Tag: history,

The Coats Observatory in Paisley

UK: The History of “Changing the Clocks” [It’s About to Happen]! (23.10. 2026)

The campaign for British Summer Time came about at the beginning of the 20th century when parliament passed the Summer Time Act in 1916.

British builder William Willett led the movement, inspired by his love of the outdoors. He advocated for BST in his 1907 ‘Waste of Daylight’ pamphlet to increase opportunities for leisure and help reduce energy costs.

He suggested a plan which included 20-minute changes four Sundays in a row in April and September to minimise disruption to people’s biological clocks, arguing that they would “lose nothing and gain substantially”.

He died in 1915 before his vision would become a reality.

The following year, a simplified version of his proposal – a change of an hour – was introduced as the country suffered from huge coal shortages during the First World War.

It has undergone some changes: During the Second World War, Britain kept clocks one hour ahead of GMT through the winter and, from 1941, adopted British Double Summer Time, placing clocks two hours ahead of GMT during summer months. It was then returned to GMT at the end of summer 1945.

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Chinese Official in London - 1700s

UK: Holborn – Royal College of Surgery – Hunterian Museum! (18.10.2026)

Today, ordinary people can either not access free life-saving operations – or have to wait years to receive the treatment they so desperately need. Meanwhile, the reason waiting lists are so long – and operations difficult to acquire – is because the surgeons chose to privilege fee-paying (private) customers – instead of the general public (who pay their extortionate wages through general taxation). Since New Labour reforms – NHS-trained surgeons operate on the general public between 8am – 1pm – and then use NHS equipment, wards, and operating theatres to operate on private patients between 2pm – 8pm (hence the long waiting times for NHS operations). The later generates millions and is probably why this museum is able to remain “free” to enter. The queuing procedure is rather like trying to gain access to a high-class restaurant – something we would never do. There is even an Eastern European “host” who dresses like a head-waiter and uses structured small-talk to entertain the queue. Waits can be long.

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Revolutionary Lenin - Stood on a Cart!

UK: On Why the Universe is left-Wing – Deviating is an Error! (7.10.2026)

Well, as I grew-up practicing martial arts, I became adept at deliberately clashing with Neo-Nazis and fascists – giving them a good beating that broke their noses, teeth and hearts. The few bruises I received in return were worth cost. I enjoy fighting and am a member of the far-left (I have also been a Buddhist monk). I believe in militant peace where the balance of nature is retained through inner and outer discipline. Most far-right thugs I have encountered are riddled with fear – even those who train in boxing or whatever. Get past the surface bluster and they crap themselves. Those on the left must practice martial arts for self-defence and continue the grand tradition of the “Red Army”. We must defend ourselves and one another from far-right violence. To be clear, I do not agree with – or advocate – violence. However, just as long as violence exists within society that targets “us” – we must be prepared to defend ourselves from it. Our minds must be “still” and “quiet” whilst our bodies must be “fit” and “strong”. We must psychologically undermine the far-right so that its physicality is merely a “husk” that can be smashed and pushed aside. We must inwardly defeat the far-right before we are able to decively defeat it outwardly.

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A Local Park in Gander Green Lane!

UK: Late-September – Time to go “Conkering”! (3.10.2026)

Two people would face-off in a Conkering Competition – with one holding their stringed conquer “still” – whilst the opponent “swung” their stringed conquer at it with as much force as they could muster. The impact would either do nothing – damage and/or smash the conker. The swing could also miss. I seem to remember the one strike each – or agreed number of strikes – often three-swings each. Today, children still marvel at the dropping of horse-chestnuts – but do not really know what to do with them. Kai-Lin, my ten-year old daughter, has gathered-up about 20 conkers from the local park. It seems that local schools banned Conkering due to injuries being sustained by participants and those watching. Although not officially banned – this draconian approach amounted to much the same effect.

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