tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-127196742024-03-25T10:19:02.735+00:00Derek McMillan's weblogDerek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.comBlogger1303125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-66650508162868761782024-03-25T10:18:00.002+00:002024-03-25T10:18:23.740+00:00The Minister Answers the Question<h1 class="western"><br /></h1>
<p class="western" style="margin-top: 0.42cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">"Now
look. We have spent unprecedented sums and lessons have been learnt."</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-top: 0.42cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">"What
are you talking about minister?"</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-top: 0.42cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">"That
is not the point. Going forward we expect to see a massive
improvement up and down the country."</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-top: 0.42cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">"An
improvement in?"</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-top: 0.42cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">"There
is an ongoing inquiry and it would be inappropriate for me to
comment."</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-top: 0.42cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">"Will
you answer the question, minister?"</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-top: 0.42cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">"We
expect to see spectacular developments but you have to remember we
have had Covid and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The opposition
has no policy."</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-top: 0.42cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">"That
is all we have time for. Thank you very much, Minister."</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-top: 0.42cm;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">"My
pleasure."</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-top: 0.42cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAYh6L6kAX99z8dhsU-14yJhwiIDg7JkZ2SarMzp9WE1RW4aWvotPhwqOh3r_OfCmVE8Id4uqfI_uQw7xTp-k5A7wWo9u8ST3pYBwBrls3EDx9n01upnn67D0YaPn5WK-XHEkrtaz3PjOH8lEP4h3XY1xlH2qYAcr-OSClIS0KgpSltybs1Ju/s1177/ministry%20of%20truth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="1177" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAYh6L6kAX99z8dhsU-14yJhwiIDg7JkZ2SarMzp9WE1RW4aWvotPhwqOh3r_OfCmVE8Id4uqfI_uQw7xTp-k5A7wWo9u8ST3pYBwBrls3EDx9n01upnn67D0YaPn5WK-XHEkrtaz3PjOH8lEP4h3XY1xlH2qYAcr-OSClIS0KgpSltybs1Ju/s320/ministry%20of%20truth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span><p></p>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-8500014255327398662024-03-23T17:25:00.002+00:002024-03-23T17:31:28.961+00:00<font face="Arial"><font size="04"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1jcOwOPKQFEv8WS6lUkOp_z9QsEqWryaF85IauiR84Zke63SNeo2je_4aMNN8x8qgDWbsGU19Ccp8hOfH_1vwBGXCX38cogwZd4lfoRx1A6ftn_Rl76BFtZfOkx-9Ks3ZxoBUGEbsum9W4oVSUN9CSdyGF7Q2MlIVDRakvrDjd9gYnFyZ0nn/s1500/IF6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1500" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1jcOwOPKQFEv8WS6lUkOp_z9QsEqWryaF85IauiR84Zke63SNeo2je_4aMNN8x8qgDWbsGU19Ccp8hOfH_1vwBGXCX38cogwZd4lfoRx1A6ftn_Rl76BFtZfOkx-9Ks3ZxoBUGEbsum9W4oVSUN9CSdyGF7Q2MlIVDRakvrDjd9gYnFyZ0nn/s320/IF6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>My favourite line from "If" by Rudyard Kipling.</font></font><div><font face="Arial"><font size="04"><br /></font></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><font size="04">Kipling was backward-looking and Imperialist but still managed to write some well-loved stories and the most popular poem in the English language.</font></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><font size="04"><br /></font></font></div><div><br /></div><div><font face="Arial"><font size="04"><br /></font></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QcSgL5FGhtE" width="414" youtube-src-id="QcSgL5FGhtE"></iframe></div><br /><font size="04"><br /></font></font></div>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-47806685293891703932024-03-23T08:19:00.003+00:002024-03-23T08:21:42.528+00:00And then there were None<font><font face="arial" size="5">This was a very "professional" amateur production by the Ferring Amateur Dramatic Society.</font></font><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><font><font size="04">"</font></font><span style="background-color: white; color: #161616; font-size: large; font-weight: inherit;">Ten little Soldier Boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine."</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #161616; font-size: large; font-weight: inherit;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The unfolding story weaves together the poem about the ten little Soldier Boys and the guilty secrets of the ten guests.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #161616; font-size: large; font-weight: inherit;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Without revealing any spoilers, this is a very well-constructed enactment of a classic Agatha Christie story.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #161616; font-size: large; font-weight: inherit;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It would be invidious to single out any of the actors because they work together as a team. The result is a splendid evening out.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #161616; font-size: large; font-weight: inherit;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There is even wine!</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #161616; font-size: large; font-weight: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsTvmcl5jsmPg-L7KRK6950Oy-VPf3Fda3t5DxN2slZ8ZwZ57pq-XUA2G3ao527TQnaVdefo1Ek1ONxMn8TBF4eeJ3fzDZaNiD08i_RmB3kmS4iYnI3bB0y0Qrqze8w2Eflca_Bd-9zB8JaAEVknfbxOAG27uBIZv7Y2YN7zVnI0Ir1irbaZr/s1600/FADS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsTvmcl5jsmPg-L7KRK6950Oy-VPf3Fda3t5DxN2slZ8ZwZ57pq-XUA2G3ao527TQnaVdefo1Ek1ONxMn8TBF4eeJ3fzDZaNiD08i_RmB3kmS4iYnI3bB0y0Qrqze8w2Eflca_Bd-9zB8JaAEVknfbxOAG27uBIZv7Y2YN7zVnI0Ir1irbaZr/s320/FADS.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #161616; font-size: large; font-weight: inherit;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #161616; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></i></div><ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #373737; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; list-style: square; margin: 0px 0px 1.625em 2.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></li></ul>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-20975317714469843852024-03-19T11:54:00.003+00:002024-03-19T12:18:50.443+00:00A safe place<p><span style="font-family: arial;">The Conservatives can no longer call themselves the party of law and order.
<br /></span>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br />The Rwanda Bill places party politics above the law.
<br /></span>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Calling Rwanda a safe country is contrary to all the human rights
surveys. Safe if you like being tortured! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/10/10/rwanda-unlawful-military-detention-torture</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/rwanda</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Two reports from Human Rights Watch. A safe place? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHeQDPJSlABJVwD7X-_QxGTznc0Ju-knuPotSMX_K2xFyUn-9gtiaAbugPElDV3_Ul60UgWtHsh6nxJXJz8vg3Qp59KQbXEgOF9fBiYIdTkvz4WV-jFCP9xVD4HJ5PfRv44J6N3zTSXopMwj6JEG8FMd96UBTdoZWpasCVNYcApimy1NJ_FgXp/s474/Rwanda%20torture.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHeQDPJSlABJVwD7X-_QxGTznc0Ju-knuPotSMX_K2xFyUn-9gtiaAbugPElDV3_Ul60UgWtHsh6nxJXJz8vg3Qp59KQbXEgOF9fBiYIdTkvz4WV-jFCP9xVD4HJ5PfRv44J6N3zTSXopMwj6JEG8FMd96UBTdoZWpasCVNYcApimy1NJ_FgXp/s320/Rwanda%20torture.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"> Safe eh? How many MPs would like that?</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">he Tories do not like torture. They would rather subcontract it to the Rwanda government which has plenty of practice.<br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> <br /></span></p></div>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-13152412817355323472024-03-06T19:02:00.000+00:002024-03-06T19:02:02.883+00:00A Question for Starmer<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: mastodon-font-sans-serif, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Do you think your efforts to combat anti-semitism are helped or hindered by the slaughter of children by the Israeli Defence Force? Discuss. </span><a class="mention hashtag status-link" href="https://mastodon.social/tags/starmer" rel="tag" style="border: 0px; font-family: mastodon-font-sans-serif, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; unicode-bidi: isolate; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">#<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">starmer</span></a><span style="font-family: mastodon-font-sans-serif, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><a class="mention hashtag status-link" href="https://mastodon.social/tags/labour" rel="tag" style="border: 0px; font-family: mastodon-font-sans-serif, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; unicode-bidi: isolate; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">#<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">labour</span></a><span style="font-family: mastodon-font-sans-serif, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><a class="mention hashtag status-link" href="https://mastodon.social/tags/gaza" rel="tag" style="border: 0px; font-family: mastodon-font-sans-serif, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; unicode-bidi: isolate; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">#<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">gaza</span></a><span style="font-family: mastodon-font-sans-serif, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><a class="mention hashtag status-link" href="https://mastodon.social/tags/genocide" rel="tag" style="border: 0px; font-family: mastodon-font-sans-serif, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; unicode-bidi: isolate; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">#<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">genocide</span></a></span></span><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlMOzP8ZGwDjYSrfLUUJnAjAM02SEKqfgZqtv9_bOq0Vlgjvz3Bl2rzQI3o_CbPNTq3o56JU7F_iiqwibajOrVy4WPLLgN_HJguLAHO5oA4d5kraFOTr-Xh0TeNlEUw1rgrZiK3mzohxvGfQ9ZPNfIO48J-oojHKJrzTKaFO8lUzRGlJ84fH-/s1024/netanyahu2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlMOzP8ZGwDjYSrfLUUJnAjAM02SEKqfgZqtv9_bOq0Vlgjvz3Bl2rzQI3o_CbPNTq3o56JU7F_iiqwibajOrVy4WPLLgN_HJguLAHO5oA4d5kraFOTr-Xh0TeNlEUw1rgrZiK3mzohxvGfQ9ZPNfIO48J-oojHKJrzTKaFO8lUzRGlJ84fH-/s320/netanyahu2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-28031729956549390472024-03-05T10:40:00.001+00:002024-03-05T10:40:24.428+00:00Durrington Detective Agency Facebook Page<font face="Arial"><font size="04"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556517535964" target="_blank">Click here</a><br /></font></font><div><font face="Arial"><br /></font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jCShshGxK4a_4f5DJI2Q2oBI8yaYepHWcT6kik1NEw1I9t_ASaK1mnJOPKapbnbUzpYZ7ILSJbsMSvOI6j_jZ4uXZEGiGza13s15iBkQ9has4EPdZTJhxuCabyqq9pDCWjqZVDjHNrkLX-gSGgAkmrmhy0Rj_2PQVdumy8nrSOjLdALY1ddW/s501/DDA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="501" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jCShshGxK4a_4f5DJI2Q2oBI8yaYepHWcT6kik1NEw1I9t_ASaK1mnJOPKapbnbUzpYZ7ILSJbsMSvOI6j_jZ4uXZEGiGza13s15iBkQ9has4EPdZTJhxuCabyqq9pDCWjqZVDjHNrkLX-gSGgAkmrmhy0Rj_2PQVdumy8nrSOjLdALY1ddW/s320/DDA.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><font face="Arial"><br /></font></div>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-7660588033850672382024-03-04T20:28:00.005+00:002024-03-04T20:33:01.033+00:00Durrington Detective Agency<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zIrrFhuT0eI?si=s9QEMFgKzBFnmM0b" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; 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Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-38098095613492987572024-02-02T12:03:00.002+00:002024-02-02T12:04:02.159+00:00General Election Challenge<h2 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 22px; line-height: 27.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9ayyuXet4r_DlWVuOEgzt4UBrT7Wqt8kqLvlHGN4KXxM3NFDO714mVZVe6EaBQ9Qo32mDeE4GovNq5SzuhV36i-97JGTVMgvFdyPI3kMfdbmGlSATH5vK8fpjHE87kHy7UfFYNzNQ5Z-MXXtpfmhm35e6Y3crldSiHr9evF3dwjtX_bAz6YK/s240/TUSC-AGAINST-CUTS-logo-776930.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="240" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9ayyuXet4r_DlWVuOEgzt4UBrT7Wqt8kqLvlHGN4KXxM3NFDO714mVZVe6EaBQ9Qo32mDeE4GovNq5SzuhV36i-97JGTVMgvFdyPI3kMfdbmGlSATH5vK8fpjHE87kHy7UfFYNzNQ5Z-MXXtpfmhm35e6Y3crldSiHr9evF3dwjtX_bAz6YK/s1600/TUSC-AGAINST-CUTS-logo-776930.png" width="240" /></a></div><br />Convention Gathers In Birmingham To Discuss United General Election Challenge</strong><br /> </h2><h4 style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22.5px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Representatives of twelve different campaign groups and socialist organisations are meeting this weekend (on Saturday 3rd) in a Convention to Organise a Working Class Challenge at the General Election. </h4><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">An agenda document has now been released by the Convention Arrangements Committee, which is available at <a href="https://www.tusc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Convention-Agenda-document.pdf" style="color: #007c89; text-size-adjust: 100%;">https://www.tusc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Convention-Agenda-document.pdf</a><a href="https://www.tusc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Convention-Agenda-document.pdf." style="color: #007c89; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">.</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">The Convention will start with an opening session which has been given the title, ‘Do we want a common election challenge? And is it possible?’. <br /><br />Participating in this discussion will be the Convention co-hosting organisations – the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), the Socialist Party, System Change (formerly Resist), the Campaign for a Mass Workers Party, the TUSC Independent Socialists, and Socialist Students – alongside the newly-formed Transform Party, the Social Justice Party, the Workers Party of Britain, and the Organising Corbyn Inspired Socialist Alliance (OCISA) campaign group who are promoting a single independent left candidacy for Sir Keir Starmer’s Holborn & St Pancras constituency seat.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">One of the issues to be resolved in this session will be whether the participants believe that a joint election challenge should attempt to contest enough seats at the general election – at least 98 candidates – to reach the broadcasting authorities ‘fair media coverage’ qualifying threshold. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">This is sometimes misleadingly referred to only as a benchmark to qualify for a party election broadcast. But while it does indeed guarantee an election broadcast – which is obviously not unimportant – it is more than that in providing a lever to achieve the biggest possible access for a socialist working class alternative message across all the establishment media outlets. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><strong>Still time to register!</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">That is why, while it is welcome that twelve organisations are coming together in Birmingham to discuss what can be done, the Convention Arrangements Committee has also expressed its disappointment that not every socialist group considering standing candidates in the general election has so far taken up the invitation to attend.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Last November, for example, the Communist Party of Britain, a leading influence on the Morning Star newspaper, agreed at its biennial Congress “to contest as many constituencies in the forthcoming general election as resources reasonably allow in order to raise the red flag for public ownership, a wealth tax” etc, although it would not be able to reach the ‘fair media coverage’ threshold on its own. So why not then collaborate with other socialists to most effectively ‘raise the red flag’, while preserving its own independent identity and profile?</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">The same point applies to the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), which rightly recognised at its annual conference in January that “an important section of the working class to whom we seek to relate will not vote Labour”, and that the “emergence of left alternatives to Labour is more important”. Nevertheless, it went on, “none of the likely electoral challenges to the left of Labour are likely to ask the SWP to join as an independent revolutionary formation. We could not consider membership on any other basis”. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">But that is precisely one of the proposals being discussed at the Convention – Proposition Five in the Convention agenda document – that “individual candidates and organisations participating in the joint election challenge shall retain at all times responsibility for their own campaigns, including the right to promote their own organisation and policies that go beyond the core platform”. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">If the SWP, or the Communist Party, feel that this is still too restrictive why not come to the Convention and explain what other guarantees they would need? There’s still time!</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">The Convention is being held on Saturday and registration remains open – which can be done by completing the form at <a href="https://www.tusc.org.uk/convention_registration_form/" style="color: #007c89; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">https://www.tusc.org.uk/convention_registration_form/</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">In-person attendance is open to any socialist organisation or campaign group that is considering supporting or standing candidates in the general election (who can appoint up to ten delegates); elected trade union officers or reps (attending in a personal capacity); resigned-from-Labour or independent socialist councillors; and individual members of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) who are not members of one of the TUSC component organisations or organisations otherwise represented at the Convention. The time has come to take decisions!</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Z<strong>oom attendance is also available for visitors, who are asked to pay the same registration fee (£5 waged or £2 unwaged or low-waged) as in-person attendees to help meet the costs of the event.</strong><br /><br />Solidarity,<br />The TUSC Team</p>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-27937373830894699622024-02-01T19:09:00.001+00:002024-02-01T19:09:36.847+00:00<font face="Arial"><font size="04"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4K5DY2ycJKsri8svq-EYmwN1UjV2anHCt3NX0uCy61uhObYRe9Vvh0uYRZ1anSO9RONIwcg_5FOB-ebmGdg_AAkT4BrWDBps-k2Ymi8T0864yImvLvmZZRUG5QXW_nsLWJvOtkfJC5s283NihGpA7_oj31zcB6MN1G4pF_Gce_bFe0L2v13Wv/s617/How%20come.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="617" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4K5DY2ycJKsri8svq-EYmwN1UjV2anHCt3NX0uCy61uhObYRe9Vvh0uYRZ1anSO9RONIwcg_5FOB-ebmGdg_AAkT4BrWDBps-k2Ymi8T0864yImvLvmZZRUG5QXW_nsLWJvOtkfJC5s283NihGpA7_oj31zcB6MN1G4pF_Gce_bFe0L2v13Wv/s320/How%20come.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></font></font>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-26927611698114302692024-01-30T08:49:00.001+00:002024-01-30T08:49:19.657+00:00The Evil Quizmaster<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Song
Lyrics 1</b></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1) You think you've lost your love, well I saw her
yesterday</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a) she's still mad at you</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b) she said 'hi'</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">c)
It's you she's thinking of.</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2) Gloria </span>
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">a)
in Excelsis</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b) give me your answer do</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c) pride of our alley</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">3) Daisy</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a) in Excelsis</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b) give me your answer do</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c) pride of our alley</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">4) Sally</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a) in Excelsis</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b) give me your answer do</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">c)
pride of our alley</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">5) Hello darkness my old friend</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a) How are you?</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">b)
I've come to talk with you again</span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c) long time no see</span></p>
<p class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a name="lyric-body-text"></a>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">6)
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">You
are my sunshine, my only </span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/sunshine"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">sunshine</span></span></span></a></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
You make me happy</span></span></span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a)
when the gas bill comes</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b)
when skies are grey</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c)
when skies are blue</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">7)
Who were "Tryin' to catch the Devil's herd, across these endless
skies"</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a)
ghostriders in the sky</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b)
the police</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c)
clouds</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">8)
Who was asked to come into the garden</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">a)
Alan </span>
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b)
Maud</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c)
Reginald</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">9)
Ain't no mountain high enough ain't no valley</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a)
wide enough</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b)
low enough</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c)
long enough</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">10)
Pack up your troubles in what?</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a)
a suitcase</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b)
a cupboard</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c)
your old kit bag</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">11)
What are we going to build in England's green and pleasant land?</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a)
a skyscraper</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b)
a castle</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c)
Jerusalem</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">12)
And you told her you'd never kissed a girl before so what must you
do?</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a)
hold your hand out naughty boy</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b)
behave yourself</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c)
stop it at once</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">13)
What is the password for "Hernando's Hideaway"?</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a)
open sesame</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b)
Casablanca</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c)
you and I were sent by Joe</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">14)
Why was the little white bull unhappy?</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a)
his mother was cross with him</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b)
only black bulls go to the bullring</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c)
he had a tummy ache</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">15)
What happens to mother brown if they catch her bending?</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a)
they get annoyed</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b)
the say she's cheating</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c)
they'll saw her legs right off</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">16)
By yon bonnie banks & by yon bonnie braes, refers to</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a)
Loch Ness</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b)
Loch Lomond</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c)
Ullswater</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">17)
Where do the deer and the antelope play?</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a)
home on the range</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b)
home in the Gorbals</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c)
home with the old folks</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">18)
Bonnie and Clyde were pretty lookin' people but whose children?</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a)
different parents</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b)
the devil</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c)
unknown parents</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">19)
The grand old duke of York</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a)
had ten thousand acres</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b)
had ten thousand pounds</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c)
had ten thousand men</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">20)
How many men on a dead man's chest</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">a)
one</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">b)
fifteen</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">c)
two</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Have
a go at the questions before looking at the answers!</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Ans
1) c 2) a 3) b 4) c 5) b</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">6)
b 7) a 8) b 9) b 10) c</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">11)
c 12) a 13) c 14) b 15) c</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">16)
b 17) a 18) b 19) c 20) b</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbS_M09mQIFNwj1x43tCYjJp5nQaGSK4axJ-8nNRI6VZcuqp7PGokIk_Z0w0WXy307BKhZxOi-RGmfT-qpZhxOeY_46ckeZpX6N167zpmniJO9rhReQ_FPa5pw3DS7O6ZK1Mg4W5oWbN0D-xx-tz2Mgp2uSR3-CmWAG44FKUyWlw6SWDi1oazK/s474/question%20mark.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="474" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbS_M09mQIFNwj1x43tCYjJp5nQaGSK4axJ-8nNRI6VZcuqp7PGokIk_Z0w0WXy307BKhZxOi-RGmfT-qpZhxOeY_46ckeZpX6N167zpmniJO9rhReQ_FPa5pw3DS7O6ZK1Mg4W5oWbN0D-xx-tz2Mgp2uSR3-CmWAG44FKUyWlw6SWDi1oazK/s320/question%20mark.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><br />Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-70082777174219566612024-01-03T18:38:00.002+00:002024-01-03T18:38:59.008+00:00Everyday Fiction<font face="Arial"><font size="04"><a href="https://everydayfiction.com/a-boxing-day-to-remember-by-derek-mcmillan/">New story in Everyday Fiction</a></font></font><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Comments on <a href="https://everydayfiction.com/a-boxing-day-to-remember-by-derek-mcmillan/">"A Boxing Day to Remember"</a> :</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">From Paul A Freeman:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2a2e2e; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">What a bizarre, eighty-miles-per-hour murder mystery. Could be a 'Knives Out' sequel.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2a2e2e; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Thanks for the read, Derek.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2a2e2e; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2a2e2e; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">From my nephew David X:</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #2a2e2e; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Short, sweet and to the point (pun intended) 😊</span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">My Neice Tracy, </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Was a bit worried about which niece was going to be named! 😝</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Another Neice George:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I thought it was 'Auntie ' Gladys? Not niece? The one that didn't like jelly? How about that for a plot for your next story?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">FYI "Auntie Gladys" was not anyone's aunt, but a friend of the family. She was tickled pink when the Dave Clark Five released a song with the chorus "</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20.25px;">I'm feelin' glad all over".</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20.25px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Programme, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20.25px;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFA-UJmKe6M35fGjQCMHm0Ev6hBMz03_YSQzpoA85QA0sYC2lcmYDwK7lcpXORmMVRtwPjzGtE1uNmL-7Op8efdCj8RwrGkyWtT8e7CWcmqzFoZLuHuKBvR8mxGziKRswRv9qVFmqk1L81Fkhf7ts5lBm7CILU3AV2DUpy0t4QgMfliDsBIZD/s520/EDF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="121" data-original-width="520" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFA-UJmKe6M35fGjQCMHm0Ev6hBMz03_YSQzpoA85QA0sYC2lcmYDwK7lcpXORmMVRtwPjzGtE1uNmL-7Op8efdCj8RwrGkyWtT8e7CWcmqzFoZLuHuKBvR8mxGziKRswRv9qVFmqk1L81Fkhf7ts5lBm7CILU3AV2DUpy0t4QgMfliDsBIZD/w549-h127/EDF.jpg" width="549" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><font face="Arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br /></font></div></div>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-37444362595070373262024-01-02T11:51:00.002+00:002024-01-03T18:40:26.634+00:00Pantomime racist<span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="mastodon-font-sans-serif, sans-serif" style="background-color: #282c37; color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">James Cleverly has been informed that the government has failed to stop the boats. His only response was ‘Oh yes we have’. Is it pantomime season? </span><a class="mention hashtag status-link" href="https://mastodon.social/tags/stoptheboats" rel="tag" style="background-color: #282c37; border: 0px; color: #d9e1e8; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; unicode-bidi: isolate; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">#<span style="border: 0px; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">stoptheboats</span></a><span face="mastodon-font-sans-serif, sans-serif" style="background-color: #282c37; color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></span><div><span style="background-color: #282c37; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #282c37; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It is a misguided racist piece of nonsense. A clear signal to racists that if you hate migrants you should vote for the class enemy.</span></div><div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: #282c37; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEzZ7ppamym4O2MZBTgY0eedeEOnivWkIpxtV5cBMSTCyG-ZsGhT2zvQMj2QNElmaS7SX2ynhNyp9CBZP8rqIWMhdM9WH1gFXvokg4EIzPPFP68k6zCcK2lFwydrw64b-N3ahz88FauKXVEaLtJI4j5dyx6leH-cL3c1ATRdLCnLc3hGCyBKo/s1280/Cleverly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="970" data-original-width="1280" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilEzZ7ppamym4O2MZBTgY0eedeEOnivWkIpxtV5cBMSTCyG-ZsGhT2zvQMj2QNElmaS7SX2ynhNyp9CBZP8rqIWMhdM9WH1gFXvokg4EIzPPFP68k6zCcK2lFwydrw64b-N3ahz88FauKXVEaLtJI4j5dyx6leH-cL3c1ATRdLCnLc3hGCyBKo/s320/Cleverly.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>James Cleverly also famously made jokes about Rohypnol. What a caution!</span></div>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-21147299074179699812023-12-22T11:45:00.000+00:002023-12-22T11:45:28.047+00:00Malnutition in the UK<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Inter, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">An astonishing figure of more than 800,000 patients were admitted to hospital with malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies last year, according to NHS figures.<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Inter, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Are the Tories going to dismiss this as a "lifestyle choice"?<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Inter, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Apparently, that is just the tip of the iceberg:</span></span></h2><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Inter, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: filson-soft, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: none; margin: 20px 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 7px; padding-left: 17px; position: relative;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">In the UK, 50% of people admitted to hospital from care homes were at risk of malnutrition.</span></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 7px; padding-left: 17px; position: relative;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">In the UK, estimates suggest 1.3 million people over 65 suffer from malnutrition, and the vast majority (93%) live in the community</span></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 7px; padding-left: 17px; position: relative;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">(Figures from the Malnutrition Task Force) </span></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 7px; padding-left: 17px; position: relative;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Of course, it is OK for some, the fat cats in the City are not queueing up at the food banks.</span></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 7px; padding-left: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJNhNhC8gIcwsMpwxKwaTQYhFf9R6Ff1F0ZPnGGxmd5i_P3GktR41RUmy-VK1AwHqKbhxJ6HNhWeEYPiVwgBtueyhMtelNaF12WwPPBIbiFKC3GBqv1dTI253O3AyqC6BXgsAL9p2AmDEmBHkRpQZoJRmfu7NLtCaPAqwJ0ULXaW_F-fDbw1n/s474/fatcat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="474" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJNhNhC8gIcwsMpwxKwaTQYhFf9R6Ff1F0ZPnGGxmd5i_P3GktR41RUmy-VK1AwHqKbhxJ6HNhWeEYPiVwgBtueyhMtelNaF12WwPPBIbiFKC3GBqv1dTI253O3AyqC6BXgsAL9p2AmDEmBHkRpQZoJRmfu7NLtCaPAqwJ0ULXaW_F-fDbw1n/s320/fatcat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><br /></span></li></ul><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: filson-soft, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: filson-soft, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: none; margin: 20px 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 7px; padding-left: 17px; position: relative;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><br /></span></li></ul></div>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-61843488888413768372023-12-16T17:16:00.001+00:002023-12-16T19:30:47.512+00:00BBC and Gaza<p class="western" style="margin-top: 0.42cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: maroon;"><span face="mastodon-font-sans-serif, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">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. </span></span></span>
</span></p>
<p class="western"><span style="color: maroon; font-family: arial;">This is the most morally
reprehensible position imaginable.</span></p>
<p class="western"><span style="color: maroon; font-family: arial;">Discuss.</span></p><p class="western"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="color: maroon; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="western"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmiw82xfdI6gTv93Pxa-bnrUfygsx6K1_IDwjQU0_YGo6Hi2n6JePOM0Xs5pL-Et0jhvKVC_TeBTTdwSwnUNrPHQvAhsXuQe9P25pyhdo99h-TDZqRk52d-gC2H0Fm0D0Guvb5q4JpeL4dtmK3jl-ToyF3xYrR8PAfrUMP_WvnRbuphlXV63-8/s474/Today.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmiw82xfdI6gTv93Pxa-bnrUfygsx6K1_IDwjQU0_YGo6Hi2n6JePOM0Xs5pL-Et0jhvKVC_TeBTTdwSwnUNrPHQvAhsXuQe9P25pyhdo99h-TDZqRk52d-gC2H0Fm0D0Guvb5q4JpeL4dtmK3jl-ToyF3xYrR8PAfrUMP_WvnRbuphlXV63-8/w462-h260/Today.jpg" width="462" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: maroon; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-17603598393784442962023-12-06T16:34:00.001+00:002023-12-06T16:34:28.157+00:00Problem for Labour<span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />His support for genocide in Gaza will alienate a significant number of
the more politically aware voters too.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Socialists and Trade Unionists have been very prominent in opposing the
plans of the Israeli government. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNCv4QtYlPnn30gS6hFw7Ah8C73_I-C34hkR3MIsFnBIB-W3U7jna92VZeV4fuhYfKF6aH2uY2YMV-vD3toh4mpg_MMe3qlmc_r9BVYPQeHVX5HQ6Ls1fALy7PKI3a3kEJHBI096yv0oT8fzjinvFpFQkAa5qmh0Qn-A64Vqt_y2hJVRck1Ab/s1200/TUSC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNCv4QtYlPnn30gS6hFw7Ah8C73_I-C34hkR3MIsFnBIB-W3U7jna92VZeV4fuhYfKF6aH2uY2YMV-vD3toh4mpg_MMe3qlmc_r9BVYPQeHVX5HQ6Ls1fALy7PKI3a3kEJHBI096yv0oT8fzjinvFpFQkAa5qmh0Qn-A64Vqt_y2hJVRck1Ab/s320/TUSC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-2113345970665423932023-12-05T15:49:00.003+00:002023-12-10T10:08:46.881+00:00A quick stroll through Google<div><font face="Arial" size="3"><a href="https://freeflashfiction.com/fiction_authors/derek-mcmillan/">Free Flash Fiction</a></font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="3"><br /></font></div><font face="Arial" size="3"><font><a href="https://www.sledgehammerlit.com/post/dave-s-contraption-by-derek-mcmillan">Sledgehammer Lit</a></font></font><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><a href="https://fiftywordstories.com/2023/10/19/derek-mcmillan-in-the-soup/">50 word stories</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><a href="https://drablr.com/derekmcmillan">Drablr</a></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.fridayflashfiction.com/100-word-stories/you-dont-question-a-hero-by-derek-mcmillan"><span style="font-family: arial;">Friday Flash Fiction</span></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><a href="https://witcraft.org/2023/10/20/dr-ambrose/">Witcraft</a> <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/2019/02/worthing-flash.html"><span style="font-family: arial;">Six Questions for Derek McMillan</span></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBo9-DghslUu3kMV5OV3ACTFIS7lANUXDnHohgcVaNBEbEKNRQdX36spn-ObNeXDz-JGrojsFKz9IE4ZoWuUk5HYyaJJEHtWfwYwyZyLdwZrgwGPM6Ff1ykpNeZNnH4y3Sbc6vPmY7j2TiWVMQSJL_unxxjxlx3w0inQDC7HrW51eeJm_Cpdq/s837/ashtray.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="837" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBo9-DghslUu3kMV5OV3ACTFIS7lANUXDnHohgcVaNBEbEKNRQdX36spn-ObNeXDz-JGrojsFKz9IE4ZoWuUk5HYyaJJEHtWfwYwyZyLdwZrgwGPM6Ff1ykpNeZNnH4y3Sbc6vPmY7j2TiWVMQSJL_unxxjxlx3w0inQDC7HrW51eeJm_Cpdq/s320/ashtray.jpg" width="306" /></span></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><font face="Arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><br /></font></div></div>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-41052137610977574152023-12-03T11:56:00.002+00:002023-12-03T11:56:41.125+00:00Working for Militant<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<table border="1" bordercolor="#000000" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;">
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<p class="western" style="text-indent: 0.4cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Militant"
was the paper which became "The Socialist". In Ireland
there is still a paper called "Militant Left"</span></p>
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</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.4cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.4cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.4cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.4cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.4cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The
other members of the printing team were Pete Jarvis and Alan Hardman.</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.4cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pete
was a tireless activist and he had an infectious enthusiasm.</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.4cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.4cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;">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.</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.4cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;">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.
</span></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.4cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It was a great time to be alive and working for Militant
was the icing on the cake.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.4cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3y2SlfdlLnN3hwX-ST_86QcxlIEu144cK7d-vOSQQsXKzvrKScJDZoTNqBgVOj-W0lwgFDNhC4s99F5w8ixBPIyRCD4jMyIIh2l_9zNsdCVdNFKSRZLPu20VZh6Do80CneYrX4eRV0lZget_NgWSQ4OA3-CubMLrIFz7VzHib5zBSzCNWyJBh/s640/MilitantPaper3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3y2SlfdlLnN3hwX-ST_86QcxlIEu144cK7d-vOSQQsXKzvrKScJDZoTNqBgVOj-W0lwgFDNhC4s99F5w8ixBPIyRCD4jMyIIh2l_9zNsdCVdNFKSRZLPu20VZh6Do80CneYrX4eRV0lZget_NgWSQ4OA3-CubMLrIFz7VzHib5zBSzCNWyJBh/w442-h295/MilitantPaper3.jpg" width="442" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.4cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.4cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.4cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.4cm;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-65775117358473903452023-11-28T16:45:00.001+00:002023-11-29T17:41:38.674+00:00Socialism 2023<span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px;">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!</span><div><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px;">In a situation where both Starmer and Sunak support the genocide in Gaza, the need for a political alternative is more pressing.</span></div><div><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px;">Trade Unionists and Socialists supported the pro-Palestinian rallies and Starmer's Labour opposed them. </span></div><div><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinb8ZzK7JqqdhMTfrXo7zMHNRtXqvWf_0HdTnKAuVOqL5Asmb8SGzS-1dH9zUegDpbkUfwKwY23D24BmBuWNVis-8ZJXNJ_e5HRci7D8H7pTWdQvCqu8B8G_LfmNn_vZMAqiDHYc6jw6mHpau5qna6uNMWq0650awzMgv6XJWej3LqodRRfA-8/s1200/TUSC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinb8ZzK7JqqdhMTfrXo7zMHNRtXqvWf_0HdTnKAuVOqL5Asmb8SGzS-1dH9zUegDpbkUfwKwY23D24BmBuWNVis-8ZJXNJ_e5HRci7D8H7pTWdQvCqu8B8G_LfmNn_vZMAqiDHYc6jw6mHpau5qna6uNMWq0650awzMgv6XJWej3LqodRRfA-8/w453-h255/TUSC.jpg" width="453" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-18768993789407981832023-11-28T16:33:00.000+00:002023-11-28T16:34:07.217+00:00Marbles<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWNAxPYZzeICU8W7595XWJ-4cPuPPQscc-lRrqBGsuSrnLbl0wSdTRqItMKDjwtY4VESpM4L_7KHUB1NmQ6zrX4tanAwYglmlTGWx7ARthe4v7soTYGWkl1kU6_QU5Ieg4RAEtcWeFyRH1AvbkZkKXV-fIInkIiGacLcDM-qWhFMQQaTJ8ClMq"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWNAxPYZzeICU8W7595XWJ-4cPuPPQscc-lRrqBGsuSrnLbl0wSdTRqItMKDjwtY4VESpM4L_7KHUB1NmQ6zrX4tanAwYglmlTGWx7ARthe4v7soTYGWkl1kU6_QU5Ieg4RAEtcWeFyRH1AvbkZkKXV-fIInkIiGacLcDM-qWhFMQQaTJ8ClMq=s320" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7306552189966453458" /></a></p><div><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; float: none; display: inline !important; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The refusal of Sunak to talk to </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; float: none; display: inline !important; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); border-color: rgb(20, 20, 20); color: rgb(20, 20, 20);">Mitsotakisis seems childish</span></font><span style="font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;float:none;display:inline!important;background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0);border-color:rgb(20,20,20);color:rgb(20,20,20)">. To refuse to discuss with someone you disagree with sounds like a misunderstanding of what discussion is for.</span></div> <div><span style="font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;float:none;display:inline!important;background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0);border-color:rgb(20,20,20);color:rgb(20,20,20)">He just threw his toys out of the pram. Is he losing his marbles?</span></div> <div><br> </div> <div><br> </div> Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-13064034695421463112023-11-27T21:17:00.001+00:002023-11-27T21:56:34.174+00:00Maths problem<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdH4GGgRW1hGf1dUlNQBGLvx8s8DZ3ueH75Bx0_zytKpIZS_2GIMnxe_2E4QC0JaXFjpfOQnvtjaz5j6pHWIecY54GzaKBa1gH1b5weuN3y7lUBuU4L546IiKrGcakUiPSIbYZUl78ORxPsvGCFX30MWGt8i6jAuvunbAUl-1zOv1GFTw3_qt/s1920/maths.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1371" data-original-width="1920" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdH4GGgRW1hGf1dUlNQBGLvx8s8DZ3ueH75Bx0_zytKpIZS_2GIMnxe_2E4QC0JaXFjpfOQnvtjaz5j6pHWIecY54GzaKBa1gH1b5weuN3y7lUBuU4L546IiKrGcakUiPSIbYZUl78ORxPsvGCFX30MWGt8i6jAuvunbAUl-1zOv1GFTw3_qt/s320/maths.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I tried this with my Maths class. Someone bought a £1 national lottery ticket every week.</span><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Lucky soul, they won ten pounds in March, then lo and behold, ten pounds in June and an amazing ten pounds in August.</span><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">The question is how much did they win?</span></span>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-48604523497062300442023-11-03T10:46:00.000+00:002023-11-03T10:46:34.855+00:00Remembrance Sunday<font face="Arial"><font size="04">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.</font></font><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Rank-and-file soldiers do not start wars. That is the job of generals, politicians and kings.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">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.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">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.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Workers of the world unite.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX9AugirjoKUchAC1EaMRMcY5jVdIAvJODLtA1HWwyLpykP-MPq5SS6XnywRxmlCOnK46U5boaSzPRA6oETr26P816Nt-ZpigSux8B4Vs_QxrsT-I-Rl7Vk7SINPMwTBOP00g6AQSIqhlr_0H6XQimN0vB_jBXZT7UU52T58TdjDvXqW4esyfY/s1440/graves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="1440" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX9AugirjoKUchAC1EaMRMcY5jVdIAvJODLtA1HWwyLpykP-MPq5SS6XnywRxmlCOnK46U5boaSzPRA6oETr26P816Nt-ZpigSux8B4Vs_QxrsT-I-Rl7Vk7SINPMwTBOP00g6AQSIqhlr_0H6XQimN0vB_jBXZT7UU52T58TdjDvXqW4esyfY/s320/graves.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-15128455389692391292023-10-31T20:42:00.005+00:002023-10-31T20:42:52.316+00:00Celtic Fans have more guts than Labour MPs<font face="Arial"><font size="04"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwcpWFtJcxo8GKW87XNN7DIGV9o-W4s6KcVU8LAaJQ755MVsXeB8X_R7IsV-5ARy5UTGpIWP_6jBh0meKGXjKpdJ2MPHLk9cOGLf1fyB2SAMwJo2c4Zza3pAPnDU8PjI6Nlgik4vnK2O1FHQ92cF8dr0ro3JgboYF5RzZThDhEhHc69mt0UFqH/s976/celtic%20fans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="976" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwcpWFtJcxo8GKW87XNN7DIGV9o-W4s6KcVU8LAaJQ755MVsXeB8X_R7IsV-5ARy5UTGpIWP_6jBh0meKGXjKpdJ2MPHLk9cOGLf1fyB2SAMwJo2c4Zza3pAPnDU8PjI6Nlgik4vnK2O1FHQ92cF8dr0ro3JgboYF5RzZThDhEhHc69mt0UFqH/w611-h345/celtic%20fans.jpg" width="611" /></a></div><br /><br /></font></font>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-71554747230012990192023-10-31T20:06:00.002+00:002023-10-31T20:06:43.879+00:00Death of a Lesser God<div class="x1e56ztr" data-block="true" data-editor="f5f9f" data-offset-key="9f2et-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9f2et-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The</span><span data-offset-key="9f2et-1-0" style="font-family: inherit;"> 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.</span></div></div><div class="x1e56ztr" data-block="true" data-editor="f5f9f" data-offset-key="1ndgb-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1ndgb-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="1ndgb-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">The story is compelling.</span></div></div><div class="x1e56ztr" data-block="true" data-editor="f5f9f" data-offset-key="bjdli-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="bjdli-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="bjdli-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">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."</span></div></div><div class="x1e56ztr" data-block="true" data-editor="f5f9f" data-offset-key="dea0e-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 8px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dea0e-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="dea0e-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Although it is a crime story it is still a joy to read.</span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dea0e-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="dea0e-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dea0e-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqPo7stmtKxN7cLiIWgp5wGPw27wI27nMwRDhpGEFUOl-D7NH8zMtP7NOvr4_4V0QDryCwokRBEpINQiAFs_7_4Uy8e2WLkBcEdQPzkJYRnb0v5k6x-QPzMOlvXyfYsE_Za4gePl3ZcX-FwWxfM3vUvyxdzeg6FS2RG_xpbh69-lABuro3d46/s500/Death%20of%20a%20Lesser%20God.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="325" height="529" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqPo7stmtKxN7cLiIWgp5wGPw27wI27nMwRDhpGEFUOl-D7NH8zMtP7NOvr4_4V0QDryCwokRBEpINQiAFs_7_4Uy8e2WLkBcEdQPzkJYRnb0v5k6x-QPzMOlvXyfYsE_Za4gePl3ZcX-FwWxfM3vUvyxdzeg6FS2RG_xpbh69-lABuro3d46/w344-h529/Death%20of%20a%20Lesser%20God.jpg" width="344" /></a></div><br /><span data-offset-key="dea0e-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-26603014686391646512023-10-25T18:47:00.002+01:002023-10-25T18:48:14.746+01:00Top review on Amazon:<font face="Arial"><font size="04">Top review on Amazon:</font></font><div><font face="Arial"><font size="04"><br /></font></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><font size="04"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">(This is a review of the short story, "In the Mirror of Eternity")</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">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".</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">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.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">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.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">The originality of the conception demands further development, and McMillan has provided this in four sequels.</span></font></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><font size="04"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></font></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><font size="04"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHM7KXdx-9y5zXuJmLG4e7II_BT_HEygeM1gQzPm1oZYJLfQmPGmTq_UPohNVNtJet8QGdDgZNr90cZjlQTAR1CsoaKYxnO1AY0XGN1BfaJHb6WfgXda2HR7EdIJdvHKdCf2ZK1EF9XUJzdkXcIDxhIDNFui4j2iJlK0xeGXY4NEUfelok-oj/s1227/4covers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="1227" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHM7KXdx-9y5zXuJmLG4e7II_BT_HEygeM1gQzPm1oZYJLfQmPGmTq_UPohNVNtJet8QGdDgZNr90cZjlQTAR1CsoaKYxnO1AY0XGN1BfaJHb6WfgXda2HR7EdIJdvHKdCf2ZK1EF9XUJzdkXcIDxhIDNFui4j2iJlK0xeGXY4NEUfelok-oj/w447-h180/4covers.jpg" width="447" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></font></font></div>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12719674.post-30966088478149217392023-10-25T14:40:00.002+01:002023-10-25T18:48:55.997+01:00Local Author Directory<font face="Arial"><font size="04"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://arena.westsussex.gov.uk/local-author-directory" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="525" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUF8zQF_1jZN12dwcUcf2H9Rkahz2d3IdxI-RPnelWJjh6H5a27NHA7zqg7ZCfZInv4lmqotWgYteaCSTt7l859WuTDKpyUMAr02P17-tXBMLSRy0NWARtVrk364YfHYfQ_-wB4UdjdbJLe_BvtKVCh7we6w7GC9Au6dSdcZCkSNPlFTUpwdot/w243-h525/IMG_5211.png" width="243" /></a></div><br /><br /></font></font>Derek McMillanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426120743542959680noreply@blogger.com0