Click on the above to see some Stoke Newington Easter snow. It also is a reminder that the TS Stoke on Church Street used to be home to the Stoke Newington Sea Cadets.
In one of their top-ten idiotic moves, the friend of children and “the people”, Jules & Co’s Hackney Labour pulled the rug out from under the cadets and tried to sell the TS Stoke to developers in 2005.
The cadets moved to Islington. And the TS Stoke? It sits abandoned and presumably still owned by Hackney Council.
Congratulations and thank you to Flight Lt Michelle Goodman DFC for her act of supreme bravery under fire in Iraq. Her CO commented thus: -
Welcome home Lieutenant and allow me to salute you, as well as the other 180 military men and women honoured yesterday for their courage and professionalism on operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and around the world.
Regrettably, while you’ve been away, your seniors have banned the wearing military uniforms off base as a lame PC attempt to placate “minorities” and UCL’s Student Union couldn’t wait to get in on the troop bashing act by attempting to ban Officer Training Corps units from campus.
But don’t worry Lt, perhaps you will take some small comfort in the fact that we’re not the only ungrateful, spoiled brat of a nation.
Maybe it’s the Col Nathan R Jessop clips: -
but I love it.
Who do I trust? It damn sure isn’t Obama.
Honest to God, the kid rocks.
Bring back national service. The Army’s made a man out of Harry.
Matt Drudge, you are an asshat.
UPDATE
I see Harry’s deployment has pissed off the jihadis. When will these guys get the message that we will not submit?
Friends, the PC does not stand for “politically correct”.
I quote Ferris, she quotes Col Nathan R Jessop: -
“…we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. [...] And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives.You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honour, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline.I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post”.
Read more about service and gratitude and the state of this Godforsaken nation here.
It’s bad enough that the British public have a breathtaking apathy towards members of their armed forces, but the absolute rock bottom is to read, on a daily basis, about Labour’s under-funding and general neglect of our troops and their families. Just remind me, who’s been the Chancellor for 10 years before becoming PM?
It’s time for Labour to show some respect to the who volunteer to stand between ordinary citizens and terrorists and say, “not on my watch”.
I can’t understand David Cameron to save my life. On the one hand, he’s geed the conservative conference in Blackpool up with Labour’s 10 years of failure, and instead of nailing it with solutions for: stopping islamists and other crims coming into this country at will and with impunity; giving serving soldiers and veterans the dignity of proper pay, housing and hospitalisation; and sorting out the NHS filth and waste, you know what the Boy Dave’s talking about? The big agenda that’s going to turn the tide? Wait for it: -
No stamp duty for first time buyers; and
A pollution tax on air travel.
(Pounding on screen) HELLO!!! This country’s crying out for conservative leadership! Can the Conservative party produce some please?
I wonder if the Conservatives will even bother rolling out a candidate to take on Diane Abbott. And please don’t tell me Andrew Boff, the Scarlet Pimpernel of Stoke Newington. Somebody should tell that guy if you want to run for office and win (see his Mayor of Hackney and Mayor of London campaigns) people have to know he’s a candidate BEFORE polling day.
NB: - And William Hague, what ARE you doing? Stealing Lloyd Bentsen’s line. Shame on you. Gordon’s no Margaret Thatcher, but he’s not exactly Dan Quayle either. Tsk.
Donal Blaney can talk about “maintaining discipline” all he likes, but the fact remains Cameron and Co aren’t quite ready for Government.
A few years ago, I wouldn’t have missed a London Pride for anything. I always considered it more of an excuse for a party than a political statement. While I could do with a party at the moment, given my 100% focus on my final qualification, this year I didn’t look beyond or make any plans for anything other than my course this summer.
I was at work this morning and made an arrangement to meet a friend at the Victory for a final celebratory smoke and drink afterwards.
On my way to the Victory, I came across the Naval officers pictured above walking three abreast down Baker Street. Given that members of the armed services in this country don’t wear their uniforms in public, a little light switched on over my head. “Excuse me. I hope I’m not being presumptuous, but are you on your way to Pride?” One of the officers said yes and I gave him a smile and a salute.
Here, the Navy does not discriminate and it, along with the police and fire services were preparing to march in their respective uniforms. These guys would have been run out of the Navy on a rail if they did that in the US.
I was then struck by the Muslim contingent (middle photo above) and was amazed at their bravery.
Finally, and while the photo is nicked from the Amnesty International UK site : “Love is a human right” is the slogan I have taken away from my brief encounter with Pride this year.
I did make my way past the marchers to the Victory. While I waited for my friend, I started chatting with an older couple; it’s that kind of place. I chatted to them about their plans to see shows and sight-see when the gentleman said, “We can always join in on the Gays’ march”.
Oh yes, ha, ha! (I’m polite company- I’ve honed my skills at Gryffindor over the past couple of years.)
And while we we all laughing at the prospect of them joining in on Pride, the gentleman said, in a, “privately, between you and me” way: “I’d like to take a machine gun and wipe out the lot of them“.
“Oh Norman, you’ve got to change with the times” his wife said.
I rather lamely chipped in: “To each his own, that’s what I say”.
Now, there’s two things about that story: -
1. I am somewhat disappointed in myself for not politely saying something along the lines of, “Oh, but you see, I’m gay and I hope that doesn’t mean you’d shoot me ha, ha”; and
2. Why do people care- and care so much? Honestly, I really don’t care what other people do and who they have relationships with or the nature thereof; it’s none of my business and even if it were, I really don’t want to know. Why then do a significant minority of people care deeply about the matter? Please don’t tell me it’s the Bible or Koran. Do what you like. Just leave me out of it and I’ll extend you the same courtesy!
I reckon that the high watermark for being gay or lesbian in this country was circa 1997 (you remember: Gaytime TV, Brookside’s Beth Jordache, Ellen etc etc) and the tide of tolerance has definitely receded in the following years. I contine to be astounded at the vitriol against gays openly spewed these days when 10 years ago “lesbian chic” was being celebrated on the cover of Time Out.
One naturally assumes that once hard fought rights are obtained they are subsequently taken as read. Perhaps, as a group, we’ve learned the hard way that liberty cannot be taken for granted and that there is some lost ground to recover. That’s why we march. As Harry’s Place quite rightly observes, “Gays are the ill fated canary that tests the human rights atmosphere” and I’m feeling faint from the smell of shite emanating from the supposed liberators and their supporters these days.
While many liberals speculate as to the reasons why we should blame ourselves for Islamo-fascist terror attacks against the West, I know these attacks (commencing at the WTC in 1993) aren’t about “foreign policy” or “Islamophobia”. Don’t take my word for it. Listen to Dhiren Barot . Little Dhiren told us what it was about: “blowing up women at a nightclub would be fair game because no-one could be blamed for killing innocent people, only “those slags dancing around.” So I’m a slag, you’re a slag- we’re all fair game because it’s an attack on our freedoms and our way of life.
In light of the above, and given recent events including yesterday’s near event, one would have thought those engaged in the war on Islamo-terrorism would consider Gays, as fellow ”infidels”, to be their natural allies- at least until our common enemy is destroyed. I don’t see how on the one hand, one can passionately care about Western civilization, freedom from Talibanic oppression and enlightenment and on the other join forces with the very people who are otherwise their enemy.
But hey, no one ever said bigots of any description were very bright.
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