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Sunday 8 April 2012

ONE STRUGGLE THAT DEMOCRATS EVERYWHERE SHOULD BE ‘PRAYING’ IS WON…

In a world where the greed, self-interest and all-too-often just sheer, plain stupidity of ‘free-market’ capitalism has finally brought us to the brink of the global tipping point into the Abyss this week has reminded us of one battle that really IS crucial in helping shape a better world for the future.

The local matter of whether Establishment newspapers and multimillionaires should be able to collude to spread lies about those who dare challenge them? No. Don’t be stupid – far more important than that. I’m talking, of course, about that legendary champion of democracy, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his on-going battle against cancer.

This week saw him flying to Brazil for further treatment which will hopefully see him fit enough to contest the forthcoming election on October 7th 2012. For the sake of Venezuela’s poor and ‘ordinary’ people that he should be able to do so is absolutely essential. Being able to also continue the example he has offered to so many others internationally in empowering them to also throw off the manacles of the corrupt ‘Washington Consensus’ is no less so.

Having first been elected back in 1999 that Chavez is a brave man is beyond question – a fact acknowledged even by the likes of the infamous former George W. Bush regime in America that was quite happy, let us not forget, to covertly support and initially excuse the attempt to have him abducted and murdered back in April 2002. Not that such behaviour is anything new for the US ‘champions of democracy’ of course. In fact it is standard practice.

Chavez for those who do not know any different than the propaganda spread by right-wing newspapers has won countless political battles and elections, and, just as importantly, has done so again-and-again wholly legitimately under the watchful gaze of international election monitors. He has proven not only that a better way is worth fighting for – but that it can begin to be achieved if only you can keep going and have long enough to deliver.

It is also I suggest a truth equally as relevant to us here in affluent Jersey as it is on the other side of the world in the slums and barrios. Put it this way. The bottom line is that whatever his undoubted faults the principle of what Hugo Chavez and his supporters are striving to do in reclaiming their oil rich country from the corrupt and parasitic ‘elite’ minority that have bled it dry and exploited it for their own ends for generations is a torch of hope for all committed to equality and justice in the 21st Century.

We must only hope Hugo Chavez is given enough time to complete the transformation by winning what is likely to be his greatest battle in trying to reclaim his health. Should he do so another election victory ought to prove a doddle. I can only wish him all the very best.

Jersey does not exist in a vacuum – no matter how much our ruling ‘elite’ would wish it so…


Anyone who doubts the relevance of the Venezuelan situation locally really should try and get hold of a copy of the award-winning documentary ‘The Revolution Will Not be Televised’ that I blogged about only a couple of posts ago; the John Pilger film ‘War on democracy’ likewise.

Forget the ‘oil’ aspect of the economy there – it is the moral that all who think they have the right to ‘more’ and/or to hold power just because they are already rich needing to be confronted that is important. Such a world view belongs to the dark ages - period.

After all, who could forget the sick and twisted hypocrisy of the super wealthy Venezuelan ‘elite’ rattling their jewellery and chanting ‘Democracy! Democracy!’ whilst tearing up the Venezuelan constitution and bundling off the elected president to be murdered; while the massed ranks of the ‘peasants’ who had wanted nothing more than to be treated equally were locked out in the streets?

Indeed, it is amazing how terrified of equality and of being held to account for their actions such people are whatever their country of origin; how desperately they will seek to hang on to or regain power.

Chavez’s example is, indeed, an inspiration. But what we in Jersey really do have so very much to learn from our far worse off contemporaries both in Latin America and even in so much of Europe is simply about standing up together and saying that ‘enough really is enough!’ and showing that we really mean it. Should we begin to do so in numbers then truth and justice really WILL win out in the end.

Yes, the recent elections as I have commented before were a significant disappointment; the hijacking of the independent Electoral Commission and continued attempts to fatally sabotage the Committee of Enquiry into the ‘Historic’ Abuse scandal even more so.

But in the words of that other great democrat Mahatma Ghandi: ‘First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win’ By my reckoning – tough as things seem right now - we’re actually already three quarters of the way there!

So Keep the Faith & Keep putting the truth out there for the entire outside world to see. It is what vested interest-driven, ruling ‘elites; everywhere hate and fear more than anything because it takes away their ability to control. That and anti-establishment politicians who just keep coming back...

Trevor

52 comments:

  1. You never cease to amaze me and you never disappoint either. Chavez is a legend as you say. But chin up Trevor. This may only be little Jersey but so are you.

    Your and Shona's efforts are every bit as important in their way as Chavez's are. Don't let the buggers grind you down.

    You were right. You know it. We know it and even they know it. Simples. Just think karma and keep fighting.

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  2. Just want to echo what has already been said above, and to add, that if we give up on the struggle for truth and justice we might as well be dead already, which you and Shona certainly are not, thank heaven!

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  3. So your version of democracy involves calling the former Bailiff a coward, a pompous little man and egotistical as reported in the JEP does it? We can all dream I supppose.

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  4. I suppose the difference is that a politician trying to get a colleague barred from sitting on a PPC sub-committte which he (Southern)will have had every right to do as our joke of a former Bailiff was exposed as doing by Trevor and this case is this. What the JEP and Broadlands said in an advert had absolutely no truth? As I read it they were telling us that the Pitman's got a huge increase in their income by standing for election when clearly the opposite was true. Lucky we don't have hanging in Jersey is all I can say. But I would also wonder if this ruling will come back to haunt our beloved establishment because now it will be clear people can say whatever they like true or not?

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  5. If only we could interest Venezuela in doing a swap of some kind so that we could have Chavez and they got Gorst! Probably not but maybe we could tempt them with a job lot 3 for 1 offer of Walker, Le Sewer and Gorst? Chuck in Bailhache too. Please!

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  6. Can you confirm for me that unlike the UK in Jersey a clearly difficult legal case is left to two non-legally qualified 'jurats' to decide upon whether something is libelous or not rather than a specialist judge? I ask because according to the JEP report it was claimed 'libel judges' decided.

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    Replies
    1. Jurats indeed are the sole judges of fact (i.e. they replace the jury and find people guilty or innocent) based on the legal advice of the judge.

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    2. Actually the judge is a a judge of fact and law but only exercises the fact part of his role if the jurats differ

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  7. Hi Anonymous

    Waiting to see the written details with our lawyer before making any statement at length. But as I understand it you are quite correct that the decision is down to the two local Jurats only.

    I also really can't resist commenting on a post that really did give me a good belly laugh even if I did feel that it was not worth publishing given the obvious identity of the person sending it. No prizes for guessing!

    The gist of this post was that it tried to infer that by daring to write about Hugo Chavez I was then comparing myself with him! Laugh I certainly did!

    Chavez (and our poster likely does not really even know who Hugo Chavez is) is an absolute legend and someone I would certainly say is also a huge political hero of mine. Indeed, a true giant of modern politics.As another poster says - if only we could have his quality of leadership and commitment to fairness and equality at the head of our government here in Jersey...

    Trevor

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  8. Today I have mostly been munching Nobby's nuts...

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  9. Look out for the fake letters in the rag this week. I'm sure mr B. Riantz will be scouring Belmont Road for a nice new vacant address to use to try and look as if anyone thinks this newspaper is anything other than a sick disgrace. No wonder their sales are at an all time low. Trust the Voice any day of the week over our State media. Keep the faith buddy.

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  10. When the chips are down it is essential we all stick together and support those who are willing to put their heads above the parapet. Thank you for being there Mr and Mrs Pitman :)

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  11. I agree 100% Mo. I am even more disgusted by the JEP adding insult to injury by the coverage they have given this case in tonight's paper (or excuse for one).

    Indeed, Trevor and Shona work their socks off, not only for their constituents but anybody who makes an approach for advice and assistance. Knowing what I know about the relationship between these two good politicians and the JEP, I can only imagine it was with gloating delight that they published that cartoon, libellous or not.

    Onwards and upwards - united we stand, divided they WILL fall!

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  12. I bet the troll is a-sulking tonight as they have stopped his mad and bitter rants. Does this loon actually work for a living now or is he still scrounging off of us taxpayers??

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  13. anonymous -

    don't be daft lad who would employ that? Then again this is Jersey I s'ppose. The only place in the world where the innocent take the guilty to court and then come out being punished for it! Forget Chavez Trevor I would be fairly happy having General Franco after this shower of crooks.

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  14. Hi Trevor

    I expect you may well be feeling down and disgusted with the farce of what has happened and rightly so. But if I can say this you should also look on the bright side. There will be people voting for you and Shona now who never would have done so in the past. I was made aware of this only today in the office with two of the girls talking about the case. The JEP fools nobody with their line on this.

    So their editor thought you had probably got a pay increase by being elected so on the back of it allows an estate agent who must be one of their biggest customers for revenue to publish a complete lie about the two of you! Priceless and then they try to pretend it is about freedom of speech.

    You probably feel it was all a waste of time and stress for nothing Trevor but please don't. We need more politicians standing up to these bullies whether they are the media or these internet trolls ruining people's lives but not brave enough to do it their own name. Keep fighting because Jersey is becoming a very sick place.

    All the best to you both.

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  15. If now't else you can be fairly certain that your case has allowed the loser John to distrct himself from his empty and embittered life for a few days in making his 100s of false comments. Look on it as a form of charity work that you are doing.

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  16. Coming soon - following on from the Richard Bacon documentary another awareness raising special on the dark side of local politics; internet trolls and the sinister and evil cowards who make all kinds of drunken, anonymous threats to people. Not to mention some thugs who are so stupid that they even forget that they have already told their viotim who thay are.

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  17. Hello Darius

    Indeed, in this first instance the two 'Jurat's had the job of deciding what they concluded as 'ordinary' members of the public. Most interesting of all to me (as you won't be surprised) the fact that they concluded differently to every other person I have been approached by.

    Trevor

    *Obviously I mean 'real' people not demented internet trolls who spoil sites for the rest of us like me, you and countless others who have a genuine interest in political debate and ideas.

    PS

    Is your 'revolution' site still up and running?

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  18. I saw the richard bacon tv show and it was both very frightening and eye opening. The police should be protecting people from these type of sick individuals. This should be the same whether they are in the public eye like you as a politician or an ordinary member of the public like me. Surely locally someone like you and your colleagues would also be protected by PPC or have I got that wrong?

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  19. Hello Anonymous

    You make a very good point in your post though I have to tell you that I couldn't stop laughing as I read it.

    Nothing to do with your post as such just that while you are correct that PPC do have as part of their role to protect politicians this has never been followed through by any PPC that I can remember.

    Having a lot of time for Simon Crowcroft I really hoped that this would change with this PPC. Unfortunately - though perhaps not really surprisingly given the far-right dominance of the committee now - this new PPC are just as inept as those who have gone before.

    But I will touch on this in my forthcoming post in a few days time.

    Regards

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  20. Given the flurry of abusive comments (all emanating from the same source surprise, surprise!) that have just come through did I forget to mention that I will probably also be making use of a quite fascinating recording?

    Listened to it again with a couple of States Members earlier today and to say that they were disgusted and horrified is an understatement!

    Meanwhile, let's get back to comments on Hugo Chavez. This should be 'troll free' as only those of us genuinely interested in politics will even know who this individual is.

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  21. Today I have mostly been painting vertical bars on my window...

    Hopefully help me feel at home when I have to move out west...

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  22. I work at HSBC can I get in touch with you in confidence Deputy?

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  23. Of course. Just use the mobile number or send an email to the contact address. Take it from there.

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  24. Hi,

    I put this on Rico's blog earlier:

    Please excuse this escapade into JEP toothfairyland

    What was the paper copy headline, VICTORY FOR FREE SPEECH !!!

    On the thread:
    http://www.thisisjersey.com/news/2012/04/04/pitmans-lose-libel-case-against-jep/

    Starting at 8:05 this morning I have made 3 attempts to post the following:

    ***************************************

    NAME/TITLE: Soiled Balletpapers
    -----------------------
    "Get at em" @88 -What is the significance of the choice of name - Is that playground talk or is it (troll) feeding time at the zoo ?

    Perhaps Cyber bullying is a big issue lurking under the soil of our fair isle.

    I have no recollection of the cartoon but I suspect that the legal challenge may have had less to do with oversensitivity and more to do with long running acrimony with the JEP which is very unsympathetic to the Pitmans and is largely controlled by their political opponents and associates.

    Also, a political cartoon by the large estate agent Broadlands - This is Jersey but it is unusual to see such overt political involvement by business; usually it is behind closed doors or at the golf club or temple bar.

    ***************************************


    2 of my posting attempts have failed - wish me luck for #3 which was at 9:24 pm

    To mis-quote Animal Farm: SOME SPEECH IS MORE FREELY REPORTED THAN OTHERS


    My name "Soiled Balletpapers" is chosen to ridicule the hijack of the Electoral Commission and has not been deemed inappropriate by even the JEP CENSORS


    Am I upset? - NO, I am little annoyed but totally delighted by their continued CENSORSHIP because the more they do it the shorter their power and money loving, child abuse apologist organisation will last.


    Wake up Jersey - You may have voted but you did not choose the election winners or the government - the JEP did in 2011 - never again !

    Did you vote for Bailache? - will you vote for him again ?

    JEP - "the TOXIC heart or the Island"
    It costs you more than the 50p cover price - Far far more !

    H.

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  25. The jurats are laymen but are not a replacement for a jury.

    A jury hears the judges directions on law and then goes away to consider the case in private.

    The jurats go away with the judge (who has a casting vote in the case of a draw) and discuss the case with him in private. The judge and the jurats are very good freinds.

    Interestingly, another person who sits in judgement on the rest of us, and makes rulings on arguments between two opposing qualified Jersey lawyers is Bridget Shaw.

    Like most of us, she holds no qualification in Jersey law.

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  26. First of all you need to study Sun Tzu

    Secondly you judge a man by either the company he keeps or that he professes to admire

    Chavez is a serial subjugator of Human rights www.hrw.org/Americas/Venezuela

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  27. Hi

    I put the post up from the Chevez hater simpky to show how ill-informed some people are - how it suits some people's interests and motives to spout ill-informed nonsense.

    With a keen interest in Chavez and latin American politics generally I am under no illuision that he is any more perfect than the rest of us.

    However, prior to the fairly recent government refusal to renew one newspaper's licence any serious student of politics will tell you that the private and opposition controlled press in Venezuela has freedom to attack and tell lies about people that would not be permited in any democracy of the west.

    Should anyone have any doubts about this then they should pobder that the 'media' in question had actively supported overthrowing the democratically elected government and firing on and killing innocent members of the public - all prior to trying to pin it on the government!

    Wise up - watch the documentaries.

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  28. Big Trev

    have you ever considered charging the troll for the service you provide him? I mean if he didn't have you to focus his rants againsst what would the poor little chap do all day with his time? You are probably saving us taxpayers a fortune in counselling costs!

    Agnes

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  29. A interesting thought, Agnes. But if someone hardly ever works such charges would not be fair, would they?

    What I find particularly odd even for the troll is that his rants even extend to attacking Hugo Chavez - presumably for no other reason than because I have written about this individual. H obviously could not even try and keep it objective but the usual hate-filled, spittle-flecked abuse. Sad really and obviously not going to get published.

    For readers information, however, the troll seeks to suggest that I am saying Venezuela under Chavez is some kind of 'paradise'. As any rational person can quickly see by reading the post above I have made no such claim whatsoever.

    What I am saying - and this is backed up by many authorative accounts from respected writers and, indeed, even personal contacts of mine in the country - is that for the 'average' man and woman and particularly the very poorest Chavez has made inroads into improving things. Just as important he is acknowledged as the first president to really attempt to do this.

    But do I suggest this president is perfect? No, troll. Try and grow up a little. Still, if your obsession with this blog keeps other more vulnerable people free from your sick and cowardly fixations - fair enough. Keep ranting...

    But for any who are genuinely interested in the subject matter and prefer to read rather than watch documentaries. I would suggest two books that are well worth reading.

    I sugest these particular works because I don't think there is much to be gained from reading any of the gushing, nothing-but-praise titles OR the anti, and often even hate-flled far-right American tomes at the other end of the spectrum either.

    The two I recommend are, in my view, and in that of others I respect, fairly straight down the middle assessments of Chavez, his policies and what he is attempting to do. I haven't got either in front of me as I have loaned them out. But off the top of my head the first is by Richard Gott and the other by Bart Jones. Hope I got that right. You should be able to find them on the net.

    Trevor

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  30. Richard Gott? I haven't seen that one over here. Evo Morales in Bolivia is another fascinating and very brave democrat your readers might want to reade up on Trevor. Good to see one part of the world where the fair and equality based politics of the left are winning through. If only we could catch up before it is too late.

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  31. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!

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  32. In the interests of promoting more free speech is there any chance of someone putting up the troll's finest three minutes, as caught live on tape? Lubbly-jubbly!

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  33. As a keen music fan I could possibly be persuaded to help boost the 'career' of a famous 'recording artiste'...

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  34. As I have too much on to get the next post up before next Tuesday I will just post my two oral questions for next week's States Sitting here instead. The full list should be on the States website by now too.

    Question to the Treasury & Resources Minister:

    "Given the comments of the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer that he was shocked to discover how the wealthiest members of society were able to structure their finances to pay virtually no tax, has the Minister made any similar discovery in respect of Jersey yet and what measures, if any, is he planning to introduce locally to ensure that a level playing field exists with regard to taxation?"

    Question to Minister for ESC

    "Given the requirement of the Code of Conduct to be as open as possible will the Minister clarify why he is preventing an elected Member of the States from recieving a full copy of the Sharp Report in support of researching a proposition?"

    Look forward to the non-answers!

    Trevor

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  35. States members can't have copies of the Sharp report? Could this be anything to do with jurats or former bailiffs?

    Surely the JEP will take this up if you tell them? They are very keen on transparancy and free speech apparently.

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  36. Team Voice

    Thanks for the link to the documentary. Readers should be aware to another version still doing the rounds (even though long having been discredited) using the same stolen title plus x-ray of a lie.

    This was made to try and cover up the sick instigation on the part of the traditional establishment/wealthy 'elite' media in the deliberate killings of ordinary people to try and trigger and justify their attempted coup.

    For all of this still worth viewing once you have become aware of the true facts as captured in the original documentary and by commentators such as Pilger and others since.

    Trevor

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  37. Anonymous.

    Please tell me that this was humour?

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  38. I was talking to one of your colleagues today and he was laughing his socks off at the trolls impending imprisonment. He reckoned it should happen within two to three months. Can you shed any light on this?

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  39. In answer to a post that I haven't used because of the usual childish abuse. No, I have no difficulty acknowledging shortcomings with Chavez nor do I feel any need to try and defend him from criticism.

    Please read the post again and try to make comments accurate to what has been said and I will be happy to use them. I do find it a bit odd that for all of your criticism you appear unable to accept the established fact that Chavez is recognised as having done a lot of very positive things; though certainly not succeeding in all.

    I am happy both from my own contacts and reading respected writers that there is simply no comparasion between the corruption before Chavez and that still existing now. Of course, it certainly pays the US to continue to peddle such propaganda about all who stand up to the 'Empire'- just as it has always done.


    Remember the CIA (or was it former FBI) operative who claimed with a straight face that Pinochet was not only the creator of modern Chile but did not have thousands of his own people tortured, raped and killed?

    Then again Margaret Thatcher was an apologist for the mass murderer Pinochet too, wasn't she.

    Perhaps you should also listen to the interview John Pilger does with the multi-millionaire who has exploited the system for years and yet now, whilst sitting in his huge, plush mansion tries to tell Pilger that under Chavez 'it is like the Bolshevik revolution in Russia.

    Pilger politely points out the absurdity of such a comment. There are no people attempting to break down his door or steal his property etc. The sheepish response to this reality is basically 'Well, yes, but now we just don't know which way the country is going'

    I don't know about you my anonymous poster but when you have two arguments the closest truth is often found somewhere in the middle. But at the bottom line would I rather share a drink with Chavez or George W. Bush? What do you think...

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  40. Hi

    Apologies for delay in new post. Promise to try and get this up during the weekend. Still catching up on case work.

    Quite possibly I will actually be putting up two posts this coming week all being well. All sorts of subjects...legal, PPC, Codes of Conduct, ESC, Sharp Report, bullies still making drunken, threatening phone calls...so much it is difficult to choose.

    Not to mention some serious thank yous that I must make for the huge number of cards, e-mails, phone calls and the like of support. They have certainly given me a boost - almost as much as some very useful information I stumbled upon today!

    But what gave me the biggest smile? Knowing that a drunken bully just can't help himself...Oh how I laughed at his stupidity...

    Great thing Karma. Tick-tock...

    Regards

    Trevor

    *PS

    Having not updated for a few days I will also go back through the comments and check if any are still relevant to put up anyway.

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  41. Troll.

    Thanks for the latest abuse.

    Yes, be putting up a recording of you in action very soon. Maybe a few of your emails too...

    Only fair that the public know the facts, eh...

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  42. Just heard from one of the dockers at Troys that Grant Thornton have been appointed liquidators. John Shenton (Dick's son) is a Director there. Surely this is a conflict of interest given the Shenton family's long involvement with Troys?

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  43. Go see the War on Democracy by John Pilger on youtube...amazing

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