English Opinion

There has been much in the news over the past couple of days in regards the arrest of immigration spokesman Damian Green. Of course, the fact that he is a Conservative MP has nothing to do with the fact that the police arrested him or that Labour Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has refused to condemn them. The police, in my opinion, are just doing their job and so do not deserve much of the criticism. What interests me more is who gave the arrest the go ahead…

And, more importantly, how it came about that he was arrested on anti-terrorist laws.

Although MPs should not be above the law in any way, shape or form but being labelled a terrorist for standing up for the good of the people is absolutely disgusting.

Before I go any further I would just like to say that I am not a supporter of any political party but will look at policies to see which party is best to lead the UK and I personally think that Labour has lost the plot. New Labour has turned into nothing but a nanny state that effectively tells people what they can and cannot do, having removed as many vestiges of free will as possible. They have also managed to get us in as much debt as possible. And now we move onto what ostensibly looks like corruption.

In actual fact, Labour has fudged the figures on immigration, which is a huge issue, for so long that they seemingly cannot tell their lies from the truth any more. Damian Green was doing what he thought right for the good of the country but asked too many questions. The arrest of Damian Green, once again the Conservative immigration spokesman, has sparked outrage amongst all parties, including Labour. It says it all when Labour turn on membes of their own party and Labour’s Jacqui Smith will undoubtedly be answering a few rough questions in the coming weeks.

One aspect of this whole debacle has not really been covered as yet - the fact that Damian Green was arrested under anti-terrorism laws. Conservative MPs being terrorists? Don’t think so somehow! How they can justify his determination to get the facts of immigration as terrorism is beyond me. What it does prove though is the fact that Labour and Labour institutions are now abusing the very laws that were put in place to protect us from people wishing us harm. How on Earth did they end up detaining someone trying to help and protect the British public to the best of his ability?

This is exactly why Labour has to be out next election, unless we have no wish to cling on to the very last tiny little bit of independence and freedom we have left.

I am completely sure that I am not the only person out there that honestly believed that Britney Spears would not be alive and well today. Her meltdown last year was absolutely monumental and has to be one of the fastest celebrity descents into depression and mental illness ever witnessed. The price of fame was all too steep for her.

I always watch X Factor on a Saturday night but could not wait to watch it today given that Britney herself was on the show. I’m sure that the contestants were as well. They had already had master classes with Take That and Mariah Carey, amongst others, so I am sure they would have really benefitted from talking to Britney about the price of fame and how to cope. After all, there is nobody better to talk about it.

I was incredibly pleased to see her looking so good and owning the stage like she had never been away. Although appearences can be eceptive, she looked better than I have seen her on TV and in magazines in some time. I truly hope that Britney has turned the corner and can now be a fantastic mother, a great performer and a truly happy person. Coming back from such a debilitating illness can be an extremely long and tough road but if anyone can come back from it then Britney can now she has her family around her and the loving support that entails.

It was a shame, however, that Britney Spears performed on X Factor without meeting a single one of the contestants, refused to let anyone into rehearsals or even touch her, left as soon as her performance was over and MIMED her new single. The X Factor contestants that sing live every week put her to shame tonight.

It is a shame that her illness and fantastic recovery have done absolutely nothing to get rid of the primadonna attitude that many famous people seem to hold. 

Today, Christopher Stubbings of Kings Bromley, Staffordshire was jailed for 12 years and 6 months. Headline of this blog withstanding, what would you think his crime was? Robbery? Fraud? That would be fair given that neither crime causes anyone physical harm, but that was not the crime that Stubbings has been jailed for. In fact, to say he was a paedophile would be a massive understatement.

No, Stubbings was the leader of global paedophile ring, had 200,000 images of children being abused on his computer and had actually comissioned child abuse videos.

I am sure everyone will agree that 12 years is a pathetic sentence for anyone that has willfully abused and caused abuse of children all over the world.

The UK legal system actually royally annoys me today. So there is no death sentence possible and I do not staunchly believe that there should or should not be one because I can see the arguments for both sides (feel free to try and sway me either way). However, the sentences that some criminals get defy belief. 12 years is nowhere near enough for someone that has scarred so many children for the rest of their lives. I wholeheartedly believe that all paedophiles should have their bits chopped off so they cannot abuse any child ever again and locked away until they are so old and doddery that living outside of prison walls would cause them more frustration than living inside them would. I believe strongly that anyone abusing a child in any way should feel the full weight of the aw, which is why I am insulted that this sadistic pig only got 12 years.

But then we get into human rights…

I am all for human rights to a point, but I don’t believe that anyone committing such a crime should be allowed to retain theirs. Take David Beiber for example. He murdered a drug dealer in Florida before escaping to the UK, where he murdered a policeman and shot two others to evade capture. He was initially sentenced to life but an appeal in July 2008 commuted Beiber’s sentence to 37 years because life violated his human rights. As far as I am concerned, when he murdered a policeman he gave up his human rights. Murderers (with few exceptions) and paedophiles (with no exception) do not deserve human rights because they did not respect the human right to live of their victims. None of the children that were abused at the hands of Stubbings will ever live the lives of normal children. As such, he should never be allowed to live a normal life again.

All of the human rights goodie goodies that believe otherwise should ask the parents of the children he abused whether they believe he has a right to live a normal life and see what they say…

I have been watching the news today and giving thanks that I am not in India at this present moment. For anyone that as no idea what is going on, terrorists took over 10 of the major tourist spots in Mumbai, India. I say tourists spots despite the fact that they are iconic landmarks that are just as important to the people of India as they are to visitors because the terrorists have been asking those individuals that have been taken hostage whether they are British or American.

The Taj Mahal Palace and the Oberoi-Trident hotels have both been taken over by the terrorists with unknown numbers of people being held hostage within. Although Indian Commandos have been able to rescue some, their action has come too late for those that have already lost their lives.

Of course, no matter what some are saying, those individuals with guns and backpacks full of grenades are terrorists. There is no other word to describe them. Whether they belong to the Taliban or Lashkar-e-Toiba, or any other terrorist movement, it does not matter. What matters i that they believe they can do what they want and take lives without consequence. It has got to stop. They have absolutely no respect for human life at all.

What worries me most is not where they came from at this moment in time and which religious group they belong to, which seems to be a prime concern of the press, but the fact that all of the terrorists are walking around not caring whether anyone sees their faces. They have obviously thought about what to wear given that they all have Western clothes on, but why are they not covering their faces as so many other terrorists do? The obvious conclusion is that they are not expecting to get out of the situation with their lives, and if that is the case then everything in me hopes that the authorities in Mumbai can get to the innocents in those hostage buildings before any further loss of life.  

I am of the opinion that religion does not matter. We have the right to believe what we want to believe. We have the right to live our lives as we see fit as long as we inflict no harm on anyone else. These people do not respect that notion and use religion as an excuse, and a poor one at that, to justify their dispicable actions. It is not good enough. Terrorism unfortunately has a place in the modern world but it must stop. Nobody should have the means to take lives, innocent lives, in such a way.

Religion is not an excuse. These cowards must be stopped. No peace loving Muslims should be persecuted as a result of the extremists that twist their basic beliefs to suit their own ends. My thoughts are with families that have loved ones in Mumbai at the moment. I hope your loved ones arrive home safely.

With December 1st advancing at a rapid pace now, Christmas is looming on the horizon. I can only imagine how difficult it is going to be for some households to cope with the cost of Christmas given that peope are losing their jobs, struggling to ay energy bills and spending a small fortune on food. Turkeys in my local supermarket, for example, are currently at £50 per bird. That is easily double what one would have cost last year, and then there are the presents.

As such, you may want to begin thinking about the possibility of making some extra money in the next couple of weeks. In fact, if you get into the habit of that now then the likelihood is that you will find it easier to continue making extra cash into the new year. It is a fact that many households will need savings in the coming years and building a little extra up via online surveys, selling stuff on eBay and Amazon, recycling phones through websites that will pay for them and other such sites that purchase goods from you.

Always remember the maxim that your junk is someone else’s treasure. People will look to save money by puchasing used goods on eBay, for example. Similarly, if you are offering an old CD on Amazon that is cheaper than the full priced version then you will make extra cash that way. A few minutes of your time every night will earn you a few extra pennies if you complete surveys.

I make an extra £30 to £50 every month from selling stuff and doing surveys. It isn’t a lot but you could buy a few extra presents with that, epecially if you are committed to sorting and selling old stuff and check your emails every day.

There is an article with plenty of survey sites to be found here to get you started. I also have a money blog that can be found here: Finance Central with other hints and tips on it.

Quote Of The Day - David Cameron stated that the UK has the “…debt levels of Italy and the accounting practices of Enron”. Funny, but oh so true!

As a former care worker in a nursing home, I have had the privilege of getting to know hundreds of disabled people over the years. Many have been physically disabled, others have been mentally disabled but they all had one thing in common - they were human. I used to love talking to them and listening to all of their stories. Of course, the presence of a wheelchair or aids to help them doesn’t make them any less interesting. As with all of us able-bodied, that is down to our personalities and I fail to view someone in a different way because they happen to be blind, deaf, paralysed or in possession of a prosthetic limb.

So imagine my disgust when I heard today that the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) gave the 12A film Special People a censor warning because it featured disabled people.

Yes, the BBFC, which is supposed to be both impartial and moral, marked the film because it featured a disabled cast. It is the first British film that has largely had disabled actors playing disabled characters, which is actually something to be proud of. But no. The BBFC decided that this very fact may offend people and made sure that everyone knew in advance. Special People was effectively discriminated against.

Firstly, if anyone fails to go to see a film because it stars a disabled person then he or she has serious issues and should look long and hard in the mirror before stepping outside. Of course, disability groups reacted, quite rightly, with outrage and the notice was removed from the film earlier on this month, but it does beg the question of prejudice. Why stop at disabled people? Why not note if a film has a strong, independent woman in it as that may offend some? How about ethnic minorities? If the BBFC started to note that there were women or ethnic minorities in a film then the whole of the UK would hit the roof so how is this acceptable? It never fails to amaze me that a burglar that had broken into a home and been bitten by the household’s dog would get an apology and compensation because of human rights but they do not seem to apply to those who are not considered “normal” by some people in positions of power.

1 in 5 people in the UK alone are disabled today and have a huge part to play in society. As such, it is about time that the last of the remaining prejudiced institutions in the UK woke up and smelled the coffee because there is no place in modern society for any form of discrimination today.

There is only one possible subject I can blog on today because I just cannot get what I watched this afternoon out of my head. I must have looked like a right idiot sat on my couch with my mouth hanging open for above an hour. I have to say though, I didn’t look as much of an idiot as Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Chancellor Alastair Darling will in a couple of years time… or maybe even sooner.

The pre-budget announcement that was made today confirmed what I have been thinking for quite a while now - if Labour are voted in office again next election then the country will be ruined financially and we will have no right to moan about it because we will effectively be letting it happen. Not only have Labour gambled with OUR taxpayer money for years and failed to save for a rainy day, but they are going to continue to do so despite the looming recession. Furthmore, they are actually going to DOUBLE our national debt to £1 trillion in the next few years. I don’t even know how many 0’s are on the end of that number. I can’t comprehend how much that actually is.

Starting with the immediate measures - how many of you are likely to go out and spend on items that you would not have bought yesterday just because VAT has been reduced by 2.5%? Certainly not me. I am currently sat in a freezing cold house with 3 layers on and my dogs all have blankets covering them. Why? Because we are on a pre-payment meter for our gas heating and I can’t afford to put any money into it until next week. We have £10 left on it until then and have to ration it as a result, despite the fact that it is freezing, literally, outside. I will not be buying a car or any expensive electrical goods at all. Besides, the high street stores have discounts of up to 30% at the minute anyway, and those smaller stores will have to spend thousands implementing changes, which completely defeats the object.

Similarly, who is looking forward to the huge taxes we are going to have to pay in the coming years just to repay the borrowing back?

Daling and Brown are gambling with our money because they have no idea what is going on with the average person at the moment. They have never faced a moment’s hardship and would not know what it is like to eat toast for breakfast and lunch and pasta for dinner. They will be sitting in their comfy drawing rooms whilst the rest of us freeze over Christmas. Their elderly relatives will not die because they are cold and hungry. They will not have to pay back the money that they are so recklessly borrowing.

The UK is now in huge debt and, whilst I do like some of their initiatives (the Savings Gateway for example), those that purport to help people are simply masking the country’s problems. Nowhere in the budget did I hear how they are going to create jobs, which is what would elevate spending. Nowhere did I hear them pledge to cut immigration, thus leaving more jobs for those who are desperate to work. In some circumstances immigration is a good thing, especially where skilled jobs that currently have shortages are concerned, but when people will do anything to earn a wage and keep a roof over their heads their is no longer anything resembling cheap labour. We become the cheap labour.

In years to come we will be struggling just as much as we are now. The UK has never been in as much debt as it is now and it is our money they are playing with. It seems as if the UK has become one big casino and no matter what we will end up the losers.

We already have shares in the banks but we do not get to have a say in how they are run. The banks will not help us out but continue to dole out elevated charges, thus making household finances worse. Now we have a share in our country financially but we will still have no say as to how it is run on  daily basis. I really do hope that people see through this and view it for what it is. If we do not do something about it when the election comes around then we deserve everything we get.

If you do not believe thatit is a political stunt to win the country over, check out the dates. The measures Darling announced have all been carefully planned to “help” before the next election and then tax us after they or the Conservatives have been voted in. This just goes to show that they do not care about us but they do care about their own political interests. The MPs that serve us are not paid to save their own hides but are supposed to protect ours.

I just hope I’m wrong about how this is going to play out. If I’m not then brace yourself and get ready to batten down the hatches for a few more years.

As it’s a Sunday and my blogs have been pretty heavy in the last week, I’ve decided to write about something a little more lighthearted… and exciting! The new release date of Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince has been announced in the last few days and I for one could not be more excited. Although Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince is not my favourite of the J K Rowling series, it is certainly dark and leads nicely up to the last book which happens to be my favourite… and one of the most well read books in my collection!

I never ever throw any of my books away because I consider them sacred but I have to say that Harry Potter books take pride of place on my shelf! I am a HUGE fan and can’t wait to watch the sixth film. It will be in cinemas on July 17th, 2009 and I cannot wait to see it. The teasers look amazing and I have no doubt that it will provide a great taster for the movie magic to come in the final movies - the two part story that is Harry Potter And The Deathy Hallows.

I’m so glad that Harry Potter And The Deathy Hallows has been split into two parts because, had it been a single movie, I know I would have been disappointed. The final book is rich with detail that is essential to the plot and cutting it out would have been tantamount to losing much of the movie magic, as many books do. I usually prefer book versions of a story to the movies because the vision of a director is not as good as your own imaginative vision in the majority of cases. Take Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix for example. I felt much of the detail and the whole premise of the story was sacrificed for the visual splendour of the film.

Anyway, enough rambling about how much better the books are in comparison to the movies! I’ll be first in line on July 17th when Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince finally hits the bg screen.

I just thought I would write another paragraph tonight concerning the blog I wrote earlier today about the live Internet suicide of Abraham Biggs. It certainly seems to have sparked a reaction, which is great because I set out to encourage people to think about the way it reflects on society and how we could make the world a better place. We have to try at least for future generations, and whether or not you agree with me does not really matter. As long as you think about what is going on in the world we should all still have hope!

I would like to answer one comment though…

atorturedsoul, the comment about selfishness was not meant to be derogatory and I apologise if you have taken offence but that is my pesonal opinion. After all, it is not the person that commits suicide that is left behind to pick up the pieces and torture him or herself as to whether it was possible to prevent it. I know families that have been torn apart as a result of someone’s suicide and it is a horrible thing to watch from the outside, let alone being a part of it.

Sometimes it is unavoidable and I do feel sorry for anyone who gets to that point but that does not make it any less a selfish act. I don’t blame anyone for that if they are suicidal. There is no blame involved, as I asserted when advocating some form of legalised assisted suicide. Again, until we walk a mile in another’s shoes…

As for mental illness being just that, an illness, I know all about it. I have been diagnosed with severe depression so I feel as if I do qualify to comment. To begin with I refused to accept it, purely and simply because I viewed it as a weakness. I have been through a lot in my relatively short life and have been lucky to get to my 20s without suffering from any repercussions. However, now I accept that I need to understand my illness to be able to get better and I am working towards that as we speak. Very few of my friends know, but my family is incredibly supportive and I owe them a lot as a result. They keep me sane!

Thanks for the comments though guys - much appreciated. That is what I set the blog up for after all!

Abraham Biggs from Pembroke Pines, Miami, Florida was a 19 year old boy. He had a life to live and a family that loved him. Like other 19 year olds, he probably felt a little out of place and awkward. He may have felt depressed, or stressed as a result of something that had happened to him. he may have been suffering from a mental illness. It is not my place to comment on his state of mind two days ago because I didn’t even know the guy, but I can only hope that some good will come out of his tragic suicide. Biggs overdosed on anti-depressants but did it to jeers and laughs from his online audience.

This story has made me question whether or not we can even have faith in human nature anymore.

We see bombings, murders and wars in the news every single day but nothing I read or saw yesterday (Baby P stories aside) disgusted me as much as the fact that this young man was able to commit suicide live on the Internet… and nobody lifted a finger to help him.

I don’t mean that to sound as if he needed help committing suicide because the very fact that he managed it on his own live on the Internet proves just the opposite. I suffer from Depression but have never considered taking my own life. I couldn’t because I wouldn’t have the guts. It does take guts to kill yourself, but then it is also the height of selfishness as well because the people that are left behind have to deal with the aftermath. However, I would never condemn anyone committing suicide because I have no way of knowing what they are thinking or feeling at the time. Without walking a mile in their shoes, I don’t believe that anyone should judge.

For example, I worked in a nursing home for some years and cared for several people with Huntingdon’s Disease, one of the most horrific illnesses out there. If I was diagnosed with Huntingdon’s then I would want to die on my terms before I got to the stage that I saw others live through in absolute agony and frustration before they died in the most awful way.  This is why I believe assisted suicide should be allowed in the UK in some form, although I’ll save my views on that for another day.

If Biggs wanted to commit suicide and was beyond all help, and I have no doubts that some people do get to that stage, then he probably would have succeeded no matter what. However, what I cannot accept or even comprehend is that there were people watchinghis tragic demise… and even more shockingly encouraged him to do it. This case mirrors that of Shaun Dykes in many ways. The 17 year old jumped off a multi-story car park in early October after threatening suicide and then being goaded into jumping by a crowd watching his inner turmoil unfold from below.

What on Earth possesses people to encourage others to commit suicide? Daring people to jump, sneering that it is all a hoax for attention, laughing… there but for the grace of God go we all so all of those people watching either young man die and encouraging them to take their own lives should be highly ashamed of themselves. I am a firm believer karma, but I hope that none of these people ever have to experience a member of their family committing suicide in a similar manner, purely and simply because they will then have absolutely no right to comment or feel the outrage that I and many others feel today. Instead, they will know exactly how the families of both Biggs and Dykes feel right now and the hopelessness and despair they will live with for the rest of their lives.

RIP Abraham - I hope you have finally found a little peace.