I’m pretty sure it rained all night. I woke a few times to the sound of heavy rain pounding down on the skylight windows. It’s almost soothing listening to the rain. I don’t suppose they think that in Florida where people have been boarding up their homes to protect them from the onslaught of Hurricane Milton, following close on the heels of Storm Helene. Its odd, we tend to think of Florida as hot and sunny. One of our neighbours hails from there and has a sticker on her car declaring Florida “the sunshine state”. The news reports last night showed masses of cars laden with belongings as people followed instructions and went to a safer place until the storm has passed. With the ocean warming up, however, there are likely to be more storms and hurricanes to come.
But at least these evacuees are not being shot at or shelled as they flee. And hopefully their work at boarding up doors and windows might mean that they homes to return to. People in northern Gaza are being told to leave their homes, even to evacuate their remaining functioning hospitals but some are being fired at as they leave. And besides there seems to be nowhere left to go. And it’s happening elsewhere too. Here’s another bit of Michael Rosen’s King and his Tutor:
'”The Emperor says, '"We face the very real danger of a further regional escalation of conflict,"'said the King to this tutor, 'he's obviously very worried.'
'I don't think so,' said the tutor.
'What do you mean, you "don't think so"?,' said the King, 'here it is, in black and white, 'we face a very real danger.'
'Yes, yes, yes,' said the tutor, 'of course he says that stuff but he doesn't believe a word of it.'
'Oh that's very cynical,' said the King, 'I didn't think you could be as cold-hearted and suspicious as that.'
'Well,' said the tutor, 'can you give me a single example of when the Emperor has actually done anything to prevent a 'regional escalation of conflict'?'
'I'm sure there are many examples,' said the King, 'I mean I've heard him or his envoys saying over and over again, that they are trying to keep things as peaceful as possible.'
'Yes,' said the tutor, 'but once again, you're not understanding what's going on here, sir. What the Emperor says and what the Emperor does, are two completely different things.'
'Oh really?' said the King, 'then explain to me what is it that he's doing that is different from what he's saying?'
'How about him giving us the excellent new spears and shields so that we can...how shall I put it?...escalate the conflict'?' said the tutor.
'I suppose that is one way of looking at it,' said the King.
'It's the only way,' said the tutor.
'I have to grant you, you do have a certain clarity when you approach these issues,' said the King, 'so you are in effect saying that we and the world should really take no notice of what the Emperor is saying?'
'Precisely,' said the tutor.
'Then why's he saying it?' said the King.
'So that people like you will believe what he says,' said the tutor, 'and then you'll think that he's the good guy in all this.'
'I hadn't thought of it that way,' said the King, 'thanks very much. You really are very good at this stuff, aren't you?'
'Thank you, sir,' said the tutor.”
It was still raining when I got up this morning. So I abandoned any plans for cycling, put on my waterproof, grabbed a large umbrella and walked up the hill to Dobcross and down the other side to Uppermill. There the market had disappeared, or at any rate had not materialised today. I knew the fishman was still on holiday in Portugal and I didn’t expect Jenny Biscuit to be there as she has difficulty setting up her stall if it’s wet and windy. And it turns out that shoe and slipper man is also on holiday but I was surprised not to see the fruit and veg man or the chap who usually has a huge flower stall across the road outside the methodist church. The market square was back to being an extra carpark! So it goes.
Apparently there has been a large increase in thefts of mobile phones. “Snatch thefts” reportedly went up by 150% in the last year. I suppose thefts of mobile phones would be mobile. One of the big factors must be that so many people walk around with their phone in their hand, usually on the flat of their hand so that they can look at the screen as they walk. I’m surprised they don’t bump into each other more frequently. Here’s a link to an article about it, with people’s experience of being robbed.
As for me, if my phone rings while I am out and about I have to scrabble around to remember which pocket it is in or to find it at the bottom of my bag. After all, it is well known that whatever you want from your handbag will have sunk to the bottom of the depths. Besides, I suspect my phone is too old and simple for anyone to want to steal it.
Nowadays so many people have ALL their life on their mobile: personal information, family and holiday photos, diaries, bank details, payment facilities, the novel they are reading, even notes for the novel they are writing! Dropping your phone down the loo is bad enough but having it stolen, with the chance of someone getting all your data is a disaster.
The debate over the age at which youngsters shoule be allowed to have mobile phones quietly rumbles on, of course, as does discussion of banning phones in schools. There are even support groups such as the Smartphone Free Childhood (SFC) movement to help parents cope with the problem of their children declaring themselves THE ONLY ONE in their peer group not to have a smartphone.
Life used to be so much simpler but In suspect it’s much too late to put the mobile genie back in he bottle.
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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