Yet another brief note concerning the afformentioned story, on the numbers incarcerated in the US..
Are these numbers included in the annual Unemployment Firgures? Or are they considered 'employed' through the work they perform while in prison? We're talking 2.2 million people here..
If they are employed, and recieving a wage (in Britain working' The Sheds' adds about £5 a week to your canteen account. In the States, it varies between $.65 to $1.20 a day, again added to one's account.), is this 'income'? In Britain, this is considered a 'pittance', and is therefore outside the laws governing a 'citizen'. There is no tax paid.
But, say, In the States, this income is taxable. That the government takes back a percentage of what it gives, which makes inmates taxpayers.
Now normally, inmates are not considered 'citizens'. Their rights have been curtailed, suspended for the length of time they are at the government's pleasure. But, if they're paying taxes, that must grant them the same legal rights as any other taxpayer.
The right to vote. The right to Unionize. The right to maintain a lobby at Capitol Hill, under their own ageas.
Now, that's if they're not included in the unemployment figures.
If they are, there's a damn good reason they didn't show up for work this morning.
Another point to ponder. There are reports that many medium and minimum security facilities offer their inmates better work, at better pay... they man the call-center lines, for catalogue or direct television buying. Just imagine, ordering that china bust of Elvis, and giving all your personal details to a prisoner in a State or Federal prison.
One has to wonder, are the Homeland Security people only involved with terrorism, or might they have problems within their own systems? Perhaps it's the FBI that's responsible for something like this..
Who knows?

A line or two on a noteworthy story..
It would appear that one of every 136 people in the United States, is an inmate of a State or Federal Prison. That's 2.2 million people, give or take a thousand or so..
Now what does this say of the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave..
For one, that it's not free for all, and two, not brave enough to find an alternative to incarceration.
Now, it's likely the economics of the matter.
The statistics say prisons.. State and Federal.. housed some 1.4 million.. about two-thirds of the pie. The rest, some 750 thousand, are being held in local jails, under local juristiction and the source of Federal and State compensatory funding.. Makes sense for the town to have their own regulars in their own cells, it's always the usual suspects and there's always room for them..
That's just the economic side from the direct point of view.. there's downstreaming to all communities that have jails with inmates banging the bars..
It's also a statement of how willing the American Judicial System is willing to go, to avoid political incorectness. The backlog facing the parole services, the welfare services, the entire prison system both inside and without the walls, must be mountainous. And, in fact, it's an impossibility to maintain any type of supervision of those released, when there are still so many inside.
Allan J. Beck is the source of these numbers, by the way. He's the Chief of Corrections Statistics, for the Bureau of Justice Statistics..
Yes.
Back to what it says about the American Justice System.. it's made itself into an industry, one with a never-ending stream of raw material. It would not to be to any financial advantage in the long run, to re-assess lesser cases, with inmates serving their first terms. It would not make financial sense, to de-criminalise certain recreational drugs, or so the lobbyists for the bad guys will tell us, because it would release thousands of dope-smokers on society.. It would not make financial sense for the Judiciary to assess it's system of sentencing, for that would mean less grist for the mill..
Americans are encouraged, coerced, forced in some cases, to break the law. It keeps America running.

Nouri al-Maliki is the man holding the unenviable post of Iraq's Prime Minister, and in true political form today, he has promised to bring an end to the 'brutal insurgent and secratian violence' currently gripping his country...
Now that's a promise worthy of a politician, indeed.
Mr. al-Maliki says the appointments of the key Defence and Interior Ministers, who will be independant and without ties to Iraq's several armed groups.. will be complete within two or three days..
That is a promise, that if fulfilled, would seriously make one consider the presence of God.
Any particular God, for that matter.
Meanwehile, the killings go on, with the semtex-vest brigade claiming another 20 or so victims at a Baghdad restaurant.
One tends to lose count of the victims. And this in itself, should give those in charge of these military cells, pause. For if it becomes too commonplace to be blown to sheds while munching one's hummus in a public place, then the impact is lost.
It becomes, as it always has been in reality, pointless murder.
'Maximum force' is what has been promised by the new government. We'll see what effect that has, and how in effect it differs from the approach the Americans and British have been following since they set boots on that foreign soil.

Now, again, we're back to a matter of trust. This time in the Middle East, where the consiquences can be much more explosive (no pun intended). There's to be no nuclear deal between Iran and the United States, because each has been quite frank in their dislike and distrust of each other's systems.
It seems likely there is good reason for Tehran to be deveoping nuclear weaponry. It's stated goal is to wipe Israel off the map, and take the last genuine foothold the West has in the Levant away. However, there is also the good argument, that Iran needs power supplies, and who can fault them for opting for nuclear, when we in Britain are doing the same.
So, it's all 'trust'.
Personally, I deplore the day the internal combustion engine was invented.

Just a brief note here..
The Chinese have virtually completed the world's largest hydro-electric facility, the 'Three Gorges Dam'. Now this was a project pondered as early as 1918 by the Nationalist leader Sun Yat-Sen.. an idea Mao Zedong waxed poetic on his vision of a 'great wall of stone' from which a 'smooth lake' would drown the gorges..
The completion of the massive wall was broadcast on State Television, but there were no high-ranking officials there, as a cost cutting measure..
Really. It would have had a pricetag of over a million yuan if it had been a State Occasion.. Instead, they marked the pouring of the last stretch of concrete with a small brass band and some confettii..
There's still work to do, but it's mildly disturbing to ponder the fact, that this sleeping giant is realling beginning to stir..
Ahh.. and as a final thought. The Chinese have imported foreign help for the first time for this project. German Engineers have been recruited to ensure the safety and integrity of the construction. This marks the first time any foreigner has been asked in, for any reason.
If credibility is what China seeks, allowing the techinal Germans to endorse the work would certainly accomplish that end.

Ahh, the world is reeling in the past couple of days of profit taking on the markets..
One had to realize, that with the Dow reaching it's highest levels ever, gold back to 1980's levels, oil supplies in doubt with the developing situations in the Middle East, investors would take a skim. The Indian Market, the Sensex, dropped by 7.1% today. The Hang Seng and all the others are suffering from the same malaise, that of corporate and individual cash inflow.
Nothing really to worry about in itself, but the American CPI could cause problems over a slightly longer term.
If the States does decide to raise interest rates, it's going to involve not only the long term borrowers the likes of corporate giants, but also those small businesses. Unemployment will rise as Joe's Market lets it's unessential workers go, State welfare costs will spiral upwards, and we'd be looking at another recession, if a mini one at that.
It's not what George wants to leave as his legacy.
But, optimism leads one to believe that OPEC will raise it's productivity levels, that gold and other precious metals will rebound, and investors will once again settle into the levels of complaincency they've enjoyed for the past decade or so.
It has been said, that as the US economy goes, so goes the rest of the world, and what perhaps is the real reason behind this temporary panic in the markets, is the proclaimed moves by several big economies towards non-fossil fuel sources. This is a manufactured blip, designed to underline the fact this world runs on oil, and while the Middle East has any clout whatsoever, it will play with it's customers economies at will.
This is one of the prime reasons research into alternate fuel sources should be accelerated. Now, acceleration is defined as a change in the rate of velocity per unit of time, and we are running out of the latter factor. There is going to be continuous dicord in the OPEC consortium, and continuous means just that. Perpetual.
Time we cut the oil umbillicus, with prejudice, if necissary.
George is still wrestling with the westernisation of Iraq, while dancing with the Iraqi's on the nuclear front, and the Sudanese by interfering with the internal problem in Darfour.
Now it's a given it is not politically correct to say 'let them work it out themselves'. It would be considered naive for us to think that they've millennia of expertise, having dealt with drought, famine, internicene wars and genocide, and that they should be left to their own devices. Bono would certainly chastise those of us in the West who enjoy a good meal once in a while, while strangers are starving thousands of miles away.
But, I'll bet Bono, and all the other celebrities who've tossed their hats in the political ring, never consider missing breakfast in support of those starving masses. It's a chimera, designed to impress the impressionable. It's also a good tax dodge, to donate towards an incurable disease.
So let the markets fall.. it's a correction for the time being.
When interest rates begin to rise, accept that as well, as a societal adujstment.
A side note here. There is growing pressure on Tony to name a date for his vacating No.10, and that, for us in these British Isles and for those we call 'allies', is a cause for concern. Whoever takes the reins could well lead us into closer ties with the EU, and that, for us, would be catastrophic.
Rumania and Bulgaria for God's sake. Do we really want to tie our economy with criminals? For, in fact, those states are developing normally, which includes at this point, anarchy.
Whatever may be watching over us all, keep us away from a developing hegemonic economy. Let us stay with those who've gone through the Wild West stage, like, Canada.

One more brief note here..
It's been established in the Courts here, that a spouse cannot be held responsible for his or her partner's suicide. That a man or woman can, for years, mentally abuse their wife or husband, and still be found innocent of any wrongdoing if the abused take their own life.
This revolved about an Indian couple named Harachan and Gurjit Dhaliwal. She hanged herself after what relatives and neighbours described as 'years of torment' by her husband. Now it's not to say the man didn't raise his hand against his wife, for he did. But no grievous bodily harm was ever recorded, and assault charges had never been laid.
This is a shame on our Judicial system.
In Indian tradition, arranged marriages are commonplace, and it's not a guarantee that each will grow to love and respect their partner. Often the case is one of a financial bond between two families, and has nothing whatsoever to do with the two people who will spend the rest of their lives together.
While one finds such a practice anathema, one must be even more outraged that the assumption has been made, and upheld in court, that a person cannot be driven to self-murder. That there must have been underlying psychological problems to effect such a drastic ending.
Children are bullied at school, and it becomes a national issue. Spouces are bullied, and suddenly it's not for the public to have an opinion on what goes on behind the closed doors of a household.
Something is askew here, and with a nation made up more and more of new immigrants keeping their old cultural values, we may find it harder and harder to be proud to say 'I'm British'.
We are diluting our values, rather than instiling them in those who choose to come here to live.

Yet another piece of the puzzle was handed to us today . Tony has declared that this island is going ahead "with a vengeance" towards the development and construction of more nuclear energy plants. As he explained, and as we already know, at this point we supply ourselves with 80 to 90% of our own natural gas, but this cannot last much longer. Tony made a point of emphasizing that in the very near future, if we continue with reliance on fossil fuels, we will be dependent on supplies from the Middle East for oil, and Middle Europe for natural gas, and this situation is, as Tony said, "unacceptable".
We agree.
And while Tony's own Press Secretary admitted their would be 'shreiks of outrage' from environmental groups opposed to nuclear development, it would perhaps be better if those objecting attended seminars dealing with both political economics, and environmentology. There is nothing inherently wrong with nuclear energy. If there are objections, let them be of a salient nature, to ensure these new plants are constructed and manned properly, and that there be some plan, perhaps involving other countries using nuclear power, to dispose of the depleted fuel.
That, in itself, is a sidebar though.
The focus is on a definitive move away from OPEC, and the control it has over the world economic picture. This move by the United Kingdom, if followed by some of the key members of the European Union and the United States, could slowly but surely reduce the importance of States the likes of Saudi Arabia, the Sudan, Iran and Iraq, Libya, and all those who sit on the substance this modern world is founded upon. They, and their lobbyists in the West, will fight vigorously against any form of energy self-sufficiency, and will bombard us with recollections of Chernobyl, and other technical blunders.
But Tony's right here. We, as an island, and the rest of the 'civilised world' as a whole, must begin the weaning process George spoke of a few months ago. And the sooner, the better.
A non sequitur.. during Georges 'Immigration speech', not once did he mention the 49th Parallel..
Not once.

Just watched George's speech on the 'immigration problem'..
Seems as though you folks who climb the wall or walk the desert should first, study English, 'cause dagnabit, it's American we speak here.
We know you do the jobs our own trailer trash would turn away from, but, you took our jobs and didn't pay taxes, dagnabit... and it's not like we don't want you people coming here and doing that work, we just want you to apply for a 'Temporary Work Visa', and get an electronically chipped card, so we know how much to take in taxes. 'Course if you were ever convicted of, say, stealing a chicken in your country of origin, you can forget it. Don't want criminals in these United States..
So, to keep you folks from even starting out on that desert trek, we're bringing in the National Guard.. putting 6 thousand more boots on the ground, to give the Border Patrol guys a hand. And we'll build more steel fences, and instal infra-red and heat seeking technology along the border.. and if you're caught by these good American boys and girls, we'll pack you off right quick, 'cause we're changing the deportation laws to fast-track the trip back down south.
Now, this fast-tracking may not apply to all who're caught trying to sneak across the Rio Grande.. Some nationals may have to be repatriated to a place some distance away, and that could take time. That's for the ongoing 'War On Terror' ..ism.
Now, it's a fact that some Mexicans, illegal immigrants who've been in America for, say, a generation or two, have made successes of themselves. Might even own their own home. Good on 'em, but while we might allow them to come forward now, and declare their wrongdoing, and pay some form of penalty or another, they may be allowed to finally take on the proper reponsibilities, and get the commensurate rewards, of becoming an American citizen. Maybe not though.
Let's not forget the American tradition of accepting immigrants from all over the world. The 'Melting Pot' is true American bedrock, and it must be respected.
But learn English for Gods sake..

Just a brief note here on the state of the American dollar.
George seems happy to see it in freefall, hoping the bargain prices foreign markets are being handed will increase American exports.. But more ominous is the falling of the $A below the key 8 yuan level, with the Chinese currency settling at 7.9982 to the buck..
America's trade deficit is currently on track to break last years $724 billion, with figures for the first quarter this year at $196.4 billion, with the deficit to China growing to $15.6 billion in March..
At this point, the American market imports three times more from China, than it exports to that behemoth.
And that represents an increase in American exports.
George had best keep a close eye on his country's credibility. It has been suggested that the benchmark $ for North American may soon be the Canadian, ands the $Canadian hasn't been worth more than the $American since the late 50's, early 60's..
This won't please Ottawa either..

Gladys Hammond is not exactly what you'd call a breakfast table name, but she has brought the wrath of Tony and his government down upon the 'Animal Rights' movement. And she's managed to do this from the grave.
There's been a spate of threatening letters received by some small shareholders in a company named GlaxoSmithCline (GSC), warning them of possible reprisals for their support of testing on animals.
Now these are not the men behind the Throne of this company being hectored, these are older people living on their investments and pensions. Neither was Gladys Smith involved personally in any objectionable treatment of wee beasties, yet 'Animal Activists' dug up her body, and held it for ransom for several months.
They dug up her grave, in the name of 'humanity'.. One recalls a slogan from the sixties, which ended with '..like fucking for virginity..'
Y'see her nephew ran a guinea-pig farm, and his customers were of course, companies the likes of GSC, along with universities who used the animals for testing purposes.
Let it be clearly understood, that while animals are cute, and necissary within their particular biosphere to maintain an environment, they are only animals. We breed cattle, pork, chickens, for no other reason than to butcher and eat them. And one has no doubt that those who preach violence against humans in retaliation for the use of animals for testing, start their day with a hearty fry-up.
Terrorism is a taxing job. Works up an appetite.

It is a constant source of amusement, this government of ours.
The House of Lords has blocked legislation dealing euthanasia, saying that, or implying that one must live, regardless of one's physical condition.
Now the initial proposal was restrictive in the extreme sense of the word. It would have taken two doctors saying the patient had six months or less to live, and that the patient was compus mentis at the time of the decision to end their life. Such in itself is an insult to the capacity to reason when the infirm are conserned, and it's a wonder the public hasn't risen, en masse, to proclaim their displeasure.
Having said that, this country is comprised of people who will silently wait twenty minutes in a queue at a bank, and thank the teller when finally they get around to being served.
Life is not sacred. Betimes, it's not even bearable. Why do we in the 'West' hold on to breath as though we were still under the thumb of Papal Bulls?
The simple answer is the attitude is inbred; we are taught from childhood that nothing is more important than life itself, a concept that is in itself, patently absurd. There are far too many of us on this planet as it is, and natural culls are being forestalled by governments and institutions who would keep those alive who have historically died through drought, famine, floods, and other 'Acts of God'.
One wonders if those who campaign religiously for life for the sake of life, actually realise they're thwarting the Grand Design set down by their Creator.
Or that those who campaign for the same cause without religious overtones, realise they're upsetting the ballance of nature itself. Better we all focus on what the living are doing to this planet, rather than what the dying are doing to themselves.

Saturday, May 06, 2006

Incredible...Tony's had quite a time of it over the past few days.Charles Clarke is out of a job.. the second Home Secretary to have caused the government great embarassment of late.. John Prescott, our Deptuty Prime Minister, but loses his Department..(many a head's being scrateched over that one.. just exactly will the man do all day now but wait for Tony to suddenly drop dead..).Our Defence Secretary is the New Home Secretary.. one wonders just what will cause his expulsion, for it seems to go with the job..Jack Straw, that old hand at Foreign Affairs, has been replaced by Margaret Becket, a name that will no doubt become recognised.. Jack, by the way, is now Leader of the Commons.. whoopee..It's the biggest shuffle in Tony's tenure, and all the while he has the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, hectoring for a date to book the moving vans at No. 10.True, Labour was sent a message by the electorate in these elections just past.. they lost 319 Councillors, with most of the replacements coming from the Tory ranks..But a change is inevidable. It is almost without question that David Cameron will be the next British Prime Minister, in part helped by Gordon Brown taking over Labour, and poor old Ming bumbling along with the LibDems..What is the salient issue at this point, is what stances will be taken by both Government and Opposition on several key domestic issues, and of course, our relationship with the US, and our presence in the Middle East. When Tony is going to step down will depend on what mark he feels he has made in history, and he would undoubtably try to make it impossible for his successor to step far away from the long-term policies he has yet to put in place. Gordon Brown is a Europhile, and would lean closer to the Continent just across the Channel, than to an ally across the Atlantic..It's a question of economics Tony faces. Leaving this country bound with the American economy will be his legacy, if he can effectively manage it. The IMF and the World Bank are suspicious of the European hegemony, and while it settles, Britain should remain aloof. It will not be long til the GNP of new European Union member states will outstrip that of France and Spain and Italy, and we here need as tenuous attachment to this consortium as can be managed.
posted by John at 9:08 PM
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It's somewhat amusing, to watch the media dive into these local elections in England. Now England is indeed correst in this case, the elections are not taking place in Scotland or Wales or Northern Ireland..
It's almost as though it matters, which party remains in power on the Council level, or which might be deposed. The funding all comes from Westminster, and while lip service is allowed in the commons from those who would take a Council's situation on the Floor, the decisions will remain constant, regardless of the colour of the badge the candidate campaigned under.
This is, as are all, false democracy at work. The public is fed pap for the toothless mind, in the absolute surety the importance of events will be controlled, perhaps promulgated would be a better word, by the media. Even redical groups the likes of the British Nationalist Party, or UKIP, are sops for those tired of the same old same old, and certainly there is no chance of such fringe groups ever taking significant power. They exist to pacify, and for that purpose alone.
an interesting side note here. A site dedicated to Esoterica, of all types, has been edited by the powers that be. The adress is http://esoterichomepage.tripod.com , and contains eleven sections. Only nine are still functional, two haveing been pulled from the public eye. Those two dealt with Magick, and the Templars, the Masonic Lodge, the Rosicrucians, and other sundry 'conspiracies'.
Now not one to easily be pushed into the belief that there are certain groups who pull all the strings, it remains a question why the writings of John Dee, or Aleister Crowley, or an overview of Rosslyn Abbey or the first Rites of Masonic Ritual, or HAARP, should be particularly centered, and erased.
This site is now almost seven years old, and has not in it's time attracted a huge number of visitors. Only some 20 thousand or so have logged in, but it is obvious that one or more of those twenty thousand took the time to object strenuously to Tripod, and have those sections removed.
Curious. One had not logged in for some three years, and it was over that length of time censorship struck.
Again, it's curious.

One must pause at times, to ponder the state of the immediate future..
We will see George Step off the podium.. Tony too.. whether their successors will be allowed to continue with their policies, as far as the Middle East, the environment, immigration, national hospitalisation programs, is moot at best.
Not that the general populace will in any way hinder what is to become future government policies, but the question is, what the puppeteers will dictate.
Italy has already voted in a government, albeit a weak one, which will turn itself away from 'the West', and towards the European Union. This in turn leaves one fewer under the American banner in the 'War Against The Axis Of Evil', and in itself is a good indicator that Europe, in general, is somewhat disinterested in the goings in in Iraq, having traditionally closer ties to those in charge in the Levant than those in the West. Whether George's replacement will be up to maintaining ties with increasingly hostile foreign governments will be crucial in the next couple of years. He has mid-term elections upcoming, and they'll indicate what the people think they think..
And Tony's leaving his Party in a state of total disarray. What with last week's revelations still looming both in the Commons and the media, he's running out of Cabinet Members capable of maintaining the status quo..
We are an island caught between a behemoth and a nascent New Holy Roman Empire... one which has replaced the religious element with financial development. Europe is teetering, this Empire is as fragile as a blown-glass poodle..
there are weekly riots in France by the unemployed and the future educated-unemployed, and riot police trying to defend not only their inept government but their own livelyhoods.. Germany is bankrupt, and will be for a few years more when the debt incurred with unification is absolved.. Russia is something of an amalgamation of the American Wild West and the American 1920's, when gangsters ran their own areas, and the best market was black.. these new states, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia are beginning well, with high-tech companies wandering in to set up cheap corporate headquarters and factories staffed by folks who're more than happy to work for a wage a 'Westerner' would scoff at..
We're an island which has always depended on a strong hand on the tiller, be that hand the actual, or titular ruler.. David Cameron might get a shot, but one would expect any new government, while still 3 years away, would be a very trying coalition between a small Tory majority, dependent on Ming Campbell and the LibDems for any real clout..
Not good.
Then there's the Middle East. With the European Union leaning towards supporting the Muslim regemes, the States and Britain will be left to defend Israel.. We have an Iranian Prime Minister who had as a main plank in his election platform, the agenda to 'wipe Israel off the map', and we now have Iranian nuclear capabilities. We have an Israel that is still somewhat in a fluff about who's going to continue to lead the country, and who also has.. nuclear capabilities.
It could be almost gusrranteed, that should Israel be hit with a crippling attack by any single or group of Muslim States, that they have in place a 'Meggido Option', whereby they would render the entire Middle East, and possibly the bulk of the Mediterranian, uninhabitable. The Israeli mind would rather send itself to it's God, than allow their land to be occupied by any other.. thus is history..
And they can be somewhat over-reactive down there at times..

Ahh Charles..Charles..Charles..
Our Home Secretary is now proposing 'tough new legislation' to deal with foreign nationals jailed in the UK... Now he wants tham deported..
The idiocy of this is, that such laws are already inplace, and his Department has simply made a collosal blunder in letting more than a thousand go..free to roam this Kingdom at will.. free to re-offend..
Smacks of shutting the barn door after the criminals have stolen the horses..
One must wonder what the purpose of this little Panto is.. for if Clarkes suggestions are enacted into law, we will have redundancy in the courts, and general confusion among both the general populace an criminals alike..
Perhaps it is time for Charlie to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, David Blunkett, and toss in the political towel. It can do Tony no more harm than has already been caused, and will at least give the British man on the street something to smile about.
The visissitudes of political life.. but then if it were all that easy to control the thousands of underlings a Minister presides over, we'd all want to be Members of the Cabinet..
Pay's good..

A brief word on the death of the Canadian-born economist and writer, John Kenneth Galbraith. Not that he had a short life..he was 97 after all, but doubtless there are few still alive today who could match his grasp on the political-economic scene.. his 'Affluent Society' should be required reading for anyone with a vote..
More problems with Tony's Cabinet... There are serious calls for the resignation of the Deputy Prime Minister after his affair with a secretary.. calls for the resignation of his Home Secretary over the release of more than a thousand prisoners who should have been deported immediately after serving their terms, a situation made far far worse by the re-offending of at least five of those let loose.. catcalls from those employed by the NHS, where millions have been spent while hundreds still face unemployment, or redundancy as they now call it.. The nurses are threatening strike action, and if that comes to pass, god help those who must be admitted to hospital..
Two points here. The one being that it is absolutely risible that we should expect our elected officials to be as 'pure as Caesars wife'.. that they are no more than any of the rest of us, with the obvious exception of the power they weild, power we gave them.. And while it has been an horrendous week for Tony, it's for the most part smoke and mirrors..
The release of those foreign criminals was indeed a reprehensible mistake by the Home Office, but that is in itself about the substance of all the media has been playing with..
And the second is somewhat of a non sequitur, in that it deals with the International response to the civil war in Sudan. We have George Clooney, for god's sake, walking about refugee camps in Darfour, begging for foreign money. The question is, would anyone give a damn, if Sudan wasn't sitting on oil reserves that rival those of Saudi Arabia?
George, Bush in this case, gave lip-service to the need to wean ourselves from petrochemicals, but the fact remains we are still 'addicted to oil', and no government legislation has yet to be presented that would take us in any other direction.

Interesting to note, that the new, infllexible non-smoking laws may yet me ammended to allow actors to puff away while on stage, thus providing god knows what danger to those sitting in the front seats..
This issue came to the fore when the Actors Guild complained this new law would seriously affect the portrayal of such characters as the cigar-puffing Winston Churchill, or Patsy Stone when playing in a production of 'Absolutely Fabulous'... Our Public Health Minister, Caroline Flint, is writing to the industry concerning this exemption, and what is exceedingly interesting is, a spokesman for 'Action On Smoking and Health' says his group would not oppose such leniency..
One wonders when pubs will start presenting Panto's, involving all paying customers in the cast..
Tony's woes continue..
The media is not being kind to himself and his Party, and persists in reporting on the row over the NHS..The escape of those nasty unwanted immigrants.. John Prescott admitting he's had an affair.. and of course the ubiquitous problem of Gordon Brown taking the reins when Tony steps down..
The vississitudes of political life, especially when one's is coming to an end..
To any normal mortal, it would be daunting indeed..

It just never ceases..
As Labour waits with some trepitationfor the end of Tony's reign, they're also watching their senior Ministers commit blunder after blunder.. This time it's once again the Home Secretary, Charles Clarke in this case. Now he's not to be confused with David Blunkett, his immediate predessessor, who resigned for reasons of a personal, read sexual, nature..
Clarles is on the griddle because he's released more than a thousand, actually thirteen hundred and a bit, illegal immigrants into the general population.
These were people awaiting deportation, for reasons of association, direct evidence, or just because they'd outstayed their welcome.
This is our Home Secretary.. Amazing...
Of course David and Menzies (pronounced 'Ming') have pounced on this, as has the media. It is incredible in this country, as far as the man on the street believes, for such a Senior Minister to allow such a breach of secutiry..
Damn...
It's almost the British equivalent to the Rio Grande, this Immigration Service we have..
One must take things in perspective, and while it is indeed a blunder on the part of Charlie's department, it's not as though the dams have broken, the floodgates overwhelmed.. it won't be long before most of these people show up on some sort of government radar, the most likely being Social Service..
And if indeed this mistake has allowed seditious and malicious people loose among the general population, then the situation will need be re-examined..
And while this particular writer has yet to find much right with Labour, again, it's a matter of perspective. Surely there's better skeleton's to unearth..
Italy has apparently agreed that Prodi is in charge, albeit by the skin of his teeth.. No doubt we'll see a reasonably rapid recall of Italian troops from Iran, for this new PM has no great fondness for George.. Watch Italy concentrate it's diplomatic efforts towards cultivating a better national position within the European Union, and there will doubtless be a cooling towards the West in general..
As for the EU itself, if it's hardiest constituent states continue to founder economically, it will find itself looking up it's own backside for hard cash.. The new additions simply cannot at this point, and will not for the forseeable future, be able to contribute as much as they take, and with yet another expansion due in two years time, Germany and France might begin to re-think their own positions..
Perhaps the Deuchmark and the Franc weren't so bad after all.. at least they only depended on the stability of their respective countries for worth..

It's come to light that China has been harvesting the organs of executed prisoners for transplant purposes, apparently at a rate of thousands per year..
Now this would suggest two things; one, that the Chinese do not have the moral qualms we suffer from in the West concerning the 'sanctity of life', and are willing and able to condemn those who breach societal rules to death, and two, that they have the foresight to use those cadavers to aid those in dire need.
The apparent boggle, at least from the British Transplantation Society, is that these organs are being taken 'without consent'.
That begs the question: Do those who are executed for a crime acually have any rights? After all, once the bullet passes through the brain, and you're left with a corpse and nothing else, do ethics come into play concerning the disposal of that body?
Personally, if it were a case of a child or a loved one, or even one's self who was dying for the lack of an organ or two, it would be a welcome announcement that replacements were available.
Perhaps selling the organs would become an ethical point, but if they're given to those in need on such as the NHS, it would no no-one any harm, and certainly do good for those on endless lists..
On the home front, David Cameron, perhaps soon to be merely David after the next elections, has been branded a chameleon after a speech which claimed the Tories would try to change Britain into a more ecologically aware state..
The Conservative leader, s do many on this island these days, scoffed at Labour's attack, and brand Tony's men as far far behind the times.
Record floods in Europe you say? The Dandube flooding as far south as the Ukraine you say?
It seems Labour would all wish us to put the pot on the hob, and have a nice cup of tea.

Interesting to note..
A recent poll indicates that up to as many of 25% of voters are seriously thinking of vasting their ballots for the B.N.P., our own version of the Nazi Party..
Now perhaps one is being too harsh in it's association, the British National Party hasn't it's version of Brownshirts panting for a UK Kristalnacht, but it is aimed at keeping Britain British..whatever that means to the rest of us, to the BNP it means racial purity, and the exclusion of immigrants..
This swing by those with a vote is hardly contained within the UK.. it's worldwide, and is spreading.. Exclusionism is being expressed by the populations of most countries these days, and all that holds us together is the need for mutual trade..
Economics, while perhaps the cause of all this nonsense in the first place, may well be the only cement holding us back from shutting borders completely..
Other than for, of course, tourists..
Pathetic, is what we are..

It would almost be enough to make one despair, if one wasn't prepared for it all..
Britain on the verge of 'eating the world' so to speak, meaning this island has used almost all of it's own combustibles.. the continued presence of occupying forces in the Middle East utterly bewildered at the fact democracy hasn't blossomed.. the civil war (let's not mince words here) in Iraq with Iran egging it's former enemies to continue to slaughter themselves, along with the announcement the afformentioned country has itself produced the enriched uranium needed to build atomic weapons.. the Pentagon and the White House still red-faced over the discovery of plans to nuke Iran if the above scenario took place.. and Iran's donation to Hammas, bolstering their political 'war chest' in the fight for a free Palestine.. Even the Copts and Muslim communites in Egypt have been at each other for the past three days.. two thousand riot police in front of a church in Alexandria, as some 200 Copts charged out to face Islam with crosses, clubs, and machetes..
Amazing..
Add to this the fact that Europe is in utter chaos..France periodically in flames and riots.. Italy without a firm leadership.. Germany still struggling to clear the debt incurred when the country was re-unified..
And of course.. the Western leaders the likes of Tony and George will be gone soon, leaving a huge power vacuum..
And of course, the fact the earth itself is evolving, either to cope with us.. protect itself from us.. or in a natural sequence.. choose the theory which suits you best, the facts remain.
Solutions..?
Of course they exist, but in this particular world we've created, it would take a miracle to effect any of them.
Or a global war..

Part The Fourth

On, to contrition.
This is yet another simple concept that becomes more and more complex as one looks within one’s self. It is the act of reparation, of making it better.
The operative word in that sentence is ‘act’, because contrition is a kinetic rather than a static element, it requires one to make movement towards fixing the damage, the feelings, the emotion.
This is not to be underestimated, either in difficulty, or importance to the whole process.
For this step in the process, means one must examine, and change the behaviour that led to the wrong being committed. This is the step wherein self-examination must be without shadow, and judgement, being that it comes from within, but be sure.
A few years ago, there was a movement among those in the psychiatric fields, to establish and develop the ‘inner child’. This undeveloped part of our psyches was lauded at one point, as the last untouched remnant of our unpolluted innocence.
I regarded this then, and still do now, as unadulterated self-serving crap; as a field of thought ploughed deep by those who preyed on the unwary naivety of the general public. Be that as it may, this ‘inner child’ concept gave license to people to utterly disregard the process of contrition, because it would be denying the childishness of the initial act, and therefore denying the child within. More damaged people are working their personalities into ethical knots these days because of that psychological fad, than perhaps is healthy for the rest of us.
One of the fundamental problems with getting practitioners of this behavioural pattern to stop is that it’s so damned easy to keep doing it.
It works to great effect on most people, and to those, on whom it has no sway, there is practised disdain, for who in this enlightened age would deny a child, even if that child is within an adult of forty or so.
Children avoid contrition at all costs, because it reinforces their wrongdoing, and makes them think on the consequences of their actions.
It is the tactile admission of guilt to the very person wronged, and that is anathema to those who cannot see themselves weakened.
It is unfortunate that their perception does not include the vision of self-enhancement through honesty.
It is amazing the lengths one will go, to defend the indefensible, when that is also what one has staked one’s ‘right or wrong’ on. The effort expended in justifying that which was wrong to those who don’t care, is far and away more than would have been spent on a simple apology, or the assumption of a contrite nature.
The solution in this case, is far simpler than the avoidance of it, and prolonged delays in starting this process bespeaks the mindset of the one doing the dodging.
But again this is a remnant of childhood, when the possible rejection and disdain of a parent was to be avoided at any cost.
It’s a spectre from unresolved youth that haunts so many people these days, those that cannot find the strength in the role of ‘adult’, that they need to perform it. It also speaks volumes about those who were entrusted with the job of teaching them.
For it is sad but true that we are nothing more than the sum of our parts, and those who raised us, were a very large part, for a very long time.
However, that is in no way justification for allowing our baser side to affect others. It only means we, individually, must wage daily warfare internally, to counter the learned responses from our childhood.
Confess, repent, and be contrite to those you wrong, and this world will seem less daunting.
Yours will be the knowledge, that someone’s doing it right.
Sometimes, that’s all that can keep you, that faith you’re doing the best one can.
A bit of a digression for a moment.
One of the most unpleasant of human traits is that of childishness. Mind you, this term covers a myriad of behavioural aspects, from surliness through self-deception, but the root is common to all, that being the refusal to end the time of life when someone else was ultimately responsible.
We all have within us the tendency to look for another to blame, it’s a facet of our makeup that must be trained into submission.

Part The Third

We could take a page from the Japanese, who because of their culture’s history, have made an art of ‘manners’; have formulated characteristic responses to almost any social situation. To them, these steps are as ritualistic as any dance, and because of their familiarity, the process is deeply satisfying to both parties involved.
That is paramount when redressing a wrong that both parties feel good when it’s finished. Not indeed that it’s always the outcome, but in any situation, at least one will receive satisfaction, that being the confessor. For if the party you have wronged does not, after a reasonable and allowable amount of face-rubbing, forgive or forget once one has confessed, then at least the ethics of the situation have been resolved for the one who has initiated the dance.
That in it self, is satisfaction.
Now, the issue of repentance.
A simple concept, which expresses the regret one has for committing the wrong to the party wronged.
It’s the application that proves problematic. For what it requires is one the one hand, a truly repentant stance, and on the other, a forgiving nature.
Neither is normal human behaviour these days, wherein fast food, fast relationships, fast money, have replaced the more sturdy values seen in past decades.
Not to say people these days are shallow, merely to point out what when examined, becomes glaringly obvious.
It might be said that it is more difficult, today, to subscribe to ethical behaviour than it was some forty to fifty years ago. But in saying that, one would be understating an historical trend, one which has repeated itself throughout the millennia, throughout the civilised worlds. As we begin to expand on the value and importance of self, and self alone, we tend to allow the niceties of civilised behaviour to slip away, and become a blend of sometimes antipathetic philosophy and faith. It becomes more and more an ‘issue’ to assert oneself, and to be in the moral right.
A delusion in itself, because moral correctness can not exist beside or because of moral suasion, and it is this manipulative force that has become the mover of our worlds.
I say worlds, plural, because we are slipping away from one another in our competition to be the one with the Truth.
This is one of the reasons true repentance, an integral part of the sequence, is so difficult to achieve. It means one must realise one’s error, feel truly sorry for the mistake, and must inwardly examine that which led to the flaw in judgement in the first place.
This is not only the fawning of the weak we are talking about here, but the abasement of the strong.
For those who fawn with their repentance, inwardly seething at the necessity, and the indignity, and the true unworthiness of the one to whom the wrong was originally done, are paying no more than lip-service to this process, in an ingratiating manner trying to glean forgiveness without effort.
One might then say it was an effort in itself to be so obsequious and slavish, and that it was a measure of their true repentance.
But be not fooled by those who slobber when they apologise. As a rule of thumb, they feel sorrier for themselves being in that position, than they do for that which they did.
The feelings of resentment common to those who cannot follow these steps, is surely manifest at some later point, when perhaps a position of moral superiority has been achieved by them. When the shoe’s on the other foot, so to speak, those who cannot put wrongs behind them by step-by-step eradication will draw from the well of their indignation, stored against just such an opportunity.
For them, the issue of their guilt is never laid to rest, and their thoughts concerning those who brought them to that which they inwardly realise was justice, are never friendly. For justice is subjective, and those crimes people commit and consistently deny, become cornerstones of ill will. Those who cannot admit their wrongs yet are convicted through their actions, motive notwithstanding, will deny, deny, deny, and believe their own innocence eventually.
Such is the power of self-delusion, that fantasy becomes reality, to be fiercely defended against all whom would chip at the foundations of the dream.
And such is the measure of the person, whether or not reality itself is worthy of defence.
Repentance is a process by which thinking people unload their baggage, and deal with the spectres of self-indulgence and stupidity as they apply to one’s self. Without it, one will never heal, but will wander incomplete and bleeding from the countless cuts we self inflict on a daily basis.

Part The Second

But, back to the examination of the concept of faith.
Perhaps it could be said that faith in it self is admirable. Indeed, faith in any religion or philosophy, if followed as a template for daily behaviour, is most probably that one intangible that allows us all to remain in each others company, without flying off our collective handles to run amok. It is the ethics and the practice of those, which faith provides.
If one believes in an higher being, or in a life after death, or in the divinity of words or historical figures, or even in the simplicity of one’s self, then one has a foundation upon which one can build a code of conduct.
This sense of ethics is a by-product of faith, that intangible sense of right that is at the root of all actions.
For whether we choose to follow our ethical path or not, is moot at best. The fact we know there are at least two roads to follow, is enough. The right has been established, as has the wrong.
Equally, so not to become entangled in meanings not necessarily meant but still implied, we could say ‘light and dark’, or ‘blessed and cursed’, or black and white’.
The sense of the matter lies in there being two entirely opposed forces or directions, and we, having ethics born of faith, have now the knowledge to judge between them.
It also, at that point, becomes blatantly evident, that no matter what explanations or excuses might be proffered to choosing the wrong road, they are only as much as noise, unless there is accompanying action.
That, brings us to the concepts of ‘confession, repentance, and contrition’, and how humans deal with ones they have wronged, and those who have wronged them.
These three simple tenets, perpetuated by the Roman Church within its dogma, are ethically foundational. They are the backbone of a beings ability to cope with the reality of actions, in concert with the ethereal element of faith.
In many religions, historical and contemporary, the mainstream followed the tenet ‘do unto others..’. It maintained a religious element in a totally sociological function, that of maintaining mainstream peace within a changing population.
It ensured that those ‘of the faith’ kept themselves with a benign pattern of behaviour, at least where others of the same faith were concerned.
It also allowed for the formation of an ecclesiastical court, which would hear complains from the congregation on matters internal. This court indeed, was betimes more influential and powerful than the actual judiciary, for the law at it’s most severe, could only sentence one to death, whereas the church could condemn you to an eternity in Ghenna.
Be that as it may, the Roman institution of the rituals of confession, along with the ensuing repentance and contrition, forced ethical behaviour on a growing and uneducated population. While the tenets were borrowed piecemeal from earlier religions and redressed to suit the occasion, they were regardless, still of the highest ethical order.
This was the gift faith brought to mankind, as in various civilisations throughout time. The requirement to act rationally, and with consideration, for the sake of ones eternal soul, was one to be taken seriously.
While it was by no means followed stringently by all professing faith, it was a way of life for a sufficient number for the pattern to have become instinctive in some members of our own society today. It is today, as important a factor in our individual development, as it ever was, or ever shall be.
Perhaps in this day of technological ease, the study of ethics and their origins is thought irrelevant and anachronistic, but such study should never be underestimated in value. It is the measure of the man, the degree to which he can adapt to situational ethical dilemmas; the measure of his soul the depth to which he can be plumbed.
Now lets look at people, and their various reactions to the process of redress, that of ‘confession, repentance, and contrition’.
This set of actions, in response to any situation where ethics will render one wrong, is essential to follow if one is to justifiably say one has a sense of justice. A sense of justice is essential for one human to deal with another in any situation.
The first step is confession, and that is at least on the surface, an simple thing to define.
It is nothing more than the admission one has wronged another.
However, as in most situations in life, nothing is as simple as it looks, and this first step is where most people find themselves ‘talking the talk, and walking the line of self-justification and expedience’.
One must never be afraid to admit mistakes, to anyone. And if a wrong has been done to someone, then their ire is to be expected, and tolerated with humility.
More, concerning this, when we get to contrition.
But the beginning, is the confession aspect, wherein one goes with true intent to repair a wrong, and admits to the wronged what was done, and what part one played in it.
This should be done without false humility, and without dramatics or hysterics, but with an attitude of acceptance and regret. There should be neither currying for instant forgiveness, nor smarming or ingratiation.
It is an action that always should be presented with dignity, whether it be child to adult, adult to child, friend to friend, or antagonist to protagonist.
It is an affront to yourself, and also to the one you have wronged, to trivialise that which was done with anything less.
While the Japanese have a society so structure bound it can be stifling, there are aspects of their code of conduct which are perhaps the best examples of how to deal with others; how to coexist in relative peace. They seem to have a fine grasp on the niceties of apology, retaining dignity.
Here in the western societies where we are supposedly more ‘personally developed’, our inward-turning perspective has in some instances, made us insensitive to that which is constantly around us.
Perhaps it is because we have so much ‘space’, both figuratively and literally, that we have chosen the path leading us to insist on self-fulfilment at any cost, to ourselves, and to others.
One of the phrases common to this society is ‘well I could have done worse..’ which is meant to force the wronged party to step back, and wryly shake their head in agreement.
It’s a common ploy in emotional manipulation, to put the focus off the actual wrongdoing and onto an hypothetical situation which in effect, nobody has perpetrated. So now in the argument, we have no villain, no wrongdoer, and the need to apologise has disappeared.
Children do it all the time, to maintain the precarious place in the pecking order. They manipulate their playmates, friends, parents, shamelessly.
But as one assumes the privilege of adulthood, so one assumes the terrible responsibilities, and one of those is to cease the manipulation of others for personal gain, and admit responsibility for one’s own, actual, actions.
Thus, the absolute need for confession.

Part The First.

There have been times when all of us, regardless of age or gender, has questioned the "why’s and wherefor’s" of everyday existence.
The question of what we are doing here, while we putter through out quotidian lives, is fundamentally a good one, for it bespeaks a questioning mind, and an unsatisfied curiosity.
It’s an issue that should be pondered seriously, for the answer can define one’s patterns of behaviour throughout one’s entire life.
When addressing the issue of faith, one is constantly being drawn into a position wherein the argument will falter, for it becomes an entirely subjective matter. That which one person believes need not be anything close to that which another does.
In fact, when examining shared faiths, one can see the point at which the true ‘undefined’ belief in the deity begins to be replaced by assumptions, interpretations, and extrapolations. When two or more people agree they have the Truth, it then becomes something for them to define, and categorise. They must face compromise, and temper that which was original for the sake of expedience. Their need to share their faith, becomes more important than the faith itself, or the deity which is underlying.
Religious faith has always been a tool of a political force, and it is through man’s fear of the impending void that is death, that the wise are made foolish, and devils, saints.
It is interesting that many religions draw the emotion of ‘love’ into the equation. While it can be easily understood, the inevitable anthropomorphism of our gods renders them something less than omnipotent, and ascribing to a god the human emotions, leaves the believer in a logical cleft stick.
Is the god omnipotent, and without emotion, or is the god contradictory; all-powerful while still a slave to intangible feelings.
This ‘concern’ a god feels for his (or indeed her) creations could be seen as nothing more than an encapsulation of the eternal ‘parent figure’, the benevolent father, or all-caring mother, who will always, throughout time, be there, a source of comfort and forgiveness.
At least, for those who subscribe to a particular dogma or creed in which this genus of deity figures prominently.

A note here concerning internet chat..
Now it's been a while since one had occasion to take part in any discussions on the Net.. but it could be said 'plus que change, plus que le meme chose'.. Inanities abound, perhaps to an even greater degree than observed some three years ago. The lack of intelligent active forums is a gap which should be filled by some server or another.. Not all who logon are there to spend their time sifting through the tripe for the occasional gem.. The Net has deteriorated, perhaps due to overcompensation on the part of those who offer chat facilities, and that is a crying shame indeed..
As for the world in general, and the overview of ongoing politics, little has effectivly changed since 2003..
We do have a new leader for both the Conservatives and the NibDems in the UK.. David Cameron may well turn the Tories around, and give that Party a chance in thenext elections..but change is slow to effect, and the voters will know this. One would expect a loss of ground for the Conservatives in the next Council Elections, and perhaps a slight gain for the LibDems.. Sir Menzies (pronounced 'Ming') Campbell has taken the reins from the hapless Charlie Kennedy, but Ming's age is in itself an obstacle to his becoming PM..
There's little doubt that Tony will step down before his term of office has expired, and it will be Gordon Brown leading the Labour Party in the next plebiscite.. and that alone might be enough to leave Labour out in the cold..
A slight digression here.. but doesn't David Cameron remind you of Brian Mulroney..?
The US and Britain continue to fumble with another foreign culture in Iraq.. what should have been a fast and easy deposition has turned into a full-time occupation..
One has to smile as Iraqi's vent their displeasure at Egyptian President Hosni Mubarek's statement that Iraq itself is in a state of civil war. Hosni's simply stating the obvious, with Shi'ite and Shia blowing each other up by the score, each in turn..
It might well be time that George puts words into action, and begins the process of weaning the US, and therefor the rest of the West, from this 'addiction to oil'.. Alternatives are available, and rather than restricting the freedoms of the individual in Western Block countries, perhaps legislation should be concentrated on changing the way the Western man on the street feels towards his car, or truck, or whatever else might run on petrol.
The signs of our indifference are manifest, in the drought facing the British Isles, the massive flooding on the Continent, the disappearance of the polar icecaps and the diminution of glacial presence throughout the world..
It may well be that we are caught in a perfectly natural sequence of climate change, but it cannot be denied we're contributing to the rapidity of climate change.
Odds are though, considering the clout of lobbies in all governments committed to the status quo, that we'll see no action until there is a drastic, cataclysmic alteration of that which we have come to think of as normal. Such as a shift in the Gulf Stream, or the stratospheric wind currents..
It may well take the disappearance of Florida, the Eastern Seaboard of North America, and the lowlands of Europe, before anyone decides those elected need to commit themselves to our preservation.
Well just have to wait.. and watch.. and keep a fixed smile firmly in place when governments make promises..
We've little other choice..

Gosh Almighty, but time does fly!
Much to recount.. much to say..but, all in time.

Random thoughts.. too much time staring at the pieces of one particular puzzle, those already on the table, to assimilate much of the new..
But still, to catch the eye is the disturbingly 'convicted' look in Geiorges eyes, as he defends the deposition of Saddam..
Tony shares the same line, but without the almost religious zealotry Goerige seems to be both exhuding, and inspiring..
'They're there.. we'll find them..'
'It's a matter of trust'..
More noise from the Korean's.. this time the South's President Roh Moo-hyun said that last thursday's announcement from Pyongayang, that they could and probably would be putting a nuclear bomb or two into production was "a bombshell announcement".
The irony'll hit you..
Interesting note here from Saudi Arabia.. an aides patient denied treatment at a clinic, and who was literally tossed into the street, was refused transport to a hospital where he would be treated, because the Red Crescent Society refused to help move the man because it did not transport Aids patients...
Ever.

It's that time of year again..
Charlie Kennedy and the LibDems have just finished a week of hail fellow well met and vitriolic commentary on the doings of the government and the Official Opposition.. not much new there.. Charlie's still leading that third string group..
But tomorrow, begins the Labour Annual Conference. In the run up, Tony's defended the war on Iraq.. saying it was right to invade and he has nothing to apologise for.. adding that his domestic policies are on track thanks very much, and effectively bugger the unions who say they're not.
Now this is not a traditional Labour stance.. in fact it's about as diametrically opposed to tradition as it can possibly be.. There are some who have now dubbed Tony's government as 'almost the working-man's Conservative Party'.. and they're not far off the mark.
Mind you, one topic Tony's managed to scrape past is Iraq, for while the war will be brought up, the issue will not be one brought to ballot..
Lucky Tony.
While Pierre Trudeau, long may he rot, is credited with the quote 'polls are for dogs'.. Tony's performance in the latest across the island show him in an exceeding bad position.. and with what's facing him on the home front, his political future is in sincere doubt.. for the polls show him slipping, slipping away.
It yet remains to be seen how Iain Duncan Smith, the Conservative leader for those not intimate with UK politics, will fare at his conference, but he'll be doing his utmost no doubt, to keep Charlie and his LibDems firmly in the background, while aiming for if not the PM's position, at least a firmer hold on the role of his party as the Opposition..
Good luck Iain..
This country's in the grip of political confusion, for the simple reason there doesn't seem to be a viable choice for leadership. Those in the States will understand perfectly.
Asked if there was anything he would have done differently in relation to Iraq, Mr Blair replied.. "Nothing. I would have done exactly the same. We did the right thing in removing Saddam Hussein. The world is a safer place without him. And I don't think we have anything to apologise for as a country. Our soldiers did a magnificent job."
Tony insists the world knew "perfectly well" Saddam had.. has weapons and programmes...and that British troops would stay in Iraq "until we get the job done".. mind you he didn't think it would be as long as five years...
Realistically, it could be six, or seven, or more..
Ahh.. but where politics fade into insignificance down at the pub, is legislation pending that will ban smoking in all public places.. even in your car..
This has the populace agitated.. for especially in this small rebellious country, this Scotland, the average man loathes enforced morality..
The SNP is smiling..

Ahh.. to what lengths will we go..
To allow freedom to any, means it must be allowed to those we fear.. and thus we all must see our freedoms diminish, so the asocial can be constrained, without appearing discriminated against..
There is an investigation ongoing in Britain.. Operation Ore.. It's designed to expose and prosecute those involved in internet paedophilia.. On the surface, any effort to protect children is to be applauded, as indeed this police action is designed to do. And what's more, there have been some convictions, among the hundreds of charges laid, and literally thousands of names investigated.
But among some of those investigated, are those who have had nothing to do with paedophilia whatsoever. Many of those who's names appeared on a list provided by the United States, date back to 1997, when credit card fraud on the net was a far easier proposition.. It's a slow process eliminating the wheat from the chaff, but it grinds on in defence of our children. Thus, it must be endured.
But here we have an ISP, Microsoft, announcing that three weeks from today, there will be no chat facilities provided by them. Quite a move, in that while Microsoft chat has never been a personal favourite, it has drawn some million faithful hits per month from this island alone.. Microsoft has always been one of the more heavily moderated chats as well, with rules of conduct and language strictly enforced.. much the same with AOL..
Yet how quickly Microsoft can throw away this aspect of the purpose of the net, due to their inability to successfully 'control' it.
One has said for years there should be age restrictions placed on those in chat.. for the most part, those rooms which allow complete unmonitored chat have a code of conduct of their own.. those serious on discussion do not suffer fools, or infants gladly.. and those bent on sexual cyberplay will soon find themselves ignored..
One would have to think, that rather than a throwing of hands in the air, and knee-jerking towards the cancellation of a service, anyone really concerned with the future of the net, and those who use it, would instead direct their attention towards education of the youth of this, or any country, on the proper use of chat..
It's a shame, but in this age of faster than light technological advances, children must learn when they can be 'innocent', and when they must not.. yet it would seem we've come to the point wherein 'Cynicism 101' should be taught, along with maths and spelling..
Ahh.. and while on the topic of cynicism..
It's the winding down of the Hutton Inquiry.. there have been revelations, more revelations, resignations, and recriminations, but while we've all been better entertained than we could normally have expected by our news of late, we've not had much in the way of hard answers to any of the questions. Lord Hutton will publish his decisions, his report, in about a months time.
As to what comfort it might bring to the family of Dr. Kelly, or his colleagues, or the BBC, or Downing Street, or the MoD, or the British motk..
We'll see, for while the Inquiry might end today, the machinations set in place by the events leading to the very cause of it all have yet to finish running their courses..

Ahh the games, the intrigue, the everlasting conflict between the government and the BBC, at best hidden by a thin veneer of civility, or at least such has been customary. And the lengths both would go to, to discredit the other, is frankly nothing short of amazing for the locals along the bar. Sad shakes of the head, and a somewhat embarassed avoidance of the revelations from the Hutton Inquiry..
Interesting reading.. this diary for Alastair Campbell, former chief of spin for Tony, and according to some, the power behind the throne so to speak..
David Kelly was used. by both the BBC and our esteemed government, as a pawn in the battle for discreditation..
To quote Alastair's diary.. "it would fuck" BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan if Dr Kelly was the source, because he was not "a spy or full-time MoD official".
A sacrificial offering, so to speak, was Dr. Kelly.
While one is not, these days, as firm a believer in 'justice', one can only hope the right heads will roll.
'It's a matter of trust'.
Meanwhile.. Jacques and George seem to have reached some sort of agreement on what might be done with Iraq.. at least France will not veto an American backed Security Council resolution on the future of that country..
Yet still there, the war of attrition continues. Seems American troops just can't win these days. The job's never as simple as it was initially expected to be, and not only do they have to deal with the hostility of the Iraqi's who want occupying forces gone, there is also the vocal faction at home decrying what they're laying their lives on the line for.
Rock and a hard place ain't in it..
Ahh.. and economically.. while the G7 called for market forces to set exchange rates, the weak American dollar prompted a 109 point drop in the Dow.. There are concerns, ostensibly, that the state of the buck will throw off foreign invesment in the States.. something George was originally bent on resolving before September 11th two years ago..
However, with France's sudden agreement with the US on UN involvement, coupled with yesterday's news the Iraqi government was selling off state owned businesses.. excepting oil of course.. and was about to allow a foreign banking presence in the country, one might think that a drop of a hundred, is really nothing to be too concerned with..
It was either liberate Iraq.. or legalize marijuana..
All the governments vying for a place in the industrial regeneration of a country with money to burn, desperately need this business.. from an entirely fresh market..
Recall what was mentioned some months ago, when the rise in the value of the Euro was mentioned as cause for alarm...
"Currency wobblies have hit global markets hard, as a falling dollar and a rising yen and euro tend to impact crucial export activity," said Larry Wachtel at Prudential Securities...
Bechtel might be something to look into, if you had some spare cash lying around..

Not been a particularly good weekend for Tony..
Snubbed by Gerhard and Jacques at a meeting designed to encourage UN support in the stabalization if Iraq.. still the lingering indigestion of Brent East..
But then it's not been good for many of the European leaders either..
Germany's as confused politically as ever, and Gerhard's Social Democrats suffered a defeat equally as humiliating as Labour, on a far grander scale in Bavaria.. the Bavarians apparently of the mind the conservative Christian Social Union can't do a worse job.. and have put them in power... For Gerhard, this follows heavy losses in Hesse and Lower Saxony back in February.. One wonders what directions Germany and France will take, when their economies, already unstable, begin to reflect the implications of all these new members into the EU, the injection of rampantly captalistic eastern Europeans, all wanting a piece of the pie..
Interesting points of note here..
China's refusing to float the value of the Yuan.. at least not yet.. There have been complaints for decades China's currency's vastly undervalued.. and while the Bank of China agrees, it's not yet ready to take the economic upheaval that would follow, with it's work worth what the market would pay anywhere else.. The G7's made oblique references.. China's smiling..
The war of attrition continues in Iraq.. with US troops taking most of the casualties.. only to be expected for as long as there is a western presence, armed, walking the streets of an eastern town or city.
What is interesting, is the speed with which the Iraqi council, has agreed to sell off all of the formerly state-owned industries.. other than those involved with the oil sector.. This opens the door for investors, wanting a share of the multi-billion dollar reconstruction process..
It'll be a gold rush.. watch the price of firms involved in construction.. telecommunications.. food importation and processing.. and banking..
Under new bank rules, six foreign banks will be allowed "fast-track" entry into the country and will be permitted full ownership of the local banks within five years...
The World Bank says it should have a better idea of Iraq's long-term financial needs by the end of this week..
Perhaps this approach will have more success. Open wallets create more smiles than armed occupational forces, and, as in any part of the world, create far more allies..
Welcome to the west..

A somewhat disturbing wakeup call for Tony yesterday..
There is a constituency, Brent East, which has for generations been staunchly Labour.. a guarranteed seat for what had traditionally been the 'working man's party'..
Even Maggie Thatcher, who during her time in office managed to sweep seats away from the opposition with ease, failed to take Brent East..
Labour lost Brent East yesterday, in a byelection necessitated by the death of the former Labour MP.. and not only did they lose, they watched 29% of their most faithful supporters, turn instead to the Liberal Democrats..
A sign to Tony, that the country is not happy. And while perhaps not ready to move completely to the other side of the coin and vote Tory, they obviously are looking for something other than that which Labour has become.
The LibDems are as close as you can get.
For those who have never heard the name before, the leader of the Liberal Democrats in Charles Kennedy. It's a name one might become more familliar with in a year or so..
'It's a matter of trust'.
Ahh.. and poor Jacques.. there are problems for France looming..
Recall the Ontario Provincial Government of Bob Rae.. the first NDP government in the province's history was a knee-jerk reaction to the mammother 28 year run of the Conservatives, ending with Bill Davis..
The NDP came to power, and began a policy of uncontrolled social spending, coupled with the detemination not to raise taxes. Two years they spent and spent.. while the triple-A credit rating Ontario had always enjoyed slipped.. and the provincial deficit soared..
France is in this position now.
The problem is this. One of the foundations of membership in the EU, and tied to it, the use of the single currency, is the stipulation the various governments do not allow their deficit to exceed 3% of the GNP.. France's deficit is now over 4%, and it would seem it will still climb before coming down.
What a predicament.. is France now going to be put on probationary status within the hegemony it has dedicated itself to forming? And what does this bode for the future of the Euro, when France's economy cannot itself support it's use..

In the interest of keeping the public informed..
There were 2,200 Americans injured by toilets during the single year 1996..
That equals the shark attacks on humans since such records first appear, back in 1580.
Now there's food for thought.

Ahh.. the sad nods of those along the pub rail says volumes.. the 'sad nod' being the step beyond the 'finger alongside the nose and the knowing look'..
It was a terrible performance from George, when questioned about Saddam's alleged connection with al Q'aeda and the bombings of 911 two years ago..
With the look of a rabbit caught in the sudden glare of headlights, he lost composure, appeared flustered, babbled for a moment about 'the guy who ordered the assassination of an American diplomat.. that, by the way a reference to a Jordanian Islamic zealot, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi who's the leader of 'Ansar al-Islam', a terrorist group in Northern Iraq..
George ended the line of questioning with a defensively scornful assertion that of course, it was obvious Saddam had ties to terrorism..
Not his best performance.. Mind you he had a flight booked to get away from Washington.. and what Isabel might do to his shrubberies might have been on his mind..
And of course Tony's part in all of this is still being examined, if by proxy through the cross-examination of more of his MoD people at the Hutton Inquiry.. As this investigation progresses it is becoming apparent to even the dimmest intellect in this country, that what the government does, is often without the knowledge of the government..
It's a feeding frenzy of denouement, and reads better than Ian Fleming..
But, here is the point. What this government has done, what the American government has done, is nothing that any other has either done in the past, or has certainly had the power to do in the past. It's not the machinations of governments that have suddenly changed, become devious and twisted, for so have they always been..
It is we who have changed. We ourselves who now, privy to more and more of the pieces of the puzzle, demand public involvement in areas the public, in reality, should not even be concerned with.
We elect a government to represent us, investing in that government the power to act internationally on our behalf, because we know the common man is not equipped to deal with matters of diplomacy, foreign policy, international economics..
The common man is far too busy dealing with daily life itself, and that is as it should be..
There are many these days who have far too much time on their hands.. and while historically, the 'silent majority' has always been a ponderous presence politically, it has been silent.. Governments could go about their business, sordid or laudable, without having to really concern themselves with what the public might think until the next election approached...
Now, the masses who sit at home, who hithertofore have been stuck in a screen with their favourite soap surrogates, have this medium at their disposal.. and many of them express opinions, perhaps for the first time in their lives.
It's a development that no government is prepared for.. and truth be told it's going to be a struggle to make sense out of the noise coming from what might now be called the 'sedentary' majority..
For while they still may occupy couch space.. they now can communicate.
And they are demanding and consuming information.. faster than they used to go through a bag of Frito's..
A good thing, this superfluity of information? This new 'open administration' style of government people are looking for?
One must be carefull for what one wishes..

Ahh.. what a new day Tony ushered in, with this alignment with the political goals of the West, and the alienation of those of the New World Order emerging in Europe..
Not only has the international situation solidified, not entirely to Tony's benefit, but the national picture is one which must be seen with some alarm in No.10.
The Hutton Inquiry has continued today, with a witness appearing in public, who's very identity would have been a closely guarded secret two years ago. Sir Richard Dearlove is the head of MI6, and the gist of his testimony was that the intelligence suggesting Iraq was capable of launching weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes was reliable...
He also said it was a 'case-scenario'.. and had been given far too much prominence.
This is turning into two 'trials', this Inquiry...
Both Downing Street, and the BBC, have much to answer for..
Internationally.. the dance continues.. with the focus off the economies of the world, and squarely on the Middle East.. economic policies have been somewhat lost in the dust..
Significant is the collapse of the World Trade Talks.. the main issue being the subsidies the wealthy countries provide their farmers..
Significant, because it puts a perspective on the promises of world economic growth, specifically on those who make such promises. The EU is no more going to cut it's agricultural subsidies for the benefit of say Nigeria, than it would celebrate Sweden's weekend vote.
Just not to mutual benefit.. Integral word being mutual.

There are problems in this country in particular, when presented with the necessity of taking on the powers that be...
The police.. the courts.. the media.. the division among one's own colleagues as to one's 'guilt' or 'innocence'.. the 'yellowing' that attaches itself regardless of the outcome of such a rigorous rotorooting of one's professional and personal history..
We've all done something, at sometime, we wish we'd never done.
The cost of September 11th 2001 is still being counted, for it indeed set in motion a series of events which those meagre terrorists could never have imagined in their wildest dreams.
The Homeland Security Act.
The Whitehall Witch Hunt.
The loss of confidence in, and credibility of, the two most powerful Western nations..
And the spreading of an already thin economy over half the globe, in payments for the maintenance of a military presence to combat what is essentially a religious movement. Granted, an extremist religious movement, but when it comes to the wanton killing of innocents, those who have habitually followed the doctrine of Manifest Destiny find it exceedingly difficult to back away without seeming to be abandoning the foundation upon which their own country(ies) are built.
The Chinese would say, losing face.
Interesting to note, the Chinese have spent billions of £'s over the past few days, on the latest in military hardware..
Good to have the money coming in, with most going to the US suppliers, and the lions share of the rest to the UK..
Yup.
Also of note, the assassination of Sweden's Anna Lindh. The country votes on entry into the common currency Sunday.. It's a very important movement towards the consolidation of Jaques 'United States of Europe'..
Anna Lindh was considered to be one of those who were the future of Swedish politics, and an outspoken advocate of adopting the Euro..
What is interesting now, is even the Swedes, who have almost vehemently prided themselves on their open society, have reacted with comments the likes of 'it's naive in this day to be as prominent as Anna was, and walk about a department store without a bodyguard'..
For interests sake, those who can be bothered, there are startling comparisons to be made reading either Constantinian Roman historic accounts, or Gibbons..
A final note.
This debacle in Anglo/American Intelligence has had trmendous impact on the lives of many who have worked, always anonymous, in the back rooms.. There has been a tradition, set from the times even as far back as the Napoleonic Wars, that has been tossed off with contumely by this government, or with this government's assent through it's servants.
Families have been separated, allegations made, reputations smeared by inference...
Some, others less publicized than Dr.Kelly, have taken their lives rather than face the prospect of having to prove innocence in a system which normally would have to prove guilt.
Reprehensible, is too light a word.
A reckoning will have to be reached...
'It's a matter of trust'.

Two years ago today, at this hour, the world was progressing in it's natural order, as it had become over the past decade or so .. In North America people read, and watched the problems worldwide develop as indeed they had since the advent of saturation news coverage..
Suicide bombings in Israel.. Israeli reprisals on the West Bank.. threats of global terrorism from some radical Islamic group or another.. nothing new..
Problems, issues, that while certainly concerns, were not something that touched one's personal life. Or your neighbours.
People, at this hour, were still rising, making their coffees, standing in showers, sitting on commuter trains or subways as they made their way towards the same desk they'd sat at yesterday, and the day before..
Here, we had just begun discussions, oddly enough, which would have direct bearing on what would happen in the immediate months ahead, and which indeed are still ongoing today.. It was just about the time someone mentioned a lunch break might be in order, at 1:25 in fact.. that we began recieving frenzied reports.. we thought it a joke to begin with.. that someone had flown a highjacked plane into the North Tower of the WTC in New York..
We all knew people in that building..
Then, as more and more information flooded us.. at 2:03 we began hearing of a second aircraft, this time flying into the South Tower.. then 37 minutes later a third, crashing into the Pentagon..
Bedlam.
The Intelligence community reacted as though an Al Hussein missile had been the driving force behind an enema.. Think-tanks were convened.. scenario's presented on the run.. the usual suspects dragged in for whatever information might be scraped..
As this quiet panic directed most, as though by instinct, through the machinations, we watched, an hour after the first 767 slammed into the South Tower, the entire structure collapse. A moment later, while we still stood shocked by the first spectacle, the North Tower followed.
It is vivid in memory, the sight of the building, the people leaping from windows, the utter amazement that such a thing could be contemplated, let alone planned and carried out..
The shocks of that collapse reverberate even unto today..
The British ISC released it's report on the government's handling of intelligence today..
One of the ripples of 911, still damaging two years after the fact..

Parliament has begun it's fresh session, with the standard rhetoric from the standard actors..
However for Tony, these next few weeks will be the making or breaking of himself, and his Party...
It must be odd, for those not intimate with this island, it's peoples, and the standards set both for those who lead, and for those who follow, to understand the gravity of the situation this Labour government finds itself hip deep in. In throwing in our lot with the Americans once again, Tony was doing what any Prime Minister since the First World War would have done, and while certainly there were and still are those vehement in their opposition to 'modern colonialism', the country, as a whole, resigns itself to following what is inevidably found to be a just cause.
For we are a 'just' peoples, on the whole. Well used to standing up to oppression and tyranny, equally adept in recognising when we ourselves are behind opression, and in support of tyranny, and attempting reparations.
Gods know Britain has been doing it for centuries..
War is not a stranger. Governments leading us into war is not unusual.
But today, in this Britain, as throughout our history, the people do not like to have the piss taken...
We can be as patriotic as the next fool, but it had better be justifyable in the end..
'A matter of trust'.

Much has passed since last one had opportunity to sit, undisturbed or unsupervised, and merely write.. sequestration is a dreadful bore when all's said and done..
The end of the first stage of the Hutton Inquiry at an end.. now Lord Hutton's tapping the buiscuit, watching for the weevils to emerge.. It has been demonstrated adequately, one would think, that this country's ability to inspire trust in those it farms out information to, is somewhat lacking.
But then Tony knew it would come down to this, ages ago. It was a calculated toss of the dice..
An opportnity to demonstrate solidarity with an injured superpower, while seemingly doing Jaques and his New Holy Parisian Empire in the eye, would seem now to be more of a millstone around the government's neck..
More troops to be sent off to Iraq.. an announcement in just over an hour which should have some 80 thousand or so more British uniforms running about the desert sands.. so to speak..
And George, asking for $87billion US.. to help rebuild Iraq..
Now, if only it could be determined how best to get the Iraqi's to accept the help, without shoving their faces in their own squalor.
Ahh well.. we'll see what the pub philosophers have to say..
And if all else fails.. the nation can lose itself in Test Match cricket..
One note.
John Scarlett will be recalled for cross examination at the Hutton Inquiry.. this could lead to the recall of Geoff Hoon, and perhaps of Tony himself..
It would be short odds, against Hutton wishing he had the power to subpoena some of the key American actors in this drama..