When was the golden age?
Letter today in Guardian cause me to ponder.
"Yes, it's dangerous when society loses all respect, trust, peace, care, understanding, faith and hope, with seemingly no chance of future happiness. But the bad road of capitalism can only run so far before imploding. It is light years from being sustainable, unless we really are intent on a world of constant global terrorism from both sides of the terror coin. Paul Kelleher London"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/letters/story/0,,2019324,00.html
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When did society consist of respect, trust, peace, care and understanding ? Was there ever a time of faith hope and a promise of future happiness?
Looking back, it seems that the struggles of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Century were fuelled by lies, greed and false promises. The development of Trades Unions, the Co-operative movement, democracy, the Labour Party, National Health Service and even Communism kept the masses quiet and led us to believe that we had some means of control, but in reality the capitalist system rolled over all. People had the impression that they had some say in things, but the truth was nothing of the kind. The inexorable roll of Capitalism, which started as soon as surplus occured in prehistory, cannot be overcome by altruistic individuals.
Some the earliest civilisations, Egyptian and Minoan, demonstrate a division of labour and caste system between the haves and have-nots, with differing values placed on different activities. Priestess and Priest oversaw and controlled production and consumption, slave labour was certainly endemic in Egypt, although there is less evidence in Minoan Crete as far as I know. Man's inhumanity to man has always been part of the human condition.
Religions invented methods of control and promise a 'better time' in 'the next world' which helped keep folk quiet. The Industrial Revoution in UK led to religion losing its grip as people moved, family ties loosened, the power of neighbourhood opinion lost sway and fear of eternal damnation became less relevant after the horrors of war in this world increased.
In the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries it seems that people looked back to previous times for expression of hope. The Egyptian revival during the early years of the Nineteenth century lasted well into Victoria's reign, but as more information was discovered, it lost some appeal. During the latter part of that century people looked to the medieval period for inspiration. The gothic revival was quite powerful, but reality of life during the middle ages was conveniently overlooked.
So when was the Golden Age, this magic time of respect, trust, peace, care and understanding, a time of faith hope and a promise of future happiness? If it never existed, is it something to be aspired to?
The nature of man may not necessarily be 'solitary,poor, nasty, brutish and short' (Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan 1651) but it is rarely generous, kind, altruistic and thoughtful. Greed and fear hold sway, and while the world is governed by commercialism I see very little hope of achieving dreams about The Golden Age.
Bird flu hits UK
This week not only the weather (10cm of snow) but also bird flu arrived in England.
Bernard Matthews apparently imports turkeys from his own farms in Hungary to process in his factories in Norfolk. What has not been said is whether he feeds the residue of the processing to his birds in Norfolk. Apparently the birds are farmed on the same land as the factories that process them.
It has yet to be explained how (if) H5N1 imported in factory goods from Hungary can end up in the food chain of birds bred in Norfolk.
Britain is no Police state
Official: Obsever leader today
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/leaders/story/0,,2010492,00.html
When a bizarre claim is made often enough, backed up by respectable sources, it enters political debate as a legitimate point of view. For example, the opinion, expressed last week by the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, that Britain is becoming a police state, worthy of comparison with Uganda under Idi Amin, reflects a commonplace line of attack on the government. David Davis, the shadow home affairs spokesman, gave qualified support to Dr Sentamu's view. One senior cleric last week compared recent police raids against terror suspects in Birmingham's Muslim community with the actions of Nazi Germany against the Jews.
There are many reasons to criticise the government over civil liberties: for trying to empower police to detain terror suspects without charge for 90 days; for banning incitement to religious hatred and glorification of terror, which blurred the distinction between nasty words and criminal acts; ID cards, which will create a store of private data to be shared in secret by state bodies.
Governments instinctively value the practical convenience of law enforcement over theoretical freedoms. Democratic institutions should instinctively check that process. So far, with mixed success, that is what Parliament and the judiciary have done.
Hyperbole has its place in rhetoric, raising the spectre of an unthinkable future to criticise the present. But to compare modern Britain with Amin's Uganda or the Third Reich is absurd. It panders to the paranoid, nihilistic attitude that sees all government as a cynical conspiracy. There is a case for defending civil liberties in Britain, but it is discredited, not enhanced, by excessive talk of a 'police state'.
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So that's alright then.
COMMENTS
"There is a case for defending civil liberties in Britain, but it is discredited, not enhanced, by excessive talk of a 'police state'."
Spoken very probably by a middle class, middle aged, white man, who never gets racially profiled, or targeted by the police because of his skin colour or religion, or 7 bullets pumped into his head on the London underground because he looks 'Asian'.
What blind complacency from the observer leader writers, they should read Henry Porter.
February 11, 2007 8:01 AM
http://gizmonaut.net/bits/suspect.html
http://gizmonaut.net/bits/police_state.html
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/07/06/accursed_metal_detector/
February 11, 2007 8:25 AM
When the police can arrest you for anything at all, even for saying 'shit' under your breath, and once they've arrested you can forcibly take dna samples and fingerprints which will be held until you die even though you are not convicted of anything, then people who raise their voices to protest about a 'police state' deserve better than a crappy little editorial like this from Tony's friends at the Observer. One or two people say things like 'Idi Amin' or 'Hitler' and the Observer jumps at the chance to pontificate.
February 11, 2007 8:42 AM
And when the police can break into someone's home in the early hours, wearing face masks which muffle their voices so no-one can hear them identify themselves, and wearing gloves which prevent them operating their drawn guns with safety-catch off, so they shoot someone (without even meaning to this time) and then, when it turns out that after a week or so they actually have to release the people they've shot and arrested because Tony hasn't given them their three months yet, they feel so resentful that they plant child porn on a computer they confiscated from the innocent guy they shot in order to try to punish him for making them look bad, and yet no police are disciplined and nothing is done, then people who raise their voices to complain deserve better than this sort of patronising 'shut up, it's not Nazi Germany yet' crap.
February 11, 2007 8:55 AM
The Guardian is a great paper for publishing what is IMO the widest range of challlenging views of any traditional media outlet. However, sometimes it seems to inexplicably become a wet apologist for New Labour, throwing away all pretense of objectivity and mindlessly pushing the party line.
Nihilistic? That's a good word to describe the Blair government, not it's opponents.
February 11, 2007 9:15 AM
When people are imprisoned for 'thought crimes' do not dare to say that we are not a police state.
February 11, 2007 12:32 PM
QUOTE
Britain is no police state
When a bizarre claim is made often enough, backed up by respectable sources, it enters political debate as a legitimate point of view
February 11, 2007 2:41 PM
I am sure the non-Jewish ordinary folk, of Nazi Germany also thought they were not living in a Police State. Till it was too late.
It is the powerless ethnic and social minorities who face the abuse of police and state power first. The middle class, middle aged, white man who writes Observer leader articles should be reminded of the famous quote below by Pastor Niemoller:
"First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me." _ By Pastor Niemoller_
The day the sky fell in
January 20079th Jan: woke up to punctured tyre. fixed at cost of £43; screenwash not working. Fixed at cost of £43.
11th Jan driving car, knocking noise on front offside wheel. Bearings ok but nuts had come loose. Fixed at cost of £46
Decided to sell my car. Mental gymnastics about living without car; sleepsless nights and anxiety. If twere done, twere well done quickly.
Tried to advertise it week ending 26th jan. Paper messed up and didn't print. More anxiety
Week ending 1st Feb, car in paper. Very anxious about a) it going and b)getting rid of it. No-one called.
Saturday 3rd February
8am woke up to large amount of water inside bedroom window., Doubleglazing seal looks like it's gone.
9am son drew attention to his enlarged collar bone. Only information on web = possible quite serious diseases. Can't make doc appt til Monday.
10am external plaster over brickwork under kitchen window showing bulge. Water appears to have got in and rendering crumbled exposing breeze block.
12 am No 2 cat showing signs of bladder problems. Out of hours call to vet to fit catheter and relieve his discomfort.
5pm noticed crack in bath. OH swears it's been there fore months. I've never sen it before. son gets sealant to fix it in morning.
Only good thing that happened : no-one responded to advert for car!
Shit happens,
Sunday 4th February
Collect cat with catheter from vet. Put newspaper all over ground floor. Drips everywhere. Manage to get 1/2 tablet down him. Too stressed to cook.
Monday 5th february 2007
Cat to vet for extraction of catheter. all ok. Bill £89
Son to docs for examination. Doc reassures but sends for x-ray. Radiographer takes it seriously and makes thorough picture. Return to doc in two weeks.
Cook meal.
Cat much better, pierces vein when I try to give him 1/2 tablet.
Wall and windows still in need of attention.
Tonight I will have a bath and sleep for the first time in weeks even though the house is still falling down.
Big Brother controversy
Not worth wasting much space on so I will put my post here:
Guardian today Article about racism
January 19, 2007 09:35 AM
Can someone please explain why this media generated storm in a teacup has occupied major news for the last week?
What is this 'Celebrity' that these people are supposed to demonstrate, and does anybody actually watch the programme?
It really is beyond me that we can be so manipulated by the media.
Shilpa Shetty is an actress I understand. She can act.
Jade Goody has been involved in this programme before and understands what the producers want.
Failing ratings mean that controversy is needed to increase viewing figures.
Do we need to be duped by this?
Yes, racism exists
yes, there are people who do not wish to get to know strangers
yes, people are stupid
yes, people bully others
yes, people are intolerant of difference.
that is life.
Without education and example human nature will continue in its defensive mode.
Media hype generates increased fear in our increasingly fearful society. It's a con. Wake up and smell the coffee.
Blair's leaving date
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2160076.ece
Blair scuppers Brown's hopes of an early handover
By Andrew Grice
Published: 17 January 2007
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Rubbish!
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I will post this now as a record of what I have been saying for ages.
Blair is not planning to leave the leadership of the Labour Party before the next election.
Remember, he is a Barrister. His use of language is explicit. What he said to the last TUC Conference was that he would not be attending another TUC Conference. At no point did he say that he would be resigning before the next conference. He will go on, and on. No matter what Brown thought he had agreed years ago, Blair will not relinquish power.
He will find excuse after excuse, or create situations which make it impossible for him to hand over power. The public will be sooo grateful: "Thank you Tony for offering to save us from the horrors we now perceive"
All hail the eternal leader.
latest cause of fear/alarm: dangerous dogs
google search today shows 1,487 news stories on this topic
http://news.google.co.uk/nwshp?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wn&q=dangerous%20dogs
Obviously another forgotten fear we should worry about.
NEWSPEAK today
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1977460,00.html
"This indignation deficit shows the reality of the state that Labour is in
They may grumble to pollsters, but financial security and high public spending will keep the public voting Brown "
Polly Toynbee
Those of us who protested in the 60's and 70's felt we were achieving something. After the biggest demonstration in the world failed to stop madness some of us retreated to try and survive. We have not given up, but the growing sense of hopelessness at not being listened to means that fewer now feel they have any part to play in any of this.
Protect and survive may become our motto. Heads down folks, keep breathing and hope for a quick end.
Here we go....be afraid, be very afraid.
For the full article see Food for Thought page
THEY ALL HAVE NUMBER PLATES AND THE OWNERS OF 1.5 MILLION CARS ARE GOING TO BE STOPPED "In the ANPR system we at present have one-and-a-half million car registrations which we'll have to check because we know something is wrong with them." - police director H. Karreman explained. The police explained that for instance also 'suspects' which had not shown up yet for a DNA test were stopped, and people who had tax debts, had not paid parking tickets or were ordered to pay alimony but didn't. They could stop stolen or 'suspected' cars, like all other cars and the people in them, which data are kept on file in the police's database with (legal and illegal) info on all 16.5 million inhabitants of The Netherlands. And even if 99% of them is innocent and has (on paper) constitutional rights which by law forbids this kind of snooping, the European Union's 'managers' and their control system keeps mutating as some form of malignant fungus in all twenty-six countries.
"IF YOU KEEP'M STUPID, I'LL KEEP'M POOR." With 11% suffering poverty in Holland, in one of the 'richest' countries on earth? With children held in jail and fourhundred-and-forty-thousand children growing up in abject poverty? Is that a 'rich' country where more so called middle class people than ever commit suicide for economical reasons, and 61% of the people lies awake because they do not know how to pay the bills...? Also in Holland , the digital TV camera gets the license plate, 'freezes' the picture and 'matches' within a second. And if the authorities, the by you tax paid personal, via the by you tax paid police wants you for whatever reason, even for reading this, two by you tax paid cops on by your taxes paid motorbikes will have stopped you within minutes. If needed, and by remote control of course, all traffic lights can switch to red, and the road signs and markers above and along the highway will show your license plate number, telling you to STOP! That's what also can happen to all and anybody of those people with cell phones and/or new, for the EU compulsory driving licenses with build in signals via the RFID's.
THEY PROMISED FREEDOM AND IMPOSED APARTHEID What's happening in Holland is happening in the rest of the European Union too, and slowly - like cancer mostly - it's silently spreading across the globe. To silence oppositional voices and further brainwash the people, globally more major media have been bought, and under the cover of the US junta's fake 'war of terror' the indecent and abusive control of people keeps metastasizing.
"IF YOU HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR." IS THE GLOBAL NITWIT MANTRA. Well: after a few people survived the maltreatment in the US concentration camp Guantanamo, survived the years of illegal jailing, the hunger strikes, brutal interrogations with torture and having some poor people commit suicide in desperation, a few got out and could finally tell their horrible stories. Giving evidence that all of them 'had nothing to hide'. But the US mercenaries tortured them anyhow. 50.000 Volt will make you 'confess' anything.*
Why do you think it can't happen to you?
Henk Ruyssenaars
FOREIGN PRESS FOUNDATION
Editor: Henk Ruyssenaars
http://tinyurl.com/gpr4j
The Netherlands
fpf@chello.nl
More to worry about
Is it better to be a bit fat or very thin? The news about obesity makes me want to eat, drink and be merry
Alexander Chancellor Friday December 15, 2006 The Guardian
08:34 AM
Yippee! one more thing for us all to worry about - 'Internal fat'
Shall we start a book on what the next one will be?
February 11, 2007 1:50 AM