New Neighbours

We have new neighbour's. They moved-in during the last week slowly bringing their possessions by car and people carrier. I don't know where they are from or how long they will be staying. You see the property next to us is rented. The last people who lived there were foreign and from Eastern Europe. They never spoke a word and all the time they lived there, apart from their parties well into the night, they kept themselves to themselves. They left overnight, one day they were there, the next they were gone. I assume they went back home, but they could be anywhere.
Our new neighbour's appear to be a family and natives to the UK. They haven't spoken yet and will most probably also keep themselves to themselves. People around here do. They're a strange lot really as I know in other parts of the world, a point is made of making yourself known to your neighbour. Here it is very different. People seem to move here to get away from people and many shut themselves away behind tall fences and trees. We have many around here that do just that. They are very seldom seen. Strange people indeed in the eyes of many but I suspect there are many who hanker for a life away from the prying eyes of others, however well meaning they may be. I expect that over time will will come to know them better as they slowly relax their guard and realise that we are quite normal, talk the same language and perhaps have much in common. Whatever their origin or reason for living here, I wish them well in their new abode.

Yesterday was the 158th Boat Race to take place on the Thames. Unfortunately the race was disrupted by a protester who swam in front of the boats causing them to stop. Trenton Oldfield was removed from the water and now faces a public disorder charge. What is significant to me is the fact that someone was able to swim so close to the event. I worry very much for the Jubilee and the Olympic Games, two huge events taking place in London and around the UK in the coming months. I predict that we will be seeing many more attempts to protest and disrupt both events and while security remains lax, I fear that we could face far worse than a lone protester. I really hope I won't be looking back in a few months from now reciting this paragraph.

Earlier today I listened to a wonderful programme on BBC Radio 4, The Reunion, which brought together former Greenham Common women protesters with those in charge of protecting the newly stationed nuclear deterrent. This has long been a subject that fascinates me, when utter madness driven by fear was driving our politics.  The fact that I lived through one of the most precarious periods in history blissfully unaware of the true danger hanging over all our heads. I of course knew that Greenham Common was significant as it headlined the TV news for much of the 1980's. I recall the images of the human chains formed by women protesters and the police wrenching them from the wire fences and the paths of convoys. It was never explained to me back then exactly what was going on. I am sure my parents and teachers knew but I wonder if they paid much attention to it. In the end I had to find out about much of it myself and it's only really in the last 5-10 years that I've managed to fully understand the events and their importance. What was clear from the programme was that the feelings and opposing views were as alive today as they were back then 20 years ago. There is still even an element of anger between the protesters and members of the military at how the women had been treated, the wounds still very raw. It was fascinating to see that the same political doctrine that existed back then responsible for the placing of cruise missiles in the UK is still alive today, and although the missiles were removed between 1989 and 1991, they do still exist.

In other news, teachers have balloted for strike action in the Autumn and I'm afraid that I do find myself sympathising with them and supporting them. The jobs they do have become intolerably difficult and frankly, they deserve more. They also have the right to work to a realistic age knowing they will have sufficient pension funds to provide for a comfortable retirement. It is complete madness, as I heard on BBC Radio 5 Live during the last week, to expect a PE teacher to work until he or she is 67. This is a real case and one which defies common sense. Teachers deserve better.

Government websites have come under attack over the weekend from the hacking group 'Anonymous'. They have forced a Denial of Service attack against the Foreign Office and Number 10 websites. This eventually leads to the site crashing unable to process the enormous number of requests. Unfortunately, I fear this is something we are all going to have to get used to. Online information is extremely vulnerable, it always has been and always will be. This will be a huge embarrassment for the government but it should also be a wake up call to highlight our reliance on a still young and relatively insecure Internet.