Sir Fred’s Lover to be Named Soon
This is a story in The Sunday Times today. After all the Giggs story seems to have bottomed out, so the tabloids need a new victim.
As I’ve said before, the truth always comes to the surface.
Should High Earners Be Allowed Subsidised Housing?
I have always felt that houses should be used to provide the maximum number of individual dwellings.
For instance, I don’t believe that people should own two houses, that they keep for their personal use. But if they want to, then they should not get any reliefs on the second house. In the past I’ve owned and lived in two houses and it doesn’t have too much to recommend for itself. Some may claim it’s nice to live in London in the week and go to their cottage at the weekend, but do they ever realise that that cottage probably causes someone to not have a house. If you live in two houses, then the second house should be taxed to provide subsidised houses in the area.
Buying to let is different, as you are providing a service of housing for someone else. And if you are successful, then you pay tax on it.
But what really gets me is those, who live in Local Authority or Housing Association properties and earn enough money to either rent privately or even buy their own house. The case of the ex-Labour Minister, Frank Dobson, reported in the papers today is scandalous. He should be booted out forthwith, so that someone else, who needs it, can have the property!
All of these abuses should be tightened up and hopefully the government is doing something about it. And while they are at it, they should be tougher on those, who illegally sublet their properties.
I should also say that sometimes, I feel guilty about having a reasonably large house all to myself.
To return though to the Dobson scandal! In my year at school, Animal Farm was the set book for GCE O Level. George Orwell was so right and it is fairly obvious, what his view of NuLabor would have been!
We Could All Learn From This
India has just released their oldest prisoner, who was 108. He looks extremely dangerous as he is carried from jail by his relatives in this story on the BBC web site.
How many prisoners in jails in the UK and around the world should be released as they are ill or demented and well past an age at which they can do anybody harm?
The Fixtures For 2011-12 Are Now Out.
Now that the fixtures for next season have been published, what are going to be the difficult ones to get to from London or even Ipswich?
At present there is only one, that I probably couldn’t make.
That is on the 29th November 2011 at Burnley. It was a good trip last season and too far for a Tuesday in November.
Every Religion Seems To Have Its Mad Side
When I read stories like this, I despair of religion. I suspect most of my practicising friends do too!
Sometimes, there seems to be a contest to see which religion can be the maddest and cruelest.
Why can’t they stick to the agenda that most religions seem to agree on, about looking after your fellow man and trying to make the world a better place?
Surely stoning a dog to death doesn’t do that! Especially, as they’ve asked the local children to do it.
Growing Old Gracefully
Joan Collins gives a superb interview in The Times. Buying the paper was worth it just for this quote, after she was asked how many men ha been her lovers and the interviewer had been surprised – “As I’ve been married five times, I’m more of a serial bride than a mattress!”
I did meet her once and from the pictures in the paper, she probably looks better now. But another of her comments about Bette Davis (difficult and ascerbic and coered in cigarette smoke) does suggest that she has given up the evil weed.
If she has, good on you, Joan and long may you keep us amused and entertained.
Does Cannabis Help Period Pains?
I wouldn’t know for obvious reasons, but according to The Times today, Queen Victoria was prescribed cannabis for this purpose. But it wasn’t illegal until 1928. There’s more here on the BBC Panorama web site.
What a naughty old Queen she was! Did she roll it herself or did she ask that nice Mr. Brown?
Barry’s Gluten Free Muffins
Barry, the chef in my local pub, the Northgate Arms in Southgate Road, is a coeliac, so he knows his gluten-free well.
As today, it was raining when I got my paper from next door to the pub, I popped in for a drink. They were offering a Brunch Menu, which contained Eggs Royale, which is a poached egg on top of smoked salmon and a muffin.
I decided to have one, whilst I read the paper with a drink.
For me, instead of a muffin, Barry grilled a slice of aubergine, added a slice of a large tomato and some spinach to the top as a delicious substitute.
Is Opera and Ballet Elitist?
The question has to be asked after last night and my visit to the O2.
In my view it was a serious experiment to try to sell ballet to people, who would not normally go and it has been reported as such. Here’s Arlene Phillips, saying that ballet is for everyone.
But if it was so important, why is it that only the Independent seems to published a review this morning?
Perhaps those that feel very seriously about ballet think that the O2 is rather beneath it.
I think that this might be the problem. Those that go regularly, often subsidised in their corporate seats want to keep it not elitist but exclusive!
Here’s a few thoughts.
My mother was a humble comptometer operator in the Accounts Department of Reeves in Dalston before the Second World War. She and her friends regularly went to the ballet and the opera. Would the typical office worker on the equivalent salary to my mother be able to afford a weekly visit to opera or ballet now?
I was once at about the age of sixteen at White Hart Lane to see Spurs play Arsenal. It must have been after Spurs had disbanded their band, as the Metropolitan Police Band were playing before the match and at half time. At half-time, one of the band put down his instrument and immaculately performed a serious operatic work. The performance was very good and totally unexpected and he got a tumultuous response from the probably 50,000 or so in the ground. So when people say that the common people don’t appreciate opera, are they are putting forward the collective view to preserve the exclusivity?
One of the best theatrical performances C and I ever saw, was a performance of Jesus Christ Superstar by the Italian Youth Theatre in the theatre at Taormina in Sicily.
The Anonymous Widower 