Friday 11 June 2021

Money to burn???

 Oh dear.   Earlier this morning, on somebody's post, I commented on how many 'tens of thousands'' were being spent on the G7 Summit.   I think I said 'tens of thousands' - how very wrong I was!   I don't want to go through it all but here are just a few facts garnered from today's Times.   Seven point eight million spent on lengthening Newquay Airport's runway to accommodate the landing of Air Force One.   In fact probably as much as thirteen million so that the US Contingent of Osprey aircraft could land.All this plus the cost of five thousand Police, four hundred Secret Service Officers and a Warship off the coast.   I could go on but I won't - it is all too depressing when I think of the hunger, the suffering, the lack of vaccines etc., etc., in the poorer countries of the world.

Let's try to think of something more cheerful.   It is good to see that the identical twin caught by a crocodile and saved by her sister who beat it off by repeatedly bashing it on the nose, seems to be recovering.   I didn't know that the crocodile catches its prey and then drowns it by repeatedly dragging it under water.   Not the best way to find out this information but it does look as though the young lady is going to recover and that has to be good news.

Although it is now mid afternoon the wind seems to have slackened a little so I think I might go for my walk with Priscilla.   The sun has come out and it is certainly not cold.   I think, counting the days, we have probably had more Summer so far this year than we had in the whole of last year - and that is good news if anything is.   See you tomorrow.

20 comments:

Susan said...

I agree entirely, spending obscene amounts of money on a runway just seems wrong. Especially wrong with all the other needs. Enjoy your walk.

JayCee said...

Oh dear. I wish I hadn't read that now!

The Feminine Energy said...

Yes, I totally agree with you about the spending. I don't understand it but... there's lot of things in this world I don't understand. Have a wonderful weekend. ~Andrea xoxoxo

Ellen D. said...

They did create lots of jobs and poured a lot of money into that area. Maybe that will help those people in their economic recovery from Covid. And maybe these countries will forge friendships and alliances that will help protect us all in the future.

Heather said...

With regard to the obscene amount of money spent on the G7 talks - the world has definitely gone mad!
Lovely and warm down here too. I can't get used to it and keep thinking I must turn the fire off!

Tasker Dunham said...

I suspect that little of that money has gone into the local area. Most of it will have gone to non-local companies and on the salaries on non-local people. I bet many of the hospitality staff have been brought in from outside too. Meanwhile, local people can't go about their daily lives. I read that a lobster fisherman was prevented from emptying his pots by a gunboat! Meanwhile, there are other places in the country geared up to this kind of thing - country houses, resorts that host political party conferences, and national conference centres come to mind. It strikes me as being as much for show as negotiation. "What else do you expect of this lot?" one might ask.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

It must be one of the easiest jobs in the world - spending other people's money! You'd think a zoom call might have sufficed.

Rachel Phillips said...

Each G7, and before that G8, spent these sums of money which makes this time no better and no worse and no different, it is just 50 years of money wasted, and goals that have never been reached, look at the Democratic Republic of Congo right now if you want illustration of goals not reached. The USA is the most divided of nations and yet is worshipped as being the strongest in the world. The whole G7 is a waste of time and money collectively. It would be my wish that Great Britain took no part in it and yet achieved much more for others on its own. It could do it.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Tasker and Ellen D both present pointss from oposite ends of the spectrum - most of us will never know the answer. But it does make food for though doesn't it?

Rachel Phillips said...

Seeing your comment presumably written whilst I was writing mine, one thing to bear in mind re. the airfield runway and improvement is that any monetary input was made by central government and will benefit Newquay and Cornwall locally permanently, not just for the duration of G7 talks.

Rachel Phillips said...

And be aware that China is not deemed a world leading economy by the definition given to world leading economies by G7 and yet they spend more time discussing China than any other other country.

DUTA said...

I totally agree with Rachel's first comment - G7 is a waste of time and money.

CharlotteP said...

Rachel, if they don't deem China a world leading economy, ostriches with heads in the sand springs to mind...and definitely don't mention the amount wasted on HS2...

Tom Stephenson said...

I met Tim Smitt once, and what a lovely bloke he was/is too. The Queen hosting a bun-fight for the G7 nobs at the Eden Project has to be a good thing, not only for Britain, but the world in general too. Those events can be highly influential in changing leaders' minds and attitudes regarding more basic issues such as the abuse of women and girls, and climate change - if you believe that climate change is a genuine problem and the Earth is - indeed - spherical. Extending a runway is financial peanuts compared to the investment that these people have to pledge in order to get things done.

Anonymous said...

I agree the spending is obscene!
From a USA point of view, the Biden administration is bringing our country down fast. We have never been more devided! To many of us Biden is a joke and makes this country look weak.
And what is up with Boris Johnson?? Has he lost his mind! His speech about making the world more feminine sickened me. Sounds just like Biden.

Cro Magnon said...

I doubt if we'll hear much more than 'hot air'. Promises will be made, money spent, backs slapped, and hands shaken (metaphorically). Hopefully Biden will learn a thing or two about the world outside Washington at the same time.

thelma said...

The world rolls on whether we agree with what is happening or not. Belief in a better world though is important, these leaders will not change anything, change is gradual and comes from the ground up not top down.

the veg artist said...

I agree with Tom. And who doesn't think that talking about issues face to face can be more effective than exchanging memos? Who doesn't make sure that the guest room is well prepared, that the parking area is spruced up, and hope that the sun shines for visitors? This is just domestic cuortesy but on a world scale - of course it's going to cost something. And all money spent filters down - to the contractors who enlarged the airstrip, the decorators who prepared all the accommodation, new linens, everything. It was all bought from someone, and that money in turn gets filtered down. To people who need work.

Terra said...

Most of the world leaders love spending our money. They often claim to want to help the earth yet they pollute a lot with their constant airplane flights, caravans of heavy cars, hordes of people/aids, secret service, makeup artists, secretaries, envoys, etc. traveling. I think smaller meetings between world leaders and even private phone chats, can be more productive.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Such a lot of views, such interesting comments - and such a lot of valid points. Thank you all for commenting - what interesting reading you have made.