Mo Farah
Mo Farah is another who delights me and brings a smile to my face.
Over the years, I’ve done business on telephone billing systems with quite a few immigrants of Somali origin. I’ve never had a problem and those that I dealt with were a pleasure with whom to do business. They all seemed to work hard to do the best for themselves and their families. We even put in a joint bid for the billing system for a Somali telephone service, based on redundant analogue mobile phone kit.
Mo was born in Somalia and by hard work, has become our best male middle-distance runner for several decades. Let’s hope he gets a medal in London 2012! I sometimes think, I could have been a good club runner, but I didn’t have the dedication and I was an undiagnosed coeliac.
So why is it, that the Somalis I’ve met and people like Mo are a credit to their homeland, but the country continues to be a total basket-case, with lots of death and piracy?
Clive Delights Us All
Clive Brittain is one of my favourite people in horse racing and today on the last day of Royal Ascot, he produced Zaidan to win the Chesham Stakes at 7-1. I did not back the horse, but I picked it out from the Racing Post and told friends, who did put some money on.
So why did it stand out? That is difficult to say, but the horse had won its last race, it had a good jockey in Seb Sanders and it just looked like another time when Clive had got it right, just as he did here.
I was so pleased to see the 75-year-old Clive dancing with joy. Clive to me sums up, what you can achieve from humble circumstances with hard work and a bit of well-applied thinking.
Long may he win, as every time he does, it makes me feel better.
Justice – Pakistani Style
According to The Register, a lawyer in Pakistan wants to indict Mark Zuckenberg and others concerned with Facebook. They would face the death penalty if found guilty.
No-one however nasty they are deserves the death penalty, as it is a cruel penalty, that should have been consigned to the dustbin of history many centuries ago.
As I get older and suffer more and more health problems, I can’t think of anything worse than death, so to use it as a punishment for anything is totally over the top.
I’ve met murderers, people who have been locked up for years on bent evidence and those that have had loved ones murdered and I’m sure that things would be the same for them all, whether or not we had the death penalty. We need fair justice for all and support for all victims of crime and also for everyone, who might commit crime, so they don’t do it in the first place.
But silly charges as those in Pakistan, we do not need. They just make things worse and give those who would belittle one of the world’s once-great religions, more ammunition. The United States would not allow the extrditions anyway.
Remember the old proverb – Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Wasn’t it Jesus, who is also a prophet in Islam, who advised us to turn the other cheek? – That comes from the Sermon on the Mount
I may have no religion, but the advice is valid.
Is This A Greater or Lesser Spotted Woodpecker?
I can’t tell, as I’m no expert and my hand wasn’t steady enough to get a clear picture.
Here is a quick video. I’m afraid I couldn’t get close enough and the woodpecker didn’t co-operate.
Commotion in the Night
The ducks are in two ponds outside my bedroom window. There was an awful lot of irate quacking in the middle of the night as the duck was probably protecting her young.
This morning I could only see four ducklings.
It would appear it could be the moorhens.
Let’s All Support Nobby
Nobby Stiles, one of the heroes of 1966, has had a very small stroke.
I wish you well Nobby and here’s a deal; you get well and I’ll try to do the same!
What is it about a problem shared?
A Statue of Arthur Lowe
It is being unvieled today in Thetford according to the California Chronicle. The reference shows how far the much-loved TV series, Dad’s Army, has penetrated the world’s pysche.
Perhaps, the UK and especially England’s beleaguered sportsman could learn a lot from Captain Mannering’s ragbag collection of heroes.
Could It Be The Recession?
So England have underperformed, but so have virtually all the fancied European teams. Only the Dutch have done reasonably well!
But it’s not just the footballers, as lately the tennis and rugby players have been abysmal too! Only the golfers and cricketers have exceeded expectations.
I just wionder if it is the effect of the recession. Everyone knows people who have been hit hard and sportsmen are probably no exception. So how many have said things to their old school mates, like I’ll get everybody cheered up by bringing the World Cup. And these promises are making them all nervous. I suspect now with all the social networking and web sites, that some may have gone a bit over the top! Remember that the French have been worse than us and the Germans and Spanish about the same. All live in a similar society now!
But could those promises and that pressure turn it all round? Let’s see what happens to Spain and the Germans before England play again on Wednesday! If they perform well, I think we will!
The Anonymous Widower 