Music, football, Dyslexia, Cancer and all things London Borough of Barnet. Please note we have a two comments per person per blog rule.
Monday, 30 September 2019
Environment Monday - Everything you need to know about climate change
So what do we mean when we talk about climate change and how do we know whether it's real?
Climate change, is the effect on temperatures caused by increasing levels of greenhouse gasses.
The science is very simple. When we burn fossil fuels, we release carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. CO2 is a better insulator than than oxygen, so as the level of CO2 rises, the atmosphere retains heat better than it did previously. Different materials all have different properties when it comes to retaining heat. For example, metal loses heat far more quickly than wood. As the CO2 level rises, the heat from the Sun's energy is retained and temperatures go up.
What complicates the issue is that the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere goes up and dow naturally. We don't fully understand the process, that drives this, but its most likely down to the health of the ecosystem. Volcano's and the temperature of the Sun will clearly have some effect (The sun heats up and cools down periodically).
What we do know is that plants remove CO2 from the atmosphere and use the carbon to build structures, such as leaves, branches, stalks. These then die, decay and form peat, coal, oil etc. When humans dig them up and burn them, we release the carbon back into the atmosphere as CO2. There is a government website that explains the changing CO2 levels of this in detail, if you are interested. It supplied these two graphs
The changes are stark and worrying. As climate changes, the eco system changes and habitats become unable to sustain the established life forms, as any changes to delicate balances disrupt the way species interact. As temperatures rise, soil dries out quicker, meaning that plants with shallow roots etc start to struggle. It is far more complex than this, but that is a small picture of some of the reasons why it matters.
What are the different viewpoints on Climate change
There are four main viewpoints.
1. People who don't care.
Sadly, it seems that the vast majority of the population don't care about climate change. For many, it doesn't seem to affect them so they are not bothered. Like many things, by the time it affects you, it is too late. Think of cancer as an analogy (something I know a bit about). If you catch it and deal with it early, before it affects you, then you can fix it. It may not be pleasant, but you can stop it killing you. If you ignore the warning signs, then sadly you might not be able to take the required action in time.
2. People who don't know.
For some, it is all too confusing. So much of it seems contradictory, especially when the President of the USA says it's all nonsense and we should ignore the experts. Surely he's the president he must know? I have sympathy with anyone who is confused. I was before I researched the matter. What I read convinced me that we must err on the side of caution. Why? Again, if I can use a cancer analogy. When I was diagnosed in 2011 with Prostate cancer, I followed, the advice of my doctor, to go onto a programme of active surveillance. This meant regular biposies and scans. A friend, who is into alternative medicine, told me that the medical profession were lying to the public about cancer and that it could be cured simply by lifestyle changes. He'd seen videos on the internet and was convinced. I religiously watched all of these. Most seemed to actually be selling food supplements. Some of it was sense. Eventually I settled on what seemed to be sensible lifestyle changes. In 2014, my friend was telling me that the fact that it hadn't developed was down to the changes. In 2015, the cancer became more aggressive. Then it was all the fault of the dodgy doctors and me not taking more supplements. Much as I love my friends, I would prefer to trust qualified doctors, who know what they are talking about. That is why I trust climate change scientists, rather than blokes in pubs and dodgy internet videos, peddling conspiracy theories. Even the big oil companies such as BP recognise the need for change, which is why BP have a growing renewables subsidiary BP acknowledge the need to tackle climate change. They would not be doing this if there wasn't hard scientific evidence.
3. Large vested interests defending fossil fuel industries.
Petrol, Gas, Oil and Shale are big business. The companies operating in these sectors have huge investments in the business. The CEO's of these companies are employed to defend the financial issues of the shareholders in the companies. Whilst some like BP acknowledge the need for change, there is a history of corporate dragging of feet. Companies fund all manner of studies and research, in the hope that they can find ways to justify a business as usual approach to fossil fuel production. Change hurts profits, so is not something they will do unless they have to. Climate change sceptics have often been funded by such organisations. This is not because they doubt the science, but because they take the commercial viewpoint that if they can delay changing their ways for a few years it will be good for the balance sheet. Some are looking for magic bullets to fix the problem, such as carbon capture schemes or looking for other sectors of the economy to clobber. This is pretty normal capitalist corporate behaviour. Sadly not everyone realises that science is being manipulated simply to improve the balance sheets of large corporations. Have a look at this list of climate change deniers. Sadly it seems many are mislead by these people. That is why we need to set the record straight.
4. People who recognise the need for change.
Those of us who recognise the need for change need to to take action now. We have science on our side and we have reason on our side. One of the arguments of the vested interest is that the case is not proven. Going back to my cancer analogy and my friend who was a cancer treatment sceptic stated that I should not trust the specialist. I ignored his advice. The treatment was not pleasant, but four years later, I am in a good place. I don't know how my cancer would have progressed if I'd ignored my doctors and listened to the bloke in the pub. What I do know is that when it came down to it, I wasn't prepared to risk my life on the word of a bloke in the pub who'd watched a video on the internet. I had a responsibility to myself and my family to undergo some fairly unpleasant treatment. It is the same with climate change. We can't be 100% sure exactly what will happen, but we have a small window to make a big difference. We have a responsibility to ourselves and our children to be cautious and make changes.
You may say "what difference can I make?". There are many things you can do. I started this series to outline many of them. If you enjoyed this article, read the rest in the series. But today, there is only one thing I would ask you to do. It might not be easy, but please try. If you read this article and think it makes sense and you know someone who isn't really sure what Climate change is all about, ping this onto their Facebook page or email it to them. Ask them to read it and ask them what they think of what I had to say. If they ask you a question you can't answer by all means ping me an email. I will do my best to get you an answer. If I get a few meaty questions, then I may put them into a blog. If you are a climate change sceptic, by all means email me, with the science that supports your arguments. It is only by discussing such matters in a sane and rational manner that we can hope to fix the problems of the world. And if you don't want to fix the problems facing the world, please don't email me, as we really have nothing in common.
Sunday, 29 September 2019
The Tweets of the week in the London Borough of Barnet - 29/09/2019
1. Rules are made to be broken, normally we avoid the tweetings of local politicians, but we couldn't resist this. Whilst the country tears itself apart over politics, we do things rather differently in Barnet. Young Tory whippersnapper Felix Byers seems to be developing a romantic interest in Mrs Angry, Barnet's firebrand lefty blogger. Check out this whole thread, it is pretty hilarious!
2. This weeks local celeberity tweet comes from the esteemed Mr Tony Blackburn. He share's our philosophy!If she's game.— Cllr Felix Byers (@flxby93) September 26, 2019
3. Bablu Miah has discovered the joys of Clitterhouse farm in Cricklewood. IF you haven't we recommend it!A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth your while !!— Tony Blackburn (@tonyblackburn) September 27, 2019
4. The excellent North London Time Machine have found a real gem.Took a trip to Zone Three today to check out my first @clitterhouse project event and engage with the Cricklewood community to find out what Clitterhouse Farm means to them, part of a new project with @TrappedZoneOne and also got treated to chicken biryani which was ☑️ 🥘 🙌 💯 pic.twitter.com/nPbBLtZVXR— Bablu Miah (@bablu121) September 28, 2019
5. Talking of amazing tweets, Samuel Levy is another of our favourite tweeters. This little clip is outstandingThe entrance and gatehouse to RAF Hendon in 1966, taken from Aerodrome Road. This is a scene from the 1967 MGM film, 'The Dirty Dozen'.— NW London TimeMachine (@time_nw) September 27, 2019
From the excellent @ReelStreets https://t.co/CLEisVEJIN pic.twitter.com/pnvj2Hu32S
6. Fancy some quality Jazz in Mill HillWhilst I have been recovering from having my wisdom teeth removed I decided to have a play with the slow motion setting on my phone.— Samuel Levy (@FinchleyBirder) September 22, 2019
Here is a Syrphus sp filmed in the back garden yesterday. (Thank you to @ELBF2010 for the id) #SlowMotion #Hoverfly @vikingoptical @ArjunDutta210 pic.twitter.com/QqoqY3CG0R
7. A date for your diary. This is a very good one.Salamander feat. Vicki Edwards -2nd October - Dave "The Rave" Turner is back with his Hammond organ and his funky, bluesy, swinging six-piece band that's been together for over 30 years delivering an exciting mix of retro 60s and 70s soul and blues and Latin grooves... Plz RT. pic.twitter.com/Qd5NG2cTtk— Mill Hill Jazz Club (@millhilljazz) September 28, 2019
8. So do we!Come see the #LFF2019 closing night gala transmitted live to the Phoenix! Martin Scorcese's greatly anticipated The Irishman + red carpet footage & interviews.— Phoenix Cinema (@Phoenixcinema) September 23, 2019
7pm on 13 October - book now: https://t.co/11YRwfjwK2 pic.twitter.com/c7cogej9uF
9. Some of us got a bit wet this week!Have you seen our Historic Barnet Boards? We look forward to the final one going outside the The Spires soon! pic.twitter.com/FRQO2HNBIf— Barnet Museum (@MuseumBarnet) September 23, 2019
OMG! Drove down the A1 through Henlys Corner non-stop during the heavy rain, under the white zone; biblical rain, the cars more like speedboats in the spray. Very brief bright rainbow followed, but too wet to photograph!@LondonSnowWatch @wanstead_meteo @metoffice pic.twitter.com/C7qpgrQLPz— Donald Lyven (@barnet_rebel) September 27, 2019
10. Please support this appeal. Cancer touches all of us sooner or later in some way, shape or form
One of the studios great friends, talented musician Justin Jones passed away from kidney cancer a few years ago. His daughter has launched an appeal in his memory. Please support this https://t.co/GsrzbXTsko— MillHillMusicComplex (@MillHillMusicCo) September 23, 2019
That's all folks!
Saturday, 28 September 2019
The Saturday List #234 - My personal Top Ten music videos from the London Borough of Barnet
1. This one was made by Director Charles Honderick and shot in my kitchen and on the balcony of my house in Mill Hill, with fine views of the M1. It is a great tune. It was used by Manchester City FC for their website goal of the month show in 2012! Koni played with the False Dots for several years, she was also a backing singer for rapper Emmanuel Jal, and played at Barack Obama's inauguration!
2. A few years ago I was astounded to find this video on Youtube from 1979. It is of Edgware School band, The Vektors playing at Harwood Hall. This was the first gig I ever arranged and promoted. There were 120 people there and I made a handsome profit after paying the bands, which I spent on beer and curry in the Mill Hill Tandoori with my mates! Some things never change. This was also my band The False Dots first gig, although we don't feature in the video. The Vektors were a pretty decent band and it was a great night.
3. Amy Winehouse was a Barnet girl. She started playing at venues like the Torrington. I knew her well as she was a customer at Mill Hill Music Complex. This video of her playing at the Torrington brings a tear to my, as both Amy and The Torrington are gone.
4. Alan Warner, lead guitarist of The Foundations is a great friend of mine. In 2017, he played at the Adam and Eve pub for the Mill Hill Music Festival. It was a great night and an honour to do the sound for them.
5. Lee Thompson of Madness is another great friend. His other band, The Silencerz are regulars at The Chandos Arms in Colindale. They are amazing and it is always a blast. I introduced Lee to the landlady Emily at the Chandos as she wanted to do a benefit concert for Cancer Charities. Lee liked it so much, he takes the band back a couple of times a year!
6. I love this little bit of luncacy. The Hamptons performing their amazing anthem peace on the London Underground. Nice shot of Golders Green at the Start of the video. The Hamptons were the band video director Charles Honderick put together after being inspired by The False Dots!
7. This was a special moment, the original line up of the Polecats getting together to perform Rockabilly Guy in Mill Hill, for the first time since the 1979 gig at St Pauls Church Hall. Chris Hawkes, the original drummer jumped up to play washboard with the band. A real collectors item and a pleasure to be the sound man for the night.
8. Another great friend of mine is Ivor Goldberg of Klezmer band Shir. They are some of the finest musicians I know. It was a delight to do the sound for them at The Mill Hill Music Festival in 2015 at the Mill Hill Shul. Maurice Chernick, who also plays in the band was the first paying customer when we opened our recording facility back in 1997. I put an ad in Melody Maker and said I wanted to practice my recording techniques and bands could pay what they like. It turned out Maurice was an amazing soundman, showed me loads of amazing techniques and to my complete surprise paid £100 for the session, as he was delighted. For what I learned, I should have paid him, but he insisted.
9. The Deltas are one of the best known bands on the UK Rockabilly circuit. I was delight when they recorded a video in Studio 1 at Mill Hill Music Complex. I was even more chuffed when I heard it, because it is great! If Rock and Roll is your thing, then this is for you.
10. We start where we finish, with my band, the False Dots. Connie who sung Spotlight left in 2012 as she had a world tour to complete as a backing singer. Allen Ashley, who sung with the band in 1985, rejoined to help me complete some music for a short film I was making. He's sung with the band ever since. Last year, we made a music video for the Kick Out Capita Campaign. Allen specifically wrote a song called "They Cleared Out Your Desk" about outsourcing of jobs. We filmed the video at the headquarters of Barnet Council and all around Mill Hill, taking in some great footage of the Medical Research Centre being demolished. I think that this is the best music video I've made. Very proud of it.
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Have a great weekend! I'm off to Hadley FC to see some grassroots football today!
Friday, 27 September 2019
The Friday Joke - 27/09/2019 -The Parties explained by lightbulbs
How many Lib Dem MP's does it take to change a light bulb? They've been all been talking to the lightbulb, but it's still refusing to become a Lib Dem!
How many Brexit Party MP's does it take to change a lightbulb? As they've got no MP's we are all in the dark about that one.
How many Tory MP's does it take to change a lightbulb? The lightbulb is not broken, it just refuses to come one according to Boris.
How many Labour MP's does it take to change a lightbulb? None, the Lightbulb changers Union won't let them.
How many Green MP's does it take to change a lightbulb? The Green Party like the lightbulb just the way it is!
How many SNP MP's does it take to change a light bulb? The English broke the bulb, they can damn well fix it!
How many DUP MP's does it take to change a light bulb? Give us £1.4 billion quid and we'll tell you!
Have a great weekend. I really think we all need to get our sense of humour back a little bit when it comes to politics. Whether you are a #Brexiteer or a #Remainer, please accept that people on the other side hold their views for genuine, deeply felt reasons. No one is a 'traitor' because they have a different view from you. No one is an idiot because they disagree with you. I don't believe that politicians should use inflammatory language, but we are all human and when passions get aroused, we say silly things and get carried away.
Thursday, 26 September 2019
The Thursday Local News Roundup - Hadley FC, Luciana Berger for Finchley and an Apology from Barnet Council
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Flowers at the Mill Hill Village Green Earlier this year |
Hadley FC through to third qualifying round of the FA Cup
Our local football team, Hadley FC have made it through to the third round of The FA cup qualifying competition. They face a trip to Portsmouth to play Havant and Waterloovile.
This is an amazing achievement for a team in the Essex Senior League. Hadley FC play in Brickfield Lane, the road opposite The Gate Pub. Hadley beat Bedmond FC 3-0 to get through.We will travel to Havant and Waterlooville in the next round of the Fa Cup https://t.co/qnguFL8ind— Hadley FC (@hadleyfc) September 23, 2019
Why not join me on the terraces at @hadleyfc this year. A season ticket is only £30 pic.twitter.com/M6UaCaM1sE— Roger Tichborne/RogT #CTID 🏴☠️🇬🇧 (@Barneteye) September 26, 2019
Lucian Berger to stand as Lib Dem candidate for Finchley and Golders Green.
Many people in the Borough will have been appalled by the treatment of Luciana Berger and fully understood the difficult decision she had to take to quit the Labour Party. She s wiidely recognised as an excellent MP and a decent human being. Following her decision to leave Labour, she decided to join the Lib Dems and locally we are delighted that she has been adopted as the candidate for the party in the forthcoming election in Finchley and Golders Green. This will offer the people of the constituency a real choice. Sadly, many members of the community, who have previously not wanted to vote Tory have felt politically homeless. Now they have a candidate who gives them a real choice, is principled and they can trust to represent the whole community.
Councillor Gabriel Rosenberg defects to the Lib Dems.
Gabriel Rosenberg has long been recognised as one of the most decent and thoughtful councillors in the Conservative group in Barnet Council. The antics of Boris Johnson have pushed Gabriel to the point where he has felt that he could no longer remain in the party. He has joined the Lib Dems. Gabreil explains why in this tweet.
Today I've quit the Conservatives – I'm now a Liberal Democrat. 👇 pic.twitter.com/d5P9VeZj4R— Gabriel Rozenberg (@rozgab) 20 September 2019
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Barnet Council issue apology to the Barnet Eye for wholly inadequate FoI Response
The Barnet Eye has received an apology for a wholly inadequate response to a Freedom of Information request concerning the Mill Hill Neighbourhood Forum. The Barnet Eye complained to Barnet Council and an internal review has concluded that the initial response was wholly inadequate.
The Barnet Eye had sought to establish how much taxpayers money had been spent by the council on the now wound up Mill Hill Neighbourhood forum. Sadly, the council have now admitted that their accounting systems do not log time of council contractors on such matters. It is simply 'part of the bill'. We believe that this lack of oversight of what Capita are spending their time doing explains many of the problems we are having with the company. We have now established that the council gave the forum a grant of £750. The council has not sought copies of the forum accounts to establish whether this was properly spent. Whilst the council is not legally required to, we believe in transparency and felt it would be better for all concerned if the council had received and published MHNF accounts. We see no reason fro secrecy. Here is the council response.
Request for reviewAs you can see the council has admitted it's failure.
For Q 1 Barnet Council have referenced a document that does not provide the information was requested. The specific reason for the request was because the document referred to did not contain the required information.For Q2 Barnet Council have stated that they are not required to financially support production of Neighbourhood Development Plans which is misleading and not what was asked. Please read the question properly and provide a response to what was asked. Barnet Council should confirm whether they provided a grant, yes or no, and if yes, how much;For Q3 Barnet Council have again provided a misleading answer saying they not required to oversee any accounts which is not what was asked. Barnet Council should confirm whether they received any accounts from MHNF, yes or no, and if yes, provide the copies. Please ensure that before responding you read the request properly
I have undertaken the internal review and the outcome of my review is set out below.
Response
I have taken each issue you raise in turn.
For Q 1 Barnet Council have referenced a document that does not provide the information was requested. The specific reason for the request was because the document referred to did not contain the required information.
I concurr that the document provided was unhelpful and that the rest of the response was ambiguous to the extent of not answering the query. The original response stated that "To date the primary cost to the Council associated with the MHNP application has been officer support time. This has been absorbed by Re and thus contained within
existing budgets."
The use of the word "primary" here is misleading, as this would suggest that there are additional costs that are not mentioned, with officer support time being the foremost. I have established in my discussions with the service that this is essentially mistaken, and that officer time was the only cost. As stated, the officer time spent was provided by Re staff under the existing contract, so no additional cost was incurred by the council itself. The relevant officer time has not been quantified, in any case, so it would not be possible to establish a figure for the costs incurred by Re.
For Q2 Barnet Council have stated that they are not required to financially support production of Neighbourhood Development Plans which is misleading and not what was asked. Please read the question properly and provide a response to what was asked. Barnet Council should confirm whether they provided a grant, yes or no, and if yes, how much;
I concurr with your request for review of this point. The reponse provided attempts to answer a simple query with a non-sequitur that does not begin to address it.
I have contacted the relevant officer and have ascetained that in January 2017, MHNF was awarded a one-off grant of £750 from the corporate grants programme to defray the cost of space in its publication, 'A Guide to Mill Hill', dedicated to council-related messaging. This is the forum's one and only corporate grant.
For Q3 Barnet Council have again provided a misleading answer saying they not required to oversee any accounts which is not what was asked. Barnet Council should confirm whether they received any accounts from MHNF, yes or no, and if yes, provide the copies. Please ensure that before responding you read the request properly
Again, I concurr with your request for review. Whether or not the council is required to oversee accounts has no impact either way on whether copies of accounts are held. Not all information held by the council is due to a requirement, statutory or otherwise.
I have contacted the relevant service and have confirmed that no such accounts are held.
In conclusion, the initial response to your request was wholly inadequate, with responses that did not address the questions asked. I apologise on behalf of the concil for this failure in upholding the standards we hope to set with our FOI responses.
I hope this review has managed to clarify the issues and provide the answers you originally sought.
Thameslink offer for the Troy "Myth and reality" exhibition at the British Museum.
If you travel by Thameslink, there is an amazing 2 for 1 offer to get into the Troy Myth and Reality exhibition. Click this link for details. This will be an amazing exhibition and runs from 21st November to 8th March. It is just around the corner from St Pancras, easily accessible via Thameslink.
Mill Hill Rugby Club looking for new members
Fancy getting fit and meeting new friends? Why not try out the training at Mill Hill
Wednesday, 25 September 2019
The Wednesday Poem - The Day I saw in Alien on the road from Burnt Oak
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Edgware General Hospital Social Club - Thanks to Pete on Flickr |
I make no claims about my sobriety on the night in question, but as I was with two friends, it has always been a bit of a mystery. Why anyone would have travelled half way across the universe to visit Burnt Oak has always puzzled me. The exact spot was on the A5109 where the road crosses the Northern Line, just before Pavillion Way. It was around 2am.
Tuesday, 24 September 2019
Supreme Court Decision - Time for Boris to resign
Environment Monday - If Greta Thunberg was a bloke she wouldn't get all this nonsense
“Right here, right now is where we draw the line. The world is waking up. And change is coming, whether you like it or not.”— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) September 23, 2019
My full speech in United Nations General Assembly. #howdareyou https://t.co/eKZXDqTAcP
I have no illusions about how hard it must be for her. When I was sixteen, I had strong views about many things. I joined CND, I joined Friends of The Earth and I formed a band to get my points across. It took us 18 months before our first gig and I was terrified when I played in front of 100 mates. It was so terrifying that our lead singer, who I'd founded the band with bottled it and didn't show up. Greta wasn't playing to 100 mates. She was playing to the whole world and some of the most powerful people in the world were watching her. The stress I had if the gig went wrong was that a few mates would think I was a plonker. She had the hopes of a billion young people on her shoulders. I can only imagine how hard that was and if she was a bit emotional, it is understandable. A few years ago, I went on a business trip to India. It is not only teenagers who are affected by ssuch stress. One of my colleagues had to give a presentation to the board of the large multi national company we were seeing. He had a panic attack, left the room and said to me "you do it". This was a man with decades of industry experience. Make no mistake, it isn't easy. She did amazingly well.
I wanted to see more, so I did what I always do. I went on Twitter to find a link. I mistakenly put in Greta Thunberg and was disgusted to see a complete torrent of bile. Sadly, the vast majority of it comes from the demopgraphic I sit in, white men of a certain age. I was ashamed. What's worse was that it was sexist, demeaning and patronising. I was so sickened that I was prompted to post a tweet myself.
I was impressed with @GretaThunberg speaking at UN. For all the nasty trolls criticising her, wtf had you done at that age? What was the most important audience you’d addressed? What have you done to make the world a better place? Crawl back under your stones— Roger Tichborne/RogT #CTID 🏴☠️🇬🇧 (@Barneteye) September 23, 2019
It seems that a lot of people agreed with me. All manner of strangers have liked it and retweeted it and it has had a massive response. Given her age, not only do I think the response has been a form of bullying, I think it verges on child abuse. I am not at all surprised that people with criminal records for such things have jumped on this bandwagon.
The sad truth is that if Greta Thunberg was a young man, she'd have to put up with none of this. Sure, she'd have to put up with people attacking her arguments, but not for all of the sexism and patronising comments. I am proud of Greta Thunberg. As the father of two adult daughters, I want a world where women are judged by what they have to say, not by their lack of a penis, their looks and the colour of their hair. To me it is criminal that Twitter allows such hate. I hope that by the time Greta Thunberg is my age, such sexism will be seen as a thing of historical oddity, rather like the way women could not vote was in the earlier part of the last century. As a society, we need to grow up. If you look at Greta and see anything other than someone who you should admire, even if you disagree with her, then it is you that has a problem, not her. As I said in my tweet, what have you done to make the world a better place. If you can't answer that positively, STFU.
Monday, 23 September 2019
Thomas Cook - The first major Brexit casualty
1. Uncertainty. A travel company requires the confidence of it's customers that they will actually have a pleasant holiday. It is five weeks until the date when we leave, but no one knows what will happen when we get off the plane in France or Spain on the first of November. Will we need visa's? Will we be able to rent a car? Will our £££'s be worth anything? Will we need extra medical insurance? Will it take hours to get through customs? Will we have to go through the green channel, the red channel or the blue channel? Will we get a stamp on our passports. Will we have currency restrictions? What will our mobile phone charges be? With all of these questions unresolved, the many Thomas Cook customers who traditionally catch the last of the sun are being cautious. For a company such as Thomas Cook, the fact that the government has made such a dogs breakfast of the process, the implications of this are massive. For the travelling public, it means that you'd have to be bonkers to book a holiday until we know what is happening.
2. Currency fluctuations. Thomas Cook's customers largely pay in British Pounds. They pay their suppliers in Euro's or Dollars. The uncertainty over Brexit has caused the £ to plummet. In August, when it looked as if Boris was set to impose a no deal Brexit the £ plummeted to 1.08 euro's. For Thomas Cook, this coincided with the height of the holiday season. It also it hit its year low against the dollar then. No one knows what the exchange rate will be on 1st November. There are three possible scenarios, a no deal, a deal or an extension. Each of these will result in a completely different exchange rate. For Thomas Cook, any refinancing deal had to take account of all of these scenarios. Whether you are a Brexiteer or a Remainer, it should be clear to you that the currency issues were lethal for Thomas Cook.
3. Compensation claims. Thomas Cook are an airline operator. By law they have to provide compensation for late flights. As no one knows the situation with passports and customs on 1st November, the company was exposed to the risk of massive compensation claims, if flights suffered disruption. Of course the compensation is governed by European law, so it is possible that this won't apply, but it is another variable.
4. Risk. When a company that is in trouble tries to negotiate finance, the key factor is what the risk to the lender/provider is. I now quite a lot about this. I used to work for a software company that wrote decision support software to analyse risk. Prior to Brexit, the risks of wild currency swings for Sterling were not high. For a company like Thomas Cook securing finance, they would be able to predict, within parameters the likely value of the £ vs the Euro and Dollar. In the event of a no deal, the £ could easily drop below one euro. In the event of a sensible deal it is likely to be above 1.20. From the perspective of Thomas Cook, their financing requirements could be 20% more than they would be today, to service their dollar and euro suppliers. I'm not surprised that banks were not prepared to take the risk. the risks are simply too high. Compound the fact that on top of the currency risk, there is a credible risk that travellers may be prevented from travelling. The compensation risk adds yet more toxicity to the proposition.
Grant Shapps refusal to take any responsibility means that 9,000 are out of work. They don't even know if they will get their paycheck this month. As to the number of holiday makers who will have lost out, I've not seen a figure. I have an old fashioned view of this sort of situation. Grant Shapps as Transport secretary should be supporting transportation businesses thrown into chaos by his governments incompetence. But the modern breed of politician never apologise and never take responsibility. There should be a multi billion fund to support businesses adversely affected by Brexit. They should have a degree of certainty. Thomas Cook agreed a rescue package with a large Chinese firm. This has fallen apart as there is simply too much uncertainty. Personally I'd like to have seen the company nationalised and put back on its feet. It is better to pay 9,000 to work than to sit on the dole. It is hugely unfair on the people who bought holidays in good faith to lose them. If Grant Shapps and Boris Johnson really believe that there is a bright future for the UK post Brexit, then a travel firm would be a great investment. Foreign travel is a luxury and if the economy is going to boom, then we'd all have lots of money to spend on holidays with Thomas Cook. Once the company was back on its feet, they could sell the shares back to the private sector at a huge profit. Or maybe Boris Johnson and Grant Shapps, having read the latest Yellowhammer analysis, have concluded that no one will be able to afford holidays next year. If that is the case, then don't you want to know?
Thomas Cook is the first high profile victim of Brexit. I very much doubt that it will be the last. My advice? If you are booking a holiday, make sure your insurance covers this sort of thing.
Sunday, 22 September 2019
The Tweets of the Week in the London Borough of Barnet - 22/9/2019
1. We agree!
@BarnetCouncil can this be investigated? It is unfair for taxpayers keep footing fly tip collection bills
— Colindale Litter Pickers Association 🚮♻️ (@ColindaleLitter) September 22, 2019
House entrance over Tangemere Way, NW9#Colindale#FlyTipping#MillenniumWalk#Barnet
PS: fly tipping reported days ago pic.twitter.com/jSpRMVIC3f
2. Someone enjoyed our company!
Fine day out with @Barneteye pic.twitter.com/vP1txDITJ9
— Alex (@inalexworld) September 21, 2019
3. Mill Hill has some fine views
Mill Hill and the Totteridge Valley pic.twitter.com/FkXyCBlr2d
— A Better Mill Hill (@ABetterMillHill) September 20, 2019
4. Good to see twitter can get a result!
@BootsUK Given the money you turnover as a group, why are you so tardy with your shop fronts? This store in Mill Hill Broadway, London, has been like this for ages. pic.twitter.com/Hv0dagtBYN
— Mark Amies (@Superfast72) September 21, 2019
5. Historical tweet of the week
The Staples factory, near Cricklewood, which opened around 1925, and gave it's name to this infamous road junction in North West London. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/vMDbWgJRFA
— NW London TimeMachine (@time_nw) September 22, 2019
6. We support this!
Local Community: Stop the Corporate Exploitation of the London Greenbelt and Conservation Areas - Sign the Petition! https://t.co/9kAOVVUpSs via @UKChange
— Donald Lyven (@barnet_rebel) September 19, 2019
7. Superb Jazz in Mill Hill
Val's Jam Night - 25 Sep - The last Wednesday of every month sees MHJC filled to the brim with Jazz singers, players and listening aficionados who flock to the club to give of their best for the sheer joy of all. Please RT.
— Mill Hill Jazz Club (@millhilljazz) September 21, 2019
8. I knew he liked a drink but.....
Here @ChandosArmsPub with the legendary @EmilyAOvenden ... and #JesusChrist pic.twitter.com/JcJw3M5AY1
— TimothyMiller (@believemyscars) September 19, 2019
9. another fine bit of local history
The Green Man pub (now a Harvester) in The Hale, Mill Hill before its redevelopment by Cannon Breweries on the 1930s. It has existed since at least the 1750s. pic.twitter.com/FXsZsH3ZV6
— Mill Hill Hist Soc (@MHHistSoc) September 17, 2019
10. Great to see young local talent. This is some we've been championing
We are always delighted to supoort and encourage young talent and budding rockers https://t.co/TmSEGs1eid
— MillHillMusicComplex (@MillHillMusicCo) September 17, 2019
That's all folks!
Saturday, 21 September 2019
The Saturday List #233 - My mum's top ten sayings
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Mum with me in 1981 |
1. There's now't so queer as folk. (She was from a generation where queer meant odd rather than a description of sexual orientation. I suspect the TV series has rather changed the meaning of this).
2. She's stuck like a pig in a ginnel. (I've no idea at all what this meant, but it was often uttered, it intrigued me. What ginnels were and why pigs got stuck in them, I've no idea).
3. He's the victim of a good education and a bossy mother. (I can't remember who she said this about or why. I think it probably describes one or two members of Parliament quite well).
4. She's got the face she deserves. (This was often uttered about a particularly sour neighbour, who my mother rather disliked).
5. He should have been a Priest. (My mum would often say this about men she thought were useless at everything. Bizarrely she generally held the Roman Catholic clergy in high esteem).
6. He's a typical bloody Tory. (My mum was a Socialist. This would be exclaimed often during the news, when my mother felt a minister was being heartless. This inevitably lead to a row with my Dad who was a Tory).
7. All the makeup in the world can't hide her ugly character. (There were one or two local ladies who my mother used to think were too liberal with the makeup and too uncaring about anything else).
8. She's had one facelift too many. (This was an insult reserved for Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister. My mother became convinced that Thatcher had a facelift and I think she disliked this almost as much as her policies).
9. He should have been the Archbishop of Canterbury. (My mother often said this of me. I don't think it was a compliment, especially given that she was a Roman Catholic and the Archbishop of Canterbury was CofE).
10. You're an idiot, just like your father. (My mother did not think my father was an idiot at all, but she thought he was useless with money. Whenever I made a purchasing choice that she disagreed with, this would be uttered. She would make a point of saying it so my father could hear. I think this was to remind him of her displeasure with his spending. Generally he'd respond by going to the Mill Hill Services club, drinking five pints and putting fifty quid in the one armed bandit. He would play until he won, which usually was probably less than he'd put in. He'd come home with pockets full of fifty pence pieces, as proof that he was sensible with money. This would result in an even more searing insult. After he passed away, my mum told me that she'd always been terrified that he'd gamble the house or business away, but she had realised in hindsight that he only ever gambled with what was in his pocket. She'd wait until he was out of sight and nick half of it for the family budget. In 1977, when the family had a business opportunity that required a £15,000 investment, my father was demoralised because he didn't have the cash. When my mother announced that we did, he couldnt believe it. When he asked where it came from, she confessed that she'd been emptying his pockets and putting it in the bank since they first married. He didn't know whether to be delighted or furious).
Friday, 20 September 2019
The Friday Joke - 20/09/2019 - A load of bull?
Get in the Moo’d for the weekend with a Totteridge Valley walk pic.twitter.com/vHSex8RkRX— A Better Mill Hill (@ABetterMillHill) September 20, 2019
An Australian stopped at a local restaurant following a day roaming around in Madrid .
While sipping his wine, he noticed a sizzling, scrumptious looking platter being served at the next table.
Not only did it look good, the smell was wonderful.
He asked the waiter, 'What is that you just served?'
The waiter replied, 'Si Senor, you have excellent taste! Those are called Cojones de Toro, from the bull fight this morning. A delicacy!'
The Australian said, 'I will have the same please.'
The waiter replied, 'I am so sorry senor. There is only one serving per day because there is only one bull fight each morning. If you come early and place your order, we will be sure to save you this delicacy.'
The following day he returned, placed his order, and that evening was served the one and only special delicacy of the day.
After a few bites, inspecting his platter, he called to the waiter and said, 'These are delicious, but they are much, much smaller than the ones I saw you serve yesterday.'
The waiter shrugged his shoulders and replied,
'Si, Señor. Sometimes the bull wins."
Have a great weekend! If you are eating Spanish tonight, you know what to order. I'm a fan of El Camino in Kings Cross, but I don't know if they serve Cojones de Toro?
(Note: if you don't get it, do a translate on 'Cojones de Toro' Spanish to English)
Thursday, 19 September 2019
Am I alone in feeling terrified of the future?
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Monday, 16 September 2019
Environment Monday - The solutions are there, why don't we use them
Did you see this tweet at the weekend?
— A Better Mill Hill (@ABetterMillHill) September 15, 2019
This got me thinking. The Post Office sorting office in Mill Hill has been there for decades. Most Mill Hillians will at some point have made the journey to collect a parcel or registered letter. We see the posties making their way around Mill Hill, delivering our letters. I know most of them, some I went to school with, others I have had a pint with, some I just know from the friendly morning greetings as letters are delivered. I am a big fan of the Post Office. When I used to work as an IT consultant, I worked on the Post Office Cardholder Account project. This system enables people on benefits to be paid cash at Post Offices. This system has provided the financial support to keep many small post offices open. It is safe to say that I am a fan of the Post Office.
One of the sad things about the Post office is that we've had appalling governments that do not see the opportunities for using the Post Office as a tool for improving the environment. There are many things that have actually been regressive rather than progressive in the way the Post Office operates. Saving cash has been the number one driver in most developments in the mail delivery systems. Delivery of packages is one of the huge growth areas in producing pollution. This demonstrates the lack of joined up thinking.
If I was Prime Minister, I'd enact a 100% tax on all parcel deliveries that are not done using carbon free technology. The Post Office used to be one of the most green organisations, without really trying. They had a dedicated electric railway to move mail around London, producing zero emissions and zero congestion. They used to move most of their regional mail by rail, the least polluting of modes of transport. Posties would walk their rounds. Sadly in the name of cost efficiency, the Royal Mail underground was closed, bulk mail was moved from rail to road, vans replaced a lot of the walked rounds. The reason? The Post Office has to compete with private delivery services that can cherry pick the lucrative contracts. They are always at a financial disadvantage. An enlightened government would recognise the huge amounts of pollution that all of these vans are creating and seek to force these companies to 'go green'. It would be great to see the Post Office go all electric, with long distance mail going back on the rails. This will only happen when it becomes financially viable. This is where government legislation comes in. An added bonus to this would be that the more traffic we have on the railways, the better the case becomes for electrification, investment and line re-openings.
The line of vans parked on Sunday outside of the sorting office is an example of how we've gone wrong. There should be cables charging the batteries of all of them. That can only happen when the government gets it act together. The Post Office is just one example of a large, formerly nationalised organisation which could make a huge difference to climate change. The decision by the government to halt the electrification of the Midland Mainline, ensuring a reliance on polluting diesel traction is a scandalous example of bad decision making. The airports used to be run by the government, British Airways was nationalised these are now all run by private companies. Their whole mission is to promote air travel and footfall at their airports. Their board level decision making process is all about maximising profits. Whilst that means we've got nice, bright, shiny airports it also means that protecting the environment is way down the list of priorities. When it comes to choosing how to get from London to Manchester or Edinburgh, few people ever think of the pollution we produce. We look at the price of a ticket and the time it takes.
When these large companies and corporations were privatised, no one said "is it a good idea to move organisations that could drive social good into the private sector, where profit is the only purpose for their existence?". All the government of the day looked at was how they could make some money. Now we have a global climate crisis and the government has no control over the organisations that are driving the problems. If we want to move to becoming a carbon neutral nation, we need to take tough decisions and these will come with a cost. But the solutions are at hand. Electric vehicles are a part of the solution, renewable energy sources are another part. But changing what we do is a key. For us to buy into it, we need to see the government and big business taking the lead. The solutions are there, why don't we use them.
Sunday, 15 September 2019
The Tweets of The Week in the London Borough of Barnet - 15/09/2019
Don't forget to follow anyone who tickles your fancy (or anything else).
1. We start with a great picture of the business run by some esteemed Mill Hill residents, based in Cricklewood
2. I love this tweet from Cricklewood coffee roasters! Didn't realise Cricklewood could look so continentalHere is a Samuelson's Commer, for real, outside Samcine House, on Cricklewood Broadway in the 1960s.— NW London TimeMachine (@time_nw) September 12, 2019
(Image sourced from online chat forum page) pic.twitter.com/cXxCbu9N8m
3. And a rather nice Tweet from the Mill HilL Historical Society. I've bent the rules for them, as rules are made to be broken!might look like Italy but was actually Cricklewood.... served some great coffee to the great community round here thanks @NW2_RA who have been for many years helping to clean up the area one step at a time 👍👏 why not signup to the North West Two association & support them! pic.twitter.com/a6PWOP6DqY— Cricklewood Coffee Roasters (@nw2coffee) September 14, 2019
Edgware, Station Road, in 1924, a quiet Middlesex village with old buildings and open air.— Mill Hill Hist Soc (@MHHistSoc) September 10, 2019
Edgware, Station Road, in 1934, a bustling London suburb with tube station and cinema. pic.twitter.com/P8usdbJGoh
Hiding behind Mill Hill Circus in Goodwyn Avenue is Lawrence Farmhouse, which in years gone by stood at the foot of Lawrence Street.— Inside Mill Hill (@InsideMillHill) September 13, 2019
For years this 17th century building was unloved and derelict. Eventually it was bought, sympathetically restored and now it used as offices pic.twitter.com/BLXyQYesf8
A lovely painting by J C Moody of the now gone National Institute of Medical Research and surrounding countryside.— Mill Hill Hist Soc (@MHHistSoc) September 6, 2019
From @WellcomeLibrary pic.twitter.com/qU2ykNrBnQ
4. And East Finchley has gone all Bollywood on us!
5. How Brent Cross looked before the shopping centre. Great pictureBring the whole family together this weekend at Sikka! 🤗 Authentic Indian dining right here in the heart of East Finchley!— Sikka (@Sikkalondon) September 15, 2019
For reservations simply follow the link below https://t.co/D3thbfXODs pic.twitter.com/GPOnoqcQiY
6. You can't have too many reminders of what can go wrong when right wing, nationalist, populists take over a country.Models Celia Hammond (second from right) and Joanna Lumley (far left) pose with others at Hendon Greyhound track, June 1968. pic.twitter.com/G6SDpOR0ir— Sport & Betting History (@CDCHistory) September 13, 2019
Kurt Marx, standing outside the Cricklewood Hostel next to Dr Seligsohn, with other pupils from the Jawne school in Cologne who came to England en masse via Kindertransports, 1939https://t.co/hElCxrsd9V pic.twitter.com/mqSX86zJ2H— AJR Refugee Voices Archive (@AJRefugeeVoices) September 11, 2019
7. Any kids in Colindale fancy a Holloween Party?
Saxon welcomes all the children of Colindale and beyond to enjoy a fun party at Chandos Arms. Disco, Fancy Dress, Prizes for the best outfit. A special Guest will be judging, 'The Best Dressed,' all witches, zombies and vampires welcome! #halloween #chandosarms #Colindale pic.twitter.com/6VsdF1Njk6— The Chandos Arms (@ChandosArmsPub) September 12, 2019
8. Not quite sure if these mushrooms look magic?
The Mill Hill Mushroom tree pic.twitter.com/tSdKeWy8Po— A Better Mill Hill (@ABetterMillHill) September 14, 2019
9. Fancy some qquality jazz in Mill Hill?
10. Is it just me or the Rock stars getting younger every day?18th Sep - Kate Daniels and her Quartet- Kate Daniels band returns to the club to present songs from their forthcoming album "Cool for Night People".Kate's smoky late night voice delights audiences, evoking Peggy Lee, Julie London and the cellar bars of the 50's and 60's. Plz RT.— Mill Hill Jazz Club (@millhilljazz) September 14, 2019
Maybe we need to build a scooter park at the studios. The next genetic rock and rollers! pic.twitter.com/mxFRfcmVP4— MillHillMusicComplex (@MillHillMusicCo) September 14, 2019
Just heard that @GreenDay are coming to London June 2020 on their #HellMegaTour While we’re waiting we’re happy to entertain! Here’s Holiday @MillHillMusicCo pic.twitter.com/70sG3uVo09— Nameless (@heftymetalyouth) September 11, 2019
That's all folks!!! Have a great Sunday
Saturday, 14 September 2019
The Saturday List #232 - Ten ways to spot a psychopath on Twitter
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The Encylopedia of Mental Disorders has a very interesting page on how to spot a Psychopath. They describe a psychopath as
The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) is a diagnostic tool used to rate a person's psychopathic or antisocial tendencies. People who are psychopathic prey ruthlessly on others using charm, deceit, violence or other methods that allow them to get with they want. The symptoms of psychopathy include: lack of a conscience or sense of guilt, lack of empathy, egocentricity, pathological lying, repeated violations of social norms, disregard for the law, shallow emotions, and a history of victimizing others.
I think every regular use of Twitter will have come across accounts that display such behaviour. The site also gives a list of 20 markers. Clearly people hiding behind anonymous accounts only tell you what they want to tell you, so about half, such as sexual delinquency and early behavioural problems they will want to keep quiet, but ten of the markers are quite easy to spot. Here is there checklist and a few notes from me on what to look out for on Twitter.
1. Glib and superficial charm
Key markers to look out for are grown up adults posting rather adolescent looking gifs of kittens, etc and liberally sprinkling all sorts of happy emoji's into tweets, to create an aura of friendliness. If these posts are interspersed with tweets of a vaguely menacing nature, it is a clear indicator.
2. Grandiose (exaggeratedly high) estimation of self
For psychopaths, it is essential to control situations. Posts from anonymous accounts, bragging of fantastic academic qualifications and top jobs that cannot be verified are typical behaviour. Often psychopaths are quite intelligent but can't work with other people, so will have had decent jobs at some point, but these were very short lived. They invariable end up 'working for themselves' bashing away on a keyboard into the early hours. Often to make up for the lack of real friends, they invent other Twitter persona's to chat with. If you notice an account where tweets are always liked by a subset of linked accounts, this is a sure sign of bogus self affirmation.
3. Need for stimulation
Often psychopaths are driven by paranoia. They tend to think everyone thinks like they do, so are constantly on the look out for new sources of stimulation to feed their delusions. They are very prone to fall for conspiracy theories, as they believe they provide a cover and an excuse for their poor behaviour. They will obsessively hunt out ever more bizarre information sources, the more absurd the better.
4. Pathological lying
As previously mentioned, the need for control is a pivotal feature of a psychopathic personality. When events and facts don't fit a narrative, they will invent one. They believe that if a lie is continually repeated, it will become a truth. Often on Twitter, a psychopath will get rumbled and then take on a campaign of harassment and intimidation of those they see as a threat. They will then construct a whole parallel reality of untruths about those they are targeting. This will involve inventing all manner of claims about what a person has done or said, none of which are ever substantiated with evidence.
5. Cunning and manipulativeness
Psychopaths are very cunning and manipulative. They will devise all manner of cunning ruses to ingratiate themselves with people they see as useful. Once they have dragged someone into their sordid world of fantasy, they make it very hard for those snared to escape. Fortunately on Twitter, it is quite easy to block such characters. The best thing is to block all of their persona's and ignore all of their nonsense. Eventually they will get bored and find someone else to pick on. If threats are made, report them to the Police.
6. Lack of remorse or guilt
This is the classic sign of a psychopath. However badly they behave, there is always an excuse. They seek out cases of other people who have been victims of injustice and convince themselves that they too have been unfairly treated.
7. Shallow affect (superficial emotional responsiveness)
This can be quite hard to spot on Twitter. Something bad happens and whilst normal people seek to offer support and solace, a psychopath will see it as opening a door to exploit a vulnerability. They will seek out people who display vulnerability and offer support, but the purpose is purely to gain trust and confidence. Such individuals rarely create content of genuine interest, as they do not see the need to actually engage intelligently with other people.
8. Callousness and lack of empathy
This is far easier to spot. A psychopathic tweeter will seek out opportunity to undermine and make other people feel badly about themselves. They will see a tweet where someone is genuinely upset and will try and inflict a devastating knock out response to it to ensure the person feels awful. They lack empathy, so will have no qualms about saying things that upset people. There is never the slightest effort to see the other persons point of view or to find common ground. It is dominate or destroy.
9. Parasitic lifestyle
Twitter psychopaths are generally rather unemployable. They often have self defined non jobs, claiming all manner of business interests. Often they will see themselves as 'social media experts' and imagine that they are in charge of huge organisations with multiple employees, but are simply bashing away at a keyboard in their bedroom. They make inflated claims about their social media reach, they actively seek spam follows as validation, so that they can con people into supporting their non productive lifestyle. If they have websites, you will see no evidence of anything to back up these claims. No large offices, no names, no official partners. And yet they seek your cash, don't be fooled.
10. Poor behavioral controls
Indiscipline on their accounts is another telling sign. They will often set up an account for one purpose, but when they need to 'dominate a debate', the account will be re-purposed to another, role. The typical modus operandi is to set up an account that will generate interest from the wider Twitter community, then when a following has been gained, the account will suddenly start posting all manner of bonkers nonsense, unrelated to the original purpose of the account. If you spot this, then I'd recommend unfollowing. Twitter psychopaths always have an agenda and it is never your health and well being.
What fascinates me is whether the FBI and the Met Police are actively profiling these individuals. I don't think it will be too long before 'Twitter Psychopath" is recognised as a genre of dangerous criminal. I suspect that many of these people have criminal records and have found that Twitter is a perfect platform for their dodgy activities. I get very concerned when I see such accounts grooming schools and youth clubs. Sadly I think we will need some high profile cases to come to light before this is properly recognised.
And in the spirit of this topic, one of my favourite songs on the subject from The Vibrators. A much underrated band IMHO.
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