H.R.H.

         So Prince Philip has died, no doubt there will be thousands eager to get in the picture by outpourings of adulation. Adulation for a man who was recognised as from a family well connected to the Nazi regime. His many public remarks were at best rude, but often seen as upper class snobbery with hints of racism. Of course never having been in his company who am I to judge, but I can form the opinion that he was a pompous pampered, privileged, parasite. who done very well for himself at the expense of the tax payer. Those with a grain of intelligence and some rationale, realise that the picture created of the whole royal entourage is an illusion. They are a ruthless family of very rich people who have never done a days work in their lives yet wallow in unimaginable splendour and opulence, none of it earned. Their wealth is gleaned from the spoils of imperialism and the enslavement of millions of indigenous peoples. Even today, if you die without a will, your estate goes to the Queen, unless you lived in the land commandeered under the Duchy of Cornwall, then your estate goes to Prince Charles. A nice little earn over the years.

The Duke at one of his favourite pastimes, killing wild life. He bagged a lot.

         The following film is not new, and is a bit on the long side, but is well worth sitting through, especially at this time of media wall to wall coverage of what a wonderful a man was the Duke of Edinburgh. 

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The Message.

        It's that time of year again, when lots of people go merry, till bells are ringing, bankers are singing, and the turkeys try to run free. It is also the time of year when our "Monarch" hereditary head of state in a democracy, (contradiction there somewhere) gives her Christmas message. Now what can an extremely rich, privileged, pampered old woman, who holds that position because of who her dad was, say to ordinary hard working and struggling people? She will of course refer too "My government", which is actually a true reflection of what our democracy is, a collection of her pampered and privileged friends and acquaintances. She is referred to as really just a figure head, but one whose stamp of approval must appear on all and sundry regarding the state and its affairs.
        Apart from living off the state, tax payers money, Lizzie Windsor owns some extremely valuable assets with large incomes. Almost half of the shore line of England, Wales and Northern Ireland is owned by the crown estate. Six royal residences dotted around the country, approximately 150,000 works of art, many said to be priceless, and a team of very expensive winning race horses. Other little gems that she possesses, include a car collection stated to be worth around £10 million, a very large collection of Faberge art works, the British sea bed, Regent Street in London, Westminster Abbey and Hyde Park. You can throw in some other little pieces to see she doesn't go hungry in these hard times, such as, for what it is worth, all the gold mines in Scotland, the world's largest clear-cut diamond, 25 acres of forest, the UK continental shelf, an off shore wind farm, while at the same time her family are doing their bit for the UK arms industry.

 

       The British establishment and royalty know that arms are good investments; especially shells, bombs and cruise missiles that are tipped with depleted uranium. Air, water and soil are contaminated when DU is used, and once contaminated there is no way to decontaminate it. Contaminating the food chain is a crime against humanity for which the Royal Family is complicit, as it was (with the help of Tiny Rowland) in the asset stripping of Africa.

 

        Referring to her as a figurehead, is the smoke and mirrors of her class. The royal family is there as a gigantic monument to British imperialism, a display of pomp, wealth and power, to let you know your place, if you ain't got diamonds and ermine you're not one of them, you are a minion in their service, it's saying, "don't mess with us, we've got lots of wealth and power." God doesn't need to save the queen, we the UK tax payers do that.

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The UK, Land Of Monarchy And Child Poverty.

          The UK, fifth largest economy in the world, it is awash with wealth, it carries on the back of its people the imperial edifice of a pomp swamp of monarchy and all the aristocratic parasites associated with such a menagerie. Wealth flows freely, but only in certain quarters.

      Since the 2008 "crash" the UK, like lots of capitalist countries, embarked on a policy of "austerity". This was the acceptable euphemism for the scheme to allow the rich financial Mafia to regain their massive gambling loses, by plundering the public purse. Eleven years on and we are told, "austerity is over" but where do we stand?

Well has "austerity" worked? You bet it has, with UK's billionaires having seen their net worth rise by 112% from £258billion to £547 billion since 2009. The previous 12 months saw the biggest jump in the UK super rich in six years, the City of London now boasts 80 billionaires up from 72 last year, more than any other city in the world.

       Well while this "austerity" plan has worked for the super rich, how do we at the other end of this master plan fare?

     Well it is not quite the same story, we the people got clobbered. We have suffered an ever decreasing standard of living, child poverty is increasing, workers in poverty has been increasing. What has been plunder from our social services has fed the super rich as they prance around the world in their private jets and super yachts.

         Joseph Rowntree Foundation research reveals that in the UK child poverty has been rising since 2011/12. with 4.1 million children in the UK living in poverty, a rise of 500,000 in the last five years. 4 million of those in work are living in poverty, a rise of more than half a million over five years. In work poverty has been rising faster than employment, driven almost entirely by increasing poverty among working parents. Two sides of the capitalist coin.

      These appalling figures among the ordinary people of this country are not just statistics, they are lives. Lives stunted in health and well-being, the potential of our children destroyed, an increase in stress among families, the breaking up of families, people pushed to homelessness, hard working people put under strain to the detriment of their emotional and physical health. All this, not as an unavoidable set of circumstances, but by the deliberate policies of the chosen few who play the corrupt game to the advantage of their rich cronies. It is called capitalism, and any attempt at trying to turn this exploitative, profit driven system into something with a shred of humanity is doomed to failure, it is not in the nature of the beast. It has to be totally dismantled and replaced with a system of justice, fairness, co-operation and sustainability that sees to the needs of all our people, in a word, anarchism. 

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A Right Royal Democracy.

           We are a supposed to live in a democracy, but we have a monarch, a very expensive symbol of British imperialism. You could say that the present monarch landed lucky, as without any effort on her behave, she fell heir to approximately 46,000 acres of land, which generates a considerable income. This is called the Duchy of Lancaster and is held in trust for her personal use. It is referred to as the Privy Purse, a nice name, and at the last reckoning generated around £12.5 million. I suppose she could get by on that, and take care of her brood, but no, there are other incomes to help her get by. There is another Duchy, the Duchy of Cornwall, this is give her son Charles a little income of his own, and last year it is reckoned to have netted him a cool £19.8 million. The royal brood are not afraid to have a wee fling now and again, like Andrew spending £14,692 to see the golf at Muirfield, and Andrew splashing out a wee bundle of £46,198, on a charter flight to a couple of resorts in Europe. Then there was Charles, so overcome with grief at Nelson Mandela's death that he spent almost a quarter of a million on a private jet to be at the funeral.

 Look, pie-in-the-sky, that's what our loyal peasants get.

           Apart from their nice little earners from the Duchies, there is the sovereign grant, tax payers money, to make sure they don't fall short before the end of the month, I suppose you could call this their tax credits. Last year it was a tidy little some of £35.7 million. However, this sum is disputed by the group called Republic, who point out that the massively expensive security bill to look after this privileged bunch, is picked up by the Metropolitan Police, (tax payers) and when they go walk-about and visit their humble subjects, the local councils pick up the tab,(tax payers). Republic state that the actual bill to the tax payer for keeping this family on benefit is about 10 times the stated £35.7 million and comes in at around £334 million annually.
            Another anomaly with this rather large family, although they are all on benefit, none of them have ever been forced to take a workfare placement, nor have any of them been sanctioned. Don't you feel that this is a bit unfair, I think it is because of their connections in high places, but I must be wrong, as we live in a democracy!!!

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Britain's Costliest Benefit Family.

        That babbling brook of bullshit, the mainstream media is wetting itself with excitement, they are all of a dither, why, because the queen is Britain's longest reigning monarch. Switch on the radio, and there it is spewing out at you, how wonderful it is to have sat on a throne, at public expense, for 63 years, the TV is awash with the vomit of pomp and ceremony, with commentators slobbering at the mouth in adulation, at the fact that one woman has managed to survive on public benefit for 63 years. All I can say to the British public is, "shame on you", you should have remedied this anomaly years ago.

 

 On benefit, as far as I know, none have signed on, none have been sanctioned.

       The Royal family are showered with privilege and wealth, beyond the average persons wildest imagination, its affairs are shrouded in secrecy, and they cost you and I the tax payers, millions ever year. This for a family that is really a collection of non-entities, none, as far as I am aware have ever excelled at anything in the arts, music, or the sciences. Though some are pretty good at horse riding, shootin' and fishin'.

This from Common Space:

There exists an ongoing controversey over the costs and benefits of the royal family to the British economy.

Campaign group Republic estimates the average cost of the monarchy to be £300m, around nine times the figure published by the royal household and 100 times the cost of the Irish head of state.

For their part, the royal household (a corporate term for the large royal staff since the family themselves seldom give interviews or communicate with the press) claims that the family’s upkeep is £35.7m a year, or 56p per tax payer, and it’s this figure that is frequently reported by the media.

        Politically, they certainly can't stand up and say they believe in democracy, so where do their political sympathies lie? Well we all know about some of their members being on good terms with Hitler. The affairs of some members of "The Royal Household" and some of their privileged cronies, during that period just before the 2nd world war, is swept under the carpet. An apt phrase to remember, should you ever be allowed inside their palatial homes, would be that John Cleese one, "Don't mention the war".
From Common Space:

The recent appearance of a photograph of the royal family in 1933, including a young Elizabeth II making fascist salutes, caused enormous controversy. But they point to a much darker truth about the monarchy’s past and about aristocratic European society in the pre-war years.

King Edward VIII, who features in the photograph teaching the salute to his neices, was forced to abdicate in part because of the political scandal he had created through his friendship with German dictator Adolf Hitler.

Hitler’s favourite court intellectual, Albert Speer, later said in his book, ‘Inside the Third Reich’, that Hitler viewed Edward VIII as instrumental in attempts to maintain peace with Britain before World War II.

Speer quoted Hitler as saying: “I am certain through him permanent friendly relations could have been achieved. If he had stayed, everything would have been different. His abdication was a severe loss for us.”

Read the full article HERE: 

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A Monarchy Democracy???

      The Queen's speech is one of those occasions when our Lords and Masters put on a display that shows the extent of the hypocrisy in the claim that we live in a democracy. There for all to see is the plundered wealth of the established power in this country. There for you to kneel before is YOUR monarch, sitting on a throne of gold, surrounded by pampered flunkies, The sham of representative democracy displayed to the world. 

        How can someone sitting on a gold throne, waited on hand and foot, mouth the words about "one nation"? The words that she came out with, "My government will bring forward legislation to reform trade unions and to protect essential public services against strikes," translates as, my government will make it impossible for public sector workers to defend themselves against the on coming savage cuts to their living standards. It also makes it almost impossible to "legally" have the right to withdraw your labour in the event of a dispute with your employer. Though if workers accept this form of serfdom should be up to them to decide, time will tell.

      How do you equate "one nation" with the pomp, arrogance and shear opulence of gold carriages, gold thrones, ladies in waiting and footmen, with food banks, fuel poverty, child poverty, unemployment, slave workfare and benefit sanctions? The lie is laid bare, it is their for all to see in one lavish spectacle, the inequality, the arrogant power, and they feel confident enough to say, " we don't give a shit" and flaunt it in your face. What's more, most people seem to swallow the whole spectacle as "tradition". It is a tradition that is there to let you know your place in this "one nation". 

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A Grotesque Display Of Pomp And Power.

 

 UK democracy at work.

      Those who, for some reason or other, don't see this society as a class structured, class ridden entity, surely changed their minds after seeing the grotesque display of privilege and power, they call "The Queen's Speech". We saw the parade of monarchical power being escorted through the streets of London, flanked by military symbolism. Then we had this so called democratic government, sitting in awe, listening to an old woman steeped in heredity power and wealth, telling them what "Her" government will do. Her continued reference to "My government", was not a slip of the tongue, but a deliberate statement to reinforce where the power really lies in this country. The very way the The Westminster Houses of Hypocrisy and Corruption are set up follows this pattern. You have "the Commons" and the "Lords", while sitting at the head of that lot of pompous privilege, we have "The Monarch". She signs off their bills, and gives their legislation the stamp of approval. You'll look long and hard to find a dictionary that puts such a structure under the heading of "Democracy".

 An honest display of the UK power structure.

       All that pomp and ceremony is paid for by you and me, the gold encrusted coach, the fancy jewel festooned crown, extremely large gold covered throne, all the military trimmings, do you honestly believe that it is all to show that we live in a democracy, or is it more a display to let you know your place in this medieval class structure? I think it does the latter very well, we are on the outside looking in at the power that rules our lives. We could of course change all this and create a real democracy, but that would mean you and I taking control, and making all the decisions that matter in our lives, rather than abdicating our power to a bunch of privileged parasites.

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The Evaporating Illusion Of Democracy.

      What kind of government shuts down the public broadcasting network without warning or parliamentary discussion? Fascist, Military Junta, Absolute Monarchy, Dictator? Well I imagine it must be somewhere in that grouping. So we come to Greece, and that is what the financial Mafia's puppets in Athens just decided to do. Any sham illusion of democracy has surely evaporated in the warm sun of Greece, as it has evaporated in other countries, Brazil and Turkey to mention two.

     Teacher Dude has an interesting article on the subject:

 Photo by Teacher Dude.

 

Protester against the Greek government's closure of the public broadcasting network.

          "----Instead of a few days of protests by the employees of ERT which could easily be ignored by pro-government private media the government was faced with a media insurrection as journalists and technicians defied threats by the authorities to continue broadcasting, using internet live streaming, unused analogue signals, satellite etc. This, along with the social media storm created meant that thousands turned up outside state run studios in Athens, Thessaloniki and other cities to protect   those inside from the riot police units that quickly deployed around such facilities.

      Instead of stifling the voice of those working in ERT these actions encouraged people to find their signal in any way they could and demand via the live streaming channel provided by the EBU grew so rapidly it overwhelmed the site's capacity.----"

Read the full article HERE:

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NO EXPNSE SPARED, - WE'RE RICH!!

           Well you have to admit, when it comes to spending money in a big way the Jubilee takes the biscuit. What a lavish pouring out of public money to titillate the egos of our lords and masters. No expense spared, heads of state from across the world, banquets, and luncheons fit for a queen, probably as many troops playing at pomp and circumstance, parading up and down central London as we have in Afghanistan. However at the other end, there's money to be made. It seems that a stewarding company called Close Protection UK had a contract to help steward this lavish event, but when it comes to the wages of the stewards, well it wasn't quite no expense spared. For the event this company took on 80 unemployed, under the governments apprentice scheme, 50 were under 25 and paid £2:60 an hour, the other 30 either accepted the same rate or refused payment as it would adversely affect their benefit money. Now that's a good deal if your a business. It was a 14 hour shift with no access to toilets during their shift, they were brought in by bus from Plymouth, Bath and Bristol, dumped in the middle of the night in London with no shelter.

I'm not over dressed for this little do, am I?

         Compare this treatment of “Her Majesty's Loyal Subjects” with the treatment of all those millionaire/billionaire parasites being pampered at our expense. It was a glorious display of what this society is all about, wealth and power separated from the adoring poverty stricken hordes. It was displayed for all the world to see, Britain is still a wonderfully class divided society, a great place if your a millionaire and a place in the adoring crowd if your not.

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WHO RUNS BRITAIN??

        There are those who say that the Monarch rules Britain, a constitutional Monarch, but she has to put her seal on parliament's work. Others say we are a representative democracy. We elect our representatives and they do our bidding. Well we have a monarch, that's for sure, our vomit media makes sure we are spewed over with stories of her, her family, all their side-kicks and their antics that we fund. As for a representative democracy, well they are certainly elected by a section of the public, though not all my any means, but do they represent us? The recent slashing of all social spending and selling off of all our public assets, against the loudly expressed wishes of that same public, lays the lie of it being a representative democracy. Just who are they representing?

         So who does runs Britain? Recent events are beginning to make that very clear indeed. The News of The World hacking episode with the alleged payments to police officers for information, the spectacle of all the political parties fawning at the feet of a newspaper empire, for fear of it destroying their reputation and their seat on the gravy-train, makes it obvious who sets the menu on the political table.

         It is obvious that if we are to answer honestly, who runs Britain, we have to say, a bunch of greedy morally depraved reporters, bent cops, a cabal of self-centred, power hungry, arrogant millionaire politicians and a greedy media mogul. What is more important is for whose benefit are they running the country? You'd be an idiot if you said, the people of Britain.

By John Hartfield.

       With three wars running, our social services being decimated, our health and education being privatised, unemployment rising and all our public assets being sold for a song to the corporate world, it is simple to work out for whose benefit they are running the country. Of course that could change, it all depends on the people.

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THAT RIGHT ROYAL THINGY!!!

    ONE OF THEM

       I thought I might get through the week without mentioning IT, but I just couldn't keep my mouth shut. Here we are, putting on one of the most spectacular displays of privilege, a display of parasitical living, all paid for by tax payers, and beaming it all over the globe. What we are saying to the world is, this is Britain in the 21st century. However it is a lie, it is not Britain, it is a glimpse of a slice of the upper crust, the pampered elite, the parasites. Britain today is a country with mass unemployment, children living in poverty, pensioners dying of hypothermia during our cold winters. Britain is a country that can put on a extravaganza that takes your breath away by its sheer opulence, but can't put together a system whereby most young couples can afford their first home as they try to start up on their own. A country where couples struggle to try and give their kids a decent up-bring, let alone a lavish wedding.

    ONE OF US.   

       It was probably the biggest, most lavish display of privilege and unearned wealth seen on the planet, from a country that is fighting a war in Afghanistan, supporting a war in Libya, while cutting education, health care, disability benefits, and the social fabric of society, well that part of society where the real people live. This is a display that says Britain is a very rich country, but we don't want to spend it on the ordinary people. It says, Britain is a country of centuries of kings and queens with super wealth at the pinnacle of society, and has still failed miserably to create any semblance of equal opportunity or hint of fairness.

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SYRUP CAN BLIND YOU!!

    

   

      Well I suppose we have to start thinking how do we stop ourselves from drowning in the syrup that is going to flow from the media over the next few months or perhaps years. I am of course referring to the Willie and Kate extravaganza, it can push world poverty, the Afghan war, the Haiti cholera disaster and Mrs. Wilson's lost kitten off the front page and off the airwaves. We shouldn't be too hard on the girl, after all she is just an ordinary Marlborough-educated, St Andrew's graduated middle class millionaire's daughter, we can only hope for the girl's sake, Willie is not too much like his father.

      Over the coming months we will be swamped under this deluge of “When will it be”, “What title will they be given” then of course it will be, “Where will they honeymoon, where will they live”, and of course, “Is she pregnant”, all totally irrelevant to a mutitude of people. It will come at you from all sides and there will be a totalitarian attitude from the media as the crowds cheer, weep and applaud with the usual aaahhh's at their every action. Those who don't follow suit will be derided and chastised by the media as if the entire world was, not just interested, but spell bound by the nuptial arrangements of a couple of over privileged young people. What the media, the mouth piece of the establishment, fail to grasp, or try to hide, is that this country has a large contingent of republicans, socialists, communists and others of a variety of political persuasions but with an anti-monarchy stance. Then there is the army of people who are just not that interested what the Royals get up to nor when. We are not a monolith, we are the people, a wonderful variation of views.

      Going by the comments coming from our millionaire twins in charge, the Cameron/Clegg music-hall hatchet act, and the brainless braying from the back benches, it certainly looks as if we are all to be co-opted into this Hollywood style soap. I'm not the least bit interested in what this means for modern marriage and what it tells us about the changes in the Royals' attitude, nor how they have changed since the Diane affair. It could become like living in the “Woman's Own” Magazine.

     However as long as it holds the headlines then the things that really matter to the ordinary people of this country will be pushed aside, off the radar, not up for discussion. For example the dismantling of the welfare society, the thousands of job losses, the looming poverty ahead of thousands, and the £billions of tax payers money heading to the corporate world. Yes, much better to discuss some young woman's wedding dress than discuss and organise to protect our children and our elderly from this vicious onslaught heading their way at the behest of the financial/corporate world, and let's not forget, the Royals are part of that high finance, privileged world.

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