The Word - Rendered Assured

Ah!  The English Language -
 - what a piker it can be at times.  And I say that as one who's been using it for the past 54 years and counting.
     "What's he on about now?  Has he been paying extra tax?" I hear you whisper cautiously.
     Acknowledging your discretion, I shall explain.  It concerns crosswords.
     Well, baring one's soul can have positive results.  Yesterday I shared the shame of the Crossword Failure, a shot of the puzzle I failed to complete - blamed on a new compiler*.
This morning, in my entertainingly obsessive manner I went to check BOOJUM!'s stats and Hay Pesto!  There were 3 new Comments.  Colour me surprised.  Three?
      - here an aside.  There is another, 12th Comment present but I've no idea what they're commenting on.   At least they're not trying to promote an escort service in Mumbai -
   

The evidence

     Thank you Anonymous!  Some kind soul has posted 3 crossword answers:  "Anadem" as a type of headwear (I knew it was an anagram of "Made an" but an anadem?  Never heard of it).  "Watt" is after the inventor and unit of power, and there I was thinking of "Davy", "Volt", "Hertz", "Ohm".  Duh.  "Statesmen" I would debate as the clue includes the word "diplomat" and a statesman is one who supports what is good for the country, and not necessarily the party line.
     

Blue to distinguish

     Enough of crosswords for one post.  Let the motley begin!

The Metro - 60 Seconds:  Ross Kemp
Previously better-known as an actor, Ross - Mister Kemp to you - is now rather better known as a documentary maker, and he walks the walk - under fire in Iraq and Afghanistan and mixing it with various gangs worldwide.  Definitely not a luvvie; in fact, prior to Tour One in Afghanistan he had to train on the SA80, in the grim possibility that he and the camera team might be the last men standing and thus need to defend themselves.  He actually got quite proficient with it, which might have lessened the sting of endless jibes from soldiers about his acting role as an SAS trooper in "Ultimate Force".
     So, The Metro - one brownie point.

Iraq or "Ultimate Force"?  I'm really not sure

"Infamy" By John Toland
I got this because it was large and cheap, a principle I find useful in buying both books and remaindered food.  To look at the cover alone would lead one to conclude it's about Pearl Harbour, which is correct, and  it also mentions "Its aftermath".  This is the kicker, as this is really less of an account of Pearl Harbour on 7th December 1941, and more a forensic analysis of the 10 (!) subsequent investigations that followed.

Oy!  Mate!  Yer hat's on wrong.

     If you want a cinematic analogy (and you're getting one, wanted or not) it is far less "Pearl Harbor**" and a lot more "Twelve Angry Men".  I have to say some of the more senior South Canadian naval officers were so manifestly stupid, venal and incompetent that they would make perfect management for First Bus.

Triples
Here's a glimpse into a subculture few, if any, of you will have encountered - the Wargaming Convention.
     These normally consist of different gaming groups putting on display games, or occasional participation ones, and lots of traders selling wargaming kit.  There is usually a fringe of disgruntled-looking females hanging around the entrance - wives, daughters or girlfriends - swapping incredulous comments about How much? something that small cost, or what appeal there could be in a game of British and Commonwealth fighting the Italians in East Africa ...

I might have helped run this one

     The UK wargaming community being what it is, everyone knows everyone else and even at a big two-day event like Triples you'd bump into mates.
     The glory years for this event, as far as your humble scribe is concerned, were when it was held at Sheffield University's Octagon Centre, where photographs taken in the venue always had a peculiar yellow cast to them ...
     Then they made the move to an anonymous convention centre, the dates got changed from April to July, they over-charged traders, not enough visitors came on the second day and - to nods from the wise - it's now gone toes-up.
     And no, I don't know why it was called "Triples".

Phil and Jamie - I helped run this but at a different venue

Crossword Redux
There should, perhaps, be less whining from your humble scribe today.  I purloined Tom's copy of The Metro and did the Cryptic in 15 minutes (see below), so perhaps my bleating yesterday about the compiler was simply an old man's ineptness with words.
     Oh, and "Anonymous"?  That was Pete.  He confessed in work this morning, with a cheesy (or perhaps cheeky?) grin adorning his features.

The evidence, o ye skeptics

*  IT'S NOT MY FAULT!
** Note my concession to South Canadian spelling.