The Anonymous Widower

It Must Be Easy Being A Spanish Fan or Footballer

At least, before a match, as you don’t have to sing the National Anthem.  It doesn’t have any words!

June 23, 2012 Posted by | Sport, World | | Leave a comment

The Ramadan Rush

It would appear from The Times, that rich shoppers from the Middle East are getting their shopping in before Ramadan starts on July 20th. They also claim that France’s burqa ban, means that shoppers now prefer London.

The French really know how to create laws that help their business sector, especially as they are bringing in a financial transaction tax.

June 23, 2012 Posted by | Business, News, World | , , , | Leave a comment

Between a Rock And A Hard Place

Over this winter I have severely dehydrated myself, due to the bad design of this house. I regularly have lukewarm baths to try to get more water back into my body. My GP’s colleague thinks this is a good idea.  I’ve also had air-conditioning fitted, so that my house is usually at about 25 °C with upwards of 40% humidity. I also drink quite a bit to try to raise the moisture levels in my body.

However my cardiologist says that I must not drink more than 1.5 litres a day. I don’t think I do!

But my skin is still as dry as a bone and I itch like crazy. The guy who cuts my hair, says my scalp is very dry and I scratch everywhere like mad. Especially, the backs of my legs, my back, my scalp and my throat.

The problem did clear up last year, but only when we got some sun.  Fat chance of that this year.  Why did the Queen have to have a ruddy jubilee to guarantee bad weather this summer?

Has anybody any serious ideas, other than moving to Australia?

June 23, 2012 Posted by | Health, World | , , | Leave a comment

Why If Something Goes Wrong, Does It Always Happen To Me?

I avoided the NatWorst problem, as I’ve never banked with them, and over the last few years I’ve been very happy with Nationwide.

So today I got my comeuppance.

I have been trying to get a forecast for my pension, which will be paid on my 65th birthday in a few weeks time.

Today the DWP has informed me that they can’t find my National Insurance  contributions from the Department of Revenue and Customs.

So now, I will have to navigate myself round what is reputed to be the worst Government system in the UK.

Why am I the one, whose records have got lost?

June 23, 2012 Posted by | World | , , | Leave a comment

Exhibition Road

Exhibition Road, where the Science and Natural History Museums are is now a shared space between all users.

It seems to work, although I suspect some will object. Here‘s the view of the Daily Mail.

June 22, 2012 Posted by | World | , , , | Leave a comment

A French Blue Plaque?

I saw this blue plaque on the wall of the old Dickins and Jones building in Argyll Street today.

Blue Plaque for Germaine de Staël

The lady refered to, is better known as Germaine de Staël and there is more information about the plaque here.

June 21, 2012 Posted by | World | , | Leave a comment

The Thames Barrier Park

Yesterday, I went to the Thames Barrier Park to have a walk.

It is a great place for a walk and the coffee in the cafe there, is very good. Just take the Docklands Light Railway to Pontoon Dock station.

June 21, 2012 Posted by | Transport/Travel, World | , , | Leave a comment

Chinooks Over Canary Wharf

I was a bit slow to catch them with my camera, but what were these two Chinook helicopters doing over Canary Wharf.

Chinooks Over Canary Wharf

If  you look to the left of the Blackwall sign, you should just about be able to see them. I can’t find any reference to them on the Internet. I suppose they were some dummy security exercise for the Olympics

June 21, 2012 Posted by | World | , | Leave a comment

A Vulcan Story

Whether this story is true, I do not know, but I heard it from a retired RAF officer many years ago. The Avro Vulcan was one of Britain’s three V-bombers; Vulcan, Valiant and Victor, which were designed for Britain’s nuclear deterrent.

In a way, the Vulcan was unique in that it was instantly recognisable because of its delta wing. The shape also had the advantage that it didn’t have a very good radar signature.

I was told that at the height of the Cold War, the United States was worried that a sneaky Russian bomber might get through to bomb the cities of the East Coast.

So the RAF said, that they would stage a surprise attack.  A Vulcan was chosen and got through the radar defences unseen.

I think it is true to say, that in those days, there was a lot of rivalry between the RAF and USAF, and any story that showed up the others was distributed with glee.

There is now a Vulcan, XH558, in flying condition and it makes a wonderful sight in the air. But don’t forget your ear-plugs!

I must add one personal reminiscence here about the Victor.  When Handley Page folded in 1970, they were still converting some of the remaining Victors to the tanker role. These planes had to be ferried to Woodford near Manchester for the work to continue.  The job was entrusted to Handley Page’s test pilot, who after this job would not have a job with the company. Most were in need of a bit of repair, but he’d found one, on which he could retract the undercarriage and get a lot of power out of the tired engines. I was working at ICI in Welwyn Garden City at the time, and a colleague, who had used to work at Handley Page, said that there was going to be a low-level flypast over Hatfield Airfield and we were probably in the flight-path.

We were and at lunchtime, we saw this Victor pass overhead at probably the minimum allowable height of 500 feet.

It was a sight to be remembered.

June 21, 2012 Posted by | World | , | 6 Comments

One of the Worst Days of my Life?

Today, my youngest son, George, would have been forty, which we always think is an important milestone in a person’s life. We tried to arrange a party or even a drink, but gradually everyone has cried off, so I shall celebrate this all by myself. I understand more and more the fortitude with which Aung San Suu Kyi endured her isolation. All of those birthdays and important milestones, that I’ve missed. And I will miss in the future.

But hey, at least I’m still here, despite the efforts of the Devil.

Luckily, by chance, I was given an overdose of survival gene at conception and that keeps pulling me through.

All I can say, to others now, is make sure your children don’t ever start smoking. George’s smoking probably led to his pancreatic cancer, especially if he was an undiagnosed coeliac and thus had a compromised immune system because of his gluten-rich junk food diet.

 

June 20, 2012 Posted by | Food, Health, World | , , | 4 Comments

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