Afghanistan

Posted on August 24, 2021 by gordonshome

Afghanistan with its population of about 39 million people is in the situation where no one gets on with anyone else, it is a multi ethnic country with its varying types of the Muslim religion. It is always been on one of the major trade routes and as such various other countries have tried to control it to suit their own requirements.

If you look at it historically it always seems to have had other countries trying to take it over. The British government had a major push into Afghanistan during the 1800s this failed with the death of many British soldiers and I must add, Indian soldiers as they were part of the then British Empire.

The majority of the citizens of the United Kingdom rejected the EU because they didn’t like the interference and increased bureaucracy, it was felt that they were perfectly capable of deciding what was better for them rather than have other countries in the EU ganging up on them. Now isn’t this what the Afghanistan people have been doing for donkeys years, rejecting other countries governments telling them what they should do.

One of the major problems seems to be the inability of its citizens to get on with each other and to treat the female population as equals. I’m not sure whether this is due to their interpretation of their religion. If you look back at your own countries idiosyncrasies historically there have been facts that don’t correspond with the modern attitude towards life.

There was a debate going on on Facebook about whether the Falkland Islands should be returned to Argentina, let’s take another look at it Argentina was an area that was taken from its own native inhabitants by an army of a European nation therefore if the Falkland Islands should be returned who should it be returned to where does it all stop, this argument applies all over the world as the world population has grown so has the been variations in governments and countries.

Surely there must come a time when people say stop, let us just try and get on with each other and, improve what we have?

Let it be soon.

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Alone at Christmas

Posted on December 8, 2020 by gordonshome

Even though we appear to have a successful vaccination against the covid 19 virus it wont be delivered in enough quantity to enable some of us to celebrate our more traditional Christmases, there will still be people who will be spending their Christmas alone.

The ones who I feel really sorry for and realise that under today’s conditions there is very little we can do for them are the elderly people who have lost a partner this year, these are the people who even now hear an odd noise in their house think it’s their much loved partner who is in another room and suddenly realise, no I am alone it is just the house creaking.

In a way if they are able to access it, the social networking system is of benefit, if they use it to their advantage they can converse or just put forward their thoughts which makes them realise that they can still participate in life.

That there is someone there who is interested in what their thoughts are. It is really only in times like this that you realise what social animals we are, I know sometimes we say we would give the earth for a bit of peace and quiet but when you have that all the time it is horrendous. If you have your family in your area think of them don’t just say all contact them tomorrow do it today because tomorrow you will say the same thing and before you know it a week has gone by a week in which they have been alone.

Some are more fortunate than others with their neighbours, they have neighbours who look out for them, others have neighbours who are so busy they’ve only just got time to live their own lives.

This year if you have got anyone near you who are living on their own try and make the time to say hello how are you is there anything I can do for you.

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Covid 19

Posted on November 1, 2020 by gordonshome

Because the government didn’t handle the pandemic properly in the first place, we are still having to face up to the fact that it is exceedingly likely that the situation will worsen. The severe cases which have to be hospitalised, are done so in the normal NHS hospital. How many of you remember the isolation hospitals, these were very effective at containing contagious diseases. In the effort to reduce costs, successive governments have also reduced the overall efficiency of the health service.

At one time there were a number of military hospitals, these not only looked after the ailments of the service men and women, they were also there as a backup service for the NHS if there was an overload. We are now in the case that there is a very heavy overload, the hospitals cannot cope with the pandemic and with the normal requirements, so normal requirements which at one time were thought of as urgent, suddenly have to take a back seat, according to the NHS they are not as urgent as they should be. The poor patient who has been waiting for treatment, has to wait a whole lot longer. For those of you who can remember when Tony Blair was Prime Minister if the backlog got too great, private hospital treatment was given, and paid for by the NHS. To the best of my knowledge that no longer happens, it was stopped due to costs.

China which apparently with this pandemic started acted quickly by putting in place severe travel restrictions. The politicians know that it needs to be done but because it would be unpopular with the younger element do not do this. We are certainly in the case of it needs to be done but we might lose some votes so let’s not do it. Even the special advisers of the government seem to differ on what is needed. If they differ what chance do the MPs have to make the correct decision, I am beginning to think that they have a trade likely approach in case you might upset somebody.

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Healthy Living?

Posted on October 25, 2020 by gordonshome

Have you ever wondered whether the modern machinery that is used in the home increase or decrease the health hazard’s that are in existence, listening to people talking I have come to realise that with increased use of the tumble dryer has brought about the decrease in ironing your clothes and bedding. These days when the clothes are taken out of the tumble dryer the modern housewife smooths them out while they are still warm folds them up and puts them away in the airing cupboard, job done. Now just think a minute how hot do the clothes become in the tumble dryer, is it hot enough to kill germs? The good old-fashioned way of getting out the ironing board waiting for the iron to heat up usually to produce steam also produces sufficient heat to kill most germs that are still left on the clothes, even after washing. People were proud to be wearing nicely ironed clothing and the freshly ironed bedding somehow the other always looked fresh and inviting.

How often do you see someone scrubbing their doorstep? The doorstep is a barrier between you your home and the outside world with all of its germs and dirt, more often than not you have a doormat which used to be taken out and beaten but now it just has a vacuum cleaner run over it and not always sufficiently.

How many of you remember the old isolation hospitals where the nursing staff were used to treating contagious diseases. Now it appears as though the main idea of a hospital is to throw the patient out into the wide world as soon as the medical staff think they can cope.

What on earth happened to the convalescent home where patients were built up healthwise to be able to cope outside?

In 1948 or thereabouts when the National Health Service started it was all supposed to be free, free dental treatment free glasses, (how many of you remember the first free NHS glasses wire-rimmed and hooked over the ears?) Yet they were good sturdy glasses that stood quite a bit of knocking around and being sat upon. These days the dental service can be quite expensive especially for the people who are just above the income that enables them to have a free service and yet they are not earning enough that they are able to have all the treatment that they need. If you look closely there are a considerable number of people who need treatment but can’t afford it. Yet strangely enough it appears that it was the Labour government that brought in changes that made a visit to the dentist more expensive, even to the point that some people just didn’t go.

I wonder how many of you remember or even know about some of the practices used by people to solve some of their dental problems, we all know about the piece of string tied to the tooth and the doorknob and the slamming of a door usually pulling the tooth out, somewhat painfully but at least it was out. But did you know about a practice that was quite common in the country areas people used to make their own false teeth out of wood? Naturally they ensured that they were using a hardwood such as oak. With the introduction of cement some poor souls even made false teeth out of it. At times it must have felt as though you had a mouth full of grit.

Wouldn’t it really be better if the whole health service including opticians and dentists were part of the civil service and paid according to the civil service ranking?

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Politics and politicians

Posted on October 6, 2020 by gordonshome

Have you ever considered the fact that politicians, no matter what party only do anything to benefit the public when they have to?

If you look back to the national health system when Aneurin Bevan started it off in 1948 apart from the amount that was taken from your salary to fund the system everything else was free prescriptions were free spectacles were free and even the dental treatment was free. Since then bit by bit we have to pay what was going to be a free system.

This is happening because the politician tells us that we cannot afford to pay for everything out of taxes due to the medicines and treatments getting more complicated, therefore more expensive. I can’t see that there has been any reduction in things that benefit the politicians.

Such as reducing the House of Commons wine cellars, making them pay more towards what for, politeness we will say is the House of Commons canteen. There was only an attempt to restrict the MPs expenses when the Daily Telegraph reported the cost claimed for moats, and duck houses et cetera. Some time back, and I am talking about a few years I put forward the suggestion that one of the retired cruise liners should be moored on the Thames bank near the House of Commons, the idea was that they wouldn’t have to rent apartments because there were plenty of cabins, they could also utilise some of the cabins into their offices and there would also be the ships restaurant and cafeteria available. This would have led to a massive saving on expenses, which would have benefited the public purse and cut back on what MPs could claim in their expenses. The idea was not a popular one as you can imagine but the reason for not taking it up was that it would be a very easy target for terrorists. Believe that if you will.

If you look at the Register of Interests of our considerable number of MPs, you will find that the amounts of money they are receiving through outside activities is considerable, in some cases more than an MPs salary.

This then leads you to wonder what makes a person take up politics. Originally, it was for the sons of the landed gentry the older son inherited the estate the younger sons went into either the church or the Armed Forces. It was upon retiring from Armed Forces that they then took up politics. If you look back, there were quite a lot of MPs holding the rank of major. In those days the MPs did not draw a salary they had an income from elsewhere. Who was benefiting from them being an MP it certainly wasn’t the general public. You could only vote if you owned a property, in the old days not many people owned their own place, so there are only a few people who were entitled to vote. It was in 1918 that the vote was opened up to all males over 21. Women could vote if they were 30 or over, and even then only if they either owned property or had attended a top university. Then Emily Pankhurst started campaigning on women voting. It is my belief that the Russian Revolution was a major factor in all these changes.

I could keep going on this inequality, but that is all for now.

Maybe more later.

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Managing British Companies.

Posted on September 16, 2020 by gordonshome

It appears that the British method of organising and controlling a substantial company is not by encouragement and reward, but rather by internal warfare and jealousy.

No Director appears to be thinking of the whole picture but rather of how does his department look and if there is anything wrong how can I hide it.

Once I was in charge of a Research and Development Department, and I was asked by my Director to fill in for him at a Service and Repair Department feedback meeting. Under discussion was what appeared to be an increase in breakdown of some of the units in the field. The Service Manager gave his report listing the types of faults that had developed. Then the Managing Director asked if there were any questions? When I said yes I had one, the other members of the committee appeared to be surprised. ( I found out later that it is normal to say nothing accept the report and move on.)

Anyway I was asked what the question was. The Service Manager looked daggers.

“Can anyone tell me whether the increase in faults was under cold or tropical conditions?“

To me it was just a logical question, but the Service Manager had to admit that they didn’t keep that sort of information, to which I expressed surprise.

About an hour after the meeting had finished and we had all gone back to our own departments I received a visit from my Director, apparently he had been accused of stitching up the Service department and sending me to do it. It was thought that I was putting in a bid to take over that department by showing up the Manager. I said that I thought it was just a constructive question. I was praised for my input, but never asked to attended another meeting of that type.

The point I am making is that the first thought was that somebody was being criticised, not let us find out the answer. My Director was pleased because it had shown up another department, there was no attempt to work together to find the answer.
That type of question had never been asked before and the Managing Director made no comment and apparently forgot it.

Everybody seemed to thinking of themselves not of the Company. Needless to say some time later that Company was taken over and re-organised, I had left it by then.

To me it should have been a case of that is an interesting question, let us investigate and monitor the units. That should have been the type of response from the M.D.

So to you Managing Directors or Company Owners what is your approach?

Do you encourage your staff to consider how what they are doing affects the company, or just affects their own department. When they are working out their work schedules do they consider how it affects other departments such as maintaining the even flow of the production of the units that are being produced, or are they considering making life easier for themselves and everybody else doesn’t count.

You as managing director are the person responsible for how the employees regard their duties. It is up to you to encourage company first department second, rather than department first everyone else doesn’t count.

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Friend or Foe?

Posted on September 4, 2020 by gordonshome

There are a number of people still in isolation with very little contact with human beings, but they do have contact with their pets. Now if you are in isolation and your pet is a dog or could even be plural dogs how are you coping with the exercise they need and the walks that they enjoy. Do you take them out when you know that there won’t be many people around or do you rely on the helpful neighbour? I would say that there is a mixture of both.

Now our pets rely on us but there are instances when they don’t get the treatment they should have, to me an abandoned pet whether cat or dog or even ferrets instantly generate a feeling of sympathy quite often you can see the sense of loss in their eyes, they will be wondering how this could happen to them when they give their all to their so-called owners.

Are there more pets being abandoned due to difficulties caused by this coronavirus?
Are there more pets being ill treated by people who feel frustrated and isolated, are they taking their frustration out on their pets?

If this is the case they have never deserved the trust and love that their pets have given them.

Are we friends or foes of animals?
I would love to think that every one loves all animals, but that is not the case.

It is school time a number of children are moving up to the big school some with trepidation some with anticipation.

Can you remember when you moved up to big school were you worried? Were you happy to get away from your other school?

I think there will be some pupils who will be moving up with the older brother or sister these will be the lucky ones they will already have an understanding of what big school is about.

I well remember moving up to big school the very first day I got the cane across both hands, this was due to being in the hall for assembly and the headmaster called for silence I continued talking for a short while, actually to finish what I was saying. Now I was unlucky by being noticed and was sent to wait outside the headmaster’s door, when he arrived he told me that orders are to be obeyed instantly or consequences would follow I must admit I was puzzled by the word consequence and asked him what he meant, his reply was I will show you and I had to hold out both hands he got his cane and I was shown painfully. He then said now you understand consequence. I was then sent to my classroom, the funny thing is I was admired by my fellow pupils not many people were caned on the first day. Now the main reason why I’m talking about schools is the complete mix up on examinations how on earth could this have happened? I personally think that if it had been left to the people who knew what they were doing, in other words the teaching staff, things would have gone a lot smoother. Instead it was given to the people who generate more hot air than anyone else i.e. the politicians and their advisers. These people live in their own little gilded cages and think they understand the world.

This then begs the question do they think the general public are their friends or their foes?

My Friend
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Social networking

Posted on August 31, 2020 by gordonshome

Did you ever think that there would, come a time when for a number of people their only contact is through a program such as Facebook, yet that seems to be what is happening now. For a large number of people it gives them something to look forward to rather than just sitting and staring at a television set.

I am convinced that if this government had had the sense to see what was coming we would not be in the situation we are in. If we had acted promptly instead of sitting on our backsides debating the issue the virus would not have taken such a hold.

It seemed strange to me that the country it all originated in is in a far better condition than many others.

We now have the situation where China seems to be manufacturing practically everything because other countries are in a state of lockdown.

There were a number of greedy companies in the Western world that thought they were very clever by selling their outmoded designs to the Chinese. This gave the Chinese an understanding of the techniques behind the Western worlds designs. I don’t think that the so-called experts really understood what China was capable of. Their approach to problems is entirely different to ours, there was one instance when all the manufacturing drawings, got muddled, up our approach would have been for someone to sit down and spend ages sorting them, the Chinese approach was to gather a number of people into a large area and give each one of them some of the drawings, then one person would stand at the front and call out the number in numerical order and the drawing would then be held up then collected and placed on a table. Working this way 500 drawings were put in numerical sequence in a matter of minutes rather than days.

The point I’m making is that to conquer a problem the Chinese pour effort and manpower into it, now that is something that would never be done in the Western world.

Getting back to social networking we also have the case were a large number of people are working from home using some of the social networking tools such as Skype and Zoom, if firms had any sense they would investigate this as a future way of working, it would reduce the amount of office space which would mean lower heating bills as well as lower business rates. But where we have political figures being offered lucrative posts entirely due to the contacts they have and certainly not due to any commercial knowledge we don’t stand an earthly.

In the heyday of Victorian engineering they just got on with the job with very little interference from the politicians. There certainly was none of this political correctness and certainly no racial bias people had a job to do and they just got on with it to the benefit of all.

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Modern Day Living

Posted on August 20, 2020 by gordonshome

Someone once said that they wouldn’t like to live in the past because the present and future is always the best.

I wonder what they must be thinking now, for some people it is the loneliest time of their life, most of them are elderly and in isolation, this is not helped by families moving around to find employment. If you remember families were bought up in small towns and villages or compact parts of big cities. Everybody knew everybody else if you were are unwell someone would call on you with a warm broth, you certainly weren’t left wanting.

Now think when was the last time you spoke to brothers, sisters, grandparents or even parents, it might well be that they are in isolation. Now I am talking from experience I am in isolation and have been since the beginning of March. Matters were made worse because my wife died in February. I must admit that at the time friends and family were very supportive. My family live over a hundred miles away. No it is not that they moved rather it is that we moved, we made new friends wherever we went but now of course as we got older our friends got older and a number of those are in isolation or no longer with us as well.

So yes when I talk about loneliness I do know about it, but we were talking earlier on about living in the past now in the past there weren’t such things as Facebook, emails and blogs, so yes it could well be in certain circumstances people were very lonely then.

To a certain extent I feel that I’m in touch with people, new people through the social networks, you can talk with people I say talk rather most of it on Facebook is written as you well know, I can communicate with people about the past, the present, television and films, that i have enjoyed or detested, in other words you are not isolated you are in remote communication with new friends at a time that suits you.

What about this fiasco going on now, yes the exams. How on earth can such a mess have come about?
Who knows the educational standards of these teenagers, who has been cramming knowledge down their throats for the last few years, yes the teachers aided by classroom assistants. It could well be that these teachers know more about their ambitions and hopes than the parents. The parent usually has their own dreams about what they would like you to do, not always compatible with what you want. I wonder what the percentages of parents who have attended every parents evening at the school?

Now I have dictated this with a voice recognition program so any errors I can blame on something else any good points of course, are all mine.

Thank you for reading it criticise that if you wish.

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Increased Loneliness

Posted on July 2, 2020 by gordonshome

Some time back I wrote about loneliness and how it is on the increase. With this vicious virus that is going around and with lockdown more and more people will be suffering from loneliness. One wonders what can be done to combat this I know that people wear face masks and are usually two metres apart but with the covering up of part of the face it removes the natural events where, when you are talking to someone you are also looking at their expressions to get some idea of whether they agree or disagree with you.

What I do find is that in most cases people’s neighbours are very good, trying their best to make sure that people in lockdown have everything they need. I am one of these myself I in lockdown, which means social isolation who ever thought that this scenery would ever arise again after the 1918 epidemic. I must admit that it is strange that they are now talking about the possibility of another type of pandemic coming from the same source, does this mean that the only way of stopping it is to have closed borders with quarantine very similar to what animals had when they were coming to stay in this country.

Have you ever looked at where the items that you are buying these days come from I personally have been checking on the source of manufacture and it all seems to be made in China, I even went to the extent of ordering something from a German company and lo and behold it was made in China. Now I’m not saying anything about the quality because it does appear to be good but does this mean that other places are getting more and more expensive and pricing themselves out of work?

I often wonder whether I am the only one that has noticed this because no one appears to be mentioning it.

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