Hoist by one's own petard - in a way

Mr Onymous has shown himself to be of a somewhat impatient disposition, with a comment on my most recent (OK two weeks ago) post:

"This blog is intended to offer odds and ends of information that I hope will be interesting and amusing. Perhaps less amusing will be my occasional rants and metaphorical sighs about and at the world we live in, its governance and population."

yes please ...WHEN ??? 

For the time being it seems that the muse has deserted me, although in writing this, the idea occurs to me that perhaps there are amongst you those who are heartily sick of the Olympic/Paralympic Games, though probably not as heartily sick as I am.

Thanks largely to the greed of Bernard Charles Ecclestone, the BBC no longer provides TV coverage of all the Grands Prix, so today I had to make do with the coverage on Radio 5 of what was apparently a thrilling Italian Grand Prix.  This coverage was interrupted several times by someone droning on at great length about some marathon.  Yawn/Rage/Yawn/Rage

Until the next time

Relativity

No, not the sort of relativity that Albert Einstein "invented" and which, despite numerous attempts at explanation (including by the brilliant T) I completely fail to comprehend.

The relativity I have in mind this evening concerns cost.

Space News reported that the cost of NASA's current Mars programme has reached $2.5 billions.

Peanuts.

I say "peanuts" because of the staggering achievement of transporting a vehicle of astounding versatility, not to say complexity, weighing about a ton, about 352 million miles, and delivering it to a point just 2km from its target on the surface of the Red Planet.  And the amazing vehicle, so capable, has arrived undamaged and has already started its work.

Peanuts again.

Meanwhile, in London a sporting competition has been put on.  It is a very large sporting competition, including top-class sportsmen and women from all around the world.  The goings-on have dominated the news media and caused havoc in terms of traffic congestion; also many businesses have suffered loss of trade in consequence.

Cost? about £13 billions - and that's just what we have been told about; I suspect that there will be a substantial financial hangover afterwards as has been the case in other countries foolish enough to claim the glory of presenting the Olympic Games.

Not peanuts; not peanuts at all.

Until the nest time.

[28/27]

"5.9, 5.9, 5.9 - ooh and it's 3.6 from the North Korean Judge..."

[27/26]


I had hoped to avoid any mention of the Olympic Games here, but unfortunately, the passage of the Olympic Torch at the end of the road this afternoon makes comment seemingly obligatory.

Given my generally misanthropic stance I imagine that it is not necessary for me to reveal here my view of the Olympic farce (shurely Games? Ed.); the squandering of billions on this ridiculous business in these straitened times beggars belief (Whoops! I revealed it!)

Anyway, the torch passed by this afternoon whilst I was on the balcony in the sunshine enjoying a clope.  The carriage of this beacon of hope was preceded by a small motorcade of quite outstanding vulgarity: it was composed of various converted lorries carrying the brand names of the sponsors so beloved of Lord Coe - Samsung, Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB.  From the Coca-Cola lorry came horrible music reproduced at staggering volume. Finally to considerable cheering from the assembled crowd came the little torch carried no doubt by some "celebrity" or other (who cares?).  

I saw a small yellow flame and then it passed and after a few more police on motor-cycles  rounded off the performance, everybody went home.

In summary, the Age of the Common Man writ large.

Goodness How Sad.

Until the next time