CLIMATE CHANGE

Firstly some basic economics. This country is wealthy enough for everyone to have a good basic standard of living. So Rishi Sunak and the daily Telegraph can stop the whinge about the cost of climate measures now. Redistribute the wealth of this country more fairly and job done. The Daily Star is being even more ridiculous than normal in complaining that our summer is not the hottest so far, by showing a picture of rain – durhh they are different.

Excellent explanation of changes likely in our weather on the radio today. We will still have hot and cold spells, wet and dry spells, windy and snowy spells, but when they occur they are likely to be more extreme. Hence the horrendous fires in Greece, Turkey, and the ongoing Dixie fire which has consumed 676sq.m so far – an area bigger than Pembrokeshire in California. The floods in Germany and China, Drought in North Korea. And we have had our little floods too, not so little for those who have had to suffer them London and elsewhere.

And then there is sea level rise – like all future predictions there are unknowns – maybe there will be more snow thus countering ice melt? But general figures are for about a metre in the next 30 years. If only it was that simple – add one metre to the waves topping sea defences on stormy days at present and we have catastrophes in the making.

I guess there are 3 types of attitudes to climate change. 1. We need to act now, even if it costs. 2. We need to act but …, my car, … my holiday, …. mememe. and 3. I do not believe in climate changeling caused by humans, and certainly not me – I would like to be rich enough to provide a home on the outlying islands of Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Kiribati or the Maldives, but then deny them wifi! (I would rescue them in the end – maybe).

Trump has said that the fires are down to forest management – and is not wrong for once. However his 4 years in office did nothing to change this, and a century in the making, it seems that climate change may have played a good part.

Erdogan in Turkey is getting uppity about criticisms regarding the fires. Well bozo, maybe handing out tea bags was not such a bright idea! But what is it with you overinflated cocks that you cannot see a crisis, acknowledge any failings and then do something positive rather than arresting critics!

Alok Sharma

The contradictions are beyond belief. Failure of COP26 would be catastrophic but the Tories will continue to open new coal mines and North Sea oil. Flying around the world is OK too – and of course quarantine rules do not apply to him.

Vaccinations

After a positive start the roll out seems to be faltering. 6 EU states have now got a higher % vaccination than the UK. The map of who has been jabbed is a somewhat familiar one – large urban areas seem to have a lower take up (although locally Glastonbury is relatively low!). So is the correlation with poverty? I suspect it is, and reflects a lack of confidence in government. However there are anomalies with Knightsbridge, Belgarvia and Hyde Park only having 56% take up of first dose. Areas with large proportions of young (cities) are also lower in take up.

WELL DONE DAILY MAIL

I never thought I would say this without extreme torture! But their expose of the climate minister Amok Sharma flying all over the world to over 30 countries is bad enough, but then visiting 6 red countries and not going into quarantine is inexcusable on both counts. Could someone please explain – fast – that this is not a joke fest for Bozo Buckethead and crew.

EDUCATION AND TAGS

So the government thinks this years teacher assessed grades are viable enough to enrol more students into medical school. I hope this is not a measure wrought out of expediency – medical care is too important for that.

GROUSE MOORS

Almost 350.000ha within our National Parks are devoted to driven grouse moors. These moors are heavily managers with mountain hares, stoats and foxes are legally slaughtered, and hen harriers and golden eagles illegally slaughtered (hen harriers have also been shot on the Queens Sandringham Estate).

Elaine Thompson-Herah: Instagram blocks gold medallist who shared race win

A study commissioned by the FA found 359 accounts on twitter with explicitly racist abuse. Action taken – zero – update 11 arrests made . Thompson-Herah’s account was taken down because she may have broken copyright rules for olympic sponsors by sending clips of herself wining the gold medal to friends.

Beyond the absurdity of the detail here is the fact that accounts can be taken down rapidly if financial interests are involved, but not racist abuse.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Whilst it was good to see Starmer criticising Johnson for ‘a cabaret of soundbites’, it is also ironic that that was basically what he did yesterday. Where are the policies from anyone which the public can consider and debate?

BLAMING THE YOUNG

I know that the young did not vote for the nasty party, but this government seems vindictive. Young at University have been put under house arrest earlier in the pandemic, have had to pay top whack for an experience that was far from what they signed up for. Those most likely to lose their jobs are … the young. Education has been disrupted and the best that Williamson can come up with is free Latin Lessons for a few. Now they are being blamed for any future surge in infections because they have been reluctant to get vaccinated.