Demonstrate!

It's not everyday you find the park full of Essex police finest.  So to find them wandering about since before 10 am was a surprise.  Two or three were gathered around the gate, then others, with a variety of names across their backs, began to gather.

It transpires that a demo was to be held outside the (closed) council offices, regarding the asylum seekers who are housed in a disused airbase not that far from the town.   The local population cannot be more than 1500 and with a recent announcement of plans to increase the asylum numbers to 2500 anger was forthcoming.  

What is there to do in such a place?  Nothing!  How could 2500 strangers be coped with?  The several hundred there at the moment are one thing, this increase an unacceptable to some, problem.

So, they gathered at the council yelled and chanted, blew horns and noisy things, and within an hour or so had gone to the shops.  With the lasting effects of my cold I declined to go and look myself, but it appears no trouble arose, the police made their way home slowly, overtime was paid, nothing much occurred.  

What was the point?

The council went to court to stop this, the MP, a one time cabinet minister opposed it, and still does, and they are getting nowhere.  Does anyone think this will make a difference?  I suppose they have to do something.  

This I think, is slightly different from the usual demos.  The Tommy Robinson attacks on asylum seekers brings many flag waving, head shaven, large well built, and not too bright, Englishmen to such demos to 'protect women and girls.'  The fact that many of the 'Farage Rioters,' had convictions for 'domestic assault,' indicates something else.

What to do with asylum seekers?

First, ban politicians from using them as weapons to increase their popularity.

Second, close down papers that lie about asylum seekers.

Third, publish true figures rather than allow lies to spread.    

Fourth, lock up Robert Jenrick.

It is not possible to stop Tommy Robinson, he is on his eighth luxury 5 star holiday, this time in Northern Cyprus, with the wife to which he gave all his money. then divorced.  She just happens to be with him, having gone bankrupt herself owing thousand to the tax man and various others.  

I wonder who  is paying him?

VJ-Day 2025

With August 15th 2025 being the 80th anniversary of the end of the war with Japan, it is clear there will be no more major commemorations from the Second World War.  Those who served, in the Army Royal Navy or RAF will be well into their 90s, and many over one hundred years of age now.  Any 18 year olds in 1945 will now be 98, and very likely to miss the 90 the anniversary.  

Therefore it is right that the nation, the UK, remembers those who served in the last phase of the war against the slow to surrender Japanese.  It is important to remember the Australian and New Zealand, the Ghurkhas, the Indian and African regiments who also served and suffered severe war conditions and pitiful prisoner of war treatments.

The decision to surrender without a fight left many servicemen angry, especially those who had just arrived in places such as Singapore who, after only 14 days, found themselves beginning a slave like experience on the famous Burmese Railway.  Many never found it within themselves to forgive or be reconciled with their captors, all carried the results of the treatment they had received both in body and in mind.

A short word for the captors.  Reading the experiences we note how the Japanese dehumanised their own men, from officer down to conscript.  We read that on occasion the worst Japanese guard turned out to be Korean. Korea at that time under Japanese control.  We also read of several Japanese guards who did not abuse the prisoners unless ordered to do so, and some who slipped food to them unobserved.  Huma nature in war is an interesting thing to watch.

The Japanese of today are not under such an imperialist army.  Indeed their creativity and work ethic has made Japan one of the worlds leading nations.  Their men suffered, and continued to suffer PTSD and guilt from their actions also after the war.  Few of their leaders were held to account, many continued in power under General MacArthur and USA control.  

Life is a funny thing.

We do not forget those who served, below are the ten local men who died in the Far East.   

Not all their experiences would make pleasant reading.   

BEERE, STANLEY HAROLD Gunner 963577. Royal Artillery 16 Defence Regt. Died: 13th February 1942 Age: 22. Born Cosford 1919. SINGAPORE MEMORIAL        

Singapore surrendered 15th February 1942.

Within Kranji War Cemetery stands the SINGAPORE MEMORIAL, bearing the names of over 24,000 casualties of the Commonwealth land and air forces who have no known grave. Many of these have no known date of death and are accorded within our records the date or period from when they were known to be missing or captured. The land forces commemorated by the memorial died during the campaigns in Malaya and Indonesia or in subsequent captivity, many of them during the construction of the Burma-Thailand railway, or at sea while being transported into imprisonment elsewhere. The memorial also commemorates airmen who died during operations over the whole of southern and eastern Asia and the surrounding seas and oceans.

BENDING, GEORGE.  Private 5827417.  Suffolk Regiment 4th Bn. Died: 16th September 1943 Age: 28. THANBYUZAYAT WAR CEMETERY,  The 4th & 5th Battalions Suffolk's were Territorial battalions. Sent to Singapore January 1942 the endured just over two weeks of action before surrendering to the Japanese forces. Then followed over three years harsh treatment as Prisoners of War. During this time George Bending died.      

BEVAN, THOMAS EDWARD. Colour Serjeant 2033192 King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)  attd. King's African Rifles. Died:24th September 1944. Age: 29. RANGOON MEMORIAL. Husband of Gladys Bevan, of Braintree, Essex.   

DAVISON, PETER DOUGLAS. Lieutenant 331870 Essex Regiment attd. 1st Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment.  Died: 18th April 1946.  Age: 26. KRANJIWAR CEMETERY.  Son of John Douglas Davison and Elizabeth Davison, of 130 Cressing Road, Braintree, Essex.  Father John a heating engineer.  Peter died at Jahore, Malaya possibly from disease and buried at Wing Loon Cemetery on the 19th, re-interred at Kranji September 9th.

FRYATT, JOHN ALFRED. Petty Officer Telegraphist C/JX 139959 Royal Navy H.M.S. "Thanet" Died: 27th January 1942. Age:25  CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL  Son of Edward and Annie Fryatt. Lived 38 Sunnyside, Braintree.

HMS "Thanet," and the destroyer HMAS "Vampire," were ordered to sea to intercept large Japanese convoy. They steamed from Singapore at 4.30pm on 26 January, carrying only three torpedoes each. Early in the morning of 27 January they ran into the covering force of Japanese warships, consisting of three destroyers, and later being joined by the Japanese cruiser Sendai. Thanet was hit in the engine room and disabled, and began to sink. Vampire attempted to lay down a smoke screen but was driven off under heavy fire, and managed to escape. Thanet sank with heavy loss of life shortly afterwards.

GOODAY, NORMAN GEORGE  Private. 6019078 Suffolk Regiment 4th Bn.  Died: 13th September 1943. Age: 23 CHUNGKAI WAR CEMETERY. Born Braintree 1919.  Son of Samuel and Elizabeth Mary Gooday, of 8, Maple Avenue, Braintree, Essex.  Father Samuel a church caretaker.

The 4th & 5th Battalions Suffolk's were Territorial battalions.  Sent to Singapore January 1942 the endured just over two weeks of action before surrendering to the Japanese forces.  Then followed over three years harsh treatment as Prisoners of War.

MARTIN, CECIL ERNEST. Private  6025547  Essex Regiment 1st Bn. 23rd Infantry Brigade, 6th Division. Died: 15th April 1944. Age: 24  KOHIMAWAR CEMETERY

Fierce fighting around Kohima during 1944, severe casualties for 1st Essex however from here on the Japanese were in retreat.

McDERMOTT, THOMAS HAROLD Sergeant. 358213 Royal Air Force Died: 27th July 1945 Age: 40. SINGAPORE MEMORIAL Born Mill Hill 1905, Son of Henry Thomas McDermott and Florence Bertha McDermott; husband of Lily May McDermott, (Wed 1931) of Braintree, Essex. Death recorded by Japanese as 'Malaria.' 

NUNN, ARTHUR JAMES.  Gunner. 1831405  Royal Artillery 270 Bty., 77 Lt. A.A.Regt.  Died:7th December 1942.  Age: 36. Born Ashtead, Surrey 1906.  DELHI WAR CEMETERY  Son of Josiah F. Nunn and Lily Dale Nunn, of Braintree, Essex. Brother Josiah Grimston died 1931. Sister Phyllis born 1921.

REID, WILLIAM. Gunner.  2872020.  Royal Artillery 3 Bty., 6 H.A.A. Regt. Died: 11th December 1943. Age: 35 KANCHANABURI WAR CEMETERY.  Son of James and Jane Reid; husband of Bridget Reid, of Braintree, Essex.

Became Prisoner of War when Singapore surrendered to Japanese on 15th February 1942. 

Buried Tasao No 2 Cemetery, re-interred Kanchanaburi  1st March 1946.

Suffering...

Of course I am not going to complain about suffering this way.  I realise I will get no sympathy, especially from people with hip trouble, cardiac arrests and smallpox, but those are minor in comparison to how my throat hurt this morning.

However, I will struggle on without complaining...

Heat

We are having what some call a 'heatwave.'  I like to remind them that this is August and we are supposed to have heat in August.  They never thank me, just whine about the weather the week before.  When the sun is hot people sit in the park and turn red, then spend days whining about paid.  When the sun is hidden people spend days whining about the weather.  

This is UK normality.

The real problem is being one of the Atlantic Isles.

To the east lies a huge continent, to the west a huge ocean.  

From the west we get the jest stream bringing air of various qualities all the way from the far flung USA.  This includes their left over hurricanes which drench Scotland and the north west mostly, and occasional dross from their many volcanoes that they like to set off.  This week we have been enduring the smoke, high up, from Newfoundland wild fires, though we can produce these ourselves, as Edinburgh has shown this week.  No doubt, but without any evidence, all such fires are started by some wee scruff who thinks he is funny.  Occasionally accidents cause them, but cynic that I am I suspect arson.

To the east we have little in summer and Autumn.  It is in winter that these eastern types send us the Artic cold that they have developed and freeze the eastern coastline for days on end.  They, like the Yanks, never apologise for this.

I sit huddled over a hot laptop, with a thick jacket on my back, because of the draughts that have caused my throat to cease, my cough to continue, and left me knowing that if I go outside into the heat there I will get sunburnt in minutes.

Life is so unfair.

However, it is a good job I am not one to complain.  

Not being one to complain, and in spite of my reluctance, I hobbled down to the Liberal Club and the somewhat unfriendly locals, to meet the 'Last of the Summer Wine' contingent.  Nobody was there!  Only the leader was already seated in our corner when I joined.  One was away in Somerset, wherever that is, having another holiday, two are in hospital, one with his head and lack of use of legs, the other recovering in a hospice  treatment centre after a car accident I did not know about.  

I thought he was having a long holiday!  

Only two others arrived.  

For a SPAM meeting it was not good, and at £3:40 a pint I would rather have been bored back home.  

We did not even begin to put the world to rights.  A poor show really.  

I may suggest forgetting it next month and seek an alternative.

I clambered home, amazed at how the road moves as I walk, climbed the stairs and decided to seek a lesser brew next time.

Faith Money

Genesis 15

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:

“Do not be afraid, Abram.

    I am your shield,

    your very great reward.”

2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 

“This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Faith, Abram believed God, a God he hardly knew but did understand he was God and was in control of his life.  He had brought him a couple of thousand miles into this land, how could he do anything but believe?

We read this today, listened to John attempt to expound this faith.   Jesus saying trust the father to provide, don't worry about clothes and money, the father is with you.

Straight forward stuff.

However, As we sang 'Be bold, be strong,' and 'All to Jesus I surrender,' I could not get away from the man I found on Twitter the other day.  Here was a man pastoring a small church in an area where Christians were not protected or favoured.  I am unaware of the country, possibly a former Soviet area in Asia, but clearly not ne where Christians are popular.

We sing such songs so easily then go home to our peaceful homes, the kitchen well stocked, plenty of luxuries around, and fail to see how fat we are!  We speak of it, we say we will change, but never do.  

Men such as this pastor leads his church and will continue to lead his church to promote the glory of Jesus Christ among the locals, even though his life may be lost.  We occasionally get rejected by friends and family, he might lose his job, his income, his home, his wife and children and his life.

How fat we are.  

Luke

12:29. And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32. ‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33.  Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Nicola's Book...

Nicola is enjoying being the centre of attention once again.  Now the woman who killed the independence movement within the SNP is flaunting herself as a suffering woman, and finding the media enjoy this and agree with her.

Poor woman was shocked when arrested, she says, and thought of throwing herself into the sea, apparently.  Her sexuality was not 'binary,' she says, and surprised no one.  This however, gets her support from the deviants in the press and those who also thrust such failures upon us as signs of  success.  

There has been no mention of loosing 59 MPs and replacing them with less than half that number through not seeking independence.  I await interviewers asking if Special Branch have ever paid her for her work?

Nicola is enjoying these moments of glory.  Her followers will rush to buy the half truth book, all politicians books are half truth books, and support her faithfully, while ignoring the damage her love for deviants has done to Scotland and the independence movement.

The sooner the Sturgeon Junta is removed from the centre of the SNP the sooner Scotland can move on.

Shorts

What is it about men and shorts?

Why do so many Englishmen reach for the shorts the minute they are told 'Spring is in the air?'  Since the first inkling of Spring men of all ages have been walking and hobbling around in shorts!  Why?

It is as if they cannot continue to wear trousers, as if they were being transported back to their childhoods, or possibly Scout days.  The sun is here, on with the shorts, a grubby T-shirt reminding others of the great days of Pink Floyd, and dark glasses, possibly so they are not recognised by anyone.

Just going down to dump the rubbish and I see a man in elegant T-shirt and shorts walking down the road as if this was normal.  He's not young and he's not old, but dressed for the beach or back garden.  What happened to real elegance?

Some men will insist on their manly walks across the mountains, dressed in shorts, ex-army shirt, strong boots and prepared to camp out in the hills.  Partly this is to show they are tough men, partly because it is great to be out there away from civilisation, and partly because no woman wants them in the house.  Some men have been doing this since a youth, camping high above the world, cooking on small stoves, washing in rivers.  I would love to join them but do not appear to have any shorts to wear.

However. a 3 star hotel at least is my desire, not a tent!

A man in shorts.

 

Nuclear Bombs

 

I read in the 'Times,' the story of a woman who survived the bombing of Hiroshima, and with her surviving family moved straight away to her mothers home town of Nagasaki.  

Ayano Hirashima was 8 years of age when a blinding flash left her under rubble.  Her family survived and the made of to Nagasaki arriving just after the second Atom bomb had landed.  At the station they were greeted with burned people, some alive some dead, and much confusion as to what to do.   This was a similar situation many throughout the previous years had endured across the world as war raged.  

Naturally, she and her family walked through the city to their destination, where she still lives, all the time unaware, as were most people, that radiation all around them would prove to be a killer.

Some 100,000 Japanese who endured one of these bombs remain alive, only 130 appear to have encountered both.  Of these only Ayano and a 94 year old woman called Kinyuo Fukui in the north remain.  Those remaining all are around 86 years of age.  Long lives abound in Japan.

It is not a surprise that these Hibakusha, as survivors are known, lead they way in calling for an end to nuclear weapons.  They have seen the blinding flash, the destruction and suffering that ensued.  Ayano and probably all the rest, have suffered cancers of various forms since 1945.

Many decry nuclear weapons, calling the bombing of Hiroshima a 'war crime.'  I note they forget the Japanese treatment of the peoples of Korea, and their invasion of Manchuria, and the war in China from 1937 on which included the 'rape of Nanking,' and platoons of soldiers raping a woman to death or bayoneting her afterwards to ensure death.  I note they forget also the treatment of POWs during this time.  Indian troops buried alive, men beaten to death by the hundred, and the machine guns readied to execute all prisoners which was halted by the dropping of atom bombs and the Emperors surrender.  Even then not all Japanese accepted this surrender and wished to fight on.

Nuclear weapons are dreadful weapons.  The USA exploded many in Arizona while testing, they failed to kill any enemy however, the radioactive cloud spread across the mid west into Canada and killed a great many.  Famously, John Wayne, while making another historically inaccurate western and many of the crew involved suffered cancers from filming in Arizona.  When the Soviet Union ended they walked away from the nuclear test areas in Kazakhstan, (or was it Uzbekistan?) and left the people to suffer similar radioactive fallout.  No numbers of suffering were ever recorded.

All this reveals the horror of nuclear weapons.

However, while the chattering classes combine to oppose such things, and who can blame them, none object to soldiers carrying rifles.  In days of old armies were armed with spears and swords, bows and arrows, which were greatest killers?  Is a nuclear bomb, exploding high above a city, worse than an arrow falling at speed from a great height?  Which is more deadly?

Actually, neither is more deadly than the other.  One may kill one person, the other may kill thousands, but neither is responsible for the deaths.  

It is an individual who is responsible, not a weapon.

You and I, man, remain the most deadly weapon in the world.

Human nature, greedy, selfish, arrogant, proud and unwilling to bend for another, remain the most dangerous creature on earth, and always have been.  Corrupt human nature, sin if you like, is responsible for war, whether with a knife or a bomb.  

Our human nature is the danger. 

What are you going to do about it?

August

August, in the northern hemisphere this is a summer month.  Outside my window dark clouds hide the summer from me.  This, in any August throughout these Atlantic Isles is, as Tom Jones put it, 'It's not unusual.' 

August takes its name from one Augustus Caesar.  Augustus, originally called Octavian, lived from 63 BC until 14 AD.  He took power after defeating one Mark Anthony and his bint Cleopatra in 31 BC and became the sole ruler of the Roman empire.  In 27 BC the senate, the parliament of Rome, gave him the title 'Augustus,' meaning 'illustrious one,' which he added to the name Caesar, a name granted to him from his great uncles will.  His great uncle was one Julius Caesar of great fame.  Julius also named him his heir, a good start in life.  

In 8 BC Augustus renamed the month Sextilis, 'August,' in his own honour.  Modesty was not a Roman norm. This was said to be because in August most of his great victories occurred, including taking Egypt. 

One advantage of August is the return of proper football.  As we speak up and down the land men are struggling to kick six bells out of one another, bringing glory to some and hospital time for others.  

Great fun!

The future

This is the future for the UK working class, not that the middle class will be avoiding such hassles.  

Those who own our politicians will continue to eradicate all our rights, encourage greed amongst themselves, and be content with the disabled and sick dying, from disease or NHS suicide.  

You voted for this.

Each one who fell for the Brexit lie voted for this.  The experiment in using small minded people's belief in their rightful heritage, that is an Empire and self sufficient glory, achieved Brexit.  To keep these people under control they continue to point at 'The Boats!  The Boats!' while their MPs remove your benefits, encourage you to kill yourself to save the rich money, and ensure there is no way out of this for you.

They indeed offer another way, 'Reform!'  

Reform, the home of Farage and his millionaire friends, along with all the criminal bampots strewn around the Conservative Party now joining Reform.  The emphasis is on 'The Boats,' while Laws to be enacted fit the wishes of the criminal fraternity that partook senselessly of the Farage Riots.  Theses Laws, if enacted would not work, but that of course is the point.  These Laws are not meant to work, they are just to get Reform in power, once there what do they do?  Nothing.

Nothing is meant to work, it is all meant to slow down while the rich rip off everything that is worth it, and then leave you to rot.  

This is already working successfully in the USA where Trump has lined the pockets of Billionaires by $1 trillion, allowed JFK to encourage people to stop having the Measles vaccine, thus ensuring children are suffering and dying in Texas because of this, and vast amounts are removed from caring for the lowest of society, and indeed many of the white Trump voting middle class.

A mess is all around us, and it will develop greatly as time goes by.

Look out for the 'Reichstag Moment' won't you?

From my Window

I was cogitating the other day on passers-by.  By that I refer to those people who have been walking, cycling, hobbling, past my window these past hundred years or so I have been here.  With that superstore up the road ready always to rob them of their money, there are always people moving back and forth.  The town centre is to the left, the shops, cafe's, events and market traders, all attracting crowds, just like the pubs do in the evening, or so I am told.  

Dog walkers pass by, sometimes avoiding dogs not to their mutts liking, all heading for the green acres opposite.  Vehicles abundant pass by as fast as they dare, except late in the afternoon when the shoppers mix with the factories coming out and those sitting in their flash cars dreaming they are Jeremy Clarkson are limited to 3 mph at most.  

Humanity passing by.

There are many faces I no longer see passing.  The somewhat miserable woman of a certain age has long gone, from the male care home for the mentally hindered several no longer pass by.  I wonder if Covid, age or other disease did for them?  One chap on a bike always spoke, he remembered the town market complete with cattle in the Square, and must have seen much of the last war also as a young man.  He no longer passes, though he rode his bike to the end.   It is a good image, a main thoroughfare, it contains all of local life, young and old, good and bad, they all pass by one way or another.  

Occasionally we see the constabulary at work, checking a late night care that 'forgot' the traffic lights were red, chasing a wander man across the park, or driving home round the corner to end their shift, always hoping no-one will call for them on the way.  In the past, when pubs closed at 11 pm, we often had gangs swarming down here, shouting and yelling, occasionally damaging items, or happily leaving a pint glass or two on our front (thanks guys!).  Since they began varied closing times this rarely happens, only those intent on trouble bother, bother. 

Anyway, tonight the sun still shines, dogs are being walked by young men, it used to be almost always the women, and various happy young couples who have moved in recently exercise in the sun.  

I think I will exercise sleep...

Persecution

It was while singing badly the song 'Shine Jesus Shine,' this morning that I got to cogitating on some of the Christians in war zones.  'Flood the nations with grace and mercy/Send forth your word and let there be light.'

When we came to this bit all I could think of were the Christian people suffering attacks in Syria.  They did not ask for much, just prayers.  Islamist groups of various flavours, Assad remnants, bandits, Kurds and others, surround them and force them from their homes.  We sing lightly about 'light,' and 'grace and mercy.'  We are so comfortable and they and many others suffer so badly.  People have their homes and churches destroyed in China and India, life is dangerous in many other places, yet we are safe and somewhat soft.  We dare not speak his name in case people laugh or turn away, and in many businesses and civic offices daring to question the diversity mob leads to many situations such as Sandie Peggy with NHS Fife!  Danger is found here also.

Still, we met and enjoyed the coffee morning type service today, more of this I think.  The Good Lord was there though few strangers arrived, more biscuits for us I say!   As the clear up began I remained seated so all the women would have to come to me.  Naturally they almost all managed to find an excuse to cross over to me, as I expected.

Back home lunch was rotten, football  was rotten, my tea was abysmal, and I am still suffering from that.  But not being one to complain I will continue on my way, praising our God and seeking an early bed.

Badger the Meter

As part of the monthly routine, most of you will understand this, I have to clamber downstairs, trundle round the back of the building, then clamber downstairs once more to the basement.  Once, this was easy, now it is a trial, especially when half way there I realised I had forgotten the paperwork to scribble down the numbers thereof!  Being an idiot is great most of the time but not always you realise. Anyway, down there amongst the ageing spiders webs, the litter blown in by various gales, the odd items dumped by lazy tenants moving on, and the occasional corpse, I found the meter where I had left it.  I scribbled down the numbers, pocketed the paper and pen, and began my ascent.

Eight steps may be few to you, but eight cramped aged steps, with that bit of wood at the bottom looking like it will move anytime, are beginning to worry me.  At least there was music.  The man in No 2 had a guitar CD blasting out, much to my pleasure, rather than the dross on offer most days in this world, and as I grabbed the sides and laboured myself up into the bright sunlight I realised that if I did get trapped down there he would not have heard my pleas.  I might have had to await his woman shutting him up before I could be rescued by Highway patrol.  There again they might just shut the door, fasten the bolt and forget me.  

Anyway, that aside I got out.

Walking slowly in the sunshine I noted how the efficient recycling is going.  One week recycling, next week paper and card.  This morning the boys have just grabbed the lot!  Why do we bother if the staff do not know what they are to do?  Who knows?  However, it has gone off to the piles of recycling lying hither and thither near the railway.  Very safe, unless it catches fire again. 

To revive myself after my trial, I opened a bottle of 'Badger Master Stoat'  'Coffee Stout.'  Very much Coffee stout indeed!  And very good it is too, I recommend this.  A half a pint of this and I'm anybody's today, as long as I can lie on the floor.  

The breweries tried to make us drink foul mass produced rubbish way back when, and this gave rise to many smaller and better breweries brewing proper and varied beers.  Some succeed, some fail, the thing to do is to try one occasionally.  With the prices thereon and taxed abundantly this means I will not become an alcoholic any time soon.  Not that I would, but such prices hinder this anyway.

So, I slowly recover and await the frozen fish in the oven warming up, then the weekend can begin...

Main Stories?

Many things in the media annoy me, usually the slanted opinions, lying headlines and obsession with empty people.  This is one example.   A CEO, from the ESA, who nobody had heard off, from a company few people knew existed, was caught at some pop concert hugging a female no-one knew. 

This became front page news for days, why?

Who is he, who is she, who cares?

The people who indulged this news item will have no idea what his company does, no idea who he is, yet they will have followed the story for days, until another scandal involving people they do not know arises.  

As it is, the company and he have parted, he is not upholding their values, apparently.  What those values are, bad publicity I think the one they mean, and with me having no intention to search out the company and find out what they do and who he is, and what their values may be, all leads me to wonder why I am wasting time on this.

Well, this follows the other scandal, 'Masterchef.'

Now this is not a programme I would watch.  No cooking programme is worth watching these days, they are all soap operas, concerned with the presenters, not the cooking.  There again, there are few programmes I would ever watch these days, bar the football.  

Here complaints re someone's behaviour was ignored for years by the BBC, until it got into the media.  Now he has gone, we await the next one.  He too, and it will be a he, will be some sort of sex pest, pervert, deviant, or loud mouth, bullying the staff and getting paid far too much money, and will feel untouchable, unlike the women around him.  

The BBC is indeed full of perverts, and most get long well enough for the most part, however, this type of thing reveals the depth of corruption, bad management at all levels, and also the publics desire to know more about the meaningless empty lives of TV celebrities.  Something I myself do not care for.  They are all broken people, all desperate for attention, and few are worth knowing.

Who will be next to turn attention away from slaughter in various parts of the world, the billionaires running the Labour Party, now seeking to increase the pension age (IDS wishes to increase this to 75), and many other serious subjects pushed to the small places in the media by stories such as this.

It was ever thus.

Cat Nap

Can there be anything more productive than a noon time catnap?

Sleeping 8 hours a night is OK by me, if you can get more than four straight hours that is, but that 15 minutes at midday is the best sleep off the day.

Whether this is because we are made to sleep in the middle of the day or whether I am just too old to continue after lunch I know not.  However, hot countries tend to close down between noon and three, in Spain football begins at nine in the evening when the cool of the day arrives, not at midday as is more suitable in Scotland.  Does the weather then determine our sleep patterns?  Certainly, the light mornings have me up by five am some days.  Winter makes this more unacceptable.  Quite how they cope in Sweden I fail to comprehend. 

Male lions sleep for around fourteen hours a day, only getting up to take the biggest portion of whatever the wife has brought in, and then returning to sleep it off.  Cats must be very close to this also.  Could it be, I am becoming a cat?  

 

Quotes

Amazon

 

David Beckham

Maths is totally done differently to what I was teached at school.

Is the pope catholic.  No, I'm serious. I really need to know.

I definitely want Brooklyn to be christened, but I don't know into what religion yet.

Brian Clough

Beckham?  His wife can't sing and his barber can't cut hair.

Telling a player to get his hair cut counts as coaching as far as I'm concerned.

The River Trent is lovely.  I know, because I have walked on it for 18 years.

Others

The linesman flagged initially because he thought I was an Oldham player.  Fair enough, I did have a replica shirt on...but I also have a big furry head.

               Chaddy the Owl  the Oldham FC mascot, given offside during a match.

He's just got the Midas touch right now.  Everything he touches turns to silver.

                                                                                                                    Richard Keys

One accusation that you can't throw at me is that I've always done my best.

                                                                                                                  Alan Shearer

As a boy I was torn between being a footballer or joining a circus.  

At Partick Thistle I did both.

                                                                                                                   

Alan Hansen

It took a lot of bottle for Tony to own up.

                                            Ian Wright, referring to Tony Adam's alcoholism.

There are more available.

Dens Park, Dundee 1937

Archaeological Vandals, & Spam...

A handful of us met together last night for our SPAM meeting.  

This is a glorified get together of men from the Kirk, a chance to socialise for a while. With many dragged away by the wife for family affairs, holidays (get them in before the kids leave school) and other excuses, only 5 of us arrived, and one of them was a stranger.

This man, who's name I missed, was talking as I arrived and still talking as he left some time later.  The others, especially those who talk much, could not get a word in edgeways.  I wonder who he was?

You know it is bad when you look at the others and blank faces greet you.  

Anyway, I discovered a thing called 'Belhaven Black.'  This is a type of stout originating somewhere in Scotland, but probably far from Belhaven!  I liked it.  It was only as I climbed the stairs back home did I realise how strong it was!

So, for us it was a quite night.  Few words spoken, ears burning, and we could not play the old men wishing we were young again.  I did learn the 75 years old had been out on his aged BSA motorbike, running around Suffolk.  He is planning a trip to the war graves in France, forced to take 3 others with him, much against his better judgement.  I'm not sure his wife knows this yet.

For some reason I was quite tired this morning.

Ken747

Flag Fen Roundhouse.  A reconstruction designed to inform re the people who lived here around 3500 years ago.  Discovered in 1982 the site has been comprehensively researched and a great many items have been discovered concerning the life styles of the residents from so long ago.  The roundhouse was reconstructed to indicate the homes used by the peoples of the time.  A flat somewhat watery existence with rising sea levels making life difficult I suggest.

However, the pint of this is simple, someone had burned the roundhouse to the ground!

Vandals, or just stupid people playing games, late Sunday evening smoke was noticed above the treetops.  Firemen were quickly on the scene and while they could not save the roundhouse itself, now used as a museum, they did manage to prevent any further damage on the site.  The roundhouse, built by volunteers, has been completely destroyed and will have to be rebuilt from scratch. 

To do this the general manager of the site is seeking support from local businesses regarding materials, timber, thatch, scaffold etc, as well as volunteers and around £50,000 to pay for it all.  

One stupid person, or deliberate vandal, has destroyed, at great cost, much excellent work that provided an experience many who visit the site will never forget.  Can we hang him? 

 

Angela Unite!

                                                      Telegraph

I love the way the Tory press always find a picture of someone they dislike scowling.  There are of course many smiling Angela's to be had but the 'Daily Telegraph,' always finds a scowl.  Lucky for us this one is in colour, usually they are black and white.

Angela is scowling because she belongs to the union 'Unite.'  They support the workers in Birmingham, one of England's largest cities, who are on strike.  They are on strike because the Labour council, like several Conservative ones, has bankrupted the city by poor management and the council now wish to cut the dustman's wages to help pay for this.  These men are losing £8000 a year they cannot afford to lose, to pay for the council mess.  'Fire & Rehire' operations have also been suggested by the Labour council.

No wonder they go on strike.

However, the Labour government, which proclaims it is standing up for the workers, has refused to stand up for the workers, and is backing the Labour council and telling the workers to get back to work, and accept a large pay cut.

The workers refuse.

Now, 'Unite,' the union Angela Rayner finds she has been suspended after a vote amongst the members because she has supported the council, not the workers.  She, on £91,000 as an MP, and considerably more as a member if the cabinet, is telling the struggling workers to accept a pay cut!

No wonder she has been suspended.

Today the temperature in may places is touching 30% C, that's the late 88'sF.  Now for months as this strike has continued the refuse has piled up in Birmingham, and as far as I know nothing has been done about it.  Can you imagine the smell?  

The leader of the council, and several other councillors have also been suspended by 'Unite,' and 'Unite' will now consider their support for the Labour Party altogether.  They gave £500,000 to Labour during last years election.

Angela claims she thought she had resigned from 'Unite' a while ago, but she remains on their list and also on the list of Members Interest in the House.

Exploring London's Tower Bridge (and the London Bridge that isn't in Ari...

Brain Fog

 

I appear to be having trouble with this.

Downloading some items from the Western Front Association led to a mind fault.  I sent them to the correct position, from where they would be further deposed in appropriate files.  The named files were empty!  

Several years of downloading items I hardly look at had disappeared!  I felt bereft.

Then, having reminded windows and all tech geeks in the near and distant area what I thought of them I hesitated.  Further to the hesitation I then dug out the stick with WFA info upon it.  Here I discovered I personally, with deliberate purpose, had downloaded all the years of unread items into a safe place.

Why had no-one informed me that I had done this?

Suitable action was taken, I stopped informing tech geeks everywhere my opinions of them, placed the latest info into files I will now ignore, and rested easy.

Why do I keep forgetting things?  

It is common for me to fill the kettle and find myself several minutes later wondering whether I have had my tea or not.  I wonder this because I have filled the kettle, sat down having forgotten to switch the thing on.  I forget items in supermarkets, especially when they are on the list I have in my hand!

There is more to say on this...but I am struggling to remember it...

Interesting to hear Reeves and Starmer talk of taxing the wealthy.  You know that when it happens it will not hurt the really rich, their friends and supporters, but will take a portion from here and there and give it back to them somewhere else.  As always.  

I find it hard to imagine these people taxing the wealthy, that is not what the wealthy put them in place for.  The peasants pay tax, not the rich.  Just look at Trump, he has given the poor billionaires another trillion dollars free, the money comes from the health care of the poor and schoolchildren.

That is what they wish to do here also.  Just ask Steve Bannon, he knows.