Ukraine Thoughts

Amidst all the debate re the Ukraine debacle there are numerous individuals who have put themselves forward as experts on a nation they had not considered at any time before.  I am one of those!  However, amongst the noise we often see real experts, such as Justin Bronk, who's article I have linked to, explaining the mystery of the disappearing Russian Airforce.  This is well worth  read, and I notice others now saying simiar things.

The first thing the 'allies,' (for 'allies' read 'USA') did when entering Iraq was to send in the aircraft to bomb radio masts, radar and other technical weaponry, thus 'blinding the foe' and curbing his anti-air and other defences.  This has not succeeded in Ukraine.  Indeed, for the most part the Russian air force has had limited operation here, and has suffered many losses of attacking aircraft and Helicopters when it has been in action.  Now they are tending to operate at night to avoid incoming Sam missiles thus lessening the pilots awareness of the ground situation, a ground they have little knowledge off and training for.  On the borders however a great many 'powerful' aircraft sit doing nothing.

Russian pilots are not as well trained, have limited opportunities to fly, less than half the flying time of Nato forces, and it is possible that the maintainance is not what it ought to be.  Using all the aircraft in determined 'push' might bring results by overwhelming the enemy, but this does not appear to be on the agenda.  Do they have enough missiles, bombs, trained pilots?  Are the pilots reluctant to fly on death missions?  Could it be the organisation, linked to corruption, has ruined the effectiveness of the air force?    

Russian tanks and other equipment are also finding problems.  We have seen many burnt out, hit by 'Stinger' and other missiles, 'Molotov Cocktails,' and other weapons.  Quite a few have been stolen by tractor drivers, others recovered, in good condition, from young Russian soldiers who have run away or surrendered.  Such tanks, the Ukraining Tax Office has declared, are not liable for tax purposes, have as many as you like!  Many captured Russians have not eaten for several days, food is scarce, and information and fuel unavailable.  Logistics is not known for much glory, but without proper logistics, providing ammunition, weapons, food, water, fuel, and whatever else is required, the army will come to a halt.  The Ukrainians have taken the euqipment, fed the soldiers, and allowed them to call home to mother.    

What all this shows is an army based on numerical, not quality strength.  One year conscripts, often untrained, put into action on 'exercises,' and finding themselves under fire from determined defenders.  The corruption that has seen much equipment sold off, quality control failing, and aged, or inept equipment failing those that seek to make use of it.  

The real army experts, who I am unable to link to, are beginning to hope that if the Ukrainians can continue the fight another few days the Russian attack will be stopped.  This would have repercussions back home.  The defeat, for that is what it would be, of the Russian forces could lead to an uprising in the many varied and unhappy states, especially Chechenya.  People at home will still complain as the economy has collapsed, shops and banks will fail, and TV and media merely spout Putins words.  This may mean his end.  

However, Putin is a calculating, cold man.  Image is important and this image is not a good one.  He may turn to nuclear weapons, hopefully the Generals will not allow this, or even end himself.  All rather hopefull ideas.  Putin has been around a long time, knows Russia, knows his options and will be calculating them now.  Like Adolf Hitler he is not a man to surrender.  Whether his army or airforce fall apart or not, he may be banking on a Naval success at Odessa now.  That may continue the struggle for another day.

 

 

Where is Jesus in all this?

He is where he always is, wherever his people are, Jesus is there.   Many Christians, of various denominations, are tending wounded, sorting the donations that have flooded into the country, and aiding the population around the country.  Churches are centres of aid distribution. shelter and welfare. 

Jesus himself, by his Holy Spirit will be calling people on both sides to know and understand their sinful nature, revealed surely in such wars?  He wishes them to recognise his death and resurrection on their behalf, taking the power of sin and setting them free from its hold on them.  Afterwards, we will hear many tales of how Jesus has been seen with his people in the midst of this conflict.  These stories may not make the daily press, but as in all wars will be found in lives changed by his love.

On a slightly different topic, some see this as a 'religious war.'  This may not make sense to some but this article makes an interesting case for understanding a major strand in the thinking that motivates Putin and many others in this area.   

 

Work Day

 

I know what this woman feels like.  Having been held up by a combination of my bad back and a little sloth, I am now forced to fix all the things ignored for the last several weeks.  The washing machine is panting in the corner, the Miele Vacuum in the other, fallen items have been restored, even the monthly (so as to more easily rip us off) gas meter reading has been entered, in the rain!  I have shaved, picked up and distributed the mail the postman, clearly on overtime, indicating our man is off sick once again, delivered, shaved, made and ate a bad dinner, changed the bed, it's a new month, and now I have time to watch the beginnings of the 'rush hour' as it passes the window.   It is just after three on a Friday afternoon, the usual beginnings of the 'rush hour.'  The Sainsburys folks are rushing back and forth, soon the industrial estate early leavers will join in, making use of Lidl and Sainsburys on the way home.  Then the rest of the industrial estate, supermarket shoppers, and lesser beings heading home from the town or out to Friday night extravagandas in places far and near will join the slog along the one main road they all wish to use.  The rain encourages them to delight in the trudge along the highway.

 

 

In between doing the women's work, searching Twitter, and scanning the press not hidden behind paywalls or adblock removal demands (which I refuse) I managed to finish this jig-saw that arrived at Christmas.  Jig-saws are not something I am prone to, I do not have sufficient space to lay them out, this one lies on an old board cut from aged furniture many years ago, yet I found I quite enjoyed doing this wee puzzle.  It only took a couple of days from when I started, it was clearly not hard, and I found the puzzle fun.  Amazingly, none of the bits dropped on the floor and got hoovered up, so that is a bonus.  Brain exercise is rare these days.  I must seek out the IQ testing books  and quiz books that lie covered in dust and make more use of them.  Brain muscle needs exercise and I am not getting enough of that.

 

 

Anotherd Day, Another Boris Story

 

One thing has become even more clearer than we once thought, and that is the influence of Vladimir Putin on the Conservative Party and Brexit.  We have known for a long time he was issuing social media bots and encouraging division in the UK from his St Petersburg geek farms, but the extent of his influence grows with the day.  

Boris, who 'lost' his security man to escape to Italy and meet certain Russians, including Mr Lebdev, a son of a KGB agent, who now owns a newspaper and is a member of the House of Lords, the Baron for Siberia.  Add the number of people, nearly all Conservative members, including one, now richer by around £60,000, who began the 'Friends of Russia group,' Farage and the Leave.co people another with a leader who has influence in Russia.  

A long line of Tories have received between £5,000, normally £10,000 and way, way up, including Jeremy Hunt who has been donated three bundles of roubles worth almost £100,000.  Now, for some strange reason, Boris is slow today in dealing with the local oligarchs, I wonder why?

Running around Europe, pretending the UK is 'In the lead,' when it is way behind the EU and everybody else, is more flannel for his audience, an audience that shrinks with each day.  We have a government completely owned by Russia.  Why can these people not be charged with treason?

 

 

Putin is not mad, but clearly very annoyed.  His corrupt government, his corrupt, badly trained army, with a great deal of inferior machinery, badly maintained at that, and with thousands of untrained young conscripts also, is struggling to take control of Ukraine.

However, Vladimir will continue this drive, he will not stop.  There is only one acceptable outcome, but the guerilla war that will follow any success Russia has will drain his nation more than the run on the many Banks has done already.

How will it end, will it end?  Will it involve us?  

To be honest I do not get the feeling WW3 is here yet.  I hope I feel correctly.  Many thousands will die yet, how long before the west gets fed up with it all and forgets and looks away again?  We already look away from Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, constant African wars, the Korean problem and all the other small conflicts around the world, badly dressed celebs are more important for some.  Soon Ukraine will go this way also.

 

Ahoy Sailor....

 

 

 

Having indulged myself on Twitter to a constant barrage of Ukraine information, much correct and informative, much false and deceiving, I was beginning to suffer war weariness.  I am not sure what this would be like for those in Ukraine itself.  For those of us interested in the Great War we can easily appreciate the responses of the citizens of Kyiv to this cause.  What would you and I do in this situation?  Especially as with Putin being isolated and heading for instability this means he could become reckless and offer nukes!

To get away from it all I looked into naval terms that are in use today.  Some relvant, others not so much.  It is amazing how many daily phrase we use go back many years and have long since lost their original meaning.

 

The most common Naval terms in everyday use are of course far too rude for this delicate page.  If you wish to enquire further into such phraseology feel free to stand alongside Chelsea fans when their team plays Liverpool next time.

We will consider more regular phrases.

     

'Splice the Mainbrace' : On square rigged sailing ships the 'mainbrace' was the longest line amongst the rigging and during battle this was a target for enemy vessels.  If damaged the ship could not continue unless this was repaired, as this was extremely difficult it took the best men to fix the damage.  This was not always successful.  However, when 'spliced,' the men involved were rewarded with an extra tot of rum!   Eventually, the call to 'Splice the mainbrace' came to refer to the extra tot of rum given to the crew on special occasions such as a new monarch, royal event or visit of a royal to the fleet.

 

 

'Grog' :  Rum, was also referred to as 'Grog.'  This goes back to one Admiral Edward Vernon, who In 1740, as you will remember, he first diluted rum via a half pint of rum to a quart of water.  Now he was famous, not just for his sailing abilities but for the coat he wore.  This was a type of heavy cloth called a 'Grogram' coat.  Thus his nickname, though whether used to his face is not known, was 'Old Grog,' and the name stuck with the rum itself.  Sadly the tot of rum is no longer mixed in a 'scuttled butt' as it was withdrawn from the service in 1970. 

'Taken Aback' : A 'spliced mainbrace' was a problem often occurring during battle however, sailing a ship even today has its problems at sea in spite of GPS, radar and tech marvels.  In sailing ships waiting for a favourable wind was common, also common was an unfavourable one, a sudden change of wind direction could lead to the sails pressed back against the spars or masts, thus the ship was said to be 'Taken aback.'  We also are often found pressed against masts and the like during our day.

'Three sheets to the wind.' :  This phrase can refer to those who indulge in too much alcohol, surely not my readers.  On sailing ships loose sails, lines, could cause all sorts of problems and must be dealt with or the ship could be in serious trouble.  Not dealing with this correctly could result in sailing ‘Too close to the wind’

‘To the Bitter End’ :  A suitable phrase for the people of Ukraine today I think.  They will be continuing 'to the bitter end.'  However, this term goes back to the ships of the 1600's sailing the seven seas.  Each anchor thereon was attached to cleats, or bollards, on board, thus ensuring the anchor did not fall off.  These cleats were referred to as 'Bitts,' and therefore the anchor cable which attached there reached to 'the bitter end.' 

'Port & Starboard.' :  During the year of our Lord 1844 the Royal Navy directed that the term 'Lardboard, which means 'loading side,' usually the left side of a ship, as the 'Steerboard' was always on the right side of the vessel, ought to be replaced with the word 'Port.'  This remains the case today, and the word 'Starboard,' also in use still, came into general use not much later.  These words may go back a long way further into the past.

'Plimsoll Line' :  The 'Plimsoll line' was a line drawn along the base of a ship to indicate the safe level of cargo aboard.  If this line is underwater then the ship is overloaded!  During Victoria's reign one Mr Samuel Plimsoll campaigned for this and other safety regulations on ships and introduced the 'Unseaworthy Ships Bill,' including the Plimsoll Line.  Some shipping lines were somewhat careless in the care of ships and their crews, happy however, to take the insurance when it paid out.   

'Aloof.' :  My preferred position.  Aloof from the rough and unsophisticated that pass by daily.  Some would say this is just because I have been banned from all their meeting places, but this is not true, well, not quite yet.  It is likely that the Dutch word 'Loef,' some say 'luff,' means 'windward' to keep well away from the dangerous lee shore.  Hence 'aloof.'  I am quite willing to remain 'aloof' from danger be it on shore or otherwise.  

 

 

 

‘Letting the cat out of the bag,'  : Refers to the whip used to punish Royal Naval sailors who decided to cause trouble.  This was a 'Cat O' nine tails,' whip.  Short, with nine 'tails' and not very nice on the skin of the back.  This was kept in a canvas bag and therefore they 'let the cat out of the bag' on such occasions.  With many sailors enrolled unwillingly by 'Press Gangs' such violent control may have been used often. 

‘Enough room to swing a cat’ :  The use of this 'cat,'required a clear space, enough space to 'swing a cat.'

'The Devil to Pay,' :  This does not refer to activities involving the 'cat.'  Wooden ships required the inside of the hull to be caulked with tar and rope.  The 'devil' was said to be the longest seam of such ships. However, it is more likely this originated in the Faustian pact in which Faust sells his soul to the devil, and somehow this became connected to sailors and their ships.  Hard work, long hours, and the 'cat' can bring many thoughts to a man's mind.

'Scran,' :  A slang term for food long used by the Royal Navy.  The suggestion is that in the navy bags of Sultanas, Currants, Raisins and Nuts, were to be found in bags marked 'SCRAN.'  Some question whether Royal Navy sailors were fed such luxuries, and would they be in one bag?   Scran is used often in Scotland but hardly ever in my day.  Interestingly one point mentioned by Henry Mayhew in 'The Morning Chronicle' of 1849, mentions people, possibly Irish, begging 'Scran,' left over food, from servants of wealthy houses.  Mayhew was the first investigative journalist who researched the London poor in 'London Labour and the London Poor.'     

‘Freeze the balls from a brass monkey’ : This is assumed to refer to the brass squares on warships in which cannonballs were stored called 'Monkeys.'  The story goes that when these froze they then contracted and the cannonballs would roll off.   Sadly the cannonballs were not kept in 'monkeys' they were kept in wooden storage and tended not to roll off when frozen.  The term is understandable as any man will concur.

 

 

 

The Roman Forum in the Age of Augustus:

JigSaw

 

As there is little in the news these days I thought I would look at the jigsaw I was given at Xmas.  Now these are not things I make use of very often but this may have a decent picture at the end.  So, today I opened the box, separated the edges from the middle bits and, well, got no further.

This may take some time.

There were other priorities, Venezuelan stew for a start, very nice indeed, then organising what will be needed from Tesco tomorrow, and searching Twitter for news from Ukraine, quite a lot, often fake!  

There was no news of Boris resigning, no sign of Sunak making a break for it, little honesty in Boris telling us he is after Russian money.  He has done little for that and billions is floating around his party.  Excuses as to why Boris need not resign when found guilty are now prominent, but all spurious.  

 As it's half time in the football, Hamilton Accies and Inverness Caledonain Thistle appear far from the war, I thought I would seek out my tin helmet, write 'Bully Beef, on the list for Tesco, and prepare for the war when it comes.  And come it will.  Putin is another Hitler, he cannot back down now, he will take it further.  Our hopes now rest in a coup, preferably from the army, as their body count rises.  It is not a great hope I admit.

Then there is absolutely nothing else of value to be found today.  Good job football is back tonight and tomorrow.

 

Wars and Rumours of War

 

Like you I woke to the news that the nice Russian President had invaded a sovereign nation.  Like you I was not surprised at this news.   Clearly Putin thinks he can get away with this.  The urgent response form elsewhere indicates he is correct.  The EU will not send troops, most have run down their forces anyway, the USA is unwilling to get involved on the ground as this will only increase the possibility of nuclear war, and the UK is checking how many roubles to the pound.

Putin has been masterful in buying the Conservative Party, buying Brexit, separating the UK form the EU, and managing to get all the wealthy far-right onto his side worldwide.  The Farage's of this world are hesitant to offer full support, though Trump and Carlson at Fox News are not hesitant in any way.  Murdoch will be on the phone asking if his papers are doing OK, and it is noteable that the RT TV is still continuing.  Pravda off today.

So, people are dying, the Ukraine is fghting back, but what can we do?  What will we do?  And where will all this lead?  Can Bumbling Boris really continue in the top job?  Will the people behind the scenes now figure out a way to remove him?  Who will replace him in a possible war situation?  All the leading lights are, let us be kind, unsuitable!  

It is interesting to see how the EU has stood up to Putin.  Imagine if we belonged still, would Boris be a help or a hindrance?  Strong cash control measures in place in the EU, not in the UK.  Gun running now a possiblity, though it appears the Russians have taken the main airport, as they would, therefore road traffic, tiresome and dangerous may be required.  

It would be unfortunate to allow this to stop us remembering the wars elsewhere.  Syria is not at peace, Democratic Congo has been fighting for 30 years, Darfur, the lower reaches of the Sahara, Cameroon and elsewhere wars and rumours of wars continue, but we ignore them.  

 

Short Walk

Not getting out much recently has not done anything for my fitness, so now the back has improved I decided to tackle a half hours walk, which was a typical bus waiting time half hour in the end.  I wandered past the new multimillion pound creation incorporating a hotel, doctors surgery and whatever they can make use off in the new building.  

Next to this is a revamped, cramped, bus park, which I ventured down just to try and work out what bus waited where.  I'm none the wiser.  I have the plan somewhere on the laptop and need to investigate if I wish to travel one day.  

 

There is already a 'Travelodge' at the edge of town, alongside another hotel, why do we need this one? Only the councillors will know as the boss has been trying to waste £20 million on this space since I arrived 25 years ago.  Now he has succeeded but will the hotel?  Of course the suggestion that this money ought to have gone into social care or the like was not heard.  Tory council you see.

 

The council Daffodills were doing the council proud however.  These have withstood the storms, enjoyed the torrential rain, and now attempt to enjoy what passing sun there was.  Putin may be walking all over the west but flowers continue their work just the same.

Heading home to read about that nice Mr Putin black clouds appeared from the west, and tomorrow more will come and drench the Daffodills once again.  The tree reminded me of a poem re 'The Stickit Minister' and his problem with it, but I canny trace it anywhere.  I clearly have the wrong title.  However, this tree stands 'Stark and bare...' as the one in the short poem.  The tree will cope with the rains once again tomorrow, as it has these past hundred years or more.

 

 

Club Night

 

Having been sort of trapped inside for some time because of the back ache, I took myself out to the Club tonight, this just to get away from myself.  Not many there, all male, bar two women in an adjoining area where they could gossip about others without being overheard.  It would be interesting to speculate on the individuals men there, but not tonight.  

I got chatting to two men, one who emerged from Methil many years ago, and we got on quite well.  The club is a good place, idle chatter, most know each other from years back, and the barman was almost in a good mood as his team, Colchester, had scored. That in itself was a surprise.  

 

With smoking banned the few who smoke these days are turfed out of the club into the smoking area outside the front door.  Quite right too!  Just imagine what such a club would have looked like in the past.  Imagine half the people, if not more, smoking all night.  Mostly cigarettes, a few pipes and a cigar here and there.  Think of the thick smoke filled area, the coughing all around, the smell on the clothes as you get home.  None of that now bar a few who occasionally slip out to cough by themselves.  Few die of lung cancer now in comparison to years ago.  The cigarette companies now sell heavily in China, lung cancer rates have increased greatly there, and the pollution problems have not helped either.

I stayed for an hour, retired to check the football results, and scribble this, quite happy that I have  an excuse to get out and meet people occasionally.  The one trouble is this costs money!  

 

A Storm Approaches

A touch of rain tonight.  I could hear it lash against the window as a particular series of gusts passed by. Water swelling across the road as the gutters fill, drops crashing outside the back window, and not one person to be seen walking the dog.  I bet there are several dogs wanting out nevertheless.  

Just another winter storm, two have passed, this is the third, and yet the Daffodils will be blossoming in the morning.  The moving jet stream has aimed these storms at us, it is to be regretted they are not aimed at the Eastern Ukraine, maybe that would dampen Putins desire.

The problem with sabre rattling is that things go wrong very quickly and usually not under anyones control.  Putin has weakened the UK by paying for Boris and his Conservatives, and encouraging Brexit. With Boris in charge and Liz Truss as Foreign Secretary it is no wonder he dismisses the UK with contempt.  The divided thinking within the EU has much to do with Russian interference also.  No wonder he expects to walk into Ukraine and vanish one invented enemy.  The problem is the Ukrainians do not give up easily.  Afghanistan has shown how to fight a guerilla war and many Ukrainians I suspect will participate if needed.  This could be bloody, this could escalate, we could end up with WW3 on hand.

There, that has made the storms appear insignificant.

Habakkuk the prophet, had problems with Jerusalem.  The king was corrupt, the courts took bribes, murder, robbery, sin was abundant, and God was forgotten.  Habakkuk was a prophet who took this to God rather than reproaching the people, maybe he had and they did not listen.  He made clear the mess the land was in and the Lord replied.  He indicated he would bring the Babylonians to Jerusalem and end all this.  Indeed he did, but it took a while, Jeremiah began his years of prophesying at this time, God moves at his own speed, not ours.  Habakkuk wondered about the Babylonians, a great powerful people who did not hold back when it came to destroying their enemies.   He feared for the future, how did he respond?  

 

 Though the fig-tree does not blossom
    and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the sheepfold
    and no cattle in the stalls,
 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Saviour. 

 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights.

                                                                                 Habakkuk 3:17-19.

⁴ Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Messiah,” and will deceive many. ⁶ You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of birth-pains.

                                                                                Matthew 24:4-8.

War has been with us since Cain and Abel, it will be with us to the end.  The Good News is that Jesus is with us also, at all times.  He never changes, he is the same, yesterday, today and for ever.

Sleep peacefully.

 

Stormy Weather.

 

The winds, supposedly at 77 mph, are passing the window.  It does not appear to be that bad however, the trees are swaying a wee bit, things are being blown about, and at least one of our wheelie bins had to be retrieved after being emptied this morning.  Yet people are about, dogs are being walked happily, no serious damage in the near vicinity, though the main water pump has failed and the taps are offering only a trickle throughout the town.  This is surely not the result of the storm.  

The temprature is around 50%, the sun breaks through now and again, and in spite of the fear messages us indoors do not see this as worse than regular winter storms.  It may of course be dangerous elsewhere.  Looking out I noticed that the weather has little effect on the Council Daffodils.  The first one has bloomed, others are ready to come out once the storm has blown over, and soon the world will be springtime yellow once again.

 

 

As I said, the wind was not that powerful, so knowing that tomorrow all the old people who would not venture out in a storm would arrive at Sainsburys early in the morning I decided to shop now.

As I walked the wind gusted at varying speeds, with the temperature being mild I quite enjoyed the short walk.  I took the trouble to carry the empties back to the recycle part, therefore I was anchored quite well.  I thought the sound of the wind enjoyable, almost howling through the trees above me and around the park.  A very interesting sound, not like the sound of the trees swaying in the wind around the 'Big Hoose' behind us when I was a kid.  I recall how often we could hear the sound, storms are not unknown in Scotland, and the trees up the back swayed and creaked as you neared them.  At the other park down the road two trees have fallen over, these were more isolated and open to the wind than my neighbours, but it appears no-one has been hurt.  

A quick shuffle around a very quiet store, less than half the cars expected at this time on a Friday, and being happy with life, I decided to go back via the park anchored by the weight of my goodies.  You can tell my back, still with an ache, is far better than it was on Monday.  Someone had cordoned off some areas in town, but the cordon had been blown, or knocked down, so passage was easy.  Little damage had been done around the town, though our wheelie bins had been laid down, and other items similarly dealt with.  

As I rounded the corner the wind blew me roughly backwards then very roughly forwards again, I became glad of my anchor.  It appeared not to know which way it was meant to come.  Various items flew down the road with each gust, plastic lids, a few bags, lots of paper, carboard boxes and the like.  

As I crossed the near deserted park the trees appeared quite stout but lots of branches, usually small ones, lay around.  The wind made my journey back much quicker than usual.

 

 

 

Political Thoughts

 

'The Railways' and the Club.

In an effort to ignore the pain in my back I have taken to reading unfinished books.  Today I completed 'The Railways,' by Simon Bradley.  

This, I must say, is an achievement!  This is indeed one of those books you can describe as a 'classic.'  It is also very long, 551 pages before you get to the 'sources,' 'notes,' or 'Index!'  It is also very detailed, it has taken me five long years at least, to get through a highly interesting, and very detailed, work.

We have here a very good Historian who loves railways and is capable of describing how they grew, developed and where they were at when he finished writing in 2015.  Well illistrated with glossy pictures in the centre and a variety of drawn prints spread throughout the chapters.  

The book covers the beginnings of railways, the carriages, the engines, the varieties of classes and prices, and how the railways made use of the public.  The book covers the permanent way, that is the actual track to you and me, the variety of sleepers and the men working thereon.  It does not dismiss the dangers working on a railway offer, many men have died, and it is even today still the workmen who are in danger, rarely the public.  We read about signals and signallers, the land they crossed and how it was crossed, the variety of station buildings both great and small, the navvies who toiled by pick and shovel to create cuttings and bricklayers building bridges and sheds.  

Simon discusses the activities at stations, and the companies and people who were behind them, how the layout developed, the people making use of them and the staff operating the railway by day and by night.  

Railway travel made the UK in the 19th century.  Carrying raw material into industry and carrying finished goods to house or export, also carrying the people into work and home again, one of the great joys of life is commuting even today!  Raliways speeded up society, enabled travel to distant places for work or holiday, brought distant hamlets into daily contact with the world, usually by dropping off newspapers at stations.  Railways had more influence of the world in the Victorian days than the computer has had on our world in the last 30 years.  It is no wonder people are so besotted with railways, and flock to heritage lines to travel once again behind a steaming locomotive.  

This book contains many words, it took me a long time to finish, possibly I ought to use it as a reference book, however, every so often I did enjoy it.  I recommend it, if you have time...

 

Last night I took myself out to the club for a Spam meeting.  I only remained for an hour or so as sitting there was not helping my back.  It was good to see the old faces again but a bit uncomfortable.  As you would expect from such a loving group of men no sympathy was on offer!

It was 'Valentines night' so romance was in the air, though not obviously from the faces around me.  Two men brought the wife, how romantic, though one was ordered out early.   Valentines day always brings a difficult decision, is it 12 roses or just one....or do you just give her the whole tin? 

Today, somewhat surprisingly, things appear better.  I have forced myself to keep on the move, made use of ice once again, and at this moment feel better than last night.  The morning will tell.

 

St Paul's sermon 13th February 22

Wales

 

Wiki

 

I was watching a bit of the Wales v Scotland ruby match this afternoon when I recalled these three 30 minute programmes on Wales on BBC Radio 4 by Jeremy Bowen. Jeremy is better known for being shot at by various peoples out in the Middle East where he normally works as a BBC foreign correspondent.

These three interesting programmes give an insight into the growth of Wales as a nation, the historical background and present day realities.  All from a man who was born and bred in Cardiff.  

We all know Scots history, a thousand years of English oppression and all that, but nobody knows Wales.  Wales is just that bit on the end of England, annexed by Edward the Thug a thousand years ago and ignored ever since.  sScots empathise with the Welsh quite easily, Wales rugby fans have always found a welcome in Scotland, it's the Scots rugby fans we refer to as 'Hooray Hamish's.'  Having an oppressive neighbour next door does bring a shared understanding.  Wales however, is not Scotland and the story is a very different one.  These three programmes are well worth a listen.

 

The Lights are Going Out...

 

 

I'm sitting here watching the room slowly darken around me.  For February the day has been surprisingly bright and sunny, though I was hobbling about too much to do anything much about that.  Outside it remains quite bright, inside darkness gains ground.  

Like many others today I am making the natural light last for as long as possible, I have seen the last bill from the electicity people!  I am not one to complain, however, with BP and the like claiming billions of profits (Just who is paying for all the social media telling us to return to work?) and our prices increase I wonder why this government, which appears to be in the pay of everybody from BP to Putin, does not make use of a 'windfall tax' and get these companies profits to pay for my gas and electric?  If memory serves me right Labour under Blair did this at least once, am I right?

I did manage to hobble up to Sainsburys, though only because I had to, and found the half dozen things I obtained just as expensive as always.  I wonder how it is possible to tell if Sainsburys prices have increased, they are always needlessly high anyway.  Tesco is just a bit far for my back at the moment, and their boss has maintained prices will rise by about 5%, this while Tesco made billions of profits thanks to Covid.  I wonder what his bonus will be this year?   I am not against profits, but with the constant cry of people doing without it all appears Boris and his 'divide and rule' policy is baring fruit, that is if we can afford the fruit and if it is not locked up in a lorry queuing for days at Dover.

However, I had one or two bits of coloured paper that were printed out last time I visited this shop.  The young lady logged them into the machine and I gained several points from this, I reckon I may have made 8 pence all in.  Rejoice!

After 5 pm and while the sky outside is light (the sky usually is outside) I am relying on the laptop screen for light indoors.  

Looking for ways to cut down I found instead I had to do a washing, this means electricity, gas and water, plus routine things like cooking.  I am glad for the microwave there.  I also found the more I seek to cut the more I find reason to use things!

You will recall 'Mean Mr Mustard,' a man in the late 60's who's wife divorced him because he was er, thrifty with the lights.  He would switch of the lights while listening to the radio as you do not require light to listen, he shaved in the dark and that year had given his wife only £1.  Now she had a job but still.  This all sounds fine to me, especially as I have not shaved for a week or two, my back was making bending difficult, but soon it will be required, I might try this in the dark!  I wonder where the 'Elastolast' is kept?

I of course can survive well enough but I wonder how others can manage?  We were always struggling when kids, yet we had more than enough, I wonder if the demands for things is greater amongst some today than it was back when we were used to only having what we needed?  Cutting back is possible for many, though if you have kids their demands may be proving too much, and we all want to keep up with the Jones's.  How hard it is, when you have had plenty, to do without?

Well, I have cheered myself up with that.  Now I must go and find a candle...

 

 

Points to Ponder

 

 

Isaiah:6:1.  In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:

‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.’

4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 ‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.’6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for. 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’

*****

Luke:5:1.  One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding round him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’

5 Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’ 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’ 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.’ 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

************

I had a short, sort of polite, debate on twitter with a chap who claimed to be an atheist. However, in the usual manner of most atheists he did not declare this at first. On Twitter people often jump on Christian type posts and make a few points, often not worth commenting on. This one however, appears to be a genuine and in some ways a thoughtful individual, though how genuine is his claim to have ‘studied’ Christianity we have to take as read.

A quick look at his own timeline indicated the type of atheist posts that younger, often gay, men offer. Usually with Boris Johnson like short phrases to catch attention and defeat all arguments. Well, that’s what they intend.

The brief debate brought to mind Isaiah and Simon. Their experience reveals what many miss, the supernatural revelation of God. The study of scripture ought to bring the reader into the presence of the Living God, however, for many this is a wearisome affair, and the less sincere reader will happily accept interpretations that ease his life and end further study. For others such study may be seen as Historically worthy but God himself appears difficult to accept, many parts are confusing to a modern reader and therefore thrown out rather than an understanding sought.

Isaiah appears to have been a man of learning, well versed in scripture of the day, and he may well have been in the Temple when God met him. Peter likewise was brought up on Jewish beliefs and appears to have followed the Law as he knew it all his life. Though both had an understanding of God and his works in the nation it was when both men were brought up by the revelation of their sinful nature that they truly ‘Knew God.’ No more was he a distant figure, no more words on a page, he was God, the supernatural one outside of our experience and control, he was Lord indeed! Both men now knew this.

All believers have an experience similar to this. The circumstances may vary, it may arrive in one revelation or it may occur over time, but the personal meeting with the Living God changes everything.

Most people appear to live only in the here and now, no allowance is made for the supernatural. This is a fault we all made. We all once saw religion as unimportant, thus the church attendances fail, until Jesus turned up at our door and pointed out the difference between, what we once called the ‘righteous and the wicked.’ It was that moment when we realised for the first time that we are never going to be free of ‘wickedness,’ for want of a better word. Our nature is corrupt and we will stand before Jesus in judgement and can do nothing about this.

It is also at that moment when we can appreciate Jesus finished work on the cross. We can now understand that he took our nature when he gave himself on the cross for us. That he died to cover our sin, that he died in a personal manner for me! That sacrifice can be made available to us and our response has to be to give ourselves to him, or we have failed to comprehend our situation.

“We love, because he first loved us.”

The cold world of the atheist cannot compete with the warm loving but difficult life that Jesus has to offer. He is the centre of his world, we cannot control much yet the Christian knows that whatever the situation that Jesus is Lord and we see all too often that he is in control. This person Jesus is always with us by his holy Spirit.

This is not a religion, this is not fancy, often boring ceremonies, this is a relationship with a friend who is always with us, both now and forever.

Individuals might have a few friends during their life, but life’s events take them away, circumstances change and our control over them is feeble. The atheist, highly intelligent and hard working, often a caring person has only himself. The one who is brought by the Holy Spirit to see his need, understand his situation, and brought to the cross can face the world knowing he is forgiven and his friend Jesus will always be beside him and never leave him.

This only fails when we choose to go our own way or return to the empty world around us.

Jesus however, always satisfies.

 

 

Today's Non Post

Caesar: The Conquest of Gaul

Having bought myself a (cheap) Kindle for those occasions when I will travel again I needed some reading material for my delight.  Caesar was obviously one of those books we need, indeed must, read,

if only because all the clever people claim to have read this long ago at school, at the same time as I was perusing 'The Beano,' 'The Beezer,' and 'The Victor!'  

The idea of the book is simple, Julius Caesar, a man going places, had wangled his way into a very important position in the Roman heirarchy, and was given control of much of Gaul, now known as France, and also what we now refer to as Albania as Governor.  His ambition ensured he would seek to control and dominate all of Gaul, which he did eventually, and on the way he made attempts at curbing Germanic intrusion, and even an attempt or two at taking that strange offshore island Britannia.  He went too far beyond his authority in German territory and returned with little to say about this, therefore offering a description of the locals instead.  He also failed to conquer the Brits, though most of them were probably Belgique, but don't tell the Brexiteers that as it will upset them.  Clearly the Romans impressed the people of the island, we can tell this by the manner in which they moved away from him, and had he thought it through properly Julius may well have succeeded in a victory long before Claudius's forces managed to bring their elephants over some considerable time later.

Of course he never conquered Scotland.

He did however, conquer and gain complete control over Gaul.  While renown as a merciful victor, occasionally this went against him as some pacified elements would once again return to the fight when called upon, only at one rebellion did he slaughter somewhat ruthlessly in an attempt to prevent another uprising and that near the end of the wars.  

There is one flaw in the book, it was written, for the most part, by Julius himself!

He would settle down in the winter and write the report for the folks back in Rome, thus ensuring he was remembered and also making clear he had been successful.  It appears no alternative story was on offer.  The last chapter was written by friends after his untimely demise but is clearly influenced by his outlook.

Julius Caesar did eventually reach his goal of King in 49 BC, and was a successful dictator until 44 BC when the Republican sympathisers bumped him off undemocratically.  

The question that kept running through my mind was "Why?"  What was the point of taking over Gaul? The only reason was Roman pride and self importance, plus Julius's ambition.  Rome could have survived without this war.  Empires rise and fall often because of ambition, sometimes to prevent attacks on themselves and occasionally for wealth and resources.  All this raises pride, cries for 'freedom' and ends in mass slaughter, not always to the victors advantage.

Of course I was reading this late at night as I drowsily slipped into the nightly coma, so maybe I ought to have read it during the day?  I think the results would be the same.  

As well as an insight into the ways of the Gauls and Brits of the day it can also be seen as an insight into the Putin's and Johnson's of this world mind. 

I recommend it, for leisure reading...