A look back at 2009
by Baron Halpenny, LincsMag Editor-in-Chief.
Date: 31 December 2009
2009 has certainly been an interesting year, it has been the year in which LincsMag was launched as the first true online magazine for Lincolnshire. But a lot of the other main events haven’t been so fantastic.
Swine flu
Early in 2009, Mexican authorities first noticed outbreaks of a flu-like illness and by April the World Health Organisation (WHO) had been notified of a flu outbreak, that they called swine flu, much to the dismay of pig farmers.
The virus, became more virulent and escalated to a pandemic, hitting the United Kingdom in late April when holiday makers, Iain and Dawn Askham returned home from their honeymoon in Mexico, with more than just happy memories. Swine Flu has in the United Kingdom claimed over 180 lives in 2009.
Chinese executions and British Crime
It is also a time when we saw the first westerner to be executed by the Chinese, which moved our Prime Minister Gordon Brown to say he was "appalled and disappointed", when a drug trafficker with “mental problems” was executed. (This from a government that made excuses to start unjustified wars that has cost thousands of civilian lives as well as the lives of our own troops).
There has been no explanation as to why a person with mental problems was out by themselves and not supervised if they were so vulnerable? After all, they were going to China, and it’s not the most liberal of places. However, it is not this case in itself that is worrying, but the absolute hypocrisy of the government ...
Back in Britain in one county alone (Lancashire), those that were let out on bail committed 24 murders, 9 rapes, 62 attempted murders, 63 other sexual offences, 45 arsons, 283 robberies, 667 burglaries and 3100 shoplifting incidents. These figures are from January 2007 to September 2009 and released under the Freedom of Information rules, though whether even these figures have been watered down remains to be seen.
24 murders in one county? And is Gordon Brown "appalled and disappointed" at such news close to home?
Then they say that China has a problem with its legal system? We first have to get our own house in order before we can take up any moral high ground. How can we say we have a civilised country when the citizens live in fear?
Which just goes to show what we’ve always known that the politicians are criminals at heart (just look at their expenses, their fiddling and constant lying) and the political parties operate like criminal gangs. How about making 2010 the year of voting in Independent politicians not from the crooked three?
China's state-run English-language Global Times stated, "Taking a life is a difficult decision. But uneven sentences that discriminate between foreigners and Chinese would be a blow to impartiality of justice, which is basic to the foundation of any country." Not in Britain, we look after the criminal, even spending £2,000 on a Christmas party for foreign murderers and rapists. The law is a sham and the Judges are a disgrace and no better than the politicians ... maybe even worse if such a thing is possible as they are starting to act like gods. Yes, there are many in Britain with serious mental problems but they are in positions of power, spending our money.
Crooked Politicians
Talking of people in positions of power, spending our money, 2009 was the year politicians managed to scrape the bottom of the barrel of loathsomeness. In May, The Telegraph did a first class job of releasing details of its investigation into how MPs exploited the system of parliamentary allowances. In other words, how they could fiddle the system and loot the taxpayers money. Our Lincolnshire MP’s were in the thick of it.
Though the Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin, was forced to step down, it did him little harm and with a knighthood and very, very cosy pension (paid for by the taxpayer), he’s doing nicely.
All it's been about, is pure greed and looking after themselves.
False Honours
In the New Years honours list Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick was awarded a Queen’s Police Medal for distinguished service. She was the one who led the botched operation that ended with the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.
It was an execution without trial of an innocent man. Cressida Dick straight after the murder gushed how she had given them (her squad) the command to kill Menezes, by crying “Go! Go! Go!”.
When it became clear he was innocent, Ms Cressida Dick quickly took a back seat and up went propaganda and false information to protect her. She has now been rewarded.
Her medal is not just an insult to Menezes family, but also to all the hard working and dedicated police officers. Though a trial, which in itself raises doubts about justice, found her not to blame, one cannot help but wonder if someone else higher up the chain is being protected and thus protecting Ms Cressida Dick who is rewarded for keeping silent.
Yes, the police should be tough and act stronger than what they are, but we have too much political correctness controlling it, just read the papers to see the far too many cases. Let’s bring back good old fashioned policing like Dixon of Dock Green and put more bobbies on the beat to bring back Law and Order.
We can also assist the police and help protect the public by getting rid of the current Judges and replacing them with honest men and women who are accountable to the public for their actions and rulings. Then and only then will we see real justice.
War
The Brave lads and lasses have had yet another hard year being asked to do super human feats with poor equipment, much of which breaks down. Much needed money to be pumped into the forces for equipment is sadly lacking, (the politicians and civil servants have taken it for their pay and pensions not to mention pumping into the banks and Gordon Brown giving it away).
Around 100 British soldiers have died in Afghanistan this year alone in a country that has always historically been impossible to subdue.
I also note that very little is said about the fact that the CIA and other American and British agencies taught the Taliban a lot of the tactics they are currently using. Yep! People forget that when the Russians were sending in their troops to crush the Taliban, the CIA and Co, went in and showed the Taliban how to survive and fight back causing severe damage and casualties. Russians move out and we replace them. Same results.
So for 2010?
If anything we should use 2009 as a year that shows us what we must do for 2010. Build a better country. Work together to get rid of the dead wood we have in the government and judicial systems and push for change, making all their expenses and that means anyone who is paid by the taxpayer, transparent.
No one says it will be easy, but we can do it ... we have to!
