On This Day, 12 August
2026
2025
2024
2023
2022
Morning all. #bristol https://t.co/zKRz9SJp8G
Morning fun #BristolBalloonFiesta #bristol 1/2 https://t.co/5NPj7ZdtCO
Morning fun #BristolBalloonFiesta #bristol 2/2 https://t.co/VFeJbIktm3
Traffic was a bit mad on the way to the balloon launch this morning. Never before seen Brunel Way so solidly jammed at ten past six in the morning that people were walking around wondering what was happening. #bristol #BalloonFiesta https://t.co/aTquLVI6gs
I'm lucky to be able to walk it from my place, even more easily now than in my first visits, since Festival Way was created (You can still go over the old Clifton Bridge Station railway bridge, but that route is overgrown with stinging nettles these days!) https://t.co/psQaTfoK7w
2021
2020
RT @unamccormack: JUST. FUCKING. RAIN.
2019
@UrsulaWJ I once phoned up Debretts so I could make sure I was programming our mail-merging right. I've worked at a few places with a variety of posh customers! đ
@UrsulaWJ đŹ
RT @ThePiHut: Anyone looking for 4GB @Raspberry_Pi boards? We *might* have recieved a full pallet of them this morning.. https://t.co/aSBYZâŚ
2018
RT @stephenjmolloy: Librarian: Can I help you? Me: Yeah, I'm looking for a book about- Librarian: Being psychic? Me: No... Librarian: OâŚ
Thrilling scenes. #rainyday https://t.co/tnmeDCIuDm
2017
@aallan The only untypical thing is that one of the updates hasn't bricked the box.
đˇ When youâre hungry, your priorities can change⌠https://t.co/FXkX4Io7fv
RT @presentcorrect: Sad chairs of academia. https://t.co/FpApR6W27K https://t.co/aEOsL9CnDP
One from yesterday, seeing as there wasn't much of a launch this morning. #BalloonFiesta #bristol https://t.co/iqFfBasr6A
Two and six. https://t.co/7MxB4TlF2y https://t.co/n2RmtUzrih
270/365 It's just vaguely possible that my "to read" stack is more aspirational than practical.⌠https://t.co/WTT4n4ed0E
Why yes, those *are* several books on procrastination and decluttering in my massive pile of "to read" books. Why d⌠https://t.co/UNioHJN0ne
And yes, there are two copies of The Shadow of the Wind. Because two people recommended it to me and the pile's rat⌠https://t.co/1RGhh9RH0x
You should feel the weight of my Kindle! https://t.co/0GLDp0nz0Y
@UrsulaWJ Garcia Marquez, you say... HANG ON A MINUTE. This is a trick to add to my pile, isn't it? *Squints accusingly over pile of books*
It seems unlikely I will ever understand America. https://t.co/QBFEUwHjlq
@Lillput Even more ironically, itâs one of the âto read *again*â section.
RT @ThereWillBeGin: Why is Pence wearing a tiny wizard's hat? https://t.co/cwQymRqSOS
@baileyballoons Hereâs a few from yesterday morning! https://t.co/wNJmzT9dLk
When a Minion has an idea. #spotstuart https://t.co/D6dVlQ3Upy
RT @bristolballoon: Unfortunately due to high winds it isn't safe for our pilots to take to the skies tonight. We're looking forward to a FâŚ
@AnneBillson @iamamro Ooof. Room full of books and an Eames Lounge Chair. This may be what heaven looks like.
RT @MakingBlakes7: Pic: The completed Liberator model in Martin Bower's living room. I feel like I should add a Dudley Simpson fanfare to tâŚ
Why do they make Breathe Right strips in clear and fleshtone? How about bright green, so I notice if Iâm going to g⌠https://t.co/4K24kWfXTa
@johnfbraun Have you read Brunnerâs _The Jagged Orbit_? Only I think Iâm recognising some themes...
2016
@talithahg @liveindetail Mornin'. đ
@porthjess @talithahg @liveindetail Amen. Am moderately hungover, too. Might just go back to kip if it's still windy.
@liveindetail @talithahg @ToM_BaL @porthjess Think I might go tomorrow or Sunday, then.
RT @big_ben_clock: BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG
@VoxPopple @porthjess @talithahg @liveindetail I am no balloon weather expert.
RT @bristolballoon: Launch field getting busy. Pilots briefing at 6am and we will know more about this mornings ascent chances then https:/âŚ
@hayles *Waves lazily from bed*
Right. Too late for me to wander up to the field for mass ascent. Will go tomorrow or Sun. Awake, it seems, so... âď¸âď¸
@hayles Am aware of that. Hangover disagrees somewhat. *Struggles to Aeropress*
@DrHairbear I think they'll get some up.
@hayles Lucky! My morning is sponsored by Alka Seltzer and TweetBot's Dark Mode.
Nowt? :( https://t.co/hmQyGgDTrC
RT @DrHairbear: @gothick some tethering, winds up top are over 20knots apparently!
@DrHairbear This sofa & crossword is feeling like a good decision. Going to try again tomorrow?
đˇ Lovely work from Pizzarova. https://t.co/XZ8abUja4s
Second of the day. https://t.co/gQqMNP3mKN
(So thatâs one morning âtodoââclear up the mess from last nightâs bolognese-making that I ignored by going to the pub!)
Current status: listening to @yumhoneyblood because of whichever fine person at @WildBeerCo Whapping Wharf put their album on last night ;)
@MarkTaylorFood Whatâs a trucker tap? #unhip
Yeah. But windy. #bibf https://t.co/9aXXTkFfZA
@MarkTaylorFood Oh ;) Cross-purposes; I didn't know hipsters were into trucker caps, either!
@MarkTaylorFood *Grows bigger beard* *Buys tap shoes* *Dances into bar*
@drewm I'd answer your question, but when I type on my phone in the street I hold it under my chin like a tiny violin, so can't write easily
Rain Man. https://t.co/Sw80TLu3CS
Big boysâ toys. https://t.co/kqcJ7ra6A1
@RedQueenCoder Narrrrrrr.
RT @vincentdignan: Shaquille O'neal holding $78 billion in small bills https://t.co/eZCzwZFpqF
RT @theloop: Beach Boys "Wouldn't It Be Nice" performed live at Capitol Studios 2016 - https://t.co/1knCVQSKWy
And my award for best band name of the Fiesta goes to... https://t.co/coseXJTyw9
2015
RT @hmans: The web is ADVE RTISE MENT all of humankind's knowledge at ADVE RTISE MENT your fingertips. THE 10 MOST HORRIFYING THINGS YâŚ
Encroaching. https://t.co/I8k0FTUMo9
@hayles Hey, I can still find it when I need to.
Digging through old photos. This is where I was exactly five years ago, to the hour⌠http://t.co/nBiwGmsemR
@RellyAB It wouldnât stun me to discover that the phrase âbatshit insaneâ derives from a specific incident at a Worldâs Fair.
RT @tigerbeat: Yet one @voxmediainc website yesterday said they couldn't pay me for a photo because they don't have a photo budget https://âŚ
2014
@Swishrelic @garycasamojo And then pretty much every other five minutes, it seems. Now where did I put that dinghyâŚ
Maybe I'll rewatch _The World According to Garp_ today. #predisastered
@LouisTrapani Thanks, I'll check it out.
@LouisTrapani Fair enough. I remember the cold war era well enough to get the references and the mood, so it's worth a try...
Rained so hard last night it blew the end off our drainpipe. Not seen that before. http://t.co/VT68sO4CDU
RT @DavidClappPhoto: To live here you want not. RT @lazaroumterror: Yoda is selling houses in Bridgewater. http://t.co/I0qMYh5xsl
RT @BristolCouncil: Temporary closure of Avon Cres (8-11pm) and Cumberland Rd (9-10pm) to protect against possible flooding. Please RT httpâŚ
@chubbybannister @corylus I can walk there in ten minutes and let you know, if you want.
Yeah, okay, that's a pretty high tide. #bristol http://t.co/yhNyE9U0R6
@hecsentric @MrGreenGus Erm. I was born in London. And I chatter on Twitter. And I live locally. Is it my fault the spring tide is high?
You know youâre doing long exposures when you resort to the minute hand on your watch for timing.
Gives you an idea of tonight's tide #bristol https://t.co/OyTeEzobUH http://t.co/OLBpzT8NeA
@chubbybannister @jakepjohnson You would have needed the wellies. I was lucky my walking shoes are waterproof. Still got my socks a bit wet.
2013
RT @scarynetworkguy: If thereâs ever a wrong time to post this I donât wanna be right. http://t.co/X89tO8L964 @GreatDismal
@iamashley They canât hear you. Theyâre behind a corporate firewall that blocks Twitter.
+++++ BOOT SEQUENCE FAILED +++++ UNEXPECTED END OF COFFEE +++++ RESTARTING
@wood5y Might resort to that later. I'm trying a second Aeropressing for now.
@Bristol_Culture Odd. Looks like a (converted?) lifeboat to me.
@Bristol_Culture (Similar feel to this larger one I spotted at Sea Mills once...) http://t.co/EfUUAggVs3
@simoncroberts Hi! Submitting a photo to BRInspire, I get this page as a result. Does that mean it didn't work? Ta! http://t.co/GNZh6CogWu
@will_mcmanus Awww, thanks :)
Excuse me if my Twitter avatar changes briefly. I'm just testing how something looks.
RT @digitalspymusic: The Indelicates unveil puppet music video, podcast, tease new material http://t.co/IuWv1MbrQL
(Lush Indelicates puppet video here...) http://t.co/rzu00vl2oU
Light. http://t.co/uyx6EQueGe
2012
So, I guess Friday and Saturday were the right two mass ascents to attend. Just as well, as I was in no state for a third 5am start today...
Ah! I thought I recognised the pond I was swimming in yesterday morning! It's the one from _Skins_, where Emily and Naomi get it together!
@Dru_Marland Nope. One fisherman who was just packing up when we arrived. Mostly had the place to ourselves. http://t.co/yLzgeuZw
@Dru_Marland I think the balloon fiesta might have helped draw people away, plus we got there early. Went straight from the mass ascent.
Right. Yes. COFFEE.
@Dru_Marland It was magic. Coffee, cycle, dawn launch, cycle, swim, cycle back across bridge, lunch from Chandos, all with fab company...
@Dru_Marland ...and all wrapped up before 1pm. :D
@Dru_Marland We braved terrifying hangovers to start our day at 5:30am, and it was *still* worth it. Admin should go hang next time!
@hayles I watched the first series after people at work had to explain who I'd taken a photo of one morning: http://t.co/FHK8Eks5
@hayles That one plus the previous photo: 165,000 views, so far(!)
@hayles There are some very strange people on Flickr.
@Sirius7dk @Dru_Marland Being a geek, I have a UPS with lightning protection. But even when I didn't, I never bothered unplugging.
@Sirius7dk @Dru_Marland It's more of an issue in areas where your local electricity comes to the house on poles, rather than underground.
@hayes (As I found out again quite personally, after this photo was favourited, of course... http://t.co/3ZFT4xjE )
@archidave @dru_marland We were here: http://t.co/gIehJ2UZ
@VeraR2010 Near-simultaneous multiple hot air balloon launches. Most I've ever seen was about 140 launch in one session :)
@VeraR2010 Here's my video from Friday morning's launch, give you a flavour: http://t.co/ZRTza1Ib
@Alicia148 Abbot's Pool. It's lovely. http://t.co/gIehJ2UZ
@jbrownridge I haven't seen the advert. But I'd assume that firing a rocket launcher at the Go Compare man would be justifiable.
@jbrownridge I saw some kids' morning TV the other week at a friend's house. It was wall-to-wall guns and violence...
Finally got to my morning coffee. Updating my LiveJournal intervened. That's been a while.
@KellySibson I had been sleeping, on and off, for about twelve hours. All good things must come to an end...
Scrambled eggs and Mazzy Star. #sundaymorning
@KellySibson I'm normally the same, but two 5am starts, plus a lot of cycling, drinking and sunshine was enough to wipe me out!
I couldn't be bothered to go to the shops for bread for the morning ;) #baking http://t.co/B6fL8jys
@VeraR2010 I think it'd look even tastier if I'd used a metal loaf tin. But I'm experimenting :) Smells great, at least...
@BradleyLaw Gosh. Knightsbridge must have gone downhill recently.
2011
@tsunimee I think you must be in a different timezone. I just got up!
@MatthewTosh Awesome. It was worth getting up then! On way to snap some pics :)
On my way up to the #bibf http://instagr.am/p/KABfU/
@jorence Morning!
@jorence Me too. Currently walking quite fast Ashton Court-wards just in case. #runninglate #5amstartsaretough
@ClearlyAM Looking likely :)
@Swishrelic Archaeologists will probably find it under a pyramid next year. #crazytech
@ClearlyAM No worries. Looking good up here. Low wind, getting brighter :) http://instagr.am/p/KAPxD/
"Optimistic" for a launch this morning. #bibf http://lockerz.com/s/128817569
@IreneB9 Yup. Not certain. But optimistic. Cross fingers!
@Phooto No, it's *even more* weather-dependent than NASA ;) Will do.
Weather improving :) #bibf http://lockerz.com/s/128825110
Good to talk to @MatthewTosh about the pyrotechnics just now. Sounds like a good show lined up for tomorrow night! #bibf
Feel the burn. http://instagr.am/p/KAfPZ/
@danfairs Lots more coming that way!
@EmmaFurious Yup!
RT @tom_watson: I wonder if David Cameron has even heard of Gizmodo. I hope is staff show him the link: http://gizmo.do/qfLe1U
Right. Coffee. Now, where did I leave that suspension bridge? *looks around*
RT @matthewfreeth: Bristol this morning. http://twitpic.com/64rlzm
Phew. Thought the bridge was still closed for some reason, but they're just coincidentally doing some work on the east walkway.
@Phooto Please tag those #badumtish in future.
RT @jbrownridge: 70 lightning strikes caught in one awesome photo http://t.co/MGxatW1
@guriben Oddly, had the best coverage ever at Ashton Court. Someone must have put a new one in since last year.
RT @guriben: Hello. A base station shared by mobile operators in Bristol has been vandalised. Your 3G/CDMA coverage may be a bit shit.
@HelloEmsy @hayles #lovelybristol Watching 60 balloons take off at dawn, then crossing suspension bridge to drink latte in BTP :) #rightnow
@hayles HAHAHA.
RT @markthomasinfo: Never thought I would say this but "Hats off Peter Oborne" http://t.co/udaY5Xg
Heading townwards. http://instagr.am/p/KBptF/
@EtcEtcOnline Oh. Do people actually *say* things like that? I thought that only happened on _The Apprentice_.
Faulty phone replaced, and back onto the ferry home just before the rain. Win. Thank you, AppleCare, and Melissa at Cabot Circus store.
@ToM_BaL Yeah. This is how it's looking in an Ashton Court direction at the mo :( http://twitpic.com/64wc82
@benclatworthy Yup, took a few. Bit weary now, it has to be said. Long walk on top of the early start always knocks me out!
I think I might listen to Radio 4 and bake some bread. #middleclasstweets
@johnprescott Sounds really quite hard. Might just be able to do it for *mobile* connections specifically with help from phone companies.
@johnprescott ...but even then I can think of ways around it if you're technical enough.
@tadramgo Hrm. ARPANET was designed for that, when it was controlled by a single government who wanted that to be the case.
@tadramgo But I still agree with your conclusion!
@andybeebristol Ah, I did wonder why I hadn't bumped into you for 24 hours solid :)
@AnthonyHocken Yeah. And we'd better not go back to using runners to communicate. #banlegsnow
@missemmeline Yes, that just means you're a decade younger :)
@thomasvenables Goodness. Are you spreading sedition? TURN OFF TWITTER IN BRISTOL IMMEDIATELY!
@Kate_Butler Probably not drug dealers, as they're technically a small business.
"...a bullet which lodged itself in one officer's radio..." http://bbc.in/nnxwVq #hmm #cleverbullet
@talkie_tim I'll see your Birmingham New Street and raise you a Swindon.
@Malarkey Add it to the spelling dictionary (type it, right-click it, Learn Spelling.)
@Malarkey Though I also think it's iOS-like in that it should eventually figure that out for itself and stop correcting it.
@tomfordyce Did he mean "torpid"?
Like Flickr? Like using your keyboard? Press '?' on any Flickr page. Ta-da! (Courtesy PetaPixel http://t.co/UVmkWHN)
@guriben If it helps, I think you can type a question mark on that keyboard by using a "2", a full stop, and some Tipp-Ex correction paper.
@tsunimee :)
@mollycrabapple Woah, rewind! There's a vote? Oh! Well, I'm with you. Feynman. Such a beautiful face.
@CasJam I have never seen that on a Mac, Lion or no Lion. Mind you, I'm running version 14, which might be more Lion-friendly.
@CasJam Yeah, 14 is the dev channel. If you want to try it and see if it helps, select the dev channel from http://t.co/OIurYl3
@ollieflips Generally, I prefer the bigger ones, because I know where they are. Unless I mistake them for an avant-garde light fitting.
@the3rdgirl I can be sexy. *does sexy*
RT @benstewart999: Wow! Speaking about the 11-year old looter, Cameron said "Everybody deserves a 2nd chance". Oh no, sorry, he was talk ...
@almostexact I'll tell you why. It's because Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.
@jcroft Heck, I got that not three minutes ago just by *rebooting* 10.7.0. It may not be an update bug.
@jcroft If you go into the desktop System Preferences, do your backdrops magically reappear without you having to select them? Mine did.
@zombizi He's got a great face for comedy, though. Picked the wrong career.
@jcroft Your backdrops don't happen to be in an iPhoto library mounted on an external drive, do they? (Mine are.)
@jcroft ...and I think we have a winner. Maybe the stoopid thing's trying to set them before it's mounted the drive, or something.
Here are some of my #bibf mass balloon launch snaps from this morning http://t.co/38Sn1KZ #bristol [This time, *with* the link]
@MandinaM It was not that lush a sunrise this morning, but I took a chance and it paid off :)
@MandinaM I love the walk up there. But, er... I was in bed by about 10:30 last night so I'd cope with this morning :)
@BristolBones Ta.
@BristolBones Left my place about 5:30, so I'd have got there six-ish, I guess.
@MandinaM Yeah, it's a tough call. I normally only make one dawn launch per fiesta.
@MandinaM I *might* drag myself up on Sunday if there are blueish skies. But then again, want to do the night glow tomorrow night. Hrm.
@oxfamcothambook Aw, shucks. *blush*
2010
Good deed for the day: Pointed some cyclists down the new cycle path to Ashton Court.
Gah! The BBC weather forecast for the balloon fiesta days is changing, for the worse, by the hour!
@Swishrelic Looks like Saturday's will have more chance of rain. Reckon I'm going tonight!
@south_mouth Yes, use a solder sucker/pump or desoldering braid. Or have quite a lot of experience.
@south_mouth Maplin sell them.
Wow. Bristol traffic is already five times as bad as normal.
@hayles Thinking it's the Suspension Bridge closure plus the Bridge Valley Road closure plus balloon fiesta traffic. #Bristol
@SallyGriffith Presumably they allow you to squelch stylishly, though?
@jukesie @AndyCouncil Yes, my thoughts exactly. Big lad, isn't he?
@jukesie @AndyCouncil "Sorry, I would sign up, but I'm afraid I'd get a crick in the neck while we did the preliminary small-talk..."
@AndyCouncil Yes, and you'd have to go a long way to find someone who wouldn't quietly let him eat their shreddies, too.
Odd. My Lens Profiles randomly disappeared from Lightroom. Reinstalled, and they're back.
@mikeotaylor I imagine some bastard's going to spoil my view with a firework display and a bunch of glowing balloons :)
#commutergraphy for the day. http://tweetphoto.com/38408617
@getrunningapp Ta! (Also: I've always wanted to be a co-conspirator. Do we get a secret handshake?)
At the fiesta. Girl has clearly just won banana bigger than she is, and must now carry it all evening :) http://tweetphoto.com/38511211
@KellyJanner Not in any country _I'd_ want to live in ;D
So, yes, tonight I have mostly been watching this sort of thing. http://flic.kr/p/8rP7Uw
Right. Night all! I leave you with a video taste of this evening's Night Glow :) http://youtu.be/iNFDuFkd_9A?hd=1
@paulahillier I don't think I'll be up in time for tomorrow morning's launch :(
@paulahillier I took tomorrow off work to do something Fiesta-ey. Maybe I can drag myself out of bed if I know I can get back into it later!
@paulahillier Cool!
@instapaper Is there a way of creating a bookmarklet for "move this to the archive in Instapaper"?
Grrr. DailyBooth is exceptionally random about whether it'll successfully upload a picture or not. And it hangs rather than just failing.
@paulahillier It's far nicer than Christmas. I don't have to agonise over presents and nobody witters on about booking meals 6 months ahead!
Morning all! http://tweetphoto.com/38408215
2009
@philmonger is that the sound of someone drowning in spam follower requests I hear?
@irishbelle2001 Congratulations!
@wilshipley Are you still using that thing when Dropbox exists? Loving the fact I can reliably sync Scrivener docs at last. #fuckingidisk
@KaveyF we want to see you jars!
The iPhone has many limitations, but perhaps the most serious is its inability to read the alt-text on xkcd.com.
Support #welovetheNHS, add a #twibbon to your avatar now! - http://twibbon.com/join/welovetheNHS
#welovethenhs Heck, I work for a private healthcare company, and _I_ love the NHS!
#welovetheNHS even though the NHS advised my mother not to have me! Was best advice for her - she had MS and the NHS looked after her well.
âŚ(still quite glad she decided to ignore that bit of advice, mind!)
I used Shazam to discover Acid Tongue by Jenny Lewis #shazam
@tweeny4 Hrm. Cider fondue. Could work, that.
(Fondu? Heck, I can't spell.)
@KaveyF Neither are you!
@hayles How can you not _know_? Youngster.
@hayles Not that I'm a huge fan -- The Fields of the Nephilim are my particular gothic poison -- but hey...
@hayles okay, I'll let you off.
*sings* "A spoonful of miracles/A nostril full of dust/ a lungful of Virginia/the needs we have we must"
2008
Yow. Long evening installing Debian and getting VNC working. Linux: it's a nice place to live, but you don't want to visit there.
2007
Damn. Too windy for balloon launches.
Procrastinating over chores by trying to decide on the right bouncy music to do them to :)