Friday, December 22, 2023

Malnutition in the UK

An astonishing figure of more than 800,000 patients were admitted to hospital with malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies last year, according to NHS figures.
Are the Tories going to dismiss this as a "lifestyle choice"?
Apparently, that is just the tip of the iceberg:


  • In the UK, 50% of people admitted to hospital from care homes were at risk of malnutrition.
  • In the UK, estimates suggest 1.3 million people over 65 suffer from malnutrition, and the vast majority (93%) live in the community
  • (Figures from the Malnutrition Task Force) 
  • Of course, it is OK for some, the fat cats in the City are not queueing up at the food banks.




Saturday, December 16, 2023

BBC and Gaza

The Chief Rabbi was on the Today Program. He does not openly support genocide in Gaza. He does not oppose it. He just plain ignores it and the BBC let him get away with it too.

This is the most morally reprehensible position imaginable.

Discuss.






Wednesday, December 06, 2023

Problem for Labour

The problem for Labour has always been how to motivate voters to come out and actually vote. As bad as Starmer’s love affair with Thatcher is his assertion that a Labour government would mean ‘no change’ for those voters.

His support for genocide in Gaza will alienate a significant number of the more politically aware voters too.

Socialists and Trade Unionists have been very prominent in opposing the plans of the Israeli government. 





Sunday, December 03, 2023

Working for Militant



"Militant" was the paper which became "The Socialist". In Ireland there is still a paper called "Militant Left"


In 1969, I received a phone call from Peter Taaffe, the editor in chief of Militant. At the time I was working as a figures clerk in the Ministry of Health. It was the best news I had ever received. I was going to work for Militant as a typesetter and I was going to attend the meetings of the Editorial Board.

I had first met Peter on a train journey to the Labour Party Young Socialist conference. I was frankly overawed and I didn't say very much.

Peter was the voice of Militant. He had the ability to explain Socialist ideas to any audience. He was too old for the Young Socialists but he addressed the fringe meeting of Militant. I had read the Communist Manifesto, Trotsky's Transitional Program and Jack London's "The Iron Heel" so I had some idea about Socialism but Peter brought the ideas to life with passion and also with humour.

The other members of the printing team were Pete Jarvis and Alan Hardman.

Pete was a tireless activist and he had an infectious enthusiasm.

Alan was the man who kept the presses rolling and at the same time he was a remarkable cartoonist. You can Google his cartoons to this very day. Practically every edition of Militant went out with an Alan Hardman cartoon.

During the time I worked for Militant, the government arranged a series of events to keep me interested. I will only mention two. Barbara Castle published "In Place of Strife" which was supposedly going to put an end to strikes. It provoked a massive TUC demonstration and most Militant supporters were involved. To see a government defeated by the trade unions was a lesson that is still relevant today.

The other event was the arrest of five dockers by the Tory government in 1972. The TUC were discussing a general strike but the rank and file took the matter out of their hands. A de facto general strike was gathering pace when the government produced the official solicitor like a rabbit out of a hat and the dockers were released. Again a government defeated by the trade unions but in this case bypassing the official leadership.

It was a great time to be alive and working for Militant was the icing on the cake.







Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Socialism 2023

I was able to attend Socialism 2023 via Zoom and this is a bonus for members who are chronically ill or hard up or both!
In a situation where both Starmer and Sunak support the genocide in Gaza, the need for a political alternative is more pressing.
Trade Unionists and Socialists supported the pro-Palestinian rallies and Starmer's Labour opposed them. 



Marbles

The refusal of Sunak to talk to Mitsotakisis seems childish. To refuse to discuss with someone you disagree with sounds like a misunderstanding of what discussion is for.
He just threw his toys out of the pram. Is he losing his marbles?


Monday, November 27, 2023

Maths problem



I tried this with my Maths class. Someone bought a £1 national lottery ticket every week.
Lucky soul, they won ten pounds in March, then lo and behold, ten pounds in June and an amazing ten pounds in August.
The question is how much did they win?

Friday, November 03, 2023

Remembrance Sunday

Remembrance Sunday commemorates the end of the First World War. It began as a time for people to remember the millions who were slaughtered in a pointless war. It was a time to remember all of the victims of war, military and civilian.

Rank-and-file soldiers do not start wars. That is the job of generals, politicians and kings.

It is a shame therefore that Remembrance Sunday has become an opportunity for generals, politicians and indeed kings to glorify war. They have no intention of putting an end to war. It is more than a century since the First World War. The powers that be have had their chance to bring about peace and they were powerless to do so.

It is in the interests of 99 percent, the poor and the dispossessed to put an end to war. The 1 percent, including of course arms manufacturers stand to make millions while millions die. It is not in their interests, far from it.

Workers of the world unite.



Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Celtic Fans have more guts than Labour MPs



Death of a Lesser God

The background to the story is the difficult period of Indian history after partition which Vaseem Khan has thoroughly researched. The difficult role of a female police officer in a patriarchal organisation is highlighted.
The story is compelling.
Vaseem Khan has an amazing ability as a storyteller and highly original use of similes and metaphors. "The dog was as wet and unhappy as a goldfish in a toilet bowl."
Although it is a crime story it is still a joy to read.



Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Top review on Amazon:

Top review on Amazon:

(This is a review of the short story, "In the Mirror of Eternity")

Short stories about time travel, with the associated paradoxes, have been among the classics of SF since the 1950s: think of Ray Bradbury’s "A Sound of Thunder", Poul Anderson’s "Delenda Est", or Robert Heinlein’s "All You Zombies". Sixty-odd years on, finding an original angle on the time travel short story can’t be easy. Derek McMillan has however managed it in his brief but excellent "In the Mirror of Eternity".

Instead of the actions of time travellers creating problems for history, as is usually the case, here just observing the past is the problem. Schroedinger’s cat and the multiverse provide a scientific underpinning. An irony of the story is that both the narrator and the time machine’s inventor, the louche Xavier, remain totally unaware of what is happening as their own history too changes: indeed, Xavier reassures the narrator more than once that merely observing the past can have no consequential effects.

The narrator’s (and, one suspects, McMillan’s) interest in early twentieth-century politics provides the alternative history background, with history changing at almost dizzying speed towards the end.

The originality of the conception demands further development, and McMillan has provided this in four sequels.



Local Author Directory



Sunday, September 24, 2023

The Manfreds


The Manfreds at the Worthing Assembly Halls was a trip down memory lane. Who knew how many great hits they were responsible for?

And who knew people who made me feel young could still perform on stage with so much vigour?

A great experience all round.

Saturday, September 02, 2023

General Knowledge Quiz 45 answers

 

General Knowledge Quiz 45

 

 

Please try the questions before looking at 

 

 

the answers

1) Amanda Holden has been a judge in which reality show since the first series?


a) Strictly come dancing b) The X Factor c)
Britain's Got Talent

 

2) Thomas Savery developed the first commercial pumping device powered by what?


a) solar power b)
steam c) electricity

3) Who was Marc Anthony's love interest?


a) Julius Caesar b)
Cleopatra c) Calpurnia

4) Which ballet features gingerbread men soldiers?


a)
The Nutcracker b) Romeo and Juliet c) Swan Lake

5) What name is given to the area under a church?


a) churchyard b) glebe c)
crypt

6) If you are born on 22nd January, your star sign is


a)
Aquarius b) Pisces c) Aries

7) Ben Price played which character in Coronation Street?


a) Todd Grimshaw b)
Nick Tilsley c) Damon Hay

8) Jonathan Edwards was the first triple jumper to achieve which distance?


a) 16 metres b)
18 metres c) 20 metres

9) Anakin Skywalker became which villain?


a)
Darth Vader b) Boba Fett c) Emperor Palpatine

10) What tribe sacked Rome in 410 AD?


a) Hun b)
Visigoths c) Gauls

11) What type of film is High Noon (which starred Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly)?


a) Romance b) Sci Fi c)
Western

12) Which Old Testment recalls Sarah's pregnancy with Isaac?


a)
Genesis b) Exodus c) Leviticus

13) Who votes for the winners of the Man of Steel Award?


a) the public b) the Amateur Athletics Association c)
Fellow players

14) What could Jack Sprat's wife not eat?


a) fat b)
lean c) chocolate

15) Which group released "Emotional Rescue"?


a) Paw Patrol b)
The Stones c) The Beatles

16) Lancia vehicles are manufactured in?


a) Germany b) France c)
Italy

17) Where is Worksop?


a) North Yorkshire b) South Yorkshire c)
Nottinghamshire

18) The Roman numerals CD are equal to?


a) 300 b)
400 c) 500

19) Rattan furniture is made from a plant native to?


a) Africa b)
Asia c) South America

20) What name is given to the person in charge of exhibits at a gallery?


a)
curator b) surveyor c) owner

 


 

General Knowledge Quiz 45


 

General Knowledge Quiz 45
1) Amanda Holden has been a judge in which reality show since the first series?
a) Strictly come dancing b) The X Factor c) Britain's Got Talent


2) Thomas Savery developed the first commercial pumping device powered by what?
a) solar power b) steam c) electricity


3) Who was Marc Anthony's love interest?
a) Julius Caesar b) Cleopatra c) Calpurnia


4) Which ballet features gingerbread men soldiers?
a) The Nutcracker b) Romeo and Juliet c) Swan Lake


5) What name is given to the area under a church.
a) churchyard b) glebe c) crypt


6) If you are born on 22nd January, your star sign is
a) aquarius b) pisces c) aries


7) Ben Price played which character in Coronation Street?
a) Todd Grimshaw b) Nick Tilsley c) Damon Hay


8) Jonathan Edwards was the first triple jumper to achieve which distance?
a) 16 metres b) 18 metres c) 20 metres


9) Anakin Skywalker became which villain?
a) Darth Vader b) Boba Fett c) Emperor Palpatine


10) What tribe sacked Rome in 410 AD
a) Hun b) Visigoths c) Gauls


11) What type of film is High Noon (which starred Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly)?
a) Romance b) Sci Fi c) Western


12) Which Old Testment recalls Sarah's pregnancy with Isaac?
a) Genesis b) Exodus c) Leviticus


13) Who votes for the winners of the Man of Steel Award?
a) the public b) the Amateur Athletics Association c) Fellow players


14) What could Jack Sprat's wife not eat?
a) fat b) lean c) chocolate


15) Which group released "Emotional Rescue"
a) Paw Patrol b) The Stones c) The Beatles


16) Lancia vehicles are manufactured in
a) Germany b) France c) Italy


17) Where is Worksop?
a) North Yorkshire b) South Yorkshire c) Nottinghamshire


18) The Roman numerals CD are equal to
a) 300 b) 400 c) 500


19) Rattan furniture is made from a plant native to
a) Africa b) Asia c) South America


20) What name is given to the person in charge of exhibits at a gallery?
a) curator b) surveyor c) owner 

 

Saturday, August 26, 2023

General Knowledge Quiz 43 answers

 


Please try the questions first. It is more fun that way!

1) What was the hotel in the 2014 film starring Raiph Fiennes?


a)
The Grand Budapest b) The Grand Baghdad c) The Grand Bombay

2) What is the occupation of someone who collects and maintains historical records?


a) historian b) historicist c)
archivist

3) Which desert is the largest in square miles?


a)
Sahara b) Gobi c) Kalahari

4) Who has to blow his horn?


a) Acker Bilk b)
Little Boy Blue c) Humphrey Littleton

5) In which decade was the film "Brassed Off" released?


a) 1970s b) 1980s c)
1990s

6) Bradford is on the edge of


a)
pennines b) mendips c) cheviots

7) Which 1980s sitcom had the characters William and Hester Fields?


a) The Fields of Yorkshire b)
Fresh fields c) Head for the Hills

8) Which catch-phrase is associated with Paul Daniels?


a)
You will like this, not a lot b) they don't like it up 'em c) I 'ate you Butler

9) Which catch-phrase is associated with Corporal Jones?


a) You will like this, not a lot b)
they don't like it up 'em c) I 'ate you Butler

10) Which catch-phrase is associated with Blakey from "On the Buses"?


a) You will like this, not a lot b) they don't like it up 'em c)
I 'ate you Butler

11) From which language do we get the term "contretemps"


a)
French b) Latin c) Italian

12) What is the name of the fort in Camberwick Green?


a)
Pippin Fort b) Fort Worth c) Fort Knox

13) In which decade was Alfed Hitchcock's Spellbound released?


a) 1930s b)
1940s c) 1950s (=1945)

14) What is the maximum number of players in a game of croquet?


a) two b) three c)
four

15) In which county is Bromsgrove?


a) Kent b) Surrey c)
Worcestershire

16) What was never won by a faint heart?


a) a battle b)
a fair lady c) a game of chess

17) Here we go round the mulbery WHAT?


a)
bush b) flower c) pub

18) Who led the Carthaginian expedition against Rome?


a)
Hannibal b) Lector c) Scipio

19) On a standard keyboard which key is immediately to the left of D?


a) A b)
S c)F

20) Which sauce is traditionally served with roast pork?


a) mint b)
apple c) pineapple


 

 



General Knowledge Quiz 43

General Knowledge Quiz 43
1) What was the hotel in the 2014 film starring Raiph Fiennes?
a) The Grand Budapest b) The Grand Baghdad c) The Grand Bombay


2) What is the occupation of someone who collects and maintains historical records?
a) historian b) historicist c) archivist


3) Which desert is the largest in square miles?
a) Sahara b) Gobi c) Kalahari


4) Who has to blow his horn?
a) Acker Bilk b) Little Boy Blue c) Humphrey Littleton


5) In which decade was the film "Brassed Off" released?
a) 1970s b) 1980s c) 1990s


6) Bradford is on the edge of
a) pennines b) mendips c) cheviots


7) Which 1980s sitcom had the characters William and Hester Fields?
a) The Fields of Yorkshire b) Fresh fields c) Head for the Hills


8) Which catch-phrase is associated with Paul Daniels?
a) You will like this, not a lot b) they don't like it up 'em c) I 'ate you Butler


9) Which catch-phrase is associated with Corporal Jones?
a) You will like this, not a lot b) they don't like it up 'em c) I 'ate you Butler


10) Which catch-phrase is associated with Blakey from "On the Buses"?
a) You will like this, not a lot b) they don't like it up 'em c) I 'ate you Butler


11) From which language do we get the term "contretemps"
a) French  b) Latin c) Italian


12) What is the name of the fort in Camberwick Green
a) Pippin Fort b) Fort Worth c) Fort Knox


13) In which decade was Alfed Hitchcock's Spellbound released?
a) 1930s b) 1940s c) 1950s (=1945)


14) What is the maximum number of players in a game of croquet?
a) two b) three c) four


15) In which county is Bromsgrove?
a) Kent b) Surrey c) Worcestershire


16) What was never won by a faint heart?
a) a battle b) a fair lady c) a game of chess


17) Here we go round the mulbery WHAT?
a) bush b) flower c) pub


18) Who led the Carthaginian expedition against Rome?
a) Hannibal b) Lector c) Scipio


19) On a standard keyboard which key is immediately to the left of D?
a) A b) S c)F


20) Which sauce is traditionally served with roast pork?
a) mint b) apple c) pineapple


 

Friday, August 25, 2023

General Knowledge Quiz 44 answers


 


General Knowledge Quiz 44

 

 

Please try the questions before looking at 

 

 

the answers


1) Amanda Holden has been a judge in which reality show since the first series?


a) Strictly come dancing b) The X Factor c)
Britain's Got Talent

2) Thomas Savery developed the first commercial pumping device powered by what?


a) solar power b)
steam c) electricity

 

3) Who was Marc Anthony's love interest?


a) Julius Caesar b)
Cleopatra c) Calpurnia

4) Which ballet features gingerbread men soldiers?


a)
The Nutcracker b) Romeo and Juliet c) Swan Lake

5) What name is given to the area under a church?


a) churchyard b) glebe c)
crypt

6) If you are born on 22nd January, your star sign is...


a)
aquarius b) pisces c) aries

7) Ben Price played which character in Coronation Street?


a) Todd Grimshaw b)
Nick Tilsley c) Damon Hay

8) Jonathan Edwards was the first triple jumper to achieve which distance?


a) 16 metres b)
18 metres c) 20 metres

 

9) Anakin Skywalker became which villain?


a) Darth Vader b) Boba Fett c) Emperor Palpatine

10) What tribe sacked Rome in 410 AD?


a) Hun b)
Visigoths c) Gauls

11) What type of film is High Noon (which starred Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly)?


a) Romance b) Sci Fi c)
Western

12) Which Old Testment recalls Sarah's pregnancy with Isaac?


a)
Genesis b) Exodus c) Leviticus

13) Who votes for the winners of the Man of Steel Award?


a) the public b) the Amateur Athletics Association c)
Fello

w players

14) What could Jack Sprat's wife not eat?


a) fat b)
lean c) chocolate

15) Which group released "Emotional Rescue"


a) Paw Patrol b)
The Stones c) The Beatles

16) Lancia vehicles are manufactured in


a) Germany b) France c)
Italy

17) Where is Worksop?


a) North Yorkshire b) South Yorkshire c)
Nottinghamshire

18) The Roman numerals CD are equal to


a) 300 b)
400 c) 500

19) Rattan furniture is made from a plant native to


a) Africa b)
Asia c) South America

20) What name is given to the person in charge of exhibits at a gallery?


a)
curator b) surveyor c) owner


 Available on Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Evil-Quizmaster-Mr-Derek-McMillan/dp/B0BSMCP1FX

General Knowledge Quiz 44

General Knowledge Quiz 44

 

1) Amanda Holden has been a judge in which reality show since the first series?


a) Strictly come dancing b) The X Factor c) Britain's Got Talent

2) Thomas Savery developed the first commercial pumping device powered by what?


a) solar power b) steam c) electricity

3) Who was Marc Anthony's love interest?


a) Julius Caesar b) Cleopatra c) Calpurnia

4) Which ballet features gingerbread men soldiers?


a) The Nutcracker b) Romeo and Juliet c) Swan Lake

5) What name is given to the area under a church


a) churchyard b) glebe c) crypt

 

6) If you are born on 22nd January, your star sign is
 

a) aquarius b) pisces c) aries

7) Ben Price played which character in Coronation Street?
 

a) Todd Grimshaw b) Nick Tilsley c) Damon Hay

8) Jonathan Edwards was the first triple jumper to achieve which distance?
 

a) 16 metres b) 18 metres c) 20 metres

9) Anakin Skywalker became which villain?
 

a) Darth Vader b) Boba Fett c) Emperor Palpatine

10) What tribe sacked Rome in 410 AD
 

a) Hun b) Visigoths c) Gauls

11) What type of film is High Noon (which starred Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly)?
 

a) Romance b) Sci Fi c) Western

12) Which Old Testment recalls Sarah's pregnancy with Isaac?
 

a) Genesis b) Exodus c) Leviticus

13) Who votes for the winners of the Man of Steel Award?
 

a) the public b) the Amateur Athletics Association c) Fellow players

14) What could Jack Sprat's wife not eat?
 

a) fat b) lean c) chocolate

15) Which group released "Emotional Rescue"
 

a) Paw Patrol b) The Stones c) The Beatles

16) Lancia vehicles are manufactured in
 

a) Germany b) France c) Italy

17) Where is Worksop?
 

a) North Yorkshire b) South Yorkshire c) Nottinghamshire

18) The Roman numerals CD are equal to
 

a) 300 b) 400 c) 500

19) Rattan furniture is made from a plant native to
 

a) Africa b) Asia c) South America

20) What name is given to the person in charge of exhibits at a gallery?
 

a) curator b) surveyor c) owner

 


 



Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Hospital Stories


#Worthingflash is a project to promote flash fiction. In addition to Worthing, it has attracted writers from every continent. There have been 100 writers so far, over 63,000 people have visited the blog http://worthingflash.blogspot.com and there is a wide range of topics and genres.
You can write about anything you like but for those who like prompts, here is a suggestion.
At a certain age, we have all had some time in hospital. You may have a true story. For example, I was in a bed opposite a patient who got up every morning, got dressed and said his family was coming to collect him. In due course, his long-suffering family arrived. They pointed out he had a resting pulse of 150 and he was suffering inter alia from gangrene. They then had the daily task of dissuading him from going home.
Alternatively, it could be a fantasy about a nurse called Eustace who falls madly in love with you. He turns out somewhat disappointingly to be a drug dealer with unfortunate personal habits.
The only rule is that entries have to be under 1000 words. Indeed you could try your hand at a six-word story if you like!
Stories should be sent to worthingflash@gmail.com and all are read and considered.

Friday, July 21, 2023

Illegal Migration Bill

A key feature of government policy is to deport migrants to Rwanda. Racists in the UK are expected to applaud this and vote Tory.

Rwanda, according to Human Rights Watch, used arbitrary detention and torture. What must appeal to Suella Braverman is that they also arrest any opposition leaders. 

Several people with whom the Africa Justice Foundation charity worked are now key members of President Paul Kagame’s government and are involved in the UK’s £140m deal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. Suella Braverman was a founder member of this charity.

How anybody can reject the Devil and all his works and vote Tory is a mystery.



Saturday, July 15, 2023

Traffic Lights

Some supermarket products do not use the traffic light system. Close examination of their ingrediients will indicate why. Most of the "traffic lights" would be red - for danger.

However their failure to do this could have two beneficial consequences.

1) people could stop buying those products.

2) people could start doing the Maths for themselves.

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

The Postscript Murders

This is a first-class whodunnit. It also gives an insight into the world of the crime writer. Although it is serious, in places it is laugh-out-loud funny as well. For example, Harbinder decides the way to cope with her colleague is to think of him as a small woodland creature. This works very well.

The book actually uses the word "cosy" for a type of fiction. This term could be applied to Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie and now Elly Griffiths. It simply means there is no explicit sex and violence. There is also a lack of profane language. This is all very welcome. If people want that sort of thing, they can go elsewhere!

I wonder how many readers downloaded Panda Pop after reading this story. :)


Saturday, July 08, 2023

Consultation on Ticket Offices

On numerous occasions the ticket machines have failed and only the ticket office has been able to help. 

Southern Rail does not provide a good service but to deliberately make it worse is absurd. 

They seem to be only concerned with making their shareholders filthy rich.


To make your views known contact

It is worth writing to your MP even if they are a useless Tory bastard. They must not be allowed to say there is no opposition to this move.


Thursday, June 29, 2023

Expensive royals

The BBC cannot stop lying.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-57559653

This article about the cost of the royal family is good but it grossly underestimates the cost of the Coronation which is closer to 250 million when the security operation (which involved rounding up non-violent Republic protestors - a brutal piece of policing for which even the Met apologised) is included.

There is no figure for the benefits of the royals to Tourism but this is in any case a pathetic argument. Many countries which do not have monarchies have far better tourism than the UK so the royals are arguably a cost to the tourist industry.

If people want to drool over Buckingham Palace then they can still do so when Charles and his cronies are consigned to the trash can of history.

 


 


Thursday, June 01, 2023

Murder in the Quiz Club

I run a quiz club. The characters in "Murder in the Quiz Club" are entirely fictitious. There are such things as libel laws.

For security reasons I cannot reveal the name of the poison which was used in this murder. That and the fact that I can't actually remember it.