This is Northumberland Calling 2.2.24

The Groundhog Day -- 6 weeks until Spring edition

Hello America (particularly Central Ohio), this is Northumberland calling

Because this week has been a week of farmers protesting across Europe. Notre fin sera votre faim. (Our end will be your hunger) is the French motto. And yes the French are particularly good at revolting. 

Amazon Prime has released the long awaited release date for Clarkson’s Farm Series 3 – 3 May 2024. Work is currently underway on series 4. Despite the best efforts of certain people to cancel Clarkson over his distasteful op-ed on the subject of Meghan Markle, the series makes far too much money for Amazon. It is a worldwide hit and it does show the difficulties that farmers face. It also clearly demonstrates the difficulties faced with petty bureaucrats and NIMBYs who dislike the riff-raff. Well worth a watch. https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1861751/clarkson-farm-season-three-release-date-prime-video

Clarkson did send a message of support to the protestors.  Yesterday the protestors took their protest to the EU who did make some concessions. The French government had already made concessions. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/farmers-topple-brussels-statue-and-dump-manure-in-protest-at-eu-green-deal-3ntbbbsfh  or https://archive.is/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/farmers-topple-brussels-statue-and-dump-manure-in-protest-at-eu-green-deal-3ntbbbsfh

A Conservative British MP has decided to stand down at the next election – hardly news except his reasons for quitting are the unacceptable attempts at intimidation by Islamists (including fire bombing his office) for his pro-Israel stance. Other MPs, including Sunak’s parliamentary secretary have also suffered intimidation. It is intolerable that such things are permitted in a liberal democracy and police need to get a grip on the attempts at intimidation. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/02/01/government-mps-security-pro-israel-politicians-targeted/  or https://archive.is/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/02/01/government-mps-security-pro-israel-politicians-targeted/

However, what they can do may be limited as can be seen by the attack in London by a ‘failed asylum seeker’ who travelled from Newcastle to London in order through some sort of chemical over a woman and her children who were living in a homeless accommodation. The woman was known to him. He had been allowed to stay in the UK because he supposedly converted Christianity and thus going back to Afghanistan was ill advised. He has previous for serious sexual assault. The police are not commenting about why he wasn’t deported. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/clapham-acid-attack-news-lessar-avenue-london-corrosive-substance-z2707c8fp or https://archive.is/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/clapham-acid-attack-news-lessar-avenue-london-corrosive-substance-z2707c8fp

This op ed from Dr Rakib Eshan is good on some of the challenges the unchecked migration of Islamists has posed to British society. I note that US media etc is starting to wake up to some the problems posed by uncheck migration. It may be that mass migration is starting to be seen as a Policy Bubble. If so, the bursting will not be pleasant.  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/01/mike-freer-islamism-british-democracy/ or https://archive.is/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/01/mike-freer-islamism-british-democracy/

I came across this interesting report on the situation in the  West Bank from the Britain Israel Communications Centre and thought some might also find it useful. https://www.bicom.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/BICOM-WEST-BANK-FEB-2024-2.pdf

The Times did a deep dive into the elite Israeli Assassination Unit who carried out the daring raid on the West Bank hospital earlier in the week. The great TV show Fauda is based on the unit.  There are reasons why traditionally military have hospitals on bases and other protected sites. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/israel-secret-agents-hamas-west-bank-hospital-x8z70vrr7 or https://archive.is/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/israel-secret-agents-hamas-west-bank-hospital-x8z70vrr7

Nicola Sturgeon cried crocodile tears when she gave her evidence to the Scottish Covid inquiry. She admitted to deleting WhatsApp messages. Mysteriously she had retained the messages when Alex Salmond was accused of sexual harassment several years ago. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/01/31/sorry-queen-nicola-the-game-is-up/ or https://archive.is/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/01/31/sorry-queen-nicola-the-game-is-up/

 Kingussie Kong – an escaped monkey in the Highlands who was hunted with drones and more conventional methods has been recaptured.  Kingussie is the nearest town to the Highland Wildlife park where the Japanese macaque did a runner from. He was finally captured on Thursday, having escaped on Sunday. There is an old fashioned feel good movie in this. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/escaped-monkey-captured-missing-scotland-highland-wildlife-park-2l77smmtr  or https://archive.is/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/escaped-monkey-captured-missing-scotland-highland-wildlife-park-2l77smmtr

The King and Princess of Wales are out of hospital and recovering in their respective homes. The Palace has had to deny a speculative Spanish report that the Princess had been in a coma. Lies can be halfway around the world before the truth gets its boots. It is great that the Palace is doing such a good job of protecting the Princess’s privacy. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/kate-princess-wales-health-hospital-royal-family-news-kensington-palace-5fjjpbxls or https://archive.is/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/kate-princess-wales-health-hospital-royal-family-news-kensington-palace-5fjjpbxls

 And it is 100 years of Queen Mary’s dollhouse. This week Queen Camilla has added some modern books in miniature edition to the dollhouse.  This gives a preview of what is going with it. Apparently there will be an online lecture about the 100^th anniversary in April. https://www.rct.uk/event/100-years-of-queen-marys-dolls-house-01-2024#/

Paddy encountering the fallen tree

Finally, the storms have been fierce in Northumberland — another gale today. Funny it is almost like it is winter…. On Wednesday, a Scotch Pine on a footpath at the back of the house fell down. Luckily it fell causing minimal damage – just to a dry stone wall. It could have been much worse.  Paddy is there for comparison purposes.