New Year- New Tech

Talking to Ian (Happy 50th) over Christmas I realised that I need to get on-board with the latest in home tech (where you can use voice control and/or interact with voice only).

Google Home Mini- Joining the 21st Century 

I've ordered the Google Mini and been checking out what it'll do, fear I might need a newer phone to set it up but I think in tech terms a phone over 5 years old is prehistoric.

Politics

Seems odd that Toby Young  (Journalist for Spectator who few have a positive word for) has been given a job he's not suitable for, perhaps an indication that the NHS being unable to manage the (surprise?) arrival of winter does not disqualify Jeremy Hunt MP (having to apologise for NHS failing to meet the needs of the population, presumable he and his colleagues are to blame?)  as a possible for the job of Deputy PM.

Similarly as David Davis  MP and Dr Liam Fox MP continue to struggle with their portfolios the even further out of his depth Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson MP is rumoured to be in line for a role in the Brexit negotiations - seems (still) that Mrs May MP PM continues to put petty party matters above those of the UK.
 

The Positives & Thanks

Well done to Nationwide for getting a replacement Debit Card to me in super quick time - very impressed.

Managed to pass on a  book that I got a  more up to date version of this Christmas (501 Must See Films) to Oxfam Books.

Bought a Tin of Soup while at Tescos for Food Bank at (Ealing).

Thanks for People who helped me when I stumbled (Physically) at Cambridge Circus - amazed at these kind folk.

[Weight check 11st 2 lbs]

Happy New Year (& try to make things better)

2018 Wow where did that spring from.

I reckon it'll be interesting to put down some points so I can see in a year's time how right I am and how I've managed to stick to what I say...

So hear goes.........

Politics

Left

Westminster -Change is the order of the day?

Imagine how Labour would be doing with a less divisive figure heading it up- the threat of purges and Momentum infiltration is unlikely to go away - the discussion by Jon Lansman  meeting head on the issue of Antisemitism by is to be welcomed though.


Right

Theresa May is said to be preparing for a reshuffle that could see both David Davis MP and Boris Johnson MP demoted - the idea of Boris being involved in Brexit negotiations is surely not serious, detail is even less his thing than it is of David Davis - inevitably there's some positioning going on for the job of replacing 'Lame-Duck' PM May and the duplicitous Michael Gove MP (as ever) is one to watch.

There are (at least) two schools of thought around   May remaining as PM - she's not running  away(as Cameron did) but she clearly lacks belief in the wisdom of Brexit and she seems unable to communicate (as a human being)  with the electorate a key requirement I think in the Art of Leadership.

Centre

So SDP to re-emerge perhaps - bye-elections and Council elections will give us  an idea on how well Vince Cable is connecting and offering a Pro Europe alternative to the two majors

 Issues

I reckon the issues we'll be judging our politicians on (apart from Brexit) are

Inflation - I'm seeing Pound stores unable to hold the line, as result of  weaker pound (and need for business growth) they're no longer these -I think this sends a powerful message out on the 'High Street'.

£land is a fabled place in 2018?

Utilities

Well Energy companies (as you'd expect)  keep maximising their profits - government has spoken about policing this - we'll see.

I also remain unimpressed by how the Water Companies are doing their job.

Housing

Affordable! (too many new builds are not).

Personally

Some Tories say Food Banks are a sign we care - perhaps they are but could be something else - anyway I'm going to try to remember to put something in for the Food Banks  each time  I visit a supermarket.

Technology

3D printer, Clas Ohlson - £399

Amazing that 3D printers are now in High Street at sub £400 ( I remember many years ago when a Colour telly cost this -what would that be in present day prices!)

 With a few cool Apps and teachers getting on board this could be amazing development

And on Positive Note!

And on a surprising action from a return visit to Carluccio's  - a chain restaurant that was founded by the late Antonio (A friend of Eduardo Paolozzi  and a big figure who we lost in 2017) - The return trip to the one inside Kingston Bentall's - either it was going to be better or worse than our previous visit - food just as good and waiter gave me a Coffee on the house - small gesture but very much appreciated.

When it's time to leave the stage

So a 'week's a long time in politics' I fear it's going to feel liker an eternity as we move towards the UK general election on June 8th.

There is still hope that Labour will do better than is feared by its supporters but the 'runes' to date do not look good.

It takes courage to go out there.

While the Labour party repeat the mistakes of the past and actually choose to ignore widely accepted wisdom it is worth considering what a seemingly benign character has done which works against those he wishes to help.

To me the Labour party of late have chosen to focus on those who have suffered during the economic challenges of the last 10 years or so but have not offered to the vast majority of an aspiring population a view of 'sunny uplands'.

The victim mentality, which the Labour activists message can be read as is not inspiring - the idea that we can sort problems just by taking from those who have more is not enough.

If the result is as bad as expected a period of realistic reflection will be needed and perhaps the time to do that is while Jeremy Corbyn is still leader -rather than however tempting it is  just throwing him under the bus and putting all the blame at his door (Perhaps Ed needs to be held responsible too).

Oh dear we could get a sunny day which will help the government too.

Motoring now

£176 .60 -Feels like I'm really moving now

Politics and Red 23

Political issues are impacting UK citizens and there's (in my opinion) a rocky road ahead.

Following the Brexit vote in June we've had something of a 'honeymoon' period where much of the population seems to feel it's all over where in fact it's just begun.

Theresa May made clear her desire to set her own agenda as Prime-minister but the fact is that she will learns as PMs before her have that  events are what inform the landscape that she must operate in and the events on Friday around the fall of the value of the pound in HK markets could give a taste of the roller-coaster that lies ahead.

Useful for our Mandarins?

Despite some playing to the gallery on the new UK 'Super' power station (and China's involvement)  the Real Politic was always a forgone conclusion for continuation of the status quo on the deal and once Petrol prices and  the effect of other raw material costs on the UK consumer are seen management  of the  domestic situation will become more and more challenging.

The idea that the three ministers looking after the mechanics of our disentanglement have got a plan is optimistic to say the least - our hope should be that the professional mandarins working on the details are motivated by clear goals set by the ministers is perhaps a step beyond reality.

Of course the possibility of the Cabinet (including Boris 'I'll lay in front of the diggers' Johnson) agreeing a Heathrow 3rd runway is going to start a shock-wave that will further destabilise government and of course the value of the pound in the world currency markets.

It's hard to mention the challenges the UK government faces without considering the unusual strategy being pursued by Jeremy Corbyn (leader of Her Majesty's opposition) and his 'comrades'.

Unity by promoting Diane Abbott and Shami Chakrabarti  to such senior posts appears to me to be a sign of victory and domination - when fighting selective education two women who demonstrate such hypocrisy on the choices they have made for their own offspring strikes me as being counter intuitive - how can we judge our elected representatives (and in the case of Shami those chosen by their leaders) in another way that looking at what they say and what they do?

It'll be an interesting  two and a half years as the UK disengages from the 'single market'   and hopefully the 'hard working  families of the UK Men and Women' won't have to pay too high a price for the ill judged strategy started David Cameron and continued by Theresa May to hold the Tories together at whatever cost.

Red 23

And keeping on the Political line

A  supporter nails their colours to the front window

UK Politics(my view) and Red 100

It's going to be hard for Theresa may to resist an early-ish election while Labour is in such disarray.

Just when you think it can't get much worse for Labour who were was until fairly recently the UK's ruling party - it goes and gets much worse.

UK politics - only united in Tea

The idea that Jeremy Corbyn's 'troops' should engage in subterfuge at the level where computers are hacked  might seems a step too far but such is the mania for conspiracies in left wing  factions that it does have a ring of credibility about it.

Politics remains compelling to many of us.

 A rapprochement between the Labour party members and its political representatives at Westminster  does not look possible but infighting within the Conservatives may be only temporarily halted - there's going to be some difficulties (despite Boris's continuing optimism) with trade  negotiations  and a predicted 'dip' on the economy may cause some outbreaks of blame- mongering, just because we're likely to leave the EU doesn't mean the poison between the Right and the Social democratic centre of the Conservatives is more than sleeping-  and  new possibilities undoubtedly remain. 


 

Red 100

The last day of 3 digits!
Many of the pictures have been about the subject but here's one where I actually like the composition too.
The red isn't physically overpowering but it does draw the eye to it.

A Red turban in Ealing Broadway - what is it about red head-wear?

May's changes and Red 109

Jacqui Smith was pretty much on the money when she praised the political astuteness of Theresa May in setting up her 'Tanks' on the central territory of the UK's political landscape - but  as more detail emerges the truth is that there's some rather worrying compromises and potentially destabilising changes being made.



I'm sufficiently old to recall Margaret Thatcher's 'healing' words on her first election victory - much that came after the words was divisive and mean spirited, I hope this will not be the case with May.

The building became DECC - Dept. of BREXIT next?

The idea that Department of Energy and Climate (DECC) change are to be subsumed into business certainly sends out a message that this area of intervention has become less important - hopefully a review of the way the UK energy market operates will produce some more positive direction for the Greener Tories.



As with many political trade offs what seems clever (politically) the re instatement of Boris in high cabinet office  at the Foreign Office is a high risk choice - Boris has insulted many countries and their leaders for a cheap laugh, all well and good for a panel show celebrity but not appropriate to the UK's international mouthpiece



In reality both Boris and Michael should have been given a 'cooling off' period rather than rewarding one attention seeker and perpetuating a feud that I fear will run and run.

Red 109

And this revealed by a trawl through my old vinyl

A record of the time (1973)

London Sights/Sites and Red 121

I've remarked before on the effective disguising of Building Sites to be more like the Building Sights they'll ultimately be.

Here's another perspective.

Spotted this one in Garrick Street - hope the completed building looks as good.

Near Garrick Street -Better than a load of scaffolding

Politics

I'm not sure how the UK politics post Brexit vote will pan out - intrigue continues, the underlying seismic shifts could turn out to be a Rightward shift for Tories with Labour moving to inhabit the centre or conversely  while unresolved leadership issues persist  it seems Labour's continuing with a Leftward shift and a (perhaps)  newly invigorated centre.

Sadly the populace at large seems to be a mere sideshow for many of the power hungry combatants in the battles.

Red 121

Well the 'record ' is now at over two thirds complete and do get ready from some more diverse expressions of redness - and hopefully I'm going to get more input from others and a chance to reflect on what I've got from the endeavour.

Here's an Angry red graffiti image reminiscent of the Crimson King album,  In the Court of the Crimson King.

Anger is often associated with seeing red, blood rising etcetera

Work on London Grill (Northfields) continues and Red 195

Yesterday evening walking past the site I snapped the picture below.

The oddly neglected premises have been such a  mystery over the years my emotions were mixed on the soon to be  rehabilitation of the old Grill Bar on Ealing's Northfield Avenue

  So the work on the former London Grill is now in full swing

DCMS reappears once again as The Ministry of Fun

I suppose it might seem a touch 'old fashioned'  but when we look at our leaders, in the various ways their lives impinge on us, we do have as a sort of reflex action a desire to measure them on how they live up to their own stated aims.

While the recent revelations around the church leader Justin Welby have done him credit those around the current Culture Secretary of the UK government  John Whittingdale  have done him little but harm, fair to say that his private life is his private life but it appears there are questions about his judgement and the way he has conducted his professional life as an MP.

The primary concern for me is the level of honesty and competence he is showing in his role in reviewing the BBC, I would say it's fair that he's brought with him to his job quite a bit of baggage and this is perhaps colouring his analysis and leadership of this department - worse than his shenanigans is the misleading on the BBC review as reported by the Radio Times (not generally an overly political organ).

I'm not clear if the Prime-minister's complete backing is the usual reflex action but in light of the tensions between Pro EU (like the PM) and anti- EU (like John Whittingdale MP - who has some support from his constituents) I wonder if there's a thinly suppressed delight in his discomfiture.

Musing on this I suppose Whittingdale does not have too much to live up to in Cabinet, a PM who employs Andy Coulson and avoids disclosure of his financial position until the press pressure becomes overwhelming is only one example of the crowd he's sadly got himself associated with.

Red 195

Looking like a message from outer space what better wavelength for the aliens?

A sign from another planet

UK Party Political Leadership and Red 246

Nobody said being a leader is easy or fun- the spotlight has moved from Labour's beleaguered leader (it's a word that is compulsorily attached to statements about  Corbyn)

I read recently that Jeremy Corbyn the (current) leader of the Labour party in the UK has adopted something of a 'Bunker Mentality' reading only the papers he's favourably reviewed by (not too many) and going to events where others attending want to be seen in 'selfies' with him - it's probably not true but it still has a ring of truth about it.

Sadly I think Corbyn is a failed experiment he's no Bernie Sanders and despite his pained expressions the situation he finds himself in is much of his own making - Ken Livingstone as elder statesman of the self destruct wing of Labour has mused  that Corbyn's Shadow Chancellor would replace Corbyn on a sudden departure - this is not necessarily a good thing

Is it the  DC Comic going Whaam?

But JC's problems are nothing when compared to those of DC.

John Major will be smiling his enigmatic smile as he sees the usual suspects forming an (almost) unified group around Boris Johnson.

The problem as I see it  is that leadership relies on support cascading from the top, many of Cameron's cabinet colleagues  have now broken their  link with the leader and revealed that although he may lead many choose not to follow - in fact the appeasement he's offered to 'rebels' is now looking like it has merely delayed and fuelled the open warfare it was designed to defeat - oh dear me.

Red 246

Strange sometimes how you can create a whole story or scenario from a snatched image - there's one here perhaps.

Congratulations perhaps?