Slush
Well there goes winter, the thaw has been busily wiping the snow from the streets, leaving sad little piles of sagging white mush where kids (And a surprising number of adults) built snowmen. I’ve been patrolling most of the day, but not doing much (apart from keeping out of everybody’s way) as during the worst of the weather the lines and signs have been mostly obscured. My main focus has been staying warm, keeping dry, and not falling over and making a complete arse of myself.
The news has been full of the H5N1 ‘Bird Flu’ scare, with all the prophets of doom leaping merrily from every knothole. Considering that just over 150 people have died in the entire world from this disease, I think the “We’re all doomed” approach is a complete load of bollocks. Not that I dine of Bernard Matthews finest sliced Turkey meat whatever, but the notion that you can catch a respiratory disease from eating something is a little far fetched to say the least. Although I’m not going as far as Boris Johnson did in yesterdays’ Daily Telegraph. I see his point though; the panic just proves what a lot of pussies there are in the mainstream media.
Yes I said pussies; as in lack of backbone, low moral courage quotient. No wonder a handful of religious maniacs are capable of making trouble for everyone else. They seem so scared of not being politically correct they roll over at the merest hint of trouble. They seem to think that the moral high ground is the only ground worth being on.
As I write I’m looking at my Dad’s World War 2 medals; his France and Germany Star, his 1939 – 45 star, and his Italy star; oh yes and his 39 – 45 service medal. Minesweepers, Corvettes, D-Day on Juno beach, Malta Convoys, then at the end of it all repatriating allied POW’s from Japanese prison camps. He wasn’t a hero; just an AB Signals in the Royal Navy. His medals which I inherited from him and hang on to because I'm a sentimental old curmudgoen at heart were just the ones you got for simply being there. One of the supporting cast you might say. Nevertheless, without the simple courage of hundreds of thousands like him, the world would be a much less pleasant place.
It’s such a crying shame that many people are so gutless they get panicky over a little snow, a few loudmouthed fruitcakes, or a disease that can only be transmitted to humans in extreme circumstances. I’m not the bravest bloke in the world, but I can think of better things to be scared of.
Update:
Seems like I'm not the only one who thinks the whole mess is beyond the pale.
The news has been full of the H5N1 ‘Bird Flu’ scare, with all the prophets of doom leaping merrily from every knothole. Considering that just over 150 people have died in the entire world from this disease, I think the “We’re all doomed” approach is a complete load of bollocks. Not that I dine of Bernard Matthews finest sliced Turkey meat whatever, but the notion that you can catch a respiratory disease from eating something is a little far fetched to say the least. Although I’m not going as far as Boris Johnson did in yesterdays’ Daily Telegraph. I see his point though; the panic just proves what a lot of pussies there are in the mainstream media.
Yes I said pussies; as in lack of backbone, low moral courage quotient. No wonder a handful of religious maniacs are capable of making trouble for everyone else. They seem so scared of not being politically correct they roll over at the merest hint of trouble. They seem to think that the moral high ground is the only ground worth being on.
As I write I’m looking at my Dad’s World War 2 medals; his France and Germany Star, his 1939 – 45 star, and his Italy star; oh yes and his 39 – 45 service medal. Minesweepers, Corvettes, D-Day on Juno beach, Malta Convoys, then at the end of it all repatriating allied POW’s from Japanese prison camps. He wasn’t a hero; just an AB Signals in the Royal Navy. His medals which I inherited from him and hang on to because I'm a sentimental old curmudgoen at heart were just the ones you got for simply being there. One of the supporting cast you might say. Nevertheless, without the simple courage of hundreds of thousands like him, the world would be a much less pleasant place.
It’s such a crying shame that many people are so gutless they get panicky over a little snow, a few loudmouthed fruitcakes, or a disease that can only be transmitted to humans in extreme circumstances. I’m not the bravest bloke in the world, but I can think of better things to be scared of.
Update:
Seems like I'm not the only one who thinks the whole mess is beyond the pale.
4 Comments:
I copied a news article and interjected some extra words to what I think is a typical British media response to a couple of snowflakes on my blog. We are too used to comfortable modern living without much disturbances that we've come to expect it as long as the sun rises and set each day.
I used to work in emergency management, and have gone through a few "scares" on behalf of the organisation I worked for, and it can be disheartening at times when people react to a "situation", and at the same time, heartening to see there are still decent and kind people walking amongst us, readily giving up their time to help strangers.
I was one of the "surprisingly" adults who built a snowman and I loved every minute of it. Check my snowman out on my page.
I was one of the "surprising" number of adults who built a snowman and I loved every minute of it. Check my snowman out on my page.
good points Bill, well brought out.
Gonorr
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