Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Benefits of being short

Too busy to blog last night. Was the guest speaker/discussion leader for a group called 'Cyswyllt' over dinner. Its a sort of Welsh Language version of Round Table. Probably the first time I've been out to an all evening event when there was no English at all - except to order the food. Good practise for the two conferences that I've agreed to chair in Welsh next month! Great night for me, and I hope to repeat the exercise.

That was after I'd joined Mr and Mrs Ted Jones for tea on the occasion of their 60th wedding anniversary. Mr Jones is a hugely impressive man. I'm still reeling from the stories he told me about his 3 years in Burma between 1943 and 1946. He didn't see his home for 7 years. There are some truly remarkable people secreted away, living without fanfare, holding a wealth of history in their personal sim cards. Made me read David Cameron's speech about the Military Covenant twice this morning. Treating our armed forces properly is one of the first responsibilities of Government - and this current lot have failed in this duty.

Now Ted Jones is a tall man, which makes his lucidity and physical fitness all the more striking and unusual - if yesterday's Telegraph is to be believed. "Short people got no reason to live" sang Randy Newman , but live they do - and much longer than tall people. As always, its all in the genes. Research by the Institute for Ageing Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York shows that centenarians (I thought it was centegenarians?) had lower growth hormone levels. The world's oldest ever person was Jeanne Louise Calment who died in 1997 aged 122 years and 164 days. She was 4ft 11 inches. The research shows that having this particular gene can extend life by up to a third.

"Is this good news for me" I ask myself. I am just proud of 5ft 10inches (about average) but with a very long body (way above average). Regular readers will know that I've recently discussed forming a 29inch inside leg club with the BBC's Roy Noble. Anyway it seems that its the shortest that laughs longest because they live to laugh last. Hoping to blog tonight on Gatland's Choice and Brown, the new Blair, but am going out to see a film called The Kite Runner that Mrs D wants to see - so will be late.

4 comments:

Dr. Christopher Wood said...

"Is this good news for you?"

No idea, "But have you heard a blackbird sing?"

Well, lookie here ... "Lib Dems 'set to quit over EU vote'"

http://www.milfordmercury.co.uk/news/national_news/index.var.192018.0.lib_dems_set_to_quit_over_eu_vote.php?

So there are still a "few good men (and women)" left in the Lib-Dem Party.

Anonymous said...

"Cyswllt" surely?

Glyn Davies said...

anon - Sori

Dr. Christopher Wood said...

The way Gordon Brown has broken faith with the British Armed forces speaks volumes about this weasel of a man. Frankly, it is long past bed time wherein the UK 'democracy' should allow the people to vote for Prime Minister. I often have to explain to Americans that they really shouldn't be taken too in by the left wing media/BBC in the UK - just look at how the UK 'votes' for members in the Upper House - well yep, the public don't vote for the members of the Upper House (House of Lords). The public don’t pick their next PM. Also, the British PM can choose which day to hold a national election.