Povey Prattle

FREE SPEECH and OUTRAGE 2 This three part series is about speech (however egregious).  It is not about actions. Venezuelan born baseball coach Ozzie Guillen  is in trouble down in Miami where he coaches the Miami Marlins. He is (according to the press) notoriously loose lipped. That (maybe) being so he has caused a stir as a result of an interview he gave to Time magazine. According to the magazine Mr. Guillen said that “he loves Fidel Castro and respects him for staying in power so long”. This was a red-meat statement for Miami’s politically powerful and reactionary Cuban-American population, members of which did not exactly bray “off with his head” – but did call for his firing. The team owners have suspended him for five games. Mr. Guillen claims that “Time” misquoted him.  He adds that he was thinking in Spanish and speaking in English, and that his words came out all wrong. .“Time” is sticking by its story. (Wouldn't any decent reporter have ask...

This three part series is about speech (however egregious) not about actions. On March 18th 2012 the Zaire born football player 24 year old Fabrice Muamba collapsed on the soccer pitch as he suffered from a heart attack. He was playing for a team known as Bolton Wanderers in a match versus Tottenham Hotspurs. Mr Muamba was rushed to the hospital,(he is now making a slow recovery) and the game was abandoned. At the time of Mr Muamba’s collapse, down in south Wales, 21 year old student Liam Stacey tweeted some crude and cruel racist comments about the footballer.  Stacey (by his own admission) was very drunk when he did this. (In my experience drunk people often say things out loud which they have thought whilst sober -  editorial comment from jmp). Liam Stacy was arrested and tried for inciting racial hatred.  He has since been jailed with a 55 day sentence. ( Stacey’s words were vile and nasty . But it is hard for me to understand how jailing him serves a gr...

The facts are clear . On 26th February 2012 Trayvon Martin (17) was shot by George Zimmerman (28) in Sanford, FL. Trayvon Martin died as a result of this shooting. George Zimmerman was charged with second degree murder, on this day 12th April 2012, --------------------------------------------------------------------- That’s all we know.  Any other “information” should be discounted as speculation. It is to be regretted that: the social media (Facebook/Twitter); the popular media (CNN/Fox News); and the serious media (the London “Guardian”, our American “N.P.R.”) is more highly invested in speculation than in reporting the facts. Please see  http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/_documents/zimmerman-affidavit.pdf (cut and paste this link if  necessary)

By 1850 the population of London was approx 3 million. According to Peter Cunningham’s “Handbook of London" ( printed in1850) the workforce included: 168701 Domestic servants 29780 Dressmakers and Milliners 28574 Boot and shoe makers 21517 Tailors and breechesmakers 20417 Commercial Clerks 18321 Carpenters and joiners 16220 Laundrykeepers, washers and manglers 13103 Private messengers and errand boys 11507 Painters, plumbers and glaziers 9110 Bakers 7973 Cabinet makers and upholsters 7151 Silk manufacturers 7002 Seamen 6741 Bricklayers 6716 Blacksmiths 6618 Printers 6450 Butchers 5499 Booksellers, book binders and publishers 4980 Grocers and tea dealers 4961 Tavern keepers, publicans and victuallers 4920 Clock and watch makers --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That’s clearly not an exhaustive list. For instance, it does not include civil and public servants, (or day labourers in the London docks). ...

This is the story. RALEIGH, N.C. -- Former Carolina Hurricanes assistant Tom Rowe was hired as head coach of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl as the Russian club rebuilds after all of its players, coaches and staff were killed in a plane crash. Hurricanes spokesman Mike Sundheim confirmed Rowe's hiring Monday. The 55-year-old Rowe spent his entire coaching career with the Carolina organization. He was a pro scout for the team this year after three seasons on the Hurricanes' coaching staff. Before that, he spent four seasons as the head coach and general manager of their AHL affiliate in Lowell and Albany. Lokomotiv's plane crashed last September shortly after takeoff outside Yaroslavl, and among the 44 people killed was former Carolina forward Josef Vasicek. The team wore patches with his jersey No. 63 this season. Here are my comments . First, those who know me will be surprised to note that I am writing about a sports story! However, Coach Rowe was interviewed on P.R.I.’s ra...

I had some treatments from my Dermatologist on Feb 6th 2012. The cost of such treatments is paid by 1. Medicare (a U.S. Government programme for retirees towards which I contribute each month from my Social Security Pension). 2. My supplemental insurance via the Episcopal Church medical trust  (to which I contribute each month from my Episcopal Church pension). 3. Directly by me. For instance, on March 20th I was billed $9.78 for my share of the  Feb. 6th bill. I paid my dermatologist immediately. She has also received payments from Medicare and from my Supplemental Insurance. ---------------------------------------------------------- Today I got yet another bill from the Dermatologist for two of those Feb 6th treatments.  She is asking for an additional $28.05. So far as I am concerned her bill is gobble-de-gook.   For instance, the Bill shows “PER EOB PT RESP” for two procedures I have not the slightest idea what means, nor...