This is Northumberland Calling 6.12.24

The Quad-demic chaos edition

Hello America (Particularly Central Ohio) this is Northumberland Calling

Happy St Nicholas Day. May you find oranges and chocolate in your wooden clogs, not coal or soot. A good day to do something for the festive season imho

The French are in chaos. I know very little about how the French government works – I did study French at high school and college, but the intricacies are beyond me. The Times has done a helpful primer explaining about the hybrid system devised in the late 1950s by De Gaulle where there is a president who is directly elected and appoints the prime minister. The president is the commander-in-chief and oversees foreign policy. The prime minister is more concerned with domestic policy and working with the National Assembly. https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/france-government-system-prime-minister-president-w7mdlkslx

Macron is refusing to quit or take the blame for the crisis. The opposition of course blame him and his unelected appointee Barnier. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/12/05/france-government-collapse-emmanuel-macron-barnier-le-pen/ or https://archive.ph/1J1SK

President Trump will be one of the guests of honour in Paris this weekend as Notre Dame is reopened. This huge set piece in diplomacy (50 heads of state) means Barnier’s faux pas looms even greater on the world stage. It really has rained on Macron’s parade. But the achievement of getting Notre Dame rebuilt should be rightly celebrated. It is really good that Trump is going. Among other things he was president when Notre Dame went up in flames. And like the cathedral, Trump has risen from the ashes. https://apnews.com/article/trump-paris-notre-dame-macron-32d9086e3d2f21ae871f5bb1120929be

In the UK, Starmer continues to stumble and is attempting to reset and restart only weeks after his lacklustre landslide. People are still waiting to see what he can achieve besides giving Chagos back to Mauritius and the Partheon Friezes aka the Elgin Marbles to Greece (long term loan apparently). I would note that the works in question would probably not have survived in Greece at the time because the soldiers stationed on the Acropolis were busy melting down marble for fuel. And of course making farmers and parents who send their little darlings to private school unlikely to vote Labour again. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/12/05/starmer-reset-speech-labour-milestones-economy-migration/ or https://archive.ph/Mebut

On the Elgin marbles and their probable return to Greece: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/12/04/starmer-return-elgin-marbles-greece-george-osborne/ or https://archive.ph/MSvTt

If you wish to know more about is going on in Syria, this thread does give some clues. It is a complicated situation but I am pleased I am working my way through Iran: A Modern History as it does provide insight into the area. It is really important to understand that the modern states were formed by drawing lines on a map and encompass a number of different groups who are far from natural allies all jockeying for power. It really is anybody but Assad who has blood-soaked hands (fingers crossed for a better leader who cares about his people more than his glory – nb unlikely to be overly friendly to the West , but less so with Assad’s allies) The Honestly podcast on the subject is also good. The big takeaway – it’s complicated but Assad gassed his own people. https://x.com/Charles_Lister/status/1864693167133544741

The overly censorious continue to stalk Gender Critical women, a 3^rd year student at Leeds University was summarily removed from her post dealing with the radio station after she participated in several podcasts at the free speech event Battlefield of Ideas. The claim was ‘transphobia’. The FSU are assisting in her defence and have pointed out that what was done to her was direct discrimination and therefore illegal. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/12/05/gender-critical-student-connie-shaw-radio-leeds-university/ or https://archive.ph/9tP5L

The tide maybe turning slightly in Scotland, the shadow equities minister Tess White brought up fellow Scottish parliamentarian Patrick Harvie’s unacceptable behaviour as a point of order. Harvie had called her transphobic for highlighting Jenny Lindsay’s experience with Creative Scotland. Scottish parliament rules forbid slurs against fellow parliamentarians. Tess White is currently being fearless. Worth watching the clip to the end. https://x.com/TessWhite4NE/status/1864664966529253532

There is a ‘Quad-demic’ of viruses going around the UK. That time of year. COVID, RSV, the flu and norovirus. The NHS apparently is coming under pressure (the NHS is always under pressure). But simple precautions like retiring to bed when feeling unwell rather than going out in a crowd should assist. NB I did have the norovirus at the end of October, it is not pleasant – started with sudden stomach cramps and went from there. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/12/05/nhs-quad-demic-flu-norovirus-rsv-covid-hospitals-ambulances/ or https://archive.ph/mh4w7

The Princess of Wales carol concert is this evening. It will be broadcast on Christmas Eve. The theme is kindness and seeks to celebrate those who support others when they are going through times of trouble. Charlie Macksey has done a special illustration for the concert. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2024/12/05/princess-of-wales-carol-concert-charlie-macksey-westminster/ or https://archive.ph/K83UY

Here my deadline looms and I am working frantically to get the manuscript ready. I keep discovering plot holes, but eventually the book should be fabulous. Right now, I am mainlining tea and coffee and trying not to scream.

Paddy wishing everyone Happy St Nicholas Day

Paddy is being very patient as he waits for his walk. He does occasionally steal bits off my desk in an attempt to get attention.

Another big storm is forecast for the weekend – wind and rain. There is normally a massive storm around this time of year. It all depends where it hits. 11 years ago it was storm Desmond which flooded the North West (also sent a tree through our greenhouse) and three years Arwen (caused damaged to a flat roof). I have no idea where Darragh will cause problems, but it probably will. Basically bad weather happens which is why people have home insurance.

If you want to find me during the week, I have started putting things on Celia M’s Jottings in Purple

which is where a number of refuge FP commentators are hanging out as they dislike the current FP policy on comments. The discussion is usually lively as you might expect from former FP commentators. Depending on how firmly my Procrastination Princess tiara is attached (aka how well my actual writing is going), I may end up getting distracted.

Hopefully everyone else’s week was a good one. I look forward to seeing you in the comments.

If you like what you read on here, why not subscribe? It’s free and I don’t have any plans to put in a paywall. If you want to ‘reward me’, why not buy one of my books? Currently a number of them are on special at $1.99. https://www.amazon.com/stores/Michelle-Styles/author/B00288QUJM?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1729240286&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true