Loyalty in Football

How can we talk about loyalty in football in the light of Steve Coteral's leaving Portsmouth for Nottingham Forest? The next time he rants about the loyalty of player under his management he should think deeply about his record of loyalty. He was at Notts County for a few months but as soon as he was asked to move he moved. Now he has abandoned Portsmouth for Forest.
The only loyalty in football is the fans. Most turn up to support their local team come rain come shine. They suffer the good times and they rejoice in the good. For most they know that they have to enjoy the good because as night follows day, there will come a time when things turn bad. I can remember when even the mighty Liverpool of today languished in the lower reaches of the old second division. Chelsea, Aston Villa, Man united have also had to endure those times. During the dark days of bottom of the table, loss after loss, I have sat in the pub with my friends wondering whether to have another pint or go to the match. Of course as true fans, we have gone to the match full of hope that it will get better. The Rooney's and Teveses of this world would do well to think of the fans when they make their exaggerated claims that they should move.
It is all about money. AND now we have those  ignorant Americans coming here and demanding that all the history and tradition be thrown out of the window. They want to stop promotion and relegation so that they can protect their investment. It is the NFL model. I have never understood how people who made their money through capitalism and competition can be so communistic when it comes to sport. They will condemn foreign companies for trying to protect their businesses by co-operation or state subsidies. When it comes to two things the Americans are more socialist than left government countries. They pour subsidies into agriculture, build barriers against foreign imports and suppress competition in sport.
If you do not accept our systems take your money back home. The dream of mixing with the big boys is what drives football in England from the park team to the football league. It should be preserved!

The oldies are of no consequence!

So they want to force the oldies to give up their houses and move to smaller ones. This is so that younger people with families can then move into those houses. We are to be treated like discards of society no longer wanted, to be herded into whatever the state thinks is best for the young. They say it is because there are millions of spare rooms in houses of the elderly sitting empty in the whole country. These could be put to better use.

Houses are not commodities to many people but homes. They contain memories, they have been decorated and organised to fit families and they are comfortable and familiar. In addition for many people they are located in the right place with neighbours and friends. They are the fabric of living to many elderly people. 

It smacks a little of what used to happen in communist states in that the authorities think they can order their citizens lives in ways that the authorities think is best.

Besides it is not only the old who live in houses with spare rooms. I know several younger people who live on their own in three bed roomed houses. There are married couples without children in similar situations. Should they be made to move into more appropriate accommodation? The worst example is the Queen. Surely she does not need all those rooms at Windsor. Buckingham Palace, Sandringham, Balmoral? Or what about the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth. Should he be made to move? I doubt it because there will be one rule for the rich gang and another for the poor.

Besides, many elderly people living in houses with vacant rooms suddenly find those rooms essential when their families come to visit. 

The authorities should make sure that all the houses left vacant by owners are put back into use before trying to bludgeon the elderly into giving up their homes.

Liam Fox

Is it a sign of our times the saga of Liam Fox? He appears to the innocent outside observer to be completely oblivious to doing anything wrong. The impression given is that he has a self ordained right to ignore the rules and give his friends not just help but privileges. It might be symptomatic of the arrogant view among politicians that they do not have to be honest or pay any regard to what in most of society passes as normal behavior.
How can politicians get back any trust from their employers that they might have had in the past when they appear to be on the make all the time. They cow tow to vested interests like the press and anybody with money in order to get elected. Then they in all innocence believe that the bill will not be presented at a latter date. Regulation of the financial sector? Wait a minute we gave you donations to help your election therefore we demand an end to this talk of stopping our making money. That defence contract must be ours because we helped you get into power.
It all stems back to Mrs. Thatcher and her comment that there is no such thing as society. She implied that it was everybody for themselves. Then there is the movement to treat discipline like  a dirty word. In schools and in the home it is felt wrong by a significant number of adults to discipline children. The result is an out of control generation.
Liam Fox should be honest and set an example by facing up to his wrong doing and resign straight away.

The Return Of The Exiles

At last the editing is finished and here it is:-

The Return Of The Exiles

Book 2 of The Rombuli Saga

The Empire is in trouble. It looks like all its administration is disintegrating. There had been no communication with the Parison for almost three years. People reported that strange creatures had been seen on the borders. Sending troops to investigate has proved futile. As soon as they cross the border of Sardonia, nothing has been heard of them again. Latask, the Covenenter, is scared which is not like one of his kind. To Edward Eastland they have always appeared in control.

A Council Meeting is called by Rulask the Governor to discuss what is happening. An idea emerges. From this the plan is to hold onto Rombuli while somebody finds out what is happening. Everybody agrees that it is a desperate measure but there appears to be no alternative.

Edward Eastland is given the task of finding the Walloonian army at a place called Bryants Ridge. There he will find two more Covenenters and will attempt to enlist their help. It means he has to leave his new wife Kitty in Nimmar. He must rely on her brother Boric and his friend Tag to get him through potentially enemy territory. In the event, they becomes cut off from Rombuli. With his friends Boric Borovic and Tag, he sets out to find his way back home by a circuitous route.

Edward wonders whether his powers, magic as Tag calls it, will help him and keep them safe. Will he learn more about the extent of his powers as he overcomes any obstacles in their way? Are there forces with greater powers than him waiting to prevent him reaching his goal? During the journey, will his friends keep following his lead no matter the dangers they encounter? 

As they set out they have to face the possibility that the Empire will no longer exist when the get back home.

The Return Of The Exiles, Book 2 of The Rombuli Saga,  is a sequel to Book 1 of The Rombuli Saga - The Teacher of the Rombuli.

The Return Of The Exiles can be downloaded from Amazon for Kindle and other platforms price $3:99.

The Teacher Of The Rombuli also can be downloaded from Amazon for Kindle and other platforms price $3:99.

Hello all my readers

Back from two weeks of sun and lazing in Malta. Had a great time and used my Kindle seriously for the first time!
The Return of the Exiles, Book 2 of my fantasy trilogy has now been edited and will appear on Kindle in the near future. You can buy Book 1 The Teacher of the Rombuli through Amazon now!
I'll be back to posting on my blog when the laziness wears off!

A conversation with myself about faith!

Somebody said something to me which caused me to think deeply about the nature of my faith. She were talking about a friend. He is one of the most gentle, honest and Christian people she knew. He tried more successfully than anybody to live out the spirit of the Gospel. Now he has terminal cancer. He is in pain and tries even now to be cheerful. What my friend asked was where is God in this. Indeed , she asked, where is God in such a strife ridden and evil world.
It is very hard to answer all these questions. It is very hard to retain ones faith in the light of these happenings. However, Jesus never offered a perfect life for everybody. If God has given us free will, we cannot expect Him to interfere all the time. Another thought is that a great deal of the strife caused in the world is man made. God, in my mind, did not order anybody to crash planes into the twin towers. God did not order soldiers to bomb or kill other humans whether other soldiers or civilians. Transport accidents are caused by human error whether from the operators, the crew or the designers and builders. Even starvation in the world is to a large extent man induced. It is solvable if only we had the will to solve it. If the same amount of resources was deployed in getting help to starving people as is deployed to rain bombs onto innocent peoples heads, the problem would be readily handled. Even natural disasters have some element of mans culpability. We have the know how to be aware of where the danger lies and to mitigate the likely effects of the danger. Usually greed nd corruption play a big part in those in authority ignoring the danger signs. Again, if everybody paid their fair share of taxes including the rich who get away with things, governments would be able to afford more socially cohesive policies.
As most religions exhort their followers in some way " Do unto others what you would have them do to you. Or Love thy neighbour like yourself. If the peoples of the world followed the maxim of love and sharing, many of the problems of the world would disappear.
There seems to be a need in most people for some form of spiritual background to their lives. Let us all try to live up to those ideals of the main religions and make the world a better place.

As this extract from my novel A CEREMONY OF INNOCENCE shows.

" Do you still go to church when you are at home? " Karen asked as they climbed the stairs to her bedroom. " I can't recall you going to church while you have been at the university."

" Yes I still go sometimes when I am at home though I think it is more out of loyalty to mum and dad than out of any true conviction," Jim observed. " It is pleasant for us all to go together as a family."

He lent against the bedroom door frame for a moment lost in thought. "Actually, I suppose it is not only out of loyalty to my parents. There is something about going to church on a Sunday morning that attracts me as well. I can't really explain what I mean to anybody else. Let’s face it. Most of my friends would wince if they heard me talk like this. When I walk through the door of the church after shaking hands with the elder, a sense of peace descends, a peace that has nothing to do with the people in the church or with the building. It is something to do with the atmosphere in the room. As the elders and the minister come into the church preceded by one of their number carrying the bible, a feeling of expectation fills the air. It is not the same excitement and expectation which fills a crowd at a football match but a sense of being part of something far more important than mere earthly problems. There is a joy in the hymn singing that does not accompany even the most popular songs. It is as though the congregation is uplifted by their singing and the music, as though they truly believe in the words they are singing. During the prayers, the silence is such that you could hear a pin drop. There is this feeling that all would be well in the world if only everybody would listen to the message. It is strange for an iconoclast like me but during the communion I have felt the presence of somebody else, inside but outside of me so to speak. I know most Christians are sinners during the week and saints on Sunday but they do attempt to follow their creeds. So you see it is not only out of a sense of loyalty to my parents which makes me go to church with them while I am at home."

Karen looked at Jim, her eyes wide with a sense of wonder. " I have never heard you talk like that about anything before."

A Ceremony of Innocence 

by 

Edmund Gubbins 

can be purchased through     Amazon or downloaded via Amazon to Kindle, iPad or PC.

Disrupted Concert

What were the Palestinian supporters thinking of when the interrupted the concert at the Proms by the Israeli Orchestra. One of the first things we have to learn in life is do not alienate those that support you. I soon learnt this at Grammar school. Even in the second year I was the smallest in the school. Therefore I had to make sure that I did not get bigger children against me. Coming back to the concert. This was a cultural event which many people had paid a great deal of money to listen to the music. I can understand if it was a speech by the Israeli Prime Minister. In fact I would be the first to stand and protest. All the demonstrators have managed to achieve is anger from many people who support their cause.
It reminds me of the Muslim demonstrators at Wooten Basset when they tried to boo the coffins of dead soldiers. No matter what they or anybody else thinks of the war in Afghanistan, and many ordinary British people do not support it, they have to learn to respect the dead soldiers who were only carrying out the orders of the politicians.
Palestinian supporters must learn when it is prudent to protest and wjhen the very protest goes against all the sympathy they wish to engender.

( In my book An Ordinary Life, Tom alienates the Vice Chancellor of his University many times. The VC and many of the other professors are jealous of his wealth and suspicious of how he came to be so wealthy. They wait for an opportunity to " get him". That arises when he is arrested by the police though released without charge and is forced to take early retirement.
This novel is available through Amazon.)