Family Surprise

During my searches for family history I came to a brick wall when trying to trace the death of my maternal grandfather. Now, in genealogical research, this is a common occurrence and there comes a time when you are fooled by an 'accepted' piece of family 'folklore'. In this case, the only thing we knew was that he was killed on the last day of the First World War and that he was lighting a cigarette, being the third one from the same match. For those not familiar with the myths and legends connected to these occasions, it was always stated that if you were in darkness and lit a cigarette, the flare of the match could be seen for long distances. If you lit two cigarettes from one match (you and your mate) there was enough time for an enemy soldier to aim at the light. If there was a third person in the group, the sniper would have the extra time to aim and fire with accuracy, usually resulting in a death.
I was a member of the Society of Genealogists and my wife and I went to Charterhouse building off the City Road to have a look at the newspapers, complete with casualty lists for the relevant period.

After that visit and for many years afterwards we were still no nearer, but infinitely changed ... especially when we did finally track him down. The result was a poem I wrote off the cuff with my feelings : -

IN MEMORY OF MY GRANDFATHER WHO DIED IN WWI

(Shows how wrong you can be with Family legends.)

According to years of family tales there's one that sent us off the rails

Maternal Grandad Appleton his story was a real good one!

He died in the War to end all Wars, to us that's World War One,

he lasted out to the very last day just before the end, he was done.

He died, so they said, 'cos he wanted a fag, his mates had a couple to spare

but trying to light it cost him his life, as the Bosche got a bead on the flare.

"Never light three cigarettes off one match!" was the mantra that rings from the past

The first two...OK but the third..no no no, 'cos the first puff could just be your last.

So the legend was born, last day of the war, he was "third off the very last match"

He'll be easy to find when we search for his death ...and that's when we spotted the catch.

He didn't appear on the casualty lists though we searched them until we felt ill

As page after page of reports of the deaths haunt us...they're with us all still.

It was several years later we learned of the truth, he hadn't died then, not at all.

as for "third off the match" well we'll never know, p'raps he wasn't heroic at all!

He died two years before the end of the war from a bullet, or hand propelled bomb;

he'd not had a drag at a fag ... he was just one of thousands who died on the Somme!

R I P (c) Text 2004 Brian Damerell

Bloomin' Sauce!

A few weeks ago the Nationwide Building Society (or Bank, or whatever they are now) had a laptop computer stolen from an employee's home in a domestic burglary. According to the letter received recently "the laptop contained some customer information to be used mainly for marketing purposes".

The letter then explains how they have taken steps to improve their security measures further to provide additional protection to the members.

Then comes a list of things to consider to prevent identity theft and fraud.

My first thought was "Why was such a sensitive piece of equipment allowed out of the office in the first place?" Should not this laptop have been kept in a secure environment?

I'm sorry, but to read about this event is bad enough but to receive a letter telling me how to look after my identity is, well, to put it politely, a bit cheeky.

Two Damn Good Reads!

Having been inspired by learning about Daniel Tammet (see earlier blog entry and the link to his website), I decided to read his book "Born on a Blue Day". It was truly a captivating read and I find it very difficult to imagine how he has come to terms with day to day living. He has a good relationship with his partner and it seems like he has fantastic support from his family.
If you are ever feeling a bit 'cheesed off' and at a loose end, may I suggest that you trundle off down to the library (or, better still go out and BUY a copy of your own) and sit down to read the book of wonderment. I certainly felt lifted by Daniel's story.
The second of my recommended reading experiences is Mark Haddon's "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time". Written in the first person it is the account of 15 years-old Christopher Boone who suffers with Asberger's Syndrome who turns detective trying to solve the mystery of "Who Killed Napoleon".
Napoleon is a neighbour's dog who is found by Christopher on the lawn with a garden fork through it. His detective instincts lead him to discover lots of things about living in the world when you have a disassociated mind. Funny ... sad ... enthralling!
Read it at least twice!!!
I must thank my daughter, Mair, for putting me onto these books ... and the rationale behind them!

Please Think about this! Read it more than once!

When the government of the United States of America decided that it would be a good idea to get the native Americans (Indians) to give up their land and hunting areas they tried all sorts of bribes and threats. In desperation, they even offered to buy the land from them.

They received the following response from one tribal leader named Chief Seattle:-

******

How can you buy or sell the sky?

We do not own the freshness of the air or the sparkle on the water.

How then can you buy them from us?

Every part of the Earth is sacred to my people, holy in their memory and experience.

We know the white man does not understand our ways.

He's a stranger who comes in the night and takes from the land whatever he needs.

The Earth is not his friend but his enemy, and when he has conquered it, he moves on.

He kidnaps the Earth from his children.

His appetite will devour the Earth and leave behind a desert.

If the beasts were gone we would die from a great loneliness of the spirit, for whatever befalls the Earth, befalls the children of the Earth.

******

Chief Seattle uttered those words of great wisdom in the year 1854 ... compare them with what is happening in the world today.

Will we never learn?

A new Toy!

I have recently acquired a new camera and I thought I would celebrate with a couple of shots taken on the second day ... it can only get better!

Influential Films

22nd January 1879. A tragic reference to Isandhlwana. The Zulu War was in progress and on this infamous day the British Army suffered a humiliating defeat when, out of a total garrison of 1762 men, all died in battle against the Zulus apart from fifty-five Europeans and three hundred and fifty African Auxiliaries.
Elated by the victory a force of about four thousand Zulus carried on down the track to take the mission station at Rorke's Drift. A small force of soldiers was at their mercy and fought so bravely for fifteen hours, non-stop, that the Zulus withdrew.
An epic film was made starring Stanley Baker and Michael Caine called "Zulu" which dealt with the aftermath of Isandhlwana and the gave a graphic account of the Defence of Rorke's Drift. Through seeing the film, I developed an interest in the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and I have studied literature and lectures on the subject and found the whole episode interesting ... but futile.

I would like to hear from other people about a favourite film that has influenced their life in some way. I look forward to reading some good comments.

Time Wasted? ... I think not!!!

A couple of evenings ago I spent about three hours 'helping' to get a friend online to 'Talk Talk'.
We duly tried to set up the computer and the broadband (which had been working OK on another computer in the same room). After several false starts and cups of coffee we were getting nowhere as each time we tried to install the various bits of information we were being presented with different screens requesting more information.
As time went on we decided we needed help and, with permission from the user, rang customer services.
I know, I know, never ring customer services even if your bum is alight!
10p a minute to solve the problem ... small price to pay ... if you are actively talking to someone who is able to help. But 10p a minute just to punch in a few selections, only to be put in a queue and be fed only two records on a loop with a reminder that "Your call is in a queue and will be answered shortly" ... well that's not on. After twenty minutes (£2.00) we got a ringing tone! Then, as we got really excited the line went dead! AAAARGHHHH!!!
Back to trying it ourselves and we eventually got a message saying "You are connected at 2.2Mb/s". To prove it I pulled down my weblog (this one) and we were all suitably impressed. The young lady concerned said, "Right let me have a go". No connection. More coffee. Then we had another successful connection. Pulled down the weblog ... fine. Closed it all down and tried again. No connection.
At 10.45pm we called it a night.
Yesterday I thought I would try to see if there were any instances of similar happenings so I Googled "Talk Talk Complaints". www.weeklygripe.co.uk/arc44.asp came to the fore and I didn't believe what I was reading. I would say that there is no point trying to carry on with this installation. There are so many tales of disappointment, wasted time and money, horror etc not only with Talk Talk, but with Tiscali, Bulldog, BT Broadband and others.
I am with NTL/Telewest and have had no real problems in the three-years-plus with them. Thank goodness, I thought.
But in the Telegraph yesterday it appears that NTL is changing it's name to try to "draw a line under the complaints about its customer service department".
Back to the above mentioned website and I trawled through several more pages and found ONE reference from someone who had moved from NTL to go to Talk Talk only to immediately regret it and they have moved back again.
Please NTL, don't upset the applecart. stay as you are as I, for one, am more than happy with the service!

I am beginning to panic!!!

Do you remember when we used to go to the cinema and sit through about eighty-three minutes of nail-biting terror as Professor Frankenstein made, and lost control of, his 'creation'? When it was all over we emerged into the light realising that it was only a story. It couldn't really happen! Could it?

Today's headline in the Telegraph states "Scientists to mix cells of humans and cows". To me, this sounds like our worst nightmare. All to be done in the name of research. Something to do with stem-cells from which they can grow all sorts of other living cells.

British scientists have applied for permission to create embryos that are part human, part animal.

Two teams have submitted applications to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (?) to carry out experiments in which human eggs will be fused with rabbit, cow and goat eggs.

My first thought was this: If I am hoping to experiment in this field, who do I go to in order to get the all clear? Apparently the HFEA are the people to speak to.

Who are they? No idea ... so I had a look on the good old internet.

This is their response when I looked at their home page: -
"Welcome The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is a statutory body, created in 1991 under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (1990).
Our primary remit is to license and monitor UK clinics that offer IVF (in vitro fertilisation) and DI (donor insemination) treatments, and all UK-based research into human embryos. We also regulate the storage of eggs, sperm and embryos."

I read on and got more and more confused when the term 'chimeric' embryos cropped up. I looked up the word 'chimera' in one of my dictionaries and found this: -

chimera. (n) monster in Greek mythology with a lion's head, goat's body and a serpent's tail; bogy; wild or fanciful conception; chimerical (adj)

I read the rest of the article with trepidation and two professors told why they wanted to do this research, possible cures for spinal mucular dystrophy, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's and the lack of human eggs being the reason for wanting to use animal eggs.

All very laudable but who will keep tabs on the odd 'maverick' scientist wanting to make a name for himself by doing his own thing.

Please, please read all you can and ask some vital questions. I have written this off the cuff and I may have missed the point entirely but please follow it up.

The only result that I can see would be to produce, through human and cow eggs, a clone of Buffalo Bill!

Well, well ... what a surprise!

I knew it would come sooner or later. An item on the lunchtime news confirmed that the 2012 Olympic bid seems to indicate that the final(?) cost is about £1bn short. Yes, one billion pounds shortfall. The reason? They forgot about the VAT factor in the calculations.
For crying out loud, how does a slip-up like that get overlooked when the bids are assessed. Have we learned nothing from the building cock-ups over the past four decades when large building projects have gone over budget?
The Thames Barrier? The Channel Tunnel? The Circus Tent (oops, sorry, The Millennium Dome)? Wembley Stadium? All of them costing more than estimated. All of them delivered late!
Another monetary burden to stick onto the tax-payer ... and it's no good the Government saying it won't be us facing the bill because it is always the tax-payer who pays!

I wish I could understand why these mistakes keep happening. I know that I was disappointed when London 'won' the Olympic Games purely because I, and not only me, knew that this was going to happen. Let's see what bullsh*t Blair and Coe come up with. The papers will be full of gung-ho, let's pull together and get the job done ... that'll be the day!

Will the last person to leave the country kindly turn the light out? ... on the other hand, why bother?

Let's hear it for ... the library!

Do you live fairly close to a public library?
...
Do you think of a library as being a dusty, musty place where you spoke only in whispers?
...
Do you tend to avoid the place because you think it will be full of 'academics'?
...
Well, it's time you took the bull by the horns and paid a visit to see what the library has to offer.

For a start, you will need to join the library if you wish to take items home with you. Sorry, items is a technical term used in libraries. Quite simply items can be books, cds, dvds or, in some places, pictures!

I live near Twydall branch library which is manned or womanned by a great staff of librarians. They will help you with any problems and offer suggestions on how to use the facilities within the library service.

Most people will take books home.

I use the on-line facilities quite often because I sometimes think of facts that I want to follow up later and, if I wait until I get home, I'll have forgotten them. A quick nip into the library, ten minutes on the computer to send my thoughts home ahead of me, and it's done.
Although my computer is on-line at home I sometimes prefer to use the library terminals as it offers the opportunity to get out for a breath of fresh air and possibly expand my circle of acquaintances.

My wife reads books from the library regularly and uses the reservation service. If you hear about a book and/or author, see if it is on the library list. If it is they can get it to your branch quickly (in most cases) and you can then take it away.
...
Apparently, the library now allows you to take up to thirty items maximum. There is no wheelbarrow service available to get it all home, though.

Use the library today ... or lose it tomorrow.

Coincidence ... or what!

Well, what about that? At last, Saddam Hussein has been found guilty of the minor crime arraigned against him and sentenced to hang.

How much 'capital' will George W Shrub make out of this, considering it is the mid-term election coming up on Tuesday?

Keep watching the press and the TV!

Now we are here

I love this time of year. Look at this 'website' and see how it all hangs together.

I love the way that nature has added a large droplet at each junction and then threaded a few small crystals to catch the light and, more importantly, catch your eye.

I don't think there is any more to say.

Let's Hear it for Backgammon!

Hello everyone.
Backgammon is my favourite board/dice game. It can be fast, furious and lots of fun, or it can be full of surprises and changes of tempo. When our younger daughter comes to visit, out comes the Backgammon set.
...
I began to look for a site on the internet where I could play online and just over a year ago I joined in with a site whereby I could play people all over the world. The only problem was that it was very slow inasmuch as it sometimes took a couple of days between moves. Enjoyable as it was beating opponents in the States and losing to a lady from Iceland, I soon become disenchanted and dropped out.
...
I recently found another site and joined in to play, as I thought, fellow backgammon players who enjoyed a nice friendly game but, no, they would start a game and suddenly a message would appear telling me they had now gone offline. I was playing someone in France when he/she wrote a message "un peu plus vite, svp". I tend to take my time (and there is no time limit in the official rules!) and felt that this person was not happy. However it turned out that the server was slow at that time. Apology forthcoming ... non! I have now dropped out due to refusals to play, with no explanation.
...
I looked at another group where I played for a while last year only to find a warning that play is casual on part of the site and "cyber-sex is optional!".
Needless to say I decided against that one ... for now! (LOL)
...
So it's back to playing on my own for the time being. Unless ...

Spring Forward, Fall Back!!!

Well, it's that time of year again. The time when we have to move the clocks back (or forward!). The time when you settle down, determined to make sure that there will be no missed clocks this year. Ho, bloody ho!
The obvious ones are in the front room, one on the wall, one on the mantle shelf ... oh yes and the wristwatch. The television is on Telewest cable and they take care of that. How smug can you be when you remind youself that the computer looks after itself?
Out to the kitchen, alter the wall clock ... that should take care of that.
Upstairs, it's into the bathroom and slot the little clock in there back an hour.
...
Five down, many to go. But where are they? Ah! bedside table radio alarm (seldom used but it is illuminated and very useful) (SIX). My alarm, again seldom used. (SEVEN). One small travel clock in the back bedroom. (EIGHT). Then into the small room where there is a large boardroom clock (NINE), and a small clock on the bookcase (TEN). Think, think ... I know the two cameras have clocks in them but I'll do them later when I need to reset them. (Twelve!).
...
All done! Twelve bloody clocks ready to put forward in six months time. But NO!!! I nearly forgot. Mobile phone and answer phone (Phew nearly missed them ... FOURTEEN). My wife has done her wristwatch ... Soooo
Yes, YES all done.
...
...
Sunday morning ... my wife from the kitchen calls "Did you remember the central heating timer?"
B*ll*cks I thought, there's always one and the strange thing is it's always a different one.
...
Roll on March!!!

Thoughts from Jim

I mentioned the friend of mine who sends humorous e-mails (thanks Jim) which keep me feeling really great. Well he also sends messages of meaning and I hope this hits you where it hurts! That way you'll appreciate how I felt when I read it!

A poem written in the 1970s by James Patrick Kinney
Called "The Cold Within" reminds us what's at stake:
...
Six humans trapped by happenstance,
In black and bitter cold.
Each one possessed a stick of wood,
Or so the story's told.
...
Their dying fire in need of logs,
The first woman held hers back,
For on the faces around the fire,
She noticed one was black.
...
The next man looking 'cross the way
Saw one not of his church,
And couldn't bring himself to give
The fire his stick of birch.
...
The third one sat in tattered clothes;
He gave his coat a hitch.
Why should his log be put to use
To warm the idle rich?
...
The rich man just sat back and thought
Of the wealth he had in store,
And how to keep what he had earned
From the lazy, shiftless poor.
...
The black man's face bespoke revenge
As the fire passed from his sight,
For all he saw in his stick of wood
Was a chance to spite the white.
...
And the last man of this forlorn group.
Did naught, except for gain.
Giving only to those who gave,
Was how he played the game.
...
The logs held tight in death's still hands
Was proof of human sin.
They didn't die from the cold without.
They died from the cold within.

OK Let's try to be Positive!

Hmmm! This is easier said than done ... but I will succeed.

Looking at my introduction I seem to have been on a bit of a low ebb but, today, I am realising that there must be a way out of this vale of gloom. It is up to me to go forward with confidence and see what is in the future and not dwell on the past.

I shall endeavour to look for a more positive view of the world. I shall concentrate on the way ahead.

...

SOooo!

...

Let's start with a little humour.

...

I have a friend who passes on e-mails of which most are very funny ... well they are to me.

Here is one such chuckle-muscle toner.

It arrived under the heading of "Butt Dust".

What, you may ask, is "Butt dust?" Read on and you will discover the joy in it.

(These have to be original and genuine ... no adult could be this creative!!)

...

JACK (age 3) was watching his Mom breast-feeding his new baby sister. After a while he asked: "Mom, why have you got two? Is one for hot and one for cold milk?"

...

MELANIE (age 5) asked her granny how old she was. Granny replied she was so old she didn't remember any more. Melanie said, "If you don't remember you must look in the back of your panties. Mine say five to six."

...

STEVEN (age 3) hugged and kissed his Mom goodnight. "I love you so much, that when you die I'm going to bury you outside my bedroom window."

...

BRITTANY (age 4) had an earache and wanted a painkiller. She tried in vain to take the lid off the bottle. Seeing her frustration, her Mom explained it was a childproof cap and she'd have to open it for her. Her eyes, wide with wonder, the little girl asked:"How does it know it's me?"

...

SUSAN (age 4) was drinking juice when she got the hiccups. "Please don't give me this juice again", she said, "it makes my teeth cough"

...

D.I. (age 4) stepped onto the bathroom scales and asked: "How much do I cost?"

...

MARC (age 4) was engrossed in a young couple that were hugging and kissing in a restaurant. Without taking his eyes off them, he asked his dad: "Why is he whispering in her mouth?"

...

CLINTON (age 5) was in his bedroom looking worried. When his Mom asked what was troubling him, he replied, "I don't know what'll happen with this bed when I get married. How will my wife fit in?"

...

JAMES (age 4) was listening to a Bible story. His dad read: "The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city but his wife looked back and was turned to salt." Concerned, James asked: "What happened to the flea?"

...

TAMMY (age 4) was with her mother when they met an elderly, rather wrinkled woman her Mom knew. Tammy looked at her for a while and then asked, "Why doesn't your skin fit your face?"

...

The sermon I think this Mom will never forget ... this particular Sunday sermon ... "Dear Lord," the minister began, with his arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. "Without you, we are but dust." He would have continued but at that very moment my very obedient daughter (who was listening) leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little girl voice, "Mom, what is butt dust?"

...

There, I feel better already ... how about you?

Introduction

Hello Everybody ... always assuming there is someone out there reading this!

I'm not quite sure where this 'blog' is going to end up, but I feel it is time to start putting some thoughts on paper, even it is cyber-paper.

The freedom of a blog is appealing to someone like me, as I can grab a thought and put it into words before it flies away into the ether. This happens quite regularly now and I get very frustrated when it does.

It comes with age.

Age is the territory you don't want to inhabit.

It is an inevitable step in the course of life.

AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS.

Up until recently I have led a fairly well-ordered life and have known where I want to be in it and I have dreaded getting to the point where things start getting mislaid, keys, bus pass, loose change and the like.

I am beginning to suspect that I am now entering the realms of the forgetful.

Perhaps it is the onset of senility but when you become senile, how do you know?

To return to the point of starting this blog now is that today has not been a good day for remembering things!

It may be that I am more tired than usual ... or something.

This mental exercise may serve to re-order my balance a bit, so this could be the start of a journey of discovery as I progress into the latter chapters of my existance.

Please bear with me ... I may need a friend along the way.