Democracy

[happy daze john in oz]

Here in Oz there is a difference between the two major parties, a noticeable difference. With Liberal you are encouraged to do your own thing, to go out and have a go. With Labor it is the case of, 'we know what is best for you'.
But over time all govs have lost the plot, I sometimes think they never read the script, the basic responsibility of the gov I protection of the nation. Raising taxes to pay for that and to make the rues under which the country will run.
But over time the people have become weak relying on the gov to do it all for them. It may be a sore point with some but why dose the gov have to provide you with a house? Surely it is the responsibility of the individual o provide for them selves?
Yes we lived in a council house but that does not make it right.

[j.sabourn]

#212... Ivan there are 2 more options, up and down, I'm hoping for up as they say it gets too hot in the other direction. I suppose there is the third option of going backwards but people that walk that way usually finish up in Ireland. No disrespect to the Irish as is a beautiful country and was referring to the song I'm walking backwards to Xmas across the Irish sea, Whatever direction like you, I hope there is a pub there within walking distance as this drink driving is a killer. Cheers JS

[Ivan Cloherty]

#212... Ivan there are 2 more options, up and down, Cheers JS

Old age prevents the 'up and down', those directions are now only wishful thinking!

[Fouro]

Again this is another case of Politicians who do not agree with each other putting the lives of millions of people at risk.
Obama does not like the Russians. America does not like the Russians.
WHY????
They saved thousands of American lives at Normandy as half the German army was trying to keep the Russians away.
Every US President has to try and prove himself on the International Stage. and leave himself in the History Books,
Brian.

Please remember Nazi Germany and Russia started WW2 by attacking Poland. As it turned out, Hitler decided to attack Russia which made the Russians join our side. Thousands of Merchant Navy seamen paid the ultimate price with their lives during the Russian Convoys, whilst manning fully loaded ships with much needed supplies to save the Russians from defeat. Russia has always been a thorn in the flesh of the Western World since the end of WW2 and at the present time, Putin is playing a very dangerous game.

FOURO.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Fouro, a new World War 3 has started with the is lam ic occupation of Europe, that is now on going.
we will need Russia on our side,
Es salaam
Brian

[Ian Malcolm]

I have just been on Jeremy Corbyn`s FACE BOOK after posting Three mails regarding the Labour Government confiscating all the Money paid by France for the Widows and Survivors of French Death Camps in West Africa.

The following is taken from the ROPNER Section of my book, SHIPPING COMPANY LOSSES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

CRITON (Captain Gerald Dobeson). Formerly a Vichy French ship captured by the Armed Merchant cruiser HMS Cilicia on 9 May, 1941 and taken to Freetown. With a scratch crew of Distressed British Seamen (DBS), sailed from Freetown in Convoy SL.78 on 18 June, but, unable to maintain convoy speed, was returning to Freetown unescorted when intercepted by the Vichy French warships Air France IV and Edith Germaine. Sunk by the Air France IV on the 21^st and the crew taken to Conakry after which they suffered the worst treatment meted out to British merchant seamen by the Vichy French, served the longest period of internment in French West Africa and didn’t arrive home until 15 January, 1943. Three died during internment and a fourth later died from an illness contracted during it. Although the French Government never apologized for the treatment of the internees, they made a reparations payment to the British Government. The payment, however, was not passed on to those involved.

[j.sabourn]

And a very interesting book it is Malcolm, and is excellent for use as a reference for years to come. However when I read in your post about non payment always reminds me of various British Shipowners who declined to pay for services rendered. A lot of owners had a reputation for such and considered the seaman as easy meat. Not all of them had halos... I give one example when I say R.S.Dalgliesh received a 6 months prison sentence during the war. He was one member of a group of NE shipowners who were building houses instead of ships with government money, he took all the flak for the others. Having worked or know a bit about the others also, is not always everything that one sees is true. However your book does not go into these aspects as it should not, and is a ref. to shipping losses and seamen who never made it. Cheers JS

[j.sabourn]

A fifth Columists view in todays Opinion page of the Western Australia Newspaper. Titled... Corbyn pushes UK Labour into Electoral irrelevance..
The election of left winger Jeremy Corbyn as British Labour leader has come as a shock for a country whose major parties have converged to the centre in recent decades. Corbyns landslide win has exposed deep animosities between the traditional party leadership and its activist base. But if there is a gap between party chiefs and the membership, there is a yawning chasm between the activists and the electorate. The selection of Corbyn with his dated hard left agenda looks set to condemn the party to irrevelance. Corbyns track record as a fringe underachiever includes hostility to NATO and the European Union. He has described the killing of Osama Bin Laden as a trajedy and counts terrorist groups Hamas and Hizbollah as friends. It was hardly surprising that he started his leadership as a 100 to 1 outsider, yet he secured a crushing win over well qualified opponents, taken 60 per cent of the vote. For the activist base, Labours established leaders were too close to the Conservative party, which was accused of cutting welfare to bail out banks after a global financial crisis the banks created. And in this view are resonances around the world. It is no coincidence that the leading candidates for the 2016 US presidential elections are from outside the political establishment. Donald Trump, Carly Florina and Ben Carson are far out stripping the rest of the Republican field, Senator Bernie Sanders , from the left of the Democrats is giving Hillary Clinton a run for her money. In Spain and Greece popular anger has fuelled the rise of left wing parties. But in Britain as elsewhere , old hard left wing prescriptions have failed to deliver economic progress, even though there may be some merit in Corbyns wish to re-nationalize the railways. Privatising the network has had mixed success, with some companies walking away from loss making contracts. Corbyn has further blighted his party's chances of regaining power with ineptness in his first days as leader. He turned up at a Battle of Britain rememberance service in a mismatched jacket and trousers and with his top button undone. And he stayed silent during the National Anthem, in line with his anti monarchist views . He floundered when asked if he would kneel and kiss the Queens hand while being sworn in as a Privy councillor. All this made for gleeful headlines for his political foes and did nothing for his appeal to centrist and mostly pro Royal voters. Labour activists seem to have learned nothing from almost two decades in the wilderness before Tony Blairs new labour swept to victory in 1997. For the foreseeable future Labour will have to start winning hearts and minds if it is to challenge the Conservatives. Corbyn is spectacularly unqualified for the task... That is the sort of press he receives abroad, whether true or not that is what people see and believe... Don't shoot the messenger. Cheers JS

[j.sabourn]

If I was an Australian with no ties to Britain I would question this columists information on this person. I would ask him why he was so interested to put his biased views across to an audience of Australians who lived in another country under different circumstances. As a British born and bred person I would question also his views on democracy and everyone having a legal right to do so with his own peers. Corybn I personally cant even remember the man so have no views on his character, but obviously I am having one made for me by the press. If a man doesn't want to wear a collar and tie that is his prerogative, if he has a mismatched suit on so what. If he doesn't want to sing the National Anthem is his choice. The others about his friendships who knows, this is always the same when it comes to politics cut down the other man at the first opportunity. Democracy the only point one has is the voting to put in the person of your choice in. Judging by the number of UK residents when I lived there, a large percentage were too idle to get off the bones of their ass and do so. Whatever person in charge one finishes up with is due to their own integrity in making the effort to vote. JS

[happy daze john in oz]

Brian #225 Putin had a meeting with the Israile PM to ensure that they did not by accident attack each others aircraft or soldiers whilst in Syria???
Just who is fighting who here?p