Rugby World Cup

I've said it before and I'll say it again - The only thing better than watching Scotland lose is watching Scotland lose in the last minute to a dodgy refereeing call.

Finally something at RWC2015 has put a smile on my face

RWC. Farrell v Ford

Wouldn't be surprised if Farrell starts the next game at 10. England looked better with him there. 

RWC. England 35 Fiji 11

A win's a win but it wasn't convincing. It panned out exactly as I expected. The Fijians gave it everything but ultimately tired and England ran away from them in the last 20 minutes.

Still not sure we're going to get past the Aussies and the Welsh. If we do then there's no reason why we shouldn't make the final. 

Great British Bake Off

Really?

Why does it exist?

Who's idea was it?

Is (s)he still alive? If so, why?

Singapore Elections

 Kenneth Jeyaretnam, leader of the Reform Party

“I guess Singaporeans get the government they deserve, so I don’t want to hear any complaints.”

That sums it up perfectly.

Labour Party

A socialist? In charge of the Labour Party? Whatever next?

(Un)fortunately I am old enough to remember the last time true socialists were in charge. I remember queuing for bread and being limited to one loaf per family. I remember doing my homework by candlelight because there was no electricity due to strikes. I remember the "Winter of Discontent".

I almost hope they get back in to remind everyone why socialism is such a stupid idea in practice, no matter how lovely it is in theory.

But only almost. I don't want to live in Mud Island again, and I don't want the people who are stuck there to realise what a dump it is and decide to come join me in lovely Switzerland.

Social Media

I get the point of Facebook. It's to pretend to friends/enemies/potential mates that your life wonderful when in fact it's as dreary as the next person's.

I get the point of LinkedIn. It's to show off to colleagues/competitors/potential employers that you're a wonderful asset and how vital you are to the team/company when in fact you're as dispensable as the next person.

I don't get the point of Twitter. Who else is there to present a fake front to? #socialmediasucks

RWC

For what my opinion is worth, I'm not sure England are going to make it out of the group. Australia are always dangerous, and tend to turn it on when it counts, and the Welsh would like nothing more than to beat England at home in their own tournament.

Lots of comparisons are being made with England's 2003 team but that team was a class apart, and had been laying together for at least 2 years. Everyone knew the team that would take the pitch for the first game at least a year before the tournament. This time it's a new team with several untried combinations in it. England have to hit the ground running - Fiji are no walkovers, though I expect them to run out of steam in the second half - and should have had their number 1 team inked in 6 months ago, not still at the conceptual stage.

The clock is ticking

One week to go - I can hardly wait.

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/

Sam Burgess

I wasn't in agreement with him being in the squad of 45. I was even less enthusiastic about him being in the 31. But slowly I'm coming round. He doesn't actually do much, but just the size of the man gives him a presence. And he does have the skills, even if it's still a bit hit and miss at the Test level.

Come the World Cup games I've now reached a point where I'd have him in the match day 23. Either start him to soften the opposition up, or bring him on in the second half to steamroller tired defenders. Either way don't give him the full 80 mins - he's no Sonny Bill - but he can definitely play a big part as part of the match day squad. 

HSBC

So HSBC has decided to rebrand it's UK bank from HSBC to HSBC UK. And apparently they paid money to an agency to come up with that!

They considered reviving the name Midland from the bank they bought 20 years ago but it seems that they were worried it "lacked dynamism". Surely a supposedly ultra-safe ring-fenced retail bank isn't supposed to be dynamic. It's supposed to be a boring place which isn't going to lose your money. I'd have though Midland was the perfect name for it.

Great British Bake Off

You've got to be kidding me. First time I've ever seen it. What a woeful show. Activities of no interest to any sane person, interspersed with hopelessly unfunny jokes from "comedians". How on earth has this become a huge TV hit?

GBBO justifies my decision to leave Mud island all on it's own.

Ashley Madison

Anyone else think that's a really funny story?

Rugby World Cup

For those unclear on the rules of rugby

Malaysia - the cracks are beginning to show

The slide to third world status continues as they start to harass foreign journalists

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/malaysia/11784140/Malaysia-issues-arrest-warrant-for-Gordon-Browns-sister-in-law-over-allegations-about-prime-minister-Najib-Razak.html

Nothing says there's something to hide like trying to muzzle the press.

And this is why I didn't blog from Singapore. They're not much better and would probably uphold this sort of warrant.  

Apple TV. I love it, but.....

I love Apple TV but for the love of God PLEASE MAKE THE REMOTES BIGGER. Or fit some sort of "find my Apple TV remote" function. Some of us have kids. Their ability to lose things is unparalleled. 

Rugby World Cup

shout in the unlikely event anyone has spare tickets!

The Business Section

The Business Section

Malaysia. Approach with caution

Superb. I would say only in Malaysia, but actually this could happen in most of Asia given the levels of corruption. Anyway it seems the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has decided that the $650million found in Prime Minister Najib Razak's bank account was a donation, and in no way related to the $650million hole in the finances of government entity 1MDB.

So that's alright then.

Having spent several years living just across the causeway in Singapore, visiting Malaysia always felt like a visit to the second world. Nice smooth motorways with slum towns and villages on either side. Some ok, but not really maintained infrastructure surrounded by crap. It's stories like this that remind you that in fact in most ways it's really the third world with a few shiny towers and buildings thrown in. Anyone contemplating investing in anything Malaysian should assume it will go pear-shaped and treat any other outcome as a huge result. And don't forget to budget for the bribes. 

Let's try again

Going to have another go at this. Trying to play with sidebars etc so apologies if it all goes a bit pear-shaped now and then. Can't remember how to do all that formatting malarkey. I'm sure it'll come back.

In the meantime, there is a new "business section" which is in fact a separate blog I started scribbling some thoughts on a few years ago - It's Crunch Time.

Of course now instead of a job I have a life. So instead of sitting at a computer with nothing better to do than write this drivel I'm afraid I will often be out and about doing something or other (now living in Switzerland which means there is always a mountain out there just asking for someone to hike up it or slide down it) so posts are likely to be occasional, but I thought what the heck. It was a bit of fun 10 years ago. Let's see if it still is.

Giles