Quintin Jardine's blog

Yesterday I shared an opinion piece from the Guardian attacking President Trump for signing an order denying US funds to any organisations that support abortion. Note that word: opinion. This morning in my mailbox I found a tirade from someone called Ed . . . that’s all, just Ed . . . instructing me to stop reading the Guardian and start thinking for myself. Mystery man, having thought about it, I can’t decide whether that was more insulting than stupid, or vice versa. Close run thing.

Ed suggests that the time to think about wanting a baby is before you think about having a relationship. While it might inspire a debate about carts before horses, he’s entitled to that view, as is the Guardian columnist to hers. But he also believes that contraception is the only way to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Well, Ed, it’s not; that would be abstinence. It would also be rather difficult for practising Catholics. Where he really consigned himself  to the trash can, though, was in offering in support of his belief . . . a belief to which he is entitled and which I respect . . . a story line from Coronation Street.

They make it up, Ed. Best avoid Holby City, for the good of your health.

Chips give you cancer.

Burnt toast gives you cancer.

My message to the stony-faced humourless count on BBC Breakfast. You go to your church and I’ll go to mine; we’ll all go to heaven together. 

Watching the Mormon Tabernacle Choir : let’s just say it doesn’t seem to be too inclusive.

TV ad for Simba mattresses: takes unsubtlety to a new high.

Gullane, my home village, has lost its post office. It’s a subject of much local concern and people are considering how it can be restored. That would be great, but . . .

If the old PO, which had plenty of retail space, had generated enough alternative income alongside postal transactions, it would have been a going concern, but it didn’t. If the income offered to franchisees was commensurate with the effort, it might have worked when it moved to a convenience store, but that doesn’t seem to be the case, because the people there gave it up after a year or so.

Truth is the online world is killing PO counter business and until we all stop sending emails rather than letters, paying our bills electronically, etc., that slow death will continue. Sad, but I fear, true. Pretty soon our one and only bank branch, which is already down to three days a week, will go the same way.

To add to this misfortune Post Office management are such unadulterated tossers that they have refused all requests to provide a single post box in the village that will accommodate an A4 envelope unfolded.

The Merriest of Christmases to one and all, unless you’re a fan of Prince, Bowie or Status Quo, in which case condolences. OTOH Chuck Berry is still going, and fingers crossed for Carrie Fisher.

2016, you promised much, then gave us Aleppo and Donald Trump, who doesn’t give a toss about it. If the Chinese had a Year of the Asshole, you would surely be it.

Yesterday afternoon I undertook an event that was a first for me. When I went in there I had no idea what to expect, and I confess to feeling a little trepidation.

When it was over, two hours later; I tried to recall a gig I’ve enjoyed more, and I couldn’t. My thanks to every one who chose to come along, and to everyone involved in the organisation.

I’d welcome a repeat performance. any time.

One day more of holiday then back to work on Skinner 29. Target: finish by Christmas.

Anyone watching the second series of BBC’s The Missing?

I never expected a follow-up, after poor old James Nesbitt’s character went barking mad at the end of series one. Even if I had I’d never have expected it to be better, but it is.

Proper stuff.

Somebody please tell me why the Government finds it necessary to make it compulsory for every employer in the country, no matter how small their payroll, to register for  the  Workplace Pension scheme, and make pension provision for everyone, including people who want no part of it.

Could it be because the financial services industry, which benefits directly from the provision and management of pension products, has such a strong hold over our political decision-makers?

I know of a company that employs one person; he has an existing pension plan and doesn’t want another. No matter, time that would otherwise be spent generating profit for the business must be spent on the elaborate process of establishing and registering something that will never be used. To me, that is demonstrably stupid.

When we leave the EU, (the sooner the better as far as I’m concerned)  we will have all the more need to encourage SME’s, not to encase them in ever more burdensome legal scaffolding. We need to provide incentives to employment, rather than the opposite.

One day to go until my appearance at Edinburgh International Book Festival. I hope to see you there; if you are kind/brave/sympathetic enough to come along, I promise you something brand spanking new.

I won’t read from this year’s Skinner, I’ll give you a preview of next year’s.