Spain is suffering from the worst wildfires for years – Andalusia may have 11-20 dead. Te extreme heat is causing problems across Europe. Not due to Moroccan disquiet about the World Cup, which caused minor disturbances in cities in France and Holland, and on the Edgware Road in London (hardly riots all over Europe!), bro’! I suspect an English loss or even victory against Norway would result in more arrests (if a defeat then domestic violence will spiral), but be under reported in the crap media. The climate crisis reveals itself occasionally, and is rarely taken notice of. Heat kills, but too many people enjoy it for it to be seen as a problem, morons declare that they love the Mediterranean weather, but ignore the consequences. This is Gaia providing a warning of what is to come if we do not take action – like NOW! Systems in nature are slow to react,and a rise in sea level and ocean temperatures will not have an easy fix.
WARMING UP
Temp at 09.30 is 28C – should top out at 32C this afternoon. I woke up at 0415 and decided to get up and do things early, so all plants watered and greenhouse, drink for later made (mints, ginger, lemon and honey). Pillow cases in wash with t-shirts, etc., Football watched on catch up (France look very good). papers sorted at shop, and paper read – all before 0730! Fan is on – thank goodness for the solar panels!
News is depressing as usual – Iran -Israel/USA continues, oil prices hike again, more accusations of Israeli execution of an aid worker, and also of children. At least Andy Burnham admits that Labour got it wrong on Gaza – we will see if he puts substance to words. farage is now being investigated for further dodgy contributions and money laundering – it seems highly probable that should he win the byelection he will be suspended and another byelection called – this time with all the major parties. Even posh dicks like him, Tice and Jenprick have to obey the law.
My garden is seen by some as a weed invested mess – but then beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It is certainly wild in areas, but I have planted things to diversify, and allowed intruders like evening primrose and chicory to flourish – fennel is self seeding and had been seen growing in the roadside gutter 5 house fronts away, along with pals, the last 2 mentioned. I have planted a few roses (red, white, yellow, purple, orange, pink) and a few herbs. I might make a video and post it of a suburban wilderness.
FARAGE
So he has resigned as an MP – will anyone notice? His video appeal – designed to avoid awkward questions regarding money laundering, said that the byelection would be a chance to stick 2 fingers up to the establishment; a desperate measure designed to appeal to knuckle draggers and those whose personal education prevents them from achieving a satisfactory income – yet these people are stupid enough to ignore his many homes and £5 million plus ‘gifts’. His main opposition maybe Count Binface! the pseudonym for a comedian named Jonathan Harvey, With none of the main parties offering a candidate his humiliation could be epic? Fingers crossed. A Clacton businessman on a radio phone in says he regularly sees Farage in and around the town – he must be hallucinating as Farage is mostly in America and does not have a normal MP’s surgery – ever! he got 21225 votes last time – anything less would be catastrophic for him. He will need to manufacture a racial drama involving a migrant, to jack up his support,
Trump was ridiculed in the Belgian press and in the instagram account of the PM’s cat – Maximus. Trump himself was announcing that the ceasefire was off again – its on and off more than a Belisha beacon! Like Farage he is just a fucking embarrassment. His latest diatribe consisted of more threats to Greenland (which is surrounded by Chinese and Russian boats!), and saying that Europe must be careful with immigration and energy or it would not be Europe anymore! I accept a degree of logic regarding immigration, but energy? Is he squeling like the orange pig he is because oil companies and the American control over the MiddleEast oil producers may be collapsing. Without the petroleum dollar American influence is much diminished.
Heat wave here – fans on, greenhouse and all plants watered, tomatoes still not ripe, mulberries soon, raspberries second crop getting ready, herbs growing brilliantly, roses good, and hanging baskets good.
STICK IT UP YOUR TRUMP!
Belgium totally stuff the American ‘soccer’ team, so there is a fair ending to the debacle.
But also in the news Harry Winsor takes on the Daily Mail – result imminent. I am sure Harry is an arrogant twat raised by royalty to expect privilege, but here I hope he wins, in many ways, despite the privilege, he is a good guy, he married a divorced, black, American – can’t all be bad!
Farage struggles to justify income from criminals and foreign crypto billionaires.
Begining to warm up – it was a bit chilly this morning – and another heat wave on the way! But the Tories and Reform and ridiculous? deny it is happening – weird egocentrics.
FARCE
The orange babyTrump calls Infantino and tells him to reinstate the USA’s star forward, and of course the FIFA president does as he is told. Not content with using the White House to gorge his pockets and those of his family, it is not enough! A giant ego needs the support of the people, he failed to get the Nobel Peace prize so he went on an orgy of destruction despite being awarded the FIFA Peace Prize (wtf!). The player himself Folarin Balogun, should refuse to play, claiming an injury or whatever; Belgium USA next opponents should be prepared to walk off if the referee appears to be biased. Politics should stay out of sport, especially when it is blatently unfair. No other sendings of have been rescinded, the sending off itself was not controversial or contested at the time, on the pitch (no VAR) or player protests. It just fucking stinks of corruption and mis-use of power. The world will be rooting for Belgium tonight. Our beautiful game has already been corrupted by so called hydration breaks, by America’s use of immigration laws to restrict attendance (even by teams -Iran), sky high prices for just about everything. Fuck off Trump and stick to cage fighting!. By te way England had a magnificent victory against Mexico with goals from our two players who ply their trade with foreign clubs – and Jude Bellingham was undoubtably the star of the show – xenophobes fuck off!
At home Farage – the slimy toad faced liar, is under new threat of investigation for accepting yet more money from dodgy sources (this time a convicted fraudster). The government is introducing new rules to prevent foreign donations that can affect elections and our democracy. Whether it will be enough, time will tell. He is already whinging at a “witch hunt” and refusing to be interviewed.
PEOPLES WORLD CUP
People get very nationalist about their countries participation in the FIFA World Cup – but a closer examination of the facts is revealing. 99 players in squads were born in France – only 23 are in the French squad. When Morocco played Brazil, none of their players at one time, had been born in Morocco. European born dominate (England 49,Netherlands 67, Germany 48, Belgium 36, Switzerland 34, Spain 36, Austria 31), 53 were were born in Paris! So it is not surprising when players do not sing their national anthems – except for te Spanish whose anthem has no words! Many players have had the option of chosing the country they play for due to birth, parentage and residency. As the famous song went “the world is just a great big melting pot” – and the flag shaggers can just fuck off with their racist comments. Yes have a flag for the tournament but do not go over the top! Englands two hero’s play in Germany and Spain. However do not mention this if you are in a pub at 5am tomorrow and England lose on penalties (again)! But seriously football is a global game and one that could bring about a better world without FIFA President with his head up Trumps arse.
Oh and was yesterday the 4th July- USA celebration of independance – hardly even acknowleged in the UK. Main news from the U.S. was about Trump using the precedency to enhance the wealth of him and his family! In the UK a bill is going through Parliament to restrict donations from abroad to £100000 – this seems weak, but better than nothing as muppet faced Farage squirms whenever asked why he did not reveal a £5mill “gift”. Which sent him running to the Treasury to promote crypto-currencies, no conflict of interests obviously.
Sunny here, and about to make strawberry jam, I might add some mint? Dry for the next month is the forecast – hopefully my water butts will be enough? Tomatoes are forming – hopefully next week?
MAGIC – and Taylor Swift!
The World Cup has produced some magic – Cabo Verde took world champions Argentina to extra time and then equalised again before losing out. So after 4 matches they were unbeaten at full time (including their opening match against European Champions Spain, and despite travel restrictions on their fans by the glorious Trump (twat!). So a country with a slightly higher populationcannot always switch their arrangements than Bristol has taken on the World Champions and the European Champions and gave them a fright – MAGIC!
FIFA meanwhile have shown their utter contempt for … basically everyone; players, supporters, our government, our employees and employers, by proposing an earlier kick off.. Firstly the players – at such a level of professionalism it must be wrong to switch KO from a pleasantly warm evening to the raging heat of the day; supporters to suit a new KO time; our government has changed alcohol licensing laws to accomodate a ‘1am kick off (UK time); employees and employers have made commitments to staff this event; And then they back track and say they are not changing it after all. The excuse was the weather predictions – but was more likely due to pressure from media companies in the UK and Europe – projected viewing figures were way down on expectations. So England players will have been asked to adapt to sweltering temperatures – and then told it was back to before. It is going to be difficult to adapt to the altitude, a very partisan crowd and the expectation of a nation anyway (well part of a nation?). On money – resale tickets for the match in Mexico City have been priced at £24000 – fucking ridiculous – too many people with too much money – a fucked up world! Still America is more interested in Taylor Swifts wedding in NY – who gave $26million to various charities , they are estimated to be worth at least a $billion – so by my very poor calculations it would be like a person with £1000 giving 0.2p to a charity! So next time Taylor make a bigger impact on poverty and the environment – do something meaningful that actually makes a difference.
Meanwhile Farage has flown to America again – to suck Trumps ……? He certainly will not be supporting the England team who are in Mexico! America like Britain has a shitty past, most countries cannot look back at their past with unbridled pride, but not many, if any, had genocide as a government policy.
4TH JULY
I guess this all has to be about the USA – I will not try to compete when Rebecca Solnit summed it up beautifully in an article headlined ‘The good, the bad and the ugly”. A country founded on genocide with more than a little corruption along the way has also been inventive and creative in a possitive way for humanity. They should get Danny Boyle design a celebration like London 2012 . I think in the past the USA had much to be proud of, and although late comers I would include WW1 &2, but very little at the present. Oh well I will this topic for now. South Africa is facing another spate of murders – not the genocide spouted by Musk and Trump, but black migrants from other African countries. It seems that a person does not have to be white to be a racist twat!
Can the press stop interviewing ‘formerhead of … ‘ It is becoming boring lstening to their whining and right wing comments which have little substance..
World Cup – England have against them 60000 + mexican supporters, altitude, history and expectation – what could go wrong?
SPOILT WHITE MEN
What do Boris Johnson, Donald Trup and Nigel Farage have in common – well the list is long and contains expletives that should not be used often! But I was thinking along the lines of privileged, rich, arrogant and going down in history as such. Trump has been condemned by the Supreme Court as a rapist, and the latest is a $billion crypto currency scandal, whilst Farage is struggling under a £5million ‘gift’ from a crypto billionaire – and Boris! All believe themselves to be above the law that determines a civil society. And there are many others who believe the same – but in general they are all white, priveged and rich. And all self grandising con merchants.
GOVERNMENT SPENDING
Isuppose it was/is inevitable that spending on Defence is going up but in general it seems to be going in the right places, although I am hesitant about nuclear submarines. What is much more sensible is a proposal to limit education trust executive to a max of £174000 – this is still high, but I doubt if any will be resigning or going on strike! Similar provisions could and should be made for all public servants especially Councils where executive salaries are way to high, universities and the NHS Trusts. If they are good enough they can take industrial jobs and boost the economy in that way. This educational initiative comes after a report stated that schools were failing white working class children, and that many children were spending too much time in isolation. Education was a kinder place when I started teaching in 1975. Local authorities provided essential services a head teacher was provided for each school rather than spending time between several? With academies I see no improvements, other than services being privatised – diners at Churchill Academy have certainly plummeted, kids cannot even sit to enjoy their food and friendships – no wonder so many are fucked up!