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The Intelligentsia's Gifts To Us

Stephen Milward — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 19:00:00 GMT

I'll start with a definition:

'Intelligentsia: is a status class composed of the university-educated people of a society who engage in the complex mental labours by which they critique, shape, and lead in the politics, policies, and culture of their society'. (i) as such, the intelligentsia consists of scholars, academics, teachers, journalists, and literary writers. (ii) (iii)

By such a definition, I'm a member of this status class. I was a scholar and a teacher. However, I want to concentrate on the second part of the definition, that is:

'lead in the politics, policies, and culture of their society'.

That surely contains politicians. What interests me here are those politicians who may have held high office, who, when they have lost their job(s), possibly through a scandal and should have left public life, still believe that we cannot do without their pearls of wisdom. They can't take the hint. Back they come, as if nothing whatsoever has happened, to spout off via the MSM, podcasts, books, lectures or other methods. They are failures who do not recognise humility or shame. They apologise with weasel words for the harm and/or distress they may (they did) have caused. But the fundamental thing is this: they believe that they are entitled to tell the population of their views precisely because of their backgrounds (public schools, university, business) and not because they make the slightest sense in the present circumstances. They are 'entitled'. That is their role on earth. They believe that the masses and other intelligentsia cannot do without them.

We can. We do. We will.

Do I have any particular targets in mind? I might do.

Peter Mandelson Wiki (iv)

This man's life beggars belief. A sorry tale of successes turning in to spectacular failures. A British cabinet minister who had to resign twice, the UK ambassador to the US (sacked after revelations about his Epstein friendship) - yet the man just won't go away.

PoliticsJoe: Explained: All of Peter Mandelson’s scandals before Jeffrey Epstein

Why should he? He's still a member of the Privy Council and a baron. Lovely. I am pleased for him.

What's his latest contribution? An article in which he accuses European leaders of histrionics regarding Trump's Greenland plans (v). He just won't go away. He hasn't yet learnt from his history that people don't care what he says. No doubt his audience are fellow members of that same intelligentsia class that gave us Johnson, the House of Lords, newspaper owners and the rest.

I don't want to paint all members of the intelligentsia with the same brush. I'm sure there are some who have enough moral integrity to withstand the pressures that come from blind self-esteem. However, the intelligentsia have to realise that if they want to continue to hold the position in British society that they think they deserve, they have to stop the posturing, the lies, the intrigue and the power grabs that some are famous for. Failure to do so will only mean the revolution is closer than they imagine.

11 January 2026: Mandelson is on the BBC with Kuenssberg this morning. And there you have it. Just incredibly pathetic.

13 January 2026: Now he apologises for the Epstein association (vi). Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.

01 February 2026: Mandelson resigns from the Labour party. He should have been sacked, thrown out and dumped. After the release of the latest Epstein documents, Mandelson's behaviours become increasing scandalous (vii). This BBC News package speaks to Mandelson and his losing his peerage:

The police must become involved and investigate this man's actions.

04 February 2026: Mandelson resigns form the Lords (viii). At the moment, he is still a Lord. This is scandalous and disgusting. But it also raises serious questions about Starmer's judgement alongside McSweeney. What made them think Mandelson was anywhere close to suitable for the UK Ambassador's post to America? Are they such idiots as not to make the correct checks and not just take Mandelson's word? Starmer must take responsibility for this gigantic error. Frankly, Labour need to look to a post-Starmer future, since there's no chance in hell of them winning the next election with him in charge.

The British political class is showing itself for what it is, a complete and utter self-serving disgrace.

04 February 2026: So there we have it. Starmer knew about Mandelson before giving him the ambassadorial role in America (viiii). At PMQs today he admitted this and his credibility is totally gone.

Starmer must go and take his rancid regime with him. It's time for the real Labour party to stand up and represent the mass of poor and dis-enfranchised people. Oust Starmer now. Reset with a new left leader. People are crying out for real societal change. If they don't give it, we should take it.

23 February 2026: Mandelson is arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office (ix).

16 April 2026: The Guardian reports that Mandelson failed the vetting but the Foreign Office overruled the decision (x). What is going on? It is a deliberate cover-up? What was Starmer up to? Who is telling the truth?

18 April 2026: The Guardian reports that Lammy said that Starmer would have blocked the Mandelson appointment if he'd had known that Mandelson had failed security vetting (xi). Why should we believe that? Starmer announced the appointment, then had to sack him. Are we to believe that just because Starmer has said he's very angry about this whole affair, what would have happened without the Epstein papers? Mandelson would still have been in post. Would Starmer have sacked Mandelson on the back of the vetting issue? I personally doubt it. He would have lost too much political face. One thing is for certain: Starmer is in very deep trouble, in parliament and the country. The intelligentsia have given us another example of how they work in government. I am certain that the proletariat couldn't do any worse.

(i) Wikipedia: Intelligentsia

(ii) Ory, Pascal; Sirinelli, Jean-François (2002). Les intellectuels en France: de l'affaire Dreyfus à nos jours [The Intellectuals in France: From the Dreyfus Affair to Our Days]. Paris: Armand Colin. p. 10.

(iii) Williams, Raymond (1983). Keywords: A Vocabulary of Culture and Society (Revised ed.). p. 170.

(iv) Wikipedia: Peter Mandelson

(v) The Guardian: Mandelson accuses European leaders of ‘histrionic’ reaction to Trump’s Greenland stance

(vi) The Guardian: Peter Mandelson apologises for Epstein association in sudden U-turn

(vii) The Guardian: Mandelson resigns from Labour to prevent ‘further embarrassment’ over Epstein links

(viii) The Guardian: Peter Mandelson resigns from Lords after Epstein email leak scandal

(viiii) The Guardian: Rising Labour anger after PM admits knowing about later Mandelson-Epstein ties before giving him US job

(ix) The Guardian: Peter Mandelson arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office

(x) The Guardian: Revealed: Mandelson failed vetting but Foreign Office overruled decision

(xi) The Guardian: Starmer would have blocked Mandelson role over vetting failure, says Lammy

Vet Charges - Are We Being Ripped Off?

Stephen Milward — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:52:00 GMT

Looking after a pet (in our case, Mina the cat) can be an expensive business. I've never worked out how much we've spent over the years on our cats. It must be many thousands of pounds over 40 years. We did that gladly, since we view the cats as family members that we have a deep responsibility to look after to the highest possible standard. They have depended on us for their wellbeing and have given countless hours of joy, comfort, laughs and tears.

Vets know that. Pet insurance companies know that. They know that emotionally, people will pay anything to make sure their pets get the treatment they need. The emotional component of pet ownership is what they depend on. Bottom line is that they aren't charities, they're businesses, sometimes multi-national, extremely rich businesses. The Guardian has run an article about charges and the setting up of a comparison website (i). If an animal needs a scan, the prices can be eye-watering. Again, the Guardian has run an article about this (ii). People are at times really desperate, even to the extent of launching petitions like the one here (iii).

Our vet practice is an excellent one. I would recommend them to anyone if they want their pet to receive first-class care. However, like most vets, they are expensive. It's very easy to spend hundreds of pounds at the vets. So perhaps pet insurance is the answer?

Mina is insured. We've just received a letter telling us that her premium is almost doubling next year. There maybe reasons for that - she's a year older for instance. But doubling? We can afford it, but I suspect that a lot of owners will not be able to afford pet insurance and therefore decide not to have it, or worse, get rid of the pet. There are abandoned pets all over the country. I don't know how many, but it wouldn't surprise me if the figure is in the millions. That's a disaster for the animals.

Until there's more transparency of charges, openness and good quality information about vets and insurances, the owners cannot be expected to know about the full options open to them. Only one thing isn't optional - the care of the pet. And they know that.

(i) The Guardian 28 March 2026: ‘It feels like they’re pulling figures out of the sky’: UK pet owners welcome crackdown on vet fees'

(ii) The Guardian 17 April 2026: Why do vets charge more to scan an animal than a private hospital would to scan a human?

(iii) change.org: Stop Vets Charging Extortionate Fees

Is Medical Privacy Possible In The Internet Age?

Stephen Milward — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:30:00 GMT

We regard our privacy to be extremely important, in all parts of our lives. Knowledge and information about us as individuals and families is only shared with others with our express and explicit permission. We should control that information. It should be our decision, and ours alone, as to what and how much information is shared with anyone, from friends and the wider family, to professionals in various spheres of society. But is that still possible at a time where personal information is held electronically and in the internet age, anywhere in the world? That's a big question, so let's look at one example - personal medical information.

Medical information is gathered about us from the moment we're born and today even before that. Our gender, birth weight, any immediate health concerns... these are all documented in some way, on paper, electronically in databases, images and video. Every visit to a health professional is documented. By the time someone reaches adulthood, the amount of personal health information held by others is very large and disparate. Duplication of information can be on a large scale. Access points to that information might be unmonitored, except by flimsy security methods. Yet we give our information, sometimes deeply personal, freely, since we implicitly trust organisations to keep our information safe, private and secure.

But in the internet age, nothing is totally secure. Nothing.

An example of insecurity of medical data is reported today in the Guardian (i). UK Biobank (ii), (iii) is a facility that follows half a million volunteers to look at disease prevention, treatment and diagnosis. These are laudable aims. I participate and have done for years.

What Is UK Biobank?

UK Biobank's response to the Guardian article (iv) via Professor Sir Rory Collins, Chief Executive and Principal Investigator of UK Biobank, starts with:

'I want to reassure you that your personal information in UK Biobank is safe. After 14 years of making your data available for scientific discovery, we have no evidence of any of you being unwillingly identified.

Ensuring your personal information is used safely and correctly is our number one priority. There has not been any hack or data breach of UK Biobank, and if there had been you would have heard about it from us.'

It goes on with the following paragraph:

'All UK Biobank data provided to researchers are ‘de-identified’. This means that the data do not contain personally identifying information – such as your name, address, exact date of birth or NHS number – but may include health data you have provided and from your health records.'

That's reassuring. It goes on to say:

'We take your privacy extremely seriously. I am also a UK Biobank participant, so I know how much this matters. We know the possibility of your data being identified can never be completely removed, but it would require someone to have specific, matching information from another source that they knew was personal to you, in order to do so.

That is exactly what The Guardian has done. The participant featured in the article chose to give specific, personal, health information to The Guardian. The Guardian then cross-referenced this information with UK Biobank data to establish that the person is a participant.

This is not a failure of our approach to data confidentiality because the participant shared the information to identify themselves and, significantly, has said she intends to remain part of UK Biobank because its work is so important. As with any personal information, we recommend always being careful not to reveal specific details about ourselves on social media or websites.'

The line 'We know the possibility of your data being identified can never be completely removed' points to the truth of the matter. There's no such thing as perfect security, less so now that AI has become mainstream. An individual, right through to states, can only do their best to lessen risk in the internet age, where data flows around the planet almost instantly, through different hands and jurisdictions. The risk is mitigated by measures, both technical, legal and ethical. That's not new. We do it every time we lock a car door, close a window, install a camera. But in the end it comes down to trust. Given the response from UK Biobank, do I still have trust in that organisation?

It's a trade-off. A balance of risk. What is the balance between the risk of my data being exposed to those who have no right to it, versus the undoubted benefits to research and development that UK Biobank brings? That's not a binary choice. It's a moveable choice. At this time, I choose to remain with UK Biobank and believe that the measures they've put in place to guard privacy are sufficient. But they must also understand that confidence is easily lost. They must continue to develop and cement security and privacy of data. If they don't, confidence in their ability to retain participants will be lowered, with the consequent lessening of the quality of research, research we all have a vested interest in seeing succeed.

31 March 2026: The Guardian reports that the executive vice-chair of Palantir in the UK, Louis Mosley, says that the government should resist calls to cancel the contract they have because of the objections by 'some ideologically motivated campaigners' (v). This contract should never have been signed in the first place. No NHS data should ever leave our shores and certainly not go to an American company founded by Peter Thiel, a 'conservative' political activist (he also founded PayPal), who presumably is 'ideological'. I say NO MORE CONTRACTS to Palantir, now and in the future.

16 April 2026: The Guardian reports that Labour and Lib Dem MPs want the Palantir contract scrapped (vi). For the NHS to be connected with this dreadful company is a disgrace and must be ended.

(i) The Guardian 14 March 2026: Confidential health records from UK BioBank project exposed online

(ii) Wikipedia: UK Biobank

(iii) UK Biobank

(iv) A message from Professor Sir Rory Collins, Chief Executive and Principal Investigator of UK Biobank 14 March 2026

(v) The Guardian 31 March 2026: Palantir’s UK boss criticises ‘ideological’ groups as ministers move to scrap NHS contract

(vi) The Guardian 16 April 2026: Labour and Lib Dem MPs demand ‘shameful’ Palantir NHS contract be scrapped

Memories of Science TV: 'From Earth To Miranda'

Stephen Milward — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 06:15:00 GMT

Every so often, a TV event seems to capture the spirit of the times and hence becomes memorable years after transmission. The BBC science series 'Horizon' (i) had many such episodes, but the one that on Planet Milward is still talked about with affection is 'From Earth To Miranda'.

The programme, narrated by Martin Jarvis (ii), features the Voyager 1 (iii) and Voyager 2 (Iv) missions to explore the solar system on a 'Grand Tour'.

The programme aired on January 29 1990 (Jenni had just had her fifth birthday). Near the start of the programme, events at the time sets the scene, including the death of Elvis Presley (v). We see the scientists who worked on the missions, including Linda Morabito (vi), who discovered volcanic activity on Jupiter's moon Io (vii). The programme also featured animations of the Voyager's flightpaths, which by today's standards are almost childish, but at the time were brilliant.

But what made 'From Earth To Miranda' exceptional was that it captured the moment. Manned spaceflight was not seen in terms of exploration. It was left to the Voyagers to explore, discover and explain. It played to our curiosity, to our sense of surprise and wonder about what was found. Most importantly, the Voyagers asked more questions for future generations to answer.

No matter what distance they are from earth, the Voyagers are still with us. Humanity's urge to push boundaries and explore have never had better champions.

You can watch 'From Earth To Miranda' below:

(i) Wikipedia: Horizon

(ii) Wikipedia: Martin Jarvis

(iii) Wikipedia: Voyager 1

(iv) Wikipedia: Voyager 2

(v) Wikipedia: Elvis Presley

(vi) Wikipedia: Linda Morabito

(vii) Wikipedia: Io

I Think Therefore I Am An Atheist

Stephen Milward — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 17:30:00 GMT

I am an atheist. I do not believe in gods. It's OK to be an atheist. It's not illegal, doesn't hurt anyone and there's nothing to be ashamed of. Nor is it weird.

As a child I was made to say my prayers each night. I sang hymns at school and had R.E. lessons. But then, in my teenage years, I achieved 'critical thinking' status. I questioned the sheer impossibilities involved in religious narratives, the power of the church in the state and the influence the clergy had over the unquestioning masses.

I read about the Reformation and the corruption of the Catholic church. I believed in the power of science to explain the world, not of stories and myths passed down among the illiterate and uneducated.

But above all, I realised that the church isn't about spiritual wellbeing, it's about power. Power over people, states and vested interests. That explains why there are so many gods to choose from. And of course, god is always on my side in a battle.

10 April 2026: The Guardian has published a really alarming piece about militant Christianity and Pete Hesketh, the US Defense (or war) secretary (i). This complete lunatic is using religion to justify his murderous and illegal campaigns against Iran. He and the radical far-right Christian groups that attach themselves to idiots are dangerous to society. I, as an atheist, call them out for the threats they are. Hesketh is not an example of intellectual rigour or thought, he is only interested in power and ego. He doesn't care about you or the people, only the likes of Douglas Wilson, a Christian nationalist dangerous lunatic with the most repulsive and extreme views (ii). Religion can turn people into trash. There's plenty of it to see in the American government at the moment.

Here's an example of how religion is not just corrupt, it's cruel. I was a resus baby, born in 1957. I needed a whole blood transfusion to survive, which I got in hours after birth. If I was the child of a Jehovah's Witness parent, that parent would have watched me die (iii). In practice, the courts would have intervened and allowed the transfusion over the heads of the parents, but that's not the point. My parents were 43 and 39 years old when I was born. They weren't going to have another child. I wouldn't have become a teacher, lecturer, performer, father, husband, friend. I wouldn't have been given that chance, by my own parents, to become those things if they had been Jehovah's Witnesses. It's pathetic and morally indefensible.

Religion does that to people. It corrupts them. It makes them lose sense. It is an excuse for appalling behaviour. To some, it is an essential piece of kit to justify extreme violence. If you think that's wrong, look at the world around you right now.

It's time that we grew up. I'm proud to be an atheist, to have the power of critical thought and speak truth to religion and it's interests.

Please visit Humanists UK (iv) if you agree with me that the understanding of our world and our place in it does not need religion to help, instruct or guide us in any way, shape or form.

My blog post 'Why Atheists Must Be More Political' covers more ground on this subject.

(i) The Guardian 10 April 2026: Pete Hegseth’s holy war: the militant Christian theology animating the US attack on Iran

(ii) Wikipedia: Douglas Wilson

(iii) Wikipedia: Jehovah's Witnesses and blood transfusions

(iv) Humanists UK

Why Atheists Must Be More Political

Stephen Milward — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:04:00 GMT

I'm scared. You should be too.

Specifically, I'm alarmed about religion and people who profess to believe in a god. It doesn't matter to me which religious sect people happen to be a member of. Religious, pious people are all capable and have history of extreme violence against eachother, against the vulnerable, the young, women, girls, boys, mothers. I see little contrary evidence of kindness or moral high ground. Why is this?

Churches and religions are power organisations. They have command structures, usually identified by uniform and status. Their one feature is that they have a mythical 'god', that by some means speaks to us. Their god's word is always codexed and believers are supposed to see the one truth within the book's pages. Over time, the leaders of these sects have managed to become part of countries' secular political state organisation. In the UK parliament, church leaders are in the unelected House of Lords, having their say over legislation. The House of Commons' proceedings start with prayers each day. The head of the Church of England is the monarch of the day. When a religion doesn't suit a purpose or deliver the promised goods, another is invented to do the job.

Around the world, religious organisations have taken on an increasingly powerful political stance and have a leading role in nationalist populist policies. We see it today: Jews and Christians in a war against Islam, each of which has 'right on their side'.

Well, I'm scared and sick to death of these people using the excuse of religion to defend their killing. You should be too.

I'm an atheist. I do not believe there is a god. It's nonsense. It's rubbish. It's about time atheists became more political and challenged the religious in every sphere of life. We are numerous. In the UK 2021 Census, 37.2% identified as 'no religion' in England and Wales (i). This has the potential for a serious political movement. 40% of MPs after the 2024 general election choose to make a secular affirmation rather than swear a religious oath (ii). The Green party is considered a secular organisation, but are not explicitly anti-religious.

As a first step, we should separate religion and the state. This is the aim of the National Secular Society (iii). Please watch the video below that discusses secularism.

I urge all political parties to advance non-religious policies. It's the least they can do.

My blog post 'I Think Therefore I Am An Atheist' covers more ground on this subject.

(i) Wikipedia: Irreligion in the United Kingdom

(ii) Wkipedia: In 2024, the UK elected its least religious Parliament

(iii) National Secular Society

The Powerful Don't Want You To Know The Full Truth

Stephen Milward — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

In a civilised society, telling the truth should be the default position. Whoever you are, whatever your interests, background, class, race, gender, telling the truth is what we depend on for trust, cohesiveness and progress.

But not everyone tells the truth. Liars appear in every segment of society. But when the most powerful interests and people are liars, or have something to hide from victims of evil people, the shutters come down and the powerful are protected.

Epstein's victims, women and girls, deserve to be told the full, unredacted truth in the Epstein files. These are people who we should all respect and enable. We should all make the powerful in society accountable to us. Failure to do so should have consequences.

This video was released on 'Super Bowl Sunday', to the largest American TV audience. It calls for full disclosure of the documents relating to Epstein.

These women must have justice. The powerful must be made to face the full consequences of their actions.

But who are 'the powerful'? The list of powerful people and institutions grows as revelations are made. The political class, including the monarchy, are soaked in filth. They desperately try to cover their tracks, apologise, have inquiries, make statements, yet they remain untouched by real consequences. People are used as firewalls, hoping that the sacrifice of someone will put an end to the scandal. However, the crisis goes deeper. Much deeper.

My position is clear. The monarchy must go. They do not speak for me. Charles is not my king. He insults my intelligence. They have no democratic mandate. They are self-serving, astonishingly privileged and ultimately accountable to no-one. They invent roles for themselves, even making their own church and religion. They are pathetic. They are unnecessary.

We need to make the UK a republic, democratic to the core, where anyone can become head of state and not limited by class, race or gender. We will never progress as a society when ambition is institutionally capped by the powerful. Visit the Republic website and read about the movement to abolish the monarchy. We must change the way society is governed and make everyone feel valued. Everyone.

31 March 2026: The Guardian reports today that the 'state visit' of the monarch to Trump's fascist America is to go ahead (i). This is an absolute disgrace. The idea that, at a time of war and with an absolute lunatic for a president, the British head of state should go, party, smile for the cameras and generally ponce about, was backed by Starmer, who himself, along with the British Forces and military dead, has been insulted by Trump and his goons many times. This disgrace, along with the Epstein scandal, ought to signal the end of this decrepit, deceitful and abhorrent monarchy. #notinmyname #notmyking

I applaud the stance taken by the Spanish government, who has told Trump that he can't use Spanish bases in the war against Iran (ii). Europe must stand up to the bullying tactics of Trump and his cabal.

It's very clear what should happen, but it appears that Starmer isn't prepared to give Trump a lashing, just use diplomatic language. Perhaps he isn't brave enough to do it. So I will.

America, your reputation is trashed. It is on the same level as a bin full of black vomit. It's not going to recover, now or ever. Trump, Hesketh, Vance, Rubio and the rest, go and fuck yourselves senseless. You are truly pathetic and will be remembered as a bunch of racist fascist liars that didn't give a damn about anyone but yourselves. You are not going to bully us, Europe, Greenland, Ukraine, Canada, Cuba, Mexico or NATO. Learn that. Now.

(i) The Guardian 31 March 2026: King Charles’s state visit to US will be ‘humiliation’ amid Iran war

(ii) European Council On Foreign Relations: Trump vs Sanchez: Why Europeans should back Spain against US threats

Memories Of Peter Jones: Radio's Best Football Commentator

Stephen Milward — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 19:19:00 GMT

I grew up in the golden era of radio. TV was still a novelty and radio was the backbone of our family's entertainment, news and information. It was all there - discussions, music of every type, plays, latest news and more. One type of broadcast that radio excelled in was sports. The best commentator of football I have ever heard was Peter Jones (i).

Peter Jones used the widest range of the English language to describe scenes. Not just the action on the pitch, but the atmosphere, excitement and sense of occasion. His eloquence, pace, diction and knowledge of football made him the doyen of commentators. Instead of the inane repetition of statistics that so-called commentators read out today, Peter Jones did none of that. He talked to his audience and made them feel part of the occasion. You sat next to him, saw the same as he did and gave you a sense of 'being there'. It's perhaps poignant to me that both Peter Jones and I became teachers, using words with passion about our subject we loved.

Here's an example from the 1985 FA Cup Final (ii), with Norman Whiteside's winning goal.

Here is Peter on BBC TV for the 40th anniversary of 'Sports Report' (iii).

Perhaps his most powerful moment on radio was just after the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 (iv). He captures the peace after the disaster with his reference to the sun shining. It's said that he never recovered from what he witnessed at Hillsborough.

Peter Jones's death in 1990 was announced by the BBC.

Peter Jones was simply the finest football commentator there has been. He gave me so many wonderful times, for which I thank him.

(i) Wikipedia: Peter Jones

(ii) Wikipedia: 1985 FA Cup Final

(iii) Wikipedia: Sports Report

(iv) Wikipedia: Hillsborough Disaster

Home Emergency Insurance: Only My Blood Is Boiling

Stephen Milward — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Insurance is a good idea, isn't it? That's the conventional, responsible view. Help is there when you need it. We insure all sorts of things in our lives - cars, homes, travel and ourselves are the tip of the insurance iceberg. But when you need help, especially in an emergency, do the insurance companies always come to your assistance?

First thing to say is that at the time of writing Denise is very ill. The sort of illness that puts families on edge, not knowing what may happen. That sets a background to what follows below.

We have a gas boiler which is less than two years old. Up to now, it does what it should do, without fuss or issues. We have it serviced annually. But just when you want the boiler, it decides to pack up. I'd call that an emergency.

We have insurance with Saga and in addition to the standard insurance we added 'Saga Home Emergency: Home and Heating Emergency' cover. We bought that cover for just this type of incident. So I phoned Saga. First thing to note that it isn't Saga that handle the Home Emergency cover, it's a company in Belgium, who then are in partnership with AXA Assistance (UK). Why is it so complicated?

Saga (or whoever they are) sent out an engineer very promptly. He identified the fault and said he would order the part (he didn't have it on the van). I'm cold, Denise is cold, but there's a reason you buy insurance, so all's going to be OK.

No.

Saga phoned later to say that because the boiler was in warranty I should contact the manufacturer and that they wouldn't help. I don't care about that, it's an emergency. I've bought Home Emergency cover. I told Saga that I'd contacted the manufacturer before I phoned Saga (or whoever they are), who told me that the boiler hadn't been registered with them. It turns out that the installer of the boiler did the registration, but they 'couldn't find it on their system'. Guess what. They have now found it on their system, and the sent another man out from a different company to have a look. He didn't have the parts. They've been ordered, and when they've been delivered here, I'm to phone the company up and get a date for the parts, that could have been fitted the next day after the boiler went down, to be fitted. Meanwhile, we still have an emergency here, that I bought extra cover for. It's rubbish.

So, the boiler still isn't fixed. I feel cheated, let down and angry. If there is a lesson to learn from this debacle, examine your policies and ask your insurers ahead of time what exactly does the cover include. As far as Saga are concerned, I feel we have been let down at a time of vulnerability and crisis. I won't forget that.

01 April 2026: The boiler has finally been fixed, but not by Saga's Home Emergency cover. The boiler has been down for eight days, the same time as it took a dog to be rescued after the 2023 earthquake in Turkey/Syria (i). I leave it to you to work that one out.

(i) Wikipedia: 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes

Starmer: The Ultimate Morality Coward?

Stephen Milward — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:46:00 GMT

It's clear that, at a time of enormous international tension, we need a leader who will stand up and be counted in the arena of international law. Keir Starmer has shown that he is not that leader with regard to Trump's action in Venezuela.

Trump's actions are a clear breach of international law. If it's not, then we should follow the same standards as Trump and get Netanyahu, who has arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court for war crimes (i).

Starmer is a morality coward with regard to Venezuela. Instead of standing up for international law and the sovereignty of states, he dithers and waits for what his master tells him to think and do. His complete weakness in the face of fascism and imperialism shows him to be a charlatan, a disgrace and a danger. We need and deserve a leader with backbone, not some dog on a lead doing his master's bidding for a titbit reward.

What is to stop China doing the same with Taiwan, Russia with the Baltic states, America with Greenland, if international law is ripped up by despots? Starmer doesn't have the answer to that. He is not someone of principle, who would face down blatant aggression. He has surrendered. He is a coward. Then came the Iran war and Starmer changes direction.

06 March 2026: As I write this, the illegal American/Israeli war on Iran is taking place, with no idea as to how it will end. Starmer, to his immense credit, did not agree with the Americans and decided not to join the offensive against Iran. That would have been an act of political suicide, given the history of the Iraq war. However, he has used the military to defend British interests against Iranian attacks. Starmer has made clear that he will not join in an illegal war with no achievable plan set out in advance. This is in stark contrast to Trump's loyal followers, Badenoch and Farage, who would take no notice of international law. The lunatic fascist far-right in Britain sees Starmer as some sort of traitor. I see him, in this case, as at last standing up to Trump, thereby aligning the UK with a more Eurocentric stance. My concern is that Starmer acted in one way regarding Venezuela, and the opposite regarding Iran, regarding his reaction to Trump. I would ask for consistency of approach. When backbone is on view, the people will understand. The opportunists can go to hell.

01 April 2026: Starmer holds a press conference, saying again that the UK will not be dragged into the illegal America/Israeli/Iran war. This is good, since it shows that the lessons of Iraq have at least partly been learnt. He must continue to stand up to Trump, no matter what pressures he faces.

Trump must be defeated. He must go. Our children's futures are not safe with him and his fascist sect.

(i) Wikipedia: International Criminal Court arrest warrants for Israeli leaders

Thank You

Stephen Milward — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 11:36:00 GMT

I want to thank, through the medium of this blog, all those people in Jenni's circle of friends who are thinking of Denise at this time.

It means a great deal to us both. Perhaps more than you know.

Jenni and Matt are being wonderful, loving and supportive. To them, our love always.

Ambulance Waiting Times: Are They Improving?

Stephen Milward — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 08:00:00 GMT

At some point in our lives, we will need medical help that needs an ambulance to attend a situation. This happened to us this week. Denise was clearly very ill and when I called 999, I was told the wait time would be 'up to five hours'. I was also told not to phone asking when the ambulance would attend. After ten hours, a car with two paramedics arrived.

Why is this? Why do we put up with such a low level of service? Why was the time given so wrong?

Money.

That's it in a word. It's not the commitment of staff in the NHS, it's the lack of resource. The NHS releases data on ambulance response times. Below is an extract from the data regarding February 2026 times.

Statistical Note: Ambulance Quality Indicators (AQI) (i)

The C1, C2 and C3 mean response times in February 2026 were all quicker than in February 2025, and all four categories had the quickest mean response time since August 2025.

Of patients treated by Ambulance Services in October 2025 after a certain kind of heart attack, the proportion receiving the recommended care was higher than in nearly all of the last ten years.

1. Ambulance Systems Indicators (AmbSYS)

1.1 Response times

For C1 for England, the mean response time in February 2026 was 7 minutes 50 seconds, and the 90^th centile was 13:59. These are both the quickest since August 2025. The average standard of 7 minutes has not been met since April 2021 but the 90th centile standard of 15 minutes has been met in every month of 2025/26 so far.

For C1T (time to the arrival of the transporting vehicle for C1 incidents), the average was 9:37, and the 90th centile was 17:17.

The February 2026 England C2 average was 28:57, the quickest since August 2025. The 90th centile was 59:29, also the quickest since August 2025.

For England in February 2026, the C3 average was 1:42:24, the quickest since August 2025. The 90th centile was 3:52:29, also the quickest since August 2025.

The C4 mean was 2:18:11, and the 90th centile 5:26:52.

1.2 Other Systems Indicators

The average handover time in England in February 2026 was 31:02. This is quicker than January 2026 but slower than November and December 2025.

The February 2026 mean 999 call answer time was 3 seconds, similar to other months of 2025/26 so far, and quicker than all months of 2022 and 2023.

In February 2026, 752,407 calls to 999 were answered in England, or 26.9 thousand per day. There were 737,526 incidents, or 26.3 thousand per day, over 1,300 more per day than there were in February 2025. Of those, 354,764 (12.7 thousand per day) required conveyance to Emergency Department (ED).

Ambulance Services in England closed 18.5% of incidents on the telephone (Hear & Treat) in February 2026, lower than the previous 3 months but higher than every other month this decade. The proportion closed on scene (See & Treat) was 28.7%. Other incidents comprised 48.1% with conveyance to ED and 4.7% with conveyance elsewhere.

Do you notice that each section starts with a sort of triumphalist statement or conclusion? Are we not capable of drawing our own conclusions from the data? I suspect that patients may draw different conclusions based on experiences.

Now, I realise that one example isn't necessarily an indicator of a trend, but I don't see a wait of ten hours in the above. Sorry, won't cut it anymore. The NHS needs to be properly resourced and if that means higher taxation, so be it. You can moan about that after your loved one is dead because of delays.

(i) Ambulance Quality Indicators Data 2025-26

Birds: I Should Know More About Them

Stephen Milward — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:02:00 GMT

I've always been frustrated by my lack of knowledge about birds. Not the birds of the Andes or Amazon forest, but of my own location, which includes Sherwood Forest. The ordinary birds that we all know by name, but know little else besides. Blackbirds, Robins, Sparrows, Thrushes, Starlings and more. I see these birds every day in the garden, but what do they do when I don't see them, away from my gaze?

I can remember as a small boy that my Mum would give me bacon fat to give to the birds. Before I got back to the door, the garden was full of birds, all jostling for position to get the food. Noisy, almost angry birds! The mayhem didn't last long, but I never really knew the bird's names. I was awful in identifying birds and honestly, I still am. It's something that I find annoying.

I tried to interest myself in the subject by having small books about birds, but I didn't make the most of that. My uncle even had an aviary that I remember going inside and cleaning, but still I didn't take enough notice of the birds. I've regretted that ever since.

So now I'm in my elderly years. I love the illustrations of American birds by John James Audubon (i). Denise won a prize at school and bought a book of his drawings with it.

Gyrfalcons By John James Audubon (ii)

Years later, we went to Thorsby Park and had an afternoon with owls (probably my favourite birds). That was really great and it was wonderful to experience the birds at such close quarters.

Stephen With Owl, Thorsby Park

I'm going to try again to find out more about the wonderful world of birds. If you would like to learn more, you can start by visiting these websites and start your journey:

Hawkeye Falconry UK

RSPB

CornellLab Birds Of The World

(i) Wikipedia: John James Audubon

(ii) Gyrfalcons By John James Audubon - Birds of America, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24166341

Locate A Patient: Frustrations

Stephen Milward — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 10:08:00 GMT

Hospitals. Love or hate them, we all need them at some time in our lives. When a loved one is admitted to hospital, it's very stressful for family and friends as well of course for the patient. So when a hospital sets out to help families, it's not too much to ask that they do so efficiently.

So, I give you Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (i). King's Mill Hospital (ii) is our local hospital. You may hope that the information on their website is accurate, especially with fundamental information like visiting times. It isn't.

This is taken from their website (iii):

General visiting guidelines

Visiting hours are between 11am and 7pm. If you need to make arrangements out of this time please contact the ward directly.

That's wrong. Visiting starts at 11.30am. How do I know? I've been to King's Mill today and visiting starts at 11.30am. Why is the information on the website wrong? There's no excuse.

Secondly, finding a patient. The extension number to find a patient at King's Mill is 3763. This number is given in the automated message when you ring the hospital and it's on the website (iv). I tried it. No-one picks up. It's useless. When I got to King's Mill, I asked reception and they gave me location information, which turned out to be wrong! Don't advertise a number and then not answer the call. Don't have reception give wrong information. It's pure nonsense and can wind people up who are already stressed.

And while I'm on the King's Mill Hospital topic, stop people smoking on the premises. The website claims that they are a 'smokefree trust' (v). No they're not. Every single time I go, there's smokers fagging away near the main door, sometimes right next to the no-smoking signs. Does King's Mill enforce their policy? No they don't. So why have it? Tell security to move these smokers off the premises. Just do it. I don't want to walk pass fag ends when going to a hospital.

So, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, please sort yourself out. Immediately.

(i) Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

(ii) King's Mill Hospital

(iii) King's Mill Hospital Visiting A Patient

(iv) Contact our clinics and wards

(v) We are a smokefree Trust

Shopping: Why I Hate It

Stephen Milward — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 15:14:00 GMT

I've been shopping this morning at the village supermarket. I say shopping, but it's really an experience that I hate, and not just because of the expense.

What is shopping in 2026? For me it means getting in the car, going along roads jam packed with deep potholes and finding a space in the car park. Then I load up with several shopping bags. I approach the doors already fed up.

I'm greeted by.... nothing. No welcome from the surly staff, who go around heads down, with the deportment of Quasimodo. I first come across the pre-packed mushrooms. Aren't mushrooms supposed to be white? These look like they need serious cosmetic help, especially with the wrinkles. I walk on.

I approach the cheeses, again sealed against humanity in plastic with primary colour labelling. They have the same look as a puppy at the animal sanctuary. I feel guilty as I walk past, not releasing a bag from the cage.

The milk. Don't you think milk is cocky? A container has an air of arrogance. 'You need me', 'you don't have a choice, buy me - now!'. I do, but not with pleasure, more a resigned defeat.

The same happens over and over again. Bread, biscuits, cat food... nothing fancy. I know that I'm starting to stoop. I approach the till, and the battle begins.

The opening salvo is always the same. 'You alright?' says the assistant. I really want to say 'No, I'm sick and tired of this pathetic excuse for shopping and customer service'. 'Yes I'm fine thanks', I reply meekly. I've mastered the art of moving my mouth to say words, but thinking something else.

The starting gun then sounds. The goods are in the trolly. I have to get them out and pile them up in a small space. The assistant scans the goods... beep, beep, beep. I then have to put them in to shopping bags in a great rush. Who will win?

When all that has finished, the lull begins. The time passes as the assistant wants you to pay an extortionate amount of money. I take my time, pretending not to be able to find my wallet. I'm enjoying this bit. It feels like revenge. The bank card approaches the handheld gadget. I don't tap and pay, I spin out the drama by putting my card in and entering my PIN. Of course, I pretend not to remember the PIN, and occasionally look up at the assistant, who is now close to seeking medical help.

Eventually, the battle closes. I leave. 'Bye', I said. No reply. The next customer is already going through the whole rigmarole again. The assistant hears the beeps. I hear the sound of coffee.

It could and should be very different. Customer service should not be an extra. So, my advice to you dear reader, is to support your local small trader, the butcher, the baker, the greengrocer. You'll enjoy the experience of shopping far more than the inhuman, soulless experience of supermarkets.

Microsoft Outlook's RSS Feature: Get It Working

Stephen Milward — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:33:00 GMT

Microsoft Outlook's (i) RSS (RDF Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication) (ii) feature has been very handy to have over the years. I've used it and it's never failed. But recently, I've heard of reports that the RSS feature in Outlook fails.

If that's happening to you, then you could check the following settings in Outlook:

Go to File/Options/Advanced. Scroll to 'RSS Feeds' and make sure that both boxes, 'Add RSS Feed item that is updated appears as new' and 'Synchronize RSS Feeds to the Common Feed List (CFL) in Windows are ticked.

Go to File/Account Settings/Account Settings and select the RSS Feeds tab. Click on New and enter the RSS feed address here.

Go to File/Options/General and scroll to 'Privacy Settings'. Click the button for Privacy Settings. Scroll down to ‘All Connected Experiences’ and tick the box. OK out of all screens.

Of course, all of the above is meaningless if your RSS address is incorrect. Make sure that you have the correct address. Enter the address into Outlook's RSS and you should receive posts, updated when new ones are published.

(i) Wikipedia: Microsoft Outlook

(ii) Wikipedia: RSS

The Life-Altering Day: My Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Denise Milward — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 10:21:00 GMT

Thursday 14 March 2013. Around 6.00pm, I sat in my chair in the living room following our meal. Everything was fine. Then, completely out of the blue, my life changed in an instant.

I felt like I'd been hit with a cricket bat, but managed to crawl to the patio door from the chair. I called out for Steve, who was in the next room. When he came to me, I said 'I think I'm in trouble'. Jenni arrived and an ambulance was called. I was taken quickly to our local hospital and had a MRI scan. Steve managed to be in the control room when the images came in. The doctors who saw them went 'oohh' when they realised what they saw. This was about midnight. I went back to my cubicle in A&E and was told that I was to be transferred to the Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham (i). We travelled on blue lights and sirens down the M1 as fast as possible. During the ride, I spoke in a kind of 'Bill & Ben' language for a short while. We arrived and I went to Resus whilst Steve was shown to the relative's room.

After around two hours, I was transferred to a ward, where I had the most terrible night. Steve describes it as ferocious, scary and unreal. I thrashed about, pulled strange faces and was totally taken over by my condition. I managed to get some sleep, but I have no memory of events. After scans, we were told that I had a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) (ii) and would need emergency surgery. I was taken down, leaving Steve to sign the consent forms.

Excerpts From My MRI Scan: Click The Image To View

I had a five hour operation on my brain (I was actually in theatre for around seven hours, as I was put on hold due to an emergency). All went well and I eventually returned to the ward. I had various tubes coming out from me, one carrying a pinkish fluid that eventually became white. I remember alarms sounding if I moved too much and the tubes dislodged.

A day or two later I was able to sit up in a chair. Jenni and Steve were amazed to find me like that when they visited.

Over the next few days, I became more mobile and had some therapies, including going to a kitchen and making a cup of tea. Scans, visits, small walks became the routine. What I really wanted was to go home. Eventually, after eleven days in hospital, I went home. I couldn't believe it. It was an emotional time and all I wanted was to go to bed, stay still and enjoy the lovely quiet.

Head Scar From Surgery

The first few weeks had to be carefully managed. Initially, I was on medication every four hours. I would come downstairs for a little while, the time gradually building up. Of course, thoughts of a more normal life, including driving, going to the shops seemed a very long way away. In time, we introduced 'shop and drop'. Steve would drive me to the shop and pick me up later. I also went to a 'stroke club' and did little exercises. That was good to meet people in a similar situation.

I increasing started to realise how lucky I'd been. I suffered no very serious effects - I could walk, talk, eat and had a degree of independence when it came to washing and dressing myself. I became stronger and eventually the big day came. I got my driving license back! That was an affirmation of how far I'd come in my recovery.

I had further surgery for 'Endovascular Coiling' (iii) to enable blood flow to be assisted . That went well, except that I reacted to the contrast used in the imaging. I got over that after a night in hospital.

Images Of My Brain Vessels

As this post is written, I'm almost thirteen years since the event. I've been very fortunate to survive it as well as I have. I do carry scars - who wouldn't? - but I'm here and living life as well as I can. Has it altered me? Steve thinks he can see changes due to the hemorrhage, but I survived, due to the skill of the surgeons, the strength of my family and the goodwill of strangers.

To all those who may read this post, I want to stress that I was lucky. I'm very aware that most people aren't. They lose faculties, memories, relationships and their lives are very negatively affected. There are support groups and organisations to help, including The Brain Charity (iv). Please seek them out on a local and national level. My good wishes to all of you.

(i) Wikipedia: Queen's Medical Centre

(ii) Wikipedia: Subarachnoid hemorrhage

(iii) Wikipedia: Endovascular coiling

(iv) The Brain Charity: Subarachnoid brain haemorrhage

Money Calling: Bye Bye Sport

Stephen Milward — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 16:08:00 GMT

I've been concerned about professional sport for years. Let's be clear - sports clubs that are professional are first and foremost businesses. They are owned, sometimes by billionaires, not for the enjoyment of sporting prowess, but to be a profit making machine. Two obvious examples stand out.

The Premier League (i) and EFL in England were created to replace the Football League in 1992. What has happened since? Ticket prices have gone through the roof, live football is rare on free-to-air TV (the subscription model has become the default) and there are examples of owners, mostly foreign, using the club assets as collateral against loans, while at the same time sacking long-serving staff (I'm looking at you Manchester United) (ii). United fans have been protesting against the ownership for years. I for one hope that they succeed in getting the Glaziers and INEOS out.

One disturbing aspect of professional sport is the umbilical cord link to betting companies. These lousy, parasitic companies, who actively encourage people (many young men) to spend money chasing the dream, are sometimes run by billionaires, who clearly are themselves strapped for a bob or two. To make matters worse, we now have the ridiculous growth in 'stats', that even commentators depend on rather than actually telling us what is happening on the pitch.

The second example is reported in the Guardian 27 February 2026 (iii). The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is moving to a franchise model, where promotion and relegation are ditched, much like the American NFL. All justifications offered for this step are financial and nothing to do with sporting success or failure. It's pathetic, wrong and retrograde, since why would a supporter spend possibly thousands of pounds a season without sporting jeopardy? Where is the thrill and excitement in that? TV subscriptions may well fall. Crowds lessen, ticket prices go up..... clubs close down. To those clubs who have agreed to this change, when you close down, remember that you won't be missed. It reminds me of the attempt by the large powerful European football clubs to set up a European Super League. That was defeated by a tremendous fan backlash.

Let's be clear, there is an answer. Let the big professional clubs kid themselves that the future is bright. For the sports fan who wants a true sporting challenge and not a closed shop, follow the lower league clubs, the amateur clubs and better still, get involved in sport rather than just watch it. You'll enjoy it more, be more connected to it and have the satisfaction that you're not helping businessmen who don't care about you to get even richer. Believe in fan power. Don't just protest against these owners, boycott the club. You'll survive in the same way that getting rid of Facebook, X and the rest of social media can be a liberating experience. Teach these clubs that your support is conditional and should never be taken for granted.

(i) Wikipedia: Premier League

(ii) Wikipedia: Glazer ownership of Manchester United

(iii) The Guardian 27 February 2026: Promotion and relegation from Prem to be scrapped as rugby moves to franchise model

Leave American Big Tech Behind

Stephen Milward — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 16:47:00 GMT

I, like millions of other people, am in the Microsoft, Amazon, Google ecospheres. I've been there for years if not decades. Opening Microsoft Office, searching with Google, shopping with Amazon is so easy and commonplace. But as we all know, there are costs to this convenience. Financial, ethical, privacy, political and environmental costs can be hidden away from the immediate gaze and scrutiny of the user. Should we be looking for alternatives to the tech giants?

Well, yes we should. The Guardian published an article today (i) giving alternatives to the giants in areas such as Search, Browser, Email, Office Tools and more. Some of the alternatives are free and open source, some are a reaction to the growth of AI, some have an ethical dimension (tree planting) but I find the most interesting motivation for the growth of alternatives is political, a move away from dependence on American companies for technologies, to European ones who benefit at this time from a more stable political leadership.

The big tech companies have some serious questions to answer. Why do the CEO's of these companies bend the knee to Trump and his authoritarian political world? Their links to the Trump regime taint not only them as individuals, but more seriously their companies. Cosy up to an authoritarian anti-democratic liar and there's going to be a cost for that. I don't have Facebook or X accounts, since I believe Zuckerberg and Musk to be absolutely horrendous people. Believe me, I haven't missed them.

Another example is the question of Microsoft's relationship to the Israeli state, including the implication of surveillance of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank (which the Israelis illegally occupies). Microsoft denies this, but I can say that, as a Microsoft Certified Professional, I'm totally disgusted and ashamed by this. On 25 September 2025, Microsoft published a blog post from Brad Smith, replying to Guardian allegations of 06 August 2025 regarding links to the IDF (ii).

This is an opportunity for European tech companies to reach out to users with viable alternatives to the standard applications. Individuals and governments can create a new environment, cutting the dependence on American companies, building software that doesn't spy on the population, has better privacy and an involvement of users in the creation and distribution of applications.

It starts with a willingness to encompass change, even when that's difficult. I'm very seriously looking into how I can lessen my software ties to the Americans. I encourage you to do the same. If we all did that, perhaps they will sit up and take notice when their obscene profits start to slide.

27 February 2026: The BBC reports that thousands of jobs are being cut by American tech companies, because, they say, of the growing use of AI (iii). The companies' capitalist requirement for profits over any other factor, including the welfare of people, must be challenged by reducing our perceived need for their over-priced and intrusive services.

(i) The Guardian 26 February 2026: Leave big tech behind! How to replace Amazon, Google, X, Meta, Apple – and more

(ii) Brad Smith 25 September 2025: Update on ongoing Microsoft review

(iii) BBC News Website 27 February 2026: Jack Dorsey's Block cuts thousands of jobs as it embraces AI

Medical Support Services: Our Experiences

Stephen Milward — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:25:00 GMT

Navigating the world of medical support services can feel like wandering through a maze, especially when it comes to mental health and pain management. We’ve had our fair share of ups and downs, from those frustrating moments of waiting for appointments to breakthroughs that made all the difference.

The problem is that finding the right support is very difficult. Here's the question - what do we mean by 'right support'? It's not just finding a person with the skills and experience to help get through a difficult time. I'll give an example.

Mental health. this area has had greater exposure in the media in recent times. A recognition that people suffer from different mental health issues, some life threatening, has taken place. So commensurate with that, one might thing that support for these people has also increased. Well in a way it has. Services like Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Talking Therapies (i) have appeared, including the ability to self-refer. However, when you do that it takes weeks to get a telephone appointment, which turns out to be a checklist with very little talking. Then they say 'we'll call you back next week' but then don't. You're left in limbo and the motivation to continue disappears. Is that what they want? What's the point of it?

The same can be said about pain management. My experience of pain management services is very mixed. Over many years I have received treatments and discussions with a variety of people. I've had to travel miles to see people. I feel forgotten by the latest attempt at interaction with pain management professionals. Indeed, the latest was a telephone call from a pharmacist asking me to reduce my pain management medication! There isn't a cohesive approach evident in my pain management. Again, any confidence I had in the support services has evaporated. I feel isolated and angry.

When it comes to my asthma management, the story is a much happier one. I have an asthma nurse and support is offered by Asthma + Lung UK (ii). For this condition, support is excellent. Good quality support is therefore possible, offering help and information that is directed to the individual patient.

So, when you look for medical support for serious conditions, you'll probably find it in time. That's the easy bit. Finding support that is of high quality, with consistency, compassion and success, that's another story entirely, but it can be done.

(i) Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Talking Therapies

(ii) Asthma + Lung UK

A Piece Of Memories: Gabriel Fauré's Requiem

Stephen Milward — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:50:00 GMT

Firstly, I should say that I'm an atheist. I do not believe in god, nor do I believe that religion is a positive force for good. So the choice of a piece of religious music surrounding death and the afterlife seems a very strange choice for me to write about with affection. Yet I will do that.

Do you have to be a religious person to enjoy religious music? I would argue, no you don't. A religious believer may gain insights into a religious piece that are lost on an atheist. But appreciation of the beauty of style, harmony, voicing, structure and performance are not the preserve of the religious. All can enjoy that. We did.

I first became aware of the Requiem when Denise and I performed it as students. We had a wonderful Head of Music, John Craven, who clearly loved this piece. After rehearsals, we performed it at Himley Hall (i) on a Sunday afternoon. The vocal lines, the orchestration and the shape of the piece immediately made it a favourite of ours.

Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) (ii) was a teacher, organist, composer and musicologist. The Requiem (iii), composed between 1887 and 1890 may have been written as a response to the death of his parents, but he did say that he wrote it for pleasure. In seven movements, it lasts for around 35 minutes.

Why does it mean so much to us? It brings back memories of College, performing music which we both enjoyed. At that time in our lives as music students, performing defined much of our lives, particularly singing. We were young, slightly innocent, growing into adults and under the wing of a wonderful lecturer and musician. I think we both understood at the time how important this stage of our lives was, which may go some way to explaining why we look back at those years with so much affection.

I wish that our performance had been recorded, however here's a video of the Requiem performed at the Proms in 2016.

I do hope that you listen to the Requiem, even if, like me, you are an atheist. Enjoy the intrinsic beauty, the flowing lines, the orchestration and the harmonies. You'll not regret it.

(i) Wikipedia: Himley Hall

(ii) Wikipedia: Gabriel Fauré

(iii) Wikipedia: Requiem (Fauré)

Aftertouch: My Tribute To The Soldiers Of WW1

Stephen Milward — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 21:38:00 GMT

My Grandfather, John Wain Milward, fought in World War 1. He lost both legs in the Battle Of The Somme in 1916 (i). I remember him when I was a young child, but I can't remember his voice as he never spoke to me. All he did was look out of the window in the front room. Even when prompted by Grandma, he never acknowledged me.

Much later, i found out what had happened to him. He was discharged from the army (papers below).

I have two things from him, a watchchain and a middle name.

'Aftertouch' is a song I composed telling the story of men and their thoughts leaving to fight. You can view the video here:

The lyrics:

I got a letter today, they're going to send me away,

I don't have a say, I'm going to the Somme.

I don't have a choice, I don't have a voice,

So I've got something to take with me.

I'm not afraid, I'll make the grade,

With my gun and grenade, the Boche will know where I'm from.

No piano for me, when I get to Picardy,

So I'm going to take with me, your

Chorus

Aftertouch

I love it so much,

I can feel my fingers running through your hair, I've got your

Aftertouch, it means so much,

I need to feel you near me, with our love.

I really hate the trench, there's a horrible stench,

Old food and rats are all around.

When the whistle blows, we all look around,

I believe time's up for me, but I've got your

Chorus

They got me, I'm in the mud of death,

I can hear others calling, they're calling for their Mum.

I put you down as next of kin,

You'll get a letter, words you never wanted to see,

They'll be more for them to write.

My name will be on a wall, for KIng and country they fell,

Stone of ages, many pages all tell of hell.

When you see it don't cry, stiff upper lip dear,

In the dark, on your own,

Just feel my

Chorus

(i) Wikipedia: Battle of the Somme

The 'I Was There' Event: European Grand Prix, Donington 1993

Stephen Milward — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 09:45:00 GMT

The 1993 European Grand Prix at Donington Park (i) was one of the legendary races in F1 history. This is due to the extraordinary weather and the amazing talents of Ayrton Senna (ii) who produced the most magical first lap.

First, some context. I had won two tickets to the race at Donington Park, a circuit that is only an hour away from where I live. The chance to see Senna and the other drivers was too good to miss. So on a very rainy and cold morning, I set off with a friend. We arrived at 5.00am, a barmy time, dark and cold. I remember that a fish and chip van opened up at 6.00am and I bought sausage and chips. We ate the chips and held the sausage in our hands to get warm!

Ticket to the GP

The crowd built up slowly. When the time approached 2.00pm, the weather was still awful. We stood at Coppice, with a good view from Starkey's down to the Esses. Senna passed four cars on the first lap, dominated the race and won having lapped everyone but Damon Hill.

A view from Coppice

Here's some amateur footage of the day, which gives a really good idea of the conditions.

We got home, had a hot meal and fell asleep in the chair. The memory of that day has stayed fresh with me ever since, thanks to the magical Ayrton Senna. Sadly Senna died at Imola in 1994, the loss still felt deeply.

(i) Wikipedia: 1993 European Grand Prix

(ii) Wikipedia: Ayrton Senna

The Match I Remember: Aston Villa v Barcelona 1978

Stephen Milward — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:53:00 GMT

I was at College in 1978 when the chance to see Barcelona play Aston Villa came up. Above all, I wanted to see Johan Cruyff (i), the legendary Dutch forward. So along with some College friends, on 01 March 1978 I went to Villa Park, with 55,000 in the crowd.

An amazing atmosphere in the ground and when Cruyff scored at the Holte End (we were at that end of the ground), everyone applauded. When Cruyff went off, the crowd repeated the ovation. The game finished 2-2. Barcelona won the second leg. But the memory of that night in Birmingham has stayed with me.

You can see the first half TV highlights here:

(i) Wikipedia: Johan Cruyff

Mansfield: A Shadow History Or A Vibrant Future?

Stephen Milward — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 13:06:00 GMT

Mansfield - my home town. I write this with sadness, as it's decline from a busy market town to a desolate, quiet, empty space is not something that I'm happy about. How did it happen?

Well, like most things, it comes down to money. When the mines were open, alongside other industries (hosiery, metal working), there was money in the town. Weekends were spent at the swimming baths, museum, the cattle market, the market place, Field Mill (home of Mansfield Town Football Club) and the cinema. Buses were full of shoppers and people who would window shop. A new shopping centre was opened. Ladies bought their wedding dresses at the Co-op, renowned for top quality products. The town thrived, the people were happy and the future was bright.

Then the mines closed. Decline set in and has never been addressed. The town centre now is a sad place with few people about. Banks are closing. Shops are boarded up, then turned in to nail parlours. No-one goes for pleasure, only because they have to. On top of that, the roads into Mansfield are an absolute disgrace. Whole chunks of road surface are missing. Local councils and the Department of Transport should be ashamed, get their acts together and fix the roads. They're not fit to ride a horse on.

What to do about it? Invest in infrastructure and people. Make locals feel involved in decisions made about their town. This needs to happen urgently because if it doesn't, I'm afraid that Mansfield faces a bleak future.

There is something called 'Mansfield Now 2026', which promises ' the biggest regeneration in a generation'. It looks at the buildings and new businesses and training facilities. But unless the wider area around Mansfield, including where I live, gets the same investment, I wonder if Mansfield is getting the 'sticking plaster' treatment and not looking further than the next few years.

Watch the 'Mansfield Now 2026' video:

Reading: Broaden Your Mind

Stephen Milward — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 09:44:00 GMT

Reading is such a powerful joy in life. It adds so much to personal development, knowledge and it's just fun to do. But it wasn't always like that for me.

I didn't grow up in a house of books. I have no memory of reading for pleasure. I read because I had to - homework mainly. I didn't find it easy since I missed a lot of my early schooling. It was something to be avoided if possible.

I did learn to read music though. I would say that I could read music better than words at one time. I enjoyed reading a page of music and hearing the sounds in my head. The page spoke to me.

It wasn't until secondary school that reading became more important in my life. But I still didn't read for pleasure, just purpose. Then something happened. Denise entered my life and her house was full of books. Everyone read, and not just books. Maps were read for fun. The act of picking up a paper, a book, a map was natural and for the first time I understood that reading was something to take pleasure in.

I read magazines and computer software manuals and got pleasure from reading for the first time. Then, later in life, I started to read books. In my case, non-fiction mainly, but later I developed a love for Russian novels and Shakespeare. I tend to read slowly, alone and in a quiet space. I haven't developed a love of reading on a device. I prefer the act of physically turning the pages. I feel more connected to the words doing that.

We're very proud that our daughter Jenni is an author. She's always read passionately and now others read her words. Brilliant!

My wish is for everyone to take pleasure in reading. If you don't, please do try it. Visit a physical bookshop. Browse the shelves. I guarantee that you will feel enriched and happier.

NBC: Who Are They Kidding?

Stephen Milward — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 13:43:00 GMT

NBC, the American network, reported on the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan. Or did they?

When Vance, the far-right American vice president was heckled by the crowd, NBC didn't air the audio. No-one remarked on the boos, no-one heard them. They covered up the boos. American audiences were deceived. Why?

Are they scared of Trump? The British press isn't (i).

Watch Vance being booed:

I'm glad that the Israeli athletes were also booed. I certainly would have done it if I'd been there. It may seem petty, but we need to show our disgust of the Israelis and the genocide.

The Guardian: NBC appears to cut crowd’s booing of JD Vance from Winter Olympics broadcast

Parliament: Rebuild Or Move Out?

Stephen Milward — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 15:55:00 GMT

Parliament. The Palace of Westminster. Whatever you call it, it has had a place in the nation's identity for centuries. We can remember historic events that have taken place there and certainly the London cityscape is hard to imagine with the distinctive shape of the buildings.

However, it's falling to bits, both inside and outside. The question is whether we should rebuild it or move our elected representatives to a purpose built, state of the art facility elsewhere?

The cost of repairing the buildings is astronomic. It could cost £40bn and take 61 years, according to a BBC News article (i). Is that the best way of spending that amount of money? Of course, the traditionalists will say yes. They won't want to change parliament in any way. Spruce it up and all will be well.

But isn't this the opportunity to break free of the constraints made by having a parliament in such a building, and in London? Why not have parliament in another city, or two cities like the E.U. does (Strasbourg and Brussels)?

It's time to reconnect democracy to the people and one part of that is to make the lawmakers work closer to all the people under it's jurisdiction. Take this opportunity to do so.

BBC News Website 05 February 2026: Parliament revamp could cost £40bn and take 61 years

Rented Homes Must Be Of Good Standard - Now!

Stephen Milward — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:19:00 GMT

It is surely the mark of a civilised society that everyone, no matter from what background, class, education or economic power, has the right, not the wish, the right to a home of decent standard.

Capitalism doesn't recognise that.

The capitalist Labour party promised to make private rented homes fit for habitation via the Decent Homes Standard. But, as usual, Labour has sided with the propertied landlords and will not enforce it for years - until 2035! (i)

What does it take for this Labour party, not a party Keir Hardie (ii) would recognise, for think of the poor and the weakest in society? Why would they, when many of the government are rich, having no concept of how the poorest people attempt to live? They are not made up of the working class, instead they are lawyers and other bourgeois class members, having no sympathy to working class, unemployed, ill, and badly housed people. They wouldn't keep their dogs in the houses some poor people live in.

Again, the Labour party have proved beyond doubt that they are more interested in the powerful propertied class than they are the very people that sent them to parliament to represent them. Time and again, Starmer's cowards have shown that they will not fight for the poor, rather they prefer to cosy up to the rich. They are an absolute disgrace. They are class traitors and they will never be forgiven.

(i) The Guardian 28 January 2026: Fury as enforcement of decent homes standard for private renters in England put back to 2035

(ii) Wikipedia: Keir Hardie

The Space Age: A Force For Good?

Stephen Milward — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:41:00 GMT

I was five weeks old when the Russians launched Sputnik 1 (i) in 1957. It was an event that changed how people looked at the world, led to technological advancements over the decades which modern life uses everyday day, and spurred innovation, curiosity and knowledge. After the trials of World War 2, it heralded a new age of advancement.

After the 'Space Race' (ii) of the 1960s, ending with the Moon landings, international collaboration grew, more countries joined the space club and exploration by robotic missions were launched. Probably the most famous of these were the Voyager missions (iii) to the outer planets in 1977. This collaborative endeavour is present today with the International Space Station (iv).

In my view, this has helped with the political environment between countries. Just think what the world might be like now if the Americans and Russians had not worked together in the 1970s.

So far, so good. We are here now in an age of space tourism, private companies, the richest people looking to space as a personal possession and the exploitation of minerals from the Moon. Is this what we want?

Possibly. There's no question that the modern world would look very different if it wasn't for the exploration of space. But I question the ethics of such further exploitation. Planetary environmental concerns have to play their part in the future decision-making process.

But capitalism sees space as a market and the profit motive will lead to a rush to exploit. Private companies are embedded in the space market, seeing opportunities to make money. Shouldn't space be a place for us all, not just the wealthy? I'm worried about a future where space isn't democratic, but is 'owned' by a very few.

Science has gained by the exploration of space, feeding Man's innate curiosity. We know so much more about who we are, our place in the universe and the wonders of astronomy. I don't want that to stop, I just want it shared by us all.

(i) Wikipedia: Sputnik 1

(ii) Wikipedia: Space Race

(iii) Wikipedia: Voyager program

(iv) Wikipedia: International Space Station

Software Upgrades: Do You Have To?

Stephen Milward — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 12:12:00 GMT

When it comes to software upgrades, it often feels like a double-edged sword. On one hand, you’ve got new features and improved security that can make your life easier; on the other hand, there’s the headache of learning the changes and the possibility of bugs popping up. So, do you really have to upgrade?

Well, it largely depends on your needs and how comfortable you are with the software you’re using. If your current software is doing the job just fine and you’re not facing any major issues, you might be tempted to stick with what you know. But if you want the latest tools and want to stay safe from cyber threats, embracing those upgrades could be worth the temporary hassle. If you rely on it for work or sensitive tasks, staying up-to-date can save you a lot of trouble in the future. But if it’s for casual use, you might want to weigh the pros and cons before diving in. In the end, it’s all about finding that sweet spot between functionality and frustration!

I have a golden rule when it comes to upgrades. Always back up your working system first. If things go wrong, you can install the backup. I'm amazed how many people don't have a regular backup routine and schedule.

A couple of update examples:

I always install any security updates to operating systems. No questions asked.
For software, I take a more cautious approach. I don't automatically update software just because I can, or it promises new features. I wait a while, do the research, read user forums and reviews and ask myself if I really need the update. Perhaps I do, but a lot of the time I don't. I'm thinking here of Steinberg's Cubase Pro software (i). I'm on version 14, but version 15 is out. Version 15 offers new features, but as yet I'm uncertain if I need them. I'm certainly not convinced. What I don't use as a deciding factor is cost.
My antivirus software (F-Secure Total) (ii) updates itself. Check that your antivirus software does.

I have software that I've stuck with for years, doing one thing well. I don't need to upgrade.

So, updating software isn't as straightforward as it may seem. It's for any user to decide based on need, cost, features etc. Whatever you decide - backup your system first!

(i) Steinberg Cubase Pro

(ii) F-Secure Total

Friends: Why Don't They Always Stay With You?

Stephen Milward — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 13:29:00 GMT

First, let's define the characteristics that a friend may be. One attempt may be

'someone you share a close, mutual bond of affection, trust and loyalty with, enjoying their company and feeling supported by them, often through shared values, experiences, or just being there in good and bad times, ranging from casual acquaintances to deeply intimate companions. It's a relationship stronger than an acquaintance, built on honesty, trust, respect, and feeling accepted for who you are.'

That seems to cover it. A friend is special, in your thoughts, that you care about. Shared experiences seem to be the crux of it. You have 'school friends', 'college friends', 'work friends', 'social friends', in other words people who share, at the same time as you, something mutually important.

We all gain friends through life. We even rank them - 'best friend'. But sometimes, firm friendships break up. We've all experienced that too. It's a painful process. I've been through that.

An example from my life. I had a really good and firm friendship with a college student back in the 1970s. We came from different parts of the country and studied different subjects, but crucially lived on the same corridor in the student hall. We clicked, gave each other nicknames, laughed and became close. Close enough for him to be my best man at my wedding.

But then, the friendship started to come under pressure. We lived apart again. I was married. Our priorities changed and diverged. We saw each other around once a year.

'A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.'

Walter Winchell

The event that ended the friendship was a traumatic one. When Denise had her subarachnoid haemorrhage in 2013, I expected support, an email, a letter, a card, a phone call, a visit, something. Nothing. I did get emails later asking to visit, but I just couldn't see him again. I felt let down and I was angry.

I experienced 'ambiguous grief', the loss of a connection while a person is still alive. I now place the memories of that friendship in a specific time in my life. Above all, I do not feel guilty about the breakup. I'm a changed person who has moved on.

Many people have entered and left my life. For a very short time, the were meaningful and important, then they left just as quickly as they arrived. Looking back, the one thing that I would say they shared is that they took advantage of my generosity. I don't think of them as friends.

So, losing friends is OK. It's a part of life. It can hurt, deeply wound and set in motion feelings of bitterness and loss. But here's the thing - you get over it in the end. You move on in your life. I've done it, so can you.

The Concert We Waited For: Steely Dan 2019

Stephen Milward — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:23:00 GMT

The first Steely Dan album I was aware of was 'Pretzel Logic' in 1974 (i). At the time, I was very much in to the progressive rock scene, with Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Yes, Gentle Giant and similar bands taking up my musical space. Perhaps this came from my early childhood, when Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Bach were my musical home.

So when Steely Dan appeared for me, their music seemed a little strange. I wasn't used to it. The first track, 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number', a song about a breakup had me singing the line 'when you get home' all the time.

Fast forward to 1977. I'm at my college, studying to be a music teacher. The new Steely Dan album 'Aja' (ii) is released. It literally blew me musically away. The songs, the production, the musicianship.. these are all as near perfect as can be. It's cover is a masterpiece in itself.

Other albums appeared in my life - 'Katy Lied' (iii), 'Can't Buy A Thrill' (iv) and many more. All beautiful.

We never thought that we'd see Steely Dan live. Then, a little out the blue, we did see them, in Manchester in 2019. For a couple of hours, we were transported back to days that held such positive memories for us.

The set list was:

Cubano Chant
Bodhisatttva
Hey Nineteen
Black Friday
Aja
Green Earrings
Black Cow
Time Out Of Mind
Rikki Don't Lose That Number
Kid Charlemagne
Dirty Work
Peg
Babylon Sisters
Keep That Same Old Feeling
Josie
My Old School
Reelin' In The Years
A Man Ain't Supposed To Cry

Denise (with green earrings) at the Steely Dan concert, Manchester 2019

It's over six years since that night, but it will stay in our memories forever.

(i) Wikipedia 'Prezel Logic'

(ii) Wikipedia 'Aja'

(iii) Wikipedia 'Katy Lied'

(iv) Wikipedia 'Can't Buy A Thrill'

Richard Feynman: A Wonderful Teacher

Stephen Milward — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 10:20:00 GMT

What makes an inspirational teacher? Is it just the passing on of knowledge and facts? Is it someone who just gets you through exams? Or is it more than that?

I've met inspirational teachers in the music area. One was Michael Neaum, who taught me at school. Another was John Craven, the Head of the Music Department at my college when I trained to be a music teacher and finally Meryl Chambers, the Head Of Music at Sutton Centre Community School, who I worked with when I first qualified. Of course, they knew their stuff and got you through exams, but they had more than that. They were charismatic.

Every so often, you come across charismatic people. They have a certain 'something' that makes you listen, watch and take note with much more intensity than normal. In the field of theorical physics, Richard Feynman (i) had such charisma that he inspires you to be curious and does it in such a way that you feel involved in the process. Education isn't done to you, it's a process of involvement.

I like to watch Feynman's lectures and the way he communicates, not just with words but with questions. Take a look at him at work. Stick with it when it gets challenging.

Perhaps the best explanation of his teaching comes from his daughter Michelle on the occasion of Feynman's 100th birthday. It's a personal and funny sketch of how to instill a sense of wonder and curiosity.

(i) Wikipedia: Richard Feynman

Life and Fate: Vasily Grossman's Masterpiece

Stephen Milward — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 11:40:00 GMT

'Life and Fate', Vasily Grossman's 1959 novel about a family in the 'Great Patriotic War' is a book that has had a profound impact on me. It's themes of torment, struggle and tragedy based around Stalingrad (now Volgograd), speaks to the battle people have against two enemies, one of whom you are compelled to support.

For a description of the book's plot, characters and Grossman himself, read 'Life and Fate' on Wikipedia. (i)

For me, the themes apply to our world today. We find ourselves facing the growth of fascism, especially in the so-called free world. Trump, the uber-fascist who acts as if he leads a totalitarian state, who says he does not need international law (ii) is playing the role of the new Hitler, a land-grabbing psychopath who demands loyalty of his population and treats dissent as treason. America is a rogue venal state with him and his cabal (Vance, Hegseth, Rubio etc) in charge. Fascists must be fought and defeated, just like Hitler and Nazi Germany. To be an American now is a dangerous thing, even on their own streets. They have liars in charge who normalise and celebrate law breaking.

Grossman's epic novel is a timeless description of humanity's strength to resist evil from whatever direction it comes from. I urge you to read it. You will be affected and strengthened by it as I have been. The proof that literature has the power to portray political society is here for all to see and read.

(i) 'Life and Fate': Wikipedia

(ii) ‘I don’t need international law’: Trump says power constrained only by ‘my own morality’: The Guardian 08 January 2026

The Scourge Of Drink/Drug Driving

Stephen Milward — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 11:13:00 GMT

Drink/drug driving is the most stupid, insane and dangerous thing a driver can do. It's not careless, it's criminal. I've no idea why people do it, except that they are so brain-dead they think they'll get away with it. They are the vermin of the road, the lowest form of life.

I don't intend to go in to figures here, except to say that all the relevant information is on the gov.uk website (i). If you want to find out more, the visit Brake: the road safety charity (ii) and their drink driving information. We all know that people die because of the actions of these death-wish lunatics.

What would I do if I could? Have a zero limit for alcohol/illegal substances, lifetime driving bans, crush their vehicles, ten years minimum jail sentence. If the pub or club that fuelled the drink driver could be identified, shut them down.

The government should stop messing around and treat drink/drug driving with the seriousness it deserves. Protect drivers, pedestrians and other road users from this scourge. Today, before another death happens.

(i) 'The drink drive limit' gov.uk

(ii) 'Drink Driving The risks, the law, the limits and the penalties' Brake The Road Safety Charity

Why I Don't Use Social Media

Stephen Milward — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 13:03:00 GMT

Social Media. The name has become a normalised part of millions of lives. In every waiting room, bus trip, social situation, people are constantly fixed to their phones, unable to appreciate the situation they are in. They are precisely what the tech companies want - addicted.

I used to be on Facebook and X. I witnessed such hate and bullying that I decided to stop. I lost touch with some people via social media and have not re-establish that connection. But the dangers are vast, serious and life-threatening. They include

Mental illness
Bullying
Addiction
Isolation
Misinformation (lies)
Privacy

Is it worth it? Are people gaining by using Facebook and X, or losing? Do their companies and bosses care about the welfare of users, or are they most interested in profits? Are they interested in your privacy, or do they use your data to enrich themselves?

The UK government continues to use X. This is outrageous, given Musk's far-right attacks on UK politics and his disgusting Grok platform. They must leave all of Musk's platforms and regain some integrity. At least Sport England has suspended it's X account - well done to them (i).

I've tried Bluesky to see if it's a different experience. I met the same jerks there, who proved to me that I didn't need the crap that people write. I left Bluesky disappointed, but not surprised.

So, the social media platforms are full of pitfalls, dangers and grave concerns. If that's your scene, you're welcome to it. For me, there are too many risks, exploitations and lunatic platform owners. It's really not worth it.

End this addiction. Do it now. It's already too late for some.

14 January 2026: Musk claims he was unaware of Grok generating explicit images of minors (ii)

16 January 2026: X still allowing users to post sexualised images generated by Grok AI tool (iii)

25 March 2026: Meta and YouTube have been found liable for negligence by a Los Angeles court for deliberately designing addictive products that hooked a young user and led to her being harmed (iv). Please read this article and then ask yourself, why am I on Facebook or Instagram or any so-called social media? I use YouTube, but I'm a man aged in his 60s, not a teenager or young person/child. It's as clear as day that the tech companies only care about their profits. Make the decision to get off social media. What more needs to be proved?

(i) The Guardian 13 January 2026: 'Sport England suspends X social media account and takes aim at Elon Musk'

(ii) The Guardian 14 January 2026: 'Musk claims he was unaware of Grok generating explicit images of minors'

(iii) The Guardian 16 January 2026: 'X still allowing users to post sexualised images generated by Grok AI tool'

(iv) The Guardian 25 March 2026: 'Meta and YouTube designed addictive products that harmed young people, jury finds'

Tarkus: Life Changing Music

Stephen Milward — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 08:47:00 GMT

I'd been going out with Denise for six weeks when she gave me a Christmas present in 1972. That was Emerson, Lake and Palmer's 'Tarkus' album (Wiki). The first thing that stuck me was the colourful artwork, with it's depiction of Tarkus, a cross between an armadillo and a tank, produced by William Neal (Wiki, Website). It gave an indication of what the music contained and I approached it in great anticipation.

Tarkus Album Cover Art: William Neal (used with permission)

Released in 1971, the Tarkus concept piece (Wiki) that fills side one is now one of the best known pieces in progressive rock music, and for good reason. It mixes power with subtlety, technique, complex times and melodic flow, with a powerful climax. The effect it had on me was profound. I was 15 years old, wanted to be a music teacher and Tarkus reaffirmed that conviction. It seems almost weird to write about it, since the best way to experience the music is to listen to it (Spotify Amazon Music). It's influence on me continues today and I can only recommend that you listen to it.

Here's Emerson, Lake and Palmer performing Tarkus live.

Here's the version by Jordan Rudess, which in my opinion pays great respect to the original.

Paintings I Enjoy

Stephen Milward — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 09:51:00 GMT

I'm not an artist. In fact, I hated art as a subject at school, mainly down to a teacher who wasn't interested in making me a better artist. I wish I could draw and paint to a good level, but that's past me by.

The good news is that I do have an interest in art. I like to place pieces in their historical context (a Marxist approach), how art portrays the social and political classes and how art reflects the societal norms and values of the day.

Here's three of my favourite paintings, from different centuries.

Arnolfini Portrait: Jan van Eyck 1434 (i)

This painting has always captivated me, ever since I first saw this painting in my first English lesson at secondary school, when it was shown at the front of the class and I had to describe what was in the painting. I knew nothing of the artist, when it was painted, who the people were. I didn't find that out until much, much later.

It’s not just a stunning piece of art; every detail tells a story. From the rich colours to the intricate textures, you can feel the emotions of the couple. The reflections in the mirror and the symbolism hidden throughout the work makes me consider the lives they led and the world they inhabited. It’s a perfect example of how art can connect us to the past.

Dido Building Carthage: J.M.W.Turner 1815 (ii)

Denise and I were in our College Music Department production of Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas," in 1977. I played Aeneas and Denise played Belinda. We had great fun doing it, therefore one painting that never fails to remind us of that time is J.M.W. Turner’s "Dido Building Carthage."

Created in 1815, it captures the moment when Dido, the Queen of Carthage, oversees the construction of her city, all while being wrapped up in love and ambition. The swirling colours and dynamic brushstrokes give life to the scene. For us, pair Turner with Purcell and you’ve got a perfect blend of art and music.

El Camión: Frida Kahlo 1929 (iii)

Frida Kahlo's "El Camión," painted in 1929, serves as a reminder of her personal and cultural identity, with her artistic vision. This work is full of vibrant colours. Kahlo had her own struggles with physical and emotional pain and her ability to transform her suffering into art not only evokes memories of her own life but also encourages us to reflect on our own.

I see the connections between art and memory, inviting us to explore our own narratives and the emotions that shape our experiences. Kahlo's ability to infuse her work with raw intensity continues to inspire, making "El Camión" a masterpiece.

(i) Wikipedia: Arnolfini Portrait

(ii) Wikipedia: Dido building Carthage

(iii) fridakahlo.org: The Bus, 1929 by Frida Kahlo

Formatting Notes In Excel 365

Stephen Milward — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 10:04:00 GMT

I have an Excel spreadsheet with many thousands of notes in cells. However, the formatting isn't consistent and there isn't a command in Excel to format all the existing notes at once. Seriously frustrating!

I use a VBA macro to do this operation. If you've not used a macro before, follow the steps below:

VBA Macro Code for Formatting Notes

Sub FormatAllNotes()
Dim ws As Worksheet
Dim cmt As Comment 
         
Set ws = ActiveSheet

' Loop through each note (comment) in the active sheet
For Each cmt In ws.Comments

With cmt.Shape.TextFrame.Characters.Font

.Name = "Arial"       ' Set font type

.Size = 10            ' Set font size

.Bold = False         ' Remove/Apply bold

.ColorIndex = 1       ' Set text color (1 is black)

End With                  

' Automatically resize the note box to fit its text
cmt.Shape.TextFrame.AutoSize = True

'Optional: Change the background color of the note box

cmt.Shape.Fill.ForeColor.RGB = RGB(255, 255, 225) ' Light yellow

Next cmt

MsgBox "All notes have been formatted.", vbInformation

End Sub

Steps to Implement the Macro

Enable the Developer Tab (if not already visible):
Go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon.
In the right panel, check the box for Developer under Main Tabs and click OK.

Open the VBA Editor:In Excel, press Alt + F11 (or go to the Developer tab and click Visual Basic).

Insert a New Module:In the VBA Editor, in the Project Explorer pane on the left, right-click your workbook's name.
Select Insert > Module. A new code window will open.

Paste the Code:Copy the FormatAllNotes macro code provided above and paste it into the new module's code window.

Run the Macro:Close the VBA Editor.
Go to the Developer tab in Excel and click Macros (or press Alt + F8).
Select FormatAllNotes from the list and click Run.

The macro will iterate through all existing notes on your current sheet, apply the specified font formatting, and resize the 
comment boxes to fit the text.  You can change these values as required.

Note on "Comments" vs. "Notes": Excel 365 introduced "Threaded Comments," which are different from "Notes" 
(the older style of comments). 

The macro above works for Notes. If you are using Threaded Comments, the VBA code is different
(using ActiveSheet.CommentsThreaded instead of ActiveSheet.Comments).

I hope that helps.

Daytime TV: Why I Don't Watch It

Stephen Milward — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 13:35:00 GMT

Firstly, a bit of nostalgia. As a small boy, morning TV meant school programmes. To get a flavour of the programmes visit Broadcast For Schools UK, which is a wonderful resource about schools TV and radio.

On 27 October 1986 the BBC launched daytime TV. Since then, mornings have included the likes of 'Watchdog', 'Neighbours', 'Bargain Hunt', 'Homes Under The Hammer' and other classics which should all be filed under 'Rubbish'.

I know some people have the TV on for company. My Mum did. She'd have it on and not watch it. You could ask her about a programme and she wouldn't have a clue. 'I like it on' she'd say.

My main issue is the constant banality of daytime TV. Mind-numbing repetitive auctions, cooking, celebrities... it's enough to induce even the strongest willed person to contemplate the meaning of life. Never mind some of the more dreadful programmes, designed to humiliate the weak - Jeremy Kyle being the most obnoxious programme/person to grace the screen.

What is the point of this? Entertainment? I don't need entertaining in the morning, I don't have the time for it.

Are there alternatives to daytime TV? Of course there are. First thing to do is turn the TV off. Put the radio on (BBC Radio 3 is a favourite), get a hobby, read a book, meet a friend. If the TV has to be on, bring back the Open University programmes, so at least people can learn and perhaps get a new interest.

Just don't watch daytime TV as it currently exists. It should carry a health warning. WARNING: watching this can make you stupid.

Asthma: How I Live With It

Stephen Milward — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 13:32:00 GMT

I had no family history of asthma. It wasn't on the agenda at all in my life. Then, at 66 years old, I developed it. It was completely out of the blue. I've never smoked and had never been exposed to risk factor in my working life. How I got it is a mystery, but I do have it and have had to make some adjustments to manage it properly.

Asthma is a lung condition making air transport to your lungs difficult because of narrowing of the airways. You can feel short of breath, have a cough, start wheezing and feel a tightness across the chest. Bad attacks can be very serious. It has many triggers - weather, pollution and stress are common ones.

Asthma is common. Around 7.2 million people have it, but not all are under treatment. (i)

Make sure your GP is asthma aware. I think I had asthma for around three years and my GP didn't diagnose it. It was only when I had a serious attack that I was taken to hospital and treated.

Treatment is, in my case, using inhalers. They are used every day, no matter what the weather. I use Symbicort (ii) every day and have Salamol for emergencies. If I leave the house for an extended time, these go with me. I also do flow test twice a week and record the results in a spreadsheet.

I have an asthma plan (iii), developed with my asthma nurse. This is reviewed annually. I can contact my asthma nurse at any time.

I've just had my asthma annual review. A new plan has been made for me and I'm going to change my inhaler, stopping using a spacer. Here's a video about using my inhaler.

How to use a Turbohaler inhaler

Although I've had to adjust to asthma, I manage it successfully. Take the right steps and your chances of living well with asthma increase.

For guidance, help, advice and information, visit the Asthma + Lung UK website, which addresses not just asthma but other lung conditions. It's an invaluable resource.

(i), (ii), (iii) Asthma + Lung UK Website

Software Tools I Use

Stephen Milward — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 11:11:00 GMT

We have been computing for decades and over that time have used countless programs for different uses - office, music production, image work, video production and more. The following are what we currently use (it's not a complete list, just the main items). They are all for Windows, but MacOS may or will have the same programs.

It's important to note that you don't have to spend money to get software. Open source software is often very high quality and free. Sometimes companies offer free and paid versions (e.g. Treesize).

For Open Source software, visit Sourceforge and Opensource

Office

Microsoft Office 365

Ashampoo PDF Pro 5

gSyncit

Music Production

Steinberg Cubase Pro 14

Steinberg Spectralayers

Steinberg Wavelab

Native Instruments Kontakt

Various VSTs and effects

Art and Design

Paint.net **

Inkscape *

ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2026

Internet

FileZilla Pro

WebSite X5

Utilities

MP3Tag **

VLC *

7-Zip *

TMPGenc Authoring Works

* Open Source

** Free

Reformist MPs: Do They Really Represent The Labour Movement?

Stephen Milward — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 11:18:00 GMT

People may look at the current Labour government and ask simple questions: what are they for, who do they represent and why, if they represent the weak and poorest in society do they consistently act against them?

In the U.K. parliamentary system,. Labour MPs are distanced from the Labour party and its members. They may take soundings but act via their own views. They are not immediately accountable to the party membership or organisation. The leader of the party is an MP, so is the deputy leader. There is a National Executive Committee which draws up the party manifesto, but as we have seen from the current government, the manifesto is a collection of pledges that in reality are meaningless.

So why does this happen? I can only quote at length from Alan Woods in his book 'Bolshevism: The Road To Revolution'. (i)

'The laws governing parliamentary activity can be observed in the parliamentary fractions of reformist workers' parties at all times. The pressures of the ruling class, its ideology and institutions is nowhere so intense as in the parliamentary hothouse. The bourgeoisie has perfected over a long period the necessary mechanisms for bribing, pressuring, and corrupting the parliamentary representatives of the proletariat. Unless the latter are thoroughly imbued with class consciousness and the necessary theoretical understanding to enable them to see through the tricks and manoeuvres of the enemy, they will inevitably tend to succumb to pressure and get sucked into the parliamentary morass of committees, procedure, points of order, and worse. It is not necessarily a question of direct personal corruption, careerism, bribes etc., although all of these weapons are actively employed to buy off the workers' leaders. In the case of right-wing reformists, many are themselves middle-class lawyers, doctors, and economists standing far closer in their lifestyle and psychology to the bourgeoisie than to the workers they profess to represent. Even the most honest left reformers, even devoted workers from the factory floor steeled in years of struggle, can rapidly fall under the spell of the rarefied atmosphere of this artificial world, far removed from the reality of the class struggle.

For the reformist party, which in any case subordinates everything to the question of electing members of parliament, the independence of the parliamentary fraction from the party, the sacred right of each individual deputy to 'follow his or her conscience', is accepted as normal. This is just another way of expressing the independence of the reformist leaders from the working class, and their absolute and total dependence on the bourgeoisie. But for a revolutionary party, for which the parliamentary struggle is only one element in the general struggle of the working class to change society, this is unthinkable. The party, as the organised expression of the most conscious elements of the proletariat, can and must exercise control over its elected representatives at all levels, above all its members of parliament.'

In the above passage, Woods discusses the different elements of reformist and revolutionary parties in relation to the Bolshevik deputies in the Russian Fourth Duma in 1912. However the points made are applicable to today's situation, where reformist Labour MPs are, to say the least, aware of the bourgeoisie's talents, and some succumb to them. How many of the Labour MPs in 2025 are from the working class? How many in the Cabinet? How many have been given knighthoods as a reward for 'doing the right thing'? Why do Labour MPs accept places in the House of Lords, the very antithesis of democracy? Are they so stupid as to think that they relate to the working class when they enjoy the benefits of peerage? I cannot believe that they do. And as for engaging with the monarchy, it beggars belief that the Windsors, with their birth privileges, ceremonies and mysticism would allow workers to meaningfully engage with them.

Just to emphasise the issue, the Unison trade union has a new leader, who seems to recognise the issue calling out Labour's right-wing.

No, dear reader, don't be fooled into thinking that reformist parties and MPs are on the side of the workers. Along with gravity and magnetism, greed is a powerful and still corrupting force.

(i) 'Bolshevism: The Road To Revolution' Alan Woods, Second Edition 2017 pages 424-425, used with permission.

Photography: There's More To It Than Fun

Stephen Milward — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 10:40:00 GMT

Taking photographs is such a common thing. Mobiles can capture scenes in amazing detail. Millions of people carry a camera around with them. Why is that?

I remember taking photographs when I was very little, in the early 1960s. Tiny black and white square photos with a very simple camera. When we were first married we had an Olympus Trip camera, which we very proud of. It had a few more adjustments that you could make. Rolls of film that would take 36 pictures were inserted and we kept careful count of the pictures ('don't waste your film on that, we've only got two pictures left!').

Recently, after a long period of not taking too many photos, we've bought a Canon 250D, with a telescopic lens. It takes excellent images and the adjustments seem to be countless.

We now have tens of thousands of images (all now digitised and backed up). They show childhoods, parents, places, events, travels, celebrations, sadness and so much more. They are a history of our lives. We often gather around a screen looking at images from decades before and they always generate a conversation - 'do you remember that?', 'what was her name?'.

Images seem to have a special ability to capture our memories. We all need to remember our histories and I believe that photographs do that in a way that stimulates a depth of memory, asks questions of ourselves and have an internal conversation. In my opinion, they do it better than a video. I don't exactly know why that is. Perhaps a video doesn't leave as much to the imagination as a photograph does.

You sometimes hear someone say 'No you take it, I'm no photographer', but I think that we are all photographers, documenting history on a small or large scale.

So, take as many photographs as you can and enjoy them. After all, that's the main reason to do it.

The Piano: What It Means To Us

Stephen Milward — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 11:38:00 GMT

What does the piano mean to us?

Having a piano in our lives has been fundamental to our identity and careers. We have always had a piano, except for a small time, in the house. When we play it, it's as if we become another person, taken away from the issues that ordinary life has. We escape into a world of creativity, almost of a higher plane. It's very hard to put into words what happens. The action of putting fingers on the keyboard binds us to the instrument, which repays us by producing beautiful sounds and textures. It's very emotional at times.

We became music teachers, playing the piano every day. We also have a small studio, which allows us to compose and record.

Nothing can replace the feeling of peace and exploration that playing the piano brings. If you've ever considered learning to play, the effort you put in is rewarded with a lifetime's joy.

Spy Cops: The Secret Police Scandal

Stephen Milward — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:28:00 GMT

The Undercover Policing Inquiry (i) is taking place at the moment (December 2025). That such an inquiry is necessary tells you something about bourgeois State power in the U.K. No peaceful protest group is immune from the most disgusting practices of the secret police.

The evidence of 'Alison' regarding Mark Jenner, agent HN15 (also known as Mark Cassidy) points to a state where normal moral values are ignored and any abhorrent practise by state actors is allowed. In this case, deception of 'Alison' and his wife and children. The Met's Special Demonstration Squad' tactics included lying, having intimate relationships and collusion.

These women are victims of the British State. They have had to fight for themselves, setting up their own organisation 'Police Spies Out Of Lives'. (ii)

The British State is frightened by peaceful protest groups, trade unions, anti-fascist groups and so many more. Who knows what information is being gathered about ordinary people who haven't broken any laws but just have different views and come together to try to improve the lives of people? How is this information gathered? Who sees it? Who take action based on it? Who watches the spies? We now know that surveillance reports were sent to MI5 (v).

Spying and infiltration is not a new thing. An example is Roman Malinovsky (iii), the Bolshevik Duma member, close to Lenin (who defended him at times), but was a spy for the Okhrana secret police. He was denounced as as spy by Martov as early as 1913. He betrayed prominent politicians and was executed in 1918.

So, where do we go from here? Will the state stop spying on it's own population? I doubt it, no matter how many inquiries are held, how many apologies are made. The bourgeois state is so frightened by it's own shadow they would allow the police spies to carry on regardless. To defend against this is hard, but must be done if freedom, real democracy and the right to protest is to be maintained.

My last thought is for 'Alison'. No-one deserves the kind of treatment she received from the state. I wish her and her fellow victims well.

15 February 2026: The Guardian has an article featuring Jim Boyling, an undercover officer (spy) and comments by the 'internal police review in 2009 (vi). Especially disgusting are the comments by DCI Keith Edmondson, the head of the SDS (Special Demonstration Squad). It's clear that the SDS did not care about the rule of law.

To keep up with this scandal please visit the Guardian's coverage of the Spy Cops scandal

25 February 2026: In a not unrelated topic, the Guardian today reports that the British police and MI5 targeted a then BBC journalist, Vincent Kearney, in an attempt to identify sources. If this is true, it is illegal and shows to what lengths the British state will attempt to defend itself (vii).

01 March 2026: The Guardian reports that Carlo Soracchi (viii), a spy cop between 2000 and 2006, is facing allegations that he went to Venice with a socialist woman he was spying on, paid for by the taxpayer (ix). His supervisor, DS Stephen Beels, stayed in Verona to support him. You have to remember that there was a Labour government in power during those years. Another alleged example of the cowardly British state machine showing secret anti-democratic behaviours.

22 March 2026: A spycop exposed his own pathetic infiltration of an anti-capitalist group. (x)

29 March 2026: Rob Hastings, who infiltrated pro-Palestinian and left wing protest groups for three years during his covert deployment, was convicted of assaulting his now ex-partner and mother of his three children in 2014. He was sacked by the Metropolitan police for gross misconduct as a result. (xi)

(i) Undercover Policing Inquiry: 2015 to present. https://www.ucpi.org.uk/

(ii) Police Spies Out Of Lives: https://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/

(iii) The Bolsheviks In The Tsarist Duma Chapter 17: https://www.marxists.org/archive/badayev/1929/duma/ch17.html

(iv) The Guardian 17 December 2025: Undercover officer admits deceiving woman into five-year relationship

(v) The Guardian 04 January 2026: Spycops sent thousands of surveillance reports to MI5, inquiry documents reveal

(vi) The Guardian 15 February 2026: Senior police praised undercover officer who lied to court about identity, papers at spycops inquiry show

(vii) The Guardian 25 February 2026: Police and MI5 waged campaign of illegal interference against ex-BBC journalist, tribunal told

(viii) Lindsey's Story: Police Spies Out Of Our Lives: https://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/lindseys-story/

(ix) The Guardian 01 March 2026: Undercover officer allegedly used public money for romantic break in Venice

(x) The Guardian 22 March 2026: Undercover police officer exposed by his own blunder, spycops inquiry hears

(xi) The Guardian 29 March 2026: Undercover police officer was sacked for assaulting partner, spycops inquiry hears

Why I Am A Marxist

Stephen Milward — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 13:23:00 GMT

Take a look around you - what do you see?

The extreme wealth and power held in the hands of so few, the extreme poverty of millions without a say in society... why is this and how do we make society more stable, happy and democratic?

Very briefly, Marxism provides an analysis of capitalist societal structures based on the class struggle between the exploiters (the owners of capital, land etc) and the exploited (workers, renters etc). The exploitation is based around the concept of value. Marxist 'Historical Materialism' describes how economic systems mould and shape societies, through ideas and politics.

So if capitalism is inherently unfair to the mass of people, why and how does it continue? Bourgeois state power (police, education, media etc) has developed such sophisticated methodology (including intelligence gathering, spying, repression, limiting protests and strikes, cultural monopoly) that capitalism is seen and perceived to be the natural, unchallenged socio-political system. The instability of capitalism is blamed on the workers, the vilification of trade unions and other easily identified groups.

But I ask again, look around you and what do you see? Rich exploiters getting richer, so rich they can now run their own space programmes while poor people starve. I could give so many examples of exploitation, but I just ask you to open your eyes, they are easily seen.

What is clear to me is that the reformist tendency, seen in the British Labour Party, is a failure. They have accepted capitalism and have moved so far to the right as to make me wonder if there is a socialist thought left in them. They are not the vehicle for radical economic and political change that would address capitalism's inequalities, rather they tinker at the margins, pretending that they are 'reforming' aspects of society. Actually they achieve little except pleasing their paymasters for not upsetting the applecart too much.

Marxism offers a way forward from capitalism. Just be aware that should you want to find out more about Marxism, history is often written by bourgeois historians who are biased against Marxism. Be wary of such histories. Read about Marxism by Marxist authors (Alan Woods is an excellent starting point). Visit websites like In Defence Of Marxism and the Marxists Internet Archive.

Above all, keep looking around, asking questions and then make up your own mind.

Marxist philosophy: dialectical materialism

Blue Islands Airline: A Shocking Experience

Stephen Milward — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:09:00 GMT

Blue Islands were the airline that we travelled to Guernsey with in 2025. Our first trip was very good in terms of timings. We did have a surprise when we went to Guernsey via Jersey (which added an hour to the duration). In fact everyone else got off the aircraft at Jersey and a few then boarded.

The second Guernsey visit was terrible. The outbound flight was 2.5 hours late (no information at East Midlands Airport - they had a small information stand but no-one was manning it!). Worse was to come.

Our flight home was cancelled. When we got to Guernsey airport, the gate information was on the screens. We went to check in only to be told by the staff (a lady with no helpful information) that our flight had been cancelled for 'unscheduled maintenance' and that we could be booked onto a flight in two days. We had been left high and dry. That's it. The fact that my wife had heart failure (treated at Guernsey Princess Elizabeth Hospital) and needed to get home didn't matter.

Luckily, the Aurigny check in was close and we got a flight to Birmingham that day. We then had to get a taxi to East Midlands Airport to collect the car. Aurigny's staff were very helpful, arranging assistance at Birmingham for my wife.

Blue Islands were a terrible airline which I'm glad is now non-existent. About 100 people lost their jobs and I'm sorry about that, especially the customer facing staff, but as an organisation Blue Islands will not be missed.

Your Computer Plays Up - What To Do?

Stephen Milward — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 11:12:00 GMT

We've all had this. The computer won't behave. I'm not talking about your abject failure to complete a computer game or shoot a character coming for you. For that you need to try again, that's all.

Instead of that, let's look at some simple steps to get a problem solved. I'm going to split them up into software and hardware issues.

First, take your time. Breathe. Be calm. Then you can approach the issue in a better frame of mind.

Software Issues

I follow the maxim 'prevention is better than cure'.. There are many things you can do to help yourself when it comes to preventing problems in the first place.

Data loss: It is vital that you take regular backups of your data, whatever that may be. It could be documents, spreadsheets, videos, images... data that you value. Make your backups onto a removeable drive and/or in the cloud. My backups are in four different locations and I backup data every single day. Once set up, backups can be automated and one-click routines. Believe me, if you lose your precious data, the fault is yours.

Backup your system: Make backups of your system drive usually the C:\ drive. Their are plenty of solutions to this, including companies like Acronis.

Viruses: You must use an antivirus program and scan your system. I use F-Secure, but there are lots of other solutions including Windows Defender. Keep them up to date.

Program issues: Keep all the installation files for your programs. My way is to keep them in a folder I call 'Download and Setup'. If you need to, you can re-install easily.

Drivers: keep your drivers up to date. One example are video drivers, which you should download from the companies' website.

Serial Numbers/Passwords: Keep a record of all your serial numbers, login details and make sure you change your passwords regularly.

Don't tamper: So you have a friend who says something like 'you need to alter the registry'. Don't ever do that unless you really know what you are doing. Would you just tamper with your car engine or brakes? Consider taking your computer to a qualified technician for any issues you can't fix. It may cost money, but better that than disaster.

Hardware Issues

Hardware failures happen. After correct diagnosis, you may have to replace a part, or upgrade components, like memory. The items below are not exhaustive and you should take your computer to a qualified technician if in any doubt.

Your computer is an electrical device: Treat it as such. Before you take of the side cover to have a 'poke about' or fit a new component, turn off the power and remove the plug from the mains. Then wait for a minute.

Make sure the connections are secure: Sometimes a fault can be caused by something as simple as poor or non-existent connections. No display? Check the monitor is connected. Simple.

Use the right tools: Obvious really.

Plan what you're going to do: Have the correct parts and be delicate. Some motherboard connections can be fragile. Do everything carefully and don't rush.

Never attempt to fix a monitor: If your monitor develops a fault, just get a new one. Don't take the back off and look around, you could get hurt.

Make sure that your computer is clean: Dust gathers inside computers, for instance around fans and video cards, which makes it run hotter than you want.

Guernsey: Delights and Surprises

Stephen Milward — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 16:05:00 GMT

Guernsey has many surprises. Everywhere you go there are sea views, wonderful bays, small villages and wonderful friendly people.

We have been to Guernsey twice in 2025, staying at the excellent La Barbarie hotel. Driving on Guernsey is different to the UK. The roads can be very narrow and the speed limit is 35mph on the larger roads. There are different road markings (watch out for the filters at junctions), but in our experience everyone is very courteous and forgiving. The hire cars have a H sticker on the front and back which may help the locals identify drivers who need a bit more space and time. I would say that the roads are in very good condition.

Guernsey has a small, single runway airport with easy bus access and good parking.

One trip I'd recommend is to the island of Herm to see the puffins. We really enjoyed that. Other places would include Cobo Bay, Icart, Jerburgh and The Little Chapel. St. Peter Port, the capital of Guernsey, is a charming friendly town with harbours, lovely shops and cobbled streets. The people are very friendly and interesting to talk with.

One thing to note: there are public toilets and benches everywhere. Very handy and a lesson that other places should learn.

We'd recommend Guernsey to anyone who wants a slower pace of life with their visit.