Post 406. EVER FIND YOURSELF ASKING

WHY

I ASK IT CONSTANTLY. There is much to ask it about.
For a start, why does the government of this country persist in the belief that we have some sort of 'special relationship' with America? The only thing we have, or ever had, in common with that huge nation is language. Most Americans converse, loudly, in English. Other than that the country is as foreign to us as is Russia, China, India or any other nation with whom we cannot hold a discussion without an interpreter. Our ignorance of any but our own language has always put us at odds with the rest of the world. So why does any child of this country reach puberty without being fluent in at least two languages? Most Europeans are bi (or even multi) lingual. Seems we have neither the teachers for it, nor the will. And, though many may think otherwise, shouting loudly in English does not count as another language.

Anyway, still fooled by the special relationship myth, Johnson recently went seeking trade across the pond to get bugger all from Biden. The American cold shoulder is nothing new, so why do the silly sods in our government never learn?
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY.
Why, when you take to liking a particular product, does that product become impossible to buy?

Why, when you long to see the back of something, does that something long outlive its welcome?
Why do we heed the words of any self-styled expert who appears on chat shows?
Why do we believe a solitary word conjured up by advertisers?
Ditto estate agents and 'property developers.'

Ditto tabloid journalists.

And why have the British Isles become such a mishmash of  irreconcilable grievances?
Why, for example, are insane Insulate Britain and suchlike protesters currently parking their arses on motorways, presumably until one or several of them is run over and killed?

The lot of 'em need to get a life, or just go home and watch...
TELEVISION.
Some of which has of late been quite watchable.
I'll start with the best first:

The gently comic pair are back on BBC2.
This week was worth watching not only for the locations, the fishing, and the banter, but for Paul's hilarious impersonation of Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar.
Endeavour (ITV)

A short Series 8 ended with an episode worthy of reshowing at Christmas.
Leeds International Piano Competition 2021. (BBC Four).
Not so much to my taste this year. Five pianists playing a concerto in an hour and a half led to modifications, and a performance of Brahms 2nd piano concerto sans the third movement (Andante) duet with the cellist was unfair to the performer and to Brahms.
Ne'er mind, three years time they'll probably be playing only modern discord.
FINALLY,
Since I neither fanny around with Facebook nor teeter along with Twitter, my thanks to all the lovely friends and family who greeted my ninety first birthday.
Much appreciated.

That goes, too, for the team that provided me with the booster Covid jab the following day.
Be safe, you.