The Jam Jam

We are aware that Americans love their cars but I was shocked at a recent (American) study. Houston, similar in size to Paris has just 16 transit vehicles per 100000 compared to the French city’s 118, Houstons only railway station receives just 3 inter city trains A WEEK. This dependance on cars results in about 40000 deaths a year. Most European cities have invested in public transport and can boast that a car is an unecessary luxury for residents and visitors. Mayor Khan has led the way in London with UELZ’s in many residential areas, and thus reducing stress on the NHS (London was the only area to have a rising healthy life expectancy in the UK. Living in a rural area makes one dependant on the car, but higher fuel costs could make the economics of a nationalised bus network viable again. roads safe for pedestrians and cyclists would help. If insurance companies had to bear the cost of road traffic accidents in full, and the cost of premiums increased commensurately I think many people would slow down! and make fewer journeys.

Oh the ’15 minute city’ so hated by the right wing. Surely it is just common sense that we could all met our current health, educational, social, recreational and shopping needs within a 15 minute walk. Economies of scale are not appropriate when applied to human existence. Austerity caused a tragic diminishment in our social meeting areas with libraries, youth clubs and sporting venues shutting. Reform led councils will force further cut backs in these easy to cut vulnerable areas. Traffic control methods are also against their philosophy of free market enterprise and supporting those who can afford SUV’s. If they want to cut costs maybe they should cut the wages of the highest earners? Why do council leaders earn more than the Prime Minister – after all they do not have the ability to declare war ( not even on immigrants), although cut backs may seem like war on children and the poor. Have I said that I hate that fucking smug frog faced twat?

I have never heard anyone espouse the virtues of the Reform Party (ignorance or embarrassment?). No I do not need to list the reasons for this. I will watch and quietly accumulate the evidence of gross stupidity.

So Reform continue to do well – the English really are as thick as thier traditional diet is boring! Early results from Scotland show a resounding win for the SNP, but only 10% of results in – of which the SNP have 89%. It will be interesting to see the overall turnout, in Scotland it seems to be down 10% to 50%, and a reminder that these are local elections and can be swung by local candidates – good and bad! An hour later and SNP are half way to a majority in the Scottish Parliament, whilst Plaid Cymru and Reform seem to be battling it out in Wales. If two independence parties win, and Northern Ireland already has shown support for Sein Fein, is there a message that Westminster politicians need to hear and actually listen to? Will the little Englander be happy with a McDonalds or fish and chips whilst our peripheral nations rebel? Even Cornwall and the west country are showing that history can be repeated.

How does anyone switch from being Labour to Reform? Racism is the only readily available answer – and the belief that immigrants are taking their jobs and women . Sad people. It is also noticible that the SNP vote in Scotland has held up – they are nearly there with 43 seats of the 65 needed already gained, and none for Reform! Perhaps the rebel bit of peoples psychology is more favorable to independance rather than fascism and racism. Or are the Scots just brighter than the English? With Wales having had such an influx of English people over the last 3 centuries it is unlikely that the industrial parts of South Wales that were robbed by the English during the Industrial Revolution, will vote for freedom from the English yoke!

So far it looks like the SNP will have a clear majority in Scotland, and possibly a mandate for a new referendum, Wales looks confused! And London has yet to declare fully. Maybe other people, more normal than me, do have a desire for nationalism? Me – I have no fucking idea!

Early results show a massive gain for Reform whilst Labour and Conservatives have losses. Greens have doubled number of councillors. However the results in so far are patchy – and to some extent seats that Reform were likely to win – working class areas and Essex. I am ashamed of my birth county! To be controversial it seems that places with higher number of graduates have not declared yet! Consider the demographics and tell me I am wrong!

White working class kid – gets trained as a skilled worker but cannot afford to enter the housing ladder, sees houses being bought by people of colour and is resentful. They are also hoping to be self-employed but see the paperwork involved, and their bosses not get rich quick. The environment does not concern them as the only environment they yearn for is a week or two of recovering from hangovers/sunburn on beaches in Ibiza or similar. Their grandparents/parents complain about people with foreign languages and cultures ‘taking over’. They want to be valued members of society, hence the addiction to the flag or the football club where they can express their frustration with low level violence. The well paid jobs for men have disappeared with capitalism but they are addicted to consumerism of low quality, low priced goods made in China or elsewhere. Those who have managed to scrape together a mortgage are jealous of the houses maintained by councils without considering their own gain in property value (my house has more than doubled in value in the last 25 years. They are also part of the blame culture which cleverly deflects from the rich tax avoiders and concentrates on those unable to afford a national voice – The Express is especially notabe for attaching blame for something different every day! This might be horribly classist and stereotyping but add in the commuter paying extortionate fares to get to their ‘hopefully’ high powered jobs in city centres and I think I have identified the typical Reform voter. When they do not deliver I fear for the consequences!

I can understand the frustration of voters with Labour misfiring like a bean fed child, with the Conservatives for the damage they have done to communities; but Farage! An arrogant rich privileged white man leading a racist party of tax dodgers and knuckle draggers – NO! Ok I get the reduced tax bit; but do these idiots like pot holes in the streets, youths roaming aimlessly due to closure of youth clubs and sports facilities; ignore the hypocracy of moaning about the mainly white queues for health services whilst waiting to see an immigrant doctor. I understand the benign philosophy of old style conservatism so ruthlessly destroyed by Cameron onwards. Are they too thick and obstinate to recognise that Brexit was a disaster with severe consequences for the economy and society; are they too biggoted to accept the demographic facts of an ageing population and declining healthy life expectancy.; too ignorant to accept the facts about global warming; too insular to recognise the increased intolerance in society. Lastly – do they think that Farage and cronies give a shit about them? They will line their pockets wcash from anyone.

Individually I and most of us have little influence over the machinations of the state that rules us. However every few years we do get to cast a vote that will contribute to our future well being or not. I was not one of the misguided or stupid people who voted for Brexit – and I hope the majority of people will not vote with racism and fascism, bigotry and intolerance. So never vote Reform, preferably not Conservative either. Who else you vote for, may the best candidates win!

I used to have some respect for the Times newspaper – not any more! On their front page they published a poorly constructed article that stated that Zac Polanski falsely stated that he was a Red Cross spokesman some time in the past- omg and who gives a fuck anyhow. Farage accepting and not declaring £5million from a foreign donor is irrelevant to the rich newspaper owners. Elsewhere there is a campaign to burden the greens with accusations of anti-Semitism, with 4500 candidates it is inevitable that some will have made ill advised comments regarding Israel. Racism and therefore anti-semitism is a pre-requisite for the Reform Party and to a lesser extent the Tories. Corbyn was crucified by the press for unsubstantiated anti-semitism. The guilt complex that led to the foundation of Israel is no longer relevant and recent actions have rendered the whole concept untenable.

Trump postpones the end of the ceasefire as he desperately looks for something, anything that could be spun as a victory! Basically he has screwed up big time – the leadership in Iran has possibly been strengthened rather than destroyed, the nuclear issue is unchanged, the Strait of Hormuz is blocked, China’s world standing has been enhanced, the world economy has taken a hit and food production has suffered. Air fares will rise, cancellations will bring well publicised crocodile tears from correspondents gagging for a sob story.

Election time tomorrow – will the stupidity of the British public be revealed to the world (again – last time 52% proved their gullibility and self inflicted a economic and social wound on the UK by voting to leave the EU). This time the number is down to just over half that national embarrassment and hopefully the people of Scotland and Wales will vote for independence, London vote Green and the rest of England split its votes. Turnout will be interesting and with a potential 5 way split could we see councillors elected with less than 10% of those entitled to vote? And who will be whinging about unfairness most – my guess is that it will be the Reform candidates robbed by voters with a brain!

First roses in bloom -tomatoes coming on, chillies looking good, and herbs – I have lots. My feeling is that this summer in Somerset will be hot with record temperatures but also flooding from thunderstorms. This prediction is based on zero facts (which will appeal to flag shaggers) apart fro knowledge about El Niño!

There is a difference between want and need. As a country we need hope. For too long we have had suits dictating economic austerity and bullshit. We need a vision where our hopes and dreams can prosper, not Ed Davey like but with an energy like that shown by Hannah Spencer. For too long the country has been ruled by those who believe that their ‘want’ is paramount – the rich kids from Eton and Harrow and Dulwich want the riches that their parents have bought for them, but whatbthey need is a dose of reality – people are born equal. Fortunately only 1% of the UK population buy or read a newspaper so the doom mongers of the printed press are just pedalling to the converted, and GB News is making a loss too.

Be happy vote green