A jaundiced view? Well, make your mind up....

Every day I watch the morning’s news on TV, yes from the impartial BBC and this morning I listened to Yvette Cooper, one of the lefty Labour stalwarts. It is really no wonder that this country is in the doldrums with people like that around. Bereft of common sense and full of ideas about how to spend money. The problem is it is not her money but mine and yours. The discussion was about the immigration problem. And before everyone jumps down my throat I am NOT against immigration in principle. Certainly not because in one way I am one or rather was, one myself. But I am against uncontrolled immigration. And I shall tell you why, for people to come believing as they do that this is the promised land flowing with milk and honey and free money and a house, there will be a sharp awakening. Because the reality is completely different. There is no milk and honey, the farms a slowly closing down because they cannot make ends meet due to power costs, there is no honey because all the bees are dying thanks to pesticides. Even worse if you are an immigrant and have managed to convince some stupid official you are escaping terrible deprivation thanks to being gay or something like that, you will find it nigh to impossible to find accommodation. Unless you are going to be happy to work for a Chinese take-away and life in the cellar with the rats. Welcome to good ol’ Britain!

You see the point? That is what uncontrolled immigration does, it is NOT a freeway to a better life at all. It is a way to a grotty life full of criminality, drugs and more. That is what blondes like Yvette Cooper do not want to think about. I am sure she is a well-educated person, living in an affluent suburb close to London or even in Kent somewhere. Nice garden, she can hear the birds singing every morning. Lovely, but what having such a life makes you knowledgeable about the economics of government? It is a question we should ask every politician. Because it is too easy to spend someone else’s hard earned money. Present day governments are all for an easy life, is there a problem? Oh, no problem, let’s throw a few billion at it and it will go away. Problem is it will not go away because money never solves any problem, it just makes it a whole lot worse.

Controlled immigration is simply the system to ensure the right people come. It means government would know what type of labour is needed in any sector, it means that companies or educational bodies know their needs and that they will be able to satisfy them in the correct way. The process must start before the would-be migrants begin any journey. Obviously in countries that are suffering famines or war such a process would be difficult so there will always be a number of people that are really destitute and we should be able to help. Indeed, not just the UK but all other countries. But economic migrants, that is to say those who are just looking for a better easier life, need to be vetted against the needs of the host country. In particular because the fast growing populations of poorer countries will soon overflow, if they are not already. I remember saying this some time ago, this planet cannot really sustain 8-10 billion humans. If we think we can, then be prepared to start living in blocks of flats such as you can see in Chinese cities like Hong Kong or Shanghai! Forget about your leafy suburbs and English country gardens. Welcome to the 100 million in the UK, Wales will top the 10 or 12 million. Food will be entirely processed goo. Probably based on seaweed and insects. Cardiff will reach as far as Brecon and where I live, at presently 300 metres above sea-level, I will have an ice cream tent because the lowlands of Glamorgan are now under water and I am living next to the sea! Welcome to the 22nd century. Nice work politicians, tell me because I am now old and feeble, why did I actually vote for you?

Bored with the mess in politics? Try this...

As most will know by now, I am a reader of Quora, the Question and Answer platform but not a contributor. It is rather interesting in the banality that shows up at times. Having studied mathematics in my past life I smile at some of the questions that are asked. Mostly I ruefully smile and think to myself ‘What the *ell’? You continually get silly formulae type questions such as – From an unknown number 5 is deducted, multiplied by 10 and the result is 82, what is the unknown number? Well, if you work it out which will take all of two seconds you will know the answer is 13.2 as (x-5)10=82. So, opening brackets to multiply the constituents 10x-50=82. Transferring the negative to its positive side 10x= 82+50 or 10x=132. So x=132/10= 13.2

In order to check you can put the answer into the formula like so – (13.2-5)10=82 deducting and multiplying 8.2x10= 82. So, correct.

One of the rules that lots of people do not get is the use of the ‘equal’ sign, the =. This is where a positive number, if you move it across, becomes negative. And of course, a negative becomes positive. Similarly for multiplications and divisions, as one can see above. This is how you can ‘solve’ many of these type of formulae, even if they are more complicated.

There are literally hundreds of these types of questions. But why, if questioners do not know these most basic arithmetic questions why not just buy a basic arithmetic book? Surely, Quora is not really the place to keep clogging up valuable space? Ah well, let’s not be difficult about it and let these people have their fun. At least I am not paying the bill.

One of the uses is solving simultaneous equations, which are basically two separate formula with two or sometimes more unknowns. Like this:

3x+ 7y= 27 and 5x+ 2y=16. So you have two unknowns x and y and two equations or formula. To solve this we have to work on x first (not always as you may be able to use the values of y). And the way to do this is to make the values  of x the same. So, the coefficients of x are 3 and 5 so we can multiply 3 by 5 to get 15 in both cases. Then 3x+7y becomes 15x+ 35y= 135. We must multiply both parts by the same value and so 5x+ 2y= 15x+6y= 87. We can ‘ignore the 15x for now and look at the y values. 35y and 6y. We now subtract 6 from 35= 29 and 29y= 87 (as 135-48 = 87), y= 87/29 = 3. All that is left then is to substitute the found y value in either of the formula or as they can be called equations to find x. So, 3x+ 7y is then 3x+7x3 – 3x+ 21=27, 3x= 6 and therefore x has to be 2. As 6 /3 =2. Remember a multiplication that is moved over, the 3x, the number 3 becomes part of the division as shown.

Just a simple working and hopefully it shows how that works. If you feel confident now you could try the simultaneous equations below:

5(x+2y)-(3x+11y)=14 and 7x-9y-3(x-4y)=38. Good luck, no need to tell me. But remember it is the practice to clear brackets first! So I will give you the first bracket value. You note the multiply value is 5 therefore 5x+10y-(etc etc). Values inside the brackets are multiplied by the value outside the brackets. Have a practice, have a go and don’t watch that interesting TV soap opera!

Some hometruths...

Just reading the newspapers there is one item that provides all the headlines. The sorry state of politics in this country. Never mind Liz Truss, Boris, or Rishi they are all just the same. As Douglas Murray says in the Sun newspaper, too many MPs including leaders are just in the game for themselves. And as he pointed out this is not just something that happened a few weeks ago to today. No, this has been something that stems from further away. We have been badly served by non-entities which I too have been continually saying. If you think this is a Conservative political problem, no Sir it is not. It goes across the board. Just look at the frontbench of the Labour party! Low quality abounds. On the Conservative side we see eager beavers just to start the next resignation scandal. All to enhance themselves. Rishi is basically a newcomer, what is his political strength? God knows because I sure don’t. Our politics as was pointed out today resembles that of a banana republic. 

Even Italy which can be something else isn’t as bad as what we have performed here. Then there are reports Boris wants to have another go. He should be told – Look matey, you had your chance, blew it and now stay home and look after the dogs. If this happened we can all leave the UK because it basically has become ungovernable. As Douglas said, ‘Our country is being hideously governed. It is time to weed out the idiots and secondly install a system of qualification to become an MP. Including deep research in a candidate’s background. Including educational attainment. I am sorry to have to say this but there is no other way if we want people to govern and lead us. That they understand comes with certain demands. One of which will be, public servants are for the people not for themselves! So, let’s take some time to have a very sharp look at the whole system and make amends as needed. This certainly is not before time. And may I end by saying all democracies need to do this as well. The US included!

A quick look at past posts...

Often it is necessary to have a look at previous posts and as I did so I noticed one written in 2018. Yes, 4 years ago! My beard was still in its infancy then. But one titles, ‘Hurrah hoist the flag…’ stood out, particularly because the political world situation has changed so much. The post was basically my opinion about our military capabilities pertaining to all the cuts to the UK forces we have had. Talking big doesn’t make you more capable. The post was written in response to the poisoning of Russian nationals residing in the UK after having fled apparent mistreatment or danger to life. Anyway, the question was, who was likely to be responsible. Well, today it has been discovered, but not with 100% certainty, that Russian agents have been at work. Again, if such agents would return and be apprehended, we could start proper judicial action. In the meantime we will have to wait. The second thing that has changed enormously is the military one. Thanks to the Russian invasion of the Ukraine, NATO now has woken up and that includes the British military forces. Whilst we are no longer a world power we do still have a sizable military capability. In fact now expanding again. You might ask why did Russia do this? After all the way things were going showed that Russia would have been the foremost economical power in Europe, even in Asia with its resources like oil and gas. Comparing Germany and Russia would show that loosening your grip on public control would greatly enhance productivity and scientific endeavour. Yet this is not the Russian way or so it seems. Whilst parts of it, like the Moscow-St. Petersburg axis do well, the rest is virtually empty and undeveloped. A nation with such potential should be the best on the planet. There would not be any need to project its power militarily, economically it would rule all before it.

Unfortunately, its mindset is far removed from such ideal and it seems to have been married to the ideas of imperialism. Now, just to mention we here as well had similar ideas a century or so ago and just look how that has ended? Imperialism will always be a short term ideal, the world is simply too big. Its peoples wherever they live have a right to self-determination. So, its good to have a look at previous posts and you will note the changes in circumstances and changes in the state of affairs nationally and world-wide!

We need a new idea... now!

If there is any greater sign that we need a federal type of government it is the present situation in Westminster Parliament. The bickering and the seemingly never ending quarrels and spiteful infighting of political parties shows that one-party government is outdated. But what would take its place? We are trying proportional representation in local governmental circles which would mean coalitions for central government. This could work and does in other countries but here?? Then we could also enlarge the system of devolved governments. In other words federal governments. Four independent countries but as in the United States a central policing set-up which deals with defence and matters of finance. Taxes levied will be by the federal states a substantial part then taken by the central body to pay for that. It would mean a much smaller body although it would deal with foreign matters, defence and related financial costs. There are other types that could be looked at I suppose but in general terms the four nations would be independent. So, what about the Crown? Not really a problem, the King or Queen would be King or Queen of all four nations. Well, indeed, something to think about.

One of the problems we seem to have in the UK is the possibility of political parties to govern for a very long time. Take the latest Conservative government now mired in plenty of trouble, they have been in power for over 10 years. This is far too long! After two terms any political representative should stand down and should not be re-elected until one term has passed. In other words a vacation for one semester that could last five years. This to keep things fresh because as it stands today people have become jaded and many different issues have come to the fore. Because some policies have not worked well or at all and tens of if not hundreds of new ideas about how to redress the situation have sprung up and are strongly defended. Hence great differences of opinion, some turning very aggressive. Just what we have seen already. Not just in the Conservative party, Labour has also been afflicted by such infighting. Did I not hear someone or other exclaim ‘It’s a funny game, people’.

We should always remember that Britain is looked upon by other nations as a bulwark against excessive right-wing political systems such as the Russian and erstwhile Nazi systems and ideas. Yes, although they say Communism is left-wing politics, the facts are it is very alike the extreme right-wing politics in its actions. The population is still shackled and suffering. It is a fact that with the planet as it is today, the world population growing to 8billion and more, 10billion is being talked about as achievable by 2050, authoritarianism should be outlawed. No question. Possibly a proper world government to be installed. But as you might expect a lot of water will have to flow under the bridge before such a thing could be started. However, let’s not give up trying!

It just doesn't stop raining, it now storms...

Blimey as they say around here, what in all blazes is going on in Westminster? By the look of things we are governed by a load of kids. This is not to downtalk kids, most kids are great but the shower we have to listen to, who make the laws we live by are something else! As I have said many times before the quality, the knowledge these people possess is virtual nu, nil, zilch, niks, dim, to say it in a few foreign languages. From where I am sitting we have far too many. 650+ could be whittled down to 150 or so taking away some of the fields of responsibility. Dividing the whole country in responsibility zones where the locals can decide for themselves how they want to live. Or go for a proper federal system. Westminster has far too much to do and say. Most of the intricacies of lawmaking simply bypasses most MPs who rather talk over a pint in their local pub. One of the most able recent ministers Suella Braverman resigned after just a few weeks in the job citing U-turns and watering down policies on which the PM was elected to office. Then the erstwhile Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng was got rid off after having set in motion the policies or ideas of the Prime Minister herself! You couldn’t make it up. It was the blame-game in all its glorious exposure. It has always been a bit like that, when top people make mistakes, the blame tended to be shifted onto lower echelons. 

But that’s not the whole story either, it seems also that there has built up a world where so-called loyalty got rewarded by bumping up the loyal acolyte on the ladder to greatness. So, you saw many basic, very loyal MPs with little experience and few brain cells in positions totally unsuitable. The same happens in the Civil Service. It seems part of that old action called empire-building. The problem is that such empires are mediocre and result mostly in scenes we are witnessing today. Chaotic government. Making laws on the spur of the moment, repealing them almost straight away. Watch a few of the faces today, you see rich people in positions just because they have money and some influence but they are devoid of common sense. People that have thousands, even millions in the bank and will never know how most of us have to grab a crust of bread. All they can come up with is, change your job. Work harder, sell your house. Is this the way Great Britain became a world power? It would have been better to stay home and tend the garden and clear the flipping Victorian slums still all around us.

Facts or feelings? Yeah, well ....

A few days ago at a discussion group and talking about the political situation in the UK I was aghast at how many opinions there are that are not based on the reality. That are not based on the facts. Now, it is difficult to be factual because there are many diverging reports, and also possibly depending if you belong to a political party. There are people who have very strong opninions about something or the other but on examination they are ‘feelings’. That is to say they feel something is going wrong but they don’t exactly know why or how. On top of that they do not try to find out from reputable sources. Incidentally, Twitter or Facebook are not reputable sources. They are sources of discontent, halftruths and outright lies. An example I found on the Internet written by a professor of Physics (and you would accept that such a person knows about facts) pointed out an interview with Whoopi Goldberg, yes the one and only religious dancing and singing sister, in which she explained that everyone should oppose nuclear power. That in itself is an interesting viewpoint. If we would ask Greta Thurnberg you would get a diametrically opposing view. But top on her list was the danger of the nuclear plant exploding in a Hiroshima-like way. Now even I, and I am not a nuclear physicist, know that there is not enough material to do that. 

The Chernobyl disaster did show that yes, there are dangers, plenty of possible nightmares, radiation and such but explosions of that magnitude? Anyway, when it was pointed out, she became angry and said ‘This is not about facts, it is about feelings’. Reading that I thought, ‘Well, there you go, another American know-all, spouting off an opinion about something she did not research and knew diddly-squat about. It would have been better to just shut the cake-hole. But it shows that at least we can have an opinion, even though absolutely incorrect. As the professor said, facts are difficult. Take the environment, how many of us do make the effort to read up the incontrovertible facts? It seems that most people not only adopt the Whoopi  approach, but like her, they believe it is the right thing to do. It is the precise problem in the UK at present. Everybody has an opinion on the state of political life in Parliament. In fact, profess these on media sites ad infinitum, Twitter in particular and as a result no-one really knows what is happening. More so, it was the way old Boris got rid off. No-one looked at the hard facts, no-one asked if there was a party, why and what for? That government despite all the problems Covid threw at the nation, government had to continue. Including meetings at which drinks and food were consumed. Call it a party if you want but were those the facts or just feelings? You could argue Boris was unqualified to be PM, but again, is that opinion based on the facts? Or just our feelings? Yet again we see this scenario playing out now Liz Truss is in the firing line. Did we look at the facts? Her ideas were sound, but the money men did not like them? Think about how growth occurs, was she wrong? Or did she make a mistake in not preparing the ground? How many mistakes do we make, every day? One last thing about how to approach these issues of facts and feelings: 

Analyze the issue to death. Gather all the numbers, all the facts, put them (if possible) on a spreadsheet. Create an evaluation function to weigh the importance of all the numbers and facts, and see what the computer says. Then analyze it a different way. Compare conclusions. Then, having completed Step 1, ignore the results, and base your conclusion on your feelings. (From an article in Huffpost).

And this is the way most people appear to face the issues. So, good luck to all in Westminster. I am going to produce a spreadsheet right now!

From sacked ministers to sweeping the road...

It never just rains, it pours! Anyone thinking, eehh? London is in uproar. No, not the people, not even the woke brigade but MPs. Actually, just Conservative MPs. The Labour variety is, except for the irascible Angela and possibly the scatterbrained Keir, pretty quiet. We may wonder what the PM, no not Boris but the radiant Liz, thought before she stood for PM. It now seems she thought it would be easy after Boris. Couldn’t go wrong. Unfortunately for her, it did and still does. Thanks to her indecision despite her talking heavy, she is way out of her depth. She might well have the right education, and a few years in Parliament but that does no-one make a Prime Minister. I think I’ve said this before, to be a Prime Minister you need balls. Ah, this could be interpreted as sexist. Well, take your pick but if you speak English you will need to know about its plentiful idioms and sayings. Anyway, we are in a piccie, yes another word for a pickle. The problems are stacking up and to be honest not all are the government’s making. But to sack a Chancellor after 30 or so days in post is pretty stupid and shows you do not have the reins in hand. We will just have to see what will follow but my prediction is this – the Sun is about to go down below the horizon. The long night will ensue, the polar bears will roam and the wolves will howl. Good luck PM.

In the meantime, here in good old Wales, the Cardiff council, incidentally the brightest of our local councils and that doesn’t say a lot I’m afraid, has asked its citizens, to consider sweeping up the leaves that tend to fall every autumn. HaHaHa, oh yes here we have a council that has to ASK its citizens to do what in other countries is common courtesy. Where I come from (the Netherlands) it was common for people to sweep the pavements in front of their abodes. Not sure what it is now because the enormous number of immigrants has changed the perspective of cleanliness. Young people also have different ideas about the environment. Young people seem to love protesting, even glue themselves to roads and cars but they leave the most enormous amounts of rubbish everywhere they go. Where I live, at school-leaving time you know exactly where the kids walk to go home. Just count the empty crisp packets, sweet wrappers and drinks cartons. If they had some money left and managed to string two words together in the local Chinese take-away you will see the left-overs in your front garden or pavement bordering your home. And the Cardiff council is thinking they can convince them to sweep the roads? HaHaHa, this again shows the calibre of its politicos. Obviously they live in an adjacent world, another reality. From a personal point I continually have to pick up loads of trash from the front of our house. And I mean CONTINUALLY, it seems never ending. There are overflowing bins our council have placed, there is one outside the local Chinese take-away shop and is practically never emptied. As a result the rubbish migrates. Well, enough of this but it just shows how low all of us have sunk. Despite wonderful words spoken by those in power, written in the newspapers and heard over the airwaves, the reality is starkly different. All of us have lost our respect for the places we live in. Lost respect for nature. And that is the saddest part of the story today.

Frustrated? No, really? Where have you been?

Are we having problems or what? Don’t you just love to read about it? Or watch the destruction of a whole country? I don’t think it is 2022, we have regressed back to 1900 or even further back to the Dark Ages. Maybe the Romans have only just gone and left this country in a mess. You know, it is extremely difficult to be positive around here. I like to see the good side in almost anything but frankly in the UK you just cannot do that. It is one calamity after another. No-one knows what to do. Just look at the rigmarole when a country pays another country millions of pounds to police their beaches properly which they ought to do anyway and then it turns out to be just a sham. Obviously the millions paid are disappearing into a private fund to pay for the champagne charlies running that country. You just could not make it up, could you? But I am afraid it is absolutely true! France is just another country run by imbeciles. Perhaps even worse than we have to suffer here and that is bad enough. Despite promises to curtail the immigrants, nothing has changed. In fact, it has changed, it increased! In other words, the reality is that we actually pay for immigrants to come. We pay it is said, some £50million to France for them to police their beaches. Which as it turns out they do but the police help to fill the dinghies. On top of that we send the navy to guide to the coast at Dover or use the RNLI. You just couldn’t make it up!

But friends, that is just a drop of water on a hotplate! Our government’s posture on foreign relations is another dark cloud. Despite Ms Truss wonderful strong words, again the reality is quite different. I think the GCHQ guy in charge is absolutely right. If I asked you what is China? Everyone comes with the same answer, a rich country, wonderful stuff they produce, we just cannot get enough of it etc etc. Powerful and a good example of a well-run country. They obviously have overlooked, the recessive regime, the human misery in certain areas, the military projections and their propensity now to meddle in foreign affairs. They believe in subterfuge, ‘helping’ poor nations such as in Africa but actually making them dependent. Like they do in Europe or rather try, to get influential positions so they can sit at the top table. Sort of what the Russians have done in London, buying property and obtaining high level approval including knighthoods. Did anyone say, hi-level corruption? Mark, I haven’t said it but.... Putin has said not so long ago, Democracy? It is a joke, Britain et al think they are but they are not! And I think although he is a megalomaniac, he is right on that! 

So, yes GCHQ is on the ball, both these countries, Russia and China are a threat to our world. I am certain if you asked their peoples, multiracial as they are, they would raise their eyebrows because they would not have a clue about what you are talking about. It is the leadership, the leadership of a one-party state. The search for power, influence and money. The problem is, are we any different? And there’s your conundrum, a clash between two different senses of ‘How things should be’! Again, as I said in previous posts, no-one so far has asked me! But that is for another time and another post. Sleep well and don’t worry, I have not yet counted all the sheep.

It is a mad, mad world, where did I hear that before? Ah yes....

Over the last few years I have been observing humanity. Well, obviously as I think I am human. But if you ask my wife you might get a different answer! It is rather remarkable how society has changed. You only have to look at one TV excess called ‘Strictly (Come dancing)’. The words of the title do not really exclaim the reality although you could say they are dancing. I would call it ‘cavorting sexily across a slippery floor’. The acrobatics performed do really belong in a travelling circus and that’s just what it really is, a circus. It is also a window on how society is portrayed by the woke brigade. The BBC itself has descended in a way to appease anyone and everybody with ‘same-sex partnerships’, ‘weight-consciousness’ and general gender equality. From where I am sitting watching all of that because my wife loves the program and I really want to watch Dr Pimple Popper, from where I am sitting I don’t believe nationally society is like that at all. I think many people just raise their eyebrows at all of that, and just carry on with their daily tasks of earning enough money to pay for their daily loaf of bread! Most of us, I believe, have already turned down the heating! Still, I suppose spectacles like ‘Strictly’, are a necessity just because of its dress sense. I wouldn’t want to be seen in some of those clothes but RuPaul may be! Perhaps he (or It now, I suppose) has advised the BBC? They wouldn’t listen to me.

Even so, this continuing pressure from these minority groups should be investigated. And not just in this country either. Friends in the Netherlands tell me it is even worse over there. More so, I believe all of the western world has the same problem. Looking back in history, it is very much like the Roman society collapse in the 4th century AD. Strange ideas, sexual immorality amongst many other problems, undermined the fabric of society in such a way that so-called barbarians were able to simply overrun the country. It is sometimes forgotten but the adage, ‘History has a habit of repeating itself’ is very true. Just watch the antics of one man, Putin. Can we see the Nazi Germany here again? Just asking! It has many similarities. Ask the man whether he has read ‘Mein Kampf’? It may always have been like it, except in past years without the Internet, we knew little about it. But today the world of intrigue, corruption, political inadequacies et al are laid bare! Even the most backward simpleton can read, even see, all about it! And as a parting shot, all of aforementioned simpletons seem to have congregated on Twitter and have Facebook accounts. Wow, it is a strange world. So, let me get back to my Twitter and Facebook accounts, I don’t want to miss anything!

Are we facing an extinction scenario?

And yet again we have problems. Just changed the government, Boris has gone and now Ms Truss is in the doldrums just the same. You cannot belieeeeve it, can you? Well, believe it. It now seems that the Conservative era is over well and good. Welcome then the ultra leftie woke era I am looking forward to so much,not! We are in the doldrums and as they say here in Wales, Sŵr i fod! It might have to do something with the state of the whole planet and all that lives on it. When you look at how the biosphere works you will notice that all is dependent on the supply of food. Food first and foremost, next a safe place to stay. It just puts our present problems in perspective. It also depends on the number of individuals using the available food and places to stay and live. The state of the planet is now for all to see. I can’t help but think that I, am as I live in the western world (that is Europe and North America plus Australia/New Zealand) that we are guilty of having brought this planet to the brink. Meaning we have basically filled our niche. More so, in that Chine as well, has become a major producer of CO2 since the middle of the last century. Now I know there has been research in why species behave like that, behave in a way to fill a niche until food and space runs out after which the species faces a collapse in numbers to the point of nearly becoming extinct. Indeed, for some species the bell tolled and they have indeed disappeared. This type of behaviour you can see, especially in the western world. Despite all of us knowing that airplanes blow out enormous quantities of CO2 we still insists on flying all over the place. Helped of course by our belief we need a holiday in the sun. Sorry friends, very soon we all will have a holiday in a warm or rather too hot place, called Hell! If we do not alter our whole attitude to life that might come to pass sooner than we think. The behaviour as mentioned here is really mostly a western problem. It is now said by eminent academics that it is no longer possible to turn things around and that to me is the heavy medal that hangs around our necks. No amount of changing cars over to electric propulsion, nor building any amount of wind turbines or splattering the Sahara desert with billions of solar panels will have any input. It is too late but we can minimise our gas inputs to the atmosphere in such a way that over hundreds if not thousands of years CO2 can return to levels supporting the most varied life. In the meantime we must get used to hotter summers, colder winters, wetter and more stormy. In fact the weather will be our enemy for years to come. We need to protect our coasts, our low-lying lands. Stop building on floodplains. In fact demolish all houses situated within flood plains and re-arrange our living spaces. Is it possible? Perhaps but we need to do something. Are you listing, Mr and Ms Politician? You are not doing so great right now and haven’t for quite a number of years!

The second thing is that of why species behave in the manner that in the end puts it in danger of extinction. As said, availability of food and adequate space are probably the most important reasons. Why are so many people obese in the western world? Good question but it has something to do with availability of the necessary resources. There is never a careful allocation and dispersion, it’s all or nothing. This happens almost with everything, every commodity. If there is demand someone or something will fill it. More so, will try to enhance it by clever advertising. Even today this is the way we live. But soon the commodity disappears, overused and plundered. No politician or indeed no person, really looks at how we can come to grips with the habits of humanity. We are in the same state as any other species, we will fill our niche until food and space runs out. After that we will have a free-for-all and will be reduced in quantity to the same state we were in when expanding out of Africa. Followed by living in parts of the globe that are habitable for humans having no clothing and needing to find food by foraging.

It is not nice to think this way because we have brains to think of outcomes, so let’s think about outcomes and act accordingly!

Did Reagan tell Kwasi about his plan?

There is an interesting discussion to be had about the reaction to the ‘Liz Truss’ economic plans. Reading Sky News podcasts or news reports I noted an American guru mentioning the similarities between the so-called ‘Reaganomics’ and what the UK government has produced this past week to ‘kick-start’ the economy here. President Reagan, riding his white stallion on the Whitehouse lawn, produced a plan of tax cuts, cutting of red tape for businesses amongst other juicy items to help kick-start a sluggish economy. The talk in London is now about whether Kwasi, our knight in the shining armour of the Treasury, did just copy the Reagan plan? Well, if so, did the Reagan plan work? No? Why not? It was thought that the ideas of politicians are very much influenced by public thinking and feelings. In other words looking at the present situation here with the cost of living, the energy crisis and the resultant drop in the polls of the Conservatives by nearly 20 points, you can see why plans such as Kwasi’s might have little chance.

The thing is this, the plan is good, business confidence will result in investment and more openings in the jobs market but plans such as now proposed need to overcome the public resistance fuelled by continual media reports most of which are negative! Exactly why the American plan never really got out of the starting blocks. Let’s hope the UK plan will fare better. 

 And talking about the Media, I think it is time to curb the incessant ‘What if’ and ‘Ultra woke’ type of reporting. When I watch political reports I note the mostly insubstantial points made and discussed. These have no bearing in the big issues! A case in point is the two newspaper reporters/editors Andrew Pierce and Kevin Maguire on GMB’s morning’s news programme. They were discussing the financial backlash of the government’s plan when the more Labour oriented Kevin found it necessary to sing Monty Python’s song ‘Always look on the bright side’. These two I have seen many times before and they always make me laugh. The studio went into overdrive, embarrasing perhaps but it does show the media’s changing over to a more woke attitude. The BBC in particular. Kevin is an idiot, we all know that, possibly the reddest of the red, but he is funny with it and I like that. However, for that moment it showed the chasm between the political divide! Precisely the thing that scuppered good ol’ Ronnie. And more to the point, it could well scupper the government’s plan here as well. Let’s hope Kevin does not have the ear of Lizz!