Archive for the ‘Community’ Category
Ray Gosling, Idiot of the Parish
A 70 year old idiot called Ray Gosling went on a regional chat show and claimed that he had killed a former lover suffering from Aids by smothering him with a pillow. The Independent wrote an Editorial questioning all this: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-a-misguided-intervention-1902769.html
Gosling’s claim (if true), was to say the least, totally absurd and if he is campaigning for a “Right to Die”, totally counter productive to the “cause”. This man is no martyr, just another vain attention seeking old gay fart who can’t get a shag and because being GAY is all now ‘de rigeur in the Media’ let his gob runaway with him without regard to the potential audience. It is highly likely that because of idiots like him, the ‘acceptance’ of Gay People generally by the public at large will be put back somewhat rather than’advanced’, silly old Queer !
The Wisdom of Age
I should be neither unkind nor unfair but I was not that impressed with an article in the Independent today written by a lady called Yvonne Roberts and entitled; “The age of the aged has at Long Last Arrived.” The link as follows: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/yvonne-roberts-the-age-of-the-aged-has-at-long-last-arrived-1855413.html
I thought the article rather lightweight simply because in a style typical of people like her, there is far too much “either/or” rather than “and”, life is not simple, it is complex and “individual people” based but, read and judge for yourself. To say that the old are wise and the young foolish maybe correct in some cases, the point is, it is not true in all cases and likely, not in most either.
Home Ownership

Apparently the other day, a Labour Housing Minister addressing the Fabian Society said that the era in which all Britons can aspire to own their own home may be coming to an end. He suggested that Britain may be moving towards a European model, with renting on a roughly equal footing with buying.
He then said that home ownership had fallen from 71 per cent of households in 2003 to 68 per cent today, noting that this trend began in 2005, well before the recession. “I’m not sure that’s such a bad thing,” he said, what a prat ! I notice he neglected to mention the uncontrolled immigration during that same period.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/its-time-to-give-up-the-dream-of-home-ownership-says-minister-1838189.html
Always the Wrong Language

Today Dominic Lawson wrote an interesting and amusing article in the Independent called “Europe will always be a foreign land for the British”. It was interesting in that he was ‘observing’ a situation rather than promoting such a view but it is worth looking at for the comments that came in the majority of which were rather rancid and well wide of the topic.
Voluntary Projects

Given the current state of the British economy, social problems and unemployment, it can be of no surprise to see politicians considering “voluntary work” as being a suitable path to explore. However and much to my surprise, the Conservative Party has gone one further and via sponsorship, is funding a pilot scheme aimed at 16 year olds on a purely “volunteer basis”.
The details can be found in the following article by John Rentoul, hardly a Tory supporter at the best of times but he writes up a truly interesting article on the subject.
Banker’s Bonuses

On Monday as ever from Mr Rees-Mogg, an excellent article about Banker’s Bonuses and other stuff in the Times: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/william_rees_mogg/article6824030.ece
As we have come to expect, it was a measured article with good perspective and common sense. I too remember to 1970s and all that palaver, wage and price controls, that stuff never work and there is little point in trying it again today but that takes us to something else too.
On a Written Constitution – One for the Muppets

As this boring “MPs Expenses” saga goes through its death rattle, every idiot and their Mother is trotting out their pet ideas which are motivated by either personal interest or just plain ignorance, in the latter case the National Tooth Fairy would do them just as well, Boogie Woogie have a sixpence Click Clack !
If you are Nick Clegg and a Libdem, the fact that the Liberals lost their “Radical Party Crown” to the Labour Party a hundred years ago and haven’t managed to reclaim it back from them because of the Liberals own lack of imagination and drive, clearly needs Proportional Representation to make up for their past failures under our “first past the post system” – “Change the system to suit us and our total lack of competence is their cry…” Enchanting and I think not !
The Canadian Goose Family

A week ago I photographed a family of Canadian Geese in one of the ponds on the flood plain of the River Brue. Goslings like ducklings are very vulnerable and it was quite noticeable just how protective the parents were. Although we have a lot of Canadian Geese around here, they nest elsewhere and normally are found on the lakes in the Apex Park which is beside the River Brue.
This morning riding home I spotted them actually on the River and the parents still had all three, just a little bit bigger and fluffier. Of course I couldn’t get too close and didn’t have a long enough lens but never the less, it was good to see them again.
My Heron Again…

As politics is a bit boring currently, I thought a picture entry might be more fun and I like these images which in a couple of cases, via a bit of careful work in the “digital darkroom”, could become very special. The other day I came across my friend the Heron again, he is such a magnificent bird. I suppose if I had more time to sit and wait as the Heron does, plus had a faster and therefore ludicrously expensive telephoto lens, I might be able to do better but I like this sequence although it was a case of a “quick grab”.
Herons are “cool creatures” and don’t panic whereas the majority of the wading birds and Egrets, are highly nervous and take to the wing at the slightest disturbance.
The Mood in the Cheap Seats…

There is currently a lot of anger by the general public directed towards the political classes of all parties over expenses or this or that but my personal feeling is that this is very deep seated and a belated reaction to a Government that by increasing degrees over a decade, just hasn’t been listening to us on planet UK.
We live on this planet, they don’t but regardless have to return to our one before they can continue further and there is a general frustration that means they are all in line for a good “kicking”. This frustration shows itself in many forms but inept politicians like Gordon Brown trying to capture this mood with a 50p top tax rate on rich people, is silly, he has already lost the game by being totally deaf and stupid and to be fair, should call an election this very day.

