Andrew Aguecheek's New Writeups

Killing in the Name (event)

2009-12-30T20:32:03Z

My friend Hazelnut has made a compelling case and puts it most persuasively, however, in the spirit of fairness I feel compelled to defend the alternative position, that held by those who bought the Killing in the Name Of track and those like myself who did not, but nonetheless were amused and excited by the success of the campaign. I do not intend to put a price on the head of anyone who legitimately holds contrary views - however, I do disagree with them.

In the United Kingdom, 'Christmas Number One" chart position has for decades been the most sought after position of the year. Christmas sales are naturally higher than at any other time and consequently the media attention on who will sell the most is higher. The person who achieves the Christmas Number One may not be guaranteed a long lasting career, but the feat itself guarantees a certain immortality.

Since 2005, the winning single has been that released by the champion of…

Royal Courts of Justice (place)

2009-05-23T17:28:58Z

Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life - Samuel Johnson

I trust you will forgive my contribution to the overuse of this quotation. The fact is that whilst it is undeniably true that this metropolis contains so much of interest that boredom is impossible, I have always found that the same could be said for my chosen vocation: the law. For in law, as in London, all life is found. It catalogues the collective experience of humanity in all its actions; everything from property to personhood, equity to equality, loyalty to love is analysed and debated. It should come as no surprise then that I have chosen to use a spell of enforced idleness to observe some of this process in action. Whilst I could no doubt regale you with tales from the trials I have witnessed – and indeed I may do so on some future occasion – for the moment I will restrict myself to their…

Mode of Trial (thing)

2009-02-27T18:01:29Z

A quick guide:

Under the criminal justice system of England and Wales there are two modes of trial: Summary – that is before the Magistrates - and Indictment – that is, a jury trial before the Crown Court. For the majority of offences, the mode of trial is prescribed by the law. For less serious offences such as common assault, driving without insurance and the like, then the defendant can expect to find themselves before the local magistrates. For very serious offences such as murder, robbery, rape and so on, the law requires the defendant to be tried on indictment. There is also a class of offences known as 'either-way' in which the defendant may elect to be tried in the Magistrates' or the Crown Court. This is for mid-level crimes like theft or assault occasioning actual bodily harm<./P>

There are two main differences between the modes of trial. The first,is that the Magistrates do not have a jury where as the Crown Court does. The second…

Against the grain: a Valentine's Day party for bachelors and spinsters (person)

2009-02-01T23:03:48Z

So, Valentine's day is around the corner, and as usual, my plans were to stay in and moan to whoever was online about how none of my coupled friends are up for a drink. But, this year, it will be different! The other week, somewhere in Covent Garden, I found myself drinking with The Debutante and BaronWR. In this aristocratic and unattached company, a plan was hatched. The plan involved wine, food, and explosions. In other-words, the plan was to hold a nodermeet!

The plan is elegant in its simplicity. Noders who, whether intentionally or through the capriciousness of the global populace, find themselves unattached this Valentine's day are cordially invited to spend the evening in the cheerful company of their fellows who find themselves likewise.¹

The Debutante has offered to open her London house and serve warming, hearty dishes, and requests dietary requirements via /msg. There will doubtless be alcohol (and presumably non-alcohol) in various forms. The…

Underground Jazz (thing)

2008-11-17T12:32:18Z

Weekday morning, 8.30 am, I make the change at Green Park from the Jubilee Line onto the Piccadilly, heading towards Holborn. Due, presumably, to the complexities of linking two separate systems of underground tunnels, this particular change involves walking through a subterranean complex of futuristic looking conduits that guide scores if not hundreds of passengers from one platform to the next.

All at once, having descended a flight of stairs and rounded a corner, the strains of a jazz keyboard begin to fill the air. A busker, on the traditional corner (a little down from the Strictly No Busking sign), accompanies the commuters as the city breathes in. A calm gently sweeps across the marching pedestrians, their step becomes less hurried, more laid back. Even the announcer on the PA seems a little more groovy than usual, his voice is smooth, like a thirties crooner

Good morning ladies and gentleman,
This is your morning update…

Jubilee Line (thing)

2008-11-13T15:22:52Z

I won't bore you with a full history of the line's construction, that other website covers this in full and to be honest it's not all that interesting. The above writeups will tell you most of what you need to know. However, if you will permit me to elaborate, there are a few details that are worth mentioning.

Built for the silver jubilee of Elizabeth II in 1979, and expanded across the river at the millennium, the Jubilee Line is one of the newest on the Underground network (the oldest date back to the middle of the nineteenth century). As with many new works of civil engineering, when it is up and running properly, it is fast, efficient, and even on occasion, a comfortable ride. However, its relative youth and lack of experience do tend to mean that it is less prepared than other lines to deal with surprises such as bad weather, technical faults, or indeed "passenger action" which I am informed by Tiefling can mean anything from someone…