Tag Archives: #HeadlineTherapy

#HeadlineTherapy Farage insists Thai-based crypto billionaire wants nothing in return for £9m donation to Reform UK

Thanks to David Maddox Political Editor for the Independent Online

Well my immediate reaction to the above Headline was , the one person in this World who knows that is not how the World works is Nigel Farage. Mr Farage has been foisted on us as a Political Representative by forces unknown. Is he a clown? Is he a political monster that amplifies all that is rotten in the misguided beliefs of a loud minority within any Country , not just ours. Farage’s media profile is huge and as he first came to prominence being an MEP who hated the European Union, along it seems with 49% of the UK population, he is gone from strength to strength, despite murmurs and scandals of a history of racism at school and his potentially incriminating property deals involving his wife and probably him and most likely half of parliament.

So Nigel is a wheeler and dealer, believer of the benefits of Crypto Currency and certainly no altruist. This Headline caught my eye and made me think about who this Christopher Harborne is and why he feels the need to donate to a party like Reform; and if as is the case; our Christopher lives in Thailand why does he choose to want to promote and ( presumably influence) British Political life and thus determine how I live, who am not a millionaire , but who does live on a low income in the UK and has watched as our real economy of jobs, shops , infrastructure has been decimated.

Ah , perhaps someone will one day say ,” let them eat Crypto Currency”. I assure you having checked Wikipedia, I can honestly say that dear ol’ Chris comes from a privileged background, his money seems to have been made from the sale of aviation fuel, and he is an ex Westminster School boy and has a degree from Cambridge and is an ex McKinsey management consultant.

None of this explains why he wants to take an interest in UK Politics, why he; having lived abroad for the last twenty years ;felt that the UK should not be in the EC ( he donated millions to the Campaign to exit it ) worked with Boris Johnson and for reasons best known to Boris Johnson did a joint visit to the Ukraine with him while Boris was in British Politics.

Christopher Harborne knows as much about real life in the UK as I know about real life in Thailand. I suppose the cost of living is cheaper, but it is a Country that perhaps has it’s attractions for tourists with climate and beaches and probably the local people appreciate having a multi-millionaire Crypto entrepreneur on their side, but it’s very different from the mature economy the UK is( or perhaps was). The success or otherwise of an economy in chaos lead by politicians in a panic. Prime pickings for outside interests.

One thing I’d like to know is where does Ol’ Chris buy his aviation fuel, from Russia? We must follow the money.

As for “tethering” us to Crypto Currency and causing our financial markets to collapse, perhaps that is the next step to acquiring the resource which is the “British Economy”. Perhaps that is why Nigel Farage and Christopher Harborne speak on the phone once a month to each other.

Suppose Ol’ Chris had put £9m into a business in the UK that provided jobs and a future for young people in the UK, or even invested in Social Housing, or put his money into something that had a future, not a Political Party which with it’s scandal ridden members and it’s unseemly ability to pick on those who cannot help themselves seems at odds with an altruistic no strings donation.

My suspicion is there are bigger fish to fry and maybe Crypto is more exciting than boring old Aviation fuel and the whole thing makes life more interesting when you’re sitting on a beach in Thailand with nothing else to do than sign cheques.

Namaste and Thank you for Reading 🙏

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#HeadlineTherapy Fifth Belgian Reactor is permanently shut down.

Thank you to World Nuclear News for this headline

In 2003 the Belgium Parliament voted to phase-out all of Belgian seven nuclear power reactors.

The process has meant that five reactors are in the process of being de-commissioned , however, due to the start of the conflict in the Ukraine in 2025 the Belgium Government and Electrabel (a subsidiary of the French multinational electric utility Comany ENGIE) have agreed an extension of the life of two reactors Doel 4 and Tihange 3 who will now operate for a further ten years to 2035.

In May this year the Belgian federal parliament voted to repeal the 2003 law, so that the prospect of a new nuclear plant being built was back on the agenda and also whether the life of Doel 4 and Tihange 3 could be further extended. The Belgian Federal Agency for Nuclear Control want clarity on the situation from the Government to allow them to ensure the safety of the proposals.

Interestingly the Headline could have read , Belgium is keeping two Nuclear Power Stations because they might need them.

Namaste and Thank you for reading.🙏

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#HeadlineTherapy Missing American tourist located after eight-day search in Caribbean.

Thanks to Isabel Keane and the Independent Online for the Headline

It must have been quite a panic for the ship to have lost one of it’s passengers. How strange though not to return to the ship and not tell anyone. Apparently the missing lady booked into a hotel on the French side of the Caribbean Island and decided to stay there. She was found by looking at the Passport Records of the Hotel.

Actually I can quite understand the adventure of this , perhaps she just wanted to disappear for a while, or maybe she didn’t like the idea of a return to the ocean. The French side of the Island sounds rather nice.

Glad it was all resolved, and I suppose she will plead temporary insanity.

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#HeadlineTherapy Spain Announces It Will Boycott Eurovision if Israel Competes

Thanks to Haaretz Online for the Headline

Spain is one of the big five investors in the Eurovision Contest, so they have a lot of financial muscle.

They feel it is unfair that other Countries have been penalised for breaking the ethical rules of the singing Contest, but Israel is allowed to continue to participate and perhaps use the contest for nefarious purposes which don’t align with the positivity and neutrality of the Contest.

If only singing about something could bring change, but we’ve had music for time an memorial and it doesn’t really stop anything or influence anything does it?

In fact, the latest crisis in the Middle East was ignited by a Music Festival which was in a location close to a border and the event itself had very little security, as a result it was targeted, would we be in a better place if it had never had happened?

Thankfully, the Eurovision Contest is a very secure event and long may it continue as such. It has a big budget and Spain have every right to say they do not want to participate, which is a shame as they have some wonderful musical artists and probably account for a lot of the viewing figures.

So there it is , I’m pleased Spain is putting an alternative point of view and expressing it in a meaningful demonstration. I just wish politics was removed from the arena of entertainment.

Namaste and Thank you for reading.🙏

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#HeadlineTherapy Badenoch defends calling chancellor “spineless” in Budget row.

Thank you to Sam Francis Political Reporter at BBC News for the Headline.

This is what annoys me about politicians, they seem to think that it is acceptable within Parliament to use defamatory name calling during their debates. This is an incredibly bad habit to get into.

Normal workplaces would not allow such “name calling” and the likelihood would you would be reprimanded or fired for describing your colleagues as such. The only time that you would hear such descriptions would be in whisperings in the corner or in the clique of gossip purveyors who will character assassinate anyone who disagrees with their viewpoint on how an organisation should be run.

So this constant barrage of insult and detrimental comment that is part of the media like performances and soundbites both in and out of parliament needs to stop.

Just listen nowadays in a children’s playground and the language and the name calling is atrocious. Where do you think they are getting this from. Our so called leaders of course.

Namaste and thank you for reading.🙏

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#HeadlineTherapy Town library mural to stay despite objections

Enfield has a library and these days should consider themselves very lucky. However, Enfield, surprisingly is in a “building conservation” area and 600 local people have signed a petition to say that the mural that has been placed on one of the outside walls of the library building is an “eyesore”. Added to that the Council omitted to obtain planning permission for it( which it now has retrospectively).

The mural itself is very bright, colourful and artistic having been designed with the help of the local school children as well as financed not by local taxes but by local developers who obviously do not have any problem getting planning permission.

The objectors have said that in a couple of years, the colours will have faded and the maintenance of the mural would be an additional cost. The Council representatives have said that there is a budget put aside for maintenance but that they will not tell anyone how much it is.

Is the mural nice or not, I’m not here to judge, but it does seem a bit selfish of the Council to decide on something without considering the local area and whether it fitted in to what after all is a conservation area. Why not celebrate the “conservation” element? The mural might have been better placed inside the building.

A AI representation of the mural, not the actual one in Enfield

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#HeadlineTherapy East Sussex WRAS rescues deer stuck in electric fencing

Thank you to Samanta Gladkauskaite reporter with The Argus for the headline.

I’m please to say that a fallow deer was rescued by a special group of trained volunteers after it’s antlers had got entangled in an electric fence. The rescue was initiated by members of the public who contacted the group, who at short notice will calmly release the deer without endangering themselves, as the animals indeed are unpredictable and very strong.

This particular rescue took 6 minutes and thankfully the deer was released unharmed. It is important that the rescue does not go on too long as the animal could become stressed by capture myopathy, which can in certain instances lead to death. Thus the quick and appropriate actions of the rescuers resulted in a successful release.

However, perhaps the deer was running away from someone trying to cull it. It doesn’t say whether the deer was female or a young buck , but the seasonal culling period in East Sussex is from November 1st to March 31st. Unfortunately these animals have no natural predators and their populations can get out of control and cause environmental damage and are a road safety hazard.

Still there has to be a balance and I’m glad that the deer was rescued .

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#HeadlineTherapy Sam Altman and husband reportedly working to genetically engineer babies from having hereditary disease

This headline is courtesy of Olivia Ireland and the Online Independent.

The article touches on a subject very close to my heart. Unfortunately using Sam Altman’s name as a headline perhaps is inappropriate as the subject itself, Embryonic Altering of Genetic Material is an ethical , worldwide problem which is being addressed by many institutions and governments and there are many opinions on how this technology should be used if at all.

The impression I got from the headline was that there was some personal interest in this couple’s investment and that it was not just an altruistic wish to help with a world wide health problem. Who knows?

Sam is one of the investors, along with believe it or not the Chief Executive of a Cryptocurrency platform and we all have great faith in Cryptocurrency don’t we?

So, $30million has been raised so far to set up ” Preventative”, which in the Californian Hi-tech maelstrom of investment decisions is probably corn feed. However, it is a start and as it is illegal to gene edit a baby in many Countries including the United States , it’s possible that ” Preventative’s ” research will be done in the United Arab Emirates where embryo editing is legal. Why a Californian set up then?

However a genuine successful gene editing treatment has already been used in Pennsylvania in the United States, presumably after satisfying strict ethical criteria and a little boy was cured by correcting a minor yet crucial error in his genetic code at the embryonic stage.

The danger is that we move towards the wish for “designer babies” and genes are altered not to prevent serious medical issues in later life , but to have the “ideal” baby that fits in (with those who are willing to pay )lifestyle choices.

” I want her eyes to match the colour of my curtains”

So as I said this is a subject that is close to my heart. As I wrote ” The Cuckoo in the Nest” which I have published here on my WordPress site , here is a sample chapter. It’s how I imagine the dystopian world if we do go in the direction of “designing babies”

The Cuckoo In The Nest Chapter 29

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#HeadlineTherapy Prisons could collapse as more than 2,500 prison staff could face deportation

Thanks to ITVX and IiTV News for this headline

There is a dilemma about the potential for 2,600 foreign nationals who are working in the Prison Service on right-to-work visas. They may not earn enough to qualify to stay when their visa’s expire and therefore these people may be lost to the Prison Service.

This is an example of there is not one solution fits all. The Prison Service is already under a lot of stress and simply can’t afford to lose that many people as they would be hard to replace.

Immigration is always a bogey word , but here is an instance where recruitment is difficult and foreign nationals have filled a gap in the Prison Service, which otherwise may not be filled.

Namaste and Thank you for reading

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#HeadlineTherapy Park licence fees will be rolled out without consulting public despite “harsh feedback”

Thanks to ITVNews for this headline,Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporter

Bristol Parks planned to charge personal trainers and professional dog walkers/trainers up to £450/ annum to use the local parks to run exercise classes for humans or exercise dogs in Public Parks.

There was uproar, but to be honest, public spaces are just that and if you are running a business , then there is potentially a conflict with those that are using the park for rest and recreation.

Lets get real , these are Public Spaces for everyone and businesses can be very selfish, they are out to make a profit at whatever they are doing and will fight tooth and nail to reduce costs and maximise their sales. Hence the conflict.

Reading the article , I got the impression that the Council did not realise how many small business’s were using Public Spaces, nor do they have a handle on the upset they cause for normal park users.

Potentially some of the business’s don’t even have insurance. Really Council’s do need to know who is using the Parks and protect every user. One of the Conservative Councillor’s argued that the money raised from licence fees would not even cover the costs of administering a licensing scheme and it would be best to leave it as it is. However, surely it is worth monitoring in order to ensure that no business is abusing the situation and also to make the environment in our Public Spaces a pleasure for everyone.

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