Lives compared, bombings and post codes

7 December 2013

Opps - yet another mistook with me getting all muxed ip, this time with date. Can't find where it all started though ... ah well ... ... ...

And so the man finally dies and South Africa is on mourning. Nelson Mandela achieved a lot during his life by not conforming to the expected norm of South African culture. But in the cold light of day, is he really deserving of all that is being written about him? There is no doubt that he was one of the few people ever to become a legend in their own lifetime. Another one I can think of was Mother Teresa of India. But what was the difference between her and Mandela?

Both are well known for the way they lead their lives and achievements, yet only Mandela has streets, schools and so much more named after him as far as I know. The differences between them are many with their different gender being the most obvious. Mandela was wrongfully jailed, was released and went on to work for equality in his own country and did everything in a blaze of publicity. Mother Teresa worked quietly to help the poor of India in the area where she lived. Publicity did eventually come to her, but she didn't look for it.

Perhaps the biggest difference is that Mother Teresa was a devote Catholic nun, a Christian who quietly worked out her faith in her life. Mandela may have been a Christian, but you can hardly call him quiet! Being Christian is hardly the most advantageous of qualities these days, or even for the last 60+ years. Whatever, be prepared for acres of news print about Mandela over the next week or so.

And no a complete change of focus; last night I got to thinking about postcodes and their locations. This came about because of a bottle a water I took to bed with me last night. It's something we both do every night, but I'd not seen this particular brand before. It's called Blue Keld and is bottled in Yorkshire with the post code starting YO and I wondered where in Yorkshire it was. Now to me, it seems obvious that if a post code starts YO then it will be in Yorkshire; but it isn't. Richmond in North Yorkshire had a DL post code, which is for Darlington. Dorktown's post code is CV, for Coventry even though Coventry is in the West Midlands and Dorktown is in Warwickshire. In fact, all Warwickshire post codes begin with CV. Strange I calls it - but just one of the many little things that amuse me.

Saturday is Telegraph day and today's blast from the past is from 43 BC when one Marcus Tullius, better known as Cicero, was executed because he made a numbers of verbal attacks on Mark Antony. Closer to our time though was that it was Sunday December 7 1941 that the Japanese navy attacked the American fleet in Pearl Harbour. And we all know how that ended up don't we!

Last Sunday I was in Brum and had another look in the new Library. There I found this view ... 

one which makes the visit worthwhile.

           

Funny time ...

A Cowboy sitting in a saloon one Saturday night, recognized an elderly man standing at the bar who, in his day, had the reputation of being the fastest gun in the West. The young cowboy took a place next to the old-timer, bought him a
drink and told him the story of his great ambition. 'Do you think you could give me some tips?' he asked.
The old man looked him up and down and said, 'Well, for one thing, you're wearing your gun too high, tie the holster a little lower down on your leg.'

'Will that make me a better gunfighter?' asked the young man.
'Sure will,' replied the old-timer.
The young man did as he was told, stood up, whipped out his 44 and shot the bow tie off the piano player.
'That's terrific!' said the hot shot. 'Got any more tips for me?'

'Yep,' said the old man. 'Cut a notch out of your holster where the hammer hits it, that'll give you a smoother draw'
'Will that make me a better gunfighter?' asked the younger man.
'You bet it will,' said the old-timer.
The young man took out his knife, cut the notch, stood up, drew his gun in a blur, and then shot a cufflink off the piano player.
'Wow!' exclaimed the cowboy 'I'm learnin' somethin' here. Got any
more tips?'

The old man pointed to a large can in a corner of the saloon. 'See that axle grease over there? Coat your gun with it.' The young man went over to
the can and smeared some of the grease on the barrel of his gun.
'No,' said the old-timer, 'I mean smear it all over the gun, handle and all.'

'Will that make me a better gunfighter?' asked the young man.
'No,' said the old-timer, 'but when Wyatt Earp gets done playing the piano, he's gonna shove that gun up your ass, and it won't hurt as much.'