Clowns & Jokers

Stuck in the middle.... Left, right, centre. It's a mess out there.

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Its the Muslims who are scared, people. Not commuting Londoners.

Tuesday sees the ceremony of remembrance take place at St Pauls for the July 7 victims. At least i thought so. Are we quite sure about that? It seems we are falling over ourselves to demonstrate that it is for muslims..the REAL victims here.

"The ceremony, while Christian, is intended to be “inclusive” and makes numerous references to ethnic and religious reconciliation. Zaki Badawi, chairman of the Imams and Mosques Council of the United Kingdom, will make the pledge on behalf of Britain’s Muslims. He said: “These gestures are helpful. Sadly, Muslims are still a frightened community and this act of remembrance gives them reassurance.” The congregation will include some of the 700 injured by the bombs and relatives of some of the 52 dead, who included three Muslims"...

  • Faiths to Unite
  • So not all the families are attending then.

    Oh and in the same paper AA Gill calls us all angry (new book out: The Angry Island). I mean what on earth for? The above didnt set me off at all! Well, he hates being English and thought he would share it with everyone and cash in. Zzzzzz. More tedious scorn ~ , weve heard it all before, Gill. It's perhaps you that needs to 'get over it' and move on to...restaurants new?

    Saturday, October 29, 2005

    Random photos




    View from our toilet window! Victorian chimneys, windows...and the magnificent St Pauls.



    Clerkenwell Green London. Rallying point for trade union marches from the 18C eg back when they were actually needed

    The new Paternoster Square London. Flattened around about this time of year during the Blitz.

    Lookin' good :)

    A Roman Bridge near Derby - must remember to file a claim for compensation. Nasty imperialistic Roman Empire imposing their culture on us and as for the taxes. How very bloody dare they!



    Smithfields London. Where Braveheart met his end along with anyone else who was a right royal or religious pain in the backside ;) Currently a meat market (and has been since its hanging and burning days)

    An English Oak. One of 9 that had their tops' beheaded' by Henry VIII as a permanent reminder of the execution of Anne Boleyn.

    Friday, October 28, 2005

    Sunday, October 23, 2005

    PM ignores July 7 victims



  • Victims try to hand in their petition



  • According to the NOTW who mounted the campaign, Mr Blair refused to meet the victims when they handed in their petition. Had this been the de menezes family when wishing to hand in their petition the media would have jumped on this, expressed utter OUTRAGE and the story would have run and run.

    Maybe we need a few more signatures?

    Sign their petition. Where is our outrage?



    The Radical Thoughts of a PC

  • Policemans Blog
  • (Published article)

    Images missing in the MSM













    Iraqi school children give the "thumbs-up" sign to U.S. Marines Corps members from the 6th Civil Affairs Group, 2nd Marine Division in Kharma, Iraq, Oct 2, 2005. Official Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Matthew Hutchison


















    KHARMA, Iraq - Cpl. Ross Casey, from Austin, Texas, with 6th Civil Affairs Group, tries speaking to local children using an Arabic dictionary.Official Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Matthew Hutchison, 2d Marine Division Combat Camera



    with thanks for sharing:-

  • Through the Looking Glass
  • Saturday, October 22, 2005

    Not Enough


  • What About the Victims? July 7 campaign

  • The thousands upon thousands killed in the Blitz did not receive compensation. At least not that I am aware of - or certainly not to quite the level we expect now. But nowadays this is a normality. Im not quite sure how it stacks up to say that money replaces human life. And of course not all compensation cases are treated equally. However in the case of the July 7 victims it is something else entirely. Check out the rubbish payouts offered to the victims. It is not a great deal of money for the loss of your legs and the massively life changing trauma that ensues so suddenly ~ a heavy price to pay for the grotesque failure of multi culturalism, a concept on which this government has lavished vast sums of our money. Im sure a great deal more was spent on the mosques in which the kind of hatred that we witnessed in July was nurtured. And you only need to glance sideways at the de menezes campaign to see how much more money and media space can be squeezed out for other apparently more worthy failures. Perhaps this campaign is needed to remind us of what happened in July and not allow it to be marginalised as less important over the coming months. However you think about it i would urge you to continue to please do so. And add your name to the unimpressive 10,000 names calling for the government in effect to own up to ALL its failures to these commuters.

    Playing a Key Part

    Shared ownership schemes. You buy part of a property and pay a subsidised rent on the remainder. Most properties are either built by housing associations or by a private developer who hands over a percentage of the properties to a housing association for a sale through a shared ownership scheme. You increase your share in the buy from 25% to 30% in what is known as staircasing. If the thought of finding a million pounds as a first time buyer in London brings you out in a cold sweat then this could be the answer.

    Our joint income doesn’t amount to a hill of beans when it comes to property prices in London. Accepted as we were onto the scheme I was pleasantly surprised. The government were reaching out to young first time buyers such as us and apparently giving us the much needed knees up onto the property ladder. Vital for the rest of you out there lucky enough to own your own home.

    Except that when we came to phone up about new developments this happened:

    “Are you a key worker?”

    “no I guess not. No. So what does that mean then”.

    “Well, John Prescotts concern is to house key workers. So all the developments at the moment are almost exclusively for key workers”.

    “”All of them? Right so when we will get a look in then”.

    “Oh im not sure you will actually.

    “Ever?”

    “Highly unlikely unless you can get your employers to state you are in some way a key worker”.

    Right. Of course. I shouldnt have expected anything else really. More fool me.


    Alex took his glamorous private sector job to get a foot on the ladder to unbounded, shameless, foolproof success. Where your star studded job is guaranteed and a dazzling career at the top awaits you no questions asked. With a salary that a basic level grim faced health worker would have shied away from as much as he does customer service, we must remember to be grateful to be a part of the golden private sector club. And it included, a splendid, really inexpensive, commute to beautiful multi cultural Luton everyday. Alex fondly remembers the 2 minutes silence in Luton town centre after July 7- when a ring of co workers, joined hands and bowed their heads in silence to remember the fellow private sector brothers in arms who never made it to their private sector jobs. Whilst a group of burkha clad women with plastic carrier bags carved their way through the centre of the circle, apparently blissfully unaware of what was going on around them. (Interestingly, Alex the only non British person in that group, was the only one to voice an negative opinion at this)

    We, as much as key workers, sustain the nation. We contribute to the lives of our burkha clad citizens. Enabling them to be out shopping mid week, living in comfortable homes we are subsidising, whilst local councils make sure the council tax bill they most likely will never have to pay is translated into every language under the sun so they can understand that they most likely will never have to pay it.

    Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against the tough old jobs decent teachers and police officers do for society. But tell me its dangerous being a police officer or a teacher. And ill tell you its just as dangerous commuting. Tell me our teachers work harder than anyone and ill tell you no harder than the unpaid additional hours and hours that go into private sector jobs. Tell me salaries are lower in the mid level and lower level jobs? Teachers and police are on £23k+, fire brigade up to £30k. These young teachers are earning about £10k more than Alex at a starter level. Their pay will go up year on year, they can potentially earn massive salaries that match the private sector equally. The government website on teaching tells you so! Oh and when they’re in their office based head teacher jobs they’ll get to retire at 60.

    If it is something to be offered out to help first time buyers priced out the market and encourage them to stay in the capital then it should do precisely that. Help all young first time buyers make their equally valuable contribution to the city, economy and to society without prejudice. Aren’t we all KEY to something and someone?

    Saturday, October 15, 2005

    Tell me something that isn't...

  • Terror legislation in breach of human rights
  • According to article 15 of the EConHumanRights "In time of war or other public emergency threatening the life of the nation any High Contracting Party may take measures derogating from its obligations under this Convention to the extent strictly required by the exigencies of the situation".... What was July 7 if not a public emergency? Or a war?

    And how comes France can ban the burqa. As can Holland apparently....and Italy. Whilst NotVeryCherie can wave human rights in our faces if we try. These are all EU member states after all and presumably signed up to this. How comes?!

    Italy passed recent legislation that allows them to hold terror suspects without a lawyer for 24 hours, extract their DNA without their permission and deport those suspected of terrorism. How comes?!

    And surely it is in breach of someone's human rights to tell them they can't drink out of a 'piglet' mug at work for fear of insulting our very special communities. There must be a case to argue since "Everyone has the right to freedom of expression" according to the sacred convention.

    I know that others have asked this before. I know the ECHR is a practical joke. So, (to quote from Finding Nemo) as we too bob along in a plastic bubble afloat the EU... 'now what??!'

    Why are we (seemingly) always the only ones wrestling with it.

    Wednesday, October 12, 2005

    "Remember Remember"....the 7th of July

    In the Evening Standard last night a 'leading QC' Geoffrey Robertson presented his argument against many of the government' s proposals for the provision of stronger anti terror laws. My initial reaction was to raise my eyebrows and switch off. Lofty lawlords and the like often indicate that 'minor' acts of terrorism etc are only a matter for them. Their purpose, they claim is to protect us little people from being shoveled up by the government and oversee the rule of law. Anyway i read his argument.

    He sets out the case by reminding us that we already have highly developed legislation introduced after the famous attempt on home soil by Britain's first terrorist, Guy Fawkes. As a country we have faced grave danger to our democracy many times before and have learned lessons we applied to laws still in force today. But Guy Fawkes didnt march in on average Joes off to work one morning, attached to a barrel load of explosives . He chose to leave a barrel load of explosives under Parliament the old fashioned way. His attack was on the government -not on its people, BY its people. Perhaps we have the history to help us but I would like to think that we could adapt our laws a little more frequently than every several hundred years. As moonbatlike as Fawkes appeared to me as a kid, he looks like your basic clown next to the latest lot.

    He goes on to argue that the police dont need more than the already 'exceptionally long' 14 days detention to determine someones involvement in terrorism. It is 'unlikely to yeald more information' and 'will anger minority communities'. And regards glorifying acts of terror, broadly speaking, he is against. We have existing incitement to commit murder laws which have been seriously under utilised by the police in past years he argues. Well then if so someone from your pompous lot clearly forgot to tell the police this. Or there is another more sinister reason for not wanting them to use it. Or possibly it was too convoluted a law to allow them to use it easily. Frankly im not worried about what our minority communities think. Im more concerned with being allowed to freely exercise my right to get to work on the tube - without being blown to bits bys omeone with a grudge. And this nauseating reference to our 'minority' 'communities'. Arent we all one big community called the British?

    With such new horrors facing us and the police - apparently to keep someone suspected of murderous carnage OFF the streets is not something this QC views as particularly important in comparison to ruffling a few muslim feathers. It is assumed that the police will be detaining people for the hell of it as usual. Recycling the perpetual myth that a modern day police force after all the lessons learned with the IRA - suspects quickly arrested, tried, convicted, imprisoned and then released - learned absolutely nothing and would commit similar errors again. If you start by suggesting we have learned much with Guy Fawkes then did we learn nothing with the onset of Irish terrorism?

    He attacks the introduction of a criminal law to protect us from those stirring up religious hatred as out of proportion with the situation we face and likely to be monitored by media busybodies for the express purpose of banging up comedians . I am not particularly worried about comedians. The present climate isnt funny. Hoping the bearded one with a rucksack on the tube isnt about self detonante certainly isnt funny. And besides, jokes about religion went out with the ark and are unlikely to be resurrected in PC crazy modern Britain. If this is expressly designed to stop jihadist rantings then how is this a bad thing. The nice irony is that it had already been suggested by Labour to lure in muslim voters keen to have Salman Rushdi strung up. I might allow one or two smug religious remarks about the latter but im prepared to forgo the humour to underline the point.

    His only thoughtful argument is to suggest that we need to dispense with the current practise of not allowing phone tap evidence. We are one of the few advanced nations that does not permit phone tap and other electronic e-evidence in court. I wasnt aware that we were in the minority on this score and im irritated by this. This seems to me to be the single most obvious assistance to MI5 and intelligence in the current danger and im concerned the government has omitted this. Without question unravelling silly provisos in our laws that impede vital evidence from making its way into courts needs urgent attention.

    Ultimately I dont know how long the police actually need to determine possible guilt. But I have enough confidence in them to believe they make a valid and just case. The police are facing an unprecedented new twist in how terrorism is played out. The IRA experience taught them much about how to respond after an incident (which they did and do incredibly well) and certainly how to search the mentalists out as demonstrated (and forgotten) when they apprehended the July 21 copycats. But the current threat is wholly new. They'll come horribly unstuck as they try to grapple with this new threat and how to manage it, fatally proven at Stockwell . So it would be refreshing and reassuring to hear from our precious law makers that their single determination is not to protect a few comedians and some miserable muslims from feeling uncomfortable, but to work WITH government and police instead of dismissing both. To protect the put upon (expendable) modern day working classes known as commuters. Instead of waxing lyrical about hard fought precious rights for what amounts to the precious few.

    Anyway as we approach November Im wondering if I can add a few modern day effagies onto the bonfire....



    Click for more on the same - see excellent post on October 10 and the follow up comments:-


  • Rottweiler Puppy
  • Monday, October 10, 2005

    Lady Thatcher at 80

  • This Generation of Giants
  • The New Tribalism

    On a question of multi culturalism (again). The bible of multi culturalism preaches that all cultures are created equal, all cultures are equally wonderful. Not one element within any culture excepting our own can be challenged in a modern liberal democracy. Apparently, other cultures, teach us what we have failed all along to understand. We, it would seem, are not worthy and must embrace these cultures and welcome them like the second coming. All elements of every culture, good or bad, only enhance our own existence. And there are certain thugs, thought police, who accuse anyone challenging this of being 'racist'. To ask others to join in without forgoing their roots and cultures but embracing ours is modern day heresy.

    Multi cultural is just another word for ghettoisation.


    People are moving into self segregating ‘communities’ with people like themselves and building visible barriers to keep strangers and surroundings out by choice. Prepared as some cultures are to freely take advantage of the prosperity and technology of globalised economies and democracies, they utterly reject the cultures that embody these. With the thought police aka liberals at full steam, we seem incapable and confused. Certain cultures are taking advantage of modernity, affluence and ‘freedoms’ to practise do it yourself tribalism. A sort of mini world within a world ~ with all its factuous elements, deep rooted racism, often brutal chauvinism and utter contempt.

    Saturday, October 08, 2005

    History Repeating

  • Starkey fears a new intolerance

  • I like Starkey and the series Monarchy has been fascinating. So this was an interesting article until the last sentence where he becomes somewhat unhinged. Surely Mr Starkey it is Islam that must learn to tolerate? We worked towards unfusing religeon and politics. It is the slims who now need to do likewise.

    A Dose of Cocaine & Hypocrisy

    Robbie Williams has come to Kate Moss's defence and lambasted the media for their utter hypocrisy in publishing the cocaine 'scandal' ~ and has done so very publicly. The ex cocaine user suggested the story could result in her suicide.




  • Moss's use of cocaine is her own business, Williams says

  • Don't care too much about what he says or sings about much of the time but i thought the following comment was a well deserved swipe at the media:

    “I have personally taken cocaine with the people who are now writing these stories.”

    Well said. The majority of journalists, media types, fashionistas, clubbers et al take the drug at some point or other so why is Moss the anti Christ.

    It's up to the individual idiot whether or not they want to take drugs. Continue telling people the risks and educate, sure. But expect that people will always do what they want anyway when it comes to finding some way of getting high, be that a skinful of 12% or lines of class A. Drugs are widely available. The risks are well publicised. The idea of a drug 'pusher' of any narcotic these days is a silly myth. Non famous drug victims are apparently incapable of any responsibility for their actions. 'Lurking' dealers dont hang about on street corners plying their trade, whatever the drug.

    Anti drug campaigners suggest that Moss and Williams are role models and should know better being in the public eye. But she wasnt in the public eye when she decided to 'indulge'. And well then the media should also know better given it is in the public voice. After all if you don't sensationalise or even publish the story then who's the wiser. You only make it cooler to teenagers by the power of association - so how about you just dont?

    There are still far more deaths from alcohol than there are from cocaine. Alcohol is a hard drug. Freely advertised and glamourised to teenagers every day. Which brings me onto the other hypocrisy ~ apparently George Best is simply an old fool who enjoyed life as a lad to the extreme with far too much poisonous alcohol (and the rest) rotting his liver. Sort of half acceptable for lads then to play around like well...lads but Moss.. a woman!.. a mother!

    The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, Jonny Cash, Elvis and Williams managed for the most part to survive demonisation in spite of coke and amphetamines being less about fun and more about a way of life for them.

    The only true media interest in this story was in pulling Moss down from the lofty heights she had reached from the back end of nowhere and kicking 'her' to pieces. Something our 'outraged' media excel at.




    Long Summer

    From the hazy highs of bagging the Olympics, the shocking horrors of some angry young men who should have known better, what a long summer. New Orleans, holidaymakers in suicide bomb hellholes, the de menezes machine grinding on reminding us how terrible we all are here, the government appeasing terrorists in Ireland and the evacuation of Gaza which often brought me to tears. It was pretty hideous newswise.So summer is now at an end and with it The Conservatives are trying to pretend they're a party again. This is after spending the last few decades burying their heads in the sand leaving political opposition to no-one....

    So what WILL they do next, the Tories? Will someone please rescue democracy if it isnt too late already?

    Friday, October 07, 2005

    Love My City




    I ADORE my city. Even if i cant rescue it from multi-culti rubbish and, more often than not, find myself surrounded by liberal nutters, im proud of London and i remain determined not to leave it to them. Ive spent a few weekends re discovering what an amazing place it is, not that i needed reminding. Like when we went to the Tate - we saw some sh!te works of modern art quite frankly but it keeps the liberal media set happy and 'contained' for the weekend.. The american 'foot'ball buried in goo made me laugh out loud (for which Alex 'got cross'). The Thames tide was out so we dropped down onto the 'beach' and discovered half a georgian beer mug, an Elizabethan bottle top, 16 x 17th century clay pipes which i assume people used to smoke like cigarettes as the beach was littered with them (perhaps waiting for a boat in the pissing rain!) , bits of china from all centuries i presume - some with writing on them and a very pretty mottled blue, a roman roof tile and charred sheep jaw bone which according to our walking guide (some weeks later) was probably chucked in from the meat market at Smithfields many hundreds of years ago ORRR..could have been from the great fire in 1666. Plus the odd Volvic top and an upside down office swivel chair (which we didnt take home but would be a find for somone hundreds of years from now). Anyway all the history in the world and more.

















    I also stumbled across these images of London which remind you of how great a city it truly is and how it has recovered from much much worse. Too many forgotten and unsung heroes. None of whom i expect benefited or needed investigations, enquiries and compensation.

    The Blitz started in Autumn 1940.


    Civilian deaths in London during the Blitz - 32,000
    Civilians seriously injured during the Blitz - 87, 000
    Homes destroyed - 3.5 million















    Put these figures up against the civilian casualties in Iraq and there's not much in it. Democracy and freedoms don't get handed to you on a plate.

    I was quite proud to have walked up the Mall with Alex and hundreds of thousands of people on the Say Thankyou (to the veterans) day just after July 7. I was struck by the lack of ethnic 'minorities' who came along eager to say thanks for the freedoms they now enjoy. Apart from Alex that is - and the Indian regiments who looked proud - and very dashing in their military garb and turbans.

    I havent taken into account the IRAs attempts to blow us to smithereens. They only stopped i guess when terrorism suddenly became abhorrent to the USA (who ceased funding them on 11/9). Im in no way anti US, very much the opposite. Sometimes the truth sucks.

    Pretty haphazard ramble over!