“If they shared it all out tomorrow Vixfinn, by the end of the week some would still be penniless. . But as that is never going to happen I think it's about now you want to start thinking about closing your little red book and opening a bible.

But before you do that play this film again. . I assume you've seen it already, and listen carefully to the beef farmer at Gidleigh, Devon, and dairy farming husband and wife on Mendip. . They just want healthy herds and healthy badgers around them again. . There is only one way that will ever happen. .

http://tinyurl.com/66l9ud9”

“The people's flag is deepest red,
It shrouded oft our martyred dead,
And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold,
Their hearts' blood dyed its ev'ry fold.

Then raise the scarlet standard high.
Within its shade we'll live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here.

Look 'round, the Frenchman loves its blaze,
The sturdy German chants its praise,
In Moscow's vaults its hymns are sung
Chicago swells the surging throng.

Then raise the scarlet standard high.
Within its shade we'll live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here.

It waved above our infant might,
When all ahead seemed dark as night;
It witnessed many a deed and vow,
We must not change its colour now.

Then raise the scarlet standard high.
Within its shade we'll live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here.

It well recalls the triumphs past,
It gives the hope of peace at last;
The banner bright, the symbol plain,
Of human right and human gain.

Then raise the scarlet standard high.
Within its shade we'll live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here.

It suits today the weak and base,
Whose minds are fixed on pelf and place
To cringe before the rich man's frown,
And haul the sacred emblem down.

Then raise the scarlet standard high.
Within its shade we'll live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here.

With heads uncovered swear we all
To bear it onward till we fall;
Come dungeons dark or gallows grim,
This song shall be our parting hymn.

Then raise the scarlet standard high.
Within its shade we'll live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here.

1889 Jim Connel.

It isn't about Labour Charles, it's about socialism. Just as when alls said and done it isn't about badgers, but mans inability to share the planet without playing God with other species. Cull or not, there's something very unbalanced, unequal and unfair at the core of Britain.”

“I was getting people jailed for a abusing their fellow human beings when you were still just a twinkle in your Daddy's eye Vixfinn..

And don't ever kid yourself that Labour policies have ever had anything to do with Social justice and compassion. . Labour and 'Liberal' policies have destroyed traditional family life in this country on their altar of the 'class war', leaving us in this drug ridden state where the old and frail are completely disadvantaged by those who have been brought up to 'know their rights' and play the system. Our society that once took great pride and always strove to try and better itself, now just celebrates it's total lack of couth.

http://tinyurl.com/4xe9gwe”

“Yes each to his own.

http://tinyurl.com/6q8yml”

“Then I am baffled Charles. Your poem evokes thoughts of socialism and care for your fellow man. Yet much of your writing seems decidedly anti-Labour and dare I suggest somewhat Tory.
Your concern at animal rights overtaking the rights of human rights seems unusual when put beside your concern for cattle (albeit, at heart a concern for peoples farming livelihoods).

Each to his own Charles.”

“I see you are up to your your usual attempt to devalue any informed opinion and comment Vixfinn. . It is not a "personal perspective". I just happen to know what I'm talking about when it comes to tuberculosis, and it's not in the nature of the agricultural community to get involved in disputes. And anyway the majority don't have the time, which is why the badger protection of badgers was not properly objected to in the first place. . . Except that is, if any of my family or any of the very many animals in my 'domain' become infected with M.bovis, I will be looking to the courts to bring all those who've caused this travesty to unfold to book. . I have been speaking up for the oppressed and those unable to defend themselves for a very long time now.

WHEN THE SEASON IS DONE
Copyright 2004 by Charles Henry

When the old lady comes by, I try and smile.
She'll always stop and stay a while.
Her husband died, and she's full of sorrow.
She knows we'll not all be around tomorrow.

As long as trains still run on time.
No one now cares who's been left behind.
It might be an old soldier with a broken spirit,
Or a travelling player, just here on a visit.

Most of them now have their reasons obscure
But more likely you'll find they're completely unsure.
Each of them now at very low ebb.
The least we can do is find them a warm bed.

So remember tonight when you settle to sleep,
Many are still out here without any heat.
It's the Season now of Love and Goodwill,
So let's try and make sure that they all have their fill.

And when the Season is done, and we've all had our fun,
For many this will just be the beginning.
Of another hard year, when they'll all live in fear,
A sad past. No future . . . There's no ending.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And this Published 7th. August 2008

Dear Editor,

The withdrawal of co-proxamol; the pain killing drug prescribed to hundreds of thousands of Britons every year, primarily because of its frequent use in suicide, is another disturbing symptom of this government that has now become obsessed by 'surveillance and control.

Not content that we now have to pay an obscene price for what are very cheap-to-produce generic drugs like aspirin; by forcing their supply only in small quantities; they have now turned a very effective drug that was previously only a few pence for a tablet, into a 'black-market' drug that now costs the state upwards of £20 for prescription in exceptional circumstances only; and then at the discretion of the physician. . At these times when health budgets are being squeezed we all know what that means.

The right to take your own life was established many years ago and this action brings to the fore once more the governments failure to establish proper protection for those who assist in a loved one's suicide. . Or indeed any civilised means for those who no longer wish to have to endure a disability to end their lives.

Obsessed by 'animal rights', they have been fanatically making laws at a higher rate than any previous administration, whilst always failing abysmally in their primary duty of care to the human population.

Yours

Charles Henry”

“Charles- I would be interested to know why you are so vociferous in support of this cull from a personal perspective. Are you a farmer with genuine concerns? Or are you in anyway connected with an organisation likely to profit financially from a badger cull in Somerset, Wilts or Gloucestershire?

Of course you don't have to share this but I feel it may shed some light on why you have kept yourself so well informed of the opposing argument "for" a cull and indeed why you support it.”

“We cannot afford to wait 20 years for a new applyable vaccine for badgers.

And anyway we urgently need a new one for the human population first.

The fact is, we once conquered this problem by clearing badger setts in the locality of any herds with reactors, and culling all and any reactor cattle. . The national herd was clear of disease and all herds in the UK were officially designated 'Brucellosis Free' in October 1985. . That is 'all such pathogens'.

The gassing of badgers ceased in the late 1970s and the testing of cattle continued. . . In 1986, a total of 38,000 herds comprising 3,200,000 cattle were tested, resulting in the slaughter of just 506 cattle that reacted to the test. . The latest position with around 25,000 being slaughtered is neither acceptable or sustainable.

The only way we will ever have a clean badger population again is if we first close down all the infected badger setts in the same way as we cull cattle to get clean herds.”

“According to Defra (http://tinyurl.com/3lx9pn8) Developing a TB vaccine for badgers and cattle is a long-term goal and a substantial part of the Defra research programme focuses on this. Total investment (since 1998) in vaccine development reached more than £17.8 million by the end of March 2008. Over £5.5 million was invested in cattle and badger vaccine research in 2007/2008. We are told that real progress has been made yet a vaccination for cattle is STILL not available as efforts have, instead, been concentrated on a vaccine for badgers.
From DEFRA:
'Options for vaccinating cattle against bovine tuberculosis' published by Defra, indicate that cattle vaccination is a viable option for the control of bTB. (Ref. 2)

Bacteria which causes TB is always in the environment and all animals are susceptible – not just cattle and, so it is highly unlikely it will ever be eradicated. The TB policy and the nightmare of testing is becoming increasingly difficult for those who keep cattle therefore vaccination would seem to be the most logical course of action".

A tough one, vaccination of cattle or badgers is also fraught with problems. Yet everywhere culling of badgers has been trialed it has not been a resounding success. More research is needed on vaccines. We cannot irradicate a whole species of indigenous wildlife.”

“Badger vaccination plan 'guaranteed to backfire'
28th. May 2009 by Joanne Pugh. FARMERS GUARDIAN.

Vaccinating badgers against TB was not only impractical, but could promote the spread of the disease, according to independent TB adviser, Ueli Zellweger, speaking at Beef Expo last week.

The Swiss-trained vet, now based in South West England, said Defra's plan to inject badgers was 'guaranteed to backfire', as there were only two 'golden rules' regarding vaccination; and this would break both of them.

The first rule was to 'never, never vaccinate a stressed or weakened animal', but trapping and manually injecting badgers would do just that, he said.

Stress compromised the immune system and the effectiveness of the vaccine, but more seriously, a weak badger would fall down the social pecking order and be forced out of the sett, increasing perturbation.

A displaced badger trying to join a sett would lead to fighting, with a high risk of TB transmission. A weakened badger with no sett would be more likely to forage in a farmyard, depositing infected excretions (saliva, urine and faeces), putting cattle at risk.

The second rule was to never vaccinate against a disease when you have 'even the slightest suspicion' the animal already had it.
Mr Zellweger said apparently healthy animals could be carrying TB, but their bodies had 'walled it off', keeping it contained. Vaccinating those animals could boost infection and lead to badgers shedding a lot of bacteria.

Testing a badger before vaccination was not a solution, he said, as that would involve keeping it caged for several days, further stressing and weakening it. A stressed animal would give a less accurate reading to a test not particularly reliable in the first place.

Mr Zellweger also cast the vaccine in doubt, saying the human BCG vaccine was known to be of reduced efficacy and 'poor at protecting most animal species'.

Who would prescribe the vaccine, he asked, saying it would be a POM-V, like most animal vaccines. He doubted vets would get involved and said Defra was mistaken if it thought vets and farmers would fund vaccination long-term.”