Month: March 2025

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TRADE

So the orange bastard is talking about a 25% on all UK andEU imports, using as an excuse that we charge VAT on imports and the US does not. I guess that explains why many consumer products are cheaper in the US. US manufacturers also benefited by being forced to become more competitive. However it looks like we might be witnessing the collapse of world trade, or at least as we knew it. If jobs are hit in the UK it will perversely be Farage who benefits! The British public will blame migrants rather than Trump – and still frequent McDonalds, Pizza Hut, etc.

Perhaps Trump should rail aginst the investors who encouraged the move of manufacturing to Mexico, et al. I am sure many are Trump supporters and investors and all American boys!

And Greenland – since when has Greenland become strategically important militarily. Oh since Trump can make money out of the minerals. PS. What religion is Trump? I am absolutely certain it is not Christianity! He worships on the God of Mammon, Plutus and Dis Pater when not worshiping his mirror!

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GLOBAL WARMING

When hearing about arguments regarding the above I have to ask the question “why are you ignoring the evidence?”

So the evidence is not just theoretical – there is the FACT that CO2 and methane are greenhouse gases. There is the FACT that the proportion of CO2 in the atmosphere has risen 25% in last 65 years. Sun spot activity can cause fluctuations but the trend is forever upwards. Just because there are variations from place to place and year to year cannot deny the warming trend.

So the FACTS are clear we have a warming world, and CO2 pollution is probably the cause – I say probably because it is possible, but unlikely, that Earth is in a warming phase (evidence points to the opposite.

So the IMPACTS. FACT. Sea level rising with greater coastal erosion. Long-term measurements of tide gauges and recent satellite data show that global sea level is rising, with the best estimate of the rate of global-average rise over the last decade being 3.6 mm per year (0.14 inches per year). Tuvalu is a maximum of 2m asl.

FACT. Glaciers which regulate the flow of water to some of the most fertile and densely populated parts of the world are melting and retreating at an alarming rate. This could cause food insecurity and an increase in environmental migration.

FACT. Insects across Europe are in decline along with the subsequent food chain. Insects (bees are the best known) re essential for the production of food. Decline maybe down to pesticides, but due to the fecundity of most insects areas where harmful chemicals have been banned they should be making a comeback.

FACT. Climate has warmed and species that can adapt are moving – northwards in the Hemisphere. Sharks have become more common in UK waters. Plants are flowering earlier whilst animals with a longer lifecycle take longer to change.

Peoples arrogance to other species is affecting the diversity of life on this planet. Arrogant fuckwits like Trump and Musk may believe that money and economics will outwit nature – they are wrong! When Earth flexes its muscles people suffer (Hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones are becoming stronger and more common.

As the Arctic warms up – and FACT – it is, methane from the permafrost will be released (methane hass 10x the impact of CO2 as a greenhouse effect). And the disappearance of ice will mean the surface is darker and the albedo effect diminished.

So bozos who deny this are probably well below the 100 IQ average – or just greedy fuckers who want the profits of carbon burning rather than safeguard their childrens futue.

FACT. Most people dislike and avoid change and therefore like the status quo. We fucking love our cars and are quite terrified of the proplems of EV’s. Maybe we need to consider less travel?

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PLANTS

Just planted :- lobelia ultra cascade; Nicotina eu de cologne; Petunia double orchid; petunia frenzy; Rudbeckle all sorts; Verbena quarts; bacopia Snowtopia; B.Lotto; B. Ormandy; gazania tiger stripes; geranium jackpot; impatiens busy lizzie island. I will put rest of lavender out next week.

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EARTHQUAKE

After a quiet period earth seems to be waking up! There is always on going seismic activity but I believe this is the first major activity in a populated region? With an autocratic dictatorship I guess they are Trumps BFF? But due to the rest of the world thinking they are shits there is little news getting out. In Bangkok there was a high rise under construction that collapsed with many deaths – I suspect that there are many more in Myanmar itself. Pictures on the BBC show a major bridge collapsed. I hate heights and used to hate driving over the bridge in Plymouth and the Seven one – fucking nightmares are waiting for me!

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PRESS

The RWPress got a budget they have yerned for – cuts to benefits, increased spending on defence, cuts to the civil service, no overt tax rises. And they now slate Reeves not a budget for hitting the poor! No mention of the mess the last government made, or Trump’s impact on the world economy. She should have gone for a wealth tax – the Pimlico plumber keeps threatening to leave – time for him to FO! But I guess his ego could not stand anonymity? My paper says that 3 million households could lose £1720 in benefits – 3 million! If they are working they are not being paid enough, if their rents are too high cut them! But 3 million on benefits means that we have a fucked up economy and thus society. I think the Tories had appointed a common sense czar – Ester Mcfuckingvie! – I think her main task was to promote an anti-woke war, especially with regard to sexual genders (I am sorry for those struggling as individuals or families – but as far as the general population goes “who gives a fuck”? Only JK Rowling and a few others? My views are limited due to ignorance of the issues but that does not stop others so – Sport, if born with a penis you can only compete as a man unless a special scenario is created; Toilets – bring on cubicles for all – pissing on a wall in view of others is medieval! Public toilets barely exist anymore and establishments should have cubicles – with CCTV if necessary for the communal areas. I am not sure if there are other issues? Hospital wards I know nothing about so no comment.

Education is always more problematic! Unisex toilets makes sense. However education has to take on yet another roll – countering the insiduous penetration of misogynist social media.

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CANADA

I have never been – although I did get the migration papers back in the 1970’s – of course I did not have the bottle to follow through! But I retain a romantic memory of dreams of paddling through lakes and wide open spaces. Should Canada be threatened by Trumps absurd claims that it should become the USA’s 51st state. At least he got the number right this time – unlike with Alaska. The capital of Canada is situated further away from the US than its main cities for a reason. 1775 and 1812 were dates when the USA invaded Canada, unsuccessfully. Now Trump coverts the treasures below the Canadian soil. Every move he makes is stimulated by money – I fucking hate him!

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ENERGY

Local generation might not suit the big energy companies BUT ….. it seems to me to be so sensible. In my village we have the potential for wind with a couple of turbines on the hill, there are solar farms around anyway, and more houses could have them. And then there is a small stream which had a mill long ago. I doubt that the village would be self-sufficient 24/7 but with battery storaage I am sure that the summer months could be covered – especially with increased efficiency, and lastly Hinckley is just down the road! And finally small scale tidal islands could be created on the Severn Estuary.

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GARDEN

Hanging baskets planted with mixed begonia – I will not hang them quite yet – it should rain a little later and once hung they have to be watered everyday. Heater is on in the greenhouse for the tomatoes – so they will need waterint every day! Snake plant given to Aaron – below

I will split the remaining plant and the one in the bedroom to grow more!

Temperatures of 5C night to 16C day. So I might risk a bit more planting basil, sweet peppers, and then maybe buy a cucumber plant or 2. We are due a hot summer.

I have rosemary and lavender plants to put out tomorrow – by the path I think. Roses are looking good too – maybe 10 different ones, from almost black to deep red and also yellow and pink. Herbs are looking good, well rosemary and sage and bay are, the rest need a little more time – I need to weed/repot mints and then wait and see what else comes up – I think fennel will reseed (it was growing along the road in the gutter! and I hope the chicory and evening primrose make a welcome appearance.

Saw 2 brimstone butterflies yesterday which was great – I need to put the bee hotel up – by the kitchen side window I think – facing east for early morning warmth and avoiding heat of the day during our long hot summer.. On which, will the water companies whose reputation is trashed already by sewage and rising costs, cope with the negative publicity when they impose hosepipe bans and worse?

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NET ZERO

Climatic events can occasionally be violent and sudden’ish. However the main global events will be gradually but even more devastating. Sea level is creeping up putting nations such as Tuvalu and the Maldives under threat of inundation. The melting of floating ice will not in itself cause a problem but allow glaciers to deliver ice to the sea more quickly. Melting glaciers is a much more dangerous and unpredictable. 2 billion people rely on glaciers indirectly for their water supply. E.Africa has lost 80% of its glaciers; Europe 40%; Andes 40%. Melting and retreating glaciers reduce the albedo effect and lead to greater warming. Permafrost is also melting, releasing methane and destabilising communications and buildings. Highly populated regions such as the valleys of the great rivers sourced in the Himalayas are in danger of fluctuating water supply which would devastate agriculture and thus human survival. These are facts not supposition – the World Meteorological Organisation published its annual State of the Worlds Climate last week.

But – hey, all this is irrelvant to those wanting to make political and financial gains like our right wing political parties and basically most of Americas! According to Ed Milliband the government is set on meeting its green commitments. This makes absolute sense. Until we large scale storage we will always rely on other energy sources during grey windless periods – but the rest of the time we have cheap green energy. A no brainer!

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SPRING IS SPRUNG

Well during the day it is – temps up to 19C here so … I have put in tomato seeds and some bulbs. Next up are some aubergine seeds and californian poppy and some lavendar seeds. The rest can wait until next month.