Liverpool Street Meet

Wednesday morning found me sitting on a quiet Greater Anglia service for London Liverpool Street.  The £25:35 I paid, making use of my old man's ticket, gave me a smooth journey to my destination.

There I met a pink boiled maggot and headed for Costa for coffee (£7:10 for two!)

It has been a year or two since we last met, she coming from Costa, me from the local wilderness, and using Costa for coffee was appropriate.  I always inform people that coffee originated in Costa Rica, hence the company name, some believe me!  

The usual million people thronged around us, though not for us of course.  Trains arrived and trains departed, very smoothly today I must say.  However, one whistle blew at one point and I realised how much I miss hearing a whistle blow when trains depart the station.  They no longer give two sharp whistles as the leave either, and I think this sad really.  The departure time on both trains arrived and we smoothly and quietly began to head for our terminus.  All very efficient today, no hindrances, no leaves on the line slowing us down, no jammed doors, no suicides, no lorries hitting the bridges we cross, all was well.  On our line at least.  

Much renovation and future work in the area and including this station itself.  A great huge, and probably empty, towner block is to be built above it, possibly to launder someone's ill gotten gains.   

The original station is disappearing as we look.

Early pillars holding up the roof are still in place.

And the colossal Great War memorial of Great Eastern Staff who perished one way or another is still well kept, though two police bikes parked at the bottom tended to block the lower memorial items.

With worry for Fly's health I sought a coffee shop inside the station.  I did not wish her to walk too far. I was somewhat surprised, but should not have been, that on leaving she was off on a bus to John Lewis to spend money.  I needed to do the gentleman thing here, so naturally I mentioned my war wound, hobbled away, and let her get on with it.  

The surrounding area gets higher every time I pass here.  What is it with those people who wish to build ridiculous sky scraper office blocks that companies cannot afford to use, and with most people working better from home, do not wish to use?

Some old sights remain, such as this place.  I did not enter, it has a good and filthy reputation but it also has London prices.  I do not work in one of these towering office blocks so I cannot afford to enter.  If I earned their money I would need a security guard to accompany me everywhere.  

I have no intention of mentioning the incident where Fly took her stick, placed the hook in the hood of the young man who bumped into her as he passed , and pulled him under that bus.  The young policewoman, are they not all young today, was very kind and helpful to Fly here.  I wonder if he is still under that bus?

Home, still breathing, and glad to have gone down there,  A good day from my point of view.  I wonder if fly is still in John Lewis's?

The Drowned and the Saved

This is quite a good book if you like sinking in a hurricane force storm.

The story concerns the sinking of two ships, the damage done to two others, and the response of the islanders on Islay.

It is 1918, the war is heading towards its end, and US troops (called 'doughboys' far too often in this book) are crammed into ships crossing the Atlantic.  One, the Tuscania is sunk by U B-77 with a successful torpedo strike in February 1918.  The other is the larger ex-liner Otranto which in a heavy sea was struck by another convoy ship, the Kashmir. 

The Tuscania attempted to lower lifeboats, some went into the sea, others were badly handled by young, inexperienced and frightened crewmen, often on their first voyage.  The gale force winds, rearing seas high and violently did not help the escape pattern.  Eventually a destroyer arrived and with difficulty took many men of the ship.  Others in lifeboats were picked up, sometimes hours later, by trawlers working as minesweepers.  However, in spite of the rescue attempts a great many lifeboats made it to the coast of Islay and were dashed against the rocks.  Smashed lifeboats, raging seas, rocky shore and high cliffs led to many perishing on the coastline.  

On shore the locals rallied round in a rescue attempt.  Some risked their lives in the water hauling men from the waves, others climbed the cliffs to rescue stranded survivors, all took part in reclaiming the bodies washing up on the shore line.

Survivors were tended in farmhouses, school buildings, and sheds.  The local women spent many hours baking scones for the survivors and tending them in their beds.  Locals, who had already lost many men in the fighting in France and Flanders were keen to aid the US wounded lying before them.  It cost the all they had, but they would not ask for recompense.  These islanders knew the sea, and knew the cost of sailing on it in storms.  

Graves were dug in several places and the dead buried in solemn fashion.

During September 1918 another convoy of green US soldiers set sail.  The convoy followed orders by zig-zagging along the route to lessen the opportunity for passing U-Boats.  However, by the time the convoy rounded the north of Ireland with Scotland to the east a gale blew up.  A force 11 gale, that is hurricane force, lifted the seas to 40 feet heights.  Soon the ships in the dark lost what little sight they had of one another and it was up to the experience of the captains to make for their port.  It was not inevitable but accidents were likely, and by misjudging their position one turned to port while the other turned to starboard.  Neither noticed the other until it was too late. 

The Kashmir hit the Otranto midships, cutting a huge V-shaped wedge into her side.  The shock, in such waves was enormous.  The ships were disentangled, the Kashmir then made for her port desperate to avoid her damaged front taking in water.  She survived just.

The Otranto was badly damaged and attempts to lower lifeboats were hindered by inexperience, high seas, and boats turning over in the waves.  Eventually, one destroyer did make a foolhardy attempt to rescue men.  HMS Mounsey, who had seen action at the Battle of Jutland, attempted to come alongside.  The Otranto's mster demanded the Royal Navy back off before losing their ship also, but Lieutenant Craven, the man in charge, replied that he would take survivors or both go down together.

So began a frantic rescue operation in the dark, with high waves, a gale force wind, amid a rescue only a desperate man would attempt.  Craven attempted it.

Eight times he crashed his destroyer into the side of the liner, each time men tried to jump onto the Navy vessel.  Many fell between the ships and were crushed, others made it on board and were grabbed inside by the crew, held on tight to anything nearby, or were washed overboard by the sea.

This mad effort did rescue several hundred men, while others who had got into lifeboats made for the Islay coast.  So, several months after the last disaster Islay folk were once again finding bodies on the shore.  Once again they tended what survivors there were, very few this time, and once again they gave what they had to feed the living and bury the dead.  Some bodies, in dreadful state, did not land for several months.  

Of course once the need was known help came from the mainland eventually.  The second time they were better prepared and supported by the UK and US army.  The US Red Cross provided much support and material, replacing what the locals had lost.  A connection between the Islanders and the USA began that lasted for manty years, survivors returning long after the event to see again the Island people and the severe coastland.  

This is worth reading because of the response of the islanders alone.  They gave all they had to support the men who landed alive.  Such an example of giving that we possibly could not match.  They would have done the same for a German ship also if a submarine had floundered I suspect.  

Well worth a read, but it is harrowing reading during the rescue attempts. 

War in Middle East

The emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1914, commentated on the cheering that arose when war was declared, "They cheer when war begins, but not when the bodies come home."  Now I may have paraphrased that somewhat but the meaning is clear.  I remember the noise in the House of Commons when they debated sending troops to the Falkland Islands, the cry was for blood, and all sides supported it.  None of those present, as far as I know took part in any fighting there.  

Once again, to keep out of court, Bibi Netanyahu has taken Israel and the USA to war, this time with Iran.  Once again Donald Trump has no idea what he is doing, once again we do not know what the outcome will be.  

The huge force gathered by the USA and Israel has failed to remove the Islamic regime.  It appears that as they attacked Iran, using Chinese equipment, jammed the aircraft radars which ensured many were shot down or useless.  The devastation is not one sided, as a well prepared Iran, both militarily leadership wise, is ready for a war in the air, on land and at sea.  Resources are not infinite and Iran is well prepared for the next step.  Donald Trump is not.

Missiles are falling around the middle east, nothing will stop them but negotiation and no-one wants that!   Finger pointing is everywhere, the UK government are awaiting orders from Florida, where Trump is hiding out, and he awaits orders  from Israel and Moscow.  The fact that the man who started the war has run away and hidden himself in Germany surprises some.  He has left his people to take the drones falling around Israel while he sits in a bunker in Germany.  Somewhat ironic I think.  Reports slip out that some US generals are demanding an end before it is too late.  Remember that Cheney and Rumsfeld were wishing to attack Iran and the generals stopped them.  "This is not Iraq," they said.

What now?  

Missiles will fall for a few days more, possibly lessening.  If the attackers withdraw it may end, if not who knows what will happen.  Certainly some will be indicating that scripture, mostly in the old testament, indicates Israel surrounded by enemies before the Hebrews turn en masse to Jesus as Messiah.  They might be right.  If this war continues, China will not be happy as sales will fall as western prices rise.  Oil will not flow from the middle east, plus shipping costs from insuring ships will rise dramatically.  The west will pay the price.  Russia however, will sell oil to India and China happily.  Now we know why Venezuela was so important to Trump.

God is working his purposes out in the middle east, Israel is in the centre, and you and I ought to be seeking our position before this Jesus in case those old testament scripture interpretations are correct.

The Wee Teams

BBC

 

Watching the highlights of Stranraer's recent game reminded me of just how much joy can be found watching football.  There are hundreds, possibly thousands of clubs kicking a ball around a sodden wet pitch somewhere in Scotland every weekend.  Lucky ones get to play on cold, wet, muddy pitches in the half dark of floodlights at small out of the way grounds in midweek also.  Yet they enjoy it, the fans enjoy it, and they come back again the next week for more.

I am talking here about those small clubs that many people have never heard of.  Clubs that have been playing in senior leagues for over a hundred or more years, Stranraer for instance began in 1870, the third oldest club in Scotland.  Scotland was of course the place where football as we know it today began.  It had been an organised game for hundreds of years, often to some people's objection.  Playing on the sabbath upset some ministers, playing 'of the futbal,' upset King James I as he wanted them at archery practice.  However, the game continued.  It always will.

It is the people who support these small teams that are in my mind just now.  The chances of success are low.  Promotion from one low division to the next is occasionally possible, a cup win over a 'Big' club always to be hoped for and sometime achieved.  There again, the chances of reaching the top division and remaining there are slim.  The local population is too small for many to survive, and the costs of reaching a high division can kill a club financially.  This however, does not stop the locals turning out to support, especially against 'Big' clubs in the cup, and in all weathers rain or shine.

Since seating was introduced some 30 years ago almost all grounds have some sort of seating under cover arranged.  This brings the women out with the kids, often they become true fans, more so than those who have been there for years.  These small clubs have a sense of belonging and emotional joy when successful that larger clubs, more used to winning something, can ever achieve.  The child's joy at the team scoring, the displays of anger at what is regarded as bad refereeing, the joy of victory, all these things bring a family together, bring a few hundred, sometimes dozen, people together, and makes the world a better place. 

We will ignore the defeats in the rain that make life depressing at this point.

To watch the crowd at smaller clubs during a game is sometimes more enjoyable than watching the game.  The crowd' rising' as the ball crosses into the box, all attempting to get their head on the ball, all except the 4 year old engrossed in a book, the girl asleep on dad, or the frozen mum hoping there is no added time as she is cold.  Watching them react is great sport.  Such things cannot be noted in the same manner at larger teams with greater crowds.  All such is hidden in the mass.  

Big football cubs may have colossal turnovers of money and men, they might provide some of football 'greats,' but their fans are no better at supporting, and grumbling about, their team than the side with a regular 250 watching.  The game is the thing, the club belongs to 'us,' and it is ours, even though we laugh at it and ourselves for following the club.  Football, 'the peoples game!'  

Not Stranraer!

Spring

Spring is in the air.  South west winds have eased the clouds into France leaving us with considerable sunshine and blooming daffodils.  These brighten the park opposite and offer a promise of warmer weather.  Of course it will snow at least once before April has finished, but that is normal here.  

Speaking off bright young things, has anyone seen Mandy?  Did he go with Nigel to that Mauritius holiday?  Or has he gone with Tommy to the USA to avoid paying taxes?  He has certainly not been 'door-stepped,' by the press, though they all know where he is.  Maybe, like Andy, Mandy knows to many names, and too much info.  I wonder where he will fall through a 10 storey window?

Hold on!  

Tonight's news is reporting our hero was arrested at home, and is now 'helping police with enquiries.'

We await more news.

Trump's boy went to the Maldives to remind us all that we cannot just walk into a military base, anywhere in the world.  We can however, stand far away and point in the direction of that base and pretend the UK government has 'banned me.'  Who pays for the flight, the hotel, the 'extra's,' and remains nameless?  What was in it for them?  Certainly not the people of Clacton, some of whom still defend him.  Why?

Trump himself was somewhat embarrassed when a US frigate, patrolling Greenland, had to seek medical help from Greenland for a sick sailor.  The boat did not have sufficient medical expertise for that situation, Greenland were willing to send aid.  The boat was thankful.

Trump claimed to have send a hospital boat, or was that two boats, to Greenland.  I do not think they have moved as yet.  He appears to have forgotten Iran again, maybe the pills are not working?  

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

Our ex-prince, and now commoner, Andy, has been arrested and taken in for questioning.  As is normal in the UK there is no more stated than that.   Under the Law of England and Wales the police will not even name the gentleman helping with enquires, and will discuss the situation with him for, I think, 48 hours before any further statement is made.

The King, his brother, issued a statement indicating that 'the Law must take its course.'  He did not add, 'It's nothing to do with me guv.'  Parties among royal household staff are thought to have begun in earnest, but no evidence has yet been produced.

 From an old 'Private Eye.'

Johnson & Johnson

 

Johnson & Johnson are renowned the world over for their 'Baby Powder,' among other products.  This is used less on babies than it is on women, however, and here is where the problem lies.  Many women blame the ovarian cancer that they suffered on their use of such Baby Powder.  Since 1971 this corporate giant has known of the connection between their 'Baby Powder,' and asbestos.  Where talc is mined asbestos is often found within or nearby.  More evidence arose in 2005 yet this was withheld and sales of the talc continued.  

In the USA several years worth of legal fights have ensued with a great many women, or their relatives, suing Johnson & Johnson for compensation.  The majority have won their case and other cases continue to arise.  The corporates who lined their pockets may well have retired by now, the company will be paying out billions for some time to come.

In the UK similar legal action is forthcoming.  My sister died from this disease some years ago and her daughter has joined a legal group who intend to bring such a case.  Hopefully this will succeed.  My sister apparently used a great deal of talc, and the surgeons suggested this was the most likely cause.  My niece suggested I join her, or at least the lawyer woman suggested this, but I consider it best she and her own daughter continue with the others proceeding with this case.  I think a great many are joining together to fight the company.  If I joined it would just be jumping on a bandwagon, for my niece it is justice for a company that cared nothing about those who suffered.  I'm sure Farage would represent them if paid well enough.  

Our modernised, computer controlled, solar powered pillar box awaits all comers.  I made use of it today confident that the card posted will be retrieved tonight and on its way north.  I am not so sure about the other end mind. 

The problem is privatisation!  Selling the Royal Mail and every other service has resulted in less service and increased prices.  Where did the money go?  Into private hands.  Today, with many competing in the parcel delivery market, 'white van man' covers the entire country worrying Royal Mail profit grabbers.  Quite why they worry I am unsure as most of the cheaper companies spend their time not delivering goods, Royal Mail are trusted much more.  However, orders from on high, via office workers up there who have never delivered a letter in their lives, demand parcels come first.  This means letters are not delivered, for weeks they say in some places, and pillar boxes are not collected, thus NHS, lawyers, and official documents do not arrive, causing all sorts of problems.  Does anyone care?  Not in Westminster.  The last card I sent arrived, but I sent it early, we shall see how this one works.

Candle light

Times are hard.  The gas bill arrived a week ago and the heating has been off more than on, in spite of the cold chill which has been around us all week.  Until the weekend it will remain like this, so I have turned to the candle to keep me warm and save using the lights.  This is because the electric bill will follow in a week or so, and that is worse than the gas.  This made me realise several things.  One is that matches are hard to light when lying in a cupboard for several years.  Another is that in those days when the only light came from an oil lamp or candle, if available, those who wrote books at night did not do much good for their eyes.  The great William Gladstone wrote all the time, letters, reports for Victoria of the parliamentary day, his own bills, and numerous other items, all this leading to harm for his eyesight.  Getting older did not help this either.  

Consider all those books, reports, manuscripts and other literature great and small written by such light.  The UK has a lot of darkness during the year, houses were not always gifted good windows, and therefore lighting by candle or other means was poor.  Yet masses of works arrived, and many are still read today.  The drivel scribbled on the web will, I suspect, not last into future millennia.  All this will be lost to posterity, and consider how the future will suffer when it misses our writing.  

What?...oh!

Talking of work, I notice the DWP, those caring benefits people, have been ensuring that the disabled must be willing to work if they want benefits.  With the number of people unemployed reaching a high of 5.2% in the UK, but only 3.8% in Scotland, the question being asked is 'Where are the jobs?'  If those with university degrees, years of experience, and willingness to work and struggling to fond a job, what chance has a seriously disabled person?  None whatsoever.

So, the caring PM has taken another step is helping the sick, he will ensure that any one who applies from a certain date now will have the benefit cut in half, to encourage them to find work.

What a heartless, cruel and savage act this is.

All this is part of the rich ensuring the weak pay the cost while they dodge the taxes.  The same wealthy people who give large donations 'for the office,' of MPs. 

Ratcliffe and Farage

Jim Ratcliffe, the Monaco based billionaire tax dodger, offered his opinion that "Britain has been 'colonised' by immigrants, who are draining resources from the state."  This upset many, as it was intended to do, enhanced by his comment that the population had grown by 12 million since 2020 and is now up to 70 million.  All this is meant to annoy and disturb.

Many will agree, and have raced to agree by saying, "Some Manchester people agree," which is another way of saying "I agree."  They have a point, those who emotionally run to agree without checking facts which indicate the details are wrong, may outnumber those who oppose Jim for his lack of information and blatant racism.  Both are wrong.

This is just another example of rabble-rousing.  It is easy to bring division and this is one example.  I read somewhere that Farage had met Jim Ratcliffe a day or two before his comments, and the way this has come out possibly reveals the Farage hand in this.  Since 2020 the UK population has not grown by 12 million, only by 2.5 or so million, easily merged into the nation.  The colonisation, and Scotland is colonised by England, by immigrants is Farage speech.  It is meant to divide, it is meant to cause anger, and it is meant to take the media coverage of Nigel.  Jim is not moved by this, he cares only for money, and the Dark Theology behind those running the coup on the West know he is on their side, as profit means more than anything else.  So the nation is angry at Ratcliffe, division is sown, he keeps his £4 Billion tax he dodged in Monaco, and Farage and his people laugh. 

By the way, this is interesting.  Bylines

Hope

It is easy to get depressed with the state of the world.  The impression given is one of confusion and danger, unstable governments, unstable individuals, and threatening forces that appear 'on the up' while common decency, care for others, and quiet stability are not seen.

It was ever thus.

Today people look back to the days of the 1950s as for them it was a period of peace and prosperity.  There is some truth in this, the Attlee government gave us the NHS, the best product of the UK ever, schools, houses and the basis of a strong economy with what was left after two world wars.  However, war still erupted around the world, criminals in government and in the locale were abounding then as now, while jobs were available money was still short.  The 'good old days' were no better than today.  Indeed, those who look back will never exchange their washing machines, hoover, flash TVs or cars and return to 1955 will they?  The problem is life never changes, what was, still is and will be again.  That's life.

Today the UK is spending much time on the Epstein files, the only major leader who is in danger of losing his job is Keir Starmer, and I doubt he would ever have taken a trip to Epstein Island, and if taken there would soon find a way out.  Trump, and all his gang remain, no matter what he does the US does not appear to care.  Was Trump involved with young women, aged under 16?  A 9 year old was mentioned, did he know?  So many questions, yet the millions of pages of files remain hidden or redacted, why?  

Mandelson has gone, again.  So many who knew him appeared shocked at what they heard, though the magazine 'Private Eye,' was writing about him many, many years ago, after the first of his three sackings.  Yet MPs are 'shocked?'

The connection between Trump, Steve Bannon and Boris in removing Theresa May from the PM job must be investigated by the correct authorities.  It will not be of course.  This is a criminal act, involving outside sources, hence 'treasonable.'  Nothing will happen.  The 'Labour Together' Israeli supported MPs will continue to fight to replace Keir, and promise to do nothing re Bannon and Boris or any Russian influence, because they may well be involved there also.  Billionaires leading coups in the UK and the US, supported by that nice Mr Putin, has been going on for years.  Many have known, yes Farage I mean you, where the money comes from and this includes the press.  It is such a shame we have np MSM willing to publish the truth about these things, even the Guardia, once a decent read, has joined the other side, if only there was a daily paper able to speak for the free world?

However, there is hope.

We see the fall of both Mandelson and Morgan McSweeney and can rejoice.  Two of the 'untouchables' have been touched.  Others can also be touched and brought to justice, no matter how corrupt a society happens to be.  Hitler's boys were untouchable once, Stalin died, Putin is running out of people to throw from the 10th floor, and all will be brought before almighty God one day.   

Is.19: 22. Who is it you have ridiculed and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!

23. By your messengers you have ridiculed the Lord. And you have said, “With my many chariots I have ascended the heights of the mountains, the utmost heights of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the choicest of its junipers. I have reached its remotest parts, the finest of its forest

24. I have dug wells in foreign lands and drunk the water there. With the soles of my feet I have dried up all the streams of Egypt.”

25. “ ‘Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it. In days of old I planned it; now I have brought it to pass, that you have turned fortified cities into piles of stone.

The Trumps, Xi Jinping's, the Putin's and Bannon's of this world think they are in charge.  They are not.  The world is controlled by Jesus of Nazareth, now Lord of all.  Whatever plans they make will be limited by his grace and his grace alone.  Why they are allowed their moment in the sun I cannot say, but we share the same sinful nature and we too could easily follow them if we let ourselves.  Be grateful you have not been swept up in their plans.  Hitler and Stalin are long gone, many other fearful men, and a few women, have risen and fallen, gods for a while and now experiencing their eternity.  We have a better eternity, Jesus provides it, and the short term worries brought but such people need not lead us to despair.  There is hope.

Sunday

Sunday began veiled in mist, deep mist.  The distant end of the park could not be found though the dog walkers appeared happy to walk into it and disappear.  The wood pigeon fluffed himself up to keep warm, and made a nice change for dinner.  Few Sunday travellers were out, some trailed towards church, a car or two trundled past, later others began the Supermarket road.  

By midday, when the sun had arrived to dispel mist and bring some degree of warmth people arose and struggled along the byways.  I remained with my curry lunch, wishing it had been Macaroni Cheese instead, and soon fell into the Sunday sleep.

Only the welcome news that Morgan McSweeney had departed was of note.  He who led the 'Labour Together' mob run by Israeli money has moved away, he says, and soon a replacement will join as boss to Keir Starmer, once Israel decides who.  The Israeli influence upon our government is very strong, and I doubt this will ease it much.

Hmmm, I hear, as a temporary measure, Morgan's two appointed deputies will act as 'stand in' advisors.  No change there then.

Saturday

I dragged back the aged curtains early this morning, then obviously washed my hands, noticing how the Saturday outlook is so different from the week day outlook.  For a start there is a lack of individuals heading to a workplace.  Certainly some drag their weary bodies along happy to spend half the day at a Sainsburys checkout, or in a shop dealing with the joy of meeting the public.  Most who pass by, if they are not walking the dog through the rain, rain that the dog does not notice and wags the tail happily as if he is on holiday in Greece or the like, most are heading into the 'public in shops' position, unaware of the understandable reaction of the shop staff.  Traffic is lighter early on, the supermarket crowd not yet got into the car, and a few rain drenching the brollys, carried by women fussing about their hair attempt to fill the gaps in the pavements.

Everywhere breakfasts for those unemployed for the weekend, unless she thinks different, are being taken.  Bacon, eggs, porridge, bread, rolls, and left over nans may be eaten.  What the children are eating when mum is not looking can only be guessed at.  

The local market attempts to work in the rain, the few stalls often hidden under sheets which kind of defeats the purpose of an outside stall in my view.  Shops are open, cars fill the car parks but few walk the streets unless they have to.  The rain that keeps on giving, and will for another week or two continue to give, makes me wonder whether the Atlantic has enough water left to continue giving.  We will find out soon.  

Lucky brave people will attend football up and down the land, unless rain waterlogs the pitches, some will waste time watching rugby, just what are those strips Scotland wear?  Who decided on these?  Are they colour blind or just blind?  I'm glad I don't watch rugby, like normal people I watch the football on the tv.  That was Ok, though at lunchtime I managed to sleep through part of it!  

This is what Saturday is for, shopping, getting out and about, football somewhere, meeting friends, visiting a place, or taking it easy, getting away from work stress and trying to have time for the self.

In most places what are called 'hospitality' areas will be bouncing.  Pubs, that is.  I'm glad I am not there.  It's all too much energy for me.  If I were rich I would buy a car, drive to the coast, and sit watching the sea, just like all those old people do.  I miss the sea, invigorating and interesting, but windy and chilly.  That is exciting enough for me when there is not football.    

Now outside, a car slowly passes by, great silence is left behind.  At this time all is quiet, later the boy racers will pass by, some chased by blue lights, other just racing themselves while on drugs.  I will be far from that, as will most of the town.  Saturday is over, a new day awaits.

Nothing in the News

I have nothing to say.  I have searched the media, Twitter and BlueSky, yet I find that there is nothing newsworthy in any off them.  All I read is the many people who have no knowledge whatsoever of Lord Mandelson's behaviour, even those who worked closely with him for 30 years.  Even those who he helped/chose for MP positions, they had no idea he could be a wrong 'un.  They are all shocked, and this in spite of him being sacked twice in past times, and being the type of man who only moved in devious circles.  I am shocked, almost as much as the Labour PM who knew nothing.  I almost believe he knew nothing but in a different manner.

Behind the scenes we have Israel, who put Morgan McSweeney in charge of Labour Together, and with Mandy selected appropriate personnel, including Morgan's wife, as candidates.  Morgan long ago worked on a kibbutz and has strong ties with the Israeli government.  He rules Labour, Keir is merely the front man.  The question there is who will he select next for the job?

Israel running the UK, they have a lot off Tories also, Russia running Farage, indeed, anyone with money will run Farage, and I wander if any of the local elections will go ahead this year, ours has been dropped while the contemplate union of councils and a new mayor over them all.  At all levels there is nothing to say about anything important at the moment.

The gas bill came in today, I have switched it off, decided not to use it again ever, and will live of the electric kettle at all times from now on.  Luckily, the rain clouds drench the streets but also enable a warmer atmosphere, especially at night. If it was clear we would have very low temps just now, and I can do without that.  Juts wait till the electric one comes!

Clock

Coming back from the failed Tommy demonstration, I stopped in the wee corner shop for a clock.  This aged timepiece worth vast sums of money, cost me £2.  I needed a new, small clock, as I have to have a clock in all rooms.  Thus I placed this by my bed, as it appeared the most suitable, the rest are all plastic Chinese things, unlike this imitation metal Chinese thing, and so I placed the clocks in suitable display. 

Naturally, the blasted thing keeps me awake with the ticking!

I forgot it would do that, cheap digital clocks do not tick, this one does.

However, being so tired after a busy day yesterday I fell asleep quickly and forgot about it, until around 2:30 am when the ticking returned to my attention again.  

When working I needed a watch, since my last one broke I have not required one, however, indoors I appear to need one constantly.  I am always checking the time concerning my burning dinner, or trying to decide if I ought to visit Tesco, or seeking the time for the football, and if I can fit something else in before it.  We are ruled by clocks more than robots or AI.

As you know it was the Sumerians, some 5000 BC who came up with the 60 minute hour.  For some reason mathematicians can explain, they counted in 60s.  Thus we have inherited, via the Babylonians, Assyrians, Egypt, Judea, Greece, Rome, Islamic scholars, the 60 seconds and 60 minutes routine.  They of course, hat to wait until some Austrian developed the Cuckoo Clock before they could see the time in front of them.  We see this in action at railway stations, football matches, A&E waiting times, and at the cooker.  We are ruled by the clock, except when we wake in the middle of the night and cannot return to sleep!  Bah!

Time does flow at different rates.  It drags badly when waiting in the dentists waiting room, it stops altogether with a toe stubbed against a table leg, time drags slowly when a football team sees 8 minutes to play and they are struggling to keep the score to their advantage, on the other hand their opponents see the 8 minutes as 8 seconds fast disappearing.  Time itself is consistent, but for us it changes with our needs.

When we are young time is always 'now.'  Now we are old it is not quite like that.  Yesterday, which turns out to be 1971, was when I was last fashionable, but some see kids this as the ancient days.  Give them a slap!  John Lennon was shot in 1980, that's 46 years ago!  The personal computer and the Internet did not exists then.  I realised earlier today that my brother passed away in 2018, that's already 8 years ago.  Time can be counted in seconds, but it cannot stand still.

"O let not time deceive you, you cannot conquer time."  W. H. Auden

Tommy Robinson attends Protest

'Tommy Robinson,' the full time English patriot who lives in 5 Star hotels across the Med, was in town today.  I took it upon myself to grab a photo or two of this great event, and was far from surprised to note I could not recognise any regular citizens among the throng.  Indeed, it appears there were many professional protest attenders from Kent, Grimsby Scotland and elsewhere, but few from the locale.  

Tommy was not to be seen.

The police operation was in full force, and very effective it appeared to be.  I spoke, kindly, to two or three officers, and they responded kindly also, avoiding the 'On your way you bore,' response which grew in one or two minds.

At one point I thought they would start and moved to a better position, this start did not happen, possibly waiting for the hero to arrive.  Maybe the plane from Dubai was late?

At the front is blonde Michell Lee, who claims to live here, and she is the one leading the protest.  It is a question regarding whether the Wethersfield housing of asylum seekers is a problem, or whether this is just another far-right agitation for the English nationalist racists in the area.  Most of course are not from the area.  

As always it is the usual suspects who appear at these protests.  The chant 'Save our women and protect our kids,' and support Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, though I do not know if he is using that or any other name he has found in the past, today) a man well known for  a domestic assault conviction on his wife.  Several of the leading activists have such convictions, indeed on the far right, neo nazi groups we find many paedophile convictions also, yet nobody appears to mind those.

Interesting to note this sign, 'Mass immigration is drowning English people,' in amongst a few hundred English people and no immigrants.  I wonder why?  It was tempting to wonder how he came to this conclusion, few appear to have actual figures, exact knowledge of what they say, and many appear to be those who attended the type of school I failed at.  It is after all emotion, not facts, that produce such responses.  Imaginary fears, based on pub talk and slanted press where no actual facts can be found. This is well known to the rabble rousers of this world, Farage and Tommy amongst them.  Any lie that hits home can be used and no fact can bring a change of heart.

This was the wrong time to run into a group of bored police officers with an illegal electric bike.

Anyway, by this time Tommy had not appeared and I was going hungry.  So I sloped off home for a badly cooked lunch, and watched some football.  Then I discovered  Tommy had indeed arrived, and not as I had been saying, 'coked up to his eyeballs,' and speaking to the crowd, 3-500 depending who you believe.  In the end I was quite glad as listening to him and his woman Michelle I think I may have been tempted to say something out of turn.  The goons with him, and the fans around him made this difficult so I am glad I was not there.  But it would be tempting would it not?  

Anyway, I put a picture up on a local site and several hundred have been arguing on it ever since.  What we reveal here is the number that see through the protest, do not support Reform and also the number who do and are very keen indeed on Tommy.    As I said before, few attending were from here, but there are locals do support him.  Fear and ignorance, based on emotion are at the root cause I say.