Flashman

The trailer for 28 years later’s dropped - looks outstanding. They use an extract from one of Kipling’s poems, Boots. It’s a great poem, yet Kipling’s been unfashionable for forty years or more. Have a listen here: https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/poem/poems_boots.htm It’s shame we ignore our history - Kipling lived in India, wrote about it, loved it, yet we refuse to even discuss it any more. Anyway, give the poem a listen - also try Mandalay or If or any of the hundreds of others - there’s lots to choose from.

London local news covered this daily. It’s beyond comprehension, like the one before, the one before that, the next one, etc. All these crimes against kids are something I’d expect in Victorian times, yet we still hear about it.

News Update: Shiner sentenced today - two years suspended for two years, so no jail time. If that’s not two tier, I don’t know what is!

Labour never fail to play into the hands of the Civil Service. “Ten year plan” means no change in the current mismanagement, just more of the same. However, since the Cabinet, including - though not exclusively - Streeting, has never worked in a job in a proper company, that’s no surprise. Since, Labour came to power, all they’ve done is announce some window dressing flummery, increased taxes to bung their union backers, and dig in for five years.

As an aside, the speed with which the French state rebuilt Notre Dame is impressive. They used traditional skills craftsmen, whose retained knowledge will benefit all similar restoration projects across Europe.

We’re not much better than France. They’re a few years ahead on the pension deficit, but we’re catching up. France, however, tends to be happier (outside its urban ghettos) as a nation, so I couldn’t crow too much about their failings. Oh, and they love a riot - farmers, unions, fishermen…

They’re not even the best thing from Greece in the British Museum! I’d sell them back for more - in gold, in advance - than Greece could ever afford.

I doubt this law will be well-drafted and will enable the painless passing of loved ones in the circumstances described in examples above.

I have worked near Trafalgar Square on and off for 18 years. The same, morbidly obese, Big Issue seller has had the same pitch - between Charing Cross station and Waterstones - for all those years. He’s there more frequently in the summer, but to be fair, he’ll be there for the less clement holidays. I don’t understand how a BI seller can be “homeless” for so long.

White, middle-aged man: he’s done.

When living in Hong Kong, there was a take away in Mid Levels that advertised itself as “English Chinese Take Away.” It was popular with expats and exactly what one would expect.

I can’t get worked up about this. Most private charities are lifestyle gigs for wealthy wives with nothing to do and fancy mixing with other women doing much the same thing. The money was supposed to go to the NHS, so if the family hosed it up a wall instead of the countless NHS middle managers, then who cares?

Shush. Pumping out dross in reply to every post does not make you appear wise. It makes you look unemployed or employed by the State (little difference) and a Johnny No-Mates. You’ve delighted us all enough with your guff - don’t you have mates down the pub who are interested in your waffle. Somehow, I doubt it…

£500M = defence cuts. £280M = estimated cost of Covid enquiry. Beyond my comprehension.

Jones and I share the same gun shop. They have only complimentary things to say about him.