HS2 - The Sensible Alternative

I know this is not a new idea but would not the money be far better invested in providing a circular rail link that mirrors the M25?

That way people who need to get to other parts of the London area can do so without having to travel into the city centre, go across town and over burden the already creaking tube system. It would be a great way to finally link the major airports together in a sensible and highly accessible fashion. 

If there were car park ports and bus links at strategic stations; this would benefit both the environment & create a huge amount of jobs. Not to mention help transform London and indeed the UK into a leading country with realistic approach to city transport and a reasonable alternative to road congestion (especially the M25 which is a mobile parking lot in rush hours).

This would also benefit links to Birmingham and Manchester as again people would not have to travel across London to get to where they need to.

It is London itself that is the 'log jam' and HS2 will not solve the problems. This idea would go a long way to doing so and would benefit a far larger majority of people than the 'less than 1%' with the HS2 white elephant.

It would be nice for governments to think long term just for once.

Protests - Why Bother?

Is there any point in protests?

Over the last few years people have been protesting in the streets and going on strike for any number of reasons.

Austerity measures, illegal wars, pensions, corrupt MPs and governments, job cuts and bankers getting away with ruining the world economy and making ordinary people pay for it are just to name a few.

Has all this protesting done anything to change the situation? Sadly the answer is NO.

In this modern era protesting is a waste of time. Sure you might feel good and that you may achieve something but you are just kidding yourselves. Governments use these protests against you, ignore them or even encourage them to deflect from the real problems going on i.e. themselves.

If you want to change things then there are only 2 ways you can do this:

1) Use the law to prosecute. In which case you will have to have infinite resources, big enough lawyers on your side and hope the press aren't gagged or bought off.

2) Revolt. Take life into your own hands.

Revolutions aren't always about blood (though some do result in it); they are a natural way of telling the current system that it unsustainable and needs to change and adapt. Try a new model; the old one no longer fits the bill. Throughout history revolutions have happened time and time again, hence the name. They help to move the system along it's course of evolution and stop it from stagnation.

Those that tell you revolutions are not the answer and try to threaten you are usually the ones who stand to lose the most when they occur.

The Death Penalty

Sadly we live in a time where the death penalty for murder is considered barbarous. It is argued that it is not a deterrent but judicial murder, it has made those who sanction it as bad as, if not worse than, those they pass sentence upon.

And what if we got it wrong, execute the wrong person?

Views like this have been espoused by gutless governments frightened of responsibility, or by people unable to face up to hard facts. A hanged murderer will never kill again.

The death penalty is a response to a crime, not a crime in itself. Yes, on very rare extreme occassions you may in error put innocents to death. However, their number would not be a fraction of one percent of those innocents killed by murderers allowed back into society by softer regimes.

It is all rather simple really, and the urge to understand and rehabilitate such criminals is merely the product of cowardice.

There are laws; if you break them, then there are penalties. No excuses.

Be tough on the causes of crime: criminals.