Post 492. HO HO HO

IT'S NIGH ON CHRISTMAS

THE TIME FOR MASS REPEATS ON THE BOX.
The time for me, too, to rest on my suspect derriere until all the to-ing and fro-ing, the greetings card shuffling,  the gift worrying, the lights, the decorations, the 'who will be where on the two special days?' malarkey, etc. etc. is over, and we're starting to take stock whether we can possibly afford 2024. In the interim I shall again retire to:
TELEVISION
Which has recently brought us repeats of Renegades, a 1989 film starring Kiefer Sutherland and Lou Diamond Phillips, and Road To Perdition (2002) starring Tom Hanks with a stellar cast of acting colleagues. There was a beginning, a middle, and an end to both films, so we enjoyed every moment of them, second or third time round, whatever.
The winter schedules have also given us Case Histories Series 2, released 2013 and starring Jason Isaacs, Night Music: Roger Whittaker with guest singer Dana (first shown in 1982), and The Hollow Crown: Richard III  (2016) starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Richard, Sophie Okenado as Queen Margaret, and Judi Dench as Richard's mother, Cecily. Wonderful acting everywhere, and Roger Whittaker had a whistling technique bettered by nobody - not even Albert Whelan or Ronnie Ronalde -  along with being a really good singer.
Now we have the remainder of Shetland to see, and a new offering of Dr Who episodes written by Russell T. Davies, with David Tennant as the doctor and Catherine Tate as his travelling companion. Both programmes are on BBC One. Shetland is already a good watch, and Dr Who will attract its customary loyal audience, so all's well in the square-eyed world,
This post will be followed, early next month, by Blog Index 9.
I shall then probably sit back until the end of the year.

I WISH YOU AND THE WORLD A PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS.

Post 491. WHEN IS THE LAW

 NOT THE LAW?

WHEN IT FRUSTRATES POLITICIANS.
The UK Supreme  Court was asked to decide on the legality or otherwise of sending asylum seekers on a one way trip to Rwanda, and the verdict was otherwise. Oh dear oh dear.
So you are the government. What do you do now?
You announce that you will change the law, that's what you do. God almighty, you can't have your worst laid schemes thwarted by a legal system that you supposed to be on your side. What the hell did you pack the upper echelons with public schoolboys for if it wasn't to support you no matter what international code of honour you may be minded to overlook. No. Change the law.
I know the whole damned world is in a heap, but do we have to add to it in quite such a desperate, undignified way? Enough. Straight on to the old person's standby:
TELEVISION.
We watched the first four episodes of The Crown (season 6) on Netflix.
Though superbly acted, the comings and goings, the conversations, and the manipulations, of real people (many of them no longer alive) is, perforce, sheer conjecture. It shows.
The trouble with trying to tell such a story on television is that 'it has to be good tele.' So you tell it the way you think the public (or, if you are dreaming of a knighthood, King Charles) would like it to be. And if this had been written by Charles' PR team they couldn't have done a better job for him.
Mohamed al-Fayed becomes an outright villain, son Dodi Fayed an unwilling player in his father's ambitious manoeuvrings. Princess Diana a simple pawn in the 'let's use Diana' game, and Charles the compassionate voice of reason. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are the bemused voices of reactionary royalty.
Ignoring the many 'believe this if you like' scenes, it's worth watching for the acting.

It will be back before Christmas.
I'll be back soon 

post 490. RAIN! RAIN! RAIN!

THEN STORM CIARAN.

THEN RAIN...SUN...RAIN.
That covers Britain. Ireland, and the Channel Islands (particularly Jersey where Ciaron became a tornado). It has been an appalling experience for those most affected by it. Homes and premises swamped. Fields flooded. Roads impassable. All in all a disastrous inconvenience. A mental and financial nightmare. Quite soon now somebody will tell us changes will be made, and the experienced among us will know that's a load of balls. Changes cost money. Patch ups cost less.
If we have one consolation it has to be that we are not a Gaza or a Ukraine, damn their enemies.
War is inexcusable no matter who starts it. Non-combatants are always hurt by it. Those who start it should be forced to stand in the front line. Say no more.

Oh, something seems to have gone amiss in the voting system.

David Cameron is back as foreign secretary. 

So who is next for the political chopping block?
And why are we now paying bigger and bigger prices for smaller and smaller biscuits?

Back soon.
Mind how you cross the road.