Canton Shopping

I remember when shopping in Canton was interesting but today it can only be called boring and repetitive. If you are into bookies, charity shops, and fast food outlets, you would love it but it leaves little room for anything else. Shop occupancy is high along the main shopping part of Cowbridge Road. However, when a shop closes the likelihood is one of above mentioned would rise from the ashes.

It can be soul-destroying wandering through some of the suburban shopping areas of Cardiff they are rundown and tatty. There was a time they were extremely important to our local communities and they were flourishing, but unfortunately, across the city some of them have been allowed to die a slow death. What we are left with are the for mentioned bookies etc. and franchise operations.

The Enemy??

It has not helped with the likes of Tesco and other supermarkets opening up as competition in these areas. For example, in Tesco Metro Canton, you can do your whole shop and more and if they don’t have say, a microwave, you can order it online for collection the next day most times. There is an electrical shop next-door to Tesco’s called Radiocraft so why not buy it there? Because it is likely to be cheaper in Tesco. Then you have their larger stores that sell everything under the sun with large free car parking, you have to pay to park in Canton.

When I was young many moons ago, most of our shopping was done locally with a Saturday trip into the town centre and we rarely used a supermarket. Back then, they mainly sold food and they were few in number compared to today.

We try to shop has much as possible outside superstores the likes of Tesco’s and use other shops but these days it is hard. We use our local butchers, veg shops, and other because if people don’t use them then they have no right to complain if they close. They may be a bit more expensive than the big stores but we need small independent shops.

I had a conversation recently asking what kind of shops I like to see in Canton. Well more independent shops personally and less of what we have now. I would love to see a bookshop. Shopping on the internet is easy and cheap and most times with free delivery but still, there is nothing better than browsing around a bookshop. There are other shops I would like to see but with high rents, they are unlikely but they would make for a more vibrant shopping experience. I think it will be a struggle to keep what little there is now the future is on a tipping balance not just for Canton but other areas around Cardiff.

Sperm Donation Goes Hand-Free

The days of a small room, a dirty magazine, a hand and a jar when donating sperm looks to be the thing of the past has now you can be milked like a cow.

 

A Chinese hospital in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, have installed a ‘milking’ machine to speed up the donation of sperm. The aptly named Automatic Sperm Extractor is as sexy as the character of nurse Ratched in the film One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The truth be told I would rather be manhandled by nurse Ratched than this new gadget.

 

Is this any invention too far? You would think this is some kind of April fool’s joke if there is such a day in China but it is all too real. So lefties, righties, and double handers worldwide could soon be made redundant when it comes to donating sperm the old fashion way.

 

You can check out the video below and the picture gives you an idea. No need for a comfortable sofa/couch this is a standing up job and hands-free technology you place Mr. Happy in to the pipe that can be adjusted to suit the height of the user. You then choose the frequency, amplitude, and temperature and off you go. It is also fitted with a small screen for those feeling uninspired.

Suarez fancied a Italian

Someone being a naughty boy

Uruguay move through to the last sixteen at the World Cup but could be would out star striker Luis Suarez after he was accused of biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini.

 

He (Suarez) has form for feeling peckish during a game he famously fancied a Serbian while playing for Liverpool against Chelsea when he tried to dine on Branislav Ivanović. While he was playing for Ajax he when Dutch on Otman Bakkalv and now he fancied an Italian.

 

The likelihood is at he will banned from the rest of the competition and Liverpool will have to wait and see if it effects his league position. It could put pay to any big move to Spain.

Blue will be the colour for Cardiff fans

The stubbornness of the Cardiff City chairman holds no bounds over the financial suicide with his lucky red rebrand even with his deep pockets it must hurt.

 

While the official red top hangs gathering dust in the club shop anything blue linked to Cardiff City the Bluebirds is being snapped up by eager fans. The club via its owner ‘allegedly’ is keeping fans short of the blue away kit and even so, fans have problems with the badge. However, Vincent Tan will be in the director’s box come the new season looking out at a sea of blue knowing he didn’t make a penny from the shirts, t-shirts, and scarves.

 

For added competition to the chairman’s red the Cardiff City Supporters Trust have come up with their own blue shirt and after a vote in the local press to find the fans favourite of four designs the winner can be seen in the photo. Orders have been flooding out according to the Trust up to 1,000 since they went on sale with demand so high that at one stage the website crashed.

 

Counting the orders, long-standing Cardiff fan Phil Jones said; “The total currently stands at just under 1,000, which is not bad for the first week.”

 

He added; “We expect a lot more people to buy them once they have seen other fans wearing them and once they have had a chance to try them on.”

 

The shirts are priced at £22 for a child’s, and £27 for adults the short sleeved version while you have to paid an extra £2 for the long sleeved tops. South Wales children’s hospice Ty Hafan will get £5 from every sale and in the coming weeks, the Trust will be delivering shirts to Ty Hafan shops right across South Wales.

 

All the supporters groups are behind the project and there are other fans expected to bring out shirts and t-shirts.

 

CHECK WEBSITE AND BUY HERE

Bucket list and Cardiff Bay

With talk of the predictable change in the weather, its Wimbledon that normally means rain so I checked the forecast for Thursday to find there was a strong possibility of rain and I had plans for that day with the wife and my bucket list. I then made a quick decision that today was the day to tick something off my bucket list.

 

Therefore, it was off to Cardiff Bay, the Penarth side to walk over the Barrage and tick it off my bucket list and it was the day to do it with the sun shining. We took a taxi down to Penarth Marina giving me a chance to checkout a berth for my motor boat I will be buying when I hit that big lottery win.

 

Nice to start on the working side of the barrage with the lock gates and we were lucky to see the sluice gates operating and venting some of the River Taff out into the Bristol Channel. Powerful stuff and we could feel the power as we were covered in water droplets. Glen was having trouble seeing over to wall but further along it was much easier. She was unable to use the paid telescope at the end of the north arm breakwater much to her annoyance, maybe it is something the Cardiff Bay harbour authority should look into.

 

We were disappointed the café on the Penarth side of the barrage was shut and later would be upset again when we found the same on the other side. Has you can see from the photo it is not the most welcoming of destinations after a long walk or time out with the family and it is in need of a major upgrade. If Cardiff are trying to sell this to tourists, they need a rethink.

 

We had a lovely wander over the barrage and there was not much to see in the way of wildlife but for a few swans or ducks according to the wife. In the sunshine, the Bay looked beautiful and with the tide out on the other side of the barrage, I was enjoying the smell of mud, a sorely missed smell from my childhood. There were plenty of benches to sit and take in the view from and grass verges along the bay side. Access for the wheelchair was great if not well signed. The barrage is popular not just with walkers but runners and cyclists. Cardiff Bay side of the barrage looks shabby and in need of development until you come out by the Dr Who Experience.

 

I had a plan to take Glenys on the waterbus but only one takes a wheelchair and we were unsure if the chair would fit on. We had just missed it so it was an hour wait for it to come back so I sort out some shade to cool off while Glen was happy to sit out in the sun. We than got something to eat and waited for the boat return. The staff of the Hydro 1 could not have been more helpful telling Glenys that if her chair would fit sure they would take her. Access could not have been easier and well worth the £4 fare (each) to the Bute Park just to put a smile on Glens face.

 

At Bute, we sat out in the sun to eat our sarnies and have a drink before a slow walk home.

Willpower

I shall have you soon

It was a close fought thing however, my new strong willpower prevailed, and I walked away. What did I walk away from, only a Clarks Pie sitting in the shop window calling out to me to step into the shop and buy one.

 

It has been a while since I spent time with a Clarkies, Easter in fact and unless I give in and buy one before my August Bank Holiday treat when we will be fleetingly reunited. Since Easter, I have had only two mediocre pies in a moment of pour pie lust either were up to much just filling in a gap at the time.

 

I walked past the tray of Clarks Pie’s with just a sigh and remembered the good old days when we were on. I something else I noticed I was walking fast and is a bit leaner from the old me the mage pie eater with oversized weight problems, I feel good.

A bit of me

Happy times

I am one of five children, (the eldest) we lived in Cardiff, and it was not an easy upbringing compared to some of my peers. As children, we didn't have many of the same opportunities as other children living round us.

Trips out were a rarity and even less as the family grew but for the odd trip out with the club. Holidays just didn’t happen. I spent a night at Nans and if you don’t count the endless nights camping over the local park none of which you could class as a holiday. I did spent five days at Story Arms with the school, so I had one working holiday.

Dad worked every hour under the sun and more. I don’t think he took a day off sick in his life and would happily work through any due holidays they would have to force him to take them. Mum was what you would call today a stay at home mum with my dad old-fashioned enough to want to be the sole breadwinner of the household.

Money might have been tight but there was always a meal on the table sometimes with the help of the ‘book’, (credit at the local shop) and we were always clothed and well turned out. Maybe we would have to wait a bit for the latest craze but with the deep pockets of our Nan, we got there most times.

There was plenty of love from our parents in our house even if I push them to the limits from time to time. We were a happy family unit when all said and done

One thing I didn’t lack in my childhood was friends with everyone knowing each other’s parents it made friendships much easier. If you were to fall out with a mate, it would soon be swept under the carpet and forgotten. After a while, it would be like what ‘argument or fight’ there would be no festering grudge. I can guarantee I was never bored, there was always something going on if not we would soon create something. I had great neighbours and lived in a special neighbourhood where as kids you could feel safe.

If I could, I wouldn’t have change anything about my childhood. Well maybe a few extra quid in dads wage packet to make it easy for him and mum.

2014/15 Fixtures Out

Cardiff City kick off the new season with an away trip, which was not, helped by UEFA need for a 'clean stadium' for the Super Cup clash at the Cardiff City stadium.

The new season kicks-off on the weekend commencing August 9 and the Super Cup final between Champions League winners Real Madrid and Europa League winners Seville is on Tuesday August 12. UEFA are calling for all advertising at the stadium be cleared to be replaced by their match sponsors.

The fixtures at a first glance are interesting but are libel to change with TV and the police having their say. All fans have been waiting for this day although supporter clubs travel officers maybe not with the expected workload. Every fan has games he or she looks out for my Leeds mate main interest is the Cardiff fixtures mine are not on teams but games played on four days.

• First Game Blackburn a
• Boxing Day Charlton a
• My Birthday Birmingham h
• Last Game Nottm Forest a

The closest fixture for the Bluebirds is to Birmingham while the longest is to the far outpost of Middlesbrough. With the cup games thrown in it’s going to be an interesting season with big expectations on promotion for Cardiff City. >>> Full fixture list

My top ten tunes (this morning)

I was a bit bored this morning the wife was out with a carer and there was nothing much happening on the TV so I got on with a little blogging. I decided to have some background music to chill to, but what.

My favourite list on You Tube is bulging with top tunes so I did a shuffle and the top ten tunes are as follows

 

Don’t Speak – No Doubt. Fell in love is song the first time I heard it and seen the video which was helped along by the drummer wearing a Madness t-shirt. Then there is Gwen Stefani her voice was sublime and reeled my in and finding she was into my kind of music was a plus. Don’t Speak reached number one in the UK for three weeks.

Bring me to Life – Evanescence. Has a rule I avoid this kind of music rock/metal stuff but the voice of Amy Lee, won me over. The video of her climbing up the building was awesome and powerful the song spent 14 weeks in the UK charts, four weeks at the top.

The Cranberries – Zombie. Another great single and another great female singer in Dolores O'Riordan. The IRA bombing in Warrington, Cheshire in 1993 in which children, Jonathan Ball and Tim Parry, were killed, inspired this song. It got into trouble in the UK because the video showed footage of British soldiers on patrol leading to the video being banned. Changes were made for the UK market.

You’re Wondering Now – The Specials. I don’t think a day goes by would out me mumbling a Specials tune. This track is off one of the greatest albums set on vinyl ever simply called ‘The Specials’. From the first I seen them on Top of the Pops I knew Two Tone was for my and ska would become my life.

 

Bob Marley – Natural Mystic. I love affair with Marley and reggae music begun at an early age but I was not until 1973 while viewing the Old Grey Whistle Test I could put a name to this sound. It was after an appearance of Bob Marley. Living very close to the biggest Africa Caribbean community in Wales I would always hear reggae booming out.

 

Pulp – Common People. BBC Radio 6 recently declared this delightful little ditty from the Britpop era anthem of the period. It comes with a really smart video, vibrant and colourful.

Steel Pulse – Can’t Stand Losing You. Normally I am on a big fan of ‘cover’ but I will make an exception for this song from the Police. This reggae inspired cover is too sweet not to like.

 

Janet Kay – Silly Games. Glad this popped out in my shuffle it has always been a favourite of mine since I heard it on Top of the Pops many, many years ago. She has a beautiful voice.

 

Duran Duran – Ordinary World. I have or never have been a New Romantic but still can like a tune or two but by the release of this song Duran, Duran had moved on.

 

George Michael - Praying For Time. I must be say George Michael corners in kind of music gene not my favourite but it is on my favourite list for a reason.

Sofas in football stadium

I could see it happen at the Cardiff City Stadium even if Wales were in the World Cup finals taking your sofa along to the ground to watch the world Cup. However, Union Berlin invite fans to bring sofas into their stadium to watch the World Cup.

 

 

German second tier club Union Berlin did just that allowing their fans to bring sofas into their stadium to watch the games on a 700-inch screen bring a while meaning to armchair/sofa supporter.

 

Thousands (12,000) showed up to watch Brazil win in World Cup opening game with 3,000 on their sofas, with around 850 couches dragged onto the pitch.

 

Sofas put to bed after the game

Captial One Cup

Cardiff City face an away trip to Coventry City in the Capital One League Cup first round and the game is to be played the week commencing 11th August 2014.

 

The League Cup is the bridesmaid to the FA Cup the bride and has never been well supported especially in the early rounds. The bigger clubs as a rule play weaken teams, which even happens in the FA Cup to be honest. The carrot for winning the cup is money! I don’t think so. Last season’s winners Manchester City received £100,000! Not enough to pay the wages for any of the players for one week probably.

 

Then there is a European place in the UEFA Europa League the very poor relation to the Champions League but the prize money is better but nowhere like the for mentioned Champions League.

 

The competition needs a major shake-up and I think I have one … The British Cup. All four-football associations would have to agree which would be a milestone if they could after the debacle of the GB team for the Olympic Games. Clubs could see the benefits of the competition, which could run along the same lines as the League Cup with the English and Scottish Premiership coming in at the third round. Another problem would be European recognition from the governing body UEFA about possible European qualification.

 

I could see away through however the old men who run their individual associations would be eager to hang on to their slice of the pie with no interest in what the fans might want.

 

My makeup of the competition

• All football League Clubs
• Scottish Premiership
• Top six for the Northern Ireland Premier League
• Top six from the Welsh Premier League

I am sure fans would enjoy a British Cup and sponsors and the final could be played at different a national stadium.

Football fixtures out tomorrow

Championship location 2014/15

One of the greatest days of the year takes place on Wednesday 18th June, tomorrow. No, it’s not anything to do with the World Cup its better than that and oh yes it’s not my birthday either, its fixture day, excited, I am. The 2014/15 fixtures are out bringing the start of the new season ever closer, so are you excited.

 

It won’t be the first fixture of the season, today a 10am the draw for the first round of the League cup is to be announced, and we could see the Bluebirds playing Newport County.

 

I’m not going to miss the Premiership at all has football is football no matter which league you are in although I will miss the ability to watch every game on some iffy Internet stream. I don’t know about you, but I love fixture list day when we get the first chance to eye our season’s competition. Come 9am tomorrow I will be clicking away at the laptop eagerly scanning of the list before a full on study.

 

The first fixtures I look out for is the first and last games of the season then Boxing Day, my birthday and I am not interested who we play its football. There are 46 league games next season all together and not counting cup games that is a lot of football.

 

There may be no South Wales derbies to look forward to but plenty of grudge matches to spice the season up. The list of competitors for Cardiff City’s promotion spot are Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool, Bolton Wanderers, Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion, Charlton Athletic, Derby County, Fulham, Huddersfield Town, Ipswich Town, Leeds, Middlesbrough, Millwall, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Reading, Rotherham United, Sheffield Wednesday, Watford, Wigan Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers.

 

There are some juicy fixtures next season with old rivalries. Leeds is one of those games with Birmingham and Wolves a couple of others. It’s not like many fans out there like Cardiff anyway. There are three away trips to the seaside always popular with travelling fans with Blackpool, Bournemouth, and Brighton the destinations. Cardiff get to travel to the New York Stadium! No not over the pond to America but Yorkshire, England, and the new home of Rotherham United. Going to be an interesting season with pressure on the management and players for an instead return to the Premier League.

Death to flies

The future of fly warfare

One of the main things that pisses me off about summertime is the array of creepy crawlies that appear from every nook and cranny. However, it might crawl, it might wriggle but if they fly than its war.

Moths scare me but I hate flies with a passion particularly those touchy feely ones that like landing on dog shit and for a treat then land on you. Then there are the stupid flies that fly around a ceiling light for hour after hour, around and around slowly driving me crazy. You go to bed but in the morning the fly or flies are sitting on the light shade and soon as you sit down, they start going round and round again.

Flies are the carriers of very deadly diseases, they infest meat and other food items.

The most popular way to rid yourself of these pests is with fly spray. Not a favourite of mine because after you sprayed the room and killed them you can never find the bodies. The electric fly killers use a UV light to attract flies and other flying insects to kill them but is very unattractive.

There must be some bright scientist type out there somewhere who could come up with a fly killing laser? (see picture) There is one for mosquito's so what about flies, why should they miss out on a painless death. Until that happens, I am stuck with my old method of shoeing the enemy out the window or door to fly off and bother someone else.

I don't do sunshine

My heaven

Another sunny day and I’m really not happy as no-one who knows me can call me a sun worshiper I’m more of a winter person.

 

Even as a kid, I felt the same but you had to enjoy the summer especially has you are given a six-week holiday it would be stupid not to. I am an old man now and the heat bothers me. If I have to shop I go into the morning before it becomes to hot for me or the late evening. I don't do mid-day sun very often.

 

Even a pretty woman or two wandering around scantily clad can’t win me over to the sunshine and the beach would be my worst nightmare. I don’t even like sitting in my garden in the summer and an outside.

 

My ideal holiday would be somewhere like an all-inclusive holiday at the South Pole preferably in the dead of winter.

Nostalgia Memory – World Cup sticker collecting

The World Cup and football in general is a magnet for collecting and the number one item to collect was the trading card or more recently the sticker.

 

Today the Panini album is the top of the collecting tree with millions of people around the world vying to complete the sticker book. It’s not that easy when you need to collect 640 stickers and not cheap at 50p a pack containing only five stickers. You can’t collect every player in the World Cup anyway has Panini and others print their stickers months ahead of the official naming of the squads leading to players who are going to Brazil missing.

Mathematicians at the University of Geneva used probability theory to calculate that collectors have to buy 899 packets (costing £449.50) to get every sticker, taking into account getting duplicates and excluding the possibility of swapping with other collectors.

Today collecting is a lot easier than when I was a child. Then you had to rely on the playground and your mates to swap spares but now you have social media to help in the quest for a full set. There are more and more adults taking an interest in collecting as seen in the press and on TV recently. With so many short cuts to fill an album someone I read fill his for under a £100 to collect all 664, using social media. Surely, it defeats the whole idea of the chase taking a shortcut like that. It gets so competitive in some households at I read on the internet of a mum who bought a pack for her son and found a rare sticker only for her husband to steal it.

 

It was not stickers in my day but trading cards and coins and it was mainly the preserve of young boys who liked football. There were a number of ways of collecting one of my favourites was Typhoo Tea cards as we drunk a lot of tea in our house so a better chance of filling the album. You could also collect with the aid of some chewing gum brands or in boxes of sweet cigarettes all had their different cards.

 

Who can forget standing with a mate and a hand full of cards and flicking through to the sound of ‘got, got, got,’ and finally ‘need’ so begins the swap or trade has you flick through your pack of card hoping you have a card your friend wants. Some cards would have a value to them not in cash teams but in cards. Say a Bobby Moore card would cost five cards or more depending on your desperation.

 

I don’t think I ever completed a collection but for the Esso World Cup Coin Collection but never had the display case so technically not complete. To collect them you needed to have a car, something I had no access to, a motor vehicle so. There was a way around that normally a friend’s dad or a mate who was will to share his doubles.

Don't cry for the Falkland Argentina

Fifa need to fine Argentina for bringing politics into football and possibly inflaming the rivalry with England by unfurling a banner claiming sovereignty of the Falkland Islands before there game against Slovenia.

The squad will have raised eyebrows in Britain showing off their politically charged banner declaring "Las Malvinas Son Argentinas (The Malvinas are Argentine)" to the crowd before kick-off. Some of the players are more than happy to fill their pockets with the British pound with their principles not stretching that far.

It might not cause tension on the pitch but there is plenty of chances of trouble off the pitch between the two sets of fans. A number of reports in the media have suggested Argentine fans are planning to attack English fans. Therefore, this inflammatory picture could only stir up any possibl trouble. England and Argentina are not expected to cross paths at the World Cup in Brazil unless they both reach the semi-finals.

Homeless deterrent

There has been justifiable up roar when these pictures were posted on Twitter.

 

The metal spikes you see in the picture have been installed as a deterrent to homeless people sleeping in the alcove outside a block of flats in Southwark, London.

 

They are not new to buildings in the UK and around the world. Designers are incorporating this kind of deterrent into their building design, as homelessness grows worldwide in the richer nations. Many of the ornate older buildings such as museums and government buildings discourage the homeless from sleeping in doorways or ledges by using the same kind idea like strips of plastic pyramids.

 

A Mr Horton who took the pictures told news outlets that contacted him that he believed the studs have been put in place to prevent homeless people from sleeping there. "I can't say for certain but it certainly looked like they were placed there to deter homeless people. It's dreadful.”

 

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told a reporter: ‘There was a homeless man asleep there about six weeks ago.

‘Then about two weeks ago all of a sudden studs were put up outside. ‘I presume it is to deter homeless people from sleeping there.’

 

A spokesperson for Southwark Council said it had not implemented the studs, and had never used such a system to deter homeless people from sleeping in similar areas.

World Cup ... I don't care

With you sister

I couldn’t give a toss about the World Cup as without Wales in the competition it means nothing to me.

 

I have more interest in next season’s fixtures list, due to be published soon than in the World Cup. I have always been bored of international football and not really a big fan of Wales either if the truth be told. Anyway, my football love belongs to Cardiff City and domestic football. With the games schedule to kick off between 5pm to 11pm, I have better things to watch although I will catch the odd earlier game with not much enthusiasm.

 

Much to the dismay of many of my anti-English brethren if there was anyone I wanted to win the World Cup it would be England even knowing the English/national press and media would go ape shit, I would still choose our neighbour’s over the border. Even before a ball has been kicked, the press in particular are reporting on any bit of news that only the nuttiest of England fans would be interested in. They won’t win for sure so no need to worry.

 

My only interest in the whole thing is the bevy of beautiful woman fans and the warmer the climate the less they wear which makes for better entertainment than the football.

 

With Brazil supposed to be football crazy it would seem some Brazilians don’t want the Football jamboree in their country due to the cost. In a country where a quarter of the population live in extreme poverty there is widespread anger at what is perceived as the increasing divide between the rich and poor. There have been demonstrations surrounding the preparations which have turned violent and with promises of more to come during the competition. It’s not just the World Cup, Brazil are hosting the 2016 Olympic Games with more infrastructure and more cost and with more protest we will see.

TV Review … Brazil: In the Shadow of the Stadiums

Brazil: In the Shadow of the Stadiums

There are lot of things wrong in Brazil, which is unless you have money, a nice home, a good job, and not one of the many poor people in the country.

Last night’s Panorama, Brazil: In the Shadow of the Stadiums was hard viewing as it looked into child prostitution around the World Cup stadiums it was shocking and sickening to watch.

The children in the programme where all under 14 and operated in full view of the police and with the full knowledge of their families who turn a blind eye because of the lack of money or the inability to control them. Pimps threaten their families if they don’t work for them and they are also at risk with the clients. Most are on drugs and see selling their bodies as the only way to paid for their habit.

Prostitution is not illegal in Brazil over the age of 18 but the law is openly flouted. The show proved how easy it was to book into a ‘love’ hotel when the presenter with the full agreement of child service booked in with a 13-year-old girl and just brushed past the guy on the reception with no trouble or question asked. The young then went on to tell the presenter girls as young as 10 even nine were selling their bodies.

Soon thousands upon thousands of football fans will be descending on the World Cup stadiums and the area round where sex is cheap. Brazil is beginning to wake up to the problem but it’s a case of too little too late with sex for sale etched into society. As long as there are people around willing to pay for under age sex particularly in the third world, there will always be young girls or boys forced or willing to be used in this despicable trade. It’s not just the World Cup over the next month there is the 2016 Olympics schedule for Brazil as well so will we see another Panorama on the same subject but a different event.

Any UK citizens under The Sexual Offences Act 2003 who commit sexual offences against children overseas will be prosecuted in the UK.

New gadget wanted

I want on or something similar

I love a gadget as the wife can testify to, and I always have something in mind, sometimes to buy, and rarely use.

The latest one I bought was a flatbed toaster, which I had big plans for only to end up using it once and now it’s stored in the unused gadgets cupboard.

I am eyeing up a new toy/gadget and in the middle of researching it, a drone. Yes, I fancy a drone with a camera instead of the remote controlled airship I wanted a while ago. Drones are becoming cheaper all the time.

My only issue is flight time or the lack of it. The more you paid the more airtime you get which for now is way beyond my insignificant savings. Why I feel the need to purchase a drone, I couldn’t tell you why I want one.

I thing gadgets are a man’s thing being a bit sexist from my social media out let woman seem to like shoes, handbags and booze.

I Love a Hot Dog

I love a hot dog or two in fact we have them most Saturdays with a few fries its comfort food to me.

We don’t have those awful tinned hog dogs anymore since I started reading the ingredients on the back of the tin. It said the sausages (can it be called a sausage) contained mostly rusk and mechanically recovered meat and mostly chicken, and god knows what crap that means, I have an idea but don’t what to think about it. I think I’d rather have vegetarian hot dogs with no meat.

Eight in a tin of these hot dogs cost about 50p but at the butchers, eight sausages cost £4.00 plus (thick) or £2.50 chipolata all 100% pork. Because of my healthy regime, the sausages and even the onions are baked in the oven or sometimes 1 cal spray is used.

A new book entitled Haute Dogs: Recipes for Delicious Hot Dogs, Buns, and Condiments caught my eye as it sets out to change the humble hot dog from fast food snack to fine dining good enough to serve at a dinner party. The book contains 100 recipes covering everything from South American BBQ to Japanese fusion to modern food-cart cuisine. The most unusual thing I have had with a hot dog is brown sauce, I normally go for red, I’m so adventurous. I am considering buying the book and who knows; besides looking at the pictures, I might give some of the recipes a go.

Haute Dogs: Recipes for Delicious Hot Dogs, Bun and Condiments

TV quality about to nosedive-The return of Big Brother

Main presenter Emma Willis

That time of year again the return of Big Brother with launch night tomorrow for the fame-hungry housemates to hope to add their name to the long list of wannabes and Z-listers.

Pictures of the new house reveal a futuristic look, oh boy are you excited.

My interest in this whole crap reality entertainment comes via my mum god bless her. She was addicted to it so much she would get out of bed and turn the TV on and watch them sleeping when it was broadcast live. The daily phone calls back then on the latest news meant I had to be up to date with the ins and outs. Thank god, for the internet because it was one thing mum liked was a good spoiler. Like many, I watched the first few Big Brothers with some interest and was sucked in but soon grew to hate it. I now despise it however; I still watch it from time to time just to keep my hatred topped up.

It’s the 15th series, far too many and when the original broadcaster Channel 4 pulled the plug on the show Channel 5 was waiting in the background ready to pick it up. Basically, the format for the show is a search for 'contestants' who are always picked based on breast size, sexual preference, and shock value. Therefore, you can expect at least 30% women, 30% man, 40% gay (both sexes), of that 30% freaks and about 75% mental. This guarantees hysterics, relationships, break-ups, cliques, and at least 17 bitch fights a day.

Eviction night can be fun if only for the pantomime of booing. It gives the housemates a chance to evaluate their popularity in the outside world while they sit there on live TV waiting to see if they are voted out. The rent a crowd audience outside the house primed for some booing never disappoint with a mixture of (mild cheers), (moderate booing), (louder booing), (huge cheers), or a (mixture of boos and cheers). Those booed always act as if they don’t care but after the eviction show go into a long debrief asking why them, what have I done and so on then comes the tears.

After nearly 29 years ... Cinema date

Cineworld Cardiff

The wife and I have been together since January 1985, we married in the October of the same year, and I am truly ashamed to say, we have never been on a Cinema date/film date. A fact that can be solely lain at my door, I have been a bad husband and very unromantic.

I planned everything to a fine detail not telling the wife. I was looking forward to our afternoon but forget to factor in the wife and a hospital appointment. Well I did but not a fire alarm and an evacuation. Oh well on to plan B or the lesser second plan.

Today I planned to put that right and so we made the journey to the Cineworld cinema complex. I told the wife we were going to do some shopping but as we walked up to the taxi rank, I told her we were going into town. Looking puzzled she asked where we were going, with a smile, I said Cineworld. The plan was to go to the Vue, which was closer to our house and a nice slow walk towards town. Then a stroll along the river Taff stopping off for a moment or two checking out the wildlife on offer. Instead, it was a taxi across town to Cineworld. I was thinking as we drove along I had never been to a multiplex cinema before. The first one in Cardiff was the Capitol Odeon, opened in August 1991 as part of the Capitol Centre. Another fact is that I have not been to the cinema since 1985 and I can even remember the film.

I decided to let the wife pick the film. Even if this was on my bucket list and by rights, it should have been my film to pick. Looking at the list of films, I had a favourite but I had a bet to myself, I would not be seeing, ‘Edge of Tomorrow’ I do like a bit of sci-fi and I really, really wanted to see it. She when for ‘Maleficent’. We decided to watch the film in 3D a first for both of us, which should be interesting I thought to myself.

One of the benefits of the wife being wheelchair bound is the Cinema Exhibitors' Association Card (ceacard) this verifies that the holder is entitled to one free ticket for a person accompanying them to the cinema. So a cheap date going in for free as the wife’s plus 1, but seeing has it was the date we never had before it was only right to go ‘Dutch’ and split the cost.

The film was ok, 3D was fun, and the cinema was empty a massive benefit. Angelina Jolie was still hot with wings and horns to boot. Well ticked that off my bucket list and I think it was one of many more trips to the cinema but next time I pick the film.

Nice Punch Mr Froch

Timber and down goes Groves

Not the biggest fan of boxing I must say but I do enjoy amateur boxing so with the help of an iffy internet stream I sat back to watch Carl Froch and George Groves in their rematch at Wembley. Over 4,000 fans turned up for the weighing to see two men stand on the weighing scales and stand staring at one another.

There were a reported 80,000 people packed into the national stadium for the mega-fight but not sure if the view from the back of the stands would have warranted the money paid.

The build up to the fight was the normal big talk, predictions, snarling and posturing you see nearly all of the time in professional boxing. The show really started with the boxers entering the ring, the champion Froch walked in while underdog Groves arrived ringside on a red double decker bus showing is London credentials to a mainly London crowd. Therefore, the entrance was won hands down by the challenger Groves on showmanship.

As for the boxing, boxing is boxing quite boring. I said earlier not my favourite sport the passion of the commentators is one of the best things about boxing making interesting conversations out of two men pacing around the ring without throwing a punch or missing with their right or left. Groves promised a lot but fell short of giving is hordes of fans a night to remember when Froch laid him out flat in the eighth round, “My greatest punch ever”, the boxer told the waiting media after the fight. Boxing pundits were debating if it was the best knockout ever really do you think so.



Marry me

The celebrities were out in force all around ringside so I indulged in some star spotting but really, stars were at a premium. There was a wedding proposal at the end when Froch got on one knee to ask his girlfriend would she marry him. All I could think was the proposal conditional on him winning.

It was a big night for British boxing and they don't come around like that often. Will there be another rematch and another we will have to wait and see.