November

It's all jolly dull out there. Just fog and getting colder. Hmmmmm...

November

by Thomas Hood

No sun--no moon!
No morn--no noon!
No dawn--no dusk--no proper time of day--
No sky--no earthly view--
No distance looking blue--

No road--no street--
No "t'other side the way"--
No end to any Row--
No indications where the Crescents go--

No top to any steeple--
No recognitions of familiar people--
No courtesies for showing 'em--
No knowing 'em!

No mail--no post--
No news from any foreign coast--
No park--no ring--no afternoon gentility--
No company--no nobility--

No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member--
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds,
November!

Leisurewear

I was reminded of this poem the other day. I may want it at my funeral.

Leisurewear

With apologies to William Henry Davies

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time for underwear.

No time to fasten trousers on
Nor ward the cold with thick long john.

No time for laces, well might we crow,
When shoes are quicker with velcro.

No time to tie, a broad fat kipper,
No time to don the plump plaid slipper.

No time to gawp at Beauty's glance,
And watch her in her underpants.

No time to wait till jacket’s buttoned
To see our lamb securely muttoned.

A poor life this if, just to scan,
We have to shop at Matalan.

The Importance of 5th May

On the 5th of May UK voters have a choice.

Despite what people say - the choice is really quite simple.

We can leave the system as it is and forgo the right to debate and question how our MPs are elected and how they claim to represent us. If we lose this chance, we won't get another for years...perhaps ever. Many politicians want to keep things the way they are. No surprise there.

OR we can change the system so that people begin to realise the power their vote has. They will become more involved in local politics and in evaluating the alternatives. They will be encouraged to vote and to see the effect it has.

It seems to me that the current system is rather like running a restaurant where everyone has to eat what is 'the most popular item' on the menu. Well you all have one vote...so everyone eats chips.

The alternative being proposed is not proportional. It is a variant of the first past the post system that we already have. In this case you choose from the range available and you put them in order of preference.

So I'd like B then A and (if I must) I'd go for D but I'll never vote for E or C. Quite a complex reflection of the voter's preferences and requiring some thought from the voter. A good thing I would think.

I'm sure it will take some time for us to get used to it, but also the political parties will also take time to understand them (you can bet they'll be working out the system even now). But at least they can't count on a "winner takes all" system. There will be no such thing as a safe seat.

You can read the arguments at http://www.no2av.org/ and at http://www.yestofairervotes.org.

But don't try looking for www.yes2av.org ... the people at the no campaign thought it fair they should buy that URL and link it to their own website.

Snow thoughts

Why isn't it spelt (or spelled) snough?

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It was pretty deep stuff, but still some people like whizzing around it in their 4WD trucks pulling people out of the snow.
Thoug some people complain that we don't know how to cope with snow, but seriously, it only happens for a few days each year and for many people it's simply another 'bank' holiday.
The news organisations certainly enjoy it. It enables them to run their "paralysed Britain" stories.
I must say, it's pretty awful for passengers to be stuck on trains or aeroplanes for hours not going anywhere. What I find most awful is that companies such as Southeastern (see the story and the response) don't move heaven and earth to provide hot drinks and food for their customers. If you worked for them you'd surely be phoning everyone you knew to get a four-wheel drive to call by the nearest takeaway...wouldn't you? Go on, use my credit card you'd say. Think of the positive publicity you'd get. Think of the kudos. Has no-one got any idea of how extraordinary circumstances require and extraordinary response?

A happy thing...

...happened on Tonbridge High Street last Saturday...

He is nothing like a dame!

 

They say it's going to hurt ("Oh no it won't!").  Meanwhile the future Baronet Osborne of Ballentaylor and is said to be worth about £4m (including 15% of Osborne & Little - so that's his first pension sorted out).

I think he also gets £131,000pa. Do you think he's worried about having to cut back a bit?

I know it's dodgy photo-shopping, but this just looks right somehow..

Genius...because it's true, and funny