Vote grey today!

So it's finally here, the happy, glorious day. After six weeks or so what is called campaigning the great demos get to vote for their favourite teddy bear, no sorry member of parliament. I know of no-one who has changed their minds in this time, so maybe they could just cut out the BS and get down to the X on paper time in a couple of weeks.

It's roughly midday on Thursday 7th and already I can tell you the result in this constituency and the neighbouring three, without a vote being counted. The Tory will win where I live, Haltemprice and Howden. Tories have won in this constituency since the 1830's without fail. It's the second safest Tory seat in the country in this regard. Consequently I shall not be bothering to make a choice or rather I shall write in 'None of the above'. In the three Hull constituencies Labour will win as they have done since the 1960's. Does this remind anyone of the old rotten and pocket boroughs? Well it does to me. 

When it's all over then the horse trading starts and that might be passably interesting/entertaining with the present lot appointed by a Civil Service coup in 2010 (and voted for by no-body, let's be clear) claiming the other lot lack legitimacy. Pots and kettles! And when it all falls apart we'll be back here again within a year with any luck.  This is why it's known as the Mofo of Parliament.

Devil's Music

On Saturday in town there was a choice between evangelical rap (or was it hip-hop? my ignorance of pop genres is vast) renditions of bible verses or the good old devil's music; rock 'n' roll. Hmmm. No choice really. This trio were not too bad; that is to say they kept in time with the drummer which is unusual even for professionals. They drew a small appreciative foot-tapping crowd and applause (again almost unheard of for buskers) One thing I did notice is that every song they did began with "Well ...." I think that must be a fifties thang.

Dundee Chambers

Dundee Chambers, on Princes Quay, used to be the offices of the Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Co. Ltd. This company ran ships up and down the coast from Dundee to London with all ports in between as well as other destinations.(DP&L History) Hull seems to have had good connections with the bonnie City of Dundee as this company took over an existing Dundee & Hull Shipping Company in 1857. Dundee is famed for its three J's: Jam, Jute and Journalism. I can see Hull benefiting from the first two but it's clear, if you've ever read the local paper, that the third J never made it.

This building is now part of the Sugar Mill nightclub on the corner of Posterngate

I'm just a walking the dog

'For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?'

Jane Austen

I caught this couple walking their pet just across the road the other evening. For some reason I don't think this puppy will win any prizes at Crufts. 

Bank Holiday Sunday

Bruiser is always touched by our presence

.... and a Bank Holiday Monday to come, so many exciting things to see and do ....

Margot took this. And don't tell me he's lost most of his teeth he still eats more than is imaginable.

For the union makes us strong

"People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices."

Adam Smith

Workers' unions, as we all know, are a Bad Thing, but associations of employers are a boon to the economy and strengthen trade and business and are therefore a Good Thing. Here on Queen Street the glowing future of the region is being forged by the great leaders of enterprise. Solidarity Forever!

Weekend Reflections are here.

12 Floréal CCXXIII

"The French Revolution caused great loss of life, liberty, fraternity, etc., and was, of course, a Good Thing, since the French were rather degenerate at the time; but Napoleon now invented a new Convention that the French should massacre all the other nations and become top nation, and this, though quite generate, was a Bad Thing."

Sellar & Yeatman, 1066 and all that

Next Thursday the voters of this land go to chose members of one of the most successful revolutionary institutions in the world. Yes I do mean Parliament, which was formed to restrain Plantagenet excesses,  and which has led two revolutions, beheading one king and overthrowing another and creating the means to hold Government to account. Well that's what it says in the textbooks and they wouldn't lie to me would they? Obviously all thought of revolution has gone out of the place, I hear the old building is nearly falling down (perhaps with the members still inside, perish that seditious thought!). But we live in troubled times, so they say, and this next parliament could see the exit from the EU, the break up of the UK and the immiseration of millions. Or not, as the case may be. Probably not, but I doubt heads will fall in any case that's not the style these days instead a place in the Lords awaits any failed minister.
Personally I’ll just sit here and watch the river flow, I hear Chelsea will win the Premier League this year, Hull look like staying up and did you see England win the cricket the other day, and will it be a Royal boy or girl and ain't it cold for Spring?

Today's image for the City Daily Photo theme of Revolution is from a ghost ride at Hull Fair, a celebration for the local yokels of things going round and round and getting nowhere at their own expense.