I've gone redneck

Just a bit of fun when I put the url from here into this place

End of 2005

Just to add a bit of balance to all those 'ooh' and 'aar' photographs that we have seen during the year, here is another view that one will see. Like a background screen for someone advertising coats or trousers that will be good down to minus 30 degrees.
I think that we - the John Wood family - have had a pretty steady year. Some things I wish had never happened but luckily none of those were within my direct control or came about because of some failure or stupidity of mine. My main source of pride is that we've been here for a little while only but even in that time we have become more and more certain we did the right thing. Like all of my decisions made quickly and with little research, it seems to have saved itself.

All that is left is to finish off the cleaning and dusting and to start on the mood-inducing activities.

Mood inducing activities

Bet you thought I was meaning waccy-baccy and sex! Huh.

Green is the colour of envy

Damn!

I thought I had had a good and adrenaline-spurting life and then along comes this bugger. This is just one year.

Kerry (Packer for any USA visitors!)

Just to add a little something to my item about Kerry Packer.
Seems he was in a casino at a no-limit table and was in his normal not accepting fools gladly role.
Another player was being a bit OTT and he and Kerry had words. Guy said, 'I am somebody you know - I'm worth $60 million'. KP replied ' Toss you for it'
Having money - Mastercard
Knowing how to use it - priceless.

Strokes for folks

Sure as hell, ain't Duns, Berwickshire TD11 3DE.
Would'nt mind stroking the lantern and getting genie to take me back for a quick visit. Quick as I thought first time I saw it, this place was a slightly less-scruffy Hong Kong. Maybe that's it's charm?

Police powers

Telegraph | News

Police are to be given sweeping powers to arrest people for every offence, including dropping litter, failure to wear a seat belt and other minor misdemeanours.
The measures, which come into force on Jan 1, are the biggest expansion in decades of police powers to deprive people of their liberty.
At present, officers can generally arrest people if they suspect them of committing an offence which carries at least five years in prison. They will now have the discretion to detain someone if they suspect any offence and think that an arrest is "necessary".

Hazel Blears, the Home Office minister, said: "It is vital that the police are equipped with the powers they need to enable them to do their jobs properly and effectively. The powers need to be updated to reflect modern policing priorities and the changing nature of criminal activity.

The only reason criminal activity is changing is because nuLabour have brought in 5300 new arrestable offences in the last few years! Liberty is becoming an absent friend we should remember on New Year's Eve.

Mind you - there must be a small bonus in this nuLabour/nuThinking stuff. If the police end up with the power to arrest any lolliopop-stick sucking juvenile, there can be no case for Identity Cards. Who needs them in a police state anyway? "If I say you're nicked sunshine, you're nicked"

Are they taking the P out of this whistle-blower?

I normally do not include 'heavy' stuff here. There are plenty of people who do it much better than I.
Here is an exception; made as it shows the way in which our current political Lords and Masters operate.

Who abused the pig?

I think Old Jack has been reading of the service this lady gave the pig!

Over-indulgence

Opinions vary as to whether over-eating at Christmas is a real problem or just involves some individuals.

Snow

OK Gemmak. You got what you wanted. Enough. Stop it. Don't do that - TURN THE DAMNED STUFF OFF!!

Auto ranter

End of a giant

So, there you go as they say. Much criticism was thrown his way – mainly about the commercialism of cricket. At the time, I though that he – allied to our man Grieg with the funny accent – were doing great things. Still think the same – mostly.
While there had been many false alarms in recent years, the 68-year-old Mr Packer knew the end was near when he became ill on Christmas Day.
"There is only so much medication and so many transplants and so he accepted no aid," said the radio host Alan Jones, a friend who visited the Packer family yesterday. "He then knew, I think his words were, 'This is my time."'
Mr Packer, on heavy pain relief, chose to stay at home rather than be taken to hospital. He died about 10.40pm on Boxing Day surrounded by his family. His death was precipitated by poor blood supply to the transplanted kidney he received in a life-saving operation five years ago. There were multiple causes for his death, the main being kidney failure.
Mr Packer was Australia's richest man, with an estimated wealth of $7 billion.
Just shows, money ain’t everything. Except – I bet his last hours were easier than the last hours of some down and out. Don’t begrudge him that though.

This is for you Mr. Gates - or, it used to be

I've deleted this as it was too wide and was screwing up the general look
of things.

I like to help

New T-shirt design.

What I want for Christmas (2006)

Too late for this year.

Gay partnerships

The quote below comes from a US site debating gay partnerships. I'm not going to link it as it is supposedly religion based but I think the overall tone is rabid. The quote is part of a comment. I take the poster's (a woman if you need to know) point and see it as something I'll try and remember for next time someone who knows me not seeks my opinion on the matter. So - what was it? Here you go...

Some people involved in the debate are concerned about the "slippery slope" idea. Marriage should be about love, but it's original intention was as a sort of "blessing" so that people could go on to have children, and provide them with a stable household. It's foundation is in procreation. When you redefine the concept of marriage to allow homosexuals to marry, all of a sudden there are countless other examples which arise. A father and daughter, for example. Or a threesome. Or sisters. The lines which currently surround the marriage concept blur.

Saddos

I posted before about Foulden (where Xmas lights go to die) Village.
It got no better! On 24th, we passed through and only two houses had mutined on diktat about No Tat Lights. Went through today and even those had disappeared.
I think next year, I'll form a hit squad and we will descend in early hoursof 25/12 and attach big sparkly, high voltage, lights to everything and then start singing rude versions of carols. Set up a big circus tent on their hallowed turf, have sleigh rides - the full Monty. I've already set up a big bottle for saving up ready.

Portrait of artist as an Old Man

Hope this titillating image of a dirty old man exposing his face to the risque world is not too sexually-arousing for the young nuns with the firm white skin and pert little breasts who will be flogging themselves in sick penitence over viewing this disgusting image.

Well, that is the web-spidering over for a bit.

Recovery of webcam from of 'rubbish' will open a whole new era. Watch out.

I am now off to sexually abuse next door's cat on live video with sound. Parental guidance advised. Imagine. Built donkey-like. Caught in bath. Half naked bitch in kinky bathroom scene.

That explains it

Why men commit more crime than women?

Don't cha...

sometimes feel a little inadequate to face the daily challenges of this cruel world?

Situation report

So, here we are on the second day of Christmas. What my true love bought for me is irrelevant so that is the end of that conversation thread.
Anyway, major achievement seems that Norma and have got this far without major dissent, the dog is well fed and the house is warm. On the down side, the waste water pipe from the kitchen sink has come adrift and is beyond emergency repair. That puts the dishwasher, clothes washer and sink out of commission - major dissent on the horizon.
Thank God for my portable DVD player. The TV schedules look horrible and I do not have an addiction for house make-over programmes. I can watch just what I want - third showing of True Grit is just about to start; after that we will have Shining or Zulu.

MercuryNews forecasts the top 10 tech trends for 2006

I looked at this last year and was, if my memory serves, quite impressed by the half-year. So, let's see what it does this year. There is some interesting stuff in there - looks as if shiny little gadgets will be top of the pops for next Christmas!!

Call me George

Call him what YOU like - I still think of him as a word that begins with C

Victim advocates

I ranted about this damned daft idea when it first appeared over the horizon of Daft Ministerial Ideas.

(Settles back with warm glow of self-satisfaction)

Not all soft and cuddly

Whilst much of the stuff going into the ether at this time of year is like a home-knitted dildo, there are still those who dish out opinions that are at varience with the opinions, wishes and intentions of the many. One that I like and enjoy is here.
I've mentioned before my opinion that getting a spotlight onto things that have a residual tabboo is a good thing. See the (earlier) Little Britain items. I say earlier as it seems now to have gone into that 3rd-series limbo where it is no longer fresh and funny but formulaiac and boring. Thus, I think what the girl with the one track mind is doing is good. Nothing can be fairly examined and discussed all the while it is at the back of the cupboard - or should that be closet?
Oh yes - the subject matter. Not that I feel I have to justify my likes and dislikes but just out of interest - my link to the girl with etc. came as a link from a 'respectable' police officer - albeit he is with the Met!