Dating, sexy young women and older men

A provocative post just for a change!

Two things have really perked me up over the past few days. On the first day of the Trek, my group and I came across a Maasai village. There we met a 17 year-old young woman whose husband is 69 years old. Arranged of course but hey, so what.
And in today's Times2, agony aunt Bel Mooney gives advice to a 29-year old woman whose fallen for a 56-year old man. She concludes her article with the words below (which I'd love to see rammed down the throats of certain individuals in my part of the world). Look, I maybe nearer 56 than 36, but I'm lively for my age and would love to meet someone around 33-39 or even younger, but some of the attitudes out there amongst the fairer sex of a particular age, sometimes beggars belief.
As a typical example, I was given the cold shoulder by some princess a few years back. She said to a friend about me that she didn't want to marry me and possibly become a widow in her early 60's. She's 10 chronological years younger than me.

Here's the final piece of Bel's piece.

"I know there are people reading this who will think that I should counsel you to run a mile, and certainly(to be honest) I should prefer my daughter not to date a man 27 years older. But were she to fall in love with such a man - and he proved to be loving, kind, steady warm and intelligent - I would counsel myself to think the quality of his spirit more important than the numbers of years on his clock".

Now how many of my women blogger friends agree with Bel I wonder?

Let's ask Ellee, Tisha, Julia Buckley, Stef, Welshcakes, Strumpette, Michelle Tempest and the exotic Jennifer Jones

Life's challenges

A constant backdrop to the Trek last week were amazing views of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

This photo was taken by my "tent-mate" Gavin B.

At Kilimanjaro International Airport on Saturday, we met a number of people who had just climbed to the top of that famous mountain. Many of them were doing so on behalf of the Countryside Alliance.

On the short trip back to Nairobi on our Precision Air ATR-72, I spoke to one the the "Kili" gang. A charming young woman from SW London. She explained that 25 out of the 28 starters reached the summit. Impressive!

You see, whenever you reach a goal or climb a mountain, whether it be metaphorical or physical, there's always another one on the next horizon to climb. Or putting it another way - life's challenges never stop.

What's your next challenge?

Israeli Army Girls ( a "for blokes" post)

Just seen this at Simply Jews.

Rachel Papo

Out of Africa

Back from a very gruelling trek in Africa. There'll be more to tell over at the other place when the brain is fully functioning!

In the meantime take a look at this link. It's about the Ngorongoro crater as visited by me and my fellow trekkers a couple of days ago. Wildlife seen there within the space of a few short few hours included lion, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, jackal, zebra, warthog, eland, Thomson's gazelle, Grant gazelle, vervet monkey, haartebeest, flamingo's, hippos and wildebeest.

...........and speaking of my other trekkers, all brilliant individuals.




Gavin, Chris and Marion have been raising funds for CLIMB

Catherine's page is here

Michael and Stanley have raised over £10000 for Community Links

Arlene and Laura are supporting the Larkhill Schools Project

Amy and I have raised over £6000 for Breast Cancer Campaign

Current Affairs

Many current affairs blogs are authored by people ranting and raving (and I'm one of them) about the cost of this or that, and how we should we topple Livingstone and his blasted Congestion Tax? Then we whinge and moan about Lord Levy, gas prices or the failings of Watford Football Club or Mr Timothy Ireland.
Well, let's just reflect for a moment on just how very lucky us UK-based Bloggers really are.
Tomorrow, as I'm sure most of you know by now, I'm off to do a trek in the Foothills of the Maasai on behalf of a breast cancer charity. How many of you aware of the living conditions in Tanzania and Kenya? Well let me tell you, it's not like having a job, a season-ticket at Spurs, a three-bedroomed house in Highgate, a wife and 2.4 children and a set of Tiger Woods golf clubs. Out in Kenya and Tanzania, you'd be lucky to get the .4 of a child.
Every now and again, we need to get off our pompous high-horses and remember those who are considerably worse off than us.

Goodnight.

Corporate Golf Days

Do you attend these Corporate Golf Days?

I find them quite relaxing and it's yet another way to network. The picture shows me with 3 others at South Herts G.C. last year. The day was organised by Robert Green of Green & Peter. Robert's firm belongs to the networking organization BRE.

18DoughtyStreet.com

Just got back from an interesting few hours at 18DoughtyStreet.com.

Iain Dale, blogger and main presenter at this successful political internet tv station, invited me to appear on "Vox Politics" and the "End of the Day" show. My fellow guests for this two-hour stretch were social entrepreneur, Simon Marcus, LibDem Blogger James Oates of Cicero Songs and Joanne Oates of Digital Spy

Darwin Day

Today, February 12th, is Darwin Day. Charles Darwin was born in 1809.

Have you signed this petition?











Image used by kind perimission of The Natural History Museum, London







Image used by kind permission of the Natural History Museum, London

The Black Book

Last night I went along with friends to see the monthly Spiel (prounounced Schpeel for Non-Jewish readers). This monthly get together was hosted by film critic Jason Solomons and these panel guests, culture commentator Hadley Freeman, actor Henry Goodman, restaurant critic and novelist Jay Raynor and comedian Helen Lederer. Topics for discussion included the films For Your Consideration and Black Book, and West End drama Underneath The Lintel.

The other week, I went to see the Black Book and here's a synopsis of the film. It stars the beautiful Carice van Houten.

After more than 20 years of Hollywood filmmaking and a string of successful action and genre films, Paul Verhoeven returns to the Netherlands and a more personal story, albeit one which is told on an epic scale. Based on true events, Black Book is set during the final months of the Second World War when the Netherlands was split in half by occupying Axis forces. Rachel Steinn, a beautiful and independent young Jewish woman is separated from her parents and brother and forced into hiding. Trying to flee to Allied territory, she is reunited with her family, but sees them murdered by a Nazi patrol. Suspecting they have been double crossed, Rachel joins the Resistance and sets out to discover who has betrayed them. Adopting a new identity as the blonde Ellis de Vries, in no time she is using her womanly charms to infiltrate the ranks of senior German officers. But the real enemies are not necessarily the most obvious ones, as Ellis is soon to discover. Plot twists, subterfuge and deceit make for great drama, and Verhoeven ratchets up the tension to make this a gripping saga, lavishly told.

Quote of the Day

This is from Celia Green's site.

People have been marrying and bringing up children for centuries now. Nothing has ever come of it.

Curried Goat

Sounds as appetizing as Chicken Yogurt doesn't it. Yuk!

Luckily, I won't have to endure curried goat or any other meat, or turkey whilst on my Trek.

Rift Valley Fever is a bit rife in Kenya and Tanzania, so I'll be a veggie for a week or so. Or so sayeth Charity Challenge, the trip organizers.

James Higham and Ellee Seymour, together with Teri Tith of Purple Women and Tisha from the Blogosphere have all wished me well for next week. They've also suggested I keep clear of elephants, lions and crocodiles. But, hippos are the worst. Apparently.

Food for thought

The Content Economy is a brand new blog. It looks good.

I've also added Praguetory to my listof Links. Raedwald or an English Boat is also on board!

Food for thought - all of 'em

Boycott Blacks

Let's boycott Blacks !

So I go to Brent Cross Shopping Centre along roads devoid of snow and ice earlier this evening. Once inside all the shops were open and doing a reasonable trade for a cold, post - sales, Thursday evening. I had intended to purchase one two items for next weeks Trek.

I arrive at that well-known camping outlet called Black's at around 7 minutes past seven. A full 53 minutes before the Centre normally closes and to my horror there is a handwritten sign on the door - "Due to the severe weather and traffic conditions, we have decided to close at 7pm". I explained to the member of staff who was keeping the glass door closed that there are no awkward traffic conditions or severe weather. He just looked at me and just shrugged his shoulders. No apology or proper explanation. When I tried to engage him once more he just turned away. What a pathetic weed and a po-faced little twit he was. How dare he treat prospective customers with such disdain.

In the morning, Blacks head office will hear about this. If you decide to close your doors to customers, then customers will go elsewhere. Typical England, typical English service. Bet Sir Phillip Green (above) wouldn't put up with that crap from a member if his staff.

"severe weather" - they wouldn't know severe weather was if it got up and smacked them in the mouth. A touch ironic from a firm who promote all-weather gear.

Morons.

Technorati rankings

Mine are slipping back. Looks like the 2000 Bloggers project has been found out.

Mercedes-Benz cars................................

........are not very good in snow are they.

You should have seen tempers flare this morning in a certain road in London N2.

Get yourselves a Landie

London Snow

The view from the "West Wing" a short while ago, shows a white Hampstead Garden Suburb.

Are the citizens striking back?

I have gone on record in saying that we are closer now to widespread civil disobedience in Britain, than we have been for over a century and a half.

Whilst I don't condone the sending of letter bombs to those in authority, I can understand why some people would be motivated to do so. We are living in unprecedented times. Never before have we been spied upon so much, taxed, fined, patronized and treated in contempt by the state. Our justice system seems all to ready to hound those who drive at 35 mph in a 30mph zone, whilst paedophiles, robbers and other degenerates seem to get off lightly.

The Blair regime may have caused some, who prize personal freedom and libertarian values highly, to start taking extra-parliamentary action. They probably feel disaffected by the whole political process, uninspired by Her Majesty's Opposition and generally disenchanted by the "police" state we appear to living in.

Are citizens striking back?

What's your opinion?

The 2000 Bloggers of Tino Buntic

Some say it's a link-farm or a con? "Engtech" takes a different line. So does Tisha.

What do you think?

Should Technorati ignore the "2000" links?

Margate v King's Lynn - February 7th, 1966

One of my pastimes is reminiscing over the "glorious past" of Margate FC. I say past, because for a variety of reasons, I am concerned about the future of MFC and the future of much of "grass roots" and non-league football in this country.

On February 7th, 1966, one of "those" games took place at Hartsdown Park. It's not very often that a side scores 6 away from home and still ends up on the losing side! But that's what happened to King's Lynn. I didn't go to the game, but apparently, Margate led by 5-1 at half-time. A second half collapse then ensued. Not too different from the events at Harrow Borough last Saturday.

Source: Jeff Trice's Margate Football Club History Site

Has winter finally arrived?

I'm still suffering from some awful lurgi that had laid me low over the past few days. What doesn't help one's recovery is the low temperature.

But there's no point complaining, after all, it's early February in the northern hemisphere.

Getting traffic to your Blog

One way of doing this is by offering a quiz or meme and other questionnaires to others in the Blogosphere.

But, what do you do when confronted by the indifference, and sometimes rudeness of others? Stefanie at Ch.aoti.ca didn't have a problem the other day but Ariel Waldman did. These two lady bloggers were 2 of 5 I sent that " 5 reasons for Blogging" meme.

Should I ignore the Ariel's of this world, or should I have asked her permission to invade her space? After all, memes are the electronic equivalent of "junk snail mail".

What would you do?

British Sex Survey

One of my BlogLog colleagues, Ariel Waldman of Shake Well Before Use, has posted this article about sexual habits in the UK.

Do you recognise yourself?

The Vortex Jazz Club

Later this month, my close mate and neighbour, Dexter Moseley, will be gigging at London's top Jazz venue , The Vortex.

If you haven't heard Dexter sing before, then you'll be in for a real treat. Do try and get along on Sunday, February 18th.

In the world of the Blogosphere, this lady.................

really seems to know what she's talking about. One of the most interesting sites I've come across.

Blogging to Fame! IMHO, is nicely put together and a good read.

One of those 2000 Bloggers

............is this lovely(?) from Adelaide.

Steve Claridge

What a game today!

The ultimate example of a game of two halves. First-half, Harrow Borough rubbish, Margate sublime. 3 first-half goals for Robin Trott's blue & white army, 2 by ace striker Danny Hockton.

Sky Sports pundit, Millwall's ex-manager and journeyman striker, *Steve Claridge at 40 years of age, scored the equalizer for Harrow B. on 15 minutes to the delight of their fans. Claridge thought he would be clever by celebrating his goal, a tap in from 1 yard, by pulling off his red shirt and exposing his Marks & Spencer white singlet. He was promptly booked by the efficient referee, 37 year-old, Gavin Muge. Harrow's fans, all 87 of them, barely managed a roar. They were eclectic mix of OAP's, chavettes (showing a bit cleavage), cocky male teenagers, who attempted to goad Margate's fans, and peculiar looking stewards all of whom reguarly turn up to the Earlsmead "Stadium" somewhere in a Middlesex postcode called HA2. The ground reminded me of Ramsgate's ramshackle ruin called Southwood.
The travelling Margate supporters on the other hand, were in ecstatic mood as da 'Gate bulldozed their way through Harrow's limp defence on numerous occasions. If it wasn't for Harrow's goalkeeper, Keiron Jimmy ( who once played for some team called Brook House), hapless Harrow would have been 5 down at the break.

Despite suffering from a vile sore throat, I was in reasonably good mood whilst downing my cuppa and was looking forward to seeing the Margate forwards teach Harrow a footballing lesson. Just after the break, Danny Hockton was put clean through with just the goalkeeper to beat but sadly his well drilled shot scuffed an upright and went out for a goal-kick. Almost immediately, Margate goalie Charlie Mitten seemed to fumble a free-kick and there was Steve Claridge on hand to slide in the rebound. 3-2. No problem one would think. But as the second half went on, Harrow grew in confidence and managed not only to equalize but had the temerity to score what looked like a match-winning fourth. A sickening silence fell about Margate's supporters. Still the 'Gate drummer boy and his young friends were soon back in song and with just a couple of minutes to go, striker Danny Hockton secured a point for Margate from the penalty spot after a Robin Trott header was handled on the line. Final score 4-4.

(Margate drew 4-4 against Northwich Victoria in the Conference some 5 years ago. Charlie Mitten was also at fault for an oppostion goal that day. He fumbled a Jimmy Quinn shot. Margate clawed back from a 4-1 deficit at half-time. History always repeats itself!)


* The last time I saw Claridge, he was playing for Weymouth at Margate's temporary home of Ashford FC in Kent. The Terras won 1-0 that day and I interviewed him for BBC Radio Kent after the match. A former Margate player thought that Steve Claridge was "egg & chips" i.e - ordinary.

2007 Zeitgeist

Really like this site. It's from 10x10. Just by moving your mouse you can see what we're all talking about.

(BTW - saw this at Sara Scott's site. She looks cool)

2000 Bloggers Project

An amazing piece of Blogosphere creatvity by Tino Buntic

Are you in there?

Thanks Alan

Top Media Coach Alan Stevens, in his latest *e-zine, has mentioned my fund-raising efforts regarding my forthcoming Trek in Africa.


Over at JeremyJacobs.com, I recently posted some of Alan's "face the media" tips. For those of you who would like to know more about this fascinating subject, consider buying his book.







*This information originally appeared in "The MediaCoach", a free ezine produced by Alan Stevens, and available at www.mediacoach.co.uk."

Scary Movie

I dare you to play this.

Don't do it if you have a dodgy disposition.

5 Reasons why I blog - tagged by Daily Referendum

I've been tagged by Daily Referendum.

1. To meet new people.

2. To make the world a better place.

3. Having an ego the size of Tower Bridge, I need to tell the everybody everything.

4. To promote my various blogs and sites.

5. To get speaking engagements in the States.


Over to you Stefanie Sigurdson at Ch.aoti.ca , Tisha Best in Brussels , Ariel Waldman at Shake Well Before Use , Raincoaster and finally, the one and only Chase me Ladies