Why Will So Many English People Not Wash Their Hands After Using the Bathroom?

My goodness! You'd think it was elementary wouldn't you? But no.

Here's the scene.

I'm in the ladies at work in a cubicle doing my thing. I hear the 'lady' next to me finish, flush and emerge from the cubicle. The next sound? 'Bang!' as the door to the bathroom crashes closed, leaving our nasty germ spreading workmate on her way to spread disease.

What in God's name is wrong with these folks?

'Aah but surely,' you might say 'this happens elsewhere?' Well I have lived in two countries so my point of reference is based on them and the answer to that question is 'Hell No!!!'
I have never been in the bathroom in Jamaica and had that happen, NEVER. But here? It happens several times a day. And then there is wonder that such a thing as MSRA exists!

Another thing. Given that so many of the hygiene standards inflicted on the rest of the world originally came from here, why do they not use them themselves? You go to an eating establishment here people and the same person handling the food handles the money. It is disgusting! I went to a sandwich shop last summer and the lady scooped tuna onto the bread, picked all the vegetables up with her ungloved hand and put them onto the sandwich, wrapped it up and then proceeded to collect my money from me. And this happens almost everywhere I go in the UK.

Even the plastic wrapped things - I went into a leading bakery where I frequently used to get sandwiches and one day I saw that they made them on site - with no gloves!

Don't even get me started on a friend who worked in a chocolate factory where they were allowed to lick their fingers - and yes, you guessed it - they didn't wear gloves.

Good God. These places would go out of business back in JA. Not to mention the places here that have food out in the open on counters where people can spit over them.

NASTY PEOPLE! Wash unu hands after you go to the bathroom and if you handle money, don't handle the food! This is basic hygiene.

A fantastic exception to this? Big up to the baked potato man on Albion Place in Leeds, he and his mate wear gloves. They will keep the gloves on while they sort out your potato, peel one off to take the money and put it back on after. Praise be - there is somewhere safe to eat in the UK.

Tax foolishness and a poor Angolan family

Councils are pushing ahead with their plans to put computer chips in people's bins - some already have I understand. The plan is still to charge people for tthe amount of rubbish they throw away - the argument being you will pay less if you recycle more.

Let me remind you again that each house in the UK has to pay Council tax - ours is £75 per month. This money is supposed to pay for local services such as the police, the fire department etc. and rubbish removal. Yet the government wants us to pay again to have rubbish removed!

The thing that amazes me is that English people just pay these ridiculous taxes, they don't protest - well not seriously. Why on earth should we pay twice for rubbish to be removed? That makes sense to you?

Also if there was any doubt about the level of racism in the UK the following story sadly removes it. Read this and see what I have been talking about. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/tm_headline=forced-out-by-race-hate-mob%26method=full%26objectid=19201083%26siteid=89520-name_page.htmlThis happened in Leeds in the 21st century! Mercifully a soupcon of progress lies in the fact that they were jailed.

Racists and Jackasses!

Hear the latest from the UK.

Recently there was a scandal when the Home Office was found to be lax in trying to deport foreign criminals. Part of the solution? To try and deport British people with 'foreign sounding names.'

Yes folks, that is exactly what is happening. Let me tell you the story I just heard on Channel Four News.

This guy was convicted of driving while disqualified and sent to jail. After he came out the authorities said they wanted to deport him. The only problem with this picture? He is British.

But this didn't matter to the authorities. In spite of the fellow producing his passport they still went ahead and drew up the paperwork to deport him. They accused him of having a forged passport. When he asked them where they planned to deport him to, they said Pakistan. The man's family were originally from India.

Now people, can you imagine. These bad wud racist idiots have taken a look at this guy, picked a country out of the hat based on how he looks (Pakistan) and decided to put him on a plane there never to return. And this is not just a 'little' incident. The people actually drew up the necessary paperwork! He is now suing as are many others who have had the same problem.

The same almshouse happened in another situation. There was a scandal with the way junior doctors were being hired (another looong story!). Suffice it to say that those with 'foreign sounding' names were refused interviews on the basis that they must be in the country unlawfully.

This place reveals itself to be more and more disgusting each day.

Will someone please give me some suggestions as to a better place to live where it is possible to prosper and not be shot!

Some contenders so far:

British Virgin Islands
St. Lucia
Dominica
St. Kitts Nevis
Bermuda
The Bahamas
Canada
The US
St. Vincent

Any other suggestions would be very welcome.


I AM SERIOUS!

Just read this wcked joke over at Mad Bull. Fantastic. Go and take a look people. It fits into my sentiments above.
http://www.madbull4.net/wordpress/

Common Sense

Common sens is on an extended holiday in the UK. Two points.

A little girl of three was abducted from her bedroom while she and her family were on holiday in the Algarve (Portugal). Her parents left her and her two year old twin siblings in bed in their room alone while they went out to dinner at a restaurant 100 metres alone. (Don't ask!).

Anyway, they are questioning a guy about it and the press here have released the man's name and plastered it all over the place even though there is no evidence he had anything to do with it. Surely it would make sense to not report the man's name unless there's is solid evidence against him? The press here did the same thing a few months ago when there were killings of prostitutes in Essex. A man was questioned and they put his name in all the papers and a week later it turned out he wasn't the murderer, someone else was.

Secondly, Prince Harry is in the army. He was supposed to go to Iraq - really wanted to - but now can't because he will prove to be a serious threat as the insurgents will target him specially. Like duh! Why on God's green earth was his planned whereabouts publicised so much? If they'd said nothing except he has finished his training and is now operational in the army - he could have gone where he wanted.

Unbelievable - but then again sadly not eh?

Shaquanda Cotton

(Get past the name people, this is serious)

Yes, google Shaquanda and find out more about her. I got her story from my uncle in an email. I like to check these things out before publicising them because you can get a lot of hoaxes on the net. But this seems to be legit, much to my distress.

The upshot is that this young schoolgirl when 15 shoved a hall monitor (58). Yes, this was wrong, yet she was sentenced to seven years in prison for it. This happened in Paris Texas, famous for it's rotten treatment of black people.


I'm to mad to talk much about it. Take a look for yourself. (I am still harbouring a hope that it isn't true. Let me know if you get any evidence to say it isn't). But if is is this just makes me sick.

A New Prime Minister

Well, Tony Blair has finally said when he will be leaving - in June. So now his heir apparent, Gordon Brown is doing the rounds as he has declared officially his desire to be leader of the party.

He says he will lead a listening government and that mistakes have been made with regards to the Iraq war.

We will see.

Chalice Again

Just found this story online about a group I really liked back in the eighties. Take a look.

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070507/ent/ent2.html

Earthquake in the UK

The longer I live in England the more it becomes like Jamaica! First gun and knife crime is on the up and hurricane like storms happen and now earthquakes.

There was an earthquake in Ken this morning (about 8a. UK time). It measured around 4 on the Richter scale and was large enough to cause structural damage to buildings. The pictures I've seen have bricks from walls and houses lying in the street.

I didn't think things like that happened here at all. Well you live and you learn. Hope they don't come up north.

Third World? Think Again

In many respects Jamaica is in no way undeveloped and the UK is very undeveloped.

I tried to borrow 1984 and The Memorandum by Vaclav Havel from my local library. Neither are there. Now fair enough on the Havel but 1984?

I wanted to re-read the Havel play because I had read it at high school - it had been in the school library. Can you imagine? Leeds central library outdone by a 'third world' high school library.

And also using your ATM card at the checkout without having to sign a slip. They've just started doing that here in the UK since last February when we've been doing that in JA for years.

I've come to learn that the definitions need to be ignored as broad brushes.

The Media Are Collossal Hypocrites

One short point to make this evening. Nearly all newspapers and news shows have been saying how terrible it is that the video of the evil nutter who shot up Virginia Tech has been shown - all said underneath a still from said video!

Puleeze!

The Devil Wears Prada

I finally saw this movie last night. (I wait until movies are on cable before I see them - cheaper). I read the book ages ago and loved it - Miranda reminded me of many female bosses I have had over the years (marmee, make it stop!!!)

Whew, sorry about that - I try to forget these women.


Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, the move was good even though they hollywoodized it in some respects. I really like Meryl Streep's performance - she was very good and she looks god with more weight on.


It's not often I see a 'nice' film - so often in the recent past I have been bitterly disappointed, which is why I no longer go to the cinema to pay £7 unless I am sure it will be good. Anyway, if you haven't watch this - even His Royal Highness liked it so it isn't a chick flick. Now I await Borat on cable . . .

Only One Story or No News Today!

If you live in the UK today depending on your viewpoint there has only been one story or there has been no news at all.


ALL headlines (barring the eminently sensible Independent kiss kiss!) state that a man and a woman in a relationship have broken up.


Like I said - no news today.

See you tomorrow - perhaps then a man and a woman might go out to dinner? How terribly terribly exciting, what!

Racists Idiots again and a dancing Tyson.

http://business.guardian.co.uk/onamerica/story/0,,2056553,00.html

You see how the racist arsehole ( I know, I know, it’s a tautology) has been forced out of his job. When will these fools realise that being sorry you were caught is not the sames as being sorry for being an uncivilised animalistic jackass?

For those who aren’t familiar with the story, a US radio DJ by the name of Don Imus referred to the ladies on a basketball team (only two in the team were white) as ‘nappy headed hos. I’m sick of white people saying stuff like this and then saying sorry. Sorry my arse! If you didn’t mean it you wouldn’t have said it. Racist comments like that do not just slip off the tongue with no connection to the sayer’s heart. And they consistently bleat on and on that they aren’t racists, it was just a slip up. **** off to that I say!

As for the CBS executive, they are a million times over arseholes! Making it seem like they are making a principled stand when initially they did nothing, then when Al Sharpton tore them a new one they suspended the idiot Imus for two weeks. Only when the big bucks started to flush away down the toilet did they fire the man. An amoeba could tell that they are not concerned with ensuring their people are human and civilised – just with cash.
***
A headline from today’s Guardian (link to story here) http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2056819,00.html

Tyson to dance his way into Bollywood

My fada! What next?

Leo (Justin) Whyte Dead

Just read this story in the Gleaner http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070412/lead/lead6.html about the death of Justin Whyte. He used to be the entertainment editor at the Gleaner and for many years was the director of the Glenmuir Choir. I knew him - not well but because of my involvement in the music world in Ja.

Things seem to be escalating in Ja. I keep reading about more and more people being killed - in terrible ways - and more and more I am knowing the people. It is incredibly sad.

I pray that his family will be comforted. Same for Slow Poke.

No to Forced Fatherhood

Saw today that a lady who had taken her case all the way to the European Court of Human Rights lost.

The background is a woman was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She and her then partner had embryos made and frozen so that they could have kids after her treatment. Following her treatment the lady wad infertile and she and her boyfriend broke up. But she still wanted to have his child. He however didn't want to have kids with her as their relationship had ended.

A really sad time for her but I agree with the courts. You can't force someone to have a kid with you or at least you shouldn't be able to. I hope she comes to term with it. She's only 34 so she should be bale to adopt.

In other matters what a prekeh with the Man U Roma game tonight eh? First a big ole fight outside of Old Trafford and then a big dussing 7:3 to Manu U. Ouch!

Murder Seems to be on the Rise in the UK

I haven't researched any official figures, but lately there have been a lot of knife and gun murders in the UK. And sadly, the majority of them involve young black men as both perpetrator and victim. It's terrible. I wonder what is causing it? It's very disturbing and for the first time in six years I am a bit nervous about going to London (which is where the majority of these crimes happen).

The latest gun crime though involves white people. Some guy shot a pregnant woman over some feud apparently - read the story here http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,2053217,00.html

I hope things don't go down the road of the US or Jamaica - God help us if they do.

Bigging Up the Funk Brothers

Watched a documentary last night (or rather this morning, it was on after midnight) on BBC 4 about the Funk Brothers.

Now for those of you who don't know, the Funk Brothers were the house musicians at Motown during the golden years in Detroit. I also happen to be reading a biography of Diana Ross right now so they were relevant. I've read in many places that they were not credited on the tracks they played for because the powers that be didn't want rival labels to steal them so it was lovely to see them get some recognition.

As far as I know, these talented musicians played on all Motown tracks of that time and were responsible for a lot of great music. If the above is true it's a crying shame that their own people denied them the recognition they deserved. I hope the remaining guys (a few have died) are prospering now and will continue to be remembered!

Hypocrisy about Slavery

Recently at a church service at Westminster Abbey to commemorate the abolition of the slave trade, protester Toyin Agbetu disrupted the service stating that the Queen and the church should be ashamed.

There's been a lot of talk lately about the collective hand wringing and back patting of white Brits about this issue. There have been a lot of events around the abolition of the slave trade but the focus has been on people like Wilberforce. Almost nothing has been said about those brave black men and women like Nanny and Toussaint who fought against slavery.

Toyin's protest and his feelings on the subject speak to this fact. I agree with him. He maintains that nothing has been learned from the experience and instead of being ashamed of their part in it and instead of trying to learn from their mistakes and come to understand black people, white English people see themselves as superior beings because they were the first ones to abolish the slave trade.

Unbelievable! Slavery was abhorrent and saying it is a positive that the perpetrators of it abolished the trade (note not the practice) is as ridiculous as congratulating a killer who is in the process of strangling someone, for stopping mid strangle becaus eit's obvious the victim has no cash.

I see no reason whatsoever for congratulating any white person for ending either the slave trade or slavery. At the end of slavery those bastards actually compensated the plantation owners with vast sums of money and gave the former slaves nothing to start out in life. This immediately put black people at a major disadvantage and it is only through our own collective efforts that just over 100 years later we are where we are. White people were never concerned with the betterment of our kind in getting rid of slavery - it just started to be un-profitable with the advent of mechanisation and a change in economies.

I also have no doubt that there were many white people who believed it was wrong but this is not why it ended. It ended in spite of them.

Even today white people here in the UK haven't a clue as to the ramification of slavery - they have little knowledge of what even went on at the time. The only people who do know are those old enough to have seen Roots which was shown in the late 70s and has yet to be re-broadcast! Why? Because it isn't taught in school here.

I agree with Toyin's sentiment, expressed in an article I read (can't remember where, sorry, try googling him). He posits that white people collectively never did nor do they want now, equality for black people. Any progress has to come from ourselves - by creating our own wealth and institutions, by supporting those mainstream institutions that behave properly and in educating ourselves about the truth.

Check out the story from the BBC about what happened and like I said, google this guy - very interesting. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6523327.stm

I'm Back!!!

Yes, the show is over and I'm back. It was a great success - check out the pix and reviews at http://www.thelaos.com

Was reading the Ja papers and saw that story on the Rasta Miss Universe - wicked. Who would have thought it eh? As a woman who wears locks too (though not a rasta) it was good to see - and hers are rally pretty but that is not the point, I know, I know.

Check out the story here http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20070331T180000-0500_121178_OBS_RASTAFARIANS_EMBRACE_FIRST_BEAUTY_QUEEN_.asp

Later.

Sorry about the silence

Sorry about the silence, but as I'd mentioned I'm doing a musical - Ragtime this week. After it's over I should be back to posting as usual.

In the meantime I've been a bit out of things but I have noticed the news about the murder of the Pakistan manager in JA. It has been on the news a lot here in the UK with a lot of live feeds from Jamaica - usually talking to Mark Shields. The Brits like to feel comfortable and talking to one of their own does that I guess. Some people have been saying that the World Cup should have been canceled after the death but that seems rather silly doesn't it? If the rumours are true then carrying on would be the best thing to do eh?

Anyway I'm no authority on matters cricket - I'll leave these things to the likes of His Royal Highness.

So far the show is going OK but I miss the camaraderie you get from a bunch of Caribbean folk in a musical/theatrical situation. I was with the University Singers for six seasons and we used to have a lot of fun on and off the stage. It's not the same in the UK sadly.

Anyway - later.