December Thoughts



Due to structural changes at my workplace this blog went MIA for a few months but we are now back to muse on items.



The election, well I'm very pleased by Obama's win and the scope of his win, the first Democrat to win in Virginia since LBJ. the first Democrat to win North Carolina for an age. However unlike Bill Clinton he did not win Arkansas. The state that brought you Brown vs Board of Education Topeka, a major civil rights Supreme Court Case.



On a sporting note the Seahawks are having their worst season since 1992, but the Lakers currently 24-3 are having one of their best and its Boston not Santa who is coming to town on Christmas Day. As for Traditonal European Sports. County are now up to 5th in Division 1 which is quite an acheivement. The Blues won in Biarittz last Saturday and are played 4 won 4 this season in Europe , their magners form is awful and tonights performance against the Scarlets was pretty wrteched.



So here are some pictures from the stuff we missed and I'll be back to round up the year before its gone.



Merry Christmas / Nadolig Llawern.

Lyndon Johnson - Daisy

Plan B, the clown Palin wants to put Nato Forces in Georgia

Classic Political Ad: Daisy Girl (1964)

Plan B.

Where's the Beef

I thought of Sarah Palin and remembered this gem from 1984 and hopefully this should still work. If it doesn't there is always plan B.

The summer Olympics of 2008 are nearly over, I doubt we shall see their like again until the next time they go to China and who knows what the People's Republic will look like by then. These have been britain's most successful games since 1908 which shows that if you have a good model, good coaches and some hard work and throw a shed load of money then you will succeed so hats off to sailing, rowing, swimming and cycling with a cheer for boxing, taikwando and canoing but Athletics you need to take a long hard look at yourself. The Tri Nations Rugby is gearing up today Australia won in South Africa for the first time since 2000. The World Champions need to take a long hard look at themselves. I am still not so sure about Australia and think they had the benefit of the ref.



Coming up on September 1st my wife starts a new teaching job and I know she will look forward to it. As for me that day I'm off to the dentist for an extraction at 2.15 actually, the old jokes being the best.



Speak to you all soon

Sex, Lies and Conservative Politics

One of my local councillors published an article in our local paper "The Stockport Times" which was a poor attempt at the art of obfuscation. Yes he condemned corruption by all parties but does this go far enough of course not. Giles Chichester resigned from his post when it emerged that he had transferred more than £400,000 of staff expenses into a family company. This is not a small amount unless you are a professional footballer like Rio Ferdinand. This is equal to 42 years worth of allowances that Councillor O' Neill would get from Stockport Council. Mr Chichester wasn't any old Tory hack, he was the head of the Conservative Party in the European Parliament. The chief whip of the Conservatives in Europe, Den Dover, was repalced after paying his wife and daughter £758,000 over nine years through a company for secretarial services. The second part of the Councillor's article deals with expenses incurred by Speaker Michael Martin and Tony Blair, John Prescott and Gordon Brown, the aim is to drown you in trivia so you ignore or forget to ask about Caroline Spelman who is responsible for the probity of the Conservatives in the House of Commons. Obviously she is n't very good at this as not only is she being investigated bu t so are Ann & Nicholas Winterton the MP's for Congleton and Macclesfield, for claiming £130,000 in rent allowances for a flat they already own. The question is who watches the watchers.

Next time we'll catch up with sports and media.

Hywl


Jez

So subsequently what happened was Ospreys smashed Saracens in the Edf in Cardiff and then lost to the same opponents in Watford in the Heineken. Cardiff Blues naively gave Toulouse 10 points start and lost 41-17. Then admist claims of Lyn Jones being sacked the O's roused themselves to beat a rather toothless Leicester Tigers team in the EDF Final at Twickenham. As the papers have said you wait 20 years to win in London and then two come along like that.

Elsewhere Damages came to an interesting end of its first series "Because I know Patty" also Gavin & Stacey came to the end of its second series and has put welsh slang like "tidy" and "what's occurring" at the front of British consciousness. Doctor Who is back for its 4 series under Russell T Davies and any rumours that David Tennant being shot by a xxxxx in episode 13 are fatal were rebutted by hints of filming in a Newport cemetry with the xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Give the closeness of said cemetry to Duffryn School you would n't fancy the xxxxxxxxx's chances .

You knows it ..................

As for the Pol, Hillary keeps winning despite being out spent by 3:1, I just can't help but think that all McCain has to do is turn up, but he is a senior senior and there is plenty to exploit over the age angle. Unlike Reagan I'm sure he won't be able to laugh it off.

Grand Slam 2008

So it has come to pass that three years later a team has arisen from the bitter ashes of Nantes to conquer Europe once more. Gatland, Edwards and Howley have won a Grand Slam by breaking three of the long running ducks.

1. First win at Twickenham since 1988.

2. First win in Dublin since 2000.

3. First Championship win vs France in Cardiff since 1996.

Though interestingly enough the current series at Stade De France is 3-3.

Here are the pictures. This is only the first step on a long road.

Time flies and next sunday it will be my birthday........

The football season moves on and this week sees the return of the European games. This week saw the 50th Anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster which claimed the lives of Manchester Utd players, journalists, officials and one unfortunate fan plus the air staff. Utd played City in retro kit and there was a retro result City won 2-1 their first win at Old Trafford since 1974. Wales beat Scotland 30-15 on Saturday following up their escape from London the previous week Both France and England had narrow squeaks and perhaps the Italians might feel hard done to.

On the Politicial front from the GOP view point there are now just two McCain and Logan, Sorry Huckerbee.... As for the Democrats Obama seems to have the momentum and Hillary has today sacked her campaign manager ..... its not just Obama its Oprah !!!

I'll post soon with a note of tv and film but right now you can't say better than Damages and Ashes to Ashes... The Pictures reflect on Welsh Rugby's new found form due in no small part to Messrs Gatland, Edwards and Howley

Hywl

Happy New Year / Yn Fleddyn Newydd Dda !!!


Much has taken place since I last wrote. Pete, Sara's boy friend whisked her away at the end of term and now they are engaged.

We celebrated New Year in South Wales with Family and saw the Ospreys beat a very poor Blues team 22-3.

The primary season has started in the US and Obama and Huckerbee won in Iowa.

So here is to 2008 and all it brings


Cheers