I have been thinking about the governments incompetence too much! The climate emergency, just like the first lockdown, requires all of us to do our bit at all levels of society. Governments can have a big input, but we should not, must not, rely on them to solve the issue. It is down to us as individuals first and foremost to do our bit. Then all companies and organisations need to do their bit. Local government has a major chance to prove its worth. The problem is bigger than Covid. It needs community action.
GET RID OF PRIVILEGE
So the Queen claims that the laws of the land do not apply to her – even those promoting the environment and improving the climate. 67 times in Scotland alone she has lobbied for herself, family and properties to be excluded from legislation. All for one, and one for all? Abolish this absurd ability for royal amendment before assent from the statute books.
DRYING HERBS
A FOODY QUIZ
- In which continent did almonds originate?
- Jupiter’s nut oil better known as high foodstuff?
- Which is the only nut tree native to N.America?
- Which countries occupants consume the highest amount of chocolate per capita?
- On which crop is the Colorado Beetle a major pest?
- What food stuff was originally called ‘Champignon de Paris’.?
- What date was Heinz Tomato Ketchup first sold?
- Which food plants were known as the three little sisters before the arrival of ~Europeans in N.America?
- What fruit is used to garnish the Columbian dish ajiaco and the Guatamalesn dish chapio?
- Which fruit was known as the Persian apple when first brought to Europe?
CLIMATE CHANGE
I am hoping I do not regret writing this! Climate change is so important that governments must ignore atrocities; that may be happening in Myanmir, Western China; the financial wellbeing of MLC’s in a capitalist society; even personal freedoms; in the effort to halt the catastrophic tumble into climate chaos.
CRIME
Idiots! Playing to the mob. Chain gangs and more stop and search. Police chiefs and the Police Federation not consulted. More police being recruited but there will still be less than when the Tories started cutting therm in 2010. No mention of community resources for youth clubs and sporting/social venues.
OLYMPICS 2020-2021
COVID HOPES
Numbers seem to be falling which is brilliant news. A note of caution though, with schools on holiday and people deleting the NHS app the number of tests might be significantly lower. So probably best to wait for the ONS survey in the community on Friday, or to see if hospitalisations (up 26% on the week) and deaths(up 50% on the week) follow the trend and reduce rapidly.
INSECTS – STOP MOWIN’ THE EFFIN’ LAWN
I am concerned that my attempts at wildlife gardening are not resulting in many insects. My friend Di has said the same and she has a very well established garden with lots of pollination plants. Maybe it is too early after some unseasonal Weather earlier this year. Claims are often made that pesticide use is reducing in the UK. The variety of pesticides being used on single crops has increased and their toxicity is breathtaking – some neonicotinoid insecticides are 10,000 times more toxic than the most notorious insecticide in history, DDT. If we do not look after all parts of the food chain things will not node well for Planet Earth. It has been suggested that solar farms could be planted with native flowers and pollinator plants to encourage biodiversity and insects. Read this
IT IS NOT FUNNY!
64 people died of Covid yesterday, and 133 people entered hospital because of it. 36000 new cases were reported (much lower than earlier in the week (so a positive), but the number of first vaccinations is down to 43000. Mixed messages from the government regarding quarantine requirements. Either it is important, or it is not – there cannot be a rule for some, and dispensation for others. personally a requirement to test if pinged, but only isolate if positive is mind numbingly obvious and sensible.
However back to the stats. 133 dead in a day warrants extreme caution – not fuc*ing freedom day! 133 beds taken away from other patients is also a serious matter. Both these stats would result in the government being asked what it is doing about it. The answer would be … very little. Travellers from some foreign countries are being asked to isolate. 600000 people were told that they should isolate last week – mostly for no reason other than justify the £26 billion test and trace charge. Hmmm, I think that is it!
One person tries to vote twice at a general election and the law is changed to require photo ID. Journalists and others who leak information in the public interest will now face prison. Money is found to increase the number of nuclear weapons, to bail out HS2, to build a new yacht for the royals (£200+ million), but nurses cannot even have a cost of living equivalent pay rise, NatWest shares are being sold by the government at a 50% loss, Brexit is a multi-facet disaster, 25000 truck drivers have left the UK. Then PEP – 32 billion ordered, 11 billion distributed, 12.6 billion in store (@£6.7m a week), 2.1 billion unusable for medical purposes and the rest not delivered yet. I had not released the scale of this calamity! Cameroon is let of the hook for now – although his reputation is in tatters.
And it has started – MP’s have started to publicise the need to cut the debt – a slow drip feed will follow to allow the government to cut public services (including the NHS), and sell bits off whilst refusing to tax people like Branson. I would keep it simple – employ a team of accountants for a couple of weeks to calculate how much companies and individuals can pay – then send out the bills. There would be lots of whinging from the right wing press, but a one off tax should cut the deficit by a third to a half in one easy measure.
Then a tax on landlords, too many houses are being sold for rent. Introduce standards of accommodation, tax on rental income, and a 50% value added tax on re-sale. Serious landlords will cope, those in it for a quick buck will not. Properties left empty for more than 4 weeks a year will have to pay extra council tax. Council tax needs a complete overhaul, together with business rates.
Building regulations – STOP BUILDING HOUSES WITHOUT SOLAR PANELS,ETC.
On education can I suggest some compulsory subjects for public schools like Eton. We will start with empathy, charity, honesty, equality, fairness and then develop more.