"Military housing: Families say they're living in damp, mouldy conditions" Will Gove tell Wallace to Resign?

 

Check out on this daming BBC report and pictures on the dreadful conditions that so many of our military families live in. 

While I am broadly supportive of the often justifiable criticisms that Secretary State, Michael Gove has made of social housing providers, who fail to deal with damp, will he now tell Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace to resign, after this appalling report? 

"It would be a damn shame if we couldn't own a Canadian...".

"On her radio show, Dr. Laura said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following response is an open letter to Dr. Schlesinger, written by a US man, and posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as quite informative:

Dear Dr. Laura:
 
 Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination, Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination?

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here?

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I'm confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your adoring fan,

James M. Kauffman,

Ed.D. Professor Emeritus,

Dept. Of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education University of Virginia

P.S. (It would be a damn shame if we couldn't own a Canadian.)

(Dr Kauffman has since denied writing this letter although he would not appear to disagree with its contents. A "Kent Ashcraft" has apparently received royalties from reference to the letter's argument in the TV series "West Wing".)   Hat tip Nigel Lawrence share on Face Book

Green Mean Hypocrite Machine - Support Brighton Cityclean workers

hat tip SERTUC "Dear Colleague

I am writing to you as you recently signed our petition against pay cuts for staff employed at Brighton & Hove City Council. As you may be aware the union is currently balloting for industrial action, and the result of the ballot will be announced this Friday 7th June.

It has now come to our attention that the Council is planning 'contingency measures' to attempt to bust GMB members taking industrial action. You can find out more about this at  http://www.gmb-southern.org.uk/brighton-green-council-planning-strike-busting-measures/

We are absolutely appalled that a Green administration, which stood on a platform of fighting cuts and supporting workers rights could be taking such action. We are therefore asking for your help:

What can you do to help?

1. Please sign the petition again - All comments made on the petition are sent directly to Brighton & Hove Councillors. You can sign the petition at www.gmb-southern.org.uk/bhcc

2. If you live in Brighton, please print off the attached poster and place it in your window, to show your support to our members;

3. Please consider making a donation to the regional dispute fund. This fund is used to support members in dispute throughout the region, and it is likely that members in Brighton will need to call on it heavily when the dispute begins. You can make a donation via paypal at www.gmb-southern.org.uk/bhcc

Thank you again for your support

Rob Macey & GMB Cityclean workers

Tories: One rule for them, another for us plebs...

Letter from a new union bureaucrat to those he left behind

Guest post from Comrade Eitingon. "Dear John's Labour blog. This letter (see scans left - double click to bring up detail) was recently sent to all members of a trade union branch.

I was surprised to read that it was from its branch secretary, who announced that since his substantive job had been privatised by the Council and he would now not be able to have paid facility time off to carry out his union functions, he was giving up his job and joining a trade union as a full time official.

Now, I happen to think that it is a good idea that a trade union recruits from its lay membership but this branch secretary is a supporter of the ultra left sect SPEW, who has constantly attacked such "unelected" full time trade union officials as "bureaucrats".  Yet he gives up being a lay rep to become a unelected full time official? What is wrong doing a worthwhile job while being a normal shop steward?

Also a trade union rep should be there to protect and defend their members and if a service is being privatised then members need their union rep even more than ever. Surely the union rep should follow the members in order to defend and not just leave them in the lurch?

Did you try and leave your members and get a bureaucrats job when

your job was privatised John?

Finally I understand that this strike ballot he called on his first day as a full time union bureaucrat had to be withdrawn - because he messed up the paperwork.

Yours Nahum Eitingon".

UPDATE: Onay Kasab has claimed that he sent this letter. Check comments.

"Welcome to the ConDemNation"

This video is well, well worth a view. An edited snap shot of the recent political history of this nightmare government and the hypocrisy of its leadership.

Hat-tip to my new Facebook friend of 20 minutes Jase-deb Cridland – check out original on YouTube here.

I love the song of course!

Ladybird "Chiropractic Treatment & English Libel Law"

Check out this superb spoof by Crispian Jago of "Science, Reason and Critical Thinking" blog of the attempt by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) to bully the critic of some of their wilder and unsubstantiated claims, Simon Singh, into silence by abusing our crazy libel laws.

Personally I would have thought that the book could have been called "Chiropractic Treatment for Dummies" since it is now clear that this is the BCA target audience?

I have had friends with back problems who swear by their Chiropractic. But the wild claims by some "practitioners" that they can cure practically anythings discredits all of them. The behaviour of the British Chiropractic Association is particularly disgraceful.

Check out this post that Britain is being turned into a global laughing stock because of our draconian libel laws.

I will declare an interest.

Schadenfreude

Continuing on a German theme...

Nurses slate "Hypocrite" multi millionaire Zac Goldsmith

Nurses employed at Richmond, Surrey have labelled local Conservative party prospective politician candidate and multi millionaire Zac Goldsmith a “hypocrite”.

After it was revealed he had registered abroad as a "non-dom" for tax purposes.

Siobhan McCullough, UNISON nursing representative for Richmond stated:

"It is outrageous that David Cameron's Conservative Party told nurses that “we are all in this together” and as a result nurses must accept a pay freeze, yet their multi millionaire candidate in Richmond is registered in the Cayman Islands for tax purposes".

"We need an MP who represents the nurses and residents of Richmond not a Caribbean tax haven".

Michael Walker UNISON Regional Officer stated

“This highlights the duplicity of the Conservatives “Were all in this together” statement, obviously were not all in this together, things are still very good for bankers and millionaires”. Hat-tip thingy UNISON press release.

TPA director does not even pay any tax

We find out here and here that a director of the so-called Tax Payers Alliance (better known as the Higher Rate Taxpayers Avoidance Alliance) does not pay any British Tax. How can any group comment on crucial citizen issues such as levels of taxation when its director doesn’t even pay any?

Hat-tip thingy Col. Roi

Ground Control to Commissar Jon: your circuits dead, there’s something wrong

It is a shame to wash our dirty clothes in public but I note that the renowned witch hunter and red baiting UNISON NEC member has complained on his blog that the Ultra Left cultist, Glen Kelly, was “howled down” at yesterday's NEC meeting. I understand from people who were actually there and live on the planet earth that nothing of the sort actually happened.

It is interesting that he indicates that what he calls “gentle heckling” by Ultra Left extremists at this year’s NDC conference was okay? ...and he has the blooming cheek to calls his NEC colleague “hypocrites”?

Now I come from a rough and ready tradition of public political debate and can be as passionate about things as anyone. Sometimes, in the dim and distance past I will admit, even I, have overstepped the mark somewhat at meetings for which I have then apologised (never at our Conference of course).

But the continual screaming, shouting and booing in some Conference debates this year by Ultra Left delegates who at the top of their voices yelled - “Liars” and “Rubbish” at speakers they happened not to agree with is completely unacceptable. It is not “gentle heckling” This appeared to be organised and pre-planned behaviour and gave the clear impression that it was done quite deliberately to physically frighten and put off ordinary members from speaking at our Conference.

But I think that most people have a different view of heckling than Trotskyite entryists who always want to shout down opponents since they don’t actually believe in such bourgeois concepts such as democracy. Instead they think shouting loudly and being indignantly outraged all the time will bring about the revolution.

Remember: This is from people who quite deliberately wreaked a sensible rule change (and wound up others with untruths and smears) at Conference which would have assisted the union with throwing out of membership Racists and Nazi’s. Some speakers against the rule change did have a principled argument but why the Ultra Left actively organised against it is beyond me? I cannot think of any other reason than to score points to suit their own narrow, pointless and sectarian purposes.