....and on the causes of crime

an excellent thought provoking article from the Guardian . A scorching indictment of the way in which we deal with young offenders. I see plenty of them through my work and can only nod sadly in agreement. It will come as no suprise to anyone reading my Blog though to hear that I personally load a major chunk of the blame on our school system. When young people lash out seemingly mindlessly at bus shelters...cars..shop windows...whatever...it is often a misplaced way of getting back at some idiot teacher who humiliated them and a system which makes this almost inevitable. Lots of other causes...abuse..lack of love..parental support...but kids first become aware of "them" " the enemy" authority which is against all you stand for....your way of life on the estate...your clothes..your practical skills...your lack of knowledge of Wind in the bloody Willows.........at school.

Horse Sense

I remember reading a quotation from the late 19th century to the effect that if people continued to pile into London at the current rate....the city would be 6 ft deep in horse muck within 5 years.... all those carriages and landaus etc... Well it didn't happen, but it would have been kinda interesting if it had done...London could be the world's biggest mushroom farm by now.
Point being...things change...both in terms of behaviour and technically. Goodbye hoss muck...hello carbon monoxide !
There are plans afoot to track car movements by satellite and charge per mile...per journey etc.
Another approach would be to ask why we all pile into the towns and cities in the first place. Notice the amazing difference in traffic levels during school holidays.... how much quieter it is outside the main rush hours.... Regular reader(s?) will notice a hobby horse galloping on stage and an old chestnut beginning to sizzle and split.... technology now gives us the possibility of working more from home..and in particular...devolving education.
I long for the day when the present schools are demolished in the same way as the old Manchester textile factories. I long for the regeneration of local communities with small learning centres and work stations. More people not only living...but working in a village or suburb.
Swords into plough shares...multi storey carparks into mushroom farms...?