Depleted Uranium

These are dreadful stories of the use of depleted uranium ammunition in Iraq and Syria by the US and with the UK implicated too.... 

More on this when I get my head round this horrific revelation and where and who have used these weapons... 

http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2017/02/15/510642/US-used-genocidal-DU-weaponry-Syria
http://www.fringemedia.net/depleted-uranium-the-true-price
http://www.herald.co.zw/why-did-us-use-depleted-uranium-weapons-in-syria/

Come what are we doing with this world and its people... the long term effects of this to be felt for some generations..... Shameful utterly shameful... 

Iran and Women

I was invited to attend a parliamentary meeting by the Iranian women and youth group in Committee Room 12 this morning.  It was in the celebration of the soon to come Women's international day. But there was some very difficult stories to listen too of the regime in Iran and the pain that women go through.

I have to say as a midwife that the menfolk that are controllers and oppressors of women seem to forget something very important.

That is they lived rent free for 9 months in a woman's womb without which would have no life!

A point the prophet Mohammed pbh highlighted in the response to a question he was posed... he was asked "Who should I give more affection to - mother or father"  The reply was 1x father but 3xs mother as she carried you; birthed you and nurtured you.  So the screwed up actions of the reports from Iran are not Islamic by this very point.  Mohammed pbh did is fair share in the household with chores to keep salems in the home. Of course his wife Khadija pbh was an amazing business woman and well respected in the community.

It made me think being in the historical building of parliament that in the middle ages... I would have been burned at the stake as a witch. Midwife were wise women and still are but in the days of the growing male dominated medical profession were seen as a threat.  So seems we all had a go at being prats... Time for light and love...and respect and care for one another as intended by the message of all religions.....

This is dreadful the way women are arrested and some very strange stories. This regime is not Islamic cannot be to do all this melarky.  Makes you wonder what has got in their heads to distort a beautiful message of loving all Allah's creation as Allah is Akbar..  Spiritually when you think about it -the male and female forms are only needed for this journey on the Earthly plane, to create more vehicles for the soul the body....  The soul is neither male or female but a merge of both. There should be no oppression of one over another. 

The stoning of women is way out of order and so not Islamic nor should done by anyone, it is so barbaric and links to days before the enlightenment of both Jesus Isa pbh and Mohammed pbh... Muslims follow and respect the teachings of Isa Jesus so I am reminded of the New Testament story of Jesus coming across a party of stone throwers on a woman that had allegedly committed adultery.  Remember he asked "Let he who hath no sin cast the first stone!" and no one could as they all had sin and that comes from the ego that separates us from the love and light of Allah... now the killing of woman with stones is a major sin and totally Haram as you have not to take another life. So this regime needs to stop and think what they are doing... as this ain't there way to paradise and definitely not Islam - the surrender to Gods love... 

They are not performing true jihad that is the journey within to rid self of self and become selfless and merciful to all creation.  Like in my earlier posted rap... we don't need a caliphate full of hate that ain't the way bro' the message is to love!

Good the room today was full of flowers to help buffer the darkness of the stories being shared on women's oppression... Good reminders of Allah creativity of beauty in the world for us all to enjoy.... 

Pink Floyd - Another Brick In The Wall by Sputnik Deutschland

Perth and Sadiq

Seems to have been a storm up in Scotland with some of the Mayor of Londons comments in his speech... at the Labour conference...

Scottish nationalism is comparable to the divisive policies of Donald Trump because both pit one section of society against another, Sadiq Khan will say today. The Mayor of London will tell Scottish Labour’s spring conference that seeking to break up the Union will only serve to fuel the harmful divisions caused by the election of the controversial US President and the Brexit vote.

In a strong condemnation of the SNP’s drive for a second referendum on independence, he will claim there is “no difference” between Scottish nationalism and “those who try to divide us on the basis of our background, race or religion”.

Read more at: https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/politics/sadiq-khan-division-created-scottish-nationalism-similar-donald-trump/

This has upset the Scottish as the SNP is not seen as divisive but inclusive.. All they wish is their independence from the Union so that they can decide what is best for all the citizens of the country of Scotland....... I think this is the issue for so long we have seen the Great Britain as one country but it is made up of a union of Scotland, England; Wales and Northern Ireland...I feel less upset with the SNP than the BNP... as the British National Party is more divisive and demonstrates hatred for immigrants....

But I have highlighted this comment in the facebook link that seems to have put all in perspective.... Good comment on this found and tend very much to agree with Anthony so very good points......

"Anthony Sutherland Goskirk Holroyd Deeply disappointed in you Sadiq, you know full well that Scottish nationalism is about inclusion and internationalism. I voted yes in 2014 because I don't want to live in a country of intolerance and small minded bigotry. I'll vote yes again if there's another independence referendum because in the aftermath of Brexit Scotland showed itself to be a bastion of acceptance and diversity whilst England saw racially motivated assaults rise dramatically. Don't pretend not to understand the difference between xenophobic, close minded British nationalism and inclusive, internationalist scottish nationalism. You do yourself and your party a great diservice and will achieve nothing except losing the support and respect of Scottish voters like me who thought for a brief glimmering second that you where different. That you where honest and that you had a shred of integrity."

But this now is so reflective of the turmoil that the Brexit issue has made. Cameron in his party manifesto before his election did not talk of referendum - it talked of reform of the stance with the EU but not referendum.... The shock wave the result of to leave has caused so much arguement and division... with even families split on the issues.  In among this it as brought to the surface again for Scotland to rethink breaking away from the Union as the majority voted to remain in the EU..... 

So really Brexit and the Brexiters have caused all this rift and anguish...... now they will say oh Marjorie you are a remoaner... and not respecting democracy... 

The problem is that there seems to be different takes on democracy and full understanding. Whilst the main surge of policies will be based on the majority ideology-there needs to be modification to the minority groups too... so all are valued and respected.....Compromise is needed too... or one simply become an autocracy..... See how complex we are it is no wonder we create a world in a turmoil and fail to find peace and harmony with one another?!

Despots & Diplomacy discussion

Artwork: Circles Kandinsky

Global Diplomacy – Diplomacy in the Modern World

by University of London & SOAS University of London

https://www.coursera.org/learn/global-diplomacy/home/welcome

Stimulates you to think.....

Week 2  Forum discussion I started up ended up with some good interactive threads of thoughts.... My starting point: 

Can we ever be successful with diplomacy where there are despotic leaders hell bent on achieving their agenda? How can we stop the pain of their regimes as we see countless deaths and destroyed lives, families and infrastructure?

Now we have Mr Trump that is proving now to be a challenge to diplomacy? So can we ever be successful where someone is so fixed on their ideology and opinions, with this try to justify their actions with the fact they were democratically voted in with that ideology and opinion.... so have the right to their actions...?

N.I. responded with:

However despotic or stubborn Trump may be, he will be pressured to find a middle ground between his strong protectionist stance and the ideology of others. For instance, the checks and balances in the U.S regime allows for other forces such as congress to put a check on Trump. Nevertheless, Trump’s ideology is not all that extreme; It's just his way of conveying his message that makes it sound ludacris.

My response:

you have used a good word - stubborn and this could be applied to all depots too ... in that they have so tightly cocooned themselves in the world they see and wish others to be part of... with this is a stubbornness to not see anything else but self and self ideology. An ideology that is protecting self interests. Then does diplomacy involve the breaking free from this cocoon of delusion... for the benefit of all citizens in the nation to find their liberty and creative force within ...to empower and better their communities. This of course is seen by the deluded despots as a threat to their self imposed power as it disseminates power and decisions to others and allows others to have free thinking.

With this is a need for respect... the cocoon delusion created by the stubborn despots fails to reach out of the cocoon and see respect for others... yet somehow demands respect even in some regimes forceful respect of themselves....

I always worry when we see despotic leaders images all over town and in bureaucratic offices.... it is a major sign of deluded ego.... and most certainly not putting citizens first.. rather a form of control and reminder to perform to the regime.

Whilst we have not seen this yet with Mr T he sure is ensuring his image is projected around the globe with all the executive orders hype there has been in what is not yet the first month of the job!!

By mega contrast I am watching Justin Trudeau and his style of leadership which is full of respect for others and working together as one nation. Valuing all in the nation with all that each has to offer and with this is a natural evolution value of his leadership.

More of my responses as the thread builds....

great responses thanks.. Was good to see diplomacy in action yesterday with Trudeau and his visit to Washington.

I am beginning to see what is happening on the diplomacy stage... it is like the backdrop is always the country and its assets and the trade deals.... so that is where the diplomacy is aimed. So no matter the front stage player it is the ability to reach round through up or down that player to maintain the country to country link ....

But I continue to be impressed with Trudeau and his style - of course the switching in and out of French and English is fascinating....like his stance on Canada and its emphasis on community first.....

By the way folks what has happened to Mr Trumps phobia of slopes? Did you notice with the Japanese visit and the Canadian visit and the walk down that famous holding hands with Mrs May to steady himself slope- there seems to be no reach out to the male leaders?? I do not think Mrs May had the healing touch to cure him..! We must see what happens with Angela Merkel's visit on that walk down the slope....

All the world's a stage...

AND,

Georgina you bring in valid points and illustrate how is impossible to isolate from the rest of the world... and put America first when the country is composed of people from around the world. How companies invest in people skills that other countries may excel in. Same with Brexit not only no man is an island but no country is an island that can totally survive alone... and really not a modern day shift in populations and workforce with our modern transport. Seems we have been doing this since we existed on the planet Earth. of course through history we have had surges in one group building Empires and oppressing others... or using others.... Great story told to me by one of my Syrian refugees as he found out of love story in the Ancient Roman Empire. We Britons were taken as slaves and there was a slave from near Newcastle that was taken to Syria ... Regina was her name... where upon a Syrian Merchant fell in love with her and bought her out of slavery. They became very wealthy.. but they both settled in the North of England :-) sure he did not marry her just for the UK visa as were not fully united as such then...... there is an ancient plague to their relationship..

FURTHER

Bhanhan see what you saying on communication being key. But can diplomacy truly be a one way street with only one side goals being acknowledge and achieved.....as you suggest. The same sentence carrying Fascist and Diplomacy I find challenging but on researching in academic papers some have tried to put the two together. My eyes and perception see that Fascism is too restrictive to allow any degrees of freedom in negotiations to permit diplomacy. Surely there must be two or more sides degrees of freedom with diplomacy that should have harmony peace and no pain as the outcome. I am an older student and was not around in 1930s but my parents were and I remember them telling me of all the pain, fear and anguish from the restrictive indoctrinated oppressive regimes that were present in the world then. The pain and suffering and deaths and crimes against humanity surely means that where there is such evil no diplomacy can exist. For to question and to try to reshape is seen as an outright threat to the regime and treated with paranoia sadistic attack on those that try to get their voices heard to challenge this. How do we get through this without war and conflict and more pain and suffering. So strange in all of us there is Light and Dark and I guess diplomacy is to try to reach into the light of a person or group..... I met someone in Munich that knew Hitler personally and she was saying he was a nice guy to know...!! She even showed me is First Aid Certificate on display in the Red Cross HQ in Munich... so somewhere in him was some compassion of sorts yet the horrors of what he ordered and did are to this day deeply sickening...Do not know if you are energies sensitive but Fascism carries a dark heavy energy of violence and oppression..... Thank goodness we have beauty in the world to buffer this and reminds us of the light of love and care and compassion for all... I have biologically little time on this Earthly plane but I hope you younger generations can find peace and harmony and be a global family working together for the good of all..... so many mistakes we as a species keep making....and creating man made ego driven pain that never needs to be....

It all makes us think and question and try to understand.... Mind is part of ego and is full of self and perceptions on the world... Mine as yours is the product of all we have been through and seen and experienced and felt.... Felt then links us to heart and as we link in our emotions and feelings with this comes empathy and trying to see through the eyes of empathy care and compassion. So we are complex beings in a complex world that our complexity makes.....

But all the time there is a major link that buffers the darkness we can make...... The light and love of that that holds everything together. 

Strange when you think and see and go into the atomic structure of all... each proton, neutron and electron is in fact nothingness... packets of energy ... and that energy field all this planet and its clustered form..... makes for some interesting dynamics...... we are all interconnected with this energy this nothingness.... lool now there is a thought for a Saturday night :-) 

A World of Becoming

I have just been led to this reference... I am studying 

Global Diplomacy – Diplomacy in the Modern World

by University of London & SOAS University of London

https://www.coursera.org/learn/global-diplomacy/home/welcome

The coursera.org is a great platform of short showcase courses for international universities....

I must look for a copy of William Connolly's book  A World of Becoming... this is the synopsis...

In A World of Becoming William E. Connolly outlines a political philosophy suited to a world whose powers of creative evolution include and exceed the human estate. This is a world composed of multiple interacting systems, including those of climate change, biological evolution, economic practices, and geological formations. Such open systems, set on different temporal registers of stability and instability, periodically resonate together to produce profound, unpredictable changes. To engage such a world reflectively is to feel pressure to alter established practices of politics, ethics, and spirituality. In pursuing such a course, Connolly draws inspiration from philosophers such as Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Alfred North Whitehead, and Gilles Deleuze, as well as the complexity theorist of biology Stuart Kauffman and the theologian Catherine Keller.

Attunement to a world of becoming, Connolly argues, may help us address dangerous resonances between global finance capital, cross-regional religious resentments, neoconservative ideology, and the 24-hour mass media. Coming to terms with subliminal changes in the contemporary experience of time that challenge traditional images can help us grasp how these movements have arisen and perhaps even inspire creative counter-movements. The book closes with the chapter “The Theorist and the Seer,” in which Connolly draws insights from early Greek ideas of the Seer and a Jerry Lewis film, The Nutty Professor, to inform the theory enterprise today.

https://www.dukeupress.edu/a-world-of-becoming

Syria : February 2017 Monthly Forecast : Security Council Report

Time for Peace 

I could put you pictures of the destruction and the horrors of the children in A/E BUT instead just look now at the stats below from this Security Council Report.  Tell me why can Adults not be Adults and evolve to resolve issues round peace tables.... Why did a Doctor yes a Doctor that became a failed leader of Syria do this to the people..... A good leader values his or her people... seeing them not as a threat but the biggest asset they have.  All people need is to be valued and in that value to be listened too... to have their voices heard... Usually voices are loud because there is some problem that is hurting them.  That was the issue in the beginning of this war... peaceful protests turned in to these stats below.   That perpetrator yes Dr Assad should have listen when the world shouted stop.... when you look a the Security Council link you will see that so much work and negotiations have gone into this war to stop the madness. 

Nearly six years since the start of a war that has exacted a death toll approaching 500,000, left 700,000 living under siege after the evacuation of eastern Aleppo and displaced half of the Syrian population, including 4.86 million refugees, the essential issue for the Council is to exert effective leadership in supporting a cessation of hostilities and efforts to reach a political solution.

Syria : February 2017 Monthly Forecast : Security Council Report

SyriaExpected Council ActionIn February, Council members expect to receive the regular monthly briefings on the humanitarian and political situations in Syria. Council members will be following closely the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva, scheduled to be held in February.On chemical weapons, Council members will consider the next report of the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM), which is due in mid-February. At press time, it was unclear if a draft resolution, circulated by France and the UK, to impose sanctions on the Syrian government for the use of chemical weapons against its own population, would be put to a vote. Similarly, it was unclear what the next steps might be regarding a Russian draft resolution that focuses on chemical weapons use in Syria by non-state actors and terrorists.

Now we have the issue of this word Terrorist - a terrorist can be defined by an autocratic regime as anyone that speaks up against that regime... so then we have response by the regime that then is behaving like a terrorist in their actions.  Total madness... people abducted and tortured... people barrel bombed with the contents of those bombs to inflict as much injury as possible on any that remained alive.  What evil minds think this up and exerts commands to do such.  Crimes against humanity will need to be accounted for on all the evidence accrued.   Those that have joined in the madness replicating the crimes and totally ignoring Article 51 of the Geneva Convention.  The double tap airstrikes a particular fiendish order.  To drop bombs on civilians - of course by the despotic regimes defined as terrorists so in their book justified!!!! but no attack on civilians is justified.... and certainly in my book no bombs and weapons should be needed if we become evolved societies.  But to then order a time lapse for a second drop on the target when rescuers are trying to scrabble through the debris to find those still alive .... is completely monstrous and from someone that is so empty inside and devoid of any care compassion and mercy.....  

The situation in Syria is a pain and anguish from a double headed monster... that shares the same body of hate and evil..... so we have the Assad regime and the Black Clad criminal group the world calls isis/daesh and in many peoples perception constitutes the terrorist....They are for sure Dogs from Hell as indeed Dr Assad too ... no matter how he likes to portray himself as Goodie Two shoes.... no one can go in a Mosque, kneel on a prayer mat while they are ordering kids and civilians to be killed......all that are in that place with him are dogs from hell not worshiping the love and light of Allah the arabic for God but the darkness of Satan..... Likewise no one can go in a church and temple and appear to be goodie two shoes when at the same time are ordering killing of others... It clearly means no one is understanding the message that keeps coming to us Homo Sapiens from messengers from the Divine... "to kill is a sin and a product of a dark ego.  Better to love and care and be merciful to one another and all creation.  Respect one another and this planet." 

It is more than time all this madness stopped... Children should not be losing their future, killed or maimed because Adults cannot be Adult enough to get round peace tables and more more important PUT DOWN WEAPONS . Stop making weapons ... stop making money out of weapons and learn to be constructive not destructive.......

If we are to have future generations - in the hope we do not do the most mad thing and destroy all... so if we are to have future generations... Please stop and think are they to look back at this time now with Shame as it is indeed shameful the World in all its Turmoil   ..... OR are they to see us turn around from now and see the error of our ways ....and then look back with pride that man finally learned the lesson and put KIND back into manKIND...... 

The choice is not completely ours but for our future being and our future generations.... we need to stop being selfish and be selfless and care for one another.  

http://www.un.org/News/dh/infocus/Syria/FinalCommuniqueActionGroupforSyria.pdf  Look at this all the effort in 2012 to find solutions and still it escalated because of a despotic paranoic ego that would not stop the madness. 

Action group for Syria: Action Group members came together out of grave alarm at the situation in Syria. They strongly condemn the continued and escalating killing, destruction and human rights abuses. They are deeply concerned at the failure to protect civilians, the intensification of the violence, the potential for even deeper conflict in the country, and the regional dimensions of the problem. The unacceptable nature and magnitude of the crisis demands a common position and joint international action.

Lost Control over Destiny

Found these words on Dante's facebook page

لم يعد لدينا ما نقوله للحياة

"We no longer have what we say for life"

It feels as if he is saying he has no control over destiny anymore. This I see in the layers upon layers of grief in the counselling sessions with my Syrian refugee... There is the sense of loss of planning for his future. Before the war he could map out what he wanted to do, go to university and plot a career for himself.  Now this is lost in the chaos and the mayhem of the war and fleeing to safety in another country. That takes a lot of doing to relocate and try to throw some roots down in a new land... but then how can you throw roots down if it is possibly a transient place to be... Though the time now shows that many are having to make some form of life in the place they have found themselves in now. With this is learning a new language and culture.  The now is becoming a platform to try and build a future from.  But that future is difficult to see and build for.  

In some ways the global family is feeling this too - with all the uncertainty of changes going on in the political landscapes.  There has when you think been always some form of turmoil of sorts but yet a pathway of some predictability and walkway to some dream or aspiration.  But now this landscape is difficult to navigate... and more so for the refugees who feel as if their life is on hold... With this the sense of being under a wider control of the host countries that see them as refugees not the people they are. People with a lot of talents, skills and expertise, many graduates or were about to graduate.  

We do have some shinning stars in the world like Justin Trudeau that as Leader of Canada, is encompassing the refugees into the wider community and they have become part of the community.  Here in the UK where there have been sanctuary cities and open doors in among all the negative press. There are universities offering free supported courses to help rebuild lives and get them back on track with dreams and aspirations.  

We all need to feel we have a say in our lives and more so for the refugees that have had their lives turned upside now. Time to help rebuild lives and put some sense back into their lives... and the world too...

Befriending one another

This is a nice story found in my newsfeed just now... about Adel a boy that came to the UK 3 years ago is helping those refugees that are new to the county in Bristol..... Ahmed is one of the boys he has helped ... and if you read the article and see the films you will see how many had comfortable lives in Syria.... but the whole infrastructure in the war was blitzed schools and homes... many lives lost as we have been seeing.....

There are so many crimes against humanity from this war as civilians targeted.

Here is the link to the Express report ... which is based on a BBC documentary
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/771036/my-life-new-boys-town-bbc-documentary-one-boy-help-syrian-refugees-settle-Britain

Black Clad Criminals

Black Clad Criminals 

They make a mockery of our religion

As they take control of a region

With no rhyme or reason

They perform treason

Crimes against humanity

With acts of profanity.

They shout Allah Akbar

Without understanding that...yes Allah Akbar

The Greatest and the Creator of all

Yet they take the message and screw it all

We don’t need a caliphate

A set of criminals full of hate

That ain’t the message bro’

The message is one to Love

Be Merciful and care

With all mankind share

The Jihad is the journey in Self

To rid self of self

Be selfless and throw ego to the wind

And find Allah’s love within

The care and compassion in every heart therein

A place where God’s love is found

And not for you to tether and bound

But let the Love flow
For all the world to show

So out of darkness you must travel

As justice one day will drop the gavel

Begone with the caliphate

We don't need all that hate

Because Allah is Divine and overall the Universe Great.

InshAllah let the love mercy and compassion flow

This world so needs this now and for ever more.

To heal the world of Turmoil......by Marjorie written in the night.

To Enlighten and Understand

Here are couple of videos from the Inspiration series to help you understand and to dispel the myths and propaganda on Islam and terrorism. And also how women are viewed with much respect in Islam. The Women in Our Lives is a very touching story to be watched through.  It is also enlightening of all our brothers on how much the prophet Muhammed PBH did in the home to help with the chores... To keep salems in the home but out of respectful duty to all.

Jummah Mubarak - have Friday full of prayers for love peace and healing in the world with understanding and respect. 

Doctor unable to get back to USA

photo of Dr Khaled Almilaji in a public health class at Brown University last fall (Nicholas Dentamaro/Brown University) 

A very upsetting and alarming story found in my facebook newsfeed this morning. This is an example of how the carte blanche order of Mr Trump to banned all Syrians from entering the country is ruining lives.  Lives of good citizens that are an asset to any community that accepts them. This citizen was accepted for the US and studying but in the winter break went out to Turkey to help the refugees there.  So what is going on with the "extreme vetting" procedure when good folk are getting caught in the net.

You can read more and watch a video on the story in the vox.com link 
http://www.vox.com/world/2017/2/23/14703974/muslim-ban-syrian-couple-video  

Khaled Almilaji seems like the kind of immigrant you’d love to welcome into the United States. A doctor who played a pivotal role in containing the spread of polio in his native country, he came to the United States to get a master’s degree in public health at Brown University last fall. During winter break, he went to Turkey to work with local aid organizations.
So the above short video, which tells the story of Khaled and his wife, Jihan, sounds like it should be a happy tale of an immigrant success story. But instead, it’s heartbreaking.
You see, Khaled is Syrian. Between his departure and his scheduled return for the next semester, President Donald Trump banned Syrians from traveling to the United States. Shortly thereafter, Khaled lost his visa and was prohibited from returning to continue his studies. Jihan, meanwhile, lives alone in New York.

And here is more from the Middle East Eye: 

http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/doctor-stopped-polio-outbreak-syria-now-hes-banned-us-511735409

When the highly contagious, crippling and potentially fatal polio virus reappeared in war-torn Syria in 2013, nearly two decades after it had been eradicated in the country, Khaled Almilaji was a key player in containing the outbreak that threatened millions inside and beyond its borders.

This week, the 35-year-old doctor from Aleppo should be studying for a Masters in Public Health at Brown University where he received a scholarship and started last autumn.
Instead, in a situation similar to over 200 million others, he is stuck in Turkey following US President Donald Trump’s executive order last Friday to ban citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

The Precariat

Just been listening to Anne Widdecombe on the Politics show this evening (which is an extended show for the Stoke by election).  Anne was promoting the Tory policy for home ownership.... and most would like to own their own home but it does depend on predictability... That you are in a job predictably for the duration of your mortgage repayments.  It of course depends on your work to get the mortgage in the first place.  It is simply not possible if you are in a Zero hour contract. Even if you have managed to get a deposit you have to be sure you are in a solid contract to get that mortgage.  You need stability in governments and in the overall domestic and global politics.  

Anne may be wishing to promote the Thatcher regime years and the open opportunity to buy council houses.... and that was a good deal no doubt.... very substantial houses with gardens were available at cut prices... But at the same time there was a huge recession.. so on the other side of the coin in the late 1980s early 90s people in private mortgages were losing their jobs.  This was the issue with my first husband and me... we perhaps could have ridden the recession through if we had stayed in our first home.. But Ian as a welder was getting good hours as the company was flooded with orders from Saudi... then a political issue and poor foreign policy resulted in the loss of orders... This really caught us out... I was training to be a nurse and we had started to property ladder climb... Whosh bang whallop the recession resulted in the loss of the lot .. house, investments... So we were major casualities of the Thatcher regime...  On the subject of selling off council houses there needed to be a replacement of more social housing.  

Alongside this was the predicted growth in population and in the 80s the UN had forewarned all world leaders to build infrastructures to cope with the increase population to come.... and the problem is no one did.... The 2003 Slums and Resettlement report reads horrendous with lack of housing, poor housing and overcrowding then... goodness knows what a report now will read like.  

Housing needs to be affordable and not way out of the reach of earnings for both home ownership and renting.  

The housing prices are grossly inflated especially for the space they have. London prices escalated beyond the reach of the ordinary man and woman. But for price per land sq m Mumbhai is the most expensive place... We have in India the crazy situation of someone working but living in slums. I often would think how was someone coping with say working in a 5 star hotel with bathroom en suite to then go home to a slum with bathroom on street.  That was the reality of some people living in the slums from what I saw in my time in India .. the Slum dwellers were not all unemployed but trying like crazy to get a living to get out of those slums.   Many had given up a better life in the country villages and come to be trapped in the city slums. 

Land becomes expensive and the building on the land is thus expensive...... shortage of building houses makes existing house prices soar.. and sadly we are seeing over crowded slums in the UK and over the globe... even Hollywood has slums... many cities see dramatic contrasts of streets of wealth and streets of deprivation.... We need to get this imbalance sorted out and quick as it is a recipe for disaster... and social discontent....   

What are we doing when the basic of Maslows heirarchy of needs a Shelter is not met for all citizens? 

I have put a photo in this post of Guy Standings book the Precariat as it is well worth a read to explain all the human stress about and the emerging class of those with unpredictability in life.  
This is not just a one class happening but affecting the traditional middle class as well as the working class.  There is less of getting in the groove of being in a company or organisation and growing in that structure to the retirement clock and pension. Have you noticed even the celebs with all their accrued wealth from performance and record deals have to be sure they are well brand marketed or they can fall from a sound well placed life of plenty to no contract no deals and possible loss of all. 

The platforms for work and contracts have changed dramatically to on..the one hand save money by companies employing on short or zero contracts.... but on the other hand actually costs society more... in the unpredictability it brings.. The shifting of geographical locality to get work and new contracts and the periods of unemployment and needing social support. 

Capitalism has shot itself in the foot ... as to get the profit margin it needs a consistent work force producing goods at a reasonable outlay, but it needs customers to buy those goods.... So the customer needs a firmer platform of predictable income to buy those goods.  

Goddess Visa you shout!  well no that is not the answer too as credit can only be given if you are in work with a good credit score.  That score becomes a debt if you fall behind on payments and then you shift form a shining star of the Goddess Visa ......to a falling star....  You lose your place of worship of the Goddess visa...!! No card at all to fall back on... and how many of you are relying on the card to get you through the month... a very bad sign is when you are using the credit card to buy the monthly shop of food.... that should be coming out of a decent wage that covers for the cost of living?!

Guy Standing also comes up with a worrying shift from being a citizen to a denizen. A Denizen is when there is a subtle but increasingly overt shift losing Cultural, Civil, Social, Political and economic rights.... all from increasing insecurity... a major shift from the post war days I have grown up in where there was security of work and lots of opportunity. House prices within reach... 

I was introduced to this book by John McDonnell my MP and now Shadow Chancellor..... I learn alot from his speeches in parliament and pick up on his references to help me understand more.... 

You can read more on Guy Standing and the Precariat on this link to Open Democracy... 
https://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/guy-standing/denizens-and-precariat

But Marjorie who would have thought I could in one post mention Anne Widdecombe; Margaret Thatcher and John McDonnell... lol but you see why? A challenge to the Tories in their need to create policies to create stability for all and financial dignity for all and opportunity for all... but sadly they measure their policies by outdated modes and measures... It will take a progressive Labour party to readdress the inadequacies and help to stabilise the Procariat's precarious situation ... or will it demand an All Party coalition with very grown up ways of rising to challenges and not party politics play and theatre.. something the Precariat can do without ... we need lives stabilising to be able to plan a future and see a future and realise dreams and aspirations... to stop the world being in turmoil and create a world of peace and opportunity for all and dignity for all.... with all rights recognised for all.... with this respect for all... 

Keep your missiles zipped up lads

Sky News are reporting that Mr T wants to increase his nuclear missiles to keep top of the pack with Putin and that Ping Pong chap in North Korea.

so Freudian when lads need to make up for their deficit with large missiles !!! 

I say keep the dam things zipped up lads.... this Earth is so beautiful and for us all ... we do not want it turned into a pile of dust.....

There was a report yesterday of some Earth like planet found in stars but like it takes quite a few years to get there let alone see if we can live there...

No lads keep the dam things zipped up ... buy a nice big peace table with matching chairs and sit and talk your problems through not make more pain and destruction on this one home for us ALL..  Planet Earth....... go for a walk in the garden and tell me - can you make a flower... no.. look up at the sky can you make the sky - no.... look to the moon and sun and the stars can you make these No .. so admit you are not greater that the Divine Creator of all... So deflate the deluded egos that thinks they are greater .... and be humble and have humility and most of all have care and compassion for all...... 

Man makes a lot of problems from his deluded paranoia and ego.... time to put KIND back into ManKIND...... for the sake of us all..... 

Mhairi support for pensions

http://www.waspi.co.uk/
I missed this demo on Tuesday that Mhairi Black the SNP dynamic young MP gave support for.  This is about the pension age problems we are having. I too have fallen foul of the changes being born in 1954 I cannot get my state pension. Ironically I was in at home that day in a dark place with my mental state... As I had had a letter from the DWP  that they are taking money off my JSA.... I get a very small NHS pension of £65 a month yea a month and they have recalibrated this to my JSA and are taking some said over payment out too.  For those of you that know me this is dreadful as I have an history of being a victim of DV and abuse and my Moroccan husband leaving me penniless... a total haram thing to do as the Islamic law is that one you do not hit your wife but respect her and two if you leave her you are to provide for her... So not a happy bunny with all this... I had time out of practice to recover from the trauma and now on benefits... do note benefits I have paid into over my working years.  This is the hurtful thing... Some weeks I could earn around £1000 a week and have over a quarter taken off in tax and then NI contributions.... and so I have paid into a system to help me in my time of need and vulnerability.  Yet we have so much aggro to get that support.  My state pension will not be payable till 2020 if I live that long.... 

Having no financial dignity and financial freedom for old age is very scary indeed.  Not one but two husbands cheated me out of my funds... Sadly I did not go to the Zsa Zsa Gabor school of how to make money out of divorces... and with husband number two was not a Zsa Zsa housekeeper.. rather he coerced me to sign it over to him!!  girls if a fella raises his hand to you or starts showing signs of controlling get the hell out or he will make your life hell.  

With the new laws on DV that Mrs May is talking about I hope we victims can get a better deal... and certainly we need a golden financial bridge to get us from A = abuse to B a new life healed from all the toxicity of violence upon us.. and we certainly do not need the system battering us with loopholes and badly written policies that hurt us by making us more vulnerable that ever.  If support is taken from a victim or reduced it could to put it bluntly result in her death.. either she goes back to her perpetrator and the cycle of violence the next beating may be murdered... or she is so low in her depression of post traumatic stress that she commits suicide.... The DWP needs to make special pathway for the victims of DV.... 

And for women that have been managing two jobs her career and family she is likely to get burn out early and need to retire at 60 yrs ...... 

But in all this we have to ask where the heck is all this money going that we pay in ... and every move we make is taxed... even those on benefits pay tax in VAT on goods that they try to purchase with what little is given.  Everyone that puts one foot on the soil of the UK pays tax ...those that needed visas to come paid into the country with that visa... every car has road tax all the petrol taxed...There is a phenomenal amount of money coming into the treasury when you sit and think it out.... But not as much as should be with higher earners tax evading and corporate tax at some ridiculous low rate or totally evaded all together.  Of course some tax is lost to offshore squirreling at the cost of services and the rest of the nation.  

Real mess.... 

I did get a lump sum pay out of £5000 last year but I did something with this that was a total expression of me... after getting some things for the garden in my sheltered bungalow and some bits and pieces for me I went out to see my refugee family I am helping.  I felt alive liberated to get on that plane and go and do something that made me feel Sister Marjorie again.. Love being in the camps and helping out.  But alas that funding is gone now and I need to find some funds, donations, grants and sponsors to be able to continue with this liberating and worthwhile work. 

All I need now is for government to recognise this with some financial support.. All my letters and emails to key ministers and Mayor say wonderful that you doing this but there is no money for you!!!!!

I think when a woman has found a way to rebuild her life again after abuse then she should be helped.  If this is helping others out of their trauma and rebuilding their lives...then surely this should be seen of value to the community as a whole....... 

So I am back out of my black hole of despair and up and challenging and continuing to find a way to keep me alive me MARJORIE the woman that loves life and is driven by care and compassion for others... but with this driven by the need to get justice for those that have been hurt with man made pain upon them.... It will catch up one day for sure.... in the meantime onwards and upwards we keep soldiering on in life..... 

Work for UNHCR

 "Refugees have skills, ideas, hopes and dreams… They are also tough, resilient and creative, with the energy and drive to shape their own destinies, given the chance." – UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi

Globally, we are now witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record. Across the world an unbelievable 65.3 million people have had to leave their homes. More than half of them are children under the age of 18. When we look closely at the figures 21.3 million individuals have become refugees and 10 million people are now stateless being denied a nationality and their basic human rights.The work of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is now more vital than ever before. It is estimated that almost 34,000 people are forcibly displaced everyday! UNHCR are mandated to support and assist displaced persons in various ways such as immediate emergency assistance, legal protection, administration, community services, public affairs and health

Find out more:
  http://www.humanrightscareers.com/how-to-work-for-unhcr/

Event to Celebrate

We have some amazing Syrian refugees here in the UK we have joined forces to help campaign against the war and tyranny in Syria and some from Manchester came up with the Rethink and Rebuild for Syria package that was presented to parliament.  There a wealth of talent, education, skills and expertise among our Syrian refugees.. and it is so shameful that Dr Death Assad turned on his people to create the horrors of the war and the displacement of those people.  
Accountability will be brought to the ICC I am sure... as the crimes against humanity are so vast and evidenced beyond any reasonable doubt. 

But for those Syrian refugees that have been accepted in not only our country but others around the world.. you will find amazing people to enrich your communities... and certainly not the media hyped propaganda tales of woe and fear and hate..... time we sat and listened to one another and all we have to offer one another in peace and harmony. 

In the week of the 6th anniversary of the Syrian Revolution, join us to celebrate the contribution of Syrian refugees in Britain. Come hear the personal success stories of Syrian refugees now settled in the UK and also hear from organisations who work with refugees on the challenges refugees face. Spend an evening with us, and open your mind and hearts to the stories of Syrian refugees. 
Full lineup of speakers to be confirmed shortly. 
The event will take place between 7-9 PM at University College London, in Anatomy G29 J Z Young LT. The room is located in Anatomy Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT (Map: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/maps/jz-young-lt). Please book your free ticket through Eventbrite. 

For healing

I have put this image in the background of the blog as it is a flower for healing. The colours resonate with the chakras our energy centres.... and I have put this in place to help us heal this world in a turmoil... it sure does need some healing too... The man made pain in the world, the heartache and hate creating pain and stress in the population. The growing population and the need to provide fairly for all.. There is enough for all but there needs to be a fair distribution of wealth and resources... There needs to be financial dignity for all and the peace and harmony in the world. 

I wrote this last year and was on my old blog of hydrate...today in the UK we have had storm Doris with gale force winds sometimes they are needed to change the energies and whish and whosh out the stagnant old and bring in the new.... refresh for the spring and summer and new time to breathe...after the dark winter months... so seems apt to share this again today with you. 

The Jewel in the Universe

To this I dedicate my verse

The image in my mind for you

I will try to paint for your mind’s eye to see.

With me

This wonderful world we have

The paradise of colour and form.

With mountains rivers and oceans

And exotic glistening waterfalls

Vast deserts and savannahs

Green valleys and

all with flowers

All with birds insects to their home and region

All with creatures great and small for us all

All to see the beauty of the creator of it all.

But I see this beautiful jewel covered in cobwebs

All made of man’s intrigue and interaction

A woven complexity of ego and despotic regimes

Deluded power, illusionary power

But never to be greater than the love and light

that created this vast universe

Caught within the web are propaganda puppets

Hanging by the thread of illusion made.

As we look upon the jewel we see the pain this illusion makes

Great vast movement of fleeing souls to find their safety

Great freeing of souls suddenly released in the turmoil of the deluded power

We need a spring clean and a clearing of this intricate web

To cleanse and allow the light and love to shine

To restore the glistening beauty of this amazing jewel

Within a vast and wonderful universe…..

Time to stop war death and destruction

And ensure a future construction

For generations to come and enjoy

This wonderful jewel in the universe

Planet Earth a home of us all