Last weekend Villa gained what looked like an unlikely win at Wednesday’s ground and thereby got some suitable payback. It seems an age since Wednesday came to Villa Park and gave us some pre-bonfire night fireworks with their early and explosive goal. That and Barry Bannan’s smooth display and the enforced retirement of John Terry (whose services we lost for several games as a result) are the main memories I have of that day. With both sides ravaged by injury (though our opponents’ state was somewhat worse) the game this time seemed to be drifting towards a draw. It was hardly a game where we deserved to win: the result seemed to be obtained as though it was Villa’s destiny. A 7500-To-The-Holte article decided that Villa “are proving that it doesn’t end when you’re knocked to the canvas – just that you’re not the last body on the floor. When you’re hit hard with a bone-breaking riposte, you’ve got to push those weary muscles once more and rise – not because it’s your job, and that you should do it, but because it’s what you deserve.” Well, I suppose if the phoenix is determined to re-birth itself then we shouldn’t complain!
In the VP match I also remember Chris Samba giving us a 90th-minute sense of “all is not lost” respectability. Chris Samba (like Micah Richards) is just not talked of anymore. After Samba’s knock all went quiet and perhaps Axel’s loan signing says it all. Who remembers that it was Samba that got sent off when playing for Blackburn against us in the League Cup semi second-leg at VP in 2010? We were losing 2-0 after 25 minutes and then pulled it back to 2-1. It was Samba that then pulled Gabby down in the penalty area (boy was Gabby a livewire in those days!), a result of which Samba was sent off and the Milner penalty kick meant we went in at the break 2-2. We won 6-4 (7-4 aggregate)! Memories, memories.
Back to the present! It only takes a slip or two to produce a call for the manager to change his policies with cries of “How does Whelan get selected?” (before Whelan scored and put in a useful shift versus Wednesday) and the question is raised of why he and the Jedi get the nod over the Iceman. And the big one – why no O’Hare? On that perhaps I have some sympathy as he would surely offer more than Onomah, whose slipshod play seems to have annoyed at least one of his colleagues. Onomah seems to be equipped with good skills, but when it’s mainly application that’s required his heart doesn’t seem to be in it.
Whether you agree with his approach or not, overall you can surely see the logic that Steve Bruce applies to Villa’s situation and their need (nay, their historical and size-related right) to return to the Premiership. In a tough division in which he has experienced and achieved much, and knows how to do it his way, he wants to include players who have the experience, physicality and character to succeed as the primary requisites. But that makes Onomah’s selection all the more puzzling. I can only conclude there’s something in the loan arrangement with Spurs that enforces an obligation on Bruce. Well, when Jack’s fit Bruce can’t keep Onomah in, can he?
But it did seem to me that the other nine outfield players each had to put in proportionately extra work against Wednesday to make up for Onomah’s lack of worthwhile contribution. But at least another loanee – Grabban – shows he wants to be part of the action (Grabban’s goal grabbin’ ability is noted!), as, of course, does Snoddy with ten assists already and a few goals up his sleeve as well. And to help keep the wheels on track we have Axel.
Looking at Villa’s overall league stats (according to the ‘Who Scored’ website) Villa have achieved a pass accuracy of 75.1% and 12.1 shots per game. ‘Not bad’, I thought, but I then checked the stats for Cardiff and Fulham and found they both have better stats. It is possible that Villa’s stats since December have been much improved (we’re certainly scoring more), so it would probably be more accurate to compare the clubs over that specific period. Nevertheless, those two teams are putting their game together well for the run-in and it emphasises even more how much Villa have to keep on winning to secure that second place. Fulham’s victory over Wolves and Cardiff’s late win this week against Bristol City confirms that they both have the tenacity to take the fight to the wire. The home games Villa have to come against Wolves, Cardiff and then Derby take on a more important hue. And these are the kind of games that will call for the full experience and togetherness of Villa’s squad despite any shortcomings they may have individually. The remaining matches are not the time to try the blooding of youngsters in my view; whatever momentum has been obtained needs to be preserved.
In fact (as someone has said) it’s a series of cup finals to be faced; a whole dozen of ’em. At least this upcoming weekend we face QPR and we might fancifully imagine that we can score six or seven against them after Forest’s result last week. But Bruce – I’m sure – will be just as happy if we win-win by one goal. And by the same margin in all the other 11 matches. Sounds boring, but if it gets the Brucie points…? However, it would be good to replicate those thrilling promotion seasons of 1938 (though I wasn’t around then!), 1960, 1972 and 1975 and finish in some style. Come on Villa!
UTV!
P.S.
I know you will enjoy my latest book, “The Villa Way – 1874-1944”. Please look into my bookshop (click here) and purchase a copy.
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The Author
John Lerwill
I'm a Villan of more than 60 years standing and an occasional writer on Villa history. For me there is only one football club worth supporting, but I am now wondering whether I will again see anything like the pageant that was paraded under Ron Saunders or even that by Big Ron and Brian Little. My glass, however, is always half-full! Click here for my Villa website.Comments 91
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Thanks JL, A Quote from a rocky film suits the Villa ” Its not how hard you can hit, its how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward” that at least we have learnt to do under Bruce.
I think we have missed a trick though in not letting our better Youth players share that journey setting them up with Greater tenacity for the future. I think Grealishs pass accuracy is the best in the team by a distance.
Snodgrass by the way is the only Villa player to make the team of the season so far stats wise. Cardiff have 2 Wolves 1 Bristol 1 Derby 1 Norwich 1 Ipswich 1 but surprisingly Millwall have 2 and Bolton 1.
Thanks for the new post JL. You give a ringing endorsement of SB. I sincerely hope Villa get promoted this season or his supporters may turn on him. You’ve already said that us fans are fickle and after the defeat at Brentford the away support gave him plenty of stick.
As we are reaching the point in the season where the leading lights commence their gallop for the line I wonder if SB will continue to set up defensively or move over to attack mode. I will watch with interest.
Stats are a lousy way of assessing players. Great stats are achieved by playing sideways or backwards all day long. Football is in the entertainment business and that type of play drives the fans away. Give me a player who tries and fails with a defence splitting pass any day. Goals and assists are the only stats I’m interested in. Snoddy has been delivering of late on that front.
Jl
thanks for the writeup.
I see an overreaction concerning Whelan, as if he scored more would be understandable.
No one faults his work ethic, just the usual end product.
Did you used to have a dog called ‘Brucie’ or something?
As plug said, there’s no end product yet for an endorsement.
The youngsters should have been bloodied ages ago, & the subject should be academic instead of being repeated over & over.
Also we haven’t got Axel as he’s injured.
Youth
For the record I’ve rather agreed all the way that youth would be the better route to have followed – in principle at least.
However, perhaps some kind of risk analysis must have been done (by Xia) to assess whether conditions at the club would be good enough for a youth-based route when he took over to gain promotion in the time he wanted. The priority then was within one season.
I don’t know. Just surmising. But the past is the past anyway – can’t do anything about that now.
IanG,
I’m aware that Axel is injured!!! But at some point he’ll be fit again.
Heres an interesting take on Snodgrass’s influence and how it works with Grealish and Albert, every team needs a knob head, Bruce had Savage at Brum after all 🙂
https://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2018/2/26/17050440/aston-villas-spirit-is-embodied-by-robert-snodgrass
JL- I am almost certain that the Doc wanted their involvement after his squad of 19 and 5 youth players announcement pre-season. I also think it likely that Bruce told him in private no way although you have to wonder what would of happened if all the players for sale including Albert had been sold in the summer? maybe the choice would not have existed for him, maybe he would of bought more who knows.
Some part would of been a belief in their ability or at least someone’s assessment at that time the rest money driven. Our early spending set the tone for something not so easy to wriggle out of once we had not gone up last season and so many on long contracts.
One other clue on the youth front? we played them nearly every game pre-season I assume as an assessment, most games being all change at half time. Weird if your drilling a way of playing ready to start the season not so if you have no clue what you’ll be left with. Probably accounts for our disastrous start compared to other teams.
MK,
You may be right about what’s happened this season re: youth, but as I think r0bb0 said before maybe Bruce felt that at first-team level the youth were not showing up strongly enough. Particularly if it’s his head on the block for getting Villa up this season he’d want to take the route he had most confidence in.
JL
Yes probably the no 11
Excellent leader JL,
Not sure about the comments on Whelan, as we all know he is a great clubman with a big heart, but can, because of his work rate, produce the odd howler or two. Bruce has tended not to use him of late for good reason, but Saturday he chose him, and he came good, plus one of the better performers.
MK,
Love the colourful description of Snoddy on 7500 to the Holte, and agree that he has amazed us all in how he has made himself such an integral part of the cause. He is certainly one that would always be on the teamsheet on his performances to date, making himself a great example to younger players. He so reminds me of the Villa players of the past who live fondly in my memory.
JL,
Maybe the problem with Onomah and Tuanzebe, is that Bruce has put too much responsibility on them too quickly, while refraining from it with the Academy players, and should have introduced them for a maximum of 30 minutes per game, or similar. He did it with Davis too, not just letting him play a couple games, then bring him on as a sub for 20/30 mins in the next couple, and so he ends up with injury, and most of these injuries to the young ones tend to be hamstring related.
We went through a bad spell of injuries before, and we seem to be back there again.
JL- I have no doubt its Bruces preference, I also think that the loaned in youngsters are a cheap alternative to maybe more expensive loan options, they are all tall players too. Money has played its part as has Bruces preferred style, that where the clash sits for me, our youth just don’t play that way.
Hello all.
Thanks for the fine scribble, JL. At least Villa are in a good position for the “gallop” to the line.
As we are in the grip of some very cold weather I thought I’d post this about global cooling. JL you spoke about Brexit being the least of our worries well if this happens it will mean war on a global scale as a land grab starts, western civilization could cease to exist in it present form.
http://drsircus.com/spiritual-psychology/worlds-climate-rapidly-cooling/?utm_source=Dr+Sircus+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter_27_02_18&inf_contact_key=821b8cc441eed55198a8ca696890c604e7caa4cbf95c288ba679f343659651da
MK,
Yes, the correct term is “climate change” because there is change coming through in a variety of ways, though cold certainly appears to be a major component of ‘the change’. However, I remember the 1962-63 winter very clearly and the one we’re in doesn’t compare to that.
But there is change taking place.
The important thing to realise is though that mankind has inflicted this situation on itself. Mother Earth is clearly a living entity in its own right and has to be treated with respect, as those “ignorant savages” knew all too well but who we said were not human unless they accepted the Gospel.
And we are all today grasping to understand (consciously or not) what is the “Message of the Gospel”, as it doesn’t seem to tally with what our cht=rch-going fathers seemed to tell us.
To grasp the real solution needs us to understand the reality of our existence.
So, I’m writing a series of ‘Perspectives’ the first of which is at http://john-lerwill-perspectives.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/perspective-1-state-of-things.html There are three up with the fourth due this week-end.
These are not great scientific works, so you may be disappointed.
So, if you’re in doubt as to what I’m writing of – or don’t understand how these matters seem to relate to the physical issues we’re concerned about – then “seek and thou shalt find”. It is within us all to find the reality. But don’t expect the answers to be found without employing compassion before the intellect.
It’s been 500 days since Micah Richards last played for us. Read this article and weep.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5446945/Aston-Villa-defender-Richards-500-days-without-game.html
Thanks for that Plug.
A very interesting article, which at long last gives the balance about all the stories surrounding Richards, which seemed in conflict, but now balance out. The only thing it does not mention, is the fact of him being a lifelong Villa fan, which may be part of why he has accepted being part of the club, having an involvement with our young players, and joining in all the activities, including paintballing this week..!!!
It may also show that with Bruce, no matter how good you are, if you are not in favour, then you will shut out, which is what used to happen with MON, and more recently, Paul Lambert.
Mk,
Very interesting article, presenting another standpoint on climate change.
My understanding has always been, that as the temperature of the planet rises at the poles, then there will be extremes of weather taking place, bringing about the very conditions we are suffering now, and then later temperatures at the other end of the scale that cause all the forest fires, etc.
JL,
I shall try and find a moment to check in on your site.
Thanks Jl although I can’t fathom why you appear to feel I don’t apply compassion in my life or even when I talk about villa matters. Writing words rather than talking apparently misses out 93% of the message conveyed according to NLP a lot is gathered from body language and I’m not that good at writing.
On the earth being sentient? It’s entirely possible but even it is at the mercy of the universe so I doubt it has any vindictive thoughts toward its lodgers any more than we think of our own micro biome , we don’t consciously control our immune system even though it’s been proved we can to a degree.
Mankind is as clever as it is dumb it seems.
PP- my own thoughts on climate change and lots of scientists including nasa is it’s sun related, weakened magnetic fields on earth compared to thousands of years ago and the suns fluctuations. Another factor is particles produced by diesel soot, sand etc from mans activeties like industry and farming end up in the air and land on snow absorbing the suns heat rather than reflecting it hence the melts. Aerosols also have massive impact on cloud formation and not necessarily where they were produced. All man made but not CO2 related which is a bit of a red herring. Temps are definitely dropping though and the climate change band wagon rolls on in the wrong direction.
Jl I was born in jan 63 but I can’t remember it being as cold as it was on site this morning 😉
I think the seasons have definitely changed or shifted in the last 10-20 years though and the Gulf Stream too.
Mark
I remember walking about in the early afternoon in the winter of 80/81 when it was minus 15 degrees.
In fact it was so dry because of this, the sun was out & like in the Alps, as long as you were in the sun you could walk around without being encased in furs.
But a soon as you went in the shade the cold went straight to the bone & you had to get another extra layer on & keep moving to get out of it alive.
MK: “I can’t fathom why you appear to feel I don’t apply compassion in my life or even when I talk about villa matters.”
I didn’t say nor inferred it! 😉 I was speaking purely about the Perspectives.
MK: “my own thoughts on climate change and lots of scientists including nasa is it’s sun related, weakened magnetic fields on earth compared to thousands of years ago and the suns fluctuations. “
Here we go again … a scientific/physical response to a spiritual issue!
The universe/cosmos is intertwined and is immensely intelligent in its own right. Scientists are a long way from comprehending it so they look at what they think they understand and give proposals from an inadequate standpoint.
What was found in the tunels found in Rumania gives evidence of that.
MK: ” I was born in jan 63 but I can’t remember it being as cold as it was on site this morning “
Good reasons being tucked up in your crib.
If you had been big enough you might have attended VP in December ’62 when I watched a Villa vs Blackburn match played on an ice rink. Literally.
I got myself a stand ticket in the hope of being warmer in the Trinity and yet almost froze to the seat.
The match ended 0-0 without any chance of there being a goal.
That season there were weeks on end without football leaving a huge fixture pile-up till the end of the season.
Vill also went on ice, plummeting from 6th place down to 19th.
And those were the days when very few knew about central heating and when many homes iced up inside.
JL- Glad to hear I’m not a monster as witnessed by the birds this morning in my garden being fed in the snow 🙂
Now in one sentence you have proclaimed a spiritual reason for things and the universe being intelligent, apparently far more intelligent than us I assume although we are also spiritual? Nobody has said that the science knows anything at all (although chances are it does) its just an attempt to understand. So how do those that came before really know any better? We have their written word and our understanding of it.
The earths magnetic field is weakening that has been measured. intellectually or spiritually energies exist or nothing exists at all? I know not which is true but if Spiritually has an effect according to what you are saying then can it be measured? there’s either cause and effect or no cause and no effect? Be compassionate reap the benefits, don’t be compassionate reap the consequences. As you have said before Science and spirituality can’t be separated.
The Romanian tunnels? are you referring to the race of intergalactic Giants living in tunnels? to me it increases the value of science , sure views are swayed by many factors some which are pride/reputation led or just plain being kept under wraps for many reasons, probably by religion too. Believe me I don’t think we know the half of it, to much out there to be otherwise.
IanG- I remember plenty of snow mate and cold winters especially around the miners strikes in the seventies, recently though the seasons have become less pronounced, summers not very summery, if we are so easily able to control the weather I wish they’d bring the summers back 🙂
MK: “Nobody has said that the science knows anything at all (although chances are it does) its just an attempt to understand.
Yet it’s only a poor attempt, so hardly worth taking overly seriously, especially when they argue amongst themselves.
So how do those that came before really know any better? We have their written word and our understanding of it.”
“Those that came before” (the most significant ones) were on a direct line of communication with the Creator.
“Our understanding”? How much have you read and by whom?
I wonder if you’ve read “Where Do We Come From” by Dr. Ernst Mudlashev. A Russian scientist who has tried to look at matters from a different angle. He gives a flavour of things to consider.
And what about those tunnels in Romania?
JL- It appears that all humans argue about whats correct in every theatre including the spiritual. I haven’t even heard of that Russian but I will have a look, presumably he’s under suspicion for being a scientist 😉
Those that came before might have been fibbing too but I can’t vouch for theirs or sciences validity really, that whole history written by the victors gives me enough reason to doubt plenty of opinions.
The tunnels are very interesting if they exist, I have read plenty about giant skeletons and there disappearance into the vaults so as I said I am open to many possible historys. There are far to many things in the mythologys from around the globe for there not to be some solid basis.
Mark
The problems arise when you separate the spiritual & the scientific, as even in the street, if you divide you screw up & it gets bigger & badder, as trump would say.
Then it’s the strong against the weak, or in this instance the right v the wrong.
Waste of energy if you ask me, cos you can’t take your imaginary world with you, but it can come back & haunt you.
MK: “Those that came before might have been fibbing too but I can’t vouch for theirs or sciences validity really”
Real spiritual knowledge (including science) is especially orientated towards experience, so that’s the way you validate.
But how do you know your experience is Valid? I can see why science works the way it does as everyone experiences things from their patch of reality and see’s things so differently even while viewing the same event. My validated reality might not be anything like anyone elses and possibly can’t be, we do have great capacity toward deluding ourselves too, so first of all can you trust yourself? 🙂
I know something if we had a real disaster things would get bad quickly, people have panic bought the super markets dry 🙂
You need to have faith in persons such as the Buddha and/or Jesus (to name 2) and what they taught.
… and read the book I referred you to.
The conversations here led me to looking for information on some amazing underground caves in China. I did not find exactly what I wanted, but was led into a fascinating field that involves underground caves, tunnels and cities throughout the world, and many that have only been discovered in the last century.
Many of these places, also have great mysteries surrounding them and tales of involvement with aliens, and more.
This is a web site worth a visit, but you may disappear for a long time…
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/esp_sociopol_underground18b.htm
JL
‘You need to have faith in persons such as the Buddha and/or Jesus (to name 2) and what they taught.’
No you don’t John, there are as many ways for individual people as there are grains of sand.
It’s just that for suitable folk [most of us], it is a more stable & step by step, graduated, safer & usually more intelligent & spiritually successful approach, if one has the connectivity to it, to follow a proven path.
For those with higher faculties [no one here] it is immediate without learning.
The rest of us have to want to do it, not just read about it, which only temporarily frees up the intellect but is just as much a belief trap & which solidifies the actual problem instead of solving it.
Educating the ego instead of it taking us beyond it is what buddhists call it.
PP
‘This is a web site worth a visit, but you may disappear for a long time…’
Very droll!
Sky have done us no favours again for the rest of the season
Norwich game has changed again, and now is an early kick off..!!
TV matches ahead:
10-03-2018 Home Wolverhampton
17-03-2018 Away Bolton Wanderers
30-03-2018 Away Hull City
07-04-2018 Away Norwich City
10-04-2018 Home Cardiff City
13-04-2018 Home Leeds United
IanG: “No you don’t John, there are as many ways for individual people as there are grains of sand.”
Sorry, you misunderstand me again Ian. Of course all ways lead to God. That is a ‘given’ really.
The point I’m making is that the *principles* of what such masters gave us are those that are truly relevant for spiritual progress. And they are possibly the two to investigate to truly comprehend, otherwise why did they suffer so much?
You may not agree with that either, but if not then again there will be a misunderstanding.
Words – as you know – don’t describe matters of this kind too well.
PP: “This is a web site worth a visit, but you may disappear for a long time…”
Please don’t as you may find a lot of it is misleading.
I found that site a long time ago but I treat it with care!
That’s not to say there’s not relevant stuff in there, but the presentation of it all can mislead.
JL,
This is possibly true about the above site, but it was one site that covered the many different cave cities that exist around the world in China, Turkey band many other places that are amazing in there construction, and how they could possibly have come about. The Chinese caves involved the removal of 1,000,000 cubic metres of rock, but no sign of where it was removed to.
QPR game is still on, and likely to go ahead, it is being monitored. From our injuries, only Adomah is fit to play. Hopefully, Grealish will be available for Tuesday, while Hutton and Tuanzebe remain sidelined. Info courtesy of OS site.
Paul,
Yes, I’m aware of those tunnels, but in the case of the Rumanian one I was talking about there were some highly interesting finds within that were beyond the normal find.
The Bucegi Mountain and the Sphinx: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BQUSqXIwAQ
It’s amazing what a load of people with no bills to pay, few products to acquire, & a few others providing food can achieve together.
The fact that we find so many things difficult to conceive of, is often more about us.
It’s the importance given to such things that say volumes to me, about our limitations
It takes all kinds! 🙂
I have enjoyed the conversations between the morning show and a pleasant young Nadia in Siberia where the temperature is -31c at the moment, and perfectly normal.
It is amazing seeing how the government ran the country effectively and efficiently in the early 20th century, through to the 1950/60’s, but now with less control and leadership we struggle. However, in those days the people themselves were more resilient and got on with things, and organised themselves to deal with what they could. Today, our emergency planners and their teams, work extremely well, doing an amazing job, but today there are far more idiots contributing to making the job more difficult. Plus, others expect to be molly coddled from the time they wake until they go to bed, instead of realising that they should be doing their bit to help!
PP
At the very least helping themselves & maybe joining with others doing the same thing.
How it manifests in different circumstances can be misunderstood.
For example in the country, it used to be [& still is in some places] that unless you had 2 jobs you didn’t deserve help as you shouldn’t be there as you were bone idle, leaving out the fact that there are few jobs & low wages for many.
It was a way of obtaining control of the wealth & the local population, that in some places hasn’t changes much since you had to vote & act according to the wishes of your employer, such as the land owner, & a bye product is the paranoia of getting too close to others & therefore becoming vulnerable & losing one’s status [& therefore financial & security] advantage.
There is still a variation of this in the countryside.
In the cities it is a modern version of class warfare with the underlying divide & control factors relatively unchanged, just put in an up to date context with selfishness & protectionism via years of propaganda in the media [eg: the Sun], & a racist undertone being taken advantage of by all sides.
The factor that is still exactly the same is the establishment.
Obviously it is easier to help those in front of you, but bearing in mind that most people live in a reality bubble, it depends on the few people’s altruistic activism , who not only provide a focus for others to act, but actually save lives [in front of us] & keep it in the open so we can more easily see it & maybe act in accordance.
There’s also much more of the problem than there used to be.
The answer maybe is to be human.
PP
It has also occurred to many people that this chaos may be deliberate, in the sense of it is useful not to mend it too well, as it is a distraction.
This never used to happen to this degree when everything was nationalised [as it was in Siberia also], as there was a sense of ownership responsibility that went with it in the 50’s, where not to take part was a social faux pas.
The war year’s mentality & the scars of the inter war years probably helped shape that, as it did in the soviet union.
But it would be amiss not to mention the downsides of this.
But all in all it is our responsibility not to be puppets on an establishment string, & self educate into being a more altruistic full human being.
Holloway says QPR have been working on their shortcomings after last weeks 2-5 home stuffing by Forest. He says he’s expecting a response.
Looking at their away form, QPR have managed W2, D5, L10 this season. But don’t be fooled, their last 2 away games were at Sheff U and Wolves. They lost both games 2-1 but it suggests to me that tomorrow will not be an easy game to win. Hope our boys have their sleeves rolled up.
IanG: “But all in all it is our responsibility not to be puppets on an establishment string, & self educate into being a more altruistic full human being.”
Education is key. But we must look at what education should be, not what it is. It must include more on human values and in the context of what the purpose of life might be. Anything else would be a lie.
Plug
‘There’s no easy game in this league’ – a Brucie Bonus
Seriously you’re probably right, hope we’re not asleep as we need to start at intensity.
Hope the pitch is ok, & at least we have adomah back & a more balance fron line.
They used all the rock to build the Great Wall and the rocks left over we’re taken to Egypt in case another pyramid was going to be built.
I see karma is a bitch with the weather. This winter is never going to end.
People are a commodity to the chosen few. The only difference today is they are given just enough to keep them mollified. Sport and pubs are the perfect escape.
Ian
Sport/pubs – opium for the people, & if that doesn’t work, an opioid epidemic
Ian
Just about to go out in a blizzard to get some wood for the fire
In my street not so long ago we used to clear the snow so we could get in and out, thats only say 5 years ago. Now there are far more rented houses bought by investors that don’t give a crap (bins left out for days on end etc) it never happens. In fact it seems to be treated as a holiday and none of the cars move for days either.
JL- I have been reading that book very interesting stuff and I feel I am getting a handle on you POV at least.
Ian – we own so much crap these days though and the idea life ceasing if we don’t increase economies and profit is just plain daft. We need a hero’s quest or focus, I guess thats why wars so popular once we have stopped killing each other till the next time, gives us purpose, something we all crave. Its a nice easy one to manipulate for the ruling classes.
IanG don’t sacrifice yourself mate take a Husky and a hip flask
Mark
Screw the husky, I’ll take a St Bernard with a barrel of brandy
IanG – Ah but Huskies are tea total mate why do you think a dog has a barrel on it at all times?
Mark,
Don’t worry about accumulating stuff. By the time Trump is finished there won’t be a factory left standing to make anything.
Mark
You mean they have a flask of tea to go with the hip flask?
Ian
Like after Thatcher here?
IanG,
You’d love it here. The smell of wood smoke goes on all winter. Fire wood is a big business here.
Like thatcher—yup.
Then you have Trudeau. Went to India for a week and bollocked the whole trip up. Dressed up in Indian attire different costume every day. The press were calling him Mr Dressup, a kids show here.
Invited a Sikh separatist to a state dinner who was convicted of attempted murder. Modi didn’t bother to see him until it was time to go home. Flew his favourite Indian chef to India from Canada to cook a meal.
Do you think the western world willvery get a politician who is worthwhile. No one with any sense would want the job of a countries leader.
IanG- mmm hot coffee with a tot of whiskey on the river bank , well until its finished then back to the pub
Ian- people are cheaper than trees over here now, smoke abit more but you’ve got to economise. They are planting Millions of trees in the north to create a forest think they are taking this Scottish withdrawal threat seriously and we can’t afford the bricks.
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2018/01/new-northern-forest/
Ian
I can’t think of a country leader in the world that is worthwhile.
Just as you get your hopes up they either turn into criminals or idjuts
Ian – are they all career politicians over there? I can’t believe people are stupid enough to vote for these turds.
Ian
I still agree with Noam Chomski that we need more real local representation & proportional representation.
We wouldn’t have May, & they’d have to compromise, & USA wouldn’t have had Trump.
What amazes me about the states is that gerrymandering is still all but legal.
They made it illegal here in the 19th century I think, about the time of the ‘Rotten Boroughs’ which could be bought & sold.
Mind you any constitution has to be interpreted, & the first past the post system always ends up with vested interests criminals with their agendas for their own wealth & power [like here].
Time for some places to come into the 20th, let alone the 21st century.
Career politicians? Unfortunately a lot are but then you have some that are new to the game. For instance, land developers, realtors, car salesmen, and to our great joy here part time drama teachers like our PM. And the previous Premier of B.C. was a talk show host.
It might be bad here in Canada and the UK but it’s completely bats in the US. (Apologies John)
IanG: “I can’t think of a country leader in the world that is worthwhile.”
Modi?
Also Putin has a bit more than we’d think, I’d say.
Noam Chomski? And I thought your go to reading was past issues of the Beano
JL
Modi is a very nasty piece of work & responsible for a lot of deaths.
Putin?? Without the propaganda, he’s Dictator running his own mafia in one of the most corrupt countries.
Just so you understand I spent a lot of time in India & watched the rise of the Hindu Nationalists, & remember who was responsible for a lot of massacres, along with the Indian Army acting like all the others in most of the far east countries, not nice if you’re from there, & very heavy handed & a law unto themselves.
I visited the soviet union also, & found the people great, but the bureaucracy as bad as the 19th/20th century, & they were very poor.
Having also been a student of the Great Game, I see many of the autocratic stunts that Putin pulls being similar.
Usually when someone as corrupt & power hungry as Putin [who if he leaves office the only way is down] gets too much they used to appeal to the Czar.
But unfortunately he is all these rolled up into one corrupt nasty package.
Ian
It was an accident, & only one book, don’t take away my beano!!!
Ian
You’d have to go some to find a Boris, full of privilege & mad as a hatter.
His excuse for a brain is in a lower part of his anatomy.
Boris Johnson? He would be fun to have at a dinner party. Half corked that is.
All whining and joking aside, there aren’t too many countries we would rather live in.
Things must be bad, as we are back on the great political debate once more…!!!
Be careful what you wish for, as we are now so close to the brink, as major companies start falling in an almost domino effect. We are on the brink of socialist revolution, when Jeremy will lead the people back to the 1970’s unrest, and unions will once more start t o flex their muscles, and demand more for their members. There is nothing wrong in that, provided we can get the levels of productivity up to the level of Germany and the USA, but when they are so poor, all they do is continue to kill the industries they work in.
Thatcher encouraged our technological advance, which is why we are one of the leading countries in the world, and wages and salaries in Cambridge, are probably the highest in the country, and women earn 6 figure salaries. The manufacturing industries world wide do not make huge profits, but a small percentage on massive turnovers, hence the Japanese, Chinese and Koreans being the best at it. Germany has only survived by sticking to what she does best, and the use of a huge immigrant workforce. The Chinese now do the same using Philipino labour, and using them virtually as slaves.
We lost our way when we stopped “Backing Britain”, buying British goods made by British workers, and begged for the cheap imports, whilst at the same time putting ourselves out of work.
Trump is determined to reverse this in the USA, but the way he does it may well bring about a world recession so huge, that we may not live long enough to see the recovery.
Putin just smiles inscrutably, as he prepares to take back the countries lost from the Union, and knows that Trump alone will not stop him. We face a very bleak future that has been coming for many years. Our aerospace industry has died since we fell out of the race when we retired Concorde before it’s time without continuing the development of an industry where we were light years ahead.
Our high streets are now collapsing in the light of the growth of online shopping with no check to ensure that there are still places that you can go and feel, see and touch the goods. Online businesses should be taxed accordingly to pay for this.
Remember it is the giant corporations run by faceless people all over the world that have the control, backed by corrupt Presidents, Dictators and many other non elected politicians. Their power , their wages and bonuses, is all decided by themselves. The ordinary politicians of this world have very little say.
Well Paul, that was grim. Going to take my anti depressives now
PP
Sorry mate but complete one sided b**llock*
PP maybe you read the wrong paper?
What a wonderful thread…Feels a bit like listening in on a conversation happening across the night over short wave. Guess it is, really.
Will have a match preview up in just a few minutes (in case you’re up early).
IanG: “Modi is a very nasty piece of work & responsible for a lot of deaths.”
That’s the mythology, Ian. That’s what the Gandhis would have you believe.
Look more deeply! He is doing a great deal for ordinary people in India… and has stood up to China.
… and has stamped out much corruption.
IanG,
As for Putin … again it’s not all as it would seem.
JL,
Putin? You’ll have to send me some supplementary reading materials if I’m to make any sense of that. 🙂
Preview’s up, so let’s take this wonderful diversion over there.
COYVB
Paul: “Trump is determined to reverse this in the USA, but the way he does it may well bring about a world recession so huge, that we may not live long enough to see the recovery.”
More importantly, perhaps, if his policies were allowed the world may come to an end.
He loves fossil-fuel based industries – and it’s those in that sector that backed him to the White House.
As for all his policies … It’s all so wrong it’s untrue.
Anyway, Paul, it was a fascinating speech of yours … but……!
John,
Putin is a much more interesting person than meets the eye … mainly because of all the western media stuff thrown against Russia, which is predominantly u.s. – er, “unsuitable” and flawed.
JL,
Putin is no doubt interesting. And a very smart guy…But he’s a problem. Just like Trump is a problem.
I will qualify that by saying Putin is a generic Russian kind of problem. Trump is an epic problem of unprecedented proportions in post-WWII Western democracy. He’s an idiot man-child.
So, 1-0 Putin there. Because he’s just a smarter tyrant.
And we’re back to the match preview…