Identity Cards

No!

My father burned his ceremonially after the last war in front of me, telling me that only Nazis and Fachists insist on these sort of things.

So Unter Fuhrer Blunkett can go f**k himself!

After all would you trust one of the men, who had the wonderful idea of bankrupting Sheffield with the World Student Games?

 

O2's Call Centre

Let's all moan about call centres!

Well not this one!

I phoned so that I could get my mobile bill on line. The operator was pleasant, answered all my questions, gave me lots of advice etc. etc. He also got my phone bill set up, rather than me going through the web site.

And it was all over in about five minutes after perhaps half a minute of the usual key shuffle and waiting.

I'll give O2 at least eight out of ten for this one!

 

Paula Does It Again!

Paula Ratcliffe has just won the Great North Run in a world record time.

Congratulations to her and to all who ran and raised such a lot of money for charity!

 

Ipswich 4 Wimbledon 1

A good win at last!

How many times have you been able to go to a football match in England in late September and lie and sunbathe at half-time on the training pitch? (Ipswich have a plastic one behind the main stand.)

 

Italian Job

Both the FT and The Times agree that the new version of The Italian Job is not worth seeing.

How is it that the Americans have the unique ability of taking European films and making appalling remakes? Think of Get Carter, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Cage aux Folles and Nikita to name but four!

I'm getting to the point now, that when I see the film is US-made it takes an awful lot to get me to see it!

 

Ipswich 2 Walsall 1

At last!

It was a good game, but a bit too exciting at times near the end!

 

National Motor-Cycle Museum

What a tragedy! I went there for an exhibition and it was a beautiful building filled with some of the most interesting exhibits.

And all because some selfish idiot couldn't do without a cigarette.

He or she should be jailed for arson!

 

Employee of the Month

In today's Financial Times there is a piece in Observer, their diary, which shows that no matter what stress we are under, some always behave correctly.

'Barclays should make Alan Armitage of Coventry its employee of the month. He doesn't work for the bank - but it must feel like it these days.

Barclays' online customers have, of course, been targeted by an internet fraudster and the trickster's e-mail unhelpfully lists a random phone number; it happens to be Armitage's direct line at work. In the past three weeks he has needlessly picked up his phone more than 300 times.

Luckily, Armistage is the unflappable type. "I just tell callers what has happened and to contact Barclays," he says, calmly. "I try to be helpful. It takes a lot to stress me out."

His day job is as an electrical engineer for CEL International. Barclays could do worse than hire him as head of customer services.'

I hope he does well out of it all.

 

The Last Night of the Proms

Just watched a very good violinist play part of an opera very well. (I'm not an opera buff and can't tell my Puccini from my Borodin!)

However, it was spoilt by the fact she was wearing a pretty dress in the wrong colour. When they did long shots, she just faded into the background.

Why do women hate bright colours?

Later Angela Gheorghiu wore an unusual skirt with a discrete top. The skirt had a waistband that dipped to one side and showed a nice but modest section of midriff. If you have a waist flaunt it!

 

Spam

We all hate spam!

I wonder what would happen if millions of people sent printed copies of spam to the embassy of the country from where a particular offensive message originated.

 

Being British

On Radio 5 this morning the phone-in is about how we should assimilate immigrants.

We should look to history!

My family is part-Jewish and part-Hugenot, who came to the UK about 1820-40 or so. Read about those families and apply the lessons they learnt.

They did learn English and in perhaps 30 to 40 years most became full members of society.

If you look at many of the earlier West Indian immigrants, then they too have gone through this assimilation.

The problem is that we have allowed ghettos to be created, which have all of the problems of bad housing and poverty. But then when I grew up in North London in the 50's we had exactly the same areas with the same problems. Then they were totally white council estates where no-one in their right mind wanted to live!

So we must solve the poverty problems at the bottom end and in return everybody must learn English, so that they can play a full part in this wonderful society of ours!

It is a two-way process, not one that is totally up to the immigrant!

 

Global Ideas Bank

This looks a good idea!

Visit the Global Ideas Bank!

 

MegaBus

Now that it's been done it seems strange that no-one had applied the 'no-frills' rules to coach travel.

With Megabus you can now travel between London and Oxford for as little as £ 1.50! They say £ 1 but there is a booking fee!

Visit the MegaBus Web Site!
Looks an idea that will succeed!

 

My Favourite Book

My favourite book and the one I'd take to the mythical desert island is a strange one!

It's Nelkon and Parker, which is the definitive Advanced Level Physics text book.

I just typed 'Nelkon and Parker'' into Google and got this quote from a Ghanain web site about physics.

'Me, ibi nelkon and parker wey i get (7th edition), so you fit borrow dat one.If you no dey trust, physics G.A.S.T too dey. Ichoose aaa fine.'
It gets everywhere. But then it has been good for four decades!

 

Windmills and Water Towers

Look at this view from our verandah at East Green.

View From the Verandah!
You will notice that I have erased the water tower at Haverhill because it is such an eyesore.

So are the modern windmills used to generate electricity any less of a blot on the landscape?

 

SkyScanner.net

This is a marvellous web site that finds the cheapest fares out of the UK to Europe!

Long may it stay up.

Go to SkyScanner.net