Evening!
It's been a bad day for the Markets with the nationalisation of Bradford and Bingley being announced to the Stock Exchange causing panic. The FTSE fell some 269 points today as banks were told that the first £15bn of any losses would be billed to the banks based in the UK!
You Reap What You Sow!!!
I think I can see thousands of people getting their share of the corpse....no, those are midgies!!!
After years of fucking consumers over, with bank charges and ridiculous small print, the banks are getting a taste of their own medicine!
Do think the BBC's attempted fucking of Chairman Brown is pathetic.
He has as much credibility in the world as Robert Mugabe...
Zero.
Rob :)
Posted with LifeCast
29 September 2008
The Alternative...
Morning,
While I am working this morning, I have been listening to FiveLive in the DAB. They have been presenting a program in Birmingham, where the Conservatives are having their annual conference. The likes of Davis, Duncan-Smith and Ancram, have been on there trying to impress potential voters at any possible election in the coming 18 months or so.
The Tories have over the past 12 months, been taking advantage of Labour's difficulties with the economy and their internal struggle within the party. However, voters are still not convinced with David Cameron's newly branded Conservatives. I think Cameron's recently released book, edited by the editor of GQ hasn't helped matters, in fact it has made Cameron seem distant from the very voters that he needs to get into power.
Another problem that they have is the lack of policy initiatives that there has been. If voters are going to be convinced by them, then this is the time to be releasing them. If there are not many announcements this week, then Cameron is going to be having real problems in the long term in my opinion.
All in all, possibly a make or break week for them.
Posted with LifeCast
While I am working this morning, I have been listening to FiveLive in the DAB. They have been presenting a program in Birmingham, where the Conservatives are having their annual conference. The likes of Davis, Duncan-Smith and Ancram, have been on there trying to impress potential voters at any possible election in the coming 18 months or so.
The Tories have over the past 12 months, been taking advantage of Labour's difficulties with the economy and their internal struggle within the party. However, voters are still not convinced with David Cameron's newly branded Conservatives. I think Cameron's recently released book, edited by the editor of GQ hasn't helped matters, in fact it has made Cameron seem distant from the very voters that he needs to get into power.
Another problem that they have is the lack of policy initiatives that there has been. If voters are going to be convinced by them, then this is the time to be releasing them. If there are not many announcements this week, then Cameron is going to be having real problems in the long term in my opinion.
All in all, possibly a make or break week for them.
Posted with LifeCast
28 September 2008
Weighty Issues
Morning,
I'm doing this as I walk up the town to get some shopping as I'm beginning to prepare my own lunches instead of spending on average of £25 a week on lunches.
That'll mean getting a load of wholemeal pasta, and some decent pasta as well as some foccacia bread, which is gorgeous with pasta (in fact, it's gorgeous with just about anything and everything!)
As for the gym sessions, we are giving that a break after five sessions as well as my Footy evening on Thursday. I'll be back there tomorrow. We are as I said yesterday doing more weight training sessions for a few weeks, following something that I found online, which says that weight training is more useful for weight-loss than actual cardio work. If it works, then it is something to consider long term. If I am honest, I feel like that I have lost weight in the past week, in comparison to the last few months. Don't get me wrong I know that I have a lot in the last nine months or so, but this time it physically feels like it!
I wonder why this is the case. Is it because the weight lost, this past few weeks is fat being replaced by muscle, whereas the weight lost before was a variation of muscle and fat.
One thing is for certain, I feel wrecked in comparison to previous Sundays!!!
Posted with LifeCast
I'm doing this as I walk up the town to get some shopping as I'm beginning to prepare my own lunches instead of spending on average of £25 a week on lunches.
That'll mean getting a load of wholemeal pasta, and some decent pasta as well as some foccacia bread, which is gorgeous with pasta (in fact, it's gorgeous with just about anything and everything!)
As for the gym sessions, we are giving that a break after five sessions as well as my Footy evening on Thursday. I'll be back there tomorrow. We are as I said yesterday doing more weight training sessions for a few weeks, following something that I found online, which says that weight training is more useful for weight-loss than actual cardio work. If it works, then it is something to consider long term. If I am honest, I feel like that I have lost weight in the past week, in comparison to the last few months. Don't get me wrong I know that I have a lot in the last nine months or so, but this time it physically feels like it!
I wonder why this is the case. Is it because the weight lost, this past few weeks is fat being replaced by muscle, whereas the weight lost before was a variation of muscle and fat.
One thing is for certain, I feel wrecked in comparison to previous Sundays!!!
Posted with LifeCast
27 September 2008
What We Don't Appreciate
Afternoon,
Just have to say that it is a gorgeous, late September afternoon here in Folkestone. I'm walking home from the gym having done about 90 minutes there. I'll speak more about that later!
Listened to Liverpool beat Neverton 2.0 in the Merseyside Derby, whilst there. Can't help but feel that we need to winning the games against lesser sides, like we didn't last week against Stoke, if we are going to have a decent go at the title.
Speak laters if I can remember!
Rob :)
Posted with LifeCast
Just have to say that it is a gorgeous, late September afternoon here in Folkestone. I'm walking home from the gym having done about 90 minutes there. I'll speak more about that later!
Listened to Liverpool beat Neverton 2.0 in the Merseyside Derby, whilst there. Can't help but feel that we need to winning the games against lesser sides, like we didn't last week against Stoke, if we are going to have a decent go at the title.
Speak laters if I can remember!
Rob :)
Posted with LifeCast
21 September 2008
All Is Never Well...
Morning,
There are times when I feel that I have done everything in my power to make life easier for my family, yet it is never enough. Let's take this morning for example, I had just given my sister £10 to get some gas and electric, something which I said I would do. No soon as I had done that, Mum began to get on my case, asking if I was going to the gym. I said I wasn't, and she seemed to have a strip in from that minute onward.
So guess what I'm doing now!
I don't know what I can do anymore. It is becoming a thankless task at the moment trying to make things go like clockwork. At least my health is getting that ever so better over the course of time. I am under 14 stone for the first time in nigh on 7 years! And yet, I don't seem to see where it has all been lost. Of course the beer-belly has been reduced, but according to some of my friends who I saw for a drink on Friday evening, it is my arms which have reduced in size.
That's good because over time that will reduce areas such as my shoulders as the exercise has a bigger effect.
Not doing any Cardio today, as my body is tired, so am going to go on the weights for an hour or so. Followed by a lunch of grilled chicken as done by Mum and the sister and subsequently the game between the Dirty Mancs and Chelsea....and then see whether Europe can do a Istanbul on the Yanks in the Ryder Cup....
....then back to work, tomorrow....
Posted with LifeCast
There are times when I feel that I have done everything in my power to make life easier for my family, yet it is never enough. Let's take this morning for example, I had just given my sister £10 to get some gas and electric, something which I said I would do. No soon as I had done that, Mum began to get on my case, asking if I was going to the gym. I said I wasn't, and she seemed to have a strip in from that minute onward.
So guess what I'm doing now!
I don't know what I can do anymore. It is becoming a thankless task at the moment trying to make things go like clockwork. At least my health is getting that ever so better over the course of time. I am under 14 stone for the first time in nigh on 7 years! And yet, I don't seem to see where it has all been lost. Of course the beer-belly has been reduced, but according to some of my friends who I saw for a drink on Friday evening, it is my arms which have reduced in size.
That's good because over time that will reduce areas such as my shoulders as the exercise has a bigger effect.
Not doing any Cardio today, as my body is tired, so am going to go on the weights for an hour or so. Followed by a lunch of grilled chicken as done by Mum and the sister and subsequently the game between the Dirty Mancs and Chelsea....and then see whether Europe can do a Istanbul on the Yanks in the Ryder Cup....
....then back to work, tomorrow....
Posted with LifeCast
19 September 2008
Labour still isn't listening...
Afternoon,
A poll for the independent this morning says that 54 % of Labour voters want Chairman Brown to leave. The poll, done by LabourHome, shows that 24% of those questioned believes that David Milliband would be the right choice for the party.
Obviously, those in Chairman Brown's inner circle has come out fighting, (and there's me thinking they leave that to British troops to do that for them).
How fucking typical of the fascists.
17 September 2008
16 September 2008
Coming Out…
Evening,
Chairman Brown suffered his first ministerial casualty today, when the Minister of State for Scotland, one David Cairns resigned his post, citing concerns that Brown couldn't lead Labour to that magical fourth term success.
The resignation of Cairns hasn't come as much of a surprise to many political journalists within Westminister. Cairns worked as researcher to Siobhain McDonagh and served as a councillor in the London Borough of Merton before getting a seat in Scotland. McDonagh was the first of a substantial number of MPs within the Parliamentary Party to request nomination papers ahead of a potential leadership contest, later in the autumn.
Consider that at 11am this morning the BBC were reporting that Cairns had "no intention of resigning", you do have to wonder whether something was said in the intervening four hours to make Cairns resign, or was he leading the Downing Street Press Office on a endless hike…
Probably.
What it does mean now is that Chairman Brown is now vulnerable, in a way that he hasn't before. The numbers are stacking up, some sources are saying as many as 60. Brown needs to hope that he doesn't have to go up to Manchester next week, with this still on the agenda, as Conference could prove to be a very comfortable time.
It's up for grabs…
Unite Or Die
Afternoon,
The current political situation in the United Kingdom is a unacceptable one for many Social Liberal voters, such as myself. The Labour government has in the main achieved a lot for social justice and for hard-working families, such as the minimum wage and Sure-Start, helping babies and young families have the best possible start in life.
However, with the positives, there have been a lot of mistakes, particularly in the past 12 months, with the debacle over the imprisonment of suspected terrorists for 42 days and worse arguably, the terrible 10 pence tax fiasco - which was to be fair, down to MPs not reading the small print in the budget.
Recently, I have become a regular reader of the Conservative Libertarian blogger, Guido Fawkes, and there is a link to his blog on the right-hand side of the page. Guido has been undermining Chairman Brown ad infintum, and the way that the right dominate the blogging scene is a great concern. Of course, there are left-liberal bloggers like myself as well as Rachel from North London, as well as those who are sympathetic to Labour's core beliefs, such as Recess Monkey.
The political scene in this country has become too centred, where once upon a time, you would have three mainstream parties, one left, one right and one who would be there, to cause mischief. Sadly, those days have come and gone, probably forever. And yet we have no-one but ourselves to blame for this. The electorate has become so concerned about image, that the policies and identity of Parties have got lost in the message.
Therefore, you now have the three parties trying to out-right-wing each other, with more and more draconian policies, which does nothing but make this country a nastier and bad place to live - which doesn't help anyone.
Particularly now, when the Labour Parliamentary Party seems to be taking itself down the garden path to oblivion, it is the right time for everyone in the Labour Movement to come together for a greater good. The movement needs to reclaim the Labour Party, and not allow it to self-implode.
That mean standing together in solidarity behind a leader that will get us that fourth term.
And that man is not Gordon Brown.
Posted with LifeCast
The current political situation in the United Kingdom is a unacceptable one for many Social Liberal voters, such as myself. The Labour government has in the main achieved a lot for social justice and for hard-working families, such as the minimum wage and Sure-Start, helping babies and young families have the best possible start in life.
However, with the positives, there have been a lot of mistakes, particularly in the past 12 months, with the debacle over the imprisonment of suspected terrorists for 42 days and worse arguably, the terrible 10 pence tax fiasco - which was to be fair, down to MPs not reading the small print in the budget.
Recently, I have become a regular reader of the Conservative Libertarian blogger, Guido Fawkes, and there is a link to his blog on the right-hand side of the page. Guido has been undermining Chairman Brown ad infintum, and the way that the right dominate the blogging scene is a great concern. Of course, there are left-liberal bloggers like myself as well as Rachel from North London, as well as those who are sympathetic to Labour's core beliefs, such as Recess Monkey.
The political scene in this country has become too centred, where once upon a time, you would have three mainstream parties, one left, one right and one who would be there, to cause mischief. Sadly, those days have come and gone, probably forever. And yet we have no-one but ourselves to blame for this. The electorate has become so concerned about image, that the policies and identity of Parties have got lost in the message.
Therefore, you now have the three parties trying to out-right-wing each other, with more and more draconian policies, which does nothing but make this country a nastier and bad place to live - which doesn't help anyone.
Particularly now, when the Labour Parliamentary Party seems to be taking itself down the garden path to oblivion, it is the right time for everyone in the Labour Movement to come together for a greater good. The movement needs to reclaim the Labour Party, and not allow it to self-implode.
That mean standing together in solidarity behind a leader that will get us that fourth term.
And that man is not Gordon Brown.
Posted with LifeCast
A Train Journey...
I wrote the following yesterday, whilst on my way home....it'll make sense!!
I'm writing this on the train, coming back from an afternoon of searching for some Calvin Klein boxers for myself as well as a new belt for my ever-decreasing body. One of the things of a train journey, more than any other form of transport in my opinion, is the vast spectrum of society that uses it.
I play a game everytime I'm on the train, where you have to guess which party they would vote for. On this particular trip home, I have the feeling that the vast majority of the commuters on this train are probably going to be voting Tory at the next election. They look like they come from the private, house-owning areas of whatever town they live in.
You can recognize their children from a mile off. I have a couple of this lot over the aisle from where I am. They have this, "don't care a lot" attitude, but they also have the "look at me, I'm special, I don't need to work", like their parents work at some vulturous merchant bankers - with the obligatory 'Macy's' bag to fucking boot.
The news that yet another Yankee bank has gone to the wall makes me smile....a lot.
Lehmans brothers, survived two world wars and the Great Depression, yet like New Orleans, Dubya outlived them both.
The cunts are getting what they have been sowing for years.
A good hiding and not before time.
A good day!
Posted with LifeCast
I'm writing this on the train, coming back from an afternoon of searching for some Calvin Klein boxers for myself as well as a new belt for my ever-decreasing body. One of the things of a train journey, more than any other form of transport in my opinion, is the vast spectrum of society that uses it.
I play a game everytime I'm on the train, where you have to guess which party they would vote for. On this particular trip home, I have the feeling that the vast majority of the commuters on this train are probably going to be voting Tory at the next election. They look like they come from the private, house-owning areas of whatever town they live in.
You can recognize their children from a mile off. I have a couple of this lot over the aisle from where I am. They have this, "don't care a lot" attitude, but they also have the "look at me, I'm special, I don't need to work", like their parents work at some vulturous merchant bankers - with the obligatory 'Macy's' bag to fucking boot.
The news that yet another Yankee bank has gone to the wall makes me smile....a lot.
Lehmans brothers, survived two world wars and the Great Depression, yet like New Orleans, Dubya outlived them both.
The cunts are getting what they have been sowing for years.
A good hiding and not before time.
A good day!
Posted with LifeCast
11 September 2008
Memories Of 9/11
Afternoon,
Today marks the seventh anniversary since the appallng events of 11th September 2001. Four passenger aircraft were hijacked by Islamist Terrorists. Two slammed into the World Trade Center in New York, one into the Pentagon in Washington, and the final plane ditched into a field in Pennyslvania aided by the brave passengers of United 93, who stopped the plane going into it's intended target, possibly Capitol Hill or the White House.
As for where I was that fateful day, I remember being at Crabble Corn Mill, near Dover, working as a volunteer as part of the Government's New Deal Scheme - the first I heard of it was a couple of hours after the actual event about 4pm. Back then I was still using an analogue tuner to listen to the radio - DAB was still a pipedream back then, so it was a case of hoping to have a decent reception, for the trip, to and from the mill. You just knew when the reception was going to snuff out!
Anyway, I stuck the radio on, and heard the reports coming in that two towers had collapsed. That could be anywhere. They then said that the Pentagon had been hit. By what?
Then they mentioned of more planes being in the air. As the reports became clearer and clearer, and the signal got better and better, so we could understand what on earth was going on.
We got to the train station at Kernesey. Now Kernesey is a very quaint station. A complete throwback to stations of old, even then. A world away from the anarchy of New York. The radio had said that the mobile networks were getting jammed, by the amount of people trying to get hold of colleagues and friends the other side of the Atlantic.
I called Mum up, to see if she had any news on the situation. She said that the TV pictures showed a panoramic view of Manhatten. It sounded very dramatic and I couldn't help but be blasé, thinking, 'nag, it can't be that bad.'
How wrong was I.
I got home, with my sister. It seemed that the journey home was one of the slowest and surreal journeys that I had ever undertaken. The weather back then, was no different to how it is today.
Dull, Grey, Misreable.
I remember as we got into the train station in Folkestone, that the foreign secretary, Jack Straw was on Radio 5 and it seemed he was as dumbfounded and knocked back for six as the rest of us.
Who couldn't fail to be.
America had been attacked in a way, not since Pearl Harbor and Midway.
We got home, and then bang. Right across the screen. A stunning, visual image that has remained etched on the conscious of the world ever since that day.
A day of infamy, indeed.
RIP
Posted with LifeCast
Today marks the seventh anniversary since the appallng events of 11th September 2001. Four passenger aircraft were hijacked by Islamist Terrorists. Two slammed into the World Trade Center in New York, one into the Pentagon in Washington, and the final plane ditched into a field in Pennyslvania aided by the brave passengers of United 93, who stopped the plane going into it's intended target, possibly Capitol Hill or the White House.
As for where I was that fateful day, I remember being at Crabble Corn Mill, near Dover, working as a volunteer as part of the Government's New Deal Scheme - the first I heard of it was a couple of hours after the actual event about 4pm. Back then I was still using an analogue tuner to listen to the radio - DAB was still a pipedream back then, so it was a case of hoping to have a decent reception, for the trip, to and from the mill. You just knew when the reception was going to snuff out!
Anyway, I stuck the radio on, and heard the reports coming in that two towers had collapsed. That could be anywhere. They then said that the Pentagon had been hit. By what?
Then they mentioned of more planes being in the air. As the reports became clearer and clearer, and the signal got better and better, so we could understand what on earth was going on.
We got to the train station at Kernesey. Now Kernesey is a very quaint station. A complete throwback to stations of old, even then. A world away from the anarchy of New York. The radio had said that the mobile networks were getting jammed, by the amount of people trying to get hold of colleagues and friends the other side of the Atlantic.
I called Mum up, to see if she had any news on the situation. She said that the TV pictures showed a panoramic view of Manhatten. It sounded very dramatic and I couldn't help but be blasé, thinking, 'nag, it can't be that bad.'
How wrong was I.
I got home, with my sister. It seemed that the journey home was one of the slowest and surreal journeys that I had ever undertaken. The weather back then, was no different to how it is today.
Dull, Grey, Misreable.
I remember as we got into the train station in Folkestone, that the foreign secretary, Jack Straw was on Radio 5 and it seemed he was as dumbfounded and knocked back for six as the rest of us.
Who couldn't fail to be.
America had been attacked in a way, not since Pearl Harbor and Midway.
We got home, and then bang. Right across the screen. A stunning, visual image that has remained etched on the conscious of the world ever since that day.
A day of infamy, indeed.
RIP
Posted with LifeCast
Impressive, Yet I Wonder
Morning,
Following In-Ger-Land's 4.1 win in Zagreb last night, the press have been jacking themselves off over a certain Mr Walcott. No doubt thinking that he is their great hope for the future.
Last time, the press was wanking over such a performance, England had turned over Germany, 5.1 in Munich, courtesy of Owen, Gerrard and Heskey.
Who got through to the World Cup Final, the following year, I wonder?
Why do I think that the performance in Zagreb last night is going to be detrimental to England long-term future?
Such results like the ones in Munich and Zagreb can encourage the masses to fall into absolute overdrive, pressurizing the players further.
Great result, agreed. Will England get far in South Africa? Probably not.
Posted with LifeCast
Following In-Ger-Land's 4.1 win in Zagreb last night, the press have been jacking themselves off over a certain Mr Walcott. No doubt thinking that he is their great hope for the future.
Last time, the press was wanking over such a performance, England had turned over Germany, 5.1 in Munich, courtesy of Owen, Gerrard and Heskey.
Who got through to the World Cup Final, the following year, I wonder?
Why do I think that the performance in Zagreb last night is going to be detrimental to England long-term future?
Such results like the ones in Munich and Zagreb can encourage the masses to fall into absolute overdrive, pressurizing the players further.
Great result, agreed. Will England get far in South Africa? Probably not.
Posted with LifeCast
The Truth Hurts…Whether You Like It Or Not
Morning,
As I mentioned some time ago, there are some issues that I have needed to say out loud, because I think they need to be said. Not because I want to say it, far from it, but because I need to say this in writing. Writing my thoughts out aloud on this blog has allowed me to think more closely about how to convey them. But it comes with responsibility, and a lot more than I first realized when I started out doing this some years ago, on a different blog completely.
Those friends, who are reading this, I dearly apologize for what I say at the bottom of this piece, but again on my side of the fence, it needs to be said – you certainly won't understand where I am coming from on the point that I discuss, but again I apologize. There are a couple of bits on this blog, which until now have been completely unknown to the vast majority of you.
Unfortunately, I have a couple of revelations in this piece which are relevant in this piece. Read at your risk, but don't say I didn't warn you.
Lastly, I apologize if I repeat myself, several times in this piece but this sort of post is not the sort that I do normally. It's not as irreverent, sardonic and dare I say eloquently written as I try to write my blogs normally.
It is about eight years ago since my father decided to walk out on myself and my family, leaving Mum to fend for herself and left her with all of his debts and the various shit that he left behind. My relationship with my father was relatively cordial up to the point of when he left for a younger model. He had left home for 'financial reasons' a year before, citing the lack of payment of his council tax – but I have my own suspicions into why he truly left home. And it wasn't for any of the reasons mentioned above – I won't elaborate much further, that can be left for another time.
At the time of Dad leaving the marital home, I had been back from the Isle of Wight for about a year and had seriously struggled to adapt to life at home, due to the vast differences in lifestyle, between school and home – and the thought of taking my own life had been seriously considered due to this as well as other factors. The lack of friends that I had back then, as well as having no job had amplified this still further. Some will say that I should have been strong for my mother and sister but they themselves wanted shot of him. Having been beaten and bruised by his brutality for the previous few years that I had been at boarding school, which is understandable. But at a time when I needed a father-figure, someone to talk to even, there was no-one to talk to.
The last time I spoke to my Dad face to face, was nearly four years ago – four years this October to be precise. Although there was a flurry of e-mails that were sent between myself and him, that soon dried up. Apart from Christmas cards, I don't have any communication with him.
This is the bit where people are going to be offended – particularly my mother and sister. I wish I could talk to him; there are things that I have to talk to him about subjects that frankly I can't talk to my mother about, and certainly not my sister.
My friends are absolute stars, but even they wouldn't be able understand why I need him.
You see for seven years of my life I was away from home, so obviously I was away from my parents for long periods of time – but at least there was father-figures of sorts there at school, that I could look up to and aspire to be.
When I left school, I lost that influence that had kept me on the straight and narrow and there was a sense within me, that the likelihood of me getting anywhere in life was practically next to nil – having only left school with a couple of GCSEs, and even then they weren't anything to write home about.
Dad at this point was working at a pub in Pluckley, just outside Ashford, opposite the Train Station actually, I remember one story where having forgotten a fresh pair of chef clothes, he called home and asked my sister to drop them off at the train station on the way up to picking me up from Vauxhall Bridge, the half-term before I left school, and there he was on the platform waiting for the train to pull in, with my sister in tow with his clothes for that night. Unbelievable!
I remember the morning that Dad in effect told me that he was leaving home, to move into some dingy apartment down by Marine Parade here in Folkestone. At the time, I didn't appreciate the seriousness of the situation, partly because I was in my own zonked-out world, but as time passed on it became abundantly clear to me that he was seeing someone else – it was probably Boxing Day of that same year, so we're talking 1999 now, where he took me to Canterbury for the day. Back then there was only the out-of-town shops which were open, and I remember him having to buy me a new mobile as mine had died due to one drop to the floor too many.
On the way home, he began talking about the possibility of moving away, he didn't say where or when, but it seemed like a matter of time before he did go.
He eventually told us just two days before he was due to start his new job in Bournemouth. It was days before I was due to start my third spell at college and my spirits were as high as they had been in the two years since I had left school – saying that, that wasn't difficult, considering my two suicide attempts in those preceding years.
Both times I had been persuaded not to go ahead with them by my sister. Both times were attempted down what was East Cliff, nowadays more of a landslip away from being nothing more than a mound. The first time was Christmas 1999, I was working at Argos as part of a training program and I really wasn't enjoying it at all. All I remember of that morning, was having a explosive argument with my mother and sister over my life and how they were controlling me to the point of by remote control, some things don't change that much, unfortunately.
Because I was such an independently minded person I couldn't tolerate the amount of control that they wanted to inject into my life and although I'm back home, now after several months living with a work colleague (former, now), they know that they can't control me. In fact if anything I call the shots now!
The second suicide attempt came on my 18th birthday. This is something that up till now I have decided not to talk about to anyone because people didn't need to know. It is something which is not known to anyone. Not Mum, my sister, nor any of my friends – neither here in Folkestone, nor any of my school friends that I still remain in contact.
The reason was that some junkie who was on the same training course as me, decided to steal my birthday money which had been given to me by my Dad, it was some 50 quid – and both myself and Dad seriously kicked off, sending various messages to the training course, threatening all-out revenge on the little bitch who stole the money. I know full well who stole the money, I know what the money was used for – and here's a clue, it wasn't to feed her family that night.
Anyway, I went down to the training place, the next day. Guess what, the cunts threatened to report me to the police for threatening behavior. Who said it was threats! Because of previous incidents involving myself and the authorities, I didn't have any trust in the police being able to nail the junkie down. In the end, I didn't do anything as they threatened to get me charged on the threatening behavior, if I went ahead and pressed charges against the fucking bint.
I think that was the moment that I lost all respect for authority. Dad was to leave for Dorset within a few months of that incident and I think that that as well as everything that happened before had made me think that everything and everyone was against me.
It wasn't until the morning that he was due to leave for Dorset that he actually came up to Mum's and told us what the situation was. From what I remember looking back, he had been up North Yorkshire and Scotland that week, and he gave us this lollipop from Gretna Green. They were inscribed 'Best Son' and 'Best Daughter' as he had got the same for my sister. Obviously, with him having left home the year before, I had heard inklings from conversations between Mum and my sister in the previous weeks, saying that this was going to happen.
I think I exploded at all three of them. They had it seemed ignored what I felt and didn't even give me a chance to give my thoughts. At the time, I was considering leaving Folkestone, as it did and still does hold very dark and nasty memories – as I have mentioned before. At that moment I didn't know what to think, whether to jump ship and go with Dad to Dorset, have a better life, better job prospects or stay up here and try and sort my life out – saying that though, it seemed like it was falling apart at the seams at that moment.
In the end, I wasn't given that option and I had to stay with Mum and my sister. That was the start of the end of my relationship with my Dad; I have barely seen him half a dozen times since then. The last time was just under four years ago. I get Christmas cards from him, but absolutely nothing at all from him, come my birthday, which is why the cards that I get from my friends are that extra special.
The autumn Dad left, I went back to college. I only survived about four weeks, before walking out and having another emotional breakdown. Which seemed to go on for some months – there were times when I wouldn't be able to sleep without crying, I needed someone to talk to. But who could I talk to about something like this? I couldn't exactly go to the person I wanted to talk to, he was hundreds of miles away with his fucking bit on the side.
Looking back on that period of my life probably makes me realize just how close I got to losing it, completely. Mum was oblivious to the problems that I was dealing with, mostly in the head. She said that she was worried about me, but she was doing 11 hour shifts – she couldn't worry about me 24/7.
In my life, I've had friends whose parents have passed away, long before they should and the emotional connection that they have with them, in death is infinite. It's like they are still with them, every day they live and breathe.
I don't have that connection with my Dad. That broke the moment, he left home, left Mum in the deep brown stuff and got himself a younger model.
Hard as this might be to explain, but I envy those friends who have suffered a dreadful loss. Even in that time of grief and sorrow, something is there, which can never ever be broken, it's unique to them. They have that to keep for as long as they live. Nothing can replace having your Mum or your Dad or your Brother or Sister with you, watching you, being with you – as you go on in life. But you have all the memories of them, to cherish as long as you remember.
I don't have any good memories of my father.
I've never really had my Dad in my life, and yet when I left school and needed that father figure to help me through my depression and my suicidal thoughts and eventual attempts, I had to drag myself through it. He had his chance to have that influence in my life and he threw it away for the chance of a second sex life, via Viagra. I can't forgive him for that – and I have done some forgiving in my lifetime. I've had to for my own good.
But not for that.
Those of you who read this, and have strained relations with your parents, with your brothers and sisters, make up with them.
Don't make the same mistakes, which I made and take them for granted, thinking that they are going to be there for as long as you want them to be.
It never ends up as being like that.
It's my father's birthday today.
A phone call would not go amiss, wherever you are.
Please.
10 September 2008
It's Not Just The Players Who Are A Problem...
I've just heard the phone in on Five Luve this morning, whilst checking any outstanding work from yesterday, and the one thing that comes across is the lack of responsilbility that any of the callers had for their and their fellow 'supporters' actions.
Let me be categoric on this issue. I hate the England team, the set up, the men in suits and most of all, the deranged and pathetically narrow-mindedness of the majority of their fans.
Whilst I was watching bits of the game on Saturday, and in between the incessant booing in the first half, you could hear the pathetic, right-wing, xenophobic chants of the In-Ger-Land support. This as well as the usual catcalls towards certain players, is going to cause great unease amongst the players and management.
In the papers this morning there is surprise that Fabio Capello has said that his players prefer to play away rather than at Wembley, where the pressure is beyond intense. He said that he expected, that England would play with more confidence at the Maksimir, than they would do at Wembley.
Considering that Croatia have never lost a game in Zagreb, I think that is being very optimistic to put it mildly. Also consider that the Croatia manager, Slavan Bilic believes that there are no differences between Capello's team, and the one who lined up and performed so abysmally under Steve McClaren, last November.
In fact, you could argue that without England's most talented player, Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, Capello's hand is weakened further.
Gerrard has more important issues to deal with.
The filthy Mancs are at Anfield in 72 hours..,
That's the game I care for...
Rob :)
Posted with LifeCast
Let me be categoric on this issue. I hate the England team, the set up, the men in suits and most of all, the deranged and pathetically narrow-mindedness of the majority of their fans.
Whilst I was watching bits of the game on Saturday, and in between the incessant booing in the first half, you could hear the pathetic, right-wing, xenophobic chants of the In-Ger-Land support. This as well as the usual catcalls towards certain players, is going to cause great unease amongst the players and management.
In the papers this morning there is surprise that Fabio Capello has said that his players prefer to play away rather than at Wembley, where the pressure is beyond intense. He said that he expected, that England would play with more confidence at the Maksimir, than they would do at Wembley.
Considering that Croatia have never lost a game in Zagreb, I think that is being very optimistic to put it mildly. Also consider that the Croatia manager, Slavan Bilic believes that there are no differences between Capello's team, and the one who lined up and performed so abysmally under Steve McClaren, last November.
In fact, you could argue that without England's most talented player, Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, Capello's hand is weakened further.
Gerrard has more important issues to deal with.
The filthy Mancs are at Anfield in 72 hours..,
That's the game I care for...
Rob :)
Posted with LifeCast
End Of The World???.....Nah!
Morning,
As I speak, scientists are below Geneva and they are trying to recreate the first moments after what is known as the Big Bang. Naturally, you have the doomsayers and religious fundamentalists saying that it could cause the end of the world.
More like they are scared that the experiment does work out, and the Vicars, Evangelists, Rabbis and Ayatollahs are soon out of a job.
That, more than anything would be worth the £5billion, the experiment is reportedly costing!!
Amen!
Rob :)
Posted with LifeCast
As I speak, scientists are below Geneva and they are trying to recreate the first moments after what is known as the Big Bang. Naturally, you have the doomsayers and religious fundamentalists saying that it could cause the end of the world.
More like they are scared that the experiment does work out, and the Vicars, Evangelists, Rabbis and Ayatollahs are soon out of a job.
That, more than anything would be worth the £5billion, the experiment is reportedly costing!!
Amen!
Rob :)
Posted with LifeCast
9 September 2008
Are The Metropolitan Elite, Our Biggest Enemy?
It is a thought which in my opinion has not been taken into account. I ask this in light of several surreal column which have done the rounds in the past few weeks.
First of all, I need to say that the work that Polly Toynbee and David Aaranovitch amongst others have done highlighting the state of British Society - has been invaluable work, and those of us on the Liberal Left of the political spectrum are in their debt.
However, recently I have noticed that several columnists have seemed to have gone over the diving board with some of their thoughts, and the question that has to be asked is if their ramblings are having a detrimental effect of engineering social change in this country of ours.
One of the big factors of this, is that the Metropolitan Elite don't have a clue how hard-working families are coping with the on-going credit crunch. With house prices expecting to come crashing down over the coming months, some of Labour's support, those who they flirted with in 1997 and 2001 are starting to suffer, badly.
And yet, the likes of Toynbee and Steve Richards of the Independent, continue to ignore those concerns and keep on beating the drum and supporting the government on issues such as immigration and crime and global warming. For the average Labour voter on the street, they are openly hostile to more immigrants and economic migrants, and yet these same columnists are advocating more?
Why?
Take Polly Toynbee for example. Not exactly your archytypal Labour supporter. She was born into a life of luxury. She describes herself as middle class.
Middle-Fucking-Class!
She's on the best part of £120,000 per year, has a property in one of the most desirable streets in Clapham, W4 and has a place in fucking Tuscany and she calls herself Middle-Class?
Fucking hell, what the hell does that make the average worker, who is on £22,000pa. I am on just shy of £15,000pa. Am I part of the underclass in her estimation?
This is the problem.
The liberal columnists and journalists in Fleet Street have become so entrenched in their own Utopian world, that anything and everybody who interferes in it, can go and screw.
At a time when the Labour support is evaporating as quickly as Andy Murray's US Open challenge, the likes of Toynbee and Richards have a responsibility of listening to the concerns of the grassroot Labour voter.
Otherwise, they as much as Gordon, will be to blame for the inevitable Tory Landslide at the next election, whenever that will be.
Rob ;(
Posted with LifeCast
First of all, I need to say that the work that Polly Toynbee and David Aaranovitch amongst others have done highlighting the state of British Society - has been invaluable work, and those of us on the Liberal Left of the political spectrum are in their debt.
However, recently I have noticed that several columnists have seemed to have gone over the diving board with some of their thoughts, and the question that has to be asked is if their ramblings are having a detrimental effect of engineering social change in this country of ours.
One of the big factors of this, is that the Metropolitan Elite don't have a clue how hard-working families are coping with the on-going credit crunch. With house prices expecting to come crashing down over the coming months, some of Labour's support, those who they flirted with in 1997 and 2001 are starting to suffer, badly.
And yet, the likes of Toynbee and Steve Richards of the Independent, continue to ignore those concerns and keep on beating the drum and supporting the government on issues such as immigration and crime and global warming. For the average Labour voter on the street, they are openly hostile to more immigrants and economic migrants, and yet these same columnists are advocating more?
Why?
Take Polly Toynbee for example. Not exactly your archytypal Labour supporter. She was born into a life of luxury. She describes herself as middle class.
Middle-Fucking-Class!
She's on the best part of £120,000 per year, has a property in one of the most desirable streets in Clapham, W4 and has a place in fucking Tuscany and she calls herself Middle-Class?
Fucking hell, what the hell does that make the average worker, who is on £22,000pa. I am on just shy of £15,000pa. Am I part of the underclass in her estimation?
This is the problem.
The liberal columnists and journalists in Fleet Street have become so entrenched in their own Utopian world, that anything and everybody who interferes in it, can go and screw.
At a time when the Labour support is evaporating as quickly as Andy Murray's US Open challenge, the likes of Toynbee and Richards have a responsibility of listening to the concerns of the grassroot Labour voter.
Otherwise, they as much as Gordon, will be to blame for the inevitable Tory Landslide at the next election, whenever that will be.
Rob ;(
Posted with LifeCast
Am I Missing Out On Something?
Morning,
I have a thought that have been on my mind this morning, in fact, it has been making me think for some considerable time.
Ever since I left school pretty much, I have been single. I don't know why it has happened like that. I think that my personal problems that got in the way for the five years following myself coming home from the Isle of Wight has a great deal to do with it, and so any chance of finding someone was next to nil as it wasn't really important back then.
Shame really, as I do wish things were different. Perhaps, back then I should have fought my problems with someone there to be with me, instead of fighting all my problems, on my own, too scared of letting others into my world.
Some might see the ramblings above, as someone who still has problems, although not as acute as they once were. I can understand where they come from on that premise.
I see friends, moving on in life, so it seems. In some cases, starting families, having gorgeous babies!
And I do have to ask the question - am I missing something?
Not in a monetary sense, or materialistic sense - but in a inner-happiness, within myself and around myself.
You can sense when people are happy within themselves, they seem much more at ease with themselves, more assured, dare I say, confident in themselves.
It isn't that I don't think that I have got more confidence in the last few years. I know I have, it is just that I don't know whether I am ready, if I'll ever be ready to find that someone and most importantly, settle down and have a family.
Or even if I want to.
The women that I have taken a liking to, have all without exception rejected me out of hand, for one reason or another. There will come a time when I frankly will not want to continuing doing this, and in the process feel that I am getting desperate.
I do not want to become one of these blokes who go out finding a piece of flesh, (as long as they have a heartbeat) and get her into bed and fuck her, and then regret it the next morning, because that would complicate things.
And that's the reason why I haven't lost it my virginity yet. Although I am not religious, I do agree that the first time, you do have sex, it needs to be someone you care about and love - and until I find that special person, the pecker will be staying firmly under my Calvin Kleins!
Speak later!
Rob :)
Posted with LifeCast
I have a thought that have been on my mind this morning, in fact, it has been making me think for some considerable time.
Ever since I left school pretty much, I have been single. I don't know why it has happened like that. I think that my personal problems that got in the way for the five years following myself coming home from the Isle of Wight has a great deal to do with it, and so any chance of finding someone was next to nil as it wasn't really important back then.
Shame really, as I do wish things were different. Perhaps, back then I should have fought my problems with someone there to be with me, instead of fighting all my problems, on my own, too scared of letting others into my world.
Some might see the ramblings above, as someone who still has problems, although not as acute as they once were. I can understand where they come from on that premise.
I see friends, moving on in life, so it seems. In some cases, starting families, having gorgeous babies!
And I do have to ask the question - am I missing something?
Not in a monetary sense, or materialistic sense - but in a inner-happiness, within myself and around myself.
You can sense when people are happy within themselves, they seem much more at ease with themselves, more assured, dare I say, confident in themselves.
It isn't that I don't think that I have got more confidence in the last few years. I know I have, it is just that I don't know whether I am ready, if I'll ever be ready to find that someone and most importantly, settle down and have a family.
Or even if I want to.
The women that I have taken a liking to, have all without exception rejected me out of hand, for one reason or another. There will come a time when I frankly will not want to continuing doing this, and in the process feel that I am getting desperate.
I do not want to become one of these blokes who go out finding a piece of flesh, (as long as they have a heartbeat) and get her into bed and fuck her, and then regret it the next morning, because that would complicate things.
And that's the reason why I haven't lost it my virginity yet. Although I am not religious, I do agree that the first time, you do have sex, it needs to be someone you care about and love - and until I find that special person, the pecker will be staying firmly under my Calvin Kleins!
Speak later!
Rob :)
Posted with LifeCast
Well Played...
I can't help but say congratulations to Roger Federer on a job well done, over in New York last night.
He did not allow Andy Murray to play the game that worked so efficently against Rafa Nadal in the Semi-Finals, and in effect bludgeoned the Scot.
Murray, however has a lot to be able to take away from this experience. The fact that he was able to get into his first Major final, and in the process, beat Nadal on his way there, shows that there is the likelihood in the coming years that Andy will win that first Slam.
Well played, both of you!
Rob :)
Posted with LifeCast
He did not allow Andy Murray to play the game that worked so efficently against Rafa Nadal in the Semi-Finals, and in effect bludgeoned the Scot.
Murray, however has a lot to be able to take away from this experience. The fact that he was able to get into his first Major final, and in the process, beat Nadal on his way there, shows that there is the likelihood in the coming years that Andy will win that first Slam.
Well played, both of you!
Rob :)
Posted with LifeCast
8 September 2008
Chairman's Brown Tour
I see the Prime Minister has decided to get his cabinet off their pampered arses and into the country.
Well, Birmingham.
The Prime Minister's erstwhile advisors feels that his ministers are acting as if they do not understand people's concerns on the economy, house prices and the ever increasing cost of fuel.
Well, tell us something we didn't know already.
Apparently, the word from Whitehall is that Cabinet Ministers were advised to travel to the Midlands via Standard Class, instead of going First-Class, for obvious reasons - just to show, that they feel our pain - what the fuck do they think we are?
Oh I remember, the electorate did vote in a War-Criminal last time out.
Some of us, on the Liberal Left, have still not forgiven Chairman Brown following the debacle of 42 days without charge.
This is something that Brown has to address at the Party Conference in a few weeks time, as well as the ongoing problems regarding fuel bills and particularly the justified Windfall Tax that needs to be bought in to curb the oil companies' ridiculous profits.
If Brown doesn't deliver on these areas, then he is signing his and his party's poltical death sentence.
Rob :(
Posted with LifeCast
Well, Birmingham.
The Prime Minister's erstwhile advisors feels that his ministers are acting as if they do not understand people's concerns on the economy, house prices and the ever increasing cost of fuel.
Well, tell us something we didn't know already.
Apparently, the word from Whitehall is that Cabinet Ministers were advised to travel to the Midlands via Standard Class, instead of going First-Class, for obvious reasons - just to show, that they feel our pain - what the fuck do they think we are?
Oh I remember, the electorate did vote in a War-Criminal last time out.
Some of us, on the Liberal Left, have still not forgiven Chairman Brown following the debacle of 42 days without charge.
This is something that Brown has to address at the Party Conference in a few weeks time, as well as the ongoing problems regarding fuel bills and particularly the justified Windfall Tax that needs to be bought in to curb the oil companies' ridiculous profits.
If Brown doesn't deliver on these areas, then he is signing his and his party's poltical death sentence.
Rob :(
Posted with LifeCast
Murray - Fucking Hell!!!
Just left for work and need to say that Andy Murray's performance over the last two days in defeating Rafa Nadal was simply wonderful to watch
The way that he just took the match to Nadal, particularly in that fourth set last night, break point down showed everybody including his critics that he can become World No.1 in the next few years.
Now watch him beat Federer tonight, Murray to win in probably four sets again!
Rob :)
Posted with LifeCast
The way that he just took the match to Nadal, particularly in that fourth set last night, break point down showed everybody including his critics that he can become World No.1 in the next few years.
Now watch him beat Federer tonight, Murray to win in probably four sets again!
Rob :)
Posted with LifeCast
7 September 2008
5 September 2008
McCain And Palin = Bush's 3rd Term
Evening,
Unlike the DNC in Denver, Colorado last week, when I watched a lot of the coverage on BBC Parliament, I haven't watched any part of the Republican Convention in St Paul, Minnesota.
With good reason.
It is accepted, certainly outside the USA, that Senator Obama feels much more Presidential than McCain, more of a leader than the Senator from Arizona and therefore leader of the Free World.
That is what America believes in, isn't it? The international policeman, sorting out the world's problems.
Interesting, then that by the rhetoric of McCain's Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, whose speech, from what I gathered to be nothing short of diatribe against the liberal media, and by extension the rest of the world.
There was a certain whiff of xenophobia and playing on people's fears in both Palin'd and McCain's speeches these past few days.
Surely they cannot win, that would be unthinkable for the world and particularly for the poor people who the Republicans do not give a fuck about.
Sure they give a damn about whilst you're still in your mother's womb, but once you're out, you are on your own.
Vote Obama.
For All Our Sakes.
Posted with LifeCast
Unlike the DNC in Denver, Colorado last week, when I watched a lot of the coverage on BBC Parliament, I haven't watched any part of the Republican Convention in St Paul, Minnesota.
With good reason.
It is accepted, certainly outside the USA, that Senator Obama feels much more Presidential than McCain, more of a leader than the Senator from Arizona and therefore leader of the Free World.
That is what America believes in, isn't it? The international policeman, sorting out the world's problems.
Interesting, then that by the rhetoric of McCain's Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, whose speech, from what I gathered to be nothing short of diatribe against the liberal media, and by extension the rest of the world.
There was a certain whiff of xenophobia and playing on people's fears in both Palin'd and McCain's speeches these past few days.
Surely they cannot win, that would be unthinkable for the world and particularly for the poor people who the Republicans do not give a fuck about.
Sure they give a damn about whilst you're still in your mother's womb, but once you're out, you are on your own.
Vote Obama.
For All Our Sakes.
Posted with LifeCast
4 September 2008
Going Down The Tube....The Economy That Is!
Whilst English football continues to rack in billions in undeserving riches, Britain's once fabled economy seems to be going downhill. Chairman Brown's prudent and seemingly indestructible system using well-thought out policies (such as Tax The Poor Double, even if they are struggling) seems to have run aground.
Not before time. It has been some decade and a half of unprecendented growth and spending in the country. It was inevitable that the bubble was going to burst. Saying that though, you would have thought that this government would have a decent back up plan to combat these tough economical conditions, in what are difficult times for the majority of the country.
Well, as Sven might say....
They do. It's just that it's not really a great plan.
The government announced on Tuesday plans to increase the level that you start paying Stamp Duty up to £175,000 - meaning any sales under that ceiling are exempt. Looks good.
But when you consider that the average house price for first time buyers in the North Of England is £104,354, whereas in London it is £241,985, then you can see that there are going to be voters who are not going to gain fuck all out of this emergency measure. Similarly, down here in the South East and the South West, where house prices are also relatively high in comparison to the National Average.
Another measure to come out of this is the offer from the government of households earning less than £60,000 per annum, being eligible for loans free of charge for five years on new properties to help cash-strapped borrowers who are up to the eyeballs in the smelly stuff.
Surely it would be better for those buying their first property for house prices to drop by the 30% of a property's value that the government has stated they would give to first-timers.
Of course, when the five years is up, guess where the interest would be going to....
Greedy cunts!
Rob :)
Posted with LifeCast
Not before time. It has been some decade and a half of unprecendented growth and spending in the country. It was inevitable that the bubble was going to burst. Saying that though, you would have thought that this government would have a decent back up plan to combat these tough economical conditions, in what are difficult times for the majority of the country.
Well, as Sven might say....
They do. It's just that it's not really a great plan.
The government announced on Tuesday plans to increase the level that you start paying Stamp Duty up to £175,000 - meaning any sales under that ceiling are exempt. Looks good.
But when you consider that the average house price for first time buyers in the North Of England is £104,354, whereas in London it is £241,985, then you can see that there are going to be voters who are not going to gain fuck all out of this emergency measure. Similarly, down here in the South East and the South West, where house prices are also relatively high in comparison to the National Average.
Another measure to come out of this is the offer from the government of households earning less than £60,000 per annum, being eligible for loans free of charge for five years on new properties to help cash-strapped borrowers who are up to the eyeballs in the smelly stuff.
Surely it would be better for those buying their first property for house prices to drop by the 30% of a property's value that the government has stated they would give to first-timers.
Of course, when the five years is up, guess where the interest would be going to....
Greedy cunts!
Rob :)
Posted with LifeCast
Utter Madness
After what seems to have been the most surreal 72 hours, Football has ever known, it ends with the completion of one of the most contentious transfers in recent times and the most unlikeliest.
The sudden sale of Manchester City to the Abu Dhabi United Group for a reputed £200million has triggered the craziest sequence of events which in the end saw over £70million change hands between four clubs, and has changed the order of European Football, something that had been threatening to happen for the last five years or so.
The way things are going, within a few years you could see all the clubs in the Premier League being owned by multi-billionaires. Being a millionaire is no longer enough. To be able to compete you need a lot more than a few million in your Jersey or Cayman Islands bank account.
Add into this the ever-continuing circus at St James' Park and Upton Park with the ever revolving doors continuing to seem to have managers coming and going on what seems to be a daily basis at those two great institutions, as well as the ridiculous shenanigans at L4, you do have to wonder where English Football is going to end up eventually.
Rob :(
Posted with LifeCast
The sudden sale of Manchester City to the Abu Dhabi United Group for a reputed £200million has triggered the craziest sequence of events which in the end saw over £70million change hands between four clubs, and has changed the order of European Football, something that had been threatening to happen for the last five years or so.
The way things are going, within a few years you could see all the clubs in the Premier League being owned by multi-billionaires. Being a millionaire is no longer enough. To be able to compete you need a lot more than a few million in your Jersey or Cayman Islands bank account.
Add into this the ever-continuing circus at St James' Park and Upton Park with the ever revolving doors continuing to seem to have managers coming and going on what seems to be a daily basis at those two great institutions, as well as the ridiculous shenanigans at L4, you do have to wonder where English Football is going to end up eventually.
Rob :(
Posted with LifeCast
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