Mick's Page 2.

2011-10-01T23:33:00.000+01:00

BRISTOL - My City. .......

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Soy sticky wing

2010-05-25T12:14:00.001+01:00

Sticky Oriental Soy Chicken Wings

Description: This recipe is quick and easy to make, and the wings can be eaten straight away or eaten cold as a picnic snack. The sticky soy makes a great marinade for other meats too and can easily be adapted to suit individual tastes. Always ensure that your meat is cooked properly before consuming.



Ingredients: Whole chicken wings - 1.8 kg Light soy sauce - 2 tbsp Dark soy sauce - 2 tsp Honey - 2 tbsp Freshly minced/grated ginger - 1 tbsp Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp Rice wine - 2 tbsp Toasted sesame seeds to garnish -

Preparation: Wash the chicken wings in cold water and pat dry using kitchen paper. If you wish to have buffalo-wing style pieces, cut the wings into two sections, discarding the wing tips. Place the chicken wings in a large bowl or other container and add all the remaining ingredients. Using your hands, mix the marinade into the chicken well, massaging the marinade into the meat. Cover the bowl and leave to stand in a refrigerator; preferably overnight. Grill or barbecue on a low-medium heat to ensure that they are cooked through. Alternatively, they may be baked at 200°C (390°F, gas mark 6) on the middle shelf of the oven. Baste every once and a while to ensure the wings do not dry out. To test whether your chicken is cooked properly, prick a wing with a sharp knife and press the meat beside the cut. If the juice from the chicken runs clear, the meat is cooked. If there is any sign of pink in the juice, the chicken will require further cooking. If desired, toasted sesame seeds may be sprinkled on top of the wings to provide aroma and make them more attractive.

Notes: If you cannot get your hands on chicken wings, you could try other cuts of chicken like drumsticks or tasty chicken thighs. Why not also try experimenting with other ingredients to create delicious variations of this recipe? Add a few teaspoons of freshly minced chilli or chilli sauce to give your wings a kick. Add some freshly minced garlic for yummy garlicky wings. Substituting the ginger and honey with tomato ketchup and tabasco gives great American-style buffalo wings.

2009-09-28T11:33:00.004+01:00

You're My Best Friend.

From Extracted tooth

Click on photo to enlarge.

Would you Believe it - !!!.

2009-01-19T10:53:00.003Z

- Would you Believe it - !!!. - [The answer.] -

Neither version is correct all manipulated by aerosol and flour. Proves I have a warped sense of mind and imagination.

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Thank You.

2008-08-21T20:01:00.003+01:00

- My friends I thank you -

Hi Jenny, Fabby and Daffy [twice].

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your thoughts, wishes and concern for me while I was in, going through and coming out of my ‘Dark Period’. They helped me a lot.

Thankfully I don’t suffer with this disorder [call it what you want] too much, in fact I can’t remember the last time I’ve sunk so low, all I know is this that lately I’ve gone through a number of compulsory and self imposed changes, some health related for my life style and my way of life, a lot of them for age reasons and some financial changes, [but who hasn’t] Some of them are good but most of them are not so good. These restrictions and voluntary imposed changes are necessary for me to maintain the life style I want or what I expect.

I know this and for sure its absolutely correct that once the authorities have got their evil claws into you, [know details about who, what and why you are] once they have you on their computer program then there is an unrelenting stream of letters, e-mails, telephone calls asking [demanding] an explanation why you are not conforming to the rules on their regulations for the expectations of how a person is supposed to react or what you should be like according to their computer predictable graphic charts for a person within my age group or in my circumstances. - [no exceptions].

I will admit, I am an odd ball, a one off if you like, when the good Lord made me he must have thrown away the mould, I don’t suffer fools gladly, mix it with me mate and the world will come down on your shoulders like a ton of bricks, I believe right is might, I believe in the rule of Law, I might not agree with the Law [rules and regulations for the majority] but I will conform and abide by them.

I ask for nothing other than what is rightfully mine or or what I’m entitle too, I don’t sponge off the state nor do I invent circumstance to reap the benefit of some allowance or other. On some of my interviews [interrogations] with some official department being treated and almost accused of being a person who wants something for nothing, someone who is on the fiddle, someone who is a fraud and intent on obtaining benefits or allowances which I’m not entitle too. I know this and its absolutely true that if I fill out and complete a 32-page application form for some benefit which they say I’m entitle too the amount weekly will increase by a whopping amount of 15-pence, big deal - !!!!. Have you ever been confronted with a 32-page form asking questions which for the life of you you can’t understand and come to that neither do they for when I’ve ask for assistant at the local area office to fill out the form they don’t understand it either. Bah -!!!! It wouldn’t surprise me if on some of the questions they asked me what toilet paper I used, what colour, how many sheets and how often I flushed the Loo. [Oh by the way I purchase my toilet paper, Sea Blue from Sainsbury’s] Is it any wonder I tell them to get stuffed, what they can do with their extra allowance and walk out in disgust. [Suffice to say if I get an extra 15-pence per week increase in my allowance that puts me into a different tax bracket where I have to pay more taxes on my income - I ask you where is the justification in that].

With every thing that was going on, demands on my time, demanding letters, threats of legal action, telephone calls, e-mails, personnel visits, form filling, questions and more questions, the never ending interference on me by some bureaucratic interfering complex administration hell bent on making me conform to their procedures. A tremendous amount of pressure. My out going solutions not meeting my incoming demands. My e-mail box filling up, each morning more ‘demanding letters’ on the front door mat, the worry of getting ‘it’ right was beginning to wear me down, but, hey, wait a minute, where was my resolve, where was my ‘don’t let the bastards grind you down’ attitude, I was suffering from ‘what's the best option, give into them, anything for a bit of piece and quiet’, I became like a nail being driven into a plank of wood, with each successive hit with the hammer being drive farther into the the wood. ‘Hey’ wait a minute, what’s going on here, this is so not like me, the authorities getting the better of me, them telling me how I should conform, them telling me how I should live, them telling me how I should conform to their expectations for my age and circumstances, It sudden hit me [sorry excuse the pun, suddenly hit me] they don’t tell me, I ask and tell them what I want and expect. With my army training, the best form of defence is attack gathered information from the internet on the Rules and Regulation for my particular circumstances for the various department that were demanding my response and action . I began picking those departments off one by one quoting chapter and verse and came up trumps, they had no case to answer - !!!!

I have one case, one official department to which I’m quoting charter and verse too, I’m soft peddling with that one at the moment. [they have been understanding and quite nice too me].

Although the ‘fight’ is not over, I have still have a little way to go before I’m really back to normal, I know that I wouldn’t have managed to come this far with out me knowing about your concern, your best wishes, your thoughts for my speedy recovery. I thank you - Mick XXX

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Funny insurance claims

2008-07-15T10:36:00.006+01:00

- Funny insurance claims -

The statements below are taken from actual insurance accident claims forms. They are real, true. Read 'em and laugh and be glad it wasn't you.

You can't make up this kind of stuff, or can you - !!!. Judge for yourselves.

Incidents with Pedestrians.

* The pedestrian ran for the pavement, but I got him.
* The guy was all over the road. I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him.
* I was sure the old fellow would never make it to the other side of the road when I struck him.
* To avoid hitting the bumper of the car in front I struck a pedestrian.
* The pedestrian had no idea which way to run as I ran over him.
* The car in front hit the pedestrian but he got up so I hit him again.
* I saw a slow moving, sad faced old gentleman as he bounced off the roof of my car.
* A pedestrian hit me and went under my car.
* I saw her look at me twice. She appeared to be making slow progress when we met on impact.

Accidents with other vehicles.

* I collided with a stationary truck coming the other way.
* A truck backed through my windshield into my wife's face.
* The other car collided with mine without giving warning of its intention.
* My car was legally parked as it backed into another vehicle.
* When I saw I could not avoid a collision I stepped on the gas and crashed into the other car.
* I started to slow down but the traffic was more stationary than I thought.
* The accident occurred when I was attempting to bring my car out of a skid by steering it into the other vehicle.
* I was backing my car out of the driveway in the usual manner, when it was struck by the other car in the same place it had been struck several times before.
* I was unable to stop in time and my car crashed into the other vehicle. The driver and passengers then left immediately for a vacation with injuries.
* The gentleman behind me struck me on the backside. He then went to rest in a bush with just his rear end showing.
* The car in front of me stopped for a yellow light, so I had no choice but to hit him. (She pushed him through the intesection)

Collisions, calamities, and injuries.

* Coming home I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree I don't have.
* I told the police that I was not injured, but on removing my hat found that I had a fractured skull.
* I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law and headed over the embankment.
* I thought my window was down, but I found it was up when I put my head through it.
* As I approached an intersection a sign suddenly appeared in a place where no stop sign had ever appeared before. I was unable to stop in time to avoid the accident.
* In an attempt to kill a fly, I drove into a telephone pole.
* I saw two kangaroos having it off in the middle of the road. So I hit them, which caused me to ejaculate through the sunroof.
* I was thrown from my car as it left the road. I was later found in a ditch by some stray cows.
* The telephone pole was approaching. I was attempting to swerve out of the way when I struck the front end.
* I pulled in to the side of the road because there was smoke coming from under the hood. I realized there was a fire in the engine, so I took my dog and smothered it with a blanket.
* The claimant had collided with a cow. The questions and answers on the claim form were - Q: What warning was given by you? A: Horn. Q: What warning was given by the other party? A: Moo.
* Who is to Blame? No one was to blame for the accident but it would never have happened if the other driver had been alert.
* I didn't think the speed limit applied after midnight.
* I had been shopping for plants all day and was on my way home. As I reached an intersection a hedge sprang up, obscuring my vision and I did not see the other car.
* The indirect cause of the accident was a little guy in a small car with a big mouth.
* I was going at about 70 or 80 mph when my girlfriend reached over and grabbed my testicles so I lost control.
* I was on the way to the doctor with rear end trouble when my universal joint gave way causing me to have an accident.
* On approach to the traffic lights the car in front suddenly broke.
* The accident was caused by me waving to the man I hit last week.
* Windshield broke. Cause unknown. Probably Voodoo.
* No witnesses would admit having seen the mishap until after it happened.
* I had been learning to drive with power steering. I turned the wheel to what I thought was enough and found myself in a different direction going the opposite way.
* The accident happened when the right front door of a car came round the corner without giving a signal.
* I had been driving for forty years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had an accident.
* I left for work this morning at 7am as usual when I collided straight into a bus. The bus was 5 miniutes early.
* An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck my car and vanished.
* I knew the dog was possessive about the car but I would not have asked her to drive it if I had thought there was any risk.
* The accident happened because I had one eye on the truck in front, one eye on the pedestrian, and the other on the car behind.
* I started to turn and it was at this point I noticed a camel and an elephant tethered at the verge. This distraction caused me to lose concentration and hit a bollard.

Funny insurance jokes.

An actuary, a lawyer and an accountant are discussing the merits of having a mistress or a wife. The lawyer reckons it is better having a mistress, because the wife can take everything if you should come to a divorce. The accountant reckons it is definitely better having a wife, from a taxation perspective. The actuary reckons it is better having both, because when you are not with the wife, she thinks you are with the mistress, and when you are not with the mistress, the mistress thinks you are with the wife, and that way, you can spend more time at the office. [TRUE news story, NOT a joke. Maybe - !!!!].

[For me this one is is priceless].
A lawyer in Charlotte, NC purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars, then insured them against fire among other things. Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of these great cigars and without yet having made even his first premium payment on the policy, the lawyer filed a claim with the insurance company.
In his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost "in a series of small fires." The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason: that the man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion. The lawyer sued....and won! In delivering the ruling the judge agreed with the insurance company that the claim was frivolous. The judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be "unacceptable fire," and was obligated to pay the claim. Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000.00 to the lawyer for his loss of the rare cigars lost in the "fires."
But... After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance company had him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON! With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case used against him, the lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000.00 fine.

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Anna’s Story

2008-06-09T11:05:00.001+01:00

- Anna’s Story -

A few years ago now in my block of flats where I live, a new tenant moved into one of the vacant flats [ground floor], they never caused any trouble to start with, very quiet and seldom seen by me.

Over a period of time I learnt they - [Anne and Richard] were a young recovering pair of drug addicts and both were ‘tagged’. They were know to the police, they were know to the Social Services, they had had many appearances in front of the Magistrates for drug and drug related offences, they had been sentenced with many forms of punishments, community service etc. they had been allocated a council flat which was their last chance to go straight and get ‘clean’.

On a shopping visit to the local shops in passing I met up with Anne and Richard for the first time, they seemed prepared to engage me in conversation, no problems there for me for I will talk to anyone. I found them to be most congenial and happy. On one occasion they met up with me on their landing, I suspect they had been waiting for me to return from a shopping trip and invited me into their flat for ‘a cup of tea’, reluctantly I agreed. Yes, reluctantly for me its just not my way to get to close to my neighbours. It was abundantly clear that they had made a special effort to entertain me and prepared everything in advance, tea, biscuits and sandwiches. It was very noticeable their flat had just a few items, an old settee, one out of date TV, one chair, [no carpet on the floor], cold with no heating. The kitchen, one very old cooker, no fridge or freezer. Curtains, a couple of old moth eaten blankets. I also notice that everything was scrupulously clean, no smells. You may not be aware that for some places you visit your flesh crawls and no way would you drink anything let alone eat anything. I had no reluctance for that visit. They told me that I was the only one person who would talk to them and that all the other tenants had ignored them.

Over the following months I learnt a lot about Anna and Richard, I spoke to the local beat policeman, the local care social worker, the council, a few of the supposedly care in the community charities, all of them reluctant to give me any information or to help them in any way. It seemed to me they had just ‘given up’ - so be it. Sorry, not good enough, for me, here was a young couple trying desperately hard to reform their lives and getting no support from the authorities who were supposedly their to support couples like this

Horror of all horrors, one morning I saw the door of their flat completely smashed in, being concerned that some terrible event had happened phoned the local police station only to be informed that they, the police had forced an entry at 0600-hrs to the flat to arrest the occupants. It transpired that Anne was released on ‘ a no charge’ as no way was she implicated in the charge of burglary and assault by her partner Richard. [being held in custody and eventually got sentenced to three years].

Anna.
Her story and history as I understand it:

She is a very pretty young lady, 24-year old- [that’s two years ago now], 5-foot three-inches in height, very slim. possible under weight, very long hair - [mousey colour reaching down to her buttocks when tied in a pony tail - OK I know I’m a sucker for long haired girls]. Complexion, face, a little bit spotty, I put this down to her life style but clean in her personal and hygiene habits.

Over the many months after she was left by her self [her then partner Richard being incarcerated] she told me many home truths about her short life.

At the age of 16-years she left ‘home’ because of the abuse she received from her mother and sisters and the abuse she received from the many ‘boy friends’ her mother had.

When she came to Bristol she met up with organisation who specialised in way ward females and given a job in one of their many outlets, there she met with Richard, unfortunately for her she didn’t know that he came from a family of trouble makers and it wasn’t before long that he was trying to prostitute her ‘services’ for money to support his drug habit. She told me she never did and I believed her.

Many occasion I would have a tap on my front door late at night to find Anna there in a very distressed state, many reasons for this, sometimes she hadn’t eaten for three days, she was cold and lonely, she had no money, she was being harassed by the authorities, being harassed by the police, it seemed that her troubles were never ending for her. On these occasions I would feed her, allow her to have a bath, listen to her.

I formed a special ‘bond’ between her and me, a father and daughter bond, instinctively she seemed to know this, although on two occasions she did offer her female services to stay with me for the night as for some small payment. On one occasion I know my resolve was taxed the limit, Anna was very proud of her long hair and on one nights visit she asked if she could wash her hair and would I help, no problem with that. much to my surprise she stripped off her blouse and lent over the sink. Me washing her hair with shampoo, drying with the hair dryer, combing and then brushing, what man wouldn’t given those circumstance have taken advantage, I must admit it taxed me to limit, I did get excited but I didn’t disgrace myself - no regrets.

There’s many stories I could write about Anna and her troubles, the troubles she had with the friends of Richard, smashing all her windows in, the three months she slept rough, being to scared to return to her flat, the lack of community support. No one wanted to ‘help’ her. The night her flat was broken into, the time she was brutally sexual assaulted, not raped, the time I took her to the hospital, the supermarket visits, the doctors visits, police visits.

I admit that I was heart broken when I learnt that she was gone, she had vacated her flat with out any notice to any one, I felt why on earth did I bother, no gratitude, no small word of thanks, no thanks for all of my Christian work, the thoughts, actions I had done for her not that I wanted for her to bow and scrap with thanks, just some sort recognition for the good deeds I had done.

Imagine my surprise on Christmas Day when I opened my mail and presents - [Note: I don’t open anything until then] there was a letter and a card from Anna, Wow - fantastic. The card, not one of the Woolworth’s fifty in a card box for 50-pence type but a card with meaningful words in together with a number of kisses from Anna.

The letter, in her hand writing [ink] three pages long, she opened up her heart to me telling me how sorry she was that she hadn’t said good bye to me when she left and a thank you for all the help I had given her for getting her life back together.

She tells me that she is in a partnership with a honest and sincere partner who is prepared to let bygones be bygones, has gainful work as a waitress, is studying at the local tech college for a qualification. She said that on a number of occasions she had tried to contact me but couldn’t get an answer from my flat.

What better Christmas present could anyone get other then that. - to know you have made a difference to some ones life?

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Visiting Dignitaries.

2008-03-17T09:36:00.005Z

- Visiting Dignitaries -

This is not particularly a controversial subject, though my opinion on it isn’t too unusual as more and more people are thinking along the same lines as I am now.

Most of my life I’ve been a Royalist, sworn allegiance to Queen and Country her heirs and successors etc. I proved this for twenty eight years [Army], most of it on active service also for a number of years after my service expired working on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, honoured and proud to have done so.

Now don’t go getting me wrong I swear my allegiance to my Queen and country. ‘Her Majesty’ in her long rein has done a powerful amount of good. Its all the ‘hangers on’ in the upper Royal Family/Circle that I have absolutely no tolerance and zero respect for.

I ask you to think on, in your family or circle of friends do you know another family quite like the Queen’s family and relations

The Queens sister: divorced, had a dubious life style and it is alleged had many ‘boy friends’.
The Queens eldest son: divorced, had a long adulterous affair during his marriage with his so called mistress.
The Queens daughter: divorced.
Second son: divorced.
Third son: I’ll make no comment here although it is alleged that there are number of questionable questions to be asked and answered.

There is no doubt in my mind the Royal Family who have a very privileged position should lead the country by setting an exemplary example, judging from the above what do you think?

Now I come to “Who pays for them”?.

The Queen, [7.1-million pounds] and The Duke of Edinburgh £359,000 are the only members of the Royal Family to receive an annual parliamentary allowance [The Duke of Edinburgh allowance to enable him to carry out official public duties supporting The Queen].

Most of the allowances received by members of the Royal Family are spent on staff who support their public engagements and correspondence.

In 2000 the annual amounts payable to members of the Royal Family (which are set every ten years) were reset at their 1990 levels for the next ten years, until December 2010.

Apart from an increase of £45,000 on the occasion of The Earl of Wessex's marriage, these amounts remain as follows:

Did you know since 1993, The Queen has repaid to the Treasury the annual parliamentary allowances received by other members of the Royal Family other than that paid to The Duke of Edinburgh. [I admit I don’t know nor can I research this but I wonder if the these repayments are paid from the Queen’s annual allowance.]

Parliamentary annuity Her Majesty, 7.1-million pounds, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh £359,000

Parliamentary annuities (repaid by The Queen)
HRH The Duke of York £249,000
HRH The Earl of Wessex £141,000
HRH The Princess Royal £228,000
TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, TRH The Duke and Duchess of Kent and HRH Princess Alexandra £636,000

[Of the £636,000, £175,000 is provided by The Queen to The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, £236,000 to The Duke and Duchess of Kent and £225,000 to Princess Alexandra.]

For me the Queen is value for money, but the rest of the hangers on, no way-!!!.

Note: I’m fed up to the back teeth hearing about whether Prince Harry should go off and do front line duties fighting for his country or not. So what-!!!. I know that if Prince Harry no doubt as good as a soldier he is, had join my troop of soldiers both them and me would put as much distance between him and us as possible. Why - you work it out.

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The very mention of a visit by a ‘Royal’ person, whether planned [a formal occasion] or private visit to any location brings with it a whole host of activities.

Suddenly, various agency’s find money to do a ‘Make Over’ on the planned route, pot holes get filled in, roads hosed down, graffiti mysteriously gets removed or painted over, over night flower beds which have been completely baron for weeks sprout flowering plants. Lorry loads of workmen appear erecting crowd barriers covering ‘offending’ signs, removing litter bins, welding manhole covers and storm drains grids tight shut, buildings repaired and tarted up, the list is endless.

Policemen by the bus load, police cars and police motorcyclist zooming around all over the place, police sharp shooters positioned on strategic roof tops. - [Under cover and plain clothed cops [?]], Special branch who appeared a couple of days before the Royal visit and possible still present. Roads get block off, traffic diverted, restricted area imposed and whoa betides anyone who falls foul of this. [I did once and got marched off very firmly even when I had a photographer’s pass to be in that area]. The public are marshalled into specially defined selected areas like a herd of sheep

A long line of local dignitaries [more often than not accompanied by their wives] to be presented to the Royal visitor. Why is this?, surprisingly they can suddenly make themselves available. I know when I have telephoned asking to speak to one of them to be told: “Sorry he’s [or she] not available: at a meeting, away on holidays, visiting another department, out on inspection, off sick”. I am told to write a letter or send an e-mail stating why I want to speak to them or the question I want answers for or why I want an appointment and they will get back to me. Yea sounds good but they never do. - Bah-!!!.

On the number of times I have bludgeoned my way through a whole hosts of underlings and get to speak to someone in authority, asked my questions: “Why is it that [various faults] are not being repaired, replaced, improved, only to be told there’s no money left in the budget to rectify the ‘fault’ - Really, then how come they can mysteriously find money for the extra cost for all these ‘activities’ for the Royal visit. I am baffled.

Off the boil now slowly simmering down - Rant over.

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Democratic Nomination 1.

2008-03-05T09:52:00.002Z

- Hilllary Clinton comeback wins key votes -
[Quick update for Super Tuesday]
'She’ is still on track. Senator Hillary Clinton does it again -
- Yippee -

Hillary Clinton has revived her campaign for the US presidency with projected primary election wins in three states. She has taken the Democratic primary polls in Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island.

Mrs Clinton never flagged when the questions were raised as to whether she could survive beyond Tuesday. Early on Tuesday evening, four hours before the polls closed, Terry McAuliffe, Senator Hillary Clinton's campaign manager, predicted they would win the three states.

So what has made the difference? Firstly the economy. It is the issue that matters most to the American voters. also there was another reason behind Mrs Clinton's comeback. Mrs Clinton stressed her experience and offered to help those who got into debt. She had specific proposals aimed at those suffering from the American downturn

The economy was the most important issue for Democratic voters in all four states, especially Ohio, according to exit polls. The Iraq war was a close second in Vermont.

Those polls also suggested Mrs Clinton was doing well among white, blue-collar and older voters in Ohio, which may indicate she has halted Mr Obama's advance into those groups, her core base until recent contests.

The Clintons are legendary fighters when their backs are against the wall.

2,025 delegates needed for nomination.
Hillary Clinton
16 states, 1,391 delegates

Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas

Barack Obama
24 states, 1,477 delegates

Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington state, Wisconsin
Barack Obama still has a narrow lead over Mrs Clinton

Vote for Hillary - You know it makes sense.
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Barack Obama

2008-01-27T13:31:00.000Z

- Democrat Barack Obama triumphs in South Carolina -
[no surprises there for me]

US presidential hopeful Barack Obama has secured a decisive win in the South Carolina primary election, as he bids to be the Democratic Party's candidate.

It was an overwhelming victory too - he finished with 55% of the vote, against 27% for Hillary Clinton and just 18% for John Edwards, who may now have to accept that his campaign is doomed.

The result is a boost for Mr Obama's campaign ahead of Super Tuesday on 5 February, when 24 states vote for who they want to run for US president.

Key to Mr Obama's victory was the support of African-American voters, who made up about half the electorate and four-fifths of whom supported him, according to exit poll data. About 17% supported Mrs Clinton. Surprisingly one fifth of the African-American voters supported Ms Hillary.

Mrs Clinton's campaign issued a statement saying she had called to congratulate Mr Obama and wish him well.

Former President Bill Clinton, who has been campaigning on behalf of his wife, told a rally in Missouri that Mr Obama had "won fair and square".

Polls in key states at stake on Super Tuesday show Hillary Clinton ahead.

My comment: Barack Obama wins as much as I expected, the polls had it dead right. From the reports I have read It looked as if it was a good clean fight between the candidates. Well done.

Vote for Hillary - You know it makes sense

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Romney secures Michigan victory

2008-01-16T07:58:00.000Z

- Republican Mitt Romney secures Michigan victory -

Senator John McCain, who came second, congratulated Mr Romney, saying he had worked hard to ensure he won the vote.

Michigan did not figure in the race for the Democratic nomination because of a party dispute over scheduling. - [Comment: What’s all that about?].

The Democratic Party denied Michigan the right to send delegates to its convention - when the party's presidential candidate will be chosen - because the state party chose to hold its primary early.

Of the Democratic frontrunners, none campaigned in the state, and only Hillary Clinton had her name on the ballot.

She won a majority of the votes cast, but a substantial number went to the ballot listing for "uncommitted".

The campaigns for rivals Barack Obama and John Edwards had urged supporters to vote "uncommitted" to prevent Mrs Clinton seeming to make a clean sweep.

As the Michigan results came in, the Democratic candidates were taking part in a debate in Las Vegas, Nevada, where caucuses will be held on Saturday.

Mrs Clinton and Mr Obama promised to end their damaging dispute over racial politics.

Mr Obama spoke of the importance of coming together as a people, while Mrs Clinton said: "We're all family in the Democratic party."

[South Carolina on Saturday?].

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New Hampshire's Primary

2008-01-09T08:29:00.000Z

- Hillary Clinton does it -

Hillary Clinton has won New Hampshire's presidential primary, beating rival candidate Barack Obama into second place.

Observers say it was a record-breaking turnout, with some half a million people having cast ballots.

Senator Clinton told a cheering crowd of supporters that: "I come tonight with a very, very full heart. I want especially to thank New Hampshire. Over the last week I listened to you and in the process I found my own voice. I felt like we all spoke from our hearts and I am so gratified that you responded”.

48 states left to go, Candidates will build momentum before more than 20 states hold polls on 5 February, known as Super Tuesday.

In conceding victory Senator Obama said: "I want to congratulate Senator Clinton on a hard fought victory here in New Hampshire. She did an outstanding job, give her a big round of applause."

Vote for Hillary Clinton - You know it makes sense.
-------------

A point to note:

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. (Jan. 7) - In perhaps her most public display of emotion of the presidential campaign, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s eyes welled with tears, and her voice cracked dramatically on Monday, as she talked about holding up under the rigors of the race and her belief that she is the best candidate for the Democratic nomination.

If it was not an Ed Muskie moment — Mrs. Clinton did not cry (or look like she was crying) — she was certainly on the verge of it after a woman asked her, at a round table discussion at a coffee shop here, how she managed to get out of bed and soldier through each day.

“How do you do it?” the woman, Marianne Pernold, asked. And, with a touch of humour, she added, “Who does your hair?”

“It’s not easy, it’s not easy,” Mrs. Clinton replied slowly. “I couldn’t do it if I did not passionately believe it was the right thing to do. It’s very personal to me.”

At this point Mrs. Clinton’s voice softened and lowered to a near-hush, and she spoke more haltingly.

“I have so many ideas for this country, I just don’t want to see us fall backwards,” she said, her eyes visibly wet, as a row of news photographers began snapping away to capture the moment. “It’s about our country, it’s about our kids’ futures.”

“Some of us are right some of us are wrong,” she continued, firming up a bit — and sounding, some reporters felt, either angry or resentful about Senator Barack Obama. “Some of us are ready, and some of us are not. Some of us know what we’ll do on day one and some of us don’t.”

-----ooo000ooo-----

Vote for Hillary Clinton

2008-01-04T13:49:00.000Z

- Vote for Hillary Clinton -

For goodness sake the great voting American public ‘WAKE UP’. You know it make sense.

Are the American voting public being so blind that they can’t see or are they being sexist, there is only one Democratic candidate for the presidential nomination and surely that must be Ms Hillary Clinton. I am at a loss to understand why they can’t see this.

Here we have a lady who when being talk to her lowers her chin in a way that seems both winning and deferential and shows a lot of teeth. Her hair style is short, practical bob that suits her best, there is colour in her cheeks and quite a bit of make-up in the creases below her eyes, but hey what lady of 60-years doesn’t. We all know that she cannot match her husband Mr Bill - [X President] for sheer charisma, but she does have some, in fact quite a lot. She can unleash a surprising raunchy giggle and has learnt the knack of instant engagement apparent to those who are fortunate to meet her. She has the aura of power, which is charismatic, but, sorry Ms Hillary, still seems awkward when out and about with the voters, perhaps that’s what redeems her. I am told she is quite nice. In her presence she gives out that feeling of something of a Mum-in-charge, efficiency, control and determination that all Mums have.

In her book Living History, her 2003 memoir she says, “were to stay married to Bill [we all know and can guess the reason for this] and run for the Senate”, she says that had she decided either question differently she would not have run for the White House.

After eight disastrous years with Mr George Bush America yearns for the good old days of peace and unprecedented prosperity which they had with Mr Bill Clinton. Whether or not this is logical is not the issue.

One of the truisms that have emerged from the million of words written about Ms Hillary seems that we all know about her yet not to know her at all. Perhaps surprising he age is not an issue in her campaign. You can scour the internet for comments, barbed or otherwise and come up blank, although if she wins she will be far older than her husband Bill or George Bush when they came to power [46 and 54 respectively]. Sixty might be a milestone, but to all American who expect to live to 90-years it may be a milestone to maturity rather then a pension.

Wake up America don’t be a sexist nation, make history, go for a first women President - vote for Hillary Clinton.

What I would like to see is a ‘Head-to-Head between Ms Hillary the nominated Democratic candidate and the Republican candidate nearer to November.

For me the out come from this meeting ‘joie de vivre’ so be it.

-----ooo000ooo-----

Facebook v Blogging Page 2.

2007-11-25T08:32:00.000Z

Hi Geeky Tai-Tai.
Thank you kindly for your comment.
Facebook verses Blogging
- [What ever platform] -
- Original post on Mick's Page -

Believe me I wasn’t knocking My Space or Facebook or any other similar programs and the people who use them nor did I want to give the impression that Facebooker’s [etc] were somehow less intelligent than Bloggers

It is said that Facebook is the acceptable face of blogging - you can reflect your life and personality online without being seen as a 'blogger', which often carries a geeky stigma. I been called many things in my life but never been called a geeky person before. I’m not too happy being stigmatised, me being a blogger I am now smeared by being socially disgraced and that I am and all other bloggers are shameful. Really, let the reader judge for themselves!!!. - [Note: Facebook and similar does carry a bigger security risk then blogging].

Facebook certainly seems to be your ‘thing’ and its good to see that you are using all the facilities to the full, that’s what its all about - good for you. Agreed, a tremendously good way to keep in contact with all your friends and relations. Instant messaging and visual contact as well.

STICKCAM: I don’t use it now so often so its got pushed to the bottom of the ‘things’ I use. The only reason why it’s still installed is that I have a friend out in the Middle East and we occasionally chat, she [like you is a speed typist 100-wpm plus], types and I reply visually, works quite well. Her daughter up in London will occasionally come on line and we chat but that’s not Sickcam but a Mac install program called iChat [fantastic] up to TV quality reproduction and instantaneous pictures, no time delay. - [I am told that iChat will not work on PC’s unless anyone knows better!!!]

I too have a Reader for my blog - [Web page and private internet pages] for the internet programs I have installed, instant notification of a new entry - I like that.

COMPUTER GAMES - [Applications]: I only have two installed on my computer, one came pre-installed and the other I purchased and only because the cost had been reduced from £139.99 to £30.00 - Guess what?. Yes it was is an army/war program, 15-levels of conflict and so far I have only got to level three.

Chess, now that’s a different story. Many years ago now a computer ‘friend’ of mine mentioned he was a chess player so we started to play chess together over the internet. For 12-months I never won a game. I thought I was pretty good at chess because in my youth I was the Southern Area Champion for a year. How come then I never won one game, try as I might, I just couldn’t beat him, I tried everything, setting up a chess board at home spent hours and hours moving pieces around until I thought I had the right move.

After a year of never winning and me giving him much praise with many internet trophies and scrolls of achievement told him I was becoming frustrated and getting damn cross at never winning. He replied “Think about it Mick, think, think, think - why?", I suddenly twigged, it came to me in a flash, the bastard was using his computer to work out the moves. I sent him an e-mail telling him I had worked it out and called him “An old fart and he was ******* & *******". We had a good laugh and I do mean a good laugh, he said, “It got you thinking didn’t it Mick” - that’s for sure. We still play but it’s now computer against computer, overall we are about even in winning. - Good fun. [The bleep button isn’t working too well]

NOTE: I do seem to have opened up a can of worms with my post ‘Facebook verses Blogging’ the number of e-mails I received is amazing and alarming, some with good arguments for and against, some, however are from very sick people who for reasons I can’t fathom out seem to take delight in using gratuitous foul language to explain their points of view, they get binned straight away. For the good ones I thought I would copy and paste a few of them on my blog for visitors to read as well but without the originators permission I will not do so.

Given time I will reply to those who need replying to.

Geeky Tai-Tai once again thank you kindly for your comment.

Your “To each his own -- viva la difference!”, I like that especially the Viva la difference! I like saying that with a heavy French accent - beautiful.

-----ooo000ooo-----

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR].

2007-11-15T09:24:00.000Z

Introduction

A stopped heart deprives the brain of precious oxygen. Do CPR - short for "cardiopulmonary resuscitation" - to help prolong life while you wait for professional medical assistance.

Initial Assessment

Step One
Determine if the surrounding scene is safe.

Step Two
Tell someone nearby to call 999/911.

Step Three
Determine if the injured person is breathing.

Step Four
Position the injured person on his or her back, being extremely careful not to move or twist the head, neck or spine. If several rescuers are present, use their assistance to minimise this danger.

Step Five
Maintain an open airway while you pinch the injured person's nose shut.

Step Six
Give two long, slow breaths, being sure to maintain a seal between your mouth and his or hers.

Tips & Warnings

* Use latex gloves and a breathing mask to prevent infection or transmission of disease.
* If breaths do not go in, re-tilt the head and try again. If breaths still do not go in, the airway may be obstructed.
* If you suspect a spinal injury, do not tilt the chin to open the airway. Instead, with one hand on each side of the head and facing the injured person's toes, put your index and third fingers in front of the earlobes and push the jaw forward and up.
* If this method doesn't open the airway, revert to the chin-tilt method: the injured person's most drastic need is for oxygen.
* If the person has a severe injury to the mouth, then give breaths through the nose while keeping the injured person's mouth sealed shut.

Secondary Assessment.

Step One
Check again for breathing and pulse.

Step Two
Perform rescue breathing if the person has a pulse, but is not breathing.

CPR - Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Step One
Begin CPR if the person is neither breathing nor has a pulse.

Step Two
Position the hands: find the lower tip of the breastbone. Measure two finger widths towards the head, and place the heel of one hand in this location.

Step Three
Place your other hand on top of the first hand, interlacing your fingers of both hands.

Step Four
Lean forward so that your shoulders are over your hands.

Step Five
Push downward on the chest, using the weight of your upper body for strength. Compress 15 times in 10 seconds.

Step Six
Give two more slow breaths after the 15 compressions.

Step Seven
Do 15 more compressions followed again by two slow breaths.

Step Eight
Perform the 15-compression, two-breath cycle a total of four times.

Step Nine
Re-check pulse and breathing.

Step Ten
Continue repeating this entire cycle - four sets of chest compressions and breaths followed by re-checking pulse and breathing - until the injured person regains a pulse, until professional medical help arrives, or until you are too exhausted to continue.

Tips & Warnings

* Use the weight of your upper body to aid in compressions so that your arms don't get tired.
Switch off with another rescuer to save energy for both of you.

-----ooo000ooo-----

BMH's v NHS.

2007-09-28T11:54:00.000+01:00

A reply to Geeky Tai-Tai comment.
- [Part One] -
Thank you kindly for your comment.

In my research and through personal knowledge how Service personnel are treated if they become injured or have to be discharged from their service in the military because of their injury. The treatment they receive from the MOD - [Ministry of Defence] borders on being criminal.

I have read reports about how American injured serving and X service personnel have been treated, very similar to us.

My findings from the research shows that some personnel are dissatisfied with the medical treatment they receive from the NHS - [National Health Service]. I have read and seen that there is one wing of NHS-hospital in Birmingham just for injured servicemen and women. Being staff by civilian nurses and treated by civilian doctors and consultants and only subjected to the civilian rules and regulations. Why the authorities closed down all the UK-based BMH’s - [British Military Hospitals] borders on being scandalous. Some money pinching politician thought it would be a good idea to ‘save’ money. [I believe the medical wing at RAF Lynham has now been closed as well -Why?].

Some service personnel who are suffering from some traumatic experience and some deemed to be medically unfit because of their injuries are placed on the NHS-waiting list and its taken some of them 18-months to get the appropriate treatment.

Im not given to commenting on controversial points of view for what is going on around and effects me, but one thing that I get annoyed at are those pundits who sit in their arm chairs in the comfort of their homes or the Political Correct people who think that their comments and views are correct, or the politician who stand up and spout off some verbal diarrhoea about our armed forces.

They have never experienced any thing in their sad lives other then being British and living in the UK where we live a life of freedom. Most of them have very pleasant homes, have a family, possible 2.5-children and from the comfort of their arm chairs trying to put the world to rights. The politicians, who in the House of Parliament stand up criticise and demean our Armed Forces. [Oh yes, there are some]. ....

These people who are so quick to criticise our soldiers and cut back defence spending one of which is the amenities for injured service personnel. Have they ever seen their Mates with their faces half blown away with one eye hanging down on one slim thread, or their intestine hanging out of their stomachs and you are desperately trying very hard to push them back in and stemming the flow of blood, or one leg completely missing and you are searching in the undergrowth trying to find the missing limb, who have seen their Mates hacked half to death with a machete . What will live with me for the rest of my life is the sound of a round hitting one of my friends and then his screams of agony, the blood and gore and all you can do is use your field dressing and administer the self injecting morphine shot hoping it will help to take some of the pain away, for an untrained medical person like me other then the very basic field first aid its not very pleasant, but you just get on with it. [On the two occasions when this happen when I was there, thinking to myself, Thank God its you and not me. Callous, selfish, unfeeling, ashamed - No I think not]. ....

I purposely wrote the above three or four paragraphs to highlight the the fact when service personnel suffer an injury it something way out of the experience of the civilian doctors and nurse’s and they don’t understand the mentality of the causality being a service person.

I had a number of occasions when I attended a BMH, many visits and on two occasion for me, one being a serious back injury and the other a negligently discharge round fired by one of my soldiers hitting me in the groin area, lucky enough only a slight wound, a centimetre to the left or right then I would have been in serious trouble, right inner thigh, one centimetre more to the right then I would now only have one daughter instead of two. - [Lucky me}.

When will the people, who are in a position to make changes relies that Service personnel what to be treated by their own kind in a hospital for service men and women that way they will be understood, what makes them ‘tick’.

-----ooo000ooo-----

QARANC & BMH’s - Part 2.

2007-09-28T11:49:00.000+01:00

The QARANC and BMH’s
- [Part Two] -

When ever you are in a country where there are nasty creepy crawlies you never placed your boots or clothing on the ground, you always hang them on a line slung between the tent posts. This particular occasion one of my Sgts washed his trousers and laid them over the fly sheet of a 160-lbs tent to dry. ....

Next morning when he got up putting on his freshly washed trousers, exclaimed, Shit “I’ve just been bitten”. With in three minutes he was rolling around on the ground. Delirious. ....

Taking off his trousers we found on his thigh a very large red spot with a puncture mark in the centre. Both Johnny Boy [African Askari] and the Medic were quickly on the scene, when Johnny Boy saw the red spot with the puncture wound he looked inside the trousers and then suddenly pointed to a scorpion, a great big black evil looking thing, ‘Not good wahna, not good”. Johnny Boy picked up a shovel and was just about to beat the living crap of it. “No, No,” I said. - [I had been taught if anyone got bitten always try and capture the ‘thing’ and take it in so the medical staff could identify what kind of medication to use, also to restrain with minimal force any moment from the causality thus helping the heart not to pump blood around the body at a faster rate - makes sense to me]. ....

We tied up the trousers by knotting each leg and drawing up the waist band so we captured the scorpion. ....

The white faced medical orderly said there was nothing he could do and that we should get him to the BMH - [British Military Hospital] as soon possible. ....

The Army Landrover Ambulance is not the best of vehicles to travel in, especially if you are in the back, whether as a patient or passenger. I did once, as a passenger and that was once to many. We loaded up the ambulance with the Sgt, Med Ord and two of my soldiers. .....

The BMH 60-miles away in Nairobi, 25-miles across open country, joining up with the main Nairobi to Mombassa highway, and then heading into Nairobi. With our ‘Blue’s and Two’s on, going into and through the Nairobi traffic, scattering cars to the left and right, reached the BMH. [1-hour it took]. ....

Screeching to halt in front of Main Reception of the BMH., I walked through the main doors up to the reception desk closely followed by my two young soldiers and with a fireman's chair carrying my Sgt together with the Med Ordly. ....

At reception a Corporal, sitting there in front of a typewriter, with a KD starched uniform, “Name, Rank, Army Number, Unit, etc. I demanded some medical attention immediately. “Name, Rank, Army Number, Unit, was the reply. I might add that there was no recognition of my rank. I resisted the temptation to reach over the counter, grab the said Corporal round the throat and give him a good thumping .....

I could hear in the background the moaning sounds come from my Sgt, so I knew he was still with us. It had been one and half hours now since he had been bitten, also managed to survive riding in the back of an Army Landrover Ambulance for an hour. ....

I can’t say that I was worried but I was a getting more and more concerned. ....

Now I don’t normally loose my Harry Rag, but on this occasion I did, right then, I’m sorry to say that my usual cool, calm and collective approach to any situation was fast becoming exhausted, and with a loud voice once again demanded some medical attention. ....

Then WOW. ....

Standing by my side not more than 6-foot away was this magnificent LADY - My world stood still for the next ten seconds, not a sound, everything froze, nothing moved, the world had come to a stop,seemed like an eternity at the time. There she stood, hands on hips, magnificent, fantastic, resplendent, A QARANC Captain - [Queens Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps]. ‘Mam’ was standing there all five foot of her. ....

Now I don’t suppose many of the readers of this blog entry will every have seen any QARANC nurses let alone Sisters, they are absolutely ‘Angles’, hearts of gold, but you don’t ‘mess’ around with the ‘Sisters', I’ve seen the biggest and bravest soldiers quake in their presence.

Five foot of feminine presence. ....

Her grey blueish eyes looking at me, making eye contact all the time, like two laser beams, I just couldn’t resist the temptation to look her up and down. Her starched white ‘cap’ over her hair, there was just a hint of greyishness there, the round face with little makeup and those grey blueish eyes. A red cape over her shoulder and three pips on the epaulettes, greyish dress with creases that were so sharp you could cut your fingers on, black low heeled shoes, She wore a row of medal ribbons and a gold watch hanging down . ....

My Goddess spoke, “WHAT'S going on here”. I told her my Sgt had been bitten by a scorpion about one and a half hours ago, desperately trying to remember everything the Med Ord had told me, heart beat, respiratory system. What happened next was that my ‘Goddess’ just seemed to raise her hand, nurses, porters, medical attendants appeared out of thin air, placing my Sgt on a trolley and wheeled him away. ....

“What makes you think it was a scorpion bite”? she asked One of my soldiers stepped forward and threw the trousers at her and said, “Because the bloody thing is still in there”. My Goddess bent down and picked up the trousers turned and started to walk away. I gave her one of my best Sunday salutes, She saluted back and said, “I’ll have that soldiers name”.

I never did meet up with my goddess again even though I visited my Sgt on a couple of occasion.

The Army’s Angles:

Army nurses are based in Medical Centres where they work with Army GPs in Field Hospitals. Some nurses have even had the opportunity to travel to such places as New Zealand, Australia, Kenya or South Africa. There are also army nurses and HCAs currently working in Field Hospitals and with Medical Regiments in Afghanistan and Iraq and they have also been involved in humanitarian work in Rwanda and Angola. In essence, everywhere the Army goes you will be sure to find QA nurses and HCAs ready to care for injured soldiers.

Thank God they do.

-----ooo000ooo-----

Buffoons-Westminster.

2007-09-25T23:50:00.000+01:00

- I’m Bloody disgusted -

This is part of my ‘Petition’, [“Britain failing its armed forces”] I’m preparing at the moment with the intentions of sending it to the chief buffoon in his lair up in Westminster, I have no doubt that it wont do any good but at least I’m trying to make my thoughts and feelings felt.

Is Britain failing its armed forces?

Britain has failed to live up to its duty of care to its servicemen and women, the Royal British Legion has claimed [and I do]. But what kind of deal exists between the UK and its armed forces? When soldiers risk their lives "for Queen and country" what can they expect in return? - [Very little].

Over generations, an unspoken pact emerged between society and the military. - [True].

If you are prepared to make terrible sacrifices, we told our soldiers, then you and your families will be looked after and treated fairly. - [Not true].

The concept may have existed for a long time (some say its origins can be traced back to the time of Henry VIII), but a written "military covenant" has only existed since 2000, and then only for the army. - [Really, well its a piss poor covenant].

Its core principles are taken to apply across all three services.

In Army Doctrine Publication, Volume 5, the covenant warns soldiers they may be called upon to make "the ultimate sacrifice" and "forgo some of the rights enjoyed by those outside the Armed Forces." - [What rights are these].

But in return, it says: "British soldiers must always be able to expect fair treatment, to be valued and respected as individuals, and that they (and their families) will be sustained and rewarded by commensurate terms and conditions of service."

[Yeah, Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson, 23, was injured by a land-mine in September. He is reportedly one of the most seriously injured soldiers to survive].

Payment for injuries: Loss of legs - £115,000, Brain injury - £34,500, Fractures to arm - £2,650, Remaining 34 injuries - no payment

He lost both his legs as well as suffering a brain injury, fractures to his skull, cheekbone, nose, jaw, pelvis and vertebrae, as well as serious damage to his spleen and chest.

The paratrooper, who will need special medical care for the rest of his life, was awarded £152,150. A derisory amount, bloody disgusting].

Six years later the military covenant is under strain. [Now there’s a surprise!!!].

The Royal British Legion, which represents the interests of Britain's serving and former military personnel, has warned that government is in danger of not honouring its part of the bargain. [When has it ever?].

On the eve of the party conference season, and with a general election possibly looming, the Legion is urging the public to lobby for improvements in compensation, physical and mental healthcare and support for bereaved families. [They will promise all and then do nothing].

The military, and particularly the army, is facing extreme pressures. [When haven’t they]

Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have, of course, resulted in death and injury. But they have also put a sometimes harsh spotlight on how the government supports service personnel and their families.

Bereaved families waiting years for inquests; soldiers returning from tough tours of duty to shabby accommodation; soldiers suffering post-traumatic stress disorder and feeling let down by the system: a steady flow of such stories in recent years have caused senior military commanders to wonder if the covenant is in danger of being abused.

When local residents living near a military rehabilitation centre in Surrey objected to a nearby property being converted to accommodate family members visiting injured relations, some wondered if society as a whole was in danger of turning its back on the military. [Disgusting, NIMBY - they should be ashamed of themselves].

The Legion is demanding improvements in three key areas: physical and mental healthcare, support for bereaved families and compensation for those who are injured.

This last issue was highlighted by the case of Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson whose award of £150,000 for severe multiple injuries was criticised by his family and campaigners.

The Legion says there are still "fundamental problems" with a new armed forces compensation scheme introduced in 2005.

It says awards are not generous enough and it condemns the fact that in cases of multiple injury lump sum payments can only be made for three of them. [Why only three?]

Following the publicity surrounding Lance Bombardier Parkinson's compensation award, the MoD launched a review of similar cases.

Armed forces minister Bob Ainsworth says "significant progress" is being made in many of the areas highlighted by the Royal British Legion, but he admits that "fulfilling our part of the deal is not always easy and takes both time and money". [Significant progress is being made - Yeah, what? - "fulfilling our part of the deal is not always easy and takes both time and money". - That statement just about sums up what the buffoons think of our Armed Force’s - Take as much time settling the claim, perhaps it might go away. Amount of compensation, the least amount possible and then let them fight for more - Right!]

Words and report by Paul Adams BBC defence correspondent - Italics are mine.

Note: One more post to come: 'Army chief warns of social 'gulf''.

------ooo000ooo------

Bill and Hillary Clinton.

2007-09-05T08:36:00.000+01:00

Bill and Hillary Clinton planning Irish fundraiser

He first came to help bring peace to Northern Ireland, but the next time Bill Clinton visits Ireland will be to fill a £249m election war chest.

His wife, Hillary, is aiming to become the first woman US president.

The Republican and Democrat parties are expected to choose their presidential candidates in early 2008, before the election in November.
The Clinton campaign aims to hold a fundraiser targeting Democrat supporters living in Ireland. Irish-born publisher Niall O'Dowd, who is on the finance committee of the Clinton campaign team, believes Hillary has a lot of support among ex-pats in Ireland.

"I know there is a plan by the Clinton campaign to hold a fundraiser in Ireland for American citizens and green card holders," he said.

Obama

"There is a view that raising money abroad is actually an option now because there is such intense pressure to raise money within the US for all the political parties.

"A fundraiser in Ireland could actually work very well for Hillary Clinton because there is a tremendous amount of support among ex-pat Americans here for her."

The Clinton campaign team is currently raising money at the rate of £6m a month.

It is not clear if fellow Democratic Party candidate Barack Obama, who has ancestral links to Monegall, County Tipperary, aims to fund raise in Ireland.

"It has become a game of money raising, not really politics and that is the sad thing about what is happening in American politics," Mr O'Dowd told RTE Radio.

"Constant, constant fund raising is taking over the message of what is happening in healthcare, in Iraq.

"The obsession within the campaigns is 'get the money in the bank'."

The former US president made several high-profile interventions in the Northern Ireland peace talks.

Last year he attended the Ryder Cup tournament in County Kildare and also spoke at a "leadership seminar" in Dublin's Burlington Hotel costing £675 a head.

Source: BBC-news.

My comment: I honestly didn’t know that ‘they’ were going to visit the UK before I posted my ‘Bill Clinton’ post - I wonder if they read my posting and are taking my advice? [!!!!!!] - I think age, time and money precludes me from going over to Ireland to be a paparazzo. I wish them ‘Good Luck’ with the fund raising.

-----ooo000ooo-----

Answer to Geeky Tai-Tai.

2007-09-01T11:00:00.000+01:00

- Comment answer to Geeky Tai-Tai -
Geeky Tai-Tai - Good day to you.
Thank you kindly for your comment.

Waste of any kind always makes me annoyed - I was going to say, ‘too get cross’, but I don’t allow myself to feel that emotion.

That amount of money wasted especially as part of it is my money makes me wonder if my voting to change over to a new authority was such a good thing.

My battle plan is drawn up, - [armed with all the necessary facts and figures] the committee will get both barrels. I’ve done my homework.

Its not my way to shout and become abusive but I go very quiet, speak very clearly, question and question. I admit I am looking forward to the confrontation.

I realise the only good that will come out of it is possibly will make them sit up and take notice and that future ‘waste’ will be avoided.

Will report on the outcome.

Side Note: I am very impressed with your Stickam that I am experimenting with now, I think I may only use it for my children/grand children and not for general viewing, I feel that anyone looking at my ugly mug might be ‘put off’ from ever visiting my blog page again.

-----ooo000ooo---

Mr Bill Clinton.

2007-08-28T11:41:00.000+01:00

- Comment answer to Geeky Tai-Tai -
Hi Geeky Tai-Tai - Greetings.
Thank you kindly for your comment.

Mr Bill Clinton for me was a terrific President he certainly made the world sit up and take notice and I believe that on the US of A’s home front he brought in a lot of new legislation that improved and benefited the American citizens.

Just to hear him speak, his many speeches I listened to, sometimes at 2 or 3-o’clock in the morning - [UK-time] broadcasted by one of the many stations I tuned into on my computer. One occasion I remember he was due to speak at a conference in Glasgow [Scotland] and it would be transmitted on UK’s Radio 5-live station. I set my bedside clock radio alarm for the time of the broadcast - [0400-hrs] and listened to his speech, truly amazing. Now I’m not given to leaping about or going off into a frenzy flag waving spasm but for the three quarters of an hour he spoke I hung on his every word. When he finished his speech he was given a standing ovation with his audience clapping and cheering, likewise I was clapping as well, goodness knows what my neighbours thought of that, perhaps they thought I had flipped my lid at long last.

I had the good fortune once to photograph him and almost got to speak to him but very gentle and firmly got shepherded away by the minders.

Given he was and a very practice and good orator, for me the content of his speech always made sense.

Its a shame that a US of A President are not allowed to serve longer then two terms as President, I watched on TV the hand over from Mr Clinton and the inauguration of Mr W Bush, very sad feeling. One piece of advice my Mum gave me and I’ve never forgotten it, was, and I don’t want to be disrespectful “Always be careful of a person with piggy eyes and a thin lip smile” - need I say more?.

Mrs Clinton for the next President, if I could vote she would most certainly get my vote. I’ve read a number of her speeches although I don’t understand a lot of what I read, to many big long words but she seems to cut the mustard and comes from the same mould as her husband. I feel sure it would do her campaign a lot of good if she did a UK-tour, get to know and let the British people see and listen to her.

You say “Hilary certainly one tough lady”, agreed, just what the US of A needs right now.

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Encounter with a Water Buffalo

2007-08-22T12:53:00.000+01:00

Encounter with a Water Buffalo
- Hi The Happy Suffer - Greetings from me -

[For this long comment to your post I am starting a new new Blogger Page - [might be called page two!!!., don't know what I'm going to call it yet, it's still in it's experimental stage at the moment, a new look for me. I am going off into the paid adverts again hopefully I will be more successful this time].
I read many Good Blogs which I would like to comment on but when I have written a reply they are always so long that I feel that it is in appropriate, I'm not one for the one line answers, a good written post deserve a good comment. My main page, Mick's Page is being revised with a new look]

Your post ‘Watch Out’ reminds me of the time I was involved in a
TA with a Water Buffalo.

I was riding shotgun in the back of an open jeep in the Kuala Langot area [perhaps not the right spelling, if memoir serves me correctly a mango swamp area] moving at speed, 60-mph, as one did in those days, [less of a target for the the CT’s] a long straight stretch of good tarmac road when we saw a water buffalo 300-mtrs ahead walk calmly out of the bush from the left to cross the road, ‘it’ stopped in the middle of the road.

Why on earth my driver didn’t slow down remains a mystery, we collided with ‘it’ broadside on, the next few seconds after the collision can’t remember what happened other to know we skidded from side to side down the road landing up in the ditch some 150-mtrs farther on, the rubber scorch tyre marks on the road proved that. I looked back to see the water buffalo facing the way ‘it’, [we must have spun it around] had come from down on ‘its’ front knees, thinking that it was in pain and ‘it’ was damaged so much that it couldn’t move, walked towards ‘it’ with the intention of putting ‘it’ out of ‘its’ misery. As I approached it, it stood up, I got to within about 50-mtrs when it turned his head and looked at me, its sorrowful eyes saying what the hell, you bloody fools. Immediately my mind went into top gear, “What should I do if it charged”, Run, I thought NO for I knew I wouldn’t be able to out run it although in those days I was young and fit I remember very clearly - ‘Shoot it’.

You know as I do the water buffalo with it huge horns has a massive thick skull but with my high velocity jungle rifle hopefully could dispatch it with a head shot, what would I do if my shot ricochet off, I might just have time for another shot. Well thankfully that wasn’t called for. With one last glance at me, 50-mtrs away amble off in to the jungle. The only damage to it that I could see was a 3 to 4-inch small gash to its rib cage.

Walking back to my jeep found the front bumper bar hanging off, the front wheel station bent back at 90-degrees and underneath the chassis, radio’ed for recovery, sometime later when they arrived they ask, “What did you hit?’ when we told them, a water buffalo they asked, “Where’s the body?” when we told told them it walked away I just know they didn’t believe us.

My advice to any one is that wild animals have the right of way, lets face it they have been there longer then we have and the country side belongs to them.

I could tell you another story about how a Giraffe wrote off a land-rover of mine in Kenya.

Note: I feel sure I see brown bears in your photograph - [I never saw any bears in Malaya] OK, sorry, no criticism intended, I see the analogy here, Bears verses Buffalos on the road.

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Experimental Template.

2007-08-18T13:07:00.001+01:00

New Template.

For some time now I’ve been thinking about changing the layout of my blog, A number of visitors have commented that they find the black back ground with the white writing is a little difficult to read, a touch of being a little too stark, perhaps.

Sitting here -[Saturday morning] with time on my hand, nothing left to do for I am up to speed with all my ‘work’. Yesterday - [Friday], is always a busy day for me as that is the day of the week I do my weeks shopping at the local super market, cook all the main meals for the following week and freeze them. Household chores, washing - I am always surprised how much dirty washing there is, dust around - where the hell does that all come from in just one week, hoover right through my flat, catch up with all the washing and wiping up of all the cooking pots - I dislike any of my cooking pots to show the burnt residue of previous cooking, inside and out, none of that teflon non stick substance for me, all buffed up like new.

Computer - a complete back up onto an external drive, go through my ‘to do’ lists and program the i-Cal diary for the next week.

Television - Go through the next weeks listings and program the DVD-player to record the programs I want to watch at a later date. Catch up with all my weekly telephone calls, shift through the unanswered e-mails, write answers and save those ready to send on Monday.

Venture off and learn new updated computer programs.

Weekends for me, well, to be honest I try and stay in as much as possible for I have found that at weekends there are so many doughnuts out there who seem hell bent on self destruction, driving like the idiots they are and I don’t want to become part of that.

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