The Waiting Game!

I'm sure everyone else reading this is just like me, always waiting for something to happen. The expression "I can't wait" suggests more than mere anticipation, it also reflects how uninterested we become in our lives between major events. The lulls are interminable. Whether it's waiting for better weather (this year has been awful, see picture for details), waiting for the holidays or waiting to attend some important event with family or friends. You'd probably just rather skip the time between now and then... yes, you are wishing your life away, and you're definitely not the only one!

Me, I'm waiting to go on holiday to Italy, I'm waiting to go to Uni for Teacher Training, I'm waiting to get out of this God forsaken town. Heh, this reminds me of that Adam Sandler film "Click". I better be careful what I wish for, it's the in-between times that are important. Don't really want to fast-forward my life!

Luckily for me, unlike some, I'm not up to my ears in debt (apart from my student loans, obviously). Some people spend there whole lives waiting for some sort of miraculous event, which will never happen. They think that there luck is going to change, that they'll win the lottery or receive an inheritance, with which all their problems will be sorted. I guess some people do get lucky, but it's not usually people who desperately need it, is it? That sort of waiting I can do without.

The Rise and Fall Of Communism!

Last night, Battlefield with Peter and Dan Snow returned, having been rudely interrupted by I'm not sure what, but it wasn't on the last 2 weeks anyhow. This time around they were casting a wistful gaze over the Tet Offensive, a pivotal point in the Vietnam War. My knowledge of the Vietnam War, I'm afraid to admit, up until this point, extended no further than; M.A.S.H. , Platoon, Hamburger Hill, We Were Soldiers, Good Morning Vietnam, Air America, Casualties Of War, Deer Hunter, Jacob's Ladder and The Killing Fields. All well and good, but films don't give you a very good perspective of events in terms of the broader picture.

So now I know that the US were in Vietnam, supporting the South Vietnamese in order to stem the rise of Communism. The North Vietnamese (NVA), backed by the USSR and China, were the principal enemy, further supported by the Viet Cong (VC's) who would be termed insurgents nowadays. The NVA launched the Tet Offensive, when the South Vietnamese army had been sent home to celebrate the festival of Tet with their families, believing that the festival would mark an unofficial ceasefire.

Parties of VC's, who had been stockpiling munitions and supplies all over South Vietnam for months (via the Ho Chi Minh trail), launched attacks all over South Vietnam and even into Saigon itself, while the US soldiers and airforce were busy fending off a diversionary attack by the NVA at Khe Sanh camp, near the Vietnamese border. Meanwhile the VC's had captured a major part of the US embassy in Saigon, images of which were beamed into US households.

The next major battleground was the city of Hue, where US marines had a major task on their hands in driving out the VC, who had entrenched themselves in the city's ancient citadel. Not until the South Vietnamese authorised the use of artillery and air-strikes, were the VC's reduced to rabble. At this point, the Viet Cong had been fully committed to battle and having been overturned on all fronts, no longer represented a viable fighting force. In the North of the country the US soldiers had also repelled the NVA.

The American Generals thought they were well on their way to victory, but back home things had taken a bad turn. The US public had seen enough footage on TV to convince them that things were going very badly. They'd seen executions and dead US servicemen lying in the street. They gave the President Lyndon B. Johnson no option but finally to withdraw all American forces from Vietnam. Despite the US then training and equipping the South Vietnamese Army, South Vietnam fell to the Communists in 1975.

But, despite the victory of Communism in Vietanam, as we now know, there were other battlegrounds between Democracy and Communism, Afghanistan being one instance. Communism however, ran its course and even China it seems, buoyed by a booming economy, cannot remain a Communist country for much longer. Now the attentions of the West are focused on a new enemy, the invisible force, the terrorist, who has no specific nation or race, and who can pop-up anywhere at any given time. Here is the final irony. In order for Western nations to combat terrorism, our glorious leaders request that we kindly surrender our civil liberties. In doing this, they increasingly use Big Brother tactics not entirely unlike those formerly used by the Communists.

History Is All About Blood!

Terry Pratchett has a point in Hogfather when he says that history is all about blood, don't you think? What's more, that definition can be deduced in several ways;

• History is all about blood-shed
• History is all about bloodlines
• History is all about genetic traits

Which ever way you take it, there is a definite ring of truth. The expression "History goes to the victors!" is one with which I would definitely agree, because it is clear to me that many of our accepted views of historical events are false, precisely because it is the accounts of the victors which we rely on, when events were entirely different to what was actually recorded. For instance, Hitler didn't ensure that accurate records were kept for posterity regarding the genocidal atrocities, which he had ordered. Had he been victorious we might never have known other than in rumour.

Many other historical events follow the pattern whereby there is no external verification of events, such as Tacitus' account of Gnaeus Julius Agricola's defeat of the Picts at the battle of Mons Graupius. Julius Agricola was the father-in-law of Tacitus, so clearly had a vested interest in promoting the achievements of Agricola. It is actually debatable whether the battle even took place, and little evidence to suggest that the Romans managed to cross the River Spey, which presented a formidable barrier, especially if the Picts held the opposite bank. However, Tacitus knew that the Picts could not relate their version of events and so history tells us only what he, Tacitus, had to say.

As far as blood-letting effects history, you might suppose that War can have a positive effect on society because the superior force would win. However, using the First World War as an example, it could be suggested that the War set Britian back hundreds of years, because the majority of its brilliant young minds were needlessly killed. Meanwhile, back on the farm, the half-witted labourers spawned the next generation. A serious setback for the gene pool.

Blood-lines have played a significant part in the history of the UK, for over 1000 years this nation was controlled by an elite, who largely inter-married with each other and held on to titles, vast tracts of land, wealth, and small armies of servants. In this respect, they held what they did by virtue of blood.

How can genetic traits influence the course of history. As an example of how inter-breeding can impact heavily on society, I would highlight the Roman Emperors and the Pharaonic Dynasties. Doubtless, the irrational and often insane behaviour displayed by many of them was a direct consequence of incest. Obviously, I'm focusing on the negative viepoint here, but conversely, a broader gene pool does result in more intelligent offspring. Anyone with a broad spectrum of ancestral origins, I'm sure will quite clearly demonstrate proof of what I'm suggesting!

The Sacred Art Of Keeping A Secret!

Secrecy! Every family has its secrets! They may be dark and sinister, or they might be stupid and pointless like the ones my family have. Over the years I've managed to prise some family info out of my Grandmother which she was sworn to secrecy over, probably 60 years ago or more. But, the world has moved on since then! Yes, it appears my Great Grandfather had a child by another woman before he was married. My Grandmother knows the identity of the child, but cannot reveal it. Honestly, the World could end if she were to reveal this terrible secret which has been her burden for so many years.

The other big family secret is the identity of my Grandfather. I started researching our family tree when I was about 19 and immediately questioned my father who said he had no idea. When he was away to work I went looking in his desk and found a piece of paper with a little family tree sketched out on it. It said my Grandfather's name was Eric Boon/Boone. I'd never heard the name before that day. I questioned my father further and he said I'd have to ask my Grandmother. When I broached the topic with her, to say she was reticent to talk about it would be an understatement. My Father is a product of the post-war celebrations, in my mind anyhow.

The story, as far as I could make it out, was as follows: My Grandmother was 19 and in the ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service). The year was 1946 and she was stationed at the Bridge-of-Don barracks near Aberdeen. There she met the dashing (5 years older) Eric Boon, Tank Seargeant, who had seen service all over Europe during the War. I'm sure she said North Africa, Italy and France. Anyway, he'd sweet-talked her with marriage proposals and all that and she got pregnant. Then she found out he'd been seeing other women as well, fell out with him, he still wanted to get married, but she gave him the brush off. Besides that, all she knew was, that he came from Leeds and he was about 25 at the time.

Anyhow, several years later, when quizzed again, she tells me, his name was actually John (as is my fathers) and that Eric was just what they called him, because there was a famous boxer called Eric Boon, at that time. It was suggested that the boxer Eric Boon may have been his Uncle. There isn't much to go on there really, I don't even want to meet my Grandfather, presuming he's still alive. It's just that as a genealogist, it's tracing the line that gets my interest. The challenge of tracking back the family line, and believe me I've tried numerous avenues with no success, which suggests to me that perhaps even what little I've been told isn't entirely true, or essential details have been omitted or corrupted.

Anyway, that's just my family. My wife's is far worse when it comes to secrets, but if I start writing about those I could land in big trouble. So, if you have a dirty family secret, please feel free to leave a comment about it, so that the rest of us can know that it's not just our families that are weird!

Damn Those Eyes!

I reckon I have a pretty accurate ability when it comes to being able to judge a person's character instantaneously and on first impressions alone, and I don't think I've ever been wrong in my judgement. An individual says a lot without even talking, and I would never judge someone just on what they actually say, it's their facial expressions and body language which speak volumes. I find that the eyes in particular tell me what a person is like, especially if they're nasty, the eyes give it away so clearly. It's got to be said, I've seen total strangers in the street, caught their gaze, and been very frightened by what I've seen there. Many of you might know exactly what I mean, they have what you can only call "The eyes of a killer"! Whether they have killed, or only have the potential to kill is questionable, but certainly their eyes say that they're more than capable of doing so.

I probably lied when I said I don't judge people based on what they say, I do, but as a secondary objective. Rather than revealing what is hidden, as the face does, the voice (and what they actually say) is more indicative of how intelligent a person is, but can be deceptive, as an intelligent person can quite easily portay themselves as less intelligent than they really are on first meeting, if they think it could be advantageous in some way, later!

The reason for this waffling, in case you were wondering... well, I read in some newspaper yesterday, that some young lad had pitted his intuitive skills against several psychics (if I could find the article it would have taken up more of this post) and demonstrated more accurate results than they had. This young fella, had been teaching himself how to read body language, since he was a kid, and could infer shedloads, even from the most miniscule of signals. Apparently, the amount of information he could detect from a stranger, was phenomenal, and he made the psychics look like total frauds. I'm sure this guy will earn a lot more attention in the near future, so I may well come back to him then, whoever he is!

So You Think You're Royal?

The TV was so bad last night (have I said this before?), that I was just flicking through the channels when I found this show "So You Think You're Royal?", which of course was right up my street. A bit of genealogy, a bit of mystery, and of course the massive anti-climax when the people concerned realise that they're descended from mere peasantry after all. Such a disappointment for them, but of course they're on telly, so they have to appear to take it with good grace.

In this particular show, there were 2 cousins who thought they were descended from King Charles II and his mistress Nell Gwyn. Nell had 2 children by the King apparently, from whom are descended the Beauclair Dukes Of St.Albans. The family in this case had the unusual surname Sowerbutt and a Grandfather with a penchant for telling tall tales (proven by the fact that he managed to have 2 families on the go at the same time, without discovery).

Since the genealogical evidence was sketchy to say the least, some peerage expert suggested tracking down relatives to see if they had also heard the story of proposed royal descent, since the more of them who had been told the story, the more likely it would be that it was true. So off went the genealogist and tracked down 150 relatives (impressive researching). Sadly, apart from the 2 individuals in question, nobody else had ever heard the story, thereby proving that their Grandfather was a complete fibber.

I on the other hand, am obviously of Royal descent! Do I have proof? No, but my Grandmother's parents were Irish, so obviously I must have royal blood. At one time virtually everyone in Ireland had royal connections, and with surnames like Kane and Hagen (King Kane and King Hagen were sub-kings responsible for bearing the crown of the O'Neill High-King at his coronation) in the family, how can I fail not to be truly regal! I rest my case, no genealogy is required, and given that I've delved tentatively into the Irish records before, I would say little or no chance of finding any!

The Cult Of Celebrity!

Following on loosely from yesterday's post, I've been wondering about the danger posed to scientific progress from the Cult Of Celebrity, which seems to be gripping our once pioneering nation, formerly at the forefront of most scientific discoveries. You don't have to examine the attitudes of today's youth too closely to see what it is they aspire to. Where once exploration and adventure were the dreams of the young, unfortunately the modern child dreams of being famous for being famous, because where the term "celebrity" once referred to someone who was justifiably famous, now it has to come to signify an individual who has achieved fame merely by being thrust (entirely voluntarily) into the limelight, regardless of ability.

Once again I blame the scourge that is the reality show, in which I would include the likes of; X-Factor, Big Brother, American Idol etc. I could go on, but writing their actual names is sapping me of the will to live. The thirst for fame is unquenchable. Even when these non-entities have had their moment in the Sun, their 15 minutes of fame, it's not enough, they only want it more than ever. And, foolish TV execs give them more opprotunities to show us that they still exist. Notice how many ex-reality show contestants return to appear in Celebrity shows (thus indicating that they have indeed graduated to celebrity status), from ballroom dancing to ice-skating. These shows also provide a convenient platform on which jaded and fading stars can attempt to regain anything of their former glory.

Something clearly needs to be done to clarify the situation to the modern youth. Fame is not the be all and end all that they think it is, and for most, attempting to become famous will only end in bitter disappointment. The saddest part is that many of these people genuinely believe that they are talented, when clearly their talents lie elsewhere (if they actually have any. I'll bet there are thousands of individuals out there who have their hearts set on becoming famous when they have genuine skills that could be employed successfully elsewhere. But, their lust for adoration, the need to be noticed, blinkers them from real life. Wake up, it's a dream, get a real job, and do something worthwhile for yourself and for mankind!

The Golden Age Of Television!

Alright, you don't really need to know my age, however for the purpose of this post it's relevant. For several years now I've noticed a steady decline in the quality of television programmes. Whether TV is being deliberately dumbed-down to make us a nation of mindless morons, or it's just too much effort to make anything worth watching, I can't say for sure. Possibly, a mixture of both reasonings. The fact is, I look back on the halcyon days of televisual festing that myself and my generation enjoyed in the late 70's and early 80's, with gerat nostalgia.

Who can forget programmes like:

• Monkey
• The Saint
• Sapphire and Steel
• Tales Of the Unexpected
• The Professionals
• Duty Free
• Alas Smith & Jones

Those are but a few. Kids TV was equally fantastic, with Will O' The Wisp, Jamie and the Magic Torch, Bagpuss, Captain Pugwash and so on and so forth. However, what's truly missing from modern TV scheduling in particular is the Saturday night super line-up. When I was a kid, the whole family could sit down on Saturday night, expecting and usually getting an excellent evening's entertainment. Nowadays, it's all reality shows and fame hunting wannabe shows. It's bland, pointless, non-entertaining and frankly patronising.

So why do they get away with it? Well to be honest, I think people would sit and watch anything, so the fact that they watch reality shows should be no surprise. The latest Big Brother series is in a way ironic I reckon. They've filled a house with empty-headed imbeciles and empty-headed imbeciles quite happily sit for hours lapping up their non-sensical babble and pearls of wisdom, ie:

Liam mentions Romeo and Juliet.

Brian: "What's Romeo and Juliet? Ain't Romeo that geezer out of So Solid Crew?"

Liam: "No, Romeo and Juliet is a play by Shakespeare!"

Brian: "Who's Shakespeare?"

Liam "He's a famous playwright!"

Brian: "What? Somebody's famous for writing plays?"

Liam: "Yeah, everyone's heard of him!"

Brian: "I didn't really pay much attention at school!"

Personally, I would question whether Brian ever went to school, becaus in my recolletion, you had to do at least a couple Shakespeare plays in Secondary. That and Lord Of the Flies... unavoidable! To be fair, that conversation is slightly entertaining, but just think to yourself how amny people must have been watching that and thinking "Yeah, who the hell IS Shakespeare?" And that's the really sad part, what the hell are kids learning at school? Maybe if they showed some Shakespeare on the TV, kids would have a better idea who he was. However, I suspect that there's a much bigger can of worms to be opened, once you start probing the minds of young adults and comparing what they should know with what they actually do know. I suspect severe deficiencies in several departments! I'm 36 by the way!

The Origins Of Modern English!

Language, something most of us take for granted, it comes so easily when you're a child. Children are able to learn any language if introduced to it at a very early age. But there are so many languages in the modern world, so surely anyone who is bilingual would have a distinct advantage in the job market you would think. I've noticed as a UK national, that most other countries are way ahead of us when it comes to learning other languages. I've been abroad a few times and I've noticed that not only do a surprising amount of people talk in English as their second language, they do so surprisingly well.

So, where did this language of ours come from? Most of us will have heard that English is derived from Proto-Indo-European, but what does that mean? It's sugeested that a race of white people from the Caucus Mountains area (hence Caucasians) expanded out and reached the Indus Valley where they formed the Vedic culture. They then brought back that language to Europe.

The Celtic language was borne from Proto-Indo-European in 2 forms P-Celtic and Q-Celtic, as was Old English which was brought to the UK by Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons and Jutes). As the Kings of England spoke English that language became widespread although probably intermingled with Celtic. The Viking incursions into Britain added many other words to our vocabulary, as did the Norman invasion. You'd be surprised at how many English words have a French origin. The final contributor was Latin, writers like Shakespeare and Marlowe found the English language prohibitive in scope so introduced many Latin words into their writing, which we still use to this day.

So modern English is really a hotch-potch of languages, but all from a common ancestor: Proto-Indo-European! The odd thing is, that English is changing. There are so many regional accents in England, that the traditional well-spoken English is becoming a rarity, with slang words continually polluting the word pool. Strangely enough, the best spoken English in the UK is in Inverness, up here in the North of Scotland, and Doric (the dialect I grew up with) is considered to be the closest thing to Old English still in existence. We use words like "nicht" and "brither", which are pronounced pretty much the same way as the Anglo-Saxons said them, betraying their Germanic origins. It's a funny old thing, language!

Rain Down On Me... From A Great Height!

Rain rain, nothing but rain, but don't worry! Only a fool wouldn't say that climate change was to blame, of course it's climate change. But is it man-made? Well that's another question isn't it. Vastly conflicting reports on that particular aspect of it. Anyhow, it's been pouring down here for several days now, and although we're OK where we're at, I suspect others (perhaps in Elgin) could be in for a bad time of it.

Over the last 10 years or so, each year has seen greater flooding here in the UK, than the previous. Of course, in a cosmic redressing of the balance, some poor sods will be suffering severe drought someplace. Nature is indeed mysterious.

Since the waether is so bad, I spent the day re-writing my CV. The most recent version was 2 years old and things have changed quite a lot for me in that time. On another note, my daughter's school sports were meant to be today. They were originally supposed to be last Friday, but demonstrating amazing foresight, they cancelled it because the grass was slightly damp. Well you could go bog snorkelling there now!