We moved into this house two years ago. The house needed quite a lot of decorating and we set to it with some enthusiasm. Especially Stuart as we were in America for a month after we moved in. Stuart came back two weeks before us and managed to decorate two bedrooms in that time. It was the best time to do it as the furniture was out and all the toys were in boxes. We had literally spent one night in this house before going away! The walls were painted but we didn't have the money to do the carpets.
I decorated Ewan's room when we got back and since then we have done the hall, stairs and landing, the downstairs bathroom and the kitchen. Actually that sounds like a lot now that I say it! Other than the kitchen that had new doors and work surface, it has all been painting. None of the flooring has been touched and it really needs doing!
Finally this week we have started the flooring in Ewan's room. We have gone for laminate. I don't actually much like laminate but it does have some major good points. It is cheap, hard wearing and we can fit it ourselves. I am hoping it will not be too noisy and I have bought a good underlay to keep it warmer in there. Ewan is thrilled and he and I set to work clearing out his room.
Anybody studying child psychology would do well to help a boy empty his room. The stuff we took out of there was beyond belief. Most of it I wouldn't share, but put it this way - I now know where all the window keys went. I would also like to know how climbing down the back of you bed and shoving your clothes under the bed as far as possible is less work than putting them in the laundry bin 200 yards up the corridor!
I had two hours of being talked to by the boy. Wow! That was an experience. I know more about football and Lego than I really needed to know but it was nice. Slightly baffling but nice!!
In 2004, The Freedom Association (TFA), in its "CAMPAIGN FOR REJECTION OF THE EUROPEAN ARREST WARRANT" said the following:
"Our own system has historically served to protect the freedom of the individual and the principle of innocence until proven otherwise" said Mr. Gill.
And in a further letter to The Times on Friday August 1, Mr. Gill warned that the EAW introduces a continental system of justice which effectively ensures the supremacy of the state over the rights of the individual. Mr. Gill wrote "On the continent the law of habeas corpus is unknown, the right to trial by jury does not exist and the presumption of innocence is not the starting point from which judiciaries necessarily proceed. In Britain the law is designed to protect the individual citizen against false accusation, arbitrary arrest and wrongful imprisonment".
The list is growing of those who thought that the EU was just some sort of boring political topic when they found themselves wrongly accused of something in Continental Europe and were whisked away to face not 24 hours or even 42 days in a continental cell, without charge, but 18 months or more. Andrew Symeou is the latest victim, but it looks as though the Greek authorities have not provided the documents required by the 3rd September deadline, so he might be spared this fate.
The TFA goes on to warn us:
British justice is under threat from a Government which does not value our unique system of safeguards to protect the innocent and is prepared to sacrifice habeas corpus and trial by jury for political expediency and to be seen as "good Europeans". ...
In October the Government suffered two defeats in the House of Lords at Report Stage of the Extradition Bill. The Freedom Association had been campaigning for over a year for this result and we are delighted our hard work has finally paid off. On October 28 in a press release issued to coincide with the Lords defeats, TFA Chairman Christopher Gill said “For hundreds of years the British people have been protected against false accusation, arbitrary arrest and wrongful imprisonment. The law of Habeas Corpus has meant that none of us can be held in custody for more than 24 hours unless the police charge us with an offence and have reasonable evidence to support that charge. We are delighted the House of Lords has upheld the rights of the British people and rejected the European Arrest Warrant. ...
In January 2004, as the Arrest Warrant came into force, The Freedom Association predicted an increase in miscarriages of justice affecting British citizens. In a press release issued on January 7 2004, TFA Chairman Christopher Gill said "It is a plain fact that justice systems operating in many European countries do not contain the essential safeguards which currently exist here in the UK. The EAW will also cover crimes such as racism and xenophobia which are interpreted differently in different European states. We are extremely concerned that there will be an increase in the number of miscarriages of justice which will result from this legislation".
The TFA declared victory only too soon.
So while Parliament is in recess, why does the government think it can sneak through a fundamental change to our freedoms without anyone noticing it? To be Good Europeans? Increasingly this horror of a Government is no longer representing you, but representing the EU to you. 800 years of history mean nothing to it, so it seems. Your freedoms are worthless on the altar of European Integration. In its article "The government has welcomed EU plans to allow British citizens to be tried in their absence in other member states." The BBC reports:
British subjects could also be extradited automatically at the request of other EU states under the proposals.
Ministers say it will prevent them fleeing to other member states to escape justice and increase co-operation between legal systems.
Under the EU plan, courts would be allowed to pass judgement in criminal cases and when issuing fines or European Arrest Warrants without the defendants being present.
People accused in their absence would then have the right to a retrial or the right of appeal when extradited.
The plan was backed by the European Parliament by 609 votes to 60 and now goes to the Council of Ministers for final approval.
It is designed to end uncertainty among member states about whether to recognise in absentia judgements and to make the European Arrest Warrant more effective.
Now we can be dragged away to another country to rot in jail without there even being a pretence of a fair trial. Nigel Farage UKIP leaderBut opponents say it would represent a major change to British law, where trials in absentia were until 2001 banned and are still extremely rare.
Pieter Cleppe, of pressure group Open Europe, said: "This proposal could open the door to serious miscarriages of justice and ministers should not be supporting it."
Conservative justice and home affairs spokesman Philip Bradbourn told The Evening Standard: "It goes against one of the most fundamental cornerstones of British justice."
All this from your very inappropriately named "Ministry for Justice"
The Ministry of Justice said the plan would "increase legal certainty and improve mutual trust amongst member states".
A spokesman said: "The initiative will ensure that there is clarity as to when the courts of one member state recognise a decision taken by another member state in a person's absence.
"This will help ensure that a person cannot escape justice by fleeing to another member state, whilst also ensuring that persons are only returned where to do so is appropriate - for example where there will be a retrial."
We have a perfectly good extradition system designed to protect the individual from states whose laws are fundamentally different from our own, but this does not serve those who are so 'head over heals' in love with the EU
that they are blind to its major flaws"
From the Crown Prosecution Service web site
-------------
“Definition
Extradition is the formal procedure for returning persons located in one country to another country for the purpose of criminal prosecution, to be sentenced for offences for which they have been convicted or for the carrying out of a sentence which has already been imposed.”Information (accused persons) The warrant must contain:
Particulars of identity;
Details of any other warrant issued in the requesting territory for that person;
Particulars of the facts;
Particulars of the relevant foreign law under which the conduct is alleged to constitute an offence;
Details of any sentence which may be imposed in the event of conviction.
Role of CPS
In Part 1 export extradition cases where the subject of the extradition proceedings has been arrested in England or Wales, CPS provides representation for the requesting judicial authority in proceedings before the English courts.
...
All export extradition cases are dealt with at first instance in City of Westminster Magistrates' Court by Special Crime Division of CPS HQ.
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Ewan after he missed nearly a page of his maths book:
"But Mum you know I would have got them right. Can't we just leave it at that?"
Er, NO!
I am so mean. Nearly as mean as those examiners he will come across in later life.....
Still reading? The report is actually about regulating blogs, so enjoy your freedom while you can. Although the EU's complete failure to understand the difference between the media and blogs, is both astounding and all telling.
As Raedwald reports, (and MEP Daniel Hannan has been reporting for a while):
From Danniel Hannan's Blog:The report was born from the concerns of a single MEP - Estonian Socialist Marianne Mikko (you wouldn't have guessed, would you?). It was adopted by the Culture Committee, chaired by Greek Socialist Katarina Batzeli (PES). Mikko expands on her concerns HERE.
The blogosphere has so far been a haven of good intentions and relatively honest dealing. However, with blogs becoming commonplace, less principled people will want to use them
What, really? You mean the interweb isn't full of saints and sane normal people? Go on!
we do not see bloggers as a threat. They are in position, however, to considerably pollute cyberspace. We already have too much spam, misinformation and malicious intent in cyberspace. I think the public is still very trusting towards blogs, it is still seen as sincere. And it should remain sincere. For that we need a quality mark, a disclosure of who is really writing and why.
If, for example, I told you that the CIA and MI6 had funded the "Yes" campaign in 1975, you would think me a paranoid conspiracy theorist. So, despite the admission, years later, that this is precisely what occurred, I never mention it.
It's the same when it comes to the EU's determination to clamp down on blogs. Eurocrats instinctively dislike spontaneous activity. To them, "unregulated" is almost synonymous with "illegal". The bureaucratic mindset demands uniformity, licensing, order.
Eurocrats are especially upset because many bloggers, being of an anarchic disposition, are anti-Brussels. In the French, Dutch and Irish referendums, the MSM were uniformly pro-treaty, whereas internet activity was overwhelmingly sceptical.
Edit: I see that Zehra in Gloucester has cast her lawyer's eye over the document (click here for pdf version) and comments:
A dissection of the report - which as a lawyer I can be forgiven for doing (I hope) - pretty much sums up alot about what goes on in the EU that I don't like:
To quote a few of the recommendations on page 5:
"2. Suggests in this respect the creation of independent media ombudsmen in the Member States" - more duplication and EU created bureaucracy?
"7. Proposes the introduction of fees commensurate with the commercial value of the usergenerated content as well as ethical codes and terms of usage for user-generated content in
commercial publications" - fees, more regulation?"9. Suggests clarifying the status, legal or otherwise, of weblogs and encourages their voluntary labelling according to the professional and financial responsibilities and interests of their authors and publishers" - is anything every truly voluntary? But don't take my word for it. Iain Dale writes, "We all know that 'voluntary' soon becomes 'compulsory'. My label is the title of my blog. That is quite sufficient, and I don't need some faceless Eurocrat to tell me otherwise."
"10. Recommends the inclusion of media literacy among the 9 basic competences and supports the development of the European core curriculum for media literacy" - more EU policy intrusion?
The reasons behind such recommendations become apparent when you read the Explantory Statement on pages 7 and 8:
"In this context the report points out that the undetermined and unindicated status of authors and publishers of weblogs causes uncertainties regarding impartiality, reliability, source protection, applicability of ethical codes and the assignment of liability in the event of lawsuits."
The EU doesn't like blogs because it cannot control the content. I found it tragic that the Explanatory Statement began by saying that it welcomed all initiatives aimed at safeguarding democracy and that the media remained an influential political tool. New media has a role to play alongside mainstream journalism in safeguarding democracy and our freedom of speech. It provides an instant source of information in an intimate and often interactive format (through comments) between writer and reader. When I needed information about crises in Georgia, Zimbabwe and Pakistan, blogs were a great source of uncensored, unfiltered and raw information for me.
I am just heading for the tills at Hobbycraft this morning with arms less full than I expected and I notice some stickers that will be really pretty for a scrapbook page that kids and I are working on. As I head up the isle I hear Callum as clear as day:
"Oh! I think Mum got distracted again."
And the three of them drop down into some seats at the front of the store. I had to laugh. He has bloke shopping off pat!!
Sibling dynamics are an interesting study! Today I am missing the two older children. Ewan and Evie have spent the early part of the morning arguing. Ewan is trying to build Lego and Evie is getting in the way. She isn't really very good at building Lego and he has very clear ideas of what he wants to go where. Evie is playing the annoying little sister very well.
Ewan is trying to play the big brother. Usually he leaves that to Callum but he seems to feel that there is a role to be filled now that Callum is away. Evie has other plans. She considers that they are equal even though there is a four year age gap. Conflict is inevitable!
When the children are together there is a well rehearsed and fiercely fought hierarchy. When the numbers change, they are thrown into a bit of confusion! As the morning has gone on, things have settled into a more settled pattern. Well really they have just decided to leave each other alone!
it makes your hair fall off!
Our baby girl is joining us for "school" this year. Actually she has always been sat at the table drawing or playing with toys so the idea of her joining us is not quite right. I suppose what I mean is that I will start doing some formal work with her. I was hoping to leave this for a year but she has started to teach herself to read so I will strike whilst the iron is hot!
Isobel is off camping in Wales with friends. Callum is with his Grandparents for a couple of days and Ewan is off with Stuart to Legoland. That leaves Evie and I on our own. What do girls do when they are on their own? They shop that's what!! We headed out for a cake and a milkshake and then hit the town. She now has a folder for all her "work"; a sticker book for maths; plastic folders to take art work and her very own pencil case.
It was a lovely day. We just needed to mark the fact that she is growing up. We don't have a first day at school type experience like other children. I wouldn't want her to either, but I enjoyed celebrating with her that she is a big girl! She is still my baby though!!
Free films for schools which are open to home educators too. Just book HERE.
We got to see REM on Saturday night, live and in concert!! Did you get that? I GOT TO SEE REM!!! The last concert I went to was 10 years ago. REM again but in Stirling Castle. It was fabulous as was Twickenham.
I was a bit worried about feeling old but, silly me, everyone there was at least as old as me if not older!! Consequently, there was not as much dancing in the isles as there was last time we went. We had seats which was great but we weren't allowed to go into the middle. Next time I think we will book standing tickets. Much more fun! Still Stuart, Helen, Dom and I were dancing when everyone around us was sat still listening like they were at the opera!! We had fun!!!
The special effects were fantastic. The music was even better. We don't get to go away very often and we used our time well!!!
The best bit was that they played a good number of the old songs. We got Orange Crush, Lean on Me, but no World Leader Pretend or Everybody Hurts. Still with over 100 songs in their back catalogue I suppose we can't hear them all!
Huge thanks to Mum and Dad who were brave enough to have all 4 kids over night!!
