CUSTARD PIE FOR MANDY, WHO WOULD YOU TARGET AND WHAT WOULD YOU THROW??

According to Sky News and the BBC, Leila Deen, who is an activist from campaign group Plane Stupid, covered the politician in pea-green goo as he got out of his ministerial car.
He immediately went inside the building as Miss Deen watched and then calmly walked away.
She told Sky News she was protesting about reports that Lord Mandelson met lobbyists from Heathrow owner BAA before the Government gave the controversial go-ahead for a third runway at the London airport.

Now who would i like to pie ??? Its a difficult choice for me, there are so many idiots in government who would be excellent targets, but as John Prescott has already been done, I would suggest Alan Johnson, alleged Health Minister and fluoride fanatic. Failing that, Peter Ward at the British Dental Association and well known slapstick com median (see ITV documentary about Mercury fillings ) and of course if i could afford the ticket to the antipodes, Ann Bligh in Queensland.

My choice of filling would not be custard though, why should hens and cows have to suffer. I would suggest in stead lancashire delicacy, Mushy Peas...... slimy and lumpy and satisfyingly green. Hmmm nice! Suggestions are welcome.

THE SECRET LIFE OF FLUORIDE ?

Last night I was searching the BBC I-Player, more in hope than expectation, but happened upon Part 3 of a factual program called "Secret Life of The Motorway" entitled, "The End of the Affair". It showed how the once worshipped idea of fast Autobahns style Motorways across the UK which would speed commerce and open up the country for the peoples enjoyment and education had become an ever growing urban nightmare, destroying homes, historic buildings and sites and irreplaceable wildlife habitats and beauty spots.

It brought back a lot of memories and a few realisations, not just about the various evils of untrammeled road building and urbanisation and the irreparable damage they cause the planet, but more importantly about Friends of the Earth itself, its original aims, and the campaigns and campaigners i have met along the way.

Some time in the early seventies I had become cognisant of the dangerous and increasing scope of a wide variety of pollutants contaminating air, ground and water and, the disastrous and deadly effects these could have on both the natural world and the human environment. I read up on the subject and upon the laws which existed to control such problems. The latter were sadly very limited and often ineffective and then even more than now, industry and commerce could virtually do what it liked providing it paid its taxes and Governments in most countries were little better and sometimes even worse.

I looked for organisations that were actively trying to do something about it. but although i respected Greenpeace for its ocean-going exploits, i found that the local branches spent most of their time fund-raising for their expeditions and did not seem particularly interested or effective. at dealing with problems in the here and now. Here at that time was Manchester and Now was the scorching summer of 1976. It was the final straw for me.

Looking out from my slightly elevated position across the city on a sweltering day with the temperatures in the 90s beheld a yellow grey photo-chemical smog every bit as thick as the ones I had seen over the city of Los Angeles and I realised that my home town had become a toxic nightmare, poisoning itself and all around it. I had already moved from my home town when the m602 had cut a concrete canyon through its heart but now i knew with inner certainty that i and my partner needed to leave the City entirely to find some green spaces and some breathable air. A couple of years later after much searching and investigation, I found myself living in Colne a small town in the North East of Lancashire.

I had only been here about a year when i discovered that yet another motorway was rumoured to be heading my way to cut its way through Colne and its surrounds on route to Hull. The M65 as it was known was already part of local culture. Some local people said it was a daft idea and would never be built, whilst others said it when governments came up with these daft ideas, they could not be stopped. Obviously i thought that both beliefs could not be true but after some reflection maybe they could, after all, it depended on what people wanted to believe.

Thus began a fifteen year fight to stop this "Road to Nowhere" during which i formed a Friends of the Earth Local Group, organised meetings, wrote countless letters and reports, and met with many able and hard working campaigners, some of them true heroes. In the end common sense and love of our green and pleasant land prevailed, the motorway ( which was discovered to be the sham we always guessed it was) was abandoned, the blight lifted and at last we knew that it was banished for ever.

So where does fluoride come into this you ask? Well in truth there are many parallels. It starts with a daft idea with minor politicos and a bunch of people from a lobbying group, in this case not the Road Transport lobby of motor manufacturers, civil engineers and oil companies but this time a bunch of aluminium, ceramics and pesticides companies even aided by some weapons manufacturers.

Next it takes a very stupid government desirous of anything that might win them votes which pushes through new laws giving them the right to poison your water and attempted immunity from all prosecution to give them the edge; And some real glove puppets without minds of their own like Andy Burnham MP or Alan Johnson. Then they try to introduce fluoride via stealth. At first its just a one-off to tackle an acute dental problem in ..... (name your town), Then they spread it from one town to the next in the same way they got motorways built by lining up lots of little bypass schemes which turned into a cross country motorway.

So how do we deal with this kind of undemocratic bullying. Well sorry to say being a nice well brought up middle class professional just isn't enough. If Government is clearly willing to bend or break rules and play dirty, campaigners have to as well. Petitions and letters are OK of course but most issues in the public domain are won by getting the issues on the Media and the only ways to do that are to stage demos, sit-ins, poster campaigns, Public meetings, and a wide variety of stunts. Like Plane Stupid are doing. It's time to drag out the Pantomime Horse again.

Its all very well for the government, especially the likes of Prescott to bluster and waffle about democracy and the law but when they are not practicing what they preach and and show a total disregard for the wishes of the people who voted them in then they should not be so surprised when democracy comes back and bites them in the bum.

Non Violent Direct Action has put a stop to a lot of government and commercial madness in the last 25 years and if people are sincere in their desire to keep sub post offices open, or stop the closure or the local Accident and Emergency Unit or stop them putting poisonous and useless shite into your drinking water then you will be unlikely to succeed unless you exercise your democratic right to protest. And if the government says you and your groups are not acting democratically by climbing onto the roof of the Palace of Westminster or whatever, Ask yourself, what does the New Labour Government really know or care about Democracy anyway? To go by recent goings on in Southampton the answers is diddly squat. Your town may be the next government fluoride target, are you ready for them ? As George Orwell said: In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.

ALAN JOHNSON ON QUESTION TIME MARCH 12th

On the 12th March, Question Time visits Toxteth in Liverpool. At the time of writing i dont know what venue will be used but i will keep trying the phone number below for more info. Star Turn will be no less than the Man From Mensa, and Minister for Health, Alan Johnson MP (surely some mistake)

Word at the BBC is that demand for tickets has been huge. Perhaps people want to practice throwing shoes, but I digress. If you would like to apply for tickets you have to fill in the form on the Question Time website which you can find here. The chances of getting one are small but I am told some friends have already applied. I think it would be excellent if after the huge demand, no one bothered to show up.

If anyone out there does get a ticket and the opportunity to ask about fluoridation, suggested alternative questions include, How long do you think you can get away with being and idiot Alan? or When did you first realise you despised democracy? Or why dont you stick your fluoride where the Sun dont shine? but i am sure you have many more important questions of your own which you will not be allowed to ask. But its still almost a free country so give it a try.

This is the application page on the Web Site
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/question_time/1858613.stm
and for more information you can phone the Ticket Line on 0871-626 9988.
Good luck.

THE DEATH OF DEMOCRACY IN THE UK. UKCAF WEB SITE SAYS IT ALL VERY CLEARLY

The Death of Democracy

Today Southampton residents learned that their water will be fluoridated -even though their kids already have excellent teeth.

I hate to say 'I told you so!' - but I will anyway! The South Central SHA has done what it does best -- it's stuck to official policy, come hell or high water. No amount of reason could persuade those unfortunate innocents, the SHA Board Members, to accept evidence from anyone other than from their own carefully selected 'experts', rigorously vetted for their loyalty to the Department of Health.It was, of course, entirely predictable that they would rely on the political spin of their appointed minders, rather than on the carefully phrased but ultimately naive arguments of even the most respected of scientists.

The brutal fact is that these rogue 'experts' do not play by the gentle rules of decent folk. Scientists rely on reason, evidence, and argument, presented in a decent, civilised and respectful fashion.The pro-fluoridation fanatics rely on dogma, distortion, and assertion, projected at high speed and with utter ruthlessness at the mainly uncomprehending and ill-qualified Board Members. The only way to beat them is to play by even more ruthless rules - and that is what we shall be doing in the next few weeks.The despair that local campaigners are feeling at the moment is unwarranted. Whilst they waited for this decision, they had nothing to get their teeth into. Now it is in the open, and the astonishing spectacle of this Whitehall farce has at last been exposed to full public scrutiny, there is plenty of material that can be used to bring this charade to an end, and its instigators to account.

The establishment 'experts' advising the Board today made some very serious mistakes. It was claimed that fluoridation is not medication - wrong! It was said that dental fluorosis in Ireland only affects a few people - 37% is more than just a few. And the Precautionary Principle is used to avoid possible hazards to the public, not to increase them.But crucially, it was even claimed that fluoridation is not against the law. Board Members need to be very clear about this, because they are now entering into very choppy waters indeed. One of the key documents provided by the SHA was specifically designed to persuade them that water fluoridation is entirely lawful, and that there were no underlying issues that were of concern to them.

If they were misled into accepting this propaganda, then they should take very urgent legal advice, because it was horrendously wrong.In fact, so serious was some of the misinformation and misrepresentation used to persuade them to support the team effort that there is now a clear case for a full Inquiry into the whole conduct of this charade, and the legitimacy of the decision that they reached. Members are required to ensure that there are no safety issues or legal obstructions arising from any decision they make, or to any action that they authorise. They have now been informed that there are indeed such issues - this is where the Precautionary principle kicks in, and a halt must be called to the project.Their personal liability for any adverse consequences of ignoring that advice - even if it came from sources other than their own trusted minders - places them personally at risk of potentially severe personal sanctions.

They need to be aware that local campaigners now have sufficient evidence with which to challenge this ill-advised decision. The next few weeks will become quite interesting, and it will have our complete and undivided attention

NHS-PCTs STUFFED WITH HYPOCRITES, LIARS, NUMPTIES & GOVERNMENT PUPPETS

The appalling news from the Southampton PCT that they intend to go ahead with fluoridation of the water supply there, cannot have come as much of a surprise to most of us. True, most of us have pressed on with the drudgery of collecting research, writing our letters and leaflets and trying to get the media to take up the cause, but with most media no longer doing any campaigning journalism lest they upset some potential advertiser with a rarefied link to their paper, this has proved an uphill task.

Despite this our campaigning has continued in the belief that truth, justice and democracy might eventually prevail against the forces of darkness ranged against us. hoping against hope that some politicians could occasionally swim against the current and act honourably, but always, at the back of our minds, ever since the Government forced through its illegal fluoride legislation in a virtually empty House of Commons, back in 2003, there was our suspicion, that in reality, the dirty deed had long been done. Sometimes there is little joy in being right.

We should of course, never have forgotten that the rag-bag of second rate politicians, wannabee celebrities, local numpties waiting for gongs and politically appointed puppets who end up on the PCTs are not there because they wanted to be, or thought they had a vocation, but rather because their political masters wanted them to be. And of course, like the little doggy listening attentively to the big old record player, their attention wavers when someone rattles their food bowl or pulls on their chains. Sit boy, now roll over and play dead, now all bark in favour of fluoride. Good boy. And so it has come to pass in Southampton.

Its not just a lack of interest in the media however that has brought us to this sad state. There has been considerable political pressure on the lap dogs who only bark when they are told. And, there is a recession in full swing, and (although some would argue that this has been building for a long time ) which is only now peaking. With so many in danger of losing their jobs and positions honourable behaviour simply doesn't come into it.

With our present Government we have become accustomed to it ignoring its own experts, hired by and paid by them (out of our pockets of course) only to be humiliated by political mooning. They did it with the York Review and even resorted to deliberate misquoting of the evidence against fluoride to prove it was in fact not toxic but as wonderful as fluffy bunnies at Easter. This is no way to treat medical and scientific specialists and academics who have given their life to research and investigation. The so called Medics on the PCTs are just quacks and snake oil salesmen. Would a genuine doctor not only ignore the latest evidence and then prescribe en masse a toxic substance with little scientific support, to an unknown section of the public with no regard for their individual health issues or ongoing medication. The answer is a decided no and therefore quacks they are.

Blair started the craze for lies and deceit and ignored his own party in order to brown nose W Bush and bomb Iraq for its oil, and the Browns (Al and Gordy) simply carried on as instructed. Naturally hypocrites like Jack Straw dare not produce the documents from the cabinet in advance of the invasion. With such a foreign policy, its rather hopeless to hope that this government would treat its own citizens any better. It knows little and cares less for science or health despite all its blustering. If it did, it would have realised that a few more dentists and some free brushes and toothpaste would be the appropriate and economically viable answer to the alleged and exaggerated "problem" of tooth decay.

This reverse thinking is now well established as a New Labour Policy and Arguably the only policy they have. Experts, even their own of course, have tried to reason with them over Cannabis and Ecstasy but the result was the same. They were ignored and dismissed. After all one cannot really expect common sense or open debate from politicians who are usually half cut by lunch time or shortly after.

Before Legal action or Direct Action begins, some important questions need to be asked. Firstly, where is the "evidence" or science which supports fluoridation. I have seen none and the NHS-PCTs have not produced any, in fact they refused to even discuss it or answer questions. And where are those brave Labour members who oppose fluoride. As far as I am aware, Jack Straw MP for example has never uttered a squeak publicly even though he confirmed his opposition to me by letter. In reality, our man Jack is just another weak and ineffective nanny-state authoritarian who loves his CCTV, Biometric Passports and ID Cards. Finger printing of school children must make him particularly proud.

Lives of the Great Comedians. Number 94. Anna Bligh

As you can see from the Sworn and Witnessed statement on the right, Anna Bligh cannot be in full control of her senses. Her statement would seem to claim responsibility for reparations for any damage caused directly or indirectly by fluoride and that is a very sweeping claim. It could cover accidents, negligence, acts of god such as flood or earthquake and of course terrorism although as a friend of mine pointed out, "introducing toxic materials into otherwise potable water intended for public consumption is itself an act of terrorism, albeit state sponsored terrorism. "

Another friend of mine wondered whether Bligh knew something we didn't, such as an impending Comet striking planet Earth, or maybe she has been studying the Aztec Calender which foretells of the end of the world in 2012. Certainly i can see no other way out if something goes wrong in Queensland. After all things have already clearly gone seriously wrong in Queensland if the likes of Bligh are the best that politics in that territory can find to elect. Legally speaking, i am counselled that Bligh's signed and witnessed statement will hold neither water nor fluoride because it was not apparently sworn before a judge or a commissioner for oaths, or possibly in the case of Bligh, Oafs. In which case it remains only evidence and is arguably not legally binding although clearly publicly embarrassing.

Perhaps she was suffering from too much cold medication, or was "tired and emotional" following a particularly long lunch or maybe she had been abducted by aliens and subtly altered. After all, many believe this is what happened to Barry Cockcroft and Peter Ward, the Ant and Dec of the British pro fluoridation movement.