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Showing posts from August, 2014

A new recycling and rubbish collection service.

http://www.letsrecycle.com/news/latest-news/councils/new-collection-system-2018boosts-recycling2019-in-dorset       A new recycling and rubbish collection service provided by Dorset Waste Partnership.  There was quite a bit of vehicle congestion, at various times, around the lanes and in the villages of the Bride Valley yesterday (28th August). From mid morning onwards into late afternoon, Swyre, Puncknowle, Litton Cheney and  a number of other villages, became clogged with local and holiday maker traffic waiting patiently for the lanes to clear.The cause of all this congestion was three ( or maybe even four) large trucks completely blocking the lane, with only room for pedestrians to walk on either side. The trucks were all from the same contractor who it seems was on contract to the West Dorset District Council, or the Dorset Waste Partnership, (I can never tell the difference), and were delivering "wheelie bins" to every household in the Bride Valley and

Poverty and poverty related illness shames us all.

  http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/aug/30/child-poverty-link-malnutrition-rickets Rickets returns as poor families find healthy diets unaffordable.   Helping to prevent Rickets at a primary school in the 1950's    With their heads buried firmly in the sand (or some other location), the ConDem coalition government continue their drive for even greater austerity, and resolutely refuse to accept that their policies are forcing more and more families in this country to the point of poverty or even below the accepted definitions of poverty. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, the ever increasing reliance on food banks, now totaling in excess of 1 million people, the rise in poverty related illnesses, the increasing numbers of homeless creating different but never the less significant problems for our society, and all the published evidence from recognised charities and institutions, yet  the government repeat that we are on the right course and that we must

The European Union, NATO and the unfolding conflict in Ukraine.

  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-crisis-eu-summit-seeks-to-show-it-backs-kiev-9701806.html EU summit seeks to show it backs Kiev   Pro Russia militia in Ukraine Why is NATO with its mouthpiece Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the European Union, with as many mouth pieces as there are member states and not quite behind the scenes, the ringmaster United States, engineering a confrontation with Russia? Rasmussen bleats that it is unacceptable for "foreign" troops to be in another country's territory and yet fails (presumably) to see the irony with the comparison to Iraq or Afghanistan or Syria. E U Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, mumbles that, "it isn't too late for a political solution", presumably with the implied threat that E U troops would go trundling over the border grab Ukraine (Unlikely, just looked what happened the last time a European "leader" had the same idea). All the while in the background some

Are we really back to where we started?

  http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/08/clone.of.life-returns-gaza-as-truce-holds-20148271.html   Life returns to Gaza as truce holds but Netanyahu faces criticism in Israel over the offensive.   Palestinians celebrate the beginning of the truce in Gaza City After 50 days of intense bombardment by Israeli military forces and fierce resistance from the Palestinian factions within Gaza, the ceasefire brokered by the Egyptians came into effect at 17:00 yesterday (26th August). Not withstanding what Mark Regev, the Israeli mouthpiece for Benjamin Netanyahu, may say to try to convince you otherwise, the ceasefire terms agreed to in Cairo are not the same as those that were "on the table", 3 weeks ago. By now of course, we are only too well aware of how Mark Regev, Peter Lerner,  Ron Prosor and other Israeli spokespersons are, without even batting an eyelid, able to turn fantasy and wishful thinking into their presentation of "fact and truth".

Manufacture a "confrontation" to achieve the real objective.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/26/nato-east-european-bases-counter-russian-threat NATO plans east European bases to counter "Russian threat" NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen   It has always been about creating NATO bases in Ukraine. The entire Kiev, Moscow confrontation has been engineered by "the west" (aka the United States and US dominated NATO), using the European Union links and ultimate membership dispute in justification. NATO The ousting an elected President (whether we like ,Viktor Yanukovych or not,), to install the pro western, pro European government of Petro Poroshenkoof is not an unusual occurrence or tactic in American politics. It is a foreign policy, still very much in use today, which has numerous files under the collective title of "Replacing a few enemies with a few friends". In the Ukraine, it is a not very subtle excuse being used as a front for basing American missiles and personnel along pra

Loaded questions to obtain the "right" responses.

http://cappingbenefits.conservatives.com/   Cameron says" We want to hear your views. Please take our survey to have your say" A contemptible exercise in public manipulation. Take a minute to fill in our quick survey A glaringly barefaced example of how questions can be "loaded", to ensure that only the response required by the questioner can be given. Capping benefits to ensure that an out of work household can claim no more than an average family actually earns by working sounds attractive, but fails to address the stark reality that average earnings are being driven down by government policy, causing many working people to actually claim benefits. The government are using the decline in average earnings, caused by their own policies, to cut overall benefit levels. A vicious circle, which suits government and employers objectives. Housing benefit payments are determined, not by those claiming the benefit, but by those setting

British actor and director Richard Attenborough has died.

  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/richard-attenborough-dead-veteran-actor-and-director-dies-aged-90-9688669.html A sad day for the British film industry Richard Attenborough   Richard Samuel Attenborough, 29 August 1923 – 24 August 2014. Brighton Rock, The Guinea Pig, Morning Departure, Dunkirk, Angry Silence, 10 Rillington Place, Great Escape, the list of acting roles is almost endless and as a director Attenborough will probably be most remembered for Gandhi. Regimental Sergeant Major Lauderdale His portrayal of Regimental Sgt. Major Lauderdale in Guns at Batasi stands out, albeit that the film did not achieve the same degree of recognition as many of the others.(See YouTube entries) Richard "Dickie" Attenborough. R I P

Crime comes to Litton Cheney

A small village in the Dorset countryside. "Main Street" Litton Cheney.   There are some really nasty people wandering around. Last night, a thief stole a wrought iron table and two wrought iron chairs from our front garden. The furniture had been sitting in front of our cottage for around 7 years, in fact it is even shown in the Google street view. It is unlikely that anyone in the village would have stolen this furniture as it has become a bit of a landmark for people giving directions to others. In the unlikely, (though not impossible), event that the thieving b*****d who stole these items reads this comment, my wife and I hope that you enjoy the use of the chairs and table, especially when having a snack or afternoon tea when we sincerely wish that you choke on the sandwich or biscuit. Give us a ring and we will pop round to see that you are all right.

How the man without credibility or legitimacy becomes the "Good Guy"

  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/west-poised-to-join-forces-with-assad-in-face-of-islamic-state-9686666.html West poised to join forces with Assad in face of Islamic State Bashar al-Assad   While we will be giving weapons and support to the FSA at the same time presumably. A truly remarkable piece of hypocritical contrivance. This is not the first time,nor will it be the last, when the arms trade has managed to sell weapons in this case via the UK government, to all sides in a conflict. Eighteen months ago we were arming a group, which is now called the Islamic State, as well as the Free Syrian Army, and numerous other splinter groups because they were opposing and seeking to remove Bashar al_Assad, a dictatorial President, who we said, who had "lost all credibility and legitimacy" as the leader of Syria. The British and the American governments were desperate (and still are, but that will have to wait as circumstances have now changed),

Condor Ferries will cease operations from wymouth early neat year.

  http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/11420375.Condor_Ferries_to_leave_Weymouth_next_spring/?ref=var_0 Condor purchase new high speed Austal 102 trimaran      The "new" Condor Ferry:: Austal’s 102-metre trimaran   Why should anyone be shocked and surprised by this story? On the 19th April I blogged this entry. http://new-agenda2012.blogspot.co.uk/201 4/04/the-writing-has -been-on-wall-for-al most.html Today, channelonline.tv carries the following: "Condor Ferries has bought a new £50 million high speed vessel. The latest addition to the fleet will come into service in spring 2015. The purchase follows the news Condor secured a ten-year licence to provide Jersey and Guernsey with ferry services. The Austal 102 trimaran can carry 1,165 passengers, 254 cars and has a 630 nautical mile range. The new licence allows for a rival operator to set up providing it can match Condor's services. CEO James Fulford said: "I am delighted to announce th

Diversions, Delays and a 1992 Ballad.

  http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/aug/18/chief-constable-handling-cliff-richard-investigation-police-bbc-search Cliff Richard fans bid to get 'I Still Believe In You' to number one    Fans are campaigning to get his 1992 ballad “I Still Believe In You” to number one.    The Cliff Richard "incident" is fast descending into the world of farce. As more big names from all walks of celebrity life, show business, politics, media and even television lead the clamour of protest from the "man in the street" about how the raid on one of the homes of Cliff Richard was carried out, it seems that the investigation is turning into allegations of police heavy handedness, BBC conspiracy and contrived complaints. It is debatable whether the same degree of protectionism would have been evident had it been  "Joe Soap", of Peabody Buildings, East Cheap (with apologies to any person of that name or address, as no connection is intended or implied)

Bring Back British Rail.

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/aug/19/labour-transport-campaign-fight-rail-fare-price-rises?commentpage=1 Campaigners step up rail fares fight as prices rise again     Fare to rise by another 6% Average ticket price has gone up 25% under coalition government. So has the subsidy that the taxpayer gives to these privatised parasites.       Bring Back British Rail. If we are going to give subsidies, then at least we should be giving them to an industry that we own rather than pouring our money into the pockets of private businesses and their share holders.

The latest "We are listening" myth

http://www.conservatives.com/survey   An exercise in Public Relations. "We are listening" myth   It is always the case that these "survey" invitations from any of the parties never provide a facility for comments or adding the respondent questions or opinions. Always loaded questions with standard "safe" response options. The political parties have little if any interest in the views of ordinary people. They produce this type of meaningless survey as an act of Public relations designed to promote the "We are listening" myth. If they really wanted an opinion there are other, more effective and efficient, ways of seeking responses.