kevs blog

Spike Milligan

2011-06-08T19:16:00.003+01:00

Long time since I was last on this blog, so just trying a few things again. It gets to one and it gets to one big time, that nothing you ever do works. In the beginning it does and then all of a sudden it no longer works? Is this official or is it spammers at work? Appears that one cannot avoid them and damn and blast them all.

So I'm in need of a few good old laughs and there was someone who could do this for me almost at a whim. Reading one of his short stories I was guaranteed at some time to fall on the floor laughing. So sadly missed, but, the books live on.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the essential Irish hooligan, Spike Milligan.

Ko Phi Phi island in Southern Thailand

2010-03-01T19:40:00.002Z

Ko Phi Phi island in Southern Thailand

First ever trip to the East and found Thailand a very impressive tourist resort. Such beautiful manners and such great service.

The Cochlear Implant a medical miracle

2010-03-01T19:00:00.001Z

The Cochlear Implant a medical miracle

I always consider myself to have been one of the pioneers of this remarkable achievement. Certainly so in Africa, as I was the thirteenth person to have it there. My journey of it explained as best I could here.

Canberra, Australia's Capital City, a beauty

2010-03-01T18:56:00.001Z

Canberra, Australia's Capital City, a beauty

Just back from a first time trip to Australia and staying with my brother in law. Had a ball and went to visit the houses of parliament in Canberra. Something special and symbolic.

Back to the soccer

2009-11-24T16:03:00.003Z

Just following up on my earlier post about the football. Ireland lost their World cup dreams in South Africa when Thierry Henry double hand balled and then the French scored. This made them victorious. Television replay after replay showed this to be true. The French player admitted it after the game.
The Irish football association demanded a rematch which was the only fair thing to do. This was denied by FIFA.
I have lived through similar incidents before albeit in another sport and country.
You can bet your bottom dollar that if it had been Ireland as the culprit and not France. The rematch would have been allowed.
I do hope FIFA get their act together and the World cup next year in South Africa, is not won by cheating because a referee was unsighted. Those times have changed.

The football fiasco

2009-11-24T11:34:00.005Z

Hear we go again, another hand of God incident. The referee is always right. Now that's rich and I include umpires in this as well. The truth is, sometimes they are and sometimes they're not. I'm a lifelong lover of sport and the incidents I have experienced of this are legendary. In a football (or is that soccer?) game, I'm a largely disinterested spectator. However, now and again I like a look see especially if my country is involved. So we had another farce.

The thing about refs and umpires, they are always right, because if one did not have this, then any game would resort to chaos. Even with them, they often still do.

In the old days and especially in amateur sport is where they are always right came from. All evidence and human nature and bias to the contrary notwithstanding. Moreover times change and technology changes. Rugby, cricket, tennis, at the professional level, are just a few examples. Here the referee is no longer always right and players have a referral system to question dubious decisions. They use modern technology and third umpires. Whatever happened to football (soccer?)

Done and Dusted

2009-09-12T10:37:00.002+01:00

Apologies as have been away for a while with a lot of family things.

Returning to my last post about awesome Springboks. Well it is done and dusted and they are now the Tri-Nations champions having lost only one game in the tournament, and that was to Australia. Played New Zealand three times and won all three games.

Apart from being the current World Cup holders, they also beat the best of the Northern Hemisphere when they comprehensively beat the the British and Irish lions.

So let's just put this to bed. There is no better side in the World, and if you don't believe me, just look at the statistics.

Congratulations Springbok's, a pleasure to watch.

Awesome Springboks

2009-08-02T13:13:00.002+01:00

I grew up in Zimbabwe which is the first country on the Northern South African border. Consequently I have always been a fan of South African sport, be this golf, tennis, cricket or rugby and many other sports besides.

It often amazes me that no matter how well they do, they are not quite considered as the best. The classic example is with the rugby team known as the Springboks. They have won the world cup twice and are the current holders, which should speak volumes. But no, the New Zealand, All Blacks are the better team, irrespective of whether they win the world cup or not. Well, well, well, in the current Tri-Nations series, the All Blacks have currently lost twice to the Springboks. Yet the perception still entails that they are the better side.

I can't make peace with this and am the first to say that All Black rugby teams are great sides. No question in my mind about that. However, fair is fair and this Springbok rugby side is in my opinion, in a class of it's own.

Next up they take on Australia and I cannot see them getting the upper hand and believe great things are yet to come from this Springbok side provided they do not have a spate of injuries. As I said earlier, fair is fair so let's put this to rest. The Springboks are the better side. Just look at the scores.

What is truth?

2009-07-25T10:14:00.002+01:00

Ever since Pontius Pilate first uttered these words, it is a question which has been haunting mankind, and it is still true today. About 25 years ago I read a book by Ayn Rand and towards the end there is a quote from Aristotle, a great mind. I was so impressed by this and used to know it word by word. But I'm getting on in life and can only now remember.

" For a principle which every one must have, who understands, anything that is. Is not a hypothesis. Evidently then, such a principle, is the most certain of all. Which principle this is, let us proceed to say. It is, that the same attribute, cannot at the same time belong and not belong to the same subject in the same respect."

For some reason this always made immediate sense to me and still does.

So, what is truth?

In the defence of the Eel

2009-07-24T09:55:00.004+01:00

For the last year and a half I have fallen on hard times. I lost my job and because of the recession, my age, my disability, it became almost impossible to find work. So being some what at a loose end I began playing around with the computer to pass the time and give me something to do apart from the housework.

Somewhere in amongst all this I came across a site called Squidoo owned by a world renown author and computer marketing expert and I started writing short stories about some of my life experiences.

It's a wonderful, sharing, helpful community and in the process have made many friends, albeit only online. One of these people has been unfailingly kind and helpful to many people here. By all accounts she has not had the easiest of lives and has personal problems, not least being an inability to talk to people. Now I am not exactly sure about this but I think she has what is known as Aspergers Syndrome.

Be that as it may, she writes beautifully and is very talented, her pseudonym here is Eelkat. Apart from having her home burnt down and living in a tent, recently she penned a story about this. This has fallen foul of her leaders in her church who are harassing her and threatening excommunication.

That such things can happen today in a first world country and to a lovely, vulnerable girl, is quite beyond my capacity to understand. So this is just a small post for you and to let people know, that you have more friends than perhaps they realise and they had better thread warily.

Postcript on the Golf and cricket

2009-07-20T18:07:00.003+01:00

Following up on my last post and two things are done and dusted. Firstly England won the second test and deservedly so. It's certainly going to liven up the series.

Then of course the British Open Golf. Who would have believed it possible that a 59 year 10 month old man who had a hip replacement recently would lead for four days. It went to the wire and he played one bad shot in all that time, which was his second to the green on the eighteenth. All he had to do was make par and the tournament was his. Astonishing.

As it turns out he bogeyed it and had to play a form of sudden death which he lost. As far as I'm concerned he never lost. Rules, rules, rules. But how I like to look at it is, in racing terms. One doesn't re-run a hundred metre dash when one cannot separate the winners or worse still have a re-run between the two winners of lets just say 20 metres. No sir, it's a dead heat and both won.

If I was Tom Watson, that's how I would be consoling myself. If I was Stewart Cink Iwould be thinking. I made a birdie putt on the eighteenth under huge pressure, so I also deserved to win.

Anyway congratulations to Stewart Cink on being a worthy British Open golf champion. To Tom Watson, thank you for giving me four of the best days of my life. What an inspiration.

A celebration of life

2009-07-18T10:41:00.011+01:00

Have been out of touch lately. The Lions rugby is done and dusted. However my wife's sister and her husband came to visit us from New Zealand ( another great family who were ousted from Zimbabwe ) and we hadn't seen them for 9 years. How time flies by. As it turns out the two sisters have always been very close and from the word go I always got on with her and her husband. What times we have had and what a pleasure it was to have them and their youngest daughter, now sweet little sixteen. We laughed from the moment I picked them up at Dublin airport until the moment they left. Unfortunately my favourite Uncle died two days before they left and I was heartbroken by this. Consequently I had to get them up to Dublin earlier than expected, so that we could attend the funeral and what a lovely service that was as well. My Uncles son is a world renown musician and he conducted an orchestra during the service and also had his youngest son play a solo piano piece flawlessly and heartrendingly beautiful. My Uncle would have loved it.

I also was trying to become a Giant at Squidoo and by some stroke of good fortune managed to achieve this status and also had the accolade of having one of my articles, awarded a purple star. The highest honour of all. I'm flattered.

Since, some great things are happening. Being a lifelong cricket lover there is nothing better than the Ashes cricket tests between England and Australia and the rivalry is intense. As it turns out the series is finely poised with the first test being drawn and England currently in the driving seat in the second test.

Then there is the start of the Tri-Nations rugby series between the giants of the Southern hemisphere, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. New Zealand won the first match against Australia this morning.

Not least the British Open golf with Tiger Woods missing the cut and a 59 year old man, Tom Watson still joint leader after day two. What a feast of great sport and what a celebration of life.

The Lions in South Africa

2009-06-10T13:46:00.002+01:00

Up until now I have been quiet about this. Normally I like to make a prediction prior to matches starting like I did with Ireland winning the six nations. Initially my gut feeling was that it was going to be 1974 all over again when a not so highly rated Lions took on a very highly rated South Africa and gave them a hiding.

But as I said I kept quiet and it's not to late yet except I've missed out on them being all conquering. The first game they played against very mediocre opposition they won, in the end the score was flattering and they got away with this by the skin of their teeth. The same day the South African provincial side the blue bulls ( historically one of the strongest provinces ) took on the New Zealand provincial side the chiefs in the final of the Super Fourteen. The blue bulls gave them a comprehensive hiding and I came to the conclusion. That if that is the strength of South African rugby at provincial level, then this Lions side has no hope.

Since then the Lions have played two more games against provincial sides, won one convincingly and the other by a stroke of good fortune. I'm not impressed. Tonight at 6pm Irish time the Lions take on my favourite South African provincial side, the Natal sharks. It will be the first time they come up against a strong side and I cannot wait for it to start.

I'm not sure how to call the game but it will be an indication of what this current Lions side is about. The only other thing I can say is that choosing the final XV for the first Test is going to be a selectors nightmare. Consequently I am going to try and pick the side on this blog and then see what the official version is.

Stay tuned, but in the meantime enjoy the games.

An English Gentleman

2009-06-01T16:05:00.006+01:00

A few days ago something strange happened to me. I noticed someone had written a blog post about me and this completely took my breath away. It was unnecessary, but having said that I have to admit that I was delighted. Life can be strange as I do not even know this person and have no first hand experience of him. However I first came into contact with him at the Squidoo forum. Not only is he intelligent, erudite and many things besides, it was his sense of humour which got to me and this underlies most of his work. Because it appealed to me, I immediately clicked on his avatar to be able to see some of his work and I was not disappointed, in fact I was enthralled. From here a slow but sure friendship developed, albeit only through modern media and the internet in particular. He's clever, he's erudite, but I think he cannot suffer fools gladly and besides that I think he loves to throw in a bit of controversy, just to liven things up a bit. This often gets him into trouble, but it's what makes me personally laugh. In my experience, he has never done this to demean anybody, but it gets things going and then somebody says something to which he retaliates and of course takes the blame. That's why I like to call him An English Gentleman.

Believe you me I have led a topsy turvy life and have seen both the best and worst of human nature. One of the strongest tenets I have come across through all this is, " to have a friend, first you must be a friend." It stands to reason therefore, that what this gentleman did for me with his blog post is a perfectly obvious example of this tenet.

As an English gentleman he is widely travelled and he writes beautiful and compelling articles about all this. Earlier I said he had a gift and his gift is with words but never underestimate the underlying humour. You don't believe me? Then if you want to think a bit, laugh a bit and sometimes have the blues a bit. I suggest you type in Bardiness to your browser and go have a look at his blog. Finally thank you for being a friend.

The case of the serial politician.

2009-04-27T12:13:00.003+01:00

Well I see dear old England has just come out with a budget that has everyone up in arms as well. Perhaps it gives us all food for thought?

When I was young and first began to understand politics, it sure was a different scenario to today's game. By and large one had people who were successful in their own rights, be they agriculturalists, industrialists, authors, lawyers, architects ( you get the drift? ) and were persuaded by their friends or communities to serve the Nation as they were the best on offer.

Nearly all of these people carried on running their own businesses or they had hired people they trusted to keep an eye on things whilst they dealt with affairs of state. Consequently things and countries worked and they worked well as they had people in charge who were already successful and applied the life experiences they had obtained into running the country. The salaries they were paid for doing this was a pittance, but all agreed that they had to be paid a salary for running the country.

Into this scenario, now came a new sad breed of people, and I like to call them the serial politicians. They are taught from an early age how to be successful politicians, irrespective of any other attributes. What this mainly consisted of was; the insipid handshake, the cheesy grin, the nod and the wink. To be able to talk their way out of any question asked of them, without having to answer. Taking their cue from dictators who whilst busy running their countries into ruin and at the same time accruing vast fortunes for themselves by doing nothing but talk. How could this be?

Well they learnt fast and they followed suite. You don't believe me? Well look around you and see how much these people pay themselves just for a start. Lads, lads, lads it's a gas man and a sure fire way to a fortune. Although every now and again even amongst this lot there were some fine men and you all know who they are. Count your fingers.

Perhaps it is time for all of us who still consider themselves to have a democracy, to go back to basics and start choosing real men as they did in the past, before it is to late for all of us. I repeat, you don't believe me, look around you?

The Mini Budget

2009-04-10T12:04:00.002+01:00

It came out, it's done and dusted and it has achieved absolutely zero apart from finally convincing a battered public that we really are leaderless. This was the hardest budget of all time and considering it is only six months since the last one which was a farce as well, perhaps there will be another mini mini budget in two months time. Look lads we got to balance the books and all. Don't blame us, we had nothing to do with it. It's families and the middle class this time. Last time it was the old age pensioners and when they came out fighting, we had to box very clever and all. Look we are all in this together and we are (politicians) taking a ten percent pay cut and putting our pensions on hold. What more can you ask of us? Well let's just say that you average 100K a year so now you are down to 90K and that's tough living lads. Then there's the expenses and all, but times are tough, so let's just say 60K so all told that's 150K. Yurgh the times are tough, I may have to cut down on my make up. No that's not the ladies, that's the men. Look we never had an entertainment tent at the Galway races and all this year, we never flew in on our helicopters. Instead we came by car ( Mercedes Benz.)

So we upped tax between 2 and 6 percent, we doubled health levy rates, we increased the cost of cigarette's by 25p per pack and increased Diesel by 5p a litre. That will teach all you people buying SUV's and all while we are trying to save the environment. As to the fags, sure and all there isn't a government on Earth that doesn't use that as a sure fire winner. We reduced spending on school building and third level capital programmes by 54 million. No Xmas bonuses for people on welfare this year and we have introduced ( sustained applause ) a new retirement scheme for public servants over 50 years ( ageism ) old with no replacements for those who leave.

" We have been damaged by our rejection of the Lisbon Treaty. We must show our EU partners that we, who have gained so much from the European Union, want to remain at it's centre."

What that means is we don't say Yea to Lisbon II the government won't be able to borrow more again even though we already have overstepped our limits there.

Take a look at that photo at the top. That was once a great building build with workers hands, those self same folks who now have no jobs, no pensions, while daily having to listen to people who were so incompetent that they ran a booming economy into the ground and still have not got the guts to tell us where it all went. It certainly didn't go into school building programmes or the Health Service. Ask the people lying on cots in the hospitals. Ask the nurses who are run off their feet doing their best to serve these people while you are imposing levies on them. Enough.

Gentlemen, your time is up.

The Champs

2009-04-04T13:58:00.002+01:00

I haven't had much to say about the glory of the victorious Irish rugby team as things have got out of hand lately. However I have done a short skit on it and anyone interested is more than welcome to have a look. One can find it at The Irish

It is a slightly irreverent look at my original pre tournament assessment and my views on the dreaded Irish mini budget due out on Tuesday. This will not be a happy day. Count down in three days, so stay tuned.

Six Nations

2009-03-21T12:16:00.002Z

So today is the last day of the tournament and everything should go according to pat. What that means is, England will win and so will France which leaves Italy with the wooden spoon. I am often saddened by this as personally I believe they play a lovely brand of rugby and they have such a fine spirit. Unfortunately they have no depth in players so injuries and bounce of the ball often play a significant part in their demise. It happens to all Nations and I believe Italy will keep on getting better, watch out for next years surprises.

Which leaves us with the grand finale of Ireland and Wales. Most people already know that for Ireland to lose the tournament, Wales have to win by more than thirteen points. It should be great and Wales will have home ground advantage and it often surprises me how telling a factor this is.

The big question is can Ireland achieve a grand slam for the first time in over sixty years? Will this be a factor on putting too much pressure on the players? I have to reiterate that I predicted Ireland would win the Six Nations pre- tournament and so I am going to stand by that. However will it be a clean sweep? My answer, Yes; because for personal reasons I wish it so.

So to all rugby fans, let's look forward to a great afternoons play and I hope the Irish contingent are not as nervous as I am.

The Final Indignity-Zimbabwe

2009-03-20T09:56:00.005Z

My mother was born in Ireland and she left to go nursing in England during the second World War. Whilst doing this she met my Dad who was serving in the Royal Navy and even then the talk was that the Navy was going to the dogs. Somethings never change.

They got married soon after the peace amongst much muttering from the Irish relatives, but love has it's own way. Very shortly after this they moved to Rhodesia where my Dad's brother had a tobacco farm and they lived the rest of their lives there. Eventually my Dad bought the farm after his brother passed away.

They had many trials and tribulations, what with international sanctions and a terrorist war and many other things, rift valley fever, drought, hail and all the complexities that life throws at you. However my mother never lost her Irishness and the greatest crime any of her children or her husband could commit was to forget, or not wish her, a Happy Saint Patrick's day.

My Dad lost the family farm in Mugabe's infamous land grab which is well documented and a Historical fact. More importantly, having served in a corvette in the second World War, mainly in the Atlantic and doing the dreaded Icelandic, Russian run, you could hardly call him a weak man. However losing his farm, broke his heart and shortly thereafter he died.

They had a little flat in a lovely little complex in Harare. On Tuesday March the 16Th. my Mum suffered a stroke there, at what time no one is sure. Eventually that night the security guards noticed that all the doors were open and alerted the groundsman who found her and alerted my brother. He arrived at 12.30 in the night with his wife and they did as much as they could. The ambulance arrived at 6.30 in the morning and my brother instructed the driver to take her to Saint Anne's, which is a Catholic hospital and where she would be happy. The ambulance driver took her to another hospital.

Trying to get hold of us here in Ireland became a major task as the country ( Zimbabwe ) is so well run that you can toss a coin as to when anything may be working, the electricity, the traffic lights, the telephones, the water supplies, no fuel are just a few amongst all else. Somehow my sister, trying to wish my Mum a Happy Saint Patrick's day, got through and a neighbour answered and filled her in whereupon she text messaged me.

Eventually I managed to get hold of my brother through e-mail and got all the sorry details. More importantly, after a lifetime of pinching and scraping to make sure she kept up to date with all her Medical Aid contributions ( for just such an eventuality ) I am informed by my brother that the Medical Aid company no longer exists and he is left to foot the bill.

This is not a post about feeling sorry for myself or wearing my heart on my sleeve, it has nothing to do with any of that. It is a post about sitting here being so helpless, angry and more importantly that this breakdown in humanity and common decency was all avoidable. A great American once said;

" With reasonable men, I will reason,

With humane men, I will be humane,

But to tyrant's, I will give no quarter."

Whatever happened to men like that?

I mentioned that all this was avoidable and anybody interested can view my perspective at Ian Douglas Smith

Not only am I so angry at my Mum's circumstances, but the breakdown of what was once known as ' The Jewel of Africa.' So hang in there Mum and hopefully you can see Ireland win the six Nations rugby tomorrow and with a grand slam which will be the first in sixty one years. It will happen.

Six Nations

2009-03-13T14:04:00.002Z

Well back to the six Nations and this week ends games. So far this season I have only called one game wrong and am beginning to think I may be becoming psychic at this. What a great pity I never put any wagers down as would have made a fair bit.

I can't see any upsets and all the major teams will go through. Ireland have the measure of Scotland and only complacency will let them down.

Wales should go past Italy without to much trouble.

Dear old England, unfortunately will not defeat France however much they would like to. They have a major lack of discipline and this seasons runs to the sin bin have been their driving force.

So there you have it. But the great thing about any sport, is that it always brings out the best in people often against all odds. So who can ever really tell until the final whistle.

Earlier I made another prediction which you can find out HERE

The Zimbabwe Accident

2009-03-07T10:24:00.003Z

Firstly my heartfelt sympathy goes out to Morgan Tsvangarai and his family at the terrible tragedy of losing his wife Susan in a car accident yesterday. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you.

This exceptionally brave man has now got to put up with one more tragedy. How one man can bear all this, is beyond my capacity to understand?

This poor, sad, blighted country has I believe gone through more than a largely indifferent world realises and it has got to stop, once and for all-full stop.

For me, something does not ring true with this accident and their is a history of mysterious happenings all to do with an almost unsurpassed quest for power by one man.

No doubt the world will once again turn a blind eye? Whatever more suffering does Zimbabwe have to take?

A sad time for Cricket

2009-03-04T12:18:00.003Z

Rarely have I been as saddened as after the terrible debacle of the Sri Lankan cricket team being fired upon by assailants unknown but obviously from some political sect. It goes beyond everything I hold dear. That innocent sportsmen representing their country should have to endure this, set upon by a bunch of cowardly thugs who now think that they are special because they hold an automatic weapon in their hands. Whatever will we come to next?

Cricket holds a special place in my heart. It always has and it always will. It is more than a game, it epitomises the best in all of us, or it used to? The important things are honesty, courage and good sportsmanship or more commonly because it is known as the Gentleman's game. I have many experiences of this in my personal life. You see I believe that sport bridges wide divides. I know this having lived most of my life in what is a sad, blighted country. However the best experiences I had nearly always came about from the fields of play.

I am reminded of a particularly poignant time in our countries history. It was a time when we were pariahs in the world because of the dreaded "R" word. Our sportsmen were banned from International play however rightly or wrongly is not for me to say, that's just the way it was. It is because of times like this that I have such strong views on how important a part sport plays in the grand scheme of things, or what I like to call, bridging wide divides. The other thing is that you have to look at things within the context of the times. Can any one remember the "Harlem Globetrotters?" Who can honestly say that if you happened to see them you were not mesmerised. More importantly, that is exactly what they were doing; bridging wide divides.

In 1970 we had a double wicket competition, which is the forerunner to today's one day and twenty twenty format of cricket. Players from all over the world were invited with dire consequences being threatened by various governments to any player who had the audacity to accept. Some great players accepted including the Chappell brothers Ian and Greg from Australia amongst many other famous players. However into this arena strode a true colossus. He went by the name of Gary Sobers.

This caused an International outcry. However they need not have worried because without a shadow of a doubt he mesmerised a country. He never said a word about the rights and wrongs of things, he just played cricket and he played it so superbly well. No breast beating here and at the end of his short stay in our country if there had been an election he would have won it hands down. I repeat, he bridged wide divides and he left an everlasting impression on one small boy. I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to see you play.

On going back home he was in tremendous trouble, but sudden storms are short and it is hard to be too cross with one of your countries greatest ambassadors. I see this great man ( now Sir Garfield Sobers )is still at it. I see his country Barbados is sponsoring Sky News Sports and I love the caption of him teeing of on a golf course and I think, how can he keep his arm so straight at his age?

I digressed a bit, but I was trying to get a point across and this is the reason why I am so saddened, disgusted and upset by the Sri Lankan incident. My hopes and prayers are with you all.

The world is not going forward here, it is going backwards.

The lovely Irish

2009-03-02T16:35:00.002Z

Nearly every Monday I take our household waste down to the recycling centre. It is only about a four mile drive and I get on quite well with the lads there.

Personally I find this cheaper than paying for the Council to collect your waste. In today's economic circumstances I guess every bit of penny-pinching helps. It was always free to enter and then you are charged per kilogram. However since the economy dived you now have to pay a 3 euro entrance fee but they have dropped the price per kilogram from 67 cents to 60 cents. There is free enterprise for you hey? Whatever will the government think of next to balance their books?

I digress, last week my youngest daughter decided to tidy up her room. Well, well, well, but unfortunately she dumped anything she could think of into the same plastic bag and ruined my orderly mind. Upon trying to sort this at the centre, I was left thoroughly annoyed as it would have taken me a lifetime to find where to put her stuff. I called one of the lads over and said I would just dump it in the household waste and pay some more. He told me not to worry as he would take it inside to the other places and sort it for me. Ever idle I was only to pleased with this.

That was last Monday. Today I went again and when I was nearly finished, the same lad called me over and told me that when he was doing that for me last week he found a half of a 20 Euro note. Now because I have to lip-read and I really battle to understand the Irish, this took a bit of time to explain. He then produced the half note and told me that as the numbers were still on this half I would be able to change it for a new 20 note.

Momentarily stunned,I then thought to myself, " you know that's what's so nice about the Irish, they are fundamentally honest." Now came the hard part in trying to persuade him that I thought he should keep it as I knew nothing whatsoever about it and it was only his honesty that had brought it to light. He wouldn't have it and by this time one of the other lads was also involved and we were going ten men. Eventually I managed to get my point across that it was my wish that they could keep it and perhaps have a few jars on me when they are off.

What I really want to say, is that it made my day and that there is nothing nicer than good old fashioned, honest decency. Just don't let my daughter hear about it.

Six Nations

2009-02-26T13:53:00.002Z

Well, after a two week break this starts again. The thing is now the pressure really begins to tell and it is make or break time.

I wonder who will be able to stand the pressure best?

As it stands, Ireland and Wales are the two sides yet to lose. But they both have very tough games. Wales go against France and because I started this original thread with a prediction, I am going to have to go with that. So with tongue in cheek I am going to say that France will shock Wales and open up the tournament.

That leaves the decision for Ireland verses England the old antagonists. On current form, it stands to reason that Ireland should win. However the English worry me. Somehow whenever they have their backs to the wall, they produce astonishing things. Subsequently, it will be a great game and because the Irish population needs some cheer during these troubled times and because my original prediction was for Ireland to win the championships, I'm going to give it to Ireland, bit it will be close.

Which leaves us with the next two sides, Italy and Scotland. Personally, I always have liked both sides and love the way Italy play rugby, although discipline and the scrum-half remain their biggest problems. Scotland are always so brave and are a superior side in my opinion. However, I'm going to throw a spoke in the wheel and give it to Italy.

I can't wait for this week-ends games to start.

Manners Maketh Man

2009-02-24T14:41:00.006Z

I grew up constantly hearing this from parents, teachers and sometimes slyly by some of my mates sarcastically trying to be cool in their teenage years. I guess being a rebel as a teenager is part and parcel of growing up?

Funnily enough this was in the sixties and it is well known that those were the really rebellious years and long held beliefs were being constantly challenged and hedonism and promiscuity were gaining increasing popularity.

Despite this, where I was growing up anyway, good manners were still a constant and discipline at home and in the schools was strict. By today's standards, it would be regarded as criminal what we were subjected to.

Perhaps that is where the difference lies? I look around me today and I shudder at the level to which 'good manners 'have disintegrated and I think it is high time society started paying more attention to this.

It's easy to do, instead of letting everybody get away with it, stand up and say something. People at tills can not greet you or give you the time of day or smile. Say something. It's not just there it's everywhere. Say something.

Friends

2009-02-20T13:31:00.002Z

An amazing thing happened to me this week and it all has to do with the amazing technology in the world today.

While I have had a PC almost since their inception, things have come such a long way. I mainly used this for accounts and gross margin budgets etc. on my farms. Gradually what happens is your wife starts complaining on having nothing to do with the farm, so you get her going on the PC and she takes over all the bookwork and you are only called in to do the cash flows. Consequently you spend less and less time on it and sometimes no time at all and lose interest.

This turned out to be a big mistake on my part because being deaf and not being able to use the telephone I failed to grasp the exceptional ways this could be of great help to the deaf. I always used to argue that Alexander Graham Bell developed the telephone because he had some one he loved who was deaf and he was trying to work out how sound works so that he could help. As it turned out this helped all but the very people who initially he wanted to help.

Then came the digital world and now people could text and so could the deaf. What goes round comes round I suppose. Still, it still meant you couldn't get a job as you cannot use the phone.

So the Internet passed me by although I was aware of it and had no need for social networking. What a fool I was.

Lately due to my circumstances changing, I have been paying more attention to it and trying to make up lost ground. There is a lot to make up. So this week I tried face book having always before thought it was only for the young and my generation were past it.

Well you could have blown me over with a feather. I found some friends there from my school days when I still had my hearing. It's between 37 and 40 years since I last saw these guys. It was as if all the years had shifted away and we were immediately on the same wavelenght and still friends after all this time and it made me realise what I have been missing by not making the best of modern technology.

Guess I'm a slow learner but learn I will. It made my week.

Followers

2009-02-17T11:12:00.002Z

It's grey, dull and miserable outside today and typical Irish weather. Oh how I sometimes yearn to be back home in Zimbabwe and have some sunshine. Notwithstanding that their summer will be ending sometime soon. Still their winters are like a summer here in Ireland although that is a slight exaggeration.

Although this blog is still very new I will be expanding and improving it as well as I know how. Believe it or not I have actually led an interesting life and have lifelong experiences and would like to make this a place where I can post about common sense things and have like minded viewers add comments and reflect their feelings.

Sport, depending on the season, politics and many other things. You may not necessarily have to be from Africa, everyone is welcome. However it can be a bit depressing when you have no followers but time will tell. Having said that please be the first to follow. It is there on the right under the welcome.

Look forward to making many new friends.

The rugby

2009-02-16T17:08:00.002Z

Well the week ends games are all done and am happy to say that all my predictions were realised.

England did very well to come back so well against Wales which I was surprised by. It's a great pity that they appear to have discipline problems and consequently receiving too many yellow cards.

Ireland had a very poor first half but came back well in the second. I still believe that they are the team to beat. Italy are always so brave and can cause an upset at any time but they to give away to many crucial penalties.

Scotland were outplayed by France.

So what will happen next? Stay tuned.

Six Nations

2009-02-14T10:08:00.002Z

Well here we go again with more games today. Please put in your prediction of who you think will win the championship in the poll and then we will see how it goes. No use leaving it to late as that spoils the fun.

Today's games, who will triumph? I believe Wales will have the measure of England and France have the measure of Scotland and then tomorrow Ireland will defeat Italy. Notwithstanding that I originally said Ireland will win the championship. The trouble with them though is that they are either brilliant or hopeless. If they can get consistency then everybody beware.

That's the great thing about sport, you can never really tell, perhaps it will go to the sides that received the most Valentines?

The First Lady

2009-02-13T12:28:00.002Z

Watching Sky news last night and all the hype about Michelle Obama. I once again thought to myself, whatever is the world coming to? Here we have a mother and the wife of a President and already people are trying to turn her into a fashion model. Without a shadow of a doubt she is a beautiful lady but I am against this and can not see where people are coming from.

It reminded me of Princess Diana and we all know what the outcome of that was. Why can't they just leave the First Lady alone and let her get on with being a mother and the wife of the President. In my opinion that is a big enough job already. Moreover so far she has shown excellent choice in her mode of dress and conduct.

I think we should leave well enough alone and it worries me. I'm wondering if there is anyone else out there who has the same views?

Financial crisis

2009-02-12T13:38:00.004Z

I remain slightly bemused by all of this. For the life of me I still can not understand how all of this occurred. It is against every principle that I was ever taught, yet the biggest perpetrators get away Scot free and to top it off they then get bailed out for their mistakes. Well I've got news for you, nobody ever bailed out the mistakes I made and so none of this sits very well.

Can anybody not think of anything new? Where are any ideas besides propping up something which has failed, largely due to imprudence and greed? I really think that if the financial crisis is to be solved it will not be along these lines.

Six Nations rugby

2009-02-07T09:29:00.007Z

Well the six Nations kicks off today and I must admit that I'm looking forward to that. It seems pretty open so my prediction before it begins is that Ireland will win. Any takers?

Today's games, I guess dear old England will get the measure of Italy but I'm not sure about that. Ireland if they blow hot will defeat France and Wales should have the measure of Scotland.

Will now more about this after the week-end.

Let the games begin.

2009-02-05T10:05:00.000Z

Sitting here today pondering some imponderables. Mainly to do with the financial crisis and they all remain a complete mystery to me. I wonder if any one else fits into this category. Here in Ireland the boom is bust and the powers that be are busy scrambling around like chickens that have lost their heads.

The long and short of it is that the private sector are losing jobs, left, right and centre. They are pointing at the public sector and saying it is unfair that these jobs are secure and they must cut their pay. It is legally virtually impossible to do this so the Government has surreptitiously added a 7% levy on their pay without any consultation.

This strikes me as grossly unfair as I fail to see how the public sector had anything to do with the Banks lending foolishly. They were not the one's responsible for this. It was the fat cat's in the private sector getting the run of themselves and now innocent people must bail them out. Are we all missing something here?

2009-02-03T12:48:00.000Z

With each passing moment today it is getting colder and colder. Now in the part of the country where I live, it seldom if ever snows. At the moment that's what I wish it would do. Just to break the monotony and for a change

2009-02-02T15:24:00.000Z

Hi I am just testing out something for the first time