Just read somewhere that Michael Howard's parents were from Transylvania. .
If this is true I think I can now understand why Anne Widdecombe said he '...has something of the night about him'.(You have to say it in a thick Boris Karloff-type accent for it to work).
It's also interesting to note that only the front page seems to be working on Michael's website. Press the appropriate button for his views on for example 'Asylum' or 'Education' and 'page cannot be found' comes up. Perhaps he's having a re-think before his big day.
Personally I think the Tories have made a mistake. Ken Clarke is the man for them. I can see it now...Prime Minister Potato Head. At least he looks like he's from planet earth. He smokes, he drinks, he's on the tubby side, without doubt a man of the people. I think it's the fact that he wears a wide brimmed hat when he's out and about that puts people off. Or. He does have a strange 'chuntering' affliction when he performs in Parliament which can be rather off-putting (or amusing).
Ah well, whatever happens I think things are going to liven up a little. Tony could find himself with a fight on his hands. It might even do him some good who knows? As long as it doesn't get too lively what with his dodgy ticker and everything.
Monday, April 20, 2009
The bits of Stratford that aren’t built on are looking really good today. Spectacular.
Down by the river, in the Theatre gardens, Holy Trinity, in fact everywhere where there’s more than two trees looks fantastically autumnal. As far as natural beauty goes I’m afraid I’m a bit of a thug (I’m not an evening sunset person. Give me an electrical storm every time) but even I’m moved, so much so that I’ve taken a photograph of the tree I used to chase my kids around (many years ago) and posted it in my Blog’s photo album (ShakespeareLand plc). Sad, I know. I promise it won’t happen again.
The Autumn’s a special time for me albeit a busy one what with all the obsessive food gathering. I’m already starting to feel sleepy but I’ll press on until I’ve enough material to make a decent nest. Incidentally, why do our American friends call Autumn, Fall? Is it to do with the leaves falling off the trees? Sounds a bit Biblical to me…The Fall…it sounds like a punishment for having had too much of a good time in the summer.
Down by the river, in the Theatre gardens, Holy Trinity, in fact everywhere where there’s more than two trees looks fantastically autumnal. As far as natural beauty goes I’m afraid I’m a bit of a thug (I’m not an evening sunset person. Give me an electrical storm every time) but even I’m moved, so much so that I’ve taken a photograph of the tree I used to chase my kids around (many years ago) and posted it in my Blog’s photo album (ShakespeareLand plc). Sad, I know. I promise it won’t happen again.
The Autumn’s a special time for me albeit a busy one what with all the obsessive food gathering. I’m already starting to feel sleepy but I’ll press on until I’ve enough material to make a decent nest. Incidentally, why do our American friends call Autumn, Fall? Is it to do with the leaves falling off the trees? Sounds a bit Biblical to me…The Fall…it sounds like a punishment for having had too much of a good time in the summer.
Friday, March 27, 2009
There’s a lot of talk these days about the regeneration of dear old S-on-A. This week in the local press (yes you’ve guessed it The Stratford Herald-I wish-don’t you dare! More later.) there’s speculation about Stratford’s potential at becoming ‘a top European international exhibition and conference venue’. Paul ‘what else do you expect me to say’ Ratcliffe, director of a firm that organises conferences for the likes of Heinz and Glaxo SmithKline (trust them to get a mention) goes as far to say that Stratford…’is staring in the face a major opportunity to regenerate itself…’
So here we go again. Another article, another vision of Stratford in the (near?) future and yet another failure to mention the people that live here and in whose hands lie the real regeneration. Once again no mention of what they might want. Business, business, business.
I’m not so stupid as to think that the appearance of a conference centre won’t have any ‘benefits’ for the local community, of course it will, there will be (service) jobs. And the people who arrive for the conferences, the sales reps et al will spend some of their bonuses, golden parachute money, share options etc in Stratford’s tea shoppes and public houses. They may even (let’s face it they will-just to say they’ve been) go to the theatre. However, during their free-time, time away from the flip charts and Powerpoint presentations they will inevitably bump up against ordinary Stratfordians going about their everyday lives. Ordinary Stratfordians who have no need for plastic name tags because they know who they are. Angry, ordinary Stratfordians who have watched the ongoing encroachment of big business in all its forms slowly take over the Town. Angry, ordinary Stratfordians who have watched their offspring disappear to faraway places in a desperate effort to find somewhere affordable to live. Angry, ordinary and deluded Stratfordians who for reasons best known to themselves keep voting for the same worse than useless councillors who appear unable to do anything that could be regarded as positive and for the people. (So prove me wrong? Name me something good that's happened recently that all Stratford's citizens can share and be pleased about? And don't say Town Square. I mean, honestly One plastic rubbish bag? What's that all about?)
When are The Suits going to realise that their vision of a cold sterile environment without people, only people who serve, will not work. Business Parks are not meant to live in and the view of Stratford as just a place to be wined and dined in will not work either.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Increasing the Gap.
Seems the good old Stratford Herald (I wi-No!) will do anything to attract customers of a certain ilk. Not for them the shaven-headed, heavily tattooed, ear-ringed reader of the dreadful downmarket puns of The Sun and The Mirror, no way Hathaway.
Remember the attempt to attract the more cerebral reader with the infamous Latin headline of a few weeks ago? Well, it obviously didn’t work.
This week sees another headline aimed at pulling in the more educated reader. A little lower down the scale but a nice try all the same…MP’S KAFKAESQUE ROLE IN LEADERSHIP DRAMA .
So here we go again. Another article, another vision of Stratford in the (near?) future and yet another failure to mention the people that live here and in whose hands lie the real regeneration. Once again no mention of what they might want. Business, business, business.
I’m not so stupid as to think that the appearance of a conference centre won’t have any ‘benefits’ for the local community, of course it will, there will be (service) jobs. And the people who arrive for the conferences, the sales reps et al will spend some of their bonuses, golden parachute money, share options etc in Stratford’s tea shoppes and public houses. They may even (let’s face it they will-just to say they’ve been) go to the theatre. However, during their free-time, time away from the flip charts and Powerpoint presentations they will inevitably bump up against ordinary Stratfordians going about their everyday lives. Ordinary Stratfordians who have no need for plastic name tags because they know who they are. Angry, ordinary Stratfordians who have watched the ongoing encroachment of big business in all its forms slowly take over the Town. Angry, ordinary Stratfordians who have watched their offspring disappear to faraway places in a desperate effort to find somewhere affordable to live. Angry, ordinary and deluded Stratfordians who for reasons best known to themselves keep voting for the same worse than useless councillors who appear unable to do anything that could be regarded as positive and for the people. (So prove me wrong? Name me something good that's happened recently that all Stratford's citizens can share and be pleased about? And don't say Town Square. I mean, honestly One plastic rubbish bag? What's that all about?)
When are The Suits going to realise that their vision of a cold sterile environment without people, only people who serve, will not work. Business Parks are not meant to live in and the view of Stratford as just a place to be wined and dined in will not work either.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Increasing the Gap.
Seems the good old Stratford Herald (I wi-No!) will do anything to attract customers of a certain ilk. Not for them the shaven-headed, heavily tattooed, ear-ringed reader of the dreadful downmarket puns of The Sun and The Mirror, no way Hathaway.
Remember the attempt to attract the more cerebral reader with the infamous Latin headline of a few weeks ago? Well, it obviously didn’t work.
This week sees another headline aimed at pulling in the more educated reader. A little lower down the scale but a nice try all the same…MP’S KAFKAESQUE ROLE IN LEADERSHIP DRAMA .
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Zzzzzzzz……
Town’s gone very quiet all of a sudden.
Today I thought I’d do the tour, take in the sights, the sounds. Maybe take a few photos (see photo album), have a coffee, bit of shopping you know the kind of thing. A nice relaxed mooch about. Unfortunately I made the mistake of driving in (not something I usually do) and it took me half an hour to find somewhere to park. By the time I found a space I was spitting blood. My language was disgusting and I thought I was going to have a seizure. Om…Omm…Ommm…calm…calm… Serves me right for being such a lazy prat.
Anyway, as my first port of call I thought I’d go and have a look at developments in Barrack-sorry-Town Square. There weren’t any. Mind you there was some bloke bellowing into his mobile at some poor unfortunate, probably his wife…’I think you ought to come down off your high-horse don’t you…’. That was quite entertaining and made up for the sea of concrete and lack of human contact. (Photo).
Sad to say it looks like the tourists have all gone home. I suppose that’s it for the year. Not an American to be spotted anywhere. Except for the ever-present Japanese there was hardly any signs of a foreign presence at all, although there were a lot of French school kids about, doing some last minute shopping no doubt (ahem…nervous cough).
When I got back to the car I found myself wedged in. Aaagh…some people are so inconsiderate…deep breaths…1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9…10…aaand relax. Thankfully my superior driving skills and cool temperament got me out of that little challenge for David Blaine’s recent record. On the whole then? A wasted and crap day in beautiful downtown Stratford upon Avon. And I have the photographs to prove it. (ShakespeareLand plc)
Thought for the day.
I really, really hope that Stratford finds a Saviour soon. A hero. Someone who can put this little old market Town back on its feet.
Today I thought I’d do the tour, take in the sights, the sounds. Maybe take a few photos (see photo album), have a coffee, bit of shopping you know the kind of thing. A nice relaxed mooch about. Unfortunately I made the mistake of driving in (not something I usually do) and it took me half an hour to find somewhere to park. By the time I found a space I was spitting blood. My language was disgusting and I thought I was going to have a seizure. Om…Omm…Ommm…calm…calm… Serves me right for being such a lazy prat.
Anyway, as my first port of call I thought I’d go and have a look at developments in Barrack-sorry-Town Square. There weren’t any. Mind you there was some bloke bellowing into his mobile at some poor unfortunate, probably his wife…’I think you ought to come down off your high-horse don’t you…’. That was quite entertaining and made up for the sea of concrete and lack of human contact. (Photo).
Sad to say it looks like the tourists have all gone home. I suppose that’s it for the year. Not an American to be spotted anywhere. Except for the ever-present Japanese there was hardly any signs of a foreign presence at all, although there were a lot of French school kids about, doing some last minute shopping no doubt (ahem…nervous cough).
When I got back to the car I found myself wedged in. Aaagh…some people are so inconsiderate…deep breaths…1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9…10…aaand relax. Thankfully my superior driving skills and cool temperament got me out of that little challenge for David Blaine’s recent record. On the whole then? A wasted and crap day in beautiful downtown Stratford upon Avon. And I have the photographs to prove it. (ShakespeareLand plc)
Thought for the day.
I really, really hope that Stratford finds a Saviour soon. A hero. Someone who can put this little old market Town back on its feet.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
I digress…
Three-make that 4 things I don’t understand.
1. Grown men (and women) crying over an aeroplane?
(I can understand a tear shed for the Spitfire but the Concorde? It was a rich man's plaything for God's sake).
2. The hoo-ha over the gay guy about to be made Bishop.
(Isn’t the Church for Sinners? And who the hell is without sin? The words
whited and seplecures spring to mind, or if you like, whitewashed tombs (see
Matthew 23 v27). What about the planks in your own eyes you bunch of smartarses. (Sorry getting carried away..)
3. America’s total disregard for the environment
(Read yesterdays Guardian, *‘America is killing itself’. By Matthew Engel)
4. Why everyone is attacking Paul Burrel (the butler did it) without questioning the content of Lady Diana's worrying letter? Isn't this shooting the messenger? And why still no inquiry concerning her death?
*and us too.
1. Grown men (and women) crying over an aeroplane?
(I can understand a tear shed for the Spitfire but the Concorde? It was a rich man's plaything for God's sake).
2. The hoo-ha over the gay guy about to be made Bishop.
(Isn’t the Church for Sinners? And who the hell is without sin? The words
whited and seplecures spring to mind, or if you like, whitewashed tombs (see
Matthew 23 v27). What about the planks in your own eyes you bunch of smartarses. (Sorry getting carried away..)
3. America’s total disregard for the environment
(Read yesterdays Guardian, *‘America is killing itself’. By Matthew Engel)
4. Why everyone is attacking Paul Burrel (the butler did it) without questioning the content of Lady Diana's worrying letter? Isn't this shooting the messenger? And why still no inquiry concerning her death?
*and us too.
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