although the The Bulmershe school has done the best.

17/08/2007

Provisional A Level Results in Wokingham Borough are Still...

WBC are currently carrying out the consultations and would welcome your views on the issues:

In our “its a great place for visitors” segment

In the Market Square this Saturday.

25 Aug 07, Aldbrickham Clog & Step Dancers , Reading

, 10-12 noon. Aldbrickham Clog & Step Dancers was formed on 17th April 2001 and takes its name from Thomas Hardy’s name for Reading.

Talking of the morris theme, we visited Wantage last weekend and met some Morris and Folk people. Old Roman roads of England, A4 in Reading, Icknield way morris men Www.icknieldwaymorrismen.org.uk

Reading Rock Festival starts today and continues over the Bank Holiday weekend. Doesn't bode well for the weekend weather. Official Site http://www.readingfestival.com/home/

or the BBC Berkshire site has info, pics and a podcast at http://www.bbc.co.uk/readingandleeds/

Virtual England sold for 60K Euro. http://www.weblo.com

Open top bus on flickr niagarekoja says: Hi, I'm an admin for a group called The British Open-Top Bus , and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.

For those who missed the GBBF at Earls Court London two weekends ago, you can still listen to

http://beercast.btpodshow.com/

“ On this day” segment

Twenty five years since the first CD was produced. In August 1982 t he first CD that was pressed in Hanover was a recording of Herbert von Karajan conducting the Alpine Symphony by Richard Strauß.

Listen to cranky discussion on Twit 110 starting 48mins.for those who don't like the techie talk.

August 20th, 2007

TWiT 110: It's All Downhill From Here

40 years since the Big Mac and 60 years since the microwave were invented

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Mac

In 1947, Raytheon demonstrated the world's first microwave oven and called it a "Radarange," the winning name in an employee contest.

http://www.gallawa.com/microtech/history.html

“ yanks vs the brits” moment inspired by AC's DSC ( see DSC-539)

http://www.btpodshow.com/shows/?show_id=21

The track I have chosen to end this show, fits in well with the Folk theme.

Bio:
Jordan Ogg is a singer-songwriter and artist from the Shetland Islands in the United Kingdom way north of the Scottish mainland. His songs are folk-laced pop gems intended to make the world do a smile. He currently lives between Edinburgh and Shetland where he plays live regularly.

Quiet Town Aug. 9 2006 Folk

Played on FolkCast Nov5 2006 FolkCast 011 Quiet Town

http://www.jordanogg.co.uk/

myspace website

Quiet Town Jordan Ogg Aug. 24 2007

Don't FORGET

Visit our website for links to the items mentioned here, find us at at inwokingham.podshow.com. You can sign up free of charge make c omments and give news tips I will incorporate in future shows. Also please visit www.podcastalley.com

and vote for inWokingham during the August voting round.

I'll see you on the next episode and in the meantime "cheers from inWokingham"

Oxfam GB

And I heard an enthusictic fan of Carbon Leaf raving over the discovery that their tracks are on the PMN.

Music: The War Was In Color by Carbon Leaf

.............

I've spoken about various sporting activities that are popular in Wokingham in past episodes, but I was reminded of one of those that, not only did I not mention, but one that had totally left my mind in connection with Wokingham. That sport is Crown Green Bowling, not ten pins or alley skittles, the game where a heavy, glossy and finely balanced ball is rolled over finely tended grass to meet a small white jack ball. Facilities The Wokingham club was founded in 1930 with just 36 members. Current membership is approximately 200. It has two quality greens, giving ten “rinks” in total and one green has floodlights, they have a club house and a bar serving Wadworth ales. Crown Bowls does strike me as still retaining much of that 1930's start, being one the most formal sports in terms of dress, rules and etiquette, although maybe polo or golf come a close second.

Poland Bans English Sandwiches!
Alalam News Network, Iran - 7 Aug 2007

In our "surfing the streets" segment

Gas works moved to bottom of Denmark street.

31/07/2007 Wokingham Council announce a worrying event with the dramatic headline Grate drain robbery!

From www.thamesvalley.police.uk we hear the police in Wokingham are to trial body-worn miniature cams.

One unusual feature of the Wokingham and Berkshire area that we discovered when we moved here and had been unfamiliar with prior to that is the system of mostly unpaved tracks or roads through the forest, moorland and lands. We know the ones south of Wokingham and they are known by the group name of ride, such as Gorse Ride, Dukes Ride. Coming, I understand from the routes taken regularly by travellers on horseback in times of yore. I was reminded of this by news of the Gorse Ride in Bloom event where Green fingered residents of the Gorse Ride estate in Finchampstead have been blooming busy this summer – and their gorgeous gardens are about to be recognised with Gorse Ride in Bloom awards! Organised by the Gorse Ride Residents Association (GRRA) with help from Wokingham Borough Council’s community development worker Claire Denham, the ceremony will involve several prizes, including an award to the best close in the estate where neighbours’ combined efforts have created the most striking effect. The awards have captured the imagination of many residents and more than 30 entries have been received across the five categories.

These areas the rides cover have a long history and there are still Roman features visible in the landscaping of roads & remains of camp grounds. East of Wokingham lies Bracknell, The original small town was recreated as a new town in the 60's with the aim of relocating a large population of families from South London and became the first technology space in the Thames Valley. South of there on the Nine Mile Ride is a council owned facility called the The Look Out Discovery Centre which provides a focus and base for visitor sto the 2,600 acres of Crown Estate woodland that surround it. There is a car-park there, although you are responsible for your own security, and the centre offers several chargeable services.

For those that wanting to "keep it real - ale that is" the"biggest pub in the world"

Promo from The Beercast show produced by WonderMouse a great podcast that captures the spirit of the CAMRA Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court London 7 ^th -11 ^th August 2007

Yanks vs the Brits (see DSC-539) inspired by Adam Curry's Daily Source Code

Don't FORGET

Visit our website for links to the items mentioned here, find us at at inwokingham.podshow.com. You can sign up free of charge make c omments and give news tips I will incorporate in future shows. Also please visit www.podcastalley.com

and vote for inWokingham during the August voting round.

I'll see you on the next episode and in the meantime "cheers from inWokingham"

Music: “I Better Be Careful With Me” a gregory motzenbecker Aug. 9 2007

Promo for "The Special Selection Show"

Do you like music, want free music for your Ipod, Mp3 or media centre, we can help fill that need with a new show playing rock&roll, folk, country, and all the variety of the PMN. Each episode looks at one style and provides pointers to more of the same. C heck it out at SpecialSelection.podshow.com

This time you find me On The Hoof around Wokingham, checking out the results of the very wild weather that we have had in England over the last week.

It has even featured on CNN headline news several times, so most listeners will be aware of the flooding that resulted, as we are aware of flooding in Texas and Wild fires in Utah, Moonsons in Mumbia. For that last one check out Rocketboom of the 25 ^th July episode.

Wokingham has not suffered the same as Gloucester and Worcestershire have, they are 100 miles of so west of Berkshire on the welsh borders. The Thames Valley is so named because the Thames flows through the heart of it from its source way west in Oxfordshire. It usually takes 3 to 7 days for water to drain from the land into the Thames and have any impact on its depth, winter flooding is not uncommon, but summer is usually a time of drought rather than flood. This week saw some of the highest levels for over 40 years, summer or winter. In that time much has changed on the banks of the Thames, with much new housing and business parks, new moorings and marinas and less industrial works. So flooding waaay above normal has caused serious problems, even for boat owners with Sky news showing a cruising boat stranded in the middle of a field now that some flood waters have receded.

In Wokingham the heavy and prolonged rain of last Friday caused many drains to overflow and much of the immediate flooding was caused by this rather than river flooding. Although the Emmbrook did burst its banks and

for travellers who struggled to get back to Wokingham by train or taxi or car, found themselves stranded either north or south of the railway by waist height water on the Finchampstead. Road. This area which is low lying was close to the Wokingham Football ground that I mentioned before was sold for development of flats a while back, housing and a Tesco supermarket, Tesco being the largest grocery outlet in the UK and which is rapidly expanding into Europe, Ireland, and has, or is about to open a store in Los Angeles.

Well some of the ground floor flats in the development were under several feet of water, as indeed was one of our friends who having taken 2 hours to do her normal 40 min train journey, having waded through knee deep water to get from the station after a 2 mile detour, arrived home to find her and all her neighbours in her cul-de-sac had 2 foot of water in their homes. .

Now the local council has been working hard to clear drains over the past few months and much of this was successful. In our friends case they are to investigate what went wrong, but in Milton road which leads out to Twyford there was a section that has always flooded even in lightish rain, and this time the water disappeared very within hours.

Now on NPR.org there is a program I download as a Podcast each week, similar the BBC news quiz the programme is called “Wait Wait Don't tell me” where the have a celebrity guest to answer topical quiz questions. On the July 7 ^th special, had highlights from previous programmes, and one part featured a chap obviously well known to NPR listener, called Ted Koppel, who is a Senior News Analyst for NPR and was a long-time ABC news anchor, now you should note that is someone you would expect to know a lot about a lot. The last question in his quiz about unusual expenditure on a loss making film called Sahara, asked what he thought the producers may have got when they spent 39 thousand dollar on a Gully Sucker, the choices included a person to mop the brow of a film star or actor during shooting, and this was his choice, which was of course wrong, he could not accept that he had never heard the term used for the real answer and thought they quiz setter had made an error

Now a gully washer, sounds like golly washer to a young lad, is what they referred to as a gully sucker, and it is a very exciting sight for a small boy, or certainly was for me, the local authorities use the machine for road sweeping and drain clearing , with its big spinning brush underneath, two whirling brushes on the front, spraying jets of water ahead of it to keep the dust down, a large elephant type trunk to one side and sounding like a wind tunnel at full blast while it Hoovers the edge of the road. Then coming to a drain, the heavy grill cover would be lifted by a grubby worker and the trunk, even more like an elephant this time would be guided into the hole and with great sucking noises would draw out the mud and leafs that had accumulated.

If you want to hear the episode for yourself you can hear it on the NPR website, I will include a link in the shownotes.

The Essentials on Podshow.com

Their Bio:
We're five older, wiser musicians who strive to create music that recalls a time when rock 'n roll was simple, fun, and to the point. Catchy melodies, strong rhythms, a good beat, sometimes thought provoking lyrics, sometimes not. Nothing pretentious, just entertainment.

Tracks, 1) Rock n Roll I wish I never met you, 2) The Riddle

Find more tracks on the Podsave Music Network.

Available from Wokingham Council

or communityhealthprofiles

"Only 1 in 8 adults take the recommended level of physical activity". And Podshow can help with overcome this terrible state off affairs as they have a daily health tip and regular workout podcast from Amy Mac

transport research laboratory

wokinghamsociety

Adam Curry's DSC 635 Adam Curry

Music:

The King In Yellow - "mind drink" from California, United State

Clouseaux - The Awful Green Things From Outer Space from Texas, United States
Clouseaux on MySpace
Clouseaux on Podshow

Kiss The Break Of Day - The Mammals
The Mammals on Podshow Their website:

Alun Parry Thursday Night Drinking Song Jan. 17 2007 Folk Rock

Link to Podshow page for Alun Parry

Links for other stories.

Reading Real Ale and Jazz

Music: Strange Weather

On Saturdays the Town couccil have arranged music in the market square hopefully entitleing the evenet "Sunny Saturdays"

30 June Woodley Concert Band 10 - 12 noon
14 July OBJ s (Morris Dancers) 11 - 12.30am
21 July St. Sebastian s (Wokingham Brass Band) 10 - 12 noon
28 July Hurst Morris People 10 - 12 noon

Wellington boots will be allowed at this year s Henley Royal Regatta, with organisers relaxing the normally strict dress code because of the wet weather, there were thoughts that it may have had to be cancelled due to the Thames river being too much in flood. The regatta starts today.

Grovers tune by Excellent Adventure


Adam Curry on his podcast DSC627 was remembering the 1st anniversary of the passing of his mother from the same cause. It seems so unfair. AC has recently given up smoking and gone cold turkey and I congratulate him of that.


The music I have chosen for this week has a mellow, bluesier tone in keeping with my feelings. And I found a great saxophonist on the podsafe music network. This piece shows the power and feeling which Bill Omegaman Mecca brings to his music.

Music: Journey

Shoretown by Excellent Adventure

"Excellent Adventure" have seven tracks available for listening online at music.podshow.com check them out.

basicbrewing.com

wikipedia

opengolf
windsor-racecourse Windsor (Monday evening racing is usual with occasional saturday racing (including next week on the 30th june) Now when we went to Royal Ascot and paid the extra for the grandstand, our cameras and picnics where taken off us as this were verboten in the royal grandstand, for security reasons apparently, but I see this chap has some pics of the queen at ascot in 2006 on Flickr so I must ask him about ow he got his camera in

Now if you are online while listening to this next section of the podcast I recommend that you pause here and bring up a browser and follow the links in the shownotes below.

THESE ARE THE LINKS MENTIONED IN THE PHOTO REVIEW SECTION OF THE PODCAST

The pics I found on the the Day 3 Pic 1 - an unidentified young lady wearing a hat created as an ash tray with a half smoked fag stubbed out in the bowl

Another unidentified lady flies the flag in a really stylish fashion in Day 3 Pic 7

Some work better than others Day 3 Pic 37 shows a hat that seems to feature real starfish and scallop shells.

The designers themselves often turn up and show their creations, in Day 3 Pic 43 Hat designer Tracy Rose shows a dramatic Orange, silver and yellow outfit co-ordinated dress and hat. compare that to Day 2 Pic 13 where Tracy s hat seems rather top heavy in the form of an upside-down champange glass

Sometimes the hat wears the star and a sometimes the other way about, in Day 3 Pic 50 Jodie Kidd with large hair wears a simple hat in an unusual way. Compare that to her hat on the previous day shown in Day 2 Pic 8 were a happy looking jodie has pheasant feathers curving from a wide asymetric brimmed hat.

Also on Day 2 Pic 12 we see Sophie, Countess of Wessex

and seriously Pink outfit in Day 2 Pic 11

a swirly red bow on a white base in Day 2 Pic 6

The mature ladies don t want to miss out in Day 1 Pic 11 a bright red tube make up the hat - yes the internet is just a series of tubes to paraphrase Ted Stevens Sometimes the pics are more candidly shot, I found two funnies from the bbc pics, at Day 1 Pic 3 the energy sapping nature of all that is Royal Ascot can catch up on one, even on the first day.

Day 2 Pic 5 how not to board a horse drawn coach.

I went to look for some pics of these events around the web and found some great pics of stonehenge and glastonbury on that is flicker without the E.

tmember ianL has licensed his pics under a CC license and they are quality pics that he has obviously worked hard to produce.

NAKED PICTURE WARNING

Note that if you visit this flickr set of pics that it includes the "naked london bike ride"

Also by member Christine Seebach "sisitv" she has them "all rights reserved" so I can t post the pictures without permission, which I haven t sought yet, but you can visit the London pics at Christine Seebach London views set and Glasonbury at Glastonbury set"

Now you may have heard on TWIT #99 how the Windows release of popular shoot-em up game Halo 3 has been delayed due to a "naked buttock" or two being discovered hidden in the game. So likewise I have to issue a

One of Christine Seebach s other pics shows a sign taped to a wall outside the Nell Gywnne tavern saying "staff wanted -must have own teeth" there are some comments in a language I cannot read. Perhaps someone can translate them.

Some other of christine s pics show Wimbledon, the home of the famous tennis tournament that starts this week, it never bodes well for good weather, rain is so common during wimbledon week, her photos show the area but not show the tennis.

This reminds me of another Podshow podcast that is a great place to get info about london This Week in London at This Week in London

Bob Kirkpatrick - surf puppy Topcat Records Bob Kirkpatrick - surf puppy

In Wokingham News The Wokingham Times reports that a fire in a shed in Elizabeth road created a hazard because of gas bottles that were stored in the shed.

Festival News Henley 4th -8th july, 11-15th Henley music and arts festival

Podcast promoting their lively Celtic style at Irish Stout get a song a week delivered to your itunes inbox.mention band is normally called Irish Stout

From the acoustic genre of PMN Eulalia by A Beggar s Opera, this group hail from Reading Berkshire close to Wokingham, they have three tracks up on the PMN , two are rock tracks and this third one is quiet different, an acousitic backed song with a story.

music - A Beggar s Opera - a band from Reading They also have a Myspace Site. Their next gig Friday 6th July - Shephards Bush Empire w.The Hours - 7.30pm

A Beggar s Opera on Podshow

Don t FORGET inwokingham.podshow.com I ll see you on the next episode and in the meantime "cheers from inWokingham, back on home turf"

4 year old little girl missing in Portugal. The parents want everyone to to be on the lookout for her, and it seems she may be anywhere in Europe or even the world, so a poster is being made to podcasters to help spread the msg and her picture.

The international number for Crimestoppers is +44 1883 731 336. People with information about Madeleine can call anonymously.

Track from music.podshow.com - "Tear it up" by Deltawave

For Tourist info on Dingle - try dinglewest.com or doDingle.com

MUSIC - I want a better life DR mix

I am trying something extra on this podcast..

I am always very pleased to promote UK musicians..

MUSIC - The Shakes from music.podshow.com

A great track in 3 versions check them all out at theshakes.btpodshow.com

Weather

People have been asking if they can hear the inWokingham and other podcasts even if they don't have an ipod. Well I found this song that provides the answer.

MUSIC - you don't need an ipod by Uncle Seth from music.podshow.com

Yes there are many ways to listen to a podcast and there is a wealth of info on the web.

And podcasts are not all audio, music or chat, a very different style can be found on podshow in the Marie Claire video-podcast entitled The Masthead.

So a quick update on last weekend:

Now, last weeks program seemed to feature a lot about pubs and ale, and I guess this one might end up the same, because on Saturday we went to the Fourth Oxford folk festival.

The street procession started at 11am so we had time to grab some food, we had a number of ideas but then stumbled across Brown's cafe in the covered market, who served up a great "Full English" sausage, egg, bacon, "beans or tomato", "toast or fried bread".

So, back to the Castle for the procession, this is bit of the sound of the parade, there will be some video on inWokingham

MUSIC from procession

INTERVIW WITH Alverchurch MORRIS

We headed back and forth past the church corner we were treated, not to morris, but jazz and rock from the "Suger Creek Trio" playing on the street corner.

A deposit by a bookcrossing.com , a book 'let loose into the wild'.

Try typing "hove - message in a bottle" into bbc.co.uk for the full story.

Well the morris troups, are only a the "hundreds and thousands" on the cake, the meat of the festival, are the concerts held in the town hall on friday evening, and saturday and sunday from noon. They feature nearly 30 artists with additional workshops, and ceilis at other venues. For families there are the usual face painting, art workshops and the like at the City Castle.

If you are not able to get a ticket for the main venues, there are a lot of adhoc music sessions at several of the city center pubs. I looked in at the St. Aldates Tavern where I met such a group being led by Tom Sennet and Sarah Nash, there was a lively crowd enjoying the music and song, but I managed to get a quick word with them.

TRACK: interview

TRACK: haymaking +

Tom is also team secretary of Rockingham Rapper & Step, this is 'rapper' as in sword & step dancing rather than the vocal kind of Rap. Find them at rapper.org.uk

And for anyone that takes advantage of the "Friends of Kew" membership that I mentioned last week, oxford has a Botanical garden on a smaller but complementary scale to Kew and "Friends of Kew" get free admission.

Well that is the news from my place here in wokingham, for this week, although the focus was on Oxford, Wokingham is a great base for such trips with good rail links.

The remake of puppet on a string by Sandie Shaw, that I played last week to celebrate Sandie's 60th birthday, has proved a popular podcast track having featured in a dozen other podcasts on the PMN, you can download it free at Sandieshaw.com until the end of April, if I've calculated the 60 day offer period correctly.

The music I have selected this time is a more rock & roll than the folk music ala oxford and comes from a group with several tracks on the Podshow Music Network at Podshow.com

The band is the 7 Shot Screamers with a numeric 7, The track is "in Saint Lou."

Visit our website for links to the items mentioned today, find us at inWokingham.com.

Its now April and you can vote for this podcast at podcastalley.com

I'll see you on the next episode and in the meantime "cheers from here In Wokingham

Welcome to the Inwokingham Podcast

Indeed welcome to Indigo Whisky 003

Last weekend was a bit cool, rather dull on Saturday, but it improved Sunday and has been bright and sunny for the beginning of the week, but today friday is dull and misty.

Not the best weather for Ascot Racecourse Beer Fest, but it is indoors, unlike the horses.

Goldfinches visit our garden.

Who got caught out by the clock change, Sophie, we are GMT +1 now on Bristish Summer Time

USA time clock at time.gov

Talk about Richmond, Kew in memory of our friend Colin
(Background music - Wish you were here by ebby from the Podsave Music Network)

In our "surfing the streets" segment with find the Gas Utility digging up Broad Street

Business opportunities spot - 3 Greene King pub leases up for sale, and 2 brakspear pubs also.

For those that wanting to "keep it real - ale that is" our pub of the street is the Broad Street Tavern (at broadstreettavern.co.uk ) who are having a Beer Festival Next Week.

Campaign for Real Ale at camra.org.uk

Now I am so pleased, somewhat honoured to bring you a remake of a song from my youth, at a time when Eurovision songs are being chosen for this years contest, the original version of this song was a winner in 1967, but the remake is quite different from that one. Take a listen as sandie shaw celebrates her 60th birthday year with.

Puppet_Got_Brand_New_String from music.podshow.com

MUSIC TRACK
Sandie Shaw
visit her website at http://sandieshaw.com for more about Sandie in 2007

Don't FORGET Visit our website for links to the items mentioned here, find us at http://inWokingham.com.

I'll see you on the next episode and in the meantime "cheers from here In Wokingham"

Play out with "a Dozen Bloody Roses" - by Dust Rhinos (http://www.dustrhinos.com)

00:35 Arno Lubbinge - Produced with Castblaster

00:39 surfing the streets

01:54 focus in food

02:50 Dust Rhinos "Big Man Sylvest" from music.podshow.com

05:31 keep it real - ale that is

06:3Join me for the next episode

To End: Ebby - I Wish You Were Here from music.podshow.com

00:16 welcome
00:25 Arno Lubbinge - Produced with Castblaster
00:29 Where is Wokingham

02:47 Dust Rhinos "Cheers to you" from Music from Podshow
06:42 Join me for the next episode