Sunday, 12 July 2020

#Jetskis Jet-skiers

Generally I try not to write negative or offensive blogs. However when considering Jet-Skis and Jet-Skiers it is not humanly possible. In order not to consume too much energy I have employed Roget's Thesaurus to be succinct.

  • MORON/MORONIC - 

idiot · halfwit · nincompoop · blockhead · buffoon · dunce · dolt · ignoramus · cretin · imbecile · dullard · simpleton · clod · dope · ninny · chump · dimwit · nitwit · goon · dumbo · dummy · dum-dum · dumb-bell · loon · jackass · bonehead · fathead · numbskull · dunderhead · chucklehead · knucklehead · muttonhead · pudding-head · thickhead · wooden-head · airhead · pinhead · lamebrain · pea-brain · birdbrain · zombie · jerk · nerd · dipstick · donkey · noodle · nit · numpty · twit · clot · ass · goat · plonker · berk · prat · pillock · wally · git · wazzock · divvy · nerk · twerp · charlie · mug · muppet · nyaff · balloon · sumph · gowk · gobdaw · schmuck · bozo · boob · lamer · turkey · schlepper · chowderhead · dumbhead · dumbass · goofball · goof · goofus · galoot · dork · lummox · klutz · putz · schlemiel · sap · meatball · gink · cluck · clunk · ding-dong · dingbat · wiener · weeny · dip · simp · spud · coot · palooka · poop · squarehead · yo-yo · dingleberry · wing nut · drongo · dill · alec · galah · nong · bogan · poon · boofhead · mompara · tomfool · noddy · clodpole · loggerhead · spoony · mooncalf
Of course I could go on - but you get my drift - lol!





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#Marmite

It is very early Saturday morning - a beautiful morning - bright, sunny and quiet - what a change without the blustery winds we have had for the last week or so. I have finished my bike ride and still no one is about much. I have a lot to do today. My youngest son is soon back for the week and the twins have arranged some time off too. An activity week on the Isle of Wight is planned. But it is a bit early for domestic jobs - so a quick blog - ha! Coffee made so here goes!

I am prompted to write this blog about Marmite by the coronavirus. Why so I am sure you are dying to learn? Well - Marmite has been part of my everyday breakfast since I was a young boy (or younger!). Most days now I have a teaspoon full of Marmite in a cup of boiling water to make a drink (after a vigorous stir) - occasionally the more orthodox - on toast or crackers! Anyway I take Marmite for granted - never think about it normally - consume it without much thought - I just really like the savoury taste and I have a notion it has goodness in it.

So the effect of the Coronavirus. The first effect was to prompt a Marmite scare. Supplies of Marmite might be running short - was a news headline. What - how can that be?  Well Marmite is made from a yeast extract. I knew that - but so what? Well we learn the yeast extract is actually a bi-product of the beer brewing industry. The covid lockdown has closed our pubs - real ale sales have plummeted as a result - brewers respond - much less beer being brewed - much less brewers yeast bi-product available - the threat of Marmite shortages!

The other covid effect on my marmite supply - like many others I started to use online shopping for groceries as a response to the covid lockdown. Marmite is always on my shopping list. I don't know if you use online shopping but one issue with it is what happens if they do not have the item you have ordered in stock? The default is they send a near replacement instead. I was sent a jar of Marmite XO. Marmite XO? Marmite XO - extra old - apparently crafted by the Marmite master blenders for the true Marmite connoisseur! Marmite XO takes 4 times as long as regular Marmite to mature it says. When I looked it up I am also now aware Marmite does a reduced salt version. After all these years I start thinking about what is in my regular tipple - ha!

Anyway prompted by these thoughts I did some research. Here is the trivia I came up with! :
  • Marmite was invented by German scientist Justus von Liebig and originally made in the United Kingdom.
  • The product is notable as a vegan source of B vitamins, including supplemental Vitamin B12.
  • Marmite is a sticky, dark brown food paste with a distinctive, powerful flavour, that is extremely salty. This distinctive taste is represented in the marketing slogan: "Love it or hate it." Such is its prominence in British popular culture that the product's name is often used as a metaphor for something that is an acquired taste or tends to polarise opinions. Marmite is a commonly used ingredient in dishes as a flavouring, as it is particularly rich in umami due to its very high levels of glutamate.
  • The image on the front of the jar shows a marmite (French: [maʁmit]), a French term for a large, covered earthenware or metal cooking pot. Marmite was originally supplied in earthenware pots but since the 1920s has been sold in glass jars.
  • The product that was to become Marmite was invented during the late 19th century when German scientist Justus von Liebig discovered that brewer's yeast could be concentrated, bottled and eaten. During 1902, the Marmite Food Extract Company was formed in Burton on Trent, Staffordshire, England with Marmite as its main product and Burton as the site of the first factory. The by-product yeast needed for the paste was supplied by Bass Brewery. By 1907, the product had become successful enough to warrant construction of a second factory at Camberwell Green in London.
  • By 1912, the discovery of vitamins was a boost for Marmite, as the spread is a rich source of the vitamin B complex; with the vitamin B1 deficiency beri-beri being common during World War I, the spread became more popular. British troops during World War I were issued Marmite as part of their rations.
  • During the 1930s, Marmite was used by the English scientist Lucy Wills to successfully treat a form of anaemia in mill workers in Bombay. She later identified folic acid as the active ingredient. Marmite was used to treat malnutrition by Suriya-Mal workers during the 1934–5 malaria epidemic in Sri Lanka. Housewives were encouraged to spread Marmite thinly and to "use it sparingly just now" because of limited rations of the product.
  • During 1990, Marmite Limited, which had become a subsidiary of Bovril Limited, was bought by CPC International Inc, which changed its name to Best Foods Inc during 1998. Best Foods Inc subsequently merged with Unilever during 2000, and Marmite is now a trademark owned by Unilever.
  • While the process is secret, the general method for making yeast extract on a commercial scale is to add salt to a suspension of yeast, making the solution hypertonic, which results in the cells shrivelling; this triggers autolysis, during which the yeast self-destructs. The dying yeast cells are then heated to complete their breakdown, and since yeast cells have thick cell walls which would detract from the smoothness of the end product, the husks are sieved out. As with other yeast extracts, Marmite contains free glutamic acids, which are analogous to monosodium glutamate.
  • Presently, the main ingredients of Marmite are glutamic acid-rich yeast extract, with lesser quantities of salt, vegetable extract, spice extracts and celery extracts, although the precise composition is a trade secret. Some sources suggest that Vitamin B12 is not naturally found in yeast extract, and is only present because it is added to Marmite during manufacture. Others indicate that "Brewer's and nutritional yeast extracts are also a rich source of B vitamins, particularly B-1, B-2, B-3, B-6, B-12, and folic acid.
  • Marmite is rich in B vitamins including thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), folic acid (B9) and vitamin B12. The sodium content of the spread is high and has caused concern, although it is the amount per serving rather than the percentage in bulk Marmite that is relevant. The main ingredient of Marmite is yeast extract, which contains a high concentration of glutamic acid. Marmite is not gluten free, as it is made with wheat, and although it is thoroughly washed, it may contain small quantities of gluten.
  • Marmite should be avoided if a person takes a MAOI antidepressant, such as phenelzine (Nardil) or tranylcypromine (Parnate), as yeast extracts interact adversely with these types of medications due to their tyramine content.
  • Marmite is presently fortified with added vitamins, resulting in it being banned temporarily in Denmark, which disallows foodstuffs that have been fortified until they have been tested. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration stated during 2015 that Marmite had not been banned in the country, but that fortified foods need to be tested for safety and approved before they can be marketed in the country. During 2014, suppliers applied for a risk assessment to be performed after which Marmite became available in Denmark.
  • Marmite's publicity campaigns initially emphasised the spread's healthy nature, extolling it as "The growing up spread you never grow out of". The first major Marmite advertising campaign began during the 1930s, with characters whose faces incorporated the word "good". Soon afterwards, the increasing awareness of vitamins was used in Marmite advertising, with slogans proclaiming that "A small quantity added to the daily diet will ensure you and your family are taking sufficient vitamin B to keep nerves, brain, and digestion in proper working order".
  • During the 1980s, the spread was advertised with the slogan "My mate, Marmite", chanted in television commercials by an army platoon. The spread had been a standard vitamin supplement for British-based German POWs during the Second World War.
  • By the 1990s Marmite's distinctive and powerful flavour had earned it as many detractors as it had fans, and it was known for producing a polarised "love/hate" reaction amongst consumers. For many years television advertisements for Marmite featured the song "Low Rider" by the band War with the lyrics changed to the phrase "My Mate, Marmite". Marmite began a "Love it or Hate it" campaign during October 1996, and this resulted in the inventing of the phrase "Marmite effect" or "Marmite reaction" for anything which provoked controversy.
So what have I learned from this in depth analysis? Well surprised to note Marmite - a quintessentially English breakfast spread was invented by a German and it qualifies to be eaten by vegans and Muslim's. I am reassured that it does appear to be good for you with all those B Vitamins. I would be surprised if I was short of thiamin , riboflavin , niacin , folic acid or B12. I had a quick look at what they do for the body - and it all seems good - ha! The only down side seems to be the high salt content. I have tried low salt products before - aware that too much salt is not good - but I think I will stick with my usual Marmite and take the risk!

And Marmite XO ? - for the Marmite aficionados. I am going to dismiss it as a marketing ploy - a bit like all the now versions of Colgate toothpaste - they all do the same thing! 

 Oh and I have to mention the Oz version of our Marmite - Vegemite. Amazingly they claim it is better. I have a jar. I use it now and again to add a bit extra to a stock cube - in the way you might use an inferior dash of red wine lol!

 Finally one that made me chuckle from the Marmite marketing. Did you know Marmite is the most confiscated branded food at London city airport? The English travelling abroad cannot do without their Marmite - although for myself I never take it - I want to eat what the locals eat - but having said that when I get back to the UK there are always 2 things I especially look forward to - a pint of Real Ale - and a generous spread of Marmite ( not together of course!) 
My mate Marmite comes out on top. You either love it or hate it!



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Monday, 6 July 2020

#wokeness & rewriting history

Like many people I have been concerned and irritated (putting it mildly) by woke virtue signalling and where it is leading. Too often it appears superficial and hypocritical. Many people - especially young people - have fallen into the trap of judging the past by today's standards and think the right thing to do is erase it rather than learn from it. They have also fallen into the trap of believing they have a unique insight - a unique virtuousness - which gives them the right to condemn anyone that does not comply with their views and their interpretations. The sad thing is it often undermines - it detracts from these issues being dealt with by serious people.

I have intended to write a blog about it for some time but have struggled for focus.

A journalist and writer whose opinions often chime with me is Douglas Murray. He recently wrote this short article for the Telegraph. I have copy and pasted it below. He sums up how I feel.


ARTICLE BY DOUGLAS MURRAY - Telegraph 19th June 2020

Historians will look back at us and ask: what on earth were they thinking?

Far more productive than this Maoist assault on the past would be to turn the exercise on ourselves.

How wonderful it must feel to stand atop history as judge, jury and statue-executioner. You can see it in the faces of the crowds, whether they are shouting at statues in Oxford or stamping on them in Bristol. These people are getting high on the feeling of being superior to their forebears. How racist, colonialist, sexist and homophobic all those people were. What did Cecil Rhodes ever do for trans rights?

Cultural conservatives have argued for decades that the decline in the teaching of history would lead to mass ignorance. Now we know what the stage after such ignorance is: mass presumptuousness.

It is so easy to point to the past and find it guilty of failing to live up to our current standards. Especially when our standards change as swiftly as they now do. Just yesterday it transpired that a “trigger warning” has been added to Sky’s listing for the Disney movie Aladdin. “This film has outdated attitudes, language and cultural depictions which may cause offence today.” The movie – starring Will Smith – came out in 2019.
But far more productive than this Maoist assault on the past would be to turn the exercise on ourselves. Every era in human history has done things we look back on and wonder: “What on earth were they thinking?” So unless we have become uniquely virtuous of late (which, of course, the woke think they have), perhaps we should perform this exercise on ourselves. What might we be doing that people after us will look at with horror? What statues that we put up might future mobs want to tear down?
Even the biggest self-appointed “progressive” might be able to identify some offence of which they are guilty. Perhaps the fact that we continued to rear, kill and then eat animals will be looked back on as barbaric. Why did our age not know about the meat substitutes that will be plentiful in the 2050s? Or what about our demands for fast fashion which mean our society buys unbelievably cheap, swiftly-disposed of clothes? All thanks to the slave labour employed in China and other sweatshops in the Far East. “How did they not know where their clothes came from?” a later generation may ask. When they find out that we did, I suppose down will come our statues.
Personally I think it at least equally likely that a future generation might look at the easy way in which our society views abortion in a very judging light. Certainly they could look at the push for euthanasia in such a way. But we will never know for certain. In fact we have no idea. Because that’s the thing about history. When you’re going through it you don’t know where or how it’s going to go. Let alone where it might end.
A sobering thought. And one that our cultural revolutionaries might reflect on. If reflection were their thing.

BACK TO ME
Douglas Murray has prompted me to come up with a short list. Here are one or two of my observations that future generations might feel "what on earth were they thinking"!
1) Being totally irresponsible with public spending and burdening future generations with our debt.
2) Failure of our society to face up to and deal objectively with, our problems because of an over weaning political correctness. (leading to breakdown in the rule of law and law and order).
3) Failure of many in the political classes - particularly the liberal elites to support the principal of our democracy by trying to deny the result of the Brexit Referendum. This had/has long-term repercussions because losers consent has been diminished as a result.
4) How political bias was allowed to develop at the BBC - the public service broadcaster - with the consequent lack of trust in their output.
5) How uncontrolled immigration was allowed to run causing untold damage to our physical and social fabric through inevitable overcrowding (in a small nation) and inadequate planning that results from no control of numbers. Most notably perhaps - the ridiculous assertion that millions of economic migrants coming into the country had/has no bearing on housing shortages (and the social deprivation and disunity that inevitably results). 
6) How casual litter dropping and the impact of plastics and tins have been allowed to degrade our planet. (Just look at the aftermath of music festivals or a busy day at the seaside. Shameful. So hypocritical.)


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Wednesday, 20 May 2020

#FreeSpeechUnion from a member

Generally I am not one to join clubs and societies but I have subscribed by monthly direct debit (£2.49) to a new organisation called the Free Speech Union. This is the web site link :

https://freespeechunion.org/

Why have I joined? Simply put - because I thought freedom of speech was an unassailable bedrock principal that underpinned our society. It is a principal I absolutely believe in and support. However like many others I feel the principle of free speech is under siege - being attacked.

MY PERSONAL VIEW (just to be crystal clear I 100% support your right to disagree with me and express that view in any way you want except by closing me down (denying my right to hold and express these opinions) or by using violence).

In my particular case I think free speech is under attack by political correctness, distorted woke mentalities and those crying loudly they feel "offended" (there is no right not to feel offended as far as I know). I have a particular problem with the sensitivities of  many Muslim's who are demanding (and seem to be achieving) special limitations on free speech from our society when it comes to challenging their practices and beliefs.(too often underpinned by a threat of violence.).

I certainly have a problem with (what I see as) the overplayed (and erroneous) accusation of racism. To some - Brexit was racist - BAME death rate from the coronavirus is racist - pointing out most knife stabbings in London involve young black men - is apparently racist. Believing we are overpopulated (and the housing shortage in England) has significantly been caused by uncontrolled economic migration is racist - wanting to take a strong line with illegal Channel migrants is racist - believing multi culturalism does not work etc etc. I share all these views - but I am not a racist - but to what extent can I voice these opinions now without fear in a society that claims to support the principal of free speech? I observe a tide flowing against the principle of free speech and I believe the time has come to be more proactive in its defence.

I think supporting the Free Speech Union is a practical way of being proactive in supporting the principal of freedom of speech.

Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction.

FREE SPEECH UNION

Statement of Values

The Free Speech Union stands for freedom of speech, of conscience, and of intellectual enquiry, which we regard as the essential pillars of a free society—the foundational freedoms on which all others depend. We believe that human beings cannot flourish outside a free society, which means they cannot flourish in the absence of free speech. Free speech is how knowledge is developed and shared, as well as our views about morality, religion and politics. Robust debate—appealing to reason, evidence and our shared values—is also the best way to resolve disagreements about issues big and small without descending to violence or intimidation. And free speech is the most effective bulwark against abuses of power by politicians, with history demonstrating that its denial is both the aim of tyrants, because it stops people criticising them, and an ominous precursor to the removal of other freedoms.
We believe that free speech is currently under assault across the Anglosphere, particularly in those areas where it matters most, such as schools, universities, the arts, the entertainment industry and the media. The aim of the Free Speech Union is to restore it and protect it.
We take no position on the validity of others’ opinions, political or otherwise, whether expressed in speech, writing, performance, or in another form. However, we condemn all incitements to violence.
We expect our members not to restrict others’ freedom of speech and we hope that when engaging in discussions and disagreements they keep faith with the spirit of the Enlightenment and use reason and evidence to prosecute their case, rather than engaging in ad hominem or seeking to silence opponents through harassment or intimidation. While we discourage offensive or personal attacks, particularly if based on a person’s membership of a particular group, we would not generally exclude people from joining the Free Speech Union, or try and kick out existing members, for engaging in uncivil behaviour (although we reserve the right to do so). The Free Speech Union believes that if society doesn’t uphold the right to express controversial, eccentric, heretical, provocative or unwelcome opinions, then it doesn’t uphold free speech.
As George Orwell put it, “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”
FREE SPEECH UNION 
Free speech is the bedrock on which all our other freedoms rest, yet it is currently in greater peril than at any time since the Second World War. The Free Speech Union is a non-partisan, mass-membership organisation that stands up for the speech rights of its members. If you think there’s a risk you’ll be penalised for exercising your legal right to free speech, whether it’s in the workplace or the public square, you need the protection of the Free Speech Union. How might we protect you?
  • If you find yourself being targeted by a digital outrage mob on social media for having exercised your legal right to free speech, we will mobilise an army of supporters.
  • If a petition is launched calling for you to be fired, when you’ve done nothing other than exercise your legal right to free speech, we’ll organise a counter-petition.
  • If you’re no-platformed by a university—a feminist professor who challenges trans orthodoxy, for instance—we’ll encourage you to go to law and organise a crowdfunding campaign to pay your costs.
  • If newspaper columnists and broadcasting pundits start attacking you for dissenting from orthodox views and opinions, we could get our allies in the media to come to your defence.
  • If you’re punished by your employer because you’ve exercised your lawful right to free speech, we’ll do our best to provide you with legal assistance.

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Friday, 1 May 2020

#Coronavirusuk BAME death rate - Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Trevor Phillips

Stating the obvious - many people have contacted the Coronavirus in the UK and to date over 25000 have died.

While it is still early days in statistical analysis, it appears a disproportionately higher % of people with a BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) background have been affected by the corona virus.

The Guardian - While black and minority ethnic people make up only 14% of the UK’s population, they account for 35% of all coronavirus patients in intensive care

London, which has the most diverse population in the UK in both absolute and percentage terms, has had the highest number of coronavirus deaths. The West Midlands, with the second most diverse population, has been another hotspot for coronavirus deaths, with Birmingham recording the most cases after London.

It is a concern for everyone including the Government, NHS, Public Health England and of course the major political parties, pressure groups and media.

Here are some recent headlines :

Telegraph - Why are so many black and ethnic minority people dying from coronavirus?

Guardian - BAME groups hit harder by Covid-19 than white people, UK study suggests.
It would be surprising if anyone would argue the statistics and the reasons for them do not require a thorough examination and an explanation sought.

Serious commentary acknowledges the reasons may be complex. There could be a multitude of factors all contributing including : 
  • % in urban living
  • cultural and lifestyle differences
  • specific ethnic health issues
  • cultural attitude to exercise
  • obesity
  • housing
  • dietary differences
  • relative poverty
  • A medical consultant from a Midlands hospital - “We need to ensure that every individual, including the BAME population, are following social distancing instructions.“We have anecdotal information that it might not be happening in certain BAME groups.”

However some have been quick to make judgements and assertions :

Metro - High number of BAME coronavirus deaths ‘magnifies UK’s institutional racism’

London Mayor Sadiq Khan calls the BAME death rate an "injustice."

 It is clear this is going to be a very contentious subject because some have already made their mind up that the figures are evidence of racism and/or inequality.

The Labour Party have appointed Baroness Doreen Lawrence to head their enquiry into the subject. Doreen Lawrence as you will recall is the mother of Stephen Lawrence the young black boy tragically murdered some years ago. His parents fought a courageous battle to evidence the Metropolitan Police were racist in the way they approached the investigation into their sons death - and subsequently this brought an apology from the Met Police and they changed they way they operated.

Doreen Lawrence has become symbolic in the fight against racism. She was recently criticised by many however for stating "  "Had Grenfell Tower been a block full of white people, they’d (London Fire Brigade) have done everything to get them out as fast as possible and make sure that they did what they needed to do," she said, in an interview with Channel 4 News last week.
Trevor Phillips on the other hand has been appointed by the gov't as part of the team of Public Health England (PHE) to look into the disproportionate death rates among BAME communities. Some have reacted very badly to his appointment including the Muslim Council of Britain. Trevor Phillips is a former head of The Equalities & Human Rights Commission. He has a stellar record in exposing racism and inequality and fighting for justice in BAME communities. However Trevor Phillips is nobody's patsy and many in the BAME communities regard him as an Uncle Tom because he has not been slow in finding fault with them too in a genuine attempt to bring about equality and stamp out racism. He is currently suspended from membership of the Labour Party because of accusations of  Islamophobia. In the past Phillips has said :-
Grooming scandal 

In a 2016 pamphlet, Mr Phillips wrote: 'The most sensitive cause of conflict in recent years has been the collision between majority norms and the behaviours of some Muslim groups.


'In particular, the exposure of systematic and longstanding abuse by men, mostly of Pakistani Muslim origin in the north of England.'


'Nation within a nation' 


In 2016 Mr Phillips was quoted in a Times story on a survey of values, referring to 'the unacknowledged creation of a nation within the nation, with its own geography, its own values and its own very separate future'.

Most of the other charges refer to Phillips's views on Muslim integration. At various points he has said Muslims "see the world differently from the rest of us" and cited "the unacknowledged creation of a nation within the nation". He's said the integration of Muslims would "probably be the hardest task we've ever faced" and urged a "more muscular approach". He's noted that few attendees at a conference of Muslim scholars which he attended wore poppies.
He's also been picked up for criticising the official reluctance to link child grooming scandals to regressive social norms within some Muslim communities. This is a sensitive area of public discussion, particularly because the 'grooming gangs' phenomenon is used by far rightists against Muslims in general. It's no trivial detail that the Christchurch attacker, who carried out his massacre of Muslims almost a year ago to the day, had 'For Rotherham' written on the side of his gun. But it's also a source of understandable public anger that those in positions of power have failed to deal with the sexual abuse of thousands of girls out of fear of being accused of racism. And walling off discussion about it has not helped blameless British Muslims; quite the opposite.
The point I am trying to make - and I know I have not been succinct, is there is clear need to investigate why there have been proportionately so many BAME deaths. However some seem to have decided the reasons for the outcome already. Doreen Lawrence's appointment demonstrates where the Labour Party thinks the explanation lies.
There have been many who argue that some Muslims (for instance) have put worship ahead of social distancing and BAME communities have been slow to follow the rules. Some feel the white community are the ones now suffering overt racism from the BAME communities and are under siege. They are concerned this important issue will be used as yet another stick to beat them with even though fault does not lie with them. They feel white racism towards BAME communities is overplayed to gain both social and economic advantage by BAME communities in a pre meditated way. 
With someone like Trevor Phillips we are much more likely to get a nuanced and well researched report - feeding back how things actually were and are rather than a report that represents the pre conceived agenda and partisan battles of minds and communities. This could prove very important because this issue is enormous in our society and the report conclusions will have wide reaching impact.
Baroness Doreen Lawrence with Sir Keir Starmer Labour Party leader

Trevor Phillips - appointed as part of the PHE review team






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