Category: Changinging climate

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ISRAEL

The Israeli government is explicitly supprorting settlers who kill and maim Palestians (including children on the West Bank) and has the audacity to tell the governments of the UK, France and Canada, that they are on the wrong side of history. The British Consulate in East Jerusalem has been closed and the US Ambassador to Israel threatened retalitory sanctions – bring it on! Unfortunately Badenoch sought to make a political jibe at the government of the UK – she is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Various Jewish groups have condemned the Governments move on the grounds that it encourages anti-semitism. Instead they should be applauding the government and condemning the Israeli Government and the settlers who are commiting ethnic cleansing. Sir Edward Leigh and a long standing member of “Friends of Israel” said he wholeheartedly supproted the government thus supporting the argument that not all tories are complete morons!

Monty Don has called an end to his stint on Gardeners World – I am not a great fan of the programme as it points out my deficiencies as a gardener (or should I be more honest and say ‘in the garden’, but I have watched bits and appreciated his calm voice and practical advice.

A ‘technical issue’ halted flights into and out of the UK yesterday – a multibillion £ business. My first thought was not how/why the issue occured – but why did they not have back up – it reeks of cost cutting and profit margins! I was once phoned during the school holidays with a marketing questionnaire – and being the holiday I accepted the call; one of the questions was which airline do consider the safest! My reply was that I would not consider getting on a plane without feeling that it was 100% safe (I did not really think about safety when boarding a Fawcet Airlines plane from Lima to Cusco! despite seeing a mechanic giving the engine some wellie with a hammer!). However whistle blowers and passengers almost being sucked from planes do make me suspicious! My passport has run out and I have no intention of renewing it or getting on a plane again. And yes I do know that planes are safer than cars! (although that statistic, like many, is flawed!

At least 100 golf clubs breached their licences for the extraction of water but no prosecutions or fines have occurred – it make me want to get my hosepipe out and spray the road! Golf is just a way of spoiling a good walk. But this revalation proves that the agencies set up by the last government have no teeth, are possibly stuffed with compliant board members (paid by our taxes). A challenge – name one government regulatory agency that has any evidence of doing its job properly!

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WEATHER

the British are renowned for talking about our changing weather – but how many actually feel the weather. A dash from the house to a car and similar at the other end of a commute is the only exposure most people have to weather. Perhaps that is why many people are so complacent about the changes we are experiencing. Twat writers in the Mail, and presenters on GB’News’ are revealing that they have no connection with the weather – as we ourselves have not. If I asked a 100 people when was the last time they had experienced a storm in the flesh I would be surprised if it was above 1%! Many children refuse to wear a coat as it ‘is not cool’, in fact how many have coats ‘fit for purpose’ rather than style? Many may find out in the net couple of months what extreme weather means to individuals who are basically immune to weather. Heat is difficult to avoid without aircon contributing to the causes; but cold can be countered by central heating which has become ubiquitos since my childhood (I remember thick ice on the inside of bedroom windows when in my pre-teens), But how many people experience driving rain, snow, hail, high wind other than for a short car journey or from a warm shelter?

A government minister has stated that we should be prepared for power cuts – I am reliant on gas for heating – so I might find out first hand how to survive in the cold! I have food, blankets and hats – so should be ok! But I return to my thesis – most people are inurred regarding the weather and take little notice regarding it other than in a polite conversation.

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MAPS

The United Nations has voted to use an equal area map projection in future, replacing the Mercator projection which distorts the size of countries making the African continent the size of Greenland, when it is actually 14 time bigger. There was only one vote against and 6 abstentions – which country voted against? USA of course without any sense of irony it called the move ‘superfuous’. Renaming the Gulf of Mexico ad Lake Ontario were not mentioned – fuckwits! Maybe Trump ws surprised to find that Greenland was smaller than he thought!

Staying international Badenoch attempts to score points against Burnham in a comment headlined by the Daily Shite “Argentina smells Burnhams weakness” – just what this is supposed to mean is beyond me! The Telegraph obscurely leads with ‘Stop the boats and the hecklers” – perhaps leading with a deal made by Farage with the leader of French fascists – the only deal that Farage can meaningfully make is with the Police!

Meanwhile Cambridge University has stated that it will conduct a review into the death of Jason Arday, who it subsequently appears to have done nothing wrong, having been hounded and misquoted by the evil right wing media. Some journalists should at least be fined or dismissed for their shameful behaviour.

And an environmental alert – please report any sightings of yellow-legged hornets as they may disrupt the UK’s food supply system in the future, as they displace pollinator bees.

Breaking news – masked men dressed in black have halted traffic to and from the port od Dover – the BBC has not reported on what they are demonstrating about – but the 30 or so men will presumably be arrested and prosecuted and jailed in a similar way to “Just stop Oil’ protestors. Presumably they are right wing extremists – will the police act forcefully and arrest? Doubtful.

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LOGAN

Great to have a chat with Andy Logan after quite a while.  We do not agree on much but his different perspective is always interesting.  An example, he believes the Greens should concentrate on water and climate change rather than Gaza, where we have no influence.  On Gaza and Jews generally he pointed out that they have a siege mentality, whilst he condemned the actions of the Israeli military.  In many ways understanding the root mentality is the only chance of getting a peaceful settlement.  On Burnham we generally agreed, although his potential for actually delivering is minimal.  On Trump we agreed that he is insane.  We did not get onto the bigger issues! Of whether capitalism “as we know it” is doomed, and of course football- although we of course touched on it.  Other topics missed were migration/demography, and the EU.  Next time.

News today – the Environment Secretary has said that Britons should stock up with food and prepare for power cuts and a new word on the political scene – resilience.  Most, 83%, of the pop of UK live in urban areas – so with neighbourhood schemes should be ok, and I guess the majority of the rest live in villages with shops and therefore should be ok.  But there are still thousands who live in isolated settlements or hamlets – councils should have a duty too prepare lists of these people and their needs. (Medical, dietary and other).  Is El Niño over blown, and being used for political uses?  Reform and Restore would think so, and the Tories are as ever, following their lead.  I do not care if the scientists are wrong, I hope they are, but the warning signs are there; Pacific Ocean temperatures already close to records (2.6C at present, 3.1C is the record, but the peak is set to reach 4C), some areas have subsurface temperatures at a record 8C above normal.

At best it would seem that at least 50million will be forced into food poverty, food prices will escalate and the poorer will suffer most.  I know that Musk’s fortune is largely a paper one, but it surely does not help that the mega rich hoard so much of the earths wealth.

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AUTUMN

Not quite yet but a feel in the air says autumn is on its way. Tomatoes have just about finished – earlier than normal, and apples look smaller than last year, but brambles have done well! I ought to cut back garden – but last flowers on buddlea still attract bees, as do the remnants of chicory, Herbs and mints going to flowers, I must learn how to collect seed for next year. I just got some alpaca socks from NZ! not good for miles, but whatever. And latest birthday present from my kids is organic EVOO from Albacete, Spain.

Green Party leader Zac Polanski is hoping to stand for election in Keir Starmers seat in London. I just read about Jenies Jones who is refusing to pay her sewage bill to thames Water – obviously they are prosecuting her, but she has my full admiration for standing up against the corporate nonsense that have become our water companies. The majority of voters want them nationalised – but not a word from the right wing racists in the media, or the BBC which is also run by the right wing.

Macron and Burnham meet and I wonder how this will be reported by the tosspots in the Mail, Sun, Express, and Telegraph?

World temperatures. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62m4gpnp78o

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UN WARNING

The worlds global temperature is likely to increase by 1.8C and there are no good outcomes. Although GB News and Talk TV presenters have a different view from the 99% of scientists who actually study the data. When the UK Health Security Agancy reported that deaths had been 2877 higher than last year during the May/June heat wave, the reporters said this was absolute poppycock and the people were diving anyway, and also that warmer winters would reduce the larger number of people dieing in the cold – this is absolute lies and should not be allowed. These people are just talking bullshit to make political gains amongst the very stupid and gullible!

Meanwhile the Trump administration has apparently done a deal with Venezuela puppet government for 65m barrels of oil, that will help stop sea level rising and the melting of glaciers! Whilst Israel wants to oust all Palestinians from Gaza with American support. A did you know …. that Trump has used the 5th Amendment 440 times – so much for transparency!.. And the richest nation on earth has given just $3.6m to the Nepal appeal which is taking the piss! – probably less than the President pays to go golfing every month/week. What happened to Christian virtuals of humility, empathy and help thy neighbour? I am not religious but surely every sane person should abide by these maxims.

In the UK DEFRA is considering an extension of animal welfare rules to pheasant shoots – oh please, the Telegraph will be apolexic at this and the Mail and Express will follow. The rules would also prevent anyone associated with the killing/murder of protected birds of prey from holding a shoot. Like all cruel animal sports this has been going on too long. I really do not care about the loss of, possibly a few thousand jobs in rural areas. Alternative occupations could be found. Rewilding grouse moors would help control flooding and allowing public access would enable more urban dwellers to enjoy the great British Countryside. Hey you upper class twat, ever heard of clay pigeon shooting? And I am sure manufactures of clay pigeon machines could get inventive! However to balance thing a little, maybe deer could be culled sustainably and safely to ease the pressure on beef and livestock farmers – the population of deer is probably higher than at anytime in the last 2000 years, or ever!

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CLIMATE CHANGE

Why is it that politicians take a ‘pragmatic’ view on further exploitation in the waters around the UK?  Basically it is a class thing.  Poor people are concerned about paying the rent/mortgage rather than the esoteric thought of controlling climate extremes, as a human race we are very adept in prioritising our personal needs before empathy for others.   As ever it is the poor who suffer most from extremes of temperature in poorly insulated houses or concrete blocks of flats.  `it will be the poor who suffer most from floods, not the toff on the hill!  It will be the poor who face the brunt of price rises due to crop failures or poor harvests, not the rich or even the middle classes.  Got a pension? It will almost certainly have investments related to fossil fuels, so please explain this to your grandchildren, children understand the world better than adults.  Old people are nostalgic for their past and oblivious to the future of there offspring, I could call it selfish.  Perhaps storms Austen, Boelo and Chloe will make our politicians take notice?  It may not be the poor who are most affected but those who have bought their first house and are skint!  It seems that planners and house builders have not even studied Geography at GCSE, covering farmland with impermeable concrete and tarmac will result in floods – no shit! Oh but add in the water companies lack of investments it probably will result in shit!  

Solar and onshore wind turbines generate electricity at about £30 megawatt hour, much cheaper than fossil fuels and nuclear.  Solar power is set to exceed 61% of world electricity generation by 2050 – so a lot of good news, it is just that sometime it needs bad news to stimulate action, Reform thrive on it but offer no solution just lies and propaganda for their fossil fuel donors.

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TIBET

The scale of the disaster is becoming more apparant with every day – now over 1000 dead and the possibility of further horrendous floods are possible. Of course the trash press are only interested in the 30+ Britons who have been killed, why when every loss of life is to be mourned, the press no longer report the executions of Children and medics in Gaza and the West Bank and Lebanon. Is this due to the lack of ‘Brits” killed or the Israeli/Jewish influence. Yes I include ‘Jewish’ as there are many Jews who support Israeli actions, or chose to stay quiet – i.e. complicit. Tens of M.P.s have accepted donations from pro-israeli bodies including any Labour (and Ministers). Burnham promises positive action, but we wait and see; just like we do on proportional representation and donations to parties where he seems to have back tracked after Union pressure, donations from abroad should be a straightforward ban? But politics is a messy business.

I hve a suggestion, as the UN seems to be ever more toothless, why not create an international brigade, made up of a mixture of troops and civilians, who can intercede when dusters occur. All countries would be invited to aprticipate and pay for it, It would have ‘blue hat’ status and ability to call up experts to aid difficult situations (nuclear accidents). TBH it is pathetic that we rely on charities to aid (even with government funding). Unfunding by Trump has probably led to many thousands of deaths – despicable apology for a human!

Beans and pulse sales are up over 7% in the last year. This has to be good for both our selves and the planets, Eating meat will always be an option, but a reduction hs to be welcomed by the NHS.

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I LAUGHED

The orange faced child has thrown toys out of his pram and attempted to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America – fucking lunatic! Has he finished yet? The Gulf of Mexico has been renamed Gulf of America. The egoistic fool has already added his name to several federal buildings – next up “the Atlantic Ocean” “New York” or “…… “- suggestions please. I just read that Trump said he would maybe ‘change the names of both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans)”! Perhaps he will insist that African Countries revert to their subservient times and regress to names like South Rhodesia and Gold Coast.

Russia states that the UK is “playing with fire” by supporting Ukraine. Russia may well attack UK bases as it has threatened – but we have no choice but to combat a madman (Putin – who Farage adfmires as a leader!). Europe is under threat and whilst not all Eastern European countries are anti-Putin we should defend the borders of our allies.

Summer holidays are nearly over, it would make more sense to bring them in line with Europe and Scotland and have July off? Temperature examination shows this makes sense. Rain predicted later – I have had it explained, but do not understand the MetO prediction of rain, it says 30% but when I look at the rainfall radar there is no rain anywhere near! So why bother with a fictitious percentage to cover all eventualities. If 30% represents an area that may get rain – I need to see the size of the area! Is it North Somerset, England, UK, Europe? Pointless. Looking at the rainfall radar an hour ago it says we should get decent rain at 11.18 – we will see!

Tomatoes are looking worn out so I doubt I will get many more – is this early, maybe I did not feed/water to their liking – but whatever I have had a supply for at least 8 weeks.

Numbers of asylum seekers in hotels has halved, small boat crossings reduced and yet the trash want to continue with a narrative because they have no other – the deaths in Middlesborough are horrific and a result of austerity (a right wing policy espoused by Reform and Regress).

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CONFUSED

The trash papers tell us that we must prepare for an attack by Russia; I know it probably sells newspapers but really! It would appear that Russia is struggling against the Ukraine. Why do right wing newspapers and parties want to increase military spending, whilst all the time complaining about taxes and welfare. Anybody under the age of 80 in this country has not lived under war conditions – what are they afraid of?

Water compaanies have said they will fight any change to the insolvency laws – But Parliament makes and passes the laws, so the greedy hedge funds will just have to suck it! Just as Trump will have to do in negotiations with Canada. Canada can open trade links with other countries and benefit from the tariff war, Similarly China can do the same if Trump gets uppity about Irans exports of oil to China. The world is not a peaceful place at the moment with Trump, Netmanyahu and Putin strutting like old cocks in a farmyard.

Will we finally get a fair voting system in the UK? Whilst I shudder at the thought of more toss pots from Reform and the other ones, in Parliament, in a democracy they deserve to have their racist incoherrent lies heard. Argumentsabout the need for FPTP and strong government have been totally washed away by the ineptitude of the last government, and to some extent the large majority of the present one.

Fuel bills rise again – and no dumbass, opening up fields in the North Sea will not help, but a war like effort to reduce reliance on fossil fuels would, jobs would be created locally, especially if combined with insulation. Data centres are a difficult problem – we are increasingly becoming dependant in AI and the super computers (until a hacker takes one down!). They use vast amounts of water and electricity – climate change should determine that they are always sited on the coast – the finance these companies make is humungous – so they should have to pay extra to ensure that local people never lose their power supply before an AI company.

Floods predicted across the country. Hey guys, what were you doing in your Geography lessons! I fear that more will become aware of ‘infiltration rates’, ‘saturation point’, ‘overland flow’ and the need for beaver in preference to grouse moors. If it means job loses, so be it.

Burnham also seems ready to speak out about Israels annexation of the West Bank – will he stand up and be counted.