Old Gaffer

Stoning firemen just for fun. A pastime created by bored young people, during the troubles in Northern Ireland, seems to have spread throughout the UK. It was really very simple, all you needed was some bottle crates, some old whisky and gin bottles, to steal some petrol and tear up a few rags, make about… Continue reading 12.02.08

Yesterday I was in the company of two, very bright women in their late 80s, who in all the 60 odd years that I have known them have only talked babies, weddings, gardening and suchlike, and yet yesterday they lambasted the politicians, saying that they believed nothing they were told any more. They thought the… Continue reading 07.02.08, The Government We Deserve. Really?

I still have to be careful not to strain my eyes and over the last few days I have written a piece about government for today, but events have overtaken me and so I write this virtually in shorthand. Please forgive me. A number of incidents concerning the national accounting are perturbing me. It started… Continue reading 06.02.08, Serious Questions!

Old Light through New Windows. On Thursday last, I had one of those days when things can still surprise you. I saw an incredibly interesting and well put together programme on BBC 4 which confirmed things I had been told as a boy about Islam. It was the first part of a triptych entitled ‘The… Continue reading 03.02.08, Only 5 Days To Go

Recently I had a run in with my Bank. It was over an unreasonable fine and interest charge because I was, understandably, 2 days late in paying my credit card balance, when I had substantial funds in my current account gaining no interest. This made me examine my banking experiences over 61 years with the… Continue reading 31.01.08, The Lottery of Banking!

Health Warning! Soph didn’t like this when she read it because of the maths, but if one is making assumptions and statements the basis is essential. This fuss about Electioneering, and Haines in particular I leave to later, but it does raise general questions. I have never voted in GB and voting in N.Ireland is… Continue reading 30.01.08, Am I Stupid or is it the Others?

To save my eye this was written over a period of 10 days. My misconceptions resulted from ignorance and hearsay. In consequence I am writing mainly for the benefit of those aged older than their mid fifties, who might, one day, be similarly unknowing and also candidates for the operation. I give the usual caveat,… Continue reading 28.01.08.Cartaract Eye Surgery, Misconceptions and Conceptions

I contemplate gun crime out of interest, to evaluate the extent of the problem, why it is exacerbating, not to criticise the authorities, who have lived with it longer than I, and have greater knowledge and resources. Insecurity could be the prime mover. Today, in politics, the media, education and government, people theorise, forge categories… Continue reading 26.01.08, Insecurity and Crime.

I thank those who sent kind encouragement. I am not back, but over 2 days, in short burst to save my eye, I had to write this because it was never viable, and the Billion will inevitably be diverted to other projects such as the iniquitous Olympics overspend, when the scheme fails; Money allocated and… Continue reading Author’s Note