Red Tape RED OCTOBER

I've been a vocal opponent of ALL forms of regulation for some years now as readers of this blog know too well. Not only that I am against ALL forms of reconditioning of the workforce. By that I mean this current epidemic of forcing people to go back to school to learn futile facts and figures that have questionable bearing on the abilities of free thinking individuals and wont improve their chances in the work environment.

In my own household my partner (who is half Armenian and half Russian) and I have both experienced this absurdity recently. She is a regulated (ahhhhhh!!!) translator and interpreter with the UK Justice System and registered in Russian/English and presumably English/Russian too although she speaks 5 languages in total. The insistence by her trade body (?) that she take more exams to learn/re-learn/regurgitate her Russian/English is puzzling to say the least especially as she keeps being offered to do work by the UK Courts/Police/others in English/Armenian. One would assume quite innocently perhaps that the people running the trade bodies/agencies might actually read their computer screens. In her case she's taken countless exams already and passed them all with distinction.

I'm not so lucky though. I'm one of those (few) people who fit into the "educated but **** at exams slot" that society today doesn't cater for. I think I have one A-level at a well known English Public School. Interestingly my son, now studying for a degree in History at a top 20 University (one that wasn't once a Poly), got countless O levels mostly A*'s, got 3 A levels two of which were A*'s, took an S level or whatever the modern equivalent is (another great Pass), often says to me..."how do you know these things Dad?" as if he's challenging an OxBridge Professor. He went to the same PS for his O's and crossed the road to the Grammar for his his A's. How is it that he's so good at exams along with millions of other brainy kids who all seem to have similar achievements? I'm sorry but I'm part of that small brigade who really do believe that society is less professional, less knowledgable despite these qualifications and access to easy information c/o the internet.

My partner came back from Moscow the other day with a copy of "The Moscow Times", an english newspaper. Are there any Russian papers in London other than The Standard (note my brother use to go out yonks ago with the current editor I recollect, lucky chap)? I doubt it. Anyway I was struck by a headline "Medvedev Wants Less Red Tape". As you can imagine this was music to my ears so I read it.

Here are the core bits and pieces;-

Medvedev said "..that federal regional government agencies shouldn't demand any more paperwork from investors than existing rules call for". At this point I fell off my chair. I like this fellow Medvedev. I'm now going to refer to him as Dmitry from now on as I feel I may be on first name terms with him very soon.

Dmitry goes on to say. " It is necessary to state the principle that they can't require documents that haven't been directly stipulated." This is weird! . I said this to a lawyer, stockbroker and incorporation agency here in the Wild West just the other day. I was told in no uncertain terms to 'shut it' and fill in more forms. Referring to travel requirements this is what Dmitry then said. "There are a number of states inside the EU that block free travel" I had NO idea that this is happening. FREE TRADE was extinguished in EU long ago but now apparently it's FREE TRAVEL that is prohibited. Dmitry commented. "I think it's unfair and short-sighted". Give Dmitry a Knighthood! If Bob Geldof can get one for Live Aid, the EU can receive a Nobel Peace Prize for organizing riots in Athens and Madrid then surely Dmitry can have a  Knighthood for COMMON SENSE. Unfortunately he ruined his chance by then saying. "Progress had been made in visa relations with the United States (of America) but it wasn't obvious as we would like it to be". Yup, even Dmitry knows that the USA is the new Soviet Union. Unfortunately the UK is just a muppet state to Washington and HM was informed some time ago not to put his name forward alongside Mr Angry from Enterprise Britain.

My ex-friend DaveCam was seen pontificating at the recent Tory Conference. He said nothing of any note but did suggest that UK was suffering from "suffocating bureaucracy". Well DaveCam I've got  news for you. The plastic bag was placed over my head some years ago and I suffocated in June this year due to fascist principles supplied by the UK regulator.

Now everyone should get ready for school! Don't forget your pencils children.