Turner 'Contemptible' Saga Continues

The Turner Contemptible

Note added 17.06.2011: 

The Turner Contemporary Gallery has now been open for several weeks. It has been built and is a fait accompli and it would be churlish to continue to criticise the completed building. The best outcome would be that it is an effective entity and the following essay should be viewed with that in mind.

David Chipperfield Architects

Projects ->

Selected Projects ->

Museums and Galleries ->

Turner Contemporary

Updated: 21.10.2011

• The positioning of the now completed building suggests it has been turned 180° about where it should have been. The sloping roofs point in the wrong direction relative to the prevailing north and north-easterly winds. These forces can be extremely powerful coming off the North Sea (there is no land between the UK and Norway/Sweden) and the building will take the full force directly at the front, which is a vertical and flat upright. Even the restaurant has the windows facing in land contrary to the expected view out across the sea (and the sunsets) that is now blocked by the external wall that faces out northwards. Peculiar.

Updated: 06.10.2011

Turner Contemporary

• Thanet Concrete Jungle (11.11.07)
• Turner 'Contemptible' - Developments

So far all that can be judged is the impression (single, twin or triple building) that may or may not get built. As at 18.08.08 there is not a sign of construction starting. The project is proposed to be completed by October 2010, but a funfair IS positioned on the site. De-dualling of the Fort Hill carriageway continues (after several months) and a completed block of apartments remains unoccupied after alleged construction infringements from the original planning approval.

*****

An announcement has recently been made in a press release that construction of the "controversial" Turner Contemporary art gallery (aka the Turner Contemptible) will begin this autumn (2008). Turner Contemporary is a visual arts organisation that celebrates JMW Turner's association with Margate and, through a varied programme of exhibitions and events, promotes an understanding and enjoyment of historical and contemporary art.


Lifeboats News Release (28.08.10)

• Temporary home for Margate's RNLI lifeboat crew (Author: Peter Barker, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer)

• As progress is made with the construction of the Turner Contemporary art gallery in Margate the town’s lifeboats are about to move to a temporary new home as work to lay the block paving around the building gets under way. During construction of Turner Contemporary it has been a requirement that the operational readiness of the town’s two lifeboats remains unaffected by the work, the lifeboat station is situated within the perimeter of the construction site. Throughout, the builder R Durtnell and Sons Ltd have worked closely with the RNLI and station personnel to ensure that the lifeboat remains operational at all times and while there has been the inevitable disruption it has very much been a case of ‘business as usual’.

• The next stage will see the block paving being laid a task that could last up to six months with the unavoidable consequence that the lifeboats access to the launching sites will be cut off. Both the all-weather and inshore lifeboats are therefore to be moved to a temporary compound on the main sands near the Clock Tower until the work is completed. The contractors have agreed to pay for the work involved which will include a sealed compound, temporary accommodation, and 24 hour security provision. The existing boathouse will still be accessible for the lifeboat crew and will remain the main base for the station.

• Paul Hodson, lifeboat operations manager says; “While there has been some inevitable disruption our key message is that it is still business as usual for us operationally. We have received good support and understanding from Durtnells, KCC, TDC and Turner Contemporary and are grateful for their efforts in ensuring that disruption is kept to a minimum. Unfortunately we have not been able to welcome visitors during the construction period but lifeboat cover in the area has remained unaffected with our volunteer crews able to continue providing a full rescue service"

• Back home - 19.04.2011

• Margate lifeboat station has been operating since 1860.

Past exhibitions
Current exhibitions
Future exhibitions

Work is (not yet) underway to build a permanent gallery in Margate. Apparently, unanimous approval of the project has only happened after 5 years. What a surprise. The first failed attempt cost £50m (so far not recovered - DA) and was abandoned simply because the money spiralled out of control. The solution? Throw it all away and start again. The spend so far? Well in excess of £50m + £17.5m =£67.5m and a brick has yet to be placed, but the project has been approved.

Where's the 'money' gone?

This, of course, does not mean that construction will happen. Or won't. Only that the technicality of approval has been granted. Kent County Council member for Community Services (Mike Hill) said:

"This is a tremendous step forward and we remain on schedule for the creation of this landmark building for Margate. A vast amount of work has gone into this project and we will soon see it really taking shape using David Chipperfield's superb designs."

After 5 years, this project remains "on schedule". Such is government-speak. The phrase "making a silk purse out of a sow's ear" comes to mind. Chairman of the planning committee (Bill Hayton) stated that it is important to ensure that the building is in keeping with the nearby historic Old Town and Droit House and the seaside environment (it isn't as of April 2011 - DA). The artist's impression released so far in this saga of waste has not looked like an historic Old Town planning exercise. The proposed designs could not be more opposed to the existing style. But then, the Old Town is tucked away behind the sea front out of view and regeneration could well involve altering the Old Town to match the new look. The design and build dates back to July 2006.

Approval has already been granted for an apparently non-existent plan. Kent County Council leader Paul Carter had (publicly) put a limit of £15m on the costs that have already escalated to £17.5m. This is the second attempt after the first and failed £50m fiasco. Very empty assurances like this are really contemptible. Any plan concerning this ridiculous concept should be to abort it now, before any more money is pledged. The finance that has already been wasted (it isn't lost as it all went somewhere: all £67.5m of it) would not escalate. The final cost is unknown and unknowable, but so far it is at least £67.5m and counting...

The gallery will be designed by David Chipperfield Architects and all the money so far 'spent' = £67.5m has not even achieved a real plan. Only an artist's impression: grotesque and very much out-of-keeping with current architecture. The plans will assuredly come later at additional cost before a brick is placed. Building is proposed to begin this (2008) autumn and the final plans are yet to be announced. This has the making of a fait accompli:

"Issues that involve 'ethics' should not be resolved (if, in fact, they are) by public consultation. Potentially serious consequences should not be allowed to involve the layman's unqualified opinion. It is too dangerous to let the poorly (mis)informed decide... the potential for misleading information to gain advantage for all sorts of motives is possible always. Some things should just be left alone."

It possibly requires the ‘expert’ to understand the complexities, but the unqualified layman to offer an honest and unbiased verdict.

The 'fait accompli' gives the appearance of public consultation, but it never involves public choice

The "de-dualling" of the Fort Hill road will cost another £750,000 before anything is done and will have improved signs for car parking. The Turner Contemporary art gallery will have none of its own (except for four disabled bays) and so will not be responsible for fee paying. Thanet Council continues to introduce fee paying parking zones in streets that were once free. Already Margate has been terminally disabled and another coffin nail gets hammered in to kill the future.

Margate and the Turner Contemptible

All hope abandon, ye who enter here!

The original estimate of four disabled bays should provide 'free parking' for the able-bodied, but selfish and lazy morons who 'steal' these bays (there are now 7 bays, but the disability symbol is painted in white - 07.10.2011). Simply observing the attitude in supermarkets and other public carparks should provide sufficient example. A maximum of seven does not inspire confidence.

Aircraft Engine Fumes

Incapacitation of the flight crew in any aircraft can have fatal consequences. This nearly happened on a Swedish commercial flight when 73 passengers were found deeply asleep and difficult to wake up. Had the first officer or captain not positioned their oxygen masks, literally seconds later they would have passed out.

Hundreds of reports of contaminated air have been filed in recent years and concern the effects of toxic fumes from the engines: aerotoxic syndrome. This potentially threatens all on board the aircraft and has been estimated to affect up to 200,000 passengers every year. This is possibly greatly underestimated, but has allegedly been known as a serious problem to the aviation industry for a long time and is an "open secret" amongst pilots and crews. Apart from the potentially obvious fatal outcome, long-term health issues are apparent from exposure. The publication "Aviation Contaminated Air Reference Manual (ACARM)" by Captain Susan Michaelis (formerly with Qantas) details all known incidents of, and studies into, aerotoxicity. Although the work is considered the leading database of factually sourced information it has allegedly been ignored by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and government. A former pilot (David Hopkinson) had filed a report after a very bad flight on a Boeing 757 ("Toxic fumes on the flight deck") and requested it be sent to the CAA. The CAA claims that it never received it, blaming a 'clerical error'. His licence was taken away for medical reasons (which he blames on toxic air).

In the House of Lords, Lord Bassam (Transport) insisted that there was no cover-up and that only one in some 2000 flights are affected by "fume events". A small issue. But, of the 2.4 million flights in and out of Britain each year, this translates to almost 1200 incidents. Being in command of an aircraft travelling at 600mph and experiencing a sudden memory disruption is certainly no small issue.

And if two pilots are overcome simultaneously in the same cockpit, if such issues can be graded, it becomes

very, very BIG

The Department for Transport (DfT) says it is about to undertake "ground-breaking" research into incidents involving fumes and the Committee on Toxicity (CoT) has allegedly been commissioned to examine the issue.

"The CoT concluded there was (and presumably still is) a need to undertake research on cabin air quality involving a strategy designed to look for the largest number of chemicals. The results of this research would be informative for evaluating the potential adverse health effects associated with cabin air fumes."

Nothing that can be quoted or cited has yet appeared on either the DfT or CoT websites.

Nearly all types of aircraft have been affected by contaminated air, but records (CAA) show that the British Aerospace (BAe) 146, Boeing 757, Airbus A319 and the Embraer 145 seem particularly susceptible. Flybe cabin crew last November (2007) refused to fly on the BAe 146 after 10 leaks of contaminated air in just over a year. The company said it was "completely confident" that its aircraft are "operated and maintained to the highest industry standards" and added that none of its 700 pilots had refused to fly any of its aircraft, but was phasing out the BAe 146 "for green" reasons.

Links between contaminated air and health are not yet proven and "it always has been debatable and still is debatable whether contamination due to oil leaks affects a person's health" (BAe). Since 2003, according to BAe 70 per cent of the fleet had been fitted with a new design of oil seal and "since fitting, we have had no reports of any failures across five million hours of engine operation".

This says nothing of the 30 per cent that have not been modified.

In a patronising comment about flight and cabin crew, "there was an element of misdiagnosis and misreporting".

• Being overcome from fumes can cause death and that is not debatable. In the sealed environment inside an aircraft that is in flight, this is made all the more likely.

Susan Michaelis's research suggests that only four per cent of cases are reported. In 2005, her investigations have revealed that of 265 officially notified incidents of in-flight smoke and fumes on British aircraft, only 35 were claimed in a CAA report to the House of Lords. Over 1660 incidents, mostly thought to be associated with oil-contaminated air, were reported during the careers of 106 BA Boeing 757 pilots. A survey of 250 current and retired BAe 146 pilots found that 85 per cent believed they had breathed contaminated air while flying. Nearly 1 in 10 had to be retired on health grounds.

"There is no way that any working pilot is going to jeopardise his position, so the truth will only come out from retired pilots, crew, engineers and passengers," said Alan Carter, a British pilot of 22 years' experience, who has retired on health grounds. "It is one of the biggest cover-ups in history. If they [airline industry] admitted to this, it would just open the floodgates [for litigation]."

Potentially, without any postmortem examinations such a cause for a crash will never be uncovered, especially as the aircraft will almost certainly be destroyed and no post mortems possible. The downside of this (financially) is that the aviation industry will be harmed by any adverse safety issues. This is a classic case for being played down or even totally ignored. Safety will always come second when there is a cost overhead to consider. The aviation industry appears to be completely immune from climate control issues and the consumption of vast quantities of a petroleum product (kerosene).

A very specious (deceptive) argument could well involve the fact that kerosine is almost exclusively used in aircraft engines. The consumption of oil and the production of carbon dioxide would not enter this argument.

Passengers and crew are breathing air that comes straight from the engines, but little has been done to improve upon this. This system is known as "bleed air" and was installed in 1962. It draws air from the heart of the engine. The (original) alternative was too expensive: air is drawn out of the compression section of the engine and cooled. It then enters the cabin where it mixes with recirculated air that has passed through filters designed to remove bacteria and viruses. This does not remove any fumes or vapours that originate from the engine, so any leaks (faulty seals or over-filled tanks) can contaminate the air supply.

Wrong assumptions can mask the real causes of drowsiness, headaches, flu-like symptoms and nausea. Air can be laced with tricresyl phosphate (TCP), a toxic organophosphate, or other toxic mixtures of chemicals that have been linked to serious respiratory problems, memory loss, neurological illnesses and brain damage.

In the United States, blood testing on airline crews showing the specific antibody that confirms brain damage and cell death is ongoing. The crews had been exposed to contaminated air in airline cabins. Neuro-psychological impairment (related to working on an aircraft) has not been screened by the DfT in Britain. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is worried about under-reporting and provided $2 million funding for further investigation. The US Association of Flight Attendants had recorded more than 800 cases on one airline of flight attendants being affected by contaminated air.

The DfT:

"Until we know what's in the air we can't screen the pilots. Once we have carried out air tests we can move onto monitoring pilots for anything that may affect them."

Screening for a specific 'unknown' is not practical, but looking for ANY chemicals that should NOT be in the air supply is possible. Whatever they may be. Analysis can then identify what they are. It's what analytical chemists and forensic scientists do all the time.

Cynicism And The 'Comment' Concept

Cynicism

• Currently, the word cynicism generally describes the opinions of those who maintain that self-interest is the primary motive of human behaviour, and are disinclined to rely upon sincerity, human virtue, or altruism as motivations.

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Young people often wear rose-tinted glasses and the older individual has probably long ago thrown them away. Without the 'corrected' vision, illusions cannot work. A distorted outlook is the result. Greater wisdom in older people appears to younger individuals as ‘being a cynic‘, when actually they are possibly nearer to the truth.

Rose-tinted glasses are always a requirement for any illusion to work.

Beware

Linford Christie

The issue of Linford Christie's ban dates back to 1999, but current events are in the public domain. I have no personal knowledge concerning the activities of Linford Christie and do not act as a judge on incomplete information.
   But I can add a personal viewpoint about drug abuse in general. It is an individual's conscience that will ultimately be the judge, though that will depend on the true value of the individual. If hypocrisy rules then cheating to acquire success defines complete failure. The ability to win is absent. Physically and mentally.

Psychological inadequacy

Blair Pressure On SFO Saudi Inquiry

Judges to rule on BAE challenge

The High Court heard claims that ex UK prime minister Tony Blair put "irresistible pressure" on the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) to drop its inquiry into alleged corruption in arms deals between BAE Systems and Saudi Arabia. The pressure alleges a "gun held to the director's head" scenario from Blair and former Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith. Lord Justice Moses commented:

"I have seen nothing to suggest that anyone did anything but roll over."

A judicial review is being heard by Lord Justice Moses and Mr Justice Sullivan brought by the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) and Corner House Research, which campaigns on corruption and social justice issues. Representation for Corner House Research by Dinah Rose QC said Mr Blair "stepped over the boundaries of what was permissable" and wrongly interfered in a legal matter following threats by the Saudis over co-operation in national security issues and the possible scrapping of key orders. This SFO investigation was dropped in December 2006 and had centred on allegations of corruption between BAE and Saudi Arabia in the £43bn al-Yamamah deal of 1985, in which jets and other equipment were supplied by BAE.

It was alleged that influence was brought to bear by Blair and Goldsmith on the SFO to drop the case. BAE and the government were negotiating a key order for Typhoon fighters with the Saudis. Mr Blair was apparently only concerned with national security: the Saudis had threatened to stop co-operating in intelligence work. it is alleged that Robert Wardle (SFO director) had allowed threats to influence his decision to stop the enquiry and that the move violated Organisation For Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) anti-bribery convention. Saudi threats to cancel the Typhoon contract came after BAE discovered that the SFO was about to obtain details of various Swiss bank accounts. The threats were allegedly came from Prince Bandar, a national security adviser in Saudi Arabia, and his agents, who were being investigated by the SFO. It is alleged that Prince Bandar met with Foreign Office officials in London on 5th December 2006. The following day the prime minister's office informed the Attorney General that Mr. Blair wanted to make further representations before any offer of a possible 'plea bargain' was made to BAE. The government has denied any breach of the OECD anti-bribery convention.

Adapted from The Times, 15th February 2008.

• The problem with this type of action is that it appears to have the potential of achieving nothing. What can be done now other than at best show that the issue is proved or not as the case may be? Blair has gone and since both he and his wife are barristers, and having access to government solicitors, probably has the knowledge of just how far the elastic can be stretched before it gets broken. One possible way to prevent this type of situation is to try it at the time it is happening. What chance is there of that? Potential corruption in the making before it is actually made.

Supermarket Monopoly

The Competition Commission (CC) is expected to back a controversial move that will increase the number of supermarkets and encourage huge new superstores on the edge of towns. This is not in the interest of communities, but the supermarkets alone. The move of any business out of the town to a position almost in the countryside means traffic congestion problems do not arise. Until the business attracts more traffic. The provision of a supermarket or two or three... will encourage new suburbs outside the town to be constructed and so in perpetuity, the supermarkets grow and perversely, but almost certainly by design, control the growth of the towns. Growth. But the complete decimation of a town. And so the old town gets rebuilt and 'creates' wealth through the new build. Really perverse is the eventual 'inside out' movement of communities. Originally, houses and residents lived towards the edge of town and businesses were placed centrally to serve the community. The new plan is the other way around: communities grow in the town centre to 'serve' the interest of the businesses that 'grow' on the edge of the town. As the town perimeter is extended away from its centre, the separation of a community will demand that a second supermarket diametrically opposite to the first will be built. Then a third (all three ultimately at the points of a triangle). The test of forward planning would be the first two would cover an area that encompasses only two of the three points of a triangle. The third would then complete the triangle.

• Who knows, really forward planning could even produce four outlets forming a square totally ensnaring the community (DA).

Hazel Blears (Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government) insists that the needs test, where councils assess the need for a supermarket against local requirements and population levels, should be dropped. That is quite in line with a simple prediction that since the communities will be driven out of town, then there is no need to assess the non-existent requirement, but behave yourself and as your reward Hazel Blears will be on your side. One supermarket is 'needed' for every 50,000 people. And somehow local business does not seem to feature in the equation. It has to be a supermarket. A rule at some time and by some (presumably) government department (Communities and Local Government probably) has been created that defines this ratio.

Incidentally, this Secretary of State used to be Ruth Kelly, now Secretary of State for Transport.

It's so predictable by its simplicity. Nothing complicated, so nothing to be seen until the overall long term plan has just... materialised.

Then, of course, there is the regeneration of the destroyed towns. Flatten and rebuild. Money (growth) to be made by both activities. Again it's so simple to predict the plan. And the community will disappear. It's a very perverse and highly peculiar logic, yet it has logic. As long as you are not a consumer. Then it's like a football being kicked around.

Nothing in, nothing out

The concept of growth is synonymous with interest on a loan. Perversely, it doesn't go anywhere or improve life standards. The illusion is that growth is the answer to everything, but like any crop that grows nutrients, something must be supplied by the land. The crop is, in fact, like a parasite. It grows at the expense of the host.

More buildings.

Perverse: wonderfully twisted (and over-used) word.

Repossession

It is no surprise that, with a climate of tremendous financial instability and increase in personal debt (much laid at the door of banks that insist on individuals taking out credit card loans: Credit Card Debt), these banks now push the blame onto those who took out 'loans', creating debt. Perhaps it is ill-advised to contract into an agreement, but the war of attrition by persistent 'junk' mail, possibly intimidates some into taking out such an 'offer' to get the banks off their backs.

It does, of course, do the reverse. The persistent attack, bordering on harassment, of such an approach is technically legal.

A large number of 'affordable' mortgages involve essentially interest only repayments. The capital will never get paid off and the mortgagee is locked into paying huge amounts of interest to the banks simply for providing the original capital. The 'homeowner' is a technical term since the lending bank or building society actually owns the property for which the 'homeowner' pays just interest on a 'loan' to live there. At an enormous cost. Paying £100s interest to a lender is possibly no better than paying rent to a landlord. The belief is that 'owning' your own home is better than paying a landlord to live in theirs. The home is owned by the lender who allows the incumbent occupier to live there by paying interest on a 'loan' (the rent). The best solution for the lender and the worst for the borrower. The 'owner-occupier' is totally responsible for the property and pays the premium to have that responsibility.

A landlord has responsibilities 
whereas a lender has none and results

in 'homeowner' having a very cynical definition

When payments are no longer kept up, the lender forecloses and eventually initiates repossession action. The lender will almost certainly be successful in the move and will 'repossess' it's property from the 'homeowner'. The lender makes a real killing since the property is then sold at auction at a reduced 'market value', but probably a more realistic (true) value to recover the original loan. But on top of recovering the capital outlay:

total interest that has been paid will be pure profit

And the ex-'homeowner' will be liable for all court costs. The lender is in the comfortable win-win position and the potential 'homeowner' is in the very painful lose-lose position between that rock and a hard place. The push to get buyers onto the fictitious 'property ladder' has been intense for many years and the potential 'homeowner' has the illusion of climbing a 'ladder'. But the piper calls the tune and continues to move between repositioned goal posts. When the 'homeowner' is stuck up a 'ladder', there is no control to where (or how) the 'ladder' is then moved.

The banks are laughing all the way....

to the bank

A bank is an institution that secures its own finance (profit) within its own vault. The people ('clients') willingly 'pay in' their own money in the belief that they are getting something in return. The only purpose of a bank is to profit in the misery created by the lending culture promoted by itself. The secured loan (debt) tied in to a property that in all probability is not owned by the borrower (still being bought with an existing amortised interest (debt) on a mortgage) increases the risk to the borrower without any real risk to the lender. The house that is not owned by the incumbent owner-occupier.

This describes the most vicious of circles and breaking out of the circle is almost impossible once entered.

The current concept of home ownership has been changed. To own your own home once had the status of independence. Nowadays the belief is one of independence, but the reality is being absolutely tied in to the lender. Another reason for the greed culture to promote population growth. A grotesquely oversized consumer market and the elephant in the room is clearly the demise of the human race while planet Earth lives on and recovers without the parasite. And that can only be a good thing.

• The upside of non-home ownership: paying rent to a landlord (who may themselves have a buy-to-let mortgage) does appear greater than the downside.

Banks also offer mortgages. Of course they do. It would be a betrayal to financial planning if they didn't.

Northern Rock

The potential win(-win) for business heads is enormous: bring in the debtors and get (very well) rewarded. Debtors are very effectively chained to the lender for a life time, paying in mostly (amortised) interest. Paying in everything and getting virtually nothing in return.

This whole episode has just started and the conversion of assets of over £100billion has grown into an underwriting by public taxpayers' money to in excess of a further £100billion. This bank has overstretched itself by lending a great deal more than it has, so the real asset value is clouded in mystery. It is a very confusing scenario, yet a great deal of money has been theoretically created through enormous debt. The debt has been forced upon the taxpayer to rescue a bank. The bank should have folded, but that cannot be allowed to happen. The (almost unbelievable) paradox here is that due to incredible (apparent) mismanagement, the financial world would be undermined. This cannot be seen to happen so the bail out began with the Bank of England 'stepping in' like some knight in shining armour.

Adam Applegarth was at the helm throughout this mysterious time and in the summer of 2004, was very upbeat about Northern Rock. Now many 'winners' seem to be at the trough, yet predictably none of them are customers. Such winners can never lose. Applegarth is expected to receive almost £400,000 for his efforts, but sadly no bonus or pension contribution for this year for his assistance in 'smoothing' the tortuous path of Northern Rock. His resignation allows him to walk away from the mess (probably wringing his hands together in despair) and get paid too.

Another example of the confusion dates back to September 2007 when the Bank of England got involved.

And on it (still) goes. The trough gets deeper and the muddy water just gets murkier. The stench is already overwhelming.

Don't sit down, it will produce incredible pain.

Enough.

Council Tax - Thanet District

Increases have been announced for the next financial year in council taxes. Notably, Kent County Council receives the biggest slice (72%) of the cake and behaves the most irresponsibly. Schemes like the relief of traffic congestion at Westwood Cross. It has now been revealed that there will be five 'upgrades', but this does not state five phases. It would be premature to fix on five phases. In any case, no mention of any joint venture beyond the first phase at New Haine Road is mentioned. Thanet Conservatives are wetting themselves in celebration for this construction project that has no visible conclusion. The Tories say that disruption to traffic alongside the existing Haine Road should be minimal. But minimal compared to what? It could still be horrendous and using past experiences with road building in Thanet it is likely to be considerable. To really inspire Thanet residents' confidence, councillor Martin Wise (cabinet member for finance) states that inflation is running at over 4%. Interestingly, government's own inflation quote is rising to only 2.2% and such disparity is of great concern. Even today's growing aware masses are finding this rather a thin explanation that doesn't make sense. If inflation is so low and everybody has never had it so good, why are so many in absolute despair?

Truth is always consistent and 2.2% against 4% is not consistent

"We are an ambitious council that wants to achieve the best for our residents and that includes delivering on the priorities that matter to them." Like the Turner Centre that is non-existent, yet has cost well in excess of £48millions and continues to create money. And still no sign of construction starting. Proposed opening is October 2010. The house building scheme that can only (unfortunately) happen with public money to provide private properties. These are not council houses, after all. Thanet has all but been destroyed in the pursuit of money and any progress has been entirely backward. If there is any 'vision' then it is nebulous and composed of vapour.

18.07.08 A 3hr Saturday free parking period has been announced, but not advertised. Only one car park (Mill Lane) and only Margate. Not any other town (Broadstairs, St. Peters, Ramsgate). Small change in shopping habits (improvement) has been noted. Hardly surprising. Notably, any weekday is a difficult time to find parking space. Weekends, this is quite different and must be due to weekday office workers leaving their cars. Clearly, street parking for cars is highly lucrative. The shops may disappear, but the new trade is revenue from cars.

Britain In A Space Race

The concept of Britain entering space with a mission to send an astronaut to the Moon (or even Mars) may be considered within the year. There are apparently benefits to be had from doing this and a study will report back to ministers. A recent document UK Civil Space Strategy: 2008-2012 and Beyond puts as much emphasis on the importance of satellites that make observations of Earth (climate change again) as on spacecraft built to investigate the solar system.

Be aware and review the past. Desirable outcomes can remain the same for some, but the method to achieve them will change. It's the learning experience.

In a climate of financial meltdown, even publicly suggesting such a scheme is pure lunacy. However, there is a very direct allusion to surveillance. and this conjures up a great deal that has nothing to do with space exploration. This can be the justifiction needed to produce public-funding for 'government' paranoia.

The industry is worth £7bn and Ian Pearson (Science and Innovation Minister) said:

Space technology is a vital part of our everyday life and satellite communications and space technology provide strong business opportunities for the future."

So what's that got to do with going to the Moon or Mars? Absolutely nothing, but it does make a direct connection to Earthbound surveillance business, presumably worth £7bn. Don't sit down too fast or it will almost certainly be very, very painful. This is joined-up government in action and all 'on the same page'.

There is no money, so let's spend it!

The very reason for the global credit crunch and meltdown.

Apparent ineptitude is usually born with the illusion of being stupid, but, in fact, being very competent with a single-minded focus. It's simply the aim of the few to control and make money, whatever the cost to the many.

Happy Slapping

A 15-year-old schoolgirl faces a custodial sentence after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting, counselling and procuring unlawful killing by recording a 'happy slapping' incident on a mobile phone. A legal landmark as it is probably the first successful prosecution of someone who was complicit by aiding and abetting in the brutal attack that led to manslaughter. The victim (Gavin Waterhouse) died. The killers were Mark Masters and an unnamed (for legal reasons) 17-year-old. A man died as a result of a brutal attack (possibly for nothing more that entertainment purposes) and one of the convicted killers cannot be named because of a legal technicality. The sentence involves 'life' imprisonment. Mr Waterhouse died of a ruptured spleen, so immediate death did not happen. A charge of murder is not appropriate since an intent to kill could not be proved. A ruptured spleen can only be the result of an extremely violent kick. A youth would not be likely to have the skill to inflict such damage through a punch. A boot would also be necessary as a cowardly bare-footed kick could not cause such damage either. This would require considerable technical ability.


Mark Masters or his accomplice certainly would not have that. Abilities of a low-life are zero by definition. But:

It's a start

Consequences © 2005

Some at the bottom of being a low-life actually imagine that kicking and punching just for fun, will not have consequences. This almost beggars belief in it's stupidity. And anyone trying to blame drink or drugs would just aid and abet as they would be implicit in attempting to justify a technically unprovable murder, but not complicit in the act itself. Criminal lawyer Grahame Stowe:

"More than ever before young people are turning to extreme violence, in some cases for no reason other than entertainment. This case illustrates once again the gross callousness some teenagers are capable of."

He added that it was a bold move to prosecute someone:

"who, in a literal sense, does not have blood on his or her hands"

And:

"The principle that videoing a criminal offence taking place can be considered aided and abetting could have some serious ramifications."

This constitutes distorted voyeurism

and the sexual connotation is obvious...

but it's a start

A problem is that those most likely to perpetrate such crimes are also unlikely to understand what 'ramifications' implies. Or even means. They are by definition: too stupid. Even understanding the meaning of a term like 'serious' is doubtful. Communication can only work in a positive sense by communicating to anything other than low-life. The downside is that ideas are forwarded to those who have absolutely none of their own. Communicating such information can appear glamorous to an idiot. Such ramifications could involve removing this element from society.

A BIGGER problem would be what you do with such a problem. Society has so degenerated that this will be considered normal behaviour and a twisted mentality will see this as the 'badge of honour'. It will get 'respect'. Another distorted and highly twisted concept. The perceived acquisition of respect through fear and violence is essentially an oxymoron. A paradoxical combination of concepts.

A next step would be for the newspapers to show some common sense and stop this 'happy slapping' description. It's killing. It's brutal and it's completely crude and unglamorous. And it's definitely NOT entertaining except to the sick low-life that infests the streets. Social outcasts and definitely cowards who would never even dare to act alone. Gangs hunt in groups for protection. Each member is usually not capable of acting alone.

Either physically or intellectually.

Atkins Nutritional Approach

The Atkin's Diet appears to be based on good science. It could be imagined by those with the most to lose: the 'food' industry (assisted by newspapers). It would also be predictable. Organic products were introduced into supermarkets and priced high so that it would be advantageous to sell the highly profitable 'junk' food laden with sugar (carbohydrate), but low in fat. In other words, disadvantageous to 'organically-produced' foods by making them seem outrageously over-priced. Rather like a self-protection scheme. Protecting the 'junk' foods from an invasion by healthy (and inevitably more expensive) products. But, of course, as the maxim goes: you get what you pay for. Cheap 'junk' or more expensive 'quality'.

Nutrition
Carbohydrate
Fat
Protein

Sugar and fat are cheap and high profit earners. To lose weight is promoted as consuming low fat foods. Low fat 'foods' have an associated increase in sugar content. The reason for weight gain and the very likely concomitant increase in the incidence of Type 2 Diabetes. If the sugar is not consumed through exercise then the body will convert it to fat for long-term storage, a relatively low energy process. A potential energy source is not abandoned. Enzymes exist in the body for this one-way conversion. A low fat 'food' results in a high fat end-product.

The reverse is not possible as enzymes do not exist to produce sugar directly from fat. Energy is available from fat, but only through exercise. A major reason that some people become 'fat' is because they don't consume fatty products in the belief that this will assist losing weight, but excess 'hidden' carbohydrate. The confused consumer is probably unaware of the connection. A fact well appreciated by the profit-directed food industry.

Again, it appears that peoples' health is of no concern, only the 'health' of the business.

Real Creative Talent

Paul McCartney is the most musically talented individual walking the planet today. Nothing this genius has ever done comes close to anything that he has done before. In over 40 years. Even with no financial support, it wouldn't take someone like him long to make it all over again. And hardly without trying.

It's been my privilege to have lived in the same era as this much respected man. Paul McCartney is probably one of the most well known of names.

Creativity at it's highest

Banking Panic - The Plan (Arrival)

Banking Panic - The Plan (Prelude)
Banking Panic - The Plan (1)
Banking Panic - The Plan (2)
Banking Panic - The Plan (3)
Banking Panic - The Plan (4)
Banking Panic - The Plan (5)
Banking Panic - The Plan (6)
Banking Panic - The Plan (7)
Banking Panic - The Plan (8)
Banking Panic - The Plan (9)
Banking Panic - The Plan (10)
Banking Panic - The Plan (Nearly There)
Banking Panic - The Plan (The Next Phase)
Banking Panic - The Plan (11)
Banking Panic - The Plan (12)
Banking Panic - The Plan (13)
Banking Panic - The Plan (Exit)
Banking Panic - The Plan (1st Encore)
Banking Panic - The Plan (2nd Encore)
Banking Panic - The Plan (3rd Encore)
Banking Panic - The Circus

Ultimate Aim (UK): Nationalisation by Stealth 

There at last: the end of the beginning has been achieved so that the Next Phase can at last commence. Then taxpayers around the globe can continue to feed the parasite, but in earnest. The parasite thrives, but the host continues in its death throes (violent pangs of suffering). The government officially nationalises the failed bank - Northern Rock. The failed bank that needed 'rescuing' has assets of over £100bn yet has managed to secure a taxpayer underwriting of an equal amount. And it is still trading as though nothing has happened. Just the massive debt to be paid for by the taxpayer for evermore. The interest (virtual money) on this 'loan' is absolutely disgusting. To be saddled with debt to rescue a bank that should have drowned. Even taking on the borrowings for the existing mortgagees would have been a more sensible way of handling this. The government would then simply have become the 'banker'. But governments are in the business of spending money not 'making' it and are as inept as Northern Rock when it comes to managing debt. It could be that the establishment (Sir) figure of Branson was the required smokescreeen. Who really would consider putting up £10bn or more to take on a dead duck. Even an apparently 'struggling' lender of money that it does not have. Successful businessmen do not behave in that manner. And where was the Financial Services Authority (FSA) while this was happening (for the last 40 years).

But it's only temporary!

Temporary can be a long and very indefinite time. Governments disappear and memories fade. It'll be 'forgotten' or at least overlooked or deliberately ignored until it's 'remembered'. But it'll be history then. And inflation could well be officially around 2% (still). Everything will look rosy (still). Draw the curtains across a mess and the mess appears to go away even though it's there (still). Out of sight and out of mind. The UQ (aka UK) is (still) bankrupt and always will be. But like banks, countries NEVER officially go under. Like the 'firm' of royalty. It is propped up and funded by the taxpayer - AGAIN - and the lie is promoted that this royal family 'firm' represents good value. The best value possible is ifitjust ceased to exist. Like the so-called 'aristocracy". The country is in a disastrous mess because wealth continues to be removed from those who really 'create' the illusion. Those who actually work and pay their taxes. Meltdown continues to heat up. It's so cynical, it's completely beyond contempt. Only when Gordon Brown was promoted to prime minister could it have happened. The ex chancellor being bailed out of the disaster. Interesting that the amounts of his raids and the underwriting are almost identical. This transfers and hides the £100bn raid and then doubles the amount by creating a new debt. And it has cost government nothing. It's how money is 'created'.

Banking Panic - The Plan (Prelude)
Banking Panic - The Plan (1)
Banking Panic - The Plan (2)
Banking Panic - The Plan (3)
Banking Panic - The Plan (4)
Banking Panic - The Plan (5)
Banking Panic - The Plan (6)
Banking Panic - The Plan (7)
Banking Panic - The Plan (8)
Banking Panic - The Plan (9)
Banking Panic - The Plan (10)
Banking Panic - The Plan (Nearly There)
Banking Panic - The Plan (The Next Phase)
Banking Panic - The Plan (11)
Banking Panic - The Plan (12)
Banking Panic - The Plan (13)
Banking Panic - The Plan (Exit)
Banking Panic - The Plan (1st Encore)
Banking Panic - The Plan (2nd Encore)
Banking Panic - The Plan (3rd Encore)
Banking Panic - The Circus

Banking Panic - The Plan (Nearly There)

Banking Panic - The Plan (Prelude)
Banking Panic - The Plan (1)
Banking Panic - The Plan (2)
Banking Panic - The Plan (3)
Banking Panic - The Plan (4)
Banking Panic - The Plan (5)
Banking Panic - The Plan (6)
Banking Panic - The Plan (7)
Banking Panic - The Plan (8)
Banking Panic - The Plan (9)
Banking Panic - The Plan (10)
Banking Panic - The Plan (Arrival)
Banking Panic - The Plan (The Next Phase)
Banking Panic - The Plan (11)
Banking Panic - The Plan (12)
Banking Panic - The Plan (13)
Banking Panic - The Plan (Exit)
Banking Panic - The Plan (1st Encore)
Banking Panic - The Plan (2nd Encore)
Banking Panic - The Plan (3rd Encore)
Banking Panic - The Circus

The Foul Smelling Saga Continues to Get Worse...

It would seem that Northern Rock has not met with any difficulties. Business as usual. This does support a great deal about the loans business as a whole and the alleged 'bail out' by the private Bank of England.

1 ...with over £100 (sic) in assets... presumably this is £100million? An extremely careless lack of attention to the detail. And in a business that deals in finance. Amazing. It cannot be £100billion or there'd be no need to borrow £bns. Would there? The whole scenario looks very.... How does trading work? A company that has magically created a £100bn from nothing courtesy of the UK tax payer. And still doing business.

But see point 5 below

2 This Building Society (formed in 1965) was converted into a public limited company in October 1997. Based near Newcastle Upon Tyne, it is currently the UK’s fifth largest mortgage lender (with over £100 in assets)... there's that mistake.

Again!

No wonder Northern Rock is in trouble if it cannot detect even the smallest non-trivial detail. Perhaps it has found the 'error' as it's either been removed, corrected or rewritten. It's disappeared, anyway (09.03.08).

3 "Northern Rock has quickly become one of the best known names in personal finance..." it certainly has. A name never to be forgotten

 4 Some fascinating buzz words and terms in jargon (company info):

• restructuring
• maintain transparency
• reorganisation of its operations
• independent
• well-capitalised
• low cost and significantly lower risk mortgage and savings bank
• business stabilisation
• controlled reduction of current loan book
• modest growth in prime quality lending

5 This report dated 14th September 2007:

• "But experts and officials insist that Northern Rock, which has £113bn in assets, is not in danger of going bust..."

So why all the talk of £bns liability to the tax payer (14th February 2008)?

6 Poor credit history? CCJs, defaults, bankruptcy, Ivas, arrears or... The very start of the mess and around the circus still goes. There are dozens of further links and the odour continues to deteriorate.

• This series of articles has been terminated until (if ever) more certainty becomes clear. So far, it has descended into an illusory quagmire of debt dumped (from a very high place) upon, and underwritten by, the UQ (aka UK) taxpayer. And more debt, but without the taxpayer ever borrowing anything. The banking system cannot be seen to fail (as it has been doing for years). The so-called credit crunch is all the fault of borrowers. Nothing to do with the inundation of bank junk mail making loans so 'easy'. Many of the loan companies are doubtless subsidiaries of a (private) bank. Northern Rock appears to weave a tangled web. The attempt by the state to control its citizens continues relentlessly. Politicians continue to dump evermore restrictions on the long suffering people while at the same time feathering their own nests and all at our expense. Be mindful of the magician's trick being played to deflect attention. It's somewhere out of view. 'Call me Dave' Cameron's at it too. Laudable stuff, but Cameron stands to get around £5m pension if he makes it to the premiership. Being younger that Gordon Brown (£3.5m), the pension would be that much greater. Still pays to be a footballer since this small amount will probably be the 'salary' for playing' at football for a single week.

• Banks imposing unprecedented and swingeing charges on customers suggests very strongly that the banks new the fragility of the situation long ago and were attempting to make their customers bail them out. If that were the case then it would surely be dishonest.

Devil's Advocate

• 'Making' money is a dirty business and the line between legal and illegal becomes more indistinct. Cleaned money from dirty, sticky, tarry and quite disgusting crude oil is an illusion. Truth cannot be determined as the picture continues to deteriorate, but be aware that not just soft ground is underfoot. Hiding the truth becomes easier as the war of attrition escalates. When the peoples' genitalia are held in the grip of the establishment, serious unrest is predictable. The police and military will have a job yet. The determination to 'make' more money is endless. And hopeless. The long term aim for the 'wealth removers' has long been forgotten. It is simply 'making' money for the sake of it.

The monster continues to get bigger, but will dissolve in itself. Nothing will only ever be nothing and the game will go on. The possession of intelligence (intellectual) is all that is worth having. It cannot be taken away and is certainly not for sale.

Banking Panic - The Plan (Prelude)
Banking Panic - The Plan (1)
Banking Panic - The Plan (2)
Banking Panic - The Plan (3)
Banking Panic - The Plan (4)
Banking Panic - The Plan (5)
Banking Panic - The Plan (6)
Banking Panic - The Plan (7)
Banking Panic - The Plan (8)
Banking Panic - The Plan (9)
Banking Panic - The Plan (10)
Banking Panic - The Plan (Arrival)
Banking Panic - The Plan (The Next Phase)
Banking Panic - The Plan (11)
Banking Panic - The Plan (12)
Banking Panic - The Plan (13)
Banking Panic - The Plan (Exit)
Banking Panic - The Plan (1st Encore)
Banking Panic - The Plan (2nd Encore)
Banking Panic - The Plan (3rd Encore)
Banking Panic - The Circus