Big kid brought home a June 1983 copy of National Geographic from the school library today (I said it needs an update!).

Auto-generated description: A National Geographic cover from June 1983 features an image of space with the Horsehead Nebula and list of articles inside.

Some things never change.

A comment and a response discuss perceptions of bias in a National Geographic article on the Beirut destruction in February 1983, with differing views on anti-Semitism.

If only there was a human rights lawyer / political leader of sound moral principles who could form a coalition of the willing to secure a peace plan.

Having unilaterally pledged endless war against a nuclear enemy with “British boots on the ground” Starmer’s popularity is apparently soaring.

Security is not the ability to destroy your neighbour. Security is the ability to get on with your neighbour. Think of the kind of society we could build if politicians had the slightest interest in building a world of peace.

It is worth noting that Starmer’s delusional “Hundred Year Alliance” agreement with Zelensky contained the UK’s attempt to grab the same minerals Zelensky is now asking again to be allowed to hand over to Trump.

Starmer is now the de facto leader of the European Union.

I saw the heavily edited Trump-Zelensky smackdown video and couldn’t help but think of Trump as Emperor Ming the Merciless to Zelensky’s Flash Gordon. Vance as General Klytus. Keir Starmer made a grovelling cameo as Prince Thun (RIP).

Trump is an evil narcissist for publicly humiliating Zelensky because Zelensky refuses to negotiate a peace deal with Putin because Putin is “the aggressor”, illegally occupies Ukrainian land, and “wants to kill them all”.

Netanyahu illegally occupies Palestinian land and reneges on a peace deal he negotiated with “the aggressor” Hamas who “want to kill them all”.

On yer bike! (Your voice matters)

Last week we had the local cycling group at the school offering free bikes and training to families.

We’d love free bikes, of course.

Two problems for me, though:

  1. There’s nowhere safe and secure to keep them.
  2. The roads and drivers around here are downright dangerous, and no dedicated cycle lanes.

I couldn’t help myself imparting this information in no uncertain terms to the two smiley elderly ladies handing out the marketing leaflets.

Afterwards, big kid gave me some feedback.

“Dad, when you shout it makes me want to freeze out of fear.”

Me: “Oh no, sorry, did I shout at those ladies?”

“No, you didn’t shout at them. You used your political voice. Your political voice makes me want to listen.”

‘The UK currently has schemes for some Afghans, Ukrainians and people from Hong Kong to come to the UK but no route for Palestinians.’