If, like me, you are occasionally denied access to a television or you’re working or you don’t subscribe to whichever TV network is showing the rugby you can get free audio commentary here.
I’m currently listening to the Irish playing the Ruskies, the commentary is good, includes snippets of information as radio commentary should. (Did you know that New Zealand switched to daylight saving time today?)
I am a great fan of Charles Dickens, and one of my favourite books is Bleak House. However, I have always had a problem with Mr Dickens in that many of his stories revolve around improbable events.
In the Tale of Two Cities, the similarity in appearance between Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton was such that on two occasions the courts, (one English and one French) could not determine who was who. It led to the famous execution of Carton under the blade of Madame Guillotine. (It is a far far better thing …)
In Oliver Twist, Oliver is rescued by Mr Brownlow who was an old friend of his father. The list goes on. All his novels depend on similarly outlandish coincidences or unlikely events to make them work.
In Bleak House, one of the villains, Krook dies of spontaneous combustion something that Dickens believed could happen, but which some critics of the novel such as the English essayist George Henry Lewes denounced as outlandish and implausible. I shared such sentiments and have always felt that it greatly damaged the credibility of Dickens and his otherwise wonderful book.
So I was delighted to read this article. Maybe Dickens was right after all.
I was alerted to this earlier today and thought it apposite for a Charioteer’s quiet Saturday afternoon even though the spelling and grammar are both a bit iffy. This item is currently up for sale on eBay and you have to sympathise with the bloke.
The Champions League has begun and what a start!
This competition brings 10 of the finest T20 teams in the world together for a single two-week tournament. 4 from India, South Africa 2, Australia 2, England. 1, West Indies 1. (there were others from New Zealand and Sri Lanka but they failed to qualify.)
My provincial team, The Chevrolet Warriors, who I have supported all my life were charged with the opening fixture against the mighty millionaire IPL outfit The Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Our Cinderella province boasting such (un)household names as Jon Jon Smuts, Craig Thyssen, Justin Kreush and a few aging retired internationals (Prince, Boucher, Boje) provided the fans (and me, I couldn’t watch the last 3 balls) with a nailbiter.
Here’s a match report, in summary RCB batted first and made a formidable 172, our guys, forever behind the run rate had explosive 4th, 3rd, and 2nd last overs to get the target down to 7 from six balls, here’s how it went..
dot, dot, wicket, 1 (now needing 6 from 2!) 4,2.
Unbelievable stuff.
At 10:30 gmt our other side The Cape Cobras take on the Aussie NSW Blues.
‘If there were only one religion in England there would be danger of despotism, if there were two, they would cut each other’s throats, but there are thirty, and they live in peace and happiness.
‘
Voltaire, Letters Concerning the English Nation (Lettres Philosophiques); 1734.
Rapid eye movement sleep (REM sleep) is a normal stage of sleep characterized by the random movement of the eyes. REM, the rock group, have called it a day. They were formed in Athens, Georgia. (You know, that Athens, Georgia stuff really gets me. Love America, I really do)
Best line: Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives and I decline.
My wife was on a girl’s night out and I was given the pleasant task of redecorating the toilet while she painted the town: you’ve guessed it right, red, white and blue. After finishing my chore I felt like going to sleep, instead I decided to watch some TV.
The satellite TV was on the blink and it would be days before a technician calls, however all was not lost, I still had Freeview on my television in the bedroom. The channels Freeview provides are limited but it’s either that or nothing and something’s better than nothing. Continue reading “Wide Awake”
I had a call this morning, the bits in Italics were in Afrikaans, I’ve translated them for publication here….
Me: Good morning
Scammer: I wish to talk to you about your windows operating system
Me: Excuse me
Scammer: Hello
Me: Ja
Scammer: I need to talk to you about your Windows system Continue reading “Telephone scam”
A pollie who speaks his mind? Crikey, that’ll never do!
Well, he’s not really a proper pollie, he’s a Lord so I can’t vote for him anyway!
I do like the Denmark and Belgium aspect…..he does have a point though doesn’t he?
Or actually, are we now just a third tier military country and he should shut up? Sad he had to come out with a snivelling apology so quickly – you’d think as a former Sea Lord he knows what he’s talking about!
Boadicea's Chariot 
You must be logged in to post a comment.