howard

HOWARD - WHAT NOW ? - continued

The poor deluded things are primarily responisble for the situation the party finds itself in. It is at grass roots level, especially after Hague changed the voting rules, that they endorsed Ian Duncan Smith as leader, a dreadful decision, doomed to failure. These people are so unaware of what is happening in our major cities and conurbations, and it is here, since time immemorial that the politics and future of our nation have been decided. The cities lead, the shires follow.
No, by all means strengthen the front bench, it desperately needs it, but don't tinker with the leadership right now.
Having heard Rifkind speak of late I believe he has great abilities. But then again, once you are in the driving seat, things look a little different. He still has to prove himself to convince me, but I think he can do it.

THE BOOK IS DEAD - LONG LIVE THE BOOK

Well, not quite yet, but I am convinced it will be in due course. The problem is when, not whether. The demise of the CD was a lot easier to predict. The alternative delivery via the internet was already a certainty by the mid 1990s. Added to that we now have the other alternative of down-loading via mobile phones. Let us not forget it is the mode, the format of delivery that is in question. Noone can argue that the human animal does not enjoy being told a tale or two as much as he enjoys listening to or dancing to music.
I would be very sad to see the book disappear, and I am surely wrong here, they won't. Books will always be with us, but perhaps they will be what they were at their inception, expensive status symbols for their owners, a luxury to treasure and collect.
But the book as a means of educating, informing and amusing ? The transition period will allow us to down.load our books over the internet, or mobile. This either as a hard copy or purely as audio.These possibilities already exist in a limited fashion. There are some excellent audio books that have been on the market for a very long time, initially for the visually impaired, as also for children.
I believe that with ever increasing and diversifying leisure time, most of us really don't have the time or the inclination to go to a bookshop to buy our books. As a matter of fact, few book dealers can now exists without using the internet. Amazon Books is now the largest supplier of books in the world and indeed they are well placed to switch to down loading books and should do very nicely too, given their enormous customer base. It will also prove cheaper than to buy the traditional book, be it in hardback or paperback format.
There is also the fact that reading standards in most civilised western nations are dropping badly and there is a disincentive to read, but one can always listen, even if one does not understand all of the words.

to be continued

MASONS - HOW FREE ARE THEY ?

Freemasons in Britain are a curious bunch of people. They do so much for charity, I hear people say. Well, they do quite a bit, but then so do other organisations, who were solely established to do charitable works. No, this is nothing but a smaokescreen. The fact remains that they are a group of men who in a most incestuous manner look after their own, first and foremost; sod the rest of society. You would think that that is fine if you are a mason, but oddly enough they are finding it more and more difficult to recruit members, especially in the cities. Like the Church of England they are finding the going tough. But they have a lot to answer for in the secretive and manipulative manner they regulate their business.
And then what effect does it have upon the greater weal of the country? Take the case of EMI, in Britain. So many of their staff were masons they decided to leave their respective lodges and start their own. Nothing wrong with that, but if decisions are made affecting the running of the company and preference given to a fellow mason, well, if I were a shareholder I would be none to happy - even if I were a mason.
Then take thecase of Bourne, a small town in Lincolnshire, where masonic corruption rules the local and district councils. Even recently the masonic lodge was over-valued - substantially - in a local plan to buy up property in the town centre and have this privately developed.
No, I have to say, there are exceptions, as there are to every rule, but for me masons are generically a sad bunch of sordid little men.

MANDY AND MIRANDA

Mandy:       I say Miranda, now you've done this new deal with Gordon, what about helping me out.                   I need a job. Renaldo's costing me arm and a leg.
Miranda:      I really can't take you back in the cabinet, you know. And I couldn't wangle that job in                    Washington for you either. George wouldn't have it.
Mandy:        I know, but there is the EU Commissioner's job going. I'd be ideal for that.
Miranda:       Do you really think you're up to it?
Mandy:         oooooooh - you bitch! Look, unlike some people I have not even been thinking about
                   publishing my diary.
Miranda:       OK, OK, point taken.
Mandy:        You know I've always been so loyal to you, Mirri.
Miranda:       I know, my sweet. OK, for old times sake. At least you'll be safe in Brussels. They all
                    into back-handers there, Neil made sure of that.

CONTINUED

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