last week's hotel room

The Saraha Beach Hotel, Skanes in Tunisia (near Monastir).

Not what I am used to, but i was on holiday.

The last word

The word magazine has closed. I only subscribe to two magazines; the word and the economist. Now it will be just one.

9 years was a good innings for a niche music and lifestyle magazine. It was a great read and a great online community. I shall miss it

This week's hotel room Hilton Istanbul

Very nice in a 1960's sort of way. Huge with amazing views of the Bosphorus. But not from my room. Really what you think of when you think of a Hilton. But with Turkish electrics.

This week's hotel room

Radisson Blu Kennilworth, in London.  Not quite as big as this picture makes it seem.  But it is London.  And outside is the British Museum.  And a lot of rain.

This weeks hotel room Radisson blu Palais Vienna

Gosh it is hot here. And they have run out of power adaptors - my fault I should have brought my own. It is on my checklist, but I thought "they are bound to have one". Otherwise jolly nice. Free minibar - with one coke, one water, one beer. Again not to complain=free.

Banks

It is not just Barclays illegally colluding to fix bank rates. The same is going on in the USA.

When are people going to get jail time for this rather than just corporate fines, that customers end up paying? Jail is the deterrent, not the loss of a bonus.

After the collapse of the banking system why has no one been charged with fraud? It is about time.

Euro 2012

That's us out on pens again. The two Ashley's wont be hounded - there are now too many penalty missers for them to be special.

3 days of sunshine

The British summer.

This week's hotel - holiday villa hotel and residence Qatar

Ok, but without the attention to detail that makes a truly good hotel. For example the safe not working, and the Taos only running hot (no cold). Minor stuff, but enough to knock it out of the top notch.

This weeks hotel room

Millennium, Abu dhabi. Generally I can't complain, though th 8 hours without electricity yesterday was a bit of a blow. Or rather not, as it meant no air con. Otherwise perfectly fine, if a little anonymous.

Bio bank

I do a survey for them. But every time they ask
Me to report it is after an unusual
Day. Yesterday I had my first alcohol for a week- do of course they have asked me about yesterday!

This week's room

Crowne plaza Amsterdam city centre. Very nice. Gym a bit poky, but the rest is lovely including a lounge you migh actually want to spend some time in.

Citeh!

Bloody City!  It's always drama.  2-1 down at the end of 90 minutes.  Win 3-2 to win the Premiership.

Gordon Bennet - it cannot be good for your health to support Manchester City.

A bang and a whimper

Footie season comes to an end with whipping Chelsea, but 3 days too late for the FA cup final. Oh well, come next year...

I don't expect king Kenny to be there.

Friday the interestingth / star wars day

Day after council elections - looks like no more elected mayors.
Submission day for a tender process that has taken a year.
Day before FA cup final- which I am getting sadly optimistic about (really we are not favourites)
Bunch of writing to do, do why am I
Blogging?

Against the odds

Good luck to Chelsea in the Champion's League Final.  Hopefully it will put them off their stride for the FA Cup Final.  However, given the number of them that will be suspended for that Final and therefore will have a point to prove in the FA Cup final...  maybe it would have been better if Barcelona had won.

Barca look like they have run out of steam.

Liverpool however look like a team that dont have the exact change necessary to buy luck from a vending machine.   We shall see.

Monday night's hotel room - Ramada Birmingham City

Somewhat tricky to find, and the wrong side of the city centre for where I had to be in the morning.  But apart from that absolutely fine.  Interesting location - my room looked out over a canal basin, with the BBC on the right and a series of bars, cafes and restaurants.  If I go back, and get there earlier, it will be worth investigating further.

Sometimes it snows in April

and today it did.  Last week it was 20 degC.
Climate change - coming now to a location near you.

Silverware

The League Cup was our first silverware for 6 years - but great to have.  However, I think it will not be enough for the owners.  Champions League has got to be their priority, and I think that it is now beyond us - which may mean the end of King Kenny's reign.

Meanwhile, finally recovering from 3 months of chest infection to discover that I appear to have put on 3kg.  How does that work?

Could be worse

Nothing like making you feel like a malingerer when you are under the weather, than hearing about someone who has it worse.  A friend of Mrs. Breadcrumbs maid of honour, has died of pneumonia at age 41 after ignoring a chest complaint for weeks.  Now I feel both pleased I went to the doctor, and embarassed about whinging for so long about my little illness.

So onwards and upwards into 2012 at last (x-rays and blood tests permitting...)