MOTF Enterprises

Committed to protecting the vulnerable: Established 1968

© Magic Oak Tree Family (MOTF) 1968

Editor-in-Chief: Pete Perry * Editor: Nikki Perry * Technical expert: Kev Cooke

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IF YOU FEEL YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE MOTF THEN YOU ALREADY ARE!-Pete Perry 1969

Nothing is owned. Even our lives are merely on loan to us

PETE PERRY 2011

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To book Pete or Nikki or both for TV, Movies, etc, please contact:

Ray Knight Casting

21A Lambolle PlaceBelsize Park London NW3 4PG * Telephone: +44 20 7722 1551

http://www.rayknight.co.uk/

FAREWELL TO JOE MORETTI.

It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of legendary guitarist Joe Moretti (pictured left) in South Africa recently.

This news was passed on to us by Dave Barber, from Clem Cattini, legendary drummer with The Tornados.

Joe (pictured right in his heyday) played on Johnny Kidd & The Pirates 'Shakin all over', several Jet Harris records, and the Tom jones hit 'It's not unusual', - plus loads more as a session musician.

FAREWELL JOE - YOU LEFT US WITH SOME GREAT MUSIC!

Pete

Check out Joe Moretti on Wikipedia by

CLICKING HERE

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WHITNEY HOUSTON

By Pete & Nikki

We were both shocked on Sunday 12th February to learn of the passing of Whitney Houston at the age of 48. We saw her as well deserving of her status as one of the worlds great blues/soul singers.

She had a glowing career throughout the 80s and 90s, but, amid the plaudids, her tumultous marraige to Bobby Brown and her addiction to drugs overshadowed her talents in more recent times.

But we would rather remember her for her undoubted talent, both as a singer and actress, which won her 6 Grammy Awards and 22 American Music Awards, among many other accolades. She sold over 55 million records in the USA alone.

WE SALUTE HER FOR HER WONDERFUL TALENT.

SHE WILL BE SADLY MISSED.

Love and Peace

Pete & Nikki xxx

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THE CASE OF THE MISSING SNOWMEN

By Pete Perry

It all started on 5th February 2012, when my daughter Deborah called my mobile to tell me it was snowing, and that she was going to build a snowman.

Nikki and I went out into our garden to find an alien snowman at the bottom of our garden. It seemed, not only to have eaten all our garden waste, but the entire compost bin! (see picture left)

Well, we didn't think much about it, until the following day, when Deborah texted us with this message: 'Dad, can you call the police, cos someone has stolen half my snowman'.

The police appeared to be a bit frosty with me over the report, so I told Deborah that I would send Snow Patrol round, - but it seems they were out of the country at the time.

Then Deborah telephoned and told us that her sister Vivien had suggested that it may have escaped next door, and, sure enough, when she looked over the fence, there was lots of snow in next doors' garden, which may or may not have been a clue. I told Deb to stay at home, as I had better get my skates on if we were going to solve this mystery.

We suspected our own Alien Snowman to be the culprit, but Nikki took a look and discovered that he, too, had been reduced in size... maybe he hadn't eaten enough kitchen waste?

Undeterred, Nikki and I took Deborah shopping at Tescos, and there, in the filling station, there appeared to be the remains of Deborah's snowman.

She couldn't look, she was far too upset, - but it appeared to have been run over! (See picture on the right).

Deborah tried phoning the police at this point, but she told me that they were snowed under with similar reports of missing snowmen.

INDEED, WHEN DEBORAH'S HUSBAND BILL CAME HOME FROM WORK, HE TOLD HER THAT SNOWMEN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY HAD DISAPPEARED.

THE MYSTERY REMAINS...

BUT IF YOUR SNOWMAN HAS DISAPPEARED, - PLEASE LET US KNOW.

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WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD

By Pete & Nikki

If you think that individuals have to put up with their lot, and cannot make a difference to the way we live, think again!

Do you think it's right that people like Stephen Hester, (pictured right) boss of RBS can earn more in one day than a soldier earns in a whole year, or that Lib Dem Energy Secretary Chris Huhne (pictured left) owns EIGHT homes, whilst people at the bottom of the social ladder are HOMELESS, or that Prime Minister David Cameron and ex prime minister Tony Blair can scoff champagne and feast like Lords whilst Pensioners have to choose between heating their homes and eating?

WE KNOW FULL WELL THAT THIS GOVERNMENT WILL NOT FORCE THE BANKERS AND BUSINESS MOGULS TO CUT DOWN ON THEIR OBSCENE SALARIES AND BONUSES, BECAUSE IT IS THESE VERY INSTITUTIONS THAT FUND THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY, - AND IN ANY CASE, MANY MPs THEMSELVES HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THESE ENTERPRISES, WITH POSITIONS ON THE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS, - OR AS SHAREHOLDERS - OR BOTH!

Is it right that World Leaders can rattle their swords at each other and start wars that send our young men to their deaths, whilst the Heads of State themselves enjoy a life of Riley, and multinationals can make pots of money producing arms and military equipment at the expense of ordinary people?

Is this merely another ploy, not only to keep down the world population, but also to enhance the arms trade, so that rich investors can continue to live a life of luxury?

WE BELIEVE THAT THE GUY WHO SWEEPS THE STREETS IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE GUY WHO RUNS THE BANK, AND, AS SUCH, DESERVES A FAIRER SLICE OF THE CAKE.

We also believe that ordinary people CAN make a difference to the way things are run in the world... and we aim to prove it...

SALARIES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LADDER MUST GO UP, WHILST SALARIES AT THE TOP MUST COME DOWN, TO CREATE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL.

If we all think Positive, positive things can and will happen to change our lives.

Think negative, and things will stay the same.

ALREADY, THE INTERNET, EMAILS, SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES AND MOBILE PHONES ARE PROVING THAT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD CAN COMMINICATE EN MASSE TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE IN THEIR SOCIETIES, AND BECAUSE OF THIS, WORLD AUTHORITIES ARE TRYING TO CENSOR THE WORLD WIDE WEB.

SORRY GUYS, BUT THE TECHNOLOGY HAS GONE TOO FAR, - AND THEY KNOW IT!

WE ARE NOT ADVOCATING ANARCHY, OR RIOTING IN THE STREETS - JUST HONESTY IN BUSINESS AND POLITICS AND FAINESS FOR ALL.

BACK IN THE SIXTIES, PEOPLE LIKE PHOTOGRAPHER DAVID BAILEY (LEFT), AND GROUPS LIKE THE BEATLES (RIGHT) PROVED THAT ORDINARY PEOPLE COULD PUSH ASIDE THE OLD ESTABLISHMENT TO GIVE ORDINARY PEOPLE A CRACK OF THE WHIP...

NOW WE HAVE A NEW CHANCE TO CHANGE THINGS ONCE AND FOR ALL.

WHAT WE NEED IS AN INTERNATIONAL UNION OF THE PEOPLE, RUN BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE.

ARE YOU WITH US?

Love & peace

PETE & NIKKI

XXX

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ADVICE TO THE GOVERNMENT FROM TWO GARDENERS!

By Pete & Nikki

There is much debate going on at the moment between Labour and The Coalition Government about how far we should cut back to save the economy.

Well, we were talking about this when Andrew Marr was interviewing Ed Milliband. Suddenly, Nikki made the point that, rather than looking at things from an economist's point of view, maybe they should look at the cutbacks as a gardener...

If you cut a rose or any shrub back too far when you prune it, it will die, - and so it is with the economy.

Take a look at the diagram on the right of the correct way to prune a rose.... The idea is to prune it to an outward-pointing bud, so that the bud will carry the growth for the next stage, producing young healthy stems and perfect flowers.

Usually, this is about the third or fourth bud from the base of the plant. Any lower, and you will inhibit growth, which may even cause the death of the plant.

If you prune to an INWARD-pointing bud, the growth that comes from this will become entangled with other growth, and the plant will grow into a tangled mess.

Even, so, if you pruneto exactly the correct level, the plant will still suffer a certain amount of trauma, as, indeed, would any human or animal if it has a limb amputated.

To minimise this, the plant has to be fed, - with fertiliser to build up its strength, - and so it is with the economy.

Cutting back is all very well in order to stimulate growth, but it has to be done fairly, in order to encourage weaker shoots to grow strong. Then there has to be something to stimulate that growth, - and in our opinion, it is to inject money into places of weak growth - ie: employment, education, and the financially worse off.

IF MONEY IS DIVERTED FROM THE SUPER-RICH TO THE SUPER-POOR, THEN THE ORDINARY PERSON ON THE STREET WILL HAVE MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS TO SPEND IN THE HIGH STREET.

THIS IN ITSELF WILL STIMULATE THE ECONOMY...

IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE IS, IT?
LOVE & PEACE

PETE & NIKKI

XXX

Pete & Nikki hastily got their act together on 11th January in order to talk to JEREMY VINE on BBC Radio Two, concerning their age-gap marraige.

It all came about due to the wedding of pop legend BRYAN FERRY to his fiancee, Amanda Sheppard.

Coincidentally, the age gap between them is 37 years, - the same as Nikki & Pete, - and Bryan met her as she was a friend of his son, - whereas Nikki & Pete met, as Nikki was a friend of Pete's daughter Deborah...

It was a part of a very busy day for our intrepid couple, as they had already arranged for film-maker RICH SMYTH to turn up in the evening to work on the first in the series of WIDGERIPOO animated episodes, - and of course, they were also appearing that night in MIDSOMER MURDERS as Bird Spotters. So on top of all that, they made their way to the BBC's Luton Studios for the link-up with BBC RADIO TWO and Jeremy Vine.

WHAT A BUSY PAIR OUR ADVENTURERS ARE!

IF YOU MISSED IT, - LISTEN AGAIN BY

CLICKING HERE

(set the counter at 34 mins)

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SWITCHBOARD The Missing

Photos

By Pete Perry

When MOTF Switchboard finally came to an end, Entrepreneur MARTIN RANDALL took up the cause to turn the magazine into a glossy mag. ALAS! Our regular readers preferred the old-style Switchboard, and production ceased after only one issue, which was published in November 1988 (see picture on left)...

In that issue, we reported on the first ever Fairlands gig, the forerunner of 'Rock In The Park', featuring, amongst others, Roony Rickshaw, Columbia, Underground, The Egg & Bacon Band, and Jack's Reference Band, and I, personally, had an interview with the legend that is Norman Wisdom, who had been appearing at The Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage.

At the time, I had a colourtransparency film in the camera, as I had been photographing plants for 'Garden News', and unfortunately, they proved useless for reproduction in the new-style Switchboard magazine, apart from the full-colour front cover, which featured an 'arty-farty' shot of Columbia.

So, until now, the colour slides have been gathering dust in my files. Coincidentally, at a time when we are paying tribute to Jon Ridley, co-founder of Switchboard magazine, we have had access to a colour slide scanner, and have been able to bring those old photographs back to their former glory.

So here we are, after 30 years, - the 'missing' photographs of Norman Wisdom in The Green Room of The Gordon Craig Theatre with my son Michael, at the age of Ten...

Along with pictures of Roony Rickshaw andUnderground...