Anthony Constable

Snow!

2012-02-10T10:44:00.000-08:00

As a break from my usual choices of content for this blog (yes, hard nosed intellectual politics. Ha! Ha!) Here is some Prague snow.

I love snow.

The Incomming Total Prevalence of Advertising

2012-02-08T08:17:00.000-08:00

Just listening to Sunday's This Week in Tech and I have come to the following conclusion.

Brian Brushwood is a Silicon Valley Idiot.

Ok, well the accusation may be a little harsh. But his assumption that a) we live in a world with a total prevalence of advertising. A world where our lives are dominated and majority driven by advertising. And that, given this, any further encroachments by advertisers on digital platforms into our lives would be a GOOD THING(!?) considering they already run our lives, they might as well do it better and with better information is so wrong.

Simply put. The more we are left alone by advertisers the better. It is through education and clear and open marketplaces that we make good life affirming purchase decisions. Not though the regulation of advertising via personal data algorithms.

Idea

2012-02-06T05:08:00.000-08:00

UPDATE#
I should have known that this, or something similar is already in use. My only new view is to googlify it. Nothing packaged in this way is particularly user friendly.

Idea for recording observations in schools.

One of the best places I find to think is in the shower. The shame and tragedy of this is that it is also one of those places where it is difficult to write down any thoughts. Couple this with my absolute lack of short - medium term memory (melodramatically speaking) then you have a recipe for many wasted ideas.

The other problem is I have a SiFi mind which does its best to focus on those thoughts that are totally impracticable for me. Anyway, enough of the navel gazing. Here is the idea.

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The Problem:
Working in a reception class as an Assistant Teacher I came up with a solution to a problem. How to keep a tab on the observations of individuals within a class. This is a key aspect of the work that goes behind assessing children at this age within the English school system (I forget the title of this form of intuitive). I also think this could be expanded to senior school, with even more effect.

The Initial Thoughts:
Currently the observations are made with little sheets of paper where the observation of positive activities - they could be of achievement when reading or of a new behaviour e.g. sharing - which are collated within a folder for each child and largely forgotten about during the rest of the year. At the end of the year I believe that a report is created based on these observations showing the stage of development the child has achieved. Again this is for Reception aged children of 4 - 5 years old.

The throwaway nature of this form and process of reporting seemed a shame to me. Why waste and forget valuable bits of important information on each child by putting it in a largely unreferenced folder in some hidden part of the classroom. A quick solution to this problem could be to use a collaborative document programme such as Google Docs to allow multiple users to access and update the observations and concerns placed on there by other practitioners. In this format two things would happen. The information would be glanced at at a regular basis by those entering in the data, but also the information itself would be put into context. For example, no duplications will be made (no time wasted, acknowledgement of behaviour reinforced) and any concerns could be highlighted easily.

Further Thoughts:
This initial solution would be an improvement for me as a technologically minded individual but this would not be all that user friendly. Also it would open itself up to problems of privacy, of accidental deletion and a host of others. As such my further thoughts into the matter - whilst lathered in soap and water a touch too warm for my liking - was that there may be scope for a dedicated product of some kind.

The Solution:
The product itself would be very simple. A well designed and user friendly database system based around tags and search. Essentially a blog made by teachers and other staff members within a school that would use pre-determined 'tags'. These tags would aid search and filtering so as to allow for clear data on whatever topic or child that is of concern.

Furthermore this would aid the individual within the school with the responsibility for 'Care and Guidence' (or whatever the title) as the software would track the numbers of incidents of specific topics... Say 'drugs' or 'bullying' and allow that individual to remotely study the problem, identify the areas of the school that need attention and then follow up the solution with clear school wide data on the topic.

This is an example of a senior school use of the solution, but I can see applications as low down as my lowly age of 4-5 year olds. Here we could track phonic development and understanding, mathematical achievement, general behaviour and any topic you would wish to mention.

The only disadvantage of this would be that it would need you to go to a computer for a period of time to type your thoughts, or for the practitioner to use an expensive smartphone with app to do it on the fly. This could only be solved by the inclusion of a specifically purposed hardware device sold by this mythical company using this idea.

Anyway. I am loosing a little bit of steam. There was more, but as I mentioned the shower has a way of generating ideas whilst also washing them away. Any thoughts?

England Expects

2011-12-19T01:41:00.000-08:00

I while ago my girlfriend sent me a poem by Clare Kirwan entitled 'England Expects'. This poem, to me, is a valuable snapshot of the state of England and I reproduce it here in full. Link to he website.

England expects England expectsto wait in line, to be on time,a seat given up for the elderly,a forest of hands at the call for volunteers,a space in the car park and laterthe car to still be there. England expectschangeable weather, a spate of burglaries,postal strikes, council tax, trains delayed,letters of complaint to go unanswered,the quiet loner to be a pedophilenothing to change. England expectsto win the lottery, no matter how unlikely,to never see a soldier from another country,to win in the final moment, in injury time,to lose in the final moment, in injury time,to vomit late-night fast food England expectswelfare, shelter, food, water,a good range of choices a la carte,quality items at the lowest prices,any fruit or vegetable in every season,someone else to pick up litter. England expectsnew houses and green spacesto reduce asthma, to drive everywhere,immediate service, fewer refugeesa place in heaven – near the front,a clamp down on asylum. England expectseverything to be ‘for the best’them to know what they are doingthe right thing to happen –without a battle, without many voices raiseddespite the quiet apathy of the multitude

[Apologies for the lack of formatting here]

2011-11-26T05:29:00.001-08:00

With the new Blogger layout and a resurgence of the desire to blog, expect some more posts on here. YAY.

King Blues, the Politics of Protest and the Homeless in Westminster.

2011-03-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

Posted here as an alternative to pissing off a load of King Blues fans on the fan facebook page. Please ignore if you are not aware of the context. Apologies for some of the language.

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Why do I fucking bother, I don't know. But for the sake of those who have any amount of open-mindedness left in these polemic times...

The tories aren't making it illegal to be poor and homeless, just that it is seen that it would be better to encourage the homeless to go to properly arranged locations for soup etc. so that they can take advantage of the support that these offer from social services etc. to actually bring these individuals away from the state they find themselves in... If that is indeed what they want.

I don't actually agree with the changes, BUT I can see the argument (I work within the care sector and see this sort of muddled thinking all the time). But get fed up with the empty and angry points made by you lot. (Condescending politics lesson-->) Politics is about finding the right path to the 'good life' for those people within the state. The 'state' has been agreed within society to now include EVERYONE within that society. There is no _politically_ defined exclusion within society any more (within the major 3 partys). The Torys are not evil, baby eating cunts. They just have alternative views how the world and country and society should be.

I would never say 'Get a job'. But I would say 'Get a Politic'. The politics of protest will only take our country further down the hole of failure that is our current path.

The Politics of Protest are nothing more than a void of anger and ignorance. This is not the sort of culture that could ever create success, prosperity and equality within a country.

Improving outcomes for children in care: ePolitix.com

2011-02-11T07:19:00.000-08:00

I work within the Looked After Children's sector. And, if I am being candid (and also quite polite) the whole process of finding these young people a safe and secure place to live out their childhood is a mess.

This isn't new. The link below - a small article by Edward Timpson MP - restates this point, but with some key and quite shocking facts. More needs to be done, but until the whole of local government is reformed and improved I do not expect this to happen.

Improving outcomes for children in care: ePolitix.com

The facts are well known: In the UK, care-leavers are far more likely to end up long-term unemployed, with poorer mental and physical health, on drugs, on the streets, in jail, or as teenage parents than their peers.

A child in care will, on average, achieve a lower level of academic achievement than a child with Special Educational Needs.

Half of all prisoners under the age of 25 were in care, and half of all prostitutes have been in care.

The cost to the state of these scandalous statistics is estimated to be five times more than if a young person had left care with good mental health, stable and strong attachments, and qualifications. The cost to society is in many ways incalculable.

---

And no. Bernardo's and other such large 'charities' are not the answer.

PMQs: in which Miliband becomes a statesman and a chamber yawns

2011-02-02T07:03:00.000-08:00

"Well, at least Bercow will be happy with the tone of debate."

Ha! I'm so happy for him.

Either way, below is a good TP review of today's Prime Minister's Questions.

PMQs: in which Miliband becomes a statesman and a chamber yawns

Wonderful quote

2011-02-01T13:57:00.000-08:00

"You can' t go around building a better world for people. Only people can build a better world for people. Otherwise it' s just a cage."

(Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad)

The right way: Bretton-woods

2011-01-24T02:56:00.000-08:00

The right way: Bretton-woods: "In short the Bretton woods conference enabled the high tax economies of the west by preventing capital from moving elsewhere and thus preventing international capital competition and we are posed with the funding of the same welfare state (enlarged due to increased population and technology) after a economics crash and in a world of free capital."

Dizzy Thinks: The Worldly Experience of the Shadow Cabinet

2011-01-21T01:58:00.000-08:00

Dizzy Thinks: The Worldly Experience of the Shadow Cabinet

Should anyone be interested, or perhaps wondering if Richard Littlejohn's description of the Shadow Cabinet, in the wake of Alan Johnson going, are now just "a bunch of weirdos who’ve never had a proper job in their lives", here's the run down of their worldly experience.
Ed Miliband - Wonk/SpAd
Harriet Harman - Political campaign lawyer
Ed Balls - Leader writer (4 years), SpAd
Douglas Alexander - Solicitor(six months)
Yvette Cooper - Journalist (2 years)
Sadiq Khan - Political campaign lawyer
Jim Murphy - Student politics
John Denham - Student politics, political advocacy.
Liam Byrne - Merchant Bank (Rothchilds), Accenture consultant
John Healey - Trade Unions
Andy Burnham - SpAd
Caroline Flint - Local Government
Maria Eagle - Solicitor
Meg Hillier - Journalist (not for long)
Mary Creagh - Charity work
Shaun Woodward - BBC researcher/producer doing crap telly.
Ann McKechin - Solicitor (7 years)
Peter Hain - Trade Union researcher
Ivan Lewis - Voluntary sector campaigner
Tessa Jowell - Social worker and administrator for a charity.
Angela Eagle - Trade Union
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon - SpAd
Rosie Winterton - SpAd, lobbyist
Hilary Benn - Trade Union
Lord Bassam of Brighton - Social worker, professional squatter
Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC - Political campaign lawyer
Tony Lloyd - Lecturer (2 years), MP for 28 years

Something I have been saying for years. Labour do NOT understand the real world. What its like to earn a wage doing real work supporting the British economy or the community around us. How can you vote for people like this? I can't.

Dizzy Thinks: The morons are back, this time with #savethenhs

2011-01-17T01:48:00.000-08:00

Dizzy Thinks: The morons are back, this time with #savethenhs

A perfect example of the Left's hypocrisy.

"Yes children, that's right! We are now through the wonderful looking glass where the Opposition denounce policies based entirely on their own policies of the last decade because it's Tories implementing them.

Is it anyone wonder so many people think politics is a load of bollocks when this sort of intellectually vacuous and fluid position changes is so prevalent for all sane people to see?"

Well, I have some thoughts on that final point. But I think its something I will save for another time....

For the First Sunday in Advent

2010-12-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

For the First Sunday in Advent: "

San Francisco's steep hills

2010-12-02T09:08:00.000-08:00

San Francisco's steep hills: "

Håkan Dahlström got this delightful shot of one of San Francisco's steeper hills, turning his camera so that the road (and not the houses) were at level to convey the extent of the slope.

Crazy hills of San Francisco

(Thanks, Fipi Lele!)

Globalisation and Immigration

2010-12-02T08:23:00.000-08:00

I have recently signed up to something called 'Five Books'. In it a self professed expert on a topic - usually with a book to promote - suggests 5 books for people to read and why, with the idea that by reading these 'Five Books' you are able to become very knowledgeable in that field.

Often I read the discussion but ignore the books, as the discussion is again a condensed narrative on the topic that is incredibly rich with ideas. Take this for example..

You mentioned the difficulty of obtaining a work permit. This is probably one area where globalisation is both most unjust and most inefficient. On the basis of efficiency – economic efficiency – the greatest unexplored frontier of economic globalisation is mobility of workers around the world. Trade is substantially free, finance and capital are substantially free – but try to leave Bangladesh and go to work in the US. It’s impossible. If you wanted to both increase the efficiency of resource utilisation in the world economy and at the same time do something for the world’s poorest, there is nothing we could do that would have as big an impact as allowing some of the Bangladeshi workers to take up jobs in the advanced countries of the world. Now I wouldn’t go so far as to say you should allow complete mobility of labour, because I do think it’s appropriate for rich societies to put some weight on the consequences for their own workers. But I think we’re so far in the other corner, that certainly a smallish relaxation of these visa restrictions to allow more workers from poor countries to come and work in the rich countries would definitely be a good idea.

Its a bit long I know, but it gave me a spark of an idea.

If there are strong doubts with the long term benefits of international aid (dependency etc.) why don't we have a look at what we can do to change it.

One aspect of immigration is that of the Indian, or Pakistani or whatever who comes over to the UK works and then sends back some of the money they earn in the UK (which is worth proportionately more in their original country). This in itself is a practice that is done all over the world, and can even be seen in the UK in how young people go to the cities to find their fortunes. So this natural process happens, and it works much in the same way as the international aid works - that is is directs cash from the rich country into the poor country - but instead of being supported by a mass bureaucracy, it is directed directly to where it could be used - the family of the individual working in the UK.

This in itself is a good idea, but to develop it further think of this. It will cost no more than what we spend on aid as we have it at the moment. But why don't we support the PEOPLE of a certain country and bring them over here for a fixed period of time. Train them up in certain skills or academic qualifications and allow them to work within the UK after this. Both improving their outlook on life and their financial situation. In doing so and on their return they will be much the richer as individuals but also as people within a state who can actually work in the long term to improve things for the country overall.

Ok, thinking of many problems to this isn't hard. But its an alternative vision of aid which reduces the blunt force of cash that is used in teh world. It potentially lowers the opportunities for corruption. It improves the lives of the few in the short term. And the many once that few re-enter their original countries society. The people are invested in, not the institutions.

Five things the student unions didn’t protest against in the last 13 years…

2010-11-25T05:09:00.000-08:00

Stolen from the Coffee House Blog.

Five things the student unions didn’t protest against in the last 13 years…: "

1) That Labour cut the number of schools each year.

2) That pupils were shepherded into ever-larger schools.

3) That, although the budget trebled, class sizes hardly moved.

4) That the attainment gap between private and public schools grew to become the largest of any country except Brazil (Source: OECD )

5) And all at a time when the supposed funding per pupil was soaring…

Moral: cash doesn’t help schools. Reform does.

All you need to know about Tea!

2010-11-24T01:36:00.000-08:00

"Some serious tea-age..."

11.23.2010

2010-11-23T06:57:00.000-08:00

This made me LOL.

I hope it makes you LOL too...

Stolen from Cyanide and Happiness.

Drunkenness is a Britishness problem not an economic one | ResPublica

2010-11-22T01:21:00.000-08:00

If you are interested in reading an eloquent defence of 'Britishness' you can look no further than the link below.

Drunkenness is a Britishness problem not an economic one | ResPublica

Indeed it says something else to me. That identity - be that national or regional or family or whatever - is vital to the psyche of individuals. Without this sense of a greater self enveloping and supporting the individual self society breaks down and individuals are lost to a downward spiral of reduced aspirations and bad lifestyle choices.

WoW Moviewatch: An Inconvenient Expansion

2010-11-20T01:02:00.000-08:00

WoW Moviewatch: An Inconvenient Expansion: "

BBC Agenda Today

2010-11-19T02:26:00.000-08:00

From Guido Fawkes blog.... Hardly seems like a recipe for balanced reporting to me...

BBC Agenda Today:

Ring, ring…
Guido Fawkes : Hello
Beeboid : Hello just wondered if you had seen the Lord Young comments?
GF : Yes, he’s right about interest rates being low, but that indicates economic weakness, not strength.
BBC : So you support his view?
GF : No, I think the previous generation had it better.
BBC : We’re really looking for a right-winger who backs his line.
GF : Sorry.
BBC : OK, thanks anyway.
GF : Bye.

The Moral Maze

2010-11-18T04:26:00.000-08:00

A very interesting edition of the moral maze last night with regards the student protests. Worth a listen especially for the utter idiocy of Brendan O'Neill right at the start who believes that violence is an inherent part of Democracy and should be both supported and encouraged even if it includes violence towards individuals.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qk11 17th November 2010.

Be More Productive by Waking Up Early

2010-11-18T03:55:00.000-08:00

Something I need to work on...

Be More Productive by Waking Up Early

Set an exact time to get out of bed.
Move up your bedtime in sync with the time you plan to get up.
Get out of bed immediately.
Expose yourself to sunlight.
Develop a routine for your morning.
Stick with it.

Not exactly something I disagree with. Its just I'm not very good at part 3. :S

Second Extinguisher Wielding Yob Sort

2010-11-12T04:21:00.000-08:00

This is a campaign by Guido that I fully endorse.

------------------------------------------

Second Extinguisher Wielding Yob Sort: "

Do you know the name of this extinguisher carrying individual? He seems to be a different yob from the one pictured in the wanted poster yesterday, carrying a different extinguisher, more likely to be the one that was tossed at the police.

Your information will treated as in confidence and you do not have to give your name…

Tagged: Crime

Some unseen images from the student protest

2010-11-11T03:58:00.000-08:00

For my sins, I tend to agree with the idea that University should be free. But at the same time the numbers going to university should reduce. I can only think that society is being decidedly dense not thinking of alternative funding routes similarly in line with the latest web based pricing structures (see Freemium for example).

The reality of now though is disgusting and shameful. The pictures below are from Total Politics, but a whole host of alternative sources could have been used. There is nothing that is achieved by this, in fact, it sets back the cause that was being promoted by the protests.

The understanding that I have here is that people - and young people acutely - have no concept on how they can be involved in politics, or indeed, how they can support a group or party in defending their own interests (which incidentally they don't know themselves). The available narratives of Left vs Right just don't ring true, but at the same time its hard for people to search for real alternatives. Academic politics has failed in this respect. There are no alternatives, so people feel the need to turn to either apathy or the extremities. The protests below are a example of the latter and the beginnings - I fear - of a wave of violent protests that will begin again to sweep the country.

Some unseen images from the student protest:

All photos taken by Jon Stone.

Original post blogged on Total Politics.

End of the evenings...

2010-11-09T15:59:00.000-08:00

'And it would be nice to have holiday homes and healthy bank statements and fat little kids,

And I guess you can be happy to dream all your dreams as camcorder records of the things that you did,

But as soon as your sleeping does it really matter what mattress you happen to be sleeping on?

As long as your living and your having fun; he always laughed at the drop-outs, that he could never live that way.

But the truth is Mr Richards was a coward, he was afraid.'

Mr Richards - Frank Turner

Picture of the day: opening of Wootton Bassett field of remembrance

2010-11-09T10:42:00.000-08:00

Picture of the day: opening of Wootton Bassett field of remembrance: "

Prince Harry attends the opening of Wootton Bassett field of remembrance in Lydiard Park, Wiltshire. The park is dedicated to the men and women killed in Afghanistan. Prince Harry (pictured) plants a cross for his friend, Lance Corporal Of Horse, Jonathan Woodgate, who was killed on foot patrol in Sangin, Helmand, on March 26, 2010.

Original post blogged on Total Politics.

Cartoon greatness!

2010-10-23T07:19:00.000-07:00

Click the image to see it in its entirety.

I hope that Anne - the creator... nay, CREATOR - of this cartoon doesn't mind that I am recreating her works here, but there goes. If you want some witty entertainment you can't go far wrong than keep an eye out for Anne Pritchard's work. Often culturally poignant always intricate and well drawn. She can be found at two locations.

1) The Replicated Type-o - http://www.replicatedtypo.com/

A perfect example of further cartoonship is found at this link which also demonstrates the slightly impenetrable linguistic discussion that go on at this site.

2) The Demise of Humanity - http://www.demiseofhumanity.com/

From which the link above is found, which as far as I can tell at this stage is an atheist blog for peope who like to moan thoughtfully. I.e. a great place to intellectually troll (at least thats what I'm probably going to attempt)!

Cider Making

2010-10-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

Cider Making. Something my Family has partaken of for generations (4 years) making finely crafted (HA! Just look at the production process) and exceptionally refined (well try and drink 2 year old cider and then you KNOW what refined is) vintages from our orchards (5 twisted old trees).

Here is a short blog of images which covers the production of cider so you at home could do it yourself! Its EASY!

First you need APPLES. Lots of them. Make sure they are not too mouldy or rotten, but don't be too picky. Some dirt will get washed off and consider worms a seasoning.

Next. Smash and mash and bash and bosh them all into a mushy mess. We use a big heavy wooden post which we lift and drop repeatedly on the apples within a big plastic wooden barrel (with the top cut off). Works pretty well, but is very tiring and demanding on 'The Bosher' so you may need to take turns.

The next bit is the press. Here we scoop up all the mashed up apples and put them into a material lining within the press. As the press is slowly squeezing the apples, the material will keep the apple bits in but let the juice out. Interestingly, because the press we use is wooden the first press is always light as the wood soaks up a certain amount of the juice that is produced. Say hello to my father everyone.

The final stage of this process is the apple juice itself. We pour it all into (via the press) a 6 gallon tub. Apparently, the bigger the tub the better the cider so this one is pretty big, though we do have a few twice the size. Here we fill the cider up as high as possible to let as little air into the barrel before we seal it, but not too much so the it overflows during fermentation; this would ruin who lot, DISASTER!

Ingredients are kept to a minimum. This time around we have experimented with Damsons for no other reason than they were to hand... And to tell the truth the result looks disgusting. But yes, ingredients to a minimum. We add yeast and sugar but only grudgingly to help the fermentation process. We want our cider to be as pure as possible(even if it is disgusting)!

Comedy holding a grain of truth ...?

2010-10-04T06:23:00.001-07:00

I don't normally find the cartoons on Guido Fawkes's blog that amusing, but today's is an exception...

Embryonic Management Idea

2010-09-13T11:58:00.001-07:00

Looks like my 'Adventures in Edinburgh' plan didn't work out... That is the writing up and posting mildly entertaining and informative blogs about it part. Oh well. I can report back, at the very least, that I had a fine time. With much in the way of enjoyment and beer.

So, yes. This post. Well It's on a massively alternative topic that I may try and work on in the future. It is 'Embryonic', in so far as I haven't thought about it too much but I thought it would be nice to write it down and see if that clears things up in my head a little. It may have done this. The aim? To try and develop a holistic empowering management style; empowering for all, workers, management, organisations, sector and society.

Not exactly a small order really... Oh well.

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Just idling thinking about structures earlier and I may have created an interesting one associated with management. It’s a tree. And it’s probably something that someone else has thought up in more erudite ways and with more eloquent language and to a greater extent than my idling mind can compete with... Either way, here goes.

One of the clear difficulties I see in business... I guess possibly a cultural matter within the UK... Is our inability to internalise the structures of management. That is old view of hierarchy but also of interpersonal relations and networks of power. That is there is a rejection of the first (“Stick it to the MAN!”), a achievement of extremitus with the second (various forms of favouritism or distaste, and other general forms of unprofessionalism) and a total lack of cultural knowledge of the third (we just don’t work together).

I may need to go into more detail of the three I suppose at some point. But to be honest it is only the second which is interesting in a wider way. The idea that our power; our potential achievements, our acceptance and support of another is vital in a management structure. Foucault looks into power as a network in the sense that even (to the greatest political extreme) a Sovereign and ‘Divine Right’ style of Monarchy is ultimately supported by individuals accepting the Monarch’s position in one way or other. The same can be said in business, and is vital in business. Because this opening up of an additional layer of understanding within work and the power processes that enact within work ultimately conceptualises things in a very satisfying and positive way.

One of the first things I am going to do is one thing that Foucault warns not to do... Which is commoditise power. This is lazy for me (I need to re-read Society Must Be Defended asap.) and a good illustrative short hand for people.

20+ 5

6+4 6+4

| |

2+1 2+1 2+1 2+1

| | | |

11 11 11 11

As you can see, management levels and structures are supported and develop in themselves not so much through individuals at this levels adding to the overall commodity of work, but by the utilisation and development of the work done previously. In such an organisation, where the flow is clear and positive the Managers are able to resolve issues with a higher level of skill and support. It is a message for all individuals within a structure, that each bit of work, each individual, has a part to play for the positive accomplishment of the organisation, or indeed, otherwise.

Edinburgh Fringe

2010-08-20T03:27:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Well this hasn't happened for a while. But I did say that I may have a look and write a new blog about my 6 days in Edinburgh for the fringe so here goes.

I'm exceedingly hungover. Not exactly something that is unusual for me. But that is the case, so I may fail a words. Just so you know.

The excuse for this little excursion to the north is the Edinburgh fringe. That is a mass of flyering, crowds, bizarre people standing exceedingly still.... and seagulls.

No wait, its all about the ARTS!

Lots of comedy, plays, and other such activities by people exceedingly more talented than me. So far - and this list is as full as my memory allows - Babba Brinkmans' Rap Guide to Human Nature... Which was very good, though he did seem to have a fixation on ovulation. Political Animal by Andy Zaltzman... Late night (started at midnight) comedy with multiple comedians with a supposed political spin. I say supposed, as it seemed like only Andy Zaltzman as compare had any truly political material. A rendition from a group of far-too-pretty actors of 'A Clockwork Orange'. And finally (in this incomplete list) Adam Vincent, a very entertaining comedian... Only problem being that in the small room that the performance was contained it was too hot, and his voice too... relaxing to result in any amount of excessive laughter.

Right, this is going to be much shorter than I had planned. I seem to be crashing on this couch and need less coffee and more sleep... :-/

Will try and get back on here for more [DEEP DRAMATIC VOICE] Adventures in Edinburgh!!

How Many of me....?

2010-01-26T14:39:00.000-08:00

HowManyOfMe.com

There are

people with my name in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

The Future?

2010-01-25T08:36:00.001-08:00

"With 2001 long gone and 2010 here, their namesake movies now appear insanely optimistic about where we’d be in space by those dates. I guess war and making money was more important than advancing science, exploration and all that stuff we used to do."

From an article on 'The future of NASA' but could work with far too many areas... Social Services, Education... even politics itself. Bah.
http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2010/01/25/the-future-of-nasa/

Test blog on the move

2009-09-27T07:33:00.001-07:00

Saturn’s Children

2009-07-21T16:00:00.001-07:00

After a recent article in Total Politics (which I suggest that everyone with the time and an interest in Politics should read) I picked up on Alan Duncan’s book Saturn’s Children.

The main reason why I picked it up was its… superficial political leanings; that of a conservative-libertarian approach. To be honest I don’t expect it to find any sort of balance, or indeed (as many Libertarians would say) that a balance is possible, but its a nice idea for me.

In my head is the pulling – like for most reflective people – of heart and head but I guess my problem is I don’t know which one is which. My heart is my pragmatism, the real understanding that there is right and that right can sometimes cause problems and hurt and that there are ways to achieve your aims without a steamroller; either of philosophical strength or honed political understanding. My head is the knowledge of a path, and such a path is proven to be right above all others.

To me both fit both categories. I will leave you with a quote from the book of Karl Poper.

“There is no return to the harmonious state of nature. If we turn back, then we must go the whole way - we must return to the beasts.” Karl Poper [the open society and its enemies]

My dear reader(s)

2009-05-05T07:15:00.001-07:00

[delayed by ~12 hours… Parts may be out of date]

…Yes, there is a possible plural in the title because I have found that at least two separate individuals have been ~~spying on me~~/reading this blog and for the shame of it I have had little for them to read of worth.

Either way I suppose I should attempt to write things in here once again on some sort of basis which is sustained.

Recently it looks like I may be about to dip my toes into the world of marketing. Which again apparently I can do well enough to be equal to well paid individuals in design groups (even if I can’t create pages with curvy lines).

But to obtain that sort of greatness I have had to use the skills of those around me; one friend of a friend, and my brother. Other than the fact that I am massively grateful for the help they have given, I have mixed feelings.

Am I a fraud for the fact that I have very little in the way of practical skills and made use of their abilities and hard fought knowledge in Photoshop and HTML? Or have I simply used my initiative and made use of the resources available to me?

Obviously I hope its the latter, but fear the former. Either way I need to stay positive as I am pitching the results tomorrow to someone who may be able to advance my life and career to ‘the next stage’…. Or whatever!

Anthony

Test blog using iphone

2009-05-04T12:03:00.001-07:00

As the title says. I have a post ready on laptop but the wonderful interwebs will just have to wait till I get home before it can be posted; rail replacement bus services shamefully don't have wifi. Pfft

Customer Support

2009-03-22T08:39:00.001-07:00

I can see many unsustainable processes within the UK at the moment. But few can I comment on with quite as much certainty than on at least one reason why the High-Street is failing.

The simplistic view is a a lack of Customer Support. Not the role of ‘Customer Support’ but of the mentality of organisations and businesses that alongside with making the sale there is also case for ‘supporting the customer’.

Supporting the customer is not something which is costly. Indeed it requires nothing more than a change in the training, attitude and expectations of staff which ultimately boils down to doing the job. The first major retailer to realise that the best way to stop the haemorrhaging of sales to the internet is not to panic and rush for a piece of the pie but to return to what retailers do best.

The experience of shopping today is based upon lowered costs where any positivity is driven by customers not by the store. Any discussion with staff about the produce is going to consistently result in a glare at the card below of the specifications from someone who knows barely enough to avoid constant mis-selling.

Often this isn’t avoided. And the organisation I am with right now will soon realise this. And sales people, customer support and admin/project people are constantly constrained by out of date systems. So when problems do arise they take weeks to resolve and result in dramatic inconvenience including effects on credit ratings.

So what is the solution? Make the age old idea of ‘First Time Fix’ as the only philosophy for the company. Resolve issues, sales and enquiries with all effort and understanding of both customers and produce. Increase support, make the internet look less inviting for purchases with the ‘distance selling act’ making online purchases more secure for returns policy. And basically create a real alternative in shopping experience making the drone experience online not become reproduced in real life.

Bins becoming Battle Ground for the Council Elections.

2009-03-18T06:20:00.001-07:00

Refuse collection seems to be a major – if not the major – issue which the electorate seem to be able to get a handle on. That is most people have some form of opinion and as a result it is becoming one of the major political battlegrounds for the up and coming local elections in June.

Within Lancaster city itself there has been a recent bin survey put out by me and some of the prospective Conservative councillors for the area. And our result, which have not been fully release yet seem to in some way contradict that of David Sudworth’s analysis from a report by West Lancashire District Council in that more than half of people want bi-weekly collections.

This is not the case when such things come into force. Especially when recycling is done – as it is in Lancaster – in a complicated and confused and even ineffective way. With the real results being messy streets, added waste being left on pavements and in alley ways as well as the council refuse staff being less sensitive to property or indeed taking care in their work because of what I suspect are tight timescales for the added work they need to do.

There is a balance. A balance which needs to be met with people who both want to recycle but also don’t want the council to withdraw services and impose regulation on their lives. The experience of recycling and refuse collection seems to be developing in some areas of West Lancashire District Council and as such they should seriously take into account the real experiences in areas such as Lancaster City when considering any changes.

UK Libertarian Party: Quantitative Easing - An alternative Libertarian view

2009-03-07T11:56:00.000-08:00

A quick lazy post again, and again from the same site, but as I mentioned before my political leanings lent in ways not quite mainstream Conservative.

UK Libertarian Party: Quantitative Easing - An alternative Libertarian view

“To reduce basic income tax at all levels to a standard 10% would increase the disposable income of 90% of the working population. These funds would immediately be used to pay off debt, reduce bank overdrafts and credit card balances, put into savings, spent on pension funds, purchase new goods in shops, which in turn would increase the manufacturers orders to the suppliers of raw materials, in short it would stimulate the entire economy. It would also have the added benefit of removing much of the Bank's vice like dominance of the financial sector.”

A wonderful bit of alternative thinking. If it has a sound basis with the reality of the situation I have no means to judge, and I think few people do. Even so the argument has to be made. Tax cuts should always be an option.

UK Libertarian Party: Strategically Speaking Labour Don't Give A Toss

2009-03-07T01:52:00.000-08:00

“From the purchasing of cheap Pakistani made ammunition that caused repeated jams in 50 calibre guns, this Government has sought to fight wars on the cheap, with no exit strategy.”

UK Libertarian Party: Strategically Speaking Labour Don't Give A Toss

With a brother who is currently rising up in the ranks of the Army but with a definite chance to be in Afgan within the next 24 months I have more than a vested interest in the armed forces.

The simple fact it that the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan were never vote winners, they were geopolitical insanities; at least in the for with which they ultimately took. As a result welfare, resources and lives were lost.

This must change. If not in money, but strategy to keep our people alive and effective wherever they are needed.

Showing my colours…

2009-03-06T11:45:00.001-08:00

Well colour. I think I have avoided doing much ‘party-politics’ on this blog, mostly because of a general lack of certainty on that point for quite a while. I always knew I was in some way right wing (please please PLEASE don’t read into that the wonderful way the left has turned the term to mean ‘right wing’ has become a racist, miner-hating, fox hunt loving twat), but never of which vain… Or indeed any.

Either way below you shall see a embedded chat with William Hague after the more recent PMQs where he stood in for David Cameron.

Interesting really.

I enjoyed it much more than I expected. Not so much the answers (they were much as you would expect) but the relaxed way in which he could in the same act talk about enjoying to some extend PMQs whilst discussing how Harriet Harman (and the rest of the Parliamentary Labour Party) are jockeying for position to be the next Leader.

It was a free discussion. Little stress it seemed to me – or indeed worry- that words would be taken out of context or indeed if they were that it would matter. A man, doing the job of taking the government to account, and I might add, doing it well.

Heads of State suck at giving presents… Apparently

2009-03-05T03:02:00.001-08:00

From Paul Waugh’s blog.

Obama's bargain basement prezzie

So Gordon goes to all that trouble of getting an historic pen holder carved from the oak timbers of a Victorian anti-slavery ship. Carefully chosen and months in the preparation, the pen was finally handed over in Washington when the men met this week.

And what does Obama give him in return? A DVD collection of 25 classic American films.

The Pen holder was bad enough, but at least a little thought had gone into the blunt attempt at at apology for the years of slavery and Empire.

But really? A collection of 25 classic DvDs?! That's exactly the snub that political journalists were looking for from the whole trip but I doubt they will be able to make any play with it…. Its just too pathetic.

Blog Restart: Failure

2009-03-04T10:19:00.001-08:00

Wonderful, so I actually get around to restarting this blog and all I can think about is a gravely stupid mistake which I have only just done – probably not the best idea considering I am attaching the web address above with my CV. Either way it is important for the world out there to be reminded.

DOUBLE CHECK WHO YOU ARE SENDING YOUR EMAIL TO…

Ultimately my failure consisted of sending an email of a individual’s contact details to the individual themselves and not to the person who was meant to contact them. Considerations of privacy, possible broken trust and above all (though least important) embarrassment rushed through my head as soon as the two word reply… ‘Who’s James?’ came back.

Now people remember that coffee and lack of sleep is not conducive to career advancement – no matter how many times you have postponed that Outlook reminder!

Technorati Tags: Coffee,Failure,Trust,email

Budget info....

2008-11-25T04:37:00.000-08:00

Drink 'n Fags…. Link 1 Link 2

National Insurance cost to the individual…. Link

How Gordon/Darling 'aint all that…. Link

Fun times all round!

N.B. I know that was lazy. But was a email sent to a colleague who wanted to know a little more about the Budget.... [read: Said that Labor + Budget was actually a good thing and made me (YES MADE ME!) go on a crusade to convert him to the cynical right]

Iain Dale's Diary: Violent Crime Up 22%

2008-10-23T04:15:00.000-07:00

Iain Dale's Diary: Violent Crime Up 22%

I honestly dont understand this...

How has this country suddenly gone to pot?

I simply cannot believe that Violent crime and the levels of unemployment we are suddenly seeing are totally on account of the recent crisis.

This was going on before. We have been lied to by the government in terms of unemployment levels and crime levels and who knows what else and this is a good time to let the truth come out with the people blameing everything subconsciously on the economy.

WhatwhatWHAT!

2008-10-16T03:53:00.000-07:00

It seems to me that Gordon Brown may have single handedly screwed over a whole nation... And thats not even the UK! (link is not specific, you should look at the post 'What?WHAT?!?!?!?')

And the worst part is that there seems to be very interesting suspicion that it may be to cover up dodgy dealings within government, money laundering and increased wages for policicians.

Now I understand that we need to take thise high and dramatic accusations against our government... But honestly. IF you dont want people thinking something is crazilly wrong don't use anti-terror laws on relitivly (at least with regards to the crisis as a whole) minor problems which could be solves in a whole range of other ways.

This fills me with worry.

Nick Clegg thinks a coalition government is the only way for the Lib Dems

2008-09-17T06:10:00.000-07:00

There seems to be some ground to the thinking that after the next election there will be a coalition between the Torys and the Lib Dems... That being said it may simply be a gambit made by Nick Clegg as the only way in which his party will get anything near national government.

The evidence.

Firstly, the party aproves tax cuts for the manifesto.

Secondly, as Paul Waugh points out, the mood of the LD's as well as Clegg seems to be based around de-throneing Labour. Coupling this with their base expansionist ideals a coalition seems benificial.

So. There you have it... Im sure there is more, but I am at work and probably shouldnt even be blogging at all.

Short on time, short on blogging.

2008-08-28T12:14:00.001-07:00

Things at the moment are difficult.

That is to say, I, having a degree but no real experience and skills that are easily bullet-pointed for the use of a CV, am taking all available time with the scruff of the neck and forcing it within that time-sink of a task that is called 'Job Hunting'.

So now, along side this is my thankless, 11+ hour a day job at Alton Towers and you have a recipe for despair.

In other words. PLEASE SOMEONE GIVE ME A JOB!

...Then I can start blogging again and the world will be righted.

After all has said and done though, everyone else has been submitting their goodness with much abandon. So please find below some links to enjoyable articles.

International Relations isn't Millband's forte apparently, says John Redwood MP. I tend to agree.

And...

The Devil's Kitchen makes use of an interesting post about class divide and how it effects the expectations of children to take a jab at old grizzled fanny herself, Polly Toynbee. Much more interesting and coherent than I just made it sound!

The State of Labour

2008-08-18T07:14:00.001-07:00

Here is a 'light' frisking' of an article by Yvette Cooper by Ian Dale. Cooper's comments basically seem to be an attack on David Cameron and his policies especially with relation to the economy. It is all standard fare, Ian Dales frisk is pretty much what you would expect, what is more interesting is the initial article. And though I am sure that Ian saw this he never mentioned it.

The prime minister and chancellor have said we must do more to help families and businesses, building on the financial stability measures and £4bn tax cuts this year, and we will.
But who is asking questions about the Conservatives? Their leader hopes to distract us with frisbees and photo ops. But a serious look at his policies reveals an approach that would be deeply damaging for our economy. Over the next few months, we in the Labour party must expose the risks and contradictions at the heart of Cameronomics.

We will do this, their policies are this. Is it me or is the language betraying a party who already see themselves loosing the next election and already as a government in waiting?

If so, then who is running the UK? ...The SNP for the largest governed part is my answer. Ahem.

Technorati Tags: ian Dale,Politics,British Poltics,labour Party,David Cameron

Labour have failed to control binge drinking

2008-07-22T05:28:00.001-07:00

Conservative 'news story' on the website.

"Shadow Health Minister, Stephen O'Brien, has attacked Labour for failing to tackle binge drinking, saying:
"It's been low on their priority list, and now we're seeing the consequences, with excessive drinking and associated violent crime still not under control." "

Though in general the whole "government should refect the people and not alter behaviours, however disastrous they are. It seems as though to me this point has gone too far, they already meddle so much so as to result in the binge drinking we have in this county.

I don't really want to go into the details right now, but drinking can but only be seen as a societal response to the despondent nannying culture that controls the thinking from Westminster. If we, as individuals within the UK, are taxed to the hilt, lack any form of real privacy and are loosing rights left right and centre in a world which is made dramatically more gloomy by our own actions (that is the actions of our own elected parliament), then what is there to do but drink?

This is a very sketchy, and underdeveloped point. But honestly. Ask yourself. What does our government do other than dampen your prospects of a brighter future?

"He promised that a Conservative Government would clamp down on binge drinking and alcohol abuse by:
- Taking action to prevent the sale of cut-price alcohol
- And clamping down on shops who sell alcohol to under-age drinkers."

These actions wont solve anything. And I suspect that Stephen O'Brien knows it. But its political expediency to do at least as much as the opposition are doing on a topic. However much that does little or nothing to help. I mean, how many times a year do you hear a politician saying that will 'clamp down on shops who sell alcohol to under-age drinkers'. And who honestly thinks it is those drinkers who are the problem!?

Technorati Tags: British Poltics,Drinking,Conservatives

Prime Minister Brown says, "There is increasing public support for the action that was taken."

2008-07-16T06:43:00.001-07:00

...I say, "You did something that everyone hates, and over time people have gotten used to it and begin not to care too much."

The fact that this is connected with the Prime Minister's response to a smoking ban question is inconsequential. This is authoritarian thinking, and is wrong wrong wrong!

What sort of state do you have when government takes action, not for the benefit of the economy, or defence, or indeed anything directly in connection with the remit of government. But in terms of the lives and the society.

Parliament is not meant to change society. Society drives parliament. And to do anything otherwise is to go against all ideas of democracy and the tradition of this country; which everyone (except David Davis it seems) has forgotten.

That being said, maybe this is simply opportunism. Maybe there is no discernable tradition within this country any more on any real sense. That is, multi-cultralism (note not immergration), has succeeded too well. That is not one incomming culture has overcome what was indigenous (even though that is a historically inaccurate comment) within this country, but the ultimate mass of difference has created a societal flux.

Maybe our society is nothing more than a name - The United Kingdom - and a mess. And it is for our labour government to take advantage of this. Fun times!

The most unlikely civil liberties defender of all!

2008-06-23T08:55:00.001-07:00

Based around the recent events of David Davis surrendering his position of MP causing a by-election in his constituency. All because the bill to extend pre-charge detention to the ridiculous and horrendous length of 42 days, here is a punk band who have written a (bad-ish) song on the matter.

Not the best ever, I grant you. But I'm very chuffed that someone has actually done this.

Rock on!

The West Lothian Question...?

2008-06-11T02:33:00.000-07:00

The 'West Lothian Question' is a great example within English (note not British) politics elephant in the room where the Scottish politicians generally don't care and the English don't know what to do; there is simply no 'right' answer without dramatic institutional and constitutional change.

It is the situation, as we have now, of a scots parliament to which English (or indeed Welsh or Northern Irish) MPs cannot vote in along side a British parliament which Scots (et. al.) can vote in on every topic including only English only legislation.

Ian Dale has word of a leaked conservative proposal to the problem by cross-hatching layers of discussion and decision making within Westminster between English only involvement and Total Involvement. In other words, an appalling mess.

"If this is true, it is simply appalling. The phrases 'half baked' and 'dog's breakfast' come to mind. This is not a long term solution to something which even Scottish politicians recognise is a problem and it's not even a half way house. It reeks of a measure designed to placate rather than solve. And as usual with these things it won't even do that."

One of these days I must have a look through my old politic degree essays, as I have one on this topic. That being said the situation is simple. The solution is simple. The politics involved are disastrously complicated, obfuscated and complex.

And this is the industry (ha!) I am looking to join. Fun times.

Long live the Queen... Until The Lisbon Treaty

2008-06-10T11:12:00.001-07:00

I'm not going to look into this in detail... But here is a Libertarian Party blog which comments on the prospect of us losing our monarch with the Lisbon Treaty.

Interesting, if only it is a hypothetical result of that most disagreeable advancement of Europe.

Climate Change

2008-06-10T06:55:00.000-07:00

I read the Devil's Kitchen a lot. And as some of you reading this may realise, his understanding of Climate Change is that, a) it is probably not happening, and b) if indeed it is happening it is certainly not man made, or indeed effected by man.

Much of the same comments are made in his frisk of the usual suspects who support the idea of climate change. In doing so he makes this point.

"Indeed and, in Master Hundal's World of the Ad Hominem, the environment is far more important than the high food prices that are causing riots and deaths around the globe: full ahead with biofuels, Jeeves old chap, and bugger the poor and the starving, what what!"

Ok, not the best. But it is a method into my own understanding of the issue.

I think the political sphere is blind to the realities of the world, and indeed there is an argument which says that it has to be, as the arguments for and against Man-made climate change are far from resolved. That being said, the climate matters, our environment matters and we matter.

Thus what are we to do in a situation where there could possibly be a world destroying force of our own unleashing, but to resolve it would be to the detriment of society and kill hundreds of people. Climate change in this sense, if understood as a possibility, can also be understood as a risky hunch. A risky hunch which at the moment is interestingly high on the political arena's list of priorities.

The climate matters, is what I said above. And that is the case, but it is also the case that we (the people of the world) matter, and that our direct environment matters. Climate change is doing the horrendous thing, not of warming the world through greenhouse gasses, but of redirecting the attention of policy makers away from the things which are important to the lives of the individuals they profess to serve.

Climate change is a logo. And one which has been expertly crafted by [insert personal theory of world/state/local ills of choice] into a catchall problem and immediate solution all in one. The equation goes, "Climate change = human activity + carbon dioxide emissions", thus the solution is to drop the emissions. This does nothing to help us understand our world, or to solve the problems it faces.

Simply put my understanding of climate change is that it should be de-politicised again. And we should concentrate on preserving our environment in the immediacy, supporting anti-littering (though understanding and respect instead of fines and the nannying state) for example. And we should be able to take a reflective look at the society with which we live in and cure its ailments instead of this constant need to find something external with which to fix.

All that is found within climate change is a monster. A monster which may or may not be fictional, but the possibility of it being real is too great to allow for any dissent or complicating of the matter through real hard evidence. The monster must be defended against at all costs. And those costs are grubby streets, a dilapidated countryside, social disintegration, the failure of multi-culturalism, the stability of our economy; the list could go on and on but thats just in Britain!

Video on John McCain

2008-06-09T12:18:00.001-07:00

Found here.

At one point he says, in relation to the War in Iraq (fantasy apparently, hence the capitalisation) that he disagrees with the majority of the American people. Make of that what you will. However, bare in mind that this is put out as an attack on McCain and that it is released by Ron Paul's camp.

I'm not going to lie to you...

2008-06-09T06:22:00.001-07:00

I didn't read the whole of this speech by David Cameron... Not even half of it. But still, I am going to make a slight comment on this quote...

"Now I know there are some who think politics should stay out of issues like relationships, and stick to apparently more gritty topics like schools, the NHS and budget deficits. I just think that's incredibly superficial and short-sighted. Our efforts to get schools right are undermined if families are going wrong. We can ease the burden on the NHS if we act on the evidence that people in strong and happy relationships are healthier. And helping people maintain strong relationships is not some fluffy alternative to reducing budget deficits - it is the way to reduce budget deficits, by reducing the demands on the state caused by family breakdown."

Honestly, this seems a little idea. Either that, or a chicken-or-the-egg scenario. Ideal in that he is saying that if families work then the NHS or Schools will work, and that failures can be blamed on the parents... Or the Children who later look at the parents (I assume). IF not this then its a chicken/egg situation of the schools wont work because of the parents who are earlier failed by failing schools.

Looking at the budget and family breakdown. I can only say that the best thing for government to do is to reduce itself. Every aspect of Government interaction with those on lower incomes is draining of the spirit and the goodness of the British people. What's the point in talking about relationship advice and development if the self-respect given to working for your living is lost in the midst of the reality that you are being stupid to earn your crust through anything other than the doll (Screw the lie that is jobseeker's allowance).

This was only meant to be a flippant comment, and I will leave it as such before I go into a rant. But in reality I can't see anything within the words of Cameron above even if the essence seems positive. There does need to be more emphasis on grownup positive relationships, be that between a man and a man, a woman and a woman, a son and his father or mother and the state. Respect is what has been lost and it is government's responsibility to institutionalise again a system which holds that value among others to develop society... Maybe if I read the speech in its entirety I would see more of this.. But honesty, if I need to get through so much waffle to get to the crux then... I don't know. It is something hidden that should be shouted to the rooftops.

Cameron Direct

2008-06-05T02:55:00.001-07:00

Within the constituency of Harlow it seems David Cameron has jumped off the fence on the Lisbon treaty/constitution and has said, directly to a question, that the conservatives would give the country what it wants in the form of a referendum.

Nice one!

I hope it is true.

Watch the vid, its actually quite good.

Idea on prison sentencing.

2008-06-03T09:19:00.001-07:00

From ePolitix's news feed, which I am finding remarkably clear and to the point and an ample resource for posts on this blog. I found a report on the comments made by the Justice minister David Hanson [uhmm-bop, anyone? ok, cheap shot. Sorry]

"Tough community sentences can be more effective in reducing crime than a short spell in prison..."

The concept goes that because all of our prisons are full to bursting like some deranged criminalised 'Where's Wally?' Or indeed, 'Where's the prison guard?' The government is panicking and beginning (or continuing) to try and convince everyone that actually, contrary to history's use of prisons for things such a fraud etc. Prison usage should only be for the most serious and violent crimes. In reality, all that needs to happen, is for the 'lesser' prisoners - even though they have committed a crime - do do a bit of unpaid(?) labour for a bit and be told how bad they are.

The natural flaw in the plan, if you can call it that, from my eyes is the environment. A classically supposed benefit for prisons is the fact that by being in prison for a stint you escape the environment to which resulted in your criminality. I can't see this happening with this initiative. And even though prisons themselves are a bit of a den of evil at the moment, at least they are a change and give the individual another look at life.

For the suggested idea to work, that is community service as opposed to prison sentences, the criminal should be forced to move to another area of the country. As long as the person is not perceived to be violent would it not be better to remove them from their friends, deny the chance to use the Internet or a mobile phone (at least for the short term) and have specific jobs set up in partnership with businesses (organised by the government) which begins a rehabilitation process.

All this would cost money.

The government has no money.

So instead what we have here is a failure of a plan. The worst of all situations. The prisons are failing as they are full. The release of prisoners into community service is simply going to do nothing to rehabilitate or indeed dissuade the majority of criminals from reaffending.

Community care, or indeed care in the community, is a golden tightrope. Both expensive and falls on its face so very easily. The problem is now, that it has become the normal solution to any appropriate problem and even though it has the chance to do some good institutionalisation tends towards being the cheaper and utilitarian best for the people involved.

Post office closures

2008-06-03T04:28:00.001-07:00

I simply do not understand this government.

Why, oh why, close those things which actually benefit individuals and communities and society in general?! There are probably figures around, but I honestly don't really care about the cost (it wouldn't be anywhere near the cost of the Iraq war for instance) we should be building more post offices in communities which are lacking them.

In my research for some political experience I am glad to see that my local (Lancaster & Wyre) MP Ben Wallace strongly campaigns against the closure and has indeed managed to do the unthinkable - re-open post offices after closure.

But instead making this country 'better' in terms of the real experience of life of its peoples, we have this...

As many as 4,000 further post office branch closures could be set to take place, a committee of MPs has warned.

And not only this, but the government is actually going to lie to you.

Such a move would reduce the network to around 7,500 branches, compared with the 14,000 presently open, despite the government aiming to safeguard 11,500 branches from now until 2011.

What do you think will happen? Ask any MP and member of the labour party about your worries that the post office is going to close all the offices, and they will deny it - I mean, they have 'safeguarded' the branches. They will deny it right up until the point you loose the last focus of the community left in your village.

Two simple points.

2008-06-02T03:23:00.001-07:00

1) 2/5ths of the wages of an average earner in the UK is taken by direct tax.
2) It takes 155 days of work to pay this off.

Taken from Guido via the Adam Smith Institute these points seemed shocking (in a bleary post-4am drinking + geek session on WoW... Don't judge!) Today is Tax Freedom Day(!), a day to instead of celebrating we should lament and feel a well of anger rise up for it is our government which squanders all of that money in useless and disastrous ways; imagine how many days would have been wiped off this total if, for example, we didn't go to war in Iraq?

And as Guido points out, in many ways we are much much worse off than the Surfs in feudal times who had to work no more than 40 days for their lord and master... And they say we are free.

The true tory progressives...?

2008-05-30T06:05:00.000-07:00

Written by one of my recent lecturers - a man of all trades - Philip Blond. Here he drops the theology for something more down to earth with an analysis within the guardian of the direction that the Torys are going within British Politics.

The claim by David Cameron to tackle disadvantage through the revival of civil society looks to many on the left like ideological cover for a revived neoliberal agenda. But is it? The lesson of the last 30 years is that neither the state nor the market is able to alleviate poverty or deliver opportunity for all.

Though the arguments about the failure of the market economy needs expanding Philip makes some interesting points. Not only is the tory party on the verge, it seems, of making some interesting political movements in terms of policy but it also seems to be making the right ones; reducing the state, decentralization and the rethinking of welfare. The only problem may be that Labour is making things too easy...

The danger is that with New Labour imploding after the local elections and Crewe, the Tories avoid visionary thinking and coast to victory. But this is perilous: the electorate is fickle.

The problem with Philip is the ultimate direction he drives his conclusions. Though the thinking above in general seems correct he makes two very radical points, 1) a rejection of the free market, and 2) the rejection of liberalism. Points which seem both worrying and difficult to comment on now. They just seem too radical.

Europe has won...

2008-05-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

After seeing this post on the Devil's Kitchen I have to lament what seems to becoming a truism for most students of the day. Europe has won, not through argument or any tangible benefit for the various nations but through the conceptual reality that it is the exciting new project that brings peace, love and bunny rabbits to all of its peoples.

Watch this vid and you will understand I think.

Lipdub Europe United par les Jeunes Européens - France
by JeunesEuropeensFrance

This chimes a chord with my experience of those that have been given a glimpse of the European project in my life. It is basic brainwashing of the most positive kind. Politics students in Lancaster University were given a chance to go and see the project face to face, discuss its pros and cons and come to their own conclusions of whether Europe is a good things or not. I didn't go, but a friend of mine did and in reality what he came across was a summer camp which touched on none of the real issues facing Europe and its constituent member states. Instead the discussion was on the large issue, the fun issues, the conceptual immaterial idealist prospects of what a perfect Europe would be like.

And this is the point. From what little I know (admittedly) those that seem to be whole heartedly won over by Europe are done so first on these idealist grounds of a peaceful perfectly formed federalist state - much in the same way the leftists are won over by their flawed drives towards equality. Just in the same way that the left held the minds of the youth in the second half of the 20th century it is the European project which will be the extravagance of our leaders of tomorrow. And though it will be a flawed understanding, and though it is something which many will grow out of in later life what this does mean is that Europe has in this sense become us. Is now an accepted reality of the British state's existence and not something which we join and continually renew our commitment to, but in the only sense that is real, it is now an institution within 'our' minds.

Post #1

2008-05-29T08:07:00.000-07:00

Yes indeed, this is a new and brand spanking (to coin an overused phrase) blog. I hope you like it.

As always, I have a plan. And the plan for this blog comes from a realization that I am 100% failing on the employability front. Not only have I not got any of the experience needed to get into any field of work I actually wish to commit my life to, but my last blog - Special/Blown it - even though it has a good body of work within it fails to be something that can be used to enhance a CV or show to a prospective employer.

For those who may be reading this from such a position, please take most of what is written there with a pinch of salt; it is largely uncensored rantings and I only include the comment here in the aim to show that I have some experience within the blogging world, even if that is marginal.

Anyway, to be clear. This blog has two aims.

To create a body of work based upon comment and rantings which can be something I can be proud of and use in the promotion of me to any future job hunting activities.
Continue to develop my grasp of the English language. To push myself and my ability to create entertaining, informative prose.

I doubt that this will be of interest to anyone but me, and the sorry soul who takes an interest in me and my activities. That being said, I wish to encourage comment and responses to any of the inane ramblings which may be found within this blog.

Wonderful. Now all thats sorted time to get some more tea.

Anthony