Month: May 2025

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WTF

This is a rewrite from yesterdays Guardian ‘Pass Notes’. Written as Tesco executives.

Down the pub with some mates talking about what to get Dave and Lindsay for their wedding. “I bet he is shitting himself, and she is in a right sweat organising everything – ‘he is useless unless it involves kicking a round ball about’. Light bulb moment! “We know they have a massive mortgage and her being pregnant means a lack of the readies”. “Why not get them a practical box – we could start with a five pack of toilet paper and shower gel”. The others add their ideas. 2 tubes of toothpaste (one each; bin bags for his kit; conditioner (come on guys, girls have long hair and care about it!); kitchen rolls for the mess he makes and some hand wash for her after retrieving his undies from under the bed! Cool – I will price it up and add an extra £10 as it is for a wedding – maybe add a bow or something, and gift wrap! £63 sounds reasonable for such a useful wedding gift! Oh and “A toast to love package’ we could do a series from champers, to prosciutto and a bargain one for the pregnant or nutters – £39 for 6 packets of biscuits and some tea!

I am not kidding – these things are on offer at Tesco, although a search of their website was fruitless! But then I found this! https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-14727001/Tesco-launches-wedding-gift-registry-couples-ditch-fine-china-toilet-roll-bin-bags.html

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HOW I SEE IT!

Israel and Gaza. At last the British Government has spoken out against the atrocities commited on a daily basis by Israel, not only in Gaza, but the West Bank too. It is my belief that all Jews should speak out against the Israeli government. Should Palestinians do the same about Hamas? Here it is more nuanced. What Hamas did to innocent Israelies was indefensible. But understandable? Poked with sticks regularly, faced with state sponsored murders it was kind of inevitable that they would lash out eventually. The Israeli response has not been proportionate, focused or reasonable. Therefore the British Government should go further and like with Russia seize control of Israeli companies to fund for the reconstruction of Gaza once the plague of Israel has been vanquished.

Whilst in a vocal mood – the Conservative councillors wife given a 31 month prison sentence – did she deserve the sentence – HELL YES – should it be reduced? Given that she has shown contrition and is not a threat to society, yes perhaps along with ‘Just stop oil’ protestors. Both should realise that the time for extremism is not yet upon us! And the prisons are full, time for Timpson to step up and do something about it. I am tired of hearing radio saddo’s complaining about leniency – it costs a lot to imprison people and there are those who need to be locked up, but for many, they made wrong decisions, often horrific, but societies retribution could be more inventive and productive.

Climate crisis – durh! Puzzles. Boil a kettle please. Half fill it and it boils quicker than when full. 70.8% of earths surface and the oceans deepest point is much deeper than Everest is high. 230 million people live at less than 1m above sea level. 1 billion live below 10m all. A 20cm rise in sea level by 2050 as predicted would lead to flood damage of $1 trillion a year. With current policies we are looking at a 2.5C rise in temperatures. Melting Greenland and Antarctic Ice Caps would result in a 12m rise in sea level. Where do you live? Have you worked out the puzzle yet? I could go on but unless you are educationally subnormal you have got it. If you question this you can fuck off, then fuck off some more, until you are in a planet far away!

Feeling good today – it rained last night which means that the random plants I have planted out are doing ok. Making a lemon cheesecake later, have watered tomato plants and planted many out in random pots . Next big crop should be basil – love it.

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EU

It must be a brilliant deal for the trash press to make such a fuss. Surrender and betrayal (DExpress), Surrender (Mail), bye bye to Brexit (Telegraph), Done up like a kipper (Sun). Other papers were more perceptive Reset (Times), win win (Mirror). When emotive language is used it usually means that they cannot dispute the facts. Telegraph is read by the over 70’s anyway. Brexit has been a disaster however you look at it. Maybe it could have been differently – but the only suggestion is to take us out of the ECJ and other institutions – can I ask which rulings of the ECJ have been so horrendous to warrant leaving an organisation we helped to form!

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EU MIGRATION

Yet again I don’t get it! 18-30 year olds are what we want, especially in construction and care, etc. They are not going to come to sign on! Net migration between us and the EU is negative. Europeans have a similar culture and history to ourselves and thus integrate better? Most who come have excellent English and qualifications. And most want to return home when they have made some savings. What is there not to like? The EU also wants UK fees applied to EU citizens at UK Universities – makes absolute sense if reciprocal. Also can we have the E111 back?

Die hard Brexiteers are, what ever they tell you, not concerned about taking back control (that is just a convenient argument that has not been vilified like their racism). They are never going to vote Labour again whilst there is a party for bigots available. So basically Keir – just ignore the fuckers. On control – we have seen with water companies who has actual control – foreign investors, who own 57.7% of UK listed companies. Whether we like it or not – we live in a globalised world. Trump is finding this out as he roles back his absurd tariffs. So the taking back control bit was giving even more power to the multinationals – at least the EU was prepared to take them on.

Research by the Centre for European Reform suggests the UK economy is 2.5% smaller than it would have been if Remain had won the referendum. Public finances fell by £26 billion a year. This amounts to £500 million a week and is growing.

Lastly the positives about the EU. A few years back and Spain was a dictatorship and relatively poor – migrants from Spain came to the UK (Fawlty Towers!), – now Spain is a democracy and migration is the other way. Eastern Europe may be more difficult due to the ingrained autocracy of its history – but recent signs are good with Poland and Romania both showing a strong central path.

With migration there are push and pull factors both from the home and the destination. I would maintain that the pull factor for staying at home is the greatest by a long way. So the push factor has to be immense – persecution or environmental disaster (starvation), whilst pull factors such as economics and safety, freedom are secondary. Why is no analysis done on this? Oh and I have wrongly omitted love! Perhaps the strongest factor of all!

But really to leave your home environs and family, friends must take a special type of person. Or lack of options? The end result of my random thoughts are that if we increased the flow of wealth from the rich to the poor we would have no migration crisis or problem!

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GEOGRAPHY

As ever I am fascinated by all forms of geography. The latest is the reported fall out over negotiations with the EU. The south seems to be ok with it but Farage is trying to rally the old labour seats in the north against it, as headlined in the S.Mail and S.Express. What is it about poverty that makes people vote for Brexit and Reform? Both would make them poorer. Is it the pseudo nationalism that appeals (as with Trump in the USA)? What is the mind set of these people? Taking back control =’d massive financial hit for country. Is there some pschology here – you are poor and feel that society does not value you, but you can join a club which values you (or purports too) under a flag? Is this the mind set that sent 744000 to their deaths in WW1 – what were they actually fighting for? Is this the difference between football hooligans and rugby fans. Rugby fans support a team, and might be passionate about it, but have other aspects to their lives. Football hooligans however have only the team – its their religion, their salvation against the perceived injustice that society visits upon them. Occasionally a smooth talking prat comes along to manipulate this hoard of resentment – a Johnson or Farage – both rich fuckers, but with enough charisma to convince the numbskulls and knuckle draggers that they offer a reason to believe – the flag, nationalism, patriotism, misogyny, racism. They encourage the bigoted, facts are for the educated. It is like an upmarket version of PolPots killing fields in Cambodia.

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EU

Stop playing silly games and get us closer to Europe. There are at least 2 sticking points – one is fisheries policy. Johnson negotiated the current one which runs out soon, A lot of the fish caught goes to the EU anyway. Youth mobility is seen as a problem – I am not sure how? Young people travelling and living in each others countries is surely a great thing? America is for the next 31/2 years at least, unreliable and fickle. It also a long way over the ocean – transport costs should surely start to soar as the climate crisis deepens. Get ready for a ridiculous outpouring of rage from the RW Media and Reform. The majority of people in this country accepts that Brexit was a disaster – some might argue that it was because of the general incompetence of the Tories who did not take advantage as they should! If I was negotiating for the EU I would demand payments towards the cost – we used to pay £xxx per month towards the costs of the EU. Why should we get the benefits of deals without paying into the system. This may become more important as parts of Eastern Europe lurch to te right and Moscow – Poland, Romania, Hungary, Serbia. Back to your people travelling – I sometimes wonder how Jelena from Subotica has lived her life? I met her in Brighton for a brief time (I was stoned) in 1970.

In the paper today – one story got my full attention! A tin of crisps for £26! and a bag printed like a crisp packet for £1450! The article was stunning but saved by the head chef at Toklas who admitted liking Pickled Onion Monster Munch the best!

Other items – Israel continues to slaughter innocent people – including children – without facing the wrath of politicians, the press or just everyone! And Trump has made it illegal to boycott Israeli products. Wanker!

There are 156 billionaires in the UK – tax the bastards. Good to see Ratcliffes wealth diminishing as he screws ManU. The king (not Elvis silly) has increased his wealth bu a few hundred million. The list says this is his personal wealth rather than the state bit and the 14 castles/houses we provide for him and his family. What do any of these very rich fuckers do to help others? Absolutely fucking nothing of note.

I mourn the death of a great leader Jose Mujica, former President of Uruguay. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/uruguays-former-president-mujica-dead-89-2025-05-13/ A truly humble man, whereare the politicians like that in the UK.

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WATER

So Thames wanted to pay bonus’ to senior executives related to performance? Well fuck me – being shit at your job, polluting rivers and seas, running out of water (later this year?), raising customers fees by 59% and then get a bonus = to at least 50% of your 6 figure salary! The mind set is stated by the Chair of Thames who said “We have a bonus scheme to protect our most precius resource, which is the senior management team”. This comment needs some analysis. Their most valuable resource should be water, clean and wholesome and delivered to customers. Protect them – from what? Inflationary rises on yachts? And they are shit at their jobs – otherwise why would they have accrued a £20 billion debt and come to within days of being nationalised. Yes – a great idea, and whilst at it offer them back their jobs at 25% less with no perks or bonus payments unless they increase efficiency and reduce customer bills. If they think about leaving they have to repay their bonus payments for the last 5 years.

I think SMT’s must have some sort of training indoctrination – school SMT also thought they were better than everyone else! They surround themselves with sycophants and expect everyone to respect them – “emperors new clothes syndrome”. One of my favorite games whilst on field duty at lunchtime was to see how close I could get to the head without having to speak to him! Traversing the field with precision timing to just avoid collision of interception. teachers used to come out to watch the game! Personally I did not respect any of my headteachers apart from the first one , his introductory speech to newcoming staff stated that as head he would have to make decisions which we did not like, but he hoped we would not hate him. The rest were just arrogant arseholes.

Back to water – reservoirs are not full – estimates vary. This summer could be long hot and dry – we are due one like this. When it rains it is likely to be convectional (fast and heavy), and will thus run off rather than replenishing groundwater (Uk 30+% but south east and London approaching 100%). I fear for the quality of rivers such as the chalk streams which are likely to be innundated with shit before they run dry due to over extraction. Farmers too, have to accept part of the blame.

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DESPOTS

Are you a despot who rules a country with no democracy? Expect a visit from Trump iminately. Have you posted anti-Israel views on line and are travelling to the USA – expect to be detained by Homeland Security for an unspecified time and then deported. This is the new world we live in. A UK Prime Minister elected with support from the centre ground of politics makes a speech that has been compared to Enoch Powell, the same PM who cuts welfare benefits rather than raise tax on the mega rich. A narcistic rich twat is surging ahead in polls in the UK whose policies are racist, misogynistic and regressive. Welcome to a fucked up world.

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SPRING

Elderflowers are ready – at least 2 weeks earlier than last year. I have also just made another batch of strawberry jam. 5 jars ready for their labels! I hope this lot sets – I take temperatures and use a plate from the freezer, but still get a semi-liquid. Tastes good though!

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OBSCENE

Trump signs a £107 billion defence deal with Saudi Arabia. WTF! Oh and there was reportedly another $400 billion in other deals! Just think of the poverty that could be eradicated, the education programmes, the health centres. But no the men with small cock syndrome have to go for the biggest weapons. To my knowledge neither the USA or Saudi Arabia is under no threat of invasion or war. Oh, and he has cut the American aid programme – what a complete and utter bastard.

On a good news story Everton FC have turned their old stadium of Goodison Park over to the womans football team. Whilst the capacity will be drastically reduced from 39000 it is great that the women will have a Premiership quality ground of their own, rather than a soulless housing estate. Sunderland have got through to the playoff final by the skin of their teeth. Whilst it would be great for them to bank the money that the Premiership doles out, they are not a team that can compete in the big league. All 3 sides promoted last year have been relagated despite some premiership sides being crap.

Labour are being slated from left and right regarding migration. I have already stated that I find the whole issue more complicated every time I look at it. Taking in 900000 migrants in a year is way too high, but also the vacancies in the NHS and Care system are way to high. Without doubt there are many people making extortionate profits from the NHS and Care systems, and also emergency housing for migrants. Care work is generally at minimum wage and the costs of a resident in a care home are also way too high, and would be unaffordable for many. family units and ties are also virtually non-existent – so family care is not possible.

Moving Civil Servants jobs out of London is a great idea – London has a vibrancy and momentum of its own, and spreading skilled jobs around the country is a great idea.

Cyclists – a newspaper report states that Paris has overtaken Amsterdam and the best city for cyclists. The accompanying photo was revealing. No lycra clad 30’s – just young people on bikes with baskets. How different to the cycling situation in the UK.