Why do Lying Nick and And Deadly Dave Only Visit Schools?

Image via Wikipedia

 After Boy George announced his swingeing cuts off they trotted to explain themselves to, of all things, children. And it isn't the first time that they have done it. Why can't they stand up in front of a grown up audience? As it was they fell a cropper when a bright girl asked them why they had hit the poorest hardest.
 As for Poor old Cleggy he's in denial claiming that the  IFS had got their sums wrong and choking out apologies about breaking election promises. It would be funny except for the fact that millions at the bottom of the social ladder will be suffering.
 Hopefully they will leave the children alone in future but unfortunately the kids as well as the poor are bearing the brunt of the cuts. Other statistics suggest that two thirds of all women will be worse off. It is all clever stuff though as they have passed most of the buck to the councils who will have to slash their budgets by enormous sums. Yes those are the same councils that provide Social Services, education, affordable housing, fire brigades and empty your bins, protect the environment and mend your roads.
 So the hope is that the councils, and especially Labour councils, will be blamed for the deterioration in these services and hapless councillors will have to decide what to chop and what to keep. Alan Johnson got it bang on when he pointed to the cheering rats on the Tory benches waving their order papers in support and pointed out that this is is what they have come into politics for - to reduce public spending and let the private sector pick up the pieces and make billions in the process.

Related articles

• Spending review 2010: Alan Johnson says coalition cuts 'ideological' (guardian.co.uk)
• IFS: Tax and benefit changes are regressive (leftfootforward.org)

Pop Star Quiz

 It's going to be a heavy week as the Condem's set about wrecking our society in a way which has not been perpetrated since Thatcher's Reign of Terror. It is time therefore for us to glean some light relief from the wreckage and hence a quiz. There follows some illustrations from a book that I dragged down from the attic and you, dear reader, might like to put names to some of the faces.

                                                     Who's at this rather gruesome party?

One genius whose life became tortured and another who just keeps going on like a Rolling Stone.

Faces on a subway.

Hot Momma?

Hummm.

Pinball Wizard?

A Miner's Lot.

Image via Wikipedia

 Less than half a mile away from where I live are the remnants and spoil of Devon Great Consoles which at one time in the 18th century was the largest copper mine in the world. Within a square mile of where I live there existed six hundred mines where copper, tin ,wolfram and other metal ores were extracted.

 When all the copper had been worked out of Devon Great Consoles they extracted arsenic, for which there was a flourishing market, and to this day nothing grows on the massive slag heap left behind for arsenic kills everything. Trees falling onto the heap generations ago are perfectly preserved because no bacteria or insects or fungi can live there. It is a hideous monument to the past days in Cornwall where the mine owners took their vast profits but left behind their waste and the miners who toiled in unimaginable conditions.

  The miners left behind by the ruthless profiteers who abandoned them either had to starve or look for mining work elsewhere. So they emigrated in droves to the new mines in Canada, Australia, Tasmania, South Africa and America. It was said that if you looked down a hole in the ground anywhere in the world that you would find a Cornishman. They were fondly remembered by the loved ones and friends that they left behind who referred to them as Cousin Jacks. A West Country duo called Show of Hands wrote a song with the title of Cousin Jack which reflects some of the bitterness and hardship that is the miners lot the world over just as it was for those brave men in Chile who are now thankfully safe. Behind them, as with all miners, is a history of grief, exploitatation sweat and pain.

eBay Losing Its way.

Image via Wikipedia

I have been an eBay user almost since it's inception. Sadly it has lost much of its original character not the least of which is now that it is almost entirely dominated by professional sellers. Whilst most of these are reliable and honest there are a growing number of dealers who either sell fakes or faulty items. And when something goes wrong it is a tortuous process to get you money refunded by eBay or Paypal.

 Another misconception is that you will always find an item there that is cheaper than elsewhere on the Internet or on the high street. A simple "buy x" search on Google or a check on Amazon will often reveal a much cheaper option than that available on Ebay. And also all the big chains now sell on the Internet and particularly in ther sales offer bargains that cannot be matched on Ebay. The other fiddle is the extortionate postage costs that are added on which far exceed the Royal mail rates. So you can still get the occasional bargain but these days it is buyer beware.

ConDems Attack Children.

 Dozy Dave and Lying Nick have decided to scrap universal Child Benefits a system first introduced in 1946 (as Child Allowance) to ensure that state money was available to support every child in the land. It is clearly a decision taken in haste and as such not thought through to the extent that a couple earning a total income of £80,000 per annum continue to receive the benefit whereas a single parent earning in excess of £44,000 will lose it. The announcement was aided and abetted by the grotesque sight of  him holding his new born baby in his arms at the Tories conference in Birmingham.

 This follows the earlier announcement that they were also scrapping the £250 of savings given to each child when they were born for use when they reached the age of 18. They just don't get it do they - the benefit was paid to the mother to use for her children.

 So they have started with the children and will soon move on to the sick, the elderly, the disabled and the unemployed. Naked red blooded conservatism who start where even Thacher would not tread. Be afraid be very afraid

Ed Milliband - Part 2

Image by DJOtaku via Flickr

 Well the speech wasn't very inspiring, although his declaration that the Iraq war was wrong was welcome.
He has alot to learn about oratory, but hopefully that will come in time. I am an unrepentant old fashioned socialist and to hear him placating the media's laughable label of "Red Ed" by condeming "irresponsible strikes" immediately soured relationships when unity is most needed. And it's a gift to the right wing media, who will hang this quote round his neck like a political albatross. I agree with the union representaitve who shouted, "RUBBISH" for that is exactly what it was.
 The late Jimmy Reid when talking about strikes as a last ditch stand when fighting for your existence and livelihhod was asked how it felt he replied, "You try explaining to the mother of your children on a Friday why you have no money to give her". Striking is the ultimate sacrifice and by taking such action you are depriving yourself of an income, risking your job and alienating yourself from workmates, and the community.
But some of us have principles MR. Milliband and are prepared to make the kind of sacrifices that you have never endured in your cossetted lifetime.
 It is early days and lets hope he improves but on this performance he is not the Labour leader that we will need to fight the ConDems vicious cuts over the next months and years.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Let's restart Jimmy Reid's revolution | Kevin McKenna (guardian.co.uk)

Rene Magritte