Rape Is Acceptable If It’s Within The Socialist Workers Party
This seems to be the message from several reports this morning, including this one in the Guardian.
Let’s face it rape and I would include threats and violence as well, is never acceptable in any circumstances.
The Times says that many have resigned from the Socialist Workers Party. Hopefully, they’ll be the first of nearly everybody who leaves.
Sir Mervyn Suggests Splitting RBS
This is the gist of a story on the BBC’s web site. It’s an idea that might work, although I’m still in favour of liquidating all of the Royal Bank of UK Taxpayers.
On the other hand we could always use it as Danegeld to make unwanted immigrants go home, by giving them shares on condition they went away.
Now there’s an idea for UKIP!
It would solve the problems of immigration and RBS at the same time.
C’s Least Favourite Political Theorist
C did Politics at Liverpool University, although because it was such a difficult degree on which to build a career, she later read Law at University College London. Probably having, Robert Kilroy-Silk as your tutor at Liverpool, didn’t help either. The fact, that he chain-smoked Capstan Full Strength in tutorials gave her a life-long aversion to smoking.
Every time, I go to see Ipswich play I am reminded of her least favourite political theorist.
A Reminder Of Marcuse
She found Herbert Marcuse very difficult to comprehend, and she would find the fact his surname was embedded everywhere, a good reason not to go to the football.
Who’s Be A Politician’s Dog?
I just had to link to this set of pictures from the BBC. Look at the one of MP, Gregory Barker with Otto.
Don’t Get Your Facts Wrong
In August 2011, Richard Ford, published a table in Modern Railways showing track access charges for the new IEP against the IC125 and IC225.
Unfortunately, he made a mistake in the figures.
Then a Government Minister then used the figures to answer a question in Parliament many months later, giving an answer that was plainly wrong.
Probably, this shows the reasons why you shouldn’t use that thinking technique beloved of idiots everywhere; cut and paste.
The real problem here, is that the Department of Transport civil servant, who made the mistake, is probably too precious to be disciplined.
But Roger gave him or her, a good kicking in the article and has passed the real information to the National Audit Office.
The Oscar Pistorius And Vicky Pryce Cases
These two cases going through the Courts in South Africa and London, are in my mind not news and it is wrong they lead the BBC News.
The first is a tragedy for everyone involved and the second is a bit of political tittle-tattle that is all about the breakdown of a marriage, which went a lot more than wrong.
Why is the BBC wasting my licence fee on these sort of stories? The cases should be left to the tabloids.
The third story, the rise in the number of employed in the UK,should have led the News. Jobs are much more important than gossip.
A Glimpse Of The Morning Star
A few days ago, I saw a lady reading The Morning Star on a bus. I hadn’t seen a copy for many years.
The lady was reading the television programs and I wondered whether they carry the information for channels not very well disposed to the left.
Perhaps the funniest story about the paper, was that many years ago, their racing tipster was doing very well in the naps table carried in The Sporting Life, that gave a prize for the best tipster after the season. Their sales went up a couple of notches.
A Rum Deal
This article about the coat of arms for Deal is such a good example of how we all get involved in wasting money, because some self-serving organisation or quango, thinks it knows that’s best and doesn’t use common sense.
Obviously, the College of Arms doesn’t, as surely there’s only one Deal in the UK.
Politicians And Conservative Thinking
This article about Ed Miliband and his tax policies, shows everything that is wrong with politicians. Obviously, the 10p tax rate brought in by Gordon Brown didn’t work, as why would he later have abolished it. Politicians of all parties just can’t get it into their head, that when old ideas fail, it is time to give up conservative thinking and try new ideas.
You could argue, that a Mansion Tax is a good idea, but it is just another variation of the politics of envy.
I feel it would make housing problems worse, as from what I’ve read, it would be better for tax purposes to own six £700,000 houses, rather than one worth £4,000,000 or so.
Thus, those with pots of money would take houses out of the available pool, which let’s face it is too small at all levels.
I wouldn’t be hit by a Mansion Tax, as my house is probably worth just over a million, although I paid a lot less for it, just two years ago. But it is in an area, where prices are rising quite fast, due to the improvements in public transport. In a few years, it’ll probably be within the Mansion Tax rate. So why should I pay more, just because I made a good decision?
I would raise money from housing in other ways. The Mansion Tax would be paid on any property, where the owner doesn’t live in it. And the starting point would be a £1,000,000.
This would mean second houses would pay the Mansion Tax, as you couldn’t be registered in two places. I’ve lived in two houses at the same time in the past and it’s a pain and very inefficient.
So let’s ditch all of the consevative ideas and get really radical with ideas, that create more houses and generate more jobs and wealth.
Should We Have An In/Out Referendum On Europe?
Years ago in 1975, I voted to stay in Europe, in Harold Wilson’s referendum. It was the first time I’d ever voted in any political election.
I look upon our membership of the European Union, with the mind of a Control Engineer. Two things should be born in mind.
Uncertainty is one of the most difficult things, when it comes to making a system stable. And I think, we’d all like stable lives.
Trying to take a system through a discontinuity is dangerous! I use the example of riding a bicycle up and down a kerb. Or if you don’t ride one, how about driving a car over a sleeping policeman.
For me, the best way to control anything is lots of little actions applied regularly and often.
Look at the serious discontinuities, the world has experienced in the last few years, like the attacks of September 11, 2001 or the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers. Our reaction was strong and as a control engineer, I think it could have been far too strong. We just panicked and made things worse.
The referendum on Europe would be a major step-change for us all to pass through, with many in favour and many against. Just the holding of the referendum might have either a lot of large positive or negative effects.
Let’s face it Europe has a lot of problems. Some like the budget and the non-sign-off of accounts are large problems in politicians of the out tendency, but they are the sort of problems, that in any large organisation, can generally be solved by hard negotiation.
One thing, that politicians seem to have ignored is the world in 2018, will be a very different place to that today. There is so much uncertainty!
The only good thing, is that a lot of that uncertainty will result in positive results for Britain, Europe and the whole planet.
Think about these issues before deciding on whether we should have a referendum.
1. Suppose Obama is replaced in 2016, by a very unacceptable president, who makes Mormon Mitt look like a liberal.
2. Will Scotland still be in the United Kingdom?
3. Will France be an economic powerhouse?
4. Will the banks still do all their traditional functions?
5. Wind turbines and nuclear power.
6. Airports and trains.
7. Where will the next big war be?
There is a lot of uncertainty, is the only thing you can say. And all David Cameron is doing is increasing it!
The Anonymous Widower 