It's pretty scary.
Yesterday I took off on the Harley. Felt like I was 18 again. Brilliant, apart from the rubbish weather, I smelt the rain, then I felt the rain, then I felt and heard the hail hammering on my helmet which is when I cut the ride short.
Then the next day I went out to vote. I was looking for a party that could promise me better weather to ride my bike, less rain, blue skies and unbroken sunshine.
Then I thought that I would take the car to the polling station and then pop down to the car wash and wash the Cumbrian muck off. However halfway to the car wash I realised that I had forgotten my 'phone and my wallet and had to head back home to get them both, at least I didn't get the whole four miles to the car wash.
I felt about a hundred and eight.
But there we are, time and tides, they wait for no-one.
It would be really helpful if someone could invent a phone app or a sensor which could be fitted to the over 65's. Like a hearing Aid that could whisper advice in your ear, ask questions and then check that you have everything before you set off.
You know the kind of thing, as the priest leaves the rectory he crosses himself.
Spectacles, Testicles, Wallet and Watch.
It would certainly help me maintain a sense of vigilance as I set about the business of getting on with life in my seventh decade, making sure that for example, that I immediately remembered where I had left the keys to the motorcycle rather than forcing me to spend two hours searching, or, as I did this morning, panicking because I couldn't find my hat.
I had left it in the shed with the bike when I took it off to put on my helmet!
Didn't have too much choice in the local elections either, one conservative candidate and one independent, socialists appear to be a rare species of politician in this part of Cumbria. If I had known I might have stood as a Co-op Labour Candidate, after all people deserve a choice.
I had wondered what I might do if the choice was between a Conservative and a UKIP candidate.
I could have refused to vote or spoilt the ballot paper I suppose. Or I could have .... No, I couldn't!
Interesting though that so many people didn't do either, instead they put their cross against the UKIP Candidate.
It is remarkable. A return to smoking in Pubs, is one policy that might be popular amongst people who visit pubs and have no desire to stand outside in the rain.
The UKIP spending and tax policies seem a touch out of touch, the math just doesn't work.
Increase spending whilst reducing taxes sounds wonderful and apparently it will all be paid for by the savings on Europe and making sure that benefit and health tourists, i.e. pretty much anyone who seeks to come here, especially from Bulgaria, is kept out, presumably that includes the Wombles?
I guess realising that in fact the Health Service is pretty much dependent on Nurses and Doctor's coming here from elsewhere is a bit beyond most people to accept.
But if Mr Farage is speaking for the typical British Citizen, and the typical British Citizen seems to be voting for Mr Farage, coming second in Sunderland was no mean feat after all, then what do UKIP policies tell us about what is happening to to us as a Nation.
After all the people elected to Local Councils will have no ability to implement policies such as , lowering taxation, or controlling immigration or reducing the EU Budget.
They might find effective ways of opposing wind farms because they don't believe in global warming which is viewed as a Myth, they are unlikely to have any impact on policing numbers, although they might be able to introduce and debate a motion to cut council executives and managers whilst maintaining front line services and of course we could all make real decisions in our local communities whilst taking responsibility for keeping local conveniences open and well maintained rather than closing them altogether.
But is that really it. Surely it's just a protest against politics?
Or possibly a protest against austerity? Or a protest against the coalition? Surely no-one actually believes this stuff?
Sadly I suspect they do and that is pretty scary ........
Yesterday I took off on the Harley. Felt like I was 18 again. Brilliant, apart from the rubbish weather, I smelt the rain, then I felt the rain, then I felt and heard the hail hammering on my helmet which is when I cut the ride short.
Then the next day I went out to vote. I was looking for a party that could promise me better weather to ride my bike, less rain, blue skies and unbroken sunshine.
Then I thought that I would take the car to the polling station and then pop down to the car wash and wash the Cumbrian muck off. However halfway to the car wash I realised that I had forgotten my 'phone and my wallet and had to head back home to get them both, at least I didn't get the whole four miles to the car wash.
I felt about a hundred and eight.
But there we are, time and tides, they wait for no-one.
It would be really helpful if someone could invent a phone app or a sensor which could be fitted to the over 65's. Like a hearing Aid that could whisper advice in your ear, ask questions and then check that you have everything before you set off.
You know the kind of thing, as the priest leaves the rectory he crosses himself.
Spectacles, Testicles, Wallet and Watch.
It would certainly help me maintain a sense of vigilance as I set about the business of getting on with life in my seventh decade, making sure that for example, that I immediately remembered where I had left the keys to the motorcycle rather than forcing me to spend two hours searching, or, as I did this morning, panicking because I couldn't find my hat.
I had left it in the shed with the bike when I took it off to put on my helmet!
Didn't have too much choice in the local elections either, one conservative candidate and one independent, socialists appear to be a rare species of politician in this part of Cumbria. If I had known I might have stood as a Co-op Labour Candidate, after all people deserve a choice.
I had wondered what I might do if the choice was between a Conservative and a UKIP candidate.
I could have refused to vote or spoilt the ballot paper I suppose. Or I could have .... No, I couldn't!
Interesting though that so many people didn't do either, instead they put their cross against the UKIP Candidate.
It is remarkable. A return to smoking in Pubs, is one policy that might be popular amongst people who visit pubs and have no desire to stand outside in the rain.
The UKIP spending and tax policies seem a touch out of touch, the math just doesn't work.
Increase spending whilst reducing taxes sounds wonderful and apparently it will all be paid for by the savings on Europe and making sure that benefit and health tourists, i.e. pretty much anyone who seeks to come here, especially from Bulgaria, is kept out, presumably that includes the Wombles?
I guess realising that in fact the Health Service is pretty much dependent on Nurses and Doctor's coming here from elsewhere is a bit beyond most people to accept.
But if Mr Farage is speaking for the typical British Citizen, and the typical British Citizen seems to be voting for Mr Farage, coming second in Sunderland was no mean feat after all, then what do UKIP policies tell us about what is happening to to us as a Nation.
After all the people elected to Local Councils will have no ability to implement policies such as , lowering taxation, or controlling immigration or reducing the EU Budget.
They might find effective ways of opposing wind farms because they don't believe in global warming which is viewed as a Myth, they are unlikely to have any impact on policing numbers, although they might be able to introduce and debate a motion to cut council executives and managers whilst maintaining front line services and of course we could all make real decisions in our local communities whilst taking responsibility for keeping local conveniences open and well maintained rather than closing them altogether.
But is that really it. Surely it's just a protest against politics?
Or possibly a protest against austerity? Or a protest against the coalition? Surely no-one actually believes this stuff?
Sadly I suspect they do and that is pretty scary ........
No comments:
Post a Comment