Top 10 Fun facts about Steve Jobs

Hey Gentle Readers. Today in 1955, Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple and Pixar was born. Here are some facts about this innovator, businessman and techology icon.

1. He was adopted, his father was a Syrian Muslim.

2. He was dyslexic.

3. His secrerary was late for work one day blaming car trouble. Steve Jobs gave her the keys for a brand new Jaguar with a note that said "Dont be late again!"

4. Steve Jobs took LSD in his youth a claimed it was a 'profound' experience.

5. Before Apple, Jobs worked for Atari.

6. He was scared of buttons.

7. Steve Jobs never wrote a single line of computer code.

8. Jobs believed that being vegan would eliminate the need to shower.

9. He is buried in an unmarked grave.

10.His last words were "Oh wow!"

#top10 #stevejobs

Wednesday Thought: Malcolm X

On 21st February 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated. He, like Martin Luther King was an outspoken exponent of civil rights for African Americans. Unlike MLK he was not opposed to using violence to achieve his goals.

Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.

The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses.

A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.

Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.

I don't even call it violence when it's in self defense; I call it intelligence.

I believe in the brotherhood of all men, but I don't believe in wasting brotherhood on anyone who doesn't want to practice it with me. Brotherhood is a two-way street.

If ballots won't work, bullets will.

and his last words...

"....cool it brothers!"

#wednesdaythought #malcolmx

Today in History 20th February

Greetings Gentle Readers its time once again to Smell the Teen Spirit of time as we open the Heart Shaped Box of History.

1872: The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York opens for the first time.

Robert outside the Met in 2017

1962: John Glen becomes the first American to orbit the Earth.

1966: Supermodel Cindy Crawford is born.

1967: Rock singer Kurt Cobain is born.

1988: Singer Rhianna is born.

#20thfebruary #todayinhistory #rhianna #johnglenn #kurtcobain #cindycrawford #themet

Year of the Dog

Aww....cute puppy.

Hello Gentle Readers. Yesterday waS Chinese New Year. We were actually flying over China at Midnight and looked down at what seemed to be billions of fireworks all exploding at the same time.

Fireworks from above

So its the year of the Dog. What does that mean?

Every 12 years its the year of the Dog.

If you are a dog your lucky numbers are 3, 4 and 9.
Your lucky colours are red, green and purple.
Your lucky flower (Flower???) is the rose.

Famous Dogs include Winston Churchill, Elvis Presley, Donald Trump, Madonna Michael Jackson and Justin Bieber.

If you are a Dog. Have a great year.

#yearofthedog

Wednesday Thought: King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Hello Gentle Readers. For the people of Thailand King Bhumibol Adulyadej was a symbol of hope against invading armies, home grown military dictatorships and he became a solid unchanging force that the Thai people rallied around. When he died in 2016 he had been King for 70 years.

For my Wednesday thought this week I am looking at his words which had such a important effect on Thailand and the region.

A good person can make another person good; it means that goodness will elicit goodness in the society; other persons will also be good.

They say that a kingdom is like a pyramid: the king on top and the people below. But in this country, it's upside down.

Nature is something outside our body, but the mind is within us.

Western people ask me whether it is a paradox that I am King but support democracy. I have to tell them that in Thailand, the King is the guarantor of democracy.

Goodness is something that makes us serene and content; it is magnificent. Those who are not good are evil.

Bangkok is a toilet without a flush.

#wednesdaythought #thailand

Today in History: 14th February

Happy Valentines Day Gentle Readers. Its time to get lined up against the wall of history and face the hail of bullets of time.

1779: Captain James Cook is killed by natives on Hawaii.

1876: Alexander Graham Bell applies for a patent for the telephone.

1929: Under orders from  Al Capone 7 members of the Moran gang are shot during the St. Valentines Day Massacre.

1990: The Spaceprobe Voyager 1 turns its camera back towards Earth and takes the photo that is now called 'Pale Blue Dot'.

The Earth can be seen as a tiny dot about half way down the brown stripe on the right of the picture.

#captaincook #telephone #stvalentinesdaymassacre #voyager1 #palebluedot #february14 #todayinhistory

Around the World...with a Scotsman

Hello Gentle Readers. As our holiday to Thailand comes to an end I wanted to share some images of our travels since I started the blog.

Rome February 2015

Norwich April 2015

Cyprus July 2015

Tallinn October 2015

Stockholm April 2016

New York February 2017

Moscow June 2017

Kuzino, Russia June 2017

Guangzhou August 2017

Australia December 2017

Singapore February 2018

Phuket, Thailand February 2018

The travels will continue....

Trip to Coral Island

Hey Gentle Readers we took a trip today to one of the smaller islands of Phuket today. Coral Island is maybe less famous than Phi Phi or James Bond island but it has its own beauty and its only 15 minutes from Phuket.

 The bus picked us up at 8.45 which was on time but one of the people who was due to be picked up didnt show so we didnt get to the dock til 10.

We pulled on our rediculously tight pink life vests and clambered onto the speed boat. It was very windy today and the ride was very rough. Luckily we all held our breakfast in.

When we arrived at the island we got out of the boat and had to walk to the island on a floating pontoon. Because it was so windy however it was a bit like walking on a moving walkway that you see at airports but this one was going up and down and side to side.

Safely on land we found a good spot and Robert decided he would look for shells and coral. He found lots and the pictures are below.

The island is very beautiful but the amount of tourists spoils it. About 80% of the visitors were Chinese so although we were in Thailand we might as well have stayed in Guangzhou.

#phuket #coralisland