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# Tuesday, 26 August 2008

The Post Office has released a list of possible branch closures across Edinburgh, the Lothians and the South of Scotland. A six week consultation will begin to decide the future of 26 branches and the downgrading of a further 32 offices. The company has said that almost all of the areas population would see no change to their nearest branch and will still remain within 1 mile of a post office. During the next six weeks people are urged to make their views known. The full list of closures is below.

The following 26 Post Office branches are proposed for closure:

  • Breich, Rashiehill Terrace, Breich, West Calder
  • Broomhall, 41 Broomhall Drive, Edinburgh
  • Calder Crossway, 10 Calder Park, Edinburgh
  • Carrington , 4 Primrose Gardens, Carrington, Gorebridge
  • Cramond, 20 Whitehouse Road, Edinburgh
  • Dalmeny, Main Street, Dalmeny, South Queensferry
  • Easthouses, 1 Mayfield Road, Easthouses, Dalkeith
  • Elm Row, 20 Elm Row Edinburgh
  • Elphinstone, 3 Main Street, Elphinstone, Tranent
  • Goldenacre, 20 Montague Terrace, Edinburgh
  • Gorgie, 556 Gorgie Road, Edinburgh
  • Grangepans, 14 Grangepans, Bo'ness
  • Lasswade, 12 High Street, Lasswade
  • Lincluden, 40 Lincluden Road, Dumfries
  • Longstone, 7 Kingsknowe Road North, Edinburgh
  • Magdalene Drive, 46 Magdalene Drive, Edinburgh
  • Newton, Main Street, Newton, Broxburn
  • Nicolson Street, 79 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh
  • Pilrig Toll, 10 Newhaven Road, Edinburgh
  • Polbeth, 12-13 Limefield Road, Polbeth, West Calder
  • Poltonhall, 12 Hopefield Park, Bonnyrigg
  • Rosetta Road, 1 Weymss Place, Peebles
  • Shandon Place, 57 Slateford Road, Edinburgh
  • Scheuchan Street, 59 Scheuchan Street, Stranraer
  • Warrender Park, 73 Warrender Park Road, Edinburgh
  • West Barns, 2a Edinburgh Road, West Barns, Dunbar

The following 32 Post Office branches are to be replaced by an outreach service:

  • Ancrum - Hosted
  • Bonchester Bridge - Hosted
  • Bowden - Mobile
  • Eccles - Mobile
  • Greenlaw - Mobile
  • Hutton - Mobile
  • Morebattle - Hosted
  • Clovenfords - Mobile
  • Fountainhall - Mobile
  • Oxton - Mobile
  • Heriot - Mobile
  • Balmaclellan - Mobile
  • Colvend - Mobile
  • Corsock - Mobile
  • Creetown - Partner
  • Dunscore - Hosted
  • Kirkcowan - Partner
  • Lochfoot - Mobile
  • Moniaive - Partner
  • Mossdale - Mobile
  • New Abbey - Mobile
  • Bentpath - Home
  • Boreland - Hosted
  • Collin - Hosted
  • Ecclefechan - Partner
  • Eskdalemuir - Hosted
  • Glencaple - Hosted
  • Drem - Hosted
  • Garvald - Hosted
  • Gifford - Partner
  • Innerwick - Hosted
  • Stenton - Hosted
posted on Tuesday, 26 August 2008 12:38:54 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)  #    Trackback
# Monday, 25 August 2008
deer_penis_wine1-767830

blogoftheweek_thumb This weeks Travel Blog of the Week is Weird Meat - a food and travel blog. The blog is  an exploration of how different cultures around the world feel about food. The author spends his time searching for strange things to eat and when he finds something odd, eats it and posts pictures and an article about his experience. The most recent post sees him in Taiwan sweird_likelocal2-713229ampling chicken testicles and deer penis wine. The wine (pictured right) comes in a large glass jar which is filled with liquor. In the middle of the jar is a preserved deer penis. The verdict is that it is "brutal strong" and not cheap at $9 USD for a shot. Another interesting culinary experience sees the author at a shop specialising in odd duck parts. Here he purchases some duck heads (pictured left). The heads are cooked and seasoned and then split down the centre so you can scoop out the brains and cartilage. Apparently they are tasty but rather chewy. 

drunk_shrimp2-750854Another article looks at a dish called Shanghai Drunken Shrimp (pictured right). The dish which sounds fairly tame is  actually live shrimps which are served swimming in a bowl of sweet alcohol. The alcohol makes the shrimp a little less feisty but the experience is still made more interesting because the shrimp bite barat2-705799ck as you try to eat them. The trick apparently is to leave them in the alcohol for just enough time to get drunk and stupid before digging in. Something with slightly less bite is fried rat (pictured left) which the author tries in Cambodia. This  dish is BBQ'd so that it is well done and tastes like chicken. In all this is a great blog filled with lots of interesting material but is probably best enjoyed on an empty stomach.

posted on Monday, 25 August 2008 19:23:53 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)  #    Trackback
# Saturday, 23 August 2008

New facial scanners are being tested at Manchester Airport. The scanners are under trial as part of government efforts to improve security and reduce passenger congestion. They can be used by adult biometric passport holders. It works by scanning passengers faces and comparing them to the photograph that is digitally stored on their passport. Passengers will be able to pass through unmanned gates to avoid queues and the scanner will check their passport has not been tampered with and that they are not on any security lists. At the next gate a facial scanner will also read their face. If they are rejected by the system they will be directed to immigration officers for further checks.

posted on Saturday, 23 August 2008 09:57:38 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)  #    Trackback
# Friday, 22 August 2008

Monday the 25th of August is a Bank Holiday in the UK. This means that there is no postal collection or deliveries on this day. Any mail sent after 5pm (UK time) close of business on Friday 22nd of August will be processed on the next available working day, Tuesday the 26th of August. Any Special Delivery or Recorded Delivery items sent after 1pm (UK time) on Friday the 22nd of August will be processed on Tuesday the 26th of August. Customers should also be aware that delivery of mail during this time may take up to 2 days longer than normal.

posted on Friday, 22 August 2008 13:26:05 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)  #    Trackback

Strikes by airport staff that were planned for this weekend have been called off after talks. The strikes were expected to caused widespread disruption over the bank holiday weekend as cabin staff and baggage handlers were due to walk out. Although the strikes have been called off at Gatwick and Manchester, flights at Stanstead could still be affected by a separate dispute involving security staff.

posted on Friday, 22 August 2008 12:17:07 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)  #    Trackback

Passengers on a flight from Newcastle Airport had to leave their luggage behind at the last minute because the plane was too heavy. The 151 passengers were informed that the aircraft needed to lose weight and were given the choice of half the passengers getting off or all the passengers flying but without their luggage. At first volunteers were sought to get off but as few people were willing to leave the flight eventually left four hours later with the passengers minus their luggage. Passengers were assured their luggage would follow them but some people claim they were had to wait three days before it arrived.

posted on Friday, 22 August 2008 08:03:15 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)  #    Trackback
# Tuesday, 19 August 2008

blogoftheweek_thumbThis weeks Travel Blog of the Week is Backpacking Travel Blog. The blog concentrates on travel around Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and South America and is predominately a photo travel blog peppered with comments. Whilst it is unusual to choose a photo blog as the PC2Paper Travel Blog of the week, this blog is full of great pictures and is well worth a further look. Here are just a few of the photos.

Ta Prohm Crickets

Above the amazing temple Ta Prohm in Cambodia and the local snack of fried crickets.

Below a tree frog in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest and a waterfall in the Canaima National Park

Tree Frog Waterfall

posted on Tuesday, 19 August 2008 09:36:31 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)  #    Trackback
# Monday, 18 August 2008

Travellers could face chaos on the Bank Holiday weekend as staff at Gatwick and Stansted airport have voted to go on strike. Workers are set to stage a strike on Monday 25th of August and 29th of August after rejecting an offer in a pay dispute. The unite union has said that all baggage handling and check in operations will be halted at a number of airlines with the dispute likely to spread to other airports over the next few weeks because of similar disputes over pay.

posted on Monday, 18 August 2008 08:46:24 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)  #    Trackback
# Sunday, 17 August 2008

You would expect train travel to be getting better rather than worse but this article suggests otherwise. The article makes the claim that train journeys actually take longer today than they did 20 years ago. This is despite improvements with faster trains and track improvements. The worst area appears to be London and the South East where passengers have to allow an extra five minutes for their journey compared with 20 years ago. A spokesman for London TravelWatch said “Some increase in journey times may be justified by more passengers, thus longer stopping at stations. However, modern trains serving most London routes have better acceleration, which should offset this to some degree.” Does your journey take you longer?

posted on Sunday, 17 August 2008 11:58:26 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)  #    Trackback
# Saturday, 16 August 2008

The village of Booze in the Yorkshire Dales could soon have its postal service restored after the council have agreed to pay for road improvements in the area. The service was suspended by Royal Mail because it said the narrow track leading to the village was too hazardous for its workers. This has meant that 11 households have had to travel 30 miles to collect their mail. The council will make improvements to passing places on the route and Royal Mail have said that deliveries will resume on the 1st of September once the improvements have been made.

posted on Saturday, 16 August 2008 10:21:19 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)  #    Trackback