I must have had two numbers in the National Lottery Saturday draw now for at least the last three weeks.
It is like getting so far in a sporting competition and then just missing out.
Just as you get nothing for coming second in sport, you pick up nothing for two numbers in the National Lottery.
I have always thought £10 for three numbers is too little, though it must be about time that they looked again at the prize fund.
£50 for three numbers would be more like it, with maybe £5 for two numbers and less for the jackpot.
Meanwhile, I have a lot of respect for those people that take part in the London Marathon.
It is a gruelling 26.2 mile street race around the streets of London.
Amazingly the race started only in 1981, and since then 711,260 people have taken part.
In the early days about 7,000 people took part, but now as many as 46,500 compete in the race.
Moving on I want to see the new film State of Play.
It has a good cast in Helen Mirren, Ben Affleck and Russell Crowe and from what I have read about the plot, it sounds like a good story.
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
New films wanted
Film bosses are turning to old favourites for ideas to reduce risks in the recession.
This year films such as: The Karate Kid, Robocop, Highlander and The Never Ending Story, are to be remade.
I think original films are often the best though, and remakes inferior.
For example the remade The Italian Job hardly compared with the 1960s classic of the same name, which starred Sir Michael Caine.
What about the remake of Psycho? You don't see that in lists of classic films do you?
Critics have said film studio bosses are running out of ideas, however they have defended the decision pointing out good movies are good stories and can be told over and over again.
One film I would like to see though is the planned new film version of Graham Greene's Brighton Rock.
Meanwhile, I didn't think Kenny Perry was going to win The Masters, he came very close though.
For me the most exciting part of the event was the charges made by Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. You could almost feel the electricity coming of that group.
Angel Cabrera was a worthy winner though.
This year films such as: The Karate Kid, Robocop, Highlander and The Never Ending Story, are to be remade.
I think original films are often the best though, and remakes inferior.
For example the remade The Italian Job hardly compared with the 1960s classic of the same name, which starred Sir Michael Caine.
What about the remake of Psycho? You don't see that in lists of classic films do you?
Critics have said film studio bosses are running out of ideas, however they have defended the decision pointing out good movies are good stories and can be told over and over again.
One film I would like to see though is the planned new film version of Graham Greene's Brighton Rock.
Meanwhile, I didn't think Kenny Perry was going to win The Masters, he came very close though.
For me the most exciting part of the event was the charges made by Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. You could almost feel the electricity coming of that group.
Angel Cabrera was a worthy winner though.
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Hot tea risk
It was worrying to read the reports last week that drinking boiling hot tea increases the risk of oesophageal cancer by the likelihood of eight times.
Experts are asking people to make sure they have allowed their cup of tea to stand for four minutes before drinking it.
Oesophageal cancer is a disease which is found in the tube connecting the throat to the stomach, and it kills over 500,000 people worldwide each year.
The most prevalent type is called Oesophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC), and it mostly occurs in people who smoke and drink alcohol, but drinking hot drinks may also be a cause.
The British Medical Journal reported the study, which was undertaken in Northern Iran.
Meanwhile, what an amazing win for Jenson Button in the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne.
Button has been in F1 for years and never seemed to have reached his full potential.
Everyone seemed to forget about him when Lewis Hamilton came along.
You also have to applaud the work of Ross Brawn at the team. Brawn was the mastermind behind Schumacher's seven world titles at two separate teams.
It will be interesting to see though if the authorities allow Button's car to keep the same aerodynamics.
Experts are asking people to make sure they have allowed their cup of tea to stand for four minutes before drinking it.
Oesophageal cancer is a disease which is found in the tube connecting the throat to the stomach, and it kills over 500,000 people worldwide each year.
The most prevalent type is called Oesophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC), and it mostly occurs in people who smoke and drink alcohol, but drinking hot drinks may also be a cause.
The British Medical Journal reported the study, which was undertaken in Northern Iran.
Meanwhile, what an amazing win for Jenson Button in the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne.
Button has been in F1 for years and never seemed to have reached his full potential.
Everyone seemed to forget about him when Lewis Hamilton came along.
You also have to applaud the work of Ross Brawn at the team. Brawn was the mastermind behind Schumacher's seven world titles at two separate teams.
It will be interesting to see though if the authorities allow Button's car to keep the same aerodynamics.
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Clcoks go forward
Don't forget to put your clocks forward next weekend for the start of British Summer Time.
Although we will lose an hour's sleep in bed, it won't get darker till later and the extra hours of daylight will mean we will able to enjoy more outside activities.
The run up to Midsummer day is my favourite time of the year, because after that date you feel the nights are drawing in and when you get to the end of August you begin to think that Autumn is on its way.
There is nothing better than leaving work while it is still light and walking to the car in the daylight.
Another added bonus is the lighter mornings.
Meanwhile, it seems the credit crunch has even had an impact on this year's Apprentice, which starts on Wednesday.
In the fifth series the international task – where contestants go to foreign countries such as Marrakech and France – has been axed.
Also the task where a team has to sell a foreign item in this country has been changed to a number of “Buy British” tasks.
This year the show will start with eight female and seven males candidates, one male has already dropped out.
The programme will be on our screens for the next 12 weeks.
Without seeing the people on the screen it is hard to see which of them will stand out, but reading what they have said in the paper I think Kate Walsh and Ben Clarke may have the biggest attitudes.
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
The Apprentice is back
The Apprentice Series 5 is to start on Wednesday, March 25.
Those who couldn't wait were able to catch Comic Relief Does The Apprentice last week.
I found the celebrities on the show irritating. Why is it every time we turn on the TV we are greeted with Jonathan Ross? The show, I think, did not have the same appeal as the real series, and lacked the tension.
It does not seem like a year ago that Lee McQueen was the surprise winner of series four, with the runner-up being Claire Young. Helene Speight and Alex Wotherspoon were in the final.
I missed the first series, but have been hooked since series two. As the weeks go by you get to know the contestants on the show and see the scheming unfold as the people try to assert their authority and ideas.
Some people are brilliant at certain tasks, but then are useless when asked to do something else.
The winners normally are tough and are steely.
My favourite part of the show is the tasks that the teams take part in. It is always difficult trying to guess who is going to win.
It was amusing one year when one of the teams tried, very unsuccessfully, to sell cheap English cheese to the French.
So, who will be Sir Alan Sugar's Apprentice of 2009?
Those who couldn't wait were able to catch Comic Relief Does The Apprentice last week.
I found the celebrities on the show irritating. Why is it every time we turn on the TV we are greeted with Jonathan Ross? The show, I think, did not have the same appeal as the real series, and lacked the tension.
It does not seem like a year ago that Lee McQueen was the surprise winner of series four, with the runner-up being Claire Young. Helene Speight and Alex Wotherspoon were in the final.
I missed the first series, but have been hooked since series two. As the weeks go by you get to know the contestants on the show and see the scheming unfold as the people try to assert their authority and ideas.
Some people are brilliant at certain tasks, but then are useless when asked to do something else.
The winners normally are tough and are steely.
My favourite part of the show is the tasks that the teams take part in. It is always difficult trying to guess who is going to win.
It was amusing one year when one of the teams tried, very unsuccessfully, to sell cheap English cheese to the French.
So, who will be Sir Alan Sugar's Apprentice of 2009?
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
The Masters
The Masters - the first major of the golfing year - will take place next month.
It will be held between Thursday, April 9 and Sunday, April 12.
The tournament is not the oldest Major, although it is arguably the most famous.
Trevor Immelman will be defending his title after winning the tournament last year.
But I think all the limelight will be on Tiger Woods and his return to professional golf.
He played his first competition since winning the US Open at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in late February and lost in the early rounds. However it is the majors he concentrates most on and he will be trying to add to his tally of 14 in April.
This will be the 15th time he has played at Augusta and he has won the tournament now four times.
Greg Norman is also going to play in the Masters and he will be hoping to regain the form he showed at last year's Open Championship at Birkdale, where he finished in the top five.
The Masters will be a chance to see Rory McIlroy, who is an exciting prospect. He will be playing his first Masters and has already won this year at the Dubai Desert Classic.
Augusta is one of the most beautiful courses in the world and its holes have provided some exciting golf over the years.
Who will be wearing the green jacket on Sunday, April 12?
It will be held between Thursday, April 9 and Sunday, April 12.
The tournament is not the oldest Major, although it is arguably the most famous.
Trevor Immelman will be defending his title after winning the tournament last year.
But I think all the limelight will be on Tiger Woods and his return to professional golf.
He played his first competition since winning the US Open at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in late February and lost in the early rounds. However it is the majors he concentrates most on and he will be trying to add to his tally of 14 in April.
This will be the 15th time he has played at Augusta and he has won the tournament now four times.
Greg Norman is also going to play in the Masters and he will be hoping to regain the form he showed at last year's Open Championship at Birkdale, where he finished in the top five.
The Masters will be a chance to see Rory McIlroy, who is an exciting prospect. He will be playing his first Masters and has already won this year at the Dubai Desert Classic.
Augusta is one of the most beautiful courses in the world and its holes have provided some exciting golf over the years.
Who will be wearing the green jacket on Sunday, April 12?
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Thatcher
Love her or hate her, it is 30 years since Margaret Thatcher began her 10 year reign as Prime Minister.
The BBC have been showing a number of programmes to mark their date.
One of these was Margaret, which was a one off drama portraying Thatcher's final days in power. The two-hour drama could be seen last Thursday night (February 26).
Geoffrey Howe started the coup when he sensationally resigned in the House of Commons and then the film slowly but surely showed how the power slipped from Thatcher's grasp.
There were some big names in this cast and they included Robert Hardy, Ian McDiarmid and James Fox.
Lindsay Duncan was also excellent as Margaret Thatcher.
Some interesting points to come out of the drama - though how true they were I don't know – were the fact Margaret Thatcher did not have a sense of humour.
The other was how big a role John Major played in Thatcher's downfall. He only put his name forward for the leader's position after Thatcher stood down.
The other drama was Margaret Thacher – The Long Walk to Finchley.
This shows Thatcher's battle to become an MP in the 1950s. Thatcher experienced a number of setbacks before she finally won the seat of Finchley.
The BBC have been showing a number of programmes to mark their date.
One of these was Margaret, which was a one off drama portraying Thatcher's final days in power. The two-hour drama could be seen last Thursday night (February 26).
Geoffrey Howe started the coup when he sensationally resigned in the House of Commons and then the film slowly but surely showed how the power slipped from Thatcher's grasp.
There were some big names in this cast and they included Robert Hardy, Ian McDiarmid and James Fox.
Lindsay Duncan was also excellent as Margaret Thatcher.
Some interesting points to come out of the drama - though how true they were I don't know – were the fact Margaret Thatcher did not have a sense of humour.
The other was how big a role John Major played in Thatcher's downfall. He only put his name forward for the leader's position after Thatcher stood down.
The other drama was Margaret Thacher – The Long Walk to Finchley.
This shows Thatcher's battle to become an MP in the 1950s. Thatcher experienced a number of setbacks before she finally won the seat of Finchley.
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