Wills and Kate ...

cc by Kate and William, Canada Day 2011

So I'll be honest, I am struggling to make up my mind about this couple.  They seem pleasant, she smiles a lot, she makes him happy or so it seems.

And yet his behaviour and tacit acceptance of her family suggests he craves an ordinary life, he has a very beautiful wife and a bonny baby, he has a privileged life he is the son of, possibly, the most famous woman in the world and the heir to the British throne, so what's the problem?

Well, I guess the catch is this!

 

The constant portrayal of ordinary, a close family, the emphasis on 'no nanny' for the new bub although that didn't last long, the portrayal of the Middleton clan and their homemade 'official' snapshots of Britain's new Prince. Yet surrounded by aides, pomp and ceremony which they quite clearly enjoy.

You see, the trouble is, they are not ordinary, they can never be ordinary, they are Royal, the titles are a bit of a giveaway, clearly enjoyed too and as a Royalist I say "I don't want you to be ordinary, I don't want a Royal family who are just like me, what would be the point?"

Perhaps  Prince William's upbringing has been too 'ordinary' to the point he clearly no longer wishes to be considered Royal?  Perhaps this hints that Prince William is not a Royalist and indeed plans to skip the King bit?  How very sad if that is his choice.

And Kate?

When I first read of their marriage, a few years back, it was put out that she would prefer to be known as Catherine, it seems she soon learned that the public will call you by their own preferred affectionate name, in this case, "Kate" and so it would appear this wasn't pushed by the palace (pretentious perhaps?)

IMHO Kate really needs to cut the apron strings and understand she has married into a very important family who are not and should not be viewed as ordinary.  Ordinary people don't live in Kensington Palace in grand 21 room apartments, ordinary people don't converse with our Queen on a regular basis or stay in stately homes such as Balmoral and Windsor.  The news of the new Granny flat is just one in a long line of items underscoring how the Middleton's will influence the future of our Kingdom and I for one don't feel comfortable with that.  I am sure they mean well but they are no different to you or I, they just have more money and a daughter who married a Prince.

Kate and Will, if you truly wish to be ordinary, by all means be "normal rich people" and lose the titles.  Until then, you are not "normal", you are not "ordinary" you are Royals, accept it or take a back seat and stay quietly in the background, minus your titles of course.  We prefer you don't, we want to respect you but between you and Prince Charles, you are not making it easy to remain a Royalist!  I like and respect Camilla, despite the challenges she has faced, she has remained dignified.  I loved Dianna too, but she isn't here anymore and life moves on.

Long live the Queen and Prince Philip!

What do they want?

We have been witness to news reports of many acts of terrorism in recent years, Kenya being the most recent.  We have been victims of Governments inhibiting our freedom in the name of terrorism in recent years, there are numerous examples.

So here is my question ... What do they want?  The terrorists I mean - what is their end goal?

I am not for a minute suggesting we give it to them (never) it's just that I still don't know, what are they proposing we do to make them stop?

Comment below...

They made a difference - Emily Pankhurst

cc by BBC Radio 4

15 July 1858 - 14 June 1928, age 69

Born Emmeline Goulden on 15 July 1858 in Moss Side, Manchester, educated in Paris and died, on 14 June 1928, age 69 in London, Emily Pankhurst was a powerhouse, a political activist and the champion of British suffragette's.

The eldest of five girls in a family of eleven children, with her maternal roots in the Isle of Man.  My own paternal roots also find themselves in the Isle of Man so it is amusing to fancy that a little bit of Emily's feistiness might also run through my own veins!

Perhaps not coincidentally, the Isle of Man was one of the earliest countries to grant women the right to vote in national elections, in 1881, albeit only property owners.

Much has already been written about Emily Pankhurst, so my intent is not to rewrite her biography, but rather post my own little tribute to a woman who dared to be different. By today's measures, Emily was a working mother with both a career and children, fighting her cause led to time in Holloway Prison and even hunger strikes in a bid to improve conditions for others, and this, long before Bobby Sands even took his first feed.

cc by Leonard Bentley

Emily's approach to women's suffrage took the movement in a different direction, after years of soft talking she encouraged a more militant approach. Their opposition to the draconian's of the time, including Winston Churchill often led to ridicule and casual references to "those ladies who are sometimes laughed at".....

No doubt her proposal to Richard Pankhurst that they enter into a free union was considered scandalous in their day, perhaps fortunately for Emily, he declined and so they wed in December 1879.

In 1914, Emily put aside her determined efforts and diverted her attention to war efforts, helping to recruit women into supporting roles and factories.  She expressed her desire to be consulted on matters of Government in a letter to the new Prime Minister, Lloyd George.
 
Through the achievements of women like Emily Pankhurst, women of Britain today can take for granted their right to vote. Without women like Mrs Pankhurst even the glass ceiling would be little more than a fantasy, we would still be oppressed, barefoot and chained to the sink, most likely pregnant!

In the United Kingdom in 1918, women over the age of 30 were granted the right to vote but it was another ten years and a little over two weeks after her death before women were granted a franchise equal to that of men when the Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act 1928 was finally given Royal assent on 2nd July 1928.

Thank you Emily Pankhurst!  You made a difference....

For more extensive history of related world dates .... Click here..... and for an interesting read about 'the story of Parliament and votes for women', try here....

Useless facts:

• Sun sign (astrology): Cancer
• Myers Briggs           : one can only wonder

cc by UK Government archives

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Good Night, and Good Luck

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Last week, quite by accident I came across a really excellent movie.  I had selected a few DVD's for weekend watching and this one, at only 93 minutes long didn't really qualify for a Saturday night blockbuster viewing.  So, Sunday evening, glass of wine in hand, I was ready for what I expected to be a mildly entertaining true story of a 1950's newspaperman calling out a US politician.

What I got was so much more, engaged from the offset I was riveted!  Initially, the dialogue was hard to follow, typical newsroom chaos, but after a few minutes you see the hero and the bad guy emerge.... as the story unfolds you recognise how it mirrors today... a story of politicians exaggerating a perceived threat, using it to generate paranoia, hysteria and fear and ultimately, becoming all powerful and eventually all but untouchable.  This is the story of a man who risked all, daring to challenge, sadly a man apparently without equal in today's modern era.

The name of the film?  Good Night, and Good Luck, directed by and starring George Clooney.  The movie tells the story of Ed Murrow challenging Senator Joe McCarthy, an anti-communist crusader, in a cold war era.  The man who's name coined the term McCarthyism, used today to describe the practice of making accusations of political disloyalty without evidence.

I won't spoil the storyline for you, but I will tell you, Ed Murrow will inspire.  An employee of CBS, his wartime broadcasts still famous today, his signature opening memorable, "This is London," and his closing catchphrase "good night, and good luck" not only the name used for this film but also adapted by a young Princess Elizabeth, making a radio broadcast in the time of the London blitz and signing off with "good night, and good luck to you all".

A life long chain smoker who died of lung cancer when only 57, his life story was captivating and his legacy, one of honesty and integrity, and one would hope, inspirational for journalists today.

There are many speeches and quotes attributed to Ed Murrow, for me, one of his best is as apt today as it was yesterday.... perhaps more so.....

"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law. We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men – not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate, and to defend causes that were, for the moment, unpopular....

......... We proclaim ourselves, as indeed we are, the defenders of freedom, wherever it continues to exist in the world, but we cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home. The actions of the junior Senator from Wisconsin have caused alarm and dismay amongst our allies abroad, and given considerable comfort to our enemies. And whose fault is that? Not really his. He didn't create this situation of fear; he merely exploited it—and rather successfully."

An awe inspiring WWII story

So many WWII stories are sad, shocking and appalling beyond words, but alongside the tragedy there are many tales of bravery, heroics and heart warming reports.  Rarely are these stories of "good Germans" perhaps with the exception of one of the most famous Oskar Schindler......

Every now and again however, a tale comes to light that is inspirational.... I recently came across one such tale and hope you are as moved by this story as I was.....

Wartime chivalry

or maybe this version ....

photo credit: Armchair Aviator cc

This is the story of an allied aircraft beaten so badly in an air fight, the crew so devastated by injury or death, that they were unlikely to make it home, the 21 year old American pilot, Lt Charlie Brown, on his first combat mission, alone over Germany in 1943 when a German Messerschmitt fighter plane, piloted by Luftwaffe veteran Franz Stigler, flew alongside them.... at a time when they thought they were sitting ducks, they witnessed an incredible act of chivalry....

photo credit: Jerry Gunner cc

A German fighter pilot, one strike away from winning Germany's highest honour for valour "The Knights Cross" had the allied aircraft in his sights.  A man who risked death for dishonour if the Nazi SS discovered his deed, flew alongside the ailing aircraft and honoured his humanity instead.  His respect for the code of honour and integrity of soldiers and fighting men through the ages... Not only did he not fire on them, he helped them avoid anti aircraft batteries lining the coast as he directed them towards neutral Sweden......

The bond between soldiers, even on opposing sides is a special one, [fortunately] not experienced by many of us.....

So wonderful that these two pilots of WWII were reunited post war in 1989 and went on to travel together, taking their story to others... dying only 8 months apart in 2008, may they rest in peace and may Hollywood make a movie that respects the sentiment, the integrity and the honour!

They made a difference - Nelson Mandela

18 July 1918 – present, age 95

photo credit: Archives de la Ville de Montréal  cc

So sad, if the news media is to be believed, Nelson Mandela is fading and likely to move on to another dimension soon.   Now if you care at all, you have to agree, here is a man who made a difference....

Described by Maggie Thatcher as a terrorist and indeed in technical terms, precisely that, he served many years in prison for leading attempts to overthrow white supremacy in South Africa.

He didn't just make a difference, he is a hero to so many, his forgiveness, his compassion, his humility, his commitment to ending racism, his diplomacy, his bravery, his intelligence..... so much...... never has a man earned the right to global respect and reverence as Nelson Mandela has.

Born of illiterate parents descended from African royalty, intelligent and well educated his rebel tendencies began to develop at university where he was suspended for his part in a boycott against the quality of food and subsequently left without a degree.

Everything about his life set him on the path to becoming this man.  His interest in politics, the timing of his birth, his teaming up with the African National Congress, once condemned as a terrorist organisation and now the governing political party of South Africa, and his own decisions to lead the ANC down a more radical and revolutionary path.  How different is perception when looked at through different eyes and in different times.

The expansion of apartheid by the extremist Government, Herenigde Nasionale Party and their unexpected 1948 (white only) election win, all led to making this man.

His arrest in 1962 and subsequent conviction in 1964, all led to making this man.

His, now famous, time incarcerated on Robben Island in a tiny cell, where his vision became impaired due to sunlight reflecting off lime in the quarry where he was assigned to work, his encouragement of others, his religious, Afrikaans and legal studies, even his prisoner number 46664 all served to make this man.

His correspondence with people such as Desmond Tutu, his influence on the political arena, the respect for this man, locked away from the world and yet still inspiring anti apartheid sanctions and rock concerts in his name, his eventual release on 11 February 1990, leading to a final end to apartheid in South Africa, his winning of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and his election to President in 1994 all served to make this man.

Let's not forget F W de Klerk's role in negotiating an end to apartheid and freeing Nelson Mandela, enabling him to continue with his destiny, he too made a difference.

Would Nelson Mandela have made such a difference if he hadn't been imprisoned in the way he was?  Would he have been inspired to make a difference with a different lifestyle?  With different people?  If you are looking, Nelson Mandela is an example of somebody who was truly put on this earth to make a difference with all roads leading to the inevitable outcome. 

 photo credit: p_c_w cc

A man of many names, Mandela his "English" name given to him by his school teacher Miss Mdingane, Rolihlahla his birth name meaning "troublemaker" given to him by his father, well he certainly lived up to that one... Madiba, his very polite clan name, Dalibhunga his grown up name given to him aged 16 after his traditional rite of passage, meaning 'founder of the council' or 'convenor of the dialogue' and unquestionably a name he took to heart, then there is Khulu, meaning "Great One" and possibly the one he may value most is Tata, meaning 'father' and used as a term of endearment by so many South Africans.

In a perfect world, Mandela's commitment to reconciliation will become his legacy, however, sadly we live in an imperfect world and already there is dissension as his family fight over where he will be buried and that's before he is even dead!  Let's hope they reconcile before the inevitable end.

Long live Nelson Mandela!

Inspirational Quotes

To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world

A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger.  You don't have that idea when you are arrogant, superficial and uninformed

Read more here

Useless Facts

• Sun sign (astrology): Cancer
• Myers Briggs           : INFJ

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GP finds love with patient's husband....

Well... this is a tricky moral dilemma isn't it?  Judging others is such dangerous ground, after all, few of us a pure of heart and mind.... but on this one, I can't help but think that perhaps there was some middle ground...

"How our sister was betrayed by the doctor who put sex before duty"

Truth is, love happens, two people fell in love over the death bed of the spouse of one of the pair.... love happens.... it is precious and should never be discarded when it has a chance to blossom... (yikes you would think I am romantic, but honestly, I don't have a romantic bone in my body!).

However.... to my way of thinking, and there are, very rare, occasions when I'm wrong so don't quote me...  this doc didn't make her mistake in the two weeks after her patient passed away.  She made her mistake in the weeks or even months leading up to the death.  As soon as she began to have romantic feelings about the husband of her patient, she should have come clean.

If uncertain about her course of action, she should have consulted with the medical council!

 

Instead, she has created a situation where questions can be asked about the sad death of this poor woman, how can anybody ever be sure that her motives, in nursing a dying woman and signing the death certificate were pure?  Likely they were, but her behaviour has created a situation where questions COULD be asked about the death.  In doing this, she has shown herself to lack professionalism, thus there is only one right outcome.  She cannot be trusted to be a doctor and put the needs of her patient first and their combined actions have resulted in unnecessary distress for the relatives of Mrs Owens at a time when they should be able to focus on their grief at her passing.

Simple!

Don't judge her because she was married, she isn't the first to leave her husband for another man.... or as quoted by the family of the deceased, "because of indecent haste", but perhaps examine her actions because she created a situation that caused questions to be asked, interfering with the grieving process for her patient and a situation that could have been avoided with some honesty up front.

The Lucky kids....

I am incredibly lucky.... No question, no debate, I was born under a lucky star and for that I am forever and truly thankful....

My childhood was the best time ever to have been a kid, past, present or future.   Those of us who grew up in the original new age 70's and matured in the 80's were lucky... we had something kids before us and kids after us never had and likely never will again.

Freedom to be kids, explore, learn and imagine!!!!!!! 

Kids before us were bound by the culture of the day, if not down the mines or in servitude, then governed by ridiculous Victorian values or sadly, grew up in war or post war eras.  Kids after us?  Fear and technology has changed it for them, in an increasingly dangerous world, kids are encouraged to turn to modern technology for entertainment.

photo credit: ocad123 cc

Born at the tail end of '64, a leap year and a time for the history books.  I rocked up 6 months after they imprisoned Nelson Mandela, just over a month before our fearless wartime leader Winston Churchill passed on to a higher plane.... A few days after Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer first aired on TV.... Cilla Black was riding high in the charts, 'I feel Fine' was Number One and Beatlemania was at screaming pitch.  Just a year after Brad Pitt came into the world, the year of the American Civil Rights Act and the same year Martin Luther King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.  It was also the year of the last ever executions in Britain and how lucky were we to be a part of defining today's interpretation of Generation X!!

As 1970 dawned bright and clear I had just turned 5 and as we waved farewell to the 70's and welcomed that brave new world of the 1980's.... I turned 15, a magical age fraught with teenage angst, acne and iconic pop stars like Adam Ant asking us to Stand and Deliver, Madonna performing Like a Virgin at the start of an illustrious career, Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders had Brass in Pocket .... and what about Bob?  

Mr Geldof certainly gave us something to remember with Live Aid even if we all knew he never had a hope of solving world hunger!  It was one hell of a concert!  1980 was also the year John Lennon was so cruelly and unjustly murdered , just three years after another influential megastar met his untimely end.... Elvis!  (Did he really die on the toilet?  Another injustice perhaps?)

photo credit: Ramiro Garcia S cc

 

Bob's BFF Mr Midge Ure and Ultravox can claim a major injustice as they celebrated Vienna, the best single that never made it to number one!!  Pipped to the post initially by John Lennon's Woman, acceptable you might agree, but to be kept from the top spot by Joe Dolce's Shaddup You Face??

Seriously?  Judge for yourself....

It is devastating to hear of childhood role models, people who set themselves up as influences on our lives being denounced in the media today, but this does not change what was the best time to grow up!

The Boss may have sung of the Summer of '69, but as any British school kid of that era will tell you, the summer of 76 will live in our minds forever - remember the ladybird invasion?  To be 12, faced with 6 weeks of summer holidays and the hottest, driest summer forever .... bliss!  We didn't worry about the worst drought of the century, standpipes, crops or forest fires, we were 12, we built our make-shift tents from blankets on the back lawn, ready for sleep-outs and agonised over major decisions.... where to go tomorrow....???

As kids of the day, we didn't have air con or XBoxes.... No smart phones, no iPads, no mobiles.... No PCs, no Macs, no apps, no video, no computer games... we breathed fresh air, we talked to each other... face to face! We learned to understand the boundaries and acceptable social behaviour, but above all we used our imaginations!!

...... We had our imagination and our bikes!

photo credit: moriza cc

We set off daily, our jam buttes (jelly sandwiches) in our bags... And off we went exploring, swimming... fishing... whatever .... Our parents didn't worry so long as we were home for tea.... They didn't need to, perception of crime was less evident... We had fun.... 

...... And this is why I was born of the lucky generation....

photo credit: PETER9914 cc

They made a difference - Mo Mowlam

18 September 1949 to 19 August 2005, age 55

Those who know me, know it is almost unheard of for me to praise a Labour politician, but here it is.  Marjorie "Mo" Mowlam was an amazing woman, one who should never be forgotten and one who made a difference.

l

photo credit: Bolckow cc

Mo was instrumental in bringing about the Good Friday Agreement and peace in Northern Ireland, an event typically attributed to Tony Blair [a man who made the wrong kind of difference] but it was Mo who was Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in charge of the peace process at the time.  Mo who made the difference.  Mo who sat for long hours at the negotiating tables.  Mo who disarmed the Unionist politicians by hugging them.  Mo who kept the meaning and importance of life in context as they fought over the balance of power and the details.... and finally Mo who told Gerry Adams, as he hesitated over the signing “Bloody well get on and do it, otherwise I’ll head butt you!”

It was Mo who made this happen while slowly and tragically dying of a malignant brain tumour.

Given just three years to live in 1996, even before Labour swept to power and before Mo was appointed to the top position in the Northern Ireland Office.   Given the Troubles that had raged in Northern Ireland since the 1960's with echoes back down the centuries to the Middle Ages.... it could be argued this was the most demanding and stressful cabinet position ever.  Yet she didn't flinch, she accepted the position not even telling Blair that her brain tumour was malignant, in fact leading him to believe the tumour was benign and could be treated.  Many might argue a woman with a brain tumour should not be in such a senior position of power and yet, she was and she won.  Everybody won thanks to Mo.

She was frank, often blunt and refreshingly honest for a politician, a Cabinet Minister at that.

One can't even begin to imagine the trauma she and her family were enduring.  Throughout the exhausting peace talks, she continued her chemo, taking medication to prevent her being sick so she could stay at the table.  A table that culminated in the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on 10th April 1998.

Sadly Mo died in August 2005, aged just 55, her determination to win ensuring peace for a time in Northern Ireland and more than the 3 years she was allotted in 1996.  In her short time, she made a difference!

Inspirational Quotes

"There was no metaphorical gun at my head, ... Putting my case face-to-face, arguing it through with them, I thought was the best way to do it"

"Many of us would like to make progress much quicker, ... But we have to bear in ind there are people around hat table who have had relatives and friends killed.  You don't forget that overnight." 

Useless facts:

• Sun sign (astrology): Virgo
• Birthplace: Watford

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Mini update......

I have been a little busy for the last couple of weeks and if you spotted my other blog, you would know why but today, it's time for a little downtime and a couple of observations.....

Firstly I should mention I am spending a few weeks in Europe so it is interesting to see and hear the vastly different viewpoints.... Quite a lot of change since our last visit.... But the big stand out is the emotion associated with anti immigration and a notable increase in anti gay sentiment as well as more overt church attendance.

I can understand the immigration resentment, the UK is only a little island and cannot sustain such uncontrolled growth and certainly can't afford the huge financial impact on the social state. It is, of course, this feeling the UKIP are tapping into and although I don't support or condone their propaganda, Britain either needs to leave the EU or overhaul the benefit system. A referendum in 2017 is too far away, the strength of feeling suggests this issue needs to be resolved sooner not later.

I was highly amused to read this article about women wearing trousers to  "deliberately make themselves unattractive" ... Not only unattractive, but it is "hostile behaviour" ...... there was I, thinking our sole purpose in life was to please our men. Ohhhhh for a return to the Victorian era when women knew their place - barefoot, chained to the sink and ideally pregnant .... Not a huge surprise to note the author of this statement is the latest financial contributor to the UKIP! What is this guy on???? This is the 21st century!

.... On the plus side, the fact that his donation of £10K equates to 20% of all donations to the party this year suggests they aren't as popular as the media would have us all believe!

... [in case you didn't hear it, there was a jingle of sarcasm in that last paragraph] ...

I can't help but think Nigel Farage is reveling in his current news appearances, once again the word "hatred" is prominent in his dialogue..... Why? He is being deliberately provocative.....

Equally disappointing is the apparent anti gay feeling..... Such a retrograde and disappointing step .... It is time to put this argument to bed, whoever is sleeping in it! Once again, I refer to Maurice Williamson and his fabulous parliamentary speech in New Zealand recently... He summed it up perfectly...

Check out his video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCDEiaoEP2U&feature=youtube_gdata_player

They made a difference - Rosa Parks

4 February 1913 - 24 October 2005, age 92

Born Rosa Louise McCauley Parks, famous for her refusal to give up her seat on a bus to a white person! 

photo credit: rbanks cc

 
So, when you consider it is only a hundred years since she was born, consider just how recently African Americans were segregated.

We have all expressed outrage at South Africa's Apartheid and yet Rosa's show of defiance on a bus in the United States, in 1955 was just 58 years ago.  Rosa was arrested and charged, how quickly we forget!

photo credit: tobstone cc

Rosa was a brave and inspirational lady who played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement and along with people like Martin Luther King, she made a difference.  The people of the US finally did the right thing with the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - just 48 years ago, bringing an end to discrimination although sadly not bigotry.

Inspirational Quotes

"I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free ... so other people would be also free"

"I'm tired of being treated like a second-class citizen"

At the time I was arrested I had no idea it would turn into this.  It was just a day like any other day.  The only thing that made it significant was that the masses of the people joined in"

"It was not pre-arranged.  It just happened that the driver made a demand and I just didn't feel like obeying his demand.  I was quite tired after spending a full day working" 

Useless facts

• Sun sign (astrology): Aquarius
• Myers Briggs           : ISFJ

They made a difference - Helen Keller

27 June 1880 – 1 June 1968, age 87

Photo courtesy: jimmywayne cc

Born on 27th June 1880, Helen Keller was almost 2 years old before a childhood illness left her blind, deaf and dumb.  With the help of her teacher Anne Sullivan, Helen emerged from her silent world, learning to communicate, earn a degree and become a world famous speaker and author.

photo courtesy: WBUR cc

One cannot talk of Helen without also talking of Anne Sullivan, intelligent, partially blind herself and only 20, she took on the role of governess to 6 year old, blind-deaf Helen Keller, a relationship that later matured to lifelong companionship, lasting until Anne's death at age 70 on October 20, 1936.

The story of Anne teaching Helen to communicate is touchingly, retold in the 1962 movie, The Miracle Worker.

A strong advocate for improving the world for the disabled, Helen also made a number of topical political issues of the day, her own, including women's suffrage and birth control.

Keller tackled social and political issues, including women's suffrage, pacifism and birth control. She testified before Congress, strongly advocating to improve the welfare of blind people. In 1915, along with renowned city planner George Kessler, she co-founded Helen Keller International to combat the causes and consequences of blindness and malnutrition. In 1920, she helped found the American Civil Liberties Union.

Inspirational Quotes

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.  Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved"

"Life is either a great adventure or nothing" 

Useless facts:

• Sun sign (astrology): Cancer
• Myers Briggs           : INFP

 

Arthur Scargill....

It would be wrong to write of Margaret Thatcher and the Miners strike in earlier posts without at least some reference to the politician and Marxist trade unionist Arthur Scargill... in my opinion, the true enemy of the Unions and the miners....

President of the National Union of Miners, from 1982 to 2002 he was accorded near hero worship.  He played a leading role in bringing down Sir Edward Heath's Tory Government in 1974 and "took on" the Thatcher Government in the 1980's, leading the miners through a year long strike, bringing about their own downfall and the ending of the power of the unions, hopefully forever.

Much is written and told about the miner's strike and always the blame is laid squarely at Maggie's feet.  She destroyed them, she didn't give in to bullying, whatever way you look at it, she got the blame, but IMHO, the choice was with the miners or more specifically, the choice was Scargill's!

There was no ballot, Scargill unilaterally decided the miner's were on strike, so much for democracy.  He called the strike in the Summer, hardly an intelligent strategy.  He personally was in touch with the Soviet Union, securing funds and making clear his communist leanings, and this at a time when the Iron Curtain was at full strength, a borderline traitor by my measures.

We all know that some animals are more equal than others and Scargill was always a fat cat.  While the miners struggled to make ends meet, he continued to pick up his pay chit as their so called leader.  He never suffered any personal hardship, in fact it is alleged that during the strike, he was even granted a loan to buy a nice country house in Barnsley!  Something the striking miners could only dream of.

The violence associated with the strikes was never publicly condemned by Scargill. 

After the strikes were over, Scargill joined forces with another famous Leftie of the era, Tony Benn, to [successfully] campaign against the murder convictions of Russel Shankland and Dean Hancock.  The two murdered an innocent taxi driver, David Wilkie by dropping a concrete block, from a bridge, onto his car and what was his crime?  Driving a man, David Williams, to work... Wilkie, a brave man taking the same route for the tenth time in an atmosphere so volatile, he required a police escort.  David Wilkie, who died instantly, left behind a 2 year old daughter and his pregnant fiancee who gave birth 6 weeks later.  Scargill must be very proud that his campaigning had the convictions downgraded to manslaughter and both men released from prison in November 1989.

Make up your own mind whether or not you consider that murder or manslaughter, I know what I think!

And post his NUM presidency?  Well I can't help but think his true colours have come to the fore.  Asked if they support him these days?  I think you will find the NUM prefer to disassociate themselves from his greed and self aggrendisement, his conviction that he is entitled to continue to have his £34,000 annual London rent paid for by the NUM for the rest of his life [oh and also for a widow who might survive him]!  A rent that the NUM have been paying for years, on Scargill's personal instructions and without the knowledge of the NUM members and indeed a number of senior NUM officials.  To quote the current general secretary, Chris Kitchen.... "I would say it's time to walk away, Mr Scargill. You've been found out. The NUM is not your personal bank account and never will be again."

You see, I cannot stand hypocrisy, I despise people such as Arthur Scargill, he is a sad old man who always sought to lay the blame at somebody else's door for everything wrong with his life.....Arthur Scargill destroyed many lives with his attitude and arrogance, his call to arms without a ballot, his enforced strike and the subsequent violence that came about as a result.....

..... And his response when he received a text telling him "Thatcher's dead"?  "SCARGILL ALIVE"... not even an ounce of decency or respect for an old adversary... she didn't bring him down - he can take, and has earned, the credit entirely as his own!

To my way of thinking, there were many good things that came from this era.  Empowering the workforce and ridding them of overly powerful trade unions was necessary for the future evolution of the nation and is possibly one of the Thatcher Government's biggest contributions.  Banning the "closed shop", encouraging [Government funded] secret ballots and the banning of secondary picketing all helped to stop the bully mentality of the unions.  The number of days lost due to strikes fell from 29.5 million in 1979 to just 278,000 in 1984.  Additional measures introduced later took the obligation off employers to automatically collect union fees from employees further helped to remove the all powerful unions ability to dictate policy.  The commercial world could not have survived without this overhaul.  That said, unions have a value, the commercial world cannot always be trusted but it is all about balance!

Margaret Thatcher owed Scargill a great debt, without his bloody mindedness, his hatred and pig-headed nature, she could never have so effectively tempered trade union power.  Had she paid him, she couldn't have hoped for more so as I say, the true enemy of the Union's and the miners was Arthur Scargill himself!  Thanks Arthur... your achievements stand here recognised for all time!

What have the Romans ever done for us?

Well this has to bring a few smiles..... a news article about the state of the roads in Britain!  It seems those invading Romans didn't know it all, after all!!!

Yes they who introduced so many improvements into Britannia, including irrigation, better farming, spa bathing, established so many great towns and cities such as Chester, Bath, Canterbury, Buxton, Gloucester, Lincoln, Manchester, York..... settled Londinium, the origins of today's great City of London...

Original Roman walls, Chester

...well it seems they failed to plan ahead!

The potholes are all their fault!  In the roads I mean... apparently, they didn't lay strong enough foundations...

So.... like....  2,000 years ago, they didn't consider that Kent County Council might be struggling to maintain their work today.  Well... its either their poor workmanship, or it's the French....

In the news this week?

I hardly know where to start!   The news this week has been huge...

.... opening with the Boston Marathon bombings, followed by an explosion at a fertilizer plant in Texas and the loss of lives, leading into a tremendous display of pomp and ceremony with Baroness Margaret Thatcher's funeral, which I am happy to say was relatively free of protestors and the Queen looking so well.  Shocking revelations in the press about Rolf Harris, I so hope he isn't guilty, a childhood illusion shattered.  A 5 year old little girl held in a wicked and brutal attack in New Delhi, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake in China too many dead .... 20 Kremlin critics arrested in Russia, a return to the bad old days perhaps?  .... and finally closing with the celebrations when one of the Boston bombers is killed and the other captured but seriously injured in hospital!

..... And the good news?  The Queen looking fabulous and relaxed, celebrating her horse winning at Newbury and not just good but great news, they passed the gay marriage bill in New Zealand by 77 votes to 44!  Go the Kiwi's, you have my admiration and its great to see you leading the pack in the region with modern thinking and showing, unlike so many, you don't suffer from narrow minded bigotry!  

My favourite video clip of the week goes to Maurice Williamson and his speech in New Zealand Parliament ..... well said Maurice!  Love it!

Boston Marathon bombings

photo credit: Werner Kunz via photopin cc

Boston, Massachusetts!  Such a beautiful city, by reputation a highly desirable place to live and its high cost of living doesn't seem to have deterred its 7.6 million inhabitants.  Situated across the river from Cambridge home to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the world famous Harvard, the city this week was marred by a despicable act of terrorism.

Trial by media is a dangerous precedent but all the indications are that two young men, originally from Chechnya chose a despicable path.  The Boston Marathon bombings on Monday were shocking and the motivation still a mystery.  By all accounts, the Tsarnaev brothers were welcomed by America, given scholarships, a home, good education but most importantly a safe shelter away from war torn Chechnya in the 1990's.   The older brother has a history of violence, arrested in 2009 for domestic assault and battery and the media has hinted about him mysteriously spending 6 months in Russia last year and "nobody knows why".  Thereby saying much without saying anything at all and now Russia is guilty by implication too!  Wars and hatred are so easily fed!

photo credit: hahatango via photopin cc

Why perpetrate such a heinous crime? We may never know, there may never be a trial and we may have no choice but to trust the FBI and the media when they tell us these two men are truly guilty and that they have no co-conspirators.  Has it been proven conclusively?  No, but the facts as presented certainly appear to point in that direction.

By the end of the week, one lies in a morgue, first shot by the police, but allegedly dead as a result of being run over by his younger brother.  The second, captured but with a serious throat injury leaving him unable to talk.  Convenient perhaps?

And so to the victims, three dead from the bombings and a young MIT police officer gunned down in a shoot out on Friday.  So many horrifically injured and so many lives ruined.  Jeff Bauman is clearly a hero, a man who lost both of his legs below the knee and yet found time to help the FBI identify at least one of the suspects.  His son too has lost both of his legs in the bombing.  How do you recover from this?  I was disgusted and appalled to see that he will be left to meet his own medical expenses.  WHAT THE?????  Amidst the physical and mental trauma, Jeff and the other 14 victims who lost limbs, are expected to fund their own medical expenses, inevitably hundreds of thousands of dollars each.

The 176 people injured as a result of this terrible crime should not have to face the added stress of finding money for medical treatment.  Surely a country that can spend trillions of dollars on war can find the money to treat these innocent victims!  Will Dzhokar Tsarnaev also have to fund his own medical treatment or will he and his family receive compensation for loss of life at the hands of the FBI?

America, for a country that has so much, surely it is time to reassess some of your values? 

.... and so to next week... no doubt the blame game will commence... it already has.... which Muslim cleric influenced these men?  Which anti-terrorist organisation failed to monitor their email or internet activity?  Why did they let him go when they arrested him in 2011 (after Russia allegedly asked for him to be investigated).  Outside of influence and failure to prevent their actions, if guilty, they made the choice.  They decided to take this action, nobody did it for them.

So now the authorities have yet more reason to curb freedom of the innocent, all in the name of anti-terrorism.......

Reference for a Colleague!

Should I give it to him now or wait until he asks?

J is a stand out member of the  team, never letting anything or anybody get in the way of his achieving his professional goals.   He especially enjoys interacting with "the big boss", ideally hourly or more frequently if desired, with a view to keeping the top man across all aspects of the team's activities.  He is especially helpful to his peers, offering frequent and regular feedback, never failing to highlight areas for improvement.  He often takes the opportunity to engage the boss in this feedback, thereby ensuring his colleagues also get plenty of boss face-time. 

J's eagerness to help doesn't just end here!  NO!  Recognising one of his peers is new to the role and not yet had any opportunity to shape the team or adapt strategic direction to suit changing business needs, he is happy to step in and personally manage that team too.  He recognises the need to circumnavigate management to ensure his 'professional' goals are achieved.  Motivation is an area of special interest, guiding teams and explaining how he could personally reduce a weeks work to 20 minutes but only if he was doing it himself.

AND! His good will and obliging nature just keeps on coming, it extends across all departments as he makes a special effort to highlight those little opportunities that have been missed, especially those where he knows his peers haven't yet seen the benefits, but with his help, surely soon will.

As to team work, well .... he leaves one speechless.  There is nothing he likes more than a gathering around the water cooler, especially with the more junior members of the team.  An opportunity for him to influence them to become future followers, when he attains his full potential of course, thus ensuring a reverent and loyal following... as well as support for his philosophy throughout the business and down through the years.

If J has one failing it is that he spreads himself a little too thin... not always leaving enough time to focus on his own team.  Due to his unmatched enthusiasm to assist others, he has been known to lose sight of the responsibilities of his own role and department.  That said, with appropriate direction from his manager, this minor failing could be overcome.

[Go on... I betcha... you know him don't you?]

The Church of England is rich!!

The Church of England is rich!!  For years I have believed the C of E was a pauper!  The collecting plate does the rounds... we need a new spire... the roof is falling in... please give generously!  Not that I ever have, but by comparison to their fellow Christians of the Catholic faith, there was at least a shred of pity... I was still appalled to see St Paul's Cathedral charging an entrance fee however...

HA!  I have been conned... along with millions of others no doubt....

It turns out, they have quite a lot of money!  They are economically quite well off, they just don't share it!  Aside from the £42M funding they receive from the Government for future years to fix said roof, it's portfolio totals a cool £5.5bn

So correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't it seem a little greedy to ask pensioners and the like to dip into their measly pension to put a shilling in the dish?

Boston bombing

Despicable .... Vile and disgusting.

My sympathy goes out to the victims, their families and the people of Boston who won't feel safe for a long long time.

Tragic.

Protests in Trafalgar Square

Thatcher's Death "Party" In London Draws Hundreds

This event made the TV news in Australia and firstly, I felt a sense of shame and disgust on behalf of the British public, mainly because of the lack of respect towards a dead woman but confusion reigned when a man was interviewed to explain his rationale.  His father "went on strike and stayed on strike for a year".  He recalled being hungry and begging for money, there was no mention of Arthur Scargill, only that a choice made by his father was somebody else's fault....I guess this man needs somebody to blame for an unhappy time in his life, if he didn't blame Maggie, he might have to direct the blame at the person who made the choice - his father!

The Thatcher Government never brought in legislation forcing his Dad to go on strike. His Dad could have chosen to go back to work, although in fairness, he would have risked his life in doing so - not from Maggie but from the violence perpetrated by his so called brothers.  Maggie's crime was to stand up to bullies and not give in to blackmail.  Presumably, the interviewee felt that it was perfectly acceptable for his Dad and his comrades to repeat the events of the 70's where they brought the country to its knees.  It had to stop, the power of the union bosses was out of control and destined to take Britain into the third world. 

The miners are proud of the fact that they went on strike during WWII, they didn't deserve public sympathy.

As to the rest of the party animals, what do they hope to achieve?  Margaret Thatcher is dead, she never gave in to them in life, I can't imagine she will smile down on them in death.

Why is North Korea dangerous?

photo courtesy: zennie62 cc

There is lots of rhetoric and media speculation right now about whether North Korea poses a real threat or if they are just flexing muscles in an attempt to extort more money from the West.

A cult with 25 million followers... led by a tyrannical despotic madman with access to nuclear weapons?  It  equates to dangerous.

photo courtesy: Saulo Cruz cc

The provocation from Western journalists, poking fun at Kim Jong Un will feed the insanity and racial hatred inside his sick brain.

Madmen do crazy things, they are insane, they don't think rationally and when backed into a corner, unhinged cult leaders have been known to lead their followers to mass suicide.

Should we care if he led his brainwashed nation to their deaths? Yes, we should, it would be a tragedy second only to The Holocaust but would he go quietly?  Improbable, he is more likely to opt for death by proxy.  By targeting and releasing his arsenal on China, South Korea and America he will force their hand.  Proving to his people once and for all, he was right, the world outside North Korea is evil.

It is only a matter of time before he makes good on his threat, what else can he do?

photo courtesy: NOS Nieuws cc