September Photo Competition – Then and Now – Results.

Well that was then and now it’s well past the closing time, but better late than not at all, so here goes.

All entries responsive to the theme (including Janus with one both late and illegal from Hong Kong)  and some with a slightly different take on it.  I particularly liked Soutie’s notices (the changing world of announcements could be a subject with almost as much scope as butchered movie titles).

But the prize this month goes to Pseu, a  couple of great photos, taken close to home.  We tend to forget how much our immediate surroundings also change over time,  just look out the window and try to recall how it was when you moved in all those years ago.

Congratulations Pseu.  Good Job.

They’re at it again.

January 2009. Gordon Brown orders Labour (?) MPs to vote to keep MPs expenses secret – and we all know why, don’t we? October 2013. MPs try to keep any probes into their expenses secret – I wonder why?

Meanwhile, we have Millie spitting his dummy over any suggestion that MPs representing Scottish constituencies should not be allowed to vote on matters dealing solely with England – matters that they can affect in an electorate they do not represent but which they cannot affect in the electorate that they do represent.

Then there’s our Dave, running scared and adopting UKIP policies wholesale – or trying to – and waving a promise of a referendum on the EU in front of the voters in exactly the same way that he did last time around. Well we all know what happened to that there ‘cast iron promise,’ don’t we?

Does anyone still believe anything that these people say?

PS. 2013? Behind the times? Moi?

Some thoughts on Hong Kong.

I wrote this before Janus posted his blog, but my internet was too slow and I had to save it until today.

When the United Kingdom and China were negotiating the retrocession, or betrayal as some argue, of Hong Kong to China some British diplomats argued that the Chinese can get very nasty if they don’t get their way. With time against them and holding only a very weak hand, the British government did the best it could for Britain’s last major colony. At least in theory, Hong Kong would control most of its own affairs and have a separate status for at least 50 years. If China pleased, it could continue as it was far beyond that. Formalities concluded, flags exchanged and anything not unduly difficult to remove removed, Hong Kong once again became Chinese territory.

Despite the ceremonies and the official line, this was not an event happily accepted. Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers left Hong Kong, establishing bridgeheads in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. If things became too bad in Hong Kong something could always be arranged elsewhere. Again, despite what some aspects in China and even Hong Kong itself argue, the vast majority of those who left were not criminals. Rather, they were people who with good reason did not trust the integrity of Beijing.
Continue reading “Some thoughts on Hong Kong.”

September poetry result

A big thanks to the five contributors to the Animals competition. All the entries were first class.

Peter Alliss wouldn’t have liked the Latin speaking parrot in the poem by Janus but that’s golfers for you. I thought the piece was eximius.

Gazoopi put down in rhyme what he told us before about the stewing of his pet rabbit. Fifty years on it’s time the rabbit police thumped at his door.

Pseu’s dangerous moment in the life of a snail was captivating. Well-paced, the time was not crawling.

Bilby’s sausage dog was a sad tale but brilliantly written. My German’s not what it used to be so I had to use my German phrasebook (Stuff your Google) to translate. Great patter in the thread as well.

Congratulations on becoming a grandmother, Araminta. A mouse poem with a happy ending. Charming.

It was a shoot-out between Janus and Bilby. A very difficult decision but by the width of a gnat’s eyelash the winner is… Continue reading “September poetry result”

Hunting

A last minute entry for the poetry competition. Apologies all, it’s one I made earlier but I don’t seem to be in the right frame of mind these days for writing pomes. It may be due to a combination of grandchildren and decorators, and the recent arrival of my elder daughter’s first baby, born a couple of weeks ago, a month earlier than expected. He was born on my birthday so at least it will be easy to remember the date!
Continue reading “Hunting”

Depressed and alone: the mental health of radical extremists

“Islamic State fighters often present themselves on social media as a fearless band of brothers, but a new report finds radicalised jihadis are more likely to be anxious, depressed and lonely.”

Poor chaps, the report doesn’t say whether they had unhappy childhoods or were bullied at school, but help is on the way:

“We believe strongly in a public health approach, where those at risk of radicalisation are identified and helped.”

Jolly good, but is this really the answer? They don’t seem overly bright, apparently before heading off to fight jihad their choice of reading material is “Islam for Dummies” and “The Koran for Dummies”.