Dear Friends at the Millman Street computer learning centre,
My very best wishes to you all for a merry festive season and a bountiful New Year. Special greetings and good wishes to our tutor (Veronica), plentiful may her garden grow in the new year with fewer weeds and less ravenous snails. I am proof of her teaching skills since a year ago emails were beyond me and "blogging" was something one did between consenting adults in private.
So! A Happy New Year to All....
Walter V.
Sunday, 20 December 2009
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Surrender
I am bruised, battered and beaten, survival depends on surrender. So, I surrender, give up, have tied the white flag to my flag-pole. This means that I shall cease to complain and fulminate inwardly.
I promise to overlook all examples of the split infinitive. Why? Because it is now so widely used as to become normal. I will also cease to worry about "inverted commas". These are used indiscriminately and it is difficult to recognise direct speech. Don't worry, no help is at hand.
My recent rage is against the "tautology". Example, "A new innovation". One is enough.
The lesson for today is "Remain cheerful" and all will be forgiven.
Walter V.
I promise to overlook all examples of the split infinitive. Why? Because it is now so widely used as to become normal. I will also cease to worry about "inverted commas". These are used indiscriminately and it is difficult to recognise direct speech. Don't worry, no help is at hand.
My recent rage is against the "tautology". Example, "A new innovation". One is enough.
The lesson for today is "Remain cheerful" and all will be forgiven.
Walter V.
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Who was Henry Croft?
His name may mean nothing but his contribution to children's charity became a byword in London Cockney Folklore. Henry was a roadsweeper and rat catcher. In fact he was reputed to be one of the best of his generation. His area was Charlton Street off the Euston Road. The London at the time was riddled with death and illness including destitution with child mortality extremely high . If you were destitute your only recourse was the workhouse which was one step above living on the streets. His friends were Costermongers (Street Traders and Market Stall Holders), Beggars, prostitutes, thieves and Vagabonds.
The fashion at the time was pearl buttons. All wore them on their boots and shoes. It was the fad of the times. He noticed that everywhere he went he found lots of loose buttons on the floor especially in Charlton Street market. At that time they were not expensive. So he started to collect them and sell them at a small profit. The broken ones he sewed on his working suit so he stood out when he went charity collecting in the Market for his favourite orphanage up by Chalk Farm somewhere.
One day while he was collecting the chief costermonger asked him what he was doing and was so impressed by his fortitude he decide to contact all the other costermongers throughout London and outside markets to collect for him. To celebrate they wear pearly suits and dresses when they collect births, marriages, death and their harvest festival at St Martin in the Fields, in the Strand.
So from one person's good deed sprung a tradition that is now known the world over and doesn’t it make you proud to be a cockney and a Londoner.
El Moano
The image is from www.paviyarns.co.uk
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Labour & Europe ... a personal view
I can't help wondering why after meeting Mrs Merkel of Germany, Tony Blair decided to hand back the rebates Mrs. Thatcher fought hard to get for this country despite Britain paying a higher contribution than the French.
Again it doesn't make sense why Gordon Brown pushed through the Lisbon Treaty by parliamentary vote and denied us our referendum which Labour promised in their 2005 election manifesto.
Why didn't he join the Euro when one pound was one euro & fifty centime. He outlined five criteria as to why Britain wasn't ready. Now the pound is nearly on par. Why did the Labour Party let the bankers earn huge bonuses and almost bankrupt the country despite having created the FSA?
Why did Gordon Brown sell gold bullion for $250 an ounce? (It is now $1150). I think they have no regard for the voters and they think they can do the thinking for us.
The reputation of Britain suffered when it was revealed how MPs were milking the system of claiming expenses.
This time I hope the voters will not be fooled into believing that Labour deserves a fourth term in May 2010.
Posted by: M.Ghosh 03/11/2009 at 05:09 PM
Again it doesn't make sense why Gordon Brown pushed through the Lisbon Treaty by parliamentary vote and denied us our referendum which Labour promised in their 2005 election manifesto.
Why didn't he join the Euro when one pound was one euro & fifty centime. He outlined five criteria as to why Britain wasn't ready. Now the pound is nearly on par. Why did the Labour Party let the bankers earn huge bonuses and almost bankrupt the country despite having created the FSA?
Why did Gordon Brown sell gold bullion for $250 an ounce? (It is now $1150). I think they have no regard for the voters and they think they can do the thinking for us.
The reputation of Britain suffered when it was revealed how MPs were milking the system of claiming expenses.
This time I hope the voters will not be fooled into believing that Labour deserves a fourth term in May 2010.
Posted by: M.Ghosh 03/11/2009 at 05:09 PM
Excuses
We all make excuses as part of our daily life. We are late...excuse. We forgot to feed the cat...excuse. We forgot to water the plants...excuse ... and so forth. Then there is the extraordinary excuse... leaves on the line for the late train, for example.
On Saturday 14th Nov. the weather was vile. No Guardian newspaper was delivered to my local newsagent. He apologises in spite of the fact that there was nothing that he could do about it. When I asked what happened, he said "It's the weather, call back in half an hour". Half an hour later the paper had been delivered but without the magazine. He explained this was due to the rain.
A young friend of mine (after a hard night) phoned his boss next morning and explained that he would not be at work as he was unable to find his shoes!
Walter V.
On Saturday 14th Nov. the weather was vile. No Guardian newspaper was delivered to my local newsagent. He apologises in spite of the fact that there was nothing that he could do about it. When I asked what happened, he said "It's the weather, call back in half an hour". Half an hour later the paper had been delivered but without the magazine. He explained this was due to the rain.
A young friend of mine (after a hard night) phoned his boss next morning and explained that he would not be at work as he was unable to find his shoes!
Walter V.
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Off my trolly!
Having struggled for years carrying a shopping basket provided by the store I was using at the time, the other day I thought I'd be brave and get one of the trolleys to use. I went to get one and hadn't a clue what to do! A very nice lady came to my assistance and away I happily went.
What I did not realise was they have a mind of their own. I think that one trolley was against me from the start. It took me (not the other way round) out onto the pavement full of little children in buggies and old ladies and started to career wildly all over the place amid much shouting and cursing. Eventually I managed to curb the beast.
Having almost run over an old man sitting on the pavement with his cap beside him full of coins and reducing a toddler to tears by banging into his buggy and causing his teddy to fall overboard, I eventually reached safe haven and did my shopping though worrying all the time that I had do the reverse journey to return the beast to its stall.
All was well eventually, but I will use a basket in future!
What I did not realise was they have a mind of their own. I think that one trolley was against me from the start. It took me (not the other way round) out onto the pavement full of little children in buggies and old ladies and started to career wildly all over the place amid much shouting and cursing. Eventually I managed to curb the beast.
Having almost run over an old man sitting on the pavement with his cap beside him full of coins and reducing a toddler to tears by banging into his buggy and causing his teddy to fall overboard, I eventually reached safe haven and did my shopping though worrying all the time that I had do the reverse journey to return the beast to its stall.
All was well eventually, but I will use a basket in future!
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
Mad security - update
I posted a blog...Mad security...on 21st October (2009).
There is some sense in the system and I am delighted to announce that the item (harpoon) arrived safely at the Museum in Toronto.
The universe is not entirely mad...just a little insane on occasion.
Walter V
There is some sense in the system and I am delighted to announce that the item (harpoon) arrived safely at the Museum in Toronto.
The universe is not entirely mad...just a little insane on occasion.
Walter V
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