"Corruption. All round Corruption".

Someone asked me this question yesterday :

Can you recall the superb quote JS made about corruption and individuals in 1992?

I remembered where I'd found the quote that Chris was referring to without having to check back through Moor's blog.  It formed part of an interview that Jimmy did with Mensa Magazine in Febuary 1992. I found my mag and shot a reply straight back : "The common denominator of the world's problems must be corruption" These were the words captioned off in the article.  However, when I re read the whole piece I noticed that the caption had omited one word. Here is the whole paragraph so that the words can be put in the right context :

I asked him what major problems he thought the world faces.  "The common denominator of world problems, must be AGAIN, corruption.  It is is patently obvious that individual corruption has ruined many an emergent African state.  It is patently obvious that corruption has ruined the country of, shall we say, Iraq.  Somebody like Saddam Husssein who professes to work with God on his side but at the same time builds himself a fifty million pound palace and gasses the Kurds.  Which he did.  Then obviously, the guy is a con man.  If he is not a con man, he is totally deluded in what he is thinking.

Actually, I should have checked the blogs because my heart told me at the time that these were NOT the words that had leapt out of the page at me the first time I read the piece.  I'll continue with the exact words from the next paragraph any way just for completeness' sake !


"Corruption spreads.  If the boss is corrupt then the deputy boss is corrupt.  And so is the deputy's deputy and so on and so forth, right down as far as it can possibly reach.  If one poses the question, 'Will you ever eradicate corruption', the answer is 'No'.  Because the resolution of the vast majority of things in the world is attempted by debate.  But very few bring into the frame the thing called human nature.  CORRUPTION IN ALL IT's FORMS, IS THE BEDEVILMENT OF THE WORLD (My emphasis) .

That last sentence was the next I shot off to Chris - bless him, I hope I did not do his head in with my constant changes - and then - I found the words that really resonated with me today, so I'm certain that this was the para that I'd quoted before.  It follows the last two ! :

"The Alternative is within your circle, to do what you can starting with yourself, to resist corruption.  At the end of the day, you have to be prepared to jettison those people who won't knock corruption on the head and get on with your own little thing.  Conversely, you can have ceaseless, endless, pointless and stupid debates about so - called global problems when it's comfortable not to acknowledge the real problem, which is corruption."


Another answer,he suggests is  "sensible and honest education.  Education is different things to different people.  If you have a nationalist group that instructs it's children to sing nationalist songs and actively hate those not of their nation, that is not education, that is corruption.  So corruption can be passed on by education"

I always like to double check my facts - so I headed to wiki for a good definition of the word Corruption 


In philosophical, theological, or moral discussions, corruption is spiritual or moral impurity or deviation from an ideal. Corruption may include many activities including bribery and embezzlement. Government, or 'political', corruption occurs when an office-holder or other governmental employee acts in an official capacity for personal gain.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption

I hope that not too many people have or will be corrupted by the nonsense of the last year

I'll close with words that are not Jimmy's but those of the the man who interviewed him that day. I was surprised when I read the opening sentence - was Jimmy that misunderstood by those who had yet to spend a little time with him ?

I'll tell you now.  I was not  lookinf forward to meeting Sir James Savile OBE.  Although I love programmes like Jim'll Fix it and Savile's Travels, I was convinced he'd bury me in banter.  I am delighted to say that I was wrong.  He was  extremely pleasant and courteous and  gave very thoughtful answers to my questions.  The man is undeniably kind. He is relentlessly logical.  But the thing that impressed me most was the quality and strength of his convictions. 

I sincerely hope to meet even  at least one person with a fraction of the 'quality and strength' of conviction that this man obviously had.  I've spent a long time on this wee post.  I wanted to do right by Jimmy.  I hope you will do the same !

The Top Twenty but not as we knew it !

It is just 20 days until we take our walk for Jimmy.  I have no idea how many are going to turn up and I have no idea how many are going to do the other thing and Tweet for Jimmy ! I joined the twitter brigade about 35 days ago and I started my countdown to the walk day.  Since then me and Moor have been tweeting like twerps to all and sundry.  His approach has been quite different to mine - I shoot off random tweets to anyone with a link to Leeds, Scarborough or the hospitals Jimmy helped.

You might ask - "well Rabbit, what sort of response have you had ?" and I'll tell you honestly, that I am quite disgusted by the lack of interest I have found so far !  What keeps me going on with this, I ask myself and here's what I always come back with - because He's worth it !

In the next 20 posts I am going to give you 20 good reasons why YOU - yes that's YOU good folk out there need to get out there and tell as many people as you can about the 29th October 2013. This is a heartfelt plea from a good soul who wants to see a wrong righted - So here goes !

"Straight in at number 20" Silence Is Not Golden !

 Here's Jimmy as a boy - I'd guess he'd be about 9 or ten in this photo.  Looks like a nice lad doesn't he - somehow that face doesn't go with most of the words used by the press in their sordid story's over the last year.  I may be repeating some of the stuff Moor said in his blogs here but, I can't help thinking that somehow, the silent majority of people in this country appear to have lost their memories in complete contrast to those few who conveniently recovered theirs in November 2011 !

Where are all the people who Jimmy helped or worked with or knew for goodness sake ?  Naturally, one could not expect the sick, disabled or vulnerable to be able to do very much right now and that's just it isn't it folks?, the one's who would, can't, whilst those who could, wont !

Shame on you - people of means or influence for sitting on your backsides and allowing these people to steal Jimmy's estate.

Shame on you - for allowing these people to ruin some wonderful memories of the childhoods of at least 3 generations !

Shame on you - for allowing these people to make money out of what is, by all accounts a child protection racket !

Shame on you - for allowing these people to put Jimmy's family in the position of having to remove their loved one's headstone.  Bloody hell, I cannot conceive of a more disgusting event in the history of disgusting evil media perpetrated incidents.  I can think of at least one but that would involve invoking a certain law that Mr Larkin has often referred to - so I won't.

In my last post one commentator related a great story - It seems that every cloud can have a silver lining !  When Jimmy's headstone was removed, it was done with kindness and respect. The press showed up too late to see the show they had wanted to see.  In the last few days one reporter has been chattering about us on Twitter



 
Gerard Tubb ‏@TubbSky 8 Oct

Astonishing. Someone on here organising campaign for Savile to remember "the faces of the sick children he helped" 

I'm wondering what Tubb finds 'astonishing' - our 'campaign' as he calls it or the fact that Jimmy did indeed help 'sick children' - but i'll not waste another nano second  thinking about those folk.  I'm far moor interested in genuine people who don't spend their lives ruining others !

I know that there's alot of people reading our blogs oversea's - they must be thinking that the population of Great Britain has lost it's collective mind along with it's hearts - but, don't be taken in friends, the majority are silent just now but they have the chance to walk the walk or talk the talk on the 29th.

Will 'Silence is Golden' still be in the Top 20 on Tuesday 29th October (remember how they used to play the new chart on a Tuesday in the 70's at midday) ? You decide - there are moor of US than there are of THEM !

  

Fair Scarborough !

I was on holiday last week - I had no internet access and I watched no TV.  I remained blissfully unaware of the fact that Thursday marked the first anniversary of the screening of 'Exposure'.  I was in North Yorkshire and found a bit of time to visit Scarborough one of my favourite places in England now !
The first time I went there was in January, I wanted to see what drew Jimmy and his mam to the place.  I thought that it must be special - and it is ! It's like going back in time and the architecture and views are amazing !

This is Wessex Court - Jimmy's flat is the one with the small balcony on the 3rd Floor (one floor from top).

Directly across the road from Jims and below is the view he will have had from his window albeit I'm on the ground !

The good people of Scarborough thought that Jimmy was kind of special too.  Among the many tributes paid to him one that would surely have touched his heart would have been the naming of the path he used daily on his walks and runs and cycles after him ! Yorkshire Post Radio announced the erection of two signs bearing the name 'Savile View' in an article dated 27th Sept 2012.

Scarborough has honoured Sir Jimmy Savile by naming a path after him.

Savile's View is a previously un-named route leading from the Esplanade to Birdcage Walk on South Cliff.

The same article went on to describe another memorial dedicated to Sir Jimmy

It is close to where he had a home and comes after a plaque was recently put on his home.

 http://www.yorkshirecoastradio.com/news/local-news/777114/scarborough-names-path-after-sir-jimmy-savile/

Notice the date on that piece folks - I think that there are 30 days in September - so that means that the signs were put up just a week or so before - Exposure !

Just 3 days after the broadcast, council workmen removed the signs and the plaque the latter having been daubed with hateful graffiti. 

I don't have a photo of the signs and the plaque in place but I do have these shots of how the sites look now (note the 2 black marks where the legs of the sign was).  This pic is just yards from where Jim stood in the first pic above and is directly opposite Wessex Court !

The boys in Scarborough were certainly busy in the latter part of September 2012.  On September 20th a fine headstone was unveiled in the town's Woodlands Cemetery.  It cost  £4000 and was 6 feet wide and 4 foot high !  The Daily Mail was certainly singing Sir Jimmy's praises  when it described this wonderful event duly the words of Jimmy's nephew

Sir Jimmy’s nephew Roger Foster, 67, said: ‘His legacy will be long-lasting. The Jimmy Savile charity trust will soon start giving money to good causes.

‘The headstone will become a tourist attraction. Dozens of  people have already been coming to look for the grave even though there was no headstone.

‘He was just an ordinary bloke from the back streets of Leeds but everyone loved him and wants to pay their respects.

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2206085/Sir-Jimmy-Saviles-friends-fix-headstone-remember-complete-unexpected-gaffe.html

In the small hours of October 10th 2012 Jimmy's headstone was removed and sent to landfill so, this is what I found in my first visit to the site

I just couldn't leave Jimmy like that so the next morning before I left for home I paid another visit to the woodlands.  Strangely enough, I did not think that I'd have time and I hadn't seen a flower shop in my wanderings the day before but, as I set out to the town centre just beyond the Grand Hotel I happened upon wee flower shop wherein a lovely lady insisted on taking no payment for her effort. Seeing one of those yellow charity things near the till I donated the pound I wanted to give her - thinking that Jim would have approved of this gesture ! I jumped on the next bus back up to the cemetery and this is what I did

 That was nine months ago - the outline of the turf has faded somewhat but that hasn't deterred another hardy soul from planting their own tribute to a man he or she obviously loved.  I hope that that person does not mind me showing you their little tribute.  It's so nice to know and show the world that some of us still care about Jimmy and i think that that persons words speak for many thousands who still hold their memories of Jimmy dear.

I scattered my white rose petals on top of Jimmy and I told him of our plans for Leeds.  I gave him all mine and your very best wishes.  It was dull and it had been raining when I arrived there last Friday morning.  The sun had come out by the time I left.

I know that there is still such a thing as the Scarborough Fair - and I'm sure that there will be such a thing as the fair in Scarborough ! See y'all next Time !

Addendum 

I updated this post following information that I had made an error in regard to Jimmy's headstone.  Thought I'd add a few more pics whilst I was at it and, whilst I'm no photographer and I only have a small point and shoot, I really wanted to share the images of this magical place !

I'll be doing more posts about Scarborough and Leeds - There's so much to share - Take care all !

Upstairs Downstairs !

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?resourceIdentifier=20061013_162117




I like a good mystery me !  Take a look at the picture above.  It's an image I found online on a site called Leodis - a photographic archive of Leeds.  These are the 'ninety nine steps' in between Burley Road (at the bottom and Belle Vue Road at the top.  What the hell has this got to do with Jimmy Savile I hear you ask !  Well, my fiends, listen up and I'll tell you an interesting tale of how I got lost and found on my way to find Jimmy's childhood home !

Here's where Jimmy grew up - the street is called Consort Terrace.  I spent some time researching the place online, but no one apeared to be sure if Jimmy's was 20 or 22.  I don't let minor details like other people's misinformation put me off so I found myself looking at both houses and working out very quickly which one was THE ONE !  You see, I recalled that film clip that's always shown of Jimmy driving up to his old gaff in his white Rolls.  No 22 was the only one with hard standing, in fact, it's hardly changed at all since the 60's 'cept for a few licks of paint and some new windows (I think) !

It was quite a journey in more ways than one getting to 22 Consort Terrace.  I had no transport so bus and shanks' pony it was.  I set away from Leeds town Centre asking the driver to let me off at Burley Road.  He had no idea where Burley Road was but a lovely Asian lady reassured me that I was on the right bus at least.  She was, however, not staying on as long as me so the driver would be the one to - put me off !  The driver who did not know where Burley ROAD was !

Let's go back to that top picture again shall we ?  I told you that I had found this during my hunt for information about the area around Consort Terrace.  I had several street names to go on and Burley Road was one of them.  I felt kind of seduced by this image and one poster's description of climbing these steps every day in their youth, but alas, the steps he said were no more, no doubt a victim of those 1970's bulldozers that took so many great buildings and street away !

Oh well, onwards !  The driver told me to get off and I found myself - well, lost actually.  i did not know what street I was on but there was a shop and a pub and a lad coming out of said shop holding his newly acquired lunch in one hand and a mobile in the other.  He kindly looked up a street map on his gizmo and pointed me in the direction of a steep looking road.  I started my uphill climb and found another hearty soul travelling quickly in the opposite direction.  I'm not one to waste my lags and lungs if I can help it so I asked her if she knew where Burley Road was, just to make sure I was on the right track.  She pointed me back to where I had started, I started to lose hope !

Try imagining the scene if you will folks.  This was not some neat little residential street I was on, this was one of those commercial/industrial estate looking streets weher no one appeared to live.  Worse still, it looked like a bloody long road.  I might never find Jimmy's gaff !

I walked miles - that's rabbitaway miles to you and me, and finally came to an odd looking pub/cafe.  Finally, someone to ask where the hell Consort Terrace was !  The nice bar attendant had actually heard of the place. He stuck out his left arm and told me to go that way out of the door and then go up

THE NINETY NINE STEPS ! 

It didn't occur to me that these were the same steps that I had read about when he directed me thus.  I thought that he must be talking about some newly built access but he wasn't and my heart filled.  I'm easily pleased aren't I guys and gals and well I should be, I was home again.  I'll explain :

I won't bore you with all the details but let me assure you that some very strange things have happened to me whilst conducting various investigations in various places here in the UK and abroad !  These strange things some might describe as mere coincidences, but, I like to think that they represent a message. I have on more than one occasion found myself arriving at a location I had wanted to visit but not actually set out to find that day, if  that makes any sense to you ?

I had wanted to find Jimmy's gaff and I did but on the way I found a place that had intrigued me days before leaving my home to travel to Leeds.  Had I bothered to read a map I would have known that the street that the driver had dropped me off on was Burley street and while this does eventually lead to Burley Road, the steps and Consort Terrace, it is NOT the most direct route.  Lunchman sent me on the most direct route from the bus stop but Ms in a rush sent me back on the longer route via my steps !

 Many of the buildings and streets that inhabit the pictures in the photographic archive (Leodis)  are long gone but the Ninety Nine steps remain as a reminder of happier times for some of us.  Strangely enough, here's another view of the steps - Yes Guys and Gals, that's Yorkshire television Studios there at the bottom on the right ! You can imagine Jim up and down these steps on a daily basis perhaps, can't you ?

The 'message' I received that day was that I was on the right path - spiritually if you like !  I believe that Jimmy Savile was a good soul and one good soul deserves at least one other to shout up on his/her behalf. 

You won't hear from me for a week - I'm off on me jollies - in the meantime remember 'LOVE IS AN UPHILL THING' !!

In seven weeks time a group of people who have never met will walk around the lake in Roundhay Park Leeds with one hope in their heart.  That hope is to see the name and memory of the late Sir Jimmy Savile restored to where it was before a BBC journalist decided to attack this kind, gentle man just two days after his death.

The main stream media have presented so many lies about Jimmy in the last 12 months that some might conclude that any resistance would be futile.  I disagree, I believe in the power of Good and Truth and Honesty.  I'm no journalist, I'm no writer and I haven't a clue how this blogger thing works so you'll have to excuse me if this first effort of mine doesn't turn out so great but, well at least I'm trying, and you know what guys and gals, you can achieve a hell of a lot if you just try  !

Here's what people can do when they give a damn about other people :


They can raise £10,000,000 for Stoke Mandeville Hospital

They can walk from John o' Groats to Lands End 3 times for charity

They can give up their free time to porter sick people around hospital wards

They can give most of their OWN money directly to charitable causes

Jimmy Savile raised at least £40 million for charitable causes during his life.  He was NEVER charged with any crime and he was loved by millions.  Not one person of any influence has dared challenge the mighty press in their disgusting vilification of this wonderful man.  So it's up to us, ordinary folk to help Jimmy like he helped us.  I'll be in Leeds on October 29th in Roundhay Park at 1pm, I'll bring my rose petals and I'll walk proudly round that lake with like minded souls - See you there then !