Author Archives: johnengland55

Uncharitable Thoughts

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This is a very uncharitable thought, particularly at Christmas, but watching the harrowing news of the dreadful floods in the north west of England and seeing footage of the fine historic town of Carlisle looking more like Venice, I couldn’t help myself.

The Government has promised to address the problem and the Prime Minister was very quick to visit the area and present himself for the usual rounds of grim-faced photo opportunities. Mr Cameron expressed his sadness and concern that people’s homes and livelihoods have been destroyed (42,000 homes said to be affected) and the Chancellor, George Osborne, has promised £50 million to help alleviate the suffering. The problem is that experts have predicted that the economic damage could well reach ten times that figure, namely £500 million.

My uncharitable thought was this, why don’t we divert some of the £12 billion earmarked for foreign aid next year or some of the £5.8 billion due to be paid over the next 5 years to the International Climate Fund (more than double the figure set aside to combat UK flooding) to help our own people?

As this blog has commented on more than one occasion, whilst we should always be mindful of our moral obligations, charity begins at home. We must take care of our own and if anything is left over then we can consider charitable donations elsewhere. In a question of priorities why would any rational person ignore the urgent needs of his nearest and dearest?

Referee Abuse

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Last week the BBC reported that, in a survey of over 2,000 football referees, approximately two thirds have experienced verbal abuse on the football field and a fifth have experienced physical abuse, sometimes resulting in hospitalisation.

The survey covered all levels of the game, both amateur and professional, so it’s clear that referee abuse is prevalent throughout the game. Whilst physical assault is rare in the professional game you only have to watch the average Premier League game to realise that verbal abuse and swearing at the referee is fairly commonplace.

I don’t understand why there is such an issue and why it has been such a topic for debate for so many years when the solution is so simple.

The Football Association (FA) should make it clear, with immediate effect and at all levels of the game, that any verbal abuse of a referee will result in the instant dismissal of the player from the field of play. In addition the player will be fined and banned for a fixed period of say 3 games or more depending on the severity of the offence.  Any physical contact with the referee (even pulling his shirt) will be dealt with by a longer ban, a heavier fine and the club will also be punished by way of a fine.

Those clubs with players who persistently offend can be dealt with by points deduction in league games and expulsion from cup competitions. The message would soon get through, particularly in the professional game.

It can work and players must be taught to respect officials and abide by the laws of the game. Just look at rugby, there’s no problem there. All that is required is the will and determination on the part of the FA. But will the FA do anything about it? Probably not, the clue lies in the name!

Back to Rationing?

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With all the political shenanigans of this week it was almost a relief to pick up a newspaper and read about fat (sorry, obese) Britain. Of course, the obesity crisis has been in the news for at least as long as the war against terrorism but it has understandably taken something of a back seat recently.

The latest proposals by senior nutritionists to help us lead more healthy lives were revealed  yesterday.  A Cambridge University Professor of Behaviour and Health, Theresa Marteau, is of the opinion that it would benefit us if we reverted to the 1950s when both plate sizes and food portions were considerably smaller than they are now and so, consequently, were the British people.

Her suggestions make sense since there is always a tendency (and I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of this, from time to time) to eat whatever food is placed in front of us at the table.

Yes, smaller portions on smaller plates could well work but I hope the eminent professor wasn’t suggesting that we go back to the other food related feature of the 1950s, namely rationing, which, after 14 years (beginning in the early days of World War II) only ended in July 1954.

Actually, taking a look at some of the sights on the average British high street, that might not be such a bad idea!

Wise Counsel

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Our national news continues to be dominated by the threat of Islamic extremism while our leaders talk of sending in the RAF to join in the bombing of Isis in their Syrian and Iraqi strongholds. As if bombing alone will sort it out.

On the contrary, a campaign of bombing is likely to exacerbate the problem since when, inevitably, news is broadcast of the deaths of innocent civilians killed in the raids, it will act as a further call to arms to yet more extremists and potential extremists from within our midst. The problem from within is the most challenging of all issues facing not just the UK but all other countries who were foolish enough to open their borders to all and sundry without proper screening.

This is the problem that even our most liberal minded politicians are at last beginning to comprehend. They cannot say that they weren’t warned since, nearly 6 years ago, Nigerian author and Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, who divides his time between Nigeria and the UK, spoke of the consequences of our misguided tolerance by stating  –

“England is a cesspit. England is the breeding ground of fundamentalist ­Muslims. Its social logic is to allow all religions to preach openly. But this is illogic, because none of the other religions preach apocalyptic violence. And yet England allows it.”

We in England and elsewhere in Europe have had experience of that “apocalyptic violence” at first hand, with undoubtedly more to follow.

Well over 100 years ago, a 25 year old Winston Churchill (whose birthday it is today) serving as an army officer in both India and Africa, gave prophetic warning of the dangers of Islam in his book “The River War”. Churchill had gained wide experience of  Islam both fighting with and against Muslim soldiers in India and Africa. Whilst he had a favourable view of the individuals who served under him he feared the religion and the “fanatical frenzy which is as dangerous to a man as hydrophobia (rabies) in a dog”.

He further warned that “the influence of the religion paralyzes the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world.”

Nothing has changed in that time except that the danger has increased and has now come to our doorstep.  Only a fool ignores the counsel of the wise but, unfortunately for us, it seems we have been governed by fools for quite a few years now.

Helicopter Parents

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During a recent trip to the USA, whilst watching a current affairs television programme, I encountered an expression I’d never heard before. The expression was “Helicopter Parents” and it refers to parents who “hover” over their children and control their lives. I soon learned that it isn’t a complimentary term.

According to a child psychologist, helicopter parents typically micro-manage all aspects of their children’s lives. They control their relationships with adults (for example teachers, sports and group leaders and neighbours) without allowing the child to express him or herself individually and personally.

Such parents refer to their child’s activities in the first person plural by saying things like “we are going for a football trial today”, “we are going to a swimming party” or “we are going to cub camp this summer”. They usually do their child’s homework and refer to it as “our homework”.

I must admit that I, for one, have never seen the sense of parents doing their offspring’s homework for them (as opposed to providing requested advice) since how will children learn if they aren’t allowed to think things through and learn from their own mistakes? Are the parents going to sit their exams for them? Are they going to accompany them to their first job interview? How on earth are children going to manage in the world when everything has been done for them and they are not required to think for themselves?

It was hard to disagree with the conclusion that parents living their own lives vicariously through their children are doing them no favours at all and in fact quite the opposite. Ultimately, the child (unless a member of the aristocracy or maintained by Daddy for  life) is going to sink or swim as a result of his own efforts, not those of his “Helicopter Parents”.

Broadening the Mind

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One of the greatest benefits of living in the free world is our freedom of movement and the ability to travel virtually wherever we want. I am lucky enough to do it for a living and one thing I have learned is that there is nothing better than travel for developing an understanding of what is going on in the world around us.

Travel puts a true perspective on our own lives and makes us realise that, once we leave our little bubble of familiarity and comfort, we are actually not quite as significant as we may think we are.

One of the most important lessons of travel is surely not so much what we see but what we learn. That is the subtle difference between a tourist and a traveller. The tourist takes his photographs and buys his souvenirs but the traveller not only does that but, travelling with an open and receptive mind, he learns from what he sees and the people he meets, giving something back to those with whom he interrelates.

Probably the greatest hope for humanity is that youngsters all over the world take to the seas, skies and roads and travel as far and as wide as they possibly can. They would then learn one of life’s great truths, that fundamentally, irrespective of skin colour, religion, culture or belief, human beings are pretty much the same.

The true value of travel is therefore not so much the places we visit but the people we meet along the way and if life’s extremists could only open their minds and travel a bit perhaps we might end up with a safer world.

As Mark Twain once famously said “I aint never seen a well-travelled bigot”!

 

The Passing of a Giant

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The world of sport was shaken a couple of days ago by news of the death, through illness, of Jonah Lomu, the giant Tongan, at the far too young age of 40. I have the good fortune to be in New Zealand at the moment where the passing of the first global superstar of rugby union and one of the greatest of All Blacks has naturally dominated the headlines. I’m sure that the same is true of media throughout the world since, so great was Lomu’s athletic prowess that people who in the past had paid little or no attention to his sport suddenly looked up and began to take notice.

Like every other rugby fan, I will never forget his explosion on to the world scene when, aged only 20, he lit up the 1995 South Africa World Cup and almost single-handedly ripped England apart (why pick on us?!) in the semi-finals. He ran through the England players like they weren’t there, a force of nature, a human steamroller with the speed and agility of a gazelle, for it wasn’t just his power that left his opponents grasping at thin air and gasping in his wake.

By all accounts he was both a gentle man and a gentleman, his humility, modesty and courtesy off the field the direct opposite of his ferocity on it. He was quietly spoken, thoughtful and giving of his time to his legion of fans, always taking time to give autographs and speak to the youngsters who idolised him.

Jonah Lomu was a big powerful man, strong, kind and with the quiet dignity and presence that only such men can possess. The world of sport has lost a giant in every sense of the world.

Time for Action

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Tragically, the world witnessed another entirely predictable slaughter over the weekend, 129 dead and counting. There will be others, of course, and next time it could be London, Manchester, Berlin, New York or maybe even Paris again, in fact anywhere in the world inhabited by we “unbelievers”.

Well, what are we going to do about it? Naturally, Western leaders have expressed outrage, President Obama has talked of crimes against humanity, Prime Minister Cameron has talked about sharing the pain and all have talked of solidarity with France which is all very well and good, but, to repeat the question, what are we actually going to do about it?

This is deadly serious, literally, and the only sensible statement I’ve heard from any politician has been the response of French President Hollande, who said that we are “at war”. We are, the whole of the civilised world is at war with the extremists of Islam whose self-proclaimed aim is to destroy us.

The United Nations, according to its own charter was set up to safeguard the security and liberty of sovereign nations and their citizens. Sadly, we all know that the UN is worse than useless and so it has to fall upon the civilised world, namely us and all our freedom-loving allies, to unite and defend ourselves.

There is no choice but to form an armed coalition and put men on the ground in Syria and Iraq, in fact, anywhere where these psychopaths congregate, and neutralise the threat, whatever it takes. At home we have to be more vigilant than ever and must sadly abandon our failed policy of tolerance and get tough with those who live within our midst and whose self-avowed aim is our destruction.

This will inevitably bring forth allegations of breaches of human rights from the liberal politically correct elite who have such a big say in Western government but, too bad. As long as the authorities act rationally and in a cool measured manner, safeguarding the rights of law-abiding citizens, we have nothing to fear.

If there is another realistic alternative then, I for one, have yet to hear of it. This is not a game, this is deadly reality. Our leaders have talked too much, now they must act.

Old Grog

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Yesterday was the birthday of one of England’s most famous admirals, Admiral Edward Vernon, born November 12th, 1684. He made his name in the War of the Spanish Succession when he took part in the British capture of Barcelona in 1705.

In 1739, during the War of Jenkins’ Ear (so called because British Captain, Robert Jenkins had had his ear cut off by Spanish coastguards – only the British could go to war over somebody’s ear!) Vernon’s forces captured the Spanish town of Porto Bello in Panama. Upon his return to England, Vernon was feted as a hero and was granted the Freedom of the City of London. His victory led to the public debut of the song “Rule Britannia” and one of the city’s thoroughfares was renamed Portobello Road in his honour.

He has the distinction of having a drink named after him too, since, in an effort to prevent excessive drunkenness amongst his sailors, he ordered that the rum ration be weakened to 1 part rum and 3 parts water. To make the drink more palatable, lemon or lime juice was added to the mix. This is one reason why Americans still to this day refer to the British as “Limeys”! However, more pertinent to this story, the resulting drink was called “Old Grog” since this was Vernon’s nickname due to his practice of wearing grogham coats – grogham being a type of coarse fabric.

He also took part in the failed attempt to capture Cartagena from the Spanish in 1741, one of his officers being George Washington’s brother, Lawrence, who named the family plantation “Mount Vernon” (now one of America’s most visited properties) in honour of the Admiral.

After his service in the Royal Navy, Vernon moved into politics and became an avid Parliamentary reformer, striving to improve the fighting efficiency of the Navy. He died in 1757, almost 50 years before the Navy’s greatest ever triumph at Trafalgar, and there is a monument erected to his memory at Westminster Abbey.

Spare him a thought the next time you pour yourself a glass of grog!

Biker Chat

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I was out on my motorbike the other day and was waiting at some traffic lights when another motorcyclist complete with pillion, possibly his wife, pulled up next to me. Instinctively we looked the other’s bike up and down, I think both admiring what we saw.

It then occurred to me that men probably look at motorbikes the way they look at women and the way women look at men – and other women, of course!

Anyway, we got into a brief conversation about our machines which, for some reason, like cars, boats and planes, are nearly always referred to as female.

Just before the lights turned to green, my new friend concluded “Yes, she’s not a bad old thing and she always starts first time. The exhaust blows a bit these days but she’s still a good ride and I have no intention of trading her in just yet”.

Confident that he was still referring to his motorbike I nodded politely, wished him a safe journey and accelerated off before the lights changed back to red!