The
little bit on the task bar of my lap-top which gives me the (massively
inaccurate) weather forecast was flashing between the weather forecast and
(football) world cup coverage as I scoffed toast this morning. I have no
interest in the football whatsoever, but the political scheming that goes with
it is quite interesting, isn’t it?
When
Qatar won the bid to host the world cup twelve years ago they agreed that
alcoholic drinks would be sold at the venues. And then with one day to go they’ve
changed their minds. *If* this was for religious reasons (as has been
claimed) why wait for twelve years until everyone has paid their money and
then make the announcement at the last possible moment? It has also been
mentioned that several sponsors are rather concerned that they look to lose out on the deal too. Quite a few gay
people who’ve gone to the world cup on the understanding that they will be
tolerated (!) are now wondering if they will be imprisoned too. After
all, why should the England team be told not wear armbands in support of
them?
There
was an interview on the radio on Friday with the BBC’s sports correspondent who
claimed that there’s nowhere near enough hotels at the venue, and that he’s
actually staying in another country; for every match he has to leave the hotel
he’s in, get to the local airport, take an hour’s fight and then an hour’s
coach trip to get to the football matches he’s supposed to be reporting on. And
then go back to the hotel.
Personally
I’d say “sod it” and go home, but doesn’t this leave you wondering?
The
officials in Qatar have had over ten years to sort things in readiness for the
football tournament and simply haven’t delivered. The whole thing looks like
one big balls-up. Is this because they couldn’t do what they promised, or that
they wouldn’t; preferring to force their ways onto the rest of the world? There
are those who say that if people travel to another country then they must
accept the ways of that country. Personally I’m of the opinion that you don’t
spend ten years telling the world that you will accept their ways, then at the
last minute either change your mind or go with what you had planned all along (I
wonder which it was!).
Quite
clearly no one is able to enforce what was originally agreed. Doesn’t this make
you wonder about the enforceability of any (so-called) legally binding
contract?
Mind
you the Qatar authorities have got money, and clearly that is all that counts
these days (and had ever counted).
With
the rain showing no sign of letting up I put laundry in to wash and had a look
at eBay to see what I might like for Christmas. You have to laugh… people are
openly selling sets of instructions for Lego models for a tenner; you can
download these for free.
I
suppose some people will pay up either as they collect the original
instructions or (more likely) they didn’t read the description properly.
As
the torrential rain gave way to bright sunlight so I set off for work. I
grumbled about that (!) As I drove "Desert Island Discs"
was on the radio. Today's castaway was the sports promoter Barry Hearn who was
surprisingly incredibly interesting. At one point he mentioned about as a poor
child he started a car cleaning business going to the posh houses at the top of
the hill... and now he could afford to buy the entire hill as he's a self-made
multi-millionaire.
If
you get the chance to listen
to the program, I'd thoroughly recommend it.
With
a few minutes spare I went to Aylesford Aquatics to see it they had any fish
tank thermometers. Our existing one isn’t working. Has the colour-change thingy
had it? – It must be several years old…
I
never learn, do I? I go to that shop every few months, find the experience to
be an utter disaster, vow never to return, forget all about it, and then go
back for another really bad episode.
I
remembered how bad the place was as I walked up and all saw the staff (but
one) standing outside listening to someone or other. Whoever this someone
was, he was regaling the tale of some fight that he had had recently.
Apparently the one he'd been fighting with had ended up covered in blood. I'm
not sure if the shop staff were listening out of interest or out of terror of
getting a slap if they didn't pay attention.
I
went to the counter and waited. And waited. As I waited so the queue grew and
grew. After what seemed to be an age I told the assembled queue that what I
wanted could be bought far cheaper on-line (which it can), and I walked
out... straight past all the staff who were showing no sign of coming back in
to the shop to do their job. Some of them had even got themselves a cuppa from
somewhere.
I
don't deny the staff need a break from time to time, but do they all have to go
at the same time? Did they *really* need to leave so many customers
waiting for quite so long?
I
drove to work, and used the work's wi-fi to order a set of three fish tank
thermometers from Amazon for a third of the price that Aylesford Aquatics
wanted for just one. Amazon claim they will be with me tomorrow... I expect I
will be ranting about their non-appearance tomorrow, but having said that I got
a notification that the things have been dispatched half-way through the
afternoon, so I may well be wrong. Stranger things have happened.
I
popped to the works canteen; cauliflower cheese and chips was rather good, and
was the chocolate pudding (and custard) that came after it. And then I
spent a few hours doing my thing looking at the beautiful day outside until it
got dark, when I just stopped looking out of the window, and just did what I had
to until the night shift turned up...
I
always say that I don't mind working night and weekend shift... until I have to
actually do the shifts.
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