Some serious statements don’t make sense to me. Like, why when we were once a nation of manufacturers and builders, we now have to recruit skilled migrants, yet having a high level of our own unemployed, and so many people on welfare? Is it the unions or the government to blame? From statements and articles in the press, we seem to be heading for a period where money is going to be short and we will need to tighten our belts. This latter is not surprising when we have a huge internal debt similar to the American type, coupled with having to bolster the banks because of America, due to our own vulnerability in that regard. Brown appears to be increasing taxation, while cutting back on services. We are fighting wars, which were intended to defeat terrorism, but which have in fact generated it within our own boarders. With our high proportion of Islamic followers and our small island making linking easy, plus our liberal life style, we are an easy and apparently a justifiable target to some Islamics. The wars plus antiterrorism are a heavy drain on our finances and police resources, which include the costs of time now lost in travel security. On top of these conflicting demands on the exchequer and our pockets, is increased spending by a high proportion on Defence, plus damage and reinstatement costs due to climate change, flooding and the like. Yet Brown is proposing a vast building programme, ignored when we were solvent, partially to house migrants at our expense. Does the latter not provide a further inducement to immigration?

Let us examine our PM’s new ploy which includes Globwarm. The daily Telegraph, 06.11.07, said he proposes to build 100 houses per day, including Globwarm features, for 13 years to catch up on the negligence of the last 10 years. Currently we are building 185,000 new houses per year. In a working year of approximately 200 working days, this means building 925 houses per day. The estimated requirement in the future will be for 220,000 per year because of immigrants and family break-up. In fact I can’t see the targets being met. Some may be ‘dwellings’, not houses. Some migrant occupiers might be single or only two, the broken home is often a girl leaving home with a child. In the 50s we built high rise flats, we must not fall into that trap again, just because it is quicker, cheaper, and in this case all that is needed? Building houses for a mother and child is a greater expense per capita than flats, through the form of the structure, and a greater strain on storm water disposal and the costs through building and maintaining roads. I suggest supervised care home complexes for them with their own flat, would seem a better solution for them both, with more company, help and economy.

Assume that houses with an average of 2 bedrooms, built by national contract not speculative building, cost, say £150,000 each. One hundred per working day equals £75m per week or nearly £4 trillion in the first year. Of course if it comes to pass, it will inevitably take more cash and more than 13 years. Estimates of this type are never right, take the cost of the Dome or the new Wembley as examples. A high proportion of those for whom the houses are intended will not now have a hope of obtaining a mortgage and will be renting, at reasonable rates as we did in the 30s. This time the government will be footing the bill, long term, The tenants too will have to face the costs of furnishing in an environment where buy-now pay-later will most likely be almost a thing of the past. While this is all going on, the infrastructure has to be made to accommodate this expansion and will be costing yet more money. Here, in N. Ireland, building had to be temporarily curtailed because the services had not been correspondingly revised. There will have to be adequate drainage for the increase in runoff from new houses, drives and roads. Sewage disposal may have to be extended, as will waste disposal. Roads will have to be built and some drastically altered to take care of the Mummy-run, because with all this expensive building now being paid for by the treasury instead of private purchase, there won’t be money for public transport. If the houses are built and owned by speculators, that may undermine the object of their being built. Gas, telephones, TV and shops will have to be provided for an influx over 13 or more years.

There has to be planning, with three or at least two, if not several judicial enquiries over planning objections, unless the scheme is steamrollered through. On TV they showed two designs of scientifically engineered Globwarm-friendly houses. To my old fashioned eyes they were monstrosities of science over aesthetic appreciation. One of them looked like half a huge bee hive sitting on a tin garage. If economies of scale are to be made in this vast project, there will be a rubber stamp type of approach to designing.

Frankly, I don’t think we, in our current fiscal state, can afford all this cost and disruption, and the government’s reasoning is obviously partly specious.

It was Enoch Powell who railed in the 50s about the problems of a divided society would have, when the large number of Afro-Caribbean immigrants was allowed into England, for cheap labour. A couple of days ago I read in the press that, surprise, surprise, there are 2000 suspected subversive activists in Britain, with terrorist interests. I have lived in a divided society for 65 years, from starting with pure naivety to arriving at unsatisfactory conclusions.

Of course there are 2000 youngsters, possibly twice that, being brainwashed by real dissidents for their own ends. The youngsters are bored, some are lonely, some looking for an outlet for natural aggression, some are misfits with a chip, some have already been indoctrinated in the home, all attracted by excitement. They start a few at a time, putting an innocent toe in, possibly with some quasi political or religious reason, and if the brains behind the system are as astute as they usually are, the process will attract them. I remember the fun we had in lower elementary school, with stupid secret societies, invisible ink, crazy signals, but the level of excitement was nothing like these kids are experiencing. What the end is, I’m not sure, what it will probably end up as is criminality for the enhancement of the dedicated few with a profit motive, as has happened here in N. Ireland. Children emulate and hero-worship the known dissidents, and can’t wait to join their older brothers in daring deeds. Here, the children still stone the police, the fire men, the ambulance crews and burn assembly halls and damage churches, even though the ‘war’ is allegedly over. It is not of course, it has merely gone underground, will surface again until there is a United Ireland, and the law is such that it is not worth the time arresting the little terrors, they will not be sentenced anyway.

I know what it is like to have an empty house waiting for me on leaving school at the end of the day. Of looking for company, until Mother comes home from work, and believe me, it is not difficult, if your training has not been rigorous and at times painful, to be led into trouble. I had a very dear friend, way back in the 40s. He had been brought up as a republican, and we would argue late into the night about Irish politics. If a section of society believes it is under privileged, second class, nothing you say or do will remove that stigma, neither a buoyant economy, high standard of living – nothing! It is almost in the genes and has been taught at the parent’s knee, so it must be right. Please remember this dictum!

A solution which might stem the tide with respect to young children, if not the often vicious reactions of some members of our divided society, is to divert them by putting money, supervision and longevity into recreational facilities of a quality, which will not underline the ‘second class’ syndrome. I’ve been there too, to disused church halls, badly decorated, and insufficient equipment of a poor quality and a pervading air of squalor. The people had the right idea, but not the personal experience and the money to know and avoid the pitfalls.

Our small society here is now even more layered with a strong Asian community and some of the latest migrants. There are some of the indigenous residents who resent the influx to the extent they are shooting and burning these incomers out, even though they have lived in the area for even 20 years. This is a recent phenomenon for which I can’t find an explanation for, unless there is an underlying financial motive.

I believe there is a need for a committee of experienced people; professionals in behavioural matters, child psychologists, community workers and input from those who have been there, to study the problem of divided societies, coupled with crime and poverty, before the whole thing gets out of hand. There is a strong subterranean murmur against the increasing dilution of our heritage, for want of a better word. It is growing and if it becomes really deep-seated, it will be difficult to control. The influx of foreign millionaires taking over some of our more treasured assets doesn’t help. We need to start now, seriously and with vigour. Enoch was tarred and feathered on paper, but having lived in Africa in the British Raj, I always thought he was wiser than he was given credit for.

Not only are the peoples of Britain and America disillusioned with their leaders, but there is anarchy and upheaval throughout the world. By drawing comparisons between, say 1930 and today, some strong levels of change become obvious, in for example, general honesty, respect, compassion, speed of communication, insularity of commerce, education, prospects for the individual, personal self-control and Authority. From baronial times until relatively recently the feudal system, whether acknowledged or not, held sway, people were classed, and their lot depended on what class they were in. With little scope for self-improvement, with only minor movement between classes, acceptance was the alternative. With that society came respect at all levels, whether genuine or feigned. In the classless society we have today, advancement materially can be mercurial, and not necessarily warranted or respected. It does, however, induce jealousy, greed and discontent, resulting in lack of respect for others, dishonesty, selfishness and ultimately theft. The get rich quick, and the buy today and pay never, philosophies, have become routine, clearly accepted and, indeed sponsored by the so called financial sector, without reference to the outcome, and the ultimate theft of the savings of the more prudent through taxation to bolster the failing banks.. The corollary of this state is that many of those coming behind see no point in frugality, the savings will be whipped away anyway.

I have stressed before that the difference between the old animal intelligence, with its slower and more deliberate analysis of situations, rather than instant, computer generated reaction along supposed rational processes, leads to a shortage of time between action, the outcome and the next reaction caused thereby – a chain reaction in fact, in circumstances unanticipated, not necessarily relevant. This is, I believe, prevalent in finance and government, where action and outcome are not given due prominence. Something being seen to be done is more important. In government, failure can then follow, and if done repeatedly there is a stuttering of decisions, rescinding, and more decisions, the electorate loses confidence and becomes apathetic and pessimistic. In finance we are now more open to the vagaries of other countries’ financial dealings. Losing our insularity as a nation has had serious consequences. Instead we have global commerce, finance, politics and influence, which has been detrimental in many instances to our welfare. The most serious concerns I have are our reduction in farm production, and manufacturing, placing us in a vulnerable position, in that we are becoming more and more dependent upon world trade, with an extreme loss of our reservoir of technical skills, to the point where we have to allow immigration to make up the shortfall,

I don’t believe education has improved since the 30s when I sat what was to become the Eleven-Plus. We all learned to count, we had to. Then progress was a matter for the individual, university was for brainy people or those lucky enough to find themselves in it. The rest would be apprenticed, in some form or other, or were articled in a profession. Apprenticeship was a protracted, labour intensive procedure, and the course was tough, but the product was a real craftsman. Today, the top craftsmen are retained by large companies, the casual man might be efficient or he could be a ‘chancer’ – we have all employed at least one. In the 30s we were so glad to be well educated there was little or no cavilling, today it is a right, and university education is the goal, even if the quality of the student is inadequate to complete the course. This has produced a social snobbery, where manual work is for someone else. The wage structure is at fault, frivolous work is absurdly rewarded and serious work is under valued, If you are part of ‘Entertainment’ in all its forms, financially the sky could be the limit. Compare this with the professions, the labourers working under filthy conditions who are essential, and the general workforce. We need sewage workers, bin men, navvies, bricklayers, as well as doctors and clerks etc. The world’s attitudes have changed, the class system is collapsing daily, but the basic structure of our lives cannot be changed in essence, so if our needs are to be met, all, repeat all those addressing those needs should be given equal respect and equal status. Human nature being what it is, snobbery and adulation will always place a curb on equality, but, if we cannot or are not prepared to do what others have to do, then we should give the respect and pay the rate we would expect for doing so, instead of importing immigrants to do it cheaply. I fail to see how someone needs hundreds or even tens of millions, or even how they can spend it. The money is mainly coming from the pockets of the young and the poorer section of society, for entertainment which is transitory, and appears to be locked way, perhaps in offshore accounts, doing nothing for those who originally subscribed it.

Yesterday I considered sending no more Comments to the Blog, indeed closing it, because I felt I was repeatedly covering old ground, as one does at my age. For example, there was a piece on BBC TV News offering the fact that young people, selected for a questionnaire, considered they were at least 5% better of and happier with their lot than those canvassed at some time in the past, This therefore showed that old idiots like me were mistaken when they constantly barracked against and were sorry for the life young people were experiencing today, compared with what we had when we were young, and by implication, the piece was promoting that the differential has not been downward and detrimental. I think it is a government propaganda ploy to stop young people feeling depressed. We were fitter, not under pressure, mostly part of a family with only one wage earner, had a future, not sparkling, few possibilities that would be better than our forebears had, our financial expectations were secure and crime was rare in general. As we knew nothing else, we were not resigned, we were content. When people carry out surveys, where the results differ by a small margin, taking into account a safety percentage for error, it reduces the outcome to a point where the survey is pointless. This subject has been examined before ad nauseam, by me and greater minds than mine, and yet no one seems to heed, or be able to stem the downward spiral. Affluence is not necessarily a gauge of happiness.

I have been persuaded to think again. I shall not be contributing in the volume I used to, and I shall take note of my stats (statistics of readers), they tell the story. When I’m yesterday’s news, I shall stop.

06,11.07, Comments, Our Special Relationship?

Special relationships are not always amicable. Take that between prisoner and warder, it is certainly special, because of the circumstances, but unlikely to be a friendship as is the usual interpretation. What I’m really referring to is our alleged and vaunted relationship with the USA, which is possibly pure fiction. I remember how difficult it was at the beginning of WW2 to get the Americans to help us in our hour of need. It seemed impossible for Churchill initially to convince them that we were in a parlous state and if we were overcome, they could well be next.

It is my conviction that politicians, especially at election time, in order to cosy up to the electorate, actually make statements that shadow the views of the majority of the electorate, rather than the situation as it really is. They know in doing so they are not only using a fillip to the ego of the electorate by acknowledging they were right all along, there is a feel good factor in there as well. From my experiences with the Yanks in WW2, not only do I doubt that the average American doesn’t care one way or the other, there is a large body who, on principle, hate Britain for historical reasons. I believe the natural wealth, which incidentally they have been squandering by greed and bad management, has induced a sense of insularity, and they only stir when their financial or material interests are in jeopardy. What started this tirade by me were two things. The first was that whether we like it or not, the colossal internal debt in America is being, to some extent, repaid by the solvent sector of this country, because banking is no longer an in-house facility. Banking is now a global cartel and takeovers in banking are regular. We, in our ignorance, are more at risk than we realise as a result, in a lot of cases, of rushed, electronically controlled, preordained reaction to conditions, rather than a slower, more considered cerebral one,. The second cause of me sounding off was a piece in the press last week quoting Mitt Romney, a Republican presidential contender, and one time Governor of Tennessee, clearly a true conservative of the Deep South.

He is reported to have said America was at the crossroads of history, and implied he was worried America would go the way of Europe and become a second-tier military and second-tier nation. He further extolled the virtue of America strengthening every aspect to ‘remain the most powerful nation on earth. A world without America as the leader is a very frightening place.’ he said. I beg to differ; on the contrary! That sort of mindless rhetoric is a clear indicator that there is no special relationship, and if Romney feels he is echoing the responses of the majority of the electorate, there never was.

I apologise for appearing to be going over the same ground, but how can I help it when the government is making grandiose statements almost daily. Before I get to the meat, a few days ago the PM was pontificating on education in a school and then sat down with the kids. He looked most uncomfortable and I wondered who was pulling his strings, He seems to be following in Blair’s footsteps, making many of the statements himself, which I should have thought were the job of the Ministers involved and concerned. He is downgrading the Cabinet again.

I read that Brown is proposing closing the 1 in 5 schools that are seriously below standard if they don’t improve. The process is to be spread over 6 years. The anomalies that statement raises are unbelievable. First of all, surely weaknesses should be uncovered if they are sufficiently serious to warrant closure, in any failing school, by analysing the exam results, a questionnaire for parents to full in, or failing that talking to them, to elucidate their concerns with the system, and an intelligent inspection of the teaching and teaching staff, Allegedly, only about 30% of children achieve A to C level in GCSE. This situation was supposed to be dealt with starting ten years ago. Having found the reasons for the failure it shouldn’t take closure to put it right, surely? Another report has been issued that literacy is at the same level it was in 1950.

The literary issue, I would explain, is unsurprising and the numeric failure has a similar basic problem, Not long ago I wrote a piece about the 40% fall in library book borrowing, over ’91 to 2002, while borrowing of audio and visual work had increased 100%. TV generally became household equipment in the mid 50s and therefore reading by adults dropped and in consequence encouragement for children to read for pleasure also fell. It takes time, some money and patience to give books to children and read to them in their formative years, and if the example and the wish are absent, there will be no incentive. The pressures on the more impecunious parents are sufficient for many to never pick up a book to read; time is short and they have the TV. The philosophy of the 60s to do away with rote teaching, was an untried fraud – psychobabble! You can’t give change rapidly at a shop counter, with no mechanical device to aid, if the whole process is not so imbedded in the subconscious it is like a language. My daughter, a one time very successful elementary teacher will tell you, small children have an attention span of about 7 to 10 minutes, after that they need relaxation, a laugh, and something else to distract them, and then they can start absorbing once again. She would take a guitar into class and sing them a folk song, tell them stories etc. Above all they need to learn by rote.

Just out of interest, how does one go about closing 670 schools in 6 years? That means you have to reallocate anything over six times 500 children each year, in radii for each school, of. say, to be generous, 4 miles, which would make some kids have to travel 8 miles in the relocation. I was never anything more than 2 miles from school. What happens to the teachers? More to the point what Head would want to take on an additional burden, especially when it is 60% below par. Closing isn’t the solution. It must be to turn the school performance round by a flying force of teachers, specialty chosen and trained if need be, and a management staff, as backup, to weed out the incompetent teachers, and redress the weaknesses.

‘U’ turn on Road Charges, Ruth Kelly is once again proposing to make charges on motorists using trunk Motorways. I’m sorry she wasn’t with me being driven by my Grand daughter, who is a business woman who covers a lot of Northern Ireland. We were returning home in the rush hour, and the traffic was very heavy, but she and a steady stream at nearly 30mph, were avoiding the slow traffic of the main routes that I would have been taking, and were going nose to tail, without a traffic light in sight, through back streets and built up areas. To my credit I was sorry for the householders along this new thoroughfare. If the Government over the last ten years had started a rail programme, when we were apparently solvent, many of us would be riding in public transport and Ruth Kelly’s proposals might not be tested. When they are, I know my road will become a trunk road overnight.

Folic Acid sounds pretty awful, but if reports are to be believed, it can be very bad, even dangerous to some, and in no way necessary for most people, unless prescribed for specific reasons. Pregnant women take it apparently to avoid Spina Bifida in their babies, and the Government is proposing having it added to flour for bread making, for that reason. It seems absurd that we all have to be subjected to an additive which may be harmful, or dangerous, for its good effect on probably 10% of the population. I was told bread purchased in shops was mainly manufactured by two cartels, and contained additives which could make the eater put on weight. I put it to a simple test. I like sandwiches and was having difficulty trying to keep my weight down. I started eating home baked bread, which incidentally was very good, and I have managed to reduce my weight to that of a baby elephant. QED, as far as I’m concerned.

Just a headline, it says ‘Deporting foreign sex offender ‘will breach his rights”, The mind boggles. Foreign countries might find it easier to persuade their criminals to come here to work, as a cheap way of avoiding having to deal with, clothe and feed them at home. They will be bound to offend and then they will be here for all tine, in and out of jail, at a thousand pounds per head per week, which I understand is the going rate to keep a prisoner in jail.

History Teaching, like every thing else, is being changed. A new history A Level syllabus, proposed by the exam board OCR for next year, will be based on concepts rather than periods in time. Students will be asked to write, presumably, things like cause and effect over a wide range, instead of considering one period, such as WW1. Can you imagine the reading this will require, the breadth of each topic, and whether the school libraries will be able to supply the data, although there is always the Internet. The scope for plagiarism is colossal, and how will one set the examinations? This is in aid of making lessons ‘exciting’. The ordinary history subject will still be an alternative. I did engineering, but I believe this sort of approach is a cross between history and philosophy and more appropriate to journalism at 3rd year university standard, rather than an A Level subject