Today's Politicians, Compared to Yesterday's, briefly.

It has been reported that Rishi Sunak, the 'would be' PM, has stated that he was not encouraged to speak out during the pandemic.  His claim is that had he been able to speak he would have ended lockdown, masks and other scientific advice, removed all scientists from the public eye and cut down the information given to the people about Covid.  This he says would have encouraged business, the economy and enabled growth, though I do not quote him directly.

This reveals the changes in politicians in my lifetime.

The first half of the 20th century saw two major world wars, a world depression and an attempt, after 1945, to improve life for the nation.  All UK political parties wished things to improve, even though there were disagreements as to how and when.   

Then, after 20 or so years of this came Thatcher!  The idea of working together was replaced by greed.  It could be said that this new economic model enriched everybody, and indeed it did, except for the 3 million unemployed of course, many who never worked again.  Under Blair and Brown the worst excesses of Thatcher were diminished, however, a growing threat came from those growing up in the 'Punk' era.  Having known nothing of war or hunger, even from a distance, having been brought up with a 'silver spoon in the mouth,' though often brought up by uncaring parents, those who became politicians, newspaper and media people, all from the same background, cared nothing and knew nothing about those outside of their circle. 

Today, the new PM is to be Liz Truss, a woman connected to many organisations that wish to reduce benefits, they mean end them, charge for the NHS, drop all protection for workers, the environment and anything that hinders their profits, and we can see how this will work out through the privatised English water companies today.  In short, a return to 'Victorian Values,' without the 'Victorian Social Gospel,' that changed the world for the better.  People no longer matter, they are cogs in the wheel to make the rich richer.  Truss and her kind have been planning this for many years.  Lobby groups abound and we do not know who pays for them, though Koch, Mercer, Pharma companies and Fossil fuel companies are all involved yet we are not officially told who pays.  US money offering US standards to UK people while UK politicians line their pockets and prove unworthy of office!

The futures bright, but not in the UK!

Attention All Shipping, Connelly.

 

This is a delightful, short, easy to read book.

Charlie Connelly is not the first to scribble a book based on the Shipping Forecast, he is not the first to travel to all the areas mentioned either.  His version is however, worth a look. 

The Late night Shipping Forecast, broadcast by the BBC since the 1920s, however, it began way back in the 1860s.  Vice-Admiral Robert Fitzroy began broadcasting known weather patterns via Telegraph in an effort to save lives and avoid the many shipwrecks around the coast.  Island life cannot avoid the combination of bad weather and outcrops of rock!  His basic service saved many lives.  The service developed through the use of radio after the Great War, the areas becoming well known to seamen.  The areas themselves developed as time passed, and the forecast service also continued being broadcast four times a day, these days on Radio 4.     

The author begins with a chapter on himself and his limited nautical family history, then a chapter on the Forecast itself and how it originated.  He is allowed to sit by as a BBC reader  gives the lunchtime forecast, and is impressed by the timing and skill on show, no wonder.

From there he attempts to visit all the sea areas mentioned during the forecast, of course having to fly or take a ferry across one or two unreachable otherwise, such as Dogger.  He gets drunk at a party in Utsire, having enjoyed a rough ferry crossing,  tastes Arbroath 'smokies,' and in Cromer (Humber region) learned the remarkable story of Lifeboat man Henry Blogg who's crews, in over 55 years service, saved some 873 persons from the waters around him.   Remember, when Henry began in the lifeboat it was all manhandled, no engines, just strong, determined men rowing into a gale.  The attitude he displayed has not changed, if you want real heroes read about Henry Blogg and the men of the RNLI.

Visiting the Isle of Wight, (sea area Wight) Charlie finds the people of the island like to make money out of one and all.  In his desire to see the far distant Tennyson Monument he gets caught in a heavy rainstorm, not for the last time.  So he continues his way around, from Portland to the Basque country, Ireland to Iceland, the Faroes to Shetland.  Each time he finds stories, often concerning his failure, seasickness, small aircraft or accommodation as well as the people living around him, almost all of whom carry on as if  people like him were common visitors.  The tales are easy to read, the humour help to carry the tale, and the book very readable indeed.  I often could imagine myself in the places mentioned, the circumstances retold, and often the suffering involved.  It was interesting how open people were, especially on the islands.  The difference between his London home and a small cottage on a sun filled or storm tossed island was interesting.  

The book is not new, published in 2004, and reprinted several times until 2009.  Some items are therefor dated somewhat, the easy travel across the EU for one, but this does not detract from the tale.

I recommend this book.

So, the first one has gone!  Javid has resigned from the incompetents government, soon followed by Chancellor Sunak.  Bothe men will now begin to openly seek election as PM.  Nadine Dorries may well resign by accident.  Two senior men gone, all because of a groper getting caught, not because of Boris Johnson's many other failures!  The end is nigh it appears.

    

Thrush and Sunak

It is the time of the year to look up and listen.  Last night, as I was bemoaning the lack of football on TV, I heard this boy sing.  (It may be female, I don't know)  How wonderful is the sound of a Thrush in the evening, or perhaps a Blackbird, lots of them around here as always.  So far tonight he has not shown up, too early, and the sun is still shining high in the sky.  I suspect he, and his mates, will be seeking the late worms and other beasties that manifest themselves at this time of year.  Walking around today I noticed again the Swifts overhead.  Maybe they were House Martins, but I am sure they are swifts.  They all move to fast to check!

 

 

I saw them when I was returning from 'Poundland' & 'B&M.'  I had gone to stock up on the £1 imitation Daz, and cheap bleach.  However, there were huge gaps in the shelves.  While filled as well as could be expected it was clear stocks were low.  So I left 'Poundland' and went next door to 'B&M' where a similar situation was to be found.  It is clear Brexit and the huge costs, let alone the amount of paperwork, has taken its toll on shops importing all their goods from China.  Another Brexit Dividend I assume?

 

In spite of all the denials, all it took was a report from Sue concerning lots of parties at No 10 to enable the Chancellor to hand out the cash to the needy.  While this is beneficial, I ask, is this the best method?  Certainly this will help many, but for those on benefits how far will £650 go between a family of four, especially if they are not the wisest?  I suppose Boris can now claim to be doing something, however, nobody believes him.

I wonder, if he stood down who would replace him?  The leading lights are lights that are very dim, and no proper leader will wish to take control, especially as the next election will be a disaster for the Tories.  So, step forward Liz Truss!  This is your moment, take control, spend two years being worse than Boris, lose the election and allow a real Conservative to return, if there are any left...

 

Boris at Work

Tee Hee!  Boris has done him good this time!

There can be no doubt that the information that Sunak, our great Chancellor, the man in charge of the UK financies, has a wife, living with him in Downing Street, who is claiming she is a 'Non-Dom,' came from Boris to his friends in the media.  That is, she lives abroad most of the year and thereby dodges tax!  By this devious means she can avoid paying tax her husband, the Chancellor, has not asked her to pay as he is also somehow involved in her many companies.  So, the man who charges tax sleeps with a woman who dodges tax (just like he does) and now the information is out about her dodging and the people are not happy.  This multi-millionaire, married to an even multier-millionaire, dodges tax while her hubby intends to take the top job as PM.  

Tee Hee, that has been crashed as Boris has involved his friends to ensure we now all know about his dodgy dealings.

Again Boris is playing politics well here, as we now also know that the tax dodging Chancellor, with a resident non-dom wife who dodges tax, also spent 18 months as Chancellor of the UK while holding a 'Green Card' in the United States (where one of his 12 homes can be found).  This means for that 18 months he became a US citizen and yet was in the UK cabinet!  

Surely Boris knew?  

Now, you will be surprised to know, this also is across all the media and Boris is saying nothing at this time, I wonder why?  Tee Hee.  When it comes to seeking the top job you need friends who know how to play the game, Sunak has few friends, little experience and is learning the hard way how to deal with Boris.

By the way, I wonder how those pictures of Boris, taken from the Chancellors window, got into the media?

Anyway, we await the next chapter of this fight for the top job.

Once Sunak is done for we can expect tales about Liz Truss, though surely she cannot be serious, and such tales that would make her look bad, tsk, I wonder who could do that to the wee girl?

I would love to be filthy rich, just think of what you could do with that money?  You could buy yachts and sail around the Med, you could have 12 homes in various countries while you dodged taxes and made more money, you could sit back and enjoy life, or you could use the money for the common good while still enjoying all the best for yourself.  

How come people like today's multi-millionaire's fail to do that?  

I know of two rich men in Edinburgh who for years have donated much cash to all sorts of projects with little publicity and much gratitude.  Some 120, I think it was, millionaires wrote to the Chancellor suggesting they were taxed more and the poor taxed less.  His response was that they should just donate money to the Treasury!  Not all rich men are without morals, even those who vote for the Conservative's. 

Why do those who strive to be among the richest work so hard for what they cannot possibly make use of?  How do you spend excess millions?  Do you build penis shaped spaceships and rise high above the earth? Do you create an aircraft that flies around the world on little fuel?  Or do you invest it in people because you are not a craven greedy wretch?

What would you do?

 

Another Wasted Budget

 

 

Richi Sunak, the Chancellor with a wife richer than the queen, offered a budget aimed at easing the cost of living.  

As always with a Tory, he lied.

I did not bother watching, I knew what he was going to say anyway.  It has become the norm to announce quietly, via favoured press men, what the government intends.  It was clear only the rich would benefit, not those struggling to pay their way.  

Yesterday Twitter abounded with people defending Boris by attacking Nazarin grumbling about being kept in an Iranian jail for 6 years because of Boris.  Today the Grafton Street bots were out if force on Twitter and in the press supporting Sunak.  

They failed miserably.

The sooner this lot are up before a judge the better.

Fun62

For a pleasant divergence take yourself over to Fun62.  This young lady wanders about the London Tube, working her way around the city environs.  Jumping off at various stations an exploration of the vicinity is made, well photographed and well recorded.  

I find it very interesting and informative, especially regarding places where I once trod.  It is amazing how things have changed and how much I missed when there.  Well worth a look.

There are too few sites I like these days.  Lots of uninteresting ones around, many political, especially American, but too few offering the type of site I enjoy.  This one does it well, and one or two others try this also.  I will be seeking new sites to visit and post them here.

 

Thursday Space Filler...

Not long now.

All the rats are deserting the sinking ship, all attempting to suck up to the next leader, all happily lying in their teeth Boris style in the hope of getting something from whoever wins.  Clearly smoothie Rishi is in the lead, however, having no understanding of anything but money, he was one of those that brought about the 2008 world economy collapse, and he is only likely to care for the rich, so this will limit him, and as for Liz Truss, well...

 

 

Boris smearing the opposition leader went well.  Several MPs have written their complaint letter, other backroom staff have resigned, probably to join Rishi, and Boris is the one smeared by this.  Are we taking bets on how long?

 

 

It is not often that I enjoy an 'Old Firm' match but last night was worth watching.  To see the Huns ripped apart like that was most enjoyable.  Missing a centre of defence they were taken for fools constantly, most delightful to watch especially as for a few pounds they could have had one at the weekend.  Maybe he will play on Sunday and show them what they missed?

The only problem was the team beating them, the other half of the sectarian twins, Celtic.  It is true that they are the best team we have played this season, they ripped us apart in the first half but we came back and would have got a draw had Mr Boyce not missed a penalty!  How on earth did he do that?  We deserved a draw that night. Clearly Celtic are the team in charge, but can we catch them?

On Sunday afternoon we play the blue bigots in Ibrox, I wonder which Rangers supporting ref will be chosen for this?  I expect if we are winning a sending off, or indeed the famous 'Penalty for Rangers' cry will be heard.  I'm looking forward to be cheated in this one.

 

 

Wandering Free.

 

Parcelforce arrived before 10 this morning to collect my package with a smile.  He obviously had not read my Twitter feed.  Relieved of the bulk I then proceeded deliberately in an easterly direction towards the Post Office, here I deposited another, smaller, package with the young lady who smiles at me when I visit.  She appeared a bit down this morning for reasons unknown.  I always use this PO as it is better when you get a smile rather than the expression of the ex-Stasi operatives who are employed at the main PO.  They have never employed a human being in that office yet as far as I can see, and it has moved position several times in the past 24 years, to hide from past employees perhaps?  Smiles?  Did Soviet Union Border Guards ever smile?  Neither do that lot.

Having despatched two parcels, with nothing to do but catch up on things undone, with the sun shining to the south and big gray clouds gathering in the west I headed homewards via the parks to see some greenery, thus wasting time and being unable to attend to things undone.  The rusting leaves were annoying one man who was brushing a pile of them out of his driveway onto the council pathway.  It came from their trees I suppose.  Autumn is upon us, though in fact it is Sunday when British Summer Time ends.  I suppose this means the clocks go back.  Church services everywhere, at least where they open, will find at least one person an hour behind! 

I can cope with temperatures in the 50's, neither cold nor warm, but as I hobble along I am warm enough.  People out walking dogs and venturing to and from shops appeared at ease, allowing for masks and social distancing.  The dogs of course just wanted to speak to everybody, social distancing means little to them.  

 

 

Rishi Sunak, known better as 'that chancellor bloke,' has been barred from a pub in Stokelsey, in his constituency.  Also barred are three other Tory MPs in northern constituencies.  This because they voted against feeding needy children over Christmas.  On top of that the prices seen in the Commons 'Tea Rooms' have annoyed many,especially when voting against feeding children.  

It is nice to see free individuals standing up for children, especially this one who, as a publican, may well be losing money in these difficult times.  

Marcu Rashford, the Manchester United footballer who started this campaign, has been supported by many individual cafe's, restaurants, pubs and councils in deciding to feed such children.  I suspect Boris will be too busy this Christmas feeding his own, if he can work out who they are.