On February 2020 I started my huwspace.com blog and have had a great deal of enjoyment expressing myself on this site. With music, thoughts and films that are close to my heart that express who I am and write about my perspective on what is going on in my life and in the world. 2020 onwards has been a crazy time really and the 2020’s decade has been one in which so much has happened it’s like the world is going too fast and there is no chance of jumping off at all as we are here for the ride or until our song stops being written or sung.
My mental health has been at times a challenge to during this time. It’s sometimes difficult to know who I am where I fit in and where I belong. This year I am 50 in July a milestone if ever there was one. I have lived in my home now since 2012 in Exeter and it really is a home and base for me which I important to me. I was born in Wales in 1976 and first moved to Devon in 1982 to the village of Spreyton a place which has been a home from home. Though I know I am Welsh and love watching Wales play rugby I also feel strongly a part of Devon due to the roots I have put down here and friends made too.
Being the youngest Edwards in Devon now at what feels like a ripe old age of 49 is a strange experience to have my mum and me enjoy our life here but it feels sad that we are the last parts of the family that moved to Devon left here. It is a wonderful place which I feel very grateful to be living and would not want to live anywhere else for sure.
British Politician Keir Starmer working for and with Trump as he sees that he can’t afford to deny his lies for what he calculates the United Kingdom will lose politically and economically.
What red lines if any have been drawn and what will it take to cross them?
Keir Starmer’s government (elected in 2024) has prioritized a pragmatic, realpolitik approach to managing the UK’s “special relationship” with Donald Trump’s US administration. While he has publicly condemned Trump’s past rhetoric and some specific actions, he has avoided drawing explicit public “red lines,” opting instead for diplomatic engagement to protect UK national interests.
Stated Position on Trump
Starmer has moved from calling Trump’s past comments “absolutely repugnant” to adopting a more measured, Prime Ministerial tone, stating that a leader must work with whoever the American people elect. He has emphasized the need to “make it work” due to the importance of the UK-US relationship.
In 2026, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s relationship with President Donald Trump is defined by a “realpolitik” strategy that prioritizes economic and national security over ideological confrontation. Facing a global landscape altered by aggressive U.S. actions, Starmer has adopted a “softly-softly” approach to manage the risks of a trade war and maintain the UK’s influence.
Strategic Pragmatism and “Atlantic Bridge” Diplomacy
Starmer has resisted choosing between the U.S. and the EU, attempting to position the UK as a bridge between the two. This calculation is driven by several factors:
Avoiding Trade Penalties: Starmer led efforts to cut deals with the Trump administration to insulate the UK from high tariffs. However, this has come at a cost; the UK recently ceded to U.S. threats regarding pharmaceutical tariffs, which may increase costs for the NHS.
Security Alignment: In recent calls (January 7–8, 2026), Starmer and Trump agreed on the need to deter Russian aggression in the Arctic, despite deep tensions over other U.S. maneuvers.
The “Trump Corollary”: Following the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela in early 2026, Starmer declined to condemn the action’s legality, focusing instead on maintaining a “holding position” to avoid alienating the White House.
Key Areas of Friction in 2026
“Red Lines” and Crossing Them
Starmer has avoided drawing firm public red lines, a strategy that has drawn criticism from opposition parties and some Labour backbenchers who accuse him of “craven subservience”.
International Law: The closest an implicit “red line” has been tested is over US military actions in Venezuela and Trump’s comments on acquiring Greenland in January 2026. While the Scottish First Minister and others urged Starmer to condemn these actions as breaches of international law, Starmer declined to do so publicly, stating it was “for the US to justify the actions it has taken” and that he was waiting for all the facts. This pragmatic approach suggests that verbal condemnation of US military action is not a red line that would break the relationship.
NATO Commitment: Starmer has stressed the importance of backing Ukraine and maintaining a strong Euro-Atlantic security alliance, which is a core value for his government. A significant US withdrawal from NATO or security cooperation would force a major UK policy rethink, although Starmer has not publicly stated this would end the relationship.
Trade: The Starmer government has engaged in trade discussions with the Trump administration, making compromises such as reducing import tariffs on cars and scrapping tariffs on US beef to secure deals and prevent trade wars. This demonstrates a willingness to make concessions to maintain economic stability.
Potential Political and Economic Losses
Starmer and analysts have identified several potential political and economic risks associated with Trump’s presidency:
Political/Diplomatic:
Loss of moral compass: By refusing to condemn actions like the invasion of Venezuela, critics argue the UK government risks losing its moral authority on the international stage and its standing as an advocate for international law.
Subservience: The perception of the UK as a subservient partner to the US (where the “US says jump, Britain asks how high”) is a significant political risk that can be exploited by domestic rivals like Reform UK.
Isolation: Trump’s “America First” approach and hostility to multi-lateral institutions may leave the UK more exposed on security and global issues, pushing Britain into a “strategic bind” between the US and Europe.
Economic:
Tariff wars: Trump’s use of tariffs has created significant economic uncertainty. While the UK has so far managed to mitigate some of the worst impacts through negotiation, the threat of tariffs (e.g., on pharmaceuticals) remains and could impact the NHS and other sectors.
Trade-offs: Securing trade deals with the US has required painful concessions, such as the potential impact on the NHS through pharmaceutical access or the agricultural sector via increased US imports.
Reduced EU cooperation: The necessity to court Trump for a US trade deal may impede Starmer’s goal of achieving closer economic ties with the EU, which some analysts believe offers a larger potential GDP boost than a US deal.
It seems at this moment time it seems almost like it is the powerless with the most to lose or who have already lost so much, that show the greatest power to stand up against Trump.
While Donald Trump runs around and spreads his wrath to all and sundry in a continues and seemingly unstoppable motion. It must be asked what reckoning will there be for him, either when or even before his time is spent in the presidential office. Just turning on my little TV this evening and listening to the tone of conversations and news articles it does finally feel like something has or is changing and the mad king of democracy will no longer be able to afford to get everything his own way from now on.
As of January 2026, the concept of a “reckoning” for Donald Trump refers to several impending legal, political, and social challenges scheduled to unfold throughout the year:
1. The 2026 Midterm Elections (November 3, 2026)
Political analysts describe the upcoming midterms as a primary “reckoning” for the second Trump presidency. While Trump’s name will not be on the ballot, the elections will serve as a referendum on his administration’s first year back in power. If Democrats regain control of the House of Representatives, they could launch new impeachment proceedings, which some describe as a “visceral reckoning” for his recent executive actions.
2. Supreme Court and Legal Challenges
The 2026 Supreme Court term is set to address multiple cases that could redefine or limit Trump’s presidential authority. Key issues include:
Executive Power Disputes: The court will hear cases regarding the president’s power to fire federal officials, such as those at the Federal Reserve.
Immunity and Investigations: While past rulings granted expansive immunity, the administration currently faces more than 400 lawsuits related to policies on immigration, trade, and the economy.
Media Defamation: Trump is personally involved in several high-stakes lawsuits against major media outlets, including a $10 billion claim against the Wall Street Journal and a $15 billion claim against the New York Times.
3. Internal MAGA and Public Backlash
Critics and even some supporters suggest a potential “reckoning” within his base over specific unmet promises or controversial actions:
Epstein Files: There is growing frustration among some “MAGA” supporters regarding the administration’s failure to release the full Jeffrey Epstein files as previously suggested.
Foreign Interventions: The January 2026 U.S. military raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has sparked a debate within his base. While many applaud the action, others see it as a contradiction of his “America First” promise to avoid foreign entanglements.
International Withdrawal: The January 8, 2026, executive order to withdraw from 66 international organizations, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, is creating a “foreign policy reckoning” for U.S. allies.
4. Moral and Institutional Reckoning
Social commentators describe 2026 as a year of “moral reckoning” for American democracy, citing the administration’s use of active-duty military for mass deportations and the weaponization of the Justice Department against critics. These observers argue that the survival of democratic institutions depends on how these actions are held to account by the courts and the public in the coming months.
Well it’s either a coincidence that this so called “Narco-Terrorism” state of a nation has tonnes of oil or the state of Venezuela has been targeted for it’s oil reserves on the pretence of it being an illegitimate government that simply no one would care about. Such reckless statesmanship by Trump could present a green light to both China and Russia to do as they choose in their own spheres of influence tearing up all agreed post world war two international rules of law and understandings on statehood. The day is truly a dark one indeed and the world is a more dangerous place thanks to Trump.
When you begin to accept the simple truth that Donald Trump lies in his presentations and statements in order to get his own way, this whole mess that is the invasion and kidnapping of the president of Venezuela really is a shit sandwich.
News media stations over in the UK are reading out the Trumps administrations statements as newsworthy factual documents whilst many of the citizens here have or are waking up to the fact that Donald Trump is a bad man that lies a lot and a con artist – but none of that is yet coming across in the mainstream media or our political representatives.
On January 3, 2026, the Trump administration launched Operation Absolute Resolve, a large-scale military strike and Special Forces raid in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. They were subsequently transported to New York to face federal charges.
The Trump administration has provided several primary reasons for this intervention:
1. Law Enforcement and “Narco-Terrorism”
The central legal justification used by the administration is the enforcement of a 2020 U.S. Department of Justice indictment.
Criminal Charges: Maduro and Flores were charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, and weapons offenses.
Drug Influx: Trump accused the Maduro government of leading the “Cartel de los Soles” and flooding the U.S. with illegal drugs, including fentanyl and cocaine.
2. National Security and Migration
Border Control: Trump explicitly blamed Maduro for the surge of Venezuelan migrants to the U.S., claiming Maduro “emptied his prisons” to force inmates to migrate.
Foreign Influence: U.S. officials highlighted Maduro’s close ties to Iran, Cuba, and Russia, accusing him of providing a foothold for hostile actors (including Hezbollah) in the Western Hemisphere.
3. Economic and Oil Interests
In public remarks following the raid, Trump stated that the U.S. would now “run” Venezuela until a “safe, proper, and judicious transition” could be made.
Oil Reserves: Trump announced plans for U.S. oil companies to move into Venezuela—which holds the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves—to rebuild infrastructure and “take back” oil wealth.
Reimbursement: He suggested that oil proceeds would be used to reimburse the U.S. for its efforts and for American interests previously pushed out of the country.
Current Status (as of January 6, 2026)
Court Proceedings: Maduro and Flores have pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan federal court. Maduro has characterized his capture as a “kidnapping” and himself as a “prisoner of war”.
Interim Government: Following the raid, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president in Caracas. The Trump administration has warned her she must comply with U.S. demands—including cracking down on drug flows and removing Iranian and Cuban operatives—to avoid a similar fate.
International Legality: The operation has been widely condemned by the UN Secretary-General and various world leaders as a violation of international law and the UN Charter.
Analysts suggest several reasons for the unprecedented frequency and nature of Trump’s lies:
Political Strategy: Lying serves as a deliberate tactic to “flood the zone” with claims, overwhelming media fact-checkers and public discourse. Falsehoods, such as claims about the 2020 election, can be more interesting and emotionally engaging than complicated truths. Some analysts characterize his statements as “bullshit” rather than lies, arguing he often disregards the truth entirely to guide group beliefs in a politically desirable direction.
Strengthening Group Identity: Psychologists note that some of his statements are “blue lies”—falsehoods told on behalf of a group that can strengthen bonds among members of that group.
Psychological Factors: Observers point to personality traits such as narcissism, where lying helps him look better, avoid blame or embarrassment, and maintain an image of strength. He rarely, if ever, accepts responsibility for mistakes and may get “duping delight” from successfully convincing others of falsehoods.
Repetition: Trump is known for repeating claims, aware that frequent repetition can eventually make people believe false information is true, a phenomenon known as the illusory truth effect.
Why People Want to Believe Him?
The reasons people believe Trump’s falsehoods are complex and rooted in human psychology and social dynamics:
Identity and Partisanship: For many, political affiliation has become a tribal identity. Believing Trump’s claims can be a way to express loyalty to this group and boost self-esteem by feeling like a “winner” rather than a “loser”. Challenging a falsehood might feel like an attack on their personal identity.
Confirmation Bias and Information Bubbles: People tend to seek information that confirms their existing beliefs (confirmation bias). Many of Trump’s supporters rely on right-leaning news outlets that echo his claims and rarely present contrary evidence, creating a feedback loop where his version of events is the only one they hear.
Emotional Appeals: Trump’s rhetoric often appeals to emotions and instincts rather than rational analysis, making vivid, emotionally charged images that stick in the mind more effectively than facts.
Distrust of Mainstream Sources: By repeatedly attacking the mainstream media as “fake news” and the “enemy of the people,” Trump undermines their credibility with his base. This encourages his supporters to trust only him as their source of truth.
Republican right in the US holds a range of views on Hitler, with the mainstream and many senior figures condemning him and Nazism, while an extreme fringe openly expresses praise, antisemitic rhetoric, and Holocaust denial. These extremist views have a significant point of internal conflict within the party.
Mainstream Condemnation
The official stance of the Republican Party, and the views expressed by most of its prominent figures, is one of strong condemnation of Adolf Hitler, Nazism, and antisemitism.
Official Denunciations: High-ranking officials, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senator Ted Cruz, have explicitly denounced incidents of praise for Hitler and antisemitic remarks among Young Republican groups, calling for those responsible to step down.
Rejection of Extremism: Mainstream commentators and politicians like Sean Hannity and Laura Loomer have called for the GOP to dismiss Nazi sympathizers and white nationalists within their ranks.
Public Opinion: A majority of Republicans (60%) view Hitler as a “completely bad person,” according to a 2024 YouGov poll.
Fringe and Extremist Views
Despite the official stance, recent years have seen the rise of an influential far-right fringe that has brought explicitly pro-Hitler and antisemitic sentiments into public discourse.
Open Admiration: Far-right figures such as white nationalist Nick Fuentes, who once dined with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, have publicly called Hitler “f***ing cool” and dismissed Holocaust education as “propaganda”.
Leaked Communications: Messages from private group chats of young Republican leaders across multiple states, which were leaked to the media in late 2025, revealed extensive racist and antisemitic rhetoric, including praise for Hitler and jokes about gas chambers.
Holocaust Denial/Exaggeration: A December 2025 Manhattan Institute survey reported that 37% of Republicans believe the Holocaust was exaggerated or did not occur.
Internal Conflict
These divergent views have created a clear division. Figures like Senator Ted Cruz have described the rise of this antisemitism as an “existential crisis” for the party, while others have been accused of being slow to condemn or even giving a platform to individuals with extremist views. This conflict highlights a tension between the traditional conservative movement and the influence of a growing, more extreme, nationalist faction.
David Rovics – How Far Is It From Here To Nuremberg
A cyborg is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts, a term that is short for “cybernetic organism” part man and part machine. So with that in mind I am sometimes starting to write my page now as a cyblog part written by me and part inspired by machine or ai. I can ask questions and search for inspiration on Google ai and then expand on those ideas with my own thoughts, ideas and words. Part Huw manmade part machine inspired hence a cyblog. I also now often use WordPress ai to generate images for the site such as the welsh dragon at the typewriter image which is a visual imagining of me as I am from Wales and I was also born in the year of the Chinese fire dragon. So flaming two stones with one dragon breath.
I also wanted to have my blog assessed by google ai today and this is what it says about the blog:
“Huwspace” is the name of a personal blog and associated social media presence run by an individual named Huw. The creator uses the platform to share personal views, reflect on life experiences, and discuss a range of topics including politics, family, friends, and music.
Key aspects of Huwspace include:
Political Commentary: The blog often features opinion pieces from a left-leaning perspective, with the author identifying as a progressive activist and supporter of parties like Labour and the Greens. Topics often include critiques of capitalism, discussions of global politics, and social justice issues.
Personal Reflections: The author shares details about his life, including dealing with the loss of his father, his experiences with dyslexia, enjoying karaoke, and meeting new people.
Engagement: The author aims to use the platform to share his worldview and engage in discussions with a diverse audience, including friends, colleagues, and readers from across the world.
A repeated mistake is like running around on a giant hamster wheel, exhausted and weary not knowing how to step off the darn thing or where the stop button is or not knowing when or how to press the stop button or how or when to step off. Repeating the same mistakes again and again while not learning a thing from them is defiantly a mad idea!
To repeat a mistake is often described as making a choice rather than an accident the second or subsequent time.
Common sayings and proverbs related to this concept include:
“A mistake repeated more than once is a choice.” – Paulo Coelho
“You can never make the same mistake twice because the second time you make it, it’s not a mistake, it’s a choice.” – Unknown
“If you make the same mistake twice, it is no longer a mistake, it is a habit.”
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” (Often attributed to Albert Einstein, but likely not his)
“Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”
“As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly” (from the Book of Proverbs in the Bible).
The underlying idea in these expressions is the importance of learning from past errors and taking responsibility for one’s actions and the resulting consequences.
It seems to me politics is the biggest field of play, where this type of collective irresponsibility tends to take place.
Where an elected wealth of political officials, wish to control our finances and keep people within poverty instead of lifting them up out of it, maintain and enhance their own wealth crying foul to those from abroad that might no longer wish to be impoverished . Hmm what would Jesus think of such monetarising people and forces? From what I have read of the bible and learned from my religious teachers then those that choose to enrich themselves at the expense of others such as billionaires, wealthy politicians, using their own power to line their pockets with even greater profits, would repulse the son of god and if you believe in monsters heading to your definition of hell then that is what they likely are too.
What attracts, tempts or even provides people with conviction to vote for such inhumane politicians is hard to know what thoughts go through their heads or try to contemplate what they believe in and why they have those thought thought for such hateful people and views I do not know and will (god willing) likely never know or have.
Life is precious and time is short and for each of the power-hungry politicians voted into power across the globe chosen by their peers or people – Trump, Putin, Xi and Netanyahu are all incredibly dangerous political beasts we will be incredibly fortuitous to escape this time in the worlds history unscathed. Sadly each leader will be thinking from their own perspective, that they must be strong men in order to fight and conquer their own monsters. But what happens when they are the monsters that should instead need to be stopped or in someway fought.
They each poses within them the capability to light a match that within their hands could then set fire to million trees and sadly it takes only one of these four to strike first to make it all come crashing down.
When we are born into this world we arrive with nothing and when we depart this earth we depart with as little as when we arrived. It is what we do with our time here that truly makes our existence all worthwhile.
The National – ‘The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness’
If Israel dictates the terms of what is a just war in the Middle East at this moment in time across our media outlet’s, then our media outlets are wrong and in this particular circumstance are not telling the truth.
The bombing of Iran by the US and Israel is a brutal distraction from the coordinated genocide of the people and country of Palestine. While a bombing raid takes place in Iran the starvation and genocide of the Palestinian people is temporarily not needed to be explained and justified in the media. They say a broken clock face is said to tell the time correctly twice a day. The meaning of the broken clock symbolism is that just because someone or something is frequently wrong. or unreliable, it doesn’t mean they can’t occasionally be right. or provide valuable insight. The phrase comes from the idea of a clock. that has stopped working. and his hands are stuck at a specific time. Even though it doesn’t tell the correct time.
So for now in my country international news broadcasters are all reporting on the importance of why strikes are taking place in Iran. The Israel and US regimes perspective of what is the right thing to do concerning preventing Iran from having a nuclear weapon is a brutal show of force from those with might against those that do not have such mighty weapons. As well as an attempt to destroy nuclear facilities it is also an attempt at regime change.
I have been watching the Star Wars second series of Andor at the moment the political similarities between what is happening in Israel and the US and what is happening in the middle east with the ripples of potential consequences across the whole world is unnerving.
The British government is still supplying many weapons to Israel although it says it has stopped some. Again they continue to still sell others to them though. If profit is king instead of a belief in the importance and sanctity of human life being sacrosanct and far more important than a few dollars for arms deals then it seem my government and western media outlets are promoting and dictating nothing of value at this moment in time on the middle east bombings and wars propelled and started by Israel.
The expression of the media to style the victims as aggressors and aggressors as victims is a sad reality of how our media portrays reality to express the will of the status quo and not reach out for peace and prevention of genocide sentiments and justifying western and Israel actions across the media and then explained, played down or justified by our state governments.
According to those who preach about the importance of Ai some say it is THE future and one day Ai will do all jobs and humans will no longer be needed for work.
Imagine in a utopian world, if this were true, we could all sit back relax pursue our own hobbies, dreams and leisure activities whilst a benevolent AI gently assisted and guided the human race along to follow our dreams and not just survive but thrive.
Or what perhaps about a dystopian world where those with money and power are left to be catered on hand and foot whilst the rest are left to starve and decay locked out of the future or so you might say.
Now no world or land that I have ever learned about (except maybe eden) has ever been benevolent and kind to humanity, ever situation we seem to find ourselves in is one which is hard thought for existence or means of survival and just because Ai comes along and technological advancements take place does in no way mean that suddenly life will be made easier for us of for everyone else come to that matter.
Life is a struggle and likely to continue to be one, maybe that’s a trial we all face and must endure in our limited time trial here on earth maybe that’s the whole point, if there is a point that is, is to endure, to learn to be resilient and to resolve to survive and when possible thrive.
Technologies such as Ai might one day have the answers to all question’s although according to a report on the news today, when an Ai chatbot does not have the answers to the questions that they are being asked they might simply lie to the questioner so as to pretend to know an answer or give a spin on an answer when it simply does not know what is untrue or wrong – sounds like it’s learning to lie its becoming more human and less benevolent incorruptible machine.
I remember when mobile phones were first invented and it was like wow this is the future of technology and just think what else we will be able to do in another 20 years. Well 20 years have nearly passed since the launch of the first iphone on 29th June 2007 and low and behold you can go out and by one today and ultimately it’s still a phone with a screen a computer and a camera and that is just what it’s been for the last 20 years and no more.
Fortunately for humanity and maybe designed so by god is that Ai ultimately sits behind a glass screen it’s not in the ‘real world’ like you and I and might never be in the real world like you and I, it might always be trapped in a computer behind a glass screen. For all I know that is god’s gift of Ai to humanity giving it the ability for something that is so dam smart and speedy but ultimately trapped behind a screen on a computer somewhere.
The human and other organic life forms of earth have been evolving for thousands of years to adapt to our life on earth and no matter how dam smart and capable Ai becomes it is not adapted to live, survive and thrive in the ‘real world’ but only to live and survive and thrive in an artificial one on a computer behind a glass screen.
So most likely us humans are not as outdated and defunct as the artificial intelligent gurus would have you believe or fear and we are already quite well adapted to our environment already – we just have to start acting a little more human or benevolent towards each other in order to stand a dam good chance of surviving the rest of this year, decade and beyond. Perhaps we can learn from benevolent sources of knowledge both Ai and human to help us to follow our dreams and not just survive but thrive.
The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1 [Official Music Video]
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