 A new email today seemed well worth sharing. It was titled he wrote a book: --I was born in one country, raised in another. My father was born in another country. I was not his only child. He fathered several children with numerous women. I became very close to my mother, as my father showed no interest in me. My mother died at an early age from cancer. Although my father deserted me and my mother raised me, I later wrote a book idolizing my father not my mother. Later in life, questions arose over my real name. My birth records were sketchy. No one was able to produce a legitimate, reliable birth certificate. I grew up practicing one faith but converted to Christianity, as it was widely accepted in my new country, but I practiced non-traditional beliefs and didn't follow Christianity, except in the public eye under scrutiny. I worked and lived among lower-class people as a young adult, disguising myself as someone who really cared about them. That was before I decided it was time to get serious about my life and embarked on a new career. I wrote a book about my struggles growing up. It was clear to those who read my memoirs, that I had difficulties accepting that my father abandoned me as a child. I became active in local politics in my 30's then, with help behind the scenes, I literally burst onto the scene as a candidate for national office in my 40s. They said I had a golden tongue and could talk anyone into anything. I had a virtually non-existent resume, little work history, and no experience in leading a single organization. Yet I was a powerful speaker and citizens were drawn to me, as though I were a magnet and they were small roofing tacks. I drew incredibly large crowds during my public appearances. This bolstered my ego. At first, my political campaign focused on my country's foreign policy... I was very critical of my country in the last war, and seized every opportunity to bash my country. But what launched my rise to national prominence were my views on the country's economy. I pretended to have a really good plan on how we could do better, and every poor person would be fed and housed for free. I knew which group was responsible for getting us into this mess. It was the free market, banks and corporations. I decided to start making citizens hate them and, if they became envious of others who did well, the plan was clinched tight. I called mine "A People's Campaign". That sounded good to all people. I was the surprise candidate because I emerged from outside the traditional path of politics and was able to gain widespread popular support. I knew that, if I merely offered the people 'hope', together we could change our country and the world. So, I started to make my speeches sound like they were on behalf of the downtrodden, poor, ignorant to include "persecuted minorities". My true views were not widely known and I kept them unknown, until after I became my nation's leader. I had to carefully guard reality, as anybody could have easily found out what I really believed, if they had simply read my writings and examined those people I associated with. I'm glad they didn't. Then I became the most powerful man in the world. And then the world learned the truth. Who am I? ADOLPH HITLER If you were thinking of SOMEONE ELSE, you should be scared, very scared!The World after the Second Great War hoped it had seen the end of extremists such as Herr Hitler's cronies and megalomaniacs like the man himself. Sadly this has been proved many times not to be the case. Of course it is sometimes about perception. One man's lifesaver may be another man's nutcase. That said there is no doubting the madness of the Nazi regime. As Europe falters again many people are looking towards the extreme right once more for some sort of salvation. They will not find it. They may find words but these people talk the talk, as they say. Lest we forget is more relevant than ever. Do not let them get even a tiny grip on power.Tags: Hitler, Neo Nazis, extreme right, European crisis
 The BOA, British Olympic Association has had its policy of life time bans for drug abusers overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas). The BOA had been fighting the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), an organisation that had appealed against life time bans. "The international anti-doping movement has recognised the crucial importance of a worldwide harmonised and consistent fight against doping in sport and all signatories have agreed to comply with such a principal without any substantial deviation in direction. "At the moment the system in place does not permit what the Boa has done."The BOA had acted in accordance with its own rules. WADA had for example in the case of Dwain Chambers handed out a two year ban but the BOA used a bylaw to initiate a life time ban. Many people had mixed thoughts on life time bans for sport's persons found guilty of drug offences. Some maintain that a life time ban is too harsh. Lifting the ban will allow some sports people, such as Chambers,the opportunity to compete in the London 2012 Olympics. That is assuming that he and others qualify.The BOA have been magnanimous in defeat and have pledged to offer full assistance to any competitor such as Chambers should they be selected for the Olympics. He and others in the same situation have continued to compete elsewhere for Great Britain. He was banned in 2003 for two years. Tags: Dwain Chambers, BOA, WADA, CAS, lifetime ban, doping bans
 On Tuesday May 1, 2012, the UK Parliament will sit for the last time before it goes into recess. It will reconvene with the State Opening of Parliament on May 9, 2012. What a joke. Minsters are already considering restricting the Public Holidays of UK workers, yet they continue to take excessive extended breaks when such public holidays for the rest of us usually mean one day away from work, if we are lucky. This week though it will mean that just when many people have an important issue to raise at the punch and judy session in the Commons, also known as Prime Minister's Questions, it will not be available. PM David Cameron has had to cancel a scheduled visit to Milton Keynes to, according to SkyNews, "answer the question on why Mr Hunt has not been referred to the independent adviser on ministerial interests". Cameron is not the first UK PM to flout the rules. Former Labour PM Gordon Brown is accused of similar behaviour in the past. That does not however make it right. The Jeremy Hunt affair, its implications and links to the PM make this a different ball game. Faced with a refusal by Lord Leveson for an opportunity for Hunt to testify earlier than planned at the inquiry the PM appeared to still feel he could just bide his time. Other ministers however want answers sooner rather than later. We should not forget that in the past Mr Cameron has attempted to save the political skin of other people such as Andy Coulson. It would appear that people want to know what has gone on and Cameron's statement yesterday that, "If evidence comes out through this exhaustive inquiry where you're giving evidence under oath - if he did breach the ministerial code, then clearly that's a different issue and I would act." will simply not wash. Mr Cameron is good at turning the tables on interviewers and has proved himself capable of temper tantrums on many occasions. How he will react to questioning is hard to guess. He may not be happy that the Speaker of the House has allowed the questioning now rather than later but he will have to abide by his rule. As Labour leader Ed Milband said,. "People need to know there is the utmost probity and integrity in the way Government is being run. "It is a pattern with this Prime Minister, particularly around News International... He resists the calls for change."Yes he does, we have noticed that too!. Tags: David Cameron, Jeremy Hunt, Parliamentary recess, Commons questions, BSkyB bid, Murdoch
 Large swathes of the UK are on flood alert today. It may be a beautiful sunny day in this blogger's neck of the woods in Yorkshire but that may just be a brief respite. Forecasters are predicting more of the same and the current UK joke is that this is "the wettest drought ever".
As the ground becomes ever more rain soaked, waterlogged earth will cause many problems. Today there is the sad news of a British man and his pet dog that drowned in their car.
The vehicle became submerged in five feet of water as the man tried to cross a Ford. A female passenger reportedly managed to escape. The tragedy happened close to Newbury in Hampshire, in the South of England. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
As yet he is the only fatality of the recent dire weather. With 38 flood warnings and 140 flood alerts in place across England and Wales, more flooding and associated structural damage is expected. Currently there are no severe flood warnings.
The Environment Agency are monitoring the situation closely and will update warnings, alerts and advice as the day moves on. The EA have finally confirmed that all of this rain will ease the drought conditions but they insist that similar levels of rain, for a length of time, are needed.
Tags: UK flooding, flood alerts, flood warnings, man dies in submerged car, UK drought
 The Voice UK first result show was padded out but not too much it ran for 35 minutes which compares well to shows such as American Idol. The acts who will perform next week gave up some team performances which seemed a bit dodgy. Once again they appeared to be miming but this blogger could be wrong.
There was plenty of fluff to fill out the show before we got down to who would go home and who would stay. Team will.i.am and tea Tom Jones were to both lose one act. Twenty acts in the show mean that if two go home each week we are still looking at around nine or ten more weeks,
Team Tom had Ruth Brown, Adam Issac and Leanne Mitchell saved by the viewers at home. This left Tom the job of deciding who would go home between Sam and Matt and Suleen the duo.Before this though team will.i.am found out who the TV audience loved and who they did not. Saved were Frances Wood, Jaz Ellington and Tyler. This left Joelle and Sophie fighting to stay in the show. This blogger expected him to save Joelle but did he?
First though a performance by Lana Del Rey.
Then it was down to business. Tom saved Matt and Suleen and will.i.am went for Joelle. In spite of the tears, hugs and applause Sam Buttery and Sophie are out of the Voice UK.
Tags: The Voice UK results, team Tom Jones, Team will.i.am, Matt and Suleen, tears for Sam, Joelle, Jaz Ellington, UK singing contest
 As this week drew to an end there was sad news of yet another UK military death in Afghanistan. He has since been named as 22-year-old Michael Roland. British Forces News has reported: "The British soldier who died after being shot in Afghanistan has been named as Guardsman Michael Roland, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. He deployed to Afghanistan on 3rd April 2012 as a Rifleman in Number Three Platoon, part of The Queen’s Company Grenadier Guards. He was based in Main Operating Base Price near Gereshk in the Nahr-e-Saraj North District of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. On Thursday Guardsman Roland deployed with his Company on a three day operation to disrupt insurgent activity in a contested area in the north of Nahr-e-Saraj District. On Friday morning he was fatally wounded during an exchange of small arms fire. He was extracted back to the hospital in Camp Bastion but sadly he died of his injuries. In tributes Guardsman Roland’s family said: “Michael was a loving and caring son loved by his huge extended family and friends who are devastated by their loss. We are still coming to terms with losing him. Michael always wanted to join the Army and was so proud to be part of Queen’s Company Grenadier Guards. Michael loved us all so much; with us he was not big and tough just gentle. We will miss him so much.” Lieutenant Colonel James Bowder MBE, Commanding Officer 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, said: “Guardsman Roland’s death is a tremendous loss to a close Battalion. Sparky, diligent and super-fit, he was a terrific soldier with a bright future. That he achieved so much in his short life is testament to his drive and ambition. He was an absolute pleasure to command and will be missed hugely by the Battalion and the Regimental family as a whole. "We are all extremely proud of Guardsman Roland’s selfless commitment to this important mission. Moreover, we are resolved to finish the job that he so bravely started. Finally, our prayers are with his parents, girlfriend and broader family; we share their great sense of loss and will never forget this most extraordinary of Guardsmen.” “Michael was a loving and caring son loved by his huge extended family and friends who are devastated by their loss." RIPMore HereTags: Afghanistan, military, uk military deaths, insurgents
 Double Dip Recession, what double dip recession? It seems that for the privileged 1% it s business as usual. For more than a year people have been claiming that as the poor continue to sink into deeper poverty and debt the rich continue to rise into obscene wealth. Well today's Sunday Times Rich List certainly confirms the suspicion. Figures pertaining to the UK show that the combined worth of the country's 1,000 wealthiest people is £414bn, up 4.7%. Their welath has set a new record as it exceeds the level last seen in 2008, before the financial crisis. Some will be quick to defend those on the rich list maintaining that there is nothing wrong with wealth and that it will help the UK economy. Most of us will hold a different view. If that was the case unemployment in the UK would be dropping as new jobs were created. Whilst earning money and becoming wealthy is nothing to be ashamed of it does depend how such wealth is achieved.Take the UK banker who paid himself a massive bonus as he continues to shed jobs by the bucket load. Take the UK Spring budget which cut the taxes of the rich at the expense of pensioners. The same budget which stack the odds in favour of the wealthy of the UK in so many ways. When you look at the UK Coalition's track record of government it is easy to see how the rich are getting rich in the UK whilst the poor get poorer. Perhaps the UK electorate would like to take note for the elections on Thursday. Use your vote no matter whether you feel our politicians are all worthless or not. There is always who you consider the lesser of the evils after all. It may only be the local elections but voting is one way to send a clear message to Westminster that enough is enough.More hereTags: UK politics, UK rich list, Times rich list, poor get poorer, UK local elections, rich get richer
 The current economic difficulties being experienced in so many countries has made for strange and worrying political affiliations. In these countries incumbent leaders have generally lost out. People tend to lay the blame for economic crisis at the door of the politicians in power. This could easily prove the case for Nicolas Sarkozy in the forthcoming French election. Marine Le pen however of the French National Party received a larger share of the first vote than expected.
Many dispirited and poverty stricken people are worryingly moving toward the extreme right of politics. This has meant that in Greece and Germany Neo Nazis are gaining a foothold.
 UK security forces along with the government are considering various means of counteracting potential threats during the upcoming London 2012 Olympics. Border agency staff have been tightening up and a massive increase in emergency and security personnel will flood London. Whilst we would all applaud this forward planning, apart from the added cost of course, the latest announcement is viewed as a step in the wrong direction.Yesterday, April 28, 2012, 700 residents of a block of flats in Bow in east London received a strange leaflet through their doors. Initially it appeared to be a joke or hoax but in fact it was an official correspondence.The leaflet said that the army is planning to position soldiers and surface-to-air missiles on top of a tower which adjoins the flats. The leaflet went on to say that the missiles would only be fires as a last resort. Well whoop de doo. One resident Brian Whelan told SkyNews, "They are going to have a test run next week, putting high velocity missiles on the roof just above our apartment and on the back of it they're stationing police and military in the tower of the building for two months. "It's a private, gated community with an old watch tower which is now a lift shaft. "We have an MoD leaflet saying the building is the only suitable place in the area. "It says there will be 10 officers plus police present 24/7. I'm not sure if they are going to live in the building. "We have a gym and a pool and people have seen them there so it makes you think it will be some sort of Army base - it's not ideal."Apparently the leaflets were handed out by the company that owns the flats who seem to view the whole fiasco as great news. Other sites across residential areas of London have also been identified. For security reasons obviously most of the information is not freely available. Now that this one block of flats has been identified presumably it will not be a possibility. After all it will be a prime target now. Opinion: Security is important but these measures show the usual disregard for citizens so evident by the authorities in the UK. Listen to David Cameron being interviewed showing his arrogance time and time again and it is easy to see how we are going wrong. This blogger suggests that as we are "all in this together", according to Dave Cameron, we deploy a few surface to air missiles in Downing Street, Westminster, Canary Wharf and Buckingham Palace. That will be a good start. Tags: surface to air missiles, tower block, London 2012, Olympic security, deploy missiles
 April 28, 2012, the first live show of the Voice UK was aired on BBC1 7pm until 8.30pm. Tonight's show featured contestants from team Tom and team Will.i.am. The acts in team JessieJ and Danny will perform next week.
The first live show began with the mentors performing themselves. It was rather odd as voices such as Tom Jones and JessieJ did not quite gel with the song. Were they miming or singing live? Not quite sure. They seemed off key at times so if they were miming that's not good.
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