WikiLeaks

So Sweden has issued an arrest warrant on Julian Assange for rape and sexual molestation. For those who have been living the life of a recluse over the past three months Assange and his whistle blower site WikiLeaks has been in the news over the release of detailed papers on Iraq. America has been particularly vociferous in condemning the WikiLeaks actions prompting a robust statement from Hilary Clinton.

A little bit of me says" Am I surprised " by the Swedish intervention ? Has everybody seen Spooks on TV ? I smell something fishy in the air and await further information on this alleged rape. I guess it's possible that if you can't shut someone up one way you will try another. Mind you, if that's true then this Swedish intervention is not very subtle is it.

Lord Young of Graffham

Lord Young of Graffham really made a political gaff this week by saying people were better off during this recession. Of course David Cameron was aghast, it was not a politically correct statement to make, particularly in the current climate of massive Government cuts.

But was the noble Lord correct in what he said?

Well I think he was ...... in part. If you had a tracker mortgage for instance, you will definitely have had a significant increase in your disposable income with the drop in interest rates. A colleague of mine was able to buy a second home (apartment) in a modern dockside development and rent out his original home purely because of the drop in interest rates . From my own personal point of view, I have a fixed rate mortgage on my modest abode and for the past two years have had no benefit whatsoever from the drop in interest rates. Had I, then I would have around £400 - £500 a month extra in my pocket. Would this make me better off than I was before the recession? Would it have cushioned me against the recession? You bet it would, on both counts.

It was probably a bit unfortunate that the noble Lord tarred everybody with his statement, but he was not wrong in stating that some of us (not me unfortunately) are much better off and have benefited from the recession provided you have a repayment mortgage and have stayed in employment throughout the period.

Some people do not like the truth and the noble Lord has unfortunately been a victim of this.

Queer Eye For A Straight Guy

I've just been watching the reruns on "Queer Eye" on Sky Diva TV cause I didn't see them the first time around about 4 or five years ago.

There is both an American and a UK version and having watched both I have gotta say that the American version wins hands down. Above is the UK team who lack the humour, class and pizzaz of the American crew (see below). Not one of the UK team could hold a candle to Carson Kressley, seen in the middle of the pic.

Mugabe and the White African

I have just watched the film Mugabe and the White African on T.V. which tells the legal battle undertaken by Zimbabwean white farmer Mike Campbell and his family to stop that despot Robert Mugabe from snatching their paid for farm under the guise of Land Reform.

It was a shocking film not least of all for the violence dished out by Mugabe's henchmen to Mike Campbell, his wife and son in law Ben who suffered a fractured skull just because they had dared to go to an international court. Watch it if you want to get first hand knowledge of the true situation in Zimbabwe.

From a personal viewpoint, I find it really frustrating that Mugabe is still walking around in Zimbabwe due to a corrupt election which he lost, dishing out daily violence to those who oppose him and causing terrible suffering to the population through a bankrupt economy.

What is also evident is the Mugabe henchmen are still at it in virtual space. Almost every review or comment on this film you find on the web has a response from an apology for a Mugabe sidekick who goes under the pseudonym of "Christian Allard" who spouts on about colonialism, British Empire Captain Campbell, intimating Mike Campbell snatched the farm (which incidentally he paid for on a loan and gave work to 500 mainly black workers) and other inflammatory clap trap. Yawn ! On every posting he tries desperately to put up a defence for what is not defensible.

Watch the film and judge for yourself. One thing's for sure, racism is not the sole domain of white people! There seems a case here for some sort of International intervention as the black community in Africa , and in particular South Africa, seem powerless or disinclined to do anything.

Oh and by the way, once the international court found on behalf of Mike Campbell Mugabe had their farm set on fire and burned it to the ground. How unexpected was that then !