Be afraid

Sorry to shout but

READ THIS

(especially if you live in Reading.)

A company called Mapeley have applied for and been granted full planning permission to use the Kings Reach building on Kings Road as an "interview and administration" centre.

So who are Mapeley? Mapely are a PFI company that manage the buildings used by, amongst others the Identity and Passport Service. Why do they need an interview and administration centre? Compulsory ID card anyone?

I've been talking about ID Cards for months, but the talking stops now and I'm getting involved in the local group. Follow me and DO SOMETHING!!

Incidentally, Mapeley also manage the buildings formerly owned by the Inland Revenue, despite the fact that they are based in Bermuda. The irony of having the Inland Revenue's buildings owned by a company based in an offshore tax haven is clearly lost on Gordon Brown. Or maybe he's just a hypocrite?

Why do they hate us mummy?

Have a read of these two stories...

1.

Five get life over UK bomb plot

Five men have been jailed for life for a UK bomb plot linked to al-Qaeda that could have killed hundreds of people.

2.

UK soldier jailed over Iraq abuse

A UK soldier who became Britain's first convicted war criminal has been jailed for a year and dismissed from the army.

Cpl Donald Payne, 36, had pleaded guilty to inhumanely treating civilian detainees in Basra in 2003.

Isn't story 1 a bit euphemistic? What does 'linked to al-Qaeda' mean? The plot 'might have' killed hundreds of people. Might have killed no-one. Who can tell? The trial has not been subject to the usual media scrutiny and the lawyer defending the five has made allegations that some of the evidence used in the trial was obtained under torture in other countries, something our government now seem to think is acceptable. Anyone want to get medieval on Tony Bliar's ass with a blow torch and some pliers? I know I do.

Story 2 seems much more black and white. A group of Iraqis were detained by six soldiers, beaten senseless over a prolonged period of time leading to the death of one of them, Baha Mousa. He had 93 separate injuries on his body. Military law seems to say that if you plead not guilty you are found not guilty. Is there another explanation for the other 5 soldiers being let off without a stain on their characters? I admire Cpl Payne for at least having the balls to plead guilty to 'inhumanely treating detainees', but this will do nothing for our reputation in Iraq. Expect attacks on British troops to increase. A week after the debate about whether or not Ponce Harry's presence in Iraq will cause more violence here we have something that almost certainly 'will' cause more violence.

Oh what a lovely war.

Ponce

The more I read about this story the crosser I'm getting. This morning the jist of the story was that Prince Harry might not go to Iraq because of the extra risk he'd pose for his colleagues. What? Because if he didn't go, his battalion would be welcomed with flowers and cake like our troops are at the moment? Then we were told that his capture would give the Iraqi resistance a valuable propaganda tool. Because the US didn't milk the capture of Saddam at all did it. No sireebob, just a one line press release sufficed on that particular joyous leap forward in operation Iraqi Freedom. There were no videos of his capture; nothing of him being humiliated by US doctors in contravention of the Geneva Convention. We, the 'allies', set a good example back then didn't we? I was proud for sure.

Then it was 'but think if he was to be killed'. Yes. Thought about it. Thought of the hundreds of UK servicemen and women who have already died in this illegal, immoral war whose relations don't live in a fucking palace. Still don't get why this particular ginger twat who, let's face it is only vaguely related to the royal family shouldn't go to to Iraq and do his job.

Can anyone enlighten me?

At least, for once the British public haven't let me down. On the BBC poll 68% think he should go. You're all my best mates.

Only story that has made me angrier recently is this one

Blair defiant over Iraq security

Tony Blair has refused to apologise for the security situation in Iraq, saying he bears no responsibility for it.

Words really do fail me.

Quitter

Cross-post from The Other Phylotopian.

Now is the time....

I've been a weed smoker for the best part of 20 years and I suppose, in true denial form - it's never done me no harm. No siree Bob. But, but.. Just 'but' really.

Since the trial in town a few weeks ago of that stupid twat from Wokingham who stabbed his mates, (while 'high' on skunk - ffs) it's been getting harder to buy, which is entirely appropriate considering the mixed metaphors we get from this tired, corrupt fucking government of ours. They decriminalise weed then try to make criminals out of the people who want to buy it. What's that all about? I have no doubt that the weed I buy now is way stronger than the stuff I used to puff my way through as a younger man, but control is the answer, not criminalisation. When the fucking fuck are we going to get a mature, adult drugs policy? When is a serious politico going to stick his pimply yellow head above the parapet and say "Shit, I've done drugs, had a laugh, watched the moon rise and shine, ate some Snickers, fell asleep on the sofa and went to work." Wouldn't you respect that guy more than the myriad of faceless careerist politicians who say "Oh no, never. Drugs are evil" before sloping off to one of Parliament's 17 bars for 20 Bensons and a skinful of pink gin? Anne Widdicombe and her type sit on their farty fucking leather benches and tell me what the fuck I can and can't do. Have you ever seen anyone more in need of a trip than Anne Widdicombe??

Shit - I went off on one there - this is supposed to be about me quitting - its just I hate being told what to do. Always have. Probably why I came out of the RAF at 22! Anyway, if it was legal I could go to a supplier and say "Hey dude, just want 10g of something mellow" Like you do in Amsterdam. I like my skunk, don't get me wrong, but I just want a bit of old fashioned green, to mellow down, have a giggle with my gang. And all you can get is skunk now. Something about margins no doubt. Capitalism and drugs. Welcome to the 21st century.

So fuck it. I'm gonna quit. Skunk does me no favours. It makes me sit in my armchair and watch TV without remembering anything. Shit, I could watch the same episode of CSI 6 times in a row and still be utterly surprised by the conclusion. That ain't so good is it? It makes me moody, uncommunicative, sullen, I don't go out, I get paranoid; but shit man, I love being stoned.

It starts here. My sacrifice to the greater cause is that I am weed free until the day I can walk into an offy and say proudly to the lovely lady behind the counter "A quarter of that fine opium dipped, white widow thank you very much. And 20 Mars bars."

Oh - one more thing. If you haven't bought, burned or stolen the Kings of Leon's new CD by Friday I'm going to come to your house and piss through your letterbox. Don't test me dudes.