Bye for now

Trump won and is in the process of "losing his mind" big time, mostly by berating or insulting other countries; meanwhile, Europe is fucked, the world is becoming a toxic and fascist nightmare, the whole of Africa is reverting to corrupt tribalism, China must remember that repressing millions is ultimately futile and Putin is running a once proud population into the ground, making friends with and giving sanctuary to other "leaders" of disrepute, not forgetting Israel who seem to be brewing a regional war for themselves whilst Trump, as pathologically eager as ever to keep himself in the front page headlines has joined in by trying to play war with Iran, who just keep giving him the finger. He and his cronies are beyond words, signalling that they want their quarter of the influential areas of the world, China can take theirs, Russia theirs and Europe can muddle their way to theirs.   

You get my drift. I'm going back to reading books and listening to my music in a fairly simple, isolated life.  

Bye for now.  

IRAN reveals itself

By supplying the missiles for the attack on Israel from Gaza and being a supporter of troubles in Yemen and elsewhere, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) signposted a renewed desire to become a major military power, but why. If their intent was to destabilise their region by antagonising Israel into rash (or deliberate?) actions, then the strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria seems to suggest their aim(s) are being achieved; as have more recent Israeli attacks upon them and their infrastructure, which will lead to a war in which Israel is likely to prevail because it's smaller army is more sophisticated, with greater military capabilities, 

Israel will have realised the back-room role Iran is playing in the region, but it seems very doubtful their partial withdrawal from Gaza will assuage anyone's annoyance now, nor hint at what comes next, especially so after Hezbollah attacks from Lebanon into the Golan Heights made Israel invade there too, killing many high ranking Hezbollah personnel, as Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Lebanese to help his forces rid themselves of Iran sponsored Hezbollah. That request fell on deaf ears, but the elimination of many Hezbollah leaders will dampen their regional effectiveness and ability to expedite Iran's desire that Israel dies by a thousand cuts, without openly revealing their long term "gameplay"

Too Old?

Iran's attack on a supposed Israeli "spy headquarters" in northern Iraq and similar aggressions upon Syria and Pakistan (who retaliated of course) revealed their latest desire to become a more significant geopolitical influencer of the middle east, though striking a US military area inside Iraq which killed Americans was ill-advised and must stop if shit is not to hit their fan. Iran is showing off to their regional pals at the moment, hoping for an alliance against Israel, which is perhaps what the original Gaza/Hamas attack was really about? Iran's "leaders" want engineered strife in the region, whilst their people probably just want a stable, unoppressed lifestyle.

Update 14th Apr 2024: Having built tension(s) in the area over many months following the missile strikes and incursion into Israel, with murder and kidnappings, Iran and Israel finally came to blows. These former allies (until 1979) have been bickering for years, but why did Iran attacked Israel?

Israel seems to have been played like a fiddle; having been goaded into an over-the-top response to the "Palestinian" invasion from Gaza they have brought upon themselves global condemnation, enough for the self-appointed regional "white knight" (Iran) to feel justified in now "reprimanding" Israel. This is bad news, but possibly the fulfilment of "someone's" desire for instability in the region, for the long-term eradication of Israel.

Iran seemingly wants war with Israel, with a view to supremacy in the middle east, but former US President Biden's condemnation of Iran's brazen act, in which over 300 cruise missiles were inbound for Israel, will be ignored (for now) by Iran, because Israel has thus far done little more than put themselves on military high alert, choosing to savour their (inevitable) response and it's consequence(s). They are happy to promote the "success" of their defence systems, though it is telling that the USA had the intelligence to warn Israel, yet refused to be involve in any retaliatory strike(s), the first of which occurred on Thursday 18th April 2024 when Israel (alone) executed a missile strike onto an Iranian town hosting a major airbase and large missile production complexes. This war is official, we are seeing the first act of a simmering play and nothing good will come of it; Israel have been goaded into a long-term regional conflict and are being "played" into a war, starting with Lebanon's Hezbollah. (What is Hezbollah in Lebanon?)

Howsoever this regional scenario was engineered, Iran is in their enterprise for a long haul, for not only are they targeting mainland Israel, they desire a de-facto embargo of goods into Israel as Iranian forces  began to seize Israel-linked ships.

Iran's aspirations seems set without major internal changes, so now (May 2024) one has to ask, was the death of Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, in a mysterious helicopter, an accident or engineered?  Is his death the first step to change in Iran or merely the consolidation of political controls to the supreme leader  Ali Khameei? Time will tell ........

Update 6th Jul 2024: The electorate spoke and reformer Massoud Pezeshkian was elected to be the the new president of Iran (not the ultimate voice there), possibly signposting Iran's internal reviewing of their standing and responsibilities in that region; or the restlessness for change of the voters.

Update 3rd Aug 2024: Whatever Iran's aims or expectations are in their region, they seem keen to keep swimming in deep waters, for such is their proxy war efforts against Israel in particular that the USA has been triggered into an overt stance in the region, ostensibly in support of Israel, though they still condemn the genocide ongoing in Gaza. Such is the region's dogma on many "sides" that all parties argue their greater "rights" and continue to kill, subjugate, terrify, curtail or ruin the aspiration of millions of innocents to just live a "normal" life, unfettered by political, religious, power-hungry war-mongers.

Update 25th Oct 2024: This is it then, Israel has spoken and struck out directly and decisively at Iran who can no longer skulk in the shadows of their mercenary's actions. They were called out by Israel and it's time for them to put-up or shut-up. To escalate or not. Whatever they wish(ed) for in that region is now becoming the main event.

Update 10th Mar 2025: With the sudden overthrow of the Syrian dictatorship of Assad and the decimation of Hezbollah's leadership by Israeli actions, an unstable power vacuum occurred, meaning Iran has to be overt or retiring in its stance toward Israel, for its regional aspirations seem to be shattering. They still need to come to terms with internal but wide-spread simmering resentment of Iran's national mismanagement amongst its population and it can only be hoped that the new Syrian head man can bring some stability to the region, something that seems possible following him signing a new constitution endorsing Syria's 5-year transition plan back to normalcy.

Update 15th Jun 2025: With a de-facto war erupting between Israel and Iran, it seems their provocations of the past have come home to roost and where that will lead is anyone's guess now that internal dissent is apparent.

Update 22nd Jun 2025: After ostensibly standing on the side-line whilst irritating and disrupting neighbours for many years, using regional proxy forces and threatening "death to America and Israel", Iran's time has come: They have been called-out by the USA, whose gloves are now off signalling their support of Israel, with spectacular bombing and the obliteration of many Iranian sites.

Update 9th Dec 2025: Internal domestic pressure continues to rise in Iran; originally started by shop owners protesting about inflationary trends precipitated by global trade sanctions, displays of discontent by the general populace are now nationwide and internal violence by "the state" against its people has caused the death of thousands as the revolutionary guard are being told to change their ways by the populace. Trump has warned Iran to not continue killing its protesters as they themselves become more violent.

Update 11th Sep 2026: Trump went to war against Iran without positive effect or advantage. Iran basically gives him the finger repeatedly and his initial hubris is waning. Iran continues to irritate Trump by not playing ball, with his ego being beaten-up regularly; indeed, their latest initiative, on this of all days, was to have their proxy militia, the Yemeni Houthis, tighten Iran's regional grip in the region by taking control of an island capable of controlling access to the Red Sea, aiming to manipulate global trade and oil price. This action by Iran, with Houthis in the vanguard, is a new and dangerous venture in the stale-mated US-Iran war. It seems likely, after the destruction of a key Saudi oil pipeline that Iran intends to ensnare Saudi Arabia and restrict its ability to supply its oil via the Red Sea. Trump's only achievement in his war is to raise the cost of living for most oil consuming manufacturing countries.

Are you looking at me?

 

Are you looking at me? Then Are YOU lookin' at me?

Prediction - This may seem funny now but just you wait and see.  Football and boxing robots are cute, but "we" will weaponize them and be unhappy until we become Gods by achieving mastery of "Wetware".

AI and robotics are an extremely powerful combination and even experts in this field of science are expressing fears as "unknown" capabilities are coming to light following earlier warnings; not all good.

 My pessimism was tempered slightly when I read this robotic article.

Things take a while in Hull

This is not a criticism of Kingston-Upon-Hull, it's people, nor it's political administrators over the years since "the war" (1939-1945), but a celebration of Hull's respect for its past that is now coming to fruition after many years of public discussion. Hull has a penchant for preserving the facades of old buildings for incorporation into new ones, which I think is an honourable state of mind, respectful of the city's heritage; but this decision has taken some time, 83 years to be exact. 83! 

This was left in 1941 when a German plane bombed a packed picture house leaving ruins that have been undisturbed since, though renovation is now ongoing. The Germans were pretty good at bombing Hull * - it was both the first and the last UK mainland city to be bombed and over 5 years 95% of Hull's housing stock was either totally destroyed, rendered uninhabitable or damaged in some way. This count does not include industrial, municipal or retail buildings. Hull got a right  pasting, as recalled in a recent exhibition, with many links to Hull's war history.

* Available for £14.95 from the Carnegie Heritage Centre bookshop, at www.carnegiehull.co.uk/shop/store/

Hull's National Picture Theatre in the 30's and bombed-out below in 1941

View this video from 30:30 to hear it's story

 

In 2026 restoration of the cinema site was completed and filmed

Hull is not a boastful city, it endured, it endures, it persists and seems to be flourishing again after half a century of decline; it is not "perfect", nor glamorous, but it is (mostly) a respectful city and proud of it's place in history. It was once the third largest port in the UK, with money and civic pride enough to construct many grand buildings, reduced to facades by German bombing. Thankfully successive  councils have kept them to remind us of former glories.

Here are some facades preserved and reincorporated into newer developments.

Bombed in WW2 - the co-op façade 

The co-op façade incorporated into a less than grand building!

BHS façade being constructed in the 1960s

This how it looked for many years

Former BHS façade on remodelled building (2025)

Gut reaction

This article popped up for me and crystalized my thoughts into a simple statement. "Fuck that, just send him home", as did a news report about an illegal immigrant still applying for asylum (from what?), who has already been jailed for espousing and glorifying terrorism. Don't jail this parasite, just force him back to Turkey.

We don't need people like this importing their fights, their bigotry, their sob-stories, their desires, their criminality, their lack of comprehension about their newly desired social norms, their rabid religious inclinations, their "tribal" and "ethno-centric" aspirations for themselves but not the women around them, nor anyone else who is not like them.

To the British government I repeat myself - grow a pair, stop being nice to anyone who rocks up illegally, or those that facilitate their uninvited arrival. Block any appeal that they or their parasitic legal teams come up with and stop pandering to thought's of being "fair" - life isn't fair and gratuitous charity just leads to dependence or further deceptions. 

If the UK were likened to a ship, the crew are reaching mutiny because the captain will not repel boarders and the longer the government are inactive in this pursuit, I believe a second new model army is in the making.

I don't want to feel like this!

The Spanish enclave of Ceuta in Morocco was recently "invaded" by over 60,000 co-ordinated migrants in one day. They over-ran local border protocols and seemingly proved that mass invasion is a way to arrive, smothering local authorities and thereby "escaping" into the indigenous population.. A BBC reporter was there at the time and it is alarming to see such an invasion, which should make many "captains" begin to worry, for fear of mutiny.

From this invasion has come friction between Spain and Italy, which will be interesting to follow, especially so now that those illegal immigrants are flexing "their rights" and inducing violence, amid claims of  rape and sexual assaults. Ceuta is the whole of Europe in microcosm!

I've just read this post back to myself and never thought I could endorse such thoughts, but I am sick to death of  hearing the incessant drip of the national mantra that we must help such parasitic and needy peoples of the world. If arriving from a war zone house them as "guests" then repatriate them as one would prisoners of war. 

At the age of 69 I'm almost ashamed, but actuality has pushed me here.

Why come to us to for sanctuary as you "fight" your hate-fuelled cause?

FALLOW FIELD

This poem comments on promotion based merely upon 

aspiration, without regard to life's related sacrifices. 

I clawed the crumbling rocks.
Through the frosty mists I crawled
until spent and resigned to fail.
I cut my hands and tore my nails
for the ledge I had to find,
then finding I fell.
I awoke on my ledge to a feeling of loss;
cold: no more I viewed the fallow field
and lost I was, as up they came.
From my ledge they were small,
but having my scent they surged on and up
some falling, some jumping,
they thinned to a threatening few,
and panic with dread of losing my ledge
launched me to climb again;
higher and higher 'til my air thinned
where few could live
and to see the field was marred by the giddying heights,
but I saw the summit and I saw the man,
he beckoned as I wearily ran.
I nearly reached him; but too late,
or just not soon enough?
He jumped.
Plummeted to reality,
to life and friends in the fallow field.

This woman knows what I mean

Cake know what I mean

The start of it. 
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