I Intend To Escape ......................And Come Back

Such Little Action In 2007?

Apologies for the limited number of posts on this blog so far in 2007.

I have just returned from two weeks in Thailand on a Thai boxing trip, and so only the odd, projected post was added. Despite one black eye and three stitches in the other (taken out today!) normal service should now be resumed!

No More "On This Day"?

I got bored with adding the "On This Day" entries. They were nearly all nicked from the 2004 Class War calendar anyway!

A new regular column, "Aphorisms", will take its place.

The Best Shopping Day of the Year!

Why is Boxing Day the best shopping day there is?

Well, what could be better than seeing all the mean people buying ther Christmas Cards for 2007?

These are the people who have spent half of Christmas Day ironing their wrapping paper so it can be used again next year, and who will be jostling and pushing in queues at 09.01 this morning to make sure they get their cheap Christmas Cards.

Humbug!

The Devotion Of Hachiko

I came across this story by chance the other day - a sort of Japanese version of Blackfriars Bobby.

Read the story of Hachiko here.

A Developing Site

Just checking the viewer statistics for this blog, and I am now approaching 3500 page views in about 4 months.

Most popular pages appear to be my article about gangland Manchester (Paul Massey appears to have plenty of supporters, as people googling his name visit the site most days) followed by the articles on Hackney. Of these the Nicky Cruz scandal brought most attention. Articles on the 9/11 cult bring quantity if not quality surfers to the site!

I had no great masterplan when I developed this blog, but I do hope I have made a contribution to debates. More is to come.

A Bit Quiet

You might be wondering why the posts have rather dried up over the past few days.

I have been suffering a monster bout of flu, which more than anything else has broken up my concentration. Normal service will be resumed later in the week!

Proof Of Reincarnation?

Reading this story I can only assume that the dog concerned was once a dirty old man, who has been reincarnated as a Bull Mastiff.

Pity his poor owners, with the canine knicker thief!

The Pouting Cavalier

I used to work with the Pouting Cavalier. He always was a very silly man.

I would of course have been a staunch Roundhead in the English Civil War, and am not convinced I should be encouraging the Pouting Cavalier in his activities. I fact I am not sure why I am linking to his site here other than to allow others to make up their own minds about this nonsense.

In Defence Of Griping

I have been asked why I have a section of this blog devoted to griping.

Quite simply, I believe griping is a perfectly healthy activity. Indeed there should be more of it, not less. Griping is a natural reaction to a society in which people are alienated, disillusioned and ignored. Which most of us are. Did you agree with the war in Iraq? Did you ask for the introduction of Oyster Cards in London? Do you think its right that you have to pay a months rent in advance, yet you get your salary a month in arrears? I suspect the answer to each of those questions, and indeed thousands of others just like them, is no.

What is unnatural are some of the cliches that try to prevent us from griping. "What's the use of complaining" or "Don't worry be happy" we are told. Whilst the latter is an example of creeping Americanisation (and is nearly as offensive as "Have A Nice Day") that complaining is useless is an not an argument against complaining in any way, shape or form. If life is not what it should be, we should and indeed must say so.

One of my favourite historical gripers was the Yorkshire writer J B Priestley. Indeed his griping once got him into trouble:

"Once, years ago, at a large party, when I was grumbling as usual, a young woman who was a stranger to me turned on me fiercely and told me I had better go home instead of trying to spoil other people's pleasure. I was taken aback, and may be said to have stayed aback ever since."

Priestley justified his griping as not just in his nature, but his duty as a writer. Put simply, he wanted to grumble and gripe on behalf of those who could not, or would not easily do so. And there is nothing wrong with that.

J B Priestley

Why All The New Pictures?

Scroll down to the bottom right of this page, and you will find stacks of new photos. Why?

Well there's not much point in having a digital camera unless you are going to use it!