The Danczukian mysteries

Raising foreign flags on British territory is not going to be popular.

In reality it would be better for all if flags were not used as symbols of nationalistic fervor. They can be misconstrued as appertaining to 'ownership' of the land upon which they are being raised - as was the object in days gone by in wartime - and as such will only lead to perceived insult and discontent by others. The trouble is  -where does it end? If every nationality and political entity in Rochdale were to desire a flag raising event or day to mark their existence just how many events and days would that cover. 50?   100? It becomes nonsensical. Rochdale council should inform the public that the Union flag will fly 365/6 days a year over the Town Hall symbolizing the unity of the whole country under one democratic system and that no others (including the English flag) will be allowed in order as not to foment dissension or show favor to any other nationality or group. It is the only way if you wish to be fair to all.  This problem still irks in Northern Ireland and still hasn't been resolved after 100s of years.

Things don't seem to be going too well.
http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/96631/simon-and-karen-danczuk-separate
No comment from me, except that it must be a bit wierd having your private life in the media.

I think that was a forgone conclusion. Simon has his way of doing things. Karen hers.

It's no big deal. They both have the wherewithal to withstand it and move on.

Pleased to see Simon got that bastard with his so called dementia. Time he took another crack at Cyril's dirty lot.

No big deal perhaps, but the media are having a 'field day' with ever-ongoing stories and speculations, all rather strange, sad, and 'complicated'.

Par for the course. I would have expected nothing less. If she is to make it with her bid for celebrity status she needs a very good publicity manager who knows how to keep her in line. It's a very slippery slope with many hidden pitfalls for the unwary or uninitiated.

Watch this space - - - - - -

The aspect of the story about Simon becoming stressed and depressed as a result of dealing with the issues of the grooming trade and child sexual abuse in Rochdale is quite believeable and understandable. The criminals involved and authorities that fail caused very real and widespread damage.

All crusaders fall foul of their crusade. It's par for the course. I always remember telling David Bartlett (owner of RAP) in 1977 that his followers would end up beating him to death with his cross when he came for an interview for a story to my office in Rochdale. He too just 'smiled'. One has to be prepared to sacrifice oneself if one wishes to right the wrongs of this world. It's a heavy cross and undeniably a very difficult decision.

Yes, it does tend to work out that way. The media has gone quiet on 'grooming'. Apart from gangs keeping their heads down for a while, has Simon or anyone else been able to make permanent changes to solve the underlying problems and issues? It's been an embedded and ignored problem for decades.

Yes. I am of the opinion that all that was required was for someone of 'note' to take the bull by the horns and beat it to a pulp - which is what Simon did. The mere fact that we have now brought the PC race card into the open and told the shivering cowards we call the authorities that it's alright to 'call a spade a spade' and that a 'crime is a crime' regardless of ethnicity of the criminal the more will be brought to light and the sooner the communities will meld closer together. It's not going to happen over night but it's a start. We should 'tell' the minorities we understand there are lunatics in all races and that regardless of race we are not having it, white, black, brown, yellow, red or sky-blue-pink with yellow dots on. Right is right wrong is wrong. If you want to live alongside or closer then we oblige you to fully participate throughout 'all' our cultures and laws and accept - 'Its the way of things'. This is 'Britain'. 'This is how it's done'.

A positive view, and certainly the way to go. The grooming of girls by mostly Pakistani gangs has been such an overt, everyday activity in many towns and cities for so many years, and so studiously ignored by the public and authorities, we can never take it for granted that either public or authorities won't ignore it again given the chance.

Hopefully you are right Atlas, and attitudes have changed permanently. Of course there is more to it than the 'grooming gangs', but that was the most visible aspect of child sexual abuse. Those same people involved in and turning a blind eye to it are still around. I don't see it as a solved problem, more a problem with (hopefully) a lid on it.

The more people discuss it the more aware they are to the methodology used to accomplish the crime and the more prepared people will be to stamp on it. Secrets (hidden or ignored) are a canker in the times in which we live. They, like all things, have a useful life but must be surfaced when that use has expired - not decades later. One reason why I write the books.

Secrets. It's no secret that everyone has secrets. There are many different kinds of secrets, some more important than others. The call is for 'transparency' in public life and governance. When a group of people with something in common keep a secret amongst themselves, it's a conspiracy, or a plot. Certainly an interesting subject to write about.

If someone asks, "Can you keep a secret?", it's worrying, and intriguing as well. A secret is usually a form of deceit, a deception, sometimes people keep secrets for well meaning reasons, sometimes very much the opposite.

A secret can be merely witholding information, doing nothing when something needs doing, and saying nowt about it. When a lot of people do that same thing, trouble is generally brewing.

Some people are tell made up 'cover stories', hiding the truth, keeping it secret. People even hide things from themselves, it makes it easier to keep whatever it is secret.

Some people think it's important to uncover secrets, to discover the truth.

When is a secret not a secret? When it is known to more than one person.

And therein lies the fault line.

Governments don't like to get their hands dirty (neither personally or collectively). Therefore they utilise agencies to do the dirty work for them. Keeping secrets when things go wrong or as a consequence of actions perpetrated is thus almost impossible. Somebody, somewhere knows the facts - more than one, no longer a secret. People like me and others far better at it than me look for the lie/event/fudge/ or mistake that belies the 'historical' fact/s and arrive at what 'was' possible/probable - as Sherlock Holmes would have said. From that lies the real/true event and thus the exposure of the lie.

Certainty must be difficult to establish.

Extremely so. Journalists who specialise in 'outing' secrets will tell you that it's lathered with 'luck'. Never was a truer word said. I don't spend time 'searching with intent' because that will only lead one around and around in circles. One of the best ways is to do a lot of reading and comparisons. In that way the anomalies become more strikingly obvious. Par ex - I had the kernel of suspicion regarding the 'Hess' affair that the 'official' lines were not 'logical' but it wasn't until 1999, after maybe ten to fifteen years, that I alighted upon the answer. The answer came by way of a small documentary piece transmitted by Yorkshire TV on their 'Calendar' programme which was about skeletons and potholes on the West Yorkshire moors. 2 + 2 suddenly became 4. I had found the answer to the riddle that had stopped me from writing the book over ten years previously. Luck. Pure unadulterated luck which no amount of research would have provided. So - not good detective work or inspiration. To be honest such an 'event' has only happened to me twice - the rest has been pure grind. Er --- Stay lucky -.

How do you "decontaminate" the site of the largest asbestos works in europe without distrurbing it? Cover it up? That would need, where's the calculator, a hundred thousand million quadrillion tons of rocks and earth?
http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/98080/simon-danczuk-secures-meeting-with-government-minister-over-turner-brothers-asbestos-site

No, no, no!!!

You don't cover up the site, you cover up the findings - then everything is okay - isn't it?

Bang on johnb - and I don't mean it as banging on -. Hope that's clear. But what else could they have done once the damage was done. I remember walking up Ings Lane in the late 50's and seeing the rooftops covered in white dust and the people themselves. The contamination was widespread long before the 'truth' was ever realised or reluctantly released. The ground contamination was too widespread and deep even then - long before they 'covered' it up with new topsoil. So - who pays for what will have to be a 'very careful, intricate removal'. It's going to cost in the millions if it is to be done safely and properly. Is the land worth it? Would it not be better just to leave it alone and spend a few thousand redoubling the existing coverings and then a wildlife conservation area? I don't know. But in a time of austerity and want - is this the best way - - - ????

The only positive way forward on such a badly contaminated asbestos site is to turn the problem into an asset by deeply covering the area with the aforementioned many millions of tons of rocks and earth, and designating it as a nature reserve, to be undisturbed in perpetuity.

A one-off cost, and end of problem.

I concur. However - the site has big bucks value to developers with an eye on profits. If they can get the government (that's us) to cover the costs of removal and then buy up the land at a 'market' value - they's in for a killing. Do you want to lay bets on the final outcome -??

The final outcome will probably be a chap digging up his suburban potatoes and wondering what all that fibrous white stuff is. But let's not be defeatist, there is every good reason and argument to cover the contaminated land deeply with rocks and topsoil and make it into an everlasting nature reserve.

Karen Danczuk is criticised for making an inappropriate Twitter-tweet

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/98210/karen-danczuk-called-pathologically-desperate-for-attention-after-inappropriate-tweet-about-mecca-tragedy

The Saudi Grand Mufti explains that Fate and destiny are inevitable.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/09/saudi-grand-mufti-hajj-stampede-human-control-150926080554917.html

While that does leave a few questions unanswered, the Grand Mufti also explains that those who twitter are fools.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22543252

I would propose that all those who twitter are fools and all those that follow delusional pathways are even bigger fools. It's like the pan calling the kettle black - only one is not supposed to use that word - ethnic seems OK - as in 'it's like the pan calling the kettle ethnic'. You see -! What a bloody mess all this garbage we are having to live with engenders! Cretins -.

It's a brilliant word though, isn't it, Mufti. Sounds a bit Gilbert and Sullivan, the Grand Mufti.

The English version of the word mufti was originally military slang brought back from colonial India, meaning casually dressed, not in uniform.

The character mufti became a music hall standard character, with a costume of dressing gown and fez. This became one of Tommy Coopers' many costume characters, he was dressed as mufti when he died on stage.