HAPPINESS PLUS THE POLITICS OF FOOTBALL

I thought that nothing would surprise me any more but I was wrong.  The Country has no money and great cuts are needed but there is enough to fund a survey to measure our happines.  Why?  Doesn't anybody listen to the news?  The students are the first to show their level of happiness and it doesn't take much intelligence to realise that the needle on the meter is not very high.  Hopefully they won't be the last.  Perhaps we need a rousing song to cheer us up; how about The Internationale "Arise ye starvelings from your Slumbers".  At least the youger element has woken up.   Perhaps the rest of us will stir ourselves.

And, what a strange pronouncement from our PM.  He is, apparently unhappy about the BBC showing a programme about the possibility of buying a World Cup venue.  Can this be a message that commercial necessity overrides morality?
The Internationale

REASONS TO CELEBRATE

What joy!  There is to be a Royal wedding and we are all to be overjoyed and sleep overnight in the Mall to secure the bet position to see the happy couple.  Am I being cynical if I think that there was just too much enthusiasm in the Prime Minister's congratulatory announcement?  All this happy news to give us ordinary people something to smile at so that the all the belt tightening and loss of public services will so much easier to bear.  We have also the diamond jubilee and the Olympics to take our minds off the miseries to come.  What's in for the sport hating republican?

Anyway, how are we going to get to London for all these festivities?  The train fares will be exorbitant and if we are able to find somewhere to park, we will have to pay for that; and the congestion charge.  Let the good times roll.

THE NHS, ME AND THE GOVERNMENT

A colonoscopy is not an inviting prospect, the preparations themselves are not pleasant, but, if necessary, the place to have it done is Warwick Hospital.  Notwithstanding the potential for embarrassment of the chic backless gown and the starting point of the procedure, the endoscopy staff, from Receptionist to consultant, dealt with the whole thing in with a professional and friendly manner.  They were helpful and informative and maintained dignity at all times.  I was offered the chance to watch progress on a monitor and my initial distaste was overcome by fascination.  I may, in the past, have spoken out of my backside but never before had I looked up it.

That's the up side; the down side being that many Health Authorities are cutting down on "non essential" services.  The Pain Clinic at Warwick (another great set of people) had offered acupuncture in an attempt to relieve back pain.  I have no idea whether it would have worked but it is no longer offered; some other body has dictated that it was "unproven" treatment.  So, it's back to the frying of the nerves - surely a more expensive procedure.  Perhaps even that avenue will be closed, after all, back pain is is not life threatening, merely bloody miserable.

So, as I get even older and the poor old body gives up bit by bit, I am wondering how many more ailments might be denied relief.  Any thoughts Mr. Cameron?

THE UNKINDEST CUTS

Our local paper reports that Warwickshire County Council must save gazillions over the next few years.  If you are old, poor, like reading, likely to catch fire or need to grope your way about the streets in the dark in the morning, be afraid, very afraid.  With nearly 2000 staff to be dumped, not only will there be fewer services but there will be fewer staff to run what will be left.  Truly we live in miserable times but, we ain't seen nothing yet!

However, there is some light in the gloom; even in these straightened times, our merry Tory councillors have found enough cash to award seven lucky members £2,000 per year to act as spokesmen.  That is a relief; now we know that our cash is safe in their hands.  Come on guys, it's your job to be spokespeople for our Council. But,hey, it's good to know that there is enough money left to bung yourselves a little bonus.  I guess that this has always been the Tory creed "Unto them that have it shall be given".