He we are, the weather is getting better, the trees are shooting, maybe summer is really on the way now............
This entry is only short, I promise!!!
Here we are sitting on our wonderful island in the sun. We can listen to our 8 records, we can read our book. Maybe we want to indulge with our luxury......
But I am all heart, our Island, by chance, and only just discovered, has a cinema!!!! It has a popcorn machine, a hot dog maker and a huge set of drink fountains. If this isn't enough there is a pick and mix aisle and a varity of other snacks!!!
All that is missing right now are some films to show, shame that!!
So i thought about the issue and made a decision.........................
Now it was suggested we only had 1 film, but what fun is that, then it was suggested that the film choice should be unlimited, now that is pointless!!!
I think we should have a limit, the question was "how many?!"
I think we should choose 8 films to have in the cinema to watch whenever. The only stipulation I make is that for each film, like the records, a reason is given for each choice. The other stipulation is that having chosen the 8 films, we then just choose 1 of these and why.
I shall choose my films over the next few days, I look forward to everyone elses choice as well......
Tuesday, 22 April 2008
Saturday, 19 April 2008
A thought to make us think
I was thinking earlier about what it really means to die and is this actually the end??
Now I know this is a morbid thought, and I know that potentially this is a subject that we really don't want to face or think about. However I have been thinking about it, especially today my late Grandmothers birthday, and I wonder is it an end or merely the start of journey, or the continuation of a longer one..........
The actual act of dying is really only as long as 1 breath. We breathe in, we breathe out, we breathe in.....we don't breathe out and we are dead. So despite the suffering up to the end, be it swift or a long drawn out illness, the actual death of the physical presence part is only 1 breath long.
The question is whether or not this is the actual end and why we fear it so much.
Fear is born from our lack of knowledge. We do not know what "the end" actually is and despite near death experiences, as no dead person has come back to life recently, the knowledge of what actually happens has bred fear of the situation.
There is a school of thought that would suggest that as the body dies, so does the soul and that is the end. The final closing of the book and final. There is no "afterlife", no heaven, hell or hinterland to be passed through. Death is the end of that persons life story. A very simple outlook. A beginning at birth, a middle as we live and an end when we die.
The only fear here is the actual act of dying and how that result is come by. However there cannot be a fear of the unknown as there is no unknown.
The other school of thought is a little more involved.
When a body dies this is the end of a physical presence on earth, the soul ascends (or descends) to heaven (or hell) and carries on through all eternity in paradise. What more could we ask for?..
But what is the next stage, if there is one, really. It could be felt that having spent a number of years on earth paradise now gives the chance to sit on the beach for ever enjoying all around. Not for a week, or a month but for all eternity. So would this paradise actually become very far from it??
When we die our fear is of the unknown and also for the people we leave behind, not only how will they cope with their loss but also our regret at losing them, or do we lose them.......
Often it is felt that EVERYBODY has a "guardian angel" asigned to them. Some say they see their angels and that angels always help them when asked or needed. Others suggest that an angel will leave a sign of their prescence. Sometimes a white feather appears from nowhere, sometimes a missing item suddenly reappears with no rhyme or reason. Often a guardian angel can be joined or can bring a visitor to contact us.
As we don't know we are always asking for a sign from the dead, or our angels. If a person believes in the afterlife then occurences that we may miss otherwise suddenly become these signs. A strange smell, an odd incident or meeting. All of these (and more) are possible contacts.
So why do we fear death so much? If actually all it sees is the demise of our bodies but not our soul then what is there to fear? In fact should we rejoice. We are ridding ourelves of the burden of a body that all too often we don't like anyway!!! Everyone has bits of their body they don't like. I dislike the way my weight yo-yo's and I am not to keen on what I see as my pot belly. Some people dislike their stick legs, hair on their back or mishaped toes. Whatever, is death not the solution? No more body issues!!!
I would say I am on the fence. I am normally, but for this I am not sure, or I don't want to be sure.
I have thought about this issue, and I have many views. I guess my current belief is based on what I want (or need) to believe.
I would say I come across white feathers at odd places and times. I know it could be said a bird was nearby and dropped a feather, but I choose not to believe this. I would say that I experience odd occurences, sights or smells at strange times. I appreciate that they probably could be explained, but I don't wan't them to.
And it is this that gives comfort to the living, I believe in all sorts of strange theories.
I think we do have angels, or guides as I call them, helping us through life. I believe that after death our bodies die and then we are offered some choices - do we want to be reborn, do we need to be an animal now, would we like to be a people guide, would we like to stay in the hinterland as a form of ghost. If we do would we like to be mischievious or just good. Do we need to stay near our families or should we just visit them and do other things.
This comfort helps us the living, it may help us be more prepared for death, and it may allow us to accept loosing those we love, however short this period may last for.
Does it remove the fear of death? Probably not, although it may shift the fear from the unknown to merely one of regret over what we cannot share as a living being.
I accept that this is a strange blog entry and morbid with it. I am not contemplating an end to life (do not worry) I guess my odd mental state right now has allowed me to think of things that I may not have even thought of a few years ago. My qustion now is what do others think? Do you have a theory to offer alongside mine.
Now I know this is a morbid thought, and I know that potentially this is a subject that we really don't want to face or think about. However I have been thinking about it, especially today my late Grandmothers birthday, and I wonder is it an end or merely the start of journey, or the continuation of a longer one..........
The actual act of dying is really only as long as 1 breath. We breathe in, we breathe out, we breathe in.....we don't breathe out and we are dead. So despite the suffering up to the end, be it swift or a long drawn out illness, the actual death of the physical presence part is only 1 breath long.
The question is whether or not this is the actual end and why we fear it so much.
Fear is born from our lack of knowledge. We do not know what "the end" actually is and despite near death experiences, as no dead person has come back to life recently, the knowledge of what actually happens has bred fear of the situation.
There is a school of thought that would suggest that as the body dies, so does the soul and that is the end. The final closing of the book and final. There is no "afterlife", no heaven, hell or hinterland to be passed through. Death is the end of that persons life story. A very simple outlook. A beginning at birth, a middle as we live and an end when we die.
The only fear here is the actual act of dying and how that result is come by. However there cannot be a fear of the unknown as there is no unknown.
The other school of thought is a little more involved.
When a body dies this is the end of a physical presence on earth, the soul ascends (or descends) to heaven (or hell) and carries on through all eternity in paradise. What more could we ask for?..
But what is the next stage, if there is one, really. It could be felt that having spent a number of years on earth paradise now gives the chance to sit on the beach for ever enjoying all around. Not for a week, or a month but for all eternity. So would this paradise actually become very far from it??
When we die our fear is of the unknown and also for the people we leave behind, not only how will they cope with their loss but also our regret at losing them, or do we lose them.......
Often it is felt that EVERYBODY has a "guardian angel" asigned to them. Some say they see their angels and that angels always help them when asked or needed. Others suggest that an angel will leave a sign of their prescence. Sometimes a white feather appears from nowhere, sometimes a missing item suddenly reappears with no rhyme or reason. Often a guardian angel can be joined or can bring a visitor to contact us.
As we don't know we are always asking for a sign from the dead, or our angels. If a person believes in the afterlife then occurences that we may miss otherwise suddenly become these signs. A strange smell, an odd incident or meeting. All of these (and more) are possible contacts.
So why do we fear death so much? If actually all it sees is the demise of our bodies but not our soul then what is there to fear? In fact should we rejoice. We are ridding ourelves of the burden of a body that all too often we don't like anyway!!! Everyone has bits of their body they don't like. I dislike the way my weight yo-yo's and I am not to keen on what I see as my pot belly. Some people dislike their stick legs, hair on their back or mishaped toes. Whatever, is death not the solution? No more body issues!!!
I would say I am on the fence. I am normally, but for this I am not sure, or I don't want to be sure.
I have thought about this issue, and I have many views. I guess my current belief is based on what I want (or need) to believe.
I would say I come across white feathers at odd places and times. I know it could be said a bird was nearby and dropped a feather, but I choose not to believe this. I would say that I experience odd occurences, sights or smells at strange times. I appreciate that they probably could be explained, but I don't wan't them to.
And it is this that gives comfort to the living, I believe in all sorts of strange theories.
I think we do have angels, or guides as I call them, helping us through life. I believe that after death our bodies die and then we are offered some choices - do we want to be reborn, do we need to be an animal now, would we like to be a people guide, would we like to stay in the hinterland as a form of ghost. If we do would we like to be mischievious or just good. Do we need to stay near our families or should we just visit them and do other things.
This comfort helps us the living, it may help us be more prepared for death, and it may allow us to accept loosing those we love, however short this period may last for.
Does it remove the fear of death? Probably not, although it may shift the fear from the unknown to merely one of regret over what we cannot share as a living being.
I accept that this is a strange blog entry and morbid with it. I am not contemplating an end to life (do not worry) I guess my odd mental state right now has allowed me to think of things that I may not have even thought of a few years ago. My qustion now is what do others think? Do you have a theory to offer alongside mine.
Thursday, 10 April 2008
10th April, It took a few hours...
I apologise it took a lot of hours, but here we go, my answers.............
Choosing friends is hard, i know lots of people, but who do I class as true friends. Who can I ring or can take calls from at 3am and not question or be questioned as to why. This is a true friend, we may have more than 5 but I believe it will be below 10. Either way choosing these 5 has been hard, but I know it is "from the heart"
5 Friends -
1) NxxI Xlvxxxx - This person has been "with me" since we were about 6 years old, we went to the same school and often shared the same friends. For a while (12-15) we lost touch because of schools, however, and in a bizarre sliding doors happening, when I became friends with her then boyfriend, he said "meet my girlfriend" and guess what it was my friend and mentor!!
I am lucky we may not talk everyday and we may only see each other even less frequently. But we converse online all the time and she remains my friend, my mentor and in many cases my rock. That is a true friend.
2) Sxxox Wxxtx - I met this person when we were 15. He reintroduced me to Nxxx, we have been best friends ever since. I was his best man, he is my middle childs godfather. We speak nearly daily and share a lot between us. In business we have worked together and I have been his account manager. Our paths are woven together. Even his wife I introduced as my marketing "bird"!!!! The honest friendship goes between us. That is a true friend
3) Txxi Xuxxh - I have known Txxi since we worked together in 2000. We have been through a lot together, we have been ill, we have had ups and downs, but still I know most things in her life and she knows most in mine. I know her partner and children as well as she knows mine. I also realise that there is a lot of business and day to day stuff I could not do without her. I value her spin on things and I value being told to "be real" by her. As we talk almost hourly at the moment I know I can totally trust and rely on her. That is a true friend.
4) Ilxxx Txtxx - I have known Ilxxx since we were around 11. We went through barmitvah together and taught each other. As we grew up we lived at each others houses, shared girlfriends, cigarettes, drink and nights out. We were so inseperable our parents knew if we weren't at once house we were at the other. As we have reached adulthood work has meant we do not see each other as we should. However when we do it is as if no time has passed. I still view him as a brother and his family as mine. That is a true friend.
5) Jxxix Gxexx - I met this person through my circle of friends including choice 1 and 2. For many years he used to sleep outside my mother's flat if he couldn't get in at home. Even now she is known to check the lobby for him. I met my wife when we were 18, this person was there, when I was too shy to ask her out, he did it for me in his usual abrupt style. Always and to everyone he is known with his surname and first name, and no one actually knows his age. My middle child thinks he lives in Moo-Moo land and I am not going to shatter this illusion!!!
Jxxix Gxexx has told me when I am being stupid and told me to get on with things. His singer wife has an amazing voice and I am honoured to class her as well as him as my friend. One thing is sure though, and irresepective of the Marmite and Cheese sandwiches my wife makes him, I can rely on this person as I can be relied on by him. That is a true friend.
Picking 5 websites is also difficult. We don't need to buy and sell so that rules out eBay and we have chosen our songs so that negates downloading. So what are the 5 sites -
1) www.poeticexpressions.co.uk - A site full of poems, sometimes we all need a chance to step off the roundabout. I know that on the Island this is not an issue as such, but, the site is great and the poetry is wonderful.
2) www.dontsweat.com - Richard and Kris Carlsson now how to put things into perspective. Richards untimely death was a shock, but the ideaology lives on. In the latest book "an hour to live, an hour to love" an exploration takes place of what if. It is also a phenominal love story. It is this never ending hope from the site that will alsways be there on the Island.
3) www.firework-review.org.uk - For the sheer blowing things up. I own Ultimate Fireworks and looking at this site just shows me what we can do. I might not have fireworks with me on the Island but this is just fun!!
4) www.youtube.com - For the pure fun of what is available!!
5) www.bbc.co.uk - A site just to keep up with what is going on.......
Now the hard part, who are the 6 vists from..........
1) My immediate family because despite all else I will miss my wife and children so much.
2) Nxxx Axxxxx - She is a special friend, but seeing her for a sanity check is a necessity.
3) My Father - I know he is dead, but the Island is magical. I often fantasise about having a few hours extra with my Dad. I don't know what we would talk about, but maybe we would just sit on the beach, fish a little or fly a kite together. I thought I knew best when we didn't talk, in latter years I saw sense. I miss our time together and our laughs and jokes about alsorts. I would like to bring this to the Island
4) My Grandmother - She is also dead and died only weeks after my father. We spent a lot of time together and went to Israel a lot together. We shared a lot, although telling the guards in Jerusalem we had a bomb was somewhat silly and it was not surprising we got arrested!!! It is the togetherness we had I miss and I would love to rekindle this.
5) Philip Pullman - I know this may seem like a cliche choice - the author to my book - but the whole Darkness thing continues to dazzle me and continues to offer endless thoughts. I want a follow-up trilogy to the original one. I need to know if Lyra and Will survive and find a way "through" the original book breaks my heart, it is the how and what that I would love to discuss.
6) Santa Claus - Is he real or not? I believe!! I also believe there is a Santa for everyone, they might not be in the red suit but they are still "our Santa" and why shouldn't there be a real man living in secret at the North Pole, in a secret land of magic, elves, flying reindeer and beautiful scenes. For that I would love to see Santa and to thank him. I would love to see Santa just to resassure him that some people still care, still believe and still want.
And so I have now completed my answers, now it is everyone elses turn..............
Choosing friends is hard, i know lots of people, but who do I class as true friends. Who can I ring or can take calls from at 3am and not question or be questioned as to why. This is a true friend, we may have more than 5 but I believe it will be below 10. Either way choosing these 5 has been hard, but I know it is "from the heart"
5 Friends -
1) NxxI Xlvxxxx - This person has been "with me" since we were about 6 years old, we went to the same school and often shared the same friends. For a while (12-15) we lost touch because of schools, however, and in a bizarre sliding doors happening, when I became friends with her then boyfriend, he said "meet my girlfriend" and guess what it was my friend and mentor!!
I am lucky we may not talk everyday and we may only see each other even less frequently. But we converse online all the time and she remains my friend, my mentor and in many cases my rock. That is a true friend.
2) Sxxox Wxxtx - I met this person when we were 15. He reintroduced me to Nxxx, we have been best friends ever since. I was his best man, he is my middle childs godfather. We speak nearly daily and share a lot between us. In business we have worked together and I have been his account manager. Our paths are woven together. Even his wife I introduced as my marketing "bird"!!!! The honest friendship goes between us. That is a true friend
3) Txxi Xuxxh - I have known Txxi since we worked together in 2000. We have been through a lot together, we have been ill, we have had ups and downs, but still I know most things in her life and she knows most in mine. I know her partner and children as well as she knows mine. I also realise that there is a lot of business and day to day stuff I could not do without her. I value her spin on things and I value being told to "be real" by her. As we talk almost hourly at the moment I know I can totally trust and rely on her. That is a true friend.
4) Ilxxx Txtxx - I have known Ilxxx since we were around 11. We went through barmitvah together and taught each other. As we grew up we lived at each others houses, shared girlfriends, cigarettes, drink and nights out. We were so inseperable our parents knew if we weren't at once house we were at the other. As we have reached adulthood work has meant we do not see each other as we should. However when we do it is as if no time has passed. I still view him as a brother and his family as mine. That is a true friend.
5) Jxxix Gxexx - I met this person through my circle of friends including choice 1 and 2. For many years he used to sleep outside my mother's flat if he couldn't get in at home. Even now she is known to check the lobby for him. I met my wife when we were 18, this person was there, when I was too shy to ask her out, he did it for me in his usual abrupt style. Always and to everyone he is known with his surname and first name, and no one actually knows his age. My middle child thinks he lives in Moo-Moo land and I am not going to shatter this illusion!!!
Jxxix Gxexx has told me when I am being stupid and told me to get on with things. His singer wife has an amazing voice and I am honoured to class her as well as him as my friend. One thing is sure though, and irresepective of the Marmite and Cheese sandwiches my wife makes him, I can rely on this person as I can be relied on by him. That is a true friend.
Picking 5 websites is also difficult. We don't need to buy and sell so that rules out eBay and we have chosen our songs so that negates downloading. So what are the 5 sites -
1) www.poeticexpressions.co.uk - A site full of poems, sometimes we all need a chance to step off the roundabout. I know that on the Island this is not an issue as such, but, the site is great and the poetry is wonderful.
2) www.dontsweat.com - Richard and Kris Carlsson now how to put things into perspective. Richards untimely death was a shock, but the ideaology lives on. In the latest book "an hour to live, an hour to love" an exploration takes place of what if. It is also a phenominal love story. It is this never ending hope from the site that will alsways be there on the Island.
3) www.firework-review.org.uk - For the sheer blowing things up. I own Ultimate Fireworks and looking at this site just shows me what we can do. I might not have fireworks with me on the Island but this is just fun!!
4) www.youtube.com - For the pure fun of what is available!!
5) www.bbc.co.uk - A site just to keep up with what is going on.......
Now the hard part, who are the 6 vists from..........
1) My immediate family because despite all else I will miss my wife and children so much.
2) Nxxx Axxxxx - She is a special friend, but seeing her for a sanity check is a necessity.
3) My Father - I know he is dead, but the Island is magical. I often fantasise about having a few hours extra with my Dad. I don't know what we would talk about, but maybe we would just sit on the beach, fish a little or fly a kite together. I thought I knew best when we didn't talk, in latter years I saw sense. I miss our time together and our laughs and jokes about alsorts. I would like to bring this to the Island
4) My Grandmother - She is also dead and died only weeks after my father. We spent a lot of time together and went to Israel a lot together. We shared a lot, although telling the guards in Jerusalem we had a bomb was somewhat silly and it was not surprising we got arrested!!! It is the togetherness we had I miss and I would love to rekindle this.
5) Philip Pullman - I know this may seem like a cliche choice - the author to my book - but the whole Darkness thing continues to dazzle me and continues to offer endless thoughts. I want a follow-up trilogy to the original one. I need to know if Lyra and Will survive and find a way "through" the original book breaks my heart, it is the how and what that I would love to discuss.
6) Santa Claus - Is he real or not? I believe!! I also believe there is a Santa for everyone, they might not be in the red suit but they are still "our Santa" and why shouldn't there be a real man living in secret at the North Pole, in a secret land of magic, elves, flying reindeer and beautiful scenes. For that I would love to see Santa and to thank him. I would love to see Santa just to resassure him that some people still care, still believe and still want.
And so I have now completed my answers, now it is everyone elses turn..............
Monday, 7 April 2008
7th April
I had begun answering my additional questions to "desert island discs"here. I was asked to do so and agree I should.
By accident I opened another webpage, I went back and my post was gone!!!!
I will now have to redo it, however it may take another few hours so bear with me!!!!!
By accident I opened another webpage, I went back and my post was gone!!!!
I will now have to redo it, however it may take another few hours so bear with me!!!!!
Thursday, 3 April 2008
3rd of April - Additions to consider.........
Today is the 3rd April, as someone said yesterday, "the year is flying past!!" and they are correct, four months in already. Soon it will be summer again when we can enjoy BBQ's and long days and then we are back into the run up to Christmas.............
But enough scary thoughts, I am going to add some caveats to the Desert Island Discs question. The thoughts so far have been great and so, so, special now I think we should add to these....
Our desert island is one of magic and no hassles. Let us assume we have a beautiful dwelling, all the food and drink we need, and that alcohol is just a drink no alcoholism occurs. So what I am really saying is that is pretty idylic and perfect.
We can email our family once a week (if we want!!) and 5 friends can be placed on the list to mail once a month.
We can browse the net for 1 hour a day and again only to 5 approved sites. We CANNOT set up any businesses or buy and sell anything, but who would want to the island provides for us!!
So my question now is, how would we pick our friends, names can be "XXX" if necessary(!!) but a reason for each should be stated
How would we pick our websites, and why?
If we could have a visit for a day once a quarter from anyone - without fear of retribution - who would we choose for the first 6 visits, and again why?
The visit could be from family, friends, famous people or just a "lady of the night!!" the only restriction is if it is family no more than 5 people are allowed at any time and once a person(s) have visted they cannot return for 12 months (4 visits).
These will do for now, but be warned I may yet add more................
Think away!!!
But enough scary thoughts, I am going to add some caveats to the Desert Island Discs question. The thoughts so far have been great and so, so, special now I think we should add to these....
Our desert island is one of magic and no hassles. Let us assume we have a beautiful dwelling, all the food and drink we need, and that alcohol is just a drink no alcoholism occurs. So what I am really saying is that is pretty idylic and perfect.
We can email our family once a week (if we want!!) and 5 friends can be placed on the list to mail once a month.
We can browse the net for 1 hour a day and again only to 5 approved sites. We CANNOT set up any businesses or buy and sell anything, but who would want to the island provides for us!!
So my question now is, how would we pick our friends, names can be "XXX" if necessary(!!) but a reason for each should be stated
How would we pick our websites, and why?
If we could have a visit for a day once a quarter from anyone - without fear of retribution - who would we choose for the first 6 visits, and again why?
The visit could be from family, friends, famous people or just a "lady of the night!!" the only restriction is if it is family no more than 5 people are allowed at any time and once a person(s) have visted they cannot return for 12 months (4 visits).
These will do for now, but be warned I may yet add more................
Think away!!!
Saturday, 29 March 2008
29th March 2008, Desert Island Discs
Today something of a different vein. I am upstairs, the children are downstairs with their friends and judging by the noise, causing the usual chaos, however, as they have forgotten I am here I am left alone..............
But enough of my domestic life, now the thought of today -
I was driving to my office yesterday and was listening to the radio. On came Desert Island Discs and listening to this got me thinking.
What 8 records would I take to a desert island? What book and what luxury? and if I could then only have 1 record from my choice, what would it be? So here goes.........
Record 1 - Goodbye My Lover, James Blunt - A beautiful song with haunting lyrics. When all is quiet and I feel most alone I can look out over the sea and listen to this song and reminice about my family and friends. A little sad i know but sometimes this humility is needed.
Record 2 - Circle, Louise Cetara - Louise has a huge future ahead of her of that I have no doubt. I was introduced to Louise's music by her cousin (Bob), I owe him so much for this. This song is from a film, but is a great ballad and for that I can listen to it again and again.
Record 3 - Yellow, G4 -What a great version of this song, until now it had always seemed a little "pop" like for me, however, when G4 got hold of it........ I would listen to this as a upbeat version that would remind me of everything good and that loving someone is special
Record 4 - Say a Little Prayer, Bomb the Bass - A fabulous slow version of this original motown track. When I first met my wife (1988!!!!) this song was like "our tune", as was Donald where's your trousers, but let's not go here!! This song would be a constant reminder of us and our being together always.
Record 5 - Fairytale of New York, The Pogues and Kirsty McColl - This song is the absolute greatest Christmas song ever, it represents the definitive thoughts of Christmas. The song is upbeat and then whimsical within a few seconds. It represents all that is special about Christmas and highlights how Christmas can be special for everyone and should remain so. I have this song on various CD's a listen to it all year, not just in December, and having it to listen to on a desert island would serve to remind me of all the special things in life and how Christmas often serves to catalyse these thoughts and occurences.
Record 6 - Bat Out of Hell, Meatloaf - I am a huge fan of Meatloaf and his music. I have nearly all of the music and live Meatloaf is still a great actor putting on so much more than just a group of songs. This song should be played at full volume while we all scream out the words and air guitar to the chorus. On a desert island what better a place to enjoy this song at full bore and without anyone shouting "turn it down!!" The song lyrics serve to remind us all that despite everything and regardless of all, our chosen partner remains as our, sometimes, only constant that is there for us whether we like it or want it. They might be always right, but maybe we need this constant!!!
Record 7 - Old City Bar, Trans Siberian Orchestra - The TSO is a joinoing of Metalica, Jewel, Meatloaf ond various others to bring a rock trilogy for Christmas and an album in the middle celebrating the life of Beethoven and his life. The trilogy provides a modern Christmas story of epic proportions trying to reunite a family that for various reasons are not together. I found the TSO whilst looking for Carol of the Bells, what a find(!!), I continue to listen to their music as time passes. I became hooked on the music whilst travelling backwards and forwards between Birmingham and London as my Grandmother and Father lay in hospital as their time came to an end. Virtually every song evokes memories of this time, good and bad, some songs more than others. This song is not purely Christmasy and listening to something by TSO on the island would allow me to quietly listen to the lyrics, relate to them and maybe, just maybe, lay some ghosts to rest.
Record 8 - Anything for Love, Meatloaf live with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra - This last song has taken ages to decide upon, I could listen all day to so much of a variety of songs. Everything from classics through to "mushy crap" ,as a my wife tells me, but I eventually chose this song. Australia was first to make this number 1 and 27 other countries then followed. That alone is a record to remember. This version has the Melbourne SO providing a fabulous background of classic rock and Meats huge voice carries it over. The song for me shows all that love can mean and what it means. I would run into hell and back, and I would never turn back and I WILL never do anything better because I would do anything. I know this sounds like a cliche and a repeat of the song, but, this is why I could put this on repeat for a long time as I would be the one who could scream out the lyrics with Meatloaf and alone on my desert island this one song would serve to remind me of how special love is and how special it is to clutch it close once you have it. Despite all, and as the song says, I won't do anything to ruin my love and I would do anything for love and to keep hold of it.
A Book - His Dark Materials,Philip Pullman - I never had to ponder over this. The trilogy of books might be aimed at a younger audience, although I doubt it, and is the greatest love story ever written. I could read this story over and over, I would always find something new and without a doubt the eventual end would still move me to tears. As Lyra and Will go on their journey both alone and togther an inevitability unfolds but the final battle and ending is both a twist and heartbreaking at once. It is for the reason of entertainment as a book and the fact that it would make me sit quietly somewhere and just read that is the attraction. Add in some beautiful music, what more could I ask for...........
A Luxury Item - Chocolate - How hard was this to chose. Do I want toilet roll, do I want golf clubs to swing? Actually I am a chocoholic and I NEED sugar in my blood. Good milk and white chocolate provides this. From Dairy Milk to Hotel Chocolat their remains no greater luxury than chocolate and the thought of not having some leaves me cold. For that reason, and that alone, I would like chocolate as my luxury.
One Song - How hard is this, all these 8 songs are special to me and I wouldn't want to be without any of them. But I must choose 1..............
Meatloaf, Anything For Love - For all the reasons above and I am sure others to mention. It came down to a toss up between Fairytale and this and I am sure at times I will wish I had chosen the other, but hey, I do love this song!!!
And so I have reached the end of my walk through my Desert Islands. I am sure this offers an insight to me. It may scare some rigid.
Now if all can add there Desert Island Discs I am sure we can build up a whole library of personal tracks and thoughts to share. Add away..............
But enough of my domestic life, now the thought of today -
I was driving to my office yesterday and was listening to the radio. On came Desert Island Discs and listening to this got me thinking.
What 8 records would I take to a desert island? What book and what luxury? and if I could then only have 1 record from my choice, what would it be? So here goes.........
Record 1 - Goodbye My Lover, James Blunt - A beautiful song with haunting lyrics. When all is quiet and I feel most alone I can look out over the sea and listen to this song and reminice about my family and friends. A little sad i know but sometimes this humility is needed.
Record 2 - Circle, Louise Cetara - Louise has a huge future ahead of her of that I have no doubt. I was introduced to Louise's music by her cousin (Bob), I owe him so much for this. This song is from a film, but is a great ballad and for that I can listen to it again and again.
Record 3 - Yellow, G4 -What a great version of this song, until now it had always seemed a little "pop" like for me, however, when G4 got hold of it........ I would listen to this as a upbeat version that would remind me of everything good and that loving someone is special
Record 4 - Say a Little Prayer, Bomb the Bass - A fabulous slow version of this original motown track. When I first met my wife (1988!!!!) this song was like "our tune", as was Donald where's your trousers, but let's not go here!! This song would be a constant reminder of us and our being together always.
Record 5 - Fairytale of New York, The Pogues and Kirsty McColl - This song is the absolute greatest Christmas song ever, it represents the definitive thoughts of Christmas. The song is upbeat and then whimsical within a few seconds. It represents all that is special about Christmas and highlights how Christmas can be special for everyone and should remain so. I have this song on various CD's a listen to it all year, not just in December, and having it to listen to on a desert island would serve to remind me of all the special things in life and how Christmas often serves to catalyse these thoughts and occurences.
Record 6 - Bat Out of Hell, Meatloaf - I am a huge fan of Meatloaf and his music. I have nearly all of the music and live Meatloaf is still a great actor putting on so much more than just a group of songs. This song should be played at full volume while we all scream out the words and air guitar to the chorus. On a desert island what better a place to enjoy this song at full bore and without anyone shouting "turn it down!!" The song lyrics serve to remind us all that despite everything and regardless of all, our chosen partner remains as our, sometimes, only constant that is there for us whether we like it or want it. They might be always right, but maybe we need this constant!!!
Record 7 - Old City Bar, Trans Siberian Orchestra - The TSO is a joinoing of Metalica, Jewel, Meatloaf ond various others to bring a rock trilogy for Christmas and an album in the middle celebrating the life of Beethoven and his life. The trilogy provides a modern Christmas story of epic proportions trying to reunite a family that for various reasons are not together. I found the TSO whilst looking for Carol of the Bells, what a find(!!), I continue to listen to their music as time passes. I became hooked on the music whilst travelling backwards and forwards between Birmingham and London as my Grandmother and Father lay in hospital as their time came to an end. Virtually every song evokes memories of this time, good and bad, some songs more than others. This song is not purely Christmasy and listening to something by TSO on the island would allow me to quietly listen to the lyrics, relate to them and maybe, just maybe, lay some ghosts to rest.
Record 8 - Anything for Love, Meatloaf live with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra - This last song has taken ages to decide upon, I could listen all day to so much of a variety of songs. Everything from classics through to "mushy crap" ,as a my wife tells me, but I eventually chose this song. Australia was first to make this number 1 and 27 other countries then followed. That alone is a record to remember. This version has the Melbourne SO providing a fabulous background of classic rock and Meats huge voice carries it over. The song for me shows all that love can mean and what it means. I would run into hell and back, and I would never turn back and I WILL never do anything better because I would do anything. I know this sounds like a cliche and a repeat of the song, but, this is why I could put this on repeat for a long time as I would be the one who could scream out the lyrics with Meatloaf and alone on my desert island this one song would serve to remind me of how special love is and how special it is to clutch it close once you have it. Despite all, and as the song says, I won't do anything to ruin my love and I would do anything for love and to keep hold of it.
A Book - His Dark Materials,Philip Pullman - I never had to ponder over this. The trilogy of books might be aimed at a younger audience, although I doubt it, and is the greatest love story ever written. I could read this story over and over, I would always find something new and without a doubt the eventual end would still move me to tears. As Lyra and Will go on their journey both alone and togther an inevitability unfolds but the final battle and ending is both a twist and heartbreaking at once. It is for the reason of entertainment as a book and the fact that it would make me sit quietly somewhere and just read that is the attraction. Add in some beautiful music, what more could I ask for...........
A Luxury Item - Chocolate - How hard was this to chose. Do I want toilet roll, do I want golf clubs to swing? Actually I am a chocoholic and I NEED sugar in my blood. Good milk and white chocolate provides this. From Dairy Milk to Hotel Chocolat their remains no greater luxury than chocolate and the thought of not having some leaves me cold. For that reason, and that alone, I would like chocolate as my luxury.
One Song - How hard is this, all these 8 songs are special to me and I wouldn't want to be without any of them. But I must choose 1..............
Meatloaf, Anything For Love - For all the reasons above and I am sure others to mention. It came down to a toss up between Fairytale and this and I am sure at times I will wish I had chosen the other, but hey, I do love this song!!!
And so I have reached the end of my walk through my Desert Islands. I am sure this offers an insight to me. It may scare some rigid.
Now if all can add there Desert Island Discs I am sure we can build up a whole library of personal tracks and thoughts to share. Add away..............
Tuesday, 25 March 2008
What is Religion? A Rant of a Light Hearted Nature
A question for us all to consider.........
What is religion actually, can this belief in faith actually help or is it just the comfort of some and the crutch that mentally ill people use for help and excuses.
Let's think about it.....
In the Old Testament the world began and the laws and rules of society are laid down. A "story" that was written thousands of years ago has set the foundations for all religions. People who lived in biblical times seemed to live a reasonable type of life. They also seemed to live for hundreds of years. Moses, Abraham they all lived to be hundreds of years old with wives, children and followers.
But, Judaism, and to a large degree Muslimism, is based on these fables. Thousands of years on this great story, the Old Testament, is still being followed and belived.
So what is the New Testamant....
Without a doubt about 2000 years ago a baby was born and named Jesus. Whatever religion that you follow something must have occured to start a whole belief.
Somewhere along the way this person became a "prophet" or spouted theories that have been followed. Has this been a form of Chinese Whispers? Has a story that began with wedding guests drinking water become a miracle where the water became wine and 1 fish fed 5000.
However, whatever way you look at the New Testament this collection of stories has become a foundation of Christianity.
So now let us jump to 5000 years in the future. Will religion as we know it still exist? Or will the reality of religion 2008 go full circle. Currently we are Christian, Jewish, Muslim and a whole host of allied religions.
5000 Years into the future will people be following the religion of "Potterism"or the path of "The Dark Arts" will the current best selling books like "The Dark Matter Trilogy" form the religions of the future. 5000 years on will "The Half Blood Prince" be included in the new "Old Testament" as absolute truth.
We cannot know, we can only speculate. All of us now hope this is wrong and that the current bibles and beliefs will just continue. But wouldn't it be fun if my theory was correct. The new God is Dumbledore and the Devil is Voldemort!!! In the New Testament Harry Potter could be viewed as the new Jesus and Ron Weasley the new John the Baptist!!!
I apologise if these thoughts are blasphemous. They are not meant to be. I am not a heven and I actually believe in something, although what I am not yet sure, and I am afraid that I will be viewed as another mentally ill person leaning on religion.Maybe I am!!
I would welcome any views.........
What is religion actually, can this belief in faith actually help or is it just the comfort of some and the crutch that mentally ill people use for help and excuses.
Let's think about it.....
In the Old Testament the world began and the laws and rules of society are laid down. A "story" that was written thousands of years ago has set the foundations for all religions. People who lived in biblical times seemed to live a reasonable type of life. They also seemed to live for hundreds of years. Moses, Abraham they all lived to be hundreds of years old with wives, children and followers.
But, Judaism, and to a large degree Muslimism, is based on these fables. Thousands of years on this great story, the Old Testament, is still being followed and belived.
So what is the New Testamant....
Without a doubt about 2000 years ago a baby was born and named Jesus. Whatever religion that you follow something must have occured to start a whole belief.
Somewhere along the way this person became a "prophet" or spouted theories that have been followed. Has this been a form of Chinese Whispers? Has a story that began with wedding guests drinking water become a miracle where the water became wine and 1 fish fed 5000.
However, whatever way you look at the New Testament this collection of stories has become a foundation of Christianity.
So now let us jump to 5000 years in the future. Will religion as we know it still exist? Or will the reality of religion 2008 go full circle. Currently we are Christian, Jewish, Muslim and a whole host of allied religions.
5000 Years into the future will people be following the religion of "Potterism"or the path of "The Dark Arts" will the current best selling books like "The Dark Matter Trilogy" form the religions of the future. 5000 years on will "The Half Blood Prince" be included in the new "Old Testament" as absolute truth.
We cannot know, we can only speculate. All of us now hope this is wrong and that the current bibles and beliefs will just continue. But wouldn't it be fun if my theory was correct. The new God is Dumbledore and the Devil is Voldemort!!! In the New Testament Harry Potter could be viewed as the new Jesus and Ron Weasley the new John the Baptist!!!
I apologise if these thoughts are blasphemous. They are not meant to be. I am not a heven and I actually believe in something, although what I am not yet sure, and I am afraid that I will be viewed as another mentally ill person leaning on religion.Maybe I am!!
I would welcome any views.........
Today, 25th March
And here we are, the last few days of March. The first quarter of 2008 is nearly over. What has 2008 given so far.............
It is fair to say that the first part of the year has passed fairly quickly. Already the end of March is rapidly approaching and at long last the short days of winter are coming to an end.
Easter has now been and gone, albeit early, and the children hapilly tell me how they have 9 eggs, which to me seems a lot(!!) but they seem to feel is quite normal. The family have visited for lunch and I have been able to spend 2 days with my Step-Mother which has been a joy.
So WHY has no one told the weather!! Good Friday through to Easter Monday I have been beset with hail, snow and ice. The snow has settled and on more than one occaision I would appear to have a white car and not the dark green I thought!!!
The ground has been waterlogged and then frozen solid, in fact it has been anything but Easter. The temperature has struggled to get above freezing and, although now a couple of days later, it is still perishingly cold.
Where does global warming fit into this?? In Cyprus it is 24 Degrees and sunny, Australia is hotter than ever before and the USA is experiencing snow!! What is happening?
Everything is blamed on global warming andf emmissions, but are these purely a result of planes, trains and automobiles? It is said that a cow gives off the same amount of greenhouse gasses over a year as a car? Shall we just kill all cows and save the ice regions? We seem to have forgotten that if global temperature drops by only 3 degrees than the world will experience a new ice age? Maybe we should just give up and see if we can all move to Mars??!!!
But enough ranting, enough moaning. The end of March approaches, April is coming and (hopefully) with it warmer days, longer days, and a glimmer of hope that Summer is actually coming.
I don't know what is around the corner. I can only hope that Q2 will show glimmers of hope for us all. As Richard and Kris Carlson say, "“Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. And it is all Small Stuff".
Hopefully if we follow this belief we might just make it, we might just.............
I welcome your thoughts and comments
It is fair to say that the first part of the year has passed fairly quickly. Already the end of March is rapidly approaching and at long last the short days of winter are coming to an end.
Easter has now been and gone, albeit early, and the children hapilly tell me how they have 9 eggs, which to me seems a lot(!!) but they seem to feel is quite normal. The family have visited for lunch and I have been able to spend 2 days with my Step-Mother which has been a joy.
So WHY has no one told the weather!! Good Friday through to Easter Monday I have been beset with hail, snow and ice. The snow has settled and on more than one occaision I would appear to have a white car and not the dark green I thought!!!
The ground has been waterlogged and then frozen solid, in fact it has been anything but Easter. The temperature has struggled to get above freezing and, although now a couple of days later, it is still perishingly cold.
Where does global warming fit into this?? In Cyprus it is 24 Degrees and sunny, Australia is hotter than ever before and the USA is experiencing snow!! What is happening?
Everything is blamed on global warming andf emmissions, but are these purely a result of planes, trains and automobiles? It is said that a cow gives off the same amount of greenhouse gasses over a year as a car? Shall we just kill all cows and save the ice regions? We seem to have forgotten that if global temperature drops by only 3 degrees than the world will experience a new ice age? Maybe we should just give up and see if we can all move to Mars??!!!
But enough ranting, enough moaning. The end of March approaches, April is coming and (hopefully) with it warmer days, longer days, and a glimmer of hope that Summer is actually coming.
I don't know what is around the corner. I can only hope that Q2 will show glimmers of hope for us all. As Richard and Kris Carlson say, "“Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. And it is all Small Stuff".
Hopefully if we follow this belief we might just make it, we might just.............
I welcome your thoughts and comments
Saturday, 22 March 2008
A rant today........
I am a little perturbed, I am also a little surprised that there seems to be some sort of pleasure caused by these results...............
What am I talking about? I am talking about my understanding why retail sales seem to be higher in February.
Let us look at things realistically - Fuel is at an all time high, Energy costs have risen by a frightening amount over the last few months and are at an all time high. House price rises are making it increasingly impossible to get on "the housing ladder", inflation is running at 2.7% against a target of 2%, and if we are honest is probably running a lot higher than 2.7% but the addition is hidden within government released and managed figures.
Everywhere that the average person turns in an attempt to manage day-to-day life additional taxes, costs and expenses .
So let us look at a situation, the retail sales index is showing a rise, it would appear that sales through the tills in February have risen above expectation, potentially this is giving hope to the high street.
Now call me a cynic, and I apologise for possibly bursting the bubble, however, are sales not higher as the costs associated with living are higher. If a tin of baked beans was 30p in January and 40p in February the associated sales will be higher. I realise that a tin of beans is only one product, and I use it only as an example, but, this one item highlights the rising costs. If an average shopping bag has risen then it is obvious that the retail sales will also have risen. What will have fallen is the value for money and the physical number of items in the bag.
If we add into the sales hidden costs the actual money in the tills rises further. When are consumers going to realise that the average retailer (Tesco, M&S etc) are anything but stupid and will jump on any bandwagon that may reap higher profits, turnover and money in the till.
So what are the latest - The Green Portfolio and the Organic bandwagon.
Suddenly shops such as Tesco are charging 5p per carrier bag they supply. An average weekly shop needs 20 bags so we have just added a £1 onto the bill. £1 is not a lot to add to a bill, few people even notice. Multiply it by the weeks shoppers and suddenly the supermarket has a few more million pounds. The government takes some as a "green tax" and the supermarket gets the rest. Win, Win and........... loose the consumer looses again!!!
Next everyone is worried about organic food. I agree that organic food must be better by definition. I am sure it tastes nicer and I feel much better by doing my bit for the environment. But I also am adding at least £10 to my cost at the till. The question is does the retailer have an increased cost in relation to this? Or is the retailer using its usual tactics and is telling the supplier of goods that they will only pay XX amount, regardless of their sales price. Add to this, again, the government "green" tax and once again we are faced with a win, win.............Loose situation.
And so my rant could continue, if the chancellor decided to hold off adding another 2p to fuel prices, why have the petrol retailers increased their prices by at least this amount. I have a 70 Litre tank, I paid £80 for diesel yesterday. I get 8 miles per litre allowing for me doing decent runs. This is around 14pence per mile in fuel. My wife, who due to her small journeys, equally as important as mine is lucky to see 30pence per mile, over a 60 litre tank this is higher still.
So is are retail sales really rising showing hope in the high street. I would say "NO" everyone I know is also having to pull in their belts and a now getting much less for their money. I do not want to be the one to state the obvious, I do not mean to burst the high street bubble but, and i am sorry, I cannot are beginning to turn around and how the high street is really looking good.
Perhaps your comments on this can help agree with me or put me straight................
What am I talking about? I am talking about my understanding why retail sales seem to be higher in February.
Let us look at things realistically - Fuel is at an all time high, Energy costs have risen by a frightening amount over the last few months and are at an all time high. House price rises are making it increasingly impossible to get on "the housing ladder", inflation is running at 2.7% against a target of 2%, and if we are honest is probably running a lot higher than 2.7% but the addition is hidden within government released and managed figures.
Everywhere that the average person turns in an attempt to manage day-to-day life additional taxes, costs and expenses .
So let us look at a situation, the retail sales index is showing a rise, it would appear that sales through the tills in February have risen above expectation, potentially this is giving hope to the high street.
Now call me a cynic, and I apologise for possibly bursting the bubble, however, are sales not higher as the costs associated with living are higher. If a tin of baked beans was 30p in January and 40p in February the associated sales will be higher. I realise that a tin of beans is only one product, and I use it only as an example, but, this one item highlights the rising costs. If an average shopping bag has risen then it is obvious that the retail sales will also have risen. What will have fallen is the value for money and the physical number of items in the bag.
If we add into the sales hidden costs the actual money in the tills rises further. When are consumers going to realise that the average retailer (Tesco, M&S etc) are anything but stupid and will jump on any bandwagon that may reap higher profits, turnover and money in the till.
So what are the latest - The Green Portfolio and the Organic bandwagon.
Suddenly shops such as Tesco are charging 5p per carrier bag they supply. An average weekly shop needs 20 bags so we have just added a £1 onto the bill. £1 is not a lot to add to a bill, few people even notice. Multiply it by the weeks shoppers and suddenly the supermarket has a few more million pounds. The government takes some as a "green tax" and the supermarket gets the rest. Win, Win and........... loose the consumer looses again!!!
Next everyone is worried about organic food. I agree that organic food must be better by definition. I am sure it tastes nicer and I feel much better by doing my bit for the environment. But I also am adding at least £10 to my cost at the till. The question is does the retailer have an increased cost in relation to this? Or is the retailer using its usual tactics and is telling the supplier of goods that they will only pay XX amount, regardless of their sales price. Add to this, again, the government "green" tax and once again we are faced with a win, win.............Loose situation.
And so my rant could continue, if the chancellor decided to hold off adding another 2p to fuel prices, why have the petrol retailers increased their prices by at least this amount. I have a 70 Litre tank, I paid £80 for diesel yesterday. I get 8 miles per litre allowing for me doing decent runs. This is around 14pence per mile in fuel. My wife, who due to her small journeys, equally as important as mine is lucky to see 30pence per mile, over a 60 litre tank this is higher still.
So is are retail sales really rising showing hope in the high street. I would say "NO" everyone I know is also having to pull in their belts and a now getting much less for their money. I do not want to be the one to state the obvious, I do not mean to burst the high street bubble but, and i am sorry, I cannot are beginning to turn around and how the high street is really looking good.
Perhaps your comments on this can help agree with me or put me straight................
Saturday, 8 March 2008
Observations of today Let's hit the Motorist, AGAIN!! - 8th March 2008
Here we are at the 8th of March already, and hasn't the first week of the month been quick. But also is this now the start of a concentrated assault on the "new villain" - the motorist.
The press is full of new ideas to tax, prosecute and make the motorist a social villain only fit to be scorned and treated with contempt.
As we sit here today petrol (and diesel) prices are at record highs, and yet despite the obvious distress this is causing, next weeks budget is set to see Mr. Darling add yet another 2p per litre on the price in what the government says highlights their green crudentials, whilst most people see the reality of the situation being one where another few million pounds per day is added to the coffers.
In reality is this new rise just another vote gaining situation? Who will this please and influence? The answer is the new breed of "environmentalist"if Alistair Darling follows the sensible path then he will hold off the additional duty. However, will this show the government, and especially, the chancellor, to be hypocritical. How can the government spout off their green crudentials and then u-turn on the rise? Well I say that the government is merely using this as a handy excuse to add yet more duty.
For the average person this is yet another nail in the coffin. However, despite the rise it is known that the world will still turn, and people will still need to fill their cars and vans. Business will still need to operate and journeys made. Is the answer public transport - trains and coaches? How can it be, the prices for these modes of transport will also have to rise, so fares will too. Public transport remains flaky and costly so why wouldn't I just bite the bullet and drive. In reality all I can do is load the prices I charge onto a customer so clients have to pay more. And so the cost of food will rise, the cost of living will rise and another nail goes in..........
Once the price of petrol has risen, the government will have to look for more revenue as the fuel rise has raised so much extra money....................
And so now a showroom tax will be announced adding around £2000 onto the price of new cars. Officially this tax will hit so called gas guzzlers listed in Group G, however to put this into perspective, a new petrol Mondeo or Vectra is Group E, a new Espace is Group G as well. So actually, and yet again, the person most hit is the man on the street who needs a family car. The owners of Porsches, Range Rovers and the suchlike are not really going to care about another couple of thousand pounds for the accountant to loose in the figures. £2000 on a much needed Mondeo for the average man will hurt, a lot, and all it will do is keep the man on the street running his older less efficient car as a new greener model is beyond their reach. So how is this tax going to help? Again I say it won't, but it will put more money into the treasury.
So fuel has gone up, new car prices have been taxed, what else can be done against the evil motorist?
I know, let's introduce average speed cameras to most motorways. Any motorist doing more than the variable speed over the measured distance will be fined and have points added to their licence. Now I am not saying that speeding is good, however, I would say that firstly often 70mph is too slow on motorways as a speed limit in todays society and that variable speed limits will merely add to the motorists pain as they drive. All that will be achieved is yet more revenue as more and more drivers fall victim to the variable speeds. This situation can therefore only be seen as a win-win. More revenue into the coffers and the constabularies hit their asigned quotas, which they have, even quicker.
Now call me an old sceptic, but why would the police want to go after violent and dangerous criminals like rapists, robbers and drug dealers when a few easy cameras can catch a few hundred motorists a day bring in lots of money and also ensure quotas are met. what a great situation.
What actually happens? Insurance prices rise so less people insure their cars, more people get the ritual 12 points, but take the risk anyway and just drive without a licence and who is left suffering? the poor man on the street, the average law abiding person who pays more fuel, pays more insurance and then gets hit by an uninsured driver and looses even more money as costs cannot be recouped.
So here is the only observation I can make, and I am afraid it is not a great one, I look around at the future and the present and I don't see a lot of fairness. I see the motorist being used as an excuse and I just can't see how this is right. Is it just a vote winner. All I can see is that despite everything and all that is said the only people really feeling the pain is just the common man on the street.
Not the rich who don't care, not the law breakers who also don't care, but just the average person already struggling. The people who will keep struggling, keep sticking to the law and probably keep voting into power parties that will hurt them.
I don't normally accept the whining sort of "it's not fair" type of statement, but, now even I have to question where we really are and how can this situation actually be fair?
I don't have an answer right now. I don't have a coherent theory as to what needs doing. I have never thought of the grass being greener elsewhere, however, right now, as I sit here even I have to ask is it time to start looking elsewhere and at other countries - New Zealand, Canada, Australia - as possibly offering a better solution to this issue.
I apologise for these thoughts and would welcome any views maybe a problem shared can be solved, but right now I don't know how...........
The press is full of new ideas to tax, prosecute and make the motorist a social villain only fit to be scorned and treated with contempt.
As we sit here today petrol (and diesel) prices are at record highs, and yet despite the obvious distress this is causing, next weeks budget is set to see Mr. Darling add yet another 2p per litre on the price in what the government says highlights their green crudentials, whilst most people see the reality of the situation being one where another few million pounds per day is added to the coffers.
In reality is this new rise just another vote gaining situation? Who will this please and influence? The answer is the new breed of "environmentalist"if Alistair Darling follows the sensible path then he will hold off the additional duty. However, will this show the government, and especially, the chancellor, to be hypocritical. How can the government spout off their green crudentials and then u-turn on the rise? Well I say that the government is merely using this as a handy excuse to add yet more duty.
For the average person this is yet another nail in the coffin. However, despite the rise it is known that the world will still turn, and people will still need to fill their cars and vans. Business will still need to operate and journeys made. Is the answer public transport - trains and coaches? How can it be, the prices for these modes of transport will also have to rise, so fares will too. Public transport remains flaky and costly so why wouldn't I just bite the bullet and drive. In reality all I can do is load the prices I charge onto a customer so clients have to pay more. And so the cost of food will rise, the cost of living will rise and another nail goes in..........
Once the price of petrol has risen, the government will have to look for more revenue as the fuel rise has raised so much extra money....................
And so now a showroom tax will be announced adding around £2000 onto the price of new cars. Officially this tax will hit so called gas guzzlers listed in Group G, however to put this into perspective, a new petrol Mondeo or Vectra is Group E, a new Espace is Group G as well. So actually, and yet again, the person most hit is the man on the street who needs a family car. The owners of Porsches, Range Rovers and the suchlike are not really going to care about another couple of thousand pounds for the accountant to loose in the figures. £2000 on a much needed Mondeo for the average man will hurt, a lot, and all it will do is keep the man on the street running his older less efficient car as a new greener model is beyond their reach. So how is this tax going to help? Again I say it won't, but it will put more money into the treasury.
So fuel has gone up, new car prices have been taxed, what else can be done against the evil motorist?
I know, let's introduce average speed cameras to most motorways. Any motorist doing more than the variable speed over the measured distance will be fined and have points added to their licence. Now I am not saying that speeding is good, however, I would say that firstly often 70mph is too slow on motorways as a speed limit in todays society and that variable speed limits will merely add to the motorists pain as they drive. All that will be achieved is yet more revenue as more and more drivers fall victim to the variable speeds. This situation can therefore only be seen as a win-win. More revenue into the coffers and the constabularies hit their asigned quotas, which they have, even quicker.
Now call me an old sceptic, but why would the police want to go after violent and dangerous criminals like rapists, robbers and drug dealers when a few easy cameras can catch a few hundred motorists a day bring in lots of money and also ensure quotas are met. what a great situation.
What actually happens? Insurance prices rise so less people insure their cars, more people get the ritual 12 points, but take the risk anyway and just drive without a licence and who is left suffering? the poor man on the street, the average law abiding person who pays more fuel, pays more insurance and then gets hit by an uninsured driver and looses even more money as costs cannot be recouped.
So here is the only observation I can make, and I am afraid it is not a great one, I look around at the future and the present and I don't see a lot of fairness. I see the motorist being used as an excuse and I just can't see how this is right. Is it just a vote winner. All I can see is that despite everything and all that is said the only people really feeling the pain is just the common man on the street.
Not the rich who don't care, not the law breakers who also don't care, but just the average person already struggling. The people who will keep struggling, keep sticking to the law and probably keep voting into power parties that will hurt them.
I don't normally accept the whining sort of "it's not fair" type of statement, but, now even I have to question where we really are and how can this situation actually be fair?
I don't have an answer right now. I don't have a coherent theory as to what needs doing. I have never thought of the grass being greener elsewhere, however, right now, as I sit here even I have to ask is it time to start looking elsewhere and at other countries - New Zealand, Canada, Australia - as possibly offering a better solution to this issue.
I apologise for these thoughts and would welcome any views maybe a problem shared can be solved, but right now I don't know how...........
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
The Year - 3rd March
It is here, March has arrived. The dark days may still be hanging around but it is still March. The drudgery of February is OVER!!!
And let's be honest the year is a funny old thing, we neatly split it up into Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn.
We can all asign months to seasons and say January is winter and September is Autumn, but is the year really that simple and clear cut?
If the year is broken into seasons let us look at the months that are held in these -
Winter - Let us assume that Winter is November, December and January. What is it that makes winter "special"? By November the run up to Christmas is well under way. At the same time the sky is lit up with fireworks and we all "ooh and ahh" at the beauty of these. As the co-owner of a firework company is see these all year, but even i have to say that there is something special about fireworks in November.
As the month rushes on and draws to a close December arrives with a bang. Christmas, Christmas and Christmas. The shops are full of it, the concerts focus upon it and Churches thrive on it. Children become more and more excited and desperate for Santa to arrive with the gifts that they wait for with anticipation. Families and food followed by a further celebration of New Year. And that leads into January, the end of Christmas and the strange anti-climax that this brings. However let us not forget that January still offers Burns Night and Wasailing to ensure a good apple crop for the new cider. Finally who can ask for more than the added exitement of a snow fall that often comes at the end of the month.
So Winter is filled with excitement and joy and the Christmas spirit quite happily remains until the end of January.
And then it is Spring............
Spring - February, March and April. Spring signifies the true new birth of the year after the coldness of Winter, or is early spring just a dire time?
February is a sadly poor month. Nothing really is good about February, I know it has Valentines day in it but is this one small patch of light really enough to lift the spirits February encourages. Christmas is over, Summer is a long way off, and it is still dark, damp and cold. Thankfully February is only 28 (or 29!!) days long and then March can come roaring in.
Now March offers a new start, often the month comes storming in roaring like a lion and showing off. But, it does offer light at the end of the tunnel, spring is truly beginning. Days are getting longer and the sun tentatively puts in the odd appearance as March matures. Christmas and New Year are just distant memories and a time to look forward to, but Summer is now coming, trees and plants are now growing and as March came in as a lion its meekness is shown at the end as it goes out like a lamb, a newborn Spring lamb!!
As March ends April dances in, often with showers and sometimes a cold snap, but as lambs are born and plants blossom, April heralds the end of spring and announces the imminent arrival of Summer. April often brings Easter with chocolates and flowers, but it also brings a taster of a summer to follow.
Summer - What is summer if not a period of warm balmy days and long evenings. May, June and July.
May offering a hint of the summer to follow with often early May showing long days and heat, and then all too often mid May teases by being wet and sometimes jumper weather again. But really this is just to make us appreciate the next more............
June is classed as true Summer, it is a time of greenery, heat and hayfever. All around plants are blooming and fields are growing. June offers a true chance to appreciate all that is good. Warmth abounds and even when it rains the day remains fairly warm and not really jumper weather. June offers nice long days and naturally opens the door for July.
July is a calm and warm month, it is also a month where crops come into their own as they develop fully and the shops are filled with fruit and vegetables.
However July also very, very gently hints of Autumn as the days grow ever so slighlty, almost unnoticeably, shorter. Where the sun set at 9.30pm it now sets at 9.15pm and in the morning there is slightly more dew on the trees. But July is still a month of beauty and definately Summer.
August - August is a month that really stands alone. Is it Summer or Autumn? Traditionally it is Summer. A holiday month and one of sun and laughter. But is it? August starts off as a true Summer month, however as things progress by mid-month it is definately showing signs of things to come. Crops are now ready to be harvested and end of summer fetes and festivals are underway, and these lead nicely into Autumn. -
Autumn - Some of August, September and October are true Autumn. When summer departs but a true harvest occurs.
September heralds the true start of Autumn, Last Night of the Proms says a fond farewell to Summer in true style and sets the scene for the Autumn and then Winter to follow. As harvests are gathered in and stored away the shops become full of an abundance of vegetables and fruit as produce is fully available.
In retail however shops are readying for (what they hope) will be a Christmas rush of shoppers. Earlier and earlier Christmas arrives in-store to build up a frenzy by December, however, September still remains a month of limited heat and the remenats of Summer. These are much more important!!
October brings the end of the full harvest although in many cases the start of the apple harvest. But, by the end of the month all is quiet. The heat has left and the schools are now preparing in earnest for festivities.
So what about October, this month holds the final residues of Summer and a chance to ready all for Winter. More importantly October still finds time to celebrate the dead and ghoulish as Halloween is partied at the end of the month.
And this festivity neatly brings in the true arrival of November and thus winter and the full circle of the year.
So, now I have looked at all the year what does that mean as we enter the start of March?
March represents, as I have stated, the true start of the year as festivities are finally left behind. What my synopsis of the year really shows is that actually things are not all bleak and every month has something to offer.
So whilst, at times, things seem bad, and at times months seem endless as does all time, maybe a quick glance at this "calendar" may actually allow us all to see that there is a future and we can't stop it.
whatever happens - "the sun will still rise, the tide will always come and go. However bleak things seem a day is only as long as 24 hours and tomorrow is a new day"
I hope it helps!!!
And let's be honest the year is a funny old thing, we neatly split it up into Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn.
We can all asign months to seasons and say January is winter and September is Autumn, but is the year really that simple and clear cut?
If the year is broken into seasons let us look at the months that are held in these -
Winter - Let us assume that Winter is November, December and January. What is it that makes winter "special"? By November the run up to Christmas is well under way. At the same time the sky is lit up with fireworks and we all "ooh and ahh" at the beauty of these. As the co-owner of a firework company is see these all year, but even i have to say that there is something special about fireworks in November.
As the month rushes on and draws to a close December arrives with a bang. Christmas, Christmas and Christmas. The shops are full of it, the concerts focus upon it and Churches thrive on it. Children become more and more excited and desperate for Santa to arrive with the gifts that they wait for with anticipation. Families and food followed by a further celebration of New Year. And that leads into January, the end of Christmas and the strange anti-climax that this brings. However let us not forget that January still offers Burns Night and Wasailing to ensure a good apple crop for the new cider. Finally who can ask for more than the added exitement of a snow fall that often comes at the end of the month.
So Winter is filled with excitement and joy and the Christmas spirit quite happily remains until the end of January.
And then it is Spring............
Spring - February, March and April. Spring signifies the true new birth of the year after the coldness of Winter, or is early spring just a dire time?
February is a sadly poor month. Nothing really is good about February, I know it has Valentines day in it but is this one small patch of light really enough to lift the spirits February encourages. Christmas is over, Summer is a long way off, and it is still dark, damp and cold. Thankfully February is only 28 (or 29!!) days long and then March can come roaring in.
Now March offers a new start, often the month comes storming in roaring like a lion and showing off. But, it does offer light at the end of the tunnel, spring is truly beginning. Days are getting longer and the sun tentatively puts in the odd appearance as March matures. Christmas and New Year are just distant memories and a time to look forward to, but Summer is now coming, trees and plants are now growing and as March came in as a lion its meekness is shown at the end as it goes out like a lamb, a newborn Spring lamb!!
As March ends April dances in, often with showers and sometimes a cold snap, but as lambs are born and plants blossom, April heralds the end of spring and announces the imminent arrival of Summer. April often brings Easter with chocolates and flowers, but it also brings a taster of a summer to follow.
Summer - What is summer if not a period of warm balmy days and long evenings. May, June and July.
May offering a hint of the summer to follow with often early May showing long days and heat, and then all too often mid May teases by being wet and sometimes jumper weather again. But really this is just to make us appreciate the next more............
June is classed as true Summer, it is a time of greenery, heat and hayfever. All around plants are blooming and fields are growing. June offers a true chance to appreciate all that is good. Warmth abounds and even when it rains the day remains fairly warm and not really jumper weather. June offers nice long days and naturally opens the door for July.
July is a calm and warm month, it is also a month where crops come into their own as they develop fully and the shops are filled with fruit and vegetables.
However July also very, very gently hints of Autumn as the days grow ever so slighlty, almost unnoticeably, shorter. Where the sun set at 9.30pm it now sets at 9.15pm and in the morning there is slightly more dew on the trees. But July is still a month of beauty and definately Summer.
August - August is a month that really stands alone. Is it Summer or Autumn? Traditionally it is Summer. A holiday month and one of sun and laughter. But is it? August starts off as a true Summer month, however as things progress by mid-month it is definately showing signs of things to come. Crops are now ready to be harvested and end of summer fetes and festivals are underway, and these lead nicely into Autumn. -
Autumn - Some of August, September and October are true Autumn. When summer departs but a true harvest occurs.
September heralds the true start of Autumn, Last Night of the Proms says a fond farewell to Summer in true style and sets the scene for the Autumn and then Winter to follow. As harvests are gathered in and stored away the shops become full of an abundance of vegetables and fruit as produce is fully available.
In retail however shops are readying for (what they hope) will be a Christmas rush of shoppers. Earlier and earlier Christmas arrives in-store to build up a frenzy by December, however, September still remains a month of limited heat and the remenats of Summer. These are much more important!!
October brings the end of the full harvest although in many cases the start of the apple harvest. But, by the end of the month all is quiet. The heat has left and the schools are now preparing in earnest for festivities.
So what about October, this month holds the final residues of Summer and a chance to ready all for Winter. More importantly October still finds time to celebrate the dead and ghoulish as Halloween is partied at the end of the month.
And this festivity neatly brings in the true arrival of November and thus winter and the full circle of the year.
So, now I have looked at all the year what does that mean as we enter the start of March?
March represents, as I have stated, the true start of the year as festivities are finally left behind. What my synopsis of the year really shows is that actually things are not all bleak and every month has something to offer.
So whilst, at times, things seem bad, and at times months seem endless as does all time, maybe a quick glance at this "calendar" may actually allow us all to see that there is a future and we can't stop it.
whatever happens - "the sun will still rise, the tide will always come and go. However bleak things seem a day is only as long as 24 hours and tomorrow is a new day"
I hope it helps!!!
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
Todays rant - 26th February 2008 Mental Health
Here we are again, a week on and I am in a hotel again, actually, I am in my usual hotel up North. Here I am quietly sat here "ranting" away and pondering on all that I have heard today or read in the Times!! My VOIP is fine, my mobiles are turned on and so is the television, and yet, now I am pondering. So here it is..........
According to the media anti-depressant pills are generally no better than a "sugar pill" and whilst last year saw 16 Million prescriptions given out to "depressed" people now most of these were no better than handing out Smarties instead.
The cost to the NHS was around £291 Million and a staggering £120 Million of this was spent upon SRRI type of medicine that this survey states is "useless".
Figures would say that as many as 1 in 5 people suffer from (or at some time have or will) depression requiring drugs. That really shows that at some point we will ALL know a number of people who are suffering.
So in reality what is really needed as a help for all of us?
The NHS currently has plans to train around 3600 therapists in an attempt to boost the levels of counselling available to the "man on the street". This additional assistance will cost around £30 Million extra in costs of therapy. Is this extra money going to help? Is the extra therapy available going to offer assistance either alone or in tangent with medicine?
SRRI medicine (Prozac, Efexor etc) is now seen as a placebo, however, is eveything potentially a placebo. If Strawberry liquorice helps ease the symptoms of depression is this not as viable as Prozac. So should the patient be prescribed a non-pill working on the assumption that for most people they believe they are being cured so they are being cured.
SRRI medicine helps a large number of people. Medically these inhibitors actually do somewhere along the lines provide some sort of assistance. If a person who is suffering sees their doctor it is that GP's aim to provide a solution to the problem, quickly, as in most cases the aim of the doctor is purely to ease the pain and suffering of the patient. And in a short term crisis, placebo or not, medicine offers an aid.
What if a doctor prescribes a "bread pill" ? they know it does nothing medically, but potentially as a patient feels they are being helped it is a win-win scenario, and a patient is not polluted by medicine.
But what if the placebo actually provides no help, what if the "bread pill" has no effect and the person being treated gets more ill, actually dies or as a result of the illness performs a hideous crime.
A doctor could argue that obviously the medicine has not worked, but, if the medicine is a non-medicine it will never work. Whilst the GP may well make the decision to go the placebo route can this be defended? is it fair on the doctor to have this responsibility on their shoulders solely?
I say NO. It cannot be right to allow a doctor alone to be forced to make this potentially life threatening decision. And maybe, just maybe, I can offer a solution -
The NHS are spending a lot of money making sure they have therapists and counsellors in place to provide assistance to "ill" people. These are trained professionals who in theory can help the patient and also provide feedback and concerns to the doctor.
I suggest that on initially seeing a suffering person the doctor needs to solve this problem without leaving themselves wide open to any recourse from a victim or their family. Physical medication may do very little, but, inhibits something and, possibly more importantly, (and I apologise for this thought) protects the GP from legal action as a result of the placebo solution being discovered either by the patient or a possible victim or family.
The patient then needs to see a therapist as a matter of urgency in order to fully evaluate the actual requirements of the indvidual.
Only through this combination of treatments can the true needs be evaluated and then delivered. Succesfully now rather than merely as a text book describes and to the best of the abilities available.
There is another possible success from this course of action. By providing a combination therapy the cost of solution should lessen. Currently the use of prolonged medical therapy is costly, then add this to a limited number of therapy sessions and the cost becomes greater.
An action where the need for long term medicine is reduced, effectiveness is increased and as an added bonus cost is lessened can only provide a winning situation.
It may be asked why can I rant on such a subject as a result of merely reading the Times and hearing the news?
I am one of the people classed as one of the 1 in 5. I cannot hide the fact that I openly "lost the plot" over a number of issues, my nature, ability to sweep matters under the carpet and my complete inability to ever admit anything was wrong.
I am lucky I have a fantastic GP who recognised what I needed, provided a medical solution and therapy through the CBT method of counselling. I have been ill, I am recovering. I still wobble and I still struggle to verbalise to my wife everything I should, which leads me to "clam up" when I should try to explain what is needed or happening.
I still see my GP a lot and she also makes sure I make appointments regularily to see her. I used my prescribed CBT not always in the best manner. Often I used these sessions as a sounding board for my personal issues and to advise upon questions or problems I may have had. My counsellor also was able to update my doctor on issues she saw and felt relevant. I could not ask for more.
So I suggest that the NHS actually spends some time looking at what is really required and not what is most pleasing to everyone. Maybe then a true solution to the problem can be delivered.
I will welcome the comments of others..................
According to the media anti-depressant pills are generally no better than a "sugar pill" and whilst last year saw 16 Million prescriptions given out to "depressed" people now most of these were no better than handing out Smarties instead.
The cost to the NHS was around £291 Million and a staggering £120 Million of this was spent upon SRRI type of medicine that this survey states is "useless".
Figures would say that as many as 1 in 5 people suffer from (or at some time have or will) depression requiring drugs. That really shows that at some point we will ALL know a number of people who are suffering.
So in reality what is really needed as a help for all of us?
The NHS currently has plans to train around 3600 therapists in an attempt to boost the levels of counselling available to the "man on the street". This additional assistance will cost around £30 Million extra in costs of therapy. Is this extra money going to help? Is the extra therapy available going to offer assistance either alone or in tangent with medicine?
SRRI medicine (Prozac, Efexor etc) is now seen as a placebo, however, is eveything potentially a placebo. If Strawberry liquorice helps ease the symptoms of depression is this not as viable as Prozac. So should the patient be prescribed a non-pill working on the assumption that for most people they believe they are being cured so they are being cured.
SRRI medicine helps a large number of people. Medically these inhibitors actually do somewhere along the lines provide some sort of assistance. If a person who is suffering sees their doctor it is that GP's aim to provide a solution to the problem, quickly, as in most cases the aim of the doctor is purely to ease the pain and suffering of the patient. And in a short term crisis, placebo or not, medicine offers an aid.
What if a doctor prescribes a "bread pill" ? they know it does nothing medically, but potentially as a patient feels they are being helped it is a win-win scenario, and a patient is not polluted by medicine.
But what if the placebo actually provides no help, what if the "bread pill" has no effect and the person being treated gets more ill, actually dies or as a result of the illness performs a hideous crime.
A doctor could argue that obviously the medicine has not worked, but, if the medicine is a non-medicine it will never work. Whilst the GP may well make the decision to go the placebo route can this be defended? is it fair on the doctor to have this responsibility on their shoulders solely?
I say NO. It cannot be right to allow a doctor alone to be forced to make this potentially life threatening decision. And maybe, just maybe, I can offer a solution -
The NHS are spending a lot of money making sure they have therapists and counsellors in place to provide assistance to "ill" people. These are trained professionals who in theory can help the patient and also provide feedback and concerns to the doctor.
I suggest that on initially seeing a suffering person the doctor needs to solve this problem without leaving themselves wide open to any recourse from a victim or their family. Physical medication may do very little, but, inhibits something and, possibly more importantly, (and I apologise for this thought) protects the GP from legal action as a result of the placebo solution being discovered either by the patient or a possible victim or family.
The patient then needs to see a therapist as a matter of urgency in order to fully evaluate the actual requirements of the indvidual.
Only through this combination of treatments can the true needs be evaluated and then delivered. Succesfully now rather than merely as a text book describes and to the best of the abilities available.
There is another possible success from this course of action. By providing a combination therapy the cost of solution should lessen. Currently the use of prolonged medical therapy is costly, then add this to a limited number of therapy sessions and the cost becomes greater.
An action where the need for long term medicine is reduced, effectiveness is increased and as an added bonus cost is lessened can only provide a winning situation.
It may be asked why can I rant on such a subject as a result of merely reading the Times and hearing the news?
I am one of the people classed as one of the 1 in 5. I cannot hide the fact that I openly "lost the plot" over a number of issues, my nature, ability to sweep matters under the carpet and my complete inability to ever admit anything was wrong.
I am lucky I have a fantastic GP who recognised what I needed, provided a medical solution and therapy through the CBT method of counselling. I have been ill, I am recovering. I still wobble and I still struggle to verbalise to my wife everything I should, which leads me to "clam up" when I should try to explain what is needed or happening.
I still see my GP a lot and she also makes sure I make appointments regularily to see her. I used my prescribed CBT not always in the best manner. Often I used these sessions as a sounding board for my personal issues and to advise upon questions or problems I may have had. My counsellor also was able to update my doctor on issues she saw and felt relevant. I could not ask for more.
So I suggest that the NHS actually spends some time looking at what is really required and not what is most pleasing to everyone. Maybe then a true solution to the problem can be delivered.
I will welcome the comments of others..................
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
20th February - Todays "rant" and worry
Here we are again, another day and another night in a hotel room and another night away. I am at my office again, and staying in my usual hotel!!
I drove up the M6 today and listened to the radio, catching up on the news and events. Well here is the rant, actually today it is more of a question and I am confussed to say the least. Either way I heard two pieces of news today that have left me "cold" and for the first time actually questioning what have our children got to face??
I listened in awe today at (amongst other things) the pieces of news stating that a 17th young person has commited suicide in Bridgend for no apparent reason and at the same time another young person has been knifed to death in London.
So we have two apparently unrelated deaths 200 miles apart. Two tragic ends to short lives, without either party having had chance to achieve anything except for the "15 minutes of fame" (thank you Andy Warhole) that these deaths have achieved.
My confussion I need to explain in a twofold manner, so here we go -
The Stabbing -
As I grew up I knew lots of people, I had friends throughout the country through a youth movement I belonged to, and I had lots of friends in London. As I reached my formative late teens my social circle was based around London and the Chilterns. I still see some friends now, I was best-man to one of them. I started school with a certain special, (then) little girl, who I still look upon as one of my greatest friends and without a doubt my soulmate and "ear" to rely upon, you know who you are!! I met my now wife when we were 18 and we have never really been apart since.
Amongst all of these friends and associates I do not know of 1 incidence of knife crime amongst us or of any of us carrying a knife. My wife also had a varied and wide social circle based around the Reading area. She also cannot relate to knife crime.
So I thought I needed to ask around, ask amongst people who had teenagers, like us, as they grew up. Not one of these throughout the whole UK can relate to knife carrying.
Now what this actually does is highlight the issue. Although I would dispute it, as would all of the people I know, my upbringing and friends have been held within a very "closed" environment. We all say we are blue collar, we all say we mix with all classes and colours. I now say NO we don't. If we did we would have seen knives and the results of these in practice.
This situation shows that the knife crime we seem to hear about weekly is actually very localised within a small element of society. The question therefore is what can be done to slow down this spread. Sociology has already shown that "trends" will filter across to all areas of society. What is localised today will potentially become a nationwide epedemic as natural osmosis leads to a spread of the problem.
The Suicides -
And this naturally brings the thought round to Bridgend. Originally 1 poor soul used suicide as a way out. His friends are shocked. I looked at BEBO earlier, this is a scary site as you can post whatever you like. And thus through natural word of mouth and BEBO reading and sociological filtering throughout the social circle the current suicide rate is 17.
Again, the circle I move within has not experienced this. We all lost friends to accidents, but these could not easily be copied. Suicides can.
This is the real issue with both knife crime and suicides.
And here is my confussion and worry - Why would you choose to copy knife crime or suicide? Does this "crime" guarantee the fame that is craved but not achievable? Does the current craving for fame at any cost mean that the cost can be the ultimate sacrifice in the quest?
What can a Father do to stop children reaching their late teens and viewing suicide or murder as a "cool" way of ensuring their fame? By the time the parents of current infants have children of this age osmosis will mean the epedemic may well of spread dramatically.
I ask as a worried parent, who hopes my childrens current sense remains, what can we do? How do we protect our children? and how do we act to try and stop the spread of this culture of craving fame at any cost?
I drove up the M6 today and listened to the radio, catching up on the news and events. Well here is the rant, actually today it is more of a question and I am confussed to say the least. Either way I heard two pieces of news today that have left me "cold" and for the first time actually questioning what have our children got to face??
I listened in awe today at (amongst other things) the pieces of news stating that a 17th young person has commited suicide in Bridgend for no apparent reason and at the same time another young person has been knifed to death in London.
So we have two apparently unrelated deaths 200 miles apart. Two tragic ends to short lives, without either party having had chance to achieve anything except for the "15 minutes of fame" (thank you Andy Warhole) that these deaths have achieved.
My confussion I need to explain in a twofold manner, so here we go -
The Stabbing -
As I grew up I knew lots of people, I had friends throughout the country through a youth movement I belonged to, and I had lots of friends in London. As I reached my formative late teens my social circle was based around London and the Chilterns. I still see some friends now, I was best-man to one of them. I started school with a certain special, (then) little girl, who I still look upon as one of my greatest friends and without a doubt my soulmate and "ear" to rely upon, you know who you are!! I met my now wife when we were 18 and we have never really been apart since.
Amongst all of these friends and associates I do not know of 1 incidence of knife crime amongst us or of any of us carrying a knife. My wife also had a varied and wide social circle based around the Reading area. She also cannot relate to knife crime.
So I thought I needed to ask around, ask amongst people who had teenagers, like us, as they grew up. Not one of these throughout the whole UK can relate to knife carrying.
Now what this actually does is highlight the issue. Although I would dispute it, as would all of the people I know, my upbringing and friends have been held within a very "closed" environment. We all say we are blue collar, we all say we mix with all classes and colours. I now say NO we don't. If we did we would have seen knives and the results of these in practice.
This situation shows that the knife crime we seem to hear about weekly is actually very localised within a small element of society. The question therefore is what can be done to slow down this spread. Sociology has already shown that "trends" will filter across to all areas of society. What is localised today will potentially become a nationwide epedemic as natural osmosis leads to a spread of the problem.
The Suicides -
And this naturally brings the thought round to Bridgend. Originally 1 poor soul used suicide as a way out. His friends are shocked. I looked at BEBO earlier, this is a scary site as you can post whatever you like. And thus through natural word of mouth and BEBO reading and sociological filtering throughout the social circle the current suicide rate is 17.
Again, the circle I move within has not experienced this. We all lost friends to accidents, but these could not easily be copied. Suicides can.
This is the real issue with both knife crime and suicides.
And here is my confussion and worry - Why would you choose to copy knife crime or suicide? Does this "crime" guarantee the fame that is craved but not achievable? Does the current craving for fame at any cost mean that the cost can be the ultimate sacrifice in the quest?
What can a Father do to stop children reaching their late teens and viewing suicide or murder as a "cool" way of ensuring their fame? By the time the parents of current infants have children of this age osmosis will mean the epedemic may well of spread dramatically.
I ask as a worried parent, who hopes my childrens current sense remains, what can we do? How do we protect our children? and how do we act to try and stop the spread of this culture of craving fame at any cost?
Monday, 18 February 2008
An Apology First....... Then a Small Thought
Firstly I must apologise for my apparent tardiness at adding thoughts and rants to this Blog. My only defence is one of technology, my laptop gave up the ghost, the home PC's I have that the children and my wife use I could not get on with and it has taken until now to get fully (ish) back up and running. Now I just complain a lot as the buttons on my new laptop are in different places to those on my old. You would have thought that it wouldn't be asking for much if the manufacturers of machines could just agree on a format..... Acer, Dell, Toshiba, Gateway etc but all different!!! the same until you try and delete an item and find yourself "home" or "end" and all you want is to knock out a letter that should not be there to start with!!!!!!!!!!!!
But enough, here is a thought derived from my current (or always had) strangeness and my new found desire to question things that I have never looked at before..........
Many, many years ago Adam and Eve lived in "paradise", everyone loved everyone. Cats and dogs lived together, snakes and serpents walked around, and lions never ate giraffes!! Everyone could understand each other and they all lived together.
Then out of the blue a cunning serpent suggests to Eve that she tries an apple, after all it is only an apple. He knows the fruit is forbidden but hey, who would know? and if they did then what? Well the rest as they say is history......
Now my thought stems a little bit left of centre and has been started after I began looking through an unpublished work of my Late and Great Grandfather about sex in the bible. This work is not a saucy piece of literature as such, although pretty frank, but more a questioning book that explores the hows and whys.
Why did Eve tell Adam to put on a figleaf to cover "his bits"? Why does she cover her breasts and "bits" as well? I am not suggesting that we should all be nude, but why cover the sexual organs if she never realised they were "interesting"?
Why does Eve not say "Adam, cover up your feet, you'll get cuts all over them and put blood on the grass bed covers!" or why not "Adam will you put some leaves on your chest before you catch a nasty cold, honestly look at you stood there with nothing to keep you warm, you will catch your death"
No Eve covered her genitals and then told Adam to do the same. Never mind the cold, never mind the odd cut, just get those dangly bits covered before all and sundry start pointing!!
Now all of this happened a long long time ago, the jewish year is 5768, so why??
In 5000 years time is everyone going to be "Potters or Voldemorts" depending on the religion they follow? Be honest the bible is a fantastic work of literature, in a few thousand years time will the Harry Potter books of today be viewed as fact not fiction?
So I guess my thought is two fold -
1) Why did life as we know it begin with Adam and Eve and their banishment from the Garden of Eden?
2) Was the bible a reality when first written or was it the "novel" of its time?
Now I am anything but a non-believing heathen. My belief and faith if anything is now growing, although I would still question if I believe in a religion as such or more in a faith of some describution. My current personal situation means I now am actually "believing" and questioning.
Maybe this is actually the thought. We don't really care if the bible (Old or New Testament) is based on real fact. We realise something must have happened to spur these tales along. We all know how "chinese whispers" can grow a very small act into a huge life saving action from which all sorts of other acts grow. Can we assume that this is how the bible grew?
So faith today is not actually based entirely upon fact. We know something happened. We know somehow a chap called Moses was given some pointers to follow from somewhere. This is the 10 commandments we use as the basis of all living. We know somewhere along the line a chap called Jesus lived about 2000 years ago. Did he really feed 5000 people with a loaf of bread and some water, or was he a waiter of sorts who served a lot of people?
From humble and often insignificant acts whole religions have developed and these offer us some sort of comfort.
I question the origins, I question the reality of the stories, however, and this is important to realise, I do not question the faith these acts deliver.
And so that is my thought, do we really care where the Bible stories came from or if they are true. I say who cares, we want them to have existed, we want them to be true and from these thoughts, whether on a religious level or a faith level, we still worship and look towards something. The stability that this sense of belonging brings is enough for now. It is this the steadying thought that we must instill upon our children to maintain their stability and to try and give them something to cling to.
I know that religion is not the answer to all, but, it is the level of "order" that this brings that we need to impress upon our children. The small amount of respect that religion gives might just keep some from being wild and having nothing to steady them.
And that is my thought, preach and rant over for today..... But i would welcome other opinions????
But enough, here is a thought derived from my current (or always had) strangeness and my new found desire to question things that I have never looked at before..........
Many, many years ago Adam and Eve lived in "paradise", everyone loved everyone. Cats and dogs lived together, snakes and serpents walked around, and lions never ate giraffes!! Everyone could understand each other and they all lived together.
Then out of the blue a cunning serpent suggests to Eve that she tries an apple, after all it is only an apple. He knows the fruit is forbidden but hey, who would know? and if they did then what? Well the rest as they say is history......
Now my thought stems a little bit left of centre and has been started after I began looking through an unpublished work of my Late and Great Grandfather about sex in the bible. This work is not a saucy piece of literature as such, although pretty frank, but more a questioning book that explores the hows and whys.
Why did Eve tell Adam to put on a figleaf to cover "his bits"? Why does she cover her breasts and "bits" as well? I am not suggesting that we should all be nude, but why cover the sexual organs if she never realised they were "interesting"?
Why does Eve not say "Adam, cover up your feet, you'll get cuts all over them and put blood on the grass bed covers!" or why not "Adam will you put some leaves on your chest before you catch a nasty cold, honestly look at you stood there with nothing to keep you warm, you will catch your death"
No Eve covered her genitals and then told Adam to do the same. Never mind the cold, never mind the odd cut, just get those dangly bits covered before all and sundry start pointing!!
Now all of this happened a long long time ago, the jewish year is 5768, so why??
In 5000 years time is everyone going to be "Potters or Voldemorts" depending on the religion they follow? Be honest the bible is a fantastic work of literature, in a few thousand years time will the Harry Potter books of today be viewed as fact not fiction?
So I guess my thought is two fold -
1) Why did life as we know it begin with Adam and Eve and their banishment from the Garden of Eden?
2) Was the bible a reality when first written or was it the "novel" of its time?
Now I am anything but a non-believing heathen. My belief and faith if anything is now growing, although I would still question if I believe in a religion as such or more in a faith of some describution. My current personal situation means I now am actually "believing" and questioning.
Maybe this is actually the thought. We don't really care if the bible (Old or New Testament) is based on real fact. We realise something must have happened to spur these tales along. We all know how "chinese whispers" can grow a very small act into a huge life saving action from which all sorts of other acts grow. Can we assume that this is how the bible grew?
So faith today is not actually based entirely upon fact. We know something happened. We know somehow a chap called Moses was given some pointers to follow from somewhere. This is the 10 commandments we use as the basis of all living. We know somewhere along the line a chap called Jesus lived about 2000 years ago. Did he really feed 5000 people with a loaf of bread and some water, or was he a waiter of sorts who served a lot of people?
From humble and often insignificant acts whole religions have developed and these offer us some sort of comfort.
I question the origins, I question the reality of the stories, however, and this is important to realise, I do not question the faith these acts deliver.
And so that is my thought, do we really care where the Bible stories came from or if they are true. I say who cares, we want them to have existed, we want them to be true and from these thoughts, whether on a religious level or a faith level, we still worship and look towards something. The stability that this sense of belonging brings is enough for now. It is this the steadying thought that we must instill upon our children to maintain their stability and to try and give them something to cling to.
I know that religion is not the answer to all, but, it is the level of "order" that this brings that we need to impress upon our children. The small amount of respect that religion gives might just keep some from being wild and having nothing to steady them.
And that is my thought, preach and rant over for today..... But i would welcome other opinions????
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
Today - 5th February - Just a question.......
Today is the 5th of february, I am away from home again in Cheshire, so I can be at my office for a number of meetings, including a very important meet tomorrow with a key partner. I would like to be at home (3 hours south!!) but I have to be here. I know my wife is not 100% well right now and I know my children are a handful as well as also not being fully well, but I also know that I need to be here to sort things out and win contracts for the future.
Anyway, enough of my feeling sorry for myself, or trying to justify the fact that I am away. Here is todays thought, and it is a question of sorts as I am looking for the answer and not really getting anywhere.
I am sorry that this following question may be seen as a little "hippy-dippy" but I guess this just shows my strange state of mind!!!
What really happens when a person passes on? Jacky Newcomb clearly believes in an afterlife. She believes in contact and also in "guardian angels". As far as Jacky is concerned when a person passes on they are not dying and and disappearing forever. A person is merely moving onto a "higher" plane and is able to contact those left behind for now.
It may take time to be able to contact the living. It may only be a brief and fleeting goodbye, BUT it is still contact of some sort.
Sometimes it takes the form of a dream, sometimes the contact arrival is announced by flickering lights or familiar scents. On other occasions the contact is through a familiar form, such as a specific bird, but in strange surroundings or an out of context habitat. Whatever the form taken Jacky is adamant, as are many, many others, that this is absolute contact and proof of an afterlife where already passed family and friends are waiting.
Now, here is my question............
I want to believe in this next stage. To a large degree I do because it is this hope that makes the future plausible. But in honesty, and purely as I don't know, does an afterlife exist. Is there some sort of life to move on to?
I know that my sister is adamant that my father (who passed away in 2004) is always helping her. When she needs extra figures to boost her sales at work, she asks for his help, and a sale walks in. Frequently she says she is "at Dad's" meaning the grave. My sister truly believes this situation.
A few weeks after my father passed my grandmother also moved on. I was close to my dad, and I was very close to my grandmother. Whilst I may have experienced my father's ghost I remain unsure.
I had some massage treatments a couple of years ago when I was suffering a lot of illness. The treatment lady announced one day that my grandmother was there and had been for a few sessions in the past. She also said that my grandmother had tried to pass me a tissue or piece of paper with something on it. I suggested my grandmother was just "seeing what was what". The following week my mother gave me a poem written down by my grandmother. Was this the note she tried to pass?? My mother did not know of this possible contact.
Now, all of this seems like proof, but is it? Can it just be a chain of coincidences and other peoples belief and wants?? If my father and grandmother are always there, why have they watched me have issues and problems without once appearing to me or offering any sort of covert help?
Has the contact actually been there and I have just missed it? Are my father and grandmother waiting for the correct time or a timely moment? What do I need to do to receive some sort of sign or contact?
I eagerly await any thoughts............
Anyway, enough of my feeling sorry for myself, or trying to justify the fact that I am away. Here is todays thought, and it is a question of sorts as I am looking for the answer and not really getting anywhere.
I am sorry that this following question may be seen as a little "hippy-dippy" but I guess this just shows my strange state of mind!!!
What really happens when a person passes on? Jacky Newcomb clearly believes in an afterlife. She believes in contact and also in "guardian angels". As far as Jacky is concerned when a person passes on they are not dying and and disappearing forever. A person is merely moving onto a "higher" plane and is able to contact those left behind for now.
It may take time to be able to contact the living. It may only be a brief and fleeting goodbye, BUT it is still contact of some sort.
Sometimes it takes the form of a dream, sometimes the contact arrival is announced by flickering lights or familiar scents. On other occasions the contact is through a familiar form, such as a specific bird, but in strange surroundings or an out of context habitat. Whatever the form taken Jacky is adamant, as are many, many others, that this is absolute contact and proof of an afterlife where already passed family and friends are waiting.
Now, here is my question............
I want to believe in this next stage. To a large degree I do because it is this hope that makes the future plausible. But in honesty, and purely as I don't know, does an afterlife exist. Is there some sort of life to move on to?
I know that my sister is adamant that my father (who passed away in 2004) is always helping her. When she needs extra figures to boost her sales at work, she asks for his help, and a sale walks in. Frequently she says she is "at Dad's" meaning the grave. My sister truly believes this situation.
A few weeks after my father passed my grandmother also moved on. I was close to my dad, and I was very close to my grandmother. Whilst I may have experienced my father's ghost I remain unsure.
I had some massage treatments a couple of years ago when I was suffering a lot of illness. The treatment lady announced one day that my grandmother was there and had been for a few sessions in the past. She also said that my grandmother had tried to pass me a tissue or piece of paper with something on it. I suggested my grandmother was just "seeing what was what". The following week my mother gave me a poem written down by my grandmother. Was this the note she tried to pass?? My mother did not know of this possible contact.
Now, all of this seems like proof, but is it? Can it just be a chain of coincidences and other peoples belief and wants?? If my father and grandmother are always there, why have they watched me have issues and problems without once appearing to me or offering any sort of covert help?
Has the contact actually been there and I have just missed it? Are my father and grandmother waiting for the correct time or a timely moment? What do I need to do to receive some sort of sign or contact?
I eagerly await any thoughts............
Monday, 4 February 2008
Today 4th February 2008
It is February, is this the "yukkiest month", is this why it is so short compared to the 30 or 31 day months?? Even allowing for this year being a leap year it is still short!! Or should we just say thank goodness it will soon be March and Spring can come marching on.................
And so the Rant -
I was out earlier today, I picked up my youngest from his school at lunchtime and then went to the local store to get a few things we needed.
50 yards from this store is a LARGE car park. 20 Feet from this store is a Zebra Crossing. Outside the shop is double yellow lines, and ALWAYS has been!!!
Why do people insist on parking on this penalty area to save a 2 minute walk? When there is more than one car here the Zig-Zags of the crossing are frequently parked upon.
Nobody seems to care!!!!
I know we live in a small village, but I also know this is still a busy road. Our Infant and Junior schools lie at either sides of the village and this road neatly disects the 2. This means either way the road has to be crossed.
Now the shop says "it is not their problem, and they can't stop parking outside!" is it not their problem or will the need to park in the car park stop the lazy people going to this shop. Will the shop's takings thus be down. It seems strange, most people illegally parked are going to "pop" in for cigarettes, but hey, who am I to bring this up!!!!
On a more seriousness note, what is going to happen when this parking causes a child (or anyone) to be knocked over, or worse killed? Is the car owner who caused it going to be prosecuted? Are they going to spend forever in remorse?
I have asked various drivers about parking here and I am met with sometimes an apology, but more often than not pure insolence.
I know it is "not my battle", I should and could walk past. But how am I going to feel when someone, young or old, gets knocked down when i might have stopped this. I don't want to save the NHS money. I don't want to do the undertakers out of money. I just want this inconsideration to STOP - before it is too late.
Any ideas??
And so the Rant -
I was out earlier today, I picked up my youngest from his school at lunchtime and then went to the local store to get a few things we needed.
50 yards from this store is a LARGE car park. 20 Feet from this store is a Zebra Crossing. Outside the shop is double yellow lines, and ALWAYS has been!!!
Why do people insist on parking on this penalty area to save a 2 minute walk? When there is more than one car here the Zig-Zags of the crossing are frequently parked upon.
Nobody seems to care!!!!
I know we live in a small village, but I also know this is still a busy road. Our Infant and Junior schools lie at either sides of the village and this road neatly disects the 2. This means either way the road has to be crossed.
Now the shop says "it is not their problem, and they can't stop parking outside!" is it not their problem or will the need to park in the car park stop the lazy people going to this shop. Will the shop's takings thus be down. It seems strange, most people illegally parked are going to "pop" in for cigarettes, but hey, who am I to bring this up!!!!
On a more seriousness note, what is going to happen when this parking causes a child (or anyone) to be knocked over, or worse killed? Is the car owner who caused it going to be prosecuted? Are they going to spend forever in remorse?
I have asked various drivers about parking here and I am met with sometimes an apology, but more often than not pure insolence.
I know it is "not my battle", I should and could walk past. But how am I going to feel when someone, young or old, gets knocked down when i might have stopped this. I don't want to save the NHS money. I don't want to do the undertakers out of money. I just want this inconsideration to STOP - before it is too late.
Any ideas??
Friday, 1 February 2008
Was he there.....
I sat in bed last night reading "An Angel by Your Side", by Jacky Newcomb. The introduction suggested I might relate to happenings that I did not realize were possible contact.
Spookily I am sure someone came into the room as I picked up the book. I thought it was one of my children at first but they were all in bed asleep and the door had not moved. My wife was still downstairs, was I sharing the book??
My actual experience relates back to 2005 when I was in Cyprus. my father and step-mother had retired there shortly before my fathers passing (late in 2004)from cancer. He was well known in Cyprus as he had had property there and been there for long periods of time for many years. This was my first visit since his death (back in his other property in London) and walking down the "main street" in old town Famugusta took 2 hours as everyone wanted to pass on condolences such was the effect he had on people. Honestly, Mr. Blobby would have attracted less attention!!!
Later that week I was by the pool, the kids were in the water and my wife was discussing something with our friends and my step-mother (who I am very close to) I was just dozing in the sun and after the emotion of earlier was trying to relax.
There was a small bakery next door that we used a lot, and often my father would go in there and buy pastries and sweets for us all to have for lunch and would appear next to the pool carrying the bag of food proudly, and my step-mother would tell him off for spoiling the kids and eating too much and getting fat!! but I know this was in jest as she really loved and still loves him!!
I was nearly (or maybe was)asleep, I heard footsteps and looked up. I was certain that there was my dad with a bag of food coming to join us. I smiled and sat up in readiness, I think I may have waved. At that point I came back to reality. My dad wasn't coming to join us as he was passed on. But I was so sure it was him and it had happened. No-one else saw, my wife said I had just been dreaming, the children were unaware.
I was shocked, and shed a tear, but also I was so sure it was true that I just felt sort of relaxed as this was "normal" happenings, and no doubt we would have shared a cheese pastry.
Was he really there? was I dreaming because of where I was and emotion? or as I now (having read the book) believe was he trying to make things like normal by bringing the food?
To add to my shock last night, not only was I possibly "joined" by someone, not only was I now believing I did see my father, but I could smell pastries and bread cooking!!
This smell lured me out of my room and downstairs, there was my wife baking Biscotti. Why was she baking at 11 o clock at night and why biscotti? She said "she just fancied" was this my fathers hand again...........
What do you think, or believe?? Tell me......
Spookily I am sure someone came into the room as I picked up the book. I thought it was one of my children at first but they were all in bed asleep and the door had not moved. My wife was still downstairs, was I sharing the book??
My actual experience relates back to 2005 when I was in Cyprus. my father and step-mother had retired there shortly before my fathers passing (late in 2004)from cancer. He was well known in Cyprus as he had had property there and been there for long periods of time for many years. This was my first visit since his death (back in his other property in London) and walking down the "main street" in old town Famugusta took 2 hours as everyone wanted to pass on condolences such was the effect he had on people. Honestly, Mr. Blobby would have attracted less attention!!!
Later that week I was by the pool, the kids were in the water and my wife was discussing something with our friends and my step-mother (who I am very close to) I was just dozing in the sun and after the emotion of earlier was trying to relax.
There was a small bakery next door that we used a lot, and often my father would go in there and buy pastries and sweets for us all to have for lunch and would appear next to the pool carrying the bag of food proudly, and my step-mother would tell him off for spoiling the kids and eating too much and getting fat!! but I know this was in jest as she really loved and still loves him!!
I was nearly (or maybe was)asleep, I heard footsteps and looked up. I was certain that there was my dad with a bag of food coming to join us. I smiled and sat up in readiness, I think I may have waved. At that point I came back to reality. My dad wasn't coming to join us as he was passed on. But I was so sure it was him and it had happened. No-one else saw, my wife said I had just been dreaming, the children were unaware.
I was shocked, and shed a tear, but also I was so sure it was true that I just felt sort of relaxed as this was "normal" happenings, and no doubt we would have shared a cheese pastry.
Was he really there? was I dreaming because of where I was and emotion? or as I now (having read the book) believe was he trying to make things like normal by bringing the food?
To add to my shock last night, not only was I possibly "joined" by someone, not only was I now believing I did see my father, but I could smell pastries and bread cooking!!
This smell lured me out of my room and downstairs, there was my wife baking Biscotti. Why was she baking at 11 o clock at night and why biscotti? She said "she just fancied" was this my fathers hand again...........
What do you think, or believe?? Tell me......
Saturday, 26 January 2008
Soapbox politics - My rant on fuel prices......
Today I am having a rant about fuel prices and the actual effect they are having, and my small opinion on this whole issue. It may be "soapbox politics", and for that I am sorry however Time to Rant...........
I have received a number of "chain" emails over the last few weeks asking me to take various actions against the big fuel companies such as Shell, Esso and Conoco. The large oil companies keep reporting large profits on the one hand and then blamng the government on ridulously high UK fuel prices.
I have been looking into some facts to see whether the oil companies are really to blame or if there are other factors involved.
Last year (2007) the following was the case for duty the goverment collected -
50.35 pence per litre for ultra-low sulphur unleaded petrol/diesel
53.65 pence per litre for conventional unleaded petrol
56.94 pence per litre for conventional diesel
30.35 pence per litre for bio-diesel and bio ethanol - low tax to encourage consumer conversion
16.49 pence per kg for gas other than natural gas (LPG)
13.70 pence per kg for natural gas used as road fuel.
9.69 pence per litre for rebated gas oil (red diesel)
9.29 pence per litre for rebated fuel oil
If petrol cost (just!!) 90p a litre the following split would happen -
47.1p Duty
23.2p for the product
13.4p VAT
6.3p Retailer, including delivery
Now it is not taking a genius to see how this is working. As an average person in business 6.3p for every 90p is not a lot, especially after delivery is taken out of this. By the time an operating profit is taken out if the retailer makes a 2p per litre it will show excellent management. If a site is selling 1000 litres of fuel per day it will only show a petrol profit of £20 on the fuel. Now this is somewhat worrying. £20 will not cover a decent Chinese takeaway for 4!!!!
So how does a fuel stop make money? Obviously not on fuel, maybe on food, drink, magazines and the whole host of additional products now available.
As we can see the oil company is not actually making very much money in the UK from fuel and oil sales. In which case how is boycoting the petrol of a supplier like Shell actually going to help? All this is actually going to do is put even less money into the site and therefore into the staff wages.
It would appear very obvious that the problem lies elsewhere.........
So I say this - it is my opinion, and only an opinion, that actually the government is doing rather nicely out of us the motorist once more. The October price rises for duty put an additional £2.5 Million per day into the government coffers. I am pleased to know that my money is helping this. I ask where is it all going? Am I to believe the country is going into recession again, and that no money exists? Is my money actually being used to fund a war, in a foreign land, that I am not sure I actually believe in. Let's not be flippant over this but remember that some rounds of ammunition cost £60 thousand each, and soldiers will fire off a lot more than one!!!
When my red light is on and I need petrol, and am on the motorway, will I (or anyone else) actually look for a brand I am not boycoting, will I really care? No doubt we will all moan over the cost, but at the same time we will mop our brows because we have fuel now.
As I see it the only way to actually have things change is for a large oil company like ESSO to say "enough is enough. The tax on fuel is silly and we are only earning pennies per litre. We are cutting the price down, now"
And the government loses a lot, so we get taxed elsewhere!! but at least business can now afford to operate in order to try and make money and not just lose out.
If fuel prices fell to say, 79p a litre,who would really get hurt? I do a lot of miles and fill up at least once a week with diesel. It costs me (now) £75+ and I am getting 42+MPG out of my car. I do about 800 miles a week, so I must pay. I know people that do less miles in a month than I do in a week. So they only fill up once a month.
I pay duty on fuel weekly, that is my penalty for doing high business miles. My wife only pays duty on her fuel when she fills up monthly. So what is wrong with this, I say nothing, we all pay for the fuel we use. I use a lot so pay a lot, she uses less so pays less. This is my penalty!!
I appreciate my mileage is nearly all business and potentially a break would help my business, but fairs fair. I have to pay for the actual use I make, as we all should. So where is the problem here?
I suggest that there is no issue with these thoughts. I maintain that the actual problem lies fully at the door of the government. I say don't boycot a certain oil company, they are not really to blame. Ask the government to be realistic and change fuel duty NOW.
As a body of people, forgetting any political persuasion, the drivers of the UK represent a huge number of people. What is needed is a public voice - like a consumer champion such as Which Magazine or Top Gear - to stand up with us all behind them and to try and make a change.
Maybe any comments made on this Blog might help, leave them and see............
I have received a number of "chain" emails over the last few weeks asking me to take various actions against the big fuel companies such as Shell, Esso and Conoco. The large oil companies keep reporting large profits on the one hand and then blamng the government on ridulously high UK fuel prices.
I have been looking into some facts to see whether the oil companies are really to blame or if there are other factors involved.
Last year (2007) the following was the case for duty the goverment collected -
50.35 pence per litre for ultra-low sulphur unleaded petrol/diesel
53.65 pence per litre for conventional unleaded petrol
56.94 pence per litre for conventional diesel
30.35 pence per litre for bio-diesel and bio ethanol - low tax to encourage consumer conversion
16.49 pence per kg for gas other than natural gas (LPG)
13.70 pence per kg for natural gas used as road fuel.
9.69 pence per litre for rebated gas oil (red diesel)
9.29 pence per litre for rebated fuel oil
If petrol cost (just!!) 90p a litre the following split would happen -
47.1p Duty
23.2p for the product
13.4p VAT
6.3p Retailer, including delivery
Now it is not taking a genius to see how this is working. As an average person in business 6.3p for every 90p is not a lot, especially after delivery is taken out of this. By the time an operating profit is taken out if the retailer makes a 2p per litre it will show excellent management. If a site is selling 1000 litres of fuel per day it will only show a petrol profit of £20 on the fuel. Now this is somewhat worrying. £20 will not cover a decent Chinese takeaway for 4!!!!
So how does a fuel stop make money? Obviously not on fuel, maybe on food, drink, magazines and the whole host of additional products now available.
As we can see the oil company is not actually making very much money in the UK from fuel and oil sales. In which case how is boycoting the petrol of a supplier like Shell actually going to help? All this is actually going to do is put even less money into the site and therefore into the staff wages.
It would appear very obvious that the problem lies elsewhere.........
So I say this - it is my opinion, and only an opinion, that actually the government is doing rather nicely out of us the motorist once more. The October price rises for duty put an additional £2.5 Million per day into the government coffers. I am pleased to know that my money is helping this. I ask where is it all going? Am I to believe the country is going into recession again, and that no money exists? Is my money actually being used to fund a war, in a foreign land, that I am not sure I actually believe in. Let's not be flippant over this but remember that some rounds of ammunition cost £60 thousand each, and soldiers will fire off a lot more than one!!!
When my red light is on and I need petrol, and am on the motorway, will I (or anyone else) actually look for a brand I am not boycoting, will I really care? No doubt we will all moan over the cost, but at the same time we will mop our brows because we have fuel now.
As I see it the only way to actually have things change is for a large oil company like ESSO to say "enough is enough. The tax on fuel is silly and we are only earning pennies per litre. We are cutting the price down, now"
And the government loses a lot, so we get taxed elsewhere!! but at least business can now afford to operate in order to try and make money and not just lose out.
If fuel prices fell to say, 79p a litre,who would really get hurt? I do a lot of miles and fill up at least once a week with diesel. It costs me (now) £75+ and I am getting 42+MPG out of my car. I do about 800 miles a week, so I must pay. I know people that do less miles in a month than I do in a week. So they only fill up once a month.
I pay duty on fuel weekly, that is my penalty for doing high business miles. My wife only pays duty on her fuel when she fills up monthly. So what is wrong with this, I say nothing, we all pay for the fuel we use. I use a lot so pay a lot, she uses less so pays less. This is my penalty!!
I appreciate my mileage is nearly all business and potentially a break would help my business, but fairs fair. I have to pay for the actual use I make, as we all should. So where is the problem here?
I suggest that there is no issue with these thoughts. I maintain that the actual problem lies fully at the door of the government. I say don't boycot a certain oil company, they are not really to blame. Ask the government to be realistic and change fuel duty NOW.
As a body of people, forgetting any political persuasion, the drivers of the UK represent a huge number of people. What is needed is a public voice - like a consumer champion such as Which Magazine or Top Gear - to stand up with us all behind them and to try and make a change.
Maybe any comments made on this Blog might help, leave them and see............
Thursday, 24 January 2008
If we had an Hour left.........
I was reading an article last night on the Kristine and Richard Carlson's website. On the 13th December 2006 Richard very unexpectedly and suddenly passed away. In the words of a well known rock sock "only the good die young, the evil seem to live forever"how true does this seem.
In his life Richard and Kris inspired many people and their books in the"Don't Sweat" series have been an huge help to many, including myself and a great friend, who I started school with, who introduced me to them.
One of the things he asked was what would we do and who would we call, write to or speak to if we only had an hour left to live.
And this started me thinking, and looking on the net at related articles. I came across a great poem written and left where the twin towers fell that asked if the people who perished had known would they have done things differently or with more passion.
I am away from home as I write, I have been away all week (today is Thursday) and I won't get home to my family until tomorrow evening. Although I phone home lots, and talk to my wife and children it is not the same as being there. I may shout and get angry when I am at home but this is just frustration over events. I still class my family as most important and "going home" the closest thing we all have to roots.
Now I know that a few weeks ago my eldest son (10) asked if I was going as I was in a suit, I said yes - see you later. He again asked if I was going and I again reiterated I had a meeting and would be home soon. He asked if I was really coming home. I was touched and said of course. He showed saddness, apparently if I could have moved out then he could have a dog!!! So much for being touched, I can be replaced!!!!
What this actually made me realise is how much I need to return home to be with my wife and children. I may be away a lot, my office may be 200 miles from home, but I stilll view my family as very important. I go and see all 3 boys asleep at night and tuck them in. I kiss them goodnight and talk to them - they can't answer back Hurrah - sometimes I just stand a watch them asleep. I always say goodnight to my wife and somewhere along the lines, when at home, I touch her hand with mine, or foot with mine. I guess I just check she is there.
Last night I asked what would I do if I had an hour left, I think I would do the following........
An hour, it is not long enough to make a fruit cake or rock cakes so I had better forget these actions.
I would write to all my friends and thank them for all they have done over the past. Their support and help. Their understanding and their patience. I guess I would ask for them to look after my family for me and to remember me with a smile and not a tear.
I would then gather all of my family together. An hour is not long enough for a heartfelt outpouring of emotion. All I could do is hug them tight and tell them how much I love them. I would tell my boys all I could and ask them not to forget their worn out Dad. Maybe if my 10 year old gets a dog, name it after me!!
I would hold my wife and tell her all I haven't over the years (20 of them!!) and ask for her forgiveness for all of the stupid moves I have made over the years that she has supported regardless of what she really felt. Most of all, and last night I really realised this, I would cuddle her tight. Feel her whole body against mine and tell her how much I love her and how much she means to me and has meant to me. I guess I have never really done this.
It is a stretched out hour this, for I would also put in writing anything I could to my Children to help them on the way and I would put in writing any feelings I could to my Wife so she could have a lasting memory of me.
And finally, I would try and put down a short "mission statement" for the world to see that hopefully makes people think a little, remember a little, and try to give something back a little.
What would you do??
In his life Richard and Kris inspired many people and their books in the"Don't Sweat" series have been an huge help to many, including myself and a great friend, who I started school with, who introduced me to them.
One of the things he asked was what would we do and who would we call, write to or speak to if we only had an hour left to live.
And this started me thinking, and looking on the net at related articles. I came across a great poem written and left where the twin towers fell that asked if the people who perished had known would they have done things differently or with more passion.
I am away from home as I write, I have been away all week (today is Thursday) and I won't get home to my family until tomorrow evening. Although I phone home lots, and talk to my wife and children it is not the same as being there. I may shout and get angry when I am at home but this is just frustration over events. I still class my family as most important and "going home" the closest thing we all have to roots.
Now I know that a few weeks ago my eldest son (10) asked if I was going as I was in a suit, I said yes - see you later. He again asked if I was going and I again reiterated I had a meeting and would be home soon. He asked if I was really coming home. I was touched and said of course. He showed saddness, apparently if I could have moved out then he could have a dog!!! So much for being touched, I can be replaced!!!!
What this actually made me realise is how much I need to return home to be with my wife and children. I may be away a lot, my office may be 200 miles from home, but I stilll view my family as very important. I go and see all 3 boys asleep at night and tuck them in. I kiss them goodnight and talk to them - they can't answer back Hurrah - sometimes I just stand a watch them asleep. I always say goodnight to my wife and somewhere along the lines, when at home, I touch her hand with mine, or foot with mine. I guess I just check she is there.
Last night I asked what would I do if I had an hour left, I think I would do the following........
An hour, it is not long enough to make a fruit cake or rock cakes so I had better forget these actions.
I would write to all my friends and thank them for all they have done over the past. Their support and help. Their understanding and their patience. I guess I would ask for them to look after my family for me and to remember me with a smile and not a tear.
I would then gather all of my family together. An hour is not long enough for a heartfelt outpouring of emotion. All I could do is hug them tight and tell them how much I love them. I would tell my boys all I could and ask them not to forget their worn out Dad. Maybe if my 10 year old gets a dog, name it after me!!
I would hold my wife and tell her all I haven't over the years (20 of them!!) and ask for her forgiveness for all of the stupid moves I have made over the years that she has supported regardless of what she really felt. Most of all, and last night I really realised this, I would cuddle her tight. Feel her whole body against mine and tell her how much I love her and how much she means to me and has meant to me. I guess I have never really done this.
It is a stretched out hour this, for I would also put in writing anything I could to my Children to help them on the way and I would put in writing any feelings I could to my Wife so she could have a lasting memory of me.
And finally, I would try and put down a short "mission statement" for the world to see that hopefully makes people think a little, remember a little, and try to give something back a little.
What would you do??
Tuesday, 22 January 2008
A worrying situation - The rant today......
I got sent an analgy to look at today as the sender thought I might be interested to see it and they were interested in turn to hear my opinion.
Now I am anything but a "goody two shoes" type of person. BUT I do not believe in racism, i do not care if a person is white, black, yellow or green!! I like people unreservedly, irrespective of background, race or colour. If a person and I do not "hit it off" and we do dislike each other I would hate to think this was anything other than a personality clash and certainly not race driven.
Here is the analagy as it was sent to me -
Haven't heard it put this way before, but it's a great analogy. I bought a bird feeder. I hung it on my back porch and filled it with seed. What a beauty of a bird feeder it is as I filled it lovingly with seed. Within a week we had hundreds of birds taking advantage of the continuous flow of free and easily accessible food.
But then the birds started building nests in the boards of the patio, above the table, and next to the barbecue. Then came the poop. It was everywhere: on the patio tile, the chairs, the table...everywhere! Then some of the birds turned mean. They would dive bomb me and try to peck me even though I had fed them out of my own pocket. And other birds were boisterous and loud. They sat on the feeder and squawked and screamed at all hours of the day and night and demanded that I fill it when it got low on food. After a while, I couldn't even sit in my own back garden anymore. So I took down the bird feeder and in three days the birds were gone. I cleaned up their mess and took down the many nests they had built all over the patio. Soon, the back yard was like it used to be ..... Quiet, serene and no one demanding their rights to a free meal.
Now let's see..... Our government gives out free food, subsidized housing, free medical care, and free education and allows anyone born here to be an automatic citizen. Then the illegals came by the tens of thousands. Suddenly our taxes went up to pay for free services; small apartments are housing 5 families; you have to wait 6 hours to be seen by an emergency room doctor; your child's 2nd grade class is behind other schools because over half the class doesn't speak English. Corn Flakes now come in a bilingual box; I have to 'press one' to hear my bank talk to me in English, and people waving flags other than the Union Jack are squawking and screaming in the streets, demanding more rights and free liberties. Just my opinion, but maybe it's time for the government to take down the bird feeder. If you agree, pass it on; if not, continue cleaning up the poop!
Now, when i got this i read it quickly and thought it was a bit controversial!! I have now read it properly........
I am appalled that these type of thoughts are being sent around the internet using e-mail channels to "spread the word".
The analgy is very good. It uses birds to illustrate what is considered by its author a serious issue. We all can relate to birds and most of us have bird feeders scattered around our gardens or outside our flats. So we all can understand the analagy!!
However, when the subject is properly read it is one of the most inflamatory pieces of literature ever written. It is openly suggesting that UK immigration is the cause of all ills and that removal, of the immigrant population will solve all problems. It has to be assumed that this originated within a very racist organisation, or possibly a political party that is apparently growing in strength.
I am a white, british citizen from birth. I am not an ethnic minority or similar. I am blessed with lots of great friends - of all colours and races. I frequently visit Muslim countries such as Turkey and during my late teenage years I was in the Middle East for an extended period. I spend regular time in Northern Cyprus and have a large number of friends there both locals and ex-pat. Does this make me an expert? No. Does it mean I possibly see things from a varied perspective? Maybe.
In my opinion, and small experience, there is good and bad in all races. Does this make "immigrants" potentially all bad and set on taking over this country?
I would absolutely and without reservation say a rousounding NO, this thinking is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. In all races a small number of misguided people will undoubtedly cause these issue to be magnified.
The UK right now is far from perfect, BUT, how can it be correct (or right) to blame all the problems upon immigration. Without a doubt a small number of the immigrants that come to the UK are what we would call "radicals", hell-bent on recruiting more fundamentalists and creating havoc through terrorist actions and derogitory statements. However most people coming to the UK are just scared people, who like all of us are trying hard to provide for their families. They will have children to support and partners and parents who need help. All I see is a number of people who are trying hard, often for very low wages, to provide the best they can for their loved ones.
Surely this is all anyone wants, we look at countries such as Australia as the answer to our problems, we can't say if the grass is greener there, in the same way that people coming to the UK are looking for the country to provide them with a better way of life and future. Is there a difference? The only difference is see is the expectation.
The low wages we pay to immigrants they grab gratefully with both hands as a better option to their own countries. We emmigrate to offer a better future to our families, the change is that in the western world we live in we expect to go elsewhere and be even better off. The expectation is different, but the need is exactly the same.
Does this mean that in countries such as Australia we are looked upon as interlopers. Taking jobs from the incumbent peoples and causing trouble? I cannot answer this, but it is a worrying thought.
And so to the analagy, this was written and spread by a callous person(s). It without a doubt will stir up emotions. Some will agree with it and spread it more. As hatred grew in the 1930's in Germany it is again growing.
In the 1930's the but of issues were the Jew, now it is the Muslim and the immigrant. I see people from Poland, Afghanistan, Russia working as hard and often harder than the UK people. The immigrant stays grateful for anything, the British people often "just expect". Maybe, just maybe, people will sit up and think. This influx is not bad, this influx is not a threat. The influx has just highlighted the real issues, The "british people" feel they are too good to provide menial labour. Immigrants don't, they work long and hard to provide and they do not care how, they do not think anything is "too low" to be done.
I say the real problem is the author of the analgy. This analagy is inflamatory and disgusting. I suggest its writer is also disgusting. If their aim was to stir up emotion then it has worked. If its aim is to gain support for the thoughts, and scarily, maybe.
It is the job of everyone who is rational to now spread the good side of the coin, and to do all we can to stop these thoughts NOW. Please comment on this "rant" and let me know your feelings, maybe i am wrong!!!
Now I am anything but a "goody two shoes" type of person. BUT I do not believe in racism, i do not care if a person is white, black, yellow or green!! I like people unreservedly, irrespective of background, race or colour. If a person and I do not "hit it off" and we do dislike each other I would hate to think this was anything other than a personality clash and certainly not race driven.
Here is the analagy as it was sent to me -
Haven't heard it put this way before, but it's a great analogy. I bought a bird feeder. I hung it on my back porch and filled it with seed. What a beauty of a bird feeder it is as I filled it lovingly with seed. Within a week we had hundreds of birds taking advantage of the continuous flow of free and easily accessible food.
But then the birds started building nests in the boards of the patio, above the table, and next to the barbecue. Then came the poop. It was everywhere: on the patio tile, the chairs, the table...everywhere! Then some of the birds turned mean. They would dive bomb me and try to peck me even though I had fed them out of my own pocket. And other birds were boisterous and loud. They sat on the feeder and squawked and screamed at all hours of the day and night and demanded that I fill it when it got low on food. After a while, I couldn't even sit in my own back garden anymore. So I took down the bird feeder and in three days the birds were gone. I cleaned up their mess and took down the many nests they had built all over the patio. Soon, the back yard was like it used to be ..... Quiet, serene and no one demanding their rights to a free meal.
Now let's see..... Our government gives out free food, subsidized housing, free medical care, and free education and allows anyone born here to be an automatic citizen. Then the illegals came by the tens of thousands. Suddenly our taxes went up to pay for free services; small apartments are housing 5 families; you have to wait 6 hours to be seen by an emergency room doctor; your child's 2nd grade class is behind other schools because over half the class doesn't speak English. Corn Flakes now come in a bilingual box; I have to 'press one' to hear my bank talk to me in English, and people waving flags other than the Union Jack are squawking and screaming in the streets, demanding more rights and free liberties. Just my opinion, but maybe it's time for the government to take down the bird feeder. If you agree, pass it on; if not, continue cleaning up the poop!
Now, when i got this i read it quickly and thought it was a bit controversial!! I have now read it properly........
I am appalled that these type of thoughts are being sent around the internet using e-mail channels to "spread the word".
The analgy is very good. It uses birds to illustrate what is considered by its author a serious issue. We all can relate to birds and most of us have bird feeders scattered around our gardens or outside our flats. So we all can understand the analagy!!
However, when the subject is properly read it is one of the most inflamatory pieces of literature ever written. It is openly suggesting that UK immigration is the cause of all ills and that removal, of the immigrant population will solve all problems. It has to be assumed that this originated within a very racist organisation, or possibly a political party that is apparently growing in strength.
I am a white, british citizen from birth. I am not an ethnic minority or similar. I am blessed with lots of great friends - of all colours and races. I frequently visit Muslim countries such as Turkey and during my late teenage years I was in the Middle East for an extended period. I spend regular time in Northern Cyprus and have a large number of friends there both locals and ex-pat. Does this make me an expert? No. Does it mean I possibly see things from a varied perspective? Maybe.
In my opinion, and small experience, there is good and bad in all races. Does this make "immigrants" potentially all bad and set on taking over this country?
I would absolutely and without reservation say a rousounding NO, this thinking is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. In all races a small number of misguided people will undoubtedly cause these issue to be magnified.
The UK right now is far from perfect, BUT, how can it be correct (or right) to blame all the problems upon immigration. Without a doubt a small number of the immigrants that come to the UK are what we would call "radicals", hell-bent on recruiting more fundamentalists and creating havoc through terrorist actions and derogitory statements. However most people coming to the UK are just scared people, who like all of us are trying hard to provide for their families. They will have children to support and partners and parents who need help. All I see is a number of people who are trying hard, often for very low wages, to provide the best they can for their loved ones.
Surely this is all anyone wants, we look at countries such as Australia as the answer to our problems, we can't say if the grass is greener there, in the same way that people coming to the UK are looking for the country to provide them with a better way of life and future. Is there a difference? The only difference is see is the expectation.
The low wages we pay to immigrants they grab gratefully with both hands as a better option to their own countries. We emmigrate to offer a better future to our families, the change is that in the western world we live in we expect to go elsewhere and be even better off. The expectation is different, but the need is exactly the same.
Does this mean that in countries such as Australia we are looked upon as interlopers. Taking jobs from the incumbent peoples and causing trouble? I cannot answer this, but it is a worrying thought.
And so to the analagy, this was written and spread by a callous person(s). It without a doubt will stir up emotions. Some will agree with it and spread it more. As hatred grew in the 1930's in Germany it is again growing.
In the 1930's the but of issues were the Jew, now it is the Muslim and the immigrant. I see people from Poland, Afghanistan, Russia working as hard and often harder than the UK people. The immigrant stays grateful for anything, the British people often "just expect". Maybe, just maybe, people will sit up and think. This influx is not bad, this influx is not a threat. The influx has just highlighted the real issues, The "british people" feel they are too good to provide menial labour. Immigrants don't, they work long and hard to provide and they do not care how, they do not think anything is "too low" to be done.
I say the real problem is the author of the analgy. This analagy is inflamatory and disgusting. I suggest its writer is also disgusting. If their aim was to stir up emotion then it has worked. If its aim is to gain support for the thoughts, and scarily, maybe.
It is the job of everyone who is rational to now spread the good side of the coin, and to do all we can to stop these thoughts NOW. Please comment on this "rant" and let me know your feelings, maybe i am wrong!!!
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