The Insidious Effect of Eco-Propaganda

Back in the day (early 1980's), when I was a kid, one of the highlights of coming home from school was to turn on the tele and watch a delightful little animation that subliminally called my attention to the need to keep my shit clean and to recycle everything. It was the days when the BBC was filled with right-on politically correct gone mad commie pinko faggot soviet subversives* who brought us the delights of the Magic Roundabout, Jamie and His Magic Torch and Rainbow.  The progandista programme in question was THE WOMBLES, created by Elizabeth Beresford who sadly passed away today at the age of 84.   I still remember getting the board game and delighting in its shiny new colours and pathway through the commons.  Indeed, in the first chorus, I used to take great joy in adding a significant pause between the words 'The Wombles of Wimbledon' and 'common are we'  to the emphasis of the predicate.  Maybe that (and the literally towering influence of my Welsh chemistry teacher Mr. Allen who was the first person who introduced to me the concept that the earth's climate was changing as a result of anthropological intervention) is the reason why I am so concerned about AGW today.

Oh ... and the song was a classic too ... RIP Elizabeth and THANK YOU.



Underground, Overground, Wombling Free
The Wombles Of Wimbledon Common Are We
Making Good Use Of The Things That We Find
Things That The Everyday Folks Leave Behind

Uncle Bulgaria
He Can Remember The Days When He Wasn't Behind The Times
With His Map Of The World
Pick Up The Papers And Take 'Em To Tobermory

Wombles Are Organised, Work As A Team
Wombles Are Tidy And Wombles Are Clean
Underground, Overground, Wombling Free
The Wombles Of Wimbledon Common Are We

People Don't Notice Us, They Never See
Under Their Noses A Womble May Be
We Womble By Night And We Womble By Day
Looking For Litter To Trundle Away

We're So Incredibly Utterly Devious
Making The Most Of Everything
Even Bottles And Tins
Pick Up The Pieces And Make 'Em Into Something New
Is What We Do

Underground, Overground, Wombling Free
The Wombles Of Wimbledon Common Are We
Making Good Use Of The Things That We Find
Things That The Everyday Folks Leave Behind

* For our overly earnest North American cousins, I am utilising this description in sarcastic mockery of the right wingers who, back in those days of Thatcher Milk Snatcher / Union Smasher, pretty much labelled everyone slightly left of center in such a manner.