Today I am busy....

Today I am busy. Not yet - unless you count putting photographs of thistles on my blog as being busy. And busy is what we were always told to be back in Rat Race Training College. Passive-aggressive little adages like; "the devil finds work for idle hands" and "hard work never hurt anyone" were churned out so as to socialise us in the ways of the working world. Even when we climb the educational ladder a little we get Weber's little tome thrust in our face as pedagogues insist that we're only successful as a nation because of that work ethic.

It isn't that I'm against work - although there are times when I'm with Bing on this matter - but that the thing isn't inherently a good thing. Working isn't essentially ethical and not-working essentially unethical. It may be unethical to lay about the place knowing that the efforts of others will provide for you laying about - but even then I'm not sure that applies in the aggregate.

Today I am busy. I shall work 12 hours. But I don't think this is a good thing. Nor does it make me better. It's just today.

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Pigs...

Pigs are better than sheep for a whole load of reasons. It’s not just the diet – pigs eat all the same stuff we eat which makes having one in the yard a pretty good idea (says he in a pigless environment) – but the lack of flocking. Pigs are family animals rather than herd animals.

But pigs get a poor press – it’s not just that Jews and Muslims won’t eat them (I visualise the Porcine High Command in their bunker near Basingstoke planning the exodus to Riyadh and pig liberty) – but the endless harping on about greediness, filthiness and general bad manners.

And all this stuff about troughing – especially the adjustment of politicians’ pictures to incorporate parts of pig anatomy (prize to the first one to feature the corkscrew-like porcine penis). Well it won’t do – stick food in front of a pig and it eats but how many politicians could find you a truffle?

Pigs are, I think, the champion domesticated animal – you can eat all of them, they don’t need great fields to graze on and they are prolific breeders. And the world (other than those parts with a silly taboo) gets sausages, bacon, chitterlings, belly pork, black pudding, gammon, scratchings, chops and spare ribs. What more could we ask?

Family values, good hygiene, low environmental impact, versatility and no fuss. Go on folks – ignore Bing Crosby – grow up to be a pig!

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