Lord Justice Thorpe

This is Lord Justice Thorpe who, it has been revealed, experiences time at a different rate to us.

Let me explain.

He was recently publicly reprimanded for receiving a driving ban and not informing judicial authorities, see HERE

But this disrespect for the judicial system, which none of us would get away with isn’t the issue.

The amazing thing is that the 6 month (around 180 days) ban anyone else would have got, and he was due, was reduced by District Judge Daphne Wickham to 56 days because she was ” prepared to concede that the six months would be a long time for this defendant to be disqualified”.

So there you have it, 6 months is a long time for a judge so they couldn’t possibly be expected not to drive for that long – as against the rest of us to whom 6 months without a licence would obviously not be a problem.

The reason given was that he had to drive to his farm to herd and feed his cattle. Obviously being a senior judge he couldn’t afford to pay someone to do that.

Now I used to think that 6 months was the same length of time for everyone but obviously I was wrong.

As Lord Justice Thorpe is 73 of our years old, he must be over a hundred in his years – maybe it’s time the old fool resigned.

Equality in English Law – coming to a courtroom near you no time soon!

European Flag?

Germany and France have almost done it. They’ve nearly got the control over Europe, including the UK, that they have been after for so long.

Whether it’s by design or just taking advantage of a bad situation, it’s been a masterstroke.

They know that no matter how much our citizens want a referendum on Europe, especially as it soon won’t be the Europe we signed up for, our weak Government won’t allow one – after all, when Greece tried to do it they forced their Prime Minister out and replaced him with their people.

The threat that will be used of course is that it would affect our credit rating badly. The credit rating that is given by the experts who gave excellent credit ratings that led to the problems we have now.

When I was at school we learnt about the First World War and I remember being struck by all the Agreements and Treaties that were made in an attempt to prevent war but broken when it suited individual nations. The current situation seems very similar to me – we are on the verge of a Franco-German treaty that will give those countries immense power, although this time it will be financial, not military.

(Mind you, that didn’t stop France and Germany from mentioning that if the treaty they suggest doesn’t go ahead it could lead to war in the future. That in itself seems like a threat to me, albeit a threat with no substance behind it.)

David Cameron has said  Britain may refuse to sign the EU Treaty but they must be thinking “so what”. Even if we delay the signing, they will simply change the rules so we no longer have the veto, or carry on regardless … and what can we do?

Rather than simply trying to fall in line with Europe all the time, we could concentrate on rapidly building up our manufacturing industries so we are no longer reliant on imports, which would have the added bonus of increased employment. The problem is, of course, we have relied on our service industries, especially the City Financial sector, too much and now it’s too late to go back.

And protecting the financial sector is the important thing for the Government, not looking after the interests of it’s citizens.

So if you really want to beat the recession, start producing the flag at the top of this post – they’ll be selling by the thousands soon.

It's Cashmas!

It looks like we’re about to go into a major recession and you would have thought this would be a time for the Government to recommend restraint during the run up to Cashmas.

We have public information campaigns about the dangers of alcohol, drugs and unhealthy lifestyles but we really all know that stuff, it’s just that some choose to ignore it. A much more serious issue is that Cashmas is a time where we are encouraged to get into debt just to feed the annual capitalist frenzy.

Of course the Government stands to make a fortune in taxes, as the major Corporates profits rise, and none of them actually care that peoples lives will be damaged far beyond the effects of drink, drugs and unhealthy food – in fact all 3 will probably result from the frenzy.

What we need are Public Information films on the line of:

“If you see an item that retails at £50 and is advertised as half price, it’s only saving you £25 if you would have bought it anyway – if you buy it becuase it’s ‘cheap’, you have actually forked out an additional £25.”

But, as I mentioned before, the Government stands to make money so it’s allowed to continue.

(Another example of this is the way gambling websites have escalated recently. People are desperate and even though they know they have little chance of winning they reach the point where they see this as a last chance – and the companies are allowed to promote it as entertainment).

Cashmas is promoted as a family time but this glossy view ignores the fact that families nowadays are often living long distances apart and with  the price of fuel and travelling, those idealised family gathering are expensive events even without the cost of presents.

The New Year will bring good news though … for Debt Collectors and Loan Sharks when the debts come home to roost and for Family Lawyers when the pressures start to reveal the cracks in hard pressed families.

As Noddy might say … IT’S CASHMAS !!!

£22k dessert

This is the dessert that got some publicity the other week because it was the most expensive ever, costing £22,000 – more money than sense comes to mind!

And speaking of expensive meals, last night at the Guildhall in London it was the Lord Mayors Banquet where the great and good, including David Cameron, probably spent more on a meal than most of us will see in a year.

Outside the banquet some local rabble-rousers had the cheek to try and demonstrate against their betters and were promptly arrested. Some had come from the Occupy protest at St Pauls and when they were bailed, coincidentally, their bail conditions prevented them from returning to the City of London and therefore their original protest.

Also yesterday, Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England who has overseen the worst economic downturn in 30 years, was knighted by the Queen (obviously a performance-based honour) but you won’t see any footage because the Bank of England asked media outlets not to show the pictures – so of course they haven’t.

Moving on to today, the new Italian Government has been put in place, not elected because not a single one of them has been.

I’m off to Ladbrokes to put a tenner on Mervyn King openly running the country next year.

Mario Monti

This guy is Mario Monti who will take over as Prime Minister of Italy to replace Silvio Berlusconi.

Berlusconi may have been better at partying than running a country but at least he was elected.

Monti, I think, is a disturbing sign of things to come. When an EU country gets into economic problems, like Italy has, who would the EU rather have in charge than someone who has previously promoted greater EU integration.

And the leaders of other countries, the UK included, won’t object because, like them, he is a member of the powerful Bildeberg Group.

I thought the whole idea of a democracy was that (on the surface at least) the people chose their leaders. This seems to me the first time democracy has been openly overruled by those in charge and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see the same happening in other “badly performing” countries.

By “badly performing” we of course mean countries that have been given a bad credit rating by … who? An unelected body again.

It’s been obvious recently that democracy is quickly taking second place to finance -  politicians only refer to ‘market reaction’, never the reaction of the humble electorate which shows where their interests lie.

These are unusual, maybe even desperate, times but it should be up to the people to choose their destiny, good or bad, not a cosy group of largely unelected leaders who impose themselves on the people.

Financial Discrimination

Over the years we have worked to end discrimination based on race, religion, sexual alignment and gender. On the whole, the UK has been pretty successful and although there is arguably more to do, we are at least heading in the right direction.

However, there is one form of discrimination you won’t hear any Government even mention, let alone try to put a stop to. In fact it is positively encouraged.

Financial Discriminataion

I’m not talking about some people being better off than others, that will always be the case and I don’t have a problem with people aiming to improve their lives .

But Financial Discrimination is endemic in our culture.

In fact we are already aware of it but we give it different names – like inequality or unfairness. Financial Discrimination is so deeply ingrained in our world that subconsciously we can’t believe it will ever go away and like little children we cry “it’s unfair” then get on with our lives like nothing happened.

Financial Discrimination allows the super-rich to employ expensive accountants who can ‘use’ flaws in our tax laws to avoid paying millions in tax while the ordinary person is taxed at source via PAYE or has to complete forms that even the rule-makers don’t understand .

Financial Discrimination means that if you are rich and powerful, you can pay for an expensive barrister to get you off a charge on a technicality where the average person would be convicted (think footballers getting off drink/drive charges that would ruin the lives of Mr Average with a ban).

And on the subject of footballers, remember when a premier player’s home was broken into (Stephen Gerrard’s I think) and his wife threatened – there was a police officer on the main gate, officers scouring the grounds and a helicopter monitoring overhead. I  can’t imagine that kind of response if I got burgled.

And there is the underlying problem … with Financial Discrimination, a crime is treated as more serious based on the monetary value, not the impact on the victim.

Your status in society is based not on what you put in but on what you take out.

And this is why we have a country run by a ruling elite, not of those elected by us but, with their complicity, the few (the 1% ?) who manipulate the system at all levels so that they can increase their wealth and power at the expense of the majority.

To paraphrase Churchill – Never in the field of human economy was so much paid by so many for so few.

Theresa May

The  Norgrove report has recommended that fathers don’t have an equal right to access to their children after a relationship break up.

Or put another way, he recommends that if the mother doesn’t want the children seeing their father, that is ok – as long as he keeps on paying for them.

It also doesn’t help the grandparents on the father’s side who have to apply to even get permission to go to court for access.

Theresa May was on Question Time last night making all the right noises towards fathers but she has form for this ….

Before the General Election in 2005 (was it really that long ago and are we still no further forward?) I met with her in Norfolk as a representative of Fathers 4 Justice, along with a colleague, the local MP, members of the Womens Institute and various church people. She listened while we put our case which was well received and understood by everyone at the table and again she made all the right noises, saying she supported our cause.

As the meeting came to a close I asked her if this meant she would be trying to get the change to give fathers equal rights a part of the manifesto. She made the usual concilliatory noises but when I pushed her for an answer there was none forthcoming.

The woman is a perfect example of MP’s saying what they think you want to hear but doing whatever suits them at the time …she’s a disgrace! And so are the present Government who have made promises of reform in the past and now look to be going back on them. Not that the previous Government were any better.

But it’s not just fathers and grandparents who suffer, it’s not even just the kids – it’s society as a whole. Study after study has concluded that we have such high levels of alcohol abuse, drug abuse and anti-social behaviour in youngsters in this country as a result of the high divorce rate and the lack of contact with both parents after. We’re breaking up the homes, breaking childrens hearts and breaking society.

The usual arguements about abusive fathers is rolled out but no one ever mentions abusive mothers or the abusive step-parent (who the natural father has no control over to be able to protect his kids). The real figures show that approximately 25% of deaths to children through abuse are by the father, 25% by the mother and 50% by the step-parent (usually the step-father as most children stay with the mother but there is no reason to think step-mothers are any better than natural ones).

An organisation called ‘Resolution’ has been backing the report, saying that we need to take cases through the court system to protect the children but who are Resolution … or ‘Resolution, First For Family Law’ as their website proclaims. Unsurprisingly they used to be called the ‘Solicitors Family Law Association’ so have  vested interested in making sure as many cases go through court as possible because they are made up of …… Solicitors.

You couldn’t make it up.

What next, accountants backing a report that says everyone should be required to use an accountant.

The Cove

I only recently came across this film.

It’s the story, as told by himself, of Ric O’Barry, the guy who  trained  Flipper the Dolphin for the original TV series (actually a number of dolphins).

After finding fame and fortune doing that, he discovered just how these and other cetaceans are captured and has made it his life goal to stop it.

If you are an environmentalist or animal lover you will find it interesting, strangely uplifting  but deeply disturbing.

If you are a techno-junkie you will love the high tech used to get the footage.

If you are interested in how Governments, corporations and vested interests (in this case the International Whaling Commission) will collude for money you will find it reinforces everything you think.

If you simply admire people who have a belief and stand up for their principles, look no further than Ric O’Barry.

Whoever you are, you will probably never want to visit a dolphin show again.

Official website HERE
Details from Internet Movie Database HERE
Campaign website HERE

Rating: Must see

Boys Are Stupid shirt

#rbsrocks

Peaceful protest that rocks it to them!

RBS are a symbol of the 1% – they’ve taken our money and our bailouts and continue to laugh at us – while their directors reap the benefits – but given rock-all back.

The ‘Occupy’ movement has raised awareness, but here’s a way to  let them know what you think if you can’t protest yourself but want to get involved.

Instead of throwing rocks at RBS, post them something heavy, but nothing offensive or dangerous, without putting a stamp on it – a rock for example [you won't be able to do this over a Post Office counter so it will need to fit in a post box].

Why?

The Post Office has an obligation to deliver the item
With no postage, RBS will be billed for the postage and a surcharge on each item
It will help them get the message that we’re not happy
It costs you nothing but makes a point

It’s a small gesture but will certainly be a cost to them in time and money  – if you’re feeling boulder you could even wrap a letter around the item in support of OccupyLSX.

Send it to:

Royal Bank of Scotland
135 Bishopsgate
London
EC2M 3UR

And don’t forget to Twitter #rbsrocks to get everyone involved – Rock On!

Keep Calm, Occupy

With the ‘Occupation London’ continuing, protestors have produced the first edition of their newspaper, The Occupied London Times – I say first becuase hopefully there will be time for more. See it HERE.

This follows the resignation of the Reverend Canon Dr Giles Fraser who was the Church of England spokesperson who backed the protestors. It’s a shame he’s resigned but at least he has shown he has principles. And he won’t be a part of action to remove protestors that the Cathedral have started.

There have been numerous aerticles on the protest and one of the best I’ve seen is by David Allen Green of the New Statesman. See it HERE

There is also an excellent description of how the economic situation has developed but in non-economic terms at the Golem XIV blog. See it HERE

There was an article on the BBC website this morning, can’t see it now, where a reporter interviewed 150 random protestors. It seems less than half are unemployed and most haven’t been on demos like this before – the opposite to what we’re being fed by the media.

Don’t get all your information from the newspapers, they are owned by the 1%, use the power of the Internet to expand your mind.