Category: General

Its been light years since I put up a post, but following nudges from Janus and Christopher HERE GOES.

 I have just embarked on a new venture – as a Volunteer at University College London Hospital in the capacity as Ward Musician.   I had been interviewed and assessed over the last few months,  with workshops and induction courses and found to be of sound stock and yet, until Tuesday this week,  not one of my interviewers and assessors had actually heard me play the piano. Isn’t that just amazing?  Perhaps they were so desperate that they simply recognised my interactive charms and that was considered good enough, after all the main thing is to ENGAGE WITH THE PATIENTS. Continue reading “Ward Musician – Visit no. 1”

The Delightful Mrs May, after effortlessly vanquishing her foes after Wavy Davey’s spectacularly underwhelming collapse, has made great progress in cleaning up the slimy mess he left behind. George Hoes and Blow is decaying in the back benches and will hopefully follow Davey’s sally PDQ. After all, after his utter implosion in June it’s somewhat difficult to see how he could ever regain any credibility at Whitehall.

And now, the Delightful Mrs May has shown her hand at last. Article 50 will be triggered at the Queen’s Speech. By doing so, Britain will retain control over the timing and tone of negotiations. It will not be done in a typically wog manner, chaotic and sleazy, but in an eminently British way. The regular parliamentary schedule will be followed indicating that the Mother of All Parliaments, not the most useless, will be prepared to debate and criticise any proposals spewing forth from the busted sewer that is Brussels.

I remember staying up late on the night of 23-24 June. Several times throughout the night I woke up with a start and went to check the status of Britain’s vote for freedom. When the results were finally announced I was nearly delirious with joy and exhaustion. Naturally, the actual political machinations are far murkier and slow than one would like but being realistic is a necessity. There is one development that has left me SEETHING with ANGER, to borrow the STYLING of the EXPRESS. The Royal Yacht Britannia could be RECOMMISSIONED. Continue reading “Britannia Rules… Leith?”

It now appears that the story of a 23 year old Australian muslim who alleged that she had been chased off a Riviera beach at Villeneuve-Loubet for wearing a burkini was a set-up. This report in Nice Matin has the story as seen by locals who were actually on the beach at the time.

http://www.nicematin.com/index.php/faits-divers/femme-en-burkini-chassee-dune-plage-a-villeneuve-loubet-un-coup-monte-79276

The camera was apparently set up before the woman arrived and plonked herself down. She and her companion were originally asked to move since they were sitting in the space reserved for jet-skis.  Then one of the locals asked the camera man to stop filming since he was taking photos of local children, which the parents objected to. This was why the father wanted to call the police – to stop the filming of his children. So far, so totally nothing to do with burkinis. How very disappointing for this Aussie who had flown all that distance to “show her support for local muslim women”. Still, never let facts get in the way of the untruth you want to spread. Has Channel 7 been conned?

I haven’t seen any burkinis in the past week we’ve been in Antibes, just along the coast from Villeneuve-Loubet, but every day I’ve seen jeeps full of paratroopers patrolling the old town and tourist areas. I find them very reassuring. I like that sort of show of support.

The BBC’s article on a recently-released book about the remnants of India’s Anglo-Indian population made me think of one of the most under-considered aspects of colonial experiences: the human product. From the 17^th to early 19^th centuries it was hardly considered inapprop Continue reading “Esta é a Ditosa Pátria Minha Amada”

As my scheduled departure date to Spain was drawing near I grew increasingly frantic. Perhaps it’s because my sense of adventure is starting to resemble Keith Vaz’ reputation for probity or my gut instinct warning me that something was terribly wrong. Whatever it was, once my nerves had recovered somewhat and my mind was passingly clear it was apparent that Spain was not exactly an ideal country for me. I remember feeling as if my hearse arrived when I see the Iberia Airbus A321 pulling into the gate at Kastrup in February. Continue reading “LH 1113”

It appears from the papers that further restrictions are to be placed on availability of procedures within the NHS according to judgment as to ‘erroneous’ lifestyles by the powers that be.

Isn’t it about time the contributing population to said organisation got on their hind legs?  Since when is it morally or legally acceptable to decline service to those who have already paid?

Wogs from all corners of the earth are treated free, no effort whatsoever being made to collect payment.  Bizarre surgical renderings of people’s sexuality.  Tits enlarged or shrunk according to whim.  Anything seemingly except hip replacements or eye surgery to render life livable for the elderly, fat or smokers!  Especially if they are white!

Continue reading “Latest NHS Malefaction”

This is about John Dalton, my alter ego. The London Science museum is celebrating the 250th anniversary of his birth, as described here .

As you can see from the text, he was Four-eyed, he was English, and he was, most definitely, a genius.

The average age of a Charioteer is most likely in the Chris Woakes bowling speed range. Well played, those said charioteers for being long lived. Your blushing, “youngish”, modest, unassuming Arts Editor hits the big Hawaii Five-O this autumn.

I don’t expect any round of applause for making fifty. I won’t raise my bat,  5-0 is not the middle of life any more. Fifty is the new twenty. However, as I near the new twenty a crisis has happenstanced.

There is a new woman in my life. She understands me more than my wife. This woman…

She is Black.

She is slim

She is pretty.

She has shark-toothed  fret markings.

Here she is. Continue reading “Crisis, What Crisis?”

Used to be the Democratic party in America was mostly about protecting and representing the interests of the working classes. In 1993, to that end, Nevada senator Harry Reid spoke out against illegal immigration and birthright citizenship. Bill Clinton, in a SOTU address echoed his sentiments.

Twenty plus years later the Democratic party’s position has ‘evolved.’

Is it any wonder that Trump’s most fervent support is coming from the … working classes? – Which, by the way, Democratic – and Republican – elites are now mocking.