The great -hypocritical - English public

Those who will now go out and buy a copy of the last edition of the News of the World tomorrow.

Something that Murdoch will greatly appreciate and help him fund his further 'evil' plans:

BSKYB
The Sunday Sun

There are so many sickening examples of people jumping on the "down with the NOW" bandwagon who will delighted to do the same all over again and support and curry favour with Murdoch.

People who will now switch their allegiance to another Red Top, even though we have been told that the problems with the NOW journalism are endemic - another Red Top will attempt to act in exactly the same way.

They could of course buy the Guardian ( who exposed this cesspit) or the Sunday equivalent the Observer . . . (tongue in cheek).

The only politician I've noticed so far that has come out of this clean so far is Shirley Williams who stated on question time that she has never been to a Murdoch Party. We learn that both Labour and the Conservatives have both been eager to "jump into bed" with Murdoch in order to gain his favour. He is recognised as being strongly influential in steering our so called democracy.

No wonder people are getting fed up with politics and now even switching away from newspapers altogether - so what will take their place? - Blogs like this linked by Twitter ?

I hope that at the same time we will have and support good investigative journalism like the Independent and the Guardian to name two and hopefully more of this locally -will the Evening Mail change away from its sex, drugs and violence approach?

Lastly - I fear that the same morality is also pervasive of Ulverston Society where secrecy and denial of information to the public is endemic.

Don't let's kid ourselves that the problem is somewhere else - it's here too.

Dog get together in Ford Park yesterday went very well

It was great meeting the enthusiasts though the weather made the event short! We were left uninterupted by Ford Park management as happened last Christmas and left the field better than we found it!

One person reckoned they had told 50 people. Some of our main supporters were away. The idea, it was agreed was obviously a good one and we should make more effort in publicity. Word of mouth, largely used for yesterday was greatly favoured (Youtube helped).

Next do will almost certainly be on Christmas Day at ten o'clock - the repeat of last year - see below. By then, numbers would be swelled by the people coming into contact with us through the Mural Activities in Gill Banks and elsewhere see below.

Human contact

There are groups of people that are hidden away out of sight that would greatly benefit from seeing and talking with people other than those paid to do so.

Many of us don't realise these people exist.

Suchet was back on TV on BBC breakfast to highlight the work being done with Dementia. How groups of musicians were enjoying "talking to" others through engaging them in making music.

They had found a hidden door into these peoples brains when all other entrances were blocked.

People with Dementia were tapping out rhythms and "dancing" with their hands and feet. It was good to see.

Something I hope to do in Ulverston is get many small community groups formed like the one at Lightburn Park.

I am meeting people living only 50 yards from each other that have similar interests and don't know the other exists. We have no common ground where we can meet those that live nearby and this could be of great enjoyment to us all.

I shall get these groups going if I can whether or not I get elected and am at this moment exploring other groups nationwide, that have ways of bringing people together.

More on this again soon!

Socrates and wisdom from 1859 is still very topical

In the book Self-Help; with Illustrations of Character and Conduct, published in 1859 by Samuel Smiles, we read:

"self-denial and self-help" would make a poor rallying cry for the
hustings; and it is to be feared that the patriotism of this day
has but little regard for such common things as individual economy
and providence, although it is by the practice of such virtues only
that the genuine independence of the industrial classes is to be
secured. "Prudence, frugality, and good management," said Samuel
Drew, the philosophical shoemaker, "are excellent artists for
mending bad times: they occupy but little room in any dwelling,
but would furnish a more effectual remedy for the evils of life
than any Reform Bill that ever passed the Houses of Parliament."

Socrates said,

"Let him that would move the world move first himself. "

Or as the old rhyme runs -

"If every one would see
To his own reformation,
How very easily
You might reform a nation."

It is, however, generally felt to be a far easier thing to reform
the Church and the State than to reform the least of our own bad
habits; and in such matters it is usually found more agreeable to
our tastes, as it certainly is the common practice, to begin with
our neighbours rather than with ourselves"