Author: Janus

Hey! I'm back ...... and front

Hard court shoes?

Oliver Pritchett writes in the DT:

“I was fascinated to learn that the Queen has someone to wear-in her new shoes, to avoid that uncomfortable blistery phase. Does this person have a job title, like Lady-in-Broad-Fitting or Mistress of the Instep?

And how does one get selected for the post? Foot size is obviously important; my guess is that the successful applicant would have to take a half-size bigger than the Queen’s, which would help when the salesman says: “It will stretch with wear, Your Majesty.” There would be rigorous tests of foot hygiene, of course, and evidence would be needed to prove that the person chosen had a clean record as far as scuffing is concerned. Continue reading “Hard court shoes?”

Feet on the ground

The younger generation has always inspired disbelief and prophecies of doom among the oldies. It’s a Darwin thing, I suppose. So I anticipated some unpleasant surprises today when I saw a list of the ‘top ten degree courses’ in Olde Englande.

Of course I guessed that academic degrees in subjects which offer few career opportunities would not feature prominently in the list – the days of education for its own sake are long gone! But have a look at this list and maybe you’ll agree that the future seems to be in good hands. Some may pooh-pooh the value of social studies and sports science – but they are both very significant areas of employment and investment.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/8695883/The-top-10-most-popular-degree-courses.html?image=8

Passing the black hat

G8 leaders at Camp David (19 May)

The self-appointed global jury of seven just men (and Angela) is still out on the fate of the Hellenic nation. Which is a bit of a surprise, since it must be obvious that membership of the Eurozone is a price too high for their shallow pockets. But nobody among the eight wise persons wants to drive home the final nail – they are all content to remark that “we affirm our interest in Greece remaining in the eurozone while respecting its commitments”, or in other words, pay your bills or get out. Cold-bloodied, eh?

The odd-person-out at the get-together is of course Angela. She can’t encourage Greece to leave the Euroclub because her own economy stands to take the biggest hit and she can’t go for Eurogrowth because effective devaluation will hit her hardest. And she dislikes the fact that these seven global fellas have the affrontery to discuss ‘her’ Europroblems. Poor Ange, now bereft of a little French shoulder to cry on too.

The envy of less happier lands

The Politecnico di Milano

By way of recognition, nay celebration of the hegemony of this royal throne of kings, this scepter’d isle, this earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, this other Eden, demi-paradise, this fortress built by Nature for herself against infection and the hand of war, this happy breed of men, this little world, this precious stone set in the silver sea (etc.), some wonderfully prescient people in the Politecnico di Milano have decided to adopt our language for the purposes of teaching.

This is but the beginning, in Jubilee and Olympic year, of Britain’s Big Comeback. (No, not flatulence, you fool.) Our Renaissance, our call from the bench of civilisation in extra time, with the World Cup of Cups itself at stake.

Would that the Argentinians and the Spanish might abandon their forlorn attempts to claim our sovereign territories and bow down to a superior race of men (and a few girls these days too).

(The organ sounds a crescendo of chords to lead us in Jerusalem, swell to great, no less.)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17958520

Curiouser and curiouser – USA-style

So a fella goes to Wal-Mart to buy some mulch for his legal marijuana plants. Nothing unusual so far, eh? He goes to brush a stick out of the way and ouch! It’s just a small but not-so-inoffensive rattle-snake. He survived, the shopper that is.

Sometimes it’s not SO boring living in Vikingland!

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/05/15/oukoe-uk-usa-walmart-rattlesnake-idUKBRE84E02N20120515