The horror of war in Afghanistan has not changed since the 19th century when Rudyard Kipling wrote these words …

Following my recent visit to the health centre for my ‘free’ NHS flu jab, this week it was time for my annual ’free’ NHS eye test, so off I went to where that bloody silly TV commercial tell you that you should go; my local branch of ‘Specsavers’, where my eyes were tested by a very competent African optometrist.

During the examination we discussed the health problems facing a great many poor people in various African countries and how the ’western world’ could help. To my surprise the man from Africa said that the western nations should stop sending money to countries around the world immediately and other ways should be found to help those in need, as he knew “from first hand experience”, what most of us suspect; and that is that much of the cash goes to buy swimming pools, aircraft, grand houses, sports cars and luxury lifestyles for those in power, and very little goes to improve the health and lives of ordinary people.

Which brings me to my point ! … Can someone please tell me, bearing in mind the state of our own National Health Service and other public services, why, this year, we are sending £300 million of British taxpayers’ money to Nigeria and £280 million to India, when those countries can afford to blast hundreds of millions more …

… into outer space ?

After last week’s news that British Gas were increasing their prices yet again, our Dave came out with the following advice, when he said …  “There is something everyone can do, which is look to switch their electricity or gas bill from one supplier to another, we should all change to other energy providers”.

Notice the word “we” ! .. This is from someone who has probably never paid a gas or electricity bill in his life !

Reacting to today’s announcement that more energy suppliers are hiking up their prices, (what a surprise this must have been to him),  the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said  that “nobody wants to see higher bills” and that David Cameron “understands  the pressure that households are facing” and understands why consumers will  be “angry” about today’s increases. ..“He very much understands why households are angered about this.”

Oh, yeah ! .. Just as this Old Etonian, who has never had a ‘proper’ job in his life ’understands’ what life is like at one of our ’failing’ schools which produce “the least literate and numerate pupils in the industrialised world”, or what this ex-member of the ‘Bullingdon Club’ knows about serving on the front line in Afghanistan, or what this privileged political parasite of a Prime Minister and resident of 10 Downing Street, Chequers, not to mention, one or two ‘de reses’ of his own, knows about life on an inner city ‘sink’ estate (remember “hug a hoodie” ?).

How I would love to welcome him into …

… the ‘real world’ !

When I look at the horrific pictures coming out of Syria, which often show the plight of the children, I am reminded that, as a child, I also lived in a bomb and missile blasted world, and so can relate directly to their experience.

Now, it would seem, that many of our world leaders (who have never heard a shot fired in anger) are gearing themselves up to drop more bombs and fire more missiles in some show of force which will not help those kids sheltering in the ruins of their homes one little bit ! … In fact, once it starts, we will soon see the inevitable scenes of collateral damage the further murder of civilians, as some of those cruise missiles and bunker-busting bombs …

… find the wrong targets !

Having been told this week, by Chancellor George Osborne, that a wave of cost-cutting measures will aim to save the government shed loads of money, with heavy spending cuts in individual government departments, pay freezes, benefit and welfare cuts etc. Why am I not surprised to read the ‘er Maj has been handed a 5% rise in her income bringing it up to £38 million per year.  This amount does not include royal visits and security, the cost of which increases this terrible waste of money to over £200 million !

So as the powers that be are considering whether or not to scrap the royal train, which costs the British taxpayers more than £700,000 a year to run, and while another million is being spent on decorating Kate and Willy’s new home at Kensington Palace, pensioners are being warned about probable cuts in their benefits (paid for out of their taxes) such as free travel on local bus services and their winter fuel allowance …

… Un-bloody-believable !