Author: R J Adams

Welcome to 2018.

After a night filled with joy and revelry that saw me in bed for ten-thirty and asleep by eleven, a glance at the papers this New Year’s morning gave a glimpse of what we might expect in the year ahead.

Is the U.K. the only country in the world to charge onlookers for a view of the New Year fireworks display? Apparently 100,000 people paid ten quid a head (that’s almost one pound a minute!) for the privilege of seeing the 12-minute display over the Thames this year. That’s not a bad one million pounds start to 2018, Mister Mayor of London.

It’s unlikely to happen, but one could hope that 2018 might see the end of the word “antisemitism” being tossed about by certain of the Jewish fraternity every time someone criticizes the Israeli government for its persecution of the Palestinians. The latest to do this is Shmuley Boteach, a U.S. rabbi who loves publicity.

^{(Shmuley Boteach (left) – sadly, it’s not an anagram of ‘smelly bottom’, though I did try! Who’s his friend??)}

He took out a full page spread in the Washington Post to call the New Zealand pop star, Lorde, a bigot and antisemitic, while accusing New Zealand of prejudice against Israel.^[1]

All this fuss because Lorde cancelled a concert in Tel Aviv in protest at Israel’s persecution of the Palestinians. Well, if that’s antisemitism, Rabbi Boteach, then count me in. The truth, of course, is that it has nothing whatever to do with antisemitism. It’s a protest against a political system that persecutes another race of people. So, hell, why doesn’t that sound familiar to him?

Some good news to start the year as Theresa May says she’s considering moving Boris Johnson from his position as foreign secretary. No indication of where he might end up, but rumours are circulating in Whitehall that a toilets’ supervisor recently handed in his notice.^[2]

^{Apologies: this isn’t Boris Johnson, it’s actually an Aussie man, Frank Sullivan, making a point about dirty toilets in a shopping mall.[3] (He looks somewhat like Boris, though!)}

We all feel assured by the firm declaration from Prof Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS England’s national medical director, that setting up ‘Accountable Care Organizations’ (ACOs) in eight areas of England is not a precursor to privatizing the National Health Service. ^[4]

Interestingly, the privately run and very expensive United States health service already has its own ACOs. They even have their own association, with a brand new website complete with super good-looking, pearly-toothed actors pretending to be doctors – even down to the obligatory stethoscopes casually slung around necks:

The AAACO is dedicated to the development of Accountable Care Organizations: providing valuable information and assistance in order to provide the healthcare marketplace with quality services at competitive prices. The AAACO offers membership to ACOs, hospitals, professional associations, health plans, physicians …[etc, etc] ^[5]

Is Sir Bruce lying to us? Or, perhaps Theresa just hasn’t told him yet?

Finally, for our American friends, some sad news today from Florida. It seems the residents of Palm Beach are very upset. Apparently, super-pressy Donald Trump is in situ at his winter palace, Mar-a-Lago, for the New Year revelries.

While he’s there those poor people of Palm Beach are not being allowed to land their private jets at the local airport. ^[6]

Whatever will they do?

I guess they’ll NOT be voting for HIM again come 2020.

^{[1] “Lorde called a bigot over cancelled Israel concert in full-page Washington Post ad” Guardian, January 1st 2018}

^{[2] “Theresa May considers Brexit role for Boris Johnson in cabinet reshuffle” Guardian, January 1st 2018}

^{[3] “Knox Ratepayers’ Association disgusted with state of council toilets” Herald Sun (Au), February 23rd 2015}

^{[4] “NHS shake-up is not a Trojan horse for privatisation, says top doctor” Guardian, January 1st 2018}

^{[5] “American Association of Accountable Care Organizations”}

^{[6] “Trump looks to cash in from lavish NYE party at Mar-a-Lago – but is it ethical?” Guardian, December 31st 2017}

When we were little kids we used to play a game whereby one of us would shadow an unsuspecting adult along the street, pretending we were following a spy. Having ascertained where they lived we would then report back to “HQ” (usually a kid’s bedroom) with all the imaginary stuff we’d discovered.

I was reminded of this game by an article on the BBC website this morning:

A British frigate shadowed a Russian warship through the North Sea near UK waters on Christmas Day, the Royal Navy has revealed.

HMS St Albans monitored the Admiral Gorshkov’s “activity in areas of national interest”, it said.

The Admiral Gorshkov, a new guided-missile frigate, is still undergoing trials, Russian media report.

The Royal Navy reports a recent “upsurge in Russian units transiting UK waters”.

HMS St Albans was sent on Saturday to “keep watch on the new Russian warship Admiral Gorshkov as it passed close to UK territorial waters”, the Royal Navy said.

The British frigate remained at sea on Monday, monitoring the Russian vessel, and was due to return to Portsmouth on Tuesday.

“I will not hesitate in defending our waters or tolerate any form of aggression,” Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said.

“Britain will never be intimidated when it comes to protecting our country, our people, and our national interests.”

The Admiral Gorshkov, the first of a new class of multi-role blue-water frigates, has still to complete missile tests before entering service with the Russian navy next year, Russian media report.

It has reportedly been sailing regularly between the White Sea off Russia’s northern coast and the Baltic.^[1]

I suppose there are still some in Britain who would feel a thrill of nationalistic pride at the drivel put forth by Gavin Williamson – a swift snap to attention with Alf Garnett-style salute, but in reality the whole episode is no more worthy of BBC headlines than were our childhood escapades of all those years ago. The Russian vessel was merely going about its business, in international waters close to its home country.

Isn’t it time we grew up and stopped playing these childhood games?”

^{[1] “HMS St Albans: UK frigate shadows Russian warship in North Sea” BBC, 26th December 2017}

^{A BRIEF APOLOGY: Posting on Sparrow Chat has been sparse of late due to certain health issues that are, hopefully, being resolved. It is anticipated that, to coin a phrase from vintage BBC TV: “Normal Service will be resumed as soon as possible.”}

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In 1381 the poor people of England rose up against a tyrannical regime of wealthy lords and landowners who passed laws that kept the general populace on the edge of starvation. It was known as the “Peasants’ Revolt,” or, “Wat Tyler’s Rebellion,” Tyler being one of the ringleaders. The people, armed mostly with no more than pitchforks, took on the might of the English army led by Richard II. Over 1,500 ‘peasants’ lost their lives and the ringleaders were executed. Nevertheless, this revolt against the power of the wealthy and their disdain for ordinary people, shook England to its core. Although experts disagree on the long-term effects of the Peasants’ Revolt, there can be little doubt it helped change the course of English social and economic history.

‘Tis the season of “peace and goodwill towards men,” at least according to St Luke 2.14. It’s interesting to note that this wording occurs only in the King James version of the Bible. All later ‘translations’ refer not to ‘men’ or ‘all men’, but merely, “…to those with whom He is pleased,” or, “…to those on whom His favor rests.”

One thing is certain, there’s little goodwill towards men emanating from either the U.S. White House or the British government this Christmastide. Donald Trump’s latest, and possibly his worst action since taking office, was to attempt bribery, blackmail, and serious coercion towards the rest of the world over his appalling announcement recently that the U.S. would be formally recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Nikki Hayley, acting less like a U.N. representative and more like a spoiled child demanding its own way, took pains to denounce all those nations who voted for the U.N. resolution. She has since issued invitations to all nations that voted against, abstained, or absented themselves from the proceedings, to a “reception” (presumably at the White House) on January 3rd, where they’ll be thanked for their friendship to America. ^[1]

it should prove a colourful event, given the list of invitees:

Reject: Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Togo and United States. (9)

Abstain: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Haiti, Hungary, Jamaica, Kiribati, Latvia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda and Vanuatu. (35)

Absent: Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, East Timor, El Salvador, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mongolia, Myanmar, Moldova, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Zambia. (31)

With the possible exception of Australia, Canada, (are these the latest ‘Cowards of the Commonwealth’?), and, of course, Israel, it’s doubtful the rest of this motley contingent could muster more than a few rusty cannon and the odd musket between them, should Mister Trump call on his new allies to attack the rest of the world.

Guinea-Bissau, Samoa, East Timor? And will Aung San Suu Kyi be part of the Myanmar contingent, accompanied possibly by a few of her Rohingya victims still capable of walking?

There is no peace or goodwill emanating from the U.S. White House this Christmas. Like some crazed Roman emperor extracted from an old Cecil B DeMille epic, the sick, narcissistic, sociopath presently in charge of America adds his spiky signature to a tax bill that will impoverish even more of his citizens, render Obamacare null and void, and hand billions more dollars to the wealthy and powerful to whom he panders.

Across the pond in Britain there is also little cause for celebration this Christmas. The hard right-wing Tory government is still hellbent on dragging out Brexit to its sorry conclusion. The U.K. pound flounders against the euro and the dollar, causing price rises across the board and making Christmas a financial nightmare for many.

Throughout the U.K. 300,000 people are homeless (1 in every 200 of its citizens). In London it’s 1 in 59. In Nottingham the first ‘vending machine for the homeless’ has been installed in a local shopping mall.^[2]

The housing charity, “Shelter,” states:

1.6 million children in Britain live in housing that is overcrowded, temporary, or run-down. Some live in housing that’s making them ill. Many are missing out on a decent education. Others suffer chronic insecurity, shuffled from place to place in temporary accommodation. ^[3]

Inflation is rising, jobs are hard to come by, and the longterm forecasts for the economy are dire.

Yet the U.K., and London in particular, is a haven for billionaires from all over the world. There are probably more billionaires per capita in the U.K. than in the United States, because the Brexit economy is working for them.

From the Guardian:

The Equality Trust said the £83bn increase in wealth among the richest 1,000 people over the past year could pay the energy bills of all UK households for two and a half years and would be enough for the grocery bills for all food bank users for 56 years.

Wanda Wyporska, the executive director of the trust, said that an elite was sitting on mountains of wealth in the fifth largest economy of the world. “The super-rich continue to streak away from the rest of us, while the poorest see their wealth shrink. This is an economy working for the few, not the many,” she said.

“Record numbers of people visited food banks last year, millions are locked out of a decent home and two-thirds of children in poverty are in working households. ^[4]

Apparently the ordinary people are destined to become peasants once more. They are not those “…on whom His favor rests.”

That divine ‘favor’ is only for the wealthy and powerful, for whom our governments diligently slave, and are richly rewarded financially.

Perhaps the one present from Santa we should all hope for this Christmas – is a pitchfork.

^{[1] “Nikki Haley invites countries who supported US in UN Israel vote to reception” Fox News, 22nd December 2017}

^{[2] “First vending machine for homeless people launches in UK” Guardian, 19th December 2017}

^{[3] “Childrens’ Services” Shelter – Housing & Homeless Charity, undated}

^{[4] “‘Brexit boom’ gives Britain record 134 billionaires, fuelling inequality fears” Guardian, 7th May 2017}