My Halloween blog message

Hi everybody 

This is going to be a brief blog post but I want to wish you a happy Halloween. 😀🙂👻🎃

Whether you do celebrate it or not, or trick or treating, listening to Halloween songs, watching Halloween films or whatever the Halloween party, I just want to let you know about today’s public holiday that is being celebrated across the world except some nations who does not celebrate Halloween. 

Also I do not really celebrate Halloween in the sense that I would go to trick or treating and all that stuff. Other than that, leaving a paper message. Saying that “we don’t celebrate Halloween”. Except only listening to Halloween songs & watching Halloween films (as long it is not too graphic). So for that, I treat this holiday as a “Scooby Do type of holiday that is mixture of celebrating and not celebrating”. 

So yeah, enjoy your day everybody & try not to scare everybody so much. 👻

Hahaha!!!! (That’s me laughing). As if I was a pumpkin. 🎃 But yeah really, enjoy your day. Happy Halloween. 

Halloween song honourable mention

Earlier today, I published my blog post with top ten Halloween song playlist with 10 songs ranked by me. mrlimitless95.blogspot.com 

I did say in my previous blog post today that I would just stick to having a top ten Halloween songs unless you my reader wants to make a request. 

Now there is one request and that I would like to include a song on the list of my Halloween song playlist. The song that has been requested by my Spanish friend. 

Honourable mention: Ladyhawke - Dusk Till Dawn 

Now that definitely sounds like spooky Halloween song. Even a music video does count it too. So yeah, great Halloween song with elements of electro pop, indie rock and new wave. 

So that is it. Halloween song honourable mention. 

That makes up 11 songs in total. 🎃👻🎵🎶

Happy Halloween Everybody. 

My top ten Halloween song playlist

So it is Halloween tomorrow. 

In that case, here is my top ten spooky Halloween song playlist. 

There are so many Halloween songs that I can think of adding. So I would just stick to having a top ten Halloween songs unless you my reader wants to make a request. Like I I did with the summer song playlists with two honourable mentions. https://mrlimitless95.blogspot.com/2021/09/another-honourable-mention-songs-of.html?m=1 

So let’s get this Halloween party started as we are set to do trick or treat musically. 🎃👻🎶🎵🎉🎊🥳

1. Micheal Jackson - Thriller 

Thriller!!! Thriller night. This is one of the best Michael Jackson songs and that it is the ultimate Halloween song. Especially with the Thriller dance and the voiceover of the actor Vincent Price with spoken word. 

Check out the full music video of Thriller if you are interested. 

2. Stevie Wonder - Superstition  

Next up is Superstition by Stevie Wonder. 

Yeah. There is definitely writings on the wall in the spooky lyrics of Superstition. Awesome song & one of the best popular Stevie Wonder songs. 

3. Talking Heads - Psycho Killer 

You may heard of The American rock band Talking Heads by their one of their hit songs. Once in a Lifetime, Burning Down the House and Life during Wartime. Well this one is the band’s signature debut hit. Psycho Killer. 

Spooky song by the New Wave band & it does sounds like funk rock with guitar riff. 

4. Bobby Boris Pickett - Monster Mash 

Novelty spooky song from the 1960s. Some people might find the song lyrics repetitive but in my opinion, it is a great song.  Monster Mash. 

5. Backstreet Boys - Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) 

You may think Backstreet Boys song does not sound like spooky Halloween song. Well i am afraid you are mistaken. If you watched the music video, it was inspired by Michael Jackson’s Thriller music video & the song itself definitely sounds like a Halloween tune even it is not really about anything Halloween themed.

So for this list, it’s Backstreet Boys with their hit song from 1997. Everybody (Backstreet’s Back). “Everybody, yeah, rock your body right, Backstreet’s back alright”. Alright. 🎶🎵😀🙂🥳🎃

6. The Specials - Ghost Town

“This town is coming like a ghost town”. 

Reggae song that does sound like a Halloween song. Released in 1981. Addressing themes of Urban decay, deindustrialisation, unemployment and violence in inner cities. No wonder March last year, it was truly a ghost town due to the impact of the Covid pandemic being so rampant across the world. 

I know this tune for very long time so it is one of the popular songs by the Specials.

7. Rockwell - Somebody’s Watching Me 

Ooooh!!! Eerie lyrics about being followed and Michael Jackson singing the chorus. 

8. AC/DC - Highway to Hell

It is impossible to enjoy listening the Halloween songs without including the song from AC/DC. 

9. Fela Kuti - Zombie 

“Zombie o, Zombie” 

Although the song itself is not really about Zombies but every single repetitive lyrics of Nigerian Afrobeat musical legend Fela Kuti song “Zombie” have been mentioned plenty of times. It’s like Bill Withers with his song “Ain’t No Sunshine” being mentioned 27 times saying “I know, I know, I know”. 

The point is the song is fantastically awesome. Especially with the rhythm because it does have a danceable groove. 

10. Ray Parker Jr - Ghostbusters 

Now we come to the end of my Halloween song playlist (especially for this year). 

“If there’s something strange in your neighbourhood, who you gonna call?” Ghostbusters. Yes. 80s danceable spooky Halloween song that gets everybody to sing the lyrics & watch Ghostbusters films with the theme song Ghostbusters. 

Ray Parker Jr is a legend for popularising the theme song during his time in the 1980s and it is still a popular song to this day.  Anyways please do watch for ghosts & call Ghostbusters if you need help to bust out the ghosts (that’s if you were in Ghostbusters movies). 

So yeah, that is all for my top ten Halloween song playlist. Happy Halloween everybody. 🎶🎵🎉🎊🥳🎃👻

Changing clocks annually and DST - October update

Well my friends the time is here. The annual tradition of changing clocks two times a year. 

October update 

Clocks here in UK & Europe are going one hour backwards. Days are already getting shorter and nights getting longer. Also weather temperatures are dropping as we are in the middle of autumn and soon, there will be cold winter. Especially with upcoming events & public holidays such as Halloween, Thanksgiving (USA/Canada), Remembrance Day (UK) and yes the festive season (Christmas and New Year).  Next couple of days, North America will change clocks backwards. 

So that is all I want to do today to brief you about upcoming clock changes. There are some countries who have already changed clocks. 

I will reiterate as mentioned on my blog March post this year since it will be only time that I get to talk about changing times in Northern Hemisphere with different dates in the years with few editions.

Depending which country you live in. If you live in the country that does not change times once or twice a year in March and October then congratulations. 

However if you live in the country that does annually change times twice a year in Spring and Autumn (Fall) then I guess you have an opinions whether you support or oppose clock changing. Same goes to the country that I live in. The United Kingdom. 

Changing clock forward in March and changing clock backward in October/early November in the final week of the month (late March and late October) have always been the tradition. It is always been the case since First World War. Century ago. 

Every time when we change our clocks, there will be always for and against. Positive and negative & that have never been ending topic. Changing times and DST (Daylight Saving Time). In the UK, we currently use BST (British Summer Time). Soon to change it for GM (Greenwich Mean Time) by one hour backward. In March, it’s one hour forward (switching back to BST) and it repeats two times a year. 

So here are the pros & cons of DST (Daylight Saving Time) because there are arguments for & against DST in the name of changing clocks & time. 

Pros: good about DST

Longer evenings: evenings that are lighter & brighter. Which is common in Western Hemisphere nations like Europe, Canada & the US. More sunshine.

It does save energy: Well really there are critics who do say that it does not really save energy as there are mixed opinions of whether DST does really save energy & that no one is sure about it. & less artificial light. 

& even it makes it safer to improve road safety & reducing robbery. 

Cons: bad about DST

It costs money & it does cost each country’s economises a money. 

It does not really save energy. 

& losing one hour of sleep. Time change could lead some people to serious consequences such as suffering heart attack, car accidents in the road, workplace injuries, etc. 

There is the pros & cons of DST & the practices of changing time. 

Before the tradition of changing times happened during First World War when Germany was the first time to change times, many people who first proposed the idea of changing times like Benjamin Franklin & George Hudson & people in other countries didn’t seemed to the like of idea & that it was a joke & when Germany changed times during WWI, countries like Russia, US & the UK soon followed to do the same. 

In the recent years, Israel (2014) had started to change times to be in align with Europe while countries like Turkey & Russia abandoned the use of changing times. 

So with the EU now wanting to put a end of changing times, there will be countries who would want to follow the suit as well. Until Covid 19 impacted the world last year and it is currently ongoing. The EU27 had proposed that this year 2021 would had been final time for the EU member states to choose which time they would want to go for. Permanent Summer Time (for more of daylight) or Permanent Winter Time for less of daylight). So because of the pandemic, it will not happen this year and that won’t start the process of ditching the annual tradition of changing times anytime soon at the moment in Europe. 

And if that does eventually happen someday in the future (the end of changing times), those who cannot stand changing times two times a year will be relived and happy. Some might not. For me, I am not that bothered (I am neutral on this topic). Although I prefer that we carry on using the daylight saving as the UK and mainland Europe will start changing clocks for tonight (early hours of Sunday. Halloween - 31st October 2021 at the time of writing) until we are at the point that we no longer have to keeping changing time in March and October (two times) & that we start to follow other countries that does not annual change clocks like we do in the West. Like South Africa, Turkey, Russia and Brazil for example.

Lastly, regarding the seasonal clock change for Ireland and Northern Ireland. Because of the UK now out of the European Union (as of 31st January 2020). If the UK and Ireland do want to change times or not (even the EU still believe that they do want to put a end to changing times) then time zones in Northern Ireland and Ireland (Republic of Ireland) must not be split in two. 🇪🇺🇬🇧🇮🇪 google.co.uk wired.co.uk publications.parliament.uk 

For example: 12pm in Belfast, Northern Ireland and 11am in Dublin, Ireland. One hour ahead in the Island of Ireland. Because of the effects of Brexit, if that does come to it (god forbid) then expect in the future that people in NI would want to support United Ireland (Northern Ireland rejoining with the Republic) which all means not using the same time zone of Great Britain and use the time zone of Ireland (south. Republic of Ireland). So I hope that should not be the case. No wonder Brexit complicates things as much that Covid is. That’s why Northern Ireland is still in the EU Single Market while the rest of the UK (mainly Great Britain) are not in the Single Market.

So that is all I can say about Daylight Saving Time and the annual tradition of changing clocks twice a year. 

Now let’s all change a time step by step as we will have a shorter days & longer nights. Changing clocks in the UK and continental Europe starts tomorrow (Sunday 31st October - early hours). Canada 🇨🇦 and America 🇺🇸 will soon change the clock to one hour backwards next couple of days after Europe. 

⏰🕰⏱

My take on Autumn Budget 2021

Yesterday the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak delivered the autumn budget and spending review & that he talks a lot about “age of optimism”. Well I am going to talk about it and whether the budget was really age of optimism or just more of the status quo & more of the same (nothing changes). 

For that, here is my opinion on the Autumn Budget 2021. 

My take on Autumn Budget

Absolutely not. Not a “age of optimism” as Sunak spoken about it while delivering it at the House of Commons yesterday. 

For starters, climate change has not been mentioned. Since the UK will shortly host the UN Climate Change Conference (known as COP26), it is madness to not include the measures of how to deal with climate change. Especially creating a green jobs. Yet the Chancellor is lowering Air Passenger Duty tax on short domestic flights. 

Next one is Universal Credit and cost of living. With the end of UC £20 uplift being cut earlier this month including the furlough scheme that had been used throughout the 18 months of the Covid pandemic, Rishi Sunak spoke about it & said that it was “taper rate”. Universal Credit taper rate? Keeping some of your earnings if you are UC benefit claimant in the UK but lose some penny of your money from 63p to 55p. Makes no sense at all. 3.8 million families to be worse off (particularly the sick and disabled people). It may be good news for those who works full time but bad news for those who are currently looking for work & are struggling to find. No wonder the benefit system in the UK is so f***ing awful in terms of the sanctions, unnecessary benefit assessment such as work capability assessment/fit to work test. I even spoken about it on my blog about the DWP. mrlimitless95.blogspot.com 

While inflation will happen at above 4% next year especially after 1 years and half due to the impact of the Covid pandemic plus supply chain issues and the effects of Brexit, it seems Sunak is living in another planet while everything is perfectly okay. I cannot even get why Rishi Sunak’s Budgets are so different than previous Conservative chancellors and being compared to the previous budgets in the Blair - Brown era (when Labour were in power from 1997 to 2010 under the name “New Labour”). As if Rishi Sunak is the Tory version of Gordon Brown and it is distinctly different than George Osborne. 

Tax cuts also being mentioned in the Budget and I am supposed to believe that austerity is over or already over? Definitely no, austerity is not being reversed completely despite the naysayers in the government including Rishi Sunak and Prime Minister Boris Johnson says otherwise. Just continuation of austerity. Barely a sign of hope. 

Even the only thing that was good about the autumn budget is rising the minimum wage from £8.91 to £9.50 an hour from next year’s April. 

The rest was not much of positivity. Other than just the continuation of status quo without meaningful change as I watched it live yesterday on telly (British informal word for TV = Television). This budget like previous budget this year and all before who were Tory budgets are all mediocre. 

Earlier this year, I said quite similar on the budget (spring budget 2021) in my March blog post. mrlimitless95.blogspot.com 

So yeah. Yesterday’s Budget. No difference than the last budget. google.co.uk 

Small wage increases, spiralling cost and tax rises (not good news for middle earners). Plus the highest tax burden since 1950s & highest fuel costs and national debt. Yet the Tories keeps saying austerity is “over” which is far from over. No wonder the coronavirus pandemic is ongoing & still impacting us everywhere in the world. dailymail.co.uk m.youtube.com 

As for Brexit, the impact of it is twice that of Covid, reducing the UK productivity to 4% t.co 

Yet Rishi Sunak talks about “high wage, high skills economy”. Well I think i have heard enough so I will leave it that. I rest my case. 

Check out my friend’s blog post about his opinion on the Barnet Eye by Roger. barneteye.blogspot.com 

What is Paris Syndrome?

Paris Syndrome. 🇫🇷

What is Paris Syndrome? 

Before I will tell you in details, you can read my blog post which I talked about my time in Paris, France being victimised of taxi scam by the rogue taxi driver few years ago. mrlimitless95.blogspot.com 

So what is Paris Syndrome and what it does mean? 

Well here is an definition of the term. 

According to SBS news. “Paris Syndrome is a psychological condition experienced almost exclusively by Japanese tourists who are disappointed when the city of lights does not live up to their romantic experiences”. sbs.com.au 

And according to Wikipedia. “Paris Syndrome is a sense of disappointment exhibited by some individuals when visiting Paris, who feel that the city was not what they had expected”. en.m.wikipedia.org 

Coined by a Japanese doctor in the 1980s by the name of Hiroaki Ota who worked at Sainte - Anne Hospital Center as a psychiatrist. 

In other words, it is viewed as a severe form of culture shock and that is treated as clinical condition for Foregin tourists mainly from Japan & other Asian countries like China, Singapore and South Korea. 

Everything from acute delusional states, hallucinations, feelings of persecution (perceptions of being a victim of prejudice, aggression, and hostility from others), derealisation, depersonalisation, anxiety, and also psychosomatic manifestations such as dizziness, tachycardia, sweating and others, such as vomiting. 

Now I am not a doctor so I do not have qualifications that are medical.

So for that, here is my opinion on Paris Syndrome. 

My opinion on Paris Syndrome

Until now, I have not heard of the term “Paris Syndrome”. One day when I was watching this video on Instagram by the British - French comedian. instagram.com 

That led me to do a research on the term and what does it really mean now I know it is a form of culture shock. 

Paris Syndrome = part of culture shock. At least I didn’t experienced any of Paris syndrome in Paris, France 2 years ago except being conned (scammed) by rogue taxi driver with rip off taxi fare that is not proper taxi fare. 

Thank goodness that I didn’t let it overshadow my time in France because most of the time that I enjoyed in Paris was trouble free. It was unfortunate that I became victimised of the scam the moment when I arrived at the Paris Gare Du Nord train station via Eurostar train. Given I was all set to book for Uber, the rogue taxi driver (who was a tout. Fake taxi driver) approached me & said whether I would like to go for the ride which I said yes. Not knowing what was going to happen next with me paying the rip off taxi fare that was not genuine fare price. I was indeed conned by the touting & scammy taxi driver. 

Just because I was victim of Paris taxi scam, it didn’t really mean that I had experienced Paris Syndrome because I didn’t had anything of that. Only a taxi scam. 

So for that, I didn’t had any kind of Paris Syndrome or culture shock.  

I really wonder why Paris Syndrome is a thing. Real thing & yet, cities does not have anything of city name syndrome (except Havana. Cuban Capital city) like London, New York, Sydney, Berlin, Brussels, Rome, Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, Madrid, Barcelona, Stockholm, etc. The list goes on. My point is that some international tourists might not experience of what is expected in the city they are visiting in an foreign country outside his/her/their home country 

They may be surprised. Either they are happy or not happy of what they see in any particular city. During my time in Barcelona, I seen street vendors who are from overseas. Mainly Africa (particularly West Africa like Ghana, Senegal & Nigeria). Same there in Paris during my time when I see street vendors who are from Africa (including French speaking countries in Africa). Although it was not what I expected in both cities (Paris and Barcelona) nonetheless, it was interesting to see despite some warnings that nobody should buy some things from street vendors and that they might be dodgy or not genuine which I will not go much into details. So I didn’t had a Paris Syndrome either when I enjoyed my time in Paris. 

No wonder in 2006, BBC News talked about Paris Syndrome. news.bbc.co.uk 

Overall, there will always be things that are unexpected but as long it is trouble free & not anything that is any form of culture shock, everything will be okay. So stay safe and avoid any forms of things that may be “Paris Syndrome” in Paris or anything that is dodgy/shady in any place in the world. 

Here are more sources if you want to know more about the term “Paris Syndrome”. 

google.co.uk 

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 

metropolisjapan.com 

google.co.uk 

nomadit.co.uk 

google.co.uk 

epigram.org.uk 

youtu.be 

The full story of my experience being scammed in Paris by rogue taxi driver

Here is a recap of what I have mentioned on two previous blog posts.  mrlimitless95.blogspot.com mrlimitless95.blogspot.com 

Also here is my advice to everybody. Whenever you go to whether is Paris or any place, going on holiday (vacation) or not, please be aware of any kind of scams (like taxi scam), fraud & pickpocketing.

Now today’s blog post is my story in both versions of my time in Paris, France two years ago. Being victimised of taxi scam by rogue taxi driver. 🇫🇷

Long story short

You may remember when I talked about my experience of fraud and scam in my February 2021 blog post that in summer of 2019, I became victimised of taxi scam in Paris, France.

For those who aren’t aware, long story short: the guy (taxi driver) approached me at the station, asked me if I wanted a ride. Given I was going for Uber, I said yes. Next thing, I was conned and victimised by the scammy rogue taxi driver. Fare price was ridiculously €75 (£70). 

Here is a full story version in case if you want to know more. 

Full story

When I was enjoying myself in Paris, France (which mostly were trouble free) in summer of 2019 & that I was there for three short days in late August, I arrived at Paris Gare Du Nord station via Eurostar train. When I was out of the station, the person came to me & said “do you want to go on ride?” I replied “yes”. Then next thing despite the journey from the station (Gare Du Nord) to the hotel (which I was staying for 3 days) was 8 minutes (not a long distance), he (the taxi driver who appeared to be “genuinely polite”) told me that the price was €75 (£70) & that he did conned me to pay for it. Not one but two amounts of the same amount €75 (£70 which made up the total amount of £140). It was on Sum Up card reader. 

At least when I returned home from France, I went to my bank (Barclays) straight away to report it as fraudulent & quickly, the money was refunded back to my account.

No wonder the taxi car I went on the ride didn’t had the taxi meter & the taxi sign. I would had gone for Kapten or Uber. In fact I was really going to book Uber for the ride before that person (rogue taxi driver) did approached to me.

When I informed the reception at the hotel that it had happened to me, one staff member told me that he “knows” some people who do operate in the dodgy business of fraud & scam & that he’ll do his own investigation in order to report rogue taxi driver to the French police.

The taxi fare from Gare Du Nord station to the hotel (which I was staying) should had been around €10 - €16 (£10 - £16). Instead it was too much expensive fare price. £70 (€75) for the journey which was less than 10 minutes from the station to the hotel, it was not a proper fare price. 

I could had took the picture of the car number plate of the rogue taxi driver who conned me to pay two exact same amounts of €75 (£70) & reported to the French police. Instead I decided not to because i didn’t want my 3 day holiday in Paris to be overshadowed by taxi scam. So that’s how my time in Paris was mostly trouble free, it was unfortunate that had happened especially after me being out of the station from the Eurostar train that took 2 hours from London St Pancras to Paris Gare Du Nord. I loved the journey by the way. Next time when I come to visit Paris or any big European cities that has many tourists visiting there like Barcelona or Rome, I have to be street wise before that sort of thing like taxi scam happens to me which I will have to do my best not to be in that situation again. 

I even posted it on Twitter. Paris Taxi Scam  

Moreover as I already talked on my previous blog post how to stay safe from all type of scams, I will reiterate as mentioned on my blog post that I published a month ago with an advice on taxi cabs. mrlimitless95.blogspot.com 

Whether is in London, Paris, Barcelona, New York, Tokyo or any city in the world, make sure you booked for a taxi cab that is not going to rip you off with rip off fare prices that is not genuinely normal price. It is about the destination & how long will journey take (length of time = duration). Example: if I want to go Camden Town & that I am coming from Barnet with taxi cab, I would want to be sure that the fare price is reasonable. Reasonably normal price because nowadays, people would book the hail and ride apps like Uber instead of the expansive black cabs in London for a cheap fare & I occasionally use the hail and ride apps (the likes of Uber, Free Now formerly Kapten, Bolt and Ola). Not ordinary cabs like black cabs. 

So my recommendation is use any reliable cab that is not going to rip you off, look for reasonable & cheap fare & use ride and hail app like Uber (if you want to). Never allow any potential rogue taxi driver to take the advantage of you even if he/she asks you with question whether you want to go on the ride or not. You make your own decision accordingly & not have to fall for any potential taxi scam. 

And if you are not going to use a hail and ride app (the likes of Uber), make sure that the taxi driver & the cab has the taxi meter so that you know to pay for the fare price (as long it is not expensive).

Finally during my time in Paris, I found so many news sources that shows that Foreign tourists are being duped by rogue taxi drivers in Paris. Knowing that I am not the only one. 

bbc.com 

fodors.com

fodors.com 

tripadvisor.co.uk 

solosophie.com 

thesun.co.uk 

Example: in 2018, Rogue taxi driver in Paris was sentenced for 8 months in jail for conning the couple who were tourists from Thailand. 

So yeah, be careful everybody and happy & safe travels in any cities like Paris. 

Covid cases on the rise in the UK

Covid cases on the rise in the UK. Right now.

What have I been saying everybody? 

Since the end of social distancing and compulsory mask wearing, Covid cases have been on the rise & it continues to rise one month after one month all because of the “freedom day” hysteria. Now it is October. 

Read my previous blog posts about it. 

mrlimitless95.blogspot.com 

mrlimitless95.blogspot.com 

mrlimitless95.blogspot.com 

mrlimitless95.blogspot.com 

Now the UK has the biggest Covid cases in Europe compared to France, Germany and Spain (as their reported Covid cases of infections are currently low). t.co 

Furthermore, the government recently published its Covid 19 winter plan couple of weeks ago and not wanting to impose Plan B. bbc.co.uk Plan B that would mean return of compulsory mask wearing and allowing everyone to work remotely at home google.co.uk bbc.co.uk 

That really proves my point of what I have been saying for months since July 19th (the so freedom day). Everyone believing the hype as if Covid is gone completely. We all know the pandemic is far from over. 

So if the Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Health Secretary Sajid Javid does not want another lockdown (which now is very likely) for 4th time, then they should act now and stop burying their hands in the sand. 

No wonder the govt doesn’t even want to acknowledge it. No wonder they wanted to do the original approach of dealing with Covid (herd immunity approach where the govt is confident with shocking figures of reported cases of infections and deaths).

And if the govt continues to ignore scientific advisers of how to prevent anymore Covid 19 rises by mishandling it the Covid, there will be just a matter of time before PM & the govt have no choice but to impose a 4th national lockdown. Knowing, it is really going to be a tough winter. Especially with the return of Flu (which last year, flu cases particularly in winter had always been at low). So not only we got the resurgence of coronavirus but also the seasonal flu making a comeback. Covid and influenza. Double trouble. 

So Plan B (Covid winter plan) must happen before anything else goes out of control. 

Lastly, when I go travelling on London Underground and buses, I see many people not wearing face masks. Despite it is mandatory, I see that it has not been enforceable for passengers to be forced to wear a face mask. I really do not understand why not wearing a mask on public transport is a choice. 

It seems some of people continue to believe that the Covid pandemic is “over”. Well it will be over if everyone starts to wear a mask to protect others & themselves rather than believing the “freedom day” hype (that social distancing & mask wearing is not compulsory).

Good thing I still wear a mask. Three months on & Covid cases in the UK is up. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is another lockdown. Even I personally do not want another lockdown, the way this is going, If the government continues to ignore the scientific advice (despite insisting they “followed” the science which I do not believe a word of it), Lockdown 4 in the UK (mainly England) will occur. Mark my words. You’ll see. 

That is all I can say about it. 

Read my friend’s blog on the Barnet Eye by Roger with his opinion about the government’s handling of the Covid situation. barneteye.blogspot.com 

Ireland supports the EU membership

We know Brexit have been the talking topic not just for the UK and the EU but also Ireland. 🇮🇪

Unlike the UK, the Irish people overwhelmingly supports the membership of the European Union. 84% of Irish people supports the membership. 🇮🇪🇪🇺

Even the information sources and the infographic will show that Irish people does not support the idea of Irish exit from the EU (Irexit). europeanmovement.ie 

Yet, Nigel Farage (Brexiteer & former MEP) who is Eurosceptic and campaigns for Brexit in 2016 which he got exactly what he wanted for his entire life and career is the UK out of the European Union. Recently he appears on Irish TV with his silly and ludicrous conquest of wanting to get Ireland & the rest of 26 member states out of the European Union by capitalising his achievement on getting Britain out of the EU & the mess that he & other Brexiteers like Prime Minister Boris Johnson & the rest of Tory cabinet ministers (who are mostly Brexiteers campaigned on Vote Leave campaign) created in the country with divisive topic (Brexit) & full of contradictions, lies and false promises & even false hope. 

Good thing Irish TV presenter Claire Byrne cannot tolerate his madness. 

English bloke (Nigel Farage) who is attention seeking bigot and polarising political figure goes on Irish TV, talking nonsense about the Irish history which he knows nothing about it and meddles in Irish affairs despite he complained a lot about the EU “meddling in British affairs” & the UK had “no sovereignty” whilst being an EU member state which we all know is load of baloney. Yet many foolish followers called Farage “the man of the people” given they do not know like the Conservatives, Farage is also right wing and Thatcherite who used to be in the Tories until early 90s. 

Farage will have a hard time, finding any Irish citizen who is Eurosceptic given the most of the Irish people supports the EU membership. 😅😂🇪🇺🇮🇪

youtu.be 

youtu.be 

youtu.be 

youtu.be 

What does Nigel Farage know about the Irish public opinion on Ireland’s EU membership? Absolutely nothing & that he does not even want to acknowledge that the Irish people are proudly pro Europeans and that they have seen the mess here in the United Kingdom & that the nation is not good directions because of the effects of Brexit and the Northern Ireland situation regarding the protocol (which the govt & Boris Johnson created a border in the Irish Sea which upsets the unionists and DUP instead of the land border which it would had been unholy not acceptable). 

That is why the Irish are thinking wisely not to go in the same path with the idea of EU withdrawal. 🇮🇪🇪🇺☘️

Brexit & travel to the EU

I am sure that we all obviously know the answer already that the UK is outside the European Union and has been out of the EU since January 2020 & the end of the transition period on 31st December 2020. Especially until 31st December last year, UK citizens continued the EU freedom of movement. 🇪🇺

This infographic photo that I attached shows the difference between pre Brexit and post Brexit since British citizens are no longer EU citizens (despite the identity remains European except EU passport holders). 🇬🇧🇪🇺

From Spain 2018 to France 2019, I am glad that I visited two European nations before Brexit as a Brit as I visited Barcelona & Paris (visa free under EU freedom of movement as EU citizen = no passport stamp) for holiday visits. 🇬🇧🇪🇺🇪🇸🇫🇷

Next time when I eventually go to mainland Europe, there will be passport stamp in any EU member state when I visit and that there will still be visa free travel: up to 90 days (3 months which is limited) except there wouldn’t be any special benefits for UK travellers. Knowing the EU free movement is unlimited, visa free travel is not unlimited. It is limited either 90 days (3 months) or 180 days (6 months). The UK is a third country meaning Brits (myself included) will be treated like non European nationals like Japanese, Chinese, Canadians, Indians, Singaporeans, Australians, Americans, etc. We the Brits are third country nationals not EU citizens (not anymore). That means work permits especially if any nationals wants to reside via studying, retiring or working in the EU for more than 3 months. 

Example: February 2020 Colin Browning who was in Amsterdam airport in Holland, tweets by saying “this isn’t the Brexit I voted for” 🇬🇧 google.co.uk 

The Brexiteer who voted for the UK to be out of the European Union 5 years ago in the Brexit referendum, was complaining that he waited nearly 1 hours in non EU immigration gates. It is clear to me that the leavers didn’t really understood what voting for Brexit would exactly mean for the United Kingdom especially in terms to going to continental Europe for holiday/vacation visit, work and study. 

Even Sky News Anchor tweets on Twitter with the example of EU immigration queues in Portuguese airport Showing the selfishness and ignorance of Brexit voters who voted for Brexit in the name of “sovereignty” & taking back control” of everything including immigration borders. Well Brexit means British nationals having to wait in longer queues at EU airports and same goes to EU citizens in British airports. 

So I do not want to hear any contradictions or lies from Brexiteers who claims that they “didn’t voted for this or that” regarding travel to EU27 (27 member states of the European Union). Knowing Brexit does represent consequences and loss opportunities for UK citizens. Knowing there is no anymore special benefits for travellers from Britain. 

And very soon at some point by the end of next year 2022, there will be American/ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) style visa wavier travel system in the EU. It will be called European Travel Information and Authorisation (ETIAS). schengenvisainfo.com 

The visa waiver fee will be €7 (£6) for every single non EU countries including Great Britain. etiasvisa.com google.co.uk In fact, I knew it is coming since 2016. independent.co.uk google.co.uk So another reason why Brexit is the disadvantage for all British citizens regardless they voted in the referendum 5 years ago. 

So that is the clear difference between visiting Europe pre Brexit (UK when it was inside the EU) and post Brexit (outside the EU). 

Mexico and Trump

Mexico and Trump. 

Did you know Donald Trump hasn’t visited Mexico when he was the US President? He was and still is unpopular there. 🇲🇽

Since Donald Trump became the President 4 years ago until January this year, he always talked about building the wall at the US = Mexico border. Couple of years ago, He called Mexicans “criminals, drug dealers & rapists” while launching his presidential campaign in 2015. youtu.be 

Broke up families at the US - Mexico border, separating children from their parents who want to settle in the USA and only visited Mexico in 2016 at the time when he was presidential candidate. Mexican people cannot stand Trump due to his racist remarks & policies.

Worst of all, Mexican women were sterilised in US migrant detention centre. t.co 

At least the current US President Joe Biden puts a stop to the construction of the Trump border wall at the US - Mexico border. t.co 

During the Trump era, US - Mexico relations were severely undermined by Donald Trump. Trump even declared an national emergency two years ago in 2019 for his crazy and idiotic border wall policy. The illusion policy that he keeps saying that Mexico should pay for it and all long throughout the Trump presidency, the Mexican government under both Enrique Peña Nieto (EPN) and AMLO (Andrés Manuel López Obrador) have not pay a money for the wall to be built at the southern border because they know it is was an ridiculous policy of the Trump administration. Trump would had asked the American taxpayers to build his ludicrous & expensive wall than telling the Mexicans to do so. 

This video from 2015 proves that it would be expensive to build the border wall between the United States and Mexico. youtube.com 

In fact, there is already a border fence at the border. Most of overstayers and illegal migrants, they come by plane or in the tunnel. Not on a foot. Everyone from America, Mexico and the rest of the world knew that Trump had lacked a proper sense regarding US Immigration which it had affected legals and illegals, damaging America’s reputation in the world stage and that we all know America is the land of immigrants and always will be the land of immigrants despite the subject (Immigration) is sensitive. I previously talked about it on my previous blog post. mrlimitless95.blogspot.com 

And the survey poll from 2016 from border residents both American and Mexican said by 80% that they do not wanted Donald Trump’s border wall. univision.com 

Also Trump behaved protectionist & threatened Mexico with tariffs regarding his outrageous immigration policy when Mexico had averted from the trade tariffs. apnews.com and Trump issued tariffs on steel and aluminium that badly affected both Mexico and Canada. At least he did lift the tariffs and launched USMCA trade deal. google.co.uk gtlaw.com 

Finally, former Mexican President Vicente Fox have been very outspoken critic of Donald Trump. He is the one who famously said in 2016 “I am not gonna pay for that f***ing wall” with one swear word. The F word. He (Mr Fox) said a lot about Trump. Describing him as the “false prophet”. Indeed, Donald Trump is a false prophet. I couldn’t agree more. youtu.be twitter.com twitter.com youtu.be youtu.be youtu.be youtu.be youtu.be 

Plus the ex Mexican President published a book called “let’s move on beyond fear and false prophets” in 2018 during the Trump years.

So yeah. That is why Donald Trump never visited Mexico when he was the American president. Now US - Mexico relations under Joe Biden are back on track and being improved. 🇺🇸🇲🇽

I’ll end with the quote from MLK. “Let’s build bridges and not walls”. 

Turkey and the possible return to Eurovision

Will there be Turkish Delight finally in the Eurovision Song Contest? 

t.co 

According to the Eurovision article four months ago, EBU (European Broadcasting Union) and the Turkish broadcaster TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation) were in the talks about the country potentially returning to the contest in 2022 next year. 

The last time Turkey participated in the ESC was 9 years ago in 2012. Nearly 10 years. The Turks withdrew from Eurovision because of the dissatisfaction of the rules of the competition and that there were no TV broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest on TRT (meaning Turkish viewers not being available to watch on TV in Turkey). Turkey didn’t return to the 2014 contest because of the same reason.

Turkey has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 34 times since its debut in 1975. 

So now a change of tune from the Turkish broadcaster about their interests of wanting to see Turkey back in the Eurovision Song Contest & being part of the Eurovision family again. At least TRT is still an member of EBU despite the withdrawal from the ESC. 

I say why not? I don’t mind Turks coming back to the ESC (Eurovision Song Contest). 🎵🎶🇹🇷🇪🇺

And if that does happen at some point next year (hopefully) or any year for Turkey to return to the Song Contest, it would be good news for Turkish viewers and Turkish Eurovision fans. It will truly be an homecoming for Turkish competitor (singer or band) to perform his/her/their original song for Eurovision. 

When Turkey do return to Eurovision eventually, I will be eating a sweet from Turkey. Turkish delight. 😀🙂🎶🎵🇪🇺🇹🇷

Time to free Nazanin from Iran

Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe. 

For 5 years, I have been hearing in the news about Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe being in prison for the crime she did not committed in Iran. Despite the country does not accept dual nationality, Nazanin is British Iranian, married to Richard Ratcliffe (Husband) and has a daughter Gabriella. 

This poor woman have suffered enough. She (Nazanin) needs to come back home to the UK. To be reunited with Gabriella and Richard. 

It is very sad situation given the Iranians wouldn’t want to let her go and what’s saddens me shockingly is that the British government owes money to the Iranian government. t.co mirror.co.uk 

Can you believe this? Political prisoners including Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe aren’t going to be freed anytime and yet the UK govt owns money to the Iranians? Especially lobbying them (Iranian govt) to free Nazanin & others? What the flying f***.

The uselessness of the UK government. No wonder Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe have suffered enough & that she is serving another year in jail & won’t leave Iran. Every time when there is a bad news, it is always Nazanin not getting any chance to be released from jail in Iran. 

Especially this latest news article. t.co 

And on top of it, the government still continues to badly mishandling it to this day, while the Iranians are just continuously punishing Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe. Shame on both governments (Iranians & British & specially Boris Johnson who was Foreign Secretary now the Prime Minister). If it wasn’t for his gaffe, Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe wouldn’t be in Iran right now. google.co.uk google.co.uk 

5 Foreign Secretaries (Philip Hammond, Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt, Dominic Rabb & now Liz Truss) & the innocent woman Nazanin is still in prison in Iran. Unbelievable!!! 😠

I think that is all I can say about this subject for now. I really do feel sorry for Richard Ratcliffe who have been campaigning so hard and adding pressures on the government so that he can see his wife Nazanin being free & being reunited. 

He even went on the hunger strike, protesting at the Iranian embassy in London. amnesty.org.uk Richard Ratcliffe.

So it is time for the government & the Prime Minister Boris Johnson to start finding ways to talk to the Iranians diplomatically to release Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe before anything anymore bad news becomes too much stressful and frustrating. After all, it is very sad situation regarding Nazanin. 

In my opinion, I say enough is enough. Time to free Nazanin from Iran. 

Here is the petition to sign it. change.org 

Free Nazanin