UK Turned White!

It’s snowing again…

I am currently sat in my house, just outside Northwich, Cheshire UK about 30 miles from Liverpool and 30 miles from Manchester, looking out of my window I see a layer of ever increasing snow falling and settling on  the ground. It’s been snowing now continuously for about 8 hours.

As I am sitting drinking a much needed steaming cup of Strong coffee (it’s one of those days, when you just wish to be somewhere else or even someone else) I flicked over to one of the many 24/7 news channels and what are they talking about but “Snow”.

I don’t know, what it is about Britain and Weather

Maybe it is just me, but being born in Germany (Paderborn Barker Barracks) Where my Father was posted at the time with the British Army, snow was no great event.

You could pretty much run your life by seasons over there, expecting cold snowy winters, and warm to hot Summers and so on. But here snow seems to bring on panic attacks and over-reaction.

Many places around the world that experience snow, take it in their stride commenting “Blimey it’s a bit cold out there” but none the less just whack on a set of snow chains or a pair of sturdy boots and just get on with it. In Britain, any visitors from similar snow affected climates often look at us in amazement when they hear the stories of the Country coming to a complete halt.

Obviously there are times when snow and extreme weather cause disruption to events and public services, and I am sure this is true for all places affected around the world.

Where I live is quite rural but only 10 minutes out of town, we don’t get the “gritters” down here as it is a country lane, the council grit the main roads, so once you brave the Ice Rink that is our lane,  your on the main trunk routes your fine.

Living here you soon adapt to weather events, we still have regular power cuts in strong gale force winds, and when the lane outside is snowed up and Icy you simply re-arrange your appointments.  If you can you do if you can’t you don’t.

No Excuse for Cities and Towns though

All that said about the more rural areas of Britain, it is a price to pay for the location you live in I guess. The big cities such as London, Manchester, Birmingham surely don’t have any excuse for a complete halt in public services?

A bit of snow shouldn’t halt the motorways or main roads, but in the extreme and rare occasions it does, they should surely have a plan to get the cities moving again.

I was at Manchester Piccadilly Station during “Britain’s big Freeze” this January, a meeting I could not re-arrange, I understood there to be delays due to snow, and just gave extra time at both ends, yes the train I was due to get got cancelled and I had to get a Bus that took 4 hours to get home again. But it was what I expected in those conditions,  just put up with it and got home eventually.

But people around me where getting extremely annoyed like it was some sort of personal attack that they were going to be delayed getting home to watch the TV soaps. I met one girl who was stressed out due to choosing to go shopping on the day when there was deep snow lying on the ground already and then nearly attacking the poor station staff member who informed us on the platform that our train will be cancelled and await futher information. Who would choose to go shopping on a day when weather is bitter and slippy anyway?

The business men and ladies all forced to work that day were all resigned like myself to a rather long and uncertain journey back to our homes, the News stated “Do not travel unless it is essential” for us it was, for the shoppers determined to go to the local mall for a day out it was obviously not a good choice of day. So please if you choose to travel against national advice then don’t get aggressive because you can’t get home on time. More to the point to that girl, don’t put it all on us while we have the unfortunate luck to share a train carriage with you. Just put up with it.

This weather is not great for anyone, while snow is enjoyable to the young and to us all young at heart, sometimes we just need to say “ok it is snowing” nothing I can do about it, it will have to wait until tomorrow. For the older members of society and to people who are physically and Psychologically upset, it can feel lonely, isolating, and depressive. All we can do is look out for those people and ensure they are ok. Then just wait for it to pass.

But let it snow let it snow let it snow. Sometimes there is no other option but to wait it out.

I thought I’d add them here in what I call my perfect Soundtrack to life! You’ll find a mix of oldies and new ones to. Hope you enjoy it… Let me know what you think!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBbXKsKXyNU

A bit of Richie Havens singing A George Harrison Classic!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqh54rSzheg

Need I say more, damn I miss Smoking in a public place to, nice Smoke Holder!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKUBTX9kKEo

www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_FZVD5lsAw

A Couple of The Who Classics, well they always said I shared the same gene pool as Keith Moon!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZdDxFsopVs

This track runs for over 7 minutes on the Album but here is a version with the Original intro to!! The day when music was a powerful message giver!!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dsz4dB6DuM

mmmmm

www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_bvT-DGcWw

Oh What fun, the amount of information here is worthy of PH.D on it’s own!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=C86oH5RwyJg

I grew up listening to this tune thanks to my Dad, it still brings back memories of British Army Barracks in Paderborn West Germany, long live BFBS! If by some odd occurance any REME from Barker Barracks ever see this, Good luck out there! From a “Padbrat” Circa 1980-87, for those who don’t know, it means I was born while in Paderborn whilst my Dad was posted there with the British Army.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8iZ8jIqrQo

Nothing Needs saying here!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkjWwz3kc3Q

Great Bass line on this makes it to me worthy of an Anthem!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxm-4AwtB5w

Damn this Tune is still Shit HOT!!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1pMeyy__r0

Well we’re be back with Richie Havens, Here opening Woodstock, with Handsome Johnny and then moving into Freedom. This man is a total Legend!!!

To finish off here are some tracks from The Beatles and John Lennon solo

www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5gaIXI2Mn4

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0usAtAh5y0

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwVRzbgC7hc

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a4RlRk_klI

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkcRZSdc8us

www.youtube.com/watch?v=okd3hLlvvLw

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZtQh5EIgWQ

You can’t beat the original

www.youtube.com/watch?v=erLZ-zW9Ti4

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wynYMJwEPH8

Hope you enjoyed this blast from musical history?

Until Next Time……

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pjYGqPPMmA

There are just some things that are hard to understand, the video above is fast becoming a “Youtube” sensation, and maybe rightly so. For once someone within their rights to do so, has stood up to one Chav, and given the goon a bit of his own medicine.

A Chav is someone in my opinion who has taken the decision to be a social misfit, his job in life is to cause as much trouble as he possibly can! The reason I say this is that most are over the age of 16. So it can be scientifically argued that by that age they have formed a sense of society and what is excepted within it.

Psychologically a Chav is a choice and not a socio-environmental consequence.

Usually by the age of 6 we have a good foundation in what is right and what is wrong, we learn by watching and listening to our parents, teachers and those in authority.

Usually in our late teens we go through a rebellious stage, this is totally normal, scientifically the onslaught of hormones sends us into mood swings and the mind matures and reaches out to gain knowledge through this we make our own identity.

Of course we will fight against anything we feel does not agree with our thoughts on life and the society in which we live. This can be a testing time for parents as we often do the opposite to the “right way”! But ultimately we settle down again and move on and develop into unique human beings.

However in the case of a Chav:

He has decided that he is not going to conform, he likes nothing more than to try and stamp his authority over everybody else, he is usually around the age of 16-19 and has not grasped that if he shouts and swears and imposes his will on someone who is more inteligent than him he will be made to feel tiny.

So he responds by throwing his weight around, squaring up to you physically and attempting to intimidate the person he is trying to beat.

As you can see in this video, an adult in “mind” stands and tolerates the childish words, that make sense, he takes the constant goading for a fight, and then he finally breaks and gives the “Chav” a bit of a slap! Whats more the chav falls flat on his backside and then turns into some kind of invertebrate!

This is how the Chav lives his life, fighting then gets a bit of a tap and then crumples. Whats more while this video is in Circulation the Chav who got the slap is continually humiliated. I can imagine it now, while the goon brags about a fight he had last week, and how he put the bloke flat on the ground all his mates will look on youtube and other sites and see the real thing!

If you cant take the heat don’t sit on the cooker!

There is no help for a person who makes the conscious choice to live a life of going against the grain. They can not be rehabilitated, for that to happen they have to realise that there is a different option in life.

Where have the Police gone?

When I was young about the age of this yob, there were Police in your local community, they were like friends that you respected. A “Bobbie” would know you and your family and the rest of your community, and would come in for a cup of Tea and a natter.

A Policeman who knew a lot about what was happening in your area, someone who could have a bit of a laugh and joke with you.

I only got told off by our local Policeman once, as he knew me and all my family the humiliation of being told off for swearing in front of him, and he gave me a clip round the ear and ceremonially marched me off home, and talking to my Mum about my public outburst. That was fine but then you get told off by your parents and that’s worse. By the next day the neighbours had heard and you felt the size of an Ant.

All this without being arrested and issued with an ASBO (Anti-Social Behaviour Order), he made a note of my name though and the act of writing it in his little black note book for when he gets back to the station, but the fear of God in me!

Admittedly we were as it seems now a generation of quieter kids, we made our own entertainment, we didn’t spend a day on the Internet or playing games consoles. We actually played out in the rain as well as the Sun. We didn’t want to immediately claim for falling over in the street.

We ate as a family when possible, and if we didn’t like it we didn’t eat it simple! We didn’t have 2 main meals cooked one meal just for me and one for Mum and Dad. These were the days when your Dad gave you a smacked backside and that was that. No need for Social Services and fear of being accused of Child Abuse!

When I was 10 and gave Dad a mouthful of abuse, I was sent to bed without dinner! At worst a bit of sore backside and I NEVER did it again!

Now you get it where the kid will retaliate and attempt to give as good as he gets, not realizing he was the cause of it to begin with!

It’s a real Shame,

Today some people can’t make their own entertainment, that they would rather vegetate in front of a computer game rather than going out and playing football, rugby or cricket. I remember going out and cracking my head open once.. It hurt like hell, and meant My parents had to take me to hospital to get my head stitched back together. But it didn’t stop me going out 3 days later and getting a few grazes. It’s part of living!

Life today is all to soft. We claim insurance for falling over a hole and bleeding, we are scared of getting a bit wet. We throw food away for dropping it on the floor. When did people stop picking up the food and giving it a blow and eat it.

Is it any wonder the new generations immune systems are as weak as a feather in a force 9 gale??

By the way I am only approaching 30 years old.

Until next time……