A great game of rugby between Italy and Scotland. Italy deserved their win putting them fourth in the Six Nations table. They were 16 – 22 down at halftime but came out the more energised team in the second half. Scotland mounted a late fight back but Italy defended well and finished 31 – 29 winners.
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The Party for Peaceful Progress within the bounds of the law
The Good Soldier Svejk by Jaroslav Hasek came to mind when the issue of peaceful protesting in the UK was publicly debated. This satirical work is as relevant today as the day it was first published, 1921.
It was the inspiration for such works as Joseph Heller’s Catch 22. A darkly humourous work that reminds me a bit of Candide with the central character stumbling into many bizarre situations.
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Boat drinks
The film Things to do in Denver when you’re dead is inspiring. The actor Andy Garcia talks about his ambition to be standing on the deck of his yacht having boat drinks after he and his accomplices have pulled off some skulduggery.
My rather more modest ambition is to hire a boat, moor somewhere scenic and have preprandial drinks before the sun goes down.
The river Shannon might be a possibility if we get a warm spell. A boat that has two cabins, two showers and two toilets can be hired for a week at a time at reasonable rates…or we could buy a yacht like the one pictured above for a few thousand pounds, spend a fortune on mooring fees and maintenance and head out into the Irish Sea.
My parents owned a similar sized yacht for a while which we sailed in the Solent, a fairly calm stretch of water between the South coast of England and the Isle of Wight. It made for exciting family holidays and an appreciation of the power of wind, tides and currents.
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Kippers for tea
One of the difficulties with cooking fish is the lingering smell afterwards. Microwavable kippers get rid of that problem. No piercing the packaging, just 2.5 minutes at full power and they’re done.
A glass of Bourgogne white wine and some coleslaw make the perfect accompaniment. I would take a photo, but there are no kippers left.
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Albert Camus
He was a guy who escaped poverty in Algeria by the recognition of a Primary School teacher who encouraged him to apply for a scholarship. The academic life suited him and he fell in with Jean Paul Sartre, Simone De Beauvoir and other Parisian intellectuals.
He embraced existential philosophy but fell out with Sartre over his commitment to pacificism.
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Spring in the air
The milder weather has me buying flowers and tidying our back patio area. The washing got an airing and the paving stones were power hosed. Bird feeders have been cleaned and refilled, custom made furniture has been uncovered and placed underneath the sun umbrella. It will soon be time to try lighting the BBQ and see if the sun stays out.
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Unlawful assembly
Peaceful protest is a fundamental right in a democratic country. Recently protesters have gathered in large numbers outside politicians’ homes in England. They are protesting against politicians who support the UK government’s policy on Gaza.
Police have advised some politicians to stay away from their homes as a precaution. When does peaceful protest become intimidation? The Prime Minister has termed it mob rule and there is talk of extending the use of the word ‘extremist’ to include such protesters.
If large numbers of people are opposed to the government’s policies, such as their support for the war in Iraq, surely people have a right to protest. But angry crowds camped outside politicians’ homes does seem to infringe the rights of politicians to enjoy a family life separate from their work at Westminster or in their constituency offices.
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Purely Poetry – St. David’s Day
Encouraged by last month’s experience at the Crescent Arts Centre I decided to give it another go at this monthly open mic event. Colin Dardis and Geraldine O’Kane are brilliant organisers and kept things relaxed and moving along with little need for the 7 minute bell.
I shared a table with some interesting poetry fans and worked my way through a bottle of Malbec. Colin started the ball rolling with one of his poems ‘Wheels’, which I misheard as ‘Wales’ until I listened to the words.
Agreeing to do it all again next month, I got the bus home, made myself fish and chips and fell asleep in front of the telly. A perfect evening.
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Navalny Day
It would be a fitting tribute to Alexei Navalny if his supporters named a day after this brave man. His funeral is being heavily policed, as expected, but no arrests have been reported so far.
His widow, Yulia, has accused Putin of having her husband killed. The state controlled media have stayed muzzled about the funeral and showed nothing but disrespect for the opposition leader who was committed to exposing corruption at the heart of the Russian government.
His death in an Arctic penalty colony is highly suspicious given the previous attempt on his life by Putin’s murder squad.