Wednesday, December 14, 2011

e-books : How publishing is changing .....

Some time ago a comment was left on my other blog asking if I wanted to contribute to a e-book on ultra running, life strategies, emotions and stuff. While keen to keep Life Coaches and other such disseminators of common sense for a fee out of ultra running, there are things you learn about yourself and how to get hard stuff done when touching your limit, which Clive's Bob Graham Round project was.  It seems like a useful project or perspective, so I answered their questions. The Ultra running related e-book will be published in February, but they kindly sent me a copy of their 1st e-book,

The Passionate Life, 16 stories of People Who Dared to Risk. I have not read it yet, but it appears to have nothing to do with Ultra Running and more to do with a range of people the authors find interesting.

I am all for this model of book publishing, but I must admit I am more looking forward to reading the 2nd e-book than reading the 1st one.

Friday, December 9, 2011

What umberellas tell us about the Health and Safety culture

Maybe living in West Wales I treat rain as one of those common events, you put on a coat and get on with it. If you don't have a coat you get wet and accept it.

I am spellbound when I visit London and it is raining. What other regular event  gives an excuse to carry a 10 point sharp weapon at or around head height. They don't even need a license to use one in public. How many people get blinded in one eye each time it rains in London by a lack of due care and attention from the umbrella driver? If the number is zero, I would expect fudging by the Association of Umbrella Manufactures [is there one?].

Maybe I am only at risk because I don't have or use such an irresponsible item. Applying the US right wing argument for guns, if everyone had an umbrella, then no one would get a sharp spike of metal in the eye or ear.

Given the rather obvious 3rd party risk if carrying these offensive weapons, why are they legal?
What don't commuters need training and a certificate before they are allowed to carry one on a drizzly day?

"How to teach Umbrella safety to Children" looks hopeful. Even the moral-less sharks have got wind of it.

Would it be reasonable to walk around London carrying a unguarded  javalin? No, unless you are on your way to javelin training and you have the sharp bits covered. So why are such bloody dangerous items considered acceptable?

Some of it may be "sorry about your eye, but at least I did not get wet".

It says a lot about our collective attitude to risk of injury.