Yesterday summer came to Britain, but in my case there were two icy breezes and a very dark haunting cloud reminding of bloody times. I must begin with the events in Korea in the early 1950‘s when I and everyone else was beginning go recover form the fear and horror of World War 2. Then as now I was preoccupied with my own experience with one fundamental difference, then I was coping with becoming an adolescent whereas now it is with the prospect of death and old age infirmity and the impact of what is happening in affect children and grand children and subsequent generations. In the early 1950’s stalemate was reached as Russia and China lined up behind North Korea and the USA and Europe behind the South and eventually a peace was signed with respected the demarcation zone with was nevertheless heavily fortified with armies and their weapons by both sides.
Over the next fifty years North Korea became more and more entrenched as the vanguard of a communist dictatorship while South Korea became an economic miracle in Asia as the capitalist nations and enterprises did everything they could to encourage the population from having sympathy with the northern neighbours. As first, the Soviet union was dismantled, and then China appeared to embrace western capitalism, North Korea became more isolated and fearing implosion, no doubt aided by external interests, commenced to strut a stance with the development of nuclear weaponry and fermenting trouble elsewhere, looking for allies and hankering for the opportunity to invade and take control of what it perceives as its greatest threat, South Korea. However one wonders what China really thinks and if the west would do more than mutter tut tut if China annexed North Korea in the immediate future.
North Korea might think, and did Cuba that the USA with its popular new Democratic President could be challenged as they might has expressed the kind of tough right wing posturing which has been the characteristic of the Bushes and Regan’s of this world. Like most people outside the higher echelons of government and military and intelligence services, I have no idea if the present posturing is only that or something more sinister and dangerous. At the moment I hope it is no more than a temporary storm, but my gut reaction tells me it is worse.
For the greater part of the past five years if I have not written a minimum of a thousand words and on average over two there is a sense of failure, even if I been fully involved in matters of greater priority or personal interest. I have been less concerned with falling behind targets for the main project work because of the need to reduce costs and resolve problems about space and work organisation. I am confident that it is only a lull and that I will switch back to concentrated and prolonged working when autumn comes
Over recent weeks I have been torn between wanting to record experience through words and immerse myself in the experience. Although I took my film and still camera to Brighton, Hove and Worthing, I decided against using it, because I hoped I would be visiting again and because I was more involved in the present than remembering previous experience. The photograph is a quick way to record experience and then use it to remember and attempt to translate feelings and impressions, reactions and interactions into words. But the camera like to notebooks creates distance between me and the immediate experience. I am back to being the outsider, observing, witnessing but not participating as others seem to be able to do.
Yesterday as with the previous days I was much engaged in activity which took me out and about and there was one great moment which adds security and continuity. On Thursday of next week I will have a colour red replacement Suzuki Wagon. It was still available when I rang the car sales garage and the red Suzuki Wagon was still available. Having checked the location before departure it was only a 15 minutes drive and a couple of miles, perhaps three via the Tyne River Runnel at Jarrow Until the second Tunnel is built it can take half an hour to get through during the morning and evening rush hours. I had not been able to find my MOT certificate after all so had to go first for a duplicate which cost £10.
There was no problem getting through the tunnel late morning paying the £1.20 fee the other end with the money thrown in to a basket device. The road is the A19 and which connects with the A 1 from Newcastle a little way along. It was a mile, if that, along the dual carriage straight road to the junction of the road from Newcastle which continues to the coast at Whitley Bay. Here there is a fifth road where after the entrance to the Travel Lodge on the left and the Silverlink shopping centre in the right there are six to eight large car dealerships stretching on either side of the road for half a mile. At the far end of this road the Newcastle Building Society has built its new headquarters. An extraordinary building in terms of size and I do not understand why a building society requires so many staff. It is puzzling. Almost after joining the fifth road there is a travel lodge on one side and a shopping centre on the other with a large multiplex cinema at one end. I could see the red Wagon and a silver grey model. The silver grey was more discrete looking and £500 less and with a slighter larger engine at 1.3. However it has 26000 miles against 18000 and the red has an air conditioning system in addition to the fan blowing cold air. After looking at both vehicles I took the red for a test drive and then stopped at the quiet end of the shopping centre car park to properly explore and work everything out including the radio disk player, cooling system, removal of the head rests to get a flat surface in the rear, the condition of the spare tyre which looked unused, the petrol cap and the under the bonnet. As I intimated yesterday I have always tended to keep in a groove if I like the experience and the advantage of this car is that within a few minutes I felt at home despite a different layout for the controls and an information screen. I collect the vehicle a week’s time.
The day had not started well. The Epsom combined scanner and printer announcing that a service is required. This is an automatic notice which occurs after a period of use and can be over ridden. I managed this last time but have forgotten how I did so. The problem is that fixing an individual printer costs £25 and in the grand scheme of things was worth while but because it is combined with a scanner the charge is £40 and become questionable, especially if there is a problem obtaining reimbursement for the stock of ink cartridges. I had no inclination to sort out the problem and it was allocated a place in the queue
Then worse was to happen as the door of washing machine will not open. It happened once before recently and initiated a second cycle and the door opened after this. On Thursday evening it did not. Another sort out required and which if it needs to be replaced will require taking up the kitchen floor. I have in mind to take the opportunity to remove the fridge and replace with the tumble dryer although I will then need a table for the television. I will tackle this next week although of the brilliant weather as forecasted continues I will go to the cricket and if necessary go to a laundrette.. Fortunately I know where one continues to exist.
As a consolation I managed to find plant containers which matched by existing ones. I had not realises how warm it had to become till going on walk about. I parked the car at the supermarket and then walked to the post office. I could not remember if I had bought the original containers from the supermarket, Wilkinsons’ on B and Q After drawing a blank at the supermarket I walked through the garden‘s adjacent to St Mary’s Church, into the deserted Market Square and over to the store where I found similar units in stock. By the time I returned for the second time to the car I was perspiring in the close heat. I only wanted a few items at the supermarket, but decided to get the extra planting compost. I planned to cover for the weekend with cricket on Friday evening and Sunday afternoon. I forgot the milk. I also forgot to obtain reimbursement of the parking charge which necessitated a third return up stairs, thankful for the lifts although I did use the slow moving platform for one journey down.
It is evident that the Telegraph has saved some of the worst Tory expenses offenders until the run up to the Euro elections next week. Any Questions on Thursday evening was much consumed with the matter although the programme was about the European Elections the expenses of British and European Parliament members was the overriding subject of interest, much to the consternation of some. I was alarmed by what the Prime Minister had to say which was in effect there was need for a system which would ensure that Members of the House of Commons were not able to make the same mistakes. Some mistakes. Shame on you Gordon. You have lost my respect and In suspect that of any you have left with the majority of the British Government
Over the next fifty years North Korea became more and more entrenched as the vanguard of a communist dictatorship while South Korea became an economic miracle in Asia as the capitalist nations and enterprises did everything they could to encourage the population from having sympathy with the northern neighbours. As first, the Soviet union was dismantled, and then China appeared to embrace western capitalism, North Korea became more isolated and fearing implosion, no doubt aided by external interests, commenced to strut a stance with the development of nuclear weaponry and fermenting trouble elsewhere, looking for allies and hankering for the opportunity to invade and take control of what it perceives as its greatest threat, South Korea. However one wonders what China really thinks and if the west would do more than mutter tut tut if China annexed North Korea in the immediate future.
North Korea might think, and did Cuba that the USA with its popular new Democratic President could be challenged as they might has expressed the kind of tough right wing posturing which has been the characteristic of the Bushes and Regan’s of this world. Like most people outside the higher echelons of government and military and intelligence services, I have no idea if the present posturing is only that or something more sinister and dangerous. At the moment I hope it is no more than a temporary storm, but my gut reaction tells me it is worse.
For the greater part of the past five years if I have not written a minimum of a thousand words and on average over two there is a sense of failure, even if I been fully involved in matters of greater priority or personal interest. I have been less concerned with falling behind targets for the main project work because of the need to reduce costs and resolve problems about space and work organisation. I am confident that it is only a lull and that I will switch back to concentrated and prolonged working when autumn comes
Over recent weeks I have been torn between wanting to record experience through words and immerse myself in the experience. Although I took my film and still camera to Brighton, Hove and Worthing, I decided against using it, because I hoped I would be visiting again and because I was more involved in the present than remembering previous experience. The photograph is a quick way to record experience and then use it to remember and attempt to translate feelings and impressions, reactions and interactions into words. But the camera like to notebooks creates distance between me and the immediate experience. I am back to being the outsider, observing, witnessing but not participating as others seem to be able to do.
Yesterday as with the previous days I was much engaged in activity which took me out and about and there was one great moment which adds security and continuity. On Thursday of next week I will have a colour red replacement Suzuki Wagon. It was still available when I rang the car sales garage and the red Suzuki Wagon was still available. Having checked the location before departure it was only a 15 minutes drive and a couple of miles, perhaps three via the Tyne River Runnel at Jarrow Until the second Tunnel is built it can take half an hour to get through during the morning and evening rush hours. I had not been able to find my MOT certificate after all so had to go first for a duplicate which cost £10.
There was no problem getting through the tunnel late morning paying the £1.20 fee the other end with the money thrown in to a basket device. The road is the A19 and which connects with the A 1 from Newcastle a little way along. It was a mile, if that, along the dual carriage straight road to the junction of the road from Newcastle which continues to the coast at Whitley Bay. Here there is a fifth road where after the entrance to the Travel Lodge on the left and the Silverlink shopping centre in the right there are six to eight large car dealerships stretching on either side of the road for half a mile. At the far end of this road the Newcastle Building Society has built its new headquarters. An extraordinary building in terms of size and I do not understand why a building society requires so many staff. It is puzzling. Almost after joining the fifth road there is a travel lodge on one side and a shopping centre on the other with a large multiplex cinema at one end. I could see the red Wagon and a silver grey model. The silver grey was more discrete looking and £500 less and with a slighter larger engine at 1.3. However it has 26000 miles against 18000 and the red has an air conditioning system in addition to the fan blowing cold air. After looking at both vehicles I took the red for a test drive and then stopped at the quiet end of the shopping centre car park to properly explore and work everything out including the radio disk player, cooling system, removal of the head rests to get a flat surface in the rear, the condition of the spare tyre which looked unused, the petrol cap and the under the bonnet. As I intimated yesterday I have always tended to keep in a groove if I like the experience and the advantage of this car is that within a few minutes I felt at home despite a different layout for the controls and an information screen. I collect the vehicle a week’s time.
The day had not started well. The Epsom combined scanner and printer announcing that a service is required. This is an automatic notice which occurs after a period of use and can be over ridden. I managed this last time but have forgotten how I did so. The problem is that fixing an individual printer costs £25 and in the grand scheme of things was worth while but because it is combined with a scanner the charge is £40 and become questionable, especially if there is a problem obtaining reimbursement for the stock of ink cartridges. I had no inclination to sort out the problem and it was allocated a place in the queue
Then worse was to happen as the door of washing machine will not open. It happened once before recently and initiated a second cycle and the door opened after this. On Thursday evening it did not. Another sort out required and which if it needs to be replaced will require taking up the kitchen floor. I have in mind to take the opportunity to remove the fridge and replace with the tumble dryer although I will then need a table for the television. I will tackle this next week although of the brilliant weather as forecasted continues I will go to the cricket and if necessary go to a laundrette.. Fortunately I know where one continues to exist.
As a consolation I managed to find plant containers which matched by existing ones. I had not realises how warm it had to become till going on walk about. I parked the car at the supermarket and then walked to the post office. I could not remember if I had bought the original containers from the supermarket, Wilkinsons’ on B and Q After drawing a blank at the supermarket I walked through the garden‘s adjacent to St Mary’s Church, into the deserted Market Square and over to the store where I found similar units in stock. By the time I returned for the second time to the car I was perspiring in the close heat. I only wanted a few items at the supermarket, but decided to get the extra planting compost. I planned to cover for the weekend with cricket on Friday evening and Sunday afternoon. I forgot the milk. I also forgot to obtain reimbursement of the parking charge which necessitated a third return up stairs, thankful for the lifts although I did use the slow moving platform for one journey down.
It is evident that the Telegraph has saved some of the worst Tory expenses offenders until the run up to the Euro elections next week. Any Questions on Thursday evening was much consumed with the matter although the programme was about the European Elections the expenses of British and European Parliament members was the overriding subject of interest, much to the consternation of some. I was alarmed by what the Prime Minister had to say which was in effect there was need for a system which would ensure that Members of the House of Commons were not able to make the same mistakes. Some mistakes. Shame on you Gordon. You have lost my respect and In suspect that of any you have left with the majority of the British Government
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