Pluses and minuses both sides of the Atlantic

What a strange weekend! I suppose my highlight was Valteri Bottas coming third for Williams in the Canadian Grand Prix - the first podium position for our local Formula One team this season. I know the circuit particularly suits Williams' cars, but he was beaten only by a Mercedes (Hamilton) and a Ferrari (Vettel), and at least one of those uses the flexible wing of dubious legality.

And then on the plus side also, my mother-in-law who's staying with us enjoyed watching her near contemporary's birthday celebrations on television. That was a jolly occasion, I must say, especially when the sun came out for the party in the Mall. The extravagant trappings of our monarchy excite me towards republicanism, as does the structure of establishment that adheres itself to it. However I have great admiration for the lady herself; and I wonder whether her successors can measure up to her. And I do see the potential snags of an elected presidency - not least in the light of the two apparent contenders in the US. Personally I reckon that we could settle up our national debt by selling off much of the monarchical surplus stuff (houses, jewellery etc) and happily have something more like a Low Countries or Scandinavian monarchy. That might limit the propensity of politicians to exploit royalty and the British sentimental love of pomp, pageantry and pretty things... Just saying!

But seriously,...

Outweighing all that, on the dark side, were the events at Orlando and Marseille.

I first discovered the events at the Pulse nightclub in Florida on Facebook. Omar Mateen, American-born 29-year old, shot 49 people dead and wounded 53 in the deadliest mass shooting in the US in the gay club, where people were enjoying a Latin music evening in what they imagined to a "safe" place. President Obama "said on Sunday the Orlando gunman's motivation was still unclear. 'We know enough to say this was an act of terror, an act of hate,' he told reporters." It sounds to me that it was first a plain act of homophobia, then dressed up or "justified" in the name of radical Islam - not that there can ever be a justification for such barbaric butchery. 

Meanwhile we were hearing commentary about the violence between English and Russian fans at the end of the draw in England's first match in EUFA 2016 in Marseille. Strangely in my view blame on the BBC seems to have been pinned on the EUFA authorities (scheduling the match late in the day), on the availability of drink near the ground, on the French (heavy-handed policing) and on the Russians (specially trained thugs) - but not on English football "fans" lacking in self-control. I do notice a tendency, which I suspect stems from the government, to paint Russia as the villain in every possible scenario: the villains in Ukraine (Who provoked the resistance to the elected government?), in Syria (Who encouraged the uprising against President Assad despite warnings?), in sport (Were they alone in hiding drug-taking in their sportsmen?). It is of course convenient to create a bogey-man of another state. It allows politicians to damn any project they dislike as being favoured by President Putin. Maybe it's not surprising then that English football supporters consider it open season to beat up the pesky Russians.

Vladimir Putin Photo BBC

The latest example of this has been the oft-repeated assertion of the Remain campaign (Philip Hammond, Michael Fallon, Jack Straw and even the hand-shaking David Cameron) that Russia and particularly President Putin himself are in favour of Brexit. The odd thing is that the Kremlin has been assiduously (and infuriatingly) silent on our EU referendum. This morning I heard a Russian spokeswoman quoted in exasperation saying "the West tries to blame us for everything".

Mary Dejevsky Photo Newsweek

To find out the truth I sought out an article by the most reliable commentator on Russia I know, Mary Dejevsky, and found a careful short article in the Financial Times of 2nd June headed, "Vladimir Putin is not ready to toast Brexit". Interesting, I thought. She argues that Russia is in fact most concerned to have stability on its borders, and anything that might contribute to the EU's break-up would be anathema to Mr Putin, whose priority is the nation's security. This is its last paragraph, "The Kremlin has given no hint of any preference. If you chance upon a Russian diplomat in a quiet corner you might find, if not outright hostility to Brexit, then profound misgivings. Which is why, although the western consensus is that Mr Putin is preparing to toast an Out win, do not be so sure. The champagne may indeed be on ice. Whether it is in anticipation of a UK vote to leave the EU is another matter."

I on the other hand am now prepared to declare my voting intentions for 23rd June! I have moved, reluctantly, like Dr Sarah Wollaston, a Tory MP I greatly admire, from Brexit to Remain. I admit to being surprised to find myself on the same side as David Cameron and George Osborne, a power nexus I fundamentally dislike, and very sad not to be on the same side as the straight-talking Michael Gove, Dennis (the Beast of Bolsover) Skinner and Jacob (the Pinstriped Policeman) Rees-Mogg. It came to pass last week. 

I decided to consult my family. It struck me that the decision we're about to make will affect them and their generation much more profoundly and for longer than me and mine. So I contacted them all - seven of them - and asked them if they would mind telling me what they thought about it. Unanimously and without collusion they came back with the same answer in different forms and for different reasons. The reasons were good ones, a mixture of head and heart. To mention but four: collaboration is preferable to competition; the EU institutions mitigate the worst excesses of concentrated power, like that UK and other governments can wield; major problems, such as climate change and economic inequality, can best/only be solved by cooperation; the leave campaign is fuelled by an ugly "anti-immigration, scary foreigners" brand of thinking. Well, it's their future, and I'm not inclined to stand in their way. As I've said before, I don't give much weight to the silly sloganising and soothsaying ping-pong of the politicians and the experts they drag in to support their sides. But I do respect my children's and their partners' views, which are far from silly. So unexpectedly I shall vote to remain in the EU, with the expectation and devout hope that the United Kingdom will at last again actively engage in reforming and reshaping it for the better - which I believe it desperately needs.

Not, of course, that I expect this to make an ounce of difference to my readers! 

PS And now that The Sun, that paragon of moderation and reason, has muscled in on the side of Brexit, I feel confirmed in my decision.

Everyone a winner

It's been quite a good couple of weekends for teams which our family variously support. Outstanding for me was the victory of our local Formula 1 team, Williams F1, who are based in Grove, at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. I got quite animated! Our Manchester family are City supporters. I suspect they were on tenterhooks last Sunday, when it looked as though their team was about to lose to QPR - a close shave, I think you might say. And we have a long-term faithful Chelsea fan. His comment about last night's match was: "In reality football is a pretty meaningless game but right now?! Right now, I've never loved it more." (And, all right, I admit that getting rid of their previous manager may have proved a good move. It will be interesting to see what Roman Abramovich does with his most successful "caretaker manager", Roberto di Matteo.)  


Life's not only sport of course. Sport may be pretty meaningless (though it's arguable that it's a harmless sublimation of international or internal aggression), but to be really good at it does require a lot of hard work. I was interested by an item by Matthew Syed on Radio 4, where he argued that champions are not born, but made. He has five times Commonwealth table tennis champion and is now a sports writer for The Times. He wrote a book, Bounce - How Champions are made, of which you get a taste in the YouTube clip: Matthew Syed talking. It's certainly true that artists like the young cellist Laura van der Heijden achieve their level of accomplishment by dint of a great deal of practice. Her final performance for BBC Young Musician achieved something remarkable, holding me to listen and enjoy a piece way outside my comfort zone, Walton's Cello Concerto. And I'm sure, on a much less serious level, Pudsey's performance on BGT involved a lot of hard work on Ashleigh's part. (By the way, looking at Laura's website and the age at which she clearly outstanding, I don't think Matthew Syed's thesis is 100% correct.)

from ITV

from Laura's website

Left: Laura van der Heijden who won BBC Young Musician of the Year 2012 Right: Ashleigh Butler with her mongrel Pudsey who won ITV's Britain's Got Talent 2012

from Williams F!

 Left: Pastor Maldonado who won the Spanish Grand Prix last week for our local team, Williams F1.

from Manchester City

Right: Roberto Mancini, manager of Manchester City, who won the Premier League last Sunday - by the skin of their teeth.

from BBC

from Yahoo

 Left: Helen Jenkins who emphatically won the World Triathlon Series (swim, cycle, run) in San Diego on Saturday, as did Jonny Brownlee. By the way, local girl Jessica Harrison, who now competes for France, came fourth. Right: Didier Drogba, man of the match, for Chelsea who remarkably won the European Champions League Cup last night - by the skin of their teeth. He scored the decisive penalty in the penalty shoot-out. The picture shows him comforting Bastian Schweinsteiger, who missed the last penalty for Bayern Munich. Previously he'd done the same for Arjen Robben (also in the picture), whose penalty in extra time could have won it for Bayern. 


Sometimes he is traduced for acting on the pitch. There's no doubt in my mind that he's an exceptional striker. Before watching the match I hadn't perceived much more. I had noticed that his first reaction when he's scored a goal is to cross himself. During the final, I observed him on his knees in the penalty shoot-out, but most significantly for me was the way, while the rest of his team were absorbed in their own delirium of celebration, he was aware of their opponents' bitter disappointment and took time to show it. And he really did give them time. My estimation of him as a big man rose. It seemed to me that his faith might make a difference.

A different Sunday

A very different Sunday from normal! No  church; instead we've been to the MNDA's Spring Conference in Bristol. I think I agreed with Hilary's verdict that it was the best spring conference she or we'd been to - the fourth for us. We particularly like the conferences because of the people one meets. Some of us have MND in some form; others are carers, and association visitors. There are also staff from the Association headquarters and trustees - as well as exhibitors, and of course speakers (of whom the main one was Prof Kevin Talbot, who's my new consultant).

We had to get up early (for me) and drove through the showers. This year it was at the Aztec West Shires Hotel. Not as grand as The Celtic Manor at Newport last year. No Danish pastries, as Jane observed! But it was fine, well, AA 4 stars, to be exact.

The first session, "How will changes to the NHS and social services affect people with MND?", was of course highly topical and important. It was led by the MNDA's Head of Public Affairs, Farah Nazeer, and Campaigning Head, David Hanson. It's clear that the proposals as they stood (before the "Pause") posed dangers for disabled people, particularly with MND which is normally so rapid that health care packages and social service provision can't keep pace. They also pointed out that there are also opportunities. Not surprisingly they knew their stuff. My particular reaction was to be grateful that MND patients have such competent advocates.


After a filling lunch, Kevin Talbot talked particularly about the research going on in Oxford which is one of the world's centres of MND research, and particularly the search for a biomarker (a diagnostic indicator) for the disorder. He has the gift of exceptional clarity in explaining science to amateurs. I have a feeling that Theresa, who, like me, has PLS, raised a potentially fruitful point about the usefulness of MND patients' diagnostic records for research.

So a good day, meeting new people and seeing new gismos - and oh yes, there was an ITV cameraman and reporter there, so you might see my friend, Norman, with discreet product placement of My Donkeybody behind him (!), being interviewed about one effect cutbacks have already had for him, in MND Awareness Week in June, if you live in the West! When we emerged, it was warm and sunny, and so we drove home in a mellow mood - which was somewhat dented by the discovery that Red Bulls were rampant in Turkey, while both Williams were lapped, and the Premiership is virtually decided. :(

Cross about palms

What a lovely week it's been so far! Almost unbroken sunshine. I know we're only having average temperatures by Sydney standards - but it is only April. However farmers, gardeners and water-power generators could do with some rain.

Sunday brought some good news with Lewis Hamilton winning an exciting Chinese Grand Prix - and both the Williams' cars completing the race, for the first time this season! Maldonado, their new driver, was lapped, but at least he made it. I enjoyed too the Palm Sunday 'Songs of Praise' with some good interviews and a new song I'd not met before, The Light of the World (Stuart Townend's, not Tim Hughes' version) sung by Cathy Burton - Cathy Burton singing 'The Light of the World'.

Talking of Palm Sunday I was alerted to the almost unbelievable story of Colin Atkinson who has been moved from his electrician's job with Wakefield District Housing for displaying a small Palm Cross in his van - for the past 15 years. One account I read said: "... following a complaint from a tenant, who suggested that the cross might offend other faiths, Colin has been put under huge pressure to remove the cross from his van, and company rules have been amended since the dispute to ban personal items. So far Colin has refused - and he is now being investigated for his alleged failure to comply." I can't believe the complaint came from an adherent of any other faith than atheism, as, in my experience, people who are passionate about their own faith seriously normally appreciate others who are serious about theirs giving it expression. Burkas and phylacteries don't 'offend' me. In fact they provoke me to examine the depth of my faith. It's when power politics attaches itself to religion, as a perverse form of self-justification, that problems arise. The old-firm rivalry between Celtic and Rangers in Glasgow is to do with unhealed political wounds, not about different views of the eucharist. If there's anything that a palm cross represents it's Jesus' rejection of the way of power. The palm being waved as a banner in a victory parade is twisted into the cross - the symbol of sacrifice and reconciliation. 

Photo: St Giles' Church, Aintree

It's a myth vigorously promoted by enemies of religious belief that faith is the root of conflict. In fact, it has always been the same: the desire for power. As Andrew White has been showing in Iraq, the only route to reconciliation begins with understanding and sharing faith.

"Your carriage awaits"

Here I am sitting in Whitequays Seat garage in Newbury. We’ve brought in our car for its first and final MOT. As ever, proceedings are taking longer than predicted, but the coffee’s nice and the disabled toilet well appointed.

Our next car - res ipsa

In ten days or so, we’ll take delivery of its replacement I’m hoping we’ll be able to have a sneak preview as, when we got home from Devon, we had a message that it had arrived. We can’t take delivery until the previous Motability contract expires. As I’ve commented before, this is a real boon of the Disability Allowance. I trust it survives the cuts. In the big scheme of things it is quite small, but having a reliable car which is comparatively easy for access and egress and which fits in the clobber of disability, such as wheelchairs, is not to be undervalued. My son who knows about such things is a bit disappointed we didn't go for the trendy Qashqai, but I'm afraid it failed on a number of convenience grounds. 

Beauty - or a beast?

And so it's this rather sleek Altea XL instead. I can't quite decide whether or not it looks a trifle sleazy! Whatever - I'm looking forward to being chauffeured in it!

Thinking of cars - so we've reached the end of the F1 season, and sadly Williams (our local team) haven't broken back into the big time, as I'd hoped. They've not done badly: 6th in the constructors' championship, and Rubens Barrichello 10th in the drivers'. Their young driver, Hulkenberg, is moving on (I wonder if they'd like Jane instead... She's quite nippy!), and I gather they might have a new engine next season. We wait in hope!

Bits of good news

I'm grateful to Bryan for pointing this story out to me. A bit of good news to take you in to August. This is defying the politics of fear!  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-10822923. Well done, that girl! 
I'm hoping for some more good news with the Hungarian Grand Prix. Come on, Williams! I've just watched the interview with Frank Williams on BBC. I hadn't realised he was disabled after a car accident. And come on, Jessica Ennis, in Barcelona. She, of course, had to change her long-jump take-off foot after fracturing her right ankle two years ago. Two determined people who didn't give up when disaster struck.

Tomorrow we're celebrating again - this time my best man coming of age (as we bus-pass holders say). The beginning of another bacchanalian August!

And then it's off to enjoy some New Wine. Hopefully there'll be some sales of I Choose Everything there. It's selling quite well so far, I'm told. I think that's largely thanks to the South African connection. More good news. 

The politics of fear

Well, my friend's Spanish nightmare seems to be coming true. Not only did Alberto Contador win the Tour de France again on Sunday, but Alonso, by fair means or foul, won the German Grand Prix and is creeping up the F1 drivers' ranking.... It was a very odd incident, wasn't it, when Ferrari radioed the race leader, Felipe Massa, "Alonso's faster than you... Confirm that you've understood..." It sounded quite sinister! And then he inexplicably slowed down and Alonso slipped past. Then another radio message: "Good lad.... Sorry!" It certainly sounded like a fix. Presumably Alonso has an arrangement with Ferrari that he's their no 1 driver, or maybe they just reckon he's a better bet for winning the championship. A shame for competitive sport.

Radio 4 did an item on the debate about immigration over the Mexican border in the States last night. I was struck by the comment of El Paso local historian, David Romo, about politicians scapegoating immigrants: "They're creating a false portrait that serves their own political interests. It happens that every time an election year comes up they know that creating fear and hysteria about the border will drive a wedge. It's wedge politics at its best. In some ways it's cheap vote-getting, and the pattern just keeps repeating itself.... Hysteria ... is very profitable for politicians. I mean, nothing gets votes like the politics of fear" (The World Tonight, BBC Radio 4 27.7.10).

It struck me as being a) profoundly true in this context, and b) equally transferrable to others. Such as the end of life debate. The euthanasia lobby feeds in to the media scare-stories. 'Palliative care won't work.' Soberly looked at, it's just not true. Watch out for the politics of fear.

Life's little ironies

How ironic! From my constitutionally informed friend, Mark Berry, I learned the following. 'In all this fascinating and ongoing story of the General Election it's worth noting the contrary nature of the local council results. In terms of councillors...
Conservative -122
Labour +413
Liberal Democrat -138
Others -106.' Which I find extraordinary.


And I suppose there's an irony in the continuing horse-trading between the right-wing Tories and progressive left-wing LibDems. One hopes there is a moderate and constructive outcome. Hopefully Mr Cameron will spend some time on his knees tomorrow. Mr Clegg apparently doesn't believe in God, and presumably therefore prayer.


Meanwhile, I have to admit I'm disappointed by other pole results from a local point of view. Neither of the Williams cars have made it into the top ten for tomorrow's Spanish Grand Prix. There's something ironic, isn't there, with the spectacle of gas guzzling boys' toys burning up petrol while the Gulf of Mexico is threatened with ecological disaster from the unrefined raw product? 

Retreat and advance

So Webber didn't win, but Button did, and our local man, Rubens Barrichello, held his 8th position.  Sadly I didn't see the race (which I gather was more eventful than Bahrain) mainly because of the time difference.  I'm blowed if I'm going to get up at 6 am to watch cars crashing, to say nothing of losing an hour's sleep with British Summertime beginning. (Did you know it's officially European Union Daylight Saving Time?)  Then we had a shared lunch at church to say goodbye to Laurie who's moving to Romania to set up a B&B - and so I missed the 1 pm repeat.  However some things are more important than even sport - of which people are one.

Meanwhile winter has returned, not with the ferocity of Scotland and Northern Ireland here, but I'm feeling fairly frazzled again. The parish church is open during the day this week in an 'Open Retreat' for Holy Week, which seems a good idea. Feebly, when it was pouring with rain on Monday, I chickened out of going down; there was a compensation in that a great friend turned up in the afternoon, while Jane was out.  She made me a cup of tea and passed on the Stanford latest. Then yesterday I managed to bash my wheelchair on the doorpost and the air promptly hissed out of the tyre. However Jane was made of sterner stuff and wheeled me down anyway. Afterwards we threaded our way through the estate via the greengrocer (one of the glories of Grove) to the Cornerstone Bookshop to have a cup of coffee. This time we met no less than six people we knew while there, including a couple who told us their granddaughter was going to have her wedding reception there in May. Now that's a good wheeze. This year I seem to have more connection with Holy Week than last year. Perhaps I'm not so drained.

This morning the engineer came round to mend the wheelchair - and fitted new solid tyres. So they'll never deflate and Jane won't have to pump them up ever again. Yippee! The engineer's not on call this weekend and was looking forward to spending time with his boys. He's a nice chap. This morning I've been working on my book. The editor, Tony, has just sent through the proposed cover. I like it. Utterly different from My Donkeybody!

Modern saints

What an eventful few days!  On Wednesday, I CHOOSE EVERYTHING received the final go-ahead from the publisher, and so it's now full-steam ahead for a July publication date - which is amazing.  I'm particularly pleased because Jozanne is so ill now.  The only change they asked for is a different sub-title, which is going to be more descriptive 'Two terminally ill Christians explore their experience of God's love'.  There's some sense in saying what it is about on the front cover, rather than in the small print.

On Thursday our two good friends, Des and Angela, from Croxley Green came over for lunch.  Although Angela who had stroke 8 years ago and I are physically somewhat changed - 'crocks together' - the years fell away as we caught up on news of old friends and of course our respective families.  We also reflected of course on the frustrations and blessings of weakness and dependence.  Angela is still able to sing - which she loves - and I'm still able to write, and if those go we'll still be able to enjoy the beauty of the spring and the kindness of people.

Yesterday we drove to Bristol for the funeral of one of the great figures in our life.  Netta Milnes was 94.  She came from the far North-east of Scotland, and was a bright and tough cookie.  While doing her nursing training in Aberdeen, she found a living faith which never deserted her.  She cared for her eldest brother who was very ill with MS until his death.  Her faith led her to medical missionary work in Peru, where she married an English doctor.  I first met her when they came to visit my parents with John and David their two sons something like 52 years ago.  They went to the same school as us, spent holidays with us - and John ended up being my best man and marrying Jane's bridesmaid.  When David and Netta Milnes retired, he found work as a hospital doctor in Bristol.  He died 22 years ago, but Netta continued to live and was well-known for the fact that she continued to ride her moped around the hills and streets of Bristol to visit and encourage people until last year.  And I know she regularly prayed for me and our family.  The church was packed for her thanksgiving service - not surprisingly.  A modern saint.

After the excellent lunch, we made our way to see Bryan's new pad, which he shares with three others.  Set in an up-and-coming part of Bristol, with views over the city, it's a des res.  He arrived back from work just as we were parking, and we had a cuppa Miles West Country tea (recommended) before heading home.  Came home to find the news from South Africa that Archbishop Desmond Tutu has agreed to do the foreword for our book.  What a privilege!  Such good news.  Spent the evening writing to ask a couple of people if they'd do an endorsement as well.  It's a big ask, as obviously you tend to ask people who are already busy.  Of course publishers like such things.

And today - Qualification for the Australian Grand Prix and Rubens Barrichello is 8th on the grid for Williams, our local team.  Well, we're working up.  I suppose I wouldn't mind Mark Webber winning this one.  I gather he's a nice chap.