http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/ News and views from the world of utilities en Copyright 2008 Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:56:34 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Not one for the children or slightly sqeamish, Part 3 of our series reveals Utility Week's political and environment editor Roger Milne has begun a slightly clandestine new career as an extreme clown along with a group of others from Club Brenda, a Manchester-based group of performance artists, DJs and musicians. Roger's second son Alexis is Honky the Clown, the driving force behind this rather frightening "family" of performers. Roger is pictured on the right with his son just before the clowns performed for the first time en famille at a festival in Dublin last month. This piece of scary nonsense was called: Extreme Clown Showdown. Roger, by the way, is known as Uncle Dmitri, a Russian member of the clan. Confused ? Roger is and hasn't given up the day job quite yet! ]]> http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/what_we_did_on_our_holidatys_p.php http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/what_we_did_on_our_holidatys_p.php People Utility Week Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:56:34 +0000 In Part 2 of an occasional series on what we did on our holidays, here is Utility Week editor at large Steve Hobson enjoying his summer break in not-so-sunny Dorset and Devon. A day dinghy sailing in Poole harbour was followed by a visit to a rally of Mini enthusiasts in picturesque Ilfracombe. Although Steve does indeed drive a Mini, we will leave it to your imagination if it really is him inside the Batman outfit (the great man is assured it certainly isn't him wearing the Poison Ivy costume).]]> http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/what_we_did_on_our_holidays_pa_1.php http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/what_we_did_on_our_holidays_pa_1.php People Utility Week Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:54:48 +0000 Part One of an occasional series - what Utility Week staffers do in their spare time. Pictured in the middle of this delightful group of official guides to Jane Austen land is none other than our very own reporter Annabel Andrews. See her in action at the Jane Austen Festival in Bath on September 19 to 28.]]> http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/what_we_did_on_our_holidays_1.php http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/what_we_did_on_our_holidays_1.php People Utility Week Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:42:48 +0000 A group of naked Climate Camp residents turned up at the headquarters of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (Berr) and glued themselves to the office front in Victoria Street, London SW1. The protesters were "revealing" their opposition to plans for more coal-fired generation.]]> http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/the_naked_truth_1.php http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/the_naked_truth_1.php Electricity Berr Climate Change Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:40:38 +0000 Seaside mascot the Jolly Fisherman and Anglian Water environmental ambassador Captain Splosh have been spotted eating fish 'n' chips while taking a mini-break at Skegness. But the dynamic duo will continue to promote a recycling scheme aimed at protecting the town's sewers and the environment. They planned to eat out each day and carry on persuading restaurants, takeaways, pubs and hotels to sign up to a free collection scheme for the recycling of used fats, oils and grease for conversion into biodiesel. They know it makes sense...]]> http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/beach_break.php http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/beach_break.php Water Anglian Water Water Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:39:23 +0000 Now what do you make of this? Disconnector's extensive network of informants in the Irish Republic has reported that Regina Finn, chief executive of Ofwat, recently put her Dublin house up for sale. http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/reginas_here_for_the_long_haul.php http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/reginas_here_for_the_long_haul.php Water Ofwat Regina Finn Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:37:51 +0000 The great man is not sure whether to laugh or cry at the news that a Masonic lodge in Edinburgh has been hit with a £100,000 electricity bill. According to energy giant British Gas, the premises in Shrub Lane have two meters which have never been billed. http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/help_with_your_bill.php http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/help_with_your_bill.php Electricity British Gas Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:36:42 +0000 Disconnector was also much taken with the news (uncovered by World Nuclear News) that the Sellafield site in Cumbria suffered a mini-invasion recently... http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/buzz_words.php http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/buzz_words.php Nuclear Nuclear Sellafield Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:35:38 +0000 Dear reader, here is an important item of nuclear news which may have slipped under your radar. The boys and girls in blue who guard the country's civilian atomic facilities have a new-style uniform. http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/blue_is_the_new_black.php http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/09/blue_is_the_new_black.php Nuclear Nuclear Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:34:14 +0000 As if rain, storms and the depredations of metal thieves were not enough to contend with, power line engineers in Switzerland found one line downed by an artwork called "Complex Shit". The metre-high inflatable artwork at the Paul Klee museum, in the shape of a huge dog turd, broke free of its moorings in high winds. When an emergency device that should have deflated the, ahem, sculpture in bad weather failed to operate, it was blown across the museum site, damaging the powerline and breaking windows at a local childrens home. One for DNOs' training manuals? http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/08/hitting_the_fan.php http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/08/hitting_the_fan.php Electricity electricity Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:47:48 +0000 ]]> http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/08/its_the_big_one.php http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/08/its_the_big_one.php Water Yorkshire Water Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:45:57 +0000 Maybe nuclear giant EDF wishes Clare Spottiswoode, one-time energy regulator, was still on the board of British Energy. Until last year she was deputy chair of the UK's biggest generator. Currently she is in the headlines as insurance company Aviva's policyholder advocate. http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/08/who_need_friends_in_high_place.php http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/08/who_need_friends_in_high_place.php Energy British Energy EDF Energy Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:39:31 +0000 The great man notes that even in the spiritual home of bottled water, tap water is making a comeback. http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/08/france_loses_its_bottle.php http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/08/france_loses_its_bottle.php Water tap water Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:38:03 +0000 Now for top of the taps. Well, according to a special tasting in London by a panel of chefs and wine stewards, what comes out of taps in Severn Trent's fiefdom tastes the best, ahead of Thames Water's basic product. http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/08/top_of_the_taps.php http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/08/top_of_the_taps.php Water Anglian Water Northumbrian Water Severn Trent tap water Thames Water Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:36:36 +0000 The great man chuckled about some of the utility companies' greatest consumer gaffes, recounted recently by the Guardian's erstwhile consumer champion Anna Timms. http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/08/what_not_to_say.php http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/blogs/disconnector/2008/08/what_not_to_say.php Pan-utility Npower Seeboard TXU Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:35:25 +0000