Standing on the brink

I can’t help thinking the world is edging toward conflict.

Turkei (read Erdoğan) has agreed to allow Finland and Sweden into NATO. I wonder what that cost? He won’t have done it for nothing. That has further upset our mate Vlad who continues to rain terror on Ukraine, including a precision missile targeting a shopping mall, which the Russians of course describe as fake news. He seems determined to obliterate not only Ukraine, but all Ukrainians.

NATO has recognised the threat of China and naturally the Chinese have reacted badly, accusing the West of fomenting a ‘cold war’ mentality. Australian Prime Minister Albanese has proved to be as recalcitrant as his predecessor (ie he isn’t toeing the Chinese line) so Australia will continue to be a target. And Pete and I will continue to try to avoid buying anything made in China.

Meanwhile, Xi is making a rare visit out of Beijing to Hong Kong, no doubt to rub Hongkongers’ noses in their defeat. Whatever happened to one country, two systems?

In America the landmark supreme court ruling known as Roe vs Wade which legitimized the right of women to have an abortion has been overturned after 49 years. Responsibility for legislating about abortion has been returned to the state governments. That’s true in Australia, too. NSW was the last Australian state to legalise abortion in 2019. But in America, women will have to persuade the God-fearing governments in the South that women have a right to make decisions about their own bodies. My immediate thought when I heard the news was “here comes The Handmaid’s Tale”. Quite a few of my American friends thought the same thing. Actually, the bible says abortion is okay. Read about it here.

The Supreme Court has also ruled that the US Federal Government does not have the right to force companies to adhere to emissions regulations, which makes their Environmental Protection Agency toothless.

The hearings on the events of 6^th January 2021, where a mob attacked the US Capitol building in an attempt to stop the validation of Joe Biden as the next president, continue. I don’t doubt ex-President Trump’s involvement in those events but if the committee feels it has a case, the matter should be taken to trial. Hearsay evidence which would not be permitted in a court isn’t much better than salacious gossip.

Update: Legal friends tell me that Cassidy Hutchinson’s evidence is not hearsay and that they believe she is a credible witness. There you go.

Mind you, Mister Putin and Mr Xi would be delighted if America was absorbed in a trial of the ex-President. While all of that’s going on, who cares what happens everywhere else?

Apart from all that, those of you who read ebooks might be interested in the Smashwords July sale. Lots of books of all genres will be available at reduced prices. Pop over and fill up your ereader.

And to finish, here’s a picture of the beach.