Saturday 25 September 2010

Saturday

Posted by Tania Kindersley.

I know I should have screeds to say about the Labour leadership election, Ahmadinejad's crazed speech to the UN, the Republicans' perplexing idea to keep tax cuts for the richest one percent of Americans, and the Coalition's new banking commission and what it might say. (Sometimes there is nothing more I enjoy than discussing the pros and cons of Glass-Steagall.)

However, it is Saturday, so I'm going to give you dogs and flowers instead.

Although I would like to say that I wish people would stop calling David Miliband a geek, as if that were an insult. I don't see him as particularly geeky, but perhaps that is because I am a bit of a geek myself, so geekishness looks fairly normal to me. But really calling someone geeky is just another way of saying they are bookish, better at thought than sport, likely to have a special subject on which they are freakishly knowledgeable, and prone to the gathering of facts. What is wrong with that? Besides, I think we live in the age of the geek. President Obama is very slightly geekish; Bill Gates is the epitome of the genre, and he is not only fabulously successful but is also giving all his money away to good causes. All my favourite political commentators, from Ezra Klein to John Rentoul, have a trace of geek. If I were to give one piece of advice to the Young People it would be: be nice to the geeks, because they are the ones who will end up ruling the world.

Anyway, about those flowers and dogs -

The little white lavender:

P9238116

My slight obsession with the hydrangea continues, unabated:

25th Sept 6

25th Sept 3

The dear old mint is still flowering:

25th Sept 5

The little hebe is thriving in the wet:

P9238094

The thyme still has its splendid pom-poms on:

25th Sept 4

Sometimes I think the rose hips look like small, alien creatures:

25th September 2

(I am certain they come in peace.)

And the dogs are their dear doggy selves; this one wondering, as always, whether I have biscuits in my pocket:

P9238009

This one contemplating the far reaches of ontological mystery:

25th September 1

As for me, I am going to have a sausage sandwich and watch BBC 24 to see who is to be the next Labour leader. I vote for Mili D, the Geek.

Have a wonderful weekend.

6 comments:

  1. I'm in front of News 24 too. I voted for David. I met him once and he was charming to me even though I was about the least important person in the room and way better looking in person (not that was why I voted!).

    Whilst I do love the dogs - why no cats?

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  2. Wishing for your choice to achieve victory!! Love your wonderful doggies!!! XO HHL

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  3. Betty M - so glad to hear that about D Miliband. I really hope he does win, although the bookies say Ed will edge it. Very sorry to say that there is not a single cat on the compound. No idea why. Perhaps we should remedy the situation.

    HHL - how lovely and kind you are. Generous words about the dogs always warm my heart.

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  4. I like your geek comment

    I was unnaturally excited about the leadership announcement yesterday, and managed to annoy my boyfriend by dancing at him while singing a song about the announcement.

    I then spent time sending texts with the result and build up to my sister who was on holiday and NEEDED to know and speaking to my brother who was wondering if throwing himself under a bus was a good response or a bit over the top.

    The dogs are, as always beautiful.

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  5. Long live geeks and Nerds I say. Bill Gates is definitely my favourite nerd/geek (is there a difference)?

    I have on many occasions used sections of his advice to students, an 11 point out take of which this

    "Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one."

    must be a favourite. I love,self effacement when it is genuine.

    Today (I think) it is the equinox, turning of the year. And here, North East Scotland, it has been glorious. We took our beast (a 26 year old Alfa Romeo with a 3 ltr V6 engine for her last run of the year from the Aberdeenshire/Angus borders, over the cairn and over the Lecht to Tomintoul (to the uninitiated, the last syllable is pronounced 'towel' )and back via Donside.

    A singapalese (sp?) supper whilst watching the recorded GP (OH SHOULD have been there!!!)

    As for ANY party leadership........ well, having recently had a visit to HoP AND read Jeremy Paxman's excellent 'The Political animal' I can only add 'abandon hope all ye who enter here...........!

    Your wonderful (as ever) pictures restore balance Tania. And this from one who is not a dedicated doggy person.

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  6. quite agree about Ed- he has followed his brother everywhere he's discouraged him from standing in the past and now this. He certainly wouldn't be my first choice as wing man or brother on this evidence.

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