I suppose I ought to put this on the gardening blog, but it's going to be another metaphor.
I described having found we had a huge catchment of nice clean water in the old farm slurry. It now has a hippo pump down it, and a watering system fitted to the home made plastic grower. So I bought a diverter which feeds two pipes. I don't know why I haven't tried this before. I think it was the deferral of dissapointment if it didn't work. Anyway this morning I decided to give it a go.
It works! However, as the feed to the plastic grower seems less resistant, to raising the water to the actual greenhouse, I am going to look for a jubilee clip to restrict the water to the plastic grower. It will be interesting to see if the pressure in the greenhouse then increases, in which case I will rig feeding bottles to each of the plants.
So I got over my confidence crisis!
It occured to me while I was trying this that it would be a good idea to do this with the money situation.
As far as I am concerned most of the plants in the plastic grower have failed to produce a desirable return, However I will let them produce what they can, and only plant what will grow successfully in there, and use it to bring on the new plants for next year as it seems like it will be ideal for this.
I will then re-plant these into the greenhouse and garden to grow on.
So in trying to explain this, I would put a 'Jubilee Clip' round the unpayable debts. Not that the money wouldn't be paid back, but put a 'restriction' on the interest now, and just pay back any outstanding capital at an agreed term appropriate for each country. Just do this worldwide!
This will serve those greedy banks right for lending money that can't be paid back! Make the banks pay for their own mis-management and not the taxpayer. Also I would outlaw independent companies who buy debts to get the interest. This is not 'good money'. Wind them down too, make them just get back the original borrowing, less the interest already paid. Then make them go out and get a proper job.
Taxpayers want their money invested in infrastructure, sound governance, and not gambled on stock markets or wasted propping up a system that doesn't work. We want proper pensions we pay in for, and not to have money buying power devalued as each year passes. We want good schools and health services.
By investing in these locally, as microcosm societies, each area almost generates it's own economy. Then trading with adjacent areas for specialisations becomes easier, and puts less traffic on the roads in huge networks of distribution.
In essence this becomes a local tax and governance issue like we have here in good old Jersey, Guernesy and the other Channel Islands. Did I ever mention we don't have party politics, each states member is elected on their own merit. If they don't do well we chuck them out next election.
We are all getting a bit fed up with states members that abstain from voting too. We want our vote used. We have to vote them in, by not voting on issues it is silencing the vote of the people. I will be checking on how many abstentions each candidate has racked up, before even considering them for my vote.
I would challenge the government to put pressure on the giant supermarket chains to franchise the supermarkets to the local communities and allow them to become co-operatives. Sourcing fresh supplies locally, and paying the local growers a decent rate. I don't care if my cucumbers are different shapes, I want them to be fresh and taste good. If I can buy one loose, and have it weighed at the till without a plastic bag even better.
This might make the old local market gardens a viable business again, creating local job markets.
Which reminds me, I might just check out the Co-Op bank and move my accounts if I like it. I know they have strict policies on what they invest in, so I might do some research.
I also think that the taxpayer might want to own public services outright by developing a bond structure that gives us control over our own investments, rather like the free school system just rolling out in the UK. Better that each area has control over what types of school and health service is appropriate for their area. Could this work in such a way as to offset medical provision and pensions.
This means if schooling in an industrial or agricultural area, the education curriculum could be geared towards the needs of local industries. Only 10% of the population is purely academic, then you get a preference split between service and technical. Why are we educating everyone with an academic priority?
We bought an Isle of Arran whisky bond about 25 years ago, it was to set up a local still that had not operated for years. We got paid back in scotch! It was fun. We gave most of it away as presents, but kept the realy good stuff for ourselves. I assume it is still running and creates local employment. It is a special treat on, and with the Haggis neaps and tatties we love in the winter. Haggis is the dogs favorite too!
It is evident the world needs to change the way it lives. Having a low income does not mean poverty, it means you have to become more resourceful. It means locally each community needs to look after the welfare of it's own people, not expect this to be done by a big brother state machine, that costs billions to manage the structure, before the actual benefits trickle down to those who are meant to get the benefit of it.
Much of this in our island community is done with charity work, where the community itself has retired (and working) volunteers that organise assistance.
Besides the massive welfare structure is too easy to scam (on both ends). Benefit fraud, is a very insiduous crime against society, but having a welfare system is essential to a civilised way of life.
The current welfare system, and social deliniations it has created have caused a delinquent generation of dissafected, poorly educated, vandal substrate in pockets of society. Our current welfare systems are creating the poverty trap that they were meant to avoid.
I have a leak from my two way split watering device, which has a tray under it, I catch this water and hand water my pots. This to me represents those people in society that will always need help and supervision.
People like me that have bouts of mental 'illness', or simply can't fit into the 'norms' of a larger society, for whatever reason. We all have a duty to look after these people. Without provision for this, I don't know what would have become of me, so don't knock it. Get it right and keep working at it!
Don't let those Bankers off the hook! It is the senior policy makers that cream it off society! Pick the slugs off by hand if you have to, it's better than losing all your lettuice.
Testing;
Right, I put the Jubilee clip I had on the hose to the plastic home made greenhouse. It's too big, so I will need to get a smaller one. However it seems the two way split isn't affected by it. It did increase the pressure round this part though. I actually think the solution might be to put that clip on the greenhouse side to get more pressure, so it will backfill at a higher pressure once I rig up the self watering system. I don't want to make the pump blow up!
My intention is to put a timer on the plug, so that when I am away, I can leave this pre-set to water everything. So long as I can put a collapsable hose off the drainpipes to the water supply this ought to just be a self regulating system. I might get some moisture sensors, and rig this in too.
Very sophisticated bit of Heath Robinson DIY! So far it has cost 2 x 50m reels of hose, the pump, some connectors and the 2 way switch. I already have the 7 day timer plug. The rest has been recycled. Hours of fun! Saving me a lot of effort to carry a watering can about. All for under £100! should last a few years too.
Himself is busy cooking soup, I am not sure what sweet potato and chorizo is going to taste like, it smells OK! The autumn weather seems to be settling, so winter food production is starting. He bought some nice cherries on half price best before date yesterday that he wants to make jam with. I might go see if there are still more blackberries in the hedgerow if he is in a jam making mood. I can't get over how much I like blackberry conserve without the pips. Good old bramble jelly!
We had a gorgeous home made green thai curry last night. We make batches of the sauce and freeze it, then put different ingredients in it in season. He took a 'men only' asian cooking couse when he was recovering from heart failure, so we make all our own authentic asian dishes from the ingredients. I make the Far Eastern dishes.
There is a fantastic Chinese supermarket just outside Rennes where we go to buy our spices when we are over there. Much cheaper to bulk buy the nams, and dim sum bits and keep them in the freezer.
Just going off on a tangent rant here...
By the way, we aren't planning to sell our French house, but taxing us for having it was a bad idea. We would not be able to afford to use it, and then we wouldn't be spending money in France. I think changing that depreciated tax structure for selling the house is bad face.
Don't forget how much we are spending on the garden over there. We have to get the mowers serviced every year, the Boiler and the Chimney swept. We get our bread at the local bakery, and have a megga shop for food. We speak passable French. We invite all our friends over, and they go and spend money on days out and use restaurants. We want to re-fit the kitchen, and put in a new fosse.
We know our neighbours, especially over our dog killing their chickens! That was one up for detant. I buy my Fabrics at Mondial in Rennes. We pay the rates. We don't take anything out of the economy. We also like helping with things if we are invited, for instance unloading chickens at 4-5am to help the local chicken farmer. We also have lots of French friends who we like to entertain.
The fact that the Germans taxed their own citizens for having a house in spain made everyone sell up there. When will the politicians realise tourism is a great way of helping Spain, and that those policies are one of the reasons Spain's economy has taken a bashing... oh and Cucumbers! Did they get compensated for having to dump the cucumbers? Where did the e-coli outbreak start... let me think?
Back to that chinese supermarket outside Rennes...
We like all sorts of authentic national foods. I even make passable Sushi and Makizuchi. We both love Japanese food. We had some friends round a couple of Christmas past who lived in Japan, and I got an 8/10! I treated us to the proper plates that christmas, and a couple of bottles of sake.
I must look up how to prepare Saba, as we get a lot of Mackerel. I have 2 nice cucumbers which I am going to pickle in lengthwise strips so I can make Makizuchi with them. Not authentic but I am sure they will taste ok! I have a nice bunch of Dill for this now.
I also want to get around to making a cold smoker. I already have a hot smoker, so I might work out if I can modify this further. One of my ambitions is to try and make good bacon! I like the idea of smoked duck. I do make my own confit. Anyway, I got my Sushi book out to see what the Japanese do with the Daikon, I was wondering if I could grow it here! I have lemon mint that I use as a substitute for Shiso. Burdock root is part of the Tsukidashi which we have, and fresh peas and beans a good substitute for the Edamame. (not the same, but in the spirit of!)
I am putting a couple of books on my chrismas wish list that describe making authentic Japanese clothes and Kimonos. I wonder if I was Japanese in a past life! Not realy into the reincarnaton thing in a big way, I prefer being in the present. My Masda MX5, and Yamaha motorbike were my favorite purchases.
Mmmm.... think I feel a Japanese style meal coming on! And yes my rice does stick together pretty well and looks shiny and tastes ok! I watch Sushi Chefs like a hawk if I get the opportunity and practice at home. I even learned to sharpen my own Sushi Knives on a stone.
Not to mention the hand made Mizutani scissors I used to use Hairdressing. Sheer Genius! Perhaps this is where my love of Japanese things comes from. A lovely Japanese person made these scissors and my hand feels empty without them now.
I described having found we had a huge catchment of nice clean water in the old farm slurry. It now has a hippo pump down it, and a watering system fitted to the home made plastic grower. So I bought a diverter which feeds two pipes. I don't know why I haven't tried this before. I think it was the deferral of dissapointment if it didn't work. Anyway this morning I decided to give it a go.
It works! However, as the feed to the plastic grower seems less resistant, to raising the water to the actual greenhouse, I am going to look for a jubilee clip to restrict the water to the plastic grower. It will be interesting to see if the pressure in the greenhouse then increases, in which case I will rig feeding bottles to each of the plants.
So I got over my confidence crisis!
It occured to me while I was trying this that it would be a good idea to do this with the money situation.
As far as I am concerned most of the plants in the plastic grower have failed to produce a desirable return, However I will let them produce what they can, and only plant what will grow successfully in there, and use it to bring on the new plants for next year as it seems like it will be ideal for this.
I will then re-plant these into the greenhouse and garden to grow on.
So in trying to explain this, I would put a 'Jubilee Clip' round the unpayable debts. Not that the money wouldn't be paid back, but put a 'restriction' on the interest now, and just pay back any outstanding capital at an agreed term appropriate for each country. Just do this worldwide!
This will serve those greedy banks right for lending money that can't be paid back! Make the banks pay for their own mis-management and not the taxpayer. Also I would outlaw independent companies who buy debts to get the interest. This is not 'good money'. Wind them down too, make them just get back the original borrowing, less the interest already paid. Then make them go out and get a proper job.
Taxpayers want their money invested in infrastructure, sound governance, and not gambled on stock markets or wasted propping up a system that doesn't work. We want proper pensions we pay in for, and not to have money buying power devalued as each year passes. We want good schools and health services.
By investing in these locally, as microcosm societies, each area almost generates it's own economy. Then trading with adjacent areas for specialisations becomes easier, and puts less traffic on the roads in huge networks of distribution.
In essence this becomes a local tax and governance issue like we have here in good old Jersey, Guernesy and the other Channel Islands. Did I ever mention we don't have party politics, each states member is elected on their own merit. If they don't do well we chuck them out next election.
We are all getting a bit fed up with states members that abstain from voting too. We want our vote used. We have to vote them in, by not voting on issues it is silencing the vote of the people. I will be checking on how many abstentions each candidate has racked up, before even considering them for my vote.
I would challenge the government to put pressure on the giant supermarket chains to franchise the supermarkets to the local communities and allow them to become co-operatives. Sourcing fresh supplies locally, and paying the local growers a decent rate. I don't care if my cucumbers are different shapes, I want them to be fresh and taste good. If I can buy one loose, and have it weighed at the till without a plastic bag even better.
This might make the old local market gardens a viable business again, creating local job markets.
Which reminds me, I might just check out the Co-Op bank and move my accounts if I like it. I know they have strict policies on what they invest in, so I might do some research.
I also think that the taxpayer might want to own public services outright by developing a bond structure that gives us control over our own investments, rather like the free school system just rolling out in the UK. Better that each area has control over what types of school and health service is appropriate for their area. Could this work in such a way as to offset medical provision and pensions.
This means if schooling in an industrial or agricultural area, the education curriculum could be geared towards the needs of local industries. Only 10% of the population is purely academic, then you get a preference split between service and technical. Why are we educating everyone with an academic priority?
We bought an Isle of Arran whisky bond about 25 years ago, it was to set up a local still that had not operated for years. We got paid back in scotch! It was fun. We gave most of it away as presents, but kept the realy good stuff for ourselves. I assume it is still running and creates local employment. It is a special treat on, and with the Haggis neaps and tatties we love in the winter. Haggis is the dogs favorite too!
It is evident the world needs to change the way it lives. Having a low income does not mean poverty, it means you have to become more resourceful. It means locally each community needs to look after the welfare of it's own people, not expect this to be done by a big brother state machine, that costs billions to manage the structure, before the actual benefits trickle down to those who are meant to get the benefit of it.
Much of this in our island community is done with charity work, where the community itself has retired (and working) volunteers that organise assistance.
Besides the massive welfare structure is too easy to scam (on both ends). Benefit fraud, is a very insiduous crime against society, but having a welfare system is essential to a civilised way of life.
The current welfare system, and social deliniations it has created have caused a delinquent generation of dissafected, poorly educated, vandal substrate in pockets of society. Our current welfare systems are creating the poverty trap that they were meant to avoid.
I have a leak from my two way split watering device, which has a tray under it, I catch this water and hand water my pots. This to me represents those people in society that will always need help and supervision.
People like me that have bouts of mental 'illness', or simply can't fit into the 'norms' of a larger society, for whatever reason. We all have a duty to look after these people. Without provision for this, I don't know what would have become of me, so don't knock it. Get it right and keep working at it!
Don't let those Bankers off the hook! It is the senior policy makers that cream it off society! Pick the slugs off by hand if you have to, it's better than losing all your lettuice.
Testing;
Right, I put the Jubilee clip I had on the hose to the plastic home made greenhouse. It's too big, so I will need to get a smaller one. However it seems the two way split isn't affected by it. It did increase the pressure round this part though. I actually think the solution might be to put that clip on the greenhouse side to get more pressure, so it will backfill at a higher pressure once I rig up the self watering system. I don't want to make the pump blow up!
My intention is to put a timer on the plug, so that when I am away, I can leave this pre-set to water everything. So long as I can put a collapsable hose off the drainpipes to the water supply this ought to just be a self regulating system. I might get some moisture sensors, and rig this in too.
Very sophisticated bit of Heath Robinson DIY! So far it has cost 2 x 50m reels of hose, the pump, some connectors and the 2 way switch. I already have the 7 day timer plug. The rest has been recycled. Hours of fun! Saving me a lot of effort to carry a watering can about. All for under £100! should last a few years too.
Himself is busy cooking soup, I am not sure what sweet potato and chorizo is going to taste like, it smells OK! The autumn weather seems to be settling, so winter food production is starting. He bought some nice cherries on half price best before date yesterday that he wants to make jam with. I might go see if there are still more blackberries in the hedgerow if he is in a jam making mood. I can't get over how much I like blackberry conserve without the pips. Good old bramble jelly!
We had a gorgeous home made green thai curry last night. We make batches of the sauce and freeze it, then put different ingredients in it in season. He took a 'men only' asian cooking couse when he was recovering from heart failure, so we make all our own authentic asian dishes from the ingredients. I make the Far Eastern dishes.
There is a fantastic Chinese supermarket just outside Rennes where we go to buy our spices when we are over there. Much cheaper to bulk buy the nams, and dim sum bits and keep them in the freezer.
Just going off on a tangent rant here...
By the way, we aren't planning to sell our French house, but taxing us for having it was a bad idea. We would not be able to afford to use it, and then we wouldn't be spending money in France. I think changing that depreciated tax structure for selling the house is bad face.
Don't forget how much we are spending on the garden over there. We have to get the mowers serviced every year, the Boiler and the Chimney swept. We get our bread at the local bakery, and have a megga shop for food. We speak passable French. We invite all our friends over, and they go and spend money on days out and use restaurants. We want to re-fit the kitchen, and put in a new fosse.
We know our neighbours, especially over our dog killing their chickens! That was one up for detant. I buy my Fabrics at Mondial in Rennes. We pay the rates. We don't take anything out of the economy. We also like helping with things if we are invited, for instance unloading chickens at 4-5am to help the local chicken farmer. We also have lots of French friends who we like to entertain.
The fact that the Germans taxed their own citizens for having a house in spain made everyone sell up there. When will the politicians realise tourism is a great way of helping Spain, and that those policies are one of the reasons Spain's economy has taken a bashing... oh and Cucumbers! Did they get compensated for having to dump the cucumbers? Where did the e-coli outbreak start... let me think?
Back to that chinese supermarket outside Rennes...
We like all sorts of authentic national foods. I even make passable Sushi and Makizuchi. We both love Japanese food. We had some friends round a couple of Christmas past who lived in Japan, and I got an 8/10! I treated us to the proper plates that christmas, and a couple of bottles of sake.
I must look up how to prepare Saba, as we get a lot of Mackerel. I have 2 nice cucumbers which I am going to pickle in lengthwise strips so I can make Makizuchi with them. Not authentic but I am sure they will taste ok! I have a nice bunch of Dill for this now.
I also want to get around to making a cold smoker. I already have a hot smoker, so I might work out if I can modify this further. One of my ambitions is to try and make good bacon! I like the idea of smoked duck. I do make my own confit. Anyway, I got my Sushi book out to see what the Japanese do with the Daikon, I was wondering if I could grow it here! I have lemon mint that I use as a substitute for Shiso. Burdock root is part of the Tsukidashi which we have, and fresh peas and beans a good substitute for the Edamame. (not the same, but in the spirit of!)
I am putting a couple of books on my chrismas wish list that describe making authentic Japanese clothes and Kimonos. I wonder if I was Japanese in a past life! Not realy into the reincarnaton thing in a big way, I prefer being in the present. My Masda MX5, and Yamaha motorbike were my favorite purchases.
Mmmm.... think I feel a Japanese style meal coming on! And yes my rice does stick together pretty well and looks shiny and tastes ok! I watch Sushi Chefs like a hawk if I get the opportunity and practice at home. I even learned to sharpen my own Sushi Knives on a stone.
Not to mention the hand made Mizutani scissors I used to use Hairdressing. Sheer Genius! Perhaps this is where my love of Japanese things comes from. A lovely Japanese person made these scissors and my hand feels empty without them now.
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