@somcak A lovely village elder called Ken (now sadly passed) once told us to pick the green ones when the temperature drops and place them in a kitchen drawer with a few ripening (pale red or orange) tomatoes and the green ones will ripen. It has worked for many years and we still have a kitchen draw dedicated to the task.
Wednesday, 23 September 2026 at 8:48 AM
You better live every day like your last because one day you're going to be right.
Ray Charles Singer/Songwriter Courtesy The Economist
There's a UN Gabfest occurring in New York this week, apparently.
I wonder how much that is costing? I wonder what will be achieved?
My thought of the day: We need to get our finger out if we're serious about defending ourselves against the threats to our way of life.
Ukraine has shown the way and its adversaries are creating drones by the swarm.
We need to do something and if governments won't, then citizens must defend themselves. We can do that with joint effort. Ukraine has created private unicorn companies to create and operate the next generation of weaponry. Surely we can do the same?
Don't rely on governments; they'll be hiding in bunkers. You'll be in the open. Look at Kyiv if you want examples.
WWIII is here, now.
Monday, 21 September 2026 at 8:37 AM
WHAT AM I READING?
Just finished: Murder on the Lusitania by Edward Marston. Easy read after a few heavier books and I enjoyed it enough to start reading book 2 in the series Murder on the Mauretania.
I'd recommend reading to the children the Dingle Valley Series of books by Joseph Murphy-James. My grandchildren are 9 and 7 years old and love them.
One of the remaining towers of Dunstanburgh Castle, built as a monument to the wealth of the day in a dramatic location on a remote headland in Northumberland, overlooking the North Sea. Clue: The King's castle at Bamburgh was just north of this one & the owner of Dunstanburgh Castle lost his head later, charged with treason.
Saturday, 19 September 2026 at 8:41 AM
Pud the black and white cat, this time grabbing my preferred chair for his perpetual sleeping exercise.
Pud the black and white cat is getting a little long in the tooth and sleeps rather a lot these days.
Friday, 18 September 2026 at 9:06 AM
Wasn't sure whether to post this but... it is part of our history. This is Eden Camp near Malton, Yorkshire, a former Prisoner of War camp for Italian combatants during WWII, now a modern history museum. This was one of the accommodation units, roughly built and probably icy cold during the British winters. The kids will love the tanks, especially when they move!
I got to thinking about Arbitrary Intelligence, as you do.
If AI is being developed by those pesky 'mericans and is going to be in their image then...
... we might have a problem Houston.
There's only one planet for starters and unfettered capitalism depletes all and puts little back, except money, which will be worthless when we've destroyed everything on this beautiful blue oasis in a sea of black nothingness.
