Angling through Adversity

Do you like fishing? Do you like social systems and growing up? The you need to read Angling through Adversity. Written by Roddy Finnie ( wonderful name for someone connected with fishing).Roddy is a journalist and avid fisherman. It would be true to say he has fished his entire life and still gets that electric thrill when the rod bends. His journalistic interests are sport, human interest, history, politics and the natural world. He is a member of the NUJ . He began by writing short angling stories and submitting them to various publications. His break came when a Texas lady, a professional angler, gave him the opportunity to write for her own online magazine. He got paid $135 for a 1,500 word piece. The story was called “Brown Trout from White Water” and was their best read online. Subsequently he had stories published by the subscription-only magazine, Waterlog, one of the best angling magazines in the world. He is either the longest or the second longest serving angling club secretary in Scotland, and is a Director (Trustee) of the River Clyde Fisheries Management Trust Limited . He is also a Scottish Ministers Appointed Water Bailiff for the Clyde System. He is a happily unmarried 59-years young guy who lives in Cathcart on the south side of Glasgow. His present passion is to raise funds to teach kids (or adults) to angle properly and safely. But what of the book? “Angling through Adversity” is not just a book about how a child became interested in angling and the influences that shaped his lifelong love of the sport. The book starts with Roddy Finnie (the author) as a young boy who is entranced by everything around him and who has an immediate love of discovering nature in all its forms. Throughout the book, the reader sees Roddy grow his skills and improve his understanding of the world. As the book unfolds, the cultural, economic and industrial differences that have taken place during his life are brought into play. The book is written not just with anglers in mind, but for lay folk too, who may never have lifted a rod or cast a fly. Roddy sends his stories to his non-angling sister and asks her a double-barrelled question: on the one hand did she understand it and did she enjoy it. If the answer is in the affirmative then he knows he has achieved his objective The second half of the book takes us away from Roddy’s childhood though his teenage years and on into adulthood. He became a roadie for a Glasgow Rock Band and changed his angling from mainly sea and coarse fishing towards fishing for trout and salmon. The later parts of the book touch on Roddy’s experiences during his thirties, forties and fifties. He has managed to retain his humour (albeit with a little cynicism) while seeing the need for practical conservation and fisheries protection. It is a life story of angling, events, natural phenomenon, animals, people and what they do and say and how ridiculous (on occasion) they can be to the point of embarrassment.

Relationship smelationship

Do you ever wonder where you have gone wrong with your partner or search for a partner? Unless you have been extraordinary lucky or you don't care, I would bet that at some time in your life you have seriously questioned where you are. Take a look at therelationshipbridge.com. It has quite a lot of answers, and seems to me to address today's issues in a modern way, not in a judgemental or blame apportioning way. Take a look anyway

dosh.net and loosejoints.com

Both these domains are on sale at godaddy auctions. See them here:dosh.net and here for loosejoints.com

rented.tv

Rented.tv is on auction at cax.com No reserve! http://cax.com/rented.tv

Education, education, education ( redux)

I haven't written much recently, but this piece by Fraser Nelson in the Spectator deserves our full attention. In essence, it shows that despite City academies proving an enormous boost to education ( and don't forget it was Tony Blair and Lord Adonis who fought for them) Labour has now said it would effectively abolish them. If any clearer signpost was needed that the Labour party is merely a pawn for the big unions and in particular the teaching unions, Twigg's speech couldn't make it plainer. Brown tested throwing money at schools ( ie bribing teachers) to destruction, and British schools have plummeted in the rankings. The difference? Good teachers - which, I suspect, is why the unions don't want payment by merit - ie they KNOW how bad some of their members really are. Fraser's article proves the point that education not only helps the disadvantaged to escape, it also gives a huge boost to the economy. Work nowadays is brain, not brawn, and all the Poles, Czechs etc etc who come here prove it every day. As an example, if just the bottom 10% of bad teachers in America were disposed of, and replaced by merely average ones, the American economy would absolutely soar. So the next time anyone tells you the Conservatives a) aren't doing anything and b) don't care about the disadvantaged, re-read the article.

Not Just for Kicks

Over at Elderjuice we have a great new novel for you to read. It's all about the fabulous Tiller Girls and I'm sure you will like it! It's called "! Not just for Kicks". Two eleven year olds, Beth and Suzy are reluctantly thrown together, and although from different backgrounds become soul mates, through their passion for dancing. In the hedonistic days of the mid-sixties, they bring havoc, chaos and laughter to the harsh world of show business with their lust for fame and fortune, and their friendship becomes even closer. Beth, a raven-haired beauty, quickly learns how to use her sexual charms, and with the outrageous tomboy Suzy, the two make their way in the pressurised world of live TV, theatre….and of men! But their close relationship is tested severely when they realise that their dreams are heading in different directions. Their ambitions and misconceptions cause a rift, dramatically tearing them apart. Time passes, and 20 years on and thousands of miles from home Beth reaches a crisis in her life, and realising she needs her dearest friend, the search for Suzy begins. Amazingly, they find each other, but where has the passage of time left these two former friends, and although only having achieved notoriety in the world of show business, their dreams of fame and fortune is staring them in the face.

The Astrology report

"The Astrology Report aims to provide you with guidance and foresight to help you through the good and the bad times of your life. Over time, we will feature spiritual guidance as a tool to better understand where you are right now, and how to move onwards and upwards to a better situation. Our weekly and monthly astrological reports will give you an overview of how the stars are shaping up to influence what is happening to you, how to take a view on and help with your job, your finances, your love life, and, most importantly, your inner well being. We hope to give guidance in order to give you a better understanding of your own, innate powers and how you might go about developing them. We will be reviewing books on all aspects of astrology, Tarot and psychic powers. New products that come to market will be looked at and reviewed objectively. We aim to bring you experts on Chinese horoscopes, Indian horoscopes, numerology, rune readings and the like."

I love Coffee

So I was very interested to read this over on The Gaffer.

Awesome gun!

The gaffer has a story about this awesome gun. 1 million rounds per minute. In theory, the AK-47 Kalashnikov can fire 600 rounds per minute, and the M-34 6000. In reality you can't because you have to change magazines. But even if you COULD, the barrels would probably melt

How long .. how much... making your life easier

At the Gaffer we are always trying to keep our readers informed and amused at the same time. So this post about how long to cook things, how long things last in the fridge, the freezer or the cupboard, how much water you need and so on. Take a look.

Play Poker and never lose any money!

Over on thegaffer.com, we have a poker game called Grampa Grumble's Poker game. It's really good and you'll never lose any cash!

thegaffer.com has five hundred posts up!

Here's thegaffer.com's five hundredth post! and the five hundred and first as well!

If you never thought our world was just stunning, look at these

Thegaffer.com has two lots of 30 amazing photographs from around the world. Have a look here and prepared to be amazed, in the true sense of the word.

Cyprus - an alternative view!

Basically Cyprus is screwed - but for a lighthearted look, take a look HERE!

Thegaffer.com

Take a look at thegaffer.com. Takes the news with a pinch of organic salt....

Elderjuice horoscopes for November 2012

Elderjuice's resident astrologer has done November 2012 hoeoscopes

She did it!

Our 60 year old enduring heart finally " did the deed" with R. She shares her thoughts with us at elderjuice.

Antiques Roadtrip with Anita Manning on Elderjuice.

Anita Manning has described what it's like to be on Antiques Roadtrip, and let's elderjuice readers into the secrets.

Weekly horoscopes on Elderjuice

We've just started our first weekly horoscopes on elderjuice! Check them out here

Half Life of Hannah makes number 1!

Nick Alexander's exciting and romantic new book is now officially a best seller. It's made number 1 on Amazon. Pick up your free copy here.