Reality TV - or the sort of stuff Simon Cowell churns out - is not something I would normally waste my time watching. In fact, I rarely watch 'Entertainment' on television because news, sport, and documentaries are far more to my liking. That said, however, over the weekend, I was persuaded to watch a segment of something called Britain's Got Talent; and the reason for this is that a Welsh choir was performing. After the choir had completed their song (an interesting adaption of a Welsh classic called Calon Lan) the usually-smug Mr. Cowell (seen adjusting his shirt to show off his hairy chest at 1.40 on this video) remarked that he was intrigued to have been affected by something for which he hadn't understood a single word. Not surprisingly, this caused some amusement; not least to myself - because (somewhat uncharitably, I confess), it's my impression that many of the choir - called Only Boys Aloud, by the way, didn't understand what they were singing, either. You see, coming from south Wales - as most of the choir do - English is their normal day-to-day language. However, in response to years of campaigning by activists, Welsh is now being taught throughout the principality and, as a by-product of this, a thriving 'industry' has been created to cash-in on the demand for Welsh-speakers within entertainment and the media. Sadly, IMHO, too much of the material on the Welsh-language TV channel, S4C, is delivered to a standard which an amateur dramatic society in England might exhibit if attempting to perform a play in French. However, on a more positive note (no pun intended), programmes which are produced in north Wales are presented far more colloquially by the media. So, it's a mystery to me why S4C don't transfer to Bangor. After all - for different reasons, admittedly - the BBC have been able to move from London to Salford.n.b. Although born in Liverpool, my Welsh mother took me north Wales during WW2 and, although I didn't get around to learning how to read or write in Welsh, it was actually the first language I spoke.
A recent newspaper article about the missing little girl, Madeleine McCann, has reminded me how easy it can be to form opinions on the basis of what might be entirely inappropriate assumptions founded on preconceived - and, often biased - notions. Certainly, from my own point of view, and I'm not especially proud to say this, I was guilty of acting as judge and jury almost as soon as she disappeared. Equally - or, perhaps, more alarmingly - my opinions changed from time to time based on the reports being put about at the time. For example, when the news broke, even though I was born in the city, the fact that the parents (or, at least, one of them) was from Liverpool created an opinion which was somewhat less than complimentary. Furthermore, when it became known that they had left all three of their children alone in their apartment whilst they were out wining and dining only added to a sense of despair. Paradoxically, however, when it transpired that both parents were doctors, for reasons I would be hard-pressed to explain (or justify) the feeling of disgust mysteriously diminished. Subsequently, as the years have passed, I've been unable to form a definite opinion of what may have happened. It's only a personal impression and I may be in a minority, but I find it difficult to be fully sympathetic towards the parents because I can't ignore a nagging suspicion that they know more than they're prepared to admit. Furthermore, the curmudgeon in me makes it almost impossible to understand why caring parents would allow a child as young as Madeleine was, at the time, to wear what appears to be eye shadow.
I suspect I may have been one of the first to become qualified to be known in the UK as a Silver Surfer (#1 in this dictionary, NOT #2, BTW). Certainly, my involvement with social networking, for example, started quite early - when, in 2006, it was pointed out that I could to listen to music my elder grandson had composed on Myspace. Not long afterwards, I discovered You Tube and, a year or so later, I was introduced to Skype.In those days, my involvement was restricted to an occasional communication with immediate family members across the pond. However, when Myspace seemed to fall out of fashion, I signed-up with facebook and, although it introduced me to more distant relations - and, in time, "Friends" and friends of friends - it seemed to me that it was better suited to the needs of younger people. Some time later, a newspaper article alerted me to Twitter - which seemed to appeal to those of a more mature disposition. However, whilst I understand it might be ideal for those in 'the public eye', I found it difficult to understand why ordinary Joe Blogs could imagine that their own (often mundane) day-to-day activities should be of the slightest interest to anyone else. Furthermore, an insidious ambition to increase the number of people they could bore the pants off seemed ludicrous (IMHO) - especially since, so far as I can tell, most people who follow each other on Twitter hardly know each other. By the way, when asked to describe the difference between facebook and Twitter, I suggest that the former is where contributors can be quite rude to those they know - whilst the latter is where people seem to be rather nice to people they've never met. Anyway, perhaps unusually for someone of my own generation, I had some experience of 'networking' through the medium of this web-site. Originally, a 'diary' of my work as a PSV delivery driver, it developed into a history of some my own and my family's experiences over the years and, rather than use the more 'public' aforementioned social networking sites, I have tended to use this blog to communicate 'personal' information. Speaking of 'personal' issues, in recent times, the expressions trolls and cyberstalking have become topics for concern on the internet and elsewhere. Now, I don't suppose that many ordinary member of the public are troubled by trolls; however, stalking is a different matter. For example, instances of it have ranged from unwelcome attention to actions as extreme as murder - not something, by the way, with which I'm familiar. Now, believe it or not, an element of unwelcome attention is something with which I have become familiar recently - which brings me to the point of this particular blog - and that is to confess that, for the first time ever, I have "Unfriended" someone on facebook. Most who visit this web-site may know that my elder son is a reasonably well-known musician. What many might not know is that some of his fans seem inordinately fascinated by anything connected with him. So, although I'm sure most people know of someone on the internet who seems determined to contribute to absolutely everything, from a purely personal point of view, I found having almost every comment I made responded to in an inappropriately over-familiar manner by someone I've never met extremely disconcerting; in much the same way, I wouldn't be surprised, that someone actually being stalked might feel threatened. So, to conclude, whilst what I've done is non-negotiable, it is not my intention to cause offence. However, it seemed to be the only way I could send out the message that the boundaries most fans recognise (and for which I'm extremely grateful, BTW) should not be over-stepped.
I've been enormously fortunate, IMHO, to have experienced life from several different perspectives. For example, as a young child, I lived in houses with no gas, electricity, or running water. At around the same time - and in the same area - the most common means of getting from A to B was by horse and cart, or on Shanks's pony. At the other end of the scale, in more recent times, I've stayed in the most luxurious hotels imaginable and visited various parts of the world in the most up-to-date aircraft. Paradoxically, it has been during these travels to 'exotic' places that I've witnessed the most extreme forms of deprivation.Going on from that, after national service, my work experiences ranged from being a bus driver, through various levels of management, to company director (and back again). So, during that time, I've been both a member of a Trade Union and an Incorporated Trades House.Anyway, although none of the above is intended to 'impress', I'm attempting to suggest that the breadth of these experiences might have given me a greater understanding of life than may be the case for those with less experience; in particular, many of those with whom I have become associated with through the medium of Twitter. Now, at this point, I'll get straight to the point by declaring that I cannot see why so many - in the most part, apparently well-educated people - are so eager to undermine the current government. As I've said before, I voted for The Green Party; so, I have no axe to grind; but I'm at a complete loss to understand why certain elements seem unable (or unwilling) to accept that the previous government were responsible for the situation which their successors are trying to sort out. To some extent, I can understand the resentment caused by the 'Thatcher' effect. However, that's no reason to continue to blame the present Tory party. Furthermore, I can assure those who continue to hold that particular grudge, that history will judge the legacy of the union-dominated Labour party of the seventies far less favourably than that of The Iron Lady. Coincidentally, she faced the same problem as young Cameron and Clegg - i.e. sorting out the mess they inherited.More generally, what I find most difficult to understand amongst those who 'lean to the left' is their failure to realise that the problem with socialism is the Socialists. No one in their right mind could argue against the fact that principles of Karl Marx, for example, are entirely admirable. However, no matter how sincere they may be at the outset of their political careers, too many of those who progress within the system are beguiled by power. The former Soviet Union is probably the most obvious example; however, the UK fares little better when the records of Blair, Mandelson, Prescott and decades of corrupt trade union leaders are scrutinised.This 'poacher becoming gamekeeper' factor is the main reason that I dislike those who claim to represent 'the left'. Put simply, the moment they assume power, they become Tories. The problem then, however, is - unlike most Conservatives - their backgrounds are not in management. In other words, they haven't been trained to 'manage'. Is it any wonder, therefore, that they make a bit of a mess of it? So, to conclude, the next time some of my fellow Twitterarians are inclined to criticise the present lot, stop for a moment to consider why they're doing whatsoever is irking them; because, at the end of the day, votes are what matter and NO politician wants to commit political suicide. So, they won't deliberately upset the electorate.
Following on from my recent blog about cookery programmes on TV (see below) - and having recently become quite proud of myself for developing the skills required to prepare cup-a-soup and toast (almost entirely self-taught, BTW), yesterday, for the first time ever, I made some Scotts Porage Oats.
This morning, continuing with my culinary experiences - and somewhat bolstered by yesterday's success - I attempted to make some porage again and discovered that using a microwave which had previously been set to 'Defrost' doesn't achieve the desired results. Fortunately, however, although my wife was out, I knew her telephone number and she provided instructions on how to re-set the microwave.
There may be many who might disagree (not least, some in my own family) - but, I'm getting sick and tired of seeing cookery programmes on television. Having said that, I don't actually watch them myself because (IMHO) there are few things more revolting than observing people stuffing food into their mouths and, if that wasn't bad enough, they try to describe what they're eating - whilst still eating the bloody stuff!
I suspect the reason why so many programmes are produced (and this might also explain why Reality TV is so prevalent, these days) is that many of those who are featured would be quite happy to pay the TV companies to be seen on prime-time TV. From the chefs' point of view, for example, appearing on TV is probably as good as - if not better - than a full-page advert it a national newspaper.
I suppose there is one saving grace, however, and that is that the TV companies haven't yet (so far as I know) introduced their other rather underhand money making scheme of persuading gullible viewers to pay an arm and a leg to take part in a phone-in; judging which food item is the best, for example.
On second thoughts, perhaps, I shouldn't have mentioned it.
Although there may be signs that I'm becoming more mellow as time takes it's toll, it has never been in my nature to show - or, even, in some cases, experience - emotion or a reaction to what might be considered to be significant events in my life. I don't, for instance, recall being concerned when abandoned (in effect) at boarding school at the age of four and, since then, I've pretty much accepted whatever life has presented me with a pinch of salt; "Qué será, será", as they say.For some reason or another, however, I've been quite affected by a recent trip down Memory Lane. It all started when, I was asked to put together an account of my own experiences as a golf club steward for a book which is being compiled to celebrate the centenary of The Golf Club Stewards Association. I was sorting out some photographs which were taken the best part of forty years ago; and, for the very first time in my life, I felt a twinge of regret that I wasn't as young as I used to be. Now, for many, this might not seem such a big deal. For me, however, it's significant because - although I have often shown signs of immaturity - I've always felt a certain degree of contempt for those who cling to their youth (in particular, those who try to conceal the ageing process). So, it came as something of a shock to feel affected in this manner.
What makes it even more difficult to accept is the recognition that, although I might be ruing the passage of time, imagine how much more galling it must be for my wife. To illustrate the point, here is a series of photographs showing us at the start of our life together, framed by how we look now, and (below that) at a time considered to be the prime of our lives - i.e. when we went 'into' golf. (some photos can be enlarged by 'clicking' on the photo).
It isn't too difficult to work out who drew the short straw and easy to understand that, although she's a little more opinionated nowadays, in my eyes, she's hardly changed at all since the day we met.
A little more than twenty years ago, I started to speculate about how attitudes could be influenced by ancestors. At the time, my elder son was about to get married and I had been toying with the notion of offering some fatherly advice and, in so doing, it occurred to me that all of the most recent ancestors on the paternal side of my family had - quite deliberately, it would seem - adopted a policy of parenting almost the complete opposite to that which they had received themselves.
My own father's life, for example, had been very much influenced by decisions made by his mother and, although he was very successful in the career into which he had been guided, he harboured a lingering and life-long resentment for the fact that he had been prevented from doing something of his own choice.
Interestingly, the fact that my grandmother was the dominant parent might suggest that my grandfather may also have had a manipulative parent and might explain why, as a consequence, he seemed less inclined to push his own son one way or another.
What is certain, however, is that my father seemed determined not to make (in his opinion) the same mistake with me. So much so that, even though there were times when I asked for guidance, he refused to give it; insisting that it was entirely up to each individual to decide what they did with their own life. Paradoxically, this has had the effect of me becoming almost as resentful for not receiving guidance as my father had been for receiving too much.
Now, it probably won't come as a surprise to learn that I was anxious not to make (in my opinion) the same mistakes when I became a father myself. However, I have been fortunate enough to understand that - in much the same way that my father and I had different personalities and needs - the same applied to my own two sons. So, one might need advice whilst the other might not; however, although I have always been ready and willing to offer advice (when asked), it won't be pushed down their throats.
Speaking of throats, what has prompted this blog was a situation a young mother of my acquaintance mentioned on facebook, recently. Evidently, her three-year-old son had expressed a desire for, "A banana dipped in raw porridge oats and it has to be in the white bowl!" and this caused the young mother to ponder, "For a fussy eater ****** you really do have some bizarre tastes!"
Subsequently, someone else commented that their mother bemoaned the fact that the younger generation seemed to be given far more latitude than used to be the case in 'the old days'. In other words, they should eat what's put in front of them (a sentiment to which I subscribe, by the way) and my young friend wondered whether, by being too lenient, she might have made a rod for her own back.
The point I'm making is that - although this might not be so in this particular case - there is a tendency for a second generation to be too lenient towards a third if (in their opinion) the first generation had been too strict.
I don't actually know the reason - but, for as long as I can remember, although not overtly so, my father seemed to have had an enduring fascination with money. Not, I should explain, in the sense that he was a miserly or mean man - but that he had an uncanny awareness of his own financial position at any given time. For example, at the end of each day, he had a pretty good idea of how much he had spent. Furthermore, he could recall what he may have paid for something many years previously; as well, I might add, as being able to remember if anyone had failed to repay a loan (however small) for a long as he lived.
Now, perhaps as a subconscious reaction to this environment, I have a rather more laissez-faire attitude towards wealth - to the extent that there were times when I might have been accused of not caring about it at all. I'm not sure that's entirely accurate - but it is true that I have rarely scrutinised a wage-slip or salary statement in the somewhat naive expectation that, should there have been an administrative error, it would be resolved at a later date. Furthermore, I've tended to view avarice and those who practice it with a fair degree of contempt.
Recently, however, I have started to pay a little more attention to financial issues than has been the case in the past - and a fundamental reason for this new attitude has been a growing realisation that there are elements within the world of commerce who are quite happy to take advantage of people like me; and, in some cases, using quite underhand - if subtle - methods.
My car insurers, for example. Instead of requiring me to telephone them to accept the terms and conditions outlined in their renewal notice documents (as has been the case for the past thirty years, or so), they have been good enough to offer to save me all that trouble by generously going ahead and altering the amount I have been paying on direct debit for the past year. I only need to telephone them if that's not my intention.
At first sight, this is an appealing proposition to someone like me who 'can't really be bothered' with all that rigmarole. However, on this occasion, I decided to read beyond the enticing offer - and it's just a well that I did - because I might not have noticed that the new premium is about £150.00p more than the previous one. Furthermore, taking advantage of comparison sites, I have found identical cover for about £250.00p less!
Now, it's not just insurance companies who seem happy to take advantage of existing (and, often, long-standing, customers). In recent weeks, I've discovered that the cost of satelite TV coverage has increased considerably since I first became a subscriber. Furthermore, the ability to pick and choose what I watch has been removed - leaving no option that to have 'packages' containing a hell of a lot of channels which don't interest my in the slightest. Interestingly, when I started to show some annoyance about the situation, it was decided that as 'a valued customer', I would be entitled to a significant reduction for the next six months. A*******s!
Anyway, having developed a taste for 'negotiating', I then set about researching what alternatives might be available on the telephone and broadband front and, although, I hadn't any complaints about my previous suppliers, I have decided to make some significant savings by signing-up with different companies.
On a more optimistic note, a recent drive to the north of England revealed that - whereas, two or three years ago, I found that many (if not most) hotel chains and motorway service stations charged ridiculous amounts to provide wi/fi - an increasing number seem to have reacted (I suspect) to customer demand by providing it free; and quite right, too.
Although I was fortunate enough to have been evacuated to rural north Wales for most of WW2, I do recall bombs falling on Liverpool and the sense of fear associated with that experience.
Fear of an enemy in times of war is something which can be understood. However, fear of those who purport to be British - and in what are supposed to be times of peace - is less easy to understand and, to some extent, much more frightening.
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