A Small Island Man

Why can't the world see that a global pandemic requires a global solution? 2020 ought to have been the year when Climate Change and Covid focussed the minds of the world to form a nascent World Council with binding obligations for the well being of all mankind. A world council would be charged with limited responsibilities for matters like the distribution of vaccines, vaccine information and the means to distribute and disseminate information for all. All participating countries would be called upon to contribute according to their means. This could have been the silver lining. This would also be the route to prepare for the challenges that are inevitably heading our way with Climate Change. If a mutant arises that is highly transmissible and very deadly, then what's left of mankind is going to look very silly for not having laid its differences aside and doing this. If no such mutant arises, and we did do this, no one is going to say it was a silly thing to do. Comments will ...

So gov.uk drops the map for Teeside Freeport into my email inbox today. Three Acres of Lawlessness for Teeside I have written about how I believe this government's plans for freeports to level up the UK, is more likely to line the pockets of the wealthy and corrupt before. A very wealthy person said my analogy of freeports operating like an unlicenced lawless solicitors office for conveyancing on the cheap to avoid scrutiny and taxation "was silly". But then I think the excessive wealth of the super rich and their efforts to avoid sharing their wealth with those less fortunate by tax evasion is also silly. It seems my concerns are shared by the EU too. The Summary conclusions of the European Parliamentary Research Service's report on Money laundering and tax evasion risks in free ports start with: "Free ports are conducive to secrecy. In their preferential treatment, they resemble offshore financial centres, offering both high security and discretion and allow...

I am the small island man! How lucky am I not only to have discovered Sifnos but to have found a way to make a permanent way of life here. To book a two-week holiday and to have had a single morning as perfect as mine would make that holiday a worthwhile investment. But I, get to live here! I have to pinch myself every day, to check I am not dreaming. This morning Hazel and I ventured up to Apollonia. We had to check for the post at the post office, stop by the butcher, and as habit dictates, stop for a chocolate croissant and coffee which we share with Ronnie, aka The Schnoodle in the little square outside the Veggeraki bakery. Such excursions always take a long time. It was necessary to stop and pass the time of day with a dozen or so friends. Of course, we spoke with the butch, the baker, and our carpenter had to stand in for the candlestick maker. But then there were the many other island friends too and a new friend was made too (we managed to pick up some of his Greek and English...