Friday May 14th 2008 became an unexpectedly enjoyable day. The morning commenced late with very fine drizzle outside which aptly expressed my state after the exertions of the previous afternoon. The main problem was from bending at the knee rather than bending down and underlined the lack of exercise and the onset of physical old age, which I will have to counter. I know some things are or become irreversible but it is important to try. When late in the afternoon I walked to the supermarket there was a noticeable stiffness in my thighs and I had intended to have a hot bath but forgot to turn on the water heater. Perhaps tomorrow,?
I begin with a WOW event. I did not visit the Circus Maximus on foot during my brief visits to Rome separated by over three decades although the area was pointed out on an organised coach visit after the Millennium. The Circus Maximus was the first and biggest circus area which can be ignored by the casual visitor with limited time because it is such a vast open area but I had not grasped the number which can be accommodated with 250000 in the days of the Caesars with a similar number having a mor distant view from the surrounding hills. When Italy won the World Cup in 2006 it was estimated that nearly three quarters of a million people packed the area in celebration. Last year Genesis were the group chosen to give a free concert and over half a million people attended with a giant stage and super structure. It was an amazing event now captured on video/DVD. I have several records by Phil Collins and have seen perform live at Newcastle City Hall as well as enjoyed his film career. It is always good to see that an old un can still do it.
I missed Britain's got talent on Saturday and waited until tonight for the re run and for someone who could become the series winner produced another WOW from my lips. This time is was a twelve year old girl with an extraordinary mature deep embryonic operatic voice. I did not note her name. She attended the Birmingham Britain's got talent and has a mum who is an hairdresser and a father who is a Health and Safety Officer. The girl admitted she practiced for hours in her bedroom with her parents giving her encouragement. It sounded as if her singing teacher school may have suggested she should enter the competition. She was both excited and then nervous and I predict that one day she will sing at Covent Garden, the Metropolitan and Milan and anywhere else she chooses to if that is what he decides is to be her destiny.
The second American Idol saw the obvious become reality and David Cook and David Aucheleta will contest the final next week seeing Seyesha Mercardo placed third but with over million votes recorded all three can record and know they will sell a million albums. All three returned to their home states and towns in trips organised by the local Fox broadcasting to an adoration level which has reached hysterical proportions as only the USA can do. This is not a criticism. When Americans are enthusiastic boy they are enthusiastic and there is a unity of purpose which is remarkable given the diversity of ethnic origins, cultures, religions and non religions and extremes of political and social viewpoints. It is understandable and a pity that the accumulated energy is sometimes misdirected.
The main purpose of the visit to the supermarket was for new razors but I went to see what there was in gardening pots and discovered some very expensive black containers some rounded shaped other squared which are pleasing to the eye and the ideal size for the window ledge The four square ones were placed on the window ledge outside the working window with geraniums. and the five rounded were used for the upright fuchsia's and placed on the day room window ledge and the table. I had a sufficient mix of potting compost to complete this task. However I had also been unable resist some wicker hanging baskets with a sacking liner which will require further investment in plants and some compost, which I will leave to next discount Wednesday, although it is tempting to go beforehand.
Friday is traditional fish eating day for but I had forgotten to defrost so during the day I separated the bream and also cut the salmon and tuna slices from the fish platter and will have one half tomorrow. Later I defrosted prawns to go with a salad. Today I had had salmon steaks in tomato sauce from an inexpensive flat tin which was part of the day's enjoyment and this evening peppered steak with vegetables followed by apple strudel and ice cream. I must remember to note the wine before the bottle ends.
I watched Distant Drums yesterday, a vehicles for Gary Cooper as a backwoodsman fighting an uprising in the Florida jungle and trying to rescue is half Indian son. Today I watched the History of Mr Polly, the H D Wells amoral tale of Polly as he progresses from an inability to work for others until he is left a princely sum by his father and gets married to a cousin and opens a shop. He soon tires of both although given the poverty of the time he behaviour was rightly condemned by society. John Mills portrays the character as a weak, harmless romantic, who ends up accept a job as a thatched covered Inn on a river bank with a punt ferry punt in pre car Victorian England. The challenge is the a criminal thug relative of the Innkeeper, a good woman looking after the child of his sister and of the thug. But like all bullies he in such films justice prevails and by good fortune because he is wearing a pair of Mr Polly's trousers, when Polly returns to find out how is former wife is getting on, he finds that she has been declared a widow and is enjoying life having turned the first floor of their former home above the shop into a tea room which she is running successfully with one of her sisters. He returns to his rural idyll with a cleared conscience. Oh if life was really like that!
As anticipated the political talk was on the fight back of Prime Minister Brown after being attacked by about everyone from the Opposition parties and the media, to sections of his own party and one suspects members of his own Cabinet. All talk of Cabinet reshuffle appears to have temporarily ended as he cannot risk creating a rivals and rebellion leaders. The truth was revealed by Ms Diane Abbot who after being part of the downfall of Tony Blair and years of public carping criticism has been extraordinarily uncritical of Gordon Brown, especially on the issue of the General Election that was not and the 10 pence tax abolition. Last night she admitted that there was no one who could take over and command support within the party or the country, so the factions will jockey for position and influence and plot the succession if as must be anticipated the party loses the next election. It is possible for parties in mid government to regain the initiative and public support but the political mood has changed from concentrating around the centre and there is a move to the extremes in England especially with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland having the safety valve of their own forms of Parliament and self government. England is left with a large cosmopolitan population in its capital and other cities and some town which is alien to the population who enjoy the country shows and rural pursuits and how we operate our Parliament, administration and judicial system. We actually liked as well as were good at running an empire which covered a quarter of the people on the planet, of ruling the high seas and of coming through as victors in two world wars. We are now part of a very different world and power economy where others have taken over our role and the basis of our economic fortune, and yet there is something in the native British character which adapts, has the drive and the initiative to remain powerful and rich. It is this quality which he post Thatcher governments squandered until Tony Blair and which I though Gordon Brown was up to. There were signs in during the crisis which arose upon appointment a year ago and over the past week that he has the strength of personal will and political purpose to survive and win through but he cannot afford a third mistake. The political hope is that energy and food prices will bottom out for time to make rank and file support fear the Conservative alternative, or for the Conservatives slip up or for forces within their party to attempt to push the leader in a different direction from that being taken. Equally there is a risk that Labour back benchers on the traditional left as well as the pro Blairites will create such havoc behind the scenes which will spill out as usual and destroy the last chance saloon position. Thursday's late night political review was an extraordinary mixture with Bruce Forsythe and Les Denise and Lord Levy. The theme was the need for political decorum and good manners something which the political classes jettisoned two decades ago and can never be recaptured. Unlike Wales, Scotland and Ireland, England in its present form is doomed and that will be the legacy of the last decade of government.
I begin with a WOW event. I did not visit the Circus Maximus on foot during my brief visits to Rome separated by over three decades although the area was pointed out on an organised coach visit after the Millennium. The Circus Maximus was the first and biggest circus area which can be ignored by the casual visitor with limited time because it is such a vast open area but I had not grasped the number which can be accommodated with 250000 in the days of the Caesars with a similar number having a mor distant view from the surrounding hills. When Italy won the World Cup in 2006 it was estimated that nearly three quarters of a million people packed the area in celebration. Last year Genesis were the group chosen to give a free concert and over half a million people attended with a giant stage and super structure. It was an amazing event now captured on video/DVD. I have several records by Phil Collins and have seen perform live at Newcastle City Hall as well as enjoyed his film career. It is always good to see that an old un can still do it.
I missed Britain's got talent on Saturday and waited until tonight for the re run and for someone who could become the series winner produced another WOW from my lips. This time is was a twelve year old girl with an extraordinary mature deep embryonic operatic voice. I did not note her name. She attended the Birmingham Britain's got talent and has a mum who is an hairdresser and a father who is a Health and Safety Officer. The girl admitted she practiced for hours in her bedroom with her parents giving her encouragement. It sounded as if her singing teacher school may have suggested she should enter the competition. She was both excited and then nervous and I predict that one day she will sing at Covent Garden, the Metropolitan and Milan and anywhere else she chooses to if that is what he decides is to be her destiny.
The second American Idol saw the obvious become reality and David Cook and David Aucheleta will contest the final next week seeing Seyesha Mercardo placed third but with over million votes recorded all three can record and know they will sell a million albums. All three returned to their home states and towns in trips organised by the local Fox broadcasting to an adoration level which has reached hysterical proportions as only the USA can do. This is not a criticism. When Americans are enthusiastic boy they are enthusiastic and there is a unity of purpose which is remarkable given the diversity of ethnic origins, cultures, religions and non religions and extremes of political and social viewpoints. It is understandable and a pity that the accumulated energy is sometimes misdirected.
The main purpose of the visit to the supermarket was for new razors but I went to see what there was in gardening pots and discovered some very expensive black containers some rounded shaped other squared which are pleasing to the eye and the ideal size for the window ledge The four square ones were placed on the window ledge outside the working window with geraniums. and the five rounded were used for the upright fuchsia's and placed on the day room window ledge and the table. I had a sufficient mix of potting compost to complete this task. However I had also been unable resist some wicker hanging baskets with a sacking liner which will require further investment in plants and some compost, which I will leave to next discount Wednesday, although it is tempting to go beforehand.
Friday is traditional fish eating day for but I had forgotten to defrost so during the day I separated the bream and also cut the salmon and tuna slices from the fish platter and will have one half tomorrow. Later I defrosted prawns to go with a salad. Today I had had salmon steaks in tomato sauce from an inexpensive flat tin which was part of the day's enjoyment and this evening peppered steak with vegetables followed by apple strudel and ice cream. I must remember to note the wine before the bottle ends.
I watched Distant Drums yesterday, a vehicles for Gary Cooper as a backwoodsman fighting an uprising in the Florida jungle and trying to rescue is half Indian son. Today I watched the History of Mr Polly, the H D Wells amoral tale of Polly as he progresses from an inability to work for others until he is left a princely sum by his father and gets married to a cousin and opens a shop. He soon tires of both although given the poverty of the time he behaviour was rightly condemned by society. John Mills portrays the character as a weak, harmless romantic, who ends up accept a job as a thatched covered Inn on a river bank with a punt ferry punt in pre car Victorian England. The challenge is the a criminal thug relative of the Innkeeper, a good woman looking after the child of his sister and of the thug. But like all bullies he in such films justice prevails and by good fortune because he is wearing a pair of Mr Polly's trousers, when Polly returns to find out how is former wife is getting on, he finds that she has been declared a widow and is enjoying life having turned the first floor of their former home above the shop into a tea room which she is running successfully with one of her sisters. He returns to his rural idyll with a cleared conscience. Oh if life was really like that!
As anticipated the political talk was on the fight back of Prime Minister Brown after being attacked by about everyone from the Opposition parties and the media, to sections of his own party and one suspects members of his own Cabinet. All talk of Cabinet reshuffle appears to have temporarily ended as he cannot risk creating a rivals and rebellion leaders. The truth was revealed by Ms Diane Abbot who after being part of the downfall of Tony Blair and years of public carping criticism has been extraordinarily uncritical of Gordon Brown, especially on the issue of the General Election that was not and the 10 pence tax abolition. Last night she admitted that there was no one who could take over and command support within the party or the country, so the factions will jockey for position and influence and plot the succession if as must be anticipated the party loses the next election. It is possible for parties in mid government to regain the initiative and public support but the political mood has changed from concentrating around the centre and there is a move to the extremes in England especially with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland having the safety valve of their own forms of Parliament and self government. England is left with a large cosmopolitan population in its capital and other cities and some town which is alien to the population who enjoy the country shows and rural pursuits and how we operate our Parliament, administration and judicial system. We actually liked as well as were good at running an empire which covered a quarter of the people on the planet, of ruling the high seas and of coming through as victors in two world wars. We are now part of a very different world and power economy where others have taken over our role and the basis of our economic fortune, and yet there is something in the native British character which adapts, has the drive and the initiative to remain powerful and rich. It is this quality which he post Thatcher governments squandered until Tony Blair and which I though Gordon Brown was up to. There were signs in during the crisis which arose upon appointment a year ago and over the past week that he has the strength of personal will and political purpose to survive and win through but he cannot afford a third mistake. The political hope is that energy and food prices will bottom out for time to make rank and file support fear the Conservative alternative, or for the Conservatives slip up or for forces within their party to attempt to push the leader in a different direction from that being taken. Equally there is a risk that Labour back benchers on the traditional left as well as the pro Blairites will create such havoc behind the scenes which will spill out as usual and destroy the last chance saloon position. Thursday's late night political review was an extraordinary mixture with Bruce Forsythe and Les Denise and Lord Levy. The theme was the need for political decorum and good manners something which the political classes jettisoned two decades ago and can never be recaptured. Unlike Wales, Scotland and Ireland, England in its present form is doomed and that will be the legacy of the last decade of government.
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