The economy in the 1970s - whose fault?

This posting cannot go by without some mention of the pathetic shower that is the England football team, and their futile attempts to overcome some neo-third world countries in an effort to reach Euro 2008. There, I think I've made myself clear on that. However, what I did find interesting is that they reckon the economy will lose £2 billion pounds this year because England failed to qualify. This is the cost of all those pints of beer, replica shirts, new widescreen LCD and plasma tvs etc etc. Quite staggering isn't it? Which got me thinking (always a dangerous think to be happening) - when I was in my teens/early 20s we actually failed to qualify for any European Championships of World cups tournaments between 1970 and 1980. Yes, 10 years without the 3 lions in a major football tournament, staggering, but it actually happened (and there we about 3 foreign players in the football league at the time, so let's put that one to bed). Now, add the cost of not qualifying for 4 tournaments at £2 billion every other year for a decade and that's a staggering £8 billion lost to the economy in less than 10 years. So don't ever believe the history books when they tell you that the economic problems of the 70s were caused by oil prices after the Arab-Israeli war of 1973, or the greedy miners, or the powerful unions, or punk, or the long hot summer of 1976, or glam rock, or Maggie Thatcher, or flares, it was caused by England's failure to be at the big football parties! Which is why we need Jose Mourinho as the next England football manager otherwise we could be doomed once again to galloping inflation, soaring oil prices, mass unemployment, and yes, possibly even flares and teardrop collar shirts. Pray for Mourinho, I can't wear platform shoes again, not with these feet.

It's a Tie

So, whoever decided that a piece of coloured cloth knotted around your neck was smart? I guess this dated back to the 18th century (fashion historians help me out here!) when cravats probably first came into existence, that's what I remember from pictures in history books, anyway! It seems that this fashion has been around a long time as we are still wearing them so they are pretty well ingrained in the culture now. But I think it's still unfair that men are expected to 'be smart' wearing a suit and tie and yet women can still express themselves pretty much any way they please and it's still regarded as smart. Still, I think this is getting better as most companies sensibly allow casual dress when they are doing nothing more than sitting in an office all day and rightly so. But correct is that if they are going out to meet people they should be smart as anything less may give the wrong impression of the company they represent. I've just re-read what I've written so far and my rant about expectations of men's clothing have turned into a rather conciliatory piece about the correctness of wearing a tie - that's the trouble as you get old, your mind wanders quickly and you lose the point. Still, could be worse, could be raining.

How to pass the time when you are off sick

Had the unfortunate experience of being off sick from work last week. Nothing serious, and I was a bitdiappointed as it's the first time that I've missed work through sickness for 3 years - not bad for a 50 year old! No doubt it'll get worse as I get 0lder and start getting things like gout and 'a bit of a chest'. Anyway, while sitting round at home not really feeling like doing much I watched some films that I have had sitting on my DVD recorder for some months and have never got round to watching.
The first one was Amelie, a French film from 2001 with subtitles. I don't particularly like subtitled films (I suppose it's hard to concentrate on words and pictures at my age) but this was really quite good, very quirky with some great performances.
Second one was Once Upon A Time In America a film from 1984. This is a a sprawling epic directed by Sergio Leone and starring Robert De Niro, and it covers about 60 years in the lived of some Jewish kids from New York who become gangsters. Very long, but well worth staying with to the end.
Last up wasn't one from the DVD recorder but a purchase from Tesco's. This was Sleepers from 1996 and has a stellar cast of Robert De Niro (again), Kevin Bacon, Brad Pitt, Dustin Hoffman and Minne Driver. Once again it's about some poor Italian kids from New York (bit of a thread here?) who get mixed up with gangsters and end up in reform school but I won't say any more as it will ruin the story for anyone who wants to see it.
And why not? as Barry Norman used to say when his film review show was worth staying up for.
And finally, farewell to Myles Rudge. Who, I can hear say? The man who wrote that Junior Choice staple Right Said Fred as well as Hole In The Ground, both for Bernard Cribbins died last month aged 81. 'So Fred said let's have another cup of tea and then we went home'. Magic!