1948 Original Equipment Blog - Original Equipment BlogKeep up to date with the latest blog posts from 1948 Original Equipment.https://www.originalequipmentshop.com/BlogEssential Survival Manualhttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/741/Essential-Survival-ManualGeneralFri, 17 May 2019 09:45:00 GMTEssential Survival Manual<br />New in our book section is this pocket size hardback which as the title suggests is essential reading for Prepper’s and Survivalists or just anyone interested in living in and with nature. The exciting part is that the author Kenn Griffiths will be on our 1948 stand at the Bush Craft Show signing copies of his book. He will also be taking the main stage for a short talk on his career and what lies behind the book.<br />His talk will take place at 10.30am on Saturday 25th May and he will be signing copies of his book at around 11.15am in our 1948 Original Equipment jurte. The Bushcraft show is a great event and well worth a visit. For all the information visit https://www.thebushcraftshow.co.uk <br />741A Funny Thinghttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/740/A-Funny-ThingGeneralWed, 03 Apr 2019 14:24:00 GMTThere is not too much in the news that has made me laugh over the past few weeks. I did however like the story of the French woman who called her cat Brexit. It howled by the back door to go out and eventually when she got up walked to the door and opened it the cat could not make up its mind whether it wanted to go out or stay in. As a three cat household I was so familiar with this behaviour it made me grin.<br />The Bushcraft world also has its moments. I took a customer call to ask about the various knives we sell. I braced myself for very technical questions and asked what aspect they wanted to know methods of construction, the grind or type of steel? “Oh no, I just want to know how sharp they are”.<br />Another question, about back packs was “Will all my kit fit in the pack?” I delicately probed to try and ascertain what kit they usually carried and how were they travelling? Once again the answer did not narrow down the options “I am not really sure, it varies, as sometimes it’s just me and sometimes the family”.<br />Big Al wasted good cider when last year he brought his eleven-year-old son with him to the Kelmarsh Show. Like all eleven year olds he was perhaps more worldly wise than his father appreciated. At a given point the son started to demonstrate some gestures commonly used amongst his mates. As questions and answers flowed we got to a point where as an old fogey I was not knowledgeable, on a specific expression used. As happens with these moments all the background noise faded and I asked the son in rather a loud voice "What is Tea Bagging?”<br />It was at this point that his father who had just taken a rather large mouthful of excellent cider, guffawed and shot most of it over both me and the table whilst everyone else present dissolved into laughter. I was unsure whether it was my lack of knowledge or that his son clearly knew the answer that took the father by surprise.<br />One of the very enjoyable consequences of working at both Land Rover and Bushcraft Shows is the team we have working with us. The eating and drinking together in the evenings is always just great fun. The banter is sharp, acerbic and no-one is immune or excused. It really is good to forget the world for a time and just enjoy the company of friends and colleagues. In many ways sitting, talking and enjoying company is becoming a lost art as the digital world tightens its grip. Perhaps we could all do with a bit more laughter.<br />740Life can be so Frustratinghttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/739/Life-can-be-so-FrustratingGeneralMon, 04 Mar 2019 14:32:00 GMTI am a grumpy old sod and this trait is rising to the fore. As you get older you know more, have experienced life and start to listen and observe more. When I was young I lived and worked through the three-day week, constant power cuts, changing governments, London bombings (I worked at Harrods on the day it was bombed). I was young and carefree and none of the above concerned me.<br /><br />Now I am consumed by global politics, so aware of corruption and abuse of power plus I have no idea why we are travelling headlong into something called Brexit that no one understands or can rationalise. What will the future hold? It is anyone’s guess.<br /><br />Why is politics in the UK now so polarised regardless of which party you support. Having worked in London and the clothing business most of my life I have no idea where anti-Semitism has suddenly sprung from. How has all the hatred come about?<br /><br />I nail my colours to the mast by saying I think we need immigration, we need free travel and free markets. These tenets must be the future for the human race. What we do not need are criminals that exploit the weak, the young, the old and minorities. We need tolerance, understanding and a respect for other people and their views. <br /><br />Politicians whilst claiming to represent us are in the main so insulated from real life and the issues we all deal with on a daily basis. They often start out with high ideals but quickly get swept into the party and power black hole.<br /><br />Few politicians in their ivory towers really take notice of the communities they serve. Even today I see that yet another MP is being prosecuted for expense irregularities. The privileged few seem never to have enough they always want more and take it at the expense of others. One argument often put forward is that they have to work within the system. But if the system is wrong they should campaign to change it. As I mentioned to a colleague recently, women did not wake up one day to find a man had given them the vote. There was a long campaign and struggle to get what was right – an equal vote. It is too easy to blame the system. If the system is wrong it should be the desire of all to change it. More often than not self-interest clouds doing what is right.<br /><br />I have just read a very interesting book “How to Lose a Country – Seven Steps from Democracy to Dictatorship” by Ece Temelkuran. This is well worth a few moments of your time as it brings into focus the way societies are now manipulated by movements. The way we are given two options Brexit or Remain, In or Out which gives no explanation about the path or the effects. You are either with me or against me. Social media now guides our young generation and is so easily manipulated.<br /><br />No one person has the divine right of kings. In Britain we used to be good at compromise and finding the middle ground. Today this is not a choice - we have to support one side or the other.<br /><br />Here I stand much older, grumpy and in the middle of a time I barely comprehend. I want a world that is tolerant and fair. It is often forgotten in today’s world that respect is something that has to be earned not something that can be demanded. If only we could all treat others how we would like to be treated. If we could all do what is right rather than hide behind process, rules or just apathy we could all find the world a much better place to live.<br />739BORN IN 1948https://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/738/BORN-IN-1948GeneralThu, 31 Jan 2019 16:35:00 GMTI was born in 1948 out of necessity rather than planning. I had to learn Dutch at a very young age. My roots are firmly in the country although as I have got older, you can now see me mainly in the city. <br /><br />I share my birthday with HRH Prince of Wales, Roger Plant, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Stevie Nicks and Olivia Newton – John, so the purr of music is in my DNA with just a little bit of royalty.<br /><br />I am versatile and a jack of all trades. I am one of a kind as no two of my family ever match. I am part of a large family of militants but there are some who just do not understand me. I have travelled all over the world in mud, snow and sand and generally always cope with whatever is thrown at me. Some say I am the first that many in Africa ever saw and I made many of the roads that others now follow.<br /><br />I pull very heavy loads and have saved a lot of lives. When necessary I fight and am proud to have served. My public adore me as do members of the Royal Family when in Scotland, Windsor or Sandringham as did Winston Churchill and Marilyn Monroe to name but a few. My career in Film & TV has been a high spot of my career, with appearances in Bond, Tomb Raider, Heartbeat and for some reason even in World War Two classics when I was not even a sparkle in a designer’s eye.<br /><br />I have always been sporty and participated in Trials & Races and even some real long distance events across Africa and South America. I have set many records in my time and continue to do so even today.<br /><br />Like fine wine I have become more valuable as I have matured. Many people wish they had kept faith in me or some of my older brothers, as they have really hit the jackpot in recent years.<br /><br />Today my younger siblings all live in towns and cities but that’s OK. I hear the adults talk and it seems we may be getting a new addition to the family. I don’t suppose for one minute the newbie will want to play outside as we have. He or she will be into tech, apps and screens which is a shame as working on the farm did me no harm.<br /><br />Still life moves on and any new addition can never match my status having been voted the “Coolest Ever”. <br />7382019 New Year Resolutionshttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/737/2019-New-Year-ResolutionsGeneralFri, 18 Jan 2019 15:55:00 GMTI will not be confounded by the polarised views spouted by our Politicians’ on almost every subject.<br /><br />I will not rant against wealthy politicians who believe they know what is best for all, whilst they manage Investment Funds live in Chelsea and holiday in Gstaad, St Barts and the Hamptons.<br /><br />I will stay calm when my bank/telecoms supplier/HMRC call centre takes over thirty minutes to answer the phone or has options that lead me down a route that arrives back where I started.<br /><br />I will no longer expect service from most retailers where self-service and self-payment tills now seem to be the only option. I will not eat or drink any of the bad things when they are labelled bad as I know within a few days there will be another study encouraging me to eat and drink them.<br /><br />I will no longer be angry at how much of the press, distort the stories and the truth to make headlines drama and confrontation where none need exist.<br /><br />I will no longer be a he or a she as Ze is the new political correct address although in some circles my beard will be seen as a strong pointer. I have also decided not to age any further.<br /><br />My body shows signs of long term wear but I propose to remain at the age I feel. (Today around 35). The exception to the above rule is collecting my pension which I will still do in December.<br /><br />I will try to see the world and myself as others see me, and only point out their mistakes to those who are wrong! Most importantly I will encourage others to read, listen, enjoy music, imagine, seek out new experiences, try new food and talk to strangers.<br /><br />This really would solve most of the world’s problems. PS - It’s the 8th of January and at least I tried. My mistake was reading the news and trying to contact my bank. Better luck next year.737I SIT ALONE #Brexithttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/736/I-SIT-ALONE-BrexitGeneralTue, 09 Oct 2018 09:21:00 GMTIt is an empty bus and I look around as buildings flash by. It appears we are accelerating and I am not sure where to. I remember sitting on a crowded bus with lots of jolly people. It was crowded and we did not want anyone else on the bus.<br /><br />I believe I am the very last person on the Clapham Omnibus. As I look back I have no idea how our politicians became so polarised and so obsessed in their own doctrine and self-interest. They have completely abandoned the very tenets that drew them in to serving the people.<br /><br />The mistake, was the referendum without clear objectives and evaluation of consequences or saying where it might take us. The lost opportunity, was not making the action plan for Brexit cross-party. The reality, is throwing away a generations hope and aspirations.<br />What reasonable man can possibly think “No Dea”l will benefit the country in any way? The answer is only reasonable men who have significant financial resource, property owners and those who have never experienced what it means to be ordinary or poor. <br />So much has been written about the EU. There is no doubt the concept is top heavy with greedy people who personally put nothing at risk. Reform of the gravy train should have taken place years ago and the EU members must take full responsibility for the mess all sides are now in. <br /><br />Much is talked about the red tape that cascades from Europe and binds us. As the last man on the Omnibus I don’t recall the red tape.<br /><br />I have been involved in business my entire life and been fortunate to work all around the globe. I welcome new experiences, new food, new religions and new culture. I embrace it. I now run two small business units. I employ people some on zero hour contracts which suits them as they work when they want to. We pay well above a living wage, give holiday pay and pensions with everything going through the PAYE system. Our business and staff pay taxes, we all contribute. Where people come from should not be a recruitment criterion; if they work hard and contribute to society, should be. <br /><br />Today, goods we make in the UK and sell in the EU have to meet EU standards, goods sold in the USA have to meet their standards (the car industry is a good example). Exporters have to meet the standards required in every country they sell to. What will change when we come out of the EU? Not much as we will still have to meet the standards of every country we sell in to. We will not suddenly relax everything to meet just our own standards.<br /><br />Will immigration cease? I sincerely hope not because if it does there will be no staff in my local 24-hour garage. What will happen about the NHS, distribution chains and many more industries all of whom have a large percentage of their workforce made up of immigrants.? There are many young people from overseas within the UK now and their future may be guaranteed but what happens when they return home and we need another wave of people to replace them? <br /><br />The intellectual argument that we need so called “skilled workers” is completely disingenuous and shows the lack of basic human morality. Why is a computer engineer any more worthy than a care worker? A high percentage of care workers are immigrants. I could and would not be capable of doing their jobs and increasingly we need more care workers due to an aging population.<br />In my thirties I was a child of the Thatcher revolution. I believed in market forces, I lived and worked in London. Work was everything to me. It was all about the next flight and the next meeting. Age has brought experience, better understanding and tolerance. I have enjoyed an easy life, home ownership and wealth creation but I now realise we have no right to deny future generations the opportunities I enjoyed<br />.<br />Free trade and free movement of people should be the objective of all governments worldwide. Our concentration should be on how we create this for all. We now appear to want to turn back the clock and isolate ourselves. To what end? Our energy should be on inclusiveness and striving to understand others no matter the barriers put in our way by dogma, greed and fundamentalism.<br />In all the debates about Brexit I have not seen one list compiled by any group that does not suggest we will all be worse off in the short term. I have not seen one list offered about quantifiable defined gains in the medium or long term. <br /><br />Many people voted to leave on only one thing the reduction of immigration. It now seems most parties accept we need immigration to staff our Warehouses, NHS, Care Homes, Distribution Networks, Retail Stores, Agriculture, Restaurants and Hotels to name but a few. These are not those currently described as “skilled workers” these are good honest workers. The disconnect between some of our politicians in understanding what we need for our nation to function and their definition of “Skilled Workers” is astonishing. Let’s drop the term skilled. We simply need good workers. It should also be remembered that good workers contribute substantially to our taxes and economy. If we pursued bad workers and frauds with the same vigour as Brxit many of our ills could be solved.<br /><br />My politics were fixed for nearly forty years. Today I am so bitterly disappointed in all parties. Policies founded on a public vote of 48% to 52% with such a complexity of resolution that no-one when voting could have had no idea what they were voting for, are now so polarised on theory with no consideration of destination. Who will vote for a house value drop of 20% and price increases of 20% due to a fall in sterling? Not me for sure. Will any Brexitiers guarantee no fall in sterling, no price increases and at best a static economy? If there is one out there, please tell us now how and why you hold these views and why we should all support you.<br /><br />Negotiations are as hard and difficult as you make them. Posturing is part of a politician’s DNA. Openness and honesty might bring surprising results. The often said cliché that you don’t show your cards when negotiating is in reality pathetic when dealing with many nations well-being; but then again honesty does not come easy to powerful people. It is clear to many that the only acceptable solution is to make compromise on all sides. Divorce is never satisfying and only the very wealthy can really pay for it. <br /><br />I sincerely hope that the driver of my omnibus lifts their foot from the accelerator and not only applies the brakes but also follows a road to a destination we can all live with without facing financial disaster.<br /><br />The mantra that we must honour the peoples vote, and out means out, has worn mighty thin with me. All families and business adapt to changing environments. What is a decision today is changed tomorrow as new intelligence emerges? Politicians must understand that we can all change our minds. It is not a surrender to do so but it is bravery of the highest order to admit we might be wrong. The mandate to leave the EU was not a landslide but finely balanced. I suspect if there were to be a second referendum we would see very different campaigning and probably a high turnout of young voters who currently feel disenfranchised and ignored.<br /><br />Our party political system that may have served us well in the past is not serving us well now. There are simply too many wealthy individuals who are immune from the real financial worries that the majority of voters carry. Humility is a trait many could embrace. I am sure all start out with good intentions but power corrupts and they lose sight of their original purpose. <br /><br />Now more than ever we need cross party thinking to achieve any reasonable form of Brexit. We also need to know when to stop digging. The decisions we make on Brexit are probably the most serious decisions facing our country since the second world war. There is no consensus within parties let alone across parties.<br /><br />As the last man on the Clapham Omnibus I have no faith in the driver. I only hope he or she has is not blinded by the timetable in simply wanting to arrive on time. I hope the driver finally realises that they are a public service on which the whole nation relies. It is not the driver’s bus or their journey it is how future generations will travel and to what destinations that is important. <br /><br />Where has all the common sense gone? Politicians need to stand tall and realise they are playing with the lives of at least 60 million people. With more and more companies and institutions warning about the downsides and not one as far as I am aware guaranteeing anything good, what are we doing? In a globalised economy companies and the wealthy can move but whole nations cannot.<br /><br />It’s a pity there are not more people on this omnibus as I always liked a good singalong. <br />736Well are you ready for Christmas and the New Year?https://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/735/Well-are-you-ready-for-Christmas-and-the-New-YearGeneralTue, 20 Dec 2016 17:00:00 GMTAt this time of year we all spend a fortune and you have to question is it really necessary? Tons of food ends up in landfill, many presents are forgotten by Boxing Day or at best get recycled in a summer fete or to unsuspecting culprits next Christmas.<br /><br />The stress that seems to encompass some individuals is not good for blood pressure or longevity. Like many things in life today we are encouraged to seek the perfect Christmas and told exactly how this should be accomplished. This advice should be avoided at all cost.<br /><br />Personally we have kicked this trend by moving closer to the Danish idea of Hygge - being cosy and a sense of wellbeing. As this seems to be an “On Trend” subject at present we would like to state that our version of this is simply born out of life’s ups and downs, living longer and having experience. <br /><br />There is simply no point in doing things that you don’t want to do or getting stressed because the supermarket has a long queue and no milk. A button falls off or the pudding is burnt – so what! Simply look at the positives and push the negatives behind you.<br /><br />We are not visiting relatives and not having sprouts this Christmas. A leisurely start to the day, a meal at any time it happens, roast goose, fine wine, a log fire, two devoted cats and maybe a film. Anything we have forgotten is forgotten. Christmas is not stressful, people make stress and drama because they read, view and listen to the press. Treat it like any other day and you will be surprised how enjoyable it can be.<br /><br />Rushing out to the sales on Boxing Day will not bring you happiness or change your life. I listened to someone say we never really know when we are happy so do not enjoy it. We just moan like mad when we are sad. Don’t fret about what you have not got but make the very most of what you have today. It is only all to easy to fret your life away and you only have the one life, so spend more time enjoying the moment.<br /><br />Never regret the things you have not done but marvel in the great things you have achieved. For years the Scandinavians have been viewed as the happiest people in the world. Perhaps we should all take a leaf out of their book and learn more about Hygge.<br />735Being Greenhttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/734/Being-GreenGeneralThu, 15 Dec 2016 11:15:00 GMTThe following words I found on the web but I could not find out who wrote this piece so I cannot acknowledge their fine work. It was written in the USA so I have taken the liberty to translate it into English, as we would understand it this side of the pond.<br /><br />Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the much older woman, that she should bring her own carry bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment. The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this 'green thing' back in my earlier days."<br /><br />The young clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations&rdquo;.&nbsp; She was right -- our generation didn't have the 'green thing' in our day.<br /><br />Back then, we returned milk bottles, pop bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the factory to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled, but we didn't have the "green thing" back in our day.<br /><br />Grocery stores packed our groceries in brown paper bags, that we reused for numerous things, most memorable besides household rubbish bags, was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our schoolbooks. This was to ensure that public property (the books provided for our use by the school) was not defaced by our scribblings.&nbsp; We were then able to personalize our books on the brown paper bags. But too bad we didn't do the "green thing" back then.<br /><br />We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator or lift in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower car every time we had to go 500 yards. But she was right, we didn't have the "green thing" in our day.<br /><br />Back then, we washed the baby's nappies because we didn't have the throwaway kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 240 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand new clothing. But that young lady is right; we didn't have the "green thing" back in our day.<br /><br />Back then, we had one TV or radio in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of a bus.<br /><br />In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn petrol just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she's right; we didn't have the "green thing" back then.<br /><br />We drank from a communal water fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new biro, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But we didn't have the "green thing" back then.<br /><br />Back then, people took the tram or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service in the family's 4x4 SUV or van, which by the way now cost what a whole house did before the "green thing." We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint. But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the "green thing" back then?<br /><br />We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to piss us off...especially from a tattooed, multiple pierced know it all who can't work out the change without the cash register telling them how much.<br />734It’s a wonderful worldhttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/733/Its-a-wonderful-worldGeneralThu, 30 Jun 2016 07:25:00 GMTPut aside politics, race, immigration and prejudice and let's understand the world we live in. We can't return to the 1950s and, you know, they were not the Good Old Days, life was just as tough but we did not demand or expect as much.<br /><br />Yesterday I found my Hotmail account had been hacked. I phoned the help number and went through to a call centre in India. They could not have been more helpful and spoke perfect English. They said I needed added security on my email account which I agreed to purchase. An engineer phoned me back and by his accent I assumed he was also in India. He was very straightforward and once again very polite. He fixed everything, restored all my email which had been wiped by the Hacker. An excellent job was completed, I now had security on my email account and enhanced security on my computer, I was very happy.<br /><br />I asked the engineer where he was based as I had never heard of his company's name. "Oh, in California" he replied "but when you call us, we are open 24 hours per day so you could just as easily be routed to our office in Australia or anywhere in the world". He then told me his company's head office was in Germany.<br /><br />We are a global community and to think otherwise is folly. We need the rest of the world and they need us. Isolationism and protectionism is not an answer. We need to embrace others. I fully accept my prejudice at overseas call centres but I realise my prejudice is misplaced - it should be against bad call centres regardless of where they are placed. My experience yesterday taught me this very lesson. <br /><br />Great service is great service no matter where it comes from and I was glad to have the whole world watching my back.<br />733JUST GETTING LUCKYhttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/732/JUST-GETTING-LUCKYGeneralMon, 18 Apr 2016 09:34:00 GMTWe all have bad days and sometimes one leads into another. Many times in life I have said to myself &ldquo;Why me?&rdquo; Looking back I now realise that having witnessed the plight of others my life has been pretty good. I have never had the wealth that many captain&rsquo;s of industry seem to get today. It does not appear that they need to be good at their jobs just in the right place and a little greedy and self-centred.<br /><br />So imagine when I was invited to Miami and Grand Bahamas with an opportunity to test drive a new vehicle and my first reaction was &ldquo;Why me, I don&rsquo;t want to go&rdquo;.<br /><br /><img alt="" src="/Portals/1/F-Pace%20(3)_300x223.jpg" style="float: left; margin-right: 15px; margin-left: 10px; border: 1px solid #000000;" />This was a stupid response and I soon got to grips and understood many would change places with me at the drop of a hat. It was a quick trip and full on but just fantastic and one that I felt very privileged to undertake.<br /><br />The car in question was the new Jaguar F-Pace and what a car. A SUV with sports car performance. Those that know me will be aware that I am a Die Hard Land Rover fan although I did buy a new Jaguar XJS around 1990. I was at best sceptical about Jaguar making a SUV as in my mind they are good at only one type of vehicle and that is a sports car. Their most recent efforts such as XF and XJ did not strike any notes with me.<br /><br />From the moment I got into the F-Pace I knew this was something different, the first new Jaguar I just might actually purchase. Its performance and handling is sublime.<br /><br />Another highlight was getting to drive it around a NASCAR oval in Miami. This gave me a new respect for NASCAR racing as at over 100mph holding a car at the top of the oval is terrifying. Imagine double that speed and four abreast, I can&rsquo;t. Testing the car on a small track with curves and chicanes plus an ice road further made me realise how good this car really was. &nbsp;<br /><br />The icing on the cake at the end of our day at Homestead Miami Speedway was another first. I had often wondered how cool it would be to drive from A to B like H. M. the Queen or President Obama with police outriders holding back all traffic. Well our host Jaguar Land Rover organised the trip back from Homestead to Miami Port, nearly 40 miles across many Freeways, in convoy with Police outriders stopping all other traffic. Our escort of some 8 to 10 officers all riding iconic Harley Davidsons was a once in a lifetime treat.<br /><br /><table> <tbody> <tr> <td>&nbsp;<img alt="" src="/Portals/1/images/Police3_250x173.jpg" style="vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid #000000;" /></td> <td>&nbsp;<img alt="" src="/Portals/1/images/Police1_250x321.jpg" style="vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid #000000;" /></td> <td>&nbsp;<img alt="" src="/Portals/1/images/Police2_250x170.jpg" style="vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid #000000;" /></td> </tr> </tbody> </table><br /><br /><br /><br /><img alt="" src="/Portals/1/images/Beach_300x224.jpg" style="float: left; margin-right: 15px; margin-left: 10px; border: 1px solid #000000;" /><br /><br />Waking up next morning to sun in Grand Bahamas was tough work but someone has to do it.<br /><br /><br />The F-Pace on tarmac, gravel roads and along sandy beaches did it all and made me want one even more.<br /><br /><br />We sat and drank fruit punch on a beach used for Pirates of the Carribean but with no sign of Captain Jack Sparrow just an old friend Uncle Ken Knight working for JLR and looking very suntanned.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The following day we were back in Miami and visiting Wynwood Walls an area just filled with spectacular art and artists. If you ever go to Florida/Miami don&rsquo;t just visit all the fun parks and studios make time for Wynwood. I have never seen anything like it anywhere else in the world.<br /><br /><table> <tbody> <tr> <td>&nbsp;<img alt="" src="/Portals/1/images/GAL5_300x287.jpg" style="vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid #000000;" /></td> <td>&nbsp;<img alt="" src="/Portals/1/images/GAL3_300x274.jpg" style="vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid #000000;" /></td> </tr> </tbody> </table><br /><br />It was only a 4 to 5 day trip but I packed in a year of new experience. I have my health and I realise I have nothing to moan about. It is corny to say it but I think I am blessed. I should be saying &ldquo;Why me? - &nbsp;I am so lucky&rdquo;.<br /><br /><table> <tbody> <tr> <td>&nbsp;<img alt="" src="/Portals/1/images/GAL2_300x237.jpg" style="vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid #000000;" /></td> <td>&nbsp;<img alt="" src="/Portals/1/images/GAL4_300x235.jpg" style="vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid #000000;" /></td> </tr> </tbody> </table><br />732Frost River to Swedenhttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/731/Frost-River-to-SwedenGeneralMon, 26 Oct 2015 08:26:00 GMTAlthough the vast majority of our customers are within the UK we have in the last 18 months had enquiries and sales from across Europe. Generally it is our Frost River bags that attract attention. <br /> <br /> We have a tremendous respect for customers who write to us with questions about our business&nbsp; and our products. We know it takes a leap of faith to order products from small companies overseas. As a result we often form a "Pen Pal" relationship before a sale takes place. Forgetting all the marketing hype we like to treat our customers big or small the way we would like to be treated so no question is beyond reply. We want every customer to feel they are dealing with a genuine family business who cares about the way our customers see us.<br /> <br /> So we started a dialogue with Peter, &ldquo;The Swede&rdquo;, as he refers to himself as about a Frost River Isle Royale pack. After a few emails I felt I had known him for years, we just seemed to click. Peter purchased a bag as he said he was going on a canoe trip to the north of Sweden. On the spur of the moment I said &ldquo;In that case send me a picture and tell me about the trip&rdquo;. True to his word, many weeks later, the pictures and the words came over in an email. What I liked best was his footnote that I should correct any of the English as although his origins were from Scotland this had not been his native tongue since the seventeen hundreds. This is Peter&rsquo;s story and shows the remoteness and majesty of northern Sweden. I can&rsquo;t wait to visit!<br /> <br /> <img alt="" style="border: 1px solid #000000; vertical-align: middle;" src="/Portals/1/images/IR1_650x365.jpg" /><br /> <blockquote><em><strong>Peter&rsquo;s Story</strong><br /> <br /> </em><em>We planned our little adventure for a month or so. It&acute;s the first time my son Hugo, 14, has travelled that far north and there were many things to think of. We are completely at ease with&nbsp; living outdoor life in our own forests in the south of Sweden. <br /> <br /> </em><em>Thanks to the genuine Swedish "Allemansr&auml;tt", which is everyone&rsquo;s right to take advantage of nearly all nature&rsquo;s blessings (except Greenlaning with Land Rovers - unfortunately!), we have free admission to all sorts of terrain and waters right where we live. But this time our goal was different; we dreamed of vast and remote areas of sheer wilderness; without neighbours, but with a chance to see reindeer, bear or wolf. Above all, we wanted canoeing as it should be:- a way of transporting you and your gear for miles and miles - without any propspect of&nbsp; turning back. This is what wilderness is to us. You go in there and, having made your&nbsp; preparations accordingly, you know you'll stand a fair chance to get out again, no matter what nature throws at you. The rest is pleasure.<br /> <br /> </em><em>In August, we travelled north by train and bus for almost 30 hours. This is where "Fj&auml;llen" (which would be our equivalent to the Alps) begins. We&acute;d chosen a wilderness area called Rogen, which is a large National Park situated on the border between Sweden and Norway. It is neighbouring the Norse national park called Femundmarka - a great for dog-sled in winter-time. It&acute;s almost impossible to hike by foot in Rogen:- lakes, portages, lakes, occasional white water, lakes again and portages; all surrounded by heavy rocks and craterlike valleys or downright holes, makes canoeing the only reasonable alternative. Lakes are flat, we like that! <br /> <br /> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td>&nbsp;<img alt="" src="/Portals/1/images/IR6%20lake%202_325x208.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #000000; vertical-align: middle;" /></td> <td>&nbsp;<img alt="" src="/Portals/1/images/IR5%20lake_325x182.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #000000; vertical-align: middle;" /></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <br /> </em></blockquote><blockquote><em><br /> In Rogen, You&acute;ll find Yourself as far as 350 km away from nearest civilization except for the canoe rental outpost, that is, run by Kerstin and her husband. Hence, distances feel a bit more reasonable if you&acute;ve got a good canoe and a trusty paddle. <br /> <br /> This time, we also tried a few new items. The Isle Royale was almost the perfect canoe-sack after I&acute;d tucked in a piece of sleeping mat close to my back, it went absolutely perfect - even at the bottom of a very wet canoe!&nbsp; I also&nbsp; imagine this is exactly&nbsp; the way a pack looked some two hundred years ago on the borders of Canada and Alaska. Or at least in the 1880&acute;s, when camping first became a great joy to the Americans. <br /> <br /> <img alt="" src="/Portals/1/images/IR2%20awning_325x182.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #000000; float: right; margin-right: 1px;" />Another item that we tried out was the new Helsport Lavvu-tent, an excellent, roomy one. Usually, we sleep in a lean-to, a simple tarp will almost always fill our needs. However considering the possibility of midges in Fj&auml;llen, this was not an option and we decided on the tent. I&acute;ve tried a few times, but</em> <em>I&acute;d rather not do it again. We didn&acute;t want to get stuck in bad weather without the opportunity to relax without having midges and all sorts of winged monsters around our heads and inside our ears. As things turned out, we had a lot of bad weather, but since the weather had been bad all summer, there were no midges. So every cloud has a silver lining.</em><br /> </blockquote><blockquote><em>We paddled for two weeks, and somewhere in the middle we had to weigh anchor for two days, since weather became bad, or even worse. It was really nice to be able to move inside the tent (I am a rather tall figure). Once, I was completely snowed in for three days in a small snow-cave in Telemark - I guarantee You this was a completely different feeling. This time, we enjoyed our coffee, tried to invent new dishes, slept, spoke about&nbsp; philosophy (the young lad has taken an interest in the subject) and even tried to make a camp-fire inside the tent, rain pouring outside. Quite different from the pictures in the Helsport product brochure, making a fire inside turned out not to be a a very good idea. I guess we&acute;ll have to practice a little more. This winter, I plan to make my own wooden stove. As usual, we&acute;re in for some winter camping. <br /> <br /> </em><em>One of our goals was to fish and eat fish along the "trail". Usually, that&acute;s no problem, but this time it was. Folks up there told us afterwards that this summer was a &ldquo;No-good-fish-summer&rdquo;. I had one large perch on the hook, but when it got a glimpse of our hungry faces above the gunwale, it preferred to turn its back on us. Hugo&rsquo;s reaction to this was something like &ldquo;But daddy, there are lots of reindeer in the forest...." -(did I tell you that he&acute;s fond of hunting?). That night, we made a feast on mushrooms, butter, digestives&nbsp; and coffee. Life could actually not be better.<br /> </em></blockquote><blockquote><em><img alt="" style="border: 1px solid #000000; float: left; margin-right: 3px; margin-left: 1px;" src="/Portals/1/images/IR3%20boy_325x182.jpg" />One day, we decided to take a walk to and climb one of the nearby summits,"Handskinnv&aring;len". Not a very high mountain (more like a "climb light"), but high enough to a fourteen year old fresher. We used the compass to navigate ourselves through the bushy, stony lowland area, surrounding the mountain. I tell you, without that compass, we would probably be out there today! The terrain was quite harsh and unfriendly and lots of midges here! It was&nbsp; hard to keep directions and we were happy when we passed the treeline onto the high mountain. On one of the pictures you can&nbsp; see Hugo celebrating the successful climb.<br /> &nbsp;</em><br /> <em>Thirty minutes later, we had a prolonged lunch beside a nearby creek (melt water), accompanied by eight reindeer - very shy, but also very curious. <br /> <br /> On our way home, we almost lost track in the lowlands, but luckily enough and thanks to a little creative use of the compass, we reached our beloved camp just before nightfall. We were fully prepared to make a provisional camp for the night, though. As it turned out, we now could reward ourselves with an extra slice of cheese before hitting our sacks.</em><br /> </blockquote><blockquote><em>On the last evening of our expedition, we finally dared to take a real swim. Lakes in northern Scandinavia can be rather cold even in summer - 12 to 14&deg;C; but now we just had to do it. We tied the canoe near a large tree hanging out over the water, took our clothes off and jumped fearless into the water. After a few minutes, it wasn&acute;t such a bad experience. Imagine two lucky boys, taking a swim in the middle of absolute nowhere; deep cold water; the scent of soap and campfire - and you&acute;ll be pretty close to a postcard from a small but happy family.</em><br /> </blockquote><img alt="" src="/Portals/1/images/IR4%20forest_650x500.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #000000;vertical-align: middle; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" /><br /> Peter&rsquo;s story and pictures made me think long and hard about life. He illustrated what families could be and how values must be passed through generations. The outdoors is a gift and we are not only custodians but it gives back far more than we realise. Who would not want to be on a lake side cooking over a camp fire?<br /> <br /> I am not a total dinosaur - you cannot put technology back in a box. Keep everything in proportion - but whereas there are back door &ldquo;cheats&rdquo; on computer games the wilderness is for real. It is probably the best preparation you can have for life and it will almost certainly bring the greatest pleasures.731Hopehttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/730/HopeGeneralTue, 31 Mar 2015 15:06:00 GMTYesterday I started to write a blog. It was a spur of the moment thing and I was incensed by something I had just read. Hours and words later, I realised it was really a rant against politicians, bankers, health service chiefs and men in power generally. Quite topical you might think and who would not agree?<br /> <br /> I saw a fairly obvious and consistent&nbsp; link between power and corruption.&nbsp; The famous quote of John Dalberg-Acton (Lord Acton) came to mind. <em>&ldquo;Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.&rdquo; </em>This was very insightful considering he wrote this in 1887.<br /> <br /> I have however consigned my original blog to the waste bin, as only Victor Meldrew would have had the stamina to read it all. In short it just went on about how the few feather their own beds and how each political party gets caught out time and time again with corruption or funding scandals.&nbsp; The banks likewise lurch from one manipulation to the next mis-selling violation without taking breath and still the senior management take home millions.<br /> <br /> Even the famous TV presenter with a best selling global motor show illustrates how power and wealth corrupt. I admire his talent and the show in question, but please explain how a millionaire can bully and physically abuse someone over food. I do not have his wealth nor probably his education but I can order and organise my own food. His actions regardless of the circumstances were disgraceful and he only did it because he could get away with it. Yes, he has lost his job but firstly he could live more comfortably than you or I if he never worked again and secondly he will find open arms wanting him for a new TV show once again paying millions. We have mortgages to pay and families to feed so we could never be that stupid or self centred.<br /> <br /> Today I read an obituary and as solemn an event as anyone&rsquo;s passing is, I was inspired and felt there are those that not only see the truth but also are prepared to speak up. The man in question was Lord Gavron who died aged 84 on February 7th this year. I have been buying books from his company for years but never knew his name. <br /> <br /> What impressed me about his life was not only the money he made but most importantly how he used it and his sense of justice. Part of his fortune was made after he invested in some ailing companies, stuck with them through good and bad and by building a great workforce and using his management skills he eventually floated them on the stock market. He became a multi-millionaire but remained very modest and said he never wanted to become famous for making money. <br /> <br /> At a retirement party he was once asked what it was like to be <em>&ldquo;That Rich&rdquo;</em>. His reply was surprising <em>&ldquo;When I made my first million I did two things: I bought a Rolls Royce and then I sold it. I realised that whatever I wanted it was not a Rolls Royce. The thing about having a lot of money is that you can do what you want, but you may discover that what you want is relatively modest and then you have to decide what you do with the rest.&rdquo; </em>Poignant words in today&rsquo;s circumstances. <br /> <br /> His answer was to give much of it away through charitable trusts helping health and welfare, prisons and prison reform, art and education, social policy and research. He also became active in politics but not in a tribal way and fought for social justice. In the House of Lords he spoke on a number of issues and most recently on the question of executive pay he commented; <em>&ldquo;Have they suddenly become 50 times more intelligent or 50 times more effective? No &ndash; they get so much because they help themselves.&rdquo; </em><br /> <br /> This is a man I respect and agree with; I had never heard of him before today but I salute him. The country has lost a great soul -&nbsp; Lord Gavron 1930 - 2015730Definitions to brighten up your dayhttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/729/Definitions-to-brighten-up-your-dayGeneralWed, 25 Mar 2015 11:02:00 GMTDefenderism &ndash; A school of thought usually associated with right wing views and opposed to roads and change.<br /> <br /> Evoquation &ndash; A Driving holiday usually from city to city using only motorways.<br /> <br /> Free Lander &ndash; A campaign slogan started in the late 1990s for the release of an endangered species back into the plains of Africa. Sadly the experiment failed and the species is now extinct.<br /> <br /> Discoveries &ndash; The collective term for off-road drivers who choose comfort over authenticity.<br /> <br /> Disco Sport &ndash; A game devised by women in night clubs who bet on picking out the most ridiculous male dancers. The Bee Gees and John Travolta have a lot to answer for. Men are so vain that often they believe that the squeals of delight are for their dance prowess rather than that they have just won the night&rsquo;s jackpot for one lucky lady.<br /> <br /> Rangers &ndash; People who live in Chelsea or Mayfair who wish they lived on a grouse moor or in a safari camp in Africa (some Rangers actually do live in Africa). They especially enjoy roving to and fro on the school run or to Gloucestershire at weekends. There is no discernible difference between the male or female as both have loud voices and wear pink trousers.<br /> <br /> Sporty Rangers &ndash; These&nbsp; are even more adventurous (see definition of Rangers) City dwellers who half a dozen times per year travel to Twickenham and Cardiff for the Rugby. (They do not go to Scotland, France or Italy as the M4 does not serve these destinations). Generally they do not understand Rugby but in their world image is everything.729Herefordshire Here We Comehttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/728/Herefordshire-Here-We-ComeGeneralWed, 14 Jan 2015 18:08:00 GMTShe who must not be named almost smiled. It was the 27th of December 2014 and we moved into about two thirds of our house. We bought our homestead a little over four years ago and moved into a mobile home. Careful&nbsp; examination of the buildings and land produced a 12 to 18 month rebuilding programme and a reasonable budget was set. So far so good.<br /> <br /> What could go wrong? Well like all Grand Design style programmes on television the answer was just about everything. Stage one, which we had not anticipated, was considerable and expensive tree work. Replacing seventeen gates and posts and every piece of fencing on the land made big inroads into the budget. The local supplier of fencing materials said &ldquo;If you could buy a 1,000 acre estate in Herefordshire, I could retire based on what you are doing here&rdquo;.<br /> <br /> So the fact is that four years on we have spent zillions more than we thought and are still only two thirds of the way through with the house. In addition we have three more barns and a summer house to renovate - and we take it all in our stride. The only part of the &ldquo;Television Genre&rdquo; we have not embraced is for &ldquo;She who must not be named&rdquo; to fall pregnant. At this point I must add that I am too old having just turned sixty but I must emphasise that I make no such claim about &ldquo;She who must not be named&rdquo; as she is forever young in my eyes and in the bloom of life.<br /> <br /> The parts of the house that are finished and our office are fantastic and we are very pleased with the end result. Working with craftsmen in Herefordshire is now fully understood. As incomers we first had to apply for their services and they came and inspected us. Fortunately we passed the test and we have had groups of locals working on fencing, plumbing, electrics, building, plastering and installing wood burners and windows. It was a choice to employ many small tradesmen rather than appoint one main contractor and as it has turned out our life and the result is much richer for this decision. It took time for us to understand and relax; if we were on their list all was well the job would eventually be done.<br /> <br /> The question we stupidly asked as newcomers was &ldquo;When are you coming?&rdquo; We now know better. Herefordshire time moves slower and is elastic and what&rsquo;s more surprising is that now we accept this time and space continuum local to our area we do not need to know when. Life is too short and in Herefordshire enjoying the moment is all. It really does not matter &ldquo;when&rdquo; as trust is everything.<br /> <br /> We now have a book of craftsmen all of whom don&rsquo;t want the world - they just want enough to live in a very modest way. They want to do a good job and feel appreciated. Our house is testimony to a simpler and more honest life. We have been humbled by the last four years&nbsp; and we are much the better for it.<br /> <br /> How long will the rest take? Who knows? As someone famous once said it is all about the journey not the destination and we agree.728Black Fridayhttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/727/Black-FridayGeneralThu, 04 Dec 2014 18:16:00 GMTI think the name is right but probably not for the accepted meaning. I was appalled to see TV footage of people fighting over consumer products that they surely did not need. I must be very strange as you can count the number of TVs I have purchased in the last 40 years on one hand. The thought of getting up in the middle of the night and fighting with someone I have never met over a TV is something so alien I just have no idea what motivates these people.<br /> <br /> I watched people trampled on just to buy the latest gadget. The Police blamed the stores the customers blamed the stores &ndash; are they all mad? This was the fault of the individuals who were shopping and who&nbsp; were relaxed about hurting anyone who got in their way. They also did not appear embarrassed about being filmed for the National News.<br /> <br /> Consumerism in our society has become rampant and it makes civilisation look so ugly. With people dying, starving and in refugee camps throughout the Middle East and Africa, Ebola and the tragedies that effect so many families in the UK how did those people put a new TV above all?<br /> <br /> It is difficult to know how this situation has come about. We call ourselves the civilised western world but in reality it appears we are on a knife edge of barbarism and have lost sight of helping others. I agree not everyone is in this category but how have parts of society become so greedy and self centred? Parts of society seem to have been cut adrift from the morals each generation has tried to instil in their families. Perhaps it is the breakdown of the family unit, perhaps education or perhaps we have had life too easy and decided it is always someone else&rsquo;s fault.<br /> <br /> Please could&nbsp; the last man or woman, who believes in morals and a greater good,&nbsp; turn off the lights and lock the door when they leave. <br /> <br />727Two Nations Divided by a Common Languagehttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/726/Two-Nations-Divided-by-a-Common-LanguageGeneralFri, 12 Sep 2014 15:54:00 GMTOne of the reasons I find it easy to visit the USA is that in the main English is their spoken language. The language however does cover up significant differences. One such contrast was brought home to me in the last few weeks.<br /> <br /> Our business sells a variety of items to quite a spectrum of customers. We started in the Land Rover and&nbsp; Expeditions market but now sell to Adventure Travel and those with a love of the great outdoors. One of my favourite customer groups and certainly the best shows are the Bushcraft fraternity.<br /> <br /> I recently visited Salt Lake City in Utah for the Outdoor Retail Trade show. This is a fantastic event with the best manufacturers and brands selling to retailers like us. As the USA is so vast and has so many opportunities for outdoor pursuits their industry is second to none. Big brands like Columbia and Mountain Hardwear sit alongside small family business units who make walking sticks.<br /> <br /> We always find gems and 2015 will herald some great new items in the web shop. My trip is generally always quick and. like many travellers, I wake up at odd hours of the night and resort to TV channel hopping. For my sins I ended up watching three programmes all about &ldquo;Preppers&rdquo;. <br /> <br /> For the uninitiated these are individuals or family groups who go to extraordinary lengths of &ldquo;Preparedness&rdquo; for all eventualities. This, in extreme, generally means building bunkers and compounds to sustain life come what may. Stockpiling food and water plus having sustainable sources of both to start society again come doomsday. Security, including arming themselves to the teeth with automatic weapons and in some instances ancient weapons such as spears, axes and bows, seems to go hand in hand.<br /> <br /> In one of the shows I watched around 20 family members across three generations live underground for a weekend to test out their bunker. They also train in rifle and bow shooting. Rapid fire machine guns seem to be an item of choice to ensure their defence is good and US Law allows the whole family to fire these at will on their own land. There is no question that some US Preppers take Bushcraft to a whole new meaning. They are generally very vocal about their rights and can tell you how soon their personal doomsday scenario might happen. It would also be accurate to suggest that their perception of other countries' cultures is often misguided. (This misguided opinion extends to New Yorkers and all City folk).<br /> <br /> As one of those divided by a common language I also got the distinct impression a small minority also believe that Zombies really do exist and arm themselves accordingly from a website called BUDK.com where all manner of high-tech versions of medieval weapons can be bought. I find this a curious position as a 12 gauge shotgun would be my choice but I am no expert on Zombies. I have yet to purchase or offer for sale Zombie knives but I have to accept that if I am wrong and the living dead do start to rampage across the country, the Preppers will be saying I told you so and not letting me in their bunker.<br /> <br /> Now contrast this with the recently held Wilderness Gathering in wildest but Zombie free Wiltshire. This has to have been one of the best shows of the year with generally good weather and a fantastic bunch of people. I watched wonderful teachers showing knife craft to children, wild bread making, basket making, demonstration of tracking and not a laptop in sight. Kids really do prefer to be outside doing crazy things and they learn so much more than sitting on a console for hours on end. The adults did quite well with knife sharpening, axe throwing and a myriad of countryside skills on offer.<br /> <br /> There are both family camping areas and for the real enthusiasts rough camping in the woods. Although this is only for hardy types as they have to carry all their kit into the woods and find a suitable spot. From briefly inspecting the woodlands during daylight hours (remember Zombies do exist!) there were not only true Bushcrafters surviving with just a hammock or a Bivvy Bag but also large frame tents where whole families were getting back to nature.<br /> <br /> The comparison with the USA was summed up by a conversation overheard between two Bushcrafters or dare I say UK Preppers at the Gathering. It went something like this: - <br /> <br /> Man 1 - &ldquo;You all right, did you have a good night&rdquo;<br /> Man 2 - &ldquo;No I didn&rsquo;t.&rdquo;<br /> Man 1 &ndash; &ldquo;What happened mate?&rdquo;<br /> Man 2 &ndash; &ldquo; Well it was the middle of the night and I could feel someone moving around in the wood in my space&rdquo;<br /> Man 1 &ndash; &ldquo;Bloody hell that&rsquo;s not on&rdquo;<br /> Man 2 &ndash; &ldquo;Too bloody right but a bit later on it was pitch black and someone came walking through the wood with a bloody head torch on. Can you believe it? If had my catapult with me I would have shot it out.&rdquo;<br /> <br /> I can only imagine the firepower that might have been unleashed on the unsuspecting torch carrier had this been in the USA. Here in the UK it just shows testament to the influence the Beano has had on our adult population. <br /> <br /> Now where is my catapult?726NATO et alhttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/725/NATO-et-alGeneralMon, 08 Sep 2014 14:19:00 GMTLiving relatively close to Celtic Manor we could not help but notice the NATO summit. Whilst we live in difficult times I wonder if there ever was a period of 'not difficult' times. Men seem to have a predilection towards macho positioning, their own self-importance, greed and very unfortunately war. There are very few female tyrants in the history books.<br /> <br /> I was astonished by the television coverage that either colluded in the embellishment of the event or were manipulated. Why go to the cost (whether the Government, NATO or the arms industry) of placing military aircraft outside the front of the hotel? Surely at a time of trouble everything we can do to defuse world aggression should be the order of the day. <br /> <br /> Why interview everyone and pose for pictures with multi-million pound attack aircraft as a back drop? Why have tanks and missile defence systems as the back drop to David Cameron?<br /> <br /> I see no sense either in the cost involved or the message it sends. Why not a neutral or scenic back drop or even perhaps an ambulance. Unfortunately this is the shortcoming of the male of the species. All this on the heels of a one hundred year anniversary that was supposed to show the futility of war and the millions of lives lost. The War that should have ended all Wars.<br /> <br /> Unless we as a society can rid ourselves of this constant need to show power I cannot see how peace will ever follow. I am not a pacifist by nature but as I grow older I realise that it is a very brave man who says 'No' to war.<br /> <br /> Someone somewhere will have paid tens of millions of pounds for the summit which could have been channeled into alleviating poverty and suffering where these wars are taking place today. I wonder what was achieved at the conference that could not have been achieved in a few phone calls.<br /> <br /> To balance the argument Prime Ministers and Presidents have very difficult paths to tread but I hope one day we might find more leaders like Ghandi or Mandela that do what is right ahead of their own or party's re-election. Wars are created by men not religion, nationality or creed. Most also distil back into individual greed no matter how good or well intentioned they start out.<br /> <br /> Power most definitely corrupts.725Live Musichttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/724/Live-MusicGeneralFri, 04 Jul 2014 10:20:00 GMTI am not easily swayed on to popular band wagons, if you will pardon the pun. However In the last week two things have energised me to join vocally the movement to get back to live music.<br /> <br /> Now, unless there is a such a thing as a VVIP ticket to Glastonbury with showers and my own toilet, I am never going to experience the greatest musical festival in the world. It could well be this ticket exists but I probably need a lottery win to afford it. Having watched much of the festival on television I envied those people lucky enough to see Robert Plant (born in 1948 for all the Land Rover enthusiasts), Kaiser Chiefs, Rodrigo Y Gabriela and of course Dolly to name but a few. <br /> <br /> The music was sensational but I found myself drawn to the performers and their bands. It was more than the music. They were all at the top of technical ability but it was much more than - this it was the symbiotic bond that exists that made them separate but as one. Each within their own world but linked and giving their own heart and soul to a magical moment. Rehearsals make perfect but when you can see in their eyes how the improvisation of notes follows their feel for the music.<br /> <br /> Eyes sparkle, grins appear - this is real life and they live it for those all too brief moments on stage. For these performers the engineered perfection of the studio is forgotten&nbsp; - this is about inner self, and where the force takes you. It only works for great musicians who can go anywhere with their music but their confidence in one another is obvious. The truly lucky people are those that can say &ldquo;I was there&rdquo;.<br /> <br /> My second encounter was much closer. I booked tickets to see Nigel Kennedy at the Malvern Theatre, with little idea what to expect having never seen him live before. Our seats were close to the stage so there was nowhere for him or his musicians to hide. The evening was just breathtaking and a sensational success. His skills and training with the violin are legendary having had Sir Yehudi Menuhin and Stephane Grappelli as mentors. The surprise was the soul he added to the mix blending Bach, Jazz and Folk seamlessly, his feel for the music and his merging as one with his band added another dimension.<br /> <br /> His interaction with the audience hit just the right note - he and his fellow musicians just brought joy to one another for all to see. His improvised rendition of Danny Boy as a finale reduced some in the audience to tears such was the emotion. These magical moments we are privileged to witness are the experiences that make life. <br /> <br /> I will not bore you with the myriad of theories going round in my head about how this all works but there is no doubt live music is what we should all seek out. Find a genre that you enjoy and watch it live. Life has channelled us all into a digital world and there are fewer live music venues. I do not think you need to see world famous acts in arenas but get the front row in a local club and watch the musicians. Your life will be changed.724Can anyone explain?https://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/723/Can-anyone-explainGeneralWed, 02 Jul 2014 09:14:00 GMTI have the deepest sympathy for anyone who has lost a loved one. In each of us all lies a sense of wanting justice to be done. It is always extremely difficult to accept that a whole series of unrelated&nbsp; separate events can combine into a perfect storm and take a life. In the real world this does happen but we still look for someone to blame. Rarely does an individual knowingly take an action that endangers another&rsquo;s life.&nbsp; Sure it does happen but only in extreme circumstances.<br /> <br /> I am parking the "compensation argument" as this is just too involved and even more emotional. I&nbsp; want to highlight however that we always want someone to blame. It is only once in a blue moon that as individuals we accept part of the responsibility; yet often we should. Probably the pain of realisation that we too contributed to the perfect storm is too much to admit, so our self preservation gene fires up and we want to find another who is the responsible party.<br /> <br /> Human nature is a strong motivator and without any true thought of consequence. The battle cry of &ldquo;We want a public enquiry&rdquo; is too often the first recourse. This is so flawed but it is still our Holy Grail. Who, twenty to thirty years after any event, can recall with total clarity and impartiality what happened? I struggle to think of specific events five years ago.<br /> <br /> Then comes the big question - "what is the result of the enquiry?" What happened &ndash; happened; loved ones are not&nbsp; brought back. This is cold-hearted but two recent public enquiries and their predecessors have cost the public purse over &pound;200,000,000.00 each. How many nurses or hospital wards could have been built with this money leaving a lasting legacy for all those lost?<br /> <br /> Society sees no connection to cost and who pays. You and I, the very people who asked for the enquiry, pay through our taxes. In a world of finite resources it simply means the money is taken from some other good cause or budget, treatment is rationed on the NHS or class sizes increase. All we do to coin common parlance is "feather the bed of some already overpaid Fat Cat Lawyer or Judge". Enquiries take years and a few people grow very rich. Is justice done? Not in my book. <br /> <br /> Wrongdoing can never be condoned but a recent high profile case of phone hacking seems to be an excellent example of completely misplaced resource. Several years and over &pound;50,000,000.00 of costs has achieved little. With the exception of the Milly Dowler case, who&rsquo;s parents were put through unbelievable agony, what were we trying to prove? That a number of high profile politicians and celebrities had their phones hacked? Who cares? I have used a mobile phone since invention and the messages I leave are simple &ldquo;Call me when you get this message&rdquo;. If people are silly enough to leave intimate or revealing messages and not change pass codes then they have no sympathy from me.<br /> <br /> An old adage I learnt many years ago was never to put in writing, letter or email or leave messages that I would not be prepared to put in the public domain. If all followed this path the courts would be a better place. It's about accepting responsibility for your actions not blaming others. <br /> <br /> That &pound;50,000,000.00 could have established a fantastic Charitable Trust. If politicians and celebrities want to have affairs they should blame themselves when they are revealed. Fame and celebrity cult enjoy fantastic advantages, money and lifestyle that the rest of us can only dream of. When the Press are your life blood understand the consequences and know when to man up and accept you were the master of your own destiny.<br /> <br /> The greed of Press Barons and their trusted aides no doubt play a part in all of the above but by their position they avoid the responsibility.<br /> <br /> I do not know how the vast funds that were in my opinion wasted in pursuit of blame could have been redeployed for the long term good of society but I think it is a question we should all ask. &nbsp;723Knives & Axeshttps://www.originalequipmentshop.com/Blog/PostId/722/Knives-AxesGeneralFri, 09 May 2014 11:47:00 GMT<p>I am looking forward to the 2014 Bushcraft Show. It&rsquo;s on Sat 24th to Mon 26th of May over the Bank Holiday Weekend. This year&nbsp; at a new venue Catton Hall near Derby. It is a Show that delivers <em>&ldquo;What it says on the can&rdquo;.</em> There are talented craftsmen demonstrating their skills in making and maintaining tools, knives and axes.&nbsp; Plus experienced wilderness guys passing on their considerable knowledge of plants, trees and wildlife plus making things in the wild. <br /> <br /> You will find the very best Bushcraft retailers with a myriad of products on sale and schools offering tracking courses and survival skills. The Show is designed for all the family with many things you can try and experience without spending a fortune on equipment.<br /> <br /> It has a very friendly atmosphere and all are made welcome from experts to novices. It lets you dip your toe in the water and is a window on a world often forgotten by many city slickers.</p> <p> <table width="92" height="28"> <tbody> <tr> <td>&nbsp;</td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <br /> The astonishing aspect of the Show that will immediately be evident to any visitor is the vast number and type of knives and axes worn by the majority of visitors and&nbsp; participants. We are constantly told that knife crime is one of society's biggest problems. Yet here everyone has knowledge of the product and understands correct and responsible use. For decades nearly all Boy Scouts carried a sheath knife without, as far as I am aware, mass murder or mayhem breaking out.<br /> <br /> The current media fashion for rhetoric about banning knives&nbsp;and tighter controls seems to miss the point. It is personal behaviour that is the problem not a piece of metal. Over three days at the show there will probably be several thousand people with knives and axes. They will no doubt imbibe in local ales and cider during the day and in the evenings. On past performances there will be no trouble. Why? Quite simply this group has been taught that with ownership comes accountability and responsibility. Even the hardened Survivalists and Preppers only train to kill Zombies!<br /> <br /> Most have a love of the wild and they enjoy what nature provides. They also have consideration for their fellow travellers. Teaching more people this type of respect for their neighbours and their surroundings might be a better solution to some of life&rsquo;s issues.<br /> <br /> I read a statistic, I believe provided by the Police, that most stabbings are with screwdrivers not knives. If it is true will the humble screwdriver be next on the list to be demonised? Treating symptoms rather than cause is always popular with the press. I for one would like to encourage all of society&nbsp; to take time out for a simpler life even if only one or two weeks per year.<br /> <br /> There is probably more fun to be had with a knife, an axe and a back pack than most can ever imagine. You might even see a Kingfisher!</p>722