Well it has been a somewhat surprising year as well as containing a lot of sadness. Firstly it took me well into 2016 to almost fully recover from my operation to repair my torn quadriceps tendon. It involved some extremely clever, but I am told routine, surgery followed by months of wearing a complicated leg brace and then physiotherapy and cautious learning to walk properly. Thanks again to the superb NHS which does seem to come up trumps when urgently needed.
Enough about me personal life and onto the real events that have happened. 2016 began with the sad news of David Bowie departing this world. Whatever you thoughts about him and his music he did have an impact on the world. I am sure most people have a least one of his songs as part of the soundtrack to their lives.
At last we had the referendum. What a political shambles leading up to polling day. We had the Prime Minister and his key Remain supporters telling us that voting to leave would basically trigger Armageddon. This would include world war 3, the collapse of UK banks and the pound, mass unemployment, starvation and being kicked out the Eurovision song contest. Actually the last of these was well worth voting leave for. Then we had the Brexit gang telling us very little at all. It was all misleading, downright lies, fabrications and something that rhymes with the small piece of curved metal designed to rest an oar in. In the end we had a close vote which split the country and really solved nothing. If we had had a sensible debate, been provided with honest assumptions based on genuine facts provided by knowledgeable and trustworthy people from both sides, and not been treated like idiots maybe the country would still have voted as they did but without the anger and emotional venom that has surfaced since. People who voted leave have been classified old and racist whereas those who voted to remain are seen as young, and inexperienced bleeding heart types. This is how the press and media loves to categorise and simplify everything and everyone. Again the word that rhymes with the rowing metaphor comes to mind. People voted in or out for all sorts of reasons. The immigration argument has been pushed to the fore and has tainted so much of the outcome. In the end I believe that most people who voted out did so because they were fed up with being treated with contempt by a self-appointed ruling elite. Those who voted to stay did so because they felt their own personal future, i.e. pension, job and overall quality of life was better protected as a member of the EU. People in general vote for what is best for them just as our politicians will put forward arguments based on what gives them the best opportunities. Cynical I know but true.
Anyway whether you agree with the above or consider it a load of oar holding brackets we are stuck with the outcome. We have to accept the decision as we are a democracy and make the best of it. The real problem is that we have politicians in charge and we all know that they will spout endless oar rests and achieve extremely little. The Tories are divided, the Labour party in a mess, Lib Dems virtually non-existent, SNP only interested in another referendum for their own agenda but at the same time having the power to effect our Parliament and its decisions in a way that is well beyond their members numbers. On the other side the European Parliament is creaking as some member countries are looking to have their own referendums on membership. The unelected representatives whose entire existence depends on the EU surviving are lining up to tell the UK what they can and cannot expect and trying to sound incredibly tough. Really they sound petulant, stamping their well-heeled feet because someone has had the temerity to challenge them. If they had not been so useless at managing the EU brand maybe we would never have had the desire or need for the referendum.
Just as we thought we had caused enough controversy the Americans, never wanting to be outdone, went one better. Donald J Trump will now be the 45th president of the United States of America. Well the stock markets seemed to like it and on a personal level my miniscule investments have certainly benefited. All we can do is wait and see if this ‘maverick’ can be good for the world. Just goes to show that any billionaire can achieve high office on the USA. Not sure who we have over here who could roll up and become PM, most likely none of the super rich qualify due to not being British?
Moving on. For those of you who love music check out a lady with a beautiful voice who writes excellent music covering rock, folk, jazz and traditional styles. She comes from the Faroe Isles and is called Eivor Pallsdottir. I have quickly purchased nearly all her albums. There is a great record label based on the Faroe Isles called Tutl, they have an online shop and some wonderful artistes. I do recommend you check out Eivor on youtube.
The end of 2016 came with some more losses in the entertainment world and my auntie, who would have been 99 on New years eve, sadly passed away without reaching the big 100. She served in the RAF and was in London during the blitz. Knowing her and understanding what she did as a young woman puts the rest of the year in some context.
I hope 2017 brings some happiness and peace to our war-torn world.
