Category: General

Why Europeans Can’t Throw A Tea Party – Daniel Hannan’s article in the WSJ

Why Europeans can\'t have a tea party

One feature Hannan highlights in this article which hadn’t occurred to me before in terms of differences between the USA and the rest of Europe in their political systems, is that in the USA members of Congress are chosen by the people, in open primaries, and are not taken from political party lists, whereas in the UK for instance, it is the party leader who chooses generally who may stand for the party in a particular constituency. Within that framework the will of the people cannot be expressed as strongly as when someone is elected free from having been put forward as a candidate by a particular party. For this reason he argues that it is unlikely that we will ever see a tax revolt in the UK, and both parties can continue to govern as they see fit, whilst in power, disregarding popular opinion.

On This Day – 14th October 1940

On the 14th of October 1940 in Lucknow India Rodger Oscar Webb  and his his wife, Dorothy Marie, had a son, Harry Rodger Webb.  Following India’s Independence in 1948, the family returned to England and settled in Carshalton, an area I know well.

Many years ago a friend of mine was playing in a skiffle band, which young Harry joined. He was a darn nuisance, my friend told me. “He wanted to play rock ‘n’ roll and we were definitely not interested in that, so we asked him to leave”. My friend’s skiffle band went where most such bands went – nowhere.  Harry changed his name to Cliff Richards – and the rest, as they say, is history. Continue reading “On This Day – 14th October 1940”

Turn me around three times and I’m lost

I went today into a residential home to see two patients, both confused, both requiring an injection.
The home is pretty good, with some carers who are actually highly trained in their own home countries, and other carers who are in the main UK ‘salt of the earth’ types – caring, thoughtful, helpful and willing to learn. Continue reading “Turn me around three times and I’m lost”

Ouch!

A CROSS LADY’S COMPLAINT!

I WAS SITTING IN THE WAITING ROOM FOR MY FIRST APPOINTMENT WITH A NEW DENTIST.

I NOTICED HIS DDS DIPLOMA ON THE WALL, WHICH BORE HIS FULL NAME. SUDDENLY, I REMEMBERED A TALL, HANDSOME, DARK-HAIRED BOY WITH THE SAME NAME HAD BEEN IN MY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS SOME 40-ODD YEARS AGO.

COULD HE BE THE SAME GUY THAT I HAD A SECRET CRUSH ON, WAY BACK THEN?

UPON SEEING HIM, HOWEVER, I QUICKLY DISCARDED ANY SUCH THOUGHT.

THIS BALDING, GRAY-HAIRED MAN WITH THE DEEPLY LINED FACE WAS WAY TOO OLD TO HAVE BEEN MY CLASSMATE. Continue reading “Ouch!”