So the sponeless and spiteful government is about to give permission for 500 million barrels of oil to be extracted from the Rosebank Oilfield in the North Sea, Thus we can see how the oil companies control our government. Ignore the welfare of our children and grandchildren and the planet – profit is more important. They will conjure up the same old story of energy security needs. What we desperately need is reduced consumption, not just of oil but across the board. Any manufactire of single use plastic should be taxed. VAT on premium long lasting products should be cut – thus bringing them into the price range of poorer members of society. Products should be made to last.
WEATHER AND …
Our weather recently has been a bit odd. Nothing dramatic but February was very dry, and now March has been wet. Temperatures have been OK with only a couple of frosts last month. Plants in greenhouse – flower seeds are growing but no sign of the tomatoes yet. A dozen mints arrived today, along with 9 chilli plants and 16 plug plants for hanging baskets – I might get proper liners this year. Question – do I keep rosemary plants and sage plants in pots or plant out?
Cooking today for important people – wraps with marinated lamb, salad in greek dressing, greek lentil salad, cold roast potatoes cooked with rosemary, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, brown, red, black rice, spicy chick peas, ……….;;; followed by Cheddar Strawberries and a variety of nuts and dried fruit. Breakfast tomorrow – home made baguettes, bacon, sausage, egg.
ENERGY
Government reveals true colours on energy. i.e. It will do nothing other than set meaningless targets as it knows it is unlikely to be in power for much longer. Unproven carbon storage (but backed by oil companies) and hydrogen (ditto) are promoted as are small scale nuclear (whatever that means!). Onshore wind farms are not given the go ahead, no thought given to increasing National Grid capacity and farming was completely ignored. Nothing about reduced consumption or efficiencies. No Vision, No Plan, No Hope.
Around about 1970 there was a design shop in central London promoting the best of British Design, on TV we had “Tomorrows World”. Now we have nothing – zilch.
Government should be fasciltating innovation, encouraging investment via tax breaks (with a 10% stake in the company belonging to the nation, and providing seed funding (with larger stakes belonging to the nation).
An Idea – why not make motorways lorry only between 0100 and 0500 – sorry lorry drivers – but they could have quicker journeys and thus shorter working hours. They could use all 3 lanes (where available) and it would cut journey times of cars during the rest of the day. Car owners who do not like it could catch a train? Ot could be trialed on main motorways first like M1,2,3,4,5,6, 25 and A1(M).
SLAVERY
The Guardian has apologised fornte role played by its founders in creating the money to start the paper (via sugar cane plantations). Now the UN has called for the British Government and the Royal muckers to investigate the role of slavery in the past.
I know there will be shouts of derision from the right wing. I am not sure an apology is worth tuppence, but knowledge of the past is surely sensible. Knowing half the truth means that the full perspective of events in the past is possibly a lie, or at least incomplete.
i have not looked into my family history and doubt there is much of real interest – if however I was rich with inherited wealth that was accrued through the pain and suffering of others it would make me very uncomfortable. In many ways the wealth of the UK is based to a large extent on the suffering of others across the world. Our capacity to inflict sufferering stretches from the satanic mills and mines of this country to every continent in the world.
Loke I said it makes me feel uncomfortable. That is why morally we should do more to help former colonies and those still. sufferong from our past misdemeanours. King Charles yesterday laid a wreath to commemorate those civilians killed in bombing raids by the RAF in WWII, some of the raids were already been seen as pointless, but a wreath does help acknowledge the wrongs of the past.
I have heard many say, as indeed I think I have done so myself, that slavery was the norm for the time. It was only the norm for the small ruling class. It has always been seen and cruel by large nubers of people (if they had time to escape their own enslavement in factories). Other countries were also notably sadistic when it came to the colonies – Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, France. That is no excuse either. Slavery has and does exist across the world – the Arab World was renowned for it – and Qatar paying security agents 30p/hour maybe a midern example of it – but again no excuse for not recognising our not inconsiderable role in slavery.
The buffoons who rule this country believe it is acceptable to accept £10000 a day, Sunak making millions, or $500000 for an after dinner speech by a liar, whilst refusing NHS staff a pay rise in line with inflation. That is the mentality of the ruling class in this country. Why does the Telegraph and Mail so hate the acknowledgment of slavery and the benefits we have gained? It does not fit their culture war – there must be a counter to their sordid attempt to undermine British Culture.
LAMB MARINADE
Ingredients
- 2 lemons
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 whole bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Drizzle olive oil on to lemon juice and mix – then add the rest and the lamb and leave for 12 hours
PMQ’s
Angela Raynor does Raab!
PMQ’s
How embarrassing for Raab! He should resign asap!
HOUSE OF LORDS
It looks like there will be a deluge of appointments to the over. stuffed upper chamber. Labour will be unlikely to rock. the boat of they win the next election – but they should, and fast. Immediate action should be to limit admittance to 3 or 5 years. That would thin out the numbers and create a great discussion. Obviously hereditary peers would be gone. There maybe a case for some judges to be appointed for longer to ensure the legality issues are properly dealt with – but this could be worked out with caveats to ensure neutrality. There would also need to be some 4 nations issues addressed.
But for sure we do not heed 700+ lords of whom many are wasters.
The United Kingdom desrves a House of Lords (better names?) that can continue to advance the leagality and fairness of future legislation without partisan voting. I have been impressed by debates I have heard in the HoL – intelligent nuanced comments that did not rely on the need to appease bigoted voters. It should not be abolished!
NHS AND PUBLIC SERVICES
Look at what the Conservatives have done. NHS at breaking point – in 2010 we were highly regard around the world for our health service – the tories have (deliberately?) run it into the ground increased privatisation. Education is being pushed the same way. Libraries and swimming pools shut. Councils are running up debts.
At the sasme time the nations finances have been trashed. By leaving the EU they have lessened our prestige abroad. By promoting the incompetent to the Cabinet and higher they have undermined the whole political system.
They should call a general election before they do anymore damage.
POPULATION
Latest population prediction from the Club of Rome is that the world population will peak at 8.8 billion and thenstart to fall rapidly. This is more positive than previous estimates, and certainly better than the 10 billion estimates that were projected a few years back. The environment and wildlife might recover, however the growing consumption of humans will continue to be a problem. As will our inability to face up to climate change.