Day 59 – Faulty Bean Sprouts

Yet again Federer choked, after all the hype about being the best player ever to have graced a tennis court, he choked. Just like our cricket team in the world cup earlier this year. And hopefully not like our rugby team later this year in New Zealand. On that subject, a long standing joke goes something like this, “If you want to hide something from a Kiwi, where would you put it?” And the answer is…..in the Webb Ellis Trophy. I wonder if they find that funny. What we’re not going to find funny is having to drink beer and tan meat at eight in the morning. It will be a test of our collective fortitude, it will challenge our national spirit but we will achieve this feat, we will rearrange our countries business schedule to adapt to this. Just so long as our boys don’t choke.

Let it be said, am I the only one who has noticed that it seems that, as the Super 15 nears the business end of the competition, the NZ teams have lost their sparkle and their form. I might regret those words but that’s fine…as long the Aussies don’t win.

And so it came to pass that the Spanish guy won yet again. The atmosphere in this household was at best brittle. My ever the graceful I don’t brag and don’t say I didn’t tell you so missus was humble in her glory as you can imagine. That her Spanish compatriot retains his number one spot in world tennis for a while longer keeps her happy. I of course support Federer…and anyone who plays against Nadal. Obviously I pretend in her presence to admire the depth of his game and of course his all conquering skill. Even if he is gay. And so we will go to Wimbledon where battle lines will again be drawn in the grass.

Today I have tried to pass business to three different people that could probably do with it. I am yet to receive a reply or a return phone call from any one of these people. Can it be that busy out there? Am I the only one missing out on the action that it seems everyone must have a part of? I am loathe to blame south coast slowness but hell, that is what it looks like. I cannot believe that in the days of a global slowdown people don’t grab every call on the first ring and try and make the sale. And these are people who own their own business.

Maybe they’ve been struck down by faulty bean sprouts from Spain. Oh wait. The faulty bean sprouts didn’t come from Spain after all. They came from Germany. This they now know after just about the entire agricultural sector in Spain has come to a grinding halt. They know this now that Spanish farmers have lost their livelihoods, their workers have been laid off, and orders have been cancelled. And it won’t be until next year and next season that money will once again start flowing in the right direction.

Now you would think. Amongst this highly respected and educated scientific lot there would be someone, perhaps some sort of protocol formed from previous fuck ups, that determines who can say what to who and when. You would think that there would be some realisation of the damage that could be caused to an entire economy by releasing incorrect information. You would think that there might just be some unfairness in trading the already extinguished lives of nineteen or so people with the lives of millions. But those in the suits with the so called education and money lack this clear thinking ability. It seems to me that they lack the ability to apply common sense, to apply real world reasoning. What next do you think?

Today has come to an end. Until tomorrow.