Bring your own Shisha

Came across this through ‘From My Point of View’. According to the New Criminologist what many have said to me all along - MI6 is in bed with terrorist cells.

I don’t normally like the Mirror and all the other tabloid press, but this story in the Mirror has made me feel sick.

When you think of starvation and deprivation you think of the famine in Niger, the suffering in Ethiopia and the scores of people reduced to skin and bones.You think of the wretched forms of children who haven’t eaten in weeks. You don’t think of a woman in the West. You don’t imagine that a 79 year old woman would be able to starve to death when she has 10 children and 30 grandchildren, living in the ‘affluent’ United Kingdom.

“She was left broke when the door of her one-bedroom council bungalow was replaced without a post box. Her benefits book and giro cheques were returned by Royal Mail to the pensions office.”

So the council replaced the doors and didn’t put in a letterbox. This happens. A whole block will have the doors replaced and then the letterboxes will be put in, with all the doorbells and knockers etc etc.

But what is concerning is that no one at the Pensions Service noticed that this woman was not drawing her pension for 3 months. That surely would flag something up in some system somewhere. Or has the Welfare State collapsed into complete and utter ignorance and forgotten the people it is supposed to serve and help.

But ultimately for me, what is the most appaling, is that of these 10 children and 30 grandchildren, no one noticed that this woman, their Mother/Grandmother, was wasting away and had no money. What does that say about the social fabric of the UK? Have we really degenerated into a bunch of self centred individuals who worry about themselves and not for the better of society?

My Parents have both retired now, and they live with my Wife and I. And we would not have it any other way. On many occasion have I said to my wife that if you like we can make separate living arrangements. But she refuses. And that to me is the essence of what a family should be. Inclusive. Caring for the young and caring for the old. Even making the Old care for the Young, and us middle generation just get on with life.

I’m going to finish this post with a quote from my favourite book:

‘And your Lord has commanded that you shall not serve (any) but Him, and goodness to your parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, say not to them a word of contempt nor chide them, and speak to them a generous word.
And make yourself submissively gentle to them with compassion, and say: O my Lord! have compassion on them, as they brought me up (when I was) little.’ - Qur’an Chapter 17: Verses 23-24

Way back in September 2000, protesters set up blockades at Petrol Refineries. The country came to a standstill as no fuel reached the Service Stations and the Government were forced to put Fuel duty rises on hold.

The last 2 days have seen people panic buying fuel like crazy! The longest queue I have seen is almost half a mile out of the service station. There are planned protests, but we are being assured that there will not be any blockades, but why is it we don’t trust the protesters. I believe they are doing this for all of us, especially as we approach the £5 per gallon mark. Duty comprises approximately 70% of the cost of a litre of petrol. But ultimately these queues are an indication of how self centred society has become. We will support to the fuel protests as long as our own petrol tanks are full.

Ultimately, duty on fuel needs to drop or it has to change, but I cannot see a reason for the Goverment to change it. Charging a percentage as opposed to a fixed amount means that as oil prices go up, the Government profits. The next few days will be interesting as the rest of Europe’s goverments are changing their fuel taxation.

So after 9/11 (I think I prefer 11/9), the United in the old United States of America was good and proper. Americans stood together. They were all ONE nation under that ONE flag all sharing ONE set of dreams/goals.

Fast forward to August 2005. And a hurricane (which we knew about) sweeps through New Orleans and the Unity goes out the window. Looting commences and the chasm between the Rich and Poor has been shown to be greater than ever.

And the Government’s responsibility goes out of the window, because people were warned.

The most powerful nation in the world, who wants to spread their brand of democracy cannot control their own. What example is this setting to the ‘hopeful’ Iraqi people?

UPDATE: Daniel Brett compares the US to Bangladesh in the face of a natural disaster.

When the Mohammed Siddique Khan says ‘My People’ I know instantly that he speaks of Muslims. But did he? We will never know. I know that when people see indigenous English people who have become Muslims, born muslims are surprised. The skin colour surprises them. We have the head of a department from a local school talk every Friday at the mosque. And when new people come in, they always ask, ‘Is he muslim??!’

But what exactly does it mean when someone will kill others because they threaten ‘my’ people? I always saw humanity as one race. One people. I don’t know. Is a terrorist determined by the colour of their skin or by their actions? Can States be guilty of terrorism? Is a Terrorist decided by the colour of their skin or their race? Israel thinks so. Israel has decided that its people are Jewish. Pakistan is officially known as the ‘Islamic Republic of Pakistan’ no matter how much of a misnomer that may be and their people are Muslims. But in actuality there is only one race. The Human Race.

So where do we draw the line? Who are my people? Will I be killed by a terrorist or a freedom fighter or a heart attack?