Loon Musings!

Car Tax

2008-05-12T18:18:00.002+01:00

Having just watched an advert regarding the DVLA and car tax evasion,
it did leave me wondering,
If, according to the DVLA, there is "no way out" for car tax evaders, then it is not a problem.
So why do they need to advertise this?

The Welsh farmers view!

2008-03-13T11:46:00.002Z

A letter from a Welsh farmer that sums up the general feeling amongst smaller farmers and smallholders, with regard to the idiocy of the Defra policy on Bluetounge.
(Thanks to Warmwell.com)

Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 AM
Subject: Re: Concerns about Bluetongue
Dear ----

Thank you for your reply.

DEFRA seem to have accepted that there is an acceptable risk of exposure to Bluetongue for sheep in Wales, given the fact that vaccine will not be available until April/May, when the risk of Bluetongue begins in the middle of March.

Kirsty Williams, AM for Brecon and Radnorshire stated yesterday that the 2.5 million doses of vaccine ordered for Wales would only be enough to treat 70% of susceptible animals in Powys and Monmouthshire - what about the other 30% of animals in those two counties, and the other 13 or so counties in Wales?

So there is inadequate provision for vaccine in Wales, along with late delivery for the inadequate amount of vaccine ordered.

As a farmer, I am happy to accept a duty of care for my animals, where I ensure that they have every protection that is available to them. I vaccinate my stock regularly to ensure that they have immunity against clostridial diseases (Heptavac - P), drench them regularly to prevent fluke/worms, and use pour ons to protect against flystrike. Why is it now that we are 3 days from a point where there is a potential risk for my animals to contract Bluetongue and I am powerless to prevent them from the possibility?

We are now on the brink of another potential disaster for farming here. While DEFRA and the EU discuss zones and funding, and who should have the vaccine first, the disease will not respect borders to counties, and could feasibly come to Wales more quickly than expected.

It is not good enough. While you can get Anderson to write another 'independent' report at the end of this year which will soft soap any Government responsibility, I could be looking at having lost a flock of 1st class pure Welsh Mountain sheep, a flock which has taken generations of farming to bring to the standard that they are now. I think it is dereliction of duty, and it is more than disappointing to me.

Regards

(Name supplied)
Carmarthenshire

The Anderson Whitewash

2008-03-13T11:34:00.001Z

Well, what a surprise, yet again no blame attaches to anyone:
Thanks to Warmwell.com.
March 13 2008 ~ ".. ignorance of virology and cutting-edge technology, idiotic and unscientific opposition to vaccination, institutionalised secrecy.."
Our own "Lessons Not Learned report" would look somewhat different from that of Dr Anderson.
As in 2001, vaccination was opposed at every stage - in spite of the eminent voices calling for it on August 4th including that of Bernard Vallat, not to mention Peter Kendall. Never before had conditions been so entirely favourable: We knew the strain, we knew the source, we had supplies of the exact match vaccine to hand, we knew the timescale.The virus could have been stopped in its tracks within days by ring vaccination from the outside inwards - Instead, it reappeared in September. (Blog (new window))
As in 2001, the available rapid on-site RT-PCR diagnosis was not used. It has now been used to track and eliminate pathogens globally for nearly a decade. Apart from UK commercial jealousy - what can be stopping its use here?
As in 2001, healthy animals were killed en masse. On the Emerson's free range farm, for example, even the two pet goats were killed. The killing of the pigs and cows continued well into the night under arc lamps. Not one of the animals was subsequently found to have been infected. In fact, only a handful of the 2000 or so animals killed turned out to have been infected.
As when Gordon Brown was at the Treasury, lack of funding into animal disease caused the head of Pirbright to say just months before the outbreak, "Year on year, we are able to do less science or we are able to employ less people, and this is an area of work that spans from foot and mouth through to bluetongue virus.."
Simple failures to understand farming needs, such as lack of cattle handling eqipment, led to distress and delay. Communication with ordinary people was poor. Country-wide over regulation led to massive losses. The UK reputation slid further into the mire. In 2002 the official inquiries, anxious not to whisper criticisms too loudly at those great ones who had made such an unholy, bloody, fiasco of things, listed some gentle recommendations. They were the lessons to be learned. DEFRA did not learn them. Blog (new window) Reading Dr Anderson's "we found much to applaud.." review , we can hear the hollow laughter of despair all over the country.

Yet again a succinct and accurate view!

DEFRA, arrogant stupidity & the news organisations

2007-11-02T07:48:00.000Z

Again, borrowed from WARMWELL:

It is a measure of how docile the public will be if glaring facts are kept quietly away from them with the collusion of the media. The whole country should be up in arms at the utter idiocy of the situation. But DEFRA continues to pursue its crazy path and its edicts are obeyed as if it were acting in the public interest.It is Orwellian.

"Do not imagine, comrades, that leadership is a pleasure. On the contrary, it is a deep and heavy responsibility. No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?"

Well, if the decisions were made by the virologists, by the vets, by the farmers and by the decent people all over the country we would have a policy that protects instead of one that kills.Animal Farm's Squealer can turn black into white, day into night, suffering farmers can be turned into hypocritical whingers, and a Department incompetent to the point of gibbering lunacy can somehow still be taken seriously. And now farmers are to help pay for the policies that are forcing them out of business and causing them such grief. But they will be as helpless as ever. They will not share in the decision-making. That is for the "core stakeholders", some of whose trotters, one suspects, are cosy warm.

"We should use the word killing not the euphemism..." The farmer and vet Carl Boyde, in yesterday's BBC report from the killing fields of Surrey, said that "culling" is far too soft a word to describe what goes on.It was one small step towards giving the public a glimpse of the the sheer misery of the situation in Surrey when DEFRA's FMD policy wrought its havoc. Carl Boyde:
"We should be looking at the whole situation - vaccination - is that not a better way?" As that kindly farmer/vet reminded us, in 1923, the 2nd Duke of Westminster had a herd of Dairy Shorthorns at his Eaton Hall estate in Cheshire. He sidestepped the draconian killing regulations, successfully nursed the herd back to health and several of the cured animals went on to win prizes at The Royal Show the following summer. But in the 1967 outbreak no such permission was received and the 300-strong Eaton herd of pedigree Dairy Shorthorns dating back to 1880 and containing champions, all were slaughtered. This is the policy that against all scientific and ethical considerations persists to this day.

Foot and Mouth is indeed a Manufactured Plague - as Abigail Woods so cogently explains in her book. Arguments backed by knowledge of disease, understanding of modern vaccines, availability of state of the art on-farm diagnosis - in short, all pleas for sanity - fall on the defra ears and closed mind of the authorities. The EU regulations are mad and bad. They are not founded on scientific knowledge. Their proclaimed precautionary principles are nonsense. Far from existing to protect the health and safety of animals and people, they protect the trading profits of the few. The victims are the rest of us - and the many decent farmers who care about their animals. This BBC clip shows the continuing distress in Egham of the couple whose misery was recorded on warmwell.com on September 21st.

Carl Boyde is their local vet and what he says rings with the authentic tones of one who sees that the Emperor has no clothes:
" If we can buy and eat meat from countries which practise vaccination why on earth shouldn't we do it here with our own animals? It seems to me a great anomoly that even now in 2007 we still have the same mid-Victorian killing policy which has persisted in successive Ministries of Agriculture and persists in DEFRA to this day."

The BBC interviewer obediently trots out the mantra that Defra "have to abide by European law which states that to keep the highest level of international trading status we cannot routinely vaccinate" and the non-sequitor that vaccination "wouldn't protect against all the different strains of foot and mouth." Give us strength, oh Lord. No one is arguing that it would. Vaccine protects against the strain for which it is designed - and in Surrey that strain was known (hardly surprising but accidents happen especially when government funding and regulatory care is so abysmal) There were, of course, supplies of the exact match vaccine to hand. Nor is anyone arguing at this stage for routine vaccination - although it will undoubtedly come one day. The escape of virus is one thing. Turning that accident into a national disaster when the application of vaccination could have contained and eradicated the problem within days is utter, staggering insanity.Until the public at large realise the miserable absurdity of our current policy and raise their voices against it, the big players of the meat industry, with the dead-eyed collusion of DEFRA and the EU protectionism, will continue to stamp out and stamp on people like the Hepplethwaites.

The horrors and terror and waste of 2001 cost the country £8 billion. The costs this time are still being calculated. Meanwhile, Rob Lawrence, the Hepplethwaites and all those others like them in Surrey, mourn the untimely deaths of their animals, the lonely fields, the changed landscape. They contemplate the future with bewilderment and grief. We contemplate it with anger and a determination that things can will and must change.

Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair

2007-10-09T11:54:00.000+01:00

It seems that the above person wants to extend the detention period for suspects to 50 or 90 days, even though he has said that there have been NO cases where extension has been needed beyond 28 days!

""The number of the conspiracies, the number of conspirators within those conspiracies and the magnitude of the ambition, in terms of destruction and loss of life, is mounting, has continued to mount year by year," he said."

Yet we still have NO PROOF, only his words, and this from the head of a force that manages to shoot an innocent man SEVEN TIMES and then says its not a crime.

And we pay this almost unacountable Oligarch!

Sign To Vaccinate

2007-10-07T10:21:00.000+01:00

A good petition on the PM's website.
I think its worth signing, if you do too then please sign it.
Either click above or below:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/DairyCattle/
Thanks!

Quotes from DEFRA (Deathra?) that they have conveniently forgotten!

2007-10-01T11:31:00.000+01:00

The following was borrowed from the excellent Warmwell.com, and is from the DEFRA website in 2003. It is obvious that they have still not learned the lessons!

<<<<>>>>
Disease control and restrictions: Disease Control (Slaughter) Protocol

Introduction
1. The Lessons Learned Inquiry on the 2001 Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak recommended that provision should be made for the possible application of pre-emptive culling policies, if justified by well-informed veterinary and scientific advice, and judged to be appropriate to the circumstances. Such powers for pre-emptive (or preventive or "firebreak") culling of animals not exposed to FMD infection are included in the Animal Health Act 2002. It adds to the armoury the Government has to fight FMD by getting ahead of the disease and stopping it spreading.
2. Section 32B of the Animal Health Act 1981, as amended by the Animal Health Act 2002, requires the Secretary of State to have a disease control (slaughter) protocol for the use of the new slaughter power in the Act (Schedule 3, paragraph 3(c)) to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). This would be a pre-emptive or firebreak cull.
3. This power cannot be used unless the protocol has been published and vaccination has first been considered to prevent the spread of disease (Section 14 of the Animal Health Act 1981 as amended). The reasons for notusing vaccination would be published. The factors to be considered in deciding on the measures to be used to tackle an outbreak of FMD are set out in a separate document - FMD Disease Control Strategies, referred to as the FMD Decision Tree. The purpose of this disease control (slaughter) protocol is to identify criteria to be considered and procedures to be followed should it be considered necessary to call on this new slaughter power.
Purpose for which the power would be used
4. This power would be used only where this is justified by the circumstances of the possibility of disease spreading and on the basis of sound veterinary, epidemiological and scientific advice. Emergency vaccination would have been considered first and if not used the reasons would be published.
The principal factors to be taken into account
5. A major factor will be to get ahead of the disease. It could apply in particular to protect areas of dense livestock population. The cull would include those animals which, should they become affected, would present a significant risk to the farming and livestock community more generally by contributing to onward spread. It is in such circumstances that effective preventative action may be necessary to safeguard the wider public interest. Species, geographical area and, if appropriate, type of farming would be relevant. Any decision to use the wider powers of slaughter would be taken in the light of an overall assessment of the risks, costs and benefits in a given situation. This could include not only risks of transmission but also social and economic risks that would arise if effective and timely action were not taken.
The procedure to be followed in reaching a decision
6. Such a decision could not be made until the use of emergency vaccination had been considered and, if not used, the reasons published.
7. The steps to be taken would then comprise:
the identification of a group of animals that are likely to contribute to spread of disease, based on epidemiological modelling, veterinary advice and local factors;
the determination of which species are involved;
consideration of exemptions on the basis of husbandry or other criteria, for example, rare breeds or genetic value;
the determination of the geographical area involved;
the determination of the rules for inclusion or exclusion of animals at the boundary of that area;
analysis of risks, costs and benefits;
the publication of an outline of the reasons why such a cull is needed.
The procedure by which animals on a premises will be deemed to be included in a slaughter
8. Premises believed to contain animals to be slaughtered to prevent the spread of disease would be identified. A Veterinary Inspector would visit and ascertain if animals meet the criteria and are to be slaughtered.
9. The Veterinary Inspector would be required to explain the reasons to the owner and give him an opportunity to provide evidence if he believed the animals should be exempted. To ensure the reason for slaughter is clear to the owner a slaughter notice would be issued. The slaughter notice would state the powers under which slaughter is required and the reason why the owner's stock is included (with reference to the criteria for slaughter to prevent the spread of disease).
The means by which a particular decision to slaughter can be reviewed
10. Both as part of the slaughter notice and during explanations the owner must be made aware that they can ask the DVM to review the decision that their stock meet the criteria for the cull and be advised how and by when this can be done.
11. The DVM, or a suitable alternative, must be available to hear such reviews. The following action would be taken:
They will consider the views of the owner as to why they believe the decision is wrong.
They must ensure that the veterinary inspector has carried out a full and fair inquiry to establish if the animals meet the appropriate criteria.

DefraMarch 2003

Page last modified: 3 March 2003
<<<<<>>>>>

Quote from Private Eye.

2007-09-29T10:04:00.000+01:00

PRIVATE EYE 1194 28/9-11/10 . 07.
DOWN ON THE FARM
On Saturday 15 September citizens of the Surrey village of Pyford were baffled to be stopped by police and told they could not return home as they might be shot.
It seemed a Defra cull of local cattle suspected of foot and mouth disease had been botched when cows panicked at being shot at. After four animals escaped police marksmen were combing the area. Eventually the poor creatures were tracked to the local golf course and gunned down.
Only a week earlier Defra's chief vet Debby Reynolds had claimed “I'm satisfied that foot and mouth has been eradicated from the UK in 2007” . This followed lavish praise showered on Ms Reynolds and Defra's staff by Gordon Brown, by Tory leader David Cameron and much of the media for the efficient way they had responded to the escape of FMD virus from the Pirbright site of the Institute of Animal Health.
Mr Brown had been quick to insinuate that this could be blamed on Merial, the private firm that shares the site to make vaccines. On the day Ms Reynolds uttered her boast, a report by the Health & Safety Executive identified the cause of the escape as Pirbright's drainage system, long in need of repair. Blame for the neglect of the drains lay, not with Merial but with the site's owner Defra.
The problem had been drawn to Defra's attention, but since 2005 it had cut Pirbright's budget by a fifth, not leaving enough cash to repair the drains. Part of the reason for this was the £400m bill Defra has run up for the spectacular shambles it made over handing out EU subsidies to farmers. Brussels withheld this sum from the UK government; Gordon Brown, as Chancellor, told Defra it would have to find the money from its existing budget; and Defra slashed its funding accordingly, including to Pirbright. Thus far from being able to claim credit for the way in which the FMD incident was handled, Mr Brown had his own part in the events which led to Pirbright's failure.
The failure was reinforced when, only a week after Ms Reynolds declared the UK FMD-free the virus reappeared in Egham. The EU too was quick to criticise Pirbright's poor biosecurity, threatening to remove its status as the FMD “world reference centre”, while conveniently overlooking the fact that legal responsibility for ensuring Pirbright's biosecurity lies ultimately with the EU's own Food and Veterinary Office.
The reappearance of FMD with the reimposition of the nationwide ban on animal movements has been an unmitigated disaster for the livestock industry, costing farmers an estimated £10m a day. The sole cause of this massive financial loss has been the incompetence of Mr Brown‘s own government (compounded by its continuing refusal to allow the ring vaccination which could stop any spread of the disease dead in its tracks). Yet when Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn, was asked on the Today programme if the government was prepared to pay compensation, he explained that there would of course be compensation for any farmer whose animals were slaughtered.
What Benn carefully didn't say was that not a penny of compensation would be available for those thousands of other farmers all over the country who continue to lose £70m a week through the knock-on effect of movement restrictions and the like - thanks entirely to the failure of Mr Brown, Nr Benn and their underlings to do their job properly.
Muckspreader

Unbelievable arrogance

2007-09-25T08:04:00.000+01:00

In a report in the "Telegraph" newspaper, it is reported that two farmers may be prosecuted for failing to spot signs of Foot & Mouth in their herd.
The incredible arrogance of DEATHRA and trading standards is really unbelievable. Defra are wholly responsible for animal disease control (at their insistance!).
Defra are totally responsible for the current outbreak, as it came from their labs. The real reason for not tracing the actual exact leak/escape point/deliberate infection, would appear to many to be purely so as to avoid any counter action by the people affected.
And then, even though DEFRA caused the problem, they attempt to deflect criticism by blaming the local farmers, how inept can you get?
Also bear in mind that (as the financial times states):
"Animal health experts inspected a farm in the second Surrey foot-and-mouth zone three times before discovering traces of the disease, although livestock had been suffering from symptoms for more than 10 days, it emerged on Wednesday."
As stated on the ProMed (International Society For Infectious Diseases website):
"Beef cattle may manifest minimal clinical symptoms, probably detectable by the professional eye but not by laymen and from distance. - Mod.AS"

(This approach seems to be typical of modern politicians, its called the "someone elses fault" syndrome, and appears whenever they have made an error. Not one recent politician has taken responsibility for their errors.)

And will the media PLEASE get someone other than the ill informed Hugh Pennington to spout the party line? How about getting someone who actually knows about virology, and is up to date with the latest testing techniques, rather than the outdated ones that DEFRA are reported to be using?

Finally, what happened to vaccination? back in August it was reported that if there was one more case then vaccination would begin. The way it looks at the moment, DEFRA probably would not know where to put the needle! I could give them a few suggestions !!!

"The Scottish Farmer" article on vaccination

2007-08-29T08:26:00.000+01:00

To quote:
"According to English vet, Stephen Lomax, the government was poised to begin vaccinations if there had been just one more confirmed case.
“If that had happened, the damage to the livestock industry would have been immense,” said Mr Lomax, (technical adviser to the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers).
“With the outbreak apparently controlled, people are consigning all this to the past — but I don’t want to do that till we have highlighted the weakness of vaccination policy.”
"But the policy took no account of the long-term implications for UK farmers."

So what he is actually saying appears to condense to the following,
I do not want vaccination because that damages the profits from the industry.

I find it amazing that a vet, who has sworn the oath regarding animal welfare, appears to be more concerned with profit, than what is best for the animals entrusted to his care.

The Welsh ASSembly V Skanda Vale

2007-08-25T09:09:00.000+01:00

Once again, we have small-minded officials deciding to exercise their powers by slaughtering more animals at Skanda Vale. Animals who were NOT suffering, nor were they a threat to others.
They rely on an outdated test to see if animals are reactors to "TB", a test that is at best open to interpretation, and at worst very unreliable.
As for the comments by Farmers' Union of Wales president Gareth Vaughan, he really ought to shut up, until he has learnt enough about it not to appear as a completely ignorant oaf.

What is also a surprise is that the vets go along with this. The last part of the veterinary oath reads:
"I promise above all that I will pursue the work of my profession with uprightness of conduct, and that my constant endeavour will be to ensure the welfare of animals committed to my care"
How, I ask, can they balance their sworn oath with the policy of killing healthy animals who show no sign of disease and are patently NOT suffering?
Furthermore, what is the point of being a vet if you regard slaughter as the appropriate response to a curable illness in an animal?
Finally, on this topic, and with regard to the recent Foot & Mouth outbreak, I would ask the vets:
What is the point of being a vet if you regard slaughter as an appropriate response to no illness whatsoever in an animal?
The above is relevant in view of the fact that we can vaccinate against F&M?

My reaction to the Shambo ruling

2007-07-17T00:07:00.000+01:00

It has been quite interesting to see the reaction to the recent ruling in the "Shambo" case.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6901038.stm

I particularly like the comments from the FUW spokesman, Evan R Thomas, who says that it will set back disease control by 70 years. In my humble opinion he is talking a load of rubbish and I would love to hear exactly HOW it will set it back?
This is an animal that is, and will remain, in isolation for its natural life, it will NOT enter the food chain, it does not spend its friday nights out on the town with badgers and other animals that can carry TB, so how on earth can it be a threat to the eradication of the disease?
Mr Thomas is also quoted as saying:
"This ludicrous ruling contradicts the principles upon which successful TB eradication programmes throughout the world have been based for generations,"
Well that proves it then, (NOT), if culling is so successful at eradicating TB, WHY is it on the increase in wales.
Another NFU member, Dai Davies, president of NFU Cymru, is quoted as saying:
"This is a decision which saves one animal but at the expense of hundreds if not thousands of other animals" ,
Yet again I would ask HOW?
The animal will not enter the food chain, will not be in contact with animals that enter the food chain, and in fact will be in contact with very few other animals, so how is it going to infect "thousands" of others?
Again I would refer readers to:
http://www.warmwell.com/
For a far more balanced viewpoint than the elected politicians in wales seem to be able to achieve.

Shambo the bull !

2007-07-01T15:05:00.000+01:00

Why are the welsh authorities and "DEAFRA" still insisting on slaughtering this healthy animal?

I note the BBC have said that the "animal tested positive for bovine TB"
As far as I can tell, that statement is totally false,
What happened is that;
"Shambo has not tested positive for bovine tuberculosis. Shambo has reacted to a screening test for bovine tuberculosis, nothing more."
This does not mean that he is affected by or suffering from bovine TB.
There are also several documented cases of false positives with the testing regime that is used in this country.
So until we catch up with the rest of the world with our testing routines, I shall remain very sceptical of the bovine excrement that frequently spouts from DEFRA.

For further news, see;
http://www.warmwell.com/shambo.html

Gordon Brown

2007-07-01T14:53:00.000+01:00

So it would appear that GB is pulling in experienced politicians from other parties to help him run the country.
What puzzles me is that he is being critisised for it?

Surely if you are using people with views that differ from your own, and with different experiences, you may well end up with a more reasonable concensus, that is acceptable to more of the people who pay their wages.

So why the criticism???
Answers on a postcard to 10 downing street.

The Environment Agency

2007-07-01T14:41:00.000+01:00

In a quote from the BBC;

"The Environment Agency has called on the government to find more cash to encourage farmers to manage their land in a way that would prevent flooding. "
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6258518.stm

Are these people on the same planet as the rest of us?
Why should the farmers suffer yet again?

It is not the farmers who charge for on-street parking which encourages people to concrete over their gardens!
It is not the farmers who build on (or in the region of) the flood plains that existed round several rivers.

Little languages & DEFRA

2007-05-01T08:35:00.000+01:00

"The chair of the Welsh Language Board says immigration into Welsh-speaking areas is the biggest threat to the language. "
The above, and the decision of the Highland Council to refer to the Isle of Skye by its Gaelic title - Eilean a'Cheo, made me wonder;
Is there any point to these minor languages?
I have no problem with people speaking them if they wish, but should the tax revenue really be spent in supporting, and actively promoting, what are in effect forms of speech that are dying out, or is it really just a form of elitism (Sectarianism)?

Around the world, in the developed nations most people would know, and with a map, may even be able to find the "Isle of Skye", but to find "Eilean a'Cheo"?
The council have issued a statement to the effect that "it is only a change to the electoral division", but how long will it be before they decide to change it in total?
Surely they can find a better use both of their time and the taxpayers money, than discussing such a sectarian change?

On another topic, why have we heard no more about the H5N1 outbreak at the Bernard Matthews plant? and why has he not been prosecuted for a serious failure of bio security?
What makes it all the more galling are the recent reports that he will actually be paid compensation for the slaughter of his birds, correct me if I am wrong, but I think that there are still people waiting to be paid from the FMD outbreak in 2001.
Did DEFRA make another in a long line of cock-ups?
Have a look at;
http://www.warmwell.com/
for more information.

And for yet another DEATHRA trampling aproach,
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/18/nbook18.xml

The slave trade

2007-03-25T10:22:00.000+01:00

The Archbishop of York has called on Britain to make a formal apology for the slave trade.

Why ???

Why should the people alive today apologise for what people did up to 200 years ago.
I will not apologise for the slave trade, the holocaust nor the crimean war!
If you dont like that, hard luck.

Oh sorry, I forgot, we also need to make "reparations"!
Now I see, its about the money, why am I not surprised!

Zimbabwe

2007-03-23T08:07:00.000Z

If Britain is so opposed to the regime in Zimbabwe, and wants to change it,
why do we still import goods from the country?

Brown V Mandelson

2007-03-23T07:47:00.000Z

According to a BBC report, Peter (slimy) Mandelson has stated that he can't be fired by Gordon Brown if he becomes the new leader.
What a shame, its what he deserves.
Still, as can be proved by looking in any sewer,
Shit floats!

Hypocrisy

2007-03-22T09:26:00.000Z

Well, old Elton is at it again,
He is quoted as saying;
"shout back" against homophobic abuse, "whether the bigot is in our local pub or a thousand miles away".
and
"We should all stand up and speak out for basic human rights,"

He displays remarkable hypocrisy due to the fact that he has also stated that he would like to see organised religion banned!
So its ok for him to want to remove someone elses "human rights" as long as long as his "rights" are respected?
What a load of garbage!
How I wish this plonker would fade back into the obscurity he deserves!

News snippets.

2006-12-18T21:24:00.000Z

Well, it would appear that our dear parliament is considering heading down the road of agreeing to get the taxpayer to fund political parties.
Why the hell should we pay for them?
Like any other business, if they cannot get enough money from their supporters (customers), then they should close.
Why should we pay twice for the same thing?
For goodness sake, we already pay their salaries, pensions, expenses, trips etc; if their own parties cannot afford them then they should not continue!

It appears that Janet Alder is now going to sue the CPS for racial discrimination, in connection with the death of her brother whilst in police custody. One wonders if, with the length of time she has pursued this matter, the reasons behind it are becoming more about financial matters than finding out how her brother died.
Having read the IPCC report, although there were failings on most sides, including Mr Alders, it could be time that she accepts that no one person was to blame, and gets on with living, instead of playing a “race” card every time she does not agree with someone’s conclusions.

Oh the joys of political correctness!

2006-12-04T23:42:00.000Z

Several small bits of news seem to imply that the UK has really lost the plot of what it wants to be.
Some MPs' are asking for a 66% rise in salary, are they on the same planet as the rest of us? With a basic salary of £60,000, and an average expenses take of £131,000, just what do they do with the money and what value are we getting from them?
They also have the stupidity to ask why people are no longer interested in politics? maybe its because most people realise that the majority of politicians only give a damn about themselves first, their party second, and the people who employ them a very distant last! After the spin, lies and arrogance they have often displayed is it any wonder that people have got disillusioned with them?
Bare in mind that they also get a pension that is gold plated and guaranteed by you the taxpayer!

It would appear that Craven district council are also on the health and safety lunacy bandwagon with their demand that a local village community christmas party has to complete a risk assessment of their mince pies, and Santa may need a Criminal Records Bureau check.

Oh goody, we have another animal rights party! Yet one more group that wants to tell us all what to do and how to run our lives with regard to animals. Oh for goodness sake! Feel free to put your point of view with regard to animal welfare, but if you intend to tell me how to run my life and care for my animals, or if you want to try and force me to become a vegetarian then as far as I am concerned you can bugger off back to your own life and leave me alone! If you spent more time trying to persuade people, and less trying to force them to do things you may get more respect. And the sooner we get rid of the hunting ban, the better!

More controversy to follow soon!

News Comments.

2006-08-21T23:21:00.000+01:00

I note that channel 4 has not been fined over "sir" Elton John saying he changed his name because his old one made him sound like "a banker, or a w****r", well Mr John, judging by your behaviour in recent years, it is fairly obvious which one you are! even though you changed your name

Japan has suspended US long-grain imports which were found to have a genetically engineered variety in it. Good for them! The grain companies were probably trying to contaminate all the supplies so that they could say that "well, its too late to stop GM as it is already everywhere".

Stephen Byers has called for inheritance tax to be scrapped! About bloody time too! What is the point of saving, when you know that all that will happen is the government will snaffle a large percentage of it that you want to leave to your children to give them a good standard of living.

On recent events.

2006-08-11T12:50:00.000+01:00

Well here we are again, with yet another "terror"? threat hanging over the UK.
That is IF you believe what you are fed by the media and politicians.
With this supposed threat, no-one has yet provided to the population, a shred of proof that it exists, and yet the Bank of England choose to release the names of SUSPECTED "terrorists" whose accounts it has frozen.
Now for those of you who believed that you were innocent until proven guilty, you can forget it! It is now patently the case that you are GUILTY, until you can prove your innocence. Even if you later prove your innocence, you will still be guilty by media.
The freedoms that others fought and died for in the past, no longer seem to exist.

There is, however, a good side to this, in that it may make people more thoughtful about the "need" to fly somewhere.
The more planes are on the ground, then the less pollution they will cause.
I hope that the cost of air travel will rise substantially to make up for the damage that they cause, though why airline fuel is not taxed is a question that should be addresssed in light of the fact that all other means of travel are taxed by fuel duty.

On a point of law, could someone confirm whether or not, the "US sky marshals" are allowed on British soil when they are armed, and if so, under what law?

Shifting to the other side of the world, what are the Israelis really trying to accomplish now that they have invaded Lebanon?
Whatever progress the country had made since the last war has now been destroyed, and even the Red Cross have to ask permission to travel otherwise their clearly marked vehicles will be attacked by air.
From a personal point of view, I now see them as no better than the people they are trying to exterminate, or murder, depending on your view. Israel has travelled down the road of itself becoming a "terrorist" state, ignoring all the usual protocols and UN resolutions simply because it wants to and has the backing of the US (and sadly, though it does not make a lot of difference to them, the UK).
If they were really after peace in the region, then they are going the wrong way about it. You would have thought that they would have learned from their past, but no, they choose to descend to the level of the people they are attempting to kill.
If the Arab world wants to make a difference in the situation, then there is a simple answer,
Turn off the oil for a couple of weeks and see what happens when the US and others start to run low, but be prepared to be labelled a "terrorist state" and invaded by the US, so that they can "export democracy", which is a fancy way of saying "steal your oil so that we can support our lavish lifestyle"

"Slay the dragon"

2006-06-06T09:44:00.000+01:00

According to the BBC;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/5051162.stm

A pub landlady is being quizzed over "an alleged hate crime".
When you read the story, you may begin to wonder just what sort of person made the complaint?
If the particular nation (I use the term very loosely) whose flag was used, gets upset about that sort of thing then they must have very sad lives and be paranoid.
In light of the above you may find some sympathy with Ann Robinsons past comments!
If a nation and its people cannot laugh at themselves, then they are taking things too seriously.

"Extrordinary Rendition"

2006-05-26T14:16:00.000+01:00

On the recent news, they were talking about the UK being used for the above.
What a perverse phrase to use!
If it happened in any third world country, they would call it
"Kidnapping" and/or "terrorist activity",
but we have to try and tone it down by calling it "rendition".
What a load of rubbish!
It is kidnapping by any name, whoever does it.

http://www.warmwell.com/

2006-05-19T08:47:00.000+01:00

For those who think that the Foot & Mouth crisis (and now Bird Flu) was dealt with properly, Think Again!
Have a look at the website;

http://www.warmwell.com/

to see how the effects are still lingering, and to understand how the handling of it was both inept,
and possibly illegal.
The policy of culling, still seems to be the preferred option by DEFRA, and they will still not accept that there are now vastly more effective tests available, even though these tests have been proven in the field.
Another case of self interest perhaps, or do the politicians own shares in certain companies that handled the crisis???

Hybrid Polar Bears!

2006-05-14T10:18:00.000+01:00

I had to chuckle in a cynical way when reading the news that a
"white bear with brown patches" is the first grizzly-polar hybrid in the wild.
Not any more its not!!!
They shot it!
Typical,
Oh look, its different, lets kill it!
Maybe they have been taking lessons from Mr Bush?

If you want to save energy then change your light bulbs.
There are now several places where it is easy to obtain energy efficient bulbs, and
it saves ENERGY and MONEY,
Have a look at;
http://www.banthebulb.org/
for some ideas.

Politics & more politics

2006-05-11T16:23:00.000+01:00

Why am I not surprised that John Prescott is not going to face any charges regarding his mis-use of office?

Some time ago at least one policeman was ordered to complete community service for having sex while on duty! You would have (rightly) assumed then that someone holding high office would be required to adhere to a higher standard, well, you would be wrong! The current crop of power crazy clones have the gall to do what they like whenever they like and if you dont like it then "tough".

This government have also ridden roughshod, yet again, over the rights of a significant percentage of this nations farmers, with their mis-handling of the farm payments scheme.
Wales managed to administer their scheme with reasonable efficiency, as did Scotland. England however managed to make a complete cock-up of it! So what happens?
Ms Beckett moves to another position and the problems she presided over are ignored again!

Lets face it, if you really dont want farmers, then at least have the guts to say so, rather than driving them into abject poverty.

On the Palestine/Israel front (sic), it would appear that the international community, having almost refused to recognise the elected leaders of Palestine, now appear to be trying to remove them by fuel shortages and starvation. Democracy the American way or not at all!

2006-05-07T09:28:00.000+01:00

So, you must remember your pin for your credit cards now,
according to the banks, it is so much safer.
If that is the case, why have Shell just had to shut their system down;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4980190.stm

Do they really expect us to believe it?
The only reason they want to use it, is to speed up processing and cut their costs.
Security does not come into it!

Loon Musings For Today.

2006-05-05T09:28:00.000+01:00

Why do they call MPs "The right honorable"?
So far it seems that most are frequently wrong, and even less honorable.
Dear old Mrs Bucket (sorry, Beckett) is a prime example of this.