In praise of Private Eye

I'm a huge fan of Private Eye. I like pretty much everything about it: its daring attitude, the way it puts two fingers up to the establishment, the cartoons and the fact that no one is sacred or untouchable (which sometimes makes for some uncomfortable reading). It's all still packaged in quite an old fashioned sort of way - not that far removed from cut and paste really. The covers are something else - always very funny or bluntly to the point but never too complicated or too clever for their own good.
It's been going since 1961 and I've been a regular reader since 1964 (I know I was certainly reading it when I was doing my GCE 'O' levels). Despite not always agreeing with what it contains or sometimes (but not that often) thinking that they've gone over the line of good taste, I've never been remotely tempted to give it up. If not Private Eye, what is there in the same category? Nothing at all and that, in a way, is a condemnation of the British press.
My favourite pieces? I've always had a soft-spot for The Cloggies, Barry McKenzie and the writings of Claud Cockburn and Paul Foot. Oh, and the various cartoonists.
How long can it continue? Let's hope that it does without changing too much. Its perspective is much needed.

In the midst of life, there is death!

It may seem premature but I've been thinking of my own mortality recently. As far as I know, I am not dying. I recently celebrated my 64th birthday and with the exception of a few aches and pains, I seem to be in reasonable shape for my age. Indeed, my latest annual medical check-up confirms this. If the actuarial survival tables are to be believed and my family history is any guide, I have many more years left on this planet to irritate friends and family. But life is uncertain and, for a while now, I've had this nagging feeling that I should plan for my death. What's brought this on? I really don't know as I'm having a very good time at the moment and enjoying being alive. Maybe it is because so many people I have known and cared about have died in the last few years? Maybe it's a reaction to my recent birthday? Maybe I'm turning into a miserable old git? Whatever the reason, what am I going to do?
Jan and I have been pretty good at keeping our wills up-to-date over the years and have signed advance directives and Powers of Attorney for medical and finance matters. So we've already taken care of these things. But there is a whole stack of other stuff I think could be problematical in the wake of some kind of unexpected or traumatic death that concerns me. Would my family know how to cash in my pension? Would they know where all the bank and building society accounts were located? And all the passwords and security hurdles for those on-line? What about the credit cards and subscriptions. The list goes on. What would happen with my blog. e-mail accounts and my Facebook page if I died?
There will be surprises (but hopefully no embarassments!) if I die suddenly as I won’t be able to foresee all the issues but I am going to make time to provide my family with a complete list of accounts, contact numbers, and instructions about what they need to do in the aftermath of my demise. I'm even thinking of setting out a basic set of instructions about the funeral - I feel an irrational desire to ensure that no one would decide to include a Graham Kendrick song [shudder] as a final practical joke on me! In a strange way, I'm quite looking forward to doing it. It could be a very cathartic experience, not sad or depressing at all. However it turns out, it will be an exercise well worth the effort if it makes the tasks of those remaining a little easier.

A Graham Kendrick free zone

It's with extreme pleasure that I am spending a week in a place when the name of Graham Kendrick does not cast a shadow over the music! Traditional evensong in the glorious setting of the choir stalls of St David's cathedral. I do like four-part harmony singing and, for me, this setting brings out the best in any choir. Last night I was perched on a miserichord carved around 1300, singing music derived directly from the plain chant that would have been sung at the time. Beat that, X-factor! Two more to go but with my favourite setting for canticles on the order of service for tonight - Brewer in D - a good opportunity to give it some 'welly'!

Annual sojourn in St David's

Back again in St David's for a week walking, singing and not doing much else. A time for rest and relaxation.
Yesterday we ventured a little further east than we normally go and took in a walk around Bosherston Lily Ponds and the coastal footpath, taking in Stackpole Head, Barafundle Bay and Stackpole Quay. Just under 7 miles in perfect weather - dry, good visibility and not too hot. On the way back, we had a quick trip around Pembroke Castle.
Today? It's pouring down with rain and we may very well be cottage-bound. But there are definately worst places to be on a day like this.

Who are you?

I checked the statistics for this blog for the first time in a LONG time just now. And I'm amazed that it gets hits every day - admittedly not that many but not zero.
Take a look at where the hits have come from since I've been posting:
United States 348
United Kingdom 201
South Korea 18
Japan 16
Brazil 14
India 9
Spain 8
Germany 6
Venezuela 6
China 4
Who are you? Search-engine users looking for "Higher Downgate+nothing+drivel"? Long lost fans? Cyber-stalkers? I'm curious but not that curious that I want you all (?!) to tell me. Let me believe that it's a guilty secret that you indulge but tell no-one about. Like smoking or having five extra chocolate covered hobnobs or liking Tony Blair. Whoever you are, and wherever you are, I salute you.
There is, of course, an even bigger question. Why?

Fuel on the Fire: Oil and Politics in Occupied Iraq

Just back from a public meeting arranged by the Tavistock Peace Action Group (a small but perfectly formed group of ordinary people concerned about peace). The speaker was Greg Muttit and his topic (and also the title of his recent book) was 'Fuel on the Fire: Oil and Politics in Occupied Iraq'. An excellent speaker and a fascinating, but disturbing, story he had to tell.
He dealt with the way the West, predominantly the UK and the USA, manipulated the war in Iraq, and the subsequent 'peace', to make sure that 'we' controlled the oil. Despite, of course, what Blair said at the time - didn't he claim that the "conspiracy theory of us going into Iraq for the oil was nonsensical"? And it's still going on as we continue to double deal to ensure that we get the prize. The parallels with what is going on in Libya are unsettling.
Putting the subject matter to one side, what really gets to me is the fact that this is being done in my name! I wonder if private and public state morality will ever coincide? Does realpolitik always mean that immoral acts are acceptable?

X-Factor and Strictly Come Dancing

Mediocre, nauseating rubbish.