Asquith Xavier will be forever remembered for standing up for his right to apply and get a job as a Railway Guard at Euston Station. He was first told on applying that there was a colour ban and he could not be appointed to work at Euston Station. This was in 1966.
Thankfully along with his Union he was successful in getting the decision overturned and he was appointed as the first Black Railway Guard to work at Euston Railway Station in London.
He was a modest man and despite the media turning up on his doorstep and wanting interviews, he maintained his goal was to look after his family the best he could by progressing in his chosen work.
The house where he lived at the time , now has a blue plaque commemorating him and reminding people that he stood up for his rights and the rights of others. This is truly inspirational.
Thanks to Kris Annapurna and Explorers Web Online for the Headline.
What an interesting situation, we’re not talking about snow in the Alps , we’re talking about the severe heatwave we’ve been having and the drought which has increased the likelihood of rock falls particularly on the most popular route up to Mont Blanc.
The Mayor of St Gervais , ordered the closure of the two refuges on Mont Blanc in order to discourage people from making the attempt. However, despite guides requesting climbers to return without summiting some persisted with their climb. To do this they had to cross an area called the Couloir du Gouter which is the area most prone to Rockfalls and therefore dangerous to cross.
Thirty two climbers decided to climb up to the refuge and stay overnight, they then asked for a free helicopter rescue in order to get back down the mountain. This was refused and the climbers were told that conditions had changed and that now they could make the descent and cross the Couloir du Gouter or alternatively they could pay for a private helicopter to rescue them.
I’m afraid these mountains are just getting too busy and it is very much the elite who can pay for Private Helicopters, not to mention the expense to the Public of financing a Mountain Rescue Helicopter which some think can be ordered like a taxi.
Apparently, the closing of the two refuges and the existing ban on camping and bivouacking has effectively closed the most popular approach to Mont Blanc , which hopefully will give Nature a break from the tred of human walking boots.
Taxi
Namaste and Thank You for Reading.🙏
And here is my short on You Tube(unfortunately it cut off the end)Technology Fail.
This is a purely fictitious story and a product of my imagination.
I am the twice removed cousin through marriage of Leo Messi who is the unknown half brother of the iconic Lionel Messi, also known as “Leo” but who rarely talks about the English side of the Messi family. Somewhere in my families murky past we upped sticks from Argentina to London , England and established ourselves in that cold and distinctly non-Latin Country.
However, the football pedigree cannot be doubted, for I am a sixteen year old wonder girl of football. I have clubs all over the UK and Europe wanting to sign me up for a contract.
And what is the reason for my success? I plan Goals
I plan goals for myself, and for my team, we are after all. So when I’m on the field I have considered all the options , I know who the best defenders are , I know the strengths of my team. Indeed I know what the referees blind spots are. I know when the opposition’s goalkeeper is cack-handed and is easily put off by my cannon ball shot at goal.
Knowing your opposition and your team strengths is everything. That is why I am so successful at planning for Goals.
And I can’t afford to eat in restaurant’s regularly; even if I had the additional disposable income, most restaurants make me feel uncomfortable. Even the most helpful staff seem intrusive, it’s such a shame you shouldn’t feel as if you are asking the World for an extra fork or stupid because you don’t understand the menu. Not to mention the inevitable question that is de rigeur.
” Do you have any allergies?”
Moan over for today, silly question anyway AI.
Namaste and Thank You for Reading.🙏
A plated salmon dinner highlights four common allergens in a warm restaurant setting.
Thanks to AJLabs at Aljazeera Online for the Headline
According to Amnesty International Three-Quarters of the world has abolished the death penalty in law or in practice.
Lebanon has become the first country in the Middle East to abolish the death penalty. On Tuesday , a majority of the 128 member parliament voted in favour of scrapping capital punishment and replacing the death sentence with life imprisonment and aggravated hard labour.
In practice although judges in Lebanon have issued death sentences none have been carried out in Lebanon since 2004.
It is very forward thinking of Lebanon to take this step and it is an example to all of us. Capital Punishment like any form of killing dehumanises us and solves nothing. One mistake is one mistake too many.
The use of the death penalty by countries who still have it was recorded as 2,707 executions in 2025. Iran was responsible for 2,159 of those in 2025. Which is a tragedy as it reflects the civil unrest that happened in Iran, so those who were caught up in the debacle in many cases were summarily executed without a fair trial because they disagreed with the Government.
This is why the Death Penalty should be abolished everywhere it is open to misuse.
AI Generated Image
Namaste and Thank You for Reading.🙏
And here’s my You Tube Short on the above Headline. Please click on the link as I haven’t figured out how to embed the video yet.😁 Also I think they did is as a short and I said at the end that ” I am proud of Lebanon”🙏
Thanks to Jameson Fink and Food and Wine Online for the Headline
I love my Aeropress and I just can’t believe that the “trendies” and apparently trendy chefs have hijacked the simple design and suggested that you get a better cup of coffee if you basically do the process upside down( at great risk of scalding yourself with hot coffee).
Like the journalist who wrote the article I basically make a strong double espresso and then add hot water to it to make it into a “long black”. I love the suction sound, which the Aeropress makes when you push the plunger down. It’s like you are pressing every ounce of flavour and goodness out of the ground coffee beans.
The tinkerers are wasting their time. Aeropress is perfection personified.
Thanks to CNN Staff and CNN World for the Headline.
Zhu Ronguji served as premier of China from 1998 to 2003 has died aged 97 due to a short illness.
As a young man he was expelled from the Chinese Communist Party in the 1950’s for criticising the economic policies of the Mao Zedong era and then again purged during Mao’s Cultural Revolution a decade later.
In other words he was a survivor, many others didn’t make it. However with his degree in Electrical Engineering and a strong work ethic, as well as an extreme focus on his task, he progressed through the ranks and after acting as the Mayor of Shangai he was spotted for his approach and recruited by Deng Xiaoping.
Zhu tackled corruption and lethargy in the unwieldly Chinese Centralised Command Economy and introduced China to Global Markets. Perhaps he is the reason we can now buy Chinese Garlic and also Chinese Tomatoes are now used even by the Italians.
The reforms he introduced led to a better standard of living for many Chinese and the growth of middle class aspirations for much of the labour market. He took a lot of Chinese out of poverty.
Modern China as with any Country who concentrates on growth has hit the “wall” just like an elite Marathon Runner. Growth has expanded the economy and perhaps the people are struggling to adjust to it. Certainly entrepreneurship and China’s workforce perhaps hasn’t grown together, Competitive Advantage leaves some behind and leads to jealousy.
China is adjusting and no longer thinks that external growth is the key, nor do they want galloping inflation or a population that cannot feed itself. It would be nice if China still was outward looking and wants to work with other Countries to promote harmony and health for the whole World.
Given the hardships and the difficulties Zhu had to face I think he put China in a position where it can contribute and also work with the West to ensure that Global Peace and Wealth is maintained.
Thanks to Usaid Siddiqui and Aljazeera for the Headline
The new Syrian Government which has been in place now for about eighteen months have been in talks with Russia and have announced a memorandum of understanding regarding Moscow’s Hmiemim airbase and Tartus naval base.
Syria has taken some Civilian and Commercial Control over both military bases and the consensus is that neither Syria or Russia wish to break relations. Although , as Russia was a major backer of the previous regime and the local Syrian population suffered tremendously during the Civil War, there was significant resentment from the people about the Russian role.
However, the political premise “of there are no permanent enemies , only permanent interests is ensuring that the lines of communication are kept open with the Russians. Russia on their part have invested heavily in Syria , so they wish to keep good relations too.
Russia has helped the current Syrian Government by vetoing at the UN Security Council’s designation of the new Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa as a “terrorist”. Russia also supplies subsidised oil and grain to Syria and has important debt and reconstruction projects with the Syrians.
Putin has welcomed al Sharaa and signalled support for Syria’s territorial Integrity.
thenotsomightyom 