Andy's Glasses

So here we are. In Florence. Italy, innit. In fact, at one time it was the capital of Italy. Not for very long, obviously; how long does it take to piss off a bunch’a Romans. But it was rich and powerful and it had full sponsorship. From the Medici family. We all need sponsors and these guys ruled what is now Tuscany to the point where they became the de facto Kings of the region and even had two members of their family become Popes. Power breeds corruption. Even in the 15th Century.

But sometimes, the wonderful randomness of the universe and all its billions of ‘players’ and constituents converge on a particular place at a particular time to quite amazing effect. It could be four musical Liverpudlians meeting up with a little Jewish poof in Soho. It could be an open-minded English theologist and hobby scientist visiting the Galápagos Islands. It could be 11 amazing Brazilians playing in Mexico City in 1970.

Or it could be a bunch of artists and scientists in Florence in the 14th and 15th centuries. The Renaissance. Because these dudes changed the world. Or art. Of science. Of pretty much everything, certainly according to the people round here. Da Vinci invented a helicopter 500 years before anyone came up with any kind of ‘motor’. Galileo’s telescope was so ‘ahead of its time’ that’s its still the model for all telescopes which aren’t ‘reflectors’, which, due to the size requirements, preclude you and me having one. So we’ll stick with Galileo. Architecture changed during the renaissance too. The duomo-mania was always the acceptable form of art to the Spanish Inquisition, so carried on when most science had to stop (Galileo was imprisoned.for even suggesting that the Earth might circle the Sun, rather than the other way round.) And building 40 metre domes needed engineering never before done. So it needed to be invented.

And then there was art. Pure art. Art for art’s sake, money for God’s sake. The money was provided by the Medicis who encouraged a ‘bunch’ local artists’ to do their thing. People like Raphael, Michaelangelo, Botticelli. Who ‘invented’ perspective, realism and all of art, as we now know it. I must admit to not being the greatest lover of Renaissance art, but I can appreciate it. To a degree. Because it was game changing. Doesn’t mean I need to spend 14 hours agonising over it; I can do my appreciation from anywhere.

Dante was from round here too. Bit before the renaissance but his poetry and literature probably inspired a lot of the artists who followed.

Florence is beautiful. Filled with everything, but mainly pasta and pizza, the most important legacy of… errrr… the Renaissance. Because before Galileo invented the circle, pizzas couldn’t exist.

Again, if I’m honest and even though millions will disagree with me, (Spurs Paul, for one), I find Italian food a little too… too Italian. Lacking in sufficient external influences to make it really interesting. Don’t hate me.

Now I’m off to a wedding. It’s about 38 degrees outside but luckily; I brought linen.

Mazzletov to the bride and groom.

A xxxx

Remember that dance track by Haddaway; ‘what is love?’ Well, I’ve been thinking lately about that most over-used, much-abused and completely ambiguous and unhelpful word: ‘love’. What is ‘love’?? When did it change from being an absolute and complex set of emotions for another person for whom you would die; to “I love cheese and onion crisps”. I love Eastenders. I love my children. I love football. “Thanks; love you lots!”, to the Amazon delivery man. Is love a finite quantity? Like blood. You have so much and when it’s gone there’s none left. You can bleed out but can you ‘love out’? You love your partner (I fucking hope you do, or I’m tellin’) and then children come along and you realise you suddenly need more love. And I mean a LOT more love. Then, later, sometimes, grand-children come along and you turn on the love-tap once again. This time all the way to 11. Does that mean you have to get this new love from old loves? Like the budget? Cut immigrant benefits to pay for a bus-fare cap? Stop loving Spurs because you’ve just had a new grandkid? Stop loving marmite??? It used to be that the wonderful word, love, was whispered in reverence to the very few people in your life to whom you were emotionally and physically attached. Nowadays we end calls with ‘love you’, after arranging a new electricity contract.

But I love City Airport. Where I’m sat, sitting, waiting for my flight to Florence. Nephew’s getting married on the weekend, so over we all go. Because we had a lot of warning about the date (‘command’ really rather than just information), I got flights on Air Miles. The outward one was business class, because that was all they were offering for people Avios-rich; pound-poor. So this morning, off we set.

We managed to shoe-horn everything into carry-on cases; ok, I did have a pair of Mel’s shoes in my ruck-sack, but a summer wedding in Italy; you gotta be thinking ‘linen!’ No suit, so easy peasy. Which means we can go by public transport to the airport. The totally fabulous roller-coaster ride on the almost cartoonish DLR. Which takes you, basically, right to the plane. Cos City AirPort is so wonderfully small. And there’s no queues!!! It’s all so easy. And after the Krakow Flight debacle of June, missing a flight for the first time in my life!!!, this is relaxation and joy just to be here, early and easy.

Yesterday we had messages from BA. “Sorry, cock-up on the catering front; can’t give you food on the flight. So here’s 20 quid each to buy some”. I won’t bore you with the hours it took to download the app and load it with the voucher, or you’ll think me a techno-spaz or something. Anyway; we went to Pret and bought 40 quids worth. Which sounds like it should fill a wheelbarrow, but it really isn’t. Not at ‘airport pricing’, cos they’ve ‘got you’. But as the flights, along with the Air Miles, only cost 26 quid, for both of us, I almost feel like I’m ‘winnin’’! Because you don’t get much out of BA, the world’s most hated airline (in my whole house). The love I once had for them is now redistributed around my children, grandchildren and doner kebabs.

Happy Flying

A xxxx

Apparently, Andy Burnham’s form of… I’ll call it ‘neo-socialism’ because he’s implicitly opposed to the ‘neo-Liberalism’ of the last 27 governments, is a singularly 1970s concept. So everyone keeps saying. And to be honest, I’d be happy reliving the 1970s which, as they always say, is the decade which, if you remember it, you weren’t really ‘there’.

It was hippies. It was free lurve. It was the decade I learned to drink (I was 14 in 1970 and if you’d started shaving they served you in pubs. Don’t know how women ever got served. Other than very old Greek women, obviously). I also learned the effects of excessive drink. So it wasn’t all good. We listened to the best music ever made, the decade when proper ‘rock’ came into its own. We learned to drive. Too fast, too loudly, too often. You almost needed to ‘drink and drive’ to cope with the stress. Spurs used to win, back then. And everyone had long hair and flared trousers.

So that’s what Andy Burnham needs to do if he really wants a ‘re-think’ of our entire societal re-structure in 1970s style.

Firstly; we need drugs. Lots of them. ‘Stoned’ was how the 70s was forgotten.

Going to football back then cost very little. Getting into virtually any musical ‘gig’ was a minimal expenditure. So that’s what we want. Burnham’s proposed bus fare ‘cap’ of 2 quid is way shy of 1973 when they cost about 6 old pence a ride. And I fully expect to get tickets to see Beyonce, in Manchester, obviously, for 2 quid. A pint was 35p and a packet of fags about 25p. And as for petrol????

Now here’s the problem. Its all very well ‘capping’ things and taking the tax off other things, all of which, on an individual level, amounts to approximately, 2 thirds of fuck-all. But the cost of those ‘minor cost of living’ savings, is measured in the hundreds of millions. Again, a 70s problem. Well, one of them. When Harold Wilson was PM and we had power cuts every day because the miners were on strike. And the more companies you re-nationalise, as he intends, the more will strike for more pay. And that’s fine. Because if trade unionists cause a cost of living crisis its totally acceptable. Train drivers need to own villas in Portugal too, ya know!!

Happy 1976

A xxxx

We have a new Prime Minister!!! Our 7th in 10 years. Possibly 6th but quite frankly I’ve lost count. But this one is ‘different’. He told us yesterday. He’s going to do ‘change’. They all say that, it’s the standard first speech from outside Number 10. And it generally means we are exchanging one clueless plonker for a different one. Anyway; Andy’s our plonker of the moment so for me it’s a heartfelt and totally committed ‘GO ANDYYYY!!!!’

First job. The Cabinet. The people who run the country. The big jobs. Or big jobbies, depending on how they perform. So Andy sacked everyone except Shibana Mahmood, who stays as Home Secretary. A good call because she actually seems to know what she’s doing (which, in reference to politics, means: does what I, personally, like and agree with). The rest got reshuffled or just booted out. And it’s the reshuffle I particularly like. “You’ve done a brilliant job for Kier in Housing, so I’m going to make you Health Secretary”. Miliband was head tosser in Energy and Environment so they’ve made him Foreign Secretary. It’s like Thomas Tuchel saying: “Ok, Jude, you’ve done such a great job at number 10 (different ‘Number 10’, obvs), we’re promoting you to right back. Harry; you’re holding midfield and John Stones is now on the left wing”. Though I get that Ministers have lots, and lots, and lots of advisers and researchers and minions and gofers, which Harry Kane doesn’t. So they advise the Chancellor and do the sums, leaving him to implement it within ‘policy’. Which we don’t know yet. Andy’s not saying. Its a secret.

But he was determined to ‘reduce the cost of living crisis’ and he’s already done that. He’s removing vat on heating bills. Which saves us £47!!!! Ok, that’s £47 a year, approximately 4 quid a month. Pound a week. That’s massive.

So we can see already that, unlike his predecessor, he’s a ‘man of action!’, with an exclamation mark (subject to removal as his term progresses).

But Andy must realise one very important thing: Britain is NOT Manchester. (For which we thank the Lord). For a start, it’s much bigger. Much bigger. And its filled with people, some of whom speak ‘normal’.

My main reservation about ‘Andy’? He spoke last week how he was unhappy when Kier Starmer announced, soon after the Gaza war started, that Israel had a right to defend itself, when it cut off most of Gaza’s water. (You generally are not under any obligation to feed, nor clothe, people you’re at war with, but this was a bit different). Anyway… I just wondered why, of all the totally stupid things Starmer did and said, all the ridiculous u-turns he made throughout, and all the dubious decision which came from his government, Andy only mentioned specifically ‘Gaza’. Hmmm…

Happy Tuesday under the New Regime. Remember ‘CHANGE!’ Like Starmer said too, but this a different ‘change’. A better one. (???)

A xxxx

So its ended. The World Cup. Seems like it was with us foreverrrrrr! And now there’s a massive void in my life. Massive. And for 4 weeks it won’t be filled.

They’ve all come home. But ‘it’ hasn’t. Unless your Spanish, then ‘it’ has.

This weekend we were blessed with two games. Which, I think its safe to say, ‘no-one gave a shit about’. Unless maybe a few Spaniards and Argentinian Falklands refuseniks.

First came the ‘battle’ for 3rd place.

No-one ever cares who came third. Second possibly, just for piss-taking purposes, but third? No interest.

As reflected by the French players and their attitude to the game on Saturday. They didn’t want to be there, there was no ‘national pride’ at stake, I want to be in Paris eating croissants and horses, not here in the U.S of A, playing meaningless football.

So England to a 4 nil lead. Why not; we’re here, might as well play. But not just ‘play’, play with a freedom and a joy of the game which had been missing for the previous 4 weeks.

Then the French woke up. Remembered who they were. Oh yeah; we’re the ‘best team in the world’, shit, I forgot, let’s play and keep our transfer values up.

And play they did.

I was in the bath for half the game. I like a long bath. Went in at 3.-nil, came out at 4-3. And watched the last 20 minutes of the best match produced in the tournament.

All credit to England, eventual 6-4 winners. Jude Bellingham’s stock rose 10-fold as he came on produced a comic-book cameo of footballing brilliance.

But even though they lost; those fucking French…

Were simply beautiful to watch. Every pass, every flick, back-heel, dummy and every movement was simply magnificent. They were playing with total freedom and really enjoying it. Because it really didn’t matter. So they just took the restraints off of Mbappe, Olise and Dembele and they ran riot.

A testament to ‘the beautiful game’. Not sure Americans can really appreciate such thing, but who cares.

Yesterday’s final again was ‘neutral’ for me. I just wanted a great game. A good game. Ok, a fairly decent game. I’d have taken a mildly awful game.

But got much much worse. The most horrible, ugly, cynical, destructive 120 minutes any bunch of Argentinian thugs have ever inflicted upon the world. It was just vile. No attempts on goal, no purpose other than ‘stop Spain at any/all cost’. Even though that precludes things like scoring goals or playing football. It was painful to watch, so many really talented guys reduced to near-assault on the pitch.

If Argentina had won, it would not only a travesty, it would have sent a message across the whole game of ‘the way to win against superior opposition’. It failed. Miserably. They should hang their heads in shame, Messi and all. (Malvenas flags optional).

Well done Spain. And I think, in the circumstances, well done England. Not for coming third but for forcing the French to play the best football of the whole month.

Happy ‘now its her turn with the remote’ Monday

A xxxx

Manchesterism sounds more like a disease than a political and economic philosophy. It sounds like the condition when you wake up one day talking like Liam Gallagher, drinking pints of warm beer and supporting your ‘local’ football team, which happens to be owned and run by an Emirate. There is no known cure, but euthanasia must be considered in severe cases.

Yet this is what we’re faced with in 2 days time when Andy Burnham gets the keys to Number 10. The present one, in Westminster, not the new one, oop’t’road from t’Piccadilly Centre. That comes later. Apparently at a cost of hundreds of millions a year in staffing and security. Just so he doesn’t have to get the train or stay in the local Premier Inn.

Andy has a fabulous ‘long term plan. He’s just a bit low on short-term methodology. Oh, and people. He’s the PM on Monday and hasn’t decided on his cabinet yet.

His plans are fab! Increasing the social care system. That needs doing. At a cost of… to be declared later.

He’ll ’help with cost of living’. Phew. My Waitrose bill is getting so excessive I only got 6 bottles of Champagne for the whole week! Maybe these cut-backs will be relieved by ‘Manchesterism’.

Utilities are going to be re-nationalised. Taking away Maggie Thatcher’s horrible privatisation which condemned us to 35 years of being phoned 25 times a day by people from Delhi trying to reduce my energy costs. Where will all those people go? What will they do if electricity is privatised??? The cost of buying back all the utilities will only be… we’ll let you know.

And we’re going to devolve power away from London. Send it ‘local’. Improve the socio-economics of the rest of England. Leaving London to turn into Bolton. Closed shops, Oxford Street will become a local fly-tipping site and drug-crime centre. Fitzrovia will become Wigan and they’ll re-build the walls of The City and use it as a prison. Or refugee centre. Or both. Because London is an unnecessary extravagance. Ok, it generates a few bob in revenue but that can happen in the north as we re-industrialise and make more steel at 10 times the cost of buying Chinese, dig up coal again, even though Ed Miliband doesn’t want it and have a British Leyland renaissance to build cars again!!! Hopefully this time cars people want to buy. We can subsidise them! That’ll only cost… we’ll get back to you.

So great plans. Wonderful plans. Making Britain better!!! Everyone will be richer, happier, more evenly distributed!! Except the ones paying for it. Because his plans, like all airy-fairy fair-world concepts, will cost billionSSSS.

Happy Saturday

A xxxx

England is in tatters this morning. We are collectively… GUTTED!! Horrible word. Overused. But just drop those two ‘T’s in the middle in a horrible glottal stop and you’ve captured the feeling of the entire nation. WE IS GU’’ED!!!

The national feeling last night at 7.59pm was 9.6. We were ‘up for it’, we were ‘primed and ready’, we were… ON IT!! Get the beers in!!

Me mate and me left the gels in the garden, chatting about… childbirth, or make-up or whatever women talk about, and we took our beers (compulsory) to the tv for the biggest match in the entire history of important matches. Since 1966, obviously. And we watched.

We watched some Argentinians kicking, elbowing and kneeing players in the groin. We watched other Argentinians rolling around on the ground in agony. The cause of the agony was not clear at the time as video replay showed nothing whatsoever had happened which might cause such death throes. And we watched England. Our England. Who, it must be said, for the duration of the entire first half, were dull-as-fuck. It was all about controlling Lionel Messi. And, to their credit, between Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham and Djed Spence, the little fella was rendered impotent. Though in doing so it reduced our attack to producing just two attempts on goal in the entire 45 minutes (plus hydration break; we all love them).

So in the second half we went ‘at them’. We had to. Thomas Tuchel is experienced enough to realise you can’t win a game by putting all your players on defensive duties. So we ‘liberated’ our boys. And scored a goal. A great goal. I screamed. Me mate screamed. Every single person in England screamed. Except a few ex-pat Argies, obvs. National feeling went straight up to 11. I know, impossible. But I measured it. Honest.

But then… but then…

But then our manager chose to pretty much ‘shut up shop’. ‘Park the bus’. And just try and stop Messi and co. What was decided, by the pundits and the press, before the match had even ended as ‘The Catastrophe’. Headlines were being written as the Argie’s first goal went in: “Tuchel FUCKS IT ALL UPPPP!!!!”, for the Daily Mirror, “England manager commits fundamental judgmental errors in selection and substitutions”, for the Telegraph. “CAPITALIST CONSPIRACY DEFEATS ENGAND!!!”, in the Socialist Worker, “Ban ALL FOREIGNERS from the World Cup” in Tommy Robinson’s blog.

The problem really was that Lionel Messi is, by some massive distance, the best player on the planet. Even at 39 years old, his speed is barely diminished but his vision and ability have ‘matured’ to stratospheric levels. And you can hold him back for half. But he will always find a way through. And he did. With catastrophic effect on us.

National feel good plummeted to (a record) -25 and everyone went home to sulk.

Was it Tuchel’s fault; as the press seem to have decided? Or was it that the greatest footballing magician just weaved his magic over Atlanta last night? How would YOU have played the match? If you were the manager?

Djed Spence has been a revelation in the tournament. Simply outstanding. Best English player last night. Ok, he plays for Spurs, but still…

Miserable Thursday

A xxxx

Ok, England, this is IT! There is no tomorrow; only tonight.

Because tonight we are in the semi-finals for the first time since… NINETEEN SIXTY-SIX!!!!! The year ingrained in everyone’s mind as ‘the year it happened’. I was ‘there’. Meaning ‘alive’ as opposed to ‘at Wembley’. And it was brilliant. But that’s history and we must deal with the present. Namely:

Argentina.

Against whom we have a ‘bit of history’. Both footballing and political. The funny thing is: most England fans, of any age whatsoever, know ‘the hand of God’ goal. Which I watched, with my wife of just 15 days, in Zakinthos. The hilight of our honeymoon. But basically, we’ve never forgiven Maradona for that goal. Even though we all loved the late (possibly) great(est) player (of all time??) And we all remember 2002 when David Beckham was sent off as we lost to them so tragically.

Yet most England fans have no idea about the Falklands War. It was something their parents talk about, nothing happening here; move on. It was an event; it happened; it finished; consigned to history books. And who can be bothered to read them.

Yet in Argentina, its different. It has become part of their cultural story. And they hate us for it. All of them. Even the kids and grandkids of those around in 1981 have had that conflict spoon-fed to them every day with their olive oil. So their ‘songs’ are full of ‘Malvinas’ this and Malvinas that and our fans just thing ‘huh?’ Though they do that for most of their songs because they’re not great at Spanish. They’re not really that good at English, if the interviews shown on the news are any guide.

They have Messi. Another contender for ‘GOAT’. A worthy contender. But a little older, wiser and, inevitably, slower than of old. But still just brilliant. And they have… errrr… hmmm…

Ok, Enzo Fernandez is pretty good, even though he plays for Chelsea. Julian Alvarez is ok, at least until he joins Arsenal any day now. And they have Christian Romero, the sometime captain of my very own Spurs. Sometime because he generally only plays between 20 to 45 minutes before getting sent off, but he’s great when he’s on the pitch.

And we have Harry. And we have Jude. And, quite frankly, nothing else matters.

I’ll be watching the match and sharing insights with a miserable lawyer. As everyone should. And could this be 1966 all over again????

So COME ON ING-ER-LUND!!!! LET’S DO IT!!!

Happy Wednesday

A xxxx

I like to think I’m a ‘nice person’. I smile a lot. Even if I grimace on the inside. I’m quite friendly. Ok, ridiculously friendly, I talk to strangers on the tube, ffs That’s normally cause for calling the Psychiatric help-line. So I’m nice, Ok??? But when I get in a car, I’m not so nice. Not so friendly. No more ‘mr nice guy’, I become ‘that bastard’ who’s shouting, swearing, moaning, overtaking on a mini-roundabout, tail-gating, hooting, flashing… person we all hate. I always want to go just a little bit faster than the guy in front. And I let him/her/they know.

On my e-bike I’m probably worse. I stop for absolutely nothing; not traffic queues, not traffic lights, pedestrian lights, roadworks, I ride on the pavement, through shops, anything to keep moving. Though I’m always careful. And considerate. Particularly to those pedestrians. I never run any light when people are crossing. I don’t hassle them, as so many do, I allow them to cross, I even smile at them. To let them know I’m not a killer like the Lime bikers.

And this morning I was tested. Unfortunately I failed the test.

I stopped at a zebra crossing for 3 people to cross. I was being nice. Although some would say I was being uncharacteristically legal. 2 of them walked across, the third was a woman texting on her phone. Consequently she wasn’t ‘walking’ but dawdling, as texters always do, otherwise they get too many typos. There were cars waiting on the other side of the road too as this lady was casually putting a ‘like’ on her instagram, or messaging her friend about her new shoes.

And I thought: you selfish, entitled, inconsiderate…person. (My actual thoughts may have been slightly different and probably unprintable). And I told her. Not in those words. Much ‘nicer’ words. Told her to take her time; check her spelling; no rush.

Does this make me a ‘bad person’? Ok, a ‘worse person’?? Or am I JUST HUMAN!! and a little impatient? Very impatient? I’ve made inquiries about the practicalities and legalities of having a machine gun fitted to my bike.

I didn’t watch all the tennis final yesterday. I went out for about 3 hours in the middle. And I’m not saying that those two guys are not brilliant players, which they emphatically are. And it was incredible to see how, over the time (more than 4 hours!!) they’d gone from hardly seeing each other’s serves, to being able to return them consistently. So they’re not just ‘robots’, but AI robots!!! who learn as they go along! Hate to be all old and nostalgic, but I preferred watching humans who weren’t quite as good at tennis, but were much more fun.

What do I know?

Happy Monday

A xxxx

I’d like to completely deconstruct England’s amazing victory last night against Norway. In the World Cup. Quarter-FUCKING-final!!!! The semis now await my boys. Argentina. Who last night struggled to beat Switzerland. A country constructed from the ‘bits’ of Italy, Germany and France which no-one else wanted. All those horrible fucking mountains. Who needs ‘em. Then, of course, they invented skiing and Switzerland seemed a better bet. Meanwhile they’d declared ‘neutrality’, although they have a big army and loads of weapons, but no-one’s allowed to attack Switzerland. Because it’s a bank. Not only does it hold a massive proportion of the world’s money, it has never been too fussy about whose money they’re holding. Rothschilds, fine. Elon Musk, great. Nazi stolen loot; Vatican treasures of unspecified origin, no problem there. Laundered funds from Chinese scams; welcome to Zurich.

But heh, let’s stay with football. For a while. Because I’m having the world’s biggest man-crush for Jude Bellingham. Who has progressed in the time-honoured footballing manner, from precocious teen prodigy with a horrible attitude and who’s nascent skills were only matched by his pure arrogance, to the fully developed man we see now. The attitude has diminished into the realms of confidence and he uses his God-given talents for the good of the team.

So my deconstruction of last night’s match is thus. Without Jude, we’re fucked. Ok, he’s gorgeous, even for a totally cis-male, hetero-sex-God!!! of the normal persuasion. But it’s not just about beauty. He is just, by approximately 2.63 million miles, the best English player around. Ok, I love Harry Kane and he scores fab goals and he too can get us out of trouble when required. But Bellingham is just the complete player. He defends, he attacks, he scores goals, he creates, he just sees everything and has the amazing capability to execute what he sees. He’s strong, quick, agile. What else do you wanna know? Kind to animals? Looks after his mother??? Loves Spurs? Hates Andy Burnham?? I don’t know. I only care about the 90 minutes (plus a lot of plus-es) he spends in an England shirt. Fighting for ME!

Erling Harland paled into insignificance against Jude the Mighty. I wonder how Messi will stand up?

I’m now watching the Wimbledon final. Between an Italian who looks and acts like a German (not in a good way; if there is a good way) and a German who sounds like he should be a Russian. Alexander (Sasha) Zverev?? Both are as cold, calculated, robotic and humourlessly inhuman as advertised by their national stereotypes. I’m watching a serving competition. And, as anyone who knows anything will tell you: serving is for poofs. Real men don’t waste their time.

Happy sporty Sunday. That’s sports watching rather than playing, unless you walk round the room whilst watching.

A xxxx