GE2024: The Tories’s last stand

Well, well, well. The UK will have a general election after all & the election date is tomorrow. 4th of July coinciding with US Independence Day. 

The final curtains are closing in on the Conservatives after 14 long years of power since 2010. 5 Tory Prime Ministers (David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss & Rishi Sunak). 

You know I have not been blogging for quite awhile but I thought I want to write a blog post to persuade you my readers to go out and vote. Vote tactically if you wish as it is not Conservative or Reform UK. After all, we all know that the Labour Party will win tomorrow’s election with a landslide. Bigger landslide since 1997 when Tony Blair (then Labour leader at the time) entered No 10 as the Prime Minister, feeling victorious. Today’s political climate is very different than the late 90s. The Tory Party have totally destroyed the UK (as I wrote so many times before on my previous blog posts) from austerity cuts (rise of foodbanks underfunding the NHS, cuts to public services and youth centres) to Brexit (holding the unnecessary referendum 8 years ago in 2016 that totally divided the country & undermining the UK’s relations with the European Union) as well being isolated in the world stage with the effects of Brexit. Plus the mismanagement of the covid 19 pandemic, the partygate scandal, cost of living crisis and 2022 mini budget that tanked. Do I need to go on with anymore list? 

At the time of writing on today's date (the eve of election), the start of the campaigning for the Tories have been performing badly while Labour is performing well according to the polls. Knowing that Keir Starmer is the Prime Minister in waiting. Whatever happens tomorrow for GE2024, it is over for them. Especially with the possibility of Sunak & other Cabinet ministers may lose their own seats. By the time you are reading the day after tomorrow, you’ll know the results. Perhaps Nigel Farage (Reform UK leader) who is polarising political figure could be 8 times lucky (for me in my opinion, I highly doubt he’ll win). 

So that is all I can say about British General Election. First general election since the UK left the EU in 2020 & the passing of the late Queen Elizabeth II. First general election under King Charles III. 

As for me once the exit poll shows at 10pm BST (UK time), I’ll be singing plenty of goodbye songs for the Conservative Party & Rishi Sunak. 

the rise of BRICS in the world stage

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My New Year 2024 blog message

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Happy New Year Everybody. 😀🙂

2024 is finally here. Plus we are nearly 3 weeks in (sorry about that, I have been busy in my personal life & work). January is nearly over. I hope you guys (my dear readers) had enjoyed the Christmas and New Year holidays in the festive season. As for New Year’s Resolutions, well my advice is don’t make promises that you can’t keep. New Year’s resolutions is one of those things when someone says things like “I’m gonna do this and that” & then next few weeks, no action happens. Rather than just talk without any results of how to make an effort of making it happen. 

So please if you are really going to do, make it happen. Have a goal for life & don’t wait for January every time when we enter the new year after 12 months of the previous year. Start now by having a goal not just for the year but also beyond. So do not have any New Year’s Resolutions that are unrealistic, undesirable, unspecific & un-achievable  Read more about my 2022 blog post about New Year’s Resolutions. 

So that is all I can say about it. Once I would like  to wish you guys a Happy New Year. Happy 2024. All the best for this new year and beyond. 

And stay tuned for blog posts from me throughout the year especially I need to get back to writing blog posts as often as before but yeah, thank you guys for continuing to read my blog posts. Have a awesome 2024. Let’s hope it’s a good one. 🙂😀

My blog Christmas message 2023

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Season greetings

Hi everybody. Whether you are celebrating this festive season: Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza (if you are in the US) or any festive holiday, I want to say in my annual yearly Christmas blog message. Simply, happy Christmas. Merry Christmas to you my readers. 

Christmas is the season of giving, joy, peace and goodwill. As you’ll be busy with Christmas food (& Turkey), watching Christmas films, opening presents and listening to Christmas music or looking forward for the upcoming year (the New Year), I wish you all Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 

Finally, this year 2023 personally for me has been the best year ever. From me visiting Scotland (finally) for first time to me finally having my first job on my recent blog which it was my 3rd year of blogging. I hope and pray I’ll be back to blogging as much before in 2024. 

So take care everybody and Happy Holidays. 😀🙂😁🎄🎅🎊🎉

3 years of blogging & wonderful personal announcement

Hi everybody 

It is now three years since I published my very first blog post. So on this third anniversary, I want to talk about my recent achievement which I have been wanting to tell you for very long time. I finally got a job. My very first paid job. So in these details I’m going to talk why I achieved it & that it took 4 long years from 2019 to last month October 2023. So with further ado, let’s begin on this latest blog post on my third anniversary of me blogging. 

4 years of struggling to find a job: It wasn’t easy but it was worth it. 

Well normally I do not really talk about my personal life in terms of day to day stuff (which I am a careful person & that I happened to be a private person) because there are some things I can talk about on social media & not to talk about on social media or generally in the public domain or even my own blog. Although I am happy to talk about my struggles of finding a job & how I recently got my first ever paid job. This is the only time I get to talk about publicly. Even I did mentioned in some of my previous blog posts (even the very first blog post published in 2020 at the time we were staying at home & coping with the Covid 19 pandemic). By now some of you might already knew that I was struggling to find a job. For those who don’t know. Long story short. 

I left school at the age of 16. I spent many years, studying at the college to study courses including the recent course that was career related. Which all I accomplished all except two occasions in 2016 and 2017 when I failed maths course. Luckily in 2018, I eventually passed the exam in order to overcome a struggle that was a barrier to my path to boost my job prospect. 

In all these periods, I built up a lot of employability skills (Workskills) in volunteering and unpaid work experiences while at the same time to finish my education by having enough useful qualifications (including main subjects English and Maths) so that it won’t have to be a problem when I eventually try to get a job. Well the only barrier up to now (October 2023 - last month) was that I didn’t have a recorded history of employment. I also happened to be on benefits (which I will not disclose much information publicly on this platform). I wondered myself how will I ever succeed in life if I do not have a job to do & all things I want to do in life (besides work). I have my own life goals & aspirations & being in the world of employment is part of it.

And so 6 weeks ago, I had a job interview at the school with two people (former teachers: Ginny & Caroline) I know well personally from my time at secondary school. The school (which is called Windmill. SEN school & that is recently opened as of September 2023 so basically it’s a new school) where I had a meeting for my latest job interview was a informal discussion for what job roles I can possibly do. I even wanted to do work at the office for admin office which was also discussed. 

And then on Friday evening, I received an email from Ginny (headteacher of the Windmill school) to say that she welcomed me onboard. Meaning I finally got a job after 4 long years of looking for one. 

The job position is a part time. One hour once a week for Thursday PE sessions in the afternoon to support students with SEN as an assistant (teaching assistant). Originally I wanted an office work but it was not available job so that’s how I accepted this job role. 

It really meant a lot to me. I was so emotional with happiness after 4 long years of me struggling to find a job (2019 to this present day). 🥲🥹 

It has not been a easy period for me personally. Even the Covid 19 pandemic & lockdown measures had severely affected my chances of finding a job in 2020 & 2021. I even had moments of regrets after attending previous job interviews & not being accepted after applying for so many job vacancies on job searching sites including Indeed. One thing that had kept me going from difficulty to find work is faith. My Christian faith. Me having to bounce back from the difficulties of finding a job & having resilience to not giving up a job search despite the setbacks. All because I do not have employment history yet which now, it is about to change with me having my first ever paid work. 

It is a new beginning for me. A new chapter for my life & I know I will definitely do well. And finally, since I left secondary school at the age of 16, I had finally achieved a lot in my personal life for my studies and building up enough employability skills for all work experiences & volunteering  that I had done in the past while studying at the college. I looked forward to start my work now that I got a job & that I started working earlier this month.

So you know now about my story of struggle to find a job & overcoming it which took me 4 years to do so. 🙂😀

Plus I originally never wanted to talk about my experience of finding on my blog because I had a concern that some of you (who do read my blog) might look down on me as if I am not trying hard to overcome my struggles & that you won’t understand what I was going through or that I am lazy & not doing enough. Well my answer is: Knowledge is power 

Sometimes at the time when I used to struggle to find work was that I wanted to give up of finding job. Well the opportunity came to me & that I personally felt it was my last hope to find job successfully or that I was going to give up completely to find a way like becoming self employed (via having a business of my own or becoming freelancer especially if it does mean earning money as writer/blogger or any profession) or going back to education to improve my job prospects (& gaining some new qualifications which I was not very interested) or simply learn a foreign language. Frankly, those ideas didn’t materialise after I finally accomplished my personal goal of finding a job. So in other words, me being unemployed was not my fault & that I didn’t choose to be unemployed. It is one of those stuff that happens in life & unfortunately we live in the society who sadly does look down on some people who are indeed unemployed & even homeless (as if they are deadbeat) who genuinely want to do something in life & to improve himself/herself. It’s not a lifestyle choice

And all these times, I didn’t write blog post that much except occasionally whilst focusing on my job hunting. Now that is accomplished, I’ll try to get back to writing much as possible before the awful incident happened in my personal life few years relating to 2021 flight ticket scam & the court case which I did not win February 2022 that nearly impaired my mental health (given I do not really have mental health problems except I only have hidden disability: Autism - high functioning autism despite I really do not like admitting it & that I do not really considered myself as disabled except I won’t deny it as it is stated in my medical information. Especially if you have read my 2021 blog post about my disabled freedom pass story) while I continued to not have any breakthroughs of me being in 2019, 2020, 2021 and last year 2022. 2023 will be the year to remember (as we will soon enter 2024) that I finally overcome my struggles of finding a job & here I am. Working as an employee in my first paid job. Earning money & enjoying myself in the workforce while being under 30 (at least for two more years). Me working as personal assistant/teaching assistant for one hour PE session in the afternoon once a week as I started earlier this month (November). It is not the ideal job for me personally but at the same time, as I said there were no vacancy of admin job so that’s where I gladly accepted the job role & to embrace it. So far at this moment, I am enjoying the PA/TA key worker job role at Windmill school, supporting and managing students with special educational needs. I find the job to be so rewarding. From Yoga to mediation & from parachute to rhythm sticks. I even played the role as the goalkeeper. 🙂😀😁🥅🧘‍♂️🪂

So guys all I want to say is that sometimes in life, you have to be grateful in some things that you have. Even the things you want personally has not happened yet. That was the case with my struggles to find work. Now I am grateful that I have a job & that my next job in the distant future will be different than the one that I am currently doing (my first paid job) or that I go for self employment path. Who knows. Only time will tell. 🙂😀

And finally I will end with this motivational quote from Sylvester Stallone who played Rocky Balboa in Rocky films & the 80s rock song which I always loved listening to. Eye Of The Tiger by Survivor. Powerful & motivational quote which I highly recommend you do click on it & also listen to the song that was also part of Rocky 3 soundtrack 

These had kept me going & I haven’t given up. There was no doubt that I would fail & lucky, I didn’t fail. I won & that I am a winner. 

Thank you everyone for reading this blog post on this anniversary blog. Take care and god bless you.

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European Languages Day & my visit to Europe House 🇪🇺

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Vintage UK public information films - my review

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My music review: The False Dots

​Today’s blog post is my music review: The False Dots. 

Who are the False Dots? 

The False Dots are rock’n roll band. Local Ska & Punk Rock group that are based in North West London. They are from Mill Hill, Barnet, Greater London. 

I know a friend of mine (Roger Tichborne of the Barnet Eye blog) who is in the band. Here are their story on the website

My favourite False Dots songs list. Top ten 

1. Buy me a bottle of Jack 

2. The Burnt Oak Boogie 

3. Kick Out Capita song anthem (They’ve cleared out your desk)

4. Men and Motors 

5. Wacky Races 

6. Sunday in the 70s 

7. The song about cancer (Don’t be a afraid of the finger up your bum) 

8. Put me in the spotlight 

9. The Greatest British Fail 

10. Get your knee off my brother’s neck (powerful anti racist song) 

Meaning top three False Dots songs I liked the most are Burnt Oak Boogie, Buy me a bottle of Jack & they’ve cleared out of your desk. 😀🙂🎵🎶

CPTPP: Post Brexit Britain in the Pacific

​It’s official. The UK signs the biggest trading bloc that is based in Asia Pacific region. We are now an pacific country after signing the CPTPP. Benefit for the British economy? Barely growth. 0.08% now how is that really a benefit to the UK post Brexit? Totally none. #CPTPP

Largest trading bloc in Asia Pacific that is members of 11 countries (all based in Asia Pacific geographically) & now the UK is the 12th. Asia Pacific nation that is located geographically in Europe Compare with the EU (which the UK left the bloc), it’s 27 countries. #BrexitFail

160 years of London Underground

​London Underground celebrates 160 years of delivering the services to London for Londoners who enjoyed going for the ride on the Tube, the bus, DLR, Overground & the Elizabeth Line). 😀🙂🚇 I took the photos at Mill Hill East station last week. #londonunderground #tube160 #Tube

So yeah. What a milestone. Happy birthday to London Underground. I am proud to be a Londoner who enjoys going on the ride with the Tube & other TFL services like the Elizabeth Line & London Overground. 🙂😀🚇🚆🚊🚉

Canada Day & facts about Canada (2023 edition)

Hello everybody 

Two years ago I originally published my blog post about the facts about Canada & Canadian national day Canada Day. 

Well a lot has changed since 2021 so I thought I would want to do a updated edition about Canada facts (2023 edition). Here it goes. 😀🇨🇦 

Facts about Canada (based on my research).

Canada has two official languages. English & French. 

The capital city is Ottawa. 

Largest city is Toronto. 

Currency: Dollars (Canadian Dollars) & it has the King (the same British monarch) on every banknotes. 

National anthem is O’ Canada. 

The prime minister of Canada is Justin Trudeau. 

Here’s more further information. 

Hawaiian Pizza (with pineapple toppling) was invented in Canada. Yes, really in Canada (not in US state of Hawaii) by Sam Panopoulos. 

Canada is the second largest country in the world after Russia. 

Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world’s lakes combined. 

Canada has the largest coastline in the world. 

Canada’s land border is the neighbour the United States as both nations shares land borders In 8 out of 13 provinces and territories.

Population in Canada is 40 million (as of June 2023). 

Quebec is the French speaking province in Canada. 

Canadian Parliament is based in Ottawa. 

Canada has 6 time zones. 

In sports, Canada is known for hockey. 🏑 particular ice hockey. 

National symbol of Canada is Maple leaf 🍁 

Canada has wildlife. Bears, goose (Canadian goose) & beaver. 

The name of Canadian syrup is maple syrup. 

Niagara Falls is the most popular tourist attractions for Canadians. It shares with USA (the state of New York). It is the largest waterfall by water volume. 

In terms of economics & GDP, Canada is on the list of countries that has the largest economies as Canada is ranked 10th.

Literacy rate in Canada is 99%

Life expectancy in Canada is 82 years. 

Lastly but not least, there are famous people who are from Canada & there are names that you might be familiar with & not familiar with. 

Justin Bieber

Drake 

Jim Carrey 

Celine Dion 

Michael Bublé 

The Weeknd 

Justin Trudeau 

William Shatner 

Avril Lavigne

Bryan Adams 

Even Elon Musk (who appears to hold three passports: South African, Canadian & American). 

The list goes on. 

So yeah, that is the information about the country Canada. I provided my research to my relative (my cousin) 4 years ago as an presentation for her on WhatsApp. She (my cousin & her close family: husband & two kids: daughter & son) have been living in Canada since 2019 when they did moved out from Nigeria. From 2019 to 2022 they have been living in Toronto, Ontario. Nowadays my cousin & her family lives in Calgary, Alberta & last month, they became newly Canadians by naturalisation. Perhaps I should be an honorary Canadian if that is possible. 😀🙂😁🍁🇨🇦

Anyhow I want to wish my readers (if you are Canadian) a very Happy Canada Day. 🇨🇦🍁😀🙂

Canada is one of the places that I would love to visit. It is one of my dream travel destination. The country that is an multicultural country (just like USA, European countries like France, Holland, Belgium, Germany & here in the UK) with diversity. So yeah, I would recommend anyone to visit Canada at least once in lifetime & make it your bucket list travel destination. 

And finally I went to Yesterday (29th June 2023) I went to Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross to attend Canada Day London event. It was very interesting to see the Canadian community, celebrating their national day (which actually the date is 1st of July = Canada Day). 😀🙂🇨🇦🍁

I am not really Canadian. Although I know some of my friends who are Canadians) so it was definitely a good fun at Trafalgar Square. 

So yeah, Happy Canada Day Canada. My second blog message wishing the country & the Canadian people. 😀🙂🇨🇦🍁

Free flight ticket & holiday voucher debacle

I have been busy as of late & I recently travelled to Scotland as of last month (which I will talk about it on my blog). 

I want to tell you about the whole free flight ticket & holiday voucher debacle & why I felt deceived by both airlines: EasyJet and Cathay Pacific. 

Let’s start with Cathay Pacific. 

My criticism on Cathay Pacific

Hello Hong Kong 2023 campaign video

& the second video 

Here’s my rant. What a flipping joke. 🇭🇰✈️🎟

On Tuesday 9th May 2023 (few weeks ago), I was not in a happy mood. The promotion of “free Hong Kong air tickets” & that I regretted for feeling foolish for participating the competition. when the free flight ticket to Hong Kong was opened (9th May which was the date of opening date) on 9am, promoted by the “Hello Hong Kong” campaign, Cathay Pacific & the Hong Kong govt (to persuade tourists from all parts of the world to visit HK given for the fact that Hong Kong had suffered financially in the last couple of years due to the Covid 19 pandemic and strict lockdown measures. Which that it affected the tourism sector & HK’s economy), myself and my brother’s carer (who used to live in Hong Kong from 1993 to 1997), we went on the website (Cathay Pacific) & we did tried to participate in the competition in the chance fo win the free aeroplane ticket to HK.

Unfortunately, I wasted 2 hours of waiting in the online queue for my turn to answer the questions (anything related about Hong Kong or Hong Kongse airline Cathay Pacific = national carrier) as I kept on checking on my phone & the computer. Even myself and my disabled brother’s carer already know that there were people who were also in the queue of wanting to win the free air ticket to Hong Kong as well. After all, all I saw was “Thank You For Your Support. All tickets from the Cathay Pacific “World of Winner” ticket offers online campaign in United Kingdom has been awarded”. 

My reaction was like “unbelievable”!!! I even read the tweets on Twitter about people campaigning that Cathay Pacific have deceived anybody who do wish to visit Hong Kong for holiday/vacation leisure purposes. Until to now, they (Cathay Pacific) haven’t even explained properly as to why they closed the competition on the day it was opened & closed it within two hours later. As if many people here in the UK all wanted on the website, trying to win & some of them had won it (which I do not believe that is the case). Especially the end date was scheduled from Tuesday 9th May to 15th May (Monday 15th May). 

So yeah, another airline deceived me. Cathay Pacific. Just like EasyJet (which I will talk about it on my blog in separate paragraph). Even I do not have any actual plans to visit Hong Kong anytime soon (knowing it’s not guaranteed whether I really go there or not) & that I was not disheartened that i didn’t win. I was not impressed of how Cathay Pacific conducted the free plane tickets to Hong Kong campaign in an awful way. That is not a good business marketing & not good PR. For that myself and my brother’s carer were not happy about it at all. Especially when we & everyone else in the UK were taken for fools. Feeling deceived. There were no other issues in other country including Asian nations with the same problem but yet, it only happens to the UK. It’s unbelievable. How stupid is Cathay Pacific.

Which brings me to EasyJet. British low cost airline. Which I once flow with them to Barcelona, Spain in summer of 2018 

My criticism on EasyJet 

I want to tell you something I have been mislead by EasyJet. 

All that free holiday voucher that I won in April last year. Promoted by Doritos and Walkers crisps both online & on TV for advertisement. It is nothing but a trick. 

I will reiterate by saying once again that I do not like being mislead. Especially for my experience when I was victimised of fraud and scam 7 times. Given nowadays I am very aware of misinformation & some things that may be worth interesting but really nothing but a pie in the sky.

Here’s last year EasyJet 2022 TV advert promoted by Doritos and Walkers crisps. 

I am already starting to regret winning the EasyJet holiday voucher in April last year promoted by Doritos and Walkers crisps which was originally a package holiday holiday as I first originally thought. It turns out it is a free holiday voucher for flights. 

I even tried entering the code many times. Even without a line - it shows it is not "valid". 

From expensive package holiday prices for hotel to not allowing me to enter the code for me to book the flights from London Luton to Lisbon. 

I might as well not bother with this anymore. Holiday voucher thingy & I am glad i didn’t continue to pursue it. 

At least I can still try to book flights to Lisbon, Portugal at anytime before at least the end of summer. Even my dad noticed when I was struggling to find a decent hotel prices on EasyJet app regarding package holiday.

So that is my criticisms on EasyJet & Cathay Pacific. 

My conclusion

In conclusion: I said before and I will say it. I do not like being mislead. Especially for my own experiences when I was victimised of scam and fraud 7 times. It’s second time airline deceived me regarding my interest of going on holiday. First was EasyJet for my travel interest to visit Portugal and now Cathay Pacific for my travel to interest visit HK (despite not having any current plans to visit there).

My take on Spring Budget 2023

​Last week Wednesday, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt addressed to the House of Commons. Delivering the budget regarding the state of the UK economy. Read more about what is included in UK Spring budget 2023

So with further ado, here is my opinion about Budget 2023

My take on Budget 2023

Like previous Conservative budgets under previous chancellors, a typical budget that I am not quite convinced. The only good thing I am happy is that fit to work test (work capability assessment) is scrapped completely (👍). But benefit sanctions will remain (👎).  Read my previous blog post in 2021 regarding the benefits system & how messed up is it. 

The inflation to be down by the end of the year 2023 & avoiding recession. I hope that is the case but again, I am not convinced unless if that does really happen (inflation to fall from the current level 10% to 2%). I’ll believe it when I see it (since the economy is still the only country in G7 not to return to pre Covid levels). 

With the cost of living crisis, it is not only the factors that caused the UK to be in the bad situation financially & economically due to the war in Ukraine & the aftermath of the Covid pandemic. It is all because of both things: Brexit (the UK out of the European Union) & the 13 years of the govt’s austerity policy. Plus the the rise of food banks & that is very sad. 

Also. Apprenticeship for 50 years & over. Basically, the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt wants people in the specific age group to return to workplace. In other words, the Conservative government here in the UK wants you (if you are in the age group 50+) to work until you drop with the “returnership” scheme. So the fiscal measure that is included in Spring Budget last Wednesday is just not wise. Especially that it will not solve the economic woes for the British economy with people aged 50 and over to keep working & not even to have the pension at all. Other than just keep on working until the person is weak or have passed away. That in my opinion is not right. Work is not everything and it is not compulsory (& that is why we have got the welfare system). Now there may be some who would want to keep on working and there may be some who does want to retire & does not want to work. So the government must better carefully of how they really want to achieve the goal of getting everyone back to work. In fact my friend talked all about it in his blog about the policy detailed in Jeremy Hunt’s spring budget. 

And lastly, “Brexit pub guarantee”. No wonder the govt continues to not fully understand that there are shortages particularly in the hospitality sector all because of Brexit effects & yet they keep on boasting as if there is a “Brexit benefit “. So that’s all. My take on Budget 2023

US Black History Month and Florida

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This month February is the annual Black History Month in the United States of America. 🇺🇸

While today is the last day of February, I want to talk about US state of Florida and why Ron DeSantis (Governor of Florida and prospective Republican presidential candidate for next year's presidential race to the White House, banned the teaching of African American History at schools in Florida. 

Florida governor claimed of why he banned the teaching of African American history on the school curriculum is because he does not want "indoctrination" all in the name of fighting against anything that is "woke" and "cancel culture". As a Brit with African descent, I have a lot to say about the outrageous and racist ban on the teaching of Black History in Florida. 

Ron DeSantis is a racist, unmindful and ignorant politician. I really do not understand what he is trying to achieve. Out trump Donald Trump regarding race? Well I know for sure that he (Governor DeSantis) he is no different than Donald Trump and certainly, he is no better than Trump. 

Look up at these studies that are considered to be part of American history in schools 

- AP European History

- AP Art History

- AP Japanese Language & Culture

- AP German Language & Culture

- AP Italian Language & Culture

- AP Spanish Language & Culture

And yet AP African American studies are banned in Florida? That is really disgraceful. 

So yeah. Mr DeSantis. Not only a racist but also ignorant. If he does run for the president in next year’s presidential election, you can certainly predict and expect that African American voters won’t give him a vote. Not only in Florida but the rest of the country in other 49 states. 

And finally, my initial reaction was like “wow, unbelievable”.  Ron DeSantis (Florida Governor & future Republican presidential candidate for 2024 election) shows his true colours. Racist colours. Shocking but not surprising given the Republicans (particularly pro Trump faction) & Donald Trump are indeed racists. 

My World Cancer Day blog message

​Today is World Cancer Day. I have few things I want to say on this occasion. Especially that I am trying to find time of writing bogs since I have been busy in my personal life. 

My World Cancer Day blog message

Nearly 7 years ago in March 2016, I lost someone who used to be my teacher & classroom tutor in year 11 (final year at the secondary school) from 2010 to 2011. She passed away due to ovarian cancer. ♋️

And recently few weeks ago, I lost a relative from my family side (my dad’s side) which I never got a chance to meet. She passed away due to breast cancer. Stage 4 and I have known about for awhile since one of my auntie (half sister to my dad & sister to the one who sadly passed away) first told me about it in October 2020 & that I prayed for my late auntie for the speedy recovery and to fight off breast cancer. 😔

Cancer is an awful disease & that it can end anyone’s life short.

So all I want to say is please do make an awareness about cancer and please do make a effort of finding a way to cut the risk of getting a cancer so that you can change your lifestyle for better. Even if you have lost someone that you know (family relative or friend) due to cancer in any form or you know someone who has cancer. Do everything you can to make an awareness.  Here are an infographics which I found useful information from the WHO. 

After all, we do want to live in the world that is cancer free. RIP to everyone who have passed away due to cancer in all forms. 🙏

God bless and do take care of yourself.

And if you want to know more information about cancer & how to prevent a risk of getting it, here are the links below. 

Useful information

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cancer/

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/index.htm

First blog post of 2023 (Happy New Year)

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Happy New Year Everybody. 

2023 has finally come as of 13 days ago. Nearly two weeks (14 days) since the start of this new year on New Year’s Day. 

I hoped you had an wonderful holiday throughout the festive season now that Christmas is already over for now until later in the year. 

So what’s new? Nothing much other than I do hope and pray that this new year can truly be a happy new year for me. After all, 2022 was not quite a good year. Read more about it on my blog post when I published on Christmas Day. 

As for New Year’s resolutions? Don’t get me started on that. 

All I can say is be specific of what you really want to do in this new year 2023 and just go for it. Don’t be all talk. Don’t bother thinking of creating a New Year’s resolutions that won’t be deliverable & that you would easily forget the next day or so & therefore, break the promise of wanting to reach a goal in terms of making a plan & executing it. What New Year’s resolutions requires is action & if you are not going to be able to succeed in making a specific goal come true in the New Year, don’t bother wasting your time and energy of creating New Year’s resolutions.

Read more about my blog post last year 2022 about it as this is the 4th time talking about the same topic. 

Finally, here is the fact about new year’s resolutions. Especially if you have been waiting to make one now that the first month of the year is here given in my own point of view, you shouldn’t wait for January to kickstart the new year.

Fact: they (new year resolutions) are mostly not achievable and that it is undesirable. 

No wonder there are some people would wait until January to start a goal/priority for the new year and then next thing, not putting it into action by gaining results of what is his/her specific goal for this year.

So that is all I can say about it. Once again, Happy New Year everyone. All the best for 2023 and beyond. 🥳🎉😀🙂🍾👏🥂

Travel to the EU post Brexit becomes more complicated

​Since today is the final day of 2022 (Happy New Year in Advance) I thought I would want to talk about travel to the EU from the UK post Brexit & the introduction of European Travel Information and Authorisation (ETIAS). 

Why I am talking about Brexit? It has been two years since the end of the Brexit transition period on 31st December 2020 when the UK left the Customs Union & the Single Market because of the fact that the UK left the EU on 31st January 2020

It is nearly two years since I talked about the effects of Brexit as I wrote on January 2021 & it is still clear to me that Brexit is not worth it for everyone and businesses affected by the policy that benefits nothing. Read more about the effects of Brexit 

I like to reiterate my points that I first talked about it in October 2021 given I know the differences between travel to the EU pre Brexit and post Brexit. Since I visited two EU countries: Spain in 2018 and France in 2019

Pre Brexit = UK passport holders were EU citizens until 2020 with the benefits of freedom of movement & the rights to live, study and work in the European Union unlimited. No passport stamp. 🇪🇺🛂

Post Brexit = UK passport holders are third country nationals like every single non European nationals (Japanese, Chinese, Canadians, Indians, Singaporeans, Australians, Americans, etc). No benefits of the freedom of movement. Only visa free travel to the EU up to 90 days (3 months which is limited) & passport stamp. 

Read more about post Brexit travel to the EU that I previously published back in October 2021. The link is here up above.

Which brings me to the introduction of the ETIAS which will soon be launched in the New Year. 

What is European Travel Information and Authorisation (ETIAS)? 

Like America’s ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation), Canada’s ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation), Australia’s ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) & New Zealand’s ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation), ETIAS is US style visa wavier travel system for visitors from non EU countries (including the United Kingdom). The countries that has visa free travel with the bloc of 27 EU member states. It is not a visa and it will be the system that will keep in check & having applications to be processed in order to allow anyone from third countries to enter the 26 countries in the Schengen Area plus 7 non EU nations like Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Vatican City, Monaco, San Marino and Norway. As the applicant (he/she) does not have a criminal record for example & following the rules by understanding that visiting Europe up to 90 days is leisure (holiday/vacation), business (temporary), etc & the validity of ETIAS application for the person travelling to the EU27 is three years. 

Furthermore, the ETIAS was meant to be launched this year 2022 but it has been pushed to the year that we will soon enter (2023). 

So what it means for British passport holders (regardless who voted in the 2016 Brexit referendum. Remain or Leave) including myself? Well in my opinion, it is another example of why Brexit continues to show that it benefits nothing to the UK. €7 (£6) ETIAS fee to enter any country in mainland Europe? Sometimes I really do despair for what this country have really become since leaving the European Union. It really makes me wonder why there are still no positive of being outside the European Union. Good thing that I didn’t voted for Brexit. 

For those who voted for Brexit & complaining about being in queues (non EU queues) at European airports & being happy with blue passports, should really suck it up & accept the fact it has consequences. I am not going to wish anymore energy about it but you do understand what I am coming from. 

So that is all I can say about it. 

Enjoy yourself on the final day of 2022. Stay tuned for more blog posts that I will release in 2023. Happy New Year. 🙂😀🎉🥳🎊

And if you want to know more about ETIAS. You can go on this website

And also click the link for the website for UK citizens (myself included). 

So yeah. Take care & goodbye for now. 

Five Guys? No thank you

I want to tell you something. Based on my own experience which unfortunately, it was not a good one. 

Earlier this month, I went to this particular US fast food restaurant. Five Guys. I went to the Five Guys branch in Charing Cross.

All my life, I have always known the likes of McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King & Subway. All American fast food chains that I know of but not Five Guys until this month. 

I always like to try new things but if there is something I don’t like, i’ll not try it again. With Five Guys, that is the case. 

I couldn’t believe when I ordered hot dogs, chips & bottled drink (coke), the total price was so ridiculously expensive. I never been to any of fast food restaurants where prices for the menu is overpriced. Good thing that I will not go there. Knowing that I wasted my money for that. & the taste of chips is tasted so different. So much of salt. 

At least there aren’t much of many Five Guy restaurant outlets in Central London. 

£14 (£14.25) was a total amount for hot dog, chips & coke (Coca Cola) at Five Guys Charing Cross restaurant branch. 

If it was an ordinary restaurant that is non fast food restaurant then okay but since it is a US fast food restaurant, the prices at the Five Guys menu aren’t decent. You will never see the likes of McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway or KFC behaved like this.

So I will not recommend anybody to go buy a meal at Five Guys. It is an absolute rip off.

Read more on the fact why Five Guys is so expensive ridiculously. Five Guys? No thank you.

My Christmas 2022 message

Season Greetings

It is 25th of December today. Yes, It is Christmas Day. 

This is my third time as an blogger, writing my third Christmas on this blog. 😀🙂😁🎁⛄️✨🎄🎅

I would like to wish you everybody especially my readers Merry Christmas Everybody. Happy Holidays whether you are celebrating Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Hanukkah. 

Today blog posts, I am going to split into three separate paragraphs. My personal life, the UK & the world.

Let’s start with my personal life outside blogging.

My personal life

This year for me personally has been tough year. Mixture of good and bad. Overall, it is not quite bad year like 2020. However it is not good year either. 

Anyway from the circumstances in my personal life not writing much blogs as often to not getting job (yes, I still have not got a job which I will not go into details about it) & me losing my court motion case to Barclays in February this year & my legal challenge against Travel Unravel (which they keep spreading lies as if they didn’t defrauded me in January 2021 which is now nearly two years) up to this day are still taking so much long to the point that I now already lost faith in the judiciary & that I no longer give a damn about it. 

I even thought about ending it by contacting the court. Anyways I am not going to go anymore details about it because I find it frustrating when I talked about it. Read more about my legal challenge as I recently published few months ago. 

The UK

Apart from my personal life, this year generally, it is really an tough & difficult year for the UK. Three Prime Ministers: Boris Johnson, Liz Truss & Rishi Sunak to the death of Queen Elizabeth II & the current situation with inflation & cost of living crisis which already, the UK is in recession and two Christmases ago, I know nobody wants to hear about Brexit but unfortunately, I have to because I already know from day one that Brexit was never going to benefit the British economy & still, it is not benefiting the economy of the United Kingdom. 

Even the September mini budget delivered by then PM Liz Truss & then Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng have made it worse.

Read my 2020 blog post about the UK - EU trade deal which it does not benefit British businesses. Just read the recent news. the Brexit policy is nothing but a policy of isolation and disadvantage. There are no Brexit benefits. None. I am still waiting for the positive benefits. But since as someone who voted against Brexit in the 2016 referendum, it is very obviously there won’t be any of positive. In addition, two Christmases ago (Christmas Eve 2020). 

The announcement of the UK - EU trade deal = TCA - Trade and Cooperation Agreement). Everyone knew that it was & still is no better than the EU membership. 🇪🇺🇬🇧 The EU trade deal with combined combination of hard Brexit (UK out of the Single Market & The Customs Union). No wonder a month ago, Brexiteers like Nigel Farage hated the idea of the Swiss style deal with the EU which it would mean freedom of movement since we know Switzerland is not EU member but does operate in the Single Market. 

The World 

And lastly, the world. Apart from climate change, famine, conflicts,  inflation and the cost of living crisis worldwide. Given we are already back to normality due to two years of the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine have been on the news throughout 2022 & the Russian invasion of Ukraine is still going. I first talked about it earlier this year in February. My first blog post about Ukraine & my second blog post about Ukraine 🇺🇦 

So what is my this year Christmas message?

My Christmas message is simple. Be grateful. 

Be grateful that you are happy to be alive. Be grateful that you have got family and friends especially in this festive season. We all have one life and we have our own different challenges in our own lives but we find a way to overcome problems and situations. In the last couple of weeks, I have been giving Christmas cards to my own friends and family (particularly everyone I know) so that I don’t have to think anything else negative & that I can do something positive that is good for me physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. 

Anything I can do to take any negative things off my mind & not always thinking about it too much. In other words, not letting it bother me so much. Furthermore, a friend of mine (he goes by the name of Action Jackson aka UK Ambassador of Happiness) messaged me on WhatsApp just to wish me “Merry Christmas” after I messaged him with digital Christmas card (e card). 

He told me that I am an messenger of love and cheer. A polite compliment from my friend. I am indeed an messenger of love & that I always spread love and delight. I am also a shining example of courage and love, standing tall. 

For that, I am grateful that I am alive and well. I am grateful that I got my blog & my readers who do read my blog posts. I am grateful that I do have people in my personal life (family and friends). 

That is the spirt of Christmas. Gratitude = Feeling grateful. Whether you have opened your Christmas presents or not, regardless be grateful this year, you have moments in your life that are positive & that you will have a wonderful & prosperous new year ahead. For that here is my friend’s song “Happy 365” by Action Jackson. Check this out

And finally, last week I received my Christmas present from my friend who is an blogger (Roger Tichborne) & that is the mug of his band the False Dots. I received it at the Mill Hill Music Complex. 😀🙂

The Burnt Oak Boogie mug. Go and listen to their song. The Burnt Oak Boogie by the False Dots I am also grateful for that too. 🙂😀

So as an blogger, I do have the duty to write blogs (even I am not writing regularly like I was before although I am trying my best to get back to writing it on the daily basis. Even my friend Roger who is an blogger wrote on his blog post stating where are bloggers in Barnet Well I say that I have been busy in my life but hopefully, in the New Year I’ll make an effort to return to write blogs regularly on the daily basis. I hope and pray that it will be the case). 

I have many things that will soon be published in 2023 so stay tuned for that. Even some of my friends wanted to know when will I make music again. I said it is not an guarantee but I will try to make a effort to make it happen. I even first talked about my original music early last year in 2021. I have got a lots of things that I do want to see happening in the New Year 2023 including me going on holiday which I have not been out of the UK since 2019 when I last travelled outside the UK and it was France. 

So yeah, that is my Christmas 2022 message. 

Once again, I would like to wish you everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Have a blessed day and throughout the week in the festive season in the run up to the end of the year. 

All the best for 2023 and beyond. Take care and god bless you.