John Prescott And House Of Lord(itup)s

Smoke Screens And The House Of Lords
Grace And Favour Lifestyle Continues
Two Jags or Two Jabs Prescott?
Prescott Apologises

"I don't want to be a member of the

House of Lords.

I will not accept it."

No comment

Plane Crashes

Over the history of commercial flight there have been many air disasters that have involved a great loss of life and over the last 60 years statistics reveal that many of these were as a result of some sort of pilot error. Mechanical failure was followed by weather. In the last 12 years (1998 - 2010) there have been 73 disasters:

1998 4, 1999 2, 2000 7, 2001 4, 2002 10, 2003 7, 2004 2

2005 9, 2006 5, 2007 6, 2008 6, 2009 8, 2010 3

The 100 worst aviation disasters in terms of the descending number of fatalities since 1956 (30th June, Grand Canyon: 128 fatalities) are listed in the Table below, but as a mode of travel this remains proportionately hugely safer when compared to traffic collision. An aircraft that crashes generally has a higher relative number of deaths per incident that a fatal car crash. Coach crashes are reported, but a car crash is relegated to the inconsequential unless a multiple pile-up happens.

1	2907*	09/11/2001	New York City, New York	American /United Airlines	B767 / B767
2	583	03/27/1977	Tenerife, Canary Islands	Pan Am / KLM	B747 / B747
3	520	08/12/1985	Mt. Osutaka, Japan	Japan Air Lines	B747
4	349	11/12/1996	New Delhi, India	Saudi / Kazastan	B747 / Il76
5	346	03/03/1974	Bois d' Ermenonville, France	Turkish Airlines	DC10
6	329	06/23/1985	Atlantic Ocean West of Ireland	Air India	B747
7	301	08/19/1980	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia	Saudi Arabian Airlines	L1011
8	290	07/03/1988	Persian Gulf	Iran Air	A300
9	275	02/19/2003	Shahdad, Iran	Islamic Revolution's Guards Co.	Il-76MD
10	273	05/25/1979	Chicago, Illinois	American Airlines	DC10
11	270	12/21/1988	Lockerbie, Scotland	Pan American World Airways	B747
12	269	09/01/1983	Sakhalin Island, Russia	Korean Airlines	B747
13	265	11/12/2001	Belle Harbor, Queens, New York	American Airlines	A300
14	264	04/26/1994	Komaki, Japan	China Airlines	A300
15	261	07/11/1991	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia	Nationair/charter Nigeria AW	DC8
16	257	11/28/1979	Mt. Erebus, Antarctica	Air New Zealand	DC10
17	256	12/12/1985	Gander, Newfoundland, Canada	Arrow Airways	DC8
18	234	09/26/1997	Buah Nabar, Indonesia	Garuda Indonesia Airlines	A300
19	230	07/17/1996	Off East Moriches, New York	Trans World Airlines	B747
20	229	09/02/1998	Off Nova Scotia, Canada	Swissair	MD11
21	228	06/01/2009	Atlantic Ocean	Air France	A330
-	228	08/06/1997	Agana, Guam	Korean Airlines	B747
23	227	01/08/1996	Kinshasa, Zaire	African Air	AN32
24	225	05/25/2002	Off Penghu, Taiwan	China Airlines	B747
25	223	05/26/1991	Ban Nong Rong, Thailand	Lauda Air	B767
26	217	10/31/1999	Off Nantucket, Massachusetts	EgyptAir	B767
27	213	01/01/1978	Off Bandra, Maharashtra, India	Air India	B747
28	203	02/16/1998	Taipei, Taiwan	China Airlines	A300
29	200	07/10/1985	Uchuduk, Uzbekistan, USSR	Aeroflot	TU154
30	199	07/17/2007	Sao Paulo, Brazil	TAM Brazil	A320
31	191	12/04/1974	Maskeliya, Sri Lanka	Martinair Holland	DC8
32	189	09/11/2001	Arlington, Virginia	American Airlines	B757
-	189	02/06/1996	Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic	Alas Nacionales (Birgenair)	B757
34	188	08/03/1975	Immouzer, Morocco	Aila Royal Jordanian Airlines	B707
35	183	05/09/1987	Warsaw, Poland	Polskie Linie Lotnicze	IL62
-	183	11/15/1978	Katunavake, Sir Lanka	Loftleidir	DC8
37	181	11/27/1983	Madrid, Spain	Avanca	B747
38	180	12/01/1981	Mt. San Pietro, Corsica, France	Index Adria Avioproment	MD80
39	178	10/11/1994	Omsk, Russia	Aeroflot	TU154
-	178	08/11/1979	Dneprodzerzhinsk, USSR	Aeroflot / Aeroflot	TU134/TU134
41	176	06/07/1989	Paramaribo, Surinam	Surinam Airways	DC8
-	176	09/10/1976	Gaj, Hrvatska, Yugoslavia	Index Adria Avio / BA	DC9 /Trident
-	176	01/22/1973	Kano, Nigeria	Aila Royal Jordanian Airlines	B707
44	174	10/13/1972	Krasnaya Polyana, USSR	Aeroflot	IL62
45	171	09/19/1989	Bilma, Niger	Union des Trans. Aeriens	DC10
-	171	09/03/1989	Havana, Cuba	Cubana	IL62M
47	170	08/22/2006	Donetsk, Ukraine	Pulkovo Airlines	Tu-154M
48	169	01/30/2000	Off Abidjan, Ivory Coast	Kenya Airways	A310-304
49	168	07/15/2009	Qazvin, Iran	Caspian Airlines	Tu-154M
50	167	09/28/1992	Bhadagon, Katmandu, Nepal	Pakistan Inter. Airlines	A300
-	167	03/31/1986	Maravatio, Mexico	Mexicana	B727
52	166	07/07/1980	Nar Alma-Ata, Kasakastan, USSR	Aeroflot	TU154B
53	163	07/30/1971	Morioko, Japan	All Nippon / Japanese AF	B727 / F86F
54	160	08/16/2005	La Cucharita, Venezuela	West Carribean Airlines	MD-82
-	160	12/20/1995	Buga, Columbia	American Airlines	B757
-	160	06/06/1994	Xi'an, China	China Northwest Airlines	TU154M
57	159	11/28/1987	Mauritius, Indian Ocean	South Africian Airways	B747
58	158	05/22/2010	Mangalore, India	Air India Express	B737
59	157	12/22/1992	Tripoli, Libya	Libya Arab Airlines / Lib AF	B727
60	156	08/16/1987	Romulus, Michigan	Northwest Airlines	MD82
-	156	08/14/1972	KKönigs Wusterhausen, E. Germany	Interflug	IL62
-	156	11/26/1979	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia	Pakistan Inter. Airlines	B707
63	155	12/03/1972	Tenerife, Canary Islands	Spantax	Convair 990
-	155	04/04/1975	Siagon, Vietnam	U.S. Air Force	C-5 Gallaxy
65	154	03/16/1969	Maracaibo, Venezuela	Venezolana Inter. de Av.	DC9
-	154	09/19/1976	Karatepe Mountains, Turkey	Turkish Airlines	B727
-	154	09/29/2006	Sao Felix do Araguaia,Brazil	Gol Airlines	B-737
68	153	07/09/1982	Kenner, Louisiana	Pan American World Airways	B727
-	153	08/20/2008	Madrid, Spain	Spanair	MD-82
70	152	06/30/2009	Mitsamiouli, Comoros	Yemenia	A310
71	149	05/04/2002	Kano, Nigeria	EAS Airlines	BAC-111
72	148	02/19/1985	Mt. Oiz, Spain	Iberia Airlines	B727
-	148	01/03/2004	Off Sharm el Sheikh-Ophira, Egypt	Flash Air	B737
74	146	04/25/1980	Tenerife, Canary Islands	Dan Air	B727
75	145	07/04/2001	Irkutsk, Russia	Vladivostokavia	TU154
76	144	02/08/1989	Santa Maria, Azores	Independent Air Inc	B707
-	144	09/25/1978	San Diego, California	Pacific Southwest/Private	B727 /C172
78	143	11/07/1996	Lagos, Nigeria	Aviation Devel. Corp.	B727
-	143	03/17/1988	Cucuta, Colombia	Avianca	B727
-	143	08/23/2000	Off Manama, Behrain	Gulf Air	A320
-	143	09/05/2005	Medan, Indonesia	Mandala Airlines	B737
82	141	08/29/1996	Spitsbergen, Norway	Vnokovo Airlines	TU154
-	141	12/18/1995	Kahengula, Angola	Trans Service Airlift	L188C
-	141	11/24/1992	Liutang, Guangxi, China	China Southern Airlines	B737
85	140	12/25/2003	Cotonou, Benin	UTA	B727
86	137	06/08/1982	Near Pacatuba, Brazil	VASP	B727
87	135	08/02/1985	Ft. Worth-Dallas, Texas	Delta Air Lines	L1011	5
88	134	12/16/1960	Staten Island/Brooklyn, New York	United Air Lines / TWA	DC8 / L1049
89	133	02/04/1966	Tokyo Bay, Japan	All Nippon Airways	B727
-	133	02/08/1993	Tehran, Iran	Iran Air / Air Force	TU154M
91	132	09/08/1994	Aliquippa, Pennsylvania	USAir	B737
-	132	05/19/1993	Medellin, Colombia	SAM	B727
-	132	06/28/1982	Southern Belarus, USSR	Aeroflot	YAK42
94	131	11/19/1977	Funchal, Is. of Madeira, Portugal	TAP	B727
-	131	04/19/2000	Samal Island, Philippines	Air Philippines	B737
96	130	10/02/1990	Kuwait City, Kuwait	Iraqi Airways	IL76
-	130	11/08/1983	Lubango, Huila, Angola	TAAG Angola Airlines	B737
-	130	11/16/1967	Near Sverdlovsk, Russia	Aeroflot	IL62
-	130	06/03/1962	Villeneuve-le-Roi, France	Air France	B707
100	128	04/15/2002	Buscan, South Korea	Air China	B767
-	128	10/02/1990	Guangzhou, China	Xiamen / China SW	B737 / B757
-	128	01/21/1980	Elburz Mountains, Iran	Iran National Airlines	B727
-	128	06/30/1956	Grand Canyon, Arizona	United Airlines / TWA	DC7 / L1049
-	128	07/09/2006	Irkutsk, Russia	Sibir (S7)	A310

Marxism And The Labour Party

Marxism 
Marxism Today
Marxism and the World Today
Marxism Today - Ten Theses
The Communist Manifesto
Marxism (Classical)
The Communist Party
ANIMAL FARM - A FAIRY STORY

"If there is to be revolution, there must be a revolutionary party. Without a revolutionary party, without a party built on the Marxist-Leninist revolutionary theory and in the Marxist-Leninist revolutionary style, it is impossible to lead the working class and the broad masses of the people in defeating imperialism and its running dogs."

"Revolutionary Forces of the World Unite, Fight Against Imperialist Aggression!" (November 1948), Selected Works,  Vol. IV, p. 284.

Thailand Revolutionary Crisis
United Kingdom Groundswell

• Classical Marxism refers to the theory expounded by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels and is often used to distinguish between the accepted interpretation of Classical Marxism and "what Marx believed". Shortly before he died in 1883, Marx wrote a letter to the French workers' leader Jules Guesde and to his own son-in-law Paul Lafargue, both of whom claimed to represent Marxist principles, in which he accused them of "revolutionary phrase-mongering" and denying the value of reformist struggles. Essentially: "If that is Marxism, then I am not a Marxist". Hal Draper (American Marx scholar) remarked:

"there are few thinkers in modern history whose

thought has been so badly misrepresented by

Marxists and anti-Marxists, alike."

Hijacking an ideology to suit

a different purpose

Marxism (Orthodox)

• The version of Marxism which emerged after the death of Karl Marx was known as Orthodox Marxism and is the term used to describe the official philosophy of the Second International up to the First World War and of the Third International thereafter. The ethos of Orthodox Marxism is to simplify, codify and organise Marxist thought, clearing up any perceived ambiguities and contradictions.

Political practice or theory based on an interpretation of the works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels can be classified as Marxism and it is a theoretical-practical framework based on the analysis of "the conflicts between the powerful and the subjugated".

• Animal Farm by George Orwell is an allegorical tale that deals with betrayal.

As political and economic scenarios continue to descend and fester, it becomes more obvious that capitalism just illustrates that wealth creation doesn't exist. That wealth isn't created, but taken. The building of wealth is simply moving from the possession of the one to another: Redistribution. Technically, theft by appropriation. The widening of the division between those with and those without. Those with acquire more at the expense of those who 'lose' it: Winners And Losers. Any acquired 'wealth' is simply taken and it's been happening for centuries. The building of any personal wealth doesn't create, but simply moves 'ownership'.

Blair To Cameron: The Transfer Of A Legacy
Gordon Brown And Marxism

Ralph Miliband (father)

• David Miliband (son) 
• Ed Miliband (son)

Sibling rivalry is argued as being divisive in the contest for the Labour party leadership, but it can be considered as doubling the chances of a Miliband winning the contest. Paternal influence is likely to be significant in ideological thinking and so a possible Marxist influence cannot be ignored. The Labour Party appears to be a better place for this ideology to exist than in any other party or government. However, Marxism does not have an exclusive home.

Dr Gordon Brown - PhD thesis is entitled:

The Labour Party and Political Change

in Scotland 1918–29

A post doc thesis could be entitled:

The Labour Party and Political Change

in England 1997-2010

The Unions are major sponsors of the Labour party with the rank and file membership assumed to support the ideological ethos, but it is possible that such support is weaker than imagined. The workers have little say in the 'running' of the union that is supposed to represent them, just like the allegorical novel Animal Farm. The connection of Marxism and unions in the UK is a very real (potential) future problem.

Social Class: Harriet Harman (Official Profile)
The Ups and Downs of Harman and 'Social Class'

Marxism is a mixture of political philosophy, economic and sociological view based upon a materialist interpretation of history. A Marxist analysis of capitalism, a theory of social change and an atheist view of human liberation derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Three primary (alleged) aspects of Marxism:

• The struggle between social classes: the productive capacity of society is the foundation of society and as this capacity increases over time the social relations of production and class relations evolve through this struggle of the classes. It passes through definite stages: primitive communism, slavery, feudalism and capitalism. The legal, political, ideological and other aspects (art etc) of society are derived from the relations of production as is the consciousness of the individuals of which the society is composed.

• The critique of capitalism: Marx argued that in a capitalist society, an economic minority (the bourgeoisie) dominate and exploit the majority working class (proletariat) and he argued that capitalism is exploitative. Specifically the way in which unpaid labour (surplus value) is extracted from the working class (the labour theory of value), extending and critiquing the work of earlier political economists on value. He argued that while the production process is socialised, ownership remains in the hands of the bourgeoisie. This forms the fundamental contradiction of the capitalist society. Without the elimination of the shackle of private ownership as the means of production, human society is unable to achieve further development.

• Advocacy of the proletarian revolution in order to overcome the shackles of private property. The working class must seize political power internationally through a social revolution and expropriate the capitalist classes around the world and place the productive capacities of society into collective ownership. Upon this, material foundation classes would be abolished and the material basis for all forms of inequality between humankind would dissolve.

Union Motivation

The motives behind the strike called by the unions in the BA dispute are difficult to fathom, but the dated struggle between the capitalist employer and the 'workers' is strongly intimated. Yet, the modern-day lackey seems unaware of the deeper implications. The timing is fortuitous if not planned with knowledge of a general election. In the event, the unions did not get the Labour government that they fund, but the action simply escalates instead. The interests of members are claimed to be the priority, but actions conflict with this alleged aim. Considered against an expected loss of £100s millions due to a downturn in passenger bookings, higher costs and 'industrial action' taken by the employees on the advice or instruction of the union leaders, the workers 'betters' don't pay the wages, but only take members' dues. It's somewhat cynical to be in receipt of a large salary + expenses package paid for out of members subscriptions who are being urged to strike and in so doing simply cripple themselves. The imagined move forwards to improve the interests of BA employees is non-existent.

  On the face of it it seems lunacy to take industrial action to reacquire the favourable working practices lost by taking industrial action in the first place. This is simply digging the hole deeper and there can never be a way out by 'digging'. To suggest it is spiteful or vengeful of the employer to inflict 'punishment' for such action is absurd, when the workers themselves spitefully intended damage. The madness is the self-harming they have done and continue to do. The 'workers' cannot have imagined that the business wouldn't suffer. The hole gets deeper. And deeper. The supplicants haven't realised that the Labour saviour is no longer 'in charge'.

The members of these unions presumably still pay their dues if and when they become unemployed as a result of union advice. The union leaders don't jeopardise their employment as they are not employed by the industries with which they are in conflict. The members are the pawns and the union leaders appear to see themselves as the power players in a chess game. This has all the 'marxings' of an ideological struggle simply using the workers as the fodder. The industry will be destroyed and in times of workers real pain this is absolute betrayal. The motives for winning are unclear, but consider the novel Animal Farm (plot summary) by George Orwell (aka Eric Blair) and the cynical mobilisation and manipulation of well-meaning animals by other animals (the pigs), a dystopian allegorical tale of treachery and betrayal.

Marxism

Marxism connection
Marxism And The Labour Party

• Derek Simpson
• Tony Woodley

Union bosses are allegedly paid £1.7million a year in pay, pensions and perks. RMT rail union boss Bob Crow was (according to official statistics), paid in excess of £128,000. Crow's six-figure package includes a salary of £84,923 with additional pension contributions totalling £28,088. Almost £10,000 in "expenses" plus another £5,284 to cover his travel and petrol bills. The well-paid militant 'fat-cats' plotted a wave of strikes that caused misery for millions of hard-working families. The biggest union 'fat cat' is Derek Simpson, general secretary of the Unite union (retires 23.12.2010) behind the recent British Airways strikes and received just under £187,000: a £97,027 salary, nearly £27,000 in pension contributions, £38,340 for accommodation and £24,480 for his car. Unite's other general secretary Tony Woodley has a £122,000 package, including a salary of £93,815. BIG earners include Dave Prentis, boss of public sector union Unison who got just over £130,000 (£95,000 salary, pension contributions of more than £24,000 and nearly £11,000 expenses). Billy Hayes, the militant leader of Communications Workers Union (CWU), took home an £87,045 salary - plus a "beneficial loan" of £1,393.

The same union bosses are claimed to have handed over £74.2million to Labour since 2005 - more than half of the party's donations. It suggests Marxist ideology funds Marxist ideology and quite possibly without the approval of those who pay for it - the workers. The smiling strikers suggests a blind happiness. Going to your own public execution and still happy.

Open your eyes and view reality

It's the end

Derek Simpson retires this December (2010). What interest will he then have for the betrayed unemployed as he enjoys the pension the members have funded?

Public sympathy is at a minimum when those who are fortunate enough to have a job play the games of others completely unaware of the 'game' they are in. Being led by the nose like lambs to slaughter. This illustrates the true ethos behind a socialist (Labour) party.

All the figures on pay, pensions and perks are based on papers submitted to the official Certification Officer, who keeps records on every union. Presumably, the members (workers) are happy to pay their contributions into union coffers and ensure lucrative pensions for their leaders' retirement. And assuming that they are aware of how the unions fund Labour governments and the "high life" for the hardline fat-cats. Any outgoings must originate by income from members. It seems that "while workers face demands for pay restraint, union bosses are raking it in at their expense" (Douglas Carswell). The male supremacy within union positions that represent the rank and file of men and women is illustrated by the following:

Bob Crow, RMT - £128,226 

• Pay: £84,923 
• Pension contributions: £28,088 
• Expenses: £9,931 
• Travel (including petrol): £5,284

Derek Simpson, UNITE - £186,626

• Pay: £97,027 
• Pension: £26,779
• Car and other allowance: £24,480
• Housing Benefit: £38,340

Tony Woodley, UNITE - £122,108

• Pay: £93,815
• Pension contributions: £16,347
• Beneficial loan: £6,603
• Car fuel: £5,343 

Unite is formed from the merger of

Amicus and the TGWU

• Marxists approach the question of union mergers from the point of view of the rank and file, and whether the merger will or will not lead to greater strength and combativity. On this basis, a smaller, democratic union can prove more effective than a larger, bureaucratic union, whose leaders are anxious to avoid struggle whilst they look after their own interests at the expense of the rank and file.

Dave Prentis, UNISON - £130,109

• Pay: £94,953
• Pension contributions: £24,311
• Expenses and car benefits: £10,845

Paul Kenny, GMB - £112,000

• Pay: £84,000 
• Super-annuation: £20,000
• Car: £8,000

John Hannett, USDAW- £113,156

• Pay: £85,812
• Pension contributions: £17,247
• Union car: £10,097

Billy Hayes, CWU - £88,438

• Pay: £87,045
• Beneficial Loan: £1,393

Alan Ritchie, UCATT - £83,536

• Pay: £68,779
• Pensions contributions: £12,658
• Car: £2,099

Michael Leahy, Community - £116,000

• Salary: £86,072
• Pension contribution: £17,214
• Car, driver, mortgage, medical, telephone : £12,709

Gerry Doherty, TSSA - £78,508

• Salary: £65,152
• Pension contributions: £13,356

Keith Norman, ASLEF - £118,944

• Salary: £73,907 
• Pensions contributions: £26,430
• Car, services and accommodation: £18,607

John Smith, Musicians' Union - £102,239

• Pay: £80,116
• Pensions contributions: £16,000
• Car: £5,423
• Phone: £700

Gerry Morrissey, BECTU - £76,359

• Salary: £59,813
• Pensions contributions: £16,546

Joe Marino, BFAWU - £56,585

• Salary: £42,759
• Pensions contribution: £6,691
• Car: £7,071
• Medical: £64

Chris Kitchen, NUM - £51,594

• Salary: £47,537
• Travel, fuel and phone: £4,057

Ian Lavery, NUM President - £59,421

• Salary: £59,421

Geoff Bagnall, Unity - £71,335

• Pay: £41,598
• Pensions contributions: £21,963
• Car, fuel, health club and other benefits: £7,774 

Militant unions have given more than half of all donations to Labour since the last General Election. The party and its MPs received £74.2million in total - with more than £40million coming from groups now threatening to bring Britain to its knees with strikes. PM Gordon Brown while still in government was blasted for not condemning the current BA cabin crew walkouts, yet took £10,950 for his Scottish constituency. Opposition parties had accused Labour of being held to ransom by the unions. Tory chairman Eric Pickles said: "No wonder Gordon Brown has shown no backbone during this strike - his political survival depends on union barons lining the pockets of the Labour Party... Labour want to take us back to the 1970s with a Spring of Discontent and a wave of walkouts.

"Labour courted rich individuals under ex-PM Tony Blair's leadership, who poured £millions into the party's coffers. That cash eventually dried up under Brown and left the party ever more reliant on union help. The militants' influence had grown at No10 and UNITE, locked in a bitter battle with BA, led the way in donations with £17.9million. Dr Brown's former 'spin doctor' Charlie Whelan, still a regular visitor to Downing Street, is now political director of Unite. Senior adviser in No 10, Clare Moody, had her salary paid by Unite.

Public service union UNISON gave the next highest handout of £8.1million, while £5.2million came from USDAW. Both are involved in disputes. The GMB, whose British Gas members voted to strike before reaching a last-minute deal on Wednesday, gave £6.2million. The Royal Mail-crippling CWU gave £2.6million and the TSSA, whose rail workers were set to strike with the RMT, gave £242,000. Figures posted on the Electoral Commission website show Dr Brown's Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency got the £10,950 from Unite, Unison and the GMB. Other ministers who received union backing included Schools Secretary Ed Balls, Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth and International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander.

Dr. Vince Cable (Lib Dem deputy leader at the time) said:

"For any party to owe so much to special
interests undermines our democracy."

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