I am not a guest here

The other day, I complained about some issues at my daughter’s school. To my great amazement, the did not want to deal with my complaint, and I was told that as I was only a guest in this country I should be thankful that my daughter was allowed to attend schools in the first place.

To clarify

In my business, I employ English people and create jobs
I bring revenue from overseas, part of it pays for the school and the teacher
I spend my earnings here
I pay my taxes here

I never asked for a preferential treatment. But if you want to treat me differently, just remember that I am not a guest here. I am a paying customer.

A great moment for English democracy

Is the entire political system corrupt? Can we find senior politicians who do not view those who elected them as means of filling their own pockets? 

At last, the free media is fulfilling its role as the guardian of democracy, waking the public up. Politicians have nowhere to hide.

Unlike 'normal' times, this time we didn’t buy into their excuses, fake regrets, or meaningless apologetic gestures. This time the media and the public demand justice. And the way that thing progress, there might even be justice.

Democracy is not about getting things right; it’s about changing them when they go wrong.

So whatever happens next, we must make sure that transparency, accountability, and most of all free speech and media remain part of the English culture. This is the only safeguard we have, and neither anti-terrorist laws, nor any other ill conceived policies should limit this right. This is something we must always fight for.

This is a great moment in English democracy. Let’s make sure that neither the public nor the media give up. Things can get better – but only if we cared.

Transparency

Recently Mr. Brown uttered some words about the need for transparency and accountability in our economy. Yet, his government still will not reveal the discussions prior the Iraq war, nor their personal expenses. Failed bankers still get bonuses and salary increases, and a nurse and a teacher have been charged for exposing substandard practices in their hospital and school, respectively.
Words are cheap Mr. Brown.

Don't Pay Then!

 

In the last year, Britain’s top ten best-paid chairmen have led their companies to an average loss of 36%. In contrast, the companies of the 10 lowest-paid chairmen in the FTSE 100 have gained 1% in average.

We should then expect that companies with unpaid chairmen, or no chairmen at all should perform the best.

The King Must Die

Today it took me 3 hours to get home, instead of the ‘normal’ 45 minutes. During the wait, the speakers -- instead of washing us with Easter music -- bombarded us with irrelevant messages,without any indication that anyone knew what was going on.

Yesterday I needed to settle some minor matters in the post office. It took an hour. Had I done it in the bank it would have taken 15 minutes -- over the net 5.

Great institution that were once the pride of England, have not been updated to modern life and are now obsolete. The king must die. Long live the king!

The Queen of the Porn

Why is everyone so upset that Jacqui Smith used tax payers’ money to rent porn videos? After all, don’t we want her healthy and cheerful? Maybe then she’ll start doing some proper work.

Instead of paying back the money, as she’s offered, she should give the videos to those who paid for them, and make it public. It’s our right, as good tax-paying citizens, to know what turns on those we put in power.

If I ever tried to claim porn on company expense, I would be escorted out, without even a chance to clear my desk, so I am trying to imagine how could she have mistaken her porn expenses as official? Is it just possible that she simply claims all her expenses.

It’s sickening to hear that whenever any of our gangsters is caught claiming benefits for something that a normal person would be jailed for, they claim that they didn’t break any law. Of course they didn’t – they make the law. This is exactly what a corrupt government is, a government that makes the rules for the benefit of the government.

It’s corrupt, it’s immoral but it’s legal. We call it democracy. England seems to have deteriorated from a role model of democracy to a corrupt regime, whose only role is to protect itself. How much lower can we go?

UK and Islam

We can’t ignore the Muslim brotherhood's pain, and feel their pain when other Muslims are killed by non Muslims. We appreciate that Muslims want to keep the exclusive right of killing each other uninterrupted, and feel enraged when others do the deed. After all, more Muslims are killed by Muslim than by anyone else (Israel, you do not even appear statistically significant).

We appreciate the fact that Islam cares for the poor, and hence creates more poverty than any other religion, even in those privileged countries where God spreads money in the sand.

We understand the outrage of those Muslim in England who feel that their kids are not safe in our streets. Would they prefer Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan or Somalia to become our role model for safety.

They claim that Sharia law would eliminate rape. The Muslim countries have not proven it is the case. In many of them rape is an epidemic, and stoning the victim (or forcing her to marry the rapist) is the only cure. 

I have read the Korean and learned about the great achievements that Muslim brought to the world. I wish these were the things they were proud of: medicine, mathematics, astronomy.  But the current Islam want nothing to do with these achievements. And the things they are proud of, should never be allowed in England, nor anywhere else in the civilized world.

Tribute to Jade Goody by ranfuchs @ 22/03/2009 – 20:28:46

The death of a young mother is always a tragedy, for her friends, family, and most of all for her kids.

Yet it is not a national tragedy. Definitely not when Jade Goody is concerned. Jade Goody's only contribution was to demonstrate to the ignorant that being uneducated, and racists can make them famous; that their flaws is what this country likes. But is that enough to justify a tribute from the prime minister? What message is he conveying to our children? That cheap fame wins you honor more than education and hard work?

As sad as a death of a young mother is, this is of no national interest whatsoever. Unless, of course, Brown needs reality shows to devise his policies.

It certainly seems so.

To Porn Or Not To Porn

It’s heart worming to learn that the Gallant Mr. Brown feels that those who abuse the expense system should apologies. Severe punishment indeed. Let's cancel the legal system, and replace it with letter of apology.  What saving that would be to the tax-payer. Why should I pay a traffic fine, if I can apologize to the policeman.?

And to a nearly completely different matter: I am glad to see that the house has taken measures to ensure that such unpleasant incidents will never happen again. From now, MPs will be allowed a few days to edit their receipts before they become public.

It’s already clear that they’ll be allowed to delete vendor names from their receipts (so we will not know that they used tax payers money to watch porn) and the date (so we will not know that they charged two hotels in different part of the country on the same day). What else will they be allowed to delete -- the amount? Why not? After all, they make the laws. Whatever they say can’t be illegal.

Accountability and transparency, this is what the head of our gang has promised to legislate into the post-credit-crisis economy. I am glad to see that in his own house he does not practice what he  preaches. For a moment I got worried.

Accountability

With all the newly suggested internet policies, Brown the Brave said that “we are ushering in a new world of accountability in which parents, patients and local communities shape services”. But what about Governments Mr. Brown? When will they be held accountable for anything?

What about your government?

Not another policy!

Gordon the Magnificent continues with his infinite list of new unrelated ideas. The latest is to half-train failed bankers to become half competent teachers. In other words, bankers who failed at their jobs, will get an accelerated course to become teachers.

As a full time teaching course seems not to be doing much good for the UK education system, why not do away with teacher training altogether, can't anyone with a stick become a teacher. 

Alternatively, we may also want to encourage early-released prisoners (one of Gordon the Magnificent latest policies) to take teaching jobs. After all, these guys sure know about life.

By the way, does anyone know what happened to the elimination of prostitution policy?

Trust the government

Prisoners released early from jail have been paid in compensation for losing free board and lodging.

This is the latest of the government policy kitchen. I have a few suggestions:

1. Why don’t we cancel jails altogether? Instead, we will have our courts pay criminals for the time they do not spend in jail?

2. Even better, why don’t we cancel the judicial system, and have the police (now wearing new red uniform with big white beard) hand cash directly to criminals: cash for not being sent to jail, and the profit from eliminating the court system.

3. This can be followed by cancelling the police as well. Instead, we can put money boxes in the street; boxes which only criminals would be allowed to take money from. We will make it illegal for non-criminals will never touch the money. So if they do, they would be breaking the law, and hence entitled to it.

Legal Matters

The life of a girl of 15 working as a prostitute was exposed when a suspicious teacher, who searched her bag, found condoms and the name card of her agency and alerted police.

Two legal issues are yet to be resolved before any act can take place:

1. Should the crown sue the teacher for abusing her power and conducting an unauthorized search?
2. Can help services ‘rescue’ the girl, as evidence was obtained illegally, and therefore, by law inadmissible.

There is nothing like a good bureaucracy to raise ones confidence in the system.

Bribes

Rail chiefs are in line for £600,000 bonuses, despite the continuously deteriorating service. I am glad to see that the reward for failure tradition continues. I also applaud the sensitivity of our leaders to the current market condition. After all, merely a year ago bonuses for failure were much higher.

Lock them behind bars

A mother who let her child continuously play truant was jailed for 56 days. This is a great use of our jail system, considering the number of dangerous criminals released early for lack of jail space.

I just wonder when was the last time anyone thought why we have jails at all, and who should be put there?

 

Drug enlightened UK by ranfuchs @ 18/02/2009 – 07:19:45

A father of three, whose family had been suffering from heroin dealers, has been jailed for two months for grabbing dealer’s heroin stash and flushing it down the toilet.

How enlightened UK has become. We have now entered a new human-right era in which heroin dealers seek police help to protect their possessions. Next, they will sue the police when it fails to protect them.

Coming soon: tax-payer's funds will be used to establish help-line for heroin dealers in financial distress.

Fatherhood at 12

Does anyone else find it strange that three boys of 12, 16 and 14 quarrel over the fatherhood of a baby born to a 15 years old? They all claim to have slept with her in her bed with the consent of her parents. I just can’t really imagine how the conversation with the parent went:
“Yes dear, he is 16, don’t you think he's too old for you? Why don’t you bring someone younger next time. He may be smaller, too, and will fit in your bed better. Also make sure you don’t use any of these contraceptive. The priest was clear that we must not corrupt your young minds, lest it should put strange ideas in your little heads.”

Well Done Post Office

The post office – of which I have been a good customer for year– has always provided the worst service of any financial institution: internet and telephone banking have been substandard, the queues have been long, the clerks uninformed, and every simple request takes for forever.

But some things happen fast

Due to my travelling, I missed a £12 payment. Normally such a small amount would roll with some interest and fee into my next statement, sometimes with a polite reminder.

Not any longer.

Within four days I have received a warning letter saying that: "according to Consumer Credit Act 1974 I have defaulted and have to immediately remedy the situation before any further legal action would take place."

Four days? 12 pounds? Are they serious? At least it explains where they put their resources, and why  and why everything else takes forever.

Hypocrisy

Today, Musa was found guilty for Speed camera scam and was sentenced to 16 months in prison. He had charged speeding motorists up to £200 for taking the blame.

Today, if the four House of Lords members are found to have accepted £120,000 to help secure amendments to a Government bill on behalf of a business client, they could be required to apologise on the floor of the Lords. They cannot be expelled from Parliament or stripped of their titles, not to mention serving a jail sentence.

Everyone will benefit if we send Musa to the House of Lords and the Lords to prison.

Gaza: Do They Really Care?

The anti-Israel campaigners have disappeared from my town. This is natural now that the fighting has stopped. But where are the donation collectors? Where have they gone now that the Palestinians need them the most?

There was no reason for donation during the war. Now there is. Now that the fire has stopped you can transfer medicine and food to Gaza. It is now that the people in Gaza need help rebuilding their lives, their homes, hospitals and schools. Now they need financial aid. But nobody seems to collect for them any more. Not in my town.

We now know that a great deal of the donations for the Tsunami victims never reached the suffering Indonesians. So while I have no doubt about the good intention of the street collectors, is it possible that the donation operation was merely a cynical exploitation of the emotions in the street to make some people rich?

How do we know how much went to those suffering in Gaza and not to enrich people here? If it went to Gaza, why have they stopped now?

Adoption

A couple was denied the right to adopt a child because the man was too fat. There were other behavioral or health problems. Is such discrimination legal in the UK? It wouldn’t be in many parts of the civilized world.

On the other hand, isn’t the department dealing with adoption the same as that dealing with child safety? This is the same department that followed the correct procedures to the letter, only to end up with the death of Baby P ...  and others. 

It’s a wonderful economic environment to find replacement for some of these long term government paper pushers. So many good people need a job these days.