15 May 2017
Now just in case you missed the news today, that actually happened. Cathy I Love You.
As I said in my first post the NHS have bent over backwards and been there throughout. The news today that nurses are to go on strike saddens me deeply. And the news about MRSA and cuts and millions of pounds being spent on a daily basis is bombarding us in tweets and pictures wherever we look. It’s been like that for ever. Hasn't it?
Let’s take a look at how I see it. The massive hack at the weekend was a result of having outdated software. We all rush out to grab the latest gadgets as soon as they come out. Take the iPhone you’re reading this on, or tablet, or laptop. All have software built in to kill them in a few years’ time so that you have to buy a new one. We all want the latest because we are bombarded with flashing TV images adverts for everything the big boys upstairs want us to buy.
Well some bright spark up high decided one day that instead of buying new computers it was better to get more managers and share the load a bit. Just like he'd been taught at his last high paying job. “Don’t really understand what all the fuss is about” the old boys would say, “it will never catch on”. So that’s why the hack happened.
If the old boys had bothered to read the news, support for Windows XP ended April 2014 which meant whoever did the hack had three years to figure out how to do it. You can go onto YouTube right now if you want and be using next door’s wifi in about ten minutes after watching a five minute video. So if you’re sat downstairs right now and you think you know what's going on, you don’t.
The government to this day uses Windows XP on the trident missile system. The Law Society has all its databases on Windows XP, as does the DWP. Councils, hospitals, and doctors are all using outdated computers. If you go to your local library just take a look. It might have Windows 10 but the machines are antiques.
“Too many chiefs, not enough Indians” is what we used to say.
Theresa May was berated by a voter with a learning disability who has suffered cuts to her benefits as the prime minister mingled with members of the public in Oxfordshire. The Conservative leader was confronted by Cathy Mohan in Abingdon Market, who said she could not live on her remaining benefits of £100 a month after the replacement of the disability living allowance with the personal independence payment.
May said her government had “a lot of plans for people with mental health [problems] in particular” but the voter continued to challenge her. “And learning disabilities, because I’ve got mild learning disabilities and I haven’t got a carer at the moment, and I’m angry. And I would like somebody to help me, because I can’t do everything I want to do. I’m talking about everybody, not just me. I’m talking about everybody who’s got mental health and learning disabilities. I want them not to have their money taken away from them and being crippled. The fat cats keep all the money and us lot get nothing.”
May tried to interject but the voter continued: “Do you know what I want? I want my disability living allowance to come back. Not have PIPs and get nothing. I can’t live on £100 a month. They just took it all away from me".
Every disabled person in this country has enough to deal with on a daily basis. But the crap you get because of all the cuts is an insult. The situation is dire. People are living in poverty and just about surviving. Some spend less than £20 a week on food and survive on handouts from the foodbanks. Which is just another way to get rid of stuff the big boys used to throw away. I have become one of those people and it’s not a nice place to be.
I used to take a lot of photos but my camera and lenses are currently residing in the local Cash Converters. Every couple of weeks I, like many, have to go down and renew it so I don’t lose it. You are caught in a trap. You miss a payment, it’s gone. I had to pawn it to survive.
I've lost weight and people are starting to notice.
When I had PIP I went shopping. I had food in the fridge. I ate a proper breakfast before taking my meds to stop the painful stomach cramps I get if I don’t. I'm getting used to them now though. You are stripped of your dignity and become invisible.
I hope you did see the news today and I hope that if you know anyone who is disabled take time to be nice to them. Find out what's going on behind the big act that you have to put on to appear normal. One of the side effects of my illness is unsteady footing, I stagger about a lot and have lost feeling in my left foot. I have constant backache and fatigue. My eyesight is bad and I have two pairs of glasses.
The big smile is all an act. Underneath I am scared. Frightened about the future and currently alone.
I have my two cats Eduardo and Derek which give me a reason to get up in the morning and every day is a struggle both mentally and physically. I used to be up for days out every night. Now I can’t make it past seven o’clock before dosing myself up on medication and falling asleep only to wake up at three in the morning and write this. Then it’s back to sleep for a couple of hours before the first plane wakes me up or noise from the cars beeping wakes me. It’s only that I have a few close friends around me I cope.
Today was a bad day, I tried to get a disabled freedom pass from the Council. Five years ago you could walk through the door and present your paperwork which would be copied and date stamped to prove it had been received. You would then get a ticket with a number and be seen by one of the many staff who would then put it on the system.
Fast forward five years to today. I got on the train £3.10. Walked in to be told to send the paperwork to a PO Box. “We don’t do that anymore and you need to apply online”. Progress people. The whole thing because of Government cuts so they can have a pay rise.
Now I know these are only my opinions but I hope she turns up on my doorstep to canvass for a vote. Because I have things to say. This isn't going to go away. I have a permanent degenerative disease. PERMANENT - not going to get better - going to get worse. No cure.
Those words are hard to deal with. Then all the cuts happened and have created poverty around the country. 11,000 people a week in Liverpool surviving because of foodbanks. More in London. In five years we have gone from thousands to millions of people using food banks just to survive.
It’s all very well putting everything online. But you’re forgetting about the older population. We’re basically killing them off. It’s a completely different world now. Don’t make them suffer anymore. It was bad enough going on the Government’s only online computer course back in the day where you could learn Powerpoint, Word and Excel. Great if you’re going to work in an office not so good if you’re stuck at home.
As with everything there are lots of different sides to the story. I talk to a lot of old people and they don’t understand it and they don’t really want to. When they need something online they ask a relative or friend. I try to help. If any of this helps another human living through the nightmare that is the system then this has been worth the many hours I spent typing it. The rich get richer and we are living like animals to make them so. Those on high look down and see the beggars and basically laugh at us all. It’s alright - you’ve worked and paid more tax - sorry less tax - so you deserve it. Sod the nurses. They are used to the food banks and soon they can pay their own tuition.
What's for dinner?
Sean Ryan
98 Brockley Grove London SE4 1EQ
07482 988 316
Comments