Month: August 2023

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Good Point

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I can’t disagree with this

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What’s good tae gie…

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Does she ever tell the truth?

Everyone is against the Tories, it seems. The United Nations, the European Council of Human Rights, the EU, the Trades Unions, the Labour Party, the SNP, and everything that they have failed at is the fault of these organisations and not the incompetent, third rate clown show that is Westminster.

If only everyone just did what the Tories wanted everything would be just dandy.

Meanwhile Braverman lies her way through more interviews

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Just as well the country is flush…

The Tory government is planning to spend millions of pounds hanging portraits of King Charles in Scottish schools, nurseries and other public buildings.

Why?

I expect that it’s not this particular photograph that they are planning to use, although that would, at least, give the kids a laugh. “Don’t pick your nose, Tam”. “Why not? Miss. That auld English bloke in the patronising kilt does it”.

Not so long ago they insisted on producing, at considerable cost, a book about the proper queen, when she was still alive. It was, as you might expect, an unbalanced view of monarchy and of Elizabeth and her family. There were no criticisms, only praise. No mention was made of any scandals, all just sycophantic drooling.

If you want children to learn about an institution, they need to see it from more than one angle. Otherwise it is indoctrination. You will love your queen!!

No matter what people think of the royal family and of the king and his “wife”, hanging pictures of them in public buildings reminds me of a regime like that in North Korea, China, or, in the old days, the European countries of the Eastern Block.

Despite what Alister Union JackBoots, and his predecessor, Fluffy Mundell say, we were told, back in 2014, that the UK consisted of four equal countries which were treated with equal respect.

So I wonder, given that fact, if they are going to insist on pictures of Charles being hung in schools in the north of Ireland, including those areas with strong republican sentiments. Brave!

Given that Education is a devolved matter, I expect that the Scottish government will not support this idea. And I suspect that putting a photograph of himself in offices of English based government departments, DWP, Passports, etc, won’t go down well in Scotland.

I suspect the same could be said of certain areas of Wales.

If you were a parent would you complain to your kids’ school(s) if this were happening?

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SOPPY SUNDAY

This is my first time on the door, so I have to learn all the prices and everything. You’ll have to be patient with me.

2. Hello. I’m a baby turtle. I bet I can swim better than you can.

3. Where’s Dave?

4. I’m a guard cat. That’s the same as a guard dog, but obviously much better.

5. Anyone know a good dentist?

6. We’re best buddies.

7. This National Health Service is a blessing for some of us.

8. I’m a sloth bear, but I’m not a deadly sin.

9. I know the water doesn’t look very nice, but it’s OK. We’re not in England so it’s safe.

10. Deputy head gardener here, in charge of pest removal.

11. They must love me very much. They bought me this big white rug with central heating.

12. I got tired. My little legs wouldn’t take any more, so this decent peoples carried me. Not all peoples are horrible. Just most of them.

13. Keep in line there.

DonDon warning. It’s in Austria

14. They get everywhere do spiders. It seems that this Brazilian Wandering Spider has wandered a LONG way from home. Note to self. Watch out when buying bananas. Also please note that two Australian researchers have discovered 40 new species of spider in Queensland.

15. This little girl…well, not so little… was born in an American zoo and is thought to be the only giraffe in the world with no spots. She could make a fortune selling her secret to teenage boys the world over.

16. Don’t worry, daddy. I’ll protect you from this monster that crawling over your chest.

17. Where’s Dave again?…clue… Munguin has been there too.

18. Wherever I lay my head… that’s my home.

19. The bus service around these parts leaves a lot to be desired. Still nice to shelter from the rain; pity they don’t lay on catering.

20. Word seems to have got around the Praying Mantis community in Srem that there’s some fun to be had at the KKK early evenings… and maybe some drink too. Please can I have some of your beer says the latest one to join in the fun?

21. The Other Cow’s Grass is Always Greener. The Sunshine’s Brighter on the Other Side… as Tony Hatch nearly wrote.

22. Way to go from straight roads… Anyone know were?

23. Yes, you can go visit Uncle Munguin and play with the other animals… when he sends his private jet for you.

24. This is Phoebe, Kay’s owner, who has appeared before in the grounds of the Towers, but is always welcome back.

20. OK, that’s the tour over.. Thank you for visiting. If you’re minded to leave a tip, I’m fond of bananas, but watch there isn’t Brazilian Wandering Spider hiding in them. I don’t want to be bitten.

Munguin has asked me to say thank you to Dave, Kay and Quokka, who kindly sent in pics and articles.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Staggering Incompetence from DofE

The English Department for Education stands accused of “staggering incompetence” because several new school buildings, commissioned by the government, have had to be closed due to safety fears… and others still being built, have had to be demolished.

Main buildings at two secondary schools and a primary school in England, which were built recently using a modular off-site construction method, were closed with immediate effect. The English school term starts the first week in September so bad news for some families.

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Up the workers?

Yep, definitely! But, at least looking at a supposedly Labour leader cosplaying with a hat like the one that my granny used to wear, does help alleviate the misery of being poor in Britain.

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It’s Silly Season at Westminster… well, when is it not?

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All these prime ministers and royals are getting expensive

When prime ministers of England stand down, they are given an allowance by the taxpayer to run an office. It’s called a Public Duty Costs Allowance and was introduced when Mrs Thatcher resigned (because she was only a multi- millionaire, poor soul.

There are now rather a lot of ex prime ministers, mainly because the Tories rush through them at a fair rate. Apparently your average lettuce lasts longer than a Tory PM. Most of them claim around £115,000 a year and that is for life. On top of this they are provided with round the clock security, again for life, the cost of which we are never allowed to know…although why, I cannot understand.

So we are forking out for security and office expenses for John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and probably soon, Rishi Sunak.

Also provided with round the clock security are Charlie and Mrs Parker Bowles, Peg and the Clothes Horse and their kids, whose names I don’t know. Lesser royals have security only when they are carrying out engagements.

The HM Treasury website states: “No breakdown of security costs is available as disclosure of such information could compromise the integrity of these arrangements and affect the security of the individuals protected. (How?)

“It is long established policy not to comment upon the protective security arrangements and their related costs for members of the Royal Family or their residences.” (Because you would be disgusted at how much of your tax is wasted on this nonsense?)

Additionally, local police all over the union must provide visiting royals with policing, lest someone hold up a banner saying “not my king”.

It’s an expensive business keeping them all.

Here’s an idea… Why not just get rid of them?

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It’s not all bad

I drove past this field the other day. It’s been years since I saw a field of Sunflowers, possibly in Bulgaria or Turkey, I can’t remember. It was so cheering, I nearly forgot for a few seconds that I had the misfortune to live in Britbin.

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MUNGUIN’S GANE TAE DRUMMOND CASTLE

O Munguin’s gane tae Drummond Castle,
Boots and spurs and a’
To bid the ladies a’ fareweel, before hes gaed awa’,
Munguin’s young and blythe and bonnie
Loved by ane and a’
O what would all the lassies do
When Munguin gaes awa’

What indeed!

Lyrics adopted and adapted from here… and here.

Just Munguin’s sort of place. 61,000 acres … but they only have 6 staff! However, it seems the Baroness had some rather nice sherry, which Munguin shared while Tris sat in the car.

Hills form part of the estate and there’s a woodland walk with wooden sculptures.

Like this suitable resting place…

…and this wooden owl…

Another resting place.

The whole house is pretty impressive. Just enough rooms for a country house.

Without Andi’s photography skills, I more or less got this Red Admiral enjoying the Buddleia.

And then we headed for the formal gardens…

...and statuary

We have no idea who this was… if indeed it was anyone. There were no names, and nothing in the guide book.

The castle is now the seat of Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, the daughter and heiress of the 3rd Earl of Ancaster. As of early 2021, she was still the owner of the estate. The castle (not open to visitors) and the gardens are managed by the Grimsthorpe and Drummond Castle Trust.

If you like formal gardens and woodland walks, it was an interesting and enjoyable day out. There was no entry into the house. The staff that we met were really nice, helpful and fun.

There’s an outdoor café/burger/hot dog place in the grounds, although we didn’t use it as, obviously, it wasn’t selling the kind of food Munguin would dain to eat.

It was, nonetheless a good day out.

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On the way, we saw this lovely display.

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‘FOOD POVERTY is terrible. How did we create such an unequal society?’

Asks (try not to laugh) Prince William.

I dunno, mate. How do you think we created such an unequal society?

You know, one where, without doing anything at all to deserve it except being born, there are people at the top (like you), and then there are other people, less fortunate, who are visiting food banks.

We would be interested in your views.

Maybe it’s because some people get around £25,000,000 a year for looking down at people as they bow and curtsey to them… and other people who work 40 or 50 hours a week for just enough to scrape together some food, pay the rent and the heating bills… until of course, everything, except wages, pensions and benefits, go sky high, at which point they visit food banks.

Still, I guess I can see that on that money, and with more servants, houses, cars, planes, helicopters and private trains than you can shake a stick at, you might not really appreciate that.

Unequal, Hmmmmm?