Drink and Babylon!

 

I spent an enjoyable hour listening to a podcast from the 'National Archives.' 

I knew about these but only recently began to listen to them.  Today I listened to one from 2006.

Phillipa Glanville, from the V&A museum, discussing 'The Dichotomies of Drink.'  Very interesting this was too.  A clever woman, well researched, and clearly spoken, discussing drink from the late 1600s up until recent times.  The development of whisky taught me much I did not know, the growth of beer in its many forms, wine, political intrusion and responses to European wars, and the public response during difficult times.

Water being rough if not impure led to much beer drinking, of a  weak kind.  War in Europe led to sales of whisky and rum growing.  Drunkenness also grew alongside the increase in alcohol sales.  Who would have thought...?

A good Podcast, and well worth a listen and I suspect many more also.

This is a good book!

Good that is if you like reading about ancient Mesopotamia!

I do.

Paul Kriwaczek, a Viennese, was head of Central Asian Affairs at the BBC World Service for 25 years.  His wide knowledge of many languages no doubt aided his studies.  This book was published in 2010, a year before he died.

Beginning by comparing Saddam Hussein with the great leaders who had gone before him millennia ago helps us understand, he says, how life in the region continues in similar fashion since settlement began.  Human nature after all, does not change.

From Eridu in the south, where incoming peoples gathered around 5000 BC, through until the fall of Babylon to the Persians and the end of what the author calls the 'first stage' in civilisation, we follow the development of the various societies and indeed Pauls interesting, but not always correct thoughts on the matter.  

Paul was an intelligent and thoughtful man, however, some of his opinions were lacking in my view, indeed, somewhat idiosyncratic I would say.  His view on what was the 'Flood,' is worth reading, but somehow lacks substance to me.  

We hear of the rise of the Sumer super states, Ur and Uruk, the opposition from Elam, and the constant flow of peoples throughout time who eventually take over and, according to the author, continue the culture that they find.  

We read of Gilgamesh, and the various people who brought the rise and fall, and rise again, of Babylon and then Assyria.  Famous names such as Hammurabi pass by, less famous names come and go, leaving a mark in their day and going the way of all flesh into obscurity.  

Of course the rise of both Babylon and Assyria, and her fall, takes up some room.  Both, thanks to scripture, are renown in the west, though not accurately I suggest.  Paul describes the situation at various times attempting to enliven the image, he makes a story of the situation, often I found quite well, and throughout the book he remains easily readable, even I could understand the big words.

The study of those clay tablets covered in 'cuneiform' have offered us much detail on the life of people in the area.  This includes letters from a wife to her far off husband complaining about what he has taken with him on business, or detailing her efforts to sell the goods he has sent back from far off.  

It amazes me how much detail can be found, and it is exciting to consider how many thousands of these tablets have still to be translated.

We see the rise and fall of Assyria, her determination never to be put down again, resulting in her harsh treatment of those who resist.  Our author details also Assyria's harsh treatment of women, so harsh that it is possible to see how Islam can regard their treatment of women as protective!   

States cannot exist for ever under violence, eventually people rebel.  Babylon took over for a period, then the Persians ended this period of life.  Things were never the same again.

Ancient Sumer, and those that came after, developed the sciences as far as possible in their day.  Much of the maths known to the Greeks was already found in Ur and Uruk.  Architecture and art developed quickly, agriculture, in spite of mistakes, fed the people well, and life developed from Temple led authority governing an organised society, to a more 'free enterprise' world under the Kings.  The rich got richer and the poor remained poor as in all societies, but differing times had different responses to human need.

I liked this book, I disagreed with much of Pauls understanding of the situation, but I would wouldn't I?

This book is an easy read, full of information, offers a large reading list at the end, and is well worth spending time on.  Such a shame the author has passed on.

Edinburgh, Autumn and Football

Louise Rayner - John Knox's House, Edinburgh

A quick glance at this picture and you may think the scene has not changed much in all these years.  This picture, painted in the later 19th century, is full of life and depicts what is supposedly a normal day in the life of the great city of Edinburgh.  We see the High Street, or 'Royal Mile,' as it is known as it leads from Edinburgh Castle down to Holyrood House, has always been a bustling place.  The painting portrays the locals, with a few workers of many kinds included.  The better off by now having moved down into the 'New Town' long since, we can tell the small tenement dwellings are occupied by those standing around in the street.  None are ashamed of hanging out the window and participating in the conversation, none are ashamed of washing hanging from the windows, neither activities being seen done today.  

However, this month Edinburgh endures, sorry, welcomes, the Festival.  An orgy of high class entertainment for the paying public.  Alongside this come the 'Fringe,'  this is an orgy of artists seeking fame and fortune, alongside those from previous generations who made it here in the long forgotten past.  This comes with a plague of leaflets no-one reads, mostly scattered about the streets or pinned to any available post, also unread by passers-by

Add to this mix the Dustbin men are on strike for a week!  This means wheelie bins overflow, rubbish piles up, and none gets collected.  The tourists flooding into Edinburgh, while the locals flood out if they can, get the benefit of Brexit Britain in their face, and certainly up their nose.  An excellent idea of the Binmen to make clear what is happening in our country today, low wages, high energy bills, and Brexit failures flood the nation, and the government, in Westminster, has gone on holiday!  As I keep telling the Brexiteers, "You voted for this!"  But they refuse to accept reality.  "This is not the Brexit I voted for!" Is their cry, though there never was any other on the table.  Lies and devious politicians, backed by very rich men abroad has brought the nation to its knees.  And Brexiteers refuse to accept this.  Trains, docks, Royal Mail, and dustmen on strike, and Brexit continues to make problems.  

Boris is on holiday.

400 miles away from all this I sit watching August slowly disappear from us.  Already 22 days in and leaves are falling from the trees.  Possibly this is encouraged by the dry ground, the heat heavy upon us this year, possibly just normal Autumn approaching.  

The sun still shines, though now through much more cloud, and slowly heads towards the west.  Women take their dogs across the quite safe park, enjoying the sun while standing gossiping about their neighbours with others like minded.  The impatient dogs snuffle around the fallen leaves and sun browned grasses always finding something to keep them busy.  

The rush hour now struggles past the door, music of an awful kind emits from one, a ringing phone from another.  Rap, with a capital 'C' passes by at three miles an hour, followed by the airport bus, hydraulic brakes squealing like a crying child.  Every evening the same people, the same slow struggle towards retirement.  Others, often retired, foolishly shop at Sainsburys in time to meet the rush hour.  They have done this for several years, why?  Have they never considered an early morning or late night shop?   I suppose getting up, checking the pills, finding breakfast, walking the dog, and then it is too late for shopping.  In the evening they would not wish to miss the 'Bread & Circuses' provided for them by broadcasters dulling the brain and hindering thought.  

I avoid such TV yet find my mind is dull and thought hindered.  Having exercised, twice early last week, then twice worked in the front to clear the mess I found my self very tired and aching much from Thursday onwards.  Even today, after a trip to Tesco, my body aches.  This, I must say, has nothing to do with the money saving offer on a bottle of 'Jameson's Orange Whiskey'  that was going cheap last week in Tesco.  Irish whiskey does not just possess a wrong spelling of 'whisky,' it is also only 30%, which tempts some to drink more than they ought.  Especially when watching football.  My neighbours now know I was watching football at the weekend.  

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.

Gormless Shopper...

This miserable repast is what counts for lunch today.  There have been many mistakes made in recent days, the major one being daft enough to stand on the weighing machine early in the morning, screaming "It's broken, I need a new one!" and discovering it was not broken after all.  The lack of exercise is taking it's toll.

Therefore, action was instigated, less fattening stuff eaten, fruit much used, and no difference recorded.  There are other problems however, as this eating regime does not supply sufficient nutrition to the brain and therefore results in strange effects.  

Here is an example of this.  Today, as the sun was waning at lunchtime, I crossed the park seeking exercise and whisky.  Our curate has at last found a church (five actually, all under him!) to accept him as Vicar, and we are all pleased about this.  Crossing the park, avoiding others, I made my way to Tesco and acquired a special whisky and a bottle of sherry.  I thought if he is a Vicar soon he will need to have a bottle on the table so he can offer this to those who do not drink, charity and thrift you see, all in one.  The queue was long at each checkout, so I headed to the self-service machines, which we love!  Now whisky in boxes (even if on offer as here) means you collect an empty box, thus detering thieves and making you wait while someone gets a box with a real bottle inside for you.  I got to the machine, it spat at me, I think I must have used this one before, and began the long operation of filling a bag.  First I gave the young chap the box to fill, then put the sherry through the machine and into the bag along with all the other stuff.  When he returned I thanked him, added the whisky and pressed 'Pay.'  Naturally it all went wrong.  Eventually, with a young lassies help, I paid, left and headed out.  As I left the shop the magic alarm bells rang for theft as I wandered through the door!  I carried on, all things being well and nobody responded.  Glad my fight with the self-service machine over I headed home for what you see was a substantial lunch.  

It was later that I realised a problem.  Around the sherry bottle was a large tag!  It appears that being concerned with the whisky, being malnourished, and being gormless, all at the same time, I had not noticed the electronic tag on the bottle, one which a checkout girl would have removed.  That explained the alarm bells when I left!  

What an idiot!

Back home I tried to undo the tag, this is not possible, and after several poor attempts I decided to leave it, drink the blasted stuff myself and get the man a bottle via the checkout later.  

Anyone for nutritious sherry....?        

Slob Day 2

Eat Moths

This healthy eating is always a good idea in my view.  Tonight however I found choice limited and made do with what was available.   Do you think this can be considered healthy...?
'Yorkshire Bitter,' have you ever met anyone from Yorkshire that wasn't bitter..? 
At the supermarket I always inform the girl that the booze is for my breakfast, sad to say one or two of them appear to believe me! 
I wonder why?
Anyway a law ought to be passed where a woman is instructed to make dinner for men who canny cook.  Surely this would be right?  I can see benefits with this, indeed they can do the ironing and hoover the floor as well, it is what they were made for innit?

This morning a friend sent me this picture.  I had to increase the size as the beastie was very small.  We spent a while searching for pictures of Butterflies before deciding this was a moth!  They all look the same don't they?  After a while we decided this was a Jersey Tiger.  Satisfied with this I realised we had spent hours staring at pictures of beasties, many of which looked similar, and time was passing fast.   
The fascination variety of wee beasties amazed me.  So many different colours, patterns, sizes, most shaped similarly but then there is the caterpillars from which they grow, also a huge similar variety. 
It does not surprise me when I hear it said that a great many insects have not yet been discovered, that variations of those known are still to be found and billions of them are all around us daily and we don't notice them.  Unless of course the window is open and the light is on, that brings them home!

  

Thirsty Thursday

Christmas time saw the wine cupboard overflowing.  I had almost a third of a bottle of 'Laphroaig' whisky sitting there as it had been for several years 'Laphroaig' being one of those whiskies you take occasionally.  Beside it sat a near empty bottle of 'Highland Park' that arrived at Christmas last, also a half bottle of cheap French Brandy that took my fancy one day.  Today this is all that survives!
I drink rarely and sparingly yet since Christmas a few weeks ago all has gone including this years  'Highland Park' which has only a small drop left.  This thanks to Man Flu!  
Tomorrow when I reach Tesco, if indeed I make it, I will have to spend money to refit as the cough remains alongside other unwelcome symptoms.  This one takes a while to go and I am right fed up with it.  It is costing me a fortune!

I'm right fed up with this bint pretending she is doing something in Europe when it is all games to her.  The 'Black money' behind Brexit will win, she is most likely part of it, and soon this mess will reach fruition without something sensible happening and the UK will soon be defunct.

This is not a good negotiating position to be in yet that is all she can offer.  With big business heading for Holland or Slovakia, Paris and Berlin the tax haven she and her dodgy peers seek will enable the elite to prosper while we suffer, and that under US authority, it is what Brexit is all about - their wallets and serfdom for the rest. 

Sympathy? Brexit? Whisky?

Sympathy?  Not a bit!  Only women muttering "Wimp" and "We just have to get on with it" and all the while not getting on with it.  I fixed them today however, I stayed at home and let them 'get on with it' while I suffered the slings and arrows (coughs & sneeze & ludicrous tiredness) all day long.  At least what passes for a brain cleared a bit although no longer adding whisky to my tea probably had a part to pay in that.  However I remain indoors avoiding the cold wind and bright sun while reading about snow falling and leaving drifts across road and rail.  Possibly tonight we might get this horrid white stuff just in time for me to visit Sainsburys for more Brexit stock.

 SKY

While the world goes about its business Theresa and the 650 gather in the House each with a smile on the face and a knife in hand to stab in someone's back, just who as yet they are not too sure but it will happen. 
Brexit again on the agenda, again it is life or death, again speculation mounts, again nobody knows what is going on.  On all sides the chattering continues but in the House each MP is looking to his future.  The eyes are on their hoped for promotion, they follow the man (surely not another woman) who will lead the Tories while on the other side they all hope Jeremy suffers a sudden failure and is carted of to hospital allowing a leader to take over. 
It is difficult to believe this is happening.  Can this really be the state of government of a leading nation?  Can all this be the fault of a small group of Eton toffs fighting for the top job?  Tory Brexiteers have always been there sniping away from the south east, filling their tabloids with stories of lazy unemployed, cheating sick and of course millions of immigrants taking over and every one an Islamic terrorist who will cut your throat as you sleep!
So the sheep vote for Brexit and those more thoughtful who did also find that whatever they expected will not be happening.  Promises will not be kept, trade deals will not happen and while the Hedge Fund managers, all Brexiteers it appears, will be making a killing the millions who voted Leave will be out of work and losing their homes, their families and their NHS (bought by US cash).
I may go back to bed while they 'debate' in the House.  Watching it all day might lead to a brick through the screen.

It's no good, the bug made me sit and watch Parliament this afternoon and the low nature of the debate drove me to drink.  l now sit here in bed suffering Man Flu while coughing loud enough to keep the neighbours awake.  Whisky for warmth then as the weather man again promises snow, rain, wind and horror, he might even mean it this time.  As my work colleagues refused to send a nurse to aid me  tomorrow will find me early up at the shops filling the empty store cupboard as I have already promised.  Whether I can be bothered is another thing especially after the Brexit vote...

Saturday Whisky...

The wee bug that has hung around for weeks decided to hang around my throat last night and remove what energy I had from me.  This I counteracted with whisky to no effect, well except more drowsiness.  However in spite of remaining horizontal all morning the sapped energy did not return.  This was awkward as I had to be at the museum for one o'clock having promised to cover the Saturday man.  

 
Blearily I sauntered in wishing to be back in my bed.  It became obvious the girls thought in similar fashion, they wished me away again.  However I remained and took my place at the till where we welcomed the guests to the opening of the new exhibition.  The high heid yins were there, including the Member of Parliament, photo ops important at such a time when folks question his allegiance to the area, and all went swimmingly as far as I could see.
Crittalls the window people were very good to their staff.  A sports club, good conditions, good money and in the 20's one of them built the village of Silver End equipped for all requirements of the time for his employees.  It was obvious that a company that people were happy to work for, some for over fifty years, would bring a  decent few people to the museum and so it proved.  They came to see portraits of the workers!  
During the 20's someone decided to organise oil painting off those who had served the company well, usually those who had served many years.  Thus there were a collection of paintings of workers high and low on offer and today we gathered the majority of them together for the first time in 90 years.
Many were donated by the locals, their grandfather posing happily or not as the case may be, and naturally at the beginning there were queries as to whether the information was correct.  Being the people we at the till were we passed the buck to the curator and moved away.
Running home as soon as I could I have sat here watching football ever since longing for the final whistle so I can sleep.  Tomorrow I will also watch football and remain indoors out of the rain, wind and cold while I sup whisky for medicinal reasons.  I might require to do this also on Monday...

 

Wednesday Ramblings

My celebratory whisky for Croatia's marvellous victory tonight was sadly tempting and I had to accidentally break open the bottle this long hours before the game actually starts.  However I look forward to finishing the bottle tonight.
Tomorrow I think I will go to the recycling bins at Sainsburys and fix a notice saying 'Place England flags here' onto one of the bins.  There ought to be many flung from cars by ten in the morning.  

 
Now what for Boris?
He has walked from the cabinet hoping to obtain much support from the 'wild eyed loons' but the only one to show such was the Rees-Mogg creature and a couple of junior ministers of whom the nation had no knowledge.
What now?  Will he offer himself for the leadership, this requires 49 MPs to support him before he does, they do not exist I fear.  Will he fade into the background?  Not he, will he bide his time until May shakes once again?  It is all a quandary.  
I do wonder however what would happen if someone proposed a vote of confidence in the PM?  Is such a move feasible?  This would force such as Boris to vote for her in spite of his mutterings, otherwise she might lose and an election be called.  This might lose Boris his seat, especially after his failure at the Heathrow runway fiasco.  If she won such a vote it would be one in the eye for him and the rest of the loons.  Losing might benefit Corbyn, though what he would make of it is unclear, rather like most of what he says.
What a farce, and now with Trump arriving spouting nonsense as always things will get even more farcical in the next few days.  I wonder who will get most knives in back?

Tennis is on, monotonous innit...?

Bored

 

Having chosen to remain indoors, once I had nipped out for breakfast, I have been struggling to find decent pictures form what little lies around me, hence starry fruit!  I wondered what that button would do.

   

What do you mean "I think you've had enough sir?"

Playing with the buttons has many effects, especially the effects that make me spend time trying to work out what went wrong!  How many folks have had one of these beauties?  I suppose everyone had a ''Brownie' camera at one time, some of you old enough to have had a 'Box Brownie' I suspect! 

The only one I actually used was the Minolta, a bargain at £125 from a shop in North Finchley many years ago.  How many blurred, distorted, obscure, wrongly exposed and totally naff pictures did I take with that camera?  It was fun mind!  

I suppose most pictures today are taken on mobile phones, and the majority of them are 'selfies' by wee girls exposing themselves for young men to take notice.  I remain unsure that 'selfies' are a good thing myself.  While I understand their use I reckon far too many of these are taken at the wrong time and in the wrong place. 

Maybe I'm just jealous.

The 'Glums' agree with me...

Hurrah! Normality Returns (If that is the right word)

I knew it was a bug that had disturbed my Blogs equilibrium not my incompetence.  All has returned to normal now so I can fill the page with blurred, out of focus, shots of rubbish that you all love, what?... oh!

On Saturday, for reasons that were not apparent, the Royal British Legion were in attendance in the town centre.  Also on parade stood this excellent wee 'Ferret' vehicle once used by the British Army throughout the world.  Owned by a local chap I was interested to see inside of the vehicle as I had seen them around for many years.  
It appears it was not that popular with the gentlemen who once drove them however.  A passing chap indicated he had driven them in Germany during 1970 on the autobahn at 70 miles and hour.  The thing was these boys did not like turning and on corners, being top heavy had an inclination to topple over.  However off road it could at slow speeds take a 45% angle easily!
Some would say this is typical of British Army approach to equipment.

 B&WT

Something strange has been happening recently.  The sun has been shining and has been HOT!  
This is indeed news in a nation used to cold, rain and hail.  
Today, while I sat indoors at the museum, people outside suffered high temperatures, at the moment it is 28%C around 82% F.  This is how it ought to be but as always we are complaining it is too hot, 70% is good enough for the UK population.  Indeed one woman went past using a brolly as a parasol to keep the heat off, something not seen outside of aged photographs!  No doubt it will not last but if it falls to that 70% level I will be happy enough. 
Oh yes, the trains are delayed as the rails are too hot and speeds have been reduced.

This one is good.  Turkey President Erdogan is attacked by a Coup.  The people stand up and halt the coup although many die during it and a round up begins of those who have rebelled against the state.
However it now becomes obvious the President is rounding up all opponents of his reign, not from anger at rebellion, nor from Islamic zeal but just to keep himself in power.  WikiLeaks, those nasty folks that steal secret documents from folks such as he, promises to release thousands and thousands of Turkish emails many implying this 'coup' was staged by the President himself and he was behind it all the time.
Gosh who would have thought...?
Of course having been an Ally of the west for a while he has some room to maneuver and those US bases watching Putin's Russia will prevent the US indicating dislike, or indeed much else at the moment.  
Don't ya just love a dictator?  Come back Ataturk, your country needs you!   

He's getting closer,I wonder if he will reuse any of previous Presidential contenders speeches the way his wife did the other day?  Maybe he can afford to hire scriptwriters or possibly just spout any old rubbish from the lectern as many of his audience will cheer him anyway.

Theresa May 

Talking of problems here our new Prime Minister has finished establishing her right wing government taking time to lie in her teeth to Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and revealing the emptiness of her concern for the poorest.  She had said she offered a vision,  "A vision of a country that works not for the privileged few but works for every one of us," yet the new Secretary  of State for the DWP, that's the benefits people, is a Minister who has little concern for the poor having voted against every benefit and voted for every cut to any and all benefits introduced by the previous Dickens character Ian Duncan Smith.  Damian green, for it is he, now has the opportunity to ensure that those with debilitating illnesses, loss of limbs, sickness or death are declared 'fit for work' and their benefits removed from them post haste.  We will see soon whether this woman really wishes to serve the entire nation, maybe we are again 'all in it together?'

We might need this...

 

 

Almost Back to Normal.

Thursday sees this part of the world return to normal, supermarkets are flooded with starving people eager to resupply the empty cupboards, businesses clear away the cobwebs after a few days closure, staff struggling to open eyes now used to mornings spent in bed and the damp streets once more resound to the noise of traffic, delivery vans trundling round and postmen struggle to justify their day as even 'junk mail' is in short supply.  The English world returns cheerlessly to normality, few signs of humanity are noticed amongst the throng, except the sun shines brightly, indeed warmly for several hours.  Of course the Brit knows that as soon as the days off are over the sun will shine!  In Scotland as always the second of January is a holiday, partly to aid recovery from the previous nights, mostly to allow for another shindig!  New Years Day once saw the Scottish football clubs playing local derbies against one another, however for many years this was ended by the intolerably bad behaviour of the fans of Celtic and Rangers.  Tsk!  Such activities never occurred at the Edinburgh derby! There are several reasons for the difference.  For one Edinburgh clubs are not crushed by sectarianism, for another Edinburgh folks are nice and wash behind their ears, and history reveals that Hibernian fans have usually gone home by half time after another thrashing from the 'Big Team!'  The advantage they gain from this is the requirement to pay 'half price' to get in as everybody knows they will not see the end of the game.  Tonight however, on the second of January, the Edinburgh game will take place for television reasons.  TV has far too much say in when games occur, and they do not pay nearly enough cash in my view for this privilege, but there you are. By the time you and yours read this I, and all sensible people, will be engrossed in another Heart of Midlothian victory.  I am preparing my smugness for friendly Hibbys as we speak!

Not that I'm one to gloat......

I was chatting to a friend about his job today.  he has been in a 'caring' occupation for a while dealing with what they call today 'learning difficulties.' That could mean anything from mentally impaired (Backwards we used to call that), or have emotional and other problems.  Recently he moved to a 'care home,' where he works 12 hour shifts on a rota of seven days out of fourteen. For this he ears about £7 an hour, that is the minimum wage!  His point was that as this kind of occupation is dealing with people with needs surely it needs to be better paid.  I did not mention the £36 a week I was paid until 1980 by the NHS, it may have upset him.  Now he is a great lad but he does not appreciate the way this world works.  'Caring' is important but expensive, therefore the NHS and all care organisations are being sold off to save the taxpayer, at least those who usually earn more than the minimum wage, from paying tax.  I think all ''care homes' are now privatised, these are desperate for cash as the running costs are high and only so much can be charged to patients. Part time and cheap staff, usually foreign these days, fill such care homes. There are good ones it must be said, although the 'BUPA' homes in Scotland have recently been exposed as in some need of change, and staff in such homes are never on a financial winner.  I am not sure the homes can ever make much profit.  

His point is good, if people are important why do we not care for them?  The answer is that votes are found by cutting costs, not helping people!  Private care homes cannot pay much, even the best ones, and no government has the guts to improve such places, old folks vote, but not when trapped in a home!

Some things do not change when the year does.  

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Jack D

The Red Cross food parcel sent to me at Christmas by my intelligent sister (she knew this was cheaper than a present) contained, beside the Christmas pudding and instant custard, a miniature bottle of 'Jack Daniels' in a tin. Now I am not much of a drinker, half a bottle of Guinness and I'm anybody's, if they can pick me up off the floor, but I do like a nip of whisky or such like, especially late in the evening.  This is the first time I have tried Jack D and in spite of the poor spelling of Whisky, we all know Americans cannot spell,  I reckon I could grow to like this, if it was free!  A strange taste unlike most other whiskies but  somewhat similar to Laphroaig I think.  That is an acquire taste and one of the managers at Royal Mail had indeed managed to acquire a taste for this.  I suspect he would be wiling to acquire a taste for Jack D also!


World wide people develop strong spirits of one sort or another.  Scotch Whisky, Irish Whiskey, Arak the aniseed drink found in the middle east, and vodka, made from potatoes they say although I suspect grain is used more these days.  'Fire water' is popular world wide in one form or another and while beneficial in many ways, the only reason I use it, most are not concerned with the flavour, they just wish to get drunk! This is difficult to believe but I have known people to put orange juice into their whisky!  That individual enjoyed this alongside a bag of 'Kelp' seaweed.  He claimed this was his lunch!


I wonder if I sent the empty back to my dear sweet sister  would she refill it perhaps.....? 




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