General Thread For This and That!!....

[Willy The Londoner]

My thoughts are with America today following the bombings of the Boston Marathon.

I lived through many years of dealing with the aftermath of such event throughout many years in London.   These atrocities are for one purpose only and that is to kill and maim ordinary people.   People whose defences are down as they enjoy the days event. Soft targets for the dispicable people that carry out these crimes.

Let us pray that some idiot in North Korea does not decide to attribute this to their war on the USA.

Willy

[Vince G]

Thank you Willy, that is kind of you.

[Scottish_Robbie]

Got to agree with my master...............I think its atrocious for something like that to happen at a sporting event

Rip Bostonians

[shaun]

Thank you for your kind words Willy.

I was privileged to work at The Master's Golf Tournament last week for my second year.  It was a great time.  I spoke with one of the local deputies whose partner was a bomb sniffing labrador.   She told me that a couple of weeks prior to the event investigators and Augusta National Employees had seen 5 people casing the joint if you will.  The FBI and local police had the names and locations of all 5 individuals.  One week before one of the individuals tried to purchase a semi trailer full of ammonium nitrate-based fertilizer.  All 5 were arrested.

I didn't read anything about it in the paper or the internet and dismissed it. Then the Boston Marathon thing happened and it makes me wonder.

I'm not sure if it is true but what puzzles me is why would this deputy tell me this story?

At this point it simply reminds me to pray for Peace on Earth everyday and it begins with me.

[Willy The Londoner]

Another big earthquake hit Sichuan this morning at 8am our time.  6.6 magnitude I hear. They are saying about 100 dead.  So not so bad as 2008 unless of course your one of the relatives or friend of those who died.

That is one province to always keep clear of. Almost 5 years to the day since the big one hit that province and 90,000 or more died.

Willy

[shaun]

Sorry to hear about the earthquake.

It was good to read this morning that the police caught the second Boston Marathon bomber alive.  Just maybe they can find out why the idiots did what they did.  The news media has downplayed the idea that these boys were Islamic Terrorist until I heard one say that no group has claimed it because they are afraid that Obama has the power to use drones to attack them.

Now I guess we will hear how Obama made it possible to capture the second suspect.   Nevertheless I am glad he was caught.

[kenny]

I was thinking the same thing Shaun.

Wouldnt it be nice if Odama and congress would take some lessions here on what can be done if they would work together and use the brains god gave a goat!

[Willy The Londoner]

It looks likely that the two brothers in Boston were not part of a much larger organised plot.   If that was not the case then USA like England could have anticipated many more devices being used to cause mayhew, death and destruction.  We suffered it in England from the IRA. From blowing up a single government minister to blowing up a hotel where the whole of the government were staying.
Blowing up English pubs where a soldier or two many be enjoying a pint to getting a massive bomb into a barracks that housed just musicians from a military band through to blowing up the members of a military display team and their horses.  The list of bombing atrocities seemed to be never ending and then almost as soon as the IRA declared peace we were then subjected to islamic terrorist.

Giving Boston a small taste of a declaration of military law saved all of the USA from these two from such events we suffered over many years. The people of Boston knew what they were doing when they rightly cheered the LEO's after all was over in this case.

 Lets all pray that the people of USA do not suffer from the bombings campaigns that made them almost part of daily life in the England.

Willy

[Vince G]

Student from China 23-year-old Lu Lingzi was from Shenyang killed by the bomb.

[brett]

My mom was worried about the earthquake, I guess British people think China is the size of England!

Actually we had an earthquake here in Guangzhou back in March. Willy did it hit Zhongshan as well? I was staying in a hotel and I was actually on the loo at the time! I thought about that old Lethal Weapon movie and thought, sheesh, I hope I'm not going to die sitting on the toilet!!!

Now I know what an earthquake feels like, I realise I experienced one in Tokyo back in 2008.

[Jason B]

that is way too easy to come up with a reason for the earthquake so I will leave it alone 

[brett]

Ha ha ha!

Most expats I talked to that day were just stunned that their Chinese built apartment and office buildings withstood it.

It surprised me as I didn't think Guangzhou was prone to earthquakes.

I think the gigantic thunderstorms are more of a risk, and if I'm here when a typhoon hits I think all my possessions will blow away.

[Willy The Londoner]

First cross contamination from Human To Human of the Avian Bird Flu has been confirmed in China.

This was not a casual connection though. A 65 year old had bought quail at a market and developed bird flu from them. He was taken to hospital and his 32 year old daughter stayed with him the whole time in the hospital washing and feeding him etc.  She contracted it also and they both died.

It is not thought that she had any contact with the quail.

They checked another 70 odd people who had been in some sort of contact with him and her and they were all clear.

Willy

[john1964]

this is a general thread , I bought 2 nice juicy thick steaks today and MinYing asked me how I would like them cooked, I said just pan fry them in a LITTLE oil as they are, I returned from the shower to find them diced in to tiny pieces swimming in oil,  she could not comprehend that some of us like our meat thick and a mouthful , If chopsticks can not handle the meat then they will chop it so small  John

[RobertBfrom aust]

Yes John , I can relate to that , Sujuan after a couple of years finally has worked out the bbq , so now it is bbq at least 2 times a week , regards Robert .