Israel and UAE to form diplomatic ties, says Donald Trump https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/13/israel-and-uae-to-form-diplomatic-ties-says-donald-trump?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_WordPress

Steve suggests: Dearest comrade Trump, it’s Palestine that’s the job – if you’re determined to call something ‘historic’.

20 years ago, as we slid happily into a “service economy” and a few pundits dared suggest ‘we (UK) don’t make anything anymore’.

I recall my agreement – and here’s the way to think about it. The vast majority of UK JOBS – are based solely on SOMEONE ELSE HAVING A JOB.

So as jobs shrink, service jobs shrink out of all proportion. That is why the UK now sees headlines such as those above. Simple.

Covid-19: UK economy plunges into deepest recession since records began https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/aug/12/uk-economy-covid-19-plunges-into-deepest-slump-in-history?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_WordPress

Royal Caribbean loses $1.6bn in second quarter due to Covid https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/aug/10/royal-caribbean-loses-16bn-dollars-second-quarter-due-to-covid?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_WordPress

Oh dear! What a pity?

And who in the hell needs to go on these things? Over-run local Ports? Keep engines running perpetually? Ferry fat, loud gits from here to there?

Just realised that practically no-one I know, knows about this:
Ever since I was at school the “funny bit at the end of the news” was the ecology bit  – ‘ this was what the men in sandals with beards were saying now’.
That was the early 1970s and ever since then I’ve recognised that we’re going to be in trouble but no  political will to do anything about it.
Politically, this would mean risk takers – up against the most powerful companies and lobby groups on the planet, it means almost certain political death, and there is no World Power, with enough clout to hammer it home, and the only world superpower we have – in denial.
I found myself almost shouting at the TV, “5 years to end plastic packaging???  how about NEXT MONTH???”. Similar outbursts about Diesel cars, Coal fired power stations, Fishing trawlers with 2mile long nets . . . . . It’s a massive list of real “hates” of mine.  Thought I’d type some it out to bore you guys with!

Summing-up at the end, Boris asserted his view for the UK, post Covid19:

“More resilient, more innovative, more economically dynamic, but also more generous and more sharing.”

He missed one word. “Environment”

This from Rafael Behr.  Rafael’s words are so precise & polished, real and unaffected. If you can’t face it all – just absorb the first few paras, you won’t be disappointed!

Boris Johnson’s bluster on Brexit is about to face reality https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/03/boris-johnson-brexit-eu-trade-talks?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_WordPress