It has come to my attention that today is the feast day of St. Andrew, patron saint of Scotland. This will probably be marked in northern parts by much revelry and nationalist braying from chaps in plaid skirting, ungrateful for the endless subsidies from the civilised south.
Let's be quite clear about this. Braveheart was a travesty, not a documentary. Scotland is not a country in its own right, but is merely a province which we regard with the same affectionate tolerance one affords a wayward toddler. Before it was taken under our wing, it spent centuries achieving nothing of note, sitting back in jealous awe as the English conquered the world.
So, Hamish McHaggis, hush your bleating. Scotland is not a real country and hasn't been a nation state for more than 350 years. Get over it.
Monday 30 November 2009
Bath City 1, Forest Green Rovers 2
It was a game of two halves and we had a mountain to climb but the boys done well and give it 110 per cent. It's a funny old game though and everyone is as sick as a parrot.
Friday 27 November 2009
Politics
As I sat bemused by Question Time on BBC1 last night, a weekly routine, the performance - and that's certainly the mot juste - of Lord Falconer prompted the mental re-working of a one-liner that was doing the rounds about 25 years ago. Then, it referred to the limited understanding of computers among those charged with selling them. Anyway...
Q: What's the difference between a member of the British Cabinet and a used car salesman?
A: A used car salesman knows when he's telling lies.
Meanwhile, the Chilcot enquiry rumbles along. We're supposed to be impressed by the staged leaking, a drip at a time, of snippets of 'new' information. This is, one assumes, intended to engender public belief in the fairness of the proceedings. We all know, of course, that Tony Bliar (sic) and his cronies will not be held to account.
Don't misunderstand me. I was in favour of taking out Hussein, although it should have been done the first time we bloodied his nose. I simply resent being patronised with obvious lies about our reasons for setting the tanks to roll. Some of us knew that this was a war intended to secure a significant contribution to the West's oil supplies and had no problem with that from the outset. I write, of course, as a former soldier who served in that region.
The lack of any coherent exit strategy concerns me, as it continues to concern me about Viet Nam. Sorry, I meant Afghanistan, but it's a forgiveable confusion. As ever, Question Time was followed by This Week, during which Michael Portillo cut to the very nub by saying that our position can be summarised in two short sentences: "We won't win. We can't leave."
And so to work.
Q: What's the difference between a member of the British Cabinet and a used car salesman?
A: A used car salesman knows when he's telling lies.
Meanwhile, the Chilcot enquiry rumbles along. We're supposed to be impressed by the staged leaking, a drip at a time, of snippets of 'new' information. This is, one assumes, intended to engender public belief in the fairness of the proceedings. We all know, of course, that Tony Bliar (sic) and his cronies will not be held to account.
Don't misunderstand me. I was in favour of taking out Hussein, although it should have been done the first time we bloodied his nose. I simply resent being patronised with obvious lies about our reasons for setting the tanks to roll. Some of us knew that this was a war intended to secure a significant contribution to the West's oil supplies and had no problem with that from the outset. I write, of course, as a former soldier who served in that region.
The lack of any coherent exit strategy concerns me, as it continues to concern me about Viet Nam. Sorry, I meant Afghanistan, but it's a forgiveable confusion. As ever, Question Time was followed by This Week, during which Michael Portillo cut to the very nub by saying that our position can be summarised in two short sentences: "We won't win. We can't leave."
And so to work.
Wednesday 25 November 2009
Be not misled
My last post concerned the subject of football - or, for readers in the USA, soccer. I am indisputably male and therefore, by definition, have usually-dormant Neanderthal tendencies, but my enjoyment of watching football (rugby, baseball etc.) should not be taken as an indication that I have an IQ below room temperature.
As they would say in Croydon, I is well brainy, innit.
As they would say in Croydon, I is well brainy, innit.
Tears on Merseyside
So, the mighty Liverpool FC have failed again.
Oh, how we all weep. Not. Much more of this and they may have to start learning some humility, however unlikely that may seem. I'm so old that I remember when they used to win championships.
Meanwhile, we are now within 100 hours of the ultimate footballing machine, Bath City FC, taking on the upstart Forest Green Rovers for the prize of a place in the draw for the Third Round of the FA Cup. Come on, you stripes!
Oh, how we all weep. Not. Much more of this and they may have to start learning some humility, however unlikely that may seem. I'm so old that I remember when they used to win championships.
Meanwhile, we are now within 100 hours of the ultimate footballing machine, Bath City FC, taking on the upstart Forest Green Rovers for the prize of a place in the draw for the Third Round of the FA Cup. Come on, you stripes!
Tuesday 24 November 2009
Tiles and tiling, anyone?
One thing I have noticed, in skimming through a variety of blogs, is that it's not uncommon for a blog to be created and then, after the creation of the initial post, simply left to rot.
So, here is a second posting.
Finally, a request... Can anyone recommend any good blogs, ezines, sites etc. which deal with the subject of wall and floor tiling?
So, here is a second posting.
Finally, a request... Can anyone recommend any good blogs, ezines, sites etc. which deal with the subject of wall and floor tiling?
Losing my virginity
No, don't get excited, I'm only teasing. The title refers to the fact that, while I have contributed to the blogs of others, this represents the first dipping of my toe into the water as a blog creator.
So, is there anyone out there and, if so, on what topic(s) would you like me to blog?
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