My new year blog message & 2021 in review

​Season Greetings

Today is final day of the old year 2021 as we will soon enter 2022. 

I hope everyone had enjoyed a wonderful Christmas and other holidays in the festive season. 

A year I published my first new year blog message in 2020

Here is my review in 2021. 

Very first blog post in this year 2021

As exactly I said in my January blog post that it will be better year and it turns out for me personally that this year 2021 is a better year despite uncertainty and the pandemic. Even I still not found work, at least 2021 has turned out to be a better year than last year 2020. 

Despite it has not been a great start of beginning of the year

There is many ways to go before the year is over and that we enter 2022 but I am thankful that I am alive and well to see that levels of normality is back (despite Covid 19 is still around which we will still have to look out since we are not out of the woods yet. Especially with the Omicron variant). But it doesn’t mean there won’t be tough winter with more recorded cases of Covid & the government’s mismanagement of the situation. 2021 will be remembered as the year of hope. Not just that but also the year of recovery after the effects of Covid. 😀🙂

What will 2022 bring? Only time will tell but I will say this. 2022 has to be much better than 2021 and 2020. Some of you will say that 2021 is just like last year 2020. Well every year comes and goes whether it is a good one or bad one or mixed one (good and bad). What goes around, comes around. 

My second New Year blog message

Enjoy this very final day of the year 2021 whatever you are doing today and tonight. Please stay safe and stay blessed. Try not to be in too crowded gatherings as I know it is a party holiday celebration season. 

Also get a covid 19 booster vaccine if you have not done it yet or get a covid 19 vaccine if you have not received both doses at all or you have received one dose but waiting to get a second dose. For me, I received my Covid 19 booster as my early Christmas present which I will talk more in my upcoming blog post. 

Let’s hope 2022 will mark the end of the covid pandemic (even we all know Covid 19 will be with us for very long time) so that won’t be anymore disruptions to our way of life & economic business activity worldwide in all nations. 

Also please if you are going to have New Year Resolutions two things, firstly don’t wait for January, you don’t have to so why wait until the new month (first month of the new month next year) and secondly be really realistic of what you really want to achieve. Other than trying to be all talk and achieve nothing once you get to easily forget later on & that the following month is February & beyond. New Year Resolutions can be unspecific so please plan carefully & be specific of what you do want to achieve in the upcoming year. That is my advice. 

So that is all I can say in my second New Year blog message. Happy New Year in advance to everybody and you guys my readers. See you on the other side in 2022. 🎊🎉🥳

Blogging in the digital age

​We are living in the digital age, the Information Age, the computer age, the new media age or the age of social media. 

Why I say this? According to my blogger friend of mine Roger Tichborne of the Barnet Eye (by the way, thanks for mentioning me on your blog Roger. Much appreciated), he stated on his blog post that there is “a lack of younger generation looking to setup” a blog except Mr Limitless (which is me Mr Limitless 95 as you know I have been a blogger for a year now). 

Well this is something I will talk about it in today’s blog post. You can read more on Roger’s blog post since his post is mainly about his reflection & his achievements as an blogger & being active in the community regarding local politics in Barnet. This is his blog 

So why aren’t today’s generations like my generation (Millennial) & younger generation (Generation Z) are mostly using social media platforms (the likes of YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat & even TikTok) & not writing blogs? I will tell you why. 

As someone who was born in mid 90s (Millennial. Late millennial) & being friend to my blogger friend (Roger who was born in early 60s - Baby Boomer. Late baby boomer. In fact he is old enough to be my uncle), I say that every generation is different. It doesn’t matter which generation cohort are you part of. Whether is Greatest Generation, Silent Generation, Baby Boomer, Generation X, Millennial (often it is called Generation Y) or Generation Z or even Generation Alpha (first generation being born entirely in this century. 21st century who is expected to reach adulthood in the next decade 2030s). My point is that today’s generations (both Gen Y & Gen Z) are using social media platforms to be content creator, social media influencer (or social media personality), YouTuber or vlogger (video blogger) rather to do the things (past trends) what previous generations were doing. When I was born in 95, internet was already a new thing & that there were no smartphones. Just ordinary phones with buttons. If someone wants to use a computer, he/she would have to take turns to use a computer or going to the Internet cafe. 

Today, Internet cafe is old fashioned. No one goes there anymore as we all got smartphones, laptops and tablet computers. Internet cafe still exists, it is that nobody is mostly going there. 

So as an millennial blogger, it would be unfortunate that we would abandon things (some things are old) and go for the latest trends. It’s good that we have the internet and social networking sites & that everybody around the world can do anything online. Like writing a blog. 

Blog has been around since the existence of internet being available worldwide in the 1990s & to abandon it as if it does not exist other than just watching videos on YouTube or TikTok, well I say YouTube wasn’t around in the 90s until 2005 & Tik Tok wasn’t around until last few years in 2019. 

Although I do happen to have a YouTube account (where I upload my original music & that you can read my January blog post if you are interested), I don’t have accounts on Tik Tok or Snapchat & I am not quite interested. There is one thing that I used to have an account on MySpace who was popular social media site until 2011 & beyond which nobody like myself uses). 

I enjoy writing certain topics on my blog because it helps me to keep active & something that keeps me busy. At the end of the day, we have to use things that we have got. Otherwise, it becomes not existent. 

So if you really want to do blogging in the digital age whether is for fun (passion/hobby) or something that can turn into a job/career, then I would encourage you to start writing a blog today and choose a topic to write about & even having blogs as many as you like (one blog about one topic & another one about another topic). Soon, I will start to consider of having a second blog. When I do, you guys will be the first to know and I might think about doing a pen pal to make new friends in the world. Even writing pen pals letters is still the thing. Despite it is not much popular like it used to in the pre internet days. Especially nowadays it is online for pen pals. 

In conclusion. Everybody is different. Regardless of how old you are, writing a blog can be fun and it can be a blessing. I might think of writing a blog post with tips to write a perfect blog post on blog & having a great blogging technique. 

So yeah. Let’s all use things that we have got before it is not existent anymore and one of them is blogging. 😀🙂✍️✏️📧🖥💻📱

 

Don’t wait until January for New Year Resolutions

​In February this year 2021, I talked about New Year’s Resolutions & whether you have achieved it or not

Well as we are about to enter the New Year 2022, I want to say to you to my readers. Don’t wait until January for New Year’s Resolutions. 

I said in my February blog post with my advice that you cannot have new year resolutions that are unrealistic, undesirable, unspecific and un-achievable & being all talk without taking action that can produce results. You can have goals (specific goals) without having to wait until January to reach the target that you want to achieve in life in general. 

For me although I have own my stuff, I do not need New Year’s Resolutions to achieve the goal that I want to achieve in life. I would plan something to achieve a specific goal that could be achieved in the long term (regardless if it is days, weeks, months or years). Not to include something that can be done yearly and then easily forget in the following month (February) and after. 

So if you want to have a new year resolutions (goals for the New Year), then that is fine and I do not have a problem but please be clear and specific of what you really want to achieve not just for the new year but for life in the long term. That is all I can say about New Year Resolutions.

When Boxing Day is the day of hunting foxes

​When people think of the date on 26th December (Boxing Day, St’s Stephen Day or Day of Goodwill), it is the day after Christmas (Christmas Day) and it is often marked as second day of Christmas (12 days of Christmas as in Christmas Carol 12 Days of Christmas) or even second Christmas Day.

It is the day when post Christmas sales started to be on the sale for discounts in retail online and offline. Unfortunately it is also the day where some people will go to countryside (rural areas) in the UK to hunt foxes. 🦊 Foxing Day.

Every year annually on Boxing Day, foxes gets hunted & the Hunting Act 2004 is not even tightened enough to put a stop of all barbaric cruelty of fox hunting including trail hunting. Why? Because there is a loophole that carries on the so called “hunt free fox hunting”. 

I am so sick & tired of innocent foxes being hunted every year annually on Boxing Day (26th December. The day after Christmas) by the fox hunters. The fox hunters that they ride on the horses & bringing dogs (hound dogs that are big) with them. Everybody agrees that it is cruel and barbaric & that it is indeed a bloodsport. Killing animals all in the name of having fun is not joy. It is Animal Cruelty and there is nothing entertaining about that. It is not even a laughing matter. 

I have long opposed fox hunting and this is something that Conservatives wanted to do. Bringing back fox hunting & repealing the Hunting Act 2004. There were plans by then PM David Cameron to bring a vote to the House of Commons in 2015 but that didn’t happened given which Cameron himself is for repealing a ban on fox hunting 

So Unbelievable that he supported the “bloodsport” meaning fox hunting whilst being interviewed by Andrew Marr in 2015. Even 70 Conservative MPs say that they are against repealing a ban on fox hunting

Then there were plans & ludicrous idea by then PM Theresa May to called a free vote on the motion of bringing fox hunting and that she is in favour of fox hunting which had played a role in 2017 general election campaign and it had resulted for Mrs May to lose overall majority in the House of Commons. All because of her ludicrous policy ideas (dementia tax & restoring fox hunting). Not so strong and stable after all & that she abandoned a promise to call a free vote of restoring fox hunting 

And then, currently we have the current prime minister (Boris Johnson) who openly supports fox hunting and who is married to the wife who is an animal lover & opposes every form of animal cruelty including fox hunting. Even the controversial Nigel Farage supports fox hunting too

My point is that any politician who is on the right (Conservative or non Conservative) who supports fox hunting is not an animal lover and if anyone does participate in hunting foxes in any day including Boxing Day (26th December. The day after Christmas), he or she does not deserve to be called “animal lover” in the name of killing innocent animal who would often roam the streets & the wood as foxes are urban animals. Yes, they make weird noises and that they would eat chickens but it does not justify hunting them. 

What is the real purpose of hunting foxes who does not do any harms to humans? None. There is zero benefit to fox hunting. It is all brutality and cruelty. This is something those who supports fox hunting does not seeming to fully understand. It is against animal rights.

Those red orange creatures poses no threat to us humans and yet, we ourselves are killing them for nothing in the name of “having fun & pressure”. Those who hunt foxes should be prosecuted & even not being allowed to have a pet.  

When Boxing Day is the day of hunting foxes. It’s time that there should be a ban on annual fox hunting on Boxing Day completely. I don’t get why Fox Hunting is still the thing despite the law outlaws it.

It is very disgusting act & I really hope and pray that one day the cruel act of fox hunting on days like Boxing Day will be the thing of the past. 

Lastly, here is my friend’s blog. 

My blogger friend Roger and his 2017 blog post about his opinion on foxing hunting. 

My blogger friend Roger and his 2017 blog post about his opinion on foxing hunting 

And if you are strongly against fox hunting and other forms of animal cruelty & bloodsport, you can visit the Keep the Ban website for more information by clicking the link and signing petition against fox hunting. https://www.keeptheban.uk/petition 

My blog Christmas message 2021

​Season Greetings

A year ago, I talked about Christmas being celebrated as holiday season and peace of mind 

One year on and it is still true. Christmas is the holiday season and peace of mind. Festive holiday where you listen to Christmas music, watching Christmas films, having Christmas dinner and opening your Christmas presents. 

Christmas is the relaxing holiday that you can have a peace of mind and having a reflection of what you have done for this year and hoping for the best in the upcoming year. 

For me, 2021 has been a better year but every year has it owns ups and downs & that there is still some things that I would had done this year and that I would hope for the new year 2022. 

So this is a second blog message that I talked about Christmas. I want to wish you my readers  a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 

Best wishes for 2022 and beyond. 

Happy Holidays to everybody. 🎁🎅🎄🌲

There is no “War on Christmas”

​Since we are busy celebrating Christmas in the festive season, there is one thing I would want to talk about it. It is something that is completely madness in the United States of America. 

The War on Christmas. 🤦🇺🇸

Now why I say this is because there is nonsensical debate about the so called “war on Christmas” (which is non existent) & that American Conservatives couldn’t stop banging on about something that is so non existent & that they made it up just to divide everyone in USA by simply complaining that someone say “Happy Holidays” & not “Merry Christmas”. I say this shouldn’t really be a big deal. 

There is one thing that the Republicans (& Fox News) in America does every year annually is the non existent “war on Christmas”. As if they have issues with people who say “Happy Holidays” but not “Merry Christmas”. No one have stopped saying “Merry Christmas”. So yeah, absolutely bonkers. Also recently Donald Trump (former US President) claimed that he won the so called “war in Christmas”. Thanks goodness we don’t hear anyone complaining here in the UK that person stopped saying “Merry Christmas”. 

It’s time that Conservatives & Republicans in America to realise there is no “war on Christmas”. No one have stopped saying “Merry Christmas”. Barack Obama had said “Merry Christmas” when he was the President. I am not bothered if someone say “Happy Holidays or Season Greetings”. Whether person celebrate Christmas or not. 

It is ridiculous to suggest that anybody in America have all sudden stop saying “Merry Christmas” & then being not happy if someone have not said “Merry Christmas”. Well US Conservatives should know that not all people celebrate Christmas & not all of them are Christians. 

Kwanzza, Hanukkah & other religious holidays are celebrated this month December. Given different faiths do see Christmas as a family holiday. 

I really do not get why some folks in America are following the lies of Fox News & even Trump. No wonder Bill O’Reilly who used to be on Fox News was the one who created the unnecessary term “war on Christmas”. 

Lastly, my advice to you people (mainly those who live in America & even outside America) is pay less attention to any media pundit or politician who do talks rubbish about the non existent “war on Christmas” because they do not value your time when you (US viewers who would often watch Conservative media outlets like Fox News) watch their shows. In other words, don’t believe the hype about things that does not really exist. 

Last thing everyone needs in the festive season is political correctness, cancel culture & ignorant person being woke & snowflake & cannot be willing to accept that there the person (him or her) can say other ways than only saying “Merry Christmas”. In my point of view, it is nothing but a classic GOP woke & cancel culture.

So that is I can say about the nonsensical & non existent rubbish stuff (the so called “war on Christmas”). 

After all, there is no “war on Christmas”. 🎄🎅🎁

So enjoy the festive season everyone. 

Sources: 

https://youtu.be/Y2Gp1N2txg4 

https://youtu.be/4e5Zts1jTGw 

https://youtu.be/Qm8P-YqGUpA

https://youtu.be/DPUywhcYLV4

My Christmas song playlist

​Everybody

Are you ready for Christmas? So do I. 🌲🎄🎅Ho Ho Ho

Consider this as your early Christmas present because I have selected 12 Christmas songs as this year’s Christmas song playlist. I am open to any requests like I had done for summer song playlist and Halloween song playlist on my previous blog posts. Songs of Summer & Halloween spooky tunes

For me personally, I think I’ll stick with 12 songs of Christmas. 😀🙂🎄🎅

Christmas music is the time of the year where we first hear in November and that we human beings would continue listen all the way to the Christmas season. Christmas is really indeed the most wonderful time of the year. 

So without further ado, here are the 12 festive songs as my Christmas song playlist. Especially that it is hard to choose one of them. 





1. Brenda Lee - Rockin around the Christmas tree

We start with this classic festive 50s rockabilly tune by Brenda Lee. Who is rocking around the Christmas tree in this festive season? Go and listen to the tune in case if you have not heard it before. Also there are cover versions of the song “Rockin around the Christmas tree”. Click the link to listen to it


2. John Lennon - Happy Xmas (War is Over) 

This Christmas song is not just a ordinary Christmas tune. It is also a anti war song. Protest song against the Vietnam War. Released in 1971 (50 years ago), it is one of my favourite Christmas song that I do enjoy listening to it in the holidays. 

Another year over & new one just begun The link is right there as I am quoting the lyrics. 

3. Elvis Presley - Blue Christmas 

Since Christmas can be a wonderful and lovely season. Christmas can be not so great. That would indicate that someone is not having a good Christmas (meaning blue Christmas). Well I know I will not feel blue this Christmas time but I cannot help it as i do enjoy listening to the song. 
Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley

4. Bobby Helms - Jingle Bell Rock 

The original version of the song “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms. Another 50s rockabilly song. There are other cover versions of the song including Hall & Oates. Here is the original version of Jingle Bell Rock

5. Michael Buble - Santa Claus is Comin To Town 

There are plenty of recorded versions of the song “Santa Claus is Comin to Town” by over 200 artists. Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, The Crystals, Neil Diamond, Bruce Springsteen, Mariah Carey, the Temptations, the Jackson 5, etc.

So I chose the version of the song by Michael Buble Santa Claus is really coming to town as he have checked the list twice of who is nice & naughty this year. Anyway, enjoy the song as we move on to another list of my Christmas song playlist. 

6. Wizard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday 

70s glam rock song about wishing that everyday could be Christmas. I say I agree & that I do also wish that it could be Christmas everyday 🎶🎵🎄🌲🎸

7. Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody 

Another 70s glam rock song. “So here is it Merry Christmas. Everybody’s having fun. Look to the future now. It’s only just begun”. One of the best Christmas song ever. Even it is just only well known here in the UK. Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody 

8. The Killers - Don’t Shoot Me Santa

The Killers (rock band) have so many Christmas songs so I have selected one of their own song & that is the song “Don’t Shoot Me Santa”. It’s a good song & great music video. Check this out

9. Run-DMC - Christmas in Hollis

This one is very interesting one as this particular Christmas song is Hip Hop that features rapping. Who’s say that Christmas song cannot be Hip Hop? Whether is pop tune, rock tune or rap song, it can be festive song. So in this list, I added Run-DMC song Christmas in Hollis

10. Tony Bennett - Winter Wonderland 

Christmas is indeed a winter wonderland. I think we can all agree & it is true. So for that, here is Winter Wonderland by Tony Bennett

11. Wham - Last Christmas 
Last Christmas I gave you my heart Anyways we obviously know the lyrics already as it is easy to sing along. George Michael in his 80s heyday in Wham. This is one of awesome George Michael songs especially during his time in Wham with the music video. 

12. Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You 

Now this is where we conclude my Christmas song playlist and I thought I can finish off the list by including one of the classic Christmas tunes & that is Mariah Carey. All I Want For Christmas Is You

The only I want for Christmas is Christmas songs & films. Christmas films. 

So that is the end of my Christmas song playlist. Happy Holidays Everyone & have a wonderful Christmas & New Year. 😀🙂🎄🎁🎶🎵

Privatisation and water

You know what is frustrating? Finding out that there is no water or that there is low water pressure. 

Well that had happened to me and residents who lived in the affected postcodes in two weekends. 

It happened on Saturday 11th December where the water pipe burst occurred in Hendon. I first woke up to find out there was no water at my home 

It lasted to Sunday 12th December in the evening when myself & my family found that water had been restored. Then recently yesterday on Sunday 19th December, it happened again. No water in the morning & then in the afternoon, low water pressure and then, in the evening, water has been restored (especially at the time of writing). 

Before that it did happened in my home & the neighbourhood in Mill Hill for second time, there were few reported incidents of water pipe bursts in Barnet. Mainly the affected postcode areas & that I have been reading the updates on Thames Water website & social media platforms. Thames Water updates and that the work is currently in process already to repair the water pipes including the first water pipe that had bursted in the early hours of Saturday 11th December 2021. 

Although I had coped well with having no water for two times in two weekends & having enough water supply (with lots of water bottles), it is frustrating when things happens repeatedly like if it is happening frequently (every now and then. Given it mostly happened occasionally). Not being able to wash the dishes or having a wash in the bathroom where there is low water pressure or no water coming out of the taps at all. 

That is something that everyone finds it uncomfortable and sadly upsetting. 

So that is all I want to talk to you guys about it. Water. 

Although I don’t blame anyone for anything goes wrong (like water pipe bursts), there is one thing that I know when it comes to politics, The Iron Lady (Margaret Thatcher who was PM from 79 to 90) was for privatisation, water to this day is still under privatisation. So that is on the politics side. 

How can the Conservative government in the Thatcher era privatised water? 

It really does not make any logical sense. 

Water is a liquid. It is something that we use to drink and wash. It is vital to all plant and animal life on this planet Earth. It is compound of two elements (hydrogen and oxygen) and it covers more than 70% of the earth’s surface. That’s where we see water in oceans, rivers, lakes and glaciers. It is an essential to plants and animals & us humans on things. 

And yet, the Tories under British Prime Minister  Margaret Thatcher privatised water in the late 1980s? Water should never be politicised given we all know very well it is a liquid. Prior to the privatisation in 1989, there were ten regional water authorities (RWA) and that it was under the public ownership. When privatisation happened, the sale of RWA were sold to private companies. 

As the result of that, water bills in England and Wales have gone up 40% since the transfer of water and wastewater services from nationalisation to privatisation in 89. 

Example: Thames Water is private utility company in case if you are not aware of it. Given we all pay water bills and that is where private companies like Thames Water are a water supply providers. Regardless if you live in London or outside London.

So yeah. Water under privatisation. All thanks to the Iron Lady especially that I know the Conservatives are the party of privatisation for sure. Privatisation of water here in England & Wales as it has remain privatised since 1989 when Thatcher was then the UK PM.

Now lastly, why water has got to do with politics? Because it shouldn’t had been politicised whatsoever. Even if there are incidents of floods. That is why water privatisation in the UK have totally failed in this country & the best thing that can be done to reverse is bringing water back to public ownership (yes, have it renationalised). 

After all, we all need water for something. 

 - Margaret Thatcher drinking water

Here are sources about water privatisation in England and Wales. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_privatisation_in_England_and_Wales 

https://youtu.be/ZmzjgjpYCRc 

https://fullfact.org/economy/water-bills-privatisation/

https://www.centreforpublicimpact.org/case-study/privatisation-uk-companies-1970s/ 

https://youtu.be/grc53zUbXD0 

https://youtu.be/TqPr4IZziQs 

Second update on TFL funding crisis

​Short blog update

Couple of days ago, I published my blog post about TFL funding crisis with a first update.

Click the link here to learn more about it

Now this latest one is a second update & it said that TFL grace period have been granted by the government & that it has been extended until February next year (two months from now on 4th February). Since it is all focused on the Covid variant (Omicron) that is currently affecting London & the rest of the UK. But still, the government must really quit messing around & just provide a long term funding to Transport For London as I know it have been hit very hard severely by the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020 & it is still ongoing. 

Last thing that everyone needs is the likelihood of Tube drivers & bus drivers being affected & London Underground & buses being out of business. 

So I thought I can provide another update. Especially that I am a train lover. 🚇🚉

New Beginnings for Barbados without the UK monarch

​Barbados, I salute you. 👏🇧🇧

By now, you would have already know the news before we entered this month December that Barbados (Caribbean country) have ditched the UK monarchy and became an republic. The World’s newest republic. 

History has been made indeed. 😀🙂🇧🇧

Congratulations to the nation and the Barbadian people. 🇧🇧

New era for Barbados as it is now officially a republic. 🇧🇧😀🙂👏 The country is no longer under the monarchy. The British monarchy. 55 years ago, they declare independence from the UK & now 55 years later, another historic on 30th November. This time, having their own head of state with the first ever female president.

Barbados is still an member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is not leaving Commonwealth. Although I have to say so that everyone is clear on this. Barbados is an independent sovereign country. This is something that those who voted for Brexit (UK out of the EU) does not seem to understand in my opinion.

By the way, Who is chanting “sovereignty” now Brexiteers? Your support for the isolationist policy (Brexit) was supposed to be about the UK being closer to the Commonwealth nations like Canada, Australia & New Zealand. Well it had done the opposite for non white Commonwealth majority nations like Barbados. 😂

I don’t want to hear any nonsense about the word “sovereignty” from leavers while continuing to show their strong dislike of the European Union. No wonder Brexit was supposed to be about being closer to the Commonwealth except it is only closer to New Zealand, Australia & Canada. Even the United States (even it is not in the commonwealth) & the AUKUS defence pact with three countries while moving away from anything European. 

So who is next to follow Barbados’s lead to remove the British monarch as the head of state? Jamaica could be next to ditch the Queen as the head of state by having their own head of state of any Commonwealth realm countries. Only time will tell. 

For now, I want to say once more congratulations to the people of Barbados & best wishes for the future now that the country has their own head of state. 😀🙂🇧🇧

Update on TFL funding crisis

​Short blog post with a update

Since I first talked about TFL funding crisis due to the impact of covid, the grace period have been extended to Saturday 18th December. 

However the government really got to get a grip & just provide Transport For London a long term deal. No more of short term deals and no more of using public transport as a political football while behaving as if they do not want to strike a deal with Sadiq Khan (London Mayor) & TFL to help them financially. They (the govt) got to stop playing games.

I will repeat as I previously mentioned on my previous blog post that it is time that TFL gets more money for long term post pandemic without anymore expiry dates. Once it will affect the likelihood of tube train drivers & bus drivers. 

I hope and pray that there will be a deal between the government and Mayor of London with long term funding & keeping money a float so that it will not affect all of us (passengers, staff members & drivers alike) who do go on public transport in London for work, study, shopping, seeing family/friends and exploration for fun (& tourism). I say as a train lover knowing that I would hate to see TFL go out of business. 

So that is all I can say for this moment.

Omicron strikes the UK

​I hate to say this but I have told you so. 

If you have been reading my blog for last couple of months since Boris Johnson’s poor decision to lift lockdown measures, declaring “Freedom Day” as if Covid is really gone for good. Last few weeks ago before Omicron (latest Covid variant) appeared in the news headlines, I recall saying that Covid cases in Europe had gone up due to the high infections of Covid 

After I published my previous blog post, the variant from Southern Africa (mainly South Africa & Botswana) appears in the headlines & that I seen that world have been freaking out about the omicron variant that had happened in South Africa. As the result of it,  a lot of countries (particularly the West) issued travel bans on African countries (particularly Southern Africa countries & other African countries who were affected by Omicron covid variant). Even if doctors from South Africa have informed the world about Omicron. 

It was very unnecessary for countries to react out about it. It is the same virus. It is that Coronavirus (Covid 19) keeps on mutating and that there is why there are many variants out there who is present and yet to be seen. 

For that, I will talk more when I next published a blog post about vaccine inequality. 

The point is nobody is safe until everyone is safe whether you live in rich country or poor country. 

Now back home in the UK, recently the government have introduced Plan B with measures to combat Covid and that is making masks compulsory (this is why Boris Johnson should had never made mask wearing not compulsory in the first place. No wonder Freedom Day hysteria on 19th July 2021 had contributed to the rise of the covid cases. All because of his mismanagement of the covid pandemic) in all settings including public transport & shops. Also the introduction of covid pass (Covid passport/vaccine passport/Covid certificates. Whatever you call them) despite it does sound controversial & unethical (which I am not fan of it) but at the same time, we really got to suck it up & just protect ourselves from the Covid & pay less to anti vaxx & especially the government (since they are too busy being all caught up in the scandal. Downing Street Christmas Party scandal)

At least we are lucky that we are not in lockdown (yet which it all depends on the reported Covid cases in the UK regarding Delta & Omicron variants). 

So in the festive season & final weeks of 2021, please take care of yourself & please do wear a mask (even you do not like it wearing). That is all I can say about Omicron as it is currently striking here in the UK & the rest of the world. 

Boris Johnson is the worst PM ever

​This is a rant & today I am going to talk about Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Boris Johnson. 

In my personal opinion, Boris Johnson is the worst prime minister. The worst. Worse than Margaret Thatcher. 

I thought David Cameron was bad enough (although I still disliked his premiership strongly) given he was the PM who introduced austerity cuts and held the unnecessary Brexit referendum in 2016 (which we know how it did ended his tenure as the PM). For Boris Johnson, it is worse. 

Even Theresa May (previous PM) was also rubbish too (not so strong and stable). 

Now why I am ranting about Boris Johnson? Because he is not the proper prime minister. He is a clown & corrupt. No wonder some folks are misguided, believing that he is funny & proper gentleman. Well to me, he is no hilarious. He is corrupt & lying charlatan.  

Look at the current headlines at this moment. The Christmas Party scandal (which last Christmas where we are all in covid lockdown) & recent news headlines like Tory corruption sleaze (particularly the Owen Paterson row regarding second jobs & lobbying). How low can he go?

The same Prime Minister who illegally prorogued the Parliament in the in the name of “getting Brexit done” two years ago in September 2019. The same Prime Minister who mishandled the covid situation in the UK & still, many people voted Conservatives. 

I have seen enough of the nonsense from the Tories everything from Cameron to May. Johnson for me is the worst of the worst. Next thing, we may hear Boris’s successors is either Priti Patel, Michael Gove, Sajid Javid, Dominic Rabb, Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak (the favourite to succeed Boris Johnson as the PM if Boris does eventually step down) and the Tories to be in power for 5 more years, therefore turning the UK into one party state like China (which Labour really better get their act together if they want to win next general election in 2024 or sooner than 2024). 

My blogger friend Roger written a blog post last month on his blog the Barnet Eye that for first time in his life that he is not proud to be British. I couldn’t agree more. Especially I am not proud to be British when some things are not positive. Roger also published his blog post of how he followed the covid rules due to the passing of his cousin earlier this year. 

It is very unbelievably sad that the government created the guidance for us citizens to not have social gatherings of any kind & yet, they themselves do the opposition. That is why Boris Johnson is the worst prime minister ever. 

So that is my rant on PM Boris Johnson & I think it’s time that he steps down (especially that opinion polls showing the Tories are not in the lead. Even nowadays I don’t trust the polls given it does not last long with Labour being in the lead). 

Is it the end of the line for TFL?

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Is it the end of the line for TFL? 

Before I talk about the TFL funding crisis, here is the infographic as you can see it above.

The comparison between London Underground and other city underground networks in 5 other cities. 

London being compared with New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, Paris, and Madrid on funding models. London is mostly funded in passenger fares while most of cities (5 included) are funded in other taxes/subsidies.

Now you may be wondering what is got to do with the Transport For London funding crisis? Well last year March 2020, the coronavirus pandemic had severely impacted all sectors of the global economy including the UK economy. That had severely impacted TFL network. From buses to Tube trains. 

From last year to early this year, the government had agreed the bailout package for TFL three times. Well now there are few days left until the recovery package on 11th December 2021. Time is really running out.

For me personally as a train lover, I am not really surprised. Look at how the central government in Westminster behaved with their refusal to save cross channel train rail operator Eurostar as an example (which eventually, received a rescue package from French rail operator SNCF) & that I talked about it earlier this year Now they (the govt) are doing it again. This time with metro subway train network (TFL = Transport For London). 

Scary forecast in case if the govt doesn’t get their act together & not messing around with Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London) given TFL does need more money to keep it afloat due to the effects of the covid pandemic & if the rescue funding package is indeed finished within the next few days, this will definitely affect the likelihood of tube drivers & bus drivers and that it could really mean the end of the entire Underground & bus networks & TFL. 

It is time that Transport For London gets more money for long term post pandemic without anymore expiry dates that would raise the alarm & potential headaches for London Mayor & TFL. 

I hope and pray that will not be the case so it won’t have to be the end of the line. 🚇

Amazon Fresh & the future of shopping

Have you heard of Amazon Fresh? 

hackneygazette.co.uk 

standard.co.uk 

Well I have heard of Amazon Fresh. For few years, it was all based in the United States. As of this year, they started having stores outside the US and the first store is in Europe. Here in the UK.

The first ever UK Amazon Fresh store was opened earlier this year in Ealing Broadway. ealingtimes.co.uk 

Now there are more of them in London. Amazon Fresh stores in Ealing (first UK Amazon fresh store), Wembley Park, Camden, White City, Canary Wharf, Dalston (Hackney), East Sheen, Richmond, Angel & Holborn. Around 10 stores (at the time of the writing). 

And so last week and half, while I was buying something, I come across the new store that has been there since September and that it is called Amazon Fresh store. 

The store which anyone can buy things there which has walk out technology. No tills, no self checkout machines & no retail assistants. My mind was like “WTF, that’s crazy”. I only bought chilled coffee (Starbucks). 

My initial thought was that this could be very common in the future. Retail assistants out of work with shops with no staff members, no tills & no self checkout machines. That is how I am very sceptical on the idea of cashless society. I previously talked about it in February this year and with Amazon Fresh, it is a prime example of it. 

Look I am all for competition and that is all good (nothing wrong with that) but why would we all need the cashless stores like Amazon Fresh with walk out technology where everyone can buy anything in the shop & just leave? As if shoplifting is not a crime. I would imagine the likes of Pret, Caffè Nero and Gregg’s will lose many customers all thanks to the multinational company that does not pay taxes & that the employees in Amazon not feeling valued & being exploited. No tea break. Being told not to go to toilet (bathroom). Urinating in plastic bottles with “work until you drop” mindset which is appallingly horrible.

At least I had received a receipt 🧾 knowing I used the Amazon app to enter and exit the shop. Personally, I wouldn’t want to go to any Amazon Fresh store again at anytime soon. 

So yeah, the future of shopping. This will potential affect & kill the High Street if there are going to be a lot of cashless stores without cashiers like Amazon Fresh and putting staff members in the retail sector out of work. That will be all I can say about Amazon Fresh.