It is the season for Nativity plays, when that sickly sweet middle eastern fable gets re-enacted by children and others old enough to know better, all over the world.
Proud parent will watch their toddlers tread the boards - many for the first and only time in their lives, wandering around dressed as peasants or angels or whatever, not remembering what to do or where to go and everyone loves it. Especially the church! How better to get punters in than to engage the children in a bit of a panto and then to make the parents feel guilty for not going to church more often.
Then there is the silly Santa Claus nonsense! Surely even the most intellectually damaged child can see that the high street is full of strange men in red suits wanting them to sit on their laps? How many Santas can there be? And how can he get around everyone in one night?
We tell the children so many lies and when they grow up they find it hard to distinguish truth from reality and that is how the Liberal Democrats got into government.
Friday, 10 December 2010
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Not my fault
My blog seems to be attracting some unwelcome attention. Someone ore something, probably a bot, its sending in all sorts of comments that are fundamentally advertisements for various companies and I do not welcome these. Comments yes but random rubbish no! That is my role, and i will not have someone else doing it here.
The internet is a wonderful Earth shrinking phenomenon, but like everything that becomes accessible to all, it has become bloated and corrupt and will no doubt be our undoing in the end. We have a generation of kids who are becoming addicted to games online, we have Wikileaks attempting to destabilise the world through its anarchic approach to secrecy, we have porn virtually everywhere, scam after scam via email, and then of course there is Nigeria.
No-one seems to read anymore, there isn't the time as we spend it glued to google or facebook or whatever quick fix seems to do the trick. We are all becoming absorbed into this beast which seems to have a life of its own, and now it is growing horns and teeth. Sooner or later it will consume us all.
The internet is a wonderful Earth shrinking phenomenon, but like everything that becomes accessible to all, it has become bloated and corrupt and will no doubt be our undoing in the end. We have a generation of kids who are becoming addicted to games online, we have Wikileaks attempting to destabilise the world through its anarchic approach to secrecy, we have porn virtually everywhere, scam after scam via email, and then of course there is Nigeria.
No-one seems to read anymore, there isn't the time as we spend it glued to google or facebook or whatever quick fix seems to do the trick. We are all becoming absorbed into this beast which seems to have a life of its own, and now it is growing horns and teeth. Sooner or later it will consume us all.
Monday, 6 December 2010
This is the way
I love movies, well some movies anyhow. The other day I watched The Bucket List again. Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play the roles of men, my age or thereabouts, dying of cancer. The idea of a bucket list is that they have a list of things to do before they die, and luckily Jack Nicholson has enough money to make most of their wishes happen.
I was lying in bed this morning, contemplating getting up, when I drifted into the half sleep state and was thinking that perhaps I too should have a bucket list. At my age, nothing can be taken for granted and more and more parts are wearing out. To my alarm, and this was a few hours ago and nothing has altered, my list has nothing on it. Obviously I would like to see my Grandson grow up, but other than that all ambition seems to have gone. Most places that I want to see i have seen, and most things that I want to do i have done; those that I haven't done I am no longer capable of doing or were never possible in the first place. What does this mean? Is my life done and dusted already? Am I just wasting space? Or do i have something still to offer? This has been a sobering morning and i feel pretty detached from everything and everybody. Maybe this is the way the world ends - "Not with a bang but a whimper!"
I was lying in bed this morning, contemplating getting up, when I drifted into the half sleep state and was thinking that perhaps I too should have a bucket list. At my age, nothing can be taken for granted and more and more parts are wearing out. To my alarm, and this was a few hours ago and nothing has altered, my list has nothing on it. Obviously I would like to see my Grandson grow up, but other than that all ambition seems to have gone. Most places that I want to see i have seen, and most things that I want to do i have done; those that I haven't done I am no longer capable of doing or were never possible in the first place. What does this mean? Is my life done and dusted already? Am I just wasting space? Or do i have something still to offer? This has been a sobering morning and i feel pretty detached from everything and everybody. Maybe this is the way the world ends - "Not with a bang but a whimper!"
Sunday, 5 December 2010
The art of con
I was reading an article the other day that described the varieties of tea that are available. For me, tea comes in handy bags, and as long as it is hot and strong, I am not particularly bothered about its history. I know that I should be more selective and should probably seek out tea with a fair trade label, but I don't. We can all be apathetic and cannot possibly care about everything.
What prompted me to comment was reference to a particularly expensive tea that is sold to those who have more money than neurons. I think it is called White Virgin, though I may be wrong, and costs a huge amount of cash. What is special about this tea? one might ask. Allegedly the difference between this tea and others is that it is not touched by human hand, and is harvested by women wearing gloves who cut the leaves with silver scissors! I confess that when I read this I laughed. So ......... what! How does this improve the purity or flavour of the tea?
I was reminded of growing up in a market gardening area in the days when every fruit and vegetable was harvested by hand. Brussels Sprouts were always picked after the first frosts, often is bitterly cold conditions. You can't wear gloves to pick sprouts and hands get very cold. Quite often pickers would pee on their hands to warm them up - a sensible solution to the problem.
We live in a society that seems obsessed by labels; so much so that there is a huge illegal industry out there forging labels so that people can buy them more cheaply, and now everyone can sport the Gucci, Armani, Burberry and all the rest of the must have labels. Now of course, it is hard to tell the fakes from the real and so who cares. It would seem that some people will spend all they have just to be a little different from the crowd, and yet by so doing they are just joining a different crowd.
I still love Brussels sprouts but always make sure that they are well washed and peeled before cooking.
What prompted me to comment was reference to a particularly expensive tea that is sold to those who have more money than neurons. I think it is called White Virgin, though I may be wrong, and costs a huge amount of cash. What is special about this tea? one might ask. Allegedly the difference between this tea and others is that it is not touched by human hand, and is harvested by women wearing gloves who cut the leaves with silver scissors! I confess that when I read this I laughed. So ......... what! How does this improve the purity or flavour of the tea?
I was reminded of growing up in a market gardening area in the days when every fruit and vegetable was harvested by hand. Brussels Sprouts were always picked after the first frosts, often is bitterly cold conditions. You can't wear gloves to pick sprouts and hands get very cold. Quite often pickers would pee on their hands to warm them up - a sensible solution to the problem.
We live in a society that seems obsessed by labels; so much so that there is a huge illegal industry out there forging labels so that people can buy them more cheaply, and now everyone can sport the Gucci, Armani, Burberry and all the rest of the must have labels. Now of course, it is hard to tell the fakes from the real and so who cares. It would seem that some people will spend all they have just to be a little different from the crowd, and yet by so doing they are just joining a different crowd.
I still love Brussels sprouts but always make sure that they are well washed and peeled before cooking.
Monday, 8 November 2010
Poverty
I am not poor, but neither am I wealthy and never expected to be. Of course poverty is a relative term and as such it is likely that a significant proportion of our UK population will soon be slipping into that category. The cuts that the Condems intend to impose will result in mass unemployment with no jobs being created to absorb the waves that are certain to come. Unless those who are about to join the unemployed have made provision for that day they will be in serious trouble.
As a child I never thought of myself as being poor, but compared to most people today, we were very poor indeed and had no access to the so called essentials that people expect today. In those days, if you couldn't afford it, you just didn't have it, and we had no choice but to live within our means. We lived in a small council house with no double glazing or even roof insulation. When it snowed, as it often did, the snow was often blown through the roof tiles and into the loft where it had to be shovelled out before it melted. We had no heating, other than a single coal fire in the living room, and no hot water, other than that boiled in a kettle or in an old copper boiler. Our WC was outside across the yard and the bathroom was supplied with a cold tap only. We had no TV, no car, no computers or video games and few changes of clothing. Food was scarce and so we ate what we were given by and large; and if kids wanted money they worked for it. Everyone that I knew was more or less in the same boat though and so the way we lived seemed quite normal and we were not particularly unhappy, nor did we feel deprived.
From that position of course the only way to go was upwards, and life did steadily improve as the years went by. The standardof living that I enjoy now has been a long time coming and it would be hard to go back downhill again. For many that will soon become a reality, though i doubt that many will go back to the state that we lived in in the 50s. I hope not.
As a child I never thought of myself as being poor, but compared to most people today, we were very poor indeed and had no access to the so called essentials that people expect today. In those days, if you couldn't afford it, you just didn't have it, and we had no choice but to live within our means. We lived in a small council house with no double glazing or even roof insulation. When it snowed, as it often did, the snow was often blown through the roof tiles and into the loft where it had to be shovelled out before it melted. We had no heating, other than a single coal fire in the living room, and no hot water, other than that boiled in a kettle or in an old copper boiler. Our WC was outside across the yard and the bathroom was supplied with a cold tap only. We had no TV, no car, no computers or video games and few changes of clothing. Food was scarce and so we ate what we were given by and large; and if kids wanted money they worked for it. Everyone that I knew was more or less in the same boat though and so the way we lived seemed quite normal and we were not particularly unhappy, nor did we feel deprived.
From that position of course the only way to go was upwards, and life did steadily improve as the years went by. The standardof living that I enjoy now has been a long time coming and it would be hard to go back downhill again. For many that will soon become a reality, though i doubt that many will go back to the state that we lived in in the 50s. I hope not.
Monday, 1 November 2010
Throwaway
Toxic waste is never far from the news, and in an ever expanding technological era, the disposal of it continues to be a problem.
Landfill sites are becoming harder to find, waste treatment facilities are few and far between, while the stockpiles of poisons get ever larger. Some companies are shipping the stuff abroad, paying others to take on the problem of disposal, and vast heaps of our garbage is inflicting harm on the poor of those nations, whilst those in charge reap the benefits.
The Chinese have the right idea. They export theirs by the container ship load, and we, like many other western countries, pay them for it. It is November so pretty soon the shops will be full of it, all ready for that unmentionable one day in midwinter.
Landfill sites are becoming harder to find, waste treatment facilities are few and far between, while the stockpiles of poisons get ever larger. Some companies are shipping the stuff abroad, paying others to take on the problem of disposal, and vast heaps of our garbage is inflicting harm on the poor of those nations, whilst those in charge reap the benefits.
The Chinese have the right idea. They export theirs by the container ship load, and we, like many other western countries, pay them for it. It is November so pretty soon the shops will be full of it, all ready for that unmentionable one day in midwinter.
Friday, 29 October 2010
Monday, 25 October 2010
a money saving idea
I have come to the conclusion that the world does not need health and safety inspectors. Just let loose a toddler in any situation and they will gravitate uncannily to whatever is not safe for them. This is instinctive and there is no training required. Admittedly they will need supervision but even so the saving worldwide could be enormous.
Friday, 22 October 2010
Wittering on
As I write, my grandson and his mum are on their way here. Emma needs a holiday and I am looking forward to spending some time with them both. The house has been cleaned and tidied and as much as possible has been made baby safe. As he is crawling now, that is not entirely possible and no doubt he will zoom in on and identify the items that I have forgotten about. Kids have an uncanny knack of finding the things that they are not supposed to touch and he is no different to anyone else.
So for the next week I will find my time taken up by a very demanding but very loveable little chap, and if past experience is anything to go by, I'll be pretty exhausted at the end of it.
I am aware that I have written little in this blog for a while. I guess that on some level i need an audience and often i feel that I am writing to myself and that gets a little dull. Then of course I have had little to write about. Retirement is not always wonderful, and I can go days without talking to anyone. My forays into the outside world are becoming fewer and further between and my tolerance of people in general seems to be wearing very thin. It is almost as if I am unconsciously withdrawing into my own tiny space little by little and I may eventually fear the prospect of leaving it. Rather like a dying star there may come a time when I implode.
An ex colleague imploded this week. He had been ill for a while and so his demise wasn't surprising. All sorts of people have written tributes on the usual social networks, and none of them seem to have any connection to the man that i knew and detested.
Perhaps it is a good thing that people look back at the positives and forget the hard truth when people's lives come to an end. To speak now of what I, as well as most of his colleagues knew about him would not be appropriate, though I will not join those who wish to see him in such a rosy light. I do feel sorry for his family and close friends, but I will not miss him.
Before long, no doubt, Margaret Thatcher will go the same way and the media will already be preparing for the event. Obituaries will already be primed and ready for release and as is always the case, she will be seen in a glowing light and people will mourn her passing with much wailing and gnashing of teeth. I may be in a small minority that will not rue her demise and will probably celebrate the event.
I have no doubt that my own end will be a cause for celebration for some and i hope that they will have the courage of their convictions and do so in style.
So for the next week I will find my time taken up by a very demanding but very loveable little chap, and if past experience is anything to go by, I'll be pretty exhausted at the end of it.
I am aware that I have written little in this blog for a while. I guess that on some level i need an audience and often i feel that I am writing to myself and that gets a little dull. Then of course I have had little to write about. Retirement is not always wonderful, and I can go days without talking to anyone. My forays into the outside world are becoming fewer and further between and my tolerance of people in general seems to be wearing very thin. It is almost as if I am unconsciously withdrawing into my own tiny space little by little and I may eventually fear the prospect of leaving it. Rather like a dying star there may come a time when I implode.
An ex colleague imploded this week. He had been ill for a while and so his demise wasn't surprising. All sorts of people have written tributes on the usual social networks, and none of them seem to have any connection to the man that i knew and detested.
Perhaps it is a good thing that people look back at the positives and forget the hard truth when people's lives come to an end. To speak now of what I, as well as most of his colleagues knew about him would not be appropriate, though I will not join those who wish to see him in such a rosy light. I do feel sorry for his family and close friends, but I will not miss him.
Before long, no doubt, Margaret Thatcher will go the same way and the media will already be preparing for the event. Obituaries will already be primed and ready for release and as is always the case, she will be seen in a glowing light and people will mourn her passing with much wailing and gnashing of teeth. I may be in a small minority that will not rue her demise and will probably celebrate the event.
I have no doubt that my own end will be a cause for celebration for some and i hope that they will have the courage of their convictions and do so in style.
Sunday, 17 October 2010
The way it is.
There is a rumour going around that the word "Gullibility" is to be removed from the Oxford English Dictionary.
Human beings are programmed to trust other human beings and as a result the vast majority of us are easily misled or conned. Most cons are pretty harmless. The stuff that is reported in the newspapers must have some relation to facts but the pressure to sell forces the publishers to massage and manipulate in order to make stories more interesting or attention grabbing. I pity any scientist who's findings get seized by the tabloid press, only to be sensationalised and misrepresented in order to scare or to raise the hopes of the public.
Commercials, especially those for female maintenance products are truly awful. Outrageous claims backed by pseudoscience, are swallowed whole by desperate women trying hard to stay youthful, whilst others truly believe that a caffeinated soft drink can make you fly.
We laugh at the old westerns where, dubious characters made a living by selling snake oil or the elixir of life and yes these people still exist. Now they sell far more exotic products, at much higher prices to a population that, though supposedly more educated, remain as stupid as ever.
Politicians sell policies that are worth less than the glossy paper that they were presented on, and thrive on the ignorance that they preside over. Religious leaders, (Ok I couldn't resist it.) propagate their own mythologies and lies, and find no shortage of takers. Parents present their kids with Santa Claus and the tooth fairy...... and so it goes on. Lies upon lies are the natural order of the day and people wonder why it is that as we get older we tend to become cynical.
It is worth remembering that the system in which we live is dependent on the fact that many of the people can be fooled ALL of the time.
Human beings are programmed to trust other human beings and as a result the vast majority of us are easily misled or conned. Most cons are pretty harmless. The stuff that is reported in the newspapers must have some relation to facts but the pressure to sell forces the publishers to massage and manipulate in order to make stories more interesting or attention grabbing. I pity any scientist who's findings get seized by the tabloid press, only to be sensationalised and misrepresented in order to scare or to raise the hopes of the public.
Commercials, especially those for female maintenance products are truly awful. Outrageous claims backed by pseudoscience, are swallowed whole by desperate women trying hard to stay youthful, whilst others truly believe that a caffeinated soft drink can make you fly.
We laugh at the old westerns where, dubious characters made a living by selling snake oil or the elixir of life and yes these people still exist. Now they sell far more exotic products, at much higher prices to a population that, though supposedly more educated, remain as stupid as ever.
Politicians sell policies that are worth less than the glossy paper that they were presented on, and thrive on the ignorance that they preside over. Religious leaders, (Ok I couldn't resist it.) propagate their own mythologies and lies, and find no shortage of takers. Parents present their kids with Santa Claus and the tooth fairy...... and so it goes on. Lies upon lies are the natural order of the day and people wonder why it is that as we get older we tend to become cynical.
It is worth remembering that the system in which we live is dependent on the fact that many of the people can be fooled ALL of the time.
Monday, 11 October 2010
It ain't fair
There is so much babble in the press about fairness, level playing fields, equality of opportunity and so on. The forthcoming cuts are said to be fair and from the point of view of those about to wield the knives, they will seem to be. Those in charge tend to come from privileged backgrounds where they already have the advantages of wealth, intelligence and social placing. For them it is almost impossible to imagine being without those things, however in touch they might claim to be.
Life is not fair. It is nasty brutish and short and for some it is nastier more brutish and shorter than it is for others. People who crave fairness are disillusioned. The only true fairness lies within the legal system, which, on paper anyway, puts no-one above the law and our courts do make an effort to put that into practice. However, within any system there is corruption, and the wealthy, or well placed may find ways to bend any system in their favour.
We are the products of our genes, and they provide a biological lottery, with unpredictable outcomes. We have to play with what we are dealt and make the most of what we have.
Children need to be made aware that fairness is a rarity and that the best they can hope for is a bit of luck or a tremendous amount of skill in playing the game.
Life is not fair. It is nasty brutish and short and for some it is nastier more brutish and shorter than it is for others. People who crave fairness are disillusioned. The only true fairness lies within the legal system, which, on paper anyway, puts no-one above the law and our courts do make an effort to put that into practice. However, within any system there is corruption, and the wealthy, or well placed may find ways to bend any system in their favour.
We are the products of our genes, and they provide a biological lottery, with unpredictable outcomes. We have to play with what we are dealt and make the most of what we have.
Children need to be made aware that fairness is a rarity and that the best they can hope for is a bit of luck or a tremendous amount of skill in playing the game.
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
Burning of books
The burning of books has always been a controversial act, and yet it is an act that can be interpreted or used in a variety of ways. It is the custom in some parts of the world to burn worn our religious texts as a mark of some form of respect. In other cultures it is seen as a form of censorship or as a snub. Pastor Jones used the threat of making a bonfire of the Q'ran as a means of sticking two fingers towards the mad Mullahs and getting himself on the map at the same time. There is no way that his actions can be justified in the current climate, and had he carried out his threat, goodness knows what may have been preciptated as a result.
The whole series of events raises interesting points though. Burning of the American flag seems to be an almost daily event in places like Kabul or Tripoli and yet such actions are not condemned by the world as being , pardon the pun, inflammatory. Again it seems that the world of Islam is the only sector of the world population that cannot be provoked without fear of some horrific backlash that is likely to result in the deaths of more innocent people.
I for one am tired of hearing that Islam is a religion of tolerance. Pick up a copy of their sacred book and open it almost randomly and you will find passages that suggest otherwise. It would seem that the worst thing that one can be is an unbeliever. Such are condemned throughout, to hellfire and damnation or just death in the short term. That doesn't strike me as being tolerant.
We have the military wing of Islam, refusing to allow elections to take place, threatening to cut off the ears or hands of those who vote. Then we have women sentenced to death for "crimes" such as adultery, or flogged in public for exposing their faces.
What exactly do they tolerate?
The whole series of events raises interesting points though. Burning of the American flag seems to be an almost daily event in places like Kabul or Tripoli and yet such actions are not condemned by the world as being , pardon the pun, inflammatory. Again it seems that the world of Islam is the only sector of the world population that cannot be provoked without fear of some horrific backlash that is likely to result in the deaths of more innocent people.
I for one am tired of hearing that Islam is a religion of tolerance. Pick up a copy of their sacred book and open it almost randomly and you will find passages that suggest otherwise. It would seem that the worst thing that one can be is an unbeliever. Such are condemned throughout, to hellfire and damnation or just death in the short term. That doesn't strike me as being tolerant.
We have the military wing of Islam, refusing to allow elections to take place, threatening to cut off the ears or hands of those who vote. Then we have women sentenced to death for "crimes" such as adultery, or flogged in public for exposing their faces.
What exactly do they tolerate?
Monday, 30 August 2010
Respect
I have an old friend, a fellow teacher, whose views on life the universe and everything are very different to mine. He is a Christian and is a man for whom I have the greatest respect. I respect him for what he does and the way that he goes about his life, and because he was one of the best teachers that I ever met.
We are constantly told that people deserve respect because they have faith, and this is something that needs to be brought into question. Religious leaders are held in awe because they "have faith" and of course because they wear the fancy dress associated with their particular club. We are supposed to hold these people in awe and of course many people do.
Why should the fact that someone has a strong belief, give them the right to be respected? There are many who believe that the Earth is flat, others that we are constantly visited by UFOs and some that think that a conservative government is a good thing, and these people are rarely held up as pillars of society or as anything else other than figures of fun. Yet Barmy Bishops, Mad Mullahs and the rest of the leaders of those unwilling to think for themselves are held in high esteem by society at large.
One of the most dangerous men in the world is coming to Britain along with a huge entourage, and we as tax payers will be contributing three million pounds as a contribution to the expenses. The Pope will of course be welcomed by the masses, although he can expect to be met by some degree of protest. As leader of his dedicated band, he has a lot to answer for, but in his position he can justify anything on the basis of dogma, and so will probably stand aloof from the protesters, maintaining his stand on abortion, paedophilia and contraception.
I have never met the pope and have no wish to do so. I do not respect him nor his office and I fail to see why we as a nation are shutting our eyes to the perils that he and others like him are inflicting upon the world as a whole. Respect is not a divine right, but alas there are many who believe that is the case.
We are constantly told that people deserve respect because they have faith, and this is something that needs to be brought into question. Religious leaders are held in awe because they "have faith" and of course because they wear the fancy dress associated with their particular club. We are supposed to hold these people in awe and of course many people do.
Why should the fact that someone has a strong belief, give them the right to be respected? There are many who believe that the Earth is flat, others that we are constantly visited by UFOs and some that think that a conservative government is a good thing, and these people are rarely held up as pillars of society or as anything else other than figures of fun. Yet Barmy Bishops, Mad Mullahs and the rest of the leaders of those unwilling to think for themselves are held in high esteem by society at large.
One of the most dangerous men in the world is coming to Britain along with a huge entourage, and we as tax payers will be contributing three million pounds as a contribution to the expenses. The Pope will of course be welcomed by the masses, although he can expect to be met by some degree of protest. As leader of his dedicated band, he has a lot to answer for, but in his position he can justify anything on the basis of dogma, and so will probably stand aloof from the protesters, maintaining his stand on abortion, paedophilia and contraception.
I have never met the pope and have no wish to do so. I do not respect him nor his office and I fail to see why we as a nation are shutting our eyes to the perils that he and others like him are inflicting upon the world as a whole. Respect is not a divine right, but alas there are many who believe that is the case.
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
Irrationality
Anyone who knows me will verify that I am reasonably placid and not easily angered. For some that in itself is an irritation as i don't rise to provocation. However odd things do make me feel really irked and often it is trivialities that other people see no harm in that get me going.
The other night, whilst staying in my daughter's house, I found myself watching the X Factor on the TV. I should have left the room and gone for a walk or gone to bed but I chose to stay. For those lucky enough to live abroad, the X factor is a "Talent" show. The word Talent is in inverted commas as I feel that such a word has no links to the X factor. In this show, a panel of judges, none of which seems to have a shred of talent themselves, let alone personal skills or even charm, preside over appalling performances by anyone who has the brass balls to stand up on stage and make idiots of themselves. Occasionally someone crops up who can copy a current pop song and it is they that get the plaudits from the panel and the privilege of going on to the next round. As the weeks go by the numbers get thinned out and the TV viewers get to vote on who should survive. This of course costs them money which goes to swell the bank accounts of the judges.
I believe that talented musicians emerge from years of practice and study and not through singing karaoke whilst out of their heads on cheap lager. However this is not the feeling of X Factor fans and those fat cats who run the show. It is about raising someone from the gutter to pseudostardom, whilst making huge profits from those who can least afford it.
The parade of contestants last week, and most likely next and the week after was like a queue of unemployables with an audience selected from a care in the community programme.
This show is extraordinarily popular and represents the terrible state of the popular music industry that is pushing tasteless pap down the throats of the youngsters of today.
I feel better now!
The other night, whilst staying in my daughter's house, I found myself watching the X Factor on the TV. I should have left the room and gone for a walk or gone to bed but I chose to stay. For those lucky enough to live abroad, the X factor is a "Talent" show. The word Talent is in inverted commas as I feel that such a word has no links to the X factor. In this show, a panel of judges, none of which seems to have a shred of talent themselves, let alone personal skills or even charm, preside over appalling performances by anyone who has the brass balls to stand up on stage and make idiots of themselves. Occasionally someone crops up who can copy a current pop song and it is they that get the plaudits from the panel and the privilege of going on to the next round. As the weeks go by the numbers get thinned out and the TV viewers get to vote on who should survive. This of course costs them money which goes to swell the bank accounts of the judges.
I believe that talented musicians emerge from years of practice and study and not through singing karaoke whilst out of their heads on cheap lager. However this is not the feeling of X Factor fans and those fat cats who run the show. It is about raising someone from the gutter to pseudostardom, whilst making huge profits from those who can least afford it.
The parade of contestants last week, and most likely next and the week after was like a queue of unemployables with an audience selected from a care in the community programme.
This show is extraordinarily popular and represents the terrible state of the popular music industry that is pushing tasteless pap down the throats of the youngsters of today.
I feel better now!
Monday, 23 August 2010
Being Granddad
I have spent the last week, well a considerable part of it with Oscar. He is a lovely little fellow and as babies go, he is very good. Having said that he is also exhausting. How mothers cope, especially single ones, is way beyond me. A baby is a full time occupation and a drain on ones energy.
I seem to be able to get him to sleep now and then, but his mind seems always on the go and he wants attention all of the waking hours. It also seems that attention alone is not sufficient. I can carry him around for hours or even stand with him, but will he allow me to sit down? It seems that I must be uncomfortable in order for him to be settled. How does he know i wonder? He can be fast asleep in my arms but as soon as i sit down, he wakes up.
Having said all that, he is a joy to be with and most of the time he is a smiling chuckling little chap who is fast becoming a little boy rather than a baby. I already tell him stories even though he understands not a word, and i look forward to the pleasure of doing the same when he is able to.
I know that he won't remember me next time i see him, but there will come a time when he does and i hope that he anticipates seeing me with as much pleasure as I anticipate seeing him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)