Monday, September 29, 2008

I finished reading:

"The Rainmaker" written by John Grisham.

This is the first book by Grisham that I have read and tell the truth I was pleasantly surprised. I will try some more of his now.

-Richard

Saturday, September 27, 2008

CHAMPIONS!!!

Durham County Cricket Club won the Cricket County Championship for the first time. Their Innings win versus Kent and Nottinghamshire's defeat to Hampshire sealed the deal. A great achievement for my home county after being first class for only 16 years. (Somerset have been competing since 1891 and have never won it).

-Richard

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Phew, what a mess the economy is in!!! I, like the rest of the country am worried. I am seeing the pressures at work to bring orders in whilst customers don't want to spend the dollars. It's going to be a tough few months....

However, what really needs to be looked into is how did this happen? How can it be avoided in the future? and What should be done to fix things?

I am not an economist and have no pretensions to be one, but, a couple of lay-mans points that I want to make:-
  • Those at fault should be accountable. Be it Government, the financial institutions, lobbyists, whoever. Some of the activities that have gone on are certainly on the criminal level.
  • What action should the Government take? Bail out those billionaires that caused this problem with the average working man's tax dollars. I don't think so!! Why should we, the people, bail out these people when our jobs, our mortgages, our lives are crumbling because of these selfish, greedy fat-cats? They really help us when our houses are up for foreclosure because we got sick, couldn't afford Health Care, couldn't work and therefore got behind don't they? It is not Government for the rich, entitled, greedy. The Constitution is based on Government FOR THE PEOPLE...that's all people. It's about time the people realized this and fought for the rights we are ALL legally entitled by our Government not just the lucky few. Remove lobbyists, remove special interests, remove corporate campaign finance. Let the real people speak!! I have no problems with my taxes going to my buddy down the road about to lose his house, pay for him getting health care etc... I would pay more taxes for that. I DO have a problem with my taxes going to help Joe Billionaire out because he got into a problem by stepping on my buddy down the road. The founding fathers will be turning in their graves. We had the Revolution for this? The Boston Tea Party came to this?
Enough venting for now. I think it's time to fall back on age old adage that we see on all our Money...."In God we Trust"...and remember what that means and what the teaching of Jesus says...

-Richard

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

I finished reading the Bible Book of Esther....

-Richard

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

I finished reading:

"The London Embassy" written by Paul Theroux.

This was a fun little book which I thoroughly enjoyed. I will need to pick up more of his books.

-Richard

Sunday, September 21, 2008

A couple of points on the sports front.

The first is that the Carolina RailHawks finished their Season yesterday failing to make the USL1 play-offs. This season has been a disappointment and I am sure that there will be many debates, inquiries and repercussions over the next few weeks as the team generally in my opinion under-performed and wasted too many opportunities. However, the strange thing was in many ways the game yesterday made me more of a believer. The reason why was the way the team wanted to win the game for the fans. Yes, there was still a chance to qualify for the play-offs, but, realistically it was a long shot, but, the fight towards the end of the game to get the win was the best I've seen for a long time. The win game 1-0 against Portland Timbers and like I said I think it was more for themselves and the fans. This made me more of RailHawk fan than anything else. They will never overtake Hartlepool or San Jose in the pecking order, but, they definately drew me a lot closer in yesterday and I will have a much greater passion next Season.

The second point is disgust at the New England Patriot fans. They lost their first NFL regular Season game today for the first time in I think 21 games. The fans booed and left early. Do they realise how lucky they have been and still are? I they are going to boo their team after one loss after the run they've had I do not consider them true fans. They are as disgraceful as their owners, the Krafts.

-Richard
I finished reading:

"Paris 2005" written by Carlo Zezza.

-Richard

Friday, September 19, 2008

I finished reading:-

"The Red Fox" written by Anthony Hyde.

-Richard

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

I needed a laugh today and I got it be reading this link on CNN.com Essentially Lynn Forester de Rothschild a Clinton supported is now going to come out for McCain. Why did make me laugh? Because of the following statement:- “This is a hard decision for me personally because frankly I don't like him,” she said of Obama in an interview with CNN’s Joe Johns. “I feel like he is an elitist. I feel like he has not given me reason to trust him.If you don't like someone fine, but, someone with her wealth, who lives in London AND New York, who "only" contributed $100,000 to the campaign has the gall to call someone Elitist is absolutely staggering. Talk about being out of touch when the average person is stuggling to pay the bills, can't afford health care etc... McCain is welcome to her if that is her attitude.

I haven't totally 100% decided my vote in this election as I still need time to go through issue one by one, but, this lady has not helped McCain's cause at all in my mind...

For Obama's plan go here:- Obama's plan.
For McCain go here:- McCain's plan

-Richard

Sunday, September 14, 2008

The next cats we fostered was a Mom, Diamond (centre) and her two kittens, Ruby (left) and Emerald (right). They came into the week of June 6th 2006. Ruby was adopted very quickly at her first adoption event on June 24th. Her brother was with us a lot longer getting his "forever home" on October 25th with their Mom finally following on the 19th of November.

-Richard

Thursday, September 11, 2008

I Finished Reading:

"Detained: A Writer's Prison Diary" written by Ngugi Wa Thiong'o.

It was written during and after is forced detainment in Kenya after he was arrested. This book was more a condemnation of the Pre-Independent and Post-Independent Kenya and the atrocities of the British Colonial System in that Country. Very disturbing and eye opening.

-Richard
I had my US Naturalization interview today and managed to pass. So, I am closer to gaining my Citizenship. All I need now is the final approval and then the swearing in ceremony. Hopefully, it will not be too much longer.

-Richard

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

I finished reading:

"The Romanov Prophecy" written by Steve Berry.

This falls under what I call my "silly" or "light" reading. I enjoy thrillers and especially spy thrillers, generally if they are based on events or places I am interested in. This one is based on a plot to find the heir the Romanov throne as post-communist Russia wants to bring back the Monarchy. I was a bit disappointed by this book. The concept was good. A clue based search, similar to Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code based on one of my favourite places and history periods, but, it didn't quite work for me. The search for the descendant ironically enough finished in North Carolina between Ashville and Boone.

-Richard
I finished reading the Bible Book of "Nehemiah" as part of my reading a chapter of the Bible every day before work. Nehemiah is one of my favourite books because it goes through the re-building of the City of Jerusalem after Babylon had destroyed it. There are so many lessons to learn from Nehemiah's story of faith.

-Richard

Friday, September 05, 2008

I finished reading:

"L'Assommoir" written by Emile Zola.

I am a big fan of Zola's novel's and enjoyed this one, but, they are a wee bit depressing!!.

-Richard

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

10:00 pm.

The End!! I finished at 378 of L'Assommoir, leaving me only 45 pages to go.

I read a total of 637 pages today. A good day!!!

-Richard
9:00pm

Starting the last hour. I am up to page 300 of L'Assommoir.

-Richard
8:00 pm

I am up to page 240 in L'Assommoir.

-Richard
7:00pm

I am now up to page 199 of L'Assommier

-Richard
6:00 pm

I am up to page 127 of L'Assommoir

-Richard
5:00 pm

A slow hour. I only read 10 pages as I took a little nap!!

-Richard
4:00 pm (half-way through).

I am up to page 76 of L'Assommoir.

-Richard
3:00 pm.

I finished reading "The Comedians" by Graham Greene. This was a book I thoroughly enjoyed.

I started reading the next book on my list (as always I read the books in the order that I bought them!!), L'Assommoir written by Emile Zola.

-Richard
2:00pm I am now up to page 272 of Graham Green's comdedians.

-Richard
1:00 PM Up to page 193 of The Comedians.

-Richard
I have taken the day of work with the plan to spend the day reading from 10am to 10pm posting my progress every hour. The reason why is simple. We are in the last month of our fiscal year at work and it is very stressful so I figured a day engrossed in my favourite hobby would be a good thing.

Unfortunately due to internet problems I have not been able to post until now, so below is the update from the first couple of hours:

I started at 10:13am on page 28 of "The Comedians" written by Graham Greens.
11:00am - I was up to page 78
12:00pm - I was up to page 134.

Next update (assuming the internet is still working) will be at 1:00pm.

-Richard

Monday, September 01, 2008

I finished reading:

"Caravan to Vaccares" written by Alistair MacLean.

-Richard
The next kitten we fostered was Tucker. He was a sweet little grey guy. We actually got him at an adoption event in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Someone had found him and brought him to the event. He came to us on Sunday, May 20th 2006. He was only with us a couple of weeks before getting adopted on June 10th 2006.

-Richard
Memories

So many places
Visited and seen
So wonderful
Too good to be true?
How I'd rather be there
Rather than here.
Is my memory playing jokes
Or was it real?
Probably was for vacation,
But for life?

13th July 1996 - North Acton, London, England.

-Richard