Archive for April 10th, 2007

Three things

April 10th, 2007

Three thing happened yesterday.

The first is that our blackbird fledgeling has left the nest. There was a short flurry and it climbed onto the garage roof. I tried to get to my camera, but as usual, I was too late. Those blackbirds are damn fast. It’s back now, and perched outside the nest, looking rather dishevelled.

I tried to get a photograph but the bugger keeps hiding behind branches, so I can’t get a clear shot.

fledgeling.jpg
He keeps hiding behind branches

fledgeling.jpg
but you can just see his beak

The second is that I discovered that Offspring [K8] is a better poet than I thought. I don’t know where she got it from. It must be her Ma’s side of the family. She’s not bad at the photography either.

The third thing that happened is that I discovered Skype. I had known about Skype for a while. Ron even installed it for me, and set me up a long time ago. But I’d never had the nerve to use it.

Yesterday, I found an old set of headphones and a microphone, and the next thing I knew, I was chatting away to Brianf in Philadelphia. It was a strange experience, as it was clearer than a phonecall. Suddenly I had an American accent in both ears Brianf is of Irish descent but lives in America, so he has to have an American accent. It’s the law. I don’t mind.

I’m supposed to be phoning another bloke over there, but I have to wait until midday. They don’t get up until five hours after we do. They are a lazy shower of b*st*rds over there.

Don't listen to the words – Watch the picture

April 10th, 2007

I was following the saga of the British Navy and the Iranians.

I wasn’t exactly out there burning flags or ranting at the television.  If the British go to war they mustn’t complain if bad things happen.  Which they tend to do, in war.

Anyway, the Iranians made right eejits out of the British.  They treated the captives well by all accounts.  They showed film of them playing games and being happy.  It wasn’t forced happiness.  You could see they were having a good time.  And the captives were released and were even given ‘goodie bags’.  They were certainly treated better than any Iraqi captive!

Mind you, Terry Jones had a strong opinion on the matter.

Then there was the extraordinary move where the returned people were suddenly allowed to sell their story to the press.

Last night I watched yer wan Faye Turney being interviewed on “Tonight“.  She suddenly told a completely different story.  She told of isolation, and humiliation and mental torture.  She told how the Iranians threatened her daughter [how did they know she had a daughter?] and how they contacted her mother-in-law [how did they know her mother-in-laws address or phone number?].  Basically, she was afraid for her life and had been treated very badly.

Shortly after the programme, the British Government announced that forces personnel could no longer sell their stories to the press.

Weird.

Now a cynic might say that the British Government allowed them to sell their stories only if they told the story the British Government wanted them to tell.

A cynic might say that if you watched Turney as well as listening, her body language told a different story, and that she was lying through her teeth.

A cynic might say that this was a rather pathetic attempt by the British Government to save face after being humiliated.

A cynic might say that the right to tell a story was rescinded because the propaganda machine had done its job and wasn’t needed any more.

But I’m not a cynic.  Am I?