I Love London!!!

 So.... here's the truth.... I love London.... I love to visit London... I would love to live in London.... and this from a native of the North.... 

Here are just a few reasons why I love this beautiful city..... 

Buckingham Palace

The Royal Observatory at Greenwich

Time will tell but...

 

..... who hasn't heard of London Bridge or sung of it falling down? Rich in history, a leading global financial centre, a gateway to Europe and too many famous landmarks to count... not least, its latest addition The Shard.

London Bridge

Nowhere else in the world has anybody quite like our Royal family!!!  Our amazing Queen Elizabeth II and her truly dependable and patriotic husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh with his own tale of history to tell.  Their children, Prince Charles; Anne, [my personal favourite] the Princess Royal; Andrew and Edward... and of course Prince William and his notorious but lovable brother, Harry.

Then, there's the shopping!!! And ... OH - is that the time?  

So recently home of the Olympic Games with its awesome opening ceremony created by Danny Boyle and the pageantry of the Royal Jubilee, what a great place to be in 2012....

Shopping!

Time!

The Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster, once the principal residence of the reigning monarch and now housing both the Commons and the Lords!  Almost blown up by Guy Fawkes, destroyed by fire in 1834 and rebuilt by 1870.... a survivor of the Blitz, home to British politics and the eternally famous and majestic Big Ben....MP's &  Politicians past and present and to name but a few, Margaret Thatcher, The Iron Lady, William Pitt, youngest ever Prime Minister and William Wilberforce the leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade.

A fairy castle?

St Paul's Cathedral

 The financial district, better known as simply "The City" and if you feel so inclined, take your pick of art galleries, museums & libraries!!!

A fairy castle or the London skyline from St James's Park?

Sir Christopher Wren's St Paul's Cathedral, scene of Royal Weddings including our very own ill fated Lady Di to her Prince, our Queen's Diamond Jubilee and host to the state funeral of our esteemed WWII leader, Sir Winston Churchill.

The London Tube!

Tower of London

Must be a sign!!

Who doesn't envy London its great transport system? The oldest underground railway network in the world.  But where to next?

Just flowers

Kensington Palace

Through the gate @ Kensington Palace

The West End

The Pageantry

City of flowers and gardens, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, over 40 West End theatres and home to over 8 million people!!!

How can you not love London, surely one of the world's greatest capital cities!??

Scary UKIP gaining momentum....

I am speechless at the apparent response to a Daily Mail article... UKIP are b********, Maggie was good looking and Ed Miliband lacks his brother's charm: Denis Healey is still outspoken at 95

To which I replied:

He is quite right, the UKIP party is dangerous - if you are thinking of voting for them, PLEASE read their manifesto. Think Germany 1932 - their goal is to increase the military for no obvious reason, absolve themselves of responsibility by way of devolution of power and ultimately leave the country flat broke!

To which I received (at time of writing) 60 red arrows! and a small handful of responses...

He is quite right, the UKIP party is dangerous - if you are thinking of voting for them, PLEASE read their manifesto. Think Germany 1932 - their goal is to increase the military for no obvious reason, absolve themselves of responsibility by way of devolution of power and ultimately leave the country flat broke! - Jay >>>>>>>>>>>    Apart from decreasing our military....is this not exactly what is happening now, do you seriously think we will not be ruled by Brussels in 2 years time and our Parliament disbanded, once the Lisbon Treaty comes into full force....I do not think it is UKIP repeating 1932!!!!! Weapons are not needed anymore it is destruction by other means!

S of Dorchester only received 17 arrows for that response... but they were all green!  So many confused people but thank you for restating my point! ermmm... and I said "increasing the military" not decreasing!!!!!!  .....

...... and from another who only call themselves "UK Rising".... who, incidentally, has 41 green arrows....

. . .'He is quite right, the UKIP party is dangerous . . . and ultimately leave the country flat broke! - Jay  >>>>>>>>>>>  Gosh, tell us about your brilliant Labour Party, and how their ideology prevents them from ever making this country an economic success . . ! You think communists do any good for the working people, or something ? GBrown's political hero was a dyed-in-the wool commie - and look what Brown did to this country. . . !

..... It is one hell of a leap to assume that because I fear the UKIP fascist doctrine that I vote Labour or am a Communist!  When did Britain become "two party UKIP or Communist Labour"?.... I have never leaned to the Left in my life!  Occasionally staggered in that direction perhaps but only due to one too many wines!

and so I posted a further comment:

It is very simple - if you want to know the truth about the UKIP, read their manifesto! It speaks for itself

I am proud to say, I am doing a little better with this one rating 21 green arrows!  Sadly though, I fear my point has been missed... as I read the response from somebody who calls themselves a UKIP Voter and has gained themselves a mere 9 green arrows!

It is very simple - if you want to know the truth about the UKIP, read their manifesto! It speaks for itself- Jay >>>>>>> And for us, the long suffering taxpayer.

I am surprised to have provoked any retaliatory comments at all but what these and many of the other responses demonstrate is the ignorance of the voting public and how an extremist party, reminiscent of Hitler's 1932 Government can come to power.  Too many voters are stuck on a single theme "get out of the EU" and blind to the fact that the UKIP plan to create a highly militarised regime, flat broke, racist and devolved.

.... I AGREE with the sentiment to leave the EU, but Britain must first renegotiate terms for trade... and for the record, I am certainly no fan of Denis Healey but his politics seem relatively mild when compared to many politicians today.

OH and BTW.... It will be interesting to see all of those Brits who have taken for granted their right to travel and live freely around Europe suddenly being booted out.

Unions Show Their True Selves

BBC staff on strike 'would have returned to work if Nelson Mandela died... but not for the death of Thatcher'

And I would suggest that is just how she would want it.  It is certainly no surprise that striking unions would not break strike for the death of the woman who so effectively and efficiently killed their stranglehold on the country.  If only the nails in the coffin had held stronger!

It is sad to see the Unions rising again, fed and nurtured by 15 years of Blair's Labour!!  That UK teachers unions think its OK to teach kids to go on strike says it all, especially at a time when the country is down on its luck, struggling to get out of an ever returning financial crisis.  Giving lessons in how to be selfish and look out only for yourself, they must be very proud!

Unions have never changed and never will, the men and women who run them are fat cats, self serving and manipulative control freaks.  They wont go hungry when they call out their "brothers"... no .... they will still be getting their bread from the union funds!

That they suggest they would not break strike for the death of a highly regarded, respected and influential leader of the 20th Century says more about who they are than who she was and is.

Labor versus Labor!!!

I will eat him alive!

This week in politics!  What a farce it was... Julia versus Julia?  Rudd versus Labor?

Sneak Ruddly in!

Rudd versus Julia or Julia versus Rudd?  Does any fellow Australian think public money was well spent this week on political wars within the ruling party?

Simon Crean, I almost pity - what a pawn he allowed himself to be.  of the Labor party it seems - well perhaps it wasn't such a waste of public money after all!

Please ... pick me....

Not sure which adjectives serve him best: gullible? stupid? dim? naive? artless? and to think, he once led this desperate and self-serving party!  Used atrociously by both of them in their never ending unprofessional and bitter battle.  A fight to the death

Let's hope this week was the final nail in the coffin of a political party destined to destroy our great country if allowed to continue!

... and how the media are even now, persisting with their campaign to put Rudd in the leadership role.... it is clear as some are already saying... this party have chosen to lose the next election ... let's grant them their wish!  I don't have huge confidence in Abbott, his inheritance is not something to be envied, but truly, he is better than what we currently have...

Maggie!

Shocked! I have just realised that a woman who inspired and influenced me has not even rated a mention here!  Love her or hate her, she made a difference to the world we live in today... Well it is past time I gave her some well deserved attention....

Margaret Thatcher, a brilliant, clever and determined woman!

I was 14 when Maggie came to power and 26 when they brought about her undignified downfall. Her values and passions were inspirational and I still firmly believe in everything she stood for.   She made us proud to be British, something subsequent Governments have destroyed.

There are some who would argue she lost her way, well perhaps in her last term things could have been different, we can debate that another time.  Should that  override the achievements?

Maggie and The Miners

Arthur Scargill, the trade unionist who was no friend of the miners.  Scargill led the 1985/85 miners strike in a bitter battle with the Government, events that became a defining moment for the British trade union movement.  His personal vendetta almost brought Britain to its knees, how is that something to be proud of?  Ten people dead, including an innocent taxi driver taking a man to do an honest days work in the mines.  Their history spoke for itself, after all, they went on strike during WW2, what did they care about loyalty to their homeland?  Hopes were high, after all, they brought down the Heath Government in 1974!  Maggie stood firm and Scargill was eventually defeated but at such a huge cost to the nation!

Maggie and the Milk

Maggie the Milk Snatcher!  One of her earlier nicknames!  As a pint sized recipient of our little bottles of milk, I have no recollection whatsoever of it stopping.  A defining moment in my life?  Apparently not!  The little bottles of milk were representative of a post war era that was always going to end, Maggie was just brave enough to make that happen.

 

and then...

... there was Maggie & Privatisation, Maggie & Reagan, Maggie & Northern Ireland, Maggie & The Falklands, Maggie & Foreign Affairs and Maggie & the Poll Tax!  And let's not forget Maggie & Malcolm Turnbull locking heads over Spycatcher and so much more....

So many discussion points... but finally let me touch briefly on Maggie & Terrorism... never did she give in to terrorism.  Despite being a target in Brighton, she stood firm and never would Maggie have given in to fear and allowed a mile "no protest" perimeter around the people's Parliament, as implemented by Mr Blair's Government!

I admire Maggie for her intelligence, her strength her sheer determination and her many achievements.  We need her like we have never needed her before...

.... and with her increasingly failing health, I will certainly shed a few tears when the inevitable happens.

photo credit: roberthuffstutter via photopin cc

Pope Seems Like a Nice Guy

Well a big week for the Papists!  Pope Francis....

..... when I heard Jesuit my first thought was zealot, passionate about his beliefs, possibly fanatical but on reflection devout seems better suited and, a first perhaps?  A man who truly believes in his God!!  On the plus side I am sure his appointment is striking fear into the hearts of those who feel their celibacy oath only applies to anybody over 16!  Can one man clean up so much that is wrong?  The child sex scandal cover ups that suggest acceptance? The unparalleled wealth?  The hypocrisy?

On the other side of the coin, his doctrine is allegedly based on archaic beliefs better suited to the Middle Ages or worse the Middle East 2,000 years ago!  Surely such primitive views compound this apparent acceptance of child sex abuse?  In Biblical times, child brides were accepted, as they still are in many under developed nations, isn't it time to move with the times?  Allow priests to have normal relationships & families, accept same-sex relationships, acknowledge the need for abortion & encourage birth control? 

Proof is in the media on a daily basis, the doctrine, as it is portrayed, doesn't change anything, rather it results in heartache, blackmail, illegal acts and God forbid!! [*sarcasm alert*] Priests holding gay sex parties or getting married in secret!

How many back street abortions still go on today? How many children are still being abused by "trusted" priests?  How many unwanted babies are born every day?  How many people have committed suicide in agony over their sexual feelings?

.... And how can our little planet continue to sustain the population growth encouraged by the Catholic church?  Already over 7 billion!

... And so, back to Pope Francis, he certainly has his work cut out, at first glance it looks unlikely he will be sucked in by the power and luxury, but it will take a strong man to stand firm as he increasingly becomes the subject of worship.  Early indications suggest he might even give away the riches of the Church to the poor! That will make him popular!  I shall watch with interest!

UK Independence Party - Manifesto

I am outraged to see the apparent support for the UK Independence Party (UKIP)!  The British public are being blindly sucked in by their promise to 'get us out of the EU'.  Well that is all well and good, but there are serious implications of doing that and the British people need to make an educated decision.

And my vote? Well, I agree, we need to change our relationship with the EU.  Renegotiate terms, take back our own governance and protect our borders, we clearly cannot sustain benefit payments to masses of lazy people inbound from Europe but not through an extremist right wing political party like the UKIP.

So what about the rest of their policies?  Have you actually read their Manifesto?  Here are just a few:

"Save up to £120BN by leaving the EU, no British jobs or trade will be lost" 

"Reduce everyone's taxes with a 31% flat tax" 

"Replace VAT with a 'Local Sales Tax' to help councils and local businesses"

WTF? HOGWASH!  Firstly, they give no indication of how they plan to protect British jobs or how they have drawn this conclusion.  Reducing tax and abolishing VAT?  Where precisely will the Government get its funding from? 

"Create 1 million new skilled jobs with public and private investment..."

Ermmm??? And these public funds will come from where exactly? At the same time, UKIP make it clear that they will be preventing foreign investment so dig deep Brits!  Perhaps voluntary contributions, funded from your tax savings?  Yes - I can see that happening!

And so to Immigration and Asylum.... "expel Islamic extremists".... yep - let's target a specific minority group and endorse and promote racial discrimination.  Sounds like a similar approach to one adopted in Germany in 1932!  Oh... and hey - they will "triple the number of UK Borders Agency staff to 30,000".  Don't expect to get paid, but at least your tax will be low!

"Demand zero tolerance on crime and double prison places to assure this" - and this will be funded how exactly?  Voluntary donations again?  At least we won't have to worry about feeding the prisoners as they will also "Scrap the Human Rights Act".  It just gets better and better! NOT!  As the Crown Prosecution Service will also be abolished we won't have to worry about a national approach to crime so this should help keep the prison numbers down!

Anything left in the public coffers will be aimed at increasing the military, expanding the army by 25%, double the TA and boosting nuclear deterrent.  Why?  Again echoes of Germany 1932.  Frightening!

Need I go on????  Sorry .... I can't bring myself to discuss their approach to Healthcare, the NHS, Education, Welfare or Social Security and Pensions.  Investing £3BN in the road and rail systems sounds like a great idea - but where is the funding coming from - not taxes obviously?  Making foreign lorries pay to use British roads?  Yeh clever - that will stop them coming over in their droves, slow up the economy and of course, ensure similar charges are introduced for Brits traveling abroad!! If you can get a visa that is!

"Build more social housing" - oh great... a return to the days of sprawling council run estates, yippee!  Lots of local and national referendums and let's introduce Proportional representation?  Not very efficient but expensive... funded how?

And so finally, to their thinking on multiculturalism!  Well that will be banned and no need for political correctness either.  No doubt they have an enthusiasm to get women back where they belong too -  barefoot, pregnant and tied to a kitchen sink perhaps?

What a country they plan to create - full of racial prejudice, parochial, devolved and broke!

I find this future terrifying and almost an inevitable result of the ongoing financial crisis.  It is at times like this that these radical extremist groups gain power - again let me quote - Germany, July 1932.

Vatican Secret Archives

How fascinating would it be to delve into The Vatican Secret Archives?

Hundreds of years of history and mystery and although the Church has apparently opened its doors, there is still so much it seeks to protect.  Why?  Surely if the Church is what it claims to be, there is no longer a need for such secrecy?

These documents are so incredibly valuable and special, they should be scanned and preserved for future generations - how tragic that in another few hundred years so many of them will probably be dust with their secrets lost forever.