BRAINLESS

So Jeff Bezon is coughing up over £40 million for his wedding. Firstly how anyone is that obscenely rich is a travesty of the economic systematic rip off of the workers. Secondly – how can anyone with a brain and a concious be so immune to human suffering and poverty, that they are willing to splurge millions on a graphic and gaudy show of wealth? At least Bill Gates invested some of his wealth usefully.

The world has become very selfish. Was it Covid or is it social media? Both develop(ed) introverted behaviour. The media is mainly anti-woke, i.e. against anything that shows empathy and understanding for others. Definitely a case for increasing the tax on the rich. Basically Musk, Zuckerberg and Bezos took a gamble and it paid off. That is fine but there should be a limit to personal wealth!

Selfishness used to be the perogative of the young – too insular to realise the effect on others. But it seems that the rich have a monopoly on it! One of the papers criticised Starmer for using a helicopter recently – will they be castigating Bezos or extolling the costumes of the rich and famous. PS. what the fuck do people buy him as a wedding present? There are only so many Caribbean Islands he could visit? I like the corner of Glastonbury where Led by Donkeys and others have built a mock space craft with a caption of” send them to Mars – we party on Earth”. The images shown of people queing included Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg, Trump and Netanyahu. however if an alien species discovered them on Mars and thought they represented life on earth – we would be totally fucked!

VENICE and Tourism

So Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez thought their wealth would enable them to “hire” Venice. The obscenity of their extravagant display of wealth was however no match for locals who threatened to flood the canals with plastic crocodiles!. However there are a reported 95 private planes flying in for the wedding. The cost is gross, and did Ms Sanchez’s space flight count as a bachelorette party? Venice is blighted by too much tourism anyway – cruise ships over 25000 tonnes have already been banned due to the congestion and pollution cased.

Unrest is spreading across the Mediterranean Region. House prices have risen by double in some cities. But wages are low in tourism, locals are forced to leave as properties are bought up to turn into Airbnb and apartments. Tourists flock from Northern European countries and movements to restrict these migrants are growing in momentum, despite the jobs they bring. Even some areas of the UK are imposing surcharges on holiday stay overs. Councils have the right to increase council tax on second homes.

So this has become a difficult problem. The right to holiday away from home in a nice environment versus the right to be able to live in ones home area. Congestion in Cornwall can be horrific at times, and parking is expensive. House prices in Cornwall have soared (especially due to covid). House pices in villages make the traditional small cottages extortionately expensive. A parking space in a laybye was sold in St.Ives for over £50000. Is there an equitable answer? Probably not. Places like Cornwall and west Wales are too remote for the growth of employment hubs. Wages are therefore depressed and often seasonal.

But conversely it is surely every workers right to escape from the urban existence once a year? 2nd home ownership is perhaps the worst example. 1 in 19 homes in Cornwall is a second home. 19000 properties are classified as second homes. Occupancy levels are 89% in peak season – but statistics out of season are difficult to obtain The average salary in Cornwall is £34.6kaccording to Cornwall Community Foundation, while the UK average salary is £42.2k.  Education levels of achievement are also lower commensurate with the employment opportunities offered. And still the Numpties voted for Brexit that cut off a lifeline of investment! It is definitely a problem – solution ?????

PAPERS AGAIN

The Sun leads with a story that asylum seekers are given a free room and food, and a job as a food delivery riders. Quite what the logic of the numbskulls is here I am perplexed! Free food and lodgings is a British tradition for those held in custody – should all prisoners be forced to pay for it? Especially when the law expressly states that asylum workers cannot work. So by wording the article the way it did, the Sun has pkaced the blame on the migrants rather than the firms (largely American) that employ them –if the stories are in anyway correct. Free identity cards would solve the problem of illegal employment. Regarding hotels and food – the system must speed up to process claims and either repatriate or get them employed legally!

Reform are suggesting a deal for rich foreigners to avoid tax – pay £250 grand and the tax man will ignore them? And yet people still vote for the C**t. The Times has started wailing at the the number of millionaires who are leaving the UK. Yes 10000 left, but
The wealthiest 1% of households had wealth of at least £3,121,500. The wealthiest 10% of households had wealth of £1,200,500 or more, while the least wealthy 10% had £16,500 or less. For the wealthiest 10% of households, net property wealth (38%) and private pension wealth (36%) made up most of their wealth. So 282000 households have wealth of £3 million +. and 10000 have fucked off. There are questions here! How many of those who have left came here because of money laundering or other financial tax breaks? Why is a million£ not enough for a brilliant lifestyle? How many actually left due to changes in the tax regieme which forced them to pay their share to society and infrastructure.

I realise these wankers contribute via the taxes their workers pay on their substandard wages, and the VAT they pay on luxury items, but be honest “do we need/want money grabbing arseholes like these in our country”.. Not only will their departure free up some very large houses, but also possibly areas of the countryside.

PAPERS

Every morning I go to local shop and sort the papers – only a task really on a Saturday – but I get a cup of tea and a chat, and usually a short quiz game. But sad at the ignorance of Mail, Sun and Express readers I have decided to print and insert the following in these papers. I will add the url for this web site so it is not anonymous!

CIVILIANS

The regieme change in Iraq resulted in an estimated 122,000 civilian deaths. Israel and. the USA do not respect civilian life, nor international law. It is also clear that the Trump attack was not based on firm evidence, just as Sadam Hussain did not have weapons of mass destruction. There is also no evidence that the bombs were successful in destroying the nuclear complexs hit.

Interesting phone in where a scientist said that tthe centrefuges needed to enrich uranium would cost £500 each! So Iran can build new processing facilities relatively easily. So all Trump will have done is to increase the likelyhood of Iran creating a nuclear bomb; and crucially by withdrawing from the nuclear deal with Iran and now bombing it, will have increased the possibility of a bamb being used.

I need to reiterate that Iran’s government is not a nice democratic one according to the model I have been indoctrinated (correctly I believe!) with. But there are many that also would not pass my test (including our own at times). But destroy the Republican Guard and ISIS and other fanatics will quickly fill the vacuum – as happened in Libya, Iraq, and possibly Syria.

Iran does not need to fire huge number of missiles – just threaten boats going through the Gulf – which is a very long way!

The Arabian Gulf (also known as the Persian Gulf) is approximately 615 miles (990 kilometers) long. It stretches from the Shatt al-Arab in the northwest to the Strait of Hormuz in the southeast. Its width varies, ranging from 210 miles (340 km) to 35 miles (55 km) at the Strait of Hormuz.  Oil prices are also going through the roof. Iran could relatively easily cut off 20% of the worlds oil supply, or at least make it difficult. Oil has gone up $10 a barrel today.

Who would line up with Iran? Perhaps more pertinently is who will stand against them? This will pan out over the next few weeks.

AM I SAFER THIS MORNING?

Is anyone? The illegal bombing of Iran has made the world a less safe place. Who is the proxy here, USA or Israel? Is the Iranean regeme any better or worse than Pakistan, India, North Korea, China, USA or Israel. The main reason I would have to negotiate a nuclear safety programme with Iran is that one more bomb is one too many. The regeime is nasty and vindictive, but Israel has slaughtered at least 40000 innocents and has set out to drive a population out of Gaza – genocide. The oft quoted statement that Iran wants to extinguish Israel is not verified and open to interpretation. There is little doubt that this will be their objective from now on.

Despite some geriatric former general stating that America was correct I am pleased that no British bases were used by the planes. Trump has demanded a surrender by Iran – difficult unless there actually is a war, which he has not declared to avoid scrutiny by Congress. Who should they surrender to? It can’t be the USA as they have not declared war, so it is between Trump and Israel. WTF! 90.1 million people should surrender to the orange flea ball? It is unlikely that many Iranians would welcome Trump with open arms, even with their dislike of the government. It seems to me that in many countries there is a 3 way split. A hard conservative right (in this case the Iranean government and its mullahs: Then a liberal leftish third (mainly the young and educated): and a third who go with the flow, believe what they are told to and want to be left alone in peace.? And there will always be a hard core of activists who will sacrifice for their cause – Israel beware!

We can move on from the military action of the bombs – Trump has demanded surrender. Quite what this means is to be seen. Isrel has already ‘taken out’ ‘killed’ at least 2 dozen military leaders and government officials. This did not work out well in Libya, or Iraq, or Syria, or even Persia! The future does not look bright and hopefully not orange!

tbc

WATER COMPANIES

Private investors and hedgefunds want imunity from environmental laws to enable them to pump shit into our rivers and seas with impunity. They also want to be able to raise prices.

So lets be honest – the public has allowed the privatised water companies to raise fund via debts to pay shareholders and executive wages/bonus. Nationalisation will require government funding to replace the infrastructure neglected by greed for 46 years. Nationalisation is not a cheap option – it could have an impact on foreign investment, BUT it is the moral and sensible investment. If nationalised the government should offer ownership to the bill payers, like John Lewis or the co-op. Each £500 paid = 1 share. Not paying dividends at present, but guaranteeing a payout if the companies were ever sold off again?

There are a host of vultures willing to take on Thames Water if the government gives them a free ticket – well tell them to fuck off, and then go further.

IRAN

It appears that Israel is acting as a proxy for America in the war with Iran. I know that Trump has a reputation as TACO but his words are frightening. Why is he demanding unconditional surrender when it is Israel doing the fighting. Israel is demanding a regeime change which brings to mind “be careful what you wish for!” . Deposing Saddam and Gadafi in Iraq and Libya has been an unmitigated disaster. Both countries have descended into lawlessness and the civilian population is less safe than it was before.

Another key question is whether the UK could be dragged into the conflict? American airbases may be used to refuel American bombers which could be construed as UK backing if their is an American offensive. The status of Diego Garcia remains uncertain – American base but is it leased by Britain after the recent treaty. British planes have been involved in attacks on te Houtis in Yemen who are/were dependant on Iranian arms. Starmer should tell Trump that he cuts US tariffs to zero or he can fuck off and take his American bases with him.

Will Trump use his on/off tariff war to garner support for military action against Iran -I have no confidence in Starmer being able to stand up against the orange monster. Will America ue its monster concrete busting bombs to destroy Iranian nuclear sites. On the fnancial side it seems that governments can always find the money for war, but not for social reform and support. It took a century to repay loans made during the Napoleonic Wars, and 61 years for WW2. So when Trump boasts about ‘winning WW2″ he was presumably talking about the finance. Does he see Iran in the same way as Gaza – let Israel bomb the fuck out of it, then American finance moves in to rebuild? Who knows what comes next – death and destruction guaranteed – war>diplomacy.

On a positive note it is sunny today – already 22 in my sitting room. I have a pretty umbrella and table on the patio – so fucking middle class! So I will sit out there this afternoon – too hot to do much until the evening. I was going to make a pizza, but too hot – so I bought a quiche – so lazy! Forecast for the next week is sunny and dry with max temps here on Friday. My water butts should last out until the next forecast rain. Apples are looking good and I will get some stick on stencils to put kids names or at least initials on them. I might also thin them out a bit.

GROOMING

As ever not black or white or bipolar. I understand why governments did not wish to fuel right wing hatred fed by the the horrific media. But ultimately the welfare of the girls and boys involved should have been paramount. The hypocrisy of the Conservatives is, once again astounding, 14 years of doing nothing – one has to assume that they thought the girls were at fault (if white males involved) or that they were as frightened about racist accusations as Labour). I am not sure the inquiry will come up with anything other than a reson to riot. What should happen is an emphasis of how we introduce love into the lives of children abandoned for whatever reason. Pakistani grooming gangs seem to exist – and all the perpertaators should be prosecuted. If there seems to be a cultural problem it needs to be addressed with, not force or law, but compasion and education.

IRAN

Was Iran moving towards a more liberal/democratic future? We will never now know.

Israel claims that it has destroyed Iranian air defence systems and can thus bomb with impunity. However in a conflict of this size a military advantage does not equate to conquest. Israel said it was taking out Iran’s nuclear facilities – but now it seems that a formerly hidden agenda is coming into play. Attacks on Iran’s infrastructure have increased, including attacks on oil refineries/depots. So the price of oil will rocket and poor nations in particular will suffer. Fuel costs will rise in the UK and the numbskulls will campaign for more oil wells around the UK. However a sensible government will accelerate green energy initiatives – especially home based (that is in and on houses) that are not subject to attack – cyber or otherwise. The National Grid may make sense economically for the big companies, but is vulnerable to attack. Small is beautiful.

The Israeli ‘Shield” may be good – but has been penetrated. I fear the war will escalate – with Trump’s approval.