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Strawberry cheesecake with strawberry coulis – recipe from Jane’s patisserie p32
Gin and tonic cake – Coffee and walnut cake – carrot cake – Choc chip cookies – oatmeal raisin cookies – white chocolate strawberry scones
Coconut dream Bars – Skillet cornbread – cinnamon raisin swirl cake – New Orleans beignets
Some basic points. The overall tax base cannot be cut without a fall in government expenditure. This can either mean a cut in the services provided by government or an increase in the economy. The latter is increasingly unlikely!
At present we are seeing virtually all sectors of the economy hit by increasing inflation of costs, and higher taxes. This does not appear sustainable. The only sector seemingly immune is the financial sector where record bonus payments have been made, and those who profited from Covid and recent energy rises.
Wages have to go up for most of the population so the answer would seem to be fairly simple. Firstly reverse as much of Brexit as possible. Secondly reduce corporation tax to encourage investment. Thirdly introduce a 60% income tax on all net individual earnings.
Then the whole council tax system needs sorting. Second home owners should pay a premium rather than be exempt if they do not occupy for long enough during the year. People need to rent and let rather than buy to ensure/reflect economic mobility. There needs to be inspectors who can set a fair rent – if the landlord does not like it they can sell. With a fair rent tenants and landlords can be happy. Business tax is destroying the high street by not levying a fee on the likes of Amazon. High Streets provide local jobs and the knock on. Globalisation is anti-localisation. Society needs to rebuild on local levels after covid, with help and community words to the forefront and profit and greed relegated to the bin.
We can build a better society in which we all participate if the media stop creating hate and jealousy.
Laws restricting large companies from selling and promoting harmful products are not the nanny state, but an attempt to provide a balance to the public. The true nanny state encourages consumers to over indulge in products that are addictive and harmful (tobacco, alcohol, sugar, salt,) and activities that potentially harm others (driving laws, health and safety laws, etc.). No sensible person would employ a nanny to encourage these things. Yet the looneys on the right are happy to promote these activities for their profit.
The government is getting worse by the day. It seems that Johnson perceives his hopes of survival on appeasing the right wing of the Cabinet (i.e. all of them). Environmental controls on food are to be slashed, rivers are being turned into sewers, building on Greenfield sites going ahead despite environmental concerns. Where it has power (e.g. railways) wages are being frozen. The talk is all about tax cuts which means job cuts in the current climate. Our economy is wilting under the onslaught of Brexit. The Rwanda shit show horror story continues to be an embarrassment to all sane members of the public.
We need publicity to make wild gardens cool. I have not got a large garden – the front is about 60m2. There are about 90 of these along my street. Some have been paved over for cars at least in part, one has artificial grass, 3 or 4 have sorted plants, one or two are leaving areas to wild, but I am the only one with a concerted lack of plan! 20+ types of mint, 7 thyme, a huge sage bush, 4 rosemary varieties, lemon verbena, Californian poppy tansy, sunflowers, vetch, forget-me-not, and other stuff all encouraging wildlife. If more people joined in we could have our own urban nature reserve. The urban climate would be moderated, rainfall run off (and floods) reduced. And the beauty of herbs and flowers that benefit our senses would be enhanced .
Tomorrows recipe
And still the BBC refuses to mention BREXIT. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development expects the UK economy to grow by 3.6% this year, followed by 0% growth next year.
It means the UK will go from the second-fastest growing economy in the G7 group of industrial nations to the slowest growing in 2023.
The G7 members are the UK, US, Canada, Germany, Japan, France and Italy.
The OECD is a group of countries which aims to assist economic development, raise living standards and promote growth in world trade.
Laurence Boone, the Paris-based think tank’s chief economist, said the UK was being hit hard by a combination of factors, including higher interest rates, higher taxes, reduced trade and more expensive energy and food.
Well more seeds in 60 pots of red basil, lemon basil and Korean mint – coriander seems to be growing well, and greek basil (I like basil) is catching up – in total about 90npots with seeds, a nice warm spell would be good. Tomatoes are all looking good in the greenhouse and tiny in front of house. Night scented stock in flower. Roses are abundant maybe I will get another couple of bushes? I have put camomile in bigger pot together with ginger mint. And I have planted some fat baby seeds. Raspberries are spreading across the ‘former’ lawn!
I will transplant some different mints for the shop – I wonder if I could do a bit of the Corsican Mint, lemon balm, chocolate mint, Bowles mint, spearmint, and the rest? Maybe 3 at a time?
The tories quote ‘he has apologised’ so let him stay. But he said he would do again – so not an apology then. 211 MP’s voted for the criminal – were they scared, stupid, or waiting their time? 2 bye-elections coming up which might change some minds. No need for another vote for 12 months unless the MP’s show some back bone and refuse to back his misguided policies (where they exist). I think there could be a vote of no confidence in parliament as opposed to the Nasty Party. This would result in a General Election. Has the criminal stitched up donations to himself and his sycophants .