Us Geminis never take time off…

even when we’re asleep. Awake > coffee > off we go > eat > more  of the same> TV >  bedtime.  

I love ideas. If I could have them for breakfast I would. I can never have too many though I admit I do need time for digestion.

A ‘day off’. 

It is so often the same. The day starts with nothing in the diary and then before you know where you are it’s full of things that have happened, often unexpected things.

Optimistic Dream?

I had a remarkable dream early this morning about a society when everyone did hugs and everyone was happy and it was like they had been relieved from something. Perhaps it was a political dream in disguise, who knows.

A friend in trouble with the law

I had a note from an unnamed friend who has been battling away against paying council tax. She wrote to me yesterday saying rather ominously ‘they took my friend and me to prison near Heathrow. We were kidnapped by the ‘authorities’ on Thursday afternoon. They let us go on Friday about 4:00 PM. I’m in a hospital at the moment so can’t talk’

and later on she wrote

I am bruised but I’m home. Don’t worry.

I wrote back saying that she should stop her campaign against the authorities who are completely corrupt and abandoned the idea of truth and justice years ago. I said she should write a book and then get on with her life.

Us human beings are mortal and have bodies which can wear out, so this has to be considered under the term self regard which is not the same as being selfish.

Glastonbury Festival is Rubbish music-wise

I first noticed this at Glastonbury of last year but most definitely the Glastonbury of this year, but it had some of the most rubbish music I’ve ever heard. I reckon most of it could have been written by artificial intelligence for all the originality it shows.I admit that I am way way out of ‘the zone’ but I’m just listening to what my ears tell me.

Charli XCX ….Manufactured or what? I genuinely do not know what to make of or how to react to this lady. Is the doing an impression of a cat? OK she’s got leg fat. Aesthetics 3/10

I’m seeing immature artists who are not used to relating to large groups of people. It’s no good shouting, is everyone alright? because you know what’s going to happen. I want to see professional performers at the top of their game not relics or juniors.

I did see live Wolf Alice who were two very articulate honest youngsters. They were being interviewed by two presenters from the BBC. They communicated well, saying that although this was their fifth time at Glastonbury each experience had been different. Good kids. I hope they don’t get spoiled. My goodness her voice is strong and she dominates the stage.

The featured artists in days of yore such as Tina Turner, who created  and composed ?actual music with songs, the words of which you could actually understand. It seems today the emphasis is on rap type music  – which I have nothing against of itself – but there was little colour, substance or variety in much of the ‘music’.

I reckon with this years offerings you could not understand the lyrics unless you had heard them before. Well, that’s me.I know the target group is not me but for heaven’s sake can we have a bit of aesthetics here.

Clue – music – melodies – catchy tunes –  riffs – words you can understand

The situation was saved with Nile Rogers and CHIC. Neil started writing and arranging in the late 70s so he has a wonderful track record but unfortunately his latest set this evening was over-produced.

He was accompanied by full-on colored lady bless her who gave it all its worth  – and more – and I missed the original economical ‘shoot from the hip’ version that I remember of old. 

Anyway about 8.15pm along came Rod Stewart (80 years old) with Ronnie Wood a mere 78 years old and an all dressed in white Lulu (a youngster at 76 ears old) and that cheered me up. You cant beat old rockers.

Lucy Connolly

I am a member of the internet group NextDoor.co.uk and someone was talking about Lucy Connolly. She got 31 months in jail for a brief post on X after writing some crisp words about what she would do with immigrants. It is worth reading about the context which are the remarks by the judge prior to sentencing. 

A Nextdoor reader wrote about liberty. I was reminded today about John Stuart Mill (left) the philosopher (1806-1873) and I was then referred to a great interlocutor who gives summary talks on various philosophers including the man just mentioned by the name of James Muldoon.

He is a lecturer on political science at Exeter University, UK. I invite you to watch this video 15:47 as an example of clarity and straightforwardness.

First , second and third rate journalism

I was thinking today how few journalists I actually trust. The late John Pilger the political journalist, Robert Fisk, Simon Calder the travel journalist are some that spring to mind.

I do not read newspapers at the moment part of because of their cost, and partly because I don’t know what I can trust and how many journalists have been compromised, never mind their masters, the editors of the various journals.Its not so much what they write but what they miss out

I never question Simon Calder, I regard him as a first rate journalist  because I know that he has investigated deeply and checks his facts thoroughly. He will not rush out with something or sensationalize it but just state it as it is.

A second rate journalist will cover something but without critical analysis and also may lack the depth of nuance that is required.

The third rate journalist is out for clicks not clarity and here I cite the Daily Express so-called weather forecasts where they claim that for example ‘a 500 mile long band of snow is approaching the country’ or ‘the exact time that so and so will happen’.

Accuracy seldom happens because they are prioritizing speed over substance to create click bait or attention bait.  It actually does me harm to read these things.

When I read something I want to know that the information has been properly verified.

Old friends we have not been in touch with

I’m trying to think of examples of people I haven’t heard from for a long time and I ring them up out of the blue. What goes through my mind.  Have they lost interest? Do they still have the same number? Did I leave on a less than good note?

I think it’s always worth a shot and if they  no longer feel continuity with you then become possession will reflect that in being polite and fairly short.

More likely you will have some memories to recall and benefit from some updating. If it has been a friendship of so longer than seven years it’s  more likely there was something substantial there rather than for eating so why not. I say if you get the impulse  then do it anyway

As an illustration I was discussing with Francoise about a time from the age of four when she went holidaying on the Île de Ré which is off the coast line of La Rochelle in France. One thing led to another and we started talking about old friends of hers with whom she lived in London to who she had not spoken for some years.

I felt strongly that if she did not make the telephone call immediately she would miss out on an opportunity. She decided to give it a try and sure enough when she made the call a good contact was established and they talked for over an hour. This shows once again as if I needed to remind myself that inspiration has a timing element to it.

If we get an idea and say to ourselves, ‘well, I’ll do it sometime’ it may not succeed but if you do it when you get the inspiration and find the open window then you will probably succeed. Those who give inspirational moments are aware of anything and everything that happens with us and with others so are in the best position to prompt us

The Attack on Christianity in the UK

I watched the most interesting video today by the ever watchful and conscientious Neil Oliver who used to work for GB news – he may occasionally do for all I know – and he was interviewing Alex Story, a very cogent and articulate apologist for Christianity.

I did not realize that our PM Starmer was a member of the Fabian society and discussed how he was attempting to marginalize Christianity and basically wipe it off the landscape. They discuss how Britain’s Christian roots are being rapidly unravelled, and how moral principles are under attack and why Christianity faces unique hostility in modern society.

I think this is more of a Christian country than we realize because it has been so over the centuries even in the dark ages and there must come a tipping point when people say ‘enough is enough’.

My summary view:  If Christianity were to disappear from the United Kingdom and be replaced by Islam who shall we politely say has a different set of values, the UK will never be the same again. The highly recommended video is here. 55:07