sparks

So am I... However, I must pull you up on a point you made earlier... namely when you said "I don't believe I said anarchy was a bad thing". Now unless you have had a recent epiphany, you are as I said earlier ignorant of the true meaning of anarchy... Therefore I find your recent remarks contradictory to your 'historic posts'... 'Anarchy' is only scary if you believe in authority's errant definition of it - a trait you have displayed admirably... :Winky: Logically since it grew out of a belief, It wasn't a non-starter - it was snuffed out by capitalism because it was a threat....And capitalism isn't the true nature of people at all - it's drummed into our heads by 'vested interests'! Links mean that someone who might not have seen a different opinion are able to do so - and therefore 'thinking inside the box' can sometimes be construed by some as 'sticking your head up your ar*e'...lol Ah, the benevolent dictatorship argument.... So tell me - who decides on who that 'benevolent dictator' is then?....Another Gaddafi in the making? And since you've mentioned Brunei, I suggest you check out the country inequality league - and its got nothing to do with 'scaling' at all ! ps. I haven't put a link in, because according to you it's only an opinion and therefore not valid.... :Winky:

It's 'Baah' actually, as I pointed out to another person here previously who also signed up to the sheep mentality... :Winky: But just like I've said to you several times before - you have nothing to add to the conversation... And why is it that you don't come up with solutions of your own, and just Diss those who bother to 'think outside of the box'?

Oh I have substance....so maybe the question should be, 'can you read'? Now which bit of that 'basic workable society' (I've omitted your word 'ideal', because there is no such thing) don't you understand? ps. links are helpful to an argument, so I'm sorry if they often challenge your POV even if you can't be bothered to read/understand them... And isn't it ionic that those who usually add very little inevitably end up reaching for the 'troll word' time and again.... :Winky: pps. what do you think an appropriate sentence should be for the MP accused today of nicking £60k (should she be found guilty), when compared with 4 months for nicking £3.50 worth of water?

That reply is really quite funny, as not only have you ignored my post regarding 'spark's utopia' (your description not mine), but you are doing exactly what you accuse me of... Still, I guess it's quite difficult wording a meaningful reply when someone gives a straight answer to a muddled question.... :Winky:

Another reason not to buy ikea?.... Link

With the 10th anniversary of 11th September just days away, and massive media coverage of the event, we are told that we should never forget the 3,000 innocent victims.... But we are leaving Iraq behind us with hundreds of thousands of dead civilians - and we are told to just 'move on'.... Just a thought.... :Winky:

Actually, Scandinavians happen to be a bit taller, and it's not just Ikea that makes that length as standard! We got a replacement 200cm mattress from our local bedstore which was cheaper than Ikea...Never asked where they got it from though.

Remember the money that Iceland 'owed' us? Well actually it was a collapsed Icelandic bank that owed the money, but they tried to palm it of onto the ordinary people.... over £12k per man/woman/child ! Luckily they had a president who decided a vote was needed on this - twice....and both times the answer was no! Well surprise, suprise that collapsed bank had the assets required to pay off the debt and more when people looked hard enough... Icesave liquidators find money to compensate UK savers If they can suss out the con trick that is being played out by the banks, then we should be able to as well... Of course we don't have any leader who has the guts to stand up and give people a chance to say,"F*ck off - we ain't liable"!

This idea of 'political intrusion' is starting to tear apart the very fabric of the UK justice system.... Riot justice is too tough, says chief prosecutor If the 'Top Dog' speaks out whilst still in office, then something has gone seriously wrong... And no doubt he'll soon be sacked then... :Winky:

I pointed out that you have misconstrued the true meaning of anarchy... Again misconstrued...I comment on what has been posted. You don't agree with my 'solutions', and yet you ask what my solution would be?...please make up your mind ! There is no 'Sparks Utopia' because no such thing could ever exist. You can build what you believe is the 'perfect life', but unless you interact with others meaningfully it's pointless - because humans are 'herd animals'....However 'authority' is scared of autonomous communities! The nearest model for me is the original kibbutzim - before it was inevitably corrupted by capitalism! It's easy to look for the specifics of that movement.... :Winky:

Good for you.. But I'm not being particularly negative - just realistic!... There is a fine line between not talking the economy down, and sticking your head in the sand... :Winky:

Some good advice from Derren.. Just a couple of personal observations to add. You've mentioned that currently it isn't open at night. If you plan to change that, are you prepared to deal with the inevitable oiks? And with raw material prices only going in one direction and people's disposable income going the other way, the service industry is imo going to get hit hard over the coming years...

DavidP... If you look carefully, I've not condoned these acts at all - I just try and understand where the anger comes from, and for you to merely dismiss these acts out of hand shows a complete disregard for the real world ! And I have a strong belief in real justice and dismiss collective punishment! You also show your ignorance of 'government' in your statement that "The Government doesn't run our lives. You could make a case that they unduly influence but we're still free to make decisions within a pretty broad range"...well I haven't been in Oz for a while, but here in the UK the government runs our lives right down to the micro level... And it's interesting that you bring up 'anarchy'....like the vast majority you don't understand the meaning of the word, and have been sucked in by the bastardisation of that word by vested 'authorities'... In case you didn't see this that has been posted before, the following may educate you a little... :Winky: Anarchy

This is interesting... Now son of former Met Police boss is arrested over riots So given the current practice of remanding suspects, one would assume that this guy would be behind bars... Or then again, maybe not.... Plod - corrupt, corrupt from the bottom to the top....

Thanks for explaining that Jamer

Since when should the police interfere with the work of the judiciary?... http://www.guardian....uspects-custody What's the moral difference between mass imprisonment in remand centres, and 'concentrating' people in camps? Further evidence of the UK police state we live in...!

Mrs sparks and our daughters flying back from Iceland tonight.. An irrational fear, but I hate it when they are all in one plane together... And I'm not sure if it helps that the pilot was due to be Bruce Dickinson...!

It's a perfectly good example, as it shows how young naive people actually behave, despite being innocent - and how the police regard 'innocence' and 'guilt' !... I wonder how many have been convicted on initial so-called 'visual evidence'?.... That is why people have to learn that they must 'front up' the police, and not run away in fear!! To do otherwise emboldens the f*ckers, and gives them a feeling of invincibility...!

au contraire... 'street wise' is about knowing your rights, not running away imo... when the 'old bill' take the p iss, they need to be taken down a peg or two - not the other way around! You have just acknowledged that you believe that 'the law' (aka the police) is a 'law unto itself'....I don't !

Isn't it funny how quick some are to condemn without any evidence.... :Winky: Remember this 'headline offence'? http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/21/dane-williamson-cleared-manchester-riots Things are not as they appear to be at the time yet again are they! Still, the cops obviously thought he was a good 'patsy'... :Winky:

Here's a useful guide to what a conviction means in present day HM open prison UK.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14556347 I see there are more 'yes' than 'no ' in this poll... Anyone thinking again if you've read that article? Edit: Oh, if any of you are wondering why I have a passion about this... In 1982 I was accused of a crime I didn't commit...I was told to 'accept my punishment like a good boy' in the magistrates court. At risk of a prison sentence I took it to a crown court, and when my legal aid barrister advised against my strategy (openly in court accusing my accuser*), I did it anyway! I shall recall the wig's comments forever... wig: why did you bother taking this so far? me: so I don't have to answer that question again. wig: quite right - case dismissed! *my accuser was subsequently convicted of the crime I was accused of, and got a 2 month suspended sentence whereas I faced a jail sentence... His conviction is on record...The false accusation against me now shows up on an enhanced CRB check anyway!

Sorry ALL1, but you won't 'come up as clean' as you think! All your 'crimes' are logged and released to the general business community as required (by them)... As such, the latest illegal sentences are creating yet again a 'criminal underclass' whether they are a real criminal or not! As the song says...."there's trouble ahead".... :Winky:

So have I, I hope... But can any of us honestly say their kids wouldn't get caught up in something in the heat of the moment? Most of us can't 'pay off' the victim with daddy's money should we smash up a restaurant on a whim, so where are we with the idea of 'right and wrong'..? I've done silly stuff that went over the 'official' line, and I was brought up to know 'what is what'... But I've gone on to live a 'crime free' life (according to my values :Winky: ) - so should I have been 'tagged' forever for what I had done on the spur of the moment in the eyes of the state?

Check out what is covered by a CRB check and an 'enhanced' CRB check... The former doesn't disclose certain offences which are 'spent', although not all. The latter (which was supposed to be only for those working with kids and vulnerable adults) is being increasingly used for 'run of the mill' jobs and does - it ignores the idea of 'spent' convictions, and even includes rumours/heresay 'evidence'! I understand that feeling ALL1...The rule of law did indeed go out of the window as I've been predicting for years, but do we tag the perpetrators of actions that don't threaten people with a life that means they have no chance of employment/hope alongside the violent ones?