424. Storm Boris – an ill wind…

Like many in the UK, I was stranded away from home at the end of last week because of weather disruption to our crumbling, privatised rail infrastructure.

 

The real perfect storm however, was not Eunice or Franklin but permanent ill-wind Johnson.

 

Few but the most deluded now deny that Brexit is a catastrophe. And this social, economic and diplomatic calamity was served up by the same walking destructive entity that brought us partygate, the early, fatal mishandling of the pandemic and all the associated financial waste, plus the proroguing of parliament and the complete degradation of the office of PM. Add to this Johnson's clowning, lying and smirking, trivial demeanour and we see why he has so devastated the UK's already diminishing international standing.

 

When Storm Boris passes Britain will be clearing up for decades.

 

And that is really it this week. What else is there to say. In the 40 years since homophobic, worker-bashing Thatcher, an almost unbroken succession of posh blokes has further trashed Britain home and abroad, squandering everything from the much celebrated post-war infrastructure – sacrificed at the altar of privatisation and profit and the international degradation as a result of the Iraq invasion, Brexit and now the full grubbiness of Russian money-laundering welcomed by London and the Tory party and now laid bare by the Ukraine crisis.

 

So – I’ll stop there this week.

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Do check out - 

My BOOKS

Audio

Kid's fun poetry videos linked to Fun Poems for Children

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NB I am not on any social media but i'm fairly you can link this blog. I have an upcoming comedy gig which I'll post details about as and when.

423. Banking bigotry and bad behaviour.

Someone explain to me PLEASE why privileged white racists and misogynists and a war criminal are feted by the British media. Why are they constantly given lucrative platforms and extensive room to monetise their vileness in a way that would not be acceptable for ordinary mortals? And – yes – I know on one level it’s because it’s good for ratings but DEAR GOD…

Take one of the examples listed below. The vile, half-witted and inadequate posh bloke and some-time 2^nd rate actor Lawrence Fox. Who had even heard of this guy outside the luvy circles of London before he became the self-proclaimed Anti-Woke Warrior – euphemism for racist misogynist? Suddenly he is given way more air time than his acting career ever warranted.

I get the screeching about cancel culture. Another handy media phrase mixed up with ideas of free speech but often used to protect those who have many platforms across a wide range of media. Increasingly this whining is used to protect those saying vile, damaging things and harming the lives of those who do not have a voice or a platform. So, in the interests of balance it would be nice to see and hear much less of some of the worst of that ilk. Don’t ‘cancel’ them; just stop actively PROMOTING them and helping them bank their bigotry and bad behaviour.

Dear UK Media – please platform and pander to these privileged men LESS In 2022

Boris Johnson (no explanation needed)

Tony Blair (war criminal and now knight of the realm!)

Nigel Farage (who stood for election to the House of Commons SEVEN times and never won but was treated as if he had and was regularly platformed by the BBC, among many others, even on issues no one would ever associate him with like the climate)

Jimmy Carr (for consciously using racism successfully to gain attention and  prop up a mediocre talent)

Lawrence Fox (a bit-part nobody until he discovered that coming out as racist and misogynist and bashing Meghan Markle got him lots more TV time)

Piers Morgan (One-time Trump toady and ongoing MM basher also)

The media are often equally obliging the other way. Though clearly it’s hard to bury the hideous Prince Andrew shit – the media are doing a pretty good job. At the moment we are being swamped with slop about perfect royals – The Queen and The Cambridges. And now strenuous efforts to shine up Camila ahead of the possible accession of Charlie-the-tampon. Celebrity and shine mags are at it with this type of stuff Off limits to the cambridge children  by Cosmopolitan. And of course the obvious answer to what is off limits to the Cambridge children surely has to be PRINCE ANDREW.

So, I appeal to the media – stop helping these vile men to bank their bigotry. Stop letting them off the hook for their bad behaviour.

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Thanks for reading and as always do check out My BOOKS.

422. Space Junk

 Elon Musk and other money junkies are trashing space – well we’ve already trashed the earth and the oceans…

Yes – haphazard and hazardous and multiplying satellites and satellite junk in space are literally blocking out the stars according to astronomers.

 How Stuff Works

 Live Science

And this would be bad if it were for essential stuff. It’s not. It is so that even more people can troll each other more efficiently on social media and use Elon Musk’s gadgets. Yes – the ones that don’t work REUTERS and no one asked for.

The high priests who direct our worship of constant consumerism and the all-seeing deity of social media are now literally blocking the firmament – dimming real stars. They are obliterating the heavens so that – astronomers claim – even things humans might be interested in when they don’t have their faces in their screens – like dangerous asteroids – may not be visible due to the glare of the ever increasing and unregulated number of random satellites.

Is the process of turning humanity into an uncritical, cretinous cult almost complete?

You pay obeisance and enjoy a semi-mindless (uneasy) sense of being part of things or – like me – not. And maybe, like me, you have a horrible sinking feeling every time someone else good humouredly smirks or rolls their eyes indulgently at the fact you don’t have a smartphone and are not on any social media platforms because – the fact is – the stars are literally going dim on humanity.

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Talking of rich, entitled white men doing whatever the hell they want regardless of the good of the rest of us. Check out my letter in the New European (longish letter near the bottom)   

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As always I invite you to check out my My BOOKS including print and e-version of the environmental story advertised in the previous post. Thank you.

421. £3 for ME – because I’m not the puerile, partying PM or the ‘problem’ prince.

BANDCAMP Friday – this Feb 4^th

Midnight to midnight PST (8am Friday to 8am Saturday GMT).

This week is the first  bandcamp Friday of 2022. So, this week, instead of a full bloggy rant with a footnote I am JUST flagging the ‘me’ stuff. These promo days started in 2020 to support artists whose work dried up during covid.

I, like many solo practitioners, was not a beneficiary of government covid funding – unlike many fraudsters who, thanks to government incompetence – mopped up multiple millions of that money – never to be seen again. But don’t worry – the vile Therese Coffey – Work and Pensions secretary - is on it. She is making the benefits system even more draconian, attacking the poor at a time of self-induced crisis (Brexit) and when the cost of living is skyrocketing.

But back to bandcamp. As someone who is not on any social media platform – you know the ones – where you ‘earn’ $millions by playing games or insistently posting about your fake perfect life or creating fun situations where others degrade themselves – lack of real life work opportunities impacts on my book sales. And I’m not a celebrity so no one is going to buy my stuff based on a photoshoped pic of me on a beach in a bikini (heaven forbid) next to a plucked, orange-skinned, veneer-toothed reality TV star with glossy abs.

So – I am asking my bleaders (blog readers) – in fact anyone who finds their way to this blog – even accidentally – to check out the my Casey & the Surfmen audio on bandcamp. Do please purchase a copy knowing that the ENTIRE £3 will – this Friday – come to me and not be eaten up in commission. Buy it, even if a magical, uplifting, epic poetry story about people power in the face of the criminal destruction of the environment for profit is not your bag. Think of it as a tip if you have – at any time over the last decade engaged with my posts for free. So – yeah – the looming environmental disaster – just one of the many pressing issues not getting full media attention because of the circus surrounding our puerile, partying PM and the ‘problem’ prince.

 If you enjoy the audio of C&tS, there is a paperback version (also a bargain e-version) check them out HERE. The majority of my books are now on expanded distribution so there is a good chance you can buy from your favourite online bookstore.

And remember – when considering whether to spend what is often referred to as the price of a coffee (I dunno –I’m the woman on the train with a flask…) I definitely deserve it and will spend it wisely. Talking of coffee also remember, I’m not Therese Coffey and I am not Boris Johnson and not Prince Andrew and they get LOADS of your money…

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My blog is each Tuesday. Last week I was away looking after grandchildren and pre-scheduled my blog post but for some reason best known to google (or my incompetence) it posted itself on Monday instead of Tuesday… BGOTR is Tuesdays. AND there are buttons at the bottom of each post to share this blog.

420. Political bullying claims bring back very painful memories.

I do not believe the feigned astonishment of Business Minister Kwasi Kwarteng re the claims of Tory bullying and harassment. These things go hand in hand with the leadership of inadequate people.

Grant Shapps (the creepy train guy) resigned in 2015 amidst bullying claims but has found much favour in Boris Johnson’s government. Priti Patel (current Home Secretary and migrant botherer) was found guilty of bullying and remained in Johnson’s cabinet. It’s a sign of weak leadership – and corrupt leadership –and incompetent leadership – when your willingness to suck up to a leader is literally all that counts. The flip side of that ultimately insecure position, for those who begin to suspect the Emperor (world king) is wearing no clothes, is that ‘other’ methods have to be found. Bullying. Intimidation. Threats.

It may be that the 2019 intake – many from what are described as Red Wall constituencies, ex- Labour seats – suffer from not growing up with the public school fagging system so are shocked that such tactics are regarded as acceptable to the true blue Tories. However, it is also something that takes hold when the person in charge is simply a control freak or has got used to running a feudal system such was the case when I was elected the first black woman councillor to Newcastle City Council in 1988.

While I have little sympathy for Christian Wakeford,  (he has an appalling voting record but he can count and defected to Labour to save his seat) – the episode of the bullying and intimidation he reported brought back very unpleasant, upsetting, hugely painful memories.

I was tagged as a trouble maker for, among other things, vociferously supporting those campaigning against the Poll Tax - even though Newcastle City Council was supposedly a Labour council. Access to the press was strictly controlled by the same system of feudal favours exerted over the rank and file councillors and there was of course no social media alternative.

When I openly protested the excesses and abuses of the councillors' allowance system, over a decade before the MPs expenses scandal, leader Jeremy Beecham (now in the lords) who had already ostracised me over the Poll Tax threatened to remove the whip. Tony Flynn – his loyal side kick - even phoned my then husband, who had no involvement in politics, to get me to 'behave'. Subsequently, Beecham sent one of his 'boys' to try to get me deselected prior to the second election I stood in and won. And when a school in Beecham’s patch was 'saved' from closure after a failing Ofsted report by sudden, inexplicable and hugely damaging amalgamation with the school where I was chair of governors, I made a fuss along with the headmistress Sheila Clement-Jones.  It got a very nasty. On one occasion I received a threatening late night phone call from a union activist, parent governor of the failing school and gob shite. I alluded to the incident at the area meeting the following day - saying if it happened again I'd go to the police. Though I had little hope of that as I’d once approached the police about an anonymous racist letter I’d received to my home and got a can-do-nothing response.

Realising, among other things, that many of the real decision were made by THE BOYS in the pub and the committee meetings that took up so very much of my time were a waste – I ultimately resigned. Following the illegal invasion of Iraq I also left the Labour party which I'd been a member of since my student days.

IT is important to say that the majority of Newcastle city councillors (many of whom were old enough to be my grandparents) could not have been nicer to me, were in fact incredibly kind.

 I learnt a huge amount and had insights into the workings of THE SYSTEM that few are privy to but resigning was a decision I never once regretted.

The thing is – there is all the difference in the world between the bullying control of inadequate men who seek and increasingly seem to attain power and real leaders. We need, as a society, to learn to tell the difference.

This is the scary young black woman (23 when this pic was taken) who made the bully boy's piss their collective pants.

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Just quick note, if you in Edinburgh Friday 28th Jan, I'll be doing a short set at Teviot Underground (Edinburgh uni) 8pm and remember do check My BOOKS thanks so much.

419. Boris v Mallory

This is Mallory the cat. 

When Mallory was found, almost dead, in October where he'd been hanging around for several days outside the shop where my daughter has a student job, he was so malnourished his backbone was sticking up like a mountain ridge. His fur was matted beyond de-tatting. His back legs were collapsed. He shook and though he desperately wanted to eat, he couldn’t hold anything down or if he did it exited violently the other end. She took him back to her flat (in her flatmate’s boyfriend’s car which Mal decorated with exodus material from both ends). M was unable to use a litter tray effectively because of said problem with collapsed back legs. Eventually, after weeks of nursing and coaxing he was strong enough to take to a dog groomer where all his matted disgusting fur was painstakingly shaved off (thanks dog groomer woman).

M is clearly very old and possibly got overlooked after his owner either died or went into care (or he got chucked cos he was so disgusting lol). No one knows. He is deaf, some of his teeth are missing and a couple of the remaining ones are too long. His spatial awareness isn’t great and he is a bit stupid (he burnt his whiskers on a candle). He is, for obvious reasons, extremely needy and YOWLS pathetically if my daughter leaves the room. He is, however, a very loving cat. When he is sitting comfortably on my daughter’s knee or next to her with his head pushed into her armpit (!), he purrs like an outboard motor.

The thing is – even in the state he was in when he was first discovered – Mallory would have made a better Prime Minister than Boris Johnson.

 Now that his fur has partially grown back and he can successfully crap in the litter tray and doesn’t vomit anymore and loves his food and stays awake - often for 10 minutes at a time - and only drools a little bit - he could definitely run the country better than this fucking government.

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New Teddy talk Brexit Bastards

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Remember to check out My BOOKS thank you.

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And once again as I am not on social media well done for finding me here and thank you for reading

418. PLEASE!

 PLEASE…

…let 2022 be the year of COMEUPPANCE.

If you don’t have comeuppance where you come from I highly recommend it – it means someone getting the punishment or fate they richly deserve. Sort of karma if karma was an angry child.

Is it too much to ask? I mean, the rest of us who didn’t carelessly trash the country (and other parts of the globe [Blair]) for financially beneficial popularity or sucking up to other world leaders and/or the indulgence of some spite and racism or to deregulate the UK for profit (Brexit) or starve infrastructure of investment for privet profit (Thatcher to austerity) are going to pay – ARE paying.

We are paying with the underfunding of the NHS, poor staffing levels, huge increases in fuel bills, a divided society and growing gaps between rich and poor and falling longevity in the poorest areas. We are paying. Why shouldn’t they?

Our inner 6 year olds have highly honed senses of fairness and mine is screaming and screaming and screaming.

How come Chris Grayling got away with giving nearly £8m of our money to ferry companies with no ferries then got promoted in Johnson’s government?

How come Matt Hancock got away with enriching his mates by facilitating de facto profiteering during the first year of covid? Though it is difficult to know with any of them how much is corruption and how much is eye-watering incompetence.

Talking of incompetence - how come Dido Harding got away with wasting £billions on track and trace protocols that didn’t work?

We cannot go on too much longer with those who don’t care not being made to care; those who have creamed off profits at the cost of the misery/lives of others living comfortably and care free and consequence-free.

We cannot go on with money constantly being funnelled to those who least need it through privatised infrastructure and government contracts, while the media roast the poor for being feckless. Things have to change as I said in this little letter published by The Jamaica Observer last week

I keep thinking I see tiny sparks of the COMMUPPANCE fire – a little smoke – then nothing - a damp squib.

Johnson seemed a bit more bug-eyed than usual. Is the peppa pig PM finally feeling uncomfortable after a lifetime of lying and not only getting away with it but being elevated by our bizarre system?

Is Andrew finally sweating despite the chance that mumsy will pay off one of those pesky women? Check out JUST DESSERTS

Re the vile Tories who overturned the Dubs Amendment to the 2016 Immigration Act – a measure the public approved of that was meant to help unaccompanied migrant children, might they feel some of the fear, cold and pain of those abandoned youngsters?

Maybe as part of all this, we could have more vigorous opposition? I’m just saying – as per my letter published in The Herald (yes - this blog is not enough outlet for my ire...)

I’m not sure what the proper comeuppances might be. Take Matt Hancock. Members of his own party felt that profiteers during WWII - that Churchillean era they fantasise about - should face the firing squad…

Is there any chance that the bully (that’s official) Priti Patel might get hers? Please.

Tony Blair’s outrageous knighthood seems to have stirred up the public anger that the media so blithely ignore.

Is it happening? Could it possibly be? Is this the year?

Please let it be.

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Also check out an old post Rule Britannia - new lyrics

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Yes, there are a lot of links today but as always, please check out My BOOKS most paperback versions now available on expanded distribution which means you can buy from your fave online bookseller and also remember - Fun Poems for Children has entertaining youtube videos for all the poems.

I am not on social media so well done for finding your way here. Hope it was worth the trip.