This is not a bleat about those earning prodigious sums, but a plea on behalf of those on the other end of the scale. Living as I have in so many different societies, from life in the British Raj, through rural Britain, working-class London, to the rarefied atmosphere of Northern Ireland, I have seen such… Continue reading Random Thiughts 15, Has Society lost its values?
Author: jp
Random Thoughts 14, What is Brown Thinking About?
One thing is certain, he is absorbed with his image. That is totally clear every time he opens his mouth on television. One thing I’ve failed to understand, but then I’m stupid, is why he is going to town on the poisoning of a foreign spy, by another spy. There is no shadow of doubt… Continue reading Random Thoughts 14, What is Brown Thinking About?
Royal Navy 1941 to ’46 in order, Naval Rum Part 2 of 3
The Chiefs’ & Petty Officers Rum This Mess treated Rum like the Romans treated Jupiter and the tradition also was unique in my experience. Daily at eleven o’clock a deep-sided dish was placed on the Mess table containing fresh water. Three average sized tumblers were place, upended, in the water for the men to take… Continue reading Royal Navy 1941 to ’46 in order, Naval Rum Part 2 of 3
Royal navy 1041 to 46 in order,Naval Rum Part 1 of 3
The Tradition and Importance of The Tot. To the RN Lower-deck that I knew, the withdrawal of the daily Rum Ration, The Tot, must have been like the death of a lover. How, in 1970, a do-gooder managed to engineer the withdrawal without murder is astounding, as you will realise if you read The Chief’s… Continue reading Royal navy 1041 to 46 in order,Naval Rum Part 1 of 3
Royal Navy 1941 to ’46 in order,The 6000 Volt Shock.
To put this occurrence in context I have to write some technical information. I have discovered that any mention of physics and peoples eyes start to glaze, so I will be brief and as simple as possible. Voltage is what gives electricity impetus to move along wires, across the ether, or, as in my case… Continue reading Royal Navy 1941 to ’46 in order,The 6000 Volt Shock.
Royal Navy 1941 to 46 in order,Naval Life in 1940s.
The Changes WW2 Wrought On The Royal Navy 2 Once it had dawned on the Government that the war would not be over in a month, and Dunkirk reinforced this thinking, people were inventing new, and improving existing weapons and systems. fast, resulting in a constant state of change within the services. New categories of… Continue reading Royal Navy 1941 to 46 in order,Naval Life in 1940s.
Royal navy 1941 to 46 in order,That First Day Afloat
Travelling since early morning, provided with food vouchers, eating on the run was difficult. The trains were full, and one spent the journey uncomfortably seated on a suitcase, while guarding a small case and kit bag, with a hammock in the guard’s van, At big junctions there were barrows selling sandwiches and tea and there… Continue reading Royal navy 1941 to 46 in order,That First Day Afloat
Random Thoughts 13, Three More Theories.
Blabber-Mouths. I hope you’ll forgive me for reiterating something I have previously mentioned, but it is apposite. In the mid 30s, discussion on bodily functions, female problems, divorce and anything else that was deemed ‘not nice’ was only aired by small groups of people which definitely did not include children. Consequently one was fairly mature… Continue reading Random Thoughts 13, Three More Theories.
Random Thoughts 12, A theory and a Question
Another View on Global Warming and the Recent Flooding. I include here a theory that I postulated to my Dutch friend, Jan, and I wonder if you would agree with it or like the rest of my family realise that my brain is going to mush. When you think of all the conflicting changes that… Continue reading Random Thoughts 12, A theory and a Question
Random Thoughts 11, Trolley Feminists
Sometime ago Sophie was very ill, and I became head cook, bottle washer, and shopper extraordinaire. It was then I developed this theory. I found shopping in a supermarket so difficult, controversial and aggressive that I had to find a reason and came to the conclusion that somewhere at the back of Tesco’s was a… Continue reading Random Thoughts 11, Trolley Feminists