THURSDAY 7th AUGUST 2014 09:31 BST

Read my book - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK

Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK

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1. THIS DAY IN WORLD WAR 2 (7th August 1944)
On the Russian Front...
Premier Mikolajczyk of the Polish government-in-exile in London meets with the Soviet-backed Lublin Committee in Moscow and is told he must resign

1st Guards Army of Soviet 4th Ukrainian Front captures Sambor

Setting fire to blocks of buildings, German troops continue to push back the Polish Home Army in Warsaw
RAF Polish Special Duties Flight of Allied Balkan Air Force, flying from Italy, attempts to drop supplies to Home Army in Warsaw overnight

In Germany...
The opening of trials for the July 20th conspirators 
U-16 is decommissioned at Gotenhafen (Gdynia) 

On the Western Front...
Finally convinced there will be no Allied landing in the Pas De Calais, Hitler releases the remainder of German 15th Army from static defenses on the Channel coast 

General Choltitz is appointed commander of Greater Paris

French Resistance forces destroy Luftwaffeaircraft at Bourges 

Canadian 1st Army opens an offensive toward Falaise 
British 2nd Army is heavily engaged around Mount Pincon and attacks toward Thury-Harcourt 
Strong German counterattacks capture Mortain in the US 1st Army sector and threaten to cut off US 3rd Army 
US 3rd Army reaches Brest and L'Orient, attacks St Malo, and advances toward Le Mans 

Eisenhower opens SHAEF headquartes on French soil
General Brereton departs US 9th Air Force to take command of Allied 1st Airborne Army

In the North Sea...
Kriegsmarine minesweeper M-3201 is sunk by a mine off Zeebrugge 

In the English Channel...
Kriegsmarine minesweeper M-4430 is sunk by a mine off Le Havre
British vessel Amsterdam is sunk by a mine 

In the Mediterranean...
USN PT Boats and Kriegsmarine minesweepers skirmish off the French coast

In the Pacific...
President Roosevelt continues a tour of inspection in the Aleutian Islands

US III Amphibious Corps attacks northward and captures Yigo on Guam
USMC air units begin flying missions from Orote airfield on Guam

Japanese vessel Yamatama Maru is sunk by USN submarine Bluegill
IJN escort vessel Kusagaki is sunk by USN submarine Guitarro 
IJN auxiliary sub chaser No. 2 Kyo Maru is sunk by USN submarine Puffer 
Japanese vessel Kinshu Maru is sunk by USN submarine Sailfish 
IJN light cruiser Nagara is sunk by USN submarine Croaker off Nagasaki 
Japanese vessel No. 11 Sakura Maru sunk by USN submarine Barbel

New Guinea...
In the Aitape area, Japanese forces withdraw from the Driniumor River  

In China...
Operation To-Go (Hengyang Operation): 
Japanese 11th Army attacking Hengyang and penetrates into the city overnight 

In the Indian Ocean...
British vessel Empire Day is sunk by U-198

Today's Air Raids...
Trzebinia oil facilities, Poland by US 15th Air Force 
Blechhammer, Germany by US 8th Air Force
Loire and Seine bridges, France by US 9th Air Force
Transportation routes in Northern France by US 8th Air Force
Southern France on military targets by US 12th Air Force
Brest, France offshore minelaying by RAF Bomber Command
Novi Sad and Alibunar, Yugoslavia by US 15th Air Force
Imperia and Luftwaffe airfields in Italy by US 12th Air Force
Rota Island by USMC aircraft
Yap Island and Halmahera Island by US FEAF
Changsha, China by US 14th Air Force
Northern Burma on military targets by US 10th Air Force

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE

Blogging
Ironing
Me Time
Meditation
Quality Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 1,786 (up 2)
Nonfollowed Eliminated = 0
Unfollowers Eliminated = 0
New Followers = 2
@Sourenqs, @damas_chan

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION
It's a time of happiness for all three of us in the Blonder house, with Son looking like he's about to have his first steady girlfriend, Missus thoroughly enjoying home life and myself also with everything I want to hand. 

The only fly in this ointment is the malign influence of Daughter over Missus. It would not be so bad if her efforts to influence Missus behaviour were out of a genuine concern for Missus wellbeing, but it's actually driven by fear, insecurity and a compulsion to control.

I am genuinely bemused how two parents with at heart generous and giving motivations could have raised such a narcissistic, vindictive and self-absorbed individual. Unfortunately all female Blonders I have known are highly dysfunctional creatures so there is clearly something genetic going on.

Male Blonders also all seem to be in the habit of getting committed to female loons. However, at least down the male line there has been a steady improvement in character, with each generation getting a better nurturing than the last. I am the first British-born Blonder to have a good relationship with his son, and that must be beneficial to Son's wellbeing. Perhaps he will in his lifetime know the first female Blonder who isn't nuts. 

The bottom line is that my character is only one piece in a much larger drama beyond that character's control. My character can only play the hand he has been dealt. And I have to say he's done quite well! He has increasingly pushed back internal and external negativity and on the home front is currently enjoying Heaven On Earth.

To maximize this wonderful experience requires only internal and external vigilance to repel encroachments. I don't have the desire to go on an offensive against Darkness in the world at large, only to keep it under control in my own little circle. I also don't have an issue with actually wielding darkness as a weapon of self-defence, and I have found it quite effective in that role.

What I have ultimately learned about happiness is that it boils down to being highly focused on what you yourself are doing.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Do you have the right attitude towards challenges?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Dry throughout with sunny/clear spells
A moderate westerly will peter out overnight
Max Temp = 18 degC
Min Temp = 15 degC
Sunrise at 05:31
Sunset at 20:54

Weathertrack: Depressions will form and steadily deepen over north-west Europe
Air Pressure: 1013 millibars and rising slowly

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
A word to the wise isn't necessary - it's the stupid ones that need the advice! :D  

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!    
Russell Howard's Good News - Brian Blessed Satnav 

8. TRIVIA
The bumblebee bat (Kitti’s Hog-nosed Bat) is the smallest bat in the world and lives in Thailand. Approximately the size of a bumblebee, the bat weighs less than a penny. It may be the smallest existing mammal. Due to habitant loss, it is listed as critically endangered. 

9. ZEN WISDOM
Health is not simply the absence of illness. Real health is the will to overcome every form of adversity and use even the worst of circumstances as a springboard for new growth and development. Simply put, the essence of health is the constant renewal and rejuvenation of life.