Author: Richard

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BBC

So the trashing of national institutions continues. BJ Boris has a pop at the BBC – I suppose he has to justify the wage paid by the Mail. The board of the BBC is a geriatric nightmare withthe youngest being 52. As for left wing bias – they are having a fucking joke. QT has become a political forum for Reform, the Gary Lineker episode revealed the bias to the right. Reporting on Gaza has been weighted towards Israel most of the time. However the right wing seek to portray anything less than MAGA influenced as bias. This is an attempt to sway those on the Board of the BBC and the government to the right. Of course news reporting is always going to show some bias, but the BBC has a reputation for impartiality – or had!

And at last we will get the Budget – tax rises will occur and be criticised to the nth degree. But at least we will not have to put up with former ‘experts’ pontificating about the disasterous impact of any tax increase. Let us hope that the burden will fall on those who can afford it! And also that Reeves makes a point of extolling tax as a way of creating a fair and just society for all. I fear it will be a fudge! Many Labour MP’s are disgusted at the move of Labour to the right. Only Ed Milliband seems to be holding true to the agenda set out in the last manifesto. The Greens are upto 16% in the polls with Polanski raising their profile. Mamdani has shown that leftist policies can be popular – if they are publicised via social media. For too long the rich have used their influence over the printed press and TV to maintain the staus quo. Hopefully we are seeing this hegmony crumbling. The young are realising that the old have been manipulating the economics for too long.

On this – poverty is an issue due to high rents and mortgages – not inaction or laziness by workers. So a reduction in rents is ‘feasible’, a mortgage rate reduction less so. Mamdani has stated that he will impose rent restrictions in New York. Will this cause property to become cheaper as renters sell up? Possibly. That would leave many with negative equity – but they would have a house and mortgage rates should drop with more properties on the market? I am obviously no economist. Reports in the rw New York Times said that a million New Yorkers plan to leave! Where will they go to? The saddoes who said they were leaving London have not unfortunately.

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MAMDANI

The victory for Mamdani in a city with a huge jewish diaspora, with the media and the government against him, is momentous. Our government should learn – get out and campaign for your beliefs. The British people do not crave division, hostility and agro. I believe that the UK is a wonderful country where all can live in harmony. Politics are toxic at the moment – emphasis is on hate and discord, where is te love?

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ELON MUSK

Anyone who follows this site or knows me will be aware of the dislike I have of Musk and his activities. The latest example is the proposed pay award that will give him $1tn if he increases Tesla’s value from $1tn to $8.5tn. As this would be in a share award it is all rather paper money. However this obscenity is not just a reflection of Musk, but of the absurdity of rampant capitalism. I am not aware of Musk being an increddible inventor, but am aware that he is ruthless as a manager and employer. He also seems to have an inflted ego that rivals that of Trump and Putin and Xi. No one should be rewarded with such wealth, whatever, and there is no talk amongst the present shareholders of rewarding the employees who actually make the damn cars. Despite my appalled reaction it seems unlikely that Tessla shares will increase thatmuch in 10 years. Competition from China and established car firms are making the market difficult for Tesla, and this is exacerbated by Musk and his questionable politics. His cars are expensive and new product lines have been a spectacularfailure (Trucks). He also has SpaceX to increase his wealth whilst twitter – X – is just a plaything for him.

Whilst he may be a control freak who thinks his wealth = influence, humanity this week has not proven this. Firstly the Dutch people voted for a centralist government to ostensibly the previous right wing one, then New York voted in a muslim socialist despite the rantings of Trump. And yes – I do believe in miracles, that people are basically good, angels and mermaids do exist, as do lepricorns, duende and the power of positive thought. But the trolls will be defeated ultimately.

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CLIMATE CHANGE

Trump interprets words to his own interpretation. He claimed that Bill Gates had said that climate change was a hoax – he did not. He merely said that whilst itwas a major problem the emphasis should be business innovation (where he has huge investments!). With huge areas of the planet facing ecological breakdown there would seem to be a need for concerted action at all levels. Areas threatened with breakdown include the Amazon rainforest, destabilisation of Antarctican and Greenland ice caps and changes to the oceans. On an immediate level we have had significant floods in Pakistan and China and Hurricane Melissa and tropical storm Fengshen in Taiwan.

However there are positives (which the right wing parties seem to want to undermine for some strange reason?). Global investment in battery storage and renewables are risng. The cost of solar has fallen by 90% in 15 years, wind power is also fallen by 50% (offshoe) and 95% ( onshore). whilst battery costs are down by 90%. Where these stats come from as reported in the Observer is stated, but does not seem to be being passed onto the consumer. However it is positive but … oil companies are still expanding their production.

I am reminded of the old adage ‘give a man a fish and it will feed him for a day – teach him to fish and you feed him for life”. Reform and the Tories may cut energy bills today, but they will be lining the pockets of shareholders in the oil companies for decades, whilst contributing to 7million deaths a year from the pollution caused. (WHO figures). Let alone the ecosystem collapses stated above.

The cost of action against climate change is estimated at 15 GDP, the cost of inaction is 5-20% GDP. A no brainer (Trump, Farage, Badenoch, etc.!).

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CAR

Well thankfully I am not in Jamaica at present so news about car is better than a lot of alternative scenarios. The car has a leak somewhere they cannot find so will cost at least £600 and take 5 days. So looking on the brightside – an excuse for a Waitrose Internet Shop! It is also time for making xmas cake. Poolis made and on its last rise for a square loaf – but like a ciabata.

papers were quite funny today – looking to their readership; Express voiced concern about budget and OAP’s; Sun went for headline “Save our Betting Shops”; Telegraph had a moan about wind power. Star rejigged ‘lettuce’ quote. Mail has another anti-migrant headline whilst the Times leads on Labour not meeting its pledge on new houses (every field near a village here is being converted to houses!). I am not sure they are building factories or offices, or doctors surgeries and schools, youth clubs, sports faculties, or any other social facility. It is all just about money and profit. Oh, and fuck the environment – Floods will occur, and no one will accept responsibility for the shit decisions made by developers and politicians – but the tax payer will be expected to bail out those made homeless.

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HURRICANE MELISSA

Hurricane Melissa has developed into a Category 5 hurricane over the warm seas of the Caribbean (2 degrees warmer than the norm). What this means is 250kph winds and a storm surge of upto 4m. The storm is slow moving and could also bring a metre of rain. The hurricane will cause widespread damage and hit the economy. If only it hit Miami! Not to kill people, but a huge impact on the U.S. might at least the MAGA idiots rethink? On reflection probably not, they would just blame democrats for upsetting God!

Will it bring heavy rainfall to the UK in a couple of weeks? I suspect so. Maybe it will coincide with Starmer announcing a step back of green energy promises? I was a Labour Paty member until recently, but Labour seem to be almost as clueless as the last jerks. Raising Nat. Ins. was, in retrospect wrong, and harmed the economy. A wealth tax would have been/be better. I see lots of houses being built, but no drop in prices. I read that on average rent is 45% of wages – fucking ridiculous. Introduce a rent freeze for 3 years – that would allow people to plan ahead. If new houses are not being bought to rent out the price should fall. I am sorry if tat means some people end up with negative equity – but the gravy train for landlords and house builders and banks needs to be halted. If only 10% of income was unnecessarily going to rent/mortgage and could be retained by tenants and mortgagees we would see a booming economy. Workers could be paid a fair wage, food quality could rise and people would not resent the taxes which pay for the NHS and Education and Police and so many others who make this country great.

So I do not think Labour are brave enough or even have the intellectual ability to be bold. I live in a 3 bed bungalow – by myself. Make me pay for this anti-social behaviour! My house value has more than doubled in the last 25 years and I have made no great improvements (unless you count my wildlife garden!).

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CAERPHILLY

Byelection results are generally votes against the government of the day, but …. Caerphilly has always voted Labour. So the result of Plaid Cymru 47%; Reform 36%, Labour 11%, Conservatives 2%, green 1.5%, Lib Dems 1.5%. is a real shock and serves warning to Labour. 18 months since their massive landslide we have seen little evidence of open government (desperately needed after the buffoonery of the last 10 years), or optimism for the future. Whilst this is definitely a protest vote – is the Welsh population turning towards independence? I doubt it. Reform at around 36% seems to be about par (given that 50% of the population have average intelligence it would follow normal distribution curves for the bottom 36% to be racist thick bigots!). Greens and LibDems will not be concerned about their low votes in South Wales in an area of fossil fuel history!. However the Conservatives must be shitting themselves. Whilst they have never done well in Caerphilly they could have expected the protest vote to be for them rather Welsh Nationalists and racist flag shaggers.

TBH the UK needs a party that is respected and honest to hold a government to account. Reform have shown in numerous councils that they are not capable of doing this. Starmer has banished those withing his own party of speaking out against him. The present tories are evil shits, where are the honourable ones? Government spending and taxes need to be scrutinised and questioned. Most people do not object to taxes if their use is clear, justified and reasonable. Yes there are always the headbangers onthe right who just want to make money for themselves, whatever the cost to society.

My ideal world would see a left leaning coalition of Green, Socialist and LibDems in government but with a centre right opposition of substance making sure each government decision is scrutinised and justified; and publicised. The press would be forced to print opinion in italics or otherwise highlighted. I am fed up with reading what Reeves is thinking of imposing on us in the next budget – the Mail and Telegraph and Express have not got a clue what she is GOING to do. They can surmise, but should phrase it accordingly!

I have got my keffiyeh and am watching youtube as to how to wear it! Solidarity with Palestine!

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NATIONAL PRIDE

I was ecstatic as a 13 year old that England won the World Cup. But why? My rationale 60 years later is that I was perhaps swept along with the nationalistic comments of all around me. My father who had been in WW2 hated the Germans with some justification (his photo of those he joined up with was punctuated with the words dead. Flags were waved and I was proud to be English. However my favorite football shirt was Scotland! I guess I knew the players of England better than those of Germany.

However on my travels abroad I never felt the need to extol my Englishness of Britishness – indeed I was often ashamed of our historic thuggery and pillaging, So I will be unable to block my support for unknown personal/players at the next World Cup. Messi and Ronaldo will be gone or nearly, Yamal will weave his genius, Bellingham will star for England along with Harry Kane, Mbappe will also star along with others. I like football more than my country! No Englishman gets in the GOAT list – Pele, Maradona, Cruyff, Beckinbaurer and Bobby Moore would be a shout, George Best, Drogba. Who cares what nationality they are? Usain Bolt was amazing but not English – who fucking cares?

So nationalism and patriotism are pathetic excuses for the need to replace self-confidence with the need to belong. I guess most people do it – the need to belong, to join a club or even a political party. Everyone I know will not support every aspect of the person they vote for. Is party politics an anachronism based on party loyalty? I am not going to march under the banner/flag of anyone who has fundamental differences to me. I have been there and done that with Blair.

I realise a fundamental flaw in my argument – if asked about hanging – I would guess that a majority would vote for it to be irestarted, despite the possibility of an innocent person being murdered. But why are we voting for parties based on ?

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COAL

So India celbrated passing 1bn tonnes of coal extracted and burnt. Oceans warming, increased species extinction, Iceland has mosquitos for the first time, Forests continue to be felled unsustainably. Will humans be clever enough to solve the problems of melting glaciers, rising sea levels and, as yet unforseen catastrophes? Well the signs are there – the traffic lights are amber and yet our politicians carry on regardless – but nothing funny about this carry on! Hey folks – burning your clothes and matresses this winter will keep you warm – but you will be fucked in the future! Farage and tory followers want to increase fossil fuel burning ‘because it keeps the energy costs down’. Basically they are saying screw the environment as I will be dead before the shit hits the fan – ‘hopefully’.

However there are positive signs – one in five new cars sold last year in the UK was electric, in China nearly half. However I am not sure we are doing enough to protect our oceans. Just because they seem endless, and are 80% of earths surface area, they should not be ignored. They are the carbon sink and the oxygen provider for life on earth.

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BANKING

Wash your brain! a while back somehow someone mahaged to scam me – fortunately the bank notified me that there was a mysterious £35 coming out of my account – clever bastards. Anyway they sent me a new debit card and pin. Like an arrogant tosser I thought I could remember the new pin. Yep got cash and no problem.. 3 months later and I had run out of cash and used the machine in the shop. I thought that i remembered te pin – but I am therefore very, very stupid. The bank cancelled my card so I had a very pleasant discussion about my stupidity with someone called Maureen in a call centre in Manchester and she sent me my Pin again. And today I used it to get some cash! TBH I did not need it, but feel more comfortable with the back up in my pocket!

Crowd Farming have just sent me organic mangoes from Spin. I love those guys and gals – it may cost a little more but is supporting farmers not shareholders and the bonus payments to directors. So I am stocked up with garlic, lemons, mango and avocados. My apples are brilliant – so I could survive in luxurious food for at least 6 weeks – nearly Xmas! On which I have bought some brandy for the xmas cake.