We put some small raised beds in for strawberries, carrots and a bit of lettuce, more to see how they would get on as I'm no gardener. The strawberries flourished, but since getting the new dog they have diminished somewhat as the bloody big lump rather likes strawberries and her favourite sunny spot is in the other raised bed!
That made me giggle, Chunk. My dog turns her nose up at fruit thank goodness. She likes a good tattie but they're hidden...
You'd think self-sufficiency would be something more people would turn to but we seem to have lost that in our society. I've never understood why the homeless congregate in cities. It seems to me you could live much more comfortably in the countryside where you could catch rabbits and gather wild fruits and plants.
We are a lazy nation in terms of looking after ourselves. I suppose I'd have maybe fell into that bracket until I was forced to fend for myself when my elders passed away. My neighbours keep guns and when they go out shooting they'll often come back with some pheasants which I see hanging on their washing lines. I'm normally the one tasked with plucking and cooking them.
I believe that it was after the introduction of Universal Credit in 2013. That, of course, has been a massive balls up but the fact that the benefits system needed changing indicates that there was a problem with poverty in the first place. Like I've said, its a deeper problem than party politics.
I’m not a massive fan of the Tories but as a proud Englishman I cannot bring myself to vote for the party of Jeremy Corbyn, Diane Abbott and Emily Thornberry. I vote solely to keep those left wing lunatics out.
Hmm, the line 'a plague on both their houses' is often used to justify the status quo. Certainly there as some truth in it, politicians of all hues can be similarly tarred, often with justification. However now and again some particularly obnoxious individuals such as Trump and Bonko emerge. Defending them by saying they are all alike is obviously nonsense, as they are much worse. Whilst I am most certainly not a fan of Corbyn and can understand why he lost an election. A choice between Bonko and Corbyn is a no win option. The Cameron years of austerity cutting back on aid to the poorest in the UK, not increasing taxes on the richest was a political choice that only the tories would do. This was a prime cause in the rise of foodbanks. Bonko is continuing in the same vein, yes the NHS and Social Care need funding, but the first way the tories opt for, increasing the taxes on national insurance will hurt the less well off more.. no wealth tax on his chums who benefitted from PPE etc deals or increasing income tax on the better off. Defending the tories by saying other leaders would do the same and would lie just as much, like Trump/Bonko is just not true.
The EU dont seem to be in quite the same mess as us over this gas hike, nothing to do with Brexit or Boris and his ilk of course.
No, other leaders wouldn't lie as much as Trump. Maybe not even as much as Boris. But to pretend that there wasn't corruption, lies, poverty, poor decision making, scandals, backhanders etc, etc under other leaders, and that there wouldn't be again, is equally not true. And the thing is, I'm not defending the Tories. I'm pointing out the flaws in 'supporting' one party and that, often, criticism of one party or another or of individuals in politics often conveniently ignores facts that undermine those criticisms.
The next time your watching the news and a Food Bank story is on, just check out the sizes of the vast majority of folk in them. The last thing they need is more FREE food. Re Boris - he’s doing a great job. Plus there’s no viable alternative!! Bart
Okay, mate European governments consider billions in aid to weather soaring gas prices | Financial Times (ft.com)
Haven't the UK always been towards the higher end of Oil and Gas prices? Gas, in April 2021 was down to 2.464 and is currently at 4.787, almost double the price. Brent crude is currently $76, up from $60 in March and if you want to go further back, this time last year it was around the $40 mark. Unfortunately that rise has to find its way to the consumer as well. A quick look at petrol prices around Europe actually shows France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland all paying higher fuel prices than UK. Bloody Brexit eh. https://autotraveler.ru/en/spravka/fuel-price-in-europe.html#.YUxI5LhKi70
There are facts on both sides ... .... people just choose the ones they like and ignore those they don't. And if all else fails use the Corbyn get out card.
I voted remain. But I found the entrenched views on either side as equally baffling as I find the "I vote Labour/Conservative/Green because my family has been voting for them since the Neolithic" argument. It seemed to me that no one could accurately predict how it would go and that for the majority of people the changes would only be very slight. As it turns out, Brexit, as far as I can see, has had both positive and negative impacts. But then, remaining would also have had some positive and some negative impacts.