Letter to Beverley Guardian - hypocrisy

Dear Sir,

A meeting has been called in Beverley  this Friday 25^th Nov at 2pm  about increasing homelessness and  lack of jobs in the area (for detail call  874096).  Considering the ConDem policies of blaming/punishing the poor (by cutting public services and pensions)  for the sins and greed of the banks  and corporations ,  it’s a bit rich that our MP has expressed concern about the issues and may attend this meeting.  Unfortunately we can’t be there,  but if we were, we would be asking him exactly how he thinks that his turbo-capitalist policies are going to help.   It’s the government’s job to understand the big picture and act accordingly….but all it is doing is promoting business as usual.  It’s repeating the mistakes of the 1930s.   It’s so tied in with the toxic financial, commercial, energy and military  ‘establishment’ that it can’t accept that things have to change radically now (in light of the crises in oil, most other resources, climate,  economy, ecology and society)  to promote  local economies and local sustainability – as in the Transition Towns initiative ( and there is now a local group) and explained by the Green Party deputy leader  next Thursday Dec 1^st at Norwood Methodist Church, 7.30pm.   

The Government will say it is trying to promote ‘growth’ (ie supporting the CITY of London,  big business and more globalisation -  the very things responsible for global physical and economic overheating,  wars for resources, arms proliferation,  etc.)  It is blinkered,  to say the least.     Einstein said:     ‘We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them’.  We are overdue for a big (positive and exciting) change in our thinking.

We do hope that others will make these points at the meeting    (as well as trying to find ways to patch up the expanding holes in the local economy and services)

sincerely

Shan Oakes

East Riding  Green Party

St Pauls and the protest

Dear St Paul’s ,

Congratulations on coming to the decision  not to invoke legal means against the protesters. 

Anyone who thinks at all about what’s going wrong (worldwide) can see that the protesters are right and are speaking up for people and planet against the destructive and overweening  power of the banks and their ilk - which have squatted for too long in the City,  silently manipulating the policy of this country - with enormous and terrible global impact.  

This is a critical moment in this planet’s history,  and St Paul’s is centre stage.  I’m not a Christian (because I think religions divide people),  but  I admire Jesus the man for standing up for the weak, the poor and for justice.  I think it’s very clear which side Jesus would be on in the current conflict...

Surely now is the time for religions to stand together, be brave and clear,  and tell the world of finance with its parasitical pawn politicians  what they think of it.  For a start, David Cameron should do a U turn and, against the City’s wishes,  support the ‘Robin Hood ‘  tax on financial transactions.  How can this country hold its head up when our prime minister won’t even climb onto the moral high ground in Europe?

Sincerely,

Shan Oakes

Beverley, East Yorkshire

Ithaca - solar panels

Vathy,  the capital of Ithaca, the legendary  home of Odysseus - lots of solar water fittings.  Lovely place too!

Waking up to Greece!

We slept on the sofas and awoke (Sept 15th) as we wended our way between Ithaca and the mainland, heading for Patra on the Peloponnese.  We had a rendezvous with granddaughters on the Ionian islands (hence the trip),  but the ferries had stopped running directly to the islands as the season was over, hence going via Patra

Brindisi - ferry to Greece

Arrived Brindisi 4 ish and wandered onto the ferry.  It was a party atmosphere on board, and a warm, beautiful evening.

Train to Brindisi

Bill : early morning at Milan station on way to Brindisi.  We'd arrived on the sleeper from Paris and been treated to a most welcome espresso and pastry by Sylvain whom we'd  met and spent the night with (in the 6 berth compartment!)  We stretched our legs walking round the front of the station just before sunrise and I actually saw a rabbit dart between bushes and railings!

Young Greens - Sept Conference

Shan with Ash  Haynes and and Kieran Anderson of Young Greens at Green Party Conference, Sheffield Hallam University,  Sept 12th.