Today's top story

I am not a soccer fan, nevertheless I understand why so many fans are wrapped-up in the 'beautiful game' which allows a degree of escapism from the trials of life but I despair that it dominates the news when matters of substance affecting the lives of people should make the headlines. 

Having endured the extended deference to Sir Alex Ferguson's impending retirement at lunch-time I thought that gesticulating George may have offered a more balanced presentation on the BBC's News at Six, but no, it was Sir Alex Ferguson's retiremant again. Soccer is portrayed as the beautiful game despite the disgusting example of over-paid players spreading germs not only by constantly spitting but by evacuating their nasal cavities onto the pitch, a habit that has become the norm along with having to drink excessive amounts of water at every conceivable opportunity. So as far as I am concerned the less exposure the better.

Normalisation was also the process highlighted in today's second story, the State opening of Parliament. Yesterday we absorbed the news that Charles would represent the Queen at the Commonwealth Conference in gesticulating George's home country of Sri Lanka and that Charles would have a more prominent role in future so here he was with Camilla his former mistress  being prepared to act as consort despite all the denials that accompanied their establishment as a couple after the death of Princess Diana, rather like the denials that accompanied the appointment of women priests then bishops - just give it time!

Afterwards came reports of abduction, murder and abuse with the obligatory gut-churning statements before what appeared to be almost an afterthought when some time was given at the end of the bulletin to the Battle of the Atlantic, the longest continuous campaign of WW2 which ensured our survival and enabled us to watch events unfold now as a free country, sadly in decline, not through war but through total indifference.

Thank God for all those who gave their lives so that we are free to endure the trivia that has become all important today.

The beautiful game

Er... not quite! More like this, this, or even this. Preferred score

Passion 1: 0 Aggro

Carry On England

In a recent blog http://letnothingyoudismay.blogspot.com/2010/06/anyone-care-to-risk-prophecy.html Fr Michael Gollop wrote “It always seems to help if you know absolutely nothing about the subject you are talking about.” To that I plead guilty. I know nothing whatsoever about the football game that uses a round ball.

Unlike rugby football where the shape of the ball ensures the bounce is unpredictable, in soccer a round ball makes for easy placement. Perhaps that is why it is called the beautiful game but not so beautiful for England in their World Cup game against Algeria who they just managed to hold to a 0 – 0 draw. One of the team members, a Mr Rooney, was heard to complain after the match, “Nice to hear your own fans booing you – that’s loyal supporters”. Could it be that his loyal supporters were disappointed that a player receiving a reported £90,000 a week (I can’t say earning), failed to justify his enormous pay packet after fans had spent thousands of pounds, probably saving for years, to watch their heroes do their bit for England, if only in the opening rounds? After all, he didn’t have to do it all himself for the money; there were ten other players to assist him.

Fanned into frenzy for weeks in the build up, England supporters expected their team to walk on water but to tread water was not what they had paid to see. Like failed bankers, these over-paid soccer players have become divorced from reality. They show their contempt for ordinary mortals by using the pitch as a spittoon, hardly the role models we might expect for the money, but carry on England, no doubt your ‘expectorant’ will continue to serve you in the manner you think you deserve.