ESCAPE TO THE DESERT

You never know who you might meet in the North African desert, I have heard rumours this week of a convoy of Gold heading south out of Libya. The last six months has been quite amazing in that part of the world and will certainly form the basis for many books and films in the future.  This was the first war wholly fought from the Air by outside forces without their own ground forces.  NATO and the western nations took a huge gamble, whether that has been truly successful we will not know for many years.  The greatest danger after dealing with the old Gaddafi regime will be in the possible de-stabilisation of the region, particularly in Algeria and Morocco.

I only wish that the British government were as concerned with our citizens democratic representation as they are in the peoples of oil rich foreign states.

Yesterday the government revealed that most young people involved in the summer riots were ex-offenders aged in their mid twenties.  This age group would be too old to be included in any outdoor boot camps or citizen training being proposed by politicians, to prevent future riots.

Overseas commentators have dared to suggest that all the British people may not be fully satisfied with their own form of democratic government (eg the rioters).  An example of bad government revealed at the Staffordshire health inquiry was demonstrated when the former Health minister admitted awarding Foundation Trust Status to the Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust, on  the strength of one favourable paragraph that he read in a report.  The inquiry is the outcome of  revelations that 400 more people died under the hospitals care than would normally be expected.

ENGLISH RIOTS, LOOTING, RACIAL TENSION OR SIMPLY A PROBLEM OF YOUTH

This weeks "riots" in London and Birmingham will of course lead to some knee jerk legislation and reaction by politicians.  Parliament has been recalled to be seen to be governing or keeping the peace.

We can be certain that the debate about the causes of this weeks events will be the subject of endless journalistic opinion and far more dangerously will probably lead to a mass of university funding to posh academics; who have no idea what inner city life is like for the majority of poorly educated and housed,  first and second generation immigrant children of  differing  cultures.

One of the problems confronting sociologists in any analysis, will be primarily identifying a specific English youth culture.  Should we choose to label the majority of 13 - 25 year olds, we might call them working class, although the majority do not actually have full time jobs,  there appears to be a common fashionable language.  The roots of this language seem to be in American (US) Rap music, movement and speech, the culture reflects gang membership and this has been copied around the world and is associated with inferred violence.

American Film and Television celebrity culture seems to have a huge influence in western countries.  In addition to this dream "X-Factor" culture that anyone can be famous and rich, in the UK young people are exposed to the Lottery Culture another promised life chance to be a winner.

The electrical, phone and computer gadget's and games, have been around and available to this present young generation for all of their lives.  The absence of well paid jobs and affordable housing (the result of Thatcherism),  to the young working class over the past 30 years, has altered the old traditions of marriage and family.  A huge proportion of inner city youth come from single mother homes, as children they are the generation that demanded these luxury goods, often receiving them from officially absent or untraceable fathers.  Criminality and in the last week the "riots" have provided another means to get just what they want.

Racial tensions, discrimination or defensiveness should not be excluded from any analysis, the deaths that have occurred sadly do appear to have a racial dimension.  As ethnic groups have been left to take on the role of vigilantes trying to protect their own communities; they took on the risks that the police are trained and equipped to cope with. In Birmingham sadly and shamefully three lives have been taken by a very sick element within our society.

The film reports of looting clearly show many middle aged criminals, these are the role models for many of the youths, government is blaming the young as they always have and are at a loss to understand why youth always  seems to be a problem to society.

From garroting in Victorian London to the the 1960's Mods and Rocker riots.  We should never forget that politicians only survive by creating moral panics that get them votes at elections.

The breakdown of  law and order on the streets particularly in London during the riots, could be attributed in part, to cuts in the Policing budgets by the coalition government, or deliberate negligence by the Police to strengthen their case for greater funding.

Education will always be blamed for the ignorance of the masses, but basic primary school education remains as good or bad as it has for the last 60 years.  Secondary education is really a way to occupy the minds and interests of working class teenagers.  They have always formed that essential reserve in the capitalist workforce, labelled in the good old days of full employment as 'factory fodder' and now as the unwanted product of the 'underclass'.  Their materialism, addiction to drugs, binge drinking and pretending to have loads of friends on Facebook has made them into undoubtedly the saddest, most selfish, ignorant group that ever threatened any society with anarchy.

Our prisons are filled with over 80,000 inmates, locking up even more stupid people is not a solution.  Employment and responsibility is what our younger generation need, to build their self-esteem, their confidence and to have a future worth working towards.

The police and the politicians have been tarnished with corruption recently.  We live in a basically dishonest society, there really are no role models.  How many good English citizens would exaggerate an insurance claim I wonder, I fear far too many; how many bankers or business people are honest and ethical, not too many I guess.

This weeks events in England were not really "riots", they were an exhibition of the despicable behaviour of a broken greedy and sick society that may be beyond salvation !!!

A green and pleasant land ?

Pictures from the Raj

This is an example of the means of description that existed for families and friends in the Victorian era, long before the days of Facebook and photo-sharing.  In a collection found on Sotheby's auction site in Australia.

An example of a Colonial Interior at the Lucknow Residence in India of my great-great grandfather.  This watercolour was painted by his first wife Cordelia Ellen Thomas in 1855.  Cordelia died of smallpox during the mutiny and siege in 1857, the baby on the left of the painting Caroline Home Thomas, survived and spent most of her life in  Australia.

Memorial to the artist (guess no copyright on painting)
 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en)

Captain L F C Thomas of The Madras Artillery was responsible for the ammunition and explosives at Lucknow.  As the siege became more intense he was ordered to destroy the defensive fort known as the Muchee Bhowun and to bring the troops out to defend the Europeans trapped in the Lucknow residency.  He must have been quite proud of his actions there, because on  his retirement to England he was to name his house in Deptford after that fort.  

Lancelot was the second generation of our family linked to the Honourable East India Company, his father spent much of his military service in Afghanistan in the Bengal Native Infantry.  Interestingly the enemy and the politics were little different from the present day, the enemy included mentally unstable Bin Laden style Wahhabi tribesmen and the British mission failed due to the use of a puppet Afghan leader.

As for the Indian "Mutiny",  the struggle for independence was very slow and confused by politics and propaganda, the history of modern India was truly both horrific and fascinating.  India is the one place and society in the world that I would love to have visited before I died.

Does "incurable" or "inoperable"mean a CANCER condition is "terminal" ?

This is a question from the Macmillan Cancer Website, that I have attempted to answer.


Inoperable in the case of Cancer, I guess would mean that eventually the condition would be terminal.   When that happens depends on the individual and the treatment.  In December 2010, I was told that I had Inoperable Lung Cancer and secondary Spinal Bone Cancer.  There never was a prognosis, but I got the impression that Life would be very short.  I received six sessions of Chemo in 21 day periods, the result from the latest scan shows a massive reduction in the Lung tumour size and a major improvement in the spine area, alleviating for now the need for radiotherapy. 


I was never too keen on the hugely optimistic view that so many people try to tell us at the beginning of the diagnosis, we are all different, health wise and have to take each day as it comes.  Most importantly it is the patient who has to take control, particularly regarding the suitability of some of the drugs prescribed.  Every problem that arises becomes a new challenge to solve, for example finding food and drink that does not taste so bad that it makes you sick.  


I suppose the key to coping with that 'terminal' suggestion or label, is to accept it as possibly a long term prognosis. But there are more important issues to deal with in the present, like making the very best of our time, spending time with those we love, having holiday breaks or sightseeing or just writing a blog in the hope that it cheers someone up a bit !!!

Brimstone

MURDOCH - FREEDOM FROM THE GUTTER PRESS

Culture Media and Sports Select Committee       


            
House of Commons


In 1986 I had the opportunity of giving evidence to a House of Commons Select Committee, that was a great honour and at the time contributed a little to the saving of an important British Industry.  Quite why an Australian News magnate and citizen is equally allowed to give evidence to the British Parliament I am not sure.  As Margaret Thatchers favourite capitalist, Murdoch has been the most hated figure of our political left for the last 25 years, since the days of taking over the News of The World and moving the Sun printing operations to Wapping.


The media of course see this as probably the greatest story or scandal in the last 50 years, but to us, the general public if you like, the issues are more about celebrity culture than every day reality.  Personally I have never sent a voice mail or purchased the News of The World or Sun newspapers, these publications are aimed at the not so bright members of our society, impressed only by stories of celebrity and sleaze.


However the far more serious issues raised have been firstly the invasion of the privacy of the families of the victims of horrific crimes and terrorism.  The absolute and institutional corruption of the Metropolitan Police Force at every level it would seem.  The corruption and most threatening behaviour towards  politicians, that has clearly influenced recent general elections and policies.  


David Cameron has failed as the unelected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, to protect our government and civil authorities and his own office from outside influence infiltration and control by News International, a foreign controlled organisation.

MURDOCH WILL HAVE HIS BOOMERANG BACK !!

In the interests of our greater Democracy and freedom in the world, David Cameron would have been far wiser getting rid of the Australian Murdoch family from Britain than concerning himself with the Gaddafi's in their own country of Libya.

SIX MONTHS OF CHEMOTHERAPY-THE MEANING OF LIFE STAYED THE SAME

Vesuvius - because it was there!!

I have now completed six sessions of chemotherapy and swallowed a lot of drugs.  There were no promises or predictions, so I am pleased to find that that the tumours have reduced in size, not quite a miracle but some improvement at least. Unfortunateley in the last few weeks since giving up the steroid tablets I have been very ill.  I was quite shocked to be refused any assistance from my Cancer Unit and had to endure six hours in a casualty department, before being admitted to that same hospital.

There seems to be a shortage of advice or information for Cancer treatment.  I was quite amazed at the effect the drugs have on smell and taste, there are hardly any drinks cold or hot that I can now tolerate. The only food left now is soup or meat, mainly spicy.  Managing weight and bodily function whilst consuming so many contradictory drugs is a full time worry.  I am hoping in the next few weeks to improve my physical strength in order to walk and perhaps to do a few jobs in the garden.

I am still preparing for the end, never sure how soon that might be, for the present though, things seem a little better, at least I can once again stay awake long enough to use the computer, most of my thinking and alertness has now returned.

As for "the meaning of Life", well that does seem to be reproduction, however the best way to spend that time is never to become over-involved in issues, politics or religion.  Personally I found it more satisfying to take an interest in the surrounding environment than to live a selfish self-contained existence. Other people do matter and our attitudes can ensure the security of humanity.

We will always see governments take foolish action, I wonder if they do this just to intimidate the population sometimes (Greece is a good example of this). Two other perfect examples today are the Libya war (or Gaddafi hunt) and the huge increase in retirement age to 68 years, both of these will return to haunt any future administration and the British record for the protection of human rights.  Caring and speaking out about these matters is to me a very important part of the meaning of life in our modern society.

EXIT BIN LADEN

I took this photo in another popular Marrakesh tourist cafe, the recent bombing there has been blamed on Al - Qaeda, this will probably be the last terrorist act to be attributed to Osama Bin Laden before his execution last week.

View to Argana Cafe Marrakesh

The publicity controlled by the the US administration concerning the Bin Laden capture in Pakistan, is being very carefully moulded to leave a particular message about the man, his life and involvement with Al - Qaeda and the Taliban.  In reality he was little more than a figurehead, a vain, egotistical spoilt brat who liked to pose as a revolutionary fighter and perhaps dreamed that  he was some sort of anti-christ.

As the Pakistan government is quick to point out, the world has to move on, Bin Laden is dead he is history.  There is a dangerous ideology that was associated with the terrorist activities of Al-qaeda, the Taliban when in control of the Afghan government and other Wahhabi administrations around the Arab world.  That ideology was created out of hate, human life has no value, no respect, no purpose, the suicide bombers are dead they can not be caught or punished. 

In History it seems that far too much responsibility is attributed to leaders, when it is the followers who usually commit the actual war crimes.  Societies are far too complacent, in the 21st century you would expect people to question leaders of government, religion or political movement.  Surely the most simple question to ask of your society or religion is :-

"am I free to speak and to question ? "

if you do not have at least that freedom the leader must go !!