Stuart Hill (Captain Calamity) Forvik

[TeeAyBee]

I don’t come here very often, but I thought I’d stroll over and see what’s going on.

 

How nice of you to think of us.

 

No wonder my website crashed briefly – 4621 visitors in the past two days.

 

This is not a lot of hits. I suggest that you review your hosting as if your site came down briefly over so few hits then perhaps you've got a poor service. Sub 5000 over two days is negligible.

 

Some people are missing the point of what I’m doing. Forvik is not some foreign domain – it’s part of Shetland.

 

Not any more mate, you're on your own.

 

I am being deliberately disobedient in an effort to provoke a reaction.

 

Then maybe you need to spend a little while on the naughty step.

 

People ask what would Shetland do without the grants and subsidies? In 2003 ( the latest figures I can get at present) Shetland’s contribution to the UK treasury was £200 million. In the same year the SIC’s budget, including all grants and subsidies was £100 million. By my reckoning that means Shetlands net contribution to the UK for that year was £100 million.

 

Okay that covers the SIC, what about health services? What about the Coast Guard? Defence? There are other services and facilities that Shetland benefits from that come from public coffers which you seem to have ignored.

 

There are plenty more who want me to carry on and it’s those I listen to. Half price car tax anyone? How about zero Income Tax?

 

Are you setting yourself up as a Benevolent Dictator? Where's your ratified constitution? Where are your budget statements and your manifesto for your free land? You cannot just say you're all doing it wrong, I have the answer - "Independence" and leave it at that, especially if you declare a currency, a tax status etc.

 

I’ll pop in another time and see how you’re all doing.

 

Don't do it on my account. Please add my lack of support for you to the alleged 2% negative postings. Please go back to Bromley and save that place instead - it needs you more than we do.

[Infiltrator]

I have written to Queen Sonja to find the official position from a Norwegian angle, but have had no reply.

 

Strange she hasn't replied

 

Stuart - wouldn't it have been polite to ask the folks of Shetland for their thoughts on this whole subject before you started this crusade of yours.

 

Most Shetlanders are completely fed up with your antics and the time you've wasted of hard working folk who could be spending their time doing real work, e.g. coastguards, RNLI, Police, council officials and various members of Royal Families.

 

Do you honestly believe you have any local support?

[Biker]

Stuart,

 

Can I ask a question? If as you say our islands don't belong to Scotland/Britain in any way shape or form, and infact still remain part of Norway then you would not be surprised if Norway took control of our incomes and taxes etc? How can you/we then claim independance? We would be a part of the Norwegian State not an independent crown dependancy as you are trying to claim.

 

If that it is the case that we are truely part of Norway then as a true blood Shetlander, I would vote to stay within the UK governments control as I would much rather pay my Taxes and National Insurance to Scotland/Britain as the Norwiegns pay a darn sight more than we ever have.

 

As someone said earlier in this thread, if you have so much belief in what you are doing, I must say for my thoughts, all credit to you for having the (errr trying to think here, one sec.....) gonads... (thats not what I wanted to say but still it works,) to take on the establishment but and there is always a but, why not take your vehicle and publicity stunts to Lerwick and not as you have done in Sandness? Out of the way and to much trouble for the Police etc to come to you. Had you done the same in Lerwick, I dare say the boys in blue would have been a little quicker to act.

 

Just my thoughts.

[Njugle]

Responding neutrally to the above 2 posts. I think I'm correct in saying that Mr Hill attempted to stage a Shetland-wide referendum on the subject via his short lived magazine/newsletter.

 

And Biker, your post was answered justa few posts earlier, when Mr Hill said he did not think the vehicle would make it to Lerwick, that was why it remained in Sandness.

 

To stuarthill's post: The perceived defamatory allegation of fraud was a fair question given the information publicly available. If it came to pass that no ownership of the island dependency was established then sales of apportionment of that holding would be either fraudulent at worst or misrepresentative at best. The question remains.

 

Responding personally, the question posed about whether or not anyone supports the actions of Mr Hill: It should be clarified that the actions of My Hill may display minimal outward support but this would not necessarily indicate that no-one supports investigation of the constitutional issues, past present and future. It may be the methods that are unpopular, not the principles.

[TeeAyBee]

It may be the methods that are unpopular, not the principles.

 

And there is the crux of the matter for me. The ends do not justify the means.

[Ghostrider]

Responding personally, the question posed about whether or not anyone supports the actions of Mr Hill: It should be clarified that the actions of My Hill may display minimal outward support but this would not necessarily indicate that no-one supports investigation of the constitutional issues, past present and future. It may be the methods that are unpopular, not the principles.

 

Aye!

[paulb]

Stuart

 

I speak as an English person about to move to Shetland. What I find extremely distasteful is that you are not from Shetland. If those born, residing, etc., in Shetland decided to challenge it, so be it but it really gets on my nerves that you feel you have the right to do this (and by residing I mean prior to the protest and as far as I'm aware, you were not).

 

Quite simply Stuart, I regard you as an embarrassment to England; let alone anywhere else.

 

Chill out Stuart lives on Shetland can you wait til you move there before making enemies. And Stuart did live on Shetland prior to the Forvik venture.

 

I'm not defending him btw I'm just surprised at the level of disgust you're displaying to a guy you don't know in a place you don't live yet.

Did he choose or was he washed up on these shores!.

[Infiltrator]

Responding personally, the question posed about whether or not anyone supports the actions of Mr Hill: It should be clarified that the actions of My Hill may display minimal outward support but this would not necessarily indicate that no-one supports investigation of the constitutional issues, past present and future. It may be the methods that are unpopular, not the principles.

 

I really don't believe Shetlanders know what the true impact to the isles would be should Shetland become an island completely independent of the UK government.

Not only that, I also believe that were Shetlanders given the choice, the majority would prefer to leave things the way they are and have the security of being part of he UK.

 

I can just remember the devolution debate in the late 70's, why would there be greater support now? At least at the moment we have the security of knowing that if our council cocks up the budget we can get some support from the government.

 

Anyone who thinks we would get any more control of the oil and fishing around Shetland is kidding themselves.

[EM]

I don’t come here very often, but I thought I’d stroll over and see what’s going on.

Indeed remarkably infrequently for someone supposedly so interested in engaging in a Shetland discussion. I think that you will find that progress is only achieved when people speak with their opponents, not with their sycophants.

 

So much to respond to, but I'll simply ask you for clarification on one point.

 

If you read through the many pages of this thread you will find at various times people highlighting your hypocrisy in rejecting UK/SIC authority when it suits you, but accepting the good stuff such as bus passes, healthcare, pensions and the like. It is a given that you have indeed accepted emergency service response, and healthcare I presume too. As far as I am aware, however, it is unknown whether or not you do in fact accept the other perks. Could you please clarify for the record if you do benefit in any way from the current "illegal regime"?

[sheepshagger]

Having spent the first 50 odd years of his life living and working in the UK he is entitled to draw a UK pension no matter where he lives in the world

[Muppet]

It’s like walking into a parallel negative universe.

 

Welcome to the real world!

 

I see precious little challenge to my arguments

 

I see precious little arguement to challenge.

 

What I do find here is in complete contrast with my inbox. The ratio of dissenting voices there is roughly 2%.

 

I dont have access to your inbox, but your bebo page hardly bears out that ratio. Most of the comments there are just downright taking the mickey. This forum would seem to bear that out too. Maybe you ought to get out more rather than selectively reading what you want to hear.

 

Some people are missing the point of what I’m doing.

 

Is there a point to what you're doing?

 

You may not think that’s important, but I do not like the idea of living under an illegal regime and will continue to challenge it until somebody gives me an answer.

 

Is anybody forcing you to live under an illegal regime? There's an easy answer. It's big and blue and due to a heavy government subsidy, it sails out of here pretty much every night.

 

Shetland could have the opportunity to choose whatever relationship it wants with the rest of the world. If it chooses to stick with the status quo, that’s fine.

 

It's nice to know I have the choice. Mine is to stick as I am and i'll thank you not to pretend you're doing this in my name.

 

I don’t have the arrogance to tell Shetland what to do, but I do believe it should have the choice to decide.

 

I'm sorry, but I find what you're doing to be unbelievably arrogant.

 

 

People ask what would Shetland do without the grants and subsidies? In 2003 ( the latest figures I can get at present) Shetland’s contribution to the UK treasury was £200 million. In the same year the SIC’s budget, including all grants and subsidies was £100 million. By my reckoning that means Shetlands net contribution to the UK for that year was £100 million. If Shetland stopped paying taxes to the UK government, we would be better off by about four of five Viking Energy projects without the environmental carnage. And that's without taking into account the oil and the fishing. If I’ve got my figures wrong, please email me.

 

You've got them very wrong. you seem to have forgotten all about our Health service. our Army, our Navy, our Police Force, our Fishery Protection, our heavily susidised boat out of here and a whole lot more.

 

I’ll pop in another time and see how you’re all doing.

 

I'm doing very well as I am thank you. Don't rush back on my account.

[Para Handy]

Okay that covers the SIC, what about health services? What about the Coast Guard? Defence? There are other services and facilities that Shetland benefits from that come from public coffers which you seem to have ignored.

 

 

Maybe has purchased a Nuke sub from china, you know the type. The built in Hong Kong type.

And has got a lot of rockets with warheads attached from Tesco back in November. The light the blue touch paper and run. Why cant he get some barrels of gun powder and head to the House of Commons like Guy Fawkes. His whole cam-pain is just become absurd. The judges in the Uk are not all there but there is none who will fall this. It has as much credit as the Roswell UFO Crash

[stuarthill]

stuarthill, if you are indeed he, you are also missing several points.

I am he.

1) To achieve anything "positive" with your endeavour, you need to be taken seriously, and make some "progress" at some point. Thus far, almost a year since you embarked on your higher profile campaign, all you have succeeded in doing in the eyes of the majority is to have brought much ridicule upon a very serious subject, been ignored, and portrayed yourself as a figure or fun and a joke. The latter is your business, but the former affects each and every Shetland resident, past, present and future.

I’m well aware that I will not gain significant support until I make some positive progress. Such progress as I have achieved so far has not been easily recognised as such because it has involved the authorities backing off from any confrontation. However, considering the lengths they have gone to, I have to draw some comfort. The VAT authorities have taken no action since sending in the Sheriff’s Officer in July 2008. Would they let me get away with non- payment of over £1200 in other circumstances? The Income Tax people say I don’t need to send in tax returns from 2006 onwards, when the only reason I have given is that I live in Shetland. The SIC has wriggled out of charging Council Tax and is not demanding I remove the building I’ve erected.

All this tells me I’m getting close, but it also tells me that the authorities will do everything in their power to avoid an embarrassing confrontation. It is that confrontation that will be the turning point of this campaign and the timing of it is not something within my control. That confrontation cannot happen by working within the system. The system has to be challenged and that means being disobedient towards it. Meanwhile I have to accept that people will laugh, criticise and ridicule me. When I started this I knew it would be a long haul.

 

2) What you do on the bit(s) of land you exclusively occupy is again, your business. When you do things on land others also occupy, it becomes as much their business as yours. In the case of your Land Rover stunt, do you have the support/permission of the majority of Shetland residents to put and leave that vehicle there, do you even have the support/permission of the majority of Sandness residents? If so prove it. That bit of road you are cluttering up is as much the property of anyone else as it is yours, when you use it for the purpose it was intended thats fine, but when you use it for your own ends that's a whole other matter. Without the support of the majority of Shetland residents, you have no mandate to leave that thing there, and in doing so your behaviour is dictatorial, condescending and patronising, not to forget highly selfish. Sorry, but I for one do not want an individual with despotic tendencies who apparently openly ignores the basic principles of democracy, anywhere near the spearhead of any autonomy/independence movement.

This is all a matter of perception and interpretation. Every individual can make their choice as to whether they see the Landrover as an eyesore or a legitimate protest on their behalf. Non of this is about me personally, it’s about Shetland. When the campaign is successful, I become redundant and can go out to grass – after that it’s up to the people of Shetland what they want. Of course people en mass will not get behind something they cannot believe in, but when they see it can work, who knows what might be possible? Let me be clear that for the campaign to be successful it must show that there is the possibility for Shetland to choose its future. I am not prescribing what that future should be, but the legal position as I read it (and as confirmed by much brighter legal minds than mine) Shetland should have the status of a Crown Dependency.

3)The issue of whether the UK Government has or hasn't got authority in Shetland is hardly the point at this stage of the game, the fact is their authority has been accepted, either willingly or under duress for over 500+ years, and continues to be on a daily basis. I wholeheartedly agree with you that that authority was obtained, and maintained due to a number of highly questionable actions throughout that 500+ years, but that again is irrelevant at this point, what is relevant is whether current Shetland residents want to continue with the status quo or not.

Exactly. What is relevant is what the Shetland people want. If it cannot be demonstrated that there is a choice, how can they choose? In order for a choice to be demonstrated, the existing system has to be challenged and forced to prove its legitimacy. Do you think we could get them to relinquish their power just by asking nicely? The current authorities will not give up easily.

You've been banging on about this for how long now, 6 years? What have you achieved in that time? From where I'm sitting, pretty much nothing. Nothing has changed we're still ruled from London and Edinburgh. Where is your local support? Its never been seen or proven, by all appearances and material facts known to the public, this whole thing is your own one man show. That is the net result of your six year's work, which suggest to me, one or more of three options:

 

a) You are pursuing a cause that has nowhere to go and no future.

 

You have no significantly worthwhile support or sympathy for your cause.

 

c) That the cause may be worth pursuing, and there may be support to take it ahead, but there are leadership issues preventing it from flourishing.

Answers: a) I am pursuing a cause that has never been taken down this route before. So far as I am aware nobody has previously challenged the sovereignty in any serious way. It took five years before I could get any kind of grip on what had happened and only in the past few months have I begun to get a clear picture.

The postings on Shetlink might lead you to believe there is no support, but my email in-tray and the people I meet on the street tell me a different story.

c) The cause is certainly worth pursuing in my view, but be under no illusions that there is a quick solution. I would gladly take a back seat if anyone were to come forward and take this on.

4) Perhaps you do not consider your holm a foreign domain, but as you have declared it a Crown Dependency while the remainder of Shetland remains under the authority of the governments in London and Edinburgh, it is how it is seen. The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are viewed in an entirely different light by most folk round here than say, the Isle of Wight or the Isle of Lewis. In declaring your holm a Crown Dependency you removed it from the grouping in most folks heads that includes the Western Isles, Orkney & Shetland etc and put it in the grouping with the Isle of Man, Jersey etc.

Which is precisely why I’m taking this action on the mainland. People have been brainwashed into accepting that London and Edinburgh are the legitimate sources of power. As long as the possibility that we could view ourselves in the same way as the Isle of Man is dismissed out of hand, there is no hope of any change.

Yes, we are all well aware by now I think, that what you are doing can be done anywhere else in Shetland. Perhaps the reason why no-one else appears to be doing it is down to either a, b or c at 3 above. Just because you believe that what you are doing is the way to go, does not automatically mean anyone agrees with you, or even if they do, that they feel strongly enough to replicate your example.

 

In your paragraphs 4&5 you seem to make the assumption that I need the consent and backing of at least a majority before I can take any action. This is not a job that can be done by committee. I don’t need anybody’s consent before I drive my car on the road. Nobody would care a hoot if I parked a ‘legitimate’ car where the Landrover is parked. Not many would get upset if I drove the Landrover with its Forvik registration etc (assuming it could drive) around the roads of Shetland. When the Landrover has served its purpose it will be removed. Meanwhile it is causing no harm or danger and need cause no offence if people take into account the fact that it could be good for Shetland as a whole. On the other hand, the vandalism it is currently suffering does nothing to help.

[Guest whitedaleno20]

Captain Calamity. The Calamatous Captain.

 

 

Do you not feel that you are disrespecting Shetlanders, as it is US who saved you (on more than one occasion may I add) from a very cold and fishy death.

I think we could quite easily sort this all out, by carrying out a survey of Shetlanders, and if the majority said that they dont care about your embarassing, childish antics, would you leave and leave forever? Leaving everybody to get on with their lives, which they are happy with. I have never met anyone in Shetland that has said anything different than "hes a complete numpty" to put in nicely.

[TeeAyBee]

Get some help.