The problem with blogging

It requires commitment. And thought. There's so much competition around these days - so many people throwing out a witty bon mot. 

If only it required The Commitments then that would be fine. Now that was a movie

Nominative determinism

Today is the start of a new term, and the kids are getting to know new classmates. We got the list of names through last week, and one jumped off the page.

Alia Akbar.

Whoops. I reckon the teachers will keep a close eye on her as that's a name you don't want to have to shout out at a bus or train station on a school trip!

The Daily Mail

Unbelievable as this may appear to be, it seems the Daily Mail is now a mouthpiece for the Chinese Communist Party - https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/aug/12/mail-online-teams-up-chinese-newspaper-peoples-daily

NASA

Amazing announcements from NASA that they've found oxygen on Mars, and also found over 1,000 "exoplanets" that might harbour life.

Brings to mind the Monty Python song......  You'd better hope that there's intelligent life somewhere out in space, because there's bugger all down here on earth.....

Eiffel Tower

Wonder whether they'll light it up with the colours of the Pakistan flag?

Russia

Russia pulls out of Syria just as the budget starts to get really tight....  Coincidence? Methinks not. They're screwed and have to tighten their belts. 

Guns

Sums it up perfectly

http://www.vox.com/2015/3/24/8283199/gun-control-comedy-jefferies

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?