Daffodils

Daffodil season is upon us once again.  In the gloom caused by ongoing rainstorms we see the council daffs beginning to emerge and brighten the greenery opposite.  Soon grasping young mums will be encouraging their kids to steal them to brighten their homes.  Most will claim they cannot afford the £1 required in Tesco's!   

I bought one bunch from Sainsburys, these however failed to produce properly.  On Tuesday I bought a large bunch of three tied together, some, as you can see, have begin to respond correctly, others are dubious, and the third lot remain staring mournfully at the window.  We will soon see what will happen.  

I like the bright yellow flowers on the desk, it is a cheery sight, especially on dreich days like this, and comparatively cheap, though clearly the shops will be making a packet from them.

New Statesman

Lindsey Hoyle, the Speaker of the House, has been apologising and offering talks and debates after last nights gamesmanship.  The SNP and some 49 MPs of various colours, have signed a 'Motion of No Confidence in the Speaker,' and will no doubt try and bring this to the House.

A shambolic night, and with a shambolic Tory government who ran away when Sunak, like Starmer, saw he would lose a vote!  There can be no doubt that the SNP were suffering a racist backlash from the English colonialists also.  

On the subject of Scotland as a colony, I had a Twitter fight with a man from Aberdeen who disagreed.  The fact he flew a Union flag, supported Rangers, and lived in Aberdeen, made me realise he had little History knowledge, in spite of the word 'History' being on his intro.  As it turned out his history knowledge was not very good, written by some English Historian, and wilted when I offered him the list of bribes paid to the Scottish Lords.  Sadly, many Rangers fans believe in 'Britain,' instead of Scotland simply because their football team tells them to.  Those indoctrinated by the armed forces have similar outlooks.  History knowledge is still poor, there is so much we do not know, and the subject is not taught well enough, though needless things are,  and leaves the way for decent History programmes on the BBC, but their unionist owners would not allow this. 

Car

I have been fantasying of buying a car.  Considering I have no money this will remain a fantasy for some time.  However, I could do with one, not just to 'get about' the locale, but to travel far distance and see people I have not seen in years.  Or 'family' as they are called.  

There are problems other than being skint of course, since obtaining the licence I have not driven.  Being unemployed at the time, getting aid to do the lessons, I ha
ve not had the cash to buy a car.  Now I have moved from the pauper stage up into the poverty stage I can begin to dream of greater things.  

Now I know a recent death has left me some cash, though exact amount is unclear, but even with the money how do I buy a car?  And, as I age can my mind cope with all that is involved now?  I forget so many things, this memory lapse could be dangerous on a road, so I hesitate here.  

Maybe I could convince a bright young blonde to chauffer me?

What?  Oh...

Much political shenanigans in the House today.  I did not observe this, I could not contain myself if I did, but a proposal to bring peace to Gaza has caused war in politics.  Naturally, this was meant.  By bringing this proposal the SNP wanted to embarrass Labour, many of whom get backhanders from Israeli lobbyists, and force a rebellion from the Labour backbenchers.  Labour, allegedly, demanded the Speaker allowed an amendment, from them, or they would chuck him out after the next election.  The Speaker, not the best ever known in the House, gave in.  Now a vote on a Tory amendment is also looming.  

I canny mind a parliament so absurd and awful as what we have today.  I can recall MacMillan and many since then, I recall many problems in the House, but this lot are a new low.  The Tory cabinet and junior ministers lie in their teeth to keep their job.  They know they are lying, they know we know they are lying, yet they lie.  Well, one or two may not know if they are lying to tell the truth, one or two are less intelligent than a dead parrot yet have a ministers job!  

The opposition cannot tell us what a woman is, in case they lose the deviant vote, even the more sensible members are on the take and unclear as to their own policies, these change daily at the moment, and do not impress with policies to put the nation back together again.  They merely want to be in power!

At least an election will bring a change, but what?

Tuesday Lack of any Other Heading.

BBC

I suppose we ought not be surprised that politicians, including Prime Ministers and Party Leaders, police and the CPS have covered up the sexual abuse by politicians in the House.  This is the normal way for most organisations.  The BBC covered up Jimmy Saville, the BBC and the people who earned large wages together forgot to mention similar activities in case they lost their jobs, cash and credibility.  Banks, civil servants, churches and any large organisation found it easier to keep the dirt quiet rather than blacken their good name by offering up the deviant for prosecution.  Is it any wonder people believed a deviant sex ring was to be found in the house?  Clearly there are still many there with such ambitions or desires, will their name leak out?  Will the police hide the facts, especially if it is a senior member?  Well yes, of course!
The kids don't matter, and anyway they might wish to be paid off!

 SKY NEWS

Expect lots of news stories re snow, traffic problems, train delays and general mayhem in the next few days.  It might snow in the south of England!  
This is a disaster that the world must know about, the floods still flowing 'up north,' through Wales and leaving government environment individuals muttering about such areas 'may be abandoned' will not get much coverage, what counts is 'US,' the media people, the politicians, the folk who matter, 'US' here in the south east!  London matters, the rest of the country is there to support London and Londoners and where they choose to reside.  Snow here can be dangerous, irritating, hinder the lives of the important but will still not see Boris Johnson emerge to state his opinion on the matter.  He has 'more important' things to consider.  
Anyway, Dominic will not let him out. 

B&W Times

PANIC!
Someone is thought to have the Chinese Flu. (we must not call it that in case China gets upset. I get upset at China burning churches, arresting Christians, forcing Muslims into prison slave labour and killing pets in case they pass on this virus (Animals cannot catch it) and yet we are to consider the Emperors feelings?)  The surgery, whether doctor or administrator I know not, closed at first thought of the virus was in the area, in the end it was declared safe, the patient did not have the Chinese virus, possibly just an English one?  
Clearly the virus is deadly, clearly authorities are correct in taking precautions, clearly we need to take care but I wonder if this is panic instead of responsible actions?  Just asking.

The Future is, er.....

ITV NEWS

As I scribble this the House of Commons, the tea rooms, library and individual office spaces are filled with backbiting Tory MPs promising each and every candidate for tonight's 'No Confidence' vote that they are on their side!  Loud assurances to the media confirm MPs position either for or against the present PM.  Of course this reminds me of the last time Kenneth Clark stood for the leadership, after the vote (the numbers may be slightly out here) over a hundred Tory MPs shook his hand and said "I voted for you Ken."  He received around 87 votes!  Never trust an MP at such a time.  Tonight the votes will be cast either for or against Theresa May, this would lead to a leadership election in which several totally unsuitable candidates will be put forward, none of whom will put the country before their own personal ambition.  It might of course, if May loses, lead to a general election, possibly a hindering of Brexit and maybe even the desired second referendum, this time without foreign money.  By the time you read this the result will be known and the UKs future will remain as clear as mud!
Glory!

  
Having waddled down to the church for the morning advent prayer time it was lunch when I got back.  This meant I had no time to do anything else except fiddle about with chocs I bought for the kids and sort them out, the chocs not the kids.  A few tokens for Christmas just in case they don't get enough!  
The Dove squatting upon the aerial has little info regarding Theresa's troubles yet he appears not too worried about this.  This is a good sign as it indicates problems that fill the media may not alter the fact that the world keeps turning whoever is in charge.  We spoke to the man who is in charge this morning and left all this fuss with him, he has seen worse.  Tomorrow in spite of it all I will visit Sainsburys early just the same, though I might stock up on medicines, corned beef and beans just in case!  

Messy State

While hiding from the chill wind I have cogitated on the government situation.  Now I know you will ask "Government? Does the UK have one?" and I will answer, "Not at this moment."  
The Scottish Labour Party then leader requested those Labour voters in constituencies where the Labour man would not win to vote for the Conservative Party thus ensuring the SNP would not win at the general election.  The result was many did indeed follow this instruction and the UK government was then won by a handful of seats, Scottish seats, that meant we now have a Conservative Party forming the government.  Had the Labour voters voted Labour and the SNP won the seats Jeremy Corbyn the leader of the UK Labour Party would now be Prime Minister instead of Theresa May.
Theresa May's government has been a farce since she was elected as she knows the Brexit nonsense will bankrupt the UK but she goes along with this just to keep her job as Prime Minister.  Her control of her cabinet is non existent and add to the farce of Brexit and the incompetence regarding the discussions with the EU we have the 'sex scandals' some of which are genuine and the loss of cabinet ministers from said cabinet.  
Today we await the MP for Witham, Essex, who has been called back from Africa where she escaped to avoid answering questions in the House regarding her latest shenanigans. 
It appears Pritti Patel, a woman who knows the colour of money, has been meeting with members of the Israeli cabinet on numerous occasions unbeknown to the PM or indeed her office (She is Minister for development).  This is serious as such meeting s require a civil servant to be present to take notes and make reports etc but this was not done!  Not only but also, she has met with and discussed government business with the Prime Minister of Israel without informing Theresa May her own PM!  Just what is going on we ask?
Today we read the Jerusalem Post claiming Theresa May was aware all along these meetings (all 12 of them) were underway, and aware that no civil servant was there also.  This is serious stuff and totally out of order from the correct handling of such circumstances under Parliament protocol. 
Who is telling the truth?  
What will be the result?

p.s. Tonight we hear the Patel woman has 'resigned,' they normal way to say she has been sacked. 

This government has an easy time as Corbyn also wishes to leave the EU.  Had he differed in his opinion he could bring this government down but is unable to do so.  A government with a lying Minister, a lying Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson also, and David Davis the Brexit secretary claiming over 50 studies relevant to the result of Brexit are available and refusing to release them when parliament demands they are released he now claims they do not exist! 
Yet Corbyn cannot bring them down?
There is no stable government in Westminster, a rag tag group of individuals on the make each eyeing up the other as a dangerous opponent.  A weak opposition, a frustrated populace and all the while costs to the people rise daily (BT the latest to make a grab for another billion) the NHS loses money, the disabled, unemployed and sick lose benefits and housing and parliament is in a mess.
What a state to live under.  I have never known such a mess. 

I of course have a theory.
The more I look at things I begin to see judgement at work.
The UK has the Conservatives, the US has Trump!  The West has political correctness and the lunatics run the asylum.
We have left the ways of God, poorly followed as they were, encouraged abortion and gay sex, worshipped Mammon and become disinterested in human life.  I have mentioned the benefit claimants who are all regarded as scroungers I can add those who kill on the roads and walk free after a short sentence of four, five or six years while the dead are just dead and the victims families are not considered worthy of care.  
We are worshipping ourselves, this only leads to trouble.
The more the 'self' is glorified the more we die. 
Turning to he who rules is the only way forward for us.  
Turning to Jesus and the way of truth is our only hope.
Few will find it while the cosmos implodes.

When I am Poor then I am Rich...

The release of the files indicating the billions hidden away by the elite to avoid tax is no surprise to most of us.  Fiddling tax, especially when there are so many ways to do this 'legally' has gone on since time began and many grumbling about this will avoid tax on the 'Black Market' when possible.
So to be informed that leading Conservative parliamentary members of both houses are at it is no shock, to hear the queen is dodging tax is also no shock, she would not wish to tax herself would she?
However when her 'advisers,' she does not do her own accounts it appears, when her 'advisers, put ten million of her money in to tax havens and companies of dubious reputation then either she gets a  grip of her money men or begins to pay her own way.  This amount, £10 million, is only a small portion of her personal wealth they state, so why did she require a £10 million a year rise from the taxpayer for her royal duties bud?  If she has money in the bank why is she not doing what the nation has to do in these years of austerity and cutting costs?  Add to her tax paid income the £750 million being spent renovating Buckingham Palace while the nation attends one of the thousand Foodbanks that employed people have to make use of to pay their way is a question that requires an answer.   
Bone, famous U2 singer who asks people to pay for the poor also has money in tax dodges, Lord Ashcroft, a man who has bankrolled the Tory party and makes a noise about buying Victoria Crosses of the fallen while talking up his patriotism has many millions resting loyally abroad.  One of Trumps men, one Wilbur Ross has connections through such accounts to President Putin, no shock there, many foreign Johnnies are in on this, Canada's weird Premier Trudeau's top financier has of course got his fingers in the pile and foreign owners of English football teams are also in the game.
How lucky we are not one of those corrupt African nations where such behaviour is commonplace, how lucky the UK is so honest.

 
The good news is that such corruption has taken the corruption of our Westminster leaders off the front page and moved it into second place.  This is good because women are still appearing, jumping on the bandwagon of fame, all accusing someone unnamed of touching, raping, abusing or just smiling at them at some date in the past, often way in the past.  Whether any of this is true or whether this is just women telling the world that even though they are ageing men still want them I am not too sure.  I suspect men do not want such women around preferring the more thoughtful type and not those on the make.  
It is interesting the Ambera Rudd the Home Secretary and Liz Truss also a cabinet minister of some sort should appear on the list of named MP's mentioned for harassment.

This is allegedly the list of miscreants and it is worth a read.  Amber is near the bottom (ooh missus) and Liz half way up, one with relationships and one fornicating!  Dear me is this right?  
The whole thing is of course a game.  Men and women have been touching one another up for centuries, both have abused the other in a variety of ways, yet it is only bad men that get publicity, not bad women.  It appears they are seen as 'being independent women, making their choices,' not 'sluts' as they used to be called.  Men are not keen on 'dirty girls' as they are called, and in parliament it is clear there must be a few of those willing to make use of themselves to gain advantage, just ask that nice Edwina Currie.
Tomorrow there might be some better news, like the end of Brexit perhaps.

Debate!

Daily Mail

I spent much of the day with the Syria debate in the background.  The House of Commons was full of people with something to say about the debate as to whether the RAF ought to be bombing Daesh in Syria as well as in Iraq.  A serious situation which many treated seriously with a bit of banter and finger pointing but on the whole a decent debate.  The two leaders however were very different.  The Prime Minister David Cameron began the debate with a speech high on words but low on conviction.  He was convinced of the need but when questions arose he failed to satisfy.  Last night he spoke to a meeting of Conservative MP's and used the phrase 'Terrorist Sympathisers' on those who wish to vote against his motion.  Today he was asked on several occasions to apologise and he fell into the 'Eton Prefect' mould and ignored the question, it was an act of brazen ignorance which did him and the post of Prime Minister no good whatsoever.  Cameron continues to demand the bombing of Syrian targets (with only eight planes added to the eight we already have there) without civilian casualties or the loss of a plane yet has not given any indication of strategy behind this.  The real reason is keeping in with the 'allies' and getting a seat at the political table.  The bombing will do little to stop Daesh.  The plan remains send in the jets, no further plan is available.  This looks good.

Jeremy Corbyn on the other hand opposes the bombing as he always does yet his performance was poor.  He made his points while constantly and probably deliberately interrupted by Conservative questions and appeared unable to put his case sufficiently.  Both front benches performed badly for differing reasons.   

The short few minutes for speeches from the backbenches were far better.  Many had prepared well, knew what they wished to say and made a decent case for their opinion.  The majority Tories will support the motion, the SNP and many Labour will oppose and David Cameron might well find the easy victory eh expected when he called the debate will not materialise.  He will win but not by a large majority.  The debate continues, time being short speakers now have only three minutes to get their point across!  This is because Cameron insisted on the debate lasting only one day and not two or three as important debates ought to do.  That also has gone against him.

Bombing while allowing financial assistance from Saudi Arabia and Qatar appears daft yet we do this.  No money is being spent on attacking the internet usage by Daesh, no attempt to curb their social media usage, much better to bomb.  The Turks have been buying Daesh oil some say while sending their men to fight the Kurds fighting Daesh!  We have failed to give armour to the Kurds, our best fighting men facing Daesh as this upsets the Kurds!  What a mess we have in front of us and in the end we will see a similar debate when this clown wishes to send our troops in on the ground alongside our allies!

The debate continues.

A Day in the Life

This is the view I am forced to endure at the moment, except that at the moment it is obscured by the rain belting down.  This rain is I understand the remnants of yet another American hurricane that they send us regularly in an effort to increase the numbers of road accidents from English drivers failing to note the rain that blocks their view from their windscreen.  Quite how so many appear ignorant of rains ability to make roads slippery, especially when leaves are beginning to fall onto them, or that it takes longer to stop when on wet roads amazes me.  It is amazing the police who have just asked people to open their eyes.  I am told 'El Ninio' or whatever it's called on the far side of the Americas is promising to send us the worst winter since 1962/3 when it was horrid, I canny say I am looking forward to that!  Anyone got a bolthole in Portugal they don't use...?

 

This stuff, and the honey, is rapidly running out.  It appears the 'Hot Toddy' is something to be taken occasionally and not consistently as I had misread.  Ah well I will not require any more after tonight as healing is with us and soon I will be outside again.  How can such a small thing interfere with life so much?  How can people indicate that 'dribbling' is not a new thing for me in such a sarcastic manner?  The whole museum has suffered with this and I suspect it began with one of the kids during the summer.  Bah!  At least they have to go to school in the rain!

 

Islington Gazette 

 

Jeremy Corbyn had an excellent start to his public duties during Prime Ministers Question Time (PMQs) today.  By asking questions sent in by the public and mentioning their names he forced the Prime Minister to answer the question and avoid insulting the questioner, he cannot insult the public, at least in public anyway.   Corbyns attempt to have a better PMQs by speaking quietly and avoiding the childish nonsnes also worked as the PM found this difficult.  Indeed Cameron lost it when asked a reasonable question by the Scottish Nationalist Leader in the House and replied in his usual blustering arrogant Eton Prefect style to be put down very well by the SNP leader.  A good start by Corbyn although one woman asked if this meant he could not respond to the PMs answers this way, I see it as possible and if he can keep the PM acting like a decent chap he will all too often see this breaking down to Corbyns advantage.  The PM will react in fury and look bad on PMQs, this is the only parliament most people actually watch so it is important. 

       

The rain started hours ago and has continued non stop since.  There is nothing for it but to stop a passing jet and run off to the Riviera for a few days.  Anyone coming with me...?

   

Before Breakfast...

Long before seven this morning I trundled the bike up part of the old railway to look at the mist hovering over the land.  Even most dog walkers were still abed which indicates the chill in the morning.  The sun was dissipating the mist as I arrived, low lying clouds lay like an Edinburgh Haar over parts.  

To think a developer now wishes to plant several hundred houses here (plus GP etc) and the farmer is very keen to sell.  A couple of years ago similar plans for 500 houses were turned down after a long campaign, I suspect similar to arise now.  This is a wonderful natural spot, well cared for by the Park Rangers and so many houses will ruin it.  With this grasping governments attitude 'build and be damned' and a desperate need for housing this one may get some homes built.  There again maybe there is not so much need for housing after all, maybe stopping greedy Russians and Chines buying all of Central London and raising the cost of houses would enable Brits to obtain one already built?
Maybe encouraging people not to divorce might keep families together, support marriage rather than destroy it, tell single women to find their own accommodation when they have a baby rather than use council ones.  All such ideas will not get votes but could improve society.
We are being forced apart by the spirit of the air.  Independence and not community is the bias in the airways.  Self rights are more important than society duty, me first, and let others hang is the way.  Today parliament debate the 'assisted suicide bill.'  This is to allow people who wish to die to do so.  To many consider this a 'right' and others from compassion think it a good idea.  I remind them of the woman today who has been found to have written a note from her husband claiming he wished not to be revived, and she had poisoned him and written the note herself.  'Assisted suicide' is an excellent way to remove ageing or sick family members, especially if there is money to be found in the will.  I await their deliberations tonight.

I exchanged s few friendly words with one young lass as I grasped the camera expectantly noticing her dog, a golden retriever, wandering in and out of the wet grasses that abounded today.  I was glad I did not have to wash the beast when I got home, and she had another somewhere about also.  As I turned for home, my knees requesting this, I noticed this figure heading towards me.  She had the right idea, cycle alongside the dog, it makes him run faster and enables you to get home quicker! A not unusual idea and worth considering as the dog and you benefit.  Unless you fall off obviously!

   
High above holiday makers and a few business people headed elsewhere.  This may have been an inland flight to Edinburgh or Belfast possibly but it may well have had a European airport in its sights.  No-one appeared to wave from the window.   The thought that this seven in the morning take off meant the travellers probably left home at midnight or three in the morning to get to Stansted for the flight shows the problems re air travel today.  The flight to Edinburgh takes an hour, the preparation for take off three!  I may just cycle there next time.

After a massage from the Vietnamese Curry House and Takeaway Massage girls I might feel better however now I think I have been run over by a bus.  They say this makes you fitter, 'they' are not doing it....

Friday Frippary

So, by well over 500 votes to 43 the House votes for action, via the RAF, in Iraq.  I had the debate on the telly most of the day and was intrigued by the debate.  Many I saw were keen to inform the leaders of their party that they were doing what they were told, others, usually more experienced and past minister opportunities, were more willing to tackle the hard bits face on.  The House was clearly afraid of mission creep and all were aware of the Iraq situation of the past.  Their constituents have made it clear this will not be tolerated again!  Quite right too!

Of course it has to be remembered in May 2015 a General Election takes place and this insipid lot are afraid to lose their seats.  At moments like this they do listen to their people.  The only problem is the somewhat unfortunate fact that nobody really knows what will happen next.

God might be about to punish us.

Guilt is a terrible thing.  You do bad things and need to confess them, either that you repress the truth and hide the guilt deep inside.  One guilty secret I hide away and rarely allow to come to mind is the walk to the record shop that once stood at the top of Leith Walk opposite London Road, and spent six shillings and eightpence on this record!  With the Beatles and Stones, not to say dozens of other top groups abounding at the time I chose to waste my money on Tom Jones! What on earth went through my head?   

However I suspect you out there may have chosen badly also.  Any guilt to be confessed?

Some Musings

Labour Party

As I stuffed my healthy salad and veg with a slice of expensive meat (going cheap) and similar cheese for lunch I watched the ham histrionics of Prime Ministers question Time.  This in theory is an opportunity for back bench MP's to bring relevant questions to the PM direct.  Naturally the leader of the Opposition has six questions he can ask and this means the whole pantomime turns on their performance, and performance this is!  Backbenchers do ask a lot of questions, often 'suggested' by the front bench leaders, and occasionally the House falls quiet when an MP actually brings a relevant and often serious question to the PM.  Mostly however this is an act and an act which rises in intensity as an election is in the offing next year.  Order papers are waved, loud cheers roar as their man rises to ask or answer a question, the 'Yaboo' cries continue throughout, mocking laughter, attempts to put off the questioner if it annoys one side or another, 'Order! Order!' cries from the speaker as he demands silence for the question.  All this rings out for thirty minutes at noon on every Wednesday the House sits.  A sign of democracy in action, or possibly a need for a strong dictator I'm not sure.
The interesting thing is what happens when the speaker brings the session to an end.  The House empties, it is lunch time, the next minister takes his position and a near silence descends on proceedings.  Today such as this occurred after PMQ's finished except that the PM remained in his place to report to the House on his recent meetings with the G87.  Instead of order paper waving and yells the place remained quiet, little noise followed the short report and this continued when Milliband rose to reply.  The cameras of the BBC Parliament channel remained on to inform the nation of proceedings but the News reporters were now in the Lobby talking to leading MP's to find out what really was going on.  The normal business of democracy was now in action, quiet, slow, ponderous and often very uninteresting but very much better than that in many other places in this world.
I have been struck by how much the Labour Party no longer represents the 'workers' of this country.  To be elected in England you must appeal to 'Middle England,' and that well off type care little for the lower end of society, indeed blaming them for their misfortune.  Add to this the nature of those now selected as candidates for the Labour Party and we find most as from the 'Oxbridge Set.' Middle class liberals who have been through Oxford or Cambridge, have the right outlook, look the part the Party requires and have never done an honest days work in their lives!
The Lib-Dems are a dying party but Labour indeed now represent the Liberal outlook, not the workers.  

Gwyneth

You will doubtless be aware that my care for 'art' and 'celebrities' does not make any important mark in my humble existence.  Such as these do cross my paths on occasion but it is a sad thing in my view that I am not driving a bus at the time.  This musing arises because of one Gwyneth Paltrow and her bloke whatsisname?  Suddenly, while searching for a missing plane and the 230 occupants, discussing the economy and whether Chancellor George Osborne actually plays Bingo or not we find acres of print given over to this women dumping her man.  It appears many get very excited when some broken women, and from what I can gather this is a very broken and confused woman, get married quite regularly and publicly, are pictured in days of bliss, and when there is no news to speak off inform the world he's been kicked out the door. You will note I imply she is the one making the decisions here.  I ask, why do men marry such as she?  Why does she marry such as he?  Why is the broken life of a mere film star so important to so many?  I recall the reaction, though I was not around at the time, when Rudolph Valentino died, women committed suicide because of this.  From what I can gather he was not someone worth bothering about too much either.  It is all very sad and reflects a need for a leading light in our lives.
We all do this.  We identify with someone because he or she is a footballer, musician, film star or whatever we fancy.  Women have a terrible tendency to fall for a hunk in a film in a manner men don't manage I am glad to say, women also identify with a woman and her struggles also.  Note the absurd reaction to the death of Diana?  So many women who chose to live their lives through an image of someone they saw on TV and in magazines.  Someone who did not live out the life her admirers were living through her.  We do tend to follow 'role models,' and we often pick absurd ones.  However who would follow Paltrow as a 'role model?'  Feel sympathy, wish to help, suggest keeping out of the public eye and find a life, yes all this, but copy her ways to find satisfaction, I wonder who would do this?  It's a funny old world.
I should add I never managed to be another Jim Cruickshank, he caught the ball better than I.    

The Poke

     
You will like this!
News headlines gathered from many of the local papers, and one or two more reliable sources, that will make you laugh!  How do you sell a paper, by the huge headline that grabs attention. Read the efforts of those men seeking to reach the top in journalism, or maybe, maybe those who failed to get there and are now just holding on.....just.

Click this link.

The Poke

.

Grumbling....

The news today is as always depressing.  The ineffectual leaders of the English parties are desperately reforming their ministers and juniors in a vain attempt to convince the nation to vote for them.  So far I am far from impressed.  One clean cut young lady has appeared on local TV telling the world she is glad to have stepped down from her position (who? what? No idea!) and is doing the most important thing, caring for her constituents.  Lies, all lies!  Others, also unknown, have moved to lesser jobs and accepted this just to keep the position by their fingernails and also the money that goes along with it.  What difference will it make to you and me?  None!
Roll on the election so we can remove this bumbling idiot Cameron and replace him with another barely elected bumbling idiot in Milliband.  At least Clegg will disappear without trace.

  
The Heart of Midlothian lost an important match on Saturday, now the fans are indulging in the usual empty recriminations.  How quickly fans turn against their team.  Heroes are loathed simply for not being as good as the crowd are, in their own heads.  Players and their dispositions are discussed in an all knowing manner by those who know nothing.  Those who failed to make the grade in any way are happily criticising those who did.  Tsk! That's something I never do......wot..?
However it got me thinking just how easy it is to grumble about others way of working, whether we have any experience or not of their work.  Clearly politicians are one area we all grumble about, however today the grasping corruption probably annoys us more than incompetence.  There is no doubt we can always do better than others at their job, be it running railways, buses, government, or fixing the car or repairing the plumbing.  Sometimes we are right, but how often do we end up suffering because we are vexed and those that vex us walk away happily?  It's a funny old world Saint!

Something Happened Today....

....but I am not sure what it was.  I think it may have been what they call'The Budget.'  This is a time when the man responsible for the nations money stands up in the House of Commons and lies in his teeth.  After his long speech, Gladstone's could take over four hours back in the day, the leader of the opposition gets to his feet and offers quotes written out the night before by his friends, even if they don't fit.  They usually do however as most replies to such speeches contain similar words to previous replies, just as most budget speeches are the usual half truths and lies as before.  Most folks stay as they are, some lose a bit, others gain a bit, but the same amount of cash is pushed backwards and forwards and the poorest stay poor, the rich keep their lolly.  Usually these little talks can sound so uplifting, and much cheering from the government back benches ensues.   However within 24 hours more alert folk have exposed the lies, the weaknesses and the dubious nature of what has been offered.  Most of us remain as we were, except of course when it is the last budget before an election, then the chancellor is full of tax cuts, benefit hikes, and anything else he thinks will get him most votes.  With George and his dim PM Dave I doubt they will have the depth of foresight to offer what is required there however.

I myself spent some time attempting to find the 15th century, it appears to have gone missing.  While I can find info regarding individuals it will not connect to the houses I am interested in, which is annoying.  However incidentally I did find a woman living in this house in 1926 who made corsets!  By 1933 a different man was resident and he had been replaced in 1937 by a doctor.  In those days I suspect the house would have offered decent living accommodation plus room for a surgery, one that was paid cash for in those days!  Old medical joke, 
"What did you operate on Jones for?"  
"£100."  
"No, I mean what had he got?" 
"£100."  
The Tories would that day back!
The doctor who used this place as a surgery lost  his father during the war, probably from old age, and he must have done well for himself to be living round the corner in a 'big hoose!'  Probably another successful doctor I imagine.  It's funny the things that turn up when you Google a name.  This does not help me discover info on 15th century houses, or those from other eras but does entertain my little mind. 
  
Oh yes, and the plague in the late fifteen hundreds killed over 800 people in this town, and that with a population of around two and a half thousand.  There were lots of 'doctors' around then also.  
Sleep well!

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