PeopleQuake
I heard about this interesting book as I was driving along at three in the morning. I’ve just ordered it from Amazon.
Victoria Park
Coming back from Brands Hatch, I needed a walk and a visit to the loo, so what better place to do this than Victoria Park in Bow.
I got a short walk, but the toilets were closed, as that had probably been vandalised. So I had to leave.
I have many fond memories of Victoria Park. When we lived in the Barbican, our children used to go to school near the park and we’d take them for walks afterwards. Years later, my son lived with his wife near the park and we’d walk again and later with our granddaughter.
There used to be a lido, but that closed in 1990.
It is a park worth visiting. Remember that it is within walking distance of the 2012 Olympic site, so it will be a lovely place to take a picnic before going to the Games.
Lotus/TVR Meet at Brands Hatch
I went to a meet between Lotus and TVR owners at Brands Hatch this morning.
Here are the pictures.
It was a good morning. I did skip the drive and lunch afterwards though.
It was the first time I’d been to Brands Hatch for many years. I actually told the story of one visit to see the Guards Trophy in Brazilian Farce. The circuit has changed a lot and where we parked today, was where we sat on the grass all those years ago.
The Cost of the Death Penalty
I have an axe to grind over capital punishment, in that I think it’s wrong. Well not just wrong, very very wrong.
My main reason is that by taking someone’s life in retribution for something they have done, is just stooping to their level. We should be more humane than that. After all, dictators like Hitler were all for capital punishment, so that’s a pretty good reason too. And what happens with a miscarriage of justice.
But Parade Magazine in the United States has just published an article with a poll about the Death Penalty. One of the arguments in the article is that the death penalty costs more than life imprisonment. It is also a bit more convenient, if the judgement was wrong in the first place.
So vote early, often and many times.
The Iraq Inquiry
I can’t see the point to the Iraq Inquiry.
Never has so much hot air and money been wasted on so much to generate so little. Well possibly the Inquiry into Bloody Sunday has wasted a lot more and all of the money wasted would have far better been spent on the victims.
But that is only the start to this pointless inquiry, which will not find anybody guilty and never get anywhere near the truth. Probably, in my view, because the truth isn’t actually written down and it is much more a cock-up by lightweight incompetents, rather than any conspiracy.
You have to ask why Tony Blair was the politician and his wife was the lawyer. Perhaps she had the brains to earn the money and he had the style to convince the average man in the street. Could he convince the average judge and jury? He gave up the Bar too soon for anybody to find out.
But what really gets me about the Iraq Inquiry is that the best daytime radio programme of the week, the Mayo/Kermode film review has been cancelled.
Shame on the BBC for giving us endless drivel instead of entertainment. I doubt more than a dozen people outside the Westminster circle are listening. And that is the problem with British politics. It’s them in control and us what pays for it!
Looking Around Docklands
I sometimes think that I’d like to have a flat in Docklands. I have so much junk, that it might be a good idea to live with the minimum of baggage. Especially, if I was going to travle a lot.
So I went and looked at a flat out of interest.
The flat was nice, with large rooms and great views of the Dome. But the parking for the Lotus was not good enough.
But I liked the area and especially as there is a Carluccio’s nearby.
The Pen is Mightier than the Sword
Well! Perhaps I should say Bomb.
The government has now raised the security threat from substantial to severe.
Without wishing to be too flippant, can this be anything to do with the fact that we will have to have an election in the next few months. Obviously, terrorism and the fear of it, can be considered to be a vote winner for the incumbent.
But we are fighting these criminals in totally the wrong way.
At least though, some are using humour.
Chris Morris has made a jihadist comedy called Four Lions. It is premiered today at the Sundance Film Festival. I hope it succeeds. Note there is a clip on the first link.
And then there is Jihad, The Musical.
We need more of this satire. But not just against so-called Muslim criminals, but anybody else who really has a warped sense of what the world should be like. How about The Graduate II featuring another Mrs. Robinson? Or Don’t Make a Monkey out of Me with Sarah Palin?
The Middlesex Hospital Chapel
Two of our children were born in the Middlesex Hospital; one on the day that Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins that Ap0llo 11 left for the moon.
It is now quite sad to pass the site of the former hospital, which has been almost completely demolished.
The Middlesex Hospital Chapel
There is just the chapel and one wall of the old hospital shown behind and to the left in this picture. The chapel is on the English Heritage at-risk list.
I only popped into the chapel a couple of times, but let’s hope that when the site is finally developed, that they allow full access to one of London’s little gems.
I searched Google and found this project to model the chapel in 3D.
General Sikorski
I was walking from Regent’s Park to Oxford Circus when I passed the statue of General Sikorski in Portland Place.
General Sikorski
