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 !!

HOLDING OFF - the new fashion for Democracy

During the 2010 Westminster Election, much off the focus centred around the English Purple Revolution "Take Back Parliament".  The LibDems were at that time expected to take the lead in encouraging all politicians and voters to adopt proportional representation in future elections and an elected House of Lords.  As soon as the coalition was formed all these plans were to be abandoned, we are left with the referendum on the Alternative Vote system now on May 5th.  Labour had already chosen AV as policy knowing that it would never  be selected in a referendum and was less threatening to their mass support than PR.

Yes, for a short period last year there was talk of a new style of democracy, accountability and freedom emerging, even in little England.

All of this was only the prelude to the amazing mass movement towards democracy in the Arab World and Britains NATO action in Libya.  The problem for our own government is that everything to do with Libya seems to always go wrong and end in some form of embarrassment, usually at the hands of the mad Col Ghadaffi.

Britain has been forced to support the corrupt Monarchies in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Morocco etc.

DIEU ET MON DROIT

With a huge royal wedding scheduled in April, Britain hardly looks like a land of democratic equality or free speech. The wedding ring alone is valued at £32 million pounds, the couple have been living together for years, so there won't be any nuptial surprises.  The groom does not have a surname, they keep changing the name of the royal household because of course they are mainly descended from German invaders, their desperation to identify with British (Englishness) means that the Brides decent from one convicted criminal confirms some kind of commonality with the establishment view of the perceived ordinary population (mostly Sun News readers and White Van Men).

Sadly, this celebrity culture has invaded every part of normal life in our country, when the citizens of a country are more interested in entertainment than the well being of others, we live in very dangerous times and are vulnerable to all manner of brainwashing and political manipulation.

MEDITERRANEAN DEMOCRACY AND THE NEW ARABIAN WORLD ORDER

I wish that I could  concentrate a little longer to write my blog, the chemotherapy and other drugs are making it very difficult to stay awake now.  Even in my drugged state of mind and body I still question the wisdom of the world powers.  That the US and NATO are now waging effectively a war against the Gaddafi/Libyan  Government Forces in support of a rebel army who are without known representatives, political aims or democratically stated ambitions seems slightly foolhardy to say the least.

In the greater Middle East, US hypocrisy is clearly evident in their failure to take any action against Syria, Saudi Arabia , Yemen, Bahrain and other Arab States for those governments acts of violence against peaceful  democratic protesters.

The reality of the new Arabian World Order which is emerging around the Mediterranean States marks the end of that long period of United States Control over Arab politics.  Pro Democracy protesters are bringing down the US backed governments, dictators and Monarchs one after the other; proving that there was an alternative to the  Al Qaeda style of terrorism as a means to challenge US financial dominance and control.

Recent events in these states have not caused great panic yet, western governments were caught a little unprepared and the Media, so confused, have chosen not to speculate about the future too much.  We all know what is coming next, but the order and outcomes are very uncertain.

Neither the Saudi or the Israeli regimes will survive this new world order because of their intolerance to democracy, freedom of speech and religious choice. They are by coincidence also the guardians of the holy sites, others will have to take this responsibility, the positioning for this role in the Arab world has already begun.

Diplomacy and negotiation are crucial to avoid the very real threat of a major conflict in the Mediterranean Countries. Let us hope that the new Arab World Order is fairer and less violent than the old United States Model.

Woodcraft to Statecraft

NATURE THE MIRACULOUS FORCE

I return for my third session of Chemotherapy today from probably my last overseas holiday, taken while still being able to get around.  As it is early in the year the closest warm place and shortest flight was the Canary Islands.  The old miner in me always takes me back to somewhere involving  rocks, caves, tunnels and few places are more interesting and exciting than old craters and volcanoes, so Lanzarote was perfect, had it not rained of course!

Totem Versus  Nature

As I chose to reflect on my own life through the apreciation of the creation of our planet in Lanzarote, nature had chosen Japan for that weeks event.  The facts of this earthquake and the resulting Tsunami are truly astonishing.  That a huge Island has moved eight feet and that, as in the smaller Chilean earthquake last year, the earth again moved on it's axis.  Every time the earth shifts on the Axis it of course affects weather patterns which really has made a total nonsense of the whole global warming, climate change panic about the effects of human misbehaviour on the planet.  There really is no argument nature is awesome.

wishful thinking, pilgrims and tourists

Lava flow stopped by a miracle and marked by this Cross

Natural Power a lava field

SAID DAMBAR AND THE SAHARAWI PEOPLE

CAMPAIGN FOR A FREE WESTERN SAHARA

I found this demonstration near the harbour in Arrecife, Lanzarote  this week.
This tent represents the struggle of the Saharawi People, that goes back 35 years, claiming the emancipation of their nation from the Moroccan Regime.  During three decades, they have been suffering all kinds of aggression in terms of human rights and the exploitation of their natural resources.   The Saharawi People call on everybody to support this campaign, to show to the whole world, the atrocities committed by the Moroccan Regime.  As well as informing people in respect of what has occurred on the African side of the Atlantic Shore and the case of Said Dambar, the 26 year old who was shot by the Moroccan Police in the  recent unrest and protests against the Moroccan Government.

IN HONOUR OF SAID DAMBAR