Sir, your editorial (22nd Jan.08) rightly blasts the patio heater for gobbling energy, yet exonerates the 4x4, which it describes as 'at least fulfilling a genuine purpose'...which is 'traversing road-less fields and hills'.
What reason could possibly be less genuine than taking any car, let alone the gas-guzzling 4x4 over roadless fields and hills.
They're bad enough on roads!
Yours,
L. Stothard.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Met. Office sale 25.02.10.
The Labour Government is to sell off the Met. Office, as 'agreed' in Turkey and as 'accepted' by the World Meteorological Office. Not so much selling the family silver as selling vital organs.
The whole of world instrumental temperature recording, dating back to 1500 will be 're-analysed' to 'remove doubts about global warming'... We know why.To try and erase the facts and figures so greedy people can carry on killing of the planet. Exactly whose doubt will be removed and with what catastrophic effects for the human race, for Planet Earth?
By the way, this will take three years... that's three years we haven't got.
Climate warming warners
sold off. New panel will see
off solar panels.
The whole of world instrumental temperature recording, dating back to 1500 will be 're-analysed' to 'remove doubts about global warming'... We know why.To try and erase the facts and figures so greedy people can carry on killing of the planet. Exactly whose doubt will be removed and with what catastrophic effects for the human race, for Planet Earth?
By the way, this will take three years... that's three years we haven't got.
Climate warming warners
sold off. New panel will see
off solar panels.
Smashin' Tendulkar.
Sachin Tendulkar (arguably the most successful cricketer of all time) scored a double century for Pakistan against South Africa in the first One Day International series, taking his overall tally to unassailable heights with a series of Fours and Sixes all around the ground.
Cricket's golden guy
Smashin' Two-Ton-dulkar hits
top of the ODI.
Cricket's golden guy
Smashin' Two-Ton-dulkar hits
top of the ODI.
A bridge too far. 20.12.09.
Mabey and Johnson, a bridge-building company (owned by one of Britain's richest families) paid bribes to unnamed officials in Ghana, Iraq and Jamaica to win the contracts to build the bridges, eight of which had to be repaired/rebuilt, the Guardian reports.
Mabey those bridging
loans were extorted, causing
eight bridges too far.
Mabey those bridging
loans were extorted, causing
eight bridges too far.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Divorce settlements 10.09.
17.10.09.News source: The Times.
The latest interest declared by hedge funding groups is investment in divorce settlements. Funding commercial and individual litigation in exchange for a stake in the final payout is the latest trend in an industry that is 'battling to recover the above-average returns it once offered to investors for hefty fees'.
Till do us part. Death
doesn't get a look-in when
divorces are Courted.
The latest interest declared by hedge funding groups is investment in divorce settlements. Funding commercial and individual litigation in exchange for a stake in the final payout is the latest trend in an industry that is 'battling to recover the above-average returns it once offered to investors for hefty fees'.
Till do us part. Death
doesn't get a look-in when
divorces are Courted.
Afghanistan
09 12 09.
Two of the Obama administration's key figures in the projected U.S. campaign in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal and Karl Eikenberry, the US Ambassador to Kabul appear to be coalescing, at least in public.
Mr Eikenberry has formerly (in cables leaked in November) argued against sending more troops to Afghanistan as long as Hamid Karzai, the President 'failed to confront the corruption at its core'.
General McChrystal was said to be angered by the cables which collided directly with his view that a troop surge was the only way to prevent the return of Al Qaeda to Afghanistan, regardless of how much Karzai might cooperate with the U.S.
His insistence that 'we can and will win this mission.' makes 'the unwinneable unwinneable.'
Clouded McChrystal
ball makes it crystal; Afghan
'war's unwinneable.
Two of the Obama administration's key figures in the projected U.S. campaign in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal and Karl Eikenberry, the US Ambassador to Kabul appear to be coalescing, at least in public.
Mr Eikenberry has formerly (in cables leaked in November) argued against sending more troops to Afghanistan as long as Hamid Karzai, the President 'failed to confront the corruption at its core'.
General McChrystal was said to be angered by the cables which collided directly with his view that a troop surge was the only way to prevent the return of Al Qaeda to Afghanistan, regardless of how much Karzai might cooperate with the U.S.
His insistence that 'we can and will win this mission.' makes 'the unwinneable unwinneable.'
Clouded McChrystal
ball makes it crystal; Afghan
'war's unwinneable.
Match of the Day
Match of the Day
(it's all about timing).
There's another chance
going forward
from this set-piece.
He's bypassed the midfielder
with a dink and a perfect
little one-two
from Milner's cross.
It's a shoo-in for Hibbert...
... the ball just begging to be buried,
and that goal would offer Villa a lifeline.
They've crawled up the table
this season, only to be denied
against Arsenal
in the final minute of asking
at the Stadium of Light...
...oh dear, now then, is it
a penalty.
IT IS, it's a PENALTY.
(it's all about timing).
There's another chance
going forward
from this set-piece.
He's bypassed the midfielder
with a dink and a perfect
little one-two
from Milner's cross.
It's a shoo-in for Hibbert...
... the ball just begging to be buried,
and that goal would offer Villa a lifeline.
They've crawled up the table
this season, only to be denied
against Arsenal
in the final minute of asking
at the Stadium of Light...
...oh dear, now then, is it
a penalty.
IT IS, it's a PENALTY.
Lord Judge
Haiku. 02. 10. 09.
The newly-appointed Supreme Court Leader is the aptly-named Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge!
Oh Lord! Chief Justice
will be Judge and jury. That's
some kind of justice!
The newly-appointed Supreme Court Leader is the aptly-named Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge!
Oh Lord! Chief Justice
will be Judge and jury. That's
some kind of justice!
Phantom of the Opera 2
Haiku. 09. 10. 09.
Andrew Lloyd Webber has produced a sequel to the sequel Phantom of the Opera 2 called 'Love Never Dies.'
Set in the early 20 Century on Coney Island, it promises to be equally kitsch.
The director of 'Love Never Dies' cites Shakespeare as proof that 'theatrical sequels can be made to work', telling us that the end is 'enigmatic, to put it mildly' while Webber himself describes Coney Island as 'exotic, sinister, slightly macabre and yet extraordinary' (sic).
Love never dies- no,
nor Shakespeare but Webber's
bad Shows die on stage.
'New' Webber opera
to make phantom appearance.
Unlike love, it's doomed.
Andrew Lloyd Webber has produced a sequel to the sequel Phantom of the Opera 2 called 'Love Never Dies.'
Set in the early 20 Century on Coney Island, it promises to be equally kitsch.
The director of 'Love Never Dies' cites Shakespeare as proof that 'theatrical sequels can be made to work', telling us that the end is 'enigmatic, to put it mildly' while Webber himself describes Coney Island as 'exotic, sinister, slightly macabre and yet extraordinary' (sic).
Love never dies- no,
nor Shakespeare but Webber's
bad Shows die on stage.
'New' Webber opera
to make phantom appearance.
Unlike love, it's doomed.
Czech mate on Lisbon Treaty.
0ct 9th 09.
The Times reports that the Czech Republic wants to stall the progress of the Lisbon Treaty ( the ratification) by demanding an amendment. This, it is calculated would allow time for a referendum to be tabled in the UK.
Vaclar Klaus, the president, wants 'unspecified guarantees' on the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Czech mate! Vaclar wants
to insert his Klaus before
Christmas. Ho, ho, ho.
The Times reports that the Czech Republic wants to stall the progress of the Lisbon Treaty ( the ratification) by demanding an amendment. This, it is calculated would allow time for a referendum to be tabled in the UK.
Vaclar Klaus, the president, wants 'unspecified guarantees' on the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Czech mate! Vaclar wants
to insert his Klaus before
Christmas. Ho, ho, ho.
An Autumn Saturday in Birkenhead Park.
An Autumn Saturday in Birkenhead Park.
The lime trees are dressed down
in motley of leaf green and pastel now;
their keys hang sorrowfully earthwards.
Fingers, arms of gold extend,
creeping round the margins of the park.
It is 7 a.m.
and the last clubber keeps it going
on the usual bench.
Shadows are long, sun-dusted.
Here are burnished copper polls
and the beeches are already aflame.
The dew shimmers, breathes a slow sigh,
draws back from its drenching
of the Night Pasture,
of Cannon Hill.
The jackdaws give their first,
soft rebukes of the day.
Leaves are giving themselves up,
ceding to the ground,
leaving their dark stigmata
on pavements.
Later, at 4p.m. dry swirls, scuffed-up
and brittle will be sashayed along by the feet
of Park Road schoolkids.
In brief huffs of wind,
in the closed-down darkness,
the dampened leaves will drag themselves
along the ground or jump
like squat toads crossing roads.
Lights will fly on round the park margins
at 7p.m. for the magic time,
for Friday's sake.
The lime trees are dressed down
in motley of leaf green and pastel now;
their keys hang sorrowfully earthwards.
Fingers, arms of gold extend,
creeping round the margins of the park.
It is 7 a.m.
and the last clubber keeps it going
on the usual bench.
Shadows are long, sun-dusted.
Here are burnished copper polls
and the beeches are already aflame.
The dew shimmers, breathes a slow sigh,
draws back from its drenching
of the Night Pasture,
of Cannon Hill.
The jackdaws give their first,
soft rebukes of the day.
Leaves are giving themselves up,
ceding to the ground,
leaving their dark stigmata
on pavements.
Later, at 4p.m. dry swirls, scuffed-up
and brittle will be sashayed along by the feet
of Park Road schoolkids.
In brief huffs of wind,
in the closed-down darkness,
the dampened leaves will drag themselves
along the ground or jump
like squat toads crossing roads.
Lights will fly on round the park margins
at 7p.m. for the magic time,
for Friday's sake.
Christmas poem
Christmas poem.
In the early light of dawn,
a thousand million glimmer
with hope and greed aforethought.
Then Christmas is crossed.
In the early light of dawn,
a thousand million glimmer
with hope and greed aforethought.
Then Christmas is crossed.
Degree threat haiku
The Times 1st October.09 reports that the traditional system of marking degrees by class (First, 2-1, 2-2, Third) is under threat from employers and a committee of M.P.s, who complain that it's hard to distinguish between the achievements of different students and that results have been dumbed down. They want to see an American points-based system introduced, even though the meaning of such a system and its grading are essentially the same.
Graded system is
given the third degree by
no-mark busy-bods.
Graded system is
given the third degree by
no-mark busy-bods.
Birmingham games
Haiku.22.10.09.
The Times reports that after enduring tiresome jokes when it was bidding for the 2012 Olympic games, Birmingham is to host a training camp for two of the most sought-after teams in the month leading up to the event itself.
The U.S. and Jamaican teams will visit schools, athletic clubs etc and Usain Bolt's cricket-mad brother is hosting a bowling session at Edgbaston Cricket Club.
Spaghetti Junction
will host games (peas and rice
may be Bolted down).
The Times reports that after enduring tiresome jokes when it was bidding for the 2012 Olympic games, Birmingham is to host a training camp for two of the most sought-after teams in the month leading up to the event itself.
The U.S. and Jamaican teams will visit schools, athletic clubs etc and Usain Bolt's cricket-mad brother is hosting a bowling session at Edgbaston Cricket Club.
Spaghetti Junction
will host games (peas and rice
may be Bolted down).
Sunday, February 28, 2010
The Wallasey Walk-in
At theWallasey Walk-In.
I had walked to the Walk-In
the night before and found it silenced,
under a Pizza Hut of pale-blue roof.
The long gates, prison bar wide
had been closed
over the bark-chipped
lake of car park,
the neon floodlights bored holes then
into the accidentality of being there,
seared the flamepain.
The next day,
inside the Pizza Hut,
carepuzzled people leaned
this way and that,
roamed a few yards
at the half-hours,
in the waiting lounge
before their flight.
Someone, bored by the rack
of health check cards
had jumbled them.
They still portended.
'Antibiotics and flu',
'Antibiotics and sore throat',
'Antibiotics and coughs'
Someone, an older person,
had made one into an aeroplane
to remove the whole question of health,
set it free as birdbeat.
A tiny Sikh girl
returning my grateful smile
sat in the shell-chair
tending her Grandmother,
in for the long haul.
On another shell chair,
a wan boy leaned into
his father's shoulder,
kept his frown on
in bent-double slumber.
I had walked to the Walk-In
the night before and found it silenced,
under a Pizza Hut of pale-blue roof.
The long gates, prison bar wide
had been closed
over the bark-chipped
lake of car park,
the neon floodlights bored holes then
into the accidentality of being there,
seared the flamepain.
The next day,
inside the Pizza Hut,
carepuzzled people leaned
this way and that,
roamed a few yards
at the half-hours,
in the waiting lounge
before their flight.
Someone, bored by the rack
of health check cards
had jumbled them.
They still portended.
'Antibiotics and flu',
'Antibiotics and sore throat',
'Antibiotics and coughs'
Someone, an older person,
had made one into an aeroplane
to remove the whole question of health,
set it free as birdbeat.
A tiny Sikh girl
returning my grateful smile
sat in the shell-chair
tending her Grandmother,
in for the long haul.
On another shell chair,
a wan boy leaned into
his father's shoulder,
kept his frown on
in bent-double slumber.
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