ENGLAND - THE WORLD CUP FOOTBALL JOKE

WHAT A LOAD OF PONY AND ----

So Russia has got the World Cup and England has Egg on its face!

Cameron and Prince William are left looking idiots. And who is to blame? Not Russia! Whisper this quietly – maybe not FIFA. I have heard it rumoured, a long time ago, before the bid started it was said FIFA intended to award the 2018 and the 2022 world cups to nations that had not previously hosted a World Cup.

In other words England did not even meet the criteria - remember 1966???

Now this brings me onto another much more important point.

In Geo-political terms, does England actually exist?

Let me explain, it seems to me of all the countries of the United Kingdom England, has as very little claim to legitimacy.

Does England have a Flag? Yes the St Georges Flag.

Does England have a Legislative Body? No unlike every other constituent country of the United Kingdom England is unique in not having it’s own legislature – Scotland has its own Parliament; Wales, the Welsh Assembly; Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Assembly; Cornwall, is ruled by a single Unitary Council. Whereas England alone, has no dedicated legislature, no Prime Minister, Chief Minister, Leader or whatever.

Consider the composition of the English FA’s Bid team. A Royal Prince who will one day, probably become His Britannic Majesty, but at present is heir apparent to the titles Duke of Cornwall, and Prince of Wales. Then there was David Cameron the Prime Minister, but the Prime Minister of where? That is right Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, (that place some of us still refer to as Great Britain), - not the Prime Minister of England.

Does England have a National Anthem? Well not an English anthem as such – there is the National Anthem a song praising the Queen. But a song specific to England – well actually, no it does not. (Scotland, Flower of Scotland; Wales, Land of my Fathers; Northern Ireland often uses, Londonderry Air. Even my poor little unacknowledged country Cornwall has its own Anthem, Trelawny.)

Aha – I hear the loyal English Patriots say – England has a head of state – Her Majesty the Queen (Elizabeth the Second of England and Elizabeth the First of Scotland). I thought this might be so until I looked at the words of the Coronation Proclamation.

The United Kingdom version reads -

on the intimation that our late Most Gracious Sovereign King George the Sixth had died in his sleep at Sandringham in the early hours of this morning the Lords of the Privy Council assembled this day at St. James's Palace, and gave orders for proclaiming Her present Majesty.
WHEREAS it has pleased Almighty God to call to His Mercy our late Sovereign Lord King George the Sixth of Blessed and Glorious memory, by whose Decease the Crown is solely and rightfully come to the High and Mighty Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary:
WE, therefore, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of this Realm, being here assisted with these His late Majesty's Privy Council, with representatives of other Members of the Commonwealth, with other Principal Gentlemen of Quality, with the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Citizens of London, do now hereby with one voice and Consent of Tongue and Heart publish and proclaim that the High and Mighty Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary is now, by the death of our late Sovereign of happy memory, become Queen Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of this Realm and of all Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, to whom Her lieges do acknowledge all Faith and constant Obedience with hearty and humble Affection, beseeching God by whom Kings and Queens do reign, to bless the Royal Princess Elizabeth the Second with long and happy Years to reign over us.
Given at St. James's Palace this Sixth Day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and fifty-two.

And the Proclamation in Canada read -

Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada do now hereby with one voice and consent of tongue and heart, publish and proclaim that the High and Mighty Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary is now by the death of Our late Sovereign of happy and glorious memory become our only lawful and rightful Liege Lady Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of the Faith, Supreme Liege Lady in and over Canada, to whom we acknowledge all faith and constant obedience with all hearty and humble affection, beseeching God by whom all Kings and Queens do reign to bless the Royal Princess Elizabeth the Second with long and happy years to reign over us.
Given under my Hand and Seal at Arms at Ottawa, this Sixth day of February, in the year of Our Lord one thousand nine hundred and fifty-two, and in the first year of Her Majesty's reign.

As you can see even in the Coronation Proclamation there is no specific mention of England as an entity. The Queen is queen of many countries and the queen of the United Kingdom, (incidentally note the error in the Canadian proclamation when reference to Ireland was retained).

So now we have established England is getting difficult to define. No specific Head of State. No specific Legislature.

So time to look for something else, and that is where the real problems get steadily worse. If we try to find a common culture we cannot for this land mass is home to a multitude of peoples who have imported their own culture. Indeed England has singularly failed to develop an English identity. In Wales, by law England is the officially language – however the English language has no such legal status in England. Unlike Wales, Scotland and Cornwall there is no English national dress.

So now maybe we can all see the Joke from FIFA’s perspective. A country that by most accepted measures most certainly does not exist. Applies to host the World Cup, the application is supported by a man who although a Prime Minister, is not the Prime Minister of England and a Prince who does not have England referred to in his title, (Prince William of Wales).

I suppose that sums up England and the English as a nation – nothing but a Joke without a true identity. Is it any wonder they insist on occupying other people’s countries?

12th April 2010 IMAGINATION IS A FUNNY THING

When the doctor gave me the results of the Hepatitis C tests, she told me they reported I had, “a high viral load”.

This phrase “High Viral Load” triggered an image of a large truck a bit like the one in the Coca-Cola add screened each Christmas. A huge Kenilworth Semi hauling a long box trailer, all its lights on, and air horns blaring, charging through my arteries – rounding a corner – somehow I am by the side watching as the huge truck streams past. The driver is talking on his CB, saying “I’m haulin’ a High Viral Load Good Buddy!”

Like I said imagination is a funny thing – unique to each of us. So getting this virus out of my system involves gaining control of this Kenilworth.

If this all sounds surreal – so is my life at the moment. Yesterday after walking on the cliffs, I got home and fell asleep for an hour, slept a sleep that left me as tired as when my eyes closed. Last night when I went to bed it took me nearly three hours to get to sleep. Fear is in my head, thoughts running through my mind like an endless record. Some of you will recall Vinyl Records and auto-changer on Record Players – and that if you lifted the auto-changer arm the same record would keep on playing and playing: that is what is happening in my head the same fear record playing and playing.

There are so many symptoms I can no longer tell what is what. Do I suffer from osteo-arthritis or am I suffering from Hep C joint pain? When I cannot recall a name or put a name to a face is this me in my normal state, or is it Hep C “fogginess”? Nearly everything appears to be a possible symptom. It makes me want to cry with fear and scream in anger and frustration, - how I envy women, they are allowed to do those things men are not. So much for equality!

“Fogginess” – Dementia – That is what really frightens me. I do not want to end up a drooling vegetable. If I feel that is the way I am going, if I think that I am becoming increasingly confused, “in a state of fogginess” Hepatitis C Trust kindly refer to it! I will end it all – a Paracetomol Overdose is supposed to be pretty well irreversible. I wish euthanasia were legal, then I would be able to go on until I was GaGa, as it is I shall have to make a decision before that time.

I am still waiting for the hospital appointment to start treatment. So I am doing those things I may not be able to do later. This weekend I changed the Cam Belt on the car. Still trying to sell the part-completed LDV camper, and we have a new caravan to collect – no camping holidays would be unimaginable. We have decided holidays are to be part of our positive thinking campaign.

I am convinced that the Power of the Mind is crucial to good health - only Positive Thinking will play a major part in defeating this virus.

7th April 2010 I AM ANGRY - A KICK IN THE TEETH

I AM ANGRY

In fact I am very angry. For the last couple of years I have had repeated Liver Function Tests – the ALT has been high. For longer than that, I have periodically told the doctor my stomach is bad, almost as soon as I have eaten I am in the toilet, (I leave the rest to your imagination).

About 3 weeks ago I was summoned by the doctor for more Liver Function tests – once again the ALT was high. This time my GP was not available, I saw a younger doctor, she took the time to sit and talk through my whole medical history. Right through to some tests I had undergone in the late 1970's and with a reference to my drug use prior to 1975.

The upshot of this conversation, a doctor's consultation that lasted more than 10 minutes, was yet more tests. My arm has more holes in it than it has ever had since I gave up drugs. The phials of my blood duly went off to the Lab. A week later the results of all the tests barre one were back, and apart from the ALT they were fine. Then a few days later the doctor phoned me, the last result was back I have Hepatitis C.

Now I am angry for a number of reasons. First off if my doctor had talked to me at any time it would have soon become apparent that a test for Hepatitis C and B would be advisable. I did have a test in 1990 when I requested a test for HIV – a precaution based on my drug use. Unfortunately a test for Hepatitis C was not developed until 2 years later.

The HIV test was confidential and the results not available to my GP, indeed to the best of my knowledge my doctor would not know I had been tested. However the 1978 tests including a biopsy, in the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary although inconclusive at the time, do contain indicators that I had Hep C.

What I want to know is this. - Why when the knowledge of Hepatitis C and the relevant tests came were developed in 1992, didn't the hospitals trawl through the records of people who had been given inconclusive Hepatitis diagnoses? Maybe I am being naive, or I am overestimating the capability of computers and computer software. But I would not have thought it was beyond the wit of computer wizards to write a program to look through old patient records looking for key words or phrases which might indicate a missed diagnosis?

So now what? Now I am waiting for a letter from the hospital and an appointment. I have trawled the web, rejecting many sites, sticking with UK sites. The prognosis does not appear to be too bad, one thing in my favour – I do not drink so my liver is in pretty good condition.

Apart from being angry how do I feel?

Like I have been kicked in the teeth. For the last couple of years I have been living a relatively virtuous and healthy lifestyle. 2 years ago I gave up smoking, I have been monogamous for over 4 years. I do not drink – less than a bottle of wine a month (from now on I will not drink at all!).

I am depressed and stressed. For the last ten days or so despite mild sleeping tablets I have not slept properly. When I start thinking I can see so many of the symptoms have been with me a long time.

My mental ability and ability to concentrate is poor – 5 years ago I could write 5,000 word short stories in a day, edit and rewrite and the story would be of a publishable standard within 4 days. To write this 650 words has taken me 4 hours with a number of breaks, the breaks are because I simply cannot maintain hour in hour out concentration.

An hour of dithering about and I am back at the keyboard. Now I cannot think of anymore to write.

Keep watching this Blog and you will find out more.