This did not begin as a good day although I managed to sleep between 4 and 9 am without being aware of interruption. At last I have frightened myself about my increased weight and have commenced the slow and difficult process of reversing what has been happening and am determined to continue regardless of the weather which will prevent the gradual increasing in periods walking combined with strict control over the quantity and content on meals. Yes we can.
I did not feel a hundred percent and before I had got going I accidentally knocked the Sky remote control between the window ledge and the back of the radiator where it jammed and remained for the great part of the day.
I had a pair of barbecue tongs but the top was too wide to reach through the narrow aperture to be effective and everything else I tried was either too short or could not alter the position of the handset now wedged horizontally at the bottom of the radiator before it reached he floor. Then I had a moment of inspiration and found the old long metal rod used to manually wind up or down the garage door should the motor fail. This was angled at one end which was able to move the handset into and upright position but while I did raise it upwards, a few times getting closer to the top, it always slipped down back to the horizontal position.
I decided to contact Sky for another and attempted to go on line to find their number but today I could not get a connection. Yesterday there were further problems with the AOL 9 Vista programme but I was able to do so via the standard browser and there was also the separate myspace connection and a temperature reading from Newcastle which appears immediately on switching the computer. Today there was nothing possible including a link via a lap top, I telephoned the help line and was advised that the system was down and that I should wait several hours, There was no further explanation.
During these efforts I noted a loss of breadth/breathing difficulty which brought home being overweight although I also believed the condition to be an anxiety attack. I had abandoned the task of trying to retrieve the handset but as the temperature dropped I realised I could not put on the central heating without damaging the handset, I decided to go out, posting the two DVD's, getting a couple of items from the supermarket and seeing if there were a pair of tongs which might of the job. Before this decided on one more try and in a more relaxed condition tried to raise the handset in one swift movement and raised sufficiently high to touch with my finger tips but without getting a grip. Then on the second attempt I was successful and the handset worked. It would have been possible to have changed channels manually but only in sequence, going through the entertainment channels before reaching the free film channels and then the music before reaching sport. On return from the shops the computer was also back on line but I was not in the right frame of mind and emotions to revert to how I had planned the day..
My resolve to undertake exercise however little, and ration my food intake again remained. Lunch was toast bread with grilled tomato and a cuppa soup. The afternoon did not go well. I was tired with the late nights and abnormal sleep patterns taking their toll and in early evening I did sleep on the settee for what as more than half an hour. My physical being and mood improved considerably after a cup of tea but I had a another doze before get my act together after the evening meal of a half a dozen olives two small pieces of beefsteak, with one portion of vegetables and a medium size carton of grapes. Later I did have a small bowl of cereal and an orange juice.
I watched the 1955 film Love is a many splendid thing featuring William Holden as the married but separated journalist based in Hong Kong, Singapore and Macau, shortly before Communism successful took control of all China, He falls in love with Han Suyin part English part Chinese who nevertheless sees herself as Chinese although she studied abroad and qualified as a doctor in England and works in a Hong Kong Hospital where she is highly regarded. The film was shot on location and was one of the major films of the year nominated for eight Oscars, winning one for the song of the film title, some words of which I can still remember. The film was considered "shocking" for the mid 1950's as it concerned an adult relationship between a married man and widow who was part Chinese. The part of Huy Sin who wrote the autobiographical novel was played by Jennifer Jones. The plot as such only unfolds the latter parts of the film when the couple decide to establish their relationship openly and this shocks and offends the self appointed moral leaders of both communities. Han Suyin is told she will not have her residency at the hospital renewed and this happens and she goes to live at the home of a friend with a young orphan girl she plans to adopt. William Holden is then killed while covering the civil war. The film has a good script and everything was portrayed with great modesty including the ubiquitous lighting of cigarettes on the beach to signal that according to the official story sex took place at this moment. While Jennifer's performance communicated beauty, intelligence and sensitivity William Holden's performance was so laid back that apart from his looks which Han Suyin was unlikely to have responded to alone it was difficult to understand why she was attractive to him. However I have long since given up on understanding why otherwise attractive, sensible, bright women become attached to some awful men given the existence of so many others who would give them a better relationship.
The rise of the people to form a post colonial government is the main the main theme of the Guns at Batasi released in 1964 and set in the last days of the British Empire in an East African Country. The country has already been handed back to a government of the people but regarded by many, including officers under the British overall command, that progress to full self government is too slow. The focus of the film is the Sergeant's mess led by a career Sergeant Major fond of repeating the same stories and clinging to the rule book and tradition (Richard, now Sir Richard Attenborough).
On the night of the Queen's birthday he is confronted by the arrival of the former head black officer who has been seriously wounded in the coup with the black second in command taking over. Then there is the arrival of a private and a UN Secretary who found the airport closed and come to the Barracks for shelter. The third arrival is that of a visiting Member of Parliament who has chosen not to attend the party of the Commanding officer but visit the Sergeant's mess to find out what those closer to the public think about the new situation. She is played by Dame Flora Robson and the Commanding officer by Jack Hawkins with the Governor, Cecil Parker. The sergeant manages to get hold of guns and ammunition sufficient to hold off an attach when the local rebel leader comes requesting that the former black head of the unit be handed over, and the request is refused.
The Sergeant is demonstrating that despite his excess of attention to discipline and the rules there is a courageous and responsible behind the mask with high standards and unshakable sense of what is right and what is wrong.
Unfortunately the local officer now in charge has got hold of the Bofors artillery gun and threatens to blow up the Sergeant's mess if the former local army chief is not given up. The Sergeant Major has difficulty in finding someone else to volunteer with him to take out the Gun but after drawing lots this falls to the National Service Private about to leave his tour of duty. They are successful in blowing up the guns and their ammunition without any loss of life on either side because the new officer in charge has summoned all the men to a gathering to tell them the news that the rebels have taken over the government with the previous group surrendering without a fight. The new regime is to remain within the Commonwealth and continue to have the support of the British Army, Jack Hawkins arrives at the base to confirm the position just as the gins are blown up. The film ends with Hawkins explaining to the Sergeant that while he would have done exactly as he had dome, step by step, he has to immediately leave the country as part of a deal which also see the former head officer whose life he had protected, along with the lives of his other men, also being given safe passage out of the country. Of course the reality of Britain's exist from former colonies in Africa was not like this in reality and the sense that Black Africans although given education opportunities in the UK and trained as Army officers and civil servants according to the British system and culture were patronised and not regarded by sways of British society as equals, there were bonds established and friendship developed based on mutual understanding and respect which has, The concept of the British Commonwealth has shown to be of little consequence when it comes to resolving the problems which have developed although the principal of talking together and helping out has remained and Britain has retained an important position in relation to the African Continent in general and Southern Africa in particular. While the election of Barrack Obama is destined to change the relationship between the United States and the African Continent and the British special relationship, it could be that the very connections between the USA and Britain's established links with African countries could ensure that the relationship is not down graded overall.
Later as I was going to bed the result of the Parliamentary by-election in Scotland where the Labour candidate was expected to lose again to the Scottish National Party was announced and everyone was amazed that not only was the seat held but held by a significant majority. Unusually the Prime Minister who traditionally does not campaign in by-elections because to do so and lose would be longer term damaging, did so in this instance together with his wife who made separate appearances. The measure of the majority is such that it will have a significant effect on the future position of Gordon brown both as leader of his Party, on the position of the Scottish Nationalist party and that of the Conservative Opposition. While the Financial crisis and he down turn in the economy will have affected people's attitudes, and whatever the responsibility of the government in terms of having embraced Thatcherism and Monetarism, the fact that the Prime Minister has shown the kind of on the spot leadership sticking to his guns so to speak as the sergeant major in the film is likely to prove to have been the main reason together with the antics of the Shadow Chancellor on Corfu. He continues to look as being on borrowed time as sat on the Front Bench at Parliamentary Question Time on Wednesday. The election of Senator Obama was shown to have had an enormous impact on British political activists as demonstrated by the audience at Question Time last night and is causing the national politicians pause for considerable thought, not only how they respond and reposition themselves but the realization, the dawning that it has had extraordinary effect on the political consciousness of people in general as school children now know who the American president to be is and probably cannot still name leading politicians in the UK This kind of mixture of awe and disbelief was also evident on the late night Politics show which took place at the top of a media building in Times Square New York with the skyline in the background and the sound of trains and traffic below filtering through. It was evident that even Black Americans have been taken aback by the response from around the world to the election, however much the actual total vote still shows that the US is a divided country and that in vast areas race remains as strong an issue as it always has, but as they say times have they are not just a changing but on one day and at one hour in the United State they did.
I did not feel a hundred percent and before I had got going I accidentally knocked the Sky remote control between the window ledge and the back of the radiator where it jammed and remained for the great part of the day.
I had a pair of barbecue tongs but the top was too wide to reach through the narrow aperture to be effective and everything else I tried was either too short or could not alter the position of the handset now wedged horizontally at the bottom of the radiator before it reached he floor. Then I had a moment of inspiration and found the old long metal rod used to manually wind up or down the garage door should the motor fail. This was angled at one end which was able to move the handset into and upright position but while I did raise it upwards, a few times getting closer to the top, it always slipped down back to the horizontal position.
I decided to contact Sky for another and attempted to go on line to find their number but today I could not get a connection. Yesterday there were further problems with the AOL 9 Vista programme but I was able to do so via the standard browser and there was also the separate myspace connection and a temperature reading from Newcastle which appears immediately on switching the computer. Today there was nothing possible including a link via a lap top, I telephoned the help line and was advised that the system was down and that I should wait several hours, There was no further explanation.
During these efforts I noted a loss of breadth/breathing difficulty which brought home being overweight although I also believed the condition to be an anxiety attack. I had abandoned the task of trying to retrieve the handset but as the temperature dropped I realised I could not put on the central heating without damaging the handset, I decided to go out, posting the two DVD's, getting a couple of items from the supermarket and seeing if there were a pair of tongs which might of the job. Before this decided on one more try and in a more relaxed condition tried to raise the handset in one swift movement and raised sufficiently high to touch with my finger tips but without getting a grip. Then on the second attempt I was successful and the handset worked. It would have been possible to have changed channels manually but only in sequence, going through the entertainment channels before reaching the free film channels and then the music before reaching sport. On return from the shops the computer was also back on line but I was not in the right frame of mind and emotions to revert to how I had planned the day..
My resolve to undertake exercise however little, and ration my food intake again remained. Lunch was toast bread with grilled tomato and a cuppa soup. The afternoon did not go well. I was tired with the late nights and abnormal sleep patterns taking their toll and in early evening I did sleep on the settee for what as more than half an hour. My physical being and mood improved considerably after a cup of tea but I had a another doze before get my act together after the evening meal of a half a dozen olives two small pieces of beefsteak, with one portion of vegetables and a medium size carton of grapes. Later I did have a small bowl of cereal and an orange juice.
I watched the 1955 film Love is a many splendid thing featuring William Holden as the married but separated journalist based in Hong Kong, Singapore and Macau, shortly before Communism successful took control of all China, He falls in love with Han Suyin part English part Chinese who nevertheless sees herself as Chinese although she studied abroad and qualified as a doctor in England and works in a Hong Kong Hospital where she is highly regarded. The film was shot on location and was one of the major films of the year nominated for eight Oscars, winning one for the song of the film title, some words of which I can still remember. The film was considered "shocking" for the mid 1950's as it concerned an adult relationship between a married man and widow who was part Chinese. The part of Huy Sin who wrote the autobiographical novel was played by Jennifer Jones. The plot as such only unfolds the latter parts of the film when the couple decide to establish their relationship openly and this shocks and offends the self appointed moral leaders of both communities. Han Suyin is told she will not have her residency at the hospital renewed and this happens and she goes to live at the home of a friend with a young orphan girl she plans to adopt. William Holden is then killed while covering the civil war. The film has a good script and everything was portrayed with great modesty including the ubiquitous lighting of cigarettes on the beach to signal that according to the official story sex took place at this moment. While Jennifer's performance communicated beauty, intelligence and sensitivity William Holden's performance was so laid back that apart from his looks which Han Suyin was unlikely to have responded to alone it was difficult to understand why she was attractive to him. However I have long since given up on understanding why otherwise attractive, sensible, bright women become attached to some awful men given the existence of so many others who would give them a better relationship.
The rise of the people to form a post colonial government is the main the main theme of the Guns at Batasi released in 1964 and set in the last days of the British Empire in an East African Country. The country has already been handed back to a government of the people but regarded by many, including officers under the British overall command, that progress to full self government is too slow. The focus of the film is the Sergeant's mess led by a career Sergeant Major fond of repeating the same stories and clinging to the rule book and tradition (Richard, now Sir Richard Attenborough).
On the night of the Queen's birthday he is confronted by the arrival of the former head black officer who has been seriously wounded in the coup with the black second in command taking over. Then there is the arrival of a private and a UN Secretary who found the airport closed and come to the Barracks for shelter. The third arrival is that of a visiting Member of Parliament who has chosen not to attend the party of the Commanding officer but visit the Sergeant's mess to find out what those closer to the public think about the new situation. She is played by Dame Flora Robson and the Commanding officer by Jack Hawkins with the Governor, Cecil Parker. The sergeant manages to get hold of guns and ammunition sufficient to hold off an attach when the local rebel leader comes requesting that the former black head of the unit be handed over, and the request is refused.
The Sergeant is demonstrating that despite his excess of attention to discipline and the rules there is a courageous and responsible behind the mask with high standards and unshakable sense of what is right and what is wrong.
Unfortunately the local officer now in charge has got hold of the Bofors artillery gun and threatens to blow up the Sergeant's mess if the former local army chief is not given up. The Sergeant Major has difficulty in finding someone else to volunteer with him to take out the Gun but after drawing lots this falls to the National Service Private about to leave his tour of duty. They are successful in blowing up the guns and their ammunition without any loss of life on either side because the new officer in charge has summoned all the men to a gathering to tell them the news that the rebels have taken over the government with the previous group surrendering without a fight. The new regime is to remain within the Commonwealth and continue to have the support of the British Army, Jack Hawkins arrives at the base to confirm the position just as the gins are blown up. The film ends with Hawkins explaining to the Sergeant that while he would have done exactly as he had dome, step by step, he has to immediately leave the country as part of a deal which also see the former head officer whose life he had protected, along with the lives of his other men, also being given safe passage out of the country. Of course the reality of Britain's exist from former colonies in Africa was not like this in reality and the sense that Black Africans although given education opportunities in the UK and trained as Army officers and civil servants according to the British system and culture were patronised and not regarded by sways of British society as equals, there were bonds established and friendship developed based on mutual understanding and respect which has, The concept of the British Commonwealth has shown to be of little consequence when it comes to resolving the problems which have developed although the principal of talking together and helping out has remained and Britain has retained an important position in relation to the African Continent in general and Southern Africa in particular. While the election of Barrack Obama is destined to change the relationship between the United States and the African Continent and the British special relationship, it could be that the very connections between the USA and Britain's established links with African countries could ensure that the relationship is not down graded overall.
Later as I was going to bed the result of the Parliamentary by-election in Scotland where the Labour candidate was expected to lose again to the Scottish National Party was announced and everyone was amazed that not only was the seat held but held by a significant majority. Unusually the Prime Minister who traditionally does not campaign in by-elections because to do so and lose would be longer term damaging, did so in this instance together with his wife who made separate appearances. The measure of the majority is such that it will have a significant effect on the future position of Gordon brown both as leader of his Party, on the position of the Scottish Nationalist party and that of the Conservative Opposition. While the Financial crisis and he down turn in the economy will have affected people's attitudes, and whatever the responsibility of the government in terms of having embraced Thatcherism and Monetarism, the fact that the Prime Minister has shown the kind of on the spot leadership sticking to his guns so to speak as the sergeant major in the film is likely to prove to have been the main reason together with the antics of the Shadow Chancellor on Corfu. He continues to look as being on borrowed time as sat on the Front Bench at Parliamentary Question Time on Wednesday. The election of Senator Obama was shown to have had an enormous impact on British political activists as demonstrated by the audience at Question Time last night and is causing the national politicians pause for considerable thought, not only how they respond and reposition themselves but the realization, the dawning that it has had extraordinary effect on the political consciousness of people in general as school children now know who the American president to be is and probably cannot still name leading politicians in the UK This kind of mixture of awe and disbelief was also evident on the late night Politics show which took place at the top of a media building in Times Square New York with the skyline in the background and the sound of trains and traffic below filtering through. It was evident that even Black Americans have been taken aback by the response from around the world to the election, however much the actual total vote still shows that the US is a divided country and that in vast areas race remains as strong an issue as it always has, but as they say times have they are not just a changing but on one day and at one hour in the United State they did.
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