Saturday 7 August: The massive rise in home electricity bills is only going to get worse and antagonise voters

Posted on by Geoff Graham

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Today’s letters (visible only to DT subscribers) are here, finally.

684 thoughts on “Saturday 7 August: The massive rise in home electricity bills is only going to get worse and antagonise voters”

    1. 336418+ up ticks,
      Morning AS,
      The way of repress, reset,replace
      Sussex uni running a jaberee lotto, the
      dangerous looneys are winning something shortly WILL give.

  4. Morning all.
    Mrs VVOF and I took our daily walk yesterday and managed to dodge the showers, arriving back home just as the rain started to sheet down.
    It is looking like we need the same if not not more amount of good fortune today, lots of black clouds gathering over “Bill’s mother’s” as they say in these parts.

    1. Yo vvof

      May I aWoke you, Sir

      lots of black dubious coloured clouds gathering over “Bill’s mother’s” Genderless Child’s Birthing Parent’s as they say in these parts.

      1. I stand corrected in these PC times. 😱
        Good morning to you, Sir, Madam, Miss, Master, It, X or Y.

  6. Mail to a Con MP….

    Billionaires Rule Britannia!

    Long ago it was apparent the covid response was not just about the virus.

    The most important question in the UK is….

    What was the influence of Mr Gates on Mr Johnson, Mr Hancock and others including on members of SAGE, and what exactly are his aims and motives?

    Because Mr Gates has bought the UK’s latest testing tech with Mr Soros, what role did Mr Soros play in UK events as they unfolded?

    In the UK, saying a death was of covid if there had been a position test within 28 days looks deliberately designed to make the situation appear worse than it is.

    Why did Mr Johnson exclude his own professional practitioners from planning right from the start? Why did Mr Johnson listen only to Gates linked individuals instead?

    You said the UK’s response was “an exercise in global government” and now the UK is to have vaccine passports just like many other countries.

    Who is leading the rush to vaccine passports?

    Mr Blair.

    Who does Mr Blair work for?

    Big Money. Mainly Mr Soros.

    So were vaccine passports as a means to control populations the motive from the beginning?

    Long ago it was apparent the response was not just about the virus.

    Polly

      1. Now that Melinda has done a runner, Polly has been quietly training as a helicopter pilot.

  7. I was watching the Olympics yesterday evening and they had a strange event where people were ascending up a wall, the wife said this is a new event, I said is it all down to climb it change?
    Even made myself laugh, though not the wife.

    3. I couldn’t believe it was a serious event. The competitors kept falling off from a fairly low height.

        1. I was always under the impression that the modern pentathlon was based on the exploits of “Michael Strogoff, Courier of the Tsar”. To cram it all into 90 minutes is a nonsense.

          1. The IOC has been trying to get rid of it altogether for many years.

            If it hadn’t been created by Baron de Coubertin, specifically for the modern games, it would have gone years ago.

            Now it’s being converted into a cartoon parody of what it was. Thus said, five days was far too long. The current format seems about right to me.

            The fact one has to have an unfamiliar and potentially very recalcitrant horse, so that bad luck loses any chance of a medal, is a different matter.

          2. Yes, the random location of horses was intended to be a “fair’ thing, rather than the competitors bringing their own highly trained horses. It also reflects the courier having to seize any horse he could get as he struggled across the lands of the Tartars to deliver his message. Also, of course, if you wanted to influence the result, you’d fix the horse and the allocation.

          3. The reasoning was fine, where it falls down is that the best all round competitor can be eliminated through no fault of their own.
            I would be happier if all the horses could be ridden around the course, by top class riders, to show that it is possible.
            I strongly suspect that that German’s horse couldn’t have been taken around by one of the showjumpers.

          4. Well, the German’s horse is probably too heavy to carry. But seriously, (!!!!), The logical solution is for all the competitors to ride the same horse which might require the competition to be spread over the fortnight with, say, six in the riding competition per day.

          5. Much better to have them eliminated as the competition progresses.

            The fencing could be real, the shooting could be real, the swimming involve drownings, the runners going through the inner city lawless zones, carrying drugs or cash, and eventually the single horse is given to the first to get through, to ride to the podium in triumph.

          1. is it? Does that now mean in the paralympics that blind people will now attempt to set Olympic time records for solving Rubik cubes?

        4. Medals for the biggest display of sobbing and “mental health” issues.
          These cry-babies are making a mockery of the Olympic ideal.

          1. even worse when competing, failing then citing various injuries [hamstring etc etc] then mysteriously reappearing in relay finals

    4. Looking after the daughter’s 10 month old yellow lab has had me climbing the walls this last week. Perhaps I could have been a contender, ‘Charlie’.

      1. Just looked at the radar – the rain may arrive about an hour into the event. Curses.

        1. Then I hope the first hour clears out the things for sale and the displays can be enjoyed from under an umbrella. Good luck.

          1. Thanks – I have decided not to tell the MR – who is slaving away picking veg and cutting flowers.

          2. I mailed my mother earlier as she’s also got a stall out [Footpath Group] at the annual Northiam fete [Northern Rother ward]. Forgot to ask about weather. I’ll wait to get my ear bent tomorrow

        2. worth considering bill, if you’re also particpating?- mention you’re all in favour of vaxx passports because you can
          use them to exclude BAME folks without running foul of the law

  10. something a little closer [to me] as aware another fake summit is taking place: “Why UN Food systems summit is irrelevant to Uganda’s smallholder farmers: A case of capitalism pushing the poor away from family land” https://www.farmlandgrab.org/post/view/30424 corporates currently getting zero engagement here in Kenya as it’s viewed as corporate / economic colonialism, so Uganda [M7 land] is the test case

    1. “In a survey conducted by Witness Radio-Uganda on development projects (agribusiness, afforestation, carbon offset projects, mining, and infrastructure development) being financed by members of the World Economic Forum for the last ten years, both COVID-19 lock-downs inclusive, estimate that 1, 257,200 (one million two hundred, fifty-seven thousand and two hundred peasant families have been forcefully evicted or threatened with eviction from more than 5 million Ha.”

      WEF cropping up again. There is no end to its creativity, it seems.

    1. 336418+ up ticks,
      AS,
      Tis well organised now down to the numbers of replacers, already no doubt
      allotted various council positions countrywide, we had better believe it,
      this time.

  13. 336418+ up ticks,
    Morning Each,
    A major spreader that is in my personnel opinion doing a great deal of damage is orchestrated doom & gloom, they ,the overseers are running in the desperation stakes now what with student jaberee lotto, & spiffajab working on opium dens next.

    Example, every prison within these Isles will have their
    drug intake curtailed, you got it, without the jab.

    Boris Johnson will not self-isolate after aide tests positive for Covid
    Prime Minister could yet be told to stay at home, with tracers expected to map interactions of infected member of team in Scotland

    1. mng ogga, they know “woke opinion” isn’t getting MSM traction but it’s good to watch them try and fail [like the olympics] https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fb68fce9f593c7279557a8e1c4024830de0c508c58b38ba8d28a9adcd9363013.jpg given we’re all being monitored, the usual reminders are aired merely to reinforce the point https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d96e7605af056ca6f5e98b5f4f8448d5710e7d493f72a0a8602db74049f862a8.png talking of which the usual retort to Mrs Sparkle covering behavioural “science” https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fdaec98cbb3ee3ed0e89eb72cef7c39bcb77b63e175f20ef1e396120268f15cc.jpg

    2. mng ogga, they know “woke opinion” isn’t getting MSM traction but it’s good to watch them try and fail [like the olympics] https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fb68fce9f593c7279557a8e1c4024830de0c508c58b38ba8d28a9adcd9363013.jpg given we’re all being monitored, the usual reminders are aired merely to reinforce the point https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d96e7605af056ca6f5e98b5f4f8448d5710e7d493f72a0a8602db74049f862a8.png talking of which the usual retort to Mrs Sparkle covering behavioural “science” https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fdaec98cbb3ee3ed0e89eb72cef7c39bcb77b63e175f20ef1e396120268f15cc.jpg

      1. no idea, then again they’re also oblivious to reality. Guess it’s because it’s Obama’s birthday bash, so all don the Afrika Korps garb [made by Hugo Boss of course]

          1. US outsourced 99% of its industry and they “own” Demented Joe. Although am sure Frau Merkel still holds the patent for the SS uniforms

      1. as it’s Obama’s birthday bash, using “stone” would remind him of “Roots” so I presume “tan” is deemed the neutral approach

    1. Hilarious, particularly as that great Gay icon and campaigner, Elton John, was in a similar advert for them here. It seems liberal principles don’t apply to themselves, particularly when there’s money to be had.

    1. Anyone who attacks the odious Jones gets my vote.

      Apparently he is going ballistic on twatter. Pity he didn’t have to do National Service. Might have opened his eyes a bit.

      1. it’s a pity there’s no longer National Service. He’d still cite being a “Concientious Objector” – White feather it is then

    2. I haven’t heard about the odious little shit for months, I was hoping perhaps he’d drowned in the Sea of Wokeness.

  17. 336418+ up ticks,
    Just saying it seems we have a new resident downvoter
    which does add interest and shows freedom of action is still alive & active, big hello to one,

    Robert Stapleford
    @disqus_E9pgGp9Oli

    0
    Comments
    0
    Upvotes
    1
    Follower
    0

  18. 336418+ up ticks,
    Gettaway, is that right ?

    Tis also so that the politico’s / parties are acting via the polling booth with the peoples consent, now that really is
    A Riddle Wrapped in a Mystery Inside an Enigma.

    Britain is suffering a pandemic of political hypocrisy
    Whether it’s travelling abroad or getting back to the office, it is one rule for them, another for us

  19. Tories need a green plan that makes energy clean, plentiful and, yes, cheap

    The state should do whatever it can to facilitate business and choice, much as Thatcher did in the 1980s.

    TELEGRAPH VIEW • 7 August 2021 • 6:00am

    An air of unreality surrounds Britain’s climate agenda. Wild targets are set; it is unclear how we will get there; the costs go undiscussed on the assumption that consumers are happy to bite the bullet. This was reflected in Boris Johnson’s joke that pit closures in the 1980s gave Britain a “big early start” in the war on carbon. The Left feigned outrage, but shouldn’t they hate coal? The work was dangerous, the product highly polluting.

    That is not why Margaret Thatcher closed pits, of course. Thatcherism was about breaking up monopolies, withdrawing state subsidies and encouraging markets that would be innovative. When the energy industry was first privatised and deregulated, prices fell. Today, bills for millions are set to jump after the regulator lifted the price cap following a rise in wholesale prices.

    It should not be the job of the state to manage the price of a commodity, and a cap, which can only delay the inevitable, is no guarantee against a hike. Unfortunately, the Conservative Party, which introduced said cap, has strayed from the pro-market philosophy of the 1980s, swapping consumer power and choice for regulation – adopting Labour policies that it once opposed.

    Green policy must not go down this route. The UK has set the pace on ambitious targets and laws, and wind is a particular success (wind provided 24 per cent of our energy generation in 2020, along with a £6 billion turnover the previous year). But now we come to the tricky question of finance. At present, renewable subsidies are passed on to energy bills, and consumers are expected to bankroll household changes from new boilers to electric cars that the Tories have decided are the future. Huge public spending on infrastructure will be necessary, too – and for the green lobby, no amount of investment will ever be enough. Labour is always happy to outbid.

    The Tory model, however, should be to unleash and encourage private sector solutions, not expand state regulation in the style of the price cap. Technology is moving fast; the market with it. The state, via tax cuts and deregulation, should do whatever it can to facilitate business and choice. The Left imagines the green revolution as hair-shirt socialism. It is time for the Tories to lay out a transparent, costed plan for going green that sets the goal, in the long run, of delivering energy that is clean, plentiful and, yes, cheap.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2021/08/07/tories-need-green-plan-makes-energy-clean-plentiful-yes-cheap/

    This editorial rather misses the point by making only a brief reference to gas boilers and cars. The ‘green policy’ is about electricity alone, as though it can power everything in the world that currently it doesn’t. That underlined 24% claim is a misrepresentation and one commonly used in the media and by the general public; the ‘energy generation’ referred to is electricity alone, which provides about one-fifth of all our energy requirements. And, of course, there are times when those wind turbines provide next to nothing.

    1. It wasn’t deregulation and privatisation that enabled the energy boom in the 1980s; it was North Sea oil, which peaked in that decade. The Norwegians invested it in their future economy, whereas the Brits blew it on a great big party that made those that matter feel good about themselves.

      The no-brainer today is to use less. If we can live better by using less, then this is wonderful. I don’t think many people who set public opinion appreciate that though.

      I wouldn’t abolish the gas boilers or the petrol cars, just need them less.

      And what is all this about transferring the reserve currency to Bitcoin, which “mines” its currency by wilfully wasting energy on an industrial scale?

      1. The easy win is to use less. Savings go straight on to the bottom line. Then look at where you get it from.

      2. It’s Britcoin not Bitcoin and the plan is to add it to your social credit passport which can be cancelled if you say or do anything the government doesn’t like.

        Meaning you get switched off.

      3. “It wasn’t deregulation and privatisation that enabled the energy boom in the 1980s; it was North Sea oil, which peaked in that decade.”

        Irrelevant to the subject, which is really about how we cope in a world without fossil fuels. No one seems to have an answer to that.

        1. It’s a while to go before we run out entirely.

          The price of elephant tusk and rhino horn went through the roof when the market leaders controlled supply by invading their reserves, while at the same time boosting demand among the fashionable in China. Likewise, as fossil fuel gets scarce, the price goes up. In theory, this means that fewer can afford it, so demand goes down, even if this leaves a lot of folk without heating or transport or power for their industries.

          In such circumstances, the ever-adaptable human will devise technological alternatives, especially if there is money to be made from them, or just for a more comfortable life. The ever-aggressive human though will organise themselves into gangs to deprive the have-nots, the “losers” and lightly kill them if they cause trouble. Enterprising fit young men on dinghies see a nation full of losers, who themselves declare their lives don’t matter, ready to be exploited.

          I have about a dozen or so tablets left of my antidepressant medication I rely on to sleep and to dream when I sleep. The cartel put up the price to the NHS so much that the NHS ordered the doctors to stop prescribing it. I now ration myself to 1/4 tablet every three days, which should keep me going until Christmas hopefully. Then I suppose I will have to read ‘The Bench’ in order to address mental health problems, since that is all that is on offer now.

          I foresee similar rationing with energy.

    1. New Zealanders have organised a petition about the push to get children turned into trans. I just signed it – will find a link.

      2. Here’s the text.
        PLEASE SIGN & SHARE this important parliamentary petition to protect New Zealand children from being brainwashed about sexuality and gender issues without their parent’s knowledge, consent or input. Only your name and email is required to sign by 31st August 21.

        Petition request
        That the House of Representatives urge the Government to overhaul the Relationships and Sexuality Education resource, inviting all key stakeholders, including parents, to have an input into its development, and taking into account the safety of all children.

        Petition reason
        Parents are key stakeholders in their children’s education and development, and the Government must ensure that they are respected. I believe parents have the right to ensure that sexuality education does not impinge on family beliefs or cultural values. Young children are impressionable and, in my view, the rising numbers of mental health issues in youth means we must look at the impact of early sexual lesson content on their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual development.

    2. Jacinda Ardern is a World Economic Forum ” Young Global Leader” like David Cameron.

      We know what that means!

    3. Corruption is rife in politics. I wonder how much the “bribe” was and in whose bank account it ended up…..

  21. ‘Morning All

    ‘Nuff Said

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d80035dab166bdfdc2494f34b3d975aa6e2edcdb7dfa91881671df392b19e088.jpg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/44fe434f8e2e7027a7eb495592e169ce2ef0f1aa398d71e765adfef51ed9cb70.png

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/745e2e43ab0ac779df55e1e7bc49cea70b510732eab98430b51d21aae571972c.png

    https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/081/234/792/original/a3578fad34e3b210.jpg

    Hopefully the direction of travel

    https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/081/110/622/original/f695055ccb175f2e.png

    1. On that last one, politicians and sage ‘advisers’ should equally be up against the wall.

  23. Good morning all.
    10° in the yard and a dry, bright, if slightly overcast, Derbyshire.

  24. DT Story

    German modern pentathlon coach Kim Raisner thrown out of Tokyo 2020 after punching horse

    Of course the Germans and the EU regard Britons as ‘horses for courses’ which is why they are mean, spiteful and vicious towards us.

  28. You Utter Moron

    https://twitter.com/zarahsultana/status/1423677833310875656

    “indiscriminately killing 200,000 people ”

    No background as to why ? No Critical reasoning . No explanation
    that we were fighting absolute savage , maniacal fanatics , who
    would die rather than surrender .
    No mention of the 50,000+ Allied casualties at Okinawa,no mention of the estimated 1,000,000 Allied casualties and 3/4,000,000 Japanese casualties if an invasion of the Home Islands was required??
    Jeez how badly are we served by those in parliament!!

      1. Indeed not,I await with some trepidation Israel’s reaction to Iran’s claim to have a working bomb “within weeks”
        Given the past and present rhetoric and a new hard line leader can Israel live with a nuclear armed Iran??

    2. “No Critical reasoning.”

      That requires supplanting stupidity with intelligence. Science has not yet discovered a way to achieve that.

    3. 336418+ up ticks,
      Morning Rik,
      The problem is the electorate have continued to vote in political sh!te so many times over the last three decades
      that ” the best of the worst” is being taken as norm.

    4. She does not understand MAD!!!!!!

      (Mutually Assured Destruction)

      They will be banned when we are the Caliphate of Greater Manchester

    5. She does not understand MAD!!!!!!

      (Mutually Assured Destruction)

      They will be banned when we are the Caliphate of Greater Manchester

    6. No context re the war with the then fanatical Japanese military establishment. Estimates of around a million allied casualties were not an exaggeration when the defence of Okinawa etc were reviewed. Sultana’s a fruit cake who has not read any history. Probably incapable of, or unwilling to, having an understanding of the evidence.

    7. Sultana was born in October 1993[2] in the West Midlands, and raised in Lozells, a working-class area of Birmingham with 3 sisters.[3] She is a Muslim and is of Pakistani origin: her grandfather migrated from Kashmir to Birmingham in the 1960s.[4]

      During the 2019 election campaign, The Jewish Chronicle reported that in 2015, whilst she was a student, Sultana made social media posts from a subsequently deleted account which implied that she would celebrate the deaths of former Labour prime minister Tony Blair, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former US president George W. Bush and she supported “violent resistance” by Palestinians.[9] Sultana also sent tweets telling someone whom she described as pro-Israel to ‘jump off a cliff’ and compared between the Holocaust and those who died in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and Chechnya. In a tweet, Sultana said that her mum was “pissed” after her dad told her that she was a Jew. She was also found to have repeatedly used racial slurs to brand Jewish students as “YT” and “the white woman”.[14] Sultana apologised for the posts and stated that she no longer held those views and “wrote them out of frustration rather than any malice”.[15][16] The Labour Party re-interviewed her as a consequence of the posts, but she remained the party’s candidate.[17] After her election, The Jewish Chronicle reported on a further social media post made by Sultana in 2015, in which she stated that students supporting Zionism were “advocating a racist ideology…and champion[ing] a state created through ethnic cleansing, sustained through occupation, apartheid and war crimes.”[18]

      In January 2021, Sultana called for prisoners to be prioritised for COVID-19 vaccinations, describing them as “a high risk setting for transmission” and as such, it would be a “humane approach to a completely disenfranchised population https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zarah_Sultana

      I wonder what Imran Khan in Pakistan would do with her?

    8. If we invested in the public good, it’d be a rope for your neck.

      Shove off you cretinous fool. How did you get to be an MP when you’re so catastrophically stupid? Or is this another one of those infiltrating foreigners?

      1. In other words, the populations of Europe gradually declining to a more sustainable level may cause a few problems, so we can use those problems as an excuse to swamp those countries with non-White migrants to irrevocably change not just the cultural ethos of those countries but the racial make up also.

        1. here’s the “generic” links with other links embedded https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/signing-the-un-migration-pact-has-sold-us-down-the-river/ and UK Govt response with key embed links https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/232698 the usual woke phrase “The Government says that the Compact is not legally binding and cannot compel the UK Government to change its own immigration policies” – UN doc downloadable https://undocs.org/A/CONF.231/3

        1. Too true. As someone pointed out, either here or on GP, recent government figures regarding vax inadvertently gave the game away.

          One source stated the number of people who had received the vax, whilst another stated the percentage of the population who had received the vax.

          Using some simple arithmetic this gave a UK population figure of over 80,000,000!

          1. For several years, supermarkets have claimed the population is c. 80 million.
            I would trust their figures more than any government statistics.

      4. 336418+ upticks,
        Morning AWK,
        She is as with many of her ilk, criminally dangerously, insane.

          1. 336453+ up ticks,
            Morning AWK,
            No one should underestimate these politico’s her nine month delay was imo triggering the second stage of the
            semi eu reentry rocket, the wretch cameron being the first stage of a three tier missile, now with johnson the
            third stage pilot, on course via expanding the “deal”.

            Could very well be the herd is given a two option choice
            five times a day “down” at the mosque or FULL eu reentry.

            Think DOVER & likes it is my belief we are not going to be overrun by Quakers via the invasion.

          3. 3346455+ up ticks,
            AWK,
            The remnants of plan A are still in play dragging on after five years, agreed plan B has been triggered reinforcements arriving DOVER various SE beaches.

      5. Scotland has been working on that basis for around 20 years, vociferously supported by First Minister after First Minister. So has the UK, it seems although maybe not so publicly. What is not discussed or mentioned is that the populations of our countries were much lower in the past. We seemed to manage fine. The population always ages. That is of of less consequence than before. We do not need young men and women to work in factories and down mines. There is little requirement for hard physical labour. No reasons why the healthy should not work until they drop, should they so choose.
        So, in my view which I have rehearsed many times, we could manage much better with a UK population nearer 50m rather than 70m and we have no need at all of immigrants from non-Christian countries.

        1. doubt anyone on here would disagree at all with any of that Horace. Using the model of lower populations in the past as the baseline, the intent is to replace with illegal economic migrants who are short term, easier to coerce and control

      6. This assumes we want a big population. We don’t. Nor do we need it. We’ve too many people here already. This country should have a population no higher than 40 million, not the 75 million we’re lumbered with.

        The simple truth is if we ‘replace’ the white population with unskilled, illiterate, useless welfareists all we do is add mouths to feed. We don’t get richer, better off or happier. Bluntly, we need immigration like we need a hole in the head.

    2. As always, it isn’t about the agenda, it’s about hurting those they hate.The Left don’t think a step beyond their crazed agenda.

      The consequences and reality are irrelevant. They’re just mindless, poison filled sewage.

  30. Just delivered the MR and a carload of stuff for the fête. The churchyard looks great – just like normal. Lots of stalls and activity – not a mask to be seen. I’ll go back at 10 with money…! Just praying that the rain holds off.

    We had the event last year – a bit low key, obviously. It rained early – though it was brighter later. Rain first thing deterred a lot of people from starting out…

    Anyway – AT LAST the village looks right. And next weekend there is a free BBQ in the village hall – again to show the world that Fulmodeston Carries On…!

    2. Follow the money…

      The Washington Times ran a long story a few years ago about the money trail…

      I can’t link it on this phone but it’s still there and searchable.

    4. When Justice is finally applied to IT,will IT ‘go down’ on two knees and shout Trannies Live Matter

      The Woke World will then support IT and BLM Martyrdom re-incarnated. at TLM

      Meanwhile UK pensioners will be imprisoned for not paying BBC Tax

    5. So ‘misgendering’ someone is a worse crime than raping your own mother? A woman of 79 with dementia?

      The world is truly mad if this person, if convicted, will be placed with women.

      1. Sex offenders are usually badly treated by other prisoners and often have to be placed in solitary confinement for their own safety.
        I wonder how the other female prisoners in the same prison would react to this person.

    6. There used to be values called social norms and morality which changed slowly over the ages with changes in society. Suddenly, these moderators of behaviour have been cancelled under the banner of being ‘judgemental’. So now, anything goes, unless you publicly say anything against outrageous behaviour. That is not tolerated in the new tolerant world and you will be cancelled without mercy.

  32. Another mail to Mr Redwood as the other one was deleted….

    Oh well….

    At least asking the wrong questions means the ConLab boat won’t sink!

    Is that why the parliamentary inquiry into QinetiQ did not reveal that Mr Soros and Mr Major, amazingly, were both in the private equity fund which bought it at way below value with $7.5 Billion to play with?

    Polly

  33. A friend of mine is job seeking and claiming unemployment benefit in Germany.
    She has been told that she is not allowed to travel more than 50km from her home….

    I am not sure if this is a new rule or not, I will try to find out.

    2. Because the “virus” has a GPS system coded into its RNA. Well, it knew the time i.e. pubs had to shut here at 10pm, knew when you were standing up or sitting down in a pub etc.

      Travel one centimetre beyond 50kms and she becomes a threat? Who falls for this tosh? Don’t answer, I already know as I’ve just left masked up Lidl.

    1. Society has been nibbled at and infiltrated by the Left for the last two decades. The erosion of the nuclear family, the demolition of family values, the idiocy of ‘rights’ over responsibility, the massive proliferation of the welfare state instead of shame for the circumstances.

      The police no longer serve the public but have been usurped to serve the state. The state machine serves itself, with one frightening waffle after another to keep the populace cowed and obedient. Education is now for the school system and education department, not the pupil. Academic achievement and competence are now frowned upon and despised over idiocy and vaccuous superficiality.

      1. Happy Saturday Walter, well done your parents, that was a terrific film. I saw it several times as a child at the Dominion Theatre in Tottenham Court Road in London’s West End, it opened in 1958 & ran for over 4 years. My friends mother worked for one of the West End theatrical management groups & she was able to get reduced price tickets for friends and family to matinee performances of films & theatre shows, so we used to go to see a lot of films in the West End often a number of times the same ones , I saw South Pacific & the Sound of Music at the Dominion a few times each. An adult family member or friends parent would always take a group of us kids up to the West End by bus & underground to a matinee & then to a treat like supper at one of the big West End Lyon’s Corner Houses . Those were innocent days, there were no muggings, stabbings, beggars & junkies on every corner, just the occasional busker outside a cinema or theatre and I developed as a result a lifelong love of good cinema, theatre plays & musicals in particular . Sadly that England no longer exists except in the treasured memories of childhood in broken down old gits like me!

      1. They were only taken on an iPhone, Maggie. I’ve got some posh camera equipment (Nikon) but these were so confiding and not at all deterred by my close presence.

    2. Lucky you! Good photo too!

      We’ve not seen either here this year. In the garden a few Gatekeepers, the odd Peacock,Small tortoiseshell; one Painted Lady and the usual whites. On the common, a few Chalkhill Blues are out. Nothing like the numbers we used to see here 25 years ago.

      1. I’m jealous of your Gatekeepers (my third favourite after Orange Tip and Speckled Wood). I used to get hundreds in Norfolk but they are rare here in Skåne.

    3. SWMBO confirms that Firstborn has both on his farm – and Green-washed Fritilliaries, too. All kinds of butterflies I am familiar with from the UK, too.
      I like the countryside!
      Lovely photos, Grizz. Good (very) late morning!

        1. When travel is easier, we’d best arrange a meeting, Grizz.
          Butterfly for pie recipe, and take a few ales together. Or, drizabone cider, homemade gin, whisl(e)y… we’ll have home-grown pork in the freezer by then, too, to go with it.
          😀

  39. Does That Answer Your Question?

    Some men in a pickup truck drove into a wood yard. One of the men walked in the office and said, “We need some four-by-twos.”

    The clerk asked, “You mean two-by-fours, don’t you?”

    The man said, “I’ll go check,” and went back to the truck.

    He returned and said, “Yeah, I meant two-by-four.”

    “All right. How long do you need them?”

    The customer paused for a minute and said, “I’d better go check.”

    After a while, he returned to the office and said, “A long time. We’re gonna build a house.”

  40. The DT letters thing is very odd, I have looked on line , hoping to copy and paste the letters , only yesterday’s are present.
    Don’t you think that is unusual?

    1. An oversight by the website managers? Or perhaps they didn’t like the tone of the letters………

    3. There were BTL comments on that fact. From memory, Saturday seems to be a bad day for that particular hiccup.
      Maybe the Letters Ed’s wife allows him to go out on the lash of a Friday night.

  41. The English question: What is the nation’s identity?

    Archbishop of York: English people feel left behind by metropolitan elites.
    The Archbishop of York has said many people in England feel left behind by “metropolitan elites in London and the South East” and are “patronised as backwardly xenophobic”.
    Writing in the Telegraph, Stephen Cottrell called for “an expansive vision of what it means to be English”.
    He added that stronger regional government in England would help the country “rediscover a national unity”.
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58127256

    The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, is due to return from a three-month sabbatical in a few weeks
    ……while the mice are away….

    1. We need an expansive vision for a courageous and compassionate England

      By the Most Rev Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York

      When England played Scotland in the Euros a few months ago, we faced a conundrum. What to sing before the match?

      Both nations, England and Scotland, belong to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. We should, surely, have sung one national anthem. But the Scots, with impressive zest, sang Flower of Scotland. And the English sang God Save the Queen. The national anthem of both nations became just the English anthem.

      The question is something more than just coming up with an anthem. It is something about Englishness.

      When I grew up in the Sixties, I thought of myself as British. I knew I was English, but it was less significant for my identity. I was aware of our difficult history, but rather proud of the pragmatism and vision that had created an experiment in nationhood: different nations living as one. I was British and English. My country was the United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: complicated, but it seemed to work.

      Various devolutions seemed to be a good development. They emphasised that unity in diversity. They shared responsibility and empowered local government. A Scottish parliament and a Welsh assembly were born. But similar developments never really happened in England. Consequently, Westminster started to feel like the English Government. And London, with its own mayor and wealth, size and influence, started to feel like a separate nation: even in England, it was London and the rest.

      Brexit delivered further complications and I suspect most people voted on identity, not economics.

      Many English people feel left behind by metropolitan elites in London and the South East, and by devolved governments and strengthened regional identities in Scotland and Wales. Their heartfelt cry to be heard is often disregarded, wilfully misunderstood or patronised as backwardly xenophobic.

      But what if this is about the loss of identity? No longer British, temperamentally never really European, and definitely outside the wealth and opportunities of London, English people want to know what has happened to their country. These questions of identity and purpose have never really been addressed.

      What we need is an expansive vision of what it means to be English as part of the UK. This will help us rediscover a national unity more fractured than I have ever known it in my lifetime.

      A first foundation would be a more developed and strengthened regional government within England. Westminster would hold on to those big issues to do with our shared sovereignty, while empowering the separate nations and regions to serve their own localities better.

      I say this as a bishop of the Church of England, an inheritor of a post that dates back to 627 AD. For a long time, the church inhabited a world that was a tapestry of kingdoms and not yet nation states. That memory of regional identity is still very strong here in the North, and only just below the surface elsewhere.

      Without strengthening regional identity, we will carry on defining ourselves against things – Europe, London, Westminster – leading to a negative political discourse and a hopeless future. When our English and regional identities are strengthened, we take a proper pride and responsibility in our own self-determination, as part of something larger than ourselves.

      Let’s play to our strengths: our shared history within these islands; our strong regional identities going back centuries. Let’s also look to the other things that bind us together as English and British, modernising and strengthening them rather than neglecting them or imagining they are the problem.

      What are they? Historically, they are the very particular but surprisingly enduring threads of our history, such as monarchy and church; and from the more recent past the NHS and even the BBC World Service.

      What binds these things together, although so different, is a belief in public service and a desire to serve the common good.

      They arise out of that Christian vision itself, which is the bedrock of our cultural, ethical and political life. As Jesus taught, it really is about loving your neighbour as yourself. The Church of England is one of the only institutions left in our nation with a local branch in virtually every community, and despite unhelpful reports to the contrary, remains committed to this local and national vision: a church for England.

      As we’ve seen during the pandemic, and as it has been for centuries, the parish is the beating heart of community life in England. Long may it remain so. Not just church bells and Evensong, but foodbanks, debt relief, youth work, shelters for the homeless and all the other ways the local church works with others to make a difference.

      Without a big vision of one United Kingdom and the tight focus of regional identity and governance, we will shrink into an amalgamation of communities always in danger of falling apart and only serving the individual good. Together, paying close attention to the inter-relationship of local and national need, our vision is enlarged, we see how our wellbeing is tied up with our neighbours.

      Seeking the common good in a nation that is a community of communities would become the driving and unifying purpose of our common life. Since the greatest challenge facing our world is climate change, such a bigger vision of human community and mutual responsibility might be our only way forward.

      And why shouldn’t courageous and compassionate English people lead the way? In fact, these two words seem to me to be the best ones to define the Englishness I long for: the courageous, entrepreneurial spirit of a trading, island nation; and the compassion of a nation slowly facing up to some of the failings of its colonial past; a pioneer of common suffrage and healthcare for all; the birthplace of the World Service. It is time to be proud to be English.

      We have exported many things. Let me finish with one of them: cricket. When we say something’s “not cricket”, we mean it’s not right. That sense of fair play is something to recover as we learn again to talk to each other across our nation and stop viewing each other so suspiciously.

      I’m also a big fan of any game that stops for tea. In fact, after the horrors of Covid, our whole nation would benefit from a tea break. A chance to pause, reset and rediscover who we are: a courageous and compassionate community of communities, serving the common good, and delighting in our diversity across these islands.

      Then when the different nations of the United Kingdom find themselves pitched against each other on the sports field, we could belt out our individual anthems. Then sing our national anthem together. And love our neighbour.

      https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/08/06/archbishop-york-attacks-patronising-london-elite/

      Regional assemblies and the NHS, eh, Bish? That’ll fix it…

        1. Thenk yew, Mrs. Plum.
          End may Aye hev another cup of your delicious tea?
          Splesh of milk, no sugar.

      2. Cottrell is part of the problem.

        That aside, he tosses in the date 627 AD (thankfully not CE) without explanation.

        It was the year Saint Paulinus baptised King Edwin of Northumbria and his court, formally reestablishing the church in York. There’d been a Roman Christian community there in the 4th century, led by a Bishop Eborius.

        Paulinus was already a bishop in 627 and the title of archbishop came later.

        1. There’s no such thing. There are Black British but that is a matter of a passport, not a nationality.

        2. English is a frame of mind, not a skin colour. It covers standing up and doing the right, not expedient, thing; Civilised, Christian-based behaviour; rooting for the underdog; not bragging; a sense of history and continuity; politeness, even gentlemanly behaviour (for both sexes); holding back.

          1. A couple of examples within living memory:
            Going to war with Germany in 1939, to honour a treaty made with Poland. That was the right thing to do, and definitely not expedient. Not giving up (the right thing, not expedient) when the going became tough.
            Taking in many children from the Kindertransport, and welcoming them to a new life. I knew two, both Professors.
            Sending an expeditionary force to the other end of the world to kick Argentinian ass – the right thing, not expedient. Even the UK’s Special RElation, the US, wasn’t properly on board with that one, yet the UK didn’t stop.

        3. Is Englishness an attitude?
          I would say that my Indian origin friend (complicated history of Indian diaspora in Africa followed by many years in Canada) is more English in her views than many racially English acquaintances.

    3. The Arch-Woker of Cunterbury needs burning at the stake martyrdom in public to renew the publics belief in the CoE with the removal from its ranks all the Sharia & LGBTQ and Multi-Cultural Britain apologists

    4. Morning all, I wonder why there is so much emphasis on examining what being English is all about. Let’s face the facts, millions of people have come to the UK to settle in predominantly England. the problem is this is a very small country and they have crowded in often taking over large areas and even towns and part of cities and have come from mainly vast areas where the population per sq mile is many time less than it is here. But all they a seem to be doing collectively is to destroy the social structure and long establish culture they allegedly came to absorb. I have never heard one word of gratitude from any particular type of people who have come here in fact quite the opposite. All they seem to do is if they don’t get their own way, is to moan and cause disruption and disturbances and other terrible acts of aggression. They should be reminded that the door swings both ways. If they are struggling as many obviously are with the way of life here, then leave.
      I haven’t read the attached article it’s been far too close to the BBC propaganda department.

      1. Being English makes the woke uncomfortable. In Team GB (ie composed of all of us from the home nations), one particular combination of trainer and jockey happened to be ex-pat Scots. “Oh, it’s a Scottish victory!” gushed Ollie Bell. Why then, didn’t Scotland field its own bloomin’ team? The jockey said something to the trainer about the Union flag that was handed over for victory as well (could only see the hand gesture, not hear the words). No doubt lamenting it wasn’t a saltire.

  42. Well worth reading , an excellent article .

    The Boer war dead deserve to be remembered
    ‘Recontextualising’ monuments must not become an exercise in erasing our history

    Amemorial in Newcastle to local men who died in the Boer War is being considered for “suitable interpretation” by the local City Council. On the face of it, there is nothing to interpret: this statue and obelisk commemorate men who died, paid for by local people including the families and friends of the fallen.

    This was the first war in which it became general practice to record the names of ordinary soldiers on public monuments – the act of a newly democratic society, and a sign of community solidarity. In most cultures, memorials to the dead – even those of enemies – are treated with respect. Is this still the case in 21st century Britain?

    The City Council is considering whether the memorial is “appropriate”, as the Boer War was, it says, a “colonialist enterprise”. It plans to erect information panels alongside the memorial. If the aim is simply to inform the public, I would suggest the following, which the Council is welcome to use free of charge: ……………

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/08/07/boer-war-dead-deserve-remembered/

      1. Follow the money !

        “We leverage policy, legislation and political influence and build strong relationships with officials, politicians, NGOs and other actors”.

      2. A moron on the Left read 1984 and thought it was a good idea.

        We have the same desperation by the state to create a ‘war’ of any sort, a permanent, perpetual conflict of any sort to ensure our resources are completely consumed and we’re told more is needed to ‘win’ the conflict.

        Thus we create a two tier society. Us, and the state. The state prospers, and we’re kept in a constant state of terror by that same state machine which is supported by the weak, terrified and pathetic fundamentally Lefty disease in the populace desperate to remain afraid and irresponsible.

    3. Obviously none of these scum have read 1984, where re-writing history was Winston’s job. I wonder if they appreciate just how perserve, evil and destructive they are.

      1. They wouldn’t suggest these things if they thought the idea was “evil” – but their definition of “evil” is different to that of normal folk.

    1. But he has no problem with the Drug Cartels being the de facto rulers of Mexico and hooking millions of kids on hard drugs & killing hundreds of thousands of civilians, corrupting the authorities, police , judiciary & military, ruining Mexico’s economy, letting millions of 3rd world illegals use Mexico as their gateway to invading the USA, so using him as an example for your Anti-Vax campaign is a pretty poor one, as he probably wants a nice big multi-million kick back from Big Pharma before buying the vaccine .

      1. The cartels have more power, more money, more influence and more weaponry and they don’t fight by “the rules”.

        The only way to beat them would be a genocidal all out war approach to the bad guys, and that won’t happen.

        1. The Drug Cartels of Mexico & other South American shitholes are no different than the Taliban drug lords in Afghanistan, all need killing yet the West has lost its will to defeat evil since the end of WW2 & instead the corrupt Globalist leadership of the West is feeding off of the rotting carcass of Western civilization awaiting an Islamic Sharia rule take over followed by the inevitable Chinese Communist world take over !

          1. Cripes. It’s persisting down here and bloody cold.
            Please stop trying to cheer me up.

          4. I can’t argue with that, apart from adding my fear that there will be civil wars beforehand, many along racial/religious lines.

        2. Another approach: Nationalise the drug gangs. That’s a surefire kiss of death to any business.

      2. E&S, I’m not interested in whether or not the President is a good ‘un or a bad ‘un. I was alluding to the fact that he could have put himself at risk for the statement he made re the “vaccine”. Three Third World leaders have had mystery disappearances and deaths after making comments not unlike the President’s. He may be too high profile to come to any harm or he may, as you state, be angling for a bribe. If the former we’ll see the outcome, as for the latter we’ll never know even if he has a change of heart.

        1. 3rd World leaders get killed all the time & occasionally they get bumped off in the West too. It doesn’t validate your argument against vaccination to choose the corrupt president of Mexico as a proponent against vaccination as Mexico has a vaccination campaign & I’m sure that the rich powerful & corrupt in Mexico will make sure that they & their kids get a 3rd dose at some time & simply keep it quiet.

  44. Just got a letter from hospital – gives date, time, dept, name of professional who will call me. – – and under “my telephone number” – it has NO – so how are they going to call me? They DO have my numbers, but I don’t know if a call is coming or not. Ah well. Better give them a call.

    1. Called them – pointed out the problem – lady said “That dept isn’t open till Monday” – – so they will not be able to contact me unless they find my numbers, before I get chance to call them to retell them my numbers. I will then be blamed for not being contactable. AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH.

      2. This morning, Soldier Neighbour – a “first reponder” – was contacted by a young neighbour who is having a heart problem (pulse 200+) Rang the 24/7 emergency Cardiac Department at the NNUH – NO REPLY. Clap etc etc

      3. This morning, Soldier Neighbour – a “first reponder” – was contacted by a young neighbour who is having a heart problem (pulse 200+) Rang the 24/7 emergency Cardiac Department at the NNUH – NO REPLY. Clap etc etc

    2. I had a text message this morning, saying that I should ring a number for an NHS department. When I came home from hospital Thursday evening there was a message left on our land line. I could not understand a word the person gabbled out and had to listen three times to make sure the number they left to phone was correct. I rang the number yesterday and after the ranted lecture on the usual covid crap, I was told it may be some time before I get through to some one, then some one else gabbled off a website address to contact, which again I could not understand. So I rang off. As I have said many times before Front line NHS first class…………. management absolute crap.
      And of course it’s our fault !!!

      1. My cousin saw an eye consultant last week. He had a strong accent (possibly from a region of the old Jewel in the Crown) and wore a mask. After three times of asking him to repeat what he’d just said, she didn’t like to seem rude, so she’s still not too sure what is supposed to be wrong with her – other what she knows from her own experience.

        1. I had the same experience with one of the cardiology team, one question he asked me was completely obscured by his accent. Because my answer wasn’t what he expected, he said that I didn’t understand the question ………but didn’t rephrase it. unfortunately It’s just one of those things… But in foresight I had a printed detailed email with me that I tried to send to the department before I decided to go in person and handed it to him, he was suitable impressed. But I suppose the failure on the email front was management policy where they had decided the public are forbidden to contact clinicians over the heads of management.

    3. “Your call is important to us.” Bzzzzzzzzz ………………………………

        1. You want tricks already 🙄 (i’m in my Golders green mode) this morning,……… I wake up and realise we have no bread, so I get the flour out and put lemon juice in some milk (close to butter milk) and make soda bread for our breakfast. On the cooling rack by 7:30
          Apart from that i’m getting the Bill thanks pulse rate returned to normal as long as I don’t watch the news, but the increase in the strength of medication leaves me tired. So am i complaining 🤗 Oy Vey

  46. Don’t say we didn’t warn you! Germans fume as Berlin forks out £16.4bn to EU budget.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/bbaf4d4f8ca2e5b58ff8dacb39098165a624e7b9c00d760d269f7944f22a724d.jpg
    FURIOUS Germans have lambasted their sky-rocketing contributions to the European Union’s annual budget – which they say are being wasted by rogue states. h

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1473509/EU-news-Germany-EU-budget-payment-latest-EU-Parliament-MEP-angela-merkel

    2. Ooh – are they missing the UK’s contributions? Has the EU spent our divorce settlement already?

      1. Donations I thought. I don’t think we every had anything but sour grapes and grief in return.

    4. Rogue states???
      Does that mean invasion by Germans rather than Africans is on the horizon?

      1. Probably some people are getting hot under the collar about Poland and Hungary hoovering up subsidies and then passing their own laws.

  47. Morning, all!

    Somehow* I have been persuaded to sing for a charity thing at the end of September. Pretty harmless and a good cause.

    Venue was casually mentioned as a private chapel.

    Now, I can’t see it actually going ahead, either because of renewed lockdown or because they appear to have made assumptions about my, erm, medical status, which I will not lie about if push comes to shove, but I thought you might appreciate a photo of said chapel, as visited yesterday morning.

    Not quite what I was expecting!!

    * OK, lots of very fine red wine was involved.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/26f62530339b599e6c4f0da198a713ebdff85c7b50e1dd0f04e8ae0bba605d1c.jpg

      1. Sound of Music stuff, so not exactly taxing. I did extract a guarantee that I wouldn’t have to dress as a nun 🤣

          1. LOL; my mother used to do that!

            I have an Oktoberfest outfit I wore a few times. They won’t know what’s hit ’em.

  48. That’s better.
    Picked about 1 1/2 gallons of blackcurrants, de-stalked and washed, now drying before being frozen.
    A little tough, but they’ll stew nicely and go well with apples (from “orchard”) and crumble. 😀 Nicest form of vitamin C I can think of.

      1. That’s my supplement… according to SWMBO, cooking, alcohol, in fact anything that makes the vit C taste good, destroys it. I don’t care – haven’t had scurvy yet.
        ps: I typed “scruffy” at first, but that I’ve had all me life :-((

        1. I was once told that I could go into the best tailors and be fully kitted out in the smartest clothes – and by the time I got to the door – I would look like I had slept in them for a week.

          1. The only clothes I look good in are Highland dress. It flatters most men, as long as you don’t have scrawny legs. Waistline not a problem.

      2. That’s my supplement… according to SWMBO, cooking, alcohol, in fact anything that makes the vit C taste good, destroys it. I don’t care – haven’t had scurvy yet.
        ps: I typed “scruffy” at first, but that I’ve had all me life :-((

    2. My big apple tree has next to sod all apples this year.
      I think the Blackthorn Winter we had instead of spring has buggered it.

      1. Ours are much the same – we had a sudden, very hard frost in the middle of blossom time.

      2. We have a glut of fruit here this year: apples, pears, plums, raspberries, cherries, strawberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants and gooseberries by the ton.

      3. Shame about the apples Bob I was gearing up to make double the cider I made last year, but I do have about 2kg of sloes in the freezer from last year.

        1. Seems a poor year for apples here. Didn’t get bees until a few days ago, maybe that didn’t help either.
          3 years ago, masses of apples. Two grades of cider: “happy cider” at about 6%, and “silly cider” at about 11% (with the help of sugar). Both dri-z-a-bone, and wonderful!

      4. Apple trees are biennial, in the sense that a tree will alternate a heavy crop with a lesser crop.

      5. Apple trees are biennial, in the sense that a tree will alternate a heavy crop with a lesser crop.

  49. The Scottish Police withdrew the random selected code name “Bunter” to police Boris Johnson’s latest venture into Scotland. They were afraid our PM might have thought they meant Billy Bunter. Quite an appropriate nickname. [DT]

    2. “The Fat Owl of the Remove”.

      Why can’t Mr Quelch remove Johnson for us and confiscate all his postal orders?

      1. Our PM seems to have blotted his copy book in Scotland by his “joke” about Mrs Thatcher and pit closures

        1. It was the sort of quip that I would make to sonny boy or amongst close friends.
          It was certainly a silly thing to do in Scotland or anywhere that had pit closures.
          The follow up comment was gratuitous schoolboy behaviour. A comedian should judge his audience if he wishes to take them with him.
          Wilson closed twice as many mines as Maggie, but she was Conservative and a woman, so became the opposition’s bete noire.

    4. No problem with Bunter as a nickname for Boros, as long as the Frisps do not get upse at Mrs Murrel being tagged as

      Wee Jimmy Krankie

  50. Phew!
    That’s 20 bags of soil shifted up to the garden this morning so sat with a mg of tea and couple of slices of toast.
    Only another 30 bags to go but it looks like we’ve a bit of rain due soon.

    1. “… a mug of tea and couple of slices of toast…”

      You REALLY know how to live it up, Robert!

        1. One slice grapefruit marmalade, the other marmite with humus & a few small tomatoes sliced on top.

  51. Not So Good Moaning.
    Definitely an indoor jobs day.
    Unherd has come up with some articles that I found interesting. Hope you do too.

    https://unherd.com/?p=183426?tl_inbound=1&tl_groups%5B0%5D=18743&tl_period_type=3&mc_cid=9e9b6274db&mc_eid=3b0897cf14

    https://unherd.com/2021/08/does-owen-jones-have-a-woman-problem/?
    tl_inbound=1&tl_groups[0]=18743&tl_period_type=3&mc_cid=9e9b6274db&mc_eid=3b0897cf14

    https://unherd.com/2021/08/how-artists-lost-their-courage/?tl_inbound=1&tl_groups%5B0%5D=18743&tl_period_type=3&mc_cid=9e9b6274db&mc_eid=3b0897cf14

    And, lastly, C21 Borgias.

    https://unherd.com/2021/08/the-corruption-of-the-vatican/?tl_inbound=1&tl_groups%5B0%5D=18743&tl_period_type=3&mc_cid=9e9b6274db&mc_eid=3b0897cf14

  52. I mentioned a few days ago my mate had restored a Tiger Cub M/C. He had sent photos from his phone to mine – but I cannot find anyway to get them off my phone to put on here. Clearly i am not connected up enough.
    Last night I asked him if he could email them to this laptop – as I know if I send photos from my email on here to his email – he can see them straight away on his phone. Success. – – they arrived off his phone to this laptop. I have managed to add the photo ( off here ) to an email to send to another person – BUT – cannot get to add one to a post on here so you can see what he started from.
    Second AAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHH of the day

          2. When Bill says to start making a comment (like this one) and click on the “square thingy”, for me it is the second thingy shown, between a rectangle to the left saying “GIF” and the symbol to the right being a large “B”.
            If you’re using Windows, drag-and-drop into the comment from File Explorer will also work.
            However, there is a size limit – if you’ve taken a nice photo it can easily exceed the 5 MB limit. Here’s one that only just fits.
            https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c981025afc3391a1a25812d6089b16565c93d1409d2c4c5646c5ac0f6c6f06e5.jpg

          4. Still getting nowhere. Thanks for trying. Will have slashed my wrists in frustration if I don’t stop.

          5. If I have trouble with the photo being above 5mb limit I firstly crop the picture. If that doesn’t work, I decrease the number of pixels from (say) 300 per square inch to 200/150/100.
            But since I don’t use a phone for anything other than the very occasional call or text, I wouldn’t know how to do that on such a gadget.

          6. Tried reducing photo file size already anne – still no luck. Probably very simple to do – just me not knowing how – – and have made several different copies – all have gone on emails ok – just cannot get it copied/pasted onto the site. It HAS to be my screw up. I know from experience years ago how difficult it is to explain clearly when you are not there – – and how easy it is to miss so much out.

      2. We’re holding our breath. Triumph is the only make of motorbike mentioned in the Bible*.

        * “not a lot of people know that”. Copyright Michael Caine.

        2. But Ancient & Modern has a mention of motorcycles in a great hymn

          “Forty days and forty nights
          thou wast fasting in the wild;
          forty days and forty nights
          tempted, and yet undefiled.

          Sunbeams scorching all the day,
          chilly dewdrops nightly shed,
          prowling beasts about thy way,
          stones thy pillow, earth thy bed.

          Shall not we thy sorrow share
          and from worldly joys abstain,
          fasting with unceasing prayer,
          strong with thee to suffer pain?

          Then if Satan on us press,
          Jesus, Saviour, hear our call!
          Victor in the wilderness,
          grant we may not faint or fall!

          So shall we have peace divine:
          holier gladness ours shall be;
          round us, too, shall angels shine,
          such as ministered to thee.

          Keep, O keep us, Saviour dear,
          ever constant by thy side;
          that with thee we may appear
          at the eternal Eastertide.”

    2. Just log on to the site on your phone’s browser. When you click on the image icon at the bottom of the box you type in you get the option to post from saved images in your photo album.

      1. ERRRRR – as said – am clearly not connected up enough. Old – like my phone and this laptop – and getting too old for the speed technology is advancing.. Please dont try and explain further – it wont go in. Thanks anyway.

  53. The EU should be top of Tokyo Olympics medal table, says MEP Guy Verhofstadt

    Former Brussels chief would like to see the European Union categorised as a single entity – but people quickly spotted the flaws in the plan
    […]
    Fun fact,” he had posted online. “EU combined has more gold medals than US or China… I’d love to see the EU flag next to the national on athletes’ clothes.” Verhofstadt added that “our identity is layered – we’re proud Italians, Latvians, Germans, Slovenians… and Europeans”. “Our sports should reflect that,” he wrote.

    However, a host of politicians pointed out flaws in his argument. Mark Reckless, the former Tory and Ukip representative, wrote: “Is he saying the EU should also be limited to 3 competitors per event?”

    And following this logic, there would be one soccer team in the world cup. As for the Euros, there would presumably be only five teams in the competition – Scotland, Wales, NI, England and Europe. (M
    Although it might give e.g Gibralrar, IoM etc more chance of qualifying for the finals)

    1. If you add all the Commonwealth countries to the GB score then The British Empire is way out in front!

  54. DT – No comments allowed

    Archbishop of York attacks the ‘patronising’ London elite
    Most Rev Stephen Cottrell, writing for Telegraph, says national unity can be built by not looking down on those who are proud to be English

    What does his boss in Canterbury think about this appalling heresy against the Kingdom of Woke?

          1. Scoop was one of the set books I had to study with a literature class and great mirth was rampant in the class when the originator of the phrase was revealed to be a minion called Mr Salter as Graham Salter was a friend and colleague of mine.

            There was also a teacher of Modern Languages called John Bardolph who had a very red nose owing to his fondest for alcoholic libations. Imagine the joy when we studied Henry IV Part 2 in class.

  55. BBC News reporting that a German coach, I think, was dismissed from the Olympics for punching a horse which refused to jump the hurdles. I saw the incident yesterday. The horses are selected for the contest and the riders have 20 minutes to make friends with their horse. This horse was refusing to enter the contest but eventually the German female managed to get it moving into the ring. It then started knocking the fences down or refusing to approach them. I felt sorry for the lady as she was heading for a gold medal but this particular horse had decided it didn’t want to jump the hurdles. I think the lady ended up in tears.

    1. The riding element is a total lottery. I once drew a horse that went utterly crazy; like a bucking bronco, I got heaved into a wall and ended up in A&E.

      Another member of our team drew the same one and it wouldn’t allow him even to mount. When we put in a formal complaint not even the owner could get it to jump. Didn’t make a shred of difference, we both scored zero. Luck of the draw.

      In other competitions I’ve drawn horses that scored clear rounds and would have done so with a scarecrow on board.

        1. It felt like one too!
          I can still just about make out the scarring on my arm if I get a suntan.

      1. Could you image runners being given shoes selected randomly? Or even F1 drivers being assigned cars at random?

    4. The coach is for the high jump and the horace will probably meet a sticky end. Sport, eh. We should get back to running races naked at least we could sort the men from the boys, or women.

  56. Forget about all the trans malarkey, why do so many males* find it so hard to use the right words when talking about the opposite sex.
    (*deliberate)
    An earlier headline (can’t find it now) refererred to one as the first “female” to win five medals and I have just read this from Seb Coe “But in my view the wellbeing of women athletes with DSD are not enough of a priority.”

    Noun: woman (pl women)
    Adjective: female

    Would Le Coe talk in the say way about “man athletes”? Methinks not.

    1. I think he’s trying to distinguish between woman, which can be self-declared, and female, having two XX chromosomes. Or maybe I’m deluded.
      Howdy, Stormy. Were you working last night?

        1. Strewth! Take it easy, Stormy. Don’t forget to have a proper break and get some rest and exercise, or it grinds you down [now I’m teaching egg-sucking… sorry… 🙁 ]

          1. I’ve got one more night shift on Sunday then I have two weeks’ leave.
            I have been taking on too many extras recently, and it’s kind of you to be concerned. The team I work for in my second job has been short staffed and so there have been a lot of shifts available. I see it as making hay while the sun shines – once they fill the posts with permanent staff there won’t be so many opportunities for me and the other sessional staff.
            I must be careful though in how many I sign up for.

          2. It’s easy to over-commit. I do it often 🙁 what an idiot, eh?
            I still think I’m mid-20s and capable of anything, but years ago learned that, as in physical work, one needs to pace oneself and take care not to become exhausted.

    2. Hi Stormy,
      In a previous existence I remember hearing off the record that Seb Coe was straight (ie honest) and that one of his rivals was allegedly less so. Consequently I have always regarded Lord Coe as one of the good guys, party politics aside.
      In this particular instant, I am going to hazard a guess that the good Lord was speaking live on camera, without a script.
      So it was a trip of the tongue, with no disrespect intended.

  57. Forget about all the trans malarkey, why do men find it so hard to use the right words when talking about the opposite sex.

    An earlier headline (can’t find it now) refererred to one as the first “female” to win five medals and I have just read this from Seb Coe “But in my view the wellbeing of women athletes with DSD are not enough of a priority.”

    Noun: woman (pl women)
    Adjective: female

    Would Le Coe talk in the say way about “man athletes”? Methinks not.

      1. 336418+up ticks,
        I do believe the contents of the post regarding the issue is of more importance, and the
        result in numbers of the action taken would be interesting.

  59. World wide adverse vaccine reactions. August 6 2021.

    aka says:

    August 6, 2021 at 10:06 am.

    Sinopharm: Hardly any reaction. Not even swelling or serious pain in the arm.

    Oxford-AstraZeneca: Bad fever, chills, terrible headache for few days.

    BillWade says:

    August 6, 2021 at 12:17 pm.

    No shot for me.
    Wife, Pfizer shot one: soreness at shot site.

    Pfizer shot two: after two days arm felt like one of those restaurant thingies you
    are given to wait for a table, subsided after a few hours

    3 days after 2nd shot came down with a head cold/fever/tiredness for 5 days
    which I caught from her a few days later, same symptoms but no fever, only
    lasted 3 1/2 days

    Serge says:

    August 6, 2021 at 10:54 am.

    My entire family took Pfizer or Moderna, no reported side effects besides the usual gamut of fatigue/aches in the week after injections. My sisters both said their breasts got bigger from Pfizer, and this is apparently a thing that people report. They think it’s funny but I’m not so sure. I am unvaxxed and have been working remotely since 2019 so I will remain so, and my state just passed a law forbidding coerced vaccination so I think I’m safe.

    Interesting comparisons. These are quite modest. Some of the other posts are horrific! Gangrene etc.

    https://turcopolier.com/world-wide-adverse-vaccine-reactions/

  60. Tom Daley hits back at Russian TV portrayal as a ‘British homosexual’ after winning diving bronze. 7 August 2021.

    Tom Daley has responded defiantly to his derogatory portrayal on Russian state television as “a British homosexual”, arguing: “History shows that everything that society is has been dictated from the straight, white, male experience.”

    The International Olympic Committee has launched an investigation into homophobic comments by the Kremlin-backed Rossiya 1 network, the country’s official Tokyo 2020 broadcaster, against LGBT athletes at the Games. Daley has found his sexuality mocked in comparisons with his Russian rival Aleksandr Bondar, contrasted by Moscow pundits as a “normal guy”.

    “Everything that is society is has been dictated by the straight white male experience”? I wonder why that is? Perhaps the Westminster-backed BBC could tell us!

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/olympics/2021/08/07/diving-tokyo-olympics-2020-live-tom-daley-gb-final/

      1. What’s the issue? Isn’t the world filled with “Look at me! Look at me! I’m gay!” – then when they point it out, it’s time for a hissy fit.
        What do they want?

        1. I am coming out as a ‘straight’.

          Anyone care to join me in the Hetero Hubris Movement?

          1. Oxford University students were ahead of you by about thirty-five years when a Conservative called Robin Harper founded the Heterosexual Decadence Club in response to the likes of Stephen Twigg and Simon Stephens supporting the wearing of silly little pink triangles proclaiming “Why Assume I’m Heterosexual?”

    2. He is a a homosexual.
      YahooNews headline: “Tom Daley’s husband posts adorable video of their son cheering him and singing ‘Go Papa Go'”
      While there is relentless propaganda telling us that this is “normal”, “inclusive” and “so sweet”, it is not. It is indicative of an ongoing breakdown in Western civilisation previously held together, somewhat boisterously, by a common Christianity, shared values, and a shared morality as well as a common view of what society should be.

      https://news.yahoo.com/tokyo-olympicsi-tom-daley-son-diving-105652426.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

      1. This is Babylon Horace! Look around! It is decadence and corruption without limit!

      2. I assume the little boy gets very few opportunities to cheer and sing “Go Mama Go” or “Go Surrogate Go”.

        1. My opinion is that it is tantamount to child abuse to deliberately deprive a child of its mother. I have seen the damage done to my wife’s nephew after his mother died when he was two years of age. No matter how much love is given by the surviving father, or in Daley’s case, by two ‘fathers’, there is no substitute for a mother’s love.

    3. Is it derogatory to refer to someone as a homosexual? Would there have been as much fuss if he had been referred to as ‘gay’? In any event, I don’t see why the Russian TV programme needed to refer to his sexuality.

  62. Further lockdowns are unlikely, says UK’s top scientific adviser. 7 August 2021.

    Further lockdowns are “unlikely” to be required to control the coronavirus pandemic in the UK, one of the government’s top scientific advisers has said.

    In an interview with The Times, immunologist Professor Neil Ferguson, who was behind the first lockdown last year, predicted lockdowns probably won’t be needed again to control the virus.

    He suspects additional deaths will continue for several years, warning “thousands to tens of thousands” more people could die in the coming winter.

    Top scientific adviser? This is someone whose entire career is a failure. There is nothing that he has not botched! In fact this optimistic outlook is probably the scariest thing he has ever said. Prepare for the Apocalypse!

    https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-lockdowns-unlikely-to-be-needed-again-professor-neil-ferguson-says-12375155

    1. His career is a success – witness how many still hang on his every word. His science is a failure, his model is carp and his conclusions from is even carper.

    2. Most of the current population will die within the next century

      Deceased scientific adviser.

      He was dead, right?

      1. “Most of the current population will die within the next century”

        With over 8 billion funerals to be arranged the smart money would be in shares of funeral directors!

    3. …immunologist Professor Neil Ferguson, who was behind the first
      lockdown last year, predicted lockdowns probably won’t be needed again
      to control the virus.

      He has a good chance of being correct this time. The lockdowns will be, as they were before, put in place to control the people. The “virus” was the catalyst that made it all happen within people’s minds.

      1. They’ve implemented their social credit system, they don’t need the crude mechanism of lockdowns any more. Of course, the unpeople will be locked down, but that will be entirely their own fault for not knowing what’s good for them.

        1. Nothing, either prescribed or proscribed by this bunch will do the people/unpeople any good.

      2. 336418+ up ticks,
        Afternoon KtK,
        I do not believe it would be out of order to say ” simple minds”.

    4. Really……………

      Ahem

      “Plans drawn up for ‘firebreak’ lockdowns in winter to stop NHS being overwhelmed

      Contingency plans for further Covid-19 lockdowns have been

      drawn up to stop the NHS being overwhelmed in the winter months, it has

      emerged.

      Downing Street and its top advisers have said it is

      confident the vaccine rollout will prevent hospitalisations reaching

      levels of previous waves

      But sources in Whitehall say concerns remain over a rise in

      infections later in the year, a surge in flu cases and a potential NHS

      staffing crisis.”

      https://metro.co.uk/2021/08/07/plans-drawn-up-for-firebreak-lockdowns-in-winter-to-stop-nhs-being-overwhelmed-15052809/
      TPTB will NEVER give up their ubercontrol willingly

      1. 336418+ up ticks,
        Afternoon Rik,
        Their sh!te would not be listened to in the unemployment queue.

    6. …more people could die in the coming winter.

      Not just the coming flu season but for the following seasons: why else would Westminster Council put out tenders for ‘mass body storage facilities’ to cover the 32 boroughs and the City over the next four years?

      …The Framework Agreement to be procured will provide safe and secure temporary storage facilities for deceased who would otherwise be stored in hospital or local authority mortuaries or in funeral homes due to an excess death situation.

      Reuters fact checkers: Westminster Councils states that this has nothing to do with the vaccines/pandemic but replaces a current contract. So, Westminster Council regularly spends around £6 million pounds every 4 years just in case of an excess death occasion. Whom are we to believe?

  63. Talk tough and do nothing: The abject failure of Patel’s migrant strategy. 7 August 2021.

    Ms Patel has lately found herself among a long line of scapegoats being blamed for a catastrophic failure of public policy, along with the social media platform TikTok (for allowing videos to be shared by happy landers), France and the RNLI.

    As Home Secretary, she is clearly more than an incidental by-stander and has been guilty time and again of indulging in that most short-sighted of political practices: over-promising. But she isn’t the leader of the government.

    There is no failure of Public Policy because that policy is to import as many immigrants as possible. In that they are succeeding!

    I’m constantly bemused by the level of self-deception over the Channel Crossings. It’s almost pathological. It closely resembles in scale that of the appeasers prior to WW2. Hitler could not possibly be a bad person; all those stories about concentration camps and invading other countries were simply wrong! It must be remembered that apart from Churchill and three others the whole of Parliament held to this to the very end and some of them beyond!

    This time there is no Churchill!

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/talk-tough-and-do-nothing-the-abject-failure-of-patel-s-migrant-strategy

    1. “There is no failure of Public Policy because that policy is to import as many immigrants as possible.”
      It has been the stated policy of the Scottish government for about 20 years. There was even a figure quoted, 600,000. This would be about 10 -12% of the population. That number is greater than the combined figure for all immigrant arrivals in Scotland since Roman times; Flemish, Italian, Irish and Polish. Most of them contributed, worked, added to our wealth and culture and were beneficial to our society.

      1. 336418+ up ticks,
        Afternoon HP,
        immigrant arrivals in Scotland since Roman times; Flemish, Italian, Irish and Polish. Most of them contributed, worked, added to our wealth and culture and were beneficial to our society.

        Ogga11,
        Difference being the governing overseers today are out to destroy the building work of yesteryear, and with the people consent.

    2. SAGE is anticipating that there will be a variant virus that will kill one in three of the UK population.
      If, in the meantime, we can push the total UK population up to 100 million there should be enough of us left to keep today’s status quo.

      All we need is a 30 million unprotected control group.

        1. Afternoon Minty,

          Should the scientists discover the secret of everlasting life the world shall come to nought!

          4. Of course it makes you feel queer, it’s Tom Daly’s next Olympic 10 metre dive routine.

    3. 336418+ up ticks,
      Afternoon AS,
      From petal & co the odious issue gets regular coatings of rhetorical salve enough to satisfy the current member / backers into ” she will come up with the answer shortly” by election shortly at Dover, don’t forget, vote tory (ino) keep out lab…….

    5. Importing useless dross who have no right to be here and less use is pointless.

      It is simply a mouth to feed, someone who will not integrate, not learn the language, never fit in and who is simply a danger to society.

      Get. Rid. Of. Them.

  64. Talk tough and do nothing: The abject failure of Patel’s migrant strategy. 7 August 2021.

    Ms Patel has lately found herself among a long line of scapegoats being blamed for a catastrophic failure of public policy, along with the social media platform TikTok (for allowing videos to be shared by happy landers), France and the RNLI.

    As Home Secretary, she is clearly more than an incidental by-stander and has been guilty time and again of indulging in that most short-sighted of political practices: over-promising. But she isn’t the leader of the government.

    There is no failure of Public Policy because that policy is to import as many immigrants as possible. In that they are succeeding!

    I’m constantly bemused by the level of self-deception over the Channel Crossings. It’s almost pathological. It closely resembles in scale that of the appeasers prior to WW2. Hitler could not possibly be a bad person; all those stories about concentration camps and invading other countries were simply wrong! It must be remembered that apart from Churchill and three others the whole of Parliament held to this to the very end and some of them beyond!

    This time there is no Churchill!

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/talk-tough-and-do-nothing-the-abject-failure-of-patel-s-migrant-strategy

    1. “I had an appointment in a hospital this morning. I was shocked to find that there were a few medical staff there.”

    2. “Shocked at how many people weren’t wearing masks.” It’s a wonder that person wasn’t ‘traumatised’.

    3. My large hospital still has security guards at all entrances to enforce masks on entry. I go to the shops in the entrance once or twice a week and everyone is still masked.

    4. Called into Waitrose this morning for a few things (and our free DT) and there were a few other maskless shoppers in there today. Many more still masked up.

      Why the hell should I wear a useless bit of cloth to protect the stupid from a virus I don’t have and they should be immune from if they’ve had the jabs?

      2. I dug out my “mask exempt” badge yesterday when I went to the dentist; they were insisting on masks for patients. When asked if I was double jabbed I told the receptionist I had had C19 in Feb20 and survived, obviously, so why would I need a jab to gee up my T cells when they’d done it naturally? Answer came there none.

  67. Wood you Adam & Eve it?

    DT headline:

    “Historic US wildfires threaten net-zero targets as carbon offset woodland is wiped out“

        1. Filmed in the English Channel – God’s attempt to dissuade illegals from “risking their lives…”

          2. Despite the constant saying of how dangerous the Channel is – plenty seem to be able to get a dinghy straight onto the beach !!!

  68. Wood you Adam & Eve it?

    DT headline:

    “Historic US wildfires threaten net-zero targets as carbon offset woodland is wiped out“

        1. Never been a problem for me.
          Women abstain from me. Wine can’t express an opinion.

  70. A tekkie question that I’ve also posed to my grandson.
    An old rambling house near us has been turned into 5 flats. The complex has electronic gates.
    Today, I saw a teenage boy open them by doing something with his mobile phone near the entrance keypad. I can definitely say he was not a resident or a visitor since he and his chums spotted me and scuttled away. (They were also had the wrong social profile for that development.)
    What did he do?

    2. If the residents use a card that they wave near the keypad the lads may have recorded the residents “signal” – just like scumbags steal expensive “keyless” cars. Those who steal the cars can even pick up the signal from the keyless card when it is in the owners house.
      I can pick up numerous signals on my phone when bluetooth is switched on – which is supposed to be only short distance – god knows how sometimes i;m getting 10 different signals. Where from? – don’t live in a block of flats !!!
      Been told – If it works on a radio signal – it can be recorded. and re used.

      1. There were electric gates at the entrance to the grounds where stood the block of flats we lived in while the MR worked in Monaco. One waved a remote thingy and the gates opened.

        BUT – the gardien explained that fire regulations demanded that they could be opened by hand, in case of emergency.

        As the most beautiful beach in the south of France was just 154 steps away – and parking was a nightmare – scumbags would sometimes shove the gates open, park – and then do the same when leaving….especially at weekends in summer.

      2. Bit more anne – have 3 mobiles here – all samsung – 2 old one which mate gave me when he up graded – and the newest which I bought. Swiched all 3 on at side of each other. newest got 5 signals on Bluetooth – one is speone’s tv?? – another labelled Carkit?? – and the two other phones – fifth signal- ???
        Oldest phone – just one – the other – 10 signals.

  71. I am relieved to report that the rain held off this morning’s event. In 2½ hours we raised £681 – a tremendous effort.

    We were also very pleased that a very distinguished NoTTLer came all the way from Colchester to help swell the coffers. It was a pleasure to meet – and put a face to – someone whom one has “known” for many years. He also purchased two jars of the MR’s famous Lemon Curd……

    I shall look forward to the NoTTLer’s account of the event in due course!

    1. Not really surprising it it…the above could also stand in for an IQ test.
      Does that make the Cons’ perfidy worse?

    4. Thing is, they don’t set taxes. The state tells them what it wants to waste money on, and the government taxes everything that moves.

  73. If anyone feels like lobbing a few pennies in the direction of LawyersForLiberty’s challenge against vaxxing children, here’s the page:
    https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/challenge-to-mhra-approval-of/

    “Lawyers for Liberty campaigns for the reinstatement of:

    – Full parliamentary democracy
    – Basic human rights and freedoms
    – The rule of law
    – Fair and equal treatment for all individuals living in the UK.”
    https://lawyersforliberty.uk/

    It is rather a shock when you realise that all the above things don’t exist in the UK any more….

  74. ‘Olympian’ bat killed by cat after record flight from UK to Russia. 7 August 2021.

    A tiny record-breaking “Olympian” bat flew more than 1,200 miles from London to Russia but ended up being killed by a cat.

    The female Nathusius’ pipistrelle bat, weighing only 8g, was found on the ground after her 1,254-mile journey, after being attacked by the cat.

    She was rescued by a Russian bat rehabilitation group but later died.

    Even the animals are buggering off!

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/07/olympian-bat-killed-by-cat-after-record-flight-from-uk-to-russia

      1. 336418+ up ticks,
        S,
        It’s the same seemingly, the whole world over but considering population numbers I do believe the United Kingdom leads the field in paedophilia.

    1. Did you know that an alien space ship once landed on the roof of Transport House when it was still the Labour parties HQ? The aliens got out & went downstairs to where Jeremy Corbyn, Diane Abbot & David Lammy were speaking to Labour party MP’s & staff. After listening for a few minutes to the ideas being floated for running the country should Labour win the next election, the aliens ran back to the roof, boarded their ship & took off having concluded that intelligent life has yet to develop here on Earth !

  78. At bloody last! The Letters have appeared:-

    Letters: The massive rise in home electricity bills is only going to get worse and antagonise voters
    By
    Letters to the Editor
    SIR – Why has there not been a public outcry against the massive increase in domestic electricity prices?

    I live in an all-electric flat and my monthly costs last year were about £100. This year that monthly cost has increased by 35 per cent. I have shopped around but all suppliers’ charges are similar.

    Of course, with demands on electricity to charge electric cars and with the halt in the use of gas, things can only get worse and costlier.

    I hope someone in government is giving some thought to the effect of these costs on living standards.

    Kevin Platt
    Walsall, Staffordshire

    SIR – Why do increases in the cost of domestic gas, electricity or motor fuel elicit such hyperbole, while house price rises are deemed healthy?

    Most of us spend more on beer and wine than on home heating or car fuel. Excessive consumption of non-renewable, highly polluting energy drives the catastrophic climate change unfolding before our eyes. Price alone will reduce our reliance on it.

    Michael Heaton
    Warminster, Wiltshire

    SIR – A couple of decades ago the Labour government signed up Britain to a target of 15 per cent of energy from renewables by 2020.

    Well, the data is now in and we only achieved 13.6 per cent. This is an even greater failure considering that, due to Covid, energy consumption in 2020 fell to a level last seen in the 1950s.

    Almost all we’ve done is deploy innumerable wind turbines and solar panels. This is picking the low-hanging fruit. It’s no wonder the Government has moved away from targets based on percentages of energy from renewables, and now talks about “net zero” – which is deception, in my view.

    Geoff Moore
    Alness, Ross and Cromarty
    SIR – Wholesale gas prices have trebled and electricity prices have doubled since this time last year. Why?

    National Grid recently announced that we should prepare for low energy supplies this winter. This results from policies of successive governments closing coal-fired electricity power stations. Of the 14 coal-fired power stations in use in 2015, three remain.

    We now rely on inconsistent green sources and on generation from gas. Because more gas has to be used for electricity generation (and with Russia controlling gas supplies to Europe), gas storage levels in Britain (and Europe) are now low. We previously relied on this storage for the winter.Traders can push up prices because of the loss of generation capacity.

    Abroad, Germany has 10 times as much electricity generation capacity from coal as Britain, while China has 250 times more. Will policies pursued by recent British governments be justified when our ability to satisfy our electricity demand, even with very high prices, is compared with the almost insignificant savings we make to world carbon dioxide emissions?

    How will politicians (of all parties) deal with the uproar when energy price increases hit poorer families?

    Chris Lewis
    Widnes, Cheshire

    SIR – Coal will soon no longer be used in UK electricity generation. But with more than 250 years of known reserves in the world, coal will still be burned by countries desperate for cheap energy.

    Affluent nations such as Britain should be demonstrating existing technology for clean coal-power generation, and assisting poorer nations to use coal responsibly. This will have far greater impact on mitigating global emissions than Britain playing with wind turbines, solar, and net-zero carbon.

    Alan Belk
    Leatherhead, Surrey

    SIR – Credit for closing the coal mines has to be shared. Harold Wilson closed 253 pits, more than twice as many as Margaret Thatcher (115), who was only just ahead of Clement Attlee (101).

    Dr John Doherty
    Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2021/08/07/letters-massive-rise-home-electricity-bills-going-get-worse/

    2. Remember the programs showing the Roma living here – “lovely and warm – never turn heating off”? – So long as they have kids in the house is it STILL the case that the power can’t be cut off? There was one who had bills of over £700 – and said she’d pay £10 – – They won’t care – keep having kids – more on benefits – more of them and WE have to pay.

    3. We like our wine (not beer drinkers) but I don’t think we spend more wine than we do on heating and power.

    4. “I hope someone in government is giving some thought to the effect of these costs on living standards.” Why should they, Kevin Platt? They are not affected by it; they simply claim it on expenses and the taxpayer has to stump up.

    6. “Excessive consumption of non-renewable, highly polluting energy drives the catastrophic climate change unfolding before our eyes. Price alone will reduce our reliance on it.”

      You wouldn’t want to be in a pub discussing the subject with the likes of Michael Heaton.

      1. I feel a strong desire to punch anyone who talks about “climate emergency” or “catastrophic climate change”.
        Fortunately I have been able to restrain myself from acting on it up til now.

        1. I’m waiting to see if 2024 will turn out to be on the chilly side as a number of observers seem to think it will….

    7. Kevin Platt – don’t hold your breath! The MPs will merely claim back the higher costs – it won’t bother them at all!

    8. Mr Lewis, give over. The intent of the whole farce over green is to tax people into oblivion and control what people can do, not to help the environment.

  79. Vaccine trial travel
    SIR – When I volunteered for the Novavax trial last year, I assumed my participation would help to develop a new vaccine to tackle the pandemic.

    Now I find that by taking part I, and 15,000 others, are disadvantaged, being treated as unvaccinated persons (Letters, August 5). I cannot travel out of Britain without serious restrictions at a time when Europe is opening up for those who are fully vaccinated.

    In July, JonathanVan-Tam, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, wrote an open letter to all trial volunteers saying that they “would not be disadvantaged as global travel resumes”.

    This week the EU approved a deal with Novavax to secure 200 million doses of the vaccine. Without the trial volunteers this would not have happened, so I would urge the EU to allow us special status for travel. When will the Government address this issue?

    Vivienne Rust
    Beckley, Oxfordshire

    Giving away secrets
    SIR – Rather than worrying about how Britain deals with a security breach (Letters, August 6), America should ponder on the shattering damage to our mutual security caused by Edward Snowden and WikiLeaks.

    It should ensure that such a catastrophic failure, which resulted in loss of life, never happens again.

    Admiral Lord West of Spithead (Lab)
    London SW1

    Cash-free spending
    SIR – Last week I visited a local tourist attraction with my granddaughters. They both wished to spend money in the shop and, as it was company policy to not accept cash (Letters, August 4), I offered to pay and be reimbursed.

    However, the 13-year-old immediately produced her debit card and made a payment herself.

    Perhaps we should see this as an opportunity to promote responsible spending, which a debit card offers all those who are over the age of 11.

    Alan Thompson
    Longhorsley, Northumberland

    Colourful casting
    SIR – With reference to the interview with Richard Eyre (Features, August 5) and colour-blind casting, if it is only a matter of time before we have a black Mary Poppins, can we also look forward to an all-white Porgy and Bess?

    Isobel Barker
    Torpoint, Cornwall

    The migrant crisis
    SIR – The migrant crisis (Leading Article, August 6) has three principal causes, but only for the third is there a possible, but unlikely, solution.

    First, Britain is seen as the best country in the world in which to start a new life. We should be proud of our reputation.

    Secondly, Britain rightly observes international conventions scrupulously. Conventions were agreed after the Second World War when people had been returned to their oppressors and death.

    It is a fundamental requirement that those who claim, however spuriously, that they are refugees or asylum-seekers must not be returned whence they came without their applications being assessed away from the border. That is why those crossing the Channel may not simply be returned to France.

    The problem for Britain is that any suggestion to other signatory countries that the conventions need to be revisited will inevitably involve agreement on refugee sharing that would result in significant primary immigration to Britain. That may not be seen as compatible with “taking back control of our borders”.

    Thirdly, while Britain and France wish the problem would go away they have different views of it. The unlikely solution is for France and Britain to agree that unauthorised arrivals from France should be returned to the care of the French authorities immediately.

    That would stop the unending flow into France and across the Channel, and deprive traffickers of their income. Paying the French £54 million to keep the migrants away smacks of Danegeld.

    William Fleming
    Former Senior Officer, UK Border Force
    Frimley, Surrey

    It’s a bag’s life
    SIR – When my blue Co-op carrier bag finally disintegrated I read the message on the bottom. All I had to do was take it back to the shop and they would not only recycle it but replace it too.

    At my friendly Co-op the nice lady behind the till said they hadn’t had these bags for ages, but I could have a nasty compostable one, if that helped.

    I wrote to the Co-op and the reply said: “We’re making big changes to our bag policy, by totally changing the way we approach plastic bags. Firstly, we’ll be removing all Bags for Life from our stores.”

    Yes, I know there are other things to worry about. But it strikes me that the Co-op is simply changing the rules to suit itself.

    Stephen Pigott
    York

    1. Some of my ‘old bags’ are over 10 years old……….. they’re tatty but they do the job.

    2. I’d like to present William Fleming with today’s MRD award. The French will never accept back the dross they have successfully dumped on us; we need to deposit them on a deserted beach in France and sink the boats. Those who have made it here should be rounded up, put in a camp until they are deported and their appeals processed abroad. In the meantime, they get no benefits, no housing, certainly no hotel accommodation and only subsistence rations in a part of the country where the weather is habitually less than clement. Treasure Island needs to stop living up to its nickname.

    3. I see someone at the Smellygraph got off their arse at 16:30 and released the letters – for what they ain’t worth.

  80. All comments to be suitable for family reading:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/08/07/potholes-raf-runway-ground-boris-johnsons-vip-jet/?li_source=LI&li_medium=liftigniter-rhr

    Potholes on RAF runway ground Boris Johnson’s VIP jet

    Anger as troops’ flights from overseas operations delayed and diverted from RAF Brize Norton to Birmingham and Stansted airports

    By Dominic Nicholls, Defence and Security Correspondent

    7 August 2021 • 1:59pm

    The Royal Air Force’s only runway at its main transport hub has not been fully operational for three weeks because of potholes that damaged Boris Johnson’s VIP jet.

    Families of troops returning from operations overseas have been left angry as flights have been delayed and diverted from RAF Brize Norton to Birmingham and Stansted airports.

    Botched repair work carried out in the period of hot weather in July is said to be the cause, when newly laid runway repairs melted in the heat.

    One Voyager aircraft – known as Vespina and painted in union flag livery – was damaged after landing on July 18, forcing the closure of the RAF’s single runway at the Oxfordshire logistic hub.

    The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the plane had picked up tar on its undercarriage and flap as it landed, caused by “newly laid crack repairs that had not set properly in the exceptional heat”.

    The Telegraph understands senior RAF chiefs are “incensed” because they believe the runway should be able to withstand Britain’s variable weather.

    Temporary repairs have failed “friction tests”, meaning when it rains only a much reduced length of runway can be used for smaller planes.

    Amey, the lead contractor responsible for the botched runway repair, declined to comment, saying they had provided information to the Defence Infrastructure organisation (DIO).

    The MoD said Amey had won the repair contract “based on best value” to the taxpayer.

    Andy Netherwood, a former RAF pilot, said the heat at the time of the incident was not “extreme” and was well within UK climate norms for July.

    “RAF Brize Norton styles itself as the defence gateway to operations [but] the UK’s air defence and ability to project power overseas depends on its single runway,” he said.

    “The DIO must ensure that the disruption we have seen over the past few weeks never happens again.

    “It might also be time to resist the decision to put all the RAF’s air mobility eggs in one basket.”

    The Telegraph understands the Defence Secretary’s recent global trip to reinforce Britain’s international military ties was also impacted.

    Returning to the UK after lauding Britain’s military capability to allies, Ben Wallace had to be diverted to Stansted as the sole runway at RAF Brize Norton was unusable.

    RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire is the largest RAF Station with approximately 5,800 service personnel, 1,200 contractors and 300 civilian staff.

    The Station is home to the RAF’s Strategic and Tactical Air Transport and Air-to-Air Refuelling forces, as well as host to many lodger and reserve units.

    The patch and crack repair works were necessary because of the age of the runway, with combined costs for all works totalling £700,000.

    Placeholder image for youtube video: aHTTj8IBKC8

    The fleet of Voyagers – modified Airbus A330 aircraft – are used for air refuelling and strategic transport over long distances. They need the full length of the RAF Brize Norton runway to take-off and land.

    Since the incident, the fleet has been operating from Birmingham and Stansted. Some were stranded at the Oxfordshire airbase unable to take-off until temporary repairs were made.

    A spokesman for Stansted airport told The Telegraph five RAF Voyagers conducted 20 flights between July 11 to 28. The aircraft were located on the north side of the airport, away from civilian passenger operations.

    The MoD said the landing fees for use of alternative airfields are “negligible and covered in annual operating costs”.

    The other aircraft at the RAF base – the propeller-driven fleets of A400M, C-17 and C-130 tactical air transport aircraft – have been able to continue operations, albeit with reduced range and payloads because of the shorter runway.

    The Vespina Voyager aircraft damaged in the July 18 incident has been dubbed “Boris Force One” after critics complained the £75 million paint scheme was the Prime Minister’s vanity project.

    The RAF website says “the smart new paint scheme will promote the UK around the world while transporting ministers, senior members of the Royal family and their delegations on trade, diplomatic and other missions”.

    The Telegraph understands 400 people rotating to and from Operation Fortis, the ongoing deployment of the Carrier Strike Group to the Indo-Pacific region, have been impacted by the runway issues.

    Delays are causing “chaos” with pre-travel Covid tests going out of date, The Telegraph understands.

    An MoD spokesman said the aircraft was repaired at “no additional cost” to the taxpayer.

    “The minor damage sustained to a tyre and flap has been fully rectified within the routine maintenance contact and the aircraft is now fully serviceable.”

    With less than half the three kilometre runway currently open, flights returning military personnel from operational deployments in Estonia have been impacted and 400 troops were stranded at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus at one point.

    The RAF has issued a warning, called a “Notice To Airmen”, better known as a NOTAM, warning of the current restriction.

    The NOTAM currently covers the period Aug 4 to 22 and states: “In conditions [when the] runway [is] damp or worse, due to areas of reduced runway friction, [there is] reduced runway length available between [the] Runway 25 threshold and Taxiways Charlie/Delta.”

    The message warns under these conditions the take-off runway available is 1,420m, less than half the normal runway length of 3,050m.”

    1. Someone remind me, what was the advantage of closing RAF Lyneham, making BZ the only RAF base available for air trooping flights?

      2. Some desk-bound bean counter, Robert. Prolly never even seen a military aircraft or airfield.

    2. I wonder if the UK’s only 3 remaining operational fighters, those of the Battle of Britain flight ( 2 Spitfires & a Hurricane ) , are still able to take off from a grass runway at RAF Biggin Hill ? ( Sarcasm )

          1. PS 853 was Photo-Rec so no guns and no ammo’. West Raynham also housed the Day Fighter Conversion Squadron (DFSC) which flew Hawker Hunters and one was put up in a mock dogfight with the Spitfire.

            The Spitfire won hands down because of its much fast turn rate.

        2. I’ve seen them all. Dianne’s eldest (former Typhoon pilot) was married at Cranwell a few years ago (I played the organ), and the BBMF did an impromptu flypast on their way to an air show.

      3. “RAF” Biggin Hill (it’s now a commercial airport) has a tarmac runway, from which Spitfires can and do take off (including the one I flew in) 🙂

          1. If you wanted to see Spitfires taking off from a grass airfield, you should have cited Headcorn (in Hellfire Corner, Kent).

    4. Did someone trouser the £700K and then pay a visit to the local travellers’ site?😎

  81. La dolce vita carries the day on two wheels

    SIR – Working in Rome 20 years ago, I saw many instances of imaginative carrying (Letters, August 4), mostly involving motorcycles.

    Looking out of a taxi window one day I was startled to stare into the barrel of a sub-machine gun. It was a policeman going home with his gun across the footboard of his scooter.

    On other occasions I saw a dog sitting on a footboard, and also a case of beer. However, the pièce de résistance was the passenger and driver of a Scarabeo motorcycle trying to work out how best to carry a 6ft by 2ft sheet of mirror glass – vertically or horizontally. Sadly, I never saw what they finally decided.

    Alan Mordey
    Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

    If there were an Olympic medal for best loser…
    SIR – I would like to award two more Olympic medals: best and worst loser.

    Best loser goes to Hannah Roberts of the United States, the favourite to win the BMX Freestyle, who was beaten by GB’s Charlotte Worthington. In an interview afterwards, she said: 
“I am honoured to come second to Charlotte.”

    Worst loser goes to Novak Djokovic, for his disgraceful racket throwing tantrums. It’s only a game, Novak.

    Tony Palframan
    Disley, Cheshire

    SIR – What a joy to see so many Team GB medals – “despite Brexit”.

    Lisa Dumbavand
    London SW18

    SIR – While there is a premium on original phraseology in sports commentary, especially in circuit events, might we ask a little more of our commentators than their constant references to Olympic competitors “making history”? Everyone makes history, every day, even if it is not widely noted.

    Jonnie Bradshaw
    Warborough, Oxfordshire

    SIR – Why, every time a female athlete wins a gold medal, does either her male coach or team-mate pick her up? What is this male obsession to dominate female celebrations?

    Ted Bunn
    London SW19

  82. Afternoon, all. It’s been monsoon-like here, hence I’ve come up to loiter after I’ve watched the racing (the boring Shergar Cup, which is racing, Jim, but not as we know it). The horses don’t wear their own colours and it’s a “team game”. The Irish team had people who permanently reside over here (and from their accents haven’t been near the Emerald Isle for decades), Team GB had the son of an Irishman, the “Rest of the World” had jockeys who live and work here, albeit they were born abroad, and of course there were the “Ladies”. Last year it was ditched due to Covid – one of the few positives of the pandemic.

      1. More flooding in Lunnon, apparently.

        Virtually nothing here. Few spits and spots…

      2. One single shower of 5 minutes’ duration here, otherwise pretty good sunshine.

  84. Nottlers & Nottlerettes – I am off for a while, I have other matters to attend to & my browser keeps on freezing, I will be back later to say Nite Nite !

  85. As players in today’s football knelt, commentator said “If we learnt anything over the summer it is that this gesture continues to be more important than ever”.

    Yes, I suppose 11 arrests from a population of 70 million in the three weeks since Euro 2020 final represents crisis point. Wonder if there have been more arrests than that in any other criminal category during this period?

    Not insignificant amount of booing from the crowd.

  86. Right – that’s me gone. A very agreeable day – just normal village life – with the usual suspects mucking in to make the fête a great success.

    I shall join you tomorrow DV, WP.

    A demain

    PS In Laure this evening, they are having the fête du quartier– a gut bash for a select group of neighbours and chums. Always a great night’s fun.
    A few years ago, my mate Henri – gentil organisateur – changed the date because, “We can’t possibly have it without you and Carolyn.” That was when we really knew that we were regarded as part of the furniture.

  88. What sort of event would lower temperatures in Europe?

    Such an event would have catastrophic consequences around the world, severely disrupting the rains that billions of people depend on for food in India, South America and West Africa; increasing storms and lowering temperatures in Europe; and pushing up the sea level off eastern North America. It would also further endanger the Amazon rainforest and Antarctic ice sheets.

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/05/climate-crisis-scientists-spot-warning-signs-of-gulf-stream-collapse

    Newfoundland has a notoriously inhospitable and cold climate and yet it is on the same latitudes as the UK.
    The UK could experience the same climate should the Gulf Stream fail. Seaside holidays that we currently enjoy, particularly on our Western and Southern shores, could well be a thing of the past. Winter power shortages would become even more critical with Europe not having the benefit of global warming.

    1. Never mind not having the benefit of global warming, winter power shortages will become critical because the eco-loons in charge are failing to make adequate provision for electricity generation while making everybody go electric, including vehicles.

      1. The intent is to force shortages and then to make energy impossibly expensive. Allto meet invented, unecessary, irrelevant targets.

      2. Taishan, which is the same as Hinkley Point C, is closed probably for months because of a breakdown.

        1. We should rely on – and invest in – remaining Rolls-Royce home-grown technology. Reliance on France and China is absurd.

      4. I am glad to see GB News providing a twice-daily platform for Nigel Farage – the sole remaining fighter against Green Madness (zero carbon bollocks) and the reverse invasion of the English Channel.

    2. A workmate, after seeing a program on the ice storms in Toronto remarked – glad we aren’t as far North as them. – reply – look at a map – and walked off..

      1. No gulfstream – then the price and availability of electricity will be interesting.

    3. Selective raising of sea levels is an interesting one. Bearing in mind that water levels itself out, then that suggests the event would involve either a lowering of the easters seaboard of the USA, or a selective gravitational effect pulling the water up – as in, the moon getting stuck over Boston.
      How would that work?

      1. You would have thought that with all that crude oil being extracted beneath the seas there would be a marginal reduction in sea levels….

        1. Ekofisk in the North SEa had to raise the oil platform decks because of that – about 35 years ago.

          3. IIRC, decks were raised by 7 metres. Likely an allowance for increased design maximym wave height, too. Involved cutting the legs and inserting cans of 7 metres and welding them in place.

  89. Einsteins definition of insanity,
    Watching international rugby Union and expecting fair refereeing

    1. 336418+ up ticks,
      Evening B3,
      On par with supporting / voting lab/lib/con COALITION again,again,& again then.

  90. In the billionaires’ Great Reset and New World Order which Boros and his gang apparently want, why would it matter what “voters” think about high energy costs?

    As “voters” would probably have to sign in with their social credit passports, everyone not supporting the “correct” way of thinking could be fined or switched off, and it would be very easy to do it.

    That’s surely the purpose of the new digital currency which will replace cash and which is likely to form part of the passport.

    No more non conformists in Boris’ bright New World Order!

    1. They don’t. They are frightened of the backlash when the idiots finally realise they can’t afford to cook dinner.

  91. 336418+ up ticks,

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said the party must be “proud” of Tony Blair’s “record in government”, and no longer keep the Iraq War architect’s legacy at “arm’s length”.

    Would the “bog in the park” episode ( Bow street) have to be treated the same ?

    1. “Deserve to die? I daresay he does. There are many that deserve to die, and many that die who deserve to live. Life, can you give that to them?”

      Tolkien (from memory – of a passage read 61 years ago).

      1. Yo, Stephen. We all die eventually. In fifty years as an organist, I’ve noticed this. Bizarrely, in the last 16 months, I’ve only had 3 funerals – none of which were Covid-related…

    2. As Tony Blair sold hundreds of UK state assets cheap to his bud, George Soros, that’s quite a claim!

  94. Wonderful Proms concert tonight; songs from all the favourite musicals wonderfully interpreted. Catch it on i-player.

      1. That is what I was thinking when I scanned the program and several evenings of african music to satisfy the woke

        Many proms appeared to only have about forty minutes of music , not how I remember it from when we used to go.

  95. The Boer war dead deserve to be remembered

    ‘Recontextualising’ monuments must not become an exercise in erasing our history

    ROBERT TOMBS

    A memorial in Newcastle to local men who died in the Boer War is being considered for “suitable interpretation” by the local City Council. On the face of it, there is nothing to interpret: this statue and obelisk commemorate men who died, paid for by local people including the families and friends of the fallen.

    This was the first war in which it became general practice to record the names of ordinary soldiers on public monuments – the act of a newly democratic society, and a sign of community solidarity. In most cultures, memorials to the dead – even those of enemies – are treated with respect. Is this still the case in 21st century Britain?

    The City Council is considering whether the memorial is “appropriate”, as the Boer War was, it says, a “colonialist enterprise”. It plans to erect information panels alongside the memorial. If the aim is simply to inform the public, I would suggest the following, which the Council is welcome to use free of charge:

    “The South African War, or Second Boer War (1899-1902), was fought between the British Empire and two White settler states of Transvaal and Orange Free State. Relations between the Dutch-speaking settlers (“Boers” or Afrikaners) had been bad since the British Empire abolished slavery in the 1830s, causing the slave-owing Boers to set up their own states outside the Empire.

    “In 1899 the Boers invaded British-ruled territory. Their more numerous and better armed troops forced the British onto the defensive, until volunteers from Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand eventually turned the tide. A long guerrilla war followed, which caused bitter controversy within Britain due to the severe impact on Boer civilians.

    “The Boers attracted sympathy and political and military support from extreme nationalists in France, Ireland and Germany, due to racial solidarity with the White settlers and because of hostility to Britain and to what was presented as Jewish capitalism. The British won crucial support from Africans, Indians and African-Americans who detested the racism of the Boers.

    “However, while Boer independence was ended, and large parts of southern Africa (now independent states) were safeguarded as British protectorates, in the long run the Afrikaners won back power and eventually brought about the apartheid regime in South Africa.”

    But I rather doubt that the advocates of “suitable interpretation” would regard this as suitable at all, as it reminds us that slavery and racism were on the other side, and that the British Empire was not the stage villain.

    That raises the obvious problem: who provides the “interpretation”, and who decides whether it is “suitable”? The Council aims to “identify a suitably informed academic”. This repeated word “suitable” worries me. Who or what is being suited? Is the aim to inform the public, or to use history to advance a present-day ideology?

    Picking an academic is no guarantee of the former. The recent report by the War Graves Commission, seemingly driven by axe-grinding academics, decided that commemoration of the dead of the First World War was “racist”, and that this proved the “pervasive racism” of the British Empire. But a careful examination of the evidence, which is what academics are supposed to do if they are worth their salt, shows the very opposite: that the remains of soldiers killed in that war were treated equally and with sensitivity to their different cultural traditions.

    We don’t need “suitable” interpretations that please lobbyists: we need honest and accurate ones serving the public good.

    The policy of the present government, when historical monuments become controversial, is to “retain and explain”. On the face of it, this is sensible, and doubtless well meaning. The hope presumably is that a sensible middle way can be found that will satisfy all reasonable people. But if “explanation” of a tendentious kind is used as a vehicle for creating division, the problem is aggravated.

    As may be the danger in Newcastle, what is to prevent a politically motivated or merely feeble local authority from allowing “retain and explain” to be exploited by activists who are not interested in history except as a tool of propaganda? Do we want every statue and war memorial “explained” as a shameful relic of racism and exploitation?

    At the moment, the Government is working to draw up guidelines to aid public bodies to navigate this minefield, and to encourage them not to take what has hitherto been the easy route of appeasing often tiny numbers of activists – in the case of a war memorial in Edinburgh Castle, one single person.

    I am glad to be a member of an advisory panel on this tricky task. If government policy is not to be hijacked the guidelines will need to be firm and carefully drafted. I think the Government hopes to calm the situation down: good luck to it. But it will need to show firm resolve as well as sweet reasonableness.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/08/07/boer-war-dead-deserve-remembered/

    1. Billionaires decide what is suitable, because…..

      Billionaires Rule Britannia !

      And have done since 1990.

      That’s why the Maastricht Treaty was signed, and what else happened in 1992?

      That was no accident.

      Because it fits in exactly with 750 buildings 2000, QinetiQ 2003, the IndyMac Bank rescue 2008, and the US fiscal expansion 2009.

      These were all set ups.

      Who was the multi billion dollar beneficiary of all of them?

      There’s more too…..

      1. For God’s sake, girl, if you have this as unassailable evidence take the bastards to court.

        I’m sure that NoTTLers will be among the first to ‘Crowdfund’ your suit against them but, the evidence must be unassailable..

        1. Tony Blair sold 31% of QinetiQ at way below value in 2003 through a tax haven to a private equity fund which employed John Major as “European Chairman”.

          That in itself is pretty extraordinary indicating something was up.

          That something was the fact that John Major’s supposed nemesis, George Soros, was the star “buy out” client of John Major’s fund.

          Just think about that. Tony Blair, John Major and George Soros in the same cut price UK state asset sale.

          But it gets worse because on the day the contract was signed, Tony Blair dropped a $7.5 billion contract to QinetiQ. Control of QinetiQ passed by special agreement to the private equity fund.

          So my question to Tony Blair is… what happened to the $7.5 billion?

          It’s obvious Tony Blair was feeding great financial deals to his best friend, George Soros, and that they skimmed at least a billion off the contract.

          QinetiQ came after the sale of 750 government buildings by Tony Blair to George Soros’ consortium at way below value in 2000 loaded up with valuable 20 year leaseback contracts.

          Tony Blair met with George Soros for private talks at the New York Plaza Hotel in April 1996. The deal was the same as later happened with Obama. Election funding for laws, policies and financial favors.

          That George Soros and John Major were working together means 1992 was a set up too.

          John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron all “forgot” to write about George Soros in their memoirs.

          QinetiQ is the open door into the secret world of the Conservative and Labor Parties.

          2. You think?

            I spent a lot of time on that research to find the truth and to get it right.

            Now I would like everyone to know the story.

  96. Completely and utterly off topic.

    Our first (and only paying) guests this year arrived this afternoon.

    French, from Paris with two small boys.
    The boys crept out of the car and the parents looked grey.

    Twenty minutes later and the boys were running around the garden, shrieking with delight as they discovered the pool, the swings, the little bicycles and miles of paths cut through the grass, it was a joy to behold.

    One could see the cares of their world melting from the parents’ shoulders as they realised that they could just sit and relax.

    We went out to a night market, as usual, leaving them to it. We returned as the night was setting in, the little boys, mum and dad were running around playing football, hide and seek, and just laughing at and with each other and having fun.

    It gives us an enormous amount of pleasure watching families come here and just unwind.

    Joy indeed.

      1. It’s all free….

        Sosy is a kind and generous philanthropist!

        It’s got no connection to dollars at all..

    3. Well done, some Parisians must be nice. Seriously, well done and hope they have a good time.

      1. The last time I was in Paris all the waiters everywhere were very friendly. Perhaps it was because i made a serious effort in French.

          1. I found that attempts at French were met with sneers by the supercilious waiter clan of Paris, leading me to say, “Fuck ’em.”

    4. What a wonderful life, Sos, dispensing joy and light like there’s no tomorrow.

      Many, many NoTTLe good wishes to you and your guests. Let them know that we care for their happiness as dispensed by a fellow NoTTLer.

    5. Brings back happy memories of our last trip to France, back in 2010, gosh was it so long ago? We had gites in Burgundy and then in the Loire Valley, happy slurping times!!

    6. It wouldn’t surprise me after that experience that they decide to leave Paris permanently.

      1. One forgets just how much energy small boys have, the garden is a blessing for the parents.

  97. Good night all.

    Pan-fried megrim sole for supper, fresh from Pesky Fish, washed down with Camel Valley Pinot Noire rosé brut (also Cornish).

        1. It’s almost impossible to get fish & chips wrapped in newspaper these days.

      1. No, all cooked at home. TBH, the Côte menus have become a little dull, although I enjoyed my lunch there last week.

      1. I had a massive fry-up at lunch time, so I’ve made do with a couple of packets of cheese and onion crisps. And too much red wine. Belly pork tomorrow…

          1. Excellent. Try ‘Herb brined Pork Chops’. There are recipes online. My ‘Cumberland Sausage’ from Sainsburys is anything but from Cumberland, my home county. But it’s OK, I suppose. A friend has a place in the Lakes, and has been known to bring back the real thing.

    5. I looked at using Pesky Fish. You need to take out a mortgage for anything other than a fish finger. 🙁

  100. Wishing you all a Good Goodnight and may God bless you. We shall reconvene in the morning’s good light.

      1. I presume he’s busy trying to replace the letters concoted from Islington Wine Cellar so as to provide “an offering”

    1. I remember how even in its final days, the state’s TV and radio stations continued to claim the government was winning the war and encouraged more recruits to join the army.

      This is actually quite informative as to what living in a Police State is like, though of course we now know from direct experience.

      1. mng araminta. Agree. Also any leader given the Nobel Peace Prize bauble [Obama, Abiy Ethiopia] is classic virtue signalling and clear clue of intent

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