Weird bunch, the Chinese. Take the latest law - you must visit your
parents. Whether they like you or not. That's a harsh one. Can you see
it working? Who is keeping a log? How long do they have to spend
together? Is five minutes enough or must it be half a day?
The
Chinese like regulation. They must do or how else would one child per
family have worked? That child has a lot on its plate now, tramping back
and forth to see the aged ones. It's all because the authorities can't
manage their pensioner population so pass the burden on to the kids
instead.
One mum found herself living in a pig sty as a result.
There's no legislating for love is there, you've either earned it or you
haven't. Lots of us feel duty bound to include parents. Can be a bit of
a tough call, when all they want to do is roll around drunk and leave
burn marks on the carpet. Yell at the telly and kick the dog. People
still put up with them. Not sure legalising it would help at all. Good
luck to the Chinese, looks like they will need it.
Saturday 29 December 2012
Thursday 27 December 2012
Sales And Silliness
Skint or off to the sales? That is the question. Nothing noble in the
mind about it though. People are queuing from 1am. How daft is that?
It's hosing down, and there they are, desperate to spend their dosh.
Bonkers! So are the prices. In the Times today are some of the bargains to be fought over. Fancy a pair of bog-standard ankle boots? Yours for £259, down from £370. Or there's a boring stripey jumper for £179, thats £80 cheaper than it was. No surprise why they couldn't sell it.
We are all into leather leggings apparently. The paper's fashionistas say so, and these ones at £479 are called a "no-brainer." I know who the no brainer is and so do you. What is the matter with you people? Thinking the end of the worl is nigh so better spend it now?
My thinking is that the people prepared to lash out this sort of cash are foreigners. Only just getting used to a bit of wealth and they want our stuff. You have to hope so.
Bonkers! So are the prices. In the Times today are some of the bargains to be fought over. Fancy a pair of bog-standard ankle boots? Yours for £259, down from £370. Or there's a boring stripey jumper for £179, thats £80 cheaper than it was. No surprise why they couldn't sell it.
We are all into leather leggings apparently. The paper's fashionistas say so, and these ones at £479 are called a "no-brainer." I know who the no brainer is and so do you. What is the matter with you people? Thinking the end of the worl is nigh so better spend it now?
My thinking is that the people prepared to lash out this sort of cash are foreigners. Only just getting used to a bit of wealth and they want our stuff. You have to hope so.
Wednesday 19 December 2012
Children In The Firing Line
Children everywhere are paying the price. In America, in Pakistan and
in Syria thery are the ones who die. Of shootings, of bombings and
polio. Always the little ones. Used as weapons by a youth with a grudge,
by terrorists for their twisted cause and by governments as pawns to
kill their enemies.
Did anyone in America think through the inevitable consequence of getting to Bin Laden through his children? Did they imagine what would happen when it was discovered that a vaccinating doctor had passed on vital information?
Now teenagers trying to eradicate a terrible disease are gunned down for their trouble. Here's a novel idea. How about the politicians start protecting. Stop pandering to the gun lobby in America. They are wrong.
How can anyone support Assad? His friends must desert him and his army turn against him. As for the Taleban - do they want to run a country rife with polio? If they win this battle of theirs? Sometimes it is very, very easy to see what is right. Just put the children first.
Did anyone in America think through the inevitable consequence of getting to Bin Laden through his children? Did they imagine what would happen when it was discovered that a vaccinating doctor had passed on vital information?
Now teenagers trying to eradicate a terrible disease are gunned down for their trouble. Here's a novel idea. How about the politicians start protecting. Stop pandering to the gun lobby in America. They are wrong.
How can anyone support Assad? His friends must desert him and his army turn against him. As for the Taleban - do they want to run a country rife with polio? If they win this battle of theirs? Sometimes it is very, very easy to see what is right. Just put the children first.
Friday 14 December 2012
Baggsie Bargain Hunt
Hooked on Bargain Hunt! There I've said it, big secret out in the
open, slap bang in the spotlight for all to see. Pretended I was just
waiting for the news. Now though, I settle down happily to watch Tim
Wonnacott, cute Carlos Hanson and sniffy David Barbie strut their stuff.
You learn what's hot and what's not. Like the ladies' muff brush. Sweet little item, in silver. Every lady had one. To keep her muff tidy. Who'd have thought it.
Tat turns out to be Chinese carving, worth thousands. Satsumi doesn't mean an orange, it's collectable Japanese porcelain. Clarice Cliff is way too expensive, but Moorcroft is hanging in there. And anything silver, especially muff brushes. Well fancied, they are. Tim swooned over a bog-standard butter dish, said it could be worth hundreds. He's usually right.
Hideous pots go for bundles. The contestants almost come to blows. It's addictive, trust me.
You learn what's hot and what's not. Like the ladies' muff brush. Sweet little item, in silver. Every lady had one. To keep her muff tidy. Who'd have thought it.
Tat turns out to be Chinese carving, worth thousands. Satsumi doesn't mean an orange, it's collectable Japanese porcelain. Clarice Cliff is way too expensive, but Moorcroft is hanging in there. And anything silver, especially muff brushes. Well fancied, they are. Tim swooned over a bog-standard butter dish, said it could be worth hundreds. He's usually right.
Hideous pots go for bundles. The contestants almost come to blows. It's addictive, trust me.
Sunday 9 December 2012
Aussie DJs Wrong But Hospital Worse
Aussie prank callers are getting a hard time right now. Poor Jacintha
was taken in by their phoney accents and passed their call on. For that
she has paid with her life.
The radio station and its DJs are taking the flak, as they should. The King Edward V11 Hospital expressed deep sympathy and said they had been supporting their staff. That's good of them.
This is a hospital that regularly sees Royal patients, Prince Philip for one. Nobody invaded his privacy and asked about his wee infection. If they had, would they have been given all the details?
Something suggests that they would. Poor Jacintha did not usually manage the switchboard, but was helping out in the early hours.
Given how many VIPs use this place there should be a big notice on the wall, telling staff exactly where to direct calls. In big letters, so that there is no doubt.
The pranksters never expected to be out through. That was obvious at the amazement when they were. They were intrusive and unprincipled but not criminal, though they are now being treated as such. The sanctimonious stance of the hospital is much harder to stomach.
The radio station and its DJs are taking the flak, as they should. The King Edward V11 Hospital expressed deep sympathy and said they had been supporting their staff. That's good of them.
This is a hospital that regularly sees Royal patients, Prince Philip for one. Nobody invaded his privacy and asked about his wee infection. If they had, would they have been given all the details?
Something suggests that they would. Poor Jacintha did not usually manage the switchboard, but was helping out in the early hours.
Given how many VIPs use this place there should be a big notice on the wall, telling staff exactly where to direct calls. In big letters, so that there is no doubt.
The pranksters never expected to be out through. That was obvious at the amazement when they were. They were intrusive and unprincipled but not criminal, though they are now being treated as such. The sanctimonious stance of the hospital is much harder to stomach.
Friday 7 December 2012
Black Santa's Helper Right On
Who do you think would buy a better present this Christmas? A savvy
young black guy or a doddery old bloke who's been around forever and
struggles with a weight problem? Ask any kid and they'd go for the cool
dude any day.
In Holland they've always had a black Santa's helper. "They are an integral part of traditional Dutch custom, " said the leading newspaper De Telegraaf. Good on the Dutch. When did we ever include black people in anything important? Sidelined the lot of them, we did.
In today's Times there's a picture of Black Pete and Santa visiting a hospital in Utrecht. This is where the objectors may have a point. No young guy of any race should be shoved into a blue frock and a curly wig.There's even a suggestion of lipstick. No way, not ever! Let Santa keep his kinky boots and fur trim but his helper? Sort it, the guy's got to go to work this morning!
In Holland they've always had a black Santa's helper. "They are an integral part of traditional Dutch custom, " said the leading newspaper De Telegraaf. Good on the Dutch. When did we ever include black people in anything important? Sidelined the lot of them, we did.
In today's Times there's a picture of Black Pete and Santa visiting a hospital in Utrecht. This is where the objectors may have a point. No young guy of any race should be shoved into a blue frock and a curly wig.There's even a suggestion of lipstick. No way, not ever! Let Santa keep his kinky boots and fur trim but his helper? Sort it, the guy's got to go to work this morning!
Sunday 2 December 2012
Break The Rules And Smile
Rules for the middle-aged - a woman from the Times wants to tell us
what they are. No dancing. No modern hairstyles. No top to toe leather
and most important of all, no spontaneous expressions of joy.
Thanks for that, lady. The world is surely a better place. Me, I think differently. When I was 15 I was deeply fixated with what other people thought. At 25, not much better, but by 35, with one child and another on the way, I saw the light.
By 45 I was fixed. Couldn't give a spit in the dark about what anyone else thinks. If I want to dance, I do. Fancy a haircut that's blonde fading to dark? A no-no for the rule-maker, but I say go girl! Bunches? Not my style, but if it's yours, that's fine by me. If it hurts no one and you like it - why the hell not?
Too many people are telling the rest of us what we can and can't do. Nobody will get me in a plastic mini-dress but neither will I be seen in a burkha. So I say don't buy her book and feel great about yourself. Or do - the choice is yours.
Thanks for that, lady. The world is surely a better place. Me, I think differently. When I was 15 I was deeply fixated with what other people thought. At 25, not much better, but by 35, with one child and another on the way, I saw the light.
By 45 I was fixed. Couldn't give a spit in the dark about what anyone else thinks. If I want to dance, I do. Fancy a haircut that's blonde fading to dark? A no-no for the rule-maker, but I say go girl! Bunches? Not my style, but if it's yours, that's fine by me. If it hurts no one and you like it - why the hell not?
Too many people are telling the rest of us what we can and can't do. Nobody will get me in a plastic mini-dress but neither will I be seen in a burkha. So I say don't buy her book and feel great about yourself. Or do - the choice is yours.
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