Cannabis smokers run risk of lower IQ.

Some users would disagree. The discussions I have overheard about the universe and how far it goes on for are mind boggling. I mean, it really does go on for a long way doesn’t it. And where does it stop? I mean that’s another question to mess with your mind. I mean, if it stops, like at a brick wall or something like that, the brick wall has to be somewhere too doesn’t it? It must be in another completely different universe. Not only that but it’s possible that the universe we are actually in is actually contained within an atom – and where is that atom!? Apart from that though, people who have a smoke are some of the funniest people around; like seriously smart and witty. Just the other day I was sitting with some friends in my garden. It was a beautiful, peaceful day. Hot – yeah but not seriously hot. There were clouds drifting over very slowly but it was still really nice. And my friends and me were sitting, well actually lying on blankets – you know, those really nice hand woven ones from Mexico, I got three of them from some stall in Camden, cos Camden is really great for stuff like that – and we were just looking up at the sky which was really blue – you know how sometimes it’s just seriously blue, you know: real blue. Anyway my two good friends were smoking and one of them suddenly said; ‘Check that’ and burst out giggling; ‘Richard Branson’, he said. The other friend started giggling as well. I didn’t know what they meant. My friend said, ‘In the sky – the clouds, it’s Richard Branson!’ And there he was - formed by the clouds! I started giggling as well. Then the pizza man came and my mate who’d seen Richard Branson had this Four Season with extra cheese pizza and a Sprite ‘cos it  was a meal deal – Sprite is seriously great when it’s hot - and my other mate had Americano with chips and  Sprite and I got this one with pineapple and kebab meat and I got a Sprite. Then my mate with the Americano and chips burst out giggling and said ‘Oh, no! Look at that.’ Both me and my mate who’d seen Richard Branson first looked up. ‘No, look, it’s Prince Harry.’ Said my other mate pointing at his pizza and there he was – Prince Harry formed out of some salami and chips, seriously funny...

Neil Armstrong: the final frontier

Neil Armstrong has embarked on his journey to final frontier. A fixture of my childhood like Elton John and Star Trek, the first man on the moon has sadly passed. And so, as if in cheesy tribute, William Shatner sings 'Rocket Man':

Dirty Harry?

For once, the press have gone too far. Publishing pictures of Prince Harry has shown the depths to which newspapers will go – to get totally uninteresting, non-newsworthy and boring ‘scoops.’ Henry’s dress sense with the swastika arm band was newsworthy: the heir to the very important UK throne’s idea of respecting sensitivities within his diverse realm. Pictures of him naked though? Is there no other news to report? Well of course, yes. It was reported yesterday on the BBC’s website’s front page that Tom Cruise had gone for a curry in St. Albans. That jockeyed for position with a story about a bad job of restoration on a church fresco in Spain. So, is it such a shock that Henry is naked? Well, maybe it is for a very small minority. For many years – well, until quite recently – I didn’t think the queen went to the toilet. The Royal Family had their appointment ratified by God at some point and I thought that one of the perks of being in a family chosen by God to rule was that they were spared some of the more irksome bodily functions. But I was wrong in that. They go to the toilet, have the squits and fart - just like their humble subjects – just like you and me. Likewise there are points in the day when they are naked – like in the shower or bath. I was naked this morning. And I have been naked with a woman as well. He is not alone in that experience. There are also points in the day when the Royals eat and chew. Are we to see I-phoned pictures of Hal eating a curry? How about drinking a cup of tea? Are we to see pictures of Harry having a dump?

UK Borrowing in July – different to what was expected.

Well, there’s a piece of news that wasn’t unexpected! The government has no idea what it is doing! Greece is about default while we have increased borrowing by 9 billion in the same period as in 2011. One again, it is clear that the politicians and civil servants who concoct all this nonsense are buffoons and number crunchers that could not make it in the private sector. The problem is that economics is not a science. If you drop an apple - the last time I checked - it will move with increasing speed in a downward direction – a scientific law. There is a global recession but the government didn't predict that North Sea oil production would decrease and thus affected corporation tax in a downward direction. Even so you cannot predict economic activity to the extent that the + or – error is de minimus. The + or- errors are adding up to be catastrophic. Human beings are capable of landing things that take nice pictures on Mars – the things also do soil samples too - unlike my Canon 400D. Why can we devote the same pedantic hard headed determination to get things right when it comes to the economy? Even if it isn't a science, some proper smart Alecs and Alices could do a better job the bunglers in the government.

Third Sino Japan argy bargy?

The ‘West’ bungled the second war between China and Japan.  Between 1937 and 1945, it was difficult to see which horse to back as, yet again, the West’s diplomacy and support was, and still is, motivated by money and self interest rather than moral duty. At one point Germany was China’s unlikely supporter while the UK and Soviets had pacts with the Japanese. There was much jumping from one ship to the other but the support in the end for China was meagre. It was only the minor complication of WW2 that realigned the ‘West’ against Japan after it attacked or took strategic locations in the region the most notable being Pearl Harbour.

Now there is some dispute over some islands that China once controlled. Thanks to the bungled interference or involvement by the US, who thought it their business to administer the islands after WW2 before handing them over to the Japanese in 1972, there is going to be more bungled diplomacy.

England beat Italy!?

Read all about it in Gazetta with a little help from Google Trasnlate:

Like Italy in Berne but losesDefoe gives victory to the EnglishBerne, August 15, 2012 

The National (with 8 rookies!) Was defeated 2-1 but offers interesting insights into the key to future. Ogbonna is already a certainty, others appear promising young growth. A De Rossi and Defoe Jagielka respond. Well Sirigu. At the stage of Young Boys in Berne, the boys of Young Italy Prandelli play a friendly discreet, against England, but end up defeated 2-1. De Rossi's goal in the first replicate and then Defoe Jagielka. Prandelli line up two rookies from the first minute, and El Shaarawy Right, and puts in another six per game in progress. In Switzerland they see everything in the camp seven boys from 23 years down. And as often happens in these cases, when youth is also excellent in some parts, but also tremendously generous, the reality is optional: many Blue are appreciated, but Italy surrendered to the British in the last 15 years ko in direct challenge. Good evidence of Right, which, however, still lacks malice sills, and Verratti, good to Ogbonna, who already knew, but it shows he means, ready for the games that count, then, those for the qualifications of the World 2014 in Brazil. Some anxiety about external low, while Italy as a module appeared to be more secure with the OMC that his trident attack.
ADVANTAGE IN ITALY - De Rossi, captain tonight, gives courage to kids of Young Italy: Cleverley hard on the tackle after 2 'is a message: do not be intimidated by the name of the opponent and caliphs as Lampard. Italy has come to Bern to experiment, but also to get a result. The blues are committed to execute the directives of Prandelli, never so didactic as in recent days in Coverciano, with the young students. The 4-3-3 with Diamonds to the right is willing, but not always effective. At 15 'marks the head of De Rossi, who is the right time from the right corner of Diamonds, which puts a hand in any dangerous action of the blue. Italy took the lead with goals in the eleventh National midfielder Roman and Romanist. It could well double. Right because it offers speed, bursting with his progress, launched in-depth, well everything except the left: oversized. Too bad. The Pharaoh El Shaarawy other special noted, is more departures than arrivals, but not sorry. Toddles, yes, and the technique is all: a number on the left with double dribbling at speed ripping applause, although not perfect. In short, as is normal, is the potential effectiveness. For now.ALSO ENGLISH - England has not the slightest intention of letting up. It marks the opponents emulating. Head, with a dip of Jagielka, ugly but solid, which anticipates Balzaretti, below par physically, in the scrum. Then Lampard tries twice the distance, with no luck. Is the interval 1-1.
CHANGES AND BEGINNINGS - After the interval Prandelli inserts Peluso. Also changes the form: Diamonds becomes playmaker, with the Pharaoh now second toe. Italy is the most effective way: it is a form he knows best. And Destro went close again in goal turned: Ruddy is careful about his post. Then Peluso to eat the icing on the cake of his rookie evening: butt the left just before the England goalkeeper. Prandelli changes again: well Verratti debut (out, even if used "higher" than usual, from playmaker) and Gabbiadini. England hit the post with Lescott melee, Italy gets along.THE TURNING POINT - Gabbiadini touches the goal for the Blues, and there would be all for the excellent second half blue, then a minute later Defoe is a nice goal with a shot from outside the pool area. Vince England. The Italy of the future must be content to take a small step at a time. The performance was positive for long stretches, the result not. But for that there will be many other occasions, evenings in which win will count very much anymore.

Marathon Men

A few shots of the Olympic Marathon along the Embankment.

the eventual winner

BBC in Campbell's mother Gaff

During the BBC’s Olympic Tonight late last night Gabby Logan revealed that the boxer, Luke Campbell, had lost his mother several years ago.  Anyone still up later would have heard, as the show's credits rolled, a voiceover from Gabby apologising to Luke Campbell’s mother who had enjoyed watching her son win bantamweight gold from the stands in the Excel Arena.

Track Cycling Bonanza for GB and the 110 metre freestyle.

Despite the rumoured efforts of cycling’s nobs, UCI, to shore up GB’s domination of track events, we won seven of the ten golds available at the velodrome. But, by UCI limiting each country to one competitor per event, our total medals declined to nine from the twelve won in Beijing. But, to avoid being a one trick horse, the mission of Team GB was to win medals in twelve sports and so gold gongs have been spread a bit more evenly as we lie third (Tuesday 7^th at 8pm) with 22 Gold medals. We are not going to threaten the top two and there maybe a late surge form Russia. China are top with the USA second. However, look closely at the medal spread of the USA and you realise they are a one trick dolphin. 16 of their 30 golds are from swimming (half of the events), and 30 of their total medals of 66 are from the pool. There are a ridiculous number of medals in the swimming and we aren’t finished. There are the two open water 10km events to come. Twenty eight swimming events are for individuals and six are relays. Swimming is a very lucrative medal winner for the US and has more medals than running events – take out half of the swimming events and the US would look very ordinary. They need to get some more swimming events as China get a lead: perhaps the 110 and 300m freestyle, breaststroke and butterfly or the 402 metres individual medley. In the same vein, East African nations could lobby for some more long distance races in the Olympics such as the 7500, 12500, 15000, 17500 and 20000 metres and maybe the marathon relay. Asian countries could try and get some of their sports in to bag a few medals such as Kabaddi – a game already in the Asian Games. Unlikely. The Olympics is about money and TV rights and hence sponsorship not inclusiveness.

State media obsessed with Olympic Gold medals says BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-19102827 Yes, you’d think the BBC was talking about itself: the constant re-runs; the gushy slo-mos; the roaring crowds outside the BBC portakabin in the Olympic Park; the squirming commentators and anchors declaring that so and so’s gold medal win was the most momentous day of their lives. The graphics; the 60 second news, the main news and the front page of the BBC’s website; a humiliated John McEnroe mowing the hand of the studio Big Ben to signify another gold gong. Everything is devoted to the Gold. But, no, the article refers to China of course.