Lorry Protest

Fuel Foolishness:
While I queued this morning to renew my oyster, we where serenaded from the near by A2 by the air horns and sirens of protesting truckers, on their way to central London.
It was annoying, which is the point I suppose. They are protesting about the rise in fuels bills. Their aim is to get the government to freeze or remove fuel duty so their costs don’t increase.

Now putting aside the fact that all special interest groups believe there grievances are vitally important I think their plan is misguided. As removing duty will just cause more price inflation as use and therefore demand goes up so that in few months they will back where they started with high prices.

One area where the government may be able to act is on the money markets. It seems from various news programmes that the price of oil has gone up partly through supply issues but also because that jolly breed, “speculators “ have driven up the price. So basically people betting on oil price increase have partly caused said increase.
I’m not sure what governments can do about this but controls, taxes on profits on of speculators could be the way forwards .

But and you knew this was coming this and any other government will never stand up to city, the sound of air horns is annoying but they will fade Gordon and the boys are so in bed with the city that they won’t put their foot down even if the crowing city boys steal all the bed clothes, pillows, read in bed, snore and even have metaphorical threesome with their sister and wife. The fact that oil prices, house prices etc are all out of control down largely to uncontrolled unaccountable short term city gambling still hasn’t struck home to the Government and sadly probably never will.


Ps. I don’t in this case that fuel prices is green issue as we have no short term alternative, it should be used to drive longer term changes but in the short term it will have little effect.

Unholy Land?

Palestine/Israel no peace in sight

I don’t know what to think about the problems in Palestine/Israel sometimes, there seems to be so much hurt, suffering and loss on both sides. One thing I do know is that the two documentaries on BBC 4 tonight were really good, insightful in their own ways and not falling for easy answers. Why not have a watch on I-player.

A year or so ago I read Jeremy Bowens book about the six day war mainly to try and straighten out the history of the events in my mind.

The most telling thing he get’s over is that the Israeli tactics seem to be the same today as they were in the 1940’s i.e. measures like bulldozing the homes of suspected Palestinian fighters . Sadly they didn’t work then and they don’t work now. The pie eyed optimist in me suggests that films like the ones above may help a little to bring some understanding to the situation which may with luck may bring some peace.

Burma Typhoon

Burma Crisis:

No one can have missed the terrible storm that has devastated Burma, the scenes on TV last night were terrible made worse by the fact that the news crews had to duck dive to hide from the government. Like most people I want to help but have had doubts about giving money for two obvious reasons.

Firstly the unease that my money will fall into the hands of the military government or that the aid bought by it may be used by the Junta to further control Burma’s people.

Secondly that if my money goes to charity those charities will be sat in Thailand wasting time while people starve and die of their wounds.

So what to do? Well I think it’s easy we give money etc otherwise we are showing the same level cynicism, arrogance and inhumanity that the military rulers of Burma show everyday.

Life in places like Burma will only get better if we all continue to show common human decency. Of course if George Bush could send a couple of aircraft carrier to help things along that might help to!

To donate go to OXFAM or the DEC

POSH schools talk tosh:

On the radio this morning there was debate about private education, basically the head of the fee paying schools association had been putting down state schools and had got a verbal slap from a Minister.The one thing that always rankles with private school types is the old chestnut that “they care about the education of all our children”.

Now some of the teachers in these schools may believe this but you can bet Jocasta’s next years fees that the fee paying parents don’t want good schools for all. Because they want division and inequality in life, they have forgone the odd 4 star hotel to pay the school fees to maintain inequality, if it went their kids would have to survive on their ability alone rather than pop into a nice job at age 22 without breaking sweet.

Private school parents hate equality they don’t like difference and diversity they want money and position to count for everything in life.

The only solution is get rid of the charity status of private schools and watch them slowly dwindle to a tiny irritating wart of privilege and inbreeding eventually to drop off one night when we finally become a fair and decent country which fully releases the potential of all its people not just those who can pay.

BOLLOCKS!

BOLLOCKS!!!!

Impound Chelsea

Impound Chelsea:
The campaign starts here: The money to buy Chelsea football club was gained by at best dubious and worst illegal means it rightly belongs to the people of Russian to be spent how they wish but a decent health service is always a good start.

So when the Chelsea land in Moscow in few weeks for the Champions League final the people of Russian should impound the rotten crew in recompense for their stolen billions. The team should only be returned if any compensation is forth coming or failing that they can be sold on the open market.

So if you believe in social justice join our cry of “impound the Chelsea!”