Wednesday 26 May 2010

YOUR HOME IS YOUR CASTLE !! ?

The answer to this question in the U K was always "YES, MY HOME IS MY CASTLE". It used to mean that there were legal means, like the police, to help home owners to protect their HOMES, that is to say their "CASTLES". Is it too much to ask of the police these days ?

There used to be legal means to protect HOMEOWNERS. Burglary, breaking and entering, stealing electricity, are well known criminal offences but they are no longer applied when expected by the public.

Almost every week there is a story in the National Press that holiday makers return from abroad to discover that their home has been forcibly entered and possessed. WHY ?

Are the police not paid to arrest criminals in these circumstances ?

The police defend their inertia with the plea that such matters are a "civil matter" between the owner and the tresspasser !!! This is ludicrous !!! Is the police not employed to protect lawfull abiding citizens ? Should they not pursue tresspassers, who are frequently footloose immigrants ?

Is it the Chief of the Police, or is it the Minister of the Interior, who are not addressing the problem ?

To put it more simply. Has anyone ever known a case where the home of a policeman or a politician, at any level of responsibility, was illegally possessed ?

To put it another way, is it not the moment to recognise that every Briton has the right to expect that he and his CASTLE have the right to police protection.

Monday 24 May 2010

MURRAY AT ROLAND GARROS

I am watching Murray playing at Roland Garros and regularly when he has been serving against the Frenchman Richard Gasquet, some one has been shouting "fault". Is it a line judge or somebody else in the crowd ?

The "faults" are rarely peenalised !!! This is annoying and distracts the concentration of everyone. When Gasquet serves there is utter silence !!!

If it is a line judge he should be replaced. If it is a spectator he should be thrown out.

Sunday 23 May 2010

JUDGE IAN TRIGGER GUILTY !!!


The Office for Judicial Complaints has rebuked Judge Ian Trigger for comments he made in court about the lax administration by the Labour Government of their immigration policy. Judge Trigger made these comments in July 2009.

As was stated by this Blog at the time, the only fault committed by Judge Trigger was that, in a moment of frustration, he criticised the Labour administration. This has now been deemed to be an inappropriate judicial intervention in the political process. Would he have been rebuked, or perhaps even praised, if instead he had complemented the Government for something ?

It was clearly a very difficult case for the Minister of Justice, Jack Straw, who was also inundated with work connected with the recent General Election. It took 10 months to reach a verdict !!!

Judge Trigger should now, at least, heave a huge sigh of relief !!! He should be thankful. There are countries in this world where the Death Penalty awaits those who dare to criticise the Government !!!

Thursday 20 May 2010

WHY IS THERE A "EURO" CRISIS ?

Ordinary people in the street in "EUROLAND", taxpayers and non-taxpayers, who still pay VAT when they buy anything, cannot understand why there is a crisis concerning the EURO currency.

Politicians in Europe are scratching their heads in order to get a grip on the problem, to find a solution and to fend off criticism. They have real fears for their next re-election !!!

The EURO was introduced as a money in the year 2000, but now only ten years later Greece and about four other countries are bankrupt or verging on bankruptcy.

Why ? That is the real question !!!

The answer is simple. The countries involved have overspent!!! They have lost control of their finances.

Every family knows, like every businessman knows, that if you spend more than your income, then the ultimate result will be bankruptcy !!! When that happens you lose all you have got. Your unpaid creditors also lose.

The ultimate and real question is "Why did this happen"?

The answer is quite clear, even if it hurts. The E U does not control what is going on !!! No one in the E U ever tells a country to stop spending !!! Politicians do not like being unpopular. They prefer to pursue idealogical goals and not be fettered by having to count the cost. Any family or private businessman in such a position is quickly made to realise that without money you cannot go on spending.

What has startled and petrified EU policians so suddenly is that they have realised that Greece is part of their family and that Greece cannot repay its debts !!! Even an austerity program in Greece will not solve the problem. The recent unrest and disturbances in Greece are the proof of the present conundrum. What is worse is what is to come; there are other countries in a similar position to Greece.

Politicians are past masters in the art of massaging the presentation of facts and figures and statistics. Many retire before they are found out !!!

What will happen next ? Taxpayers in all the countries which have the EURO as their currency will have to pay to clear up the Greek debts and possibly others. The only other alternative is to scrap the EURO and return to the previous currencies. That would be an even messier solution !!!

Angela Merkel seems to be blaming in part the banking crisis for the EURO crisis. The banking crisis is another mess which has very little to do with the EURO mess !!! One should not confuse the two.

Likewise the British twin Prime Ministers, David Cameron and Nick Clegg, should not be too complacant about the EURO problems. They can thank Gordon Brown and Tony Blair for not having adopted the EURO currency, but after 13 years of uncontrolled overspending, bankrupt Britain urgently needs first aid and less idealogic E U rules.

Wednesday 12 May 2010

WESTMINSTER COALITION

Boris Johnston said the new coalition in Westminster was like crossing a Bulldog with a Chihuahua, but did not say who, in his opinion, was the Bulldog and who was the Chihuahua !!! Perhaps he was being diplomatic !!! Why ?

Friday 7 May 2010

CLEGG'S CONUNDRUM !!!


Nick Clegg has the offer of a coalition with the Tories or with the Socialists.

Not bad, but the choice is difficult if Nick Clegg and the Liberals want to drive a hard bargain for immediate gain. In fact his own reputation and that of his party will be judged on the choice that is made.

The options are clear !!! Which of the following does he favour ?

a) Help to change the direction of politics in Britain with David Cameron and the Tories.

b) Help the Socialists to sort out the mess that Gordon Brown and Tony Blair have left as a legacy ?

Whatever Nick Clegg decides, the electorate will remember the results achieved during at least the next twenty years !!!

Thursday 6 May 2010

THE GREEK EURO CRISIS


In the E U 16 countries out of 27 have adopted the EURO as their official currency. The crunch has come because Greece has not respected the financial and economic conditions that the E U requires. Greece has broken the rules !!!

Initially Greece wanted help of about 40 Billion Euros as loans to cover it's banking crisis. A closer inspection of Greek affairs has raised this amount to 110 Billions Euros.

Greece adopted the Euro in 2001 and since then has not controlled its excessive expenditures. It is undeniable that Greece is bankrupt !!!

However, what is also undeniable is that the E U, in spite of all its rules and legislation, has been completely surprised by the Greek bankruptcy and the consequent turmoil we now see in the press !!!

Who controls what in the E U ? Which hightly paid experts were asleep on the job during recent years ? This is not an unexpected overnight drama !!! Is there no one who has the courage to raise these questions ?

The real question now is "What happens next ?" In fact Greece has the option of quitting the E U , readopting its former currency, and then massively devalue !!! This will not affect its debts which are in a foreign currency. It will still have to repay its debts in EUROS !!!

Alas, creditors of Greece will have to wait a long time. Greek debts are bad debts and comparable with discounted Junk Bonds. Creditors have really already lost their shirts !!!

What is worse is that there are other countries in the wings watching carefully how the Greek problem is solved. They too want to ask for help !!!

Thank God that the U K has not abandoned the Pound Sterling in favour of the EURO !!!