Doha Poster Campaign - Stop Junk Food

The poster campaign to promote healthy eating is a good idea. Some of the children's paintings are quite imaginative (assuming they were painted by children). The only problem is that where they are sited, only walkers are going to see them. Walkers are probably already fairly health conscious. It's the Land Cruiser class we should really be targeting.

Le Club at Doha Mercure né Sofitel

A couple of years ago, I used to feature this place regularly on the Paranormal blog. But that was when Boggs and the Girls were performing nightly. He was a fine guitarist by any standards and all of his girls could really sing, (especially Ringlets). Bands here are contracted for eleven months, from one Ramadan to the next. The band that took over from Boggs, after Ramadan 2010, could only be described as dismal so for a whole year I hardly ever ventured in. Following Ramadan 2011, there was something of a hiatus as this year's band had some visa problems and missed their first few weeks, but they are here now and getting into the swing of things. The news is good and bad though. Philip (who preceded Boggs) is the player, on guitar, keyboards and the inevitable midi laptop. He's good and also sings well. But (there had to be a but) he has come with two new girl singers who- let's give them the benefit of the doubt- haven't quite warmed up yet. In fact, they haven't quite located concert pitch, except occasionally, and that more by luck than technique. Still it's early days yet; they've got all year.

Upon Westminster, Budgie

This is Westminster in Glasgow in 1979. Westminster was a classic green budgie bred by Doctor Cant, biology teacher, badminton player and of course, budgie breeder. Doc was mildly scandalised by our choice of name. "He'll never learn to say it", she said, and was absolutely correct. West never showed the slightest interest in learning to speak. In some ways he was a failure as a budgie. Speaking doesn't matter, but he never really mastered flying either. He could circle for a bit but then would spiral down, apparently lacking the energy or technique to gain elevation. In spite of this weakness, he somehow managed to survive for about ten years in a house with cats, without ever being seriously eaten. Mrdina caught him once but was persuaded to let him go largely intact (but highly indignant). His speciality, apart from greenness, was copulating with any finger he was allowed to perch on for more than a minute. Budgies aren't meant to do that but it wasn't something we wanted to discuss with the good Doctor. It wasn't her fault that one of her birds developed deviant proclivities.

This was Musheireb

The last block is now demolished and the whole of Musheireb has gone. All the way from Boat Roundabout to Qtel Intersection runs a fence with nothing standing behind it. Nothing, that is, except the new construction work that will become Dohaland, in time. The video is taken from my usual vantage point, the roof of Sofitel Mercure.