Sharks and Deceptions...

 

The Team tells me that they have received requests for my Podcast – BOARDING NOW to be added to the Vimeo platform.  Well, as I always say it’s important to listen and when possible, act upon requests.  So, I am pleased to say we have spared no expense and have now added Vimeo to the available options to either watch or listen to my monthly outpourings.  Don’t forget you can request dedications for me to include in the show, so be sure to hop onto my website to send yours through to us.

 

The world looked like it was going to get one step closer to WW3 at weekend when news of the Wagner Group’s alleged coup in Russia broke.  I was inundated with frantic messages from friends who feared the worst was about to be unleashed upon us all.  My advice at the time was to wait and watch remaining calm, as sometimes things are not quite what they seem.  

Call me an old cynic, but the apparent rapid de-escalation of events thanks to the

intervention of Alexander Lukashenko – President of Belarus, all seemed a bit too well rehearsed to me.  In the blink of an eye those opposed to Vladimir Putin were jumping for joy at the thought of him being ousted, only to find moments later their hopes were dashed as Yevgeny Prigozhin and his band of not so merry men ran for cover or at least a hot shower and some food courtesy of Minsk.  This felt like another moment of political propaganda, intended to destabilise the enemy.  A common tactic used by any warring faction to gain the hearts and minds of the masses to a particular course.  I know I am beginning to sound like a stuck record, but what we need to see is both Russia and the Ukraine compelled to sit around the negotiating table to end this horrid situation.  While we are at it, the world should be applying the same pressure to every other country who is warring with itself or others!

I was watching a documentary at the weekend, which spoke of a US President last century who had USD 3 Billion to spend on the welfare of his citizens, whilst at the same time having more than USD 85 Billion to lavish on defence spending.  In other words, money to keep the military industrial complex alive and well!  Arms dealers are like insurers, they need fear to survive and prosper, so what better way to do so than to provoke conflict which leads to fear and of course increased sales of munitions and weapons of destruction.  Come on folks, we are supposed to be intelligent, so why is it we can’t find a way to coexist without threatening others because we don’t like the way they choose to live.

How many of you tuned in to watch some of the Glastonbury over the weekend?  I only caught short snippets of the show, and of course couldn’t help but notice Sit Elton John, who made the news in several countries as he stepped (gingerly) onto the stage sporting his little gold number. I didn’t hear him perform so couldn’t claim to have any knowledge of his set or the quality of his now aging voice, but I’m sure those gathered in this Mecca to Music will have enjoyed themselves regardless, caught by the tsunami of emotions such gatherings cause.  Lewis Capaldi certainly had the admiration of the crowd as he struggled to get through his set.  I applaud his openness with the fans, as he explained he was having mental health issues and struggling with his Tourette’s.  The crowd were so supportive that they sang with him, which shows that humans can be simply superb when the atmosphere is right, and everyone is focused on a single positive outcome!

Shamefully, but not unexpectedly, moneylenders have made it to the headlines this week, or more specifically loan sharks who take advantage of folk struggling to battle against the onslaught of price hikes and runaway inflation.   No matter how tempting it may be to borrow a relatively small sum from such people to pay off an energy bill or buy food for the kids, I would urge you to do everything you can to avoid such loans.  These loans invariably have high interest rates and sometimes harsh consequences should you fail to repay the full loan and associated interest.  The reports in the press suggest that borrowing from a disreputable individual or organisation often means interest of at least 50% or double bubble terms, where the original loan is doubled each month until it’s paid off.  I despise this type of exploitation of people who are in desperate need of help.  If you do find yourself feeling trapped speak to any number of charities and support organisations who can help you navigate your way through your financial situation and hopefully help you to avoid the sharp bite of a loan shark.  

Looking after ourselves is so important, and I am a shocker at telling people to make time for themselves and then not practising what I preach, which is why this week I have had a few hours each day where I’ve switched off from work and had some ‘me’ time.  Ironically, whilst listening to some old records from the 60’s and 70’s I got into a debate with my family about old TV shows that were big in the day.  One such show was Sykes, written and starring Eric Sykes with Hattie Jacques as his sidekick.  With the wonders of technology, or more precisely streaming I was able to source the show and watch a couple of episodes for a bit of escapism and bizarrely found myself chuckling out loud to the predictable moments the show contained.  The comedy was suggestive rather than gratuitous, but on occasion shocked with a lack of equality, which made me realise how far we have come in terms of what we will or won’t tolerate and why.  Whilst nowadays we are rightly shocked by racism, we seem to have an insatiable thirst for blood and sex…  One step forward two steps back (perhaps), some days I feel old even though I am only in my 50’s (I know who’d have thought it).

Have your say! I’d love to hear what you’d like to see in the blog each week? After all this is all about interaction, so knowing what you think, what you’d like to see me writing about and your views of the world in general would be great!  So, if you have something you want to get off your chest or have a fab idea or two drop us a line and we will try our best to include items that spark debate.

Ideas and feedback can be submitted by using the handy form on my website, be sure to select Blog & Podcast Feedback!  I look forward to hearing from you…