SPRING

Well i am being a bit optimistic! I have decided to plant chillies in conservatory to start with later next week – temperatures up to double figures. So Chilli Prairie Fire; Padron; Aji Habanero and Sweet Pepper Corno di toro Rosso will be started. I will move to greenhouse when it is guaranteed abve 10 at night (I have a heater just in case).

i also have lots of herbs that I might plant at random in long pots just for fun? Most will need to wait until April though – 2 months away! I might sneak the tomato seeds in, in a couple of weeks if it warms up. Will we have a long hot summer? We are due one!

Weather

WEATHER IS SHITE AGAIN!

I know it is February a.k.a. winter – but it is cold and damp and dull.  Spring will be here soon though!

So planing planting.

I now have enough roses if all have survived the winter.

Tomato – maybe some plants although the ones grown from seed did well at the front- so maybe have a look at the catalogues?  Maybe a couple of cucumber plants and chilli and then something different!.  Raspberries have been cut back and when a bit warmer/drier Inwill cut back some of the other stuff!

I might go get more onions to pickle it the weather stays like this!  And also make some lentil burgers.  Electricity for sockets has blown so no tele – I do not watch much but standard lamp for reading is also out.  I can use my phone as a hotspot but do not want to over do it as I have no idea what my contract is!  Martin has said he will be out next weekend – electric heater also out so  free boost to temp missing, although CH working, as is the kitchen!

Football was good with the Pilgrims stuffing the red Scouse!  The FA Cup is great, where the great and rich can be taken down by the commoners!  Even when losing the Leyton Orient goalscorer will remember his goal for his lifetime!  North of the border also saw the mighty Glasgow Rangers humbled by Queens Park (and they had a last minute penalty saved.  These teams may have taken a calculated risk in playing reserves, but they would still have reckoned on progress (its the money – stupid!).  And at the moment the top teams out are Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, Nottingham Forest

Super Bowl was won by Philadelphia Eagles who prevented Kansas City Chiefs from a Patrick with a 40-22 trouncing.  So Trump and Swift both losers!  Last year it was watched by 123 million – huge advertising revenue.  Wait for UEFAvand FIFA to start marketing the finals of Europa and the World Cup in a similar way!  Football does not have the breaks for adverts – yet!  Combine Woman’s football finals and they could have a real money printer!  

Politics – a labour minister resigns after posting inappropriate things.  As Health Minister you should not wish death on anyone!  Muppet.  At least Starmer is quick off the mark to dismiss these morons!  

And fuck me – the Guardian leads with a non-story about an ex-diplomat says something controversial to make some money!  I might have to un-subscribe from the paper if it moves down the sensationalist, no fact back up path. The Observer has also just been sold off!  I will then be left with just the byline Times and online.

SHITE

WORSE

So Trump is worse than expected – fuck, how is that possible?  Last time around he had some moderating advice.  This time he has surrounded himself with psychophants / sickofants (not sure how to spell!), Cutting US Aid is a cruel and heartless thing to do, and is counter productive to the international influence.  Then he imposes sanctions of the ICJ – because he disagrees with their verdicts.  The fucker seems to be out of control!  Gaza as a real estate project may appeal to abself obsessed lunatic on paper – but the ethnic cleansing of 1.5 million people is horrendous.  McKinley was assassinated – Trump is heading the same way as he upsets ever larger groups of people.  How long before he demands that Ameri-Indians are deported to Canada?  

I am not conversant with the American constitution in detail.  At present he has control of Congress but in 2 years there will be elections.  Rather than expanding it is possible that states like NY and California will vote overwhelmingly for an alternative.  I am vague here because there does not seem to be a strong Democrat opposition at present.  Bernie Sanders is too old, and Harris has disappeared.  

Where is the opposition in the states?  The media is sewn up, like here, What is needed is a massive economic downturn – a possibility?!  The trade wars will impact prices but America is large enough to take up gaps caused in the market.  Any trade war inevitably causes a reduction in movement and thus increased prices.  Will the EU open up to Chinese imports?  Where is India diplomatically?  I suspect aligned with the USA!  Modri is a “strongman leader” with fascist tendencies.

Back to ethnic cleansing – was India/Pakistan the last big one?  That has not panned out well!  I guess Trump is relying on every Palestinian home to have been destroyed, therefore they have to leave?  See you next Tuesday!

SMALL MODULAR REACTORS

The same questions exist whatever the size – waste, location, security and cost.  Starmer listens to big business when it asks for a subsidised electricity provision – why not the individuals?  I know people who would put up the cost of solar panels and heat pumps if made profitably.  A 5 year return on investment would enable millions of solar panels to be installed – however the energy giants would lose out!  Imagine Sandford with solar panels on most houses, heat pumps and a couple of wind turbines on the hill.  Add in a large scale battery and low cost energy is provided for all.  Yes there might need to be a need for the National Grid, but not on a large scale.  Hinkley C will eventually come on stream and will provide power for 50 years or more – that should be enough back up for the South West!  

So SMR’s are only going to be needed in the South-east! – And then where do you place them?  Not near houses!  Well that fucks that idea.  So put them in the north and west, or maybe Clacton (They are already rabid there).

SPRING

I hope the weather warms up soon – we have had a rather long cold sequence?  I am surprised the RW Press has not been filled with stories of death and hardship due to the cold weather.  Lovely to see Goldfinch on the Evening Primrose seeds again.  But garden looks dead at the moment, but 4 weeks from now it will be full of growth.  I hope that a myriad of insects have survived the winter and can procreate this spring!  The decline of insects is mega worrying!

CULTURAL HISTORY

I have a quiz thing going with the local shop – Today’s was when was Robinson Crusoe written – I was surprised that the shop manager had never heard of it (Kate got it 100%). Being 71 and an ex-teacher should I have been surprised by this? My knowledge of celbrities is almost totally absent and my lack of film knowledge is legendary

However it did made me think about the shared culture that is becoming fragmented with the internet. So a list of famous Brits that I would consider important.

In no particular order Turing, Bernier’s-Lee, Shakespeare, F. Nightingale, C.Dickens, J.Austin, Bronte sisters, RLStevenson author and the George Stevenson inventor, James Watt, IK Brunel, James Cook, Francis Drake, Wellington, C.Darwin, A.Fleming, R.Dhal, B.Potter, R.Hargreaves, L.Carrol, S.Peyps, J.Wren, Capability Brown,A.A.Milne, J.Constable, JR Turner, Shelley, Tennyson, Byron, Robin Hood, Robert the Bruce,D.Attenbrough?Horatio Nelson, Beatles, R.Branson, David Livingstone. Robert Clive (bastard!), Cabot, Mary Quant,

Politicians – Gladstone, Disraeli, Churchill, Thatcher, Lloyd-George, Peel younger and elder, Bevan Ernest and Aneurin, Marx and Engles.

Events – Tolpuddle Martyr’s, Armarda, D-Day, Dunkirk, Agincourt, Culluden,

Rulers – Arthur,Alfred, William 1, Richard 1, Henry 5,7 +8, Edward 1, Charles 1, Victoria. Cromwell

Sports -Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton, George Best, Andrew Murray, WCGrace, Murray Walker, Hamilton, Jim Clarke,

Music – this will be dated – Cliff Richard (unfortunately) makes the list, Adam Faith, Cilla Black, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols, David Bowie, Spice Girls, Blur, Oasis,

SCAM

I think I have been scammed? I am generally careful, I do not answer phone to unknown callers, i do not give out bank details, etc. But when I checked my bank balance (a rare occassion in itself!) I found some debits for £34.95 – when I contacted the bank they said i had done a deal for £2 on 2 Nov 2024 and should check emails for a confirmation. I have cleared my emails since then! Still £140 worse off is better than thousands! I guess I will discover if it is important when the next payment is cancelled! I have no idea – could £2 have been added to a bill for Corinnes Birthday present without me noticing? Oh well, if not a scam I will find out!

In politics Starmer has made an announcement regarding AI – I do not pretend to understand it! It is not the absolute nutters who are of concern (the planet matters more than people brigade), but the rich bastards who will manipulate things for their own ego’s – and there are a lot of them from Trump, Musk, Zuckerberg,etc. down to thelikes of Murdoch and family and other low life.

LA continues to burn – cost estimated at over £200 billion – I guess that some insurance firms could go bust (Florida’s 2 hurricanes were not cheap) and the rest of us will also pay – even in the UK! And Trump blames officials, firefighters, anyone other than the perpetrators – the oil and gas industries. In this country the RW papers blame green initiatives for the gas shortage, not the government that shut the storage facilities!

Then to Zuckerberg who is stopping fact checking in the name of ‘freedom of speech’. What a fucking knob! What is wrong when little men with little penis’s sit in their bedrooms and spout such vile shite. Havetz’ wife said she has had posts hoping they lose their unborn child due to her husband missing a penalty! What should their penalty be? Prison maybe, community service – not enough? Castration? This is a possible solution!

We live in a patriacal society whatever people say. Women are not treated equally in our society. Token women in politics, who have to act like men to succeed, do not count. Economics, especially business economics is a fantasy created for, and driven by men. The Public School system is designed for men. The House of Lords is what it says on the label!

Iceland now has a co-alition that has women in every main position of power. In this country we congratulate ourselves by having Thatcher as PM but she was surrounded by men. But have we actually had a government department actually run by women? The civil service is dominated by pseudo aristocracy, power remains in mens grip. The structure of firms is designed for power based dickheads! Labour should insist that all companies have employee sharing of profits.

Oh well – that is enough rant! Cold again, keep warm and feed the birds – I had a bullfinch in the garden but very few other species! Where are all the tits?

2025

Morning on the 6th I ought to take decorations down but it is too wet and cold! Snow is missing us and is forecast to miss us on Weds – just the bit arond the Bristol Channel is snow free. But damp cold is not pleasant! I made some maslin bread which is a bit rubbery (perhaps due to the inordinate length of time is had to rise (I forgot about it on both risings!), but I gave the loaves away to people who had never had it before, thus they will not know that it is not meant to be like that! Goldfinch on Evening Primrose again. It is appropriately a female!

I went shopping but rather uninspired! I might make some wraps with a little heat? Beef or chicken fried with chilli, then mixed with salad of lettuce, tomatoes and scallions in garlic/basalmic vinegar sauce?

Political news is non-existent. Musk thinks Farage is not good enough for Reform – he may be correct as it is a party that solely relies on him. Musk should just stfu! How he can blame grooming gangs on Starmer and Phillips is beyond me, but the guy is psycho! Should we be pleased and grateful that he devotes his precious time to the UK? Although he has made comments about Germany too. I suspect Tesla is largely fucked and he will need to rely on SpaceX, X formally Twitter is also struggling. SpaceX is also facing competition from Amazon with mini-satellites for mobile phones (both have plans for 2000+ satellites).. Space junk is multiplying!

Chief executives of FTSE100 companies will have earned more by 12 noon today than the average British worker will earn this year! How can any of them justify this? Economics and efficiency are debateable concepts that have ruled for too long! We have seen how these concepts applied to education and health have fucked them both. Tax should be welcomed and paid with the self-satisfying glow of altruism! I aim this at mega corporations rather than small business owners – although they should listen and be aware! Near here there was a thriving cadbury chocolate factory making a profit. It was bought, closed down and business transferred to Eastern Europe for a bigger profit. Jobs lost, families decimated, and for what? Bigger profits for CEO’s and shareholders. I know there are often pension providers depending on these profits. The system is totally fucked!

So 2025 will bring what? Climatic disasters, a Labour Party bending to the RWPress, an opposition that cannot decide how far right to go? A frustrated public. Why are is there no competition for the likes of Corbyn? His views were generally liked and popular. However he was not a great leader and certainly made too many PR gaffes on foreign policy. Competition for the left is stiffled by the ghosting of the press.

Britain needs a vision for the future that is not immediately undermined by the Mail/Telegraph/Sun/Times/i/Express and to a lesser extent Guardian (not an innocent bystander!). Many doctors were horrified by the birth of the NHS but a bold and confident government could lead the way – however this Labour government does not seem up for it!

PS. My mac has someone reportedly down loading my files – they have been doing it for a week now! So they must be fucking useless or the advertisers should look for a better way to scam people!

LISTS

For a very disorganised person I love lists! Not things to do obviously, but longest, most popular type of lists.

I was thinking threfore of the most iconic British things! Not in order

  1. Talking abouth the weather
  2. Archers theme tune
  3. Shipping forecast
  4. Criticising people who have ‘made it’!
  5. Ignoring the class system
  6. Fish and chips maybe?
  7. Police mens helmets
  8. Top of the Pops
  9. Coronation Street
  10. Desert Island Discs

BANANAS

I can sort of understand how a banana stuck to a wall with duct tape can sell for $6.24million. The fact the purchaser was a tec crypto currency geek with more money than sense. he hs got lots of publicity worldwide. Others must have been bidding too! The certificate of provenence is where the money goes! But what i totally fail to see is why 20 (at latest look) people have paid over £30 for copies on Etsy. If you want a copy just do it yourself or ask any secondary school pupil to make it for you!