Apologies

Hi,

I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to all Godless Life followers. Please be aware that, on occasion, I may well leap in with a rebuttal. Or an irrelevancy.

Bangleflap.

[Tris: What have I done?]

Daily digest #2

Well, I didn't quite get the feedback I was looking for yesterday, in fact I got no feedback at all. Nevertheless, I shall continue with this new style of blogging for the meantime, because it suits my present needs. If you hate it, though, please let me know.

I managed to squeeze out a blog post on the issue of dog fouling in Cornwall and a few ideas on how to counter it, and today I got another post out on the Whitehouse's response to the 50 states that posted petition to secede from the union, and a comparison with what is happening in the UK both internally and externally.

Atheism / Secularism

Local /Cornwall

Why I don't care if Jesus existed or not Not the first time I have heard this said, and I have to admit, it is a sentiment I also hold/ The fact that one person existed out of the probable 100 billion that have ever existed is of little consequence to me. Jesus may have been a real and existent person, or he may not have been. The evidence for his existence, though, is conspicuous by its absence, or it lies in texts that are generally considered to be forgeries or latter-day interpolations by those that would seek to give Jesus more historical weight than he deserved. No, the reason why I don't care whether he existed or not is because his existence is not particularly relevant to the miracles ascribed to him. It is this that interests me. How can any person do any of the following: Control of Nature 1.Calming the storm – Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:37-41; Luke 8:22-25 2.Feeding 5,000 - Matthew 14:14-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14 3.Walking on water - Matthew 14:22-32; Mark 6:47-52; John 6:16-21 4.Feeding 4,000 – Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-9 5.Fish with coin – Matthew 17:24-27 6.Fig tree withers – Matthew 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14, 20-25 7.Huge catch of fish – Luke 5:4-11; John 21:1-11 8. Water into wine – John 2:1-11 Healing of Individuals 1.Man with leprosy – Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-44; Luke 5:12-14 2.Roman centurion’s servant – Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10 3.Peter’s mother-in-law – Matthew 8:14-15; Mark 1:30-31; Luke 4:38-39 4.Two men possessed with devils – Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-15; Luke 8:27-39 5.Man with palsy – Matthew 9:2-7; Mark 2:3-12; Luke 5:18-26 6.Woman with bleeding – Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48 7.Two blind men – Matthew 9:27-31 8.Dumb, devil-possessed man - Matthew 9:32-33 9.Canaanite woman’s daughter – Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30 10.Boy with devil - Matthew 17:14-21; Mark 9:17-29; Luke 9:38-43 11.Two blind men – including Bartimaeus - Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43 12.Demon-possessed man in synagogue – Mark 1:21-28; Luke 4:31-37 13.Blind man at Bethsaida – Mark 8:22-26 14.Crippled woman – Luke 13:10-17 15.Man with dropsy – Luke 14:1-4 16.Ten men with leprosy – Luke 17:11-19 17.The high priest’s servant – Luke 22:50-51 18.Nobleman’s son at Capernaum – John 4:46-54 19.Sick man at the pool of Bethsaida – John 5:1-15 20.Man born blind – John 9:1-41 Raising the Dead 1.Jairus’ daughter – Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56 2.Widow’s son at Nain – Luke 7:11-17 3.Lazarus – John 11:1-44 New Research Links Spiritual-Not-Religious to Mental Disorder In the British study, SBNRs (spiritual but not religious) were found to be significantly more likely to be drug-dependent (77%) and to suffer from phobias (72%) or anxiety (50%). No wonder they’re significantly more likely (40%) than the religious to be being treated with psychotropic drugs. Read the abstract here.

Zilch UK launches the first ever national survey on attitudes to fines for littering  Yesterday, I posted a blog about dog fouling and put forward a few suggestions on how to tackle it. Today, Twitter user, Leave only a shadow, tweeted me with the following: @tris_stock Got a view of whether people should be fined for littering Express that view here http://ow.ly/gKHgr The link at the end goes to a survey on littering in general, but I made a comment informing them that I also included dog fouling as a litter problem. Buyers in Devon and Cornwall struggle to pay deposit on new homes It should come as no surprise to anyone, but a report released today by Lloyds TSB reveals that 'second steppers' on the property ladder are unable to do so because they lack the necessary equity in their current properties to place the deposit on their desired property. The average cost of a 'send step' property is estimated to be £219,647, but the real problem - apart from this being an enormous amount of money considering the wage levels in Cornwall - lies in the fact that their equity in their current home accounts for just 7% of the asking price of a typical 'second-stepper' home, compared with 42% in 2005. The average required for this 'second-step' is currently at 34%. The bank has created an "annual affordability measure" which sets average equity as a ratio of average earnings. The South West is one of the worst affected, with a measure of 5.7 times the average gross annual full-time earnings for 2011, compared to 3.3 in 2002. Only the South East, at 6.3, and London, at 6.1, were worse. All this is compounded in the fact that first time buyers are unable to get on the property ladder because the houses that once would have been available to them, have now been cut off by the inability of present owners to 'buy-up'. Cornwall on snow and ice weather warning for the weekend Yellow Warning of Ice 12 Jan 2013, 15:00  Issued at - 11 Jan 2013, 12:10  Valid from - 12 Jan 2013, 15:00  Valid to - 13 Jan 2013, 12:00  Outbreaks of rain, sleet and some now will gradually clear southwards during Saturday night, and with temperatures falling rapidly through the evening and night, there is a risk of icy surfaces. he rain, sleet and snow may linger in parts of southern England well into Sunday morning, by which time it will be light and mainly falling as snow. While local accumulations of up to 2 cm of snow are possible on some higher level loads, it is the risk of ice which is expected to present the main problem.  The public should be aware of the risk of disruption to travel. The public is advised to take extra care, further information and advice can be found here.

Miscellaneous

Build A Death Star I am no fan of Star Wars - I haven't even seen any of the films - but I am a fan of science fiction and more so in science reality. Blurring the two is exciting and truly awe-inspiring. I would rather build a Borg cube - as it is described in Revelation, but a Death Star is kinda cool too.

What about a USS Enterprise, or a Millennium Falcon? And I suppose I ought to mention the T.A.R.D.I.S. of Dr Who; it would certainly be a wonder of modern achievement  but it does look kind of dull from the outside.

If you want the U.S. Government to support the construction of the Death Star, keep hassling the them. They clearly want to do this. They simply lack the cojones.

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There appears to be an outright statement of intent coming from the Republicans in America, a quick Google search for 'Republican civil war' returns some 36,000 hits on the UK site.

Civil war is - at the least - an act of insurgency, so the question need be asked; Should registered Republicans be named as enemies of the State?

If Republicans were speaking the way they are in Afghanistan, Syria, Pakistan or Iraq about the USA, they would be killed without a trial. If they gathered guns to fight Obama in Afghanistan, Syria, Pakistan or Iraq about the USA, they would be killed without a trial. What action should be taken against these Republican insurgents that speak this way about their Government and threaten taking up arms against it on American soil?

I used to be a Republican leaning type. In some ways I still am (a fiscal conservative, if not a small Government conservative), but having spent more time actually paying attention to US current affairs, I find it hard to believe I was ever so naive.

The second any Republican movement fires a shot in anger against their own Government, it should come down on it with all the force and venom that has been inflicted on those it has attacked abroad. It is, after all, their very freedom that is at stake.

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What do you think of the new approach? Is there anything you would like me to approach with more consideration? What else on this site do you think needs changing? Leave a comment below to let me know.

n.b. I am working on a new site that will further delineate between my increasingly diverse interests, but for the time being this blog will have to suffice. I'll let you know more when the roll-out date approaches.

Dissolution of political unions - The Whitehouse responds

Immediately after the US presidential elections in November 2012, there was a considerable effort on behalf of - what I imagine to be put-out and angry Republicans - for their states to secede from the union of the United States of America. Not one state failed to have an application on its behalf. In my inbox today, I received a response the petitions filed with the Whitehouse website, from Jon Carson, Director of the Office of Public Engagement:

Petition Response: Our States Remain United

Thank you for using the White House's online petitions platform to participate in your government.

In a nation of 300 million people -- each with their own set of deeply-held beliefs -- democracy can be noisy and controversial. And that's a good thing. Free and open debate is what makes this country work, and many people around the world risk their lives every day for the liberties we often take for granted.

But as much as we value a healthy debate, we don't let that debate tear us apart.
Our founding fathers established the Constitution of the United States "in order to form a more perfect union" through the hard and frustrating but necessary work of self-government. They enshrined in that document the right to change our national government through the power of the ballot -- a right that generations of Americans have fought to secure for all. But they did not provide a right to walk away from it. As President Abraham Lincoln explained in his first inaugural address in 1861, "in contemplation of universal law and of the Constitution the Union of these States is perpetual." In the years that followed, more than 600,000 Americans died in a long and bloody civil war that vindicated the principle that the Constitution establishes a permanent union between the States. And shortly after the Civil War ended, the Supreme Court confirmed that "[t]he Constitution, in all its provisions, looks to an indestructible Union composed of indestructible States."

Although the founders established a perpetual union, they also provided for a government that is, as President Lincoln would later describe it, "of the people, by the people, and for the people" -- all of the people. Participation in, and engagement with, government is the cornerstone of our democracy. And because every American who wants to participate deserves a government that is accessible and responsive, the Obama Administration has created a host of new tools and channels to connect concerned citizens with White House. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects of the We the People platform is a chance to engage directly with our most outspoken critics.

So let's be clear: No one disputes that our country faces big challenges, and the recent election followed a vigorous debate about how they should be addressed. As President Obama said the night he won re-election, "We may have battled fiercely, but it's only because we love this country deeply and we care so strongly about its future."
Whether it's figuring out how to strengthen our economy, reduce our deficit in a responsible way, or protect our country, we will need to work together -- and hear from one another -- in order to find the best way to move forward. I hope you'll take a few minutes to learn more about the President's ideas and share more of your own.

Tell us what you think about this response and We the People.

From the tone of this letter, I take three important points:

1. There is no method by which state secession can be enacted.
2. The founding fathers knew this.
3. The Whitehouse is dismissive of secessionist claims.

In defence of the Union

I am in two minds about this situation. I support the sentiment of the founding fathers in their belief in the strength and perpetuity of unity amongst the willing, but only for as long as the constituent states are willing. The other 'mind' I shall approach further on in this post.

Now, in this knee-jerk reaction to a back-to-back Democratic victory, there is precious little evidence to suggest that these secession claims are anything but a demonstration of wounded pride, but what if - one day - a state has a genuine claim to secede from the union?

It is not beyond the realms of possibility that such an act may play out, even in our own lifetimes. Countries form unions and dissolve them all the time, somewhere on the planet; nations - it seems - are not and have never been the defined and concrete fortresses many perceive them to be.

Transatlantic comparisons 

Here in the UK - a bastion of stability and imperviousness - there are advanced devolutionary programs ongoing in Scotland. In Wales and Northern Ireland they have their own parliaments or assemblies. Even in my home county of Cornwall, there is a sizeable minority of the population that simply does not recognise England beyond anything other than a occupying state.

What is more, the U.K. is itself a member of a union; the European Union (E.U.). I think it is safe to say that whilst two of the major parties are pro-E.U., the most prominent party in our coalition Government - The Conservative Party - is split on the issue.

Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Prime Minister, David Cameron, said the U.K. was "perfectly entitled" to ask for a change on our relationship with the E.U., although he added a caveat that being entirely outside the EU would not be "right for Britain".

Since this story broke on the 6th January, both the U.S. and Germany have made passing shots in the press regarding the possible exit of the U.K. from the E.U.. In the case of the former, The Conservative Party has reacted angrily towards - what they see as a U.S. lobbying tactic to keep a transatlantic voice at the E.U. table - what John Redwood MP has described as the "...wish to be told that we should lose our democracy in the cause of advancing America’s.” There were numerous voices that reflected Mr Redwood's concerns.

Drawing a parrallel

Like the U.S., the E.U. has no method by which individual states can exit or secede, but this raises the question I off-set earlier in this post; Does a state or a nation have the right to self-determination independent of a totalitarian union that does not share its ideals or motivations? 

The relationship with the states and the federal union in the U.S. is not dissimilar to the relationship that the nation states of the U.K. have with their central Government in London. In turn, the relationship between the U.K. and the E.U. is similarly tumultuous, very few people being in support of European diktats from a distant and unfamiliar Parliament in Brussels.

Federations are complicated beasts; they are isolated nation states that wish to expand their influence in the world by means of a 'might is right' strategy - something this seems anathema to the the sensibilities of those that comprise the population of each constituent nation/state. Many will point to the success of countries like Norway and Switzerland who have steadfastly remained outside of the in-group (although Norway has made noises regarding a possible entry) and thrived under their own steam as proof positive that there is a life outside of the E.U.. The U.S. lacks this external comparison, but the situation between states and their union, and the U.K. and it's unions are still very much linked by the conundrum facing those that want out.

A firm believer in self-determination, I find I lean considerably towards states or constituent nations right to secede or exit from a unsuitable union should its populace wish it to be so. Just because there is no method set in place for such an eventuality, in no way means that simply stating an official position of independence is not enough. Both the U.S. and the U.K. have historical reasons for believing this to be true. Do people really need to be reminded of a certain document called 'the Declaration of Independence'?

Solutions - A proposal

It seems that sooner or later, one state or nation state or another will get its wish and become independent of their respective union, but this needn't mean the end of the decades or centuries of mutual benefit that each have enjoyed over the years. In the U.K., our relationship with the E.U. as a trading partner is very important to us; just as each of the states are to the U.S.. It is also a two-way street; the truth is we need one another on some scales, but all of them.

The rejection of a union's law in no wise means that much else need change. If a peaceful resolution is to be met, there are a multitude of good reasons to maintain that which benefits both parties, without having to dictate unpopular (and sometimes irrelevant) practices that harm a given population.

By bringing law back under the jurisdiction of London, the U.K. stands to determine for itself what is good for it, just as Texas or Colorado in the U.S. would. Trade and other agreements will need negotiation over a protracted amount of time, but they always are anyway and there is no particular reason to do away with that which works now in a fit of national pique (unless it is one of these issues that caused the split in the first place, of course).

We in the west place so much weight on the right of people to self-determination elsewhere in the world, but show little character when applying it to ourselves. Mark my words, it will come. Let us hope that when it does, it is because it is what the people want, rather than what our oppressors want.

#Cornwall: Dog fouling - prevention and punishment.

As a new owner of an English Springer Spaniel puppy, the issue regarding dog fouling on parks and pavements has become all the more real to me of late. Laws have been in place since 16 July 2010 to deal with the problem, but little seems to be done to enforce them.

Cornwall Council has a county-wide approach to this problem, where offending owners are fined if caught. Their website states:

Failing to clean up after your dog has fouled will result in a fixed penalty being issued - which is for £80 (reduced to £50 if paid within 10 days) or prosecution where if found guilty you would face a maximum fine of £1000.

This is all well and good, but what is the council doing to enforce it, and how often is someone caught offending? 

Wadebridge has recently made an effort to both educate the public and enforce it, and I applaud their efforts so far. If only Penzance's councillors would do the same. The problem with the article, though, is that it intimates that the commitment to this crack-down (where the police will accompany them) will be limited to one single day. I will be interested to see how this awareness drive reaches its goals. At least they are trying.

As part of my manifesto for the local elections in May, I propose that together with my local community group, Neighbourhood Together Partnership, we organise a team of residents that walk around the ward and carry out a number of functions in a largely unofficial manner.

When I used to live in Sweden, my community there had a similar project. Teams of two people would work out routes where they would engage with the people they encountered and chatted with them about community problems, thoughts and solutions. They would use the time they would have otherwise spent on after dinner walks and dog exercising to present a visible community presence. So that everyone knew who they were (and not just some random vigilante or weirdo). They were issued with distinctive yellow jackets to protect them from the Nordic elements, and so that they were instantly recognisable. For their own protection, their routes were recorded and backed up by the local police.

It struck me as quite bizarre that these little twosomes were hanging around with the local oiks and simply having a chat and a laugh with them, but why should that be? Their sheer presence created a deterrent because they all knew that whatever mischievousness they might have been up to could be reported back to their parents if they weren't careful. But I digress.

Wadebridge has authorised 6 people to carry out the on-the-spot fines for dog fouling, so why do we not train a group of enthusiastic volunteers to do the same in our own communities?  There are other benefits too. It serves as an important tool for 'neighbourhood watch' where the police work closely with the community to reduce crime. More than that, it is a good excuse for people to get out and get a little exercise  Needless to say, it helps gel community spirit, simply by having people working together from the same community and engaging with one another.

The best thing, though? The cost. This sort of group costs very little to set up. There are already people that are concerned enough to volunteer their time to community awareness (at least in my area), and whatever equipment is required for the visible presence could be funded by insurance sponsorship, community grants, proceeds from dog fouling fines or any number of ways. It really is a simple solution to quite an array of community issues.

Having spoken to a number of people on this very subject myself, a recurring theme appears to be bringing back the dog licence. I think this is a great idea. It instils a sense of responsibility into the dog owner, gives the issuing authority a good idea of the dog population and its condition and the monies raised from the fees could be put directly back into the communities in the form of training, awareness and emergency veterinary costs, amongst other things. Undoubtedly, veterinary practices would support such an enterprise, and could become contracted licence issuers when owners take their dogs for an annual check-up. The details need to be honed, but I feel the idea is strong and there would be a great deal of support for such a move. 

So what can we do right now?

Here is my check-list of activities to encourage responsible dog ownership:

Write to the 'Dog Welfare and Enforcement Service' at Cornwall Council and ask;

1. How many dog enforcement officers there are covering the areas that affect me? 
2. Where can I find information on the number of offences committed and fined/prosecuted?
3. What is the legal requirement for someone to act as a proxy dog enforcement officer, able to issue on-the-spot fines?
4. If a community group were formed to patrol a given area, what support could the council offer such a group to assist in their work?
5. Does the council have the authority to pass a law (or by-law) regarding the issuance of dog licences, and are there any plans to do so?

I think I will be copying this letter to my local MP, town councillor and the local paper too. Can't do any harm.

Write to my local veterinarians and ask for their opinion on the above letter, and they have any salient advice or suggestions?

Set up an on-line poll.

That is just off the top of my head, but I am sure people have other ideas that will benefit dogs, dog-owners, communities and local authorities, so please add your suggestions in the comment box below.

It is late here now, so I shall have to write my letter when I have more time. I have to walk the dog now!

If you would like to report a dog fouling incident to the council, click here to fill in their on-line form here. Or if you find your dog waste bin is full please contact the Refuse and Recycling Department on 0300 1234 141. There is also the issue of whether or not you can walk your dog on certain beaches. Check here to find out which are suitable, and at which time of year.

Daily digest #1

Due to a recent addition to the family taking up a lot of my previous spare time, and a distinct bifurcation in my areas of interest, I have decided to change the way I use this blog to make it easier for the people of each discipline to browse the information contained here.

Atheism and secularism are still my raison d'être for my blogging, but my interest in local politics and current affairs is in the ascendant right now (I plan to run for either the local town council or the county council in the May elections), so I shall be producing a daily post that lists the issues that are important to me from both subjects side by side and will let my reader be the judge of what it is you wish to read and how you would like me to proceed with it. If there is anything listed below that you would like me to expand upon, please leave a message in the comments. Likewise, if there is something you feel I have missed, please bring to my attention below and I shall try my best to squeeze out a post on it.

I suppose there is a degree of laziness in this approach, but I prefer to see it as a method of sorting out the wheat from the chaff and actually giving my reader some feedback on what it is they want to see here, so please do let me know what you think.

Atheism / Secularism

Local /Cornwall

How to make the UK a secular state By RobertCallan316 posted on January 11, 2013 02:58AM GMT "There's not many things that I can say that I'm not proud of being a British citizen. This country has done me well as a 19 year old atheist  but the one thing that deeply saddens me is that we are not a secular state, and still have bishops of the church of England having a say in issues that should be kept separate from them. What can the British people who believe this to be wrong do to try and put a stop to this so we can truly say that we promote reasonable thinking and in the UK?" There are some good answers in the comments section. Here's mine; "I particularly like comments #1, #2 and #5, but the crux of the matter is, what are you prepared to do about it? It is all well and good saying what you want and demanding it from your political representatives, but there is no substitution for becoming the leading voice in the field you wish to influence. Obviously, we cannot all do that, but it is not for the lack of opportunity. Myself, I will be running for councillor in either my local or county elections in May this year. I have no idea how successful my campaign will be, but I am sure that in getting the word out to people I know I am making a bigger impact on the electorate than any party political wonk that you could hope to have represent you. You appear to know what you want, make a stand and explain your position to the largest number of people that will listen. It's hard work, but imagine the satisfaction of garnering even a minority share of the vote. It will make it all worthwhile" Famous Christians - Martin Luther Rosa Rubicondior is one of my favourite bloggers. She consistently turns out well-researched and concise posts on biblical criticism. This post is the second of her - what I presume will be a recurring theme - 'Famous Christians'. The first post in the series confronted theist's claims that Hitler was an atheist, by quoting a number of his clearly Christian/Catholic line of thinking.

New supermarket will pay £250,000 for Penzance's improvements "Am I reading this correctly? Penzance businesses are being asked to part with an extra 1- 2% on top of their business rates? Or is it taken from that they already pay? Apropo the £249,500 from Sainsbury's; 1. On what will the £130,000 be spent on town improvements? 2. What 'events' will benefit from the £25,000? 3. Who or what will be marketed and promoted with another £25,000? 4. What will a £49,500 town centre co-ordinator do, and how will this person be selected? 5. Notwithstanding its name, what will be the objects and methodology of a Business Improvement District (BID)? It's great seeing these sort of numbers coming towards Penzance town centre, but what do they all mean exactly. At present they seem like nothing more than sound-bites." Call to restrict numbers of second homes "Like Mr Wallis, I have no particular objection to second/holiday homes but feel that with the housing waiting list being at the level it is, there is a need to balance the books. Homes lying empty for the majority of the year - whilst not immoral by any means - is not conducive to a thriving community. By making second/holiday home owners apply for some sort of planning permission, the council has the opportunity to have some control over how housing needs are managed. Private homes that are occupied are not affected at all. If a second/holiday home is found to be empty for the greater part of the year, owners should - at least - be encouraged to rent it out on a more regular basis so that the communities in which these properties exist don't wither and die in the quieter times of the year. Perhaps the council could offer owners an incentive to rent out their properties for a 12 month period, so that in the short term, at least, people will have somewhere to call home. Housing is perhaps the biggest challenge facing Cornwall, and from where I sit it appears to be an almost insurmountable problem in the short-term. The council must outline a definitive, coherent, sustainable and environmentally-conscious plan for the next 20-30 years if the problem is to be faced at all." Town gets tough on dog mess in parks "As a new owner of an English Springer Spaniel puppy, the issue regarding dog fouling on parks and pavements has become all the more real to me of late. Laws have been in place since 16 July 2010 to deal with the problem, but little seems to be done to enforce them." See my whole post

Miscellaneous

I have other interests beyond these two main subjects, of course, so I shall place funny, interesting or sometimes downright weird links here.

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One of my bug-bears about my local council, is their apparent indifference to a rugged policy for dealing with the housing crisis we are facing. What with Cornwall's idyllic coast and countryside, I don't think we are doing enough to encourage investment in green technologies on any level. 

I particularly like the idea of 'container villages' (I shall write a more in-depth post about this sometime in the future), but for now here is a link to what can done with the humble shipping container.

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The grammar Nazi in me runs deep, and I am always drawn to posts that explain an unknown area of the subject that, hitherto, I was unaware of.

This article by the Oxford University Press explains 'suppletion', where the future, present and past tenses of verbs can take on quite different forms from one another.

A good case in point (as the cartoon above shows. You may need to click to embiggen to see it in better detail.) is why is the past tense of 'go', 'went' rather than 'goed'?

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What do you think of the new approach? Is there anything you would like me to approach with more consideration? What else on this site do you think needs changing? Leave a comment below to let me know.

n.b. I am working on a new site that will further delineate between my increasingly diverse interests, but for the time being this blog will have to suffice. I'll let you know more when the roll-out date approaches.

Shoegate - Sometimes men get shoes donated too

I genuinely want to stay clear of the radical feminism in the atheist/sceptic community if I can, but my friend +Justin Vacula has just posted a video on a story he calls Greta Christina's "Shoegate".

It appears that Greta Christina - who is currently suffering from the fallout of cancer - has been buying shoes on the back of asking for donations. Now, I have no interest in getting too far into the nuts and bolts of this so-called story - to be honest, it is insufferably boring - I just wanted to see the reaction to my last shoe purchase.

Perhaps I should make myself clear on the back story behind these comfortable sports slippers. I am currently in receipt of Government support for mental health issues, and am unable to work. My income - such as it is - does not afford me the luxury of shelling out for professional 'dress shoes'. Accordingly, this pair of shoes was bought at a local retailer on sale for the very sensible price of £26 (down from £40). Unfortunately, I am unable to afford even this much.

The fact is, they were donated to me by my mother: who has been very supportive of my plight. One wonders if I were to ask for a more substantial pair of shoes that would perhaps last me longer and impress the judge at my upcoming appeal against the Government's rejection of my application for ESA (the appropriate benefit for people signed off from, and unable to work), whether or not my mother would have been so generous? Sure, she would want me to be happy, and would wholeheartedly support me in my never-ending fight against Government misrepresentation and discrimination, but if the shoe fits, should I wear it?

Her name is Petal and is 10 weeks old

Talking of donations, my friend +Alison Leah has kindly let me have one of her dog's pure-breed English Springer Spaniel puppies. This is a very kind act on her part as they are each valued at over £300 each (an amount far beyond my means). She'll have her own reasons for this altruism, but given that if I cannot afford a dog from the outset, should I have accepted responsibility for this little peach?

n.b. It should be noted that my mother, again, has been very supportive and has donated her own money to set me up with all the necessary accoutrements that puppies require (I shall find the money for all the injections, worming, spaying, chipping etc.  myself, and I will have insurance cover for emergencies).

The questions I wish to raise here are, "Is it acceptable to ask for donations, when - for one reason or another - the chips are down and you have fallen upon hard times?" and "At which point does the donor righteously feel aggrieved about your spending their money on - what could be considered - luxury or otherwise unnecessary items?". For my part, the answers are, a) yes, and b) when the donor raises the issue.

As I said, this is not a dig at Greta (although I do think she might have been a little more discrete). She has offered to return any donations that donors feel have been abused, and from what I understand no one has done so. I guess I just wanted to show off my shoes and puppy.

#Cornwall Council bleeding the poor for nearly 5 x our weight per capita.

According to the excellent Guardian Data site, Cornwall Council's demand that I - and the other poorest people in the county - pay 25% of my Council Tax Benefit, means that those that are not in receipt of benefits escape any and all of the cuts that central Government has made whilst the poorest have to pay approximately five times the amount per capita of the county.

Let me clarify:

1. My contribution to CTB under the Council's plans mean that I will be paying an extra $246 per year.
2. Set against the £48 the cuts will cost me, this represents bad value for money.
3. At 5 times the cost of the cuts, I am subsidising those that can afford to pay.
4. The contribution made by those who are not in receipt of CTB will be exactly £0 per year.
5. Set against the £48 the cuts will 'cost' then, this represents robbing the poor to pay your own debt.
6. By not paying anything to counter the cuts, those that can afford to pay are off-setting their financial losses against those that have nothing.

Seriously! What is wrong with people? How can this be a difficult concept to get your head around?

The poor do not have any money, because they are poor. Cornwall Council thinks that it is the poor that are best suited and funded to bail their national party's mess. Well, let me just say this.

"Over my cold, dead body!"

Explain to me how the poor pay for the entirety of the cuts and those that are not considered poor enough to warrant getting CTB at all pay nothing? NOTHING?

Other posts in the series

• Do you get Council Tax Benefit in #Cornwall? Then bloody well read this and do something about it.
• #Cornwall Council's Cabinet is broken. Not to worry; I've reported it. #BloodFromStone
• #Cornwall Council Cabinet decision gets locals commenting. Not #BloodFromStone at all.
• Idiot quote from #Cornwall Council leader, Jim Currie

Join the Social Network Pages

• Facebook The Great Cornwall Council Poverty Tax
• Twitter using the #BloodFromStone hashtag
• Google+ The Great Cornwall Council Poverty Tax

Idiot quote from #Cornwall Council leader, Jim Currie

“While we recognise that this recommendation will cause difficulties for some people in Cornwall, the stark truth is that the Council does not have the money to pick up the bill for this”

-Jim Currie. Conservative Leader of Cornwall Council

Why is this idiotic? Because he thinks the poorest people in the county do have the money to pick up the bill.

Here is a question for Mr Currie:

Considering I have a negative annual income, and that I suspect that you do not, who is better situated of the two of us to 'pick up the bill', as you put it?

This isn't empty rhetoric. I want an answer, Mr Currie.

Other posts in the series

• Do you get Council Tax Benefit in #Cornwall? Then bloody well read this and do something about it.
• #Cornwall Council's Cabinet is broken. Not to worry; I've reported it. #BloodFromStone
• #Cornwall Council Cabinet decision gets locals commenting. Not #BloodFromStone at all.

Join the Social Network Pages

• Facebook The Great Cornwall Council Poverty Tax
• Twitter using the #BloodFromStone hashtag
• Google+ The Great Cornwall Council Poverty Tax

Do you have a message for our illustrious Leader? Please leave a comment below. I will be emailing him a link at jcurrie@cornwall.gov.uk

#Cornwall Council Cabinet decision gets locals commenting. Not #BloodFromStone at all.

The comments section at ThisIsCornwall is getting quite a hit, no less for my participation. Here is my tuppence-worth (cause that's all I have):

"Okay. I have found the words.

Cornwall Council is spinning this story to make you feel bad for them being short-changed from central Government's deep pockets/long arms ratio, but it is downright insulting of them to suggest that they don't feel the Cornish tax payers should shoulder that  burden, only to then put that burden wholly and directly on the county's poorest people. It is shockingly arrogant beyond belief.

In fact the money they stand to make from this little enterprise actually exceeds that they claim is the shortfall; all at the expense of the poor. I applaud their cheek, if nothing else. 25,000+ more homeless. 

And to all you nay-sayers below; do you really think there are enough jobs to go around to save this situation? Really? What about those of us that are on ESA or DLA? Should we just be thrown in the bin along with the tightly squeezed toothpaste tubes? There's no paste left, and no method to obtain any more.

A number of you here will recognise me from my posts regarding religion. Clearly that is not my only area of activism, and I shall not be taking this lying down. At the following link, you will find a post I have quickly hashed together with why this deal sucks for me personally (it is my blog after all), followed by a checklist of what the other 25,000+ people that will be affected by this recommendation can do to stop it.

http://www.mygodlesslife.com/2012/12/do-you-get-council-tax-benefit-in.html

I have a readership of some 5,000 a month, over 8,000 social network contacts, am already in contact with The Cornishman, and my local Cornwall and Penzance Town councillor (who has already committed herself to voting against the recommendation - thanks Ruth Lewarne). And I am a long way from over yet; we have a month to mobilise. 

Andrew George MP will be next. Perhaps he would like to join the Facebook or Google+ groups 'Great Cornwall Council Poverty Tax', or start Tweeting with the #BloodFromStone hashtag to highlight the issue. Whatever, I and a great many people like me will be marching on Truro in the run up to the Full Council meeting at 10:30am on January 15th to remind the Cabinet that there is a local election coming up on May 2nd, and that their seats are not granted to them by fiat.

Just so people know where I am coming from, on Monday I shall be standing in front of Penzance Town Council to make my pitch for why I should be considered for the co-option of the vacant councillors position in Penzance's Promenade Ward. I look forward to seeing some support at 7pm on Monday 17 December 2012 in The Guildhall, St John’s Hall.

It is all too easy to bend over and let the Government bite you on the ass, but when we turn around and bear our teeth, democracy assures us there will only ever be one winner."

Other posts on the Great Cornwall Council Poverty Tax:

• Do you get Council Tax Benefit in #Cornwall? Then bloody well read this and do something about it.
• Cornwall Council's Cabinet is broken. Not to worry; I've reported it. #BloodFromStone

#Cornwall Council's Cabinet is broken. Not to worry; I've reported it. #BloodFromStone

I love modern technology, especially when it means I can contribute to making my community a better place to live. FixMyStreet.com is just one such enterprise that makes bringing a problem to the attention of your local council so much simpler.

Here in Cornwall, we have a great deal of problems with the council itself, so where better to raise the issue than with a site dedicated to getting them to solve local issues. I decided to do just that.

I wonder how long it will take to fix it, there is only one month left to go before it is too late.

See my earlier blog post to see what the problem is, followed by the next post

Please remember to share and promote this import issue. It could mean the difference between 25,000+ people having a roof over their heads.