Saturday, April 21, 2012

Love Lies Bleeding....

Today, my soulmate died. Oh, I don't mean the physical form that held that title but the image I had bestowed upon her.

Our relationship has been a rocky road over several years of breakups, accusations and (what I now know to be) lies, but I had never given up on the belief we could make it through the bad times, increase the length of the good times and enjoy a blissful future - together!

I learned early on in our relationship she was victim to a miserable past and suffered from issues which would take time, help and understanding to overcome. But, I loved her unconditionally and thought that feeling was reciprocated. I was wrong!

Her insecurity, self doubt and yes...even self loathing (because she did not fit the modern manufactured view of what is beautiful) all played a part, but I knew the person I saw in real life was not the same person she was seeing in the mirror. She was always beautiful to me as I was acutely aware her self perceived 'ugliness' was nothing in physical form; it came from within.

Despite constant reassurance, she finally manufactured an excuse to run away and I am now left wondering why I feel so bad and emotionally numbed.

The details of her departure will remain private as I am still in shock by her final performance - she hid behind the 'ugly' persona of her previously suppressed demon - but they involve betrayal, lies and of course unjustified accusations and ingratitude.

I know that this time it is final. My love is still present but my forgiveness is in the past.

I wish my ex-soulmate the best of luck in whatever graveyard of the heart she now resides; I know that reincarnation is not an option for her this time.

Love Lies Bleeding!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Just 'Cause It's Legal It Doesn't Make It Right!


Chancellor George Osborne has today announced he is “shocked” by a fact most of us have been aware of for years – the richest people hang onto their wealth by organising their financial affairs to minimise the amount of tax they have to pay.

Apparently, according to a study by HM Revenue and Customs, the richest people pay an average of only 10% of their income in tax.

However, it is also a fact they are not breaking UK law, but using it to its maximum benefit.

Instead of paying money to the country, they are employing armies of accountants and financial advisers, whose role it is to find legal loopholes, and exploit them for maximum personal gain.

Osborne said:
"I was shocked to see that some of the very wealthiest people in the country have organised their tax affairs - and to be fair it's within the tax laws - so that they were regularly paying virtually no income tax. And I don't think that's right."
Of course, it has only recently become fashionable for politicians to question the morality of legal tax planning (avoidance) measures but it really does pose the question:

Why, has it taken almost two years in office - and even longer as shadow chancellor - for Osborne, to publicly 'wake up' to the fact just 'cause it's legal it doesn't make it right?

Could it be connected to the latest dire opinion polls?


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Monday, April 02, 2012

Forget April - Are We Just Fools?

Yesterday was April Fool's Day when traditionally the papers publish a fake story to tease the reader over something that isn't real.

Having scoured the online editions, I thought I had found the BBC's attempt when I read that our coalition government, who spend so much time spouting on about 'The Big Society' are planning to resuscitate a policy which was buried by the previous Labour government - following severe opposition – advocating the state monitoring of our internet usage and email activity.

Sadly, it was a genuine article!

Of course, it's all because of those nasty terrorist people who cost us so much money and provide the perfect excuse for nosy intelligence agents to expand their remit.

Much of the opposition to the previous government's attempt to invade our privacy came from a smooth talking Conservative calling himself David Cameron (he has since changed his name to Prime Minister)

In 2009 he said:

"Today we are in danger of living in a control state. Every month over 1,000 surveillance operations are carried out. The tentacles of the state can even rifle through your bins for juicy information."

Of course, his coalition partners, the Lib Dems, were at the same time just as vocal in their opposition to the proposal, but have since been seduced by the spoils of political prostitution.

It seems bizarre that politicians have recently been raising merry hell over a few celebs being phone-tapped by a group of tacky journos, but are not demonstrating too much outrage at a government that wants to sift through the electronic equivalent of a dirty laundry basket.

A spokesperson for the Home Office tried to justify the government's new stance by saying:

"It is vital that police and security services are able to obtain communications data in certain circumstances to investigate serious crime and terrorism and to protect the public."

If I was a terrorist, or a criminal, I would be insulted by the assumption I was too stupid to use avoidance tactics or encryption when communicating with others. But, we all know that in reality it is about nothing more than controlling us all through the use of fear.

Conservative David Davis, who previously ran against Cameron for the Tory Party leadership summed it up thus:

It is not focusing on terrorists or on criminals, it is absolutely everybody,"

and he continued

"Historically governments have been kept out of our private lives. Our freedom and privacy has been protected by using the courts by saying 'If you want to intercept, if you want to look at something, fine, if it is a terrorist or a criminal go and ask a magistrate and you'll get your approval'. You shouldn't go beyond that in a decent, civilised society but that is what is being proposed."

It seems Cameron's speech writers inadvertently missed a word out of his 'Big Society' speech. It should have read 'Big Brother Society'

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