There are pressures upon us that seek to define our achievements based on parameters set by others. Even toddlers have milestones. They are up and walking very early or” my aren’t they walking yet?” ” Little Johnny isn’t sitting very well, he doesn’t seem to lift himself when he crawls”.
We worry sometimes with good reason and in the vast majority of cases we just have to accept for most will do everything in their own good time with the right guidance.
I don’t believe in adult-hood; being an adult is a badge but we can all still behave like children, sometimes it’s funny , sometimes it’s incredibly annoying.
Some want their children to grow up too fast, some don’t want their children to grow up at all.
There is nothing glamorous about getting a job, paying rent, paying bills , paying , paying, paying. Some do it with aplomb, some every day is a crisis and some well they just don’t think it’s a good way to live and step off the ladder when they can.
Whatever, we all know childhood is precious and no I don’t think we need to admire adulthood or particularly aim to gain that particular badge. Take responsibility , well children can do that, count, design, work with others, play with others. Perhaps we should just throw away the badge.
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.
thenotsomightyom 