Showing posts with label EU. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EU. Show all posts

Saturday, 12 December 2020

Front Pages!

 

 
It was to be an 'Oven Ready Deal.'  There would be 'sovereignty,' we would trade freely with the world, 'our' fishing would be protected, farmers would be paid, opportunities would appear everywhere.
Now we have 'Gunboats' in the channel?
Where are these 'gunboats' when Russian trawlers or Naval vessels pass close to Scottish waters?  They do not appear at those times, what vessels we have left are on the English south coast.   It is said the Royal Navy has put FOUR ships on standby to fight off French Trawlers.  Commando's are ready to leave helicopters and land on offending 'Frogies!' But surely we had a deal, didn't we?  The propaganda promised there would be a deal!     
Of course there is no deal, 'No Deal' was always on the cars, it is what the 'Hedge-Fund' men want, they will make a killing from this.  One, Crispin Odey, is said to have bet £300 million on a 'No Deal.'  I cannot imagine Rees-Mogg is not also well into this, Farage and his friends will be rejoicing at 'No Deal.'  
Whether all these tales are true or not we must add the Russian influence on Boris.  Russian money has flooded into the Consrvative Party in recent years, and that Nice Mr Putin does not like to waste cash.  What was the purpose, bar separating the UK from the EU?   Who will benefit from the disaster that awaits us?  The Hedge-fund men, who will use their EU passports (bought from Malta possibly) to live abroad, the Russians, and Boris himself, lining his pockets to enjoy his soon to be retirement from politics.
 
A disaster looms, a nation gets the leadership its behaviour deserves.
 

The only other story in town, not counting the never ending, continuing Royal corruption/sycophancy ones, is the death of Barbara Windsor.  The poor lass died of age and dementia, and she never headed a ball in her life, and now is seen as a 'National Treasure.'  Playing a flirty bint most of her life gave her employment for long enough, I think she appeared in 9 'Carry On' films, and probably disliked them as much as the other cast members did.  However, an actor has to take what comes along.  At least Sid James liked her.
Now the tabloids are using her once again to line their pockets, not that they will do much for the dementia situation, but clearly, as with the royals, there is money to be made here!
 

Thursday, 10 December 2020

Boris, EU, Charity Adverts


A friend, I do have them, in a far distant land, shares cheap Christmas tokens with me each year.  One year I received a pencil with a knot in it, another year a short string of glittering blue tinsel.  Obviously she does not appreciate the cost of the two tea bags I sent her!  This is her offering this year, possibly this could be construed as a political gesture, and with Boris now somewhere in the EU selling out so that he can obtain a 'No Deal' as he and his money changers have been looking for all along, then he can start blaming the EU for intransigence.  
I mentioned on Twitter last night that this trip was a scam, no deal was going to happen as 'No Deal' was what he has been looking for and this is just another balloon from the bumbling, lying balloon.  It was frightening to read peoples responses.  There is out there still a number, a large number, of people who believe in Boris.  People who consider 'No Deal' a good thing, people who do not think January 1st will lead to shortages, people who will not open their minds to anything but what they wish to believe.  While Boris panders to these people in Brussels his friends who demanded Brexit are all moving their business overseas.
 
I came across this German cartoon the other day and thought it appropriate...


On a slightly different subject, this morning I received a magazine, I can read yu know, and inside the plastic wrapper alongside said mag was an invitation to give a subscription to a friend, an advert for a 'Special Pensioners' hearing aid, though it did not qualify how to be a 'special pensioner,' an offer (£83 plus P&P) for 12 bottles of wine, considerably cheaper in Tesco I wish to point out, an advert for health insurance to rob us, and eight (8) requests for money from various charities.  Corum, Crisis, Blind Veterans, Trussel Trust, Lifeboats, Zane (who?), YMCA and Water Aid!  All this doubled the weight of the magazine!  Oh yes, and something dangerous was also included, a small advert, indeed a booklet, from an organisation calling itself PostScrpt.  This is a bookshop selling books!  
Comparing this to a pile of requests for charitable cash leaves me feeling too guilty to purchase a book.  And if guilt, and that is what lies behind such requests at this time of year, if guilt forces me to send cash how do I decide who to give it too?  No doubt that those charities among them that I know are worthy, the others probably are also or this mag would not allow them, but how to decide?  Are the young needy more important than old?  Or Blind more important because they were servicemen?  Do children come before families or Lifeboats? It can all become very confusing.
Naturally I dump them in the recycling bag.
I have given to various charities, month by month, sometimes for years, then if I had any cash I decided to let the money collect and give a bundle to something I truly thought worth it.  There are all around such places, from the Food Bank to local homeless hostels, young folks and the like, and there are always things near and far that could be helped.  I just like to imagine that what I give can do something for others.  My mates church in London helps the 'Street People,' many of whom sleep under bushes in Hyde Park, and weekly they give out foodpacks in these virus days.  This when the church income has been slashed, some 75% of the income has gone, and therefore so has many staff.  However, he believes the work must continue and Jesus will help.
Come January 1st we shall begin to see real need again.  What social services we have will soon face cuts, the NHS, over burdened still, will also be cut, and how many US investors will arrive?  The Food Banks may need more help, the people operating the food banks will also require assistance soon, 2020 is seen as a dark year, I suspect for many it will become darker.
 
 


Friday, 15 March 2019

Friday Mutterings


At last a break from Brexit, or is it?  A mass shooting in far off New Zealand might not at first sight be connected to the rich ERG clan lining their pockets via Brexit but the effect of the racist outpourings from their side of the debate results in such actions.
The 'Far Right,' a term that covers a great many who lean that way or take violent action for it, are predominately those who claim a form of white supremacy, a false Christian ideology (merely to oppose Islam), and a desire to chase all foreigners (mostly black ones) out of 'their' country.
Where does the ideology come from?
How does it spread?
In the UK this arises from media misuse.  Paul Dacre, who edited the 'Daily Mail' for 25 years spent a great deal of time attacking the EU for reasons of his own, he happily accepts millions in handouts from the EU for his farm up north however. Dacre also made a splurge on immigration, especially black immigration, constantly feeding the people reports of Pakistani born criminals and ensuring large 'ugly' pictures of these criminals were prominent in his media.  Slanted reporting, biased commentary, and pandering to the growing number of English who feel bereft for whatever reason and ensuring immigrants and Muslims are seen as responsible, clearly or indirectly ensured a growth of resentment especially in the south of England.
Is 'Dacre' an English name I ask?
Other papers spouted similar views, objective study of the situation replaced by fear and emotion. There are many English who believe all immigrants have been in jail, half are terrorists and they get first choice of houses and live off the dole without having paid a penny in.  It has also been claimed the will not sell you alcohol in supermarkets and attempted to ban Christmas, both proven lies spread about via social media.
Add to this real terrorist actions, 9/11 in the USA and several amateur and somewhat successful attempts in the UK by ISIS inspired dafties then it is inevitable that a white nutter will arise and make an attempt to settle scores.  There are many willing to sign up.
An abundance of videos by Farage, Moseley and I suspect many US white supremacist groups will provide ideology and instruction to those willing to follow blindly.  I can only give thanks that most of us have avoided being dragged into such a mindset.  It is very easy to be a follower.
Such outrages bring out the usual responses. Platitudes and denunciations from appropriate leaders follow, as do the public's response of condemnation or support.  This may not be outright support just the usual 'whataboutery' mentioning Islamic attacks elsewhere.  Murdering innocents for a cause is not justified by murdering innocents for a cause.  Hardening opinions will be seen, many will not be seen but will be hidden away ready for the day they will arise.  That will not be a good day for the world.
Brexit comes into this as the perpetrator of this crime informs us, remember he is an Australian of English, Scots and Irish ancestry (someone got around then?) operating in New Zealand, blaming Brexit “That it was the British people firing back at mass immigration, cultural displacement and globalism, and that’s a great and wonderful thing,” he said.  He has a point, little englanders did not want johnny Foreigner, especially the black ones, coming into their area.  UKIP support is very strong in areas with little immigration to be seen.  Only now that thousands are losing jobs do these folks realise their mistake.  Interesting that as an Australian he did not consider pushing Aborigines or in New Zealand Maori's about as 'mass immigration or cultural displacement' that he may be able to justify though whether Aborigines or Maori's agree is another thing.

There is a danger such attitudes will proliferate, hate is easier to spread that Love.  Fear brings hate and the encouragement of immigration over the past fifty years while disregarding the opinions of the native population and indeed regarding them as 'racist' has led to them becoming 'racist!'  The world requires thoughtful immigration and border controls not short term emotional ones seen recently.  UK, France and the US have over a hundred years mucked about in the middle east and recent wars have resulted from this.  ISIS sending a million or two into the EU at one go has encouraged the far right tendency that has always lived in parts of central Europe.  Mismanagement here has led to much pain and newspapers fanning flames have not helped. 
It is disappointing that the UK government is not in a position to advise friends elsewhere in this situation seeing as they have little idea how to operate the Brexit shambles that lies in front of us now.  That resumes next week.

Monday, 20 March 2017

First Day of Spring


The Year's At The Spring - Poem by Robert Browning

The year's at the spring,
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hill-side's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in his Heaven—
All's right with the world!


Poem Hunter


I made it back home from St P's today about 30 minutes before the delightful Spring rain hammered down across the land.  I now wake about six in the morning which is good and the day is almost bright, bar the gray clouds that is. 

Spring - Poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Birds' love and birds' song
Flying here and there,
Birds' song and birds' love
And you with gold for hair!
Birds' song and birds' love
Passing with the weather,
Men's song and men's love,
To love once and forever.

Men's love and birds' love,
And women's love and men's!
And you my wren with a crown of gold,
You my queen of the wrens!
You the queen of the wrens --
We'll be birds of a feather,
I'll be King of the Queen of the wrens,
And all in a nest together.

Poem Hunter


Today, without telling the Scots, Theresa May spoke of the date she begins the Brexit process.  The condescending selfishness of the woman is giving many Scots the desire to vote indy!   Today I notice May, in her three hundred pound trousers and several hundred pound outfits posing for a glossy magazine.  How nice to take time of to present yourself, no man would do such a thing.  Arrogant, ignorant to and off Scotland, failing to accept the losses that will accrue she rushes into leaving the EU with no trade deals of any sort ready.  
Disaster awaits.

Oh and there is this!

Stronger in Europe!




Saturday, 25 June 2016

Spy Woman, Fat and Mess


Last night, as there was no football to stimulate the mind, I wandered round to the museum to hear a talk on Krystyna Skarbek by a local author Clare Mulley.  It seems this was a well to do Polish lass who  was a bit of an adventure seeker.  When the Germans invaded she was in South Africa for reasons I forget and made her way to London and offered herself for spy work.  The British of course had no women in such roles and espionage and behind the lines work was considered somewhat dangerous for wee lassies early in the war.  Later when things were organised several women died, often horribly, for work behind the lines in France.
Eventually Krystyna got work via the Polish forces and spent some time gathering information and boyfriends along the way, I told you she was adventurous, predatory possibly one said.  She worked in dangerous situations in Europe with a husband/boyfriend I forget which there were lots, and only by feigning TB did she manage to get the Germans to throw both of them out.  Their escape across Europe led them to Cairo where the British considered her a German double agent!  Lifes like that.
Later from London she entered France and worked alongside several others annoying the Germans before and after D-Day.
She was awarded many medals including a George Cross, the highest civilian award for bravery, an OBE and the Croix de Guerre plus the usual things.  Not bad for a wee lassie.  She also ended up with two husbands, several men and lots of associations.  As the Soviet KGB also knew about her she was of no use after the war to the British spy network so she was dumped.  She was also refused British citizenship, something this continues today where such folks are concerned, but eventually settled under one of her many names in London. 
Here however an angry boyfriend stabbed her to death and ended her life in 1952.  A somewhat sad end to a woman of adventure and er, romance.
The talk was interesting even though the acoustics are not great and my hearing failures meant I missed much of it.  I would have bought the book but through no fault of my own I ended up washing the cups! 



Before the thunder & lightning returned this morning I headed East into the sun on my rusty old bike and made my way around town in an effort to get fit.  I got stiff knees and aching back so this fitness idea is working.  However the weight is creeping up rather than falling and later today as I visited the Turkish Market that appeared the other day for the second time and came home with a large bag of Mediterranean sweet cakes I wondered why?  You know what I refer to?  The Middle East sweet cakes stuffed with healthy things and wrapped in greasy unhealthy stuff?  I love them and rarely see them so I bought too many the other day and foolishly ate them!  I may need to ride the bike to Inverness to lose the weight I am putting on today!   
However I managed to buy the black cord jacket I have been looking for since three years ago for £12 in an expensive charity shop.  This idea of smartening myself up appears to be working.  Now I look like a poor man's Jeremy Clarkson but without the talent!
Good news however football has returned for a while.  Are you not all glad?


Well it worked!  Farage told them what they wished to hear, Boris scared them with talk of millions of immigrants and the people who read the 'Sun,' 'Daily Express' & 'Daily Mail' fell for it.  Now everyone with an Irish ancestor is applying for an Irish passport so they can travel in Europe, buisnessmen will have to fill reams of paper to visit EU nations, young folks are unable to work in EU as they are no longer part of it and even today some nations will not exchange the pounds in tourists pockets because they do not know hos stable the Pound actually is.  Well done Boris!
Interestingly the people who will discuss the leaving strategy have excluded Nigel Farage the rabblerouser who led from the front with his lies.  Poor thing how I feel for him!  
We now have a 'lame duck' Prime Minister who will not do anything to help the Brexit folks who have cost him his job, he cannot bring in legislation as he has no control over his party, the main contenders for his job, Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Theresa May are collecting friends and stabbing each other in the back as we speak, well they are stabbing Boris as no Conservative member really wishes him as leader.  George Osborne however has disappeared altogether, where is he?  His faulty handling of the economy, his high handed approach to the nation and his failing budgets mean few Tories will vote for him. The Labour Party is divided and the lack of leadership worrying, The Lib-dems mean nothing and only the Scots nationalists have a clue what to do.
Another independence vote is on the cards soon.  Just see how many companies cross the border and settle in Edinburgh then!  In Ireland even those who wish to remain 'British' and looking for Irish passports, and the Belfast government has no choice but to discuss unity with Dublin.  Europe on one hand laughs, on the other is afraid others will wish to join England.  
All is amiss and if Putin wishes to invade now is the time!

  


Friday, 15 April 2016

April Showers or Deluge?


 

Late yesterday afternoon there was a flash followed by a clap of nearby thunder.  The heavens opened and rain hurtled down like money out of a politicians secret offshore account.  Soon afterwards this particular storm moved away and normal heavy continuous rain fell.  It was still falling this morning and ceased only near lunchtime.  
Not long ago it began once again just after I noticed the 'Yellow Warning' on the weather forecast.  The 'Yellow Warning' warns of the 'likelihood' of heavy rain!  Jolly good of them to tell us after it has begun!  The present rain will continue all evening, all night and well into the morning limiting my time to run for the fruit and veg and those other things I require, mostly broken things needing repair.  
April indeed always brings rain, a gift from left over US hurricanes, and they say this 'brings the violets that bloom in May.'  It better!  There has been sufficient incentive for blooms to fill the park opposite ten times over.  
This weather, plus the holes in my cheap shoes, forces me to do the jobs requiring fixing indoors, so far I appear to have failed in this regard being held back by a sudden attack of sloth.  Once the housework had been sloppily done this morning I returned to more important study and found I was asleep.  Then I had lunch, followed by siesta, and as I was unable to go out I have been forced to spend time looking for a suitable version of 'April Showers' and that took long enough.
Now I slowly degenerate while planning my healthy veg led evening repast - with chips!

 ibt

The free government propaganda that costs the nation some £9 million to print and deliver fell through the door to the delight of the postman the other day.  Posties use to get paid six pence for every election leaflet they delivered and while the Royal mail has fiddled this to some extent they will get something for delivering these.  They are the only people happy with the leaflet.
A petition demanding a House of Commons debate on this leaflet requires 100,000 signatures before it can be enacted. It has at least 108,000 so far.  I expect a debate will be on offer late one Friday night, the Commons is always empty at that time.
The leaflet, a wee booklet indeed, is David Cameron propaganda telling us to vote to stay part of the EU.  Those opposing the Governments right to make use of public funds in this way (telling us it could be spent on the NHS, something they have not done themselves up till now) are those who wish to leave the EU and make Britain great again by standing alone in the world.   
Who is right?
I truly don't know as the information regarding the EU is always bent to suit whoever is supplying it.  How much does it cost us?  How much do we get back?  What about the many advantages and disadvantage being a member or not brings or takes away?  No-one appears to know or attempt to inform the rest of us.  
Certainly there are many occurrences that make continuing membership a problem, control of borders, forced to obey daft laws, vast wastage of money going down the drain - or peoples pockets. However working together can only be good in so many ways and it would be wrong not to work with Europe.  So what to do?  Listen to the little englanders hating Europe because the French are there and they want to bring back the Empire, send the immigrants home, and have the lower orders know their place?  Or do we vote for Cameron and stay ruled by overpaid unknowns in Europe while Cameron sells the nation to his friends sends the migrants to Europe and forces the lower orders to know their place?
It's all so confusing innit?
I might read that leaflet later....


 

Sunday, 20 March 2016

Now I'm Not One to Complain, But...


Indeed I am not a complaining type, I usually just sit and bubble quietly while the world walks all over me, however I have so many things to catch up with here, caused by illness with no sympathy, too much work and a great deal of sloth - I have no idea how he got in, he was too fast for me - and now things have got worse.
Yesterday meant a long day at the museum for the latest Exhibition Day, which went very well thanks for asking, thousands came,or it looked like thousands, and all left very happy indeed.  Several wee workshops were put on and the kids and adults loved them!  Not one grumble through the day bar my stomach about 1:30 but that was expected.


This Mad Scientist had the kids in stitches and the place stinking with burnt substances.  From balloons flying about to melting things, great explosions and flashes of flame she had the kids eating out of her hands.  It was fun, laughter filled the place and the mums and dads learnt almost but not quite as much as the kids.
Next door they experimented with smell, taste, and senses.  I ma not quite sure what was in the wee plastic containers they all took away so I stayed well clear, I don't trust these people.  The main hall was filled with kids learning how to digitise stuff on the laptop.  If we had not been so busy we all wanted to join that one and none of us could, but we didn't complain.... 
However I arrived home, knees aching, having missed the football for the most part and discovered we had lost three nil anyway, burnt my dinner, discovered the microwave giving problems and then it died before I had finished making my dinner!  Grrrr!
However luck was in as my dinner survived with a bit off mucking around and I found Raith Rovers playing Hibernian on BBC Alba!  How lovely to watch a game in which the commentators do not irritate with meaningless words!  BBC Alba is the Gaelic channel for the north of Scotland and as the commentators are speaking thus it merely fills the background and allows the viewer to view uninterrupted by codswallop!  It also helps if wee Hibernian lose by two goals to nil!   Oh joy!  
My Hibby mate has not answered my tweets I hope he has not done anything silly...?


Today, as I nursed my weak knees and rested my brittle bones I managed to find a decent football game in the Dull, Dreich Dundee Derby Day game at half past twelve.  This was far superior to the dreich Manchester derby.  The sooner Van Gall goes the better I say.
However I suddenly thought Sainsburys sometimes do microwaves!  It was quiet so I rushed up there hoping they had one as they were close by and a cheap microwave would be easy to carry home from the shop.  Of course they are quite heavy and in the box heavier but Sainburys are only five minutes up the road.  
I rushed slowly up the road and discovered their cheap microwave, the same as my old one, they are all the same no matter what name appears on them, I discovered their one was £40!  Blow that as I had checked the more distant Argos had one at £36.However I wandered on to Tesco and found a heavy box there full of cheap microwave oven for £35.  Good enough for me I say, the last one lasted about four years and if I remember right cost £29.  
However after lugging it home from Argos that day, unpacking it, starting it up I discovered the blessed thing was bust!  I lugged it back, slower than I brought it, and dumped it somewhat heavily on the desk while panting my complaint.  As I recall the lass did not refund or replace but encouraged me to spend a pound or two more on a 'better' one and so I did while looking in her eyes all the time.  Then I again lugged the even heavier one back down the road.  
I am not fit I said to myself, and I as always, was right.
Now heavier than then, me not the oven, as fit as a corpse with lumbago I paid for my treasure without which I would starve and clambered shakily down the steps towards the door.  Why do they have an escalator upwards but not downwards I ask?  I trudged past the stares from the drunks at the pub on the corner, ensuring I walked upright and briskly as I did so.  Round the corner I changed position and began to wheeze somewhat.  As I passed Sainsburys people began to look and having reached the corner opposite I heard one man ask where that steam engine was.  
Home was reached just before the defibrillator was called for and I sat for a while aching and wondering how some time in the past I used to lug things like this up and down stairs in all sorts of houses.  Heavy goods were easily shifted and now I struggle to open bottles of Lucozade!  
If the muscles allow I will once again begin exercising tomorrow, unless the knees still play up from Saturday let alone today.


The good news that Ian Duncan Smith has walked out of the government because 'Cutting benefits off the poor and disabled while increasing tax cuts for the rich was not acceptable.'  Such warm words which we all agree with.
Hold on, this is the man who put through all these benefits cuts over the past six years.  The man who's department sent letters to people unable to leave their bed since birth 18 years before that they must report for work or lose money!  Some say 2000 have been told they are fit to work and died within a week!  Other claim thousands more have died or lost great sums of money, affecting their food and trapping them indoors because money has been taken from them.  The man who thrust through the 'robbing the poor to pay the rich' was Ian Duncan Smith.  An item in the 'Telegraph' indicates Prime Minister Cameron and Chancellor Osborne had encouraged IDS to mail everyone telling them to continue with the cuts and therefore put the blame on him, so IDS waked out.  Stories in the papers are of course planted by MPs and who planted that one?  So many tales and so many lies.
However this has blown Chancellor Osborne out of the water.  His decision to cut benefits again will have to be changed, Cameron is desperate to separate himself from anything that makes life difficult and both and in real trouble now.  Good isn't it?
This of course has lots to do with the EU referendum!  Politicians playing games with one another while Rome burns, if that is the right analogy, and we have to read between the lines as to the truth. Here of course the fun is the Conservative Party, the one determined to eliminate all poor, weak. sick or any other people who did not attend Public School and go horse riding with David Cameron from the nation.  Now they are riven in two with a divide growing daily.  Political enemies are never on the other side of the chamber, they are always behind you!


   

Tuesday, 8 March 2016

Tuesday Trivia


Having spent yet another full day at the museum sorting through boxes of envelopes I come home to find the news is boring.  Yes indeed the 'Brexit' fills the air yet again and still not one word concerning the facts thereof.  As always much in the way of propaganda, many insults from one Conservative gentleman to another and back again, loud sneering/shouting/debate yet little in the way of facts.  I blame the USA I suspect these folks have been watching Trump and his gang too much.  The vote is in June and we have months of this to go through yet.

So few people at work today, another called off because of aged parent trouble, another off for a month for sickness, two left, one off on holiday again and only two of us left to man the fort.  The staff likewise are one down and one was out elsewhere today.  Naturally when I arrived all was chaos.  Still we survived.  However I am in need of a Swedish massage and a quiet night.  
Last night was frightful!   
There was no football on TV!
I went through the motions and did this and that but there was an enormous gap where the football should be.  I was seeing spiders by ten o'clock! 
Tonight I see relief inn the form of several games arranged just for my mental health I suspect.

The other main subject is of course migrants.  
Do you have an answer?  I don't.  The political games being played help few and thousands suffer.  Would you stay in a war zone?  Can we believe half the scare stories the press offer us?  I try to find a simple straight forward response and fail.  Care for refugees I say, help those in need indeed but how to manage such a crowd.  The nations, often unused to dealing with people from outside their area Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and the like are keen on EU money and their people freely moving around Europe but they are less keen on accepting Syrians or Afghans.  The UK stands back - with a Tory government who have just pushed through a bill cutting benefits to the disabled (but not taxing their friends) - as always doing as little as it can.  Certainly we have many immigrants here, the violent ones we cannot deport for goodness sake, and we could do more but the long term answer escapes me.

As Zebedee said, "It's time for bed."

p.s. Today is 'International Women's Day,'  Do you think I care?  Pah!



Monday, 22 February 2016

Doing My Head in.....

Well here we go! As if it was not enough to fill the media with tales of the US election we now have to face months of lies, half truths and more lies as the UK decides whether to stay in the EU or not.  Usually in elections I am aware that few actually understand the situation, most voting for 'their party' rather than thinking about the candidate or the policies, if indeed any exist.  This time however it will be harder as I have never come across anyone explaining to me (in simple terms) what we get from being in the EU and what it costs us to be there or truthfully to tell us what will happen if we leave.  In short the majority of voters like me are to some extent voting in the dark.  The right wing press have told their readers what the readers wish to hear, now they have to get them to vote the way their owners wish them to vote.
The Daily Mail, who's Billionaire owner lives in France to avoid paying taxes both here and there doesn't really wish to leave the EU, his readers however have been told told how badly the EU treats 'us' because that is what they wished to hear for so many years now it will be impossible to get the 'little englanders' to change their tune.  Murdoch has his media running around milking it for all it's worth and I suspect daily their stories will change to suit his mood, the 'Daily Telegraph' support 'little england' and these readers (ones who consider themselves above the others have also followed the party line) wish to leave the EU but the owners don't and trouble will follow. The majority of voters are like me struggling to work out what really is the truth of the situation and not finding that via the media.
All Brits wish to be part of Europe but not part of a federal state.  The English in particular wish to see the continent as 'different' as their imperialist natures just want to find an enemy (however those in the north may think differently) and maybe that is just an attitude of the south east.  The Scots have happily worked with Europe for centuries and will continue to do so, if however the 'little englanders' win and the UK leaves the EU then a proper Scots independence referendum will occur and Scotland will at last be free.
Boris Johnson has risen from the back room where David Cameron our idiot Prime Minister had placed him, ignored the offer of a job as Home secretary or Foreign Minister (although the present incumbents of these jobs may be speaking to Dave about this soon) and placed himself at the head of the 'Get out of the EU' campaign.  He joins a long time friend of Cameron's and a senior cabinet member Michael Gove who has long wished to leave the EU.  Two big names who will either succeed or finish their careers with this referendum.  I am tempted to wish several others will fall along with them.
Boris of course is a well known lover of History and was offered today a few heckles from those observing his press meetings.  One cry was "You are more Alcibiades than Pericles!" Which I thought clever as well as correct.


Meanwhile the USA struggles slowly through the never ending Presidential election.  The Republican charade continues with the media's favourite bampot Donald Trump still leading the way in spite of telling a story about an American General shooting Muslims with pigs blood tipped bullets which turned out to be a hoax.  All this man says is a hoax in the eyes of the world outside of the US it must be said.  The US has a terrible habit of electing people who would never win in proper democratic elections.  Cretinous, small minded, false types who are all image and shallow as a puddle who would never become British Prim...hold on, forget that, I see a fault in my logic there.
Mrs Clinton continues also to head for the White house.  At least the world would see her as capable if not trustworthy, but with such a choice who would you choose?


Sensibly I took the advice of those who have already endured 'Man Flu' and made considerable use of 'Hot Toddy' as a cure and relief from a variety of monstrous symptoms, and monstrous they were this time I must say.  The 'Toddy' line was worth undertaking and the bottle has some reserve for the next time, I assure you the bottle was open a wee bit before I began this.
My headache however appears to be still with me, I know not why.
The inability to sleep kept me up during the night and this along with the inability to concentrate led to turning on the TV at 2:30 in the morning.  All those channels offering unmitigated pap interspersed with channels offering 'Teleshopping.'  These showed many people with American voices selling new style vacuums and rowing machines, kitchen equipment and perfume and I kept asking myself who buys rowing machines at 2:30 in the morning and from a TV advert at that?  Interestingly those channels that spend the entire day selling stuff had closed down for the night!
I'm so glad that medical emergency is over it helps me to comprehend how those suffering proper illness must endure.  My thoughts are with them.  This bug has hit everyone here and thanks to the international jet set it will be with you by now I suspect, good luck with that. 



Monday, 5 May 2014

Bank Holiday Monday Again


This is a scene in Edinburgh's Granton area a couple of weeks ago, it may still be there.  The UKIP poster, (United Kingdom Independence Party with the UK to leave the EU, and many consider them racist for not wanting high immigration) is found planted alongside an advert for tents claiming 'No Poles Required!'  There has in recent years been an influx of young folks from Poland into the UK leaving some to demand whether these posters placed side by side was a deliberate act on someones part.  I doubt it, but even so, it is quite funny.
There can be no doubt immigration is a big issue today.  However who knows what the actual numbers of immigrants actually happens to be?  Government figures cannot be trusted, even by governments, UKIP or any other lobby group certainly will not tell the truth, and the only fact is that the entire UK is overcrowded.  However, once Scotland becomes independent you will note only England, and Wales, become crowded, Scotland having masses of highlands bereft of life bar English incomers looking for a better world.  UKIP remains an England First Party, probably some members are racist, some certainly a bit loopy, however many similar remain within the Conservative Party but the papers do not mention that, certainly not during the lead up to an election.  
The European Election is with us in 20 or so days.  We ave the opportunity to send people into obscurity on vast wages, huge expenses, long hours of wasting everybody's time, and changing not one iota of life for you and me as far as I am aware up to this point.  The EU is such a farce. The accounts have never been signed off for 20 years, nobody knows where the money goes, few if any care or understand the financial side, yet nothing is done!  Talk is loud now, action unseen tomorrow.  Laws are passed, ignored by France, yet important here!  It is time for a rethink.  Let us work with Europe, but not in a Federal state.  Let us trade, help, aid, develop the poorer parts, but first let us remove the millions earning vast sums in Strasbourg, Brussels and wherever else they dwell.  I'm thinking of voting either 'Green' or 'UKIP,' as both would serve them right and keep them away from us!
   

Being a bank holiday, in which everyone bar supermarkets and greedy shops take the long weekend off, there was nothing happening today.  This made no difference whatsoever to this small town!  Actually it does, most shops shut, businesses closed and many took advantage of a reasonably warm day to clean the car, go visit in-laws, or even have a happy time.  I did nothing, so no change there.  The bright blue sky caused me to cycle up the old railway however, puffing up that slope far more than any F5 engine ever did I can tell you.


     Pah! You call that steam!
Clearly this is doing me good health wise, or so they say, but it did not feel this way at the time. There were few about, which always make it worth while.



The morning sun makes me want to take pictures but there was nothing but this aged gate, once entrance to a busy coal depot, the only interesting object on view.  I can tell it bores you, it did little for me.  However this depot must have been important in the coal fired days.  Every house required coal, all stations along the line had similar layouts busy with bags of coal being transferred to lorries and taken to almost every house in the area.  I say almost as with all the woods around in the past I suspect many chopped their own for the fire, saving money and keeping fit.  Today we just turn the switch and grumble at the power companies ripping us off. Where are all the old coalmen now?  Dead I suppose. Any living will be well into their eighties, probably older, but I suspect still fit! Jobs come and go with the change of lifestyle yet as far as I know few tears were shed for coalmen who lost out to the Clean Air Act.  Yet for well over a hundred years such men kept the nation warm, industry working and when stocks were low suffered the abuse for something they could do little about. Now they are forgotten.  So many old jobs once commonplace have gone in fifty years.  Factories, railway sidings, once the employer of thousands now turned into small shops, scout huts or out of town supermarkets.  How quickly we forget.    

Do you know muscles used rarely hurt when used?  As I write this rubbish my muscles are informing me of this very fact.  When I rise in the morrow I wonder if they will remind me then also.....?
  
.