Author: Richard

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SYRIA

It seems that it was all a little bit too quick?

Russia may be finding the war in Ukraine stretching its resources too much; Iran may be suffering from the defeats of Hamas and Hezbollah; whilst Türkiye who have fought the Kurds for decades. seems to be the power broker in the region.

HTS is making a bid to be the de facto leadership post-Assad. How this will pan out will be interesting. Kurdish groups backed by USA hve large areas under control and are distrusted by Türkiye. The Islamist fighters will be hoping for a fundamentalist regime. Israel will have an influence by default. Russia has 2 large bases in the west of Syria which it will want to hold onto. HTS appears to be largely self-funded by oil and trade with Türkiye.

The west will be hoping to avoid the power vacuums that left Libya and Iraq in such dire straits that neither have recovered. Will Saudi Arabia or Qatar step into the vacuum? The joy at Assad’s departure maybe tempered by concerns for the future that the next few months will reveal.

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STORM DARRAGH

This one looks like it may be rather windy! And with snow in Scotland and heavy rain in Wales! I suspect that we will have a blowy winter! Every 1C warmer = 7% more moisture in the atmosphere. So with global warming it will be wetter than the past average as a normal? And all those houses built on flood plains? The pumps in Worle and the levels maybe working overtime.

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ANACHRONISMS

Much has been said about the ridiculous anachronism used by President Biden to pardon his son unconditionally. This goes against all aspects of a democratic society. However we should not criticise too much when we have our own anachronisms. The departing P.P.’s honours list for s start! And then the state of land ownership in the UK where most is owned by a few a aristocrats. And the Royal Family itself. And the presidence given to pivately educated people throughout society. And the precidence given to men over women in all wals of life.

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MASTERCHEF

I find the Greg Wallace affair interesting! I am absolutely certain that it does not deserve to be on the front pages for a week though. I have conflicting views though! Perhaps that is why!

I wonder if fame and power addles the mind of men? I went 30 years as a teacher without behaving like him! However I was not rich and famous!

I do not have sympathy but wonder if I can understand. To become rich and famous I would assume that one needs a huge ego matched by massive confidence. He was also likely to have been surrounded by people massaging his inflated ego. The Programme was also one where innuendo and bantering were common place – even a requirement. He also has not been accused of anything other than comments – which were inappropriate and uncalled for. However it does seem that the media has a campaign against the BBC.

Yes it is correct that he should not be retained as a presenter, but I suspect that many more people are guilty of much worse! The last government was full of misogynists and bullies!

Public life and prominent celebrities should set an example – President Biden has just set a truly awful example in the USA which will be compounded, no doubt, by Trump.

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PETITIONS

Of course I have signed many a petition. I never expected them to be successful though. A petition is a way of showing discontent in a democracy, not a way of enacting change. Badenoch showed great naivity by raising it at PMQT. In the UK we have a thing called General Elections. Labour won with a huge mandate. This petition calling for the Government to resign is not even been run properly with recommended post codes to be used by those abroad!

Sp rule by petition would be a disaster for democracy – we have Parliament to guide civil servants who run the country. In turn these civil servants provide Parliament with information with which to make decisions. Knee jerking ejaculation via the Daily Mail and GB News is to be resisted at all costs. Having lost at the ballot box the right wing seem to be trying to create a situation for a coup? Farage is stupid enough and egoistic enough to go along with this.

Meanwhile Johnson blames the Chuch for Britains obesity problem! Oh well!! Britains children are the worlds unhealthiest! Of course nothing to do with fast food advertising and housing costs that mean both parents need to go out to work. Putting advertising restrictions on is said to be “nany state”, but the same people need telling that it is pissing down outside!

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GRUMP! FLOODS

This a grumpy person speaking! People are complaining that flood warnings, flood prevention, etc. were not enough. Firstly, how many of these people are driving their petrol cars and complain if fuel tax is raised? Secondly why do they always rely on others? I saw the weather forecast, looked at the predicted rain radar map and could see that some areas were going to be hit hard. If living close to a river with steep valley sides it is obvious that there is a flood danger – why wait for the Met.Office or Env.Agency? If anything I would complain about the Met. Office issueing too many warnings – “Crying wolf”? People are criticised for stockpiling during emergencies, but maybe it should be encouraged in some areas?

We lie in times of unpredictable weather – Valencia was an extreme example of this, but everyone needs to be aware. Climate sceptics are fed the bullshit so that the rich do not have to pay extra tax to restrict climate damage – they are unaffected by food price rises. Food prices are becoming increasingly unstable as extreme events become less rare.

And then the guy in the large green tractor who sped through te flood water creating a bow wave large enough to smash windows! Did he attend a rally to complain about inheritanvce tax?!

I think my basic gripe is that people expect others to do the work. If anything the role of government should be to encourage land use plans that both mitigate and prevent floods. With a proliferation of new housing needed and planned this is urgent (and will upset farmers more)!

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BANANAS

I can sort of understand how a banana stuck to a wall with duct tape can sell for $6.24million. The fact the purchaser was a tec crypto currency geek with more money than sense. he hs got lots of publicity worldwide. Others must have been bidding too! The certificate of provenence is where the money goes! But what i totally fail to see is why 20 (at latest look) people have paid over £30 for copies on Etsy. If you want a copy just do it yourself or ask any secondary school pupil to make it for you!

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BULLSHIT

Can the bullshit come to an end please. The inheritance tax adjustment to what the rest of us have (but not as bad) is being used to vent frustrations that the likes of Clarkson and Farage (looking like a ferret!) are quick to inflame. In France farm owners have to prove their capability to farm, not sure how? In this country the vast amount of our land is owned by a tiny number of people, like the Duke of Westminster (who I bet does not pay much as he has an army of lawyers working on tax avoidance). Land equal to the size of Greater London is set aside for shooting Red Grouse! How many people can afford to go shooting?

The small scale farmers (most) should be quite rightly complaint about the prices paid by supermarkets, about chlorinated chicken from the USA (hang on though – the intensive chicken farms in the Wye Valley have numbers counted in 100000’s and pollute the river), So not them then! The consumer must be prepared to pay for environmentally produced meat – and then eat less of it!

So keep the inheritance tax, but also close loop holes that make buying agricultural land that makes it attract pension funds and investors.

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SNOW

It snowed, a bit wet but undeniably snow! This is earlier than I remember it – ever! there is light precipitation shown on the rainfall radar until 16.00 then a cold night!