I’ve had half an eye on the US: where some cities are seeing serious protest — and serious riots — after the death in police custody, of a man called George Floyd.
The reaction reminds me of the London riots, a few years back.
Which erupted after the death of Mark Duggan.
I couldn’t tell you how to stop them.
Although — in a move reminiscent of the Kent State shootings — have been called up.
I’ll give President Trump credit for throwing presidential weight behind recent US efforts in manned space flight: recent Democrat presidents have seriously ignored the only thing I’ve felt can honestly be called the American Dream.
But a couple things possibly spring to mind, here.
The poem, Whitey on the Moon.
I think space travel is a good thing: but can appreciate many won’t be focused on it.
Then there’s President Trump’s own comments about sending troops in.
That idea … ?
American troops shooting American civilians?
I have questions.
Not least this: has anyone told the President about the Peterloo Massacre … ?
Because sending in the troops could seriously backfire.
Yes: that video is my best effort at an impersonation of the late Vincent Price.
It is — I think — from The Fall of the House of Usher.
Or, more recently? An episode of QI.
Remember the episode that sees Alan Davies breaking into Peter Cushing Lives in Whitstable?
Yeah … that one … !
The reason I mention it?
Is because it gets used in the bloody song … which has been ear worming it’s way through my head for the past few days.
The damn thing!
~≈☦≈~
At ANY rate … ?
Remember me telling you I’d been in touch with Essex County Council? To see what general policies they had, for helping low income families?
I’ve had to put that in as a Freedom of Information request, in case you’d missed yesterday’s post: something that could take up to twenty(20) days.
Here’s hoping that request is answered quickly.
At any rate … ?
I’m jobhunting, at the mo.
And very aware that BT offers a Basic Broadband service to those of who are struggling. The deal works out at £10.07 for a router, landline and internet connection … with a data download limit of 15 gigabytes.
It’d be a serious step backwards for me: but, for some of my friends?
A hell of a lot better than their current non-existent deals.
So that’s something I’d suggest to people … but also got me thinking …
What do other companies do?
From the little I know? Most of us change our bank accounts very infrequently. Equally, we change internet services providers, about as frequently.
If providers besides BT offered that sort of deal to the unemployed?
They, and we, could benefit.
So, with that in mind? I’ve managed to get in touch with the Post Office, Sky and Virgin Media: to get a statement from them.
Frankly, the old lot, however clean I tried to get them, were … well … stained … !
So new ones are welcome.
~≈†≈~
The email, on the other hand … ?
A couple of days ago, I saw an article or two on the BBC’s news site: about how schools and children’s care homes were having issues, sourcing computers and internet connections?
And how the unemployed were having similar issues?
One thing I have managed to do is write and send an email to Essex County Council.
At least, put in a Freedom of Information request about it.
I’ve also writing something similar that I could send to internet service providers: to see what they can offer to the unemployed.
Hopefully, I’ll get a quick reply …
Or, at least, quick enough to make something of the subject.
Yes: I’ve finally had both a potato mashers, and series 12 of Dr Who, delivered.
To my door.
In a box that was far bigger than it needed to be*.
Which is nice …
I’ve also got a face mask: courtesy of my sister, Anna.
The blu ray, will of course get ripped: and go on a shelf until my local CeX re-opens.
Which shouldn’t be too long, now.
As the government have announced that shops can reopen on the 15th June.
Hey ho …
~≈†≈~
A couple of days ago? I mentioned how digital poverty — how school children from poorer families — were having trouble under lockdown. The families concerned, generally very tight budget: and couldn’t normally afford laptops or internet connections.
Which got me wondering all sorts of things.
Mostly? What are local schools doing about this?
I’ve actually emailed Essex County Council: just to see if they’ve got any country wide policy on that front.
Just for my own satisfaction.
I may have to email some local schools, as well.
That’s one other thing …
I’m very aware I’m struggling to pay my bills: internet ones included.
However, I’m getting by: having paid the expensive bit, the original connection fee, many years ago.
I’m wondering what one or two of my neighbours could do.
So I’m mulling over what sort of enquiries I could make, there: given I know BT has a very reasonable package aimed at the unemployed.
So, as I’m in the UK … ? I know the BBC turned BBC3 into an online only channel, a few years ago: to a storm of protest.
I’m one of the people who thought it was unwise.
It was the original home of Dr Who spinoff, Torchwood. I, like others, also felt that Class, the Dr Who spinoff initially broadcast on the online only version of BBC3, would have lasted a lot longer: had it had a broadcast channel to call home.
So … ?
This piece of news — informing us the BBC’s considering reviving the broadcast channel — is both welcome …
Ian Fleming’s Live and Let Die: the second of his James Bond novels, and the one that features Mr Big* as the villain.
The thing sees Bond trying to foil Mr Big’s gold smuggling operation: gold coin smuggled out of the Caribbean in fish tanks holding poisonous fish.
It’s a good little thriller: although I have to admit, I don’t know that’s it’s aged as well as it could.
The word ‘negro’ cropped up in places where I’d’ve expected to see something else, something more relevant to the scene: ‘thug,’ say, ‘musician,’ or ‘boatman.’
Something a little more relevant to the context, and a little less inflammatory!
‘Negro’ is, I think, an ugly word: and, at least, mildly insulting to any of Fleming’s black readers.
Possibly the book could be edited a little, to cater to a modern audience: I really couldn’t tell you.
You know, even in the midst of slightly eased Lockdown … ?
Stuff’s happening.
Although not much stuff on a personal level.
Job hunting … ? Is not easy.
Especially when you see how many legitimate ‘work from home’ gigs want you to provide your own laptop.
That leaves me with mix feelings.
~≈⌘≈~
The other thing I know … ?
Is that scams are going on …
You’ll possibly be aware I picked up a cheap USB stick, a few weeks ago. One that had been sold to me as a two terabyte capacity stick, at a very good price: but turned out to be some 32gigabytes.
In other words, it had a storage capacity several hundred times smaller than advertised.
It seems that — possibly — I’m not the only one to be caught out by shopping scams.
It seems Google has, as well.
It seems a scam shopping site called MyTechDomestic managed to work it’s way up the Google advertising rankings.
Its seems to be falsely advertising several expensive hi-tech devices at discount prices …
And falsely advertising where it’s based, as well.
Plenty … except of course, COVID 19’s overshadowing a lot.
One thing I am keeping an eye peeled for … ? Is the upcoming new film version of Dune: due to be released later this year.
A new publicity shot’s been released, courtesy of Empire magazine.
It show’s us Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides standing on an ornithopter wing: along side Josh Brolin’s Gurney Halleck.
It’s nice to see.
I do notice one thing, though.
The company behind the thing hasn’t released any shots of Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen.
I’m interested …
But hoping their visual cues from the TV version of the character — played by Ian McNiece — rather that the 1984 film version, played by Kenneth McMillan.
