This content is protected against AI scraping.
Before I bore any readers with my news and sport, I would just like to include a photograph of the hill behind our house. The reason for this is in order to show where the weird runners with the headlamps descended last night, in the pitch. And they were not picking snapdragons. (I defy anyone to guess that reference!)
Now that’s scary. Though, possibly not as scary as the latest stupidity coming out of the US.
Gary’s regular surprise at news from America
There were a number of interesting items on the World Service today. Firstly, the fact that Chinese carbon emissions were likely reduced in 2025. This is in line with their announcement that they are going to cut emissions completely by 2030. Secondly, not that far away, the US has decided to stop classifying carbon emissions as harmful to humans. In essence, this appears to mean that, while China realises that humans can’t breathe an atmosphere rich in pollution, America thinks the opposite.
Something else I heard later in the day was how the cost of the Trump tariffs are being paid by American consumers and not, as Trump claims, met by foreign exporters. What a surprise.
Anyway, all of that had little to do with me today. I was busy moving stuff from Mirinda’s study again (there is/was a lot of stuff in there) and, after lunch, I took the girls for a walk. And I’m very happy to report that my right foot seems to be well on the road to recovery. Though, to be completely honest, we only went as far as the second bench and back. Still, there wasn’t too much pain.
And, naturally, there was a bit of Winter Olympic watching.
Gary’s irregular sports report
I haven’t seen all the teams in the women’s ice hockey but, after watching the Canadians this afternoon, they are going to take some beating.
They totally dominated Finland, winning 5-0.
I’m sure that will delight KSP.
But, the highlight of my viewing today, was the women’s halfpipe snowboarding.
I have never seen a lot of, if any, snowboarding and, I have to say, it is extraordinary. And scary. When a few of the competitors misjudged their turns and clipped the edge of the halfpipe, the audience and commentators, alike, drew gasps of worry. When played back in slow motion, it looked well painful.
One of the snowboarders, the 17-year-old Gaon Choi from South Korea, clipped the edge on her first run and was laid out in the snow until help arrived. She then, in her second run, fell again. Like most 17-year-olds though, she shook off any injuries and, not only made an excellent third run, she won gold. In her debut Olympics. Though, that isn’t really that surprising, given she would have been 13 when the last ones were held.
When she removed her helmet after her final run and saw her score, she wept tears of joy and was hugged by everyone within hugging distance. This included Japan’s 21-year-old Ono Mitsuki, who claimed the bronze medal.
The things I loved most about the snowboarding though were the competitors’ grace and sportsmanship.
The 26-year-old American, Chloe Kim, was going for her third gold following wins in 2018 and 2022. Her first run saw her well in the lead, a position she retained right up until near the end. After Gaon’s run, which saw her take the lead, Kim had her final run. And she misjudged and fell from her board. She slowly drifted down to the end. And the first thing she did was run up to the South Korean and, smiling broadly, hugged her in congratulation. It was a glorious moment.
A little later, the three winners all stood together, big smiles on their faces, all congratulating each other.
Now that’s real sport and exactly what I like to see.
