Because She's Worth It - Happy Birthday Cheryl

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Ms Cheryl Cole, celebrating her thirtieth Birthday today, Sunday 30 June 2013.

Happy Olympic Torch Anniversary!

TODAY I have been thinking back one year, to Wednesday 20 June 2012, the date on which the Olympic Torch relay passed through Eden on its way to Carlisle. This posting marks the first anniversary of that day with links to media sites hosting videos, blogs and photographs of the Olympic Flame making its way through Cumbria for the first time. Click on the links below and enjoy a few memories.

• The Olympic Flame in Brough - Videos from ITV Border - Click here.
• The Olympic Flame in Appleby - Video from ITV Border - Click here.
• The Olympic Flame in Penrith - Videos from ITV Border - Click here.

To provide fairness and balance in this post, the next link is to the BBC Torch Relay site. I'm not sure if the videos are still available, but you can read the blog of the day's events on the right hand side of the page - Day 33 of the Olympic Torch relay. To enjoy a few more memories, click here.

#WinningIsn’tAlwaysPretty

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Miss Anna Kournikova, who celebrates her thirty-second birthday today, Friday 7 June 2013. Anna posted this image on her Facebook page, stating it to be one of the favourite shots of herself, when she was competing in the French Open, on the clay, at Roland Garros. The hashtag, which I have used to title this post, was used by Anna to link the image to social media. Looks good, though. Happy Birthday Anna! x

Bank Holiday Broadcasts

WELCOME to the latest weekly post here on RFTFT. I spent the evening of Monday 27 May (Bank Holiday Monday) tuning the short wave band on my Roberts R881 and here is what I heard.

• I believe I heard Voice of Tigray Revolution, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, broadcasting Horn of Africa music at 1948 UTC (GMT), on the frequency of 5950 kHz, but I could not verify this.
• China Radio International, 20:00 UTC, 5960 kHz. English to Europe, Middle East and Africa via Albania transmitter. 'Beyond Beijing' begins with female news broadcaster: Chinese links with Germany and the United States of America. European ministers meet to discuss Syria. Chinese man sentenced following murder of a baby. Statistics show rise in business profits. News read by Rebecca Hune. 'China Drive' presented by Mark Griffiths. Feature on fashion designers. Weather reports from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sydney, London. Report from the World Health Organisation shows the gap between the developed and developing countries of the world has narrowed.
• Voice Of America, 2030 UTC, 6080 kHz. English to Africa via Botswana. Male host, 'Africa Beat' music programme.
• International Radio Serbia, 2058 UTC, 6100 kHz. English to Europe via Bosnia - Hercegovina. Interval signal and news from female newscaster: Report regarding the Serbian foreign ministry. Relations between Serbia and Russia have never been better. Serbia to improve relations with the European Union in Brussels. French television report regarding smugglers. Twentieth anniversary of the Yugoslav civil war. Serbian testifies against Croat war crimes. Meteorology award given to a Serb professor. Princess Beatrice of England is visiting Serbia. Report regarding budgets and finances. Sport: Football, tennis, shooting. Music: Folk songs.

That's the update for now - Enjoy the sunshine!

Wallpaper of the week: Blue sky days please!

Enjoy your bank holiday!

Springtime Sunday...?

WELCOME along to the latest update here on RFTFT, on what is quite a warm, almost humid Sunday lunchtime, in mid May. Saying that, the previous day and the night before that gave us some of the heaviest rain seen since, well, last summer! Thoughts are with those in West Cumbria who are coping with flooded roads this weekend! The weather forecast shows a brighter outlook for the next few days, so let's hope the forecast is correct!

I have been neglecting my radio listening over winter and early 2013, but did spend a couple of weekend evenings in March and April listening to short wave and medium wave respectively, so here are the broadcasts I heard:

Saturday 16 March 2013 - Short wave (Tropical bands):

• 2200 UTC (GMT), 3415 kHz : Shannon Volmet, Ireland. Female voice with weather reports: wind and visibility reports.(Based at Shannon airport, I believe).
• 2235 UTC, 3905 kHz : Radio Alice, Netherlands. Music: The Clash - Should I Stay Or Should I Go. Iggy Pop - Lust For Life. ID: "On short wave, this is Radio Alice from the Netherlands". AC/DC - Whole Lotta Rosie. ID. Van Halen - Jump. Good quality.

Sunday 7 April 2013 - Medium wave:

• 1830 UTC, 549 kHz : Spirit Radio, Ireland. Male voice with chart countdown. Fair quality.
• 1855 UTC, 585 kHz : BBC Scotland via Dumfries. Oh dear. Bagpipes. Male voice - "Enjoy your piping!". 1900 UTC news: Grand National winning jockey Ryan Mania injured at Hexham racecourse. Other stories: NATO in Iraq. Mick Philpott. Perthshire accident. Youth Crime Commissioner resigns. Scottish independence campaign. Sport: Football, tennis, curling. Weather report. Country music programme highlighting the sixtieth anniversary of the passing of Hank Williams.
• 1920 UTC, 603 kHz : BBC Radio 4 via Wrekenton, Newcastle - upon - Tyne. 'Feedback': Historical look at The Third Programme, which became BBC Radio 3. Also discussing BBC Radio 3 'Live in Concert' and their handling of the concert interval.
• 1955 UTC, 621 kHz : RTBF International, Belgium. 'Viva Sports' to 2000 UTC - football. 'Viva Musique' on 'Viva Cite'' - Music: Bruno Mars - Locked Out Of Heaven. ID. Michael Jackson - Human Nature.French language.
• 2100 UTC, 639 kHz : Czech Radio 2, Prague, Czech Republic. Top of the hour ID, Female voice. Czech language.
• 2115 UTC, 639 kHz : RNE 1, Spain. Male and female voices, Spanish language. Music: The Equals - Baby Come Back.

And that concludes the logs for March and April. I haven't tuned the bands yet in May, hopefully very soon!

I shall conclude with a picture, you could call it 'wallpaper of the week' if you like, a feature I should get back to posting here on the blog on a weekly basis, but this picture ties in with the previous post below.

Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Britney Jean Spears.

Friday night - One for the lads...

Oh yes. In 2004, at the age of 23, Britney Spears recorded a cover version of Bobby Brown's 'My Prerogative', which was accompanied by a standard video. Then, some bright spark thought, 'why not put Britney, in her underwear, in a bed, play the track for her to lip-synch and film the whole lot in black and white - Let's see what happens!' The result was the following video, deemed by British media as 'too hot for TV', which, of course, sent the viewing figures for this video sky high. 

Plus, Britney looked rather fine recording this video.

Enjoy.

I'm on YouTube!

Terry Askew promotes Fluff Catt and the Rock Kittens at Eden FM - Interview by Martin Cowin!

Enjoy!

Visit the Eden FM Radio website!

Do take a look at the Eden FM website. Your feedback very much appreciated:

Eden FM Radio - Your voice in the Eden Valley - Home

Thank you.

Wallpaper of the Week: Advantage Miss Sharapova

Love this image of Miss Maria Sharapova cuddling up to a Koala in Australia at the beginning of 2013, so I've decided to bestow the honour of Wallpaper of the Week upon this image.

Ch - Ch - Changes!

Eden FM Community Radio, based in Penrith, continues to broadcast online via the website at edenfm.co.uk - You are listening to the output of Eden FM right now via the player in the left hand side bar of this blog! Plans are afoot to introduce new programmes and new presenters, so do please keep listening.

Wallpaper of the week: Let's see the back of Taylor Swift

From the album 'Red', this is the artwork for the track 'Starlight'.

In this image, you can almost see the back of Taylor Swift.

Have a good week and be nice to one another!

Important Notice

A reminder that Reporting From The Fox Tower will be unavailable on February 29, 30, 31 2013.
To make up for your disappointment, enjoy this fabulous video from Facebook earlier this week, Robyn Thomas' take on Smash Mouth's track 'All Star'.

Bye for now!

Catching up on a sunny Sunday

Just taking a few moments to write a few notes to properly follow up my posts here on RFTFT , as it seems the last long post was reflecting on the events of Summer 2012! One constant feature throughout 2012 and into 2013 has been my commitment to Eden FM Community Radio, Penrith. Following the events of Summer 2012 which were covered by Eden FM during the RSL (Restricted Service Licence) broadcast on the FM frequency, Eden FM also attended events throughout the remainder of 2012, including the Lowther Country Fair, the Eden Foodival at Brough and the 160th anniversary celebrations of John Richardson & Sons, Penrith.

Another highlight of September 2012 was the Christening of my niece, Mia, in Carlisle. A lovely day. A follow up to the Eden Foodival in Brough was an article I wrote for Eden Local magazine, which was the second article I have written for the magazine. There's just something about seeing your own words in print!
The Tour of Britain cycle race passed through Cumbria in September and I was on Shap Fell to witness it - Seeing the then World Sprint Champion Mark Cavendish and Tour de France & Olympic Champion (Sir) Bradley Wiggins in the Cumbrian rain! On a sporting theme, I also attended the Peter Murphy Testimonial football match at Brunton Park, Carlisle, which was also very enjoyable.

A day out to Carlisle on the train in October included lunch at The Dining Room, a visit to Tullie House Museum and a little bit of shopping: The new album, 'Red', by Taylor Swift. More of whom later!
I was part of the Eden FM team at the Penrith Halloween Festival on a chilly Saturday lunchtime late October; The sun was shining - Just not on us! November included a trial broadcast online of The Eden FM Morning Show throughout the week as well as taking a look at the new Eden FM website.

Remembrance Sunday was marked by a screening of the movie 'Warhorse' at Brough Memorial Hall on an emotional day. November was also the third RSL broadcast for 28 days on an FM frequency by Eden FM - I very much enjoyed listening to the 'Wake Up' show as I was on the morning bus to Penrith! Guests at Eden FM included Mr Dixon of the Business Improvement District ballot, Julie Blundell of Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland and a visit to Arches Carpets, Penrith. Back in Brough, the Lands End - John O'Groats car rally passed through the town on a darkening Sunday evening. Continuing at Eden FM, further guests included the Leader of Eden District Council and a visit to a Residential Home for a Christmas concert. Not forgetting the Kitchen raffle! The Eden FM RSL closed prior to Christmas, but broadcasts have continued online via the Eden FM website.

2013 has had a mixed start, including the severe winter weather, although not on the scale of Bleath Gill, as proved in the previous post. Finally, the blue skies and sunshine have arrived today, so following Dog The Bounty Hunter, I will spend a few moments in the garden enjoying the sunshine. I referred to Taylor Swift and her album 'Red' earlier, so I will leave you with the artwork for one of my favourite tracks, 'Begin Again'. Until next time...

A Belated Welcome to 2013!

APOLOGIES for not posting over the festive and new year season, but I do hope you liked the video of Boris the spinning snowman - The first video I have posted here on RFTFT! I do hope you enjoyed the festive and new year season and are now managing to cope with the snow January has brought us. The snow has, thankfully, so far not been as bad as it was for the railway of the day in 1955, when a service travelling the now defunct line between Barnard Castle in County Durham and Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria became snowbound. Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring you Snowdrift at Bleath Gill. Enjoy.

Christmas 2012!

MAY I just take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas 2012, with a little help from Boris the spinning Snowman...

Enjoy!

Short Wave logbook, September 2012

SHORT WAVE RADIO broadcasts heard on my Roberts R881 on Sunday 16 September 2012:

• Radio Romania International, 1150 - 1156 UTC, 15430 kHz, English to Europe and Africa, 'The Cooking Show'.
• Voice of Turkey, 1226 - 1248 UTC, 15450 kHz, English to Europe. Introduction to broadcast launch at 1230 UTC, Time Signal, station ID, news, press review.
• Radio Exterior de Espana, 1311 - 1328 UTC, 15585 kHz, Spanish to Europe, 'Mundofonias 2' [World music programme], female and male hosts.
• WEWN Birmingham AL USA, 1335 - 1350 UTC, 15615 kHz, English to Asia, 'EWTN Bookmark' [Author speaks about their work].
• WWCR Nashville TN USA, 1450 - 1520 UTC, 15825 kHz, English to Europe, Middle East, America, 'A Temple of Jesus Christ' with Cleveland Waters.
• WHRI Indianapolis IN USA, 1526 - 1545 UTC, 17510 kHz, English to Europe, Middle East, Africa, 'MFC Worldwide'.

A nice afternoon with the short wave radio!

Summer snaps

AS September has arrived, I'll post a couple more images of Summer 2012, these two images from the Ullswater Country Fair, Patterdale, Sunday 24 June 2012. First, the stick show:

And the second image is of the participants at the start line of the fell race, in the precipitation:

Despite the weather, the race did go on!

Luckily, the sun is shining today... Enjoy.

Wallpaper of the week, 19 August 2012

WALLPAPER of the week brings you an image of the final class at Brough Hound & Terrier Show, the Champion of Champions class. Brough Hound & Terrier Show took place Sunday 17 June 2012.

Wallpaper of the week, 12 August 2012

WALLPAPER of the week this week is an image of the people who gathered for the lighting of the Beacon to mark Her Majesty The Queen's Diamond Jubilee. This picture was taken at Church Brough, on the evening of Monday 4 June 2012.