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2010 seems quite a while ago already. I’ve been looking back, as you do, picking the high and low lights as well as thinking about the important people from the year. Assange is definitely one of them. Bob Crowe is another, warts and all. Recently a friend wrote to ask me if I thought Mr Assange would be a worthy contender for the Nobel Peace prize. My friend cited a list of previous winners who, in my opinion, he quite rightly identified as not entirely worthy winners. My pick of those would be Olof Palme, the assassinated Swedish prime Minister and International Arms dealer.

It is clear that Mr Assange is loved or hated, doted on, persecuted and likely to be prosecuted. He has the qualities that endear him to millions and it is alleged, the power to threaten governments ability to function as they would like. His enemies are those seeking to hold on to their power at all costs and to keep secret much of what they do. Critics have said that he is threatening the very basis on which governments operate. For example, if ambassadors and diplomats cannot secretly report back to their masters on the workings of the nation they are ambassador to then – government will not work. It is highly likely then that to some followers and supporters of Mr Assange this kind of talk of the potential collapse of world order is manna from heaven or the other place.
With all of his other attributes and capabilities, it could be said that Mr Assange has all the qualifications for the post of Anti Christ according to Biblical description. I once played with the idea that the Communist reformer Gorbechev was also too good to be true so don't be alarmed. It is only a game. According to Jehovah's Witnesses the Anti Christ is already among us. So, never mind about the Nobel Peace Prize. What about Assange as contender for the Anti-Christ? Can’t see John Pilger as his “ John the Baptist” myself but it’s a good un for the conspiracy theorists, don’t you think? End timers take note. The USA End timers want to see the end of the world because then comes the rapture when they will float up to heaven as the last of the rivers dry, the air is thick with the smell of burning oil and all the fish are gone from the seas (sob).

Moving swiftly on, a First Supper correspondent in the East Dulwich area informs me that a person who is well connected told him Lady Margaret Thatcher thinks she is David Cameron. How sad and ironic when we can all see Davey boy thinks he is Lady Thatcher!

So what else was especially interesting in 2010? Many of us decided we didn’t need many things so we stopped buying them. Hurrah! For myself if you don’t sell something useful and something I need as opposed to something that would look nice on my wall, I will not be buying. One of my other resolutions is that I won’t be celebrating Christmas in the same old way. This year I will be working for a homeless charity called Crisis so that is where I will be. I finally worked out what it is that I hate about Christmas. I can moan all I want pre Christmas and make fun of all of those already buying for the 2011 Yule tide etc, etc. I can moan all I like about Christmas post the ludicrous event but during it I have to shut and put up so as not to offend others or give the impression I am the reincarnated Ebeneezer Scrooge. Enough! I suggest next Christmas should be a time when we do something for those less fortunate and little else. Don’t buy all that stuff no one needs and be truly happy knowing that we have made something meaningful out of a pigs ear. After all who among us really needs yet another silk purse?

Finally it is very clear that Condem party is desperate indeed. They seem exceedingly anxious to minimise the damage to themselves as they begin to hack away vital services to the poor and vulnerable. They are inept so that their attempts to consult, in the spirit of the big society, are being met with feedback they really don’t want to hear and cannot act upon because of their cut deep and fast doctrine. It is interesting that there are no new petitions on the Government website after New labour left office and currently it is not possible to post a new one.
Still, they have been forced to backtrack on a number of issues already. For example they have decided to offer two free years university education to the poorest students. The idea is that the universities will pay for one year and the government for the other. Like most of their thinking there are gaping holes in their logic. The poorest students will mostly attend what are called the new universities which cannot afford to match the governments offer to pay for one of the two years.

Meanwhile the Condem plan to remove mobility allowance for disabled people and those with additional needs. Already firemen and ambulance workers are being made redundant and the Society of Midwives is up in arms about a diminishing service. The Condem has decided that 50% of Coast guard centres can be closed. Why didn’t any one spot that we didn’t need half of our coast guards before? Shouldn’t someone lose their job for such an error? And so it goes on and on. The Norfolk Disabled Coalition have said their members will lose as much as £1000 per annum when benefits they are entitled to are cut as well as the loss of services to them. I estimate this would be the equivalent of around £70,000 if the same was cut from Cameron's salary

2011? The year of massive civil unrest and disobedience or will most of us be apathetically thankful for what we are about to receive?



Peace