Food For Thought.

Roberto Matta.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Matta 

Over the weekend I talked to several friends on the telephone, as a result the conversations have given me a lot to think about.

Thoughts about widely diverging topics, one of which was the idea of campaigning for men who abandon their children to be jailed.

After talking with a friend who mentioned this idea, I thought about it and decided that it reconfirmed for me once again why I was totally opposed to prison changing behaviour.

Prison does not in my opinion stop people from offending, all it does is punish and warehouse offenders, jailing men for not being good fathers is not I think a good idea.

Men contrary to popular belief are not the only ones to leave their children, women also abandon their children, something that does not get mentioned often.

Perhaps community service orders where parents could work on community-based projects as well as parenting courses might be more beneficial than detention in prison.

The other was about an unpleasant incident being able to upset somebody so much that they could become quite prejudiced about the country in which it happened.

I think it is quite understandable that somebody should be wary after something unpleasant happening to them, but not prejudiced against the country.

Even that I can understand happening, especially if depressed, or under pressure, bad experiences can have quite an effect.

There have been times when I have had to have a good think about my reactions usually once I've thought about why it happened I've been able to deal with the situation much better.

The last was about birthdays, and whether or not to celebrate them, apart from a brief period in the 1980s when I was depressed I love celebrating my birthday.

I think it is a lovely thing to do especially because it is an excellent reason to invite close friends, acquaintances as well as new friends to join in.

Years ago I would try and avoid my birthday, then I began to enjoy them again, especially the ones since I met Richie in 1989.

One thing that used to worry me was getting too much attention, it made me feel self-conscious now I realise that I enjoy it very much.

My upbringing was all about being modest, self-effacing and not speaking until spoken to, not asking but waiting, all of which were recommended as virtues.

In the years after leaving home I realised that none of these things were virtues in fact they were as far as I could see the total opposite.

All those so-called virtues are as far as I'm concerned seemed to be just means to curb individuality and freedom of expression.

I'm all in favour of individuality, freedom of expression and enjoying every moment possible, any reason for having a party with friends is good.

Scaremongering Sells Papers And Helps Politicians Build Their Careers.

Canadian Art.



The truth about care in this country at the moment is that care system as it was got broken up in 1988/89, the own contribution was introduced and care consaequently became more expensive.

The intention was to privatise it and now it has become an industry like all the others such as transport or car manufacturing and profits are required.

Before this care had been better, I worked at the time for Humanitas and until the end of 1988 we had plenty of time at each clients home.

Suddenly we had to visit more people each day and did not have the time to give anyone more than cursory care.

Now there was no longer anytime to accompany clients to the shops or to the doctor’s surgery, now we had to go to 4 clients in the morning and 4 clients in the afternoon.

Until 1989 alot of time and attention was given to training, counselling and supporting staff and not so much afterwards.

After the breaking up and reorganisation of the care system instead of good care by organisations like Humanitas now there was below average to bad care from Thuiszorg(Home Care)

Currently there are many Care agencies who ask alot of money for their services and they do not pass on this money to their badly paid, trained and unsupported staff.

Now it is all about making profit and not about care.

Even prisons can be profitable; prisoners are put to work making all sorts of things.

Such as jeans and packing cards and small toys and board games and other items and none of the products will be labelled made in prison.

There are always stories about how good life is in prison and recently it was compared favourably here to the care system.

Nothing could be further from the truth; life in prison is not good, it is dull and boring with no education, work or any other outlet and always the threat of violence from staff and other inmates

The truth does not sell as many newspapers but lies, half truths and gossip sell plenty of papers.

Scaremongering worries people and makes them afraid and gives politicians the chance to build their careers

Thinking of care makes me think about Steve and wonder how he is coping without his darling BobRobert.

Please everyone let us keep giving Steve all the support he needs right now, visit him at his blog The Wheel of Fortuna and leave a supportive message.

http://spinfortunaswheel.blogspot.com/

Wonder why there is so much prejudice against cannabis?

Could it have something to do with business interests?

Lucky Strike and Marlboro did not want competition from cannabis they wanted everyone to use their product.

And be hooked for life on something that damages your health and can and does kill.

It is also about controlling the population by fear of the stranger, fear of drugs and fear of crime and now by fear of terrorism.

In the USA first it was Mexicans and Chinese bringing in and smoking weed but in the 70’s it was spreading to the middle classes and had to be controlled but not by controlling the middle class but by controlling the surplus lower classes.

The lower classes had to be controlled on a larger scale and were warehoused in the prisons.

There are millions of them imprisoned in the States and used as slave labour.

(This is also the situation in England and many other countries especially China.)

This has worked quite nicely until the credit crunch where now States could go broke because of their abnormally high expenditure on their enormous prison estates.

Listen to Noam Chomsky on the subject of Marijuana and Control he is very interesting.



And read him on the subject:

http://www.nwotruth.com/noam-chomsky-on-marijuana/

http://rinf.com/alt-news/contributions/general/noam-chomsky-on-marijuana/3687/

http://www.worldfreeinternet.net/news/nws160.htm

http://www.chomsky.info/



It is very interesting and gives a different perspective on marijuana.