Israel, you are acting like you WANT the world to hate you?

Why is "the West" so strongly pro-Israel? Especially the USA? It must be the strong US Jewish lobby. Madness. It is surely time for real peace and the USA (and UK?) to stop backing Israel. Give the Palestinians a fair chance.

See http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/07/us-little-doubt-israel-bombed-gaza-school-2014731172852773778.html

Wonderful weather forecasting

According to the Met Office and BBC Weather apps, we are supposed to be experiencing a nice sunny evening here in Burwell.  It is actually dark cloud and it has started to rain. Can the forecasters never get it right, despite their super-computers? I actually get very annoyed by the inability to correctly forecast the weather now, let alone a few days in advance. It seems the only time they get it right is when there is a big high pressure system overhead. In that weather one has only to look out of the window!

UPDATE 20.20pm local time: the sun is shining, the flowers smell beautiful, it is a lively end to the day.


PS  Get Israel to make peace, not war.

Stroke - videofluoroscopy

This afternoon, I am going in to Addenbrooke's hospital as an outpatient, yet again, this time for a videofluoroscopy of my swallow. Although I can eat foods pretty well, I still have problems with some drinks. They video you drinking liquids to see why swallow is not easy.

UPDATE 1430z:  All went well. No choking on drinks and more advice on how to drink unthickened drinks. Advised to drink more by mouth so stomach PEG can be removed. A good day.

PS  Get Israel to talk peace, not war.

The best place on Earth

Thurlestone Rock and Bolt Tail (in distance)

Although somewhat biased, I believe this picture posted on the South Hams History Forum by Mike Wannacott tonight shows the best place on Earth.  I have seen many places but none match the South Hams.

Lapthorns (my family name) have lived near here for at least 500 years. A Lapthorn shared "1 fee of land" at South Huish (just off the left of this picture) way back in 1428.  We have lived in these parts for a very long time.  The coastline was probably quite different when Lapthorns first farmed or fished hereabouts.

I suspect my ancestors farmed on Dartmoor more than 4000 years ago before the soils were exhausted and when the climate was milder, living in Stone Age huts.

Parking on pavements

As a disabled person (with a blue parking badge for now) I get very annoyed with people who block pavements by parking half on them in rural villages where there is no need. 

How not to park!

Since at least 9am (probably much earlier) this morning a grey Vauxhall Corsa has parked in such a way that neither a push chair nor a wheelchair would be able to pass on Mill Lane, Burwell. Even just walking past is hard. It leaves the pavement about 12 inches wide only which is nothing. Do people not realise the nuisance they cause? I tried to ring the police on 101 and report it. The auto machine said expect a 10 minute wait. After 5 the line was just cut off! AJ07ZDK. Ringing the police will probably do no good.

If I was in a wheelchair this would be a major issue. I am sure their motives were good,but frankly the car is a damn nuisance.

Gaza

The actions of Israel overnight attacking a school designated a UN safe area in Gaza, is nothing short of a war crime.  15 innocents killed and dozens injured - disgraceful in any language. There is absolutely no excuse for this slaughter. Even if rockets were fired from the local area it is no excuse to kill already traumatised children. Slaughter of the innocents.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28558433 .
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28559537 .

For years, the state of  Israel has treated the Palestinian people like scum. They deserve to be treated as full humans and accorded the full rights all humans deserve. No more settlements on Palestinian land. After the horrors to the Jews in WW2 you would think Israel would want to help build a kinder world. Not a bit of it! They seem to want to spread hate.  I know Hamas must stop firing rockets at Israel and I know there are good Jewish people, but the war on Gaza is fostering hate and yet more resentment.

What is needed are real substantive talks leading to a comprehensive and fair peace for all in the region. Now is the time for jaw, jaw not war, war. Will Israel never learn? If you treat the Palestinian people as less than human what do you expect?

At the moment, Israel, supported by the USA and the UK amongst others, is not even seriously trying to get a lasting peace. Any eye for an eye seems to be all Israel understands.  Now is the time for real love and kindness to be shared and long-term peace to be given a real chance.   People of  Israel - wake up!   USA and UK: support the Palestinians at the same level as Israel.   Give peace a real chance!

Sanctions against Russia?

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-28551391  .

I see the EU and the USA have increased sanctions against Russia. Russia claims these will hurt the west too. They may be right, but Russia has been too lax over events in Eastern Ukraine with its support for the separatists.By now, a thorough investigation into the MH17 jet should have been held, but still the Russians are prevaricating.  By doing so, they are as much as admitting their complicity.

Russia, I am sorry, but the whole world expects better of you than back in the dark days of the USSR and the Cold War. Play by the rules the whole world expects or expect the economic consequences.

This not East versus West.   At present it is Russia versus the whole world.

I agree with greater sanctions if it helps Russia to see how to regain its rightful place at the world's top table as a truly democratic nation. Currently Russia is doing itself no favours at all and thinks it still lives in a pre-1989 world. This is 2014 - times have moved on.