YOUR COMMENTS

John:  I wondered what your thoughts were on the recent revelation that the quality of life in the UK ranks 28th in the world - behind Czech Repuplic - and how as one of the - supposedly - wealthiest countries - we are so far behind.
Simon R.

Simon, The UK has been living on its past reputation of 'Great Britain' for a very long time and has not been so very great since the end of World War 2.  With America bleeding us dry after WW2 and it was only a couple of years ago we finally finished paying off our debts to the USA from that war, and we have now signed ourselves up to another 2 generations of  debt with this banking crisis,  and we shall endeavour to struggle on as before,  but with no money or power to back it up.  Britain is a poor country relying on being the bully abroad ( colonialism ) and running around like a puppy dog on the heels of the USA while spending billions on wars it cannot afford and while millions of its people suffer.
Now it looks as if we are going to support America with a pre emptive strilke on Iran, and this suicide - this madness - this attack ( for what else is a 'pre emptive strike' -  but an attack ) and with Isreal ready to join in on behalf of America - for that is exactly why Israel will do this - because America will tell them to and that they - America - are not responsible while really being behind the whole thing because it needs a pipeline through Iran and to take control of its oil,  and madness with rain down on us all.
Britain has no balls any more and our lifestyle is declining.  Corporate power, banking and the need for some to constantly drag the UK into various costly conflicts around the world and an 'open door' immigration policy will collectively destroy this country and we the people - or at least the mass of  people who live in blissful ignorance and uneducated opinions,  will willingly give it away through 'Human Rights' - European Law and the abuse of other legal systems that will not protect us - but will protect those who wish to take advantage and bleed us dry.
The Credit Crunch does not help,  as Britain was in decline even before this financial mess by the bankers and Corporations who do not give a damn.  Meanwhile, we are brain washed with what a great lifestyle we have through the media, and many believe it.
JB

I have been sent loads of e mails concerning these pages about corporate greed and these few below are a typical example.  Some have pages and pages to share and I have chosen some of the shorter e mails for you here. There is a great deal of anger out there and many whose lives have been bady  affected, for no fault of their own,  by the credit crunch.

My God John: 

I read your pages about the Wall Street sit in and I now understand so much more about what is going on in London with those who are camped out in front of St. Pauls and the Stock Exchange.  I just thought they were  a load of unemployed tossers, living on dole money and too lazy to work - but when the truth is told, and  how many simply cannot get a job because there simply are no jobs and the credit crunch is putting  many into the unemployment trap for which there is little hope of recovery,  your article about corporate power and greed struck a chord.
I am an engineer and had a really well paid job and I was made redundant 3 times in the last 3 years and as hard as I have searched for further employment,  companies do not even acknowledge receipt of my CV let alone say 'No Vacancies.'

I am a a hard working man and now feel very let down by the government with all its cut backs etc.  I understand the reasons - I accept the country is broke and must make some changes and cut backs,  but when you hear of the damned bankers still taking huge bonuses and big business not paying tax and using off shore tax havens to funnel their monies and that Ikea is a charity ( thankyou for telling me that )  I am utterly disgusted and outraged.  So we are actually propping up the rich lifestyle of the few, by the hardship inflicted on the masses. 

I might loose my flat ( Ealing ) as I am in arrears with the payments and the bank is zero interested and the unemployment people are really giving me a hard time and I could end up having to rent a room somewhere, and at 47 years of age - this is a step backwards and why - John - why are these bankers and big business allowed to destroy a whole generation of people and their future so they can screw us all of every penny, every semblance of pride and every last bit of our humanity. 
I have to stop now as I am getting angry.  Thankyou John - thanks for helping open my eyes.

Nicholas P.  (London)

I wrote in reply to Nicholas and offered him a free few days here as my guest - and I hope we can cheer him up and share some stories of corporate greed and have a laugh. 
 

Dear John:  As a nurse who has been asked to take a pay cut because of the financial mess of the nation and my NHS Trust has had to make cut backs or else lay off staff it cannot afford to loose,  I am amazed at the audacity of the few who have caused this recession and how they have the nerve to rub our faces in the poo of their incompetance.
I shall have to get use to earning a lot less as I cannot afford to be unemployed and my lifestyle is not a well paid one at the best of times.  I honestly do not think I can afford to remain a nurse in central London any more and might have to think about moving back to Coventry where it is cheaper to live,  and hope to find another job there.  I work in HIV and the whole department is making huge cut backs and patients will suffer.  Wish I could have a 48% pay rise like the corporate greedy bosses have taken.
J.T.
 

John. If it continues as it has been going - with corporate greed and power hungry companies like Exon Mobil, BP and the banks still taking huge payouts and wages,  it will make a bigger gap between rich and poor in England and could lead to riots in the streets if and when the ignorant public who are kept in ignorance by the media wake up to how they have been played.  Threatening to take away £25 a week from benefit payments of those already in desperate need is sinful when the police, the courts and the government do sod all about bringing to justice corporate fraud and theft by the banks - and we all know who will pay for the banks to get out of this trouble besiudes governments giving them billions - us - the customer who uses the banks - with ever increasing charges and penalties for going overdrawn. I own a small business and  I was refused a larger overdraft so I could accept a good order which could have saved my company, yet because of the banks inflexibility I had to turn the order down and now am laying of almost 50% of my workforce to avoid closure. That's 15 people put on benefits because the bank were not flexible and would not do as the government has instructed, and that is to lend to business.
I risk bankrupcy  as the bank are now insisting on repayment of the overdraft i already have and with no orders, because of the banks actions, i am up against a wall.  My life is upsidedown - I don't sleep at nights, I have lost a stone in weight with worry and at 57 years of age and with 25 years running a good business, the banks are now forcing me into a hole which I cannot get out of.  I have no idea which way to turn now and with my savings spent propping up the business and paying the wages,  i am now skint.  
Good for you for speaking out on your web site and good for you for having the guts to out your opinions out there and I wish you well with the future John,  and good luck with the banks - those fucking bastards.
Gordon G. ( Newcastle )

 

John. My private pension plan lost over £35,000 last year to the banks.  My pension - my money - my hard earned money - screwed out of my pension by a bank, by a government and by a system set in place to screw the people. Well done on bringing these things to the attention of your readers. I was surprised to find such hard hitting articles on your site and absolutely thrilled to see that some people are trying to help educate those who do not underatand and do nothing.
Ralph M. ( Maidenhead )