Followers

Saturday 27 July 2024

Things take a while in Hull

This is not a criticism of Kingston-Upon-Hull, it's people, nor it's political administrators over the years since "the war" (1939-1945), but a celebration of respect for the past that is now coming to fruition after many years of public discussion. Hull has a penchant for preserving the facades of old buildings for incorporation into new ones, which I think is an honourable state of mind, respectful of the city's heritage; but this decision has taken some time, 83 years to be exact. 83! 

This facade was created in 1941 when a German plane bombed a packed picture house, which left it in ruins that have been undisturbed since, though preservation is to begin soon. The Germans were pretty good at bombing Hull * - it was both the first and the last UK mainland city to be bombed and over 5 years 95% of Hull's housing stock was either totally destroyed, rendered uninhabitable or damaged in some way. This count does not include industrial, municipal or retail buildings. Hull got a good pasting! 

Available for £14.95 from the Carnegie Heritage Centre bookshop, at www.carnegiehull.co.uk/shop/store/


Hull's National Picture Theatre in the 30's and bombed-out below in 1941

View this video from 30:30 to hear it's story


Hull is not a boastful city, it endured, it endures, it persists and seems to be flourishing again after half a century of decline; it is not "perfect", nor glamorous, but it is (mostly) a respectful city and proud of it's place in history. It was once the third largest port in the UK, with money and civic pride enough to construct many grand buildings, reduced to facades by German bombing. Thankfully successive  councils have kept them to remind us of former glories.





Monday 22 July 2024

Out of order my Lord (camel's back)

Two BBC reporters managed to detect and arrange the arrest of a "king pin" of illegal migration into the UK over the last ten years. "Scorpion" was even interviewed in Iraq before his arrest. How can these two achieve what the weight of many Governments couldn't? This question should have been an election question, not least because the BBC did it again by tracking and interviewing another smuggler, and a criminal group in Germany offering "whole trip" deals to illegal immigrants. Do the Germans not have any effective intelligence services?

Whilst you are here, watch this BBC report from a French beach of illegal immigrants setting off for England in record health numbers, where the majority are just sick of their apparent impunity to drop in on us whenever the traffickers say so. This has been going on for years, we have paid the French authorities millions and millions of wasted pounds and literally billions on immigrants who arrive (as if by magic) with a vast array of excuses for wanting to be in the UK. My god, do we not have "military" intelligence enough to stop this human tsunami? If the BBC can literally walk over to their boat, why won't the French do the same and disable it? It's rubber - puncture it! I'll tell you why - they don't want the migrants anymore than we do,  yet do like the colour of our money AND they blame the UK for their immigrant problems. I think you get the picture. I know that just stopping people getting off the beaches is grasping the wrong end of this problem and that in Oct 2024 there was heartening progress in France, followed by convictions, but this problem seems intractable and expensive and destabilising in Western Europe and yet, once again, the BBC can track down and interview a life-long people smuggler. The British government recently announced another £75 million to tackle the problem, but my antipathy to their solutions makes me say, don't give it to the French.

After watching that I read this and then this and nearly boiled over, for I am truly dismayed by the hand-wringing, politically correct, ineffective, wasteful, procrastinating, bull-shitters calling themselves the former British government cabinet, "the Tory party" or "the Conservatives" (or whatever); they are truly were a bunch of spineless, frightened people who, in this example of aforementioned traits, would rather put unacceptable stress into the lives of students, just trying to get a university education to the ultimate betterment of this country (UK), than upset supporters of their ilk (parasitic lawyers, weak law-makers, whinging rights-activists, mis-aligned social support groups, et al).

By the way, don't think I'm for Labour, or the rest, just because I'm berating the Tories, because if any of them thought enough of their country we might hear some constructive words and offers of allegiance in cases of national crisis occasionally, instead of unceasing flatulent moaning about how bad the former Conservative government left things. 


Listen to me I represent your Government!


When will government ever address the illegal (unauthorised) immigrants and the issues they bring with them? 

When will government finally "grow a pair", bite on a bullet and set in train a cohesive process that effectively sends back a "message" to all using and benefitting from the vile trade of people smuggling? Greece seems to be at the forefront of resistive force against illegal immigrant attempts to get in there, whilst Poland, Denmark and Sweden have already arrived at a point where their societies no-longer accept the "rights" of migrants merely looking for a better life, an easier living (as they see it) or a life away from internal feuds from whence they came. Their politics and politicians are hardening and there will be troubled times there for all; Poland will not accept any immigrants at all, whilst others are insisting true refugees (who go "home" when able) are granted temporary residency for that period alone. At the top tables of Europe, the response(s) to "detected" illegal immigrants hardens.

When will we stop wasting monumental amounts of public money in this country and abroad? - France, I want our money back, for you lot are taking the piss, and Rwanda costs (@£700,000,000.00) reflect a government squandering money given as tax for the UK, not Rwanda.

The "message" should be that life is no more fulfilling here than the lives many illegal immigrants would have, had they stayed in the place(s) they have fled or passed through, and that instead of wasting shed-loads of their money (or loans) to traffickers, they should use it to apply, through legal channels, for a life in this (my) country. 

I want us to invite selected immigrants to this country, not just disperse them around the country like so much night-soil, in the hope that the legal tax payers here will not spot them, nor care until hotels, student accommodation, ex-military bases and rented houses (of multiple occupancy) fill-up beside them. For those that do get here without their invitation in hand I want immediate incarceration off-shore*, not community care with all the leakage that occurs from that into the black economy, criminality, prostitution, slavery and organised crime groups. Chucking students out of their accommodation to store illegal immigrants is not a sane solution, though somewhere down the line the complicit owners of said student accommodation will, no doubt, be doing very nicely thankyou. 

* Incarceration off-shore means abroad or in international waters, by which "illegals" never get a legal toe-hold of acknowledgement that they have any right to UK residency, nor can they leach into the general populace uninvited. There must be many ocean-going ex cruise ships going cheap (after Covid), that could provide "luxurious" accommodation and security from which migrants could be granted entry or asked to get used to being at sea, or asked if they want assistance back to where they've came from. This will cost millions of course, but "they" are wasting that anyway and before you (readers) all go off on one, please know I am not against migration, just illegal and unmanaged migration and to those that travel they should know that though they may speak English, they have no right to drop-in when they like, in anyway they like, for as long as they like. Offshoring is not just a UK aspiration and many European countries are considering their stance, with Italy almost ready to implement their plan.


-- ROUND 2 --


To volunteers or self appointed aid workers in European states receiving the largest waves of immigrants, such as Italy, Spain, Greece and especially France (who merely expedite the passage of illegal immigrants through their country to the UK), I say you help no-one, because your actions are at the very least complicit in the migration of illegal arrivals and ignores the international rules for refugees, (seek refuge at the first point of safe contact before returning later), by assisting migration for the betterment of a life(style). Just because you volunteer to assist in the migration of hopeful migrants means nothing less than helping the illegal act of human trafficking. 

Illegal refugees are the problem for the whole of western Europe, but aiding their flow merely perpetuates that flow. For the billions wasted by recipient countries to "process" those they receive, perhaps that money could be better utilised with a new maritime iron curtain that repels invaders in the time honoured way, such is the scale of the gratuitous and flagrant human trafficking industry now.

From some readers I may get applause and from many more condemnation. I am indigenous "white", which some may see as my problem, but now also many first, second and third generation "immigrants" (who by definition of their legal residency are now British), are themselves asking why their earlier struggles for acceptance in the bad old days are being undermined by those who expect only open arms following their illegal, probably self-induced, harrowing journey. Such "gen1" immigrants, for example in the English town of Peterborough with 25% immigrant population, are now expressing their (rightful) voices.

In the scheme of things the ineffective UK government's (in)actions are small fry, but if I were a camel right now I'd be needing a back surgeon and though I know this is a rant into a void of indifference, help this country, please.


-- ROUND 3 --


The UK is in decline, but most importantly it is full and unable to serve it's existing population. It is not a land of dreams anymore and does not offer wealth, greater freedom(s), nor great opportunities.  To free-loaders of any kind, who may expect a hand-out, we are already broke and it's not worth your money (smuggling costs), nor efforts for your family or children in getting to the UK. 

To "true" refugees the UK should continue to offer temporary refuge (Ukraine and Gaza at this time) with the expectation of (forced) return following your agreed period of refuge. To those people your mindset should be that of  a POW - to get home as soon as possible (please).


People / Km2 - The UK is officially full - stay away!

If you think I'm not alone in thinking this way, just pass on a link to the page, as my commenting is now finished.


-- ROUND 4 --


The UK is loved by many but its ineffective "processes" seem unable to detect and eject "wrong-uns" and is breaking apart what was once a cohesive and tolerant British society. I have grave doubts that even now settled first and second wave immigrants will tolerate the flimsy, hand-wringing, money wasting, procrastination that has been the illegal immigration mantra from successive UK governments since the 90's. Here's more depressing crap to read ...

Perhaps this is a message to amplify

No messing there nor here

There is going to be extreme actions in Europe.

The Prime minster has finally picked up on the sentiment of his electorate

Trying to save £8million pound a day? - more like pre-election manoeuvring

You'd think things pertaining to illegal immigrants couldn't get any weirder and then this appears in the news. Charging an illegal immigrant with The manslaughter of fellow illegal immigrants whilst on the high seas does no-one other than parasitic lawyers any good. He's not even British and the act was at sea, so why do we have to prosecute and possibly house him in prison (at our expense). If I hear more of meddling, profiteering "human rights lawyers" with regard to illegal immigrants I'm going to scream. 


-- ROUND 5 --


What's the point in me shouting into a void of apathy, for few read this blog, just read these examples and tell your friends if you wish.


Mohammed - aspires to be a basketball player

This bloke dreams of becoming a basketball star, as he believes he'd be good at it, so he's prepared to use a smuggler to get him to Europe so he can pass through to the USA. He is a classic example of many who merely dream of a "better life". He should get off his arse and strive to effect the life changes he dreams of right there where he is and certainly have no kids until he gets sorted. Why do we process such people with "due diligence". They  should be imprisoned upon arrival, then booked on a journey home?


Talib Rasul want's to stay in the UK

Why do we allow people like this to remain in the UK. He arrived here illegally, committed a sex crime, fled back to somewhere outside the UK, then smuggled himself and family back to the UK, thinking authorities would forget about his sex crime. Get this person out of the country.


Abdul Shokoor Ezedi (Cowardly attacked woman and injured himself)

Here's another "refugee" who sought UK sanctuary, this time from Afghanistan, who has consistently abused our hospitality. Send this sexually assaulting, thief and acid-throwing vile piece of shit back into the cess-pit from whence ha came. He should be easy to find (£20,000 reward) as he managed to pour the corrosive over his own face. No arguments now, just put him on a (military) plane and drop him off "home"; for assaulting and disfiguring a woman and two children, with whom he'd had a relationship, he has no excuse whatsoever. Like I said: a piece of shit!

Update - 20th Feb 2024: CCTV analysis tracked him across London for over two hours, leading to a police conclusion, "that he entered the Thames and drowned"; seemingly confirmed by a recovered body wearing clothes very similar to Ezedi's. He got the death he deserved, but the fact he was both sponsored and then shunned by the church, because of his misbehaviour, is an indictment of the church's meddling in-house immigrant processing.


Kidnapping rapists from Hull who should be sent "home"

I am sick to death of reading (common) news items like this. These animals, no doubt thankful for the refuge they desire(d) in the UK, kidnapped and collectively raped a woman, whilst pretending to be a taxi service. They each raped her, demanded £20 for the taxi service, then threw her out. Bastards! If you see them in prison now, why not reprimand them in a way they may understand.



After Brexit they have no right to stay in the UK

Here's a pair of Romanian criminals, Sexually exploiting women in the UK. Following Brexit they have no absolute right to stay here, Send them and their like back "home". If you see them in Doncaster, remind them that Romania is a better place to live now.



Moroccan Hamza Faide (not fit to stay in the UK)

This chap is an ongoing asylum seeker who should be sent "home", for rather than trying to be on his best behaviour whilst his appeal is processed, he decided an altercation between a father and child, where he grabbed at the child and whipped his victim with his own dog's lead, was his best course of action. Already prosecuted in this country for thievery his past actions alone should terminate his appeal, unless he's now professing to be a church sponsored Christian (whatever they are).



Moroccan Ahmed Alid (murdering asylum seeker)

This fundamentalist from Morocco came seeking asylum in the UK after years of drifting around Europe (which I am certain is a safe refuge), but after becoming a criminal in Germany he thought he'd try his hand in the UK. He is an extremist of Islam who's residency claim was ongoing until he expressed his displeasure of Israel's action in Gaza, by randomly murdering a defenceless 71years old man, by stabbing him. Why should the UK now look after him in a UK prison rather than deporting him into the hands of the Moroccan police, to serve is life sentence there. We don't need any more nutters thank you.



Ngoc Nguyen and Hai Hoang (Vietnamese who need to be sent home)

Here's a pair of Vietnamese ne'er-do-wells (2 of many) who need to be sent home - don't waste time and resources and money putting these industrial scale Cannabis cultivators in prison: make their sentence "to be send back home". They may not be the ring leaders, but they came uninvited to the UK and knew they were breaking our laws. I do not want them here. I don't want us to tolerate people like this.


Brwa Shorsh - back to Kurdistan please

A Kurdish and homeless migrant (illegal or otherwise), Brwa Shorsh, 24, deliberately and without provocation pushed a Polish immigrant (settled and working as a postman) onto a live subway line, meters in front of an approaching train. He was upset that the postman "looked at him funny"! This nutcase has been found guilty and should be deported as an undesirable back to Kurdistan to serve his sentence or not. We don't want him or need the costs of his prison sentence - just send him back please before he gets into more trouble.



Romanian Ioan Pintaru - child killer in the UK

Here's yet another uninvited "visitor" causing mayhem in the UK, by stabbing an 11year old girl 8 times, this Romanian national was homeless yet not finding life so bad here that he did not return there. Whatever his excuse for staying in the UK he has none now. He should be tried, sentenced and then forcibly be sent back to Romania to do his time there, for he does not deserve the costly "luxury" of a UK cell.



Rochdale Scum

I'd like to think that these scum have real hard times in prison after their organised and systematic abuse of girls as young as 11. I hear paedophiles in prison are "dead men walking".



Sickening Dean Fieldsend and Stephen Sweeting (of Hull and Bubwith )

In my new world these two would now be hung. Fieldsend for his 3rd guilty verdict, who has proved himself to be an irredeemable paedophile in his pursuit of children (18 months - 9 years), whilst Sweeting has a record of sexual offences against children going back to 1968. If you happen to meet either of these vile people they should be reminded of their crimes.


Saturday 20 July 2024

Word of the day - SHENANIGANS

The word today is Shenanigans

Shenanigans is a noun and means the following:

- Acts of secret or dishonest activity, often complicated to deceive

- Childish pranks and deceits sometimes seen as humorous


Malarkey - mischief and messing by a child

Shenanigans are more serious than malarkey (I'd say)
Severity moderates interchangeability of shenanigans and malarkey
Shenanigans are not easily tolerated but malarkey will usually be so
Shenanigans are for adults and malarkey for children 

If you need more start here or here.

There is an index of words of the day.

Friday 19 July 2024

American comedian BOB NEWHART - R.I.P.

In 1960 an American comedian came to popular attention with monologues delivered in a droll and engaging manner, almost opposite to the "zany", "quick-fire" or "slick" delivery of contemporaries' Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope, Sammy Davies Jr, et al. 

Bob Newhart (1930 - July 19 2024)

Bob Newhart died today aged 94 and had sustained a consistently popular presentation style throughout his career. As "performing Bob" he had a dry and self-deprecating personality, played to the fullest extent, most recently, as "Professor Proton" in the recent smash hit TV series called, The Big Bang Theory. This is his BBC eulogy.

Bob Newhart as Professor Proton on TBBTheory

Though very popular in The Big Bang Theory, Bob's earlier comedic career was his mainstay, leaving us many comedic monologues, of which "The Driving Instructor" is his most popular.


Hear The Driving Instructor here

Wednesday 17 July 2024

Truism (for golfers)

Drive for show, putt for dough!

This lasting truism by the South African golf professional,  Bobby Loche,  succinctly distils every "pros" aspiration.

Bobby Locke in his heyday

Tuesday 16 July 2024

Anglian Water (et al) - Bloody cheek

Why is Thames Water in trouble?
 

Windermere Is The Colour Of Their Logo

It really ticks me off when I read articles about large organisations, in this case Anglian Water, Thames Water and now United Utilities (in the Lake District - a world heritage region), who all tell their captive customers (who must buy from them exclusively as they serve their area) that their charges are to rise appreciably, to pay for "this, that, or the other".

Leaving aside the thought that national and strategic services such as water should be state-run, (not for political ideology), my grievance is that in years past they should have been planning for such works and putting money aside from their annual profits, instead of dispersing much of that into shareholder's pockets. They are really now asking the public (their customers) to stump up money they have given away. Their attitude seems to be, "we don't address really serious issues within our industry; we take your money and do as little as possible to give as much as possible to our directors and shareholders (to fend off take-over attempts), and that ecological considerations regarding our dumping of waste we can ignore the rules". (i.e Farmers can't put shit in rivers but we can!)

Professionally run (for profit) companies should not need to run to their customers for money, they should borrow from the financial markets or their shareholders (current yield 6.8%), or the Government if it is at their behest work has to be done.

Anglia Water - bloody cheek!

They are all at it now, but Northern Ireland water authorities have the most to answer for and Lough Neagh, the largest body of fresh water in Northern Ireland has been declared toxic, as poisonous blue-green algae blooms have become the new norm.

N.B.

My personal belief is that industries that are vital for the upkeep of living standards of any populace, such as water and sewage, electricity, security, education, prison, police and health, should be publicly owned (by the State for the sole benefit of its contributors). Privatisation of such functions merely strips-out money to profit-takers or parasitic shareholders when it should be retained for the betterment of the service; it also fosters a management mentality focused on short-termism and the next annual dividend war with predatory rivals, equity funds, asset-strippers, etc. etc. 

State owned in my world means government can steer an enterprise, but not withdraw its profits into any other government holding or "slush fund"; and under no circumstances should any politician hold an executive role. The Labour Party in the UK seem to be touting a similar mantra, but who can believe anything any political party looking for election will say, as for years and years many successive governments have failed water services and water ecologies, preferring to abrogate it's original responsibility into the hands of Ofwat, who more and more frequently seem not fit for their stated purpose of policing the activities of UK water companies, though I think they know their reputation is on the line because they have just set about scrutinising all water companies.

I know I live in my own "simple world", but whilst I'm kicking the water industry (for it isn't a service), have a read of this; oh and this.

UPDATE Sep 5th 2023: It just keeps happening again and again and again and AGAIN and AGAIN.

UPDATE Dec 4th 2023: Whistle blowers say Environment Agency collude with polluters.

UPDATE Dec 12th 2023: Thames Water (actually Kemble) are at it

UPDATE Mar 28th 2024: Thames Water (actually Kemble) dump 72 billion litres and demand investment - bloody cheeck!

UPDATE Apr 22nd 2024: Thames Water's mismanagement is breath-taking

UPDATE Apr 30th 2024: Thames Water and Salmon - nolonger.

UPDATE May 15th 2024: United Utilities failed to protect their world heritage region.

UPDATE May 20th 2024: Water utility investors (shareholders) have been loading the companies with loans (debt), then withdrawing billions to themselves over the last 30 years. What does OfWat do for a living? Sit on its hands? The more I read of water companies in the UK the more I realise each should become non-profit organisations. They are a fucking disgrace.

UPDATE May 21st 2024: They should all be privatised, without any payment to shareholders of directors.

Water quality grievances will rumble on for years, as everything in the UK that requires public financial intervention does, but if you are still with me I am closing this topic with a recommendation to watch this YouTube programme by the New Statesman, titled "Who's to blame for England's sewage crisis?"

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Thursday 11 July 2024

Word of the day - AVUNCULAR

The word today is Avuncular

Avuncular is an adjective and from my research means the following:

- Characteristics of or pertaining to an uncle (of a child)

- To be an uncle who is kind, genial, caring or supportive of his kin


A loving uncle

If described as avuncular you are friendly, helpful and tolerant
Technically speaking avuncular characteristics apply to uncles
Woman or aunties are not correctly described as avuncular
Avuncular comes from Latin avunculus meaning maternal uncle 
Being unfriendly, dismissive, uncaring or unhelpful is never avuncular

If you need more start here or here.

There is an index of words of the day.

Monday 8 July 2024

Meaningful songs #28 - THE CHI-LITES

This  is the twenty-eighth in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990. 

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "Have You Seen Her?", released in 1971, is by a group called The Chi-Lites.


Hear the song here

Have You Seen Her? is a plaintive reflection by a man bereft of meaningful life without his wife/girlfriend, for having  thought he had her, "in the palm of his hand", she left him (for unknown reasons). It happens, it's not nice and some chaps never get over it.


HAVE YOU SEEN HER?

 

One month I was happy as a lark
But now I go for walks
To the movies, maybe to the park
I have a seat on the same old bench
To watch the children play, huh

You know, tomorrow is their future
But for me just another day

They all gather 'round
They seem to know my name
We laugh, tell a few jokes
But it still doesn't ease my pain
I know I can't hide from a memory
Though day after day I've tried
I keep sayin' she'll be back
But today again I've lied

Oh, I see her face everywhere I go
On the street and even at the picture show
Have you seen her?
Tell me, have you seen her?

Oh, I hear her voice as the cold winds blow
In the sweet music on my radio
Have you seen her?
Tell me, have you seen her?

Why, oh why, did she have to leave and go away?
Oh-oh, I've been used to havin' someone to lean on
And I'm lost
Baby I'm lost, oh
Pa-pa-pa (pa-pa-pa),pa-pa-pa (pa-pa-pa)
Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
Have you seen her?
Tell me, have you seen her?
Pa-pa-pa (pa-pa-pa),pa-pa-pa (pa-pa-pa)
Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
Have you seen her?
Tell me, have you seen her (have seen her?)

She left her kiss upon my lips
But left that break within my heart
Have you seen her?
Tell me, have you seen her?

Oh, I see her hand reaching out to me
Only she can set me free
Have you seen her?
Tell me, have you seen her?

Why, oh why, did she have to leave and go away? Oh yeah
Oh-oh, I've been used to havin' someone to lean on
And I'm lost
Baby I'm lost, oh

Pa-pa-pa (pa-pa-pa),pa-pa-pa (pa-pa-pa)
Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
Have you seen her?
Tell me, have you seen her (seen her?) Oh

As another day comes to and end
I'm lookin' for a letter or somethin'
Or anything that she would send
With all the people I know, I'm still a lonely man
You know, it's funny
I thought I had her in the palm of my hand
Tell me have you seen her (tell me have you seen her?

Oh yeah,
Pa-pa-pa (pa-pa-pa),pa-pa-pa (pa-pa-pa)
Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
Have you seen her?
Tell me, have you seen her?
Have you seen her?
Tell me, have you seen her?
Have you seen her?
Tell me, have you seen her?


Read the next article in this series or hear the next song in the series.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here.

Saturday 6 July 2024

Just another advert

Have you ever read an article or seen a programme piece where you realise it's really nothing other than a thinly disguised advertisement, be it for a book, film, recording, play, or any manner of things someone is wishing to "push" at that time. Do you dislike, as I do, the seemingly incessant drip of "promotional material" and resent the absolute cynicism of those who profess to entertain, enlighten or educate us and yet collude with media or "self-promoters" to fill our air-time or attention with vacuous rubbish.

I accept shopping channels and regular advertisements because they are true to their aims, but the rest I feel to be an intrusion akin to Click-Bait; vacuous content for gullible people.

I know I'm moaning and, to use a bit of British slang, "pissing in the wind", but do you ever tire of such veiled advertising?


Getting married? - Let me tell you about sheets!


What caused this moan was a BBC "human interest" article, ostensibly telling me of the anguish and guilt of a mother who had a child at the age of 16 (for Gods sake!) and now regrets not fully engaging with her daughter throughout her rearing. The bait is clear, the story seems enlightening, but it turns out to be an advert for a new book and the "bigging-up" of a very minor poet/author; the daughter is almost incidental to the article's main aim: Sell that book! (And shame on the BBC)