In the eleven years that NuLabour have been in power in the Dis-United Kingdom, the gap between rich and poor has widened, social mobility has fallen to zero, our education system turns out more and more unemployables, and the welfare benefits system has grown into an enormous bureaucracy that keeps the poor, poor.
Meanwhile, our economy has been royally shafted by Gordon the Moron, with ten years of cooking the books during a peak in the business cycle, pretending that money was being invested in our 'future' whilst instead giving tax-breaks to the rich, at the same time increasing the country's national debt to unheard of proportions. So, now that we are heading into a deepening recession, there's nothing left to tide us over the bad times to come.
These thoughts, and more, were in our minds as Nosher and I relaxed in our deckchairs after an afternoon's gardening on our little allotment plots.
The sun was out, the breeze was gentle and warm, and our plants were growing well.
But, in the great scheme of things, we are both poor.
Although we both own our homes, we have been bled almost dry by mortgage payments over the years and steeply rising taxes. We try to make sure that what little disposable income we have left is spent as wisely as possible. In other words, we devote our efforts to ameliorating our condition in any legal way available. And, for both of us, that means taking responsibility for how we live our lives and not expecting the State to pick up the tab.
But the situation for those people now currently in the benefits system, or who become enmeshed in it in the future, is going to get far worse if the reforms outlined today by one James Purnell, are anything to go by. Purnell is a NuLabour Assistant Fool who has led a privileged life (like so many NuLabour activists), has never been poor, and appears to despise the condition, if his latest pronouncements are to be believed.
Due to both main parties treating the poor like a political football for the past forty years, there are now more economically-inactive people in the Dis-United Kingdom than ever before - even on conservative estimates there must be around 10 million people of working age who are not economically productive.
By fiddling the figures, the Government claims that only around 1 million people are technically 'unemployed' - that is, out of work and claiming Jobseeker's Allowance. But add to that around 2.7 million on Incapacity Benefit, another approximately 2 million 16-18 year olds not in employment, education or training, and a million or more on DLA who don't work, plus an indeterminate number who don't (officially) work but don't claim benefits (either because they are too proud or they despise the system and don't want to be a part of it) and the numbers become mind-boggling. In short, we are a country that does not make much attempt to utilise the talents of our workforce for the national good.
'These new proposals will do nothing other than make the poor even poorer' Nosher said 'whilst doing nothing to address the benefits culture that enduces workshy people to expect the State to give them money for doing nothing.'
'The tragedy' I said 'is that these reforms will be used to depress the wages of the lowest paid workers as the economy sinks deeper in recession. It really is a sad indictment of our political system that not one political party is prepared to say openly that the benefits system is out of control, and that nothing will change until we reform the education system so that it trains people for a life of work, and motivates them to want to work; until we reform the NHS so that it strives even harder to find effective treatments for those who are found to have medical conditions that prevent them from working. And then the benefits system itself should be reformed so that it becomes an effective re-training and employment agency, so that, in effect, in functions as an extension of the education system. And we need to provide realistic incentive to business and industry to take on apprentices and trainees, and cut their tax burden if they do so. Instead, we appear to be heading for a cynical workfare-style system that will do little to motivate people to take charge of their lives, but will enable the unemployment and benefits figures to be manipulated even more than they are at the moment.'
'Tragic, but, I fear, all true' said Nosher.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there when you next visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Half Full - or Half Empty?
Farmers - and gardeners - seem to have the reputation for always having something to complain about.
And, given that so rarely is everything in the garden all rosey, they may perhaps be forgiven for wishing things could for once proceed without a hitch.
That this is a very human sentiment - and one that has yet to be detected in other animals - is not lost on Nosher and me.
And so it was that, one lunchtime, the topic of human failings came up as we sat in our deckchairs on the little patch of grass outside Nosher's allotment shed.
'I was thinking' Nosher announced 'about the Pope's recent visit to Australia, where he gave a speech bemoaning the godlessness in society and claiming that his god was needed to fill the void left in the otherwise spiritually empty lives that were the result of consumerism. I think that was the gist of what he said. Although it seems to me that if people's lives are empty that's got more to do with what they could be putting into their lives, but aren't, rather than having anything to do with god or spirituality.'
'Are you talking about the "glass half full or half empty" scenario?' I asked 'concerning whether an individual habitually takes an optimistic or pessimistic attitude towards life?'
Nosher looked across at me, for once with a nod of approval.
'Yep, I guess I am' he replied 'and since the vast majority of people in the UK, for example, profess no allegiance to any specific god, even if they may have some vague belief in a god of some sort, and yet the lack of any organised, ritualised spirituality in their lives doesn't seem to impact upon them negatively, I'm wondering why it is that religious leaders repeatedly insist that those who don't actively participate in an organised religion are in some fundamental sense leading empty lives. It's not only presumptive on their part, it's arrogant, and also indicates a desire to prey upon the vulnerability of those people who are either constitutionally or habitually incapable of maintaining an optimistic approach to life without some kind of emotional prop in the form of religion.'
'Do you believe that all religion is an emotional prop?' I said 'I mean, isn't it possible that for some people religious faith is something that enriches their lives, not because they can't live without it, but because it inspires them to give more to life, and other people, than they would otherwise do?'
'I guess you could be right' said Nosher 'and there's nothing wrong with that at all; I think what I'm getting at is the idea that leaders of organised religions seem to be able to make derogatory dismissals about the godless and the lives the godless lead, yet when the godless make derogatory dismissals about the religious, the religious take it as offensive. There's an asymmetry there that needs to be addressed, but isn't.'
'I'm not sure it is something that can be addressed, at least not legally' I suggested 'perhaps it's best to view it as an issue that is perpetually in play, and those who lead godless lives need to propagate a greater public understanding of how religion isn't always required in order to lead a morally good, socially beneficial life that is fulfilling and positive in its outlook.'
Nosher gave me another look, this time more quizzically.
'I guess we should treasure our freedom of belief' he said 'perhaps more than we do.'
I second that.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop - if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
Best wishes - and may your god go with you...
And, given that so rarely is everything in the garden all rosey, they may perhaps be forgiven for wishing things could for once proceed without a hitch.
That this is a very human sentiment - and one that has yet to be detected in other animals - is not lost on Nosher and me.
And so it was that, one lunchtime, the topic of human failings came up as we sat in our deckchairs on the little patch of grass outside Nosher's allotment shed.
'I was thinking' Nosher announced 'about the Pope's recent visit to Australia, where he gave a speech bemoaning the godlessness in society and claiming that his god was needed to fill the void left in the otherwise spiritually empty lives that were the result of consumerism. I think that was the gist of what he said. Although it seems to me that if people's lives are empty that's got more to do with what they could be putting into their lives, but aren't, rather than having anything to do with god or spirituality.'
'Are you talking about the "glass half full or half empty" scenario?' I asked 'concerning whether an individual habitually takes an optimistic or pessimistic attitude towards life?'
Nosher looked across at me, for once with a nod of approval.
'Yep, I guess I am' he replied 'and since the vast majority of people in the UK, for example, profess no allegiance to any specific god, even if they may have some vague belief in a god of some sort, and yet the lack of any organised, ritualised spirituality in their lives doesn't seem to impact upon them negatively, I'm wondering why it is that religious leaders repeatedly insist that those who don't actively participate in an organised religion are in some fundamental sense leading empty lives. It's not only presumptive on their part, it's arrogant, and also indicates a desire to prey upon the vulnerability of those people who are either constitutionally or habitually incapable of maintaining an optimistic approach to life without some kind of emotional prop in the form of religion.'
'Do you believe that all religion is an emotional prop?' I said 'I mean, isn't it possible that for some people religious faith is something that enriches their lives, not because they can't live without it, but because it inspires them to give more to life, and other people, than they would otherwise do?'
'I guess you could be right' said Nosher 'and there's nothing wrong with that at all; I think what I'm getting at is the idea that leaders of organised religions seem to be able to make derogatory dismissals about the godless and the lives the godless lead, yet when the godless make derogatory dismissals about the religious, the religious take it as offensive. There's an asymmetry there that needs to be addressed, but isn't.'
'I'm not sure it is something that can be addressed, at least not legally' I suggested 'perhaps it's best to view it as an issue that is perpetually in play, and those who lead godless lives need to propagate a greater public understanding of how religion isn't always required in order to lead a morally good, socially beneficial life that is fulfilling and positive in its outlook.'
Nosher gave me another look, this time more quizzically.
'I guess we should treasure our freedom of belief' he said 'perhaps more than we do.'
I second that.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop - if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
Best wishes - and may your god go with you...
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Is it Enough to be NEET?
In this little corner of the Dis-United Kingdom the weather has improved somewhat, with more sunshine than overcast, and the breeze at least has some warmth in it.
Still not up to the summer weather we might expect for this time of year, but at least it's better for our allotments than the weather we've had recently.
By lunchtime we were reclining in our deckchairs on the little patch of grass outside Nosher's shed, putting the world to rights.
'I hear the LSE is about to publish a report indicating that the proportion of the young between 16 and 18 years of age who are not in employment, education or training is around 18%, over twice the official Government figure' said Nosher, by way of starting the ball rolling.
'If it's true' I replied 'that truly is astonishing - that means there are hundreds of thousands of youngsters in this country living directionless lives, totally economically dependant upon their parents or the State, instead of learning skills that will enable them to become economically independent adults.'
Nosher smiled at me - the kind of smile I've come to expect from him when he considers that I know little or nothing.
'When I was a lad' he said 'most kids left school at fourteen and went straight into employment, either as an apprentice, or as a shop assistant, or in a factory as an ordinary worker. They might not have earned very much, but they had the benefit of an adult to work closely with, who soon put out of their heads any silly ideas that they would earn a fortune or live an easy life. In those days, if you wanted to get on in life, you knew you had to learn a skill and be good at it, and make yourself useful to those who required the skills you possessed. You didn't stop learning until you had a little niche for yourself, and even then, if you were wise, you continued to look out for new skills that might one day be useful. Nowadays many of the young, it seems, grow up without any effective adult supervision, and expect the State or their parents to support them whilst they sit around playing computer games. This is a recipe for social and economic disaster in the not too distant future.'
I stared back at Nosher in agreement. He is irritatingly right at times.
'This is not a new problem, though' I told him 'it's something that's been building up ever since Thatcher, and then Major, effectively destroyed the apprenticeship system in this country. And Blair and Brown haven't done any better. They've allowed a youth culture to develop in which it's seen as perfectly respectable to live off the State for one's entire life, whilst blaming "society" for everything about one's life that is not deemed to be satisfactory. I fear any solution to the problem of economically-inactive, State-dependent youths of working age will require long-term initiatives that will not come cheap.'
'Which means it's unlikely to happen' Nosher replied, then he went on:
'Realistically, we must accept that the outlook for this country is now very bleak.'
I do hope Nosher is wrong, but sometimes there's no other option but to agree with him.
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes.
Still not up to the summer weather we might expect for this time of year, but at least it's better for our allotments than the weather we've had recently.
By lunchtime we were reclining in our deckchairs on the little patch of grass outside Nosher's shed, putting the world to rights.
'I hear the LSE is about to publish a report indicating that the proportion of the young between 16 and 18 years of age who are not in employment, education or training is around 18%, over twice the official Government figure' said Nosher, by way of starting the ball rolling.
'If it's true' I replied 'that truly is astonishing - that means there are hundreds of thousands of youngsters in this country living directionless lives, totally economically dependant upon their parents or the State, instead of learning skills that will enable them to become economically independent adults.'
Nosher smiled at me - the kind of smile I've come to expect from him when he considers that I know little or nothing.
'When I was a lad' he said 'most kids left school at fourteen and went straight into employment, either as an apprentice, or as a shop assistant, or in a factory as an ordinary worker. They might not have earned very much, but they had the benefit of an adult to work closely with, who soon put out of their heads any silly ideas that they would earn a fortune or live an easy life. In those days, if you wanted to get on in life, you knew you had to learn a skill and be good at it, and make yourself useful to those who required the skills you possessed. You didn't stop learning until you had a little niche for yourself, and even then, if you were wise, you continued to look out for new skills that might one day be useful. Nowadays many of the young, it seems, grow up without any effective adult supervision, and expect the State or their parents to support them whilst they sit around playing computer games. This is a recipe for social and economic disaster in the not too distant future.'
I stared back at Nosher in agreement. He is irritatingly right at times.
'This is not a new problem, though' I told him 'it's something that's been building up ever since Thatcher, and then Major, effectively destroyed the apprenticeship system in this country. And Blair and Brown haven't done any better. They've allowed a youth culture to develop in which it's seen as perfectly respectable to live off the State for one's entire life, whilst blaming "society" for everything about one's life that is not deemed to be satisfactory. I fear any solution to the problem of economically-inactive, State-dependent youths of working age will require long-term initiatives that will not come cheap.'
'Which means it's unlikely to happen' Nosher replied, then he went on:
'Realistically, we must accept that the outlook for this country is now very bleak.'
I do hope Nosher is wrong, but sometimes there's no other option but to agree with him.
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes.
Friday, July 18, 2008
The Slow-Motion Crash Has Begun
The news that the budget deficit for June 2008 was the worst on record reached our little allotment in South Gloucestershire at lunchtime as Nosher and I sat in our deckchairs on the little patch of grass outside his shed.
'Well, I guess the slow motion crash has begun' he announced as he switched off his little trannie 'Gordon the Moron's ten years as Chancellor and one year as PM have left us without any reserves and an economy highly vulnerable to the vagaries of international trade.'
'Do you really think things will get that bad?' I asked, curious to know exactly how far Nosher's predictions of economic meltdown would go.
He gave me one of his 'you're so stupid' looks.
'It's going to get bad' he said 'very bad. We are going to see widespread poverty in this country - not just relative poverty, but real poverty. The wealth redistribution in the Dis-United Kingdom has worked to the advantage of the wealthy since NuLabour came into power, and they will not want to give any of that up. Whereas the millions of people who are only just above the poverty line now will be pushed under once the recession bites harder. That's the economic legacy of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.'
'Surely you can't blame Blair and Brown for the vagaries of the oil market?'
Nosher's 'you're so stupid' look intensified.
'What we are going through just now has very little to do with vagaries - that will come later' he replied 'but this current situation an entirely predictable result of the massive increase in demand for oil from the burgeoning economies of China and India. Granted the situation has been made worse by speculators in the futures markets, but that was predictable too. It has been clear for at least ten years that eventually China and India would experience a rapid rise in consumption of oil within the foreseeable future. Blair and Brown did nothing to insulate our economy from the effects of that rise in demand, so they must shoulder some of the burden of responsibility for what is now happening to our country. They could have taken steps to protect the poor and vulnerable, at the very least. Now it's probably too late without bankrupting the country. It's as simple as that.'
I can't help feeling that Nosher may have a point.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers; please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there when you next visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes.
'Well, I guess the slow motion crash has begun' he announced as he switched off his little trannie 'Gordon the Moron's ten years as Chancellor and one year as PM have left us without any reserves and an economy highly vulnerable to the vagaries of international trade.'
'Do you really think things will get that bad?' I asked, curious to know exactly how far Nosher's predictions of economic meltdown would go.
He gave me one of his 'you're so stupid' looks.
'It's going to get bad' he said 'very bad. We are going to see widespread poverty in this country - not just relative poverty, but real poverty. The wealth redistribution in the Dis-United Kingdom has worked to the advantage of the wealthy since NuLabour came into power, and they will not want to give any of that up. Whereas the millions of people who are only just above the poverty line now will be pushed under once the recession bites harder. That's the economic legacy of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.'
'Surely you can't blame Blair and Brown for the vagaries of the oil market?'
Nosher's 'you're so stupid' look intensified.
'What we are going through just now has very little to do with vagaries - that will come later' he replied 'but this current situation an entirely predictable result of the massive increase in demand for oil from the burgeoning economies of China and India. Granted the situation has been made worse by speculators in the futures markets, but that was predictable too. It has been clear for at least ten years that eventually China and India would experience a rapid rise in consumption of oil within the foreseeable future. Blair and Brown did nothing to insulate our economy from the effects of that rise in demand, so they must shoulder some of the burden of responsibility for what is now happening to our country. They could have taken steps to protect the poor and vulnerable, at the very least. Now it's probably too late without bankrupting the country. It's as simple as that.'
I can't help feeling that Nosher may have a point.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers; please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there when you next visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Does Anyone Believe the Latest Crime Figures?
Down here on our little allotment in South Gloucestershire in the good old Dis-United Kingdom we tend to take a sceptical view of official pronouncements.
The latest crime figures are no exception.
'I cannot believe that many people outside the Government actually believe these figures!' Nosher exclaimed 'they claim that all categories of crime show falling rates of offending. To expect the man in the street to believe that requires us to ignore what we see going on around us every day of the week!'
It was lunchtime, and we were sitting, as usual, on our deckchairs on the little patch of grass outside Nosher's shed, enjoying the warm weather, although the overcast sky was not to our liking. At this time of year our plants need all the sun they can get.
'And what do you see around you every day of the week?' I inquired.
'For a start, the vast majority of motorists break the speed limit at every opportunity - the only thing that appears to slow them down is the presence of a speed camera' Nosher explained 'then there's the littering, rubbish is strewn everywhere; then there's the vandalism and general destructiveness evident in our society.'
'Are you saying that a great deal of crime goes unreported?'
'Exactly' Nosher replied 'and the British Crime Survey is grossly unrepresentative, since they knock on doors to get their sample, and in any case do not claim to record the experiences of the under-16 age group.'
'So you're saying that both Home Office figures and the British Crime Survey are inaccurate?'
'Yep - and I believe that most people think the same way' Nosher said.
I can't help feeling that he has a point.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more from http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
Best wishes and take care out there!
The latest crime figures are no exception.
'I cannot believe that many people outside the Government actually believe these figures!' Nosher exclaimed 'they claim that all categories of crime show falling rates of offending. To expect the man in the street to believe that requires us to ignore what we see going on around us every day of the week!'
It was lunchtime, and we were sitting, as usual, on our deckchairs on the little patch of grass outside Nosher's shed, enjoying the warm weather, although the overcast sky was not to our liking. At this time of year our plants need all the sun they can get.
'And what do you see around you every day of the week?' I inquired.
'For a start, the vast majority of motorists break the speed limit at every opportunity - the only thing that appears to slow them down is the presence of a speed camera' Nosher explained 'then there's the littering, rubbish is strewn everywhere; then there's the vandalism and general destructiveness evident in our society.'
'Are you saying that a great deal of crime goes unreported?'
'Exactly' Nosher replied 'and the British Crime Survey is grossly unrepresentative, since they knock on doors to get their sample, and in any case do not claim to record the experiences of the under-16 age group.'
'So you're saying that both Home Office figures and the British Crime Survey are inaccurate?'
'Yep - and I believe that most people think the same way' Nosher said.
I can't help feeling that he has a point.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more from http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
Best wishes and take care out there!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
When Generosity Fails to Impress...
The recession in the Dis-United Kingdom is beginning to bite.
Inflation in food prices is now above the 10% mark by any reasonable estimation, whilst the fall-off in trade in almost all other areas of business is beginning to worry anyone who relies on sales to pay their wages.
Meanwhile, down on our little allotment in South Gloucestershire, the news that Gordon the Moron has postponed the autumn escalator tax increase on petrol and diesel fuel has impressed very few apart from his Assistants in Idiocy.
'They really are more stupid than I thought possible' said Nosher at lunchtime as we sat in our deckchairs in the weak sunlight. 'Everyone knows the Glasgow East by-election is coming up, and today is the last day before the summer recess that this announcement could be made to Parliament, thus guaranteeing media coverage. But everyone can see through it - it's a shallow trick to convince us they're on our side, when their apparent generosity is actually not actually generosity at all - it's our money they're giving back to us, only to take it away again as they stealthily increase some other tax. No one is fooled any more.'
I think Nosher has captured the national mood very well.
'Perhaps it wouldn't look so hypocritical' I ventured 'if the MPs themselves weren't so well insulated from increases in fuel tax. Their expenses are not taxed as earned income, whereas anyone else in the country who travels on behalf of their employer and who claims the cost of fuel back, is then taxed as if that remuneration was income, when, of course, it isn't, it's a repayment for costs incurred whilst on their employer's business. So the rate of tax being levied on those people in that situation is actually horrendously high already - yet the Government is oblivious to the injustice of it all.'
'The sooner this dishonest, incompetent, corrupt, and callous Government is voted out of office, the better' said Nosher 'can't come soon enough.'
'Well' I said 'I for one am not placing too much hope on Dave 'the people's toff' Cameron making a big difference once he is in power - these politicians are members of an elite group who merely change from one side of the House to the other from time to time, but their interests are much the same - keep the gravy train running, whilst pretending they're running the country for our benefit. It's pathetic really that we bother to call it "democracy" at all.'
'Yep, have to agree with you there' Nosher replied.
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, you may find it's not there when you next visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes.
Inflation in food prices is now above the 10% mark by any reasonable estimation, whilst the fall-off in trade in almost all other areas of business is beginning to worry anyone who relies on sales to pay their wages.
Meanwhile, down on our little allotment in South Gloucestershire, the news that Gordon the Moron has postponed the autumn escalator tax increase on petrol and diesel fuel has impressed very few apart from his Assistants in Idiocy.
'They really are more stupid than I thought possible' said Nosher at lunchtime as we sat in our deckchairs in the weak sunlight. 'Everyone knows the Glasgow East by-election is coming up, and today is the last day before the summer recess that this announcement could be made to Parliament, thus guaranteeing media coverage. But everyone can see through it - it's a shallow trick to convince us they're on our side, when their apparent generosity is actually not actually generosity at all - it's our money they're giving back to us, only to take it away again as they stealthily increase some other tax. No one is fooled any more.'
I think Nosher has captured the national mood very well.
'Perhaps it wouldn't look so hypocritical' I ventured 'if the MPs themselves weren't so well insulated from increases in fuel tax. Their expenses are not taxed as earned income, whereas anyone else in the country who travels on behalf of their employer and who claims the cost of fuel back, is then taxed as if that remuneration was income, when, of course, it isn't, it's a repayment for costs incurred whilst on their employer's business. So the rate of tax being levied on those people in that situation is actually horrendously high already - yet the Government is oblivious to the injustice of it all.'
'The sooner this dishonest, incompetent, corrupt, and callous Government is voted out of office, the better' said Nosher 'can't come soon enough.'
'Well' I said 'I for one am not placing too much hope on Dave 'the people's toff' Cameron making a big difference once he is in power - these politicians are members of an elite group who merely change from one side of the House to the other from time to time, but their interests are much the same - keep the gravy train running, whilst pretending they're running the country for our benefit. It's pathetic really that we bother to call it "democracy" at all.'
'Yep, have to agree with you there' Nosher replied.
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, you may find it's not there when you next visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Lawful Excuses
The latest bout of hysteria about knife crime has brought on the usual predictable reponses from our politicians.
Gordon the Moron's Assistants in Idiocy are proposing an arduous penalty of community service for anyone caught carrying a knife; whilst Dave 'the people's toff' Cameron and his lot are proposing a mandatory jail sentence (disregarding the fact that there aren't enough prison cells to go around, but that's never stopped politicians making empty promises...).
There are some categories of people who have a lawful excuse to carry a knife, and us little band of allotment holders are one such.
The last thing we want is to be made to do community service or to share time with convicted felons in an overcrowded jail cell.
'I find it endlessly fascinating' Nosher began 'that politicians ignore the obvious when they indulge in sound-bite policy-making.'
We were sitting, as usual, in our deckchairs on the little patch of grass outside Nosher's allotment shed one lunchtime, enjoying a glass of his excellent parsnip wine.
'I guess somewhere in the small print they'll list the categories of people who they consider have a lawful excuse for carrying a knife' I replied.
Nosher raised his eyebrows in disbelief.
'No, I think that's expecting too much of the people who draft the laws' he said 'they might have the obvious ones such as fishermen who need a gutting knife, but do you think their capacious brains will manage to think as far as the humble allotment holder who needs a knife for a wide variety of tasks during the day?'
'You may have a point there' I told him 'so let's draw up our own list in case we get stopped by the Police.'
Nosher thought for a moment.
'Well, there's cutting the twine we use to tie up our plants with' he said 'also cutting the string we make the strings of onions with; then there's tying our little wigwams of bean canes together for the runner beans; and whittling a new dibber from time to time. There's a host of others, but that should be enough to convince even the most slow-witted of police officers that we have a lawful excuse for carrying a small pocket knife.'
'I hope you are right' I said ' because at the rate things are going in this country at present, anything less than wholesale butchery is not going to be enough!'
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers; please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes, and take care.
Gordon the Moron's Assistants in Idiocy are proposing an arduous penalty of community service for anyone caught carrying a knife; whilst Dave 'the people's toff' Cameron and his lot are proposing a mandatory jail sentence (disregarding the fact that there aren't enough prison cells to go around, but that's never stopped politicians making empty promises...).
There are some categories of people who have a lawful excuse to carry a knife, and us little band of allotment holders are one such.
The last thing we want is to be made to do community service or to share time with convicted felons in an overcrowded jail cell.
'I find it endlessly fascinating' Nosher began 'that politicians ignore the obvious when they indulge in sound-bite policy-making.'
We were sitting, as usual, in our deckchairs on the little patch of grass outside Nosher's allotment shed one lunchtime, enjoying a glass of his excellent parsnip wine.
'I guess somewhere in the small print they'll list the categories of people who they consider have a lawful excuse for carrying a knife' I replied.
Nosher raised his eyebrows in disbelief.
'No, I think that's expecting too much of the people who draft the laws' he said 'they might have the obvious ones such as fishermen who need a gutting knife, but do you think their capacious brains will manage to think as far as the humble allotment holder who needs a knife for a wide variety of tasks during the day?'
'You may have a point there' I told him 'so let's draw up our own list in case we get stopped by the Police.'
Nosher thought for a moment.
'Well, there's cutting the twine we use to tie up our plants with' he said 'also cutting the string we make the strings of onions with; then there's tying our little wigwams of bean canes together for the runner beans; and whittling a new dibber from time to time. There's a host of others, but that should be enough to convince even the most slow-witted of police officers that we have a lawful excuse for carrying a small pocket knife.'
'I hope you are right' I said ' because at the rate things are going in this country at present, anything less than wholesale butchery is not going to be enough!'
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers; please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes, and take care.
Monday, July 14, 2008
At Last - Some Action on Darfur
Today was the date of my wife's follow-up appointment for her knee at Shepton Mallet NHS Treatment Centre.
After our experience of the town centre Stasi-type toilets during our last visit, we went straight to the hospital.
As we expected, the MRI showed a normal knee, so the orthopod is referring my wife back to her GP.
No surprises there, then.
As a result of spending several hours on this jaunt, I got down to the allotment after tea, to find Nosher reclining in his deckchair on the patch of grass outside his shed.
It had been a sunny start to the day, but by now it was overcast with the occasional drizzle, but still warm, and Nosher appeared to be content to sit out in it.
As I set out my deckchair next to his he muttered, with his eyes closed:
'Done your watering. Nothing else to report. Intend to stay late to watch the badgers.'
And so we sat there as day gave way to the gloom of evening, chewing over the day's news.
'I heared on the radio that the international criminal court has issued indictements for war crimes against the president of Sudan over the Darfur crisis' I said.
'Well, it's about time' Nosher replied 'hundreds of thousands of people have died unnecessarily, and more will undoubtedly succumb whatever the West does. But it's important that the organisers of state-sponsored war crimes are brought to justice.'
'Do you think there's any chance of that?' I asked.
'Not so long as China is giving economic aid to Sudan' Nosher replied ' the West is hamstrung until China joins the condemnation of the Sudanese government.'
When the daylight had faded into a deepening gloom the first badger appeared, munching on the trail of peanuts we'd laid around our plots.
This particular badger was an old friend of many years, but tonight he had a pronounced limp, although he was still moving around freely.
'I think that just about sums up the West' Nosher observed 'we're just limping along but getting by at the moment. Our governments are very good at portraying themselves as the world's moral conscience, when in reality we have very little right to that title, given the dreadful history of interference in other countries for little or no justification. Still, let us hope some good comes of the condemnation of the government in Sudan.'
'I'll second that' I murmured, raising my glass of parsnip wine.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes.
After our experience of the town centre Stasi-type toilets during our last visit, we went straight to the hospital.
As we expected, the MRI showed a normal knee, so the orthopod is referring my wife back to her GP.
No surprises there, then.
As a result of spending several hours on this jaunt, I got down to the allotment after tea, to find Nosher reclining in his deckchair on the patch of grass outside his shed.
It had been a sunny start to the day, but by now it was overcast with the occasional drizzle, but still warm, and Nosher appeared to be content to sit out in it.
As I set out my deckchair next to his he muttered, with his eyes closed:
'Done your watering. Nothing else to report. Intend to stay late to watch the badgers.'
And so we sat there as day gave way to the gloom of evening, chewing over the day's news.
'I heared on the radio that the international criminal court has issued indictements for war crimes against the president of Sudan over the Darfur crisis' I said.
'Well, it's about time' Nosher replied 'hundreds of thousands of people have died unnecessarily, and more will undoubtedly succumb whatever the West does. But it's important that the organisers of state-sponsored war crimes are brought to justice.'
'Do you think there's any chance of that?' I asked.
'Not so long as China is giving economic aid to Sudan' Nosher replied ' the West is hamstrung until China joins the condemnation of the Sudanese government.'
When the daylight had faded into a deepening gloom the first badger appeared, munching on the trail of peanuts we'd laid around our plots.
This particular badger was an old friend of many years, but tonight he had a pronounced limp, although he was still moving around freely.
'I think that just about sums up the West' Nosher observed 'we're just limping along but getting by at the moment. Our governments are very good at portraying themselves as the world's moral conscience, when in reality we have very little right to that title, given the dreadful history of interference in other countries for little or no justification. Still, let us hope some good comes of the condemnation of the government in Sudan.'
'I'll second that' I murmured, raising my glass of parsnip wine.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Gesture Politics with Knives
Today was almost a summer's day - when the sun was out it was quite warm, but cloud and a fresh breeze meant that inbetween the bursts of sunlight it was more like April than July.
But this was better than the rain we've been getting, and Nosher and I got on with the work of tending our little plots down on the allotment.
The first broadbeans are now being harvested, the greenhouse lettuces are now ready, and the courgets are almost there.
At lunchtime we sat down in our old chairs on the small patch of grass outside Nosher's shed, and I half expected him to tell me how wonderful nature was. But he had other ideas.
'Our cardboard-cut-out Home Secretary' he began 'has announced that, in order to combat knife crime amongst the young, offenders caught carrying a knife will now be taken on a guided tour of local casualty departments to gawp at the results of knife attacks and see how much misery results. How this is supposed to put the little buggers off carrying a knife is beyond me - more likely to encourage them I think - I mean, look how potent and frightening a weapon this is!'
'I think the idea is that first-time offenders will be offered this approach as an alternative to a community sentence' I suggested.
'Community sentence?' spluttered Nosher 'what is this country coming to? Then we have Dave "the people's toff" Cameron insisting that all people found to be carrying a knife should have a jail sentence. Do you know the practical implications of that? There aren't enough cells in which to lock them all up in! Of course most of them will get community sentences, just as they do now! It's gesture politics, by both Nu-Labour and the Tories, because they know that there simply aren't enough Police on the streets to catch enough of these scumbags to make the slightest difference to what's going on, and even if they did catch a significant number, there isn't enough prison capacity to lock them up anyway. The joke is on us, I'm sorry to say. We're the mugs for putting up with this deceit and manipulation.'
'But what's the alternative?' I asked 'The LibDems are hardly advocating policies that would make any real difference. Our entire political and intellectual elite, with few exceptions, have been allowing this to go on for fifty years now, and so nothing is going to change however we vote.'
Nosher gazed at me for a moment, his face infused with the kind of pleasure a cat displays whilst playing with a mouse.
'You are, of course, quite right' he said 'but the more people who openly express their disgust with what is happening in this country, the more likelihood there will be of a political grouping emerging that might cater for the views of those who wish to see things change. I guess that's the best we can do in this country, which is now an appalling example of how low a society can sink when its leaders are, almost without exception, self-serving hypocrites.'
'Well, it's not all bad' I said 'this evening my wife is taking me to a concert in a village church a few miles from here, in which a small orchestra will perform Mozart's overture to the Marriage of Figaro, followed by Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, the soloist being a young girl of around 17 who is, apparently, exceptionally talented, and who attends the local comprehensive school. Not all is bad in this country - not yet, at any rate. Some people are still trying to hold our culture and society together.'
That evening my wife and I attended this little concert, and it was one of the most moving performances of Mendelssohn's violin concerto I have ever listened to.
There is hope.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes, and let's all try to keep hope alive.
But this was better than the rain we've been getting, and Nosher and I got on with the work of tending our little plots down on the allotment.
The first broadbeans are now being harvested, the greenhouse lettuces are now ready, and the courgets are almost there.
At lunchtime we sat down in our old chairs on the small patch of grass outside Nosher's shed, and I half expected him to tell me how wonderful nature was. But he had other ideas.
'Our cardboard-cut-out Home Secretary' he began 'has announced that, in order to combat knife crime amongst the young, offenders caught carrying a knife will now be taken on a guided tour of local casualty departments to gawp at the results of knife attacks and see how much misery results. How this is supposed to put the little buggers off carrying a knife is beyond me - more likely to encourage them I think - I mean, look how potent and frightening a weapon this is!'
'I think the idea is that first-time offenders will be offered this approach as an alternative to a community sentence' I suggested.
'Community sentence?' spluttered Nosher 'what is this country coming to? Then we have Dave "the people's toff" Cameron insisting that all people found to be carrying a knife should have a jail sentence. Do you know the practical implications of that? There aren't enough cells in which to lock them all up in! Of course most of them will get community sentences, just as they do now! It's gesture politics, by both Nu-Labour and the Tories, because they know that there simply aren't enough Police on the streets to catch enough of these scumbags to make the slightest difference to what's going on, and even if they did catch a significant number, there isn't enough prison capacity to lock them up anyway. The joke is on us, I'm sorry to say. We're the mugs for putting up with this deceit and manipulation.'
'But what's the alternative?' I asked 'The LibDems are hardly advocating policies that would make any real difference. Our entire political and intellectual elite, with few exceptions, have been allowing this to go on for fifty years now, and so nothing is going to change however we vote.'
Nosher gazed at me for a moment, his face infused with the kind of pleasure a cat displays whilst playing with a mouse.
'You are, of course, quite right' he said 'but the more people who openly express their disgust with what is happening in this country, the more likelihood there will be of a political grouping emerging that might cater for the views of those who wish to see things change. I guess that's the best we can do in this country, which is now an appalling example of how low a society can sink when its leaders are, almost without exception, self-serving hypocrites.'
'Well, it's not all bad' I said 'this evening my wife is taking me to a concert in a village church a few miles from here, in which a small orchestra will perform Mozart's overture to the Marriage of Figaro, followed by Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, the soloist being a young girl of around 17 who is, apparently, exceptionally talented, and who attends the local comprehensive school. Not all is bad in this country - not yet, at any rate. Some people are still trying to hold our culture and society together.'
That evening my wife and I attended this little concert, and it was one of the most moving performances of Mendelssohn's violin concerto I have ever listened to.
There is hope.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes, and let's all try to keep hope alive.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
What Freedom Means to Nosher
For a wet English July, the current weather has not been too unkind to our crops. Here in South Gloucestershire in the good old Dis-United Kingdom we enjoy, on the whole, a temperate climate that usually results in good growth and good produce.
And so, despite the heavy showers, Nosher is looking very pleased with his little allotment plot this year.
'Look at those marrows' he said recently 'they're not prize-winners, but they're fine for me.'
And indeed, this is the time of year when allotment gardeners begin their contented progress towards the season of mellow fruitfulness that is soon to come.
So it came as some surprise when Nosher introduced the topic of freedom during one of our lunchtime chats recently. David Davis, the former Shadow Home Secretary, had just won his By-Election, fought specifically on the topic of protecting our basic freedoms, and Nosher had obviously taken this to heart.
'What freedom means to me' he began, relaxing in his old deckchair in the sun outside his shed, glass of home-made parsnip wine in hand 'is to be able to enjoy the fruits of my honest labours without some little toe-rag of a government official or some scumbag off the street telling me I should hand it over to support those who have less but who don't, or won't, do anything to earn more.'
On this occasion it was my turn to give Nosher a quizzical look.
'So you don't believe in the redistribution of wealth?' I queried.
'I'm fine with redistribution' he replied 'provided it doesn't discriminate against those who've worked hard for what little they own and enjoy. I'm not rich - I've worked hard to pay off my mortgage, I live in a modest house, I have a small pension, and yet the Government taxes me to the hilt so that in fact I end up being poor. I don't mind filthy rich City bankers being taxed more; I don't mind overpaid journalists being taxed more - after all, what do they do but write a few clever words calculated to flatter and decieve? But I object to the Government taxing my pension when it is already so small; I object to paying ever larger increases in Council Tax without any consideration of my already small income; and I object to having to live in a society in which I can be mugged for what little I possess and the authorities are so busy with political correctness that the scumbag who did it will just as likely get off scot-free or with a derisory sentence, assuming that he or she is even caught, which is very unlikely in any case.'
'And what's this about those who "don't or won't do anything to earn more"?' I asked.
'Well, this welfare state business is simply undermining the work ethic' Nosher explained 'when I was a youngster I worked all day for low wages, and if I needed more I found something else to do in my spare time to earn a little more - all honest and above board, you understand. Now the unemployed are paid to sit around and do nothing, so, not surprisingly, they complain they're not getting enough and demand more and more without being prepared to work to earn it. That's no way to run a country. It's no wonder we're going down the toilet of life.'
'What about those in areas of high unemployment who simply can't find a job?'
'They deserve more support and the right kind of support' Nosher said 'which means help to retrain in order to become more employable, work experience schemes to get them used to working in a new environment, and perhaps even financial help to move to a new area where jobs are more plentiful. If we've got millions of foreign workers coming to this country to fill jobs our own people can't or won't do, then there's something going very wrong in this country. But the crucial thing is, no-one should be left to live on government hand-outs without something being asked of them in return. That's my point - the welfare state has led to the growth of a "something for nothing" society, and that's what's dragging us down. And so that's what freedom means to me' he concluded 'the freedom to enjoy the fruits of my honest labour without some sponger or criminal taking it off me with the assistance of a cynical government, so they can sit around and enjoy what I've worked hard to achieve, whilst I'm left with next to nothing.'
I can't help feeling that Nosher has a point.
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes and happy gardening!
And so, despite the heavy showers, Nosher is looking very pleased with his little allotment plot this year.
'Look at those marrows' he said recently 'they're not prize-winners, but they're fine for me.'
And indeed, this is the time of year when allotment gardeners begin their contented progress towards the season of mellow fruitfulness that is soon to come.
So it came as some surprise when Nosher introduced the topic of freedom during one of our lunchtime chats recently. David Davis, the former Shadow Home Secretary, had just won his By-Election, fought specifically on the topic of protecting our basic freedoms, and Nosher had obviously taken this to heart.
'What freedom means to me' he began, relaxing in his old deckchair in the sun outside his shed, glass of home-made parsnip wine in hand 'is to be able to enjoy the fruits of my honest labours without some little toe-rag of a government official or some scumbag off the street telling me I should hand it over to support those who have less but who don't, or won't, do anything to earn more.'
On this occasion it was my turn to give Nosher a quizzical look.
'So you don't believe in the redistribution of wealth?' I queried.
'I'm fine with redistribution' he replied 'provided it doesn't discriminate against those who've worked hard for what little they own and enjoy. I'm not rich - I've worked hard to pay off my mortgage, I live in a modest house, I have a small pension, and yet the Government taxes me to the hilt so that in fact I end up being poor. I don't mind filthy rich City bankers being taxed more; I don't mind overpaid journalists being taxed more - after all, what do they do but write a few clever words calculated to flatter and decieve? But I object to the Government taxing my pension when it is already so small; I object to paying ever larger increases in Council Tax without any consideration of my already small income; and I object to having to live in a society in which I can be mugged for what little I possess and the authorities are so busy with political correctness that the scumbag who did it will just as likely get off scot-free or with a derisory sentence, assuming that he or she is even caught, which is very unlikely in any case.'
'And what's this about those who "don't or won't do anything to earn more"?' I asked.
'Well, this welfare state business is simply undermining the work ethic' Nosher explained 'when I was a youngster I worked all day for low wages, and if I needed more I found something else to do in my spare time to earn a little more - all honest and above board, you understand. Now the unemployed are paid to sit around and do nothing, so, not surprisingly, they complain they're not getting enough and demand more and more without being prepared to work to earn it. That's no way to run a country. It's no wonder we're going down the toilet of life.'
'What about those in areas of high unemployment who simply can't find a job?'
'They deserve more support and the right kind of support' Nosher said 'which means help to retrain in order to become more employable, work experience schemes to get them used to working in a new environment, and perhaps even financial help to move to a new area where jobs are more plentiful. If we've got millions of foreign workers coming to this country to fill jobs our own people can't or won't do, then there's something going very wrong in this country. But the crucial thing is, no-one should be left to live on government hand-outs without something being asked of them in return. That's my point - the welfare state has led to the growth of a "something for nothing" society, and that's what's dragging us down. And so that's what freedom means to me' he concluded 'the freedom to enjoy the fruits of my honest labour without some sponger or criminal taking it off me with the assistance of a cynical government, so they can sit around and enjoy what I've worked hard to achieve, whilst I'm left with next to nothing.'
I can't help feeling that Nosher has a point.
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes and happy gardening!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Being Fair to the Young
Here on our little allotment in South Gloucestershire in the good old Dis-United Kingdom the average age of the allotment holders is, at a rough, guess, around 50 years of age. The oldest is over eighty, and the youngest is in her mid-thirties.
But the travails of the young are not lost to us, for, as Nosher observed recently, being young has never been more difficult in a world that seems to have gone stark raving bonkers.
And so, as we sheltered in Nosher's shed from a heavy shower this afternoon, we discussed a week that has been remarkable for the confusing signals given out by our incompetent leaders.
'First there was Dave "the people's toff" Cameron's comment that people should take more responsibility for their lives' remarked Nosher 'then there was that report by a Government advisor saying that parents should take more responsibility for the upbringing of their children, quickly followed by a parenting-pressure group responding that this insulted those parents who already do take responsibility for their children. Seems you can't please anyone these days - and what on earth are the young supposed to make of it all?'
'We live in interesting times' I observed 'the liberal Left is still, it seems, obsessed with the idea that it is "social forces" that dictate what we do and how we turn out, whereas the more libertarian Right is trying to get people to believe that it's down to their own efforts. The reality, I suspect, is somewhere inbetween: our choices and chances are restricted by our social circumstances, our potential is restricted by genetic factors, and how well we fare as we go through life is also influenced by how well we use the talents we were born with and the opportunities that present themselves. To see this as an ideological battle, as so many political activists do, is both absurd and confusing. Life is about opportunity and risk - and complaining that it is unfair is largely a waste of effort and drains energy that could be put to better use.'
Nosher gave me a quizzical look.
'So do you blame the parents for how well their children turn out?'
'It's about responsibility, not necessarily blame, although that might apply to in some cases' I replied 'good role models are essential - and that is what should be expected of parents. Where parenting is defective or entirely absent, we should not be surprised at the result. But that does not absolve either the child or the education system from taking some responsibility in how that child's life turns out. It seems to me that what has happened over the past fifty years is that Government has ceased to act as a moral leader in society, and has become simply an arena for fools and idiots to exercise their ambitions for power. When our politicians are such shifty, self-interested, waffling and inconsistent charlatans, one should not be surprised to see the population of the country lose direction somewhat.'
'So do you agree with Dave "the people's toff", that people should take more responsibility for their lives?' Nosher asked.
'Insofar as the basic message goes, yes I do agree with him' I replied 'since waiting for someone else to sort out one's life is the attitude of a loser and a waster. But I think we should also be circumspect about his motives - one thing that characterises almost all Governments of the past fifty years is the tendency to make token efforts to redeem social failure, and then go back to ignoring the issues yet again. That's why we have so many sink estates in our big cities, where there are often three generations of the same family who have never worked, and do not expect ever to work, because they view it as the State's job to support them with ever more generous benefits. That hasn't happened over night - it's the result of long-term political neglect.'
'So, I guess being fair to the young' said Nosher 'means ensuring they have opportunity to improve their lot in life, and if the parental motivation is lacking, making up for that at school by inspiring them to do their best, or at least finding something they're good at, even if it's not academic work.'
'Yep, I think that's about it' I said 'but achieving that would mean a wholesale reform of our education system away from solely academic achievement towards teaching things that are useful in life and which inspire youngsters to want to learn more, and to do useful jobs in society. Can't see that happening now - it's too late. So more and more of our youngsters will end up either unemployed or working in call-centres, since our economy has less and less to offer them, and they have less and less to offer it.'
'The thing that worries me' said Nosher 'is that as the oil crisis deepens and it becomes un-economic to ship manufactured goods to us from China, will there be any manufacturing skills left in this country to fill the void?'
'Nope' I replied 'and that is why we're heading down the plug-hole of life.'
'I'm so glad I've got an allotment to escape to' murmured Nosher.
But the travails of the young are not lost to us, for, as Nosher observed recently, being young has never been more difficult in a world that seems to have gone stark raving bonkers.
And so, as we sheltered in Nosher's shed from a heavy shower this afternoon, we discussed a week that has been remarkable for the confusing signals given out by our incompetent leaders.
'First there was Dave "the people's toff" Cameron's comment that people should take more responsibility for their lives' remarked Nosher 'then there was that report by a Government advisor saying that parents should take more responsibility for the upbringing of their children, quickly followed by a parenting-pressure group responding that this insulted those parents who already do take responsibility for their children. Seems you can't please anyone these days - and what on earth are the young supposed to make of it all?'
'We live in interesting times' I observed 'the liberal Left is still, it seems, obsessed with the idea that it is "social forces" that dictate what we do and how we turn out, whereas the more libertarian Right is trying to get people to believe that it's down to their own efforts. The reality, I suspect, is somewhere inbetween: our choices and chances are restricted by our social circumstances, our potential is restricted by genetic factors, and how well we fare as we go through life is also influenced by how well we use the talents we were born with and the opportunities that present themselves. To see this as an ideological battle, as so many political activists do, is both absurd and confusing. Life is about opportunity and risk - and complaining that it is unfair is largely a waste of effort and drains energy that could be put to better use.'
Nosher gave me a quizzical look.
'So do you blame the parents for how well their children turn out?'
'It's about responsibility, not necessarily blame, although that might apply to in some cases' I replied 'good role models are essential - and that is what should be expected of parents. Where parenting is defective or entirely absent, we should not be surprised at the result. But that does not absolve either the child or the education system from taking some responsibility in how that child's life turns out. It seems to me that what has happened over the past fifty years is that Government has ceased to act as a moral leader in society, and has become simply an arena for fools and idiots to exercise their ambitions for power. When our politicians are such shifty, self-interested, waffling and inconsistent charlatans, one should not be surprised to see the population of the country lose direction somewhat.'
'So do you agree with Dave "the people's toff", that people should take more responsibility for their lives?' Nosher asked.
'Insofar as the basic message goes, yes I do agree with him' I replied 'since waiting for someone else to sort out one's life is the attitude of a loser and a waster. But I think we should also be circumspect about his motives - one thing that characterises almost all Governments of the past fifty years is the tendency to make token efforts to redeem social failure, and then go back to ignoring the issues yet again. That's why we have so many sink estates in our big cities, where there are often three generations of the same family who have never worked, and do not expect ever to work, because they view it as the State's job to support them with ever more generous benefits. That hasn't happened over night - it's the result of long-term political neglect.'
'So, I guess being fair to the young' said Nosher 'means ensuring they have opportunity to improve their lot in life, and if the parental motivation is lacking, making up for that at school by inspiring them to do their best, or at least finding something they're good at, even if it's not academic work.'
'Yep, I think that's about it' I said 'but achieving that would mean a wholesale reform of our education system away from solely academic achievement towards teaching things that are useful in life and which inspire youngsters to want to learn more, and to do useful jobs in society. Can't see that happening now - it's too late. So more and more of our youngsters will end up either unemployed or working in call-centres, since our economy has less and less to offer them, and they have less and less to offer it.'
'The thing that worries me' said Nosher 'is that as the oil crisis deepens and it becomes un-economic to ship manufactured goods to us from China, will there be any manufacturing skills left in this country to fill the void?'
'Nope' I replied 'and that is why we're heading down the plug-hole of life.'
'I'm so glad I've got an allotment to escape to' murmured Nosher.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Taking an Interest
A brighter start to the day this morning, which allowed some pottering around on our little allotment plots.
By lunchtime the showers had started, and we hunkered down in Nosher's shed for much of the afternoon.
'I heard today that more building firms are laying off workers' Nosher announced as he passed me a glass of parsnip wine.
'If this goes on the idiots who rule over us will no longer be able to deny that we're in a recession' I replied 'something which almost every ordinary person I meet already knows.'
As we sat in our old deckchairs, kicked off our wellies and put our feet up on the dusty old shelf, we both stared morosely out of the window at the pouring rain.
'I reckon this may turn out to be one of the wettest Julys on record' muttered Nosher.
After listening to the news on the radio he turned off his old trannie and sighed.
'Interest rates stuck at 5%' he said, the despair clear in his tone 'when will these idiots understand that the most important thing now is not inflation but economic growth, and for that we need interest rates pushed down to at least 2%!'
'You're preaching to the converted here' I told him 'but democratic politics is now all about gaining power through seducing the electorate with fanciful promises or frightening them with imminent disasters such as rampant inflation. So Gordon the Moron wants to be remembered as the Chancellor and then Prime Minister who kept inflation low. Big deal, with the country in ruins all around him.'
Nosher gave me an approving look.
'Yep' he said 'taking the interest at 5% looks rather like taking the piss when the economy is going down the tubes.'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers- please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes to all.
By lunchtime the showers had started, and we hunkered down in Nosher's shed for much of the afternoon.
'I heard today that more building firms are laying off workers' Nosher announced as he passed me a glass of parsnip wine.
'If this goes on the idiots who rule over us will no longer be able to deny that we're in a recession' I replied 'something which almost every ordinary person I meet already knows.'
As we sat in our old deckchairs, kicked off our wellies and put our feet up on the dusty old shelf, we both stared morosely out of the window at the pouring rain.
'I reckon this may turn out to be one of the wettest Julys on record' muttered Nosher.
After listening to the news on the radio he turned off his old trannie and sighed.
'Interest rates stuck at 5%' he said, the despair clear in his tone 'when will these idiots understand that the most important thing now is not inflation but economic growth, and for that we need interest rates pushed down to at least 2%!'
'You're preaching to the converted here' I told him 'but democratic politics is now all about gaining power through seducing the electorate with fanciful promises or frightening them with imminent disasters such as rampant inflation. So Gordon the Moron wants to be remembered as the Chancellor and then Prime Minister who kept inflation low. Big deal, with the country in ruins all around him.'
Nosher gave me an approving look.
'Yep' he said 'taking the interest at 5% looks rather like taking the piss when the economy is going down the tubes.'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers- please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes to all.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Climate Change: What We Should be Doing NOW!
I woke up this morning to find the weather forecast was correct - pouring with rain. No let up till this afternoon.
By mid-afternoon I could no longer resist visiting the allotment, and discovered that Nosher was already there, hunkered down in his shed.
'Nothing doing' he muttered from his deckchair, his stockinged feet resting on a dusty shelf, his hands clasped behind his head.
I opened out my deckchair and assumed much the same position.
For a while we both looked out of the small cobwebbed window onto the collection of large puddles that only recently had been our allotment plots.
The rain continued to pour down.
'An inch so far, according to my rain gauge' Nosher informed me. 'If this is global warming and it gets any worse, we'll need boats in order to get around.'
'It may amuse you to learn that at the G8 conference they've agreed in principle to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2050' I told him 'although China, which wasn't represented, of course, has already said it won't comply, and I doubt that India will either.'
Nosher snorted with derision.
'Another Kyoto, then! It will not make the slightest bit of difference. What we should be doing instead of spending mind-boggling amounts of money trying to ward off climate change - it's going to happen whatever we do - is to start organising for the worst. And that means figuring out how much land mass we are going to lose due to sea level rise, and what should be done with the hundreds of millions of displaced people. If this isn't done in an orderly and timely fashion, the world will simply descend into anarchy as thousands of boatloads of people turn up with nowhere else to go. The disruption to the world economy could be catastrophic. The time for action is now, not wittering on about about reducing carbon emissions - it's already too late for that to have any effect.'
Much as I hate to agree with Nosher at times, I have to admit I think he is right.
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good bookstores - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes!
By mid-afternoon I could no longer resist visiting the allotment, and discovered that Nosher was already there, hunkered down in his shed.
'Nothing doing' he muttered from his deckchair, his stockinged feet resting on a dusty shelf, his hands clasped behind his head.
I opened out my deckchair and assumed much the same position.
For a while we both looked out of the small cobwebbed window onto the collection of large puddles that only recently had been our allotment plots.
The rain continued to pour down.
'An inch so far, according to my rain gauge' Nosher informed me. 'If this is global warming and it gets any worse, we'll need boats in order to get around.'
'It may amuse you to learn that at the G8 conference they've agreed in principle to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2050' I told him 'although China, which wasn't represented, of course, has already said it won't comply, and I doubt that India will either.'
Nosher snorted with derision.
'Another Kyoto, then! It will not make the slightest bit of difference. What we should be doing instead of spending mind-boggling amounts of money trying to ward off climate change - it's going to happen whatever we do - is to start organising for the worst. And that means figuring out how much land mass we are going to lose due to sea level rise, and what should be done with the hundreds of millions of displaced people. If this isn't done in an orderly and timely fashion, the world will simply descend into anarchy as thousands of boatloads of people turn up with nowhere else to go. The disruption to the world economy could be catastrophic. The time for action is now, not wittering on about about reducing carbon emissions - it's already too late for that to have any effect.'
Much as I hate to agree with Nosher at times, I have to admit I think he is right.
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good bookstores - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
And a Bishop came Flying By...
After our badger watching last night we were still down to the allotment early this morning.
A forecast of dry weather boded well, so we got on with all the little jobs that had been delayed by the rain yesterday and the soggy ground resulting from it.
By lunchtime Nosher was firmly ensconced in his old deckchair in the watery sun by his shed.
It was not long before I joined him for a glass of chilled fruit juice from his solar powered fridge.
'Well' he said as I sat down 'I hear the Anglican Synod have voted to allow women bishops, but with a special provision for flying bishops to attend to the spiritual needs of those male clergy who can't abide the thought of departing from what they see as the strict principles of an all-male clergy according to their narrow interpretation of the Bible.'
'I think they've been even more specific' I replied 'any bishop that attends to these clergy must not only be a man but must have been appointed by a man. It amazes me that, with so much suffering in the world that they might work towards alleviating, that there are people who still insist their narrow doctrinal interpretations are pandered for, as if that will make one iota of difference to the state the world is in.'
For a while we watched a Green Woodpecker on the ground nearby eating ants, a favourite delicacy. Then Nosher looked up and me and smiled.
'I wonder' he began 'whether it will make the slightest difference to the long-term decline of the Church of England. Only a tiny proportion of our population regularly attend religious services of any kind, and the Anglican congregation is rapidly dwindling in this country.'
'You are forgetting the evangelical wing' I said ' they are growing in numbers and influence. In another twenty years I anticipate they will have enough voting strength on the Synod to turn the tide and then they will begin to take Anglicanism back to the Middle Ages.'
Nosher pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows.
'If that happens' he said 'it won't be long before the religious bigots on all sides are hurling vitriol at each other yet again. "My god's better than yours" they'll be shouting at each other - what a load of old nonsense!'
'Yep' I agreed 'we're heading towards the next phase of the Wars of Religion in Europe, and this time it is going to be even nastier than the last outbreak of hostilities. This time they'll have modern weaponry.'
'You'd think our politicians would have the sense to consign organised religion to the dustbin of history' said Nosher 'but they're too far up their own backsides to see the danger of leaving things as they are.'
'Situation normal' I said.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/, and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
Best wishes - and if you believe in a god, please preach peace and not war!
A forecast of dry weather boded well, so we got on with all the little jobs that had been delayed by the rain yesterday and the soggy ground resulting from it.
By lunchtime Nosher was firmly ensconced in his old deckchair in the watery sun by his shed.
It was not long before I joined him for a glass of chilled fruit juice from his solar powered fridge.
'Well' he said as I sat down 'I hear the Anglican Synod have voted to allow women bishops, but with a special provision for flying bishops to attend to the spiritual needs of those male clergy who can't abide the thought of departing from what they see as the strict principles of an all-male clergy according to their narrow interpretation of the Bible.'
'I think they've been even more specific' I replied 'any bishop that attends to these clergy must not only be a man but must have been appointed by a man. It amazes me that, with so much suffering in the world that they might work towards alleviating, that there are people who still insist their narrow doctrinal interpretations are pandered for, as if that will make one iota of difference to the state the world is in.'
For a while we watched a Green Woodpecker on the ground nearby eating ants, a favourite delicacy. Then Nosher looked up and me and smiled.
'I wonder' he began 'whether it will make the slightest difference to the long-term decline of the Church of England. Only a tiny proportion of our population regularly attend religious services of any kind, and the Anglican congregation is rapidly dwindling in this country.'
'You are forgetting the evangelical wing' I said ' they are growing in numbers and influence. In another twenty years I anticipate they will have enough voting strength on the Synod to turn the tide and then they will begin to take Anglicanism back to the Middle Ages.'
Nosher pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows.
'If that happens' he said 'it won't be long before the religious bigots on all sides are hurling vitriol at each other yet again. "My god's better than yours" they'll be shouting at each other - what a load of old nonsense!'
'Yep' I agreed 'we're heading towards the next phase of the Wars of Religion in Europe, and this time it is going to be even nastier than the last outbreak of hostilities. This time they'll have modern weaponry.'
'You'd think our politicians would have the sense to consign organised religion to the dustbin of history' said Nosher 'but they're too far up their own backsides to see the danger of leaving things as they are.'
'Situation normal' I said.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/, and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
Best wishes - and if you believe in a god, please preach peace and not war!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Badgering the Badgers
Early rain meant that there was no point in going down to the allotment until lunchtime, because the ground would be too soft to walk on.
So instead of having put the world to rights over lunch, we laboured all afternoon and then decided to return after supper to watch the badgers.
It was around ten when the first of them appeared.
We put out little trails of peanuts (animal feed quality) around the perimeter of our allotment, and the badgers quite happily feed on those rather than dig up our vegetables.
And so we sat for an hour or more as the night deepened, quietly chatting and first watching, then listening, to the badgers work their way around the edge of the allotment, gobbling up the peanuts.
'I'm pleased that the Government has decided not to go ahead with the national badger cull' Nosher whispered 'the solution to bovine TB lies in the development of an effective vaccine, rather than wiping out one of our most beautiful wild animals.'
'I suppose we must be grateful that one of Gordon the Moron's more able Assistant Fools, Hilary Benn, is responsible for these matters' I whispered in reply 'I can imagine the more spineless ministers would have simply given in to the farming lobby.'
'Well, since there's no scientific evidence that the bovine TB problem actually originated with badgers - rather than with over-bred cows with weakened immune systems passing it on to badgers' Nosher muttered 'I'm glad that the responsibility for solving the problem has been laid firmly at the door of the livestock industry and veterinary science.'
It was now so dark I could no longer see Nosher, although he was sitting only a few feet away.
'I guess we'll be safe from abuse and reprisals so long as we don't express these opinions too openly within earshot of livestock farmers' I muttered.
'Yeah' came the reply 'let's keep our opinions to ourselves.'
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes.
So instead of having put the world to rights over lunch, we laboured all afternoon and then decided to return after supper to watch the badgers.
It was around ten when the first of them appeared.
We put out little trails of peanuts (animal feed quality) around the perimeter of our allotment, and the badgers quite happily feed on those rather than dig up our vegetables.
And so we sat for an hour or more as the night deepened, quietly chatting and first watching, then listening, to the badgers work their way around the edge of the allotment, gobbling up the peanuts.
'I'm pleased that the Government has decided not to go ahead with the national badger cull' Nosher whispered 'the solution to bovine TB lies in the development of an effective vaccine, rather than wiping out one of our most beautiful wild animals.'
'I suppose we must be grateful that one of Gordon the Moron's more able Assistant Fools, Hilary Benn, is responsible for these matters' I whispered in reply 'I can imagine the more spineless ministers would have simply given in to the farming lobby.'
'Well, since there's no scientific evidence that the bovine TB problem actually originated with badgers - rather than with over-bred cows with weakened immune systems passing it on to badgers' Nosher muttered 'I'm glad that the responsibility for solving the problem has been laid firmly at the door of the livestock industry and veterinary science.'
It was now so dark I could no longer see Nosher, although he was sitting only a few feet away.
'I guess we'll be safe from abuse and reprisals so long as we don't express these opinions too openly within earshot of livestock farmers' I muttered.
'Yeah' came the reply 'let's keep our opinions to ourselves.'
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
The Party is Over
This summer is turning out to be a wet one.
Arrived at the allotment this morning to see a heron flying slowly along the course of the Great Dribble, just above the willow trees.
That was about all I saw, as the rain then hammered down.
So Nosher and I spent the morning hunkered down in his shed, discussing the news of the day.
'The media is full of reports that hospitals and other Government agencies are ordering stab-vests for their front line staff' Nosher announced 'something's finally got them to acknowledge that we now live in a horrifically violent society where even those who seek to do nothing but good are at risk from violent scumbags.'
'It exposes the lies the Government tells us' I responded 'they claim that knife crime has not increased for years. Their statistics are fiddled of course. The reality is that significant areas of our cities are dominated by armed criminal gangs that the Police can do very little about, either because of shortage of numbers or the stifling rules of political correctness and health and safety.'
'I don't think there is the political will to do anything effective about this problem' Nosher said 'the idiots who think they're in charge still claim to believe that being nice to criminals reforms them, whereas the only effective thing to do is to lock them up in large numbers for as long as decently possible. Until the Government accepts that and bites the bullet about criminal justice, things will carry on getting worse.'
'Would you bet any money on anything effective being done in time to prevent a social catastrophe?' I asked.
'Not a penny' Nosher replied.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit.
Best wishes to all.
Arrived at the allotment this morning to see a heron flying slowly along the course of the Great Dribble, just above the willow trees.
That was about all I saw, as the rain then hammered down.
So Nosher and I spent the morning hunkered down in his shed, discussing the news of the day.
'The media is full of reports that hospitals and other Government agencies are ordering stab-vests for their front line staff' Nosher announced 'something's finally got them to acknowledge that we now live in a horrifically violent society where even those who seek to do nothing but good are at risk from violent scumbags.'
'It exposes the lies the Government tells us' I responded 'they claim that knife crime has not increased for years. Their statistics are fiddled of course. The reality is that significant areas of our cities are dominated by armed criminal gangs that the Police can do very little about, either because of shortage of numbers or the stifling rules of political correctness and health and safety.'
'I don't think there is the political will to do anything effective about this problem' Nosher said 'the idiots who think they're in charge still claim to believe that being nice to criminals reforms them, whereas the only effective thing to do is to lock them up in large numbers for as long as decently possible. Until the Government accepts that and bites the bullet about criminal justice, things will carry on getting worse.'
'Would you bet any money on anything effective being done in time to prevent a social catastrophe?' I asked.
'Not a penny' Nosher replied.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit.
Best wishes to all.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
The Crumbling Edifices of Old Faith
It is difficult not to admire the senior members of the Anglican Church, meeting at the annual Synod in York this weekend.
They have presided over the long-term decline in church attendance, falling income from the collection boxes, and their once great institution is now faced with financial melt-down as well as the possibility of a schism,or even an outright takeover, by the evangalical wing.
And yet they still believe they can change the world.
None of this impressed Nosher, however, as we hunkered down in Nosher's old allotment shed, relaxing in our old deckchairs whilst watching the rain outside through the dusty cobwebbed window panes.
'It seems that the nicer they try to be about God' Nosher declared 'the fewer people bother to take any notice of their message. At least in the old days the faithful would turn out for baptisms, weddings and funerals, but these days they can't even rely on that any more.'
'I'm not fan of organised religion myself' I replied 'but I think we should give them credit for women priests, being more tolerant about gays, and at least trying to sound liberal - although old beardy-tits and his ridiculous pronouncements on Sharia Law obviously will have put a lot of people off.'
Nosher grinned happily.
'Yep - think you've hit the nail on the head' he said 'the more liberal they try to be, the more they sound as if they'd go to almost any lengths to make new friends, even if it means selling out. The fact is organised religion is built on fear, ignorance, prejudice and wishful thinking, all tied up with the desire of those in charge to feel important and powerful. OK, the weak-kneed moderates are in charge at the moment, but history shows there are always psychopaths hiding in the shadows waiting to re-institute religious oppression as soon as an opportunity presents itself.'
I sighed. Agreeing with Nosher is sometimes is difficult, but today our opinions were in totally in tune.
'So what do you think of the proposal to open up more churchs as tourist attractions in order to boost income?' I asked.
'Laughable!' he retorted 'I can remember in the 1950s every parish church was unlocked 24 hours a day. Theft was very rare. Now they're all locked up except for services, to prevent thieving scumbags from taking everything that's not bolted down. And even so the rate of burglary and theft from churches is alarmingly high. Where are the staff going to come from to keep watch over all the valuables if they open these churches for tourists? Volunteers? Some parish churches now only have a couple of old ladies and the church mouse attending services - how are they going to manage? And what if their visitors are actually crooks just looking out for valuables so they can return later to steal? No, I can't see it working.'
I sighed again. I hate when Nosher is right all the time. Sometimes more fun is to be had disagreeing.
'So what do you think will happen in the long run?'
Nosher grinned mischevously.
'They'll either recognise their irrelevance and fade gracefully away, and their churches, those monuments to folly and self-aggrandisement, will crumble to dust or be put to better uses; or the evangelicals will take over, in which case the ranting and denouncements of "God's enemies" will start up all over again, like they used to in the wars of religion a few of centuries ago.'
'Can't see them fading away - too much valuable real estate there' I said 'someone will want to get their hands on it, and right now the front-runners are the evangelicals, who are led by some rather dubious characters who like to tell everyone they don't like to go to Hell.'
'Yep' said Nosher 'give it a hundred years or so and I reckon we'll be back to the wars of religion. History repeats itself, it's just the slogans that change.'
'And the weaponry' I added.
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers; please support your local bookshop - if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes.
They have presided over the long-term decline in church attendance, falling income from the collection boxes, and their once great institution is now faced with financial melt-down as well as the possibility of a schism,or even an outright takeover, by the evangalical wing.
And yet they still believe they can change the world.
None of this impressed Nosher, however, as we hunkered down in Nosher's old allotment shed, relaxing in our old deckchairs whilst watching the rain outside through the dusty cobwebbed window panes.
'It seems that the nicer they try to be about God' Nosher declared 'the fewer people bother to take any notice of their message. At least in the old days the faithful would turn out for baptisms, weddings and funerals, but these days they can't even rely on that any more.'
'I'm not fan of organised religion myself' I replied 'but I think we should give them credit for women priests, being more tolerant about gays, and at least trying to sound liberal - although old beardy-tits and his ridiculous pronouncements on Sharia Law obviously will have put a lot of people off.'
Nosher grinned happily.
'Yep - think you've hit the nail on the head' he said 'the more liberal they try to be, the more they sound as if they'd go to almost any lengths to make new friends, even if it means selling out. The fact is organised religion is built on fear, ignorance, prejudice and wishful thinking, all tied up with the desire of those in charge to feel important and powerful. OK, the weak-kneed moderates are in charge at the moment, but history shows there are always psychopaths hiding in the shadows waiting to re-institute religious oppression as soon as an opportunity presents itself.'
I sighed. Agreeing with Nosher is sometimes is difficult, but today our opinions were in totally in tune.
'So what do you think of the proposal to open up more churchs as tourist attractions in order to boost income?' I asked.
'Laughable!' he retorted 'I can remember in the 1950s every parish church was unlocked 24 hours a day. Theft was very rare. Now they're all locked up except for services, to prevent thieving scumbags from taking everything that's not bolted down. And even so the rate of burglary and theft from churches is alarmingly high. Where are the staff going to come from to keep watch over all the valuables if they open these churches for tourists? Volunteers? Some parish churches now only have a couple of old ladies and the church mouse attending services - how are they going to manage? And what if their visitors are actually crooks just looking out for valuables so they can return later to steal? No, I can't see it working.'
I sighed again. I hate when Nosher is right all the time. Sometimes more fun is to be had disagreeing.
'So what do you think will happen in the long run?'
Nosher grinned mischevously.
'They'll either recognise their irrelevance and fade gracefully away, and their churches, those monuments to folly and self-aggrandisement, will crumble to dust or be put to better uses; or the evangelicals will take over, in which case the ranting and denouncements of "God's enemies" will start up all over again, like they used to in the wars of religion a few of centuries ago.'
'Can't see them fading away - too much valuable real estate there' I said 'someone will want to get their hands on it, and right now the front-runners are the evangelicals, who are led by some rather dubious characters who like to tell everyone they don't like to go to Hell.'
'Yep' said Nosher 'give it a hundred years or so and I reckon we'll be back to the wars of religion. History repeats itself, it's just the slogans that change.'
'And the weaponry' I added.
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers; please support your local bookshop - if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Snouts in the Trough
The news that the House of Commons vote on reforming the MPs system of allowances has resulted in a resounding defeat for the reformists met with no surprise down on our little allotment.
'Is it any wonder the public's faith in politicians is at an all-time low?' Nosher muttered as we set out our deckchairs in the sun at lunchtime.
'It's a career with over-generous perks and absolutely no accountability, except through the ballot box' I replied 'and then at election-time, an unscrupulous person will simply tell the electorate what they want to hear. If re-elected, they're back on the gravy-train.'
We sat back and enjoyed a glass of Nosher's excellent home-made parsnip wine, enjoying the warm sunshine and the light breeze.
'There doesn't seem to be any mechanism for weeding out the dishonest and the wasters' said Nosher 'and even if they are caught out, it is very rare for any effective sanctions to be taken against them, because they police themselves. Put simply, it's one law for them, but a different law for the rest of us. No wonder there's no shortage of people wanting to become MPs.'
'Well, if they can't understand that being able to spend £24,000 per year on household goodies tax-free is an insult to their poorer constituents, then it's a sad reflection on the moral character of those who enter Parliament.'
'I think they should be paid the national median income' Nosher declared 'they should live in purpose-built MPs accommodation when in London, and any other perks should be taxed and regulated as they are in business. In other words, they should be subject to the law of the land.'
'And their conduct should be regulated by an independent body with legal powers to impose sanctions on wrongdoers' I said 'Apart from Parliamentary privilege, to protect their freedom of speech, MPs should not enjoy any privileges not available to the rest of society.'
'I think that's about it' Nosher concluded 'if all these measure were implemented maybe we could get their snouts out of the trough.'
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers; please support your local bookshop, it you don't, it may not be there next time you visit. If you have difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes.
'Is it any wonder the public's faith in politicians is at an all-time low?' Nosher muttered as we set out our deckchairs in the sun at lunchtime.
'It's a career with over-generous perks and absolutely no accountability, except through the ballot box' I replied 'and then at election-time, an unscrupulous person will simply tell the electorate what they want to hear. If re-elected, they're back on the gravy-train.'
We sat back and enjoyed a glass of Nosher's excellent home-made parsnip wine, enjoying the warm sunshine and the light breeze.
'There doesn't seem to be any mechanism for weeding out the dishonest and the wasters' said Nosher 'and even if they are caught out, it is very rare for any effective sanctions to be taken against them, because they police themselves. Put simply, it's one law for them, but a different law for the rest of us. No wonder there's no shortage of people wanting to become MPs.'
'Well, if they can't understand that being able to spend £24,000 per year on household goodies tax-free is an insult to their poorer constituents, then it's a sad reflection on the moral character of those who enter Parliament.'
'I think they should be paid the national median income' Nosher declared 'they should live in purpose-built MPs accommodation when in London, and any other perks should be taxed and regulated as they are in business. In other words, they should be subject to the law of the land.'
'And their conduct should be regulated by an independent body with legal powers to impose sanctions on wrongdoers' I said 'Apart from Parliamentary privilege, to protect their freedom of speech, MPs should not enjoy any privileges not available to the rest of society.'
'I think that's about it' Nosher concluded 'if all these measure were implemented maybe we could get their snouts out of the trough.'
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers; please support your local bookshop, it you don't, it may not be there next time you visit. If you have difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Criminal Violence is a Social Disease
Great day for pottering about on our little allotments.
Nosher was in good spirits until lunchtime - I think my tale of Shepton Mallet had induced in him sense of schadenfreude that obscured his usual demeanour.
But it did not last.
So, at lunchtime, as we sat in the sun on our old deckchairs by his allotment shed, the one o'clock radio news brought ample reason for Nosher to resume his old doom-laden attitudes.
As he switched off his little trannie he muttered:
'Why should everyone be so surprised at two young French exchange students being brutally stabbed to death, and their lodgings set on fire? It's horrible and tragic, certainly, but no surprise, for we no longer have effective measures to rid society of the violent scumbags who carry out such crimes.'
For once I was totally in agreement with him.
'Have you read David Fraser's A Land Fit For Criminals?'
Nosher shook his head.
'Well, Fraser was a probation officer for 26 years, then a criminologist. In his book he explains how successive governments since around 1960 have sought to avoid locking up criminals in order to avoid the politically unpopular costs involved in building enough prisons. In addition they have deliberately obscured the statistics on the continuing rise in crime, so that criminals now know the chances of them ever being caught, let alone being given anything other than a derisory punishment, are virtually nil. That's why our society is in the state we're in.'
Nosher nodded.
'So successive governments have failed in their first duty towards their citizens - to protect them from harm - and then lied about it?'
'That about sums it up.'
'Sounds exactly the sort of thing the hypocritical, self-serving, snouts-in-the-trough, slimy scumbags of politicians would do to us!'
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from every good bookseller - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have difficulty finding a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes - and take care to stay out of harm's way!
Nosher was in good spirits until lunchtime - I think my tale of Shepton Mallet had induced in him sense of schadenfreude that obscured his usual demeanour.
But it did not last.
So, at lunchtime, as we sat in the sun on our old deckchairs by his allotment shed, the one o'clock radio news brought ample reason for Nosher to resume his old doom-laden attitudes.
As he switched off his little trannie he muttered:
'Why should everyone be so surprised at two young French exchange students being brutally stabbed to death, and their lodgings set on fire? It's horrible and tragic, certainly, but no surprise, for we no longer have effective measures to rid society of the violent scumbags who carry out such crimes.'
For once I was totally in agreement with him.
'Have you read David Fraser's A Land Fit For Criminals?'
Nosher shook his head.
'Well, Fraser was a probation officer for 26 years, then a criminologist. In his book he explains how successive governments since around 1960 have sought to avoid locking up criminals in order to avoid the politically unpopular costs involved in building enough prisons. In addition they have deliberately obscured the statistics on the continuing rise in crime, so that criminals now know the chances of them ever being caught, let alone being given anything other than a derisory punishment, are virtually nil. That's why our society is in the state we're in.'
Nosher nodded.
'So successive governments have failed in their first duty towards their citizens - to protect them from harm - and then lied about it?'
'That about sums it up.'
'Sounds exactly the sort of thing the hypocritical, self-serving, snouts-in-the-trough, slimy scumbags of politicians would do to us!'
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more at www.paulsturdee.co.uk and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from every good bookseller - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have difficulty finding a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes - and take care to stay out of harm's way!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
The Recession Cometh - Now Is The Time for Contingency Planning
Showers and sunshine - typical English summer weather.
Down on our little allotment in South Gloucestershire in the good old Dis-United Kingdom Nosher and I spent the day dodging in and out of our allotment sheds to avoid the showers. During the longer ones we tended to end up in Nosher's shed, where our old deckchairs are stored, so that we could relax and put our feet up.
'Signs of recession in the UK economy grow ever clearer' Nosher announced during a wet weather break from gardening 'Marks and Sparks shares are down, and Taylor-Woodrow are laying people off. Those trying to talk up the economy are claiming it's a blip which will last from one to three years. Any wise person will be hoping for the best but planning for the worst - and the worst is that a crash is coming.'
'So what are you doing about it, Nosh?'
'I'm going to plant more seed next year' he replied 'because despite buying our groceries (that I don't currently grow) in Lidl's, our costs keep rising. And almost everything else is going up in price too - far faster than the 3% the Government will admit to. And we're looking at economising and laying down stores for the future, so that as our pension falls way behind price rises (which will inevitably happen) we've got something to fall back on. And we're also looking at how to keep our energy bills from rising too much. Finally, we'll be renewing our efforts to establish a cash-free economy with our friends and contacts, based on exchange and barter, so that we are to an extent insulated from price rises. For the rich a recession means giving up the odd holiday and maybe the second car - for the poor it means staring disaster in the face. And for many old age pensioners that's what a recession will mean - many are already in poverty, and many more will soon join them. What will you be doing?'
'Well, I'm in the fortunate position that my wife has a very good job, although at present I don't earn any money. But like many people, we've got a mortgage to pay, and those costs are set to rise, along with almost all other costs. So we too are looking at how best to ride out the recession. We don't take foreign holidays and we only have one car that's 16 years old. May have to give that up. Like you I'll be planting more seed next year, and investigating how to use energy more efficiently. But I agree with you that the people who are most likely to be hit hardest are those on low and fixed incomes. But at the moment the Government is doing it's best to deny that we're headed for a recession, so they won't be doing anything to help the most vulnerable until it's too late to make much difference.'
Nosher sighed.
'It's the usual story' he said 'The Government has a vested interest in doing nothing that will upset their pals in the City, so the most vulnerable in society will suffer the most. Situation normal - why should we expect anything different?'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't it may not be there next time you visit.
Best wishes - and don't forget your contingency planning.
Down on our little allotment in South Gloucestershire in the good old Dis-United Kingdom Nosher and I spent the day dodging in and out of our allotment sheds to avoid the showers. During the longer ones we tended to end up in Nosher's shed, where our old deckchairs are stored, so that we could relax and put our feet up.
'Signs of recession in the UK economy grow ever clearer' Nosher announced during a wet weather break from gardening 'Marks and Sparks shares are down, and Taylor-Woodrow are laying people off. Those trying to talk up the economy are claiming it's a blip which will last from one to three years. Any wise person will be hoping for the best but planning for the worst - and the worst is that a crash is coming.'
'So what are you doing about it, Nosh?'
'I'm going to plant more seed next year' he replied 'because despite buying our groceries (that I don't currently grow) in Lidl's, our costs keep rising. And almost everything else is going up in price too - far faster than the 3% the Government will admit to. And we're looking at economising and laying down stores for the future, so that as our pension falls way behind price rises (which will inevitably happen) we've got something to fall back on. And we're also looking at how to keep our energy bills from rising too much. Finally, we'll be renewing our efforts to establish a cash-free economy with our friends and contacts, based on exchange and barter, so that we are to an extent insulated from price rises. For the rich a recession means giving up the odd holiday and maybe the second car - for the poor it means staring disaster in the face. And for many old age pensioners that's what a recession will mean - many are already in poverty, and many more will soon join them. What will you be doing?'
'Well, I'm in the fortunate position that my wife has a very good job, although at present I don't earn any money. But like many people, we've got a mortgage to pay, and those costs are set to rise, along with almost all other costs. So we too are looking at how best to ride out the recession. We don't take foreign holidays and we only have one car that's 16 years old. May have to give that up. Like you I'll be planting more seed next year, and investigating how to use energy more efficiently. But I agree with you that the people who are most likely to be hit hardest are those on low and fixed incomes. But at the moment the Government is doing it's best to deny that we're headed for a recession, so they won't be doing anything to help the most vulnerable until it's too late to make much difference.'
Nosher sighed.
'It's the usual story' he said 'The Government has a vested interest in doing nothing that will upset their pals in the City, so the most vulnerable in society will suffer the most. Situation normal - why should we expect anything different?'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't it may not be there next time you visit.
Best wishes - and don't forget your contingency planning.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
The Toilet Police and Cherie Booth-Blair
I got back from the trip to Shepton Mallet around four in the afternoon, and arrived down at the allotment some time later.
Nosher was already on his evening watering, but pulled out his deckchair to sit with me on the little patch of grass outside his shed and chat about the day.
'Well, how did it go?' he asked.
'The town of Shepton Mallet did not endear itself to me' I replied. 'When we arrived I was in need of a pee, but when we got to the High Street the sign for the public toilets pointed at a cafe. After wandering for a hundred yards in the general direction indicated by the sign, and finding no toilets, we went back and asked at the cafe where the public toilets were. They didn't know, but thought there were some up by the Council Offices the other end of town. This is a one-horse town, so one might be forgiven for expecting the locals to know where the public loos are. So we went there, and, sure enough, found a sign indicating toilets, so we headed off in that direction. On the way we met an efficient-looking woman coming out of the offices and we asked for directions. She said she knew nothing about the toilets we were searching for (surprise, surprise!), but said she knew of some near the town centre, and would take us there, which was very kind of her. We followed her back into the town centre, down a little lane (no signs indicating public toilets were in evidence until within sight of them, well away from the High Street), and she pointed out the loos which were by the Police Station. By this time I was beginning to lose any interest in Shepton Mallet, as I was now desparate for a pee. The toilets looked very newly installed, had a big sign outside declaring that anyone vandalising them would be prosecuted. Inside they were spotless, and everything was made of shiny metal. But within seconds of closing the door a Stasi-like voice (very stern indeed) announced from a hidden loudspeaker at high volume in almost hysterical tones that your visit was timed and that you should not delay. The disembodied voice rang out and echoed off the walls, floor and ceiling, giving the impression one was living in a police state and the forces of tyranny were about to burst in through the door. Desparate as I was to use the facilities, this announcement ruined my experience of the difficult-to-find Shepton Mallet public toilets. The announcement was followed by a recording of Vivaldi's Spring at much lower volume, the incongruity apparently being lost on who ever had selected it. Perhaps a recording of one of Hitler's finest rabble-rousing speeches would have been more appropriate. In retrospect, I think we should have driven straight to the hospital and given Shepton Mallet a miss. Its only memorable feature is an ancient market cross. The rest is best forgotten. But my wife is fine - an X-ray, a consultation, followed by an MRI scan, and a follow-up appointment in two weeks. And the Treatment Centre was spotless, the staff polite and efficient. But it is, of course, a private hospital contracted to reduce the NHS waiting lists. How have you got on here?'
Nosher sighed.
'As far as the allotment goes, fine' he replied, 'I've done your watering for you. But on the radio news they announced that drama queen Cherie Booth-Blair (in her bossy barrister role) has announced that she's so concerned about knife crime that she fears for the safety of her children. This was enough to almost induce me to vomit. This is just empty posturing (just like her husband, really...). I mean, it's not as if she lives in some council flat on a crumbling sink estate where she is confronted by knife-wielding hoodies every time she goes out, is it? She and her children live a life of comfort and privilege, separated from the reality in which the rest of us have to live. And as for her saying that knife-crime is under-reported - well, the hypocrisy of the women is almost unbelievable! Why didn't she speak out when her husband was PM? The rest of us have known for years that the crime figures are a fiction. Our criminal justice system is totally in ruins, violent thugs are let out on bail to prey on the public yet again, and if they get sent to prison it's a joke, they have more leisure facilities there than they have access to on the outside, and they'll be let out less than half way through their sentence and then allowed to re-offend because the supervision is non-existent. And the government of which her husband was the leader allowed all this to get much, much worse, despite promising to be tough on crime! Cherie Booth-Blair is a lawyer who's campaigned on behalf of the "human rights" of criminals, yet now expects us to take her seriously when she's going on about the dreadful reality of knife crime! She's part of the problem, not part of the solution! It's enough to make one weep in despair that these dreadful people can get away with this empty posturing.'
'It doesn't surprise me at all' I said 'I've just been to Shepton Mallet.'
Nosher was already on his evening watering, but pulled out his deckchair to sit with me on the little patch of grass outside his shed and chat about the day.
'Well, how did it go?' he asked.
'The town of Shepton Mallet did not endear itself to me' I replied. 'When we arrived I was in need of a pee, but when we got to the High Street the sign for the public toilets pointed at a cafe. After wandering for a hundred yards in the general direction indicated by the sign, and finding no toilets, we went back and asked at the cafe where the public toilets were. They didn't know, but thought there were some up by the Council Offices the other end of town. This is a one-horse town, so one might be forgiven for expecting the locals to know where the public loos are. So we went there, and, sure enough, found a sign indicating toilets, so we headed off in that direction. On the way we met an efficient-looking woman coming out of the offices and we asked for directions. She said she knew nothing about the toilets we were searching for (surprise, surprise!), but said she knew of some near the town centre, and would take us there, which was very kind of her. We followed her back into the town centre, down a little lane (no signs indicating public toilets were in evidence until within sight of them, well away from the High Street), and she pointed out the loos which were by the Police Station. By this time I was beginning to lose any interest in Shepton Mallet, as I was now desparate for a pee. The toilets looked very newly installed, had a big sign outside declaring that anyone vandalising them would be prosecuted. Inside they were spotless, and everything was made of shiny metal. But within seconds of closing the door a Stasi-like voice (very stern indeed) announced from a hidden loudspeaker at high volume in almost hysterical tones that your visit was timed and that you should not delay. The disembodied voice rang out and echoed off the walls, floor and ceiling, giving the impression one was living in a police state and the forces of tyranny were about to burst in through the door. Desparate as I was to use the facilities, this announcement ruined my experience of the difficult-to-find Shepton Mallet public toilets. The announcement was followed by a recording of Vivaldi's Spring at much lower volume, the incongruity apparently being lost on who ever had selected it. Perhaps a recording of one of Hitler's finest rabble-rousing speeches would have been more appropriate. In retrospect, I think we should have driven straight to the hospital and given Shepton Mallet a miss. Its only memorable feature is an ancient market cross. The rest is best forgotten. But my wife is fine - an X-ray, a consultation, followed by an MRI scan, and a follow-up appointment in two weeks. And the Treatment Centre was spotless, the staff polite and efficient. But it is, of course, a private hospital contracted to reduce the NHS waiting lists. How have you got on here?'
Nosher sighed.
'As far as the allotment goes, fine' he replied, 'I've done your watering for you. But on the radio news they announced that drama queen Cherie Booth-Blair (in her bossy barrister role) has announced that she's so concerned about knife crime that she fears for the safety of her children. This was enough to almost induce me to vomit. This is just empty posturing (just like her husband, really...). I mean, it's not as if she lives in some council flat on a crumbling sink estate where she is confronted by knife-wielding hoodies every time she goes out, is it? She and her children live a life of comfort and privilege, separated from the reality in which the rest of us have to live. And as for her saying that knife-crime is under-reported - well, the hypocrisy of the women is almost unbelievable! Why didn't she speak out when her husband was PM? The rest of us have known for years that the crime figures are a fiction. Our criminal justice system is totally in ruins, violent thugs are let out on bail to prey on the public yet again, and if they get sent to prison it's a joke, they have more leisure facilities there than they have access to on the outside, and they'll be let out less than half way through their sentence and then allowed to re-offend because the supervision is non-existent. And the government of which her husband was the leader allowed all this to get much, much worse, despite promising to be tough on crime! Cherie Booth-Blair is a lawyer who's campaigned on behalf of the "human rights" of criminals, yet now expects us to take her seriously when she's going on about the dreadful reality of knife crime! She's part of the problem, not part of the solution! It's enough to make one weep in despair that these dreadful people can get away with this empty posturing.'
'It doesn't surprise me at all' I said 'I've just been to Shepton Mallet.'
Monday, June 30, 2008
The Choice is Yours - The NHS at 60
'This year is the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of the National Health Service' Nosher announced, as we set out our deckchairs at lunchtime on the small patch of grass outside his allotment shed. 'And whilst it is well known that the middle-classes make far better use of it than the working class, the current policy directives stress the mantra of patient choice, which is again something the middle classes will make much better use of.'
As we sat down and surveyed our little plots, now a great mass of vibrant greenery, some already providing us with food, I wondered what the founders of the NHS would think of it now.
'Tomorrow my wife is off to Shepton Mallet hospital to have her knee looked at' I said 'because the waiting list in Bristol is much longer. But it's an hour's drive (much longer on public transport), and clearly only those with money, personal transport, and lots of free time could possibly make use of this choice. The alternative, for those with little money, no personal transport, and little free time, is waiting for an appointment at Bristol, which could take many months longer. This clearly discriminates against the poor, the elderly, and those, such as the disabled, who may not have easy access to suitable transport. Yet according to the current mantras being trotted out by the Department of Health, this situation constitutes a success. It's a most peculiar distortion of the original aims of the NHS.'
Nosher smiled.
'Not when you think about it' he said. 'The NHS was forged during the great upsurge of communitarian sentiment at the end of the Second World War. The public could easily be swayed by appeals to build a better country for all, rather than for the few. That communitarian sentiment has largely evaporated now. Today buzz-words like 'choice' get a much more positive response from the public, partly because the traditional working class is much smaller than it used to be, and also because the middle classes are the ones who use the NHS most effectively and care better for their health than the working class. So middle class issues such as 'choice' are now top of the political agenda, rather than making a policy issue of treating more effectively the ills that characteristically afflict the working class.'
'Still, I can't help feeling that for choice to be available, there has to be an overcapacity in the system' I replied 'otherwise it's just a case of moving people around to different slots, and the ones who will lose out are those least able or willing to make use of the opportunity to express and act upon their choice, so they'll end up with the worst deal, assuming that choice is about getting the best deal. And buying treatment for NHS patients from independent providers, which is becoming increasingly common, seems to be a way of privatising the NHS by the back door.'
'Which is perhaps why the government claims to be putting more money into increasing capacity in the NHS' said Nosher 'yet if there is an overcapacity in one area to maximise choice, there is immediately a conflict of interest between effectiveness and efficiency. Providing too much capacity in one area means that, with a finite budget, there'll be less capacity somewhere else. And what about mental health? This is an area where choice is entirely absent in terms of treatment options unless you go private, because in the NHS there's far too little capacity anyway to meet the assessed mental health needs of the nation. So choice is a red herring.'
'I can't help feeling the NHS is slowly being privatised by NuLabour' I said 'but I'm not sure the Tories will do it any differently when they get back into power.'
'Whatever happens' Nosher declared 'you can be sure it will be trumpeted by its proponents as a great success, even if it isn't.'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more from http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes - and please take care of the NHS!
As we sat down and surveyed our little plots, now a great mass of vibrant greenery, some already providing us with food, I wondered what the founders of the NHS would think of it now.
'Tomorrow my wife is off to Shepton Mallet hospital to have her knee looked at' I said 'because the waiting list in Bristol is much longer. But it's an hour's drive (much longer on public transport), and clearly only those with money, personal transport, and lots of free time could possibly make use of this choice. The alternative, for those with little money, no personal transport, and little free time, is waiting for an appointment at Bristol, which could take many months longer. This clearly discriminates against the poor, the elderly, and those, such as the disabled, who may not have easy access to suitable transport. Yet according to the current mantras being trotted out by the Department of Health, this situation constitutes a success. It's a most peculiar distortion of the original aims of the NHS.'
Nosher smiled.
'Not when you think about it' he said. 'The NHS was forged during the great upsurge of communitarian sentiment at the end of the Second World War. The public could easily be swayed by appeals to build a better country for all, rather than for the few. That communitarian sentiment has largely evaporated now. Today buzz-words like 'choice' get a much more positive response from the public, partly because the traditional working class is much smaller than it used to be, and also because the middle classes are the ones who use the NHS most effectively and care better for their health than the working class. So middle class issues such as 'choice' are now top of the political agenda, rather than making a policy issue of treating more effectively the ills that characteristically afflict the working class.'
'Still, I can't help feeling that for choice to be available, there has to be an overcapacity in the system' I replied 'otherwise it's just a case of moving people around to different slots, and the ones who will lose out are those least able or willing to make use of the opportunity to express and act upon their choice, so they'll end up with the worst deal, assuming that choice is about getting the best deal. And buying treatment for NHS patients from independent providers, which is becoming increasingly common, seems to be a way of privatising the NHS by the back door.'
'Which is perhaps why the government claims to be putting more money into increasing capacity in the NHS' said Nosher 'yet if there is an overcapacity in one area to maximise choice, there is immediately a conflict of interest between effectiveness and efficiency. Providing too much capacity in one area means that, with a finite budget, there'll be less capacity somewhere else. And what about mental health? This is an area where choice is entirely absent in terms of treatment options unless you go private, because in the NHS there's far too little capacity anyway to meet the assessed mental health needs of the nation. So choice is a red herring.'
'I can't help feeling the NHS is slowly being privatised by NuLabour' I said 'but I'm not sure the Tories will do it any differently when they get back into power.'
'Whatever happens' Nosher declared 'you can be sure it will be trumpeted by its proponents as a great success, even if it isn't.'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more from http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes - and please take care of the NHS!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
The Betrayal of the Mentally Ill
After the rain the English summer has returned to sunshine, although more rain is forecast for a couple of days' time.
Still, in England you take whatever weather you get and find something to complain about. This is Nosher's approach, and it's served him well for 75 years.
'I wouldn't mind if it rained only at night' he said, relaxing in his deckchair at lunchtime 'although not every night - the bats can't feed in heavy rain.'
I looked across at him from the comfort of my own deckchair. He had a classic Nosher grin on his face.
'Just to change the subject, Nosh, what do you think of the broadside fired by the incoming President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Dinesh Bhugra, about the state of mental health services in this country?'
Nosher raised his eyebrows in mock surprise.
'I believe he says that the wards are overcrowded, unsafe, and uninhabitable' he replied 'so one can hardly disagree with him. In my view the government has completely failed to foresee the impact of drug-induced mental illness resulting from illegal drug use, and now the mental health services have been swamped by desocialised mentally disturbed junkies who bring their nasty habits into hospital with them and make life difficult for those who genuinely need a place of refuge and respite.'
'Are you saying that drug addicts don't deserve treatment?'
I was being a little mischevous.
'Not at all' replied Nosher 'I think they should be put into special secure units and taken off drugs, cold turkey if you like, whilst being medically supervised so that any resulting medical conditions can be treated promptly. I don't think they should have a choice in the matter. They are a social plague that is dragging this country down, and the sooner they get the message that they are their own worst enemy the better.'
Nosher beamed at the apparent ease with which all this rolled off his tongue.
'What would you say to those who claim that drug addicts are victims of society and should be treated with kid gloves?' I asked him.
'Pah! That's how we've got ourselves into this situation. Try reading Addiction is a Myth by John Booth Davis, or Addiction is a Choice by Jeffrey Schaler, or Junk Medicine by Theodore Dalrymple. You'll soon see how we've all been deceived. Junkies are self-indulgent, self-obsessed individuals who feed their own desires at everyone else's expense. If you want to explore the link between drugs and criminality, I suggest you read David Fraser's A Land Fit For Criminals.'
Nosher glanced across at his broad beans, which are doing very well this year.
'Anyone can make stupid choices and ruin their lives' he declared 'I know I've made a few mistakes. But instead of wallowing in self-pity or blaming society I learned my lesson, made amends where possible, and got on with life. I put my energies into making something of myself. Which is why I've earned the right to sit here and enjoy my little allotment, the product of all my hard work during the preceding years. There's a moral issue with drug addiction, and it's to do with getting something for nothing, kicks for free, no effort required. The downside is that they ruin your life. Only when addicts can acknowledge this will they start rehabilitating themselves.'
At this, Nosher closed his eyes and appeared to be taking a nap.
In any case, that was the end of our conversation.
I can't help thinking he has a point.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and
http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers; please support your local bookshop - if you don't, it may not be there when you next visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGSBooks website.
Wishing you a good day, and that you enjoy the pleasure of earning your repose.
Still, in England you take whatever weather you get and find something to complain about. This is Nosher's approach, and it's served him well for 75 years.
'I wouldn't mind if it rained only at night' he said, relaxing in his deckchair at lunchtime 'although not every night - the bats can't feed in heavy rain.'
I looked across at him from the comfort of my own deckchair. He had a classic Nosher grin on his face.
'Just to change the subject, Nosh, what do you think of the broadside fired by the incoming President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Dinesh Bhugra, about the state of mental health services in this country?'
Nosher raised his eyebrows in mock surprise.
'I believe he says that the wards are overcrowded, unsafe, and uninhabitable' he replied 'so one can hardly disagree with him. In my view the government has completely failed to foresee the impact of drug-induced mental illness resulting from illegal drug use, and now the mental health services have been swamped by desocialised mentally disturbed junkies who bring their nasty habits into hospital with them and make life difficult for those who genuinely need a place of refuge and respite.'
'Are you saying that drug addicts don't deserve treatment?'
I was being a little mischevous.
'Not at all' replied Nosher 'I think they should be put into special secure units and taken off drugs, cold turkey if you like, whilst being medically supervised so that any resulting medical conditions can be treated promptly. I don't think they should have a choice in the matter. They are a social plague that is dragging this country down, and the sooner they get the message that they are their own worst enemy the better.'
Nosher beamed at the apparent ease with which all this rolled off his tongue.
'What would you say to those who claim that drug addicts are victims of society and should be treated with kid gloves?' I asked him.
'Pah! That's how we've got ourselves into this situation. Try reading Addiction is a Myth by John Booth Davis, or Addiction is a Choice by Jeffrey Schaler, or Junk Medicine by Theodore Dalrymple. You'll soon see how we've all been deceived. Junkies are self-indulgent, self-obsessed individuals who feed their own desires at everyone else's expense. If you want to explore the link between drugs and criminality, I suggest you read David Fraser's A Land Fit For Criminals.'
Nosher glanced across at his broad beans, which are doing very well this year.
'Anyone can make stupid choices and ruin their lives' he declared 'I know I've made a few mistakes. But instead of wallowing in self-pity or blaming society I learned my lesson, made amends where possible, and got on with life. I put my energies into making something of myself. Which is why I've earned the right to sit here and enjoy my little allotment, the product of all my hard work during the preceding years. There's a moral issue with drug addiction, and it's to do with getting something for nothing, kicks for free, no effort required. The downside is that they ruin your life. Only when addicts can acknowledge this will they start rehabilitating themselves.'
At this, Nosher closed his eyes and appeared to be taking a nap.
In any case, that was the end of our conversation.
I can't help thinking he has a point.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and
http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers; please support your local bookshop - if you don't, it may not be there when you next visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGSBooks website.
Wishing you a good day, and that you enjoy the pleasure of earning your repose.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Tragedy? What Tragedy?
Our English summer is proceeding true to form in this little part of South Gloucestershire.
The barometer is set to 'Dry and Fine' yet the rain is pouring down.
This year's Glastonbury Festival promises to be a muddy as last year's.
Meanwhile, hunkering down in Nosher's shed down on the allotment, we relaxed in our old deckchairs and contemplated the state of the world.
And in particular, the prospects for England.
'The Tories' victory at Henley can hardly be seen as a great triumph for democracy' Nosher intoned 'their policy proposals are extremely unlikely to transform this country to a haven of peace, harmony and prosperity. I think they'll make a great mess of things, just like NuLabour before them.'
Outside the rain ran in rivulets down the small window, in sharp contrast with the dry dusty cobwebs on the inside of the glass.
'We can at least enjoy the irony that Gordon the Moron's first anniversary as PM and Head Fool has been marked by an electoral defeat that saw Labour come in behind the Greens and the BNP, and lose their deposit. There can hardly be a greater snub, in political terms, than that! Still, his attitude seems to be "Tragedy? What Tragedy?".'
Nosher gazed disconsolantly through the window. Most of our crops now need sunshine all day to ripen their produce. Constant rain at this stage does not do them much good.
'It's still a tragedy for all the working people of this country' he said 'there is now no political party that represents their interests, and there needs to be if this country is to function as a thriving liberal democracy. Doesn't matter what one thinks of socialism, democracy can't work if the interests of a great swathe of the population are unrepresented.'
I looked across at him and could only say:
'I think you and I will be spending more time down on the allotment.'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and
http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit.
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Happy gardening!
The barometer is set to 'Dry and Fine' yet the rain is pouring down.
This year's Glastonbury Festival promises to be a muddy as last year's.
Meanwhile, hunkering down in Nosher's shed down on the allotment, we relaxed in our old deckchairs and contemplated the state of the world.
And in particular, the prospects for England.
'The Tories' victory at Henley can hardly be seen as a great triumph for democracy' Nosher intoned 'their policy proposals are extremely unlikely to transform this country to a haven of peace, harmony and prosperity. I think they'll make a great mess of things, just like NuLabour before them.'
Outside the rain ran in rivulets down the small window, in sharp contrast with the dry dusty cobwebs on the inside of the glass.
'We can at least enjoy the irony that Gordon the Moron's first anniversary as PM and Head Fool has been marked by an electoral defeat that saw Labour come in behind the Greens and the BNP, and lose their deposit. There can hardly be a greater snub, in political terms, than that! Still, his attitude seems to be "Tragedy? What Tragedy?".'
Nosher gazed disconsolantly through the window. Most of our crops now need sunshine all day to ripen their produce. Constant rain at this stage does not do them much good.
'It's still a tragedy for all the working people of this country' he said 'there is now no political party that represents their interests, and there needs to be if this country is to function as a thriving liberal democracy. Doesn't matter what one thinks of socialism, democracy can't work if the interests of a great swathe of the population are unrepresented.'
I looked across at him and could only say:
'I think you and I will be spending more time down on the allotment.'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/ and
http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit.
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Happy gardening!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Equality Through Inequality?
There are some lessons from childhood that stay with one throughout life, and one of our favourites (that is, for Nosher and me) is the adage 'Two wrongs don't make a right'.
So the announcement by Harriet Harman (Equalities Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister - i.e., Head Fool in Waiting) that her new Equalities White Paper would include provisions for a form of positive discrimination in favour of women and ethnic minorities had the effect of reducing both Nosher and me to helpless mirth.
'Just as very few people have ever understood that Michael Young's The Rise of the Meritocracy was a satire' Nosher declared 'very few people have ever understood that positive discrimination casts a long shadow over everyone who benefits, and the whole of society.'
We were sitting, as usual, on our old deckchairs outside Nosher's shed, the sunshine a little muted by some cloud cover, and a fresh breeze ruffling what is left of our hair.
'Harriet Harman is asking us to believe that the form of positive discrimination advocated in her White Paper will advantage those who are currently discriminated against' I said 'but the likelihood is that all it will do is stratify society even more and hold many talented people back. The way to solve the problems of discrimination is not to positively discriminate but to ensure equality of opportunity.'
Nosher smiled a crocodile-like smile.
'Well, since NuLabour have presided over a decline in our state educational system relative to the rest of Europe, and the independent school sector is thriving and pushing out well-qualified individuals, they cannot even be said to have succeeded in that.'
'I'm not sure NuLabour's ideological hatred of independent schools is justified' I said 'I've known working class and lower middle class parents work all the hours they can to send their child or children to independent schools, in order to give them a good education. It's not just about the rich, it's about what you choose to spend your money on. The solution to inequality of provision in education is to raise standards in the state sector, not demonise the private sector. If anything, they are exemplars of good educational practice.'
'If a person is interested in learning' declared Nosher 'he or she will seek out opportunities to learn even if disadvantaged, and self-educate, just like I did.'
'In any case' I said 'the most cunning, ruthless, devious and manipulative people will always rise to the top of whatever system we have - you only have to look at Tony Bliar to see that!'
'Try telling that to the vegetables in NuLabour!' said Nosher scornfully.
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more from www.paulsturdee.so.uk and
www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please try to support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
Best wishes, and good luck with life-long learning!
So the announcement by Harriet Harman (Equalities Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister - i.e., Head Fool in Waiting) that her new Equalities White Paper would include provisions for a form of positive discrimination in favour of women and ethnic minorities had the effect of reducing both Nosher and me to helpless mirth.
'Just as very few people have ever understood that Michael Young's The Rise of the Meritocracy was a satire' Nosher declared 'very few people have ever understood that positive discrimination casts a long shadow over everyone who benefits, and the whole of society.'
We were sitting, as usual, on our old deckchairs outside Nosher's shed, the sunshine a little muted by some cloud cover, and a fresh breeze ruffling what is left of our hair.
'Harriet Harman is asking us to believe that the form of positive discrimination advocated in her White Paper will advantage those who are currently discriminated against' I said 'but the likelihood is that all it will do is stratify society even more and hold many talented people back. The way to solve the problems of discrimination is not to positively discriminate but to ensure equality of opportunity.'
Nosher smiled a crocodile-like smile.
'Well, since NuLabour have presided over a decline in our state educational system relative to the rest of Europe, and the independent school sector is thriving and pushing out well-qualified individuals, they cannot even be said to have succeeded in that.'
'I'm not sure NuLabour's ideological hatred of independent schools is justified' I said 'I've known working class and lower middle class parents work all the hours they can to send their child or children to independent schools, in order to give them a good education. It's not just about the rich, it's about what you choose to spend your money on. The solution to inequality of provision in education is to raise standards in the state sector, not demonise the private sector. If anything, they are exemplars of good educational practice.'
'If a person is interested in learning' declared Nosher 'he or she will seek out opportunities to learn even if disadvantaged, and self-educate, just like I did.'
'In any case' I said 'the most cunning, ruthless, devious and manipulative people will always rise to the top of whatever system we have - you only have to look at Tony Bliar to see that!'
'Try telling that to the vegetables in NuLabour!' said Nosher scornfully.
More from www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com soon.
Find out more from www.paulsturdee.so.uk and
www.PGSBooks.co.uk
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please try to support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
Best wishes, and good luck with life-long learning!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
The Land of Quangos
Down on our little allotment in South Gloucestershire in the good old Dis-United Kingdom, one might be forgiven if occasionally the outside world seemed not to exist.
This is a little haven of peace, with plants and wildlife co-existing in harmony, and the odd (sometimes very odd) human wandering about doing strange things to those special plants that provide humans with food or enjoyment or both.
But all is not quite what it seems.
At lunchtime Nosher was sitting in his deckchair on the small patch of grass outside his shed, enjoying the warm sun and cool breeze.
When I sat in my deckchair next to him he turned a quizzical eye in my direction.
'Did you know that the Infrastructure Planning Commission Bill is being voted on in the House of Commons today?'
'Yet another quango in the making' I replied 'this truly is the land of quangos. They are the preferred device of big government seeking to reduce political accountability, and at the same time provide jobs for yet more civil servants, many of whom have extensive powers to over-ride the basic rights of the private citizen, with no automatic right of appeal.'
Nosher nodded and pursed his lips.
'The quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation has become the instrument of devious governments to avoid having to take responsibility for eroding our rights' declared Nosher 'there are many dozens of them now, administering everything from TV licences to regional development. Their members are unelected, they report to government, and although they are claimed to be independent of government, they do the government's bidding because it is the government which specifies their remit and powers, and imposes rules and regulations for them to follow. It's a simple way for politicians to operate at arms-length, whilst whittling away the foundations of democracy.'
'Have you been reading the Daily Mail again, Nosh?'
'As it happens, yes - but the Daily Mail doesn't dictate my opinions' he replied 'I'd feel this way anyway.'
'Well, the Infrastructure Planning Commission Bill will get through Parliament' I said 'which means that all of us will be vulnerable to an unelected quango suddenly deciding that we must move out to make way for a wind-turbine or airport runway, with no right of appeal, except to the High Court, and you know how expensive that is.'
Nosher sighed.
'England is no longer the land of the little people' he said 'it is the land of big government.'
This is a little haven of peace, with plants and wildlife co-existing in harmony, and the odd (sometimes very odd) human wandering about doing strange things to those special plants that provide humans with food or enjoyment or both.
But all is not quite what it seems.
At lunchtime Nosher was sitting in his deckchair on the small patch of grass outside his shed, enjoying the warm sun and cool breeze.
When I sat in my deckchair next to him he turned a quizzical eye in my direction.
'Did you know that the Infrastructure Planning Commission Bill is being voted on in the House of Commons today?'
'Yet another quango in the making' I replied 'this truly is the land of quangos. They are the preferred device of big government seeking to reduce political accountability, and at the same time provide jobs for yet more civil servants, many of whom have extensive powers to over-ride the basic rights of the private citizen, with no automatic right of appeal.'
Nosher nodded and pursed his lips.
'The quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation has become the instrument of devious governments to avoid having to take responsibility for eroding our rights' declared Nosher 'there are many dozens of them now, administering everything from TV licences to regional development. Their members are unelected, they report to government, and although they are claimed to be independent of government, they do the government's bidding because it is the government which specifies their remit and powers, and imposes rules and regulations for them to follow. It's a simple way for politicians to operate at arms-length, whilst whittling away the foundations of democracy.'
'Have you been reading the Daily Mail again, Nosh?'
'As it happens, yes - but the Daily Mail doesn't dictate my opinions' he replied 'I'd feel this way anyway.'
'Well, the Infrastructure Planning Commission Bill will get through Parliament' I said 'which means that all of us will be vulnerable to an unelected quango suddenly deciding that we must move out to make way for a wind-turbine or airport runway, with no right of appeal, except to the High Court, and you know how expensive that is.'
Nosher sighed.
'England is no longer the land of the little people' he said 'it is the land of big government.'
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Randomness and Probability
A typical English summer's day - bright start, cloudy middle, bright end.
By lunchtime the need for relaxation and conversation afflicted Nosher and me so deeply that the bottle of parsnip wine was taken from Nosher's solar-powered fridge and we sat in our deckchairs on the grass outside Nosher's old shed, a glass in our hands.
'I've been reading an interview with Nassim Nicholas Taleb that my brother sent me' I said 'I think it appeared in the Sunday Times.'
'Getting into celebrities, are we?' asked Nosher.
'Apart from liking parties, I don't think this guy is a celebrity - he's a former options trader with a PhD in mathematical probabilities, and he's made a fortune applying his methods.'
'So what's so special about him?' Nosher persisted 'is he going to save the world?'
'He bet on long-shot options that relied on market downturns to make money, and when the inevitable downturn came, he was one of the few who made a lot of profit' I explained 'and, no, he doesn't claim to be able to save the world. But what he does say is rather more interesting than that.'
'Which is?'
'That experts who claim to be able to predict the future - especially in the money markets - are kidding themselves and everyone who believes what they say. Mathematical probabilities are only a guide to how the world should work in ideal conditions. If a coin's been flipped 50 times and comes up heads each time, Taleb says that the conventional wisdom that the rules of statistics still apply is mistaken: for it's so unlikely that heads would come up 50 times that it is reasonable to believe instead that the coin has been tampered with and it will come up heads again for sure.'
Nosher took a sip of his parsnip wine and frowned.
'What's so new about that?' he said 'we all know that human beings are by nature unpredictable, and many are devious and dishonest, and will swing the odds in their favour any way they possibly can. What's Taleb saying that's new?'
'I haven't read his book yet' I confessed 'it's called the The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable, but apparently he argues that bankers and economists are subhuman and very dangerous, because they believe the world can be controlled using mathematical models and risk-management systems, whereas history tells us that human behaviour does its best to confound even the most elaborate predictions. And the book is selling very well, so it seems.'
Nosher smiled.
'So this guy is saying that the most prevalent characteristic of human behaviour is its irrationality?'
'Possibly - I'll let you know when I've read his book. But he has only contempt for militant atheists like Richard Dawkins. Taleb says that religion isn't about belief and has more to do with aesthetics, although he acknowledges the problems of intolerance it can engender.'
'Sounds rather like your view then - not the content of belief but the manner of believing, and all that?' Nosher said.
'Yep, possibly some common ground there.'
'Well, one thing's for sure' said Nosher 'This Taleb guy is better at selling his book then you are!'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/
and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers; please support your local bookshop - if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Wishing you a nice day, take care, and be sure to enjoy your irrationalities!
By lunchtime the need for relaxation and conversation afflicted Nosher and me so deeply that the bottle of parsnip wine was taken from Nosher's solar-powered fridge and we sat in our deckchairs on the grass outside Nosher's old shed, a glass in our hands.
'I've been reading an interview with Nassim Nicholas Taleb that my brother sent me' I said 'I think it appeared in the Sunday Times.'
'Getting into celebrities, are we?' asked Nosher.
'Apart from liking parties, I don't think this guy is a celebrity - he's a former options trader with a PhD in mathematical probabilities, and he's made a fortune applying his methods.'
'So what's so special about him?' Nosher persisted 'is he going to save the world?'
'He bet on long-shot options that relied on market downturns to make money, and when the inevitable downturn came, he was one of the few who made a lot of profit' I explained 'and, no, he doesn't claim to be able to save the world. But what he does say is rather more interesting than that.'
'Which is?'
'That experts who claim to be able to predict the future - especially in the money markets - are kidding themselves and everyone who believes what they say. Mathematical probabilities are only a guide to how the world should work in ideal conditions. If a coin's been flipped 50 times and comes up heads each time, Taleb says that the conventional wisdom that the rules of statistics still apply is mistaken: for it's so unlikely that heads would come up 50 times that it is reasonable to believe instead that the coin has been tampered with and it will come up heads again for sure.'
Nosher took a sip of his parsnip wine and frowned.
'What's so new about that?' he said 'we all know that human beings are by nature unpredictable, and many are devious and dishonest, and will swing the odds in their favour any way they possibly can. What's Taleb saying that's new?'
'I haven't read his book yet' I confessed 'it's called the The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable, but apparently he argues that bankers and economists are subhuman and very dangerous, because they believe the world can be controlled using mathematical models and risk-management systems, whereas history tells us that human behaviour does its best to confound even the most elaborate predictions. And the book is selling very well, so it seems.'
Nosher smiled.
'So this guy is saying that the most prevalent characteristic of human behaviour is its irrationality?'
'Possibly - I'll let you know when I've read his book. But he has only contempt for militant atheists like Richard Dawkins. Taleb says that religion isn't about belief and has more to do with aesthetics, although he acknowledges the problems of intolerance it can engender.'
'Sounds rather like your view then - not the content of belief but the manner of believing, and all that?' Nosher said.
'Yep, possibly some common ground there.'
'Well, one thing's for sure' said Nosher 'This Taleb guy is better at selling his book then you are!'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/
and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers; please support your local bookshop - if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Wishing you a nice day, take care, and be sure to enjoy your irrationalities!
Monday, June 23, 2008
The Men In Frocks Get Fractious
As English summers go, this one has not been too bad, thus far.
The summer solstice is now past, and the nights will start to draw in.
But the earth is still warming up, and although in the shade the temperature is still rather cool, the sun's rays are full of energy, and everything down on the allotment is growing well.
All this has put Nosher in a good mood, but the men in frocks take no notice of people like Nosher, and are instead feeling rather fractious.
'You'd think they'd just be happy in their self-righteousness, and leave everyone else in peace' Nosher remarked, as we sat in our old deckchairs on the grass in front of Nosher's shed, soaking up the warm caress of the sun.
'No, I don't think that's going to happen any day soon' I said 'you're talking about the Global Anglican Futures Conference at Jerusalem, and the 280 Anglican Bishops who are attending are hardly likely just to have a good time and pat each other on the back for being so holy.'
'I read in the Guardian [yes, Nosher occasionally reads something other than the Daily Mail! - Ed.] that this bash is costing £2.5 million pounds - why on earth couldn't they have spent that money on alleviating poverty or on other good works, and simply e-mailed each other?'
The thought of befrocked bishops frantically emailing homophobic sentiments to each other reduced us to pensive silence. But not for long.
'Peter Akinola, the Archbishop of Nigeria, has called Rowan Williams and apostate' I said 'and others have called on Williams to resign. Even Michael Nazir-Ali, the Bishop of Rochester, is at Gafcon, and some Williams loyalists are calling him a disgrace, or words to that effect. I don't suppose he'll be attending the Lambeth Conference this time.'
'Well' said Nosher 'there's another 600 Anglican bishops left to make Lambeth go with a swing, but I can't help feeling that Anglicanism is facing a schism of massive proportions.'
'Might not be a bad thing' I said 'so long as the homophobes aren't the ones left in charge in England - but if they do gain control, things are going to get interesting!'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/
and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes - and I suggest you avoid fractious men in frocks!
The summer solstice is now past, and the nights will start to draw in.
But the earth is still warming up, and although in the shade the temperature is still rather cool, the sun's rays are full of energy, and everything down on the allotment is growing well.
All this has put Nosher in a good mood, but the men in frocks take no notice of people like Nosher, and are instead feeling rather fractious.
'You'd think they'd just be happy in their self-righteousness, and leave everyone else in peace' Nosher remarked, as we sat in our old deckchairs on the grass in front of Nosher's shed, soaking up the warm caress of the sun.
'No, I don't think that's going to happen any day soon' I said 'you're talking about the Global Anglican Futures Conference at Jerusalem, and the 280 Anglican Bishops who are attending are hardly likely just to have a good time and pat each other on the back for being so holy.'
'I read in the Guardian [yes, Nosher occasionally reads something other than the Daily Mail! - Ed.] that this bash is costing £2.5 million pounds - why on earth couldn't they have spent that money on alleviating poverty or on other good works, and simply e-mailed each other?'
The thought of befrocked bishops frantically emailing homophobic sentiments to each other reduced us to pensive silence. But not for long.
'Peter Akinola, the Archbishop of Nigeria, has called Rowan Williams and apostate' I said 'and others have called on Williams to resign. Even Michael Nazir-Ali, the Bishop of Rochester, is at Gafcon, and some Williams loyalists are calling him a disgrace, or words to that effect. I don't suppose he'll be attending the Lambeth Conference this time.'
'Well' said Nosher 'there's another 600 Anglican bishops left to make Lambeth go with a swing, but I can't help feeling that Anglicanism is facing a schism of massive proportions.'
'Might not be a bad thing' I said 'so long as the homophobes aren't the ones left in charge in England - but if they do gain control, things are going to get interesting!'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/
and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers - please support your local bookshop, if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes - and I suggest you avoid fractious men in frocks!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Family Fusion
I got back to the little allotment in the evening, having been to a family wedding in the East Midlands the previous day.
Nosher was sat in his old deckchair outside his shed holding a glass of his parsnip wine. He called across to me as I got my own deckchair out of my shed.
'Greetings!' This was accompanied by raising his glass as if in tribute.
I set out my deckchair next to his in the evening sun and lay in it with a sense of relief, all too happy to accept the offer of a glass of parsnip wine.
'Anything happen while I was away?'
'Rain and wind' he told me, and a little sunshine today, but it has meant no watering and much time spent in my shed pondering upon the mysteries of the universe. How about you?'
'Well, weddings are not my cup of tea as a rule' I replied 'but this one was rather a fun day, mostly because it was not religious, was very friendly, rather anarchic and had a good jazz band providing the music. No sit down meal, just a free for all around the buffet, and even that was very civilised. And lots of booze, but no misbehaviour. All in all a very good day, I met lots of very nice people, made some new friends, and came to the conclusion that my nephew and his wife deserve to be very happy together.'
Nosher raised his glass again.
'I'll drink to that!' He lowered his glass and threw me a mischevous look. 'Do you have any observations on human nature after participating in such a gathering?'
'It is possible to have a fun wedding' I offered, and then 'but one of my brother's in law remarked how children seem to develop their parents attitudes and habits as they grow older, a sort of involuntary reversion to type. If that is the case, one wonders how progress of any sort is possible.'
'That is assuming, of course, that the traits in question are undesirable' Nosher responded 'if they are unobjectionable or even admirable, reversion to type might be a good thing.'
'Yep, I suppose you're right' I said 'but who is to be the judge?'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/
and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers; please support your local bookshop - if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes for a wonderful life.
Nosher was sat in his old deckchair outside his shed holding a glass of his parsnip wine. He called across to me as I got my own deckchair out of my shed.
'Greetings!' This was accompanied by raising his glass as if in tribute.
I set out my deckchair next to his in the evening sun and lay in it with a sense of relief, all too happy to accept the offer of a glass of parsnip wine.
'Anything happen while I was away?'
'Rain and wind' he told me, and a little sunshine today, but it has meant no watering and much time spent in my shed pondering upon the mysteries of the universe. How about you?'
'Well, weddings are not my cup of tea as a rule' I replied 'but this one was rather a fun day, mostly because it was not religious, was very friendly, rather anarchic and had a good jazz band providing the music. No sit down meal, just a free for all around the buffet, and even that was very civilised. And lots of booze, but no misbehaviour. All in all a very good day, I met lots of very nice people, made some new friends, and came to the conclusion that my nephew and his wife deserve to be very happy together.'
Nosher raised his glass again.
'I'll drink to that!' He lowered his glass and threw me a mischevous look. 'Do you have any observations on human nature after participating in such a gathering?'
'It is possible to have a fun wedding' I offered, and then 'but one of my brother's in law remarked how children seem to develop their parents attitudes and habits as they grow older, a sort of involuntary reversion to type. If that is the case, one wonders how progress of any sort is possible.'
'That is assuming, of course, that the traits in question are undesirable' Nosher responded 'if they are unobjectionable or even admirable, reversion to type might be a good thing.'
'Yep, I suppose you're right' I said 'but who is to be the judge?'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/
and http://www.pgsbooks.co.uk/
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers; please support your local bookshop - if you don't, it may not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Best wishes for a wonderful life.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
The Perils of Cycling
After yesterday's rain it dawned clear and sunny here on our little allotment in South Gloucestershire in the good old Dis-United Kingdom.
Nosher's vegetables believe that he has arranged this, and worship him more than ever, their dissent having been quashed by this sign from the sky.
'It's great to have someone think you're omnipotent!' exclaimed Nosher 'even though I know they're only vegetables.'
At lunchtime we sat on our deckchairs outside Nosher's shed and discussed the exciting news that Bristol has been declared the UK's cycling city, and is to receive government funding for a cycle rental scheme.
'I suppose it's fitting, given the the national cycle network started from here, as also did Sustrans' I said, sipping from my glass of Nosher's excellent parsnip wine.
'Well, I won't be cycling anywhere' Nosher declared 'the roads are far too dangerous for cyclists.'
'I think the idea is that there will be many more cycle lanes and cycle paths created' I told him 'so that cyclists won't have to mingle with motor vehicles any more.'
'That sounds like a very good idea' he replied 'given that the dicourtesy shown by the average motorist towards cyclists is abominable, and many cyclists insist on weaving in and out of traffic as if careless of the risks involved. And in addition, so many trucks have blind areas in their mirrors that if a cyclist is in the wrong place at the wrong time they will be squashed like a fly underfoot. And then there's all the exhaust fumes...'
I stopped him in mid-sentence - once Nosher get's going it's like a rant from Disgruntled of Tunbridge Wells.
'Nosher! Let's be positive shall we? Listen to me: more cycle lanes, more cycle paths, less contact with motor traffic - got it?'
'All it means is more cyclists behaving recklessly on footpaths and endangering my safe passage' he replied, still sounding like Disgruntled of Tunbridge Wells 'they just ride straight at you at high speed, and then swerve at the last moment, missing you by a whisker. It's bad for my nerves!'
'Perhaps that's actually a separate issue to do with consideration and good manners - or the lack of them' I suggested.
'Too right it is!' Nosher spluttered 'this country is becoming a place where the strong intimidate and bully the weak as if it's normal practice - on the roads it's drivers getting too close to cyclists, on the paths its cyclists getting too close to pedestrians. The rule should be that the less vulnerable has due regard for the safety and well-being of the more vulnerable, instead we have a winner-take-all mentality which engenders recklessness.'
I sighed. This was not going to be a day when Nosher saw the positive side of things. Except for his being omnipotent over his vegetables.
'So what dazzling display of your omnipotence have you planned next to impress your vegetables with?' I asked.
'I'm going to eat a few of them' he replied 'never fails to persuade the others to tow the line.'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers. Please support your local bookshop - if you don't, it might not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Take care, and please look out for each other. Nosher will be impressed.
Nosher's vegetables believe that he has arranged this, and worship him more than ever, their dissent having been quashed by this sign from the sky.
'It's great to have someone think you're omnipotent!' exclaimed Nosher 'even though I know they're only vegetables.'
At lunchtime we sat on our deckchairs outside Nosher's shed and discussed the exciting news that Bristol has been declared the UK's cycling city, and is to receive government funding for a cycle rental scheme.
'I suppose it's fitting, given the the national cycle network started from here, as also did Sustrans' I said, sipping from my glass of Nosher's excellent parsnip wine.
'Well, I won't be cycling anywhere' Nosher declared 'the roads are far too dangerous for cyclists.'
'I think the idea is that there will be many more cycle lanes and cycle paths created' I told him 'so that cyclists won't have to mingle with motor vehicles any more.'
'That sounds like a very good idea' he replied 'given that the dicourtesy shown by the average motorist towards cyclists is abominable, and many cyclists insist on weaving in and out of traffic as if careless of the risks involved. And in addition, so many trucks have blind areas in their mirrors that if a cyclist is in the wrong place at the wrong time they will be squashed like a fly underfoot. And then there's all the exhaust fumes...'
I stopped him in mid-sentence - once Nosher get's going it's like a rant from Disgruntled of Tunbridge Wells.
'Nosher! Let's be positive shall we? Listen to me: more cycle lanes, more cycle paths, less contact with motor traffic - got it?'
'All it means is more cyclists behaving recklessly on footpaths and endangering my safe passage' he replied, still sounding like Disgruntled of Tunbridge Wells 'they just ride straight at you at high speed, and then swerve at the last moment, missing you by a whisker. It's bad for my nerves!'
'Perhaps that's actually a separate issue to do with consideration and good manners - or the lack of them' I suggested.
'Too right it is!' Nosher spluttered 'this country is becoming a place where the strong intimidate and bully the weak as if it's normal practice - on the roads it's drivers getting too close to cyclists, on the paths its cyclists getting too close to pedestrians. The rule should be that the less vulnerable has due regard for the safety and well-being of the more vulnerable, instead we have a winner-take-all mentality which engenders recklessness.'
I sighed. This was not going to be a day when Nosher saw the positive side of things. Except for his being omnipotent over his vegetables.
'So what dazzling display of your omnipotence have you planned next to impress your vegetables with?' I asked.
'I'm going to eat a few of them' he replied 'never fails to persuade the others to tow the line.'
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Paul Sturdee's book Is God a Terrorist? is available from all good booksellers. Please support your local bookshop - if you don't, it might not be there next time you visit!
If you have any difficulty obtaining a copy, contact the PGS Books website.
Take care, and please look out for each other. Nosher will be impressed.
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