How the State educates us silently, by Press Release, TV ....

The silent and frquently non-working Talk - Talk cyberpost has fluttered 2 Gubment e-mails through my letter box - which neatly illustrate in different ways how the State is now designed to constantly manipulate our lives and minds.

1 . The Department for Culture, Media And Sport (National) (DCMS) send the first, James Purnell who we are suprised to learn is Culture Secretary has found £1Mn. in the back of a drawer to "boost Rural Tourism"

£750,000 of this bonanza goes to VisitBritain, to promote rural destinations and visitor attractions - " vital to the economic health of local communities." which added to £1/4 MN they already have is going to be pissed up against the wall - fund from this weekend (there's planning for you) a targeted marketing campaign for the regions of England and businesses such as B&Bs, caravan parks and attractions. (We will just overlook the DEFRA PR note about Foot and Mouth precautions being taken in Kent - miles from the Surrey outbreaks received as we speak)

Mr Purnell is today visiting the Courtyard Theatre, home of The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford-upon-Avon, and Hatton World Farm Village in Warwickshire are lucky enough to have Mr Purnell visit them today - "Britain is open for business. Right across the UK there are fantastic cultural and tourist attractions putting on high quality events." he said.

"Government commitment to additional marketing funds comes at an opportune time for England and particularly rural destinations" which means that the NFU has been given us a hard time about FMV and the Floods so we'll spread a bit more largesse to help the rural poor (and ITV) - TV advertising will be brought forward while the launch of Britain's Favourite View on prime-time national television is also helping inspire day trips and longer holidays throughout the English landscape.
Which makes you wonder if Mr Purnell has been listening to the Happy campers of Heathrow or Mrs Beckett the Happy Caravanner...isn't there something sinister how the Gubment want to spend out money telling us where to go on holiday ?

2. The Department for Work And Pensions (North West) (DWP) under the odd title "Working parents do their kids proud", tells us they asked almost (?) 500 primary school kids (kids - is that we used to call children) how they felt about their parents having jobs, and nearly three times as many children (46%) said that they actually liked their mum or dad going to work, compared to those who didn't (16%). In fact, almost a third (31%) said that the fact that their parents worked made them feel proud.

Other research carried out by One Parent Families (AKA Gingerbread **** Pres. J.K.Rowling) on behalf of Jobcentre Plus among lone parents, had highlighted that 49% of those who were back at work felt more worried about their children as a result blah , blah, blah

Denise Nixon, a specialist Lone Parent Adviser at Jobcentre Plus, is quoted but I won't bore you, read it here

So my dear, if you feel guilty - don't worry , we've asked 500 kids and they loved missing you out at work ... if you are working as a hotel chambermaid on the Minimum Wage the Gubment are also spending £1Mn driving customers your way.

The UK Gubment through it's incredible range of agencies is the biggest advertiser in the UK - insidiously these pompous patronising Jobs worths are producing this pulp fiction, ready for instant sub editing by the unthinking, uncaring press.

GingerBread ****
"Half of all children living with a lone parent are poor, twice the rate of poverty in couple-families. 41% of lone parents have gross weekly household incomes under £200, compared to 8% of married couple-families and 11% per cent of cohabiting families."

"Most single parents are already working and those who are not either want to, but can't find affordable childcare or a job that fits with school hours, or have very good reasons for deciding that their children need a parent at home to guide them for a time. "

"Wherever there is a one parent family there is a child who does not deserve to be poor or to be stigmatized, a child who deserves to be raised with the same love and attention and receive exactly the same life chances as any other child."

J.K.Rowling. President. One Parent Families