Category: Uncategorized

What Is My All-Time Favourite Album ?


What’s your all-time favorite album?

Such a hard question to answer.

My first response is “On The Threshold Of A Dream” by The Moody Blues first released in 1969. I certainly play this a lot so much so that I am on my 2nd vinyl copy, the first having worn out. I still listen to the album, but these days, I stream, using Tidal or Spotify.

A more considered response leads me to offer up “Foxtrot” by Genesis first released in 1972. I still have my original vinyl version but also have it on CD. Genesis are a band that I used to see live every time they visited Portsmouth. Pretty much an annual event, either at Portsmouth Guildhall or South Parade Pier.

Many other albums are jostling for that favourite spot. Amongst them, some of the great classics. “Dark Side Of The Moon” and “Echoes” by Pink Floyd, “Led Zeppelin II” and “IV”, “Aqualung” by Jethro Tull, “Tapestry” by Carole King, and the list goes on and on.

So to truly answer the question, I think “Foxtrot” by Genesis take the honour, but only just.

Music is such an emotive subject, and to nominate a favourite will always be coloured by how one is feeling, ones mood at any given time.

Ask me again tomorrow.

Noise – Just For The Sake Of It


Just yesterday afternoon, I was sitting with my wife, watching the TV, enjoying the Italian F1 Grand Prix.

Unfortunately, that enjoyment was somewhat marred by “eejits” tear-arsing along the roads at the back of our house.

The volume of their engine/exhaust systems sufficient to drown out the race commentary.

Sure, I could close my doors and windows, but why should I? These hoons are impinging their antisocial activities on my home from several hundred feet away. I should be able to enjoy a warm summer Sunday afternoon in the comfort of my own home without these eejits spoiling it.

So, I was somewhat surprised to read this in today’s “The News”. The focus of the article is aimed at the posh prats in their Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maclaren supercars who terrorise Nightsbridge in London.

https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-14-1834/content.html

“The News” is our local paper, and I would expect the articles to prioritise local issues. However, anything that highlights this current blight on society as a whole has to be viewed as a positive thing.

Pat does however point out that the police do have the power to to take action against the hoons.

I understand that the police are desperately understaffed. But perhaps they could alternate from setting up speed traps to setting up sound traps. As I stated in a previous post, the police know where the hoons gather, where they run. As to funding, just how much does a sound gone cost as opposed to a radar gun ?

Russia and Iran Invited Back to Nobel Prize Banquet


How can they go back on their position from last year ?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66678882

Russia is still prosecuting the violent destruction of Ukraine sovereign territory. Killing thousands of non combatants including children.

Inviting Russia back is tantamount to condoning Putins actions.

What next, Putin is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize !

And they are inviting Iran back to the table too. How can that be right, Iran has an appalling record on human rights.

Come on, Nobel Foundation, you need to stand up for what is right.

Jon I Empathise


https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-12-1863/content.html

Jon Cole, I empathise with you and your experience. I, too, live in an area plagued by these motoring miscreants.

And also, wish the police and local authorities would focus more time on these “law breakers.” For law breakers, they are, with their modified engines and exhaust systems which are exceeding the noise limits of the original manufacturers specifications.

As to their manner of driving, be it excess acceleration or drifting local roundabouts and motorway slip roads to the point their tyres are screeching, they must be breaking numerous laws. Just by ear, I can tell that they are probably speeding and driving in an unsafe manner.

The police know the popular routes and would only need to make their presence known regularly to make an impression.

So come on, let’s see some action.

Perfect Power


https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-11-1858/content.html

It wasn’t so long ago that the UK government was floating the idea of taxing businesses for the parking spaces provided for their employees. This would also have been applied to supermarkets and other commercial premises.

This seems to be a much better use of the land. Being beneficial to all and taking some of the load of our energy producers.

Seems to me a close look should be taken at the “Havant Hypermarket” site, aka ASDA Supercentre. Another prime contender for power generation.

Too Little, Too Late


I am pleased to see that finally the council is doing something positive about the dire state of Waterlooville centre. But, I fear it is too little, too late.

I also believe the council is being, somewhat, disingenuous, blaming the pandemic for the current state of Waterlooville Town centre.

Waterlooville has been slowly decomposing since the main road was diverted, and the centre was pedestrianised.

Yes, the pandemic has not helped, and yes, the current economic difficulties are compounding the issues. Long before the pandemic, traders were complaining about the cost of leasing the shop units. Costs that due to falling footfall they could not afford to renew.

I would like to know what the council is doing to mitigate the high tenancy costs.

The Havant Borough Council planning authorities have been gung ho on taking business away from the town centre. Following the out-off town shopping model that they have also applied to Havant itself. Both Havant and Waterlooville have been subdivided. Large stores on one side of the highway whilst the smaller shops left in town struggle to keep going.

Making monies available to assist potential businesses to get a foothold will be a fruitless exercise without custom.

The recent change of car parking charges will help, but again, I fear it is too late. Especially now that Wilkos has gone bust.

Yes, you can now park for up to three hours but Wilkos was prime reason for many folks to park there.

Havant Borough Council, you need to do more.

Some Of My Favourite Films


What are your top ten favorite movies?

Choose your top ten movies ! An almost impossible task. Like music, your enjoyment of a film is affected by your mood at the time. So here goes, here are my “current” favourites ….

  • Gunga Din
  • Dirty Harry
  • Arsenic and Old Lace
  • Zulu
  • North by North West
  • Bullitt
  • The Man Who Would Be King
  • The French Connection
  • True Grit (John Wayne version)
  • The Italian Job (Michael Caine version)

My list is not definitive. Nor is it in any particular order. Ask me again tomorrow, and I’ll probably choose some different films. Even as I look back I’m thinking I should have included more recent releases.

Where are the Star Wars and Pink Panther series !!! I missed out Mel Brooks Blazing Saddles and many more that have given me great pleasure over the years.

Note that I have selected the original versions of True Grit and The Italian Job. These are in my eyes classic movies, and the remakes don’t do them justice. They are not a shadow of the originals.

What Is The Point ?


BBC News – William Gladstone’s family to apologise for slavery links https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-66558156

I don’t get it, I really don’t understand the need for apologies.

What good does it do ?

Apologising will not undo the inhumanity, the indignities, and the stress endured in the past. The same is also true of the tearing down of statues.

Slavery, by any measure, is wrong. It was wrong then, and it is wrong now. However, it was a different time then. People were educated differently, living by different standards.

Apologies by those that were not involved, made to those who were also not involved.

All we can hope to do is learn from our past. Make sure that such things never happen again.

Just as a footnote, you don’t hear much of an outcry about the Barbary Pirates that used to raid many countries, including the British Isles and as far north as Iceland. Many folks were taken along the Cornish, Devonish and Dorset coastlines, taking people to be sold in the Barbary slave markets. Are their ancestors going to apologise ?

Admiration Unlimited


What profession do you admire most and why?

My admiration is for all members of the emergency services whoever they may be and regardless of which branch they belong to.

So here below, in no particular order, are the folks that I admire the most.

  • RNLI – Predominantly volunteers. They go out to sea in all weathers, putting their lives at risk to rescue seafarers in danger.
  • Police – Out there, dealing with the low lives and scum, dealing with drink/drug drivers, dealing with the drunks that pour out of the pubs and clubs every night. So often, they are unfairly criticised for doing their jobs.
  • Ambulance / Paramedics – Tending to us in our hours of need. Attending many harrowing scenes on our roads and highways, often the carnage resulting from the misuse of drugs and alcohol. The trauma of what they witness must stay with them for a long long time.
  • Fire Service – Another of our services where they put their lives at risk to rescue us. Whether it be from fire or as is so often the carnage of a road accident. Again they have to deal with the things that we would not want to witness.
  • Nurses / Doctors – And once the police, the paramedics and the fire service have done their bit it’s the turn of the folks in A and E. They work so hard to maintain the lives of those brought before them

All of these folks are not paid enough to put up with the abuse and physical violence that they encounter whilst just doing their jobs.

Whether it be vocal or physical abuse in A&E. Bricks and bottles thrown at fire and ambulance crews or spitting and fisticuffs suffered by the police.

They all do an amazing job for very little in the way of gratitude or respect.

Ladies and gentlemen, I salute you.