Criminality in banking

So HSBC and UBS have been fined massive amounts of money for being a bit naughty. Why are the bosses in court? It would appear that all you have to do to get away with money laundering and interest rate fixing is to be the head of a major banking instution.

What I'd like to ask the bank bosses is 'if you knew your institution was committing criminal acts why did you not act to stop it from doing so? If you didn't know, why didn't you know?'

To be honest, however they answer their goose is cooked. If they knew and failed to act they're guilty of collusion and should do some serious jail time, longer than say, Nick Leeson, who brought down Barings in the Nineties. If they didn't know, then they should be sacked for incompetence and negligence. To not know where your revenue is coming from is unacceptable and gives lie to their insistence they get paid so much because they're the best for the job.

Whilst it's pleasing to note that three traders have been arrested on suspicion of fixing LIBOR rates the question remains: why aren't those higher up the chain being arrested? Surely those who make decisions about how to trade should face sanctions? I refuse to believe that these three individuals made the decision to allegedly break the law purely by themselves.

Some music I like.

Alright, the title is possibly probably misleading, as it merely involves a 24 year old song.

Brainscan by Voivod, the French Canadian band formed by four friends. Snake, Blacky, Piggy and Away. Piggy has been replaced now by a new guitarist, Chewy. Nothing to do with artistic differences, more to do with death. Piggy died on 26th August, 2005, leaving enough recorded material for two more albums, Katorz and Infini.

Now, before I begin my critique of the song bear in mind I'm not a muso, merely a music lover. Right. Here we go.

Like most of the songs on Dimension Hatross Brainscan is immediately catchy. Starting with an understated riff and drawled vocals it sort of rumbles along. I'd like to point out here there are more musical ideas in this one song than there are in AC/DC's entire career. Time signature changes, 'happy' guitar, upstrokes, more hooks than a fishing tackle shop, great lyrics and superb musicianship all go to make what is almost the perfect song. It's a symphony in five minutes, but with a rock band not an orchestra.

I love the way Snake uses his voice almost as a percussion instrument, fitting himself between the guitar and bass and over the drums.  Said drums are at times almost tribal, sounding like Roots era Sepultura, at times staccato, and rarely in AC/DC standard 4/4 time. Away has joined the list of drummers I adore listening to. This list comprises mostly Will Calhoun, Daryl Jennifer, Dave Grohl, John Bonham and Michel Langevin.

Put simply, if you're a fan of jazzpunkthrashprogmetal you'll absolutely love them. If you don't want to be made to think about how music can blow your ears off you probably won't.

Atos and the Work Capability Assessment.

There are many resources online which give information and tips about how to beat the WCA. This will hopefully add to that.

First, if you get called for assessment call them and insist that your assessment is recorded. Atos are legally required to provide equipment to do this. Back up your call with an email to a named person at whichever assessment centre you're dealing with. Badger them till you get confirmation in writing.

Take a friend to act as a witness. Get said friend to take notes and ask questions about the relevance of what the "medical professional" is asking you to do.

When you attend make sure you look at your worst. Don't wear make up, leave hair unbrushed etc.

Avoid eye contact, sigh often and tut when asked to perform one of their silly actions.

If you're asked how you are do not say "I'm fine" or similar. Say something along the lines of "I'm scared I'm going to end up like one of the 10600 people who've died after being passed fit for work by Atos 'Healthcare'".

If you still get put in the WRAG get your appeal in quick, and badger them for an appeal date.

If you subsequently get a letter telling you your appeal has failed get on to them ASAP. They are breaking the law by not giving you 14 days notice. Batter them with sections 29 and 35 of the Welfare Reform Act.

Write to your MP. They are supposed to represent you, make sure they do so.

Involve the media if necessary, Atos do not like bad publicity, nor do the government.

Never give up. We can and will win, but only if we organise and stick together.

Finally, good luck. And, as they say, chin up, tits out.

Newsnight and McAlpine

So, Lord McAlpine is to claim compensation from the BBC in spite of the fact that his name was not mentioned by the organisation. What an utter crock of shit. His name has been mentioned all over the blogosphere since about 1997 (at least, the first article I found was from that year). Indeed, he was all but named in an article by the respected and award winning journalist Nick Davies, so it wasn't just the conspiracy nutters that misused his name.

Steve Messham, the man at the centre of the Newsnight programme was shown a photograph of one of the men who abused him and told he was Lord McAlpine. Who showed him the photo? The police. The same police who have been busy not investigating institutional child abuse for decades.

We are facing a massive cover up here unless we keep at least one eye on the ball. Whilst it is important that the allegations against Savile are investigated and any accomplices prosecuted, it is more important that allegations aabout historic abuse at various childrens' homes are properly looked into. An inquiry will detract from that unless, unlike the Waterhouse report, it is completely open. Also, the authorities in Jersey must be taken to task for their shameful behaviour regarding Haut De La Garenne and the subsequent cover-up and removal from office of an honest copper.

We need a new political party

Now that Liam Byrne has confirmed that New Labour plans to carry on with the ConDem austerity measures and welfare cuts I've decided they won't get my vote at the next election. As my conscience won't allow me to vote for the shower of entitled cunts currently in charge it has become abundantly clear what we need is a new party, one that represents the majority, not just the rich and powerful.

Here's a manifesto for the party that would get my vote:-

• Nationalise the railways.
• Nationalise all the utilities.
• Get all private companies out of the NHS.
• Get control of government back from the corporations.
• Abolish the civil list.
• Abolish Workfare.
• Raise the National Minimum Wage to £8.00 per hour.

The first three are easy to explain and cost. Cost is basically nothing, as the corporations have made millions, if not billions, off our backs over the years, so we merely take them back. Then, as there is no fat cat wanting a profit and a bonus costs are immediately reduced, allowing reductions in fares, electricity and gas prices. Also, it allows for repairs and upgrades to be made to infrastructure without increasing costs.

For the last thirty or so years successive governments have allowed corporations become too powerful, to the extent that the failure of the banks is deemed to be unacceptable, making their debt public, effectively nationalising them whilst allowing them to still pay bonuses and dividends. This has to be changed. Either nationalise the banks or allow them to go under. Corporations should have no say in government policy, no matter how much they pay in bribes to government ministers.

Why does the Civil List still exist? Why do we still give millions of pounds to the Royal Family? No austerity for those parasitic inbreds, we should cut them all loose and if they need money, well, sell a fucking palace.

Workfare is an abomination. Jobs are being cut so employers can get free workers courtesy of the taxpayer. It's just fucking dreadful.

Also, end the Work Capability Assessment, it's inhumane and costs more than it's designed to save. Actually, amend Atos' contract so that every time an appeal is upheld they're fined £1 million. That'll force them to get things right.

Even Christians don't care about the poor.

I know, I know, the title's a tad contentious, but this article by The odious Cristina Odone, a leading Catholic commentator is at best unsympathetic, and at worst downright inflammatory. Her devil take the hindmost approach is the last thing her beloved invisible friend would espouse. The New Testament, written between 70 and 300 years after the death of a man of Hispanic descent (Jesus is the quintessential Hispanic name, no?), tells us fables of a man who does nice things for those worse off than him.

She says 'young mothers need incentives, not social worker platitudes' and excoriates those that are on benefits. In a time where there are over 2.5 million people chasing just 450,000 vacancies this is breathtakingly naive. Or, considering the fact she endorses the cuts being imposed by the evil Iain Duncan Smith, this is her inner Toryscum rising to the surface. I realise papers need controversy, just read Sam Prick or Jizz Loans in the Daily Fascist Bastard for examples of vacuous shite that occupies much of Middle England, but to blame the poor for being poor is a bit fucking rich.

Us poor people didn't cause this recession Cristina, that was started in the 80s by corporations and politicians who gave away our well paid manufacturing jobs, who sold our utilities so they could be run for profit, and who are now giving away the NHS so it can be run for profit. We have had 30 years of this race to the bottom, and there is not much left to be monetised. The banks hastened this recession by loaning to those who couldn't afford to repay those loans, then they fixed it so they got paid by the taxpayer. If you follow your Christian teachings Cristina, you'll know about being rich and getting into heaven. I get you're a Catholic, therefore you'll be in purgatory for a while before being let into heaven.

Instead of bashing young mothers and those on benefits, let's bash those that caused our economic shitfest: the globalisation apologists, the politicians of all colours that allowed this to happen and the crooked bankers. Stick the lot of them in jail and give us our jobs back.

Benefit Bashing Bastards.

Our government is selling us, via the right wing media, the idea that people who claim benefits are feckless scroungers. That those under 25 who claim housing benefit are a drain on the nations resources. Disabled people are being told they don't matter, their benefits are to be cut. In fact, all benefits are being cut, so the poorest in our society are going to get even poorer thanks to the ideology of this morally bankrupt unelected Tory led coalition.

Everybody who currently claims Disability Living Allowance (DLA), even if they have a lifelong award, will be forced to be 're-tested' by the idiots at ATOS, a French company who are paid £100m or so a year to reduce the numbers claiming DLA. Never mind the fact that 40% of people they order off this benefit go on to win their appeal, this is a war against the disabled. A friend of mine will have the mobility part of her DLA  (which is to be renamed Personal Independence Payment) removed, as she can propel herself further than 100 metres under her own steam in her wheelchair. This will result in her losing her job, causing her to claim even more benefits.

Let us not forget that both DLA and Housing Benefit (HB) are in work benefits. In fact, 88% of HB claims are made by working people, which suggests two things. Rents are too high, and wages are too low. Cutting HB is only going to increase pressure on those least able to afford living in high rent areas such as London, and indeed much of the South East. HB claimants are being forced to move from London to places like Walsall and Stoke. This is not denigrating these towns, but to force people to leave behind family, friends and other support groups is inhumane. I know how hard it is to make friends after moving to a new area.

Next time you look down on a disabled person just think about this: it only takes a heart attack, a stroke, an accident for you to become disabled. Who's the scrounger now?