Each to his own...

Poetry is often ambiguous - in many cases that is the object of the exercise, to make the reader think and appreciate that there may be more than one way of looking at it.  So the vicar who reads "I Vow To Thee My Country" as "patronising" and "a divine call to kill people" is entitled to his opinion, but should we take any notice?  I imagine most of us know it simply as the hymn set to the music of Holst, and a darned good tune it is too, but read the words (written by Cecil Spring-Rice, the British Ambassador to the US in 1908).  Sure, they're jingoistic, but no more so than "Land Of Hope And Glory" and the third verse, which is rarely heard, makes it clear that the "country" the poet had in mind as the ideal was the Kingdom of God, and I can't see how the vicar can argue with that!

What's in a name?

The other day I was visited by a transparency enhancement facilitator - yes, that's right, the window cleaner came!

This is an ex-torch!

The Winter Olympic torch has taken off in a rocket to go to the International Space Station, where it is due to be taken outside the station for a space walk.  But it won't be lit - doesn't this sort of negate the whole idea of the torch - a torch (in its original definition) is a torch because it burns, surely?  The original flame will remain lit here on earth apparently, but what will go walkies up there will simply be a dead token.  As witnessed by the title, I am reminded of the Monty Python parrot sketch.

Movember.

If you're a bloke, in November you're supposed to grow a moustache.  I did have a moustache period in my thirties, I think it was, but it didn't last long.  What I do remember is it was a bit of a pain when it came to eating and drinking, and this brought to mind that back in the Victorian days there used to be moustache cups - these were tea-cups with a ledge about a third of the way across that had a gap by the rim that allowed you to drink while your moustache rested on the ledge. Brilliant idea.  You may still be able to come across them in antique and bric-a-brac shops.

Ooh, you can't do that!

A small village in Derbyshire has traditionally built a bonfire on waste ground to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night.  Residents say that this has been done for at least the last twenty years with no problem.  But this year, the council have moved in and dismantled the bonfire and cordoned the area off.  I know what you're thinking - health and safety, right?  Well no, not this time - the council say that the bonfire amounts to fly-tipping, and in any event is illegal as no application has been made for a licence to hold such an event!  Where do they find these idiots?

Cluck, cluck.

Did you know that livestock can become naturalised?  There are proposals - by the EU, who else? - that after a period of residence in this country, animals and poultry can be labelled as "British" irrespective of where they originated.  And in some cases the period of residence would be very short - a chicken for example, would become a British chicken after just 28 days living here.  At present there is a legal requirement as far as beef is concerned, and a voluntary arrangement for other meat and poultry, that means that any animal or bird can be traced back to where it was born, reared and slaughtered.  Should we be concerned?  I think we should - the horsemeat business demonstrates how the race to be the cheapest can compromise quality, and those who specifically look for "British" products as a (maybe questionable) guarantee of quality ought to be able to rely on the label, and these proposals will mean that they wouldn't be able to.

The choice is yours

I'm wearing my poppy - November now being well underway (see post dated 30/10/09). but it seems that fewer and fewer people are with every year that passes.  Not that surprising maybe - every year there are fewer and fewer people who remember the last war and none now I think with any meaningful memory of the Great War.  But what is perhaps more worrying is that there seem to be a growing number who are making a conscious decision not to wear a poppy.  Why worrying?  Because the reasons they give for this decision appear to completely misunderstand what the poppy is all about.  Phrases like "glorifies war" and "advocates war" are bandied about, and yet the Royal British Legion whose emblem the poppy is, exists simply to help members of the armed services - past and present - who need financial assistance.  I wear mine to honour those who didn't come back or who came back destroyed, physically or mentally.  You have a right to wear one or not as you choose, but please don't make your decision based on a false premise.

When is full not full?

Hilbert's Grand Hotel has an infinite number of rooms.  Every room is occupied. Along comes someone who would like to stay there.  He can't be accommodated, yes? The hotel is full.  Not so, says Hilbert (the owner).  All I have to do is move the guest in Room 1 to Room 2, the guest in Room 2 to Room 3, the guest in Room 3 to Room 4 and so on.  Because the hotel has an infinite number of rooms, there will always be a "next room" for each guest to move into, and Room 1 is now available for the newcomer.  I have to say I have problems with this, but what do you think? More later.

How much?

The reported figure of £600,000 compensation for Sharon Shoesmith (see post of 11.11.09) may be eye-watering, and will be seen by many as payment for failure, but in my book she was entitled to all she could get.  She was disgracefully hung out to dry by Ed Balls - then Children's Secretary - to save his political skin, and then clearly wrongfully dismissed by Haringey Council, doubtless under pressure from the same man.  This has nothing to do with what happened to poor little Baby P, and everything to do with a cynical politically inspired public crucifixion.  

Is an absolute absolute?

Apparently Italian couples wishing to divorce and unwilling to go through the lengthy procedure required by Italian law are setting up false addresses in this country and filing for divorce here.  The High Court is being asked to annul nearly 200 divorces which have been obtained in this way.  My understanding always was that a decree absolute was inviolable - the problem of course is that the parties to such a decree may have gone on to remarry on the strength of that decree, and where does that leave such a second marriage, and any children which may have ensued?  I was also fascinated to learn that the office of The Queen's Proctor still exists!