Portobello Beach Edinburgh Day 306

If this were a Spaniard's football it could have been entiled what "Mitre" been in the final of last night's Confederations' Cup. For me this washed up, deflated and fragmented football is symptomatic of a bigger malise pervading much of what some call the beautiful game. The riots and civil unrest in the streets of Rio de Janiero at the cost of hosting next year's World Cup and the subsequent hosting of the summer Olympic Games in 2016 are worrying.

Civil demonstrations on the streets of Cairo, a city I have been privileged to have worked in twice this academic year, is a further worry and I am thinking of all my colleagues who are working there at the moment and also of fellow blipper Digitaldaze who is on assignment in Cairo at the moment.

Today, here in Europe, 27 became 28 at midnight as Croatia joined the European Union. I wish all Croatians well as they embrace the Euro and assume membershop of a club that looked very different , economically, when they began their membership bid.

I know many super Canadian nationals and I know what a special day today is for all of them as they celebrate Canada Day. I note the new Governor of The Bank of England, who starts work today, is also a Canadian. Happy Canada Day!

I was at a wonderful Graduation Celebration at The University of Edinburgh today and on my way home heard a gun salute being fired from The Castle. My first thought was to check my phone for news of a royal birth. I could not find any obvious reason for this volley from the battlements this afternoon. Does anyone know? The Queen in The Palace of Holyrood House for the garden party season perhaps?