Happy Weekend? No Actually!

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It has been a hard weekend. The sun may be shining, the sky may be blue, although gray clouds have shown up recently, and my stomach may be expanding as normal at this time of day, but it has been a bad weekend. Not only did I find myself staring once again at a blank television screen, the last football till Tuesday ending last night, not only do I once again suffer the bug that removes what little strength I have from me, both physically and mentally, but yesterday 'they' created noise! 
AGAIN!
Last year this group thought it funny to set up an Christian Outreach in the park opposite me. (Outrage is a better word in my opinion.) They placed the stage so that it faced this building and then hurled Christian Rap (with a capital 'C') at me. This at 2000 decibels at that! Words fail me, in fact they did not fail me but the wrong ones did escape me somewhat! So this time I took action. Having contacted the noise police last year - too late of course - and I wrote in good time indicating my displeasure at this event. The council man interceded and promised improvements. 
Liar!
Actually it was slightly quieter, but still aimed at me, albeit from a slightly further distance. 
Not nearly far enough!


The several hours in which a lass on stage attempted to strangle a kitten while her male associate repeated the same three words in an unidentifiable language (possibly American!!!) did not endear me to their efforts. Quite what they were doing I am not sure but it involved a lot of base, much of this on a drum, much repetition of short phrases in Aramaic or Cuneiform or some such and requesting their audience (I don't know if there was one as I had my head under a mattress at the time so vision was difficult) to resond in like manner. This was accompanied by bouncy castles and various games and a good time was had by all, except when someone unknown threw those Tear Gas canisters in that time (giggle).  My sozzled neighbour thought it was OK as it was only once a year. There again the chance of his eyes remaining open after his lunch in the 'Wagon & Horses' was slight. Poor soul does not understand how another activity, a Fair, will be there next  weekend and that till late! The council have plans and these must be opposed or we are in for it. 


Eventually this lot finished around five, having managed to drown out sixty thousand vuvezualas during the Argentina v Germany walkover and the world suddenly appeared better. The area under the trees is covered in little plastic ear defenders dropped by the blackbirds and pigeons who had inserted them in an effort to keep their sanity. I know where they ought to have been inserted. Jesus gathered crowds, and took them to lonely places to preach. He did NOT cause irritation to the neighbours. he also spoke to the folks with words, not (C)Rap and if these folks really wished to reach the kids they would meet the brats during the week when they are wrecking the place and groping one another in the bushes! However that is hard work!


My next e-mail to the noise police will be a beaut, especially with next weeks activity looming up, and I am raring to go - and complain!.


Things were bad enough as in the morning an other intractable problem raised its ugly head and left me beat. This after suffering the lowest Friday since this time last year, yes I had another birthday. I spent it lying on the bed staring at the ceiling and wondering what went wrong. Actually I do that each year without fail, it's just that it takes longer than it used to and I fall asleep in the middle of the pondering.  Also I know the answer to the question, and this did not make matters any easier.  Only six years till the pension, unless it has been changed by the Compromise Government of course. I notice today they are threatening up to 40% cuts in everything, the typical Tory approach.  So far these smug, expensively suited millionaires who lost the election but have still wormed their way into power are doing OK themselves while assuring us we all must suffer together, for the nations sake. Hmmm The French generals informed their men as they headed to Verdun that they must sacrifice themselves 'For France!' The men made sheep like bleating noises in response. This appears to be the sound the Lib-Dems are making towards Cameron at the moment, anything to keep their jobs and sit on that side of the English parliament. (Sorry, UK parliament. I don't know how I made that mistake...) The Tory idea to get people back to work is to reject the claims of 2.5 million on Invalidity Benefit, thus adding them to the Jobseekers, cut thousands of Civil Service jobs, thus adding to the Jobseekers, and cutting work projects and aid to companies, thus adding to the Jobseekers. Around eight, yes that's 8, million will be unemployed at this rate. The cost of the welfare state is enormous, however ten to fifteen times as much is lost through Tax Avoidance, yet the Tories are doing nothing about this, why? The reason is of course that their 'Daily Mail' readers, and therefore Tory voters, are well into fiddling the tax, because greed and selfishness is their life. The worship of Mammon sums them up. Maybe we could sell them to the States?  


Old and with nothing to show for it, under pressure from noise and more to come, being me, I wouldn't wish that on anyone, broke, jobless and suffering this bug AGAIN! This has been hanging around for three weeks and will not leave me! It goes for a few days and returns, then fades and returns, rather like a piece of polystyrene that clings to your fingers it just will not go away! You may not have noticed that it is beginning to annoy me.....        It's just a good job I am not one to complain aint it? 


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Proper Music

Flower Bush

For the last couple of years, at around this time, the air here is fragrant with the scent from this flowering bush. It hangs in the air in the cool of the day and covers a very wide area indeed. It is fabulous! It changes the whole atmosphere of the place, although I wonder if the brats chasing one another around the nearby skatepark appreciate this? I am instead surprised that it grew at all with their adolescent approach to the park. Possibly the drugs and dregs from the bottles of cheap lager have in fact aided its growth. It does look woosy in the wind right enough. I have of course no idea what this is called, although it might be a rhododendron bush (note the use of the spellchecker there folks!) but it could be almost anything. If it is not a 'Rose,' 'Tulip,' or 'Pansy,' will not be aware what any flower might be called. It's lovely however.

 

Today I spent some 40 minutes applying for a driving job with this company. To do so I had to apply online which meant registering with them and logging in to the application procedure. This meant answering 75 questions, most of which were irrelevant to the job (as usual) and then fill in the personal details. Why is it these organisations no longer depend on human beings? Are personnel staff (Sorry, Human Resources) to dumb to recognise someone is able to do the job or not? In fact many such staff I have met are very able to understand humanity although I have met quite a few who would be lost without a book to refer to. It appears that the bigger the company the more trendy the system is required. Certainly there is a need for companies receiving large numbers of applications to have a simple and quick system to ascertain the best applicants but I wonder about the efficiency of this type of system. I suspect this began in the USA and I know it has spread throughout the UK. In fact I have twice failed the B&Q questionnaire, possibly because I failed to lie, and failed to give the impression I would lie to sell goods! I noticed the last time I was in their store that some members of staff had managed to find employment while lying about the 'Having a cheery personality' question! Yes you miserable old bat, I mean you!

I finished the application just after eleven o'clock today. By two thirty they had responded and told me, very nicely, to 'Take a hike!' Typical, just typical!


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No Football on TV Tonight!

I'm shocked! There is NO football on TV tonight! What shall I do? If I switch it on I may well be confronted by banal shows like the one shown here. This requires all the intellect of someone who reads the 'Daily Star' and has no life, yet it apparently is on daily! With the TV breaking down, and this substitute being used I can only get the five channels, and each one is stuffed to the brim with vapid drivel! This is very worrying, I might even have to talk to someone, a real person I mean, not one of those machines at customer service places. Yes I realise they appear to be human but come on, surely they must be machines? Three weeks, or is it longer, of non stop football ends. Suddenly there are several hours of life freed up. I may even have to open a window or clean all those dishes piled up in the sink now. I had better look behind the front door, I expect the postman will have been at sometime and left a few bills. Once the remaining games are over I will have to face reality once again. Oh, suddenly I have a headache.....

© Copyright Bob Embleton

Aberdeen Logic

Two Aberdonian farmers, Mat and Don, are sitting in the Farmers bar drinking beer.

Mat turns to Don and says, "Ye ken fit? I'm tired o'gan through life athoot an education.. I'morn, I think I'll go doon to the squeel and sign up for some nicht classes."
Don thinks it's a good idea, and the two leave.

The next day Mat goes down to the school and meets the Lecturer, who signs him up for the four basic classes: Maths, English, History, and Logic."

Logic?" Mat says. "Fit's at?"

The Lecturer says, "I'll show you. Do you own a Strimmer?"

"Aye"" Then logically because you own a Strimmer, I think that you have a Garden.

Mat replies, "At's true, I div hae a Gairden."

"I'm not done," the Lecturer says. "Because you have a Garden, I think logically that you would have a house."

"Aye, I dee huv a hoose."

"And because you have a house, I think that you might logically have a family."


"I hiv a femily."


"I'm not done yet. Because you have a family, then logically you must have a wife."


"Man! Yer nae wrang!! I div hae a wife!!"

"And because you have a wife, then logically you must be a heterosexual."

"I am that! a heterosexual. That's amazin'!! You were able to find a' that oot, jist 'cos huv a strimmer."

Excited to take the class now, Mat shakes the Lecturers's hand and leaves to meet Don at the pub.

He tells Don about his classes, how he is signed up for Maths, English, History and Logic..

"Logic?" Don says, "Fit's at? "Mat says, "I'll show ye. Do you huv a strimmer?"


"No."


"Well then, yer a poof."

Wot?

BAA are advertising for a 'Eastern Campus Process Leader' for Heathrow Airport.

This is what they refer to as a 'Role Overview.'

• This is a key role in the formation of the Eastern Campus Process Development Team. The purpose of this role is to design, develop & gain stakeholder sign off of the processes and procedures to support the effective and efficient operation of the Eastern Campus.
• This individual will be the interface with internal and external stakeholders to agree the core operating processes for passengers (20million), airlines (20 +), handling agents (4-5) & users in the day to day running of Eastern Campus.
• This will involve the discussion negotiation & agreement of prime accountabilities & responsibilities between stakeholders to ensure all parties have a clear understanding of how the Eastern campus will work as well as set out the key interfaces with other parts of the airport.
• This work will form the basis on which the Familiarisation, Induction & Training (FIT) & the Trials programme for Eastern campus is developed.
• The successful person will be the ‘expert client’ on passenger & support processes for the construction & systems delivery teams on the Eastern Campus programme.

What?   

What is a  'stakeholder sign off' when it's at home?  

"This individual will be the interface with internal and external stakeholders."  'Interface?' Are they to become a computer screen perhaps?

The applicant will have to "set out the key interfaces with other parts of the airport." Do you mean 'speak to people?' 

Why do we need to read such drivel? What is wrong with these people just speaking in English instead of pretentious phraseology? Typical of HR departments (which used to be called 'Personnel) who enlarge their kingdom with such language. This is especially true I reckon in the larger and more self important organisations. It would appear that in such cases plain speaking leaves the HR people less important than they would wish. But does such terminology lead to better employees, or better employ relations? I doubt it.

(This post does not refer to people working in such departments in the Lothian regions.)

Now I'm Not One To Gloat

But.....

World Cup 2010: 

Germany tear down England's defence

4-1

Guardian

Longest Day 2010

I took this picture at around ten minutes to ten last night. The resulting picture was a bit darker than reality so I have lightened it somewhat and this reflects the sky as it was at that time. Isn't this the best day of the year?
I awoke at three yesterday morning and while there was much cloud above in the distance patches of light blue were seen as dawn approached. What a great sight! After I took the picture he sky remained remarkably light for a considerable time and had I stayed awake I could have watched it until it disappeared. How such sights have come to mean so much to me. Simple things mean a lot. I would love to spend time in the north where six months of daylight exist, although when the winter darkness arrives I would be off! How can folks endue such a long darkness? It turns them to drink, drives them mad, and must have a detrimental effect on all aspects of life! Not for me thanks!


From now on the nights are drawing in and darkness threatens us once more also. Not quite in the manner of those in Lapland but bringing accidents, depression and cold weather. You can tell I am feeling real cheery this morning can't you? In fact yesterday was very warm and bright, today looks similar so far. It is so bright out there I may even stir myself sufficiently to turn off the world cup and go out into the bright world. Well, maybe I will just think about it for a while longer. You can never tell quite what is out there can you......

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England Flags

BUY NOW WHILE TEAM LASTS! 

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Power

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Thinking about 'Power,' as you were, made me think about, power! To be specific, Electricity power. You see we tend to take for granted electricity, until the bill comes in every quarter of course! While trendy 'green' folks are constantly talking about power on the TV and radio we just go on using it with little thought as to where it comes from. Whether it is produced by nuclear, or coal fired power stations, wind farms or some other trendy means, we just find it at the end of a switch or a button on some technological marvel we also take for granted. Yet without it we come to a sudden halt, the world stops! Between the two world cup matches today a man from Zambia was informing the BBC World Service that there had been no power today. No power meant no world cup coverage and he was obviously listening on a battery powered radio. Poor chap, how I felt for him.

However I have long thought that the best way to cripple any society is not by bombing main streets or large buildings, it is simply by blowing holes in the electric supply. Do this and the whole world goes out! Communication fails, darkness falls, shops and businesses come to a halt, and only major organisations have their own emergency power supplies to keep them going. Try doing without electric power for a week? It's impossible! This abode is almost all electric and occasionally we suffer power loss. For a few years this was almost every six months however the electric company, with their shareholders permission, have eradicated such breaks almost completely. I hope! There is no doubt we need power, washing machines, microwaves, TV, radio, and a hundred and one other items that make life so much easier, if you can afford the bills.

How did people survive in days of old with no electricity? How did the Victorians make their computers work? I am surprised they had a life without the electric switch! No music, no soap operas, no hoover to keep the wife busy, how did they cope? How would we cope if today we lost power? It happens in war zones, and Zambia, and life would change greatly for us in similar circumstances. We may have to talk to one another. dark nights would inevitably increase the population, or just make folk go mad! How frail our life really is. Ah well, as long as I can see the football, hear the news, and play the music I wish. As long as the PC keeps me in touch with the world, and the USA, I will be happy.

Oh yes the USA! They gave us the best game of the world cup this afternoon. Playing Slovenia they came from 2-0 down (pronounced two - nil Mr Landon Donovan, NOT two - zero!) to draw, and almost win the game! good for them. Tonight all football fans will be behind Algeria as they defeat the imperialist hordes of Englishmen! It's only right!

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Shock!

I got a shock today! Putting aside the World Cup I wondered outside and discovered the sun was shining! Look! Blue sky with little puffy clouds in the distance! The only sun I have seen for the past week is casting shadows over the pitches during the games! They say the sun in South Africa is hot, I discovered today that it is quite warm here also! I might go outside again in a few days time if it keeps like this! Germany still the only side to show form so far, I wonder if they can keep it up when faced with stronger opposition?


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World Cup 2010

Lots to say, but too many games to watch, three a day at the moment, eat in between, sleep, shop and then what with howling at the moon there is just no time these days to blog!  Suffice to say that there has been three stupid sendings off, too little decent football, and Robert Green is the player of the tournament so far!  

Oh and ITV ought never to be allowed to show football at any time - but you will have known that already!

Bike

So I eventually get around to fixing the puncture.

I struggle to turn the nut to release the wheel, always the back wheel of course, and, covered in filth, bring it upstairs. The tyre lever has disappeared. A silver tool fails to release the tyre. Neither does that strange shaped thing in the tool box, nor does a screwdriver, nor a combination of several tools! Scrambling for something in the rubble I find the tyre lever, (how did it get there?) and with a great deal of effort move the tyre sufficiently to remove, with a struggle, the inner tube. I shove it, by now willingly, into water and note the hole. Removing it from the water I lose the place and struggle through pumping and drowning the thing again, this time having some way of marking the tiny hole that causes the grief. 
Another search in the tool box for the box of patches. Plenty of those, lots of those white chalk bits, some emery paper scraps, a few yellow crayons and NO rubber solution!
I clean my filthy hands and soon afterwards make for the dole office where a nice young lass signs me on amid smiles and encouragement. Clearly she does not know how to do her job! I wander about looking for things connected to the Great War history of the town that I have been studying, and arrive home, hot, sweaty, and flushed. As I pass the bike remember I have forgotten the new puncture outfit! I leave it till later! Just before five I rush to the shops and find one in an overpriced shop dealing in motor items/ bike stuff. This is run by guys who smile at you while lifting your wallet. You know the smart ass type in such shops, not allowed to sell used cars as used car salesmen don't trust them, that sort. I find myself paying £2:99 for this small box! £2:99! I was expecting to pay 99p! Stunned, and determined never to return, I head home.
So stunned the thing is still sitting here beside me. At least the rubber solution is a decent size this time, although there is not much else in there, bar the small bit of emery paper and a couple of patches. 
£2:99, and they say Dick Turpin lived around here? I believe them!

Cumbernauld

Chris Upson

Cumbernauld

Should it be bulldozed?

Punctured!

With the dawn already risen I rode out at 5:15 the other morning to enjoy the quiet before the day starts. Being up that early meant I passed the postmen going into work and the early bird catching the worm. (I do not refer to postmen when mentioning 'worm.') I sauntered around in what was a warm sun at that time and thoroughly enjoyed the time. Later, as I took my stiffening knees out to the shops, I noticed the tyre was flat. "Strange," I thought wondering why this should be? Later I pumped air into the tyre, the rear tyre as all punctures have to be there, and watched as the worn rubber slowly deflated again. On the journey I had run over some minute object which had done the deed.   


This means I am on my knocked knees wandering the streets instead of trolling through the countryside enjoying the damp weather. This is somewhat of a blow, especially as I am too lazy to fix the puncture. The problem is the back wheel. This has to come off, the gears moved, the grease, dirt and oil has to be spread all over the wall, the carpet and even the ceiling if last time is anything to go by. Hours later the tyre has to be replaced, and inflated. Now I don't know about you but in my experience when this happens, the wheel tightened, the gears replaced, and all is well, then by the next morning it is flat again! So the ten minute job, according to those who write books, takes three or four days before it is finished! The idea of riding the brute after that loses all interest as the fear of another puncture fills the oil covered mind. 


Tomorrow I begin the operation. If it is finished by Friday I will be very surprised! 

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A Very Random Sense Poem

Black Cat

   A Very Random Sense Poem


I saw a black cat as black as the ocean at night
I saw a young man as mad as a hatter
I saw a puppy as fierce as a lion


I heard the wind as fierce as the sun's blaze
I heard a faint cry from a man as poor as a church mouse
I heard her voice as clear as a whistle 
I heard the girl sing as sweet as honey from a hive


I felt the ghost's cold touch as cold as frostbite
I felt the warm coat as warm as wool
I felt the dog's ears as soft as silk


I smelt the gas as strong as a horse
I smelt a rose as red as blood
I smelt the smoke as bold as brass
I smelt a daffodil as yellow as a banana


I tasted a peach as good as gold
I tasted a lemon as bitter as vinegar
I tasted a strawberry as red as a rose
I tasted a banana as yellow as a chick




Rhiaan




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Sir John de Stricheley

This story interested me the other day, an archaeological reconstruction of a face from a skull discovered at Stirling Castle in 1997.  Nine skeletons were discovered under the stones of what once was a royal chapel in the castle once long lost through many reconstructions over the years. A team from the University of Dundee (yes it does have a proper University) led by forensic anthropologist Professor Sue Black have put a face to one of the dead. This turned out to be a man with the body of a professional rugby player, in his mid twenties and one who had suffered serious injuries in previous battles. Unusually documentary materials survive from the time of his death and evidence from his bones indicate he was from the south of England, that explains the thuggish looks I suppose. Putting these together it is now believed, but I suppose can never be conclusively proved, to be Sir John de Stricheley, a knight who was killed there in 1341. At that time the English dominated the castle and the peace loving Scots were requesting, through peaceable means, the Sassenachs to go back from where they came from. During one of these negotiations it is likely this invader managed to catch one of the Scots arrows, peacefully offered as an incentive to depart, with part of his body and, as you do, perished from the earth.  As Mark Twain out it, "I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying that I approved of it." 


If this is indeed he, then it is clear that coming from a 'noble' background he would naturally be involved with the fighting way of life. Politicians today back-stab while smiling, in the 14th century one whipped out a sword or club and took ones opponents head off. It saved all that bother with voting papers I suppose. You had to be tough to get to the top, and Kings no less than knights fought in ferocious battles. Indeed it was said of the 'Black Douglas' that when he arrived in Spain to fight in the Crusades (not all Crusaders went to the Middle East, many fought the Moors in Spain) others remarked on his handsome features! They were all battle scarred veterans of many conflicts, often with each other, while he had managed to keep his good looks. Well I suppose he was only fighting Englishmen anyway.  


Among the dead were the remains of a female, unnamed, who had had her face smashed in with a heavy club. The mind boggles at the fighting and how this incident occurred. The idea of gentle women is often put forward by pushy feminists, however human nature shows them often in the roughest places, and a castle under siege is extremely rough! Unless she had an extremely high rank it is unlikely she will have been mentioned in any document and will probably forever remain nameless. One day all the relevant details of the skeletons will be known although the chances of linking them to a name appears slight.. 


Another interesting point is that the forensic anthropologist is a woman. have you noticed just how many woman get involved in such study. Thinking back to my NHS days I realise now just how many females worked in the path lab, some I was told were 'brilliant!' The person in charge was a female (she said!) although any similarities to the creature who fought crime in a puerile TV drama ends when you consider she spent more time sitting beside us gossiping, when she appeared, and then ran off elsewhere! Women do appear to find science, and this type in particular, fascinating.

Useful Scots Words

This picture is 'acquired' from Graham Stewart's blog on the BBC Site using the Scots language. 

It is dated from last year but worth a read - if you can cope with the Scots language!

Language is a flowing medium. Words used in one era are unacceptable today. 'Peculiar' for instance, once implied you stood out from the crowd, as in 'a peculiar people,' which would possibly be rendered, 'an exclusive people,' today. Similarly words used in one part of Scotland are not used in another. Anyone called 'George' in Edinburgh is often referred to as 'Dode!' Why I do not know, I can only tell you that it is so! I am unaware of this happening anywhere else in Scotland but remain open to contradiction.  


Here are some words I occasionally use down here in the English wilderness and I must confess wish I could use more often. How ever the mind responds to those around us and they rarely come to mind here. Funnily enough crossing the border enables Scots words to rise to the surface of the mind. For instance on one occasion I was flying into Edinburgh airport (I was in a plane) and as we flew over the darkened Firth of Forth, the lights of Kirckaldy on one side and similar lights from Leith glimmering on the left, the plane shuddered in the air flow. "Gey shoogly," I thought to myself, and realised immediately that had I been approaching Stansted I would have remarked "A lot of turbulence around tonight."  Scots words are indeed more homely, and in that case more appropriate!


Here are some I like.The come from the 'First Foot Dictionary,' which is a must read! 


Barry  Splendid, good, wonderful

Clatty  Actually this is Clarty in Edinburgh. 

               Adj-- meaning dirty,unkempt as in-- He could dae wae a guid wash!

Dreich  ADJ.Description of the usual Scottish weather viz:Damp, dreary, overcast, drizzling, threatening to pish doon, looks like it will stay like this for weeks.......

      

Drookit  Soaked to the skin.

               Ah'll need tae get hame an dry aff,that rains got me drookit.

Galoot  An idiot.  A wonderful word, and often put into use near me, er hold on.....
             Yah big galoot ye, yuv let the aligator oot.


Glaikit  Another of my favourite words! Much used in my family!
ADJ. Stupid, foolish, thoughtless, vacant. As in "Awa, yi glaikit bastirt!" 
           Often used of gadgies, minkers and schemies.


numptie moron.  This is the snob way of spelling this. 


Numpty (Numb tea). A useless individual.See that Hugh Keevins?
               He's a right numpty, see that Chick Youngl? He's a real numpty.


Nyaff (Kneeyaff). Annoying wee bugger, especially applicable to a politician. 
               See you ya wee nyaff if ye dinnae bugger aff yer gettin' a bash in yer mooth


Peelly wally  Unwell, extremely pale and tired - usually referred to children (and me) when unwell


Teuchter   Anyone living outside the central belt of Scotland. Actually it is the folks north of the central  belt the highlanders! To the Lowlanders they are indeed Teuchters!


Toerag A scamp, scallywag, mild form of bastirt. (from forces slang "Tuareg"-an Arab)


Radge Adj. Crazy person, madman. What you looking at me for? 
               Verb. To do something crazy

Bank Holiday

Today was a 'Bank Holiday' in the UK. It was possible to know this because a) the banks were closed, b) most shops were closed and c) the sun disappeared! Although the weather is joked about in every part of the nation one joke is almost always right, if it is a holiday the clouds will arrive! The British Isles, as opposed to Britain, is situated to the east of the Atlantic Ocean. This means that anything affecting the sea affects the land. Any disturbance, a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, or the wind changing direction over the sea, creates a change in the weather patters here, almost always bringing rain clouds! Luckily the weather often changes direction and winds blow from the east. This you will be pleased to hear does not bring horrid rain, however as it begins in the Arctic Circle and passes over Russia, Poland and several refrigerator factories it brings only    freezing cold winds and snow drifts. If it arrives from the north it brings the same cold result, with the occasional Icelandic volcano thrown in to upset the airline people. I have noted wind coming from the south on occasions,the wind from the Sahara that rushes across Spain occasionally brings warmth to this land, although it leaves the sand in the Spaniards homes thankfully.  


The weather does bring benefits of course. One English king, his name escapes me but they are all the same butchering, imperialist type, chased a Scottish army one summer in another failed attempt to dominate there. The Scots withdrew and withdrew into the hills and the king doggedly followed after them. Unfortunately for him it was raining heavily at the time and his army and their stores suffered badly. Living off the land was impossible and after three weeks, yes three weeks, of the constant rain his troops began to rebel and he went home disappointed!  


The doom mongers were telling us recently that the UK would gain a Mediterranean climate under 'global warming' which some tell us will heat the planet and it's all our fault (always man's fault, never woman's you will note), others tell us that 'global warming' does not exist and it's all man's fault. I am rather annoyed that we will not be sitting under our own fig tree and drinking home made wine. Tea and toast do not have the same elegance I reckon.


  

Sunday Evening

This afternoon I had the delight of watching Engerland playing their last friendly match against Japan. It was a delight to me! Japan are not the mediocre side of the past, however they are still not world beaters as yet. England had most of the play and yet did not dominate their hard working opponents, indeed they went behind to a nicely worked goal early on. Cue cheering from me! The second half saw a better England side, even the commentators had begun to realise their boys were not doing very well in the first half! Yes it was that bad! A silly penalty from naive Jap defending ought to have given the equaliser to Frank Lampard. I could see from here where the ball was going (goalkeepers instinct never die) but I did not expect the goalie to save it and he did! Laugh, what me? Oh yes! Sadly as the home side desperately attempted to sort themselves out the unfortunate defenders twice put the ball into their own net! This game revealed to almost everyone the nature of England's footballing record. Not organised or capable, yet get lucky penalties and even luckier goals. This makes them think they are world beaters! In a few days they will be playing for real. I look forward to how they deal with the top sides opposing them, oh hold on they have the easy group once again! Indeed they have, USA, Algeria & Slovenia! Now I must say the USA now have a quite powerful side and the contest will be between these two, and I am looking out my USA flag for that game! Algeria are poor and Slovenia I am not sure about at all just now. Still, in a couple of weeks we the hype reaches its zenith and then comes the fall! Wooppee!

A nice picture for a Sunday evening. Unfortunately I cannot remember where I got this nor who the artist is. However I like pictures of this type and will find out the answers soon enough. Good innit?

In today's Telegraph we find Ken Clark, the only Tory I have any time for, defending David Laws after the ex- Treasury minister stepped down. This is loyalty and understandable but what does this situation tell us about government today?

Laws, who made his money in the city and became a millionaire by the time he was 22 I heard, had been claiming expenses for a flat used by his boyfriend. Claiming they were not 'in a relationship' so I suppose they were just friends who played with one another?  What irks me is not their private life, which always ought to remain private, but that a multi millionaire, demanding vast cuts in government departments which may lead to thousands of job cuts, is using tax payers money (@ 'Daily Mail') to the tune of £40,000 to pay for his weekends away! Resigning this morning he continues to imply he has 'done nothing wrong' and cannot see how this financial misuse is unacceptable? Do these people not live in the real world? I suppose he never has, his background and work life are not similar to one cleaning office floors or sitting on a checkout getting bored.

Ken Clark, who ought to be the leader of the Conservative Party in my view, is right in saying this man may well reappear in a year or so, and I suspect this will be right, however parliament needs to realise just how out of touch many of them are!

Summertime

You can tell it's summertime by the rain!

This picture was published in the 'Daily Mail' this morning. In between the many (far too many) articles demanding benefit claimants are hanged, drawn and quartered, and that all MP's are grasping thieves, they occasionally offer something interesting or, as in this case, 'sweet!'  Here we find eleven young Long Tailed Tits sitting on a branch being fed by mum. For some reason she looks a bit worn, I wonder why? I did read somewhere that Blue Tits catch around 18,000 caterpillar beasties for their young. I wonder how hard this mum and dad have been working in recent days? The harsh winter has badly affected small birds this year, so many less around here in comparison to last summer, but at least these residing in the RSPB reserve in Yorkshire will be supported in their new life.

You may remember the story of 'Half Hangit Maggie' from a while back. The lass who was hanged and considered dead, yet revived on the way to her burial. An e-book, "The Hanging of Margaret Dickson" by Alison. J Butler, is now available on Amazon.com, price 99 cents. .

Friday Evening Musings

I really like the wee blue flowers that pepper the area just now and no matter how hard I try I just cannot get a decent picture of them. The fact that most of them are two feet off the ground at most does not help! This feeble effort, hindered and not helped by the flash being on when I thought it was off, is the best of today's effort! Shameful innit?  I understand yellow flowers abound at this time of year to attract insects, why do so many blue ones appear also? I do like them and Susan has some in her garden, and a few better pictures than my talent camera can obtain.   

I had some dumb spammer, or his PC, send a dozen unreadable spam messages onto my comments today. Most went to items going back yonks. What is the point in sending out spam that nobody can read? I suspect it originated in China or somewhere in the far east as my PC is not set up to translate their doodles but I am not sure. It just wastes my time deleting the stuff and their millisecond sending it out. If you must spam, spam in English, then at least most folk will know what kind of porn you are offering.

What me? Cynical? Never!

Craig Levein hopes England will win the World Cup? He claims this will improve football in England, and Scots players earning large sums of cash there. Or is he just following the Rangers backed SFA line, which is 'support our team in spite of a thousand years of English oppression as it keeps the Ulster folks happy?' If this turns out to be the case then Craig can go now. He has already brought back self obsessed Rangers players, on his 'own decision' he claims. he is willing to play anyone with a tin of shortbread willing to be called 'Scots' even though this is not necessary in my view, nor is it right! The future makeup of 'Scotland' is being altered out of our control by suits and people on the make!

Dunkirk 70 Years On.

Little Ships Commemoration 

There are so many anniversaries commemorating events from the second world war these days. Each one with less veterans of the event with each passing year. Usually they commemorate victory, Dunkirk celebrates defeat! Hitler's army had smashed its way through France with one man noted that he drove over the Somme  battlefield in one day while his forefathers had spent four years there. (The 'Battle of the Somme' in 1916 lasted from July 1st until late November.) British and French forces, armed with inferior weaponry, were forced into withdrawal. Eventually they gathered on the beach at Dunkirk and disaster loomed. 


Meanwhile Goering had persuaded the Fuhrer that his Luftwaffe would destroy the trapped armies on the beach. Hitler ordered his Panzers to stop and gave the tired Brits an opportunity. With the nation only too aware of the Nazi danger a call went out for boats to help, they came in their the hundreds! Crossing the Channel they picked up men from the beach and took them to the destroyers and larger ships waiting to return them to Blighty. The cost was tremendous! Many ships were destroyed by strafing and bombing, a great many volunteer sailors suffered alongside the men they were attempting to rescue. 


Back home it was announced like a victory! Over three hundred thousand British and French were rescued from captivity and while they themselves came home ashamed at their retreat they were greeted as hero's who had escaped the enemy. In his postscript programme which was broadcast right after the news on the BBC that evening J.B. Priestley spoke of the little boats in such terms that the 'myth' of the action sunk deep into the British conscientiousness. Here was a nation now fully aware of the danger and power of the Nazi force and yet they had rescued their men from under the nose of the enemy and now were becoming bound together in their desire to stand up and oppose the foe. This was the nation that had defeated a German army twenty years ago and they were determined to do the same again. A retreat it certainly was, fear of the enemy  invading filled the land certainly, but the desire to stand and fight grew in the British people. All because of a few small boats that crossed the Channel.

The Opening of Parliament and the Queens Speech

Watching this example of 'Pomp & Circumstance' at its best I was becoming very depressed by the time 'Black Rod' entered the House of Commons. The usual, and somewhat tiring, quip from Dennis Skinner (aka 'The Beast of Bolsover') and the laughter from a small group of left leaning 12 year olds around him, the saddening sight of those who lead the United Kingdom parliament, and the despair that whoever the nation votes for we get whoever eventually manages to squeeze over the finish line and take power. Two losers on the government side, smug in their position of power, and one unbalanced woman, rejoicing in her moment of glory as leader of the opposition, today represented power in the United Kingdom. Three sad power hungry losers! 
I am just depressed by this. 


Many rejoice in the compromise coalition government and expect great things, I cannot see how? Those who believe the voting system will change from 'First past the post' to Proportional representation,' will I fear be sadly disappointed. 'Dave' will dump his boyfriend 'Nick' at the first opportunity that comes along. The backbenchers on the Conservative side will push for this at all times, and the Lib-Dem men will demand changes that rile the suits on the right. Sitting alongside his new 'partner' the Prime Minister will watch carefully his enemies on all sides, (and they will be, as always, on all sides of the house), but he will observe especially the weakness of party opposite him as they decide which smug grin will lead them forward. It is to be expected that yet another middle class, 'Saville Row' suited graduate, with no experience of the real world, will by the Autumn become the leader of what will is termed the 'opposition.' Those who can identify differences between the three men are asked to write these on a postcard and inform the rest of the world!


So many love the pomp of such occasions, however absurd much of it appears. There is nothing inherently wrong in this and all nations have their own version of historical pomp. However the power games that lie behind this homage to tradition leave me flat. Michael Portillo has just finished a run of three programmes for Radio 4 questioning what 'Democracy' actually is, how it works and asks if it is working. Well it certainly remains the best of a bad lot of systems but has one sad failing throughout, the human nature that runs it. As the leaders of the parties gathered in the door of the house of Lords to hear the Queen's speech I thought of those many similar men who had stood there, devious, twisted by jealousy and resentment, full of ambition, occasional greed for personal gain, often with an ideology more important than an understanding of what is best for the nation, many different backgrounds but in the end only one aim, to have their own way come what may! Sour as this sounds I am aware many had desires to do what was best and many advances were made which benefited the nation, however it may just be looking at the slimy faces that stood there today that narks. Personal ambition brought about a government built on a desire to grab power, not a desire to improve the world. I feel very uncomfortable about this, and within a year or two it will all be over and a single party, the Conservative Party, will regain power, until then I just wonder........ 

All Saints Cressing

I came across this magnificent Celtic cross at All Saints Church Cressing very early this morning. It belongs to a man called Colonel Sir John Page Wood, a 2nd Baronet at that! (Do you know or care what 'Baronet' means? Neither do I if truth be told!) I made the mistake of not noting down all the info and now I can find no trace of this man on the web. I recall he died in 1908 but that is all the info I can remember. I may have to search a bit more diligently for that. A Page Wood was the vicar of this small church and it is clear this family were people of substance and importance in the area. Not important enough for folks to write about them once they had departed it appears!


All Saints is an Anglo Catholic Church situated at the end of the small village of Cressing. However it is fair to say that what is described as 'Cressing' also includes several small hamlets round about. For many years the main occupation must have been agricultural I suspect. The village has seen occupation since the Iron Age and an archaeological 'dig' uncovered many finds from before Roman days to the East of the church building. Also a small number of houses were burnt down, possibly around the time of Boudica's revolt. While the church itself was begun just before 1200 evidence has discovered previous church building posts going back to the 9th century. Burial finds indicate this may well have been an area used for pagan worship for years before this.


Today the church, and village, appear quiet, the headstones around the building surrounded by Spring growth allowed to prosper to aid the cultivation of the insect wildlife which suffers deprivation these days. It is interesting to contemplate the number of people who dwelt in this village during the past two and a half thousand years. Tilling the fields at whatever period of time would have caused each to grumble at the weather and their ceaseless toil. Most would have been subject to the ruling Lord of the time, we forget just how 'free' we are today, something our predecessors would never have understood. Travellers from distant parts, even from over the far away sea, would have brought trade even here. Roman life was settled enough for large villas to be built in the district, many churches contain Roman brick, and religious life would alter slowly, in spite of whatever the rulers of the time insisted upon. Life would be dictated by the seasons, opportunities limited for much of the time, and in time of war the men would be expected to leave everything and join up. Nineteen names are found on the Great War memorial, with only one added from WWII. Like all such hamlets the house prices would shock those original inhabitants if the could come back today. A smart residence can be obtained from between £279,000 and just under half a million!   


Just a pity that the light fingered of today leads to such places being locked at all times. The history to be found inside an aged church is always worth considering. The styles of worship, the smell of the people who considered washing irrelevant, flowers left on the floor to dull the odour, reformation leading to changes, priests who could not read in times past, and those who don't know their God today, nominal churchgoers, those worshipping to keep their jobs, the rich who attend to lord it over their people, hundreds possibly thousands of souls who have walked along the path and ventured inside. History is always interesting.

Wednesday

These Ivy leaves are more interesting than what is showing on my TV. With the digital set refusing to switch on I am now missing many of the channels U have become used to. At the moment, and until fortune favours me once again, I am limited to five channels on terrestrial TV. I did not realise just how much I enjoyed 24 news channels! All day long a cocktail of house improvement programmes, antique type shows and bloody chefs fill the screen. These are interspersed by aged black and white, and occasionally, colour films or chat shows full of females and their trauma. As Groucho Marx said, "When the TV comes on I reach for a book!"