I wish you all a happy Christmas.
Feel free to comment on anything you like today. I will catch up tomorrow.
43 Comments
Comments are closed.
I wish you all a happy Christmas.
Feel free to comment on anything you like today. I will catch up tomorrow.
Comments are closed.
December 25, 2023
I wish you and your family, a very Happy Christmas, and all the best for the New Year.
December 26, 2023
Use 2024 to extricate UK from the nonsensical economically disastrous Net Zero. Start by trying to find out and then tell us WHAT NET ZERO IS? Your party doesn’t know. My MP Flick Drummond doesn’t know and thinks COP28 was a success, bless her! Makes me want to vote lib dem
December 25, 2023
Sir John
Best wishes for a Happy Christmas and prosperous New year.
Particular thanks for hosting your website and attending personally to all our comments – not only rare but, I believe, singular.
Sorry if I say too much but there so much to say nowadays. The wider the scope of government the more it gets wrong. Some countries have run satisfactorily for months without a government. I wonder if the UK should try it. My professor and mentor during my PhD in cybernetics (never completed) in the 1970s was hired by the Controller of the Navy to help the Navy improve its procurement decision making. He audited its historic track record and when he presented his first progress report he was very pleased to offer a simple and immediate improvement. It was along the lines of: track record over last n years 35% correct, so first step is to disband all the committees and toss a coin to get an immediate increase of 43% to gain a success rate of 50%. He was sacked on the spot but he got the last laugh. He applied his cybernetic decision theories to horse racing and retired early on the proceeds.
Happy Christmas.
December 25, 2023
What does it mean to be “right-wing”. Any definition is it means a society set to evolve by being SELF-CALIBRATING through small increments each of which is decided by individuals consciousness.
So what are these small increments. You know what they are but have most probably never realised them together. Each forms a kind of system within society
1. Family – DNA
2. Markets – Money
3. Knowledge – Information
4. Justice – laws
5. Politics – votes
These 5 systems have evolved over the centuries. Each sub-system is made up of consumers (eg voters or buyers) and suppliers (e.g Governments or Companies)
Right wing societies are bottom-up and can be compared with top-down left wing societies.
Creating a well functioning right-wing society requires the establishment of set of regulators in each system. These can either control the supplier (regulators) or protect the consumer (watchdogs).
In a left wing society these regulators become infiltrated and permit erroneous top down corruption to occur.
Over the next few days think about how regulators are at the heart of a right wing society evolving and functioning well and how regulators today do the bidding of their left wing masters.
December 25, 2023
If you manage to become lucent and fluid with this understanding of a self-calibrating system being right wing, I can give you the power to instantly come up with incredibly unique, powerful and quite frankly irrefutable arguments.
For example.
Example 1 Brexit – Every person who voted for the referendum was more conscious of their own personal, economic, political, legal, educational circumstances than anybody else. The EU evolved without benefiting the majority of people in the UK. If they would have done so then they would have won the referendum. (In this argument focus on individual consciousness).
Example 2 – Fascists are right wing therefore all right wing is evil. To counter this say fascism is a form of top down Government and is therefore left wing in its nature. In the case of Germany all 5 systems were top down and not decided by individuals. How can that be right wing. It’s simply a different form of communism.
Example 3 – All forms of communism fails. A top down centrally planned society cannot understand what individuals experience. The function of a Government should be to support regulators and watchdogs not to decide what types of cars or boilers we should buy. History has shown that right-wing well regulated Societies create the greatest benefits when ALL individuals make decisions and the left-wing societies cause the worst problems, in fact every form of top-down society has failed.
December 28, 2023
I think also right wing is about going out there into the world, taking risks and doing stuff (but this too is masculine energy whether in a man or woman). But inevitably, when we take risks, we also make mistakes. And so there needs some kind of regulation (but the right amount – we can argue about that – perhaps regulation is something that is feminine energy).
Napoleon was a man blessed with talent. But clearly, the man had to be regulated to a degree, in particular when his ambition ran away with him like his campaign into Russia (so ambition is masculine energy too – but masculine energy has to be tamed or regulated – but not controlled – as well). But we still need that Napoleonic drive to make culture and civilisation including the economy to happen, but still needs to be regulated in some form or another.
Something like that.
So again we come back to the masculine and feminine energies. Which is a much more healthy way I think of looking at things than the right-wing or left-wing.
December 25, 2023
Good morning, and a Merry Christmas to our kind host and all here.
December 25, 2023
Right wing societies ask the question – How do we manage Regulators and Watchdogs to help individuals evolve society.
Left wing societies ask the question – how do technocrats organise the distribution of resources to benefit individuals.
December 25, 2023
Anyone who supports this Government and local government’s anti-car, road blocking, ULEZ, 20mph limits, driver mugging, coercing & forcing people to buy EV cars that they cannot afford (and are impractical for many as they have no where to charge them and need more range)… should look at the public transport chaos this Christmas.
Without cars they will be at the complete mercy of the various unions and incompetent governments. No trains at all at many times over Christmas. The only other realistic alternative will be taxis which are even more expensive than EV cars and far less efficient than private cars at lease twice as bad per useful passenger mile. This as they spend about half their time empty of passengers and they need professional drivers.
So remind me why do they get to use bus lanes? Buses not very efficient either in reality.
Or bikes perhaps but they are well over 10 times as dangerous to you life.
December 25, 2023
Season’s greetings to all who post on here their concerns about the wrong directions this country has been taking, and who still believe democratic debate leads to putting things right. Our host is a Member of Parliament, which is supposed to be where democratic debate takes place. Frustrating as it is when that doesn’t happen and things don’t get put right, or it does happen and things still don’t get put right, try imagining how much worse it would be if Parliament didn’t exist. By publishing the text of exchanges he has with Ministers, our host may be exposing the disappointing reality of democratic accountability. But at least he reminds us that that principle needs to continue and be handed down to a future generation who may insist on more effective use of it. We are going to need to see effective use of it pretty soon anyway, if the pollsters are right and woke red-green Labour come to power. We will need opposition MPs who can ask tough questions and keep the government having to defend itself.
December 25, 2023
Rather typical of Sunak (and politicians in general) in his christmas message on Twitter, to mention some people working over Christmas “in the service of others” as he puts it (thought they do get paid from our very high taxes). But he only chooses to mention the police, NHS and the armed forces. What about the 80% plus working in the private sector with the highest taxes for 70+ years and on wages that are lower, far less sick days and with far worse pensions?
Many of whom will also be working over this Christmas and serving others? Does he ever consider the 80%+ who fund his bloated and hugely inefficient state sector?
December 26, 2023
Gosh, did you listen to him?
I ignored him, Starmer, the non-entity “leading” the LibDems ….. and especially Charles Windsor who the papers are warning us is disgracefully using his exalted position to lecture “the peasants” and once again demonstrate his own hypocrisy.
December 25, 2023
A merry Christmas to you John and all your family and also thank you for all your post which I look forward to reading each day.
December 25, 2023
Many thanks SJR for the high quality standards you have maintained so consistently.
We send our best wishes to you in appreciation of the fine things you have accomplished.
Merry Christmas!
December 25, 2023
A huge THANK YOU to you for all the information and understanding or issues that you disseminate through your Diary. So much needed and appreciated. Happy Christmas from a regular reader.
December 25, 2023
Sir Redwood
Merry Xmas and a happy new year
December 25, 2023
The intellectual energy/commonsense which you apply is much appreciated – it makes my MP’s communications look very underwhelming! Wishing you a refreshing break today.
December 25, 2023
I hear that some lucky folk are “going home” for Christmas.
Presumably our home is their day job?
December 26, 2023
If everybody in England went ‘home’ we’d have more than enough homes, ward beds, jobs, food items, school places, seats on transport…..however don’t get sick because there will be almost nobody to deal with your health problem.
December 26, 2023
Not sure why you are trotting out that old lefty chestnut.
What exactly are you attempting to refute?
December 26, 2023
When did facts about our multicultural population make-up become lefty chestnut?
I point out that a very significant percentage of people living here were not born here, and should they return to ‘going home’ many difficulties would be eased. Of course there are two sides to that coin – those immigrants occupy major staffing of our services. Would you rather not face facts and hide behind the curtain of ignorance? Most people who know me or are aware of my views would hardly label me ‘leftie’, there is always a first for everything.
December 25, 2023
Happy Christmas Sir John. Enjoy the holiday and thanks again for all your help on our behalf.
December 25, 2023
We always wish a merry Christmas but I wonder how happy the New Year will be for all.
Nevertheless, I live in hope, so a very merry Christmas and and super New Year to everyone.
December 25, 2023
Free-market advocates don’t seem to notice there is no free market in money. There are roughly 160 fiat currencies. The governments mandate their use through legal tender laws. They penalise the use of other currencies through capital-gains taxes. They debase their currency as a stealth tax which affects all, including the poorest. Yes, it is a tax; thanks Rishi, for making that argument. So many of today’s problems can be traced back to the lack of sound money if multiple ‘Whys’ are asked.
The Internet and cryptography are trying to wrest money from government’s hands through Bitcoin. It provides a Swift-like base layer. A fixed limit of about 21 million coins. A network effect which places it above all the other ‘crypto’ or ‘alt coins’. It scavenges otherwise unused energy, lessening harmful emissions and the grid gains a flexible load. Higher-level layers provide things like more throughput, privacy, and ‘instant’ settlement.
December 26, 2023
That made me smile. I suppose me turning my lights on is ‘scavenging unused energy’.
December 27, 2023
A new page in made in the bitcoin ledger by hitting the jackpot in guessing the solution to a mathematical problem. There’s a reward for doing so of receiving newly created bitcoin plus any fees paid by the transactions on the page. The difficulty of the problem is regularly adjusted so it takes the world’s players ten minutes on average for one of them to strike lucky. Thus a key incentive for all players is to minimise their cost, electricity, so they’re in profit from jackpots/plays in the long term. The cheapest electricity comes from energy which is no good to anyone else, cheaper still when supply is erratic.
Natural gas is a common example. A by-product of taking petroleum, there needs to be enough of it to make it economical to collect or pipe. Otherwise it is vented or ‘flared’, burned. As it’s mainly methane, it has a much more significant greenhouse effect than CO₂. The World Bank used satellite data to estimate 144 billion cubic metres is vented or flared a year. Run a generator on site to turn that into electricity and CO₂ and greenhouse emissions are cut. The electricity mines bitcoin at a profit. The erratic supply just curtails mining but not enough to turn profit into loss. Landfill gas, again mainly methane, is another harvest being collected by miners in this way.
Because bitcoin-mining computers can ‘stand down’ at a second’s notice, they are ideal balancing loads. Traditional power generation needs to be ‘overbuilt’ because renewables are unreliable. But overbuilding harms profit by being underused some of the time. Miners are being placed next to the power generation, cutting out transmission loss, allow a higher base supply by agreeing to consume some of it but agreeing to a ‘power cut’ for them at a moment’s notice when the wind drops and the clouds gather. Miners need only scavenged power and a satellite Internet connection.
Then there’s making village-size hydro-generation economical in the middle of nowhere in Africa. The miner’s buy the excess, keeping the cost down for the villagers, the village benefits and grows, they want more of the power, the miners move on to the next installation. An installation which wouldn’t happen without them.
Chapter 25 of ‘Broken Money’ by Lyn Alden has many more detailed examples.
December 25, 2023
Spare a thought today for those who are homeless not by choice, those ‘living’ in a 1 room flat, those dreading the need to downsize/relocate somewhere cheaper knowing the mortgage rate will cripple them, children’s schooling to change and their friends inaccessible.
Think of those who couldn’t contemplate a turkey meal, and could barely afford the veg trimmings, the debt involved to buy a third choice present. The dread of looking at the child’s letter to Santa with unrealistic wishes for gifts from him.
Be grateful for what you have and appreciate the food, the family, the friends and most important – the peace.
December 25, 2023
Feliz Navidad🥂
December 25, 2023
So another U turn by Fishy. Scaling back on nuclear power. Still no commitment to SMRs although we were promised a decision in the autumn.
Has he been captured by the subsidy grabbing wind industry after agreeing £103 per mwh for more useless windmills
Give us strength oh Lord
Anything to marginalise the general public.
Merry Christmas boss.
December 25, 2023
Not all of the populated worlds in our galaxy have a wobble like ours, nor are they running around their sun at an odd angle, but there are still plenty out here that do have winters like we have – cold times when the crops have been harvested and stored.
Winter time is a time to come together as family and rejoice, as well as remembering the old stories, the customs and the myths that so enrich our lives. All galactic societies have their own customs, while many, like ours oppress their people, many more are free to enjoy life as it was meant to be lived.
On Earth this Christmas time many of us dread the future for the portents are not good – It is said that there are plans to cut the population by billions, which we suspect is true because birth rates are already falling. We no longer trust our government to look after our needs, for at the drop of a penny they would give their authority away to unelected unaccountable international body that asked for it!
There are many things to fear about our future; deceit and treachery by those in power, misinformation and subtle but deliberate brainwashing by the media.
While we celebrate our customs this year, let us spare a thought to imagine what we could do to retain them forever – but to do that we have to be in control of our future – We need to find a way to curtail the suppression and bad things that are happening to us, and regain what is our; our freedom of thought and action.
We were never meant to be treated like cattle, and there are better ways out there on some worlds where beings can express themselves without being cut down. We don’t need a middle way or a socialist way. What we need is the will to ensure that all men are free, with the evil amongst us restrained and made powerless.
May Christmas last forever!
December 25, 2023
A happy Christmas to you John. Perhaps we could have some more of your thinking on the BOE and how we could grow the Economy fast.
December 25, 2023
Merry Christmas to you and your family and thank you for continuing to fight the good fight.
December 25, 2023
Merry Christmas Sir J.
December 25, 2023
With Christmas cancelled in Palestine, I personally don’t feel much like celebrations. However, I am putting a brave face on things for the next couple of days. Happy Christmas to you and yours.
December 25, 2023
Merry Christmas Sir!
December 25, 2023
Happy Christmas to all
Feel free not to comment. It can probably wait.
December 25, 2023
Merry Christmas John and all the contributors
December 25, 2023
Have a pleasant and relaxing day Sir John and all your boggers . Merry Christmas .
December 25, 2023
Happy Christmas and a productive New Year, when the PM and Chancellor don’t just listen to you, but actually take action based on your advice. Thanks you for the daily dairy comment. I know it is hard work.
December 25, 2023
Merry Christmas to you, and your family, Sir John.
December 25, 2023
Merry Christmas Sir John
My observation going forward, is I fear for the existence of the Conservative Party
Richard Holden Chairman hitting the media this weekend appears to be in tune with this Conservative Government, every one is at fault other those that are supposed to be in charge, manage and have created today’s unworkable failing framework.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/12/24/richard-holden-conservative-chairman-party-inward-looking/
He states – ‘His remarks will be seen as a public warning to warring Tory MPs after the Prime Minister told them the party must “unite or die”.’ – That is the reverse of reality, CCHQ and this version of a PM, and his version of a government is at odds with all Conservatives, the membership and Conservative voters. They seem intent to ensure that they are unelectable.
The ones creating the factions, are the Conservative Party’s leadership, they are neither listening or hearing the Countries Conservatives, but instead swan around the World preening themselves in front of the media.
Making support for this party lead by Sunak/Hunt as the only election issue, is a snub to all the good hardworking Conservatives and those that would or could support a ‘Conservative’ MP and Conservative values. That is why the election will be lost, a failure to manage. The state of the opposition means that even the most inexperienced Conservative MP could lead the party into anther win at the polls. The present incumbents are too self-obsessed, self-serving but most of all they are not Conservative, they neither serve the electorate or the Country, but serve their own egos at everyone’s else’s expense.
December 26, 2023
I’m a bit late to the blog so I hope Sir John, his family and all the commentators had a good Christmas Day. I doubt if 2024 will be any better for the UK than 2023 and I fear it will be a great deal worse. But I hope you personally, all have a happy New Year.
I’ll be going quiet for a couple of weeks – off on a winter holiday in the sun 🙂
December 26, 2023
Happy Christmas and whatever happens next year (frightened to wish anyone Happy New Year at present). Keep up the good work telling us what you are up to as very interesting. Also a thank you if you turned up to vote for the banning of live exports of animals to the EU and other countries last week. One of my aims for years, as it was for many other like minded people.