Bake Off

So, who were you rooting for in the final the other night?  I remember back in the day, there was an old saying "always bet on the outsider of three" which would have pointed you towards Ruby - otherwise you needed to choose between Rahul or Kim-Joy. both of whom have had their triumphs and disasters.  So Rahul won, and there are already those maintaining that it was a fix, and that Kim-Joy was "robbed".  I think you need to understand - as anybody who has watched the show over the weeks will attest - that the judging is very much based on what happens on the night, rather than on a contestant's overall performance.  Unfair, you may think, but that's the way it works.  Neither Rahul or Kim-Joy were at their best on the night, but I think Rahul's "show-stopper" just about swung it.

Budget

What have we wine-drinkers done to offend the Government?  Duty on beer, cider and spirits all frozen, but not wine, which will be more expensive as a result.  No explanation given, as far as I am aware, but I cannot see how wine-drinkers pose more of a risk to society than beer drinkers - unless of course it's to do with the Scots and Buckfast Tonic Wine which they are notorious for imbibing in vast quantities.  All I know is that my bottle of red "plonk" which used to set me back about £2.50, now is just over £4, and presumably will be going up as a result.  I have friends who live in the Canaries and can get a litre (note, a litre - that's a bottle and a half) of perfectly acceptable plonk for just under £1 - somehow just doesn't seem fair.

A true gentleman

Sad to hear of the death of the owner of Leicester City Football Club, who was killed in a helicopter crash last Saturday.  Not just the owner of the club, he was a genuine philanthropist who gave much of his wealth to local good causes.  We can ill afford to lose people like him.

Who wants a Kwik-E-Mart? I do!!

If what I read is correct, the character of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is to be axed from The Simpsons.  If so I think this reflects very badly on the show's producers who appear to have given in to the mindless twitterings of those with nothing better to do with their time, and who probably are nothing to do with India anyway.  If the news is true, I'm afraid The Simpsons has gone down in my estimation.

I.O.U.

Some local councils, it seems, are refusing to accept payments due to them in cash or by cheque, insisting that people needing to pay them do so electronically.  This isn't just a matter of being arsey, it's more a matter that in these straightened times, they can't afford the staff to deal with cash and cheque payments.  There are of course other ways to pay using those means, though they may not be so convenient, particularly for older people set in their ways.  I can understand the problem, but I think they need to be careful regarding payments in cash, as the law covering legal tender (of which we have spoken more than once in the past) would apply.

Why did he bother?

Without taking sides in the Sir Philip Green business. I think it's pertinent to ask whether there's any point in going to all the time, trouble and expense of going to court and getting an injunction to stop your name being bandied about in the press, when it can be thwarted  by any Member of Parliament who cares to mention your name in the House.  

Walkers - whatever next?

Christmas tree flavoured crisps?  Can't see it myself.

Ha ha

What happens to a frog's car when it breaks down?
It gets toad away.

Doctor Who

I have one question - why did Grace have to die?

Just a thought...

Remember the South African girl - whose name, I'm ashamed to say, escapes me for the moment - who has an abnormally high level of testosterone, and who, as a result, can run the 800m faster than any other woman?  The question of whether she should be able to compete as a woman is still very much a live issue.  But how about this - a man decides that he's really a woman, and self-identifies himself as such.  He then competes in some sport or other as a woman, and, because he is physically a man, is very successful.  Should this be allowed? Think about it - because, depend on it, sooner or later the question will arise.

Peoples' vote?

Several thousand people marched through London over the weekend demanding a second referendum - but on what exactly?  In order to have a vote, you have to have something to vote for - or against.  And it seems to me that we haven't,  The closest we've come is the so-called "Chequers Agreement" which clearly is anything but an agreement and in any event has been dismissed out of hand by the EU.  Until we have a definite proposal - wherever it comes from - there is nothing to vote on.

Bar food

If you like calamari, you should be aware that a shortage of squid means that you may be getting an inferior product made of bits of other fish  mushed up into a paste which is then piped into rings which are battered and fried.  You have been warned!

Consent?

It seems we may have to rethink some of our fairy tales.  It is being seriously considered over in Hollywood that kissing a girl while she is asleep is a no-no as she hasn't given her consent.  So Sleeping Beauty it appears is doomed to stay asleep for ever??  And as for awaking your beloved in the morning with a kiss - uh, uh.  Let's hope the idea stays in Hollywood.

Freebies

It seems I may lose my free TV licence - the BBC are seriously considering such a move as a cost-saving exercise.  I shan't be too bothered - it'll cost me £150-odd a year, which isn't exactly small change, but I can cope,  The people I feel sorry for are the poorer pensioners who don't get out, and rely on the television for their pleasure and entertainment.  I think this is why the free licence was introduced in the first place and the logic still holds.

You say tomAYto...

Interesting effect of America's sanctions against Iran - the riyal (Iranian currency) has plunged in value, making things more expensive for Iranians, but cheaper for other countries.  Iraq has seized the opportunity to buy up Iranian tomatoes, with the result that there is now a serious tomato shortage in Iran.  Given that tomatoes form the basis of most Middle Eastern cuisine, this is being felt most acutely and shops are even running short of tomato paste.  Don't know whether this is what Trump intended...

Oh dear, oh dear.

It seems that one of the (unwanted) side-effects of global warming may be a decrease in beer production, with a resulting increase in price.  Barley, which is the main ingredient in beer, is apparently sensitive to changes in temperature, and periods of abnormal hot and cold weather, such as global warming is increasingly liable to bring about, may produce a drop in yield of around 10%.  Start stocking up now! 

Occam's Razor

I imagine most of you have heard of that, although I equally imagine that most of you are unsure as to precisely what it means.  Well, it's a problem-solving aid which basically means that the least complicated solution is probably the correct one.  It's named after William of Ockham, who was a 13th century English Franciscan friar and who is credited with saying "Frustra fit per plura quod potest fieri per pauciora" - it is futile to do with more things that which can be done with fewer. I'm sure he would be the first to agree that this wasn't his original thought.  Aristotle had come up with basically the same idea some thousand years earlier.  And to bring it up-to-date, today we have the KISS principle - Keep It Simple, Stupid.

What's that smell?

Apparently Calvin Klein's Obsession for Men perfume is not just a hit with the ladies, but also attracts big cats - like tigers, cheetahs and panthers.  It is useful to spray around when you want to get these creatures to gather in a particular place for whatever reason, but the downside is that this is a Calvin Klein perfume and as such costs an arm and a leg!

Does it have adult themes?

Heard about the woman who was refused entry to a cinema, because the film being shown had a 15 certificate, and she had her four week old child with her.  Talk about taking things too far?

End of the world?

I've watched as shops in my local High Street have shut  - sometimes local businesses but more and more recently local branches of national chains.  Woolworth, Maplin, Poundworld - they've all disappeared over the last few years.  But W. H. Smith???  Say it isn't so!

Ha ha

My girlfriend told me she doesn't care what I buy her for Christmas as long as it has diamonds in it.  So - a pack of playing cards it is, then.

Group appointments?

Don't fancy the idea of doctors seeing patients in groups rather then individually.  I don't want to hear about other people's ailments, any more than I want them hearing about mine.  Don't know if this is a serious suggestion, but not for me, thank you.

Snake and chips?

Heard about the elderly couple in Manchester who opened their oven with the intention of cooking some chips, only to find a snake in there.  Probably an escaped pet attracted by the warmth it seems, and eventually captured by an RSPCA inspector.  Apparently the wife still fancied chips, but insisted her husband went down the local chippie to get them!

Doctor Who

Best seen as a work in progress, I think.  Disjointed plot which seemed to go nowhere.  Within the first ten minutes she had remembered that she used to be "a white-haired Scotsman" and yet spent the rest of the episode complaining that she didn't know who she was.  Sound wasn't great - I could really have done with subtitles.  Female Doctor?  For me, jury's still out I think.

Tipping the scales

If I were American (which, thank God, I'm not) I think I would be very concerned about the Supreme Court, as personified by its most recent judge, Justice Kavanaugh.  It's not about whether he may or may not have done something foolish when he was a teenager (didn't we all?).  It's not even about his very un-judge-like appearances and utterances over the last weeks.  What bothers me is that he is seen as a "conservative" judge who will tip the balance of the court that way, which when you think about it, is an unspoken acceptance that the Justices who make up the court are prejudiced and will not approach any case which comes before them with an open mind, but already have an inbuilt bias depending on whether they are "conservative" or "liberal".  And surely, that is something which should be worrying to everybody, of whichever political persuasion.  What you want from a judge, above all else, is an open mind.

Case proved?

Well, is wine good for you or not?  Conflicting opinions - who to believe?  The way I look at it, mankind has been drinking wine since at least biblical times, and mankind is still here.  And that's good enough for me.

Oops!

I was tickled to see that the health and safety people are having a go at the sex toy trade.  There is clearly a danger that such products can get stuck in various embarrassing places, and the manufacturers must now legally guard against this happening,  The mind boggles!

Fascinating fact

There's a 25% increase in heart attacks on the Monday after we put the clocks forward at the end of March.  Nobody quite knows why, although there are several theories.  Most are connected with the loss of an hour's sleep.  For what it's worth, on the Saturday afternoon, I put all the clocks forward an hour - bar one.  So on Saturday afternoon and evening, I'm already running on summer time.  All I have to remember is which clock is showing the real time!

Didn't see it coming.

What do we make of this girl who was struck in the eye (and possibly blinded) by a wayward shot at the Ryder Cup and is now - according to the media - considering suing the organisers for damages.  Dredging up my ancient legal knowledge, I'm sure there used to be a latin tag - I think it was "volenti non fit injuria" which means if you knowingly and voluntarily put yourself in a position of potential danger, you have no case if that danger happens and you are injured as a result.  Of course a lot of things have changed since then, so it will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Second time around

I've posted before about the ridiculousness - as I see it - of remaking successful films.  So why on earth has Steven Spielberg chosen to remake West Side Story?  I can't see how he can win - at best he will produce something as good as the original, and at worst he will destroy his reputation.  You can't improve on perfection.

Java jive

Yesterday was International Coffee Day, it seems.  Did you know that the optimal time for having your first cuppa is 10 a.m?  That's a bit late for me, and I would imagine, most of you.  I have a coffee machine by my bed and have my first cup watching the news around 7.30.  It's all to do with a hormone called cortisol apparently which gives you that "get up and go" feeling first thing in the morning (can't say I've ever experienced it myself) so you should wait until your cortisol level subsides before having your first cup of Joe - around 10 o' clock.  Well - each to his own.

I was ashamed!

I know it was Europe, and not just us, but did anybody else find the behaviour of the spectators at the Ryder Cup disrespectful, to the point of rudeness?  You do not boo your opponents.  You do not whoop and holler when they make a mistake.  Manners, people!