Death Of Flickr - And the User Firestorm

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Spider Corporate hunting for the magic market of flying demand trends is getting sicker. Mind the Web is turning sticky and stickier and some trapped flies are pissing on the spiders with that anti web sentiment cream known as "boreine". You know, that liquid that moves from a tar like state to a black goo rotting corporo webs as it drips  

Time to seek out new rotting sites that smell mucky or perhaps sweet enough to land on - say some of the flies . The butterflies already migrated or are in the process as corporate warming heats up the polar areas of the internet and they dodge the methanes...

The point is the corporates are trapping flies galore and so evolution begins again and a cycle of adapation has to take place otherwise you cheeky flies are trapped in Google or Yahoo or Facebook muck-webs

Flickr's days are over as a good site with too much sticky Yahoo-ism in the background and Google-ism and oh god that masturbatory Wastebook Muckerbergism . Can Users save Flickr from Marissa Blonde-Sword of the sweet and nasty spider tribes where the those who live and suck on the hill smile as they kill .... Good old John - that was a good song ...

SAMPLE OF FLICKR FIRESTORM BELOW : 

[Official topic] Feedback on today’s site changes

Thea Lamkin says: Egads! Such a lot of new stuff came out today, and we're sure you're itching to tell us what you think about it. This is just the place for all of your questions, concerns, suggestions, and other non-bug related comments about: - The new Home page - The new Photostream page - The new Photo page - The new Set page - The new Search - Other design changes you may have noticed Let's keep all the feedback in one place and let everyone have a chance to be heard. Kay, Emily and I will be reading everything you have to say, and responding when we have the time and information to do so. Thanks everyone, and Flickr on! Posted at 2:20PM, 20 May 2013 PDT ( permalink ) Thea Lamkin (staff) edited this topic 17 hours ago.

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(101 to 200 of 9,966 replies in [Official topic] Feedback on today’s site changes)

	Yersinia says: What sohvimus says. And what Catsy says. I find it absolutely unusable. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	. december . says: This is really cluttered, messy, and awful. I really wish we had the option to change back to the old view. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	hbp_pix says: I hit refresh and the whole screen completely changes. What the Hell? The "justified" view of photos is VERRRY slow. How can you get away from it. Where are the stats?? Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	kitsch&curious says: Absolutely appalling. All the familiar, usable points of reference have been lost. The home page is a nightmare - just a few massive images that are out of my control. Seriously, I want to leave now. How do I get a refund on my pro account? Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Pink Paramount says: Please give us an option for 'classic view', I am not liking these new changes at all! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	solipsistnation says: This interface makes it significantly harder for me to share photos with my family. It is more difficult to see comments, and comments are truncated. That's ridiculous. In addition, the active scrolling functionality makes the page slower and more annoying. This is not a step forwards. It's flashy, sure, but it's annoying to use. One of the things I LIKED about the previous interface was its relative simplicity and the way it showed me what I wanted to see. There was a summary of photos from friends and family, small enough that it didn't take up the whole page. This way, I'm going to have to pretty firmly prune my contact list so that acquaintances don't overwhelm the people whose photos I most want to see. If I wanted to share photos on Facebook or Tumblr, I'd do so. I don't; I want to use Flickr, or at least I did before today. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	jlbruno says: Stats page gives me a 404. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	línus hrafnkell línusson says: no nonono NONONO Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	day-at-the-beach says: I'll need to figure this out before I give it the thumbs up or down. The one thing I loved seeing is that flickr will support longer videos...it is the one complaint I've had, even with a pro account. Now, off to figure it all out! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	phill.d says: More idiotic changes forced on us without even letting us know, or give us an option. This is complete crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Foden Alpha says: I dislike the new look and would like an option to change back to the previous look I've been used to for years, thanks. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	richardr says: Assuming the photo I want to set as my photostream cover photo isn't one of the last 100 uploaded and I don't want to upload it a second time.. can I actually do it? Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	paperfairy. says: Mary Faith.: I agree, this new upgrade seems to be lagging up my comp. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Lynne Lamb / paintistworks says: No, no, no, no ,no......it's garish, fussy and makes everything too fussy....!!!! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Raising Cane says: Wow!! Yuk!!! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Itinerant Wanderer says: I've hated most of Flickr's changes through the years but this one really takes the cake. Change it back!!! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Presidio of Monterey: DLIFLC & USAG says: While understanding the reasoning behind the layout change (making it more mobile device friendly), I feel that for your CORE users this is not an improvement. My suggestion would be to change it back or at least offer a toggle option between the new and old layout until people learn how to more effectively use it. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Passing Time says: What Crap, Why oh Why. If its not broken don't fix it. Could you explain to us user's why you have inflicted this change on us.? Do you people actually use Flickr or is it just a Job.? Please change my account back to what it was on 20th May 2013 Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	ifotog, Queen of Manhattan Street Photography says: really big MISTAKE! give me back my old Flickr. I can't see and organize my photos. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Roger Wyrick says: Horrible! The new format is awful, Please return the old format. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Tea in Europe says: It dont even work cant add to groups or sets either, is this a late April fools Trick flickr is pulling on us all ? Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Lune Rambler says: How do I change my photostream back to Small and my Group back to Thumbnail? What is this obsession with Huge.....is there no taste on Flickr??? We had the option to change size before.... Where is the option to change to something visually pleasing to individual tastes??? Please show an Option - on Photostreams and Groups - to change the size. A Big Please, Pretty Please Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Zoom Lens says: What the friggin' hell is this cockeyed mess???! I uploaded your precious Chrome, which I loathe, despise, and hate, to get this confused mess to be somewhat visible...I tried to use the link to change the layout of my page back to photos visible on one side with sets visible on the other and when I clicked that link is said I followed a bad link. I don't know where anything is. I have no clue how to use anything. I hate when people make ridiculous and unnecessary changes and expect people to poke around and find out how this half-broken mess works!!!!!!!! GIVE US AN OPT OUT! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	homebuiltpcs says: What have you done? This does not work at all :-( Is there a way to change it back? The old interface worked so much better. I can't even use this on my tablet now, and I'm sure it will be even slower on my netbook. Can you please give us an option to retain the original interface? Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Rat_Salad (sorry, can't comment on all!) says: Undo the changes completely please - or at least give users the option to revert to the old look and feel - this new look is appalling!!! The layout is confusing, everything is oversized and overbearing. Slapping me in the face with such a messy load of disorganised clutter that makes it difficult to work out what is happening is not the way to assume that I will continue to pay for a Pro account! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	gillean55 says: Absolutely appalling. Change this back right now! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	jonbbon5 says: what a bloody mess if you want to change it give people the choice my view is i think i will stop using flickr Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	hbmike2000 says: You are an idiot! You did a test, didn't tell anyone, out of the ones who did find it, not ONE liked it and yet you did the change anyway. I do not want to view a stream of EVERYTHING on my homepage. Tumblr already exists and just because Yahoo bought it doesn't mean change all sites to Tumblr! I already HAVE tumblr and don't need another web site just like it. Are you going to ignore EVERYBODY on the site this time like you ignored everyone who was in the test group? Yahoo did so well with the new homepage on the Yahoo site, how can Yahoo do so BAD on the flickr site? Feedback I love change, I really do but there are NO redeeming value to the load of crap you people have put out Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	J.L.Digital Photos says: I want my money back going to leave Flickr and find a better site !!!!!!!!! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	cdresser70 says: The new layout sucks! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	3311491469c6a50f8f52ad2747bf4a11 says: It is awful and awfully slow!! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	L. Kay says: I liked the old way. Not the way it is. Where are the comments from other people? That what motivates me to post. Now I can't find them. What are you going to do? I hope you are not going to leave it like it is. If I wanted to post on Facebook, I'd be on Facebook. This change is awful!! I've been with Flicker since 2008, I won't post another picture until this is fixed. Does anyone know about other photo sites that are not screwed up? If so, send me a link. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink ) L. Kay edited this topic 17 hours ago.
	Zoom Lens says: What the friggin' hell is this cockeyed mess???! I uploaded your precious Chrome, which I loathe, despise, and hate, to get this confused mess to be somewhat visible...I tried to use the link to change the layout of my page back to photos visible on one side with sets visible on the other and when I clicked that link is said I followed a bad link. I don't know where anything is. I have no clue how to use anything. I hate when people make ridiculous and unnecessary changes and expect people to poke around and find out how this half-broken mess works!!!!!!!! GIVE US AN OPT OUT! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	www.dnurv.ca says: how do i get rid of the blueberry header...or am i suddenly shooting still life in my sleep... sorry to hear Yahoo has a bid on tumblr...i'm sure they'll find a way to make a mess of it you know what they say...if it ain't broke...call Yahoo Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	beqi says: What Simon_K said (on page 1, by now). I liked the uncluttered Flickr—I even became used to the newer page designs, and I don't like this horrible Farcebook 'experience' with everything everywhere. It's ALL TOO BIG! I want to be able to view photographs from different people when I choose, not when you choose for me. Who's paying you for all these pro subscriptions, eh? I'd also like to decide for myself when to load more images. It's a bandwidth hog, which costs us more money and slows our browsers down. We're not all surfing the web on quantum computers you know, Yahoo! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Paul Michael Wilson says: I'm afraid I don't like it either, it's too much like what Microsoft are trying to do with Windows 8, cramming everything into your eyeballs at once and it just makes everything a mess. And now I have to wait for all the pictures to load before I can click on one to view! Some images don't even fit on my laptop screen without scrolling! Please give us the option at least! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	David Fullarton says: This is a total mess, not an improvement at all. I just clicked on the edit layout link to find out it's dead too. Is there any way to get back to something similar to the old layout? I really hope so. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Laurette Victoria says: Very messy! What idiot thought this would be a good idea. Please return to normal which I found very easy to use. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	A damned fool with a camera says: I find this new layout so confusing and difficult to use I could easily fall out of love with Flickr rather permanently. Is there any way I can opt to retain the old format, please? Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	patrick h. lauke says: Keyboard accessibility could be improved enormously. double up some of those :hover etc styles to also react to :focus, and make sure things that appear onmouseover also appear onfocus. Surprised this wasn't addressed properly right for launch, as I thought Y! had quite a good #a11y track record... Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	coolerclimes says: Absolutely horrible - change it back! It is VERY USER UNFRIENDLY! Not good for the eyesight. Please give us back the old look - PLEASE. I will have to find a new photo site, as this is wasting too much of my time trying to find things and getting them to work. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Sewwunderful says: this sucks! please give us an option to take it back to the way it was.......... my account will be coming due to renew soon..... and if it stays this way.... that ain't gonna happen! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	EABNYC says: Thea Lamkin: I HATE this!!!!! How can I get the old set-up back? HATE IT! HATE IT! HATE IT! I can't see my pictures and other people's latest pictures at the same time, so I don't know what's new; There's this huge, ugly black screen with comments only. If this is how Flickr is going to look from now on, I want off. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Shine&Sparkle says: The Photostream pages are very hard to view, too many pictures, far too big, much too close together, it confuses the eyes and the pictures each distract from each other so it's hard to look at anything! Plus, the captions are hidden. And no sets on my photstream page anymore... Don't like it. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	JEA & JEA says: In NO way, Shape or Form an Improvement...It's Horrible actually and doesn't work properly nor can it be changed to what your PAYING customer may want to see..Did I mention PAYING customer who wasn't Notified, consulted or asked... Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Bailey (& Muppet) says: I want the option back to have my homepage in the way I like it. I do not want it in this way!!!! NOT HAPPY with the changes !!!!! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	jimf_29605 says: HELP! I want my old flickr... Please give us a "Classic" mode button. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	welshmanwandering1 says: Its SHIT!!!!! I for one will be leaving if it stays like this.... Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	BlueFairlane--Will Be Leaving Soon says: Oh, I absolutely hate this. This just makes me sick. I've been a flickr devotee now since 2007, and it's become a very big part of my life. I've always, always been happy with the layout. It was clean and had plenty of white space that let my photos breathe. Now this is just a jumbled mess where everything is shoved together. It's just ... chaos. It's visual vomit. I would like to at least have the option of maintain the old look. If not, I'll very sadly be done with this. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Zoom Lens says: This sucks more than anything you've ever done! My wife came in to look at my photostream and said, "Good god! That's terrible!" In reference to your new layout. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Lluniau Clog says: Yuk, yuk, yuk! WTF is going on? The new look is a complete mess, on top of being ugly. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	SenebDesign says: I use flickr daily for work (educational), and it is now incredibly difficult to get the information I need for copyright purposes. PLEASE have an option to change it back to the classic view. I also have a pro account and the reason I pay for the account is I liked the simplicity of the site. This is not simple or user-friendly. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	J.L. Keet says: This is just horrible, I can barely navigate. Seriously, what was wrong with how it was? Please change it back! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	ladyluver2011 says: Please Yahoo what are you doing now. You guys seem to like to change things when the old things don't even work right half the time. Now I can't access my pics or anyone else's because your silly little blue and pink dots just keep spinning and spinning. I already knew Yahoo was a second class organization but now I'm about done with this! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	jenniferbeinhacker.com says: i clicked in the regular flickr yahoo and got a new home page.."smile jenniferbeinhacker.com" here's what's new" oh no...i think i am in a bucket test...or is this for real i truly hate the way this page looks....and it is not user friendly. there was an X to click on and i did but the page did not go away. any advice? staff...i hate it hate it hate it. unwieldy, hard to use, can't fid anything, looks terrible why why why did you have to do this???????????? and since it's here and although you are asking for our thoughts......i know it won't go away no matter how many of us hate hate hate it thanks in advance for all replies and help. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Grant Simon Rogers says: How do I revert to the old ON WHITE look. On black should be an option and not compulsory. Sorry, it looks awful Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Ed Durbin (Katodog) says: Horrible, horrible, ridiculous, horrible, shocking, horrible, blindingly stupid, horrible, ridiculous, and did I mention horrible? No joke folks, I'll delete my account is I have to stare at this ridiculous layout. This is insanity at its best, you can't do anything now because it's all destroyed and mish-moshed and relocated, and destroyed, and ridiculous, and horrible. But of course the folks at Flickr don't give two-craps about our opinion, so don't expect it to change. Sucks, because I always liked Flickr, but the delete button is within arms reach right now..... Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Rachel Lady loves Middies says: The new look makes me glad I didn't sign up for a Pro account :/ Pretty please change it back! This reminds me of the movie "Elizabethtown"... a fiasco :P Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink ) Rachel Lady loves Middies edited this topic 17 hours ago.
	dr_urbanus (Martin) says: Hate it hate it hate it hate it. Change it back PLEASE. As someone said, all the familiar points of reference are gone. Too much going on, too busy. Old design was nice and clean. CHANGE IT BACK!! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	Claude@Munich says: I really don't like it that the design has been changed without being asked! How can I get back to the old design?! I don't know how to send my photos to a group....... Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	joeke pieters says: This is terrible! Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	BarkingBill says: This is really a bad idea. Please return us to normal service quickly please. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )
	SolarSanction says: This is ridiculous. If I wanted this, I would have just gotten 500px. Change it back. Posted 17 hours ago. ( permalink )

Purple Bunny And The NHS Green Walrus On Jam Tomorrow Island -

 

 The NHS Green Walrus On Jam Tomorrow Island  by SilvisRivers on Flickr.

 

"Well" said Purple Bunny of Bunnington-On-Ward - "We all know that NHS Walruses with Snail Hats can certainly sit fatly down upon the re-birth of the Phoenix-ash-Bird . It's a case of big over Ass over Ash  written :

ASS

                                                        ___         =      Jam Tomorrow Land

ASH

 

You see,  paying for old rolling-on ways, conflicts with simple things like Patient Choice Wing mechanisms - practical mechanisms where money follows the patient and aids health. You see Oh Walrus,  those resources you take,  create lost opportunities for others, who need the resources to grow their own ways in targeted individual ways.

Of course a patient-choice culture in mental health will never grow or find it's sticks for its crippled feet, so long as it is kept inside it's own crippling fears and co-dependencies with staff in need of long term retirement plans . But of course,  the years of Jam Tomorrow "User Involvement" led this way - with Service Users (patients) given little more than an assimilated voice in the years 1997 - 2010 and a lot of pseudo-representation . 

Now its monocultural CBT and charitised "recovery" with dubious provisioners . Here on Jam Tomorrow Island the truth is both felt and seen and blows rue-fully through the Holey-standing-stones. "

Then Purple Bunny sang :  

The Green Walrus

"Snail-hatted and slicked with old sea moss and weed
Fat-Sat the walrus denying real birds of captured need
But listener it was to beached tunes and other's deserted strings
So it could turn the sands of Time into bottom sinking things
And therefore sit 'til being bones on lost chance's imprisoned wings .."

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Discovering Jam Tommorrow Island

Jam Tomorrow Island

Impossible though it seems
He made it through a Phoenix sea of dreams
Through the sunlit waters of yellowed creams

To the island of rock jammed lost Do-nutted screams

It's always down to us
The mess , narcissisms and lack of trust
Our moral failures, yours and mine
Ashes to ashes dust to dust
How some of us just never shine
Or get the jam or get the crust
Oh , pine pine pine

So walk upon the shore
Bare-souled bare-feet
Examine each zero rock
Accept the grace beyond defeat
Listen to winds and the hollow tunes
Leave graffiti sobbing in cartoons


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Purple Bunny's Lesson On The Phoenix Jerk In The Box

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Courtesy Artist : Silvis Rivers 2011

If you are a rabbit of light 'n purple sense
Then watch manipulation by the cleverly "dense"
Keeping others there , on the dependent shelf
For rich careers and the pensioned Self

You'll never be able to flow
Cus these fekkers play your lives
And never let go

One thing's for sure
They'll fight dirty, make it look clean
Show others up
While playing keen

And that's the ash you are sitting in
The polluted Phoenix
That changes to sin
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Politically Engineered Messes

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Engineered

There's nothing to fear
The Parties are here to engineer
With welfare pressure and a kick
Up the butt
And falling fired scaffolding
And tightening your nut

In a country where bankers can
Quietly rob
And you "blackies" must get
A void for a job

In London's gold streets
You've missed your role
Or was it undercut
By an EU Pole ?

Go burst the petrol dam
Let out the fire shoal
The volcano egg's hatching
Careful, its catching ....

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The National Association of LINks Members Press Statement

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Toon Courtesy Of Art De Rivers


Below is a press statement we picked up and decided to publish :

The National Association of LINks Members


Healthwatch Pathfinders Starved of Funds

Secretary of State forgets his "nothing about me without me" mantra

Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State for Health will today announce the details of 75 LINks (Local Involvement Networks) the local health and social care watchdogs, awarded Pathfinder status by the Department of Health to support their development to become Healthwatch organisations.

LINks are set to ‘evolve’ into Healthwatch in October 2012 with greatly expanded duties. But whilst millions are being given by the government for the organisational development of Pathfinder Clinical Commissioning Groups (£7milion in London alone), Andrew Lansley has plans to give absolutely nothing to Pathfinder LINks.

NALM finds it incomprehensible that that whilst money has been found to be used by the DH for LINk Pathfinder evaluation, networking and shared learning with LINks, that no money will be given to the LINks individually to run their leading edge Pathfinder work.

NALM’s recent report ‘Evolution or Abolition’ showed that LINks, have suffered an average 24% budget cut, and some cuts as great as 70%

Malcolm Alexander, Chair of NALM said: LINks are run by volunteers and have a major role in monitoring the quality and safety of NHS and social care services from a user’s and patient’s viewpoint. To expect them to run successful Pathfinders with no additional money is frankly insulting to the excellent and committed volunteers across the country, who strive to make LINks a success.

The launch of Healthwatch Pathfinders today is a hollow event. LINks have a vital role in monitoring services, and we expect the Secretary of State to value their great contribution, by funding the development of Pathfinders.

We (NALM) call on Andrew Lansley to show that the government values LINks and is committed to Healthwatch by producing funding that will enable them to development into powerful community organisations.

Malcolm Alexander NALM Chair

Community Health Councils Landing In Birmingham?

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Captured Using Telescopic LINk Fade-ar Plus Intuition

It was spotted orbiting over Birmingham UK . Neither man, nor aeroplane, nor bird - it was a Local Involvement Network (LINk) body (of health monitors) - slowly fragmenting and burning up suitlessly without enough resources and LINk oxygen as it entered into Birmingham Council bureaucracy and the political atmospheres of the new building of the HealthWatch giant rocket . Yes it is certainly rocketing LINk .

It will be all things to all citizens and will take a whole populations concerns on board . Or will it ? Will it lift off ? Will it be too heavy with its lead weighted ambitions ? Will it be mobile enough and will it be over-captained with far too many compartments? You ask good questions ...... !

Sources reveal to us that there was a Health Adult Overview Scrutiny Committee meeting at the Birmingham Council on 13th July 2011 . One Labour Councillor (from Birmingham South) there reportedly said of the Birmingham LINk :

"The LINK is dead in the water " - "HealthWatch should be moved on with " -

- and words to the effect that :

"Community Health Councils as a model are desireable so long as they are well run and professionally staffed ."

So now you know what is partly likely to happen because of the failure of the Birmingham Local Involvement Network and its poorly dis-unified un-strategic LINk Core Group (now virtually de-commissioned) i.e. it is likely that a set of institutions that were always predominantly white and middle class in Birmingham will resume in time. The CHC's - with a few sprinklings of politically correct Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups ?

Once again white middle class dominion rules ?

A council related document towards the shaping up of HealthWatch that is circulating, does show also predominantly white middle class (a South Birmingham bias ) Councilllors too will have the reins over the shape of HealthWatch . This is in a city with over 50% people who are BME.

Does anyone who is Black and Asian feel really confident about that ? Get in touch - we'll hear you out - leave a comment . We are not happy about this development of Birmingham white middle class white re-surgence of influence either . This is fair comment too on what we have seen so far .

In the HealthWatch Project Initiation document we have seen it says :

"Communications and Engagement plan (June-July)

1. Commissioners, councillors and other key decision makers engaged in discussions

2. Key decision makers include Cllrs Anderson, Tilsley, Rudge, D Alden and Bedser; Peter Hay (Strategic Director); Denise McLellan (Cluster Chief Executive) and the Public Health Transition Board. "


These are the people who will shape your Birmingham HealthWatch in the future. There's no doubt some of these folk have real ability, but are they representative of all Birmingham - really ? What happened to Asian and Black representation right at the top?

No-one is certain about the survival of proper monitoring methodology either that holds both Council and NHS to account . After all the Council are pretty much in control of the HeathWatch budget and its likely sponsored HealthWatch CHC model is still remote ..You might bet though it will be dominated by South Birmingham interests and mind sets .

We are probably looking at more years of post CHC, post PPI, and post LINks, tumbling group chaos, instead of a simple format for citizen training all lay people who want it, in their various local groups, into how to examine services delivery levels and failures and remain independent so they cannot be bought off by subtle favours from services with allegiances to mainly one professionalized class in Birmingham.

Is the CHC a social "analogue" model in a Birmingham society that is woven with many layers and in need of modernisation both socially/mentally ? The CHC model was in itself top down and corporate and frankly would it with a few tweaks somehow guarantee that a crisis like Mid Staffs would not happen ? What was the failure there ? Just poor systems of monitoring? Or was it "collusive" turnings of heads away from more obvious problems more outspoken people were trying to bring attention to ? Was it a situation where vision was locked out by all who wanted not to see it ?

Beware a mono-cultural approach .

HealthWatch Birmingham bottom up localism ?

Not a chance !

More to be a lord and ladies
Middle Class "made-ies " dance ?

Lets see if we are wrong ..

UW

Birmingham Gets Targeted By Mobile DWP Sherlocks

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Its true ! Sherlock Holmes is on his way to Birmingham with a mean machine mobile squad of experts to look at all the benefit claims in Perry Barr and nearby Kingstanding Birmingham . We'll show you the DWP material later claiming this .

What is striking about both of these places is they are traditional working class areas that lost out when de-industrialisation gradually took place all around the Perry Barr area from the years of Margaret Thatcher right through to the promises of things "can only get better" with Tony Blair . There is a lot of knackered up people in these areas.

Now the motto is "Things can only get bitterer" as benefit claims are reviewed and reviewed till the new terror comes home . The new terror is a jobless economy and busted up working class that is not going to magically recover because politicians desire it . Yet the pressure is on to be seen to be "doing something" . It makes good press though and it does point to a genuine unresolvable anxiety that somehow the country just aint going to make it without a "working class" ... Can you remake a working class from the disabled or the unhealthy ? More to the point - who will make and sell what ? Who will compete with low wages in China and India ? Who will magically reinvent the 19th century free market conditions of europes ascendancy which carried on into the 20th century and has now ended in the 21st with masses of invented money and masses and masses of borrowing and banking debt .. ?

Does it matter ? Politicians have got the fox in sight ... Ride it to ground, and rip it apart with the hounds ... Amazingly 19th century isn't it ... Over to the DWP's own text below :

[QUOTE from 8th July DWP Press Release]

"Benefit cheats are being warned today that a new Mobile Regional Taskforce to combat fraud will be visiting their area. This new team will target all high risk postcodes across the country re-examining claims for benefits and Tax Credits.

The Taskforce is the latest crack-down on benefit fraud by the Department for Work and Pensions and HMRC alongside local authorities, and cheats are being urged to admit their crimes and pay back the money before they get a knock on the door.

Lord Freud, Minister for Welfare Reform said:

"The new Taskforce is our latest weapon in tackling welfare fraud on the front line. We are sending a clear warning that if you are fiddling the system, you will be caught. Welfare fraud is a crime and takes money away from the most vulnerable.

"People who are receiving the correct benefits and Tax Credits have absolutely nothing to fear. But if people have deliberately not told us of a change in circumstances, they should do so now, before the team comes knocking at their door.

"Alongside the Taskforce we are bringing in the Universal Credit which will simplify and automate the benefits system. This will make it much easier to catch people who make false claims."

People who tell the Department about a change in their circumstances before they are found out by the Taskforce will have to repay the money they owe, and, depending on the seriousness of their action, may face an additional punishment. Anyone who doesn’t take this opportunity and is found by the Taskforce to be committing welfare fraud could be prosecuted and fined or imprisoned.

David Gauke MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury said:

"This government will not tolerate money which is meant for those in genuine need being siphoned off into the pockets of cheats and fraudsters.

"The new taskforce delivers on our commitment to tackle benefit fraud and together with the extra £917 million we have re-invested in HMRC sends a very clear message."

The Taskforce will start on 25 of July in the Perry Barr and Kingstanding area of Birmingham. People can also report a cheat on the National Benefit Fraud Hotline number 0800 854 440 or online via: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/benefit-thieves"

Now For The July Birmingham UK Protests At Cuts

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By A UserWatch Correspondent

There is a public meeting called for on July 20th 2011 in Broad Street Birmingham UK and it is a protest about £33 million spending cuts being targeted on disabled people and others in vulnerable groups .

Considering there has been a High Court case rolling back of Birmingham City Council's ambitions to cut £51 million, and a lot of it on disabled people categorised as within substantial needs, this looks like an evolution to a road to defeat to the Tory/Liberal held City Council .

It will not happen just yet - but it will happen, as other types of squeeze occurs on the disabled population who have some robust law to protect them coupled with welfare benefit changes that look set to actually claim lives and have done so already according to mental health charities (See also the suicide of Paul Willcoxson aged 33 )

UW

Birmingham Local Involvement Network Gets Reduced

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Tied To Action ? Or Is It A Jailed Approach ?

The Birmingham Local Involvement Network, a statutory health monitoring body, has only been funded lately for 7 of its Action (health monitoring) Groups according to sources and a text we have been sent. The funding in place for the Action Groups is only for the months of July , August , September-end . From Oct there will be a new contract and a new Host and there is likely to be new governance in place .

The Birmingham City Council have not funded the LINk Core Group which appears to have become an over-bureaucratic body riven with dissenters and some say it has been "useless" in terms of having any real role . The Action Groups appear to have proven that action is what counts and inward looking bureaucratic meetings do not . Its wastes money and time .

The function of the LINk Core Group was to manage the strategic directions of the overall LINk but it has not enamoured itself to the Council it appears . Neither did it succeed in creating a credible link between "elected" Core Group members and their suitability to be aiding the strategy of the Action Groups . This has been a topic of conversations in several Birmingham circles that have criticised the LINk Core Group .

The email text from Birmingham City Council regarding the reductions of support to just the Action Groups is below :

"Dear LINk Member,

We have now negotiated with Gateway Family Services, the existing Host organisation, for continued LINk Host maintenance for the Birmingham LINk to cover the three months from 1 July to 30 September 2011. We have established continuation of support for those LINk Groups that contribute to health or social care outcomes. On this basis, support for up to one meeting per month has been agreed for the following Groups:

Birmingham East and North Action Group
Enter and View
Heart of Birmingham Action Group
Older Persons Action Group
Mental Health Action Group
University Hospital Birmingham Action Group
Women's Health and Maternity Action Group

We would like to see all of these Groups working towards achieving benefits in health and social care in line with a work programme that is based on evidenced local need. The wider governance arrangements will be revisited once the new Host's contract has started in October. This approach has been agreed and endorsed by Councillor Sue Anderson.

In addition there has been provision for 4 consultation events over the 3 month period; the Birmingham LINk website will be maintained; the 0800 number will continue to operate; and, the insurance cover will remain at the same level as currently. Gateway will be processing LINk member expenses for activities that have been agreed in advance.

The Host is currently drafting a work plan for the three month period; further details will be issued once available. Many thanks for your continued interest and hard work in the LINk.

Head of Policy

Birmingham City Council
The Council House Extension,
2nd Floor,
Margaret Street,
Birmingham
B3 3BU"

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Mental Health Economics - Why Has The Sun Gone Square?

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Mental Health Economics UK

Finally it happened : with all the rest of world economy going insane, the Sun squared up and started to get letters going across its face . We discovered "Sun Text" ... It was all too predictable though ... Shine on brightly ? Nah.... Whine on brightly squarely we say ..

At UserWatch we had cosmic warnings long ago of this from "One-bar" the alien from the planet Electric, who told us bullshit particles were massing on Earth more than anywhere in the universe . We also have a pet wolf and polar bear in the UserWatch office who act as "instinct compasses" that have sniffed the human air and vomited often ...

"Everyone in the Galaxy comes to study Earth because of the colliding forces which create so many virtual bullshit particles that have a nature to spin about and lie in one direction or another or another or another " - stated "One Bar" the alien . "Its a question of Rantum Physics (a planet Electric discovery) .... "

"Its fascinating" said "Switch Off" (from the same planet) - " Earth's bullshit particles are so vigorous and wiggly, you could mistake them for snakes - is this why you had a Garden of Eden with a skin shedding character in the original tale ? "

At UserWatch we agree with the true-aliens - take the new snake-soap therapies in the UK designed to get everyone back to work when there is no prospect of competing with the China syndrome and the hungry migrators whose own blasted out countries have enough death-in-life particles so you have to run away from them.

Iain Duncan Smith (UK Dept of Work & Pensions Secretary Of State ) - him of the: "kill the disabily fekkers club" - with work massing gassing camps, which also produce work for a company who employ a post SS tribe of Doctor Clipboardmen, whose corporate name looks like "HATE-US" , has stated in the Daily Flail that immigration to Britain has soaked up a lot of the available jobs that no-one who is kicked off disability benefits can get because the "migs" have them ..

Picture Courtesy : Silvis Rivers July 2011

Can you blame the "migs" (migrators) ?

Who wants to live in cratered existentialism in fucking useless economic countries where lower-end but high-volume production has emigrated to a factory in Wing Wang where the Wangsters live ..... ?

Logically in the mental health economy UK - you get CBT Cog-native tribe therapy to recover from depression from being out of work, only to become more realistically depressed about your death in life because a Wangster has got a job you might have had ..... Unless you just married a royal or live with £20 notes defecating from your arse like a banker who really needs stuffing with two barrels of high velocity shotgun pellets ..

Can we save the Sun from going square ? Is there a physics to protect us ?

No ...

No more than we can control our global social economies to produce for real needs and not half a world of bullshit. Remember, economics is dominated by the cheapest unit-price and the cheapest cost of labour and then you'll remember our own demands create hell sooner or later for someone. You clever recallers - you have defeated the fashion of amnesia.

Who needs balance ? Contradictions are maintained and we make the politico-economic particle winds we are pushed along by .

Take the "new" now mainly failing mental health services in the "recovery" sectors - where under Labour (2000 - 2010) so many false bureacracies propped up a kind of false service economy in mental health which some of the fitter mental health "recovered" Users traded off. In that diversionary costly economy (£3 - 400 million est.) - front line delivery never saw patient choices in mental health , and though some "patient choice" budgets were piloted - they were minimal - designed right at the end of a Labour Govt that prefered system economics and mass delivery as though everyone exists as clonal Cog-native types .

We can never forget a web post by a well known "Mental Nurse" who claimed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy was just another "tool in the kit" .. Yeah ... To tighten the loose nuts no doubt ... Who needs individuality when you can have state-top-down mechanics with their engineered contradictions and threads which do not fit individuals .

Put the Car-gnitive workers back to work producing invisible cars ?

The reforming Carbon Dioxide company "CO2" - does not need more car workers but rather eco-workers to harness a simpler economics after the hyper wave of burned out over production. We all need a gentler existence that is not dealing with the post trauma of post industrial family life and its mass class alienations but that might mean making the Sun round again .

See-ing the circularities of nature and mass particle build up of contradictions is way way overdue . Will the Sun give us time ?

Will we ?

Lets say a prayer in purple ....

The Birmingham LINK Lazarus Breathes Again?

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Article From The Blogosphere Elsewhere

[Just in case you do not know - LINKs stands for "Local Involvement Networks" - the health & social care monitoring bodies that are supposed to hold the UK health and social care services to account .]

In its May 26th 2011 document The National Association For LINk Members writes :

"The ‘HealthWatch Transition Plan’ makes it clear that the decision whether to transform a local LINk into HealthWatch through a process of evolution, or abolish it and establish an entirely new organisation, rests with the Local Authority.

We object to this – we believe it would be wholly unacceptable and an appalling waste of resources, for a Local Authority to abolish a LINk after three years of creating a local people’s champion in health and social care.

Destroying organisations set up to monitor health and social care is disruptive and undermines the safety of our care services. Evolution and transition to HealthWatch must be the way forward."

It appears in Birmingham there is only one evolutionary proposal: "The Round Table Proposal" so far argued to take forwards an efficient LINk/Action Group /Local Authority partnership model (to preserve good health monitoring practice) and it has been agreed at least to be trialled from Oct 2011 .

That agreement was negotiated by two Birmingham LINk Action Group leads - the Chair of the Women's Maternity & Health Action Group and the Co-Chair of the Mental Health Action Group . This is clearly shown in a 9th May 2011 letter from the Council agreed by 3 policy and performance officers :

"In general, we would support the idea of a round-table approach, particularly to facilitate the independent monitoring aspect of the LINk. However, we must bear in mind that HealthWatch will have a much larger remit than that of the LINk. Consultation and engagement is a key role of both the LINk and HealthWatch and we feel that this would need further exploration to see how this can be fulfilled within or alongside the round-table proposal.

The transition period from October to July provides an ideal opportunity to trial this arrangement to see if it could be incorporated into plans for HealthWatch (including how consultation and engagement within or alongside this model would be fulfilled)."

NALM's position in its report supports greater independence from the Local Authority as a provider of services and a commissioner of HealthWatch, and it uses a generalization to justify its position :

"LINks have developed over the past three years into influential local bodies that represent the patients, users, carers and the public in key local decisions affecting health and social care services."

Sadly this is not true of all LINks and some have performed very poorly and thus are ripe for a takeover of their functions . There are Local Authorities who have enough evidence of poor LINk functionality and will be in a position to take over large parts of it with 3rd sector partners already in place and positioned to take up the LINk void .

There are strong signs in Birmingham there is a strong player already in place to take up broader HealthWatch functions .

The Birmingham LINk Core Group has now adopted its latest Version 10 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS) on May 25th 2011 though its very late in the day to have done this .

It is unclear how some of those Core Group members view the evolution of LINK to HealthWatch though some do see the merits of the "Round Table " efficiency approach which is intended to flatten down the management, create efficiency of good practice, more immediate peer review, with strategic vision being shared more quickly .

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Birmingham Local Involvement Chair Raj Resigns

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The Birmingham Local Involvement Network Chair Resigns
Emailed Letter To Members passed to UserWatch

Dear Member

We are writing to inform you that we have received notice of the resignation of Rajinder Rattu, the current Birmingham LINk Chair. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Raj for all his contributions and wish him all the best in the future.

Kind regards (officer of)
Facilitator – Birmingham LINk Host

Who can save the future of health monitoring in Birmingham ? UserWatch previously covered how this Health Monitoring body seems to be melting down due to being termed : "unsafe" after it was pretty well ordered to get itself in good order .

It had no Standard Operating Procedures after 3 years apparently and frankly seems a bit of a mess .

It does have some good groups on it and we have seen their minutes and work but it does not seem to "link" well to itself and that problem originates right at its top "Core" group areas who appear to be unable to co-ordinate their own act properly .

UW

HSJ Mogger Attacks Welfare To Wolf Policy

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HSJ Mogger Attacks Welfare To Wolf Policy - -, a photo by SilvisRivers on Flickr.

Well one thing is for sure - we'd all like a serious hero rather than the fecking zero status most of us are but HSJ Mogger - once little more apparently than a squiggle on a page, surely shows the way, with magical claw thinking ... The rest of us can reach for a pillow named "Dave" or even "Gord" since there were secret deals between all parties to feck us up for about 30 years by removing the manufacturing capacity with little serious policy to protect that (unlike Germany) and the over-zealous belief in bugger the working class - let them eat credit and benefits ..and silly fecking retail jobs and social engineering nuttery ..

Was it once pink with freedoms
But it turned cold blue
Did it give you your life
Or bite and bleed you ?

A pattern of hunting
And down with the weak
As it licks their face
And their prospects are bleak

New Norman castles in the land
And the smells of blood
In the air
Its an old old beast
This blue one
That brings despair ...

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Blue Welfare To Wolf Spotted In Yellow Desert

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Acknowledgments To Silvis Rivers Who Sent This In

(Winner of 2010 UW Cheeky Bastards Award)

In the deserts of yellow
Where the policies dwell
Comes the Welfare blue wolf
Snapping teeth of hell

Into your life
And your jobless shell
Leaving suicides and death
For your family to tell

Its blue revenge and hate of class
And disabled animals get off your ass
In five years crossed boned and votes
Will make it pass

But some will be bitten into lasting ash ...

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Jack Gets Pickled By Eric In Sour Form

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Well there's nothing like a bit of vinegar spitting in Parliament and Jack Dromey (Erdington Birmingham) and Big "EK" Eric Pickles have been at it . For sure Labour would have had to create cuts too, but the voting circus money is on a big vote for Labour in two years in Birmingham and a collapse in the votes of Lib Dem and Tories .

The massive cuts which will affect the disabled in Birmingham (4000) - which is part of the welfare to wolf policy, will be echoed by Employment Support Allowance migrations over from Incapacity Benefit this year too . That will bite deeper and deeper and the teeth from the chased welfare foxes will turn backwards onto the largely Blue Wolf .. Boy there will be red and red and red everywhere ..

(From HANSARD) 4 Apr 2011 : Column 724

Tracey Crouch (Chatham and Aylesford) (Con): Will the Secretary of State join me in congratulating councils that have protected front-line services through creative and innovative thinking about their budgets, such as Medway council, which has halved its funding to trade unions and given that money to fund library books instead?

Mr Pickles: I do indeed congratulate them. My hon. Friend points out to those on the Opposition Benches a way in which money can be directed towards the front line. I hope that the right hon. Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) will send out requests that Labour councils similarly to look towards trade unions and reducing their costs.

Jack Dromey (Birmingham, Erdington) (Lab): The Secretary of State has described his cuts as progressive, fair and protecting the most vulnerable. Last Friday, Conservative-led Birmingham city council inflicted the biggest cut in local government history of £212 million. Some 4,000 people face losing their care packages, including some of the most vulnerable, many of whom are in ill health and in the twilight of their years. Is that progressive, fair and protecting the most vulnerable?

Mr Pickles: Let us be absolutely clear: these are Labour cuts. The Labour party was planning £14 billion-worth of cuts, all of them front-loaded. At least we changed the formula to help the most vulnerable. We find ourselves in a position where we know perfectly well that the Labour party would have inflicted even greater cuts on local government.

Service User Matadors Stop Birmingham Bull To Rescue Small Charities

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Stopping The Council Bull In Birmingham

Well it took the small guy - the Service Users in the end to take on the Birmingham Council barons of "fundingless" at the Hight Court and win . Third Sector Online lead the story well :

"Birmingham City Council's decision to cut more than £1m of funding from 13 advice charities in the city was unlawful, but only the three that challenged the decision should have their funding reinstated, a High Court judge has ruled.

Mr Justice Blake ruled last week that the three charities – the Birmingham Tribunal Unit, the Chinese Community Centre Birmingham and St James Community Support & Advice Centre, Birmingham – should have their funding reinstated."

The barons of "fundingless" are those along with other parties that helped to preserve the crazy economy and crazy banking system and the crazy way those who are disabled and in social care or health need will pay dis-proportionately for everyone else having lived off fantasy economics in the UK for quite some time without a manufacturing productive sector. Now you can see what happens when you invalidate a "working productive class" for 30 years or so ..

Neither the hands of Labour or Tories are clean in that and the middle class bureaucracies that sprung up under 13 years of Labour had better look at themselves and re-organise their lives for real work never mind attacking the workless welfare class and the disabled with tabloid media masturbations and prejudice - take a look at the subsidized lives of all and ask who is really fit to bear less and finally generate wealth ?

Or shall we claw the disabled ... ? Probably the latter knowing wolf class world out there.

The pattern of funding less advice orientated charities though is interesting for amongst them was Birmingham Tribunal Unit with a wealth of experience in tackling injustices and complex problems to those on benefits . Quite a number of these 13 small charities targeted were welfare advice type charities - meanwhile bigger charities out there have slurped at the bowls of local health and social care commisioners . We know who they are in Birmingham and as usual in mental health everyone knows who they are that suck off the lottery cash cow and various udder pots of milking money ..

Interestingly a reader on Third Sector Online states the obvious :

"Surely, there is a message here that bigger charities should step to the plate and take the fight against cuts by local councils to the courts. It's the smaller ones and their service users that are leading by example and taking practical action that are yielding results. It seems that the bigger charities are all talk and no action, and too scared to take on the bullies"

We might say some of the big charities are also the "bullies" ... Or the Bull for service user matadors to take on ..

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Detained Mental Health Patient's Special Pilot Study

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Its about time we heard what the patient experience is of how well the system of UK Mental Health appeal tribunals do their job when patients are detained on a "section" . Deprivation of Liberty safeguards are essential for people who have been detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 powers . So here's a March 2011 pilot study by the Care Quality Commission who together with the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council have put together some extra safeguards by really listening to what patient's are saying .

From the report :

"The AJTC is entitled by law to observe tribunal hearings but has no direct access to patients; CQC, while having access to patients, has no statutory right to attend hearings. It therefore made sense for both bodies to work together in order to obtain first-hand information from patients themselves about their experiences of the tribunal system."

And generally reported :

"A ground-breaking report is published yesterday 30th March 2011 on the experiences of patients who appealed to a tribunal against their detention under the Mental Health Act. First-hand information has been obtained for the first time from patients of their personal experiences of appearing before the First-tier Tribunal (Mental Health), formerly the Mental Health Review Tribunal.

The report finds that patients’ experiences of tribunals were diverse, ranging from positive to strongly negative and that delays are a substantial factor in many patients’ negative experiences of the tribunal process.

To view "Patients’ experiences of the First-tier Tribunal" report, click here "

Social Workers In Birmingham Gather And Protest

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SWAN Conference

Film above and an extract below from the social workers Social Workers Action Network protesting about cuts . They are going to meet on 15th and 16th April by the look of it by the Birmingham University . We have had to screen capture their text (its not copyable as text ) and below is their advice about using the social media .. Wellllll it helps if you can copy text for a start ..

Their Full Document/Programme Is Here

We are genuinely not sure where everyone is going with "protest" though and the idea that someone out there or in here or somewhere or others can restore a State where needs can be met . In mental health where needs are often diverted into new ideologies of the day and corporate strategy, the idea of User Involvement was hijacked by careerists some of whom were every bit as greedy and selfish as so called "capitalists" ....Everyone banks on opportunities and bankers just did it too much speculatively (bastards!)

The bigger truth is humans look after themselves all the time and some accumulate more wealth because they are greedy animals at base that want more life opportunities or bigger self reflections to look at . Big brains means the likelihood of big imbalanced egos too .. Yep, people are bastards ...And have a guess what - all of us are people .. Except at UserWatch we are actually dogs that can write ...

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