EU - UK Withdrawal Method not Self-Indulgent when Political Classes try to keep a sheaf on it.

Tories press on with EU poll plans

There has to be a referendum for the UK on the EU. Mr Cable is reported by a local newspaper below in support of the EU. He says that the UK's desire for EU withdrawal is wrong. He uses words like reckless and self-indulgent. The political classes of this nation have been reckless and self-indulgent by forcing political and un-democratic accountability upon people by un-elected bodies passing rules upon our nation. Withdrawal is not self-indulgent when the political classes have been keeping a sheaf over it for decades.

Liberal Democrat Business Secretary Vince Cable will today brand advocates of EU withdrawal "self-indulgent and reckless", as he warns that a British pull-out would mean an "exodus" of international firms from the UK and the loss of thousands of jobs.

No "serious friend of British business" would call for a break-up of Britain's relations with the EU, Mr Cable will tell a business conference in Birmingham in a scathing response to growing clamour for withdrawal.

Amid Conservative calls for legislation on an in/out referendum on UK membership, Mr Cable will warn the Liberal Democrats' coalition partners not to over-react to the successes of the UK Independence Party in this month's council elections.

"The Liberal Democrat manifesto in 2010 promised we would put Britain at the heart of Europe in pursuit of national opportunity, security and prosperity - and we will continue to push for this in Government," he will tell the British-American Business Council. "It is simply self-indulgent and reckless for parties or individuals to risk so much in order to address one concern raised in a council election by just 7% of the electorate."

Lib Dem Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told MPs on Wednesday that it was a matter of "when not if" the UK holds a referendum on EU membership, and Mr Cable will himself on Thursday acknowledge that developments in the eurozone will "necessitate in due course a referendum on any substantial change in constitutional arrangements".

But he will urge proponents of withdrawal, such as Conservative former chancellor Lord Lawson, not to exaggerate the costs to the UK of EU membership or underplay the potential damage departure could inflict on British business.

The UK is currently the "favourite destination" for non-EU firms setting up European HQs, hosting more than Germany, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands combined, Mr Cable will say. If Britain quit the EU, he will warn, "we could reasonably expect an exodus of the non-EU firms headquartered in this country, precisely because they regard the UK as the gateway to Europe... These companies in Japan, China, the USA and elsewhere whom we are currently trying to attract to the UK will - quite reasonably - think again if they believe we are planning to leave the EU."

Many of the thousands of foreign-owned financial sector companies in the City "would question the value of a UK location were it to cut itself adrift", he will add. Despite the growth of emerging economies like China, India and Brazil, the EU is likely to remain Britain's most important market "for another couple of decades", offering many growth opportunities even during the current problems in the eurozone, Mr Cable will say.

Eurosceptics who argue that Britain should be focusing on trade with the BRIC nations rather than Europe need a "reality check", as expanding exports to these markets is "in no way inhibited by membership of the EU". And while half of British exports go to the EU, supporting one in 10 UK jobs, China accounts for less than 2.5% of exports, India and Russia below 2% each and Brazil under 1%.

It is "far from obvious" that on its own, the UK could strike the kind of free-trade agreements currently under discussion between the EU and the US, Canada, India, Japan, Singapore and countries in South-East Asia and South America, he will warn.

How Long Before UK Leaves EU

I think the political classes have tried to sleep walk the UK into the EU over the decades. I did believe this could have been good, but after seeing the results of very irresponsible immigration upon a terrifying level, I now question this. 

We were sold the Common Market while gradual political union was introduced under the table. It is no longer an attractive project for the UK. If people tried to complain they were often branded racist, which is now beginning to wear thin.

I now have very genuine concerns about Britain remaining in the EU and the raid upon Cypriot bank accounts is the most disturbing thing of all. How long before our assets are attacked by an un-elected EU with a British government incompetent to deal with it?  Brussels makes the rules for 500 million plus but the administrators are not elected by citizens - only internal committees often comprising of failed political figures in their own nations.

This man (Nigel Farage) is telling the truth. It is right to be concerned.

  

Jimi Hendrix and the V.I.Ps at Scotch St James Club 1966 - A True Story

 An old 60s Retro Britsh Rock Band Called the V.I.Ps





V.I.Ps' Drummer Walter Johnstone
is kneeling down in above photo

In the early to late 1960s; a British rock band from Carlisle began playing at the Scotch St James club in London among many other up and coming bands. They released a few albums and had some singles, though they did not break into the UK charts. They did have some success in Europe, especially Germany and France. One of the members went on to play in Humble Pie, and for a short time after 1967, Keith Emerson was in the band, though they changed their name to Art.

The original band (The V.I.Ps) consisted of the following: Mike Harrison vocals, Jimmy Henshaw and Frank Kenyon as guitarists with Greg Ridley on Bass and finally Walter Johnstone on drums.

45 Years Later 2012




Walter Johnstone Today in 2012
while telling his story of the 1960s
decade

While working on the verge cutting in Essex, England during this dreadful summer of 2012, we were sent a casual worker from the job agency to help with the grass cutting. The man was retired but liked to do the odd bit here and there. He was a polite and reserved man – perhaps a little unassuming. The rest of the gang liked the retired man and he has since been called back on several occasions when a member is on leave. He has a Cumbrian accent of North England, though he is Scottish – a real Reiver from the borderlands.

During tea breaks, while we sat in the van having a cup of tea, we would talk to this guy, wondering why he left the beautiful Lake District of Cumbria to live in Essex, South East England. He was interesting and spoke of many things. He had been an oil rig worker off Aberdeen and served time on the platforms at sea. He had done a great many things during his working career.

He had been working with us, on and off for a number of weeks, and finally, on Friday 12^th October, he told me a great story of some of the things he did during the Retro Brit 1960s decade. He said he was in a band and they toured a lot as a support band. They had released albums and had singles, but they did not break into the UK charts but were well received in Europe, especially Germany and France – one single getting to Number 2 in France. He said they had supported bands like the Small Faces and The Jimi Hendrix Experience band.

He said the band was called the V.I.Ps and he was the band’s drummer. I got out my phone and tapped his band’s name into the search engine and up came a photograph of the old rock group with today’s 69-year-old Walter Johnstone standing with other band members when he was in his 20s. He was taken aback - the long ago, faded away, the band were still on the net. They are on YouTube too, which surprised him, as Walter is not too knowing on computers. I was amazed too, looking at Walter in the 1960s next to the band members of the V.I.Ps. Walter is a modest and unassuming person and this past life of his came out casually in conversation.

Of the original five; only Walter and Mike Harrison are alive. Jimmy Henshaw, Frank Kenyon and Greg Ridley are deceased. Of course, other band members came and went when they were called Art. Walter Johnstone, the drummer and man I’m talking about, had left by the time the band was called Art.

Procol Huram Story

When Walter left the V.I.Ps, he did get a number of phone calls and requests from a man promoting a new band and this promoter said he wanted Walter to come back to London and do a session for this new band’s song - the group which was to be put together. This band would be good and he wanted Walter Johnstone to do the drums in a demo run for a song called Whiter Shade of Pale and it was to be by a group called Procol Harum. By this time Walter had left the V.I.Ps because the money was not regular enough and the band were not big enough. He was, however, persuaded to do the demo when offered £18 plus travel and lodgings back to London.

After doing the demo, he was offered the drummer work for the band, but he refused not having faith in the promoter who was guaranteeing £250 a week for the next five years. This was good money in 1967, but Walter had been on the fringes of the rock industry in Britain for a number of years now and had heard such promises before. For every band that hit the big time, there was a larger number, like the V.I.Ps, doing the support stints and earning little. The big break never came to every band and Walter had lost faith - especially when the promoter only gave him £8 instead of £18. He wrote him a cheque for the other £10 which promptly bounced when he got back to Carlisle. Of course, Walter Johnstone was shocked when Whiter Shade of Pale smashed the charts with Procol Harum. He said they were from Southend in Essex where we all now work, cutting the grass verges of the surrounding towns.

Jimi Hendrix and the V.I.Ps in Scotch of St James Club London 1966

Jimi Hendrix in UK 1966

Walter also told another Retro Brit story about Jimi Hendrix. The V.I.Ps (Walter’s band) was managed by a man called Michael Jeffery and this man also managed The Animals – a famous British band from Newcastle. They (The Animals) had come back from a USA tour and were in the Scotch St James club in London, where the V.I.Ps were playing. It was about the year 1966. Michael Jeffery (Manager of The Animals and the V.I.Ps) had discovered someone special in the Village (A place in New York) He was called Jimi Hendrix. The Animals Bass player; Chas Chandler also had dealings with Jimi Hendrix. From what Walter said; it seemed to be a joint interest between Mike Jeffery and Chas Chandler.

Walter is in the centre and furthest back.

Chas Chandler asked the V.I.Ps if they would let Jimi Hendrix play alongside them in the Scotch of Saint James club. The audience consisted of other British bands who liked to look at up and coming talent. Band members of The Small Faces, Kinks and other well-known groups would be in the audience. Walter said that he and the rest of the band said ‘ok.’

For the first song, which Walter can’t remember what the title was; Jimi Hendrix just played along rhythm. Then when they finished Jimi Hendrix asked them; “Hey can you play ‘Wild Thing’ by the Troggs.”

Walter said the rest of the band and himself replied yes, but thought it odd, for they regarded the Troggs as a pop band. People who played in the Scotch Saint James club regarded themselves as proper musicians. Walter laughed as he told me this, realising that perhaps, the V.I.Ps was a little too pretentious, even during the swinging sixties. After all; the Troggs made and sold records that got into the charts.

Well as the V.I.Ps began to play; Jimi Hendrix went on one of his whirlwind guitar solo acts and blew the V.I.Ps and the audience away. Walter said as he played the drums; he called to see the mind blowing effect Hendrix had on the audience. No one in the UK had heard or seen him until this moment, but Jimi from the village, across the pond, launched himself with great aplomb upon the unsuspecting Brit audience.

Walter laughed, “When Hendrix played, they (The V.I.Ps) almost shit themselves.” Evidently, Jimi made a big impression.

Walter standing on the left.

How Could There Be Life On Mars?(What mystery does the red planet hide from us)

Retro Brit: Could There Be Life On Mars?(What mystery does the red planet hide from us)

Could There Be Life On Mars?(What mystery does the red planet hide from us)

What mystery does the red planet still hide from us?

Could there be life on mars? Do we secretly hope so? If there really is such a thing, I would imagine it to be primitive bacteria or moss type life. All the while our scientist endevour to look closer at the surface of the Red planet with growing expetation that they will find something within the permafrost.

Nations are coming together with shared fields of expertise and as one they push the frontiers of exploration. Mars seems to be the first point of call. There is a belief that many of her hidden secrets are accessable. The red planet is now a real goal for exploration and a strong hope of discovering alien life.

Look at this photograph taken by Mars Express - the European Space Administration (ESA)

Want to know more?

http://www.esa.int/esaHS/

Are we the only ones in this Universe? I don't thinks so, do you? There must be intelligent lifeforms somewhere in space. Even basic alien bacteria or plant life. Some evidence supports the notion of life-forms living on the planet right next door to us - Mars.

Space probes are searching Mars in the belief that ingredients for life, including water, are there. The Mars Odyssey probe, launched in April 2001, detected huge frozen areas of permafrost, simular to that found in the Antarctic on Earth. This surface ice may hide something below and scientists hope to learn more about Mars' mysterious water cycle.

Learn more of the Mars Odyssey probe on the NASA website.

http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/

The Curiosity Rover is a huge project of NASA. They have organised, developed and built an exploration vehicle to land on Mars and explore the South Pole area of the planet. This is to determine if there was once life on the Red Planet. It will take a great deal of time, but much has been put into this project.

A multitude of Scientists are working from Earth and feeding programmes into the Curiosity Rover so that it can conduct all manner of experiments. This is one of the most exciting leaps forward since the first Apollo Moon landing.

Other probes and land vehicles have landed upon the Martian surface before, but these have met with very limited success and none where the search for alien life is concerned. Now this new robotic laboratory can roam the Martian surface controlled by NASA personnel on Earth after a most successful landing on the Red Planet's surface.

Theories

Scientists and Theorists will not give up on the Martian question of life. Many cling to the notion that Mars might be a dead planet that once sustained life. Gradually ideas are eliminated only to be replaced by new ones. The hope of 'once there was life.' remains and so many explorations and experiments remain. Unmanned space craft are sent to scratch the surface and find evidence of 'once there was life.'

Questions

Some of the rock formations puzzle geologists and pose questions that once water might have been there. Why did it all end if the planet was once on the journey to evolve carbon based lifeforms. Perhaps a violent ecological disaster might be the reason for the sterile landscape that teases of 'once there was life.'