This Might Be Painful...

But for the troops in Afghanistan it is a very different sort of pain as they cope with losing another five comrades at the hands of a supposed lone assassin in Helmand province.

It does bring into question the very reason that we are over there, for whilst there are some deluded fanatics who want to take Afghanistan from the Middle Ages to the Stone Age - there is a whole generation who want and demand change.

Perhaps Twitter can do something, the protests in Iran are continuing thanks to it...

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

If You Have Nothing To Say…

Then say fuck all.  It will do you no good for your future prospects.

Seriously, in recent weeks we have seen various examples of people saying what they think and get round upon by their rivals, enemies, critics.

Whether it is Roberto Martinez, the newly installed Wigan manager who criticised Taggart’s boot boys for bowing down to the whisky soaked cunt every time they play the Corporation…

Or there is the Professor who was sacked for telling the truth about drugs…

There is no point in telling it like it is, because otherwise you make your own life that bit more difficult, that there is no point in doing so.

Make your life easy.

Say Fuck All..

Mind how you go…

Compare And Contrast

Evening,

Something that I have seen on PoliticalBetting this afternoon, showing the difference in leads that the Tories have got at the moment in comparison to the sort of lead that Labour had prior to their landslide in 1997.  And it makes for extremely bad reading for Chairman Brown.

The above is the poll that ICM/Guardian ran at the start of November 1996, some six months prior to the subsequent landslide that bought Blair into Downing Street.  Now although Labour had a commanding 13 point lead, look at where the Tories were back then.  Fuck, Chairman Brown would probably kill to be anywhere near the sort of figures that the Tories were on, at their Nadir. 

Which opens up any number of questions, primarily just how bad could the scale of defeat could be for Labour whenever they announce the date of the election, and what would be the consequences of such a dire result for Labour.

I get the feeling that just like 96/97 voters have made their minds up. They might not like the Tories but they just want the election to happen so they can put Brown in his place. It is said that it is not oppositions who win elections, it is governments who lose them.

Rob :)

To Lose One Is Bad, But To Lose Two…

…and the fallout from the sacking of Professor David Nutt for telling the unpalatable truth on drugs seems to be getting from bad to worse.

Afternoon all and news reaches me via Sky News that another eminent scientist has resigned from his government advisory role in protest of the above mentioned sacking.  Fears are growing within government circles of further resignations, or possibly an en masse decapitation scenario with every scientist on the Drug advisory Board resigning in support of Professor Nutt. 

From sacking someone for telling people how it is, it would be seen as summing up the ineptitude with the Labour Government right now.  But like all embattled governments, they will not admit that they, like all governments before them have been wrong in this regard.  And this resignation being forced upon Professor Nutt by someone who is supposed to represent the Progressive Left. 

The bottom line remains this:  Alcohol and cigarettes are far far more likely to harm and eventually kill its addicts, than drugs such as Cannabis and Ecstasy, but too many influential people in high places have got too much to lose by admitting that.

Corruption Kills.

So Here We Are…

Evening all,

Well as promised I am writing now on my new laptop, reduced from £480 down to £330, with Norton thrown in for an extra £10 which I don’t think is a bad day’s return.  Naturally, some of you are going to be wondering how it is that I am able to be writing and sending these directly from my laptop at this time of night….

I have been able to get some form of file onto my beloved iPhone which allows me to tether my 3G network into a form of Ethernet cable which is plugged from the phone to the laptop.  Which is fucking fantastic.

Which should mean more posting and more concise and better posts.

That is no bad thing I think you will agree!

Onto tonight’s news, and as we head into November it seems that Chairman Brown’s woes continue with Labour continuing to be languishing further behind the Tories than they have been for a while – which is saying something.  Noted in the poll that the Lib Dems are now only four points behind Sorry labour, which however you try to paint is a very sorry situation for any Prime Minister to be heading into the last few months of the year.

Mind how you go…

Rob :)

So It Wasn't The End...

Afternoon,

After much pontificating and soulsearching (actually that's bollocks!) I've decided that this is in fact not the end of BBB. In fact more a departure in the way that the website goes. BBB will stay the same, whilst spilling over onto other issues, such as Football and Music, the other two passions in my life.

Against mother's wishes I have gone against her hopes and got myself a new laptop today, pretty good as well, 2.2 Celeron, 3gb memory and the fuck off massive 500gb hard drive which for a laptop is phenomenal. I've also found a way to get online via the laptop without using the broadband which is in my sister's bedroom. God bless the tether! More about that this evening.

I've also made a somewhat controversial decision over where I go from here - in regard of the bottom line that my life seems to be going nowhere and quickly! Here's a clue, it isn't here.

So here I am in a cafè, engulfed in the smells of my youth, awaiting my bangers and mash, oh they've arrived so I'm going to have this and we'll speak later...

Rob :)

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

The End...or The Beginning.

I have been doing this website for the past few years and in that time it has evolved from being a website for my own personal thoughts, constant slagging off of politicians and those around my life.

However, today changes that.

With the end of BBB, comes the start of a new side of me. Getting back at the bastards which are the bain of my (and probably your) life.

So come abroad. It's going to be a fucking free-for-all.

The Unwanted Children..

Evening,

About two years ago I watched a remarkable and sad story regarding Bulgaria's unwanted children.  The director Kate Blewett went to what was in other words a institution in Mogilino for those children who were unwanted.  Unwanted by their parents, unwanted by their community and hidden away by the establishment.

Now after a campaign of support and solidarity towards the children from across Europe - with ambassadors and foreign ministers coming face to face with the horrors of Mogilino - the director has gone back to Bulgaria to see what has happened in the intervening two years.  And the transformation in the children's lives has been nothing short of amazing.

They are treated like the humans that they are and that is all that should be expected.  They were treated in a way that people would be rising up, if cattle was treated in such a way.

Shows what can happen when politicians get their arses into gear...

The Gamechanger

Morning,

Apologies for the lack of posting in recent days, I will give a comprehensive reason over what has happened in the next few days when hopefully it is all cleared up.

Onto more concerning matters and following the Scum's inevitable decision to withdraw it's support for Chairman Brown, Labour has reacted in probably the worse way possible, it could almost be described as being as even more ignorant as the Scum itself, and that is saying a lot.

There can be no doubt that this has been coming for some time. It is well known in political circles that George Osborne is paddy with James Murdoch the owner of News International and Andy Coulson, ex editor of the Screws is best buddies with the current Scum editor, Dominic Mohan - both have the dubious honour of having both co edited the pathetic 'Bizarre' column in that rag.

So for Labour to react in that way, shows that they have not just lost the media battle but that they do not have the nous to react to such developments like this. One of Alistair Campbell's main attributes was his ability to be able to strike down any story that rubbished Labour or Tony Blair - that is not there in Downing Street anymore and yesterday showed that up badly.

Whether the Scum, changing the support from the Red Tories to the True Tories remain to be seen, but if the paper goes for the jugular like they do with underperforming England managers, then it could be the start of eight months of torture for this administration in the build up to a potential landslide sometime in the Spring of next year.

Rob :(

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

A Rather Revealing Picture…

from skynews

Cheap Points...

Morning,

As I am getting ready for another day in paradise, pictures are coming in from Calais where the local Gendarme and CRS are invading 'the Jungle' where some 150 Asylum seekers, including some extremely young people having set up home for the past few months.

The pictures have not looked particularly great for the Sarkozy government, seeing young boys and girls being marched off in tears - to the credit of anti-fascist groups, such as No Borders, they have also turned up in numbers to show their support for the immigrants and have shown their disdain to the pigs who are doing Sarkozy's dirty work.

We need to continue to make governments realise that their policies on illegal immigrants are doomed to failure - the protesters are on the mark here.

No Borders, No Nations, No Repatriations...

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

At Last…Some Truths…

Evening,

I am writing this whilst watching the Dirty Mancs, no doubt to their utmost to connive some result over in Istanbul, the weather over there is apparently humid and hot unlike over here where the first significant rain of the autumn have somewhat dampened the atmosphere down here in Deepest Kent. 

Meanwhile, up in Liverpool, Chairman Brown finally said the word that the country knew had to be said.  And no, it wasn’t a admission of guilt on his part…

Chairman Brown said that there was going to have to be some form of cuts in some way of form.  Brown being concise, he did not say where these cuts were going to be but nevertheless there would be hard times coming for us poor people.  Whereas the only time the speculators and risk-takers should be doing, is some jail-time…

In fact Chairman Brown’s exact language was…

"cut costs, cut inefficiencies, cut unnecessary programmes and cut lower priority budgets"

In which case, what is inefficient?  What is unnecessary and what is lower priority?  That is the sort of language that normally ends up being played out on the streets of St Paul's', Brixton and Toxteth…

There can be no doubt that there will be the need for some form of cost reduction programme in the not-too-distant future.  Britain seems to be heading out of recession, probably by the end of this quarter, which will be good news and bad news, as once out of this quagmire, the real problems begin as no doubt whoever comes will have to raise taxes.  Talk about being given pig-sty to sort out…no wonder Brown is doing his utmost to lose the coming election, he knows just how bad the books are…

So, with cuts in public spending almost a given, is the clouds of doom rising above us, and are we going to be heading towards another showdown, circa 1978 between the Unions and the Labour Party.  And we all know, where that left us…

When Will Labour Learn?

Afternoon,

I thought that Labour had learnt from the past that you can not tar an entire group with the proverbial brush otherwise you cause even more resentment.  Go tell that to Communities Minister, John Denham who has had the following to say about right-wing deadheads the EDL…

“…if you look at the types of demonstrations they have organised, the language used and the targets chosen, it looks pretty clear that it’s a tactic designed to provoke, to get a response and create violence…”

Of course, such language as the above will make those people who actually support the motives of the EDL and other right-wing groups even more determined to stick it to the very same people who have destroyed what they perceived to be their country and their country alone.  The perception that these same working-class, traditionally Labour-supporting people, are fascists is quite interesting, considering that amongst the flags shown at recent marches, include the Indian and Star of David.  Of course, two countries which are not exactly top of the Muslims favourites’ list… saying that, could it be that these are just badges of convenience?

The minister compared the groups to Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists which was formed in the 1930s, the most infamous march that the BUF held was the ‘Battle of Cable Street’ in 1936 when Mosley’s brown shirts attempted to lead his supporters through a Jewish area of the East End of London, leading to violent clashes.

Although I completely agree with the minister’s concerns, and they should be real, I cannot help but ask where was the concern, when Islamic extremists (because that is what they were) tried and succeeded in inciting disorder in Luton, when troops paraded back in the spring – where was the criticism of such fascist organisations such as Islam4UK (formerly known as Al-Muhajaroon) who openly want bloodshed against kuaffirs (infidels). 

Why, still after pretty much every other western democracy has outlawed Hitz-u-Tahir that Britain still sees it as a legal organisation, when it is proven to have recruited supporters for terrorist missions in Pakistan and Afghanistan.  Not exactly, defending the troops that well…

There is however a bottom line to all this.  People have had enough of this pandering to the terrorist vote.  There are images in the mainstream media of a black Hamas flag being flown amongst the UAF/Muslim demonstrators in Harrow, yesterday.  That does them, nor us any good at all, as it stokes up the fear – that these demonstrators are by de facto terrorist sympathisers, by flying the Hamas flag.  The same flag which was shown in those suicide videos that those found guilty in the recent liquid bombs trials had done prior to their so-called fucking martyrdom.  Lovely…

By continuing to tar those who are scared and anxious of the way this country is going as scare-mongering and small-minded, whilst openly ignoring those Islamic fundamentalists who flout the same laws, we are pushing them into the hands of the fascists who want open conflict.  Labour, recruiting sergeant for fundamentalists and fascists…

 

The Melting Pot...

Evening,

I see on the newswires, further confrontations tonight between right-wing thugs and what seems to be an amalgamation of left-wing anti-fascists and Muslim activists in the London borough of Harrow.

The demonstration from the "Stop Islamification of Europe" actually saw only a dozen or so deadheads converge on a mosque which is going to potentially be able to hold some 35,000 pilgrims eventually and facing up to some 1,000 local Muslims who were none too happy of outsiders making their feelings known.

My views on religion and religious buildings is clear.

Ban it and them. It always ends in claret being spilt. Twats.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

I am a Adult, not a fucking Child...

Morning,

Really low and down today, got to get into work early this morning as
I've agreed to do some overtime - however it just seems to me that the
slightest error I make whether that is at work or at home gets a
greater scrutiny than anyone else.

Now, that could be because of the situation that I find myself - being
still at home and been pressured by the family to be a little more
frugal in my lifestyle rather than the lazzierz-faire lifestyle that I
have grown accustomed to - arguments are going on between Mother and
Sister as I write. It is almost similar to the last days of my old
man being at home before he walked out - however I do not see such a
easy and clear-cut way out this time around and certainly not any time
soon.

Meanwhile, at work I am under investigation for the standard of call
quality that I am delivering right now - it's the third time this has
happened in recent months and considering that I get asked to deal
with calls that my manager would rather not deal with - and some of
the mistakes that are made and have to be subsequently remedied by us
are beyond belief. The standard of customer service in general
dropped like the proverbial stone in the time that I left to go
upstairs to work in the Internet department for 18 months and since
I've come back (reluctantly). Agents are talking back to managers in
a way that I could never think they would - the respect not just for
managers but also for those who have been here for years is not there.

All the above things are making me have to consider all potential
options at the moment - it feels like I am in a parallel universe with
school. Really, work right now really does feel like a fucking school
- it really does not feel like a workplace like it was upstairs. I
have implored time and again that the company need to make agents more
self-disciplined or else you need to get rid of them. The department
where I am right now has lost a lot of senior advisors in recent
months and this has not helped at all.

Seriously, people need to start acting their age and the company has
to force this upon them because if they don't they will lose the very
people they need right now.

No Control

Evening,

I think we need to comment on the latest falling out from Westminster concerning the government’s involvement in the release of the Lockerbie bomber – with news stories this morning suggesting that the Foreign Office had advised the Prime Minister to dissuade IRA victims suing Libya due to their connection in supplying weapons to the Provos – in order to protect business interests in North Africa.  So in one swift movement the accusation that we are in Afghanistan to protect business links rather than the War on Terror becomes that bit more pertinent… whoops…haven’t we been here before now…

Thought so, and yet it still seems like that the government has not learnt how to news-manage the narrative, so when the Tories announced through their Defence spokesman that if they were re-elected they would reopen negotiations with Libya over such payments being paid towards the IRA’s victims families, Chairman Brown had no alternative to follow the Conservatives’ lead and say that he would support campaigners demanding similar recompense as the American victims did.  In fact one of the cogs in America welcoming Libya back into the from the cold was the understanding that Libya would compensate American victims of attacks by the IRA.

To the tune of £10million…

In spite of the knowledge that the Scottish executive did take the ultimate decision to release al-Megrahi It has tarnished Britain's reputation abroad, because there is ever-increasing evidence, that the British Government had, at the very least, a powerfully compelling role in the decision.

Across the world, there is little doubt that the British Government is perceived as responsible for the Megrahi affair. Diplomatic relations with America have been strained, because Britain has broken a promise given to the US government that the Libyan would not be released before he had served his minimum tariff of 20 years. Worse, Britain is now identified with a policy of preferring money to justice, and being prepared to sell criminals in exchange for trade deals and concessions. That sets an worrying precedent.  The Americans will not want us to find Bin Laden…

Seriously, Chairman Brown has to get hold of the narrative and control it.  It is as simple as that.  That is why he bought Randy Mandy back in from Brussels, because he had lost it back then, and he has still not regained it – and to be blunt he probably will not be able to, certainly not this side of the Party Conference.  By which time, it will probably be too late.

Because of the fucking hap-hazard way that this Prime Minister has dealt with the above, his time as Prime Minister is going to come to a very brutal end.  Labour’s dillydallying has probably absolved them of any power south of Hadrian’s Wall for another 19 years…

They had so many chances to get rid of Brown and they fucked up every single time, and we’re the ones who are going to suffer…

Well Done!

A Taste Of Your Own Medicine…

Evening,

Saw this brilliant defacing of a fence on the way to the gym, this afternoon.

Been hoping that someone would deface that fascist drivel.

Good to see some other open-minded people here in Deepest Kent…

Clocking On...

Morning, all.

I must be as mad as a Japanese Kamikaze pilot heading into Pearl Harbor, as I am heading into work this morning for four hours - but it's not all bad news. It's double time today and so I'm going to be earning this morning what I would earn in an entire day!

Every Little Helps...

Think the idea has to be to do as many Sundays as possible when they are being offered to us - worked it out that if we were to do every Sunday this month, along with the odd extra hour here and there, I could quite easily pick up an extra £300 in my pocket come October, which will help quite nicely towards Christmas Shopping...

All good here. Do think that I need to start repairing my friendships that I have done my best to break in recent months. There is no point in mumbling on previous arguments just for the sake of my ego...

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

The G20 – Some Relevant Facts…

With attention being focused on the G20 meeting in London, I thought it’d be a good time to share some interesting facts about the G20.

Let’s meet them all…

1. Argentina
2. Australia
3. Brazil
4. Canada
5. China
6. France
7. Germany
8. India
9. Indonesia
10. Italy
11. Japan
12. Mexico
13. Russia
14. Saudi Arabia
15. South Africa
16. South Korea
17. Turkey
18. United Kingdom
19. United States

The 20th member of the G20 is the European Union, comprised of the following countries:

1. Austria
2. Belgium
3. Bulgaria
4. Cyprus
5. Czech Republic
6. Denmark
7. Estonia
8. Finland
9. France
10. Germany
11. Greece
12. Hungary
13. Ireland
14. Italy
15. Latvia
16. Lithuania
17. Luxembourg
18. Malta
19. Netherlands
20. Poland
21. Portugal
22. Romania
23. Slovakia
24. Slovenia
25. Spain
26. Sweden
27. United Kingdom

Notice that the usual suspects of Britain, France, Germany and Italy are in essence represented twice.  Punching above their weight, some things will never change.

Surprising in their absence is such countries as Colombia (Narcotics), Israel (Amerika’s chief military exporter), Malaysia (one of the fastest yet volatile economies in the whole of Asia), New Zealand, Norway (second richest country in Europe, in terms of GDP), Switzerland (tax-haven!) and Venezuela (fastest growing oil supplier in the world – oh and the country that gave us Hugo Chavez).

So a total of 42 nations are represented, either directly or through the EU.  These nations account for 67% of the world’s population and 46% of its land mass, not including Antarctica.

The wealthiest of these nations is, by far, Luxembourg, with per capita purchasing power parity (PPP) of $85,100.  They are followed by the U.S. with per capita PPP of $48,000 and Ireland at $47,800.  The poorest, by far, is India at only $2,900 followed closely by Indonesia at $3,900.  Mexico’s is $14,400.  Among the rest of our major trading partners, China is the poorest at $6,100.  The rest are relatively wealthy with Canada at $40,300, Australia at $39,300, Germany at $34,800, Japan at $35,300, and South Korea at $26,000.

The most densely populated nations are Malta (3,295 people per square mile), South Korea (1,257), the Netherlands (1,010), Belgium (883), Japan (878) and India (869).  The least densely populated are Australia (7), Canada (8), Russia (22), Saudi Arabia (30) and Finland (40).  For reference, the U.S. has 85 people per square mile.

With the twelve nations less densely populated than the U.S., we had a trade surplus in manufactured goods of $30.9 billion in 2007.  With the 29 nations more densely populated, we had a trade deficit in manufactured goods of $466 billion in 2007.  (This is proof positive of the effect of population density in driving global trade imbalances.)

In per capita terms, the worst trade deficits in manufactured goods were with Ireland (-$4,306), followed by Estonia (-$2,132), Sweden (-$860) and Japan (-$778).  In per capita terms, our biggest trade surpluses in manufactured goods were with the Netherlands ($1,078), followed by Belgium ($896),  Australia ($622), Canada ($510) and Saudi Arabia ($270).

The large trade surpluses with the Netherlands and Belgium are an anomaly due to the Netherlands having the only deep-water port on the Atlantic coast of Europe (except for the Baltic states) and Belgium being right next door, both of them tiny countries at the cross-roads of EU commerce.  The unusually large deficit with Ireland is due almost entirely to pharmaceutical manufacturing by American companies taking advantage of enormous tax breaks offered by Ireland.

The G20 financial meeting is yet another of those glorified banquets focused on fixing the global financial crisis and economic melt-down.  Which as Chairman Brown cannot help to remind us, started in America.  Saying that though, most of the world blames America, though funnily enough no one complained about the enormous, persistent U.S. trade deficit that has propped up their own economies.  The G20 is dividing into two camps – the trade surplus nations and the trade deficit nations.  Both camps say they want to avoid protectionism.  Both camps agree that global trade imbalances lie at the root of the economic collapse.  The U.S. hopes to restore a balance by demanding that other nations like Japan, China and Germany boost their domestic consumption, making them less dependent on exports to the U.S.  But the EU fears the consequences of deficit spending.  The meeting promises to be a slug-fest, likely to end with nothing more than vague agreements and splits along the surplus/deficit line.  But agreeing on one thing…they’ll meet again for another banquet in six months…by which time, Chairman Brown might have been put out of his misery…

What’s The Latest From Westminster, Motty?

Saw this excellent piece from one of the people at PoliticalBetting, and for that its over to John Motson, at Westminster.

This time last year, Gordon’s team were 3-0 down but there were still 30 minutes left to play. The fans were chanting for the Board to remove him before the game was even finished.

Since then, GB stunned everyone and silenced his critics by bringing on his £250 billion signing - and a style of play that would save football from imminent collapse. But even spending that much has failed to score a goal. And the Germans and the French are muttering it was a pretty crap system and they are going back to their old style of play.

Then fans started hearing on their radios about player’s salaries - and what their season ticket money was being spent on - twin Swedish au pairs, dodgy second Cheshire mansions, duck ponds in Ferraris, the works. Uproar on the terraces, their players being spat at by their own fans - chaos. No-one seemed very interested in the game for a while. Then the work-horse they got from Norwich yonks ago was told he was going to be substituted, so in a hissy fit punched the referee. He got sent for an early bath.

Oh, and possible future player-manager Purnell? He walked off the pitch. He seemed to be beckoning to a couple of the other players, but they all needed to tie their laces, so couldn’t quite see him…

Late in the game, Tories United brought out their controversial new signing, Cuts (even though there was some doubt he was fit to play - and even whether their manager wanted him on the field at all) - who promptly ran on and scored a 35 yard screamer of a volley. And who is now peppering Labour City’s goal with shot after shot. Gordon has been heard to mutter “I wanted to invest in Cuts too…”

And the sorry episode of the Libyan signing won’t go away, even though the injured Megrahi has gone back to his old club now. The shoddy shirt-sponsorship deal remains deeply unpopular (although wearing “We love Colonel G! Libyan Oil for us” on the shirt was never going to help sell many replica kits). Gordon has managed what he thinks is the canny trick of saying nothing about it, whilst blaming some Scottish bloke. Many in the press, near and far, have not been convinced though.

Four-down nine-man Labour City now have just nine minutes of play left - with no chance of extra time. Gordon’s used all his subs. Many of the fans seem to be heading for the exits. A few are raising their spirits by singing “We’re shit - and we know we are!”, but mostly the terraces are silent. Next season, eh? With a new manager. At least we’ll definitely be in Europe then…

Gordon’s last best hope? Floodlight failure…

Brown is in need of some divine intervention…not going to happen, might be an early bath after all the fanfare.

Night, Night.

 

Bob :)