I had my mobile telephone stolen last night. It was taken from my jacket pocket as I took wine with a number of friends in a bar near Liverpool Street station in London. Liverpool Street is one of the four stations on the Monopoly board. On the bespoke board I have at home, the stations have been replaced by bars, so there is some sort of symmetry here.
My jacket was hanging over the back of my chair, and early in the evening I had used it to text one of my daughters. The perpetrator must have seen me place it back in my blazer pocket, and dipped me sometime later as he or she was leaving. The ease of the crime was increased by the fact that I was sitting on a bar stool type chair, which made the pocket more accessible without any need for an average height person to bend down.
It's only a phone, and I was not mugged for it, so its no big deal really. It's just the fag of having to recreate all the records and reload the apps and synchronise the diary entries that really bug me. It took me over an hour today just to go through the crime report and the insurance claim to allow another phone to be sent out to me. The joy of recreation starts on Friday, wish me luck
If I had been smarter at the time ( it was late and as already mentioned, alcohol was involved) I could have logged into my laptop and done a GPS search for the phone and tried to track it down. There is a facility on the Windows phone home page to do just that. It would have been a bit 'Jennings and Derbyshire'.
As it is, I am now phoneless and will face the four hour drive back to Scouse without the urge to phone anybody and tell them I am still on the M6......the car does have a link to the BMW control centre though, I could always ring them up for a chat I suppose!!!
Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Tuesday, 11 September 2012
Cardinal sin
Strange things afoot at England Rugby 2015, as new Chairman, Andy Cosslett, dispenses with the services of Paul Vaughan, the CEO and my sometime golfing companion.
Andy considered that Paul had taken the organisation of the Rugby World Cup as far as he could, and wished to move the planning onto a different plain. With everything involving the organisation of the tournament, the venue selection process and schedule planning all on track, Paul may well feel a bit put out.
He is being replaced by Debbie Jevons, a key player in the London 2012 Olympics process and one of Seb Coe's inner sanctum. Andy's wish is for Debbie to create the sort of feel good factor which surrounded the Olympics, and transfer it to the Rugby World Cup.
I do wonder, though whether he has taken sufficient counsel on the whole matter. Andy's CV lists his previous roles with Cadbury Schweppes and InterContinental Hotels. This indicates a well honed background in leisure and retail, a background which Paul shared through his time with GrandMet and Whitbreads. Any previous exposure to Rugby which Andy may have does seem to be absent from much of his biographical data.
The appointment of somebody with such fresh experiences from London 2012 into the rugby environment is certainly a forward thinking initiative, however, I worry that the image and enthusiasm of one, may not necessarily be suitable to the other .
Lets look at some specifics:
The Olympic Games runs full on for two weeks, there are events morning, noon and night all over London, and save for the football, only in London ( sorry Weymouth, you too!). The Rugby World Cup will be a three or four week event, with matches primarily at the weekends, and with dead periods through the week. Matches, like the football will be distributed to the main conurbations of England and Wales. Developing a new approach to rugby support for that length of time, across the Country will be challenging.
The Olympic Games events had British and Irish participants in one or more events so giving a constant support focus for the fans so that when one star got eliminated, there were others to fill the void. The rugby World Cup has four national teams competing in an overall population of 16. Some of them may not make the knockout stages, and if one of those is England, then a huge percentage of potential spectators will lose interest. Yes the stadia will still be full, but the need for fan zones will greatly diminish.
Now lets consider the fan zone concept. Rugby supporters are a very predictable lot. They will have a few beers before the game, watch it and adjourn back to the bar afterwards. Those who do not have a ticket will either watch at home , in their local rugby club or watch in their local pub, I can't see swathes of casual fans sitting on Twickenham Green, in Princes Street or at Cardiff Castle on a damp and cold Autumnal afternoon watching Italy take on Namibia.
Finally, what of the travelling fans? The Olympics has hundreds of different Countries to support, and London is an attractive City to visit. Its straightforward to focus all your attention in one place. I did not notice a huge number of Olympic visitors in Scouseland, and the trouble that LOCOG had selling the football tickets is a warning sign for Debbie and her team.
So all in all, it will be interesting to see what new initiatives Debbie does come up with, and how they add to the success of the tournament. Nothing will contribute more than another England victory, and that is something that is out of her hands.
Andy considered that Paul had taken the organisation of the Rugby World Cup as far as he could, and wished to move the planning onto a different plain. With everything involving the organisation of the tournament, the venue selection process and schedule planning all on track, Paul may well feel a bit put out.
He is being replaced by Debbie Jevons, a key player in the London 2012 Olympics process and one of Seb Coe's inner sanctum. Andy's wish is for Debbie to create the sort of feel good factor which surrounded the Olympics, and transfer it to the Rugby World Cup.
I do wonder, though whether he has taken sufficient counsel on the whole matter. Andy's CV lists his previous roles with Cadbury Schweppes and InterContinental Hotels. This indicates a well honed background in leisure and retail, a background which Paul shared through his time with GrandMet and Whitbreads. Any previous exposure to Rugby which Andy may have does seem to be absent from much of his biographical data.
The appointment of somebody with such fresh experiences from London 2012 into the rugby environment is certainly a forward thinking initiative, however, I worry that the image and enthusiasm of one, may not necessarily be suitable to the other .
Lets look at some specifics:
The Olympic Games runs full on for two weeks, there are events morning, noon and night all over London, and save for the football, only in London ( sorry Weymouth, you too!). The Rugby World Cup will be a three or four week event, with matches primarily at the weekends, and with dead periods through the week. Matches, like the football will be distributed to the main conurbations of England and Wales. Developing a new approach to rugby support for that length of time, across the Country will be challenging.
The Olympic Games events had British and Irish participants in one or more events so giving a constant support focus for the fans so that when one star got eliminated, there were others to fill the void. The rugby World Cup has four national teams competing in an overall population of 16. Some of them may not make the knockout stages, and if one of those is England, then a huge percentage of potential spectators will lose interest. Yes the stadia will still be full, but the need for fan zones will greatly diminish.
Now lets consider the fan zone concept. Rugby supporters are a very predictable lot. They will have a few beers before the game, watch it and adjourn back to the bar afterwards. Those who do not have a ticket will either watch at home , in their local rugby club or watch in their local pub, I can't see swathes of casual fans sitting on Twickenham Green, in Princes Street or at Cardiff Castle on a damp and cold Autumnal afternoon watching Italy take on Namibia.
Finally, what of the travelling fans? The Olympics has hundreds of different Countries to support, and London is an attractive City to visit. Its straightforward to focus all your attention in one place. I did not notice a huge number of Olympic visitors in Scouseland, and the trouble that LOCOG had selling the football tickets is a warning sign for Debbie and her team.
So all in all, it will be interesting to see what new initiatives Debbie does come up with, and how they add to the success of the tournament. Nothing will contribute more than another England victory, and that is something that is out of her hands.
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
4 men on a raft
Another August Bank Holiday, another raft race. Yes, the S Club 5, have once more paddled their way into the record books at the Bampton raft race.
We arrived on the Sunday morning this year, as number one son travelled up to visit his grandmother on the Saturday, and SWMBO's dad had to go into hospital for a heart beat synchronisation operation. The heart seems to be OK now, and the excess fluid in his lung appears to be dissipating.
So it was all a bit hectic getting to the raft race start, but our spirits were lifted as the rain had stopped but the river remained fast flowing and full. This last attribute is vital to us heavyweights, as usually the raft can get grounded five or six times during the race and we have to get off and pull it over the shallows, while lighter and rubber ring based rafts can sail on by.
Not so this year. Not only did we do a personal best, breaking the 30 minute barrier, but we overtook four other vessels, something which is unheard of for us. Couple that with only 4 of the S Club participating, and two paddles breaking and it was a cracking good show.
We were dressed as Olympians this year, but failed to win the most entertaining craft award. In fact we have not won the award for several years, when we were dressed as pirates. Our Viking attire deserved it but we were denied on a stewards enquiry. our Hawaii Five 0 came nowhere nor did our grumbies, although we did get the tele coverage for that one last year.
This year the award went to two lads dressed in DJ's who punted a raft all the way down with a couple of tree branches as poles. The raft full of Bruce's and the newly weds on a raft bed also got a mention in dispatches.
We are considering dressing as Missus Mop's next year and going for the 'all girl crew' prize!!
We arrived on the Sunday morning this year, as number one son travelled up to visit his grandmother on the Saturday, and SWMBO's dad had to go into hospital for a heart beat synchronisation operation. The heart seems to be OK now, and the excess fluid in his lung appears to be dissipating.
So it was all a bit hectic getting to the raft race start, but our spirits were lifted as the rain had stopped but the river remained fast flowing and full. This last attribute is vital to us heavyweights, as usually the raft can get grounded five or six times during the race and we have to get off and pull it over the shallows, while lighter and rubber ring based rafts can sail on by.
Not so this year. Not only did we do a personal best, breaking the 30 minute barrier, but we overtook four other vessels, something which is unheard of for us. Couple that with only 4 of the S Club participating, and two paddles breaking and it was a cracking good show.
We were dressed as Olympians this year, but failed to win the most entertaining craft award. In fact we have not won the award for several years, when we were dressed as pirates. Our Viking attire deserved it but we were denied on a stewards enquiry. our Hawaii Five 0 came nowhere nor did our grumbies, although we did get the tele coverage for that one last year.
This year the award went to two lads dressed in DJ's who punted a raft all the way down with a couple of tree branches as poles. The raft full of Bruce's and the newly weds on a raft bed also got a mention in dispatches.
We are considering dressing as Missus Mop's next year and going for the 'all girl crew' prize!!
Wednesday, 22 August 2012
Gold......
We are in the lull between the Olympic Games and the Paraolympic Games. The gap has been filled by a riveting final test match between England and South Africa.We were fortunate to be at Lords on the Saturday as is our tradition, and its fair to say that the Safa's just played the better cricket and deserved to win.
I suspect the Kevin Petersen saga will run and run, and it must have had an affect on the England camp and the way they performed, however, I would like to congratulate Vernon Philander for winning man of the match, and almost putting this web site on the map big style, a cricketer and a philanderer, now he would not have been the first!
The whole success of Team GB has once more focused the political radar on sports fields and physical exercise in schools. We all know there are too many fat kids about, but in many cases they take the lead from their parents. It is they who buy them playstations, x-boxes and Nintendos and are happy to leave little JoHannie to become a coach potato. I wonder if we will now see more and more children being attracted to social clubs to try to emulate the recent stars we have all see strut their stuff very impressively on the biggest sporting stage.
Rory McIlroy must have felt a bit miffed that not too many people were watching when he won his second major, the US PGA Championship, which concluded during the closing ceremony of the Olympics. The lure of the Spice Girls reunion was just too much for some people.
They tied in the themes quite well in the ceremony, just missing the opportunity to have Duran Duran perform Rio as the link up to the 2016 Games. We are already making plans to go, principally to watch the rugby 7's. it will certainly not be as ferocious as the Paraolympics version aka Murderball.
So as the footie season kicks off again with the usual petulance and cheating lets see if some of the Olympian fair play and sportsmanship is able to filter through society and make everybody strive to do that little bit better, but always within the spirit of the game.
I suspect the Kevin Petersen saga will run and run, and it must have had an affect on the England camp and the way they performed, however, I would like to congratulate Vernon Philander for winning man of the match, and almost putting this web site on the map big style, a cricketer and a philanderer, now he would not have been the first!
The whole success of Team GB has once more focused the political radar on sports fields and physical exercise in schools. We all know there are too many fat kids about, but in many cases they take the lead from their parents. It is they who buy them playstations, x-boxes and Nintendos and are happy to leave little JoHannie to become a coach potato. I wonder if we will now see more and more children being attracted to social clubs to try to emulate the recent stars we have all see strut their stuff very impressively on the biggest sporting stage.
Rory McIlroy must have felt a bit miffed that not too many people were watching when he won his second major, the US PGA Championship, which concluded during the closing ceremony of the Olympics. The lure of the Spice Girls reunion was just too much for some people.
They tied in the themes quite well in the ceremony, just missing the opportunity to have Duran Duran perform Rio as the link up to the 2016 Games. We are already making plans to go, principally to watch the rugby 7's. it will certainly not be as ferocious as the Paraolympics version aka Murderball.
So as the footie season kicks off again with the usual petulance and cheating lets see if some of the Olympian fair play and sportsmanship is able to filter through society and make everybody strive to do that little bit better, but always within the spirit of the game.
Friday, 27 July 2012
It's the taking part....
Tonight's, the night. The Olympic Games opening ceremony signifies the start of the London 2012 event. The question on everybodies lips is, of course, who will light the torch in the stadium?
Tradition dictates that it is an Olympian, so thet rules out Davis Beckham, although Ryan Giggs now qualifies after the game last night. Don't worry though it won't be him.
For what it's worth here is my take on how tonight will unfold.........
The stadium goes black, by design, not due to non-payment of leckie bill.....a single spotlight pierces the darkness and picks out a solitary figure riding a trandem. ( a three person bicycle made famous by The Goodies ). Zoom in and it becomes evident that riding the trandem is the recently crowned winner of the Tour de France, Bradley Wiggins.
Bradley waves to the crowd, then thinks better of it as the bicycle careers all over the track. He pedals on for another few seconds before another spotlight picks out a bus stop at which stands another solitary figure. Bradley stops, and picks up his first passenger, no less a person than Daley Thompson, the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Decathlon gold medalist.
They then wobble round the track to the final bus stop and there waiting for them is the Olympic torch being carried by Sir Steve Redgrave, Olympic gold medalist at five different games, and to many people the greatest ever Olympian. He jumps on and they all pedal to the top of the stadium where they all hold the torch as the flame is lit.
Everybody cheers and the games begin.....you read it here first!!!
Tradition dictates that it is an Olympian, so thet rules out Davis Beckham, although Ryan Giggs now qualifies after the game last night. Don't worry though it won't be him.
For what it's worth here is my take on how tonight will unfold.........
The stadium goes black, by design, not due to non-payment of leckie bill.....a single spotlight pierces the darkness and picks out a solitary figure riding a trandem. ( a three person bicycle made famous by The Goodies ). Zoom in and it becomes evident that riding the trandem is the recently crowned winner of the Tour de France, Bradley Wiggins.
Bradley waves to the crowd, then thinks better of it as the bicycle careers all over the track. He pedals on for another few seconds before another spotlight picks out a bus stop at which stands another solitary figure. Bradley stops, and picks up his first passenger, no less a person than Daley Thompson, the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Decathlon gold medalist.
They then wobble round the track to the final bus stop and there waiting for them is the Olympic torch being carried by Sir Steve Redgrave, Olympic gold medalist at five different games, and to many people the greatest ever Olympian. He jumps on and they all pedal to the top of the stadium where they all hold the torch as the flame is lit.
Everybody cheers and the games begin.....you read it here first!!!
Thursday, 26 July 2012
And they're off....
It's Olympic Games time, and I am trying to be positive about them, albeit they have done me no favours over the last few years. Indeed they have done me no favours next week as I have had to change my hotel in West London as it is slap bang in the middle of the cycle road race and I would have no access to my car for most of the day. let's hope Bradley Wiggins does the business in that one and then BBC sports personality of the year 2012 should be a nailed on certainty.
The Games kicked off yesterday with a spot of ladies footie. the standard is certainly improving, and isn't it great that they don't fall over at the slightest touch, or scream at the ref all the time, the male professional game should look and learn. They won't of course.
I played golf last night with a gentlemen who was at the opening ceremony of the 1948 games in London, as a seven year old, and he has moved heaven and earth to get tickets for the opening ceremony on Friday, that must be a great feeling for him. he said he could remember the 1948 event like it was yesterday, so I hope he has a really enjoyable experience in Stratford, regardless of the fact hotel prices in the area are 400% higher than normal.
I have not given up hope of getting to the stadium for the athletics. Usually sponsors tickets get returned last minute so I am looking daily to see what's around. It might need to be a day trip, but at least we can say ' we were there!'
The Games kicked off yesterday with a spot of ladies footie. the standard is certainly improving, and isn't it great that they don't fall over at the slightest touch, or scream at the ref all the time, the male professional game should look and learn. They won't of course.
I played golf last night with a gentlemen who was at the opening ceremony of the 1948 games in London, as a seven year old, and he has moved heaven and earth to get tickets for the opening ceremony on Friday, that must be a great feeling for him. he said he could remember the 1948 event like it was yesterday, so I hope he has a really enjoyable experience in Stratford, regardless of the fact hotel prices in the area are 400% higher than normal.
I have not given up hope of getting to the stadium for the athletics. Usually sponsors tickets get returned last minute so I am looking daily to see what's around. It might need to be a day trip, but at least we can say ' we were there!'
Wednesday, 25 July 2012
No woman, no cry.....
Well we have just returned from two glorious weeks holiday in our idyllic hideaway, St Lucia, in the Caribbean. I understand it was a tad damp here in Blighty while we were away, but I am pleased to report St Lucia were experiencing the driest July for some while.
Its the rainy season at this time of year, and its not a time we would normally visit, however, with such hectic schedules at our usual, and preferred, times, March and September, it was a matter of going in July or not going at all.
The resort we visit, Le Sport, has just had a multimillion pound makeover paid for in part by the insurance claims from recent hurricane damage. Hurricanes are fairly rare in St Lucia, but the ones in 20009 and 2010 certainly left their mark on the island. There are still roads which are single passage only, and the mud slides in Soufiere buried a number of people in their homes.
On the whole, though, the hotel has done a good job. There is a new clubhouse with pizza oven and permanent kitchen which takes the catering outlets up to three. There is a new infinity pool for the water volleyball and new instruction areas for Scuba and water aerobics. The boardwalk has been extended and there are new boutiques and bars as well. The price has gone up, but on the whole the benefits have justified it.
The manager did indicate to us that food costs are their biggest recent price increase, and that was reflected across the resort where the selection was less varied than previously. that said, while we were there the house white, part of the all inclusive deal, was Napa Valley Chardonnay which retails at £17 a bottle in UK. we must have drunk £500 worth!! It had just run out as we left to be replaced by a South Australian which was not in the same league. I guess that's the luck of the draw.
I got in a few golf lessons when I played some holes with Edwin the pro. He made a couple of swing changes which provided instant reward and he jokingly said were $50 a pop. all i need to do now is try them out in the Wallasey wind.....fore!
Its the rainy season at this time of year, and its not a time we would normally visit, however, with such hectic schedules at our usual, and preferred, times, March and September, it was a matter of going in July or not going at all.
The resort we visit, Le Sport, has just had a multimillion pound makeover paid for in part by the insurance claims from recent hurricane damage. Hurricanes are fairly rare in St Lucia, but the ones in 20009 and 2010 certainly left their mark on the island. There are still roads which are single passage only, and the mud slides in Soufiere buried a number of people in their homes.
On the whole, though, the hotel has done a good job. There is a new clubhouse with pizza oven and permanent kitchen which takes the catering outlets up to three. There is a new infinity pool for the water volleyball and new instruction areas for Scuba and water aerobics. The boardwalk has been extended and there are new boutiques and bars as well. The price has gone up, but on the whole the benefits have justified it.
The manager did indicate to us that food costs are their biggest recent price increase, and that was reflected across the resort where the selection was less varied than previously. that said, while we were there the house white, part of the all inclusive deal, was Napa Valley Chardonnay which retails at £17 a bottle in UK. we must have drunk £500 worth!! It had just run out as we left to be replaced by a South Australian which was not in the same league. I guess that's the luck of the draw.
I got in a few golf lessons when I played some holes with Edwin the pro. He made a couple of swing changes which provided instant reward and he jokingly said were $50 a pop. all i need to do now is try them out in the Wallasey wind.....fore!
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