Bomb Shops

The idiot PM Cameron is trying his best to get parliament to support his rash intention of bombing Syria.  This means he now wishes to bomb the people fighting Assad the man he wanted to bomb last year but parliament opposed.  Now the people fighting Assad have been overrun by ISIS or some other Islamist group also fighting Assad but we will bomb them to help the fight against Assad.  The fact that Russia now has many, many more aircraft already bombing those fighting Assad including ISIS we must be on the side of the man we oppose in the Baltic region and Ukraine.  
Does Cameron understand this? 
So we fight alongside Russia against ISIS, against Russia in Ukraine & the Baltic's while supporting non ISIS fighting Assad supported by Russia?  No wonder he fails to understand how his government is reducing local services in his own county!
The bombing of Libya left a broken nation where armed gangs roam the streets.  Supporting those fighting Assad has left Syria broken yet the money for these wars flows through London so they say!
You thought Blair and Bush were bad?

I went shopping today.  I actually had shopped for what I wanted but had to return to the shop to put right the financial difficulty that had arisen.  With the family being 400 miles to the north it is easier to send a gift card rather than a present they don't want.  So I wandered down the other week and bought eight such cards from the woman's shop that they are happy with (I wanted to get a gift card from 'Poundland' but others persuaded me 'no') and had them ready to go and all appeared well.  The thing was that as each card had an accompanying £5 off voucher these all had to go through the till separately which took time but the young lass handled it very well.  However on checking, and rechecking, the bank statement (the one that just says "GIVE US YOUR CASH!" all pretence to service long gone from them) I noted that instead of eight amounts there was only one which meant I was seven times the amount better off than I thought.  Hmmm thought i this cannot be so I let it go for a week or so awaiting movement but they moved less than my knees and that is why I ventured to hobble down the road this gray dreich freezing cold afternoon.  
I had actually been there in the morning where the girl informed me I required to carry the cars with me so they could be checked on the system, I trudged back, via the supermarket, and lunched on something tasteless.  I wonder what it was?  
This afternoon I spoke to the (twenty something male) manager. (hmmm) and he almost said 'Just keep quiet and it will go away' but not quite, however the lass I had bought the cards from appeared and took a more mature approach.  She remembered me, I find attractive women do, checked the cards, the receipts and claimed all was OK.  The manager appeared unwilling or incapable f doing anything so the lass phoned the people 'upstairs' wherever that may be located.  She explained the situation and after a while was told to hold, cue bad music, after which another voice listened as she explained once again the predicament.  The voice muttered and murmured and then decided that there was nothing that could be done!  So that was that, I took the cards, proffered thanks to the one store member worth her wage and left.
I had bought eight at £25 and they were losing £175 yet this did not appear to bother anyone.  I can understand a business with many shops and connected to larger concerns like that can lose such amounts and not notice but the lack of concern from here and there amazed me.  They appeared surprised at my honesty!  Yet many folks I meet are honest in such situations, maybe it is the clientele or maybe honesty is less obvious than it once was.  The bad running of a business in itself does not shock, many companies I worked for while temping surprised me with their lack of concern, often the main staff cared only for their bonus, sometimes they were corrupt or lazy but on other jobs efficiency and integrity shone through.  It all depended on the leadership.  
I will be checking my accounts next week but I suspect nothing will happen.  If I am that much better off I will donate it somewhere as it will burn a hole in my pocket.  A few pounds or pence is one thing but this is too much.

  

Is it Just Me?

Is it just me or have things gone over the top regarding this Paris outrage? 
I am not changing my avatars to include French flags, I am not weeping and wailing regarding the various Islamist attacks.  I wonder why?
I notice the papers are once again filling the page with a variety of items regarding this week old story.  The news vendors appear to consider nothing else, even the usual slappers and royals are being pushed down the page and all media appear to be totally behind an onslaught on Daesh in Syria.
One TV reporter appears to break down during his report, Andrew Neil a famous political interviewer and a man with few fans launches an outburst against Daesh and is applauded for this.
Hmmm.

The attack in Paris was not pleasant, neither was the bomb that killed 43 in Lebanon that got little mention nor the one in Nigeria which killed 42.  In fact many 'outrages' have taken place in various parts of the world and not all of them get much of a mention.  Maybe some are worth more than others to the media.
Let us take a look at recent history.  Since what we call 9/11 lots of Islamic attacks have been seen, many happened before that, most also kill Muslims and those tend not to be given much space in the western media.  Several attacks in a variety f places have been launched, some by organised groups many by individuals of low intellect, some with high intellect of course.  Many more will be seen wolrdwide.
However this is not new.
Since 1945 when peace reigned the Cold War saw 45 million killed in Africa, Asia and South America. The Northern Ireland conflict saw 3000 dead and some still wish to continue this war.  Why are we so neurotic about Daesh?
Down through the years terrible slaughters have occurred.  The United States killed thousands of Filipinos during their take over of the islands, many thousands of Indians were killed in the States during the 19th century and the growth of the British Empire saw a willingness to shoot anyone who stood in the way.  
We have ignored two world wars by the way.
Each century since Abel was slain by Cain has seen murders both individual and national.  Large groups have taken over and enslaved smaller ones, nations have murdered and terrorised others constantly over the years and on many occasions terror was part of the war.  Guerrilla war entails much violence with men, women and children suffering with both sides using terror to get the victory so why are we so upset about Daesh! 

Vlearly government influence is behind the vast publicity we see in the media, it is not just shock at the killing.  Fear that it could happen where we are is strong and those in big cities especially fear.  The stable peaceful world we all think we ought to have is endangered and confusion reigns.
However we have no right to peace, the majority of the world has trouble of some sort down through the years.  Peace and security is in fact rarer than conflict.  Human nature, as I keep saying, will never change!  Since Cain slew Abel human nature has been rotten and such outrages based on greed, politics or selfishness will always occur.  Only Jesus can save us and he was crucified by us!  

There is an unhealthy aspect to this reverence for Paris, something about our reaction is not right.  I am reminded of the attitudes in 1914 when those who disagreed with the war were regarded as traitors, the nation came under a wave of war that removed free thought and consideration of what was right.  We are doing the same today.
Something is wrong worldwide with our fear of Daesh, something does not ring true.

Human Nature Never Changes

Terrorism has been with us since people walked the earth.  In Genesis Cain killed Abel because he was resentful, history is littered with sons killing fathers just to be King, small nations using guerrilla tactics to fight large ones and acts of bloody minded terrorism simply because someone wanted it and believed that this would further their cause or hurt the enemy.  Sometimes it wins!
The latest episode of IS terrorism has been a sad one.  Possibly two hundred may die plus several hundred will suffer and relatives carry the long time cost.  There is reason to believe there will be more of this in France.

However while the media are making hay with the shock effect it is important to ask questions.  What lies behind this and were we to blame?  The Wests dealings with the Middle East have never been clever.  While that strange man Lawrence of Arabia was allowed to promise the Arabs much the British government was making other plans and was not considering a bunch of nomads as important, the French desperation to obtain Syria did not help either.  Israel was allowed in, and the Good Lord did indeed place them back in this land, but how the West handled this was appalling.
The 1920's saw Iraq as a place for the RAF to drop bombs (some say gas) on Arabs who disliked British intentions, few asked what the Arabs wanted and even fewer considered the sectarian differences between Sunni & Shia as relevant.  
With the fear of Iran in the late 70's the West under that nice Mr Rumsfeld gave Saddam all the support he wished, including Mustard Gas and allowed him to kill a million or two because we were scared of the old man with a beard.   Not long afterwards the nice Mr Rumsfeld and his nice friend Mr Cheney encouraged the first Bush to bomb Saddam.  Times had changed.
Later Mr Bush 2 came along and the nice Mr Rumsfeld and his nice friend Mr Cheney encouraged the second Bush to Bomb Saddam and remove him.  This they did but one little thing was omitted, they sacked all the soldiers and sacked all the police and allowed them to keep their guns and bombs.  Failure to ensure a government that considered both the Sunni and the Shia (not forgetting the Kurds) was not accomplished and later this caused resentment among the Sunni.

Saudi Arabia a rich friend of the USA and the West decided the West was not doing enough to deal with their fear of a nuclear Iran so encouraged war in Syria, Iran's friend.  Syria was stable, less totalitarian that Saudi and now lies destroyed.  Amongst the 'freedom fighters' appeared many Islamist groups, mostly fighting one another, and from them and the by now broken Iraq grew IS a new powerful Islamist organisation with a blood lust unseen for some years (it has been seen before however and often at that).  
IS did have the decency to inform the world it would create a crisis by sending refugees to Europe, and this they have done.  Amongst them we find many dedicated stupid people who are willing to kill and die in doing so.  These men appeared in Paris the other day.  

Why are people joining IS?  Consider yourself a young man, maybe a woman, growing up in the UK and reaching that horrid age we call adolescence.  This is the time we get very enthusiastic about changing the world or improving our nation.  Thought is not always the strongest of our assets at this time but emotion is!  You are young, enthusiastic for change and find yourself asking 'Am I a Muslim or am I British?'  This is when idealistic types get caught up with what we call 'radical' preachers.  They teach a strict type of Islam that asks for committed people and young folks are always committed.  Have we not all touched something like this when young?
Unfortunately an aspect of Islam that we now see constantly is the willingness to kill Islams enemies and the willingness also to die for what the young see as Islam.  Wealth, education, caring parents, none of these things make any difference, when the young wish to commit they commit fully.  That is why so many give themselves to IS as it is seen as the most radical Islamist grouping.  The volunteers consider they are building a better world, just as we did when listening to 'Canned Heat' and pretending we were Hippies, it's just that our ideology was different.

Millions have followed a leader who encouraged them to lay down their lives,  only a few years ago the Japanese were taught never to surrender and thousands died defending small islands in the Pacific for nothing. Few ever surrendered.  These present Islamic heroes will act in the same manner and bluster from Western leaders will have no effect on them.  When such see what they are told is an enemy they will ac without hesitation.  That is why vats numbers of Muslims have been killed by Muslims and the Middle East and Pakistan runs with rivers of blood rarely reported in the West.
A bomb in Lebanon killed at least 43 yet this does not get such TV time.  After all if they kill each other we don't care, maybe we should?
There are nearly two million Muslims in the UK, most working hard and aiding the nation not killing it, yet these must make a stand opposing loudly the operations of IS and actions like these.  This could be dangerous for many and if the Shia Muslims stood up the Sunni may not.  Some may take sides quietly, opposing violence yet not opposing these actions publicly.  It could of course be dangerous to say anything if you are a Muslim.  Muslims who become Christian are attacked in the streets in some towns one who stands up and objects to IS may suffer worse! 
Intelligence is the only way to beat any terrorist cell, that has to come from Muslims themselves and Mosques must offer a more strident 'peaceful' Islam for people to follow.  Propaganda is as important as bombs in dealing with IS.  

However let us remember such terrorist acts have gone on for years, the IRA caused 3000 deaths over 30 long years and occasionally kill another, Two world wars have caused massive disruption to society yet we are still plugging away, anarchists before the first war also set of bombs as indeed did suffragettes, terrorists who set fire to churches, damaged buildings and smashed paintings because 'men' ran them.  Terrorism is always with us, one of Jesus' disciples had been a terrorist, he carried a short sword, a 'stiletto'  which was plunged into a Romans back which was not very nice, and once IS have been stopped another source of violence will come forth.
Unless Jesus returns first of course.   

Out and About

As early as the free bus pass would allow I limped down to the bus aiming for Colchester.  However as the Chelmsford bus was leaving seven minutes earlier I got on that and chatted to the driver about Edinburgh and the crowds attending the 'Fringe.'  I was unsure about going there as there are more charity shops elsewhere and I was shopping.  The jacket and the book voucher were in my mind.

Chelmsford is not a city in which smiling is proclaimed.  The few shop assistants to be noted were either ignoring the customer, careful of the inch of paint on the sour face or like the sole male on the phone.  I trawled my way through all the charity and big shops finding high prices on suitable things and low prices on things that did not fit or were unsuitable for anyone not living in London.  Eventaully I obtained, in M&S of all places and at huge price, something that will more or less fit and just have to do for the next thirty years.  An imitation Harris Tweed jacket, sixty pounds less than the real stuff.  Sometimes even I have to put on a degree of smartness.
How disappointed was I in Waterstones. I searched the entire floor of the shop and came away with nothing!  What's the matter with these bookshops that they don't stock something I wish to read?  That's never happened before.

 

In less than an hour and a half I was back on the bus, drifting past old expensive and occasionally somewhat shabby houses looking for a healthy lunch.  The cloud cover had not diminished the warmth and the day enabled me to rejoice in sitting starkers at the laptop something not usually done in this country.  I really should remember about the windows next time.

One other thing, Local news on TV, why do they always have a medical story on there?  Tonight someone was having some sort of cancer operation, why is he on TV?  Every night they are in a doctors, a hospital or telling us of a man who fell over and broke something, why?  I spent ten years in hospitals and occasionally made use of them for myself also yet never did I phone up the local news and talk about it.  Never in the working days in the NHS did anyone rush to the press because they were ill, why do it now? 
This TV region covers three counties, if the cannot find a decent story with all the history, industry, people past and present what are they doing employed?  Either cut out the health stories or reduce the programme to fifteen minutes which is all they really require.  How much time can be taken up with fire, rape, murder, doctor each night?  
Go out to the farms and watch them gather the harvest, find a happy farmer, that will be difficult, and tell his story.  Talk to the bus drivers about what they endure each day, have a contest to find a smile in Chelmsford, do anything but stop going to the doctors to fill space. 

 Daily Mail

I read about this the other day, a 53 year old unfit granddad goes to Iraq to fight IS.  Some see him as daft others see him as a hero.  I just wondered about why he gets so excited about IS?  Sure his brother died in Iraq in 2006, sure IS are not nice but neither are the Taliban and many died there in Afghanistan.  His contribution may please him and those around him but will do little to stop IS and their doings.  Could it be the propaganda has got to him?  Could it be he believes the bull in the press?  Or is he just wishing to be a soldier?  I'm sure there are a thousand things in his local area that require change, just ask the police, and I'm sure he could do more working amongst the locals if he really wishes to change things.  The lure of shooting people can be er, deadly sometimes.

An Ancient Post

Facts & Details

You may well have noticed the latest ISIL publicity stunt, smashing up the monuments and buildings in Nineveh once the major capital of the Assyrian empire.  Nimrud, another ancient Assyrian capital (then called Calah) also suffers.  Power broking in the past meant that each Emperor made a city whose priests were on his side the capital.  Nineveh was the main centre and a huge city for it's day. Looking at Google maps (it's next to Mosul) you can see the size and then add the urban sprawl that must have existed around the walls.  With the sudden desire to destroy the ancient remains I am tempted to believe that resentment at to many museum trips when a young lad has upset some folks! Tsk!

It is not unusual for the victor in a war to destroy an enemies architectural memorials. Nazi signs disappeared, often in smoke, after 1945 for instance. Christians and Muslims and other religious groups have removed pagan images on occasion but rarely have they wiped out the entire history of a nation. The ISIL folks are happy to destroy ancient gods that have long since lost any meaning, I wonder why?
Publicity, and bad publicity at that, appears to be at the heart of ISIL.  Chopping of the heads of prisoners, Christians and the like got good coverage worldwide. Kidnapping Christian or other women and forcing them into marriage or just raping them is not news ISIL wish to hide, neither is throwing gays of rooftops. Today we see hands of thieves being chopped off and children watching film of the murders of what ISIL call 'bad guys.'  
Now the attack of ancient Nineveh.
What are they trying to tell us?  Can it be that much of the news is just propaganda issuing from ISIL themselves?  Possibly they think such zeal will entice new followers?  Youth gets excited when it considers the world can be changed for 'the better' by following a movement of some sort, this is an effective movement that has touched many young hearts, especially those who do not understand what is going on.  
Ancient history such as the Assyrian Empire can do us no harm today so the publicity re the destruction is what ISIL wish for.  To what point I wonder?  


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