Politics & World: The End Is Nigh!!!

A Napalm Pissing Contest

So here we are, being pushed up a very steep and dangerous hill with the very likely proposition of being thrown off the cliff edge to our doom. 

Who's pushing us?

Our leaders, the ones we elected to look after us and make sure we are safe.  Now I'm not American, North Korean, Chinese, or Japanese, though I do feel as though my life is in their hands.  Whatever the outcome of this skirmish they are having I, and the rest of us normal folks, have no say in the matter... well, not to the point that it will actually affect anything. 

So what this situation boils down to is a pissing contest between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un.

Trump is resentful that North Korea are preparing a sixth nuclear test ahead of their Day Of Sun celebration of Kim Il Sung's 105th Anniversary of his birth and may be considering building a rocket powerful enough to reach America.  Does America have one powerful enough to reach North Korea? 

Now, I can fully understand Trump's annoyance.  Testing of nuclear weapons is a dangerous thing and even-more-so when it will lead to Kim Jong-Un having a nuclear arsenal; a man who has allegedly without mercy killed family members and then systematically scrubbed them from existence in his country because they disagreed with him or did something wrong. Though to be honest, if Japan is correct North Korea may already possess a great amount of germ and bacterial warfare, including sarin, which they are fearful of them using against them. This is more disturbing as this type of weapon could be more catastrophic while being less destructive. 

My thought is this; if Kim Jung-Un is intending to go to war with his neighbours what is he expecting to get out of it?  He has threatened so many countries and their peoples, does he actually believe he could win or is he just filibustering to keep his tough image alive in his country?  What's to say that if he builds his nuclear weapons that he will ever use them.  We never did, neither did America, or Russia.  Would you really launch when so many would be launched back at you?  This is a game of tic-tac-toe, pointless and unwinnable. 

Though less nuclear equipment in the world would make for a safer and better world in general.  I include in this power stations and nuclear-powered aircraft carriers such as the USS Carl Vinson, which Trump has sent into the Korean Peninsula. 

Unfortunately, Trump seems to be a "Shoot First, ask questions never" type of guy.  Not only has he moved the Vinson into the Peninsula but he's also moved armed divisions in South Korea closer to the North Korea border, and had a no-notice exercise of the fully armed 18th Wing aircraft division.  If this isn't a show of strength I don't know what is... and isn't a show of strength meant to strike fear and terror into your opponent?  Now, what do we call that? 

Conversation is required.  From conversation other doors can open that may lead to the tougher economic sanctions the US say they want and may in the future lead to something better for everyone. 

North Korea is not I.S. At the moment, they are not causing any other county any problems, just concerns that they might.  This is not a black and white situation and taking pre-emptive action could lead to some serious and disastrous outcomes when it may not even be necessary.  What would have happened if JFK and Khrushchev hadn't communicated back in October 1962?  Do we ever want to be at a point like that again in our history?  Especially when there are other concerns, not only closer to home but on a global scale that need to be addressed. 

There's strong... and then there's strong.  This situation requires a man with JFK's skills.  Not a man who is willing to put people's lives at risk on a whim.  Peace will never be attainable if either of the opposing sides relies on brute force. 

Politics - Dirty Diesels

Damned Dirty Diesel Cars.

or How The Politicians Are Wrong, Once Again, And Joe Public Pays The Price.

Firstly, let me say that I am not a car driver and never will be.  I take public transport by choice.  Though that doesn't stop me from siding with the car drivers all over the world, with these new legislations that are coming in.

London, now not only has a congestion charge but a diesel charge as Mayor Sadiq Kahn announced steep fines for the most polluting diesel vehicles.  So it's not a set price; it all depends on the car you are driving.  The government is also expected to roll out similar levies in approximately thirty-five other towns and cities.

Why am I against this?

It wasn't so long ago that our magnificent government dropped the price of diesel to help persuade drivers to change over to that type of engine.  Why?  Because at that time is was deemed cleaner and more efficient.  I know three or four drivers who changed over.

Now, we are told that the findings this was based on were wrong and that they are not that clean and in truth are a major contributor to our air quality deteriorating, as they produce more nitrogen oxides and soot than gasoline vehicles.

So why does the diesel car driver have to pay for a politician's mistake(?)  They shouldn't.

What the Mayor of London and the thirty-five Mayors of the to-be-named towns and cities should do is take a list of all the diesel vehicles that pollute their townships and send the invoice to Parliment so the monies can come out of the politicians own pockets.

It was their mistake let them pay for it.

At least the European Union is going after the manufacturers and not the drivers.

Also, if diesel engines are so bad then why are we still selling them... or even producing them?

Wouldn't it be a more sensible for the Government to show a bit of courage and ban the importing and selling of the damned dirty diesel car?  This would then, over a course of time, reduce the harmful emissions and not penalise the driver for taking a politicians advice - silly driver.

But wait a minute, what am I thinking(?)  This would stop them from making more money out of us...  In fact, haven't they just found a way to tax the very air we breathe(?)

It's nice to know they think of their pockets before they think of their people.

Politics - Brexit

BREXIT

Oh! How I Love The Chaos!

So our wonderful Prime Minister has activated section 50 and started the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union.

One of the first things her council announced was the preserving and integrating off all the EU laws until they can have the time to see which ones they will keep.

This is common sense as we have been using these laws for years.  To just dump them and start new would be insane.  However, the magnificent ministers in the house of commons do not appear to agree with this decision.

I cannot believe that it's the laws themselves, as most of the ministers wanted us to stay in the EU so we would have been under the restraints of these same laws.  So are they just upset by the government's decision because it won't disrupt the UK too much(?)  Instead of arguing and disagreeing in this time of great change they should be uniting and helping each other because this change affects everybody.

It does not matter which party you vote for or stand by this predicament we are in affects us all so I believe all the members of Parliment should be looking after the people in their constituencies.

This situation has the chance of being the best thing the United Kingdom have done.  But it does require strength and great strategies from the government to achieve this outcome.  If they do this right we can become a stronger element in world politics, whereas we have now slipped down the rankings.  Look at how David Cameron was acknowledged in the EU assemblies.  He looked like a third thumb.  Even his own country used him and his EU shunning as a source of comedy.

Though he did show how weak he really was.  After calling for the vote on leaving the EU, he instantly resigned when the vote came in against him... even though he had previously stated that he would stay in no matter what the outcome of the vote.  So once again he lied to his country and then ran away when it look like the going was getting harder.

Do I believe that Teresa May will do a good job?

Who cares, at least she stepped up to the job after the great coward dumped the mess in her lap.  She seems to be doing a good job so far and I wish her and her government all the best.  Though I do not agree with most of the Conservatives politics, I am willing to put that behind me and give her my support because she, and the whole country, needs all the help and support it can get.

So all you politicians, for just once, shut your mouths and help out.  Your country and your people need you now, more than ever before.