Boris at Work

Tee Hee!  Boris has done him good this time!

There can be no doubt that the information that Sunak, our great Chancellor, the man in charge of the UK financies, has a wife, living with him in Downing Street, who is claiming she is a 'Non-Dom,' came from Boris to his friends in the media.  That is, she lives abroad most of the year and thereby dodges tax!  By this devious means she can avoid paying tax her husband, the Chancellor, has not asked her to pay as he is also somehow involved in her many companies.  So, the man who charges tax sleeps with a woman who dodges tax (just like he does) and now the information is out about her dodging and the people are not happy.  This multi-millionaire, married to an even multier-millionaire, dodges tax while her hubby intends to take the top job as PM.  

Tee Hee, that has been crashed as Boris has involved his friends to ensure we now all know about his dodgy dealings.

Again Boris is playing politics well here, as we now also know that the tax dodging Chancellor, with a resident non-dom wife who dodges tax, also spent 18 months as Chancellor of the UK while holding a 'Green Card' in the United States (where one of his 12 homes can be found).  This means for that 18 months he became a US citizen and yet was in the UK cabinet!  

Surely Boris knew?  

Now, you will be surprised to know, this also is across all the media and Boris is saying nothing at this time, I wonder why?  Tee Hee.  When it comes to seeking the top job you need friends who know how to play the game, Sunak has few friends, little experience and is learning the hard way how to deal with Boris.

By the way, I wonder how those pictures of Boris, taken from the Chancellors window, got into the media?

Anyway, we await the next chapter of this fight for the top job.

Once Sunak is done for we can expect tales about Liz Truss, though surely she cannot be serious, and such tales that would make her look bad, tsk, I wonder who could do that to the wee girl?

I would love to be filthy rich, just think of what you could do with that money?  You could buy yachts and sail around the Med, you could have 12 homes in various countries while you dodged taxes and made more money, you could sit back and enjoy life, or you could use the money for the common good while still enjoying all the best for yourself.  

How come people like today's multi-millionaire's fail to do that?  

I know of two rich men in Edinburgh who for years have donated much cash to all sorts of projects with little publicity and much gratitude.  Some 120, I think it was, millionaires wrote to the Chancellor suggesting they were taxed more and the poor taxed less.  His response was that they should just donate money to the Treasury!  Not all rich men are without morals, even those who vote for the Conservative's. 

Why do those who strive to be among the richest work so hard for what they cannot possibly make use of?  How do you spend excess millions?  Do you build penis shaped spaceships and rise high above the earth? Do you create an aircraft that flies around the world on little fuel?  Or do you invest it in people because you are not a craven greedy wretch?

What would you do?

 

Photos and Old Memories

 

I have been going through some old photos, amazing what memories do to you!  Many prints we have from the past are now beginning to lose their colour.  Some are quite good, others appallingly faded, many feature long forgotten places and people.  

This one features Cheeky.  He appeared on the scene many years ago when my brother-in-law brought him home from the car plant (lorries and tractors actually).  So the cat, called 'Cheeky,' is half factory and half Persian.  The kids were young then and it turned out too young for the kitten.  One had just begun school and the other soon to follow, so what to do?  Dump it on Gran!  Time passed and soon only Gran and I were in the house, the cat had taken over and we knew how to obey.  

It became a ritual for one or other of us to lie asleep until around half past one in the morning when a paw was thumped gently against our face.  The chosen one would find themself lying on their side with a cat on top of them informing them that they had to rise immediately.  

So, it was out the front door, down the stairs (we lived in a 'Stair.'  That is a block of flats four high called a 'Stair.'), we went to the back door, into the alcove and would then stand freezing while the cat stared into the blackness (being Edinburgh it would be black).  Eventually, the cat would stop finding enemies while scrutinizing the darkness and hasten around the building.  I would then shut the back door, go to the main door, open it while a black furry being came in, turned around and once again peer anxiously into the void.  Satisfied he would turn around and hasten upstairs leaving me behind while I shut the main door, then the front door, returned to bed and attempted sleep with the brute once again lying on top of me, huffy every time I moved.

It is however, dangerous to upset a cat.

 

 

On my way to Bournemouth the train passes through Southampton, I regularly took note of this long abandoned ship which lay slowly disappearing into the waters.  I watched it for some years, catching this fleeting glimpse as the train hurtled towards the station there.  It is normal for people to dump their boats way upstream and leave them to rot in British waters.  I suspect it happens elsewhere also. This avoids the charges for shipbreaking and offers a romantic view of these and other vessels.

The romance comes from wondering when she was launched, who took control, how far did she venture, and was there and excitement to report?  Sadly I am unable to discover this, maybe there is a log somewhere that tells us of these histories, maybe it is better to forget them?  

Anyway, last time I passed this spot I could not see the boat any longer.  It is possible the tide was higher but I suspect the ship has now gone for ever.  She will rest in peace, not much chance of another passing this way, and no divers will enter the mucky waters to investigate I fear.

 

Election Gas!

On May 5th there is a local election.  I still have not worked out if it affects me as yet.  This is a shame as I like to vote.  These local elections are a bit of a waste of time, round here the Tories always win!  You would think that with the mess Brexit has made of everything, with Boris and his 'Partygate' crimes, with 180,000 dead from incompetent Covid handling that the Tories might suffer, however, they will still win round here.  Encouraging housebuilding appears a good thing, but only the Tory voter can afford the £450,000 for a house!  Even rents of one bed properties, such as the one below, are near £800 a month!  How can anyone buy, or indeed rent these days?  

The mess in the country, the NHS sell off, and the Tory voter needs them more than the young, Brexit, and Boris's lies do not appear to have lessened the Tory vote enough.  The Ukraine ramblings have won Boris some votes, but while many will not vote in protest most will, sufficient to win this area again.

Many are happy with Boris, many support his er, policies.  Many want him to stay hoping all will be all right in the end, so they vote.  You can see the vote holding up in recent by-elections, some seats lost, but not many, in others the Tory vote has increased!  It is all very worrying.

I sent in my Gas meter reading in Friday, though I used the link they offered rather than the main unworkable site.  Today I was asked for a meter reading. 

This is considered to be a regular post rather than a real request and I almost ignored it.  However, in the rain, I took a reading.   I then attempted to post this but the new password demanded under great strife on Friday did not work!  So once again I spent time trying to insert a new password, one that did not work, one that was incorrect, the same one which worked but did not match....eventually it all worked and I entered the numbers from Friday rather than today, not that it makes much difference.  In a month or so I am moved onto the next tariff, this one runs out then, I await the new high price and begin to stock up on foodstuffs now!

Boris and the Conservative Party do not Care if you go Hungry!

 

 

It is vital we understand one thing about the Conservative Party at this time.  It is a very simple home truth.  The Conservative Party today do not care if you are hungry.  The Conservative Party today do not care if the old and sick are cold and hungry.  The Conservative Party of today do not care if your energy costs go through the roof.  The Conservative Party of today do not care if you cannot afford to buy a house or even rent one.  This is because the Conservative Party of today do not care about you!

 

 

The Conservative Party has always been concerned with money first and people second.  However, the attitudes after the war when Churchill was PM, were much more Liberal, as indeed Liberal he was at heart, towards those who suffer.  The main Parties did indeed agree on some things and this recognition of need lasted well into the 60's.  However, the 'end of empire,' loss of position in the world, and a lessening of the desire to work together saw Thatcher come to power in 1979.  She loosed the strings allowing greed to grow, sold all the council houses, and opened the way for the grasping uncaring Tory party of today.

Thatcher of course would never have allowed people such as Boris into a position of influence, Thatcher would also have never left the EU, after all that is where the money is and she loved money!  The selfish brats who claim to follow her have little in common with her ideals, they just want money, power and position.  

The main problem is their lack of morals, these were not given to them as children by their parents, and an absolute lack of responsibility or concern for others.  The PM is the most obvious person to point fingers at here.

 

Flag waving, denouncing of both the EU and asylum seekrs brought a Brexit success, even though this has clearly hammered the national economy, hurt business, lost trillions from the City to the EU, and left a mess none can comprehend.  The asylum seekers still come, and now we are unable to send them back to France, having left the EU.  

Incompetence and deliberate lack of care has cost thousands of lives through Covid, the business loss made worse by indecision and lack of leadership.  Now the energy crisis has arrived and while France imposes a cap rise of 4% the UK now has a rise of 54%, often from EDF a French firm charging the lesser account in France.

And don't get me started on the NHS!

 

 

With a war in Ukraine in which we normally we could have some influence we see the EU and the US take the lead.  Boris meanwhile merely spouts about how "We lead...," though in fact we just talk, and send anti tank missiles.  

The energy crisis, people unable to eat, cold homes, sick and disabled suffering, and a war in Ukraine demanding constant presence we find our leading politicians running off to 'hot spots' for Easter holidays!  Which bungling MP from this cabinet of rascals will be holding the fort this time?  I am scared to ask.

Politicians have a duty of care for the nation, this lot have no sense of duty.  These men do not care about you, the homeless, the poor, the sick, the unemployed.  They do not care about businesses that collapse after Brexit, or jobs lost.  They do not care if a company collapses and thousands lose their jobs while the directors responsible make millions in bonus's, they just do not care.

Yet, if we call an election tomorrow, this lot will be returned, Boris and all.

Ask why?

April Spring Day

 

Here, in what they laughingly refer to as the 'United Kingdom,' it is always possible to recognise when Spring is in the air, it snows!  Today, the 1st day of April, a blizzard rages outside my window, Arctic snows lash the land and indeed, come through the window in the west wing.  

Excuse me while I rush to close this.

The snow swivels around, apparently coming at us from all directions but mostly from the north, and takes great delight in covering those unfortunate to be caught out in the open with a delightful white, wet covering upon them.

I wrap my frozen fingers around the coffee mug in sympathy.

Having had the heating on low all night, and it required to be on last night, I am wary of making use of heating anything again today, after all the energy price increases begin from this morning and all the energy companies are rejoicing in the shareholders profits.    

Jings!  It is definately Spring!  The blizzard has gone, the sun is out, the daffodils shine brightly and all is (almost) well with the world!  40% F. now with an 18 mph northerly wind coming through the cracks in the window frames.  Very Spring like weather.  This is of course quite normal.  Many years ago I went to Fulham to watch George Best playing for them  I spent the entire game with flakes of sleety snow in my face.  As you know, 'The Battle of Arras,' which began on April 9th    1917, included many days of deep snow lying all around, not welcomed by any of the participants at the time.

If this weather keeps up, and it will over the weekend, I may have to rise and start doing things to keep warm!

I worked today just to keep warm, this failed...

 

Meters

 

Another day of joy and laughter has been with us.  From walking across the park to post the paperwork that took me ages to understand, collect together and finish, with the bright sunshine hiding behind the clouds which rushed along pushed by the north wind.  The chill cut through me, yet an Englishman or two was seen in Spring outfit determined to enjoy the sun.  

I finished the paperwork only as a break from attempting to post the gas and electric meter readings.  As you know, our government has amended the 'energy cap' by up to 54% and prices, especially for the poorest, are shooting up.  With April the 1st, 'April Fools Day,' being the date for the increase to begin so we are advised to enter the reading NOW!  

Naturally all the energy companies websites have crashed!

I struggled for a bit with the gas man until I saw a link at the bottom, happily an emergency link had been added.  This I completed and sent of my reading.  In a day or two I will check to ensure it has logged in.

The electric is still not logged in.

I logged on, sought the meter page and was immediately offered another site, another name change for them, another new password and a site that does not work!  

Time after time I went through the process, usually to find I had 'timed out' after 5 seconds, or 'we are unable to complete because....' and so on.Even when I got through to amend the password the thing found a reason not to continue!!! 

I love computers.

My electric company blamed the money man Martin.  They blamed him because he came on TV and radio and the press and offered advice about entering the meter details.  Everyone listened, as he always comes over as wise and honest, and the system crashed.  'Martin is bringing the country down' said their website.  Martin was advising how to deal with money making energy company chancers but that appears to pass them by.  

I have given up for now, I will try after nine this evening, maybe later, and see how that goes.

Everything these days goes through the internet, and many companies and government offices are running on Microsoft XP, some even on Win 95!  There is something to be said for pencil and paper you know.  

 

Wednesday Wondering

 

 

 

My favourite niece was bringning my new favourite great nephew to see me on Sunday, however, both she and her husband have contracted Covid!  This does not surprise me, though it worryies me as the kid is not yet seven months old.  Four people of my acquaintance have also suffered under this virus recently, and manay more besides.  The incompetent Russian spy who occupies No 10 Downing Street has followed the instructions of his greedy backbenchers and big business money men to drop all restrictions, including wearing masks on buses, in shops, in schools and crowded places and now he is even ending the free distribution of the LFT's that test for the virus!  NHS staff are now required to pay £5 or go wthout!!! The free parking for hospital staff will also end soon.  Now, unsurprisingly, Covid is running riot again!  Hospitals are overrun, and as you know the Tories deprive the NHS deliberately of funds, with 90,000 or so vacancies not being filled, although vast sums are offered for those who will lead 'Diversity and Inclusion (inclusive unless you are Christian of course).'  

These facts are given little space in the right-wing media, which is all we appear to have today, it is possible Russia has a more open, free press than the UK.  These facts are not wanted so must be ignored, yet they will leak out in Twitter and other social media, uncomfortable as they may be for Boris and his gangsters.    

It is noticeable that Boris has gained some support from his UKIP leaning followers by his apparent 'leading' of the defence of Ukraine.  The fact that this leading is another lie, the EU and US have done much, much more, is not something found in the 'Daily Express,' or 'Daily Mail,' and as to what is actually found in the 'Sun,' you can guess for yourself.  It is fair to say Rupert Murdoch's 'Fox News,' is still allowing that Carlson bloke to spout Russian propaganda daily.  What's in it for Rupert I ask?

Ukraine has hidden 'Partygate' for a while, however, this may increase some support for Johnson but the cover up by the Met Police will only harden antipathy amongst the rest of the nation.  Especially as on the day the Met announce some 20 fines for partying, names withheld, have been awarded Boris leads the Tories into a drunken party at night to celebrate!  Entering the Hotel they passed a line of silent mourners, mourning for their Covid dead.  The Tories ignored them. 

The sooner this lot are in jail the better.

The problem in the House is simple, the Westminster parliament is based on 'Gentlemenly behaviour,' and if someone does wrong, for instance 'lies to the House,' he would step down from his post.  Boris and his gang 'lie repeatedly to the House,' but refuse to step down and there is no parliamentary means of forcing them to.  Gentlemen they are not, and they know nothing can be done about it.  

This is of course made worse by a feeble opposition, only the Scottish Nationalists of either type oppose honestly, and indeed feebly, while the Labour Party waffles and wastes all our time.  What is Starmer for? 

How the UK is desparate for a (seemingly) honest major politican with ideas, integrity and guts.

I wonder again if this is a judgement we are under for our false liberalisation of society?

 

 

I had an er, debate on Twitter last night re those who claim to ID as female when in fact they are male, and vice-versa.  It got nowhere.  The vast array of legal loopholes, laws, and 'rights' which was uncovered amazed me as did the attempts to justify this.  

Quite simply we are born male or female, nothing else.  There are those who doctors find are neither one or the other and have to make adjustments for, this is fair enough, but these are a minority.  There are however, now many who believe they are in the wrong body, which they clearly are not, today such as these demand to act as they wish, in spite of others opposition.  In some cases men, with penis's, have been endangering women in women only spaces. 

The 'Gender Recognition Act 2004' allows a man to ID as a woman, penis and all, however this does not in Law mean he can make use of all women's facilities, for security reasons, though this apears to be lax these days.  

As we grow life affects us, heredity, family, life, war, disease, trauma of many kinds causes us to react, sometimes leading people into strange lifestyles.  Today we hear of one Tory MP who is openly admitting he is 'transgender.'  This began when he was raped as a child.  It has become known because he was being blackmailed and the criminal is now happily in jail.  In his case trauma caused a reaction, and I wonder how many others with this slant on their lives have suffered such trauma also?

This is too complicated to discuss in depth, and few of us know enough about it.  However, my heart went out to this MP, a Conservative at that, and wished he had had proper psychological counselling at the time, if indeed that was available in those days.  How many others do not get help, instead are only offered support to live a life they were not born for?   

How lucky we are not to have to endure such trauma.

I hate Microsoft!
I hate Laptops!

I hate Photo Op!

I am convinced President Putin is responsible for attacking me on this laptop.

Everthing goes wrong.

Things appear on screen unwanted.

They disappear unwanted.

Today, I tried to upload some pictures of the camera.

It took half an hour for what normally takes a couple of minutes work.

Nothing would work.  I restarted the procedure several times, yet it failed.

I had to restart the laptop and then it worked first time!

Why?

I took a quick, and terrible shot, with the wee camera later, and this has given trouble on 'Photos' also.

It didn't work!

Again I had to faff around before it worked.

I was going to attempt a complaint to Microsoft but managed not to.

They might have cut me off completely had they actually read what I was thinking...

F.F.Bruce, New Testament History

 

What a great book this is.  The late F.F. Bruce published this book first in 1971, a year well before most of you were born.  This edition came later and arrived at my door later still via 'World of Books,' as a second hand bargain.

The book says what it means on the cover, New Testament history, and that is what you get.  While Bruce is an academic this book is very readable for the average person.  It has notes and references on every page enhancing, not detracting from the subject.

Bruce refers to the years previous to our time, the gap between Malachi and Matthew, covering the Persians who ended the Old Testament, the Greeks after Alexander, and the Romans who dominate our period.  We pass through the Herodians, the Roman governors, the various 'philisophical schools,' at the time.  The religious outlook was varied and we explore the High Priests, Pharisees & Sadducees, and the Essenes are also covered.  Bruce seeks to gve us an understanding from a wide range of contemporary available documents. 

When Jesus arrives the land was filled with a Messianic hope, and a variety of messiah's were around throughout that century.  We then touch on John the Baptist and his unfortunate demise, then much time is spent understanding Jesus, what did he mean and what does he represent.  The cross, what was it for?

Bruce then covers the church immediately after the crucifixion, and the worldwide spread as believers moved willingly or unwillingly from Jerusalem.  Time is given to cover Paul and Peter and the problems inside and outside of the young church, continuing into the following century.

I found this book helpful for understanding the world of the time as it is important to see Jesus in context or we fail to understand how he was seen by the people.  If you wish to know God you must see him in action as he walked the earth.  However, you must understand the world in which he moved before his death.  

The book offers knowledge, it also indicates that following Jesus could end in crucifiction for you and I, he meant it when he said 'Take up your cross daily.'  

I recommend this old, but worthy book.

 

Sunshine, ISP and Clocks

 

Out came the Spring weather today, encouraging people to pretend the sun was hot and the chilly east wind that was cutting into you as you pass through any shadow did not exist.  I can tell you that exist it did!  I took advantage of the sun but avoided the wind by wandering aimlessly through 'Poundland' and 'B&M,' to find nothing that was useful to me existed today.  Lots of empty shelves in 'B&M,' possibly refilling stock, too mean to pay overnight staff, and changing things also for the Spring sales.

 

 

I meandered through the town, checking the prices on the fancy stalls.  Liquers began at £20, other spirits on show at £35!  Hmmm thought I, another bottle of Tesco sherry at £5:50 for me.  Ignoring the overpriced slabs of chocolate cake and the cheese stall, both of which I am supposed to avoid, I pressed on hopeful for something interesting.

I found it!  

My ISP, 'Plusnet,' is running out in June and an offer I almost took is on the table.  However, in the market a man is selling faster Broadband, not just 'Fibre Broadband,' but 'Full Fibre,' meaning not just from the copper wire to your door but full fibre from the green box.  The speed improvement is as impressive as the price increase.  Plusnet have slowed my speed from 65 to around 50, it is running at 53:06 tonight, which is good enough for me, however, sometimes 'Sky football' which I get via 'Now TV' on the laptop fades badly for no good reason.  The BBC manage OK, as do ITV but SKY are cheapskates.  Plusnet did not inform me the rate was slowing, nor did they charge me less for this delight.

Therefore this is interesting and new, indeed encouraged by the council as so many people around here, especially businesses out in remote areas where people often work from their big expensive cottage homes, are not happy with the speeds.  This sounds a good idea but all the companies sound good, it is the little things they forget to mention that go wrong.  Soon I will contact my great nephew, the telephone engineer, and take his advice before I go ahead and choose the wrong one.

 

Tonight the clocks go forward once again.  When I wake at 6 in the morning it will actually be 7 am.  The sun will be up, the chill will fill the air, many will spend much time in the morning changing every clock in the house, bar one, the one they need to be correct!  I will begin tonight and hope not to miss one.  I have no idea why I have so many clocks, but there is plenty when change time arrives.

This will lead to outrage in the 'Daily Mail,' and 'Daily Express.'  One of their favourite gripes is changing clocks.  They grumble that it affects them in the south of England but only benefits those in the north of Scotland, and their inbuilt xenophobic racism rises once again. Often the grumble is about being bossed by the EU to follow 'Berlin time,' this does not go down well.  Brexit has removed this grumble, so another must be found, I wonder what it will be?  

Does it really affect us so badly the gutter press can make use of it?  Well no, not really.  The only problem is turning up at church one hour late, as most of us have done at some time, and that may not be so bad after all...

 

  

Psalm 91

CBS

1. Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress,

    my God, in whom I trust.’

3. Surely he will save you

    from the fowler’s snare

    and from the deadly pestilence.

4. He will cover you with his feathers,

    and under his wings you will find refuge;

    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5. You will not fear the terror of night,

    nor the arrow that flies by day,

6. nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

    nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7. A thousand may fall at your side,

    ten thousand at your right hand,

    but it will not come near you.

8. You will only observe with your eyes

    and see the punishment of the wicked.

9. If you say, ‘The Lord is my refuge,’

    and you make the Most High your dwelling,

10. no harm will overtake you,

     no disaster will come near your tent.

11. For he will command his angels concerning you

     to guard you in all your ways;

12. they will lift you up in their hands,

     so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13. You will tread on the lion and the cobra;

     you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14. ‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him;

     I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15. He will call on me, and I will answer him;

     I will be with him in trouble,

     I will deliver him and honour him.

16. With long life I will satisfy him

     and show him my salvation.’

 

Remember This?

Goodness gracious!  How long ago was it when we used to sit entranced by the 'Lone Ranger?'  This masked man on his white horse, dressed immaculately in an all blue outfit, and carrying a silver gun that shot silver bullets at baddies and Red Indians.  With one bullet, looking back at a chasing posse of such 'Indians' he could shoot several at once with one shot!  This character apeared to be the good guy to us as he, and his Indian accomplice Tonto, ran through each exciting episode doing good.

The TV series ran for 8 years and was watched in Black and White, though the last two series were in colour.  Several films of the adventures were made, and many offshoots from the series which began on radio before the war.  Sadly I never got myself a magazine like this, these would have been too expensive in those days when we never had it so good, but the thrilling 'William Tell' music stays in the memory.

How different we see this show now.

The cowboys of the 19th century would laugh at the outfit, the Indians, now referred to as 'Native Americans, would not be pleased with the Tonto image, especially as he was a mere secondary plant.  And any couple of men 'riding off into the sunset' at the end of an adventure would be seen as suspicious, and as we never find out where they come from or where they go to, nor how they paid their way questions would arise among the local sheriffs.  And as for the cost of those silver bullets!   

From programmes such as this many consider they understand 'how the west was won.'  I consider many white Americans today vote according to the images offered them in such 'John Wayne' type films.  Actual History is sometimes taught in the USA, however, people respond emotionally, not factually, and they vote according to the image placed in their heads by those making use of their historical fantasy myths.

 

Another Wasted Budget

 

 

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

As always with a Tory, he lied.

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

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

They failed miserably.

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

Fun62

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

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

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

 

Good Tuesday

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

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

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

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

I remain convinced this is a judgement.

 

 

London's Most Splendid Churches

Ukraine Pottage

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

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

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

 

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

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

Another great government idea!

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

 

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

 

Brexit Comes Home.

 

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

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

One captain stopped this by lifting the gangplank! 

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

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

 

 

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

I will not enter.

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

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

Now I am hungry...