Suits you sir ... now get out!

A colleague bought a bargain suit (top brand, 75% off in the sale) at a shop not far from where I am sitting. Having tried it on he felt it needed a slight alteration so sought a second opinion. Second opinion confirmed that an alteration was called for.

 

So off he trolled to the shop and argued his corner. They argued right back: difficult, it happens but looks fine sir, we can't guarantee ... He insisted so they said come back tomorrow evening.

 

He went back as arranged and they told him they had lost the trousers to the suit and because of that hadn't done the work on the jacket. They went through the motions of trying to hunt down the trousers but to no avail. Would sir like his money back after all, you're going back to England tomorrow aren't you?

 

Done! He was! They did it!

 

A fair result all round I think.

 

DW

Don't fill the kettle

A year or two ago I carried out a simple experiment at home. I filled my kettle with exactly the amount of water needed to make my tea/coffee and then monitored the time it took to boil. I then filled the kettle as I used to do, just turned the tap on an guessed the amount and checked the boiling time again.

 

Suffice it to say that if everyone was as bad as I was and then changed to what I did (sound like a goody two shoes don't I?) they will save £23 a year ... I know, what about a family of 3, 5 ... x; but then again, I am talking about the marginal change.

 

Multiply that out to 20 million households in the UK and then tell me I don’t deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. After all, Maurice Flanagan, the Executive Vice Chairman of Emirates Airlines has branded Al Gore's film, An Inconvenient Truth, as 'absolute rubbish'. Maurice, read this blog and you'll see I tend to agree.

 

More than that, Gore tells us all we’re all doomed because of our excesses but then flies around in an executive jet by himself and just a few others. At least I sit cramped in a plane with HUNDREDS of others!

 

So, send me to Sweden to collect the prize, thank you!

 

DW

 

Who thinks like this?

Just reading an article from The Economist and was befuddled by the following ... who thinks like this?

 

... The US this month established a new Unified Combatant Command (Cocom) dedicated solely to the African continent (excluding Egypt), Africa Command (Africom). Africom is as a sub-unified command under the US European Command (Eucom) in Stuttgart, Germany ... Previously, Africa had been split between three Cocoms: Eucom, Central Command (Centcom); and Pacific Command (Pacom) ... Reactions to the announcement of Africom have been somewhat mixed ... the US Agency for International Development (USAID), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and charities.

 

... in late 2001 to establish the operations of the Combined Joint Task Force: Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) ... In 2003 the US announced funding of US$100m for the East Africa Counterterrorism Initiative (EACTI) to provide anti-terrorist equipment and training for ... In 2005 the PSI was transformed into the Trans Sahara Counter-Terrorism Initiative (TSCTI) ... The initiative is run by the US Naval Forces Europe (US Naveur) and involves ...

http://www.economist.com/daily/news/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10054460

 

Who thinks up and then learns all of these acronyms? Imagine a potential conversation, like this:

 

Me:   Is that CoCom HQ?

 

Them: No, it's Africom, you've got a wrong number.

 

Me:   OK, then: I need Africom, too, cos you're about to involve EuCom and CentCom in some kind of operational deal with PaCom, financed by USAID and some other NGOs aren't you?

 

Them: Could be, who wants to know?

 

Me:   Me! I was with JTF-HOA, TSCTI and US Naveur last week ...

 

For goodness' sake!

 

DW

 

 

I kid you not!

I have been walking to work this last week as I mentioned the other day and oh the joys of Shanks' Pony. On a pillar of an office block/shop is a fantastic little sign that says: Backside Parking ... here is a photo of the self same sign. Couldn't wait to tell you about it.

Reminds me of the time I was in India and was taken to a jeweller's shop. As he was trying to sell me some of his best he proudly told me that he had "300 jewellers in his backside". I kid you not.

Not the same, but went to a restaurant the other day with some fellow Brits and a couple of non Brits ... one of the non Brits was so pleased with his choice of food that he offered to share it with the rest of us. He said, "It's really quite good." No one had the heart to tell him that in English English being QUITE good isn't necessarily much of a compliment.

DW

Small World

In the other hotel this week, the one I've been working in rather than living in, I went into the restaurant for Breakfast and as I was about to sit down I saw Dr Chan Young Bang sitting at the next table with his family.

 

Dr Bang is one of Kazakhstan's most famous Korean residents as he was economic advisor to President Nazarbaev for a while and has been President of KIMEP essentially since it started.

 

We exchanged pleasantries a couple of times which was nice.

 

Small world isn't it?

 

DW

Security Guards or coffee servers?

OK, last of my walking across Dubai stories. At a cross roads at the end of the City Centre building I was walking towards a couple of young men who were wearing black uniforms, pocket badges and with things hanging from their belts. I thought, hmm, special forces ... be careful lad ... then when I got close enough I was able to read their badges: Starbucks Coffee.

 

How can you credit something like that?

 

DW

In a lift

Got in a lift with two other men. One said something I didn't understand so
asked them what language they just spoke.

One said, Swedish, what language are you speaking.

Funny! We all laughed!

DW

Walking

It's good to walk ... not quite BT but there you are.

I am working half an hour or so's walk across Dubai from my hotel.

Day one took half an hour and aching feet. Day two took a BIT less time and slightly aching feet ... changed my route a BIT Day three, wore trainers (and a suit and tie!!) no aching feet, took 25 minutes to go and 23 minutes to get back.

Yes!

DW

Countries worked in or visited

I was asked this evening how many countries I had lived in or visited. Here
is my list of the 38 countries I have been to, not in any particular order:

The UK
Malawi
Kazakhstan
Zimbabwe
Kyrgyzstan
Uzbekistan
Zambia
Russia
Republic of South Africa
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Armenia
Georgia
Hong Kong
Thailand
Singapore
The USA
Canada
Brazil
Barbados
Ireland
France
Germany
Denmark
Holland
Dubai
Kuwait
Oman
Croatia
Serbia
Egypt
Kenya
India
Turkey
Portugal
Spain
Austria
Albania
Greece

DW