Sorry.....

'Sorry', when and why has this poor overused phrase become the norm for taking responsibility?

Bankers are 'sorry' for negligently wasting our invested funds and then taking their begging bowls to the tax payers (not the 'Government' please note; that is just our agency for ruining this once great country.) to rescue the financial standing of the banks in order to award their most useless and senior staff pensions which can be compared to winning the national lottery.

Government ministers are 'sorry' for stretching the rules of allowances to the limit of law and not the spirit of law, again robbing the under pressure tax payers. Many of these tax payers are paying income tax on their meager pensions.

Why should these representative members of our society renege on taking proper responsibility? What has happened to honour, has it been rejected in favour of political correctness?

Today's News.....

Well it may be news depends on your view......

On the dark side of F1 news, Max Mosley, he of F1 racing car fame, says the News Of The World (UK newspaper) had taken his dignity and hurt his family by revealing his attendance at a sado-masochistic party. Apparently Mosley had been "doing this for forty five years and there had never been a hint and nobody knew."Apparently, Mosley, president of the International Automobile Federation, said he was ,"outraged." He added: "It's not even talked about outside the circle. Nobody knew. My closest friends didn't know. My wife didn't know.

"The fact that that had worked so well... made me feel confident."

Well, my take on this is that if he didn't want people to know, why did he attend this kind of party?

On the bright side of F1 news, Louis Hamilton, the youngest world champion driver, received his MBE, from Her Majesty The Queen. Louis said he was ,"humbled by the massive honour" .

What a difference in behaviour by two members of the racing fraternity.

Well done Louis!!

Another little job...

Had a look in my Givi top box. Amazing how much junk and bits of kit accumulate over the year.

Again, I have decided to down size and just carry the essential emergency stuff. First problem, what is 'essential'? And for that matter what is 'emergency' kit?

Who made life this complicated? Why can't I just go on my merry way making a pig's ear of the country's banking and have the country's leader, Flash Gordon, award me a 650k annual pension. No, I have to go and complicate life by having a Givi top box!

So I turf everything out of the box and divide my stuff into two piles. Guess what? Yeah, the keep pile is the largest and there are only two items in the disposal pile. Why do I bother?

So I reload my stuff into the top box, what a useless exercise though I must say I reloaded the box much more neatly. Well, until the next time I need something.

Those little jobs

With the temperature rising to ten C I stirred my old bones, stepped outside and whipped the cover off the Burgman.

The seat was full of cat hairs where a stray had made its winter home. Erm, I'll have to apply a bit of soap and water to the bike but first things first.

I had ordered some of those weird rubber nuts that attach the windscreen to the frame, the old ones had become a little chewed up through having to remove the windscreen to do various jobs, there must be a technique to undoing and re-fitting these fiddly bits.

Applied a little washing up liquid to lubricate the rubber and the first one slipped in like a charm. Had a devil of a job with the opposite side. Took near on an hour to get the holes of the windscreen, decorative tupperware and the frame to line up. Story of my life. Eventually seem to get the hang of it and managed to fix all six nuts before sunset.

Checked the oil levels, kicked over the engine and it fired up first time after being laid up outside for four months. Checked all the light, indicators and horn - all working ,no problem. The tyres too had held their pressures.

Ready for the road!

Just Like Watching Brazil....

A real treat tonight! Brazil v. Italy at the Arsenal ground.

A really good game with fast flowing football from both sides. Nice to see Guiseppe Rossi making progress with Italy, ex-Manchester United player who we nicknamed Joe Red.

Both of Brazil's goals scored by Manchester City players - Elano and Robinho.

Even the referee, Howard Webb, and his officials had a good game.

Sorry? Sorry......What do they mean bleedin' sorry?

Appearing before the Treasury Committee, today, the former bosses of the two biggest UK casualties of the banking crisis have apologised "profoundly and unreservedly" for their banks' failure.

Below is their earnings (???) for year 2007.

RBS

Sir Tom McKillop, Chairman, £750,000
Sir Fred Goodwin, Group chief executive, £4,190,000
Johnny Cameron. Chairman, global markets, £3,256,000

HBOS

Lord Stevenson, Chairman, £821,000
Andy Hornby, Chief executive, £1,926,000
Peter Cummings, Chief executive, corporate division, £2,606,000.

These are just two banks senior officials who were so overpaid, their salaries blinded them to the actions of their staffs that has almost brought this country to bankruptcy and all they can say is sorry. In my opinion these pathetic men are no better than Nick Leeson (who caused the collapse of Barings Bank).

Their negligence needs punishing and all forms of pay back should be instituted. "Sorry, my arse!" as Jim Royle would observe.

Further, investigation needs to be carried out to find out who appointed men of this calibre to these positions. Obviously, the headhunters, interviewers have serious problems with their remits and standards of selection and need to be replaced with men of integrity, honour and knowledge.

Selfish Adults 'Damage Childhood'

...so says a report on BBC.

Apparently a panel of 'experts' spent three years on this study. The panel of experts, consisted of eleven members, eight being universtity professors.

Family breakup, unprincipled advertising, too much competition in education, and income unequality.

On family breakup. On my return to the UK in the seventies, my father, who was an astute observer, told me about the growing number of young girls who couldn't face up to problems with their parents, purposely became pregnant, ran away from the family home and successfully obtained tenancy of council property becoming the youngest tenants. Here they tried to raise their children and obviously without any experience of employment became parasites on society, expecting the taxpayer to fund their lifestyle.

With the liberal life style of the time this situation was allowed to expand. Now these children are approaching adulthood with problems.

The report cites research suggesting that three times as many three year olds living with lone parents or a step-parent have behavioural problems compared with those living with married parents.

"Children with separate, single or step parents are 50% more likely to fail at school, have low esteem, be unpopular with other children and have behavioural difficulties, anxiety or depression."

Also, working mothers are establishing more economic independence causing family breakup.

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As a child of the Second World War, the majority of families were one parent families and working mothers. I experienced this as my father was abroad in the army, serving overseas. There were many other families who had lost their fathers in battle. The mothers had to go to work to replace the serving men to support the war effort.

Different times, same problems, but different outcomes!

Then, people lived up to and respected their responsibilities and commitment to their family.

Now, we have a liberal, selfish, individualistic society with these disfunctional single parent families assuming the State is responsible for their families.

The answer seems to be in the resurrection of the family.

More responsibility by the parents of teenagers who use the birth of babies to blackmail society into providing a parasitical lifestyle.

Encouragement, by the government, to re-establish the institution of marriage, by re-introducing marriage allowances in the taxation system at the expense of single parent benefits.

Young teenage girls should not be allowed to take priority of the housing authorities systems, they should be accommodated by their parents thus creating family support and responsibility.

It's Snowing

A shot from my toilet window.

Yes it's snowing big flakes.

I don't usually take my camera to the toilet but it's the easiest and most accessible view.

People from mainland Europe might wonder about the fuss but we don't usually experience snow of any significance. In fact the last heavy snows I remember were December 1978, 1963,
and the daddy of them all 1947.

The Royal Family

Where have they gone? They seem to have disappeared off the face of the earth.

Nothing from society, armed forces, charities, newspapers or the political correct, where are they?

On the road again.....

Ah, I am smelling it now. The open road, petrol fumes, and the noise, croissants and baguettes!

Already I have the route plotted, hotels and Euro Tunnel booked, ready to ride off into the wild blue yonder. After last year's trip through France and Spain down to Gibraltar, this year John and I are planning a shorter trip to Switzerland. To see the lakes and the Alps. Wonder if they still make cuckoo clocks and have gnomes in Zurich?

Let's check the bike!!!

Presidential Medal of Freedom

H'mm, just noticed George Dubyah has awarded Tony Bliar the highest US civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his support of the USA against terrorism. Yeah!

They didn't find the weapons of mass destruction, which could strike the UK inside forty five minutes, did they? How can Bliar accept this medal for lying to the UK electorate. I wonder what 'Flash' Gordon, our latest superhero, thinks of all this?

While on the subject of Bliar, where is he, the super Middle Eastern envoy, during the current Gaza troubles?

Can we afford Europe this year?

Well back on my feet after a bout of 'flu, made Christmas festivities a bit sad, and looking forward to planning a trip to Europe on our bikes.

Looks like we may be priced out of it this year. The GB pound is plunging like a lead balloon against the Euro.

All 'Flash' Gordon can say is we must all work together to get ourselves out of this mess. Now why should Corporal Jones save Captain Mainwaring again?

Maybe he thinks we have forgotten that he has given all our spare cash to the bankers (No, I am not using this as an euphemism this time) who created the mess originally. Looks like we have saved the banks only for them to put the squeeze on us again.

Think I'll have to plan a ride around the poverty stricken areas of old Albion, you know the stockbroker and banking belt!

All the support he needs, but he's not the one injured...

According to the BBC, Liverpool Football Club has issued a statement saying it would offer Gerrard "all the support he needs".

This is after Stephen Gerrard and three of his friends have put a thirty four year old man in hospital with facial injuries.

Liverpool Football Club have said nothing about supporting the man their employee helped put in hospital.

Says it all about the Bin Dippers!!

Cabin Fever

H'mm! Getting to that time of year. Temperatures down to minus two, biting winds, trees are bare, birds and squirrels scrambling around feeding baskets. Everybody becoming Christmassy!

Bah, humbug! Bring back the long days, with wind in your hair, sun on your face and the smell of petrol and diesel at breakfast!

Where's my atlas, let's get dreaming, planning and on the road again!

Seats, or lack of....

If you were to take a flight, on an aeroplane of course, you wouldn't expect, or be allowed, to stand in the aisle if all seats were occupied.

Why not? The train and 'bus operators do not provide seats for all passengers who buy tickets.

Let's cram our planes with passengers!

If you carry too many people in your car, you can be prosecuted.

Let's prosecute the train and 'bus operators!

Rant over, tablets, please nurse!

A Big Day For Me

Yes, reached three score and ten!

Happy Birthday Me!

Strictly Come Dancing Shambles

Oh what a shambles by the BBC and their programme producers.

John Sergeant has volountary retired from the programme.

The judges, Arlene Phillips and Craig Revel Horwood, are the main protagonists to John's leaving. Why couldn't they do their jobs, ie mark John poorly and let the public have their say?

On various programmes, they simpered that John was so popular but hinted there was no way he was a dancer and shouldn't win on the public's vote. They should not have criticized John but should have criticized, big time, their bosses who invited John Sergeant to participate knowing full well John's limitations on the dance floor.

Two snidier people I have yet to see on television. They couldn't vote off John legitimately so have done so by the back door.

Arlene and Craig fall on your swords and resign NOW!

A Shoo-In For A Gold At 2012

After this week's Championship Matches I noticed a video of a possible certainty for the high board diving at the Olympics 2012.

Without being touched by a defender and sometimes stumbling over the ball, perfect "tens" have been recorded by the one and only "Stevie G" aka Steven "The Diver" Gerrard. He's got the height, the figure and the perfect poise for the diving pool and doesn't need any assistance, except for certain referees, to record top scores.

Some may accuse me of being a cynical Mancunian, but hold on there, one of my less intelligent great grandfathers married a "Judy" from Liverpool (St. Peter's). So technically I'm part Wacker/Scouser and that part of me can't tolerate diving cheats!!

Confusion Reigns.....

Yes, it's not very difficult to confuse me these days.

The other day I decided to buy a one piece motorcycle rainsuit. On our ride to Gibraltar my friend, John, used one and it seemed a very good idea. Believe me the rain doesn't fall mainly in the plain!

So off I popped to one of my internet motor bike kit shops and after much faffing about decided my size was a 2XL - 48" chest. Ordered, paid for, and duly received next day.

Never having tried on one of these items of clothing before, it was a bit of a struggle - legs in, arms in, shake it all about and lo and behold a three inch gap between the sides of the zip. H'mm I thought, had I ballooned up in size overnight? Out with the tape and a check measurement. No still a chunky 48".

Well back to the t'internet shop to check out the item I had ordered. This brand only had one size larger. Rather than take a chance on this not fitting I browsed other brands. Right, here's one, sizes upto the umpteenth XL fitting. I phoned up the supplier, very obliging people too, and they agreed shopping on line can have its problems. They checked out their size charts and in this new brand my size was - guess what? Yeah, 4XL.

Returned the suit on Friday, with the necessary proof of posting, and by Monday I received the new suit. Same fun and games trying the suit on but it fitted around me notwithstanding the arms and legs were overly generous in cut and I did a brilliant impression of the Michelin Man!

"You'll need the extra length once you're sat on your bike." said the shop keeper.

So from one brand to another my size had doubled thus the reason for my confusion. Confused but waterproof!

Ministry of Food 1942-1943, (Nowt to do with Jaimie Oliver)

Being a grumpy old git, as you have probably noticed, my memories go back to World War II.

On a tidy up I came across a little item from the 1940s published on a paper bag (Anybody remember paper bags?) from Eden Camp, Yorkshire. Quite a treat if you've not been. Right then, back to the item and memories.

It's about rationing we endured during World War II. I remember it so well, only two ounces of sweets a week, taking the ration books down to the corner grocers and green grocers. (Hands up who remembers them?)

Well here's what we entitle to for a week:

Bacon or ham - 4oz (I never saw ham until 1946 at my great grandfather's wake.)

Meat -1s. and 2d. worth. (In new coinage = three and half pence)

Butter - 4oz (Again I never saw butter until 1946)

Cheese - 2oz-8oz

Tea - 2oz

Sugar -12oz

Margerine - 2oz (Brilliant stuff- fit for greasing lorry bearings)

Milk - 2-3 pints (This is when our famers actually farmed and were not a benefit receiving culture)

Eggs - 1 small egg every four weeks. (Not a typo, every four weeks)

Dried Eggs - 1 packet every four weeks (Brilliant stuff! At the time I preferred it to proper eggs.)

Yes, what memories running to the shops in winter, grey shorts flapping against my legs, causing chapped legs (Remember them and chilblains?)

Eden Camp is worth a visit. Memories for us old ones and how the grandparents lived for the young ones.