Disabled Kevin Thinks

Body by Sarah Burningham

2011-07-03T18:50:00.000Z

Drift (2011) Final Cut

2011-06-01T21:35:00.000Z

body reh

2011-03-18T00:26:00.000Z

work in progress

2011-03-12T02:02:00.000Z

un unspoken01

2011-02-22T01:42:00.000Z

Hearth

2011-02-17T23:39:00.000Z

My acting debut Itv1 Class of 76

2011-02-14T22:08:00.000Z

2011-02-09T23:27:00.000Z

Drift: Dance for Camera

2011-02-05T18:23:00.000Z

Sarah B's PaR 3feb

2011-02-05T18:21:00.000Z

mi lo

2011-01-28T22:22:00.000Z

Hearth Copyrightt Samual Paul Gillmore 2010

2010-05-22T00:38:00.000Z

Copyright Sam Gilmore 2010

2010-04-22T17:15:00.001Z

i luv jay z

2010-04-06T02:25:00.001Z

Uni pics

2010-03-05T00:10:00.000Z

skin wheel {to see whole set email me)

2010-02-01T18:19:00.001Z

I am a Life model, notes for Lecturers!

2010-01-25T22:22:00.001Z

I am a Life model, notes for Lecturers!

I am very aware I appear unapproachable when around alone I regret this but
despite appearances, I am very receptive, When I'm concentrating I appear
very grim, I used to except help from everyone but some people are shocked
at my speech and sometimes freak out and call the police. I'm very
independent because I live life to the full, so if you see me
alone, please say hi. Once people understand despite my speech
problems I can communicate, I just become another face in the
crowd. Most people can understand me once they tune in. I can spell out
words with my nose on a laminated printed keyboard that I carry with me!

I do not require a dressing room, it is easier and better for me to get
undress somewhere in the classroom! 3 or 4 minutes before I start,
let me know and I will quickly undress. After the session although my
carer will come, I would appreciate it if someone could just help me
put my jeans on.

Please talk to or at me, during the session. In the first few sessions just
ask YES NO questions. As you get to know me, you will get to understand me,
we can interact more!

Please ask anything and let me try things, I'm very comfortable on my knees
for hours, sometimes I can look like I'm falling over, often I don't but if
I do, I know how to fall.

I get around in my chair or on my knees; I get in and out of my chair
unaided. To get into my chair I need it against something firm, say a wall.
If the arms have been taken off my chair, I need the left arm putting back
on; I support myself on it while getting in my chair! If the floor is
slippy, I may ask you to put your foot by mine, to have something to push
against!

While modelling I take my chair arms off, there is a little catch under the
front on the bottom of the arm, just pull it up and the arm up at the same
time.

At the present I do not know the names for any poses, so can you or a
student describe poses! Never think I cannot ask Kevin to do that, just ask
and if I can't I can usually adapt!

Sometimes I may move involuntary because of Cerebral Palsy but I can quickly
regain the pose.

One aspect of cp you should be aware of, my reaction times is 2 times faster
than a normal person, so if something unexpected happens, like a loud noise,
I will jump!

When I model for you, do you see me as a disabled or disabled male or a male
model? I am happy with all 3 roles if you indicate which you require? I am
aware that many people are taken back by me and some people are offended by
a nude disabled man, which does not bother me but this info does help people
adjust!

I hope this ramble is helpful, I try to do everything professionally and my
number one aim in life is to live life 'normally' and have a good time!

Kevin Anyone is welcome to take my contact card, afterwards! My
disability does not handicap me!

2010-01-23T22:05:00.000Z

Emailing: City artist Kasia wins award at exhibition

2010-01-19T20:07:00.001Z

WINNER: Kasia, below, entered portraits of her friend Kevin, a life model
who has cerebral palsy, for the competition
<http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/> This Is Plymouth

City artist Kasia wins award at exhibition

Monday, January 18, 2010, 15:29

A PLYMOUTH artist has won a national prize only months after finishing her
college course.

Kasia Andrews picked up the Art Liberating Lives portrait award at a charity
exhibition in London.

The 32-year-old's success came in the Sue Ryder Care fundraiser at the Mall
Galleries.

Kasia put in portraits of her friend Kevin French, a life model who has
cerebral palsy, for the competition.

She said she was inspired by his achievements in art. A dancer who learned
of Kevin's modelling invited him to take part in a professional project and
he has now gone on to a dance theatre degree course.

"This is a fantastic thing for someone with such a severe disability to do,"
Kasia added. "I don't think he would ever have thought he could have done
this without the modelling. This just proves that art does indeed liberate
lives."

Early in 2009, when she was still a student at Plymouth College of Art,
Kasia was also a finalist in the Holburne Portrait Prize, presented by the
Holburne Museum in Bath and open to artists from across the West Country.
She has since qualified with a first-class honours degree in fine art.

Somerset-born, Kasia moved to Plymouth nine years ago.

She completed a diploma in art and design at Estover Community College
before doing an Access To Education course at what is now City College
Plymouth.

Kasia's photo-realistic portraits in black and white have attracted critical
and popular acclaim.

She says she prefers to work on a large scale, frequently with dynamic
viewpoints and extreme close-up, to concentrate on often overlooked aspects
of the face.

She held her first solo show at Ashburton's Gallery 22 in 2007 and has also
exhibited at the Theatre Royal Plymouth, Artspaces in Totnes and the
Delamore, Cornwood, as well as in Bath and London.

The Sue Ryder Care Art Liberating Lives exhibition attracted 400 guests to
the private view alone.

The event, now in its fifth year, brought in more than £30,000 for the
charity through a percentage of sales of pictures by professional and
amateur artists.

Sue Ryder Care helps people with long-term conditions such as multiple
sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and cancer.

:LIFE MODEL Disabledkevin

2010-01-07T21:17:00.001Z

Vulverable by Samual Gilmore

2009-10-31T18:46:00.000Z

Can I tell the last 6 weeks and the year ahead

2009-09-17T19:39:00.001Z

On July 16th I auditioned and was accepted at Plymouth uni on a dance theatre degree. I danced on my knees and I was completely fu**ed, after! I thought I might be invited to take part in a few dance sessions, although I knew I could do the complete course. To my joy my questionable talents were recognised for what I hope they are?

Everything I undertake I always approach really professionally; In the 90’s I tried to get selected as a New Labour mp and MEP candidates! Unfortunately it was impossible to convince grassroots members that despite my speech difficulties, I could serve and excel as their MP! Many of my fellow candidates were impressed and intimidated at how professional I was. In the last 10 years, I have modelled and acted, in TV and film dramas.

now I model and I’m employed as a life model at Pcad - nude modelling is another taboo people have problems with. Ironically life modelling is the only job I have been paid for. The only downside of attending University is I will probably have my housing benefit cut and may have to rely on my modelling income.

Once I decided to commit totally to the course I decided I wanted to improved my fitness, if only to demonstrate to myself I can still set and achieve my goals! Nearly every day since July 21st I have gone to Costa Coffee via a route which means I push myself a mile. The first week when I got to Costa I was wiped out. Five weeks later I can do the mile without stopping and not be tired. Now when I get there, the staff set up my netbook and I email, as before the 21st!

Also before the 21st, when I got off the ground from a laying position, I always used my head and neck to get up on to my knees! I had never been able to use my arms, well elbows, to get up. The first time I attempted to get up using my arms, it took me 30 minutes to get up 8 times but last Thursday, I got up 30 times in 11 minutes. I must admit here that for most of August I was in a lot of pain, my back, left shoulder and neck. This is because I have not really used the left half of my body before. Every day the pain got better, so carried on but it did make me less creative for a month and so I'm really glad I used August like this.

What are my communication problems? When I’m work, socialised or drink with people for a while, the best way for them to learn quickly how to communicate with me is for me to answer questions verbally. If anyone does not understand, I spell it out partially with my nose on a laminated a4 printed keyboard!

I have found with groups of people, 1 or 2 begin to pick up my speech quickly and they translate for others, this breeds confidence in others and they catch on. Reversely if I just type answers, it’s my experience, if I depend on my pc; my computer becomes an extra barrier to overcome!

I cannot use my hands at all and so I use a head pointer, my hat, to type, When speaking to large groups, I found when I took my hat off, more people ask me questions!

If I want to talk to one or two people, I start simply by answering yes / no questions. Then I start to ask simple questions like "how are you". Then as they become comfortable with how I talk, I chat more! And more until I can't shut up!

I am not worried about Disability awareness because I accept I am severely disabled, this is how many people see me and I feel it’s just stupid to say I’m not! When I ran for M E P, (Member of the European Parliament), the herald referred to me as Disabledkevin! I loved this label; I’m clearly disabled and called Kevin.

When I was at Hereward college, where I was a failure, I expressed a desired and achieved the goal to live independently, despite every one constantly saying it was impossible. Since 1982 I have lived in my own home and begun to find myself, my confidence, belief, my emotional and creative horizons are, constantly growing and developing.

Since 82, I have not been used to having help on hand. I just went shopping, banks, Australia, pubs and nightclubs alone and love coping, being ‘normal’. The DDA has curtailed my independence but I accept I am an unique case! For instance I can no longer fly long haul, alone!

I hope this is helpful and not too rambling, if you have any questions, thoughts, comments or brickbats, please email me,

Thanks, Kevin kevin@disabledkevin.com

http://www.disabledkevin.com/ http://disabledkevinthinks.blogspot.com/ http://twitter.com/disabledkevin

When I ran for M E P, Plymouth's Evening Herald referred to me as Disabledkevin! I loved this label; I’m clearly disabled and called Kevin.

JOSIE & ME DANCING http://tinyurl.com/cp3qn8

2009-08-25T00:02:00.000Z

2009-08-05T19:55:00.000Z

interview for uni!

2009-07-30T17:58:00.001Z

Why are you particularly interested in studying at Plymouth University?
It's my local university, it offers excellence in the field of dance and
drama, originality, Plymouth is probably the only University that hopefully
will see that I have potential and take a chance on me. I know many people
here, I work with the fine arts students, many of my part time carers are on
the nursing course and I love challenging Professor Michael Thrasher with my
elections predictions!

What attracts you to his course? Dance has been an interest because it is a
means of non verbal communication and until recently I felt it was something
I could not participant in until I danced with Josie. . Last march I took
part in a 'movement' drawing class with a professional dancer, the lecturer
thought I would sit still and Josie would dance but we improvised.

What does dance have to offer society at large? In western society dance is
used to mark or celebrate great events, such as weddings or birthdays.
Dance can be an entertainment or night out at the Candy Club. Dance can
inspire and educate but it has to be more accessible!

In India dance is part of daily life, from monthly festivals to dancing in
the aisle for four hours, at the cinema. Yes I did draw a crowd.

What do you see yourself doing after graduating from the course? I want a
fresh challenge to rise and excel at! A drama and dance based degree would
transform my basic dramatic writing and acting skills into maybe an
accomplish author / director, whilst transforming my love of dance into a
complete understanding of the subtleties of this ever evolving art form! I
see myself as more of a collaborator, writer, and director!

Which dancers or dance companies have inspired you? Although I have always
loved and been inspired by dance, I have not seen many dance performers
because after seeing them, I am very frustrated because I want to dance
but I thought I could not be a dancer. I have seen the Rambert dance
company at the theatre royal on three occasions, the forbidden planet,
sorry, in London and Plymouth. Blood brothers the 97 vintage. Birmingham
Royal Ballet's Swan Lake, although I don't really like classical music and
don't understand ballet, I was surprised that I really enjoyed and was
moved by it but I can't say I understood it all but does that matter.

Can you tell us about a dance performance you have seen recently? The last
'musical' I saw, although not a 'dance' peace was War of the Worlds,
Brighton. I can remember thinking they could have included more live dance,
'Forever Autumn' cries out, for one or two dancers performing the sense of
the lyrics, in a ballet dance style. As for the face with Richard Burton
imposed on it, this is entertaining for a while but I kept thinking
wouldn't it be great for the narrator to be a dancer / reporter with a video
camera, still lipscinking Burton but filming, dancing the story! .... Like
Jon Snow!

More than 10 years ago I saw a short piece in the Drum, with 4 dancers,
although I can't tell you what it was called and the dance company, I can
still see it in my mind, I love contemporary dance, it should be fresh,
unique and push the boundaries.

Any Questions for us? I will have benefits problems if the course hours are
more than 16 hours a week, can you accommodate this? I am prepared to
challenge this rule but if I don't have to, it would be helpful! Can we be
creative?

Lastly, everyone else you see today will be more knowledgeable about dance
but I hope I have demonstrated I do have a passion, creativity and a little
ability. Also everything I endeavour to do, I nearly always begin at the
back but with my drive and intellect, I soon catch up!

Letter of application to Plymouth University

2009-07-15T19:11:00.001Z

I'm a creative, open minded, decisive person, who has more time to think and
imagine because of my 'disability' and my speech problem... Until becoming
a life model I had not realised how creative I was. Some people are
completely thrown by a life model with a handicap, it challenges several
'norms', so often I come up with my own poses.

I could not read or write until the age of 12, so for me life did not begin
until I was 20 and this is why I think I have a young outlook on life.
Since leaving college, where I was a failure because of my abnormal
education, I have self educated and found myself, still my confidence,
belief, my emotional and creative horizons are constantly growing and
developing.

In the 80s I programmed station formats for ilr stations and worked for the
super station, which supplied overnight programming for ilr stations. I
produced Johnnie Walker, well tried too, until Richard Branson pulled the
plug, to move on to Virgin Radio.

In the 90's I tried to get selected as a New Labour mp and MEP candidates!
Unfortunately it was impossible to convince grassroots members that despite
my speech difficulties, I could serve and excel as their MP! Many of my
fellow candidates were impressed and intimidated at how professional I was.
I was the first candidate to record a video for selection meetings. The
Labour Party in their wisdom decided to hold over 50 MEP selection meetings
in a 2-week period and it was impossible for any candidate to address a
quarter of these meetings. Originally, to negate my speech problem and then
to overcome the multiple selection hurdle, I wrote and directed a 5-minute
video address. The local video company that I hire to record my address were
impressed with my script and vision of the video; they inquired, "Whether I
would consider scripting their commercial videos"!

My video surpassed my highest hopes because I received many more nominations
than I expected! I think this was because the video illustrated what I was
capable of, better than a simple written or verbal statement! It showed me
going around town unaided, writing and giving a speech and a Sky News
interview!

In the last 10 years, I have modelled and 'acted, in TV and film dramas.
Many production companies are surprised how professional I am. When Zenith
booked me for Itv1 Class of 76 and blocked out 5 hours to shoot my scenes,
understanding the pressures and requirements of TV shoots, I delivered my
performance in 15 minutes.

The internet has completely changed and empowers my life, from online
banking and writing for Hilary Clinton and to beginning to shape and
cultivate my creative juices, I feel I am now ready to attempt and succeed
at a theatrical and dance based degree.

Music has always been a very important part of my life; I love new music, be
it pop. Rock or dance! Dance has been an interest because it is a means
of non verbal communication and until recently I felt it was something I
could not participant in until I danced with Josie. . Last march I took
part in a 'movement' drawing class with a professional dancer, the lecturer
thought I would sit still and Josie would dance but we improvised. Everyone
was impressed and so the second session was videoed, it confirmed to me that
I could be a member of a 'dance company´ with something worthwhile and
unique to contribute.

I can write political speeches and comment pieces without much effort, I
want a fresh challenge to rise and excel at! A drama and dance based degree
would transform my basic dramatic writing and acting skills into maybe an
accomplish author / director, whilst transforming my love of dance into a
complete understanding of the subtleties of this ever evolving art form!

If I am accepted onto a degree course I will apply myself to it 110%, while
continuing to write and model because the more things that stimulates me,
the more energy and inspiration I will be able to focus back on the course.

DisabledKevin by Kasia Andrews

2009-06-15T21:55:00.001Z

The South West rejects Labour!

2009-06-08T01:55:00.000Z

After watching the results of the South West region elections, my reaction
is the South West rejects this Labour Government and its Prime Minister who
cannot lead his party, let alone the country. I say to my friends Linda
Gilroy and Ben Bradshaw MP, if I was a South West Labour MP I would actively
seek the removal of Gordon Brown. Then go to the country in August, saying
to my voters, that Gordon Brown was not right for the South West, I'm in
tune with your fears and let me continued to be a strong voice in the next
parliament!

I strongly feel if the Prime Minister is allow to muddle on until next year,
David Cameron will be Prime Minister after the next election and Nick Clegg
will be the leader of the opposition.

If anyone thinks this prediction is wild just look at the results of the
European elections, Labour was demoted into fifth place, in the South West,
behind the Green Party and a terrible sixth place in Cornwall.

The South West now has two Conservative, two UKIP and one Liberal Democrats
MEPs, the message is clear, we the voters believe Gordon Brown is not up to
the job and the South West rejects Labour!

<http://www.disabledkevin.com/> http://www.disabledkevin.com/
<http://disabledkevinthinks.blogspot.com/>
http://disabledkevinthinks.blogspot.com/
<http://disabledkevinthinks.blogspot.com/2009/04/blog-post.html>
http://twitter.coom/disabledkevin

When I ran for M E P, Plymouth's Evening Herald referred to me as
Disabledkevin! I loved this label; I'm clearly disabled and called Kevin.

JOSIE & ME DANCING <http://tinyurl.com/cp3qn8> http://tinyurl.com/cp3qn8

Is the conservative victory in Devon just a footnote in the march to a general election triumph?

2009-06-06T02:12:00.001Z

In other years the Tories clearing out of the Liberal Democrats from County
Hall would be headline news but Gordon Brown has managed to demote the
Conservative's success to an election item in the news. Personally I was
surprised that Devon County Council fell so decisively, I thought they would
make gains but take control at the next County elections!

Their victory makes me ask a lot of questions, where the Liberal Democrats
go now in Devon and come to that, in Cornwall. Are Ben Bradshaw, the new
Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Linda Gilroy and Alison Seabeck , Labour
mps wondering what they have to do, if they going to have any chance of
retaining their seats at the next General election? Is Richard Younger Ross
reassessing his position?

Are the two main councils in Devon, the County Council and Plymouth City
going to cooperate and in effect go back to the old Devon County Council
model and will a Conservative Mayor of Torbay complete this process?

As everyone discovers when gaining power, the winning of an election is easy
but actually governing and putting your manifesto promises into practice is
often the really hard part, so the citizens of the republic of South Devon
will be watching!

When I ran for M E P, Plymouth's Evening Herald referred to me as
Disabledkevin! I loved this label; I'm clearly disabled and called Kevin.

JOSIE & ME DANCING <http://tinyurl.com/cp3qn8> http://tinyurl.com/cp3qn8

I am suppose to write about the local and Euro elections but

2009-06-03T00:25:00.001Z

Despite being a semi professional politician, I have still not become aware
of any local issues which may influence my decision of which party to vote
for on June 4th. Living in Plymouth I can only vote in the European
elections but still do not know what each candidate are hoping to achieve
should they be elected.

Having run as a City Councillor I always make sure I am on the electoral
roll and this should mean I should receive at least one piece of mail
detailing each parties policies but I have only received to colourful
leaflets from the BNP and UKIP, shouting about how corrupt Westminster is.

NOT wanting to vote for the three main parties to register my own protest
about the political strain of swine flu that some mps currently have, who
should I vote for? Apparently as I understand it but I'm still not sure,
UKIP want to withdraw from Europe, despite the economic cost, the BNP will
deport every foreigner and so I imagine that they are going to introduce
compulsory national service where everyone has to be a carer for a year; the
green party will stop me flying to Brighton; the socialist parties, I
gather, want to go back to the seventies; the Christian parties believe
their god can save the economy and Katie Hopkins still wants a job!

So I am gravitating towards voting for Mebyon Kernow, the party of Cornwall,
because their aims seem small, Cornwall does have an unique heritage and
culture which should be preserved and I want to learn An Tavas Kernewek

When I ran for M E P, Plymouth's Evening Herald referred to me as
Disabledkevin! I loved this label; I'm clearly disabled and called Kevin.

JOSIE & ME DANCING <http://tinyurl.com/cp3qn8> http://tinyurl.com/cp3qn8

As Antony Stein MP steps down, does Devon care about the local issues in the Euro and local elections?

2009-05-23T00:24:00.000Z

In most of Devon there are local elections, as well as European elections, did you know, do you care, is your council tax too high and are you happy with your local services? Have you met or received any information about what the local parties are planning if they take control, for example, on Devon County Council?
UKIP are standing in the European, County and some District elections and will receive many protest votes but can they run a district council, are they interested in organising recycling or do they just want to take the Republic of South Devon out of Europe?
Do the Green Party have realistic plans to attract more tourtist to Torbay and after the British National Party send all the foreign workers home, who is going to look after the elderly and disabled?
Ok the alternative parties are unlikely to take power in Devon and we all want to register our disgust to Ben Bradshaw, Richard Younger Ross and Antony Stein at their expensives misuses but should we pause a moment before placing a x on the ballot paper and think do we know who we are voting for, what they really stand for and what expensives they may claim?

Cast a protest vote on June 4th!

2009-05-16T02:10:00.001Z

Until Thursday 14th, I was going to write a piece arguing why you should not use your vote in the European and local elections on June 4th, as a protest vote but I cannot think of a good reason why to argue this!

I don’t mind MPs claiming expenses and having second homes, were appropriate but I cannot understand why some MPs think it is ok to claim for such things as £1000 TVs, claiming interest payments on mortgages which have been paid off, dog food, moat cleaning and multiple second homes.

I do not accept the defence ‘it was within the rules’! I hope if I ever got elected, if I felt it was necessary to buy a TV on my expenses I would claim less than £75! If I ever claim for biscuits I hope everyone would question my sanity.

MPs must be paid enough so they do their job properly, if they feel their wages are not enough to carry out their duties, they must make the case for adequate wages. We want our representatives to look after our needs and not to have reason for grubbing around, thinking of ways to increase their income!

Although professional politicians do not apologise very often and they are entitled to make forceful defences of their positions, sometimes they have to realise they must say sorry, even though they feel they are not in the wrong!

On Thursday I felt that the Government had really lost touch with reality when; that night’s Labour Party European election broadcast, solely concentrated on attacking David Cameron, Margaret Beckett would not even concede she maybe in the wrong and Shalid Malik thought it was acceptable to claim for a £2000 home theatre system!

Although some Tories live in another era, David Cameron did at least rerecord his European broadcast to explain how he was tackling Tories MPs’ expenses misuses and this reinforce my perception that Labour Ministers do not understand the anger of the electorate.

The European and local elections should be about the issues but everyone is focused on MPS expenses, so many hard working Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat Councillors will be harshly punish, if the public can register their outrage to the political leadership by voting for ‘alterative’ parties, this maybe the best way of renewing our democracy!

Mobile blogging at Costa Coffee, Plymouth, uk

2009-05-15T01:07:00.000Z

Mum Brenda

2009-05-13T21:45:00.000Z

our dad Brian

2009-05-13T21:40:00.000Z

I need part time carer / carers!

2009-05-12T01:08:00.001Z

I need a carer for Saturday evenings and or Sunday mornings and the possibility to include extra shifts holiday cover and weekends etc.

My disability, although I appear that I can’t do a lot for myself, I can help which makes it easy. I drink with straws and I can’t feed myself! I am easy to dress and undress, I can get my body in the right position and I wear lose clothes. To put my shoes on they have to be really loosen but when I have got them on, they have to be done up really tight else they come off?

When I am in the house I get around on my knees, I cannot wash myself and I cannot think what else to tell you but ask me anything!

When we first meet, you probably will not be able to understand much of what I say but I will have a cardboard keyboard, which I can spell things out with my nose! But after a few hours together, you will get to understand me!

I lead a normal active life and I also travel around the world! Everywhere I travel the local people are amazed, shocked, amused, or want to cure me, usually by driving a devil out of my body.

After reading this, if you are interested in maybe becoming one of my carers, please get in contact via email and please ask me any questions you may have? No care experience is a plus!

To summarise the job involves personal care, housekeeping, assistance with eating and other duties to include my house being kept tidy.

I must say again No experience I prefer but a common sense attitude is helpful and a good sense of humour maybe more important. The understanding that despite my disability, I’m highly capable of making decisions and know my own needs.

I live in central Plymouth

GOOD RATES OF PAY! A shift never is longer than 3 hours, 2 hours is about the norm! No set routine.

Many of my carers have found it is a good way into the 'care industry'

kevin@disabledkevin.com

PS Everyone I employ tells me they thought the job would be much harder and despite my reassurances, they thought I would require constant care!

On June 5th Labour's Tudor Evans will be happy!

2009-05-09T01:34:00.001Z

David Cameron will be basking in the national spotlight, having increased the number of Conservative councillors nationally and throughout Devon; Nick Clegg will be positively happy at gaining more national votes and the Lib Dems still controlling Devon County Council; Gordon Brown will probably call in the plumber again, in an effort to hold back the tidal wave of the voters' wroth!

Today in May, there are candidates who think they are standing in the local elections just to make up the numbers but will wake up on June 5th as fully elected councillors. People may not realise that all of the parties struggled to have enough candidates for every seat, so they are filled by party members who think they will never get elected. When Governments are very unpopular, voters turn out in greater numbers and give vent to their anger by electing councillors that they may never vote for!

UKIP, the Green Party and several other parties are also fielding budding politicians in the Euro, County and District Elections and will gain from Labour’s mismanaged fortune!

There are also European elections on the same day for two MEPs in Devon, half of Plymouth and the whole of Cornwall elects one candidate and Devon excluding the Cornish part of Plymouth, elects the other member. This really upsets the good people of Kernow!

Although David Cameron will appear very happy at making great gain throughout the Republic of South Devon, he will also reflect that most people treat local elections as opinion polls and he is still not Prime minister, yet! Nick Clegg might wonder if the Liberal Democrats will fare as well at the General Election.

Labour’s leader in Plymouth Tudor Evans will be happy because ………… there were no elections in Plymouth for the City Council!

carer need, you maybe kow someone who neds a job!

2009-04-17T13:36:00.001Z

GOOD RATES OF PAY!

No experience is good, maybe a good way into the 'care industry'

Carer needed for Sunday mornings and possibilty to include extra shifts holiday cover and weekends etc.

This gentleman has a independant life but needs a carer to help him before he gets on with his daily routine that does not involve assitance from everyone as he has adapted to life to not be hindered by his disabilty on what to what he whats to do.

The work involes personal care, house keeping, assistance with eating and other duties to include his house being kept in shape.

Experience prefered but a common sense attitude, and a good sense of humour is more important and a respect that despite he has a disability he is highly capable on decisions and needs.

If interested please contact Kevin via email with contact detail and I will discuss further,

Email address is kevin@disabledkevin.com

www.disabledkevin.com/

JOSIE & ME DANCING http://tinyurl.com/cp3qn8

http://disabledkevinthinks.blogspot.com/2009/02/as-i-have-blogged-before-recently-i.html

http://disabledkevinthinks.blogspot.com/

Am I entitled to expect the same confidentiality

2009-04-07T00:18:00.001Z

Dear Doctor,

I am writing to you to express my concerns that our doctor patient confidentiality and my privacy under the data protection act has been breach, by your staff. Although your staff may have been acting out of the best intentions, I feel I have been treated as a second class citizen because I have a disability and have carers.

Approximately 3 weeks ago my carer received a phone call from your surgery, asking him to bring me along to a health check for people with learning disabilities, so your practice could access extra ‘NHS’ funding. My carer did try to explain I employed him solely as a carer, so he could not commit to an appointment; although I had Cerebral Palsy I had a law degree; they should write or email me, Kevin, directly to arrange the health check.

A week later I received a letter informing me that an appointment had been made on the 27th of April and my carer would be attending too. I did phone your office to enquire who had sent the letter but no one knew, the receptionist did say they would put on my file that I should be contacted directly but they could not communicate with me via email.

As you know I am very independent and unless I'm really ill, I will come and see you alone; although this may be time consuming for you, I must point out that I meet every one without my carer; until now I have felt confident that I could discuss any health concerns, privately with you but after this episode I am not sure that your staff respect my desire for confidentiality.

As my Doctor and my friend can I ask you to consider what I have said and after this, if you feel I have over stepped the mark or I am expecting too much, please be blunt and say so and I will be happy to reassess my expectations!

For obvious reasons can I request you respond to this letter via email or failing that, a letter!

Your awkward patient,

Kevin

Dancing with Josie

2009-04-03T17:23:00.002Z

Is Jacqui smith going to resign, doesn't she oversee the porn laws as Home Secretary?

2009-03-30T11:13:00.001Z

Although an adult video is not a resigning offence she has form here, claiming for her sister's house as her second home! This Home Secretary has lost her moral and political authority and for the Government's sake, she should quit or Gordon Brown should remove her!

All members of Parliament should be especially aware of driving up their expenses bills when people in the country are having a hard time in a major recession, losing jobs and houses.

I had a nice weekend with Oliver, Jia and their cute two year old daughter Eileen, hence lack of blogging.

You can now follow Disabledkevin on Twitter!

Valium and Pink Toilet Rolls

2009-03-28T01:35:00.001Z

Valium and Pink Toilet Rolls
When I was 7 I had physio for 5 days a week, 6 hours a day!
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1588375/valium_and_pink_toilet_rolls.html

10 random videos I like, well songs!

2009-03-27T00:50:00.003Z

Lily Allen - The Fear
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-wGMlSuX_c
Daft Punk - Harder Better Faster Stronger
http://www.muzu.tv/daftpunk/harder-better-faster-stronger-alive-2007-music-video/148249/hq
Katy Perry - Thinking Of You
http://www.muzu.tv/katyperry/thinking-of-you-extended-video-music-video/157421/hq
Kings Of Leon - Use Somebody http://www.muzu.tv/kingsofleon/use-somebody-music-video/53304
Eminem - Lose Yourself http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFYQQPAOz7Y
The Last Shadow Puppets "The Age Of The Understatement"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGV8xCkpXjE
Spandau Ballet - The Freeze http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIIiUCeAcOo
Cosmic Gate- Fire Wire (Club Mix) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOZSuKrxJYI
Patti Smith - People Have The Power http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbkKYTfUVx0

SQEEZE - UP THE JUNCTION http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7DRq7_5sQs

I drank too much wine on Sunday.

2009-03-24T02:29:00.000Z

And feel really tired tonight, so more rubbish tomorrow, I hope you liked my video I posted on Saturday.

Liverpool thrashed Aston Villa on Sunday, look out Manchester United here we come!

I hope the Indian Premiere League decide to come to England next month, instead of South Africa. There is a large Indian population in tithe UK, which might help fill grounds; is the sports minister campaigning for it, it would help the economy and the world cup bid?

In Plymouth isn’t anyone upset or bother that Plymouth Sound is being renamed Heart fm! Plymouth Sound was the second commercial radio station to go on air in 1975.

I don’t listen to Plymouth Sound; I saw an ad on Facebook, sign of the times?

Rehearsing Kasia's Vidoe Piece

2009-03-21T01:23:00.003Z

I don't know what to write about tonight and so a real ramble!

2009-03-18T02:15:00.001Z

Last night I started blogging at 2am and did not finish until 4am, so I am quite tired and not creative. Also there is not a lot of strong news to get my teeth in to.

I think AIG and the lack of British Government oversight maybe a big story later today. NBC Nightly News is reporting that British Executives have received millions from the American tax payers in the form of bonuses. AIG was bailed out to the tune of $180 million and this could be the Obama administration trying to shift the focus of blame to another country. I am unsure if the British media will pick up this story and run with it?

This evening I am starting work with Kasia on a new video project and I’m looking forward to it very much!

It is 2am, New Zealand have not lost another wicket for at least an hour; unlike in the morning session of the first test against India, were they lost 6. So I’m off to bed………….

Kite flying late Saturday feeds the media.

2009-03-17T03:28:00.001Z

In the past two years when the government wants to test public reaction to a new policy that they are thinking of enacting they release it about seven pm on Saturday evening. This allows the Sunday newspapers to do a quick write up on the policy or if they have not got a good front page story, they can do a hatchet job, being very critical of a loony policy or a positive piece claiming they made the government reluctantly adopt the idea.

Then on Sunday the political chat shows get to mangle the government’s new wheeze. By the time Andrew Marr, Adam Boulton, Five Live and the politics show has pulled it apart, number ten does a quick analysis of the coverage; if it is very or just negative the policy is ditched, if the ‘press’ is positive government ministries are put up to push the idea on Sunday afternoon; then that evening the media reaction is monitored again.

On Saturday evening when Sky and BBC News began to report that the government were thinking of added a new tax of 50p per unit on alcohol, I thought this was extreme kite flying. Although this might appeal to Gordon Brown’s puritanical tendencies I knew the political instincts of the Prime Minister meant he knew the policy was a non starter.

The problem with kite flying on Saturday evening is the political winds can be much stronger than you bargain for and by Monday morning this story was still growing and Gordon Brown was forced to publicly denounce the idea!

my Portraits by Kasia and Peter are developing BRILLIANTLY!

2009-03-15T01:04:00.004Z

My bank wouldn't let me withdraw £10 today!

2009-03-14T02:51:00.001Z

This blog entry rant is not aimed at the staff in Plymouth’s Nationwide branch, only at banking policy!

As you know I’m disabled and I sometimes go out without my wallet, as we all do, it would take me at least 30 minutes to go home and collect it, so normally I go into Nationwide, tell them want I have done and they let me withdraw money but not today!

At least four times a week I go into my local branch and the staff kindly take my cash card from my wallet and help me withdraw my money; most of the staff know who I am; I have withdrawn cash before without my cash card and so I was very annoyed that today I could not access my money!

Although in these days of global terrorists moving money around the world easily and the financial crisis, I understand bank have to very prudent but surely shouldn't local branch managers have a little bit of independence and be able to relax the bank's rules, in the appropriate situation!

On a national level I hear banks are not lending, does my experience today illustrate that local bank managers are so tightly restrained they cannot make decisions at a local level, regardless of the situation?

Nothing much to say tonight.

2009-03-13T02:16:00.001Z

The media are reporting Bernie Madoff being sent to jail today for a $50 billion fraud but this figure is wrong. The figure of $50 billion is the amount people thought his fund had made before the fraud came to light, it could be $10 or even $1 billion. When people invested money with Madoff, he simply paid out this money to someone else, so they thought they had made a profit. Many people did not withdraw all or some of their money; they were given made up profit statements, which no one questioned. The US government has a problem because it collected taxes on Madoff’s made up profits and so if the victims of this fraud can show they did not make a profit, they may be able to reclaim their taxes.

I hope to meet up with Peter and Kasia tomorrow and see both their portraits of me.

I think I have a slight cold.

2009-03-12T02:36:00.001Z

I tell you this because I’m unsure what to write tonight but I felt like this yesterday and ended up writing over 300 words. I don’t feel ill, just vacant and under motivated.

On Saturday I was shocked and sadden to hear about the killings of two soldiers in Northern Ireland and the murder of a policeman on Monday just reinforced a feeling of foreboding. In the eighties and nineties I regularly visited the province and on my first visit I had just gone to bed when the whole house shook for at least 5 seconds! Was it an earthquake? No a large bomb had gone off a mile away! That night I mentally decided never to go back to Ulster but over the next two weeks I got used to life in the ‘troubles’ and went back many times.

I never got used to being stopped by policemen, backed up by the army, all heavily armed and hated the border checkpoints because you could queue for thirty minutes and these posts were attacked by snipers often with bystanders getting caught in the crossfire.

I was alarmed on Sunday, how the media talked up how the Real IRA might restart the troubles. Although the killings were appalling I think the Real IRA were after publicity to recruit new members and partly because it was a slow day, ‘the return to the troubles’ became a great deal of the coverage, playing into the Real IRA’’s hands!

On a much lighter note Liverpool thrashed Real Madrid last night four zero, I feel a sixth European Cup in Rome next May, will be ours, despite Man Utd thinking they are kings of Europe.

Sorry about my grammar.

My Brighton break.

2009-03-11T02:10:00.001Z

Last Friday I flew to London, my brother met me and then we caught the train to Brighton. If I travelled by train to Brighton it would take at least 6 hours, Plymouth to Gatwick on Airsouthwest takes 55 minutes and the train journey from Gatwick to my Brother's home takes half an hour.

A weekend with my brother is great fun, I’m never alone and basically we eat and drink our way through the weekend. Jack Daniels, wine, champagne, more wine and Jack Daniels. I drink and love Jack Daniels and coke.

Brighton Marina was very quiet on Friday night when we went out to eat Italian. On Sunday it was very sunny all day until we ventured out at two thirty, as soon as we left the flat, it started to hail stone and wind got really up! At one point on Brighton’s front the wind was so strong I found it hard to breathe. After this, we took shelter in a bus stop for ten minutes, the storm blew over and we took refuse in a pub, where I had another JD and coke.

If I had taken my bus pass, I could have used it for the first time since last April, most buses in Brighton are wheelchair accessible and this makes travel easier than in taxis. (Last time I tried to travel alone on a Plymouth bus, the driver made me get off because he said it was unsafe to travel without a carer. I wanted to tell him after travelling on buses in India, where I hung on her dear life, it was very safe).

I hope this explains the lack of blog entries since Thursday, I promise to do better until Easter, my birthday but I did have a great time with my Brother!

Mobile Blogging at Costa Coffee, Plymouth

2009-03-08T12:07:00.005Z

I am flying to London today and I carry this letter as explanation.

2009-03-06T11:24:00.000Z

Kevin Travelling to LGW

My name is Kevin, I have Cerebral Palsy. I have a 'normal' intellect but my body, especially my speech, is defective.

I understand that people can be afraid of me because they cannot understand much of what I say but I have a plastic keyboard in my black bag, which I can spell things out with my nose! I DO UNDERSTAND SPOKEN WORDS and love to communicate!!!!

When I am in the plane I get around on my knees! When I want to go to the toilet I will walk on my knees and once in the loo, I am ok. There may be a lot of banging when I am in the loo, please don’t worry, I am fine! When I want to come out, I will knock on the door!

I drink via Straws and have straws in my black bag! I drink, white coffee, water, coke or whiskey and orange or anything! This is money in my jacket pocket!

Before we take off please check if my mobile phone is switched off! The on off button is on the top of the phone. Beware the switch is quite small!

Finally, please if you take things out of my bag, before I leave your care, please can you make sure I have everything back in my case; this will aid my onward journey! IE this letter, passport, boarding pass and tickets etc.

BAGGAGE

I have 3 items of luggage, a small black and bingabong multicoloured satchel and a small black wheelchair!

I will be met in LGW by R**** 07781. R**** maybe held up and so please leaves me in Costa coffee; ask me if I want a cappuccino, thank you!

Thank you very much for your help!

Kevin

http://www.disabledkevin.com/

Addresses too and bills of Congress.

2009-03-05T02:54:00.000Z

A great leap forward! President Obama published his long awaited mortgage relief scheme to reduce peoples’ arrears, today; although it will help some householders, it is very complicated to apply for; the Whitehouse says the legislation won’t help people who recklessly brought their property but I don’t know how, if they are truthful; they can make this claim because most people in the ‘west’, have lived beyond their means for the last decade.

Gordon Brown address the US Congress today, it was a good speech, delivered with passion and received very well. I would have changed some of the language, instead of asking US law makers not to go down the path of protectionism, I would have scripted “although understandably, we all want to help our constituents out by buying goods and services from our own country’s industries to create jobs, US history teaches us, when we purchase internationally, the US economy expands, bringing wealth for all”!

It is now 1.45am GMT and I’m watching Wen Jiabow address China's Peoples’ Congress and he looks like a western leader, dressed in a smart suit, talking about macro economics , billion dollar deficits and rising unemployment. The world stock markets are hoping the Chinese will announce another stimulus package.

The Western media are reporting Wen says it is time to talk peace with Taiwan, this could be good news or does he mean he is going to take it over by bailing it out!

I wonder if Mao would think this is a great leap forward or a leap into the dark?

Does anyone remember watching sport in stadiums?

2009-03-04T03:09:00.001Z

Sport will never be the same after the whole Shi Lankan cricket team nearly got wiped out by a terrorist attack today in Pakistan; it seemed to me to be so obvious national and international sport was a target for terrorism!

No matter how much security no sporting event with large crowds can never be protected absolutely. From protecting the teams outside and inside stadiums to screening all of the people entering ‘a game’ it is just impossible, a suicide bomber will wreak havoc sooner or later!

Airport security will become the norm at high prestige sporting events, the Super Bowl, the European and FA Cup finals and probably the forthcoming Cricket Twenty 20 World Cup in England and this means terrorists will focus on less "important" matches. When Manchester United, Arsenal or Barcelona play at home they attract crowds of 50.000 plus and such games will not be able to afford or mount the appropriate security operations.

Even today International Cricket has changed, no team will tour Pakistan for a long time, the Indian Government will have to rethink its protection for next month’s Indian Premier League, the IPL, Pakistan will lose it share of the 2011 One Day International Cricket World Cup and incredibly, the Australian Cricket Board has already began talking to English cricket about transferring and playing it’s 2011 tour to Pakistan, in England!

In twenty years time will all top international sport be played in near empty stadiums, only populated by television cameras?

I was looking for the context of a quote but

2009-03-03T01:48:00.001Z

I was looking for the context of a quote but

Half of this following speech, with the understanding it would be in new English, could have been President Obama’s Inaugural Address!

I have edited out the parts that don’t speak to our turbulent times; please substitute money lenders for bankers; I hope you will read it, tell me if you agree and leave me your comments!

Kevin.

This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, reasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.

Values have shrunken to fantastic levels; taxes have risen; our ability to pay has fallen; government of all kinds is faced by serious curtailment of income; the means of exchange are frozen in the currents of trade; the withered leaves of industrial enterprise lie on every side; farmers find no markets for their produce; the savings of many years in thousands of families are gone.

More important, a host of unemployed citizens face the grim problem of existence, and an equally great number toil with little return. Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment.

Primarily this is because the rulers of the exchange of mankind’s goods have failed, through their own stubbornness and their own incompetence, have admitted their failure, and abdicated. Practices of the unscrupulous money changers stand indicted in the court of public opinion, rejected by the hearts and minds of men.

True they have tried, but their efforts have been cast in the pattern of an outworn tradition. Faced by failure of credit they have proposed only the lending of more money. Stripped of the lure of profit by which to induce our people to follow their false leadership, they have resorted to exhortations, pleading tearfully for restored confidence. They know only the rules of a generation of self-seekers. They have no vision, and when there is no vision the people perish.

The money changers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization. We may now restore that temple to the ancient truths. These dark days will be worth all they cost us if they teach us that our true destiny is not to be ministered unto but to minister to ourselves and to our fellow men.

Recognition of the falsity of material wealth as the standard of success goes hand in hand with the abandonment of the false belief that public office and high political position are to be valued only by the standards of pride of place and personal profit; and there must be an end to a conduct in banking and in business which too often has given to a sacred trust the likeness of callous and selfish wrongdoing. Small wonder that confidence languishes, for it thrives only on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection, on unselfish performance; without them it cannot live.

Restoration calls, however, not for changes in ethics alone. This Nation asks for action, and action now.

Our greatest primary task is to put people to work. This is no unsolvable problem if we face it wisely and courageously. It can be accomplished in part by direct recruiting by the Government itself, treating the task as we would treat the emergency of a war, but at the same time, through this employment, accomplishing greatly needed projects to stimulate and reorganize the use of our natural resources.

Finally, in our progress toward a resumption of work we require two safeguards against a return of the evils of the old order; there must be a strict supervision of all banking and credits and investments; there must be an end to speculation with other people’s money, and there must be provision for an adequate but sound currency.

Our international trade relations, though vastly important, are in point of time and necessity secondary to the establishment of a sound national economy. I favor as a practical policy the putting of first things first. I shall spare no effort to restore world trade by international economic readjustment, but the emergency at home cannot wait on that accomplishment.

The basic thought that guides these specific means of national recovery is not narrowly nationalistic. It is the insistence, as a first consideration, upon the interdependence of the various elements in all parts of the United States—a recognition of the old and permanently important manifestation of the American spirit of the pioneer. It is the way to recovery. It is the immediate way. It is the strongest assurance that the recovery will endure.

In the field of world policy I would dedicate this Nation to the policy of the good neighbor—the neighbor who resolutely respects himself and, because he does so, respects the rights of others—the neighbor who respects his obligations and respects the sanctity of his agreements in and with a world of neighbors.

Action in this image and to this end is feasible under the form of government which we have inherited from our ancestors. Our Constitution is so simple and practical that it is possible always to meet extraordinary needs by changes in emphasis and arrangement without loss of essential form. That is why our constitutional system has proved itself the most superbly enduring political mechanism the modern world has produced. It has met every stress of vast expansion of territory, of foreign wars, of bitter internal strife, of world relations.

It is to be hoped that the normal balance of executive and legislative authority may be wholly adequate to meet the unprecedented task before us. But it may be that an unprecedented demand and need for undelayed action may call for temporary departure from that normal balance of public procedure.

I am prepared under my constitutional duty to recommend the measures that a stricken nation in the midst of a stricken world may require. These measures, or such other measures as the Congress may build out of its experience and wisdom, I shall seek, within my constitutional authority, to bring to speedy adoption.

But in the event that the Congress shall fail to take one of these two courses, and in the event that the national emergency is still critical, I shall not evade the clear course of duty that will then confront me. I shall ask the Congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis—broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe.

For the trust reposed in me I will return the courage and the devotion that befit the time. I can do no less.

We face the arduous days that lie before us in the warm courage of the national unity; with the clear consciousness of seeking old and precious moral values; with the clean satisfaction that comes from the stern performance of duty by old and young alike. We aim at the assurance of a rounded and permanent national life.

We do not distrust the future of essential democracy. The people of the United States have not failed. In their need they have registered a mandate that they want direct, vigorous action. They have asked for discipline and direction under leadership. They have made me the present instrument of their wishes. In the spirit of the gift I take it.

“Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”: FDR’s First Inaugural Address

Can someone start a small war?

2009-03-02T03:06:00.001Z

Sunday’s headlines were dominated by Sir Fred Goodwin and Jade Goody again, again. Harriet Harman is now suggesting the government may legislate to deprive the ex RBS chairman of his very large pension, although I did suggest this a few days ago, I was making a cheap joke in my blog. Although it seems a neat trick to pass a law to remove Fred’s pension, it will just encourage governments to pass retrospective laws every time they come across a legal act they do not agree with, making it increasingly impossible to govern

Jade Goody is nearing death, many of the newspapers are backing off but the Mirror and the Sun are still hounding her, plastering distressing pictures of her on their front-pages, yes she is a reality TV star but I don’t want to see her pain and horrible death! Do other people really want to bare witness?

Tony Blair, the Mid East Envoy, paid his first visit to Gaza, I just wonder if the Bush Whitehouse blocked him from visiting the territory before this and I hope this signals new thinking from the Obama administration.

In Yes Prime Minister Bernard Woolley suggests starting a small wall to give the media something else to talk about!

Here comes my 19th nervous breakdown, well Manchester United's 19th title,

2009-03-01T01:25:00.002Z

In 1991 I can remember watching Kenny Dalguish at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea's ground, score the goal which cliched last, Liverpool's nineteenth League title, the seventeenth since 1964. I have several treasured Liverpool moments and this is one which is ranked in my top three.
Last May Manchester United kicked their way to their eighteenth title and so as a die hard Liverpool supporter I was desperate to win our 20th title and stop that lot down the East Lancs, Road, Manchester United drawing level but with Middlesbrough beating Liverpool today, it looks like this nightmare will come true.
This season started so well with Liverpool in the top two until December, beating Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal. Since then 6 draws and too many loses, Rafa Benitez (Liverpool Manager) demanding real power before signing a new contract, Manchester United becoming World Club Champions and lately pulling away from Liverpool in this season's title race, my joy has turned to despair.
The last four days reflect the whole season with a great victory over Real Madrid in Spain on Wednesday, I was over the moon, the next day Rick Parry, Liverpool's Chief Executive announces he is standing down, handing Rafa more power, more joy and today depression with defeat, the title gone to United, their nineteenth title,
Next year Manchester United will over take Liverpool with 20 titles which i will have to endure .......
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7905863.stm

I paid Kasia Andrews a visit in her Studio today!

2009-02-27T18:14:00.010Z

TO SEE HOW MY PORTRAIT WAS DEVELOPING!

Read Kasia's blog http://kasiaandrews.blogspot.com/

Who is worse Fred Goodwin or the Government?

2009-02-27T02:35:00.001Z

I think Sir Fred Goodwin is Harry Enfield’s character Loads of Money, he does not care how he makes money, he is not bothered about bad publicity, he will answer questions in a manner Sir Humphrey would be proud of and he will not far go his pension! With £693.000 a year he would be laughing all the way to the bank, if there were any left.

Why didn’t Lord Myners tell Royal bank of Scotland, RBS, not to pay Sir Fred’s pension? He claims he thought that RBS were legally obligated to pay the full pension but it turns out they did not have too, why didn't he knows this? Is Lord Myners going to resign for either misleading the public or for being incompetent?

I would have sent in lawyers in to read Goodwin's contract and investigate ways of not paying the pension. If they advised that the pension had to be paid, I would have instructed treasury officials to try and draft a special law to strip Sir Fred of his obscene nest egg.

With hindsight it would have probably been better to nationalised Royal Bank of Scotland last year because one effect would have been Sir Fred Goodwin’s pension would have been legally automatically downsized!

Last Night I killed my keyboard by .....

2009-02-26T15:00:00.000Z

knocking a whole cup of coffee over it, which it did not like, hence no blog last night!
I was very impressed with the coverage of David Cameron son Ivan's death and sadden. Although I have Cerebral Palsey, I have no idea what it is like to parent and lose such a severely disabled child but I know his death is to large for me to comprehend.
For once I thought Gordon Brown, British Prime Minister, got it spot on by cancelling Prime Minister's Question Time, his tribute, in the commons, was heartfelt and statesman like! He also spoke better the William Hague which was a first.

More thoughts later.

The Post Office, a hard sell at the wrong time, to be frank!

2009-02-25T00:13:00.001Z

As a Blairite, closet Tory I think the Post Office should have been privatised by the Thatcher Government but Maggie would not sell the Royal Mail in case the Queen might be upset, yes really.

I hoped the first Blaire Government may take the plunge and until fifteen months ago, I thought Mr Brown might dare but to attempt to sell the part privatisation at this time, to the public, the unions and Labour MPs is at best bizarre, at worst is Prime Ministerial suicide.

I cannot think of any good reason that could justify this sale now; given the billions spent to bail out the banks; the £8 billion which will have to be pumped into the Post Office’s pension pot, whether it is privatised or not; the certain jobs loses at a time of rising unemployment; the fact that rural communities, such as in Devon and Cornwall, become more reliant on their local Post Offices in economic hard times.

Surely the Prime Minister should spend his time stabilising the banking system and presenting a coherent reason to the British public, why saving the banks is so necessary! The part privatisation of the Post Office at this time completely destroys the Brown Government's economic message and competence.

http://disabledkevinthinks.blogspot.com/

Northern Rock, Vodafone, how are you.

2009-02-24T02:31:00.001Z

Although the Government needs to get banks loaning again, I think Northern Rock should have been allow to carry on disposing of the mortgages on its books, as it was promised when it was bailed out / nationalised, on behalf of the increasingly debt laden taxpayer. It was repaying the treasury quicker than originally envisaged, even though last year it made a notional loss of £1 billion and Northern Rock would have required another Government cash injection. It would have proved better for the Government’s economic policy if Northern Rock had completely exited the mortgage market and been return to the private sector.

The Government said Northern Rock will lend £5 billion this year, is this possible? With unemployment on the rise, Northern Rock cannot quickly go back into the mortgage market and the higher deposits that it will require before granting a mortgage, is this another 2p vat cut?

Vodafone are cutting jobs which is a great surprise to many of its retail staff because they have been told the company was expanding! I hope the jobs loses will be mainly from the upper management levels because they have clearly let down the shareholders, the employees and customers. Over the past 5 years, where has been the innovation, tariffs charges has not changed, handsets have become more expensive, no incentives to keep customers, loyal?

The mobile internet is an interesting new product but £25 a month for 4 days of browsing; in today’s economic climate is hardly a great offer. Personally I’m still gobsmacked that Vodafone in 1998 paid 25 billion for a 3G licence, when people thought the Government may only raise £10 billion after auctioning all 4 3G licences.

http://disabledkevinthinks.blogspot.com/

Gordon Brown calling for banking prudence is just prepositioning himself to take the credit!

2009-02-23T01:55:00.001Z

Anyone who does not recognise that banking will go back to the pre eighties model, is living in the nineties. Those banks that emerge from the credit crunch and subsequently the bail out will never make credit freely available to all, again. I see the period between 1993 and 2006 as a golden time for capitalism, high employment and a general good time had by all!

Although I think the global economy will recover, it will take at least 10 years and global unemployment will take even longer to decline. With easy credit companies could expand relatively cheaply which created jobs; this created employment allowing people to buy houses and goods. Which allowed companies to expand and this enabled them to borrow more money from banks!

Since this circle has been broken, the banks have learnt an expensive and humbling lesson and the banking industry that rises from the ashes, will only lend to companies that can repay any new loans.

Although Governments will have to regulate the banks more rigorously, over the next decade most boards of banks will keep a tight rein on lending! This is why Gordon Brown knows he can call for prudence because the banks will deliver it, owing to the new economic reality!

Very slow news day and Saturday generally, so some odd thoughts.

2009-02-22T02:45:00.001Z

I looked at some other better known blog sites, they got nothing interesting to report either, Skynews main item is Jade Goody, hope she gets some sleep tonight, with at least half the media camped outside her house.

Skynews and the Beeb News channel did take the Memorial Service from Melbourne for the 200 victims of the Australia bush fires, which was very Australian, sombre but upbeat. I have been impressed with Kevin Rudd, the Aussie Prime Minister; he seems like a normal guy. When asked on National TV during the bush fires, how he felt, Rudd said “I haven't got words to describe the pain and devastation” with tears in his eyes. I wonder what soundbyte Alistair Campbell would have come up with?

As you know I live independently with the aid of carers, I get a grant from the Independent Living Fund, ILF, and have done so for the last 25 years! The whole point of the fund is to allow people like myself to live in their homes and to decide how they spend their days. Over the past 5 years my paperwork I have to fill out for the ILF has gone up by a factor of ten. Now I have to submit a monthly record of the hours all my carers worked, although I don’t mind doing this, too much, it does make me feel as if I live in a care home, which does defeat the objective of the ILF! It took me 2 hours to complete, this evening!

Lastly, tonight I watched Motown at the BBC, the old black and white stuff was the best, isn’t that a metaphor for Detroit?

www.ilf.org.uk

The recession, depression, downturn, what is it and how to fix it?

2009-02-21T02:15:00.001Z

Everyone knows the economy has got worse and there the consensus ends, unfortunately! Governments, large and small businesses, people who have been and might be laid off, most home owners and those who live on and below the poverty line.

Some people think the media are just talking the recession up, others wonder why governments are constantly bailing out the banks, were others want jobs to be created to kick start the economy and a small number of people do not want any intervention in the economy.

Presidents, Prime Ministers, bankers, union leaders, business journalists and bloggers, me, are desperate to show they saw this coming, it was not their fault but they all have answers to save ‘the world’!

Although more than ever there is a world economy; governments won’t and can’t take coordinated economic action, which may help spur the world back on the road to recovery. Some of these measures may be harmful to individual countries, which would mean electoral defeat for these governments and so no real progress is possible

I know governments must take bold and immediate actions to create jobs, whether by improving the country’s infrastructure or putting money in people's pockets. The problem with these solutions is Government projects always take a long time to start, time they do not have! Whether it is President Obama’s road building plan or Prime Minister Brown's mortgage relief scheme, it must start now, not in April or in nine months, if this recession is not going to become a depression.

Governments must accept many of these policies won’t be popular, bloggers and business TV economic editors and bond reporters will criticised them but they may have valid points, they should be engage with and not dismissed! CNBC’s Steve Liesman and Rick Santelli' rants may annoy the Whitehouse but reflect the opinions of the financial community and should be listen too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiCOb49vVVM

Meet Kasia Andrews, artist, friend, blogger and very talented!

2009-02-20T03:40:00.000Z

Sometimes I meet people who are destine for greatness and Kasia Andrews is one of these people! Already shortlisted for the Saatchi prize, Kasia was one of the first people, like Peter Orrock, to really use me as a model. Kasia really knows what she is looking for and this makes her a joy to model for. She will also allow me to have an input when working with her and although I may embarrass Kasia slightly, read, follow her new blog and look out for the name Kasia Andrews.

http://kasiaandrews.blogspot.com/

The Baghdad shoe trial is shelved!

2009-02-19T19:03:00.002Z

As the journalist's trial, who threw a shoe at President Bush, is delayed until march, is it not bizarre that Baghdad does not have constant running water and has intermittent electricity but Iraq has a law just in case a visiting head of state is assaulted, kind of like finding weapons of mass destruction before they have been manufactured.

Seriously I don’t understand why the Bush Whitehouse did not make a political point from this incident, by making a statement to the effect “although I do not want to set a precedent, it is nice to see Iraqis are free to protest without fear of death. I hope, in a spirit of US tolerance, Prime Minister Nouri Maliki may consider pardoning Muntadar al-Zaidi

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7898486.stm

The strange political judgement of the Redditch MP who lives in London!

2009-02-19T02:40:00.001Z

I do not understand why Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, thought it was acceptable to declare her sister’s home in London as her primary residence and her constituency house in Redditch as her second home. Although she has not done anything wrong by claiming expenses on her second home, her political judgement must be questioned. Such an arrangement does not look good, is Ms Smith trying to get the taxpayers to pay her mortgage? I would have thought it would ring alarm bells in her head that every other MP declare their second home to be in London, after all MPs are sent to London to serve and look after their constituents’ affairs: Given that Ms Smith will have an uphill task holding on to her seat at the next general election because she does not have a large majority, has she not given Redditch voters a reason to decide they prefer to elect a candidate who lives in the constituency?

One aspect of this saga which I do not understand why, anyone is worried why Ms Smith may only stay in her London home for one or two nights a week. Most Members of Parliament spend about four nights away from their constituency but they may spend one of these nights out of the capital, in another part of the UK, Europe or the world. If you are a Minister of State like the Home Secretary there must be times because of your workload, you have to stay in your office for the whole of the night and not go home!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7896783.stm

http://disabledkevinthinks.blogspot.com/

Stanford being caught out may save Test Cricket

2009-02-18T01:52:00.001Z

As (Sir) Alan Stanford is charged with investment fraud I am surprised that some cricket writers and ex England cricket captains have criticised the ECB (England Cricket Board) for accepting his money. Last July when the ECB was pondering whether to sign up for the 20 million game in November, they were called old and out of touch. Then during the week leading up to the 20 million match, the tournament was criticised for be disorganised and Stanford himself did not live up to our moral standards, when he was seen being over friendly with the players' partners.

Given until Bernie Madoff admitted defrauding the public of $50 billion, the US financial authorities had not consider Stanford may be a con man, the fact that he donated over $1 billion to the Democrats, can the ECB be lambasted for attempting to propelled cricket into the twenty first century by taking the Stanford Millions!

Although 20 20 cricket is the future of the game because it’s an event many people can comprehend and witness, I love all formats of cricket; 20 20, one day and five day test match cricket. It was widely accepted that Stanford did not like and may not have understood test match cricket; so I had thought the Stanford millions may have seen the slow death of test cricket!

Sir Alan’s potential absence does not mean test cricket is safe but with the credit crunch and the ashes in July, I now think the future for test cricket maybe brighter?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7895505.stm

My blog is me, I am my blog!

2009-02-17T00:51:00.001Z

I'm asked "do I have to tell myself I'm Strong"? No I don't have to wake up and tell myself I’m strong, I know I'm strong!

My disability does not handicap me, it empowers me. If I could change one thing about my disability, it would be my speech, I would love to chat to everyone I encounter.

Other than that I am very happy with whom I am but I have got nothing emotional to share!

I have been around the world 5 times, visited many countries, watched Australia play cricket in Sydney at the SCG, seen Liverpool win the European and FA cups and 'brought' the police in Kenya but I don’t feel the need to write about them. Yes people might like to read about them but the idea of writing about them completely bores me!

I was told I would be in a home all of my life and it was implied that I would not achieved much: I live independently and have achieved a lot, for this reason I am very happy and content and always look forward, never back!

I write how I think, I spend half of my day thinking because I cannot feed or dress myself, etc. I do not think about doing the washing up, putting petrol in the car or collecting the kids from school because I have no experience of this. I find myself in Costa Coffee thinking about the latest Whitehouse press conference, comments on the DOW made on CNBC US or the economic downturn.

I am aware that many of my blog pieces are cold, intellectual or anal but it is what I enjoy and I'm good at. Although I have a lot of good friends, I have never had a real emotional relationship with a special lady. It is my experience my speech takes a while to master, once I get to know someone well, it is too late to ask them out. The ladies I have invited out have been completely taken aback and don’t talk to me again! Also I do appear intellectual and cold and although I try not to be, I am probably closed off emotionally. This helps to explain a little why I can’t write warm, emotionally charged pieces.

Please anyone, get in touch if you want to chat or put me right about my blogging.

I'm disabled and my speech is hard to understand at first!`

2009-02-16T01:08:00.004Z

I’m disabled and my speech is hard to understand at first!

When I’m work, socialised or drink with people for a while, the best way for them to learn quickly how to communicate with me is for me to answer questions verbally. If anyone does not understand, I will spell it out partially with my nose on a laminated a4 printed keyboard!
I have found with groups of people, 1 or 2 begin to pick up my speech quickly and they translate for others, this breeds confidence in others and they catch on. Reversely if I just type answers, it’s my experience, if I depend on my pc; my computer becomes an extra barrier to overcome!
I cannot use my hands at all and so I use a head pointer, my hat, to type, When speaking to large groups, I found when I took my hat off, more people ask me questions!
If I want to talk to one or two people, I start simply by answering yes / no questions. Then I start to ask simple questions like "how are you". Then as they become comfortable with how I talk, I chat more! And more until I can't shut up!
Thank you Lisa!
I am not worried about Disability awareness because I accept I am severely disabled, this is how many people see me and I feel it just stupid to say I’m not! Nothing really upsets me but I do offend some people because I’m not disabled aware.
When I ran for M E P, (Member of the European Parliament) the local newspaper in Plymouth, UK, the herald referred to me as Disabledkevin! I loved this label; I’m clearly disabled and called Kevin. In 96 the m e p that I was running against often got asked ‘isn’t Disabledkevin the m e p’! this p*ssed him off greatly!
As you get to know me via my blog and trust me I hope you will, ask me what you want to know and please tell others about me?

Ian Dale's newspaper review, HBOS and Jade.

2009-02-15T02:58:00.000Z

I just watched Ian Dale do the newspaper review on the BBC News channel with some other guy and it could have been 30 minutes long, instead of 10! Especially because ….. Tell you why at the end of this piece!

Last month when Sir Victor Blank was interviewed by Jeff Randal, he said he believed all the bad news about HBOS had already come out. Last Tuesday, Mr Daniels defended the merger with HBOS to MPs on the Treasury Select Committee, saying it was a good acquisition but today it appears the government will have to bail out the Lloyds Banking Group, again, effectively nationalising it.

Three questions come to mind, do these two gentlemen understand banking? What about due diligence that company boards should do before mergers, although the merger happened over night, why did not these pair of bankers investigate HBOS's liquidity? Mr Daniels claims he was not told about HBOS's loss of £11bn until Friday; what kind of company is he running, when he didn’t know before going in front of a Parliamentary committee, of the existence of such a loss, can we believe any answers he gave?

Jade Goody I use to hate but now I feel sorry and inspire by her. Although it has encouraged more people to go for cancer screening I hope now, please she will end her days in dignity!

So after a ten minute Newspaper review, which Ian rightly felt was not long enough Andrew Neil’s Straight talk came on: the show I watched last night and so I went up one channel to BBC Parliament, unbeleivablely to find the same Andrew Neil show was on!

This means that there could have been a 30 minute newspaper review. Talk about the licence payers getting ripped off?

Iain Dale's Diary: Why Is Robert Peston Spinning for Downing Street?#links#links

2009-02-14T16:56:00.001Z

Iain Dale's Diary: Why Is Robert Peston Spinning for Downing Street?#links#links
I lost trust in Mr Peston over Northern Rock and his 'exclusive'! For at least a Month before CNBC Europe had been regularly discussing that N R was failing. When the BBC announced that Robert Peston had breaking news on a British Bank being bailed out, I knew it was Northern Rock!

When he became Business Editor Peston said he would put the case for business, although the economic downturn really makes this hard, I feel he has gone native and now he puts "the man on the street's" opinion.

When Jeff Randal was Business Editor, he kept to his remit and did not really stray into the other editor briefs, increasingly I am unsure if Mr Peston is the Business, Economic or the Political Editor?

The treasury committee, no live coverage, email to BBC Newswatch (boring)

2009-02-13T21:53:00.001Z

Last Tuesday I was interested in watching the treasury committee quiz the bankers, it was a busy news day so the news channel dipped in and out of the proceedings. I tried BBC parliament but they were carrying a debate, treasury I think, so I then tried the red button thinking I could watch it here but no. This committee generated a lot of news coverage over the next 24 hours, the BBC states it is committed to the digital future and so can you tell me why viewers were not offered the opportunity to watch the proceedings of the committee, live?

Spotlight live from Plymouth!

2009-02-13T01:56:00.000Z

As Justin Leigh (BBC SW) news anchor, subtlety reminded viewers, that ITV Westcountry are about to abandon their Plymouth base. In fact the whole of the West Country and broadcast at us from Bristol, is it time to let ITV completely exit providing local news?

When Westcountry won the ITV franchise they promised to provide an hour of local evening news. By 1998 this had gone down to 30 minutes and from next week it will be 15 minutes.

Given ITV is slowly exiting local news anyway, I think it is time to stop ITV having to provide local news.

ITV has a commercial problem which is unsolvable, they cannot sell enough advertising to cover the costs of making local news; not enough people view it and so advertisers will not buy the airtime.

So I propose in return of being relieved of the requirement of this provision, they would have to announce at 6:30 that the BBC was showing the local news and they could not show a ratings grabbing show against the BBC.

Personally I have found all regional ITV news devoid of meaningful content and so I feel the viewers would not lose anything by this move. If ITV had to flag up the BBC regional news coverage, the audiences viewing maybe enhanced. Especially because I have notice over the last six months Spotlight’s news coverage has become harder hitting.

Watch Peter Orrock paint my portrait via his blog.

2009-02-12T22:31:00.003Z

http://peterorrock.blogspot.com/

As I have blogged before recently I became a life model at Plymouth College of Art and Design.

2009-02-12T02:02:00.013Z

I am very creative, until now I have not been able to show this but pcad allows me to express some creativity. As a model I'm expected to do what I’m asked, this is my role, which I am very happy with. Some people are completely thrown by this and so I come up with my own poses, while encouraging them to takeover.

I recently work with some first year art students as a life model, Beata Lukasiewicz kindly sent me some pictures of her artwork.
I thought I would publish them on my blog to show i can do other things than write dry boring pieces, thank you Beata.
Beata says "I don't have my website yet and I'm a young polish artist studying in Plymouth College of Art and Design"
In the third session I did find it interesting although I was seated on a normal chair and my wheelchair was over a metre away, most people included it in the picture!
In the first session I was not life modelling but I danced with a professional dancer, much to my surprise. PCAD thought Josie and myself were good, mainly Josie, so they video us!
I hope to publish this video next week, so you can judge.
http://www.disabledkevin.com/id59.htm

I'm a tv snob, especially for football!

2009-02-11T15:19:00.003Z

I read Richard and Judy might be axed from WATCH, formally UK GOLD, after their viewing figures dropped to 8000 from 90000 last October! Why did they quit channel 4, surely 5pm was the best timeslot for their show, have Waterstones profits taken a hit without R and J's book endorsements and were they being to greedy?

Setanta's future is in doubt again after losing half their English Premier football to Sky, I dislike Setanta football coverage, it is so done on the cheap, and it really hurts to watch. I only subscribe to Setanta to be able to watch Liverpool football club's channel, so come on Liverpool become a real broadcaster, move to Sky, charge your own subscription and kill Setanta!

My first blog from Costa Coffee, Plymouth.

SORRY FOR ANY ERRORS

Do the World's Bank leaders understand it?

2009-02-11T02:30:00.001Z

US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner unveiled another banking bail out and a plan to buy toxic assets but did not give it any meaningful substance. The problem with toxic assets is the banks don’t want to admit they have them in case it causes a run on their bank. There are companies that want to buy these assets if banks will dispose of them and if the government does not change the rules every few months.

Tim Geithner might be a smart man but he lacks pr skills, his plan lacks details and is more of a concept. Wall Street was hoping for real details and when they got none the DOW tanked. After Geithner's lack of communication skills and his tax problems, maybe President Obama should press Warren Buffet to be Treasury Secretary, ok he may of upset people but if he announced a plan without details, given his track record WALL ST would have accepted it without many questions.

In the UK 4 former bankers was interrogated by the Treasury Committee, although they apologised for the banking melt down, the chairman of the committee and the media felt their sorries were not heartfelt. I wonder if they could not say sorry because they did not understand what their bank was up to? I would have loved a member of the committee to ask them to explain, on a white board, how customer’s debts were packaged up and sold off.

If you don’t know what you done, you can’t say sorry.

Is James Crosby really Desmond Glassbrook?

Iain Dale's Diary: Quote of the Day: Joe Biden

2009-02-10T21:26:00.000Z

Iain Dale's Diary: Quote of the Day: Joe Biden
Foxnews's whitehouse coresspondent major garrent asked obama what biden was refering to, I really thought obama was going to say "Joe never knows what he is talking about"!

Iain Dale's Diary: Labour Crash to 28% in Populus Poll#links

2009-02-09T23:43:00.000Z

Iain Dale's Diary: Labour Crash to 28% in Populus Poll#links
I think number ten has decided not to take any notice of the polls until next year. They hope they can save the world, then call a snap election and expect the electorate to be grateful!
I think the Tories will win the election with a landslide, even if the economy improves dramatically, Brown will be out like Churchill after the war.
I disagree UKIP won’t do well; they are bound to blame Europe for the downturn in the economy!

Is Chelsea's problem the loss of Steve Clarke?

2009-02-09T17:52:00.001Z

This thought occur to me when Jose Mourinho was interviewed yesterday during the West Ham match, he said “he was very close to Steve”.

Steve Clarke was the assistant manager under all the last 4 or 5 bosses; Chelsea did not want Clarke to leave; they would not accept his resignation for a few days; after his departure Chelsea's form dived and whilst, in tandem with Zola, West Ham dramatically improved!

Should not Steve Clarke be the next Chelsea Manager?

Did Tony Adams’s sacking make the Chelsea board act today because if they are thinking of reappointing Avram Grant they had to move fast before Portsmouth signed him up!

Kevin, a Liverpool supporter………

http://disabledkevinthinks.blogspot.com/

Last Wednesday I sat for Peter Orrock, A Plymouth Artist!

2009-02-09T01:44:00.002Z

Peter email me a week ago, asked if he could paint my portrait, I immediately googled him, I loved his work and so last week I sat for him! That term ‘sat’ always makes me giggle simply because I spend most of my life sat in my wheelchair!

Peter found a spot under the trees at the top of Royal Parade with a lot of natural light. He took some photographs to work from later in his studio, when he does the actual painting. I have posted one of these photos, which peter kindly emailed me and this is how the painting should look.

Then Peter got his easel and paints out, said he would ‘do a quick colour study painting in situ’ for 30 minutes. The weather was quite bad, well cold, that day but I was prepared to sit for at least an hour but he was very accommodating.

After the study was done, I was taken aback how good it was, I wanted to ask for a photo of it for my blog but I did not want to impinge on Peter’s creative processes!

I can’t wait to see the completed painting! Peter hopes to enter the painting in the BP portrait competition!

Here is a link for Peter’s website, please take a look at his other works!

http://www.peter.orrock.btinternet.co.uk/

Liverpool and random Saturday thoughts!

2009-02-08T02:34:00.001Z

Well Rafa did it again drop 6 players including Torres and Kuyt. After 65 minutes it looked liked Portsmouth would get their first victory in a few months. Then Kuyt and followed by Torres were brought on, which seem too late because with 85 minutes Liverpool were 2 1 down but the two subs goals completely turn the game around. Torres once again gets a late winner, his second in 6 days, delighting the Liverpool supporters, annoying Chelsea and making the Man united boss, and choke on his champagne, well I hope. Making me jump around the living room on my knees, like an idiot!

Thanks to all the Plymouth readers who have commented on my misguided musings. I am sorry I don’t write more about my home town but all of my life, I have been interested in global issues, politics and business. Although blogging is becoming common in the UK, many of my readers are in the US and so I write my blog with this in mind. Also I love Plymouth, especially in the summer but find it hard to write or chat about my daily life!

I am very happy to answer questions you may have, no matter what and so just email me! Likewise, if you feel I write quite well and may have any writing opportunities, drop me a line.

While watching Liverpool, the England cricket team were collapsing to an unlikely defeat. I was thinking they may regain the Ashes, owing to Australia's current slump in form but Ponting and co must be raring to get here, humiliate the old enemy again, retain the erne and probably go back to the top of the world rankings!

Old people like Jeremy Clarkson have outdated views of disability but I'm not offended!

2009-02-07T01:55:00.001Z

When I go to the bank, pub or supermarket, the older generation find it hard to deal with me because I’m in a wheelchair and have a bad speech problem! Where the Facebook generation may be initially shocked but quickly adapt and then begin to chat and flirt with me.

In the 70’s whilst at school my parents were told I would be in a care intuition for all of my life. In 82 I moved into my first flat and have lived independently ever since. Between 82 and about 93 people were alarmed or shocked when I went into pubs, banks, café etc alone. Since then in Britain and the US especially, the sight of the disabled out in the community is common place and mostly accepted!

In 2005 when my father was in his sixties he cheerfully told me “he would feel better if I was in a home, he could sleep at night!” This greatly annoyed me but I accept that for most of his life he had been conditioned with a negative view of disability!

This is why I say "Old people like Jeremy Clarkson have outdated views of disability but I'm not offended!"

I love Jeremy Clarkson and his old fashion views, top gear is must watch TV because of the likeable old men!

I am concerned whether I should refer to Jeremy as old?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7873624.stm

Defining the why and how of the banking bail out?

2009-02-06T02:32:00.001Z

When will someone come up with a simple way to explain why the banking bail outs were so necessary?

How the banks came to need rescuing is a separate question but politicians globally are treating them as the same question. The why and how must be defined as two questions!

The why: I understand why but I can’t boil it down to a coherent 4 paragraph sentence. The best sound bite I can come up with is “no bail out, no money to take out of cash points”, which is great but says nothing!

The how: it is pretty simple to explain but does anyone really want too, including me. We thought we were all really clever by ignoring the basic economic reality. Governments did not put in checks and balances over the bank industry; bank boards' did not really endeavour to understand if and how the new financial instruments worked; how many of the whizz kids or con artists that came up with and or used these instruments, comprehended what they were; no one actually said to the population, personal easy credit has to be repaid with interest, often beyond monetary value!

Until these 2 questions are defined and answered, people will understandably say ‘the government spent billions on the banks, so why can’t they rescue my firm and save my job’!

British governments must never disclose intelligence from Foreign Governments, FULL STOP!

2009-02-05T01:11:00.001Z

If it did, all governments would stop sharing vital Intel with H M Government! It does not matter which party is in power.

Often intelligence is collected in ‘illegal’ ways and if the government of the day thinks that a country has extracted information by means of torture, they must take it up with the government involved and endeavour to stop such inhumane acts. "No British government should participate in or condone torture under any circumstances," said shadow foreign secretary William Hague

The people of the UK also have human rights and intelligence could ensure that we do not endured another 7 7.

This should be common sense and if foreign governments are forced to threaten the British government to stop it revealing their intelligence, our government should not be in power!

Thanks to Skynews, I now know the BBC IS Not trying to bankrupt the Premier League!

2009-02-04T20:25:00.001Z

For twenty minutes last night during the ten o’clock news I was convince the BBC was deliberately trying to cause the bankruptcy of the Premier League.

The mid way tease of the bulletin was “Can the Premier League clubs survive the economic downturn”.

On Sunday night during the BBC super bowl’s coverage there was an item on how all the NFL teams share most of the revenue they earn and players' wages are caped, unlike our football teams.

Mihir Bose, the BBC's sports editor's report reinforced my opinion that the beeb was either predicting or trying to manufacture the economic downfall of the top league of English football.

Bose's last sentence then confused me, he said no club is likely to fail or words to that effect.

An hour later everything became clear when Skynews reported Skysports had secured another 3 year contract to show live football!

The BBC were not interested in bankrupting the Premier League, they were trying to convince ITV, Channel 4 or 5 it was not a good idea to bid loads of money to show Premier League match highlights. Their goal was to ensure match of the day continued on the BBC!

Iain Dale's Diary: What Would You Ask David Cameron?#links

2009-02-04T02:18:00.000Z

Iain Dale's Diary: What Would You Ask David Cameron?#links
Although he cannot look at the country's books, how would his government respond to the downturn, who would he bail out who would he let go bust, would tax cuts be the best stimulus package?
I'm a Blairite - liberal tory, lastly can I ask, 'David can you take a spare shoe to PMQs!'

Robbie Keane - once of Liverpool fc

2009-02-03T23:43:00.001Z

Last August I thought Keane would be the next great Liverpool number seven; his goal scoring for Spurs, his love and understanding for the Liverpool tradition, he seemed the perfect partner for Torres. Someone to share the task of goal scoring and a replacement if Torres was injured!

After 19 games, a short term injury to Torres, 6 months on Merseyside, many of them sitting on the bench, Keane is back at Tottenham!

Does anyone know what happened, maybe Rafa knows? Was the board trying to set player buying policy and through this, exercise more control over Rafa, if so Rafa won. Did Rafa and Keane just not see eye to eye? Did Keane just not settle? I suspect all of these things contributed to Keane's brief stay at Anfield.

I think and know if Keane was played in every game since his arrival, Robbie Keane would have become a goal scoring Kop legend. Raga has a plan and I'm happy that he knows what is best for Liverpool, so I defer to RAFA THE GAFA.

At least Keane will get a title winners medal in May, when Liverpool wins the Premiere League. Having played more than 12 times for Liverpool, he will get a winner's medal. A memento for a strange six months of bench sitting.

Three years later - a new ecomonic world order!

2009-02-03T17:22:00.002Z

Tony Blair gone, George Bush gone, DOW 14000 gone, titan banks gone, housing bubble gone, Britney gone [mad], Beckham gone and my political career gone.

By accident I started modelling, something clearly different, no longer minding what I say in case the news agenda changes, and increasingly I'm doing modelling assignments. Including life modelling, which I couldn't before if I wanted to get elected!

I wonder if any 'normal' people will want to be mps, the hours you are expected to work, no social life, keep your nose clean at university and if you have a career in the real world, local parties will not select you because you are not totally committed to their party cause!

Our leaders are boring, out of touch because they have not ran a company, they are career politicians! Once in high office your security bubble protects you and isolates you from the people who voted you in! Gordon Brown is the first of the new prime ministers, gray with no managerial experience but more will follow. Like boom and bust! The future is black and far off there are rays of light: 4 million unemployed in the UK, 10 million in the USA, protectionists prolonging the recession and Manchester United winning their 19th title!

I want to blog daily, it will be about current affairs but other things will come in. Iain Dale is a find blogger, he writes brief but insightful pieces, so why can’t I? That’s it for now, The rays of light? I'm getting many modelling requests, LIVERPOOL being second behind Man Utd and Iraq today holding violence free elections.

Does this work on Facebook?

Condi rice, Jack Straw and Zacarias Moussaoui!

2006-04-04T00:41:00.000Z

Is it me but has there been no real news lately, well to comment on?

I am worried that Condi Rice and Jack Straw, the UK foreign Minister has been inseparable for the last five days! It started with the Secretary of State making a visit to the north of England, where they dodged people protesting the Iraq Invasion and on Sunday after a private dinner in Liverpool they eloped to Baghdad!

So on Monday they tried to sideline the Iraqi prime Minister but like every incumbent leader, unless they are wrench from his grip, he does not want to put down the rains of power! After meeting all the leaders of the bickering political factions, Iraq still has no Government! At least today Sunni politicians said Ibrahim Jaafari, the Iraqi interim prime minister, who is a Sunni, should step down.

Then tonight Jack and Condi reappear in London saying that they were back to brief Tony Blair on their Iraqi interlude! If I did not know Jack Straw personally I would start to wonder about these two foreign Ministers flitting around the world aimlessly. Mr Straw is diligent in his job but prolonged time in his presence can lead to a tendency to fantasise about becoming a nun!

Zacarias Moussaoui is eligible for the death penalty and all that I want to say, as the jury debates whether to hand down the ultimate sanction, they consider although like myself, most Americans want someone to pay for the nightmare of September the eleventh, killing this poor excuse for a human being might only end up giving him what he really seeks, to be finally accepted by Al Qaeda by becoming a martyr!

Until tomorrow when I hope the news cycle becomes more interesting, Kevin

Old Europe unions, a new Israel and I need feedback?

2006-03-29T00:48:00.000Z

Today in Britain there was a strike by local government workers because the government have said employees can no longer retire at sixty, even if these workers have worked for more than twenty-five years. With the aging population and no one wanting to pay higher taxes I believe the Government was right in making this move! Although Unions have to protect their members working and retirement rights, I do wonder what kind of world they live in when they cannot understand the economic reality that Western governments find themselves in?
Any government proposing higher taxes on the working population to fund longer pensions, will find themselves out of office and then the unions will have to deal with a new government, who will be less willing to battle with them because they have been just elected with a mandate not to back down in the face of unions demands ……… Tonight there have been a parade of union leaders saying how great the strikes were and if their demands are not met, there will be many more strikes, it seems to me they think they can put back the clock to the seventies, where they held the country and government to ransom. In the global economy and a post Thatcherite Britain this is just fanciful thinking and they should wake up and smell the Starbucks!
In France there were mass and sometimes violent protests against a new employment law to enable firms to dismiss employees, if they are under the age of twenty-six, as long as they have not been employed for less than two years! In the UK and the US not many people expect these rights because in a strong economy where jobs are plentiful, where good employees are valued and are not dismissed without good legal reasons. If France did not have to undertake this vital economic realignment I would have more sympathy with the protesters but France has high jobless numbers and in some cities youth unemployment is over 25 percent!
It looks like the new Kadima party, under its leader Ehud Olmert will lead a new coalition government that will draw up new borders for Israel and although this will cause uproar in the Middle East, I hope one day they will be able to talk to a Palestinian government. Also who ever is the incumbent in the White House, they will adhere to the two state solution of Israel and Palestine being sovereign countries!
On a personal note, I need your feedback on my blogging style! I write mainly for an American audience and do not go into detailed explanations of my opinions because I think my readers are well informed and I do not want to talk down to anyone, so please tell me should I explain myself more clearly like I have tried to in this entry?

Tony Blair stepping down and no real news!

2006-03-27T01:33:00.000Z

Our Prime Minister Tony Blair told ABC Television [The Australian Broadcasting Corporation] that he made a mistake announcing before the last general election, that it would be his last election but he would serve a full term, if returned to power. When he made this pronouncement, I was surprised but although I wanted him to go on winning for the Labour Party, it was the correct strategy for a Prime Minister, who had lost a lot of public trust because of the lack of weapons of mass destruction and the whole question of the legality of the Iraq war.

After winning the General Election the small rump of Members of the Labour Party that had hated Blair for the past twelve years saw a chance to get their revenge and due to the Labour Government’s reduced majority, these rebels could inflict defeats on controversial legislation. Every time they gain the upper hand, I see Labour retreating into the high tax, high unemployment days!

Until Blair became leader of the Labour Party it had been out of power since 1979 and had been a party of the left. He moved the party to the right and Labour became the Governing party again but a sizeable minority of Labour hated this realignment but while Blair was an Electoral asset, they tolerated him.

Now he has said he will step down sometime in the next three years, members of the Labour Party and opposition members of parliament are trying to second guess when the Prime Minister will step down and so like Presidents in their second term, he is losing his political influence or becoming a lame duck!

So when Tony Blair made this announcement it was the correct strategy at the time but over the long term, it curtailed his Premiership and brought forward the date the Labour Party would become the opposition to a Conservative government! What the Rebels still don't accept, without a Blair leadership they cant win another election!

Sorry I have not written an entry for two days but there have not been any dominant news stories!

Norman Kember, a good news story from Baghdad!

2006-03-24T01:36:00.000Z

I will not criticise any network news programmes tonight for having to report a good news story from Iraq! Someone left feedback last night, I think it was criticism because they said I ought to watch Foxnews! All that I was saying sometimes constant criticism of the US government by the big networks, may play well at home but they should be minded that out side the US it is not viewed as a critical item, it just demonstrates to militant Islamists, the lack of respect form the Muslim faith!

Norman Kember being freed unharmed is very good news! The British government’s assurances that no deals with his kidnappers also are another element about this episode which I must remark on. No government must ever negotiate with terrorists that kidnap people for political or financial motives because once they do, there will be more and more kidnappings! Although Western governments maybe tempted to pay a ransom for a political quick fix in their own country, the world community is under the moral obligation to make sure that such measures are never undertaken.

The local population of Baghdad and the Muslin Council of Britain have to be commended for their efforts to get the Christian peace activist freed. I understand that many of the Iraqi people felt that Mr. Kember should not have been taken because he was trying to promote peaceful dialogue between Christians and Muslins, as well as between Muslins and Muslins!

I hope, despite the fact I question Mr Kember's ill advised actions of going to Baghdad, some of the warring factions can draw inspiration from their part in gaining his freedom, take a lead from his ideals and step back from the current blood shed?

Lastly we should all remember the thousands of Iraqi kidnap victims and Tom Fox who never saw freedom!

NBC Nightly News tonight, I’m Surprised at no Respect for the Office of the President!

2006-03-23T01:54:00.000Z

When Campbell Brown announced they were doing 5 nightly reports on the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, I thought ok fair enough they have a right and duty to do this! Maybe because I am British and used to our broadcast laws which stipulate that all news reports have to be politically balanced, I was shocked on how one sided tonight’s item was on how President Bush decided on his own to go to war on Baghdad. The item basically said he decided to because he thought it was god’s will! Although the report may hold some truth, I found it incredible how it was packaged. David Gregory’s monolog over pictures of Bush, the murderous bombings of the insurgents and that iconic photograph of the President with bullhorn in hand and arm around a 9 11 fireman!
I just felt if Al Qaeda wanted to record a top class recruiting video they could not have done a better job! I wonder how long it is before this appears on a Middle East website calling for Muslins to go out and killed the Christian invaders?
I feel in a land where free speech is guaranteed media organisations should exercise some restraint for the good of the country. Such reports can endanger allied troops serving in the gulf, US and British; does such an item bring into question that cornerstone of the Constitution of the separation of the State and church; although I am not religious if I was either Christian or not, I would feel affronted at the assertion that my President went to war because of his Christian god?
Brian Williams has a week off but as Managing Editor, does he feel comfortable with such a report and did he sanction it?
Am I over reacting, do you understand where I’m coming from, please let me know!

Slow news day so some questions and Disabled Kevin Thinks?

2006-03-21T02:00:00.000Z

In the US and the UK until recently there has not been an effective opposition to the governing party / administration and the media has been fulfilling this role and apart from Foxnews, every television network I watch is highly critical of the state of Iraq! I find it hard to believe that despite the billions of dollars spent some parts of the Iraqi nation have not improved. Although you may think this is wishful thinking, you would have thought after three years some progress would have been made? If CBS, BBC CNN did the occasional item on success stories that had been achieved by the allies I would be more open to the complete criticism of the whole Iraqi misadventure! Sometimes I just feel the media sees its role is to unspin the White House and Downing Street’s spin and not question if sometimes they have a valid point to make!

Most bloggers and according to his approval ratings President Bush is no longer held in high regard by the American public and so please can you tell me as a Brit, why did you re-elect him! Is there a successor that can heel the divisions in the homeland whilst being a strong leader in the world? Do the Democrats have a candidate that measures up to the Presidency?

Lasty, as you know I write this blog under the handle Disabled Kevin Thinks, does this handle discourage people from reading this blog? I have noticed that other bloggers within this section get many more readers! So please tell me and be brutally honest are my opinions not valid or not expressed clearly enough or does Disabled Kevin Thinks automatically signal to readers that I can not possibly be articulate?

One day I would like to be invited to undertake a lecture tour in America and this is why I partly write this blog! So with this in mind, I make it absolutely clear that I am severely disabled but I am a person who is intelligent with many and varied opinions!

www.kevin-french.com

Three years later where are we?

2006-03-20T02:00:00.000Z

Three years later where are we?

On the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq the jury is still out on whether the liberation was really worth it and the verdict will not be handed down for at least five years or if not longer!

Some things are very clear : there were no weapons of mass destruction, the American and British Governments have lost their moral authorities to influence and lead or shape world opinion; the deaths and injuries of tens of thousands of Iraqi people and thousands of deaths of allied troops and many thousands of life shattering injuries of soldiers, which will oscillate through the next fifty years in Iraq, the USA and Britain ; world peace being made even fragile by the emboldening of renegade countries and Al Qaeda being given a rallying tool:

Will democracy take hold in a Middle Eastern country? No body knows but if it does, it could shape and reshape the whole region! If it does not in the next two years, it will result in the humiliating withdrawal of the American and British liberators / occupiers; which in turn will lead to extreme Islamic revolution through out the whole Middle East; probably leading to a global economic melt down initiated by pious Mullers deciding to teach the Western imperialists a lesson in humility by turning off the oil taps.

So all I can tell you as an ardent supporter of the liberation of Iraq, at this present moment in time if I could go back and take a different course of action I would by not mounting this military incursion! As it is impossible to undo these momentous events, it is still my hope that, one day Iraq will be able to make peace with its three distinct ethnic blocks and become an economic and democracy beacon in the Middle East but I fear I’m a right wing posturing global optimist!