Tag: United Kingdom

Truss Of A Thousand Hours (Or So)

Fascinating!

The news broke earlier today that the next “Iron Lady” of the UK has decided to call it quits after only 45 days.

Liz Truss has made history, though likely not in the way she had hoped. CNBC and the AP report that the British prime minister resigned on Thursday after weeks of upheaval sparked by her economic plan, announced last month and since largely abandoned after it spooked financial markets. What you need to know:

  • In making the announcement, she said, “I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected”—just a day prior she had emphasized she was “a fighter and not a quitter.”
  • But Truss couldn’t hold on any longer after a senior minister quit her government with a barrage of criticism and a vote over fracking for shale gas—a practice that Truss wanted to resume despite opposition from many Conservatives—descended into chaos and acrimony Wednesday evening in the House of Commons.
  • She was appointed prime minister on Sept. 6, making her the shortest-serving PM in modern British history, with just a 45-day tenure, reports the Guardian, though it’ll end up being slightly longer, as the BBC reports she will stay in the post until a new party leader is named and then appointed prime minister by King Charles III. Prior to Truss, George Canning had occupied the shortest-serving slot: He held the job for 119 days in 1827, though he left office for a different reason: death by pneumonia.
  • Truss is now the 4th Conservative prime minister to resign since the country voted to leave the EU in 2016, with David Cameron, Theresa May, and Boris Johnson coming before her.
  • Truss’ departure leaves a divided Conservative Party seeking a leader who can unify its warring factions. Among potential replacements—if only Conservative lawmakers can agree—are ex-Treasury chief Rishi Sunak (whom Truss defeated to secure the PM job) and House of Commons leader Penny Mordaunt. Newly appointed Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt has apparently said he is not in the running.
  • A national election doesn’t have to be held until 2024, but the Guardian reports Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon, along with opposition leaders, are calling for a general election.

Her quick departure got me to thinking about other “leaders’ that were just in power for a very short time….

  • Prime ministers: Truss’ predecessor in the “we hardly knew ye, PM” department was Tory statesman George Canning, who held the office for just 119 days before he died of tuberculosis on Aug. 8, 1827.
  • US presidents: The honor here goes to William Henry Harrison, who died of pneumonia on April 4, 1841, just 31 days after his inauguration. Some speculate that his lack of appropriate outdoor attire during his inaugural address may have contributed to him getting sick.
  • Other presidents: Pedro Lascurain has Harrison beat, lasting just 45 minutes or so in the Mexican presidency. Lascurain was effectively just a placeholder during a military coup on Feb. 19, 1913, making way for Gen. Victoriano Huerta after less than an hour.
  • Emperors: Michael II of Russia put in a whole 18 hours in mid-March 1917 after the abdication of his brother, Czar Nicholas II, but he was quickly replaced by a provisional government that ended the country’s czarist regime.
  • UK monarchs: Elizabeth II may have held the honor of Britain’s longest reign, but Tragic Lady Jane Grey appears at the other end of the spectrum—the 16-year-old queen lasted just nine days before being deposed in 1553.
  • Other monarchs: A world record of just 20 minutes on the throne is shared by France’s King Louis XIX, who quickly abdicated in 1830 right after his father did the same, and Portugal’s Luis II, who died not a half-hour after he’d assumed the crown from his father, who was fatally wounded in the same attack on Feb. 1, 1908.
  • “Some food in my freezer”: To put Truss’ time in office in context, this decade-old Reddit post outlines things in general that last longer than 45 days. And on Twitter, Anthony Scaramucci—who infamously lasted just 11 days as the White House communications director under former President Donald Trump—posted, “Liz Truss lasted 4.1 Scaramuccis.”

In a way I like the UK government better than ours….why?

At least when the leader is a piece of sh*t they resign for the good of the country.  We have to wait for years before we can rid ourselves of crap.

What’s next for the UK?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

BBC Weighs In On US Mid-Terms

You have read or heard all the hoopla around the mid-terms….but we seldom get to see what others foresee in our future (a possible outcome)…..this article is from the BBC and is a good read…..

The upcoming midterm elections for US Congress, the first nationwide vote since Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol nearly two years ago, have many Americans on edge. The BBC’s Katty Kay has been finding out why.

Karen and Steve don’t want to take up arms. But if Republicans lose in November this elderly Arizona couple say a civil war is coming and, yes, they will fight. They have discussed it between them, and feel that taking up arms is their best option. It was at this point that our conversation grew a little dark and my faith in the strength of American democracy grew a little shaky.

I met the Slatons at their Trump paraphernalia store in Show Low, Arizona. It was one of the first stops on a month-long road trip that I took around America this summer, a journey to understand why the upcoming elections feel so consequential, perhaps even a little ominous.

The couple were delightful hosts. They were funny and generous. They took me on a tour of their extensive stock of whacky Trump merchandise and explained that, yes, there really are people who want a $100 life-size cut-out of the former president dressed as Rambo to put in their living rooms. Quite a lot of people actually. Trump as Rambo is one of their best selling items.

We talked about history, the economy and even abortion. But it was only when I questioned their belief that the 2020 election was stolen that things got tense. Wasn’t it possible, I asked, that millions of Americans just didn’t like President Trump and so Joe Biden won the election?

It was Karen who responded, with a distinctly steely glint: “If you’re a crazy liberal, we’re just not interested. The central news, let me call them, I’m not going to call them fake news, but it is fake news to say that America doesn’t like Trump. America loves Trump.”

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63133259

Any thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Queen For The Day

Today’s big story will be the burial of Queen Elizabeth II…..with that her era of influence will end and the new day of King Charles III will begin…..

Since I am not a big fan of any monarchy I thought I would post a couple of articles about the death of the Queen…..

Ukania’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, finally yielded the royal sceptre to her eldest child, who will become King Charles III. Charles’s wife Camilla will now become Queen Camilla.

The next few days will see an unparalled excess of Ruritanian/Ukanian flummery, probably the only thing Ukania is good at these days— parades with mounted soldiers and carriages; gun salutes on the banks of the Thames; special programming on radio and TV; flag-bearing crowds congregating outside the royal residences; everyone, from the new king to the archbishop of Canterbury, decked out in their finest regalia, and so on.

This will also be a rare-old-time for paparazzi and the court correspondents of the tabloids. Will Meghan Markle and Kate speak to each other? What will the reprobate Prince Andrew be up to? Which of the royal offspring will misbehave and how?

The Queen Is Dead

There is more….

On 8th September, 2022, a 96-year old woman died. Nothing unusual there. On average, 1,679 people die in the UK every day. But this time round, everyone from the British Kebab Awards to The Prodigy made gushing sycophantic statements. Britain’s idiot prime minister in waiting Liz Truss, called the deceased “among the world’s greatest ever leaders”.

As Britain was sent into 10 days of enforced commemoration, the madness also spread to Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz called her a “role model and inspiration for millions”, while Berlin mayor Franziska Giffey said that the “power of her great personality has always fascinated us Berliners.” Brandenburger Tor was lit up in the colours of the Union Flag in her honour.

Even John Lydon, who as Johnny Rotten once wrote; “God save the queen. She ain’t no human being. There is no future In England’s dreaming” got involved. He posted the following message on social media: “Rest in peace Queen Elizabeth II. Send her victorious From all at johnlydon.com”.

The Queen is Dead. Republic Now!

I doubt if the reporting will end with the burial….but it will be for this blog.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

King Charles III

This is solely an info post…I do not expect many people to care (but I have been mistaken before)

The Queen is dead….Long live King Charles III…..

In Britain, the second Elizabethan age ended Thursday, and the era of King Charles III began—a huge change for a country and Commonwealth where most people weren’t alive in 1952, the last time there was a change of monarch. At 73, Charles is the oldest person ever to accede to the British throne, and it will be up to him to ensure the institution has a future in changing times. More:

  • His first day. Charles, who automatically became king upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II, will travel to London Friday for a busy first full day as king, the Guardian reports. Charles is expected to meet Prime Minister Liz Truss, record an address to the nation to be broadcast Friday evening, and approve plans for a period of national mourning. He will be traveling from Scotland with his wife Camilla, who now has the title Queen Consort.
  • A lifetime in preparation. NBC looks at the life of Charles, who became the heir apparent at age 3 when his mother became queen. When he was 21, he told the BBC that he had dreamed of becoming a train driver, a soldier, or even a big-game hunter, “until I realized I was rather stuck.” His popularity with the British public dropped after the end of his troubled marriage to Diana and her death in a 1997 car crash, though it steadily recovered in the following decades as he took on a growing share of royal duties.
  • The “climate king.” While the British monarchy is powerful on paper—Charles is now the head of state of the UK, Canada, Australia, and 12 other countries—in reality the monarch only has “soft power,” and some analysts expect him to use it to advocate for environmental causes, Vox reports. He has long embraced such causes and has been warning about climate change since the 1990s.
  • Staying out of politics? But while Charles has long been outspoken on on climate change, including architecture and genetically modified crops, Max Foster at CNN says his approach will change now that he is king. “Elizabeth’s legendary ability not to offend and alienate was more strategic than many realize, but Charles has always insisted he intends to follow her lead and stop meddling when he takes the throne,” Foster writes. He notes that when the BBC asked him in 2018 if the campaigning would continue when he becomes king, Charles said: “I’m not that stupid.”
  • A “different style.” Vernon Bogdanor, a professor of government at King’s College London, says Charles will have a different style than his mother, but not to an extent that could cause a constitutional crisis, the New York Times reports. “He will be an active king and he will probably push his prerogatives to the limits, but he won’t go beyond them.” The Times notes that some of the biggest challenges Charles will face as king include healing the rift with his son Prince Harry—and dealing with the fallout from his brother Prince Andrew’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

And now the King’s Queen Consort….what the Hell?  What about the rest of the royals?

If you think you’re going to have a hard time remembering to call Charles “king” instead of “prince” from here on out (don’t forget the “III”!), try to master that soon, because a number of other royal titles are about to undergo a shift. Here’s how the name game is set to play out for the other royals in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II’s death:

  • Camilla: Charles’ wife will now be known as Queen Consort, which, per USA Today, is simply a “fancy name for the wife of a reigning king.” Fox News notes that when Camilla married Charles in 2005, it was announced she’d one day be called Princess Consort if Charles ever became king, out of respect to his deceased ex-wife, Princess Diana. Queen Elizabeth changed her mind on that earlier this year, noting she wanted Camilla to have the Queen Consort title. If you want to call her Queen Camilla, though, that’s said to be acceptable, too. (Read much more on the Queen Consort’s role here.)
  • illiam and Kate: The man who’s now next in line to the throne and his wife, the former Kate Middleton, were known until Thursday as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Their new main title: the Prince and Princess of Wales, a label previously held by Charles and Diana, per Today. Charles announced the update on Friday, and their social media has already been modified to reflect this change.The pair will also retain a secondary title, Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge, per the Independent. The Cornwall title, which is typically held by the eldest son of the reigning monarch, was also handed down to William from Charles, per People.
  • Harry and Meghan: Nothing changes for them personally, but their kids, Archie and Lilibet, are now in the running to become prince and princess, respectively. That’s per a century-old decree handed down by King George V granting those titles to the children and grandchildren of a reigning sovereign. Charles has the right to amend that decree, however, which Fox notes “he may do in order to fulfill his reported stated objective of slimming down the royal family.”
  • Something for Edward? Charles inherited the Duke of Edinburgh title from his father, Prince Philip, when Philip died last year. But because that title has now “merged back into the Crown” with Charles’ ascension to king, Charles could opt to hand it down to Prince Edward, the youngest of Charles’ siblings, who currently goes by the Earl of Wessex.

Finally there is this diamond held in the Tower of London that India is pissed about…..

In the Tower of London, housed with other crown jewels of England, lies a platinum crown created for the late Queen Elizabeth II’s mother, so she’d have something to wear for her husband King George VI’s coronation in 1937. Earlier this year, the queen announced that headpiece would transfer to Camilla, wife of then-Prince Charles, when he one day ascended to the throne and earned Camilla the title of Queen Consort, reports NDTV. That day has come, after the death of the queen on Thursday, but now there’s controversy over what happens next to the crown—not because of an issue with Camilla, per se, but because of the giant gemstone that’s set into the head-topper. The problem with the 105.6-carat Kohinoor (or Koh-i-Noor) diamond? The people of India, where it was originally found, want it back, reports Time.

The magazine notes the gem was mined sometime between the 12th and 14th centuries, in what’s now the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh. The Kohinoor changed hands multiple times after its discovery, first ending up with the Moguls, then the Persians, and then the Afghans. It made its way back to India at one point, but then was “acquired” by the British during Punjab’s annexation in 1849 and eventually presented to Queen Victoria, per Time. The diamond was originally nearly 800 carats uncut, but it was said to have been trimmed down in 1852 at the request of Prince Albert. The UK’s Historic Royal Palaces website notes that was done “to improve its brilliance and conform to contemporary European tastes.”

India has asked for the diamond back in the past, to no avail, but now that the queen has died, the request is springing up anew on social media. “If the King is not going to wear Kohinoor, give it back,” one commenter wrote, per Time. Another claimed the diamond was “stolen” by the Brits, who “created wealth” via “death,” “famine,” and “looting.” Indian citizens aren’t the only ones clamoring for the gem: The governments in Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan have also staked claims to it. More on the diamond’s centuries-long journey at India’s ThePrint.

Now don’t you feel better that you have all that information?

(Where is Pete when we need him?)

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The Queen Is Dead–Long Live The King

The news of the day is that Queen Elizabeth II has passed…..and Charles becomes king…..

Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign is over. Buckingham Palace said Thursday that the queen has died at age 96. The news came after members of the royal family were summoned to her side at the royal Balmoral estate in Scotland by doctors concerned about her health. Elizabeth’s 73-year-old son, Prince Charles, will now become king, with his son Prince William second in line.

  • The statement: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the palace announced, per the BBC. Referring to Charles and Camilla: “The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
  • Her life: For a timeline of highlights from her life and reign, with photos, see Metro. She was crowned queen at age 27 in 1953 following the death of her father, King George VI.
  • Big picture: The AP sums things up: “Since assuming the throne after the death of her father on Feb. 6, 1952, Elizabeth has been a symbol of stability as Britain negotiated the end of empire, the dawn of the information age and the mass migration that transformed the country into a multicultural society.”
  • Big picture, II: “There is no analogous public figure who will have been mourned as deeply in Britain—Winston Churchill might come closest—or whose death could provoke a greater reckoning with the identity and future of the country,” per the New York Times. “Elizabeth’s extraordinary longevity lent her an air of permanence that makes her death, even at an advanced age, somehow shocking.”
  • No Meghan: One notable absence as the royal family was gathering at Balmoral: that of Meghan, wife of Prince Harry. The pair, who no longer have royal duties, were already in the UK for a series of engagements. However, Harry was traveling to Balmoral alone, reports the BBC. On the other hand, Prince William also traveled there without his wife, Kate, who was remaining behind in Britain for the time being because it was the first day of school for their children.
  • Failing health: Buckingham Palace has been relative sparse with details about the queen’s health, but it had been in decline over the last year. She recovered from a bout of COVID earlier this year, though the palace said it left her exhausted, per the Times. Elizabeth also had been using a cane of late as her mobility diminished.

And now for a few words from King Charles III……as well as a few others….

The new king of England’s first formal statement is, not surprisingly, about his mom. “The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family,” wrote King Charles III in a statement posted by Buckingham Palace. “We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.” He added that he and other members of the royal family will be “comforted and sustained” by that knowledge.

At Glamour, Kathleen Walsh likes the tribute. “There’s no easy way to say goodbye to a beloved mother, so I can only imagine what it’s like to have to publicly mourn your mum the queen.” In the US, presidents and first ladies, both current and past, were paying their respects as well, per the AP and the Daily Mail:

  • Biden: “Queen Elizabeth II was a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock Alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States,” said the statement from the Bidens. “She helped make our relationship special.”
  • Trump: “Melania and I will always cherish our time together with the Queen, and never forget Her Majesty’s generous friendship, great wisdom, and wonderful sense of humor,” said a statement from former President Trump. “What a grand and beautiful lady she was—there was nobody like her!”
  • Obama: “Back when we were just beginning to navigate life as President and First Lady, she welcomed us to the world stage with open arms and extraordinary generosity,” Barack and Michelle Obama said in their statement. “Time and again, we were struck by her warmth, the way she put people at ease, and how she brought her considerable humor and charm to moments of great pomp and circumstance.”
  • Clinton: “We will always be grateful for the kindness she showed us through the years, particularly during our visits to Buckingham Palace in 1995 and 2000, and for all she did to deepen the Special Relationship,” said former President Clinton, referring to himself and Hillary. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Royal Family and all the people Her Majesty inspired throughout her lifetime of service.”
  • Bush: “Laura and I were honored to have known her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” wrote former President George W. Bush. “She was a woman of great intellect, charm, and wit.” He added that “spending time at Buckingham Palace, and having tea with Her Majesty—and her Corgis—is among our fondest memories of the presidency.”
  • Carter: “Rosalynn and I extend our condolences to the family of Queen Elizabeth II and the citizens of the United Kingdom,” said Jimmy Carter. “Her dignity, graciousness, and sense of duty have been an inspiration, and we join the millions around the world in mourning a remarkable leader.”

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

This Is Just Tacky!

The UK is in the middle of the celebration of the queen’s 70th year of rule over Britannia…..and they are all sorts of things going on for the celebration books, coaster, and then there is just tacky…..

Yes, You're Seeing the Queen Plastered All Over Stonehenge

Whoever the designers of Stonehenge were, it’s probably a decent bet that they didn’t have this week’s use of their monument in mind: Visitors this week will see photos of Queen Elizabeth II splashed across the front of the sarsens on Salisbury Plain, a tribute to the monarch ahead of the Platinum Jubilee marking her 70 years on the throne, reports USA Today. The eight images represent the queen throughout various decades during her reign, from her coronation ceremony in 1953—she officially ascended to the throne in February 1952, after the death of her father, King George VI—up to a more recent depiction of her attending the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

“We’ve brought two British icons together,” English Heritage, the group that oversees the landmark, tweeted on Monday. The group added in a statement, per UPI: “We wanted to show different aspects of the Queen—of her personality, of her interests, and really show what a special lady she is.” Six Elizabeth images were also projected Monday onto London’s Marble Arch to celebrate England’s longest-reigning monarch ever. The Platinum Jubilee runs Thursday through Sunday, with a star-studded concert planned for Saturday and the wrap-up pageant in front of Buckingham Palace on the final day.

Not everyone in the British Commonwealth is in a Jubilee mood, however. The AP reports on the “apathy” and protests that have emerged as the celebration gets ready to kick off, with the former spurred mainly by the country’s colonizing past. “It’s not about her,” one Jamaican academic tells the news agency. “It’s about her family’s wealth, built on the backs of our ancestors. We’re grappling with the legacies of a past that has been very painful.” More on that here.

Seriously?

What part of this is in good taste?

Turning a historical landmark that has stood for a 1000 years into a billboard to celebrate the queen’s long rule.

Thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

But They Are Sentient!

I admit it that I do not eat shellfish…..to me there is something wrong with dropping a live creature into boiling water……just to satisfy some need for a ‘special’ meal.

My friends in the UK have made a good call, in my opinion…..

A bill designating octopus, lobster, crab, and other animals as sentient beings capable of experiencing feelings and sensations including pain and distress, now moving through the UK parliament, could transform how such animals are treated in the country. The bill, which would see the creation of an Animal Sentience Committee to inform public policy on animal welfare, initially classified all vertebrates, or animals with backbones, as sentient beings. But cephalopods, including octopus, squid, and cuttlefish, and decapods, including lobster, crab, and shrimp, were added after a report by the London School of Economics and Political Science found these animals can also experience pain or distress.

Researchers examined more than 300 studies looking for eight criteria that would point to sentience, including the presence of pain receptors, connections between pain receptors and certain regions of the brain, self-protective behavior, responses to pain-relieving drugs, and associative learning. High confidence that an animal met three of the criteria translated to substantial evidence of sentience, whereas high confidence that an animal met five or more criteria translated to strong evidence of sentience. “In all the cases, the balance of evidence seemed to tilt toward sentience,” co-author Dr. Jonathan Birch tells NBC News. The evidence is “very strong” in octopus, he notes. “For squid and cuttlefish, the evidence was less strong but nonetheless substantial,” according to the report.

It recommends against declawing crabs and live boiling lobsters without first stunning them. Researchers could not identify a humane and commercially viable way to kill cephalopods, which are often clubbed, asphyxiated, or stabbed in the brain. “Methods regarded as standard for humane killing in science can’t be done on a commercial scale to produce an edible product. That’s a fundamental issue we want to raise,” Birch says. The bill, which is expected to pass, wouldn’t necessarily restrict such killings. But it would create a committee to consider animal sentience as it relates to future legislation. It’s part of a broader plan “to bring in some of the strongest protections in the world for pets, livestock and wild animals,” Animal Welfare Minister Lord Zac Goldsmith says, per USA Today.

Turn The Page!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Closing Thought–12Apr21

We are living in the age of TMI…..like these days we have minute by minute updates on Covid and a trial and now the death of a prince……we do NOT need this much information.

As the world says good-bye to Prince Phillip…..I have read many thoughts on his life……I am sure that he lived a good life considering he was part of the pampered royals.

I am sorry that he has passed on….but I still do not see why this is a major news story here in the US. Yes he was a force on the world stage only because he was married to the queen.

Even in the UK and the coverage of his death has gotten a bunch of complaints…..

The UK’s national broadcaster switched instantly into mourning mode when Prince Philip’s death was announced Friday. The BBC canceled its regular programming and aired special coverage hosted by black-clad news anchors throughout the day. Popular prime-time shows such as the cooking contest MasterChef were supplanted. Some Britons saw the BBC’s actions as a fitting mark of respect. For others, it was a bit much. The broadcaster received so many complaints alleging its reporting was excessive that it set up a special website page for viewers to register objections if they felt there was “too much TV coverage of the death of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.” The AP reports it didn’t disclose how many people had complained by Saturday.

The publicly funded BBC often finds itself under fire from all sides for its treatment of major national events. When the Queen Mother Elizabeth died in 2002, the broadcaster received criticism because the announcer who delivered the news did not wear a black tie. Britain’s other TV stations also gave extensive coverage to Philip’s death, but the BBC is under unique pressure because it is taxpayer-funded. Scrutiny and questions about its role have grown in recent years as commercial rivals and streaming services give audiences more choice. BBC Director-General Tim Davie has acknowledged the organization must evolve with changing times, but says it remains essential to British society. “We have a different purpose” than broadcasters such as Netflix, Davie told UK lawmakers last month. “I’m not running a business for profit. I’m running … an organization for purpose.”

I am sorry that the queen has lost her mate of 73 years…..but here in the US it should not be the major suction on the news cycle….it will be endless.

I apologize if this offends but our country is going to Hell and yet we are ‘treated’ to hour after hour of the mundane .

Turn The Page!

“lego ergo scribo”

Go For The Water Supply

There has been a wealth of movies and TV programs that has used some sort of attack on our water supply….there was even one that was about the placing of LSD in the supply and making all of us into Hippies and lay-abouts.

Funny thing is that there is a proposal for scientist to put an psychoactive drug in the water supply…..

Yep you read that right!

Right now it is only a proposal for the UK (Pete pay attention…LOL)……

A team of U.K. scientists has a provocative plan to prevent suicides: lace drinking water supplies with the psychoactive drug lithium, which is often prescribed as a mood stabilizer.

At first bluff, it sounds like a profound medical overreach. But Vice reports that the idea has recently picked up some steam within scientific circles.

It’s also worth noting that some water already naturally contains low amounts of lithium. And in research published last week in The British Journal of Psychiatry, scientists from a cohort of U.K. universities identified a link that naturally-present lithium and lower suicide rates.

https://futurism.com/neoscope/adding-psychoactive-drug-water

I have written about the different uses for psychedelics these days….medical research has found a new respect for the “cool” stuff of the 60s…(about damn time)…..

https://lobotero.com/2018/10/14/those-were-the-days-2/

https://lobotero.com/2019/02/23/freaky-saturday-2019-part-2/

https://lobotero.com/2019/03/02/gimme-more-gimme/

https://lobotero.com/2020/04/19/those-sunday-random-thoughts/

Next thing we know….we will all be sitting or laying around singing “Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition Was In”

Don’t remember that far back?

Far Out Man!

Peace Out!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Closing Thought–29May20

I do not post much about the UK society for I figure those who live there would be more and better informed than me…..but I read a story that I would like to get Brit feedback……

I involves the use of illegal drugs….namely Cocaine…..

Cocaine usage in Britain has soared by almost 300 per cent in less than a decade with Britons taking 117 tonnes of the drug last year, a senior investigator has told The Times.

Lawrence Gibbons, head of drugs threat at the National Crime Agency, said that the estimated amount trafficked had risen from 30 tonnes in 2011.

“The UK is the biggest user of powder cocaine in Europe,” he said. “A lot of the consignments we see coming into Europe — through Spain, Belgium or the Netherlands mainly — a significant proportion is destined for the UK.

(The Times)

Can someone break this down for me and my readers?

Thanx in advance for your help.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”