Top or Bottom?

Big Ben Strikes Twelve
Tick Tock

All the MSM and some wannabe MSM are doing their list of top stories for 2013.  As always in pursuit of occupation I decided on a dull and rainy afternoon to do one of my own:-

Jimmy Savile far from being  a generous man and all round national hero turned out to be in fact everything from paedophile to rapist to necromancer. His downfall brought to our attention the possibility of the existence and ongoing activities of a very highly placed and influential paedophile ring.  Its too early to say if the whole scandal will be brushed under the carpet (some might say again) but we can see that this latest investigation is already taking a very long time to get anywhere at all.  Too Long. We now have the story of a tory minister apparently filmed at the scene of a party to add to what is already known but so far the only people to be charged with any offence are what the MSM would describe as C or even D listing. We are told nothing more about the ex minister than that he, anonymously of course...insists he did not 'inhale'.  More than a bit sus imo and well past time for the thumb screws and rack.

Liam Adams is a case I have taken some interest in and it was both a relief and a pleasure to see him found guilty and sentenced. His sexual abuse of his daughter from the age of four, the support of his brother Gerry Adams in continuing to help Liam when he knew he was guilty of incest, and the alleged neglect of the police and social services in bringing charges against Liam gave this case an added intensity.  Its all the more worrying because it highlights the danger of lawless little fiefdoms, the total dishonesty of the kangaroo courts the leaders of the fiefdoms presided over and the blind eye the authorities may have turned in order to keep a tout on side.

Edward Snowden so different from the Adams family and Savile. Here is a man who acted to help us all by doing as much as he could to prevent the American NSA but also and by extension the security agencies of other western countries illegally hacking the email and other internet accounts of millions of people. Who knows if he is fully safe now or if he will ever be safe again.

Royal Baby.  Tbh it has not been easy to think of a good news story but since a healthy child is always good news I thought I would fill the gap by mentioning The duke and duchess of Cambridge first child. A boy named George etc. etc. he will no doubt grow to know his place.

Nelson Mandela died aged 94. I might at some stage go into more of his history but for now let me say I think his time on Robin Island was sufficient for his crimes and made him a good leader of South Africa at a time of great change. Twenty seven years in prison, sometimes doing hard labour, is not in itself a recommendation. The best I can say of Mandela is that he used his experience to help others.

Interesting

But why tell me?  Getting one thing right doesn't excuse getting the rest wrong. 

Magpies Take Over the Garden

Magpie

So the magpies have been well fed over Christmas. This is not surprising they have claimed the garden as their territory and attempt to fight all trespassers.

What is a surprise is how much they can collect in their beak at one sitting. Its huge!  Three big lumps of bread went in less than a second and they chip away at vegetable rind or anything slightly tough until it weakens!

They are beautiful birds and relentless in their pursuit of food which is understandable its about survival. I try to make sure the cats are in when the birds are about. I don't want anything unpleasant to happen nor am I entirely sure that my two lazy cats would come off well in a fight and herself, always far more energetic, her very name is a result of chasing off a magpie, is now too old for such frolicking

And the magpies are beautiful to watch in flight or on the ground, fast, eager and practical.

Bloated!

I feel like a beached whale or how I'm pretty sure a beached whale would feel if s/he could tell us. Its not as though I didn't know what we were going to eat, over the last few days I helped to buy and prepare most of it.

I'm exhausted, that's not so bad if I could sit here and gently ooze into the armchair it would be fine,almost fine. I have indigestion pills, tea and coffee and currently hiccups, they're not the problem though. The problem is four of the five animals are demanding food preferably turkey. The fifth, herself, is not she has taken to her nest by the radiator because in a weak moment and while the others were in the garden I gave her some of the turkey I brought home with me.

In a minute or two I will have to try getting up and staggering into the kitchen to feed the hungry hordes. I'm trying not to feel queasy while I think about that. I'm trying not to think about doing the same thing tomorrow. I may rat on tomorrow. Food is not on my horizon, cold non alcoholic drinks are on the horizon and Pippa has given up on courtesy its not like she was ever any good at it, and is trying to get my attention by climbing up my back.

I've done it, well for the time being it is done. The time being may not be as long as once it was or deserves to be. All four of them know they have not had much in the way of turkey and are already demanding seconds, even herself turned up to peer disdainfully at the offering and turn her still haughty back on it.

Its, I just don't feel like cutting turkey. I think that's allowed its not even nine o'clock! Nine of the clock is not supper time. I'm going to try ignoring them see if it works.
  

Lucky Us

Most pagans celebrate twice we get Yule and then Christmas, some may ignore Christmas but I really doubt that many can or would.  We have families who though they may not go to church very often do sometimes go to midnight mass and always insist that they are Christian. In their minds organised religion doesn't give Christianity to anyone it merely offers Christians a home should they wish to go to a church.

I don't care much I celebrate with family and friends the same as the vast majority. I will in fact be going out soon, just up the road for a festive drink, being sociable and not rejecting the good wishes of those who live near me.

I celebrated Yule but this year not with so much as a friend in sight. I didn't feel like it I still don't but its Christmas and so I must make a small effort. Sometimes it seems Christmas reaches out while Yule reaches in.

Herself (Again)

She has not had her breakfast. She has not had her lunch. She is lying sound asleep cuddling her radiator.  I think she is alright she has woken a couple of times wriggled a bit to get more comfortable she even washed her whiskers once but she has not got up all day.  Its almost 2pm and she is lying there looking quite comfortable, looking in fact sound asleep.

I know all of this because after about 10 am I began paying attention to her. All the others had eaten breakfast at about 9am, it is Sunday, she is usually first to be fed but she didn't appear. I wasn't worried she's an elderly lady if she wants to lie in who is going to say she can't?

I'm not worried about her I'm just saying she is asleep.

If she's not awake by tea time I will wake her myself. I'm not going out who could eat when an elderly lady is sound asleep.

Did I forgot to mention I always give her the softest, jellyest, gravyest part of the meat? I do.  The fuss she makes over anything that needs to be chewed is painful to hear and  embarrassing to watch.  She is asleep but she did turn over a few minutes ago. I'm not worried about her. Not a bit.

Its gone three.  She looks comfortable in her little nest. I had to introduce another radiator when the others took too great an interest in the old one now we have two electric rads to compliment the gas central heating. She is now nestled between a dresser and the new (ish) radiator. In there she is her own cat it has only one entrance the others can't get close. What can I say. I'm not worried. This is a first but I'm not worried.

She wakes!  15.45 we are going into the kitchen now to prepare her belated breakfast. She's not going out. She thinks she is but its cold out there and I'm not sure that if she left the garden she would remember her way home, and its almost twilight.

The light over the ring forte is always lighter at this time of day. From here it looks like another world and over there the day is just beginning.

Ultracrepidarianism

Or the habit of speaking about something without much knowledge of the subject.There are times when ultracrepidarianism  can probably be applied to me, truth to tell there are times when  ultracrepidarianism can be applied to most if not all of us which probably goes some way to explaining why ultracrepidarianism is a word not used very often!  However on some subjects there are few more expert than li'l oul me.

What I know is that for some people opinions expressed are not so much genuine beliefs as they are salable commodities to be finessed to which ever group is required by whichever, and the market seems broad, employers. Oftentimes such opinions are expressed on sites frequented by a predominantly young audience. There is a real danger that influence gained in this way could be harmful.

It becomes a form of advertising: an apparently young, confident, successful poster/blogger will enthuse wildly over a tv show oftentimes concentrating on the lead players good looks and wonderful personality. Photographs will be posted always flattering, youthful, fun to watch.

Paganism is another money earner, never have I seen so many altars there is one for every possible occasion and often some to spare.  Each of them has its own array of essential ornaments, stones, powders etc. etc. All available at 'X' store. Spells are posted which need this and that also available at the store.

Its blatant but its also subtle since every advert is placed by an ordinary person, a real witch, genuine fan of whichever.  Some may think its harmless even funny but its not its one of the most insidious forms of advertising I've seen and for the owners of the sites it has the added and most important advantage of increasing the number of hits because each employee has more than one identity and flits between them to boost their own numbers, the apparent popularity of their poster colleagues and ultimately the popularity of the site itself. All of this makes the people involved, their opinion, their self satisfaction and their expertise not worthless but potentially dangerous. The people who do this are well aware of how damaging exposure would be to them.

You don't like that? Find your hole, by all means use both hands and a map, and shove it.

Today

I think the lasagna was overcooked.  Not I think everyone would agree burned to a crisp but perhaps not far off that either, deeply singed might be an accurate way of describing it.  Not a dismal failure then but not a roaring success. I was busy doing stuff and I forgot or didn't notice the time rushing away from me.  I've noticed time does that a lot now that I'm post most things.

However!  The good news is I have discovered Jezzie and Olly love slightly burned lasagna. Both of them whomped down the top layer and are at the kitchen door trying their best to look half starved.  This is not easy both of them being on what might be called the plump side.

If you ignore the slightly overcooked thing the lasagna was actually very good. I like lasagna and this time even though I must be one of the messiest cooks in the whole world I remembered to do the washing up as I went along, almost all of it is done now and there is nothing better than eating a meal with a clean conscious.

I might walk the dogs if I can drag them away from the kitchen.

Think!

I’m always in trouble. Its the family they don’t like my animals, well that’s not exactly true they don’t like me having what they consider too many animals, and they don’t like that I insist on staying home to look after them even though the neighbours have several times offered to look after them whenever I go away.

I can see that I don’t get to visit anyone who lives more than a car, bus or train ride away. I do know that flying is easy and fast but flying is rarely a one day thing and I like to know my dogs and cats are safe for the night.

There are some very strange people about and the neighbours are a hundred yards or so away…And if you or anyone else thinks I could be persuaded it would all stop if I did?  Think again.  

Weather

I was going to go to town.  I had it all worked out. I wouldn't go to the local shop I would instead go to Tesco in Castlebar and maybe Boots and I think Shaws and then I saw the weather.

We definitely have weather here in Mayo today.  The cats are in, well they won't go out.  Two of them are wrapped around the radiator that's always left on for herself and the other one is fighting me for my chair. Both dogs would be happy to go for a walk with me, but Jezzie has added a clause, she will not go out if the harness is to be used.  She is anti harness.

I'm inclined to not go out I can go tomorrow or the next day.  I've arranged for the local shop to send some goodies.  I forgot mince pies well they're not essential.  I can get some tomorrow or Monday. Its going to be a long weekend. I might go to town tomorrow although not to Castlebar.

Do you know even the magpies are looking bedraggled and miserable.  I threw some peels and rinds out and any visitors would be well advised to watch out for the bowl of milk.  Its not deepest darkest winter yet but its a wild day and the wild might need a little sustenance, you know to keep the wind out. 

Take it off Please!

Jezzie wearing her new harness.  Its good for her!

Who Cares?

I follow some blogs that seem to delight in regurgitating old child abuse articles in newspapers.  To anyone who cares about the safety of children this sort of retrieval of old news is slightly worrying, bearing in mind that some perverts get off watching and reading  child porn,  often such people don’t consider that they’re doing any harm in  watching or reading about child abuse. In fact they are up to their arm pits in it because were it not for them there would be no need for the films and therefore no victims.

Okay so its not easy to know who is taking a strong and healthy interest in ensuring our children are properly protected and who is attempting to satisfy their perverted desires in what they might call a minimalist way.  Its not even possible to be sure who is an expert and who has gained and is using their expertise to allow them  to have access to vulnerable children.  These are two examples of  tiny pieces of the child abuse investigatory world and they are ones we should be very wary of and watchful for.   It seems clear that much of the experience we have has been corrupted by those with ulterior motives for their research and the results such experts publish reflect that.

There is another piece smaller but important and that is those victims of child abuse who grow up to become child abusers.  Its important to remember that its entirely possible that not all victims were abused, growing up in an atmosphere where abuse is common and not so much grudgingly tolerated as openly accepted within the environment is, must be, potentially very damaging.  Its not surprising for eg that so much abuse was allegedly committed by Christian Brothers many of the brothers would have grown up in similar atmospheres to them it must have appeared normal and so whilst in no way forgiving or mitigating it does allow for a certain understanding.

I’m furious that so many reports are apparently censored or worse unpublished, that investigations end with no charges being brought against any but minor characters when its obvious that in order for the crimes to be committed and hidden there must have been some very powerful characters pulling the strings.    I think its likely some people have been or are being persuaded that its been dealt with 'internally' no need for a huge fuss.  I don't believe anything has been dealt with' internally' for a very long time if ever and I don't believe many other people believe it either. Surely we need to campaign for full disclosure of the results of investigations undertaken anything less leaves an impression of cover up that may prevent victims from coming forward and so allow abusers to continue.

It appears to be happening again at the investigation into Savile at the BBC.  Its important I think that when an investigation takes place all evidence is placed before the public that’s why the investigation is taking place after all. No one should be able to decide who reads what if someone is cleared we should be able to read it. If someone is charged we should be able to read it and if someone in a very highly paid, much respected position has failed to live up to the standard the public require that too should be public. Investigations are not commissioned with one eye on the reputation of or innocent or guilt of people involved.  Innocence should be made clear through the evidence and the report when published should reflect that.

Its incredibly worrying that there appear to be so many people willing to allow such fudges, which in the worst cases amount to cover ups, to happen people whose job it is to look at child porn to find the adult responsible as in the recent Ian Watkins of Lost Profits case must be devastated when all the often sickening videos etc that they are forced to watch and report is dismissed or worse hidden from the public.  Some, apparently very few, stand up for the victims some have lost their jobs, entire and very successful careers have been destroyed, sacrificed if you will by those trying to expose paedophilia and protect all children.  Sadly, some the majority apparently, do as they are told and leave it when told.

I feel for those who have sacrificed their careers in their attempts to help the victims of abuse and I feel for those victims who have been so badly damaged that their evidence can be questioned and sometimes even ridiculed. There ought to be a better way; there isn't.

I think that is the most worrying aspect of all these investigations. 

Jezzie

Refused to go!  She flatly refused to walk on her new harness.  I had to drag her!  All the way there and even back she only got enthusiastic when she actually got to the gate.  I am so pissed off with her!

Little madam does what she likes and me?  I know my place.

Day Two

Herself and Jezzie

Herself has a poorly paw. I think its something to do with claws or one of her claws.  This particular claw has taken to getting stuck in things like the carpets, cushions and, me.  I've done my bit. I've extracted the claw with zero pain from said carpets, cushions and, me.  Speaking of me I wouldn't say the extraction was entirely pain free herself was fine I however felt some pain.

She is limping slightly I'm not sure why because apart from getting attached to things she doesn't want to be attached to there appears to be no pain in the paw or leg.  I had an amateurish poke and prod and since I emerged unscathed from this close encounter I am assuming poking and prodding doesn't hurt herself not being the suffer in silence type. I do totally understand this no one who knows me would describe me as the suffer in silence type either.

One who is suffering in silence to great effect is Jezzie.  Jezzie has a new harness.  This is her first harness. I think all dogs should be in a harness when outside. A harness gives more control, cannot be shaken off and doesn't choke the wearer.  A harness does apparently take some getting used to.  Jezzie has been suffering in silence all day.  The silence is deafening. Its getting on my nerves.

I had I must admit allowed the little girl to get away with wearing her collar but I don't like collars and nor does she, she's on her fourth.  I decided that little girl or not she is a trouble making bully who has no trouble crawling under or over any obstacle.  This has the unusual effect of simultaneously irritating and worrying me. She will not be losing her collar and running off to flirt with the boys, they always get the blame, again. Or not unless/until she finds a way to lose the harness.

Jezzie is lying at my feet  shivering.  She could be lying near one of the radiators the central heating is on and herselfs electric radiator is on its never switched off.  Or Jezzie could if she chose lie on one of the cushions and she has been known to sprawl in a very unfeminine fashion all over the spare bed.  For such a little dog its amazing how much room she can take up.  Its also quite surprising to find that a small dog lying shivering at your feet can be distracting is I think the right word.

I'm not weakening she is wearing the damn harness until she decides its her friend.

Nelson Mandela

Respect

 He spent thirty years in prison and emerged as the one man who could give South Africa the opportunity of peaceful change.

One day there maybe other words but not today. 

I'm Trying

To decide what to do next.  I did think that the prolonged way would suit me better but perhaps I relaxed too much. I'm thinking every time I relax it gets worse.

So

You bastards its like this.  I had my all singing all dancing magical security system and it was simply super.  No problems whatsoever, but then.....

As regular and illegal visitors to this blog will know I enjoy watching You Tube so I was dismayed when for some reason best known to technology my wonderful and secure security system began to arbitrarily cut me off whenever I switched You Tube on.  I was very dismayed I contacted the security help desk and they went through everything with me and then suggested I should disconnect the security system whenever I watch You Tube.

Are you still here?  I love the old movies on You Tube, the music and even some of the nuts, particularly the bald as a coot ones  you know them! The so full of shit ones they've taken to believing their own rhetoric, not to mention stealing the pentagram for their advertising.

I was comfortable I thought the days of hacking etc. etc. were gone and so I relaxed and from time to time when I wanted to watch You Tube I would switch off security.  Then I noticed my laptop had been attacked by something called a Trojan Horse and then one of the usual suspects posted about malware and virus cleaners You can imagine my horror when it began to dawn on me that perhaps the days of hacking etc. etc. had not gone far enough...

I have reinstated and updated the security system and I miss You Tube. You can also imagine what I think of the cause.

Silly Childish Name Recognition Games.

 Unacceptable. Don't Bother Looking Here You Won't Find It...And I won't Play.  Again...

A house husband in a two up two down in Dorset almost ruined a life and then thinks he can be identified by county and I will stand for it? There’s a price and the old saying is right money isn't everything: vengeance is.

Mick needs to be taught a lesson and so do those fools of accomplices.

Sunday

So I was going out to lunch the usual thing meet a couple of relatives eat have a drink and come home.  All done in a couple of hours and for about twenty euros.  Its not bad it gets me out timing is flexible and the chatter always cheerful.  It gets on my nerves.

However. I'm not going today. Today I have potatoes, they've got to be cooked. I'll probably be cooking them for months and yes I have considered boiled, baked and mashed, and no that will not do the trick which is to get rid of the potatoes as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Anyway potatoes are not the only thing on my mind; there is cat litter. I'm developing a bit of a thing about cat litter. Herself is very clean. I mean that the beautiful old girl is very clean. She also flatly refuses to go out in the nasty cold, damp, misty weather. Cat litter is not something I have needed to consider in any way for a long time. A very long time.

Its in the bathroom.  Its my fault I do know that. I bought what I consider to be the wrong stuff.  On the packet it said clumping cat litter. I envisioned nice tidy little clumps. I did not consider for one second gray, ugly mud which leaves paw prints. I bought two bags of the stuff. I will not be buying it again and the second bag will go in the shed for posterity to decide what to do with it. Hopefully a rat will find it and choke.

In the meantime I have decided that dinner tonight will be cheese and potato bake. I can't decide if I'm going to put anything else in it. Onion of course but sauce?  Maybe not. I'm not in the mood for sauce. I'm not in the mood for potatoes.