In sicness and in health

13 March

Another great writer is lost to the world. Sir Terry Pratchett has left is to live in his Disc world. It seems slightly odd to me to write those words. My old mate Bill Howe loaned me a couple of Pratchett books, but I just couldn’t get into them at all. For me the one I tried just work; however, his books did work for so many others that he did become a successful writer. I can’t argue that he wasn’t, simply because he has sold so many books during his writer career.

Alzheimer’s is a horrible illness. I saw what it did to my mother over the last years of her life. She died last year at 89. It’s a cruel illness that robs the sufferer and their family of so much fun and love and happiness. But to get early onset of Alzheimer’s in a man younger man of the intelligence and drive like Terry Pratchett, is particularly cruel. He at least was able to do something with his life while he progressively became worse. Such a shame.

There are so many illnesses in this world of ours that we have to fight or just put up with. Of course, the flu can be a killer. So is measles, mumps, chicken pox and oh so many others. Yet for the majority of folks who get them, they get over it and move on. However, there are others which are far worse. Small pox, plague and of course ebola are real killers. The first two have just about been irradiated within the world. Ebola hasn’t, as the recent outbreak in West Africa has shown. However, even if the body count is appallingly high in the current outbreak, it hasn’t spread as far or as unchecked as was once feared.

In fact, a number of the largest fears for the spreading of killer bugs spreading have come to nothing haven’t they? However, this is down to our growing awareness and precautions that our guards take to keep them under control. This does cost a lot of money though; but it is not wasted money. More needs to be spent on keeping these things under control so we are all kept safe.

There’s another illness which has raised its ugly head here in the West Midlands. Ricketts is back! Yes, rickets. Last century it was a disease of the lower class, or the poverty stricken. There is no way such a disease should be here in 21^st Century Britain. And yet there are places in Britain where poverty is so high that children ARE starving. How can that be in country as rich as this one is? The so-called financial crisis seems to me to be hurt only those on a low income.

There was an Irish guy on the news yesterday saying that people going to Cheltenham for the racing are spending £1000 a day. On Facebook photos have been posted of celebrations being held for various festivals and military parades and so on. I made the comment, ‘And while this is going on, people are starving just around the corner.’ So much money being spent on needless things every day. And don’t forget, we give India hundreds of million £s every year. Why are we doing that? And why are we providing the means where people can come here to spend so much money on a totally unnecessary thing like horse racing? Where is the justice in these things?

Oh dear, I’m getting het up again, not good for me at all. But doyer no wot? Health and welfare is a top priority, or should be. No matter which colour government we have the nations’ health must come first before all else. We must spend what is needed to keep our health services working at their peak levels. We also much spend money on the prevention of illnesses too. Rickets in Britain in 2015? Oh come on, get real you Westminster Muppets!

And so for a photo … 

A coot at LWT.

Today’s funny comes from our friendly Sage again …

One night a guy takes his girlfriend home. As they are about to kiss each other goodnight at the front door, the guy starts feeling a little horny with an air of confidence, he leans with his hand against the wall and smiling, he says to her, "Honey, would you have sex with me?"
Horrified, she replies, "Are you mad? My parents will see us!"
"Oh come on! Who's gonna see us at this hour?" he asks, grinning at her.
"No, please. Can you imagine if we get caught?"
"Oh come on! There's nobody around, they're all sleeping!"
"No way. It's just too risky!"
"Oh please, please, I love you so much!"
"No, no, and no. I love you too, but I just can't!"
"Oh yes you can. Please?"
"No, no. I just can't"
"I'm begging you..."
Out of the blue, the light on the stairs goes on, and the girl's older sister shows up in her pyjamas, hair dishevelled, and in a sleepy voice, she says: "Dad says to go ahead and have sex with him, or I can do it... Or if need be Mom says she can come down herself and do it. But for God's sake, tell him to take his hand off the intercom!"