Category Archives: between books

The Vagaries of Age – –

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Jack slips in under the wire – –

I’m an idiot!

I have an inherited condition called ‘Nail Patella Syndrome’ (NPS), passed through the male line and mainly affecting bones, joints, finger and toe nails, and teeth. So, whenever I have any problem that might be attributed to that I’m quick to jump to that conclusion!

Back when we heard that ‘The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap’ would be published, we were on vacation in Chicago (we’d discovered that we could get a cheap flight from our local airport). But shortly before that I began to suffer severe pain in my left hip, Thigh, knee and foot. So much that I needed to use a cane, which eased me through check in very quickly!

Chiropractics aren’t a big thing in Scotland, so I wasn’t too sure Terri would be able to do much for me when we got back. But – miracle of miracles – after a couple of sessions I was back to normal, and she was very interested to learn about NPS.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago and I begin to experience the very same thing on my right side.

I’m four years older and people are talking about sciatica and arthritis, but I’m still focused on NTS as the culprit.

Until – –

The sainted Terri has again been X-raying and adjusting me without too much effect. The ‘Full Scottish Breakfast Club’ (of which I am a member) spent Thanksgiving weekend in Asheville, with me hirpling like an auld man. One of the other members (who shall be nameless) passed me heavy duty painkillers to let me sleep at night.

But, as I lay on Terri’s couch yesterday morning and she battered me around, she asked me how long I had kept my very thick wallet in my right hip pocket. “For years” I said.

Up until we spent that vacation in Chicago I had always kept it in my left hip pocket – until the pocket wore out. The I shifted it to my right hip pocket. I had been keeping a half inch wedge under – first my left hip, then my right hip – until yesterday morning.

I shifted it to a front pocket before I left the chiro office and almost immediately felt better!

A Chiel’s Amang ye Takin Notes –

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I guess Jack should just make this the Thursday guest post – he’s late again – – –

I make every effort not to comment on whatever stramash is exercising the lave on FaceBook at the minnit – but –

It seems to me there’s no defense for a mature man making eyes at a fourteen year old girl. The argument that some fourteen year olds look ‘older’ takes no account of emotional maturity or experience of life. It’s just plain wrong!

This subject came up recently on a long running BBC political discussion program called ‘Question Time’ and one of the audience asked of the panel – “why do I, a normal young man, not engage in these kind of activities, while celebrities and politicians do?”. One of the panel (a Conservative Party MP) responded rather too quickly and truthfully – “because you don’t yet have power”. He quickly tried to backtrack but that comment has gone viral!

I think this gets right to the heart of matters. This isn’t really about sex or the attractiveness of a young girl. It’s simply about the exercise of power – I do this because I can, and have enough power to get away with it.

Which brings us to another matter. How do they get away with it?

The powerful look after each other and always circle the wagons when any attempt is made to confront them. There’s a long catalogue of these kind of things having gone on for decades in the UK and, almost every time, any investigation is dragged out until the culprit has died and can no longer be cross-examined.

Finally – the way that Mr. Moore’s behavior has been excused by some so-called Christians is chilling in the extreme. It amounts to a recruiting call for lecherous older men to head to their nearest evangelical Church and start eyeing up whatever young lassies are ‘available’!

I recommend watching this – http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-brightbill-roy-moore-evangelical-culture-20171110-story.html