Quote

P1010004

Islam must do away with the dangers of extremism and present the religion's positive message, Saudi King Abdullah said Wednesday as he opened a conference on interfaith dialogue.

My birthday, 1st September. In my usual self obsessed way, I am thinking about my next. In 2008 I will be 60, the same age as our National Treasure, the NHS. Yes, I was born the day the National Health Service was born. Maybe there will be a party and all of us born September 1 will be invited. Somehow I don't think so, although the way the media operates, if there is nothing else going on this summer (sorry English football fans) some of us might be hunted down by the paparazzi. My birthday, however is not what got me blogging, it was the realization that I am part of the great post-war generation which is about to get some cold turkey after a serious binge. Our parent's gave us life after having just survived a terrible few years of their young lives, Young men and women not old enough to vote were dragged into a bloody nightmare in Europe, North Africa, and the Far East. They returned, traumatized,  many homeless, grieving for lost friends, to a grateful nation of parents and grandparents who in their young lives, had gone through similar horrors. In 1945, Great Britain was still an empire, bankrupt but determined to reward it's children for the sacrifices made. Victory over Nazism and Fascism was attributed to Churchill, a Tory, but the future was given by a fledgling democracy,to Socialism.  Victory came with a much greater cost however, the emergence of a great economic power, America. With a completely free hand to export Capitalism throughout the world, America effectively signed the British Empire's Death Warrant. Despite this power, Congress and Senate, in 1945, were sincere in wishing to assist in the reconstruction of Europe and Japan. America's main concern however, was Stalin and the Soviet Union, the Cold War. The Soviet Union became the target for American Republicans resulting in the development of "The Military Industrial Complex". Indeed, the new American President, Dwight D Eisenhower, hero of the victory in Europe, warned of the threat to world peace if this was to happen. Back in the British Isles, a genuine desire for a fair and just society existed. A brilliant plan was devised by the new Labour Government, and they were determined to implement it. Little did anyone know at the time that they were on a hiding to nothing.   This is quite a long way from my birthday, it is 1945 and us Baby Boomers have not yet arrived. I'm very much aware that few will read this, yet I feel almost embarrassed by my lousy writing skills and limited knowledge of this subject. Of course, children were born every year despite the two world wars, but there appears to be a dramatic change in the behaviour of young people in the UK (I presume Europe and America also),  starting in the early sixties. That was the time when children born after 1945 became teenagers. A very localized view of this change was in my own family. I was one of 5, four sisters and me! I had 2 older sisters and two younger. One fact stands out in my mind, My eldest sister Doreen, was born during the war. At the age of 19 she was not allowed to stay out after 9 30 in the evening. A few years later when I turned 18 I could do exactly what I liked, same mum, same dad! What changed?...........

Video Player

Prime Minister hails Capital of Culture

President Bush said Friday he doesn’t take it personally when Democratic and Republican presidential candidates embrace change as a major campaign theme.

Don't follow this George

del.icio.us Tags: American Politics

 

Well you got something right for once 

President Bush stopped in front of an aerial photo of Auschwitz on Friday at Israel's Holocaust memorial and said the U.S. should have sent bombers to prevent the extermination of Jews there.

Here's a job for you Tony(Blair), mediate!

Catholic and Muslim representatives plan to meet in Rome in the spring to start a dialogue between the faiths after relations were soured by Pope Benedict XVI's 2006 comments about Islam and holy war, Vatican officials said.

Search crews in boats resumed looking Thursday for the bodies of four young children while a judge considered bond for their father, who is accused of throwing them from an Alabama bridge.

What is the world coming to

Don't forget me! I'm 60 September 1 as well

Gordon Brown has promised to keep the National Health Service at the top of the Government's agenda as the organisation enters its 60th year.

Gordon Brown has welcomed Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to Downing Street for bilateral talks.

It wasn't me, honest!

Here we go again!

Gordon Brown has promised "real and serious changes" over the coming 12 months as he laid out his priorities for 2008 in a New Year Message.

LiveJournal Tags: 2008,Jobs UK,kennethfcca

I think God would refer to one of Shania Twain lines for this achievement

Israeli scientists have inscribed the entire Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible onto a space less than half the size of grain of sugar.

Now this one takes the biscuit.

Japan’s air force has never spotted a UFO, but the country’s top government spokesman said Tuesday he “definitely” believes they exist.

The United Kingdom is in a strong position to manage the financial uncertainty caused by the credit crunch, the PM has said.

Crisis? What Crisis? (Jim Callahan, the last Labour PM who took over without having to ask us voters)

13:35 GMT  |  Read comments(0)

17 December

BBC NEWS | Wales | Watchdog looks into X Factor vote

BBC NEWS | Wales | Watchdog looks into X Factor vote

08:52 GMT  |  Read comments(0)

10 December

A few images which express my world