Quite a bit going on today, this week in fact, in terms of learning curves.
Firstly, BIG UP to the WikiLeaks team, fans, supporters on the fight back. BIG BROTHER, take that! For every commercial giant, government patsy and/or big brother creep - Take a hike!! While I'm not sure I agree with everything and anything that is being made public or perhaps all of the rationale behind any of it - HOW DARE you try to shut it down and squash freedom - freedom of any kind! To the US Government desperately looking for a law to throw at Julian Assange - your desperation and rule bending is NOT going un-noticed.
Big Brother .................... Meet Big Cyber-bully!! Excellent.
Next, to the students out there on the march today and fighting so vocally against a rise in Tuition Fees - GOOD FOR YOU! I admire your tenacity and at the same time, your naive belief that you can still sway this very undemocratic un-liberal vote! Sadly, your voted leaders LIED to you ........... and this won't be the first or the last time. You're learning the first of a group of very hard lessons about elected officials!! You will also, in some way or another, for the rest of your life - have your elected officials with their one hand IN YOUR POCKET and the other hand AROUND YOUR THROAT! That's how it works .................... WORLDWIDE!
Keep shouting, keep marching, keep voicing your disapproval - some of the worst laws and unpopular traditions of government were ended in just such a fashion. I salute you!!
Lib-Dems - hope you're blushing. I know the Conservatives are laughing behind their hands at the long-term damage this is doing for you. As for Labour ............. enough said.
Salute to the little people
Over & Out!
Thursday, December 09, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Funny Ol' Week - innit?
This is not going to be War and Peace!
I surmise that having “avoided” writing my blog for around 6 weeks, I should keep it short and sweet.
The Springboks were beaten by the Scots at Murrayfield!
Much horror, not much shock! I read a very good comment by someone who intoned that the only possession the Boks appear good at is that of illegal performance enhancing drugs …………….. The ball, nah ................ no way, no desire for possession there at all! Twickenham this weekend is going to be, interesting to say the least! I’ll be watching in exile (at home, no beer) – can’t promise to behave you see!!
During a recession labelled as being “the worst in living memory” – although, I debate that and conclude that could depend largely on where in the world you’ve lived for the last 80 years ………… a senior member of the House of Lords stated that “The vast majority of people in this country have never had it so good”! Oh dear, lead balloon time – or at least lead-lined parachute directly out of parliament. He’s been now labelled “technically correct” by a millionaire Businessman – worryingly one that RJB is indirectly working with – double oh dear!
Followed closely by an announcement that “Social Housing will no longer be housing for life”!? Massive uproar – people feeling very insecure! Really? Council houses were for life and then you could pass them on to your kids? REALLY?! There are over 5million people in the United Kingdom WAITING, yes that’s right, WAITING for social housing! That there alone is proof that the Benefits system – IS NOT WORKING FOLKS! Get real, get a life, get a grip!! – That statement is going to really annoy some people!
Ireland has finally taken a MASSIVE loan …………. This after protesting volubly for the last 10 days that they didn’t need one. Big debate ensues as well as much self congratulations on the part of those who’ve kept fighting to keep Britain’s currency! Great Headline midweek – “DIreland”! Spain and Portugal are next ……….. Trying to think of an award winning headline for those! How about “sPAIN " and “PoorTUGAL!”
The Pope has back-tracked ever so slightly on his “Anti-Condom Status”. It’s now ok to use one if you’re actively trying to save a life and prevent the spread of Aids – specifically if you’re an HIV positive male sex-worker!? What? Seriously!? Somehow, the fact that he focussed on male sex workers and not anything else doesn’t surprise me – AT ALL! That’s a hmmmmmmmmm moment indeed!!
Kate and Wills (Katherine and William) are getting married next year! Mixed reactions! Kate is a COMMONER! Yes, they actually STILL use words like that over here! The Bah-humbugs are watching carefully to see who pays, Charles or the tax-payer! (Hell, if we stick with tradition, surely the airhostess and her commoner husband with their “party business” should pick up the tab!!) Many are looking forward to an over-the-top, extravagant & fancy event – anything to lift the general mood. The debate is the billions in revenue earned by Britain off the back of a largely defunct monarchy ………… that most can’t help loving anyway! I say, let’s have a public holiday !!
There’s more ……….. there always is, but I said NO novel so ………………
“That’s all folks !”
See you through the week if I don’t see you through the window
Ciao
I surmise that having “avoided” writing my blog for around 6 weeks, I should keep it short and sweet.
The Springboks were beaten by the Scots at Murrayfield!
Much horror, not much shock! I read a very good comment by someone who intoned that the only possession the Boks appear good at is that of illegal performance enhancing drugs …………….. The ball, nah ................ no way, no desire for possession there at all! Twickenham this weekend is going to be, interesting to say the least! I’ll be watching in exile (at home, no beer) – can’t promise to behave you see!!
During a recession labelled as being “the worst in living memory” – although, I debate that and conclude that could depend largely on where in the world you’ve lived for the last 80 years ………… a senior member of the House of Lords stated that “The vast majority of people in this country have never had it so good”! Oh dear, lead balloon time – or at least lead-lined parachute directly out of parliament. He’s been now labelled “technically correct” by a millionaire Businessman – worryingly one that RJB is indirectly working with – double oh dear!
Followed closely by an announcement that “Social Housing will no longer be housing for life”!? Massive uproar – people feeling very insecure! Really? Council houses were for life and then you could pass them on to your kids? REALLY?! There are over 5million people in the United Kingdom WAITING, yes that’s right, WAITING for social housing! That there alone is proof that the Benefits system – IS NOT WORKING FOLKS! Get real, get a life, get a grip!! – That statement is going to really annoy some people!
Ireland has finally taken a MASSIVE loan …………. This after protesting volubly for the last 10 days that they didn’t need one. Big debate ensues as well as much self congratulations on the part of those who’ve kept fighting to keep Britain’s currency! Great Headline midweek – “DIreland”! Spain and Portugal are next ……….. Trying to think of an award winning headline for those! How about “sPAIN " and “PoorTUGAL!”
The Pope has back-tracked ever so slightly on his “Anti-Condom Status”. It’s now ok to use one if you’re actively trying to save a life and prevent the spread of Aids – specifically if you’re an HIV positive male sex-worker!? What? Seriously!? Somehow, the fact that he focussed on male sex workers and not anything else doesn’t surprise me – AT ALL! That’s a hmmmmmmmmm moment indeed!!
Kate and Wills (Katherine and William) are getting married next year! Mixed reactions! Kate is a COMMONER! Yes, they actually STILL use words like that over here! The Bah-humbugs are watching carefully to see who pays, Charles or the tax-payer! (Hell, if we stick with tradition, surely the airhostess and her commoner husband with their “party business” should pick up the tab!!) Many are looking forward to an over-the-top, extravagant & fancy event – anything to lift the general mood. The debate is the billions in revenue earned by Britain off the back of a largely defunct monarchy ………… that most can’t help loving anyway! I say, let’s have a public holiday !!
There’s more ……….. there always is, but I said NO novel so ………………
“That’s all folks !”
See you through the week if I don’t see you through the window
Ciao
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Will Manchester United 'Roo' the day?
So much in the news over the last 48 hours about Wayne Rooney, it would be a sin not to add my two pence!!
I’ll start by saying that for me, the whole sordid saga is actually more about a very uneasy ménage à trios!
Now that I have your attention – that is somewhat misleading, but only somewhat. Hey, we all know sex sells! The uneasy threesome I am in fact thinking about include : Fan vs Sport vs Business – in no particular order.
The bare essentials of the debate begin with the news that Wayne Rooney wants to leave Manchester United. What follows is moral, obsessive, indignant outrage – pretty much across the board, save for the more business focussed of reporters. Speculation, of which there is PLENTY so far, is that the move will be across Manchester …………………… red to blue. Man U to Man Citeh!
The Manager is “bemused” (actually, on TV he just looks pissed off) but you never really can tell with Sir Alex! He says “ the door is always open, nothing is certain, he and Rooney AREN’T at logger-heads, he’s very surprised” etc. etc.
Roo says “he’s not injured, he wants to play, he hasn’t missed a training session” .
Translation : Roo’s on the bench because he couldn’t hit a barn door with a cow right now, so bad is the goal drought! Or, his sulky, whinging, annoying little attitude, a carry over from his spectacular display at the world cup in June is giving him some additional cooler time – remember, this is Sir Alex he’s shadow boxing with, OR …………. and this is the bit the red-tops over here are milking for all it’s worth - His kinky capers and ‘three is not a crowd extravaganzas’ are too much negative publicity for the club – ergo, get some perspective on the bench mucky boy.
However you’ve heard it, or view it, his form is pretty diabolical right now, his general behaviour is stupid and annoying and and and – oh, I’m not a Manchester United Fan, I should put that out there.
And so begins the debate – arm chair, professional pundits and any others welcome!!
“Football is a business” – an opinion guaranteed to really work up a football fan! General fan take on this is “All the big money and big business is destroying the beautiful game”.
“Wayne is just looking after his financial interests” – um, the man has more money than God! He’s also a fairly simple bloke from what we’ve seen, in more ways than one. Cue here – 'His advisors' (and oh what a motley crew they must be) are looking after their …………….. oh, I mean HIS interests !
“Wayne isn’t afraid of Fergie, he just wants to play” – well, we all know what happens to those players that take THE Manager “No one player is bigger than the club” Ferguson on. History indicates that he can’t win this one – he should google Sir Alex vs Beckham or Sir Alex vs Van Nistelrooy for a quick heads up here!
“During the World Cup in South Africa, Wayne saw how much other players were being offered from Real, Citeh, Barca etc. etc.” – WHAT?! and now HE wants a bigger salary? – LOL, I mean literally, laugh out loud. Greedy git! His form is so poor; it’s almost painful to watch him trying to score! All the negative publicity his shambolic personal life is generating can’t be a positive thing for the rest of his team mates and well, he knows that the club has huge debt and a bigger salary is HIGHLY unlikely. Cue ………….. The advice he’s getting from his 'Advisors' is not free or cheap I surmise!!
“Manchester United is a brand and will go on and on and on – with or without Wayne Rooney” – Good point, but as a Liverpool fan, all I can say here is ……………………………… watch those Yanks of yours very carefully !!
“He should be ashamed of himself – he should want to stay at Man U for the glory and honour of playing for such a club” – well, lots to gloat about to be sure, some of the legends of the game have been, still are and will still play in the shirt, but Sir Alex is not getting any younger and ………… there’s those Yanks again! Actually, less than a year ago, he publicly said he’d play out his career at Manchester United. I guess that was before, before ………………… just before!
And so, back to the ménage à trios!
Business first - the Yanks, the advisors and the Roo are in it for the money. Man U prints money all around the world and will probably continue to do so for eons. Manchester United is a brand. Sadly yes, it’s not just about the beautiful game anymore.
It’s also a Sport and Wayne is a sportsman. He’s not playing how, when and if he’d like to. He’s also not playing well. He has ,however, been playing as a professional since he was a teen and he has many more good years in him yet. Perhaps he’s worried (read 'advisors') about where his club will go thinking debt, Fergie, etc. There are other great clubs out there. Plus, if the focus is on his transfer rather than his extra marital game playing – it’s about the sport again then isn’t it?
And then the Fans! No, it’s no mistake that the fans are last ……………..it’s a reality, no matter the club! – “Rooney is under surveillance by the police right now as there are legitimate fears for his safety”! Seriously! Imagine being at the first game Rooney plays in ‘the light blue shirt’ …………………… headline material indeed! Roo didn’t like the fans in South Africa in June; he’s CERTAINLY not going to like them again no matter where he goes, but most especially if he trades red for blue. I suspect that with these fans, the feeling is completely mutual!
And so it goes on. Will he stay, or will he go?………………………….. well, time will tell. Who wins here? His Agent wins. The Business wins. The red tops, broadsheets and other media cashing in on the specuation win. As for the rest, I think the fans lose, the game loses, integrity loses, Roo loses credibility, popularity and perhaps legend value in the long run – but maybe, just maybe Wayne Rooney doesn't lose the lesson - Three is usually a crowd!
Over and Out !
I’ll start by saying that for me, the whole sordid saga is actually more about a very uneasy ménage à trios!
Now that I have your attention – that is somewhat misleading, but only somewhat. Hey, we all know sex sells! The uneasy threesome I am in fact thinking about include : Fan vs Sport vs Business – in no particular order.
The bare essentials of the debate begin with the news that Wayne Rooney wants to leave Manchester United. What follows is moral, obsessive, indignant outrage – pretty much across the board, save for the more business focussed of reporters. Speculation, of which there is PLENTY so far, is that the move will be across Manchester …………………… red to blue. Man U to Man Citeh!
The Manager is “bemused” (actually, on TV he just looks pissed off) but you never really can tell with Sir Alex! He says “ the door is always open, nothing is certain, he and Rooney AREN’T at logger-heads, he’s very surprised” etc. etc.
Roo says “he’s not injured, he wants to play, he hasn’t missed a training session” .
Translation : Roo’s on the bench because he couldn’t hit a barn door with a cow right now, so bad is the goal drought! Or, his sulky, whinging, annoying little attitude, a carry over from his spectacular display at the world cup in June is giving him some additional cooler time – remember, this is Sir Alex he’s shadow boxing with, OR …………. and this is the bit the red-tops over here are milking for all it’s worth - His kinky capers and ‘three is not a crowd extravaganzas’ are too much negative publicity for the club – ergo, get some perspective on the bench mucky boy.
However you’ve heard it, or view it, his form is pretty diabolical right now, his general behaviour is stupid and annoying and and and – oh, I’m not a Manchester United Fan, I should put that out there.
And so begins the debate – arm chair, professional pundits and any others welcome!!
“Football is a business” – an opinion guaranteed to really work up a football fan! General fan take on this is “All the big money and big business is destroying the beautiful game”.
“Wayne is just looking after his financial interests” – um, the man has more money than God! He’s also a fairly simple bloke from what we’ve seen, in more ways than one. Cue here – 'His advisors' (and oh what a motley crew they must be) are looking after their …………….. oh, I mean HIS interests !
“Wayne isn’t afraid of Fergie, he just wants to play” – well, we all know what happens to those players that take THE Manager “No one player is bigger than the club” Ferguson on. History indicates that he can’t win this one – he should google Sir Alex vs Beckham or Sir Alex vs Van Nistelrooy for a quick heads up here!
“During the World Cup in South Africa, Wayne saw how much other players were being offered from Real, Citeh, Barca etc. etc.” – WHAT?! and now HE wants a bigger salary? – LOL, I mean literally, laugh out loud. Greedy git! His form is so poor; it’s almost painful to watch him trying to score! All the negative publicity his shambolic personal life is generating can’t be a positive thing for the rest of his team mates and well, he knows that the club has huge debt and a bigger salary is HIGHLY unlikely. Cue ………….. The advice he’s getting from his 'Advisors' is not free or cheap I surmise!!
“Manchester United is a brand and will go on and on and on – with or without Wayne Rooney” – Good point, but as a Liverpool fan, all I can say here is ……………………………… watch those Yanks of yours very carefully !!
“He should be ashamed of himself – he should want to stay at Man U for the glory and honour of playing for such a club” – well, lots to gloat about to be sure, some of the legends of the game have been, still are and will still play in the shirt, but Sir Alex is not getting any younger and ………… there’s those Yanks again! Actually, less than a year ago, he publicly said he’d play out his career at Manchester United. I guess that was before, before ………………… just before!
And so, back to the ménage à trios!
Business first - the Yanks, the advisors and the Roo are in it for the money. Man U prints money all around the world and will probably continue to do so for eons. Manchester United is a brand. Sadly yes, it’s not just about the beautiful game anymore.
It’s also a Sport and Wayne is a sportsman. He’s not playing how, when and if he’d like to. He’s also not playing well. He has ,however, been playing as a professional since he was a teen and he has many more good years in him yet. Perhaps he’s worried (read 'advisors') about where his club will go thinking debt, Fergie, etc. There are other great clubs out there. Plus, if the focus is on his transfer rather than his extra marital game playing – it’s about the sport again then isn’t it?
And then the Fans! No, it’s no mistake that the fans are last ……………..it’s a reality, no matter the club! – “Rooney is under surveillance by the police right now as there are legitimate fears for his safety”! Seriously! Imagine being at the first game Rooney plays in ‘the light blue shirt’ …………………… headline material indeed! Roo didn’t like the fans in South Africa in June; he’s CERTAINLY not going to like them again no matter where he goes, but most especially if he trades red for blue. I suspect that with these fans, the feeling is completely mutual!
And so it goes on. Will he stay, or will he go?………………………….. well, time will tell. Who wins here? His Agent wins. The Business wins. The red tops, broadsheets and other media cashing in on the specuation win. As for the rest, I think the fans lose, the game loses, integrity loses, Roo loses credibility, popularity and perhaps legend value in the long run – but maybe, just maybe Wayne Rooney doesn't lose the lesson - Three is usually a crowd!
Over and Out !
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Choices
Since I waited so long to post an update ………………….something I’ve been advised time and time again is unforgivably bad practice, a long break that is, not Blogging ……………………….. anyway, I had hoped for the subject matter to be fun and quirky or at least inspirational. True to form, however, it’s more a moral conundrum or my own internal debate at least – it is, however, inspired, if that makes a difference!
The subject matter today people, “the right to die” – VERY uplifting I hear you shriek!
What sparked this initial detailed brain turmoil for me was the inquest into the death of a young Barrister in Chelsea in May 2006. Without going into vast amounts of detail, essentially, this very drunk alcoholic and desperate man was “eliminated” (I’m being very careful about my choice of words here)by policeman who had surrounded his residence after he’d fired a couple of rounds of his own shotgun during the day. After a 5 hour stand-off, during which time he was refused conversations with his wife and a friend, he was shot 5 times by police.
The death was finally declared “lawful” today after many months of debate and discussion!
This man was refused access to his wife and a close friend during the stand-off because negotiators “feared he was suicidal and that he wanted to say goodbye” – which they wanted to prevent ………………….. Why, so they could shoot him instead? Oversimplified, of course, but at what point does ANYONE have the right to decide that murder (defined as the pre-meditated act of taking someone’s life) is / was a more acceptable option than a potential suicide?
Move on to the law in the UK which views assisted suicide as a moral crime, punishable with a long prison sentence. I see today, in one of the UK’s more reputable newspapers, that “a group of leading doctors, who endorse assisted dying for the terminally ill, will this week launch an unprecedented campaign to change the law on the right to die”. Said law dates back to 1961 and the group will be chaired by Dr Ann McPherson – who is also dying of pancreatic cancer!
SUCH a complicated topic and with so many points of view!
I really understand the fear of a whole pile of “Dr Shipmans” popping up out of the woodwork as well as loads of evil cruel family members offing the grand-parents or annoyingly ill older people and all of that needs to be taken into consideration when looking at anything as controversial as “the right to die”. But please, let’s not forget the dignity and above all, the choice and wishes, of the terminally ill. I am also VERY uncomfortable with Government or any elected or non-elected body making MORAL decisions on behalf of the public! Not every person, terminally ill or not , will want to or will try to take their own life – but it really SHOULD be an individual choice!
I personally am not bound by any set of rules which makes suicide a mortal sin. I also know first-hand the terrible painful gut-wrenching loss of honouring the wishes of a loved one who elects to die quickly and with dignity – a decision I will never regret, however disturbing and devastating.
The key here, i believe, is choice. As humans, one of our greatest assets as well as possibly one of our heaviest burdens is cognitive thought. It gives us the desire to make choices – good ones, bad ones, right or wrong, the ability to learn and to reason is tied to our need to make choices – I believe that completely. So, there is no right answer here, just perhaps a better one, a choice.
I know I’d like my final decision to be exactly that, mine!
Happy Birthday Mom – you were inspired!!
TGIF
PS - looking forward to some feedback, please comment !
The subject matter today people, “the right to die” – VERY uplifting I hear you shriek!
What sparked this initial detailed brain turmoil for me was the inquest into the death of a young Barrister in Chelsea in May 2006. Without going into vast amounts of detail, essentially, this very drunk alcoholic and desperate man was “eliminated” (I’m being very careful about my choice of words here)by policeman who had surrounded his residence after he’d fired a couple of rounds of his own shotgun during the day. After a 5 hour stand-off, during which time he was refused conversations with his wife and a friend, he was shot 5 times by police.
The death was finally declared “lawful” today after many months of debate and discussion!
This man was refused access to his wife and a close friend during the stand-off because negotiators “feared he was suicidal and that he wanted to say goodbye” – which they wanted to prevent ………………….. Why, so they could shoot him instead? Oversimplified, of course, but at what point does ANYONE have the right to decide that murder (defined as the pre-meditated act of taking someone’s life) is / was a more acceptable option than a potential suicide?
Move on to the law in the UK which views assisted suicide as a moral crime, punishable with a long prison sentence. I see today, in one of the UK’s more reputable newspapers, that “a group of leading doctors, who endorse assisted dying for the terminally ill, will this week launch an unprecedented campaign to change the law on the right to die”. Said law dates back to 1961 and the group will be chaired by Dr Ann McPherson – who is also dying of pancreatic cancer!
SUCH a complicated topic and with so many points of view!
I really understand the fear of a whole pile of “Dr Shipmans” popping up out of the woodwork as well as loads of evil cruel family members offing the grand-parents or annoyingly ill older people and all of that needs to be taken into consideration when looking at anything as controversial as “the right to die”. But please, let’s not forget the dignity and above all, the choice and wishes, of the terminally ill. I am also VERY uncomfortable with Government or any elected or non-elected body making MORAL decisions on behalf of the public! Not every person, terminally ill or not , will want to or will try to take their own life – but it really SHOULD be an individual choice!
I personally am not bound by any set of rules which makes suicide a mortal sin. I also know first-hand the terrible painful gut-wrenching loss of honouring the wishes of a loved one who elects to die quickly and with dignity – a decision I will never regret, however disturbing and devastating.
The key here, i believe, is choice. As humans, one of our greatest assets as well as possibly one of our heaviest burdens is cognitive thought. It gives us the desire to make choices – good ones, bad ones, right or wrong, the ability to learn and to reason is tied to our need to make choices – I believe that completely. So, there is no right answer here, just perhaps a better one, a choice.
I know I’d like my final decision to be exactly that, mine!
Happy Birthday Mom – you were inspired!!
TGIF
PS - looking forward to some feedback, please comment !
Monday, September 20, 2010
A bit of a "no ball"
Imagine, if you can, being an English Cricketer right now today and knowing that in around 20 minutes, you're strolling out on the pitch to play Pakistan ................................... after the Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman just said that England deliberatly lost their last game .............. more match fixing, cheating, etc. etc.
Its all looking a bit mucky right now really. Allegations, News of the World entrapment, throwing games, dropping balls, cheating, players being sent home, talk of "life bans". The English captain Andrew Strauss was, and i quote "outraged" by the allegations made against his team. Everyone has been wading in this morning, sports commentators and presenters, ex-players, existing players - non stop outrage and shock.
Give me a break! Did everyone forget about Hansie Cronje already?
Ian Botham calls for Pakistan to be banned from the game - permanently I wonder? While a fabulous cricketer, in fact one of the best, he's hardly one of the "good guys" of sport and has quite a history of pushing the boundries. He's right about the ICC getting their finger out and getting their hands dirty here tho!
Someone commented this morning that just because the players are English, they shouldn't automatically be presumed innocent! That's quite rough - does that mean they should automatically be presumed guilty? How does that work - doesn't sound sporting or legal from where i'm sitting ............. but at the same time, the indignant outrage and ranting and raving and "how dare they's" is a little premature - please, the English are incapable of cheating or being paid large sums for fixing odds? Right - that's more than a little funny guys, really!!
I for one will have the game on in the background today ............ if only to watch the crowd rip into the players, the bowlers rip into the batsmen and the desperate diving all over the place "not to drop any balls" and prove the rumours true ...................... from either side. I think it'll be a VERY good day at Lords today ............ or at least a very interesting one.
Testosterone fest perhaps !!
Over & Out
PS - Just under the radar - Ryan Sidebottom just retired from International Cricket today and Jimmy Anderson posed nude for a Gay Magazine - both brave moves really !!
Its all looking a bit mucky right now really. Allegations, News of the World entrapment, throwing games, dropping balls, cheating, players being sent home, talk of "life bans". The English captain Andrew Strauss was, and i quote "outraged" by the allegations made against his team. Everyone has been wading in this morning, sports commentators and presenters, ex-players, existing players - non stop outrage and shock.
Give me a break! Did everyone forget about Hansie Cronje already?
Ian Botham calls for Pakistan to be banned from the game - permanently I wonder? While a fabulous cricketer, in fact one of the best, he's hardly one of the "good guys" of sport and has quite a history of pushing the boundries. He's right about the ICC getting their finger out and getting their hands dirty here tho!
Someone commented this morning that just because the players are English, they shouldn't automatically be presumed innocent! That's quite rough - does that mean they should automatically be presumed guilty? How does that work - doesn't sound sporting or legal from where i'm sitting ............. but at the same time, the indignant outrage and ranting and raving and "how dare they's" is a little premature - please, the English are incapable of cheating or being paid large sums for fixing odds? Right - that's more than a little funny guys, really!!
I for one will have the game on in the background today ............ if only to watch the crowd rip into the players, the bowlers rip into the batsmen and the desperate diving all over the place "not to drop any balls" and prove the rumours true ...................... from either side. I think it'll be a VERY good day at Lords today ............ or at least a very interesting one.
Testosterone fest perhaps !!
Over & Out
PS - Just under the radar - Ryan Sidebottom just retired from International Cricket today and Jimmy Anderson posed nude for a Gay Magazine - both brave moves really !!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
This is how it ACTUALLY is
So, on reflection of much and discussion today ................ after at least a gallon of red wine, The Blog should be:
Shorter
Sweeter
AS or MORE controversial
Definitely funnier
Less ranting
Less personal
More marketable - wider audience
GET ON WITH IT
So here it is and there's more coming ...............
Over and 'working on it'
NBB
Shorter
Sweeter
AS or MORE controversial
Definitely funnier
Less ranting
Less personal
More marketable - wider audience
GET ON WITH IT
So here it is and there's more coming ...............
Over and 'working on it'
NBB
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The Rise & Fall of Sport
What’s with sport and cheats ? Or should that read Sportsmen & women and cheating?
Let’s start with “The Nike Curse”. Originally a phrase coined about a fantastical Nike Ad starring some of the sporting worlds’ biggest names & building the anticipation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup which, after their bad form, injuries or similar seemed doomed or cursed. The Ad featured the likes of Christiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba, Roger Federer, Kobe Bryant and even Homer Simpson. Tiger Woods wasn’t in it and of course not all of the participants have had their worlds come crashing down around their ears, but it’s a good starting point.
I don’t need to say much about Tiger Woods except that WOW, how the mighty have fallen!! I would have confined that to his private life, but just watching his golf scores and his competition form, I'm afraid not! It may have started out that way but, hmmmmm……. Tiger = zero.
And so on to Rooney. Oh deary me. Well, it’s sordid and it’s mucky and to be completely fair – it has NOTHING to do with his football. Or at least it didn’t until Alex Ferguson left him out of the team playing Everton on Saturday (he’s originally a blue and in fact made the error as a teen of wearing a t-shirt saying he’d be blue forever). Everton fans have always had a go at him but I do concur that this weekend would have been a blood-bath had he played. Sadly for Man U, that meant a draw with Everton which won’t sit well with the Manu U fans. Especially since Everton scored 2 goals in extra time to draw. Ouch! Rooney = zero.
Here’s a conspiracy theory for you ! Nike is big business, very big wealthy business. Perhaps there’s a rival business out there muddying up the ether and creating the environment for Nike’s great stars to revert to type to ……………………………. (a) Cause Nike to draw negative press and so weaken their foot-hold; or (b) cause Nike to ditch said “stars” to be snaffled by rival business. Interesting trying to figure the brand that wants a star after their dirty laundry is washed, aired, ironed and re-aired in public …………. Insurance perhaps ?!
And what is it with the so called “gentlemans sports?” Cricket ??? Rugby ???
Cricket is about to undergo a make-over with all the match-fixing, dropped balls, no balls, etc. etc. I’m sure everyone remembers the Hansie Cronje classic ………”The devil made me do it!” moment. Essentially, the betting, scamming, cheating and dodgy-ness has been around in cricket for absolutely ages. Prior to Hansie-gate and clearly post Hansie-gate. Now there is apparently a list floating around through the corridors of cricket power which includes the names of a whole load of dodgy moments and potentially dodgy cricketers all tied in with the IPL played in South Africa earlier this year. The newspaper reckons that will never become public but if Nasser Hussein has his way………………….. Well, lets just say he’s all for the airing of dirty laundry here again!
If you wanted a fall from grace story to compare here with the others then all I need say is Kevin Pietersen! His form is dreadful and for a while there, he didn’t have a county to crawl back to in the hope of getting it back. Seems he’s now with Surrey until the end of the 2010 season and there’s a story about that he’s heading back to Natal for a couple of games before the Ashes next year …………… intriguing! His tweets of irritation at being dropped for the Twenty20 series got him fined and chastised, yet again. I personally think KP is an Ass – but there you go. How rapid the backward slide as everything keeps going wrong! He might still regret those lions he had tattooed on his person if England do decide that between his foreignness (trust me, as a fellow South African, they find him foreign) and his bad form, he can sit out the Ashes and worse!
And then the much filmed pantomime of Rugby “blood-gate”. The basic principal of 'we need to get this idiot off the field, fake an injury or something please, because we need ……….. on as replacement, quick quick!' Best idea between jocks was - take a blood capsule out of your sock, bite hard and leave the field looking like you’ve ripped the head off a vampire bat , add a quick wink to fellow conspirators , and then get the good team doctor to cut the lip to cover the ass ! Classic! We all know that rugby = blood = rugby, but the moment you add the “joke shop”, it all becomes a bit Ozzfest really. There are other corkers in rugby including players for Bath admitting to and/or avoiding urine testing for Cocaine. I kid you not. Cocaine + Rugby = ………………… one can only wonder. Now Steroids + Rugby = Obvious really, judging by the size of some of them, but that’s a WHOLE other blogging moment.
And there’s swimmers and cyclists and track athletes and Formula 1 – each story and each moment similar in that there’s a human sports person attached and …………………… MONEY.
I suppose that’s where this ends really. Sport + Money = TABLOID HEADLINES. That might be a bit simplistic and more than a bit unfair to all sportsmen out there who aren’t basically dreadful people, or naturally dishonest, or naïve, or stupid, or common, but the reality is that Business + Sports = Vulgar Money + dodgy sportman = CHEATING! Oh, and don’t forget THE NEWS OF THE WORLD – sordid entrapment specialists that they are and BAM – you have The Rise and Fall of Sports and Sportspersons.
Don’t know if I’m appalled or waiting for the next mucky episode.
Over and never “down” or out.
Let’s start with “The Nike Curse”. Originally a phrase coined about a fantastical Nike Ad starring some of the sporting worlds’ biggest names & building the anticipation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup which, after their bad form, injuries or similar seemed doomed or cursed. The Ad featured the likes of Christiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba, Roger Federer, Kobe Bryant and even Homer Simpson. Tiger Woods wasn’t in it and of course not all of the participants have had their worlds come crashing down around their ears, but it’s a good starting point.
I don’t need to say much about Tiger Woods except that WOW, how the mighty have fallen!! I would have confined that to his private life, but just watching his golf scores and his competition form, I'm afraid not! It may have started out that way but, hmmmmm……. Tiger = zero.
And so on to Rooney. Oh deary me. Well, it’s sordid and it’s mucky and to be completely fair – it has NOTHING to do with his football. Or at least it didn’t until Alex Ferguson left him out of the team playing Everton on Saturday (he’s originally a blue and in fact made the error as a teen of wearing a t-shirt saying he’d be blue forever). Everton fans have always had a go at him but I do concur that this weekend would have been a blood-bath had he played. Sadly for Man U, that meant a draw with Everton which won’t sit well with the Manu U fans. Especially since Everton scored 2 goals in extra time to draw. Ouch! Rooney = zero.
Here’s a conspiracy theory for you ! Nike is big business, very big wealthy business. Perhaps there’s a rival business out there muddying up the ether and creating the environment for Nike’s great stars to revert to type to ……………………………. (a) Cause Nike to draw negative press and so weaken their foot-hold; or (b) cause Nike to ditch said “stars” to be snaffled by rival business. Interesting trying to figure the brand that wants a star after their dirty laundry is washed, aired, ironed and re-aired in public …………. Insurance perhaps ?!
And what is it with the so called “gentlemans sports?” Cricket ??? Rugby ???
Cricket is about to undergo a make-over with all the match-fixing, dropped balls, no balls, etc. etc. I’m sure everyone remembers the Hansie Cronje classic ………”The devil made me do it!” moment. Essentially, the betting, scamming, cheating and dodgy-ness has been around in cricket for absolutely ages. Prior to Hansie-gate and clearly post Hansie-gate. Now there is apparently a list floating around through the corridors of cricket power which includes the names of a whole load of dodgy moments and potentially dodgy cricketers all tied in with the IPL played in South Africa earlier this year. The newspaper reckons that will never become public but if Nasser Hussein has his way………………….. Well, lets just say he’s all for the airing of dirty laundry here again!
If you wanted a fall from grace story to compare here with the others then all I need say is Kevin Pietersen! His form is dreadful and for a while there, he didn’t have a county to crawl back to in the hope of getting it back. Seems he’s now with Surrey until the end of the 2010 season and there’s a story about that he’s heading back to Natal for a couple of games before the Ashes next year …………… intriguing! His tweets of irritation at being dropped for the Twenty20 series got him fined and chastised, yet again. I personally think KP is an Ass – but there you go. How rapid the backward slide as everything keeps going wrong! He might still regret those lions he had tattooed on his person if England do decide that between his foreignness (trust me, as a fellow South African, they find him foreign) and his bad form, he can sit out the Ashes and worse!
And then the much filmed pantomime of Rugby “blood-gate”. The basic principal of 'we need to get this idiot off the field, fake an injury or something please, because we need ……….. on as replacement, quick quick!' Best idea between jocks was - take a blood capsule out of your sock, bite hard and leave the field looking like you’ve ripped the head off a vampire bat , add a quick wink to fellow conspirators , and then get the good team doctor to cut the lip to cover the ass ! Classic! We all know that rugby = blood = rugby, but the moment you add the “joke shop”, it all becomes a bit Ozzfest really. There are other corkers in rugby including players for Bath admitting to and/or avoiding urine testing for Cocaine. I kid you not. Cocaine + Rugby = ………………… one can only wonder. Now Steroids + Rugby = Obvious really, judging by the size of some of them, but that’s a WHOLE other blogging moment.
And there’s swimmers and cyclists and track athletes and Formula 1 – each story and each moment similar in that there’s a human sports person attached and …………………… MONEY.
I suppose that’s where this ends really. Sport + Money = TABLOID HEADLINES. That might be a bit simplistic and more than a bit unfair to all sportsmen out there who aren’t basically dreadful people, or naturally dishonest, or naïve, or stupid, or common, but the reality is that Business + Sports = Vulgar Money + dodgy sportman = CHEATING! Oh, and don’t forget THE NEWS OF THE WORLD – sordid entrapment specialists that they are and BAM – you have The Rise and Fall of Sports and Sportspersons.
Don’t know if I’m appalled or waiting for the next mucky episode.
Over and never “down” or out.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Religion it all its glory
Today, just as I was about to burst with the frustration of NOT venting my opinion, my rage, my indignation and my bile at the stupid stupid neverendingly stupid quasi-religious people in this world ……………………….
A rainbow of wisdom and a personal hero of mine posted onto his Facebook page calm and gentle words of such love that I am once again humbled and seeing straight!
The short story here and I’ll really try to stick to the short version is ……………
The International News this week has been filled with organised religion, at every level, going off the deep end and reminding me, and I suspect not exclusively me, that I am vehemently against organised religion because of the dreadful nature of so many people involved in and around it.
The Pope is coming to England. Now I, for one am NOT Catholic. Nor am I a fan of the Pope, the Catholic Church, its doctrine and or anything related to it. To avoid a rant I will just say that the child abuse scandals, anti abortion stance, anti-condom / birth-control stance of a church now crusading through Africa as well as a few other DEAL BREAKERS make me less than a fan. Now at the same time, tax-payers all over the country are or will be receiving letters, just before Christmas, letting them know they owe additional tax “because of a Government calculation error” – I mean GIVE ME A BREAK – but the Catholic Church is NOT paying for the Pontiff’s visit ………………. the tax-payer is - OUTRAGEOUS.
2nd - we have the not so rational or calm debate about a Mosque being erected on or near the 9/11 site. I’m not American, nor am I a New Yorker and we’ve already established that I’m not a Christian. I am also not necessarily pro or anti the Mosque being built, but discussions include a Greek Orthodox Church that was destroyed which may now not be rebuilt ………. Because of the Mosque, and there are many outraged people who think “Sod it, why should a Mosque go up on a site essentially cleared and created by Muslim Radicals” and there are others who want the Mosque there to appease an already angry radical Muslim faction who are not viewing this as a capitulation, and……….. and ………….. and its not fair!!
NEWSFLASH PEOPLE ………….. Life is NOT fair. Just look at Haiti, Pakistan, Niger, Zimbabwe, North Korea ………… I could go on and on (and I haven’t left anyone or any country off on purpose – the list is endless). Hell, even Donald Trump has waded into this debacle – I hope his hairpiece is glued on tight ‘cos its going to be a very bumpy ride.
Create a gentle welcoming natural green area with trees and flowers and grass and wildlife ………………. God knows we’ve destroyed enough of that worldwide to warrant it!!
And then ……….. The Piece de Resistance ………….Pastor Kooky in Florida who wants to burn The Koran and is blackmailing the US Government and every REAL Christian, REAL Muslim and REAL spiritual soul ……….. not to mention writers, publishers and book-lovers worldwide. Who burns books? I’m not even going to answer that, I can’t, it's too desperately stupid and heart-breaking! The whole world watches with bated breath on interviews where “Its on! “ “It’s off!” “It’s on!” “It’s off!”. Someone died today in a violent protest in Afghanistan based on this trippy, sad, self-promotion media circus. It’s sickening and heartbreaking and defies all boundaries of anything spiritual.
I’m sorry, I tried to avoid the rant, but I’m really an under-developed spirit, clearly with MUCH still to learn.
And so the rainbow of wisdom from a beautiful wonderful soul as quoted directly from his Facebook page today – Thank you your Holiness for putting it all into perspective so beautifully and as always, for your gentle guidance !
As quoted on the Facebook page of the office of his Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama
Friday 10th September 2010
"The kind of behavior that really is spiritual practice consists of refraining from falsehood and abiding by the truth, neither humliating nor mocking others, being humble, and having a good heart and helping others."
www.facebook.com/DalaiLama
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The Human Spirit or should that read the Spirited Human
Welcome to another wacky week !!
I had decided earlier this week that I may have to stop watching the TV news ! Based at home, it's very easy to get stuck in the News loop that is Sky News. I mean, if I don't watch out, I suddenly find at some point that I have in fact watched the same news footage over and over again in a 15 minute loop. It's not really news then is it? My take on the word "News" means it's new, it's fresh, it's informative - and that's basically impossible with the same information produced repetitively in 15 minute loops. While the world is a very interesting and every changing place, its unlikely that something new AND news-worthy will happen in time for editing or reporting live, every 15 minutes!!
Add to that the fact that I'm talking about Sky News here and Rupert Murdoch who, lets face it, essentially is one of the "Big Five" who own the world ..................... or is that "Big Three"? Either way, I fear I'm getting a very one sided view (a very repetitive one) of the world at large. Plus I'm mostly getting British News or at least information targetting the UK and it's residents. Bluntly, there is much I am also interested in that is not available to me through this channel. Ryan remarked on the fact that there is very little by way of news choice with the Sky bouquet we have ............ to be fair, the choice was about the sport, the broadband and the ............. something else in that order, I think, I forget. Anyway, no Al Jazeera, no Fox news, no SABC news, no E-TV news etc.
But getting to the point here, having avoided TV news for at least a couple of hours, I tried the internet news website option instead. Looked at a couple of old favourites, both here and abroad and ran into another special kind of horror .......... the commentary from the peanut gallery of "other readers" invited to post below pretty much any article on any website, both news and sport! Oh dear, force-fed some pretty dreadful opinions and viciously
Just the commentary alone following one article recently written by a good friend's father - who happens to be a godfather within journalistic circles - about "the blue train journey" post the "dirty little stones dinner of Naomi Campbell" - veered randomly and unchecked from spiteful banter, to hate-speech and blantant racism, to embarrassing ignorance and toe curling stupidity to very well penned factual reflection - amongst many other things. Outrageous indeed!
Enter new loop ..................... endless emotion and roller-coaster ride caused by "the human spirit" or should that read "spirited human" online opinion!
Time to read a book me thinks.
Over and out
Natale
I had decided earlier this week that I may have to stop watching the TV news ! Based at home, it's very easy to get stuck in the News loop that is Sky News. I mean, if I don't watch out, I suddenly find at some point that I have in fact watched the same news footage over and over again in a 15 minute loop. It's not really news then is it? My take on the word "News" means it's new, it's fresh, it's informative - and that's basically impossible with the same information produced repetitively in 15 minute loops. While the world is a very interesting and every changing place, its unlikely that something new AND news-worthy will happen in time for editing or reporting live, every 15 minutes!!
Add to that the fact that I'm talking about Sky News here and Rupert Murdoch who, lets face it, essentially is one of the "Big Five" who own the world ..................... or is that "Big Three"? Either way, I fear I'm getting a very one sided view (a very repetitive one) of the world at large. Plus I'm mostly getting British News or at least information targetting the UK and it's residents. Bluntly, there is much I am also interested in that is not available to me through this channel. Ryan remarked on the fact that there is very little by way of news choice with the Sky bouquet we have ............ to be fair, the choice was about the sport, the broadband and the ............. something else in that order, I think, I forget. Anyway, no Al Jazeera, no Fox news, no SABC news, no E-TV news etc.
But getting to the point here, having avoided TV news for at least a couple of hours, I tried the internet news website option instead. Looked at a couple of old favourites, both here and abroad and ran into another special kind of horror .......... the commentary from the peanut gallery of "other readers" invited to post below pretty much any article on any website, both news and sport! Oh dear, force-fed some pretty dreadful opinions and viciously
Just the commentary alone following one article recently written by a good friend's father - who happens to be a godfather within journalistic circles - about "the blue train journey" post the "dirty little stones dinner of Naomi Campbell" - veered randomly and unchecked from spiteful banter, to hate-speech and blantant racism, to embarrassing ignorance and toe curling stupidity to very well penned factual reflection - amongst many other things. Outrageous indeed!
Enter new loop ..................... endless emotion and roller-coaster ride caused by "the human spirit" or should that read "spirited human" online opinion!
Time to read a book me thinks.
Over and out
Natale
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Carpe Diem or not
Sometimes I just feel like a snail without a shell! Not exactly an original observation but the image describes the emotion just perfectly.
Essentially what that means is that I'm not homeless, but feeling that way right now. Vulnerable is another way to look at it, but that's a little too emotional a description for where I'm at, but not too way off.
Trying to work out exactly WHY TODAY is a whole other thing.
The idea of having a blog was really a commercial decision initially - trying to think longterm and well ahead, it stands to reason that when I'm published, the more I'm visible, the better that works for me in this very "who's talking to whom & following whom" world ! What this may actually occasionally turn out to be is a wailing wall, a mirror or testing ground for more than just bookable babble!
Anyway, keep it short & sweet - I'm homesick today! I'm annoyed that I am in fact AT HOME and homesick at the same time. The joys of being an expat in exile - self imposed and generally quite happy with that, excluding today!
Cape Town seems so very very far away right now.
However, Carpe Diem as one must and that means a lovely breezy English summer day!
Tot volgende keer
Natale
Essentially what that means is that I'm not homeless, but feeling that way right now. Vulnerable is another way to look at it, but that's a little too emotional a description for where I'm at, but not too way off.
Trying to work out exactly WHY TODAY is a whole other thing.
The idea of having a blog was really a commercial decision initially - trying to think longterm and well ahead, it stands to reason that when I'm published, the more I'm visible, the better that works for me in this very "who's talking to whom & following whom" world ! What this may actually occasionally turn out to be is a wailing wall, a mirror or testing ground for more than just bookable babble!
Anyway, keep it short & sweet - I'm homesick today! I'm annoyed that I am in fact AT HOME and homesick at the same time. The joys of being an expat in exile - self imposed and generally quite happy with that, excluding today!
Cape Town seems so very very far away right now.
However, Carpe Diem as one must and that means a lovely breezy English summer day!
Tot volgende keer
Natale
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Beginning
So this is it! The beginning of a public interface! No more hiding behind vagaries - it's now visible content and at some point, hopefully soon, one with cult status!
So much to say and so little clue on how and where. It's both intimidating and invigorating.
It starts with the training and tentative steps, warms up to the regular and worthy and extends to the fabulous and expensive - that's the plan.
I look forward to the feedback and the abuse. This is it - no going back!
"Publication is a self-invasion of privacy" - Marshall McLuhan
Natale
So much to say and so little clue on how and where. It's both intimidating and invigorating.
It starts with the training and tentative steps, warms up to the regular and worthy and extends to the fabulous and expensive - that's the plan.
I look forward to the feedback and the abuse. This is it - no going back!
"Publication is a self-invasion of privacy" - Marshall McLuhan
Natale
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