Romeo and Juliet is lovey-dovey apparently

It has been a really nice week.  Most of it was spent with the family which is why it has been amazing.  I got to take the kids to school most days and even helped in my sons class by talking to them about the skeleton.  It did mean that I got a lot more exercise as to the annoyance of my kids, we walked to and from school most of the time.

They had decided to give me the sponsorship forms that they needed for this week two days before they were to hand them in, and then carried out the exercises that were required. Sadly not that many people at work got to sponsor them, but they did raise money and hopefully one day, they will learn to hand me the forms sooner!

Today my son read a short version of Romeo and Juliet stating that it was too lovey-dovey for him. I was hoping to take him out cycling but only had time for my daughter, and she loved the route she went on.  The main picture is from this and was taken by her.

Anyway, that is the end of the update. Take care all!

Why did we invade Iraq?

To answer the question, it was to get the Weapons of Mass Destruction that we, in the west, allowed Saddam to develop.

In 2003 Iraq was invaded by the United States of America and allies that included the United Kingdom.  Saddam Hussein was overthrown and while the war was easily won (and I was surprised at how easily it was won), the peace that was meant to occur afterwards was lost. 

Now, after many years, the Chilcot has finally been published.  And the United Kingdom have appeared to take it as gospel.  But, I feel that the way it has been reported has been unfair.  When looking at the decision to invade Iraq, we can look at it in isolation, or we can look at it in the context of history around that time.  And I think that we should bear in mind events that occurred before the invasion.

First of all, during the Iran-Iraq war we helped Saddam Hussein’s Iraq (which had been armed by the USSR).  Then we turned a blind eye when he used chemical weapons against Iran.  And then when he used chemical weapons against Iraqi civilians (though being Kurds, he felt that they were the enemy) we continued to support him.

Saddam then invaded Kuwait, or as he saw it, the un-elected leaders of Kuwait were overthrown by a revolution, who then asked for Iraqi help.  And this threatened the oil that the west depended on then, and still continues to depend on.  The world had two options, to leave Iraq in control, or defend Kuwait and go to war.  Oil won, and the first gulf war occurred were we fought against one dictatorship to protect a monarchy.  To be fair, Kuwait now has elections, but it is still a monarchy.  The war was won, and won with relative ease by the west though the human cost in Iraq was different and was to get worse.

Sanctions were imposed on Iraq and efforts were made to ensure that Iraq no longer had the capability to use the chemical weapons that it had used in the past again.  But this affected the people of Iraq while Saddam did not seem to suffer.  We also encouraged the people of Iraq to revolt, and then did not support them when they did, allowing Saddam to massacre them.  But Saddam did not allow the weapon inspections that were part of the ceasefire agreement to take place.  He would agree, then change his mind.  And a report by a weapons inspector (who died later) stated that Saddam was hiding weapons, and while they could not be used, he would try to do so if given the chance.

So before the second war, we were faced with several options.
1 - continue the sanctions (and continue the harm to ordinary Iraqi's)
2 - lift the sanctions (and let Saddam get WMD's)
3 - invade (and we all know how that ended)

While in hindsight, we can say the invasion was a bad idea, it appeared to be the least worst of three terrible options at the time.

The west had seen what military intervention had done before.  In Kosovo by intervening, we had prevented a repeat of the horrors of Bosnia.  In Sierra Leone, intervention helped and avoided any chance of the horrors of Rwanda occurring there.  So I understand the desire to bring about the change that had happened elsewhere.

My concerns at the time, was the spin and propaganda being sold to us at the time.  I did not believe that Saddam posed a direct threat to us, but I did feel that he was someone who needed to be removed for the overall benefit of humanity.  At the time, I felt that we should show that we could bring democracy to Afghanistan (which we had not at the time) and also bring about a more equitable solution to the troubles in The Holy Land.  

So overall, due to the threat that Saddam posed, I felt that regime change was needed.  

If you disagree, please post why.  I do try to learn from others and if you feel I have missed out on points on this, please let me know.

Are we doomed?

I know, a cheerful title to this post.  But there was an interesting result in America where they voted in a leader who says global warming is not occurring (while taking action to protect his interests from it).  And lets face it, this is someone who has expressed unacceptable behaviour talking about sexual assault and then excusing it as "locker room" talk.  When younger, and single, if I was with some other blokes, I would talk about a desire to have sex with a woman if they were attractive, but talking about assaulting them was something I never heard others talk about.  Anyway, with his attitudes to Syria and Russia, the world is going to be a very interesting place for the next four years.

On a lighter note, it was learning conference day today.  The kids were great.  My son however has a tendency to be like me at times when I was at school and not work to show his potential.  I now know how my mother felt and each time we have this, I remember the 'discussions' that my mother would have with me afterwards.  Saying that, he is doing a lot better than I did when I was his age.  But as he never reads this, it is a safe place to say that!  My daughter has allowed me to post two entries in her school blog here.  I would love it if both did more, but I can live in hope.  My son now has Pokémon Go which he loves.  I guess, I could use that to 'encourage' him to make posts!

Anyway, I am going to post on my progress in chess since my last posts.  The tournaments that I have played in that have finished are as follows
Speed King #150 - Very fast players 5(1)->2 U1500
Top Of The Pops 22
Apple pie
We have so much Snow under 1500
Holger Danske
Also my rating peaked at 1541, but I think it is going to fall, and fall hard soon.

Good night!

Howloween 2016

It has been too long since my last post.

My daughter has been away on a school trip, and come back.  She had a great time in Norfolk.  Needless to say, we missed her.  But one great thing about this was being able to spend time with my son.  And after some time where the kids have not been on their bikes that much, they are getting back on them again.

Anyway, we are back now.  We have been away to Chessington and as I type this, the kids are up in bed asleep.  My wife (in case you are unaware, she is amazing.) had booked a treat for them and for the third year, we went there to stay.  The first time we had been there was two years ago.  Then when we stayed, we were given a Fastpass and although we used it, the kids did not make the best use of it.  To be fair to them, they were tired and young and had not had to queue much, as when we had taken them to Legoland, we had always bought a pass that allowed us not to queue that much.  The following year, when staying, there was no such pass available for guests that I was able to find, and the kids got to experience the joys of the queue.  This year it was much the same, but arriving late, it meant that they stayed late in the park.  As before, they enjoyed the Black Bucaneer.  Food was better than on previous years, thanks to my wife insisting that we booked to eat at the Zafari Bar and Grill, which we had tried to eat at last year, but found it to be booked.  And after eating, the kids changed into halloween costumes, and we went back into the park.  This time, we did not get to go on that many rides, going on one called the Dragons Fury, the queue taking ages.  I screamed, apparently, and after this, we went to queue for another ride.  The park was open late and all the rides bar one closed at eight at night.  If you were in the queue for the ride, you got to ride on it.  Other than The Vampire.  That ride was open later and we were able to get into the queue for that before it closed.  And as we were amongst the last to get onto the ride, once our ride was over, they gave us a free ride.  Both children were ecstatic, more so my son, who had been annoyed that we had not returned to the hotel for the fancy dress competition that was being held there.

The following morning, this morning, we returned.  Being guests of the hotel, we gained early entry into the park, but this was only to limited areas.  The kids played in a treetop playground for a bit and then we went into the park.  I had dragged them out of the playground too early, but after a wait, were were through into the main park and rides.  The ride we decided to go on was the Cobra.  But, while the kids looked at the map to find the right way there, I told them they were wrong and almost got us lost.  So, when we got there, we thought that the ride would start without us.  But, we got on, and were able to enjoy the first ride that Cobra offered that day, and as the queue was short there, the second and later the fourth ride that if did.  After that, it was a trip to a bird enclosure where my daughter (and after she let me, me) fed some birds.  I got one to rest on my arm, but my daughter, who in the past has had an owl on her shoulder decided not to try this experience, instead feeding the bird.  We actually went in twice, the first time, one bird flew towards her, but we did not have any food with us then, returning afterwards with some nectar for them.

Then it was three trips on Dragon Falls, were the kids took great enjoyment in getting me to sit in the front so I would get soaked.  My daughter was tempted on the third go to sit in the front, but canoe 13 was not quite right, so she made me sit in the front instead.  My son tried his had with basketball, but we realised he needs to build up his strength, and we went on a shoot-em-up ride following which it was lunch, a go for my son to try and win another prize, and my daughter got to use a water gun and later had some chocolate covered strawberries.

Once my wife arrived, it was a trip home on the Road to Hell (the M25) upon which, as would be expected, there was traffic issues.  But we got home safe, changed and then were out for a party.  This was one aimed at children and adults which was a great way to almost end the day.  Once home it was to watch Strictly and then later Match of the Day.

It is amusing to watch the ManUre game as after Moaninho got sent off the advertising boards had a message originally intended for fans asking "Where are you watching the game?"  But it was more satisfying to see our result away against Sunderland.

Anyway, before I go to sleep, an update on the chess tournaments I have played in.
Speed King #152 - Very fast players 4(2)->2 U1500
Speed King #153 - Very fast players 5(1)->2 U1500
Top Of The Pops 20
1st Essex County Chess Group Championship
BIG TOURNAMENT / 1 VS 1 / 1300 - 1400
3rd Bat'leth Tournament
Chess.com Unofficial Knockout Tournament!
Top Of The Pops 21
Creep

Wednesday 28th September

My daughter wrote this on her blog as an assignment for her school

Henry Blogg

Henry lived all of his 78 years in Cromer. He was born on 6 February 1876 in a cottage in New Street on the cliff top opposite the pier. Young Henry spent several years in the care of his grandmother before moving to the home of his stepfather, John Davies, in Chapel Street, which was a fishing family (John was Second Coxswain after his father, James Davies, who was in charge of Cromer’s second RNLI lifeboat). At the age of 11, Henry didn't need to stay at school as he was always top of the class. His stepfather needed him to help in the family crab boat. So Henry swapped reading, writing and arithmetic for his stepfather’s lessons about baiting, hauling, rowing and seamanship. He learned how to use an oar, handle a sail, and learned about tides, currents, rocks and shoals. (This knowledge was later put to such good use in his rescue work that it was said of him: ‘He knew what his boat could do and, as nearly as a man may, what the sea could do.’) In 1894, when Henry was 18, he joined the lifeboat crew. Although he joined in January, it was not until 28 December that he journeyed on the lifeboat Benjamin Bond-Cabbell for his first service.In 1902, Henry was voted in by the crew as Second Coxswain, as his stepfather was forced to retire due to bad health. This was an impressive achievement at the age of 26 after only 8 years of service.

 Silver medals

From 14–16 October 1932, Henry and his crew rescued 29 crew from the Italian vessel, Monte Nevoso, which was stranded on Haisborough Sands.Henry received his first RNLI Silver Medal, a Silver Medal and a diploma from the Italian Government and a Canine Defence League medal for saving the life of a Tyrolean sheepdog that had been on the ship.Henry liked dogs, and the captain gave him one, which he named Monte. .On 13 December 1933, Henry and his crew were called out to the 65-tonne barge Sepoy. Henry described this as the worst journey in his then 24 years as Coxswain.Henry had made several attempts to go alongside the barge but it was impossible to hold the lifeboat in position because of the wind and tide. He then ran the lifeboat’s bow onto the deck of the Sepoy. One of the casualties was seized by the crew and, when Henry repeated the manoeuvre, the other man was rescued. The two men and the lifeboat crew had all suffered terribly from exposure.He received a silver medal for this.On 13 December 1933, Henry and his crew were called out to the 65-tonne barge Sepoy. Henry described this as the worst journey in his then 24 years as Coxswain.Henry had made several attempts to go alongside the barge but it was impossible to hold the lifeboat in position because of the wind and tide. He then ran the lifeboat’s bow onto the deck of the Sepoy. One of the casualties was seized by the crew and, when Henry repeated the manoeuvre, the other man was rescued. The two men and the lifeboat crew had all suffered terribly from exposure.He received a silver medal for this. On 9 October 1939, Henry took part in the rescue of the 29 crew of the Greek-registered vessel SS Mount Ida, which was wrecked on the Ower Bank in a gale with very heavy seas.On 26 October of the same year, the SS English Trader of London ran aground on a sandbank on the other side of Haisborough Sands. A full gale was blowing with a very heavy sea. After brave efforts that afternoon, 44 of the crew were rescued by Henry and his crew the following morning.

                                                                                    Gold medals                                                                                                                                                                               On 9 January 1917, one of the bravest and most spectacular services ever undertaken saw 11 crewmen rescued from the shattered ship the SS Fernebo. Despite having already carried out one launch that day, Henry and his crew, whose average age was over 50, battled through a gale to reach the wreck 350m offshore. The service was performed in an open boat, powered only by oars and the strength of the crew. By the time they pulled alongside Fernebo, the crew had been fighting the elements for nearly 14 hours. Henry was awarded a Gold Medal for this service.On 22 November 1927, Henry rescued 15 people from the Dutch tanker SS Georgia, which had halved on Haisborough Sands. The lifeboat had been on duty for 28 hours. This service got Henry his second Gold Medal. On the night of 5 August 1941, in gale force winds and heavy breaking seas, six vessels in a southbound convoy were wrecked on Haisborough Sands. The following morning the two Cromer lifeboats, along with the Sheringham and Gorleston lifeboats, were launched and 88 men were saved, he also received a gold medal for this. 

When I’m Gone

Today was an interesting one.  On Wednesday mornings I look after the kids after my wife leaves for her work.  I take them to school (though normally she has fed them) after looking after them for a bit.  However, on the way to school, we realised that my son had left his glasses at home (again).  Fortunately, we were walking, and what we have been doing was walking on a different route to school, one which the kids can take themselves if needed if they have to go to school alone.  So, as I was walking with my bike, I cycled home, got the glasses and then cycled back to find the kids further down the road, as instructed.  But, my son now was feeling low and down, and had told my daughter that he wanted to die.  Well, it was an interesting conversation on the way to school talking about death, especially as a friend of his had a relative die that had affected him.  My son is amazing, and earlier in the week, when the boy broke down crying, gave him a hug.  But after school the kids were back to normal.

On the bright side, Arsenal are back to winning ways after escaping with a draw last week in the European Cup.  It was sad to see Jack Wilshere give away a free kick when playing for Bournemouth against the Manchester Team that rhymes with City from which the first goal in a 4-0 defeat occurred.  Maybe we can survive without him afterall.

And with chess, as you can see, I have won a game against a better opponent.  They had tried a gambit with a knight, but after it failed to checkmate me, I was left with the advantage, and for once, I was able to use it.
The update on tournaments won and lost includes
5th Friends & Family - won.
32nd Chess.com Quick Knockouts (1401-1600) - lost but I surprisingly gained tournament points in this despite finishing last in my group!
Two knights defense - finished joint second.
Episode 2 - finished joint 5th.
Wallyjacks 200th Anniversary Of Waterloo 18/6/1815 - 1302-1402 - 17th placed finish.

Blakeney Point

This is a post by my daughter on her school blog

Seals

Blakeney Point seals are what draws many to Blakeny. The colony at Blakeney Point is made up of Common and Grey seals and in the Winter of 2014/15 became the biggest colony in England. This is because common seals have their young between June and August, and the Greys between November and January. Both suckle their pups for about three weeks during which time they grow very quickly.The seals are very inquisitive and often pop up and swim around the boats which can usually sail close to the basking seals on the beach.There is a significant colony at Horsey and you might also see seals turning up in the water or on the beach around the Norfolk coast, in Wells harbour or on the sandbanks at Holkham, or you might spot them bobbing around at Sea Palling and other beaches on the eastern coast. The seals travel on land at just 3 or 4 miles an hour but can reach 30 to 40mph when swimming submerged!

Birds

All year round there is plenty of wildlife to see, whether the nesting Sandwich Terns or rarer Little Terns, oyster catchers, the pink-footed geese, barn owls, birds of prey such as Hen and Marsh Harriers and Peregrins.  The list could go on and on.  Whether you’re an avid bird watcher or not, there’s always something of interest to see at Blakeney Point.On the sands you might also see Oyster Catchers, Ringed Plovers, Turnstones and Dunlin. During the winter months, you might see numbers of duck and geese including Mallard, Widgeon, Teal, Pintail, Pinkfooted Geese. Greylag and Brent Geese usually arrive from October onwards. In the summer you might see'll Common Terns, Sandwich and Little Terns and also Arctic Terns. Many of them begin to arrive from West Africa in April and breed into the season. They make a small scrape in the shingle where they lay their eggs.On the sands you might also see Oyster Catchers, Ringed Plovers, Turnstones and Dunlin. During the winter months, you might see numbers of duck and geese including Mallard, Widgeon, Teal, Pintail, Pinkfooted Geese. Greylag and Brent Geese usually arrive from October onwards.