Category: Uncategorized

things I do not understand! With more than 300 people shot every day in the USA, of whom an average 127 die, why are some Americans so anti- gun controls? I realise that the 400 million weapons owned by Americans will not disappear – but some, like Charlie Kirk was, are against any form of gun control. 47 school shootings left 17 dead and 77 injured. In the past 10 years no state has avoided school shootings. Many of the shootings were unintentional, but that kind of makes it worse?

So my next thought is that society in the USA is still medieval in many ways. In fact it is a very strange country! On one hand, the one depicted on TV and by Holloywood, is a prosperous society much like Western Europe, on the other is poverty – people saddled with medical bills, misogyny is common – women are referred to as being ‘owned’ by their partners, , racism is common – the KKK are still around, often blatenent in their prescence, the infrastructure is crumbling as taxes are cut – private planes do not need bridges, and the US has 15000 for the privileged. Many people have 2 or 3 jobs, life expectancy is lower than Cuba and most ‘developed’ countries. But it is a democracy? -Bollox it is. Each Presidential candidate spends $billions to be elected – richest usually wins! Trump is assuming powers that many dictators could only dream of! he is sending the National Guard into cities and the Kirk killing will see him assuming further powers. The only reason for keeping friends with America is the saying “keep your friends close, but your enemies closer”!

I quoted Voltaire yesterday – I was wrong – I do not defend Kirks nasty putrid views in anyway. I cannot defend the bollox he spouted. I will not mourn him! C***

Is there something weird going on? Russian drones are shot down over Poland; one of the loudest proponents of the pro-gun lobby is shot dead in Utah; Israel continues its slaughter of the innocents; President Trump is accused of sending lewd drawings to Epstein and a court also upholds a sexual harrassment charge and damages against him; but the press ha s more important things to splash across the front pages! Harry meets Charlie for a cuppa was only matched by someones mistaken friendship 20 years ago (and I do believe he should be either sacked or resign …. but in terms of importance??). Although seeing Starmer humiliated at PMQ’s was amusing!

In the real world oil companies continue to lobby against any restrictions on their profits, just as business did against the use of CFC’s, the tobacco lobby is still active, fast food companies lobbying against restrictions on the contents of their products, and they temselves lobbied against the removal of lead from petrol. There are still fanatics who complain against seat belt legislation. Is it a nanny state or just commonsense? Companies spend millions to try and maximise their profits whilst polluting our bodies and the planet – and if anyone has the termeritary to object they are accused of being anti-freedom. It is a fucked up world we live in.

And a new gripe. Litter – I often thought that litter was just an eyesore and inconvenience created by morons. However the scouge of plastic in our oceans belies this uncaring thought! Oh and the metro-chemical lobby successfully prevented any agreements on cutting back on plastics at a recent international meeting. Litter is a reflection of our society. It was pointed out to me yesterday that even apples cannot be bought singly in most shops – the wrapping is recycled in my area, North Somerset, but our disposable society is determined to be wasteful. PS.Why do people put waste into black plastic bags before putting in a wheelie bin? Food waste is collected separately – so why tge need for a seperate bag?

So Badenoch says she will personally get every drop of oil and gas out of the North Sea despite it becoming ever more uneconomic. And as for climate change! Farage has created a climate of fear in the public where the future is unknown and therefore potentially nasty. The Conservatives can latch onto this and maybe pull themselves back from oblivion. Sea levels rising, wild fires across the Mediterranean region, floods in Asia – none of this is relevant if they can frightenen people with potentially higher energy prices. Appeal to the insatiable selfishness of the electorate and all will be ok.

I see that the Mail is having another pop at Angela Rayner – this time for having a financier boyfriend. The termerity of the woman – does she not know her place? How dare she, a working class single mother afford an expensive’ish house. Do they rotate Rayner, Megan Markle and the Beckhams as “Hate of the day” – with Gary Lineker thrown in. My eyes are offended by even the trash headlines without having to open the shitty thing!

And Israelis continue to murder innocents – this time journalists to go with the daily toll of children and other survivors of their own protracted holocaust. Russia seems to be joining the “who can kill most civilians today” competition.

Rachel Reeves just needs to get on with the tax increases – especially of those with over £2million in assets. Stop dithering and letting opposition parties talk bollox about how each possible option will be awful. If the rich fuck off rather than pay for their unearned incomes and assets – so be it. Why do people hate those on benefits more than these rich tax doging bastards?

Basically I have been thinking a lot about my childhood in the 1960’s. Vietnam War, Cold War, Cuban Missile Crisis, measles and chicken pox and mumps rife – but the future was great. London had a design shop to reveal the best of British. The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, and a myriad of others whose legacy continues today. Fashion was whatever you wanted it to be. And the along came Maggie ‘fucking’ Thatcher. Not content with reigning in Unions that had overstepped the mark – she destroyed our industrial base and the lives of those who worked in them (and blamed migrants), whilst at it she destroyed Britains admirable housing situation. No longer could working class people get affordable homes – now they had to send their wives out to work (I know this sounds sexist – and probably is – but why should an affordable decent home require 2 incomes). Shit I need to defend this last statement. The only plausible excuse I can come up with is that we should increase educational achievement and thus allow job sharing?

What else – Is Trump moving America into being a facist dictatorship? His attempts to control every government department, and dictate views to impartial bodies like the Federal Bank are signs that should not be ignored.

Meanwhile Sunderland won again! Will the force of the 46000 at the Stadium of Light enable them to get 40 points and survival in the Premier League. Meanwhile part 2 – I love the FA Cup at this time – Runcorn Linnets, Coventry Phoenix, Tadley Calleva and Atherton Laburnum Rovers amongst them. Anyone wishing to join my -no cost, no prize money, just bragging rights can email me at r.p.churchill@gmail.com

Is there a more pointless exercise costing millions in the UK? Students have to stay in education until 18 anyway. Has anyone been asked for proof of GCSE’s? I doubt it! Politicians are not willing to take on the old fogeys who yearn for O Levels and Enid Blyton stories! Whilst I think all students should achieve competency in Maths and English, they need different skills than memory tests – we are now in year 27PG. AI is not going to disappear. Climate change will require new adaptations in many fields of study and life. So why have we put yet another generation through the stress of pointless exams? Most children will sit approximately 100 externally marked exam papers to achieve levels that their teachers could predict in a less stressful and much cheaper way. Ahh – it is not just the old fogeys – there is a huge amount of money paid out by schools to the exam boards £500+ per student many comprehensive schools will have an exam budget in excess of £50000 plus at least 2 staff to administer, and the cost of invigilators.

A pointless waste of time in my opinion – but it is much worse than that. Exams are designed not only for children to pass, but to fail. The press and schools will concentrate on pass rates (67.4% is quoted) – that means 32.6% have failed. That does not make these children failures in life, just failures in an antiuated exam system. We also know that parents pay for extra tuiton to cheat the system. And I have not got on to A Levels yet!

A child of the 60’s (born in 1953) I was priviledged with some of the best, and worst of popular music. Worst to follow later, hopefully much later, but let me have your nominations!

My favourite music

//1. Pink Floyd

//1. Jefferson Airplane

//1 Fleetwood Mac

//4.  Bowie

//4.  Jack Johnson

6.  Carol King

7.  Rolling Stones

8.  Some of the Beatles

9.  Stone Roses

10. Morcheeba

11.  Aretha Franklin

12.  Melanie Safka

13. The Who

14.Simon and Garfunkle

15.  Beach Boys

16. Shakira

17.  Fur Elise

There are many that I have just a few songs by like Carly Simon, Roberta Flack (Tamsin says I like wailing women!), Undertones, Oasis, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Neil Young, Robbie Williams ( I like ‘anthems’!), Sinead O’Connor, Queen, Coldplay, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, Kate Bush, Linda Gibson. And some oldies like Hollies, Kinks, Manfred Mann, Dave Clark Five (half time on freezing days at Chelmsford City matches).  I quite liked classical music in the school library where the acoustics suited it.  I am sure there are many more songs that will trigger a special moment!

I guess the telling thing would be – could you hack just hearing the top 5, or even just your top 10/17?

I have done! Every day the iPaper publishes a list, that whilst not always logical or sensible, starts discussions on a wide variety of topics. So I thought I would start a new list.

My illegal acts started whilst at school – 1. I did not qualify for a bus pass, but most of the bus did – so we would distract the bus conductor (memories of the past) and pass the passes around. 2. Then I learnt to drive so firstly speeding 3. drunk driving – disualified for a year – guilty as charged (but, a very small but, it was the morning after! 4. Driving with bald tyres (I was booked into the garage – honest). 5. Smoking canabis – is there anyone born in the 1950-60’s who didn’t? (Sad fuckers!). 6. I am struggling now! – argh theft from a supermarket – getting outside and realising that there was an item under the bags that was not scanned – I think it has happened twice and neither time did i re-enter the store to pay. 7. I honestly cannot think of one – it has been suggested that I add under age drinking – is that a crime? Serving the drink maybe, but drinking it?

I have had a baking fit! Lemon drizzle – very lemony!, cheese bread sticks, cheddar, egg, basil, mustard, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, rosemary and toped off with parmesan, then a 2 ciabatta loaves.

An admission – or rather an acknowledgement of facts. I love chiclit fiction! I wish I had discovered it earlier. Stories about relationships, bakeries and other independent shops. Are they smutty? Occasionally! But a happy ending and the exploration of relationships is excellent. OK it is not high culture but can be riveting. A London bookshop has just opened selling nothing but romantic novels.