Friday Mutterings

2GB

At last a break from Brexit, or is it?  A mass shooting in far off New Zealand might not at first sight be connected to the rich ERG clan lining their pockets via Brexit but the effect of the racist outpourings from their side of the debate results in such actions.
The 'Far Right,' a term that covers a great many who lean that way or take violent action for it, are predominately those who claim a form of white supremacy, a false Christian ideology (merely to oppose Islam), and a desire to chase all foreigners (mostly black ones) out of 'their' country.
Where does the ideology come from?
How does it spread?
In the UK this arises from media misuse.  Paul Dacre, who edited the 'Daily Mail' for 25 years spent a great deal of time attacking the EU for reasons of his own, he happily accepts millions in handouts from the EU for his farm up north however. Dacre also made a splurge on immigration, especially black immigration, constantly feeding the people reports of Pakistani born criminals and ensuring large 'ugly' pictures of these criminals were prominent in his media.  Slanted reporting, biased commentary, and pandering to the growing number of English who feel bereft for whatever reason and ensuring immigrants and Muslims are seen as responsible, clearly or indirectly ensured a growth of resentment especially in the south of England.
Is 'Dacre' an English name I ask?
Other papers spouted similar views, objective study of the situation replaced by fear and emotion. There are many English who believe all immigrants have been in jail, half are terrorists and they get first choice of houses and live off the dole without having paid a penny in.  It has also been claimed the will not sell you alcohol in supermarkets and attempted to ban Christmas, both proven lies spread about via social media.
Add to this real terrorist actions, 9/11 in the USA and several amateur and somewhat successful attempts in the UK by ISIS inspired dafties then it is inevitable that a white nutter will arise and make an attempt to settle scores.  There are many willing to sign up.
An abundance of videos by Farage, Moseley and I suspect many US white supremacist groups will provide ideology and instruction to those willing to follow blindly.  I can only give thanks that most of us have avoided being dragged into such a mindset.  It is very easy to be a follower.
Such outrages bring out the usual responses. Platitudes and denunciations from appropriate leaders follow, as do the public's response of condemnation or support.  This may not be outright support just the usual 'whataboutery' mentioning Islamic attacks elsewhere.  Murdering innocents for a cause is not justified by murdering innocents for a cause.  Hardening opinions will be seen, many will not be seen but will be hidden away ready for the day they will arise.  That will not be a good day for the world.
Brexit comes into this as the perpetrator of this crime informs us, remember he is an Australian of English, Scots and Irish ancestry (someone got around then?) operating in New Zealand, blaming Brexit “That it was the British people firing back at mass immigration, cultural displacement and globalism, and that’s a great and wonderful thing,” he said.  He has a point, little englanders did not want johnny Foreigner, especially the black ones, coming into their area.  UKIP support is very strong in areas with little immigration to be seen.  Only now that thousands are losing jobs do these folks realise their mistake.  Interesting that as an Australian he did not consider pushing Aborigines or in New Zealand Maori's about as 'mass immigration or cultural displacement' that he may be able to justify though whether Aborigines or Maori's agree is another thing.

There is a danger such attitudes will proliferate, hate is easier to spread that Love.  Fear brings hate and the encouragement of immigration over the past fifty years while disregarding the opinions of the native population and indeed regarding them as 'racist' has led to them becoming 'racist!'  The world requires thoughtful immigration and border controls not short term emotional ones seen recently.  UK, France and the US have over a hundred years mucked about in the middle east and recent wars have resulted from this.  ISIS sending a million or two into the EU at one go has encouraged the far right tendency that has always lived in parts of central Europe.  Mismanagement here has led to much pain and newspapers fanning flames have not helped. 
It is disappointing that the UK government is not in a position to advise friends elsewhere in this situation seeing as they have little idea how to operate the Brexit shambles that lies in front of us now.  That resumes next week.

Round Midnight.

The phrase ‘Round Midnight’ brings to mind smooth jazz from John Coltrane say or the dark ill-lit streets after an evening’s entertainment ‘up town.’  Workers in hospitals or hotels might find a quiet descend over their premises as sleep replaces the hassles of the day.  The night watchman enjoys the quiet after midnight and settles down to doze his way towards morning.

In this house things are done differently.

I sit wrapped in a blanket coughing loudly hour after hour filling my night with listening to the depressing news, it is always depressing the news, or watching late night adverts on ‘teleshopping channels.’  Just who is buying non-stick frying pans at this time of night?  Amongst the late-night offering is an abundance of Brexit news, unfunny comedy, unfunny US comedy, mediocrity and repeats of films and programmes long past their prime.

Depressing.

Late night radio offers avant-garde on Radio 3, news or discussions on news, local radio joined together to save money and playing bland empty tunes, many stations offering music, either bland or meaningless pop.

Depressing.

This does not please the cough, a cough which now adds a special new headache to the joy.  Sleep, the only relief is not to be found, especially when trusted up like this! 

Yet this morning I was telling someone I thought the end of the virus was here, by lunchtime I found out how wrong I was.  A check of the diary to where I cancelled the museum meeting shows the virus has lasted 8 weeks and still counting!  Eight long weeks and there appears to be no end.  If it’s not the head it’s the stomach, if not then it’s the chest, then back to the head, I am not in love with this virus!

I glance in the fridge, the milk is running out, food uneaten is going off, and what exactly is that black thing in the plastic bag?  I need to eat but my body does not wish to, I need to sleep and my eyes will not shut, if they do the cough returns.  So I sit here in the East Wing so as not to annoy the man downstairs, if indeed he has not run off to one of his women to avoid me. 

This is minor, but very injurious.  I know of many with harder experiences, one who cannot walk as the foot will not heal, others with infections that cripple them, still others whose bones are crumbling while yet another awaits a fearful operation. 

I am grateful I am not they.

So I give thanks for that and await some form of slumber while resisting the temptation to watch ‘Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmare’s USA’ or ‘Love in the Countryside!’

    

Google IT!

It is hard to believe that the World Wide Web is only 30 years old.  1989 is just the other day and yet it is an entire world away from where we stand today.  In the year 1989 small mobile phones, CD's  and fax machines were becoming popular while today few use fax and some have never heard of them.  There has been an outstanding revolution under our noses that equals the creation of writing, the growth of railways and the discovery of penicillin.
In 1994 a chap at the place I worked spoke several times about the 'International highway' and we all stared blankly at him.  By the time I was resident in the wilderness of Essex two years later I had bought, at great price, one of these 'home computers' which enabled me to travel the world from my desk, or chair as it was at the time, I could not afford a desk.  Today people carry these things in their pocket, phones with computers which are much more powerful than the one I paid an  enormous amount of money for in 1996,  now that machine operates as a stool for my feet!
The WWW has been a great benefit to us all, that is how we met, and while it can be abused it is a brilliant invention.  So where will this lead?  It will enable those who control us to keep their eyes on us 24 hours a day, unless we stop using such devices and return to pencil and paper.  Each time we open up to watch a football match someone somewhere knows we do this or is able to discover our viewing when this is demanded.  How the Gestapo would have loved such ability, they might still be around.  Maybe they are?  The only answer to oppressive governments is for people to vote for decent candidates, if any stand, and to hope no fiddling of the count occurs as it does in many places.  The day may not be far off where Europe has the opposite of capable 'liberal' democrats in charge, it may be here already. 

Copycat Hypocrisy

Friday night, when Rangers James Tavernier went to take a 'throw in,' while playing Hibernian at the Hibs ground in Leith, a helpful young individual ran down the steps from amongst the home support, jumped the wall taking the security man by surprise, and helpfully kicked the ball at Mr Tavernier.  Mr Taverneir  was somewhat surprised by this, this was the first time anyone from the Hibernian persuasion had actually made an attempt to take the ball from him!  This individual was immediately restrained by the displeased security man and two keen constabuls and 'assisted from the ground.'  
Such things occur at football matches. 
The media immediately jumped into 'offended' mode. 
The cry was 'protect the ball players' from all side.  Ban the thug from football, jail him and throw the key away.  Set an example of Hibernian, close the ground, fine the club, hang the chairman!  All Scots papers, and one or two sections of the English media also, jumped in eyes closed with a froth of disgust at the horrid event.
None mentioned the sectarian singing emanating from the Rangers fans in the ground, none the broken seats thrown onto the pitch, none the coins and cup flung also in the direction of Hibs players.  The media you see make money, clickbait style, out of the Glasgow bigots.
Today the Glasgow press continue their one sided approach to the matter all the while ignoring the wrongs at their club.  Individual fans from both clubs, and others also, contribute a 'thoughtful' opinion on the deed while always ignoring their own sin and concentrating on the others.  
Thoughtful debate is not the correct term here.
Saturday arrives, somewhere in Birmingham tow local English sides meet in a 'derby' encounter.  The usual name calling and unhelpful suggestions are offered to either side by the supporters.  One of the Aston Villa team, the visiting side, went to take position and a copycat eejit ran onto the field and helpfully fetched him one across the back of the head.  The player helpfully fell down while others from both sides plus security came to his assistance.  In both cases the performance of the players was unharmed, Taverneir continued to blunder as he had done all game, the Villa player scored the winning goal.  Both the visiting individuals will appear in court, indeed the chap from Birmingham has just begun a 14 weeks imprisonment sentence, and will pay £100 compensation to the man he assaulted.  14 weeks sounds rather short, in wrath remember mercy but the type of individual who does this may well be used to prison and short sentences may not deter!  For this individual it will but what about others.  I await news of the Hibernian eejit.  
A third incident occurred at Arsenals large ground on Saturday when a like minded copycat squared up to a Manchester United player.  This did not wake the player up and led to this eejit being removed, I suspect his name will appear in the magistrates list shortly.
These three are like many noticed on the Essex Police Twitter account, they tend not to be the brightest, even though they often have decent jobs, their outlook on life is limited and with the chap of Hibernian persuasion I wonder of drugs played a part.  He did not look like he would one day appear on 'Mastermind' or reach a high level of intelectual ability.  He after all supports Hibernian and appears to be a fan of the 'trainspotting' generation.  Or does he?  Is he what is called a 'real fan' or just one who tags along with his mates because they go their and saw this as an excuse to keep in with them?   
After all we all do daft things when young...        
The copycat media have been joined by the copycat self important in football jumping in to condemn such actions.  It is head shaking all around, exaggerated claims that "Knives might be used next" and a wide variety of absurd answers to the question how to stop it, armed police  as one man suggested might be going to far at this juncture!  The great and the good condemn, but forget the many other incidents now forgotten that had less publicity as they were not in the public eye or involved smaller sides.  Glasgow clubs always offer a wide selection of offensive behaviour but rarely this appears in print.  The Birmingham featured clashes before the game but with no pictures we hear little.  Yet whenever a story fills the screen there is faux condemnation, 'tut tutting' aplenty and as always in the end nothing is done.  All clubs will improve security, all will say the right words and all others will then seek the next thing to be offended by.
Oh one other thing, if payers get into a 20 man stramash with fists flying and heads bumping why is this referred to as 'handbags?'  If clubs and players took some responsibility for their actions maybe we would not see these numpties clambering over the wall to attack players...just a thought.

Update:  Our hero in Leith has indeed made an appearance in court.  He has been banned from all football grounds in Scotland while he awaits the final sentence which will be handed down next month.  I hope he likes prison...
 

Welsh Whisky?

Indeed it's true!  The Welsh (should that be 'Welch?') are making whisky and know how to charge for it at that.  Is nothing safe?  In fact little is safe in this world, I fund out about this a long time ago that they were at it.  In fact one man relatively near me attempted to sell 'clear whisky,' colourless fluid with a kick.  However that was not allowed by those that run the authorisation for whisky, whisky has to have colour, usually a sort of golden amber colour. 

Not far from Merthyr Tydfil is a wee place called Penderyn where the distillery there will gladly charge you over £48 for this bottle featuring a Welsh hero.  At least that includes delivery!  Lesser prices are available.

 
This, with slightly damaged cork, was bottled over a hundred years ago at a lost distillery.  You can have this proud beauty for a mere £6,000 or so.  There are not many about.  I am not surprised!

Whisky, a grain based spirit, usually Barley in Scotland, these days can be made in many nations.  Scotland and Ireland are famous for this product, correct spelling is used in Scotland if course, 'Whisky' not 'Whiskey,' the word coming from the Gaelic for 'Water of life.'  Today Japan produces the majority of whiskies, India, Taiwan, I believe even Denmark has had a go but 'Scotch' is the right term to use surely?  
The 'Welsh Whisky Company'  like so many other things was not in fact Welsh, it was English owned and just happened to be built in Wales.  Beginning in the 1890's they released their first whisky too soon but they did manage to obtain a visit from Queen Victoria and later her son Edward thus ensuring royal patronage and fashionable people buying the stuff, it was after all the English market they wished to enter, not the Welsh.  Things however did not go well.  The product did not sell well, Irish drinkers were 'frosty,' one Scots commentator referred to "Scotsmen drugged with bad Welsh whisky," and little else is said. 
By 1900 the liquidator was offering the buildings for sale.  Some attempts were discussed at restarting but never happened.  Welsh whisky, an intruder on the market from the Scots and Irish viewpoint, was dead.
It appears another Welsh whisky company is coming to life, this however will not produce sales until 2020 at the earliest.  Some claim four distilleries are found in Wales today but I found little evidence, maybe there is a Still hidden in the bushes near where the Paratroops train in the hills?  That would not surprise me.

   

Grump!

It's been a grump day indeed in this house.  The bug has reinstalled itself Microsoft fashion.  I didn't ask it just came back.  Last night I felt not to bad but coughed a lot trying to sleep, I slept little, woke early with headache and return of symptoms and wondered if I had died.  It took most of the day before the headache went, the rest slightly dying down.
This bug began seven weeks ago at least.  Four weeks of coughing which still remains.  Now I hear from all around folks elsewhere have the same problem.  Typical!  What sort of bug is this? 
I blame Putin!

International wimmens day again.  Another day for middle class wimmen to fill the airwaves with their hard luck stories telling us how hard their lives are and that men get paid more than them.
I feel for them.
On Sunday a team of yellow clad men will be moving the telegraph pole outside my house to a safer position, I suspect no female will be found working alongside them.  I suspect those filling the pages and the airwaves today will not have much regard for the checkout lass who will appear beneath too many of them, she however actually works for a living.
When is it international man's day...?

Knifed in the Back

February rain has arrived.  A bit late but pleasing to some.  Not that I cared as I was trapped indoors again today.  Yesterday I felt better than I have for a while and trooped of in the chilly air to the museum.  While I sat awaiting Microsoft updating my slow work computer (one hour and twenty minutes it took) I watched as two men attempted to fit the electric door opener.  This, part of the fire defence, is complicated and therefore the door was wide ajar all morning.  I froze and could not get away from my seat.  Once the door was closed, round about the same time Microsoft let me back on the computer, the place instantly warmed up as the heaters work well.  Today the cough is worse than ever, I hate men who fix doors and next week I will take a hot water bottle to work with me just on case. Grrr.  

Not sure if you have noticed but there has been a lot made about knife crime in recent days.  Quite whether this has been exaggerated by the media to detract from Brexit I am not sure but we are heading for trouble if someone does not do something soon.  This is an English problem as such activities were dealt with in Glasgow by their own operations and there is a slow take up in London or elsewhere of the Scots success stories in this.  
One point frequently made concerns the PM.  While Home secretary she reduced the numbers of police, reduced their money and as PM continues to justify this today.  The fact that 20,000 police have gone from our streets and a 90% rise in knife crime and other criminal activities has resulted she will claim has nothing to do with her.  I suppose if she passed this on to 'Failing Grayling' we might believe her.  
This miserly government has reduced public cash to such an extent no public service works.  Probation, Jails, police, trains, Brexit,care homes, benefits, immigration and everything they touch has to be done on the cheap even if it does not work.  The ERG, Rees-Moggs mob, are getting richer whatever happens, the public just get conned and indeed stabbed.  We are all being knifed in the back by the Tories.

Dour Monday

As I looked out the window this afternoon my mind retreated to the pictures on Jenny's site I saw this morning. There the sun shone, the sky was blue and life was jolly.  Outside my window a great big dark cloud was looming from the west and soon after it dropped a copious amount of water on all and sundry.  I had to pity those who were wandering across the park when it broke, though I did so from behind my window pane.  At least that got a bit of a clean from the rain. This was the first real rain we have had during the day for some time, however it has been damp some nights when I am not interested on looking for it.  The farmers will not be happy.  Hot sun last year, warm winter an little rain.  Price increases all round and that on top of Brexit at that, woopee!
However I will be feeding well this week, all the buffet stuff  from yesterday fills the fridge, most of it will last several days before turning green and lots of cheese with which to give myself cholesterol poisoning.  
Having had to clean the place for her majesty's arrival I need to keep it clean and hide all the faults for tomorrow when the landlord checks the boiler.  This has only been in six months and will not take long but I am working hard at the museum, unless I can get out of it, which means they will be here alone.  If the handyman comes, which is usual that is fine but if the boss comes herself, well she is a woman and will see things I don't see - like dust.  Tonight, before the football at seven I must move things, hide things and fill the sink with bleach to make it appear clean.
I hope she does not read this.

Niece

Today I rushed up to Sainsburys for buffet food.  My niece and her man were arriving on time, they said, so I considered it wise to shop while I could.
They arrived in town after the usual weekend fare on the railways, train so far and arrive early, bus so far, wait for train, then walk to house.  Naturally she who would walk without my guidance as she knew the way got lost. There are hardly any streets in this town and she went the wrong way! Women!
He of course did not know the way and she made use of Google Maps on her phone and got lost.
How nice to see them, it is rare to actually meet the family today (most are pleased with this) and hear the news.  Then after finding out information on him, a good man for her, I threw them out so they could get home before tomorrow.     
How strange to see family after so long, last time we met was her dads funeral a year ago.  What she has gone through since.  It reminds me I must head north at some time this year, once I stop coughing, and see the ageing family up there.  This of course might be difficult as my bus pass only takes me to the border, from then on I'd have to walk the rest of the way or pay... I had better check my shoes.
Now, in spite of missing the football (He at least has the decency to support Burnley) I enjoyed my day with human beings.  I might do this again one day.
The thing is I am glad I have this family.  Too many families I see are broken up, have serious faults and do not get on with one another.  This is annoying.  I am grateful when looking at my parents, many of their ideas, the siblings and their brats and am happy with them even though one or two require  good slap now and again.  It would be terrible to come from a family that would fit into 'Eastenders.' 

I wonder if they are home yet...

Gray Edinburgh

After sunny days, most of them missed by me, I wander out today under gray leaden skies with a chilly wind annoying.  I suppose we will have snow sooner than April.  
This is annoying as I have to spend the next couple of day cleaning the place.  My niece is bringing her boyfriend on Sunday (Sunday with football on?) for some reason.  She comes once a year to see if I am alive and if there is any money, she is disappointed in both.
So tomorrow I must finish the bathroom work, the sinks, dust everywhere, then hoover the dust piles, polish woodwork, tidy books and other things lying around, iron shirts, wash others first, put out the rubbish and open the windows.  
I am worn out already.
If luck is with me I will force feed them in a local cafe, if it is open and if it is not crowded with the local ageing Mods who gather there occasionally with their scooters.  That saves giving them e.coli and time and effort.  
But what is she after this time?

 
Because of the work done on our behalf by the noble parliamentarians the Parliamentary Standards Authority has given them a 2.7%pay rise, around £2000 each.  This means they will be getting just under £80,000 a year each.  Now personally I consider that small beer for an MP.  People who decide Law and routine purposes in life ought to be rewarded with a great deal more than that.  I would suggest a minimum of around £150,000 -£200,000 for such employment.  Of course with a nation under austerity that would not be appropriate, however that would not stop this lot, and such a rise would be unworkable in today's situation.  Also so many of these 'workers' have other jobs.  Lawyers take time of to make ten times their salary on a case, doctors run off to rip of private patients and almost all have 'directorships' that bring in the cash for little effort bar their name on the headed paper.  The advantage of bigger wages would be by tempting in those who earn a great deal more now in their employment, even if they were only MPs for five years or so.  The present lot have sold out for or against Brexit and have little self awareness to take a stand on any principle of any kind.  As such I am not sure they deserve a wage increase and new blood, with principles would be good to have.

    
There is something bout old photographs that are catching.  I refer to pictures of places you once knew.  Here is Edinburgh, 'Up the Bridges' as we used to call it near Tron Church, where lots of major stores once wasted much of my mothers time.  I like such photos as we can compare how things have changed and yet over a hundred years on they remain the same.  
My dad would have been two years of age at this time, 1910, the world was advancing in so many ways, scientifically, socially, economically and it is clear from the picture three men have done reasonably well out of things so far.  I wonder who they were?  How come they can stroll along during working hours while others, on little pay, work?  It is clearly summer, the old man is wearing an overcoat, the younger ones are not.  Watch chains protrude from the waistcoats, hats are worn indicating class, successful men but in what I wonder.
The buildings remain the same I guess, shop names change, goods change but the basic function remains as always commercial.  The lighting will have improved, surely that is gas lighting but how would the 'Leerie' get up that high?  Could it be early electric street lighting?  The cobbled streets are famous in Edinburgh, especially on the northern side where snow aids the buses as they slither down through Stockbridge on frozen cobbles.  The traffic however is considerably less, walking there would result in a few words from a bus driver and the horse and cart is now replaced with 7.5 ton vehicles delivering goods.  
Many changes but instantly recognisable and made me cogitate for a while.

Yellow Flowers

They say the weather will begin to deteriorate tomorrow so when I saw the bright yellow Daffodils beckoning me out I sauntered across the park and snapped a few.  The sun was as warm as a decent summers day and it crossed my mind that April will bring snow as it usually does.  
Kids were cycling small pink bikes, mums pushing pushchairs, some sitting on benches wrapped in coats just in case, and high above a thin white streak in the bright blue sky carried 200 or so people towards Europe.

'Europe,' that is what we now call the EU and many round here are desperate to abandon to its fate. Sadly these 'Daily Express' readers have yet to understand that they are the ones being abandoned. If this Brexit goes ahead there will be no 'sovereignty' just Donald Trump and chlorinated chicken!  The idea that anyone has sovereignty in this world is plain daft, everybody is tied to everybody else one way or another and this is how it has always been.  It is difficult to keep up with the constant niggles in the House but I had to laugh when Savid Javid was in front of a Commons committee.

Stuart MacDonald SNP, to Sajid Javid: What’s wrong with the amendment?
SJ: Nothing. 
SM: So now the Gov't’s supporting it? 
SJ: Yes. What do you mean, “now”? When was the gov’t not supporting it? When did you hear that? SM: Yesterday. 
SJ: From who? 
SM: The Prime Minister. 
SJ: Did you?!

Here we have the Conservative Home Secretary, one of the Four most important jobs in the cabinet being informed of the Prime Ministers thoughts from a member of a committee as he had not been informed of her opinion from the day before.
I suppose too many in the cabinet were shouting others down and she forgot to indicate what the policy of certain matters actually was.  I wonder if she has changed her mind to agree with Savid or whether she is travelling somewhere and canny mind who he is?

India and Pakistan are flexing muscles (I wish I could) and threatening one another in Kashmir again. This is not new, this has been going on since 1947 and was badly handled then and is being badly handled now.  Much loud talk of both sides having nuclear arms but the option of using them is unlikely.  Many more aircraft shot down, bombs dropped, the wrong people killed as usual but I doubt nuclear war is near.  Pakistan is a confused nation, led by the elite who fight among themselves, leaders chances of being killed by those around them a real possibility.  India facing elections and will seek to 'be strong' and killing a few Muslims goes down well with the Hindi nationalists, especially these days.  Many more to die, many more shouting matches and then peace, it is too easy for India to win - again!

Cold February

Standing at the museum door watching young women shove ice creams down their throats I pondered the freezing cold February weather. In some places it reached 70% today, at my computer this morning I considered it higher than this.  If Trump does not believe in global warming I am now all in favour, as I have been for some years.  This does not stop me from realising that we will however have snow, probably serious snow, in April as always.

The day went well.  I coughed less than I have done for weeks,the management ran away to a meeting and left me in charge (ha!) and those that came in were decent enough not to be trouble.
No kids today for me!
I taught one lass how to find what she required on ancestry, scanned briefly three large volumes of hand written history on a local company, very impressive I say, and then rushed through Tesco to finish the day.  Finish being the word as I fell asleep as soon as I got home.
How nice to have a near normal day.
Tomorrow it is back to reading about ancient church disputes...