Scotland Will Be Coming

The explosive noise that was recorded very high on the Richter scale last night was nothing more than a nation qualifying for the World Cup in the USA during 2026.  I say USA, but it is also Canada and Mexico who share the expensive competition these days, no longer can one country afford this.

The rejoicing from 5 million Scots was heard around the world.  Here we see the nation that invented the game, developed it from the beginning into the supreme activity it has become, and yet have failed in every attempt to win this trophy, or indeed any other!

Irony!

With less than 3 minutes on the clock this magnificent overhead kick brought Scotland's first goal.  His time in Italy has not been wasted.  The next 90 minutes, plus add-ons, offered a game that went the way I expected.  Lots of good but wasted skill from Denmark, lots of effort and occasional brilliance from the Scots.  I expected a result along the lines of 3-2, though was unsure who would win.  In the end three outstanding goals, plus a well worked corner saw 4 goals hit the net and Scotland qualify for the first time in 28 years. 

All the players were outstanding, especially Craig Gordon, who remains on the bench for the Heart of Midlothian, yet produced excellent saves at the right time.  Not bad for a man who is 42 years old.

Mr Shankland scored the second goal not long after half time.  Some foolishly thought the game over then, and how can anyone think the Danes were finished?  Two sides who gave everything, two sides who desperately wanted to qualify, two sides with a lot of similarities in the national nature, two sides desperate to win, yet only one goes through.  It may be the Danes will have a play-off against another second placed side, I did not check this, but they do deserve to be in north America next year.  

Many of the players last night would not have been born when Scotland last failed at a world cup.  Even goalkeeper Craig Gordon would only have been 15 or so then.  Of course I myself am only 32...

My first world cup was in 1974, when I worked at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, now of course that is a block of flats.  I recall pretending to clean a table for 45 minutes while Scotland struggled against a country that no longer exists, Yugoslavia!  I stood by that bedside of a man with a broken leg while we watched the distant black and white TV at the far end of the ward.   All was still, bar the occasional groan and utterances, not from physical pain, from the football.  A draw was the result, and none we too happy about that.

Such things do not mean as much now as they did then, I am used to Scotland losing at the big games, but nonetheless when we scored I almost leapt out the window.  I was glad also for the manager Steve Clarke.  He has, in spite of opposition, criticism of tactics, players and his rare smile, taken Scotland to two Euro Tournaments, and now one world cup.  No Scots manager has done this before.  He deserves credit for his man management, his tactics, his team, and his success.  No matter the grumbles, he has been successful, and can now relax for three months.

There are many questions now being asked.  Who will we play?  Where will we play?  And, how many Scots fans will be turned back by the Border Police for slagging off Donald Trump?  Almost all who travel to the USA will have done so, he is not popular in Scotland, nor indeed in any off the other nations represented at this tournament, and I await news of how they will deal with this.

While these questions continue I have only one question, why am I so tired this morning...?

Beware USA, Canada and Mexico, we'll be coming! 

US Foodstuff

I have been influenced b a foreign power.  Strange to say it is neither Israel nor Russia who are behind this fateful influence, it is the tasteless gourmets of the USA that has had an influence upon me today.

You see, yesterday, while I was minding my own business and struggling to keep warm in the cold north wind, I accidentally fell once more upon Reiko's Blog  

Normally such badly spelt blogs, whether on Blogger or WordPress would appeal to a thinking person, I however, was intrigued.  Reiko, as you soon realise, is a dangerous 'rescue' dog.  Wild and untamed, it is now homed in an appropriate place, alongside a man who is dangerous, wild and untamed.

They are both doing well.

Alas, for reasons unknown Reiko decided to cease being wild and instead wrote an item on peanut butter.  This extremely long blog, with pictures to keep one awake, detailed the rise and money made by a substance are unusual as peanut butter.  

Now I used to like this substance, and often bought it.  However, the cost of living being what it is, and my memory being what it became when watching the prices of the better types of peanut butter soaring through the roof, made me forget to buy it.  This dogs blog brought back memories of this stuff.

As I was reading this late at night, well about 8 pm, I could do nothing about the craving that had begun while reading about the men who developed a process begun by native people in South America.  That is where peanuts originated, and the lads turned the peanuts into a smooth compound to 'ease their gums,' he says.  US men on the make, and Americans are always 'on the make' where money can be found, developed this substance, Kellogg's were also involved at one point, and they originated in Braintree, Essex, as you may know.  So, soon peanut butter was a US staple, and has become one in the UK also.  

It is fair to say that my three thin, small slice of 'Vintage Cheese bloomer,' bread with crunchy 'Whole Earth' peanut butter, tastes considerably better than the absurd 'Peanut butter and Jelly (they mean Jam)' sandwiches.  Read Reiko to find out the sandwich suggestions found in US cookbooks!  There is little to wonder as to how Elvis and his family suffered from heart attacks!  

Anyway, having developed a desire for this stuff I paid through the nose for the jar I bought today.  I spent £4:75 for 454g of this stuff, most of which will go into the pockets of the greedy Sainsburys shareholders.  I bought this having remembered what I read about these jars on the shelf some years ago.  I looked for the best, the one without 'added sugar,' and any other muck to enhance the flavour or long life of the product.  The only suitable one there was this, and while the 'smooth' version had a £1 price reduction, I had to go for the 'Crunchy.'  Only Yanks use smooth peanut butter, either for their gums or to add gooseberries to it, or some other unsuitable in the real world additive, like hard-boiled eggs.   I reckon their diet is responsible for their mental unbalance.

Now, as lunchtime approaches, I have lost my appetite for lunch.

I know not why.

Monday Mumping

This was shown on Twitter several times over the weekend.  Somewhere in Spain, amongst the police avoiding gangsters, we find Englishmen (note he says 'British') wandering through the town, flying UK flags, demanding foreigners go home, and threatening the locals.

Do they understand the word 'irony?'

I fail to comprehend why the Spanish police, nice gentlemen all, would stand back and allow this demonstration in Benidorm?  Where are the batons?  Where are the riot squad?  Where are the aeroplanes taking this lot back to Kent?  There are at least 25 people involved here, possibly more out of camera, but faces covered and union flags while grumbling about migrants?

Really?

It has been a long time since last week.  I wonder how many people have forgotten the cost of war this week?  I notice war is continuing in several places, hidden away inside news reports, and yet little has been heard of care for soldiers on the street.  

Nothing changes.

Sunday Slavering

Blue sky!

There is a bit of blue sky high above!

This makes a change from the grey cloud that has covered the world again today.

With rain and cold wind you almost get the idea that this is November!

Surely not?

If that was the case TV and radio would be full of adverts for Christmas.

I have not seen any, but there again I do not watch TV.

There has been a 'suggestion,' I use that word loosely, for a small gift for one of the kids.

This is now on it's way to me, and soon to be despatched onwards to the dearly beloved.

Few will get much this year.

The cost of living, the lack of funds, miserly attitudes, and spending all my cash on scotch pies, has led to a drop in gift giving.  This year I may just hand out 'I.O.Us' and be done with it.  

I will expect a return on this mind.

We had a baptism this morning, one mum and two very young kids.  I am not keen on kids baptism, it is not biblical in my mind, and I don't care if John Calvin disagrees.  The mum may be fine, as an adult she can think and make decisions, but kids cannot.  We felt for the mum and dad, the kids clearly have SEN problems and were very hard work today.  It all became a bit calamitous and loud.  Not helped by having it at the end, rather than the beginning as normal.  Had this come first the kids could have gone out to play afterwards.

I am also considering scribbling my thoughts on the preachers version of the Kingdom of God.  He, like so many other Anglicans, including the Bishops in this area, forget the word 'Repent.'  Come to Jesus indeed, but it means changing your ways, not just sitting in church.  He is already not speaking to me after the other week, so this may be good, if I do it.  

Great War Magazine Volumes

I have 13 volumes of this work.  It is now lying across the couch gathering dust.  It has to go.  What was obtained, cheaply, I now must pass on as it is off no use to me today and someone somewhere might benefit from it.  

I dropped a note to the local school, one that is famous for the remembrance service they conduct, but had no reply.  Possibly this is because I enclosed a zip file of pictures and their system junked it, maybe not.  If they wanted it they would not have to pay, it could be useful for them, but otherwise I am unsure of how to dispose of 13 heavy volumes with a limited readership.  This collection of a Great War magazine might not be everybody's cup of tea, but someone somewhere would like it.  

I have seen these on E-bay with prices ranging from £30 to £300, and who would pay this?  Much better if there was a suitable place to bestow it to.  Of course, they would have to collect!

Dismal Round Up

Heavy rain all day.  

News full of 'Alice from accounts' and her desire to raise taxes being hindered by the mess the economy is in.  The right-wing press, so angry at her raising taxes (theirs) are now angry that she is not raising taxes.  Behind the scenes, many are running to and fro, some to find answers, some to enable their man to take Keir's place.   Alice is looking for a way out and a pay-off.

While this frantic pace is the thing at the Westminster, Madame Tussauds, King Charlie is wandering about in the sunny garden he has expensively created.  Photographs of him smiling feature in all the loyal papers, none mention the money under his desk, still in plastic bags or suitcases, however.

I know not why.

Also, we find another man in uniform attending remembrance services who is an imposter.  An ex-police officer is on trial for wearing medals from the Falklands, though hew as too young to have been there, and another sailor with officer uniform and medals is called a fake.  

Why do they do this?

Do they wish to be seen as a hero?  Don't we all?  But by pretending to be something you are not, will not bring this result about.  Surely a police officer has sufficient opportunity to be a hero?  There are many small and great opportunities.  Why dress up?

The Telegraph It appears the US consortium, paid for by Middle Eastern money that originates with Middle Eastern royalty, has fallen through.  It now appears that either the Multi-Billionaire who lives in France and owns the Daily Mail will become owner.  The only other competitor is Paul Marshall, who claims to be Christian yet owns a large amount of GBNews and the Spectator.  What does the bible say about lies Paul, let alone racism, divide by fear, and follow a lying rabble-rouser?  Neither of these men will produce a paper based on open-minded journalism.    

 

Sunday Remembrance

We had a service at St Paul's in the morning.  I said a few words before the 11 am silence.  It appears to have gone well this year, I was not chased by people carrying cutlasses as last year.  All this standing around however, does not do me much good.  

In the afternoon I hobbled across to the town ceremony, a mistake my body insisted correctly, just to obtain a picture or two.  Our vicar is responsible for the religious bit here, and did it very well.  He had taken an 8 am communion, the St Peter's 11 am service, then this at 2 pm, which ends with a march to St Michaels for a service.  I suppose that is enough for one day.    

I remember reading about a couple of preachers in the 1600s who spoke at a local church meeting in a farmers barn.  Now this was illegal at the time, attendance at St Michaels or St Mary's was compulsory, but 800 would meet in the barn anyway.  These two men walked from London to Chelmsford, remaining there overnight.  Sunday morning they walked 15 miles or so to the town, took the service, then walked 15 miles to Caoludunum and took an afternoon service there.   After which the walked back to the town, took the evening service and walked back to Chelmsford.  Around 60 or so miles.

Today this unthinkable, but people had no choice then, walking was the only transport for most, and it kept them fit.  Paul the apostle walked much, much more in days past.

Anyway, I walked the 500 yards back home and went to bed, that was enough for me.

Remembrance 2025

 

Spitfire

Not for the first time a Spitfire, Mark IX has appeared in the town centre.  Remembrance Sunday tomorrow has brought it back for another viewing.   The man accompanying the Spitfire was more open than the one last year, though he was there fiddling about pretending he was busy, so as to avoid the public.  I was told this was a Mark IX, I knew it was a later one, 1942 apparently, by the four props at the front.  The six exhausts instead of the original three was also an indication of change.  These aircraft continued to change until the fell out of use around 1956.  The jet fighter was by then the most potent weapon. 

Remembrance brings many displays such as these, and this one is indeed fitting.  However, all over the nation 'Remembrance' has become, 'Event,' these days.  Groups combine to erect a display better than last years and the act of remembering is pushed aside to commemorate with a display.  It reduces the Armistice Day to an event like Halloween, or Valentine's Day.  This should not be.

Certainly many wish to remember, they might have memories of their forefathers part in the two great wars, and some have discovered lost relatives while searching their ancestry and their particular war tales.  This is good.  

The original reason for war memorials was the loss of men in war, and the impossibility of the majority being made able to visit a graveside.  While tours did occur, some private, some through regiments, the vast majority were struggling to keep their heads above deep waters, a visit was impossible.  There again, with 300,000 men unidentified, some under gravestones marked 'Known unto God,' and others still lying somewhere under the battlefield, a visit to a grave could never happen.  The need to mourn at a spot where the lost could be remembered was important for a great many.  Wives, mothers, daughters were among the worst hit.  The declaration of death meant the wages stopped.  A pension might be allowed but could take a long time to work through the books.  In towns like this there were few other men available to bring in a wage and times after 1918 were very tough indeed.  The emotional trauma was not lessened with the loss of an income.  The suffering during the 1920s ensured that after 1945 there would be a new government, one that put the needs of the people before any other need, no matter how broken the nations finances were.  This country owes a great deal to the work of Clement Atlee and his men.

Trump Muppet

I don't think any photo sums up the Trump presidency any better than this one.  Gathered to hear money grabbing Pharma discuss dodgy deals for drugs, one individual collapses.  Those nearby attempt to resuscitate the man, and the man in charge of US health, KFK, runs away, Trump himself just stands there, staring ahead blankly.  This man has his hands on the nuclear option!

How long before Trumps drugs fail?

We know he is kept alive by drugs, his dementia is increasing, his other physical failings are supported by a variety of supports, yet the US media keeps quiet about him and the big brave rich people say nothing that might hinder their money.  

What is happening in the US is also happening in the UK.  The same billionaires are responsible, Putin is helping for his own reasons, and the people who vote for this are the ones to suffer most.  How stupid can the human being actually be? 

Trump informing crocers not to give out food to those who use food stamps is an excellent example of how the rich have always treated the poor.  The rich get richer, the poor pay taxes.  This is what Farage wishes to bring to the UK, the Labour and Tory Parties are following, both leading players are paid for by those running the UK, all wish to enrich the rich and make the peasants take the blame.

Where are the strong people who will stand up to this in parliament?

November the 5th 1605

November the 5th in this part of the world usually means World War Three breaks out overhead.  For several days now some have been practising their part in this conflagration.  Nightly, explosions not required for sleep purposes have been heard all around.  Some from the better houses appear keen to do this annually, indeed, they even do this for less important events such as birthdays, holidays and upsetting the neighbours day also.  Tonight I expect an onslaught from several directions as various organised parties attempt to break the sound barrier.  There is hope that being midweek this would lessen, however, those inserting cheap but overpriced rockets into empty milk bottles before standing well back will pretend this is the weekend and let go on all sides.

Maybe it's time to ban fireworks from general sale.

The reason for the needless mayhem, harmful to dogs and cats everywhere, is a commemoration of the action of one Guido Fawkes, on the night of November the 5th 1605.  

Guido was born Guy Fawkes in York in 1570, a time of change in England.  Since Henry VIII had fallen out with Rome England had become protestant, some thing which upset the pope and English Catholics greatly.  Elizabeth I had allowed protestant superiority to some extent, though she herself liked the fancy Catholic services and music.  Under King James VI & I Catholics priests were forced out of the country and attendance at Church became mandatory.  Failing to attend could therefore be seen as treasonable.

With this as a background Guys protestant father died when he was 8 years old and his mother married again to a recusant catholic.  Recusants, as you know, were Catholics who refused to attend the Church of England services.  Guy converted to Catholic himself and went to Europe to fight for Spain against the reformation in the Low Countries.  Clearly an able soldier and once James was established on the throne Guy attempted to disestablish him.   Travelling to Spain, who had been at war with England, note Scotland took no part in this foreign war, Scotland was going through a popular reformation at the time, Guy failed to get support from Spain who signed a peace treaty with James.

This upset the Catholic hierarchy.

So, Guy, now called Guido, an Italicised version of his name he took as he considered it gave him a touch of class, met one Robert Catesby, and he had already partook of a failed plot in 1601.  At the 'Dog and Duck' near the Strand in London, a plotters gathering took place.  Catesby, Fawkes, Thomas Winter, John Wright and Thomas Percy gathered to prepare a coup.  Most were members of the Catholic gentry, people of wealth and influence, now suffering some degree of injury due to their Catholic faith.  The majority of such did not participate in rebellion, possibly aware of the cost, and hoping some some toleration in due course.  Others quietly gave support.  

Altogether 13 men joined in a plan to remove King James the VI & I, the Queen, the protestant Lords, nobles and MPs gathered for the opening of Parliament in the House of Lords.  

Parliament was completely different in those days.  The buildings were an assortment of rooms, storehouse and taverns, and passages, making it easy to store barrels under the room used for by the Lords.  36 barrels of gunpowder, available after the end of the Spanish war, were stored by an unknown workman called John Johnson, a servant of Percy's.  He was of course Guido Fawkes.

One Lord Monteagle, a former Catholic, received a letter with a strong injunction to make excuses to avoid the opening as 'For God and man has concurred to punish the wickedness of this time...they shall receive a terrible blow this parliament yet they shall not see who hurts them.'  Monteagle, though sympathetic to Catholics, was no fool.  He took the letter to the Earl of Salisbury, James man.  

The King ordered a search made of the undercroft where indeed they came across Fawkes.  However, while noticing the firewood stored there they did not see the barrels under the wood.  The King ordered a new search the next night, the 5th, and a proper search discovered both the barrels and the fuses on Guido Fawkes.  

A warrant was issued for Percy's arrest, and torture eventually revealed the names of other plotters.  Percy and Catesby made for the Midlands where they hoped to rouse a rebellion.  This failed and they made a last stand at Holbeach House, where both were wounded, dying later from their injuries.  The others were soon arrested and tried.

It is no surprise that all were found guilty and sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered.    

Luckily, the neck broke on the weakened body of Fawkes so he missed the delight of enduring the rest of this very English punishment.  He was nevertheless dismembered and spread about the kingdom.

Celebrations began in London after the event, and during January 1606 a Law was passed for church services to offer public thanks for the 5th of November, attendance was mandatory. 

Interestingly, Fawkes was not mentioned much in early sermons or literature.  This was always an attack on the pope and popery.  It appears that Fawkes became popular during the 1800s when some may have seen him as a kind of folk hero.  Today, most see him as just a guy, burnt on a local bonfire, where potatoes are roasted, fireworks entertain the children, dogs and cats terrified, and houses are burnt down by careless people.  No one cares about popery, most do not know the real story, or it is a vague tale in the back of the mind.  And there is not one person the land who ever desires to blow up parliament today, no, not one...

Irving Finkel | The Ark Before Noah: A Great Adventure. (A very funny speaker here)

Forgot

 

I forgot to post...

Jericho - The First City on Earth?

Phoning AI

I had another tech problem today.

Logging in on the website I was asked for the phone number.  

The number listed was the old phone number, so this must change.  

To change number I must call in.

I hate phone calls.

I called in on the free number.

A voice answered.

An AI voice.

The pleasant but firm and authorative AI voice asked the question.

I gave the answer.

"You could go to the website and log in and we can send you a pin number..."

"I want to amend my phone number."

Again AI murmured, waffling away from what I was saying.

"I want to talk to a human being!" I remarked.

"I will pass you on to one of my colleagues."

Bring.

"If you wish this answer, press one, if you wish another answer, press two."

Grrrrrr

How can I press two when my phone is already engaged talking to you, thought I.  

Suddenly a human being answered.

Phew.

I explained the situation to the gentle voiced, possibly African of some sort, gentleman.

He slowly and efficiently took me through the procedure required, informing me he was in the Glasgow office.  He was very good, soon we were at the stage of being shunted onto another. 

I feared another AI.

A voice answered, similar but different accent.  He asked one question, I answered.

He asked the new phone number, he responded with, "All done, you can now log on."

He was right!

How easy when talking to a human, even one on low wages. 

How useless are AI when they can only respond to certain questions and cannot think!

You could employ a Reform voter if you wanted unthinking responses, and for cheaper at that.

However, the men made it work.  

All is now well, though I do wonder about my bad temper these days.

Sarah and Hadush

Sarah Pochin MP

Sarah Pochin is a Reform MP, elected in a May by-election with a majority of 6.

Pochin is not unused to scandal.  While a magistrate she was reprimanded for injecting political influences into her role.  Once elected she claimed trouble in her constituency was the responsibility of 'illegal asylum seekers,' however, the residents of the area declared this was untrue.

Recently, on a radio programme she referred to adverts on TV declaring, 

 "It drives me mad when I see adverts full of black people, full of Asian people, full of, you know, people that are basically anything other than white […] well it doesn’t reflect our society."

If ever there was a dog-whistle to her racist voters it could not be louder than this.  

Naturally, Nigel Farage the leader of Reform, declares her comments were 'ugly and unpleasant,' but he agrees with them.  Well of course he does!

Condemnation from all around, in the usual hypocritical manner.  Even the Tory party objected, though they also appear to consider she has a point.  The people of Runcorn, her constituency, will hopefully make their opinion known to her.

The point is she is speaking to those who voted for her, Farage joins in, knowing he lies in his teeth, encouraging support for his racist party and understanding many voters will agree with him and her comments.

However, is it true that more 'ethnic' faces appear on adverts?  Well yes!

This is because the ideology that has crept in supports this unbalanced view.  Just as there are men on adverts doing the ironing, and always women in engineering or other 'men's jobs,' TV is full of unbalanced representations of life.  Just read the Scottish papers and see how unrepresentative of the Scottish people these English owned papers have become.  TV offers us far more gays and lesbians than there are in society, yet Reform have not the guts to point this out.  The images of blacks always show men with a white woman, never two black faces together as that will not sell the product so efficiently.  Ideology is first, even if the life around the advert makers varies so much more.  

Sarah may have a point, but that is not what matters.  Nigel understands what his people want to see.  Facts do not win votes, emotion does.  The flag wavers, and there are some flying in this town, do not wish for reality, they wish for someone to speak to their concerns, even if the concerns are bogus.

Sarah knows this, and while she does not have Nigel's cunning she is always able to spout what is required.

This name 'Pochin,' is it an English surname?

Hadush Kebatu has had a rough time.  After being released by mistake, thought to have been the 29th time this has happened in Chelmsford Prison, he was confused as to what to do.  He was given a bag with his possessions,, £79 grant, and told to go.  Understanding that he was to be sent to a deportation security area he was surprised to be told to leave.  It now appears that on 5 occasions he returned to the prison and was sent away.  Confused and having no idea where he was he asked passers-by for help.  Eventually he made it to the station and took a train to London.

Wandering about confused, enquiring of surprised rail and underground staff, he wandered about in a daze until he was found by the police.  While the man was imprisoned for assault on two young women, having been taught nothing about UK culture, it is easy to feel sympathy for the state he was in.  Now he will be rushed into deportation back home, and who knows what will happen there?  However, we can ask how many other confused, or not so confused prisoners have been released by mistake from English prisons?  How man still live quite happily, or in a confused state, while nobody enquires about their whereabouts?  By the way, no prisoners it appears have been released early from Scottish prisons.  You will not see that on the English owned Scottish media.

HMP Chelmsford and Freezers

Braintree Times

 

This individual, one Hadush Kebatu, was imprisoned for assaulting a woman and a schoolgirl while being housed in the Bell Hotel in Epping.   One month ago he began a 12 month sentence for his crimes, the length of sentence somewhat interesting, and was placed in HMP Chelmsford.

Allgood and right say people, but wait...

Yesterday this same prisoner of national news fame was 'accidentally' released.

Having been released, and probably not understanding that this was a clerical error, he simply made his way to the railway station, got on a train at Chelmsford, and disappeared from sight.

Innit wonderful!

Essex Police, the Transport Police, and the London Met are all working all the hours to review CCTV footage and find him once again.  This has resulted in him being seen somewhere in London, and the police are 'scouring the area,' as the press have it to find him.

No doubt he will be found in time, no doubt heads will NOT roll at HMP Chelmsford, but certainly the officers forced to be abused by the racist mob outside the Bell Hotel will no doubt be asking questions here.

I sorted out the freezer today, again!  Took it out, picked at more ice and removed lots.  Repacked things where they ought to go.  Naturally, Burgers go to the back as I rarely use them, they are emergency supplies.  

Tonight I removed my meat course from the fridge.  

It had been in there too long. 

It is now in the bin.

So, thus began an interesting and not pleasing fight to remove two beef burgers from the freezer.

A good emergency item.

I'm still not happy.

Online Forms

 

I have just sweated blood filling out a 15-page application form.  

Page after page of questions, some repeated, and at the end an opportunity to upload stuff.

Great, but what stuff, where do I find it, will this do?  And so on.

The national insurance number ought to be easy, but it could not be found!  It turned up, by accident, in a form in a box.  It was not where it ought to be on other forms.  The ones I looked through first!

Then the continual 'You missed that bit,' when I had not missed it.  I fill it ought and am sent back because other thing inserted have disappeared.  

Page after page this goes on.

Some questions take a while to understand what they are talking about.  Some goon in an office comes up with these questions which are great, in his little office world, but mean nothing in the real world.

At the end, they suddenly demand copies of things, some of which make no sense to me.  I send what I think ought to cover it, but if I get a reply within the next 28 days, I am sure questions will be asked by some young goon using her phone.  

That joins on to the wander to Sainsburys this morning.  

All straight forward and shocked at how much I was paying, especially as I forgot some things.

Hobbling to the shop, I met my neighbour.

They have been given 2 months to leave!  Why?  Something about fixing rot under the floor.  I suspect this is because she wants to increase the rent to £900 a month.  Now I am expecting her to turn on me soon, possibly a letter at the start of the month.  I know she is desperate to do up this flat.

What will I do?  I have no idea.  We wait and see.

Outages

So, AWS, Amazon Web Services, went down early this morning leaving vast numbers of large organisations with no internet service.  This did not affect me, I never noticed anything until the media started weeping about it, but the machine is a bit slower, possibly because some are affected.  

Twice in recent days the ISP has gone down, no reason stated.  Once for a few minutes, the second time for almost an hour.  An hour!  An hour without life!  I began to think I might have to start speaking to people, outside!  Luckily this did not result.  I breathed easier.

Once again we see how easily society can be halted.  All the best security services cannot stop a hacker destroying the system if he decides to.  Mistakes and accident may be responsible for these outages but one day it will be an enemy closing society down for a long time, with hopefully only the defence systems still working.  Maybe...

I always thought cutting of electricity will kill a city, all will grind to a halt, and today so many have ability to cope with this.  We struggled with Covid, how will we deal with no electricity or internet?

Dearie me, if it comes to a halt we might just have to read a book...

Rick Steves,' Luther and the Reformation