LAURENCEAUX: September 2024

Sunday 8 September 2024

Post Office scandal

Heads must roll here!

Here in the UK (United Kingdom) there started, in 1999, a scandal that continues to this day (2024). It has been called the largest miscarriage of justice and corporate mismanagement in UK history as more and more incredible facts fall from this ongoing story. My personal feeling is that heads must role, "honours" be revoked and prison time (corporate maleficence and perverting the course of justice) set for some, followed by disbarment from managerial role(s). Alan Bates, a former sub-postmaster who fought back and coalesced his fellow Post Office victims into a credible and effective lobby group said the Post Office was run by "thugs in suits" and, for a second time, refused a Post Office compensation offer, though he has accepted a Knighthood bestowed by King Charles III for exemplary public service; and from Sir Richard Branson, an offer to host Sir Alan's wedding on his Caribbean island of Necker. As things stand now, after a public enquiry and establishment of rules for compensation settlements, Sir Alan is scathing about progress and said the scheme has become "a gravy train" for its administrative lawyers - no change there then!

Born in the defective bowels of a system from Japan's Fujitsu company, it's errors and software bugs were blamed on the Post Office workers using it; all were blamed, some were jailed, some died and all are still to see a resolution to a political, corporate and legal conspiracy of hostility, denial, corporate maleficence and lying.

At the core of this saga is Fujitsu software errors, compounded by senior management at the Post Office who opted to blame and then prosecute the users of the system, despite the head of the Post Office (Paula Vennells) being told directly as far back as 2013 of these problems; thereby setting in train years of trouble for all concerned and death for some.

£100,000,000.00 has been wasted fighting sub-postmasters, who for years protested their (actual) innocence, even though the Post Office knew of flaws and backdoors into the Horizon system for Fujitsu software engineers (and bad actors). They put their head in the sand, instructed other legal entities to put sub-postmasters through hell to push the problem(s) away, thereby hanging on to their bloated salaries. Absolutely disgusting behaviour!

This will rumble on "forever", with each corporate and political component blaming each other (into the long grass of retirement), but if you wish to gain a better overview of the scandal here are a few good places to start. This story is truly jaw-dropping.

The scandal explained

Critical praise for Mr Bates Vs The Post Office

Background details relating to the dramatized story

BBC Podcasts

Mr Bates Vs The Post Office (Only available to watch in the UK) rocked the perception of the Post Office management "organised crime group", affecting not only employees but actors portraying them.

Update 17th Feb 2024: The case against the Post Office has been proved, the victims idetified, yet very little, if anything, has improved for many of them, for the "pass the problem" phase of this fiasco has commenced. Whilst many victims wait to have their degrees of sufferance and loss evaluated, in order to decide upon their "compensation", government and those involved, with a view to minimising their degree of exposure to blame are arguing amongst themselves. So far the only people who have benefited from this disgrace are "the lawyers".

Update 20th Feb 2024: It is now publicly apparent that David Cameron's government knew David Cameron's government knew more than they have ever revealed. They knew of a 2016 internal investigation into the scandal and of Fujitsu's backdoor into their flawed Horizon system, then the investigation was aborted. This revelation is being seen by some as lying at the highest level of government (in order to underline a belief that Cameron still cannot be trusted and by association, neither can Prime Minister Rishi?)

Update 29th Mar 2024: The UK business and trade committee says the Post Office is not fit to run its own Horizon compensation scheme as they are in disarray, whilst some politicians are calling for a police enquiry, with prosecution and prison terms to follow for people complicit in this national scandal.

Update 9th Apr 2024: Post Office run by thugs in suits.

Update 16th Apr 2024: Post mortem continues.

Update 29th Jun 2024: Fujitsu software engineer has his day but what did we learn from that?

Update 29th Jul 2024: Finally, those that haven't died or settled, there is some closure.

Final entry 30th Jul 2024: As the Post Office scandal investigation continues, the lying and wringing of hands continues, as it will do so for years, such is the self serving machinations of British law practitioners, whilst rightful recipients of agreed compensation await their payment. One person said, "I think the Post Office is waiting for us to die".

There will be no satisfactory resolution for the hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters whose lives and careers where wrecked, so that those responsible for the grievously flawed Horizon system could avoid corrective and expensive action(s). Fujitsu are no-where to be seen, which seems odd as they built the system and literally for years and years collected their cash but did not fix it.

In my common parlance, this was a cluster-fuck of the highest order. Shame on you all.

Friday 6 September 2024

Kill these Chinese invaders

Chinese invaders that need to be killed (note yellow legs)

These Chinese invaders were first detected in France in 2014, arriving as a nest in a consignment of pottery, but being aggressive critters they have spread widely (Belgium, Germany, Holland, Spain, Portugal) and finally got established in the UK, as far north as Hull, via trade with our Channel Islands.

They are not good news! They need to be killed on sight!

As we know, nature isn't the fluffy world of cuteness often portrayed on TV, but an adversarial system that promotes dominance, and so it is with the "Yellow Legged Asian Hornet"; they are tough, invasive, aggressive and wiping out many of the UKs native pollinating bee species, especially docile honey bees which they eat.

Without help from us they will wipe-out honey bees for they are able to kill a hive of Honey Bees in a single day. Their method is to simply sit at the entrance of a beehive, agitate the hive into attack mode, then bite their heads off and take the protein-rich bodies away to the nest to feed.

The life cycle of the Yellow Legged Asian Hornet is two-fold and it is at the first stage (Spring nest) that it is easy to eradicate (squash) them. The second stage (large nest) needs professional help to retrieve and kill them.

This link is more detailed

WORDS OF WARNING - Hornets bite hard!

Spring nest eradication is easy. Merely observe the nest, identify its occupants as Yellow Legged Asian Hornets (not native harmless wasps), then dislodge the nest into a bag with a gloved hand and then squash the bag. A spring nest is typically no bigger than a tennis ball and best dealt with at dusk when they are at home and quiet. Don't poke the nest - just place a bag over it, knock it off and squish it. Spring nests are usually built in March/April, in sheds, lofts, garages or porches: places protected from the weather. Kill them at this stage and they can't breed in the second life cycle phase during the summer.

Knock Spring nest into a bag

Report Larger Nests

The second life cycle nest, in the summer, will be a lot larger, usually up a tree, so after observing the occupants are actually the target (see identity marks in the picture), report it for official eradication. It will be dealt within days by trained people. Record the location and if possible take pictures, then contact the NNSS (Non Native Species Secretariat) on the email address alertnonnativ@ceh.ac.uk, or the National Bee Unit at York. Remember to look out for yellow legs.

If you happen to live in and around Hull, contact the Beverley Beekeepers Association if you suspect a sighting of a Yellow Legged Asian Hornet. You will be saving their industry, preserving parts of your food supply and eradicate what is an invasive and dangerous species. Please be vigilant and pass this information to as many people as you can.

Update Feb 9th 2024

Though their invasion continues there is a sign that evolutionary processes are at work, at least with the most common of European Bumble bee species.

Update May 20th 2024

Throughout 2023 a record number of reported sighting were recorded, with 72 nests in 56 locations (mostly in Kent), with 8 so far in 2024. Without continued vigilance and help from the general public their numbers will grow to a point of there being zero chance of their eradication. Go to it public!

Update Sep 5th 2024

The race is on, using ingenuity in the Asian Hornet race.

Tuesday 3 September 2024

Pogrom Time and Palestinian protest

The end of Gaza and its people

South Africa has the temerity to speak the words many fear to say, that "Israel is committing a retribution genocide in Gaza"; it cites Israel and calls their Gaza cleansing a genocide, as does Nicaragua who have started a UN case against Germany for supplying weapons to Israel.

The international distain for Israel continues to rise in many forms and Israel became subject to scrutiny and comment by the USA who opened diplomatic channels to bring their unruly child to heel. Benjamin Netanyahu wants his way, so the US is beginning to put sanctions upon individual Israelis (as one would shoot a few crows to frighten the flock), specifically on the West Bank in order to dampen their love of baiting Palestinians there.

My feelings about the current Gaza-Israel conflict, viewed through my lens of what I understand of history may be wrong and naive, as I do not understand global struggles for power and influence, but most often result in suppression and subjugation of many unwilling non-participants, including the taking of land or properties "abandoned" or bombed-out in a conflict. Jewish (un)settlers certainly seem to be eyeing such properties, and "land grabs" of former Palestinian land(s) continue apace, even in the comparatively peaceful West Bank Palestinian lands, where lawlessness and eviction are becoming the new norm. It's no wonder many people hate the Israeli state and what it endorses.

The wheel of history is turning in Gaza with vengeance uppermost in the mind of the Israeli state and this is political, religious and war-mongering "manna from heaven" for Iran, Lebanon and Yemen. Israel is doing what it has always railed against, by re-inventing sticks they've experienced in their past: Ghettos and genocides.

To tell 1.1 million inhabitants of Gaza to merely go "somewhere", so that Israel's government can start an new offensive (against who? - just buildings?) that will merely flatten the whole of Gaza, seems so wilful, so selfish, so vindictive, so jingoistic, so over-the-top, that the "non-nutcases" of Gaza must be truly thinking this is the end of what is their already over-prescribed/proscribed existence. To then repeatedly bomb the innocents who did as Israel asked, must surely be against any rules of war and is generating more open hatred of Jews than at any time in recent history, probably because accusers think "Jews" are or represent the Israeli state, which is not true.

Hamas will retreat with the general population and return to the rubble later, to fight on from their "bridgehead" presumably; alternatively, Israel will be judged to have walked into the pre-set trap of Gaza, becoming ripe for condemnation and challenged into a regional proxy war. After all, it's no secret that many neighbours would like to see the back of them.

We, the British, are pushing our nose (ships) in where it's not needed and prime minister Rishi Sunak's sick "good luck Israel" visit to what become a site of genocide, about which he is now appalled, was being provocative in a way the USA has mastered many times since their "honourable" retreat from Vietnam; how many countries have they destabilised in their ascendancy and what good does it do the UK to be in that club?

Here's what the BBC were reporting in the early times, and what subsequent reports revealed; hopefully with less bias than myself.

Pogrom?

Update 12/11/2023: The genocide going on in Gaza is deplorable and Israelis are certainly doing themselves no good for their "fair-minded" but continually whinging reputation; but then again who is squeaky clean these days? Protestors in London (all 300,000 if the press are to be believed) certainly weren't today. Do they really believe that protesting (to who?) in London (and America)will change the mind of Israel to annihilate the people of Gaza; what do they expect to achieve and why were they attacking the police (who can admittedly be a collective bunch of dickheads at times) in support of their ineffectual protest(s), as neither the UK or its police invaded Gaza.

If you Palestinian supporters want to protest about Gaza, why not get your comfortable UK arses over there to help your brethren instead of abusing the liberties you have in the UK. You may be "right-on" and have plenty of post-protest memories to live off for now, but don't attack innocent Police officers, just because you know they will not shoot you or beat your brains out (though many could and would if allowed, I'm sure).

For anyone to protest on armistice day, for publicity only, was a most disrespectful and cynical affront to those gone before. Perhaps someone will protest at a remembrance service for your family one day.

Update 25/11/2023: At last some common sense!

Update 25/11/2023: I think only the brave or the foolish attempt a critical discourse about the actions of the Israeli state.

Update 12/12/2023: I'm gonna say it now and I don't want to, but the remorseless clearance of Gaza, by the Israeli state is akin to a Nazi state mentality. The Israeli state, not individual Jewish people of the world, is behaving like a Nazi state because it can; and will do so for as long as it wishes, because "no-one" is allowed to call it out. Israel truly is losing its way!

Update 02/01/2024: South Africa Cites Israel in a similar way, as does Brazil.

Update 19/12/2023: Finally! International communities are warning Israel that its "killing rage" is unsustainable, that Israel has gone beyond self-defence and that far too many civilians are being killed, in what is looking like an unfolding genocide. Ease up Israel or you'll lose your moral high ground.

Update 23/12/2023: Listen Israel, this is mommy speaking. The errant offspring of the USA is being given guidance by it's seniors today, setting the scene for a familial tussle between the old man of USA and the upstart "son" of Israel. Whatever happens between them, Israel's righteousness will prevail.

Update 01/01/2024: Gaza is destined to be flattened with this announcement (and conflict will spread?)

Update 02/01/2024: South Africa Cites Israel and has the temerity to call-out Israel's Gaza cleansing a genocide.

Update 03/01/2024: Hostilities, tensions and a full-blown regional war will follow shortly if Israel (and it's allies) don't start controlling themselves soon. It's as if such a war is wanted by Israel, or at least Benjamin Netanyahu and his cohort.

Update 05/01/2024: At least someone is talking "after war", but Israel seem to be wanting the old status-quo still, and the (bitterness deepens).

Update 06/01/2024: At last, some are looking at a day after plan.

Update 16/01/2024: Israel carry on regardless and start to flatten South Gaza and the people there.

Update 18/01/2024: The whole of the middle east will tear itself apart in a regional war, with Iran looking to gain the most; this if my prediction and where I cease to comment further on this mess, orchestrated by Iran, but why? Everyone is getting sucked in: Jordan attacks Syria, Pakistan counter-attacks Iran, the USA go after Yemen to "protect trade routes", will it ever end and will the Israelis, the focus of so much hatred, ever stop being the catalyst of their own demise?

Update 19/01/2024: The stirring of Iran at this time must be worrisome to all in the region and Iran's sudden strikes shows just how volatile the whole region has become.

Update 27/01/2024: South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), that's cites Israel of a genocide in Gaza has concluded round 1 of the ongoing trial, in favour of South Africa (deservedly) and Israel may be rained in by this ruling if they obey it.

Update 30/01/2024: UK Prime minister Rishi Sunak's visit to what became a site of genocide, to wish Israel good luck at the start of this, looks a bit foolish now, for his "imported" foreign secretary Lord David Cameron (Former Prime Minister who precipitated Brexit) announced Britain is ready to recognise a Palestinian State. Talk about a U-turn?

Update 15/04/2024: So, who are the principal arms suppliers to Israel?

Update 30/04/2024: Pro-Palestinian protesters in the USA say they are not anti-Jewish (as they probably dare not), but wish to elevate knowledge of the plight of Palestinians in the middle-east, but I say rioting and campus take-overs there will be ineffective, destructive and detrimental to any "non-Jewish" perspective of Palestinians in general, for such people may turn their back on a problem not seen as theirs. Hamas enacts the will of Iran (who want Israel off the map so they can totally influence that area of the world) and most Palestinians are, more than likely, not Hamas.

Update 04/07/2024: Finally! It is being voiced, publicly and openly by many true Palestinians in Gaza, that Hamas are merely opportunistic interlopers' whose agenda may not be the betterment of life for Gazans, but to have a "base" from which to "have a go" at Israel, the arch-enemy of many in that region of the world. Members of Hamas should maybe return to the puppeteer called Iran.

Update 05/09/2024: I've said enough about this, though if you have read to here, thank you. We know how history will judge Israel (hopefully not Jews) for this and pray they do not precipitate war in the whole region, as seems likely with this report; but as my dad once said to me, "If you can neither control or influence a situation, keep your gob shut". So I am.

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Netanyahu digs his hole

Benjamin Netanyahu (on/off prime minister of Israel since 1996) is being squeezed as never before, because of his apparent desire to erase Israel's "Palestinian problem" and fight off internal dissenters, whilst hoping the USA doesn't turn into a "frenemy", as it seems to be doing, for Israel's period of grace may now be coming to an end as USA President Biden steps aside having already officially censured Israel. Meanwhile, South Africa has cited Israel for Genocide in Gaza and the USA is fast losing diplomatic patience with their "errant child" as he steps out onto very thin ice. Biden decided strong words are not enough and refused to use its veto for a UN Security Council resolution that an immediate ceasefire in Gaza be agreed as Israeli forces continue to destroy humanitarian infrastructure, emphasised by vice president Kamala Harris (now effectively running the show until the next election), who met with and told Netanyahu, the Gaza war has to end. The UK seems to be falling in with this sentiment now as they officially withdrew their opposition to the International Criminal Court's desire to issue an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, and have suspended arms sales to Israel, an act that Netanyahu said was "shameful" (which seems a bit rich to me).

By rejecting strong signals from the USA (and others), to get his house in order and stabilise their seemingly never-ending Palestinian "problems", the hubris of Benjamin Netanyahu will be his downfall, for if these two fall-out Israel would indeed look like a little country; Iran would become bolder and Israel would "have to" execute an "overwhelming" response, as is their want. Netanyahu's 4th visit to the US senate neatly underscored the poor state of their relationship, for whilst he said to the US, "our war is your war" (which it is not), dozens of influential people did not bother to attend. Is the USA beginning to step back from Israel?

The USA put a shot across his bow by reiterating that supplied arms must be used legally and within international law, yet the Israeli's have "gone over the top" against Palestinians and Hamas in Gaza, causing the Dutch to refuse F-35 parts and many other suppliers to question their role in this, including the UK. The USA has also started to sanction Israeli individuals as a cease and desist policy, though this is proving ineffective.

He's had his warnings and the USA will no longer stomach his wanton destruction of Gazan citizens, for they are overflying Gaza for drops of aid and have constructed a huge floating pier, thereby defying what this apparent despot wants. Having said that the US still offered Israel a $1 billion carrot, no doubt to hold back a domestic stink by powerful and assertive supporters of Israel in the USA.

There is no doubting Netanyahu is a survivor, but his problems are really stacking up as Israel continues to sorely vex it's biggest ally, that has refused to help with retaliatory attacks on Iran because they want Israel to come to its main sponsor's heel; indeed a lever of funding received by Israel has been pulled for an ultra orthodox unit of the Israeli defence forces, ostensibly for human rights violations. Netanyahu is rejecting these cuts, which is ironic as they are not his by right and he must now keep control of ultra reactionary Zealots under his command, as many are being reported by whistle-blowers for treating detainees very badly.

The USA may wish to tie his hands in order to keep theirs clean and if Trump comes back into power Israel may be tossed to the "dogs"!

Benjamin Netanyahu

Netanyahu, for so long the strongman of Israeli politics, is now being pressured from within Israel as the Gaza war edges beyond conflict into a genocide. His prior attempts at fiddling with their constitution (courts) remains unresolved and very unpopular, with many seeing him as flawed by despotic tendencies, though he may just be espousing his fanatical Zionist political backers. (Do you believe this?) He is maybe coming to the end of his reign of influence for rejecting the USA is not going to be good for him, regional stability, nor Israel. Internal dissent is being made public, with "his own people" willing to undermine his political standing; some now calling him a danger to Israel as seniors begin to disengage from this every more serious mess. Even those in the Israeli war cabinet are extraditing themselves from Netanyahu's legacy of rampant vengeance.

His enduring problem now is that he has put himself between a rock and a very hard place: his rock is his stated and expected commitment to eradicating Hamas (and its sponsorship), whilst his very hard place is that where much of his strategy in Gaza is deemed by many to be a genocide. His apparent "Kill 'em all" approach is the very thing that undermines his global standing, yet any deal with Hamas is not wanted by the influential hard right who are damaging his tenure at the top in Israel, for the survival of Hamas amounts to his own defeat, as would a total breakdown of support from the USA who are currently restricting themselves to words of advice and aid for Palestinians trapped in Gaza. The International Court Of Justice ordered Israel to cease yet there are no signs that Israel is listening, for Netanyahu says there will be no Gaza ceasefire until Israel's uncertain war aims are achieved, even as the United Nations adds Israel and Hamas to the list countries committing violation of children.

Side Note: Ultra orthodox Jews living in Israel are now deemed eligible for conscription into the Israeli army and as the war in Gaza grinds on their indignation in obvious in their selfish collective protestations. Their religious exemption has been removed and funding for their seminaries suspended, but at last they will be able to "fight" those that their fellow right-wing political brethren seemingly want eradicating. I hope their sincere beliefs will protect them from PTSD and the carnage they are now expected to embark upon, and that battle-hardened troops will greet them into their world without any resentment toward their orthodoxy. If lucky enough to hold dual nationality many could possibly scuttle back to their productive studies in another country?

For readers who need a short recap of why Israel started stripping away its good-standing in the world, read this, or for a broader understanding try this.

Final Note: I no-longer feel a need to express further thoughts regarding Benjamin Netanyahu, as his policies and this war will rumble on and spread as such things do when all parties, Israel, Palestine and Hamas and more recently Hezbollah and Houthis are intransigent. (What is Hezbollah?) US President Biden wants (global) peace but he's got no chance whilst these parties merely want to kill each other (with the malevolent assistance of Iran); Hamas infuriated Israel so much that Netanyahu has grossly over-reacted in order to sell his "saviour of Israel" mantra, when in fact many in Israel have wanted to see the back of him from before the war, with an enduring "peace" for Israel. His actions must be manna from heaven for Iran's aspirations in the region and I genuinely believe Israel will allow his post-war trial for genocide in order to clean their political slate and keep the USA "onside". Finally I condemn not Jews, nor Jewish individuals anywhere for what is going on in Gaza, for that judgement is reserved for the Israeli state politicians and their principle "driver(s)". Thanks for reading.

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