DutchEnery

Having just returned from a trip to Holland to see  family I was rather pleased to see the cleanliness in general of the streets, green patches of grass and the motorway edges. In Britain and Wales we are drowning in all sorts of rubbish that float around streets, parks and everywhere else. You may ask – what is different? We are all human beings? Indeed we are but it is our attitude towards the environment. We in the UK have a different attitude, sort of ‘I have rights, and I can do what I want’. People in the UK have no respect for the environment, do not want to change their behaviour and have no intention to help clean up the environment. All under the adage of – It is not my problem, it’s not my job. We can talk endlessly about who should do what but in the end it all stays talk and no action. This Swedish girl is right, it is time for action, we have possibly just 10 years to get it right. It is time to stop putting our heads into the sand like ostriches. The lion of disaster i

It is absolutely amazing as to how present-day politics perform. One would have thought that a two-party system is the ideal way to govern. Because the party in power, with a decent majority, can get its policies through without too much trouble. Well, mainly true but not when the party in power is a minority government. Yet in other countries, like Holland, they work with coalitions, not just two parties but sometimes three or four forming the government. This seems to work well in the main. Taking Brexit (again) we can easily see the failings of a minority government. Especially when the party propping up the governing party is dead-set against the proposed policy. In other words – mayhem. Another thing that amazes me is the shallowness of UK politics, the way politicians use the media. It all shows an enormous amount of grandstanding. But the most amazing thing is this – in 2016 the government instigated a referendum on the question ‘Do we leave or stay in the EU’. A simple quest

Today’s reports in some of the national newspapers have highlighted one of the most damning things of today. Council fat-cats. In other words council chiefs who are ‘earning’ well over £100,000 per annum! Most of us cave dwellers do not seem to worry. We should, because that sort of money for basically very little work or even responsibility, is an affront to society. This money comes in dribs and drabs from the backs of very hard working people who are enslaved in zero-hour contracts. I have heard all the arguments – we have to pay to get the best! Oh yeah, how deluded can you be? The best? Why then are most councils in the UK so badly organised? In my own backwater, RCT CBC (Rhondda Cynon Taf Borough Council ) by all accounts is one of the largest employers in Wales. Apparently to keep unemployment down. I suppose it is one way to deal with it. At least some of it will get back as council-tax. But in reality it is other working people who subsidise this type of social engineering

Let me ask a question – why do we need a Parliament in this country? All decisions, at least those that seem to matter – are made in Brussels. There will be more and more so-called unity, an army and the Lord knows what else. So, why then bother with a load of costly nobodies who could not even agree on a few quite simple things? What sort of credibility has Westminster got now? Messing about, claiming lavish expenses, some illegally. On top of that there is a House of Lords where if you attend someone stuffs £300 in your pocket. What a shower. On that alone, although I voted to leave the EU, I would say abandon all pretence of self-government and obey the will of Brussels. We are not fit to govern ourselves, that has been shown very clearly indeed. The basic truth is this – Westminster is a defunct anomaly. It is or has been made crystal clear where the loyalties of MPs lie. It is with Brussels. So therefore do us all a favour and just go back from where you came from. Let the decis

It is a funny world – sure is. There’s so much talk about plastics, the environment, Brexit and God knows what else but no-one says anything about what kids get served up on the BBC and other channels like POP. I was watching as my grand kids like Gizzy and the Rats or otherwise known as Lemmings amongst others. The ads that came in between showed the most incredible crap toys and rubbish you will ever see. Talk about plastics! As my granddaughter said ‘Those little things, will they get to the ocean?’ Who in all honesty thinks that buying some gooey ‘sand’ is a good thing? Perhaps parents who do buy stuff like this need a quick lesson in why the planet we all live on is in such a state! It starts early, apparently children learn the most in their first year. Behaviour is most likely formed then but don’t take my word for it. In my experience it is the first two years that are most important. Anyway, people , just keep on buying the rubbish but remember this, every time you buy somet

It always surprises me when listening to politicians speak about the state of the nation, for instance the number of police lost over a ten year period, or the deplorable state of education or care issues, they always point out the money side. They want more money, not just a few pounds, no we’re talking billions. Well, yes everything has a price. However, there is never an explanation as to how it has to be paid for. From my point of view, I get a certain amount of money on a monthly basis as indeed do most working people. That I can spend or save. But I spend according to a budget. If I go over that I have to delve into savings or borrow. I think this simple rule is the same for the country. And indeed they do, as the nation goes short every month and therefore have to borrow. That figure today stands at some two trillion pounds! £ 2,000,000,000,000. Costing some £55 billion in interest payments annually. So, how then if I may ask politely, do these politicians always ask for much

There are many words written in the various newspapers and on TV about the state of the oceans and seas. The plastic problem. But it is overlooked that in the western world it is us who are so careless. Even in a backwater such as the Rhondda in South Wales the roads, paths and byways are clogged with discarded paper, plastic wrapping, cellophane, small gas canisters used to sniff gas. Left-over food from places like McDonalds or Burgerking are all over the place. Especially in those small places, badly lit where cars can be parked and people dealing drugs. That is the society we have built up in the 21 st century. It is not a very good credit on our collective earth balance. Basically we are all guilty of ensuring our species will go the way of the dinosaurs. This might be quick but could be agonisingly slow. Unless we come to grips with the situation. There is not an easy solution as it will necessitate a complete re-think of what we want our society to be like. Cars will have to