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Yeah. Not a joyful rabbit today. Slept poorly (something possibly associated with trying to work out the highest placed European, South American and 'other' country at each World Cup.. but mainly due to not being able to get comfortable with itchy legs and arms) and then kipped in till one o'clock this afternoon as a consequence. Not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow and all the fucking ridiculousness that entails.
I watched an Italia 90 World Cup video on YouTube, which brought back some nice memories of the first major international tournament I remember well (I watched some of Euro 88, but it was summer 1990 when off school with a broken collarbone, I recall most fondly). Tomas Skuhravy was a beast, a favourite of mine. Hat-trick of headers against Costa Rica.
I learned today about Macaronesia - this is a collection of four archipelagos (Cape Verde Islands, Madeira and the associated Portuguese territories, The Canary Islands and The Azores) in the North Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the continents of Europe and Africa. Apart from the Azores, which are considered mainly as part of Europe, the other islands of Macaronesia are closer to Africa. The Macaronesian islands belong to three countries: Portugal, Spain, and Cape Verde.
More celebrity sex (or 'inappropriate behaviour') scandals, or at least more accusations difficult to prove with complete accuracy and/or assess in line with historical/modern context. Aled Jones (who'd have thunk it?) being investigated after comments made a decade ago. Now, I'm all for people not getting away with serious crimes.. but it's really difficult to properly quantify and qualify events some time in the past. Statute of limitations n'that like? The Limitation Act 1980 applicable in England and Wales provides timescales within which action may be taken (by issuing a claim form) for breaches of the law. For example, it provides that breaches of an ordinary contract are actionable for six years after the event, whereas breaches of a deed are actionable for twelve years after the event. I know that there's a difference between legal statute and responsibility for one's actions, but there surely should be a similar principle - esp. when you wonder whether one should be held fully responsible for things you did as a child or when you were a lot younger? After all, one's physical body replaces itself every seven years :-)
Of course, it's World Toilet Day. Yes, this is meant to be discussed with reference to how many people don't have access to proper sanitation. However, I just find myself thinking of rough cockney men calling people "You toilet!", but that's my fault. I'm going to read a book about the climbing of the north face of The Eiger ('The White Spider' by Heinrich Harrer) next, after I have finished the kinda crap book about stalking that I am currently partway through.
Botifarra is a type of sausage and one of the most important dishes of the Catalan cuisine. Botifarra is based on ancient recipes, either the Roman sausage botulu or the lucanica, made of raw pork and spices, with variants today in Italy and in the Portuguese and Brazilian linguiça. In Colombia, Butifarras Soledeñas are a popular tradition in Soledad, Atlántico.
The Aqueduct of the Gier (Aqueduc du Gier) is an ancient Roman aqueduct probably constructed in the 1st century AD to provide water for Lugdunum (Lyon), in what is now eastern France. It is the longest and best preserved of four Roman aqueducts that served the growing capital of the Roman province of Gallia Lugdunensis. It drew its water from the source of the Gier, a small tributary of the Rhone, on the slopes of Mont Pilat, 42 km (26 mi) south-west of Lyon.
Johnny Peacock exited StriComDa this evening, dance-off against the better Debbie McGee. With no Robot Wars this evening (ATP tennis finals on BBC2) I got to watch 'Blue Planet' instead. Beautifully shot, not quite as easy to identify with as land biology, and I found a section about rubber ducks falling off a container ship to be contrived - yes, it happened, and the narration was factual.. but I don't believe the ducks filmed were anything other than illustrative and hence it sat uncomfortably among other 'real' footage. Portuguese Man O' War are genius though - they're symbiotic aren't they.. like a lichen or zooid. Clever stuff.
Watford 2-0 West Ham United. Something something David Moyes first game a boss of the shambolic Hammers. Didn't start well, Wilf Hughes scoring after ten minutes after a bit of decent passing and good work by the tricky Richarlison. Winston Reid lucky to escape a booking or worse for an arm-up challenge. Zabaleta and Ric'son tangled in the box but no dice, Watford looking very comfortable. Kouyate missed a good chance, Carroll's frustration led to him kicking out - he should've picked up a second yellow - and Arnautovic was denied by a fine double save by Hello Gomes. West Ham had a few moments early in the second, but likewise Watford always looked a threat. The game opened up, and this basically ended up favouring the hosts - Hughes found Ric'son who opened up an angle and fired it past Hart (who maybe could've done better). Arnautovic fell badly and looked to have bust his wrist - some karma maybe after the Austrian pushed Mathieu Debuchy into a hoarding and was out with an injured shoulder for three months. Lanzini saw a shot cleared off the line by Kabesele, but it was basically easy for Watford against a poor West Ham effort.
Leeds United 2-1 Middlesbrough. Garry Monk's new (ish) team losing to his former side, this wasn't a very good result for the away side despite having an even share of the possession n'that. Pablo Hernandez scored one and set one up, Assombalonga scored a dubious penalty consolation after a scrum at a corner.
