A Departed Queen, A New King

 

Mirror

I watched some of the sycophantic bile that follows from the death of a royal, especially one as genuinely popular as Queen Liz, however, I could only take so much.  

I began with parliament where the MPs gather to express their condolences and remembrances of the queen, some of which are genuinely funny.  I gave up after the PM, Keith, Boris (desperately wishing she had died when he was PM) and the SNPs Ian Blackford had all had a go.  After them came Harriet Harman who instead of reminiscing began to spout her 'chip on the shoulder' middle class feminism, I left then. 

I noted the crowds gathering, some weeping, while the media fills the screen with platitudes and videos going back to 1952 and beyond.  Flowers are left, something I have never liked and find creepy, and online condolence books appear.  The press meanwhile are hard at work publishing the reams of guff that will be 'Free Pullout' over the weekend.  Written possibly years ago, they will milk this for all it's worth.

In between some offer an alternative viewpoint, Commonwealth citizens demand reparations for colonial rule, a comedian indicates lots of other 'old women' will die this year, probably from cold, and a drunk chip shop owner who rejoiced at her death is hounded by a threatening crowd.  Free speech is not popular if it goes against the mob. 

I am not a royalist but I think Liz did the job of queen quite well.  She has appeared human at times and the story told by her one time police guard of meeting an American couple while walking near Balmoral is well worth listening to if you can get it.  The yank did not know who she was and the two of them played along with the tourists who never realised she was queen.  Her sense of humour was not always seen while on duty but appeared in small crowds.

Respect may well be due to a woman who played the queen well over the years but it must be kept relaxed these days, bowing before royalty is no more.  However, as Otto English indicates in a thoughtful item no-one really knows the actual woman herself.  She has played the queen but kept herself to herself.

A queen dies, the nation must mourn, and proper reverence kept.  However, shops remain open, cricket, it appears continues, while football is postponed.  Some ask why?  This is especially relevant in Scotland where the monarch is less popular than in England.

Listening to Charles first chat a King we see him playing the King role very well.  The question as to whether we need one will develop and how he handles things will be interesting.  He intends, so we are told, to cut the running costs, which is bothering Andrew, especially as he is now out.  How Charles deals with those, mostly women, who hate him because they lived their lives through Diana will be interesting also, though personally I would tell them to lump it.   Anyway, I wish him well, and hope he manages to cope with the hostile media and grasping family.  No doubt he will visit Scotland at one time once crowned. 

Just think, the 'Elizabethan Age' has ended, and the 'Age of Charles' has begun.  The nation is now full of 'Charlies...'

Exciting Celebration...

I went up high to see how the Queen's celebrations were going.  Clearly the fun and frolics were well under way.  Possibly others were partying elsewhere. Only I and two adolescent girls were on the roof, until the saw me, stopped whatever they should not have been doing, and left, clearly when this car park is empty people are elsewhere.  Many shops were open, the Bank Holiday spirit not affecting the bosses of retail outlets it appears.  Possibly they are well paid, possibly double time, possibly not.  

Nothing else happened

Apart from annoying the gun lobby on Twitter, one or two gay folks left over from yesterday, and watching a poor football match, there has been nothing much to do.  I read a chapter of a book, more of that soon, and ate too much to use up leftovers. 

Not much of a bank holiday is it?

The queen very sensibly remained indoors during the long sombre service from St Paul's.  The usual dressed up royals and hangers on, the Prime Minister and temporary wife Booed quite clearly coming and going.  Even Thatcher did not get that sort of reception at such events.  It was made even better when Boris had to read the Lesson.

Philippians 4. "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

'Peace, true, noble, lovely, right, pure, excellent, praiseworthy....Boris read these words?  

May the Spirit bring them home to him. 

Tomorrow will suit this queen better, she can sit and watch a horse race on the widescreen telly and lose some of her millions at her favourite Betting shop.  She of course never places a bet, one of the Ladies in waiting do that for her.  She rips up her own tickets when they lose however.  

When will all this excitement end...?

Trooping

Inverness Courier

 

I rose early this morning as sleep evaded me after 6 am.  By 9 am I had been in both Sainsburys and Tesco, the fridge and freezer were full, cupboards almost stacked, and second breakfast consumed.

This strangely enough was timed just fine for the 'Trooping of the Colour.'  

Why troop the colour?  In days gone by soldiers needed to know where they were on a battlefield, it was very easy to get mixed up in such circumstances, and so officers would march up and down in front of the paraded troops, thus 'trooping,' the flag, and each would take note of his regiments flag. This of course goes way back into time, the Romans always paraded their standards for the men to follow.  It was of course the duty of the enemy to capture such banners, carrying the flagw as always a dangerous experience.

For many years the flag has been 'trooped' on the monarchs birthday, not that the monarch was needing to know which flag to follow, and this practice continues today. 

The Guards regiments, along with the Household Cavalry, and the Royal Artillery (I forget their proper designation) march in turn before the Queen, (today it was Prince Charles standing in for his aged mother) after she has recognised the flag.   All this involves a lot of pomp and circumstance, with the gentry in the crowds, all the high heid yins appearing, parents of individuals guardsmen boasting, and the camera's always watching, watching, watching, hoping for a mistake from a royal, or something 'adorable' from the kids.  Afterwards they all go home, bar the soldiers who spend the rest of the day cleaning, polishing, and boasting to family that "I was there!"

In times past my dad always watched this, back then on our 'Ferranti' black and white TV.  In the late 50's and 60's it was clear that all over the nation ex-servicemen were watching the drill of the busby wearers closely.  It was clear that like my dad, they were yelling at the screen "Call yourselves soldiers?" "That line is not straight!" "Put your busby on properly!"  And so on.  Millions of men who had endured such drill under Army, Navy or RAF corporals always knew the best way to drill, and the Guardsmen were never doing it correctly.

How did we win that war?  

 

Not being much of a royalist I have tended to ignore this event over the past few years and today I found myself wodnering if it really was worth having?  Certainly pomp such as this exists in most countries, even if not quite the same as here, but has the time for this past?  Should such events be renovated?  If the monarch is to remain the troops will need to look to him, such events are therefore required.  However, the sight of men who have fought their way up the military ladder (literally in some cases) wearing aged hats adorned with feathers does speak of a past time that no longer rings true.  

The flag waving patriotic crowds love parades, which is fine, kids like it, especially when royals walk among them, something the queen and Charles have done often.  But the monarchy has to change, not just because Charlie is coming to it.  He appears to have indicated a cut in the costs, Andrew will not be pleased, and changes are required, but will he speak out on the political situation once king? I think not.  Many wonder why £28 million has been spent on this while people are struggling, but it has always been thus with a  monarch.  We wait and see, but cannot avoid pages and pages of this in the papers over the next few days.

 

 

 

Mumping Monday

The sky offered the usual Spring deceit today.  As I stumbled up towards Sainsburys the chill in the air was hidden behind the blue of the sky.  By lunchtime I was sitting indoors with my jacket on wondering if I ought to make use of the heater!  Instead I did the laundry, at least drying the ageing T-shirts over that heater warms part of the house. 

Sainsburys, the checkout lass informed me last week, are planning to change things around.  Out will go several checkouts, replaced by larger, trolley sized, self-service checkouts.  Hooray!  Instead of people like me struggling to get a dozen items through a self-service machine soon people with trolleys will be struggling to get over a hundred items through the checkout!  

They will soon be off their trolley.  

Since John James Sainsbury established his grocery shop in 1869, somewhere in London, the company has been one of the leading supermarkets in the land.  Tesco long ago overtook them as 'top dog' but this company is still in their fighting and increasing the prices on their 'own brand labels goods.'  Anything to help the poor Qatar's who own 15% of the shares.

Having hobbled back I noticed changes downstairs.  Later, when I had finished my reduced (but not by much) Chicken Kyiv lunch I heard strange noises again.  These emanated from a man holding a heavy item half way through the downstairs window.  Naturally, as a keen helpful type I wished to offer assistance, my back however, wisely warned me not to interfere when a man is having fun.  So, I ignored the foul language quietly escaping him and settled back down to read the online press. 

This was not encouraging, it rarely is.  Much of the media is dominated by the queens Jubilee.  Now having been monarch for 70 years is clearly an achievement to admire, especially when you have no official power, and many will admire her for this, though not her son obviously.  Parties are planned, two days off have been granted (Thursday & Friday), pubs have longer opening hours and the police more overtime to clean up the mess.  

The church is having a 'special' service for her, including a lunch and a fun time afterwards.  Some cruel cynical types asked me If I would be helping out!  I have made clear I am unable to attend as I will be with the Young Communists, burning 'Butchers Aprons,' on Sunday.  This, as you may imagine, has not been believed by the Brexiteers amongst us.  I fail to see why.

I spent the day sending one or two begging emails, none of which have provoked a response as yet.  And also 30 minutes listening to my sister chatting.  While informative, this leaves more tinnitus in my ear than AD/DC ever did!  I gave her a second hand laptop, quite good enough for her needs, so I could email her rather than use long phone calls.  This she cannot work, her fingers are too aged to cope, and the email has not been set up properly, even though her grandson works for the phone people!  Kids huh?

Now, with no football to watch, I am left wondering what to fill my empty head with.  In the evenings tiredness leads to watching things that require no energy or thought.  Football often fits perfectly here.  Tonight's TV offers 'Britain's Got Talent,' a misnomer if ever there was one, 'Jurassic Park,' and 'Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun.'  I am not convinced this is my kind of TV.

OK then, it is time to read books...

   

Tuesday Twaddle

 

I have just watched Charles practising to be King while reading out the Queens Speech to the country.  It takes years of practice at keeping a straight face to read such a speech without laughing out loud.  No doubt Charles, an intelligent man, was remembering the 40 hospitals and other balloons Boris has promised since stealing the top job.  Here the future King was faced with page after page of promises, all with the singular intention of keeping Boris in that top job.  

None of it will come to pass, apart from the 'relaxing of EU standards,' which will allow businesses that fund Boris to lower standards and increase pollution, unhealthy food, and other H&S bothersome things that save lives but increase costs.  The other legislation will only occurr if Boris thinks he needs it.  That is if he remains in his job of course, ask the Met Police about that.

 

Watching the sun outside my window, while the lovely young lass next door hoovers the stairs, I note the grumbles re the Queens Speech are appearing.  Empty, nothing to say, and only lowering standards for his friends appears likely to happen. 

Meanwhile Central Office keeps telling Tory MPs to build up 'Beergate,' and now the papers that pressurised Durham Police to investigate Starmer are now claiming Starmer has pressurised the Durham Police by claiming he will stand down if found guilty.   

Tee Hee!  Poor Paul Dacre does not know which way to lie...

Wednesday Warbling

 

Well that did not last much longer than one of Boris Johnson's great ideas'  Bad publicity and fan pressure forced the English clubs involved in the ''Euro Super League" to change their minds and remove themselves from this disaster.  The whole idea collapses, until the next time.  

So, the English clubs, nearly a Billion in debt, must do something else to fix their books.  Instead of running away to a 'closed shop' they must remain in the over hyped English 'Premier' division that lines their pockets well enough as it is.  Possibly they will now be considering whether paying a 'top' player £600,000 a week is a good idea, with smaller clubs in the 'Premier' paying a mere £20,000 average weekly to their men in the top division.  Maybe there is a better way after all than following several US club owners with no understanding of how the real world works?  Spend less on players and their wages!

 

 

On this day in 1918 Manfred von Richthofen was shot down and killed near Morlancourt, France.  Many have attempted to say this or that man brought him down, such a confusing situation that we need not join in here.  However, a combination of attacking fighter and ground fire could do him no good.  Never fly low, never over the enemy trenches.

The Royal Flying Corps were part of the Army until April 1st 1918 and as such no 'Flying Aces' were given publicity in similar manner to the Germans, or French.  It was considered 'Bad show' if flyers were seen as 'heroes' while the men on the ground were not given such a crown.  In fact Victoria Cross winners were considered 'special' so why not flyers I wonder?

Richthofen became the most famous of all the war flyers, few wished to know that his place was taken by Herman Goering after he fell, but not all flyers respected Manfred in the way the public did.  Some felt annoyed that they had better scores than his 'Jasta 11,' the 'Flying Circus.'  In the documentary from 1987, 'Cavalry of the Clouds,' we find Wing Commander Gwilym Lewis DFC offering his thoughts that Manfred was a 'Bullshitter.'   Richthofen would attack the last aircraft, the slow one, often a 'New Boy' lacking experience.  Attacking from a position high above, in the sun, and protected by one or many more aircraft behind him he picked an easy target, usually a single reconnaissance aircraft.  In this way his number of 'victories' would soar.  His aircraft, the Fokker Triplane, was not popular either.  A copy of the Sopwith Triplane it was dropped by the Jasta as soon as Richthofen departed.

 

 

This woman, who you may recognise from postage stamps, celebrates her 95th birthday today.  Now this may be a hard time for her, her 'Beloved Husband' (a phrase much used by press insiders who know the truth) has passed away.  Even worse, the family is now surrounding her with 'love and care,' so you can imagine how hard this will be for her to take.  

Her favourite son, Andrew, has given her, they say, two Corgie puppies' to 'comfort her' in her loss.  Great!  Just what a 95 year old requires, two puppies to housetrain, walk three times daily, and clean up after.  Possibly Andrew's mind was on other things?  For some reason the family think a woman who has endured life with Phillip, umpteen Prime Ministers, and now Boris Johnson, a world war, thousands of foot licking acolytes, a press that sentimentalises her one day and stabs her in the back the next, and the press royal correspondents themselves somehow canny cope?  Do you think she canny cope?  Tsk!

 

Sigh!

Since this germ was kindly given to me, way back in early December, luck has been with me.  Luck?  I mean Bad luck.  The strange side effects that bedevilled me for a fortnight, the cough which followed and only now looks like abating (my neighbours downstairs will be glad) and then there are the little things.
The light went out in the fridge freezer.  The whole thing appeared to stop.  This meant removing stuff and placing it in the landlords fridge, which has not been touched in years and needing wiped when I was exhausted and it was late at night (see neighbours again).   It turned out the fridge freezer works OK, so all has to go back, no cleaning attempted this time, and the light is still out as the plastic surround will not come off! 
The mouse returned.
The mouse's appearance so frightened the lass next door she has forced her man to leave move her out.  I hear a child is on the way and she is neurotic about babies attacked by mice.  Hmmm.  The landlord had a man in to deal with the mouse, I blocked up all I could and the mouse vanished.  Once I had confirmed he had gone he reappeared, apparently orange peel is attractive.  No more of that left for him.  
Once my back heals, ah yes my back.
At Christmas I aided an old man to stand, my right arm soon ached with the strain!  It still does, though much lessened.  Then I did my back in, this still aches but not so bad.  I am treating it gently however and it is healing.  And on top of this things keep falling apart.  Things fall on the floor and disappear, my glasses of course required renewing after I stood on them, packets are delivered by a postie who cannot knock loudly on the door and I have yet to get to the sorting office to collect it, and each time I am on the internet something goes wrong, pages vanish, strange messages appear, new spam piles up.
However, after a bad Saturday, full of aches and that dreary lurgii that leaves only a rotten feeling things have begun to improve.  The bug is clearing up I believe, my head is almost awake, and as I sat on my bed rejoicing last night I spilled a near full mug of tea across the bed.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Things are so bad I got a call from Sandringham today offering sympathy!

Talking of which I began to wonder what was hiding behind the hundreds of articles full of ignorant speculation in the media?  As fear of war recedes in the Gulf, at least until Trump pushes it again, the media need something to protect Boris.  What devious Bill is he offering behind the headlines, what important decision is not being given the space it deserves?  These are good days to hide bad news, and all Boris has to offer is news that will be bad for us.  We need to read the small stories also.

 Pope's

It never fails to surprise me how interested the secular media are when something happens with a Pope.  They disregard Christianity, speak against it, live lives totally opposed to it then offer long reports on radio and fill space in the media concerning the goings on.  Why?  All these folk do is declare their clear ignorance of the subject, spew forth this ignorance and yet take no time to learn or research the subject.  
This time there is an attempt to make out one ex-Pope is attacking the current Pope, although whether that is what he is doing is dubious.  The point concerns celibacy and the demand priests must be celibate.  Pope Francis has indicated he may allow some priests to be married in those far off areas where it is difficult to acquire priests.  Benedict objects possibly not because of the priests being married in this situation but that it may remove celibacy altogether from the church.  Such an idea goes way back into the past, a celibate man being dedicated to God more than a married one.
We have to ignore Roman Catholic teaching and seek scripture, no objection to marriage is found for the church leaders.  Paul indicates this does make life difficult for a man running a church but I suspect almost all leaders in the first 200  years were married with single men being rare.  
By the late 300's AD churches had changed.  Constantine had legalised the church, many found this a way to high position and in my mind this is where a separation of Priest and laity arises.  There appear to be many who wish to be among the ecclesiastical hierarchy and position themselves as priests and important men.  Celibacy is added, not just to offer commitment but possibly for a Greek sense of 'purity' that is not found in scripture.
We need not add surely that you will realise that a priest's job is to take your sacrifice and offer this to God, he gets in between you and God.  When Jesus died on the cross the curtain in the temple enclosing the 'Holy of Holies' the residence of God himself, tore apart from top to bottom.  This showed the way to God fro each individual was now open, but only through the Great High Priest Jesus Christ.  He is both the sacrifice and the high priest, anyone who stands between you and God calling himself priest is a false priest!      
Indicating this to Anglicans, who have now dropped the term 'Vicar' and replaced it with 'Priest in charge' brings lots of silent looks.  Indicating this to RC's may bring much more.
Jesus made no rule but in Matthew 19 he indicates marriage is for life, not just until you get fed up, and some will be single for a variety of reasons.  The disciples at the time thought long term marriage a hard thing, most may well have been married.  People get married and remains single for many reasons, sometimes love, but there is no, and can be no demand to be celibate.  Indeed one scripture indicates those who demand this are a danger, possibly  Greek influence. I forget where it is found.
The two Popes would be better off ignoring the celibacy thing and spend time reading scripture, putting aside false church teaching and following Jesus instead of debates about that which is quite clear to most other churches.

When I am Poor then I am Rich...

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

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

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

The Queen & Austerity

Yesterday saw the opening of Parliament, the UK parliament, the one that fiddles their expenses and housing allowances at Westminster.  This is one of those 'pomp and circumstance' days so beloved of tourists and 'Daily Mail' readers.  Here the aged outfits are brought out, the Lords, the Queens speech is always read out by her in the House of Lords, the Lords dress up in borrowed ermine and fill the chamber, ensuring they have signed in to get their £300 a day attendance money.  The parade through parliament, cries of "Hats off strangers" and other obscure aged ceremonial lead up to the Queen sitting on the throne where she is presented with the speech drawn up for her by the fawning smug David Cameron.  It is a wonder royals have not at this point in times past muttered a variety of comments regarding the content therein, it is clear they have not always agreed with them.  One would like to have been at the private meetings with between the queen and the mad Baroness Margaret Thatcher.  She did not exactly despise the woman but clearly indicated she disagreed with her in many ways, slapping her in public was probably going a bit beyond royal protocol however!  
The speech which is read is written on fancy parchment and contains details of all the present governments political chicanery for the coming session.  This wish list sometimes succeeds in turning into law, sometimes it fails.  As she reads it is important to watch how she resists turning up her nose at certain sections of the speech and where she turns with eyebrows raised and looks to the heavens.  This usually indicates a question has arisen in her mind.  The manner in which she spits on her hands and then rubs down her dress after shaking hands with the Prime Minister also indicates something according to royal watchers.  
An interesting picture came my way today.

This got me thinking, while the 'hat' is worth considerably more than the price quoted it has to be remembered that this speech is indeed about 'austerity.'  Chancellor George Osborne has decided to save some billions from the budget, mostly by robbing the poorest, while ignoring the £120 billion dodged tax that his friends take out of the country year by year.  A question then arises as to austerity and royalty.  Whether we require one or ought to be a republic is always an argument that can lead nowhere but as we have a monarchy should they not participate in austerity?  It is understood Charles has plans when he becomes King to reduce greatly the outgoings of the royal house.  This is not it appears going down well within the family.  Millions are spent by the royal house, much on the nations duties, launching ships, meeting dignitaries and hangers on, selling the nation abroad, opening supermarkets and selling programmes at football matches, all well and good for the nations traditions.  However other monarchs have cheaper programmes, less million pound houses and fewer holidays abroad, this Princess Beatrice, whoever she is, has had 15 already this year, could she not get a job at 'Poundland' or something?  Prince William, the next in line after Charles, the one with his mothers brain and a wife to match, he has three houses, each costing the nation millions and all having been done up for him at around three to four million pound a time!  Does he need three homes he does not use?  Interestingly I have just remembered, the staff in royal houses are not well paid, mostly gay, and threatened strike action recently because many were being dumped and thrown out of the house that goes with the job, a very caring employer is the queen!  
If a woman with a million pound hat can talk about austerity on TV I suggest she begins at home putting right her staff situation, selling off needless houses to rich Russians and Chinese who appear to buy anything that moves today as well as line the pockets of the Conservative Party, and then cut down all needless expenditure on that which the nation cannot afford. 
If we have 'food banks' the royals can have less holidays. 

 .

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?

  

QE2

There are three ideas about the monarchy.  One is the total opposition, based on democratic equality or just spiteful jealousy.  Hard line anti monarchists usually don't think through their opinions and just whine about 'cap doffing,' and 'rich snobs.'  They certainly have a point, and several members of the royal party (yes Andrew I mean you!) could be eliminated without any fuss.  On the other hand there are many monarchists out there. Some with memories of the royal family's attitudes during the war, and the PR was excellent at that time.  During the blitz the queen was asked if the young girls would leave London. "They won't leave without me, and I won't leave without the King, and the King won't leave," came the reply.  For the populace that was what they wished to hear at the time, and that impression remained for years, following on as it did the previous King's resignation for an American gold digger.  Today thousands, mostly women, identify with Diana, another self publicist, and fill their homes with union flags (calling them Union jacks although those are only flown on ships) pictures of royalty, and always at the forefront at street parties and flag waving occasions.  The majority are somewhere in the middle.  Like me they enjoy such pageants, the boats, the crowds having a laugh, the attention seekers, and especially the stories which accompanied the boats yesterday.  We don't support a monarchy and worry about a republic.  A head of state like this queen costs far too much, but a president would have political influence, would probably be a Tony Blair type, and would fail to bring in tourists.  In fact that would have several bad effects all round!  Yesterdays expensive parade was a laugh, except for the drivel offered by the BBC presenters.  "Amazing, fabulous, beautiful, brilliant" they repeated over and over and over, instead of giving something sensible.  My favourite was when some bint came on to discuss the outfits, i had ti turn the sound off then but not before the BBC suit had used the phrase "The queen is like a pearl," at which point I vomited.  Quite what she or Phillip would have said at that point I would not wish to hear.


I find these things hard to take when Union flags are flying.  My inner revulsion at a flag used by England, for England, by a nation that considers the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,' to be no more than :Greater Englandshire' somewhat repulsive.  I note that at no time did the well trained broadcasters use the phrase 'Queen of England' as so many foreign johnnies do. and complimented them on their fear of a Scots backlash.  My e-mails do make a difference.  I also found the desire of the cheerleaders to encourage the fans to cheer at every opportunity tiring. We know the soggy royalists wanted to let of steam but this was embarrassing.   Not quite as bad as the painters outside Tate Modern, the home of daft art, attempting in the rain to paint the queen as she passed by at 4 mph.  Still it's only a bit of a show, a bit of a laugh.  A time for the kids to have a memory, a time to bring people together, a time to sell Jubilee Mugs and tat. An inoffensive occasion, enlivened by around 80 wet protesters (hundreds the 'Morning Star' claimed which surprised me as I thought the 'Morning Star' died 20 years ago) whining about anti- monarchy, and few noticing.


The UK has a love hate relationship with the monarchy.  The press reflect what matters by surrounding the queen with pictures of Kate and Pippa, this time neither showing tits or bum first, and fussing more about these girls than the occasion.  A great number still want a royal family, the reasons why are many, usually not thought out, and it will take a major mistake or thirty years before any revolution takes place in the UK regarding them.  Of course by then Scotland will be independent, and much less concerned with all this.


It is hard writing early in the morning while stuffing cheese on toast down the gullet.  No wonder this is a mish mash worse than usual!  never mind, I'll get the butler to fix it later. 
 

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