JIM AND BONNIE DOWNSIZE IN ENGLAND!

Aren’t these Messerschmits terrific looking little cars? They are two seaters, with tandom style seating. We came across them in a sweet little village while spending a weekend in the beautiful English countryside at the home of our old friends Nicky Wood and Noel Inge.

Bonnie complains that I don’t post much on our blog and she is correct in that. I think it has to do with how sad I am to discover that England is as repressive as is the United States…indeed, in some ways more so. Even the Tory government that is proposing what we would call “welfare cuts” admits that at least 300,000 more English children will now be pushed into poverty as a result of their legislation. And their new proposals for how to curtail “radical Islam” are truly frightening and violate any sense of “free speech.” Meanwhile the TUC (the unions) talk about organizing, in October, against the shockingly new Draconian laws drastically limiting the rights of unions to organize and cutting union funds to the Labour Party…but with only a few angry voices of dissent from the union heads. One did say that, what all acknowledge as the most severe labor attacks in 30-years, were reminiscent of “the fascist attacks in the early Third Reich.” But nothing in the streets. And this new legislation would, essentially if not completely, make it impossible for any new union to ever organize and any existing union to keep its workplace unionized. (NOTE THOUGH: The play about the Occupy movement in London is sold out for the whole run of the show. Bonnie and I are hoping to get “standing only” tickets.)

All of this seems in stark contradiction to the general openness, kindness and helpful/civil nature of the English people. (It’s gotten a bit embarrassing that whenever I find myself standing up on a tube, younger folks invariably offer me their seat! Hell, do I really look that old?)

Love,

Jim