We didn’t vote for him…

Where do I begin… Well, first I think that I should let you all know that our dear friend Froggy has decided to go into hibernation. I have to admit that the weather has taken a turn for the worse with snow constantly falling throughout the day. Anyhow, he deserves a rest after all the hard work he puts in for his blog. With luck, he’ll be back again in the new year when the warmer days return….

From the title this week, you may have gathered that I’m talking about Gordon Brown. He’s always harping on about the good he’s done, but from where I stand as a pensioner, he’s done very little at all. There is also the small fact that he wasn’t voted in to office by the electorate to stand as our PM, no, quite the opposite in fact. He gained this prestigious position from his colleagues by default and this isn’t quite the same as being elected by common consent is it?

What really hurts people like me, it’s that only recently Gordon Brown announced to the media that he’d taken pensioners out of poverty. Now, I don’t know about you, but this statement is about as bad as the one made by Nick Clegg when he said that he thought that pensions were £30.00 a week. For Gordon Brown’s information, this country’s poverty line is set at £151.00 per week. Now he has promised, with his government’s wisdom, that he’s going to be giving us pensioners an extra £5.00 per week from Christmas, instead of having to wait until April comes along. With the £60.00 extra on top as a one-off payment, this still falls far short of the level that poverty currently stands by a good £21.00 a week. I guess that what he is saying is simply this; we should be damned grateful for anything we can get. This from a man whose ministers are on £3,000 per week. If this isn’t insulting, then I don’t really know what is?

Enough of my complaining, it’s likely that soon the whole country will be doing the same thing, especially if he implements his plans for the unemployed, single mothers and just about anyone else who dares to live off the fat of the land for free.

Yes, as if we hadn’t got enough problems already, he now wants to make changes that would have typically come from a Tory government lording it over this country. His own party’s economic gesture has done very little to boost the economy. Let’s face it, who on earth is going to rush out to the shop, or whatever, just so that they can save an extra two and one half percent on their purchases? Well, certainly not me. The shops are in such a dire way that they are offering anything up to fifty percent in discounts, so what difference will the government’s miserly amount make towards our economy?

This was a typical half-hearted measure, one that we have come to expect from a government that doesn’t understand how our economy truly works. They said it themselves, it’s the working classes that spend the money that keeps our economic growth moving along under normal circumstances. Of course, how could people with the level of their pay understand how the working classes live? The mind truly boggles…

Apparently, savers are now up in arms because the Bank of England is suggesting that it may lower the bank rate again this week. Who cares!! If they want something to truly whine about, just wait until this government implements its plan to deal with the unemployed. Why is it that whenever the country gets into some kind of mess, they blame it solely on the poorest? It has just been announced that the automotive industry is set to lose tens of thousands of jobs, and remember, this doesn’t include any other loses that we read about almost daily in the press, on television or the internet. Now he wants to force all the unemployed into jobs that simply put, do not exist.

The end result of this move will be catastrophic for society as a whole. Look at it this way, those who operate a business don’t really give a damn who spends their money with them, but it must be legal money that is. As I’ve already said, it’s the unemployed who also keep our economy moving forward by spending what little they get in order to survive. Savers don’t do a damned thing for the general economy, and if you think otherwise, think of this. If everyone saved, like you lot of doubters, the British economy would collapse over night. The government wouldn’t receive any taxes, apart from what it makes from your earnings, and let’s face it, if this was the case, Britain couldn’t afford to pay a government because it would be broke.

If these measures towards the unemployed go ahead, then the national crime rate will go through the proverbial roof. Can’t you see that if you remove a means to live from a person, they are going to fight back by any means at their disposal, stealing, cheating and robbing the rest of us blind. Imagine, you’ve just been shopping and someone sees that you have plenty of money. Do you think that they are going to think, oh, lucky old you? No! They damned well are not. They will rob you because society turned its back on them. If you are among those who doubt my words, then you are either naïve, stupid, or one of the many who simply don’t care and would rather take their chances when it happens; by which time your broken body will be lying at the roadside, while everyone walks past and totally ignores your plight, as they always do. If you understand the situation, then perhaps it would be wise to contact your local MP and put your concerns to him/her on this grave subject.

Well, that’s enough raving from me, I’ve got some interesting jobs that need my attention. Bye…


Bob, standing in for Froggy while he hibernates

Come on Britain, WAKE UP!!!

Following a very long discussion with my friend Bob, the Gardener, I’ve come to the terrible conclusion that you humans, and more especially you lot that live in Britain, you seem to be absolutely afraid of sticking up for your rights. In fact, you don’t even appear to like to make a fuss about anything, let alone actually complain about the wrongs done to you. Can I come around and walk all over you, too? (I’m only kidding. J) Croak!!!

I recently spoke about the way you lot are being ripped off by your energy providers, well, I’m going to tell you more. Haven’t you ever wondered why it is that you, of all the people in the Euro Market, are always paying for higher increases in energy costs than in any of the other members of the community? Did you, those who pay the energy company EDF, know that you have just seen your bills rise by 22%, well, of course you have. And yet in France, their government would not allow EDF to increase their customers prices by more than 5%? You should be asking yourself, why it is that the French government can care for its citizens in this way, while yours doesn’t seem to give a damn about what you now have to pay? Of course, could it be something to do with the small fact that Gordon Brown’s brother works for EDF? Croak!!!

Another thing that crops up again and again, it’s that Britain no longer owns most of the energy and utility companies that rip you off. It’s little wonder that foreign companies are lining up to buy what remains of your energy and utility companies. They know perfectly well where the best profits are to be had, and it’s all because you lot are such willing payers. It doesn’t matter how much higher your bills will be, you’re always there for them and ready to appease these gods of wealth. Your government does nothing to protect the public’s interests at all, and even if you do shout about it, it chooses to totally ignore you, at least that’s how I see it all. Croak!!!

My goodness! The boards of these greedy money-grabbing companies must be laughing their socks off while they think about all that lovely money you lot are throwing at them. Croak!!! Don’t tell me that your Labour party has the wellbeing of the country’s economy at heart. Come on Britain, WAKE UP!!!

If you still don’t think that Gordon hasn’t got your interests at heart, then consider this: Why is it that the government appointed Regulator appears to be ignoring your pleas for fairer energy prices? The energy Watchdog is forever trying to protect you against these overly inflated energy prices, but he hasn’t got the teeth it needs to do a spot of hard biting. Quite unlike the regulator on the other hand, but then he’s about as useless as a boil on your arse. Goodness knows how he thinks he’s earning the high wage he’s being paid each year? I suppose that as he works for the government, he’s entitled to protect their interests first. Croak!!!

While I’m on the subject of the government, I want to remind you all of just how distanced they are from the rest of you humans. Now, although this snippet of information was given by a member of one of the opposition parties, it all goes to show you that they don’t give a damn. When Nick Clegg was asked how much did he think that a pensioner receives each week, he replied, “About thirty pounds.”

Now I don’t know much about what it takes for you humans to live on, but if he thinks that thirty pounds seems fair for the senior citizens among you, then he, and others like him have a very low opinion as to what is fair. I bet that he spends more on a single meal, and yet he thinks a pensioner should be able to live a week on it. MPs simply don’t even live on the same planet as the rest of you, let alone realise the difference between the spending power of their incomes when compared with yours. Croak!!! Oh, and before those smart arses among you think that your pensions will be far better than those at present when you retire, remember this: With the rate at which the financial institutions are losing your pension investments in this current credit crunch, you’ll be very lucky to find any pension worth waiting for you at all by the time it’s your turn to retire. Ribbit!!!

Well, that’s enough ranting and raving from me for another week. I’ll see you all again real soon, your friend…

Froggy

PS : Back in April last year, the Energy Regulator was urging EDF's customers to switch their supplier to another company. Now that's a good idea!! So, come on you EDF customers, it's time to strike for freedom. You changed once and you can do it again.

You can work, but you can't retire...

All about the garden is looking really quite magnificent. Flowers are blooming everywhere, and the pond has the appearance of a true wildlife habitat, which it is for yours truly. My progeny are growing stronger as each day passes, and because food is once again plentiful, no one has to resort to eating the other just to stay alive. Ribbit!!!

If only I could say that life amongst you humans was as bright and cheerful, but as usual, you are all at each others throats, that is when you're not cheating on each other. I have always thought that in being a frog, life has always been fraught with danger of one kind, or another, but oh no, my life is far less stressful than the lives of you humans. Sometimes I wonder how it is that Bob manages to get from one day to the next, what with all the crap he has to contend with all of the time. Croak!!!

When Bob was watching his television late last night, late as far as I'm concerned anyway, he said that he saw yet another reason why it is, some humans enjoy their retirement years, while others carry on working because they simply don't have enough money to enjoy a retirement. This is a bit two-faced isn't it? As I said once before, I thought that the general idea behind life for you humans, is that after working for about fifty of your years, you are considered far too old to work, then as a reward for your highly valued contribution to society, your senior citizens were paid a pension that's good enough to live on. From what Bob says now, this is just another pile of crap you have to live with. Now, I don't know about you, but isn't there something wrong in society when, as your PM, mister Blair does ten years work, and I use this word rather loosely, and then he goes and helps himself to more than three million pounds to bolster his own pension? Leaping toads, most of you humans work a darn sight harder than he ever has, and yet you get paid peanuts for your pensions. Why, I doubt that many of you earn this much after fifty years of work? I guess that this is just another of those wonderful perks he gets for working in an official government capacity.

Are you aware that your government wastes enough money, with its frequent blunders in handling money that is entrusted to them, money that could give each and every pensioner a pension to the value of what you lot call the minimum wage? Yes, now isn't this a far better deal than the pitiful amount they pay pensioners at the moment? But instead, they continually make up excuses and say that they can't afford to do this. Horse shite!! If they can afford to give one man three zillion quid, and it's out of your hard earned taxes, then I feel pretty damned sure that they can afford to give a pension worth the minimum wage. And let's face it, even this amount is an insult to your integrity as human beings. Croak!!! Of course, they won't ever do it because it's easier to rob and cheat you lot than to be open and honest for a change.

It seems that you humans can work all that you want to, but you can't bloody well retire, and this is official. As a frog, I can see things much more clearly than you humans appear to. This class ridden society that you all live in, is completely your fault and down to what you are prepared to accept. Oh yes it is! A frog only needs to look at the way your MPs live, and then compare them to the way you lot live, and voilà, you have the truth. What I can't understand, it's why you all put up with it?

Once again, that's all I have for this week, so, stay safe and I'll see you all in the garden again real soon. Bye... Ribbit!!!


Froggy

Evolution

Humans and animals share this wonderful land that you lot call Earth. It took many billions of years for the present day landscapes to take shape and form, giving us the world as we all see and enjoy today. Alas, for all of its beauty, it took but five minutes for you humans to f*** it all up!!! Croak!!!

I know I'm just a lowly frog, a creature with very little power other than one that gives me the will to live, however, you humans are really something else altogether. I just cannot see what your excuse is? Over the past few months, yours truly, Froggy, has given you the insight into life as you should all be living it. I've pointed out your mistakes. I continually show you where you are going wrong. I've tried to explain to you how you can better yourselves. I've even explained how its better to think of others, and not so much of yourselves. But what do you go and do? You throw it all back into my face!!! Croak!!! Is that a way to treat a friend?

Respect!! That's a word that appears to have very little meaning to humans. If you are not going round robbing and cheating on each other, it seems that some of you are now ready to kill each other too. Are you stark raving MAD?!!! What happened to love thy neighbour? And I don't mean that you should enjoy a spot of carnal knowledge with them!! Haven't you ever done something good for someone without thinking about what it'll cost you? No! Then you truly haven't lived my friends.

Bob told me that it's time that humans behaved respectfully towards each other, instead of copying the childish antics of those who run your government. Bob explained that the government is regretting what it did about your pensions when it came into power. Too bloody late now! Anyway, they are too busy taking your money to prop up their own magnificent pensions to bother anything about yours. Your nice mister Blair has given himself a nice fat 3.4 million pound pension... What do you think you'll get when you retire? Naff all, that's what. I can see from the look on your face that you don't believe me. How sad!!!

As a frog, I find it extremely odd how you humans will willingly give MPs all the power they can muster, just so that they can take care of themselves, cheat you lot, and then turn around and say to you: there's no money left to give you what you elected us for, hospitals, the NHS, transport, fair taxation and all the rest. Well, the first of this year's voting sessions is almost upon you, and while you're all wondering who you should vote for, those candidates are rubbing their hands in anticipation of the sudden wealth that is surely going to come their way, once you've been stupid enough to vote for them, that is. Croak!!! Why don't you all do yourselves a favour for a change. Stay away from those polling stations just for once, and see what happens. It should be worth a laugh.

Did you know: you ordinary humans have such incredible power at your finger tips. It's there for you to control and use how you see fit. But no! That's not what will happen, you'll just go on doing the same old thing day in and day out, then later on, you'll all start moaning like hell as usual. Look, I'm aware that some of you are more well off than the rest, but in the long run, humans are all the same where nobody is really any better than the other.

I'll give you an example shown to me by Bob. News shows that your Labour gov is thinking about offering the job of PM to my old friend David Milliband, right? Well, if any of you have ever taken the trouble to read his Blog, you will have noticed that he hasn't the foggiest idea as to what the hell he's doing. When confronted with an issue about climate change, he turned to his readers and asked them if anyone had any ideas on how they could help him to solve this rather sticky problem. Well, I don't know about you, but anyone who is paid as much as he is to run a gov department, should damned well be able to come up with some ideas of his own, instead of asking around. It's a bit like a team working in a hospital operating theatre, then right as they are about to drill a big hole into someone's head, the surgeon asks: Saw or drill? I've never done this before, anyone got any bright ideas?

Yes, MPs and government officials are paid incredible amounts of money, a lot lot more than any of you will ever make anyway, and this is to make and take decisions that will effect every single one of you... but haven't you realized it yet, most of them haven't the foggiest idea as to what the hell they're doing. I mean, look at the fiasco about those humans who were taken prisoner in Iran. Need I say more? However, they are pretty sure that you'll think that they can be trusted. Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ho! ho! ho! Ribbit!!! Goodness, my sides are aching like mad.

Well, I've got to go now. See you again soon. Ribbit!!!

Froggy