Category Archives: Viewpoint

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They told us so …

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… but did we listen?

No.

I’ve found it impossible not to notice the weather this year. Here in the south of England it’s warm – humid and still, with a wind that shakes through now and then, without bringing much rain. So far.

‘Typical Wimbledon weather’ they say cheerily on the news, but it doesn’t feel like it, and I’m sure it’s not. This is not the usual English summer of occasional sunshine peeping through sheets of drizzle. Rather this feels like Meditteranean meets the tropics. And it’s been heading that way for a few years – drier and drier.

Meanwhile all around there is news of far, far worse. Horrific storms. Landslides. Unbearable heat. Wildfires. Forbes reported on July 5th, that July 4th was “… the hottest day on Earth in as many as 125,000 years …” and the days to either side of it equally record breaking. So what do we do?

Cutting back on almost everything seems the way forward for ‘developed’ nations, and demanding support from those nations the only option for those hit by the consequences of over-indulgence and lack of due regard for consequences.

Oh … and may we pray that El Niño will be kind to us.

Dolly Parton puts it well. Hope you have time to watch this video.

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023

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A few thoughts on writing

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Yesterday I signed as completed my own project of editing, and then posting, a daily 500 words from a draft story I wrote during lockdown. The point of the exercise was to force myself to keep working on the third draft of the not-yet-ready novel lurking on my computer.

The effort was way more than I’d bargained for, and so was my appreciation of anyone who took the time to look in – thank you!

What did I learn from the process:

  • huge respect for fiction authors, especially those who commit themselves to long, long periods of solo endeavour without knowing if anything tangible (ie an actual book) will ever result from the process;
  • double that respect for those struggling to fit such writing in with the demands of young families, or caring responsibilities, or full time jobs, or all three … or maybe just one or two;
  • walking away from my own writing for as long as possible is really helpful;
  • the terror and joy of having a reader, or even readers;
  • the power of a daily deadline;
  • the relief of finishing;
  • WordPress.

I cannot claim to be a WordPress expert, but the platform was straightforward and helpful. My next project is to see if I can work out how to turn the draft book into a podcast.

Thank you again for your time and company.

Georgie

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023

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The Gold Mafia – Zimbabwe

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The evidence is on the table, threading through cyberspace – the shame of Zimbabwe.

Al Jazeera has pieced together a painstaking trail that leads right into the golden core of the country’s corruption, exposing some of those who enable it, and the extent and ease of it. Even more shocking is the thought that what has been shown is probably only a fraction of the rot that exists.

The documentary of four episodes, shown on YouTube, showcases how some of Zimbabwe’s so called ‘elite’ – its politically powerful, its prophets, and its perfectly ordinary chancers – are dancing on the destitution of others. They are covered in wealth while around them the health, education and care systems for the majority of Zimbabweans are in a state of collapse, or propped up by other nations.

The Al Jazeera documentary passes no judgement. It reveals.

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023