Chasing The Torch

The flame makes its way through York City Centre

Over the past two weeks I have enjoyed two bites at seeing the Olympic Torch as it entered and re-entered God's own county. Firstly on 18th June it passed through York City Centre, where Sam and I waited for nearly two hours to see it. After attempting to hi-fi several policemen on motorbikes the cavalcade finally arrived, sadly tinged with the smell of blatant advertising through two floats of a well known soft drink and bank pumping out er.. One Direction Songs. The torchbearer was a young 16 year old lad who seemed jolly pleased to be one of the 8000 torchbearers up and down the country. What a turnout in the city centre for what for many was a once in a lifetime experience. The anticipation of seeing the torch really brought it home that the greatest show on earth was coming to my country and it might never come again during my lifetime. Blink and you would have missed it, but I am glad that I waited them two hours in the sunshine to witness a piece of history.

The torch passing Harlech Avenue in Beeston

The second occasion I encountered the torch was one week later on Monday 25th June as it came to Beeston, Leeds. I woke up at 8am, at my girlfriend's house, to the sound of the aforementioned sponsored floats and the sound of One Direction again.. I knew the torch was on it's way! I threw on some clothes and ran down the street to witness the torch coming up Tempest Road in Beeston to the Hamara Centre, where it would be exchanged and carry on its merry way to Wakefield, t'Barnsley and finally Sheffield. The streets once again were filled with people wishing to see this event including many children on their way to school, something they will no doubt remember for the rest of their lives.

The torch on Tempest Road, Beeston

I am Disgusted!

The great thing about writing a blog is that if something really crap happens you can get straight onto your computer and get it off your chest.

I'd just arrived outside my flat, from the post office to find a little boy weeing in broad daylight in front of the gates to my flat. I shouted at him, asking what the hell he was doing and why he was urinating in front of my flat. Suddenly I was confronted by his angry mother, who looked like she'd just walked off the set of Jeremy Kyle, finger waggling aggressively at me. What an attitude she had!

"He's only 8 years old"  she barked at me baring her only two teeth.

I'm sorry but by 8 years old I knew that if I needed a wee I should either find a suitable place to go, like a public toilet, pub, petrol station, or public library, or hold it in until I got home. If I was out in the countryside it was permissible to find a bush, out of sight from anybody to do what you had to do. Never would I have dreamt of going to the toilet outside somebody's house though. Unbelievable! What is this world coming to?

Apparently because I am an adult I should not shout at a child. I take it this mum belongs to the wiffly waffly liberal bullshit brigade who believes that teachers should not shout at children or touch them and let them get away with murder instead. Somebody seriously needs to get this bullshit "my child can do no wrong" attitude out of society, because this is the kind of thing will constantly occur.

It's funny because while she was shouting and waggling her finger at me it seemed that the whole thing was my fault? How is that my fault that she is stupid and disgusting enough to let her child do that in front of somebody's flat in the street and in broad daylight!

As a child if I'd done the same and somebody complained to my parents I would have been shouted at...by my parents and forced to apologise to the aggrieved. How times have changed..

So what has the eight year old boy learnt from this incident?

1. He can wee anywhere he likes at any time and if somebody confronts him about it it's their fault

2. If he does anything wrong it is not his fault because he is "only a child."

3. He can get away with doing anything he likes because he knows that his mum will always back him up and it will never be his fault.

4. His mum urgently needs to see a dentist

I do not blame the little boy in question, he knows no different. The mother on the other hand is seriously not fit to have and bring up children. It makes me feel sorry for those decent couples who cannot have a child of their own, and yet tramps like her can. She holds a terrible "it's not his fault" ADHD diagnosing, there has to be two winners in musical statues , my child can do know wrong, liberal bullshit which has crept into parenthood like a cancer. It has to stop because it is going to breed a next generation of people who think they can do what they want, when they want no matter what the consequences for anyone else.

Celebrating the Diamond Jubilee

 First of all, a big hello to my new readers in the USA and Russia, plus another from Germany. I hope you are enjoying what you are reading. I have been on holiday with my girlfriend for a week and so have had to put my full attentions elsewhere...

While we were away at my father's caravan in County Durham, it was the jubilee weekend and so a lot of our time was spent watching the coverage on television and also taking part in some celebrations of our own.

Excluding the Derby, of which I have no real interest in horse-racing, the celebrations kicked off with the boat flotilla down the River Thames. Inevitably it rained and such is life, Scotland enjoyed the best weather of the entire weekend. I felt so sorry for those singers who were doing their level best to sing "Land of Hope and Glory" as the royal barge passed and the rain pelted down on them. It was most certainly putting the old (and currently fashionable saying) of "keep calm and carry on into practice!"

Disappointingly the BBC coverage was average at best, full of camera glitches, which I presume were caused by the weather, and stupid features like Tess Daly receiving a fake knighthood, almost spoiling what was a splendid national occasion.

Barnard Castle Cricket Club Jubilee Celebrations

Amongst the flotilla were boats representing every nation from the Commonwealth. This was of special interest to my girlfriend, Samantha, whose family originates from Trinidad & Tobago. It would have been nice if the commentary had shown these more and mentioned the countries who were passing by. No..instead it's off to Annika Rice on Tower Bridge... Grrr... I've nothing against Annika Rice, but she seemed to be more on camera than the Queen. Speaking of which, who was playing "Where's Will.iam? Anyone would have thought that it was he who celebrating 60 years on the throne. I'm surprised he and The Black Eyed Peas didn't commission their own yacht and sail down the Thames in front of the Queen!

This brings me nicely onto the concert on Monday evening. What was the point of Cheryl Cole? Lenny Henry also made Prince Charles laugh with a "black joke." At times I imagined the heir to the throne turning to Prince William and asking, "Who is that man? He's jolly good isn't he!"

As usual it was the legends, Sir Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Sir Paul McCartney who stole the show and it begs a question.. What will happen when these guys get too old to do all this? Who is going to replace them? Cheryl Cole? Will.iam? I doubt it! Which younger artists are going to achieve such legendary status to headline such a big gig as a jubilee and pull it off?

As for our own celebrations, on Tuesday we enjoyed a nice couple of hours at Barnard Castle Cricket Club, where there was food, a bouncy castle and children's running races. It was very nice with and the weather in the North East just about held up.

                                                                                                       

There is nothing the British do better than pomp and ceremony and the jubilee did not let anyone down. As a British citizen it made me feel proud of my country, which is so often maligned even by our own people. It is a big year for this country, with the Olympics coming to London later in the summer and the eyes of the world will continue to be on the UK.