I thought I was seeing things when Cameron appeared on BBC News supporting Jeremy Clarkson, saying how much his children would miss him if he had to leave Top Gear as a result of “the incident”.
Personally, I think Top Gear is a waste of licence payer fees … middle aged men in badly fitting jeans, who despite their high salaries, don’t seem to spend much of it on haircuts or grooming, endorsing petrol guzzling vehicles (Kyoto agreement anyone?) http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php
Anyway, I just turn over to one of the other channels if there is a cack BBC programme on the TV.
Obviously I was not present when “the incident” took place, but it is reported that Clarkson assaulted a producer because no food was available…
Imagine for a moment, if you will, being in your place of work and a colleague assaults you. The police would be called… your…
Disabled travellers are deterred from taking the train by poorly trained staff, confusion over booking requirements and inaccessible stations, according to a charity, which says targets to provide accessible trains could be rendered meaningless.
Only one in five train stations in England is fully accessible, research by the Papworth Trust found, while two-thirds of disabled people say the need to book assistance rather than turn up and go means they use trains less than they otherwise would.
The charity found that one in five disabled passengers was not aware that additional help, through a service called Passenger Assist, was available, while one in six had been mistakenly told by rail staff that advance booking was essential for them to travel on a train.
Only 404 stations out of 1,967 in England are fully accessible, according to train operators’ own assessment of their provision of four basic requirements – step-free access…
The match between Scotland and Sri Lanka at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart is at the halfway stage and has already seen a record set and another equalled.
Kumar Sanggakara kept his appointment with a century, becoming the first to achieve the feat in four successive ODIs. His century was matched by one from Tillekaratne Dilshan and the main course was followed by an explosive 51 from Angelo Matthews as Sri Lanka ran up 363 from their 50 overs. In amongst this carnage Josh Davey took three wickets, taking him up to 14 for the tournament and temporarily leading wicket taker, one ahead of Trent ‘the conductor’ Boult. That figure of 14 wickets for the tournament also ties Eddo Brandes of Zimbabwe for most wickets ever taken by a bowler for an associate member at a world cup (in 1992 Zimbabwe had yet to be promoted to full member status).
The Bellerive seems to be a serendipitous ground for great things to happen at – it was here that Ireland edged out Zimbabwe in a thriller just a few days ago. The word serendipitous derives from the wondrous island encountered by Sindbad the Sailor in his sixth voyage, the Arabic name of which is rendered in English translation as Serendip, Serendib or Sarandib. The name by which this island is now known? Sri Lanka.
I do not see this game developing into a Zimbabwe v Ireland style thriller, especially with Kyle Coetzer, the Aberdonian with a South African surname having gone to the second ball of Scotland’s reply.
As those familiar with this blog know I never leave you without sharing some pictures…
Work on what will be the Northbound exit from the new bus station.Gaywood Clock through the window of an X8.A lacewing on the inside window of an X8 on the return journey.A close up of the same lacewing.A new dawn (something English cricket needs) breaking over King’s LynnMy new bathroom window – I also have secondary glazing on the High Street side of the flat.A glimpse into the Jewish Cemetery, Millfleet, King’s Lynn
These swans, swimming in the Nar, were a trifle uncooperative.
Moorhen about to take the plunge……And now happily swimming.
Yesterday I was reminded by a comrade that we have now been demonstrating outside Ashton Under a Lyne Jobcentre for seven months. We have been there every Thursday and have been there in all weathers. Why do we continue you may ask? Someone said to me recently you aren’t making a difference. I can say the opposite, we are making a difference. Our presence has started the process of the DWP being held responsible for their actions. They of course don’t like this, but we aren’t there for them we are there for the victims of their cruel regime. The DWP got very nervous, not because we are violent, far from it. We aren’t aggressive but we are peaceful. We have one thing in common exposing the lies and the crimes in our eyes that are committed inside that building and others. They called us into a meeting, even tried…
Given my suggestion for a 16 team competition, I reckon that the eight quarter-finalists should qualify automatically for the next world cup and everyone else regardless of historic status or otherwise within the cricket world should have to earn the right to be in the tournament by going through qualifying. Also, before anyone asks, I do not believe that host nations should qualify automatically – they too should be me made to earn the right to take part in the competition.
A lady came in to see me today. She was beside herself as the DWP had treated her very badly over numerous different aspects of her claim. She had been misled and lied to, but this is the thing that’s making me want to roll some heads…
Her phone call to DWP last year….
Lady: I am calling to inform you of changes to my health; I now have cancer. DWP: Well? Lady: I was told to inform you of any changes to my health. DWP: Well, are you going to die? Lady: I’m not sure. I’ve only just been diagnosed. DWP: Well, I can put you through on the special rules for terminal claimants, but if you don’t die within six months we will prosecute you.
A personal view of England’s exit from the Cricket World Cup
The match between England and Bangladesh at the Adelaide Oval has just ended, with James Anderson being clean bowled to give Bangladesh victory by 15 runs. This means that Bangladesh are in the quarter-finals, and irrespective of what they do in their last game against Afghanistan England are heading home at the first possible opportunity. Buttler’s aggressive 65 kept the match alive longer than the England team as a whole deserved. The dismissal of Chris Jordan, run out when his bat was over the line but in the air, summed up England’s failings in a nutshell.
This is England’s worst ever showing in a cricket world cup – although morally speaking 1996 when England progressed into the quarter-finals only by virtue of unconvincing victories over Holland and the United Arab Emirates was on a par.
To Bangladesh, and especially Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim who batted so beautifully, the former racking up Bangladesh’s first ever world cup century my heartiest congratulations. To England: it is time to face facts – you are not even a passable one day side – never mind a good one.
For the rest, I hope that Ireland can conjure up one more good result against either India or Pakistan to ensure their progress to the quarter-finals. I think that todays result is a good one for cricket as a whole – it nails for good and all the notion that the quarter-final line ups could be predicted from the start of the tournament.
The best match of the 2015 Cricket World Cup so far took place at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart this morning GB time. Ireland, with a century from Ed Joyce and 97 from Andrew Balbirnie reached 331-8. In reply Zimbabwe fought brilliantly, and at various times, not least when they took 19 from the 49th over, bowled by Kevin O’Brien, to leave themselves needing seven of six balls, they looked like favourites for what have been the largest successful chase in World Cup history. Alex Cusack kept a cool head, and put the finishing touches to a fine bowling performance by capturing the two remaining Zimbabwe wickets for the addition of a single, in three balls. A full scorecard can be viewed by clicking here. Having set the scene with this opening account I will share some pictures before moving on…
This device appears above Paper Klip, the Fakenham stationers.
Not only was that match a classic, featuring quality performances from many players, but the eventual result means that Ireland have now won three matches at this tournament, and are very well placed to progress to the quarter finals. The only disappointment to me was that the Player of the Match Award went boringly (and in my opinion wrongly) to Ed Joyce for his hundred when the key to Ireland’s victory was the cool head under pressure displayed by Alex Cusack. Having witnessed this amazing match I am more convinced than ever that the ICC would be utterly wrong to reduce associate nation involvement in the World Cup. My response to Aakash Chopra who gets to publicise his ideas on www.cricinfo.com and who believes that the World Cup should be reduced to ten teams and that the associates should concentrate on getting to play more matches against full members outside of world cups is twofold. First he is guilty of presenting a false dichotomy: it is not a case of either or – i would like to see both more matches between full members and associates outside of world cups and greater associate participation in World Cups. Whether he is guilty of any offence beyond sloppy logic I am not prepared to say, but it is only in cricket that anyone argues for a smaller world cup. My thoughts on how the Cricket World Cup should be formatted can be viewed by clicking here.
Congratulations to Ireland on a magnificent performance. Before sharing some more pictures I will comment on nations who first entered the world cup as associates and are now full members:
Sri Lanka – played 1975 and 1979 as associates before being granted full membership – Won in 1996 (a feat never achieved by England), Runners up in 2011.
Zimbabwe – made world cup debut in 1983 as an associate,promoted to full membership in 1992 – beat Australia in their first ever world cup match, nearly beat India (eventual champions), later in that competition, and in 1999 when England were ejected from their own party embarrassingly early came with an ace of qualifying for the semi-final.
Bangladesh – No great highlights yet, but are going fairly well this time, and there is at least one person who would not be in the least surprised were they to end up progressing further than England.
Now for the second batch of pictures…
I was delighted to see cormorants back on the structure I have dubbed Cormorant platform as for some weeks due to nearby roadworks they had not been in evidence.
I spent today imaging items for a Timed Bid auction which will go live on Monday (check out http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/search-filter/auction-catalogues?AuctionType=3 at that time). I managed to get everything I needed to do done in spite of the fact that my work computer was functioning at about the same level as the West Indies batting had been when I listened to commentary from the cricket world cup before setting off for work!
The items covered a variety of categories. This set of Royal Doulton plates was the very first lot I imaged today…
While these could appeal either to pottery enthusiasts or lovers of railwayana, they were beaten for breadth of appeal by lot 2085, which has stamps, postal history, medals and art (at least) covered…
This French medallion (lot 1502) came out well…
I finish this eclectic selection of images with some stamp album lots where I decided rather than photographing whole pages to focus on smaller quantities of stamps…
He knew it was risking too much to appear
On TV with his main oppositional peers
Lest pretence became all too abundantly clear
That he has no defence for his leadership years.
So Call-me-Dave wrangled, all Divo a-dangle
High-handing his arrogance on a gold plate
And his posse-by-proxy manhandled to strangle
The fate of a woefully unsurprised State into
Showing him hiding as one head entangled
In brevity measured to crowded debate.
“This is our final offer” Cons proffered in haste
After months of a chaos they’d fought to create
And the broadcasters’ practise did keenly berate
For the leaving of times and the terms far too late.
And the country cried chick chick chick…
Watching Dave run
From the hum of his shit
And his enemies’ guns
And the fun carried on when his frenemy, Clegg
Made a scramble to lay the Conservatives’ egg With a pledge to stand…
While these could appeal either to pottery enthusiasts or lovers of railwayana, they were beaten for breadth of appeal by lot 2085, which has stamps, postal history, medals and art (at least) covered…
This French medallion (lot 1502) came out well…
I finish this eclectic selection of images with some stamp album lots where I decided rather than photographing whole pages to focus on smaller quantities of stamps…
aspiblog 