Educated idiots everywhere

5 January

Fake news, what is it I wonder? I’ve just been looking at the MSN homepage and one item caught my attention for the silliness of the headline; ‘Do you live close to a busy road? You could be at risk of Alzheimer’s.’ It seems today that whatever you do you are likely, or could develop some illness or other. I know, why don’t we all live in cotton wool shrouds, stay at home sitting on the floor in the freezing cold and without any lights. Oh, no, that won’t work will it? We could become diffy in Vitamin D and might get rickets from it. That’s if we managed to live that long that is seeing as drinking water is dangerous and cooking food could set our shrouds on fire. Needless to say, I didn’t bother reading that one.

Yesterday was the 50 year anniversary of the death of Donald Campbell on Conistone Water. There aren’t that many men of adventure like him about these days, health and safety laws have put a stop to those types of fun and games. Well, at least here in the UK it has. Bloody busybodies get everywhere these days. At least abroad those that wish to can get off the beaten track do things some of can only dream of doing. There’s a guy who took a film crew with him when he trekked across Central America. At one point he passed through an area controlled by a drugs cartel and the cops came in to stop and escort him. The cartel is known for killing outright or kidnapping people for ransom. It’s not a trek I would consider but if he wants to do it, fine, let him get on with it.

Health and safety – a term that should come with a health warning of its own. It makes me smile at times though. Like the time I went into Barclays bank here in town during a time when they remained open while major alterations were being made around the customer areas. There were the contractors, all wearing hard hats and hi-vis vests; and beside them were the bank staff and customers with no protection at all. How silly can things get? These people are what my dad used to call educated idiots, he was right too wasn’t he.

Brexit is running into all kinds of trouble again. You won’t need me to tell that the chief negotiator has resigned over the issue. But hang on a mo, did he resign over Brexit itself? Not from what I understand from the reports I’ve read and heard. No, he resigned because the PM and her cronies don’t have an idea what they should be doing and have cut him out of the process of making a plan. I can understand that you know; he is the man who is supposed to sit down with the rest of the EU ambassadors and work a deal that’s good for us. How can he do that without any clear ideas or any set targets. You have to include such a man in your planning meetings. After all, he is the one who knows how the EU works better than any minister. So why has Tittering Terry cut him out? I’m wondering if it would have been any different if Daft Dave was still in power? But that’s counter-history, something I don’t have any respect for at all. It’s the coulda-shoulda-woulda game for even more educated idiots with too much time and not enough common sense on their hands.          

Yesterday we sat in waiting for my foot butcher to arrive at 12.30; come 1pm Jan was about to phone her so I decided to check the diary first. The appointment is for today, yesterday. At least I got the time right. Anyway, we’re sat here again waiting for her now.

And so it’s photo time …

Colour for sale.

Today’s funny …

Magistrate: 'But if you saw the lady driving towards you, why didn't you give her half the road?'
Motorist: 'I was going to, Your Honour, as soon as I could find out which half she wanted.'