A different set of pigs - by Richard... Monday, July 19, 2010

A different set of pigs - by Richard... Monday, July 19, 2010

"Local communities will get the power and money to run bus services, set up broadband internet networks and take over neighbourhood recycling schemes under a mass transfer of power from the state to the people."

That is the brave new world, to be announced by The Great Leader tomorrow in his so-called "big society initiative".

The real question to address, though, is whether local communities could decide whether to abandon their "neighbourhood recycling schemes" and revert to landfill, as a cheaper and more environmentally friendly option.

If the answer is "no", which of course it would be, then there is no transfer of power. This is merely a redistribution of the franchise – a permit transfer which simply allows different group to do the same things.

One continues to wonder whether the man is so stupid that he does not realise that this is a sham, or whether he is so cynical that he believes we are the stupid ones, and he can get away with it.

People will soon discover, however, that all that is happening is that a different set of pigs is being put in charge. And then the gloss will rub off the Leader's project rather fast.

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Day 9 – Battle of Britain - by Richard... Sunday, July 18, 2010

The weather is not - as we recall the myth of 70 years ago – part the long hot summer. There is occasional rain in southern districts and the Straits of Dover are cloudy. It is generally cool. Nevertheless, flying conditions are better than they have been of late and at about 0930 a force of some 30 Luftwaffe aircraft assemble behind Calais and fly towards Deal.

Despite that, for reasons unexplained, an attack on a convoy does not develop. One fighter squadron is operating off Deal and two other squadrons are patrolling nearby as reserves. Interception takes place under cloudy conditions. No enemy aircraft are brought down but a Spitfire of No. 610 Squadron goes missing. Enemy aircraft bomb a coastguard station and sink the East Goodwin Light Vessel.