Another year is ending as I write.
Not much happened - earthquakes, famines, wars all happened on schedule.
Inevitably the "democratic" process in Iraq sentenced Saddam to death and in the last few days that sentence was carried out in front of the cameras.
Meanwhile today I heard the news that the 3,000th American serviceman was killed in Iraq. There are bombs in Bangkok. Gales in Britain. Polar bears are dying out in the Arctic.
In spite of all this I look at my two sons, now growing further at University, and think there still could be some hope for mankind. We still have the hope that our sons and daughters will show more sense than we did.
And because of that hope I wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year, whoever and wherever you are.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
I Can't be Bothered
I note that it is more than two weeks since I last was moved to write in this blog.
The news is always depressing and nothing to get fired-up about. Not much has happened at home. In general it's a dull time.
Christmas has come and gone - presents were good, the company of my younger son also good. Offspring Senior has stayed in Birmingham in his new flat with his fiancee. It's always nice to have Christmas in your own home - and we're going to see them both tomorrow and travel on to the in-laws in Shropshire for a "second Christmas" gathering. There will be more exchanges of presents, eating, drinking and generally making merry.
There was almost one notably newsworthy item on the BBC today - a BA 747 overshot the runway at Miami International Airport. Apparently the pilot missed the turn off to the taxi-way and ran over the lights at the end of the runway. So what's so exciting about that? No damage done, no-one hurt. The difference between this and other similar incidents is that Tony Blair and family were on board. They were on their way to spend New Year in Robin Gibbs' Miami mansion.
Had there been a serious crash it would have made world news. People would have been asking questions as to why the Prime Minister was on board an ordinary scheduled BA flight instead of in a specially chartered jet - or even a designated RAF luxury plane with the name RAF One.
Unfortunately TB was not injured. He wasn't even ruffled.
Pity - he could do with someone or something giving him the shits!
The news is always depressing and nothing to get fired-up about. Not much has happened at home. In general it's a dull time.
Christmas has come and gone - presents were good, the company of my younger son also good. Offspring Senior has stayed in Birmingham in his new flat with his fiancee. It's always nice to have Christmas in your own home - and we're going to see them both tomorrow and travel on to the in-laws in Shropshire for a "second Christmas" gathering. There will be more exchanges of presents, eating, drinking and generally making merry.
There was almost one notably newsworthy item on the BBC today - a BA 747 overshot the runway at Miami International Airport. Apparently the pilot missed the turn off to the taxi-way and ran over the lights at the end of the runway. So what's so exciting about that? No damage done, no-one hurt. The difference between this and other similar incidents is that Tony Blair and family were on board. They were on their way to spend New Year in Robin Gibbs' Miami mansion.
Had there been a serious crash it would have made world news. People would have been asking questions as to why the Prime Minister was on board an ordinary scheduled BA flight instead of in a specially chartered jet - or even a designated RAF luxury plane with the name RAF One.
Unfortunately TB was not injured. He wasn't even ruffled.
Pity - he could do with someone or something giving him the shits!
Monday, December 11, 2006
Needs must . . .
Ipswich is a town in Suffolk, England. It has a typically English setting with a football team, industry, commerce, night life and - of course - "ladies of the night".
Every town has them. They satisfy a need for the blokes who either feel inadequate to satisfy their wives' sexual needs or need to satisfy their own sexual fantasies.
These girls ply their trade for a many and varied reasons - looking after their kids, making a decent living in an environment where having a piece of paper saying you're qualified is more important than ability - the list is endless. But one reason crops up again and again - feeding a drug dependency.
Ipswich is also the centre, at the moment, of blaring news headlines because three prostitutes have been found murdered in the last two weeks. There are fears that others have not been seen for some time and may also be victims. Police are - sensibly and sensitively - urging the girls not to go onto the streets in case they become the victims of what is beginning to look like a series of killings by one person.
The BBC found that tonight many girls were still plying their trade. The girls still need money to live and seemed prepared to take the risk in order to make money. One girl, simply identified as "Lou", was totally honest in front of the camera.
"I need to work to feed my heroin habit."
She knew the risks. She knew that she may possibly be the next victim. But her life was so centred on her need for heroin that she was driven to try to earn enough money for the next fix.
I - along with many of my generation - have played with various substances in my youth. I was lucky. I did not get the habit. For that I am eternally grateful.
The person who is killing these girls - whatever your feelings about their morals - needs to be caught and stopped immediately.
But also the people who lead young people like Lou into an existence of total drug dependency must be stopped. We will never stop prostitution. We will probably never stop drug dealers.
BUT WE MUST TRY!
Every town has them. They satisfy a need for the blokes who either feel inadequate to satisfy their wives' sexual needs or need to satisfy their own sexual fantasies.
These girls ply their trade for a many and varied reasons - looking after their kids, making a decent living in an environment where having a piece of paper saying you're qualified is more important than ability - the list is endless. But one reason crops up again and again - feeding a drug dependency.
Ipswich is also the centre, at the moment, of blaring news headlines because three prostitutes have been found murdered in the last two weeks. There are fears that others have not been seen for some time and may also be victims. Police are - sensibly and sensitively - urging the girls not to go onto the streets in case they become the victims of what is beginning to look like a series of killings by one person.
The BBC found that tonight many girls were still plying their trade. The girls still need money to live and seemed prepared to take the risk in order to make money. One girl, simply identified as "Lou", was totally honest in front of the camera.
"I need to work to feed my heroin habit."
She knew the risks. She knew that she may possibly be the next victim. But her life was so centred on her need for heroin that she was driven to try to earn enough money for the next fix.
I - along with many of my generation - have played with various substances in my youth. I was lucky. I did not get the habit. For that I am eternally grateful.
The person who is killing these girls - whatever your feelings about their morals - needs to be caught and stopped immediately.
But also the people who lead young people like Lou into an existence of total drug dependency must be stopped. We will never stop prostitution. We will probably never stop drug dealers.
BUT WE MUST TRY!
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