tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79101884928736655632024-02-21T05:36:07.861-08:00Test 25636Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.comBlogger3387125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-9464031875796915752011-07-11T06:52:00.001-07:002011-07-11T06:52:44.708-07:00test jhkgg<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRT7IzxpdKm_cdfTyG5GEbGDRUWfv2j_X9JSn8P-jMrHm3OCap3fDyGNkkj3t7J4EUn5KIHGwQPJc1l9DKoZzFdoyHWmNo8P7UdZ0b5iwLB-wITFS6MNg63hINtujGla_f4i16BU-SA4ME/s1600/medreb.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628092289952805266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 225px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRT7IzxpdKm_cdfTyG5GEbGDRUWfv2j_X9JSn8P-jMrHm3OCap3fDyGNkkj3t7J4EUn5KIHGwQPJc1l9DKoZzFdoyHWmNo8P7UdZ0b5iwLB-wITFS6MNg63hINtujGla_f4i16BU-SA4ME/s400/medreb.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-28302553794786995382011-05-09T05:28:00.000-07:002011-05-09T05:29:45.018-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQt6E_6kt-Rpz0NvZSX7TBgr-cYg5Uek9kyu-4Xg9RALbbdxJmif68GE7TrMV1VdlfAl8sjQLDWbZ_3LCaRSIGUTg9ssphQ0Piz9ZAcYu9WOCXtuP1l60j9ZOkZYdFwget5-lYEgtsro-N/s1600/labour+results2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604692538712572898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 291px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQt6E_6kt-Rpz0NvZSX7TBgr-cYg5Uek9kyu-4Xg9RALbbdxJmif68GE7TrMV1VdlfAl8sjQLDWbZ_3LCaRSIGUTg9ssphQ0Piz9ZAcYu9WOCXtuP1l60j9ZOkZYdFwget5-lYEgtsro-N/s400/labour+results2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-59533015793580273382011-04-18T13:42:00.000-07:002011-04-18T13:44:28.480-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvJJnmeGGd-1TgknHX0nZSC60IHq-tJuY8A5xnKONYEmE2MU9g-_xibfftFY9JRfTJ_ePamAXI6-u9XiytRo8a0pJHQPVyK-wuiw6IJio8jACpEcTFRAS4NXVy1mPd5_CTMpn_zGmY47Yb/s1600/new_york_yellos2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597027272396391602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvJJnmeGGd-1TgknHX0nZSC60IHq-tJuY8A5xnKONYEmE2MU9g-_xibfftFY9JRfTJ_ePamAXI6-u9XiytRo8a0pJHQPVyK-wuiw6IJio8jACpEcTFRAS4NXVy1mPd5_CTMpn_zGmY47Yb/s400/new_york_yellos2.jpg" border="0" /></a> <br /><div></div>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-48366200216662143762011-04-18T13:22:00.001-07:002011-04-18T13:22:48.890-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqU-vEKOHgPSt6BDLXtw_RPa1oBJD-hVv47sF-_zd_8pKhO4KvyTJbSGynKLEj-Gn-YP9PgEgBwD8BuLQ594qxtPKtlEUYsYvPrlA4jCFLKWyJIXXIwXSGqFE8vgPSUaRIdhbTR9F5M1up/s1600/mug+ny.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597021680370118578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 131px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 174px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqU-vEKOHgPSt6BDLXtw_RPa1oBJD-hVv47sF-_zd_8pKhO4KvyTJbSGynKLEj-Gn-YP9PgEgBwD8BuLQ594qxtPKtlEUYsYvPrlA4jCFLKWyJIXXIwXSGqFE8vgPSUaRIdhbTR9F5M1up/s400/mug+ny.jpg" border="0" /></a> <br /><div></div>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-90947922014927870442011-03-27T14:07:00.001-07:002011-03-27T14:07:59.402-07:00tes53646757<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUIOXdbdasPLegjyjjDa5vPXsaiKsiI_SGUWnIhyphenhyphenCGrezKVbDIFmyPcohh2q6_MiXOa6B7KPCdWsshpT5YhnK0sV2qim1G-wTFOt0r3wQZblue4uIBucnpFJLr-h8Nr8KTgI7PAF0R7Ie/s1600/yestoav.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588869459390318626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 277px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 189px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUIOXdbdasPLegjyjjDa5vPXsaiKsiI_SGUWnIhyphenhyphenCGrezKVbDIFmyPcohh2q6_MiXOa6B7KPCdWsshpT5YhnK0sV2qim1G-wTFOt0r3wQZblue4uIBucnpFJLr-h8Nr8KTgI7PAF0R7Ie/s400/yestoav.jpg" border="0" /></a> <br /><div></div>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-89290459604555706372011-02-04T04:26:00.000-08:002011-02-04T04:27:34.627-08:00test<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ua7ODyS4gP1d8pHLuJlWcwBHq8dHeb2oy0asGXA5PcJto9CW-pDX0vuiFdS87d6-hm5ge4bKpkgCeNFcQSYcqZ9M10blVjORsJGzfP0cfMLZFxJR1MupVbF4873BEa5V04VZb9N6y4fs/s1600/edm+pills.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569810006886795090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 259px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ua7ODyS4gP1d8pHLuJlWcwBHq8dHeb2oy0asGXA5PcJto9CW-pDX0vuiFdS87d6-hm5ge4bKpkgCeNFcQSYcqZ9M10blVjORsJGzfP0cfMLZFxJR1MupVbF4873BEa5V04VZb9N6y4fs/s400/edm+pills.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-7592261238579422562010-12-22T13:37:00.000-08:002010-12-22T13:38:15.437-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUYiJEQA2Gi9fnBThA6zaNL9od6uUj4518pyxCd_CU4On8p9PWd3LspY9DPP2aHYcDABfAszF2CVXTMSspOkBmZa0Q_Kp7bio1ONkSeKg7l25veB5qQd8vmri02CcJaxB6oLBr7zrP7jL/s1600/crp+crp+sm+7778.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553624117338643506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 69px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 72px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUYiJEQA2Gi9fnBThA6zaNL9od6uUj4518pyxCd_CU4On8p9PWd3LspY9DPP2aHYcDABfAszF2CVXTMSspOkBmZa0Q_Kp7bio1ONkSeKg7l25veB5qQd8vmri02CcJaxB6oLBr7zrP7jL/s400/crp+crp+sm+7778.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-45502888689810102042010-12-06T11:54:00.000-08:002010-12-06T11:55:21.579-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLD8xYlKs82XF8mtbAi_MaAzrqye0Gl89ilIV6mUFLxWe3nAX_9-kFfGOZwEg2sOfcj_5ald6_-pJ39Ci-2Nly8l2IHjuF7QOMnHbhfn_xjjIw2dzRgMnUu75K8I9ZCcVdw4LO_GkIw-t9/s1600/cropped+roada.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547660258853537650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 96px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 69px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLD8xYlKs82XF8mtbAi_MaAzrqye0Gl89ilIV6mUFLxWe3nAX_9-kFfGOZwEg2sOfcj_5ald6_-pJ39Ci-2Nly8l2IHjuF7QOMnHbhfn_xjjIw2dzRgMnUu75K8I9ZCcVdw4LO_GkIw-t9/s400/cropped+roada.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-14801778678187799462010-12-04T09:35:00.000-08:002010-12-04T09:36:47.161-08:00Teshhdd88293<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3w5NjyN48r1Xn92rH7DMR5aiq6QORrJUcaDh5lyl5N9mCIMCMgAn8ZSKyuecW0HL0Q48qnfNu4LcRnk8Bo7_3xvxc0v8scvfBazyrj4O315g0FoQWcUjrOSCYieSsg98vg6FAuhL_LVH/s1600/%2521B-EUSj%2521CGk%257E%2524%2528KGrHqN%252C%2521h0EzL3tgtdVBM7o%25216icJ%2521%257E%257E_12.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546882322596045842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 378px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3w5NjyN48r1Xn92rH7DMR5aiq6QORrJUcaDh5lyl5N9mCIMCMgAn8ZSKyuecW0HL0Q48qnfNu4LcRnk8Bo7_3xvxc0v8scvfBazyrj4O315g0FoQWcUjrOSCYieSsg98vg6FAuhL_LVH/s400/%2521B-EUSj%2521CGk%257E%2524%2528KGrHqN%252C%2521h0EzL3tgtdVBM7o%25216icJ%2521%257E%257E_12.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-74726403936211694842010-11-30T13:00:00.000-08:002010-11-30T13:01:42.846-08:00testyg222<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5HmuiTyNS2V1_KpKMxYnNSX_zaGnFN-3YZty44iW7tcRRYidfGWI2EKud_et1WXGGQfzPK_QaSy7uVaHmi5m9-G-8NEH14ZxwndYhZ2q1oNqWG9tkI4DFSnckz1URXyINg2k-1FqveIC/s1600/newbury+tree.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545450852740818498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5HmuiTyNS2V1_KpKMxYnNSX_zaGnFN-3YZty44iW7tcRRYidfGWI2EKud_et1WXGGQfzPK_QaSy7uVaHmi5m9-G-8NEH14ZxwndYhZ2q1oNqWG9tkI4DFSnckz1URXyINg2k-1FqveIC/s400/newbury+tree.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-609530278391297692010-11-20T11:01:00.001-08:002010-11-20T11:02:19.637-08:00test535<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKlKgp0MDFSuMYFzkcjcl_0gK3vxSYD406yb1YAIjfxO06yjdw-ZhDcYOJ_lei0j2nS22fj_M8-ZgNVy4B2J9UcC6Y4Yw8yRT-qKqpQIGQ2YwmF9ZSXAz3-w2ksmFrpqq6mTP4hDLIVfY/s1600/upton3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541709176647892610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKlKgp0MDFSuMYFzkcjcl_0gK3vxSYD406yb1YAIjfxO06yjdw-ZhDcYOJ_lei0j2nS22fj_M8-ZgNVy4B2J9UcC6Y4Yw8yRT-qKqpQIGQ2YwmF9ZSXAz3-w2ksmFrpqq6mTP4hDLIVfY/s400/upton3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-61472375326091779772010-10-29T07:34:00.000-07:002010-10-29T07:35:08.371-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivC_sKgyIbhHGi2TIyZ5gFBSIPtHoYsQbFCXyvYdLUR27E94z_qZI9gpuK6b3s4A7Fel-6ldFtwTzcCK96rw9mb7498ir90Fh_0qxhB5wMk0Cr9ClzVC60pApIzaG56A_qhkNOy1W73dc1/s1600/lighter2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533476496559458370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 216px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 282px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivC_sKgyIbhHGi2TIyZ5gFBSIPtHoYsQbFCXyvYdLUR27E94z_qZI9gpuK6b3s4A7Fel-6ldFtwTzcCK96rw9mb7498ir90Fh_0qxhB5wMk0Cr9ClzVC60pApIzaG56A_qhkNOy1W73dc1/s400/lighter2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-61164219696034151302010-07-03T10:50:00.000-07:002010-07-03T10:51:41.113-07:00Test 9824<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUI8iswmdziQduj6S_8IrUIMwe4xajLxHLkYbFkeVrJDzXifaDM9o7fo0sW-zQDAav2DqtWTU3GiXsi869P35Q65FTy3_IVlpzVbmhOUr328Khwvi-bZLhCtPPPsbDYLhrOhZ6vSUTbiFO/s1600/collage+harlow+cons.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489739005916480002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 283px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUI8iswmdziQduj6S_8IrUIMwe4xajLxHLkYbFkeVrJDzXifaDM9o7fo0sW-zQDAav2DqtWTU3GiXsi869P35Q65FTy3_IVlpzVbmhOUr328Khwvi-bZLhCtPPPsbDYLhrOhZ6vSUTbiFO/s400/collage+harlow+cons.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-83253558158707995172010-05-24T12:49:00.000-07:002010-05-24T12:52:11.033-07:00Test2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvDoj8prnXD9b7OFKttJ0HvVB5FsvehqhTxucDaZ9LmcYVSWQVE6DVRWjAaWQTc-pvwxfceTV6biy2MHzeZ-m2JhbRmYiMBDtqsVt7Pq5FYoCMdsjtehhSemQvSEQ_JoPI_xv6LPXiBwP/s1600/MugMay2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474926736052360066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 299px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvDoj8prnXD9b7OFKttJ0HvVB5FsvehqhTxucDaZ9LmcYVSWQVE6DVRWjAaWQTc-pvwxfceTV6biy2MHzeZ-m2JhbRmYiMBDtqsVt7Pq5FYoCMdsjtehhSemQvSEQ_JoPI_xv6LPXiBwP/s400/MugMay2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-50317121861767999382010-05-24T07:20:00.000-07:002010-05-24T07:39:52.084-07:00test<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlg6Lmu2CqqQbemYjVO9lOukKSBV0aSGVBCVnOUx0L7iRi-r9gmdwGY_s6O1wjQgEPa4eZFGPZq-RIKA2dTbgMZg0Xi182hCZw8oqApczKUYjifA9cNT6Sgw8Gjum0VehyqFRBrT4CQ0X9/s1600/glasgieclyde2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474843339168139602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 229px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlg6Lmu2CqqQbemYjVO9lOukKSBV0aSGVBCVnOUx0L7iRi-r9gmdwGY_s6O1wjQgEPa4eZFGPZq-RIKA2dTbgMZg0Xi182hCZw8oqApczKUYjifA9cNT6Sgw8Gjum0VehyqFRBrT4CQ0X9/s400/glasgieclyde2.jpg" border="0" /></a>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-76530581247833744212009-09-27T20:53:00.000-07:002009-11-14T08:33:14.075-08:00Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl....As a Republican and an avowed hater of men who go anywhere near a bottle of hair dye, I suppose I could have been nasty and written a title like "McCartney the Royal Toady". But that would have been uncalled for. Paul McCartney, when <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">all's</span> said and dyed, has, it seems, retained a wide-eyed innocence from his childhood.<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/sep/27/paul-mccartney-schoolboy-essay-found"> A laudatory essay on the Queen </a>which he wrote when he was 10 years old has been unearthed.<br /><br />It has interesting echoes with a tiny track on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbey_Road_(album)">Abbey Road</a>. Abbey Road has got a few interesting, very short tracks on it. One is "The End" which is part of a Medley just before the er....end of the album. It is interesting to reflect that if you listen to all the Beatles albums in the order they were recorded, "The End" is fittingly the last thing you will hear (it would be interesting to know if it was the last track they actually recorded), except for the tiny and simple track stuck on the end of "The End" called "Her Majesty". It's a wonderful little end to the album, complete with rather abrupt ending:<br /><br /><em>Her Majesty</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>(Lennon/McCartney)</em><br /><br /><em>Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl,</em><br /><em>but she doesn't have a lot to say</em><br /><em>Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl</em><br /><em>but she changes from day to day</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>I want to tell her that I love her a lot</em><br /><em>But I gotta get a belly full of wine</em><br /><em>Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl</em><br /><em>Someday I'm going to make her mine, oh yeah,</em><br /><em>Someday I'm going to make her mine.</em><br /><br />That track is so short and, I suppose, odd, that it is hardly ever played on the radio. In fact, I have only heard it played on the radio once. That was last week by the (now he's stop being silly like he was on Radio 1) excellent Chris Evans. Well done Mr Evans.<br /><br />Not wishing to ride a complete coach and horses through copyright law, here's a great video by a young American lady featuring "Her Majesty" on the Ukulele (twice) plus some interesting nonsense in the middle. It's received 655,010 hits on You Tube so it must be relatively good:<br /><br />(And yes - I couldn't sleep)<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fgHoY_IOp_s&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fgHoY_IOp_s&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-22002562419133453052009-09-27T10:28:00.000-07:002009-11-14T08:33:14.077-08:00EXCLUSIVE: David Cameron is off gorgonzola and Rioja - ergo he is unfit for officeWell if you track back to the <a href="http://notbornyesterday.org/brownhealth.htm">original story about Brown's health</a> it seems to be based on a "long list of foods" which he is supposedly not meant to be served. Strangely, this "long list of foods" is so far, in the public domain, a short list of foods. In fact it is just two foods. "Cheese and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">chianti</span>".<br /><br />(The story also demands to know where Brown "runs daily" as if to suggest that such an assertion by his spokesperson is made up. Would suggesting that he runs in a private gym be terribly earth-shattering? A treadmill in the Number 11 flat? He doesn't need to go out in Hyde Park to actually run, stupid.)<br /><br />I have a confession to make. I love cheese, but on two occasions in fifty years when I have gone over the top on the old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">fromage</span> consumption I have had a headache the following day. On one of these occasions I had to lie down for an hour. So I have to be careful with my beloved cheese.<br /><br />Once I had to avoid red wine for six months because I appeared to develop a temporary <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">allergy</span> to it. Happily, I can consume it freely these days.<br /><br />At some stage in the past, if someone could be bothered to draw up a list of foods I should avoid, there might have been "cheese and red wine" on such a list.<br /><br />When I was much younger (like 40 years ago) I used to throw tantrums when I was losing at "Risk" (a game involving the quest for world domination - it brought out the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">meglomaniac</span> in me and when I was left owning just Australia I used to flip) and used to throw the board across the room. It was a running family joke for a long time.<br /><br />I occasionally pick my nose. I do use my handkerchief though (mostly).<br /><br />So this would put me in the Gordon Brown category it would seem, according to John Ward and Guido. I am one step away from the funny farm. Bring on the strait jacket.<br /><br />This "cheese and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">chianti</span>" "long list of foods" has been used to suggest that Brown may be on some very strong anti-depressants, except that <a href="http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com/2009/09/gordon-brown-is-genuinely-lovely.html">"Dr John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Crippen</span>"</a> (which is a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">nom</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">de</span> plume of an actual GP) says that such claims are nonsense.<br /><br />So that rules out those strong anti-depressants. So what if Brown is on Prozac? As <a href="http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com/2009/09/gordon-brown-is-genuinely-lovely.html">Stephen Tall </a>points out in a comprehensive and typically sensible post, it's reckoned that 15% of the population will face a sever bout of depression at some point in their lives. Prozac is apparently so commonly used that it shows up as a <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/3545684.stm">trace element in the water supply.</a><br /><br />We really shouldn't get so jumpy about mental health problems. People need to take care of their mental health. Making them jumpy about it will not help the situation.<br /><br />Guido says Brown is clearly "on the edge" because he picked his nose once and was reported to have thrown a tantrum in the office etc etc. Well come on, he's Prime Minister. He's dealt reasonably well (in the sense of surviving) one of the greatest economic emergencies of our times. His poll ratings are in the toilet. He has every right to be "on the edge".<br /><br />All this has made me feel: "Well, full marks to Brown for keeping going while all this manure is flying around".<br /><br />As for Andrew <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Marr</span> - should he have asked Brown about his health? Of course. It is a free country. But questions are not answers. As is the practice with some American office holders and potential office-holders, I do think that regular health reports for our leaders should be in the public domain. But often they are so edited that they ask more questions than they answer. On balance, I think we should know if our Prime Minister is on medication. However, it shouldn't be problem if he or she is on Prozac, that's for sure.Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-41217076965143100742009-09-27T08:15:00.000-07:002009-11-14T08:33:14.079-08:00Is this a scam?Yesterday I was walking along the street and a rather dodgy looking man walked up to some teenagers and, holding out his mobile phone, said, in tones of some desperation, "Lasses and lad, could you phone this number please?" One of the teenagers duly rang the number he gave them.<br /><br />My first thought was that it would be insane for anyone to respond to the man's request because he would then have your number on his phone and could phone you whenever he likes.<br /><br />But quite frankly, I was baffled by the incident. What <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">bona</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">fide</span> reason would the man have for asking someone to phone his mobile? It is utterly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">perplexing</span>. Any ideas from my reader?Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-46939222314696654652009-09-27T06:28:00.000-07:002009-11-14T08:33:14.081-08:00Leopard changes spots: Mail venerates an alleged illegal immigrantWonders never cease.<br /><br />I hesitate to say Baroness Scotland should resign. What do they think in Scotland? - I wonder. I have enormous admiration for the lady.<br /><br />However. <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1216404/I-didnt-Baroness-Scotland-passport-says-housekeeper-sensational-new-allegations.html">The Mail says </a>that she allegedly did not ask her Tongan employee to show her passport during a ten minute employment interview. As Attorney-General, you would have thought Baroness Scotland would have more sense.<br /><br />However, reading the Mail story (someone has to, I suppose) one wonders whether the housekeeper is the villain of the piece. She'd been allegedly working illegally here for four years and there is an alleged forged second passport at the heart of the investigations into her.<br /><br />Scotland (the Baroness not the country) has been fined £5,000 for not carrying out the right checks. Fair dues. But come off it, is an employee, even the Attorney General, meant to be a one person investigation unit in addition to their legal requirements (for the non-performance of which, the Baroness has already fessed up and paid her fine)?<br /><br />And does this really impact on Baroness Scotland's discharge of her governmental duties? If someone can come up with some evidence of incompetance in her role, that would be different. Perhaps she was too busy concentrating on her governmental role to faff about with paperwork.<br /><br />Having said that, there appears to have been shocking ignorance of the law shown by the Attorney-General and for that I have great sympathy with the calls for her to resign. But the housekeeper has presumably been paid by the Mail and they are using her story as knocking copy with which to beat Scotland. This seems to be a very unusual, some might say uncomfortable, position for the the Mail. Just read the Mail story and its rosy picture of the housekeeper. It's an extraordinary turnaround for the Mail.Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-29444310460436276132009-09-27T05:38:00.000-07:002009-11-14T08:33:14.083-08:00Could Brown snatch victory from the jaws of defeat?No, actually. But seeing his determined face and his <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8277131.stm">"I do not roll over" statement on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Beeb</span></a>, one wonders if he might just do a John Major "soapbox" trick and get people's admiration for staying power. You never know, he could just snatch twenty seats for Labour at the next election.<br /><br />At least, from his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Beeb</span> photo, he seems to have finally realised that it is a mistake for him to try to "smile". For that we can all be grateful, whatever our political persuasion.Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-24639050221155567012009-09-26T01:58:00.000-07:002009-11-14T08:33:14.084-08:00Shocking Radio 1 ageism - they put on Greg James (23) but no sign of Tony Brandon (76) in the schedules<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385694880044294354" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 206px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0_1jH0TaDjU/Sr3U9XGuINI/AAAAAAAADpQ/uG4s46_6cwQ/s320/james+branders.JPG" border="0" />A confession first. I first listened to <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1">Radio 1</a> when Tony Brandon did the "bit in the middle" lunch time slot. Now, that is going back a bit.<br /><br />Along with occasional flits round Radio 2, 4, Absolute (the radio not the vodka - which hasn't go an 'e' anyway), <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">XFM</span>, Heart etc, I still do listen to Radio 1, mainly because I am seduced into it by my offspring. Chris <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Moyles</span>? A great talk show. Scott Mills? Very funny. But I do like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Nihal</span> and his 3.15 fact machine which often isn't a fact machine ("Walt Disney has the third largest navy in the world" - yes, of course, if nations go to war using log flume boats).<br /><br />Unfortunately, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Nihal's</span> fact machine is no more at 3.15 because there's been an almighty shake up and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Nihal</span> has now been shuffled off to nights. (I'll say this for Radio 1, they certainly cater for lots of tastes in music in non-peak hours when I am not listening.)<br /><br />So poor old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Nihal</span> - I really like the man. But, then again, I am still rather bemused as to why <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Spoony</span> isn't still on Radio 1 on Saturday mornings. We used to like being official members of his "early doors" club as we ventured, bleary-eyed, to swimming at some ungodly hour.<br /><br />Jo <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Whiley</span> has been plonked onto the weekends. Not before time, if you ask me. She breathes too much. She's been replaced by the excellent <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Fearne</span> Cotton who is much better than <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Whiley</span>. This has brought forward accusations of <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1200107/Jo-Whiley-dropped-Radio-1-weekday-slot-replaced-Fearne-Cotton.html">ageism from the Daily Mail</a>. Jo <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Whiley</span> is 43. Come off it. It's Radio 1. There are only two people who have defied age to stay on Radio 1. John Peel and Annie Nightingale (and they never had regular peak weekday slots). Even Simon Bates had to be dragged physically out of the studio, after his fingers were prised forcibly from the desk using a crowbar, in the end.<br /><br />Edith Bowman has also been shoved on to the weekends. I suspect her ratings weren't too good, darling. I like her. But <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Fearne</span> Cotton is better. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Fearne</span> Cotton is the biz.<br /><br />But Greg James replaces Edith. He's a bit too <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">whilly</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">woffly</span> for my liking. But the Daily Mail says he is only 23, so he's been put on to get young listeners. (Well they're doing well to keep fifty year-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">olds</span>, if I am anything to go by.) (By the way, I have just had an awful thought. I was a radio dee-jay for a few years. But I have just realised that Greg James was born - actually physically <strong>born</strong> - a clear <strong>two years</strong> after I did my last radio show. For goodness sake, I've been married for longer than he's been alive! Blimey - I am old).<br /><br />Ho hum.Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-87726124713235336242009-09-25T13:58:00.000-07:002009-11-14T08:33:14.086-08:00Obama cardboard cut-out meets world leaders<a href="http://spiegelman.tumblr.com/post/196636529/ladies-and-gentlemen-your-president-is-a-robot">This is hilarious.</a> In a few seconds you can see 130 photographs of Obama meeting world leaders at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He looks precisely the same in each one. Spooky!<br /><br /><br /><object width="400" height="435"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=6747788&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=6747788&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="435"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/6747788">Barack Obama's amazingly consistent smile</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user415024">Eric Spiegelman</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-81659078467652711252009-09-23T10:28:00.000-07:002009-11-14T08:33:14.087-08:00The defrocking of Saint VincentJames Graham has a brain the size of Asia and spends every waking moment thinking deeply and judiciously about politics (well not really, he also thinks about comics and things). He does the thinking so we don't have to.<br /><br />I thoroughly recommend his latest offering: <a href="http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2009/09/22/our-vince-from-fred-astaire-to-mr-bean/">Our Vince: from Fred Astaire to Mr Bean?</a> It is such a brilliant post that I struggle to find words to sufficiently describe its brilliance.<br /><br />Most <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">LibDem</span></span> party members don't have degrees in politics. They spend most of their time doing a thing called "work" and "life" and only pick up the odd mention of party conference through the filter of the media and life events like blocked drains.<br /><br />Well, this year I am one of those party members so described above.<br /><br />As James set outs, our economic policy has been jerked about so much recently that, on the ground, I don't have a clue what it is. Do we want to cut taxes? Or increase taxes? Cut spending? Cut waste? Do we want a local income tax or have we finally gone all Tony <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Vickers</span></span> and gone for Land Value taxation?<br /><br />Or is our economic policy now basically: "What Vince says" ?<br /><br />Friends come up to me and say "Vince Cable was great on Sky News". "Great" I reply - "I hope he was able to give you an idea of our latest policies, because I haven't got a clue".<br /><br />Scrap scrapping tuition fees? Don't be silly. OK delay the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">scrappage</span> a bit but it really is monstrous to ditch such a totemic policy. It removes one of the main reasons for having a Liberal Democrat party in the first place.<br /><br />A mansion tax? Well, we get caned whenever we mention higher taxes for high earners. But how on earth can we seriously espouse a mansion tax when we are still, as I understand it (though I haven't checked for Vince's latest pronouncement on Sky News this morning) advocating local income tax? The problem with mixing the two is that one contradicts the other in terms of principle. Income tax is a progressive tax based on ability to pay (based on income). A mansion tax is a tax based on the property you happen to be fortunate enough to be living in.<br /><br />I have to make a confession here. I have a problem with Land Value Taxation. I haven't a clue what it is. Whenever I have tried to understand it, my eyes have glazed over, I have felt the will to live seeping from my being and I have been overwhelmed with the urge to slit my wrists. But I now know that is vaguely associated with the Mansion tax. Great. Except didn't we ditch the rates system because it meant that little old ladies without much income but living in a big house got unfairly caned? Isn't the whole point of the local income tax to get around that problem - so that you only tax those with the ability to pay at the relevant level?<br /><br />And before anyone asks how we are going to get the deficit down and pay for scrapping tuition fees let me say this: sooner or later politicians are going to have to do the fair and sensible thing and stick income tax up substantially. We can't wiggle around trying to avoid the issue any longer.<br /><br />Overall, I don't have a problem having certain policies as long as there is evidence that they have been properly thought out and discussed thoroughly at all levels, and are sufficiently sensible and within the party's framework of beliefs to be accepted by members. I certainly don't think the scrap scrapping tuition fees announcement meets that criteria and I don't think the Mansion tax meets it either. We appear to have far too much leading from the front going on here. OK, Paddy did that quite a lot. But there was a point when, even with him, he looked around over his shoulder and found that he wasn't being blindly followed any longer.Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-4082347644818975992009-09-22T12:57:00.000-07:002009-11-14T08:33:14.089-08:00Meningitis - the fight continuesWe lost our son Toby, aged 16 months, to meningitis in 1993. All a long time ago, water under the bridge etc - you might say. One way of dealing with our grief, which we have always found helpful, is to be involved with the Meningitis Research Foundation. The charity is 20 years old this year. (When I was told that, I was then <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">dumbfounded</span> to realise that we have been members of the charity for all but four of its years.) Each year we put ourselves on the list to speak to the media about the illness during Meningitis week which, this year, is this week - at the height of incidences of the disease through the year.<br /><br />You would have thought that our "story" would become less compelling for the media as the years go by. But I was extremely impressed by the depth with which Stacey Poole of Meridian Tonight approached the subject when she visited us today. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">There'll</span> be a piece on Meridian Tonight tomorrow featuring three local families blighted by the disease. (I believe it's tomorrow, although we have put it on series link to be on the safe side.)<br /><br />You can find out about meningitis <a href="http://www.meningitis.org/">here</a>. It continues to be a serious killer, I am afraid. There are many types of the disease and vaccinations for only a few types. The symptoms often get confused with flu and it is wrong to only rely on the "tumbler test" for rashes - that often comes too late. Awareness of all the symptoms by young parents, and also fresher students (and everyone really), is essential. All the potential symptoms to look out for are explained and listed <a href="http://www.meningitis.org/symptoms">here</a>.Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7910188492873665563.post-87454490487944791672009-09-20T07:28:00.000-07:002009-11-14T08:33:14.091-08:00"Con-man" and Miriam's embarrassing strapsAh! Glorious sort-of Indian summer! I could aactually just about feel some warmth from the sun today. As I read my Observer, lulled by the trickles from the Kennet and Avon Canal and seranaded by Testosterone-charged Big screen football fans, I could actually feel the pheromones surging through my veins as I read that the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/sep/20/liberal-democrats-david-cameron-clegg">Cleggster has been berating the Camster for being a "con-man". </a>Well done Cleggie. If you want evidence for that audacious charge - read through my blog posts for the last three and a bit years. But then again, don't. Unless you are suffering from chronic insomnia, that is.<br /><br />I am not a fashion expert and I can feel a Lord Bonker's Diary piece coming on here. But straps, braces and suspenders are designed, are they not? - tell me if I am wrong - to keep things up. Otherwise they are useless. And if such straps, braces or suspenders are themselves falling down, they can't be doing a very good job of keeping up the thing they are employed to keep up.<br /><br />So, by their falling down and needing to be hitched up again while being filmed by18 cameras, those straps of Miriam Gonzalez Durantez's ....um......er.......lower half garment (yes - I am so much not a fashion expert that I struggle with differentiating between skirts, dresses and trousers) were something of, dare I say it, a minor bijou fashion errorette, were they not?Paul Walterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00525444717679391831noreply@blogger.com0