Category: Issues

People celebrate the abolition of slavery within Europe and
North America,
but forget that ‘bonded labour’ ( another form of slavery ),
is still in place within many parts of the world.

Britain gave up the slave trade over 150 years ago,
but it was still involved in supporting slavery for a long time
after that.

I was reminded of this fact while reading the obituary of
Colonel David Smiley,
which was published in The Times on January 14th.

During a long military career Smiley worked with the Sultan
of Omans Armed Forces during the late 1950s.

It might also be noted that British SAS forces were active in
Oman against various insurgencies during the 1960s.

Now here is the interesting point:
Slavery was only officially abolished in Oman during the
early 1970s.

There was not a word about slavery in Oman which appeared
within the Times Smiley obituary.

It would of been a very different kind of obituary if this fact
had been noted.

It is not a normal publishing practice to review a book some 60
years after it came out, but in this one case these are very good
reasons to do so.

Death pays a Dividend is an account of the arms trade, & the
various companies which still are involved in the trade.

Companies which are still very well know by any of todays
anti arms trade campaigners.

Companies like:
Vickers.
Dupont.
&
ICI.

Starting with the US, German, & British companies which
supplied all these countries armies during World War one, the
book goes on to show that even while in the middle of this
conflict, that an International arms cartel was in
operation.

It was British made shells which fell upon British Troops in
Gallipoli, While after the armistice Vickers had to pay for the
Krupp-patented rights on the 123,000,000 fuses which were
used against the German armies.

Continue reading Death pays a Dividend

When is Equality not equality?

When it comes to legislation to give ‘equal rights’ to
religionists.

A fine example of this is the UK
‘Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations’ 2003.

The aim of this law is to prevent discrimination to individuals
because of their religionist or Philosophical beliefs.

The key wording upon this legislation is: ‘ religion’ or
‘Similar Beliefs’.

Continue reading When is Equality not equality?

I keep hearing or reading the expression ‘People of faith’
or references to ‘faith schools’.

This is all part of a religionist agenda.

For the word ‘faith’ read religion.

For the expression ‘Faith Schools’ read:
schools which are run by Religionists, and in which
children are subjected to religionist propaganda.

Continue reading Another meaningless word.

Anyone who looks at a lot of movies will be familiar with
the ‘parental’ warnings which come with them in terms of
their content –
i.e. showing scenes of a sexual or violent nature.

Yet they might be better marked with warnings about some
of other things which upset us all.

As a vegetarian I would like movies to have a warning upon
them if they show animals being killed, or people eating
meat. Continue reading What’s in it? – The Movie.

– To go on the game ( i.e. sell ones body for sex ),
or work in Muckdonalds?

– To sell Wacky Baccy ( Hash ),
or work in a slaughterhouse?

– Join the military, or spend the rest of ones life on the
dole?

There is no need to gain a income from any of the above:
Just as there is No Need To Kill, Slaughter, or Sell the
carcasses of animals.

We all have choices.

The only problem is that if one choices to exercise a
conscientious objection at work, then one could suffer as
a result of the various economic sanctions which exist
within society. Continue reading Which is the worst?

Paris. New York. Amsterdam. Copenhagen. Rome. Berlin.

Each country has songs which celebrate its capital city.

Each national newspaper focuses upon its national news.

That is not to say that some national newspapers with a
good global just can’t be found. It’s just that most of them
are very expensive to purchase, & one needs to read a lot
of them in order to achieve a very comprehensive & well
balanced world view.

Continue reading Looking for the news.

Viewpoints in extremity.

It is very difficult to think or write about any of the issues which face Cuba
without having to confront one major difficulty.

Namely, where ever you look to find information about Cuba, that this will
result in your having to sort a lot of facts from political opinion.

Continue reading Cuba