Could do better

I seem to have so little time to write anything these days. I think I'll try and put more effort in. It seems I start things most days, but never finish them. Here's what I wrote yesterday.

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It seems that the number of prisoners in England and Wales has topped 81,000 for the first time. Evidently we put more people in prison than anyone else in western Europe. Apparently, for every 1,000 people in England and Wales, there are 1.47 people in jail. That seems like a lot, and it appears that the total number of people in jail has doubled since 1993. I wonder what the population was in 1993. A further 8,000 prison places are planned, but only about 400 are available today.

The plan is to let non-violent prisoners out early in an effort to ease the situation. People are of course not happy about that. I can't understand why there appears to be no change in the crime we see on the street, despite the fact that more poeple are being sent to prison. One can only conclude that prison isn't working. I've said many times that prison doesn't appear to work as a deterrant or a means of rehabilitation. Around 65% re-offend within two years of release. That means it can only work as a means of gaining revenge, or just as a means of keeping criminals off the streets for the period of their incarseration.

***

I should keep writing, just to keep my hand in. Asimov says writing is like a drug. True writers have to write every day, or something inside them dies.

Here is the cartoon which I won. I haven't received it yet. I don't know how long it takes to get to me. In fact, I've had no confirmation other than seeing my name on the web site. I'm looking forward to it coming.



Apparently there is a huge row errupting in India currently over a new vibrating condom product. The problem springs from the fact that birth control products are legal, but sex toys are not. This product appears to be both. What's worse is, the comapny producing the product is government owed. You'd think the world's biggest democracy might have more important things to worry about.

I'm planning to take my family to the local Chinese Supermarket at the weekend. I've never been there, but I'm told it's good. More news on that after the event.

The co-founder of lingerie company Agent Provocateaur, Joseph Corre, has turned down his MBE because he finds Tony Blair to be Morally Corrupt. Sir, I salute you, couldn't have put it better myself. Sadly his wife accepted her honour. That has to be a bit emabrrassing for just about everyone doesn't it? Corre made the point of saying it wasn't the queen he had a problem with, just Blair. He said he couldn't find it in his heart to accept an hounour from Blair because Blair was not an honourable man.