Lansbury's Lido

"Our real enemy is not the ones living in a distant land whose names or policies we don't understand. The real enemy is a system that wages war when it's profitable, the CEOs who lay us off our jobs when it's profitable, the Insurance Companies who deny us Health care when it's profitable, the Banks who take away our homes when it's profitable. Our enemies are not several hundred thousands away. They are right here in front of us." - Mike Prysner He's not wrong you know.

:(

Look what was done in the aftermath of the Second World War, when Britain was a 'bankrupt nation'. strands of Socialism and Christianity, hand in hand, creating the NHS and bringing so much to all. And now we are in a time of plenty when the concept of 'austerity' touted by the Tory, LibDem and unfortunately Labour spivs is being used to rip apart this unique institution. It seems we can only weep.

Says it all really.

*Madrid Austerity Demo 25-9-12* - Images by Guy Smallman Some great photos from Guy Smallman of the protests against Spain's austerity cuts.

The Enemy Within: Mi5, Maxwell and the Scargill Affair by Seumas Milne My rating: 5 of 5 stars Been meaning to read this book since it came out but never got round to it. I really, really wish I'd read it sooner though. It's a book that will change how you view the country that you dwell in, how your thoughts of the benevolence of the state crumble to dust. How a book that exposes such corruption and malpractice at the heart of government, the state and the establishment didn't create an impetus for massive changes is beyond me. Now even in 2012 we can see and know that such duplicity and subversion by the state continues unabated. This book has also brought to the front a lot of emotion in me - anger, despair, helplessness yet also a feeling that something has to change. A must read for anyone interested in freedom, politics, the working class and the role of trades unions. View all my reviews

Let's not forget Billy's request regarding The Sun.

Thought I'd expand upon a tweet I made upon learning Jeremy Hunt was to be the new Health Secretary. So let's have a look at some of Hunt's comments and thoughts on the NHS and medicine. Back in 2005 he co-authored a publication called 'Direct Democracy: An Agenda for a New Model Party'. In it Hunt came out with this telling quote: 1. “Our ambition should be to break down the barriers between private and public provision, in effect denationalising the provision of health care in Britain.” (Direct Democracy: An Agenda for a New Model Party, 2005, pg 78) Then in 2007 he gave us his views on homoeopathy and the NHS with a Parliamentary Early Day Motion: That this House welcomes the positive contribution made to the health of the nation by the NHS homeopathic hospitals; notes that some six million people use complementary treatments each year; believes that complementary medicine has the potential to offer clinically-effective and cost-effective solutions to...

I used to be in the Labour Party and somehow still reminisce through rose tinted glasses about how we were going to change the world. Mad romantic dreamer that I am. Step forward Ed Miliband to blow away the fog of remembrance to once again bring clear the reality of Her Majesty's Opposition - with a speech designed to placate the City and the financiers, you know, those organisations that elected him. (Note to self - western liberal democracy is not all it's cracked up to be.) Ed Miliband. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) So Comrade Ed has made a speech to the City in the City of London. Let's stop here and ask a question or two. Who voted you in Ed? Who are you meant to represent? Who do you answer to? I think in theory it's meant to be the electorate but somehow the world has been turned upside down and the electorate don't really matter that much. Why has Comrade Ed not made a speech in the crap housing estates that governments of all colours seem to forget ...

A cook sautees onions and peppers. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Well, it's been about 2 weeks since I gave up eating meat. It's really been no struggle or concern at all, and it shouldn't be - simply not eating meat is perhaps one of the easiest dietary changes you can make. It also helps with Mrs Lansbury's Lido being meat-free for a year or so now. With sharing the cooking I'm just so used to cooking without meat it's really quite simple. The most awkward thing is having two sons who eat meat, always having to think about how to provide for them. Often they'll have what we have, else I'll cook them something meat-based. Has going without meat led to any benefits healthwise? Not that I can see - I'm as unfit and lardy now as I was then although I have developed a certain smug glow realising that my decisions mean less cruelty for those doe-eyed animals that used to end up on my plate. And for the future who knows? I can certainly see mysel...

Aw, diddums, seems that secularists may be so offended by someone wearing, gasp... a cross, that top government lawyers have had to be brought in to offer them the full protection of the law. According to the Telegraph  Christians should 'leave their beliefs at home or get another job' The background of the situation is the four Christians taking a legal challenge across to the European courts to try to overturn what they see as discriminatory practices against them. There are a number of issues being looked at but the one that interests me the most is that of wearing a cross or crucifix and how that seems to inflammatory as to require government legal input. Every faith or distinction, religious or not has it's own fundamentalist or it's own Fred Phelps and it seems that the masses of the secularists and humanists have their very own in James Eadie QC. He is reported as saying: James Eadie QC, acting for the government, told the European court that the refusal...