This time last year me and Dad were on holiday in Ireland for St Patricks day, thanks to a bet that I won on the horse the day after Christmas 2023. It was an unexpected win for a number of reasons and so when the bet paid out I shared some of the money with my mum and dad as the money did not really feel like mine anyway.
Dad said that rather than have the cash he wanted to go on holiday to Ireland and so that is exactly what we did. I paid for the accommodation and flights and we shared the costs of the meals and drinks. It was so much fun and went to some new places that I had not visited before as well as some tried and tested places. We initially got a ferry over from south Wales, which very nearly did not happen to County Wexford, then stayed in lovely hotel there and then travelled to Cork where dads Nan was from. We then went up to Limerick and onto Galway where we spent a weekend and was in St Patricks day for the Sunday. Finally we headed back to Dublin for a few days and then caught a flight back home. I love Ireland; I love my family and feel like although I am missing my Dad now that he is no longer with us I am very grateful for the time we shared together.
I feel like I am counting my blessings at present rather than counting my curses and there are many blessings. Though I hoped and thought he would live longer the time we all shared with him was special and I feel honoured to have known him and had him as part of my life.
Stopping the flow of money & watching some rivers of finance run dry, all for an experiment that will fail and a crash and burn to the US economy.
If we were still in George Orwell’s 1984 novel then the great trade war has begun and if it was up to Trump no matter what damage he does he will be reporting this war as a victory. No matter how many jobs are lost he will be reported as improvements and gains and no matter how much money people loose they will be reported as having increased and gained.
The normal rivers of Economic trade being blocked and dammed by Trumpian probable failing economic policies will cut deep. Damaging both economic systems across the globe and Trumps ego and people’s perception of him as an intelligent and knowledgeable business man. Trump likes to see himself as a brilliant business man and an assumption of this brilliance should be a keen understanding of international economics and trade is unravelling before his eyes and stock markets around the world and recessions are on the horizon while his attempt to block flows of trade fails for the USA and rest of the world. Trade and flows of trade will likely find a way even if this is further away from the USA rather than directly to it. Yes, Trump it will be a painful transition for many but what no one can really predict with and clear insight is what the change will look like and what that change ultimately leads too. Will it result in more or less jobs and money in the USA in the long run is yet to be seen.
Economic policies and trade from country to country can be viewed as flowing of goods and services to and from places across the globe. These flows are natural and part of economic cycles. Where there is financial clout to purchase goods and services and where there is an ability to produce and design, market and provide excellent goods and services and then transport them across the globe then these flows of products and services are natural economic eco systems that take place. It’s a consumers market and Trumps policies go completely against the free flow of consumption and he fails to allow the flow of trade and consumption and in my opinion Trumps policies will ultimately fail just like many of his other policies.
But the fact that he sees himself as such a great business man means that this failure will likely hurt him the most as well as his own country the place he is in fact trying to make great again. With the shocks to share and trading markets and likely continued break down in flows of trade and consumption this will be a damming of the river of financial, goods and services trade. Jobs will be lost, goods will go up in price and business will go out of business.
Trump says that the USA has been treated unfairly, what he is really stating is he does not agree with the economic flows of finance and he is conducting a global experiment that will likely fail for him and cause more damage to USA and global business than good for goods and services. Trump cannot buy rivers of flow and Trump can not force the USA consumer or businesses to by USA goods and services. Freedom of consumption is natural to human markets and trade he’s peddling ideas and views that will fail and meddling in economic markets and trade flows he simply just does not understand. Like a bull in a china shop its likley there will be a crash or two of the economy.
So we said fairwell to Dad on Friday 7th March, his family would just like to say a huge thank you to all of you that have shown how much you care for him and us. Me, Shamen and mum have been so grateful for the love and support offered to us at this difficult time. It’s sometimes hard to make a call or show people, if you care due to already full up and busy lives, there is always something else in life to distract you that steels your time away. With that said it has been so very heart-warming and reassuring to know that in our time of need you were able to offer us your love and support.
Whether that was in the way of a kind word or thought, or a call or text to see how we are or for those that made time for us and also for those that were able to see us and Dad in Spreyton on the day we just can’t thank you all enough.
With the decisions to hold the ceremony in Spreyton Village Hall and have the burial at crossways site in Cheriton Bishop, I was a little nervous prior to the day, as to whether we had chosen the right words, locations, hymn and ideas for the day. But with all of those that attended and helped us I do believe we did dad proud and showed him how much he was loved. The whole day and event was a wonderful celebration of Dads life and thank all so much for the time you spared for us prior to the service and also on the day and evening too.
I also want to share Dads poem for those that might want to see it again and also for those that could not make it on the day.
Love the ones you Love by Neil Edwards
Love the ones you love. Don't assume they're fine, because you haven't heard from them in a while. Assume they're not - and call them.
Make sure they know you love them. That can be difficult to say, but tell them, in whatever words, in your funny old way.
Take every chance that comes to do an act of lovingkindness for those who live in your heart. These things are powerful voodoo, because they work for them as well as you.
The only thing we know is true, is that we don't know what's to come. Don't just keep them in your heart. Turn up, and talk, and be with them.
Thank you, dear God, for this good life, and forgive us if we do not love it enough. And forgive us if we forget to love the ones we love.
P.S. Don’t beat yourself up. Even if you do all these things, some of us will slip away.
We are good actors and take great pains to keep you off the scent. It’s nothing you did or failed to do. Don’t beat yourself up.
Richard George Adams FRSL was an English novelist. He is best known for his debut novel Watership Down.
Watership Down is an adventure novel by English author Richard Adams, published in 1972. Set in Hampshire in southern England, the story features a small group of rabbits. Although they live in their natural wild environment with burrows, they are anthropomorphized (the act of attributing human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities), and the wildlife in the story possesses its own culture, language, proverbs, poetry, and mythology. Evoking epic themes, the novel follows the rabbits as they escape the destruction of their warren and seek a place to establish a new home, the hill of Watership Down, encountering perils and temptations along the way.
Watership Down was Richard Adams’s debut novel. It was rejected by several publishers before Collings accepted the manuscript; the published book then won the annual Carnegie Medal (UK), annual Guardian Prize (UK), and other book awards.
The novel was adapted into a 2D animated feature film in 1978 and a 2D animated children’s television series from 1999 and 2001. In 2018, the novel was adapted again, this time into a 3D animated series, which both aired in the UK and was made available on Netflix.
The scenes this week when Trump and his deputy showed their true colours to Zelensky when invited to the oval office was neither a surprise nor justified. They have no interest in the war and are most likely mildly amused by the idea of trying to make a considerable amount of money over carving out a peace deal that they see themselves as the only ones that can broker and make happen. Though countries pay a price for peace for sure – no leader has gone to the negotiation table quite like Trump before.
Would you like a slice Mr President, I hear it’s very good.
One thing I am also finding very interesting at present is the tone of different media sites, if you pay attention some will side with Trump (stop having those sites as a main source of information, if you dare as that’s just propaganda and disinformation for the wealthy and ruthless, some see it as being both Trumps fault as well as Zelensky which also makes me feel uncomfortable as they are just still trying to justify what Trump just did and continues to do it reminds me of a quote which is ‘Well, you can put lipstick on a hog and call it Monique, but it’s still a pig’.
Trumplet Pig getting ready for his next performance
I part of me thought the image above was too much but the fear of the depths of the potential of Trump is a true worry to me and should be to you too. Some news sites really have taken the situation as a serious and unprecedented attack by Trump, which is what it truly and sadly is with an explanation of this story from a news outlet, cannot always explain away the two sides to each argument theory when one such as Trump is being so manipulative of the truth and outspoken in order to try and get his own way and be seen to try and win an argument
Since Trumps election I have found it quite sickening concerning all of the billionaires queuing up to kiss at the hand of the newly crowned king of the USA. Not one of them has an issue with his morality, methods of salesmanship or political perspective, which says just as much about them as it does Trump.
Lest they forgot at the next election in the states their votes will be equal to and not greater that each and every other American citizen. Imagine a world where billionaires were outlawed and their finances confiscated for the greater good. As they don’t care for your vote or your ability to have a job now, why should you care for their ability to be billionaires either.
If Trump is so keen to raise money by excessive and self serving tariffs on the economic industries and places across the globe why not tax mega wealthy of their power and influence instead? In the next four years Trump should not and will not be judged just on how much money he makes or how much power he has – but on what he does with it and what is undone because of it.
Trump now reminds me of the depiction of Al Capone, an American gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-founder and boss of the Chicago Outfit from 1925 to 1931 as shown in the movie the The Untouchables a 1987 Film starring Robert De Niro (as Al Capone), Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Andy Garcia and Charles Martin Smith. It is written by David Mamet and directed by Brian De Palma.
Though in the clip below Al Capone is met with justice I sadly don’t think it likely at present to happen to Trump in his lifetime – Trump is likely to die of old age prior to meeting justice and we have another 4 years of his bullshit still to unravel the world and its workings prior to the end of his presidency.
The Untouchables Movie CLIP – Here Endeth the Lesson (1987)
Can Europe find what is at its heart as it tries to face Putin arsenal and negotiate away through Trump’s ego and attitude? The next four years of Trump being in power could be painful, worryingly unpredictable and unwrap over 80 years of global rules of law that brought stability in Europe in a way that damages all in the long run. Some might profit from this, whilst many will lose. Elections have resulted in people voting for change, whilst not knowing what that change will look like or more to the point what can be delivered or gotten away with. Change is constant and inevitable in life, you just hope to adapt or improved your present situation facing you.
This present modern phase of political problems and proposed solutions appears to be an age of populism where misinformation, impossible promises are made that cannot be delivered and then a blame game of blaming “others” for what is happening to you.
The wealthy that are now in the mainstream of political power in Russia and the US are no longer playing from the sidelines anymore but are out in the open seeking to deregulation business, destroy or ignore international trade and climate cooperation and treaties, whilst making it easier for them to make even more money and further line the pockets of oligarchs and multimillionaires across the globe, who or what will they profit from or take power away from when they are profiting from and take power away from the people you are their commodities and it is from what they do to you that they will profit. They will take your freedom, finances and rights of autonomy whilst blaiming others and if need be you for what they do to you!
The European Union’s world view against Putin and it’s need to try to advocate the defence of Ukraine is because of a pivotal stand against aggression that threatens the very fabric of international law and European security. When considering both Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in this context, the EU’s worldview encompasses concerns about authoritarianism, the undermining of democratic institutions, and the importance of solidarity among democratic nations and their citizens.
The EU perceives Putin’s actions—beginning with the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and escalating to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022—as blatant violations of a sovereign nation’s territorial integrity. This aggression is not just an assault on Ukraine but a challenge to the post-World War II international order that prohibits the forcible acquisition of territory.
Putin’s military endeavours are seen as a threat that extends beyond Ukraine’s borders, destabilizing the entire European continent. The EU fears that unchecked aggression could set a dangerous precedent, encouraging other nations to disregard international norms and territorial boundaries. For the EU, supporting Ukraine is synonymous with defending democracy, human rights, and the rule of law right on the edge of Europe. Ukraine also aspires to integrate more closely with Western institutions aligns with the EU’s vision of a Europe whole, free, and at peace.
The EU has implemented comprehensive sanctions targeting key sectors of the Russian economy, provided humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine, and sought to isolate Russia diplomatically. These actions aim to pressure Russia to cease its aggression while supporting Ukraine’s defence and resilience. The US nwo looks to potentially reward Russia for it’s stance in creating new trade relations with Putin’s Russia and brining Russia in from the political cold by saying it’s war with Ukrain is not it’s fault and generating new business contracts with Russia benfiting Trump’s USA and Putin’s Russia and giving Russia a renewed voice and prestige on the global stage.
The EU’s stance is about more than just Ukraine or Russia—it’s about affirming a commitment to a world order based on rules, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence. By taking a firm position against Putin’s actions, the EU hopes to discourage similar aggression elsewhere and promote a stable international environment.
The situation also raises fascinating questions about the shifting dynamics of global power. How might this conflict influence relationships between other major players on the world stage, like China or the United States? And what could this mean for the future of international alliances and partnerships?
If Russia is seen as winning or having won vs Ukraine will this then embolden China to invade Taiwan, will Trump turn Gaza into a new hot piece of real-estate for the wealthy in the middle east and will trade wars be based on Trump’s might and not upon whether his actions are of those of someone who is in the right.
Quite frankly Trump does not like or approve of democratic niceties or the rule of law which is very much at the heart of what the European Union stands for. Having had two world wars start and bloody the soil of Europe, Europe has learned a considerable amount about the importance of emancipation and freedom from tyranny and the will and power to dominate over others in a way that perhaps Trumps US, has yet to learn and Putin’s Russia has been blind by a will for vengeance against the EU for alleged harm and transgressions done to it due to the defeat of the USSR.
The United States’ steadfast allegiance to Ukraine during that country’s three-year war against Russia appears to be rapidly eroding under the Trump administration. President Donald Trump on Feb. 19, 2025, referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “a dictator” and inaccurately blamed him for the conflict that Russia instigated as part of a land grab in the border regions of the two countries.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, said on Feb. 19 that Trump is trapped in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “disinformation space.”
Earlier this week, the US president claimed America had given Ukraine at least $200bn (£158bn) more than Europe has since Russia invaded the country in February 2022.
Mr Trump said: “I think Europe has given $100bn (£79n)… and we’ve given, let’s say, $300bn (£237bn) plus.”
There are a number of figures available for the amount of money being given to Ukraine by different countries.
The Kiel Institute for the World Economy’s Ukraine Support Tracker shows that countries in Europe have allocated a total of €132bn (£109bn or $139bn) in help for Ukraine.
The tracker shows the US has allocated around €114bn (£95bn or $120bn).
There is also a debate about how much money countries say they have given to Ukraine has actually gone to the country itself.
According to The Washington Post, some of the money given by Washington includes sending money through “drawdowns” from US weapon stockpiles and money to pay US-based defence contractors for equipment.
One thing that has fuelled the fires of anti Ukrainian sentiment by both those on the left and right is the belief that the whole war is a money making scam – the sovereignty of the nation of Ukraine does not matter in this argument and their ability to self determination also unimportant, the more I think about it this perspective is very much one pushed by Putin onto the west and lapped up by President Trump and conspiracy theorists arguing the toss about money spent rather than a democratic right and mandate to defend and have ones own land.
Land, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—those once beautiful values all democracies believed in and aspired to. Such views, though claimed by the right to be at the heart of their ideals, are no longer really recognized, sadly, by Trump’s America or by other rising stars of the right across the globe.
When the Brazilian president offered a chainsaw as a gift to Elon Musk, it carried deeply troubling connotations for me: this was a gift from a country that is razing one of the lungs of the Earth, the Brazilian rainforest, and the president of Brazil presents Musk with the very symbol of what is being used to destroy his own country’s rainforests – it feels like a flagrant display of right-wing fascism, tasteless and defiant, a blatant middle finger to the world under the banner of hate, cuts, and a conqueror’s philosophy.
With the climate breakdown and global warming, there were those that believed that the breakdown of social norms and an increase in wars would occur as the planet warmed and climate change impacted our lives, but I had underestimated and underfeared the true nature of the changes now occurring right in front of our eyes. I knew there would be wars, but I thought they would be over mineral deposits in Africa or oil in the middle east and not economic wars over the sovereignty of whole nations in what was once seen as relatively stable or growing democracies such as Ukraine or even well established democracies such as Canada are not safe against Trumps trade wars. Sadly know where is safe anymore; it’s mental, really, what is happening.
How effective a negotiator can President Trump be if he is overly sensitive and interprets diplomatic positions and perspectives as personal attacks? He is unable and unwilling to concede in a war of words where everyone recognizes he is factually incorrect. Labeling Zelensky a dictator is an insult directed at the wrong leader. Putin is the true dictator, yet Trump seems to enjoy the flattery he receives from Russian diplomats and from Putin himself. Trump the new over arching monarch/leader of what was the so called free world has the diplomatic skills of a small child
I remember when Putin decided to invade the sovereign state of Ukraine, not just trying to annex part of Ukraine like a slice of cake, but to gobble up the whole country for himself. It is only through the blood, sweat, tears, and lives of the Ukrainian people that the overthrow of this nation has, so far, been prevented. Trump is not prepared to verbally acknowledge this, as it does not suit his self-serving ego.
Trump acts like a bull in a china shop as he charges into Ukrainian negotiations, asserting to Zelensky that the invasion is Ukraine’s fault while demanding resources from Ukraine, and then lamenting when not provided with the sweet treat assets he seeks in what he calls a peace deal—or more accurately, a demand to end a war. His so-called effective deal-making comes off as hollow, childlike, offensively presented, and poorly timed.
Truth matters, both to us as individuals and to society as a whole. As individuals, being truthful means that we can grow and mature, learning from our mistakes. For society, truthfulness makes social bonds, and lying and hypocrisy break them.
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