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!
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.
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