National Trust …..In the news again; for all the wrong reasons

Anyone who bought a Telegraph on Saturday last, or the Sunday Times on the following day, was faced with a weird advert, part of which is pictured below :-

The advert picture is that of a mountain pass, with part of a valley to one side, and; almost indistinguishable, two blokes walking up the valley side. The full advert wording reads “Everyone needs nature”, with the National Trust logo up above everything pictured..

Now, as we all should know and recognise by now, the Trust has been in the grasp of a series of bed-wetting Liberals for quite few years now. Remember Dame Helen Ghosh, and the pervert-homosexual-friendly  ‘rainbow’ ‘effing ABCX-supporting badges she was hoisting on the volunteers at Felbrigg Hall? She was also the perpetrator of the survey which asked of its volunteers the following questions:-

• Is your gender identity the same as the gender you were assigned at birth?”
• Whether volunteers are “Trans” or “Non-binary”.
• Respondents are asked to signal whether they are “Female”, “Male”, “Trans”, “Non-binary”, “Intersex”.
• On sexual orientation, they are asked if they are “Bisexual”, a “Gay man”, a “Gay woman/lesbian”, “Heterosexual/straight”

But  the adverts were just the first volley, as it were. We now can view the ‘Shamed List’, as the National Trust has published all the properties which; (SHOCK; HORROR) “took compensation after the Slave Trade was abolished, (OR, EVEN WORSE), were associated with Colonialism! (Oh, the anguish)!

The National Trust has insisted it does not want to censor history, but that it has a duty to ensure its supporters and visitors know about the origins of some of its properties.

My Opinion; for what its worth? If these clowns are so ashamed of their own Country’s history; why don’t they  all resign from their extremely well-paid jobs, and hand them over to someone who doesn’t give two shits about the bloody history, or slaves, or being  really nice to a bunch of perverts: and just getting on with the job of preserving our Heritage, warts, carbuncles and all!

No ways ‘woke’; with a Captain on his knees, saying his prayers.

As an infant in 1940, to a small boy in 1945, I, and my brothers, my mother, my grandmother, along with 40-odd million British: were only alive through the courage, sacrifice and sheer, unadulterated bravery of those on board the cargo ships which were convoyed across the Atlantic by the British, Canadian and latterly American Navy sloops, corvettes and destroyers who served as the only defence against the killer U-boats of Nazi Germany.

It may be an ‘education’ to some readers who, for one reason or another, conveniently forget that the Battle of the Atlantic was fought and won by those Allies who crewed the ships which guarded those convoys, because The Republic of Ireland declared itself neutral and forbade the use of its airfields to the Allied cause, thus widening the ‘Gap’ by up to half a day. The ‘Gap’ was the area mid-Atlantic which could not be covered by long-range air patrols, thus giving the U-boats a priceless advantage in their attacks against the convoys.  ‘Eire’ sat, warm and secure under the Allied umbrella; and yet ever-so-friendly to the German Embassy in Dublin. Some may argue that the Republic was correct to claim its Neutrality, but very, very few could ever forgive the visit by DeValera to the German Embassy to present condolences upon the death of Adolf Hitler.

As far as I am aware, there have been only two novels written about British Merchant Navy life in wartime years, and I wrote of one in my post The badge of honour.  I have been in storms where you looked ‘up’ at the wave tops whilst standing on the bridge; in seas so calm the surface is like a mirror, but to place yourself in all sorts of weather in the full knowledge that an enemy could be planning to sink your ship and send you to your death takes a strange fatalistic sort of courage.

A film has been made of C.S. Forester’s novel, ‘The Good Shepherd’. The film title is ‘Greyhound’, the rename being the name of the destroyer. It is a wartime film, and, strangely for Apple, it is neither ‘Woke’ nor anything else jarring to the time in which it was set: which was the early days of 1942. There are no ’transgender’ Navy sailors, the black sailors are messmen, because they, at that time in America’s history, were allotted those roles. But those same black sailors served the guns with ‘ammo, and they died, and were buried under the same flag; which was exactly what happened in real life. There were more touches of ‘real life’ with the Captain pausing for seconds before making life-altering decisions, because he IS human, and Is allowed to be seen as such. The Captain kneels by his bunk to say his prayers, because Captain Krause is an old-fashioned Christian.

You have to sign up to Apple TV to view this minor masterpiece, as ‘Greyhound’s’ release was affected by CoronaVirus, so Apple picked this film up for streaming release. 

Whilst pondering the book, ‘The Good Shepherd’, which is the film’s source, I would also strongly recommend ‘The Ship’, also by that fantastic wordsmith C.S. Forester,. It tells the story of a cruiser convoying Malta supplies in the Mediterranean. It details, impeccably, with the multitude of individuals brought into a finely-tuned machine which is the crew. It  also tells of the travel, through that ship, with the help of that crew; a single shell which altered; according to Mr. Forester, the entire outcome of the War;

A simple, valid solution!

When the UK Government announced to the world that they were setting up a conference to deal with the International Crisis and Humane Scandal of the huge numbers of seafarers languishing on board ships, of all types, sizes and flags because they were not allowed to disembark at the end of their contract period due to the CoronaVirus complications; I could foretell what would be achieved even before a word was spoken; which, of course, was absolutely nothing!

Nothing was achieved because there was no pressure to make shipping companies act; the IMO’s call for strike action fell on thousands of deaf ears, because any one ship can be picked off, silenced and calmed by threats of ‘blacklisting’ from any further ship employment; especially if the targeted seafarers are in any way vocal.

There were some attempts to set up a orderly crew-change system, but these swiftly fell apart when shipping companies tried to shortcut the procedures: and, mainly because of the vast numbers of ‘F.O.C.’, also known as Flags of Convenience ships, registered with Nations who register whatever comes their way, for tax-dodging purposes, who otherwise have little concern for the people who man those ships.

But there are a few people, and a few companies, able, alert people who make their living from ships; who also have a deep and abiding respect for the men and women who crew the ships; and they have the power to stop shipping dead in the oceans. Yes, the International Protection and Indemnity Group, a band of companies which collectively insure 90% of the world’s shipping can, if they wish, get Nations and Shipping Companies to sort the crew change mess out, by stating, calmly and sincerely, that unless all crew members are sent back home, and I do mean ‘home’; with new crew members legally on board: no ship would be able to sail, because the INSURANCE would not be valid.

I didn’t think of this, Andrew Craig Bennett of ‘Splash’ wrote of it first. He makes a good case, and the idea has history behind it. The pressure which this group could raise is immense; there isn’t a shipping company around which would defy an edict from the GROUP which would deny them ‘Indemnity’ if they tried to loose the moorings without an all-clear from the insurers!

So, whether you have history in shipping, or even if you have never been near a ship in  your life; why not sit down and send an email to secretariat@internationalgroup.org.uk, and help make a little bit of history yourself.

Simply ask the Group to demand that Governments, ship companies and all concerned  accept that safety is being affected, and that unless all nations permit seamen to come ashore, to stay in hotels, to travel to and through airports, all socially distanced and wearing masks of course, P&I cover, for ships at sea after a given date – we have to be realistic – say three months from now – will continue until they reach port or other places of safety, but that cover for each and every ship which has on board a seafarer who has been on board for longer than the term agreed under his or her original contract – yes, we all know that people are being cajoled and forced to sign new ones – will stop, other than for crew matters, as soon as that ship starts to work cargo or passengers, and cover will remain suspended until all replacements have joined the ship, all regular hand overs (socially distanced, after quarantine) have been completed and the leaving crew members are safely home.

No excuses, no ‘It’ll be alright; just give us a bit of time’: no leeway!

No compliance = No Insurance; No Indemnity!

Enough emails; enough pressure ,and who knows, the crew catastrophe might just be solved!

Common Sense from a Trade Union

We, here in these windswept Islands, have had, certainly for the last thirty years, political leadership in the form of either chancers, liars, fools, charlatans and, in the past few months, a man who is, in many respects, a combination of all those traits mentioned previously. But no matter how bad Prime Minister Johnson proves himself to be, he is just following on from the dismal history of those who were in power over those last thirty-odd years. All those political leaders, inclusive of Johnson himself, the class buffoon whom we were all taken in by, myself as well as millions of others; all seem to be enamoured of only one phrase, one saying which seems to have ruled their every waking thought. 

The phrase? World Beating: or, as an alternate; World Leading. The stupid and unrealistic term ‘World Leading’ when it comes to British Politics and Politicians, cast together in an insane race to accomplish what is foolishly-termed ‘Zero-Carbon Economy by 2050; is but typical of the soundbites produced by the present breed of British politicians; together with an incompetent and near useless so-called Civil Service. 

There have been times, in our past history, when we were ‘World Leaders; or indeed World Beaters’. But those British leaders, either in the time of the Industrial Revolution, or  the years of the Napoleonic Wars; when Britain stood alone against a ruthless Continental Dictator: or not so long ago, when these Islands again stood alone in defiance of yet another Dictator, did not consider their actions or policies to evolve because they wished to ‘Lead’. 

No, indeed, the Engineering genius which powered that ‘bloodless Revolution’ was powered by profit; because the cotton mills which emerged because fabric could be spun and manufactured far cheaper than by hand: and the canals and later railway lines were built so that that cotton; that coal, those mountains of manufactured goods could be sold cheaper than ever.

We stood against a French dictator alone, because we couldn’t accept  that ‘Might was Right’; and; after smashing his navies at Trafalgar sent him into final exile after Waterloo. 

Again we here in these British Isles, stood against the practiced and polished might of Hitler’s Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe; but this time were aided by a host, from Empire, from Commonwealth, from the fortunate European few who had escaped from the invading Nazi mechanised divisions. We were lucky that the man who stated his ‘Reich’ would last for a thousand years was no military genius. Instead of concentrating upon invasion of these Islands: turned instead to invade his mortal enemy, Soviet Russia; and then, to compound his mistake, declared war upon the sleeping Giant which was America, just stung into an angry wakefulness by Japan’s attack at Pearl Harbour.

But to return to the lunacy which is the various British Governments’ attempt to reduce us all to penury by means of the Climate Change Act. I wonder, when the 463 MPs voted for the Bill, with only 3 voting against, had they even read the bloody Bill? Did the 463 realise that ALL gas- and coal-fired powered power stations would fall silent, because of ’All that Carbon’ produced by the truly terrible burning of a fossil-fuel derivative? Did the 463 MPs realise that all private cars would HAVE  to be electrical battery-powered by 2045 to meet the ridiculous demands of a Zero Carbon Marketplace? And as for the British transport fleets, those hundreds of thousands of trucks: all would have to be Battery-powered; or else adapted to some form of motive power which hasn’t even been invented yet?

Did the 463 MPs wonder about the cost of all those extra Nuclear power stations which HAVE to form the base load requirements of a Grid necessary to CHARGE all those millions of battery-powered vehicles. Nuclear because they don’t rely on the wind blowing those heavily-subsidised turbine blades spinning all those alternators’. Nuclear because when the sun goes down, all those heavily-subsidised solar panels, which only operate at some 50% efficiency anyway because we’re sited at a Latitude between 50⁰ and 60⁰ North: which places us on the same Latitudes as Canada, are as useful as tits on a bull.

Oh, and just by-the-by; did those 463 MP.s realise that, in order to go Zero-Carbon, all 23 million domestic gas boilers would have to be replaced by, well; something else? They can’t all be electric, because, well, the National Grid would have to DOUBLE its present capacity to run those extra boilers, and besides which, electric boilers are three times as expensive as gas ones, just to install, never mind to run. But the truly silliest idea to come down the Carbonised Looney-Tunes Track is the proposal, coming from the august Dept. for Energy that Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP)  be installed as a direct replacement for Gas-fired Boilers. When you realise that the costs of a single GSHP installation is around £27,500.00, you may then realise why the GMB Union, the BOILERMAKERS union, are pleading with Keir Starmer to block this disastrous and ludicrous proposal! 

Its at times like this that I wish we had our own version of President Donald Trump. He might be many things, he might have said many things, but only Trump took America out of the Paris Climate Agreement, because he viewed it for the fraud it really is!

Of the People; or 0.043% of them; anyway

In amongst the many strange ways of America’s New Left, some statements and actions stand out in their absurdity. I call the present Democratic Party the New Left, so as to distinguish it, and many of its eye-rolling beliefs and strategies: from the old Democrats, whose policies, politics and steady governance gave them the White House for some 36+/- of the years since the end of WW2. 

The question possibly should be phrased so as to enquire if a fair percentage of Americans who have changed, otherwise how could America have embraced the election, or sometimes continued elections; of Representatives, of both City, State and Congress, who now spout beliefs and opinions far to the left of those who sat in their chairs, offices and gatherings less than two decades into the past?

As to the evidence of that change, I would simply point towards the establishment, in the very Capital of Federal America; of a District of Columbia Facilities and Commemorative Expressions, or “DC FACES” committee in July, to study assets in D.C. named after individuals to “ensure these individuals reflect contemporary DC values,” Formed by Democratic D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, the report targeted various buildings, parks and landmarks, all of which they will, or wish, to rename: to ‘contextualise’ that building, park or landmark with due reference to 

• 1. Did the person contribute positively to African Americans and other people of color? 
• 2. Did the individual participate in slavery or support other acts of discrimination? 
• 3. Was the person a DC resident? 
• 4. Was the person integral or important to DC history? 
• 5. Can we find a reason the person was honored with the naming?

The ‘Committee’ is willing to spend ‘Millions’ to rename buildings and parks in order to bring ‘ease’ to the hurt feelings of modern-day DC residents. Their justification for this? The response to  the Web Survey was completed by 2,300 Washington voters.

Unfortunately, the population of Washington D.C. is 5,322,000. So all this heat, ink and false umbrage is the result of replies from 0.043% of the voting population.

They also want to target some Statues, but there is a small stumbling block in their way: the statues and memorials are Federally owned. 

Some three years ago, I wrote a piece around Lincoln’s Northern Armies, and the South’s military leader, Robert E. Lee at the defining Battle of Gettysburg; in which the penultimate paragraph dealt with the removal of General Lee’s statue from the New Orleans pedestal. I ended that post with this query:-

The big question, now; is when are they coming for THIS?