It was particularly pleasing for me yesterday that I managed to get the back lawn cut and the mower, even with its temporary 'girlie hair band' repair, behaved itself. I am ultra careful, though, these days when I need to manoeuvre the mower under low hanging bushes with the left-hand side of the mower because I have learned, from bitter experience, that this is most likely to cause problems in the future. We only had a few spots of rain in any case and so the weather was kind to me. Yesterday was 'Boat Race' day and this was held on a Sunday rather than a Saturday this year, probably because of the tidal forecast. I always think that the boat race is often decided within seconds because whoever establishes a lead rarely has it overtaken. Before the race, there was a lot of talking up of how close the race was going to be this year but, in the event, Cambridge established an early lead which they gradually increased and increased and won by some five and a half lengths. What I found interesting this year was the commentary to account for the success of Cambridge for six times in the last seven year. Although both teams will have trained incredibly hard physically, the Cambridge success was attributed to their superior team spirit which shows that the race is as much played in the head as it is on the river.
The latest trade in tit-for-tats in tariffs between the USA and China implies that trade between the two economies will effectively sink to near zero. The big tech chiefs who rely so much upon China for iPhones and other electronic components are getting seriously worried and have forced exemptions on the Trump regime for iPhones and other critical components. The thought that the manufacture of iPhones could be brought in-house to the USA is ridiculous. The reality is it would take three years and $30bn in the estimation to move even 10% of its supply chain from Asia to the US with major disruption in the process. For US consumers, the reality of a $1,000 iPhone being one of the best-made consumer products on the planet would disappear as the cost an iPhone would practically double. The electoral consequences of this are so severe that it looks as though the Trump regime capitulated quickly. Another thought is circulating that in the face of practically zero trade between USA and China, all hell will break loose once the three months supply chain is gradually emptied and America would head for recession and even more massive disruption to its economy. Here in the UK, the powers that be are starting to re-evaluate the trade relationships that we have with China in view of what has happened to our steel industry. There is a suspicion, as yet unproven, that the Chinese owners of the British steel industry may have deliberately 'pulled the plug' on the Scunthorpe steel works because by doing so they have harmed the economy of a major competitor and, more importantly, opened the way for a flood of cheap Chinese steel imports. There are also concerns that allowing the Chinese to build some of our nuclear reactors was a big mistake because there is the opportunity of embedding chips which could threaten the integrity of the whole.
In the morning, we were not destined to have a morning out and the weather was a bit dismal and overcast on any case. I busied myself with the bookcase tidying and filed away some of the Christmas card paraphernalia in a space I had located in our filing cabinet. To make sure I do not forget where I have put things, I made some quite conspicuous labels for inside the filing cabinet and am also going to make a note of where things are which I will enter in a special little book which I am bringing into use. Lunch consisted of a chicken breast, seared and then cooked in a lasagne type sauce and served with a baked potato and some Cavolo Nero kale. I was pleased that Meg managed most of her portion. In the afternoon, our son called round and it was particularly nice to see him after a gap of a few days. He came bearing a Lindt Easter chocolate bunny to which we will look forward in a few days time. My son and I had a fair amount to communicate with each other what with one thing or another and he had not departed long when the afternoon carers called around, a little early as it happened. The same pair were due back later on tonight but a bit later than I would have liked so I am negotiating a slightly earlier than scheduled visit from them if this can be arranged.
In the USA, several cases in which Trump has been challenged are ending up in the Supreme Court which is dominated by Trump nominees. One case on the deportation of 'undesirables' to El Salvador are among several which, collectively, represent legal checks and balances on the power of Mr Trump. He has been told he can use an archaic law to deport people, but they have the right to a fair hearing. There are more than 200 languishing in an El Salvadorian prison who had no hearing at all. Reacting to the court's ruling, Lee Gelernt, of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), said: 'The critical point is that the court rejected the government's remarkable position that it does not even have to give individuals meaningful advance notice to challenge their removal under the Alien Enemies Act. That is a big victory.' The Court will not give Trump everything that he wants even though it naturally leans in his direction. What is the sticking point for some of the Supreme Court justices is Trump's total disregard for the rule pf law. When he has been ruled against, he has suggested that the judge trying the case should be impeached or removed and this attack on the principles of the legal system are even too much for the Supreme Court to countenance.
© Mike Hart [2025]