Disconnect?

" Sometimes you have to disconnect, to stay connected. Remember the old days when you had eye contact during a conversation. When everyone wasn't looking down at a device in their hands? We've become so focussed on that tiny screen, that we forget the big picture, the view right in front of us." - Regina Bret

Disconnect?

She sits on the beach,
but is not really there,
as the surf rages all around,
her vista , is her mobile phone,
no time to gaze at sky,
just presses buttons,
of a self contained prison,
no room for actual conversation,
all the words she needs are in her hands,
to consummate all her desires.

She plugs herself in,
feeling comfortably numb,
in this ritual of abandonment,
day in, day out,
day in, day out,
always the same,
where she plays in her own personal cube,
no room for a view, of real beauty,
she is lost, she is possessed,
she is of this world.

Unity

This morning,
looking for hope,
a sea of butterflies,
fluttered down with the wind,
like a picture from heaven.

Flowers blossomed,
to try and encourage waking thought,
to gently distract from crushing blows,
that rumbled in the distance,
a government drunk on power,
that permeated and slid,
in clear sight, out of control.

A lazy sky hung in the air,
released pangs of harmony,
allowed me and friends, 
to gather up some faith,
to carry us into the world afresh.

It is good when it is warm outside,
inside cannot afford to put the heating on,
having endured so much pain before,
survival is the only key we save,
all for one, and one for all,
with our love we will endure.

Oxi to Osbourne

The Greek people in huge numbers have shown us their opposition to cuts and their refusal to bow down to the undemocratic will of the European financial elites. Across Europe people are rejecting austerity, we can also play our part over here in the UK, saying no to George Osborne's budget and continue to express our opposition to the Tory Government.
Respect to the disabled activists  earlier pelting No 10 and blocking the road outside parliament to protest against further cuts to welfare to Osbornes emergency budget that has recently been announced.
It seems  that a further £12 billion extra welfare spending cuts will be made,  hitting child tax credit, child benefit payments making a huge impact on low income households, so  it will be a case of the unemployed, the disabled and low paid looking forward to some tough times ahead. It seems that George has protected the bankers, and the wealthy elite. Cutting welfare does not help working people but does the opposite by increasing the national debt and causing deflation in the economy. As for rewarding 'hardworking people' in the public sector with a 1% pay rise George is taking the piss, as in reality this is a pay cut, because the cost of living rises above that per year. George said " Britain and left the age off irresponsibility behind" whilst giving with one hand and taking from the other. Lifting taxes such as inheritance tax, allowing homes worth £ 1 million to be passed down tax free.
Already I know of people who are not eating properly because they cannot afford basic necessities. Any further cuts will hit them hard. There certainly will be no ease of pain for many.|
Osbornes emergency budget will not be fit for the future, he is no economist, so have no idea how he qualified for Chancellor of Exchequer as he uses his power to bring further cuts to social security spending and welfare. that will bring misery to many peoples lives.
It seems at the moment that the  rich are getting richer, and the poor , poorer, our debts get higher, as Osborne and his coherts fiddle while the economy burns. As his own family  firm gains tens of thousands of pounds in a property deal between his family firm and developers. But lets not forget that the Tories don't care about ordinary people, they are Tories after all, not caring is their thing. They are cruel as simple as that.
I don't think the government understands that when they continue to hit the poor and working class of any country ( look at Greece) they will fight back
We must keep up our opposition to their ideological driven policies, resist and fight back, and back the demonstrations due  to take place at the Tory Party Conference in Manchester on Sunday 4th October. Balls to George Osbornes budget, balls to Tory fuelled austerity.

Remembering 51 day bombardment of Gaza, one year on

Today July 7th, 2014 the  51 day Israeli bombardment of Gaza began. The relentless widespread destruction and loss of life shocked the world. We should not  these 51 days of suffering that the people of Gaza had to endure. Today I remember the beginning of this devastating assault and all the Palestinians who were subsequently killed.
Codenamed Operation Protective Edge by the Israeli Defence Force,  between 7th  July and August 26, Israel  carried out  its third major military assault on Gaza in the past 6 years (2008-09; 2012, 2014, respectively). It was to be the most deadly, killing 2,251 Palestinians of which 1,462 were civilians, and included 299 women and 551 children, as well as injuring 11,231, a number  that includes 3,436 children in a bombardment from land, sea and air. In what amounts to nothing lshort than a crime of terror.
The devastation caused by Operation  Protective Edge is said to be greater than that  of the two previous wars. Gaza had been  taken back 1,000 years, but still remained as an open-air prison, where nothing is safe or certain. people still sharing a heavy burden as a consequence of this bombardment.
The Palestinians were left with their hospitals and clinics destroyed and damaged, their one  only power plant destroyed. Electricity only coming on for  about  6 hours per day, with sewage and water systems in tatters. The after effects of this war has taken its toll on all economic sectors. People left living amongst ruins, with  many children living with  the constant feeling of  fear,  left with emotional and psychological  problems. Around 100,000 people in Gaza are still homeless, one year after the  conflict and Israel's illegal blockade continues.
But despite, this, and the terrible tragedy that they had to go through, the Palestinians have reliance in their souls, and despite it all, carry much hope. I remember too, again the continuing plight of the Palestinian. I hope our dedication to ending their occupation, suffering and injustice  continues and is renewed, I remember those that were lost and long and hope that the human rights of the Palestinian people continues to be recognised and respected.
The UK must play its part too by stopping selling Israel arms, that signals it tacit approval, and allows the facilitation of future attacks.


Save The Children : Gaza one year on ; a Living nightmare


http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/sites/default/files/docs/A_Living_Nightmare.pdf


Names of Palestinians killed in war on Gaza since July 8


http://www.imemc.org/article/68429




Scenes earlier this week, across Britain in support of the Palestinian people.

Protesters shut down Israeli owned Arms Factories across UK

Respect,  Elbit systems drone factory in Shenstone has been closed for business, currently being blockaded by campaigners from across the UK, Manchester, London, Leeds, Glasgow and more.

Activists are shutting down arm factories around the world today to disrupt the global arms trade which sustains Israeli Apartheid.

The UK continues to be complicit in  Israels crimes against the Palestinian people by issuing export licences  to Israel and hosting Israeli arms manufacturers.
The British  government shamefully continued to approve arms sales totalling £4 million to Israel in the months following the Israeli military's  controversial operation in Gaza last summer.


http://europe.newsweek.com/britain-approved-4m-arms-sales-israel-after-gaza-50-day-war-329739




http://waronwant.org/resources/arming-apartheid

John Lennon - Power To The People

Well done Greece, went to bed last night very happy.
This is not just a victory for the people of Greece , but a victory to the people of Europe. The tide against Austerity has turned. Another Europe is coming!
Greece is the word, better shape up.

Happy birthday NHS

Nye Bevans legacy came into the world 67 years ago this morning,when he opened Park Hospital in Manchester at a time of rationing and shortages, when we were nearly bankrupt, a jewel  that the war generation left us with, a proud legacy, for us to all to continue to share. It offered for the first time a free healthcare system for all, and has since  played a vital role in caring for all aspects of our nations health. My own father served it well for nigh on 40 years.
Remember we paid for it, so it is owned by us, it is our precious commodity, it must suvive, we must tear the vultures hands from it.
As the Tory's and their rotten hearts seek to dismantle it,  we should not forget Nye's words who said ' It will last as long as their are folk with enough faith to fight for it.
We  cannot reach the day again where people make a profit out of our sickness.