Corbyn, Sultana and the Carnival

 

Labour Outlook

The launch of the first Scots branch of the party for the moment referred to as 'Your Party,' will it appears be held in Glasgow next month.  In some ways this is understandable, Glasgow was once the centre of 'Red Clydeside,' a place where many far left socialist men operated among the workers in the heavy industry that flourished there.  Ship building on the Clyde, steam trains in the east, mines close by, and a variety of works coming from these major centres.  The pay was poor, the conditions intolerable.  Imagine a tenement block holding 82 people with one outside toilet on a Saturday night!  Appalling conditions, appalling management, and it is no wonder people went on strike!  Add to this the moments during the war when rent were increased, though most men were away at the war.  The women refused to pay and were threatened with eviction!  Such causes increase the desire for change, and socialist change at that.  Change did come, but not in the early days of the 20th century, change came only after yet another war leaving 50 million dead and a Labour Party that put the needs of the people before the needs of the shareholders.  Clem Attlee's 1945 government created a new world off fairness and opportunity which has gradually been taken from us by a right wing coup.

Will Corbyn and Sultana's party save the people?  Probably not.  If they seek to create a fairer society many will join and other will vote for them.  However, Corbyn and many of his friends soon go off into adventurous places far from what the voter wants.  If they follow policies that do not ring true with the locals then they will disappear like so many other 'socialist' parties disappear.  The man in the street does not want extremes, he wants fairness for all, forget that and Corbyn and Sultana will fail also.

The Met Police have, very sensibly in my view, taken action before the Notting Hill Carnival, to prevent organised gangs turning the weekend into a small bloodbath.  Can you have a 'small bloodbath?  Discuss.  We know the gangs that like to gather at the carnival are often organised, as opposed to groups of young black men who come and get into bother like a crowd of football fans.   Drugs of course is one thing, crime also, but the vast majority come to enjoy the aura of the weekend.  It is unfortunate that several die during the carnival.  

I first attended one of these in 1973, before you were born.  That was a relatively quite affair, the weather dreary, the clanging of empty 'Double Diamond' cans common amongst most.  No trouble and lots of oil drums providing background sound.

Later, I lived in the middle of it for near 20 years and my opinion changed with the times.  Far too big, far too much trouble, and as I aged, far too noisy.  Most locals of course leave London for the weekend, others drift to outer London and return when they hope it is all over.  I certainly do not miss it now, and the misuse of the carnival by many encourages calls for it to end, or be moved, or cut down in size.  Quite how any of these ideas could operate is not made available by those who suggest this.

One fact we know is involved in the troubles.  West Indians, or their descendants as few actual West Indians from the 'Windrush' days are around any more, have one major flaw, too many dads do not look after their kids.  They say that 60% of young black kids have no idea who their father is.  If they do he has no influence, or appears to desire any.  That is with these 'West Indian' fathers.  Nigerians on the other hand have strong family ties and tend to be among the best educated and brightest in the UK, should we note such differences?  The 40% who have better families and kids who make it need support, and probably enjoy the carnival as much as any.  Why does no one speak out in support of ending the fathers refusal to look after their kids?  Are they afraid to be called racist?  Or are they afraid to admit a child needs two parent, on father and one mother, not two of one kind.  That truth upsets too many.  That truth exposes their failures as fathers and mothers, and exposes their loose sex lives as damaging for their kids and themselves.

However, you will never hear the press discussing this.  How can they?  The media is the most immoral organisation known to man, bar politicians obviously.

Lucy Connolly and Robert Jenrick

Lucy Connelly has been freed on Licence from prison.

You will recall that she was sent down for a post she offered on Social Media, a right-wing backlash followed based on what they called 'free speech.' 

This incident occurred because three young girls were killed in Southport.  Social media went into overdrive blaming an immigrant for the murders.  In fact it appears he had been living in the UK for some time, and had not come off a boat.  Nevertheless, many encouraged hate against immigrants, a and the 'Farage Riots occurred because of his incitement, for which no action was taken, and yet many of his supporters went to jail.  

As an aside, it would be interesting to know how many who went to jail actually had 'domestic violence' convictions?

At that time Lucy, married to a local councillor, posted this.  

“Mass deportation now. Set fire to all the fucking hotels full of

the bastards for all I care. While you’re at it, take the treacherous

government and politicians with them. I feel physically sick

knowing what these families will now have to endure. If that

makes me racist, so be it.”

Lucy Connolly was arrested, charged and convicted.  She was given 32 months in prison.  Today, she was released early yet on licence.  She made no comment.

Not unnaturally, she became a token of 'free speech' for the right wing.  

'Free speech' for the right wing means 'free speech' for them to attack whom they like, usually immigrants blacks, Pakistanis, etc, yet they block you on social media when you indicate faults with their reasoning.  Maybe 'free speech' is not what they really wish for?

Many from the Conservative Party and Reform, not that there is much difference today, offered her support, or at least made use of her for their own sakes, grumbling about 'two tier justice.'  What they really mean is, lock that lot up, not us.'  Politicians making use of this woman, amongst others, for their own advantage ought to be locked up themselves.  They care nothing for the people, all is for their advancement.  

We all have a right to our opinions, and they differ widely today.  However, there is a manner in which that opinion is expressed, depending on the time and the circumstances, that must be taken into account.  Calling for hotels full of people to be set on fire does not reflect thoughtful free speech.

The point is not that this woman went to prison, the point is why do leading inciters, such as Farage and Robinson, avoid prison?  Who enables them to avoid prosecution, who is protecting them? 

Talking off shit-stirring rabble rousers, take a look at Robert Jenrick, he of the absurd PR stunts.  Today he is up a pole flying a flag.  He was doing this he said to 'oppose Britain hating councils.'  This because right wing dafties have been erecting St George's flags in several towns and cities to reflect their nation and their craven stupidity in following this anti-migrant flow.  St George as you know came from Cappadocia and his knowledge of an England that did not exist during his time was limited.  His opinion on the closed minds flying flags will be the same as yours. 

It is noticeable that those flying flags chose the England flag, the St George's one.  It is also noticeable that Jenrick is flying the union flag, a flag rejected by the majority of Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish, and misunderstood, it is usually flown upside down, by most English.  Why did Jenrick do this?  He will have had no idea, a flag is just a flag to him, the cheap publicity is what matters.

So far, social media response was not enthusiastic in his favour.

Epping Court Decision

Spiked

Some will be happy with the latest court decision regarding the Epping asylum seekers.  The court said they must be moved from Epping.  So, that's that.  Off the go.  Where to nobody knows as yet, and I expect our MP will have been making clear that he does not want them in his area.

What sort of a life is this?  Chased by Taliban or Islamic terror, war and strife, unemployment and little hope for the future, so you move to where it is wealthy and hope for a life.  This is what many Scots were doing for a long time in days of yore.  The Lairds threw many off the land and replaced them with sheep during the 'Highland Clearances,' after this the lack of opportunity caused many to head for Canada, USA or Australia and New Zealand, or even South Africa, in the hope for a better life.  During the 1920s three of my aunts did this and headed for Australia.   The Salvation Army offered a £10 ticket to far off places for those seeking an escape from long hours, poor wages and bad managers.  Today, this is reversed, and while many offer sympathy and support others take advantage.

The right-wing coup that forced Brexit upon us by reminding the English that the world owed them a living, and that they were 'Gods chosen people,' gave many I know hope for a better world, though I ensured they would regret this.  Now many regret this decision, but few admit it.

One result was while members of the EU we could send back to France asylum seekers in wee boats, that no longer applies.  14 years of Tory deliberate misuse allows the white, English, working class population regard asylum seekers in boats as a threat.  The threat to such unemployed working class types comes from the men behind BREXIT, the billionaire bosses now counting their money and caring nothing for the Farage rioters.  

Many have come into the country seeking a new life, and often they have indeed come from war and disaster.  Who can blame them for coming here?  Many are highly educated, often to degree level, why refuse them?  The majority of others soon learn how to live here, crime occurs and the press scream, though most crime under the Law of England and Wales comes from 'white English.'  Many Farage rioters have 'domestic violence' convictions, how are they protecting children?

Those who stir up asylum seeker racism do so to make money.  The billionaires keep you looking away from them, the Tommy Robinson's because that is where their fame and riches comes from.  He now teaches, badly it appears, how to oppose migrants, £28 a minute, £37 a short video.  Then goes off to another foreign holiday with the woman he divorced, but who has all his money.

Clearly violent, rapist, murdering immigrants must be returned.  The vast majority do not fit that bill however, our NHS reveals this as possibly a third of staff come from overseas.  The quality is not diminished by this, but by governments being owned by private health companies.

Who knows the answer, apart from charging rabble-rousers and those who insist on provocation via Facebook or other social media with a crime and jailing them.  Farage first and all the rest to follow I say.

 

Dry Month

Middle of August and already the leaves are falling from the trees.  Across the road the trees have been showing yellow leaves for a week.  Occasionally one falls to the earth, surely this is a month to early?

The problem is of course climate change!  

Too little rain, in this, the driest county in England, and too much sunshine combining to dry up the roots and lead to poor harvests in farmers fields and among the berries in what are left of the hedgerows.  

This means rising prices.

Naturally, the varied English water boards are giving their board members high bonus's because of their incompetence.  Reservoirs are low, streams abound in slurry from farms and much more from water companies saving money and poisoning English waterways and seas.  In a normal world the government would step in to stop this, for 14 years now nothing has been done.  Privatising water companies, along with electric and gas, railways, royal mail and anything worth money, has lost the service element included.  Services are not for service, they are to make money for shareholders, and let the peasants suffer.  

This is the UK today.

A right wing coup has occurred and while there is little we can do, we can note that the vast majority have not noticed it.    

Environmental damage, alongside the damage done to the welfare state, the NHS, food prices, and the elderly, mount up.  The answer, point the finger at 'the boats,' blame migrants, and allow those with the money to keep their money.     

This, I feel, is somewhat unfair.

Will anything change?  Not soon.

Demonstrate!

It's not everyday you find the park full of Essex police finest.  So to find them wandering about since before 10 am was a surprise.  Two or three were gathered around the gate, then others, with a variety of names across their backs, began to gather.

It transpires that a demo was to be held outside the (closed) council offices, regarding the asylum seekers who are housed in a disused airbase not that far from the town.   The local population cannot be more than 1500 and with a recent announcement of plans to increase the asylum numbers to 2500 anger was forthcoming.  

What is there to do in such a place?  Nothing!  How could 2500 strangers be coped with?  The several hundred there at the moment are one thing, this increase an unacceptable to some, problem.

So, they gathered at the council yelled and chanted, blew horns and noisy things, and within an hour or so had gone to the shops.  With the lasting effects of my cold I declined to go and look myself, but it appears no trouble arose, the police made their way home slowly, overtime was paid, nothing much occurred.  

What was the point?

The council went to court to stop this, the MP, a one time cabinet minister opposed it, and still does, and they are getting nowhere.  Does anyone think this will make a difference?  I suppose they have to do something.  

This I think, is slightly different from the usual demos.  The Tommy Robinson attacks on asylum seekers brings many flag waving, head shaven, large well built, and not too bright, Englishmen to such demos to 'protect women and girls.'  The fact that many of the 'Farage Rioters,' had convictions for 'domestic assault,' indicates something else.

What to do with asylum seekers?

First, ban politicians from using them as weapons to increase their popularity.

Second, close down papers that lie about asylum seekers.

Third, publish true figures rather than allow lies to spread.    

Fourth, lock up Robert Jenrick.

It is not possible to stop Tommy Robinson, he is on his eighth luxury 5 star holiday, this time in Northern Cyprus, with the wife to which he gave all his money. then divorced.  She just happens to be with him, having gone bankrupt herself owing thousand to the tax man and various others.  

I wonder who  is paying him?

VJ-Day 2025

With August 15th 2025 being the 80th anniversary of the end of the war with Japan, it is clear there will be no more major commemorations from the Second World War.  Those who served, in the Army Royal Navy or RAF will be well into their 90s, and many over one hundred years of age now.  Any 18 year olds in 1945 will now be 98, and very likely to miss the 90 the anniversary.  

Therefore it is right that the nation, the UK, remembers those who served in the last phase of the war against the slow to surrender Japanese.  It is important to remember the Australian and New Zealand, the Ghurkhas, the Indian and African regiments who also served and suffered severe war conditions and pitiful prisoner of war treatments.

The decision to surrender without a fight left many servicemen angry, especially those who had just arrived in places such as Singapore who, after only 14 days, found themselves beginning a slave like experience on the famous Burmese Railway.  Many never found it within themselves to forgive or be reconciled with their captors, all carried the results of the treatment they had received both in body and in mind.

A short word for the captors.  Reading the experiences we note how the Japanese dehumanised their own men, from officer down to conscript.  We read that on occasion the worst Japanese guard turned out to be Korean. Korea at that time under Japanese control.  We also read of several Japanese guards who did not abuse the prisoners unless ordered to do so, and some who slipped food to them unobserved.  Huma nature in war is an interesting thing to watch.

The Japanese of today are not under such an imperialist army.  Indeed their creativity and work ethic has made Japan one of the worlds leading nations.  Their men suffered, and continued to suffer PTSD and guilt from their actions also after the war.  Few of their leaders were held to account, many continued in power under General MacArthur and USA control.  

Life is a funny thing.

We do not forget those who served, below are the ten local men who died in the Far East.   

Not all their experiences would make pleasant reading.   

BEERE, STANLEY HAROLD Gunner 963577. Royal Artillery 16 Defence Regt. Died: 13th February 1942 Age: 22. Born Cosford 1919. SINGAPORE MEMORIAL        

Singapore surrendered 15th February 1942.

Within Kranji War Cemetery stands the SINGAPORE MEMORIAL, bearing the names of over 24,000 casualties of the Commonwealth land and air forces who have no known grave. Many of these have no known date of death and are accorded within our records the date or period from when they were known to be missing or captured. The land forces commemorated by the memorial died during the campaigns in Malaya and Indonesia or in subsequent captivity, many of them during the construction of the Burma-Thailand railway, or at sea while being transported into imprisonment elsewhere. The memorial also commemorates airmen who died during operations over the whole of southern and eastern Asia and the surrounding seas and oceans.

BENDING, GEORGE.  Private 5827417.  Suffolk Regiment 4th Bn. Died: 16th September 1943 Age: 28. THANBYUZAYAT WAR CEMETERY,  The 4th & 5th Battalions Suffolk's were Territorial battalions. Sent to Singapore January 1942 the endured just over two weeks of action before surrendering to the Japanese forces. Then followed over three years harsh treatment as Prisoners of War. During this time George Bending died.      

BEVAN, THOMAS EDWARD. Colour Serjeant 2033192 King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)  attd. King's African Rifles. Died:24th September 1944. Age: 29. RANGOON MEMORIAL. Husband of Gladys Bevan, of Braintree, Essex.   

DAVISON, PETER DOUGLAS. Lieutenant 331870 Essex Regiment attd. 1st Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment.  Died: 18th April 1946.  Age: 26. KRANJIWAR CEMETERY.  Son of John Douglas Davison and Elizabeth Davison, of 130 Cressing Road, Braintree, Essex.  Father John a heating engineer.  Peter died at Jahore, Malaya possibly from disease and buried at Wing Loon Cemetery on the 19th, re-interred at Kranji September 9th.

FRYATT, JOHN ALFRED. Petty Officer Telegraphist C/JX 139959 Royal Navy H.M.S. "Thanet" Died: 27th January 1942. Age:25  CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL  Son of Edward and Annie Fryatt. Lived 38 Sunnyside, Braintree.

HMS "Thanet," and the destroyer HMAS "Vampire," were ordered to sea to intercept large Japanese convoy. They steamed from Singapore at 4.30pm on 26 January, carrying only three torpedoes each. Early in the morning of 27 January they ran into the covering force of Japanese warships, consisting of three destroyers, and later being joined by the Japanese cruiser Sendai. Thanet was hit in the engine room and disabled, and began to sink. Vampire attempted to lay down a smoke screen but was driven off under heavy fire, and managed to escape. Thanet sank with heavy loss of life shortly afterwards.

GOODAY, NORMAN GEORGE  Private. 6019078 Suffolk Regiment 4th Bn.  Died: 13th September 1943. Age: 23 CHUNGKAI WAR CEMETERY. Born Braintree 1919.  Son of Samuel and Elizabeth Mary Gooday, of 8, Maple Avenue, Braintree, Essex.  Father Samuel a church caretaker.

The 4th & 5th Battalions Suffolk's were Territorial battalions.  Sent to Singapore January 1942 the endured just over two weeks of action before surrendering to the Japanese forces.  Then followed over three years harsh treatment as Prisoners of War.

MARTIN, CECIL ERNEST. Private  6025547  Essex Regiment 1st Bn. 23rd Infantry Brigade, 6th Division. Died: 15th April 1944. Age: 24  KOHIMAWAR CEMETERY

Fierce fighting around Kohima during 1944, severe casualties for 1st Essex however from here on the Japanese were in retreat.

McDERMOTT, THOMAS HAROLD Sergeant. 358213 Royal Air Force Died: 27th July 1945 Age: 40. SINGAPORE MEMORIAL Born Mill Hill 1905, Son of Henry Thomas McDermott and Florence Bertha McDermott; husband of Lily May McDermott, (Wed 1931) of Braintree, Essex. Death recorded by Japanese as 'Malaria.' 

NUNN, ARTHUR JAMES.  Gunner. 1831405  Royal Artillery 270 Bty., 77 Lt. A.A.Regt.  Died:7th December 1942.  Age: 36. Born Ashtead, Surrey 1906.  DELHI WAR CEMETERY  Son of Josiah F. Nunn and Lily Dale Nunn, of Braintree, Essex. Brother Josiah Grimston died 1931. Sister Phyllis born 1921.

REID, WILLIAM. Gunner.  2872020.  Royal Artillery 3 Bty., 6 H.A.A. Regt. Died: 11th December 1943. Age: 35 KANCHANABURI WAR CEMETERY.  Son of James and Jane Reid; husband of Bridget Reid, of Braintree, Essex.

Became Prisoner of War when Singapore surrendered to Japanese on 15th February 1942. 

Buried Tasao No 2 Cemetery, re-interred Kanchanaburi  1st March 1946.

Suffering...

Of course I am not going to complain about suffering this way.  I realise I will get no sympathy, especially from people with hip trouble, cardiac arrests and smallpox, but those are minor in comparison to how my throat hurt this morning.

However, I will struggle on without complaining...

Heat

We are having what some call a 'heatwave.'  I like to remind them that this is August and we are supposed to have heat in August.  They never thank me, just whine about the weather the week before.  When the sun is hot people sit in the park and turn red, then spend days whining about paid.  When the sun is hidden people spend days whining about the weather.  

This is UK normality.

The real problem is being one of the Atlantic Isles.

To the east lies a huge continent, to the west a huge ocean.  

From the west we get the jest stream bringing air of various qualities all the way from the far flung USA.  This includes their left over hurricanes which drench Scotland and the north west mostly, and occasional dross from their many volcanoes that they like to set off.  This week we have been enduring the smoke, high up, from Newfoundland wild fires, though we can produce these ourselves, as Edinburgh has shown this week.  No doubt, but without any evidence, all such fires are started by some wee scruff who thinks he is funny.  Occasionally accidents cause them, but cynic that I am I suspect arson.

To the east we have little in summer and Autumn.  It is in winter that these eastern types send us the Artic cold that they have developed and freeze the eastern coastline for days on end.  They, like the Yanks, never apologise for this.

I sit huddled over a hot laptop, with a thick jacket on my back, because of the draughts that have caused my throat to cease, my cough to continue, and left me knowing that if I go outside into the heat there I will get sunburnt in minutes.

Life is so unfair.

However, it is a good job I am not one to complain.  

Not being one to complain, and in spite of my reluctance, I hobbled down to the Liberal Club and the somewhat unfriendly locals, to meet the 'Last of the Summer Wine' contingent.  Nobody was there!  Only the leader was already seated in our corner when I joined.  One was away in Somerset, wherever that is, having another holiday, two are in hospital, one with his head and lack of use of legs, the other recovering in a hospice  treatment centre after a car accident I did not know about.  

I thought he was having a long holiday!  

Only two others arrived.  

For a SPAM meeting it was not good, and at £3:40 a pint I would rather have been bored back home.  

We did not even begin to put the world to rights.  A poor show really.  

I may suggest forgetting it next month and seek an alternative.

I clambered home, amazed at how the road moves as I walk, climbed the stairs and decided to seek a lesser brew next time.

Faith Money

Genesis 15

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:

“Do not be afraid, Abram.

    I am your shield,

    your very great reward.”

2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 

“This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Faith, Abram believed God, a God he hardly knew but did understand he was God and was in control of his life.  He had brought him a couple of thousand miles into this land, how could he do anything but believe?

We read this today, listened to John attempt to expound this faith.   Jesus saying trust the father to provide, don't worry about clothes and money, the father is with you.

Straight forward stuff.

However, As we sang 'Be bold, be strong,' and 'All to Jesus I surrender,' I could not get away from the man I found on Twitter the other day.  Here was a man pastoring a small church in an area where Christians were not protected or favoured.  I am unaware of the country, possibly a former Soviet area in Asia, but clearly not ne where Christians are popular.

We sing such songs so easily then go home to our peaceful homes, the kitchen well stocked, plenty of luxuries around, and fail to see how fat we are!  We speak of it, we say we will change, but never do.  

Men such as this pastor leads his church and will continue to lead his church to promote the glory of Jesus Christ among the locals, even though his life may be lost.  We occasionally get rejected by friends and family, he might lose his job, his income, his home, his wife and children and his life.

How fat we are.  

Luke

12:29. And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32. ‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33.  Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Nicola's Book...

Nicola is enjoying being the centre of attention once again.  Now the woman who killed the independence movement within the SNP is flaunting herself as a suffering woman, and finding the media enjoy this and agree with her.

Poor woman was shocked when arrested, she says, and thought of throwing herself into the sea, apparently.  Her sexuality was not 'binary,' she says, and surprised no one.  This however, gets her support from the deviants in the press and those who also thrust such failures upon us as signs of  success.  

There has been no mention of loosing 59 MPs and replacing them with less than half that number through not seeking independence.  I await interviewers asking if Special Branch have ever paid her for her work?

Nicola is enjoying these moments of glory.  Her followers will rush to buy the half truth book, all politicians books are half truth books, and support her faithfully, while ignoring the damage her love for deviants has done to Scotland and the independence movement.

The sooner the Sturgeon Junta is removed from the centre of the SNP the sooner Scotland can move on.

Shorts

What is it about men and shorts?

Why do so many Englishmen reach for the shorts the minute they are told 'Spring is in the air?'  Since the first inkling of Spring men of all ages have been walking and hobbling around in shorts!  Why?

It is as if they cannot continue to wear trousers, as if they were being transported back to their childhoods, or possibly Scout days.  The sun is here, on with the shorts, a grubby T-shirt reminding others of the great days of Pink Floyd, and dark glasses, possibly so they are not recognised by anyone.

Just going down to dump the rubbish and I see a man in elegant T-shirt and shorts walking down the road as if this was normal.  He's not young and he's not old, but dressed for the beach or back garden.  What happened to real elegance?

Some men will insist on their manly walks across the mountains, dressed in shorts, ex-army shirt, strong boots and prepared to camp out in the hills.  Partly this is to show they are tough men, partly because it is great to be out there away from civilisation, and partly because no woman wants them in the house.  Some men have been doing this since a youth, camping high above the world, cooking on small stoves, washing in rivers.  I would love to join them but do not appear to have any shorts to wear.

However. a 3 star hotel at least is my desire, not a tent!

A man in shorts.

 

Nuclear Bombs

 

I read in the 'Times,' the story of a woman who survived the bombing of Hiroshima, and with her surviving family moved straight away to her mothers home town of Nagasaki.  

Ayano Hirashima was 8 years of age when a blinding flash left her under rubble.  Her family survived and the made of to Nagasaki arriving just after the second Atom bomb had landed.  At the station they were greeted with burned people, some alive some dead, and much confusion as to what to do.   This was a similar situation many throughout the previous years had endured across the world as war raged.  

Naturally, she and her family walked through the city to their destination, where she still lives, all the time unaware, as were most people, that radiation all around them would prove to be a killer.

Some 100,000 Japanese who endured one of these bombs remain alive, only 130 appear to have encountered both.  Of these only Ayano and a 94 year old woman called Kinyuo Fukui in the north remain.  Those remaining all are around 86 years of age.  Long lives abound in Japan.

It is not a surprise that these Hibakusha, as survivors are known, lead they way in calling for an end to nuclear weapons.  They have seen the blinding flash, the destruction and suffering that ensued.  Ayano and probably all the rest, have suffered cancers of various forms since 1945.

Many decry nuclear weapons, calling the bombing of Hiroshima a 'war crime.'  I note they forget the Japanese treatment of the peoples of Korea, and their invasion of Manchuria, and the war in China from 1937 on which included the 'rape of Nanking,' and platoons of soldiers raping a woman to death or bayoneting her afterwards to ensure death.  I note they forget also the treatment of POWs during this time.  Indian troops buried alive, men beaten to death by the hundred, and the machine guns readied to execute all prisoners which was halted by the dropping of atom bombs and the Emperors surrender.  Even then not all Japanese accepted this surrender and wished to fight on.

Nuclear weapons are dreadful weapons.  The USA exploded many in Arizona while testing, they failed to kill any enemy however, the radioactive cloud spread across the mid west into Canada and killed a great many.  Famously, John Wayne, while making another historically inaccurate western and many of the crew involved suffered cancers from filming in Arizona.  When the Soviet Union ended they walked away from the nuclear test areas in Kazakhstan, (or was it Uzbekistan?) and left the people to suffer similar radioactive fallout.  No numbers of suffering were ever recorded.

All this reveals the horror of nuclear weapons.

However, while the chattering classes combine to oppose such things, and who can blame them, none object to soldiers carrying rifles.  In days of old armies were armed with spears and swords, bows and arrows, which were greatest killers?  Is a nuclear bomb, exploding high above a city, worse than an arrow falling at speed from a great height?  Which is more deadly?

Actually, neither is more deadly than the other.  One may kill one person, the other may kill thousands, but neither is responsible for the deaths.  

It is an individual who is responsible, not a weapon.

You and I, man, remain the most deadly weapon in the world.

Human nature, greedy, selfish, arrogant, proud and unwilling to bend for another, remain the most dangerous creature on earth, and always have been.  Corrupt human nature, sin if you like, is responsible for war, whether with a knife or a bomb.  

Our human nature is the danger. 

What are you going to do about it?

August

August, in the northern hemisphere this is a summer month.  Outside my window dark clouds hide the summer from me.  This, in any August throughout these Atlantic Isles is, as Tom Jones put it, 'It's not unusual.' 

August takes its name from one Augustus Caesar.  Augustus, originally called Octavian, lived from 63 BC until 14 AD.  He took power after defeating one Mark Anthony and his bint Cleopatra in 31 BC and became the sole ruler of the Roman empire.  In 27 BC the senate, the parliament of Rome, gave him the title 'Augustus,' meaning 'illustrious one,' which he added to the name Caesar, a name granted to him from his great uncles will.  His great uncle was one Julius Caesar of great fame.  Julius also named him his heir, a good start in life.  

In 8 BC Augustus renamed the month Sextilis, 'August,' in his own honour.  Modesty was not a Roman norm. This was said to be because in August most of his great victories occurred, including taking Egypt. 

One advantage of August is the return of proper football.  As we speak up and down the land men are struggling to kick six bells out of one another, bringing glory to some and hospital time for others.  

Great fun!