Sunday, December 14, 2008

Lloyd George's Women

Blog No 3 tonight. Ffion Hague was in Montgomeryshire this afternoon. She's probably in Montgomeryshire quite often, because this was her home. Anyway today she was at the home of Ieuan and Penny Jones, near Mathrafal, Pontrobert to tell us about her new book 'The Pain and the Privilege' - a book about the women in the life of David Lloyd George. Mrs D had to give me one of my Christmas presents early, because I may easily have bought a second copy - and she wanted Ffion to have signed it. She gave an entertaining and informed talk. When she stopped and asked for any questions, I was in a state of deep contemplation. It seems that the almost all of Lloyd George's Cabinet colleagues were at it, and their wives.

As often happens no-one wanted to ask the first question. I was sitting in the front row so I just started things off - along the lines of;

"At the next General Election, I will be hoping to become an MP, but after hearing about the way in which the entire Cabinet seemed to spend their time, I'm not at all sure that I'm up t0 it."

I will postulate that one reason politicians are not so obsessed with sex today is that its become fashionable to follow a football team. And neurologists at Southern General Hospital in Glasgow have discovered that watching a goal being scored is every bit as arousing as having sex. Clinical Scientist, John McLean of the Institute of Neurological Sciences said "Our results show that the part of the brain associated with intense pleasure, and which has been associated with arousal, is most active at the time a goal is scored." Results of research show that activity in the Anterier Cingulate Cortex (ACC) of the brain was substantially higher when a goal was scored than when chances were missed or in open play. It seems that its this ACC which goes into overdrive during the sexual act. The research was carried out on Rangers season ticket holders. I'm just wondering what sort of condition Rangers fans would be in after a four all draw in the 'Old Firm Derby'!!

Anyway Ffion reassured us that rabid promiscuity isn't compulsory. She also thought that Lloyd George would have abstained from roaming under the gaze of today's prurient media. One final point worth noting is that on his release from hospital well into his sixties, after an operation concerning prostate cancer, Lloyd George's surgeon was forced to make a plea with the randy old Celt that he should restrain himself to as near abstinence as possible for a week or two - and added that if he was tempted, that he should stick a tried and tested partner to avoid over-exciting himself. He was clearly an animal - and all his women loved him for it. I'm looking forwards to reading the book after Christmas.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

"And neurologists at Southern General Hospital in Glasgow have discovered that watching a goal being scored is every bit as arousing as having sex."

Just one thought, which part of the British population did the Glasgow based neurologists study?

In Glasgow soccer is almost a religion and taken very seriously. Scoring goals is so important that the big Scottish teams hire a lot of foreign players.

If one of the big Scottish teams could take turns to play for Scotland, Scotland would do so much better at international matches.

I'm no expert, but it seemed to me that the Scots really do take their soccer/football very seriously and love it when their team scores.

The Celtic/Rangers match being one example that is guaranteed to be talked about more than sex.

Glyn Davies said...

The research was carried out amongst Rangers season ticket holders.

Professor Dylan Jones-Evans said...

Glyn - greetings from Singapore. Missed your call the other night - text me your email address and I will get back to you with soem devastating data for Powys re: the economy.

Dr. Christopher Wood said...

Well, that EXPLAINS IT! I did my chemistry PhD at Glasgow University and WOW! Do the Scots follow/get engrossed in soccer. It's on a different level north of the border.


... and Irn-Bru, also bridies (pasties), and hard-drinking, but "Glasgow's Miles Better" spin tried to put a public-perception lid on that.

But every big city has its issues, and Glasgow is a GREAT city to live/work in. I must say I loved being a Glaswegian, if only for three years or so.

"It's a great city, Glasgow is".

Frank Little said...

Just one thought, which part of the British population did the Glasgow based neurologists study?
I believe that, for the other half of the population, chocolate has the same effect.

Glyn Davies said...

Christopher - Glasgow has been transformed over the last 20 years - so I'm told. And I'm not surprised its men are more cheerful, but the question is "What about the women". Perhaps they should all go and watch football as well.

Frank - I like chocolate, but not that much. I suppose all you want for Xmas is a Terry's Chocolate Orange.

Glyn Davies said...

Prasit - accidentally rejected your comment, which was about translating Lloyd George's disloyalty to his wife into unfitness for office. I've not read the book yet, but Ffion spoke much about the strange degree of 'honesty' about how he went about his 'activities. In fact he blamed his wife because she wasn't on hand to satisfy him when he needed. It seems that his philandering was so open that it was his wife who informed Lloyd George that his mistress was 'cheating' on him - and he was deeply upset about it for years. It seems that it was the way politicians behaved in those days.