tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45933793477749005552024-03-12T23:19:32.915+00:00Margaret DunlopI am an author, based in Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland, with two novels - "Marching in Scotland - Dancing in New York", and "Blind Date in Gibraltar".Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-54153344316203007712014-04-17T18:55:00.000+01:002014-04-17T18:55:53.347+01:00<h2>
<b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">RICH MAN,
POOR MAN, THE BACTERIUM AND THE LOONIE</span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Here’s
an old song for you from the Depression of the 1920’s and 1930’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">"Every
morning, every evening, Don’t we have
fun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Not
much money, Oh, but honey, Don’t we
have fun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
rent’s unpaid, dear, We haven’t a sou!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">But
dreams were made, dear, For me and for
you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">There’s
nothing clearer, The rich get rich, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">And
the poor get poorer,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In
the meantime, In between time, Don’t we have fun!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">From
this popular song, it sounds as if people didn’t mind being poor in those far
off days. However, we have a new voice
burst upon the world, talking about the growing gap in today’s society between
the super-rich and the rest of us, with the poorest suffering most . The voice is that of a young Frenchman, he
is in his early forties, and his book is called “Capital in the Twenty-first Century. He has spent his time in the Ecole d’economie
de Paris, most of his career collecting data about economies from the nineteenth century right
up to the present day. According to his
extensive research, the young Professor Thomas Piketty in studying not only
America, UK and Western Europe, but also Russia, China and other countries
emerging from under-development has drawn some startling conclusions. It
seems it is unstoppable that the small elite who are the super-rich all over
the world are getting more and more rich.
Their increase in wealth is happening at a faster rate than the growth
in economic strength of any of the countries studied by Piketty. And
it seems the poor are becoming poorer at the same rate as the rich
are getting richer. Without change of
tactics by governments, the inequality gap must just continue to widen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Much of the above has been gleaned from The
Observer of 13<sup>th</sup> April, The New Review Section. In the reporting of an interview of Piketty
by Andrew Hussey, the article is called, “It just doesn’t add up.” One critic, Karl Smith of the Financial
Times is quoted as saying, “The author, an inequality expert, is
distinguished. The work is
acclaimed. The book’s empirical
evidence is already the stuff of legend.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
whole matter has set off fierce debates between economists, including the
advisers to Ed Milliband in the UK. It
seems that Piketty proposes tax and more tax of the super-rich. Will this work? The rich have the power. Greed keeps driving up the salaries of
super-managers. They make or produce
nothing. They have broken away from
the markets and reality, just like the bankers in 2008.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Well,
that’s just heavy enough of a subject for an opener from me today. Other little jewels of information. Yes, it seems that evolution has stopped
being of any importance. We have
evolved into beautiful human beings from some one- or two-celled sea
creatures. This has taken 3.6 billion
years. But now scientists can switch
round the DNA of say, a bacterium. You
could re-engineer its genome, perhaps, for example, to make it ingest carbon dioxide
and excrete crude oil. Would you Adam
and Eve it? It seems that the Science
Minister from the government gave a speech at the meeting held in London about the
future of 'synthetic biology', announcing evolution could now be forgotten about,
evolution had now been retired. He even
presented evolution with a gold watch!!
And a geneticist at Harvard stored an entire book on a strand of DNA and
got a DNA sequencing machine to read it back to him. This is our world,
folks! SCARY! (See,
“When humans hijack evolution” by Michael Brooks. The New Statesman 11-17<sup>th</sup> April,
2014.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">OTHER
THOUGHTS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I’m
sad about the South Korean ship that sank, and the tragic loss of life of young
people on their day out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I
hope that governments pay heed to the warnings of the United Nations about
Global Warming. With all the problems
facing the populace, it is no wonder so many people nowadays are said to suffer
from depression and anxiety, especially the young, teenagers, young parents,
and all struggling citizens. How can we
effect some changes to make our world a greener place? Does anyone know?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">There
was a power cut yesterday evening, it seems that locations all over the
north of Scotland were affected. Suddenly no lights, no television, no
computers, no telephones, no electric blanket in bed, no reading in bed (ah, the Kindle!) What to do?
Darkness inside and outside the house.
With the unexpectedness of the situation, tempers became frayed. “Where are the candles, why aren’t they here?” and the like could be heard in loud tones. How frail and vulnerable we all are! Who do we turn to? Should we ask the stars above to look down
on us and keep us sane!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Joke:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This
man was visiting a mental hospital (loony bin!). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">As
the man is leaving the institution, on the driveway he spies an inmate of the
place kneeling down with his ear to the ground. The patient stops the visitor, “Come here,
man, listen to this!” The visitor
kneels and listens, “I hear nothing “,
he says. The lunatic replies in
amazement, “I know, it’s been like that all day!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-32736821124302456742014-03-25T18:37:00.000+00:002014-03-25T18:37:19.002+00:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">WEDDINGS – BIG BANG –
UNREWARDED GENIUS – AND A WHORE</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Well, here we go again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s Spring in Inverness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A birdie with a yellow bill, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Perched
upon my windowsill, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Cocked
its little head and said, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ain’t
you shamed you sleepyhead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So I’d better get busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The garden is coming alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have rhubarb and sprouting broccoli, and
lots of moss to clear away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Laura had
the stalks of her five-inch-high sweet-peas in her greenhouse felled by a great
slug, and she tells me a mouse has eaten the sprouting shoots of Gordon’s
potatoes in the garage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rabbits have
eaten our tulips to the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, that’s how it goes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You win some, you lose some.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All the talk just now among family anyway is about
WEDDINGS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s great fun – “What colour
are you wearing?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or it’s - “We’re on our way to buy shoes to go
with the bridesmaid dresses”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or all
the men are off to Prague for a Stag Party on Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How the world changes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything has to be Mega size before we can
be pleased.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway it’s all systems go for
Calum and Fiona on 26<sup>th</sup> April.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And for Shonagh and Stuart in July.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I can’t get out of my head:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Another
bride, another groom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Another
sunny honeymoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another season,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Another
reason for makin’ Whoopee.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A
lot of shoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot of rice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
groom is nervous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He answers twice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s
really killing, how he’s so willing for makin’ whoopee.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Especially when sung by the old-timer, Eddie Cantor.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m going all scientific today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having picked up this week’s New Statesman,
still open at an article called <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hard Results
from Soft Skills by Michael Brooks”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He is talking about the Confederation of British Industry -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>complaining that in Britain we face a shortage
of people with science, engineering and mathematics skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pay ain’t all that good he remarks so
kids don’t go in for these subjects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
also talks about a study at Durham University where the academics are trying to
analyze the writings of Bishop Robert Grosseteste who wrote a treatise called
De Luce (On light).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 12<sup>th</sup>
Century thinker (what a great name “Grosseteste”! I like saying it!) suggested
that light filled space and that a primordial explosion of light caused the
universe to expand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words he
was suggesting our very modern Big Bang Theory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This showed to the author of this article,
in the New Statesman anyway, that science training is not the only source of
intellectual thinking, and that we should value “soft skills” such as
observation, curiosity and creative imagination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The theory about how our universe got started<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Big Bang Theory - you could say has been around for almost eight centuries, and
we have fooled ourselves into thinking <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that it all began with Newton.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Also I would like to mention Professor Alf
Adams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned on BBC Radio 4 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>at 9am. this morning and as usual on Tuesday,
we have The Life Scientific on which a scientist describes his work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This man Alf Adams, a perfectly honest
unassuming sounding fellow comes from a quite un-academic background.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His parents were not at all well off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His father was born with Tuberculosis, and the
parents of the boy were told not to send him to school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He should be out in the fresh air. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nevertheless, Alf grew up to be a child continuously
asking questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he got to study
science, a tutor advised that, to get himself started, he might try to
replicate other experiments he had heard about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So he did, and found that the conclusions of
the original scientist had been all wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So he started out making a study of the behaviour of lasers for
himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day while walking on the
beach with his wife, he asked her to stop talking to him as he was thinking
about something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His thoughts were
about the lasers that were in existence and the thin layer of crystal lattice
on which all the research was focussed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It may have been the environment of the beach, but
his thought was that if stress was put on the crystals then they would perform
better, and would require less energy to function.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is known as the discovery of the “strained
quantum well laser”- or the lasers that power the internet, CDs, DVDs, computer
mice and supermarket check-outs, to name but a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">British firms did not want to take the risk of
backing the idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So he went to
Eindhoven in the Netherlands where Philips and their R&D team were immediately stunned by the
difference in performance generated by Adams' approach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>CD players were suddenly viable for a mass
market, much smaller and cheaper, and the larger data capacity means fast
processing leading to DVD’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can truly
and fairly be said that the majority of all lasers being used around the world
are Alf Adams’ invention. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He should be
a billionaire, but his work went unrewarded financially.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was recognised as a first-class scientist
by being made a Fellow of the Royal Society which was very well deserved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Himself, he says, he has had a brilliant career,
and that’s been immensely satisfying for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Much of the above about Alf Adams<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have taken from an article sourced on the Internet called “Hidden
Geniuses: science researchers who don’t get enough credit”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Published by “The Guardian.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To end with a joke -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see I have used the word “Nevertheless”
which reminded me of an old joke.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There was a dance in the Parish Hall of a Highland
Village in Scotland, and the local stern-faced minister of the Church of
Scotland was running it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He stood on
the platform and announced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Ladies and
Gentlemen, I must announce that Kirsty May is going to sing for us.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One of the boys called out, “She’s a Whore!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The minister hesitated, and continued unfazed, “Nevertheless,
she’s going to sing for us.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So Long!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Keep taking the tablets!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-34091892792857862492014-02-25T20:53:00.002+00:002014-02-25T20:53:31.143+00:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<h2 class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">MORE RANDOM THOUGHTS FROM AN INTERLOPER</span></span></b></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The HIGHLY significant other has started to write
another book and blogging has to take a backseat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we hope you are anxiously waiting for a
blog and so the next best is for the insignificant other to take up the challenge.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Of course you want to know what the new book of
Margaret’s is to be about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Modesty makes
me think she is making a big mistake as she wants to base it on my life and
that of other members of my family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
suppose our lives have been more eventful than some, starting as we did as
refugees from Nazi persecution and with many ups and downs ended with
interesting careers, businesses and travels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And of course the best part of all, for me at least, marrying
Margaret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Time will tell how it goes
(the book, I mean).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Violence seems to be the order of the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How one weeps for the people of Syria, of
other middle-eastern countries and now, of the Ukraine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is almost past belief for us who live in the
relative calm of Scotland that people can kill and maim their own countrymen
because of religious, ethnic or sectarian differences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had hoped these things had been left behind
in the dark ages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps future
historians might regard our age as another dark age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Bloodshed on a large scale was in recent times restricted
to wars among nations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But now <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we are also constantly reminded of violence in
film and on television.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Margaret and I
went to see “TwelveYears A Slave” recently. Brilliantly produced and acted –
as the various Oscars won by the film underlined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the humiliation and violence perpetrated
on the “slaves” was almost too much to bear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And equally difficult to watch was the film “The Railway Man” (based on
a true story).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The principal character
was traumatised by his experiences as a prisoner of war of the Japanese after
the fall of Singapore where he had served in the army.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gratuitous violence meted out to the
prisoners during the construction of the railway through near-impassable
territory in Burma was yet another reminder of inhumanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately the film ended with a moving
reconciliation between the ex-prisoner and his former oppressor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK, I like to bury my head in the sand when
it comes to violence, but perhaps I am in a minority, as stories of violence of
all kinds seem to sell newspapers <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>and
fill the news channels.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There was a charming article recently in our
favourite Sunday paper “the Observer”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Henry
Porter started by reminding us of horrendous floods, storms, arctic blasts, and
unusually fierce heat waves all around the same time but in different parts of
the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pointed out that the
overwhelming scientific evidence is that climate change, exacerbated by man, is
responsible for the increase in extreme weather events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the vocal minority who deny man’s
role in this (or even in climate change as such) can claim that there is always
a small margin of error in scientific evidence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Scientists tend to deal in probabilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So the climate change deniers can say “we are
not convinced by the evidence”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, our
smart correspondent invites them to provide irrefutable evidence that climate
change and man’s contribution to it does not exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A fair comment – prove your case beyond doubt
or shut up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is getting altogether too heavy and needs Margaret’s
lighter touch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So let us tell you that
we had visits from the two wonderful grandchildren, each with their respective
partners, who are soon to get married.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
girls looked GORGEOUS, the men looked just like men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am constantly in the doghouse on the
subject of weddings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I think the
commitment to getting married is wonderful, I have dared to suggest that
scaling back a bit on the celebrations would leave a lot of money over for all
the other things young couples (and perhaps even their parents?) need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just a spoil sport – my views fall on deaf
ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And how would the whole wedding
industry exist if they listened to this old grouch?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Unlike Margaret I can’t think up a jolly story or
joke with which to end, but I was intrigued by an article by the Science
correspondent in the New Statesman last week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael Brooks reminded us that
zinc has antiseptic and wound healing properties and is thus incorporated in many
food supplements, ointments and pills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
he ends his article thus: “Here’s a final tip in case the price of zinc
lozenges skyrockets: a daily 100g of cooked caterpillars contains all the zinc
you need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re welcome”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-14600052418554153952014-02-11T21:41:00.000+00:002014-02-11T21:41:22.759+00:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;
mso-para-margin-left:36.0pt;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h2 class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">A LOT OF BULL, A SAD STORY and SOME LAUGHS</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The other day I was doing my best to fill
in a “Grandma’s Memories Book” for my grand-daughter, Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The question was if you were an animal, name
three animals you would be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
significant other, Gerald, called out, “a fish”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A fish said I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You must be joking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All day in the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A parrot?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>he shouted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a cage all day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, I shall say “A fox” to make sure I can
be on the watch for chancers and the like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, second I would say a racehorse to run in the field all day with my
hair flying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And maybe perhaps for a
third choice I would be a nice spaniel-type dog so that folk would pat me and
be nice to me all the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite an
interesting exercise.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I was at a general meeting of the
University of the Third Age yesterday, here in Inverness. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gerald and I are members of it and attend
also one of the sub-groups, the Current Affairs Discussion Group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this meeting there was a debate about
economic models.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The proposal was that
there is an alternative to Neoliberalism Capitalism, that is the system currently
that of the United Kingdom, and I suppose of America and parts of Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The alternative being suggested by our
group’s leader was that of the Common Weal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is the economic system favoured by the Scandinavian countries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is much higher taxation on individuals but
generous welfare payments for those not working, and exceedingly good health
service provisions and good social and public services - also higher average incomes and less inequality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Denmark is said to be the happiest country
in the world, using this economic system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The citizens of this small country are said to be generally happy and
contented with their lot.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The man who spoke opposing the motion was
against this “socialist” type system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He had been a small businessman before retiring and he described how he
had treated his workers well, how he looked after his customers, and made a
profit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He went on to say he felt he<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>did good for the community by extending his
business and creating jobs for other people etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He believed in the system pertaining today,
that is capitalism subject to market forces.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">At question time, I wished to highlight the
bad side of unchecked “High Capitalism” as seen when global companies transfer
their businesses to places like India and the Far East.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Places where poor people may just come from
rural backgrounds and are willing to work long hours for very low wages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus the people in Europe lose their jobs,
being only pawns to the seekers of profit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For my sins, I cited the programme, Countryfile, on BBC l on Sunday
evening where we saw a prize Charolais Bull auctioned in Scotland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was sold to an American bidder for the
highest price ever of 100,000 guineas, that is £105,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The buyers don’t even want to have this
magnificent bull in the USA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has to
stay in UK and be looked after by the Farm Manager who brought it up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the first 36 hours after purchase, 2000
straws of semen from that bull had been sold for artificial insemination at £l00
each, and therefore netting £200,000 for the owners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that is also High Capitalism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poor Bull!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He hasn’t even got a girlfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Anyway, the speaker from our group, Andrew, won the motion by a landslide, the majority seeing the Common Weal ideas as
a potential alternative to “neoliberalism”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The television these days is pretty
gruelling – so many pictures of flooding in the South of England.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those
poor people in Somerset on the low-lying land, and now some of those along the
River Thames and the Severn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The environment agency
staff are doing all the backbreaking work they can, but it is hard for the
householders to bear to see their precious goods being steadily covered by the
muddy floodwater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The shouts of blame
between the government and the environment agency can be heard on all
sides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know the rain has been
unprecedented, but everyone says that more should have been done, and should
have been done earlier.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Being a contributor to Friends of the Earth
for, I’m sure, at least forty years now, and receiving their publication
regularly, I have to confess, I pay my small contribution by Direct Debit each
month, and have rarely made an effort to open their magazine, being, I say,
always too busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I have had a
good look at it this time, and have been intrigued by the clarity of the
publication, and the interesting problems of our planet that they deal with.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Here are a few:</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB">They have campaigned hard about
the plight of bees, and can congratulate themselves for persuading the UK
government to commit to a National Pollinator Bee Strategy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB">In Northern Ireland, Friends of
the Earth have succeeded in halting a free-for-all building on green-belt land.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB">With other groups, Friends of
the Earth have forced the government to say it is committed to cleaning up our
energy supply.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB">Successfully challenged the
Welsh Govt. and stopped them from building over protected landscapes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB">As tin is used in nearly all
the world’s leading smart-phones, using tin from an<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indonesian island called Bangka, Friends of
the Earth have committed the involved companies to address the environmental
destruction, and human misery this tin-mining is causing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The magazine is called “Earth Matters”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>www.foe.co.uk</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Call the Midwife” was a bit of a
tearjerker this week on BBC1 TV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
favourite midwife’s lovely boyfriend had a fall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a bad accident and he had to have his
foot amputated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poor young girl, she
was devastated as they had fallen out just before this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then he died suddenly while being cared
for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The nuns in charge of the midwifrie clinic
persuaded <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>her to take a holiday in a
convent retreat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As she was getting
into the taxi with sad face, the older nun came running out crying, the nun who
has kind of lost the place and become a bit queer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was reciting an old poem to the grieving
midwife, a poem I used to love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think
it’s a favourite of many people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
by Leigh Hunt.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Jenny kissed me when we met,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Jumping from the
chair she sat in.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Time, you thief
who love to get</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Sweets into your
list, put that in.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Say I’m weary;
say I’m sad,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Say that health
and wealth have missed me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Say I’m growing
old, but add,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Jenny kissed me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">For some reason
this little poem added to the scene of sadness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It brought the tears to my eyes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">And now 2
jokes<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jewish jokes!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">A man sat before
Dr. Gluckstein, the aged but renowned urinary-disorders specialist.;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“My trouble,”
complained the man, “is that I can’t pee!"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“How old are you
?” asked Dr. Gluckstein!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“I’m
ninety-three!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“It’s all right,”
said the famous urologist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You peed
enough!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Second joke:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Is your nephew,
Irving a good doctor?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Good?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s such a lovely boy, last year I needed an
operation and I couldn’t afford it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
he touched up the X-rays!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB">LAUGH AND THE
WORLD LAUGHS WITH YOU.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>AND HAVE FUN!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-58000344513532987342014-01-06T11:15:00.000+00:002014-01-06T11:15:42.343+00:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;
mso-para-margin-left:36.0pt;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<h2 class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">DANCE YOUR WAY TO FUN AND KEEP OFF THE
MULLED WINE</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Gerald bought himself a new pair of dancing
shoes yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believe it or not, at
the fanciful age of 87 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were
with a crowd of young and older members of the family at a hotel in Inverness
for dinner, and to bring in the New Year. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were thirteen of us and he was frustrated when the dancing started and he
couldn’t dance properly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His shoes were
too heavy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So while we were at the
Sales yesterday he saw this pair of shiny, lightweight, black shoes, size 10,
tried them on and bought them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have
two weddings of grandchildren coming off in 2014, and he wants to cut a dash I
suppose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t wait for these two
dates, ‘Deo Volente’ as my old uncle used to say, or my old aunt, ‘If God
spares me!’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Funny sayings some people
have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A colleague in teaching I used to
know would sometimes say, “I was born a lady, but I wasn’t needed!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Did you know that an awful lot of your
health depends on your gut?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quote
from an article in the New Statesman appearing over Christmas, by Michael
Brooks, called “The benefits of eating bacteria.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In it he says, “….your large intestine is
host to roughly a hundred trillion bacteria, weighing kilos, and they can have
a surprising effect on your health, and maybe even your behaviour.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a massive area of research at the
California Institute of Technology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
seems that “mice demonstrating abnormal social interactions, obsessive
behaviour and intestinal problems – all traits associated with autism in human
beings – CAN BE CURED if they ingest the right type of bacteria”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So there you go!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now you know!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watch your guts!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is even suggested that mulled wine could
be so toxic, for instance, that it kills bacteria that would otherwise keep you
SLIM over the holidays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank goodness
I don’t care for mulled wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still,
what does a pink gin or more than one do to your constitution?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pour me a whisky Gerald, while I think about
it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Anyway, this Sunday morning, Andrew Marr on
his 9 a.m. Sunday Show announced, among other things that he was going to have
a DRY January.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well. Bully for
him!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Marr, the Brilliant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s OK for him, he’s got a lot of other
things going for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a start he’s
under 60 years old, he’s thin, and has probably got plenty of the old Kelly
Boe, or Shekels, or stacks of dough, no doubt at all.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">He spoke to David Cameron, or as I call our
prime minister, Slick Dick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no
question on earth that you can ask the man that he does not come with a wonderful
answer that somehow compliments his political party, his astute self, number
one, the shining saint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any troubles
the Conservative Party have got have been caused by the previous
government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turns his defeats into
triumphs, like wanting to go to war with Syria because of the use of chemical
weapons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he was voted down in
parliament, he made out somehow that it was his good-thinking that stopped the further use of chemical weapons and the threat of
military action, of which we were all scared to hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as for the administration preceding his
coalition government, they’re responsible for everything that is wrong with
Britain, and with France, Germany and all the struggling countries like Spain,
Portugal, Italy, Greece and even the USA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was no Global Financial Crisis affecting their Economies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, Stupid!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According Conservative spokespersons, it
was the Labour Government of Great Britain that caused the world recession,
don’t you know?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Today’s Sunday Observer’s leading article
suggests that arguing about the economy between Labour and Tories is not what
should be solely occupying the politicians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What is really important is, first the care of the NHS which has been
subjected to botched policies and fudges, totally against the tide of expert
medical opinion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Secondly, the
newspaper states that a further overwhelming problem for leaders is going to be
the care of the elderly in today’s world of long-living <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Homo sapiens</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The third
grand puzzle for our intellectuals, the movers and shakers, is quoted as follows:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What is the purpose of our universities and
how they are to be funded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do we have
to have our young people loaded with large debt for a lifetime?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">An American ragtime pianist, on reaching
the age of 100, when interviewed, is quoted as saying “If I had known I was
going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So say all of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I love the resurrection of an old tune,
you’ll find it on YouTube.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Are you havin’ any fun?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What’y gettin’ out of life?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What good is what you’ve got</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you’re not<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Getting’ any fun!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you getting any laughs?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you getting’ any lovin’?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
other people do,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So can you, have a little fun.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Happy New Year Everybody!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have Fun!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-59564675098813521112013-12-23T16:37:00.000+00:002013-12-23T16:37:20.550+00:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;
mso-para-margin-left:36.0pt;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<h2 class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">ALL OVER THE PLACE – a guest blog for
Christmas and the New Year</span></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Margaret Dunlop, proud owner of this blog
site, is too busy preparing for Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That means endless cooking and baking, decorating the house and tidying up
after her husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So she has asked her
husband, that’s me, to write a blog for Christmas – and that is likely to be
all over the place. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t expect
literary prowess as I am only used to writing scientific papers and a couple of
textbooks (animal breeding, genetics and my favourite “the Yak”) and that style
of pedantic writing is miles away from the novel – never mind chicklit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly, I also lack the ability for the subtle
humour of my significant other – but read on.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Here are some of our thoughts for the year
that is nearly past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s leave out
most of the personal stuff which includes our gratitude to our National Health
Service (a hint here!), frustration at airports, incredulity that nearly
everybody, but especially the young, have their mobile phones glued to their
ears most of the time, or on their laps - texting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That of course leads effortlessly to other
areas of surprise such as the appropriation of lovely words in the English
language to mean something entirely new – or at least skewed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The latest of these is the craze for “selfies”
referred to by Margaret in her last blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The word <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">actually means</span> a photo
taken of oneself by oneself (I took one of myself in a mirror to remind me how horrible I
looked with a moustache before shaving it off – and that was in the 1950’s!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now they tell us that it has to be a photo of
oneself taken with a mobile phone with arm outstretched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No doubt mobile phone manufacturers are
rubbing their hands with glee.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">On a more serious note, we (that’s both
Margaret and this scribe) are sad that the world seems not to be a better place
and the end of 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are still
wars, ethnic and religious strife, sectarian hatred, hunger and disease for
many, climate change deniers, several natural disasters from hurricanes, floods,
earth quakes and catastrophic droughts, gross inequality of living standards both
within and between nations – and all in a world that should be crying out for
peace, tolerance, good will, caring and fairness.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">With a disclaimer from Margaret who thinks it’s
not a topic for Christmas, I want to add that politicians, the supposed leaders
in our societies, are not helping much as they seem to be concerned with the
short term only, with putting their opponents to disadvantage (irrespective
often of the merits of the case) and with staying in power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our own government (that’s the one in London,
not the Scottish one in Edinburgh) is now pretending to think long-term by
making promises for 2020 and 2025 – how credulous do they think we are?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the Scottish National Party government in
Edinburgh hopes to persuade us that manna will come again from heaven if only
we were a nation independent of the rest of the UK (how credulous ... ?).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">None of this sounds very cheery or as seasonable
as it ought to be at this time of year when many of us celebrate Christmas with
its deep underlying meaning and when most in the world look forward with hope to
a New Year – even if it does not start on “our” January 1<sup>st</sup> for all.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So here are some things to be cheerful
about:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>there is the potential from
science and technology to transform lives everywhere for the better if the will
and understanding can be mobilized. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
we can feed the world if we are willing to accept changes to food production
and reduce waste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In politics, someone
like the late Nelson Mandela showed that it does not have to be conducted in
the way it usually is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Culture and
scholarship flourish, millions of young people are still enthused with idealism
and not yet infected by the cynicism of many of their elders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Margaret Dunlop (owner of this blog) is
also an author we can marvel at the explosive expansion of self expression
through indie publication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Large
publishing houses no longer willing to support unknown authors, without an
assured market and profit, have been effectively bypassed by the e-book
trade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only downside perhaps is that
it becomes ever harder to sift the grain from the chaff – so to speak.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And on a cheery note, we marvel at a
Hollyhock in our garden – in Inverness, a part of the country where the climate
is not good for this “English” garden plant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, two days from Christmas and after cold, frost and even some snow,
it is still flowering five months after it started to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That surely is a sign of the marvel of nature
and an omen that good and beautiful things are here to stay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And with that, we (Margaret and her
temporary scribe) wish all of you who have been able to read this screed to the
end a very happy festive season and a Good New Year.</span></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-14937872729331478182013-12-14T18:25:00.000+00:002013-12-14T18:25:05.632+00:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;
mso-para-margin-left:36.0pt;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<h2 class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">HIGH JINKS IN LONDON AND HOME TO THE SAME OLD POLITICS - and Christmas just round the corner</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Well, I got back safely from London after
having a wonderful time with Laura and Margaret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the Friday night we showed up at Ronnie
Scott’s club, Jessica, grandaughter, and now working as an intern in the crazy
capital joined us as we took our places at our booked table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three hours of great jazz, great singing,
terrific atmosphere, all small, lighted tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We ate our meal and drank our drinks in a haze of unusualness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least for me, the older generation, it
was a really exciting occasion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we
three generations of Scots, out on the tiles – didn’t we live it up and have a
ball!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even paying the enormous prices
for taxis (London is a big city!) seemed daring and amazing £l6 here and £20
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t venture on the Tube –
in Glasgow when I lived there, they called it “The Subway”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alternatively you can call it “The
Underground”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had decided we should
celebrate in style and for three days we would be toffs and use London Cabs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">You just get in and give them the postcode
of your destination and off they jolly-well-go!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great fun!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had dinner in an Italian
restaurant with some Scots friends and relatives working in London, and from
there we dashed off to see “The Bodyguard”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was an A1, ace, dramatic
musical story of the singer Whitney Houston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What a fantastic performer she was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her life story was so moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
cheered with the rest, and at the end the cast got a 20 minute standing
ovation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then ….. to my astonishment,
the audience burst into wild dancing and singing etc., etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This included my party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I became a sort of embarrassed bystander at
this point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t people have fun
nowadays?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was young shows and
films usually ended with The National Anthem and we all filed out gravely,
showing what good people we were.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Otherwise, I picked up a hideous cold – an
acquaintance, a lady vet, explained I didn’t pick up the virus in the Big
Smoke, but on the aeroplane to Gatwick from Inverness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However I got it, it was hellish – wheezing and
coughing, probably my punishment for enjoying myself so much at my age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was dressed up in my new long black boots, and felt great when I was there, but I
never got invited to any party!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well,
you can’t win them all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went to the
Tate Britain Gallery, and we got a free round of drinks at the Hotel St.
Pancras because their service was slow that Saturday night.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Christmas presents all purchased for better
or worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Terrible scenes of refugees
in Syria and Lebabon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Winter storm and
dreadful privation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I admit I have to
turn to another television channel as I can’t watch these poor children in their
suffering, and their poor parents. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
a ghastly world it can be for people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We Brits are so lucky in 2013 about most things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And old Nelson Mandela is gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a shining light he was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Glasgow should be proud of how they stuck up
for him while he was imprisoned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
made a Freeman of the City of Glasgow when he was still in jail, and they
changed the name of a street to name it after him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Warm-hearted people as always.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ve had it hard themselves in the past
in Glasgow, and know how to stand up for the underdog.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The Prime Minister, David Cameron and the
Leader of the Opposition, Ed Milliband continue to shout at each other in
parliament.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David makes one statement
and Ed completely contradicts him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
Milliband <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>makes a statement about the
failures of the government, and Cameron accuses the Labour Party of failures in
their term in government, and so on, and so on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even Gerald and I, dedicated politics
followers get cheesed off, and despair of things coming right for the tired,
penny-pinching<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>population, that is 90%
of our country today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Compared to some
areas of the planet we are privileged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Caring people raise money for the charities that try to aid these poor
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is all we can do, it
seems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The instant communication of
television is a double-edged example of progress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can be entertained and horrified within
a few hours.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">May the Christmas Season bring you and
yours Joy and Peace.</span></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-62207761958320420102013-11-21T18:41:00.000+00:002013-11-21T18:41:06.936+00:00<h2 class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">SELFIES, ESCAPE FROM THE RAT-RACE AND
MIDDLE-AGED DRUGGIES.</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Bet you don’t know what a “Selfie” is!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know a few days ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a new word to be put in the new Oxford
Dictionary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It means, apparently – “a
photo of yourself which you have taken with your mobile ‘phone and put up on Facebook
or the Internet”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems it is an
Australian invention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sounds like
Aussie-speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They call relatives “rellies”
and Marmite (the great Australian salty sandwich spread) “Marmie”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most Australians love it, and the few who don’t
love it, hate it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">My age- group, between sixty and ninety
years old have had to take on a lot of new words and concepts – such as the
World Wide Web, Mobile phones, texting, chatting on Facebook and Twitter and so on
forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My granddaughter, Alicia and
her partner, Sandy have just bought themselves a 3D Television set.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so it goes on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My significant other, Gerald, even enjoys looking
at tweets for a spell, most days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thinks
about these strangers from all over the planet while I do the ironing or cook
up a storm in the kitchen.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Just finished reading a book called, “No!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I Don’t Want To Join a Book Club” by Virginia
Ironside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite brilliant!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The narrator explains that she has just
turned sixty, and is very happy to be able to sit back and think of all the things
she doesn’t have to do or worry about now that she<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>has reached the start of her seventh
decade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially she doesn’t want to
know about complicated things like relationships with the opposite sex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, and SEX itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is glad to be rid of such activities for
herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a hoot! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She writes very amusingly and
sympathetically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really enjoyed her
matter-of-fact style, so easy to read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Talking about style, my daughter, Mimi Martin (Margaret) has written and
published a sort of children’s book called, “Jeremiah Buttons and the Hamlet of
the Lost.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has written and
illustrated it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her writing style is so
quirky and original.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is definitely
a ‘one-off’, inventive, crazy writer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Gerald started reading it in bed the other night and he has never
laughed so much for a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
purely mad!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">What about the new name on the block in GB.
– Paul Flowers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Craziness is
everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First of all he is a Church
minister, a respected pastor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also was a
Local Government official.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He puts his
computer in for repair, and it is reported that he has a store of pornography
on it, so he has to give up his political position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he is made Chairman of the Co-operative
Bank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has little idea about banking
and the bank is now in a serious position, having lost much of its money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was in the past week or so, filmed buying
cocaine and crystal meths, whatever that
is, but it sounds<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as if it is very bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are
the oldies starting to go off their rockers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Also he is pictured negotiating a session with a male prostitute (rent-boy)
in London.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is caught by the prying
newspapers that set the story going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You couldn’t make it up!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">This overweight, middle-aged sinner, Paul
Flowers, is matched by the Mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has been caught on video smoking crack
cocaine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has admitted to heavy
drinking, and drink-driving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also he
has made obscene remarks on public<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>television about his sexual habits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And the council are having great difficulty getting him to step down
from his post .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who needs fiction when
these goings-on are available on your news media every day?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Anyway, I’m a lucky oldie!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It being my birthday this week, my formidable
daughters, Laura and Margaret, are taking me for the weekend to the Big
Smoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flying from Inverness to Gatwick
(London), and then staying at the Marriot<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">t
</span>Hotel at St.Pancras station, going to Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, and on
Saturday night<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to a show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also
being taken to the Tate Gallery to see a show called “Painting Now: Five
Contemporary Artists.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I hope to
see the magnificent new staircase at the entrance built by the architects
Caruso and his partner, Peter St. John.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t be bad, say I!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So long as the wild girls don’t walk too
fast for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So wish me luck as you
wave me goodbye.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
made some lovely tomato and cheese pizzas, home-made hamburgers and steak mince
for Gerald for while I am away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hope he
doesn’t go out on the town and forget the way home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have
bought a new pair of black boots and a short black skirt with a purple
horizontal stripe!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bring on the Gin
& Tonics, and what was that joke about the man who escaped the rat-race and
went to live in Alaska?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He met a
friendly fellow called ‘Lars’!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He got
invited to a party!</span></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-797994019994202882013-11-21T18:31:00.000+00:002013-11-21T18:37:14.240+00:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;
mso-para-margin-left:36.0pt;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<br /><h2 class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">SELFIES, ESCAPE FROM THE RAT-RACE AND
MIDDLE-AGED DRUGGIES.</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Bet you don’t know what a “Selfie” is!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know a few days ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a new word to be put in the new Oxford
Dictionary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It means, apparently – “a
photo of yourself which you have taken with your mobile ‘phone and put up on Facebook
or the Internet”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems it is an
Australian invention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sounds like
Aussie-speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They call relatives “rellies”
and Marmite (the great Australian salty sandwich spread) “Marmie”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most Australians love it, and the few who don’t
love it, hate it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">My age- group, between sixty and ninety
years old have had to take on a lot of new words and concepts – such as the
World Wide Web, Mobile phones, texting, chatting on Facebook and Twitter and so on
forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My granddaughter, Alicia and
her partner, Sandy have just bought themselves a 3D Television set.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so it goes on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My significant other, Gerald, even enjoys looking
at tweets for a spell, most days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thinks
about these strangers from all over the planet while I do the ironing or cook
up a storm in the kitchen.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Just finished reading a book called, “No!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I Don’t Want To Join a Book Club” by Virginia
Ironside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite brilliant!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The narrator explains that she has just
turned sixty, and is very happy to be able to sit back and think of all the things
she doesn’t have to do or worry about now that she<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>has reached the start of her seventh
decade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially she doesn’t want to
know about complicated things like relationships with the opposite sex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, and SEX itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is glad to be rid of such activities for
herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a hoot! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She writes very amusingly and
sympathetically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really enjoyed her
matter-of-fact style, so easy to read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Talking about style, my daughter, Mimi Martin (Margaret) has written and
published a sort of children’s book called, “Jeremiah Buttons and the Hamlet of
the Lost.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has written and
illustrated it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her writing style is so
quirky and original.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is definitely
a ‘one-off’, inventive, crazy writer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Gerald started reading it in bed the other night and he has never
laughed so much for a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
purely mad!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">What about the new name on the block in GB.
– Paul Flowers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Craziness is
everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First of all he is a Church
minister, a respected pastor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also was a
Local Government official.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He puts his
computer in for repair, and it is reported that he has a store of pornography
on it, so he has to give up his political position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he is made Chairman of the Co-operative
Bank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has little idea about banking
and the bank is now in a serious position, having lost much of its money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was in the past week or so, filmed buying
cocaine and crystal meths, whatever that
is, but it sounds<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as if it is very bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are
the oldies starting to go off their rockers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Also he is pictured negotiating a session with a male prostitute (rent-boy)
in London.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is caught by the prying
newspapers that set the story going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You couldn’t make it up!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">This overweight, middle-aged sinner, Paul
Flowers, is matched by the Mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has been caught on video smoking crack
cocaine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has admitted to heavy
drinking, and drink-driving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also he
has made obscene remarks on public<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>television about his sexual habits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And the council are having great difficulty getting him to step down
from his post .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who needs fiction when
these goings-on are available on your news media every day?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Anyway, I’m a lucky oldie!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It being my birthday this week, my formidable
daughters, Laura and Margaret, are taking me for the weekend to the Big
Smoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flying from Inverness to Gatwick
(London), and then staying at the Marriot<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">t
</span>Hotel at St.Pancras station, going to Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, and on
Saturday night<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to a show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also
being taken to the Tate Gallery to see a show called “Painting Now: Five
Contemporary Artists.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I hope to
see the magnificent new staircase at the entrance built by the architects
Caruso and his partner, Peter St. John.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t be bad, say I!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So long as the wild girls don’t walk too
fast for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So wish me luck as you
wave me goodbye.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
made some lovely tomato and cheese pizzas, home-made hamburgers and steak mince
for Gerald for while I am away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hope he
doesn’t go out on the town and forget the way home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have
bought a new pair of black boots and a short black skirt with a purple
horizontal stripe!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bring on the Gin
& Tonics, and what was that joke about the man who escaped the rat-race and
went to live in Alaska?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He met a
friendly fellow called ‘Lars’!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He got
invited to a party!</span></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-90104642594745410892013-08-19T17:35:00.000+01:002013-08-19T17:38:19.739+01:00<h2>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">NON-BEEF BURGERS, MAKING MONEY & PINK SARIS. I DON’T BELIEVE IT!</span></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Well, here we are again, in the middle
of August.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I heard someone on the radio
calling the year, the year two thirteen.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Maybe that’s the zeitgeist, but we have been saying the year twenty
thirteen for a while.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">However, we must
move with the times, and what times they are.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I feel like Victor Meldrew in the famous sit-com, “One Foot in the
Grave”.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">His catchphrase, you’ll
remember was </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">“I don’t believe it!”</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This was his well-known response to the
happenings of the modern world occurring in his expected quiet retirement.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I do not believe it” was my response to
several pieces of gleaned information from the media recently. Among these was the story from scientific
research about experiments to make beefburgers without beef . These are too sickening and horrendous to
narrate here, enough to say that a “fetal bovine serum” produced from the blood
of bovine foetuses is used to grow human stem cells into “burgers”. And they are talking about in future using
human umbilical cord blood plasma in place of the blood from bovine foetuses,
OMG! If you want to be horrified read
the Science column by Michael Brooks on page 19 of the New Statesman of 16-22
August, 2013. Maybe you can get it
online.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Another puzzle to me was what is meant
by the word “algorithm”. I have long
wondered about this, and now thanks to Wikipedia I have an answer. It says: “In mathematical computer science,
an algorithm is a step-by-step procedure for calculating, data-processing and
automatic reasoning.” I wanted to
understand this word due to the fact that much of the amazing activity of stockbrokers
and market traders makes use of algorithms in computers. Some transactions take fractions of a second
to perform. In the crash of 2008 on
one day, a total of $900 BILLION was wiped off the US Stock Exchange. If you have enough money to invest then,
even for a penny of difference in commodities’ prices between, say, London and
Stockholm, you can buy or sell in under 8 seconds. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The trouble is that there are many other
people out there who will jump on your bandwagon, and try to make their own
fortunes.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">So the bonanza doesn’t last.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s called High Frequency Trading and
aficionados talk about Market Equity Volatility.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Sad to consider that many of the players
have no inkling of what type of goods they are buying and selling, that’s not
the game.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Worse than that is to
consider that, in future, because of the power of the latest computer
algorithms, the computers can do it themselves for you.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s another, “Oh My God!” situation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I will mention only two other disturbing
events of the present day. First the
deadly fighting going on in Egypt between the Military Government and the
Muslim Brotherhood. It seems to me like
a microcosm of the world situation – the opposing philosophies of the West
Christian/Judaeo/Atheist and the followers of Mohammed. The two sides have differing ideas about
political systems such as democracy, and about the treatment of women, their
dress and their right to good education.
Who can foresee the future of this conflict? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Secondly, it seems that two allied
countries, both members of the European Union should be threatening each other
around the Straits of Gibraltar. At
present there is a British warship cruising there . Each government is standing up for their
rights, that is Spain and Britain, to establish to whom belongs the fish in the
sea around Gibraltar. Let’s hope a
solution is found soon for the Gibraltarians, and for the Spanish fishermen,
and we must not forget the poor tourists held up at the customs post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What has cheered me up is that the
British Film Institute in London is planning to show some of Vivien Leigh’s old
films. Also there is to be an
exhibition of her seven and half thousand letters and other things at the Victoria
& Albert Museum from 5th - 22nd November.
I first fell in love with Vivien when she appeared in “Gone with the
Wind”. Who can forget the beautiful
young actress as Scarlet O’Hara? They don’t make them like that anymore. She along with Marilyn Monroe and Lady Diana
Spencer are my most notable heroines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lastly, I was cheered to read of the Pink
Gang of Uttar Pradesh in India. This
almost lawless region is infamous for cruel rapes of women, and these vigilante
women have grouped together to defend one another, and to seize their human
rights. They are now 30,000 thousand
strong. Their leader, Sampat Pal Devi,
was the first to speak out, and she suggested that her followers should wear
pink saris (she bought the material) so that they would be able to recognise each
other in the street. They carry sticks
and go after abusers of women and cruel husbands. The book, “Pink Sari Revolution” by Amana
Fontanella was read in an abridged version on BBC Radio 4, and the Indian
reader made it sound very amusing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Finally, this amused me. It is a quote from Winston Churchill. On being told that an arrest had been made
in Hyde Park involving a semi-naked Member of
Parliament who had been making advances to another in sub-zero
temperatures, his reaction was: ‘Naked and below zero! Makes you proud to be British.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-9793267457152061142013-07-29T18:22:00.000+01:002013-07-29T18:22:10.952+01:00<h2>
<span lang="EN-GB">SUNSHINE, RAIN, HAPPINESS, SADNESS AND FENNEL SOUP. </span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Hello again,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Here are a few notes from the North of the
British Isles. We are having intermittent
French Riviera weather some days, and with the Rain Forest in Brazil for others. For a few days we are lounging on our
steamer chairs among the sweating roses in the garden, already worrying about
looking out for too much sun on our skin, and then in the next few days the
heavens open and the rain cascades down.
We go from 27 degrees Centigrade to 16 degrees within a short space of
time. Then we have to store away our
cushions and sunglasses while the thunder cracks. Oh, well, we don’t get bored with the
sameness of things in this country!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Just now GB is sort of divided between the
enamoured millions who are charmed by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge,
William and Kate, and their new-born son, little George Alexander Louis. Then, there are the fewer millions who think
it is time we became a modern democracy and, well, do away with the privileged
Royal family. There are as well, of
course, those people, the millions, I suppose, whose cares about money, and
about how to manage their household budgets in these hard-to-fathom times, are
enough to think about. Many younger
couples with families are struggling too hard to care for very long or have
time to dwell on the great wash of excitement gripping the newspapers and the
television programmes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Most papers have led their headlines with “It’s
a Boy!”. However, one paper, I heard, I
think it was Private Eye magazine, had the headline, “Woman has Baby”. I have to admit that Gerald and myself were sort of smiley and
happy for the young royal couple. After
all, for some reason I cannot explain, I had great empathy with William’s
mother, the beautiful and sadly deceased Princess Diana.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Our wonderful National Health Service is
receiving a lot of publicity just now.
Many people from all sides of political opinion are worried about the
way things are progressing. Anyone I know
who has had treatment has praised the nurses and doctors to the skies. And the fact that one walks out of hospital
after a short stay, as I did with my knee replacement, and there is nothing to
pay is marvellous. It is a miracle in
these frenzied days. Yet I know that
there are reasons that the strains on finances from the government are
large. Money is in short supply
everywhere. The other reasons for worry
are well-known. An ageing population,
needing more and more drugs and attention, and the continual technological improvements
and pharmacological improvements, although fantastic, are the reason that
people are living on and on and on, even with serious diseases. Yet, we oldies, who remember the days before
the establishment of the NHS, pray that some compromise will be found to save
the system.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Things don’t look too good, however, it has
to be said. A book review which I read
the other day </span>in the New Statesman illuminated some of the worries we all have. It was of a book edited
by Jacky Davis and Raymond Tallis called “NHS. SOS. HOW THE NHS WAS BETRAYED
AND HOW WE CAN SAVE IT”. The Conservative party are wholly on the side of
competition in all things. Yet
according to this review there is not a shred of evidence that competition in
the area of public health does improve health.
I quote, “On the contrary, we know only too well that creating competitive
markets in health is extremely harmful.”
The article goes on to cite the USA where competitiveness applies, and
where costs have been driven up, and where the health service provided is very
variable.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The man who has written this article, the
critic, is the editor of the medical journal, “The Lancet”, Richard Horton. He talks of a very British coup that
destroyed the NHS, heading his piece, “Cowards, Betrayers and Appeasers.” He blames of course the former Tory health
minister, Andrew Lansley, and he blames the press for not questioning what was
going on, and for the promises, pre-election , “no new top-down reorganisation”
of the NHS. He also blames some of the
outgoing Labour administration for preparing the health system for privatisation
with some of their methods of management.
The Tories accelerated the destruction with the connivance of the
Liberal Democrats. And so a “beacon of
advanced democracy” is almost destroyed.
A sad tale really for this old leftie.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Staying on a serious note, one of my
heroes, Alan Turing is being talked about a lot just now. He was a scientist and mathematical genius,
and also a homosexual. In the House of Commons there has been passed
a bill allowing gay marriage in the UK.
The House of Lords have recently agreed with this decision. The Lords have also debated whether Alan
Turing should be pardoned. Turin was
convicted of gross indecency with another adult male in 1952. Turing was a brilliant man, inventing and
developing the first computers, he cracked the Nazi Enigma Code used between
the German War Forces, especially ships.
He was a brilliant man whose genius for cracking codes using his early
computers, and reading the German messages shortened the war, it is said by up
to two years. He later committed
suicide, supposedly for his disgrace in being arrested and tried for
homosexuality. Well, just another sad
tale! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Things are going well enough for us, plebs
in the Highlands. Everyone seems
pleased with the weather and the telly, and the feeling of holidays, for
teachers and schoolchildren anyway. My
latest sojourn into insanity was when
using up Gerald’s carefully-grown fennel bulbs, having looked up several
recipes for FENNEL SOUP, the one I chose said to chop up the fennel and then to
boil it up for a while, and then to throw the bulb away, and to make soup with
the liquid. So, as they say, the
British built the British Empire in a fit of Absence of Mind, what did I
do? I strained the pan of fennel and
stock over the sink, watched the liquid go down the plughole and was left with
boiled residue, a useless soggy bulb. So “Old age doesn’t come alone!” No it comes with stiff muscles and general
fits of sort of craziness. Time for a
large GIN AND TONIC. From the two old
soldiers among the roses, I will say goodnight!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-216300345627470202013-07-02T17:34:00.000+01:002013-07-02T17:34:22.884+01:00THE SITUATION IS SCARY, YET SHE COOKS AND PLAYS THE PIANO!<h2>
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></h2>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Well hello all! Yes, it is the return of the oldie blogger,
Margaret, the unvanquished. My
replacement knee is finally settling down.
I no longer need two crutches or even one to get around. I have done all my exercises, and look
forward to having two well-functioning knee bones. This is all thanks to the marvellous
surgeons and the nursing staff of Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. Here the National Health Service is working
magnificently, and Gerald and I are glad we moved to within a few miles of this
great establishment.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">That said, and having been constantly
encouraged to start doing my occasional blogs again, I have been thinking of
things to talk about. Sadly I seem to
have got hooked on a subject brought on by the “Start the Week” programme on BBC
Radio 4. This goes out on a Monday
morning around 9 a.m. and I always try to listen to it. This week it was a discussion about a book, “Ten
Billion”, by Stephen Emmott. The author,
a pessimist about the situation of the planet, was talking to Danny Dorling who
has also written a book on the subject, with a bit more optimism. Also an Indian philosopher and Nobel Prize
winning economist was taking part. His
name is Amartya Kumar Sen, and he believes that we must individually change our
behaviour to save the planet from Global Catastrophe. In particular he believes that the education
of women would result in a fall in the fertility rate of poorer people. Danny Dorling, on the other hand, thinks
that we must think that things will be OK.
We must be positive. He described
himself as a “Possibilist”. He contended
that economists cannot cope with the idea of reducing consumption and the
restriction of growth. We must stop
buying so much stuff, especially clothes.
These things take an enormous amount of water and energy to produce, and
are for the most part unnecessary to our lives. Danny Dorling maintains that the ‘baby peak’
has passed in 1990, and there have been a smaller number of babies born since
then. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But to confound the issue, we are all
living longer and this is a big cause of increased population numbers. According to Stephen Emmott the scale and
the nature of the problem is simply not being communicated. We must tell the politicians ‘WE WANT ACTION
NOW!” Another contributor to the
discussion, Jill Rutter, a former director of strategy at DEFRA, agreed that
governments must do more, but politicians prefer to think only in the
short-term. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Did you know that it takes 4 litres of
water to produce one plastic bottle of water, and we throw away 9 billion plastic
bottles in the UK in a year? You could
if you wanted to do a small thing take the same plastic bottle with you all
day, and fill it up with water from a tap. This is just a small fact on a long list. Don’t talk about cars and mobile phones,
computers and t-shirts, and our waste of resources. And, don’t forget that the rest of the
world, the underdeveloped countries want to be like Europe and the USA.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Anyway you can buy the book “Ten Billion”
by Stephen Emmott for £6.99. It’s
frightening stuff. Also there’s a big
article about it in the Sunday Observer, on 30.06.13.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<span lang="EN-GB">MY REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-GB">The garden is looking lovely. We have fantastic peachy, orangey roses, and
white roses and red roses. Gerald has
been working hard. We also have a
raised bed, and we are growing lovely fennel bulbs, leeks, onions, rhubarb, and loads
of lettuce. The tomatoes and
strawberries are not ready yet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">I have started practising the
piano again and can make a fair rendition of ‘Let it Be’,</span> ‘The Entertainer’, and ‘Fur Elise’!</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">Going to Glasgow on Thursday
for the graduation of Jessica, granddaughter who has managed to get a First class honours degree
in International Business Studies. I am
so proud of her. She is a little
worker, and deserves to succeed. Also I
will meet ancient college friends, and sister and brother-in-law for a dinner
at George Square.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">Andy Murray is in the quarter
final of the Wimbledon Tennis Championship.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">5.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">We are having filet de porc,
Chasseur for dinner tonight.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">6.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">I bought a new hat and beach
bag at highly reduced rate in TK.Maxx.
They are sort of orangey shades, no doubt will match my over-scorched skin
when I return from a holiday in Tenerife.
Will be married to G. for 28 years then, if God spares us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">7.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">I’ve lost 7 pounds in weight
since my knee operation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">8.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">The ironing is finished for the
week.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">9.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">We’ve now got two water hoses
in the garden which makes watering the garden much easier. Listen to me using up the earth’s
resources. Well in Scotland we have too
much rain, and therefore too much water.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">10.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">Last, but not least Linda, my doctor granddaughter now working in
New Zealand is coming home to take up a job in Aberdeen hospital, a few hours drive away. The call of boyfriend, Gregor, and of course her very
friendly and humorous family was too strong to keep the girl away from Bonnie
Scotland! Cheers! Keep on keeping on!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-67386864738618716772013-04-06T19:31:00.000+01:002013-04-06T19:31:36.050+01:00<br />
<h2>
<span lang="EN-GB">BE GRATEFUL FOR SMALL MERCIES – GIN AND
CURRIED BEEF</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Watched the Graeme Norton show last
night. Very entertaining with Tom
Cruise smiling handsomely. He confessed
that he was of Irish descent, and had actually been presented with a certificate
when over there because of some good deed done by his great-great-grandfather
as a landlord to his tenants. There you
go! His co-star also on the show was
Olga Kurylenko, a beautiful if skinny girl who also claimed to be part
Irish. She blamed the fact that her
bust was not big enough to suit her on the fact that she did not eat enough
cabbage as a child. That is according
to her mother.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">A sad, sad story about the six children
burned to death in a house fire started by their father. </span>His wife was an accomplice, along with another man. This appears to have been a twisted attempt
to blame his girlfriend for the fire, largely as she had left taking her five children with her, and her contribution
to the household income. The horror of
a man like Philpott who, it seems, attempted to be seen as a hero by the public
when he supposed he could rescue the poor children. It is a horrible story,
all bound up with the fact that Philpott was claiming large sums of money from
the government for the support of eleven children altogether. Besides that, both his wife and the girlfriend,
while she also lived in the house, were in work and handed their wages over to
him. He was a control freak, a ghastly, violent
bully and thank God he has been put away in jail. How can
such parasites exists among us? It
makes one shudder.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The fact that George Osborne used the
example of Philpott to support his cuts to welfare benefits for large families is
ludicrous. There is only a very small percentage
of families with large numbers of children and the Philpott case is unique. When Osborne appeared on TV with his “Mockney”
accent (put on to try to sound like one of the people) attempting to justify
the cuts in welfare to those in financial difficulties, he, with his
millionaire background, made a sad situation even sadder. Just like Ian Duncan Smith riposting to a
poor market trader who had to live on £53.00 per week, oh sure, he could live
on that much if he had to. Once again we
get empty rhetoric from a politician living in the lap of luxury.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Where will it all end? When will we solve all these problems of the
rich and the poor, the good-living and the downright villains? I count my blessings. Right now, I am being offered to join G. for
a drink in the hotel down the road.
Poor Gerald, he doesn’t drink much but likes to treat me. Also I have made a beef curry which awaits
us for dinner tonight. So that can’t be
bad! Tomorrow Laura and Gordon are
coming to the house. Gordon is making
us a raised-bed in the garden for the growing of herbs and vegetables. Hooray.
I can’t wait for that project to start.
The Martin family have gone to London, all the men in kilts for a
wedding of a nephew to take place in a church of mainly black people. The custom of the congregation is to sway
and sing during the service. The mind
boggles of how the two sides will merge together. Good luck to Kevin and his family, and to
the bride and groom.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Say a prayer for me next Tuesday, all you
believers, as I am to have a knee replacement in Raigmore Hospital on the good
old National Health Service. Speak to
you soon, I hope!</span></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-24047147180122830142013-03-23T19:41:00.000+00:002013-03-23T19:41:17.006+00:00<br />
<h2>
<span lang="EN-GB">MY DESERT ISLAND MEN TO SAVE THE WORLD - JOHN GRAY AND JAMES LOVELOCK</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">John Gray is a writer and philosopher whom
I admire, having read his book “Straw Dogs”, and having been impressed by his
great intellect, although I have to confess that I have forgotten most of the
detail of the book. It was certainly
about religion and agnosticism.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Today I have just read in the “New
Statesman” his report of an interview he has had with James Lovelock (at 93
years old an active and happy scientist.) Gray has entitled his article “Man for all
seasons.” The sub-title is “James
Lovelock is the maverick environmentalist who supports fracking and nuclear
power. Does the guru of Gaia believe the
human race has a future?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I can say that I have heard of Lovelock
before, and the Gaia principle. A short summary of it from Wikepedia is “the
hypothesis is that living and non-living parts of the earth form a complex interacting
system that can be thought of as a single organism. It is named after the Greek Goddess,
Gaia. It postulates that the biosphere
has regulatory effects on the earth’s environment that act to sustain life.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I have to confess here that always it has
been at the back of my mind, as I suppose is true of many others, that the
biggest problem of our world is the onward and upward rise in population. Both John Gray and James Lovelock agree that
the population crisis will not be solved by the current mantra of thinkers on
the subject, for example the Green Party.
Many have strong beliefs that we must try to establish sustainable
development by using solar energy, windfarms, and organic farming and other
methods to counteract the effects of global warming. Lovelock favours nuclear power and fracking, i.e.
abstracting oil from shale, to give us time to sort out something better.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">This was a very well-written article, quick
to read and so informative. I will get
off this serious subject now, but hope you will forgive me if I quote just one
more bit from the said article. “And
yet by using the technologies most demonised by contemporary greens – genetically
modified food, fracking and nuclear power, for instance – humankind could make
possible a decent standard of living
until our numbers fall globally (as they are doing already in some parts of the
world) and eventually stabilise at a lower level."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Gerald is very fond of sweet things,
especially chocolate. He talks
longingly of Sachertorte , so wonderful and so delicious such as we had on a
holiday once in Vienna at the Sacher café where the cake originated. Well, I have now baked two Sachertorten, and
they have both been delicious, both from different recipes. Now in true scientist fashion he has
presented me with three or four other versions of the recipe so that we can
compare them. I like baking new recipes
– just as well. But as you are surely
thinking, we will be the fattest couple in Druim Park.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Seven Scottish grandchildren and four
English grandchildren, and at last the whisper of a wedding. Their ages range from sixteen to
twenty-eight, and we have many who are in relationships, none so far has
mentioned the fatal Wedding Word until this month. Good Old Calum and Fiona. Celebrating next year with you. Gerald and I can’t wait !</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">We don’t have much snow in this old capital
of the Highlands of Scotland, but it is hellish cold. Yet we have had beautiful snowdrops, and now
have some primroses flowering. Buds are
on many of the garden trees. Can
Spring be far behind? </span></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-37193925107185912512013-03-07T22:34:00.000+00:002013-03-07T22:34:05.390+00:00<br />
<h2>
<span lang="EN-GB">GALAXIES REVEALED, ANTI-POLITICS IN ITALY
AND COMPUTERS WITH CONSCIOUSNESS.</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Well, I thought that this was an
interesting story reported in Sunday’s Observer. “Britain has contributed £88 million towards
the construction of the world’s largest telescope. The huge observatory, to be built in the
Chilean Andes will allow astronomers to capture images of the universe’s
earliest moments”. This great “eye in
the sky” will cost $l billion which it seems is £900 million. It will be known as E-ELT, European
Extremely Large Telescope. It sounds
like something from Monty Python. Built
in the high Andes, it will avoid the atmospheric turbulence that affects
observatories at lower altitudes.
According to Prof. Niranjan Thatte of Oxford University it will collect
more light than all the other telescopes ever built put together. The universe is believed to be permeated
with mysterious dark matter, and users of this telescope will be able to study
this – more Monty Python.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Also interesting to me in my ‘scientific
phase’ I gleaned an article about consciousness from this week’s “New Statesman”. I once studied Philosophy with the Open
University, and it nearly drove me crazy trying to understand lots of it. One of these concepts was “What is
consciousness.” Shades of Descartes’
famous statement, “I think, therefore I am”.
It seems that when we fall into a dreamless sleep, our consciousness
disappears. New transcranial magnetic stimulation experiments in Madison,
Wisconsin have shown that when people are awake, their reactions to stimulation
are strikingly different to reactions when they are asleep. Awake the response is complex and the
stimulation causes interaction in the brain in an integrated network of constant
feedback to the stimulation. When the
person is in deep sleep there is no feedback and it is as if the network has
shut down. Yet evidence from scanning
brain activity of Buddhist monks during meditation suggests that they are able
to raise both sides of the neural see-saw at the same time. It seems that there are implications from all
this for computers and a suggestion that computers could in the future be
capable of consciousness. Do I hear you
say 'Monty Python' again?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I love going on holiday to Italy. We had a
great time in Sorrento (“Then say not
good-bye, Come back again beloved.”) We
stayed at a great hotel, The Hotel de Ville.
Waiter service for meals and a really friendly, caring staff. We went to Pompeii and took a bus tour up
the Amalfi Coast. However, I am so
disappointed to see that the country is (like most of Europe, only worse) in financial
and political trouble. The Observer
leader article considers that the success of the comedian Beppo Grillo in the
latest election shows that 25% of the electorate were disgusted with political
parties in general. So they voted for a comic. The article
suggests that if Britain is not careful, then, it could display the same
nihilism, in trying to come to term with politics. The rise of UKIP they take to be a sign of
protest at the state of the economy, and the lack of growth in jobs especially
for young people. They finish by saying
there is a responsibility on all of us citizens, “to step up to the plate. Parties are partnerships too. The time has come for the best to engage with
the political system.” I think they
mean - help your local chosen party, and get out and vote.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">It’s Mother’s Day apparently on
Sunday. Gerald and I have been asked
out to lunch at a swanky hotel by daughter, Laura, son-in-law, Gordon and two
grand-daughters, Shonagh and Emma. I can’t
wait. Woman’s day was this week, so
thanks to all women who do sterling work in the Media like Jo Coburn, in the
papers like Polly Toynbee, and Tessa Jowell who worked so hard to get the
Olympics off the ground. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-1832488408860850412013-02-20T17:32:00.001+00:002013-02-20T17:32:30.872+00:00<br />
<h2>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">NEW YORK MARIJUANA, A POOR PRINCESS and a
FAST DIET</span></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What’s today been like for me in my ivory
tower here in the frozen north. Well,
not so frozen after all. Believe it or
not I have been sitting outside on a garden chair in bright sunshine. Admittedly, I was wearing two cardigans, but
it was warm and bright enough in the lovely light of the sun to sit and start
my latest small, home project. That is
to try to take-in or make smaller some of my eight pairs of trousers or pants
as our American relations call them.
Yes, you see I am getting THINNER.
It is called dropping a dress size, in my case almost two dress
sizes. Whether I shall be successful
with this only time will tell – I mean the sewing and the dieting. So far it has worked quite well. For five weeks now I have been trying a
version of the FAST DIET, a version which includes a few small glasses of wine
in the evening, and an attempt to do the half-fast idea nearly every day. I have lost 10 pounds so far. But I don’t want to brag too soon, as I know
how easy it is to put the lost weight back on.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">How’s this for hot news? Today I read in the Guardian dated 20<sup>th</sup>
Feb, 15.38 --just now my clock says 15.58, so it’s hot off the press that Mayor
Bloomberg of New York has made a small step towards s rational policy towards
marijuana. It seems that people found
to be carrying marijuana will no longer have to spend a night in prison. The article I read states that it is more
black people and Hispanics who have suffered from stop and search policy of the
New York Police, suggesting that by rights white people are every bit as guilty
of smoking the weed. Although Mayor
Bloomberg has admitted publicly to having smoked this stuff, I have to confess
that has not been part of my life experience.
Should I be glad or sorry or regretful?
Well, who knows? You can’t have every virtue or every vice. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Great heat on the media, TV and Radio and the newspapers about the Booker
prize-winner, Hilary Mantel’s comments about Kate Middleton. The papers have gone to town against the
author in a big way. Apparently she has
accused the princess of being having a plastic smile and of being without personality. However I believe the opinion of the
columnist of the Guardian who thinks that the comments of Hilary Mantel have
been hyped up by the press. Apparently
the speech was made at the British Museum for the London Review of Books. Although it was a small part of a long
speech, four paragraphs out of thirty, and had been made two weeks before the
press honed in on it, they have lambasted the author who was in a way largely
criticising the media for the way they used the princess as eye-candy for their
papers. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Going to the theatre tonight to see a team
of male dancers perform. I have no idea
what to expect. The programme was
chosen by G. hoping to please our house guests – Ruth, Naomi and Nathan. Hope it will be a successful outing. Meanwhile, I have to go and make Spaghetti
Bolognaise with some baked cherry tomatoes and left-over minced beef. Also they can have each have a slice of my
high calorie white chocolate and cream celebration cake. Don’t you just wish you were here? Don’t answer that! Keep happy!!</span></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-17602556283666966082013-02-07T19:59:00.001+00:002013-02-07T19:59:39.847+00:00<br />
<h2>
<span lang="EN-GB">DO ESKIMOES HAVE THE MOST FUN?</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">What a strange country we live in! We are bombarded with news and
opinions. We can’t get enough of either
of these. The latest cause for
discussion and disagreement between different strands of society in the United
Kingdom is the meaning of marriage.
What marriage used to mean when I was a girl was it was the state that
all normal young people aspired to and sure enough when I reached the grand old
age of twenty-one, I got married. You
got married, and usually you tried not to produce any children for as long as possible
(no contraception pill in those days).
Well sooner rather later you did have children, and that was what
marriage was for, wasn’t it? I even
remember being taken by a playmate to be shown a little girl whose mother was
not married. She was I was told in
hushed tones a “bastard”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Changed days! Nobody wants to get married among the young
people in their twenties that I am familiar with. They don’t want children either. This is for the same reason as it was for
my generation. They don’t want the wife
to stop working and earning money. They
can’t afford it. The whole set up of
engagement and marriage, sixty or seventy years ago was to make sure that there
was a father to provide for his family, because usually married women didn’t
work. It was society’s answer to an
unavoidable situation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Of course the churches were involved, and
so was the law, and that was that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But I remember seeing a TV progamme about
the Eskimo Culture whereby in those harsh snowy conditions, and long distances
to be travelled across the freezing country, when arriving at the igloo of a
stranger, the traveller was offered immediate hospitality and shelter from the
weather. Also he was offered if he
wished, the opportunity to spend the night with the wife of the owner. I suppose life was so fragile in those
circumstances that it didn’t matter who was the father of the child that his
wife might produce (and it widens the gene pool. GW).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">What I am leading up to, of course is the
great discussion and voting going on in parliament about whether two people of
the same sex should be allowed to be married.
It seems that this is what gay couples of both sexes wish to be allowed
to do. Many politicians, especially
Tory MPs, do not approve. Great columns
are being written in newspapers, notably Polly Toynbe in The Guardian, on the
subject. Some people can’t see what the
fuss is about when there are so many other pressing problems for the government
and the populace. I agree. What about the economy? The withdrawal of benefits from disabled
people? What about the proposed
referendum for staying in or out of the European Union? If gay people wish to be married, then good
luck to them. It is their business. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Moving on, I heard Al Gore, the American
ex-Vice-president, who also ran for the presidency at one time, speaking on
television. He is finished with
politics and fears that in the USA democracy is under strain . This is due to the system of great
corporations lobbying in the interests of their business. The needs of the population the politicians
are elected to represent are forgotten, due to greed and self-interest. As usual it’s all about money. Al Gore states that not once in the recent
presidential election was either Obama or Romney, or any other
candidate, asked a question about climate change and what could be done to slow the obvious changes for the worse that
were occurring in weather systems all over the world. Gore has sold his small TV News Channel to
Al Jazeera which, he claimed, had become a very responsible channel. This up-and-coming company is said to be applying for a license to transmit news in America. They might even challenge the mighty CNN
Company. What a funny world we live in!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Talking about environment matters, my
magazine from Friends of the Earth, states some reasons to be cheerful. They are:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">1)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">There is a growing chorus for a
ban on pesticides sparked off by the desperate plight of bees which are dying in their millions. Bees are vital for many of our food crops
and people are petitioning the government to put this crisis at the top of the
agenda. Petitions have been signed and
handed to David Cameron, while all over Britain thousands are getting involved
by planting wild flowers and handing out information for the campaign.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">2)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">Technology is on our side. The price of solar panels is
plummeting. Electric cars are selling
more and more. We hope that human
ingenuity may solve some of our problems.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">3)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-GB">The European Union has begun to realise that
demanding land for the growing of biofuels is depriving farmers of land to grow
food. Also the British Antarctic Survey
has been saved from oblivion, meaning that the early warning system on climate
change has not been dismantled.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">4)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">Last year, the CBI says, green growth was responsible for a third of all UK economic growth showing that green business was good for the economy as well as the environment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">5)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">Some thinking politicians of
all parties, and some CEOs of large companies are on the side of the Green
Party. So we may take heart.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Gerald has been advising me about what to
write in my blog today. His choice: a)
Trouble in parts of the National Health Service – patient neglect and inefficiency,
big time in some hospitals (one
hospital in particular). b) The Royal Bank of Scotland being fined millions,
and we, the taxpayers being the ones paying for it. c) Hidden inflation in our economy due to
smaller packaging in supermarkets but the same price being charged, and substitution
with cheaper ingredients, for example horsemeat (cheaper than beef) found in
Ready meals.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Ho! Ho!
As I said what a queer, funny, tricky old world we live in! The only good thing, I suppose is that our
communication and our media systems are so good that now we know all about our
mixed-up planet instantaneously. Is
this good or bad?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">A consolation: Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass
all four essential food groups: alcohol,
caffeine, sugar and fat. (Alex Levine)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Second consolation: Don’t worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you.(Winston Churchill)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!</span></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-69052534995600699582013-01-26T18:27:00.000+00:002013-01-26T19:53:19.918+00:00<br />
<h2>
HURRAH FOR ACTIVISTS!</h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">What is happening today? Today there is some warm almost spring
sunshine in Inverness. And so, for the
benefit of our health, we two ancients went a-walking down by the very full and
fast-flowing River Ness. We walked for
about half-a-mile, just enough for our old bones. Now Gerald is making wholemeal bread, and
yours truly decided to escape from the kitchen, and to write this blog.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">What else is new? Yesterday I read a great long blog by Laurie
Penny which I found on the New Statesman Magazine website – www.newstatesman.com/blogs. It was all about a book called ‘Vagina’ by Naomi
Wolf. She sleights the author for using
her immediate social milieu - mostly upper middle-class New York smart women,
discussing their experiences of love with men in the same class, that is with
money to buy flowers etc., etc., whereas ordinary, usually poorer-off women,
perhaps in Africa, but who are to be found all over the world, have a harder
and more difficult experience.
According to Laurie Penny this book is letting women and the fight for
women’s rights down. It is titillating
to men, and she cites an example of such writing in the highly successful
erotic publication known to all as ‘50 Shades of Grey’. Laurie Perry is a wonderful writer. I see that this week in the same magazine
her subject is the glass ceiling as she describes a meeting with the
82-year-old activist for women’s rights, and founder of the “wages for
housework” campaign, Selma James. I’d
never heard of her. She was born in
Brooklyn and now lives in London. She
seems to be a remarkable woman who has always fought for the underdog. There is such an active world going on out
there, especially in London. I never
considered myself a feminist, but perhaps I was wrong not to take up the
cause. Too late now! But I wish I could be paid for sixty years
of housework!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Other things to bug me: My daughter’s neighbour’s son has lost one
of his university classmates in the “insurgent” attacks in Mali where the
French are now fighting. Six British
boys lost their lives. Sad day for some poor parents.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">David Cameron is sounding off about what
Britain can get to its advantage from the European Union by renegotiating the
terms of the treaty signed in Maastrich long ago. How will it go? He says he wants the country to stay in
Europe (don’t all sane people?) but we must get a better deal, he says. And who will lose out so we in Britain can gain
new advantages? This is the trouble with
democracy. You have to go with the flow
or take up another hobby away from politics.
I have decided we must do as Jesus told us to do, in order to stop
ourselves from going crazy – “Consider the lilies of the field. They neither reap nor do they sow, yet have
I provided for them.” Except lilies don’t
grow in Scotland. At least not in the
winter.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I will finish with a quotation from Robert
Burns, our beloved Scottish Poet whose commemorative day it was on the 25<sup>th</sup>,
yesterday.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“Oh would what power the giftie gie us to
see ourselves as others see us!”!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Translated it means (the ‘giftie’ being
God) Oh, would God only give the gift
to see ourselves as others see us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">How would people like David Cameron, George
Osborne, or Alex Salmond like to see themselves as others see them or hear what
people say about them? I have to say I
don’t think I could stand to have that gift given to me either. No way! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I wish you sunshine such as we had today in
Inverness – but just a good bit warmer, please God! And Good Luck ANDY MURRAY, TOMORROW!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-56011067553852572162013-01-13T17:32:00.000+00:002013-01-13T17:32:42.977+00:00<br />
<h2>
<span lang="EN-GB">TAKE A GAMBLE ON THE GAY BALLS</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Sunday in the highlands of Scotland, and it
is not too cold. Yesterday was so cold
and yet beautiful to look out on as all grass and trees were covered in thick
white frost. In the post came a
postcard from striver-granddaughter, Laura, who at this time during her
back-packing year is working on a farm, a few hundred miles north of
Sydney. She works in above 100 degrees Fahrenheit
conditions picking fruit and such like work.
Anyhow it was how this New Year greeting was addressed. To Margaret and Gerald. Our second name was almost too small to be
on the postcard. But then she has
called our house “The Gambles”. It made me laugh. Take a gamble and visit “The Gambles”. It
does say “The Gables” on the front wall.
However perhaps the sun has affected her memory - and we loved her
communication just the same. If you
read this Laura, you are a star, and we will love seeing you and Lauren in
June. Keep on Keeping on!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Not that this was the first time we have
had a strange version of our house name.
Some typist once sent us a brown envelope with information enclosed, and
she had addressed the package to “The Gay Balls”. Images of ladies in ball gowns sweeping
round a ballroom in the arms of handsomely–dressed men occurred to me. Or if you like you could think of the new
connotation of ‘gay’, the mind boggles.
I suppose it must have been down to my pronunciation of the ‘gables’
over the ‘phone’ that was at fault. Oh
well! I think everything is my fault anyway.
It’s due to my strict education I tell myself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But I don’t think I am at fault for any of
the following:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">a)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">The coalition government in the
United Kingdom are introducing a form of poll tax in April this year. This will inform poorer people who do not
pay local council tax due to their circumstances that they will now have to pay
something, perhaps 20%. And it seems
that it is almost certain that they won’t be able to pay this. Even unemployed people will have to pay when
they have never paid before, even though they can hardly make ends meet. I got this story from George Eaton’s column
in the New Statesman. I quote here from
the article in this week’s magazine “The parallels with the greatest policy
misjudgement by any modern Conservative government are so striking that one is
inclined to conclude that the coalition has a death wish,” He goes on to say that “this regressive levy
is likely to be met with mass non-payment.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">b)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">It seems that Silvio Berlosconi
is trying to regain power in Italy by promising a relaxation of austerity. Let’s hope that the Italians don’t give in
to his wild behaviour, in spite of their financial distress.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">c)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">I read that the architect Kenneth Powell referred to the Shard as a 'behemoth'. The Shard is the new tall building - the tallest in Europe - on the south bank of the Thames by London Bridge designed by Renzo Piano. It opens on the 1st of February
and you can see round on the 68<sup>th</sup>, 69<sup>th</sup> and 72<sup>nd</sup>
floors - but beware, it's expensive. 'Behemoth’ is a puzzling word. A medieval word meaning “a great monster”. The building has its critics as it just
seemed to appear among 19<sup>th</sup> century streets.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">d)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">A quote from “The Observer”
magazine today talking about the attempt of scientists in Eindhoven University
in Holland to make artificial steaks and hamburgers. There’s energy behind the projects because
of the certainty that 9 billion human beings cannot possibly go on eating food
(at the present rate), especially meat produced in the traditional way. The planet can’t take it.” It’s is a good interesting article, if a bit
scary.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Last of all a joke:
A woman journalist heard a story about this Jewish man who has been
going to the Wailing Wall in Jersualem for forty years. Each day he prayed for an hour. He never failed to turn up to pray. The journalist decided to get the story and
arrived one day to visit this religious man.
“Who do you pray for each day?” she asked. The old man replied, “I pray for my wife,
for my family, and for my health. Also
I pray the Christians, the Jews, and the Moslems will agree with one another
and find peace together.” Said the
journalist: “How do you feel about
doing this for so long?” He replied, “I
feel as if I am talking to a wall.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-4602284403971767512012-12-28T17:46:00.002+00:002012-12-28T17:46:54.672+00:00<br />
<h2>
<span lang="EN-GB">“MONEY TALKS FOR YOU A LOAN”</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">We still haven’t cleared up after
Christmas. Presents to stash away or
hang in the wardrobe, dishes and plates brought for special visitors have to be
re-stored, and leftovers still hanging around have to be eaten or binned tout-de-suite! So much money is spent at this time of year
that it is best not to think about it.
Still a great time was had by all.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Everything seems to be about money in one
way or another these days. Shops are desperate
for money to be spent, students need money to live, to party and celebrate the
holidays, and if you want to rent or buy a flat you sure must have money. When I was a child I had an uncle who owned a
Pawn Shop (Really! No kidding!) Outside his shop was a big sign which said “Money
Talks for You a Loan” and at the end of the sign was a big finger pointing to
the door of the shop. It was funny and
it was clever And lots of people used
his pawnshop in those distant hard-up days.
Come to think of it, I heard that pawnshops are being much more used again
these days.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">In the USA they are absorbed in something
called the Fiscal Cliff. It appears
most of the Democrats want to save the serious financial situation by putting
up taxes for the people who earn most money.
Some say that should be for people earning above $250,000 while others
suggest to tax earnings above $500,000.
Then again the Republicans say no to all tax rises. They want the government to reduce the country’s
deficit by CUTTING SPENDING. Presumably
this would be on WELFARE and STATE PENSIONS ETC. It is a familiar story for countries all
over the world – two opposing arguments – two opposite political ideologies. Watch and listen and hope and pray for
sanity and workable solutions to arrive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<span lang="EN-GB">Snippets of news:</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">There is a petition going
around in the USA requesting the deporting of Piers Morgan because he has
spoken out against the gun laws in America.
Lots of people do not like to be criticised about their culture. They say Brits are jealous of their American
dream.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">Mrs. Thatcher was unsure of
what to do about the Falklands invasion in 1982 – so it has been revealed
today. Also information has come out
today that she discussed ways to dismantle the Welfare State. Well, there you go!</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">It will soon be Hogmanay and we
will all have to start celebrating and partying again. OMG will it never end? I think old Gerald and old Margaret will get
into their nightgowns and snuggle under the duvet and dream of how to have fun
in 2013. Grandson Calum and his
mother, youngest daughter Maggie called today.
We discussed Christchurch, New Zealand and wondered if it was bigger or
smaller than Inverness. I said NO. I was wrong as Calum could tell from his smart
phone. Christchurch is much bigger,
having a population of 350,000 Mention
anything preceded by ‘I wonder’ and young ones will produce their phones to
tell you the answer. What a funny
world!</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">Bought Gerald a weighty tome
for his Christmas. It is a book called ‘Spillover’
written by David Quammen, an American writer.
It is about viruses which can spread from, for example, bats to horses,
and even from animals to humans. I
thought he might be interested, him being an animal breeding research
scientist. However, I think he finds
the present a bit daunting and perhaps harrowing. He tells me he also finds it to be
intriguing. Nevertheless I feel quite
cruel to be burdening him. Also he was
given a calendar of gorgeous pin-up girls.
Poor soul! He is after all 86
years old.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-GB">5.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-GB">Do have a wonderful New Year’s
celebration. And sing Auld Lang Syne to
your heart’s content. Maybe we will
look again at “Dinner for One” on YouTube
like Germany and Austria do every New Year’s Eve. The drunken butler is so funny! We need all the laughs we can get. Happy 2013 to all my friends, enemies and
relations.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-65448328438816188062012-12-13T17:02:00.000+00:002012-12-13T17:02:29.722+00:00<br />
<h2>
<span lang="EN-GB">“IT’S EVENTS, DEAR BOY, EVENTS!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THAT’S WHAT’S THE TROUBLE.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>SAID HAROLD MCMILLAN</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today I have weighed out the fruit and nuts
for three Christmas cakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This I have
done every December for as long as I can remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why three?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I rather stupidly keep up the habit of helping out my two daughters at
this busy time of year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially busy
as we all know for housewives and working mothers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I have weighed out the dried fruit and
added a little brandy to each bowl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
doing this year’s baking in stages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>First stage:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>concentrate on the
task until you’re fed up, or until you wish to make the lunch for two, do the
ironing (much needed task) or go on line and write a topical blog!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well it will be short this time, I promise.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Talking about teachers, I heard briefly on
the radio that Michael Gove is prodding and provoking teachers in England about
their proposed work-to-rule because of a deterioration in their working
conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has suggested that head
teachers should dock the pay of their teachers if they consider they have not
stayed clear of any such disruptive action in school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One pundit on the page I was reading
suggested that Gove’s plan was to provoke an all-out strike of teachers, in
order to divert attention away from the government and all the things going
wrong for David Cameron and his friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was suggested that the newspapers would love such an event as a
school strike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They could get their
teeth into that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Meanwhile the Daily Telegraph seems to be
getting its teeth into the Culture Secretary, Maria Miller, who it has been
revealed had some claims for alleged expenses for housing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ninety thousand pounds is the sum I read
about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We shall await the result of the
enquiry proposed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is the person in
the government who has deal with the newspaper editors after the report of the
Leveson Inquiry into ‘phone-hacking and the rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How will she cope?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this for Cameron, a case of “Another one
bites the dust”?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">We have got used to the accusations for the
government of their Minishambolic governing methods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But how about the new phrase of some
politicians, imported from the USA, about their ‘shovel-ready’ projects which
would encourage growth in our country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And David Osborne who is keen on helping ‘strivers’ and loves ‘hard-working’
families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of my sight you ‘medium-working’
families!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as for you non-employed
idiots – I despair of you!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least, I
think that’s what some of our ‘leaders’ think.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">On a lighter note, I heard in an
advertisement on TV that a great CD for Christmas is called something<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>like “Now that’s what I call Christmas”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I will seek it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need cheering up!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the home front, last night in bed, I got
exasperated with my pyjama trousers as they do not turn with me when I turn in
bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gerald riposted that he had the
same problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I am going back to
nightgowns”, I said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Maybe I’ll get
one for you, Gerald.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And a little
matching nightcap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would suit
fine!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I leave you with that strange
image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Gerald in a nightgown and still
going strong!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t eat too much
Christmas Cake this year, and behave yourselves, just like I always do!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And a very merry Christmas, and a happy NewYear!!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-70850657390468922792012-11-22T18:02:00.000+00:002012-11-22T18:02:02.672+00:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<h2>
<span lang="EN-GB">“I SHOULD BE SO
LUCKY (SO LUCKY, SO LUCKY)”</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Oh well, it’s
November all right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here it is raining
and cold in Bonnie Scotland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The leaves
are shades of orange and yellow, lots are still on the trees in Lochardil,
Inverness, but a good percentage of them are now lying around the paths of the
garden, and along the streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In some
ways Autumn is sad<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-----</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-align: center; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">‘And
the Autumn weather turns the leaves to flame,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And I haven’t got time for the waiting game.’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I think it was John
Houston that sang September Song in some film or other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was finding it melancholy trying to have a
love affair and realising it was probably going to be kind of heartbreaking for
an aged person.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Really I am lucky,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>----- <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>old as I am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean I am having steak and
sausages for my meal tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Me and
Gerald.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we will watch TV and try
not to eat too many chocolates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
freezer if full of waiting meals for my guests tomorrow – sister (Stella) and
brother-in-law (Stephen), and sister-in-law (Irene) she, from another era, like
the nineteen fifties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyhow, we will
laugh, drink, eat and be merry because 23<sup>rd</sup> November is my
birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So that can’t be bad.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Unlucky is to be in
the Gaza Strip, or Israel with rockets and bombs going off, people injured and
dying, and whole buildings being smashed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Politicians try to help to get some form of compromise going in this
latest upheaval in the Middle East. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hillary Clinton, Tony Blair, the Prime
Minister of Egypt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have a Cease-Fire
just yesterday and today, but people don’t believe it will last.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">‘And the days dwindle down to a precious few, September, November,
And <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-align: center; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">these
few precious days, I’ll spend with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These golden days, I’ll spend with you!’<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what I’ll sing to Gerald tonight, Well
maybe, if we can stop<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>arguing about, you
name it, we can make an argument out of it – all in a good cause, of course.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB">He has been making
a flat-pack shelf-unit I bought from a catalogue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Swearing, of course, as the instructions
were incomplete, obscure, and WRONG!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
his dressing-gown as usual, and kneeling in the hallway, he announced to me
that the illustrations were wrong, and that the screws DID NOT FIT!.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘They’re never wrong, dear’, says I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But no flies on himself, he goes and looks
the catalogue up on the computer, still cursing me, and finds out what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE WRONG!! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh well, the unit is completed now and looks
as if it had always stood in the kitchen holding Cookery Books.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Reading a library
book called<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“To Travel Hopefully” by<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christopher Rush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is about the author who, after the sudden
death of his young wife with undiagnosed breast cancer, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he is devastated and experiencing a tragic time
of it, almost a mental breakdown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Eventually, he decides to make a change in his life, really to get his
life back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He makes up his mind to
follow in the footsteps of R. L. Stevenson, and to go walking in France in the
Cevennes with a donkey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may remember
the book is called “Travels with a Donkey”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I remember reading it in school when I was about thirteen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been translated into French and we
had to learn to read it in class in French in school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
author, Christopher Rush’s experiences are quite fascinating, once you work
your way through the devastation of his bereavement in Edinburgh with two young
children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I stuck it out and
now he has just got his donkey and is getting ready to start alone on his
journey through the lonely hills of South West France.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good luck!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bad luck!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all get our
share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s hope good luck holds for
me over the weekend, the month even, and maybe until my next birthday.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB">As they used to say
in Scotland in the olden days, when we had coal fires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lang may your lum reek!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>which translated means “Long may your
chimney smoke!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Christmas is only
32 days away!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yipee!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good luck to all my distant relatives and
friends who find the time to read this!!</span></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-48055909130176831922012-11-09T11:21:00.000+00:002012-11-09T11:21:13.169+00:00<br />
<h2>
<span lang="EN-GB">PROVOCATIVE THOUGHTS OF A GUEST BLOGGER</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">This is a “guest” blog – and the guest is
the Gerald that the true blogger, Margaret Dunlop, refers to from time to
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gerald is of course the husband of
long-suffering Margaret. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So here goes:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have no claims on literary merit – as will
become clear in the next few paragraphs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My claims to writing are a couple of scientific textbooks, one on animal
breeding and one on the yak – yes, that bovine that is the mainstay of the mostly
Tibetan herdsmen and their families in the mountainous regions of Western
China.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That in addition to a bevy of
scientific papers in the field of animal genetics – and anyone with an
acquaintance with scientific papers would agree that such writing is a mile
away from literature.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">It may seem strange to our American friends
and relations that I should take an interest in the politics of the USA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what a sigh of relief went up – probably
across much of Europe and other parts of the world – when the US electorate bade
farewell to Mitt Romney.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps he was
misrepresented in the media here but the impression came across that here was a
man dedicated to assisting the already rich and caring little about the welfare
of those struggling at the bottom of the heap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sure, there are some feckless among the latter, but many at the poorer
end of society are trapped in a condition from which only a minority can break free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet we owe respect and concern for the
wellbeing of our fellows and most especially for the vulnerable and the sick. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps the majority of the American
electorate felt this - and that compassion did not equate with the Romney intention
to repeal Obama’s modest health care reforms, or the fact that intended tax
breaks would benefit the rich much more than those in the middle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore, Romney’s foreign policy (if he
didn’t make it up on the hoof), especially for the Middle East, could arguably
head us towards conflagration and potential disaster – perhaps the majority of
electors realised that too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Mind you, in respect of domestic policies,
some of the apparent Romney philosophy pervades part of our Tory-led government
in the UK – which is a godsend to the Scottish Nationalists as they know that
these attitudes are alien to the vast majority of Scots and thus aid the SNP’s ill-judged
attempt to separate us from the rest of the United Kingdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David
Cameron (the UK prime-minister) must be just about the best recruiting agent
for Scottish Independence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pity he does
not seem to recognize that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Away from Politics, I am astounded by the
huge number of TV chefs imparting their culinary wisdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what amazes me is that in spite of this
onslaught we are told that a majority of the population don’t do any real
cooking and rely on ready meals and junk food – thank goodness for Margaret, in
this house.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">We were all appalled by the hurricanes and
storms afflicting much of the American east coast and beyond and hugely
saddened by the misery and loss caused to millions of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Folk often complain about the “miserable”
Scottish climate (we were recently told that the average daily sunshine was
only 3.1 hours).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s so temperate,
the grass is green, drought is rare, we rejoice when the sun does shine and we
are spared extremes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s hope that
climate change does not alter all that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">A final disclaimer:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Margaret has no responsibility whatever for
any for the views expressed in this blog and will hopefully return with saner
words soon – once she has finished re-organising the kitchen, making curtains
with the most difficult material ever and other self-imposed tasks.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-86075258912805969972012-10-24T19:36:00.000+01:002012-10-24T19:37:44.693+01:00<br />
<h2>
<span lang="EN-GB">CONSIDER THE ROSES AND THE PORTUGESE LAUREL</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, at present Gerald is busy planting
two rambling roses in the garden against the wall which I look out on from my
usual position at the kitchen sink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yesterday he gave a second coat of white paint to the same wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looks great now although the activity
exhausted the poor soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This same
7feet high wall used to be covered with clinging ivy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Always it was green and cheery with, in
summer, blackbirds flying out from their nests, and blue tits swerving in and
out of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, last winter the snow
brought half of it down, Peter and Shirley next door pulled it up again from
their side, however, during this so-called summer with rain and high winds, the
hedge fell down again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we are
planting stuff against the wall to make it glamorous and attractive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>G. is just off the phone and to please me he
has purchased a Prunus lusitanica (Portugese laurel), a gorgeous tree with purplish
leaves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s already about 7feet tall,
so I am excited about that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Small
events please small minds I hear you say, but I look out of my window often and I
might be like Prince Charles and talk to my plants to keep me and them
happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So, it is the end of the Ivy and the
beginning of the Prunus and the new roses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It seems to be the end of a lot of things from my point of view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just finished knitting a very expensive
Fair Isle scarf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is almost 5feet
long, (I was starting to go wonky with it so couldn’t quite make the suggested
length).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has taken at least a year
and is composed of eleven different colours of wool. And about twenty differing
patterns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like the ivy hedge, I am
sorry and glad at the same time that the scarf has come to an end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope to wear it in the cold weather just
to show it off.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">What about the badgers that the government
had intended to slaughter?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They wanted
to kill at least 70% of these poor animals (in one area) because many of them are said to
have tuberculosis, and with this they are infecting many of our cattle herds in
the UK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very hard on the cows and the
farmers as the animals (not the farmers) are immediately slaughtered if they
test positive to TB.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway the cull
has been postponed for a year because the task of killing so many lovely
badgers is proving too difficult and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>too
large to start on at this time of year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But another end is coming.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Let us hope it is not soon to be the end of
President Obama’s term in office in the USA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I prefer his politics and his outlook on life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask yourself which one of the two contenders
has most experience of the struggles and hardships of the majority of the
people who make up the population.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
would say Obama.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is a family man and,
relative to his opponent, is not, I think, rolling in money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand the Republican candidate,
Mitt Romney, a multi millionaire, seems to have a very easy position in life
and ……..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>well, he appeals less to me,
what little I know of him, than does the Democrat Leader.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">One end I am sure you will be glad about,
as I am, is that of Jimmy Savile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
a horror that man is proving to have been!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Too bad that he is dead in a way, because he is not around to hear how
much he is despised and hated for his paedophile activities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He confused many people because of his
smokescreen of raising millions for charity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s hard to get one’s head
around the contradiction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But some people knew his game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They should have spoken out<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The children and young girls should have
been listened to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The monster <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>should have been caught and put in jail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has brought shame on the country, on the
BBC, and even the charities that received the money feel so tainted that they
are disbanding and giving the money anonymously to other good causes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Holy Moses!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where will it all end? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Talking about swearing, I did just that last
night at the beginning of the News on the BBC when I thought that Celtic,
Glasgow’s football team, had beaten the mighty Barcelona.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1
– 0 for Celtic the announcer said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Bloody
hell!” I said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But by the end of the
news, we were informed that in the dying minutes of the game, the famous
Spanish team had turned a coveted 1 -1 draw for Celtic<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to 2 – 1 for Barcelona.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was so disappointed!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed a Gin and Tonic to revive
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many things seem to be going
wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mother used to say, “The back
is made for the burden”, especially if she was referring to women with many
children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway enough of this
ranting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The end is nigh!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shall just have to concentrate on my
Prunus lusitanica and my rambling roses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Oh I must not forget the Tweeting Birds (mechanical) which I left on by
mistake, in the summer-house where they live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They scared life out of Gerald yesterday as he passed and the three
tweeted at once.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4593379347774900555.post-23663625586257862482012-10-06T17:48:00.000+01:002012-10-06T17:48:23.088+01:00<br />
<h2>
<span lang="EN-GB">ATTACK IS THE BEST FORM OF DEFENCE</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I like Barack Obama, and I am sorry that at
his head-to-head discussion with the Republican leader in the USA, he came off
worst.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This shows how difficult it is
to get your message across.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know
that Obama is on the side of the most deprived in society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know that he has spent much energy in
trying to achieve a better Health Programme for those most in need of support
in accessing Health Care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet
Romney, who reportedly has a low opinion of those on whom hard times and
poverty have fallen, wins the debate, or so the media pundits tell us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s hope the next two debates give Obama a
better outcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He should be ready to
go on the attack from the first seconds, just as Romney did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As they used to advise young teachers when
irate parents appeared at the door of the classroom, “Attack is the best form
of defence!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example say, “I am
afraid Mrs. Smith wee Jimmy is impertinent, and may be said to be slow in the
uptake and DIFFICULT TO TEACH!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This to
be said before she has time to speak.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The same goes for the politics of the
United Kingdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I support Ed Milliband
and of course, therefore, find fault with David Cameron and George Osborne and
their mates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I wish Ed to be ever-ready
for the attacks that will surely come against him in the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cleverest person in the world can be
floored in front of an audience by an opponent’s or an interviewer’s carefully
and slyly thought up question .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
takes time, seconds, minutes, even hours to present a cogent answer to sharp
and cleverly-thrown up questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have long been of the opinion that TV debates are unfair and that the best
actor often wins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Am I wrong in
believing that Nick Clegg and David Cameron looked young, good-looking and
almost charming against the tired and older worn-down Gordon Brown when they
debated as a threesome and Brown was beaten down by their savoir-faire? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Enough of politics and opinions!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have my own troubles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, to stop enjoying my food so
much, and to keep my promise to go down a dress size this month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also to stick to the suggested amount of
liquor suitable for a lady.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(no
laughing!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well I just remember St.
Augustine’s prayer all those centuries ago as the Holy Man, living the life of
a monk, and devoted to follow the life of Jesus, he tried to contain his lust
for the pleasures of the flesh<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he prayed, “Oh Lord, give me Chastity and
Continence - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BUT NOT YET.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">My sainted Mother, Honor, (God, rest her
soul) used to say, “We all have our own ways of going daft!” and I think she
had a point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So endeth the lesson. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Margaret M. Dunlophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05726123177739224552noreply@blogger.com1