Chaos!

The University of Kent’s Professor Richard Whitman has commented on the current political turmoil in the UK by saying that the EU will need clarity about what the UK wants in these unprecedented times as ‘without the Withdrawal Agreement the UK leaves the EU. This is the real backstop agreement.’

He continues: ‘Attention has, rightly, cantered on the Government’s problems in Parliament. And even the most experienced commentators cannot confidently predict the direction for the UK’s politics in the next fortnight. Will there be a new Prime Minister, a new Government or will a General Election be called?

There you have it. The commentators don’t know, the politicians don’t know and the people’s journalists don’t know either. We voted in a referendum and that’s all there is to it. You know my opinions on the chaos and that’s where I’ll leave it. I don’t want to bore with any more supposition and lack of clarity – vote with the PM and let’s leave it at that.

What about education in Wales? I know what I would do if I have any little ones – get out of Wales. It’s the lowest in the PISA results, and the Welsh language is causing more destruction to our little ones. Bi-lingual is all very well but try speaking Welsh in Paris, it’s a no-go area, isn’t it just and I know! The Welsh Labour administration has caused the health service to implode and education along with it. Twenty years of complete annihilation, that’s devolution for you.

Politicians had better watch out, the people are beginning to explode. And remember, they are there to serve, not dictate. They carry out our wishes, come hell or high water and they had better do well to remember this. I have interviewed a good few in my time and I can tell you now that I am going right off this. I’m tired of all the lies, tired of all the self-reliance and tired of all the bluster.

It’s time to say enough. Do your job or get out of it, because if you don’t the people may take the law into our own hands and make this decision for you.

The Welsh NHS and all who sail in her!- EP Dec 2018

Six out of seven NHS hospitals in Wales are not reaching their targets – well, no surprises there then! The NHS is in a right mess and Wales is one of the biggest offenders. You can blame the cutbacks etc (there’s no point in blaming this because the Government has committed to more money being spent on it!) and there is no point in saying how great the NHS is – I’m getting fed up with hearing this old swan song.

It’s not ‘great’ and far from it. Emergency care is first class, but as for anything else forget it and believe me I know. Having been involved in an argument with a car and the resulting brain surgery, I was shoved from pillar to post and ended up in ward that had nothing to do with the injuries I had suffered. Job done as the NHS would have you believe – if you ignore the fact that it took seven weeks to take the stitches out, and I had to ask for this. There were a couple of stitches left in when I had to have a brain scan done a year later. Give me strength!

Let’s have a proper debate on the NHS and the Labour administration that has been running it, Welsh Labour that is. We have a NHS system that is failing. The worse in the country (that’s the UK). It’s skint and will need more and more money being pushed into it. People are getting older and living a lot longer. I have a 96 years old father in law living me and the Council are making a total hash up of its legal duty of care. Councils? Why bother with them, one might well ask?

Like everything else that the politicians do, it’s all ending up in a fandango of illiterate chaos.

Take the Brexit argument. Why don’t the politicos get together and support Theresa May?? We’ve tried every debating notion under the sun and we finally have a deal. They have gone on and on about this and that, every trick in the book has been tried and where have they got? Nowhere, that’s where. There’s no other deal available. So, why don’t the people just get them out. They are our servants, despite all the popular shenanigans they come up with.

Get the self-serving, self-interested maniacs out! And let’s go with Theresa May –and this includes some of the Assembly members.

 

Welsh language maniacs!

These people really do get right up my nose. They are dangerous and destructive to common sense and the right to express an opinion. The other day I rang Carmarthenshire County Council – what a joke! I nearly slammed down the bloody phone. All Welsh with a smidgen of English. English is the first language of Wales, Welsh is only spoken by about 18% of the people living here. It is a fine exposition of language nationalism.

Stop wasting public money on a dead language!

PS They have had fake and defamatory pamphlets on my Amazon ‘sell by’ page, the nonsense reviews are appalling and every chance they get they insult ad infinitum. They are indeed ‘maniacs’. 

Leaving the EU has a become hell on wheels!

Leaving the European Union has become a total eye-wash of misinformation – on both sides. It’s all confusion and political ambition. The politicians don’t even understand it and for the rest of us, its territory unknown. It’s all a waste of space – this is the conclusion I’ve come to anyway.

The EU is hell bent on keeping its unelected people on base and God help anyone who tries to defy them– a hint of dictatorship here I think? It’s all the Union and that’s that.

Out, out and out again and stop all this political messing about. The people have had enough. We’re tired of hearing all the back stabbing and counter claims. We’re tired of hearing all the nonsense. Another referendum? God help us. 95% of the withdrawal agreement has been done (?) and what’s left? Northern Ireland and a hard border or soft one? When will it all end?

Tell the EU to take a hike. We’ve suffered enough in our history and more of the same will not do us any harm.

Politicians get the message – we’ve had enough of your political meanderings and downright intransigence! Do the job and get on with it!

To cap it all we have commentators both left and right commenting how giving the EU a smart kicking will leave us destitute and forlorn and another lot saying we will be better off without them. What, I ask myself are we – the people-supposed to think?

It’s all a mess.

Now, just to add more pain to the EU debate, just a little addendum you understand, the WW (that’s the Weight Watches) in collaboration with the NHS has decided that the Welsh are overweight (f** but we don’t that word) – well, there’s not much to argue about here, is there? 60% are obese and many suffer from diabetes. So then, in conclusion the Welsh need to slim down and give the politicians a right royal boot up the backside.

What more can I say? As outspoken as always – in these days of pretty words, it makes a change!! I’m being polite now, insult is not my way, although I must confess there are times when I feel like getting my mettle up!

Jeff Kirkhouse – an artist

Off the wall – well, at least that’s the way I put it, author ‘an all. I was at an Art Exhibition in Mumbles the other day, the artist was Jeff Kirkhouse. Landscapes everywhere. Cityscapes and all in sundry including landscapes of Gower – plenty of these to keep the Swanseaites happy!

I wandered around staring at all the pictures and I must say I was hooked – I’ve got a few of them on my wall and bought a couple more. I gave Gower a miss and bought two of God knows where for the Matron – I thought it was gracious gesture and showed how much I love her. Fat chance of this, she said they were inspiring and that’s it. Well, that’s the Matron for you (actually she was very happy but that’s not the point, this is a newspaper so take it or leave it!).

A woman seems to be in the background for Jeff too. Married for a good many years and supportive when it counts – good on him! He also does teaching all around Swansea, my wife had a go at one of these workshops but gave it up on account of no talent, she prefers the caring of old ‘uns than trying to paint. It’s all in the brush stroke, that’s my take on it anyway.

So what did I think of it all? It’s not the first Art Exhibition I’ve been too. I was reminded of similar in Vienna and Italy and many more. When you go into these galleries it’s a mission of exposure, of being touched. The white walls are given light, expression. It is a balance of reality messing around with fantasy. It draws you in and spits you out. The artist uses his paintbrush to play with your senses, it is a course of endeavour that ultimately hits the right spot.

Jeff Kirkhouse managed these things in an air of caring for the people he paints for. Art, whether it be brush work or writing, is an adventure in trying to bring people on your side. He has done this and my congratulations to him.

More of the same and I am sure that we will be all better off for it – far better off than all the politicians we have anyway!

 

Sleep

Sleep. Here’s something to grind your teeth on! Insomnia, waking up after a short sleep, not sleeping at all etc. It’s a heaven sent opportunity to, well if you’re someone who likes ‘moaning’ about things and there’s an awful to get your knickers in a twist at the moment! Brexit, the NHS, ageing and so much more. But let’s stick with the ‘sleeping’ business.

Despite being involved in an argument with a car engine a couple of years ago, I have never had any problems with sleep. Never anxious, never worried about things and so on (of course I have, but that’s beside the point, this is a newspaper so I’ll exaggerate to keep you all enlightened!). It’s been a fine night’s sleep and no kidding. But here’s the thing, after having my leg smashed up and brain surgery after the accident, sleeping has become a figment of my imagination. In fact day has turned into night and everything in between is just a blur – this could be described as a good thing because I don’t have to put up with my wife nagging me all the time. There’s something beneficial to altering one’s sleep patterns isn’t there?

I have tried the sleep clinics, doctors and so on. I have taken sleeping drugs and all the other unmentionables and guess what?

No joy.

The brain being disjointed and shoved over to the other side of my head is the cause and there’s nothing anybody can do about it. Hard luck Ruck and you just have to live with it. Fair enough is my personal view, I just missed  saying ‘Hello’ to whatever God is out there and I’m still here scribbling just to annoy – remarkable  how some things stay intact isn’t it?

The brain has to switch off now and again and all I can say to anyone who has problems with sleeping, try going to bed at the same time every night, don’t drink caffeine (alcohol is out) or smoke and don’t bother with anything that may cause upset. If you can manage any of these thing then the future is bright.

Otherwise, the doctors, the sleeping specialists and the consultants are all a waste of time and you would probably better off living life like me and scribbling a bit – well, you can watch the TV but this is ill-advised too. Too mind occupying!    

It’s alright on the night!

I’ve been considering that one of my books (A Judge And Nothing But) has taken the referendum to new heights, not to mention a female Prime Minister – it was all written before either event took place.

Well, novel writing does have its place! 

Paul Davies AM

Paul Davies AM and newly elected Leader of the Welsh Tories, is insistent on bringing the party together and having a consistent policy on the Welsh political process. All fairness to him and you must admit it is a far cry from the London political mess that is enveloping politics, both Left and Right. Welsh Conservatism has a more generous outlook and doesn’t see the Brexit negotiations and anything but ‘wait and see’. Paul Davies is constant in his lack of enthusiasm for a referendum, the people have spoken and that’s it.

Having interviewed the politician, I must say that I found him reasonable and objective. None of the back stabbing ways of London. His answer to a political bias was any one is entitled to their opinion (he might not agree with it!) but they are nevertheless entitled to express it. Job done.

Education is at the forefront of his mind. Pisa results are considered but not the ‘B’ and end of it all. He feels that more people should be involved in the process, the community, the teachers etc (I hate that word ‘community’, it sounds like a Communist rant!), the same with the Health service and so on. People in Wales are not too familiar with the fact that the Welsh Assembly runs Education and Health but there we are. Media coverage is not too successful when it comes to this!

He reminded me that UKIP has only 4 seats and Plaid Cymru has 10 – that’s when the alleged paedophile considerations are taken into account, so that’s means the Tories are in with a chance of gaining power at the next Assembly elections. There’s no doubt about it that the gentleman wants to be the First Minister of the Assembly – no doubt at all. He maintains that the position is within his sights, should everything go well for the Tories.

“I would like to be First Minister” he repeated twice in our interview. Nothing like confidence is there?

It is time the Media gave Welsh politics more of a run at things. If they did, then so many Welsh people would have a more informed opinion of things political, One wouldn’t hear things like my granddaddy voted Labour, my father voted Labour and so I’ll do the same thing.

Wales has been Labour for far too long. It is time for a change. New ideas, new thinking and more than anything else more energy. Labour has been running things for 20 years (although they haven’t been too enthusiastic on Jeremy Corbyn) and they have come up with nothing. The young Labour AM’s have a chance at this but will they get anywhere?

Paul Davies is a new Leader of the Welsh Tories. He’s appealing and prepared to listen to whatever someone says. But he had a point when he said in reference to the terror of the Internet, well you don’t like what I’m saying, so you get into the hot seat yourself!

As I’ve said before, if you don’t like what the politicians are doing, get a seat and say what you like – just remember the general public is watching.

A builders mess!

It’s all a yes or a no. Politics is a no-man’s game and have no doubt about it. Look at where we are now? The Tories are in a mess about whether we should stay in the European Market and Labour are rubbing their heels together over anti-Semitism et al. No party is making any kind of constructive suggestion on the EU so what do we do about it?

There’s only one answer: Let’s just get out of the European Union and deal with the problems as they arise. The people have spoken and that’s all there is to it. I’m no fan of another referendum, we’ll have one and then another and another……. As for Northern Ireland, 20 odd years of peace and I don’t think we’ll be going back to another spate of murder and retribution taking place but who knows?

Theresa May is a good Prime Minister – would anyone out there like her job? I think not. Who would want to deal with the swamplands of political discourse on a daily basis? Is there any one? Probably not. And Jeremy Corbyn is too busy responding to all those centre-left individuals who are giving him a hard time. There is no hope is there? The Tories and the Labour Party may well be considering breaking up and so, chaos again.

I can’t see our Jeremy making a good leader but there we are, again who knows? A new tailor and a decent shave might just give him a chance.

We shall wait and see. There are so many quotes on this but I’ll not bore with them! Where will be on the final decision is anyone’s guess but I do feel this: Whatever the protracted policy is we shall get through it. The UK is an island race and we have been through far worse, from the Second World War and many instances of turmoil before it. So I say, take heart and live through whatever the Fates dish out, grit your teeth and hope for the best.

That’s all we can do! Absolutely – I hate this word, everybody is using it, just thought I’d adopt it just to annoy!

Adverts

I was watching TV the other night for a change – yes, I have to admit it, fool that I am! Anyway, on comes all this advertising. Men shaving their legs (I have never heard of this one before), trimmers for beards and a hairy upper lip and gel for heavens knows what. It left me feeling rather emasculated, I can tell you. Then there are the women’s products. All in sundry here, creams for this and that, hair shampoo for making a twisted mess and shavers for making a smooth skinned example of female loveliness!

All these adverts made me ponder the fact that these companies must think that the general populace is as dull as a brick. Do they honestly believe that we are all convinced by the childish tittle tattle they throw out there?

I have an iPad which lets me know about giving the adverts a miss – at a price. The trouble is, you can’t do on any of this on the commercial channels apart from ITV. Well, I say ITV but that’s only on the ‘Catch Up’ variety. Anything current forget it. I’m all for a drama or documentary (and politics, as if you didn’t know that one!) but anything else forget it. And as for sport, watching this makes me feel rather ill.

I don’t really watch a great deal of television – for obvious reasons. Believe it or not, I read books (sad chap that I am!). Not fiction, just the usual history and politics. All very boring, I assure you. Everybody is reading less these days and it is a pity. Libraries are going out of fashion and the young are click clicking their way to an eternal state of ignorance. Even educational degrees are clicked into a pass rate of ignominious success.

Well, I’m an old ‘un now, so I can say what I like – providing the thought police don’t have me up before the Beak for something or other! And do you know something? I’m exceedingly glad that I was born in the 1950’s – at least I won’t have my life controlled by a screen or a mobile phone (and I don’t have one these mobile pieces of nonsense before anyway asks!).