The largest labor strike in history is happening today in Minnesota. Yes they are suppressing the information but if enough of us talk about it off and online they can’t hide it. Tell every person you encounter about Minnesota.

What we hoped would happen in Gaza: Israeli withdrawal, rebuilding by Palestinians with help from agencies. What's proposed: effectively a slave-labour camp for the Palestinians under complete surveillance and control by Israel/US. No freedom, no self-determination. Slavery.

Me to Starmer: "Do I have a big bum?" Starmer: "Big bums are really important." Me: "You're not going to say whether I have or haven't?" Starmer: "I'm going to be clear that I believe in big bums. I've long been an advocate of big bums."

I'm writing about the Palestine Action hunger strikers at the moment, any of whom could die at any moment, and the astonishing media and government silence surrounding them. The Establishment seems to have become even crueller than when Thatcher was PM.

My latest Substack post. open.substack.com/pub/jillrowa...

Just realized this is the first Christmas when I haven't even heard Fairytale of New York once. My favourite Christmas song, not even played on local radio when I've been driving. I'll have to seek it out just to hear it, I suppose.

Prototaxites lived for 45 million years & became extinct. We don't even know for sure what kind of life it was, but no god saved it and it couldn't save itself. Humans in current form have only existed for 300,000 years. We *can* save ourselves, but won't. www.livescience.com/animals/gian...

🎄 Clun Castle is the subject of Day 12 in our #Shropshire advent calendar. In the distance is Sowdley Wood, which is part of Black Hill. I waited a long time to get a picture of the castle in snow, and I finally managed to tick it off my to-do list a couple of years ago. 🎅

A month is a very long time to go without food. So has anyone heard about this hunger strike via the mainstream media? When will it get a mention, if or when someone dies? open.substack.com/pub/jonathan...

Not enough money for a decent NHS, not enough money for decent benefits, not enough money for pothole repairs, not enough money for jury trials, but hey, we can shake that magic money tree for digital ID and facial recognition cameras.

Remember the (not so) far-off days when you could just book an appointment and there was no 'triage' to stop you? Your reasons were private and there was no gatekeeping? Hard to believe now that that's how it was until fairly recently. Still is, in a decreasing number of practices.

This is well worth a read. open.substack.com/pub/shibley/...

If it weren't for the fact that some people are taking it seriously I'd be rolling on the floor with my legs in the air laughing over the Hobbit story. It's just so comical. Imagine our villages full of idealised tree houses instead of bungalows and new builds and Hobbits instead of commuters...

Almost nobody in the Cons Party or beyond it had noticed that the Shadow Home Secretary with two other frontbenchers and 5 backbenchers tabled a bill in May to deport 3 million people - stripping almost every pensioner, parent or nurse who did not take out citizenship of their right to live here

Greeted when coming on here with supposedly having to verify my age, but can't be bothered as I can guess it will involve ID at some point. I've signed the petition to repeal the Online Safety Act.

Watching an old episode of Top Gear on terrestrial TV as a temporary relief. It's the US trip and I've just got to the part where Alabama gets a little cross with them. This was one stunt they really didn't set up. 😄

I didn't watch, but no way did the British public give Israel the 12 points in Eurovision.There's fraud going on here. The voting system is ridiculous. One person can vote 20 times - and more than that if you have several phones. I really think Eurovision has had its day, and I used to love it once.

Nigel Farage will never be British PM. Four years is a long time.

The government was wrong to cut winter fuel payments. It was wrong to keep the 2-child benefit cap. It was wrong to slash disability benefits. Pushing people into poverty is the wrong thing to do. The right thing to do is redistribute wealth and power so that everyone can live in dignity.

Israel continuing its mass murder of the Palestinians, backed by the USA, UK, France and many other western nations. The blood will never wash off. They are tainted forever. #FreePalestine 🇵🇸 🇵🇸 🇵🇸

Condemning and urging are not enough - they never were. Does the world want Gaza to become a concentration camp? This is clearly the new plan. There will be no end to the torture for Palestinians except through death. Is the world going to stand by, wringing its hands and letting that happen?

We must not forget the situation of the women of Afghanistan, in a situation we played a big part in making #HumanRights #WomensRights www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

Was just watching 'The Drumhead' Star Trek Next Generation episode. This seems especially apt for our present times.

My latest on Substack. Well actually, my first piece of writing for almost a year. open.substack.com/pub/jillrowa...

Very informative article, well worth reading. www.aljazeera.com/opinions/202...

How kind of Netflix to inform me that my subscription price has been 'upgraded'. An interesting euphemism for *increased*!

Went through the whole day not knowing Barclays was down. Now worried about various payments in and out but at least I've always got cash on me. A sign to everyone that going cashless would be a huge mistake.

Big tech is now formally in league with the far-right. The resistance to it will be personal and political iandunt.substack.com/p/how-to-res...

I see Labour is continuing its policies of 'tough on the poor, gentle on the rich'.

I see Starmer fans apparently happy with him breaking rules to build homes, as if building them will solve everything. No one seems to be mentioning the tiny issue of how people will be able to afford them. They will not be council houses. Most people who want their own home can't afford a mortgage.

Rachel Reeves is watering down her tax raid on non-doms. She told editor Emma Tucker: “We have been listening to the concerns that have been raised by the non-dom community.” Shame She doesn't listen to the concerns of campaigners like me & the Disabled people freezing to death in their homes.

AI is dangerous and we should literally turn it off. I love tech, but injecting AI into our veins is a disaster in the making in countless ways.

Ask yourselves - what has any UK government done for us since about 2007/8? And just what does the current set of stooges intend to do for the population right now? It seems to be all about what we can do for them, and what they can then do for the rich. No wonder we're depressed.

It’s ok to have a little cry isn’t it, about how capitalist forces are marching on, exploiting absolutely everyone except the extremely wealthy and powerful? That’s what I’ve just done. Now dusted myself off and ready to fight back (and make some cookies 🍪)

This is what cluelessness looks like. Just grab that asp (snake) and put it right to your country's neck! www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

So, the UK government of 'grown ups' has turned out to be utterly clueless. All of their prescriptions are going to kill or seriously sicken the patient and they seem unable or unwilling to look at any alternatives.

I’m so fed up of politicians denying the NHS the resources it needs to save lives, deflecting blame elsewhere, and then funnelling more and more money into private company hands. It’s grotesque. Patients are dying.

This is worth a look. I found a dead robin by my house yesterday - first time ever. www.countryliving.com/uk/wildlife/...

Quite pleased with this one. Wordle 1,302 3/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

It's cold out there!

Although it did snow here yesterday, it didn't settle. So it's just another dingy winter morning then, nothing photogenic.

Hmm, started off well on here but now seem to have arrived in the normal zone as per Twitter with zero engagement. Can't really hang around on Twitter much longer but not finding much to make me post here either. Not moaning, just observing.