The stats are horrific. All statistics are suspect but between 25% and 30% seems average for what a woman receives as annual income compared to men. And also the top 50 richest individuals received 8.51%. Fucking madness! Who does most of child rearing – our future – women.
USA
The USA, or at least Trump and MAGA seem very hostile to the EU. I guess this is to be expected as at least western Europe tends to be centre-right wing most of the time with liberal social tendencies. The EU is twice the size of the USA population wise and has a far greater diversity of people and environments. The USA has forever used migrant labour to increase its power. However Europe has the brains, manpower and market to compete. Europe will eventually compete with US companies and will stop the drain of profits. Maybe we should encourage more links with China and India and the Arab World, and also South America and the hispanic world. America was great at exporting democracy – until it wasn’t. I think that many have realised that the USA was a dormant malicious tumour for some time. Trumps bromance with Putin comes and goes – but Russias impact on Europe is what Trump encourages. Paying our own way on NATO is fine – especially if we can tax the techno firms. Why does Trump lust after Putin? – to undermine the EU. China is too large for Trump to cosy upto to get any benefits; the EU too diverse; India is a possibility with Modri: Africa is too late and Trump’s brmance with Musk has soared the continents pallette.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
I have noticed that many people see things differently, whether it is Aaron who is colour blind or relatives. Take a football match – Chelmsford City played W-s-M and the away team won 2-0. I saw the highlights and thought City were a bit unlucky – someone else said City were “awful”. Footballers are increasingly being measured in many different ways. Mo Salah is castigated after not scoring for a few games. Not everything can be measured – confidence, luck for instance. And this is where my thoughts on AI come in. Many things in life occur due to unforseen circumstances, luck and confidence. Historically I think of Agincourt and the defeat of the Armarda, both relied on the luck of the weather, as have many things in history. AI could now factor in weather forecasts, but in the real world not everything can be assessed and quantified. As a teacher I was very aware of the attempts to set targets and ignore unquantifiable aspects. How did Covid affect students education? No statistical method is foolproof. Mark Twain popularized statistical analysis in his 1907 autobiography, writing that while he found arranging figures difficult, the remark “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics” was often relevant.
So my point (eventually!) is this. AI can only analysise what is there on the worlds computers. Can it identify sarcasm or ‘winding up statements’, Proponents of AI laud the defeat of humans in games with multiple opportunities – but can it cope with infinite opportunities?
NOT READ YET
The papers – was preparing a list of the most important (or do I mean influential) womaen in history! Suggestions please.
Then I opened the paper and Starmer was there! His headline was hypocritical crap – Greens are anti-NATO and think it is all right to sell drugs. Thats nuts”. Forstt off the drugs – the governenment makes millions from a tax on alcohol and tobacco; and probably more from unpublicised drugs. So the pseudo-honest man talks bollox. Second – Nato has blood on its hands. It has been used as a political tool by many a POTUS. Now Trump is using it to try and control the narrative in Europe. Polanski is correct in the statement that Europe needs its own non-nuclear force. We do not need the USA to be our paternalistic patrons. Have we paid off the last war yet? And tec companies are repatriating billions $ every year.
I guess I need to read the second line!
I have and it is all OK – just looks a bit spin doctor’ish! Walks in the countryside and family events.
It made me think of the demographics of voters. Die hard old on all 3 traditional parties. Then those concerned about their finances will possibly lean to the right. The bigots are all for Reform whatever the facts and reality. I feel that everyone else is a floating voter now! The last government were so awful that the traditions of the past are gone. Reform offers an angry response for the – basically angry! and those who feel dispossessed due to their own incompetence. The Greens who I would love to support in a coalition (where their more outlandish views are brought to account) appeal to the young – especially since Zac Polanski has taken the argument to the front line. The Lib.Dems – I think Ed. Davey is a lovely man, but with aggresive postering dominating politics his lovely persona, he will need his full team of local activists to maintain his position. Last comment was interesting – local activists will I think win the next election. Who will go door to door saying “I am a bigoted racist and misogynist – vote for me’! I think the greens could become a significant force – and if a three way coalition arises, then we will have PR – at long last.
Now to read the rest of the paper!
EMBARRASSING
Not me – although my children might disagree! No, the World Cup Draw. The obnoxious obsequiousness (2 long words in a row!!! YES!) by Gianni Infantino towards the Orange Man Baby who wore a medal like a 4 year old at play school who got a sticker for not poohing themselves. 2 hours of nonsense, and often no translators when the speaker was speaking using Portuguese. The we had stars from other sports doing the draw itself (eventually) – who thought that a good idea? All in all it makes the FIFA World Cup much less attractive. i also love the FA Cup for allowing teams like Chelmsford City their day in the limelight – but a World Cup with Curacao and Cabo Verdi is ridiculous, as is playing games in dangerous heat, and also 7 games in 21 days at top level?
Also most fans in England, Spain and Germany would probably rather watch the Champions League final and leave support of the national team to drunken, racist, nationalistic bigots!
Whilst enjoying schadenfreude at others expense – Farage made a fool of himself and his gurning face. He kept saying “Bernard Manning” as some obscure excuse for his racist and nasty comments. He has denied saying them but we do not believe him (and his supporters will love him for it!). I too was brought up in the same era and earlier (and worse). As a teenager I may have made racist comments with the bravado and confidence and ignorance of a teen, but I was also aware of it being offensive – and Ireally cannot remember any instance, and I would certainly not have insulted anyone in their hearing – but then I was brought up properly! Gurning Farage has obviously not advanced mentally since puberty – bad mouthing less fortunate people is the territory of the bully and pervert – please can he just go away.
ODD BRITAIN!
I like lists! Here is a list of quirky British events.
1.World conker championships.
2. Cheese rolloing competition.
3.Maldon mud racing competition.
4. Up Helly Festival.
5.World bog snorkelling championships.
6.Kettlewell scarecrow festival.
7. Guy Fawkes etc.
8.Ottery St.Mary tar barrels.
9.Wittlesea straw bear festival.
10. Olney pancake race.
11.Highland games -tossing the caber
12.Morris dancing.
I am sure you can add more like the world gurning championships!
Another addition, curtesy of my bro’. The Dunmow Flitch Trials are an ancient custom in Great Dunmow, Essex, where married couples prove they have lived in perfect harmony for a year and a day to win a side of bacon. The trials involve a mock court with a judge and a jury of six maidens and six bachelors, where the couple must convince them they haven’t regretted their marriage. If they win, they receive a flitch of bacon and are paraded through the town.
KING LOUIS
I had never heard of a French prince becoming an uncrowned King of England until I came across this –
The future Louis VIII of France briefly won two-thirds of England over to his side from May 1216 to September 1217 at the conclusion of the First Barons’ War against King John. The then-Prince Louis landed on the Isle of Thanet, off the north Kent coast, on 21 May 1216, and marched more or less unopposed to London, where the streets were lined with cheering crowds. At a grand ceremony in St. Paul’s Cathedral, on 2 June 1216, in the presence of numerous English clergy and nobles, the Mayor of London and Alexander II of Scotland, Prince Louis was proclaimed King Louis of England (though not crowned). In less than a month, “King Louis” controlled more than half of the country and enjoyed the support of two-thirds of the barons. However, he suffered military defeat at the hands of the English fleet. By signing the Treaty of Lambeth in September 1217, Louis gained 10,000 marks and agreed he had never been the legitimate king of England.[44] “King Louis” remains one of the least known kings to have ruled over a substantial part of England.[45].
The fact he was not crowned seems immaterial Edward V and VIII and Jane Grey were also not crowned. Paying him off with 10000 marks (approx £666.666 pounds) must have hit the exchequer at the time? Could the loss of the gold by King John in the Fens be the early work of a ‘spin doctor?”.
SRI LANKA
My granddaughter is in Sri Lanka at the moment. I hope she is safe – but Sri Lanka is about the same size as Ireland so whilst the heavy rain will have caused transport problems it should not affect the coastal resort – and she appears to have left a vulnerable area just in time. Having not heard from her mother I assume “No news – is good news”? My brother said that he hoped she was on her way home – I hope not! Her experience will set her up for life! I went to Israel just before the 6-day war, went to Peru during a cholera epidemic and terrorist uprising, was in London during IRA bombings – I am sure these things influenced me. She is home in 10 days – I hope she will tell me all.
BUDGET
Why the fuss? RWPress getting knickers in twist as they say the Chancellor changed her mind, or pre-budget staements were false? Whatever – why the huge fuss? Did someone lose money on a dodgy bet? Or is their ire due to Misogyny? Which woman will they pick on next? They also seem not to have finished with Angela Rayner and Badenoch is too useless to bother about.
Attacks on the judiciary by Jenprick should lead to a prosecution for attacking our basic democracy. He should fuck off and join the rancid racist low life in Reform. Although Labour are now imposing cruel right wing policies themselves, namely not allowing disabled people to supplement mobility allowances themselves to get better models – Lee half-wit Anderson suggested a return to blue 3 wheelers.
Enough griping! I put up the christmas lights on the bay tree outside – I might have to rearrange them as I was frustrated that they had managed to get tangled all by themselves in the last 11 months. Still effort made! If it warms up a bit without raining I might prune the Mulberry trees.
On weather is the Met Office scared or a BBC style attack? Its weather forecasts have been overly pessimistic recently? I guess that issueing a warning is better than not, but not at the expence of crying ‘wolf’ with every shower! Oh god – I am still sounding miserable! And I am not! maybe a little hung over though! Sunderland came back from 0-2 to win 3-2, next up is Liverpool!. A win at Anfield would be a great early Xmas pressie. The bottom 5 look like they will scrap out to avoid relegation. Frank Lampard seems to be making a miracle in Coventry.
Trees – why do people not plant a fruit tree on their unused front and back lawns – if they have kids to run around them ok, but many are just green deserts and often sprayed with herbicide. My lawn now has an apple tree and an apricot with an undergrowth of raspberries at the back – the front has Abby tree and 2 mulberries with rosemary, thyme and sage thriving along with roses, lavender and hot lips.
VILE RACIST
So Farage attempts to deny comments he made in his youth. I am sure that we all made errors of judgement and made foolish comments in our youth – however for most these were occasional mishaps on our way to maturity rather than prolonged character defects. Farage has shown that his his racist comments as a youth were just a precusor to a life sustained by by bigotry and racism. He has refused to apologise and maintains that he never made such comments, only banter. What a prick he is – I am sure that growing up with the ‘Black and white minsters Show” and “Till death us do part” most of my generation will have made racist obnoxist comments without realising their harmful context, however on my part these would have been immature lapses rather than prolonged bullying – which is what Farage is accused of. Should he resign – that would be expected of a respectable person – but his electorate love him for being and obnoxious, racist, bigoted little cunt.