David Hockney is Awarded the Order of Merit
The Order of Merit is a unique order in that it is a personal gift of the sovereign. It has just been awarded to David Hockney.
I first came aware of Hockney when he won the John Moores Painting Prize at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, in 1967 and can remember seeing his painting, Peter Getting out of Nick’s Pool, at the time with C. I also have seen the major collection of his works at Saltaire.
Reading the list of those who have been awarded the Order of Merit is to read a list of some of our greatest scientists, artists and composers with a few politicians thrown in. Although, I think it is true to say, that these days there are more of the thinkers than the politicians, than there was fifty years or so. At present there are only two British politicians on the list and both are women; Margaret Thatcher and Betty Boothroyd. There are however two long serving Commonwealth Prime Ministers; one Canadian and one Australian. Decades ago, there would have been many from the military, but now there is only the respected military historian; Sir Michael Howard.
I think on the whole it is a good list and if you look at those who hold the honour today, no-one stands out as universally condemned by all.
There are some interesting connections and some would think anomalies.
For instance the only churchman is the Anglican Primate of Ireland, Lord Eames. Although Cardinal Hume was a member.
Dorothy Hodgkin was also a member, as is her pupil, Margaret Thatcher. I think it is true to say, that their politics were very different. I wonder if they ever met, when Thatcher was Prime Minister! This web page provides a glimpse of their relationship.
Margaret Thatcher worked as a fourth year student on X-ray crystallography in Dorothy Hodgkin’s laboratory. Despite later political differences they always held a great affection for one another.
According to this page on the BBC, they did meet whilst Thatcher was Prime Minister to discuss world peace.
Good Riddance Kim Jong-il
Is there anything else to say after his death?
Except possibly the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t.
Farewell Vaclav Havel
The death of Vaclav Havel was not unexpected given his health problems. It is very sad and he will be missed by many. He would be on any sensible person’s list of the greatest of the twentieth century.
If I look at countries that have thrown off dictatorships successfully in the last few decades, they seem to have needed a figure to whom they could rally. The charismatic Havel was a supreme example as he took Czechoslovakia from under the heel of the Russians to a free and proud country.
He was no mean playwright either!
When we lived in that flat in St. John’s Wood, we had no television, but we did have a radio and often listened to it, after the children had gone to bed. Some nights we listened to the play on Radio 4.
One night, I can remembering listening to a play called The Memorandum by a Czech author. It may have starred Donald Pleasance, but I can’t find any reference to the production.
It is a superb play and one of the best I’ve heard on radio.
The author, who was unknown to both C and myself, was Vaclav Havel.
How many politicians, even the good ones, will be missed for what they did outside politics? Not many!
Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich says he is pro-life with respect to abortion.
Does that mean that he is against the death penalty?
I doubt it!
He has one of those special mirrors so he can shave both of his faces at the same time.
The By-Election That Was a Disgrace
The by-election in Feltham and Heston yesterday was a disgrace.
After a record low turnout of just 29%, do they really deserve an MP.
Perhaps if the turnout is below say 40%, then the election should be rerun.
Boris on the Euro Crisis
Boris Johnson is always quotable, but this is one of his best.
The EU’s move to protect the euro might “save the cancer rather than the patient”.
Where would newspapers be without Boris?
The Fightback Against Cable Theft Has Begun
Last night there was a debate in the House of Lords about the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.
Lord Faulkner of Worcester said this, whilst proposing two amendments to deal with scrap metal theft.
As an indication of what we are up against, I would draw your Lordships’ attention to a giant screen advertisement at West Ham United’s football ground,which was seen on 27 September and which, I believe is there on a regular basis. It says, in huge letters, “We want your scrap for cash”, followed by three exclamation marks. All that was missing were the three words “No questions asked”.
So what was the evidence on the 27th of September? The picture is shown here.
Milliband To Pledge To End “Fast Buck” Culture
According to this report, Milliband is going to pledge to end the “fast buck” culture.
Ed Miliband will vow to end Britain’s “fast-buck” culture and ensure the “right people” are rewarded, in a speech to Labour’s annual conference.
The Labour leader will say later that the country needs “a new bargain based on a different set of values”.
Unfortunately, the get rich quick ideas have always been with us at all levels of society. As an example, the only shop I can see from my house is a betting shop. If I go down Dalston High Street, it is a sea of similar shops and pay-day loan companies. And look at the success of those legalised loan-sharks, Wonga.
In fact, it will be much easier to curb, the “fast buck” culture in the City, as many responsible people I know, steer well clear of the more dodgy practices that brought us some of the very high risk financial instruments, that took a lot of banks to their knees. It used to be in the city, that when you invested in Lloyds and similar companies, if it all went wrong you lost everything. Consequently, the risk management was a lot better, proving Dr. Johnson totally right about hanging.
Incidentally, I was urged to join Lloyds and didn’t! Why? Because it’s my money and I like to have some slight control over what happens to it.
Thinking after what I have just written about Lloyds, wouldn’t it have been better to have put the various bad banks like HBOS and Bank of Scotland into receivership, rather than use them to poison Lloyds TSB. After all, they were very much a victim of Milliband’s “fast buck” culture. But NuLabor made the mistake of saving them. And who was at the centre of that process?
What’s In A Name?
There are reports that Staines is going to change its name to Staines-upon-Thames.
Will it make any difference to the punchline of so many jokes. It’ll probably create a few more.
It got me thinking about whether your name makes any difference. For instance if your first name was Eustace, would you ever get elected to parliament. If you were no good, you’d probably get called “Useless Eustace”!
Prime Ministers have also had names with a certain gravitas or style; Churchill, Callaghan, Cameron etc. Even Thatcher and Blair aren’t names without style. But look at the two main Labour figures now. Balls to the man in the pub will always talk bollocks and Milliband is one of those names with milli or very small in it.
So I don’t think that they will get elected, unless they change their names.
The Anonymous Widower 