Reports today suggest that the US is to abandon its plan to develop a missile defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic (Wall Street Journal). This system uses early warning and X band radar to guide interceptor missiles to destroy enemy missiles. It is part of the Reagan inspired “Star Wars” programme that was specifically banned under non-proliferation treaties.
The Journal said the Polish and Czech proposals would be dropped because Iran's long-range missile plans were less advanced than predicted.
However, in November 2008 Russia moved its own ballistic missiles to Kaliningrad, between NATO member states Lithuania and Poland and Russian President Medvedev suggested that Russia would jam the US anti-missile system electronically.
We in Britain should follow Russia’s example in standing up to the USA. We have suffered military occupation by the USA for more than 65 years and it is time it was ended. The US came to support the British fight against Hitler in WWII and never left. Here in North Yorkshire the US bases at Fylingdales and Menwith Hill are both part of the “Star Wars” defence shield. An illegal shield designed to defend the USA, not Britain.
For far too long, successive British Governments, particularly under that fawning lapdog Tony Blair, have danced to the American tune, without question and without pride in our country's independence. Now is the time to declare UDI, send the US occupying forces home and develop the promised “ethical” foreign policy based on peace and reconciliation with the rest of the world.
Leslie Rowe
17/9/09
Thursday 17 September 2009
Wednesday 16 September 2009
What is good for the climate is good for health
One news item the Ministry of Truth (aka the BBC) is not headlining today, is the call by medical chiefs in the UK, Ireland and around the world for doctors to put pressure on politicians meeting in Copenhagen in December to secure a new global deal on cutting emissions (source yahoo.co.uk).
The heads of the Royal Colleges said doctors should demand world leaders listen to the scientific evidence of climate change and implement strategies to tackle emissions that will benefit the health of people around the globe.
A failure to negotiate a strong deal will have "catastrophic" results, with those in poorest countries hit hardest by the impacts on health of drought and pressure on water resources, storms, floods and conflict.
But, "what's good for the climate is good for health", the editorial by Lord Michael Jay of medical charity Merlin and Professor Michael Marmot, director of the International Institute for Society and Health, said "The measures needed to combat climate change coincide with those needed to ensure a healthier population and reduce the burden on health services."
"A low carbon economy will mean less pollution. A low carbon diet - especially eating less meat - and more exercise will mean less cancer, obesity, diabetes and heart disease."
A successful outcome at Copenhagen "is vital for our future as a species and for our civilisation", whilst failure to agree radical reductions in emissions would spell "a global health catastrophe", they warned.
Dr Fiona Godlee, editor in chief of the BMJ, said: "Politicians may be scared to push for radical reductions in emissions because some of the necessary changes to the way we live won't please voters.” I think she under estimates the concerns of voters, but she continues:
"Doctors are under no such constraint. On the contrary we have a responsibility as health professionals to warn people how bad things are likely to get if we don't act now. The good news is that we have a positive message - that what is good for the climate is good for health."
Nuf said!
Leslie Rowe 16/9/09
The heads of the Royal Colleges said doctors should demand world leaders listen to the scientific evidence of climate change and implement strategies to tackle emissions that will benefit the health of people around the globe.
A failure to negotiate a strong deal will have "catastrophic" results, with those in poorest countries hit hardest by the impacts on health of drought and pressure on water resources, storms, floods and conflict.
But, "what's good for the climate is good for health", the editorial by Lord Michael Jay of medical charity Merlin and Professor Michael Marmot, director of the International Institute for Society and Health, said "The measures needed to combat climate change coincide with those needed to ensure a healthier population and reduce the burden on health services."
"A low carbon economy will mean less pollution. A low carbon diet - especially eating less meat - and more exercise will mean less cancer, obesity, diabetes and heart disease."
A successful outcome at Copenhagen "is vital for our future as a species and for our civilisation", whilst failure to agree radical reductions in emissions would spell "a global health catastrophe", they warned.
Dr Fiona Godlee, editor in chief of the BMJ, said: "Politicians may be scared to push for radical reductions in emissions because some of the necessary changes to the way we live won't please voters.” I think she under estimates the concerns of voters, but she continues:
"Doctors are under no such constraint. On the contrary we have a responsibility as health professionals to warn people how bad things are likely to get if we don't act now. The good news is that we have a positive message - that what is good for the climate is good for health."
Nuf said!
Leslie Rowe 16/9/09
Tuesday 15 September 2009
Tragic Death of Soldier down played
Patrick Swayze died yesterday, as did Keith Floyd. Patrick was 57 (same age as me) and Keith 65. Both were celebrities, had full & interesting lives & died from natural causes, albeit prematurely. Their deaths were extensively reported on BBC TV & radio. Compare and contrast the BBC coverage of the latest soldier to die in Afghanistan yesterday. An announcement was made in the midday news, but without the name of the soldier. The afternoon “PM” programme on BBC radio 4 had dropped this news, the lead being once again Mandelson and his attempts to soften us up for big Government spending cuts.
Even before these spending cuts, British soldiers are still being sent to Afghanistan to fight an unwinnable war without the proper equipment to protect themselves or the helicopters to move around safely. The British Government is deliberately down playing the continuing daily death toll through their official propaganda machine, the BBC.
So the death of an aging American actor and a British cook from natural causes is headline news. But for the BBC, the murder of a young British soldier, his life tragically cut short by the misguided policies of this shameless, undemocratic British Labour Government is not. Go figure.
Even before these spending cuts, British soldiers are still being sent to Afghanistan to fight an unwinnable war without the proper equipment to protect themselves or the helicopters to move around safely. The British Government is deliberately down playing the continuing daily death toll through their official propaganda machine, the BBC.
So the death of an aging American actor and a British cook from natural causes is headline news. But for the BBC, the murder of a young British soldier, his life tragically cut short by the misguided policies of this shameless, undemocratic British Labour Government is not. Go figure.
Monday 14 September 2009
Tripe for Today
Once again I have woefully neglected my blog, but this morning I decided that I will update daily with my thoughts, so incensed was I with yet another facile report from the BBC Radio 4 "Today" programme.
The BBC were interviewing Peter Mandelson & were as usual allowing his particular brand of verbal diarrhoea to pollute our airways. Not once did they ask the obvious question: “who elected you, Mandelson?”
The BBC were interviewing Peter Mandelson & were as usual allowing his particular brand of verbal diarrhoea to pollute our airways. Not once did they ask the obvious question: “who elected you, Mandelson?”
Mandelson has called for the former directors of Rover MG to be banned from being directors for taking advantage of the gravy train Mandelson's Labour Government handed to them on a plate. This from a Government minister who not once, but twice had to resign in disgrace. This from a former EU commissioner who spent his time wining & dining European millionaires, including General Gadaffi's son, just before the Lockerbie killer was released.
None of this was put to Mandelson by the Today programme. They just happily traded speculation about which lies Labour and the Tories would trot out to justify their public service cuts after the next general election. The “Today” programme is not a news programme, it is a vehicle for establishment propaganda, speculation and tittle tattle.
.
Saturday 13 June 2009
Thank You Patrick
Patrick has reminded me that I have woefully neglected my blog, so please find below some of the articles I forgot to put here: with my apologies!
Leslie Rowe
Leslie Rowe
Reflections on the European Election Count in Leeds Town Hall 7/6/09
The evening had turned ugly. Raised voices led to scuffles in a doorway of Leeds Town Hall and suddenly the number of yellow-jacketed police officers in the room doubled. The new BNP MEP droned on, the lack of fire in his speech in contrast to the jubilant shouts from black-shirted skinheads around the room.
A lesson in democracy? I don’t think so. The BNP had received 120,000 votes out of a total electorate of 3.5 million voters, which is less than 4 in every 100 voters in the Yorkshire & Humber region. The biggest winner on the night was the “voting is a waste of time” party. Two out of every three voters stayed at home. They could see no difference between the sleaze of the middle of the road parties and did not believe that the numerous non-Westminster parties were likely to change anything.
These non-Westminster parties were, however, the 2nd biggest winners. They included UKIP, BNP, the Green Party and numerous other heart-felt causes. With the exception of the Green Party, these were votes against something. Not in favour of a cause, but a protest against.
For UKIP & a number of other similarly titled parties, it was all about getting out of Europe. For the BNP, it was about immigration and the perceived injustice to the “indigenous” population.
The old establishment parties will attempt to ignore these protests, to dismiss them as an aberration. But they do so at their peril and at the peril of our democracy.
Sadly, democracy in the UK is now a sham, with an unelected Prime Minister leading a cabinet of unelected Lords and Ladies, most of whom would prefer to have a prime-time TV slot. The unrepresentative vote at the European Election must be seen for what it is: a stifled cry of despair from the electorate, desperate for the political establishment to listen to them and to their concerns.
If Westminster politicians continue to ignore the silent majority of the people of Britain, then before very long, rule in this country will be handed over to those black-shirted skinheads and yellow-jacketed police.
A lesson in democracy? I don’t think so. The BNP had received 120,000 votes out of a total electorate of 3.5 million voters, which is less than 4 in every 100 voters in the Yorkshire & Humber region. The biggest winner on the night was the “voting is a waste of time” party. Two out of every three voters stayed at home. They could see no difference between the sleaze of the middle of the road parties and did not believe that the numerous non-Westminster parties were likely to change anything.
These non-Westminster parties were, however, the 2nd biggest winners. They included UKIP, BNP, the Green Party and numerous other heart-felt causes. With the exception of the Green Party, these were votes against something. Not in favour of a cause, but a protest against.
For UKIP & a number of other similarly titled parties, it was all about getting out of Europe. For the BNP, it was about immigration and the perceived injustice to the “indigenous” population.
The old establishment parties will attempt to ignore these protests, to dismiss them as an aberration. But they do so at their peril and at the peril of our democracy.
Sadly, democracy in the UK is now a sham, with an unelected Prime Minister leading a cabinet of unelected Lords and Ladies, most of whom would prefer to have a prime-time TV slot. The unrepresentative vote at the European Election must be seen for what it is: a stifled cry of despair from the electorate, desperate for the political establishment to listen to them and to their concerns.
If Westminster politicians continue to ignore the silent majority of the people of Britain, then before very long, rule in this country will be handed over to those black-shirted skinheads and yellow-jacketed police.
Article written for Accountancy Age Magazine April 2009 re European elections
Chartered Certified Accountant Leslie Rowe is a candidate for the Green Party in Yorkshire and Humberside. Age 56, Leslie has been around for a long time and featured in a 1989 copy of Accountancy Age, when he was standing in the European elections for the Liberal Democrats in the Cotswolds.
Now running an Accountancy Practice in the Yorkshire Dales, Leslie is married with 3 children at school. “Politics is a funny business,” reflected Leslie when recalling his 30 years in politics. “You will find some of the most innumerate bozos getting elected to both Westminster and Strasbourg; people guaranteed to put two and two together and get five.”
“However, they are all financial wizards when it comes to claiming expenses. We have Yorkshire MEPs who openly pay their partners from the public purse, with no pretence of being equal opportunity employers. And all MPs know that they can claim expenses worth three times their salary and do not have to pay council tax on their second homes.”
“Some of most talented and honest politicians are still knocking on the door of Parliament. Sometimes I think it is a pre-requisite of elected office that you should be too thick to be a threat to the powers that run our elected dictatorship?”
“Perhaps this explains why there are so few accountants in the European Parliament? Perhaps this also explains why the EU budget has not been approved for, what,14 years and their accounts are perennially being qualified? Frankly the EU is a cesspit of dirty money sticking to the hands of those who can stand the stench long enough to grab it.”
A 2006 audit report on corruption was kept secret until leaked earlier this year. It found money being paid to companies which did not exist and MEPs being paid full allowances for assistants when no assistants were registered as being employed.
Employees were paid bonuses of up to 19 times their monthly salary and received large "layoff" payments with no apparent justification.
“It is not as if you have to do any work after all. The UKIP MEP for Yorkshire & the Humber (Godfrey Bloom) has spoken less than a dozen times in the European Parliament during his 5 years in office and that includes a call for women to stay in the kitchen.
We need talented individuals to represent us in Europe, not jokers. People who can challenge the status quo and start cleaning up Europe. Unfortunately if you look at the lists put forward by the old grey parties, you will see nothing but the same old same old.”
Green Party candidate Leslie Rowe paused for a moment, deep in thought. “Then of course, we have the even more urgent problem of climate change …..”
Now running an Accountancy Practice in the Yorkshire Dales, Leslie is married with 3 children at school. “Politics is a funny business,” reflected Leslie when recalling his 30 years in politics. “You will find some of the most innumerate bozos getting elected to both Westminster and Strasbourg; people guaranteed to put two and two together and get five.”
“However, they are all financial wizards when it comes to claiming expenses. We have Yorkshire MEPs who openly pay their partners from the public purse, with no pretence of being equal opportunity employers. And all MPs know that they can claim expenses worth three times their salary and do not have to pay council tax on their second homes.”
“Some of most talented and honest politicians are still knocking on the door of Parliament. Sometimes I think it is a pre-requisite of elected office that you should be too thick to be a threat to the powers that run our elected dictatorship?”
“Perhaps this explains why there are so few accountants in the European Parliament? Perhaps this also explains why the EU budget has not been approved for, what,14 years and their accounts are perennially being qualified? Frankly the EU is a cesspit of dirty money sticking to the hands of those who can stand the stench long enough to grab it.”
A 2006 audit report on corruption was kept secret until leaked earlier this year. It found money being paid to companies which did not exist and MEPs being paid full allowances for assistants when no assistants were registered as being employed.
Employees were paid bonuses of up to 19 times their monthly salary and received large "layoff" payments with no apparent justification.
“It is not as if you have to do any work after all. The UKIP MEP for Yorkshire & the Humber (Godfrey Bloom) has spoken less than a dozen times in the European Parliament during his 5 years in office and that includes a call for women to stay in the kitchen.
We need talented individuals to represent us in Europe, not jokers. People who can challenge the status quo and start cleaning up Europe. Unfortunately if you look at the lists put forward by the old grey parties, you will see nothing but the same old same old.”
Green Party candidate Leslie Rowe paused for a moment, deep in thought. “Then of course, we have the even more urgent problem of climate change …..”
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