My Name Escapes Me.

A bright start to Sunday with the televised demolition of West Ham United by a bright and talented Manchester United side 4-0.

The mood turned somewhat melancholy as I plunged further into Sir Alec Guinness' book "My Name Escapes Me". it is as erudite and mannered as the man himself. He is witty and informative about the Actor's life. The Diary, for such is what it is, covers the period from 1 January 1995 to 6 June 1996. and therein lies the cause of my melancholy. Reading it is almost like immersing oneself in a past era that seems so distant now as to belong to other peoples lives and not one's own. The people to whom he refers have passed on in the intervening 22 years as have Sir Alec and Lady Guinness themselves.

I first read the book in England in the late nineties. The period in which he wrote the Diary was when my family and I were living in a lovely cottage in the village of Peasmarsh just outside Guildford in Surrey. Oakdene Road was a strange little community, seemingly divorced from the world around it, much like the communities who live on Boats by the river or indeed those fortunate to live by the Sea. It was also like L.A. in the sense that nobody was what they appeared to be. our next door neighbour to the left was a Taxi Driver who was really an unemployed Engineer, while on the other side was an unemployed Airline Pilot and his wife a former Airline Stewardess. Last I heard he was piloting Jumbo Jets for Virgin across the Atlantic. Another neighbour three doors away was a very proper lady indeed. She looked like a woman used to the finer things in life who had perhaps fallen on hard times. (Knightsbridge traded in for Peasmarsh.) Later, we discovered that each morning at around 6.00am she would set off for the bottle bank in nearby Godalming, there to deposit last night's consumption.

Our Landlady was very regular in asking us to buy the property from her, "You know, to give the kids security etc." We thought it far from our reach and little realised that the rent we ensured was delivered to her every month was not paying her mortgage on our home but being drunk away in her local Pub. it was a long while later when a Solicitor wrote to advise us that the House was to be re-possessed by her Mortgage Company while she and her husband (when located) went bankrupt. He said there was little chance of us getting our deposit returned. He told me this knowing full well what I would do. we stayed as long as possible and did not pay rent for the last three months thus ensuring we did get the deposit back! After a period of panic, I found us a farm cottage on the outskirts of the village of Rudgwick in West Sussex. But at the period in which the Diary was written, Life seemed very stable and secure. I had several years under my belt at Charnwood Forest Brick Ltd. & Coleford Brick & Tile Co. Both were family run businesses and had done very well despite the latest British recession. We made some of the most expensive Handmade Bricks in the UK and I learned very quickly that it is the so called middle and working classes who suffer in a recession. The wealthy go on getting richer and well able to afford Handmade Bricks on their properties.

So life went on in the usual way and there was no reason to assume that anything much would change until retirement some 15 years away. In those halcyon days, we still assumed a job was for life. So it was that Sir Alec;'s musings caused me to remember that period with affection. In the intervening years, My beloved Dog Sam died, an Airedale/Labrador Cross. Then my Mother, My Brother and my Sister. I now live happily in the United States with my adored second wife and while there is much I would change given the opportunity, I would not change the last 14 years of this period nor indeed the decade my wife and I have been married. These years are among the happiest of my life. I do regret the passing of that age of which Sir Alec wrote. The great actors many of who I was lucky to see on stage at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford or the Chichester Festival Theatre on the south coast. Dame Wendy Hiller, Vanessa Redgrave, Alan Howard, Peter Barkworth and many others. Memorable performances in memorable plays. It was only the nineties but seems as if it could have been a hundred years ago. My mother used to speak fondly of the Twenties and Thirties which seemed so long ago to me then as I am sure the foregoing seems to younger people today.

Oh well, Steak for dinner so I better go out and light the Grill, 2017 awaits and news of the latest horror perpetrated by the Orange Creature and his followers.

The NBC Town Hall September 7 2016

The following comments are my personal opinions so do not blame a former schoolmate, old friend or family member for these remarks. Vic.

Well, I watched NBC's pathetic attempt at a "Town Hall" whatever that is, God what a sad waste of an hour. Sophomore-like questions for the school debating lesson asked by a moron who wouldn't pass muster in said school. To say that it or at least their Grand Inquisitor was pro-Trump is obvious to everyone bar the moronic followers of the enormous failure. E-Mails seemed to be the most important thing to pussyLauer, The rest of us are bored rigid by the "E-Mail Scandal" as we were by the "Health Scandal" and the "Benghazi Scandal".

Later, Mr. Trump was allowed to say whatever he liked and go unchallenged. So you had a debate in front of a military audience and at no point did our pussy inquisitor ask the obvious question namely, Why did you spend so much time dodging the draft when years later your Doctor says you will be the healthiest President who was ever elected? Not to mention how did Prep School give you more military training than possessed by the audience? and on and on. None of this happened because it was not in pussy's script. Worse was to follow.

The Rachel Maddow Show followed this debacle and the ever increasingly boring Rachel treated us to her special deep masculine voice, the one she uses when she is on a panel but never on her own show, it is pompous and rather sad. Her hour was bullshit and I was astounded that she actually took the previous rubbish seriously. Then Lawrence O' Donovan did the same serious review. was it because they were all on an aged Aircraft Carrier and felt it necessary to be stiff in their presentation? One former General expressed the view that this format should be repeated for every Election in the future, oh. Please God no, never again! So what if anything did we learn from this bullshit?

We learned that Trump does not have a plan, never did have a plan and never will have a plan to defeat ISIS. We learned that he is able to lie at will and get away with it. We learned that we have to "Believe" him and "Trust" him with no show of integrity to justify this belief and trust. We learned that Hillary is Hillary, You like it? Fine. Don't like it? Makes no difference. Personally, I have a deep distrust for that peculiarly American of things, The Family Dynasty. By American, I attach it to the whole continent, Trudeau, Kennedy, Bush, Clinton, Peron et al. It is a bad idea people. Since the Duke of Wellington in 1834 we have had 33 Prime Ministers in the UK, 14 in my lifetime. All have a different name! The last father, son dynasty were the Pitts that ended in 1806. The Churchill Family had a go but only Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill made it to the top. We have lived with nepotism for hundreds of years but distrust it in the leaders we choose.

So should you go for a third candidate say perhaps the Libertarian Gary Johnson who only this morning asked on live television "What is Aleppo" Not "where" you will notice but "what" A man with no knowledge of world affairs and no knowledge of geography seem eminently qualified to run for the highest office.

Finally, America, please wake up about your military. Like the British in WW1, Your men are "Lions led by Donkeys" By all means place your faith in the ordinary soldiers, sailors and airmen, but view the Generals with more scepticism than you do at present. After all, some of them, who have never won a war in their lives, support Donald J Trump.

Christianity

A couple of days ago I had the temerity to criticize a Facebook post that contained the usual right wing bullshit. Anti immigrant, Anti children of immigrants. The writer in his stupidity perceived the feeding of immigrant children with depriving American children of said food but ignoring the reasons why there were such things as American children in dire need of assistance and food. Must have just happened overnight I guess. I responded somewhat tongue in cheek by saying that it was nice to see that Christianity did not get in the way of racism and bigotry. For this I was called hateful and asked why I turned everything into an attack on Christianity. It was tongue in cheek because while aimed at the rabid christian right, it was written by a Jew. 

So I have given the matter a good deal of thought and have arrived at a conclusion. Firstly I do not turn everything into an attack on Christianity. I estimate fewer than 1 post in a 100 relates in any way to this subject. The remainder are largely attacks on Republicans who have opened their great mouths and said a mouthful of stupid, In the matter of religion, my position is simple, I was raised in the Church of England by two parents who were themselves raised in the Ulster equivalent, the Church of Ireland. Their Parents were Presbyterian. My senior school was associated with the Parish Church of St. Marylebone in London In addition to daily lessons we took religious instruction there every Tuesday. We also attended many other Services at the church and our Vicar also taught at our school on occasion. My Mother never lost her faith which was all encompassing. I married a Roman Catholic Girl and we remained together for 32 years. During this time I learned much about the Roman Catholic Church in England and as someone with 100% Ulster Protestant blood this was an awakening. Therefore I submit that I am better grounded and educated in the Christian Church than many of the Facebook persons it has been my misfortune to run across in the 8 years I have lived in the United States. 

The Church of England and indeed that of Rome teaches charity, the need to look out for and indeed look after those less fortunate than ourselves. Compassion for those less fortunate, Understanding that while illegal in the laws of man it is possible to understand the needs of many to escape to a new country in order to feed, clothe and more often, secure the safety of their families. On one memorable occasion at the beginning of the last century, my maternal grandfather discovered a Nightwatchman standing guard over some roadworks in Belfast on Christmas Day. The man had little food, A Coke Brazier to keep him warm and an elephant shelter to protect him from the elements. Without hesitating, he arranged for lights to be lit to protect the roadworks and brought the man into his home for Christmas Dinner with the family. I have always held that to be a supreme act of charity when the easier thing would have been to turn away. 

On very few occasions in the UK was my faith challenged in any way but 8 years in the USA has rendered me almost an atheist for if this is your idea of Christianity, I want no part. It seems to consist of an inextinguishable desire for money and more money, rarely for the good of the needy, usually for the good of the imitation church that the pastor claims to represent. All year long and every Christmas the Church of St. Martin in the Fields in Central London caters for the homeless. Their Christmas appeal raises hundreds of thousands of Pounds, all of which goes to support this side of their work. This is but one church out of thousands. The Vicar is not claiming that God spoke to him and told him to buy a new Jet or a large House or Cars galore. These men and women do not require money in order to pray for your soul. They do not ask for cash in order to pray for a cure for your particular malady or disease. I do not like the American way of Christianity. If Jesus were indeed to return it would be to America that he would head and he would start by dealing with the money lenders in the various temples that claim to represent him. 

Now I have no doubt that this country contains as many souls dedicated to making life better for those in need. It is just that their brand of Christianity is not the one making all the noise with 24 hour TV Channels allowing them to fleece the ignorant and the vulnerable. 

So please keep your worthless opinions of me to yourself for all you have shown is how little you know and how little Christian charity exists in your own minds.

After finishing Brian McGilloway's "The Nameless Dead", I needed a few days to gather my thoughts and lose my anger toward the institution that features therein. Then after looking through the bookcase I decided on (or should I say it picked me) a further journey with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. First read over 40 years ago and several times since, I was immediately drawn into the London I know from the '70's. That blessed time before Cell Phones, Twitter and Facebook. A time when even third rate Directors had to find a way to advance the plot without using the Cell Phone! Well, there they all were, waiting for me and having resumed their original positions too. Bill Roach was waiting for Jim to arrive in the Alvis, Thursgoods an even more minor English Public School, Roddy Martindale still a simpleton, Clever Peter Guillam has collected George in his draughty Sports Car and we are off to see Oliver Lacon. Yet again I am amazed at the brilliance of the casting for Guinness' TTSS. I read the masters words and hear the voices of the actors in my head.Duncan Jones, Ian Bannen, Nigel Stock. I see them all I always adored the character of Oliver Lacon, I have known several Lacons in my life, It is my belief that Anthony Bate was and remains one of the most underrated actors of his generation. I would wish it was remade but with the original cast and this time including the Bill Roach back story. When I first picked up this book, I was drawn to Bill, and Jim, loners as I was myself, "An only child deliciously apart" as Betjeman would have it, Roach might disagree and so would I. Finally George himself, sorry but there is only Si Alec Guinness. Masterly. So off we go on the great journey, will it be different this time? who knows, it will be wonderful, entertaining and inspiring though.

That Which Offends Me

Earlier today, I got a post on our Facebook page from a well meaning soul, a post that offended me.  As with most of these things, it was not original, it started elsewhere and was re- directed to me. So much easier to be rude when the original words are not yours, so much less brave too.

It was the standard right wing fare, blame everyone else for their troubles etc. This one was specifically aimed at Immigrants, that most loathed section of humanity of which I proudly include myself. The thrust was "Why do you think you can (or how dare you) come to our country and be offended by our traditions". In this regard, it missed its mark by quite a margin. Here is the thing. I am a citizen of this country and as such am entitled to the identical rights and protection guaranteed by the Constitution. Every bit as American as the writers of this tripe, both the originator and my FB "Friend".

Now as to being offended by American "Traditions" I am unsure as to the meaning here so I will restrict myself to those things that do offend me.

I am offended by the level of ignorance of the American populace and by their apparent willingness to accept their ignorance without seeking to educate themselves further.

I am offended by the deterioration in the standards of public education here and by the number of attacks on it seemingly trying to destroy it instead of improve it.

I am offended by the level of control lobbyists have over government, Offended by organizations such as ALEC who actually write the legislation for politicians who must be among the laziest in the world.

I am offended by the lack of action by the Administration of President Obama in stopping this, in spite of the fact that he was elected on that very platform in 2008.

I am offended by the equally inept performance of said Administration in dealing with the CRIMINAL acts of Wall Street and the central banks that brought the world to it's knees.

I am offended by the Supreme Court and their partisan decisions to further the aims of such as the Koch Brothers at the expense of ordinary Americans.

I am offended at the very existence of the TEA party, a group of ignorant ill educated morons, barely literate who seem unable to come up with policies of their own but who confuse stopping any sort of improvement to the country with progress. You people are the very antithesis of progress and good government. 

I am offended by the size of the Military or Defence Budget while Veterans go hungry and homeless or just plain sick from repeated pointless wars, fought for the financial gain of corporations. Tanks the Army neither wants nor needs, Aircraft that totally fail in their objective (Stealth Fighters that can be seen on the most basic of Radar systems) 

I am offended by the continuing refusal of Congress to listen to the American People in regard to Gun Legislation, In spite of 90% support for the most innocuous controls, Background Checks/Registration etc , the NRA decides no and so Congress will not discuss it further. 

I am offended that there is even a discussion on the subject of so called Gay Marriage. The right of everyone to achieve the happiness to be found in a loving relationship is or should be inviolate. 

I am offended by the continuing attack on Women, on their ability to obtain an abortion, should it be necessary, the continuing closure of clinics that can cater to this need.

I am offended by the very existence of Fox News, who lie with almost every broadcast and do so openly, only for their moronic viewers to believe every word. There is no place for such an organization in any allegen democracy. 

I am offended by the laziness and apathy of the American voter who despite his children fighting and often dyinig to export democracy elsewhere in the world cannot be bothered to get off his/her ass and vote!

I am offended by "Christians" who insist on shoving their tortured version of Christianity down the throats of everyone else at every opportunity. These people are not christian at all, merely bigots.

I am offended by creationists.

And this dear reader is but the tip of the iceberg. So why stay? Because I am an AMERICAN. I want it made better and by remaining to point out the problems, I might actually help to return this Country to the greatness envisaged by the Founding Fathers, that maligned group of men who had more courage and foresight than this entire country possesses now and by continuing to support that which is right in defiance of that which is so clearly wrong. 

Downton Abbey - Taken Too Literally!

The following is a letter published in the LA Times on Sunday last, 01/13/2013 relating to the Television Programme - Downton Abbey. My reply to this nonsense is to be found below just in case they do not publish it. Read and enjoy.

Aristocracy's bitter fruit

It is embarrassing to me to see that so many educated American citizens are "star-struck" by wealth such that, to them, wealth itself seems to be an end justified by any means ("Lording It Up," Jan. 6). This show is about aristocracy. Aristocracy has been recognized as a crime against humanity. All of the pretty little fantasies about aristocracy (kings, queens, princes, etc.) are incomplete without the truth of the subjugation of millions in each of the respective countries and the refusal by these aristocrats to recognize the pain and suffering of their fellow human beings, while keeping to themselves all of the wealth of their respective countries, violently where necessary.

This show is a disgusting display of how that money, the wealth of nations, was used by a few who "assumed" power to give themselves an opulent lifestyle. Why would Americans, people who fought to free themselves from one of the worst tyrants in history, King George III, allow themselves to become so unaware of this history that they allow themselves to be "charmed" by this garbage?

Edward McAuley

Tiburon

My reply was e mailed on Tuesday 15th January and follows.

Sir, 

Living, as I do, in the Antelope Valley, I have grown accustomed to the ranting of the ill informed in our local newspaper but had expected a higher standard from the Los Angeles Times. Sadly, I was to be disappointed. I read Edward McAuley's nonsense  (LA Times Feedback 01/13/2013) and was struck by the excessive and incorrect use of quotation marks almost as much as the sweeping generalizations employed throughout his diatribe. First and foremost let us remember that this is a Television show, from the mind of one Julian Fellowes. Nothing more and nothing less. It is not a metaphor for the England of the time. Rather, it is what we used to call faction. A fictional story woven around a few specific facts in a given time period. The sinking of the Titanic, World War 1, changing role of women etc. That being established, I do not take issue with the idea that aristocracy in certain countries subjugated millions while enjoying the fruits of their labour, much as say the Walton family and others do in the United States today. The real life Crawley family, if indeed they ever existed, often employed entire communities on their Estates. Communities that might otherwise have struggled to survive. In exchange for their labour, wages were paid and in many cases houses were (and still are) provided along with the job. The Industrial Revolution began the fall of such families and the sea change in attitudes following WW1 continued their decline. The Depression and WW2 completed their fall and many of these great and stately homes are now controlled by The National Trust and other public bodies. Everything Mr. McAuley  targets seems to me to be representative of 18th or 19th century France prior to their Revolution and not the United Kingdom in which I was raised. You might however visit the history of WW1 in which Public Schoolboy subalterns led the cannon fodder to their deaths. When Field Marshal Haig was considered passe because his family was in "Trade". There you might vent your considerable anger. 

Mr. McAuley writes that "This show is a disgusting display of how that money, the wealth of nations, was used... " Rather, it is a display of how the English aristocracy was stuck in the previous century, in their deeds and thoughts. Thus the Earl of Grantham loses all his family fortune as well as his wife's money on a foolish Stock market gamble (more echoes of us today?) and becomes dependent on his son in law to keep the family afloat. Why would Americans be enraptured by this show? Because it is a soap, a well written and well acted production but a soap nonetheless. If you are embarrassed by your fellow Americans star struck by wealth Mr. McAuley then you must have slept through the last fifty years. Do the names Kardashian or Hilton mean nothing to you? Famous for their wealth certainly not their talents. America adores wealth. "Greed is good, greed works"  always has and always will. Wealth is to the USA what the Class system was to England. Finally, King George the third - "one of the worst tyrants in history" - Farmer George? Are you serious? Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao and that English guy what was his name? Oh yeah George the third. As they say in my part of Ulster, Catch yourself on Mr. McAuley, catch yourself on. 

Vic Boyd

aL

As you can plainly see, this guy pissed me off with his nonsensical over written rubbish so hey this is 2013 so why not reply????????????

Lancaster's Modern "Few"

What an extraordinarily brilliant piece of journalism from the LA Times this morning. Nobody will ever say! I thought I had left camera control freaks far behind when I left England (Cameras every 6 feet). Alas I reckoned without the will and supreme power of one R. Rex Parris, Mayor of this little piece of ruined Desert we call Lancaster. 

So now we have an "Eye in the Sky" to solve and/or prevent crime. Day 1 and it is straight into action! A Motorcycle crash and Deputies were able to help Paramedics assess the scene before they got there............ Oh well, let that one pass. The plane and camera were also instrumental in overflying an Eastside School where a fight did not take place. So that is money well spent then! Moving on to Local opinion, the Times spoke with 2 of the 157,693 people living in Lancaster (July 2011 - US Census Bureau) One liked it and the other didn't - That is what they call BALANCE! Simply ask 0.0125% of the population and you have taken the pulse of the City.

Well folks here's the thing. A lot of us think this is just one more infringement of our civil liberties and our privacy. A lot of us feel that more (and better trained) cops on the beat would be a greater deterrent and a greater asset to the City of Lancaster than a plane to bolster the monstrous ego of the Mayor!

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0825-lancaster-aircraft-20120825,0,2930702.story