St Crispin’s Day

Just to balance the post I put a few days ago. 

Thanks to Iain Dale for this.  I think it is a pretty good (if brief) illustration of how things got to where we are today!

1. Had baby Daughter (aahhhh!), well wife did I just watched!

2. Got new job at major media company.

3. Had a really good holiday Break over Christmas with the family.

4. Paid off the mortgage.

5. Turned 40 (never look back)

6. Had a great Territorial Army annual camp.

7. Started a blog (that nobody seems to read, hhmm funny that!)

Thanks James

[Rant]

Yes they should if they want, but I think that the issue is, that it is the Christians who are being denied the opportunity to celebrate it in these enlightened times!

I’ve just received the most nauseating internal e-mail regarding my company’s “Holiday Cards” that are “suitable for use in every country“

Why can’t we just say it like it is?  We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on the 25th of December!  So, we are not going on holiday for Hanukah, (I believe that it is over by the 23rd) or the winter solstice (22-12 this year). We (as a country) do not celebrate Eid, or any other non-christian holidays publicly either.  I am sure that those minorities amongst us, who do celebrate these & other events, do not go round wishing each other happy holiday?  No, they probably say Happy Hanukah or some such thing?!?  So, if a company thinks that it is so global that it risks upsetting people / customers by celebrating an event that is not in their personal calendar, then they should ban it, not go on holiday, and take the consequences.  They should NOT pretend that it’s something different. 

Indeed, I know for a fact that using the correct term is not insulting to the VAST majority of non-christians.

So my reply to my politically correct colleague is

THE HOLDAY TO WHICH YOU REFER IS CHRISTMAS IN CASE YOU & WE HAD ALL FORGOTEN!  Happy Christmas everyone! [/RANT]

I’m sorry if posts in this blog jump around a bit, but I’ve had loads of articles / ideas for posts in my head for ages (months) prior to starting this blog, and now I’ve got one they are coming out of my head in no particular order.  I promise that soon the posts will be more “current” in their flavour.
In addition, I’ve been struggling with the WordPress software, so please bear with me if things go a bit awry on the formatting front.
Oh, and on a similar point, I’ll be putting a nicer header in place just as soon as I can find someone to make me one!

Excuse the pidgin German!  An old habit I’m afraid

The format of this weblog is changing by the minute.  I know that there is no one reading this, but I’ll apologise anyway as it seems the polite thing to do!

I’ve just found out that wordpress only updates the website design once a page or post is saved / updated.  Even though I’ve added code to the sidebar.php file, and clicked “Update”.  HHmm strange.

Dutch MP demands prostitutes for servicemen deployed on operations.

This came through recently on the “wires”.  I have worked several times with the Dutch military, and have the utmost respect for them, but you can’t help thinking that they are a little off target with this idea (That said, to be fair, it is a politician!).

Although the idea must seem odd at first, it is not unusual for the military to get involved in this sort of thing.  In India during the Raj, the military licensed certain establishments and ensured that the services offered were “up to scratch” (pun intended) regarding the health of the soldiers. Indeed, when I served in Belize, the Army doctor regularly checked the local girls to ensure all was well!     

General Sir Richard Dannatt has a pair.  His public support of overstretched troops put his job on the line.  Not only that, but at the ripe old age of 22 he won the military cross (an award for bravery) in Northern Ireland.  Well, his son Lieutenant Edward Dannatt has just bagged himself a Mentioned in Dispatches (MiD).  Not quite an MC, but another bravery award none the less and usually, when it comes to choosing between the two there’s not much in it!  Well done Edward!  

1 in 10 Brits live abroad

Here is a link discussing the distribution of the British peoples around the globe.

When people wonder why we have a miltiary, remember when things go bad in these places (notice the number of pinks & reds in areas like south america & the middle east) It is the duty of the military to get them themout if they are reqested to do so by the foreign office.

Lebanon was just one recent reminder of why we need a modern capable military. When your family needs evacuation from a war zone, you want the best.  Think of your taxes like an insurance policy!