Thoughts on Spain

I really am at my wit's end after the bombings in Madrid.

Hopefully, the wretched people who did this terrible deed will be caught. Then we might get an insight into their warped reasoning.

My thoughts go out to all the people of Spain.

 

Pity the Poor Project Manager

I have a lot of sympathy for former project manager, Alan Ezzi, and his trials and tribulations over the new gilded elephant for the Scottish Parliament.

He is not alone!

In the late seventies, I wrote Artemis, the project management system used to manage nearly half of all major projects world-wide during the latter years of the last century.

She’s still going strong too! And her users and promoters still provide me with confidential stories that sometimes cheer but more often sadden me.

Alan Ezzi’s tale of political interference is sadly the norm, where politicians everywhere should know better. Only in isolated cases where they stand back, give clear guidelines and objectives, and above all trust engineers to manage do they get the project they want, on time and on budget.

As an example today of how out of touch our politicians are with commercial reality, we have the problem of BAe and the wings for the Airbus A380.

Apparently a suspect environmental issue is more important than worthwhile and sustainable jobs. Especially, ones that help to alleviate our unsustainable trade deficit!

 

Prisoners in Spain

The footballers are not the only Britons enjoying the hospitality of the Spanish legal system.

The son of retired and very much respected Newmarket trainer, Gerry Blum, is being held on drugs charges in Spain. Nothing much seems to be happening. And he is not the only one.

 

Problem Children

Twenty years ago, our middle son, Henry was difficult to say the least. Ask him for details!

Now, he works with Gareth Peirce on criminal and human rights cases. Two of their clients have now been released from illegal detention at Guantanamo.

So don't despair if your child doesn't behave how you think he or she should!

 

Guantanamo Prisoners Come Home

Another victory for US justice!

Five of the British prisoners have now been released after two years in prison without charge.

No wonder 55 % of people in the UK want Kerry to win in November, as opposed to about 20 % who back Bush. This figure is from The Times.

The interesting thing is that some are now represented by PR guru, Max Clifford, who has numerous scalps on his belt.

 

Betting and Jockeys

As an owner and breeder for many years, only once have I ever come across any irregularities. One of our horses may have been doped to stop it many years ago.

On the other hand, I have seen many horses perform completely differently to how everybody thought they would. You just can’t be certain when animals of any sort are involved.

I also regularly bet and win on horses at reasonable odds. Certain trainers seldom bet and aren’t in the public eye, so their horses are rarely fancied and are often at 12 or 20-1. The average punter never considers these horses, just betting his favourites. So when his horse loses he never questions his judgement, he just believes everything is bent!

The best example of this was that I and several of my friends, bet each-way on Terimon for the Derby some years back. We’d seen him do his last piece of work!

He was second at 500-1!