Month: June 2003

I-Raq

It looks like the ‘coalition of the willing’ might be making one hell of a mess of Iraq. The Americans don’t have a coherent strategy and are now nearly losing a soldier a day. The British are facing increased animosity from the Iraqis and have no real exit strategy. American and British political leaders do not know when they can disengage from Iraq – will it be in one year or five ?

As each week goes by the Iraqis are becoming more and more frustrated and hatred for the occupying forces is growing by the day. It seems that the worst case scenario of a protracted guerilla war might actually happen…

How long can Britain and America sustain guerilla style attacks, angry mobs, grenade attacks and ambushes. Bush has a presidential election coming up and simply can’t afford too many military casualties. The Americans are already asking other countries to shoulder some of the burdern. Poland has accepted military commitments in Iraq and Pakistan and a few Central American countries have been approached. Is Bush looking to get out in time for his election ?

Monkeys into Gorillas

Here’s how it works…. You are given something to do at work, it’s a relatively simple task which can be done quite easily. You accept it and pop it in your metaphorical in tray to do later….. it’s a nice little manageable thing, let’s call it a monkey. On the first day you don’t get round to doing it, same happens the next day and the next. As you put it off, it grows and gets bigger. The monkey starts turning into a gorilla and your response is to ignore it, put it off and hope it goes away. You prevaricate, avoid, dodge and weave as the gorilla gets bigger and bigger and angrier and angrier…. It’s an issue you have to deal with and the longer it is put off, the worse it is going to be….. Before you know it you have a huge angry gorilla on your hands. If only I had done it sooner, if only I could have dealt with the nice little monkey rather than having to tackle the damn gorilla….

The metaphor might be a bit mangled, but I slew my gorilla today…. I had a report to write and delayed, prevaricated, avoided and dodged like a little wanker. I could have dealt with an easy little monkey, instead I had to battle a big, mad silverback…..silly me !

today's weather...with a little shower about lunchtime

things

Quite a bit has happened since I last posted. Had a big family wedding, weekend before last and saw my cousin married off to a London banker…great day, great weather, great service, great do !! It was good to see the extended family again – all the aunts, uncles, cousins and othe family were there. I hadn’t seen them for 3 years so it was good to catch up !

On the Buses

I take the bus to and from work every day. I like the bus and prefer it to being underground or packed into a damn train. The top deck of a London bus is quite a pleasant way to travel to your place of work.

I can see the bus stop from my flat, it’s about 300 yards up the road and buses come past pretty regularly which is handy. I leave every morning sometime between 7.50 and 8.10 am to catch the bus to work. Every morning, without fail, the bus shoots past before I get to the bus stop. Regardless of what time I leave, the bus goes trundling past before I can get to it. I then have to wait for the next damn bus to come along while I watch the back of the bus I’ve just missed disappear round the corner…! It is a question of luck and timing I guess ! Why doesn’t the bus hove into view when I actually get to the bus stop ? Why is it always 2 steps ahead of me and never 2 steps behind…?!!! It is one of the great mysteries of of the bus network…

I quite happily sit on the bus and mind my own business. I listen to the radio on my walkman and some mornings nod off for a while. It would never occur to me that my bus journey might in any way be hazardous. It’s a safe, enjoyable way to travel. However, if I lived in Israel it would be a daily hazard. Taking a bus to work, the shops or just getting about on public transport would be a dangerous risk. Suicide bombers actively target buses to spread terror and inflict maximum damage. Taking the bus in Israel would be a nervy, frightening experience. I couldn’t imagine how terrifying it must be for ordinary Israelis to use the buses. They must be constantly edgy, eyeing up everyone who gets on looking for tell tale signs of a potential bomber – the loose clothing, arabic features, nervous looking passengers or an unnatural bulky demeanor which might conceal a semtex belt…. Jesus how do they do it…????

today's weather...

Comedy Reunion

Hungover and grotty today….bleh ! So have decided to update the blog and watch Ice Station Zebra on TV…

Had a fantastic time last night tho’ . JP came down from Norfolk and we went to see Anna and Dave in Tufnell Park. We met them in Goa and spent quite a bit of time together in Sydney. It was great to see them again and catch up.

We went to the White Horse in Hampstead for the comedy night which was pretty good and a great laugh. Despite it being in a very hot and smokey beer cellar. Dave has worked behind the bar there and we managed to wing a lock in till 3am drinking far too much with a bunch of Aussies and a slightly wacky Canadian. Damn was I pissed by the end of the night…… Needless to say I had a hangover the size of Canada this morning….nasty, nasty, nasty !!!!

On a separate note I bought an excercise bike yesterday – it’s time to get fit….!!! Can I cycle 5 miles a day……hmmm we’ll see !

today's weather...