13 October, 2006

Jamies top 5 policies

1 The first policy would be to eat the good food guide as Jamie Oliver seems to have a big foot hold in the food guide industry and besides his style of cooking makes my mouth water.
2 To introduce enforced two day potato couchism as too many people are running and exercising. Not enough enjoying the odd burb and fart after meals. I'd also make it ilegal for anyone to run or cycle along side the Thames and on pavements. What's wrong with a couple of days lazing about and being as a couch potato?
3 Stop Politicians from using archaic words and long winded white papers that can be done simply and easily explained by using plain English. I am like so many members of the public common as muck and like things straight forward and simple.
4 Stop exPrime ministers and exMPs from thinking they can become stars of the future by appearing in things like big brother or come dancing. Don't they realize we've seen enough of them when they where in office.
5 Introduce instant interactive TV where we can really say what we think of our government without being deleted or beeped out because politicians only do what they think we want. Not actually what we want. Actually wouldn't it be great not to hear them at all until they said something we wanted to hear.
These are my top 5 policies

Thinking again

I was having a cigarette and ear wigging on a conversation about people being stupid and suddenly thought if only they knew how stupid I used to think I was. Listening to the conversation I had what I call a role reversal when actually the person talking was talking total rubbish because she didn't really know the person she was talking about or the real situation. It was just idle gossip whilst having a cigarette. That's what struck me the most how fact can be expanded upon and be turned into gossip. It's like reading a newspaper and seeing a headline that doesn't really say what has happened or is just an article that's sensationalism at it's best. If we took everything we heard or read to be gospel what a mess the world would truly be in. So I started thinking about David Cameron and what's been said about his style of leadership. My thoughts are that this is the new labour we voted for in the first place. This is the young Tony Blair so is there anything really new in what he's saying? Not really as we have heard it all before only this time it seems to be someone with charisma trying to blindside us into thinking he's the one to make sweeping changes. Take for instance what he wants to do with the NHS, poverty, the welfare state and education all this costs and what he's proposing the figures just don't add up. I only deal in pounds and pence every week but when you have to balance books of billions of pounds you are allowed a little leeway but even my rough calculations say that we will have to borrow more and instead of a tax reduction tax would have to increase by at least three pence in the pound and I was the one that thought I was stupid

Must be dreaming again

This morning was a bit strange and surreal as I switched on my TV to get the news for my daily in take of comedy. Low and behold there was this strange man that I knew from the hansard society, sitting there being interviewed about political interaction and technology. I had to take a swift drink of my hot coffee which by the way burnt my lips just to take all this in. It was the first time I had seen Ross on TV and what a strange picture I was receiving it could have been just me first thing in the morning because I have searched the BBC website and I still can't find the interview so I must have been dreaming.

Common sense

I am the type of guy now, that thinks about things more clearly than most except when it comes to my girlfriend. I mean who would have thought that when she said be totally honest with me does this skirt make me look big and I said it does a little, she'd get upset with me after all she the one that said be totally honest but when it comes government and politics I do have my own views and opinions on certain subjects as I think I showed yesterday when I met some people in the parliamentary building yesterday to talk about drugs and homelessness. Common sense tells me that not everything I say or propose will be taken on board but putting my experiences and what I think should happen on the subjects drugs and homelessness out there is just as important as politicians making laws. After all there's nothing better than hearing from someone who has been there and come out the other side. It's only common sense. So when I hear people discussing the war in Iraq and stuff I do listen and have ideas and views that some people will disagree with but that's what we call freedom of speech.

12 October, 2006

Who to blame

Things seem to go round and round in circles quite often in this world of ours like this government saying the same things it did when it first got in office but I guess we all take that for granted as previous governments do the same but what is it that makes us elect governments on promises we know they will not keep. Yesterday when I was listening to a flustered PM at question time answer questions on the NHS and cut backs. I suddenly knew it was cut backs not modernization that was the driving force behind everything that was going on in the NHS. If you look at the facts that 3% of the nation cannot get a doctor. More and more hospitals are closing needed units due to under funding by government. Everything is so target driven that the public hasn't a clue what's going on. We used to have the best hospitals and the best service possible for a nationally funded institute. What happened. It surely didn't deteriorate over night. Here's what I think, we elected these people to improve are NHS which was working but it was a bit over budget. So instead of trying to improve on the losing part someone came up with the idea of a total revamp and called it modernization. What I think is all hospitals have to keep up with new ideas and medicines and have to keep their hospitals free of germs so what was needed was only new building and new equipment. Which should have been fazed out but due to lack of foresight and vast under spending we are in the position we are in. Who do you blame I know who I do.

11 October, 2006

Government figures on homelessness

When the government say they have reduced the number of rough sleepers and that on any one night in England only five hundred people sleep out. I always smile and think now where did they get that number from. Which evil massaging fairy did they get them off because I'm pretty certain that it's a whimsical figure at best and they have been sold another tall diplomatic story. Although I have to admit there had been a reduction in rough sleeps over the last couple of years. I would say that now we are definitely seeing a homeless rise of about 15% and by the end of this year I would expect that to rise to 20% as people find it harder to get accommodation. It's not just addicts and such that are finding themselves without a roof over their head. Its everyday working people. It seems because there are things in place for families. Single homeless people are at a disadvantage because of the word single. It is assumed that single people because they have only themselves to look after are not a high priority but I beg to differ. This governments saying is that everyone should have the right to be safe and have a place they can call home. I am asking is this the case? As it seems there has been a mad rush to get people of the streets over the last couple of years. Is it that the government want to be seen doing something about a problem that is on the face of it is years old and should be dealt with or is it that the Olympics are just around the corner and homeless is an eyesore that should not be seen on our streets especially as the world will be watching.

A view from another side

Living in a hostel is just like living in a single room with lots of noise and it can become a very lonely life especially when you're trying to rebuild your life. You may think it very strange with forty or fifty other people living there and you may think it stupid of someone to shut themselves off from the world for weeks at a time, but this is what people with problems do. They lock themselves away rather than face their problems head on and they become so used to being reclusive it becomes a part of their lives. So when they do eventually get a place of their own they find they can cope to an extent but they cannot cope without the daily routines they have made. So loneliness is sometimes the killer blow that seems to get to some people and then things start to deteriorate and the spiral of homelessness begins again and this is just one of the factors of homelessness. There are so many things that cause one to be homeless the only thing I can say for certain is IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU

My very own opinion

It’s funny but this morning I had couple of those rare thoughts after watching the news for about two minutes.
It seems that even after two world wars we still don’t get it. Will we ever learn that war and violence are not the way forward. I make a lot of noise about murder and a life sentance should mean life but this is a different kettle of fish because we made these great big atom bombs that could bring about the end of the world as we know it and then we had the cheek to say its okay they are merely a deterrent no one else will be stupid enough to build ones bigger and better. guess what they did and if that was not enough they built lots. My question is why build so many? The second was did we really think that nobody else would build them? Because it does seem that way. We go on and on about the state of the world. Yet we spend more and more on tools of war instead of trying to elevate the suffering and poverty in the world. Now we have North Korea building and testing them and they are not a rich country at all. In fact I think they get some form of aid from around the world. How can we justify them not having the bomb when we have them? I know people will say but they live in a dictatorship which is unstable but is it really? The other thing people can say are they spend most of their money on making these weapons but isn’t Korea rebuilding as well. The only way to stop other countries from building bombs is stop building them ourselves. which seems to me to be just plain common sense after all it just takes one mad man to press the button and there's no time to say goodbye.
The other thought was how can this government say they are doing fine. When everything around them is falling to bits? Our NHS is under such a strain that it is virtually on the verge of collapse. Our welfare state is also under such strain it will surely crack. My question is why? Why do we always follow the Americans in solving problems that work over there. Is it because it’s so big? When we elect a government I think we expect them to think of new plans, have new ideas but for this country. Not some crazy schemes that will put us back in the dark ages. It’s funny but years ago Australia and America were full of people from convicts to pilgrims and they are doing better than we are. The people of this country are now beginning to suffer the years of neglect by previous governments. Poverty in this country is still rife. We still have run down estates and now we have crime at it highest level although this government would have us believe that it is in fact down. how can it be when we have more murders more street crime. How can we tell other countries how to cure poverty if we can’t cure our own? How can we say this is Great Britain when it’s just plain and simply Britain? It’s only my opinion but it seems to make sense to me.
I was thinking back to when I was on the streets the other day and some of the things that I do remember were that I used to think people were just ignorant when I used to sit and beg first thing in the morning. Some people passing would slyly tap there pockets and smile at me just to let me know that they had change but were not going to give it to me. Some would tell me to get a job and I had quite a few call me names. It was only in the later stages of my addiction that I began to see what a mess I was and to tell the truth I would not have given me anything either. There I was every morning virtually in the same spot at the same time always needing that first ten pound to make me normal. I find that quite ridiculous now but back then I had become so dependent on drugs and other people that it was the only way for me to be a normal human being but even that wore off. Strange dont you think? Oh I know I breathed and did all the things like eating and stuff but if you can imagine a robot that needs to be recharged every time before it can work. Well, that was me like clockwork. Its funny but I can sit and smile about it all now but when I see someone else doing the exact same as what I did it makes me realize just how lucky I am even though I have so many regrets. I don't dwell on things too often as I'd probably be suicidal if I did. I just think about the mistakes and go from there. I often wonder where I would be now if I hadn't changed but thinking forward seems to be the way my mind works these days. I am dependent on myself and the best thing I think is that even though I think I have reached my limits I always go further So I suppose not knowing is a good thing. None of this would have been possible if I hadn't been able to get into college to be edumicated

09 October, 2006

What I believe

When this government made it possible for homeless people to vote> I found it hard to believe, that as a homeless person, I had the same rights as anyone else - and that includes questioning politicians.
"I have views and opinions and I want all the candidates to listen to what this means to homeless people across the country." this should be the right of everyone homeless or not

Jamie for PM

For days I have been sitting in doors thinking about things and what I would do if I where prime minister. Would I have gone to war? I don't think so although I would have thought of some devious plan to get rid of Saddam because he was one of the worst dictators and he killed innocent people even his own.
One certain thing that I would have done would have been to eradicate poverty in Britain because I strongly believe that poverty is at the root of most of Britain's social problems and we do in fact have, a have and have not class of society. While we argue over race and whether a Muslim woman should or should not cover her face. We seem to be missing the real problems and we are even now creating ones of race and religion. Why doesn't the PM stand up and say enough is enough and get back running the country as it should be run. Is it that he knows the Labour party is now on it's final leg of government. If I was in government and I was the PM I would still run the country and govern to the best of my ability. If you look back at the Labour parties time in office can you say with certainty that they have done well. Me, I personally don't think so. Besides going to war I don't see a massive improvement in the country. I see the issue of schools coming to haunt them also I see the NHS problems becoming bigger and the arguments becoming louder. The problem I have with this government is how can you plough money into things that are either not working as they should or how can you under spend on things this country needs. Sorry but I am honest enough to say I would put 1p on tax and another half percent on vat. It is because previous governments dare not do these things that we have problems now. Any one voting for me yet?

Musing once again

Well in the last two weeks I have been to Manchester and Bournemouth and it does seem to me that all these politicians hear what you're saying but that seems to be all. Once you start trying to give positive solutions to a problem they always ask what's its going to cost us? Which does annoy me no end because if the country has severe problems now surely trying to do positive things now only eases the tax payers burdens in the future. One thing that keeps coming to the fore is the government saying of every one must be equal. Isn't it true that in todays society there will always be a minority that reach a certain level in education for example and cannot go any further although they keep on trying? Is it right for these people to be excluded from any government thinking? Me, I was once a member of the socailly excluded club am to a cetain degree i still am being homeless and an addict has it's stigma's even though I haven't been homeless or touched drugs for a while. This year I will keep on trying to make politicains listen eventually they will see I am not going to go away and maybe like i am doing now meeting up and really discussing the problems faced by homeless people and people in temporary accommodation which is becoming more and more permanant. Everyday I see people who are stuck in hostels and such and have become disalusioned about their future. What I think is to give someone hope for the future and then have to waste years in limbo not knowing if you have a home or some form of education that can benifit all is a travesty. life is short enough as it is but not to be able to live it to its fullest. Well?