Empty Men Gesturing

Times

Here's the first.  A man famous for empty gestures.  Once a footballer, something he ended the day he married his stick insect, now a mere 'image.'  Aged 37 he signs for the desperate for attention PSG in France, a club that earnestly desires to be one of the big clubs in the world.  Beckham will offer no football advantage to him, his talent was always less than his reputation, and at 37 he will struggle to play in a side now in the latter stages of the Champions League.

However 'image' is what matters!   His wife has manipulated the media so well that every haircut, every daft tattoo, everything he says, and wisely he says little, is headline news around the world.  Moving to Paris, on the last day of the Transfer Window, enabled him to grab all the headlines.  The donation of his salary (around £3.5 million) has gained great appreciation, although the personal appearances, sponsorship and advert etc, will gain his ten times that much, and give her room to play the field among the money men.  

The adulation he receives, his worldwide following accepting him as a family man (I wonder what that secretary thought of that - allegedly),  the people, even footballers, who consider him 'cool,' or a 'role model,' when at all times he is as honest as a six pound note!   Alex Ferguson saw through him and his bird straight away, how often he must have relished kicking that boot at him!  From the day he met her stupidity has ruled, and some claim it found an early home there, and the happy family image has been encouraged in the drive for fame and fortune.  But is it true?  Is there anything underneath bar a pair of empty people seeking fame to fill empty lives?  I think not.  I do however despair at a younger generation that sees this man as one to follow.  There are plenty of 'real men' out there!

Talking of empty men!  Once again our hero PM has gone a hunting war!   He learnt from Tony Blairs experience in Sierra Leone that people vote for strong leaders.  he forgot that people dump those that take them into wars for wrong reasons, and has yet learned that 'mission creep' is foolhardy.'  Therefore he has yet again sent  troops into action, this time backing the French in Mali, a place in which the French have much experience and the UK absolutely none whatsoever, and is talking about fighting nasty people there.  He has toured several North African nations, including a stop in a security cleared Libyan square, to meet the people "we supported."  He has not gone to the ares where the people we supported are now Islamic terrorists I note.  Pity!  The Great Leader penetrated to Liberia to attend an international summit on poverty.  While meeting schoolchildren with his condescending plastic smile against their genuine ones he found that many wished to be Teachers, Lawyers, Doctors and politicians.  He informed said kids that in the UK schoolchildren just wish to be footballers and pop stars.  How nice of him to insult his own nations children, a great many of whom will become Teachers, Lawyers, Doctors and politicians, but I don't suppose he would notice.  Since taking office he has offered empty gestures day after day.  No real benefit has been met by the UK society, although many more are on benefits and constantly informed to find jobs that do not exist by millionaire cabinet ministers.  As Dave chairs the summit I ask will anything change, except the UK offering less money to ending poverty?

er, no, it's not worth it is it, not really.....

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Miscellany

News from the desperate front.  Dave has realised the UKIP party are in danger of stealing Conservative votes while he continues to act like a Liberal Democrat.  This means he will loses not just votes but his job, and have nothing but a meaningless life on speaking tours of the world telling others how to run the world and earning millions he makes hereby means nothing to him, honest.  His answer to this threat is marvellous.  He appeals to his anti Europe members by promising a referendum on Britain's place in the EU, calls the UKIP bluff, cheers his party and makes this a promise to be fulfilled after the NEXT election.  Brilliant!  Not only did he promise this before the last election and did not fulfill it, like hundreds of other promises, but we all know he has little chance of winning the next election.  Brilliant and the media are falling for it.  So are his voters, both of them.  This government is bad, just imagine what the next will be like.  Dear oh dear.  

   

Now I'm not one to boast, my humility will not let me, so I will happily instead commend Helen for her wisdom in offering this award to me.  Her perspicacity, imagination, intellect and wisdom deserve rewards also.  It is presumed that I will pass this on to others like we are supposed to, however last time I tried this I was rewarded with untold abuse, by Jerry, Max, 'A,' Soub, Mo, RDG, PDP, Lee, Jenny, Kay, Mametz, Dina and Angelika, so I'm not doing that again! No sir.

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Whitewash?

So we had the Leveson enquiry, set up by Prime Minister David Cameron, to inquire into the press intrusion and misuse of the individual, famous and unknownm has reported.  Hours, days, weeks of testimony from the famous and infamous, politicians, journalists, tabloid hacks, and Rupert Murdoch and his henchmen, and indeed famous henchwomen!  Actors, individual members of the public who were hacked and abused, footballers and singers, all have appeared and demanded the press are controlled!  Lord Justice Leveson listened, occasionally questioned, and has now returned after pondering the findings and come to his conclusions.

Clearly the Press Complaints Commission has failed, clearly the press have got out of control, clearly a body is required to independently rule over the press.  This must be a body agreed by the press, independent of them, and secured by law!  The world rises to agree, with only three objecting.  One objection comes from the newspapers themselves whining about 'freedom!'  A freedom to do as they like.  The papers have all lost half their readership in the last ten years, TV, radio & the internet taking over, no wonder they are desperate for dirt on the famous.  Money talks and unemployed hacks can be very upset.  A second comes from the readers who feel that the private lives of the rich and famous, no matter how vacuous, are their business.  And a third objection comes from the Prime Minister himself.  Yes the man deemed not to have been influenced by friendship with the editor of one of Murdoch's papers, in spite of his close contact with her, the man who set up this enquiry as a PR stunt, the man who now fears the 'Daily Mail' and 'Daily Telegraph,' turning against him, has suddenly discovered he is not keen on passing any of the Lord Justice's findings into law!  Who would have thunk it eh?  To bring the law into being would have the media ruin him, and his chances of continuing in his job are feeble enough.  He is in a bad position.

Naturally the opposition suddenly find themselves in favour.  Naturally Nick Clegg, the man who sold out to Cameron just to pretend he was in power, has disagreed in a vain effort to save his job after the next election.  No chance pal. Naturally these new buddies will now demand a law, one that keeps press freedom to question and investigate, but also allows the politicians to curry favour with the media.  Naturally those who suffered, and one couple saw their son commit suicide after lies were published about him, naturally these people are not best pleased with Cameron's response.  What is important here, is it not those abused and hacked by the press?

I have done my bit.  In fact I did this yesterday.  I e-mailed my MP, Tory lackey that he is, and made clear that I wish for a press that is free to investigate and demand, to objectively question the powers that be, but one that is controlled from abusing the innocent, living of 'kiss & tell' stories, and one that is forced to be objective.  In a few days time I will receive a standard reply, full of bland acknowledgement and not altering his position which is to support Dave.  However by writing he knows how I feel and calculates this is also how others will feel.  Nearer the election I would mention the UKIP Party subtly!  

What happens now Dave wishes to whitewash the whole affair?  We will have to wait and see.  Which also reminds me of the other enquiry, you remember, the one asking about Tony Blair and the Iraq war.  Whatever happened to that whitewash report I wonder?     

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Political Thoughts

Daily Telegraph

Happy Birthday Maggie!
Happy Birthday from the millions you threw out of work.
Happy Birthday from the folk who lost their jobs as your friends pocketed fat profits.
Happy Birthday from the mental who died on the streets under 'Community Care.'
Happy Birthday from the needless dead in the Falklands.
Happy Birthday from the disabled who had benefits cut.
Happy Birthday from those who lost their houses under your policies.

Have a nice day won't you.  

The Conservative Party, the Party that does not change its spots, whatever they say!  
Note how that nice Mr Romney considers this woman a roll model! 
Be afrain America, be very afraid!


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Market Day.

Businessweek

Market Day failed miserably as the thunder and lightning, rain, hailstones and wind tended to put the buyers off.  In between storms I braved the elements and set out, just to avoid listening to Rupert Murdoch lying to the Leveson enquiry.  If he was not going to lie he was going to put someone else into the mire.  He is not called the 'Dirty Digger' for nothing.  When I was a lad there was an attitude that appeared to say 'respect your leaders, betters, adults and other people.'  Today it is impossible to find this attitude and the behaviour of those very souls has made it thus.  Of course teaching kids to listen and respect is a good thing, but respect also needs to be earned, our leaders, in politics, media and even sport, do not deserve respect.


I broke off to listen to various news report and enjoy my repast of 'Flanders Mince.'  Murdoch was it seems intent on his fantasy world.  'The Sun,' being the only 'independent' newspaper he claimed. He is kind of right of course, all others have their own slant, Murdoch goes where he thinks the money is to be found, so I suppose that is a kind of independence.  His integrity was surpassed by Jeremy Hunt, a cabinet minister, as he defended e-mails sent from his department to Murdoch company during Hunts investigation of Murdochs BSkB takeover.  It appears Jeremy knew nothing and his assistant has fallen on his sword.  How convenient!  I remain convinced myself that the minister has absolutely nothing to hide!  Integrity is this governments watchword. The honest 'Daily Mail' loves to fill its pages with Murdoch's troubles.  it remains less keen to state that the editor may well be given the boot for his performance at the enquiry that now attempts to hang Rupert. You will be pleased to know that our leader David Cameron stands by his cabinet member.  He might as well, soon he will be standing beside him in the dole queue! Oh by the way, that nice mentally unbalanced friend of Dave's, George Osborne, the one ion charge of the money, he has admitted we are back in recession.  I suppose he will once again lower the taxes of the rich because of this next week. 

Football of course is run by honest men, integrity is their watchword!  Unfortunately Rangers owner Sir David Murray forgot to pay the income tax as required, some £49 million worth of forgetfulness!  It appears there was dubious dealings with payment to players also and now the tax man is investigating.  To avoid trouble clear up the situation Murray dumped the club on a fall guy sold the club to a multi millionaire businessman who paid £1 for the club and promised to sort things out.  It appears he was in fact a fantasist and has since been banned for not paying taxes (£19 million?), selling four seasons of season tickets to 'Ticketus,'  has been playing fast and loose with the money, which he doesn't have, and is now the man the media attack for hurting their club.  Murray however they never mention, hmmmm?  Sanctions resulting mean the club may die.  All Scotland is in a ferment!  Rangers fans demand action, Scottish football fans demand the club dies.  We await the result of several inquiries, police investigations, court cases, and hopefully the Rangers dumped into Division 3!  


Has there ever been 'integrity' in football, or indeed politics, media or anything else?  I doubt it.  Hammurabi made his famous laws several thousand years ago, the bible is full of crime condemned, and as Thudydides says,"Human nature doesn't change."  The only honest person can ever be our self, everyone else cannot be trusted.....

Oh and it rained a lot today....

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Misty View to World View

The sun rose as early as usual this morning but had to struggle past the mist that formed late last night and attempted to hinder the suns approach come the dawn.  Funny how enlarging the picture and looking directly at the sun made my eyes water as if I was looking at the real thing!  Anyway the mist cleared by lunchtime and when the sun reached its zenith I naturally fell asleep.  Something wrong somewhere I think.  


The 'Daily Mail,' that organ of truth and righteousness, apart from the half truths, lies and sheer blatant deception, does have a scientific journalist.  I use the term 'journalist' sparingly.  However the Science section knows how to bring science to the people, lot's of pictures and few words, and those repeated often to aid learning.  This is a good idea as we do learn by rote and understand later, in spite of what educationalists may say.  I think it fair to point out my spelling was incorrect there.....


Anyway Eddie Wrenn, if indeed he exists, has written an interesting piece with few words and lots of pictures.  This, like much found in the media today, he discovered while surfing the web for something interesting to earn his wage.  He found a site full of pictures and worth publishing and I must say I agree. The site is called  http://www.stratocom.com/s/1011  and, to the delight of the readership, is dead simple (insert own joke here).  The site contains picture taken from Google, showing interesting pictures from around our blue planet from high above.  There is a button at the bottom that enables the viewer to vote for or against each picture and so in this manner we can discover the most popular.  I recommend a look at this site, some of the pictures are excellent, and you are able, so they say, to move the map around and take your own favourite shot and upload this.  Worth a look.

Daily Mail

David Cameron's favourite Prime Minister, himself, is indulging in his favourite activity this week, Publicity Stunts!  He has outdone himself however by popping over to the United States (which include the Southern States) to visit a proper politician, President Obama.  The photographs showing him 'one of the boys' at a basketball game (whether he knew what  was going on is unclear), and with wife at a banquet, look good adorning his fawning press.  The 'special relationship,' between the 'English speaking peoples' still being strong, in some English papers at least, and mentioned dutifully even if he doesn't believe it either.  In between stuffing his face, posing for cameras, and wondering why they all speak so funny, it is to be hoped the two men can work out a strategy to leave the Afghanistan mess they inherited, sort out the extradition treaty that Blair slanted in the American favour, and do something, however slight, to ease the Syria situation.  There again while there Dave could possibly look into standing as a Republican candidate, he is empty of policy enough to satisfy quite a few I suspect.  


The 'Special relationship' was of course something Winston Churchill dreampt up during the war. His mother was from the US, and not a very good mother it seems to me, and Winston really did like the place.  However Winne suffered from a romantic view of history, his views on the great 'British Empire' were very romantic, and he did see a 'special relationship' between the 'English speakers.' (What about Australia or New zealand, or even Canada I hear you ask?)  The presidents of the US naturally never quite saw it his way however.  There is indeed rightly a good relationship between the nations.  A shared outlook on defence, and many, but far from all, foreign policies have similar outlook.  The UK is always ready to fight Americas wars for them, even though they are late in arriving for ours, and in recent years has foolishly followed George Bush's  military mistakes, at great cost.  There is no 'special relationship' if we are honest, just a similar outlook in many things, and the UK as always is the one that loses out all too often. The many successes British troops have accomplished can easily be lost by one American breaking down under the strain.


I note that the New York Times has a mention of Cameron's visit, hidden away under politics, and mentioning only the banquet, nothing else.  No success of the PR front there Dave.


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Recession

Economic recessions, whether national or personal, have never been good. In times past such a thing as a recession meant real suffering in the UK. Today I am glad to say this is not the case, well it is not the case in that should actually starve.  Benefits provide for those who fail to find work and stop them either sleeping on the streets or starving.  Benefits certain 'Daily Mail' readers and cabinet ministers wish to bring to an end!  Some do slip through the net, sometimes this is their fault, sometimes the system fails.  Others see their companies, both large and small going to the wall as the recession bites, often through no fault of their own.  There are of course those who can take advantage of this, temporary workers agencies for instance, these come into their own in times like these.  These two cars were bought a year or two ago to provide transport for the owner of one such agency.  Six in all were obtained to provide transport for the top men in the company.  (incidentally my bike's puncture has now been fixed) It is a strange situation in many ways.  Companies do go to the wall, directors and staff often losing their homes because of this and yet others can run expensive cars, and they are not even members of David Cameron's Cabinet!  I note the man in the thousand pound suit is not yet troubled, we are indeed 'all in this together,' eh Dave?  There is an increasing divide between the have's and have not's, many suffer badly because of rising costs, especially concerning energy supplies, and yet as a nation we still run expensive cars, buy expensive clothes and look to profit by selling the house for an increase on what we paid for it.  We still expect to get what we wish, and whine loudly when cuts force us to buy what we need as opposed to what we want. (Tell me about that!) In the 1930's the depression led to soup kitchens and real hardship.  Rents could not be paid, clothes and food could not be bought, yet today we can retain expensive mobile phones, cars of some sort, and worry about our weight.  It's a funny old recession right enough.  The nation, indeed the west,  just got slack when wealth became common and when living of the fat of the land we still remained unsatisfied.  maybe we forgot what life was all about?  Wealth is good, I will buy a lottery ticket, however a wealthy nation becomes lazy, dull and self satisfied.  The media satisfies our demands for things to fill our emptiness with dumbed down pap and we lap it up.  Maybe the west in general required a good shaking, maybe we need to remember what matters?  I would be happy being shaken if we were 'all in this together,' but I suspect the usual suspects will come out of this alive.  Now, where is that mince.....?




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Busy Thursday

Most of this morning was divided between disputing with racist unthinking Englishmen on online papers website.  The fact that Scotland is close to Independence causes fear to run through their soul!  Most appear to have little historical knowledge, many claiming that Culloden defeated the Scots, although this was in fact the last battle in a British Civil War and at least one third of the Redcoat Troops were from various parts of Scotland.  Others insist with great humour, they think, that Hadrians Wall ought to be rebuilt.  Sadly the wall is quite deep into England but if they wish to return Northumbria to us, minus Newcastle's poverty problems, we would accept.  Many wrongly believe that England is paying large sums of their tax money to Scotland to keep it afloat.  This erroneous information is believed by many followers of the 'Daily Mail' and 'Daily Telegraph.'  In fact depending on how you read the figures it could be that Scotland gets back less than she puts in, but that does not suit the readership of the right wing nutjob press.  So I gently, usually, indicated their mistakes, and now I have a price on my head as thanks! I note the cartoonist Mac has twice refused to print my comments, I suppose the word 'racist' is disliked.  It is interesting how Alex Salmond has managed to run rings around the London elite regarding this.  His political superiority cuts through the 'insider dealing' that is Westminster and 'Dave' causes thousands to rush to the SNP's support every time he opens his mouth.  Keep going Cameron, by 2014 every Scot will be against you at this rate.  It is a strange thing that a nation so ignored in England should cause such consternation when it justly seeks to claim independence, could it be Scotland is needed by England much more than Westminster will ever willingly admit? 

As I write I notice the Dominic Letts item in the 'Daily Mail' has disappeared but yet another attack on Salmond has been published, this time from a Labour Party perspective.  'Daily Mail Bias'

I had time to debate with racists and morons this morning as I awaited John bringing my new oven.  The old one died a while ago and the landlord suggested I obtained a new one as their man was busy.  I had begun to look (my ManFlu had hindered this) but had got nowhere so far.  However John and I humped the old one downstairs and the new one up, and then sat awaiting the ambulance!  Both of us in times past used to hump furniture up and down stairs for a living and both have decided this is not for us now!  However the expert fixed it up and now I have a warm, clean oven. It is the clean bit that shocks me, I have never seen one like that before!  At last those ageing frozen foodstuffs at the back of the freezer compartment can be brought back into the light, if I can get them out of all that embedded ice!  Aint life strange?  There was a time a new oven would not have seemed that important to me, and now I keep going over to it and admiring the thing.  Funny how new objects get this attention, and suddenly one day they are no longer new, just bashed about, run of the mill, and requiring cleaning.  Still, like the oven cleaning, that can wait!

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The World Has Gone Mad!

Daily Mail

For one our PR PM has decided to have a Cabinet meeting in the middle of the new made 'Handball Court' at the Olympic Stadium!  Here the first Cabinet of the year ignored the dicey economy, the unemployed, the tax dodging by his friends and instead concentrated on advertising the white elephant that is the Olympics. You may have guessed that I am not too enamoured by the Olympics, I like some aspects, people throwing things, weightlifting and a few other events, but so much of it is boring and will take up more TV time than Wimbledon does.  I also think it would have been better to let the French have it, then they can pay at least £9 Billion for it!  Obviously the World Cup was more important but long ago, when Manchester attempted to get the Olympics, the powers that be decided they wanted it and it had to be in London, Manchester not being important enough to London based politicians and business types.  'Dave' has told his people to go out and advertise the Games, does he think we don't care?  The reason I suppose is that any benefits, if any, will go to London and the rest of the nation will be paying for this but getting nothing back.  Much effort has gone in to spread the events, less to bring benefits and more to ease the grumbling about paying for London's Games.  These Games will of course reverse the recession Dave' will they?  Clearly no real discussion of any relevance took place here, that will occur tomorrow when the real Cabinet meets, and far too many microphones desperate to listen in to the blubbering mistakes which sadly did not occur, but 'Dave' will be happy with the publicity stunt, he likes those.

What? Me cynical.....?

Daily Mirror

Another aspect of the world going mad is 'No Pants Day,' as you can imagine this is an American idea!  Who else would consider large numbers of people sitting on trains with no trousers on and revealing acres of peelly wally flesh as fun?  It certainly would not have begun life in Scotland! It ought of course to be 'No Trousers Day' but as you know our colonial brethren are illiterate and wrongly attribute names where they ought not.  Will they ever learn?  The 'Daily Mirror' site contains more pictures and a video, which I assure you I have decided to avoid, as I am not convinced that revelations of what is inside a trouser leg ought to be made this way, or indeed in any other. Such pranks, while containing an element of humour, can also reveal much, indeed a great deal, that ought to remain hidden!  More Man Flu (and women's minor chills) on the way I can tell.

My tired and weary body dragged itself into town again this morning, and I decided to go with it, grumbling that I wished to remain abed for another day.  However the trip was not too bad, in fact the numbers of passengers were low and entirely free from needless acres of flesh being pressed into my eyesight by 'No Pants Day' militants.  In fact traffic everywhere was quiet today, some folks still on holiday it appears.  All was refined on the train, in spite of yet another hike in the price of travel and apart from a 15 year old Chav who let us all hear his 'Rap' for two stops.  How I wish that nice man on the Falkirk train was aboard at that moment.  Funnily enough as the said 'ned'  left the train I began to feel sorry for him.  He left the train at a country station and gave an impression of a life of 'Bumpkin' ahead of him.  He looked 15, not very bright, and if he was older he does not have a future as a brain surgeon awaiting him. I wonder if he noticed the other passengers let alone the noise?  In fact I was kind of depressed at the future that lay before him.  I also thought he was a bit like me at 15, stupid!  Where would I be if Jesus had not interfered?  So I didn't shoot him after all.  No doubt a tractor or an angry pig will get him one day.  

My meeting begun early, lasted less than 15 minutes, gave me no sympathy (she was a young woman after all!) and I left for my return train wondering if this was really worth it?  These people are meant to help us unemployed find work, even though there are no jobs, and they do not have any more idea than I have.  Worse still the place was filling up as I left with men of my age beginning their time here, all long term unemployed, most capable, and only one or two shirkers.  What chance have we I ask if we congregate in such numbers?  The Tories wish to stop benefits for those who refuse job offers, what job offers?  They want unemployed to work for free, where?  In short, rather than create jobs they fill the 'Daily Mail' with pledges and attacks on benefit scroungers.  I can tell them some of us wish we were working and do not like our situation!  That of course will not please 'Middle England' and the Tory voters prejudice.  

However the good thing was the time waiting to enter and I espied a couple of pics which did not quite work but I quite like anyway.  The third one is on the Foto sight.  The struggling effort has been good for the virus as it appears to be weakened considerably today.  One day soon I will eat again properly.  

Is your name on here somewhere?

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Saturday Musings

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Daily Mail

Car accidents happen, even the best make mistakes and at speed this can lead to pain and sometimes death.  For many years now all governments have emphasised the importance of not drinking and driving.  The breathaliser and the modern equivalents have helped reduce the number of accidents, saved lives and to please government, saved millions of pounds in clearing up the mess.  Sadly some fail to respond and this car shows the result when one young man decides to drive after entering a car while unfit. The short journey home was taken at high speed while veering unsteadily in the road. A couple walking home from the same restaurant where the driver had been drinking were run down by the car and both received fatal injuries. He is estimated to have been doing around 60 at the time of the accident in a 30 mph built up area. 

My point is simple. It is imperative that judges sentencing a man found guilty, as indeed this driver was quickly proved to be, are treated fairly and mercy must be included while sentence is declared. However there is also a need to ensure that justice, not vengeance, is done, but is seen to be done.  In this instance we have two people dead, they leave behind three grown children and it must be said they will not want for money, houses in that area begin at around the £3 million mark. However they have lost their parents, their lives are suddenly and cruelly changed for ever, and money does not compensate for the loss of a loved one.  Therefore I question the sentence passed on this driver. He was jailed for seven years, and the judge insisted he must serve at least half that sentence. This, it must be said, is not an uncommon sentence in such situations, and my point is to question what this says about the nation today?  

Do we really consider three and a half years jail plus a seven year driving ban, served probably in an 'open prison,' to be sufficient in the circumstances? Remember I am not looking for 'vengeance' here, but 'justice' tinged with mercy. Two people are dead, gone forever into God's hands and lost to their family who must endure this loss, and it would appear that human life is now regarded as worth a mere three and a half years in jail. In fact as two died they are only worth half that! Surely human life is worth more?  Some indeed would say financial crime leads to longer sentencing! I watched a footballer dancing around after scoring a goal last week.  He also had got drunk, smashed his Mercedes into another car, killed a man, robbed a wife of her husband and her young children of their father. He even ran away after the accident, a very serious thing to do, but received a mere six years in jail. He served three and returned to his footballing career, earning I guess around £7000 a week at that time.  He may earn less today as he ages slowly but how does the widow and her brood feel when he dances around as they struggle to survive?  Human life in Britain does not appear to be worth that much these days.  


Surely such an accident should receive a longer sentence, surely more consideration is deserved for the victims?  Surely we have our priorities wrong in so many ways today.  Terrorists can receive between twenty five and forty year sentences, often without actually killing someone, how then can a drunk driver get so little?  I have no problem with a man making a good living after sentence has been served, I do however have a major problem with sentences that do not fit the crime.  I realise that each one of us could at any moment lose control, whether of a car or at work or in the home and death could result. We all share the same weak frame and that is why courts must understand both the nature of the crime, the cause and the damage left to the victim and their family. I am not convinced this occurs today.
     

                         

Sad to say that Robert Robinson has passed away. Robinson came to my attention while hosting the world's greatest quiz, 'Brain of Britain,' and the erudite talk show 'Stop the Week,' both on Radio 4. His ability to make the contestants on the quiz feel at ease, no matter their background, and cheerful manner enabled this powerful contest to fairly fly towards a conclusion.  Even without him it remains the top quality programme although nobody can run it as smoothly as he.  'Stop the Week' was more controversial.  Seen by some as a talking shop for the chattering classes, it was criticised by those very chattering classes themselves, revealing that a nerve must have been touched quite often. Often spoofed as smug and middle class by smug, middle class comedians Robinson continued to broadcast into his eighties when illness made this no longer possible. He died yesterday in St Mary's Hospital in London, a sad loss to British Broadcasting, middle class or not.   

Dave seeking inspiration for his next PR disaster.

Good old 'Dave.'  He is working hard to fulfill the saying, 'Don't open your mouth and put both feet in as you will not have a leg to stand on.'  His latest gaff is to stand in the House of Commons and inform the world that the Metropolitan Police were failing to handle the riots until he returned early from holiday! He was backed up on this by his Home Secretary Theresa May, who as you know does a very good female impersonation. The police reaction was swift, '"Rubbish!" they said!  The constabulary realised, they admit, that their tactics were failing, adding this was not aided by having too few officers to deal with the troubles, they amended their tactics and took control, as much as was possible in the circumstances.  'Dave was to busy drinking Italian espresso to help out himself.  'Dave,' and his desire to be seen as responsible for the improvement, has alienated himself even more from the police while still insisting on cutting their numbers, in spite of the situation during the last few days.


Not only but also!  Yes indeed he has gone further!  This time he wishes to make an American head of the Met!  Has this man's desire for show no end?  Some famous Yank Cop, who nobody has heard off, has been approached, without informing the police themselves, and informally offered the job as Commissioner!  This produced a one word comment from a senior officer, "Stupid!"  He is right you know! Listening to the methods of foreign policemen is indeed worth the time, but asking someone from a completely different justice system to take control leaves not only the impression that the London police are incompetent but that 'Dave' has no idea what he is talking about.
Actually, that last bit might well be right!

Our Dave is Back!

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More here from the Daily Mail

Our 'Dave' is back, showing leadership in bringing an end to the riots and to all the looting and thieving!

However back in the real world rain has fallen all over the nation.  This of course has put a dampener on the activities of riot type folks and indeed to most of the rest of us. The people of Britain respond to this type of weather with the usual comments: 

"Why is it wet?"   

"Where is the sunshine?"

"I remember when the sun shone in summer."

Why can we not have some good weather for a change?"

"It's Global Warming!"

In fact the reply is simple, this is the British Isles, and with the Atlantic Ocean to our left and warm and cool air making their way from the Americas towards us minute by minute this causes rain and wind to arrive in summertime. For the most part it arrives daily.  My mother was 94 when she passed away and she was still puzzled as to how it could rain in summertime!  I want a long hot summer, but the last was in 1976 and then people complained it was too hot! " 'Drought' was the cry, and how terrible this is!"  The pubs were full mind. 

This is typical British weather.  The worst effect is in the north and the west, and the best is in the south east of England. As I look out at the damp streets and watch the drizzle saturating everything I remind myself that this is the driest county of them all and not long ago farmers were moaning about lack of rain.  Tsk! For myself I cannot abide folks who spend their time moaning.  Either do something about it or shut it I say! Tsk!

    

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Cynic, me?

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Amy Winehouse was buried today bringing to an end a sad story. I noticed however the cynical manner with which the media covered the tale. The one regarded as 'Shameful,' who suffered 'Horrors,' all of her 'Own Making,' has lost the 'SHAME,' tag and now it has become, 'Tragic.'  The 'Sad' life of  'Poor Amy,' now brings out the sentiment from the 'popular press.'  Sympathy oozes from the media (in spite of which they continue to take 'up close' pics of tearful mourners) as they recognise many are saddened by her untimely death. So it is out with stories of 'drink and drug crazed happenings' and in with 'tears,' for the 'poor girl.'
Please let the tabloid press be closed down, please?

Our 'Dave' has run for the hills once again!  While he is on 'holiday,' his right hand man, no not Clegg, don't be silly, has been left in charge. William Hague, the Foreign Minister, is covering for the Prime Minister, and as we now expect from 'Dave' a major event is being unveiled when he is not around to comment.  The major event, and major it really is, appears to be the end of the Libyan conflict and not by military force as 'Dave' had hoped but by allowing President Gaddafi to resign his position and yet continue to live in Libya!  

 Brilliant!

First he attacks and expects Gaddafi to collapse like the other North African countries have under the Arab Spring, this does not happen.  Then the Yanks have decided two wars have been enough and they cannot afford to even lend us their aircraft anymore ('Dave' has sold of most of ours).  Now the French, our co-conspirators in this daft attack, are urging talks with Gaddafi and the suggestion that he can stand down and stay in Libya comes from them, they have a presidential election coming their way soon haven't they!  So William has to inform the world, under cover of the Norwegian tragedy, that it might be possible for an agreement to be reached!  

How the mad president must be rejoicing! Reagan, when awake, attempted to kill him and missed, we have tried it and missed also, wherever he is, and now we offer peace terms!  Does anyone really expect him to rush forward and kneel before us?  He realises he has the nap hand, he is on top, nothing can end him now can it?  Half his nation may have been lost, possibly most of his people are against him, but he has survived again and the mighty west are now seeking an end to a war they ought not to have started and have clearly lost!

Still, another 'U' Turn for 'Dave' is part of his 'Big Society' isn't it?  A 'U' Turn a day keeps the er, well it keeps his staff busy hiding him in foreign land if nothing else.  Another failure for this mistake of a PM.  Just how did he get his job I wonder, how did he get into such a position?

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Ronnie

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Daily Mail

Now I am not one to complain but why should people dump their unwanted bronze in our parks? This heap of metal now adorns a park in central London and is remarkably more lifelike than the original was. Mind you this statue is more awake after all. Quite why anyone would dump this here after what this man did to the world is difficult to fathom. This 'B' actor cheerfully delayed the release of the US hostages from Iran so he could get the glory rather than Jimmy Carter who had won their release, he used the mentally subnormal Col. Oliver North to buy weapons from Iran to support a murderous far right regime attacking the democratically elected government in Nicaragua, (Democracy you will recall is one of the things the US wishes to thrust on the world, unless Hamas win of course). Reagan also claimed credit for ending the Cold War while we all know that Gorbachev ended this by renewing the Communist Party in the USSR, and while claiming credit where not due he allowed the IRA to collect money freely in the US and turn this into guns bought from Libya to kill British troops and police. A true friend to the UK indeed! He stands alongside FDR and Eisenhower. One man who knew he must support Britain while the Reagan's of this world traded with Hitler's nasty party, and the other who as a 'political general'  led the allies to victory in Europe (as long as he did what AlanBrook said).  There are hundreds of good Americans around today, dozens of famous and useful leaders in their fields both past and present, and we erect Thatcher's boyfriend ( though he often forgot her name).  I suspect this will no doubt be defaced before long.


Talking of political numpties I came across this cartoon in the Edinburgh Evening News today. Brian Adcock sums up Dave Cameron's approach to the governing of this country very well indeed! Cameron would have attended the ceremony today himself  but probably did not know who 'Ronnie' was I suspect.

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Lord Snooty

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Beano Artists

How long before Cameron falls apart? Once again he is offering a 'U' Turn on shorter sentences, forcing his struggling 'Justice Minister' to sack other lower orders to save a few million pounds, this after the dotty bald guy at the DWP forced to do a 'U' Turn on pensions because this upset a few ageing women!  The fact that men suffer sexism regarding pensions makes no odds here, women work for less time (and do less at work) get all the benefits in law, and now whine because a few might lose a little while most men lose much! This PC PM spends to much time on PR instead of leading the country. Is this the fiftieth 'U' Turn of his year or have we long past that mark?  


Our friend BIG RAB has a wonderful post regarding Cameron's abuse of the RAF and his costly needless war for Libya's oil.. His abuse of the RAF follows on from his abuse of the Navy only the other day. Having sold all the ships and their aircraft he wants the Navy to work beyond their capabilities and shut up about it. He even brought the First Lord in to shout him down, probably with a 'Fag' to stand nearby in case the Admiral got rough. Clegg needs to show his support somehow. Sir Simon Bryant, Air Chief Marshall of the RAF, is now informing the poor rich boy that they don't have the pilots to cover two wars! Not enough pilots, not enough planes, not enough spare parts or mechanics and 5000 to lose their jobs!  "We are all in this together says the man in a thousand pound suit!"  He needs to change that to "You are all in a dole queue, but I'm all right Jack!"  The RAF are claiming we cannot go on much longer. Gaddafi must be removed in three months as we fall apart then.  I await this brave man's redundancy notice coming through the post.  


How much longer will we have to put up with this boy in charge?  He has so many failings and there is no opposition to him anywhere. What an Attlee or indeed any other Labour leader could do to him! Instead sitting opposite is ....whatsisname?  Both front benches are full of middle class liberals who have never worked in their lives. The 'Punk' generation have arrived and that generation had nothing to say at the time and shows it today. 'Me first,' 'my needs are what counts,'  is the attitude.  We had leaders who had fought through war, Callaghan and Heath, this was followed by 'Baby Boomers' few of whom reached power in the UK it must be said. "Make love not war," was the chant as that generation attempted a better society, much of which was lost to VD and drug addiction. Clinton in the US got to the top and tried to be another JFK but this time the media would not keep quiet. Now we have those brought up with a 'silver spoon' in their gobs with no concern for anyone but their advancement telling real people how to live. At least the mad baroness had run a shop at one time, overcharging her customers and blaming everyone but herself for the faults I suspect, and those were attitudes the bitch never lost. 


A shocking mob we have of public school louts looking down at us these days. Bring back Attlee I say! Public school educated maybe but non pretentious, considerate for others, with a 'can do' attitude, and don't let the powerful run over the rest, that's what we need today. Although someone running a government Jag, or perhaps a Centurion Tank over 'Dave' would be of benefit to us all.

Daily Record

It started yesterday, Wimbledon I mean. "Will Andy win?" "Will it rain?" "Do I care?" Well NO! is the answer to that!  Wimbledon means two weeks of total coverage of this middle class game, fawning over Andy until he gets knocked out, then girning about the 'miserable Scot.' He will be 'British' until he loses when, as you will understand, he becomes a 'Scot' once again. English racism, ingrained in the media, knows no end. Can he actually win Wimbledon? I suspect this is the one major he does have a chance of winning,but with Nadal and Ferarer or whatever his name is I doubt he will. These two, and the unpronounceable other fellow are a step higher than 'Our Andy.'  He may get to a semi final, possibly the final, but I cannot see him win. 

It might make better television if this slab of grass down Church Road was to be sold off and turned into 'social housing.' 'Social Housing' in Wimbledon? More chance of Maggie Thatcher having pictures of Che Guevara on the wall!  For two weeks every year we are subject to this monotony. Incessant babble, rain covered tennis courts, replays of past tennis, banal talk from ex players, and Sue Barker who at least we can look at.  Tennis is dominated by women of course, they tend top prefer games which are one v one rather than team games and turn out in their thousands for this. In the early eighties we delivered around Wimbledon, as early as possible due to the crowds and the alteration to the roads, and up Church Road were several thousand fans, mostly young females, who had been there all night awaiting the doors opening. We had one question, what did they do for the loo?  There was no obvious answer to that!  There was a suggestion that to save money the Formula 1 and Wimbledon may be dumped! Wooppeee! I say. Now if we can just get the BBC to spend the cash on football and take it from ITV we are on a winner!  

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Oh Joy!

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I was delighted to read that the local jobless numbers had decreased somewhat in the past few weeks. It may well be an opening for a useless plonker (unskilled is the proper term) may yet appear I thought.  A few objections have of course been raised to any encouragement by the revelation that these figures may well have been somewhat distorted. Gosh! Who would have thought that?  Those gaining 'work placements' I understand are removed from the numbers. Invalidity claimants (or whatever name it has now) are also omitted even while many do seek work. Other 'positive accounting' takes place in an effort to smooth the politicians (and the HEO's) progress. It still remains that five people apply for every job. Or to put it another way Five hundred apply for the appropriate (easy, unskilled, overpaid, sedentary, numpty) jobs I look for.  I stare into the future with my head held.........well in my hands actually......

Good old 'Dave!' Twice today he has shown us where his heart is. First he has announced he wants to encourage marriage to strengthen a 'stable society.' By that he probably means he will make folks live among the horses I suspect. He considers marriage to be the basis of a stable society and I agree with him. Will he therefore decide that benefits appropriate to this would arise? Tax benefits etc?  Would he therefore encourage job creation and 'positive discrimination for married persons perhaps? Hmmm. PR is all very well but policy is no use without money Mr C.

He has suddenly come off the fence regarding papers publishing 'Kiss & Tell' stories. Suddenly he is claiming that it is unfair that Social media can publish names while papers cannot. Well I wonder why he speaks out now? Has Mr Murdoch been on the phone perhaps? You know Murdoch, that nice man who owns the 'Sun.' That is the paper yon tart was attempting to sell a 'Kiss & Tell' story to regarding a Premiership footballer.  He had the courts stop revelation of his name, yet someone (surely not an employee of the 'Sun') placed his name on 'Twitter,' thereby breaking the injunction.  You would not ask me to believe that such a man as Murdoch would now be influencing the Prime Minister of England just because he wishes to make a fast buck would you? Just because he sneaked up the back stairs into No 10 the minute Cameron forced his way in does not mean Murdoch has an unholy hold over this PM does it? Well, does it....? I am sure 'Dave' is thinking for himself, not for Murdoch, nor indeed for personal advantage. I trust this PM as much as I trusted Tony Blair, and you cannot say fairer than that!  

cf with this excellent piece. Auld Reekie Rants





p.s.  I am thinking of taking a job as a contortionist, just to make ends meet.


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Dave

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Guardian

I wonder if Dave is all right in the head? Not only has he constantly put his foot in it, the other day he claimed Oxford University only contained one black man while in fact there were many, but he continues with the Libyan escapade. Bombing Gaddafi when you think he is about to fall sounds a great idea. However when the man remains in place and the dubious opposition groups continue to look rudderless and incompetent things are beginning to go wrong for you. I reckon you jumped on a bandwagon and have landed yourself with another Iraq! Maybe spending less time on PR and more time on professional politics, like employing senior MPs in your cabinet instead of thrusting young self seeking gormless millionaires, would help? In fact I correct myself, some of them are older gormless self seeking millionaires! You are sinking my boy! 


With US know how removed the French and British fighter bombers are insufficient for the job. With much of the struggle now in town there is limited openings for the aiming of bombs. If you drop one n town you injure the civilians you entered this folly to protect, or at least that is the reason given. Obama made a wise decision, will you Dave? Talk now centres on supplying material to the rebels, although I thought we would not do this? Talk is also mentioning 'men on the ground,' possibly those men you sent redundancy notices to while on the front line in Afghanistan Dave. No ships, no planes, pilots running out, and the remainder overstretched. Sounds right for 3 Para and the rest to invade Dave. 


By the way, how many black Caribbean types from UK areas went to Eton?

AmitBhawani

I received an e-mail from a chap I have not heard off for three years. I was a bit surprised by his phrase, "Here is the link I told you about" as we have not spoken for a while, and thought I had accidentally deleted a previous e-mail, my mouse double clicks often. I clicked the link (subject was 'Ryanair' a notorious cheap airline) and have been struggling for three days to clear the brutes. thousands of files were infected. I knew there was a doubt but, but....but....  
Still most of it is fixed now, as far as I can see.  However as I run the various software to fight it each one takes well over an hour to run! Much time wasted. It was so bad that at one point I thought I might have to leave here and actually speak to real people! Phew, that was close. 


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