23rd August 2011

You know, last year a bush in my garden spent much of the summer resounding to the sound of bees buzzing. This year I have rarely seen more than two or three bees in the garden at one time. Something ought to be done about it. Cost of food is going up because, with more people to feed and with multiple crop failures, demand is outstripping supply. Something ought to be done about it. In fact it is about time the population of this country as a whole got serious about gardening. I grow potatoes, tomatoes and carrots. I use a compostor. The stuff from the compostor feeds the soil and that saves quite some expense. I grow the potatoes from the occasional going bad spud, and the same with tomatoes. The carrots I grow from the odd one or two from each bag I buy but this summer they has been enough to keep them going. It does not pay the bills but it helps keep costs down. Last year I grew runner beans and just ate the last of them today. I like flowers in the garden and am going to research bee friendly flowers for growing next year. If we all did this it would make a difference to food supplies and may even get the bees back. We need the bees. Without pollination plants give up. Go away. Species will eventually cease to exist. If they are food species we are all in trouble.

I see in the local paper that the council are "reconsidering" the parking charges at the Warf, a shopping complex where there used to be free parking. You may recall that when the charges were introduced I said it was a mistake and then later reported that there was a downturn in business there above that experienced by retailers elsewhere. One retailer is closing its branch there and more are threatening to follow suit. I just hope the council does not take long to reconsider!

The whole of the 'enlightened' nation's responses to the Arab situation(s) is becoming more and more shameful and farcical day by day. While claiming to oppose tyranny each country maneuvers to protect or enhance their trade (especially in oil) while ignoring what is happening to the subjects of 'friendly' regimes. Politicians are all quick to push each other out of the way when it comes to claiming success but all are woefully slow to actually do anything decisive (except protect their trade interests (especially those of oil)). With or without NATO's aid, the Gaddaffi lot were going to fall. In Syria nothing is clear except that most countries only actually did something other than impose useless sanctions when it started to look as though the rebels may win and now are up a creek without a paddle as it is no longer such a certainty. Of course we, the taxpayer, are paying loads in aid etc. so that the rebels can buy munitions to keep going. Of course the very rich, who are selling the munitions, hardly feel the tax they are paying - if indeed they are paying any. The whole exercise means that we are helping the rich get richer and get their business interests (especially the oil) protected or even enlarged. It has become so clear and so blatant that I can only assume that they feel the poor, us, can no longer be a threat to them. It is all making me sick.

Finally, did you notice how quickly Mr. Camara On broke off his second holiday to make a carefully orchestrated speech from outside Number 10 claiming success and victory over Gaddaffi? Pity for him that the rebels are finding it harder than he thought and are still fighting. Should make him look a bit of a fool but, with the press virtually all in his pocket, probably will not.

11th August 2011

You reap what you sow. Since the war we, as a society have followed a capitalist ideal rather than a socialist one. Especially from the Conservative Government led by Margaret Thatcher. This has resulted in our society becoming less caring and more greedy. Our young want clothing that will impress their peers along with the latest technical gadgets like i-phones for the same reason. Such gadgets are becoming rapidly outdated and so the latest ones are wanted and the current discarded. Commerce has of course noted this desire and plays on it through advertising and carefully orchestrated introduction of upgrades and new features. This is repeated on different scales throughout our society. New and supposedly better household equipment, cars, services and so on. So we end up as a society rarely satisfied, always wanting.

Then along comes a time when our being able to afford these things is threatened. Most shrug and unhappily cope. The less disciplined though react in the only way they know how. They kick out. Hence the riots. They are in turn easily manipulated by the criminal minded. Hence organised looting. What is new to these riots in this country is a third type of person, the uncaring opportunist. Bred into this attitude by the inanely greedy policies of the aforementioned Thatcher government and given examples of uncaring greed (by high profile people including politicians of all parties), unjust treatment of the mass of the populace (it is the poor who are paying the price of the excesses of the rich that has ruined the economy) and cheating as well as illegal methods used by the media, these people have been almost conditioned into thinking that it is morally okay to steal, from anyone, as soon as there is a chance. If you think I am being extreme in picking on the Thatcher government as a major influence on this just look at copies of the Daily Mail during that era that ran a strip cartoon of a wealthy man continually being nasty to those poorer than himself. It was meant to be funny. Unfortunately it was not lampooning the rich but supporting them! It was typical of the time.

Now we have a government emulating the Thatcher one. It seems to be determined to weaken the poor while preying on them for more and more to satisfy the rich. The majority of people, we are told, are disgusted at the rioting and place the blame squarely on the shoulders of the rioters and looters. I have been talking to quite a few of this majority who, while agreeing that the rioting is wrong, place the blame upon the wealthy and the successive governments. More and more people are saying that they were cheated and lied to and that is why the current government got in. More and more are saying that if all parties do not sort out the injustices fast then there will be many more riots later on and it will not just be the young, the sick of mind and the opportunists. I almost feel that if the current lot of politicians were in another election tomorrow and there was a "None of These" option on the ballot papers then most of the politicians would not be out voted by the "None of These!"

A minority of people in this country are extremely wealthy. A minority of people in this country have been educated via public schools. That minority has control of each of the major political parties of this country. This is not good for the country and not good for the populace. If it does not change the mood of the populace will continue to get nearer and nearer to a tipping point when they will erupt. It will be ugly and life for quite a long time after will be difficult.

So what can be done to change this, turn it around even. Start being just. For a couple of decades the rich have milked the poor. Now make the rich be seen to be paying. Swing taxation away from the poor towards the rich. Reduce Vat and increase the upper levels of income tax. Put higher taxation on luxury goods. Get British companies, such as transport companies and vital services like gas and electricity, back in the hands of British people. Get shot of stupid legislation at all levels and ensure the courts are seen to treat all levels of society equally. Do everything possible to ensure that the press and television is independent of political parties and where this cannot be the case, ensure that there is equal representation of government and opposition in the media.

The current government's cuts have hardly come into effect yet waiting times are increasing in the NHS, council cuts are already making life uncomfortable for many and the police are seen to be hardly able to cope with current levels of crime let alone the current riots. In the short term kook to what has made the rioters kick out. In the longer term accept that the riots are a symptom and start to treat the underlying sickness.

I fear this will not be done. I just hope my assessment is wrong.