Who is funding the Taliban and why are western countries keeping quiet about it? They have fought the Americans and British for a decade or more. presumably the Russians are not providing the weapons and funding having been driven out of Afghanistan by the Taliban. The Chinese have their own issues with Muslim minorities, so it leaves Pakistan and the Middle East – of which the Middle East is likely to be providing the finance and weapons, Pakistan the home base. All but one of the bombers on 9/11 were from ~Saudi Arabia. politics sucks.
OLYMPIC FUNDING
Rowing £24.655408; Cycling £24.559.306; Athletics £23.007.531; Sailing £22.249.000; Swimming £18.731,645; Canoeing £16.344.693. Make your own minds up!
ORCAS
I am torn between ‘Free Willy’ and images from David Attenborough showing them kill. But I have to love the fact that the Spanish Authorities have ordered small boats to avoid a large stretch off the Spanish Coast due to the boisterous behaviour of orcas. Let nature own the oceans and our environment, but let us cohabit sensibly.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Firstly some basic economics. This country is wealthy enough for everyone to have a good basic standard of living. So Rishi Sunak and the daily Telegraph can stop the whinge about the cost of climate measures now. Redistribute the wealth of this country more fairly and job done. The Daily Star is being even more ridiculous than normal in complaining that our summer is not the hottest so far, by showing a picture of rain – durhh they are different.
Excellent explanation of changes likely in our weather on the radio today. We will still have hot and cold spells, wet and dry spells, windy and snowy spells, but when they occur they are likely to be more extreme. Hence the horrendous fires in Greece, Turkey, and the ongoing Dixie fire which has consumed 676sq.m so far – an area bigger than Pembrokeshire in California. The floods in Germany and China, Drought in North Korea. And we have had our little floods too, not so little for those who have had to suffer them London and elsewhere.
And then there is sea level rise – like all future predictions there are unknowns – maybe there will be more snow thus countering ice melt? But general figures are for about a metre in the next 30 years. If only it was that simple – add one metre to the waves topping sea defences on stormy days at present and we have catastrophes in the making.
I guess there are 3 types of attitudes to climate change. 1. We need to act now, even if it costs. 2. We need to act but …, my car, … my holiday, …. mememe. and 3. I do not believe in climate changeling caused by humans, and certainly not me – I would like to be rich enough to provide a home on the outlying islands of Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Kiribati or the Maldives, but then deny them wifi! (I would rescue them in the end – maybe).
Trump has said that the fires are down to forest management – and is not wrong for once. However his 4 years in office did nothing to change this, and a century in the making, it seems that climate change may have played a good part.
Erdogan in Turkey is getting uppity about criticisms regarding the fires. Well bozo, maybe handing out tea bags was not such a bright idea! But what is it with you overinflated cocks that you cannot see a crisis, acknowledge any failings and then do something positive rather than arresting critics!
LETS HEAR IT FOR THE WOMEN
These Olympics have been all about the women for a change. Elaine Thompson Herah; Sifan Hassan; Allyson Felix; Bethany Shriever; Sky Brown; Charlotte Worthington; Hannah Mills and Eilidh McIntyre; Katie Archibald and Laura Kenny; and Lauren Price have made this a games where women and men are on equal terms. Joint events in swimming and triathlon were brilliant. Yes some of the men did ok! Karsten Warholm might be the new male Usain Bolt in promoting athletics. Tom Daley finally won a very deserved gold (and bronze). All our boxers and fighters were outstanding. Cycling again came up with the medals, but so too BMX, skateboarding, sailing. The only down sides were rowing and to somme extent athletics where the men particularly lacked a stand out moment whilst Laura Muir, Keely Hodginson and Holly Bradshaw were outstanding.
But I think it is fair to say that the stand out moments of these olympics have, more often than not involved women.
Alok Sharma
Vaccinations
After a positive start the roll out seems to be faltering. 6 EU states have now got a higher % vaccination than the UK. The map of who has been jabbed is a somewhat familiar one – large urban areas seem to have a lower take up (although locally Glastonbury is relatively low!). So is the correlation with poverty? I suspect it is, and reflects a lack of confidence in government. However there are anomalies with Knightsbridge, Belgarvia and Hyde Park only having 56% take up of first dose. Areas with large proportions of young (cities) are also lower in take up.
WATER
Bottled water is at least 500 times more expensive than the water in which you brush your teeth and shower! Or is in the coffee or tea at the cafe. In the USA 17m. barrels of oil are needed to produce the bottles for demand.
MIGRANTS
WELL DONE DAILY MAIL
I never thought I would say this without extreme torture! But their expose of the climate minister Amok Sharma flying all over the world to over 30 countries is bad enough, but then visiting 6 red countries and not going into quarantine is inexcusable on both counts. Could someone please explain – fast – that this is not a joke fest for Bozo Buckethead and crew.