A stabbing, spitting and a story's base

21 September 2013

Another young man has been stabbed and has died from his injuries; that's the second such incident in Brum this week and the fourth in the last six months.  So many young lives wasted for nothing.  Just what is going on?  Why this need to carry knives in the first place?  And why are they so easy to get hold of?  While we were in Weston earlier we had a ride out to the Clarks Shopping Village and while we were there I went into a shop that sold cooks knives.  I'm looking for a particular brand of knife that I used to have when I was in the army.  Anyway ... I ended up buying a fairly expensive 9" cooks knife.  The guy who sold it actually apologised because according to law he has to age the age of anyone buying such a knife.  If that is right then how come there are so many knives out in the community? 

There's a stall on Brum indoor market that sells all sorts of pointed objects, I've bought a few odds and ends there in the past and I aways have a look as I go passed the stall in case I see the type of knife I'm looking for.  But the things, there's loads of 'hunting' knives, machetes and hand axes on display there too.  In other areas I've seen ornamental Samurai sets on sale as well the same items as above.  But why are they on open display even?  How many kids have to die before positive action is taken to stop the slaughter?

We were having a quiet ride out most of yesterday and Jan has fallen in love with a new Sony bridge camera with 50X zoom on it.  It looks quite good actually but it was also suffer from the same problems of shutter delay as every other compact or bridge camera.  We'll see how things go but seeing as we already have a Nikon bridge camera and two Nikon compacts I'm not sure we really need a new Sony one too.

We have been watching the Dom Littlewood show on BBC every morning about anti-social behaviour and one of the regular comments by the public who are asked to name their pet hates on these lines, most of them said spitting on the streets.  Well, while we were out yesterday we pulled into Morrisons car park and as we did a man spat just as we pulled in to the parking space beside him.  As I got out I challenged him and he claimed he didn't even know he had spat.  Then it was all excuses as to why he did it but at no time did he acknowledge he was wrong to do so.  This man was an elderly man, well, older than me anyway, but that shouldn't make any difference, indeed, he should know better.  But here's the rub ... he was of one of the racial minority groups, but not Asian.  Sad to say it but older Asians do tend to be the worst offenders on this issue followed by young while men.  No matter what racial group they belong to, none of them will admit to doing wrong when challenged over it.  In the case of the young white men you're likely to get a load of abuse or even get thumped for doing so. 

Now then ... one of my all-time favourite films is War of the Worlds, based on the book by H. G. Wells.  The CD of the musical version of the story by Jeff Wayne is also my favourite CD (or is it Tubular Bells ... can't quite decided ;-))) )

Whatever, H. G. Wells was born on this day in 1866 in Bromley, Kent.  Now there's a thought, the story itself in based around there isn't it?  Interesting that ... ... ...

Back to our ride out yesterday ... a number of times we have driven past a sign pointing to a country pub called The Dog.  We've gone down there a few times and it's been closed, but yesterday it was open and we went in.  Just lately I have been running around with my 30mm macro lens on me A77 and enjoyed using it.  But yesterday I was kicking myself for not having my 10-35mm lens.  Why?  Well, have a look at this ... 

It's just two panels of a four panel display on the front of bar in The Dog.  The Roaring Meg real ale I enjoyed too.

And yet again the Sage has spoken, but perhaps with a warning ...

Two medical students were walking along the street when they saw an old man walking with his legs spread apart. He was stiff-legged and walking slowly.
One student said to his friend: "I'm sure that poor old man has Peltry Syndrome. Those people walk just like that."
The other student says: "No, I don't think so. The old man surely has Zovitzki Syndrome. He walks slowly and his legs are apart, just as we learned in class."
Since they couldn't agree they decided to ask the old man. They approached him and one of the students said to him, "We're medical students and couldn't help but notice the way you walk, but we couldn't agree on the syndrome you might have. Could you tell us what it is?"
The old man said, "I'll tell you, but first you tell me what you two fine medical students think."
The first student said, "I think it's Peltry Syndrome."
The old man said, "You thought.... But you are wrong."
The other student said, "I think you have Zovitzki Syndrome."
The old man said, "You thought... But you are wrong."
So they asked him, "Well, old timer, what do you have?"
The old man said, "I thought it was GAS... But I was wrong, too!"