Maybe a little too efficient

To be fair, I have been impressed with Southwark Council and they way they respond to requests and queries but this seems a little too much.

On Monday (yes Bank Holiday Monday) I had been told that the excess rubbish crew would roll by my place annd collect a cupboard and a few boxes. They would be there between 8.30 am and 6.30 pm.

Fine thinks I, so early on Monday morning I start shifting the stuff to the pavement outside my house. At about 8.15 I have nearly finished and I am about to pin a note to it with the collection reference number.

As I get outside with the last armful of boxes I note that a youngish woman is pulling a box out of the pile.

"Don't take that one", says I "It's been water damaged, if you want a better box try this one".
"I don't want a box", says the lady with a noticeable mediterreanean accent, "I work for the Southwark Council environmental protection service".

"So hold on, you are collecting evidence of environmental crime?"

I explained that the rubbish collection was pre-booked and I had a reference number and so on. She went away, satisfied but clearly suspicious.

But it was only later that I thought about it.

How the hell did she get there? It was 8.15 on a bank holiday monday morning. What level of serviellance is going on here? Or did some helpful type phone and report my crime?

Nick Clegg channels Prescott

I am full of adoration for Islamic Relief because the call is one that so uniquely captured the spirit with which you all acted in great urgency and compassion in so many places around the world of this country

Or maybe this has been retranslated?

Anyhow interesting that he feels that Islamd is uniquely compassionate when it comes to giving money to the flood relief in Pakistan, given the figures.

Obama's EU sideshow

Further delusions. The headlines today across the EU sycopress scream

Obama to meet EU leaders in November

Which is true as far as it goes. The EUI has been desperate to host Obama since his election and was most put out when he failed to address the European Parliament, or even appear in Brussels after his election.

So this is obviously a feather in their cap. He is coming to see us, they preen and simper, we are important.

Except he isn't really.

What he is doing is coming to Lisbon to try and sort out the fractious alliance that is NATO. The EU so called summit is merely a tacked on side issue.

Daul does deeply delusional

Don't take my word for it, go read this at the Parliament magazine, the French CAP mountain claims that the Belgian EU Presidency will be a clear success

His argument seems to be as Belgian is utterly riven with internal problems it has made no real claims for its Presidency. Previous countries holding the Presidency have failed to achieve their vaunted desires.

Belgian has none, therefore it cannot be a failure.

Interesting idea of what success is you have there Mr Daul.

He ends it with as good a package of meaningless Eurospeak as I have ever read,

"The challenges are tremendous, and the road is scattered with obstacles, but I am convinced that the Belgian Government, wielding the tools at its disposal and taking every possible advantage of its particular situation, will be able to promote our priorities for a Europe of growth and employment, with financial regulation. And a Europe of security and freedom, for the benefit of our fellow citizens."

He really should sack Babelfish and get himself someone whose first language isn't dribble.

Betting already

Latest odds from Ladbrokes

Nigel Farage 4/5
David Campbell Bannerman 2/1
John Bufton 5/1
Gerard Batten 10/1
Christopher Monckton 20/1
Dan Hannan 100/1

Something doesn't feel right

So we all think that Air Ambulances are 'good things'. Yes and and I have even dropped the odd copper in their collection boxes. But this developement just feels a little odd, a little Blade Runner.

YORKSHIRE Air Ambulance has signed up regional security group Select as the first official member of its newly launched Business Supporters Network.

Now look all they have done is bunged the ambulance people a few shekels, for a good cuase and to make them look nice. What do they get in return? They get to put the Air Ambulance logo on their stuff. Who are they?

Shipley-based Select's services include static security guarding, mobile security patrols, bailiff and civil enforcement officers, key holding and intruder alarm activation response, private events and wedding security, door supervision and tour management.

I know, I am being paranoid, I get it. But there is something intimidating aboutr private security firms who do all that sort of stuff having links with helicopter firms. How soon and we have whirygigs in the firmanent carrying security firm logos, then cameras...

Ok I will go away and lie down.

Sometimes punctuation is vital for clarity

This headline for example could go horribly wrong if the subs start playing around.

Norfolk council bosses rubbish prostitute claims

via @EveningNews

EU Energy chief under legal threat

The world of transparency has finally washed against the shore of Günther Oettinger, the EU's Energy Commissioner.

According to Der Stern he is under investgation for lying about his declaration of interests. Which is a criminal offence in Germany.

He should have mentioned his membership of the Board of Trustees of the Ludwigsburg Festival in his latest declaration on 10 June. He held this post during his time as minister president of the Baden-Württemberg region and failed to declare it even back then, going against regional constitutional law.

Oettinger's Brussels office reportedly explained that the commissioner ''had taken up the honorary post when he became minister president and had not thought it necessary to resign separately from the honorary post when he handed in his resignation from the office of minister president''.

Frank told EurActiv.de that there was no connection between membership of the Board of Trustees and the office of minister president, as Oettinger's successor to the office had not automatically become a member of the board. Moreover, Oettinger would still have had to declare it as one of the activities he has undertaken in the past ten years.

This could cause a whole pile of ructions in the College of Commissioners.

Lightbulb moment at the Telegraph

Smokers could breathe life back into pubs
Philip Johnstonmight just get it.
Fact: Pubs are closing,
Fact: The ban was sold as a way to increase pub takings.

When the ban came fully into effect in the UK on July 1, 2007, polls
suggested that up to 80 per cent of all adults were more likely to visit a pub,
but little of that anticipated new custom actually materialised – while regulars
have vanished.

Fact: It has been counterproductive under its own terms

One perverse outcome of the ban, which was, after all, supposed to protect vulnerable people from the effect of passive smoking, is that many adults stayed at home to smoke, thereby afflicting their children with fumes they might otherwise have avoided. Another purpose was to prevent children seeing smoking and being tempted into the habit – yet, because smokers have to stand in the street, that didn't work, either.

Fact: The Coalition has no intention of being liberal about it, nor learn from the previous government's mistakes.

"We want to restore Britain's traditions of freedom and fairness, and free our society of unnecessary laws and regulations – both for individuals and businesses," says Mr Clegg. He then outlines some of those that the Government intends to throw on to the legislative bonfire and which, to its credit, are already ablaze, like ID cards, Hips and the children's database. But Mr Clegg adds: "Of course, there are other suggestions which aren't going to be taken up by this Government, whether it's – I don't know – the introduction of the death penalty or changing the smoking ban, but at least the debate is now really alive."

Fact: Only one party, UKIP is actively campaigning for an alteration of teh law under the lines suggested here in the Telegraph and by a coalition of publicans.

We urge politicians of all parties to help save our pubs and clubs by introducing an amendment to the ban. If they don't, the traditional English pub will continue to wither on the vine."

Lord Pearson stands down as UKIP leader

A formal statement has gone out from both the Party Chairman and Lord Pearson himself,

Paul Nuttall,

It has been announced today that Lord Pearson of Rannoch is to stand down as Leader of the UK Independence Party.

The Party would like to thank Lord Pearson for all his hard work and endeavour during his time as Party Leader. Lord Pearson took on the leadership six months before the General Election and guided the party to a 50% increase in our share of the vote.

Lord Pearson will remain a UK Independence Party peer and will continue to both represent the party in the House of Lords and raise funds for the cause.

On a personal note, I am saddened to see a Party Leader stand down, whose vision to restructure and professionalise the party I share.

However, I am pleased that Lord Pearson will carry on working tirelessly to help this country extricate itself from the European Union.

The National Executive Committee will meet as soon as possible to appoint an interim Leader before a leadership election will be held following the Annual Party Conference, which will take place in Torquay from 2-4 September 2010.

Lord Pearson's statement,

I took over as leader of UKIP last year to see the party through the General Election, and said I would then consider my position. We increased our vote by 50%, and have many exciting plans for the future. But I have learnt that I am not much good at party politics, which I do not enjoy. I am also 68, and need to give more time to my wider interests. These include the treatment of people with intellectual impairment, teacher training, the threat from Islamism and the relationship between good and evil - not to mention my dogs and my family.

So it is right that I should stand down on September 2nd, early in the Parliament, to give a younger leader time to be established before the next election, which may come sooner than we think. There is no shortage of talent in UKIP, and the new leader will have my full support. I will continue to do what I can to raise funds for the party.

UKIP has never been more important for our freedom as a self-governing democracy. We have a coalition government which supports every new power grab by Brussels: supervision of our financial services; an EU diplomatic corps; new police and surveillance powers; bailing out the folly that is the euro.

Much of this is illegal under the Treaties, but that has never worried Brussels or the Luxembourg Court, which now make most of our national law in a secretive process over which Parliament has no control.

History teaches us that trouble lies ahead when a regime is free to break its own laws with impunity, when it is supported by a puppet court, and when its people are powerless to get rid of it. That is what the European Union has become, and the only way out is the door.

Now the British people are to be allowed a referendum on how they elect their MPs, but they are denied the referendum they were promised on whether those MPs should govern the country; on whether we should remain ensnared in the tentacles of the corrupt EU octopus, or be set free to enjoy the fruits of democracy and free trade.

UKIP must go on telling the truth about “Europe”: how we cannot control immigration if we stay in the EU; the madness of throwing £6.7 billion a year in net cash down the Brussels drain when we face savage cuts at home; the terrible suffering in developing countries caused by the Common Agricultural and Fisheries policies; that only some 10% of our GDP goes in trade with the EU, yet its dictats strangle 100% of our economy; that leaving the EU would create jobs, not lose them.

UKIP deserves a better politician than me to lead it and show the country how liberating and enriching life would be outside the EU. I am confident that one will emerge.

Personally I am saddened by Lord Pearson's departure. I like and respect the man, but I know that he will continue fighting the good fight in the Lords and elsewhere.

In the meantime this makes the Party Conference look even more fun.

Press coverage
Telegraph,
Guardian,
Mail,
Independent,
PA,
BBC,
Sky,
New Statesman
New Europe

Roll up, roll up, last chance to be bought

Quick quick, you have until tomorrow to enrol at the EU's latest workshop for young jounalists.
This is to take place over three days in October and is to focus on the admittedly interesting fact that,

the number of journalists in Brussels dropped from 1,300 to 752 in the past five years?

Well actually I have my own theory about that. You see in the past many of the journalists were basically lobbyists moonlighting as journalists. The institutions cracked down on the obvious conflicts of interest. Thus there are fewer registered journalists.

But anyhow I note that though this is to take place on EU premisis and is being advertised by the EU itself, it is being run by another organistation, something that calls itself the European Youth Press.

Based in Germany this appears to be an EU front organisation.

Some of its objectives are well, read them for yourselves,

"Cooperation between young journalists in Europe
Education of young people to democraticc, consciously acting humans
Education of multipliers and strengthening the role of youth media in Europe
Education for media competence among young people in Europe
The participation of young people

You know the sort of thing. Ofcourse a young journalist cannot in themselves become a member. This is another of those EU actors that has as a membership only other organisations which share its aims, or swim in a similar pond. So they claim to have 48,000 members - Uhuh yeah right.

They appear to get 77% of their funding from the The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency and they also list The Council of Europe as supporters.

So we can be sure that the bright fluffy-eyed, and doe-tailed types turning up in October will get a honest account of the institutional carry on.

Iceland's application to join the EU a "door bell prank"

Hjörtur J. Guðmundsson has come up with a splendid simile to describe how Iceland's EU application is going back on the island.

"So astonished in fact that Icelandic lawmakers have repeatedly been asked if the EU application delivered by the Icelandic government in 2009 is really serious. Well, quite frankly it isn't. It is a door bell prank. No one really is there when the bell rings and the door is opened."

The only people interested are, as always, a limited group of politicians.

How not to do web PR

Last week, Jon Worth highlighted the business of Citizalia, and taking his lead I joined in the joshing.

It seems that the good folks with 235,000 euros of your cash were a classic example of not liking it up 'em. Back to Mr Worth.

Virginia - Land of the Free

Via Mr Puddlecote

In the end quality will out

Frustrated by years of falling standards, and with them a growing gulf between the private education sector and the taxpayer funded sector, there is a growing rush of state schools taking up the International GCSE. This exam system was set up in order to placate the mainly Commonwealth countries who looked at the decline in Englsih eductaion and rejected the National curriculum backed normal GCSE.

Initially the exam was chosen mostly by private schools, but now, according to this report in the Independent we can see that it is becoming the exam of choice in those state schools who do not wish their pupils to be left behind.

One of the state schools to switch to the IGCSE is Parkside in Cambridge – a school which believes it has the highest number of scientists living in its catchment area of any in the country due to its proximity to the university. Mark Carrington, the chairman of its governing body and a biochemist at the university, said: "I have two sons who have done science GCSE and A-levels and I found that the science they did was nice and cuddly science which didn't provide the depth of understanding you need to progress."

This can only be a good thing and hopefully what we will see here is an educational 'reverse Gresham'.

A total of 300 UK schools – most independent – will receive their IGCSE results today, 12 days before GCSE results are released.

Their numbers will swell to 500 next year but it will be 2012 before the growth in state schools switching to the new exam comes into effect.

Last month, the first since the Education Secretary, Michael Gove, announced that state schools could teach the IGCSEs, the Cambridge IGCSE received 26 new applications to start taking the exam from September – 16 from state schools and 10 from the independent sector. In addition, 60 state schools have signed up for a session to be trained in teaching the exam in September.

Of course the Independent's commentators are not fully supportive of the trend,

Of course many state schools are happy to offer parents the nostalgia associated with a return to "O" levels, it is a buyers market.

Look here Quietzappple , with your ED Balls avatar. What you denounce as nostalgia is in fact a desire that children leave 11 years of compulsory education with a modicum of learning. It is you and people like you that have condemned two generations to falling educational standards. Something that I regard as a crime against reason which has destroyed the hopes and opportunities of millions. Something that though not without precedent (I understand education declined inthe period after the Romans left us) is a complete disgrace.

So all power to the elbow of those schools prepared to demand better.

Ruddy foriegners coming over here, bringing their apostrophes

That is a formal description of the Saxon Genitive. Or in words,

In a nutshell, this graph can recognise:
- either noun + noun :
- or pronoun + noun:
- wives and childrens mouths -> <>
- anothers company -> .

I can only thank Odile Piton and Hélène Pignot for their enthralling monograph about the growth of the apostrophe in the English language. It appears the reason for all our confusions is that it is a foriegn import.

Explain's everything.

The mortal danger of spoons

Glorious story of the automaton nation we have become.

Carol said: “A woman asked to search my bag. She brought out the spoons we were going to use for our strawberries and cream.
“She said: ‘You can’t take these in.’ I said ‘Why not?’. She said: ‘Because they’re metal.’ I had to leave them behind.

And there, in a picnic basket is all the illustration you need that as a people we have collectively displaced our mind. No discretion, no thought, no contest. Out of a visceral fear of being discriminatory.
"Madam, if we let you in with spoons, good Lord, imagine, everybody might want to bring them in. And where would we be then Eh? Eh?"

Or in point of fact,

A spokeswoman for Glamorgan Cricket said the searches were in line with England and Wales Cricket Board guidelines.

She added: “Metal cutlery is not allowed into grounds. The stewards explained this to the couple who decided they did not want to enter, which is a shame.”

Colwyn Bay committee member Tom Birchall described the checks as “completely overboard”.

He said: “This is happening throughout the country. It’s ridiculous, but we can’t do anything about it.”

Not true Mr Birchall, you can organise a spoon protest. You could hand everybody going into the ground a single teaspoon. You can fight idiocy with idiocy. In the end laughing at these bureacratic nincompoops is the best way to deal with them.

Liberty is there to be defended. Common sense can be rescued. But only if you take direct action.

So Cry God for Harry, St David and unaggressive cutlery.

Rubbing our noses in it

The new EU Ambassador to the United States has started off very well. Very diplomatically.
Joao Vale de Almeida, for it is he has dug right in. According to the Washington post he has finally answered Kissinger's supposedly plaintive call,

"In this area code, you call me,"

He went on in a way that is sure to put people's (mine included) noses out of joint.

"I'm supposed to have a wider mandate than my predecessors," the head of the EU delegation to the United States added during an interview at the EU mission in
Washington.
"Our delegations now cover a wide spectrum of issues well beyond the economic dimension, trade dimension and regulatory dimension, to cover all policies in the union, including foreign policy and security policy," he said.
His job reflects changes introduced with the Treaty of Lisbon which came into force in December enhancing the EU's capacity to "operate more effectively and act more cohesively in matters of foreign affairs and security," the EU said.

So please somebody explain what is left for Her Britanic Majesty's Ambassador left to do in Washington apart from to prop up the bar and to complain about the portrayal of BP, and the use of British actors as baddies in Hollywood?

It is apparant that they have nothing else to discuss now that Europe has shaken of its pre-Lisbon torpor.

There again given that Nigel Shienwald was formerly UK Rep in Brussels then at least he knows the form.

Update
Glad to see my story picked up by the Telegraph, Nile Gardiner and now the Express and the Specator.

Comedy response from the FO to the Speccie,

The Foreign Office contact me to state that the EU isn't proposng to levy taxes, that the EIO won't put additional stress on police forces and that the European diplomatic service will not replace the UK diplomatic service.

So what was Lewandowski saying about EU taxes? What does the EIO do? And what the hell is the point of the EEAS if it isn't to take over the role of our diplomatic corps.

Does the FO think we are all as stupid as it is? (No don't answer that)

The Church goes Bon(g)kers

The Church of England is striving as ever to be recognised as a relevant part of our cultural landscape. What better way to get involved with some half cooked publicity stunt on behalf of the UN. It has announced that it is encouraging all parishes with a peal of bells to get with the project and fire of a few changes in favour of biodiversity.

The crisis of faith - forget about it. Crass intolerance of diversity of belief in the General Synod. Nothing to see.

A bug becoming extinct in deepest Nepal, toll the bells.

As John Donne may well have put it,

"Send not to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for the Margarya mansuyi"

Don't the idiots who run these things see that this will merely be seen as bandwagon jumping. Don't they realise that they are there to minister to our spiritual need? It is not as if there aren't plenty of organisations who are doing the work of highlighting the plight of life on earth.

No they don't instead they go on like this,

"David Shreeve, the Church of England’s national environment adviser said: “As
Christians we believe it is important to care for God’s creation and our natural world is suffering because of our own actions. Many of our estimated 10,000 churchyards are full with often rare biodiversity and others in towns and cities support fewer, but equally important wildlife. The church is providing protected havens right on our own doorstep.”

Hold on a minute here, apart from the obvious fact that pealing away at between 12 and 2 will no doubt disturb any number of bats in their belfries, which will, naturally be in breach of some regulation or other (specifically The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 - based upon EU regulation 1992 the European Union's Council Directive on The Conservation of Natural Habitats of Wild Fauna and Flora (better known as the Habitats Directive)) Love that website, it tells me how to report a bat crime, (no doubt by using the bat phone or by going to the police in the bat copter).

What the hell is the Church of England doing with a 'national Environmental advisor'? They are broke for Pete's sake. Parishes up and down the country are being squeezed and most these days do not even have a limpid curate (male or female) to complain about over the scones.

I don't recall, which of the apostles was designated the Apostle for small furry animals - was it Luke, or Timothy?

I suppose we could make St Swithun the patron Saint of Climate change?

I note I am not the only congregant to have issues with this

Yakuza nostalgia

Over at Boing Boing one of the best PS3 reviews in history. A journalist who has covered the Japanese crime scene for 13 years gathers some Yakuza to review the new Yakuza 3 game. The game has as its hero a former yakuza driven back to mega violence when the orphange he now runs is threatened by the normal list of baddies.

Here is one splendid part of the review. M, S and K are the three Yakuza reviewers,

M: The corporate yakuza guys get a thumbs up for realism. Nice suit. Smart. Financially savvy. Obsessed with money. Sneaky and conniving. Ruthless.

S: There are a lot of guys whom I feel like I know. The dialogue is right too. They sound like yakuza.

K: Braggarts, bullies, and sweet-talkers. I agree — it feels like I know the guys on the screen.

M: Kiryu is the way yakuza used to be. We kept the streets clean. People liked us. We didn't bother ordinary citizens. We respected our bosses. Now, guys like that only exist in video games.

S: I don't know any ex-yakuza running orphanages.

K: There was one a few years ago. A good guy.

M: You sure it wasn't just a tax shelter?

K: Sure it was a tax shelter but he ran it like a legitimate thing. You know.

Read the whole thing

£5 million for a few pens!!!

Marta Andreasen has today revealed that the European Parliament has just contracted a firm to the tune of £5 million to produce what are amusingly described as 'communication objects'.

As she points out, "It appears that the word austerity doesn't translate into any of the EU's 25 official languages".

She is now going to see if there are any links between the hlders of the contract a local Belgian fim by the name of International Graphic Editions & Promotions and the Parliamentary authorities. Not they have of course, but you know, weirder confluicts of interest have arisen before.

No poofs in power in Muslim lands (eg Belgium)

seems to be the clear message received by Walloon socialist leader and likely next PM of Belgium, Elio di Rupo on Friday.

The letter sent to the Flemish TV station VTM makes the point pretty clearly,

"In the name of Allah, in a Muslim country like Belgium a homesexual must never become Prime Minister"

The threat is downplayed in the Le Soir which makes light of the affair, pointing out that there are many threats and that the "the dog that barks the loudest is not the dog that bites". It also points to a rather marvellous Wlliam Tell response from Queen Fabiola after a death threat this year,

"At one time, somebody threatened that they were so angry that they would kill her on the square with a crossbow at the National day procession on July 21st. She responded to the threat by carrying an apple during the event." (my translation)

I doff my hat Ma'am

That EU taxation proposal, a positive slant

Greg Henning, at the EU Weekly blog has taken a look at Commissioner Lewandowski's kite flying about EU taxation earlier in the week and has definitely come down on the side of it being a good thing (as has Jon Worth for that matter).

They seem to approve for a couple of reasons. In the case of Jon, he seems to think that by tieing taxation policies to European Elections this would increase turn out, and this increase the legitimacy of those elections. I am sure he is right, and in some way it would be no bad thing. Methinks that the vote for one small party would rocket at least in the UK, and its group in the Parliament would probably outgrow its current offices (indeed I declare an interest given that I work for that group).

Of course in the case of the UK, the fact that a clear majority of people would vote for parties that utterly reject direct EU taxes (and yes I know that they would be indirect to the individual, but they would be paid direct to the EU) would have interesting ramifications which Jon, as a European federalist would find distinctly distasteful, but as a democrat he would accept with a heavy heart.

Such a scenario would play to the Leninist notion of worse is better (though as an aside it appears he was mockingly quoting somebody else).

Anyhow back to Mr Henning he says, correctly in my view,

However, at a moment when austerity – re branded smart spending in France – is one of the favorite policy among EU countries, being able to reduce the EU budget line is a big psychological plus; the sort of thing some government would be delighted to announce. Of course, this wouldn’t really reduce the contribution from a country, it would just be paid directly and not via the government.

Where we disagree is as follows,

Such a tax is a big step toward more Europe and a greater Union. But this is just the beginning. I would really appreciate taking this step, but that might not be enough. If one day I can choose between filling a French tax form or a European one, that would be so much great – but there are some progress to make in a lot of domains between we can get there.

He suggests it might not be enough, I cannot imagine what he is thinking of here, but it rather worries me. And he then posits the situation that one could choose to which jurisdiction the money goes to.

Oh, would that that be the case. The EU would wither on its own CAP funded vine. I cannot see anybody seriously choosing the EU as a recipient of their tax rather than their local national governments. It would be honest, Yes. It would be transparent, also Yes. But it would result in the almost simultaneous closing down of the EU.

Result.

Climate Alarmism weekend: paid by you

Yes you, the lucky taxpayer is paying for a range of Climate Alarmism training sessions. These sessions of which the fourth, fifth and sixth will be taking place at the following locations,

9 to 10 September 2010, Learning and Conference Centre, Nottingham
24 to 25 November 2010, Warwick Conference Centre
8 to 9 March 2011, Warwick Conference Centre

are specifically desingned for your elected local representatives and their hangers on,

Elected members with portfolios relating to climate change including environment and planning, transport, regeneration, housing, corporate strategy. Leaders and deputy leaders. Opposition spokespersons. Chairs of scrutiny panels.

Better still they will focus on some pretty important issues,

In a fast moving policy landscape, opportunities for local authorities to show leadership are broad, but also present many challenges.

This course offers participants the opportunity to learn more about the latest developments, how the best local authorities are approaching climate change, and the benefits of strong political leadership.

It will be an invigorating time,

It is designed to expose participants to a mix of expert guest speakers, discussion, networking, dynamic learning methods and stimulating activities.

Got to love the idea of 'dynamic learning methods' and those 'stimulating activities' sound a blast.

Best of all, it will be free at the point of use,

The course is offered free of charge to senior elected members as part of the IDeA’s programme on climate change.

You will not be surprised to hear that I have FoI'd it on cost and participation. I will, of course, report back.

We are obliged to put people out of work

Sorry, you see only by trashing their futures can we theoretically save the planet.
Seems a perfectly ane and reasonable thing for our Government to do. After all, because of those nasty Europeans they have no choice now do they.

When will they wake up?

The House at Star Carr

More stuff dug up by trowels. This time a very old dwelling at Star Car near Scarborough,

Teams from Manchester and York universities who are working at Star
Carr, near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, said the Stone Age house dates
to 8,500 years BC, when Britain was still connected to mainland Europe.

The team, which also uncovered an 11,000-year-old tree trunk, unearthed
the 3.5m circular structure next to a former lake.

The house predates the house previously thought to be Britain's oldest,
at Howick, Northumberland, by at least 500 years.

That being said they had been making pots in Japan for 1500 years by then. Still fascinating stuff

What should journalists do?

Slugger points to a fascinating exchange,

In the North journalists were sometimes told to hold back on a story in case they might do damage to the delicate administration,

The chap quoted, David Gordon, political editor of the Belfast Telegraph, may well be making it clear that he would have no truck with this. But he would not be raising the sisue at all if this sort of approach by the Government didn't have some impact on journalists.

What is it with EU construction?

Yet again, another EU building has a case of the wobbles, this time the vastly expensive Committee of the Regions headquarters building, the Jacques Delors.

Part of a false ceiling in the Jacques Delors building in Brussels - shared by the European Union's Committee of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee - fell down over the weekend, according to a statement issued by the two institutions.
Parts of a false ceiling in an atrium on the fifth floor of the building on Rue Belliard collapsed during the night between Saturday and Sunday (7-8 August). No-one was hurt.

This follows the farce of the Strasbourg collapse. Are the Gremlins trying to tell us something?

It used to be trade then conquest

But now it might seem to be aid then conquest.

The story of British India can be boiled down (with all sorts of caveats) into the move from the trading relationship of the East India Company which morphed over time into a military relatuionship through Plassy and Clive, to full militarily backed colonialism after the Mutiny.

These plans by Pierre Lellouche, France's EU minister, seem to be at the early stage but follow me on my putative journey.

He is calling for a

crisis response force to deal with emergencies such as Russia's wildfires.

In an interview with Le Figaro published today (10 August), Lellouche said: “At European level it would be good to have real mutual assistance capabilities in the case of emergencies”. Lellouche said that he had stressed to European partners the importance of pooling assets to create a European emergency force after the earthquake in Haiti.

Of course if you are to have a bunch of civilians disapearing around the world to disaster zones then you will find that in many, if not most, cases these will be going into areas that are not merely hit by natural disasters, but are also politicaly unstable too. So therefore there will need to be a force protection body to ensure that all your humanitarian types are kept safe.

Imagine if you will if he were suggesting that this force were to go to Pakistan now to help with the floods. There is no way that they could go without being tooled up, as the locals might well take to shooting doctors and so on.

And thus it starts.

I am amused by the fact that he really wants to send teams to Russia, who have pointedly not asked for help. Must be frustrating for him, all this national soveriegnty.

"UKIP set to music"

So says Dr (Sir) Jonathan Miller as he attempts to disparage the music (and I suspect even more the librettos) of Gilbert and Sullivan.

And you know, I think he is right. But of course for all the wrong reasons. You see Dr Miller is a great Pooh-Bah, one of those pious idiots who thinks that anything that smacks of humour is tantamount to a betrayal of his serious art (which is a bit wierd fro somebody who cut his teeth on Beyond the Fringe). But it is not humour per se, but more the gentle, though terribly serious mocking of pomposity that is his problem. It is the very Englishness that gets to him.

So does this fit with UKIP? Humerous, mocking, serious but worn lightly, as Rupert Chritiensen says, driven by "the urge to puncture pretension and pomposity", and above all comfortable in its skin and very, very British.

How Sir W S Gilbert would have enjoyed today's makeweight political class,

I grew so rich
That I was sent
By a pocket borough
Into Parliament.
I always voted
At my party's call,
And I never
Thought of thinking
For myself at all.

The International Environmental Criminal Court (IECC),

Does that fill you with a warm glow?
Scares the very pants of me.

The exponetial growth in international bodies operating withpout any democratic oversight, and yet with powers and sanctions against companies and individuals worries me greatly. So therefore I regard this chap, Mr Paul Garlick, as a complete menace.
He may be a very fine lawyer, a silk no less. But no matter how good he may be as a lawyer, and one who has experience in 'Corporate Manslaughter and Health and Safety issues'.
But nobody is going to convince me that he is a scientist, so it is with some surprise that I note that he was in the European Parliament, argueing in favour of both a European and an International Environmental Criminal Court - as a

Member of the IAES Scientific Committee

So if he isn't a scientist what is he doing there. Well he is acting in his own self interrest that is true, wghat with his experinece both in European Criminal Law and on international bodies such as his stint as a

International Judge to the War Crimes Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina

I can see him making serious sums if such a body was ever to be set up.

And if it is and if as it says its remit should include,

"Public health
Climate change
Biodiversity
Ecological damage

Then shouldn't those who argue against climate alarmism, and are described as 'deniers' get a little bit worried.

The crowd invited to the European Parliament say this,

"Such reforms will make an essential contribution to the protection of the environment, to prevent its pollution and to provide sanctions against any violation.

Furthermore, we trust that the ENVI Committee, because of its highest institutional role and in the wake of the interest repeatedly shown by the Commission with a series of formal acts, will want to write an historical page within the environmental panorama of Mother Earth."(Their emphasis)

Oi North, Delingpole et al, I think they mean you...

"scientifically proved to be effective and safe"

This will be fun.
According to the Eurpopean Communities Health Care Scheme (JSIS). Money spent on homeopathic remedies will be reimbursed if it,

"has been scientifically proved to be effective and safe."

We have sent in a question asking how many homeopathic products are included in this description, and precsiely which evidence has been used to prove the efficacy and safety.

Looking forward to the answer to that one.

The EU wants more of your money - but wants to hide the fact

Currently the money that goes from the UK to the EU is pretty visible. It goes in the form of a direct block based upon the relative wealth of the country. There are also subventions from VAT and so on.

But in these times of austerity, with budgets being cut across the public sector, governments are a little embarrased that they are unable to cut the amount being sent to Brussels.

So what to do to silence the critics? Tough job.

So the EU is now floating an idea that will allow them to get their hands on people's cash, whislt simultaneously allowing Governments to pretend that the ampount of money going to Brussels is decreasing. Thus shifting the cost burden to Joe public below the obvious balance sheet.

Thus we have the Budget Commissioner Mr Janusz Lewandowski talking to the FT Duetschsland (and reported by EU Observer)

"If the EU had more of its own revenues, then transfers from national budgets could be reduced. I hear from several capitals, including important ones like Berlin, that they would like to reduce their contribution," he added.

He indicated that possible tax sources for Brussels could include an aviation tax and a financial transaction tax. Mr Lewandowski also has his eye on the money raised from the auctioning of CO2 emissions rights, something due to start in 2013.

The dishonesty is palpable. This money is still gouing to come from the punter, in these cases through increased costs, and it will be less transparent.

Though of course if on the bill for your flight, or on your bank charges there was a line
"Taxes for EU contribution", then maybe it would be at least honest. But that isn't going to happen. The businesses in question, desperate not to upset their regulatory masters would never do anything as honest. (except maybe Ryanair)

Update
Maybe Lewandowski is shooting the breeze

HT @OpenEurope

Public Health, Private choice.

You know when it a quite news period when Professor Steve Field's comments get front page staus in the Observer. There is so much wrong with his articlem, after a couple of basic platitudes that I leave it to the far more erudite Longrider to point you the way.

His comment,

Cholera in the water supply was a matter of public health. Individual lifestyle choices are not. It is beholden on you to respect that decision.

Makes the point far better than I can.

HT Mr Puddlecote

Orthodox Islam comments upon Ahmadiyya

Interesting snippet from Memri about Ahmadi beliefs. The commentator, Anas Zahed writes for Al-Madina, an official Saudi newspaper.

"Islam without jihad is the product of colonialism and is in no way connected to the Islam of Muhammad. Without question, the greatest jihad is personal jihad, and therein lies the proof that the term jihad in Islam is not limited [solely] to waging war... [But] this does not mean that the term jihad does not include many other aspects, among them those which relate to the individual's responsibilities to society, and the relations of the [Muslim] society and ummah with societies and countries that declare war on a Muslim state.
"[However,] ever since the American [declaration of] war against what is called terrorism, there has emerged a group of Arab and Muslim authors and academics who try to limit jihad to one dimension, namely to personal jihad. This is exactly what happened in India during the period of British colonialism, when the Qadian sect, also known as Ahmadiyya, emerged and rejected the principle of fighting the colonialists. [They] abolished the duty of jihad in the sense of waging war, and were content with preaching merely personal jihad.

It seems that there is the problem with the Ahmadi congregation. They reject violence.

What is a Library for?

Silly question I know.
However I am learning afresh. I have just received a Library Card from the London Borough of Southwark. With it came a letter from the Council telling me what I can get from the library.

• All the latest films on DVD
• Music CDs of every description

Maybe I had joined blockbusters?

• Free access to the internet and computers
• Book discussion groups
• Homework help
• Baby and toddler sessions

I was beggining to despair, but no down at point 7

• Books for all ages and interests

Look I know that libraries seem to feel a need to be relevant. But hold on a moment.
If I go to Blockbuster and hire, to take a film at random, say Veggie Tales: Sweetpea Beauty then it will cost me £5 for unlimited rentals for a month. So why are the precious pennies of council tax payers pretending to be able to compete with a vibrant and competitive market.

Since the demise of the Boots lending library there is no competition in the lending out of books.

Dammit they can corner the market.

What is going on in Bicester?

I only ask because something very troubling has come up.

The story of the Eco-Town to be built on pristine countryside is one of ebbs and flows (at present there seems to be some sort of stalemate) between those who want to build it, and those who don't.

However this statement by one of its proponents rather too me aback today,

High on the agenda is money to pay for land for a desperately needed cemetery

It is a new town, nobody lives there yet, and they are worrying about piles of corpses stacking up. Are they expecting some eco friendly type serial killers to turn up?

I mean yes, they will probably have to expand the current Bisceter burial ground, but 'desperately'?

Australia increasingly sceptical about alarmism

According to a new poll from Gallup,

Australians' attitudes about global warming could be a factor later this month in the general election where climate change has emerged as an issue. The percentage of Australians who are aware of climate change and say it results from human activities fell from 52% in June 2008 to 44% in March 2010, while the number attributing it to natural causes increased 10 percentage points.

Particularly in the light of the people of Australia's interest in the subject,

Awareness of climate change in Australia remains among the highest measured in the world -- 97% say they know "a great deal" (24%) or "something" (73%) about the issue.

More good news for Mr Abbott I see.

Should the Tories still be boasting of their Rawanda links?

I ask, because the official Tory Blue blog has just put a post up doing exactly that.

Paul Kagame has been the Tories favourite African dictator for quite a while now, and these trips have been going on for years. Indeed it is almost like some sort of rite of passage for those who wish to be seen as Cameroons to have been on one of the young pioneer trips to Kigali.

Cameron himself went to see Kagame just at the moment that his own consituency dissapeared under water and then invited Kagame to speak at the Tory Conference.

Now we are hearing more and more stories coming out about clampdowns on the press and opoposition figures in the run up to presidential elections could it be that the close links forged over the years may become a millstone around their necks?

After all it is not as if they were not warned at the time.

The Prosecutor at Arusha is in possession of primâ facie evidence which would easily suffice, in ordinary circumstances, to justify the drawing of and issuing of an indictment for prosecution of Kagame and other senior RPF adherents for grave crimes against humanity and war crimes. Much of this evidence has been provided to the prosecutor by Professor Filip Reyntjens of Antwerp University who has frequently appeared as an impressive expert witness at the ICTR. He makes little secret of what he has made available and that it amounts to allegations of grave crimes against Kagame and many of his RPF supporters.

The body of evidence is, I have it on impeccable authority, substantial, compelling and of the gravest nature. Such an Indictment is only withheld for political reasons, I believe.

Now Sweden considers restrictions on the Burka

The education minister was talking to public radio and said,

“Teaching is communication. It’s about being able to look at each other in the eyes and communicate with each other,” Jan Bjoerklund told Swedish public radio.
“In that way, I mean it is extremely unsuitable to allow clothing which covers the face,”

Well that should be pretty uncontroversial. But this might be seen as such,

Mr Bjoerklund yesterday said he thought it would be unfair to allow young women wearing face-covering veils to complete an education aimed at employment in Swedish pre-schools, since they would likely never get a job.

“Children must be able to look at their nursery school teacher to see if she is... happy or worried or whatnot,” he said.

Which is also true, but just because it is sensible, does it in this world of rights and equality hoo ha, amount to discrimination?

A defence of Quillam

Sunny Hundal has had the guts to publish this, which was rejected by the Guardian.

I applaud him. The way that the Guardian villified the Quillam Foundation the other day was outrageous, thouh sadly not unexpected.

That pensioner had previous

It appears that Robert Clive Whatley the pensioner whose car was smashed in by police has previous. And we all know that people who have previous should be dealt with strongly.

It is just his previous is in beating off a conviction and suing the police.

A PENSIONER who accused a Gwent police officer of assaulting him in a court case in July is to sue the force after being cleared of all the convictions against him.
Robert Clive Whatley, 64, was convicted of using insulting words and behaviour and motoring offences at Abergavenny magistrates court last July.
The key witness in the case against Mr Whatley was PC Jonathan Ellis, from Abergavenny, who last week pleaded guilty to stealing £80 from a purse handed to him while he was on duty.

Well he is obviously a wrong un then... The police will have tapped in his details into their little computor and seen all that history.

Stands to reason that they stood on his car and kicked his windscreen in, whilst simultaneously smashing in the door window.

Hat tip OH

Just love this visual attack on Dan Hannan

On Eurogoblin

And though I agree with Dan that the BNP being a national socilist party are indeed left wing in that sense I think the Goblin does have a point.

Though he no doubts accepts Mao, Stalin, Pol Pot, and others as left wing

All hail Jon Worth: worster of Simocracy

And his ongoing campaign against European Parliamentary 'tinterweb excess.

And the latest cyber boondoggle in his sights is Citizalia. And boy oh boy it does seem worthy of his contempt. (See virtual MEP - Green perhaps - on the right) For the paltry sum of about 1 million Euros (out of a budget of about 4 million - see below for update) the firm, European Service Network has been commissioned to create a virtual Parliament. (page 21. and I note that Mostra behind the infamous and useless MyParl website is involved in the largesse)

It is an exercise in Sim-democracy (simocracy?) He reckons it looks alright (I think it looks about 10 years out of date). According to its PR puff,

Citzalia is democracy in action. It is role playing game and social networking
forum wrapped in a virtual 3D world that captures the essence of the European
Parliament. You may even recognise parts of the building.

I can see the huge crowds of 'der kidz' getting excited about it now. Clamoring to be part of the project

Citzalia is a world you inhabit and help create. Using your avatar you can walk around, interact, network, debate the issues of today, propose legislation, vote and learn about how the European Parliament works for citizens. You can be a
Member of the European Parliament (MEP), a journalist, a student or any role you
want to create.

Any role I want to create - Guy Fawkes perhaps? Can I set fire to it? Or maybe be a belligerent member of a French trade union and throw week old virtual offal at the walls? Or a Euro Banksy?

Others will be able to vote on the quality of your proposals and you will be able to vote on theirs. By earning experience points you will be able move up to new expert levels in Citzalia.

The question remains. Do points win prizes? Once I have mastered the trialogue and comitology, do I get a virtual audience with a virtual Buzek? Can I slide a digital stiletto between the ribs of a saturnine pixilated Kalus Welle?

Current Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and European officials will be on hand to guide you through the procedures and provide background information.

Not that they have any real work to do. maybe this is a good idea after all, it would keep them out of trouble and stop them legislating and regulating for a short while... who knows. There again if EP officials are to be spending time on this, who is paying them to give one to one tutorials to bored students in Vilnius, how many staff will be online 24/7? And how much will that cost?

Via Jon

A certain Paolo at ESN has told us that the website's, "total funding for the project is about 275,000 euros". Which is odd as the Parliament's tender document says that the maximum allowed is 250,000. So he must be including the co funding from ESN itself.

Death to Belgium: Long live the EU

An interesting article by Morgan Meis on the crisis facing Belgium and the possible salvation offered that land by being in the EU.

In more radical terms, this would mean that the nation state in general, in Europe, could become superfluous. A shocking thought, no doubt. But with the EU providing a federal role, and local and regional governments doing the rest, what good is the nation? The nation state can simply be replaced by direct regional relationships with the transnational body called the EU. If Catalonia is part of the EU, what need for Spain? If Sardinia is an EU member, why the extra baggage of Italy? This isn't to say that all national entities must be dissolved, simply that many of them have outlived their usefulness.

Interesting and maybe practical in some places. But as with everything European, one size does not fit all, and one man's solution to intractable, linguistic, cultural, ethnic problems is another mans tyrany.

As he admits,

Perhaps it will never work out that way. Perhaps the inherent tension between different regional identities always drives people into conflict. Maybe the whole project of the EU will collapse into a disaster that will make the nightmare of last century's world wars look like a good-humored rehearsal for Armageddon. Maybe people simply love killing too much. But I, for one, am learning to appreciate the new separatism. Death, I say, death to Belgium.

That is one enormous Salami

The way that teh EU takes power, regulates and generally does stuff is often described as 'salami slicing' or the boil a frog method. Essentially incrementally power drips and cost increases.

Here is an example. Last week I was looking at a judgement at the ECJ. It was about vouchers and VAT or more specifically Retail vouchers provided by an undertaking to its employees as part of their remuneration. I tried to get a few papers interested but frankly my expertiese was not enough to make it comprehensible.

Now the specialist press have got hold of it, and now I start to realise what one small judgement means in reality,

A ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on VAT on salary sacrifice schemes could see HMRC assessing employers for output tax over the last four years, tax advisers have warned....
With the ECJ telling HMRC to collect VAT on some schemes, businesses could lose up to ‘half a billion pounds over the past four years in unpaid VAT, and over £100m per year going forward,’ according to law firm DLA Piper.

An extra £100 million a year in costs on business! Just like that.

UpdateThis case will however please some beer purists.

Update
It seems that the Telegraph finally noticed.

British businesses offering staff vouchers as part of a salary sacrifice scheme will no longer be entitled to recoup VAT costs after a European court ruling, costing them up to £150m a year, accountants have warned.

2010 will be the ‘Year of EU Regulation’.”

So says Mark Watts the former Labour MEP who heads up the Luther Pendragon office in Brussels. That may be the case, though I wish he wasn't so damnably happy about it.

“Regulation is now back in fashion in a big way and we know Brussels will be seeking to regulate almost every sector in 2010. Luther is advising clients that 2010 will be the ‘Year of EU Regulation’.”

I suppose we better not tell Vince Cable who has today announced his One in One Out program for regulation. As Lord Pearson, the UKIP leader puts it,

"what on earth does he propose to do with the avalanche of EU regulations? For this policy to have any real affect it must include EU regulations...Given that it would be illegal under EU law to abolish EU regulations unilaterally, then I can safely assume is that the assessment is, "tough, we are going to keep them'".

Glad to see young Olly Kaye has something to keep him off the streets though.

Bearing up

On the excellent 'Oh What now' comes this little piece about the cost of maintaining offshore wind farms.

It is rather obvious that the estimate suggested of 100 man hours is wildly innacurate. As he says,

100 man hours after 5 years of operation in a salt water environment. Utter Hogwash. It will take more than 100 man hours just to reach the turbine in
question.

So I took a wander and discovered this. This is

The Offshore Wind Farm Operations & Maintenance Excellence Conference 2010

The industry itself seems to be very worried,

Most offshore wind farms to date have faced unexpected maintenance demands and seen costs rise sharply, to a level which would significantly delay or prevent new projects being profitable. For investors, it makes offshore wind an unattractive risk and for developers it damages the business case significantly.

As one commentator to the blog points out,

I have some experience of these wind turbines in Denmark.

About 5% of main bearings fail in the first 2 years of operation. The rotor has to be removed to replace the bearing. Offshore, you need a "lift boat" with a special crane to remove the rotor- the lift boat has legs that extend to the seabed and jack up the boat to make a stable platform for the crane. Etc etc- the bottom line is that it is not economical to replace the bearing- once it fails the whole turbine is shut down for good. There are dozens of them offshore Denmark that have been shut down for years now.

So the ongoing costs of the Government's great plan to spread a carpet of these things round the coast

Britain, which is already the world leader in offshore wind power generation,
will require 7,500 turbines in its coastal waters by 2020 to meet European Union
energy targets

is going to be what exactly?

Via EU Referendum

Want some money? Sure you do

Then roll up, roll up, roll up.

The European Commission has just launched its latest call for tenders,

FP7-ENV-2011
EPSS is now available for this call for proposals
Identifier: FP7-ENV-2011

Publication Date: 20 July 2010

Budget: € 155 000 000

Deadline: 16 November 2010 at 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)

Yes they are just about to hand out €155 million - about £130 million, of our money. And what pray do you have to do to get your mits on this cash?

Well your project just needs to fit into this list of possibilities,

Activity 6.1 Climate Change, pollution and risks
Sub-Activity 6.1.1 Pressures on environment and climate
Area 6.1.1.1 The Earth System and Climate: Functioning and abrupt changes
Area 6.1.1.2 Emissions and pressures: Natural and anthropogenic
Area 6.1.1.3 The Global Carbon Cycle - greenhouse gas budgets
Area 6.1.1.4 Future climate
Area 6.1.1.5 Climate change natural and socio-economic impacts
Area 6.1.1.6 Response strategies: adaptation, mitigation and policies
Area 6.1.2.1 Health impacts of climate change
Area 6.1.2.2 Health effects of environmental stressors other than climate
change
Area 6.1.2.3 Methods and decision support tools for environmental health
risk analysis and policy development

There are of course other things you might want to do, but here is the overview (emphasis mine).

Objective of the Environment Theme (according to FP7 Specific Programme for 'Cooperation'):

To promote sustainable management of the natural and human environment and its resources by advancing our knowledge on the interactions between the biosphere, ecosystems and human activities, and developing new technologies, tools and services, in order to address in an integrated way global environmental issues. Emphasis will be put on prediction of climate, ecological, earth and ocean systems changes, on tools and on technologies for monitoring, prevention and mitigation of environmental pressures and risks including on health and for the sustainability of the natural and man-made environment.

Now one of the fun things about EU funding is that it requires match funding generally of at least 40%. Now if we are talking £130 million on this tranche alone that will require match funding of over £50 million - which will come from - well yes mostly from national Government funds.

So when I read, as I did recently that evil oil companies were putting upwards of $1 million into climate sceptic organisations (front page banner headlines in the Times) I start to think, its not really in the same ball park is it?

As Richard North has pointed out before and John Rosenthal has done recently after a while you start to be talking serious money. All paid for by you and me.

Generous aren't we?

Get a leg up to the press gallery

But only if you are a,

full-time reporters from a black and minority ethnic background.

Getting a place in the Press Gallery in Westminster, a Lobby job is key to getting on in the world of political journalism. Once there as the advert says you,

better contacts and a deeper understanding of political reporting

And have a better idea when jobs in the field are coming up. Positive discrimination anybody, the work of the ghastly chap John Bercow? Almost definitely.

There again, how is it that newspapers like The Voice do not already have a lobby spot? Only wondering, is it for lack of asking or for lack of responding?

Via @edwestonline

I bet she does

Naomi Campbell has just admitted that,

"I get gifts given to me all the time, at all hours of the night," she told the court, adding that "it is quite normal for me to receive gifts."

Pearl Necklesses anyone?

Not one of the world's most startling revalations.

Gypsies/racism/healthcare

This is a tough one because the ground around it is covered in egg shells coated with thin ice, but bear me out.
I have been looking into the parlous state of health care amongst UK gypsies. And frankly it is all pretty scary. According to one recent study the life expectancy of a Gypsy is up to 25 years less than it is for a non gypsy. At the very least we are talking about a discrepancy of 10 years.

Why is this the case? Well on this website there a number of reasons stated,

1. Centuries of discrimination and fear of ‘authority’ means that some people will put up with enormous pain or emotional distress rather than seek help.
2. Communities experience stress caused by loss of traditional livelihoods and being constantly moved on. There is evidence to suggest that they may also experience a deterioration in physical and mental health after moving into houses.
3. Some Gypsies and Travellers won’t freely admit to health needs. Fatalistic attitudes and acceptance of pain and discomfort are prevalent among some Gypsy and Travelling Communities.
4. Gypsy and Travellers may miss appointments because of being evicted, inability to read letters or because they don’t have rigid attitudes to time
5. Gypsy and Travellers may not be aware of existing services or that certain services are free. A lot of health information and ‘choices’ are not accessible to people with low literacy levels.
6. It is often inappropriate for a female Gypsies or Travellers to see a male GP, so a choice should be available. Men are less likely to go and see a GP at all and will often leave health problems until they are at ‘crisis’ stage’.
7. GP boundaries are often drawn to exclude Gypsy and Traveller sites. This may be intentional because Gypsies and Travellers, who do not generally take up screenings and vaccinations, won’t be regarded as generating income for practices.
8. Where outreach services exist these are usually only targeted at authorised sites. Reception staff may lack awareness of Traveller’s behaviour – for example, that they often turn up for appointments in threes and women may be chaperoned.
9. Having experienced so much discrimination, Gypsies and Travellers are more likely to anticipate discrimination and to read it into other people’s words and actions.

Now take a look at this list and work out how much is the responsibility of society at large and how much within the community itself.

1. Is it fear of authority - or is it contempt for authority? If there is one sector of society that is not prone to discrimination I would say it is the health care crowd.
2. It is true that much of what is called traditional work has vanished. But that is as true of the miners and other workers in heavy industry and for that matter other agricultural workers as it is with the gypsies. Also, to alleviate the problems mentioned here about moving house. Well surely that is part and parcel of being a traveller. A cross that must be borne if that is the lifestyle that you choose?
3. Again this attitude is prevalent amongst men of all sectors of society, particularly amongst working class males. With the rest of society we cajole and inform, but we don't blame ourselves.
4. I thoroughly take the point about evictions, but the literacy and timekeeping must surely be their own responsibility. I find it outrageous that if I miss a dentist appointment for example I will be fined, but leeway should be made for others because they are supposedly culturally unsuited to timekeeping. How condescending is that?
5. Again, the literacy level must be in part their own responsibility. Yes access to education is more difficult for travellers, but that again is a consequence of a chosen lifestyle. Society can expect that as free education is offered, then it is our responsibility to take it up. (There again looking at the latest reports into literacy in the general population and standards of children coming out of primary schools I am not sure how the Gypsies can be helped here).
6. Cultural issues again. First I ask why? If Gypsy women have a cultural problem with seeing a male doctor then whilst I am sure all reasonable efforts will be made to find a female doctor in the end that may not be possible, especially in rural areas where choice is limited. In the case of Muslim women thee are similar problems, but normally solved by the fact that most of the Muslims in the UK live in cities. However if it is not possible, with the best will in the world, then maybe, just maybe the Gypsy women might have to swallow some cultural pride. The reference to men is just a repeat of point 3.
7. This I know nothing about and cannot comment upon, GP boundaries and the like. If that is the case then that is something that should be dealt with by the authorities. However when it comes the screenings and vaccinations, again this is the responsibility of the gypsies themselves. The service is offered, whether they take it up is a matter for them.
8. I cannot see why NHS services should be going to unauthorised sites except in extremis. Surely another word for unauthorised sites is 'illegal'? As to travellers behaviour. I cannot see the problem here. Other than the normal problems of people turning up to what is often a very private meeting mob handed. The time taken, and the general difficulties of dealing with more than one person at a time will make consultations difficult. Equally a chaperone could easily make the honesty required by the patient more difficult, thus hampering the health professional in the performance of their job. Again - the Gypsies responsibility.
9. This may well be true. But that does not make it any less the Gypsy's responsibility. Good manners would require the general public - or in this case the health care professional to be sensitive to this.

But but, this sensitivity looks like an excuse to scream discrimination where there is none.

Look at the comments of the organisation Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT),

Chris Whitwell, Director of FFT says:
“Racism against Gypsies and Travellers is deeply embedded and goes beyond individuals and institutions. There is structural racism which runs throughout society. Even people who would never dream of being racist normally will unthinkingly do or say things that exclude Gypsies and Travellers.”

Now as we know racism is now defined by the perception of racism by the so called victim. Intention is irrelevant. If as point 9 suggests Gypsies are shall we say, quick to take offence, then this becomes a minefield.
Now I am not for a moment suggesting that there is a deep and ingrained discriminatory attitude towards the Gypsies in the UK, as there is anywhere Gypsies are to be found. But surely in the case of healthcare as I hope I have shown there is a great deal that can be done by the gypsies themselves that could overcome this, with society at large being ordered to find itself guilty?

Deluged they were I tell you, deluged

Very funny story in the Mail today. It appears that our new Government is much like the last one. Launching a consultation in a full blaze of publicity soon after the election they wanted to hear what it was that we the people actually wanted.

But like so many times before they didn't really want to know, and when they did here they jammed their fingers in their ears shouting

"Nah Nah nan Nah Nah, Not listening.

Or more prosaically

The Foreign Office was deluged with suggestions that Britain should leave the EU. In its response the Foreign Office said it understood why ‘so many of you feel jaded and sceptical about the EU’, but made it clear the Government had no intention of quitting the EU.

Of course they also rejected calls for stronger immigration controls, smioking ban lifting, etc etc etc.
Indeed they rejected anything that wasn't already their policy. And they wonder why people don't like politicians?

Climate change for thick Council staff

I came across this as I was pootling around my new favourite website. (some more beauties to come)

Called,

Climate change key facts and the business case member workbook

Its role is the re-education of

both existing and newly elected members – regardless of experience or responsibilities – in their role as council and community representatives.

Devised by the Leadership Academy, it will help you identify how you can focus on the key facts you need to know to be able to support your council in combating climate change.

In practical terms the workbook will take you two to three hours to work through. You can dip and out of it so that you can work at a pace that suits you best.

I am not sure what frightens me most about this. Is it that the expected mental age of a councillor is from reading this, about 11? Or is it that this is produced by something calling itself a "Leadership Academy"? Or indeed is it that it was readied for publication after the election (July 2010) and thus shows the mindset of the post-electoral establishment?

Or is it the sheer propagandist nonsense that is contained herein?

There are little test boxes for our councillors to fill in, here is one,

Which recent weather changes have you either noticed or heard/read about that could perhaps be attributed to climate change?

You get the idea.

Worried about your children's exam results?

Then worry no more. They just cannot fail if what the Slog has dug up is real, (please let it be fake).

And do enjoy Question 9

Via Ed West who is blogging about that perrenial joy, the European Parliament Lux prize.

Lawrence Lewellyn Grunt

Really, when it comes down to it, what I am interested in isn't all this politics stuff. And I am reminded of this when something like this crops up.

It appears that archeologists up in the windswept bits of rock north of Scotland have discovered that our Neolithic forebears were a dap hand at interior decor.

According to a report on PA,

"Archaeologists revealed today that they have discovered the first evidence in the UK of stonework painted with a pattern, suggesting Neolithic people enjoyed decorating...The latest discovery, made late yesterday afternoon, is a stone with a zigzag chevron pattern in red pigment.

It is thought the painted and decorated stones may have been used to enhance important buildings and may have been found in entranceways or areas of the building which had particular significance.

Nick Card, of the Orkney Research Centre for Archaeology (Orca), said:
"I think the Neolithic people were no different from ourselves in that these were probably special structures which they felt should be adorned in different colours.

"There has been evidence at some other Neolithic sites where paint pots have been found with remains of pigment but they were considered to be for personal adornment rather than being used on a wider scale for the decoration of buildings.

Seriously, that is just boggling. And splendid, and magnificent and all sorts of other stuff.

I bow down in awe.

Sometimes I feel like this

Roll up Ladies and Gents

The House of Commons, in a moment of keen generosity with out money has announced

"workshop on energy and green economy"

The purpose of this event, taking place on the 10th of September is,

to provide a free workshop for groups and organisations interested in issues relating to energy and the green economy, on how to engage with Parliament’s scrutiny of legislation

Just so you know,

The workshop is free to attend and open to any individual or organisation with an interest in energy and the green economy.

And you will please note that it is,

strictly non-partisan.

Which is why it is ilustrated with a artfully composed windfarm. So who are we to doubt?

Poole panned

Great news out of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal which has just found against Poole Council in the Paton case.

This was that business where the local Council used the full extent of anti-terrorist legislation in The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) to spy on a woman who wante to get her child into a decent Primary School.

According to Liberty,

Today the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) ruled unlawful Poole Borough
Council’s surveillance of mum-of-three Jenny Paton and her family.
The Council had subjected the whole family, including the children, to surveillance
for three weeks in 2008. It claimed that it was acting under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), in order to discover whether the family lived
within the catchment area where the children went to school. But the IPT ruled
that was not a proper purpose and nor was it necessary to use the surveillance
powers. Today’s landmark ruling is the first time these intrusive powers –
controversially granted to local authorities under RIPA – have been challenged
at an open hearing before the IPT.

All good stuff. Now how many other councils have been misusing these powers?

Black Saturday fires: People not green ideology

Following the devastating bushfires in Australia a year and a half ago a Royal Commission has finally delivered a verdict and makes 67 recommendations. One aspect of the fires was that they were exacerbated by legislation. Legislation driven by a green agenda. Legislation that stated that all someone could legally clear around their house was a 6 metre firebeak designed to help biodiveristy and protect native eucalyptus.

This was highlighted at the time by the case of Liam Sheahan, a Victoria farmer who had cleared land around his farm, and had been hit by legal bills totalling upwards of $100,000 (Aus).
His comment at the time seems to have been vindicated,

He said the royal commission on the fires must result in changes to planning laws to allow land owners to clear trees and vegetation that pose a fire risk.
"Both the major parties are pandering to the Greens for preferences and that is what is causing the problem. Common sense isn't that common these days," Mr Sheahan said.

Admittedly he was slighted cussed at the time,

"the Sheahans told the complaining residents and the council to ‘‘get stuffed’’ when asked to explain the clearing. ‘‘We could not care any less than we do now what any self-righteous self ap-pointed ‘green police’ person thinks about what we are doing,’’ they wrote. ‘‘It is our place, not theirs. We have owned it since 1982. We paid for it, not them, and they can go and get stuffed.’

However his position seems to have been vindicated.

Even in the horrific aftermath of the fires some people had started questioning the Green based policies as noted by Richard North

You do not have to look very hard to find any number of papers on the causes of major forest fires, not least this one, published by the FAO, this one written in the aftermath of the spate of fires in France in 1995, and this one co-published by global warming evangelists WWF. That one is especially interesting, as it points to the failure of forest management as a primary cause of fires.

Needless to say, the greenies are jumping on the global warming bandwagon but the more prosaic truth is that they, themselves bear a great deal of responsibility for this tragedy.

And he highlighted an article in the SMH which was blunt in its response,

It wasn't climate change which killed as many as 300 people in Victoria last weekend. It wasn't arsonists. It was the unstoppable intensity of a bushfire, turbo-charged by huge quantities of ground fuel which had been allowed to accumulate over years of drought. It was the power of green ideology over government to oppose attempts to reduce fuel hazards before a megafire erupts, and which prevents landholders from clearing vegetation to protect themselves.

And now 18 months later the Royal Commission delivers its verdict. And it appears that it has at least in part listened.

When The Australian finishes its editorial today,

"There is no excuse for not acting -- especially on the recommendations that put human life above abstract ideas of biodiversity."

One question strikes me, currently the Green vote is holding up quite well in Victoria, at 15%. After the results of the Commission get publicised, and the blame is apportioned, will that vote hold up, and where will it go - to Labour? Or to the coalition which seems to be gaining ground across the board.

This weekend I spoke to somebody who can only be described as centre left intelligencia in Australia, and even they were starting to think about supporting the cioalition. Interesting times indeed.