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The Furies
The last big storm, the one that knocked down a lot of trees, that was Arwen, wasn’t it? Now it’s Eowyn.
If the run of Tolkien females continues, Galadriel will be a bitch.
Lynched
Following the death of the great David Lynch, I did a Wikipedia search for Twin Peaks. I found it and read the plot, with mounting amazement.
Like most of the population I watched the series slavishly. Revisiting it, if proof is required that you can in fact fool all of the people all of the time, that is it.
Sir Keir is watching you
After the latest update Microsoft Word users will have noticed a new tool. It’s called Copilot, and its purpose is to produce a draft document covering pretty much anything that it’s told to do.
I promise you right now that I will never go near it. Apart from it being dishonest, it would also be pointless. They can tweak it all they like but they will never teach the bugger to think like me.
However Keir Starmer loves it. In his eyes, as he explained this week, Artificial Intelligence is a gateway to the bravest of new world and is a field in which the UIK will be a world leader.
Izzat so, Prime Minister? Maybe you’ve used it already.
I took it for a test drive this afternoon. I asked it to write an election manifesto for the British Labour Party. In less that 30 seconds, I kid you not, it came up with the following:
Labour Party Election Manifesto
For a Fairer, Greener, and Brighter Future
Introduction
The Labour Party is committed to building a fairer, greener, and brighter future for all citizens of the United Kingdom. Our vision is rooted in the principles of social justice, economic equality, and environmental sustainability. We believe that by working together, we can create a society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, irrespective of their background or circumstances.
Economy and Jobs
Building a Stronger Economy
• Invest in infrastructure projects to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
• Support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with grants and low-interest loans.
• Implement a fair tax system where the wealthiest pay their fair share.
• Raise the minimum wage to ensure a living wage for all workers.
Creating Quality Jobs
• Invest in green industries and renewable energy to create sustainable jobs.
• Promote vocational training and apprenticeships to equip young people with the skills they need.
• Support workers’ rights to unionize and bargain collectively.
• Ensure equal pay for equal work and eliminate gender pay gaps.
Education
Investing in Our Future
• Increase funding for public schools to ensure that all children receive a high-quality education.
• Reduce class sizes to provide more personalized attention to students.
• Expand access to early childhood education and childcare services.
• Make higher education accessible and affordable for all by reducing tuition fees and increasing scholarships.
Empowering Teachers
• Provide competitive salaries and professional development opportunities for teachers.
• Ensure that teachers have the resources and support they need to succeed in the classroom.
• Promote a curriculum that fosters critical thinking, creativity, and practical skills.
Healthcare
Protecting the NHS
• Increase funding for the National Health Service (NHS) to ensure timely access to healthcare for all.
• Reduce waiting times for surgeries, treatments, and consultations.
• Invest in mental health services to provide comprehensive care for all citizens.
• Ensure that healthcare professionals receive competitive salaries and adequate working conditions.
Improving Public Health
• Promote preventive care and healthy lifestyle choices to reduce the burden of chronic diseases.
• Expand access to addiction treatment and support services.
• Ensure that all citizens have access to affordable prescription medications.
• Enhance support for caregivers and family members who provide care to loved ones.
Environment
Tackling Climate Change
• Commit to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
• Invest in renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power.
• Promote energy efficiency and conservation in homes, businesses, and public buildings.
• Support sustainable agriculture and protect natural habitats and biodiversity.
Building a Green Economy
• Invest in green technologies and innovation to drive economic growth.
• Create green jobs and support workers transitioning from traditional industries.
• Promote public transportation and sustainable urban planning to reduce carbon footprints.
• Encourage recycling, waste reduction, and the circular economy.
Social Justice
Fighting Inequality
• Implement policies to reduce poverty and support vulnerable populations.
• Promote affordable housing and address homelessness through comprehensive programs.
• Ensure that social security and welfare benefits provide adequate support for those in need.
• Advance gender equality and support initiatives to combat discrimination and violence against women.
Promoting Inclusivity
• Support policies that promote diversity and inclusion in workplaces and communities.
• Protect the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals and promote equality for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Foster positive relations between different cultural, ethnic, and religious groups.
• Ensure that people with disabilities have access to the services and opportunities they need to live fulfilling lives.
Housing and Infrastructure
Building Affordable Homes
• Invest in the construction of affordable housing to meet the needs of all citizens.
• Implement rent control measures to prevent exploitation by landlords.
• Support first-time homebuyers with grants and low-interest loans.
• Ensure that all housing developments are environmentally sustainable and energy-efficient.
Improving Infrastructure
• Invest in the modernization of public transportation systems.
• Upgrade and maintain essential infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and public utilities.
• Expand access to high-speed internet and digital services across the country.
• Implement smart city initiatives to enhance urban living and reduce environmental impacts.
Foreign Policy
Promoting Peace and Stability
• Support diplomatic efforts to resolve conflicts and promote global peace.
• Commit to international cooperation on issues such as climate change, trade, and security.
• Provide humanitarian aid to countries affected by disasters and conflicts.
• Uphold human rights and promote democracy worldwide.
Strengthening International Relations
• Foster strong relationships with our European neighbours and other global allies.
• Promote fair trade policies that protect workers’ rights and environmental standards.
• Support international development initiatives that address poverty and inequality.
• Engage with global institutions to collaborate on shared challenges and opportunities.
Conclusion
The Labour Party is dedicated to creating a better future for all citizens of the United Kingdom. Our manifesto outlines a comprehensive plan to build a fairer, greener, and more prosperous society. We believe that by working together, we can achieve our shared goals and ensure a brighter future for generations to come. We invite you to join us in this journey and support our vision for a better tomorrow.
Thank you for your support.
The Labour Party
DIY
There’s a tv ad running for a build-it-yourself Dalek. It’s motorised, it has a voice and it will do most Daleky things short of elimination, or maybe even that.
It comes in 140 parts. The first costs £1.99. The next 139 cost £11.99 each. That’s a spectacular £1668.60. However if at actually does what it does on the telly it could be pretty cheap.
Edinburgh Airport
Once upon a time in L’Escala, the Club Nautic decided that all motorists would have to pay for access to the marina. This included the fishermen who worked from there.
They set up a barrier and a machine. On day one the fishermen arrived and duly paid. Then they held a meeting.
When it was over, they went back to the pay point, broke the barrier and threw it in the sea. It was never replaced.
Sometimes direct action is best.
A wheel too far
A tour guide told me today that Copenhagen is on course to meet its net carbon neutrality target by next year. If its cycle friendly policy is a by product they can stick it where the sun doesn’t shine.
Let’s have a pedestrian friendly policy first. In the Danish capital I feel much more at risk from bikes than cars.
Lookalikes
Finally, four or five years down the line, I got round to watching 21 Bridges. Excellent, but for one thing.
Chadwick Boseman, the good guy, and Stephan James, the bad guy, each black, each bearded, looked so alike that I was fifteen minutes into the movie before I realised that they weren’t one and the same person.
Anyone else have that problem?
Eh?
Watching TNT Sport, I have just seen one of the worst tv ads ever, on several levels. Coventry Building Society, how many social groups did you mean to offend.
Doomsday
I began my working life sixty years ago, as a journalist. I wasn’t very good at it, but I was lucky enough to make the jump from poacher to gamekeeper, where I was more comfortable and successful.
Nevertheless I still think like a journalist. My values are based on those of the sixties, before the rising of the Sun when most newspapers were broadsheet rather than tabloid and truth, as viewed from either side of the fence, was valued above all else.
This morning, I am saddened by what I am reading. Specifically, a Daily Mail report touching on two broadcast incidents. In one, Tom Bradby, a respected broadcaster, is accused of calling Donald Trump a fascist during ITV’s election coverage. He didn’t. He quoted named people who had worked in the first Trump administration, and had used that term. Not only does the Mail distort his words, it portrays him as leading ‘the British liberal meltdown.’
In a subsequent section it refers to Emily Maitlis ‘mysteriously’ leaving C4 coverage, after being rebuked for swearing by her co-host. She didn’t … she attributed the term ‘batshit’ to others … and she wasn’t. She left the studio to record part of a podcast and resumed her role later.
The Nationalist, a fortunately little read publication, went further. It reported that she had been ‘pulled off’ coverage, a total misrepresentation, or to put it another way, a lie.
I know, we live in a different era. Today’s media has evolved beyond what was imaginable even thirty years ago. But surely standards shouldn’t have evolved with it. Surely truth should have remained truth, and respect should be constant.
But it hasn’t. I am now officially a dinosaur. 🦕 My worry is that there is another meteorite on the way. It may hit after I have gone, but it will swallow those I love and who remain.
Here’s what I see as today’s truth. The greatest threat to our society isn’t Trump, or Putin, or crazy Kim. It’s ourselves.
Inconceivable
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g7x5kl5l8o
Seriously? A couple earning a joint £60k, basing their family decisions on cost? Maybe as well they don’t, for the kids’ sake.,
No honour
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly07l2ppkeo
Good for her but when the journalist becomes the story it doesn’t sit right.
Eh?
Long time fan of Steely Dan. I’m playing Aja on my new system with words displayed. Wonderful music, unintelligible lyrics. What the fuck are you saying, guys?
No joke
All the publicity surrounding Joker a Deux made me feel guilty about not having watched the first one.
So I did. Wow.
First, Joaquim Phoenix is a genius, on the same level as de Niro, Nicholson and Pacino. Second, the film is maybe even better than Rotten Tomatoes says.
But. If The Batman was dark, The Joker is inky black, without a vestige of hope at the end. So, why make another?
RIP Chairman
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp39q43976po
When I joined the Scottish Conservative Party in 1980, as its press officer, Michael Ancram was its chairman. I was 34, and so was he, a week younger than me. He smiled his way through the interview, because that’s how he was; an aristocrat, yes, a man of influence, yes, but without any side to him. He wasn’t simply a chair, he was a leader whom his entire staff, the Scottish backbenchers and most of the voluntary side, were happy to follow. He didn’t simply talk the talk. He put it on the line when he had to. At that time, the hot issue in Scotland was the future of the steel strip mill, Ravenscraig, in Motherwell, my home town. London would have pulled the plug on it in heartbeat but we had an election to fight in 1983. The STUC held a rally in protest against the feared closure. Michael went along; I was with him. We listened to the speeches, the fire, the brimstone; they had a case, in the short term at least. Michael whispered to me, ‘I’m going to do it.’ He stood up, was invited to speak, walked to the podium, and pledged his support and that of the Scottish party, to saving the plant. He put his job on the line, but he kept it. We went into the 1983 General Election with 21 Scottish seats, and we came out with 21. We knew that was a phenomenal resulting that climate, but it wasn’t good enough for Maggie, who had spent a total of 18 hours in Scotland in the entire campaign, and consequently knew as little about it as clearly she cared. Yes, she gave Michael a job in government in the aftermath, but on the lowest rung of the ladder, Parliamentary Under-secretary of State. Those of us who had worked for and with him saw that as an insult. Looking back, I believe was her way of controlling someone she knew would never be a yes man. Or maybe she was getting even for Ravenscraig.
Four years later, Michael lost his Edinburgh seat, which had always been marginal. By that time, I was out of politics and a director of a corporate communications firm in Edinburgh. I persuaded my colleagues that we had a need for the right non-executive director. They agreed, he and I had lunch, and he joined our board. Not long afterwards, he became our chairman too.
In 1992 politics called him back, inevitably, to a safe seat in England, a different Prime Minister, a proper job, and the respect his talent deserved, although not quite enough to see him win the leadership in 2001, when his colleagues made the mistake of choosing Ian Duncan Smith. Michael gave a lot to his country and he could have given a lot more.
My deepest sympathy to Jane, and to his family.
Stereotypical
Continuing my Tolkien theme, I have been watching the Prime Video prequel to Lord of the Rings. I find myself wondering why in the minds of its creators, dwarves have Scottish accents while their even smaller neighbours, hobbits, have a fine Irish brogue.
How the hell can Amazon be simultaneously xenophobic and sizeist?
Elves? Public school and perfectly groomed. Men? Not quite as posh, but they wouldn’t affect property values.
Tolkien
Why is it that every time I see Orla Guerin, I think of Gandalf Stormcrow, who never turned up bearing good news?
Why …
when a guy is blessed with a voice like Rory Graham does he bother calling himself Rag ‘n Bone Man?
Please explain.
Split decision
Almost as big as AJ v Dubois is the scrap between Prime and Netflix over their version of the Prince Andrew interview saga.
I’ve watched Scoop, the Flix movie and also A Very Royal Scandal, the Amazon series, and my favourite is …..?
For all that Ruth Wilson and Michael Sheen can outact Gillian Anderson and Rufus Sewell any day of the week, I have to go with Scoop. There’s less extraneous material, plus Billie Piper gives it added value, while her character is almost peripheral in the other.
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