(no subject)

BAck in Crowborough.

In the hedge/vine right outside Hugo's bedroom window (the room in which I am staying) there is a NEST with FOUR little baby birds in it! Four little tiny birdies! Right by the window! it is amazing. My father is leaning out and taking pictures right now, so with any luck I can post some...

(no subject)

diffrentcolours sent me this link to the Independent 'executive summary' of the Independent Asylum Commissions report. I haven't got to the bottom yet but I am currently flabbergasted and horrified by one particular piece of information, part of a list enumerating shortcomings and failings of the asylum service:

That health care is not provided to detainees by the National Health Service.

Asylum seekers who are detained during the process of seeking asylum, in a detention centre in this country, which they cannot leave except occasionally on (rare) bail, who have generally committed no crime, who have made the journey to this country for pressing and often traumatic reasons, who may have been tortured or injured before or during their journey here, who may be ill, who cannot work in this country and may have almost no money - these people are not treated by the NHS? What? Rights and wrongs of their claims aside, what, in all humanity, are they supposed to *do*? They have close to no money, they have no opportunity to earn any, and they might very well be ill - how can they get care? WHAT? Are they just supposed to sweat it out behind the walls of Yarls Wood/Campsfield/wherever or what?

I shush now because I can't think of anything to say.