Jon of the Rogers and Thacher

I don't know why they don't find something else to have a go at Jon of the Rogers and wonder why some waste their time trying to understand why he did not take the day off and attend M Thatchers funeral?

The truth is M Thatcher did a lot of damage to people in the north of the country and was, at the end of the day, responsible for affecting Billy Elliots entire life. I think that on this occasion Jon of the Rogers and his fellow Rogerites have the right not to be upset by her death? Why all the bloody controversy? Calm down!!

Who were the Greeks BBC2?

Another programme tonight on BBC2 about the Greeks. It seems that the British media are obsessed with the Germans and the Greeks. I would imagine that there have been more programmes made about first the Germans and then the Greeks? Or am I wrong.

Saying that the documentary tonight did not tell us anything we didn't know? The main theme was about how the Greeks invented many things and how ancient city states used slavery to run their economies. This was of course not a nice thing but the suggestion was that Greece was unique in this phenomenon? The presenter forgot of course that the USA economy dependent on the abhorrent system of forced slavery.

Hoping that subsequent programmes will tell us something new?

MPs pay

I am returning back to one of my favourite campaigns the one that says that we should change the system and make it absolutely clear that those who are elected to 'represent' us do it because they want to change the world and do not see it as an opportunity to make money or achieve celebrity status. I am not happy that MP's get such huge salaries many of them ( there are exceptions) do very little. Bring the salary down to 25k annually this will ensure that those who wish to serve do so because they have a moral mission not because they are looking for a an career which can be built on talking hot air!

Ian Brady

The debate over whether Ian Brady has the right to take his own life continues. There is no doubt in my mind that the death penalty should not return. I am totaly against that for many reasons the most serious one being that even if there is a 1% chance that the state kills the wrong person that risk is not worth taking. So that's the end of that story.

It is obvious, however, that this murderer did what he did because he enjoyed it and he should serve the sentecne he was given. Killing 5 inocent children is a vile act commited by an equally vile animal. He must stay alive and suffer he thought nothing of killing those incocent children so let him pay the price.

Russian airforce in Cyprus

The Cyprus government has agreed in principle to grant a Russian request for use of a military airbase in Paphos. Moscow has filed an official request to be allowed use of the Andreas Papandreou base, east of Paphos. The West has of course reacted with 'concern' but I wonder why they did not react with an equal amount of 'concern' when Cyprus needed a bailout and instead forced the government to tax its own citizens and destroy their economy in other words they imposed a form of punishment on what is meant to be a partner member of the EU!

I think it is dangerous to play games in what is a very volatile region but at the end of the day the Cyprus government has an absolute right to protect its interest and if the West continues to piss on them then they should consider giving the Russian fleet and air force a permanent base. Looks like the West and Cyprus are both playing a very dangerous game and with super duper idiots like William Hague running the foreign office in the UK there is no guarantee that the region will be plunged into chaos!! Fire Hague and give the job to Boris Johnson I say, makes more sense!!

Ian Brady

The debate as to whether Ian Brady should be allowed to starve himself to death has started again. I am well known for my liberal views but whilst I do not believe in the death penalty I am definitely in favour of keeping this vile person alive so that he can pay for what he did. Nothing on this earth can excuse his mad behaviour and the killing of Innocent children. Let him rot!

Visit Greece in the summer 2013

Visit Greece this summer and have a great experience..

Union mergers

Makes sense for unions to merge and of course Unite and Unison are the creations of large mergers. The reason why we have to moves that way is an obvious one. Fewer workers want to join and those who do should be catered by specialist organisations so I would argue that it will be more healthy to have one public sector union and a few others representing those in the private sector. Having too many unions competing for the small number of potential members does not make sense!

Stupid politicians generation theory

Looks like the entire world is suffering the effects of incompetent politicians who are only interested in making a career out of the job. Brazil is the new country to be addeded to those who already suffer from the incompetence of politicians who are not capable of anything other than representing their own interest. I am glad that the people there are taking action like they are in Turkey!

Union mergers, the right way forward

I am still going on about pushing the idea of same service sector mergers. I think the TU movement has suffered enough through different unions competing for the same pool of members and it is time for mergers on the large scale. We either embrace this idea now or the power and influence of the TU movement will continue to diminish! Merge or face the severe consequences!

TU movement, mergers the way forward

Unison are holding their annual conference in Liverpool this week. The whole event starts tomorrow with service group sub conferences happening today and yesterday.

Membership of unions has fallen over the last 20 years dramatically. This is because of two major reasons. First the decline has a lot to do with people not getting the service they think they should get when they need help and second competition and rivalry between the major unions. The second reason is in my opinion a fundamental one and one that can be dealt with.

As a Branch Secretary for many years of a large union outfit in South London I always found it ridiculous that different unions would try and compete for the same small number of people who were not members. There were also examples where they would actively try and recruit existing members. This was of course unhelpful and divisive. The way to move forward is for major unions specialising in same work areas to merge. This was done by NUPE, NALGO and Coshe in the mid 90s and it can be done again. Move on or face oblivion is my message!

TUC Seminar season

 

The TUC is organising a number of seminars which will take place in the run up to summer at Congress House.
A seminar looking a new inflation measures will be held on 14 May, which will be of interest to those involved n pay bargaining. For information contact Anjum Klair: aklair@tuc.org.uk
A seminar on industrial policy will take place on 21 June, featuring Business Secretary Vince Cable and his Labour shadow Chukka Umunna. It is the latest in the TUC's series of After Austerity events. Information @ http://industrialstrengthbritain.eventbrite.co.uk/#
Finally, a seminar on the case for full employment will be held on 24 June. For more details contact Richard Exell: rexell@tuc.org.uk To book a place contact Jennifer Mann: jmann@tuc.org.uk

Politicians and supidity

It looks like the current intake of politicians that are running the world is made up of people who have chosen to go into politics either because they could not make it in any other serious profession or because they have the ability to talk well ( matter of opinion of course..)

This situation is creating the new career politician phenomenon those who have very little experience of anything else. They are simply able to manipulate the media via good PR methods. The result is that the world is being held to ransom. We are in great danger that we will slip into a bigger financial crisis and even all out war. It is ridiculous that those with low intellect like W Hague or Ed Milliband are allowed anywhere near the decision making process. May God help us all!!

Cyprus solution?

It will soon be 39 years since Turkish troops invaded the independent Republic of Cyprus and occupied 37% of its land. The occupied part then declared UDI in 1982 but no country apart from the invading power, Turkey, recognises the north part. The world does not give recognition but it does very little else to force the troops out of Cyprus.

There have been numerous attempts to unite the island but negotiations keep failing all the time. Cypriot politicians have been used by foreign powers to undermine the process as it is clear that the West benefits by keeping the counry divided. The EU gets to use the non solution as an excuse to keep Turkey out of Europe whilst the USA and Britain benefit by diverting attention from the fact that they themselves have two major military bases there. They know for a fact that as long as the division continues Cypriot politicians will not dare to challenge the presence of the bases.

But there is now a small opportunity to force the two sides to find a solution that guarantees that the two communities unite and they do so without interference from Turkey, Greece or Britain. The key to the solution is not to allow any foreign troops on the island, but is that possible?? I have my doubts as the political class on the island on both sides is dominated by a self serving elite who care very little for the people.

Greek crisis. ERT closes

Greece announced the closure of its state broadcaster ERT which is the equivalent of the BBC here in the UK. This is one of the most drastic measures yet in Greece's  struggle to shore up its bankrupt state finances and meet the terms of an international bailout.

The decision to take ERT off the air at midnight and pay off some 2,600 staff before re-launching it in a slimmed-down form set off a firestorm of protest. This drastic measure is seen as a prototype of what the Conservative government of A Samaras intends to do in response to the bailout

US intelligence and online activity

Don't know why anyone is surprised that the US and others keep an eye on what people put on line. A brief search on the number of hits for my blog, for example, shows activity from USA, China, Turkey, UK, Russia, Greece and Germany. So out of say 80 hits a day more than half are from areas that I have very little to do with? I can understand that half are from the UK but USA etc don't make sense. I am definitely not telling them the secret of making my special apple pie they can fucking get their own!! Apart from that no surprises there!!

Worlds oceans

Destructive fishing, polluting industries and climate change are threatening the survival of whole marine ecosystems. We're driving species to extinction and destroying vital habitats! Yet only 1% of the world's oceans are protected.

The health of our oceans is integral to the health of our earth. Let's protect 40% of the world's oceans as Marine Reserves.

Evidence from around the globe shows the creation of marine reserves - areas of ocean set aside as off-limits to fishing, fossil fuel extraction, and other industrial activities - can protect and restore ocean ecosystems.

Show your support for marine reserves! Sign the petition saying you want 40% of our oceans made into marine reserves.

MP's pay

Returning back to this theme in light of the recent enquiry into one of the MP's who took part in a TV programme and got paid for that.

I have said it before and will say it again. Paying these people large salaries attracts the wrong type of person. It brings in those who want to make a career out of selling hot air. I am not saying there are no good MP's at all and will indeed confirm that I met one of them years ago but to attract people in who would not have any hope of making it in any other profession is not a good incentive! Put them on on 25k and see whether they will do it because they want to help not because they want a career.

Evagoras Palikaridis execution

Dozens of Cypriot veterans of the 1955-59 EOKA struggle against British colonial authorities are ready to launch legal procedures in the UK following an official admission in Britain that thousands were tortured during Kenya’s Mau Mau insurgency between 1952 and 1963.

British foreign secretary William Hague yesterday expressed “sincere regret” for the torture and ill-treatment Kenyans suffered under the colonial administration. I think that Hague should also apologise for the hanging of 17 year old Evagora Palikaridis who was 'convicted' of bringing down the British flag in his school ground. His execution and the circumstances under which it was done should be investigated even after 60 years! More than an apology is needed.

God and religion

I was brought up as a Christian and indeed my family have been Christians for more than a thousand years I guess. I always thought that religion can be a good thing if interpreted correctly.

The way I understand it is that most monotheistic doctrines refer to a God that is not defined. God isn't a man or a woman, it is the power that has created so I can't understand why those who are so religious do not understand that they all believe in the same source of power i.e. the creator. So no idea how these people can justify killing each other on the basis of how they want to worship God?

I am also very suspicious of any religion that does not preach respect for other animals. Cruelty towards animals for me is one of the most abhorrent and vile transgressions there is and I look forward to the day when we can all agree that smaller and weaker animals than us have an equal right to a planet we all share!

Visit Greece in summer 2013

Visit Greece this summer and experience the pure beauty of the country.

MP's and pay

The other debate that has started again is about the rate of pay for MP's. I think that the current system attracts people who want to do it for the money  and as there are no qualification requirements for the 'job' it is obvious that it attracts those who see it as a career.

In other words people like Hague or Balls who would not make it in the real world. The only way to ensure that we attract those who want to do it because they have a vision and they want to change society is to put these people on  a reasonable pay and I imagine the only comparison I can think of in terms of what salary to put them on is a college lecturer so I would guess that a fair pay for someone who spends their life talking would be between 35 to 50k a year anything above that level is a waste of public money!

House of Lords

The debate as to whether the House of Lords should be reformed or not has started again. I have said it again and will repeat it now that there is no room for inequality within a modern democratic society.

Britain is proud of its democratic traditions and there are some good reasons for that but to continue to accept an out of date institution which symbolises the inequality within the system is unacceptable. If you want to have an upper chamber then of course there are other very good models that can be used to modify and introduce. Calling some delirious banana a Lord or a Lady is completely out of date. Time to completely remove all hereditary peers and replace them with elected upper house reps who want to do it because they wish to see change so put them on a low salary to ensure that they are not doing it for the money. They should all be elected every 5 bloody years !

Duncan Smith peddling myths again

There was an angry reaction from the TUC late last month to yet another attempt by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith to misuse statistics, this time on the duration of working age benefits.

'It's tragic to see the Work and Pensions Secretary once again peddling myths about benefits in order to provide cover for more austerity and his own failure to tackle rising unemployment', said Frances O'Grady.
Full TUC response @
http://www.tuc.org.uk/social/tuc-22129-f0.cfm