The Olympic Flame – I Don’t Get It


Am I the only person in Britain that doesn’t give a damn about the arrival of the Olympic Flame ?

Olympics fever was officially ignited in the UK today when the iconic flame started its 70-day nationwide tour.

Read more: http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2012/05/19/olympic-flame-starts-journey-to-midlands/#ixzz1vKcC6JVB

The only fever that I see anywhere is the media falling over itself to report that a flame has arrived in the UK.

So What ?

Anyone would think that we are a nation of pyromaniacs, to be aroused by the appearance of a flame.

What on earth do we need 8,000 torch bearers for ? Surely a simple Bic lighter could have been used at far less expense. Several million folks in this country carry one everyday.

Yes I know the olympics are approaching and I do understand that national pride is at stake and I will be as pleased as the next person if we win any medals. But that is the actual olympics.

I really can’t get excited about a flame and I really don’t want to see endless news reports about its progress around the country.

This countries press have reached new depths when they are reduced to reporting that the flame had its own seat allocated on the flight from Greece.

I’m more interested in the fact that the Princess Royal was seated 3 rows away from David Beckham. Presumably she wanted someone sat next to her with whom she could hold an intelligent conversation.

Congratulations – Lydia & Dave


Congratulations to Lydia and Dave who are getting married this afternoon.

Will see you both this evening.

Farewell Donna


Donna Summer, famous for disco classics including I Feel Love and Love To Love You Baby, has died at the age of 63.

Summer first entered the  music business, as a backing singer for Three Dog Night, whilst still in her early 20’s. She then went on, as a solo artist, to release the many singles that were to provide the sound track to the 70’s and 80’s.

She won five Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards and charted three multi-platinum albums.

My favourite track, by far, was State of Independence and shows that she was more than just a disco artist.

 

Goodbye Donald


Donald “Duck” Dunn, bass guitarist with Booker T and the MGs, has died in Tokyo aged 70.

Although he is best known for his work with the “MGs” his playing style was much sought after and in later years he worked with the likes of Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart.

Dunn, still working,  was in Japan for a series of concerts.

News of his death was posted on the Facebook site of his friend and fellow musician Steve Cropper, who was on the same tour. Cropper said Dunn died in his sleep.

“Today I lost my best friend, the World has lost the best guy and bass player to ever live,” Cropper wrote on Twitter.

The “MGs” were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and Dunn received a lifetime achievement Grammy award in 2007.

The Duck will be sadly missed.

Congratulations Pastor / Happy Birthday Frank


Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado drove a mature race to win the Spanish Grand Prix

and deliver Sir Frank Williams his best ever birthday present.

Even though it is only Maldonado’s second season in F1, he managed to maintain his composure, despite being placed under immense pressure from Alonso during the final stages of the race.

He gets my vote for “Man of the Race”

Now he needs to carry the momentum forward to the next race which is the

Monaco Grand Prix

Hamilton Punishment Harsh


A team member had put an insufficient quantity of fuel into the car, thereby resulting in the car having to be stopped on the circuit in order to be able to provide the required amount for sampling purposes

The Stewards determine that this is a breach of Article 6.6.2 of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations and the Competitor is accordingly excluded from the results of the Qualifying Session. The Competitor is however allowed to start the race from the back of the grid.

To be relegated from Pole Position to last on the grid is too harsh a punishment.

On the one hand it is a team sport but crucially once the car is on the track it becomes a solo sport. The team prepared Hamiltons car but it was Hamiltons driving that got him to pole.

When considering the punishment for transgressing the rules the stewards would have to balance the punishment which is applied to both the team and the driver.

In this instance I believe the punishment should have been a 2 or 3 position penalty.

Back of the grid is too harsh !!!

Quote Of The Day – So Far


At todays Spanish Grand Prix, during his regular grid walk, Martin Brundle asked ” Who do you think will win the race ?”

To which Bernie Ecclestone replied “I think it will be very hard for these guys at the back to pass the guys at the front”

Let’s have a bit of give and take and respect each other


From a recent article in The News.

DRIVERS have criticised cyclists for not using a designated cycleway – arguing it is a safety hazard and causes traffic jams.

Motorists say traffic queues are building up on Hambledon Road between Waterlooville and Denmead as cars wait to overtake cyclists.

What a weird article this is with suggestions that cyclist are responsible for traffic congestion in and around Waterlooville.

According to this article the main complainant, leastways the only one that is quoted, is a Ms McGeady, of Linda Grove, Cowplain.
She is quoted as saying

‘Drivers have to take their life into their own hands, zooming round bikes and worrying people coming in the other direction.

Well Ms McGeady, I have news for you. Your not supposed to “zoom” round cyclists. You are supposed to drive around them with due care, giving plenty of room. You are supposed to leave plenty of time for your journey so that you don’t have to “zoom” around.

‘The other day there was a little old guy who was cycling almost in the gutter and there was a queue of cars trying to get round him.

‘Everyone was winding down their windows and asking him to use the cycleway.’

I will be 60 this year and when I was a youngster we had it drummed into us that you should not ride your bike on the pavement. From the sounds of it this “little old guy” was of a similar vintage and he too, probably, has it ingrained in his psyche.

I have personal experience of using this road to get to and from my place of work over the last 30 years. I too have experienced hold ups on this road. However, my experience has been that it is motorists that are causing the hold ups.

Not because they are driving badly.

This road has seen a steady rise in the volume of traffic over the last 30 years that I have been using it. The housing developments in and around Denmead are contributors to that increase. At peak times the traffic can build up very quickly, especially if there are vehicles slowing down to make turns. For example a single car waiting to turn across the traffic to enter Soake Road, Closewood Road or Sunnymead Drive will quickly cause the traffic to build up.

Of course the new traffic lights are a contributor and when the new housing developments are complete the additional traffic volume will far exceed any hold ups by cyclists.

Ms McGeady made a complaint to Hampshire County Council after seeing a cyclist on a racing bike on the road.

She said: ‘There was a cyclist with a very expensive racing bike and the full kit.

‘He was not using the cycleway. You have to say why?’

No, Ms McGeady, you don’t have to say “why ?”.

As John Holland, chairman of Portsmouth Cycle Forum, says

‘A cyclist has a right to be on any highway, apart from a motorway, just like a horse and cart has.

‘A vehicle is there by licence.

and the most sensible comment from John Holland

‘If you are driving down a road and there is a cyclist and you have to slow down, by how long does it delay your journey? Twenty seconds, five seconds?

‘Let’s have a bit of give and take and respect each other.’

Safety warning as cyclists steer clear of new cyclepath – Transport – Portsmouth News.

LoL – Oh Dear


What has how Cameron signs off his emails got to do with the Leveson enquiry ?

I thought the enquiry was supposed to be looking into the culture, practices and ethics of the British press following the News International phone hacking scandal.

Yet much is made of how Prime Minister Cameron signs off his emails to Rebekah Brookes.

The persistent questions on this subject reduces the enquiry to the level of a typical puerile article in The Sun. Titillation for titillation sake but no real news content.

Lets’s keep the questions on track.

15th June Deadline – Get your choices in.


15th June, 2012 – That’s the deadline to give your opinion on sites for new Havant homes.

THE public is being urged to make its views known on plans for 5,000 new homes in Havant.

Havant Borough Council’s planning policy team wants help deciding where the homes and nine employment areas should go.

The News headline is misleading. What we are really talking about is the Havant Borough Council area. Of prime interest to me, of course, is Waterlooville.

So I did my civic duty and I visited the exhibition held at Waterlooville Library yesterday lunchtime.

On entering the foyer I was handed a form on which I was invited to indicate my preferences.

I could choose Option A, B or C and then further define my choice by indicating my favourite site and my least favourite site.

There were three large maps each with a number of shaded areas indicating possible housing developments.

Although I did have some discussion with one of the council reps on duty the venue was hardly conducive to absorbing the details of the proposed development sites. Or to be able to determine the differences between the options.

I asked if the information was available on-line and was told yes it is. That may well be true but I could not find the same maps on-line that were on display in the library. Certainly the maps are there, but without the supporting information about each of the sites.

Once again it seems like HBC don’t want you to easily understand what they are up to.

Needless to say I haven’t let them know what my choices are. I need to do some more digging.

What I did find was some maps indicating sites that have been excluded for a variety of reasons. Perhaps most surprising is that they are so desperate to find land to build on that they were considering the kiddies play area at Sage Close, Woodsedge, Waterlooville.

The hand out suggests that you can submit your choices on-line at http://www.havant.gov.uk/havant-12298

However, you do really have to do some digging to find the background information.

Here is another link to get you to useful information http://www.havant.gov.uk/havant-12133 and take a look at this map to see what is being proposed

So come on folks. You need to get your opinions registered. Go see the exhibition or trawl the council website and get your votes in.

Give your opinion on sites for new Havant homes – Politics – Portsmouth News.