Letter to Beverley Guardian - hypocrisy

Dear Sir,

A meeting has been called in Beverley  this Friday 25^thNov at 2pm  about increasing homelessness and  lack of jobs in thearea (for detail call  874096).  Considering the ConDem policies ofblaming/punishing the poor (by cutting public services and pensions)  forthe sins and greed of the banks  and corporations ,  it’s a bit richthat our MP has expressed concern about the issues and may attend thismeeting.  Unfortunately we can’t be there,  but if we were, we wouldbe asking him exactly how he thinks that his turbo-capitalist policies aregoing to help.   It’s the government’s job to understand the bigpicture and act accordingly….but all it is doing is promoting business asusual.  It’s repeating the mistakes of the 1930s.   It’s so tiedin with the toxic financial, commercial, energy and military ‘establishment’ that it can’t accept that things have to change radicallynow (in light of the crises in oil, most other resources, climate,  economy,ecology and society)  to promote  local economies and localsustainability – as in the Transition Towns initiative ( and there is now alocal group) and explained by the Green Party deputy leader  next ThursdayDec 1^st at Norwood Methodist Church, 7.30pm.   

The Government will say it is trying to promote ‘growth’ (iesupporting the CITY of London,  big business and more globalisation - the very things responsible for global physical and economic overheating, wars for resources, arms proliferation,  etc.)  It isblinkered,  to say the least.     Einsteinsaid:     ‘We can’t solve problems by using the same kindof thinking we used when we created them’.  We are overdue for a big(positive and exciting) change in our thinking.

We do hope that others will make these points at the meeting   (as well as trying to find ways to patch up the expandingholes in the local economy and services)

sincerely

Shan Oakes

East Riding  Green Party

St Pauls and the protest

Dear St Paul’s ,

Congratulations on coming to thedecision  not to invoke legal means against the protesters. 

Anyone who thinks at all aboutwhat’s going wrong (worldwide) can see that the protesters are right and arespeaking up for people and planet against the destructive and overweening power of the banks and their ilk - which have squatted for too long in theCity,  silently manipulating the policy of this country - with enormousand terrible global impact.  

This is a critical moment inthis planet’s history,  and St Paul’s is centre stage.  I’m not aChristian (because I think religions divide people),  but  I admireJesus the man for standing up for the weak, the poor and for justice.  Ithink it’s very clear which side Jesus would be on in the current conflict...

Surely now is the time forreligions to stand together, be brave and clear,  and tell the world offinance with its parasitical pawn politicians  what they think ofit.  For a start, David Cameron should do a U turn and, against the City’swishes,  support the ‘Robin Hood ‘  tax on financialtransactions.  How can this country hold its head up when our primeminister won’t even climb onto the moral high ground in Europe?

Sincerely,

Shan Oakes

Beverley, East Yorkshire

Ithaca - solar panels

Vathy,  the capital of Ithaca, the legendary  home of Odysseus - lots of solar water fittings.  Lovely place too!

Waking up to Greece!

We slept on the sofas and awoke (Sept 15th) as we wended our way between Ithaca and the mainland, heading for Patra on the Peloponnese.  We had a rendezvous with granddaughters on the Ionian islands (hence the trip),  but the ferries had stopped running directly to the islands as the season was over, hence going via Patra

Brindisi - ferry to Greece

Arrived Brindisi 4 ish and wandered onto the ferry.  It was a party atmosphere on board, and a warm, beautiful evening.

Train to Brindisi

Bill : early morning at Milan station on way to Brindisi.  We'd arrived on the sleeper from Paris and been treated to a most welcome espresso and pastry by Sylvain whom we'd  met and spent the night with (in the 6 berth compartment!)  We stretched our legs walking round the front of the station just before sunrise and I actually saw a rabbit dart between bushes and railings!

Young Greens - Sept Conference

Shan with Ash  Haynes and and Kieran Anderson of Young Greens at Green Party Conference, Sheffield Hallam University,  Sept 12th.