tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39526161080450162502024-03-18T12:07:58.426-07:00Brown Girl Outside The RingAmanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.comBlogger527125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-50612216885036844412024-03-12T01:04:00.000-07:002024-03-12T01:04:13.797-07:00The Miners’ Strike 40 years on - a collective punishment beating that remains unhealed. (493)<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">By the time I left home to study, I was personally acquainted
with the viciousness and debilitating nature of racism. That white people could
treat other white people with a disregard and animalistic savagery that took
the breath away was a revelation to me back then.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Despite being a black woman, it is the totemic
white/male working-class struggle of the miners’ strike that sparked my
political life and social awareness more than almost any other significant
happening in the UK.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As a student in Newcastle in the 1980s I cut my
political teeth on that conflict.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As someone scared of both horses and dogs (and police
with batons), a pro-miners demo in London remains one of the scariest
experiences of my life. No smartphones then to document the on-the-ground
truth or counter the misleading BBC images. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As a city councilor in Newcastle, I witnessed
first-hand the oppressive effect on political struggle/debate following the
successful collective punishment beating meted out to working-class
communities. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Move forward and I worked briefly for a Newcastle law
firm that carried a significant caseload of ex-miners personal injury claims.
Like the Post Office scandal, there was a real sense of heel dragging in the
hope that many would die before any compensation had to be paid. And many did.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Stumble into the 21st century and I've watched
horrified as the country is devastated by the corrosive effects of complete
privatisation, criminal incompetence, extreme cronyism plus rampant and out of control greed.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Most astonishing is the way the Tories successfully
convince socially and economically eviscerated communities that all
the ills they'd visited on them, all the failures, all the inadequate and
hollowed-out services are not the fault of a bunch of posh twits who care
nothing for the majority, but the fault of migrants. The fault of the most powerless and unfortunate. People who were not even here when <i>The Haves</i> began systematically and completely dismantling all the post war gains of <i>The Have Nots</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">In the common parlance it's been quite a journey...</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> *<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt;">As always for lighter reading do check out -</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "New serif", serif; font-size: 18pt;"> </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Amanda-Baker/author/B0181KEN9E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1710229718&sr=1-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" style="background-color: white; font-family: "New serif", serif; font-size: 18pt;" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-56236701796087321632024-03-05T00:30:00.000-08:002024-03-05T00:30:52.194-08:00The ghosts of Gaza lie in wait for Biden & Starmer at this election… (492)<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Despite what the papers, pollsters and focus group leaders tell Biden and Starmer – they’re not on a home run…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Here in the UK, The Labour Party is wary of being
too confident. Historically, this is due to the Kinnock effect. People my age
will recall the shoe-in that was supposed to be Neil Kinnock’s 1992 Labour
government<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- which never was - after the
then leader seemed too overconfident and alienated an electorate
that did not want to be taken for granted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Was it that simple? I don’t know. I do know that a
more recent election (2015), featuring Ed Miliband, also deemed to be a shoe-in
by political pundits was also lost by Labour. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On this blog I called it correctly at the time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the aftermath of Miliband’s failure (whatever
did he do with that stone carved pledge?) there was a wringing of hands in the Westminster bubble and in the press – how could they have got it wrong! In my view
because they looked at it from an entirely political point of view and did not
rule in the psychology of the UK public. Apart from Miliband caving as soon as
the Tories accused him of being too tight with the unions (to which the answer
should have been – YES – we are a party for ordinary working people) he also, to the mind of a public obsessed with soap operas and royalty, stabbed his
brother in the back. The older Miliband was seen as heir elect. Factor these
things in.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The public mood is more feral and febrile than ever
and those in the magic circle don’t always keep up.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Regulars know I am a mad letter writer and it's often interesting to me the ones that do not get published.
E.g. for many years I referred to Tony Blair as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a war criminal</i>. Despite the public mood consistently being anti the Iraq invasion – at the time and after the horrors - those letters never got published.
After Putin invaded Ukraine – and after W Bush made his gaffe (or Freudian
slip) confusing Ukraine with Iraq – suddenly it was ok to refer to the war criminal
as a war criminal. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Anyhow – I digress.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In Michigan recently – the Dems had an unpleasant
surprise at the number of voters who responded at the Democrat primary by
returning <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">uncommitted. </i>This was a
peaceful, practical protest against Biden’s too-uncritical support off
Netanyahu and the 100,000 UC votes cast was the result of just a 3 week
campaign. When congratulating themselves on the win, the Biden team ignored
that result which – according to long-term social observer and political titan <a href="https://youtu.be/qSb3srONXnI" target="_blank">Michael Moore</a> could be enough to swing an important state come the November elections. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For both Starmer and Biden there is, I believe, an
underestimation of the Gaza effect. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s easy, for example, to dismiss the recent election
of the vile lunatic George Galloway in the Labour-botched election in Rochdale
here in the UK. Drawing wrong conclusions is dangerous.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Both Starmer and Biden will be judged by future generations to have been on the
very wrong side of history over Gaza but more immediately will be shown – to a greater or
lesser extent, not to carry the sentiments of their natural followers. They
have both played it very wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Caution, complacency and credulity have been their Achilles
heels.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Here in the UK the Labour lead over the Tories in
polling is wider than it has been in 40 years. HOWEVER, the problem for Labour in the UK as for the Dems in the US has always been turnout. Back in the 1980s when I was elected as first black
woman to Newcastle City Council, in a wave of naivety and hope – a wise
old-timer warned me on the day that ousting the sitting Tory could depend on
whether or not it rained. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The angels are weeping tears over Gaza and both
Biden and Starmer should beware that rain. It could still drown or disastrously dilute their
electoral successes. Especially as both need not just to win but to win
decisively and carry support with them for the huge national and global challenges ahead.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">The ghosts of Gaza are waiting for Biden and Starmer this election...</span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-52285031273646696322024-02-27T00:04:00.000-08:002024-02-27T11:07:08.286-08:00Wasting the 21st Century… (491)<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: x-large;">I doodle when I’m lost for words.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">In this post I invite you to DATE THE DOODLE as an
exercise in identifying political futility.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Check out the
dates (where they are legible) in the bottom right hand corner and you’ll see these issues remain rotting in a back room while dog-whistle politics takes centre stage…</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8WIMCHbV5ANs6c2WFkRP4BiB4xj3isSgTxyIEKDAFQecKe4Fu1VnY9hsoRlCDbsqT034ztNLgmlJyALRUvhsBWgmbjF5AQL_h9pZG25g0r7i1O4NoPVYzJHKC9XmO3iJA3Fu6Wr7oWg-ZVP-O0UuPFCWP2u2djIWPvZI-PiojEofFDQwe_OyzeWLKDoY/s2978/Brexit%20broke%20Britain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2978" data-original-width="1876" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8WIMCHbV5ANs6c2WFkRP4BiB4xj3isSgTxyIEKDAFQecKe4Fu1VnY9hsoRlCDbsqT034ztNLgmlJyALRUvhsBWgmbjF5AQL_h9pZG25g0r7i1O4NoPVYzJHKC9XmO3iJA3Fu6Wr7oWg-ZVP-O0UuPFCWP2u2djIWPvZI-PiojEofFDQwe_OyzeWLKDoY/s320/Brexit%20broke%20Britain.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ok - there are more but you get the point but if proof were needed that dog-whistle politics is now the norm do check out my letter in today's <a href="https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/24145698.danger-extremism-becomes-mainstream/" target="_blank">Glasgow Herald</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">*</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">As always for lighter reading click this link do check out <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Amanda-Baker/author/B0181KEN9E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1709015944&sr=1-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a> or go to your own fave online bookstore.</span></div><p></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-18155299851343705962024-02-20T00:33:00.000-08:002024-02-20T00:33:34.344-08:00Who’s more gullible – MAGA mugs buying crappy gold sneakers or UK Conservative voters buying endless, obvious lies? (490)<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Across the pond, Donald Trump is attempting to sell
gold Trump sneakers for $399. Apart from the general incredulity from anyone with registerable brain function, it’s been pointed out that the
high-tops bear a strong similarity to a pair of cheap gold sneakers that can be
bought from general stores for about $18.99. But if tacky gold Trump toddler shoes
don’t rock your boat in the latest Pay My Legal Bills Trump grift – he is also
selling, for a mere $99, Trump Victory perfume!!!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Make no mistake – MAGA rubes will pay. Some of the
poorest in America will buy this shit in order to fund the self-styled billionaire’s legal penalties, ratcheted up in court as a result of his being found guilty of
(among other things) defamation, rape and false business practices.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Here in the UK, the Tories are simply asking voters
to believe their lies old and new, buy into the narrative that the devastation of their
multiple administrations is really nothing to do with them and they have shiny new ideas and plans to fix Britain. The Britain they broke so badly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After decades of economically debilitating and
socially damaging privatisation, the calamity of putting people before profit –
the short-sightedness of lack of investment and the constant attack on the
things every-day people rely on – public services – which are now on their
knees – The Tories want the electorate to buy the idea that it’s all the fault of
migrants.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nothing to do with them. Look over there…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Never mind that poverty, homelessness, foodbanks,
rent stress, covid education failures – broken infrastructure – schools, roads,
hospitals and on and on have all grown exponentially during the last 14 years
of one disastrous Tory government after another. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A couple of posts ago (487) I
invited readers to play the ‘what if we had’ game; what we might have if
various Tory PMs – elected and unelected, hadn’t
wasted billions on failed pet projects and poor governance. But they continue
to this day to push the lie that if we could just be crueller and crueller to
the most desperate, the poorest, the most vulnerable – those elusive sunlit
uplands will magically appear...<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Many people will
buy it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">At least the folk
buying the Trump perfume might keep the bugs away.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As always - for lighter reading do check out <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Amanda-Baker/author/B0181KEN9E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1708417282&sr=1-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a></span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-65337140725761949922024-02-13T00:48:00.000-08:002024-02-13T00:48:52.417-08:00Post-truth, post-shame, post-challenge Britain (489)<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Many posts ago I wrote a blog called </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Living in The Penisic Era</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> - 165. Now, it
seems, we’ve morphed to a new era, not just into post truth and post-shame but one where
there is only feeble push back. There is no effective challenge as day after
day the falsehoods spew. It could be that there is now just too much, it comes
too fast and sensible voices and coherent thought are drowned in the
turd-filled verbal sewage overflow.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Another older post is called ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Deference is killing us’</i> - 391. and that is part of the problem too.
Tories have that overweening sense of entitlement that resonates with too many
in other positions of power and especially the media, so that tribal instinct
kicks in before duty to country and fellows less fortunate has time to impact.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are many things we should not be ashamed of
that we were, in past times, taught to be mortified by but something shame
should definitely still attach to is lying through one’s teeth, repeatedly and
publically for personal/political gain. Or - more so recently – just to get your
mug in front of a camera gearing up for a lucrative GB News slot.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">From the lies that brought us Brexit to the
re-writing of history we saw at the covid ‘inquiry’ we now have a fluid, ever-present
liquidity of lying in our post-Brexit, austerity-devastated, wealth-divided,
privatisation-poisoned land.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Unflinching dishonesty has become so ordinary that
while it still leaves a bad taste and a sort of fetid stink in the air – like
the sad, un-cared for smelly folk I increasingly encounter on the bus – you
just sort of grin and bear it and hope someone opens a window (real or
metaphoric…)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But the damage is becoming catastrophic.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Take the muddle-mumbling and obfuscation of
the vile, slimy, should-have-been-gone-long-ago Minister for Levelling up
Michael Gove and the bollocks he’s been spouting recently about housing. Promising
again to do away with no fault eviction – something this government had ample
time and opportunity to do and have not done – IS lying - surely?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Take the nightmare deliberately and falsely created
over the UK migrant issue that became, via the forked tongues of Boris Johnson,
Priti Patel, Suella Braverman and, more recently, James Cleverly and PM Rishi
Sunak – nothing at all about fixing the problem but all about dog-whistling to
racists to flex the xenophobic muscle and keep in with the right wing
head-bangers. Oh – and wasting £240m in the process for no result. Is obvious
false presentation of reality not also unabashed lying?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The afore-mentioned Gove and afore-mentioned Johnson
could be lined up with Farage if we wanted to talk about the biggest and most ruinous
lie so far this century – Brexit. I’ll leave that one because even the folk who
were taken in now realise it was a massive con. Only Johnson could think of
putting such a huge lie on an object so associated with solid, work-a-day reliability – a red bus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Not so long ago – amidst the howls of the Right-wing
claiming left-wing bias by our so called public broadcaster the BBC – we had a
chairman who was appointed by Tories and who had previously been a Tory donor
and also an advisor to both Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. The said Richard
Sharp was only forced to resign when it emerged he was further mired in muck in
an attempt to fix a mate’s loan for Johnson.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Watch any other party or other politically
involved person who is not a Tory and see how they are minutely examined,
probed for explanation, eviscerated if every i is not dotted every t not
crossed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But we have to find something to counter-act this dangerously
unequal playing field.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When a Tory stands up in front of the media and lies
about the mess the country is in (even though we are all living it) or tells us, yet again, they ‘have a plan’ to fix the, e.g. waterways of England, polluted by private
companies that have simply sloshed away profits over the decades; when they
tell us poverty is down when we know it’s not, when they tell us they are
‘investing’ in the NHS and the NHS is on its knees and literally no one is
going to get the kind of response to their cancer awarded to Charles recently,
when they lie and lie and lie about how state school kids were
abandoned during covid - what do we do?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For once this is not one of my rhetorical questions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t know.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But we need to work something out because the
shameless liars have razed the social structure of Britain to the ground along
with much of the physical infrastructure and they have tainted all government administration with their slurry. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">They are successfully blaming their mess on the
least vocal, least powerful, poorest and most vulnerable people in society –
and often – without challenge – claiming that somehow it’s the fault of other
political parties. And they are getting away with it…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For lighter reading do check out <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Amanda-Baker/author/B0181KEN9E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1707813232&sr=1-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Plus if you google Amanda Baker Edinburgh letters you may come across some of my editor letters - too many to put links to.</p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-45581866630288361332024-02-06T00:27:00.000-08:002024-02-06T10:10:29.283-08:0011,500 dead children in Gaza. Three of the four nations of the so called ‘United’ Kingdom want a ceasefire. Westminster MUST call for one…(488)<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The Welsh Parliament (by majority though without the
Labour leader) called for a ceasefire early in the conflict as did Humza
Yousaf the First Minister of Scotland.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Now that Stormont has resumed, the newly minted First
Minister of Ireland made room in her inaugural speech to call for a ceasefire
and express sympathy for the incalculable and unimaginable suffering of the
people of Gaza.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">As the number of dead teens, children and babies
heads for 12k – can it be sustainable that the 'United' Kingdom's position remains one of
not calling for a ceasefire when 3 of the 4 nations have openly, formally called for cessation of the slaughter?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">For a list of the names (those known) of the dead
children of Gaza – look here <a href="https://youtu.be/NlCzT9_YE9Y" target="_blank">THEIR NAMES</a> …<o:p></o:p></span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-34298281164347058782024-02-01T08:44:00.000-08:002024-02-01T08:44:39.844-08:00WOHOOO - IT'S BANDCAMP FRIDAY AGAIN - (Fri 2nd Feb)...<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"> ... so check out my two-part lyrical environmental poetry story (audio version) - yes it's STILL there, just click on the title below.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://amandabaker.bandcamp.com/album/casey-the-surfmen" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><i>Casey & the Surfmen</i></span></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Since 2020 bandcamp friday has enhanced support for us artists- you can find the info <a href="https://isitbandcampfriday.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-63689100535324669562024-01-30T00:28:00.000-08:002024-01-30T00:28:41.064-08:00Let’s play the ‘What If We Had’ game… (487)<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">I’ve written many times in many posts on this old
bloggy about the way the hard won, post-war rights of ordinary people in
Britain have been eroded by successive governments since 1979. It’s almost as
if those who have historically had everything couldn’t even stand to see
ordinary families have the basics. Good education - a reliable, free health
service - good policing and decent housing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The tired pitch is always budget restraints. It beats out like a dull thud on a broken
drum. But oddly there is always money for the things <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">they</i> want. So – early in this election year let’s play the ‘What If
We Had’ game…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To kick off I might start with;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>What if we had</i> the £30billion (according to The
Resolution Foundation) lost to the UK economy when Truss’s catastrophic and
right-wing dogma driven autumn budget spooked the markets in 2022 <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You get the idea – so play along…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>What if we had</i> the extra £6 billion for the
underselling of the Post Office (JP Morgan said it was worth 10bn the
government flogged it for just over 4bn)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>What if we had</i> even the £1billion Theresa May paid
to the DUP in order to bribe them to help her stay in power.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>What if (London) had</i> the £53 million (£43 of public
money) Boris Johnson wasted on his vanity Garden Bridge project.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>What if we had</i> the £240+ million spent on the
useless/corrupt/unworkable Rwanda scheme.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>What if we had</i> the £22billion allocated to the
useless Test and Trace scheme during covid.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>What if we had</i> the £60million profits made by peer
of the realm Michelle Mone through covid profiteering sanctioned by Matt
Hancock.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>What if we had</i> the £140 billion (according to
Cambridge Econonometrics – Jan 2024) lost to the UK economy since Brexit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And so on...</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And remember – Osborne’s horrific austerity and the
misery it has caused ordinary working people was justified because of the
2007/08 crash – or banking crisis. ‘Banking crisis’ is another political euphemism
for the greed and mismanagement of fiscal bodies. The loss to the UK economy is
almost incalculable but you bet it’s the poor who are paying and not greedy
bankers or the ministers whose weak policies enabled them. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 2021 the OBR reported that the cost of the
‘necessary interventions’ i.e. to save banks – alone cost £33billion. So – yes
– what if instead of justifying poverty and misery we had that £33 billion and
some of the very rich who caused that crash had been made to sort through their
off-shore accounts and pay something back…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On a minute scale – families supplementing their
survival with visits to the now ubiquitous food-banks might wonder how they’d
have spent some of the money used to fund Boris Johnson’s covid parities. A recent freedom of information request revealed the cost of alcohol for these illegal
events. According to The Mirror – the covid party drinks bill was £7,897. A tiny amount in terms of the money successive Tory governments have
squandered but possibly looks like a fortune to an ordinary family hit by the
cost of living crisis.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So just remember – next time some Tory twonk<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>gazes into the middle distance and talks
about more and more cuts to public services being painful but necessary and how
they are ‘prepared to take the tough decisions’ it’s only the tough decisions
as relate to people not like themselves…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As always – for lighter reading do check out <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Amanda-Baker/author/B0181KEN9E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1706602749&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-32423583886424743682024-01-23T00:32:00.000-08:002024-01-23T00:32:41.209-08:00Westminster & the habit of getting it wrong... (486)<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">The wrongness of the government at
Westminster has been a theme for decades and simply escalated since Cameron. If
you were to take a broad brush swipe at why, you could do worse than conclude
it’s because those in charge live lives more vastly removed than ever from the
majority of the population they are supposed to serve.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But there is something more rotten at the heart of
government now.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you are my age or (even) older and pay attention
to the world around you – British politics as acted out at the heart of
government has been almost a constant internal groan since Thatcher. An
obsession with the rich has morphed into callous disregard for the poor.
Xenophobia is the go-to when the peasants get pissed off and the clarion call
of profit drowns out everything.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And now we reap the horrible rewards of the selfish,
wrong-headed religion of privatisation – whether the Post Office Horizon
scandal or the fuel poverty epidemic that rages while companies make profits
you can barely calculate. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Maybe like me you are a regular train user and find
that over-expensive fayres mean severely limiting the number of times you visit
family and friends or that – when you do turn up at any given station – you
feel you’ve won the lottery if the train is even running. If it’s on time it
seems a near miracle and yet – train company bosses are also trousering bonuses
that would be obscene even if the train service in the UK was not an utter
disaster.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I could go on.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The illegal invasion of Iraq – so wrong, everyone
apart from the old war criminal himself – seemed to know. Tony Blair also introduced
tuition fees so that – unlike the slippery eel himself who was born with the
proverbial silver spoon – many ordinary youngsters are suffocated by debt before
their lives have got started.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Move on and we have ‘Call me Dave’ Cameron – Old Etonian
– with all the odious habits that seem to go with his ilk – including a massive
sense of entitlement and an idea that his tribe – rich Tories – mattered more
than the country he was supposed to lead. In that mind set – in order to settle
the internal wranglings of his petty, fractious party he served up Brexit. The
rest –as they say – is history.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cameron’s side kick the truly vile George Osborne
gave us austerity XXL. Austerity plus failures of government oversight left us
with – among other things – the horror of Grenfell.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Rock up Theresa May, who was happy to dole out a £billion
to get the hideous DUP to support her failed leadership. They in turn now hold
N Ireland to ransom in another casualty of Boris Johnson’s Brexit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The odious liar and sexual incontinent chancer
himself - Boris Johnson - lied and partied his way through Covid. Demeaning
Parliament was his signature tune and illegally proroguing Parliament was his
first deed when elected. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then the unelected Truss spectacularly tanked the
economy in her nano-second of premiership. And – now of course – we have Sunak,
also unelected. The current PM looks like a pup that just shat on the carpet
after chewing the furniture and peeing in the hall and still wants a biscuit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ministers include the con-man and terrible human
joke Grant Shapps who, over the weekend verbalised that a newscaster should
know more about the Royal Navy’s mishap than he. Shapps is current Defence Secretary.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Therese Coffey, as environment secretary, thought
shit in the water system was not a problem and didn’t seem to know, when
addressing Parliament recently, that Kigali is the capital of Rwanda!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And – oh boy – Rwanda… This bonkers Johnson
diversion has somehow – via Priti Patel, the evil Suella Brevareman and the
total twonk James Cleverly – become central to the Tory Party identity. Being
cruel to migrants and wasting millions of pounds of public money now defines
what is, not just The Nasty Party any more but the party of absolute fucking
morons. The Numpty party. The Numskull party. The Nut-job party. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">AND – on the most important issues of the day – the
Westminster lot have been found wanting oh so badly. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Like the invasion of Iraq,
it seems those outside the bubble were able to see what those inside would not.
Netanyahu’s slaughter in Gaza is Genocide (see last post). With the right-wing
horrors he has sold his soul to in order to stay in power and out of prison –
it was never going to be anything else. But Sunak and Starmer slavishly
followed the US line – business as usual. And even now with 25k dead including
at least 10k children, they are not calling for a full ceasefire.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am sick and appalled but history will judge them more
harshly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Remember – for lighter reading to check out <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Amanda-Baker/author/B0181KEN9E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1705998416&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-3463630348718778882024-01-16T00:16:00.000-08:002024-01-16T00:16:25.007-08:00Sunak’s election-year, unsanctioned military action v Houthis - to protect your cheap garden furniture… (485)<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Thatcher had The Falklands to save her from election
oblivion. Blair – the war criminal – got his rocks off in Iraq for reasons
which still defy logical examination. And now – it seems – in this election
year (oh coincidence I hear you cry) Rishi is rattling his little manhood in
the Red Sea. For the Houthis who thrive on anti-western rhetoric, the
promotional possibilities of Sunak’s action – unsanctioned by the UK parliament
– will vastly outweigh any damage the missiles can do – they’ve been on the
receiving end of similar for a very long time.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The people who brought you the disastrous management
of the greatest domestic crisis since WWII – covid – are stumbling into another
unwinnable conflict and further risking escalation and destabilisation in this
terribly fragile, volatile region where millions are suffering unimaginable
hardship.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And – perhaps most pathetically of all – this military
action – mobilising depleted British forces and sending other people’s children
into harm - is so that your cheap garden furniture or other sweat-shop produce can
still get through the shortest shipping routes. This from a government that has
failed repeatedly to call for a ceasefire in Gaza where 10,000 children have
been slaughtered in just over 100 days of assaults on this tiny strip of land.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A couple of blogs ago I made the point that all wars
are basically now resources wars. And – yes – of course – we cannot underplay
how much the disruption of, for example, oil supplies might affect the everyday
Western comfort of the average reality TV watching Brit. But then again – are
we not underlining another great and terrible failure – that of reducing our
reliance on fossil fuels? And do recall at this point – the UK rep to COP 28 just a few weeks ago – had to fly home early so as to support Sunak’s cruel,
failed, idiotic Rwanda deportation bill.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Even by the standards of the current UK Tory government
- does it get any sicker than this?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p>*</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For lighter reading – do check out <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Amanda-Baker/author/B0181KEN9E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1705392740&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-87819969793623553182024-01-09T00:25:00.000-08:002024-01-09T09:48:46.499-08:00Voter Apathy Is A Deadly Disease...(484)<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It’s easy to forget that prior to Thatcher, armies
of homeless on the streets of Britain was not a norm.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The political punishment beatings of working-class
people that began with the 1979 government, went nuclear with the Tory
administration of the 21<sup>st</sup> century.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Even during the Labour government from 1997, which
began with two years where Blair stuck to Tory spending restrictions – it was
the rich who got richer with the most exponential growth in the wealth gap the
country had seen in the post war period. And that is before you take into
account the illegal invasion of Iraq and subsequent global destabilisation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Cameron’s debacle gave us a Con/Lib coalition which
saw a generation betrayed over tuition fees and finished off the post office
(subject of much current debate due to the Horizon scandal and miscarriages of
justice that have been allowed to linger for years) But it was the cruelty of
Osborne-led austerity which saw the introduction and the normalisation
of Food Banks.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Today we live in a Britain where – while those on
benefits are still vilified by wealthy Tory ministers, targeted by the
right-wing media and demeaned by thugs like Deputy Conservative chair Lee
Anderson – it’s actually working families who are most likely to be in receipt
of some sort of benefit or subsidy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In September last year, a
BMJ article indicating that the cost of living crisis could lead to thousands more
premature deaths (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/sep/25/uks-cost-of-living-crisis-will-cause-thousands-of-premature-deaths-study-says" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> Additionally and shamefully, longevity fell in poorer parts of Britain this
century for the first time since such records were kept by the likes of The
Rowntree Foundation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">While the recent expensive Covid enquiry provided
the opportunity for many we hoped we’d seen the last of, to get before cameras
again and lie again – little we heard was new or surprising. What we do know is
that the cavalier attitude of ministers who literally partied while people died
and who used the pandemic to enrich their mates, meant that a country with a sophisticated,
developed health system, nevertheless had one of the highest excess death rates
in Europe (according to the BMJ).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Historically, low voter turnout has favoured The
Conservatives. When I was campaigning for election as a very young labour
candidate in 1987 I was told by more experienced members to pray for good
weather because that would definitely help labour. I thought they were joking.
They weren’t. But we did have good weather and I did win. In 2024 I will, again, be voting for the party that supports governing Scotland from Scotland and, come flood or heatwave, I pray for all who can to exercise their precious democratic right.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Young people, while eschewing the mass student
protests that were a regular feature of my student life, seem happy and willing
to go on demos, enjoy photo ops but are difficult to get to the polling booths.
Meanwhile complain that those in power do little for them. I wonder why…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Voting is more important than demonstrating.
Especially these days when those in power know that the reality TV-watching
public have a short attention span.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Being politically active through a union is still
important, however, since many of the larger unions, apparently stuck in the
1970s voted for Brexit and encouraged their members to do the same – I question
if they really understand where their workers’ best interests lie. Certainly the
harm done to the economy and Britain’s global standing not to mention
opportunities for business, commerce, science and the arts by Brexit has been
catastrophic and highly damaging to the UK workforce.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">From 1922 to 1997 voter turnout held above 70%.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In 2001 voter turnout dropped below 60%<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In 2019 Boris Johnson won (or the abysmal Corbyn
lost) on a turnout of 67.3% - of that turnout, the win rested on 42.4% BJ 40%
Corbyn (Statista)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Huge numbers of people are not voting. The majority
are not actively voting for the people who rule our lives. This is very
problematic in what we think of still as a democracy. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">And yes – what you hear when things go wrong is
people pleading for accountability. Pleading to be heard. Disgusted that they
are not treated as if they matter. However, unlike the vast majority of the
disenfranchised – those in power are not reliant on food banks, or the NHS or
the state education system.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">There is one simple answer to this. Vote. Vote every
time. Vote vote vote.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Forget bitching on twitter (or whatever).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Voting is more important than being a member of a
union or waving a placard.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Some countries including Australia have mandatory
voting. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">UK Conservatives would never introduce such a thing.
If they did, they’d be out of power for a very long time…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">*</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks for reading. There are links to my books on the previous post.</span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-60276634508297174152024-01-02T00:31:00.000-08:002024-01-02T00:31:47.169-08:00All wars are resources wars now. Ukraine & Gaza are part of ‘the brink’ we’ve talked about for so long and ignored… (483)<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All conflicts are now either overtly or covertly
about resources. One hesitates to call them wars as that suggests equivalent
forces on either side. The 21st century is marked by aggressors
attempting to grab what is someone else’s when they think they can overcome the
other side with fear and overwhelming short-term violence and the complicity of the lazy comfortable West – even if – in Russia's case – they turn out to be not quite right.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The current ‘war’ in Gaza so called by the legacy
media, is anything but. It is a slaughter. Bush and Blair’s ‘war on terror’ was
anything but. The irony there had to be that if the rich bros genuinely thought
Iraq had WOMD ready they might not have gone in for their horrible adventure so
costly in the lives of other people’s children.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As an aside – while many in the UK, orchestrated by
The Telegraph and Daily Mail etc, bitch about migrants from their sofas, the flaccid response of more
moderate media has led to a dull acceptance that the migration debacle is a
problem that sprang from nowhere and is nothing to do with government foreign
policy or domestic incompetence. In fact, decades (centuries) of wealthy
countries stealing resources and messing things up in other people’s back yards
- white mischief in Africa and contributing to chaos in the Middle
East, is having a NOW effect.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Possibly mad Vlad Putin was encouraged by Trump’s
lunatic administration and the UK Conservative party's love of Russian oligarch money
plus the moron Boris Johnson who openly sneered when his military advisors told
him that Russian tanks could be crossing the Ukraine border any day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What, I wonder, must it have taken for Zelensky to
allow the blithering blonde blob to constantly pose next to him for photo ops
with that brain fart in the background?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">China wants Taiwan, Venezuela wants
Guyana’s oil meanwhile the world is allowing Trump and Netanyahu
to use their country’s precious time, energy, lives and assets in a game called
‘keep me in the spotlight and out of prison’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the olden days it was less complicated for top predators to grab stuff and commit genocide. America was taken from the Native
Americans. Australia from the Aborigines. Britain and America both decided it
would be convenient to pretend black people were sub-human for a few hundred
years so they could literally ‘steal’ people; their lives, their families,
their labour, their dignity, their pasts and futures.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I would wonder if the above atrocities
could have happened in the full glare of daily as-it-happens social media but
Gazagedon has answered that question.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Biden’s costly misstep over Gaza in
unquestioningly accepting that the horrors of October 7th equalled day1 of
this conflict will haunt him and possibly the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And put simply – the THING that is wrong is
inequality. Gross inequality. We are on this brink
because we’ve ignored the environment crisis and continued abusing the planet
so that those with everything could have more.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The real solution to sustainable and secure living is so
unpalatable that the answer seems to be – grab what someone weaker has. But –
unlike the olden days – those resources are running out and the planet is
weary.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Inequality is destabilising. Extreme inequality is
catastrophic. We know this.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Every dystopian movie and novel you could name – and
some you couldn’t - like my own offering <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/32881188" target="_blank">Zero One Zero Two</a> - teaches us this very obvious
disastrous lesson, as does history. Without equality we are all doomed. You
can’t buy your way out of the flames.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All us Cassandra’s out here are getting mightily
tired of seeing the bleeding obvious come to pass.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let 2024 be the year we wake the fuck up.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And by the way welcome to the New Year. For my
regular readers thank you for your patience – this is my first proper post in 7
months but I aim to get back to regular weekly posts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As always – please check out novels,
novellas, children’s books and poetry anthologies either <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Amanda-Baker/author/B0181KEN9E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1704182968&sr=1-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">HERE</a> or other main online stores. The silly you tube vids that go with <i>Fun Poems for Children</i> are still avail. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Finally, as regular readers know, I’m happily lodged
in the Stone Age and have never had any kind of social media account (I don’t even have a smartphone) but if
you’ve read the letters sections over the last two decades in –</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>The Guardian<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>The independent<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>The New European<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>The Glasgow Herald<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>The Daily Record<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>The National<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>The Scotsman<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>The Times</i> (a couple of times)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>The New Statesman</i> (once)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">a couple of the smaller papers in New York<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>The Jamaica Observer</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">plus a handful of others (even one in Wales once!)
then YES that ‘Amanda Baker Edinburgh’ banging on about stuff, using
a quill pen – IS ME 😊 <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-58506504742076010762023-08-22T04:44:00.001-07:002023-11-27T08:21:00.486-08:00Lament for the Lost Migrants<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Thousands of men women and children continue to be cast out
to sea in unworthy boats by unworthy people, their plight ignored by unworthy
governments. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">As our waterways have become mass anonymous graves, a
lament seems appropriate…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">We pray for those at sea<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Degraded like slaves of old discarded devalued dehumanised<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">We pray for those at sea<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Condemned by monsters to deep dark dreadful deaths<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">We pray for those at sea<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wretched and betrayed doomed for dollars and dimes<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">We pray for those at sea<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cast adrift for fleeing devastation, destruction, despair<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">We pray for those at sea<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lives despised hopes dashed and destroyed <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Where are the welcoming words the healing balms the humanity<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Where is the humility towards those leaving homes </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">wealthy
countries helped destroy<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">They gambled danger against this drudging bigotry <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Their futures at the mercy of poisoned hearts and be-suited
devils who would dance on their graves if they had any<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">We pray for all of them<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dear God pity them<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And pity us<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">We drown in shame…</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">*</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">And, as always (or when I remember) do please check out this link to <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Amanda-Baker/author/B0181KEN9E?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a> thank you.</span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-61740432295465394882023-08-02T01:17:00.000-07:002023-08-02T01:17:53.783-07:00'Global Boiling' ...<p><span style="font-size: large;">...when you're in a hole STOP digging! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">This is the literal, metaphorical and spiritual message of my 2-part lyrical, fantasy story poem </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Casey & the Surfmen</i></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ElcTRvizwp4J23aGmBAvg7vZcPR1nxukiDFcHQkzFIETyKGKZ5HQG8GRFuZ0S3oAchMchuxJ-wJvODkPXBqbyndHLWLVCIM-j3P4aRb-JiA33DE0Fu2TypdV0Yl9WjrHDYSnkyqdtwB74-ksnbSDoMsPYBGaXP4i1DiS3ljMUDBknSgXuvYb_gZVOBMH/s2316/casey%20front-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="1632" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ElcTRvizwp4J23aGmBAvg7vZcPR1nxukiDFcHQkzFIETyKGKZ5HQG8GRFuZ0S3oAchMchuxJ-wJvODkPXBqbyndHLWLVCIM-j3P4aRb-JiA33DE0Fu2TypdV0Yl9WjrHDYSnkyqdtwB74-ksnbSDoMsPYBGaXP4i1DiS3ljMUDBknSgXuvYb_gZVOBMH/s320/casey%20front-1.jpg" width="225" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Parts I & II are available on Bandcamp for another BANDCAMP FRIDAY this week <u>Friday 4th August</u>. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Bandcamp Fridays were introduced during covid to help struggling artists (moi) and has continued. If you purchase any audio on these special dates BC wave their fees. Suitable for all the family.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Check it out here<i> </i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://amandabaker.bandcamp.com/album/casey-the-surfmen" target="_blank"><b>CASEY & THE SURFMEN</b></a></i></span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-85493177044673208472023-05-23T00:30:00.001-07:002023-05-23T00:30:00.131-07:00482. I’m not sick of being right – I’m scared…<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Following the announcement by BT (privatised UK
telecommunications giant and sponsor of prestigious sporting gigs despite their
crap customer service record) announced that 5k jobs would go due to their tech
developments. In other words if you thought their customer service was shite to
date – watch this space.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Goldman Sachs anticipates the loss of 300k jobs
globally due to the impact of AI.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Are we really going to stumble into this very
predictable dystopia the way Britain strode into the obvious long term harm of utilities
privatisation and more recently the entirely foreseeable catastrophe of Brexit?
The answer seems to be yes. We’re doing it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Many years ago I got sick of asking the bank clerks
who constantly harangued me about online banking, why they were working so hard
to unemploy themselves. A year ago I had a conversation with a depressed clerk in a branch which was about to close (one of 5 in
my area) and the idea that the wholesale closures were the entirely predictable result of
years of insisting on customers banking on-line never seemed to have occurred
to her. It’s also worth pointing out that online banking has marched hand in
hand with the exponential growth in easy and extensive bank account fraud.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’ve had literal stand up arguments in Lidl about
self-service tills replacing traditional tills (see blog 218). Call me crazy but
if I’m going to hand over hard gotten money I want to be treated like a human
being and be served by someone earning a wage.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I presume at some point the mega companies will
realise that when they have unemployed everyone for profit, there will be no
one to buy their shit?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our chances of remaining below crisis-level global
warming are now in the rear view mirror so it seems the four horsemen of the Apocalypse
are pretty much on siesta.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I argued against the evils of privatisation of
utilities and public services in the 1980s. Most of those horrors have
surpassed even the most extreme predictions. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On this blog I have so many posts on how humans are
working incredibly hard towards their own economic and environmental destruction
I feel I am my own stuck record; <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Blog 12 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Armageddon
Will Not Be Televised</i> sets the scene but then there are posts 18/30/36 –
skip to 108 – 147 – 158. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Global Danse
Macabre</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">or Living in The Penisic Era</i>
– 167. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Try - </i>171 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Privileged White Men Keep Getting It Wrong</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Really getting to it 202 – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The TAT Economy</i> or 208 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Cannibal Economy</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">See blog post 263 (I may not keep this promise) and
so on – take your pick.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">310. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Extinction
- Why Are People Still Choosing The Blue Pill?</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">354. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Post-covid
The World Must Ditch Slum Economics With Its ‘Ragged Trousered Philanthropists’</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">363 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Debt Is Compulsory
- Reality Is Redundant<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Or more recently -<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">417. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fantasy Futurists
are Failing The Human Race</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">428.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Born in 1899 Macfarlane Burnet understood.
Why don’t we?</i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s all packaged up, sci-fi dystopian
fantasy form, in my novella -</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/32881188" target="_blank">Zero One Zero Two</a> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DNdQYHIRtLIB4LTP4lV_V7xOX6wNX11M5sADpTfk9UjCcoRXqMihFc1nDSs1GYkKFbVD1NitgUcQ1oVqmtk47M1R1OavThCUcHCqUlfmZV_X0uajlXynzbAFosFSkKaC0gbD47MrZHVWRE02NIgnQPDlLT8dbl8rCQXWNhE0_jS-TwIyuKT8Lr2UYw/s1233/zero%20cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1233" data-original-width="860" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DNdQYHIRtLIB4LTP4lV_V7xOX6wNX11M5sADpTfk9UjCcoRXqMihFc1nDSs1GYkKFbVD1NitgUcQ1oVqmtk47M1R1OavThCUcHCqUlfmZV_X0uajlXynzbAFosFSkKaC0gbD47MrZHVWRE02NIgnQPDlLT8dbl8rCQXWNhE0_jS-TwIyuKT8Lr2UYw/s320/zero%20cover.png" width="223" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In my more hopeful moments I suspect incompetence may
save us...<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I recall many years ago (2004) in the UK we were
told to ditch our analogue radios as the BBC was going digital. Everything
would be digital. On that basis I went out and bought myself a brand new very
nice analogue radio at knock down price. I kept it for over 15 years and still
use an analogue radio.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s the same reason I wonder why so many are taken
in by conspiracy theories. Many of them require so much planning and
secret keeping and global co-operation all on a scale I’ve literally never seen
accomplished.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ironically, if humanity is to be saved from itself –
it may be due to our ineptitude and inability to work together…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m breaking for the summer as I have some festival work based on my children's poetry anthology and hope to crack open the new anthology I put on hold for house renovation.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile do check out my other books all listed here <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amanda-Baker/e/B0181KEN9E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1684818115&sr=8-1" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a> or
check them out via your own favourite online book store.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-53288518324340036632023-05-16T00:30:00.001-07:002023-05-16T00:30:00.162-07:00481. Brexit Britain - from sick man of Europe, via irritating slightly delusional cousin to pitiable, stuck-in-the-past old git in just 7 years.<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Almost no one outside a lunatic asylum now believes
Brexit was anything other than a disaster.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What is less often acknowledged is how quickly the
harm, predicted by those shouted down by the swivel eyed loons prior to
2016, has happened. Britain has sunk so far already. And I’m not talking just the
economy or its self-worth and global reputation.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My strongly held view is there is a sense in Europe
that Britain is starting to look very left behind.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s a feeling I distinctly recall when I used to
regularly stay in Ireland pre-The Good Friday Agreement. Something about the
ongoing focus on conflict had left the country feeling as if it were stuck in
past decades. Way past decades.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As life and the pace of change speeds up
exponentially, it should come as no surprise that getting left behind can
happen even more quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This came home to me just recently in a conversation
with a Polish contractor.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am (again) in the midst of house renovation (when
will I ever learn?) As well as hacking away at 70 year-old glued-on floor tiles
and cutting up carpet – 3 layers deep in one room – sorting wasps in the attic etc.
there have been a legion of contractors from the rewire to new plumbing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was only in talking to the Polish contractor that
I began to sense the gentle sympathy of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">moving
forward</i> for the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">left behind</i>. And
I’m not talking about his noticing that I don’t have a smartphone.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In discussing building materials and practices he
uses compared to the British builders, it’s clear he thinks the UK is already a
good half decade behind new ideas and practices on the continent. He also seems
to feel this is widely accepted as fact in Europe. Phrases such as ‘we don’t do
that anymore’ ‘That is not something that is used in Europe any more’ kept
popping up.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Early on in this blog I wrote about how quickly the UK
could become the Greece of Europe. In fact this has not only happened more
quickly than I envisaged –it has happened more deeply and more obviously and
more catastrophically than the most Cassandra of Remainers ever foresaw. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But we did foresee. Not because we have special
powers but because the lunacy and self-harm of Brexit was always obvious.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Do remember to check out <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amanda-Baker/e/B0181KEN9E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1684216226&sr=1-1" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a> here or via extended distribution from your own favourite online bookseller.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-2748699792058207022023-05-09T00:30:00.001-07:002023-05-09T00:30:00.142-07:00480. Being force-fed gaudy, expensive homage to a greedy, inbred, half-baked, spoiled old man who has inherited ill-gotten wealth that would make Midas blush is an insult to our intelligence – but, in case they were needed, here are another 20 of the many more reasons why the ridiculous, extravagant weekend royal dressing-up party at public expense was an affront.<p> </p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Europe’s
first significant deadly conflict since WWII is ongoing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">2.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">G</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">lobal climate/environmental catastrophes deepen by the hour.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Huge
increase in reliance on foodbanks here in the UK.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Growing
child poverty here in the UK.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Deadly
misogyny in the MET police force here in the UK.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Racism
– ongoing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Debt
(personal / student /national) deepening exponentially.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Housing
crisis here in the UK.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Corruption
/ incompetence on an industrial scale (see any recent post).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Crisis in education here in the UK.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Crisis in the National Health Service
here in the UK.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lack of impartiality in the UK’s public
broadcaster (see the resignation of its chairman appointed by Boris
Johnson after a back room money deal came to light)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sewage in English waterways (the party in
power voted not to resolve this issue!)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">14.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Infrastructure fragmentation and
failures – rail/energy/roads etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">15.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Increasing homelessness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">16.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Increasing number of drug deaths.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">17.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tory government scapegoating of the poor
and migrants (as usual).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">18.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Increasing numbers of deadly dog attacks
(something I’ve written about in the press for years)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">19.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Brexit embarrassment and self-harm –
ongoing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">20.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The cost of living crisis.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In summary, it’s way past time for Britain to grow up.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks for reading. Usually I put a link to all my books on one site but this week just this one - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/32881188" target="_blank">Zero One Zero Two</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-78004996985406630672023-05-02T00:30:00.001-07:002023-05-02T00:30:00.137-07:00479. ‘What is the world coming to?’ used to be a rhetorical question…<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Whether you are looking at your own locale, in my
case Britain, or THE world -‘what is the world coming to?’ is surely the
question that should be on everyone’s lips.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Instead, here in the UK the media circus is trying
to whip up – well – a circus around the RIDICULOUS freak show that is the
coronation of Charles Windsor. Charlie is an old fart, who, in case you missed
it, takes bags of supermarket cash from Saudi princes, seems incapable of
dressing himself and has a meltdown if a pen doesn’t work. And this chump wants
“a chorus of millions” pledging allegiance to him… It’s such a WTF moment I don’t
know where to start.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Put aside the purported £150 million cost (+++) at a
time of national fiscal crisis. Put aside the unresolved sludge of their
hideous treatment of the first black woman in their midst. Put aside the false
equivalence of both The Palace and the UK media constantly bracketing
trafficked- teenager botherer Prince Andrew with the couple who fled bullying
and racism. Never mind that any time one of the liggers or hangers-on is asked
to actually come up with evidence every time they fall back on the tired worn
out old argument that the monarchy is ‘good for tourism’ – they can’t. The fact
is that many non-medieval countries have way more tourism than the UK.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You’d think all was right with the world if we’ve
got the time and resources for this nonsense. You would not think the chair of
the BBC appointed by his mate Boris Johnson after a financial favour was done
has just had to resign. You wouldn’t think the UK was a laughing stock of the
world due to – well – it’s a long list but -</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Brexit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sewage in the waterways voted for by the current
party in power.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Failure to deal adequately with Afghanistan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Housing crisis</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Failure to deal humanely or promptly with Sudan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Growing child poverty</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Constant hideousness from the Home Office – from
diverting overseas aid during covid to the ongoing Rwanda/migrant fiasco<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Liz Truss crashing the economy during the shortest
premiership in history<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Rishi Sunak referring to the UK as the Unicorn
Kingdom at a meeting of business leaders (yes – I too thought that was a joke
at first)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In my last post I gave one example of how
infrastructure just does not work in the UK anymore. And that is not one of the
big baddies. For that you need to look at railways or education or power
companies. I could now turn to The World – the actual wider world – but – as
pointed out in many previous blogs – does anyone not know? Check out my Neil De
Grass Tyson post <a href="http://browngirloutsidethering.blogspot.com/2017/10/250-earth-is-pissed-off-neil-de-grasse.html" target="_blank">The Earth Is Pissed Off</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So – apart from the general ludicrousness of it –
which cannot be over-stated – how can we possibly justify the nonsense the
country is being subjected to this weekend Sat 6<sup>th</sup> May – a day maybe
not of shame but certainly of catastrophic embarrassment for anyone who has not
lost the intellectual will to live…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks for reading. Do check out <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amanda-Baker/e/B0181KEN9E/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a> via the link or on goodreads or your own favourite online book store.</span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-30734529362356056162023-04-25T00:30:00.001-07:002023-04-25T00:30:00.157-07:00478. Your call could not matter to us less…<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">I type this as I continue to wait for a human on the
phone to HMRC. Wait so far – 25 minutes. This is a looong way off my top wait
time which was – no surprise – back when I was unfortunate enough to be a
Scottish Power customer.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But as I hang on it occurs to me that none
of what is said between the tiny whiny drive-you-mad ‘music’ that taunts over
the weary dreary minutes, is even approximate to the truth. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The brave new world of the telephone menu and bot
information is another upside down scenario made of extreme capitalism,
uncaring government and IT no one asked for. It is simply shitting on you and
laughing at the same time. Can an entity with no humanity laugh? I bet it can. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Take x3 prime examples that are standard in the
telephone waiting game we’re forced play now for almost any service -<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks
for waiting– your call is important to us –please continue to hold<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In fact the system is thanking us for adding to the
hours we’ll never retrieve spent doing nothing but raising our blood pressure.
Last century I recall it was quite a thing for various numerate crazy types to calculate
figures such as – how long an average person spent asleep/eating/crying in
their car. Not so much these days. It might be dangerous. Most folk may not
want to know the proportion of their lives spent staring aimlessly into the
smartphone looking at crap they can’t afford or barely funny memes created by
other folk not having a life. Our call could not be less important to them and
of course – as regards their polite request to continue to hold – I mean – like
we have a choice. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You usually get to the point at 30 minutes where you
really, really want to hang up – but could the next second be the one where you
are put out of your misery? More importantly – if you hang up without your
issue sorted you know damned well you have to go through it all again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thank
you for continuing to hold an advisor will answer your call as soon as possible<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">They can’t believe you’re still on the line but nor
do they care – it’s no skin of their nose. If they cared they’d employ more
people and make sure they were properly trained. An advisor will answer your
call as soon as they’ve finished dealing with the last demented person who is
going off on one because they waited 45 minutes to get through – found they’d
pressed the wrong button on the menu and got cut off when the advisor pretended
to put them through to the correct department.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Don’t
forget there is lots of helpful information on our website, go to <a href="http://www.donotgiveafuck.co.uk/">www.donotgiveafuck.co.uk</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is one of the maddest statements. We all know
there is a website. There is always a website and if we could have got the
information there rather than walk around listening to shite music while trying
to make the lunch or put the washing on or get on with work – we’d have used
it. We only abase ourselves to phone hell because we actually need to speak to
a real human in the hope they know something about the thing they are supposed
to know about.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In my case – when I got through (it was 53 minutes)
to HMRC they still ask the questions the auto voice asked you to answer earlier.
And then the security questions. All I wanted to do with HMRC was change my
address but I couldn’t answer the security questions related to my tax returns
3 years ago because I’m in temp accommodation and can’t find anything. So then
– and this was the biggest laugh – the ‘ADVISOR suggested I write. A letter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The funny thing is that last year I wrote to HMRC as
I wanted to avoid dealing with the phone horror – and my April letter (recorded
delivery) was ignored as were two later letters. Eventually I got a threat of a
fine for none submission of tax information. When I rang I got through to a
lovely young woman who chirpily told me – yes – ALL my correspondence was there
– it just hadn’t been put on the system. Oh ha ha. I did not think.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t want to overstate the case but everything IS
broken. And NO ONE CARES. And if you think that sounds a bit wound up and a bit
hysterical – it’s because I’ve just wasted more of my life waiting on the phone
for HMRC only to be told to write a letter even though they’ve acknowledged
that letters get ignored no matter how many you write…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks for reading and do remember to check out <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amanda-Baker/e/B0181KEN9E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1682359333&sr=1-1" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-51098167477294570032023-04-18T00:30:00.001-07:002023-04-18T00:30:00.347-07:00477. The riders of The Gravy Train are Britain’s biggest problem – not the folk on the boats…<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">So much smoke and mirrors. So much obfuscation.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Last week I did a piece about how much more
important it is to vote than to strike. Striking – like everything else at
present - is about dealing spasmodically and piecemeal with the shitty mess
that has been shovelled onto Britain by the self-interest of the wealthy over
decades.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Covid taught us that no one in the ruling elite
draws a line when it comes to lining their pockets. We only need observe the de-facto
profiteering that was sanctioned and facilitated by this government even though
they belong to the party that supported the death penalty for profiteering
during WWII.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But – as has been said many times on this blog <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– since 1979 and the Thatcher working class
punishment beating that seems to have never ended – every hard won <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>post-war gain for ordinary folk in this
country has been rolled back; from snatching away free higher education to
selling off all the family silver.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile – the current prime minister ‘legally’
benefitted financially from a new rule he voted for in 2016 according to his
last tax returns – and that is just the tip of the iceberg.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">THE wealth divide has grown exponentially since that
other public school prat Tony Blair (war criminal and facilitator of the
private sector in the NHS and schools’ infrastructure) and his New Labour
project. Remember creepy Mandelson he of the Russian Oligarch pals who made it
a mantra to be very “relaxed” about extreme wealth. And so they were. In fact
the very relaxed regulation of the financial sector helped usher in the 2008
financial catastrophe.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Despite what this actively racist vile government
tell us and how they try to fudge the mess of a xenophobic Brexit the fact
remains, it’s not the poor wrecking Britain it’s the rich. Their pals own the
infrastructure. One of their own presides over what was supposed to be an
independent BBC. They voted to pour sewage into English waterways. They have allowed
the NHS to wither on the vine and have overseen the exponential growth in child
poverty and falling education standards.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yes stop people traffickers profiting from human
misery. The easiest way completely resisted by the government is to create safe
legal protocols that can then be properly monitored.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However, make no mistake - the thing we need to stop
is THE GRAVY TRAIN.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The gravy train being ridden by Britain’s wealthy is
the problem. This huge locomotion has almost unstoppable momentum. Folk need to
wake up to the very obvious reason the gravy train passengers are always
pointing to the desperate people on boats as the problem…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">thanks for reading and as always - do check out <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amanda-Baker/e/B0181KEN9E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1681795484&sr=1-1" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a></span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-83594742792937516382023-04-11T00:30:00.001-07:002023-04-11T00:30:00.202-07:00476. The striking thing about strikes is they don’t work.<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Before the so-called Winter of Discontent 1978/9
which ushered in the Thatcher government – union membership in the UK stood at
over 13 million but has declined since. It is approximately half that today.
However, as a proportion of that decreased membership – women and black people
are well represented in terms of membership. But, with a more fragmented
workforce, the spread of zero hours contracts and the decline of any
significant manufacturing base in the UK, overall union membership remains low
compared to 1960s and 1970s. Of that reduced membership, according to TUC
figures, the vast majority are over the age of 35. In the uncertainty of the
post-covid, post-Brexit workplace, do we need to re-educate younger people
about the benefits of unionisation or ask why they don’t see the point?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Many people will remember the decision hailed as a
victory when Uber drivers were deemed by the courts to be workers and therefore
entitled to basic rights. While most saw that as a positive outcome – is it not
rather depressing to be fighting for something as rudimentary as the right to
be considered a worker in 21st century Britain?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">How do unions tackle the new online world and the
challenges of shrinking workforces?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many
traditional jobs that were being lost prior to covid are now haemorrhaging.
Discount supermarkets with staff-less tills. Banks where even those who will
lose their jobs badger you to bank online. These things are all presented as
progress – it just means more profit – less employment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’ve argued about this – and I mean literally – with
a store manager who told me nothing would change when self-service tills were
introduced. I’ve joked to you about being a Luddite – for lots of reasons – not
least I don’t own a smart phone – but, of course – The Luddites were a real 19th
century radical English movement centred on the textile industry who,
presciently, saw mechanisation as a threat to their labour rights.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In Britain, significant numbers of black and ethnic
minority workers have traditionally worked in the NHS – since the earliest days
of its inception and the time of Windrush – and a tradition of NHS service runs
in many families of Caribbean heritage including my own. Post covid, English
NHS workers were offered 1% pay increase after so many were on the front line
of covid and literally gave their lives – as against the 4% offered by the
Scottish government. As recently as 2014 Operation Black Vote suggested that
black and Ethnic minorities were significantly less likely to vote or be
registered to vote as their white counterparts. Which leads me to a singular point
- is it more important to encourage people to vote than it is to get them to
join a union?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Also, can union membership skew priorities? In the
1990s I was a city councillor in the NE of England. It was a time when
Thatcherite cuts were biting hard. One of the sectors suffering terribly were
council run homes for the elderly – all since privatised of course which led –
in my view – to so many early covid deaths in that poorly regulated,
uncoordinated sector. I recall an odd situation occurred because those employed
in the Works department were predominantly men and unionised – those jobs were
protected. Many homes where mainly non-unionised low-paid women worked – were
closed. So there was a lot of trauma for elderly people while the grass verges
were still getting cut. Is this one of the downsides of union influence?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Almost 100 years ago – the iconic 1926 General
Strike in support of miners, while a triumph of solidarity – ended in defeat
and division.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Closer to the present day, unions were – at best naïve
about Brexit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ronnie Draper of The
Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, Mick Whelan of ASLEF, Mick Cash of the
RMT were pro Leave and Jeremy Corby – who was popular with the many union
leaders, barely left London during the EU referendum and, clearly anti-EU, sat
on the fence while Johnson was parading the big red bus of lies about and promising
xenophobic nirvana. As a group Farmers and Fishermen were broadly pro Brexit
and to say they’ve been shafted is a bit of an understatement...<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So, what is the point of a strike?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Workers have the right to withdraw labour.
These rights have ebbed and flowed since the formation of unions. It is broadly
accepted that as well as being remunerated for work, the right to withdraw
labour is fundamental and separates the worker from the slave, the indentured labourer,
the surf, the mediaeval peasant. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">From The General Strike 1926 to the miners’ strike
1984 have strikes ever been genuinely successful? Strikers and their families
suffer hardship as many did during The Miners’ strike. Strikes seem to have had
little effect on – for example – the privatised railways. Poor service and huge
hikes in prices are accompanied by massive government subsidies sucked up by
shareholders and chairmen while strikes seem to cause misery only to travellers,
commuters and their families.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Currently, unprecedented strikes in the NHS from
nurses to junior doctors have not lead to increases that come even near to
matching the damage to incomes done by Brexit, government mismanagement and,
for example, the catastrophic 49 day premiership of Liz Truss which left a dent
in UK economics to the tune of an estimated £30bn<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Part of the decline in union membership is down to
the fragmentation of the work force and a greater emphasis on small scale
businesses in a febrile service driven sector. But how much of the decline is
the sense that Unions have just one arrow in their quiver - its blunt and
lacking flight…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Do check out <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amanda-Baker/e/B0181KEN9E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1680951925&sr=1-1" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a> by clicking the link or on your favourite online bookstore or on goodreads. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-50439518774337213942023-04-04T01:30:00.001-07:002023-04-04T01:30:00.216-07:00475. Arsonists spitting on their own fires expecting a round of applause!<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This UK Conservative government may be out of ideas,
talent, energy and decency but like an old circus freak show it can still make
you goggle.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The current state of play is ineffectual
firefighting of fires they started – and expecting credit and/or gratitude
from a weary public.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Listening to weekend reports of the holiday backlog
on the Dover to Calais route you could be forgiven for imagining that many folk
and even more ‘news’ readers have never heard of Brexit. You could be further
forgiven for assuming that Remainers didn’t warn that exactly these scenes
would follow from the madness of leaving our largest/closest trading partner. It
may be comforting to forget that the rampant rabid xenophobes and those
powerful entities sweating in anticipation of regulation-free UK where anything
went, didn’t deny in the most barefaced fashion that all these problems would
be minor and fade away like mist. Instead its a permanent smog.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But this is just one of the self-harms Britain has
inflicted on itself and just one of many coming home to roost.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I could site the state of the rail network which has
become unaffordable for many while sucking up more in public subsidy than when
it belonged to the nation – while acceptable standards of service and
reliability are things of the past.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Or more recently I could point to the ridiculous and
cruel Rwanda policy still defended by lunatic Suella Braverman. Rarely is it
mentioned that part of the issue with the over-crowded and unsafe-for-children
hotels the government has resorted to – which exorcise many gobby right wingers
– is caused by the governments lack of a grip on asylum processing procedures.
Plus – having no plan or policy for those arriving in boats seems to be the plan.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The privatised utility companies are a disaster.
Scottish Power now owned by a Spanish conglomerate – is one of the least well
performing and expensive to domestic customers but reported an increase in
profits of 3.6% in 2022.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Privatisation of the utility companies and all the
predictable/predicted failings that follow when profit trumps investment, is
nowhere more clearly born out than with England’s water companies. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Whether you choose to join up all the dots i.e. the
inevitable deterioration of water infrastructure as chairmen and shareholders
bag millions - or whether you look at very recent history and Boris Johnson's
government voting to allow raw sewage dumps into England's waterways, it's a
mess.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The pre-local election panic Sunak announcement that
the privatised water companies in England may be subject to unlimited fines (if
the under-funded Environment Agency can find the staff to follow the stench) is
proof we are now in an age where almost all of government is about shaping
turds of their own making. Both figuratively and literally...<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">*</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">do check out <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fun-Poems-Children-Amanda-Baker-ebook/dp/B089N3X8BY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=NMVJDYD8Z136&keywords=fun+poems+for+children+by+amanda+baker&qid=1680587737&sprefix=fun+poems+for+children+by+amanda+baker%2Caps%2C775&sr=8-1" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a></span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-36321534251452354232023-03-28T01:30:00.001-07:002023-03-28T01:30:00.204-07:00474. The world is like old knicker elastic…<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">… and the idea we’ll keep returning to the way
things were is dangerously delusional.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Anyone who has not sunk themselves into protective oblivion
from the truth that the lunatics took over the asylum some time ago, will have
given up waiting for ‘normal’ to return after the COVID pandemic.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Covid fall-out is just one element in what is wrong
with us; what is wrong with the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">From the endemic casual use of regular non-prescription
drugs (and some prescription drugs) to the increase in problem drinking to
careless all day gambling – those seeking ways of by-passing reality are just one large collective symptom.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And yet – try as people might – it doesn’t work.
You’ll notice it when you’re out on the street. Fear fuelled anger and short
tempers due to the uncertainty that even those not paying attention can sense.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Last week the Bank of England decided to raise
interest rates. Those already struggling with the combined effects of broken
crumbling privatised infrastructure here in the UK coupled with the more recent
appalling self-harm of Brexit will be staring into the financial abys
especially as government help for huge fuel bills ends just as this new horror
bites.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ordinary folk have seen their mortgages increase by
hundreds of pounds while they strike to desperately force a rise in wages.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Some have spoken about similarities to the 2008
crisis. Well – maybe.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t see it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 2008 there was an expectation, born out to some
extent that we would ‘bounce back’ as we had before. There was a sense
that we had a god given right to spring back to the comfortable ground where we
could have it all, shop, ignore the environmental catastrophes happening ‘somewhere
else’ and like new knicker-elastic our world would hold up, keeping everything
in place <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and decent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This time I think not.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Add into the mix that globally little has been done
of any significance to mitigate the destabilising effects of exponentially growing climate and pollution
crises. The notion that you can just batten down the hatches –
metaphorically or in reality – is utter fantasy. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At the start of the pandemic I whistled into the
wind about the numbers dying from pollution every single year and asked why
that was never as shocking.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But as many struggle to stay afloat financially,
mentally and emotionally what did our government serve up last week –
the spectacle of Boris Johnson getting another opportunity to clown about and
lie at public expense before the cameras.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You could be forgiven for thinking there were no
real problems for real people. Especially as that was followed a few days later
with a sting by the group ‘Led by Donkeys’ netting several failed Tory MPs
offering their wisdom to an unknown (and fake) Korean business for many
thousands of pounds. Delusion clearly has no limits.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Rishi Sunak we learnt the day of Johnsons select
committee hearing, benefitted through a tax break to the tune of £300,000 due
to a rule he voted for in 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But while the rich and powerful are looking after
and focusing on themselves and as the media desperately screams at us to pay
attention to the latest royal soap opera and the ridiculous coronation – Britain’s
knickers are sagging. We are going to be caught with our pants around our
ankles fairly soon. There is no reclaiming our dignity – there is no going back
to the way things were.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At the weekend, the OBR (Office for Budget
Responsibilities) stated that the economic harm of Brexit would equal covid.
But even as the Tories try to blame everything on the war in Ukraine and the
truth battles for space in between competing narratives, one thing is clear –
people are struggling. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A country that had the chance to have all things a
civilised nation needed to call itself that, has squandered much of the post
WWII legacy. Its position in the world is vastly weakened. Some (me) would
argue Britain’s credibility and its essential core never recovered its balance
after the illegal invasion of Iraq.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My sense is - and you must make of that what you
will, I am not an economist –the world itself is tired and drooping. This world
in which we have that diminished, battered, belittled position will not bounce
back and neither will the UK.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I do not believe the knickers will pull up one more
time and stay.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We have worn everything out.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">AS always - do check out my books thank you - </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amanda-Baker/e/B0181KEN9E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1679894928&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">My BOOKS</span></a></span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-47416307283912372352023-03-21T01:30:00.001-07:002023-03-21T01:30:00.195-07:00473. Suella Braverman thinks her random Rwanda illegal migration policy ‘is about compassion’.<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Does she also think that kicking puppies would help
daisies grow?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Does the current Home Secretary think that mugging
old ladies would make the sun shine?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Is she cruel or just as deeply deeply deeply stupid as she seems?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The only thing I know for sure is that there is one person we could usefully fly to a far away place on a one
way ticket and it’s not a destitute, desperate migrant…<o:p></o:p></span></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952616108045016250.post-5862235670628341432023-03-14T01:30:00.001-07:002023-03-14T01:30:00.203-07:00472. Weapons of mass delusion are still with us…<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">…and as dangerous as ever as we mark the dark 20</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">
anniversary of the illegal invasion of Iraq, a country still disabled by that
catastrophe.</span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We watch in horror as the predictable and predicted
results of the lies of Brexit stifle this country’s future. Similarly, we who
have paid attention over the decades, sink in the stultifying inevitability of
the madness of having sold off anything and everything of worth as the
privatisation chickens come home to roost. We see a wasteland of corruption and
dysfunction in our infrastructure as everything that was put in place post WWII
for ordinary folk in Britain is now in private hands and fuelling the offshore
accounts of the wealthy instead of making life better for ordinary people.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lineker-gate rocks the already shaky foundations of
the public broadcaster - see my letter in<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/letters/bbc-gary-lineker-football-twitter-tories-b2299184.html " target="_blank">The Independent</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As the BBC plummets further in credibility, our
so-called public broadcaster is currently led by a Tory donor who was advisor
to both Johnson and Sunak before being gifted the role of BBC chairman after helping
Johnson secure a private loan. There is no better (or worse) example of the
power of mass delusion than the illegal invasion of Iraq – orchestrated for
Britain by Tony Blair. However, in the wake of the BBC nonsense we should remember
the destructive power of wilful delusion and there is no surer symptom of constructed
mass delusion than the attempt by weak politicians to control the media.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The 2003 invasion was not just a totally caustic and
still corrosive historical madness perpetrated against the people of Iraq knowingly
done under blatantly false pretences (like Brexit) – it has deeply, permanently
harmed Britain – also like Brexit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After the slightly saccharine up-beat early Blair
years the rot of his ‘rightness’ set in. His own politicians sensed he was leading
them down a wrong path. The country certainly knew with one of the biggest mass
anti-war demonstrations Britain has ever seen. People like Diane Abbot
threatened to resign but then shamefully did not and the madness entered our
collective veins leaving its political poison.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a kind
of sickness a person might feel when they know they have done something deeply
harmful, reprehensible and irreversible. In fact – there is only one thing to
do and that is to continue with the delusion. I wonder if that is why Blair is
still feted in the media; still interviewed by mainstream papers and on our
news. It’s as if no one has read of even heard of the Chilcot Report.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One or two outliers did point out the obvious
similarities when Putin invaded Ukraine under false pretences – but – that is
them not us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One of my very early blogs concerned the distortions
of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>false wars known and felt to be
entirely wrong and how it ensnared an American soldier called <a href="http://browngirloutsidethering.blogspot.com/2014/03/blog-75-lynndie-england-feminists.html" target="_blank">Lynndie England</a> – in that I outlined the disconnect between wrong doing by the soldiers on
the ground and the worse wrong doing by those who knowingly instigated the war.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Abu Grahib was – as was admitted years later – a
fertile breeding ground for what we came to fear as global terrorism – and for
the UK that had not that long banished Irish terrorism – it should have
sickened us more than it did.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then came fear of migrants and some would argue –me
include – as I have often on this blog – the attitude that led us to a racism/jingoism
fuelled Brexit with all its xenophobic nonsense and now to the very migrant bashing
that brought Lineker out to criticise the vile and idiotic Suella Braverman.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Weapons of mass destruction would have been
monstrous if they had existed and let us not forget that Saddam DID use disgusting
weapons against the Kurds. This is no defence of his regime.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However – in the long run – it is the insidious
weapon of mass delusion that will do for us if not reigned in…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">As always do checkout <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amanda-Baker/e/B0181KEN9E?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1678778900&sr=8-1" target="_blank">My BOOKS</a> thank you.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"></span><p></p>Amanda Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16849445252738949180noreply@blogger.com0