My dad, whom died 12 years ago, ended up being a solid trade unionist and a dynamic member of the Communist party for 50 years. Would
MI5
have kept a file on him? In that case, can I find it?

It really is much easier if there’s been a revolution. If he ever before went to eastern Germany, the
Stasi
would have had a document on him. These days it is possible for anybody who believes they might have-been the niche
of Stasi interest
to apply straight to the national administrator for Stasi files (BStU) to read the file, or acquire photocopies. Close family members of a deceased person might also generate
a credit card applicatoin
.


Christopher Skillen, Glasgow

If my own personal situation is almost anything to pass by, the answer isundoubtedly indeed. As an old careful objector and a mere
Regular Worker
audience, I happened to be advised the regional unique branch policeman had asked my personal company for my destination as I kept my task as a junior healthcare facility physician in 1967. During
the miners’ attack of 1984-5
my personal phone-in Sheffield ended up being bugged (it’s an extended tale) as well as in the 1990s At long last requested my personal snoop dogg mp3 to ask your home secretary to express if there was clearly a document on me or otherwise not: naturally, “national safety” required Ken Clarke to decrease to answer.


Simon Barley, Bradwell, Derbys

Our minister accountable for
ASIO
(Australian Continent’s MI5) during the mid-70s is reputed getting mentioned, whenever expected equivalent question: “they actually do now.”


Ian Patterson, Croydon Park, NSW, Australia


Will there be any proof that medieval practice of placing wrongdoers for the stocks and tossing spoiled food at all of them worked as a deterrent to criminal activity?

Centered on contemporary researches of culprits, an important deterrent which actually works could be the understood chance for getting caught. In medieval society, people realized everybody these people were likely to meet, had couple of belongings, along with a pretty good idea just what their unique neighbours happened to be around and whatever possessed. This made crimes against residential property (such theft) or resistant to the individual (particularly brawling) an easy task to identify. Criminal activities eg selling poor goods, which is why the stocks were also made use of, were rather easy to detect too.

We have to remember that lots of people make the stocks in the middle centuries had been also marked in some manner – brand name, or burnt regarding the hand,or (much like
William Prynne
, who had been stocked for publishing a strike regarding Archbishop of Canterbury), having their unique ears take off. This is most likely a discouraging factor, as the individual had a permanent noticeable signal that he / she was actually an offender, and could be prepared to be treated much more harshly next time.

Besides these types of offences, intimate “crimes” such as fornication and adultery had been punished because of the shares, which required basically a ritual community shaming of the individual alarmed (typically combined by beating, parading around the city, and often ducking). This was an opportunity for the city to state its disapproval: many of the known killings men and women within the shares were of males accused of sodomy.

It’s difficult to understand what variety of discouraging factor this was to the people worried, however it may very well have experienced a good influence on individuals seeing.


thebluecatbabe



What do partners who have been collectively quite a while talk about when they continue getaway collectively?

After 22 years of wedding, me and Mrs Dreddful occasionally talk on christmas concerning the people we know exactly who met up along with kids youthful after which gradually increased apart while taking the kids up, until they have attained the point whereby the youngsters have become up and they quickly realise they usually have next to nothing in keeping and that can hardly stay the look of each different, let alone love each other. That and if the dogs tend to be missing out on you.


JudgeDreddful

After 47 years of relationship, we still look for a lot to speak about. Last night the conversation, caused by a fantastic dinner and suitable degrees of wine, varied over subjects such as physics – exactly how conduction, convection and radiation might impact the warmth in our resting bag; location – exactly how my poor routing had sent us down a cul-de-sac in Marple; politics – whether as Lib Dems we would rather maintain Brighton; and gender. Sadly when this occurs we both dropped asleep.


Richard Carden, Harleston, Norfolk

Any solutions?


Silkworms seem to have cornered a market. Is there any prospective commercial utilize for spiders’ webs?


J Williams, Lincoln


Performed cowboys have American accents? Seeing as these were only not too long ago established in the usa from Britain, should Hollywood believe more Colin Firth than Clint Eastwood?


Rebecca Give, Manchester