China’s Fake Apple Stores
It would appear Apple has a problem.
A Four Horse Steeplechase
A friend of mine, long since dead, was a bookmaker.
He gets a call from a jockey, who was on the second favourite in a four horse steeplechase. But the favourite will surely win it, says my friend. Oh No! Says the jockey, we’re all in on it. At the last fence the favourite was ten lengths clear, but sadly upended on landing, allowing the second favourite to come through to win. My friend said the favourite’s fall was the best bit of riding he’d ever seen.
He’d of course been prudent and laid off the bet to a major bookmaker, who could afford it. Adding a bit of the action for himself of course!
Carry On Cutting
This is another heartening story.
Let’s hope, when the damage is all repaired, that this sort of spirit continues!
The Indian Sense of Humour
I’ve worked with quite a few people of Indian origin over the years and have always found that they have quite a sophisticated sense of humour. Take this tweet on Cricinfo.
“Sehwag’s contribution to the 3rd test remains India’s contribution to the arithmetic world – ZERO,” says Saurabh.
It isn’t the sort of thing, we’d say about out cricketers, when they are losing.
My Indian doctor’s comment this morning was that someone has to lose.
I Hope Pippa Middleton Is On Commission!
According to that organ of the sex-mad from Tunbridge Wells, the Daily Telegraph, Pippa Middleton’s derriere has inspired a plastic surgery boom in the United States according to this article.
What do they do with all the fat they remove? Perhaps they use it in fast food restaurants. After all there was an enormous fatberg outside an American-owned one in Leicester Square.
The Heroes Start to Emerge
Now that things are starting to calm down, the real heroes of the riots are starting to emerge.
There can be none, who deserves to be called a hero, than Tariq Jahan. Read about him in the Guardian.
How many of us could behave in such a courageous and forgiving manner after their son had been murdered?
Not many I would say!
The Statistics Are Starting To Be Published
This page from the BBC shows how statistics are starting to yield answers.
Let’s hope they analyse them in detail and publish both the data and all the results. I doubt that we’ll see them as an Excel spreadsheet. I would love to analyse that with Daisy.
The Amazing Story of Rudolf Brazda
I’d never heard of Rudolf Brazda, until I saw his obituary today, but it gives deep insight into how the Nazis just didn’t persecute Jews, but a lot of others as well. Brazda was gay and somehow kept himself alive amongst the horrors of Buchenwald.
The Thin Blue Line
At first sight it might appear that just six policemen against a much larger mob in Catford wouldn’t have stood much chance in protecting stores from being looted. But the line held as the BBC reports. Here’s a bit of detail.
A police officer has described how he and five colleagues, armed only with two shields, defended a retail park from a gang of up to 50 hooded youths.
PC Gordon Murphy, 30, said despite their lack of numbers, officers charged at the mob who were trying to loot the stores in Catford, south-east London.
He said: “We decided, as they ran at us, to rush back at them, with only six officers running back at 40.
“The mad thing is, they all ran back so we didn’t even have to make contact.”
It’s all a bit far from a similar situation, I heard of years ago from a British Colonial policeman, who faced up to rioters somewhere in Africa. He said you just identified the ring-leaders and shot them dead.
I suppose that the youths in Catford, had all the courage of mice and felt that running was the best defence.
I think in some ways this story is in a way a return to old-fashioned policing, where police often stood their ground and didn’t call for massive backup.
One of my abiding memories of Liverpool is that on public order duties most Northern Police Sergeants carried long batons, when trouble was expected. They weren’t afraid to use them either. I may have seen them deployed but I never saw one used.
Another policeman in London once told me that the worst thing they ever did for policing was give officers a personal radio. Without these they had to sort the problem out, but with them they always called for backup.
The Real Safety Issue
At present I’ve got roadworks outside my house, as they replace the pavements. Safety is paramount on the site and we have plastic barriers everywhere, so no-one trips up. Unfortunately, last night one had probably fallen over and it tripped me over as I came in last night. Luckily I fell backwards with my bottom on the soft plastic barrier and only made myself look rather silly for a few moments.
This morning it’s raining hard and one of the workmen, is standing there unable to do anything, having a quick cough and a drag. He’s still got his high-visibility jacket, boots and hard hat on though.
He’s much more likely to die of cancer than in any accident on the site.
Perhaps as with many issues, we get our priorities wrong.
The Anonymous Widower 