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Friday, 11th January, 2002
When Real Life Overtakes Fiction
The Equally Evil Or Insane
Presumably to most people the flesh eating, Hannibal Lecter
is a one-off fictional character. A hungry Hannibal particularly enjoyed
dining on human liver with a glass of Chianti wine.
Fictional he most certainly was, but in no way is he
a one-off. In real life there are numerous people who kill their victims,
and eat their flesh, not I hasten to add, always with a glass of Chianti.
Their crimes are ghastly and defy reasoning. Some are
caught. Probably many remain at large.
For those who need to know, more than one cannibal said
that human flesh tastes like sweet pork. It was not mentioned if applesauce
should be served with the 'sweet pork'.
FOUR OF THE WORST
This week Channel 4 repeated the programme Cannibal, which
highlights the murderous crimes, and flesh eating of four well-known
diners on human flesh.
One was a diminutive Japanese, Issei Sagawa, the son of a wealthy
Tokyo industrialist, who while studying at that famous seat of learning
the Sorbonne in Paris, France shot and killed a girl student friend
so that he could eat her flesh.
After being declared unfit to plead due to a form of insanity Sagawa
served 15 months in jail, and was then deported to Japan.
With the help of his family's powerful influence, and the deportation
order failing to state that he should remain in prison, plus the fact
that Japanese psychiatrists were unable to certify him as insane,
he had to be freed.
He is now a media celebrity, and appears regularly on TV, magazines
and newspapers.
The second was the Russian mass murderer Andrei Chikalito a serial
killer who repeatedly killed young people, and ate selected parts
of their flesh, including the genitals of some of his victims.
The third was Arthur Shawcross.
Shawcross is a Vietnam veteran who, it is said, first satisfied his
taste for human flesh when he ate a piece of a child that he said
had been wired to a landmine by the Vietcong, and blown-up.
According to Shawcross the heartless Vietcong wired young children
to landmines, and when USA soldiers rescued the children and picked
them up the mines would detonate.
When Shawcross returned to the USA he continued to satisfy his taste
for human flesh by murdering his victims, and then eating them.
He ate part of the genitals of women.
The fourth was the well-publicised Jeffrey Dahmer.
Dahmer was the homosexual serial killer who, it was said, killed
his young male victims because he loved them, and needed to posses
them.
When police raided his home the fridge, and freezer, was well stocked
with human remains. There were also bleached bones and skulls that
Dahmer had carefully preserved.
A psychiatrist was astonished that Sagawa was walking
the streets a free man, and expressed his doubts that Sagawa would forever
stifle his hunger pains for human flesh.
Shawcross will never be released from top security incarceration.
Chikalito was hanged.
Dahmer was murdered in a shower room in prison three years
after being sentenced to life without parole.
There are a number of other cannibals who failed to make
it on the Channel 4 programme, and whose bizarre crimes are too gruesome
to unnecessarily repeat.
THE OBVIOUS MADMAN
In my view the only obvious madman in the Channel 4 programme
was Chikalito. You did not need a degree in psychiatry to know he was
mentally unhinged. His eyes told the full story.
If Shawcross opened the curtains covering a window and
told me at 10 o'clock in the morning that it was daylight outside, I
would need the result of a lie detector before I would believe him.
Nevertheless his account of children being wired to land
mines by the Vietcong may be true.
AN INESCAPABLE FACT
An inescapable fact was that the noticeable serious decline
in the physical and mental state of Chikalito from the time of his arrest,
and trial, a period for which he was kept in the inhumane, brutal and
totally unacceptable prison regime in Russia, was revealed for all to
see.
This obvious example proved beyond all reasonable doubt
that those who advocate the return to the horrific bad old days of the
British penal system, when a prisoner was treated as if he was a member
of the vermin species, are terribly wrong.
It is unbelievable that a civilised country like Russia
continues to incarcerate people in torturous prison conditions that
have stood still for hundreds of years.
Russia is not alone in having a brutal and archaic prison
system that is a disgrace to civilisation.
Even reasonably wealthy countries like Thailand, Turkey,
Indonesia, and China are no better.
Very similar conditions are rife in Third World countries.
India, Pakistan, and many others are all guilty of degrading vicious
and merciless criminal Human Rights abuse. Gaols in Jamaica, Zimbabwe
and other African countries are particularly horrendous.
THE ACADEMY'S OF CRIME
With the benefit of vast experience I am able to say without
fear of contradiction that there isn't one sane former prisoner that
suffered intolerable hardship and indignity under the revolting British
old penal system regime, who will not say that his brutal treatment
only gave him more experience, and an education, in crime. It also made
him more determined to avoid detection.
Character reforming, training to become a craftsman in
a worthwhile profession, the revelation that there is a life without
crime, and general after-care for a person released from prison to enable
he/she to go straight, has to be the way forward.
However, this does not mean that a sharp early lesson
carefully thought-out would not be correct for youngsters, especially
those guilty of nasty crimes, or foolish behaviour that could disrupt
their future prospects.
There is also no reason why this sharp lesson should not
be an available alternative for youngsters who while on training courses
in prison abuse the opportunity made available to them.
The reason that the 'flog 'em and hang 'em' brigade is
so terribly wrong is that no sane person attempts a crime knowing he
is going to be caught. I always believed I would not be caught, and
if I was caught prison did not have any fear for me. It was the price
that I accepted had to be paid.
FAILURES ARE INEVITABLE
It would be morally dishonest of me to pretend that a
reform programme would have guaranteed that I would have led an honest
and industrious life. It is likely I would have been one of the failures.
In the best of systems involving human beings there are
bound to be failures. In my view the failures should not be counted
because they are unimportant. It is only the successes that really matter.
The failures would have likely to have happened under
any regime - good or horrific.
I strongly believe based upon my experience that there
is hope for everyone under a humane system.
Cannibals waste human lives to satisfy their lust for
the flesh of their victims. Those that destruct human lives to satisfy
a sadistic lust for revenge are as equally evil or insane, and none
has a place in a civilised free society.
The Theatre That Is The Beautiful
Game
Breathtaking Drama At Villa Park
Football is called the 'Beautiful Game', and when Manchester
United beat Aston Villa in a third round FA Cup tie on Sunday, the 7th
of January, the drama was so intense that it left football fans breathless.
The past master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock would have
been proud to write the script.
When Manchester United turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2
win in the dying minutes of the game the excitement far exceeded the
kind usually reserved for the theatre and the movie screen. Only world
championship boxing could compete.
The rush of blood of blood to the head was like a surge
of the White Rapids.
I am a fervent Arsenal fan, but the excitement generated
by Manchester United won me over, and although it could not dent my
deep passion for Arsenal, I was mesmerised by the superb performance
of the magnificent Manchester team.
People have asked me why is it that while other teams
fade away when defeat seems to be inevitable Manchester United will
never-say-die, and their courage and tenacity makes them incredibly
dangerous to the end.
My answer to the questioners lies in two words: Alex Ferguson,
the Manchester United manager.
His players have so much respect and admiration for their
boss that they will never surrender because they know that he too is
a man who will never give up.
A GIANT AMONG GIANTS
Sir Alex Ferguson, to give him his full title, is a giant
among football managers past and present. He is everything a great manager
should be. Sadly, he retires at the end of this season but I am sure
we have not heard the last of Sir Alex in football.
The Manchester United players are worthy of having such
an icon as their manager, and no matter which team you may support you
have to be won over by the determination in abundance that is repeatedly
shown by the MU star footballers.
However, I have to say that when the MU players signed
for the club they made an error. They should have signed for Arsenal.
Now, don't look so surprised!
By signing for the North London club they would have still
been able to wear a red shirt. It would have caused overcrowding in
the already overcrowded cabinets reserved for championship and cup trophies
within the hallowed temple of Arsenal FC, but somehow the space would
have been found.
The consolation for these players is that even superstars
are able to make a mistake, especially off the field.
To be serious, it has to be admitted, even by Spurs fans,
that Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal superstars are not doing badly.
GREGORY DESERVES BETTER
There is talk that John Gregory, the Aston Villa manager,
may be forced to walk the plank, and join the ranks of unemployed managers.
If this happens the Villa fans should revolt.
With limited talent resources Mr. Gregory's team plan
was first class. He knew there was no way that he could match the enormous
football talent at the disposal of Sir Alex so he designed a match plan
to negate his opponent's vastly superior talent - and it worked for
70 minutes; against any team other than Manchester United, (or Arsenal),
the plan would have lasted-out for 90 minute.
Doug Ellis the chairman of Aston Villa is a multi millionaire
businessman. By making millions in business it is reasonable to presume
he is a competent businessman.
If this is a true presumption, and he was responsible
for making his money, then why does he not apply the business methods
that made him millions of pounds to the business of Aston Villa FC.
There is no known reason why Villa should not be able
to compete in the transfer market with MU.
This club has a devoted following of supporters that rival
MU, and any other club; it has a ground capacity of 40,000. In addition
there are other necessary ingredients to make Aston Villa one of the
very best teams in the country. It only needs the business potential
to be exploited to its full, and money made available for John Gregory.
Manager Gregory desperately needs funds to buy players
to strengthen his team. If Doug Ellis is such a good businessman then
he will make available these funds.
Had the Villa team been suitably strengthened before
meeting MU in the Cup-tie, then it is almost certain that MU would be
out of this year's FA Cup, and Aston Villa supporters would be celebrating
instead of having to drown their sorrow in tears of disappointment.
The supporters, and manager John Gregory, deserve better.
Will Tony Blair Become The
First Ambassador To The World?
Britain's Loss Would Be The World's Gain
Is Tony Blair grooming himself to become the Ambassador of the World?
The extremely capable Prime Minister of Great Britain is the ideal
candidate for such a much needed ambassadorial role.
With the full backing of the mighty United States, Europe, perhaps
Russia, and other high-powered countries he would have the authority
to negotiate the ending of any feuding and fighting in serious trouble
spots throughout the world.
His proven diplomacy at world level qualifies him for the role, and
he would be an enormous asset to world politics.
He would also be in a position to put together a coalition team of
people drawn from the countries that support him that would be daunting
to any country intent on causing serious world turmoil that could jeopardise
world peace.
The United States alone are unable to play this role because there
are too many political factions in that country, which make impartial
decisions extremely difficult, often impossible, to be made.
THE COMATOSE UNITED NATIONS
The comatose United Nations is a waste of time, and good money.
Even the name 'United Nations' is a contradiction in terms because
if nations were united they would not need an organisation to resolve
disputes.
Very recently Mr Kofie A. Annan, the Secretary-General of this very
expensive organisation, shared the Nobel Peace Prize for efforts in
world peace. This was worth a considerable sum of money to Mr Kofie.
He shared his prize with the United Nations organisation.
Last year 8.5 millions Swedish Kroner was shared among the Nobel five
prize sections.
Mr Annan has been with the United Nations for most of his working life,
and is well paid for his 'work'.
There were some joke awards last year, but these two Nobel Peace prize-winners
won by a distance. I would like to have explained to me where the efforts
of the United Nations and Mr. Kofie averted a breach of the peace between
any two countries, and where their efforts saved any lives being lost
in the initial conflict between countries?
THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Alfred Nobel left his substantial fortune, derived from the invention
of dynamite, to fund the Nobel Prizes from the interest earned on the
Nobel fortune investments.
Peace is one of the five prize areas mentioned in Alfred Nobel's will.
The will was, however, partly incomplete. Benefactor Nobel simply stated
that prizes be given to those who, during the preceding year, "shall
have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind" and that one part be
given to the person who "shall have done the most or the best work for
fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing
armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."
With Alfred Nobel's wishes obviously indicated how on earth does the
hindsight dependent organisation, United Nations, and its Secretary-General
qualify as winners?
WHILE THEIR PEOPLE STARVE POLITICIANS WASTE MONEY ON GUNS AND BULLETS
At best the intervention by the United Nations appears always to be
with hindsight, and always after terrible atrocities have already been
committed, usually on innocent people.
At the present time India and Pakistan are spending very substantial
amounts of money preparing for war, and are exchanging costly bullets
across their borders.
For these two countries that are forever pleading poverty, and have
millions of people within their countries starving to death, to spend
money preparing for war, and to spend further massive amounts of money
going to war against each other is a shameful outrage, and a gross indecency.
How is it possible for Western governments to convince their taxpayers
to allow them to give generous aid to these countries, when so much
money is being spent on weapons of war?
What is the purpose of young emotional people rioting, and placing
their lives at risk, because the World bankers seek interest on loans
made to countries that claim when the interest on the loans has to be
paid that they have no money to meet their debts, and yet everyone of
these countries has spent millions of pounds on armaments?
The reason that so many debtor countries are forced to renege on their
repayments is mainly caused by corrupt dictators and government officials
plundering the treasury of their country.
It should also be taken into consideration that the money loaned to
these countries would have earned greater interest on the money markets
of the reasonably well-governed countries, and this extra income would
have been available to ease the plight of the people in countries that
are not ruled by evil dictators, and totally corrupt government officials.
Perhaps those emotional young people should consider turning their
controlled anger, in a peaceful manner, on the crooked politicians responsible
for allowing the citizens of their countries to be plagued by widespread
hunger while vast sums of money are squandered on weapons of death.
A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY
If the United Nations was an effective organisation they would have
sent a detachment of high-powered UN members to the sabre rattling leaders
of these two countries with instructions to immediately stop wasting
money that is badly needed to feed people, and they would have ordered
those responsible for the warmongering to sit together at a table in
a locked room, and force them to stay there until they come to an agreement
to settle the dispute within a fixed period of time.
The warmongers should then be advised that in the event that their
arrogance is so determined, and they refuse to come to a peaceful agreement
then the matter would be referred for adjudication to a high-powered
international panel of impartial and esteemed people under the presidency
of a highly respected Judge.
The judgement of this august panel should be binding on all parties.
Failure to honour this judgement by any party should mean the imposing
of sanctions and any other means of exposing the warmongers, and thereby
bring to an end their evil power in their own countries, and outside.
At the slightest excuse, and on a regular basis, well-meaning members
of the media saturate the newspapers and TV with heart-rending pictures
of innocent children, and adults, showing them suffering dreadful hardship
because there is no money to feed them.
Why don't these kind hearts repeat these pictures, alongside, to begin
with, pictures of the Indian and Pakistan warmongers, and give similar
enormous publicity to expose to the world the amount of money the Indian
and Pakistan warmongers, and any other who is anxious to wage war in
any place of the world, are wasting on guns, bullets and bombs that
is desperately needed for spending on food for their people?
Warmongers throughout the world that are responsible for this travesty
should be arrested, and charged with crimes against humanity, and appear
in the dock of the war crimes court in The Hague.
Maybe the defendants would put forward a defence that they could not
take their dispute to the United Nations because this organisation is
merely a front for incompetence.
With good lawyers protesting this defence, the criminal politicians
who order bullets to be fired that are paid for with money that should
be used to feed immense numbers of their starving citizens, may well
be acquitted.
There is a place for the United Nations in the modern world, and that
is a burial spot under Mount Everest.
GB's LOSS WOULD BE THE WORLD'S GAIN
The loss of Tony Blair to his country would leave an immense void,
but as the leader of Great Britain the enormous task facing him to resolve
the many ills that that afflict this country of ours is far beyond the
capabilities of any one person.
It would require, at least, a high-powered team of extremely competent
people to resolve the many countrywide problems. Sadly, such a team
does not exist in the UK political arena.
The Prime Minister has been criticised for spending so much time on
foreign business, but no critic seems to have made the point that the
reason he has to do the work himself is because there is no member of
his cabinet that he could send with confidence to do the job properly.
Jack Straw, a failed Home Officer minister, is the Foreign Minister.
Need any more be said?
Tony Blair would be wise to consider becoming the Ambassador of the
World. He is a natural winner. If he stays too long in British politics
he is likely to eventually become a loser, if only because the essential
team support is unavailable.
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