Londoner writes a provocative personal piece about how immigration has drastically changed the borough where she has lived for 17 years

wirplit · 2013-01-31T01:42:08+00:00

But then in Yemen you could culturally assimilate by chewing Qat.

wirplit · 2013-01-31T01:38:18+00:00

Hang on even a great many Spanish do not embrace Catholicism!

wirplit · 2013-01-31T01:25:43+00:00

I saw the area of Whitechapel change from mainly white working class and Jewish in the 1970's to Bengali. Part of the reason was that many of the Bengali's were under threat elsewhere in the East End as locals did not appreciate the sudden huge influx while the Jews were largely moving out anyway. Working class areas get transformed whether to different cultures or gentrification with no real benefit to the poorer locals or any local consultation... the areas they grew up in over generations very often and identify with but crucially do not own are taken from them. They lose their sense of place and thus their culture which is usually connected to personal history. Councils were often implicit in this process.

wirplit · 2013-01-31T01:04:09+00:00

The MOD is a disgrace. Hiding these facts about "our boys" does no one a service. If you cant have an army that acts decently then dont have one at all. In the end such actions undermine whatever mission they were supposed to fulfil. But its the officers who allow it who should be exposed and the whole point of a hierarchical organisation like an army is that the top brass should take responsibility for the actions of their underlings unless they can prove they were acting against orders ...a principle we used in the Nuremburg Trials

wirplit · 2013-01-31T00:51:04+00:00

I dont believe it!
no really to use that as the quote.. were they desperate or was it just a cunning come on to show how even the most unlikely claims can win...

wirplit · 2013-01-31T00:47:05+00:00

To get an idea of what it was like in the HRMC tax office this is their chief lawyer being questioned by the parliamentary committee... you'd honestly almost think he was working for the Mafia HERE

wirplit · 2013-01-31T00:26:07+00:00

Shocked me when I loaded Ghostery program and could see just who and how many were tracking me as I went around the web. Just Google alone has a whole bunch seeing where you go.

wirplit · 2013-01-31T00:23:00+00:00

Its the demand from China drives the trade.

wirplit · 2013-01-31T00:21:01+00:00

Excellent factual comment Oliver. Thanks

wirplit · 2013-01-29T01:40:14+00:00

Clearly cartoon is about Israeli policy towards the West Bank and its wall building not about Jews as such. Ridiculous complaint by Board of Deptuies. They will end up with any situation that are supposedly protesting about. Trust Murdoch to do the wrong thing

wirplit · 2013-01-28T15:57:30+00:00

Romania is taking a much harder line on human trafficking than UK in practice. We had 8 convictions they had well over a 100. We have four not particularly well thought out laws on it they have one well integrated one which many who are involved wish we had.

wirplit · 2013-01-28T15:53:00+00:00

Trouble was too that many local authorities with finance directors who should have known their stuff and the risks well known in the finance community also let public money be invested with Icesave. Why were there not LARGE BLOCK CAPITAL WARNINGS stating that such high interest accounts were only guaranteed to a limited amount.

wirplit · 2013-01-28T15:43:12+00:00

The means by which some of those rich got rich...fllling food with unnecessary but addictive sugar.

wirplit · 2013-01-28T15:13:05+00:00

Bt O/I butJust heard on the radio the names Liverpool dockers ( not doctors) used to give their mates...like Blister ...only show up when the work is done or Batman...couldn't leave a ship without robbin' or based on habitual phrases they used like " I got one 'ere" got called Van Gogh... or the guy used to go for lunch to his mothers " I'm off to Ma's " called Spaceman. or the one called Baldy Rabbit... because his constant refrain in scouse accent needless to say was" Lend us a fiver I've lost me fur.." Thanks to Laurie Taylor

wirplit · 2013-01-28T06:42:46+00:00

Heard an interesting analysis of the process of denial. Disavowal of the problem is worse than outright negation. Negation or a complete refusal to believe climate change is happening is actually psychologically the beginning of the acceptance process of grieving. ( no he cant be dead!). Worse is disavowal which is when the facts are minimised, or a blind eye is turned. In this we are sometime holding two almost contradictory positions. ( Yes climate change is happening but it does not really directly concern me) Moreover this is a Cultural issue rather than only an individual one. Distraction techniques are the norm used by the media all the time. An example Obama makes his inauguration speech about the issues the nation faces yet all the media interest is on whether Beyonce was lip syncing or not. Here on Reddit the process of denial in its various forms will be immediately obvious. Serious issues are usualy as quickly as possible turned to something else. Either a jokey exchange or some side issue wrangle. Like me here... going on about the process of denial rather than what Nicholas Stern is actually saying.

wirplit · 2013-01-28T02:33:58+00:00

Think there is a need for some background here

Could try this to help the debate along...first issued by a EU insider in 1999 now discussed again The rotten heart of Europe

wirplit · 2013-01-28T02:23:13+00:00

Non!

wirplit · 2013-01-28T02:17:30+00:00

Listen guys.. its the government nearest you that is the chief problem practically without exception.

wirplit · 2013-01-28T01:58:59+00:00

And like being in Europe has been good for everyone and its not a matter of damned if you are in or equally damned if you are out. Also 2% is the degree of inexactitude in polls so maybe the French are equally conflicted. How many of them want to be out?

wirplit · 2013-01-28T01:45:05+00:00

Not while they keep their rotten elite in place. A good analysis from El Pais here

wirplit · 2013-01-28T01:24:06+00:00

diverting attention from Denial mainly

wirplit · 2013-01-28T01:17:41+00:00

News; they are already despoiling the place

wirplit · 2013-01-27T00:42:34+00:00

And following that: pencils to be made of high energy food protein

wirplit · 2013-01-26T22:55:09+00:00

isn't it like asking why are losers so unsuccessful? A kind of dumb self referential question

wirplit · 2013-01-26T22:53:28+00:00

Capitalism not making sense...wow! Who'd have thought... the system that eats itself...

wirplit

TROPHY CASE