Unnatural Occupation

For my sins, I've just finished a couple of weeks of starting work at 5:00 am. This has meant that I've been getting up at 04:30 and I was surprised just what a strain this has been. We're just not made to be conscious in the small hours and I'm thoroughly glad to be returning to a normal life pattern...

Bad Luck, Bruv

I've just watched my brother's TV quiz show appearance on the Beeb. Sadly, his team lost. They did come in second, but I doubt if that will be enough for David...

Go,Bruv !

I've just heard that my brother's going to be appearing on BBC1's "Come and Have a Go...if You Think You're Smart Enough" this coming Saturday evening. His name's David Clark, so if you're watching, why not give him your support...

Happy Birthday, dear Bard

Tomorrow, apart from being St. George's Day is also Shakespeare's birthday. In honour of this, I propose that nobody sends any text messages via mobile phone for the day.

After all, what better way to mark the birth of the man who gave so much to the English Language than to spurn that which is steadily wrecking it!

'Allo, allo, allo...

There's currently talk about deploying "positive discrimination" within the ranks of the Metropolitan Police by fast-tracking officers from minority backgrounds for early promotion. I think it's time for a quick look at the whole concept of positive discrimination.

My view on this is that the idea's a politically correct nonsense. Dicrimination is just that - it's all a matter of how you look at it. What's positive to one person will inevitably be negative when seen from somebody else's viewpoint, or to put it another way, two wrongs don't make a right.

Surely, it would be a better idea to tackle whatever the underlying causes are of the minorities being under-represented in the police in the first place.

Reality Check

Apparently, railway workers are to be balloted over strike action. The issues at the heart of this dispute involve pay and pensions, with the rail union having been offered a pay rise of "just" 3%.

The projected rate of inflation in last month's budget was just 1.75%, and I personally know a great many people who are being offered pay rises worth 0%. Taking this into account, I'm going to have a great deal of difficulty finding any sympathy for the RMT's members!

Personally, I'd love to be offered a 3% payrise. My own union are currently in discussion with my employers over our payclaim. We've been offered 1.7% and I've little hope that anything else will be on the table...

Another I'd like to buy...

When I was just a lad, I was absolutely car crazy and the car I wanted above all others was the Reliant Scimitar GTE. Compared to the Marina/Cortina/Capri dross around at the time the Scimitar really stood out.

I've not seen one around for many years until, over the space of three days last week I saw two different Scimitars drive by. This set me to thinking - is there a market for something like that now? For sure you can buy things like BMW 3-series tourers or Audi A4 Avants, but for all their fancy names they are small estate cars, although of course very good ones.

What I'd like is a 21st century Scimitar - a "long roofed 3 door coupe". This blend of style and practicality must be viable, surely?

Let's Stop Pretending

Even if the current fighting in Falluja is suspended under a cease-fire, I really can't see how the Americans have the remotest chance of handing Iraq back to the Iraqis at the end of June, which is what they have stated they intend to do. At the very least, I think the Americans have a duty to stay as long as is necessary to sort things out - if they can't face this they should never have invaded in the first place.

Personally, I can't help thinking that this timetable is driven by Bush's wish to be reelected at the end of this year rather than any benefit for the Iraqis.

While we're on the subject Mr Bush, how's the search for those weapons of mass destruction going?

The Plague of Perambulating Potting Sheds!

Driving along towards Hove this afternoon on a lunchtime errand, I was less than delighted to find all the traffic backed up and crawling forwards at around 40 mph. As the road we were on is a dual carriageway with a 70 limit, this seemed a little slower than necessary and as I looked ahead I soon saw why.

Ahead of us were a pair of caravan-dragging cretins who for some reason had decided to parade along in a line-abreast formation. Never mind the fact that most of us are still at work and not on our holidays, these guys were taking their time...

Of course, this is a sign. The weather seems to have turned a bit chilly and wet, the mobile-home crowd's infesting the roads - conclusion: bank holidays approaching!

Er, thanks for sharing that...

Earlier today I popped down to the local shops with the dog. On the way back, as happens quite often, an elderly couple came up to me, saying what a lovely dog Kane is, and proceeded to make a big fuss of him. Of course, there were no objections to this from either me or, particularly, from the dog.

As usually happens on these occasions, I got chatting to the couple who'd approached us. It transpires that they'd also had a border collie, who they'd loved very much. What I could have done without was a symptom by symptom discussion of the illness that had ended their dog's life at the age of fifteen...

Kane's now fourteen and, I'm pleased to say, so far as we know, he's pretty healthy. Long may he remain so!

My Wife Doesn't Understand Me!

Following a tip-off from a mate (thanks Pete!) I've just ordered the upcoming DVD box-set of the original three Star Wars films. We've had a DVD player for about four years and these films have consistently been top of my "I Want" list!

This being the case, I was a little taken aback when Michele asked me when the next film (Episode III) is due. "Sometime next year" I replied, at which point she said that there wouldn't be any rush to watch the box-set...

Oh yeah? As it is, I won't actually receive the DVDs until September, and I won't be waiting much after that I can assure you!