390 days ago
It seems that Britain’s marches for Palestine where folks are allowed to shout about Jihad, killing Jews and the Police say that thereare many way of interpreting Jihad and killing Jews and that this is not a hate crime are now a weekly occurrence, to take place every Saturday. And that means there is already talk of an especially big march on Saturday 11th November, one that will almost certainly pass by the Cenotaph. I suspect you and I know what that means.
1106 days ago
I wear a red poppy to remember brave men and women of ALL countries who died fighting, all too often futile, wars. Charlotte wears the poppy below, here in Britain, with a flag on it suggesting that while she remembers the dead of ten* EU states who fought with Hitler she does not remember the dead from the country she lives in, free Britain. Whatever. Charlotte is severly ill with #BrexitDerangementsyndrome. This armistice day let us also include her in our prayers.
1459 days ago
I buy a poppy in remembrance of my Great Uncle Francis Cochrane who died while fighting the Germans in North Africa in 1942. I hope my cash helps an ex serviceman or servicewoman in need. But does it?
1481 days ago
EU-loving loon Femi Oluwole may have lost the Brexit battle but he is still fighting the woke wars and today his attack is on poppy wearing which, as you can see below, he terms a “war-related campaign”.
2583 days ago
A few years ago I wrote about how I felt a sense of resentment at the moral pressure to wear a poppy at this time of year. The Paddington stares of disapproval if you did not wear one were just becoming a little too sanctimonious. There seemed a race by broadcasters, politicians and other virtue signallers to be the first to display a dash of red on their lapel. Why wait for November 11 when you can start wearing a poppy in early October? In fact why not buy one in September?
2931 days ago
I despair about the liberal elite. After Brexit and Trump they still don't get it as some idiot on Radio 4 demonstrated again today. Oh well, now it is over to the Italians to give them their next kicking. I cover their awful reaction to Trump today HERE. Then it is onto Trump, economics and the market then Mobile Streams (MOS) and them in detail the dodgy goings on with the Avanti Communications (AVN) share price.
2939 days ago
I am a reluctant poppy purchaser for reasons that i have discussed here but wandering into the Co-Op in my father's village of Shipston a little old lady stood outside offering me the chance to buy. As you would expect, here in the Warwickshire countryside, she was silent and dignified and with her tray looking rather too full I popped a quid in the tin and picked up a poppy.
2943 days ago
Long term readers will know that I have mixed feelings about wearing poppies, I still resent the idea that one is castigated for not wearing one but on the other hand I do respect those who have given their lives for this country and don't respect those who abuse poppies or who lambast those who do wear one. As a libertarian I'd like to be able to either wear a poppy or not without anyone passing judgement.
3709 days ago
I write this on the train from Reading to Bristol. A journey of bike, car, plane, train, train is almost over. I am back in the UK. I am back in a land of folks with horrible tattoos, of fat people swilling beer in concreted pub gardens, of nasty, smelly and expensive takeaway food. I am back in a land of surveillance cameras where there are far too many people jostling each other to get ahead. I am back in a Country that is just emerging on another illegal war, where jingoism and English or Scottish patriotism combine for a poisonous mix.
On the other hand I cannot wait to see the Mrs who will pick me up at Temple Meads, to give the cats an enormous hug and to catch up on last week’s Downton Abbey. I am really looking forward to a mug of tea, to sitting in my back garden looking at the grapes which we will harvest tomorrow to turn into wine. The Mrs has videod the start of the new season of Dallas and the episode of Corrie when Ken returned to the Street. I am sure the Mrs will cook me a wonderful supper. But I can’t but help think about my friends in Kambos who will be gathering right now at the Korounis taverna, run by lovely Eleni, to chat, watch the football and look out on the stars in a clear sky.
As I rode into Kambos on Friday night it was one of those splendid Greek evenings. The sun was going down but it was warm and as I headed down snake hill the valley opened up before me. The – I think – deserted monastery or convent stood solid in front of me, up the hill above the spring. Further along the valley is a small house where the village baker lives. Why would anyone leave?
To Eleni’s to load videos and upload articles and to enjoy one last portion of her meatballs. Knowing that it was my last night Vangelis (the man in the pink short, not the man from the frigana chopper/snake repellent shop or the Vangelis who will win an Olympic gold in frigana chopping) bought me an ouzo. Naturally I reciprocated and I was soon sitting there with both George’s, Nikos (the football man) and a new pal Dimitris.
4394 days ago
Kent Police have arrested a man for posting a picture of a burning poppy on twitter. This is fascism. It is not what folks died to protect in World War Two. It is not justifiable and if Kent Police wish to arrest me as well for calling them Fascists I shall be at 91-95 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1r 5BX on Wednesday at noon. I shall see you then.
The Fascists, sorry Kent Police force, released an official statement saying that the man, from Aylesham, was detained on Sunday night on suspicion of making malicious telecommunications and that he was in custody awaiting interview.
You will note that burning a poppy, though distasteful, is not illegal.
