Travel update

If you need to recover from a couple of cracked ribs, I can recommend Groningen which is a regional capital with a colourful history, a University Hospital and a perfect example of European living at its best. Many buildings date from before 16^th Century, large open squares surrounded by cafes and bars used by all, some of them staying open all night. It’s a University town with just about everything within walking distance, so laid back and up front, at the same time. It was safe and civilised, well kept and organised, with a quality of life second to none, so different from the American auto-model. But the outward calm masks a slow burning change. The Governments of the Christian Right want to continue to expand the rules, even when no laws have been passed, and further regulate and control our private lives. On one level, this includes my Court appearance. On a different level, it includes regulating  music at festivals and private parties too, even when there are no neighbours around. In the Groningen music festival sponsored by the breweries, the bands finished early and the volume muted, unwarranted regulation limiting the possibilities of a full on dance experience, perhaps if everyone was drunk, maybe no one would notice. It is the stated aim of the Dutch governing Christian right, Mr. Cohen, to regulate the publics pleasure, to get rid of coffee shops and the red light district in Amsterdam. The right wing  Christian coalition is all powerful in America with the same ideals and values of the Christian right in Europe, now in control in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Eastern Europe and elsewhere also promoting the interest of big business with the approval of the right wing media. Their interests coincide with that of major media owners, Murdoch to name one, where personal wealth at the expense of the community is the legitimate aim, pushing their right wing agenda for the benefit of the rich everywhere at the expence of the community. The unholy Trinity of Big business, Religion and Murdocks’ Media seem to conspire to make the Old Testament prophecy of Armageddon a reality just to prove their right, our leaders cocooned in a World that is free.

My daily fix is normally possible in the Netherlands , I can get the Guardian or Observer as confirming closely my own prejudices on the day they come out. My absence from the UK seems to increase the addiction.  There is far too often no alternative because there is definitely a conspiracy so The Sunday Times is the only one available even on a Monday and I was again reminded what a load of crap it has become since Murdock bought it on top of all the others. It no longer contains news.. Its headline this Sunday said people wanted Government to spend less without giving one back up figure or evidence and the rest of the paper devoted to gossip, films, sport and news of media manufactured stars, Murdock has managed to turn a National institution into a bad joke in less than a generation. His film companies latest hit “Lock up” is degrading offering ever lower standards as the norm to a new generation of kids.

I have written a poem in his honour-the DEVILS AGENDA.  

The reason that I get upset is that he- Murdoch-(Times, Sunday Times, News of the World, Sun, Reuters, Fox news and much corrupts and distorts. Europe working together can stand up to him. So in his media, up has become down, left has become right. He promotes the American way of doing things of vested big business setting the agenda as opposed to Europe which is more government for the people, for the Community. And the result is a quality of life for most in the Community second to none, beating hand down America on most measures. And Britain continues its courtship of the American way of life and a new wave of private initiatives at public expense and it is business that benefits, not the Community.  

At the Treaty of Rome almost 50 years ago, the European Community agreed among many other things that there would be no official religion and the Vatican remains furious. The Community leaders realised organised religion followed a fanatics vision, telling wondrous stories under an open and vast sky, nature did nurture mans belief in the supernatural on high.  The Community of Europes original inspired vision of freedom, including that from religion is now under threat with, for example, Government sponsored faith based schools. Christianity encouraged alcohol, turning water to wine and outlawed marijuana in several Papal pronouncements claiming that it let in the “devil”. Some things never change. The fact that we have thc receptors in our brain guarantees that we heavily used it in the past in pre-Christian or so called pagan times

a poem, THE COMMUNITY OF EUROPE, ITS NOT PERFECT, BUT STILL THE BEST THERE IS!

 Contact Richard Jakubowski

The Netherlands 00 31 (0)645 572 839

Elsewhere 00 44 (0)7767776847