RICHARD W. SYMONDS (RWS) - INDEPENDENT ANALYST

If you want to be dishonest, defend the indefensible, and corrupt thought - use, abuse and misuse language in the following 7 ways :

1. "Use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print" :

toe the line, no axe to grind, grist to the mill, Achilles' heel, ride roughshod over, playing into the hands of, leave no stone unturned, leaves much to be desired, with respect to, the fact that, in view of, on the hypothesis that, friendly fire, pacification, war on terror, international community, fascist, stalinist...

2. "Use a long word where a short one will do" :

expedite, ameliorate, in my opinion it is a not unjustifiable assumption that ( I think) ...

3. "If it is possible to cut a word out", don't cut it out.

4. "Use the passive (eg one) where you can use the active (eg you)".

5. "Use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word (or euphemism- Ed), if you can think of an everyday English equivalent".

weltanschauung, myosotis flower (forget-me-not), negative impact (missed), friendly fire, regime change (invasion), liberation (occupation) , policy of targeted defence (assassination), policy of pinpoint prevention (contract killing), facilitating payments (bribes), Ordnance (Bombs), plausible deniability, public diplomacy (propaganda), stabilisation force, less lethal weapons...

6. "Say anything outright barbarous, than break any of these rules"

7. Lie - using "the vocabulary of lies" and a "doublespeak dictionary"

(Hat-tip : George Orwell : 'Politics and the English Language' (1946)

1. "CRAWLEY'S MORTGAGE CENTRE" (LARGE PRINT)
"Refresh Mortgages - Challenge House - Croydon" (small print)

2. "REPOSSESSION ORDERS AND EVICTIONS STOPPED" (LARGE PRINT)
"Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage" (small print)

(Source : Crawley News, March 28 2007 - Front and Back Page Pull-Out)

1. "POLITICAL LANGUAGE - AND WITH VARIATIONS THIS IS TRUE OF ALL POLITICAL PARTIES, FROM CONSERVATIVES TO ANARCHISTS - IS DESIGNED TO MAKE LIES SOUND TRUTHFUL AND MURDER RESPECTABLE, AND TO GIVE AN APPEARANCE OF SOLIDITY TO PURE WIND"
(Source : 'Politics and the English Language' - 1946)

Examples in 2007 :


2. "WHEN ONE WATCHES SOME TIRED HACK ON THE PLATFORM MECHANICALLY REPEATING THE FAMILIAR PHRASES...ONE OFTEN HAS A CURIOUS FEELING THAT ONE IS NOT WATCHING A LIVE HUMAN BEING BUT SOME KIND OF DUMMY.......
"THIS INVASION OF ONE'S MIND BY READY-MADE PHRASES...CAN ONLY BE PREVENTED IF ONE IS CONSTANTLY ON GUARD AGAINST THEM, AND EVERY SUCH PHRASE ANAESTHETIZES A PORTION OF ONE'S BRAIN.......
"FROM TIME TO TIME, ONE CAN EVEN, IF ONE JEERS LOUDLY ENOUGH, SEND SOME WORN-OUT AND USELESS PHRASE...INTO THE DUSTBIN WHERE IT BELONGS"
(Source : 'Politics and the English Language' - 1946)

Examples in 2007 :

1. "WE TOOK ACCOUNT OF ALL THESE POINTS BEFORE DECIDING NOT TO LAUNCH CONSULTATION IN ADVANCE OF THE LOCAL ELECTIONS" (JOHN WILDERSPIN, WEST SUSSEX PRIMARY CARE TRUST CHIEF EXECUTIVE)
(Source : "So when ARE you going to consult", Mid Sussex Times - Dianne Jones - March 29 2007)

IN OTHER WORDS, "WE DECIDED TO DELAY THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION UNTIL AFTER THE LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS".

I WONDER WHY ?


3. "ALMOST ANY ENGLISH PERSON WOULD ACCEPT 'BULLY' AS A SYNONYM FOR 'FASCIST'. THAT IS ABOUT AS NEAR TO A DEFINITION AS THIS MUCH-ABUSED WORD HAS COME"
(Source : 'What is Fascism?' - 1944)

Examples in 2007 :

4. "The enemy of the moment always represented absolute evil, and it followed that any past or future agreement with him was impossible...
"He, Winston Smith, knew that Oceania had been in alliance with Eurasia as short a time as four years ago.
"But where did that knowledge exist ? ...
"It was quite simple. All that was needed was an unending series of victories over your own memory. 'Reality control' they called it; in Newspeak, 'doublethink' ".

(Source : "Nineteen Eighty-Four" - quoted in Edward Herman's "Beyond Hypocrisy" - Black Rose Books - 1992)

Well, a predictable day really.

Toddled off to the Town Hall this afternoon to see Andrew Oakley - Election Officer. Met him last year - nice chap.

I had a bit of a problem hearing him - but we struggled through. He knows about my deafness from last year, and has assured me that IF I get elected, the 'communication support' would be given - out of the taxpayers' pocket of course.

I'm worth every penny - I'd be good value for money, wouldn't I ? All shout 'aye'. Thank you :)

My paperwork is in order - my 10 nominees have been accepted. So, what's the next step now? I suppose the names of candidates will be printed in the local rags
next week - or the week after. April 3 is the official start for 'electioneering', so the local papers will be invaded by ElectionSpeak, and budding - or not-so-budding - WannabePoliticians.
You don't have to be insane to do this - but it helps.

Who will stand in Ifield - who will win - how will they be placed?

Looking deeply at my crystal balls, I'd say - as at March 29 :

1. John Stanley (LAB)
2. A.N. Other (CON) - very apt
3. A.N Other (LIB DEM)
4. Richard W. Symonds (INDEPENDENT) - boo !
5. A.N. Other (BNP)
6. A.N. Other (UKIP)

Place your bets - and all winnings to be donated to Dicky Willy's Benevolent Fund For Repeated Failures As Independents....or DWBFFRFAI for short....just to make it easier to understand.

And if you are confused by the name 'Dicky Willy' - my full name is Richard William Symonds. Get it ?

I thought I'd get that in early, before some other smart arse does later - after reading the full names of nominees in the local papers.

Oh God, the BNP have started already.

Their first leaflet has come through our door. The first of many to be sure. 1st Rule of Propaganda : Repetition - Repetition - Repetition. Say it often enough, and gullible people will eventually believe it - especially the well-educated.

Here is a taste of the pernicious, dangerous claptrap to come in the next month or so :

"WE SAY WHAT YOU THINK"

"DO YOU THINK THAT THE GREEN BELT SHOULD BE PROTECTED - NOT CONCRETED OVER JUST TO PROVIDE HOMES FOR IMMIGRANTS"

"THE ROOT CAUSE OF HOUSING DEMAND IS UNDESIRED MASS IMMIGRATION, CAUSING OVERSPILL FROM THE CITIES ('WHITE FLIGHT')"

"OPPOSE MULTICULTURALISM"

"BNP - DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH"

"CRAWLEY NEEDS THE BNP"

Crawley need the BNP like a hole in the head.

The BNP is a racist party - period.

There are a number of racists in Crawley - especially in Ifield - and there is a hole these people can crawl into - the BNP.

It's the 'immigrants' this year - in other years it has been Jews, Gypsies, Pakis, Niggers, Homos, Arabs, or whoever are the most vulnerable at the time - anybody for which these people have any spare hatred to latch on to.

The twisting of truths to suit their racist, 'white-supremacist', agenda is a sickening disgrace - and the incessant, hate-filled bullying of the weak and vulnerable should be seen as a criminal offence in any civilised community.

Instincts tell me the BNP are going to target Ifield West - the least-advantaged community worst hit by a proposed 2500 housing development on their doorstep (ie on Ifield Golf Course).

These people are one of the main reasons why I am standing as an Independent in Ifield.

Just heard Mike Weatherley (Con, Furnace Green) is quitting as a Crawley councillor - and concentrating his undoubted energies in Brighton. Good riddance.

Robert 'Emu' Hull - Leader of the (Independent?) Labour Party - put it succinctly (Crawley News, March 28) : "It is a real pity that the fears of Furnace Green residents about councillor Weatherly's ability to represent them have proved to be so well founded." Ouch !

I have sorted out a few 'official' things regarding my nomination this morning - and will be off to the Town Hall tomorrow afternoon to see Andrew Oakley to check 'all is in order'.

Oh, and just in case anybody doesn't know - I have become very deaf. I lost my PCV coach licence (& LGV licence) because of this huge loss of hearing, and thus my airport job- which I loved. Life can be a right bitch sometimes.

I'm now looking at the viability of setting up a small, independent motivation consultancy - but much depends on many things...and a little luck and good fortune wouldn't go amiss at the moment.

Will my deafness affect my ability to represent the people of Ifield effectively, as an Independent ?

The people of Ifield will decide that on May 3.

INDEPENDENT PRE-AMBLE, WAFFLE AND DRAFT MANIFESTO

Election time has come round again - and 'the silly season' of inane (and insane) electioneering will soon be starting in earnest in Crawley and elsewhere - to fight for your 'X' on May 3.

I had a choice to make - do I keep out of this political 'snakepit', as any sensible person would, or do I pitch in there - as before - and make a complete fool of myself ?

I would have done the 'sensible' thing - if the BNP were not standing - and saved myself a lot of aggravation.

But, it sadly appears the BNP are standing, so 'Yours Truly' is going to stand as an Independent in Ifield - again.

There is a nasty and/or ignorant number of people in Ifield who are racist and/or gullible, so there is a 'hole' just for them - the BNP.
But there are fortunately more people, the vast majority, who are not racist or gullible.
Unfortunately, the majority of people don't vote at all - especially young pople.
Whilst I understand the main reasons why people do not vote, it ain't acceptable - democracy (of, by & for the people) is being seriously undermined by such irresponsibility.
So, if anybody has never voted before, vote for me - not the BNP.
And if anybody doesn't want to vote Tory, New Labour or Liberal - I'm your man.
Give that 'X' to me - Vote for me, not BNP or A.N. Other.
You know it makes cents.

But, of course, as a 'donotwannabe' local politician I have to produce a Manifesto - a kind of political Business Plan - to persuade people to put their 'X' in my box, and to show I'm not 'just a pretty face' who only has an obsession with ensuring that BNP are treated as a dangerous racist joke etc.

Fair enough :

BNP are a dangerous racist joke.
Tory Cons are exactly that - Cons...and NHS-dismantlers
New Labour are Old Tory - and Warmongers - like the Cons.
Liberal Democrat are - what ? You tell me....even Horsham's Lib Dem Leader, Dr David Holmes, stated (March 16) : "I do not think party politics have a place in the district council."

So, here is my Draft Manifesto (which will be up-dated regularly) :

Richard W. Symonds, Independent for Ifield, will :

1. TAKE THE PARTY OUT OF PARTY-POLITICS - AND REPLACE IT WITH PEOPLE - PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT THEIR COMMUNITY, NOT A PARTY.

Old, obsolete 20th century party-politics has no place in the people-politics of the 21st century - it is dangerously inadequate to meet its challenges.

Party-politics has no place in our hospitals - or in our health; just as it has no place in our schools - and our children's education When you are ill, or someone you love is ill, do party-politics matter ? No - people matter. When your child is struggling at school, do party-politics matter ? No - the children matter.

Health and education goes beyond party-politics.

Politics - not party-politics - is more about people than parties - as much as I like a good party ! That sounds good, eh ?! I lifted (& adapted) that last comment from the Argus front page today (March 24) - "The church is more about people than buildings"

Bear with me - I am making this up as I go along.

What do you mean : I'm not taking this seriously ?

Don't misunderstand me. I am taking the issues very seriously indeed - always have done and always will. For example, I happen to think people who can't be bothered to vote (70%) are as bad - and stupid - as those who vote BNP...

It's just that I can't take myself very seriously at all...as well as some of the other people posing as candidates - like the dangerous racist idiots in snappy suits who call themelves the ...

2. GET 4, 500 PEOPLE IN IFIELD WHO CAN'T BE BOTHERED TO VOTE, TO VOTE - THAT'S 70% OF THIS COMMUNITY

(a) Global is Local and Local is Global - You're burying your head in the sand if you think otherwise - and so is any candidate who comes knocking at your door, without mentioning how the global impacts on the local eg Mortgage Interest Rates, Education and Health 'Reforms', Military conflict (what if...at Gatwick ?) etc.

3. TAKE PARTY-POLITICS OUT OF BUSINESS - AND REPLACE IT WITH BUSINESS INTEGRITY

Old 20th century party-politics has no place in any local community, especially its business community - it stunts growth, innovation and creativity in the 21st century.
Example : 'Farceway'

4. CUT THE CLAPTRAP - TELL IT STRAIGHT

(a) EDUCATION - IFIELD FIRST SCHOOL AND PLAYING FIELDS
(b) PLANNING - IFIELD GOLF CLUB AND IFIELD BROOK MEADOWS
(c) HEALTH - PEASE POTTAGE HOSPITAL AND THE NHS

(THREE STORIES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PARTY-POLITICS TAKE CONTROL OF A COMMUNITY) -

FINALLY - TAKE THE DECEPTIONS OUT OF THE ELECTIONS - AND HAVE FUN.

EXAMPLES OF PARTY-POLITICAL CLAPTRAP :

CLLR. HENRY SMITH (CON, POUND HILL - WSCC LEADER AND CAMPAIGNER FOR A PRIVATE HOSPITAL AT PEASE POTTAGE) :

"I want to reassure residents that if proposals come forward which we consider would seriously reduce the quality of NHS services in West Sussex, I will have no hesitation in demanding a meeting with the Government" (Source : "Councillor warns health chiefs against county cuts", West Sussex County Times, March 9 2007 - Page 17).

Wow, Henry, such bleating is really going to scare the Government - like being "savaged by a dead sheep".

"It's important to remember the cost of members' allowances to the average taxpayer in West Sussex is 2p per year. That's a pretty reasonable price to pay" (Source : "The Rising Price Of Democracy", Argus, April 4 2007 - Front Page & Page 5)

No, Henry, that's not "a pretty reasonable price to pay" when it would have cost the "average taxpayer" LESS THAN 2P to have retained the Hot School Meal Service in 1999.
If councillors were paid by results, they would be paying us - not us paying them.

"We almost certainly wouldn't be in the Persian Gulf right now, if it weren't for that dependence on oil" (Source : 'A clear majority', Argus Letter, April 6 2007 - 'Henry Smith, Leader, West Sussex County Council')

Yes, Henry, I agree with that "almost certainly" - but I'm not so sure whether your Party would like 'one of their own' stating this so openly (ie the Bush regime (with a 'puppet' Blair regime) invaded and occupied Iraq primarily for control of its oil resources.


MONDAY MARCH 26 2007 (39 DAYS TO GO)

OK...10 people were found to sign my nomination form - thank you, neighbours. And a witness for another form - thank you next-door-neighbour. Have arranged to see CBC's 'Democratic Services' this Wednesday for the 'official check' (Andrew Oakley). Easy enough so far.

I also have received "The Full Register of Electors" for Ifield which tells me there are potentially 6,464 people who can vote for me in Ifield. Previous turn-outs have been around 30% - which means around 70% won't vote.

So, if I knock on 10 doors - 7 won't vote anyway and 3 will vote - but probably not for me.

Sod that - I'm not going to knock on doors. Not at those odds. Waste of time, money and energy. There must be a better way

Also, as I'm as good as deaf - I cannot hold a conversation at any front door anyway - even talking to the wife in bed is a major problem. OK, problem solved - no door knocking. That's a relief !

That 70% of 6,464 is a huge untapped resource - can I get them to vote. If so, how ?

Shame them into voting, perhaps ? Tell them they are as bad, if not worse, as those who vote BNP - because they (like the BNP) are insulting the democracy for which many fought so hard to achieve. If nothing else, it will wind non-voters up - and I might get a few extra votes for the publicity value. Ummmm...have to think about that one.

I might also do this : tell the people in Ifield that I'm not wasting my time on them if 70% of them won't bother to vote. But I'll make a deal with them : If they write down on a piece of paper 3 things they want me to do for them as an Independent- other than to boil my head - I will promise them that I will knock on their door and pick up that piece of paper. What about that ?

I can challenge them, saying : "Tell me what YOU think, not what OTHERS think".

Enough for tonight. It's 23.55pm and I'm tired. Goodnight and sweet dreams.

I don't know if this will work, but here goes :

http://www.britishpathe.com/

OK - now follow the instructions - and there should be a short film about Joad at home in Hampstead...

I have decided to press ahead with 'The Cyril Joad 54th Anniversary Ramblette' this Easter...

This 'Ramblette' will be called : "The Most Beautiful Walk In England" - which I think it is.

Starting from Amberley Station, we will follow the River Arun to North Stoke, and then walk to South Stoke - nestled deep in the South Downs near the majestic Arundel Castle.

This route from Amberley Station to South Stoke was well-trodden by Cyril Joad (1891-1953) - Writer, Philosopher, Broadcaster and Outcast. 'CEMJ' deeply loved this area, and wrote many of his 70+ books from South Stoke Farm...his last posthumous work of fiction "Folly Farm" was in fact South Stoke Farm - part of the Duke of Norfolk's Estate.

'CEMJ' died of cancer, aged 61, on 9th April 1953 - 5 months before I was born. In 2003, The South Stoke Festival of Thought marked the 50th Anniversary of his death - and I was privileged to be the organiser of that unforgettable event.

So, just after Easter (10 April 2007), there will be Cyril Joad's 54th Anniversary Ramblette...it is the least we can do for this ill-remembered man.

Yes.

A good Chomskyan analysis...

http://newworldodor.gnn.tv/blogs/22250/Deception_and_Denial

More to follow...on Noam Chomsky - who is one of the few people who are making sense in an insane world...

http://blog.zmag.org/ttt

and this...

http://thirdworldtraveler.com/Chomsky/Noam_Chomsky.html

and this

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=2888&sectionid=3510302

and this

http://www.counterpunch.org/dossani03092007.html

http://littlehealer.wordpress.com/all-that-i-am/

Hat-tip : Earthpal - Scorched Earth

Chomsky, "America's Orwell", quotes the military historian Corelli Barnett in this insightful piece of writing :

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2030015,00.html

"An attack on Iran would effectively launch World War Three".

The last known published words of Orwell were :

"The moral to be drawn from this nightmare situation is a simple one : Don't let it happen. It depends on you."
('Statement on Nineteen Eighty-Four' - June 1949)

We ignore the likes of Orwell and Chomsky at our peril.

The Planning Inspector of Crawley's Core Strategy Examination-in-Public (EiP) invited representatives involved in Ifield Brook Meadows/Site 19 to speak - last Thursday (March 1).

I was asked to speak, as founder of The Ifield Society - so I made sure I was well-prepared.

My 'performance' did not go as planned - for various reasons. In fact, it was bloody awful to be truthful...but I managed to get my main point across in the end...which was :

English Partnerships should not be allowed the opportunity to hand over Ifield Brook Meadows for development - it includes Ifield Village Conservation Area, and much besides.

What will be the outcome ?

God only knows.