Here in Ghana people are stunned by the announcement that a bond of £3,000 will have to be submitted by visa applicants to the UK, redeemable on return.
It is unpleasant for a nation to be singled out as comprised of particularly untrustworthy individuals against whom special measures are needed. Theresa May appears quite deliberately to be singling out countries whose citizens are normally black or brown – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ghana and Nigeria. They are all citizens with extremely close ties to the UK. For example, all of those countries supplied large numbers of men to British armed forces in two World Wars; with little resulting gratitude.
The true level of Britain’s regard for the Commonwealth is disclosed in all its arrogance; citizenship of the Commonwealth countries with the longest link to the UK will become a positive disadvantage in visa application. Israeli settlers living in Occupied Palestine on the West Bank, incidentally, will still be allowed to enter the UK without any visa at all, despite membership of neither Commonwealth nor EU. Paradoxical, isn’t it?
The measure shows the arrogant British disdain for these countries – of which India pre-eminently but also Ghana are fast growing and important trading partners. Undoubtedly Ghana will retaliate with measures which hurt British businesses; many of my good friends are senior Ghanaian politicians, and they are all furious. The rhetoric the British employ about transformation from colonial status to a modern partnership of equals is exposed for the tissue of lies it has always been. This is a straightforward racist measure, aimed at securing the racist vote to the Tories.
Not does it make any sense. If you are intending to enter the UK under false pretences, and have the intent illegally to settle and start a new life there, then £3,000 is scarcely a deterrent given the substantial economic gains you intend to make over the long period you intend to stay. It will rather seem a good investment; people will find the money. The people it will deter are those who never intended to overstay. The extra cash upfront, to the businessman for a business trip, for the student coming to study, for the tourist will drive them to go elsewhere, to the UK’s net loss.
More cruelly it will deter decent middle class people from coming to see grandchildren in the holidays, from going to the niece’s wedding, from going to graduation. Those things will become the prerogative of the wealthy, those with plenty of cash to spare.
This does nothing to deter illegal immigration. It merely demonstrates populist racism, demonstrates contempt for some of the UK’s best-disposed friends, and demonstrates that the government thinks the right to travel is only for the rich. It is contemptible.
@Dreoilin.
Reminding me this morning of honourable Irish record re Palestinian and Syrian issues.
Point taken.
A pity about the deference by Fianna Fail/Gael/Labour to financial elites, grovelling to Obamas and Shannon US transit.
I’m hoping to witness the Irish public digging in a few heels. Possibly last week’s cutting of mortgage arrears time before banks can initiate eviction procedures will be a final straw in a country with such an terrible history of evictions.
While the plague of evictions is not within living memory, it certainly persists within family memories. For example my great grandfather, evicted as an infant because tenant farmers were seen as less profitable than cattle.
Not holding my breath but history is full of those moments when the need change can no longer be denied.
As Victor Hugo (or was it Alexandre Dumas) said. “There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time has come.”
“For example my great grandfather, evicted as an infant because tenant farmers were seen as less profitable than cattle.”
Yes, Kibo. I had been hoping that that history would send the public onto the streets (at the very least) in the last year or so. (Occupy the Dáil would have been even better.) But sadly not. I’m beginning to think that worries about mortgages and unemployment and feeding children have taken their toll and people just don’t have the energy for a fight-back.
But they did in days of yore!
[I have bemoaned the lack of action on Twitter, but felt I couldn’t take it too far, as I myself am not in good enough health to take to any streets, let alone the Dáil, and I didn’t want to be thought a hypocrite.]
@Villager
“…because sitting at her news control-room, she projects she’s figured it all out. For us.”
You claim to believe the teachings of a man who “had everything worked out.” That is your choice and that’s fine by me.
But does it give you any business attacking Mary as though you had her “all worked out.”
Your posts consistently dismiss people who choose to change things out in the world, while claiming that the correct place to be seeking change is in one’s inner world. Again,such a choice is yours to make, but surely primarily for yourself.
What puzzles me is why one who is believes exclusively in the superiority of inner practice should then be so vocal in attacking those who look, consider and discus the happenings and actions of those engaging out there in our world.
Why does this blog concern you at all since you clearly have so little respect for it’s outward focus?
Surely the blog for you would be one which deals with inner practice.
So what if Mary annoys some by omitting inverted commas.
Some tell her they don’t like it. She carries on regardless. No one dies form this .
Would you like to explain why you feel you need to turn a critique of her grammatical style into such an in depth analysis of her faults?
Fedup; I thought the emotion connected to your nym fedup would include grammarians.
Not sure if you are using the original Deutsch dictionary.
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/verklempt
Note
Mary’s non-use of inverted commas has nothing to do with grammar (or ‘grammar nazis’). And in fact I wouldn’t call it “style” either. Style would involve e.g. a choice between quotation marks and italics, or italics and blockquotes. Mary chooses to use none of them.
It’s a matter of punctuation:
“Punctuation marks are essential when you are writing. They show the reader where sentences start and finish and if they are used properly they make your writing easy to understand. This section gives practical guidance on how to use commas, semicolons, and other types of punctuation correctly, so that your writing will always be clear and effective.”
http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/punctuation
Inverted commas are mainly used (second example)
“to mark off a word or phrase that’s being discussed, or that’s being directly quoted from somewhere else”
http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/inverted-commas
Punctuation is used to make your writing easy to understand, clear and effective. That’s all that’s being requested.
@Dreoilin 12 11am
“Punctuation is used to make your writing easy to understand, clear and effective.”
I agree. It is easier and would be my preference.
“That’s all that’s being requested.”
Well no I don’t think so. Whilst maybe it is for most who post on the issue of the missing inverted commas, there is also, for some a strong current of deeper personal attack. That’s what bothers me.
I’d much rather see all posts from you, Mary, Komodo and a dozen more, completely mis-spelt, unpunctuated and ungramatical, than not see them at all, because the irritation would be so far outweighed by the value of the content.
If our irritation over punctuation is simply a minor quarrel amongst allies in a far more important quest, then that’s OK with me. I just get bothered when the quarrel grows into a larger personal attack. That’s why I challenged Villager and not you.
Enough seriousness.
Something for the end of the day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzU_CUK1VKk
That was beautiful, Kibo, thanks. You could hardly have chosen anything that would appeal to me more.
“Whilst maybe it is for most who post on the issue of the missing inverted commas, there is also, for some a strong current of deeper personal attack. That’s what bothers me.”
The inverted commas (or italics or blockquotes, as alternatives) are all I’m requesting. After the shenanigans on the UN thread, I made myself a promise that I wouldn’t get entangled in disputes here. And I’m trying not to, although I lost patience with a certain poster on the ‘All Law is Gone’ thread tonight. I know that.
‘night
Right.
I’m determined to have the last word on this petty debate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMzW42zZVN0
:.)
^ That wasn’t directed at any particular posters incidentally..
Just a bit of humour to lighten things..:.)
This page 5 resembles the last page of the Work for the UN thread.
My single post on 2 July at 10.43pm which copied one on Medialens from Joe Emersberger, including the link to it, evolved into one from Habbabkuk (who is Joe Emersgerger? Easy to google btw) and a little stir about Dreoilin’a reminder to use inverted commas, then exchanges about the lack of inverted commas from Dreolin, more from Habbabkuk, a dig from Technicolour when I said it was all petty stuff which finally prompted a contribution from Villager which was an ad hominem/character assassination.
This from memory. I could not bear to read back through it.
Absolutely unbelievable and amazing. Petty indeed.
I trust that the ad hominem/character assassination from Villager will be removed.
Not sure if you are using the original Deutsch dictionary.
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/verklempt
Thanks for making me laugh,Ben, ‘verklemmt’ is exactly the right term. Somebody who is holding something back by the strength of their clenched buttocks.
proof of GCHQ’s valuable work, no doubt these dangerous terrorists would be otherwise free walking the streets. Our very own Norfolk terrorist, how quaint and as daft as the three lions…..jailed for seven years, if it was murder or rape, he would have got off lightly.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/man_jailed_for_role_in_buxton_bomb_plot_1_2262824
my ‘dig’, Mary, was to point out that calling a straightforward nd sensible request for clarity ‘petty’ was in itself quite petty. I actually hope all of these posts get deleted but I don’t see why you should be rewriting history in the meantime.
Mary my remarks were not intended to be a “character assassination” but mere feedback, observation of “what is” and as long as you’ve read them, that is all. What you do with them is up to you. I note that you still fling around the word ‘petty’ implying your own superiority. Although, if you want to contribute to harmony on the blog, i suggest you stop accusing people of being petty and in posting please separate your comments from quotations.
Kibo raises some interesting questions and i shall try find time later to address her with all respect.
Jives, you divil,
That was well chosen 🙂
This Murdoch recording/leak smacks of a Murdoch PR job.
It suits him to have a recording of him complaining of Met incompetence and victimisation,whilst,of course,all the time protesting his innocence.
Exactly the sleekit bastards methodology.
“It suits him to have a recording of him complaining of Met incompetence and victimisation,whilst,of course,all the time protesting his innocence.”
I doubt it suits him to have a recording of him admitting to knowing about the bribery of police officers right from taking over the News of the World.
That could land him in big trouble.
[Mod: Excessive discussion about another poster]
Regarding Mary’s postings, I have consulted with Solomon on this matter and he has decreed thus:
Regarding ‘pandering to racism’,
There’s a story in today’s printed Guardian entitled “BBC told to seek broader range of opinions to reflect public views” which I can’t find in the online version.
It quotes a report saying …
… and …
…. and our old friend Helen Boaden ‘admitting’ that when she took over as head of news in 2004 …
I could go on but I’ll summarise instead: BBC announce increase in racist hate-mongering directed towards immigrants.
A node; Didn’t Solomon propose that the disputed baby be cut in two?
Ben,
Ah, you thought I was referring to the biblical Solomon, famous for his wisdom.
No, I meant Solomon Thickhead, our village idiot. He was surprised that some people on this blog couldn’t work it out for themselves.
I thought you were paraphrasing. I keep swinging at sucker pitches today.
Kibo, can one be aware of the whole movement of life from the inner to the outer and like a wave returning the outer to the inner in one swoop?
This is not about some new-age ‘inner practice’. It is about constant awareness, self-study/knowledge and being with the ‘what is’.
Yes its very important to know and see whats going on in the world but to simply protest however loudly and collectively without observation and the inner rejection of the path-force of the river of humanity whose present paradigm is a path to destruction and ongoing suffering is pointless. The human consciousness is a very messy business.
In other words collective change will only come one person/heart/mind at a time. And yes, you’re right there may be a tipping point in the collective consciousness there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMbmHTy-OQE
PS am very tired atm so not sure if i’m talking sense. Thats my excuse anyway. Stay well x
Ben, Sorry.
Having re-read my last post, I see that it could be read as if I was having a go at you. I wasn’t. I was trying to use your humorous reply to ridicule the behaviour of those who read every word of Mary’s posts in order that they don’t miss an opportunity to tell her (and us) how much they hate her writing. My attempted joke was pointing out how obvious the solution is.
Tangentially On-Topic! Honest.
Bear with me.
In large horizon situations
Each worker ant is a law unto herself
Exploring the landscape in her own unique way
Collective mind testing a maximum of new possibilities.
In small horizon situations this same ant
Seems restricted by the presence of others
Clamping her rambunctiousness
Crimping her path and tightening focus
Becoming a thread in a search web zeroed on just one thing.
Small Horizon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEfxb0wLEZg
Large Horizon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsqsZCH36Hk (2 m 3s)
Recognise any of that?
……………………………………………..
@Villager. 9 08pm
“PS am very tired atm so not sure if i’m talking sense.”
You ain’t the only one. I read it twice and still don’t can’t work it out.
@A Node. 7 41pm
Solomon Thickhead. Is that The Solomon Thickhead, the one annointed to commandeer the collective perception. If so please mend my fused synapses with your wisdom.
@Ben 8 42pm
Just try to hold it together till Happy Hour will ya.
Keep those questions coming.
A Node; You tickle me. No, I have been savaged by experts and believe me, you’re no expert.
I never took it that way. But I think that question has to be asked more often by many more.
Anyway, if I had taken offense, it should have been at myself for commenting on a post, just to be jocular.
In that spirit let me conclude with this…….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuUBCF3KKxc
My wandering post has come home after a, hopefully brief visit to the Counter Revolution thread where I hope Jon trears it in the way it deserves.
Back here I think it’s tangentially On-Topic! Honest.
Bear with me.
In large horizon situations
Each worker ant is a law unto herself
Exploring the landscape in her own unique way
Collective mind testing a maximum of new possibilities.
In small horizon situations this same ant
Seems restricted by the presence of others
Clamping her rambunctiousness
Crimping her path and tightening focus
Becoming a thread in a search web zeroed on just one thing.
Small Horizon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEfxb0wLEZg
Large Horizon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsqsZCH36Hk (2 m 3s)
Recognise any of that?
……………………………………………..
@Villager. 9 08pm
“PS am very tired atm so not sure if i’m talking sense.”
You ain’t the only one. I read it twice and still don’t can’t work it out.
@A Node. 7 41pm
Solomon Thickhead. Is that The Solomon Thickhead, the one annointed to commandeer the collective perception. If so please mend my fused synapses with your wisdom.
@Ben 8 42pm
Just try to hold it together till Happy Hour will ya.
Keep those questions coming.
A Node:
BBC announce increase in racist hate-mongering directed towards immigrants.
I can only find a brief mention of this online: download.guardian.co.uk/g24/Media.pdf –
Any way of taking a scan of the piece and uploading it here? (Too late to go out & buy one.)
@ TECHNICOLOUR.
That is disappointing, failute to define the needs and objectives of any individual and stymatise someone for there race is ridiculous.
Ridiculous of the Bbc and they should no better.
As you know; we all have the same needs.
Sorry “ know“better.