“The Times They Are a-Changin'”

  • 9 years ago
  • 1

One would doubt that when Robert Allen Zimmerman released this album on 13 January 1964, he had any notion of how often the title would be used and misappropriated over the subsequent decades.  Allowing for the rather poor use of syntax and grammar (perhaps the correct use of the latter would have persuaded that English teacher in Wisconsin/Princes Risborough to buy the album thus shifting it higher on the billboard charts than its final resting place of #20 in the US and #4 in the UK), Bob does make one wonder whether things do ever really change or is it merely adaptation to current circumstances?  As befits the passing of another year, the human race subjects itself to introspection, navel-gazing, maudlin thoughts of how better things were in times past and resignation to a depressed acceptance that we are all doomed.  Yesterday, whilst beetling about doing viewings I heard on the radio that Twix bars are now smaller than of yesteryear and a well-known bakery has cut an inch off their filled baguettes.  Gentleman, you will all appreciate that losing an inch is no laughing matter; ladies depending on whose inch and from where it is lost is either a cause for jubilation and celebration or commiseration and no man buys the ‘it isn’t the size, it’s what you do with it’ line… The arguments in support of Mr Dylan’s title track would state that there have been some seismic changes, not least that solicitors have been working throughout the Christmas period and have even emailed me this week-pass the smelling salts Petunia, I feel rather faint.  Conversely, some things don’t change;  I still get bookings in my second career as George Clooney’s looky likey, Miss Minogue still harasses me for a date and somewhat disappointingly, despite scouring the post-box in recent weeks  and today’s publication in the national press, I don’t seem to be able to locate myself anywhere on the New Years’ Honours List.  Most notable of all, the emotional roller coaster of reporting movement in the property market continues at a speed a great deal faster than the spectacular fail of the Sky Swing at Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland. I wonder what the price is being offered on whoever was in charge of the not so wondrous wonderland being without portfolio in 2015?  Earlier this week the Daily Mail stated that house prices will drop by 0.6% next year.  This was a figure put forward by a “leading expert”-so ahead of his or her field and confident in their prediction that they went unnamed…Yesterday, the Daily Express was adamant that the cost of buying  property will “soar” next year due to changes in pension legislation, with those of pensionable age spending £5 billion on property in 2015. Really?  Try ringing any pension provider (I have) and asking them about the legislation that is coming in in April 2015 and they cannot tell you what, how, or when as they are still waiting on Government guidelines.  So in many areas times definitely aren’t changing.  I leave you in 2014 with the musings of two gentleman who are and will be viewed as two of history’s most powerful, successful, divisive, unifying and disappointing figures, it is at your discretion as to which individual you attribute the characteristic. “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often” Winston Churchill  “Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time.  We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek” Barack Obama  Personally, I think that we are still waiting.  Happy New Year.

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