Crooks & Liars!!

 

Image courtesy of University College London.

        Once again, in this country, we are approaching what they call elections, what I prefer to call "National Crooks and Liars" competition. Having been aware of these competitions since my teens and now 90 years old it is obvious to see the pattern. The contestants raise themselves into a frenzy, spouting the most barefaced lies with such conviction as they can muster, wear a particular colour tie to denote which camp they are aiming to be part of hoping for a lucrative job and fat pay check with pension and expenses.

       Flunkies leading the Crooks and Liars to their new lucrative job.

                                                      Image courtesy of The Guardian.

          You have all heard the lies and should know them off by heart. "We will end child poverty in X number of years", "We will end the scourge of poverty across our land in X number of years". There other favourite lies they like to spin, "We will end homelessness in X number of years by building X number of house every year." Of course after the "Crooks and Liars Competition" is over things settled down to the usual backhanders to friends and cronies, double dealing and second and third jobs with the various companies that bought them during the competition to safeguard their wealth and profit making. So where does that leave you and I, well as usual right where we always end up, struggling for a decent life.

         The following information is taken from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation 2024 report.
            Poverty has increased, close to pre-pandemic levels
2021/22 22% approximately 1 in 5 UK population were living in poverty, that accounts for 14.4 million people.
Among them 8.1 million working age adults app 2 in 10 living in poverty. 4.2 million children (app. 3 in every 10)
It has been almost 20 years and 6 prime ministers since the last prolonged period of falling poverty
          In the 1980s, under the Conservative Government of Margaret Thatcher, there was then an unprecedented rise in poverty even at a time of high income growth, This has not been reversed, meaning current levels of poverty are around 50% higher than they were in the 1970s. 

            Lots of people will give reasons for The Thatcher push to poverty, but rest assure none of these reasons were for the benefit of the ordinary people.
          So, with these facts in mind, do you think it is worth bothering to support any of those in this ridiculous charade of "Crooks and Liars" Competition??

 

Visit ann arky at https://spiritofrevolt.info    

Memories!!

          I've lived a long time, 90 in about 3 weeks time, and all my adult life I have listed to election and party political speeches and broadcasts. Why politicians hate old folks, they have memories, and lots of my memories are of those political out bursts by the pompous political ballerinas. Along come an election and out they spout, "We will end child poverty 5 years" "We will eliminate poverty if 5 years." "We will end homelessness by building 300,000 new homes a year over the next 5 years". I've heard this so often, the number of years quoted may vary, but the vacuous promise is usually there.

Image courtesy of Salvation Army.

 

        Here we are 2024 approaching that 90 mark and what I see is child poverty is increasing, poverty across the population is growing, homelessness is growing, more and more household are anxious and stressed as they try to make ends meet, food banks have sprung up and are overwhelmed. With all these phoney promises doing nothing to change this situation, why do we keep repeating the same mistake of voting for them. They say that the first sign of insanity is to keep doing the same thing but expecting a different result, are we really that insane? 

Image courtesy of Metro.

 

       Why in the name of any logic or rational should we even listen to this bunch of so called representatives, who in actual fact only represent themselves and their rich cronies.

Image courtesy of The Guardian.

 

       Let's prove how sane we are by pulling the plug on this burden and restriction on our lives, stop voting, become ungovernable, organise within you communities and workplaces to take control of own lives and shape society they way we want it to be. Fair, just, co-operative based on mutual aid, and seeing to the needs of all our people. Tell me "why not"?

Visit ann arky at https://spiritofrevolt.info  

Memories.

 

   

              One thing the political ballerinas that frequent those Westminster Houses of Hypocrisy and Corruption, seem to forget, is that old people have memories, the older, the more memories. As I approach my 90th birthday, I was born in a room and kitchen, 294 Charles street in 1934, in the slum then known as Garngad, or "the good and the bad". I don't remember much about the Garngad, I left when I was 5 and we were moved to what was know as the "slum clearances". However I remember my mother's stories of those days in the 30s. How the word would go round the district the the "Means Test" men were in the area. As soon as she heard that, if she had a loaf of bread she would half it and hide half and some other bits of food, or she could be questioned as to how she could have a loaf of bread mid week, was she as poor as she was claiming. Her brother, my uncle Willie, long term unemployed, would visit her for a chat and a cup of tea. As soon as it was know the "Means Test" men were in the area, she would usher him out the door, wash his cup and put it away. Otherwise the questioning would be, "was he paying as a lodger" if she could feed him, was she as poor as she was claiming and her benefit could be cut. The deprivation and injustice of the 30s are well documented.

                                                         Image courtesy of BBC

            One of my earliest memories from our new home top flat in a tenement in Avonspark Street, is from the early 40s, I remember looking out our "living room" window, which over looked the large estate called Barronhill, it was run as a poorshouse for men. I would watch as individuals in their conspicuous grey parish suit, yes we used to give the homeless men a suit, a rough course material not meant for comfort or style, but to last, and that was during WW2. as they walked aimlessly round the path which surrounded a large green, never in pairs, always individually. They moved slowly, never moved their arms, they just hung by their sides or in their pocket, the head was usually dropped forward. Perhaps trying to remember, or trying to forget. I felt it a very sad sight.

Image courtesy of Guardian.

         They closed the poorhouses but they didn't get rid of the poor. they abandoned them to charities. Charities are always a sign that society has failed. I would ask any of those hypocritical political ballerinas to state a year when we had no rough sleepers, no homelessness, no child poverty, no families blow the poverty line, and they would need to lie or admit there were no such years. I know that the Braveman faction of the fascist wing of the Tory party, refer to rough sleeping as a life choice, with their usual callous indifference to other people's suffering.

                                                    Image courtesy of Guardian.

            Here we are in 2023, and child poverty is rising, homelessness is rising, rough sleeping is rising, families living in poverty is rising. Anyone with a grain if rationalism, or even a shred of humanity, must come to the conclusion that the present system of economics has been an abysmal failure to see to the needs of the ordinary people. 

 

                                                        Image courtesy of Digg.

           Further proof of this disregard for the ordinary people, if it was needed, would be the so called "Autumn Statement", Where the political charlatans spoke of growing the economy to make us all well-off. So they plundered the public purse of billions of our tax payers money and handed it to big businesses, to "grow the economy". The only growth we will see is in shareholders bonuses, CEO bonuses and salaries and business profits, it may create a few more jobs. Of course luxury yacht makers and makers of large limousines will also do very well. That was a political choice, they could have chosen to put those billions of tax payers money into social service, NHS and education, in this insane economic illusion, that according to the right wing political ballerinas would have been creating a nanny state, much better it give our money to their cronies in big business, of course don't expect anything different from the so called Labour side of this con-trick. Why do we tolerate this continual shafting of the ordinary people by a small minority for the benefit of the very rich and powerful few. Perhaps we should remember that we the ordinary people create every nut and bolt, every piece of wealth on the planet, and we have the power to change this economic insanity to a fair and just system that see to the needs of all our people. But when? Rebel, resist, think anarchism.

Visit ann arky at https://spiritofrevolt.info      

Work Hard???

 

                                                   Image courtesy of Blogs.Iris.

          In Scotland there is a saying "wha's like is" in my opinion not that many in the developed world. A recent Joseph Rowntree Foundation research reveals that in this oil and whisky country, almost half a million individuals are living in "very deep poverty", an increase of 300,000 since last March. They also found that poverty among working people was growing and 10% of employees were locked into persistent low pay. Those worst hit by this capitalist created poverty are women and ethnic minorities. Following the capitalist work ethic that work lifts you our of poverty, is another spewing of bullshit, as 60% of children living in poverty have at least one parent working. Compare this with those parasites at the other end of wealth scale. Anders Holch Povlsen, who is the owner of Danish retailer Bestseller and has a 25 per cent stake in ASOS, he has managed to grasp a personal fortune of £6.5billion, which is up by £500million compared to last year. Not bad for a 49 year old. Then we have the Easdale brothers, James and Sandy with a £1.363billion fortune based on transport and property acquisitions. Let's not forget the  Edinburgh lassie JK Rowling, she added £30million to her fortune, making her worth £850 million.

Image courtesy of  IX Magazine.

        Now do you think any of these and other millionaire parasites, work that much harder than factory workers, delivery drivers, warehouse workers, nurses, and those in a host of essential jobs that keep this country going and create that wealth that these parasites plunder? Think about it, we create all that wealth, why can't we share it among all our people?

Visit ann arky at https://spiritofrevolt.info   

Unfair.

 

 

            GREAT Britain, well I suppose it all depends on which side of the fence you sit. To the ordinary citizen of Great Britain the the word GREAT is a joke. Every day we have more reports of buildings with crap RAAC concrete all nearing the end of their lives, from schools, hospitals, public buildings and who know what else. We have an education system in meltdown, a transport system that is not fit for purpose, a health service that is falling apart at the seams, poverty is on the rise, homelessness is on the rise, child poverty is on the rise. More and more families depend on food banks and can't afford to heat their homes, while struggle endlessly to pay their way. We have social services that fail miserably to look after the elderly, infirm and those in need.

                                            Image courtesy of Trussell Trust.

            However, on the other side of the fence in GREAT Britain, the millionaire/billionaire class has added unimaginable amounts to their personal wealth. Large corporations are roping in mountains in profit and handing out millions to their CEO and their shareholders. Great Britain, a divided society with opulence, privileges and power for the few, and a harsh struggle with poverty and deprivation always a close neighbour for the many, who know all to well that there is nothing GREAT in these conditions.

 Image courtesy of Compensation Cafe.

          All this happens with our consent, we pay the managers of the system to handle our affairs and this is the hand they deal us. They won't change the system as it benefits them and their cronies immensely. If we want to change the system, then it is up to us the ordinary people. We must in solidarity, take control of our communities, our workplaces, our towns and cities and bring this insanity that spawns poverty, inequality and gross injustice, crashing down, we can build a better world if that is what we really want.

                                      Image courtesy of Economic Policy Institute.

Visit ann arky at https://spiritofrevolt.info      

Homeless.

Image courtesy of BBC

            I have lived a long life, heading for 90, and throughout the adult period of that life I have heard repeated bullshit spewed out by the crooks and liars that hold the reins of power. As each election approaches, (I call them crooks and liars competitions) I've listened to those phoney pledges, "We will end child poverty" "we'll end homelessness". So here we are and the figures for homelessness are staggering to say the least. The figures here are for England alone, I have no doubt that the other three parts of this part of the planet called The United Kingdom will swell the numbers considerably.

Image courtesy of Edinburgh Live.

 

         No doubt when the elected crooks and liars hear of these figures they may 

spout, "pandemic", "Ukraine", but the figures are the worst for 25 years. In England, according to a recent report by Shelter, almost 250,000 are in temporary accommodation, this is up 74% over the last 10 years, the present bunch of crooks and liars have been in control for 13 years, so we know where the blame lies. In this human disaster there are123,000 children living, (if you can call it living) in temporary accommodation. In England 1 in 208 are homeless,15,000 are living in hostels and there are 2,400 sleeping rough.

Image courtesy of The Mirror.

 

         This is an indictment of failure of the present economic system, it is not that 

we live in a poor country, we are among the richest countries in the world. Yet all my long life I have heard these callous phoney promises, but the poverty and deprivation continues. It is not an immutable fact of nature, it is the result of an economic system that pillages and plunders the riches created by the people and channels it into the coffers of the wealthy, powerful, pampered, parasite class. We are the causalities of a class war, a war we can win if we come together in organised solidarity, throughout our workplaces and communities. We have the numbers, the imagination and the knowledge to end this cruel insanity and create that better and fairer world for all our people.

 

Visit ann arky at https://spiritofrevolt.info    

Opposites.

          Now that the over extravagant, way over the top extravaganza of a funeral is over, will the royals do what other families in this country do after a funeral, pay the bill? Or will that fall to Joe Mug, the tax payer. This whole extended period of mourning was a ostentatious show of pomp, power and privilege, a gross display of inherited plunder wealth. Yet millions turned up to fawn and weep in front of a class that don't give a monkeys about them. This entourage presides over a nation with millions living in poverty, children going hungry to school, elderly that can't heat their homes. This whole class of parasites wallows in obscene opulence and yet we have those who some how, hypnotised by the gloss and glitter show, believe they are part of that world. View some of the opulence HERE. This lavish circus, this Hollywood production of brutal British imperialism will have cost millions to perform, I doubt if the royals will pay a penny towards the performance. Millions spent in a couple of weeks, but no money for the poor, the elderly, the infirm. Another sickening aspect of this whole performance was that they were handing out blankets to those deadheads standing in the queue, when will we see such generosity to the homeless and the poor. 

Image courtesy of The Metro.

Image courtesy of Celebrity Land.  

 

Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info    

Lies.

          We are facing the worst crush on our standard of living in many a year, a throw back to Victorian times, with all the repercussions that this entails, drastic effects on the health and well being of our children and ourselves, increase in stress and anxiety, an increase in mental health problems also leading to an increase in poverty, destitution and homelessness. We live in one of the richest counties on the planet and our lives are controlled by a rich group of privileged parasites.

                                             Image courtesy of World Socialist Web Site

      We have a Chancellor of the Exchequer who spouts that he understands the hardship the ordinary people are facing, he is lying, he doesn't, he can't possibly know how to juggle with decisions of whether to skip a meal to buy your kid a pair of shoes for the winter, making the decision of whether to turn the heating on or go cold so that you can put food on the table. He lives in a bubble that insulates him from the reality of the ordinary people. This man who states he understands our problems is a multi-millionaire, he and his wife have a personal fortune of around £730 million between them. Last year, his wife, daughter of a billionaire, received approximately £11 million in dividends from her 9% share in her fathers multi-billion pound company. How they can have the audacity to say, they understand our problems, when they don't even know anything about our lives and daily struggles. Two different worlds, one of opulence and excess the other of daily struggle to have a half decent life, with the ever present risk of not making it even to that level.

Image courtesy of The Journal.

       Why do we tolerate this subservience to this bunch of rich, selfish parasites? They need us to make their fortunes for them, we don't need them. We the ordinary people have made everything, distributed everything, but always do it to the dictate of the rich and powerful, all to the advantage of the rich and powerful, why?  

Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info