So Sarah Palin could become the Vice President of the USA. Now to some, that may seem like a pleasant prospect. She is after all an attractive and vivacious young woman who at least looks good in front of a camera, and along with John McCain promises big changes in American society (don't they all!).
I can handle the idea of Republicans being re-elected, after all the USA is fundamentally a conservative country and is driven along on its path to world domination by the interests of big business, and not much can change that. I have no problem with them electing a woman to a powerful position, let them have a taste of it! What concerns me is that she (allegedly) is a creationist!
Vice presidents, can do and have become presidents. America likes to shoot its presidents from time to time, and there is a possibility that should the Republicans come to power, that she could become president.
Creationists are blind followers of religious doctrine, they abandon all attempts at original thought, accepting the words of middle eastern philosophy that was written down almost two thousand years ago. This is the equivalent of reading Grimm, and accepting as absolute truth that there are fairies at the bottom of the garden!
Ok much of the central American Bible belt will back her up, but I find it really scary that people with such limited ability to grasp facts can find themselves in positions of power. I am sure that she sees America as the promised land and that Americans are the true soldiers of her god, and who knows where that might lead?
They say that we elect the government that we deserve. Electing creationists to powerful positions is a step backwards to wards the dark ages of ignorance and bigotry, and of course that is what Conservatism is about.
Friday, 5 September 2008
Tuesday, 2 September 2008
September
It seems like september in all senses. The weather, well, what can you say that hasn't already been said? Summer has gone un-noticed and now we slip downwards to the dreaded winter, and there is no going back.
I thought I had an appointment to see the surgeon today but it seems i got it wrong again. My appointment is next week so I will put that away again, and think about the present. I feel listless today, and am distinctly lacking in direction. I have no projects on the go and as term hasn't started, no students either. I find myself inventing tasks and even doing things that don't need doing just to fill my days.
I have found an Open University course on Writing Fiction and attempted to register online this morning. It wouldn't let me on the grounds that my details are a close match to other details on their database. Well it is hardly surprising as i am a returning student! Dammit, that means i have to print out and fill in an application form and put it in the post! Writing by hand is almost a forgotten skill - like so many things that I used to be able to do, it is vanishing into the fog of the autumnal years.
I have found a pen however and must do something about this today! If I leave it any longer i know what will happen, i will forget it and that would be a shame. Who knows, I may find it in me to write something worthwhile one day.
My friend Holly has been very productive recently and has added two more songs to her ever growing catalogue. She never ceases to amaze me in terms of her abilities and I just hope that she gets the breaks that she deserves. This is a link to her latest offering!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrCcqI12Qhs&feature=email
I thought I had an appointment to see the surgeon today but it seems i got it wrong again. My appointment is next week so I will put that away again, and think about the present. I feel listless today, and am distinctly lacking in direction. I have no projects on the go and as term hasn't started, no students either. I find myself inventing tasks and even doing things that don't need doing just to fill my days.
I have found an Open University course on Writing Fiction and attempted to register online this morning. It wouldn't let me on the grounds that my details are a close match to other details on their database. Well it is hardly surprising as i am a returning student! Dammit, that means i have to print out and fill in an application form and put it in the post! Writing by hand is almost a forgotten skill - like so many things that I used to be able to do, it is vanishing into the fog of the autumnal years.
I have found a pen however and must do something about this today! If I leave it any longer i know what will happen, i will forget it and that would be a shame. Who knows, I may find it in me to write something worthwhile one day.
My friend Holly has been very productive recently and has added two more songs to her ever growing catalogue. She never ceases to amaze me in terms of her abilities and I just hope that she gets the breaks that she deserves. This is a link to her latest offering!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrCcqI12Qhs&feature=email
Friday, 29 August 2008
another day
Just back from yet another visit to the hospital. I know the place pretty well by now, and as I wandered between endoscopy and audiology, I passed a number of departments that i have spent many an hour in. I even saw the surgeon who last spilled my blood. There are still some departments that I have yet to visit but no doubt if I hang around long enough I will get to see them too.
I seem to have spent a significant part of my life in the hands of the NHS and i guess that i am grateful to still be here, to be walking and seeing clearly, and yet here i am grumbling about the time i spend there. There are many people who go their whole lives without any intervention by the medical profession, and they are so lucky.
Just entering a hospital fills me with feelings of dread. The smells, the noises and even the decoration on the walls, are all triggers to me. They bring back memories from childhood that are best left alone, and whenever i leave the premises it wis with great relief.
The outcome from today was good, and a weight has been lifted for sure. next week it is my turn again and I will learn the outcome of my CT scan. Oddly I don't look forward to it at all. I wonder if i have a brain?
I seem to have spent a significant part of my life in the hands of the NHS and i guess that i am grateful to still be here, to be walking and seeing clearly, and yet here i am grumbling about the time i spend there. There are many people who go their whole lives without any intervention by the medical profession, and they are so lucky.
Just entering a hospital fills me with feelings of dread. The smells, the noises and even the decoration on the walls, are all triggers to me. They bring back memories from childhood that are best left alone, and whenever i leave the premises it wis with great relief.
The outcome from today was good, and a weight has been lifted for sure. next week it is my turn again and I will learn the outcome of my CT scan. Oddly I don't look forward to it at all. I wonder if i have a brain?
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
Sod's law
My understanding of Sod's law, is that if anything can go wrong, then it will. There are many variations on this of course, one of them being that if you drop a piece of buttered toast then it will always land butter side down.
Yesterday I had a CT scan. An interesting experience andI have to say that our health service is a wonderful institution. My appointment was at 1.30m and i was seen as soon as I arrived. The women in charge were courteous and kind and made me feel very relaxed.
As I lay on the conveyor belt, everything that I needed to know was explained and all I had to do was lie still, while the wonders of modern technology whirled around me. It was rather like a giant, soap and water free washing machine, all controlled by the appropriate program, and as it whirled, I slid in and out of the aperture, like a hollywood cliché. Then i got an itch on my nose! It is almost impossible to stay still when you have an itch, and that is all I had to do - just stay still. In and out i went like a slow moving piston; round and round the scanner went, and the itch got worse and worse. Never have I lost interest in technology so swiftly, as all I could perceive was the itch which by now had grown out of all proportion in its significance.
Then the whirring stopped, I was withdrawn from the cavity and it was all over. I sat up and of course the itch had run its course too.
Now i have to wait a week or so for the results!
Yesterday I had a CT scan. An interesting experience andI have to say that our health service is a wonderful institution. My appointment was at 1.30m and i was seen as soon as I arrived. The women in charge were courteous and kind and made me feel very relaxed.
As I lay on the conveyor belt, everything that I needed to know was explained and all I had to do was lie still, while the wonders of modern technology whirled around me. It was rather like a giant, soap and water free washing machine, all controlled by the appropriate program, and as it whirled, I slid in and out of the aperture, like a hollywood cliché. Then i got an itch on my nose! It is almost impossible to stay still when you have an itch, and that is all I had to do - just stay still. In and out i went like a slow moving piston; round and round the scanner went, and the itch got worse and worse. Never have I lost interest in technology so swiftly, as all I could perceive was the itch which by now had grown out of all proportion in its significance.
Then the whirring stopped, I was withdrawn from the cavity and it was all over. I sat up and of course the itch had run its course too.
Now i have to wait a week or so for the results!
Saturday, 16 August 2008
Personal spaces
It has been a while since I received any comments here. Clearly I am not being controversial enough, either that or my reader is agreeing with me.
I was reading the other day about a woman who was injured on a plane. She was suing the airline because she was crushed by the passenger sitting next to her.
Whenever I have flown, I have waited with a great deal of trepidation in the departure lounge, examining the assembly of fellow passengers and assessing the ones that I really did not want to sit next to. There are many stereotypes that are always present. The ones with the loud voices, loud shirts or worse, loud children, then there are the ones who look like they might be terrorists, the very tall, like me, whose legs will spread through necessity into the surrounding spaces. There are the elderly who one guesses will be up and down visiting the toilet throughout the flight, there are those that look as if they are about to die of fright, and those that just look ill. By far the worst nightmare though has to be the enormously obese person who cannot possibly fit into a normal seat without overflowing into all the surrounding spaces.
When such a person arrives in the departure lounge, you can see the feeling of panic spread through the passengers each trying to glimpse the seat number on the boarding pass, checking it against their own. The nightmare has to come true for someone, and everyone hopes that it isn't them. More people pray at this time than they do at take off and landing. If I had any proclivity for prayer, this would be the time for me to do it.
I, like many others, loathe invasions of my personal space. I am not naturally gregarious and treat most people distantly and hope that they will remain that way. When i enter a room, i will choose a seat as far away from anyone as possible, and hate being touched in any way by strange people. To be overwhelmed by folds of adipose tissue is my idea of hell.
According to the story, the husband of the large woman, had requested that he sat somewhere else, and so a poor unsuspecting woman was saddled with the experience. Fat lady was so vast that the arm rest between the seats had to be removed and so the poor soul next to her was crushed and needed hospital treatment.
A doctor friend of mine tells me that there really is no excuse for obesity. Even though there are many contributing factors, a fat person fundamentally eats too much. For whatever reason, they eat more than they need to and that is a personal choice.
Everyone who flies is limited in the weight of baggage that they can carry, regardless of their own mass. So a 120lb passenger has the same limitations as one of 600lb. THis is a ludicrous situation and maybe it should be redressed. Perhaps there should be a restriction on total weight carried and that penalty tarriffs for those whose combine mass exceeds a reasonable norm. I am tall and probably carry more pounds than I should and would accept this system, even though we tall people are discriminated against by the ridiculous seat pitch of most airliners.
Discrimination is part of life and maybe by discriminating in favour of the non obese, that might provide some incentive for some people to make life style changes, even if it is just choosing not to fly!
I was reading the other day about a woman who was injured on a plane. She was suing the airline because she was crushed by the passenger sitting next to her.
Whenever I have flown, I have waited with a great deal of trepidation in the departure lounge, examining the assembly of fellow passengers and assessing the ones that I really did not want to sit next to. There are many stereotypes that are always present. The ones with the loud voices, loud shirts or worse, loud children, then there are the ones who look like they might be terrorists, the very tall, like me, whose legs will spread through necessity into the surrounding spaces. There are the elderly who one guesses will be up and down visiting the toilet throughout the flight, there are those that look as if they are about to die of fright, and those that just look ill. By far the worst nightmare though has to be the enormously obese person who cannot possibly fit into a normal seat without overflowing into all the surrounding spaces.
When such a person arrives in the departure lounge, you can see the feeling of panic spread through the passengers each trying to glimpse the seat number on the boarding pass, checking it against their own. The nightmare has to come true for someone, and everyone hopes that it isn't them. More people pray at this time than they do at take off and landing. If I had any proclivity for prayer, this would be the time for me to do it.
I, like many others, loathe invasions of my personal space. I am not naturally gregarious and treat most people distantly and hope that they will remain that way. When i enter a room, i will choose a seat as far away from anyone as possible, and hate being touched in any way by strange people. To be overwhelmed by folds of adipose tissue is my idea of hell.
According to the story, the husband of the large woman, had requested that he sat somewhere else, and so a poor unsuspecting woman was saddled with the experience. Fat lady was so vast that the arm rest between the seats had to be removed and so the poor soul next to her was crushed and needed hospital treatment.
A doctor friend of mine tells me that there really is no excuse for obesity. Even though there are many contributing factors, a fat person fundamentally eats too much. For whatever reason, they eat more than they need to and that is a personal choice.
Everyone who flies is limited in the weight of baggage that they can carry, regardless of their own mass. So a 120lb passenger has the same limitations as one of 600lb. THis is a ludicrous situation and maybe it should be redressed. Perhaps there should be a restriction on total weight carried and that penalty tarriffs for those whose combine mass exceeds a reasonable norm. I am tall and probably carry more pounds than I should and would accept this system, even though we tall people are discriminated against by the ridiculous seat pitch of most airliners.
Discrimination is part of life and maybe by discriminating in favour of the non obese, that might provide some incentive for some people to make life style changes, even if it is just choosing not to fly!
Thursday, 14 August 2008
There is no point!
I feel that I should be outside in the sunshine, soaking up every last photon while it is here, but I have been doing a little gardening after having played golf and frankly I feel weary. There was a time when i could go on doing physical stuff all day, but clearly those days are behind me and I am on the slippery slope downhill.
Yesterday I ranted about the ill informed and ludicrously self aggrandised member of the ruling classes and his attempts to inform the public of his perceived disasters. Today the press is full of the same sort of arguments and so I feel quite justified in my comments. Having said that, i haven't seen the sun or the mail, and either or both of them are likely to be sucking up to the royals as usual.
I wish that more people would listen to the arguments put forward so eloquently by Richard Dawkins. Now he too is highly opinionated, but at least he bases his opinions on solid facts and not on whims and fairy tales. If you really want to see a cage rattle, then ask Mr Dawkins about his opinions on intelligent design, a topic that because of religious sensibilities, is being mooted as a valid theory in many schools, both here and in the United States. How on Earth can people, when faced with the facts, even begin to believe what was written down by men in the middle east, long before people began to understand the world around them. It isn't as if the process of evolution is subject to dispute. It is very simple and is borne out by evidence. Evidence is of course what the creationists lack but is does not deter them even for a second.
Basically Evolution is based on the following observations
1. Living things reproduce sexually and produce far more offspring than they need to replace themselves.
2. Within the offspring there is variation, due to the process of cell division that produces the sex cells.
3. There is a struggle to survive - eg a female plaice may lay a million eggs, but only two of them need to survive to breed.
4. Some of the offspring may be better suited to survive in the conditions that prevail.
5. They are the ones that become adults and breed, passing their genetic code onto the next generation.
A simple set of ideas put forward by Charles Darwin in the late nineteenth century, and since then more and more evidence is being unearthed that supports what was once referred to as a theory. Evolution is fact and once you accept that there can be no turning back.
Perhaps that is the problem with the creationists - to open your heart to your faith is one thing, but to open your head to common sense and scientific principles might just undermine the shaky ground upon which their faith is based. Once one accepts the principle of evolution as a series of chance events, then the question, why are we here? becomes an irrelevance and we can stop looking for a supernatural raison d'etre.
Yesterday I ranted about the ill informed and ludicrously self aggrandised member of the ruling classes and his attempts to inform the public of his perceived disasters. Today the press is full of the same sort of arguments and so I feel quite justified in my comments. Having said that, i haven't seen the sun or the mail, and either or both of them are likely to be sucking up to the royals as usual.
I wish that more people would listen to the arguments put forward so eloquently by Richard Dawkins. Now he too is highly opinionated, but at least he bases his opinions on solid facts and not on whims and fairy tales. If you really want to see a cage rattle, then ask Mr Dawkins about his opinions on intelligent design, a topic that because of religious sensibilities, is being mooted as a valid theory in many schools, both here and in the United States. How on Earth can people, when faced with the facts, even begin to believe what was written down by men in the middle east, long before people began to understand the world around them. It isn't as if the process of evolution is subject to dispute. It is very simple and is borne out by evidence. Evidence is of course what the creationists lack but is does not deter them even for a second.
Basically Evolution is based on the following observations
1. Living things reproduce sexually and produce far more offspring than they need to replace themselves.
2. Within the offspring there is variation, due to the process of cell division that produces the sex cells.
3. There is a struggle to survive - eg a female plaice may lay a million eggs, but only two of them need to survive to breed.
4. Some of the offspring may be better suited to survive in the conditions that prevail.
5. They are the ones that become adults and breed, passing their genetic code onto the next generation.
A simple set of ideas put forward by Charles Darwin in the late nineteenth century, and since then more and more evidence is being unearthed that supports what was once referred to as a theory. Evolution is fact and once you accept that there can be no turning back.
Perhaps that is the problem with the creationists - to open your heart to your faith is one thing, but to open your head to common sense and scientific principles might just undermine the shaky ground upon which their faith is based. Once one accepts the principle of evolution as a series of chance events, then the question, why are we here? becomes an irrelevance and we can stop looking for a supernatural raison d'etre.
Wednesday, 13 August 2008
GM food
I have never been much of a fan of the Royal Family, and cannot really appreciate the arguments that people put forward for maintaining them. I am sure that Oliver Cromwell hoped to have got rid of the institution and probably turns in whatever grave he is in, at the current state of affairs. We have a priveleged and wealthy bunch of "Aristocrats", powerless to do very much other than make public appearances for the sake of the readers of the sun and the daily mail, who seem to think that millions of pounds of tax payers money is well spent on their upkeep and maintenance, and all they seem to do is produce more mouths for the public purse to feed.
The reason for my outburst, is the recent attacks made by "wingnut" Charlie on the whole of GM technology. According to him, and this guy has no qualifications in Science that I am aware of, the whole GM experiment has been a catastrophe. The evidence that he has, seems to be in his own imagination.
Man has been genetically modifying foods since farmers first bred livestock and cereal crops. Each time a breeder selects a characteristic that he deems apt, and carries out a program leading to that character's development is guilty of genetic manipulation. Without that having taken place, we would have little in the way of food and would of course probably be still living in tribes and painting our faces blue.
It is all part of evolution, which of course is based upon natural selection or the survival of the fittest. The difference is that instead of allowing natural processes to make the selection, man is giving the process a hand. Should he produce something that is unfit to survive in the wild then it will simply die out, which is of course the fate of inbred lines!
GM technology is simply extending our abilities to produce food that will be required to feed the ever growing population. Agreed it needs to be regulated and secure safeguards built in, but surely this is a technology that can produce miraculous results, given time and sufficient research.
Wingnut's problem is that he comes from a long line of inbreds, whose own gene pool has become dangerously limited. His own understanding of the technology is very limited, but in order to justify his own existence, he feels that he must pontificate on all issues that have any degree of controversy. I am sure that he means well, but the problem is that too many people actually listen to him and believe that he knows what he is talking about.
The reason for my outburst, is the recent attacks made by "wingnut" Charlie on the whole of GM technology. According to him, and this guy has no qualifications in Science that I am aware of, the whole GM experiment has been a catastrophe. The evidence that he has, seems to be in his own imagination.
Man has been genetically modifying foods since farmers first bred livestock and cereal crops. Each time a breeder selects a characteristic that he deems apt, and carries out a program leading to that character's development is guilty of genetic manipulation. Without that having taken place, we would have little in the way of food and would of course probably be still living in tribes and painting our faces blue.
It is all part of evolution, which of course is based upon natural selection or the survival of the fittest. The difference is that instead of allowing natural processes to make the selection, man is giving the process a hand. Should he produce something that is unfit to survive in the wild then it will simply die out, which is of course the fate of inbred lines!
GM technology is simply extending our abilities to produce food that will be required to feed the ever growing population. Agreed it needs to be regulated and secure safeguards built in, but surely this is a technology that can produce miraculous results, given time and sufficient research.
Wingnut's problem is that he comes from a long line of inbreds, whose own gene pool has become dangerously limited. His own understanding of the technology is very limited, but in order to justify his own existence, he feels that he must pontificate on all issues that have any degree of controversy. I am sure that he means well, but the problem is that too many people actually listen to him and believe that he knows what he is talking about.
Monday, 11 August 2008
Football fans
Generally speaking, football fans have a pretty poor reputation. Yesterday I was one of then, travelling by train to Wembley, along with thousands of Portsmouth fans. Being a Manchester United follower, I kept myself to myself and sat reading a book to while away the journey.
There was much banter, a great deal of noise, and even at 8 something in the morning, a lot of alcohol consumed. There was however nothing in the way of bad behaviour or even unpleasantness. This continued on the London Transport system as 84,000 fans, half in red and half in blue, converged on the Mecca of English football, to witness the fundamentally friendly game that heralds the start of the season.
I met up with my son and we joined the masses heading for North London. Fortunately we had been given tickets, and very good were the seats. Arriving in plenty of time, we were able to spend ridiculous amounts of money on food and drink - (Non alcoholic!), while watching the stadium fill. We were on the halfway line and had an excellent view of the entire pitch. The reds to our right and the blues to our left. I have to say that the Portsmouth fans made the most noise - until they lost of course, and then they went quiet - in fact most of them went home very swiftly, while the red fans, including yours truly stayed behind to watch the presentations and all that goes with it.
Leaving the stadium is an experience not to be repeated. It is hard to describe what it is like to be in a column of 84,000, all heading for the same tube station, all being herded onto the same trains. I guess it is quite close to being a sort of hell on Earth, and it is as close as I ever want to come to the great British public. At least being taller than most I didn't have my nose in anyone's armpit, and i did feel sorry for those vertically challenged.
At no point was there any sign of aggression or of friction between the fans. Ok they are loud, crude and devoted to their teams, but what is wrong with that? I felt no shame for being a part of the day.
There was much banter, a great deal of noise, and even at 8 something in the morning, a lot of alcohol consumed. There was however nothing in the way of bad behaviour or even unpleasantness. This continued on the London Transport system as 84,000 fans, half in red and half in blue, converged on the Mecca of English football, to witness the fundamentally friendly game that heralds the start of the season.
I met up with my son and we joined the masses heading for North London. Fortunately we had been given tickets, and very good were the seats. Arriving in plenty of time, we were able to spend ridiculous amounts of money on food and drink - (Non alcoholic!), while watching the stadium fill. We were on the halfway line and had an excellent view of the entire pitch. The reds to our right and the blues to our left. I have to say that the Portsmouth fans made the most noise - until they lost of course, and then they went quiet - in fact most of them went home very swiftly, while the red fans, including yours truly stayed behind to watch the presentations and all that goes with it.
Leaving the stadium is an experience not to be repeated. It is hard to describe what it is like to be in a column of 84,000, all heading for the same tube station, all being herded onto the same trains. I guess it is quite close to being a sort of hell on Earth, and it is as close as I ever want to come to the great British public. At least being taller than most I didn't have my nose in anyone's armpit, and i did feel sorry for those vertically challenged.
At no point was there any sign of aggression or of friction between the fans. Ok they are loud, crude and devoted to their teams, but what is wrong with that? I felt no shame for being a part of the day.
Wednesday, 6 August 2008
Pain
Something happened to me yesterday that has not happened in a long time. I was reaching up to harvest a fresh and very ripe fig from the tree next to the greenhouse, when a sharp pain shot through my hand. I had bee stung by a wasp, who i can only imagine was irked with me for stealing his lunch. The pain grew and coursed through my palm, and could i remember the best treatment? Is it vinegar or baking soda? I couldn't remember whether the wasp sting is acidic or alkaline and so i opted for vinegar. It didn't make it any worse, nor do i think it made it any better.
I know that for some people that such stings are life threatening, and I once had a friend who carried an epipen, as she was so subject to anaphylactic responses to such things. People have died from single stings, and so really in the whole scheme of things, my own discomfort was trivial.
It reminded me of other occasions when i have been stung, and to be frank they are few and far between. I can only recall two other events, though there may have been more. The first time i remember being stung, i must have been about 17 yrs old. I was fishing on a river bank and keeping very still and very quiet, concentrating on the fish or lack of them. A wasp managed to get into my mouth when i wasn't looking, and promptly stung me inside my lip. That hurt! My lips swelled and the pain was like no other. The wasp escaped unhurt and lived to sting someone else. My fishing day was over, as i stumbled home feeling sorry for myself.
I still feel the remnants of yesterday and there is a small red spot where the assault took place, and as before the individual responsible has escaped to fight another day. I picked some more figs this morning, but this time took a lot more care about where i put my hand. Pain is a great tutor!
I know that for some people that such stings are life threatening, and I once had a friend who carried an epipen, as she was so subject to anaphylactic responses to such things. People have died from single stings, and so really in the whole scheme of things, my own discomfort was trivial.
It reminded me of other occasions when i have been stung, and to be frank they are few and far between. I can only recall two other events, though there may have been more. The first time i remember being stung, i must have been about 17 yrs old. I was fishing on a river bank and keeping very still and very quiet, concentrating on the fish or lack of them. A wasp managed to get into my mouth when i wasn't looking, and promptly stung me inside my lip. That hurt! My lips swelled and the pain was like no other. The wasp escaped unhurt and lived to sting someone else. My fishing day was over, as i stumbled home feeling sorry for myself.
I still feel the remnants of yesterday and there is a small red spot where the assault took place, and as before the individual responsible has escaped to fight another day. I picked some more figs this morning, but this time took a lot more care about where i put my hand. Pain is a great tutor!
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
Cowes Week
Well it is Cowes week, the big sailing festival of the year, and it is raining. The forecast for the rest of the week looks to be pretty much the same.
The town of course is full, and the locals welcome all the visitors with inflated prices and hand over your money ingratiation. The town loves Cowes Week as it brings in money and also keeps Cowes on the map. It may be a tiny seaside town with only one hotel, but it has the accolade of sailing Mecca for the rich and famous for one week in the year.
I guess there were times when it was just for the upper classes, and was part of the "Season". Nowadays it is for everyone who wants to drink all day and sit watching people passing by. Even since I have been here, I sense that it is gradually slipping down the same slope as everything else, into a fully accessible, commercialised miasmic plateau of dumbed down mediocrity.
The town at night is becoming the meeting point for the chavs, who occupy the bars, and with their carrier bags full of cheap supermarket vodka, generate an atmosphere that is becoming less and less appealing and to some extent even threatening. They bring little to the festivities other than an erosion of freedom for others.
Dumbing down is a slippery slope with no ending. However we wrap it up, society is a mixed bag and always will be. Making everything accessible to everyone is sheer nonsense. I agree fully with equality of opportunity, and there should always be ways out of the holes that people dig for themselves, or that they fall into, but should everything be downgraded to accommodate the lowest common denominator?
Should Jemima, with her three grade D GCSE's be encouraged to become a doctor or an airline pilot? Should we make sure that all books are produced as cartoons? Should the Royal Opera House open a McDonalds franchise while reducing perormances to bursts of 5 minutes in order to take into account short attention spans?
I worry about the way that we are heading. I'd like to think that there are pinnacles that are inaccessible to me, and places that I cannot go and targets that I cannot meet. Such things raise aspirations for self improvement as well as adding to life's mysteries.
Groucho Marx once said that he wouldn't want to join a club that would have him as a member. Oh how right he was!
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
Henry/Jemima
"Children should be seen and not heard." This was the philosophy of the time when I was being dragged up. It was certainly the case when adults were around and we as kids always knew our place. For goodness sake we were put there often enough, and frankly would do more or less anything to avoid the company of adults.
The current cohort of children seem to be enjoying a different experience, and it seems that for some parents, the child is always right! I find it annoying to say the least, that fully grown people will bow down and change their own plans on the whims of a child.
It seems that as soon as little Henry, or Jemima is bored with whatever the family is doing, then it is time to move on to something new, regardless of the needs or wants of others. Little Henry/Jemima now rules the roost and does more or less what they want. Children today are brought up to fear nothing, to respect nothing and by and large to be utterly selfish. They are not being taught tolerance or patience and feel that they can always get what they want when they want it.
If Henry/Jemima misbehave in a public place, woe betide any adult who steps in to say anything or do anything. Parents will fly to their side and defend the indefensible, to the extent that teachers and even the Police have no standing in the minds of these precious little gits. Did I really say that? Oh well as always I speak from the hip and sod the consequences.
This is not a particularly new phenomenon, children have been spoiled throughout history, and such obnoxious persons have been described in literature since the time of Chaucer. I cannot go that far back but I do have a neice, a single child, utterly the focus of her parents lives (sad isn't it!) even at the age of 28. AS a family group we went to a baseball game in the national stadium. An interesting event, especially for those of us who had not seen such an event before. However, in the second half, the aforementioned brat, decided that she was bored. Now that isn't surprising at the age of 6 but what was surprising is that the whole party, all three generations, were then forced to leave and go home to satisfy the whim of brat! She still has brattish tendencies if allowed to express them, however she now has brats of her own and will no doubt be cultivating the brat habits with them - I can only hope that they rebel!
Just imagine what the backlash will be like when Henry /Jemima decide to produce their own litters. The backlash might be catastrophic..........I do hope so!
The current cohort of children seem to be enjoying a different experience, and it seems that for some parents, the child is always right! I find it annoying to say the least, that fully grown people will bow down and change their own plans on the whims of a child.
It seems that as soon as little Henry, or Jemima is bored with whatever the family is doing, then it is time to move on to something new, regardless of the needs or wants of others. Little Henry/Jemima now rules the roost and does more or less what they want. Children today are brought up to fear nothing, to respect nothing and by and large to be utterly selfish. They are not being taught tolerance or patience and feel that they can always get what they want when they want it.
If Henry/Jemima misbehave in a public place, woe betide any adult who steps in to say anything or do anything. Parents will fly to their side and defend the indefensible, to the extent that teachers and even the Police have no standing in the minds of these precious little gits. Did I really say that? Oh well as always I speak from the hip and sod the consequences.
This is not a particularly new phenomenon, children have been spoiled throughout history, and such obnoxious persons have been described in literature since the time of Chaucer. I cannot go that far back but I do have a neice, a single child, utterly the focus of her parents lives (sad isn't it!) even at the age of 28. AS a family group we went to a baseball game in the national stadium. An interesting event, especially for those of us who had not seen such an event before. However, in the second half, the aforementioned brat, decided that she was bored. Now that isn't surprising at the age of 6 but what was surprising is that the whole party, all three generations, were then forced to leave and go home to satisfy the whim of brat! She still has brattish tendencies if allowed to express them, however she now has brats of her own and will no doubt be cultivating the brat habits with them - I can only hope that they rebel!
Just imagine what the backlash will be like when Henry /Jemima decide to produce their own litters. The backlash might be catastrophic..........I do hope so!
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
Things to learn before leaving school
That you may be the centre of your own universe, but you are not that of others.
That no-one owes you anything.
Some people care about you, MOST don't.
Money goes out faster than it comes in.
How to prepare a balanced meal from basic ingredients.
How to read
How to write
How to be polite to others
How to seek help when necessary
How to keep clean
How to deal with the opposite sex or same sex
How to use electricity and gas safely and economically.
Where in the world is..............?
How to swim
Where food comes from
Where energy comes from
That other people have feelings
How to wire a plug
How to fix a leaky pipe
How to build a compost heap
How to resist temptation
How to solve problems
How to recognise the edible and the inedible things around us.
How to make lists
How to let love into your life
How to think for yourself and not to be led easily by others!
That no-one owes you anything.
Some people care about you, MOST don't.
Money goes out faster than it comes in.
How to prepare a balanced meal from basic ingredients.
How to read
How to write
How to be polite to others
How to seek help when necessary
How to keep clean
How to deal with the opposite sex or same sex
How to use electricity and gas safely and economically.
Where in the world is..............?
How to swim
Where food comes from
Where energy comes from
That other people have feelings
How to wire a plug
How to fix a leaky pipe
How to build a compost heap
How to resist temptation
How to solve problems
How to recognise the edible and the inedible things around us.
How to make lists
How to let love into your life
How to think for yourself and not to be led easily by others!
Ignorance
The older I get, the more i realise how little i know.
I am in a quiz team and normally we do pretty well, in fact we win too often for comfort and most teams are glad when we don't turn up. We are also the ones to beat of course, and last night we were! Fundamentally, there were two complete rounds, about which we knew almost nothing. The first of these was about auctions, and never having attended one of these, and having almost no interest in shopping of any kind, I had no idea of the differences between Christies, Tattersals and Sothebies, I had bnever heard of a commission auction, although I had heard of ebay. The next round was even worse, and was all about various computer games. Now i am no stranger to computers and to games, but I know nothing of fighting dolphins and the like and so we failed dismally.
The quiznight is a great indicator of ignorance and I know that I know almost nothing about a whole list of topics, including American sport, American state capitals, soap operas, television in general and especially reality TV, I know little about sport in general, and i care nothing for celebrities. My geography is weak, as is my history, and I have no idea which of our monarchs preceded which and who arranged for the murder of whom. I speak no foreign languages and that includes Astrology. My recall of Greek and Roman mythology is shaky, and I am terrible at recognising the faces of the rich and famous.
I could go on, the list seems endless, and the list of things that I do know about is very short. I suspect that I am not alone here. I never considered myself particularly smart, nor stupid, but sometimes a quiz can make one feel the latter very easily.
Most people are in the same boat of course, and some can barely tie their own shoelaces, but there are so many things that everyone ought to know or be able to do in order to survive in a changing world. having said that, there is plenty of knowledge out there that I am grateful not to have, as they say - (THEY again!!) Ignorance is Bliss.
I am in a quiz team and normally we do pretty well, in fact we win too often for comfort and most teams are glad when we don't turn up. We are also the ones to beat of course, and last night we were! Fundamentally, there were two complete rounds, about which we knew almost nothing. The first of these was about auctions, and never having attended one of these, and having almost no interest in shopping of any kind, I had no idea of the differences between Christies, Tattersals and Sothebies, I had bnever heard of a commission auction, although I had heard of ebay. The next round was even worse, and was all about various computer games. Now i am no stranger to computers and to games, but I know nothing of fighting dolphins and the like and so we failed dismally.
The quiznight is a great indicator of ignorance and I know that I know almost nothing about a whole list of topics, including American sport, American state capitals, soap operas, television in general and especially reality TV, I know little about sport in general, and i care nothing for celebrities. My geography is weak, as is my history, and I have no idea which of our monarchs preceded which and who arranged for the murder of whom. I speak no foreign languages and that includes Astrology. My recall of Greek and Roman mythology is shaky, and I am terrible at recognising the faces of the rich and famous.
I could go on, the list seems endless, and the list of things that I do know about is very short. I suspect that I am not alone here. I never considered myself particularly smart, nor stupid, but sometimes a quiz can make one feel the latter very easily.
Most people are in the same boat of course, and some can barely tie their own shoelaces, but there are so many things that everyone ought to know or be able to do in order to survive in a changing world. having said that, there is plenty of knowledge out there that I am grateful not to have, as they say - (THEY again!!) Ignorance is Bliss.
Monday, 28 July 2008
Music - play on
This has been the year of the live gig! Never before have i attended so many events in the course of such a short space of time, and i have to say that i could get used to it!
I just got back from a long weekend in France, and this may well have turned out to be the most expensive concert so far. The tickets were a reasonable price but added to that were, the ferry fares to the mainland and then the overnight boat to St Malo and then the drive to Quimper and the three overnight stays in questionable hotels. Taking meals and drinks and other incidentals into account, it was a very expensive gig indeed. However it was worth it.
The object of the expedition was Loreena McKennitt, who was the star feature of the Celtic festival taking place in Quimper. I have for several years been a fan of Loreena and her amazing band of players and to see her in the flesh, as it were, was too great a temptation. To make things more interesting, Holly and her father also attended - they flew in from Southampton, and Holly managed to get backstage passes in the hope of meeting the great lady. That however wasn't to be, but we did meet an equally lovely and talented Caroline Lavelle, the cellist in Loreena's band. She is a delightful person and generously offered Holly free cello lessons. I hope that she can take her up on that offer.
It was a wonderful evening and my illusions were never in danger of being shattered. Loreena enthralled a huge audience and received a well deserved standing ovation.
We were a little disappointed not to have met her, but on the other hand what would I have said to her that hasn't been said so many times before? I guess that maybe in restrospect that things turned out well. Ironically though, as Holly checked out of her hotel, she found that Loreena had been staying in the room opposite hers!
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Tuesday afternoon
Nothing to say and here I am saying it! Tuesday afternoon always link to the song by the Moody Blues. I had a friend who had that album when it first came out and it was the only one that he played, probably because it was the only one he had. Sharing a room with an album can have long lasting effects and one might think that I'd hate it, but no, Days of Future Passed with all the cliché, bad poetry and lack of real meaning, remains as one of my favourite albums of all time. Some days i try to compile lists of favourites and yes dear reader, today is no exception. I am mind numbingly bored today and am finding ways to fill in time so here goes - today, at this moment in time, these are my favourite albums.
The division bell - Pink Floyd
Led Zepplin 2 - Led Zepplin
Days of future passed - Moody Blues
What we did on our holidays - fairport Convention
Bookends - Simon and Garfunkel
Surfs up-Beach Boys
Abbey Road - Beatles
Raising Sand-Robert Plant/Alison Krauss
The Mask and the Mirror- Loreena McKennitt
Greatest Hits- Leonard Cohen
Tomorrow I may change my mind but those are pretty much always with me in my heart and in my head, some for very good reason and others not.
Monday, 14 July 2008
People Torn By Fate
People Torn by Fate is a line from the national anthem of Hungary. It struck me that I, like probably many others, know very little about Hungary as a nation and even less about its people. I have only ever spoken to one Hungarian person that I am aware of, and although I sense a great deal of pride in the country, there is also a degree of modesty, associated with one of the smallest and possibly poorest of the European states. It is a fascinating country nevertheless. The great Enrico Fermi when asked whether extra terrestrials existed replied "Yes they do - they re called Hungarians!" I am not sure what he meant but one day I'd like to find out for myself. It is on a short list of places that I'd like to see before i die.
I collected stamps as a child, in fact I still have them somewhere, and I recall being quite fond of the Hungarian part of my collection, being puzzled by the fact that the word Hungary never appeared on them, instead MAGYAR POSTA was boldly emblazoned on the colourful scraps of paper. i never knew where Hungary was, just that it was east of here and west of Russia. I knew that they had good reasons for not liking Russians or Germans for that matter, but even now i am embarrassed by my utter lack of knowledge.
I have been looking things up and to my surprise find that 10,000 Magyars live in the UK. I know that doesn't seem many set against the number of Muslims, but that is still a small town's worth of displaced souls.
Hunga has the biggest lake in Europe within it's borders - Lake Balaton covers 598 square miles - that is a lot of water and a great place to hide all sorts of things. maybe Sadaam Husseins weapons are sunk into it.
I never knew until today that it borders on Austria. To think that I have been quite close to it and never even noticed. How could I have overlooked what is clearly a jewel set in the middle of an increasingly characterless Europe. I have seen something shining there and now i want to see it for myself.
I collected stamps as a child, in fact I still have them somewhere, and I recall being quite fond of the Hungarian part of my collection, being puzzled by the fact that the word Hungary never appeared on them, instead MAGYAR POSTA was boldly emblazoned on the colourful scraps of paper. i never knew where Hungary was, just that it was east of here and west of Russia. I knew that they had good reasons for not liking Russians or Germans for that matter, but even now i am embarrassed by my utter lack of knowledge.
I have been looking things up and to my surprise find that 10,000 Magyars live in the UK. I know that doesn't seem many set against the number of Muslims, but that is still a small town's worth of displaced souls.
Hunga has the biggest lake in Europe within it's borders - Lake Balaton covers 598 square miles - that is a lot of water and a great place to hide all sorts of things. maybe Sadaam Husseins weapons are sunk into it.
I never knew until today that it borders on Austria. To think that I have been quite close to it and never even noticed. How could I have overlooked what is clearly a jewel set in the middle of an increasingly characterless Europe. I have seen something shining there and now i want to see it for myself.
Saturday, 12 July 2008
Black bags
Is it just me? Or are black plastic bags really very poor these days? The other day while clearing the debris from my decorating adventures, I dropped some rubbish into a bag and it fell straight through the bottom. It wasn’t particularly heavy or sharp, the bag was just not good enough. Nowadays if I fill these things with stuff to take somewhere else, usually the end of the drive so that the refuse men can collect them, but frequently to the refuse tip itself, as they are not too keen to take some materials away, I struggle to put more than leaves into the things without sharp pointy thing sticking through, splitting the bag and allowing everything to fall out!
Things like black bin bags are probably made in China. Let’s face it, most of the crap that we are sold these days does come from there. I once vowed that I would never willingly buy anything made in the People’s Republic, but that is very hard these days. It would seem that they are taking over the industrial processes that produce all those little things that we “need” in 21st century living. Dammit I bought a new laptop the other day. Apple are so well known for quality, and now they are assembled in China! I almost sent it back, but I will wait for it to breakdown first.
Black plastic bags are important. They are a symbol which in the end signifies US. When we die, effectively our worldly things will end up in them, and not long after we have been carried out in our boxes, our goods will follow, hastily shoved into bags so that our next of kin can clear the house and sell it.
I don’t want all my worldly things falling out as the bags are dragged out to the end of the drive. I’d hate to think that my remnants were on display to the whole world. Maybe I will request cardboard boxes, both for me and my stuff, and maybe we can be incinerated together.
Things like black bin bags are probably made in China. Let’s face it, most of the crap that we are sold these days does come from there. I once vowed that I would never willingly buy anything made in the People’s Republic, but that is very hard these days. It would seem that they are taking over the industrial processes that produce all those little things that we “need” in 21st century living. Dammit I bought a new laptop the other day. Apple are so well known for quality, and now they are assembled in China! I almost sent it back, but I will wait for it to breakdown first.
Black plastic bags are important. They are a symbol which in the end signifies US. When we die, effectively our worldly things will end up in them, and not long after we have been carried out in our boxes, our goods will follow, hastily shoved into bags so that our next of kin can clear the house and sell it.
I don’t want all my worldly things falling out as the bags are dragged out to the end of the drive. I’d hate to think that my remnants were on display to the whole world. Maybe I will request cardboard boxes, both for me and my stuff, and maybe we can be incinerated together.
Friday, 11 July 2008
They
"They" are amazingly powerful people, and I don't even know who they are. I have searched high and low all of my life and have never yet met one of them. They are the ones that predict the outcomes of our actions and our decisions, they are the ones whose voices are so often heard while others are not, they are responsible for many of the big decisions that we make in life.
I wonder why we are so subject to their views and why they are so universally accepted as being the final word on things? It seems that few of us make decisions unless "they" are consulted. I mean this evening I am going out. They say it is going to rain, so I will wear a raincoat! See what i mean? I believe them and yet there is no reason why I should. What makes their word any different in value to mine? Ok I say that it isn't going to rain! No one listens, and no-one would believe me if "They" say the opposite.
There have been times in my life when decisions that have had huge impact on me, have been made on the basis of what "they" say or think, and i really would like to meet them and punch them on the nose. Actually I wouldn't as i don't do that sort of thing. I have never intentionally punched anyone anywhere let alone on the nose. I would like to give "them" a pice of my mind however and maybe suggest that they keep their opinions to themselves.
I wonder if they operate outside this country? Do the Chinese have a "They"? and if they do, what are they saying about the forthcoming olympic games? They say that a third of the population is Chinese and I reckon that means that they can say and do pretty much what they want!
I wonder why we are so subject to their views and why they are so universally accepted as being the final word on things? It seems that few of us make decisions unless "they" are consulted. I mean this evening I am going out. They say it is going to rain, so I will wear a raincoat! See what i mean? I believe them and yet there is no reason why I should. What makes their word any different in value to mine? Ok I say that it isn't going to rain! No one listens, and no-one would believe me if "They" say the opposite.
There have been times in my life when decisions that have had huge impact on me, have been made on the basis of what "they" say or think, and i really would like to meet them and punch them on the nose. Actually I wouldn't as i don't do that sort of thing. I have never intentionally punched anyone anywhere let alone on the nose. I would like to give "them" a pice of my mind however and maybe suggest that they keep their opinions to themselves.
I wonder if they operate outside this country? Do the Chinese have a "They"? and if they do, what are they saying about the forthcoming olympic games? They say that a third of the population is Chinese and I reckon that means that they can say and do pretty much what they want!
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Bloody rain
The rain today is heavy and unyielding. I know that i needed some to fill up the empty water butts but I have had enough now, it can stop. Not only is it raining but I also feel cold! Cold in the first week of July??? Yet another wonderful British summer. This is all made to feel so much worse when i get messages from my daughter telling me how hot it is in Greece right now.
It has been suggested by some that peoples are the products of their climates, and that it is the dour and miserable weather that we get here that makes us what we are - dour and miserable i guess! And also as a nation, very hard working and industrious. I suppose that while it is raining like this, you might just as well be at work as on holiday.
I see that Iran has just tested a rocket with a range that would make Israel a potential target if ever they manage to complete their weapons programme. Now forgive me if i get things wrong here, but Iran is a Muslim state, yes? and we are told that Islam is a religion based on peace and understanding and tolerance of others? Now what would a religious state want with weapons capable of such mass destruction? I am clearly missing something here. The thought of nuclear capability in the hands of any religious group is surely a scary prospect but in the hands of Iranian fundamentalists who have openly declared that Israel should be erased from the map (peacefully, and in an understanding way of course as God is good!), is so scary, and today has come a step closer to being a reality.
Rain in Israel may soon contain a lot more than water, and if that happens then farewell Iran!
Maybe that is why the Muslims are all moving here, the weather dampens their enthusiasm for everything except making money.
Ok hands up those who I have offended today!!
It has been suggested by some that peoples are the products of their climates, and that it is the dour and miserable weather that we get here that makes us what we are - dour and miserable i guess! And also as a nation, very hard working and industrious. I suppose that while it is raining like this, you might just as well be at work as on holiday.
I see that Iran has just tested a rocket with a range that would make Israel a potential target if ever they manage to complete their weapons programme. Now forgive me if i get things wrong here, but Iran is a Muslim state, yes? and we are told that Islam is a religion based on peace and understanding and tolerance of others? Now what would a religious state want with weapons capable of such mass destruction? I am clearly missing something here. The thought of nuclear capability in the hands of any religious group is surely a scary prospect but in the hands of Iranian fundamentalists who have openly declared that Israel should be erased from the map (peacefully, and in an understanding way of course as God is good!), is so scary, and today has come a step closer to being a reality.
Rain in Israel may soon contain a lot more than water, and if that happens then farewell Iran!
Maybe that is why the Muslims are all moving here, the weather dampens their enthusiasm for everything except making money.
Ok hands up those who I have offended today!!
Sunday, 6 July 2008
life, don't talk to me about life
LIfe is strange. There are times when I think that it is quite ridiculous and am not surprised that people look for a meaning. I mean, what is the point of it all? We are born, we grow, we learn and some make a big impression on the world, but in the end we all die and for the majority of us, the world is no better, nor any worse for our passing.
Ok some of us choose to breed and so our own little cluster of nucleic acids, albeit in a shuffled up and diluted form, gets another spin of the wheel, but even then within a few generation, what made us unique will have spread and mingled so far, that our impact has been no more than a pebble dropped into a very large pond.
I am a great adherent to the ideas of Richard Dawkins, who among other things, maintains that we are simply the tools that our genes have assembled as a means of ensuring their care, survival and procreation. I know that this is an over simplification but for me it works. I often see myself as an assemblage of genes and i have done my biological duty, producing two wonderful children who in their turn, may or may not choose to become biologically successful.
One of the big changes that science has brought about is that people now do have that choice. Before modern contraception, the biological urge for sex ensured that people bred, as long as they were able to anyway. Those with the greatest drives were often the ones that produced most offspring and so their genes proliferated. Alas it seems that now the choices made for economic or other reasons mean that the intelligent, or genetically more able, are choosing to delay the breeding process or not bother at all, while those less well endowed genetically speaking, are not exercising the same choices, thus altering the balance in the composition of the gene pool.
Those of us who have been lucky enough to get this far, have become redundant. I know that I have nothing more to offer and can contribute nothing more to the world, at least nothing that makes any difference. I did just finish decorating my study, and while it looks ok now, I know that it is a temporary thing and if i were to drop dead this instant............
Ok some of us choose to breed and so our own little cluster of nucleic acids, albeit in a shuffled up and diluted form, gets another spin of the wheel, but even then within a few generation, what made us unique will have spread and mingled so far, that our impact has been no more than a pebble dropped into a very large pond.
I am a great adherent to the ideas of Richard Dawkins, who among other things, maintains that we are simply the tools that our genes have assembled as a means of ensuring their care, survival and procreation. I know that this is an over simplification but for me it works. I often see myself as an assemblage of genes and i have done my biological duty, producing two wonderful children who in their turn, may or may not choose to become biologically successful.
One of the big changes that science has brought about is that people now do have that choice. Before modern contraception, the biological urge for sex ensured that people bred, as long as they were able to anyway. Those with the greatest drives were often the ones that produced most offspring and so their genes proliferated. Alas it seems that now the choices made for economic or other reasons mean that the intelligent, or genetically more able, are choosing to delay the breeding process or not bother at all, while those less well endowed genetically speaking, are not exercising the same choices, thus altering the balance in the composition of the gene pool.
Those of us who have been lucky enough to get this far, have become redundant. I know that I have nothing more to offer and can contribute nothing more to the world, at least nothing that makes any difference. I did just finish decorating my study, and while it looks ok now, I know that it is a temporary thing and if i were to drop dead this instant............
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