Another Wasted Budget

 

 

Richi Sunak, the Chancellor with a wife richer than the queen, offered a budget aimed at easing the cost of living.  

As always with a Tory, he lied.

I did not bother watching, I knew what he was going to say anyway.  It has become the norm to announce quietly, via favoured press men, what the government intends.  It was clear only the rich would benefit, not those struggling to pay their way.  

Yesterday Twitter abounded with people defending Boris by attacking Nazarin grumbling about being kept in an Iranian jail for 6 years because of Boris.  Today the Grafton Street bots were out if force on Twitter and in the press supporting Sunak.  

They failed miserably.

The sooner this lot are up before a judge the better.

Fun62

For a pleasant divergence take yourself over to Fun62.  This young lady wanders about the London Tube, working her way around the city environs.  Jumping off at various stations an exploration of the vicinity is made, well photographed and well recorded.  

I find it very interesting and informative, especially regarding places where I once trod.  It is amazing how things have changed and how much I missed when there.  Well worth a look.

There are too few sites I like these days.  Lots of uninteresting ones around, many political, especially American, but too few offering the type of site I enjoy.  This one does it well, and one or two others try this also.  I will be seeking new sites to visit and post them here.

 

Good Tuesday

A day of joy and happiness once again.  Rising early to enjoy the sunshine, well after a healthy  breakfast of 'Tesco Malted Wheats,' I'm sure the nurse would approve, I planned my day. 

A wash, shave, a time tissue papering the many cuts, I must change that blade this week, then out for a haircut.  Another £9:50 well spent, and I am now aware of the barbers, or is she a hairdressers back problems.  Enjoyable time.  A nice morning to walk across the park, in spite of the wind and a gentleman who appears to indulge in what we call 'Learning Difficulties,' yelling at his partner/friend/ wife/ daughter/ unsure, as he came down the road and took her into the bushes at the park.  The yelling continued for some time.  These bushes, opposite the unwelcome skatepark, have been responsible for many a teenage pregnancy over the past few years.  

This did not disturb my happy day, indeed the bright yellow of the Daffodils cheers me when I passed as indeed it does for many others.  Several have been getting the camera/phone out to picture the daffs or placing the family among them.  Rude people though have been stealing them for home consumption.  

Anyway a lunch of Tesco 'Cranberry, Raisin and Cashew Bread,' with leftover ham, was good enough to allow me to waste time for a while.  It also, after coffee, encouraged me to develop the ache in my back by cleaning the fridge.  I am not sure when I last cleaned it, was it before Lockdown?  Anyway, it is done now and even if not exactly sparkling it is almost acceptable.  I cleaned the top shelf of the oven yesterday, which encouraged my back to join my knees in declaring enough was enough, but a second shelf may get done tomorrow, maybe.

This evening, joy and joy, Dunfermline are on TV playing Partick Thistle, a must watch. 

Indeed it was, a 4-1 win for the Pars takes them off the bottom of the table and makes them feel like a football team again.  They might even stay up now.

 

 

Twitter remained its depressing self today.This corrupt government continues to lie about Ukrainian refugees and everything else.  Today they passed a law which means any Ukrainian refugee without papers can be jailed for 4 years!  To call them heartless racists is quite mild.  

The Tory bots have been attacking the Ratcliffe woman, just released from Iran, for not being grateful for what Boris has done for her.  Boris caused her to be interred for 6 years and failed to get her out, why should she be thankful?  The Tory propaganda machine is hard at work, I have been attacked a couple of times on Twitter through this.  I notice tonight it is still continuing.  

The heartless money greedy Tory, determined to encourage xenophobia and racism, glad Brexit occurred whatever the cost, to others that is, is willing to make all peoples suffer for their ideology.

I remain convinced this is a judgement.

 

 

London's Most Splendid Churches

Ukraine Pottage

As I wandered sleepily across the park this morning I wondered about the Ukraine flag blowing in the stirring east wind.  All around us we see people supporting Ukraine, many by donations of clothes and money for the refugees, others by displays of flags at football games or elsewhere.  This is good, people see Ukraine as the injured party and wish to reach out in support of the underdog.

However, this is a Conservative, Brexit loving area, why has the council placed this flag, and boasted about it, in front of their offices?  Could it be support for Ukraine, or could it be Conservative Central Office instructions for whatever reason?  I supect other Tory councils are doing the same, and such things tend to be organised from the centre, rarely as a knee-jerk reaction at home.  

Boris is running about informing us how he, sorry, the UK, is 'leading' in everything concerning Ukraine. This is very good, however, the EU has done more, offered 100,000 Ukrainian refugees 3 year visas with no questions asked, while the UK waits a fortnight before grudgingly allow a few to come in.  The UK has certainly trained the Ukrainian Army, but so has the US and who else?  We have supplied weapons, but no aircraft (we don't have any), but the US has given much more, and this does not account for what the French and  other EU nations have given.  Could it be this flag waving, which Boris is keen on, is all part of the propaganda that is so beloved of dictatorial states?  Boris fits that bill, and in spite of the war we all wish to see the Boris controlled Met police charge him regarding 'Partygate' and very soon!

 

I trekked through the town to see what was happening at the Saturday market.  So little was about that even the regular fruit stall was not to be seen.   I know they do tend to take holidays in winter, so as to get profit in Summer, and that may explain their absence.   I noted Batman and Spiderman, several in fact, in various sizes, at one end of the high Street.  I would have taken a picture but there were too many kids, and I try to avoid pictures with them.  The purpose of the exercise I think was just to advertise a nearby newly opened shop by getting the kids to pose with these 'heroes.'  

Not many stalls today, none that attracted my wallet anyway, so I wandered down the gant.  Gants, as you know, are the name given to the alleys around the town centre, alleys that grew up with the increasing number of buildings that arose as the ancient market developed.  The name derives from the Flanders weavers who arrived way back when, mostly down Bradford Street in Bocking, across the other side of Stane Street, and many of the old houses contain remnants of their operation there.   This gant was given the name in memory of a Beer House, these operated during the 19th century in an attempt to draw people away from the damage gin was doing to the populace.  This was successful, Gin consumption dropped, while alcohol problems increased as Beer drunkeness grew.  

Another great government idea!

The Towm Historian gave the gant this name, just next to where I stood was a Beer House operating, probably, from the back of a shop.  Pottage, spell it as you like, is a type of stew, or soup, used to feed the poor.  To be honest I forget the rather murky tale re the 'Pigs head in the Pot' itself, but it is not a tale that increases either your knowledge or good fortune.  The gant today is a rather grubby lane, running behind an ancient building that has stood there since at least Tudor times if not before.

 

Having lurked enough I return for a healthy 'pigs head worth of pottage' and a night of football.  What else could anyone wish for?

 

Brexit Comes Home.

 

The news today concerning P&O's sudden sacking of all their crews and replacement with cheaper (foreign) crews need not surprise anyone who follows the Brexit saga.  This after all is one of the two main reasons for Brexit, the other was that nice Mr Putin's desire to separate the UK from the EU.  Putin is happily content with his success, and the number of Russian lackeys (can we call them spies) now working for him (yes Farage we mean you!) means little.  His work here is done, his real problem is the mess he has made of Ukraine.

However, the ERG (European Research Group, who appear to have done no research and certainly have not published any, yet they took the grants awarded for this purpose) the ERG will be happy with P&O.  After all, Steve Baker, Rees-Mogg and the rest were not really concerned with sovereignty or paying money to the NHS they wish to sell to their American friends anyway, they just wanted to end all restrictions on money making.  This meant relaxing all those needless rules about abusing staff, forcing staff to work long hours, ending the right to strike, complain, and have holidays or time off.  All these things must end and now, through P&O we see the beginning of the real Brexit, mass redunancies from campanies owned by foreign (Dubai) based owners, owner incidently who made huge profits last year, workers told by video or text that they were laid off, passengers dumped ashore and bully boys put aboard to throw crews off.  

One captain stopped this by lifting the gangplank! 

This is the beginning of many such events to come.  Putin wanted Brexit for himself, ERG and the greedy want it to limit opposition, increase profits and abuse staff.

Rees-Mogg as you know is a loud Roman Catholic, Steve Baker has been baptised by a pentecostal church, though I cannot find out which one.  His views on abortion and ending life I agree with, however, he is at heart another Tory who has never read theprophecies of Amos.

 

 

Carrbridge in the Highlands is to host the porridge making competition, the first since Covid, and the last time the Golden Spurtle Trophy was won was by a vegan from the Netherlands, and 30 or so contestants wish to obtain such a prize this year.  A very er, gruelling competition you say...?

I will not enter.

It appears, dumping oats and milk into a bowl and shoving it in the microwave until it boils over does not earn Brownie points in such competitions.  It is however, good for the diet, good for bad cholestrol, and cheap and easy, just like me.  It does take some time to clean the microwave...

The chosen ingredients for the competition are oatmeal, water and salt.  Milk and no salt for me thanks.  Honey optional, raisins, banana, and whatever is lying around, also count. 

Now I am hungry...

 

 

Neighbour News

What a good day!

The sun shone, I recycled many empty bottles, all vinegar and sauce you understand, wandered around Tesco forgetting things, and made it home in one piece, sat down at the laptop and forgot to send the many emails that were running through my head earlier.  I then eagerly awaited the new pie delivery, Steak Pies and Curry Pies from Forres, curry being an old Scots recipe you understand.  Very nice indeed, but rather mild for my personal taste.  

Still, I will manage to eat them...

A quick glance through the news reveals the Ukraine war still under way, Putin still in charge, Sovie Russia still losing and running out of ideas, and Boris still hiding the 'Russian Report' that details his and his parties connection to Russian money and influence.  Quite why he has not been charged with treason I fail to understand, oh I see, he has to bring the charges!  

Other news reveals an Oligarchs London mansion has been squatted, hundreds of police officers rushed to the scene, later in the day, surely they got a legal order, the squatters were removed, normally this takes time.  Police arrive much later at a burglary don't they?  But a friend of Boris means the Met is called out at once.  

How do we remove a corrupt government?

 

                                          John Everett Millais - Mariana
 

The woman downstairs has left.  I realised that this would happen as her boyfriend (the usual or the latest?) was around several weekends, and she had been missing all over the Christmas period.  Now this in itself means little to me, it does however, mean a new tenant will arrive and they will have to be taught how to live my way.  Tsk!  Life is full of surprises.  So, what will we have?  Can anyone afford the cost, around £600 a month?  Of course it will have to be checked, spruced up, but nothing major I reckon has occurred over the past year.  I have then a month or two of quiet and peace, except when watching football.  Here's to the new tenant.

 

Awards

Variety

Not watching TV, not looking for what they call 'entertainment,' or 'Celebrities,' in the media I nearly always miss the 'Award' ceremonies that are such a pleasure to the Paparazzi and cretins who live their lives through such events.  Those who follow such ceremonies appear to me to be similar in outlook, if indeed they are different people, from those fascinated with the goings-on amongst the royals.  Quite what is missing from the lives of those who spend hours awaiting the arrival of one after another badly dressed, overpaid, and until yesterday, unknown actress or royal I fail to comprehend.  There is indeed a fascination with other peoples lives that many indulge, quite why someone so useless as an actor or royal inspires such adoration is something that fails to move me.  Those who lead fascinating or  productive lives can indeed be worth learning about, and indeed learning from, but as time passes I see all such are just as human and weak and broken as the rest of us.  This often makes them more attractive to those of us who like reality.

However, the online 'Daily Mail' and similar media outlets consider such events as an awards night deserves half the page filled with sordid details of the arguments, responses, cutting remarks, and (in the 'Mail') all the 'woke' comments.  (The DM does not explain what 'woke' is however.)  Then there are the pictures.  One after another the women line up in a competition better called 'Slappers 'R' Us' than 'Red Carpet.' 

Each tries desperately to outdo the others in exposing skin, dramatic outfit, or just looking as bad as a teenager drunk while on a hen party to Gateshead.  Rarely do they look glamerous as film stars of the past managed to look, though their studio photographers were attempting to make them look good, the paprazzi just want something flashy or rude for the papers and magazines that pay them.  Quality is not required.  

To scribble this I have had to check the 'entertainment' section of the online media, I am now regretting having such a large lunch, thick lentil soup followed by thick sausage stew, and I am glad there were no strawberries left to add today.  My stomach does not seek out such events, they do however, bring a lump to my throat.

                                                     USA Today

Another thing fascinating the media is this queen woman.  Being 95 means she does not get around as much as possible and the media are becoming desperate for her to die!  Careful of those royal fans the media tread gently regarding this woman, making use of info fed to them by the royals 'in the usual manner' and paying a few pounds here and there for details from behind the scenes they are working on the royal funeral details, the new king and his queen, and the opportunity to fill pages and pages with sentimental slop regarding one, and sordid stories regarding others.  The treatment of William and Harry is a good example of this.  As we write books are being produced, kept back until she goes so they can jump on the bandwagon at the right time, with lurid details unprintable when she is alive, but open season once she has gone.  Some of them may even be true.

I canny wait...

The old lass looks like my mother did when she died at 94.  We shrink as we age, walking is hard, moving is tough, especially when colds and such bugs affect us.  No different for this lassie.  Add to that the loss of Philip and the behaviour of Andrew and Harry and her life is not full of joy.  No surprise then that she is missing engagements that mean something to her, engagements that are always overlong, include many handshakes, and wandering about large buildings doing your feet no good.  There is no chance of using a wheelchair for such events.  I suggested this to my mother and received such a rebuke that would frighten that nice Mr Putin!  Liz would react in similar fashion, she knows that once in such a device she is as good as dead.  

The media coverage is sloppy sentimental guff, but we do not forget the attacks on the royals when Diana died, simply because, once again, people lived their lives through her.  It would have been better to have understood her as she was and lived your life in a more satisfactory manner as she never cared for you.

 

  

The Great Friendship

 

Dmitri Nalbadanian - The Great Friendship

I came across this painting and thought that with the conflict in the Ukraine this would make a great picture for a caption competition.  Two powerful mass murderers, in the name of Socialism, who would probably consider the Ukraine fighting just a wee tiff.  Lots of this sort of man in the world, mostly propping up bars or spouting on Twitter, but on occasion they get to the top! 

 

Note the light shining on Joe, with the position of Mao almost off the canvas.

 

Saturday News...

Another Saturday filled with the Ukraine war, accompanied by all the Twitter experts telling us how it is being won or lost.  Twitters advantage is that you can link to many actual experts when other news sources dig them out, and ignore the usual suspects.  Wiser articles can be found, the personnel tend to be more sober, more sombre, and do not concentrate on the horrors, just the facts.

I came across one such US individual this morning and like the silly old fool I am I did not link it!  Now I search Twitter and he does not reappear, it is Saturday and football dominates the page.  

This expert, who certainly has knowledge of Russian ways (he has authored two volumes about Stalin and is working on the third).  His view is that Putin is similar to those previous Russian leaders, Stalin, Alexander, Peter the Great, in that they are tyrants to some degree.  I agree with much of what he said, based on my reading of 'Comparing Stalin and Hitler,' by Bullock, in that the Russial mentality is where we ought to be looking, not looking at Russia from a 'western' viewpoint.  Only the secret services will remove Putin, and that does not seem likely.  This man implied the war is not over, it will take years, and the Russians will develop their tactics.  We may see much street fighting from now on.   

Being Saturday I expect lots of this sort of thing going on tonight.  This will not include me, and certainly not dressed in 1934 garb.  Sadly I canny find who the photographer is, I suspect it may be Bert Hardy.  Great photo, and I must find more to liven this page up.

The Origin of the name BRAINTREE.

The origin of the names Braintree and Bocking is obscure and as such the matter of much debate. These were two separate towns until 1934 when they merged into one unitary authority.

A Celtic settlement stood on what is now the London Road; later Roman dwellings adjoined this spreading upwards towards what became the town centre. The Saxons followed and some debate concerns whether their settlement represents merely a farm or a small township. The land was given to the church on the death of the Saxon Thane Atheric with the Bishop of London receiving lands in Braintree (to the east of Bank Street) and Bocking itself was gifted to the control of Canterbury. At this time the Bishops Palace was erected on Chapel Hill around the area on which stands the Royal Mail Sorting Office today. The name therefore is interpreted as most likely originating from Celtic or Saxon beginnings.

However many other suggestions concerning the name are offered. The Celtic word ‘Brehon,’ meant judgement and the word, ‘Trev,’ meant hamlet. Some believe this became ‘Brehontrev,’ a Celtic place of judgement and this later developed into ‘Branchetreu.’ The term ‘Branchetreu,’ is used in the ‘Domesday Book,’ to refer to the hamlet standing where the Celtic and Roman settlement stood. The Bishops Palace on ‘Chapel Hill,’ came under the name ‘Raines.’ Braintreefor a while in the 12th and early 13th century being referred to as ‘Magna Raines,’ ‘Great Rayne,’ although this soon appeared to die out.

 

 

A further suggestion is the Celtic reference to the raised ground area between the Rivers Brain and Pant, this being called ‘Bank,’ or ‘Bunk,’ with ‘Tre’ being a term for large village.

The River Brain is also suggested as a foundation for the name. ‘Braint’ was a name for ‘river, and a River Braint exists in Wales. Add the Celtic ‘Tre,’ and we have the township by the river, ‘Braintree.’

A further theory indicates ‘Branoc,’ as being the personal name of a leading Celt from which his village derives the name ‘Branoctre,’ Branocs village.

Bocking. There are few suggestions regarding the naming of this town. The Saxon word for ‘people,’ was ‘Ing.’ It is suggested a Thane named ‘Bocca’ had his people in this area. So we have the ‘Bock - ing.’ Early spellings of the towns name include, ‘Boccinge,’ and ‘Bockyng.’