The Wedensday Birds

To avoid the incessant noise re Manchester I kept my head in my laptop finally finishing the rebuild of the WW2 memorial.  A rebuild that almost went wrong as another glitch threatened to kill it once again.  The air was almost blue.  To ease my ageing eyes I wandered in the sunshine looking at half naked women admiring the glow of a sunny day.  Sitting on a bench, broken peanuts strewn before me, I eventually attracted a couple of Blackbirds to pose for me.  It was noticeable that when she approached he moved away, either a married couple or he was in her patch.  A Robin looked in but refused to be anything but blurred, he moved away. 

When I returned to the news I found the usual 24 hour concentration on the 'Big Story' unappealing.  Now I appreciate the importance of the Manchester event, I feel for the victims, I realise the seriousness of the situation, however I would rather journalism was once again introduced instead of the squalid reporting shoved down our noses today.  
Maybe I am just used to such outrages, maybe I note that when it happens elsewhere, Beirut or Kabul for instance, few bother to comment let alone 'stand with' those people.  Maybe I am just sick of pap masquerading as journalism for a lazy audience.
Interestingly the 'Sun,' Rupert Murdoch's main tabloid offering, gave the whole front page over to an attack on Jeremy Corbyn and his supposed support for the IRA Provos.  The Manchester deaths were hidden inside.  This speaks volume for Murdoch.   
I have just read that someone claims a UKIP individual is demanding the return of the death penalty...for suicide bombers!

The weatherman indicates tomorrow might reach 23 degrees, that's 73 in English!  A heatwave has hit us, the sun has been switched on and I have nowhere to go.  I need to go somewhere as the cooker requires cleaning as does the fridge, the cupboards, the windows, the bedroom, the East Wing, the everything else, and I wish to avoid such chores.  Now that I appear to have the old laptop under control I feel I can go outside again.  The fact that I just cannot be bothered, the effort appears to great for my fat, unfit, squalid body, and we have seen all that this area (without an automobile to use) can offer.    
I may just go back to bed...

'Scientists' and 'Experts'

This is indeed true!
It is a fact well known to the tabloids who present us with studies on health, eating, archaeology, losing weight, evolution, sex, dementia, age and everything else presented by 'scientists.'  The fact that these studies may be taken out of context, have slanted opinons, contain little useful to the reader and are in opposition to 99 other similar studies makes no difference, the press offer them as fact.  The fact is supported by the word 'scientist.'
One problem with these studies, apart from the lack of comparison to similar studies, is the nature of the 'scientist' behind them.  Gay 'scientists' have a tendency to produce 'evidence' that supports their lifestyle, evolutionists fond 'evidence' that supports theirs, female scientists are constantly discovering 'how women suffer' yet never notice if men suffer at any time.  How unusual this is.
'Science' is merely an organised investigation into a subject whatever that subject may be.  Such investigation has given the modern world wonderful drugs that cure disease, technological advancements that enable me to sit in this small corner of the world misspelling words for you to read, investigated the hidden past in archaeology digs, and uncovered crimes hidden from the man in the street, science can indeed produce wonderful results.
However there is one fault in all this, the scientist!  
The problem with scientists is that they are human.  Now science lovers tell me scientists always go for the results that appear before them and get upset when I disagree.  I indicate that scientists like the rest of us ignore facts that do not agree with them and continue to seek facts that support their argument.  Thus many results are pushed aside and ignored until someone less biased discovers them.  Not so I am told, all scientists are noble people, caring and concerned for humanity.  Hmmm, I suppose 'scientists' who gave us poison gas, incendiary bombs and nuclear warheads were caring for their country at the time?  
We need not seek those scientists who took the credit for things others actually discovered nor the scientists pushed aside because they did not fit with the establishment of the day.  
What me cynical?

'Expert' are another one!  How often do you read of an 'expert' offering his opinion in  tabloid?  TV loves them also.  Any war in the offing and up jumps an 'expert' on war, sometimes a retired general, sometimes a university lecturer, often just a reporter with a view, good or bad, on the situation. 
The question 'How expert are the experts?' does not get asked, it is left to us to accept that because someone is at Cambridge University or a General or has studied the field they must be experts in that field.  But are they?  Again these folks have the same bias we have (I of course have none) the same influences affecting them and the same desire for fame and fortune that drive many onto the screen and into the press. 
There is no doubt we need 'scientists' and 'experts' though we all know such in our own live.  The 14 year old computer expert is a must in this world, the local electrician or plumber who will not charge the earth, the woman who knows all that goes on around her and all who are responsible for it and the 8 year old who can open 'childproof' bottles and tubs!  We need them all.  I am just a little cynical about the choice of experts in the media, usually it appears they are chosen from a small group known to the media, often sharing their opinions.  Not that I am implying bias in the media, oh no, they are all objective, however during the 'Up all Night' programme on Radio 5 last night I heard Rob and the chap he was talking to both claim this objectivity was not possible, well it isn't in the BBC that's for sure.

Spring Sunday

I cheered myself up considerably this morning by not reading any of the lying online papers.  This was a good idea, though one or two things that appeared on facebook did niggle.  The woman at the Kirk who follows slavishly the UKIP line was close to getting my thoughts this morning but I managed to control myself and twice avoided expressing my opinion.  Coffee time would not have been so enjoyable for some if I had  mentioned my opposition to the hate filled messages she thinks acceptable.  I must write something biblical about this, it shouldn't be too difficult. 
The morning was good otherwise, these people are becoming family to me now, whether they see things that way I would not like to say but "You know how awful family can be," is a phrase I have heard in my presence...   

Plodding home from Kirk I noticed the Spring weather at its best.  Sun bright over there, black clouds over here scudding along at speed.  The football in Manchester I watched today began in teeming rain and soon afterwards the sun was shining, typical Spring weather.  Tomorrow I go out in sunshine but if the weather report is fulfilled I will drown on the way back. 

 
Is there nothing but Daffodils in this country?
These I believe are nearer the colour of the wild daffs that Wordsworth saw when wandering 'lonely as a cloud' though I have yet to see a lonely cloud in this country myself, usually they come with many friends.  
Small flowers, blossom on trees, milder temperatures in spite of high winds and occasional blue in the sky indicate better prospects.  Life is getting better.

  
It is noticeable how scared Westminster is of the IndyRef 2.  The media campaign is well under way already while the problems with the failure of Brexit negotiations and the Northern Ireland danger are pushed aside while Scotland is attacked on all sides.  The referendum has not yet got a date you notice!  England needs Scotland to keep it afloat yet will not accept this.  Instead the usual lies are offered and the usual suspects brought before the biased TV and radio programmes.  Today, in the week the SNP had their Spring Gathering the Andrew Marr show offered the leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, not someone from the SNP!  Possibly they were at the Conference "cough."
There is however a great deal of hope for Scots, the greatest weapon we have still exists, Theresa May!  Her patronising attitude, her intransigence and contempt for Scotland will offer Scots an insight into England's understanding of Scotland.  I see that here all the time, and this from well meaning folks, they have a total ignorance of Scotland and its people, a total misunderstanding of why Scots require to be a nation again.   With their media being what it is this can be no surprise.

With the lighter mornings I am awakening at six these days.  This means I must begin to get to bed earlier for my much needed beauty sleep.  As it is past eight at night I suppose this would be the right time to head off for that is around the amount of 'beauty sleep' I require!

Bored, Tired Ramblings

One of the many tasks I had to do today included swapping things from one laptop to another to create space.  Tomorrow I have decided to visit Tesco and see if they have a large flash drive and I will download a lot of stuff just in case things go wrong with the brute.  My boss had a 'ransomware attack' on his work machine and luckily it only affected one or two places but it still was dangerous.  The IT people have of course everything backed up and stopped the virus spreading.  However he had to wipe the drive to remove the beast!  Ransom ware is unbeatable otherwise.  This however was not my problem I was merely editing stuff.  One of the joys was to discover old pictures unseen since the last time I had to download pictures.  Not all were worth it of course, many were deleted today that ought never have happened in the first place but it was enjoyable.  The difficulty began when one laptop would not let me format discs so I was swapping thngs to the other to place on discs and this went well.  The CD and DVD discs on the TV recorder do not format properly and whether this is cheap Tesco fault or something else I know not. 
This was much more fun than noting a burning smell from the hoover that was failing to remove the dust from the floor, looks like money might need to be spent again.  It cannot be two years old yet my floor has beaten it, mind you it was probably made in a sweat shop in China by badly paid labourers who had little reason to care. 

The world continues on its way.  Much fuss over the EU and some dead singer drowning out the problems in Iraq that have dropped from the news sheets recently.  Wars sell but not when a singer dies.  Many are worrying that secret plans have been made to assassinate celebrities, my worry is that not enarly enough of them will be assassinated!  Coincidence turned into a drama sells papers and fills social media.  Maybe they will turn on the media barons and improve that I wonder?

Here We Go Again!

One of the ideas that entered David Cameron's head some time ago was the one that said a successful Prime Minister was a strong 'war leader.'  He has been looking for his war in order to show himself strong ever since.  We have seen him act in Libya, pushing Obama into an action he attempted to avoid and we now see that country divided amongst several groups, none of whom we intended to allow such freedom.  He wished to intervene in Syria but was put off by Obama and his own defence people.  For some undeclared reason he avoided intervening in the Ukraine difficulty except by mouthing words against Putin and offering solace but nothing else to Kiev. Cynic I may be but the billions of Russian money, taken from the people in a style admired by the Conservative Party of which Cameron is the head, could possibly have influenced him.  The Russian's having all that gas amongst other things we need certainly coloured his thoughts. Cameron will not have noticed any conflict in Africa, or indeed any other poor nation with no oil or other item we require, but he will possibly send them a Christmas Card, if he remembers.

We are about to involve ourselves against this weeks bad guys, ISIS, or whatever the name is this week.  We do this party for humanitarian reasons and we are told, and Scots recognise how the media is used for propaganda purposes, we do this because ISIS are a danger to us and need to be dealt with. Therefore the RAF will join in with bombing whatever the targets provided happen to be.  

Now the interesting thing here is the participation of both Saudi Arabia and Qatar (both Sunni) the very people who provided weapons and cash to encourage the Sunni rebels to break up Syria (Mostly Shia) and yet now joined in this bombing!  Other Arab states such as Jordan are indeed unhappy and willing participants but Saudi and Qatar, really?  Call me a cynic but.....

"No boots on the ground," is the cry.  Our soldiers, or what is left of them after the stringent cuts, will not be 'on the ground in Iraq.'  We know the SAS types are there, this is where they show their worth, but with little understanding of what will happen tomorrow can Cameron really believe that troops will never be put into Iraq?  I doubt it as I do not expect any Arab or Iranian force to be capable of dealing with ISIS face to face.  The Iraqi's ran away last time!  

Once again we enter the unknown, watch this space.

  

Once a week, if the timetable permits, according to the unwritten (and better) 'British (that means English) constitution the Prime Minister meets with the monarch and discusses affairs of state.  This may be a long or short meeting depending on the importance of the issues and whether the monarch is in a hurry to go to watch her horses racing at Newmarket.  Now these meetings are always confidential, no PM has ever uttered a word concerning the exchanges as far as we know.  This when the meetings have not always been enjoyable. Disraeli flattered Queen Victoria and was popular with her but even he ion occasions wished to strangle the stubborn woman (stubborn woman? Surely not?).  She disliked Gladstone who addressed her, she said, like she was a public meeting, and he was around a long time! In recent years no PM has gone beyond cautious courtesy when referring to meetings with the monarch but recently blabbermouth Cameron could not resist boring some foreign leader with his victory over the Scots, a victory achieved by cheating, lying and the aid of the media.  'The queen was, he said, 'purring' at the news.  Well she would be as she owns half off it!  He could have asked her to send donations to the many foodbanks by Barmoral!  However, the point is he discussed the discussion with the monarch, this is a bad thing to do and this idiot PM gave no thought to the cameras, microphones or the devious nature of the two faced media who instantly blasted this story to the world.  Now the PM has to go cap in hand and apologise to her for his blemish.  One hopes she will indicate her opinion properly, possibly by allowing Prince Philip to get his gun out! If a premier cannot be trusted with such a small thing can he be trusted with military action?

  

Maudlin Monday

The young nurse (they are all young to me) at the surgery mentioned how lucky I was to be retired. "I'm busier than ever," said I, not letting on that I was lying.  I would be busier if I did all those jobs that need doing however!  So passing me fit and demanding I return in two weeks to prove I am still alive I made my way back to the laptop to continue rewriting the writing that I wrote before.  This indicated many mistakes so it was lucky I did this but not so lucky that any time I moved the format changed and required resetting.  Why must computers behave like women I ask you?  

Sitting here chewing my dried dates, figs and small red things I notice that the healthy 'Sweet Papaya Cubes' are 42% papaya and 58% sugar!  How healthy is that?  Natural sugar is one thing but I wonder... Still I suppose all this is doing me good, oranges, apples, lemons, fish, fish in tins, frozen fish, if I eat any more I will grow fins!  I did manage to pump up the tyres on the bike and soon I will be trundling along on it.  The poor thing has lain still so long it is filthy.  I should clean it first but canny be bothered!  It will work, I hope.

I have the eye of the tiger, the heart of a lion, and a lifetime ban from the zoo.

I ignored the media today for the most part.  Too much propaganda, too much for my brain especially as I had so much that I wasn't doing!  Some got done by the simple means of not trawling through the press to comment on English dickheads sayings.  I even cleaned the sink!  It is a white colour right enough! Tomorrow I will report to the museum, possibly take the laptop to finish what I am writing and spend the rest of the day putting David Cameron clones in their place.  

  

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Warm Rain Saturday

I joined with this bird this morning to examine the rain and wondered if I ought to stay in rather than go out.  He was somewhat bemused as the sun burnt those of us lucky enough to be out in it while this morning the land was under a rain cloud.  bravely I went to the Museum where we were bored by the lack of custom.  Those that came, eventually, were very interesting but so few in number.  Something has to be done I say!

The press have indulged themselves once again over Rolfe Harris.  Pages are given over to the details of his 'shocking' activities and as many 'hurt' women as possible will appear in these pages, on TV and on radio, telling us of their despair.  Those who were there, and I know one who was, are somewhat skeptical.  It was clear then what was going on, so why the fuss?  Indeed why did the media not bring this into the open forty years ago?  Why was Saville allowed to continue, and why have MPs involved in abusing boys been a secret all this time when everybody knew?  Ah the hypocrisy astounds.
I note the same media make a fuss over the 'short' sentence given to Harris but fail to fuss over the even shorter sentence given to Coulson, the man who hacked phones and has become the fall guy for Murdoch's empire.  When it's one off their own they are less keen to talk, probably because they all (do) did it!

Not that I wish to complain but watching the World Cup I find the commentators talk rubbish, yes Jonathan Pearce I mean you, the pundits not much better, the constant search for pics of the crowd, senseless slow motions that are too slow, who needs to see celebrations in slow motion I ask you?  But worse are the fans.  Supposedly football fans whenever the camera picks on them they jump up and wave to the screen.  On many occasions these 'fans' were watching their team being humped yet they could ignore this to wave to the camera?  If you are losing and you support your team you do not react like this.  This I suspect is because most watched are female, accompanying the male but less interested in the game than the event and the holiday.  Dump them I say!

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The Weekend

Temporarily Lost

Friday morning brought a herd of these beasts hurtling through the museum. Naturally we ran! In time one of the herdsmen arrived and managed to corral them into some order.  Quite how teachers can gain control without the use of whips and chairs like those lion tamers do is a wonder to me.  Eventually all 58 kids had been through the shop, spent almost £5 each (not counting those that thought things worth £6:90 can be bought for £5) and running out off small change half way through, eventually everybody was happy.  Really nice kids but by the time the last fiver had been crushed into the till (with change obtained somehow) we relaxed, breathed deeply and drank tea.
I was knackered when I got home and had to begin sorting out stuff for the exhibition when my brain no longer functioned.  I started but did not finish and after a quieter time today just want to sit and do nothing.  However I did glance at the online press this morning to see the big news stories.  The Online Daily mail began today by revealing that the English queen has worn the same flat shoes for fifty years! How I wanted to know this!  The 'Daily Mail' reader you understand has little in their life.  The DM reader has only one real concern, money!  His wife cares what others wear so she can copy them or compare herself to them to see of she is better than they.  Nothing else matters to them but plenty of sex stories are required for them to feign shock.  I didn't bother with the rest but the BBC splashed on David Cameron's attempt to grab UKIP votes at the EU Summit and problems abroad.  What sells and what is news are different beings.   

A woman asked me a while ago what I did with myself now I am retired. "What do you do all day," she asked, implying I must be bored.  I strangled her.  It was the only way.....

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Open Minded Comments

The day started early and lingered on a long time.  I became immersed in the papers.  One of the great leaps forward provided by the internet has been the free availability of the half truths and downright lies offered by the UK media. On top of the slanted items on view comes the readership, both those who succumb to the propaganda and those who oppose.  To give an impression that a great many of those who add their comment at the foot of these stories, and stories must be the word, are small minded, blind, self seeking cretins might be a wee bit wide of the mark, or maybe might not!  Which is worse I wonder, the distorted news item or the distorted reader, it's a difficult one.
The brazen manner in which the media offers tales based simply on what the reader wishes to read, yes 'Daily Mail,' I mean you, is simply staggering.  The desire of folks to read and accept what is published staggers also adding more than a hint of worry about just who is sitting next to you on the bus!  A direct opposite news priority wise is of course the 'Guardian.'  While the 'Daily Mail,' appeals to those of the lower middle class and those working class Tory voters aspiring to be 'middle class,' the Guardian's appeal is to the liberal middle class. That is those educated, or indoctrinated might be a better word, by their class fellows and proudly boast of their ability to think, yet manage to come out with the same opinions!  These opinions are on the whole totally opposed to those underlying the 'Daily Mail.'  
Each paper on offer aims only at its readership an attitude leading to a desperate lowering of standards such as they were in the hope of keeping the paper afloat.  UK papers have lost half their sales in the past ten years and some now ask for money from those of us reading their online versions.  'The Times,' one of Murdoch's papers, now offers his opinions at a cost, his already dumbed down 'Sun,' now also asks for a contribution.  Neither get any shekels from me.
The advantage of online versions is the ability to increase advertising that reaches the soul of the reader, so far none has reached this soul as far as I can see.  The disadvantage is employees are required to moderate the online comments offered by those seeking fame, attention, a soapbox and being able to anonymously project these to the world via a keyboard.  
What are you looking at me for?
Cost cutting has hit 'journalism' hard.  Proper journalists as well as tabloid ones have lost their jobs and we find their meaningless drivel now presented by 'Workies.'  That is those offered a full time 'interns' job with no pay.  These are willingly accepted by young trainees desperate to break into the business, a year later heard offering the famous cry, "Do you want fries with that?"  One job workies do is moderating comments.  No doubt some are good at this, no doubt someone with appropriate training is able to weed out the libelous stuff before it goes out to the world.  One thing is clear, any comment that criticises the paper itself is almost always removed!  Don't ask how I know, just believe me.  The Guardian allows all sorts of perversions to be aired yet will not allow a degree of sarcasm or disagreement, either removing the offending post, moderating the offenders next posts, or banning them altogether for a while. Don't ask how I know this either.  Many of my some peoples 'Daily Mail' posts do not appear, even when they claim not to be moderating.  I think I have upset one of the workies.  It would not be too difficult to work out which one I suspect if I ever saw them alive.  The 'Glasgow Herald,' that famous Rangers supporting paper, is all for a free press but reluctant to allow questions about one time Rangers boss David Murray.  My posts rarely go up there either. 
Those who comment fit certain boxes.  In the 'Daily Telegraph,' now dumbed down into an upper middle class 'daily Mail, these chaps, and it is mostly 'chaps,' are concerned only with the Conservative Party's main concern, money!  Almost everything comes down to the economy.  So unlike the 'Daily Mail' where almost everything come down to, er the pound in your pocket. Both have many commentators happy to follow the agreed line, even if it is absurd, thus revealing a great deal about the attitudes of the average Englishman, and they are mostly English.  The anti-Europe UKIP Party will gain many votes from this crowd, especially in the 'Daily Mail,' while the 'Guardian' sees that party as racist and against all immigrants, gays and blacks.  Neither see what is actually written by the other, neither wish to, the papers and the comments are merely to support personal opinion not offer facts to enlighten.
On several occasions I have quietly posted obvious facts on papers, the abuse received is worse than that offered by women I have worked with!  I am talking about clear obvious facts, not the 'wind ups' I sometimes accidentally offer for consideration.  On occasion I am amazed at the closed mind seen on the comments sections, I am so pleased my mind is always open to others ideas, as long as they are not ones I disagree with.......
I expect all comments to be open minded, thoughtful and generous, other wise they get banned!            


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Fussing about Haze

The daffodils boobed their heads slowly in the early morning breeze, a blackbird took fright as I passed but not before tugging a three inch worth of worm from the earth, and the sun fought hard to break through the haze brought by the chilly east current.  Few ventured out bar those opening up their businesses or reporting for duty with little in the way of mirth revealed in their faces. Dog walkers passed unsmilingly, the dogs expectant of adventure in the fields as if this was a new adventure rather than a repeat of many previous days, from the main road the rush of traffic spoiled the atmosphere both romantic and physical, the hum of tyres racing past in the distance.  
I stopped to picture the haze in the only wide open spot available, the sun shone weakly high above brightening the land in spite of the pollution attempting to block its progress.  To my left a blue car packed a small tough looking wee dog into the back and motored away, the engine quiet as if afraid to wake the sleeping houses across the fields.  Suddenly I noticed a pouting adolescent heading for school stop to produce a bright yellow phone from his pocket and linger, still pouting, as he caught up on important news.  I resisted asking what sort of lad carries a yellow phone in case I broke some law and was more than uninterested in whatever his news may be.  As I forced the bike into gear amidst much clanking and scraping I noticed a large Vauxhall containing a woman and two smaller children parked in an out of the way place.  Quite what she was doing there I know not, it crossed my mind she awaited the school opening as it was yet long before eight, maybe she just liked rugby fields?  
Dodging one dogwalker and awaiting another as she persuaded her 'Scottie' to avoid walking through glass left by the kiddies the night before I headed slowly homewards.  The haze remained, broken occasionally during the day by brighter patches of sunlight which never quite gathered the strength to overcome it, yet much less than what occurred yesterday.  

News people require something sensational otherwise they feel let down. Yesterday the main story was the deep haze hanging over the south of England. The thick haze covering London was shown repeatedly by the news media, pictures filled the papers and the radio news talked of little else.  How these 'journalists' enjoyed this.  The pictures of London, and it is always London the picture, did indeed show the haze however it was not so thick here and TV pictures can be manipulated, and much talk and hot air was heard debating the causes.  There appeared to be three, everyday pollution from vehicles and daily life, clouds arriving from the east and would you believe sand blown all the way up from the Sahara desert.  Pictures of such sand were shown as it lay on cars and windows, murky shots of buildings in the distance suffering this outrage appeared, and indeed there is no doubt something was in the air yesterday, something above the usual defilement.  There again maybe that was just me doing the washing and the aroma of 'Daz' was filling my throat. 
The Sahara does indeed send sand to the UK on occasion, SKY news informed us it regularly sends its contents over to the Brazilian Rain Forests helping to ensure the continuation of such forests.  "This," said the man,"Shows nature taking care of itself." I thought it pedantic to ask why 'nature' had not taken care of the forests and jungle that once stood where the Sahara sand now lies, but thought that may upset him.    

The debate has continued at a lesser pace as western winds arrive tomorrow to clear the air.  It has caused the usual talk, this 'natural' event, but as far as I can see there is no movement in actually doing anything about the worst element of the haze, car fumes!  No politician will suggest 'Electric only cars in cities,' nobody will suggest developing and investing in bus and train travel to limit pollution, certainly not while an election is being held in 2015.  Yet those dying from chest complaints, asthma and other problems exacerbated by the haze might vote for those that do suggest it, and then actually do something about it.  What's that?  You heard no such suggestion from those able to do something?  I am surprised about that.

So the media has had its fill of pollution news, interspersed by the Clegg v Farage debate. However as Clegg will be removed from leadership of his party after the election, if indeed he retains his seat, and Farage at best will gain only handfuls of seats from the Tories the debate was at best irrelevant.  Since Cameron took power four years ago they say the Conservative Party has lost half its membership.  His same sex marriage ideas, the ignoring party wishes and dumping unwanted dolly bird candidates on local parties was never going to win friends with that lot.  So UKIP, Farages anti Europe party, will now gain some of their support.  This has already happened at the last local elections as a warning to Cameron that went unheeded, such as voted then may not vote UKIP, they certainly will not vote Cameron!  His job also is on the line.  Two real debates remain, Cameron and Milliband the leader of the failing Labour Party, and Cameron, as Prime Minister debating with Alec Salmond the Scottish First Minister. Cameron knows he would be thrashed by Salmond, a proper politician, this then will never be allowed to happen.  By 2015 of course Scotland may have lost interest in an English election (Westminster cares little for Wales and Northern Ireland also) and be preparing to go her own way.

 

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Media, Man U, Haggis and Aussies

For over  a week now I have ignored the news for the most part.  Instead of rummaging through the papers each morning I listen to the headlines and have occasionally pursued one or two interesting items only.  This means I am no longer fearful of a million south east Europeans, possibly Muslim, stampeding into the UK stealing our jobs and living off the dole.  Nor do I worry that the apple I eat may give me cancer nor do I rejoice that the coffee I drink seven times a day will cure that illness.  The screaming headlines have not made it difficult to sleep at night through such fear simply by my choice to ignore them, life outside I notice mournfully  however has continued despite my absence.  

I have been tempted occasionally to turn on the radio desperate for a fix of the news but have manfully directed my attention elsewhere and survived.  The world did neither miss me nor change in any way.  I am oblivious to what she from the telly is doing with whom, not upset about the tree cut down by a neighbour, care little for the lies poured forth from Westminster and worry not about a court case featuring the high and mighty who have fallen on hard times.  I remain in the real world quite happily, the week has been quite good, and placing life's priorities before the screaming of the world has made me gentler, more considerate and relaxed enough to walk the streets without my chainsaw in hand.  I merely carry the small axe instead.

One thing that never changes about English newspapermen is their desperate desire to destroy someone.  The present target is David Moyes the incoming manager of Manchester United, a football team you may have heard off.  The previous incumbent, one Sir Alex Ferguson, managed to keep the job for 25 years, something unheard of today.  During his time he won the English title about a dozen time, the English Cup, the UEFA Cup and the Champions League Cup (the top trophy) and has now retired to travel the world and annoy the wife.  Interestingly when he began the job the media attacked him relentlessly as his first three years were far from a success. However once he began to win the media changed their tune and became scared to upset him, losing contact with Manchester United could lose them their job after all!  The attack on Moyes is less from a football perspective and merely the desire to knock someone down when he is down, also to use the Manchester United name to sell their papers and programmes. 
There is no doubt Moyes has a hard job on his hand.  many of the players at the club are past their best, one or two others are not 'top four' players and some players he wanted at the beginning of the season failed to appear.  On top of this Wayne Rooney and Van Persie are both missing through injury. These two men could win games by themselves, missing both is a huge loss for any club.  
In my mind Man U would possibly finish around seventh or eighth this season although is Rooney and Van Persie return in time they may yet finish in the top four, I suspect that is a real possibility myself. The manager has a tremendously difficult job ahead of him but I believe he will succeed and succeed well.  The naysayers will fill pages of uneducated pap to make money but the football fan knows this club is not dead and has too much going for it to fail now.

The wise amongst you will realise that this is Burns night, the night the great Rabbie is celebrated with Haggis, mash potatoes and mashed turnips (neeps to you!), washed down with a wee dram of whisky. Large gatherings are taking place tonight, the Haggis is carried in behind a piper, the 'address' is made and tales told, poems read and whisky imbibed.
I am poor and merely had a cheese sandwich myself.

     A Red, Red Rose

O my Luve's like a red, red rose, 

That's newly sprung in June: 

O my Luve's like the melodie, 

That's sweetly play'd in tune. 

As fair art thou, my bonie lass, 

So deep in luve am I; 

And I will luve thee still, my dear, 

Till a' the seas gang dry. 

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear, 

And the rocks melt wi' the sun; 

And I will luve thee still, my dear, 

While the sands o' life shall run. 

And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve! 

And fare-thee-weel, a while! 

And I will come again, my Luve, 

Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile!

Rabbie Burns 1794

Robert Burns Country

Tomorrow, or today if you are in Australia, is 'Australia Day!'  This is the day Aussies celebrate being, er Aussies.  Much celebration is happening as I write, lager is being swallowed (they do not appear to drink proper beer), 'Barbies' everywhere are burning lamb, chicken and sausage, all run by men naturally and the sun shines, the sky remains blue and people are eaten by great white sharks in Botany Bay. Today we celebrate their tomorrow unless you are in the US where yesterday has yet to finish while the Aussie tomorrow, which is their today, is almost over, and we share their delight in being Australian, a very good thing to be.
Even if they are all descended from English convicts.....  


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The Silly Season is Well Under Way

With the politicians on holiday, most likely claiming expenses for the trip, the newsworthy items that dominate the papers drops away.  The media desperately fill their pages with dross, sometimes interesting, mostly dross. Today we read of the contents of a footballers suitcase, the charges Amazon is adding, expensive houses or boats and as many sex stories and deaths as they can find.  Holiday reading indeed!  

This of course limits the excuses to rant about unfairness, bad government and other nasty goings on that would not occur if people made me the nations favourite tyrant.  Sadly that position has not yet been offered to me, but I live in hope.

So I am digging out the old photos, that one above taken along the coast near Mallaig in 1985 I reckon, and reading some of the booklets I brought back from the museum today.  I had them on the desk in front of me to read but people kept coming in!  I had no chance to read, if it wasn't kids doing the Medieval week it was folks phoning to book for a future workshop.  Tsk!  Some folks don't care do they?  The kids however love what they do, and that's really good.  

I have also spent much of the last few days attempting to remove an unwelcome visitor, 'webcake.'  This, and several others, came in when I downloaded a supposedly virus free item from 'CNET.'  I failed to read the 'terms and conditions,' who does read them, and there CNET insist you accept webcake.  This horrid brute offers you pop-up ads, blocks the connection on browsers to the proxy connection and takes ages to remove.  In the end, having run malwares, Avast, Spybot, I used this advice and by using 'ADW' and 'JRT,' i managed to remove most.  It may well be I have lost other things also but so far not much has gone wrong.  Oh yes, a bit remained even so and I left the machine on overnight as 'Windows Defender' ran through everything, taking ELEVEN HOURS to complete the job, but the last nasty left.  Or at least I hope so.  It is not a Virus, but Adware, Malware possibly, and it slows the machine, annoys you if 'ADBlockPlus' is not used and should be banned I say.  That's the last time I use CNET.  On one of my email accounts I have suddenly began to receive 60-100 spam a day offering me 'enlargement!' Tsk! With that account it is difficult to hinder spam, but I am getting rid of that slowly.  

Always wise to run checks on the PC weekly, especially after adding software.

Will Justice be Seen?

The long awaited announcement concerning those to be prosecuted for 'phone hacking' came today.  Former editors of the Murdoch press, Rebekah Brookes, a friend of Prime Minister Cameron, Andy Coulson, an ex 'Director of Communications' for the Prime Minister, and several others, including one private detective who has already done time for phone hacking, are now up for prosecution.  The world rejoices!

The scandal came to light when a murdered young girl had her phone hacked by someone believed to be working for a media source, allegedly.  This fooled the parents of the missing girl into believing she was still alive, when she was in fact long dead.  Public outcry forced the Prime Minister to begin the Leaveson inquiry, which I suspect he hoped would be a whitewash of his friends.  Instead the cat is out of the bag in many ways.  The closeness of the present and former Prime Ministers to the press was no surprise, politicians wished the press on their side believing this brought votes.  However the depth of corruption between the police, and the Metropolitan Police in particular shocked people, (The 'Met' is the London Police Force). None were surprised at some connection but the extent was a revelation, a surprising closeness between those at the top of the police and News International, the largest news agency in the UK, and more may arise yet. None would be shocked at the depth of phone hacking and dirty tricks used by the media, and the extent was allegedly huge. The media will do anything to expose peoples private lives and many of those hacked were celebrities, all 'research concerned their private lives alone most likely. Now this will be brought before the courts and the public await with baited breath the results of this investigation. Almost all defendants have already claimed they were innocent of any crime, and will defend themselves 'vigorously!

It has to be said that most of the hacking appears to be directed towards celebrities private lives.  We are not talking here about 'journalism' exposing crime, wrong doing, or things, as the say, that were 'in the public interest,' as those would indeed be justifiable.  The desperate search for individuals sex secrets is what matters to tabloid editors.  'Journalism,' the investigation into important stories, does not sell tabloid papers.  

Andy Coulson, a trusted confidant of the PM, left his job editing the 'News of the World,' to join Cameron after one of his men had been jailed for phone hacking, a criminal offence.  Cameron believed Coulson when he said he knew nothing about it.  Good Human Resources work there Dave!  Possibly the 'Eton Boy' liked the fact that Coulson lost an industrial tribunal case after bullying a sports reporter.  That cost the company £800,000.  I suppose Dave thought that a laugh!  Oh and while he has been charged in this instance, he has also been charged with 'perjury' by Strathclyde Police.  I wonder when that will come to court?  Oh yes and while working for Cameron News International were still paying him!  Not that this would affect his judgement in any way of course.  

Rebekah Brookes, who has a house near Cameron's private home in the Cotswald's, cannot be said to be a fragile lassie.  She has managed to worm her way up the ladder of News International, she has edited her friend Rupert's biggest selling papers, 'The Sun,' and the 'News of the World.'  She has been horse riding with the PM near home, cultivating friendships maybe and has launched many a campaign in her papers, hopefully successful and cash productive for her titles.  One such campaign was 'Violence against women!'  This her paper claimed was 'nasty,' 'repugnant,' behaviour, and men ought to 'stop hitting their wives.'  This was of course somewhat one sided as such campaigns always are.  She ignored the many men who suffer violence from their spouses, at least she did until the campaign suddenly ceased.  It ceased when she herself was charged with assaulting her then husband, TV hard man Ross kemp!  They divorced!  Her campaign against sex offenders led to many innocent men being attacked and near riots in some areas, including one where a Pediatrician had her house, which featured a nameplate giving her name and job description on a brass plate at the door, attacked by a mob thinking she abused children!  'The Sun' reader, at their best!   

The readership of the papers reflect the people who write them. Immoral, uncaring, lacking a moral standard.  Journalists investigating news which is relevant and 'in the public interest,' can only be a good thing and a 'must' for a free press. What matters here was something else, the need to give the public what the public wants. The public does not wish for journalism, the public wants scandal and sex stories. Nothing beats a female teacher having it away with a fifteen year old, unless it is a film/pop/football star who has been playing away with a slapper. A politician on the make sells some papers, but in the end sex sells best! That is what keeps the media alive, whether true or not, and that will continue unless proper controls come in. The present 'press Complaints Commission,' (PCC) has long been seen as friends of the press. Public complaints, if ever upheld, make not the slightest difference. The media just gets away with almost anything. Those that dare to go to court face much opposition and even victory does not stop the bile being thrown at them. the much maligned (and that is his own fault) John terry reflects this. A new independent PCC is required (and I would love to run that!) Leavason might well suggest this, but much opposition, and embarrassing headlines await any government that attempts to force one on the media. It is to be questioned whether any government has the guts to stand up to the press, although with some sections of the public on their sides now is indeed the time!

We await the trials, we await the judgement,  we await the rebuke for breaking the law by talking about it probably.  We await the facts being revealed for all to see, and we await the new press laws and Press Complaints commission that will end the 'licence' that allows the media to run riot now. 

Press freedom comes with press responsibility! 

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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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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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Tuesday, All Day

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I suppose one benefit from the end of Osama bin Laden is that he removed that wedding from the news. On the other hand they now talk endlessly about nothing else! Without a doubt this is a major story, however the news media do have a terrible habit of concentrating on one story often to the extent of ignoring almost all others. However if they concentrate on a decent football* story then I might well change my mind of course.

*By 'Football' I emphasise for one or two of my unlettered American readers, by 'football' I mean 'football' and not either 'Soccer' or that throwball game, the one that bores intelligent peoples, that they play in the United States!

Isn't it always the way. At one point last night I began in my cavernous head a post for today. It was excellent, it made a good point, it was worth posting. I knew the picture I would use with it, and I was sure that it would elicit a response. It was interesting, and not just to me, enjoyable, and in my humble view I was writing it very well.
I just canny mind now what it was!
How often does this happen? This is not the first time I have mentally written a post (as opposed to writing a mental one) and either forgotten what it was or when writing the thing discovered it just would not come out right. All too often the thoughts in the head appear to be right but as I write they do not work. Could it be that typing on such a keyboard as this, including the sticky 'E' makes it too easy to rush ahead of the thoughts. Maybe writing longhand would produce better results, if I could remember how to do that! Anthony Trollope wrote many books, lots of letters, pamphlets, essays, items for magazines and newspapers often while on the move. His job as boss of the Post Office in Ireland (then under British rule) meant constant travelling. On coach or in the train,and you know how shoogly they can be today, imagine Victorian ones, he wrote in longhand. At least that way his thoughts were slower in appearing on the paper.
In fact one of the ways people can overcome trauma is doing just this. The very slow process of writing in longhand can help the mind to sort out lots of confusion that trauma, especially serious trauma can leave a person. A great many men who came out of the war had serious difficulties dealing with their experiences. Guilt, conscience, shock, the loss of friends, sights often too revolting to mention, all these can be the results of war and in 1945 people were for the most part just told to 'get on with it.' There was nothing else to do!   While this may not be a total answer to trauma it can help the mind organise the thoughts and help ease the difficulties problems can give us.
Hmmm I think I might go look for a pencil.....


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Sunday

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After perusing the papers it is clear there is little to read about today. The papers are full of words but mostly of routine things and ageing stories, nothing of the shock, horror variety to speak off. Although watching Hibernian lose to relegation bound Hamilton Accies did make me giggle so maybe that is a shock story for you. Bolton thrashed 5-0 by Stoke certainly is and Mr Wenger's Arsenal playing Liverpool and both getting last minute penalties was a bit of a surprise. But real shock news was not to be found today. Real 'scoops' are rare to find these days and papers are now filled with a variety of subjects to keep themselves going. Some have become gossip sheets asking "What is she wearing?" as if this was important as some meaningless celebrity seeks publicity. Stories, and most are just that, 'stories,' lean either to the 'hate' angle or the 'loveable.' Jade Goody was a good example of this. Her foul mouthed ignorant rantings enabled the tabloids to headline her outpourings and allow the reader to point the finger at her sin. The minute this villain found she was dying the press immediately turned and called her "Poor Jade" and at her funeral SKY gave this live coverage, with following helicopter naturally.  It is the same whatever the occupation, an individual is regarded as good or bad and the press scream indignantly or purr like a cat, if they think that is what the reader wants to see. Objective journalism is hard to find, even with the 'serious press.'


 I watched the football via one of those PC streams. This leaves me guilty as I know these guys who offer such things are gangsters on the make. Well, if not gangsters exactly, chancers at the very least, and doing very well out of it. I feel uneasy that I am lining their pockets on someone else's offerings. However at this moment I am unable to buy the pictures legally, Sky alone would cost around £50 a month and the man at the dole did not appear keen when I questioned whether this was possible. I choose to forget his actual words. However I forced myself through my guilt but still feel uneasy abut this. Had I been watching games not available here I may feel less worried, and Ukrainian football without an English commentator is far superior to listening to any football with one. The constant adverts blocking the picture also annoy, however watching the mighty Hibernian fail v Hamilton was snigger making. Maybe I should be kinder to those who struggle.....?




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