The Friday Joke - 29/1/2016 The Scots and the English

 

Teacher: "Good morning children, each Thursday we're going to have a general knowledge quiz.

The pupil who gets the answer right can have Friday and Monday off and not come back to school until Tuesday."

Wee Jock (a typical Scottish wag) thinks, "Ya dancer. Ah'm pure dead brilliant at ma general knowledge stuff an' that. This is gonnae be a dawdle, come ahead ya radge, a lang weekend fir me."

Teacher: "Right class, who can tell me who said 'Don't ask what Your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country?'

Wee Jock shoots up his hand, waving furiously in the air.

Teacher looking round picks Jeremy at the front.

Teacher: "Yes, Jeremy"

Jeremy (in a very English accent): "Yes miss, the answer is J F Kennedy his inauguration speech in 1960."

Teacher: "Very good Jeremy. You may stay off Friday and Monday and we will see you back in class on Tuesday."

The next Thursday comes around, and Wee Jock is even more determined.

Teacher: "Who said. 'We will fight them on the beaches, we will fight them in the air, we will fight them at sea. But we will never surrender?'"

Wee Jock's hand shoots up, arm stiff as a board, shouting "I know. I know, Me Miss, me Miss!"

Teacher looking round and picks Timothy, sitting at the front: "Yes Timothy."

Timothy (in a very, very posh, English accent):

"The answer is Winston Churchill, his 1941 Battle of Britain speech."

Teacher: "Very good Timothy, you may stay off Friday and Monday and come back to class on Tuesday."

The following Thursday comes around and Wee Jock is hyper, he's been studying encyclopaedias all week and he's ready for anything that comes.
He's coiled in his wee plastic chair, slavers dripping in anticipation.

Teacher: "Who said 'One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind'?"

Wee Jock's arm shoots straight in the air, he's standing on his seat, jumping up and down screaming "Miss, me miss, meeeeee!"

Teacher looking round the class picks Rupert, sitting at the front: "Yes Rupert."

Rupert (in a frightfully, frightfully, ever so plumy English accent): "Yes miss, that was Neil Armstrong. 1969, the first moon landing."

Teacher: "Very good Rupert. You may stay off Friday and Monday and come back into class on Tuesday"

Wee Jock loses the plot altogether, tips his desk and throws his wee chair at the wall. He starts screaming: "Fur fecks sake, where did all these English b@stards come from?"

Teacher, looking round the class: "Who said that?"

Wee Jock grabs his coat and bag and heads for the door, "Sir William Wallace, Battle of Falkirk, July 1298, See yous on fook'in Tuesday!!"

--- Have a great weekend --

Should I change my name to Mr G. Oogle?????

Do you love paying Tax? I don't. Only yesterday I wrote an extremely large cheque to the inland revenue to pay my self assessment. I've had a good year financially and January is the month when such things come back and bite you on the bum. Of course it is none of your business how good a year it's been or how exactly how many digits are on that cheque, but between you and me it was enough to bring a tear to my eye. However, yesterday I was not whinging about it. I had more pressing things on my mind (or should I say the bit of my anatomy that has done most of my thinking for me over the last 40 years). I was having a catheter removed following treatment for prostate cancer. There is a myth that the NHS is free. It isn't. The large cheque I wrote yesterday goes towards paying for my treatment. I've no idea how much HIFU treatment actually costs the NHS. In the last year, I've had two biposies under general anaesthetic, one MRI and one HIFU procedure. I'm guessing, although I am not sure that this year I've actually come out of the deal up.

If I lived in the sort of country many Conservatives seem to want, we'd have no NHS. When you see them hinting at this on TV (none of them are stupid enough to say outright that they want to end the NHS) we hear talk of "insurance".  I find this highly dishonest. Who would ensure me? I am as bad a risk as you can possibly get. I have an early stage cancer that needs lots of monitoring and potentially more treatment for decades on end. I may be a complete moron, but I know a little about insurance and you don't have to be Einstein to know that no one would insure me.

Of course this year has been a rather expensive year for me Most years, the NHS would have done rather well out of me. Does this bother me? Do I begrudge all of my less well off friends and family, who my taxes have subsidised? No, there is nothing more noble than dipping your hand in your pocket to help your nearest and dearest. Then we hear about all of these "hordes of migrants" coming to scrounge on the welfare state and ponce on the NHS. Do I begrudge paying tax to support them? This is a more complex argument. Why have most of them come here? Well lets look at how hundreds of years of colonial rule "helped" sub saharan Africa? When the European powers had empires, we exploited the natural resources of these nations. Did we use the wealth it created to build schools, universities, railways, hospitals and healthcare systems for the subjects of our empires? DId we convince them that we had their best interests at heart? Or did we simply nick everything we could lay our hands on until they wised up and kicked us out?  If a thief robbed your Grandad and then built himself a mansion with the proceeds, how would you feel when your grandad had his will read and their was nothing in it for you? How would you then feel when the robbers grandson drove past your slum in his Rolls Royce and said "look at these disgusting people, why can't they take care of themselves?". And sadly that is what we in the the rich western european states are doing when we turn our back on refugees. Helping them is the decent thing to do. For those from Iraq and Afghanistan we are even more culpable as our taxes have funded the military campaigns which have wrecked their countries and created the hell like climate in which they have to suffer and eventually flee.

If I had the choice, yep I'd fund the migrants (after all, just about everyone I met in the last week working in the NHS is a migrant). But I do resent paying some of my taxes. I resent paying for Trident, which is a complete waste of money. I resent subsidising wars in countries where we have no business. I resent subsidising tax breaks for the mega rich. I resent paying for research into germ warfare. I resent paying huge amounts of taxpeyer funded subsidies to rail companies to pay to share holders in profits.

So yes I have my beefs. But my biggest beef is that I get no choice. I simply have to pay what are my dues, whilst mega coorporations simply seem to be able to pay a pittance. I run a company that provides jobs for 11 people. I get no choice. My staff get no choice. 99% of what my staff earn is ploughed back into the local economy. What percentage of profits of multinationals, which is generated in the UK is ploughed back into the UK economy?

I have a cunning plan. Maybe if I changed my name to Mr G. Oogle, I'd be able to get away with paying the square rtoot of bugger all. Or maybe I couldn't live with myself for being a scumbag. That is the problem with the ordinary people of this country. We are too nice and too honest for our own good.

Rog T's Cancer Blog - HIFU for prostate cancer - how I'm feeling five days after

 

For those of you who are regular readers and have read the previous posts on Cancer, you can skip this first paragraph. I write this blog because knowledge is power and if you know what you are dealing with, you have more weapons in the locker to fight it. It is a personal view, I'm not medically qualified. This is for the sole purpose of information for those who are interested. This is the latest installment in my occasional series about how I'm adjusting to living with a big C in my life.  For those of you who aren't, here's a quick summary. I'm 53 years old and in October 2011 I  had a prostate biopsy following two "slightly high" PSA tests - 2.8 & 4.1. The biopsy took ten tissue samples and one of these showed a "low grade cancer" which gave me a 3+3 on the Gleason scale. I'm now on a program of active monitoring.  In early February, I got the results of the a PSA test - down to 3.5 and an MRI scan which found absolutely nothing, two more tests in 2012 were at 3.5 and 3.9, in 2013 my test was 4.0, Jan 2014 was 3.8, August 2014 was 4.0,  February 2015 it was  up to 5.5  and my latest in August 2015 was down againg at 4.6. In October 2015 I had a transperinial Prostate biopsy, that revealed higher grade cancer and my Gleason score was raised to 3+4 (Small mass + more aggressive cancer), albiet with small mass. On 22nd Jan 2016 Ihad HIFU (Hi Intensity Focused Ultrasound) treatment at UCHL). I've no symptoms and sadly for a few people, if I'm gonna die soon, it won't be from Prostate cancer. Got the picture?

So it's now Wednesday, five days after my procedure. Today is the frst milestone. Today I had my catheter out. I thought this may be a good point to give the next update. On Friday, I detailed my experience of the procedure. What has it been like since then? Well the first thing to say is that having to wear a cztheter for five days is no fun. It isn't painful but it is unpleasant. I found that I had the constant desire to empty my bladder and when I had finished, the feeling that it was not empty. This isn't much fun. I have spoken to a friend who had a radical prostatectimy who had to wear one for seven weeks. I think this would drive me crazy. I have found that I had to get up to urinate at least 3-4 times a night. I've not been drinking alcohol and often I go the night without the need to go, so I've also found I've been rather tired. I know some people with prostate issues go several times in the night, I guess that as my cncer was detected very early, I am lucky that this isn't part of my problem.

What other side effects? Well there are some rather interesting discharges at the moment. Apparently these can persist for up to 6-8 weeks. This is largely made up of the cells which were barbequed by the ultrasound treatment.

The plan for today was to make my way to the clinic in Westmoreland St. Here I was told I'd have the catheter removed and then I'd have to wait around until they were satisfied my bladder was emptying properly. I had been dreading this, as imagined it would be rather painful. In the circumstances, it was again simply unpleasant. The rather nice staff nurse then gave me a measuring jug and a sheet to record when I passed water. I was instructed to go and have a glass of fluid every 20 mins, for five drinks. I was told to record the time and volume of my wee's.

There is a rather nice nordic coffee shop with free wifi next to the hospital, so I went down there. I had a couple of cups of green tea and a couple of glasses of water over the next hour and a half. I also had a rather tasty smoked salmon and rye roll (my little treat to myself). Eventually I made my way back, having performed the required measurements and handed my form in. The nurse informed me it all looked OK, but asked for one more go as I still hadn't fully emptied myself. This I did and when she was happy I toddled off home.

And that for the moment is that. I know a few people who've had the radical prostatectimy. It seems that the HIFU is a breeze compared to this. The only question is whether it is as effective. I am in a trial, so I will have a few trips back for check ups. I will also have my PSA monitored. In a years time there will be a biopsy or an MRI (I am not too sure).

At this point I am reasonably pleased with the decision I made. At my age and with my prognosis, it seemed the best option for my quality of life. Of course there is a small but statisticaly proven (7%) increased risk that the treatment will not work, as compared to a radical prostatectimy. This has to be weighed against the much larger risk of unpleasant side effects.

Given the proximity to the procedure and the presence of the catheter, I am not 100% sure whether I have no side effects at the moment. Without wishing to go into gory details,  I've simply not felt like testing the equipment yet. I think (fingers crossed) that incontinence is not an issue (although I only had the catheter removed this morning at 9.30am).

So what can I say I have lerned.

1) The HIFU procedure is not painful, but aspects are unpleasant.
2) The worst aspect of the process is wearing of the catheter
3) For someone who is my age (53) who wishes to lead a full sex life, it is definately worth serious considerration.
4) Although I was given paracetamol for pain, I've not had to take any. This wasn't stoicness, it just wasn't needed.
5) Five days in, I am feeling far better than I reasonably expected

Another thing which was also clear from the discussions with the clinical team in the run up to the treatment, was that the surgeons do not rate HIFU. The advice they gave me was that it wouldn't be appropriate in my case. I was surprised when the HIFI team took the opposite viewpoint. It does strike me that the different medical disciplines do not make it easy for the lay patient such as myself to decide. I took the decision to go for the HIFU, against the advice of the surgeon, as one has to conclude that the consultants who perform HIFU are more familiar with the procedure than the surgeons who don't. The answers they gave to my questions reassurred my queries.

I was, I guess, in the lucky position that I didn't have an urgent need for treatment. If the HIFU doensn't do the job, then I still have the backup option of surgery and it shouldn't affect the chances of this working. The sugrery team did make a valid point that if I went for HIFU, I probably have to be on active surveillance for the rest of my life as it wouldn't clear out the problem completely. With surgery, one hit would take the problem out. But if in say 10/15 years I find I need more treatment, it will presumably have a far smaller impact on my life. There is also the possibility that in 10-15 years new treatments that are even less invasive are available. It seems to me that there are massive strides being made in the understanding of cancer and the treatment of the disease. Prostate cancer is a very common form, so one has to assume that the progress to better treatments will be quicker than for more obscure forms. 

I plan to spend the next few days chilling out and recovering as best I can (I'm not much good at putting my feet up). I hope that if you are having this process, this is of some use.

Matthew Offord opens new train sidings at Cricklewood for Thameslink trains

I was intrigued to see a post on Matthew Offord MP's website detailing how he opened a "world class rail facility" at Cricklwood yesterday. Matthew's site says

Monday, 25 January, 2016

A disused piece of railway land in Cricklewood has been turned into a first-class railway facility that will play a crucial part in what will be one of the country’s busiest main line train services - the Thameslink route.

The new depot - part of the Government-sponsored £6.5 billion Thameslink Programme - includes a new drive-through train wash, toilet emptying facilities and walkways for staff to remove rubbish from trains. It is already cleaning trains on the Thameslink route and will be used by Thameslink’s new Class 700 trains when they are introduced this spring. The sidings are a crucial part of Thameslink's plans to modernise services to give passengers new, spacious trains and, from 2018, more frequent services at all stations between Bedford and London.

Opening the new sidings, Matthew said:“I am delighted that the Government’s investment in the Thameslink Programme is contributing to this new facility at Cricklewood. As a user of the Thameslink line, I am well aware that the overcrowding and delays on the current service are not acceptable. When completed, this Programme will provide a much-needed modern and efficient train service for all users of the Thameslink line including my constituents in Edgware, Hendon and Mill Hill. These new state-of-art facilities will enable trains to visit around the clock which will make a real difference to the service."

Cricklewood Depot in 1975

I was rather intrigued by the spin put on this rather modest upgrade to some stabling sidings. In the 1970's Cricklewood was a major maintenance depot for the Midland Mainline route of British Railways. Inter city trains, freight locomotives and local commuter trains were maintained at a large depot on the site. There was also an extensive marshalling yard for freight adjacent to the site. The GLC also built a rail waste transfer station on the site in the early 1980's under Ken Livingstones regime.

 In the late 1980's three things happened that saw the demise of this facility. Firstly the Midland mainline saw the introduction of HST services, replacing the old locomotive drawn trains. The maintenance of these was transferred to a new depot in Yorkshire. The second was the demise of coal trains to power stations in Thatchers move to gas and nuclear power. The third was the opening of the Thameslink service, with maintenance of trains transferred to Selhurst. Within a few years Cricklewood Depot, although relatively modern was closed, derelict and was demolished in the early 1990s.

Matthew Offord opens new Crickewood Depot

As the Thameslink service has grown ever more popular and more trains have been added, there has been a requirement for more stabling facilities. These are simply sidings where trains are cleaned and have the toilets emptied between journeys and trains are parked when not in use. The new facilities at Cricklewood are one of a number of such facilities refurbished for the Thameslink upgrade. The main train depot, where servicing and engineering will be undertaken will be in Hornsey, not Cricklewood. Unlike the former depot, there is no shed or inspection pits for engineers. In effect, the "state of the art depot" Offord refers to is a giant car park for trains, where bogs are emptied and carriages cleaned.

In truth, his constituency has missed out again on jobs and investment. Whilst Hornsey will get a real state of the art depot, providing skilled jobs for engineers and technicians, Cricklewood will get a few jobs for cleaners and people emptying toilets.  Matthew Offord has always seemed a rather semi detached MP, with little interest in the commuters who make up a large proportion of his constituency.  In his article, he talks of commuters in "Edgware, Hendon and Mill Hill" using the service. This is a truly odd choice of words. Firstly Edgware doesn't have a Thameslink station, being served by The Northern Line. He says  "These new state-of-art facilities will enable trains to visit around the clock which will make a real difference to the service." This is a truly odd thing to say about some train stabling sidings. They are designed to park trains outside of peak hours when they are not in use. I suspect Mr Offord has simply been given some publicity material by the Thameslink operator and regurgitated it without bothering to ask any questions.

Offord states that he is  "well aware that the overcrowding and delays on the current service are not acceptable." Despite being well aware, there is no mention of any action to resolve any of the issues faced by commuters. Today the Barnet Eye published a guest blog by Richard Logue calling for Govia to be sacked as operator and for TFL to take over immediately. Richard said "How many times have you stood on a Monday morning at Mill Hill Broadway only to be told your trains are cancelled while fast trains from St Albans and Bedford whizz past on the fast lines? These trains could stop at Mill Hill. We have 12-car capable platforms that could accommodate the longer and newer trains that First Group and now GTR don't allow to stop at Mill Hill." This simple change of policy by Govia would make a huge impact on the almost daily delays experienced by Mill Hill Commuters. Govia claim that DofT rules prevent this from happening. This is why we need a proactive MP to get stuck in. Offord has been MP for five years and in this period we've seen no improvements, only deterioration. There are rumours that following continual lobbying by our GLA representative Andrew Dismore, there will be step free access at Mill Hill announced shortly. I suppose Mr Offord will be invited to open this as well as he clearly has a very cosy relationship with the train operators.

I find the current culture of political spin disgusting. This attempt to portray the refurbishment of a few stabling sidings as a major new depot to be ridiculous and Mr Offord should be ashamed of himself for going along with it. Mill Hill Commuters have got a raw deal from Thameslink. We lost a major centre of excellence in the 1980's when Cricklewood depot was closed down and in truth all that is left is a few sidings and a few cleaning facilities. Of course it is good that a few jobs will be created, but please spare us this spin and tell is the truth.

Credits  - Cricklewood Diesel Depot photo courtesy of JeffP's photos - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/79590-jeffps-photos-early-70s-and-80s/page-11

Strip Govia of the Thameslink Franchise immediately - A Guest Blog by Richard Logue

By Richard Logue,

Like many of you I am a regular daily commuter on the Thameslink line from Mill Hill Broadway to Central London. I share your frustration at the constantly cancelled trains, short formations and gross overcrowding that characterise our local train service. 

It wasn't always like this. If you look closely on the wall next to the station entrance you can see a faded British Rail era timetable poster. This timetable dates from the Bed-Pan days, before the Thameslink service was introduced in 1988. What is remarkable that even back then Mill Hill Broadway had Six trains an hour at peak times, four stopping and two fast. The fast trains were non-stop to St. Pancras and later to Kings Cross Thameslink. Compare and contrast with today's five trains at peak times and you begin to wonder what real benefits did rail privatisation actually bring to Mill Hill Commuters?

Mill Hill Broadway - unloved by Train operators

 The service began to change for the worse when First Capital Connect took over the previous Govia Thameslink franchise. We lost our fast trains to Kings Cross and to make matters worse, went down to four stopping trains per hour. Only at a later stage was the extra fast train to West Hampstead at peak times introduced. Now we are back at full circle again; Govia have reclaimed the Thameslink franchise but significantly have not made major changes to the Timetable they inherited from First. As a result, journeys on the Thameslink to Mill Hill Broadway are characterised by gross overcrowding and short formations. Coupled with a shortage of drivers qualified to drive the remaining Class 319 trains that Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) provide for the Thameslink Metro service that stops at Mill Hill, there is a real sense that MIll Hill Broadway is more of a nuisance than an asset for Thameslink Management. 

How many times have you stood on a Monday morning at Mill Hill Broadway only to be told your trains are cancelled while fast trains from St Albans and Bedford whizz past on the fast lines? These trains could stop at Mill Hill. We have 12-car capable platforms that could accommodate the longer and newer trains that First Group and now GTR don't allow to stop at Mill Hill. Indeed I worked on the Thameslink Programme and took part in the decision to provide 12-car platforms at our station. What a pity these platforms are currently going to waste.

In my capacity as Chair of the Mill Hill Residents Association I have taken part in meetings with senior Thameslink management and asked them to consider stopping fast trains when there are delays to the existing service. I have asked them to provide an extra train at peak to eliminate the 20 minute gap that occurs at peak times by allowing the trains that are fast from West Hampstead to Elstree and vice versa. In both cases Thameslink have refused to budge, citing the tight timetabling needs of the line. 

It is obvious to me that Thameslink Management place far more value on their long distance commuters than the local London commuters. That is why we don't get the fast, modern trains that the St Albans and Bedford commuters get. Instead it's jam tomorrow and we will have to wait for the new Class 700 trains that are due to enter service in 2018. These trains will be running in 12 car formations as well as 8 cars, and they will have more room for standing compared to the old Class 319 trains. In addition we will get 8 trains an hour after 2018. Great, but what about in the meantime?

Two more years of misery isn't acceptable. It isn't acceptable to be constantly late for work and it certainly isn't acceptable to fob off commuters with the promise of a brighter day tomorrow. Not when Thameslink's performance ratings are among the worst of any of the Train Operating Companies and have been since they took over the line.

Mill Hill -Services worse than in the BR days

We need a better deal; I welcome the recent announcement that the Thameslink franchise is to be handed over to Transport for London (TFL) in 2021 when the franchise expires. However 2021 is a ridiculous time to wait for a better management team. Better to cancel the Thameslink franchise now and get TFL on board to start running the railway properly and in the interests of passengers. Some may wonder if this would affect the Thameslink Programme. Not a bit of it. The Thameslink Programme is being delivered by Network Rail and the DFT. Govia Thameslink may be the current Train Operating Company on the route, but they do not take part in the delivery of the project. 

If you believe as I do, that the Thameslink franchise should be taken away from Govia Thameslink and handed over immediately to TFL, please sign this petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/119480 

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Richard Logue is a Mill Hill Resident and chair of the Mill Hill Residents Association. He is also works in the railway industry. 

How London won the Cold War

Cast your mind back to 1991. That was the year in which the USSR disintegrated. Can you remember what London was like then? One big difference was the lack of Russians (or other Eastern Europeans).  Until 1988, I don't think I'd ever met a Russian. My wife, at the time had just finished a degree in Russian Studies at Manchester University. She'd spent three months living in Minsk studying at the language college there. We decided to visit some of her friends, who were still living in Minsk and studying at the college. Our itinery included Moscow, Leningrad (as it was then) and Minsk. I also made a rather naughty trip to Vilnius, without paperwork or visa, to see what that was like. That involved a lengthy train journey, where I had to pretend to be a Belorussian drunk. it is quite amazing how policemen and officials everywhere leave you alone if you stink of beer and are visibly deranged. There was a rather amusing incident on the way back, where a woman who was a KGB official spent half an hour chatting to my companion, telling him just how much she despised Belorussian drunks, he said she kept saying "He is so drunk he doesn't even know we are talking about him". Before I went to Russia, Id always imagined it to be a well ordered society. I'd been always been fascinated with the Russian Space program and had imagined that the society was perhaps somewhat better than the the one I'd expereinced in London. I imagined that there was less wealth, but also more equality. I had a rude awakening. What I witnessed was a depressing society, with little equality. You needed a party card to access the few shops with goods. The populace knew it was all a complete joke, but were sensibly cautious of stating this. In Lithunaia, I met nationalists who had a different vision. I predicted to all of my friends on my return that the USSR would fall withing five years and that the Baltic republics would be independent.

How things have changed. Orthodox Europe now estimates that there are 300,000 Russian speaking people in London.  Perhaps the highest profile of all of these is Roman Abramovich, owner of Chelsea FC.  Abramovich transformed Chelsea from the cinderella club of London, into the most successful of the new millenium. Has any other city seen such as a massive change as a result of the end of the Cold War? Clearly Berlin was reunited, but that surely was simply a return to the natural state of the city. The removal of the barrier simply allowed the city to resume its normal evolution. In London, the demographics of the city have completely changed. Some of the side effects of this have been hugely beneficial (and we are not just talking about for Chelsea fans). With this influx of Russians has come huge wealth. For decades, Londons infrastructure was crumbling. I remember the excitement of the opening of the Victoria line in 1968.  At the time, it seemed like London was the place to be. We were told that the trains were automatic and the driver was just there to keep an eye on the doors. After that, stagnation. The next major improvement to Londons public transport infrastructure was the opening of the Thameslink tunnel at Snow Hill in London in 1988. This seemed typical of London infrastructure project of the time. A half mile of track was simply reopened allowing Southern Region to link to London Midland region of British Rail. It was a hotch potch. The trains had to switch power source at Farringdon as the two halfs of the network are incompatible. The same with the Jubilee line. It was simply a bolt on to an old, knackered bit of infrastructure. There was no political will and no cash for making our city better.

Then the wall came down and the borders opened. All of a sudden London became the destination of choice for Eastern Europe. The population started to swell. The strategy of long term decay was no longer viable. When Thameslink was opened in 1988, it was meant to be the first stage of a massive expansion. This simply didn't happen. The project was rechristened Thameslink 2000, supposedly referring to when the project would be completed. This will finally be done in 2017.

With all of these new residents, areas such as Docklands started to take off. Property prices started to rise. For many Russians, London became a safe place to salt away your "hard earned" cash (unless your surname is Litvenenko). Typically when you win a war, you take the spoils. It seems that when the cold war finished, London was the real winner. Russian Companies set up London operations, and Russian citizens brought their cash. Russia is an incredibly wealthy country. It is the largest country on the planet and it has the most valuable natural resources.  Much of the weath generated by this has ended up in the City. With all of this cash sloshing around, London is changing. All of the stalled infrastructure projects are kicking off. Crossrail will follow hot on the heels of Thameslink. The Northern Line will be extended to service the huge developments on the site of the former Battersea Power station (another huge infrastructure project stalled for years). Heathrow will get another runway (despite the furious objections).

London looks less and less like the rest of the UK. You can eat any cuisine you like. You can learn any language. You can visit prostitutes from any country. You can buy any drug. The Americans like to think that Ronald Reagan and the USA won the cold war, they didn't, Global Capitalism did and the capital of Global Capitalism is London, and as in any war, to the victor, the spoils.
Of course if you are not someone who benefits from Global Capitalism, if you are an ordinary Londoner, the spoils of war may have rather passed you by.

The 2016 Barnet Council governance project - No 17 planning enforcement at Belmont Childrens Farm

The second of todays FoI requests concerns enforcement action for alleged planning breaches at the site of Belmont Childrens farm in Mill Hill.

From: Roger Tichborne 
Sent: 25 January 2016 11:11
To: 'foi@barnet.gov.uk'
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Planning enforcement - Belmont Childrens Farm

Dear FoI Barnet,

Please provide all emails and council documents concerning enforcement actions relating to alleged planning breaches on the site of Belmont Childrens Farm in Mill Hill.

Many thanks

Regards

Roger Tichborne