Did He Buy a Non-Running Yacht?

Following on from my busting Auction Hunters for being completely bogus, I am now calling out this YouTuber who claims to have bought a non-running motor yacht that is, potentially, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars once it is 'fixed'.

What we are presented with is an early 1990s Italian-built yacht that is in rather tatty condition. The boat is moored in a marina at Santander in Spain and it is claimed that the boat is going cheap because it has an overheating engine. 

The team fly to Spain and check it out. They buy the yacht, and then take a serious look at the overheating engine. Miraculously, they discover that the seawater inlet to the overheating engine had been shut off, causing the issue. By opening the valve, they find there is no other issue to be solved and both engines run well, with the engine that was overheating now running cooler even than the other 'good' engine. What a bargain, and the team even imply that the marine engineers in Spain may have been scamming the previous owner.

Is any of this believable? It is not believable and I'll explain why. It is also a slander of Spanish marine engineers; did any of them actually work on the boat?

The story surrounding this boat starts with how the engine started to overheat. It was on a journey from the UK to Spain when it encountered a storm, and then the engine started to overheat but it could not be turned off as it needed to keep underway in the heavy weather. The last thing you want to do in heavy seas is shut down, so that story appears to stack up. 

But why the overheating all of sudden? The most obvious thing to check out is the seawater filter, found right after that inlet valve. Once cleared, the overheating should resolve itself. However, apparently it didn't stop the overheating, which led to the owner selling to this YouTuber. 

What our YouTuber discovers is that the seawater inlet had been closed off. Hang on, but the seawater filter was not blocked, so it had been checked previously. The experienced previous owner had owned the boat for years. He would know to check the seawater filter, you have to first shut off the inlet, then after clearing the filter, open it up again. 

None of this part of the story stacks up. More likely is the YouTuber bought a tatty yacht from a bloke who couldn't afford to maintain it, and the YouTuber then set up the bargain of the century malarkey. They then slandered the marine engineers for good measure. 

And was the boat even a non-runner? No it wasn't, it was running. It definitely had one good engine which could power the boat through the water. A side story was the expense of the marina they were in and could they move down the coast to somewhere cheaper. They could make such a move at reduced speed and staying close to the coast. But instead, they stayed in the marina for now, he got a discount for paying in advance (was that advertising the marina I wonder).

Some advice about boats, don't buy one unless you've got some serious gorse in your pocket. Don't believe tall tales like this one, the whole story just doesn't stack up.

Is AI a Mega Enron?

Steve Eisman looks at what is going on; he was played by Steve Carell in the movie, The Big Short, and that was my favourite character from the movie.

Windows Is Dead

I've made a decision, when I buy another laptop, it won't be running on Windows. I've been wondering why I made this decision and I've concluded that it's because Microsoft is the abusive partner in a relationship. They've always shown this tendency, but these days, there is no benefit in staying with them. They're just control freaks and offer nothing of value.

There are a lot of videos out there where the user says they're getting out, but the embedded video covers my perspective. 

Is AI Just Paint by Numbers?

I do use AI from time to time, but it is seriously lacking. My main issue is that it is a massive sponge, soaking up everyone's creativity. It appears obvious to me that this will stifle invention and innovation. Why come up with something to only have it used by a freeloader?

I recall the dotcom bubble of the late 90's/early noughties. This AI hysteria has the same look about it. A lot of promises are being made, with no profits to support the hype.

Never Had a Real Job

Silicon Valley would have you believe that the founders of tech start-ups are competent and capable of making decisions. But how true is that? The video below asks the question of Sam Altman, founder of OpenAI. Altman has super-voting Class B shares in Reddit, but peculiarly holds 0% of OpenAI.

It may be worth considering the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, who holds Class B super-voting shares in Meta, effectively controlling that company. However, Zuckerberg is a university dropout, and never had a full-time job in the conventional sense. 

I would ask, how do you feel about your retirement savings being invested with these people? Just call me old-fashioned, because I'd be very twitchy.

Trump Wins, Denmark Capitulates

After all of the bluster from the Europeans, Trump ends up getting Greenland. This makes Denmark, and by extension all of Europe, look very weak.

Hurricane Polo

The eastern Pacific is about to receive a battering off record high El Nino conditions:

California's Perfect Storm

The Super El Nino in the Pacific may soon cause major coastal erosion events in Southern California. Good work for engineers, but not good for anyone else. Then, with the price of diesel spiking due to disruptions to the flow of oil, California is in for a battering. 

Middle East Escalation

With the Houthis now repeatedly attacking Saudi Arabia, it looks as if the US will be ramping up, with strikes against the Houthis and possibly also against Iran. Such action will seriously disrupt world oil supplies.

The best idea for anyone in the region who can get out, is to get out now. 

Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer

Do I believe the claims Charles Spencer made in his book? Yes, I do. My reasoning is that Spencer cannot afford to hurt his reputation as an historian. He's written some good books, including books covering aspects of the English Civil War. Given his aristocratic rank, he tends to side with the Cavaliers, but his work is important nonetheless. It's got to be hard work constantly writing about the losers of the wars. That's right, the Roundheads won, get over it.

Given his training, I very much doubt that Spencer would make up details about what, exactly, Prince Charles said about his former wife shortly after her death. 

Having said that, I also believe we are now seeing a concerted campaign to have Charles abdicate, and hand the throne to his eldest son, William. Who is doing what, and for what reason, is unclear at this stage; is Prince Harry part of it, or just an irritant? Or is William conspiring with Spencer to undermine his father?

It's an interesting distraction from war in Ukraine and an ever more powerful Russia, Iran controlling the Strait of Hormuz, Houthis controlling access to the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia about to go bankrupt, and now Denmark surrendering and effectively handing over Greenland. 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/sep/18/earl-spencer-doubles-down-on-claims-about-monstrous-call-with-king-charles-after-dianas-death

Earl Spencer has doubled down on his bombshell claim that King Charles said of Diana, Princess of Wales, “rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough” days after her death, saying he is telling the truth.

Diesel Crisis

The shortage of diesel has started in the US, not long now New Zealand, this shortage is very real.

Saudi Situation Critical

We are not being told the truth. Saudi Arabia is about to fall. The Houthis have knocked out most of Saudi oil production and refining. As well, they've just shot down a Saudi F-15, using a missile they modified to being surface to air. 

Saudi Arabia's Aramco has notified European customers that deliveries may be suspended from late September. This will cause a fuel crisis as Russian oil has been blocked too, partly as a result of war, but also as a result of sanctions, which I said at the time was an act of self-harm.

The entire world is affected by this development; the US imports critical supplies from Europe, and now these may not arrive, while Saudi oil also heads to the Far East and this will be choked off as well. Can it get any worse? 

Oil production in Africa is ramping up, and Venezuelan flows may return, both of which may reclaim some supply, but globally, the World is in deep trouble right now. What we are looking at, potentially, is a Depression of the late 1920's kind. The problem is, the current leadership in every country is completely hopeless and incompetent beyond belief.

Oil Crisis Arrives

The New Zealand government failed to heed the warnings and here we are, diesel could run out. The government has had months to secure the physical supply, but instead they talked, muddled, got assurances, accords, understandings, pricing mechanisms up the wazoo. 

Lesson: the complete lack of something is nothing. No amount of talking about it creates something. You've either got something or you don't; wishing, hoping and praying isn't action.

What I am talking about is NZ lacking any refining capability, while also having limitless quantities of lignite coal it could turn into diesel, but no efforts have been taken to put any plans into action.

Meanwhile, the world oil supply is now severely restricted following the Houthis taking control of the Red Sea, Iraqi-based militia blowing up Saudi Arabia's east-west pipeline, and Iran controlling the Strait of Hormuz. 

The NZ government needs to take immediate action, take tangible steps to produce diesel, or the whole country will fail, and by that I mean starve - literally.

Saudi Arabia May Fall?

Now, the Houthis of Yemen have taken control of the access point to the Red Sea and a vital link to Saudi Arabia has been closed off. The Saudis now only have the Suez Canal, overland to the North, and air for resupply and exports. 

Saudi Arabia may fall. I say this because the Saudi military is pathetic. There is no fight in them, and even now they're running away, simply abandoning valuable US-made military equipment which the Houthis are happy to liberate.

Don't be surprised if you find the Saudi crown prince, MBS, turning up in Switzerland semi-permanently. 

Brief history lesson: Saudi Arabia is essentially an invention of the British. Everyone knows the legend of 'Lawrence of Arabia' - T.E. Lawrence. It is amazing that it has lasted this long, but its days appear numbered.

All Blacks Humiliating Loss

New Zealand 28 - 43 South Africa

New Zealand's national rugby team, the All Blacks have now lost three games in a row, all of them at the hands of their old foe, South Africa. In the last 20 years, this has only happened once before, in 2022. Back then, they had two losses to Ireland, followed by a loss to South Africa.

The new All Blacks coach is Dave Rennie. He's lost three of his first seven games, a 57% win record. His predecessor also lost three games out of his first seven games, and these losses were against Argentina and twice in a row against South Africa. They have an identical win rate, but Rennie has the worse record as he's lost three in a row.

I said no good would come from allowing the New Zealand players to rule the roost. The player revolt that led to the sacking of coach, Scott Robertson, was a recipe for disaster. The team is getting worse and now look more akin to lower level sides, teams like Italy and Georgia. OK, that's a bit of a stretch but you may see my point. The All Blacks, these days, regularly cough the ball up when hard on attack, cannot complete tackles, play with a lack of skill and precision, and are generally aimless. The players often lack intelligence and choose the wrong option. 

The latest game in Baltimore in the US was officiated by Englishmen. That is, the match referee, both linesmen or assistant referees, and the video referee. Does anyone see a conflict of interest here? I certainly do; it is in the Englishmen's interest, consciously or unconsciously, to be against New Zealand. The Kiwis regularly hammer England, so their players and officials grow up biased. Referees should not share nationalities. They should mix up the nationalities to ensure objectivity. In a match like the one just played, for NZ to win, they needed to be better by a lot. That did not happen, so they lost by a lot.

The game needs new rules and that's why I support a new NFL-style global league. Players who intentionally slow the game down should be penalised. In the Baltimore game, a South African player was injured and being seen to under his own goal posts, but before the game could be restarted after a NZ score, he walked to halfway and went down, stopping the game. He was buying time and slowing the game down. C'mon, this type of behaviour is ridiculous and makes rugby look foolish.

Steve Ballmer's Intuit Dome

I'm changing my mind, somewhat, about Steve Ballmer. His stadium in Los Angeles, built at his own cost, is, apparently, a brilliant place to watch basketball. But he's now facing one full year shut out from his NBA team, the Los Angeles Clippers.

Looking at the podcasts dealing with the issues, I've come to the conclusion that it is the NBA and other powerful corporate interests, taking down someone they see as a pretender.

The LA Lakers, Boston Celtics, New York Knickerbockers etc are not about to give way to the Clippers. It looks like a stitch up. Other teams in the NBA have done similar things and got no more than a slap on the wrist. 

Coastal Erosion California

Waves caused by a hurricane off the coast of California have washed many beaches away from San Diego to Los Angeles. If you examine the embedded video, you can see how development and sea walls so close to the ocean can exacerbate the effect of the waves. It means a lot of work for civil engineers.

New Zealand First Plunges in Polling

A general election will be held in New Zealand on the 7th of November, 2026. Minor government coalition partner, NZ First, has campaign hoardings up around the country, the main message being: New Zealanders First. Note, not New Zealand first, but only New Zealanders first.

They've followed that up with a policy that only Kiwi citizens can receive National Superannuation (pension). Such a policy excludes all those with permanent residence, but who still rely on their overseas passport. 

This has got to be a policy that represents the biggest act of self-harm I've yet witnessed on the campaign trail. New Zealand is an inclusive country that doesn't 'other' people. Not only that, many keep with their foreign passport as often their country of origin doesn't allow dual citizenship. They choose to keep one foot in each camp for all kinds of reasons, the principal one being they can exist in a legal sense back home. Think inheritances, property transfers and the like. 

NZ First has plummeted in two of the most recent public opinion polls. What the geniuses at NZ First failed to realise is that a lot of their voters were permanent residents with the right to vote. Now, they're not going to vote NZ First, and the party may slip below the 5% threshold under MMP and be out of parliament. 

Stupid doesn't even begin to describe NZ First. 

Are the Clippers Finished?

The SEC is now probing the Los Angeles Clippers. Woh, this is getting really big:

Steve Ballmer Penalised

Oh no, the Los Angeles Clippers are set to remain complete losers for the foreseeable future. Majority team owner, Steve Ballmer, has been suspended from all operations for one entire year. 

Here's the law firm report summarising their independent investigation: https://www.wlrk.com/docs/Report_of_Independent_Investigators_Concerning_the_LA_Clippers_and_Kawhi_Leonard.pdf

I think I can hear the Lakers laughing from here. Just sell the team Ballmer, you're never going to win anything. Ballmer, you are completely out of your depth.

Media reports: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/inside-ruse-clippers-kawhi-leonard-211519922.html

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/bill-simmons-disbelief-clippers-steve-224402648.html

"This was the biggest punishment ever handed out in the National Basketball Association. You know all of it at this point…This was a phenomenal level of incompetence from [Steve] Ballmer and the Clippers. They have screwed up almost a decade and a half of their franchise," Simmons said on The Ringer.

Where Did Prince Harry Go Wrong in the US?

Apart from having no work in him, Prince Harry failed in the US because his entitled attitude irritates everyone, and he lacks talent. 

The tone of his voice needed to change. He sounds high pitched and too plummy. He needed to add bass and to sound more normal. An acceptable speech would be BBC-type English or Los Angeles fly over. 

There is one opportunity that was suggested to him and I wonder if he, and those around him, knew just what a good idea it was. That was the suggestion he travel around the country fixing people's flat tires. Pundits are laughing at this rubbish idea, but they know very little too it seems. Why is this a good idea? It offers a chance to engage with everyday people, to be seen as the good guy. Think of a single mother and her daughter; she cannot get the child to school and her work is 10 miles away. In steps Harry and the team. They take the car and look closely at it. They either get the car on the road all good to go, or she gets a new car, the clock is ticking. They fail to make the deadline, so there is Harry to hand over the keys to a new car, care of the people at Liberty Ford, or wherever, insurance paid for the year. Oh wow, thank you Mr Prince, you are the best.

See?

What I have described had not been done before 2022, although there had been a TV show, Pimp My Ride. But in February 2022 a YouTube channel started called Murphys Diesel. Wrecker Rick, along with his wife and daughters, travel anywhere in America to get people out of being stuck. If you're stuck, Rick will get you out, for FREE. Now, Wrecker Rick is so popular, whenever he stops to fill up at truck stops, people mob him for a picture with them in it. Everyone wants to be pictured standing next to Wrecker Rick.

I'm sure Prince Harry's father will bail him out. His wife will be shopping for the next sucker and the alleged children will find new roles as child actors. 

Stay classy America. 

Where Dolly Parton Grew Up

Dolly Parton grew up in a small cottage in the mountains of Tennessee. She became one the greatest song writers and singers of all time. We are all going to miss Dolly Parton.

US May Threaten UK over Falklands

The United Kingdom is about to find out whether it still has any balls. The US may reconsider its position regarding the Falklands, implying they may, in future, support Argentina's claim. 

The US position has been inaccurately reported for decades. The official position is that the US is neutral. In reality, when Argentina invaded the Falklands, the US tried to talk the UK out of forcefully taking the islands back. It was only after the UK crushed Argentina that the US suddenly popped up and began spouting about how they helped the British out. 

However, these days the UK has become far weaker. What they need to do is man up and get their military back in shape. They need to close their borders and sort out the shambles their economy has become. And if the US offers any ultimatums, tell them to pack up their bases and remove their kit from British territory. 

Part of me says this has more to do with the UK's reluctance to get involved in Iran and that foolish war Donald Trump started. The UK would be very unwise to buckle; the Falklands are a crucial strategic interest.

https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/us-britain-falklands-5Hjdgdk_2/

The US has threatened to oppose British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands if Andy Burnham does not increase defence spending sufficiently, it has been reported.

The Trump administration could make the bombshell declaration as senior defence officials at the Pentagon try to force allies to hit Nato's 5 per cent spending pledge.

A senior official in the US reportedly told The Telegraph that Britain will receive "special attention" from Washington in its attempts to get Nato up to the spending figure.

Meghan Markle Staying in California?

To balance up the below video that says Meghan Markle has failed at everything; here's a quick checklist of successes.

Apparently she moves product. Everything she wears sells out within days. As a result, she's very popular amongst merchandisers. 

Then, she was an angel investor in Clevr Blends, a coffee company. This business has grown and is now across America on Target and Whole Foods shelves.

Finally, the house in Montecito was bought for $14m with a $9m mortgage. It is now valued at $20m.

Meghan Markle is said to have bought the Montecito house off residuals from Suits. Residuals are usually a modest sum that helps bridge the gap between one role and another. But in her case, the engagement to Prince Harry saw people binge-watching every season. This resulted in a considerable sum for her. 

The problem is Harry; he doesn't appear to know what work is.

This sudden move back to the UK does have the look of a separation. The UK media have been preparing the landscape all year. I think this move has been long planned and now the 'go' button has been pushed. The King has to repatriate his son. If he stayed in the US broke, he could fall prey to a wide range of dodgy types, including organised crime. If Harry failed, he was always going to be bailed out.

Edit to add 09/09/2026: Recent photos have emerged that show Prince Harry visiting Tower Bridge in London. On the same day a photo of Meghan Markle was released which looks like her garden, and she's with a match for her dog in California. The two are never seen in public together. The media appear insistent that the pair are in the UK, however there is no evidence of Meghan Markle, but there is evidence of Prince Harry's presence.

Rugby Rankings and New Zealand Dominance

Looking at the current World Rugby rankings for men, New Zealand's All Blacks are staggeringly dominant over their rivals in the top 10. Here's how it looks:

1. All Blacks 

2. South Africa 43-110 (wins over the All Blacks - total tests played to date)

3. Ireland 5-39 

4. France 15-68

5. England 9-47

6. Scotland 0-33

7. Argentina 4-41

8. Australia 45-181

9. Fiji 0-11

10. Wales 3-38

This is an embarrassing statistic for everyone apart from New Zealand. What prompted this post? I recently saw some Northern Hemisphere pundits picking their five greatest players of all time, and not one picked a single All Black. Consider this, the Northern Hemisphere has won only one World Cup. The rest have been won by New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. 

Harry Moving Back, but Not the Wife?

This sounds far more plausible. Harry is moving back to the UK, without the wife. If true, the way I interpret this is that Meghan Markle has received a settlement, the key part of which would be an NDA. As for the kids, if they're with Harry as the primary, that tends to confirm the rumours that they're his kids, not hers. And it is also rumoured that Archie lives with the real mother in England. Of course, what are the two children doing being in the Line of Succession?

Half In, Half Out?

How will Prince William and his wife Catherine deal with this?

Harry and Meghan Moving Back to England?

Newspapers are reporting that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving back to England with their kids. The framing is that this is official. 

Hang on, where is the official announcement from the pair, and from Royal sources, not indirectly from the media? Err...there are no such direct announcements.

There has been a concerted campaign all year to rehabilitate the wayward son, no doubt about that. I find it more likely that this is more spin, that Harry will turn up in the UK, permanently this time, with the wife and children to follow soon. But the wife will never show up with the children, she'll be blamed.

Update: Blog Trends

I haven't blogged recently because my last post on Nigel Farage winning the Clacton by-election was being viewed so many times. Funnily enough, not that many people reading in the UK itself. Here's the list of countries reading me over the last seven days. They are in order, most viewed to least viewed, top 10:

United States

Brazil

Seychelles

France

India

Germany

Argentina

Vietnam

Mexico

Philippines

Clearly, people could be using VPNs much more than they used to, hence Seychelles popping up. Don't read too much into it, but I think one conclusion is that people are interested in the emergence of centre-right politics.

I think a shift is occurring worldwide, call it a revolution if you like. The move is away from what is described as the Uni-party or the blob. Professional middle manager politicians are being rejected and incoming are common-sense populists.

Nigel Farage Wins Clacton By-Election

A day before the Clacton by-election in the United Kingdom, Reform UK made it to the top of public opinion polls. Then, Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage followed that with a staggering win, placing him ahead of 628 MPs in terms of majority. He now has a majority larger than any other leader in the House of Commons.

The Conservatives made a huge strategic blunder by not putting up a candidate. Clacton has been a safe Tory seat in the past, but now Farage has turned it into a safe Reform seat, the very first safe Reform seat. Constituents have been reported as saying they'd vote for Farage even if he had three legs. 

Labour, Conservatives and LibDems are often called the Uniparty and there now appears to be evidence of them acting as such. They will be scared, that's for sure. Farage has turned the summer into talk about him. The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham is on his build a mandate find some legitimacy tour of the UK and yet few would know about it. Farage has upstaged the whole circus.

I have a question; in the last 250 years, what individual person has had such impact on the United Kingdom? Nigel Farage has re-shaped the foreign affairs and trade relations of a Great Power, a country with a Security Council veto and nuclear weapons. If you can think of someone who has had greater impact, let me know. However, caution is required when considering this question, as most names that crop up merely gained high status, they entrenched existing power structures, they did not effect any real change. 

What will the Uniparty do about Nigel Farage? 

Shrinkflation

Yes, we know it's very real.

Luxon Holds On

New Zealand's Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, has survived his second caucus vote of no confidence in his leadership, both occurring within four months. He lacks the full support of his team leading up to a General Election in November and he must now be considering his future.

Many are pointing to his many gaffes, the worst being his comments to a small business conference that they needed to grow up. That went down like a lead balloon.

Luxon has never owned a business, like so many politicians these days. He is out of touch with the kinds of sacrifices business owners make each day. Prior to politics, Luxon swanned around in the private corporate space, the last spell being as CEO of Air New Zealand. That's not a real job as NZ's national airline is not allowed to fail. The taxpayer always bails it out. 

But, I know why Luxon is disliked by Kiwis everywhere. He's weak, a fence sitter, and he doesn't like his job. I wouldn't be surprised to find he's intentionally trying to lose the election. That way, if he does lose at the polls he can easily re-enter the cloistered environment of big business. 

Also, it doesn't help that he looks like a dodgy timeshare salesman from the nineties. He wears tightly fitting shiny suits and shaves his head chrome dome. He looks dodgy and when he speaks he sounds like a prick. 

The question therefore is how did this person get the top job in the land. Has NZ sunk that low?

For the National Party, the news is not all bad as polling shows Luxon has little bearing on party support. Farmers will vote National, they'll just hold their nose while doing so.

Clacton By-election

Tomorrow, the people of Clacton will vote in a by-election to decide whether they support Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK. This is an important election as it could determine how the political landscape is shaped following the result.

Labour, Conservatives, LibDems and the Greens have declined to offer candidates. Kemi Badenoch is leader of the Conservatives and she has called the election fake. No, it isn't fake Ms Badenoch, your comment shows disdain for the democratic process. Or, does her party lack ideas altogether?

I'll make further comment on the result after the votes are counted. It does appear the United Kingdom is reaching a crisis point, but I'm sure a lot of water is yet to flow under the bridge.

Content Creation Online

Twenty-five years ago, it was predicted the internet would replace the established old-school media landscape with its traditional advertising model. For specialist niches, a lot of this was print based. I've done a lot of advertising in trade publications, with mixed success. Generally speaking, advertising could get very expensive, very quickly.

Now we have the rise of online content creators, proving those early predictions. I was a little surprised to find that personal finance is the most profitable for content creators with a solid following. The following article outlines things rather well. Note the reference to CPM and RPM. CPM is cost per mille, or cents per 1,000, that is, how much you spend for 1,000 views. In my day, this could be very expensive if you were targeting capital intensive industries with very defined targets in mind. RPM is revenue per mille, or earnings in cents or dollars per 1,000 views. CPM is how much you spend, RPM how much you're getting back. Clearly, you want to maximise revenue and not spend too much to get it. 

These days, individuals equipped with just a few essential pieces of equipment can deliver as much reach as large corporates. It does look as if some large traditional media companies are about to become dinosaurs.

https://outlierkit.com/blog/most-profitable-youtube-niches

The highest CPM YouTube niches in 2026 are Personal Finance ($15-22 CPM), Make Money Online ($15-20 CPM), Legal/Court Drama ($12-18 CPM), Digital Marketing ($12-18 CPM), and Real Estate ($10-16 CPM).

Quality Rant from English Lady

June Slater tells it like it is, she's voting Reform UK. Nigel Farage has his by-election date on the 13th of this month, and the media are promoting Count Binface. Binface is not some radical, he's a BBC type who wants the UK to re-join the EU, which makes him a reactionary.

The establishment are doing all they can to destroy Reform. They'll stop at nothing.

Climate Change Fad Over

Well, that was that, the climate change alarmists have gone quiet. Turns out war, deindustrialisation and low birth rates are far more immediate crises.

RFK Jr Calls Out the Media

Remember when trust the science became code words for do as you're told? I certainly do, and the Trump administration appears well aware of it. I liked RFK Jr, and his running mate Nicole Shanahan, and it's good at least one of the pair found their way into some level of authority.

More Calls for Infantino to Go

Gianni Infantino must be sacked.

Infantino Must Go!

After North and Central America then Asia also objected to the idea of the World Cup allowing private investment, FIFA has dropped the idea.

Now, sack Infantino. Weird to think people are now starting to miss the days of Sepp Blatter and his brown paper bag era.

UEFA Could Boycott FIFA

It's good to see someone finally standing for something. The plans by FIFA to effectively sell the World Cup to private interests are obscene. Gianni Infantino has to go. 

If the plans do go ahead, Association Football (soccer or just football to many) will become like the WWE, just a display of skill with no real meaning.

This year's World Cup was a disaster, what with surge pricing and hydration breaks. And the halftime show during the final was ridiculous.

If UEFA boycott, they could run their own competition in direct competition. Outside of Europe, only Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina have won World Cups, the game is dominated by the Europeans.

https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/02a7-213a92896eb0-54dfbf454e3b-1000--statement-on-behalf-of-uefa-and-its-55-national-associations/

UEFA and its 55 member associations stand as one. We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors.

The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies. It has been built over generations by players, national teams and supporters across every continent. No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.

Is Our Money Safe?

The greatest risk of AI is its ability to hack our finances. One day, we may wake up to find our money has disappeared. 

AI is a useful tool, but it is often wrong, and not in shape to be fully trusted.

The Opportunity Party

New Zealand voters will have noticed the rise of The Opportunity Party, TOP, in the polls. The media is pushing them hard, not a day goes by without them being mentioned.

Rumour is, they've been taken over by Labour and they're now a budget brand of Labour and the Greens. Hearing this, I tried to find things out; who exactly is the TOP leader married to? His name is Grant. That's it, Grant. Good luck getting more information on him. I heard he was related to Labour leader Chris Hipkins, I wonder if that's true?

Then another rumour has the TOP deputy leader related to James Shaw, former Greens leader.

Given the silence around the real name and career of the TOP leader's husband, and the sudden excitement of the media at everything TOP, with gushing praise that is sick inducing, I WILL NOT be voting for these tax tax tax fiends in the 2026 general election.

Thought New Zealanders ought to be forewarned. 

Dr Fauci Exposed

Should Anthony Fauci be subjected to much closer scrutiny?

AI Companies Destroying Books - Literally

AI companies are buying up books and then shredding them. This could be the biggest ever destruction of a key component of the developed world, going on right underneath us. How is this even allowed to happen?

Finding the Drones - It's Hard

Iran is a large country and the drones they use are small. They're hard to find and knock out. Moreover, drones are cheap to make compared to the missiles used to destroy them.

Mail We All Know

 AI can deliver something entertaining. I find this Royal Mail spoof advert very accurate. 

End of the Lucky Country

Australia is going down. I called this 16 years ago, now it's a reality. Last year, I pulled out the last bit of money I had in Australia. 

Tariffs Once Again

The latest round of tariffs from the Trump administration sees Australia and New Zealand imposed with a 12.5% tariff barrier. The excuse given relates to forced labour. Kind of weird that as I don't see how forced labour is involved in producing NZ wine. But, I laughed at Australia which has gone out of its way to be a lapdog of the US, only to be kicked in the teeth as well. 

Interestingly, NZ faces a 12.5% tariff on its lamb meat, but not beef. That would be because hamburger patties sold by McDonalds are made with NZ beef. The NZ beef has the right consistency to hold together and is therefore easier to cook and serve as a hamburger.

Fuel Crisis Real

With war going fully regional in the Middle East, we are now looking at the possibility of diesel running out. This is not a pricing exercise, it is a have nothing at all crisis. I put it like this; if you have no water you're dead two and a half days later. It doesn't matter that a bottle of water hundreds of miles away is only a dollar, you can't reach it, so you die.

When it comes to diesel, it is like that complete lack of water. No diesel, no economy. It doesn't matter that diesel in some other part of the world is cheap, or whatever.

Thing is, both the Australia and New Zealand governments have had months to solve this, but they played politics, happy feelings, sing kumbaya, hope and pray.

Regional Conflict

The Houthis of Yemen have announced a blockade of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, principally targeting Saudi Arabia. This will have a major effect on the world economy as currently Saudi Arabia has diverted its oil exports to its ports on the Red Sea, away from transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which is also blocked.  

With this move, we can say that the US-Iran war has now gone regional. Yemen's Houthis are backed by Iran.

UK Slips Farther into the Mire

Nigel Farage calls out the incoming Prime Minister; Andy Burnham was not in parliament in 2024 and has no mandate to lead the UK. Labour had over 400 MPs and yet none were suitable to lead the country. Instead, they had to parachute in the Mayor of Manchester.

Election Interference

Finally, something from Donald Trump that is accurate and which people can support. The election in 2020 was rigged. Those who think it wasn't are wrong. Documents are now being declassified and released to the public; finally, an opportunity exists to discover what was, and may still be going on.

It is incredible to think about the journey we've been on. First came the years-long coup to undermine the first Trump administration, culminating in the rigged election. Then, Trump was de-banked and he dodged several attempts on his life, one of which would have been successful except for an invisible hand intervening and moving Donald Trump's head to one side.

Weeks before the US election in 2020, there was a New Zealand election and it was also rigged. I believe it was used as a practise run. A full investigation of that event cannot be conducted as the ballot papers were destroyed. 

So Many Questions, Very Few Answers

The whole Ann Widdecombe business is looking very dark:

Assassination of Ann Widdecombe

The latest news to come out regarding the murder of Ann Widdecombe is that it was a politically motivated assassination. The police and other spokespeople have gone out of their way to try and frame the murder as a burglary gone wrong. 

Ms Widdicombe was a former Conservative government minister and a prominent member of the fast-rising Reform UK. The new party is now the most popular political party in the UK, a position it has held for a year now. It is also the largest political party with over 270k members, and more than 2.5k councillors. 

Clearly, the powers-that-be want to end the threat Reform poses. Their media lackies have been attacking Reform politicians daily, but the public support has held. Now, they've gone to the next stage; simply do not protect them. And when attacks do occur, they'll deny the motivations, effectively saying nothing to see here, move along, and when that doesn't work, shut up, behave.

Did They Meet?

I found the following very interesting. It questions whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met King Charles recently.

Lindsey Graham

US Senator, Lindsey Graham has died suddenly at the age of 71. It has been reported he had a heart attack about 24-hours after arriving home from a visit to Ukraine. Pundits are speculating that Russia or Iran somehow got to him. 

A lot going on now, once again it's hard to keep up. 

Ann Widdecombe

Prominent British politician, Ann Widdecombe has been murdered. The police appear to be saying it was a burglary gone wrong. However, her political ally, Nigel Farage is implying that she was assassinated.

Nigel Farage Did Nothing Wrong

The UK House of Commons Code of Conduct is very clear about what gifts must be disclosed. The gift received by Nigel Farage does NOT require disclosure. The relevant rule is cited below:

42. Members should not register under this category: 

a) Benefits which could not reasonably be thought by others to be related to membership of the House or to the Member’s parliamentary or political activities, for example purely personal gifts or benefits from partners or family members, or loans or mortgage arrangements on commercial terms. However, both the possible motive of the giver and the use to which the gift is to be put should be considered. If there is any doubt, the benefit should be registered;

Nigel Farage at the time he received his gift was not a member of parliament, nor did he intend becoming an MP. Thus, no-one could reasonably think this gift was anything other than personal in nature. Such personal gifts are expressly excluded and SHOULD NOT be reported.

Mr Farage is being pilloried for following the express rules.

Clearly, there is an attempt underway to neuter him politically. With a delegitimised Andy Burnham about to become PM, a General Election may be about to be called and they want Farage pushed under. His move to resign and force a by-election in his constituency is a genius move as he has now been elevated to top of the news cycle, effectively making Burnham look weak and useless.

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmcode/1076/1076.pdf

Nuts and Bolts and Screws

It popped into my head the other day, whatever happened to Nuts and and Bolts and Screws Ltd? Turns out, they're still around, calling themselves NBS Ltd https://nutsandboltsandscrews.co.nz/about/

I used to buy things from them. You know the sort of thing, nuts, bolts and screws. I'd go in and ask them, you got any screws? They'd say, lots, what type of screw did I want? I'd say, one that's just right thanks. They'd ask self-tapping, and I'd reply, self tapping is best, always handy. They'd remind me to use a bit of lube, and did I want a coarse thread? I'd say I always use a bit of lube, and coarse is good but not too much friction. Then, they sell me a bolt and not a screw, because it's a bolt is what I really wanted.

Anyway, I still haven't been able to buy fork handles:

US-Iran War Kicks Off Again

Full conflict has resumed, and the problem for the West is oil has been further depleted. After the MOU was signed, oil flows recovered to about 25% of flows prior to the war. So, global oil reserves have still been used to keep things moving. 

I recently saw a video accurately examining Iran's strikes on countries in the Gulf. The extent of damage is much greater than has been disclosed previously.

This is very serious.

Prince Harry's Big Loss

Prince Harry sued the Daily Mail and he's lost on every point. Now, he and the other claimants will need to find 50 million pounds in costs owed to the newspaper publisher.

Oh dear, how sad, never mind. 

This may bankrupt the prince. Will his father or older brother bail him out? Hard to imagine that happening since Harry has burnt all of his bridges. As for his marriage, the clock is now ticking loudly.

Burning Bridges performed by the Mike Curb Congregation:

Farage Makes Statement, Watch Out, He's Motivated

Nigel Farage calls for a General Election and addresses the pile on; including The Times publishing a photo of his daughter's house.

Farage is resigning his electorate and standing again. He'll likely get more than 75% of the vote. This is a major strategic move and puts the ball into the government's court. He's a wily old fox is Farage.

Nigel Farage Constantly Attacked

In the United Kingdom, Reform UK now poll as the most popular political party by far. They lead with a clear margin ahead of both the UK government and Opposition. They've held this lead for over a year now, they've won literally thousands of council seats, they control many local councils and have several Mayors. In Westminster, they have eight Members of Parliament.

To put this in simple terms; there has been no political party in the history of the UK rise so fast. The kind of change we are witnessing is cultural, political and economic transformation. It is revolutionary. The man behind all this is Nigel Farage. Farage is a kind of political Arthur Daley-type figure with his flash suits and somewhat dodgy persona (channelling the TV series Minder). His Terry McCann-type sidekick is Richard Tice. The two, backed by financier Zia Yusuf, are the barroom brawlers of UK politics. The people like them for this, but the media hacks, establishment figures, City bankers loath them. They want Reform UK disposed of in the dustbin of history.

Daily we see constant personal attacks on Nigel Farage and his cohort. It has become tiresome to say the least. Opposition to Reform has plunged to the depths of the sewers, now devoid of ideas, or argument, just attacks on the man. How unseemly.

These attacks continue because the establishment are worried. Worried as in sweating profusely. They can see their future endeavour's being side-lined by the rise of Reform UK. From my vantage point, I find this hilarious, you can smell the desperation, almost taste it. 

And don't write off Nigel Farage. Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, I would ask people about Nigel Farage and he was always dismissed as a kook, a flash in the pan. Well, that proved wrong as he has had the biggest influence on British politics since 1945. Britain has now irreversibly left the EU, after it never democratically joined it in the first place. Britain shat on its empire, and joined their enemies on the Continent and were promptly bankrupted for their stupidity. Now, Britain has less of an economy, next to no military and cannot even secure its own borders. Farage says he can solve that, and I would not doubt him, he probably can.

Reform UK seem to have tapped into a mood across the UK that goes beyond middle class versus working class. In all areas, middle class, working class, North and South, people are voting Reform. Getting people to change habits when actually in the polling booth is a major victory and Reform has done that - amazing.

Farage needs to keep hammering the elites, and remind voters that when you're taking a lot of flak, you're over the target. Voters realise this and will vote for Reform, they can see these attacks for what they are; desperate measures from failing media and stale old-boy networks. 

At the next general election, if Reform UK can become part of a coalition government, or the Official Opposition, then I'd say this would be the biggest political shift in a hundred years. 

Upset France!

Tony Abbot is a former prime minister of Australia. He stopped the boats. For years, illegal migrants had bought passage in Indonesia and entered Australia at the nearest point. Abbot said enough of that, anyone arriving illegally by boat will never be allowed set foot on Australian soil. That did it, the people smuggling stopped.

Britain needs to take immediate action, listen to Tony Abbot.

Rugby Revived: Nations Championship

Rugby has been in the doldrums for years now, what with rigged games and lack of defence. But, watching over the weekend, the new Nations Championship format looks to be promising. This is where the top 12 teams in the world play one another for the overall title of world champion. The teams are divided into two pools, the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. Peculiarly, Japan has been placed in the Southern Hemisphere.

Results (North First, then South)

France 32 - 34 New Zealand

Italy 10 - 27 Japan

Ireland 33 - 31 Australia

Wales 39 - 24 Fiji

England 21 - 45 South Africa

Scotland 47 - 38 Argentina

The competition will take place over two years, culminating in a grand final where the top team from the North plays the top team from the South.

One problem with this format is it is likely to lead to the South dominating the North, because all Rugby World Cup winners, apart from just the one - England - are in the South.

World Rugby are trying to head off the challenge posed by rival promotions such as Rugby360. In Super Rugby they now have their Super Rugby Weekends where all the teams descend on one city and play over a weekend. This year it was held in Christchurch and proved very successful. It helped that Christchurch has a covered stadium.

Rugby has to look at covering its stadiums but at the same time not making them too large. Crowd sizes positioned close to the pitch and numbering about 25k is ideal. The NRL play open to the elements but they do keep their crowd sizes down and have fans able to see the action, which makes for a far better experience.

So, the Super Rugby weekends and this format of a Nations Championship does at least attempt to address the problems rugby is facing, and that is; a lack of fan engagement and high scoring but ultimately unsatisfying games. 

Rugby has to sort out their feed to Google and other search engines. Currently, it is hard to get updates. I'd rate their efforts as a whole a fail on this, a D- for sure. Soccer are always on top of things, by contrast.

The best link I've found is the BBC in England, check it out:https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union 

There is also a second division, called the Nations Cup, and that includes the likes of Georgia, Romania, USA, Samoa etc., but no promotion/relegation as yet. This won't happen anytime soon, but if it does, Georgia are looking the most promising. Even now, Georgia could just about replace Italy.

Good Dating Advice

I have this guy popping up in my feed these days; I don't agree with everything he says, but this video is quite accurate. My only quibble relates to timelines. When it comes to planning things, commitment, and rescheduling, these may occur more at the start as two people get to know one another. Events may clash etc. But on the personal level, lack of respect, denying your status within the group and lack of tactile communication are huge red flags in my opinion. 

This advice is aimed at men, but you can reverse it and much of it is advice that can be given to women as well. Basically, don't live in a dream world.

Progress Made on Release of THOSE Files

Gradually, inexorably, the truth is being revealed. Just release the files already!

Disillusionment

This is quite touching, all sides of the political spectrum in the US are coming to the realisation that everything is a lie - everything.

Become a Welder

Worldwide there is a critical shortage of welders. When I talk to a young person about job prospects, I always say, learn how to weld. The courses are not expensive and everyone wants a welder.

https://weldingonlineacademy.com/the-state-of-welding/

• Most welders are nearing retirement
• Schools direct people away from trades so you have less competition for jobs
• The pay is better, and no large student loans
• Advanced welding is complicated, leading to further expertise in areas of automation, basically putting you at the top of the hiring tree
• Welders are better looking
• You are everybody's friend

Weird Ideas from Billionaires

Peter Thiel is one very strange Dude. He bought New Zealand citizenship at one point, what was that all about? He's been reported as in Argentina, they're welcome to him, stay there Mr Thiel and while you're at it, take Elon Musk with you. But the strangest thing of all is his vision for the future. He and a few of his billionaire mates see a future that is a techno feudal state. I laugh when I hear about this stuff as these people seem to think they'll prosper from such a thing. Err...no, they'd be disposable. What do these Peter Thiel types actually do? They're not useful, so all those who are useful would simply dispose of them.

AIPAC Defeat in Colorado

Following major upsets in Democratic Party primaries in New York, Colorado has voted to unseat Diana Degette, the long time representative for Colorado's 1st Congressional District. It is a safe Democratic hold, so the new anti-AIPAC candidate, Melat Kiros, will be the new congressperson in the House of Representatives in Washington DC. 

It seems the Democratic Party is undergoing transformation, removing AIPAC-backed candidates. This is a grassroots level movement, not something imposed from the top down. It will be interesting to see how the party responds, as the Israeli lobby pretty much owns the Democratic Party for now.

Big Pharma Suppressed Warning Signals

Amazing how many still think the jab was somehow a good thing. For truth head over to my useful links page for resources which explain the extent of the horror unleashed.

War on the Ground Against Iran

The US may go to war against Iran on the ground. This is next level stupidity, but the US appears upset that it lost the war.

Claim and Counterclaim

Who to believe? The US and its tame media says that it has delivered a stunning blow to Iran. Meanwhile, Iran says it has caused serious damage to US interests in the Persian Gulf. The below report seems to substantiate the latter; US bases in the Persian Gulf have been severely impacted.

America Is Tired and Getting Angry

Imagine needing a subscription to possess the keys to your house. How about your car thinks you're too tired and won't let you drive. Cashless society, say hurty words online, card payments disabled. Not long to go now, the surveillance state will kick things off for real.

Idiocracy Was Documentary

When I first saw the movie, Idiocracy, I knew it was accurate. 

King Charles Breaks with Constitution

On the quiet, while no-one was watching, King Charles has stopped describing himself as Head of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith. Now he describes himself as protecting the space for faith within the multifaith nation. He spouts complete drivel in other words. 

The below video explains what has happened. I'm finding it hard to obtain a video explaining this succinctly. Most commentators blather on about irrelevancies, even this one, but at least it does get around to spitting it out.

Les Mills - Legend

New Zealand fitness industry heavyweight, Les Mills, has died at the age of 91. Les Mills founded Les Mills World of Fitness. Their fitness programs are sold by thousands of gyms worldwide. In the US alone there are about 4,000 gyms selling a Les Mills program. If you've seen BODYPUMP, BODYPUMP HEAVY, or BODYATTACK then these are Les Mills intellectual property. I often joke that we'll soon see PUMPIDYPUMPPUMP as a brand. Maybe BOOTYPUMP. There is no limit to the number of PUMPS possible.

Les Mills was a New Zealand Commonwealth Games field athlete who won a gold medal in the discus. He also won a silver medal in the shot put. Later, he coached Beatrice Faumuina to a world championship in the discus. 

Apart from sport and fitness, Mills was mayor of Auckland for eight years. He was big man, big in character and stature. His son built the business he founded into an international success story, but back in NZ he had little understanding of how big his name was. When visiting Texas, he was surprised at people's reaction upon meeting him, they were surprised Les Mills was a real person, not some French company!

I sometimes use Les Mills as an example of NZ's soft power. 

https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/people/celebrity/gym-chain-founder-and-olympian-les-mills-snr-has-died

Why Is Keir Starmer So Hated?

Interesting discussion this; examining exactly why the outgoing British PM, Keir Starmer, is so hated. Who thought promoting him into the highest office in the land was a good idea? Consider, when the question was put to him, Davos or London, he chose Davos.

That Trillionaire Elon Musk

Is Elon Musk a trillionaire? No, he isn't. The trillion dollar value people put on him is derived from his stock holdings, multiplied by the current value of those shares. A company may have a large market cap, but not be making a profit. Oh wait, that's SpaceX. 

Elon Musk cannot simply sell his shares and bank a trillion. In theory he can, but in reality if he put his shares on the market, the market as a whole would tank and he'd end up getting cents on the dollar. 

There are different ways of looking at this, I realise that, and there is no doubt Elon Musk deserves to be a billionaire off the back of Starlink alone. But beyond that, Musk's ventures are foolish, mostly flimflam. Look at the list; Tesla is the worst car ever made, SpaceX rockets blow up often, the boring company wasn't any kind of new idea, that hyper loop was stupid. Paypal leaves me wondering why people use that platform, I checked it out once and found that you basically give your money to them and they decide whether you can access it - not like a bank which rarely behaves like that. Twitter has always been a US government operation, governments have backdoors through which they monitor people. 

I look at Elon Musk as performance art. PT Barnum was the greatest and remains so.

One Million Reached - Thank You

The number of readers of my blog has reached more than one million over the past four years. And most of those readers have been visitors over the last two years. Readers come from all over the place, notably, Singapore, Brazil, USA, Hong Kong, France, Vietnam and Mexico. 

Don't forget to leave a comment below any of my posts.

Recently, I have been successful selling paperback copies of my books, with a resurgence in physical sales of my science fiction novel, Dana Point. If you enjoy visiting my site, then please consider buying the paperback of Dana Point. I don't allow advertising by third parties on this site, to make reading what I have to say easier.

You can buy Dana Point on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FP5DLJ1

Dana Point by Ken Horlor

Crash 2026?

We are due for a correction and there are a lot of overvalued stocks. AI is a bust, face it, it is often wrong. SpaceX doesn't make a profit, and may never make a profit but it is meant to be highly desirable. We've seen this before: the 1987 stock market crash and then the industrial property crash of the early 90's, the dotcom crash of the late 90's and early 2000's, then the GFC 2008, and now, 2026.

My issue is with the thinking that some companies are too big to fail. Constantly rescuing failed enterprises is a fool's errand. After 2008, all that happened was governments bailed out the chosen few and doubled down. We are living in a bubble. 

Elon Musk isn't a genius: according to some, he's an illegal migrant who should be deported to South Africa. His predictions turn out to be nonsense, and he's never invented anything. Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates are university dropouts we are expected to listen to. How did these individuals get to be super rich? My explanation is they're all the beneficiaries of taxpayer largesse, one way or the other. 

What I am describing is a situation where we're living on a leaky boat, and the people expected to keep us afloat are only interested in making the holes in the boat larger so it can sink faster. The politicians are owned by these same people, so they'll ignore the leaky boat. When the boat looks to be sinking and going under, they'll blame us. 

Funny - Royal Mail

I wonder if the UK's Royal Mail knows where New Zealand is? Today, I received an expo guide from the Quarrying Institute in Britain, promoting Hillhead 2026, a working quarry show held in Derbyshire every two years. I am a regular attendant, but did not plan on going this year. I received the guide after the show was held, 23-25 June 2026. The envelope was sellotaped together, it had broken in transit.

Normally I would receive such mail well in advance of the event. So I looked at the post mark - Sweden. The origin point was Nottingham, England; so I'm assuming this letter went from England to Sweden first. The mail system saw New Zealand, and thought, oh, Sweden (there is a Zealand in Denmark and the Netherlands, don't know about Sweden). It arrived there, and the Swedes nicely repaired the package and sent it on to the correct destination, New Zealand, on the other side of the world. 

Sweden can find New Zealand, but not the Royal Mail. Imagine the type of people they hire in mail sorting in England!

Prof Keen Explains Inflation

This is a good explanation of what is coming, and how those in charge lack the intellect to deal with it.

This is my way of explaining what he's describing: I want to cut down a tree in my backyard, but my axe handle is broken. I can choose to use the axe with the broken handle, and take a long time, or I can buy a new handle. The new handle costs $20 now, when it used to cost $10. Adjusting interest rates won't make the handle cheaper as energy is used to make all axe handles, and so no matter what I do, I am faced with paying more or going without and taking a long time to cut down that tree. Because all economic output consumes energy, if you restrict the flow of energy, prices rise and consumer behaviour has nothing to do with it.

Some will point out that we have had no shortages of fuel, the stock has always been there when needed. That is correct, but why the price of energy rose is due to the reserves being depleted. When Trump surrendered he appears to have done so after being told that the world had about 90 days of oil reserves left. The world had been running by topping up using reserves. Thus, we saw no empty tanks at gas stations, but in the background the feedstock was running low. 

Now we are faced with trying to rebuild refining capacity in the Gulf, and trying to get shipping back to normal. This may take a year or two. In the wake of that, we may be about to experience a major collapse, along with the AI bubble and all the other bubbles.

40% of Kids Cannot Read

It isn't just the US, this is a problem throughout the English speaking world. AI will make it worse. The children are not reading.

Nigel Farage Takes Victory Lap

Nigel Farage has been the most influential political figure of the twenty-first century in Britain. He was responsible for getting the UK out of the EU, and now he's effectively caused the end of the Labour prime minister. Labour has panicked and parachuted in the mayor of Greater Manchester. Such an undemocratic move just to avoid extinction.

The media are now relentlessly attacking Farage. Those swamp creatures are shameless, but when Reform UK do become part of a government they'd better look out, Farage doesn't strike me as a forgiving type. They've all got it coming.

The below interview is one of the few I could find that let Farage simply speak for himself.

Reinventing Starmer

Watch how the Labour luvvies now try to frame Keir Starmer as competent. For some odd reason, throughout his rise and reign, Starmer was given a free pass. 

Keir Starmer Resigns

Yes, it is happening, finally, the world's worst prime minister ever is calling it quits. Worse than Justin Trudeau, worse than Anthony Albanese, and worse even than Jacinda Ardern. Good riddance.

Makerfield By-Election

The UK Labour Party has a new member of parliament, Andy Burnham, the so-called 'King of the North'. Some pundits are saying Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, may step down almost immediately, effectively anointing Burnham as his successor.

Labour has to do something as, right now, Reform UK are eating their lunch. Reform consistently poll as the most popular, leaving Labour fighting over second place with the Conservatives, and both are distant second.

Reform didn't do too badly in the by-election that saw Burnham elected. The Makerfield seat is a Labour stronghold and yet Reform grew their vote from the last time in 2024. They went for the same candidate and he was relentlessly attacked, as you may expect. But, he proved to be quite popular and Burnham's victory was only possible due to the tactical voting carried out. Voters hate Starmer and so many voters of varying stripes simply voted for the candidate they knew could replace him. Consequently, the LibDem and Green vote collapsed. 

I note 'helpful' criticism of Reform coming from right-of-centre sources. They amount to nothing more than those wishing Reform join them in the swamp. Reform must stay the course and keep doing what they're doing, keep standing non-politicians as candidates and stay on message. With the thousands of local authority councillors they now have, they're well positioned to launch into a campaign for a General Election if one is called soon.

Clever Renewable Energy Idea

The movement of the seas provides a useful source of energy that is fairly consistent. It wouldn't be everything to all men, but this thinking is a start. An obvious problem is that when swells are too large, the energy flow would shut down, much the same way wind farms do. 

Iran Has the US in a Doom Loop

The 'deal' between the US and Iran hands Iran a huge win. Key in all this is the next 60 days. Over that time, while the final deal is being drafted, global oil reserves will be run down more and yet only a trickle of oil will leave the Persian Gulf. Moreover, oil that does get out will take time to process when it arrives at refineries. Iran can simply shut down the Strait of Hormuz again and completely crush its enemies.

Car Mechanics Speak Out

Car mechanics are leaving the industry. Cars are now too complicated, they're also junk, and the manufacturers don't want to pay a fair rate for repairs. 

Some Calling for NBA Finals Officiating to Be Examined

The claim being made is that the NBA Finals refereeing was heavily biased toward the San Antonio Spurs. Presumably, this was to ensure there was a game 6 and 7. If the series went to game 7, a lot of money would be generated. But, the New York Knicks won despite this bias, that's how superior they were (allegedly). What do you think?

France vs England

Was this the moment the San Antonio Spurs sealed their own demise? Victora Wembanyama was born in France, while OG Anunoby was born in England. Many are warning, do not celebrate too early, stay humble. But most seem to have overlooked that when a Frenchman goads an Englishman, things don't usually end well for the Frenchman. Students of history will know this very well.

US Lost the War - Confirmed

Iran did not get everything they were after, but they've clearly won the war that the US started. Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz was open, operating as an international waterway. Now, fees will be paid by commercial vessels transiting, and Israeli vessels can be excluded.

Iran do not get sanctions relief, but half of the money held overseas will be freed up. The Gulf States have guaranteed to pay, thus, if the US do not release the funds, then the Gulf States will pay regardless. Basically, Iran is going to be rolling in cash. That'll make Pakistan, China and Russia very happy as Iran will buy more from them.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/14/iranian-hardliners-in-vociferous-push-to-reject-proposed-peace-deal-with-us

Back to Back Mandated - Who Can Beat the Knicks?

Spike Lee and John Turturro reminisce; 53 years is a long wait.

Knicks Win NBA Title 4-1

Well, they did it, after a long drought. Well done the New York Knickerbockers, 2026 NBA Champions.

Elon Musk First Trillionaire?

I just don't accept that Elon Musk is a trillionaire ($1,000 billion). I figure that's because most of his wealth is derived from the US taxpayer, he's better described as the world's biggest welfare recipient.

Studying Musk, he's only associated with one venture that amounts to anything - Starlink. Starlink has been a game changer for people in remote locations and at sea. But, everything else of his simply doesn't add up.

Take his Tesla cars, they're rubbish and his truck is the worst vehicle ever produced. SpaceX always blows up, his rockets are no good. The Russians are still the only people manufacturing a reliable space vehicle carrying people to the space station. 

Comparing Musk to the likes of Jeff Bezos; the latter actually provides value, a real business. Musk, I predict, will go down in history as the biggest bullshit artist of all time. 

Knicks One Win Away

It looks like the Trump jinx has been lifted with the New York Knickerbockers winning game 4 of the NBA Finals, to go 3-1 up. Many alive today have never seen the Knicks win an NBA title. Now, they're one win away. In the final seconds, OG Anunoby, for the Knicks, pulled off a crucial block to prevent the Spurs from scoring, then at the other end, he made a spectacular tip-in to seal the win.

Kirsten Dodgen

Kirsten Dodgen has gone from being that young woman wearing the green top while dancing in Justin Bieber's video 'Sorry', to travelling the world teaching others how to dance. Many K-Pop groups now use her style.

Ms Dodgen is based in Auckland, New Zealand.