Waiting, Waiting.....

On Tuesday morning as I ventured out to my museum duties I found a card from 'Parcelforce' informing me he had attempted to deliver on Monday at '16:12' and had ticked the 'We will endevour to deliver tomorrow' box.  Why I missed him I know not, maybe I was engrossed in a book or listening to something cultural on the wireless?  As it was Tuesday and shortly before 10 am I was unable to wait his return and left hoping he may not arrive until I got home.  Today I was awake by 5:30, in the morning that is, and shortly afterwards rose and shone in my usual style, if that is what that is called.  I decided to wait around for the man delivering today, just in case he did, but after a while i got fed up and went to Tesco's instead.  If I knew what was being delivered I would be happier but this is a Christmas surprise, probably a bundle of legal documents from someone suing me for something said on here!  He never showed today, and I contacted them through the website and now expect to wait for hours tomorrow until he shoves a card through my door and vanishes.  I know these people work at Christmas, I've been there, but always nicely.....

Having used all the Tesco vouchers I came home clutching a bag of reduced items and stuffed a cupboard with them.  I now have more food than an entire Syrian refugee camp!  Isn't it difficult to eat another slice of cheap cake when the telly shows pictures of starving children wearing thin clothes while snow falls around them and dinner is unavailable.  I canny look!  There again I get annoyed that the UK sends aid but I find myself asking how much aid comes from the rich Arab nations, especially Saudi and Quatar who started this war? If it were possible to send £5 now to feed a family I could do it, but how much gets through, why do others not send more, and will the starving children be fed or some Islamic Extremist?  Now I distrust so many charities and I suspect many others do also which means these kids will see less aid not more.  For myself I think I will once again support Tear Fund, I used to do this for years, a fiver a week when poor and more if I had it, as they work on the ground and I believe most gets through.  I must look into it again as I stopped when unemployed.  

Putting 'Agitprop' aside I ventured out again to Tesco this time to browse the non food items upstairs.  I was not buying just checking the prices for when the sale items appear!  In fact some were reduced already.  Since Woolworths went bust Tesco have taken their place as the shop that has the odds and ends you need.  Of course one or two Asian types run similar, and in some ways better, such shops where almost everything required once in a lifetime can be found, a 'Poundland' impersonator also operates but is rubbish really.  Where would we be without a place that sells cocktail sticks and cheap pots?  I had forgotten this was market day.  Every Wednesday the stalls arrive, spend hours erecting themselves, proffer their goods, then spend hours dismantling the shop, a lot of needless work if you ask me!  Why not do what one man has done and use a van? He has a large van which he has turned into a mobile barbers shop.  Not really sure why he comes here as there as plenty of those already, 'Chris & Jim's' at the 'Manor Street Barbers' being the best.  A large van as used by the fishmonger is easier to lay out, shows the goods and saves effort.  Admittedly some goods would not fit but my laziness would make them!  

  
As always at this time of year several dafties spend thousands covering their houses with fairy lights.  Some huge displays brighten the streets to the delight of the kiddies and more so the energy companies.  Me, I think their daft!  That is not what Christmas is about.  However it gives them a laugh, a wee bit of public attention, and money goes to a charity somewhere.  I still don't think much of it, especially after the 25th!  They say that one street around here has every house lit up, mine would stand out if I moved in, just a black sign reading 'Bah! Humbug!' would show. This couple do it right.  One or two wee things to add a splash of cheer but not too much.  Now I am going to blow out the candle as it is too bright in here, almost Christmassy, and we don't want that do we?

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Another Maudlin Monday

Before nine this morning the day looked to be full of action as the firemen appeared outside once again dealing, I thought, with the brats setting fire to something on their way to school. Possibly this is part of Michael Gove's (education minister) new curriculum, 'Arson for Beginners.' Usually there are one or two schools set ablaze before the new term although round here we lost one by some sort of fault.  Helpfully the primary kids now travel 14 miles to continue their education!  Once again the authorities were their usual unhelpful selves when enquiries as to what they were doing was concerned. Several who asked were heard to reply, "And you!" before continuing on their way.  

The day darkened when for reasons unknown the lights went out.  The box switched itself off at the mains and once reconnected everything appears OK. Why does electric do this?  Could it be it is preparing for the country running out of power once all the coal fired power stations cease to operate?  Could it be nuclear power stations may once again be built, and guess who will pay, certainly not the power generators!  Even the desperate for love Liberal-Democrats have now agreed the vast number of windmills dumped across the nation cannot supply our needs, as if we didn't know this forty years ago, and they have accepted nuclear is required in spite of the problems associated there.  

The day has once again been terrible.  I am convinced I am suffering a serious disease, unknown to science, that makes me lazy, slothful, shivering, and wake up tired in the mornings.  The bug that first arrived in 1987 may be taking its toll at last.  

I noticed however, between bleary eyes, that Obama is paying for his throwaway 'red line' comment last year.  At the time he said this I got the impression it was 'off the cuff' and he had no idea it would be brought up once again.  When chemical weapons were used, but by whom we don't yet know, he had to take action on this comment or look weak.  With the military machine determined to smash Iran it was inevitable their Syrian adventure would require statements of intent from the president.  The cry was 'Go get 'em,' but his heart was not in this and when the UK population made it so very clear that they would not tolerate 'our boys' in that adventure he saw a way out.  Pass the buck to Congress!  If the UK parliament could stand up and be counted for once then possibly the US could do the same.  However John Kerry, the anti-war veteran, offered 'unbelievably small' attacks while Obama said he 'Didn't do pin-pricks,' showing some confusion.  Confusion also where it was important to stop CW falling into 'wrong hands,' meaning the rebels.  Now however in the 'right hands' it appears to have been used, so who is the right hands today?  Russia possibly, tee hee!  Note nobody asks where the CW comes from, although the UK has sold most of the chemicals required to make them.  The US supplied masses to Saddam when  he was their man fighting the Iranians, but we don;t talk about that, nor the CW held by Israel.  Of course we talk about CW but ignore the routine weapons that are killing the population on both or any side as that is not important just now.
Obama found escape from attacking Syria through his friends in the Soviet Uni oops Russia.  The political nous that enabled them to jump in and obtain a promise from Assad to hand over the CW (to whom?) therefore doing away with the need for missiles.  The Russians have of course won a great victory, celebrated by Assad's men, and put Kerry's ever increasing threats into place. Obama must be relieved that an unpopular war has been avoided, however the Pentagon appears sure that some 75,000 men on the ground are required to remove the hidden (where?) CW.  Where will they come from, how can they do the job in a few months with a civil war, backed by the US friends Saudi Arabia and Quatar, is raging all around?  No-one knows, no-one cares.  As long as we don't get involved we don't care either.  The homeless, the wounded and the dead might have an opinion, but politics is not about them.

As we speak another success for the National Rifle Association at the Washington Navy Yard.  A man with a gun, possibly two men, have opened fire and killed one or two.  It makes me feel safe walking UK streets when I see this!  Guns have their place I suppose, but in the middle of a major city?
   
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More Yanks!

Wade

As I began my second breakfast earlier this morning Julie rang in the usual panic from the Museum. Encouragingly all the volunteers are falling like flies, the plague is removing them steadily and my bulk was required.  Just as well I was around as there was only she and I to deal with the visitors.  The usual crowd of eager kids passed through, one or two enquiries, and another party of Yanks.  Julie is the woman running the shop, arranging workshops and chatting to people, she is not the woman to answer historical questions.  I am not sure if she knows who won the war, I would enquire but she might ask "Who came second?"  So she dumps such things on me to seek information.  Luckily I read about the 'Lyon,' a wee while ago and luckily once again we had a descendant of one who sailed from here, this time in 1640.  A glance at the wee blue book revealed a man with the right name and this couple were delighted to find information re their man.  That made my day!   Apparently he has been doing the web search thing and was delighted to be here in this backwater.  All his life, well much of his adult life, he has wondered about the area his kin came from, now he can go home, with a bag full of books, and send years reading about them.  

We get two kinds of Yanks.  The type seeking their ancestors, it appears around eight million descend from the puritans who sailed away from here on those boats, nothing else to do I suppose, or the type who once occupied the many airfields around here, and are now returning the wife they bought then!  

 UST

President Obama, the man that made the USA acceptable after the insane years of George W Bush, has taken on the mantle handed down to him by the position the USA finds itself in as the 'major power.'  Major Powers have been here before.  They may not have had nuclear weapons, submarines or aircraft, but the need to patrol the world and get involved everywhere for reasons of 'self defence' or 'strategic interests,' does not vary.  On occasion this can lead to destruction. Had the major Empires refused to act after the Archduke was shot in 1914 the war may never have happened, the world would be a different place and the empires might exist yet.  Obama insists that for moral reasons the USA must send missiles (pronounced 'missiles) into a foreign power.  Since Thursday when we knew some 250 deaths has occurred the USA have managed to get their friends in the media to believe that in fact well over a thousand have died this way, yet still without offering proof.  Evidence that would stand up in court has not been shown, the main question being if such weapons are in use, who uses them?  We know Assad has the capability, so does the CIA!  We also know the Turks have found Al Queda with Sarin in their border, and they were none too pleased about this.  There is no doubt some vile happening occur in Syria but the rule of thumb in the middle east is it's not 'who is the good guy, both are bad!' 

We cannot avoid the terrible things done here, but who started this conflict?  Rebels fighting Assad, pad for bu Sunni Saudi and Quater.  Who backs them?  Us and UK etc.  Why did this begin?  To get at Iran through the back door and we care nought for the Arabs that die!  No wonder young Muslims are confused!  Why demand action when Chemical Weapons are used yet no action when 100,000 die from 'normal' weapons?  Why worry about Syria when thousand sare dying in Darfur and we have forgotten that war.  30,000 have crossed into Chad recently but little is said on the news here, why?  

I am chortling at the thought that America's 'oldest ally,' France, the home of the cheese eating surrender monkeys, is now the most important part of the US allies, even though they don't want your films because they are not in French.  The willing President Hollande, who has a lower popularity rating than Cameron, is now offering his men to the Americans.  Jolly good show old bean!  He will not go himself obviously, one of his concubines might want him.  The 'special relationship' that the media hark on about, that only existed between Roosevelt and Churchill, and then Roosevelt dumped him for Stalin, has never been that important.  Britain's place in the world is not lessened by France become the er, poodle of the US, the opposite in fact.  The UK can hold its head high.  Something the dogs ensure you cannot do on Paris streets I am informed.

Another Saturday, this meant rushing from the museum to get home in time to watch Dundee United v Celtic.  Gladly I watched this as the stream I picked up had no commentators, once someone pushed the pug in and Ian (I support the OF) Crocker began to spout I considered the game less worthy.  At three I lay on my bed listening to the Heart of Midlothian playing up at Inverness, as always making a worthy attempt against a team top of the league.  We lost but I am not downhearted.  Now I am choosing to watch Mother well v Killie or maybe the Aberdeen v St Johnstone game, all this in a days work. 

Whither Now Mush?

Incredible shock!  Parliament stood up for the nation last night and blew away the Tony Blair fantasist's plans.  Slapped down by a number of his own men as well as the opposition David Cameron failed to get the House to agree to go to war, some say this has not happened to a Prime Minister since 1792!  On that occasion it ended the war against American independence, so it is somewhat ironic that Cameron has failed to be poodle to the USA.  While few at this moment are intriguing against him, their are few alternatives making noises as yet, clearly a PM who cannot convince his party that his intentions were correct is seriously weakened.  Lets face it, we are all pleased about this are we not?   Interestingly the newspapers, including the 'Daily Mail,' screamed about his failure, also quite interestingly I noted 'The Sun' headline was 'Douglas confesses affair,' instead.  Rupert doing his best for his man.  Rupert known for his loyalty to his staff.

What now for Cameron?

The fall out for this decision is also quite interesting.  While the majority of the British public acknowledge their members of parliament, congratulating them on their victory, the USA has been somewhat put out.  When you have been used to working with the UK for so many years, and since Thatchers infatuation with the dementia ridden Reagan the US has looked on the UK as a mere puppet, it is quite difficult to accept the poodle has changed its mind.  The reaction from Washington reveals the intention to attack come what may has been in their minds for many years, and the reason is clear.  Iran threatens Israel, the US does whatever Israel wishes, so Iran must be dealt with.  Now I support Israel also, but not when they do wrong, and Iran under the Mullahs may well be dangerous, but other nations with nuclear missiles are also dangerous, Pakistan for instance.  The desire to attack Syria comes from the attempt to weaken Iran.  A dangerous ploy as this could set the whole region ablaze, and the US, with aid from the cheese eating surrender monkeys, will continue their build up to kill more Arabs, it doesn't matter which, and the type of situation we have seen since the late seventies will continue.

I could go on, I won't but sadly this situation will.  

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Troubled Thursday

How sad to see the tree surgeons in the park again today.  The powers that be have been around checking the state of the trees that have dwelt here for over a hundred and what years.  The report was not good.  Several have become diseased and have to be removed.  Sadly these are amongst the best of the trees.  Whoever planned the gardens in the eighteen somethings really have a good eye for the future.  The trees he planted have survived the family, the school that later occupied the building, two wars, droughts and have now succumbed to disease.  Nothing to do but stand clear as the chap way up top drops the branches to the ground and await the new saplings that hopefully will be planted to replace the fallen.  

Yes the debate continues as we speak, although the outcome has been predetermined by arrangement between the leading men.  The arguments have been put forward on all sides, the members who wish the leaders of their party to notice them ensuring they say exactly what the leaders wish them to say, the 'mavericks,' making sure the leaders on all sides hear their point of view also.  It matters not.  The decision to bomb to Assad to stop him using his chemical weapons (a phrase used repeatedly by Cameron et al to ensure you heard) has already been taken long, long ago of course.  The plans are laid, RAF jets have moved to Cyprus, once again doing the hard work F16's can't manage, and concern for the 250 or so dead in the recent outrage fills the governing classes.  As people in Damascus point out "did they not care for the 100,000 already dead then?"  

Two links worth reading, from one of the UK's better journalists.

Alex Thomson  Alex Thomson 2

Troubled days.  Not only are we heading for a long Iraq 2 but the trees in the park are failing.  On top of this I see people known to me via the media all my life dying off, Cliff Morgan the Welsh sportsman died the other day, aged 83.  The shortness of life suddenly clings and I have not done what I wish I had done.  So many things to change for the better, so many things wrong.  I happened to look at a nearby town on Google Maps the other day and found myself on the road at the edge of town.  The fields spread away into the distance and the view from the neat rows of bungalows would be most enjoyable, had they not all placed net curtains at them!  What do they do this for?  It struck me most of these were retired folks and I realised many of them were just waiting to die, slowly and possibly alone, but many with no purpose any more.  It all seemed so sad as it doesn't have to be like that!  No doubt many are happy enough and Syria does not bother them much.  It will when Cameron taxes their pension to pay for the Tornados and Typhoons he is sending to Syria.

Still, there is yet another football match, tucked away of ITV4 tonight, and having that in the background keeps life ticking over.   

This strange looking (eastern europe maybe) car was in the car park today.  No idea what is was and he appears to be having trouble winding up the rubber band.  I thought at first it was a 'trabant,' but those tough little cars were modelled on old Fiats.  This is a new one on me, but as noisy, though less smokey, than any Trabant I have come across.  I would have spoken to him but he might have wanted a push, so I went for breakfast instead.

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Syria

Here we go.Iraq 2 about to start.  This time we will see something very different.  This time we will suffer badly.  For several years the US has led the 'allies' in undermining the Syrian regime, and whistleblowers around the world have helped us to realise just how much of this activity has been going on for the past few years.  Now our war mongering prime minister, with little realisation of his deeds, and considerably less understanding of the Middle East, wants to become Tony Blair 2 and play puppy dog to the US.

He has no idea what he is doing, does Obama?  Who is leading this attempt to destabilise Syria just to weaken Iran, the US?  The military machine?  Israel?  One thing is clear the debate in the House of Commons tomorrow is already decided, party managers have seen to this, and our depleted forces will be used to do someones bidding, but who's?  For what?  No-one knows.

Chemical weapons?  Call them WMD and you know where you stand. 

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Syria Again

Once again we hear of shelling and people killed.  The Egyptian squabbles have kept the Syrian ones from us for a week or two making us forget there were people dying there as TV pictures ignored them.  Only one major story at a time please.  The added stunt this time is those chemical weapons once more.  Several points are made here.
Chemical Weapons inspectors are in Syria at this moment, why would Assad use such weapons now?  We all know he has them.
Assad does not need to use such weapons, he is if anything once more getting the upper hand as far as can be said.
Did the 'rebels' use the weapons themselves, yet experts tell us they do not have the capabilities to use nerves gas.
The effects appear to be from such gas.
Did an ally of the 'rebels' use this gas to blacken Assad? 
The UK and the USA both condemn this action.
The UK and the USA both wish to aid the Islamist rebels yet not aid the army against Islamists in Egypt.  Do they know what they are doing? 

Lots of questions but no answers in this mucky propaganda war, and the people keep on dying.

The media for the most part is still full of emptiness however, deaths in a country of which we know little do not sell papers at this time of year, do they?

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Friday Fribble

I sit here, the daylight still strong and the sun not yet totally out of sight, well apart from the trees and building s of course, enjoying what is almost warmth at this time of evening.  Some might mistake this for summer if they are not careful.  

Having worked my way through the dreariness of the papers this morning it was clear there was nothing worth noting.  Of course Cameron is hand in hand with Obama in this daft idea of sending weapons to Syrian 'rebels,' he did send our foreign minister William Hague the vague to Washington for instructions the other day, and now we can expect a nation under austerity to join a war.  Just think, bin Laden, the Wahabee Sunni Muslim, the man behind Al-Qaeda, was removed understandably by the US president.  Now the intention is to back Saudi Arabian and Qatari friends, who are all Sunni Muslim, some members of Qaeda in one form or another, and aid them fighting Shia backed Assad!  Brilliant!  A no fly zone over Syria is proposed, although Russia (remember them?) and China may well give arms to Assad.  Russia by the way has already given anti-aircraft equipment that could end a no-fly zone, but we will not mention this in the UK press.  Leadership. it's easy, especially if you have no idea what you are doing!  Oh and around 100,000 are dead, but mostly Muslims so that's OK.  Oh and by the way, we are still cutting our armed forces to save a few bob!

Nothing else of interest in the world tonight.  Another stupid girl ran off with a schoolteacher, and got caught.  Prince Phillip refuses to die and give the media something to fill the weekend papers empty space,  but they are still hopeful he will 'pop off' on a quiet day.  One bad event however is Tennis!  Once again this bore has returned to take over the TV.  This evening I was happily awaiting 'Eggheads' so I could once again discover how dumb I am to find Andy Murray once again struggling against an unknown at Queens, whatever that is.  This meant 'Eggheads was fifteen minutes late!  How dare they hold back something important for tennis!  I know that in a week or two the whole world will be desperate for Britain's number one to win Wimbledon.  As he will fail again I suspect the Scot will be catcalled by the usual types.

I managed to get several things accomplished today, I cleaned and oiled the bike in the hope I will get out on it tomorrow, and then looked for a woman!  I had to, the ironing needed done!  A huge pile of shirts, most of which have shrunk since I washed them, had to be ironed.  Would you believe that the woman in Tesco refused, in a full and frank manner, to do them for me!  "Missus," I said, "You are a woman aint you? It's what you are for!"
I canny give the reply, I didn't quite catch it as I was ducking the blunt instrument she flung at me.  Some girls are a wee bit touchy I find.

After  had done the woman's work, fixed the bike to a tolerable state, watched 'Eggheads' (5/6 for history questions tonight, a big improvement on last time) and chatted to the handyman fixing the floor in the neighbours condominium I felt entitled to sit in the sun before it runs away.  This does show the bug is not so bad at the end of this week, probably because the warm air makes life so much better.  I did waste time musing on other folks houses, how the rich live.  By using Right Move I can shove my nose into the houses my neighbours are trying to flog.  How prices suffer.  Since I last looked I see some Edinburgh homes have been reduced from well over the £400,000 mark to well under it and still no takers.  I did like one down in Newhaven Road, Edinburgh.  They only ask £495,000 and my savings account now stands at £2:34 so I may have a chance there, in a year or two.  

And now look at this!  This woman here reckons its winter where she lives!  Bah!


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Sunday Weather

The observant will have noted Soub's comment regarding the British weather.  He pointed out that sunshine in one part of the UK is met by rain a mere hundred miles away, something that surprises Americans and others who have more stable weather patterns.  This style of weather is typical.  The Atlantic sends the leftover US storms, Hurricanes and detritus to our shores in the same manner with which English courts used to send convicts to Australia, and look what happened there.  I was musing on this as I wandered about early on, the sun shining, the sky blue, and ever expanding vapour trails appearing high above.  An occasional Spitfire flew noisily above preparing for the many air shows later this year.  The birds sang, dogs tails wagged, women gave me the 'I want you' look.  (One of these three points is erroneous ) This walk took about 20 minutes and was taken while I 'Checkdisked'  the laptop which is running slowly.  I made my way past the screeching kids in the gardens (Hey mum, there is a pond here, take them there!) sat in the sun for ten minutes, and mused that while I enjoyed sunshine Soub would be suffering dark clouds and rain some 150 miles further north.

Indeed while watching the Motherwell v Celtic match the commentator stopped pandering to the Celtic hordes and indicated the dark gray raindrops on the screen were being enlightened by the floodlights coming on.  He added the time is twenty minutes past one o'clock.  It was indeed dark and gray, although on the many occasions in which I have been at Motherwell the town was always dark and gray, but maybe that's just me.  Anyway as I arrived from my short ramble I noted the sky above had changed somewhat.

 It has been getting cloudier ever since, rain to follow, pah! Cumulus are building up to head south from Lanarkshire and Yorkshire and will be here soon. 

David Cameron has said the WMD issue muddies the waters regarding chemical weapons in Syria, indeed it does Dave.  Sharmine and Iona have their opinions on this also.  Politics is indeed a murky game.  Sometimes secrets are rightly kept, sometimes the UK participates in such dealings for the good of us all.  Sometimes we are not so sure.  These girls writing here may well have their own agenda, Sharmine appears to be on Assad's side, maybe not.  The points made are interesting however.

The other day, for no obvious reason this thing has started to go slow.  That is when I log on to a site it takes ages to download, when up till then it came straight through usually.  After I cleaned the cache a week or two back the Facebook certainly became slow in loading, but now almost everything is slow.  I've done the usual clearing out and running checks but so far nothing helps.  Maybe it's just age, like me......

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Signs of Life!

The wind was blowing gently from the west, the blackbirds and thrushes nipped in and out having breakfast, the sun shone brightly as I awoke, I thought how lovely, then thrust aside the old newspapers and rose from the park bench and went looking for coffee.

How nice to almost feel human this morning.  How nice to see the sun, how nice also to find nothing worth reading in the papers.  Many headlines, cries of 'Outrage,' and 'Fury,' but no real substance behind them.  The best is the Canada story of some Muslims who are working with Al Queda and Iran to blow up trains in Canada.  Now Al Queda, bin Ladens lot, are of course Sunni Muslims, Iran is Shia.  These folks are at present happily blowing one another apart in Syria (to bring democracy?) so the chances of two groups violently opposed working in Canada is a bot of a laugh.  This sounds like 'Chemical weapons' in Syria or 'WMD'  in Iraq to me.  Coupled with the FBI failure to stop the Boston bombings we require a more cynical approach to our security services and their masters. 

A failed attempt to capture the sun against the weeping whatsit here.  The colours much brighter before I played with the image, bah!  Almost like summer, but not quite.  However it cheers the soul.  One noticeable absence was the lack of English flags to be seen today.  What with their new found nationalism, or is it patriotism, I thought being 'St George's Day (their patron saint) would bring out the flags.  Possibly they forgot again.  Never mind, George, if he existed, was born in Cappadocia, which as you all know is part of northern Turkey today, and reared, so they say, in or near Jerusalem.  Quite how the English got a hold of him I know not, but the fact remains the best Englishmen are usually born outside of England!  

There is a row of these ancient park benches resting at the side of the tennis courts in the gardens.  I suspect they have sat there since the 1880's when the gardens were donated to the town.  Rich Victorians often donated green spaces to allow the citizens, at least the well behaved ones, to breathe fresh air in congenial circumstances.  Such air was required by the workers after a ten hour, six days a week shift I suspect, although the sabbatarians may have insisted it closed on Sunday of course!  They did in Scotland.  I rested not there as I was in a rush to burn my dinner, and at that I succeeded!  

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Busy Indoors

Having been given my instructions by Deadly Deke at the museum I found great encouragement to research as the rain laden mist sits upon the town throughout the day.  Foolishly I ventured out in search of information during a dry spell, returning home as it ended, upon me!  

The present idea was to collect info regarding the towns buildings, many dating back to the 1400's, the old railway line, and other details of interest.  I have begun to sort out what little I have discovered and now have plenty to keep me from wearying, if I can work out what to do that is!

An interesting item appeared this morning in the 'Daily Mail.'  After Hague's warning yesterday re chemical weapons a story appears in the Conservatives favourite paper telling of children burned by chemical weapons!  The commentators to a man cried 'WMD!'  The nation is cynical to say the least re this governments words on Syria.  This item has now been replaced by one showing  drawings from children in Syria.  Not surprisingly these are dominated by the war.
This war is a complicated one, our part is not as clear as we are being told.

  
This delicate ironwork stands above a shop in the High Street.  Not sure if it would stop an individual falling out of the window but I suspect it has been there for many years.  I am not sure what the letters are, 'H,' certainly and 'W,' but not to clear if that is an '&,' or an 'S,' also.  My eyes are wearying with looking at such as this today.  When the rain goes off, about Thursday I may go out.  Hold on!  I am at the museum tomorrow!  Oh dear, where's the wellies?  

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William Hague and Syria

WMD 2 is now underway.
Yesterday Her Majesties noble Foreign Secretary William Vague Hague informed the House that owing to the 'Humanitarian Situation' regarding Syria, action had to be taken urgently to stop the suffering caused by the Assad regime. The regime which we are being constantly told 'is crumbling and about to fall!'  The regime appears to be still there and still strong.  However Assad and his opponents, and certainly the mass of the population, are sick of the fighting and destruction which has now reached a stalemate.  It appears both may be willing to make some sort of peace agreement, and the west cannot allow this.  Franklin Lamb makes some cogent points, points rarely heard in our media!

This may well be the reason John Kerry, Hague's new imperialist friend from the US, raced to meet European leaders last week.  If the powers that be wish to attack Iran through Syria the last thing they wish to see is a floundering of the rebels attacking might.  The use by William Hague of the 'humanitarian' reasons makes good copy for the propaganda offered to the media.  Interestingly only the 'Online Daily Mail' mentioned the story, and that low down the page (and then most commentators objected strongly to our involvement) The 'Telegraph' appeared to ignore it but the 'Guardian' always supports humanitarian aid so was glad about that at least.  Chemical weapons may be used says Hague, but no evidence of this is offered.  Indeed the last time chemical weapons were mentioned cries of 'WMD' were heard in the land and the claim was dropped.  Syria does indeed possess this material, no evidence can be found of any threat to use it however, none whatsoever.  The suitable aid we are giving to help end the killing includes 'non lethal equipment,' such as armoured vehicles, body armour, and equipment to test for chemical weapons.  That will aid an end to the fighting!  In slight acceptance of the murderous behaviour of the 'good guys' who we support, 'Human Rights training' is being given to their killers.  This I remind you is the middle east where killing each other in the cruelest possible manner has been a local sport for millenia!

No aid is mentioned for refugees as this has already been given, and will continue as before.  No-one can complain about that, however the refugees are not the reason for the intervention, that is Iran!  The claim that Iran is supporting Syria may well be correct, the Saudis being the paymaster for the Wahabee and other Islamist fighting groups (Bin Laden was of course a Wahabee) is not mentioned.  Several Gulf States, supplied by the UK, US and other European nations with expensive weapons, are also aiding the rebels out of fear of Iran, rarely do we hear about that also, I wonder why?  

In short daft Dave is acting as 'Tony Blair 2' and encouraging an escalation of fighting in the region for the sake of his friends in Washington.  Obama does not wish to be involved and sensibly he wants out of Afghanistan in a hurry.  Dave however appears keen to be seen as a 'warrior PM' as he believes this wins him votes!  Has he learned nothing from Iraq?  Anything that Blair did that worked was forgotten once he embarked on Bush's folly.  The reasons for that war are still unclear, apart from Israels fear of Saddam and the great quantities of oil!  Iran, being Persian and not Arab, and claiming to be a proud nation that goes all the way back to Cyrus the Great, offer a threat to the region, especially when soon they will possess a nuclear weapon.  The nations to whom we sell huge quantities of aircraft, guns, crowd control material, tear gas, etc, treat their people as badly as Syria and Iran have done.   Both Iran and Syria often treated their people better!  Women were free to learn and develop in both nations, only recently has this been limited, but not stopped, in Iran.  

With the UK reducing the armed forces to its lowest level ever, some 82,000 men I believe, austerity hitting everyone, bar the cabinet and their friends, and the nation objecting strongly to our participation in Afghanistan there can be no doubt this government has decided to involve us in military action in Syria!  The reasons given are feeble, the truth kept hidden.  There can be however no doubt that using Syria to unsettle Iran is the reason behind the thousand of refugees.  The governing forces can sleep easy at night however, those in tents in the Jordanian desert and the bodies lying in the streets are Arabs, not local voters! 

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Cogitating

Syria, a land mostly ignored and up till now stable under its Assad dictatorship.
Suddenly it is rent in two by rebels, why?
The Assad regime forced a secular dictatorship on the land, this found much support among the Shia and indeed those who call themselves Christian.  While it ruthlessly suppressed any opposition in the Middle Eastern style it also allowed a great degree of controlled freedom.  People were educated, including women, and as long as you obeyed you survived.  Israel was however not keen, the border too close, previous wars left their mark and support for Hezbollah in Lebanon irked the Israeli's a wee bit.
The great powers did nothing.  Indeed deals were done which included Syria, did Assad not interrogate Islamist for the Bush regime in the US?  Now however somebody wishes to destabilise
Iran's nuclear threat and Syria is the place to do it.


A simple technique is used.  Sunni Saudi Arabia, who fear the Iran threat, and oil rich Sunni Qatar, are used to supply material to unsettle Assad.  They supply the money, the arms and other help to these 'rebels.'   Using Turkey, a key member of NATO, to supply weapons and protect the 'innocent civilians' along their border with Syria also threatens Assad.  This settled almost peaceful nation now has an army bent on slaughtering anyone who opposes the regime, uncontrolled militant groups on both sides happily killing young and old, and a 'rebel' force, now said to possess heavy weaponry, who are a mixed bunch with policies of a wide and varied kind. Nobody really knows what many of these people really look for.


Yet the west is happily encouraging this to worry Iran.  The danger is clear.  Russia and China may well take Iran's side, for whatever reason, and a new cold war, which will soon turn hot, is almost upon us.  Let us realise also that the divisions within Iran also show that nobody knows what their long term idea actually is!  Unsettling a peaceful dictatorship in Syria to attack Iran may be a clever plan to some but the results may well be catastrophic for us all.

Following on from 'friends' yesterday I got to thinking about how some folks collect 'friends' on social media sites.  In my humble opinion, and humble is the word, we only ever have two or three really close friends.  People who stick with you whatever your faults, and this because they like you.  We may also have a larger collection of a dozen or more 'friends,' possibly up to fifty or so if we belong to clubs or groups, who we regard as friends but are not going to be there forever.  We may also have a further larger group we know from such groups, work or whatever who we regard as acquaintances.  So I ask how do some folks have two or three thousand 'friends' on the 'facebook' or 'Twitter' accounts?   Are these real 'friends?'  Possibly we need another word for this?  Now famous people get followers, important folks, footballers, journalists etc, get similar followers who know and respect them, but these are not real 'friends.'  So why do folks gather hundreds of people they never will know and add them to their list?  maybe it's just me being jealous?  A handful of good people is better than hundreds you do not even have time to read or understand surely?

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