Grey Day

The mass of swirling light grey cloud now covering the land does not engender hope as another week begins.  The English schools return during this week leaving many a child hoping for a 'Blighty one' in an endeavour to avoid going back.  I am with them!  School had its uses but I never enjoyed it much.  Football in the playground, History, Geography and Art were OK with me, but the enclosed confines, half the class, and the outside world being beyond reach were always irksome.  I rejoiced the day I left, at 14 actually, I was 15 the next day, and then finding work discovered the outside world was not as easy as I had hoped.  And we never played football at lunchtimes.

Anyway, as kids return, none outside my window so probably a Wednesday date for the locals here, the older children are also returning.  Yes indeed Parliament is back!  The grown up children take their place all awaiting orders from the front bench.  Labour, that is the Red Tories, will fill the benches happy to be well paid for obeying orders.  Across the aisle the Blue Tories are still fighting about  anew leader, this makes me wonder if Sunak will bother returning from California for this?  Robert Jenrick, a man who's personality never formed, is one of two leading contenders here,  James Cleverley, once failing Foreign Minister, reduced to failing Home Secretary,  is the other main man.  Kemi Badenoch, another with mixed motives and little positive ideas, is the leading woman though that does not say much.  Six contend for this position, the nation hopes they will all fail.  

The Lib-Dems will rejoice in the largest turn out for generations and quickly turn on one another and make an almighty mess of the opportunity given them.  The handful of SNP remainers are grateful for the £91,000 hand out, plus expenses so they can keep their heating on, and have no desire whatsoever for independence.  MI6, the Special Branch and Nicola have ended the SNP challenge there.

So, as the gathering cloud darkens the room while dark clouds gather over schools and Westminster we await the right wing press attacks on the government that have been subdued and meaningless over the long holidays.  The meaningless will continue however, that is all they have to offer.  

The dark clouds, clouds of a darker grey it must be said, hover threateningly over Tynecastle.  Here, we find the Heart of Midlothian, in spite of the best efforts of Costa Rican internationals, losing games with a zeal akin to a Tory PPE handout.  8 games no win.  Bottom of the league, European games ahead, the manager not yet hanging upside down from the floodlights as he and his coaches ought.  Twitter abounding in explanations from those who understand best the position, though each one failed to make it at that level, and emotional responses to the difficult situation which always help to obtain positive results.  

Yesterday, the sun shone high and long brightening the world and offering a heat pensioners in December would not understand.  Today we are cloud covered, dark and getting darker.  I think I preferred yesterday...

King and Privatisation

The Kings speech took place today.  I did not watch this, I was not invited so I gave it a miss.  This is where the royal comes in, sits on a throne, reads a speech written by his government and has to avoid muttering 'This is absurd!' at every other item.   I would indeed like to hear what Charlie thinks of the speech and the many words he has to proclaim.  I suspect he has already made clear to the PM his opinion of them all.  

Will anything much 'change.'

Some things will be pushed through in spite of obvious dangers, others will benefit the nation in some manner, other bills will slowly die and be forgotten as always.  Most will not affect most of us.  Not this time.  With a large majority of closed minded yes men behind them Starmer will mostly get his way.  Once again the much maligned House of Lords will provide the strongest opposition, and not just from the hundreds of Tory peers put there because of large donations.  The Lords can be a great opposition to governments, Thatcher's main opposition came from there, including Tory Lords.  I suspect more from the Lords now.

One good thing is rail nationalisation.  The greedy operators who took millions out of the railways and left an overpriced, confused system behind will not be missed.  The plan is to have a 'Great British Railways,' in operation soon.  This all sounds just right to me, but hold on, 'ScotRail' is owned by the Scottish Government, how will that ft in with the 'English' 'Great British Railways?'  Keir has not bothered to ask that one.  Railways, like buses, water, gas and electricity ought to be run for the sake of the nation, not private profit.  Way back when Birmingham's then leader Joseph Chamberlain, bought out the 'Coke and Gas Company,' nationalised it if you like, for the sake of Birmingham and saw production, industry and the town flourish.  Why can this not be done nationally with these things now?  There are many excuses as to why, but all come from those investing in these private companies.  It is time these important services to the nation were serving the nation, and come to think of it this includes the Royal Mail.  Let's get that back from Czech hands.

Boris's Losers

PM Rishi Sunak has successfully put one over on Boris.  While 'Lard Boy' was lying in his teeth in the Committee rooms Sunak put through his revision of the Brexit Northern Ireland deal to almost everyone's satisfaction.  The result was the 'Ayes 515 the Noes 29.'  Some 22 Tory backbenchers, all the usual suspects shown here, voted against the Bill.  Six members of the DUP of Northern Ireland also voted against, plus one Andrew Bridgen, now an independent MP as his party do not want him.  Clearly the farce that is Brexit has reached a stage now.  A stage in which the return to the EU, or at least a close working relationship benefitting both sides can be reached. 

On top of that Boris and his ERG supporters, all as mad as the march Hare, can be seen to be on the way out.  At the head Boris is fighting, I mean lying for his life in the committee room.  His main tactic is to blame everybody else, indeed one commentator explained more buses had been called for as Boris had thrown so many people under them London was running out of them!  

I have followed his lies via Twitter.  I just cannot stand listening to him.  His bare faced lies, his buck passing, his sense of entitlement are too much for my tired mind.  

As far as I know the committee is still in session.  Tomorrow the air might be clearer, his guilt obvious, and his fate looming.  

Interesting to see how the commentators under the 'Daily Mail' stories are mostly against him, no matter how Paul Dacre and his lackeys try to defend him.

It could really be the end of Boris.

Warning

 

 

Fascist coup?  Nobody has noticed.  

The comparison above may not be entirely accurate, much is missing, but this indicates the way Boris and his cronies have taken over the nation with almost nobody realising or caring enough to do something about it.

Under Steve Bannon's tutelage Boris has used nazi tactics to remove opposition from himself and his government.  Again, nobody appears to have noticed.

Adolf Hitler did not bother with following the niceties of parliament, he abolished it.  An 'Emergency Decree,' after the Reichstag fire, enabled him to take complete control.  He never lost this until 1945.  I await the fire that will lead to a similar decree leaving Boris as King.  This will be very soon I suggest.  In the meantime the 'Bill of Rights' will remove all our 'rights.'  So worried are the Law Society they have taken this to the UN!

 

This book, mentioned recently, covers visitors to Germany during the 20s and 30s.  Few realised what was happening around them.  Some were in agreement with what they did discover, a few opposed what they saw.  For the most part visitors just enjoyed the country, as the people appeared happy, content, and economically vibrant.  Underneath the spine was chilling and broken.  

The UK has not reached that point as yet.  The nazi philosophy is not among us, just the control.  However, we still have people who stand up for the workers and those who are suffering.  Opposed by the press barons and other billionaires, they do not succeed and soon laws will be passed to limit them.  

Adolf surrounded himself with people on the make.  These he paired off against one another by having two of everything.  Two foreign offices, two Home offices, two army commands etc.  Boris does the same but differently.  He needs only one not two departments, this he places under one desperate for the job, one who has no talent, limited experience and is loyal to Boris.  These act as cannon fodder to protect his inability to do the job, allowing them to take the flak while he runs for cover.  

This one, now transport secretary, has had four names during his time as MP.  The present one appears to be his real one, the others were scams with which he enriched himself and ran away, Boris style.

Martin Niemoller  died in a prison cell.  Unless the people begin to stand up and demand their liberties back once again they will all be lost, the election Jerrymanded to suit Boris, and freedom will be lost forever.  There is limited political opposition, so the people must do this themselves.

However, few speak out.  Those who do are ignored by the Boris media, the vast majority of the population unknowing, not interested, hoping any trouble will just 'go away.'  A wee bit like many Germans in 1930s Naziland. 

Baked Beans and Protests

 

 

It must come as no surprise to anyone that supermarkets are ripping off the poorest.  I bought two bottles of 'Hubbards Brown sauce,' Sainsburys perfectly acceptable 'own brand' sauce, the other day and noticed it now cost 54p.  Not that long ago this cost 44p, then rose to 48p.  This rise has nothing to do with Brexit!  I did not check the beans this time but I expect to pay more for them also.  

You may remember 2008, a year when Rishi Sunak and his like gambled with the word economy, broke a Dutch Bank and enriched themselves while we all suffered.  Beans at both Tesco and Sainburys then cost 9 pence a tin, overnight these increased to 20 pence a tin, a profit of 11p.  Considering how many   tins of beans would be sold throughout the UK at both shops you can imagine the profit made.  Today we see similar rip-offs from the poorest, those who now turn to 'Home Store' products rather than expensive and not always better, branded goods.  

Brexit has certainly made prices rise among the many other problems it has caused.  Is it, I ask, a good thing for supermarkets, who made a killing from the Covid pandemic, to raise prices on the goods many will now turn to?  

I wonder, would it have been a better idea to lower such prices and bring in the customer?  Such a price war might be too costly for these giant companies who tell us what to eat.  Possibly their shareholders would not appreciate the kindness to those whom they do not belong amongst?  

The Tory MP who claimed it was possible to make a meal for 30 pence, the one who has claimed almost £200,000 on expences, has anyone worked out how to make such a meal?  Take away the cost of electric or gas, even then a sandwich would cost more than 30p to create!  

 

 

Comments from Conservative MPs like that have never been lacking, the difference today is that in the past these were odd-bods on the back benches and a few catcalls quieted them down.  Today however, such comments are not opposed, many loudly offer support, and the man in the street appears totally uninterested in doing something about it.

"When I was a lad..." as they say, we wanted a fairer world.  'Make Love, not war,' was a common cry, though 'Make Tea, not love,' was more common.  Maybe it was different with you?   We wanted to change the world for the better.   Programmes like 'Cathy Come Home,' which concerned a woman losing her home, her husband and her children because of the housing crisis, had a powerful effect on the nation, today such programmes either do not exist or are replaced by women's porn or soap operas.  Our generation wished to end war and make the world better.  Charities abounded, protests also, change for the better was demanded.  What protests exist now?  The 'right' to murder a child in abortion perhaps?  The 'right' to consider you are born in the wrong body?  The 'right' to be what you have decided you are, want to be, or just want, is now what matters.  

Concern for others, improving the world for the better, re housing, hospitals, ending war, seeking a better world, are all pushed aside for the individuals desires.  

There are no protests in the streets regarding government corruption.  No protests today demanding Brexit being ended.  No protests regarding a lying cowardly crooked Prime Minister.  No protests filling the streets regarding Priti Patels migrant policy.  

Nothing.  

Indeed looking at the recent local election results it is clear many still vote willingly for this government in spite of what it is doing to them!   While many have risen up to oppose not enough will appear come a general election and depose this government.  This when today we hear the Chancellor claim he cannot increase aid to those suffering for the cost of living as 'Due to a technical problem, the computers cannot deal with this!'  Such blatant lying, accompanied with a Patel like smirk, even yet does not cause the people to rouse themselves, rise up and demand change.

What is going on in the nation?

 

Christmas & Parliament

Being the kind and generous person I am, and having been reminded that I am supposed to be 'thrifty' as a Scot, then I am happy to say I have satisfied both these demands by obtaining these 6 bottles of whisky to give to my equally generous friends.  So far they have given nothing!  

As I always say, a promise is a promise, and if I promise a bottle of whisky to someone I make sure they will receive a bottle of whisky.  I fail to see how anyone could grumble.

The big box of nothingness that I send annually to my sister will be posted, I hope, tomorrow and nothing much else Christmassy requires to be done. An online shop for two or three people and that is about it.  Most cards have either gone or have been written and an abundance of stamps remain.  I am ready for when they go up in price again.      

Of course abuse has come my way from those who have not yet begun their shopping.  Tee Hee.  There is no need for me to rub this in, but I do anyway.  

Most men will of course wait until the last few days before working out what they must buy, and are then found asking women friends what they ought to do!  I always suggest they buy her a new iron or a hoover, but for some reason they never work up the courage.     

Daily Mirror

 

When I read a man had jumped the fence at the House of Commons my first thought was to ask which MP had tried to escape?   It did cross my mind it could be a Lord from the House of Lords, though most could not jump over a step let alone a fence.  Anyway, all of both Houses are making too much cash to run away these days.  However, it turns out it was merely a member of the public, possibly trying out his right to protest.  His reasons are as yet unknown but after being tazered, handcuffed and led away to a police van (no longer called Black Maria's') he was heard to mutter "My rights!"  Indications are this was a 'stunt' of incredible stupidity, for a reason as yet unknown, and that any magistrate who eventually gets to hear his case will not be impressed with 'his rights.'  

He must understand that amongst the posse of police officers who responded many carried guns, guns that a mad gunmen in the USA would give a great deal to possess.   These officers also know how to use them, had this man appeared violent in response he may have discovered how well they could use them.  

Silly boy.

Hard Work and Tory Sleaze

 

The sun shone this morning, I did not see it, my was head down on the floor fixing the loo into something of a serviceable workplace.  Now it gleams, sort off, smells of disinfectant, and can be used buy non choosy members of the public.  I also dumped the rubbish, then the recycling, exercised and by the time I sat down to watch the cricket I was knackered.  The cricket of course had started early, not at 3 pm as I expected, and I only saw Scotland's vain but glorious effort to catch the enemies total.  They can come home with heads held high and with much hope for the next tournament. 

The work took a while today, what took ten minutes in the past took ages today, however, I needed to work, the execise was good for me, the job is done, nothing else went wrong, and a sense of achievement warmed me.  Nothing else bar the blanket around me was warm today.  In fact I even put the heating on at one point the temperature had fallen so low.  Rain clouds warmed the air later to a pitch of 'just freezing.'

 

Owen Paterson

 

Owen Paterson MP was caught by the Parliamentary Standards Commission fiddling things.  He took money, twice his salary it appears, to lobby on behalf of certain companies.  This breaks the rules!  The Commission banned him from the House for 30 days, very lenient in the circumstances, and today Boris led a rebellion against this finding.  A vote for an amendment opposing the ban was annpunced, the Tories put a 3 line whip on this, meaning all Tory MPs must support the vote as told, and in the end the vote was won by 250 votes to 232.  The 'Ayes' had it.  

There is more to this than meets the eye.  For a start 6 Tory MPs who supported the motion have been disciplined in the past, many others may be earning cash for similar law breaking, and if Paterson was banned he could suffer what is called a 'Recall.'  This may lead to a By-election in his seat that he could lose.  Indeed, under the Recall he might have to walk away.   So many actions of this government are corrupt Boris fears such Commissions will render his will unlawful.  Therefore he has a bright idea, he will amend the Commission and insert his pown peoiple into it.  The problem there is both the Labour Party and the SNP, meaning most of the opposition, will not join this Commission, and a Tory only Commission has no meaning.  Maybe Boris wanted this?  Certainly he has much to hide so he will not allow questioning of his illegal tactics and dubious behaviour.

The country is run by corruption and so many do not perceive this or do not care.

 

Thought's Occasioned by a Magazine

The Oldie

 

'The Oldie' is a magazine I have been reading most of the year.  It is well laid out, attractive design, with many items, some regular some occasional, they are all accompanied by astounding cartoons, relevant to life today.

However, this morning filling time reading a page or two I was once more aware of how limited many items were.  'Middle Class Angst' replaced with 'Middle Class Hero's.'  The 'heroic' stature given to long dead drunks, perverts or scoundrels, becomes a wee bit boring after a while.  People who the author would not allow through their front door are raised up as some sort of role model and we are expected to laugh at their doings as if they were worthwhile.  Usually these 'doings' just reflect an empty life.

In my mind several things can be said here, the most obvious is that the mostly middle class readership (who can afford the mag) want to identify with such individuals.  They desire to live lives that are 'free' from society objection, ignoring the cost, broken marriage, lost and confused children, sickness, death and other minor hindrences.  

One cause that often appears is lack of parental care.   

Boarding School: Such schools at eight years old is not, in my experience, something that binds a family, even if dad is in the forces or diplomatic service or some form of business.  Dumping kids at a distance, with no family contact, especially in the days before mobile phones such as we now possess, is cruel in my mind.  I am not surprised to find so many gay folks informing us of their situation often began in such circumstances.  How many 'celebs' have similar broken family lives behind them?

Public School:  The Public school ethos, whatever that is, where future leaders of power, church, media, government, get together to form friends or enemies for life and encourage 'The Old School Tie.'  This is the manner Boris has been making use off to run the country.  The attitudes encouraged at such schools do not encourage care for others, they certainly do not encourage 'socialism' in any form, instead it has become 'Look after number one,' us!

Bad Parents:  Whether sending kids to far off schools or just having too much money in the end, bad parents are responsible for bad children.  Fathers who have no intention of loyalty, mothers who play around, those who use the other for class, money or position reasons and make no effort at a real marriage will not produce contented children.  The lack of assurance, the lack of love will always show.  'Love' of course is not a feeling here, it is an action.  A daily action, often in difficult circumstances, a costly action, that is why so many fail!  When the wealthy fail it is not through lack of cash, it is lack of many other things.  Children are thus taught selfishness, lack of concern for others and indeed many spend their lives looking for the missing parental care elsewhere. 

Money:  Those who can afford Public Schools have no knowledge or understanding of how the people live, whether those of what we call 'working class' or indeed 'middle class.'  Their world is far removed from the daily life of most.  

It is clear Boris and his kind wish to keep it that way.  The moneyed class, and where did that cash come from? The moneyed class care little beyond themselves.  It is true that in the past some have taken action to change the world for the better.  Well educated Clement Atlee took to looking after those in London's East End, eventually leading the most radical government the UK has known.   Harold MacMillan, Eton boy at that, was far to the left of Tony Blair and that guy who is now the Labour leader.  He met the lower orders during the Great War, respected them and served them in the 1930's in Stockton to the extent of running soup kitchens for them, and depised Thatcher and all she stood for.  Thatcher of course was Lower middle class, the daughter of a shopkeeper.     

War:  Of course many mentioned in the magazine pages were born before or during the war.  This affected the entire nation and while all suffered a reaction the upper section of society had the privelage of being able to move about and spread their problems in a less stressful fashion.  Money was available, better jobs also, the rest of us just had to 'get on with it' and make the most of their lives.

Reading about some cad this morning brought Boris to mind as many mentioned in the mag are very Boris like.  Indeed one individual rather scathingly mentioned parents of today's cabinet members in passing, and I am left wondering if the failures of school,lack of parents care and having too much cash has led to the Boris we see today?  His cheeky personality wins him many fans though udnerneath he is a scheming brat, very schoolboyish.  His battle for power with Eton Boy Dave Cameron saw him win, though honesty and integrity played no part.  It is difficult to consider what went on behind the scenes!  He now has power, without the ability or drive to make it work.  Where will it all end?  

His latest policies, declared by the queen, who managed not to spit even once, include Bills to cut the number of Labour voters, hinder judges from stopping parliament wrongs, both attempts to oppose anyone who might disagree with his decisions.  

This is the actions of a man afraid to debate, a man who needs control, a man who is afraid of the consequences when he loses that control, not the sort of man to be called democratic.  Boris has learned a lot from Fascist Steve Bannon, these are actions copied from Adolf during the 30's, although the press was already on Boris's side and only the BBC was to be taken over.  The nation has suffered a coup and does not see it.  Soon, the 'Red Wall' will realise they have been had, then what?

 

 

Parliament...

BBC

Is it over yet?
Have they sacked him?
Has he resigned?
Can I come out now...?

Spring Ceaning, Football Programmes and Boris!

Yesterday afternoon I took a break from sorting my important paper file and stared out at the 30 degrees of heat seen through my dirty window.  The view was marvellous, sunshine improves the most hideous of places, the rusty leaves beginning to appear reflected the light, near naked people sweated across my view, I remained indoors half hidden behind piles of ripped up old papers.
The afternoon previous had seen me deep inside the store cupboard, the one full of things kept 'just in case.'  The reward for that afternoons work was four bags of recycled items dumped outside and one of total rubbish!  Why did I keep these things?  The electric kettle that did not work properly but remained just in case was dumped after several years of space filling.  Cardboard boxes, useful for sending things north, were dumped as nothing goes north these days bar birthday cards and store cards, piles of plastic bags kept for wrapping things going north, a sisters idea, have found where the recycled stuff is collected from and just what to do with a computer keyboard that came with my first computer in 1997 I have no idea!
However the store cupboard now contains important things, a box full of various electric cables which must be useful one day somewhere, recycled bags awaiting use (where did they come from?) and proper 'must keep' items that now have plenty of space, apart from the huge roll of bubble wrap that I kept - just in case I send things north!
There is a satisfaction in sorting out a cupboard.  In fact I was so impressed that before I began the huge file of urgent important papers going back four years I cleaned out the 'Brexit store' cupboard also.  Now the gleaming kitchen stands in contrast to the filthy oven which also demands work.
I looked away.

For some time I had wondered what had happened to old reserve team football programmes that I once possessed.  Monday Holiday in that store cupboard explained that.  In the bottom of a box filled with now recycled items there lay a pile of stored programmes, once at the centre of my heart, not at the bottom of a box! 
Naturally I cried as a man ought to do in such circumstances.
Some ten years ago when my mother died I had a large box filled with programmes collected over the years.  Most concerned the Heart of Midlothian from the sixties and on but there were many odd jobs in among them also.  What to do when clearing the house?  The answer was easy, I put aside some which meant something to me, a cup final, first 'big game,' and the like and we passed the rest, including a scrap book or two, onto the neighbours grandson who at that time played for the Heart of Midlothian under 12's.  I am unclear as to whether he made it, if so are free tickets abounding? but I do know he was delighted to have that box dumped upon him.  A quick look though those programme seller websites reveals it is probably he who is still trying to sell them at £3 a go.

The football memories mix with historical realities as we peruse the programmes.  The fact that the Hearts (pronounced Hertz at that time) produced programmes at 2d a go for reserve games in the 'North Eastern League and for 'A' team games in the 'C' Division indicates just how many people would turn up at Tynecastle Park in 1950 to watch. 
1950, a time when my mother had discovered an 'accident' was on the way, offered my dad just under £7 a week to deliver milk by horse and cart.  A time when the huts, used by the Royal Navy during the war and now abandoned, in the school field behind the tenement in which we lived were filled with people, often young couples, desperate for proper housing.  1950, five years after the war, was also a time of confusion for many as they fought to re-establish their lives after service overseas and with children who grew up while they were away.  People were grateful for the NHS and other improvements that arrived at the time yet managed to grumble against the government constantly, how unlike our time today?
The programme for December 2nd 1950 calls all Hearts supporters to attend the ANNUAL BALL on the 11th at the New Cavendish Ballroom. Dress informal, which means lots of demob suits put into action, while at 15 shillings a ticket just how many Hearts fans with pregnant wives and children could afford to attend that? 
In the middle of the page between the team line ups we see an add for RED HEART RUM an Edinburgh favourite while inside an add claims

BOOZE
       Doesn't Help
       It Just
      Bamboozels  
   
This did not stop the programme editor taking cash from Red Heart Rum however.
Two banks advertise, The Bank of Scotland proclaims £115 million in assets while the Edinburgh Savings Bank claims the best Defence is to open an account with them and save regularly.
On the other side is stated

A
GOOD SUPPORTER
IS LOYAL
     DO YOU
     SUPPORT 
     YOUR CHURCH?
Church of Scotland 

They would not advertise like this today, especially playing Celtic!
(Interesting however that so many football teams grew out of churches up and down the country.)
I wonder if William Scott, Gents outfitter still exists today?  Leith Street has changed too much for that.  Certainly THORNTON'S once a pricey sports outfitter in Prince's Street has long gone.
Also advertised was the 'Pink News,' the coloured paper that brought reports of games played every Saturday.  Rushed out at high speed they often contained mistakes, reports mixed up and some times in places upside down, but were the first with the reports of games played far and near, a must read in every city that produced them.  Indeed throughout the country sports 'Pinks' and 'Greens' were devoured each Saturday night and remain much missed though modern technology has done away with them today.
Incidentally the young winger playing in that game was one Cumming.  This was the great John Cumming who went on to dominate the midfield alongside Dave MacKay during the 50's earning more medals in his time than any other Heart of Midlothian player so far.  His comment when suffering a head bleed in the 1956 cup final v Celtic was 'Blood does not show on a maroon jersey' and he returned to the field carrying a sponge to wipe away blood.  This is now a much loved Heart of Midlothian slogan.
In 1963 I attended the Heart v Raith Rovers game,  game in which the great Jim Cruickshank allowed a feeble shot to run between his legs giving hope to the enemy.  We won 2-1 and I have collected the autographs of Roy Barry, Alan Gordon, Danny Ferguson and several other Hearts greats even if I canny read their writing today.  This makes me wonder what is the point in autograph hunting?  What did it do for me?  Nothing really but it might increase this programmes price by 50p.  This was a game Hearts had to win as previously at Paisley goalkeeper Gordon Marshall had been taken off with a head injury and Willie Wallace the kind of small centre forward took his place.  The ten men lost by 7 goals to 3. The 60's programmes reflect the growing wealth, 'we never had it so good' indeed, we never had it at all and I have kept that line up ever since.  The better quality programme, still with adverts for beer, banks, and Thornton's, now included photo's and much more information, mostly as such info always is, irrelevant.   
With the news that Bury FC have lost their place in the English league I find a programme featuring Bradford Park Avenue a club which also died during the 60's in similar fashion.  I believe such a club exists again today taking the name and is somewhere in the northern leagues hoping to recover their place one day.  The league table for December 1965 however shows this club in 10th place in the 4th Division, now League Two.  Not bad for a struggling club?  However the list is interesting as several clubs listed died later, Aldershot disappeared, Barrow are now somewhere in the Northern Premier,  Stockport County have just been promoted from that division, Halifax and Wrexham along with Hartlepool all reside in the National League today.  Several others also faced death by relegation or chairmen's ineptitude.  Several Scots clubs went through similar in recent years and have now sorted themselves out, well except Rangers of course, and more sensible accounting takes place now for the most part. 
We have to ask why such clubs disappear when often they are healthy enough when new men take over?  Inept management, bad luck, injuries or corruption all play a part.  However surely there must be a way to ensure such clubs do not die?  A football club has an emotional appeal business cannot compete with.  Once it has a hold little can remove this.  If only we had a government interested in what the people require...
Having collected these programmes I never look at them yet I am unwilling to let them go.  Part of me in in many of them, games I have attended, important events elsewhere, historical events recorded, all have a meaning as they lie in a box unattended.  Indeed I wonder if there is one from the first game I saw, it appears not but if one came along would I buy it and add to the pile?  
As I ponder this I notice the oven looking at me, I ignore it...

WHAT?

Thursday Politics

BBC

Good old Yaxley-Lennon, not one to let an opportunity to show how crass he is pass by.  The good news is he has been imprisoned and off the streets for a while.  I suspect he will not be placed alongside the Muslim terrorist type but rather fond many shaven headed like minded 'Essex Boys' type who will regard him as a hero of sorts.  
It's all very sad.
What was funny however was him demanding asylum in the USA as going to jail could see him killed inside!  There must be many US rednecks who would sympathise.  For some reason Trump did not respond to his plea, he must have been on Twitter or the golf course.  
What does he get out of this?  Fame?  Self importance?  Money?  We all need a purpose but shit stirring as a purpose?  I wonder if he really has a 'intellectual' belief in anything, I cannot see him working things out from a particular opinion.  It appears that he just requires to be seen as a leader of something, anything, and this is all he is good for.  What a waste.

Gemma White QC has produced a cheery report, avoiding adding names, informing the world of the bullying, abuse and mistreatment of the staff by MPs and noble Lords.  How nice to see our leaders behaving in such a manner.  
Clearly many treat staff reasonably well but others hide behind position, power and fear of job losses and avoid criticism.  I would guess that unless you are 100% committed you cannot work in such an atmosphere.  MPs jobs, in spite of their weak heads, demand total commitment and as a researcher you will need that attitude.  It is no surprise to find some of them demanding, parliament is no place for the weak-kneed, but it is clear many take advantage of their help, others like some noble Lords consider themselves better than others and abuse staff because of this attitude.  It is a pity no names or political parties were mentioned here...  The Speaker has denounced this behaviour, he has of course been criticised for bullying his staff, and indicated some of the points mentioned in this report ought to be handed to the police.  I hope they are, that would be fun!

Gray Edinburgh

After sunny days, most of them missed by me, I wander out today under gray leaden skies with a chilly wind annoying.  I suppose we will have snow sooner than April.  
This is annoying as I have to spend the next couple of day cleaning the place.  My niece is bringing her boyfriend on Sunday (Sunday with football on?) for some reason.  She comes once a year to see if I am alive and if there is any money, she is disappointed in both.
So tomorrow I must finish the bathroom work, the sinks, dust everywhere, then hoover the dust piles, polish woodwork, tidy books and other things lying around, iron shirts, wash others first, put out the rubbish and open the windows.  
I am worn out already.
If luck is with me I will force feed them in a local cafe, if it is open and if it is not crowded with the local ageing Mods who gather there occasionally with their scooters.  That saves giving them e.coli and time and effort.  
But what is she after this time?

 
Because of the work done on our behalf by the noble parliamentarians the Parliamentary Standards Authority has given them a 2.7%pay rise, around £2000 each.  This means they will be getting just under £80,000 a year each.  Now personally I consider that small beer for an MP.  People who decide Law and routine purposes in life ought to be rewarded with a great deal more than that.  I would suggest a minimum of around £150,000 -£200,000 for such employment.  Of course with a nation under austerity that would not be appropriate, however that would not stop this lot, and such a rise would be unworkable in today's situation.  Also so many of these 'workers' have other jobs.  Lawyers take time of to make ten times their salary on a case, doctors run off to rip of private patients and almost all have 'directorships' that bring in the cash for little effort bar their name on the headed paper.  The advantage of bigger wages would be by tempting in those who earn a great deal more now in their employment, even if they were only MPs for five years or so.  The present lot have sold out for or against Brexit and have little self awareness to take a stand on any principle of any kind.  As such I am not sure they deserve a wage increase and new blood, with principles would be good to have.

    
There is something bout old photographs that are catching.  I refer to pictures of places you once knew.  Here is Edinburgh, 'Up the Bridges' as we used to call it near Tron Church, where lots of major stores once wasted much of my mothers time.  I like such photos as we can compare how things have changed and yet over a hundred years on they remain the same.  
My dad would have been two years of age at this time, 1910, the world was advancing in so many ways, scientifically, socially, economically and it is clear from the picture three men have done reasonably well out of things so far.  I wonder who they were?  How come they can stroll along during working hours while others, on little pay, work?  It is clearly summer, the old man is wearing an overcoat, the younger ones are not.  Watch chains protrude from the waistcoats, hats are worn indicating class, successful men but in what I wonder.
The buildings remain the same I guess, shop names change, goods change but the basic function remains as always commercial.  The lighting will have improved, surely that is gas lighting but how would the 'Leerie' get up that high?  Could it be early electric street lighting?  The cobbled streets are famous in Edinburgh, especially on the northern side where snow aids the buses as they slither down through Stockbridge on frozen cobbles.  The traffic however is considerably less, walking there would result in a few words from a bus driver and the horse and cart is now replaced with 7.5 ton vehicles delivering goods.  
Many changes but instantly recognisable and made me cogitate for a while.

So it Continues...

 

It is not enough for movie producers to be attacked by poor hard done by women but we must also continue the attack on these poor soft touch women abused in the house of Commons (no mention of the Lords I note).    

Daily the media spout nonsense about hard done by women and always ignore the fact that women abuse men in similar fashion also.  Once again the man is bad the woman good and this is not questioned.  It appears our PM has found 36 Conservative Members of Parliament, including two cabinet ministers, who have abused, sorry are accused of abusing women in one way or another, no mention of anyone in any other party being accused.  

I found a refreshing item in the 'Online Daily Mail' (Yes I thought it unusual also) where Kathy Gyngell speaks of the many years in parliament where women made use of their bodies to get benefits from men as much as men abused said women.  How refreshing to find an open minded approach in among the hysteria.  This did not stop Harriet Harman exposing the chip on the shoulder she developed as a 13 year old girls school pupil reading 'Spare Rib' magazine.  A magazine my grown up sister dumped.  Men are horrid she says, allow women (e.g. Me!) to control the world. Such comments ignore the bad women in this world, only today we read of female concentration guards who were worse, they say, than the men in those Nazi camps.  Possibly Harriet and her friends never paid attention in school.

Sadly men and women continue to regard one another as they have always done.  A few years of confused feminism will not alter human nature nor stop women using the femininity to get where they wish to go nor men taking advantage of those willing to use what was available.  All that is lacking is honesty on the part of those seeking publicity now, years afterwards and with no regard of aiding other women who may be hurt.

 

I was sitting here last night, head down eyes glued to the screen, when I realised something was amiss.  I found my emotions stirred by loneliness, a touch of fear, there was depression in the air and I wondered why?  Then I realised, it was night time!  It was in fact not long after seven in the evening yet it was dark, curtains closed, light on, heater off because I was too lazy to get up, and the feelings were controlled by the darkness.

This is because until relatively recently the curtains were open and light of whatever sort came in.  Now it was dark early the world becomes a cold place, light opens our hearts and minds, darkness closes them.  It is not surprising to know that in lands where darkness reigns for 24 hours a day people take to alcohol and suffer terrible depressions.  It is no surprise to understand that suicides are less frequent in the 24 hour light than in the dark.

We all suffer that three in the morning attack where we wake still half asleep yet cannot return to slumber and instead fill our minds with dreadful thoughts.  All our failings, fears, worries loom large yet after another couple of hours sleep they dissipate and are forgotten.  Darkness, not even street lights here at that time these days, silence, weariness all add up in the mind at that time.  If however we worked nightshift and woke in the middle of the day would we be depressed I wonder?  On the occasion I worked nights I cannot recall if this is so but it seems likely that light would ease the mind not make things worse.

I must keep a light on tonight and see if I wake with a smile on my face...

I had another one the other day, a 'selfie.'  Not one I took OH No but another one taken by one of the girls.  By another I mean another and another and another!  I cannot imagine taking so many photos of myself when a teenager why do they do it now, especially the females?  Every new hairstyle, and there are too many off them, new outfit, new day, every meal, every small item is put into a 'selfie for the world to see.  I am all in favour of photographs with which to remember the day but really enough!  I don't need to know you now have green hair, I have no wish to see you in the 'guising outfit,'  I certainly don't want pics of your lunch (the same as yesterdays).  

A few decent, sensible photos are all I ask, like my 'selfie' above.  That is all we need, nothing more.

   

Lazy Thursday

The leaves are changing colour, a wee bit like my face when climbing steps.  Still only the beginnings of the yellowing and much greenery still around.  Nice when the sun shines on it as it did for an hour this morning.  Back to normal now.  

 Telegraph

Talking about normal today the English parliament ended the UK union when they passed a law banning Scot or other MP's voting on English matters.  As the English parliament votes on Scots things this is unfair but the imperialists appear not to care.  This fooling act has brought about freedom for Scotland and poverty for England and they do not realise the cost.

Boring Tired Post

Nigel Helps Police with their Enquires

There is no doubt UKIP can rejoice in their success in last nights poll.  They have touched the heart of England, and I mean 'England,' in similar vein to the Scottish National Party in Scotland. In many an Englishman's heart their concerns have been pushed aside for immigrants arriving on these shores, for which the indigenous population have been called 'racist,' their dislike of same sex marriage has been ignored in spite of so many objections, and 'Human Rights' being abused by thugs and murderers and Islamic preachers has been a bone of contention often raised but ignored also.  In the eyes of the English voter he is a stranger in his own land.  He sees the Scots given preferential treatment, the 'Daily Mail' says so, benefits cheats abounding while his work is underpaid.  On top of this the EU costs him cash and the politicians spend more time shoveling cash to their friends rather than dealing with the Englishman's needs.

He knows all this is true because the right wing media, the one he reads, tells him so!

Daily he reads of millions of Romanian, Bulgarian, Polish, African, Afghans amongst the many arriving, here receiving payouts greater than his wage, houses better than his and if he objects he is called 'Racist.'  The paper speaks daily of EU waste, fiddling MP's and local authorities and makes clear he is the one paying for it all.  The Englishman, who sees his home as his castle is frightened by this. 

The media intended him to vote Conservative by peddling all this misinformation, half truths and downright lies.  Instead along comes an everday bloke like Farange who speaks their mind, drinks a pint, smokes, and tells the EU what he thinks of them.  "He is one of us!" they cry!  

Of course he isn't.  Farage is another well educated rich man who knows how to play the system, a rebelrouser who shouts the Englishman's wishes.  Those wishes are for fair treatment and a government that listens to them.  That does not exist today.

The Scots cannot understand Nigel and his party because it is an English party, not a UK one. Scots have a more egalitarian approach to life, this comes from the hardship of past years.  The use of utilities for the whole nation not just a few shareholders goes down well up north, aiding the needy is a part of society. The Scots are more left of centre than the English they are predominately right of centre.  Add to this politicians from well to do backgrounds, with Oxbridge accents, no life experience to speak off, people full of ambition to be number one or make the most out of the job and we have a parliament out of touch with the real world.

No wonder desperate people, lied to daily, see Nigel Farage as a man who can speak for them.   

UKIP, that should in my view be EIP, have shaken the parties, especially the Conservatives.  There is every chance Nigel and his men could be in the House of Commons in a years time and that will be fun.  The response of the various parties after a result in which they have been hammered is always the same, no matter how good or bad the spokesmen always tell how well their party has done and just how much support there is for their policies.  I am reminded of the leader of the Scottish Communist party appearing on TV in 1968.  That year the Scottish National Party made a huge breakthrough by winning something like 325 seats at the local elections in Scotland.  The Communists had one man elected in somewhere far to the north, Inverness I think.  The Communist leader took this opportunity to read into the election of one man as a sign that "The Scottish people are turning to us as they realise Communism is the way to go." The 325 or so SNP seats were ignored.

The party spokesmen have been floundering today, blame has been sent around and only one thing remain the same, the media accept no blame for anything at any time!  The media, desperate for money and supporters of the Conservative Party have inflamed the English nation. This has hurt their party dearly.  From tomorrow the papers will do their best to sell to the UKIP support while not hurting Cameron's chances in 2015, such two faced action is not beyond them.

Will Farage really change the nation?  Time alone will tell, but as Scotland will vote for independence in September only England, an Wales and Northern Ireland need worry. 

Did I vote for Nigel?  Don't be silly!