Long Codswallop
Wed 1:44 pm +01:00, 27 Dec 2023 7I struggle with tolerance, patience and appeasement of what I perceive to be utter codswallop. ‘The trouble with you is you don’t listen to other people’s opinions’, has often been an accusation.
I tolerate BBC Radio 4 and 5 Live when in the bathroom or kitchen. This morning, in the shower, I had ex-Top Gear presenter James May espousing the wonders of poetry as part of his BBC R4 Today guest editor spot.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001trv2
James May concluded Philip Larkin wrong in being worried about the historic fabric of England, because that was all fine and dandy, his concerns being replaced by air pollution, population and global warming. Oh God, another bloody climate alarmist, one I thought was at least a petrol head. How can apparently clever people, May plays the piano and I recall is an academic within the sciences, be so bloody stupid? I’m not a petrol head, but have developed a phobia about EVs; electric vehicles symbolise eco-fascism and utter stupidity founded on the fear of man’s friend, carbon dioxide. The poem in question was Going Going:
https://www.poeticous.com/philip-larkin/going-going
I had wondered if I’d opened my mouth too much, again, during yesterday’s Boxing Day lunch. I view Putin as an apparent saviour of common decency and common sense while some of our lunch guests view him as a liar and the devil incarnate. England is fast failing and falling to degeneracy, absurdity and downright levels of evil; the UK government standing by as Israel literally slaughters thousands for a start.
We are unable to buy proper coal this year as the UK government has banned it for domestic use. Stupid bastards. We do have ‘imitation’ coal, some ‘tractor’ coal and thankfully ample good old fashioned stuff called wood; though I suspect a ban on that too is in the works by the moron stupid classes. As I relay the fireplace I was thankful for solitude and moments in which I did not have to monitor my thoughts or the words that might dangle from the end of my tongue. Today I’m free to draw, write, play the guitar, potter in the garden and not tolerate the stupid or stupidity. Then again, perhaps I’m the stupid one. At least if so, I am blissful within my own stupid ignorance.
I’d accidently come across Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now last night. It triggered me to consider other sides. Perhaps Putin is Vlad the Terrible, but I doubt it.
https://youtu.be/1dXoh12er88
I’d also come across the ridiculous looking Elton John interviewing her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzzI7LjcBLM
One of our lunch guests had hailed the pleasure of TV show I.Q. I had no idea the immensely irritating Sandi Toksvig had long ago taken over from the immensely irritating Stephen Fry. I blurted back, she’s as thick as a brick. I think the sherry, English Suffolk white white and then glasses of bubbly had kicked in. Jethro Tull pops to mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UoZxyFPLBw
Toksvig and John have ‘adopted’ babies; children. The selfishness and self-obsession of such actions by those who can afford it perplexes. If you want a child Sandi or Elton, you procreate with the opposite sex. That’s how it’s done, how we were designed and how nature intends. But no, nature is not adequate enough for their like. They want diversity, inclusivity and sustainability to reign and hire, buy and acquire children with out the messy business of procreating themselves.
God help us. I’m not religious. I’m not atheist. I’m a Gooner. But, God help us comes to mind. We are bringing up children without male and female influence; without natural balance, with selfish desires above and beyond God or nature. God help us.
Covid1984 codswallop was an I.Q. test and so many failed. Long covid1984, longer covid1984 and eternal bloody covid1984. Covid, climate and control.
The Boxing Day lunch was fun. We talked robustly to and fro from Ukraine to Israel to LGBT to the carbon cult and beyond and generally there was much agreement and huge relief at being able to talk without censorship or too much concern.
Back to my own blissful ignorance.
Ned Substack:
https://nedpamphilon.substack.com/p/long-codswallop
Previous TAP:
https://tapnewswire.com/2023/12/merry-xmas/
An excellent post Ned. Loved the Jethro Tull, and Joni Mitchell blast from the past. You just sound like a more sophisticated version of me. Mind you, I’m not very sophisticated. Just switch Bubbly and white wine for whiskey and red wine and did I mention whiskey, and a few F and B and C words and we’re a pretty good match. Great post.
What an excellent comment to receive. Pre New Year best wishes & thank you.
I adore red wine and have a whiskey on the go as I type. My sophisticated sense of awareness wants to avoid informing you it’s blended and not at least a single malt. My sense of integrity insists upon the truth.
The ‘artwork’ came first and the words a spontaneous after thought.
Long covid. Isn’t it uter codswallop?!
I’m following the horrific on-goings in Palestine. All else seems trite by comparison.
I 100% agree Ned. I think most of us are kindred spirits. It’s really easy to judge right and wrong. Ordinary human decency seems limited to us ordinary people. Love your work Ned, Hope we meet some day. All the very best mate.
BTW blended is brilliant, I have a couple of good malts in the wardrobe, but my wife feels somehow obliged to caution me before I drink them. TBH she takes the edge off my smile when I drink them. I also wanted to post Joe Cocker singing with a little help from my friends from the 69 Woodstock concert to my comment but it won’t work.
I’m not a huge fan of Joe Cocker. He did produce an interesting take on ‘help from my friends’.
I used to be a massive Beatles fan. I cannot abide McCartney today. Nothing to do with him being allegedly dead or Saul. He’s just such as twat. It’s a funny business separating the artist from the art.
I agree on McCartney Ned, never liked him after the Beatles, I liked John Lennon, and the underrated George Harrison. Ringo did a really good Thomas the Tank Engine too.
The best ever rendition of Thomas the Tank Engine was by the art critic Brian Sewell on a BBC R4 comedy show. The idiot comedians wanted to take the rise out of Sewell and had him read some text as a ‘posh’ contrast to Ringo Star. Brian was brilliant, funny and he didn’t appear to understand why. Even the snotty young comedians had to acknowledge the glory of the moment. I wish I had a recording of it.