Most people consider themselves to be more intelligent than average but studies have shown that there are some very real signs that are indicative of intelligence.
A study in 2010 found that 'right-wing' adults had an average IQ of 95, while 'left-wing' adults had an average IQ 11 points higher of 106 although looking at some of the right wingers around at the moment seems 95 could be a bit high.
I am a bit anxious about including this one but another study argued that people with high intelligence are more prone to anxiety but i am a very trusting person so i will which just happens to be another trait of the highly intelligent.
A recent study by researchers from the University of Vienna found that black humour was linked to higher intelligence and i can't resist an off colour joke especially if it mocks religion which as studies show, is rejected by those with a few more brain cells than most.
Being an insomniac i have plenty of time to look at studies which find the brightest amongst us are night owls and because i am just too bone idle to write a long post, laziness is a sure fire sign of intelligence.
As a left wing nervous type who rejects religion and stays up late laughing at black comedies and can often be overheard saying 'can't someone else do it' doesn't make me more intelligent, just means that i am able to elucidate and avoid obfuscating people in my own quintessential way without attracting vitriol despite my perfunctory way which sometimes contains non sequitur statements
which by a splendid coincidence just happen to be the top six words also used by highly intelligent people.
Now if only i can somehow find a study that explains that brain boxes like playing punk music loudly and eating chocolate then i feel ready to tackle that Mensa challenge.
Sunday, 31 March 2019
National Price Hike Day 2019
The money.co.uk website have worked out that with the nominal salary increased set at 3% as from April 1 and inflation at 2.2%, workers in the UK are expected to receive a 0.8 per cent real-term salary increase in 2019 which averages out to an extra £20 per month or £237 per year on the average income.
Unfortunately April 1 is also known as National Price Hike Day when the prices of everyday items are increased so how far will that extra £237 pay rise reach?
Prescription costs will go up by 20p from £8.80 to £9 (2.27%) and average water and sewerage bills will rise by an average of £8 to £415 (2%) while Royal Mail have announced the price of first-class and second-class stamps were going to increase by 3p (4.6%).
Air Passenger Duty is to increase by £16 (10%), The NHS charge for a dental check-up will increase by £1.10 (5%), mobile contract prices by 2.5%, the TV licence fee will increase by £4 to £154.50 (2.5%) and Sky will see an increase of £2 a month (5%).
Household in England faces a £78 hike in Council Tax (4.5%) and the cost of gas and electricity in the home will rise by 10% and car tax by 5% and standard Broadband costs are rising by £12 a year.
Throw in the amount of money people pay into workplace pensions will rise from 3% of their income to 5% and that everything else will be going up by 2.2% and that 3% extra in your wage packet isn't going to stretch anywhere at all.
Unfortunately April 1 is also known as National Price Hike Day when the prices of everyday items are increased so how far will that extra £237 pay rise reach?
Prescription costs will go up by 20p from £8.80 to £9 (2.27%) and average water and sewerage bills will rise by an average of £8 to £415 (2%) while Royal Mail have announced the price of first-class and second-class stamps were going to increase by 3p (4.6%).
Air Passenger Duty is to increase by £16 (10%), The NHS charge for a dental check-up will increase by £1.10 (5%), mobile contract prices by 2.5%, the TV licence fee will increase by £4 to £154.50 (2.5%) and Sky will see an increase of £2 a month (5%).
Household in England faces a £78 hike in Council Tax (4.5%) and the cost of gas and electricity in the home will rise by 10% and car tax by 5% and standard Broadband costs are rising by £12 a year.
Throw in the amount of money people pay into workplace pensions will rise from 3% of their income to 5% and that everything else will be going up by 2.2% and that 3% extra in your wage packet isn't going to stretch anywhere at all.
The Future Not Looking So Bright
Recently becoming a grandmother, i look at the young boy lying in his crib and can't help wondering what my grandsons place in the World will be as machines continue to replace humans jobs in the World.
Autonomous driving may only be at the start but such is its progress that self-driving cars will easily surpass our own driving ability soon and that will translate into millions of professional drivers out of work.
Factories and production lines are almost a thing of the past, replaced by robots and machines who don't need breaks or paying and even aeroplanes only need a human to take off and land and that is only a matter of time before they can do them themselves.
Machines are even writing songs and creating music now and there are developments in Health so if my grandson will never calculate faster, type faster, never drive better, make a diagnosis or even fly more safely than a robot then the future jobs available are rapidly dwindling.
The question must be then what can we do that a machine can't because in most areas we just can't compete with them no matter how much of a turn our education system takes, the three R's of Reading, Writing and Arithmetic will never be good enough against the bits and bytes of a machine who can calculate much faster and more accurately than any human brain.
We need to acknowledge that computers will always outsmart and outperform us and the pool of available jobs will continue to shrink until all we have left is employment where we either assist the machines doing the jobs we once did or put them right when they break down.
Maybe i'm just being cynical but the future isn't looking that bright for the employment prospects of today's infants.
Autonomous driving may only be at the start but such is its progress that self-driving cars will easily surpass our own driving ability soon and that will translate into millions of professional drivers out of work.
Factories and production lines are almost a thing of the past, replaced by robots and machines who don't need breaks or paying and even aeroplanes only need a human to take off and land and that is only a matter of time before they can do them themselves.
Machines are even writing songs and creating music now and there are developments in Health so if my grandson will never calculate faster, type faster, never drive better, make a diagnosis or even fly more safely than a robot then the future jobs available are rapidly dwindling.
The question must be then what can we do that a machine can't because in most areas we just can't compete with them no matter how much of a turn our education system takes, the three R's of Reading, Writing and Arithmetic will never be good enough against the bits and bytes of a machine who can calculate much faster and more accurately than any human brain.
We need to acknowledge that computers will always outsmart and outperform us and the pool of available jobs will continue to shrink until all we have left is employment where we either assist the machines doing the jobs we once did or put them right when they break down.
Maybe i'm just being cynical but the future isn't looking that bright for the employment prospects of today's infants.
Saturday, 30 March 2019
The Problem Of Reading Your News On Social Media
Being in everyday contact with teenagers and young adults over the past decade, something which has changed dramatically in that time is the use of Social Media, something which was relatively unheard of ten years ago.
Social media has massively complicated things and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon and while leaving to one side the deplorable damage of online harassment and cyberbullying which is a huge problem in itself, the second most frequent thing i hear is the youth of today getting their news direct from social media rather than more traditional sources.
I was always of the opinion that people in general could tell 'fake news' from 'real news' but it seems they can't and they take at face value something they read on Face book or Twitter and are all to ready to believe it rather than find out for themselves, double sourcing as we call it in journalism, before believing it.
While it's probably due to wanting to believe something if it is negative or positive against a person you like or dislike, the effects are shaping how people see the world and some less than reliable media outlets are only making things worse.
The like of Fox News and the Murdoch press are reknown for being less than truthful but viewers and readers will take at face value what they spew out because they are 'the media' and they can be trusted.
In the UK the broadcast media is regulated by OFCOM who make sure that what UK viewers see is fair and balanced and it was they who removed FOX News from TV Platforms because they failed to reach the standards of honesty required.
The problem is that if individuals spend their lives exposed only to unreliable news sources, it doesn't augur well for society and debate and our politicians don't help because as we saw with The Iraq War and the Bush and Blair duo, they lie to reach their own ends.
Now we have Donald Trump who doesn't even try to hide his lies, he just repeats them enough times to drum them home and have them believed which means that the sources of reliable and honest news which you can trust is shrinking.
You can go online to blogs, face book or twitter feeds and find authors defending the lies which they have sometimes wittingly, sometimes unwittingly, repeated and that really isn't good for any of us.
Most dishearteningly is that the likes of FOX News and the UK tabloid press continuing to pollute the pool of journalism means that even those who diligently check their information are treated with suspicion and that suits anyone who for nefarious reasons, doesn't want the real truth out there.
Social media has massively complicated things and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon and while leaving to one side the deplorable damage of online harassment and cyberbullying which is a huge problem in itself, the second most frequent thing i hear is the youth of today getting their news direct from social media rather than more traditional sources.
I was always of the opinion that people in general could tell 'fake news' from 'real news' but it seems they can't and they take at face value something they read on Face book or Twitter and are all to ready to believe it rather than find out for themselves, double sourcing as we call it in journalism, before believing it.
While it's probably due to wanting to believe something if it is negative or positive against a person you like or dislike, the effects are shaping how people see the world and some less than reliable media outlets are only making things worse.
The like of Fox News and the Murdoch press are reknown for being less than truthful but viewers and readers will take at face value what they spew out because they are 'the media' and they can be trusted.
In the UK the broadcast media is regulated by OFCOM who make sure that what UK viewers see is fair and balanced and it was they who removed FOX News from TV Platforms because they failed to reach the standards of honesty required.
The problem is that if individuals spend their lives exposed only to unreliable news sources, it doesn't augur well for society and debate and our politicians don't help because as we saw with The Iraq War and the Bush and Blair duo, they lie to reach their own ends.
Now we have Donald Trump who doesn't even try to hide his lies, he just repeats them enough times to drum them home and have them believed which means that the sources of reliable and honest news which you can trust is shrinking.
You can go online to blogs, face book or twitter feeds and find authors defending the lies which they have sometimes wittingly, sometimes unwittingly, repeated and that really isn't good for any of us.
Most dishearteningly is that the likes of FOX News and the UK tabloid press continuing to pollute the pool of journalism means that even those who diligently check their information are treated with suspicion and that suits anyone who for nefarious reasons, doesn't want the real truth out there.
Friday, 29 March 2019
No Russians In Trump White House
After years of rifling around in the dark recesses of Trump, Rober Mueller has concluded that he did not collude with the Russians to win the 2016 election.
With no photographs of Trump turning up with him dressed in a 'I Love Putin' t-shirt, wearing a Russian hat and eating a bowl of Russian caviar while playing the balalaika, the Democrat Party seems to be struggling to digest the most awful news that their President is not a Russian spy.
This has left many Americans facing an uncomfortable truth that they may just have elected their orange President the old fashioned way, by voting for him.
It must be a time of reflection for the Democrat Party that a majority of Americans looked at Trump, looked at the alternative and thought that the racist bigot who had boasted about sexually abusing women was the better option.
All the time the Russians could be blamed they could legitimately say that the only reason such an awful and flawed human being as Trump was in the top job was because of outside help, now that justification has gone it looks as though Americans just saw past the lies and bluster and plain weirdness and chose him.
Now that he is no longer hamstrung by the Mueller report, his lies will be bigger and his actions more eccentric and i say go at it Mr Trump, keep up the job of making your countrya laughing stock great again.
With no photographs of Trump turning up with him dressed in a 'I Love Putin' t-shirt, wearing a Russian hat and eating a bowl of Russian caviar while playing the balalaika, the Democrat Party seems to be struggling to digest the most awful news that their President is not a Russian spy.
This has left many Americans facing an uncomfortable truth that they may just have elected their orange President the old fashioned way, by voting for him.
It must be a time of reflection for the Democrat Party that a majority of Americans looked at Trump, looked at the alternative and thought that the racist bigot who had boasted about sexually abusing women was the better option.
All the time the Russians could be blamed they could legitimately say that the only reason such an awful and flawed human being as Trump was in the top job was because of outside help, now that justification has gone it looks as though Americans just saw past the lies and bluster and plain weirdness and chose him.
Now that he is no longer hamstrung by the Mueller report, his lies will be bigger and his actions more eccentric and i say go at it Mr Trump, keep up the job of making your country
Thursday, 28 March 2019
The Growing Threat From Ai
Anyone who has seen enough science fiction shows know that in the near future Artificial Intelligence and super intelligent machines will surpass human-level intelligence and either enslave or just flat out exterminate us all.
It all began with AI winning at chess and then has steadily progressed until we are reaching a point where AI could take our place on the evolutionary ladder and dominate us the way we now dominate all living things on Earth apes according to the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence.
Concerns about super intelligence is becoming a common theme with PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel’s donating $1.6m and Tesla founder Elon Musk donated $10m to organisations concerned with existential threats of AI breaking out and becoming less than friendly to us, its creators.
With an interconnected World, the intelligence wouldn't need a physical body to do its work, a human hacker with an internet connection can cause havoc so imagine what a super intelligent computer can do if it wanted to do maximum damage.
The simplest way to keep AI from taking over is to introduce an 'off button' but that was tried in 2013 when programmers designed an AI that could teach itself to play Nintendo games and turn itself off when it lost but when it was losing the AI would just pause the game and keep it frozen so it would never lose.
Our saving grace at the moment is that humans write the code that run the Artificial intelligence but as the code gets evermore complex, are leaving the AI to write its own code, something called an AI Box which far from being in the realms of a sci-fi movie, are being used today.
The Centre for the Study of Existential Risk includes Artificial Intelligence in their list of concerns although there worries are that we will develop sophisticated cyber-weapons and arming autonomous robots but even we wouldn't be stupid enough to weaponise autonomous robots. Would we?
It all began with AI winning at chess and then has steadily progressed until we are reaching a point where AI could take our place on the evolutionary ladder and dominate us the way we now dominate all living things on Earth apes according to the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence.
Concerns about super intelligence is becoming a common theme with PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel’s donating $1.6m and Tesla founder Elon Musk donated $10m to organisations concerned with existential threats of AI breaking out and becoming less than friendly to us, its creators.
With an interconnected World, the intelligence wouldn't need a physical body to do its work, a human hacker with an internet connection can cause havoc so imagine what a super intelligent computer can do if it wanted to do maximum damage.
The simplest way to keep AI from taking over is to introduce an 'off button' but that was tried in 2013 when programmers designed an AI that could teach itself to play Nintendo games and turn itself off when it lost but when it was losing the AI would just pause the game and keep it frozen so it would never lose.
Our saving grace at the moment is that humans write the code that run the Artificial intelligence but as the code gets evermore complex, are leaving the AI to write its own code, something called an AI Box which far from being in the realms of a sci-fi movie, are being used today.
The Centre for the Study of Existential Risk includes Artificial Intelligence in their list of concerns although there worries are that we will develop sophisticated cyber-weapons and arming autonomous robots but even we wouldn't be stupid enough to weaponise autonomous robots. Would we?
Aliens Watching Over Us
You can't expect to get a group of space scientists together for very long without the Fermi Paradox rearing its head and that was that question which the Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence (METI) group pondered on, Why hasn't Earth received any messages from extraterrestrials yet?
One possibility explored was what they called 'the zoo hypothesis which is that we are already under observation by 'galactic zookeepers' who conceal themselves from human detection.
'That Earth would be the lone planet to evolve and host intelligent life among potentially billions of planets in our galaxy alone seems very unlikely. But if there are intelligent extraterrestrials out there, where are they, and why haven't we found them yet' said Florence Raulin-Cerceau, an associate professor at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris.
One explanation put forward is that aliens are aware of Earth and are observing us as we would observe animals kept in a zoo although there was another explanation that humanity has been evaluated by alien civilisations, and 'quarantined' from our galactic neighbours for our own good and to avoid conflict being as we can be a bit violent towards any newcomers.
The zoo hypothesis throws in the theory that aliens generally avoid making their presence known to humanity, or avoid exerting an influence on development, preferring to observe us using equipment located on Earth or elsewhere in the Solar System and on occasion throw us a curve-ball such as an earthquake or warming climate to see how we cope and evolve.
Maybe if they do show themselves we may finally get an answer as to why they come all this way just to mutilate our livestock and anally probe drunk American rednecks?
One possibility explored was what they called 'the zoo hypothesis which is that we are already under observation by 'galactic zookeepers' who conceal themselves from human detection.
'That Earth would be the lone planet to evolve and host intelligent life among potentially billions of planets in our galaxy alone seems very unlikely. But if there are intelligent extraterrestrials out there, where are they, and why haven't we found them yet' said Florence Raulin-Cerceau, an associate professor at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris.
One explanation put forward is that aliens are aware of Earth and are observing us as we would observe animals kept in a zoo although there was another explanation that humanity has been evaluated by alien civilisations, and 'quarantined' from our galactic neighbours for our own good and to avoid conflict being as we can be a bit violent towards any newcomers.
The zoo hypothesis throws in the theory that aliens generally avoid making their presence known to humanity, or avoid exerting an influence on development, preferring to observe us using equipment located on Earth or elsewhere in the Solar System and on occasion throw us a curve-ball such as an earthquake or warming climate to see how we cope and evolve.
Maybe if they do show themselves we may finally get an answer as to why they come all this way just to mutilate our livestock and anally probe drunk American rednecks?
May Going But What Follows Will Be As Bad
How bad do you have to be to agree to resign in order to get your colleagues to agree with you? As bad as Theresa May as it turns out and let there be no bones about it, she has been bad.
The problem is that although we may be soon be shot of Theresa, there is an equally terrible Conservative waiting to take her place including the current favourite Michael Gove, Amber Rudd, Sajid Javid, Jeremy Hunt, Dominic Raab and Boris Johnson all swimming in the very shallow
pool they will draw from.
Amidst screams of 'Sweet Jesus and all the little children, we are so screwed' we have to remember that the worst Prime Minister in living memory may not get her deal through so she will be hanging around for a while yet.
To be fair to Mrs May it wasn't just her that has been terrible, the entire Conservatives Government has been painfully awful since they got in power and drove through some of the most ideological right wing awfulness in living memory.
Considering that she took power from David Cameron promising 'to fight against burning injustices', her actions never matched her fine words with more austerity making people poorer, child poverty increasing, homelessness, disability cuts, NHS, Police and most Government Departments on their knees, the universal credit debacle, the increase of food banks and tax cuts for the higher earners.
She leaves with the UK perilously close to economic suicide and closer to breaking apart than it has ever been and the stench of the hostile environment for non-Brits polluting the air but when she finally goes we will be ruled over by yet another atrocious right wing zealot and the vicious, nasty Tory circle will begin to turn again.
The problem is that although we may be soon be shot of Theresa, there is an equally terrible Conservative waiting to take her place including the current favourite Michael Gove, Amber Rudd, Sajid Javid, Jeremy Hunt, Dominic Raab and Boris Johnson all swimming in the very shallow
pool they will draw from.
Amidst screams of 'Sweet Jesus and all the little children, we are so screwed' we have to remember that the worst Prime Minister in living memory may not get her deal through so she will be hanging around for a while yet.
To be fair to Mrs May it wasn't just her that has been terrible, the entire Conservatives Government has been painfully awful since they got in power and drove through some of the most ideological right wing awfulness in living memory.
Considering that she took power from David Cameron promising 'to fight against burning injustices', her actions never matched her fine words with more austerity making people poorer, child poverty increasing, homelessness, disability cuts, NHS, Police and most Government Departments on their knees, the universal credit debacle, the increase of food banks and tax cuts for the higher earners.
She leaves with the UK perilously close to economic suicide and closer to breaking apart than it has ever been and the stench of the hostile environment for non-Brits polluting the air but when she finally goes we will be ruled over by yet another atrocious right wing zealot and the vicious, nasty Tory circle will begin to turn again.
Wednesday, 27 March 2019
Remembering The Pro-Brexit Quotes
Brexit should have meant Brexit apparently but before the whole thing descended into a farce, some people actually thought that Britain leaving the EU was going to be easy and straight forward so let's look back at what some of the Pro-Brexit MPs told us at the time of the referendum, before we found out it has been anything by easy.
'Coming to a free trade agreement with the EU should be one of the easiest in human history' Liam Fox
'Brexit was a war. We won' Arron Banks
'It was me that got us into this mess, I will get us out of it' Theresa May
'The day after we vote to leave, we hold all the cards and we can choose the path we want' Michael Gove
'Getting out of the EU can be quick and easy' John Redwood
'We’ll get a great result out of Brexit. We’ll also unite the country' Dominic Raab
'I will vote Leave because I want a better deal for the people of this country, to save them money and to take control' Boris Johnson
'It is like threading the eye of a needle. If you have a good eye and a steady hand, it is easy enough,' David Davis
'If we Vote Leave we will be able to stop handing over so much money to the EU and be able to spend our money on priorities here in the UK' Gisela Stuart
'Without our EU budget contributions, we could give everyone a 60 per cent council tax cut'. Daniel Hannan
'If we vote to leave then I think the union will be stronger' Michael Gove
'Within 2 years, we can negotiate a free trade area massively larger than the EU' David Davis
'I believe that we can get a free trade and customs agreement concluded before March 2019' David Davis
'The Conservative party will ensure that we fulfil our duty so that we can, as one country go forward together' Theresa May
'Trade relations with the EU could be sorted out in 'an afternoon over a cup of coffee' Gerard Batten'It will be easy to negotiate a trade deal' Paul Nutall
'I am confident that Theresa May and her team can deliver an arrangement that suits both the UK and the EU' Iain Duncan Smith
While hindsight may be great, throwing back the cringe worthy and embarrassingly incorrect quotes at the people who talked the country into Brexit is even better.
'Coming to a free trade agreement with the EU should be one of the easiest in human history' Liam Fox
'Brexit was a war. We won' Arron Banks
'It was me that got us into this mess, I will get us out of it' Theresa May
'The day after we vote to leave, we hold all the cards and we can choose the path we want' Michael Gove
'Getting out of the EU can be quick and easy' John Redwood
'We’ll get a great result out of Brexit. We’ll also unite the country' Dominic Raab
'I will vote Leave because I want a better deal for the people of this country, to save them money and to take control' Boris Johnson
'It is like threading the eye of a needle. If you have a good eye and a steady hand, it is easy enough,' David Davis
'If we Vote Leave we will be able to stop handing over so much money to the EU and be able to spend our money on priorities here in the UK' Gisela Stuart
'Without our EU budget contributions, we could give everyone a 60 per cent council tax cut'. Daniel Hannan
'If we vote to leave then I think the union will be stronger' Michael Gove
'Within 2 years, we can negotiate a free trade area massively larger than the EU' David Davis
'I believe that we can get a free trade and customs agreement concluded before March 2019' David Davis
'The Conservative party will ensure that we fulfil our duty so that we can, as one country go forward together' Theresa May
'Trade relations with the EU could be sorted out in 'an afternoon over a cup of coffee' Gerard Batten'It will be easy to negotiate a trade deal' Paul Nutall
'I am confident that Theresa May and her team can deliver an arrangement that suits both the UK and the EU' Iain Duncan Smith
While hindsight may be great, throwing back the cringe worthy and embarrassingly incorrect quotes at the people who talked the country into Brexit is even better.
Male Suicide
At some point in most people's lives, a suicide of a close friend, colleague or family member will touch us and tragically suicide is not as rare as we might think.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimate there are 793,000 suicide deaths per year worldwide with suicide being the largest killer of men under 45, 15.5 deaths per 100,000 or 84 a week.
The suicide rate for women in the UK is 4.9 suicides per 100,000 and that is a trend repeated in many other countries around the World with men almost four times more likely to die by suicide,
The Foundation for Suicide Prevention (FSP) explain that whilst suicide is a hugely sensitive, complex issue with a tangled multitude of causes, it is difficult to fully understand the reasons behind it and why men are more likely to take their lives then women.
One reason put forward by the FSP is that women are more likely to share their problems and ask for help than men who tend to bottle them up and not seek help, especially in cases of mental health where men try to 'self-medicate' which takes the form of substance and alcohol use, which can deepen depression and increase impulsive behaviours.
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) claim other risk factors include the economic downturn that results in increased unemployment, a 2015 study found that for every 1% increase in unemployment there is a 0.79% increase in the suicide rate due to financial worries which can exacerbate mental health issues.
There are no straightforward fixes for an issue this complex but something all the experts appear to agree on is that men need to talk more about how they're feeling.
The message needs to be put across that however dark things may seem, your family, friends and colleagues would always prefer a living you regardless of how down, moody or depressed you are to dealing with the devastating and life changing circumstances of your death for those you leave behind.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimate there are 793,000 suicide deaths per year worldwide with suicide being the largest killer of men under 45, 15.5 deaths per 100,000 or 84 a week.
The suicide rate for women in the UK is 4.9 suicides per 100,000 and that is a trend repeated in many other countries around the World with men almost four times more likely to die by suicide,
The Foundation for Suicide Prevention (FSP) explain that whilst suicide is a hugely sensitive, complex issue with a tangled multitude of causes, it is difficult to fully understand the reasons behind it and why men are more likely to take their lives then women.
One reason put forward by the FSP is that women are more likely to share their problems and ask for help than men who tend to bottle them up and not seek help, especially in cases of mental health where men try to 'self-medicate' which takes the form of substance and alcohol use, which can deepen depression and increase impulsive behaviours.
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) claim other risk factors include the economic downturn that results in increased unemployment, a 2015 study found that for every 1% increase in unemployment there is a 0.79% increase in the suicide rate due to financial worries which can exacerbate mental health issues.
There are no straightforward fixes for an issue this complex but something all the experts appear to agree on is that men need to talk more about how they're feeling.
The message needs to be put across that however dark things may seem, your family, friends and colleagues would always prefer a living you regardless of how down, moody or depressed you are to dealing with the devastating and life changing circumstances of your death for those you leave behind.
Israel Erasing Palestine With Trump's Help
Benjamins Netanyahu's Likud Party have a manifesto pledge which contains the line 'the Government of Israel flatly rejects the establishment of a Palestinian Arab state west of the Jordan river' which is pretty clear and makes a mockery of any pretence that Israel want to share the land with their neighbours.
Israeli plans for the region are that there is no Palestine at all in it and they seem to have a kindred spirit in the White House who promised to bridge the gap between the incredible shrinking Palestinian territories and the Israeli government.
By moving the American Embassy to Jerusalem and now gift wrapping Israel the occupied territory of the Golan Heights, Trump has become Israel's bitch with a very strange idea of how to bring peace to the region.
Israel has never been interested in any peace deal, when one looks likely they scupper it every time so they can continue snatching the occupied land to achieve their ultimate aim of disappearing the problem of their neighbour.
Bezalel Smotrich, deputy speaker of the Knesset, has now asked Trump to recognise the illegal West Bank settlements, ignoring a half century of UN resolutions and international condemnation of the Israeli land-grab and although the idea of a two state solution is still given lip-service, Israeli settlements have engulfed the West Bank and the erasing of the Palestinians goes ahead.
The US has curtailed its financial support of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, leaving a $125 million hole in the group that sustains much of what's left of Palestine's civilian infrastructure after decades of ruinous blockades, bombardments, invasions and apartheid policies.
Why America continues to back Israel is beyond me but once The West Bank has been sucked into Israel, next will be the open air prison which is Gaza and then Palestine will be no more which was the Israeli plan all along and now being endorsed by Donald Trump, the man who labelled himself the ultimate deal maker but is complicit in one of the greatest atrocities and human right abuses since the 2nd World War.
Israeli plans for the region are that there is no Palestine at all in it and they seem to have a kindred spirit in the White House who promised to bridge the gap between the incredible shrinking Palestinian territories and the Israeli government.
By moving the American Embassy to Jerusalem and now gift wrapping Israel the occupied territory of the Golan Heights, Trump has become Israel's bitch with a very strange idea of how to bring peace to the region.
Israel has never been interested in any peace deal, when one looks likely they scupper it every time so they can continue snatching the occupied land to achieve their ultimate aim of disappearing the problem of their neighbour.
Bezalel Smotrich, deputy speaker of the Knesset, has now asked Trump to recognise the illegal West Bank settlements, ignoring a half century of UN resolutions and international condemnation of the Israeli land-grab and although the idea of a two state solution is still given lip-service, Israeli settlements have engulfed the West Bank and the erasing of the Palestinians goes ahead.
The US has curtailed its financial support of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, leaving a $125 million hole in the group that sustains much of what's left of Palestine's civilian infrastructure after decades of ruinous blockades, bombardments, invasions and apartheid policies.
Why America continues to back Israel is beyond me but once The West Bank has been sucked into Israel, next will be the open air prison which is Gaza and then Palestine will be no more which was the Israeli plan all along and now being endorsed by Donald Trump, the man who labelled himself the ultimate deal maker but is complicit in one of the greatest atrocities and human right abuses since the 2nd World War.
Sunday, 24 March 2019
Bible Not Violent Except For The Violent Bit's
Britain’s hard pressed immigration department has the difficult decisions of whether someone is a genuine asylum seeker and they have various ways of picking out false claims as they demonstrated with one Iranian national who as part of his claim said he had converted to Christianity because it was a 'peaceful religion'.
The Home Office were not fooled though, replying that Christianity was hardly peaceful and used verses from the books of Leviticus, Exodus and Revelation to dismiss his case and refuse his application.
As expected the Church of England denounced the decision that their religion wasn't one of peace, spluttering that they were 'extremely concerned on such a profound misunderstanding of the texts and practises of faith communities'.
I am assuming that the bit where it says: 'If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads' is one part that has been misunderstood because 'put them to death' can be taken any number of non-murderous ways.
So if that part of the Bible has been misunderstood then i suppose that also goes for the bits that say others who should also be put to death include People Who Don't Listen to Priests' (Deuteronomy 17:12), Witches (Exodus 22:17), Fortunetellers (Leviticus 20:27), anyone who hits their parents (Exodus 21:15), anyone who curses their parents (Leviticus 20:9), adulterers (Leviticus 20:10), anyone who follows another religion (Exodus 22:19), non-believers (2 Chronicles 15:12-13), Women Who Are Not Virgins On Their Wedding Night (Deuteronomy 22:20-21), Blasphemers (Leviticus 24:10-16), and Sunday workers (Exodus 31:12-15).
Honestly, how anyone can take the phrase 'put them to death' and interpret it as an act of violence is beyond me.
The Home Office were not fooled though, replying that Christianity was hardly peaceful and used verses from the books of Leviticus, Exodus and Revelation to dismiss his case and refuse his application.
As expected the Church of England denounced the decision that their religion wasn't one of peace, spluttering that they were 'extremely concerned on such a profound misunderstanding of the texts and practises of faith communities'.
I am assuming that the bit where it says: 'If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads' is one part that has been misunderstood because 'put them to death' can be taken any number of non-murderous ways.
So if that part of the Bible has been misunderstood then i suppose that also goes for the bits that say others who should also be put to death include People Who Don't Listen to Priests' (Deuteronomy 17:12), Witches (Exodus 22:17), Fortunetellers (Leviticus 20:27), anyone who hits their parents (Exodus 21:15), anyone who curses their parents (Leviticus 20:9), adulterers (Leviticus 20:10), anyone who follows another religion (Exodus 22:19), non-believers (2 Chronicles 15:12-13), Women Who Are Not Virgins On Their Wedding Night (Deuteronomy 22:20-21), Blasphemers (Leviticus 24:10-16), and Sunday workers (Exodus 31:12-15).
Honestly, how anyone can take the phrase 'put them to death' and interpret it as an act of violence is beyond me.
Confused By Brexit? You Soon Will Be
It's a good job that nobody is fed up with hearing about Brexit yet because the two year long slog is going into extra time and next week is yet another decisive week.
If you have been following along then you will know that Theresa May's deal has been thoroughly rejected by the House of Commons which means she has had to go to the EU and beg for an extension to try and get a decision which they have granted and now we have seven ways we can go, which will be voted on this coming Wednesday to decide what option we will go with.
The options up for consideration if Theresa May's exit deal fails (or is pulled) through the Commons are to Revoke Article 50 which means we forget the whole thing and stay as we are, a second referendum which means the decision-making taken back to the public for a final vote on the Brexit deal.
The third deal is yet again the Prime Minister's deal while the fourth is the PM's deal with the UK remaining within the customs union and the fifth is the PM's deal with customs union and single market access.
The sixth a Standard free trade agreement also known as a Norway-style deal which is joining the
European Free Trade Association (EFTA) which allows access to the single market and limited EU trade barriers, but are not in the customs union.
The final, and least popular option, is to just leave without any deal whatsoever but this is yet another week of Brexit fun and games and while i will be hoping for Revoking Article 50 and ending the whole sorry debacle, i will be happy to see a second referendum which as the Brexiters are fully aware, will result in a reversal of the previous referendum and slamming the door in the face of Article 50 also.
The mood music is that the fifth option of the PM's deal with customs union and single market access being the one which will receive the nod.
Brexit, it's fun fun fun.
If you have been following along then you will know that Theresa May's deal has been thoroughly rejected by the House of Commons which means she has had to go to the EU and beg for an extension to try and get a decision which they have granted and now we have seven ways we can go, which will be voted on this coming Wednesday to decide what option we will go with.
The options up for consideration if Theresa May's exit deal fails (or is pulled) through the Commons are to Revoke Article 50 which means we forget the whole thing and stay as we are, a second referendum which means the decision-making taken back to the public for a final vote on the Brexit deal.
The third deal is yet again the Prime Minister's deal while the fourth is the PM's deal with the UK remaining within the customs union and the fifth is the PM's deal with customs union and single market access.
The sixth a Standard free trade agreement also known as a Norway-style deal which is joining the
European Free Trade Association (EFTA) which allows access to the single market and limited EU trade barriers, but are not in the customs union.
The final, and least popular option, is to just leave without any deal whatsoever but this is yet another week of Brexit fun and games and while i will be hoping for Revoking Article 50 and ending the whole sorry debacle, i will be happy to see a second referendum which as the Brexiters are fully aware, will result in a reversal of the previous referendum and slamming the door in the face of Article 50 also.
The mood music is that the fifth option of the PM's deal with customs union and single market access being the one which will receive the nod.
Brexit, it's fun fun fun.
Saturday, 23 March 2019
Ignoring the Million, Listening To The Fifty
There have been two marches this week, the Pro-Brexit 'Leave Means Leave' march and the Anti-Brexit 'Put It To The People' which is demanding a second referendum.
The first which is demanding we leave the EU regardless of us reaching a deal or not attracted approximately 50 people while today's march saw almost a million placard waving people wind their way through London.
With Brexit in turmoil and with the Prime Ministers unpopular deal twice being defeated in "meaningful votes" inside the House of Commons, forcing Europe to grant a short extension to allow for further negotiations, nobody knows what will happen next.
Theresa May is considering pulling out of a third attempt to get her deal through the Commons as she hasn't got the support to succeed, especially after her ill-considered speech where she lumped the blame for her deal failing on all the other politicians, the same politicians she now needs to support her.
With parliament divided and the situation mired in deadlock, the 'Revoke Article 50' petition sails towards the four million signatures mark we may yet get our wish and forget the whole mess and stay in the EU although bizarrely, Theresa May seems intent on listening to the 50 deluded marching souls over the million.
The first which is demanding we leave the EU regardless of us reaching a deal or not attracted approximately 50 people while today's march saw almost a million placard waving people wind their way through London.
With Brexit in turmoil and with the Prime Ministers unpopular deal twice being defeated in "meaningful votes" inside the House of Commons, forcing Europe to grant a short extension to allow for further negotiations, nobody knows what will happen next.
Theresa May is considering pulling out of a third attempt to get her deal through the Commons as she hasn't got the support to succeed, especially after her ill-considered speech where she lumped the blame for her deal failing on all the other politicians, the same politicians she now needs to support her.
With parliament divided and the situation mired in deadlock, the 'Revoke Article 50' petition sails towards the four million signatures mark we may yet get our wish and forget the whole mess and stay in the EU although bizarrely, Theresa May seems intent on listening to the 50 deluded marching souls over the million.
Wednesday, 20 March 2019
The CIA Guide To Spotting Gay Men
A friend recently said that all the best men are either already taken or gay and while there is nothing i can do about the first, the CIA have helpfully detailed the characteristics to look for in a gay man.
In a report dated 1980, the Central Intelligence Agency had the idea of identifying gay men from those they were investigating and use it to blackmail them as gay.
According to the CIA, any man who knew the meaning of 'gay, straight, and bi was definitely gay, since such words were passwords used primarily by gay men.
So if your intended target knows what the word gay means, the next phase is are they hardworking, intelligent, friendly, cooperative and punctual because all these traits are signs of the gay man.
If all the boxes have been ticked so far then it isn't looking good for any future heterosexual relationship but don't despair just yet because the CIA have more surefire ways to tell.
Gay men definitely used public transport because a gay man rarely drives to work and mainly drive at weekends and just to make certain, the final test are do they go shopping by themselves and use the Post Office to send mail.
Although the 'tests' may be almost 40 years, you might want to avoid the afterwork drinks with that friendly guy you saw at the Post Office, especially if he has a bus ticket and kept checking his watch.
In a report dated 1980, the Central Intelligence Agency had the idea of identifying gay men from those they were investigating and use it to blackmail them as gay.
According to the CIA, any man who knew the meaning of 'gay, straight, and bi was definitely gay, since such words were passwords used primarily by gay men.
So if your intended target knows what the word gay means, the next phase is are they hardworking, intelligent, friendly, cooperative and punctual because all these traits are signs of the gay man.
If all the boxes have been ticked so far then it isn't looking good for any future heterosexual relationship but don't despair just yet because the CIA have more surefire ways to tell.
Gay men definitely used public transport because a gay man rarely drives to work and mainly drive at weekends and just to make certain, the final test are do they go shopping by themselves and use the Post Office to send mail.
Although the 'tests' may be almost 40 years, you might want to avoid the afterwork drinks with that friendly guy you saw at the Post Office, especially if he has a bus ticket and kept checking his watch.
Trump's Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Things must be a bit frosty over the breakfast table in the Conway household as Mr Conway is in a full spate with her his wife's boss and the wife is taking the bosses side.
While Mr Conway says that the Trump administration 'is like a shitshow in a dumpster fire', Trump fired back that Conway is a loser and jealous of his wife's success, the wife being Kellyanne Conway of the 'alternative facts' explanation.
Conway has now tweeted the symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), and suggested that Trump should be diagnosed with it but what exactly is it?
The Big Book Of Mental Disorders For Dummies, Third Edition, describes it as a personality disorder characterised by persistent grandiosity, excessive need for admiration,
a lack of empathy for others, displays of arrogance and a distorted sense of superiority, a fragile ego, intolerance of criticism, and a tendency to belittle others in order to validate their own superiority.
People with NPD tend to exaggerate their intelligence and accomplishments, are controlling, self-absorbed, intolerant of others' views and display an inability to tolerate setbacks, disagreements, or criticism and have difficulty maintaining long-term professional relationships.
Blimey, throw in a mushroomed shaped, tiny penis and a stupid hairstyle and it's Trump down to a T.
Kellyanne once said that after defending Trump when he was running for the Presidency, that she needed to take a shower, i guess now she must be almost permanently living in the bathroom and not just to avoid her husband at mealtimes.
While Mr Conway says that the Trump administration 'is like a shitshow in a dumpster fire', Trump fired back that Conway is a loser and jealous of his wife's success, the wife being Kellyanne Conway of the 'alternative facts' explanation.
Conway has now tweeted the symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), and suggested that Trump should be diagnosed with it but what exactly is it?
The Big Book Of Mental Disorders For Dummies, Third Edition, describes it as a personality disorder characterised by persistent grandiosity, excessive need for admiration,
a lack of empathy for others, displays of arrogance and a distorted sense of superiority, a fragile ego, intolerance of criticism, and a tendency to belittle others in order to validate their own superiority.
People with NPD tend to exaggerate their intelligence and accomplishments, are controlling, self-absorbed, intolerant of others' views and display an inability to tolerate setbacks, disagreements, or criticism and have difficulty maintaining long-term professional relationships.
Blimey, throw in a mushroomed shaped, tiny penis and a stupid hairstyle and it's Trump down to a T.
Kellyanne once said that after defending Trump when he was running for the Presidency, that she needed to take a shower, i guess now she must be almost permanently living in the bathroom and not just to avoid her husband at mealtimes.
Trump Making Mexican Homes Safer Again
Donald Trump's wall may have turned into a wire fence but the Mexicans are very happy about that, mainly because as fast as the fence goes up they are nicking it.
Far from Mexico paying for it, American tax dollars are funding the fence between San Diego and the Mexican Town of Tijuana but while designed to keep out the rampaging flood of Mexicans, it is attracting them because the barbed wire is exactly what they need for their own home security.
Such is the problem that the United States have asked for help from Mexican authorities to stop the locals from pinching the wire which goes missing as soon as it is replaced, but the request was greeted with a shrug of the shoulders by Mexico and an explanation that 'the wire is stronger, sharper, and of better quality than anything sold in Mexican stores'.
He may not exactly be making America Great again but Donald Trump is certainly making Mexican homes safer and decking them out in freshly-stolen barbed wire, all at his nations expense.
I imagine those on the Mexican side are hoping he returns to the idea of bricks and cement as they could do with some higher walls to place all that the shiny, new barbed wire on.
Far from Mexico paying for it, American tax dollars are funding the fence between San Diego and the Mexican Town of Tijuana but while designed to keep out the rampaging flood of Mexicans, it is attracting them because the barbed wire is exactly what they need for their own home security.
Such is the problem that the United States have asked for help from Mexican authorities to stop the locals from pinching the wire which goes missing as soon as it is replaced, but the request was greeted with a shrug of the shoulders by Mexico and an explanation that 'the wire is stronger, sharper, and of better quality than anything sold in Mexican stores'.
He may not exactly be making America Great again but Donald Trump is certainly making Mexican homes safer and decking them out in freshly-stolen barbed wire, all at his nations expense.
I imagine those on the Mexican side are hoping he returns to the idea of bricks and cement as they could do with some higher walls to place all that the shiny, new barbed wire on.
Tuesday, 19 March 2019
Perfect Response By Jacinda Ardern
Unfortunately we have far too many terrorist massacres and the nations react in different ways and almost all can learn from New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern who has handled a devastating event which left 50 dead in the perfect way.
She immediately condemned the attack as terrorism, vowed to update New Zealand's gun laws and ban semi-automatic guns and reassured the Muslim community that they are valued members of the country.
She spent time and embraced the communities affected and said that New Zealand stands in solidarity with the Muslim community in NZ and around the world against terrorism and hate and refused to speak the terrorists names, claiming: 'He is a terrorist. He is a criminal. He is an extremist. But he will, when I speak, be nameless'.
She then promised to cover the funeral costs of all 50 victims and addressed social media and its part in hosting the offensive and dangerous content after thousands of people viewed the graphic video that had been uploaded by the shooter.
'They are the publisher not just the postman. There cannot be a case of all profit, no responsibility' she said.
Such a shame that it took such an awful tragedy to force Jacinda Ardern to the forefront but if more leaders acted like her then there will be less hate and more compassion which is what we so badly need.
Jacinda Ardern actions should be the template for every World leader whose response to any terror attack is to want to hit back hard at someone and continue the circle of violence.
She immediately condemned the attack as terrorism, vowed to update New Zealand's gun laws and ban semi-automatic guns and reassured the Muslim community that they are valued members of the country.
She spent time and embraced the communities affected and said that New Zealand stands in solidarity with the Muslim community in NZ and around the world against terrorism and hate and refused to speak the terrorists names, claiming: 'He is a terrorist. He is a criminal. He is an extremist. But he will, when I speak, be nameless'.
She then promised to cover the funeral costs of all 50 victims and addressed social media and its part in hosting the offensive and dangerous content after thousands of people viewed the graphic video that had been uploaded by the shooter.
'They are the publisher not just the postman. There cannot be a case of all profit, no responsibility' she said.
Such a shame that it took such an awful tragedy to force Jacinda Ardern to the forefront but if more leaders acted like her then there will be less hate and more compassion which is what we so badly need.
Jacinda Ardern actions should be the template for every World leader whose response to any terror attack is to want to hit back hard at someone and continue the circle of violence.
Sunday, 17 March 2019
What America Will Get Under Socialism
Capitalism has traditionally ranked alongside apple pie, shooting guns at each other and chlorinated chicken in the hearts of Americans but the youth are casting an eye away from the dog eat dog world with a poll showing that 61% of Americans aged 18 to 24 have a favourable attitude towards Communism's younger brother, Socialism.
Battered by constant recessions, the rich getting richer and facing a trip to Mexico or Canada to receive affordable healthcare, 39% of Americans of all ages say that they are 'well-disposed toward socialism'.
Perhaps the real reason Trump wants to build a wall on the Mexican border is to keep Americans away from cheaper foreign medical treatment but it shows that the issue of Socialism in America being equated with Communism is no longer an issue so as a proud Socialist allow me to explain what America can expect as the newest Socialist nation.
You get a song and it's sung to the tune of the Christmas Carol 'O' Christmas Tree' and while it's not quite Sweet Child 'O Mine, it's catchy enough and that Star Spangled Banner thing about rockets and things is outdated now anyway.
Socialism comes in any colour you want as long as it's red because for some reason everything Socialist is red including the flag, the badges, the posters and for the gents, especially the neck wear.
For the 39% of your poor fellow yankees who argue that staying with the current failed system is the way to go you have a long list of Socialists to name check such as Albert Einstein and if the brainiest man who has ever lived decides that Socialism is the way to go you know you have backed the right horse, or German physicist.
Finally Socialism is already working in the United States so if someone assaults you a police officer arrives, and without payment, resolves the situation. If America is invaded the military won't show up and ask for your bank details, they will chase them away for free and the Fire Dept. won't stand and watch your house burn down as you can't afford to pay them to unroll their hose, they will put the fire out without charge and your child gets educated for free and the rubbish collectors will take away your eighteen bin liners full of rubbish for nothing and do it on the roads maintained for free.
It's a no brainer really, under Socialism you get a neat song, everything coloured red and it comes with the endorsement of the biggest brain ever so cast off the chains of oppression under Capitalism and join me and my chums in a Socialist paradise singing a song to the tune of a Christmas Carol. What's not to like?
Battered by constant recessions, the rich getting richer and facing a trip to Mexico or Canada to receive affordable healthcare, 39% of Americans of all ages say that they are 'well-disposed toward socialism'.
Perhaps the real reason Trump wants to build a wall on the Mexican border is to keep Americans away from cheaper foreign medical treatment but it shows that the issue of Socialism in America being equated with Communism is no longer an issue so as a proud Socialist allow me to explain what America can expect as the newest Socialist nation.
You get a song and it's sung to the tune of the Christmas Carol 'O' Christmas Tree' and while it's not quite Sweet Child 'O Mine, it's catchy enough and that Star Spangled Banner thing about rockets and things is outdated now anyway.
Socialism comes in any colour you want as long as it's red because for some reason everything Socialist is red including the flag, the badges, the posters and for the gents, especially the neck wear.
For the 39% of your poor fellow yankees who argue that staying with the current failed system is the way to go you have a long list of Socialists to name check such as Albert Einstein and if the brainiest man who has ever lived decides that Socialism is the way to go you know you have backed the right horse, or German physicist.
Finally Socialism is already working in the United States so if someone assaults you a police officer arrives, and without payment, resolves the situation. If America is invaded the military won't show up and ask for your bank details, they will chase them away for free and the Fire Dept. won't stand and watch your house burn down as you can't afford to pay them to unroll their hose, they will put the fire out without charge and your child gets educated for free and the rubbish collectors will take away your eighteen bin liners full of rubbish for nothing and do it on the roads maintained for free.
It's a no brainer really, under Socialism you get a neat song, everything coloured red and it comes with the endorsement of the biggest brain ever so cast off the chains of oppression under Capitalism and join me and my chums in a Socialist paradise singing a song to the tune of a Christmas Carol. What's not to like?
Friday, 15 March 2019
Tackling Right Wing Hatred
While not all right wingers are racist, all the racists are on the right wing and today we saw the culmination of the steady drumbeat of right wing hatred in New Zealand with 49 dead Muslims, mowed down by a right wing fanatic whilst praying.
Right wing terrorism has been building for the past decade, through the gruesome events of Anders Behring Breivik who killed 77 people in Norway, the killing of 11 Jewish worshippers in Pittsburgh, the murder of the British MP Jo Cox, attacks on mosques and synagogues in London and Quebec and many more violent incidents motivated by people of a racist and far-right bent.
In the US, right wing activity was linked to at least 50 deaths in 2018, almost three quarters of all extremist-related fatalities but all around the World attackers motivated by right-wing political ideologies are on the increase.
In the UK we have had two years of negative attacks on non-whites, from Windrush to Theresa May's hostile environment for non-Brits and UKIP's and Conservative Party anti-immigration rhetoric.
Following the death of an anti-fascist protester in Charlottesville, Donald Trump refused to administer blame to the extremists, his base, declaring them 'good people' and within hours of the New Zealand massacre, Australian Senator, Fraser Anning, released a media statement criticising left-wing politicians for the bloodshed and claiming: 'The real cause of bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place'.
Brenton Tarrant's Twitter account posted links to a manifesto reeking of white supremacist conspiracy theories but the repugnant views of the far right which once festered in only the darkest nooks and crannies, has crept out into the daylight assisted by politicians who have created the swamp for such reptiles.
Emboldened, white supremacists believe that they have like minded fellows in places of power and have taken a cue from overt race-baiting from the likes of Trump, Farage, Boris Johnson and Tommy Robinson who whip up Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, a road which leads to irrational people like Tarrant and Breivik picking up weapons and pathetic scenes of more dead bodies, killed by right wing extremists who are ignorant or just too plain dumb to understand the dangerous propaganda that they are being brainwashed with.
Social media has to crack down on allowing the safe spaces for the right wing extremists to spew their bile and extreme right wing commenter's should be treated the same as the Islamic fundamentalists as both are indoctrinating soft minds with their toxic, and murderous poison.
Right wing terrorism has been building for the past decade, through the gruesome events of Anders Behring Breivik who killed 77 people in Norway, the killing of 11 Jewish worshippers in Pittsburgh, the murder of the British MP Jo Cox, attacks on mosques and synagogues in London and Quebec and many more violent incidents motivated by people of a racist and far-right bent.
In the US, right wing activity was linked to at least 50 deaths in 2018, almost three quarters of all extremist-related fatalities but all around the World attackers motivated by right-wing political ideologies are on the increase.
In the UK we have had two years of negative attacks on non-whites, from Windrush to Theresa May's hostile environment for non-Brits and UKIP's and Conservative Party anti-immigration rhetoric.
Following the death of an anti-fascist protester in Charlottesville, Donald Trump refused to administer blame to the extremists, his base, declaring them 'good people' and within hours of the New Zealand massacre, Australian Senator, Fraser Anning, released a media statement criticising left-wing politicians for the bloodshed and claiming: 'The real cause of bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place'.
Brenton Tarrant's Twitter account posted links to a manifesto reeking of white supremacist conspiracy theories but the repugnant views of the far right which once festered in only the darkest nooks and crannies, has crept out into the daylight assisted by politicians who have created the swamp for such reptiles.
Emboldened, white supremacists believe that they have like minded fellows in places of power and have taken a cue from overt race-baiting from the likes of Trump, Farage, Boris Johnson and Tommy Robinson who whip up Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, a road which leads to irrational people like Tarrant and Breivik picking up weapons and pathetic scenes of more dead bodies, killed by right wing extremists who are ignorant or just too plain dumb to understand the dangerous propaganda that they are being brainwashed with.
Social media has to crack down on allowing the safe spaces for the right wing extremists to spew their bile and extreme right wing commenter's should be treated the same as the Islamic fundamentalists as both are indoctrinating soft minds with their toxic, and murderous poison.
Thursday, 14 March 2019
Bloody Sunday Hypocrisy
Bloody Sunday was the day in 1972 that 13 unarmed protesters were shot dead by the British Army in Londonderry during a protest against a new law introduced to detain people without trial indefinitely.
A further 15 were injured and in 2010 an investigation concluded that the killings had been 'unjustified and unjustifiable' and dismissed suggestions by the soldiers who had opened fire with live rounds that those who had been killed had been armed with guns and nail bombs.
It was announced today that only one soldier, only identified as soldier F, will face prosecution for two murders and four attempted murders.
Last week the Northern Ireland Secretary, Karen Bradley, attempted to deflect any blame for the killings by saying that the 13 deaths could not be crimes because they were caused by British soldiers were: 'fulfilling their duties in a dignified and appropriate way'.
She was forced into a humbling apology when it was pointed out that there was nothing dignified or appropriate in shooting dead people waving white flags, going to the aid others or attempting to crawl to safety.
As expected the Government have shockingly continued to stand by their armed forces, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson saying the Ministry of Defence would support soldier F and pay the legal costs as: 'We are indebted to those soldiers who served with courage and distinction' and 'the government will urgently reform the system for dealing with legacy issues. Our serving and former personnel cannot live in constant fear of prosecution'.
Those pathetic words just mean that they will make sure that the military will not be able to be prosecuted for when they go on another mass killing spree.
The Northern Ireland Veterans group said 'No soldier should be charged. It happened 47 years ago, a line in the sand needs to be drawn and people need to move on' which is just more pathetic nonsense because no matter how long ago it was, if someone murdered another person, then they should be brought to trial and prosecuted.
The murderer known as Soldier F can only feel aggrieved that he is the only one being prosecuted for that dark stain on our nation and the atrocious grief he and his trigger happy friends caused that day.
A further 15 were injured and in 2010 an investigation concluded that the killings had been 'unjustified and unjustifiable' and dismissed suggestions by the soldiers who had opened fire with live rounds that those who had been killed had been armed with guns and nail bombs.
It was announced today that only one soldier, only identified as soldier F, will face prosecution for two murders and four attempted murders.
Last week the Northern Ireland Secretary, Karen Bradley, attempted to deflect any blame for the killings by saying that the 13 deaths could not be crimes because they were caused by British soldiers were: 'fulfilling their duties in a dignified and appropriate way'.
She was forced into a humbling apology when it was pointed out that there was nothing dignified or appropriate in shooting dead people waving white flags, going to the aid others or attempting to crawl to safety.
As expected the Government have shockingly continued to stand by their armed forces, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson saying the Ministry of Defence would support soldier F and pay the legal costs as: 'We are indebted to those soldiers who served with courage and distinction' and 'the government will urgently reform the system for dealing with legacy issues. Our serving and former personnel cannot live in constant fear of prosecution'.
Those pathetic words just mean that they will make sure that the military will not be able to be prosecuted for when they go on another mass killing spree.
The Northern Ireland Veterans group said 'No soldier should be charged. It happened 47 years ago, a line in the sand needs to be drawn and people need to move on' which is just more pathetic nonsense because no matter how long ago it was, if someone murdered another person, then they should be brought to trial and prosecuted.
The murderer known as Soldier F can only feel aggrieved that he is the only one being prosecuted for that dark stain on our nation and the atrocious grief he and his trigger happy friends caused that day.
Tuesday, 12 March 2019
UN Condemn Israel Again
Defenders of Israel sometimes point to the amount of UN Resolutions against Israel as proof that the UN is anti-Israeli but the truth is that the reason there are so many UN Resolutions against Israel is because it has spent the last 70 years invading, murdering and subjugating its neighbours.
A UN investigation into the 2018 Gaza protests has concluded that Israel committed war crimes and crimes against humanity with soldiers intentionally using live ammunition against children, women, journalists, health workers and people with disabilities resulting in over 6,000 people injured and 183 killed.
The UN report condemning Israel comes shortly after the an EU report which denounced Israeli settlements on Palestinian land and called on Israel to remove homes built on stolen Palestinian land.
Unfortunately, America continues to stand squarely behind Israel with their chequebook and nothing will change while they are continually funded by continuous American Governments.
There is a responsibility for the international community to take decisive action towards Israel respecting UN Resolutions and human rights in Palestine and take a woefully long-overdue steps towards peace with their neighbour, maybe then the UN will stop pointing out what a murderous and truly awful nation Israel is in their treatment of the Palestinians.
A UN investigation into the 2018 Gaza protests has concluded that Israel committed war crimes and crimes against humanity with soldiers intentionally using live ammunition against children, women, journalists, health workers and people with disabilities resulting in over 6,000 people injured and 183 killed.
The UN report condemning Israel comes shortly after the an EU report which denounced Israeli settlements on Palestinian land and called on Israel to remove homes built on stolen Palestinian land.
Unfortunately, America continues to stand squarely behind Israel with their chequebook and nothing will change while they are continually funded by continuous American Governments.
There is a responsibility for the international community to take decisive action towards Israel respecting UN Resolutions and human rights in Palestine and take a woefully long-overdue steps towards peace with their neighbour, maybe then the UN will stop pointing out what a murderous and truly awful nation Israel is in their treatment of the Palestinians.
Praising Trump
At a cost of $21bn, it is $5 billion cheaper to go to the Moon and Mars than to build Trumps wall which stands at £26bn only with less racist overtones.
Usually dismissed as a massive idiot, Donald Trump earns a brief reprieve today with his announcement that NASA will receive $21bn to 'continue building the key components of the exploration campaign that will send astronauts to the moon and beyond'.
NASA plan to build a 'Lunar Gateway' outpost which will be orbiting the moon by the mid 2020s, and lunar landers to deliver cargo there by the late 2020s as well as a manned mission to the moon by 2028 and a view on flying to Mars.
'NASA is on the cusp of accomplishing more than we've ever been able to accomplish before' said one NASA boffin although it come at the cost of a reduction in Earth science missions finds which research climate change.
As Trump and his administration are climate change sceptics (Chinese creation in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive and all that), it is ironic that he is using his nations tax dollars to provide an escape from the polluted mess of a planet he is helping to create.
Also ironic that he is spending $21billion to send humans to another World while spending $26 billion keeping people out of his own little part of this World.
Usually dismissed as a massive idiot, Donald Trump earns a brief reprieve today with his announcement that NASA will receive $21bn to 'continue building the key components of the exploration campaign that will send astronauts to the moon and beyond'.
NASA plan to build a 'Lunar Gateway' outpost which will be orbiting the moon by the mid 2020s, and lunar landers to deliver cargo there by the late 2020s as well as a manned mission to the moon by 2028 and a view on flying to Mars.
'NASA is on the cusp of accomplishing more than we've ever been able to accomplish before' said one NASA boffin although it come at the cost of a reduction in Earth science missions finds which research climate change.
As Trump and his administration are climate change sceptics (Chinese creation in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive and all that), it is ironic that he is using his nations tax dollars to provide an escape from the polluted mess of a planet he is helping to create.
Also ironic that he is spending $21billion to send humans to another World while spending $26 billion keeping people out of his own little part of this World.
Tim Berners-Lee On His WWW Invention
Thirty years ago today Tim Berners-Lee put forward an idea he called 'Mesh' which evolved into the World Wide Web which revolutionised the World but reminiscing on his invention three decades on, he isn't too pleased with what his baby has become.
His concerns are over how the Web has created: 'opportunity for scammers, given a voice to those who spread hatred, and made all kinds of crime easier to commit' and cited the Cambridge Analytica scandal at Facebook as how people's faith has been shaken in the Web.
In retrospect, allowing the public to post their unfiltered thoughts online was always going to be a problem and is now an entrenched problem for the Web although Berners-Lee appears to consider it a fixable problem and suggests a 'Contract for the Web' with people signing up creating a set of rules for the internet to make it a lot less inhospitable and crime ridden wild west where anything goes.
That seems to fall heavily upon the big firms regulating their users and removing any content deemed unsuitable but that opens up the problem of how and who decides what is unacceptable.
The reality is that you can tinker with the edges but the Web is probably an unfixable problem and in another 30 years time the same problems of scammers, haters and criminals taking advantage of the freedom and anonymity that the Web provides will still be with us.
His concerns are over how the Web has created: 'opportunity for scammers, given a voice to those who spread hatred, and made all kinds of crime easier to commit' and cited the Cambridge Analytica scandal at Facebook as how people's faith has been shaken in the Web.
In retrospect, allowing the public to post their unfiltered thoughts online was always going to be a problem and is now an entrenched problem for the Web although Berners-Lee appears to consider it a fixable problem and suggests a 'Contract for the Web' with people signing up creating a set of rules for the internet to make it a lot less inhospitable and crime ridden wild west where anything goes.
That seems to fall heavily upon the big firms regulating their users and removing any content deemed unsuitable but that opens up the problem of how and who decides what is unacceptable.
The reality is that you can tinker with the edges but the Web is probably an unfixable problem and in another 30 years time the same problems of scammers, haters and criminals taking advantage of the freedom and anonymity that the Web provides will still be with us.
Monday, 11 March 2019
They Called Their Business What?
I always wondered if the brains behind the refrigerator company SMEG knew what they were doing when they named it, i get hours of fun asking my friend who has one if he keeps his cheese in it.
Other favourites are Schiit Audio Europe and before a hasty name change, the South Hants Institute of Technology always made for a great acronym.
Companies House has put out the names of 87 businesses whose names were too rude to be allowed onto their register, such as Royal Nuts Ltd, Purple Helmet Bikes, Cat Shit Coffee, Crap Ltd, Slag Ltd, Tits On Bikes, Cocks On Socks and AnusBeauty.
Also sent back to rethink their names were Top Dogging Ltd, FashionFuckery, Toss Charity, Panda Knob Ink, Knickers Knackers Knockers, Stop Making Everything Shit Ltd and TittyGoHard.
Alas we will never find out the exact nature of the service provided by TittyGoHard because as a Companies House spokesman explained: 'A company must not be registered by a name if, in the opinion of the secretary of state, its use by the company would be offensive'.
So thanks to the secretary of state we won't be using Panda Knob Ink, drinking Cat Shit Coffee or buying our Knickers Knackers or Knockers all in the one place anytime soon.
Other favourites are Schiit Audio Europe and before a hasty name change, the South Hants Institute of Technology always made for a great acronym.
Companies House has put out the names of 87 businesses whose names were too rude to be allowed onto their register, such as Royal Nuts Ltd, Purple Helmet Bikes, Cat Shit Coffee, Crap Ltd, Slag Ltd, Tits On Bikes, Cocks On Socks and AnusBeauty.
Also sent back to rethink their names were Top Dogging Ltd, FashionFuckery, Toss Charity, Panda Knob Ink, Knickers Knackers Knockers, Stop Making Everything Shit Ltd and TittyGoHard.
Alas we will never find out the exact nature of the service provided by TittyGoHard because as a Companies House spokesman explained: 'A company must not be registered by a name if, in the opinion of the secretary of state, its use by the company would be offensive'.
So thanks to the secretary of state we won't be using Panda Knob Ink, drinking Cat Shit Coffee or buying our Knickers Knackers or Knockers all in the one place anytime soon.
In, Out, In, Out, Shake It All About
The problem with kicking the can down the road is that at some point you actually run out of road and so it's finally here, after years of not very much, can-kicking and delaying, this is the week that determines Britain's future in the EU.
With just 18 days until Brexit, Mrs May has promised this will be the week when the real decisions are made but by Friday things could look very different.
If tomorrow's vote on Theresa May's passes then Brexit will be rubber stamped and we will wake up former-EU members on 30 March.
As she lost the last by by a record amount and it is basically the same deal she is offering up again it is highly unlikely we will be going anywhere at the end of March so Wednesdays vote comes into play which is a vote to accept or reject a no-deal scenario which again, is expected to be heavily defeated.
Interesting there are talks of mass Conservative Party resignations if the Prime Minister tells her MPs they must vote to keep no-deal on the table.
If by Thursday MPs have rejected the deal in thr first vote and no deal in the second vote, the third vote comes into effect which is to delay Brexit, therefore extending Article 50 and continuing with negotiations.
The more extreme of the Conservatives are threatening to invoke a coup and replace Theresa May if we meander our way through to the third vote and Labour are threatening to bring out the no confidence vote again with a view to forcing a General Election.
So by Friday we could be on our way out of the EU, have a new Prime Minister or be set for a General Election or none of at all if Theresa May repeats what she did last time and pulls out of the votes to avoid defeat and save her own neck and we come back again in the next 18 days to do it all over again.
Exciting 'innit!
With just 18 days until Brexit, Mrs May has promised this will be the week when the real decisions are made but by Friday things could look very different.
If tomorrow's vote on Theresa May's passes then Brexit will be rubber stamped and we will wake up former-EU members on 30 March.
As she lost the last by by a record amount and it is basically the same deal she is offering up again it is highly unlikely we will be going anywhere at the end of March so Wednesdays vote comes into play which is a vote to accept or reject a no-deal scenario which again, is expected to be heavily defeated.
Interesting there are talks of mass Conservative Party resignations if the Prime Minister tells her MPs they must vote to keep no-deal on the table.
If by Thursday MPs have rejected the deal in thr first vote and no deal in the second vote, the third vote comes into effect which is to delay Brexit, therefore extending Article 50 and continuing with negotiations.
The more extreme of the Conservatives are threatening to invoke a coup and replace Theresa May if we meander our way through to the third vote and Labour are threatening to bring out the no confidence vote again with a view to forcing a General Election.
So by Friday we could be on our way out of the EU, have a new Prime Minister or be set for a General Election or none of at all if Theresa May repeats what she did last time and pulls out of the votes to avoid defeat and save her own neck and we come back again in the next 18 days to do it all over again.
Exciting 'innit!
Saturday, 9 March 2019
Shamima Begum Is Britain's Problem
The case of Islamic State bride Shamima Begum carries on and she is back in the news as her baby has unfortunately died three weeks after she gave birth.
As our Government has stripped her of her nationality, she literally has nowhere to go and Bangladesh, who her family has a very tenuous link with, have said they don't want her there.
While any mother losing her child tugs at the heartstrings, it is hard to sympathise with her plight at having nowhere to call home but it does seem that we have passed our problem onto elsewhere.
I don't particularly want her back here, her interviews showed no remorse for what she has done, but she is British and was radicalised while in Britain so she is our problem and we shouldn't be passing her on to any country that will take her.
My solution would be to allow her back but arrest her as soon as she steps off the plane.
Some are now trying to pin the blame for the child's death on the Government decision but that's not right, making her stateless had no bearing on the health of her baby while living in a refugee camp and remember she was only there and asking to come back due to Islamic State collapsing.
To say she isn't enough of a fit and proper person to live in Britain but she can go live elsewhere is not right, she is our problem and we should be dealing with her.
As international law says you can't remove a persons citizenship unless they have another country to go to means that the law courts will only make us give her back her passport anyway so let's avoid a lengthy and costly trial which we can't win and allow her back and show her how the British justice system works.
As our Government has stripped her of her nationality, she literally has nowhere to go and Bangladesh, who her family has a very tenuous link with, have said they don't want her there.
While any mother losing her child tugs at the heartstrings, it is hard to sympathise with her plight at having nowhere to call home but it does seem that we have passed our problem onto elsewhere.
I don't particularly want her back here, her interviews showed no remorse for what she has done, but she is British and was radicalised while in Britain so she is our problem and we shouldn't be passing her on to any country that will take her.
My solution would be to allow her back but arrest her as soon as she steps off the plane.
Some are now trying to pin the blame for the child's death on the Government decision but that's not right, making her stateless had no bearing on the health of her baby while living in a refugee camp and remember she was only there and asking to come back due to Islamic State collapsing.
To say she isn't enough of a fit and proper person to live in Britain but she can go live elsewhere is not right, she is our problem and we should be dealing with her.
As international law says you can't remove a persons citizenship unless they have another country to go to means that the law courts will only make us give her back her passport anyway so let's avoid a lengthy and costly trial which we can't win and allow her back and show her how the British justice system works.
Cheering On Other Football Teams
We are getting to the business end of the Football Season and for many football fans their teams have no chance of glory and face a couple of months of irrelevance so we look towards the teams that can still win things, and try and work out which rival team we object to the least and hold our nose and lend our tentative backing to the least annoying teams and supporters to win the Premier League, FA Cup, Championship and both of the European Cups.
The Premier League title winner will come from either Manchester City or Liverpool although Tottenham have an outside chance but even the most rabid Spurs fan will agree that ship has sailed so it's out of the Mancs and the Scousers. I know lots of annoying Liverpool fans and they do go on and on and on about winning the League a few times decades ago so as i know no Manchester City fans, i'm backing the Citizens to lift the massive Premier League trophy in May.
The remaining teams in the FA Cup Quarter Finals are Watford, Crystal Palace, Swansea, Manchester City, Wolves, Manchester United, Millwall and Brighton. As long as it isn't either of the Manchester Clubs climbing the Wembley steps i will be satisfied but based on geography, i will be cheering loudest for Brighton and Crystal Palace. I lost £500 buying Millwall shares a few years ago so i especially hope they get a royal tonking and also just because they are Millwall.
The Championship winners and therefore guaranteed promotion to the Premier League is tight but a long held hatred for Leeds rules them out of garnering any support from me so it's Norwich and West Brom. Norwich because while they score lots they follow the Arsene Wenger school of defending so can win 5-0, lose 6-3 or draw 4-4 on any given day which is always fun to watch. West Brom go up and down like Donald Trumps zipper and i know some very nice West Brom fans so would nice to see them join the big boys again next season.
The UEFA Europa League still has a long way to go but all the time my team Arsenal are still in it (by their fingertips admittedly), i won't cast a glance elsewhere but if we don't get past Rennes next week then i will flutter my eyelashes in a flirty manner at Inter Milan and whoever are playing Chelsea.
The first milestone for the UEFA Champions League is that Tottenham don't win it, that would be the ninth circle of hell right there for an Arsenal fan who knows an unhealthy amount of Spurs fans. After stopping Tottenham, i wouldn't want Manchester United to win the pot either, they still drone on about then they won it in 2008 so let's stop that joy before it begins. Call it bitter but if Arsenal can't win it then i don't want another English team toy so i will be hoping that Manchester City and Liverpool also bow out gracefully soon.
Looking at who is left i get bored with Barcelona always getting to the Final so i will be gazing lovingly at Ajax and Juventus.
All means my wish list at the moment is Manchester City to win the League, Brighton/Crystal Palace for the FA Cup, Norwich/WBA for the Championship, Arsenal/Inter Milan for the Europa League and Ajax/Juventus for the Champions League and i will throw in Portsmouth for the 1st Division.
The Premier League title winner will come from either Manchester City or Liverpool although Tottenham have an outside chance but even the most rabid Spurs fan will agree that ship has sailed so it's out of the Mancs and the Scousers. I know lots of annoying Liverpool fans and they do go on and on and on about winning the League a few times decades ago so as i know no Manchester City fans, i'm backing the Citizens to lift the massive Premier League trophy in May.
The remaining teams in the FA Cup Quarter Finals are Watford, Crystal Palace, Swansea, Manchester City, Wolves, Manchester United, Millwall and Brighton. As long as it isn't either of the Manchester Clubs climbing the Wembley steps i will be satisfied but based on geography, i will be cheering loudest for Brighton and Crystal Palace. I lost £500 buying Millwall shares a few years ago so i especially hope they get a royal tonking and also just because they are Millwall.
The Championship winners and therefore guaranteed promotion to the Premier League is tight but a long held hatred for Leeds rules them out of garnering any support from me so it's Norwich and West Brom. Norwich because while they score lots they follow the Arsene Wenger school of defending so can win 5-0, lose 6-3 or draw 4-4 on any given day which is always fun to watch. West Brom go up and down like Donald Trumps zipper and i know some very nice West Brom fans so would nice to see them join the big boys again next season.
The UEFA Europa League still has a long way to go but all the time my team Arsenal are still in it (by their fingertips admittedly), i won't cast a glance elsewhere but if we don't get past Rennes next week then i will flutter my eyelashes in a flirty manner at Inter Milan and whoever are playing Chelsea.
The first milestone for the UEFA Champions League is that Tottenham don't win it, that would be the ninth circle of hell right there for an Arsenal fan who knows an unhealthy amount of Spurs fans. After stopping Tottenham, i wouldn't want Manchester United to win the pot either, they still drone on about then they won it in 2008 so let's stop that joy before it begins. Call it bitter but if Arsenal can't win it then i don't want another English team toy so i will be hoping that Manchester City and Liverpool also bow out gracefully soon.
Looking at who is left i get bored with Barcelona always getting to the Final so i will be gazing lovingly at Ajax and Juventus.
All means my wish list at the moment is Manchester City to win the League, Brighton/Crystal Palace for the FA Cup, Norwich/WBA for the Championship, Arsenal/Inter Milan for the Europa League and Ajax/Juventus for the Champions League and i will throw in Portsmouth for the 1st Division.
Friday, 8 March 2019
Not A Good Week To Be A Tory
It's been a good week to be a Conservative, or it is if you were not one of those Conservatives who called someone 'coloured', or state in parliament that Islamophobia against British Muslims is a matter for the Foreign Office or say that the deaths caused by British soldiers in Northern Ireland could not be crimes because they were caused by British soldiers as put forward by the Northern Ireland secretary Karen Bradley none the less.
To be fair to Bradley she did try and make amends by confusingly saying that: 'I want to be clear – I do not believe what I said, that is not my view'. Glad we got that straight then.
This week also saw the Defence Secretary, Gavin Williamson, announce that the UK armed forces 'stand ready to respond to the knife crime crisis' so expect to see a Type 45 destroyer in a London pond soon.
At least Chris Grayling hasn't ballsed up anything that cost us £33 million this week for which we should be grateful and at least all the hapless people running our country takes our minds off Brexit for a while.
To be fair to Bradley she did try and make amends by confusingly saying that: 'I want to be clear – I do not believe what I said, that is not my view'. Glad we got that straight then.
This week also saw the Defence Secretary, Gavin Williamson, announce that the UK armed forces 'stand ready to respond to the knife crime crisis' so expect to see a Type 45 destroyer in a London pond soon.
At least Chris Grayling hasn't ballsed up anything that cost us £33 million this week for which we should be grateful and at least all the hapless people running our country takes our minds off Brexit for a while.
Wednesday, 6 March 2019
Top 10 Causes Of Global Deaths
On average, the Global birth rate is 131 million per year while the average death rate is 56 million annually which my calculator shows is averaging a surplus of 75 million of us, give or take a few.
It is an unfortunate fact that death comes to us all at some point and that some point averages out at around 71 and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) have worked out the most likely causes of death.
The biggest killer is cardiovascular disease, which affects the heart and arteries and kills 32.3% of us, double the amount of deaths by various types of Cancer (16.3%).
Respiratory Diseases such as Asthma, Emphysema and Pneumonia claim 6.5%, Diabetes 5.8%, Lower Respiratory Diseases like Bronchitis and Edema account for 4.4%, Dementia 4.4, Neonatal death before the baby reaches 28 days take 3.2%, Diarrhoeal diseases 3%, Road injuries 2.5%,
Liver disease 2.3%.
While the cause of death varies from country to country, the deaths that preoccupy us the most such as terrorism, war and natural disasters make up less than 0.5% of all deaths combined. Globally, twice as many people die by suicide than by murder.
It may make for a sad picture but compared to previous centuries we have made a huge leap in how, when and why we die and improvements in sanitation, hygiene, nutrition, vaccination and basic healthcare are all part of it but we still have a long way to go when Diarrhoea is in the top 10 of the largest global killers and 1.8 million newborns don't make it past 28 days.
It is an unfortunate fact that death comes to us all at some point and that some point averages out at around 71 and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) have worked out the most likely causes of death.
The biggest killer is cardiovascular disease, which affects the heart and arteries and kills 32.3% of us, double the amount of deaths by various types of Cancer (16.3%).
Respiratory Diseases such as Asthma, Emphysema and Pneumonia claim 6.5%, Diabetes 5.8%, Lower Respiratory Diseases like Bronchitis and Edema account for 4.4%, Dementia 4.4, Neonatal death before the baby reaches 28 days take 3.2%, Diarrhoeal diseases 3%, Road injuries 2.5%,
Liver disease 2.3%.
While the cause of death varies from country to country, the deaths that preoccupy us the most such as terrorism, war and natural disasters make up less than 0.5% of all deaths combined. Globally, twice as many people die by suicide than by murder.
It may make for a sad picture but compared to previous centuries we have made a huge leap in how, when and why we die and improvements in sanitation, hygiene, nutrition, vaccination and basic healthcare are all part of it but we still have a long way to go when Diarrhoea is in the top 10 of the largest global killers and 1.8 million newborns don't make it past 28 days.
Monday, 4 March 2019
Right Wing Agenda Not Working
In their right wing zeal for a smaller Government, the Conservatives took a massive axe to the public service which resulted in passports taking 6 months to process, Tax Returns not being captured in time, a shortage of beds in the NHS and 27,000 less police officers.
It is the latter that has resulted in an explosion of crime in the UK which the police describe as putting them 'under significant stress' so it shouldn't be hard to work out, if there are less of the people employed to stop crime, then crime will rise.
The Conservatives have been awful, the austerity cuts devastating the country so this is the direct result of Government policy and while the blame goes to the morons arming themselves with knives and sticking them in each other, the choices the Government have made has enabled the environment for it to happen in.
It was Theresa May as Home Secretary who run down the Police Force and the day after two teenagers were stabbed to death, she defended her policy by saying that there was 'no direct correlation' between fewer police and higher crime despite police calling for more help and resources to deal with the problem.
It would be laughable if it was not so serious but the Conservatives are not listening, they saw the economic crisis as a way to drive through their ideological plans and they won't let something like teenagers being stabbed to death to throw them off their failed right-wing agenda.
It is the latter that has resulted in an explosion of crime in the UK which the police describe as putting them 'under significant stress' so it shouldn't be hard to work out, if there are less of the people employed to stop crime, then crime will rise.
The Conservatives have been awful, the austerity cuts devastating the country so this is the direct result of Government policy and while the blame goes to the morons arming themselves with knives and sticking them in each other, the choices the Government have made has enabled the environment for it to happen in.
It was Theresa May as Home Secretary who run down the Police Force and the day after two teenagers were stabbed to death, she defended her policy by saying that there was 'no direct correlation' between fewer police and higher crime despite police calling for more help and resources to deal with the problem.
It would be laughable if it was not so serious but the Conservatives are not listening, they saw the economic crisis as a way to drive through their ideological plans and they won't let something like teenagers being stabbed to death to throw them off their failed right-wing agenda.
Sunday, 3 March 2019
Spiritualism The Religion For The Younger Generation
In an age when science can answer most things, 'what happens when you die?' is one of the few mysteries that we have left.
My rather flippant answer is always 'the same as happened before you were born' but that doesn't seem to wash with younger generations who are looking for the answer in greater numbers.
The major beneficiary seems to be Spiritual Churches and Mediums with the Spiritualists’ National Union of Great Britain estimating that they have seen a rise of 22% attending their churches to try to communicate with the spirit world, bolstered by an increasing interest from younger generations.
Spiritualist practises are now big business with sales of tarot card decks seeing a 268% boom in sales and Astrology apps attracting millions of users and sales of crystals reached £1.5 billion last year while magazines devoted solely to witchcraft have also sprung up.
Spiritualism dates back to 1848 and began when two American sisters, Maggie and Kate Fox said they could communicate with the ghost of a man murdered in their home years before their family moved in. Despite a confession in 1888 by Maggie Fox that she and her sister had faked it all along, Spiritualism had been launched and people have been trying to debunk it ever since.
Famous sceptic, James Randi, has had a million dollar challenge to anyone who can prove mediumship, psychic ability or clairvoyance and as yet is unclaimed, as Randi said: 'Under properly controlled conditions, even those mediums who genuinely think they have a gift don’t seem able to do what they claim'.
Believers will put forward the 'proof they receive at seances or readings but that is routinely dismissed as the Barnum Effect where generic statements are accepted and made to fit to make sense to the individual.
Classic supernatural TV shows such as Buffy, Charmed, True Blood and Sabrina could explain why the younger generation are turning towards this 'religion' and i feel that psychics charging for a reading leaves a bad taste but almost everyone has at some point wondered 'what's next?'
I don't believe in heaven, hell or even life after death but what Spiritualism is peddling is exactly what the other religions have been doing since they were first invented, the answer to what happens when you die.
Whether you choose to accept it from a Medium, Priest or a Rabbi that is your choice, as is the choice to dismiss the lot of them.
My rather flippant answer is always 'the same as happened before you were born' but that doesn't seem to wash with younger generations who are looking for the answer in greater numbers.
The major beneficiary seems to be Spiritual Churches and Mediums with the Spiritualists’ National Union of Great Britain estimating that they have seen a rise of 22% attending their churches to try to communicate with the spirit world, bolstered by an increasing interest from younger generations.
Spiritualist practises are now big business with sales of tarot card decks seeing a 268% boom in sales and Astrology apps attracting millions of users and sales of crystals reached £1.5 billion last year while magazines devoted solely to witchcraft have also sprung up.
Spiritualism dates back to 1848 and began when two American sisters, Maggie and Kate Fox said they could communicate with the ghost of a man murdered in their home years before their family moved in. Despite a confession in 1888 by Maggie Fox that she and her sister had faked it all along, Spiritualism had been launched and people have been trying to debunk it ever since.
Famous sceptic, James Randi, has had a million dollar challenge to anyone who can prove mediumship, psychic ability or clairvoyance and as yet is unclaimed, as Randi said: 'Under properly controlled conditions, even those mediums who genuinely think they have a gift don’t seem able to do what they claim'.
Believers will put forward the 'proof they receive at seances or readings but that is routinely dismissed as the Barnum Effect where generic statements are accepted and made to fit to make sense to the individual.
Classic supernatural TV shows such as Buffy, Charmed, True Blood and Sabrina could explain why the younger generation are turning towards this 'religion' and i feel that psychics charging for a reading leaves a bad taste but almost everyone has at some point wondered 'what's next?'
I don't believe in heaven, hell or even life after death but what Spiritualism is peddling is exactly what the other religions have been doing since they were first invented, the answer to what happens when you die.
Whether you choose to accept it from a Medium, Priest or a Rabbi that is your choice, as is the choice to dismiss the lot of them.
Friday, 1 March 2019
Remembering The 2007 Bloggers
In some ways our lives are like novels. You have your family who are the main cast and a supporting cast of friends, neighbours and work colleagues and the bit players such as hairdressers and accountants.
There are thousands of extras, those people who temporarily enter your life and then go again but sometimes there are people who don't fit neatly into any of these categories.
I was thinking of this the other day when i noticed that over 4,000 times now i have polluted the Internet with my whiny, lefty views on everything from American Gun Laws to Dr Who and all things in between over 12 years.
When i started Falling On A Bruise in 2007, blogging was probably at it's height and many excellent bloggers have since moved on and as i read back over the comments sections of the early posts, i began wondering what some of the bloggers who i was lucky enough to have met back then are doing today.
Sometimes controversial, sometimes serious but always entertaining, i'm interested to know how the last 12 years have treated the bloggers who made turning on my computer and loading the Blogger Page such fun back in the day.
If any of the following stumble across this post then maybe drop by and say hi.
Joe the Troll, Paula, O' Tim, Daniel/David G, Stephen, iMuslim, Dining Philosopher, Jeff K, Mark (Knocking On The Golden Gate), The Little Cheese, The Intolerant One, Cheezy, Arthur Vandelay, AnonyMouse, Jodie K, The Fez Monkey, Sacramento Voice, Ruth, Jefe, Annie, Cody Bones, Jenny Jinx, Noah 'Nog', RaeJane, Don, SwissToni, Stephen K.
I'm sure there are many more that i have missed out but looking back at the old comments and laughing, it would be nice to know that my old Blogging friends are still doing fine and remain out there swinging somewhere.
There are thousands of extras, those people who temporarily enter your life and then go again but sometimes there are people who don't fit neatly into any of these categories.
I was thinking of this the other day when i noticed that over 4,000 times now i have polluted the Internet with my whiny, lefty views on everything from American Gun Laws to Dr Who and all things in between over 12 years.
When i started Falling On A Bruise in 2007, blogging was probably at it's height and many excellent bloggers have since moved on and as i read back over the comments sections of the early posts, i began wondering what some of the bloggers who i was lucky enough to have met back then are doing today.
Sometimes controversial, sometimes serious but always entertaining, i'm interested to know how the last 12 years have treated the bloggers who made turning on my computer and loading the Blogger Page such fun back in the day.
If any of the following stumble across this post then maybe drop by and say hi.
Joe the Troll, Paula, O' Tim, Daniel/David G, Stephen, iMuslim, Dining Philosopher, Jeff K, Mark (Knocking On The Golden Gate), The Little Cheese, The Intolerant One, Cheezy, Arthur Vandelay, AnonyMouse, Jodie K, The Fez Monkey, Sacramento Voice, Ruth, Jefe, Annie, Cody Bones, Jenny Jinx, Noah 'Nog', RaeJane, Don, SwissToni, Stephen K.
I'm sure there are many more that i have missed out but looking back at the old comments and laughing, it would be nice to know that my old Blogging friends are still doing fine and remain out there swinging somewhere.
Leaving Neverland And Michael Jackson's Reputation
As Gary Glitter found out, being branded a paedophile is suicide to your career as your records stop being played and you are resigned, quite rightly, into the bargain bin of pop music.
Somehow, Michael Jackson avoided that fate although his reputation was tarnished but not permanently damaged until now with the film Leaving Neverland appearing to make it clear that the once King of Pop was a paedophile.
Some Jackson fans will clearly deny any allegations while others will try and separate the music from the man while others will just erase the musician from their record collection.
The allegations against him are hideous although they just confirm what was strongly suspected at the time and it will be interesting to see if Jackson's music will now be treated the way Glitter’s is, banned from radio and TV, especially as Jackson was so much a bigger star than Glitter.
I was never a massive Jackson fan but his songs are part of my teenage years, especially the Thriller years, but him being a child abuser will now always trump his music which means that this is what he will become, quite rightly known for, by generations after my own.
There will be those who will make the awful mistake that an artist automatically embodies greatness because they like their work but that is a dreadful mistake to make because as hard as it is, sometimes the crimes are just so bad that it is practically impossible to separate the man from the music.
Somehow, Michael Jackson avoided that fate although his reputation was tarnished but not permanently damaged until now with the film Leaving Neverland appearing to make it clear that the once King of Pop was a paedophile.
Some Jackson fans will clearly deny any allegations while others will try and separate the music from the man while others will just erase the musician from their record collection.
The allegations against him are hideous although they just confirm what was strongly suspected at the time and it will be interesting to see if Jackson's music will now be treated the way Glitter’s is, banned from radio and TV, especially as Jackson was so much a bigger star than Glitter.
I was never a massive Jackson fan but his songs are part of my teenage years, especially the Thriller years, but him being a child abuser will now always trump his music which means that this is what he will become, quite rightly known for, by generations after my own.
There will be those who will make the awful mistake that an artist automatically embodies greatness because they like their work but that is a dreadful mistake to make because as hard as it is, sometimes the crimes are just so bad that it is practically impossible to separate the man from the music.
Why David Lammy Should Shut Up
David Lammy has always been one of the better British MP's and i don't know what his problem is with Stacey Dooley but he is embarrassingly wrong on attacking her for posing with a black child in Uganda as part of Comic Relief.
The Tottenham MP has blasted the charity for flying white British celebrities to Africa to make films as it shows 'White Saviour complex' and he has a problem with 'white people spotlighting poverty in Africa'.
Dooley responded by tweeting: 'David, is the issue with me being white? (Genuine question) ... because if that’s the case, you could always go over there and try to raise awareness?'
Obviously Lammy's issue is with Dooley being a white person and highlighting poverty in an African nation although what a persons colour has to do with anything when attempting to raise money to help is nonsense and stinks of racism.
If a person is well meaning and using their celebrity to do a brilliant thing to raise awareness of fellow humans struggling in any country of the World then that is to be applauded and David Lammy should not only apologise to Stacey Dooley but keep his racist views to himself and do something himself instead of sniping at those who are.
The Tottenham MP has blasted the charity for flying white British celebrities to Africa to make films as it shows 'White Saviour complex' and he has a problem with 'white people spotlighting poverty in Africa'.
Dooley responded by tweeting: 'David, is the issue with me being white? (Genuine question) ... because if that’s the case, you could always go over there and try to raise awareness?'
Obviously Lammy's issue is with Dooley being a white person and highlighting poverty in an African nation although what a persons colour has to do with anything when attempting to raise money to help is nonsense and stinks of racism.
If a person is well meaning and using their celebrity to do a brilliant thing to raise awareness of fellow humans struggling in any country of the World then that is to be applauded and David Lammy should not only apologise to Stacey Dooley but keep his racist views to himself and do something himself instead of sniping at those who are.
Defending Trump The Liar
Sandwiched between nuclear India and Pakistan coming to blows and North Korea's refusal to give up their nuclear ambitions, we had Michael Cohen's explosive statement which made some shocking claims about Donald Trump.
While it is not looking good for the third fattest President with the Mueller investigation coming to a head possible next week, his fellow Republicans have come to his defence, sort of.
Senator Rick Santorum has offered the most brilliantly bizarre, back handed defence of the President claiming that: 'He doesn't tell the truth about a lot of things'.
That he shouldn't be believed when he says things is not a defence that is often heard in law courts and is not often a welcome trait in your leader but somehow in Santorum's mind this makes things okay.
Not to defend him but he did say that he didn't have an extra marital affair with a porn star despite the evidence that he did and blamed the opposition for the Government shut down soon after saying he would proud to shut down the Government so he is consistent in lying so maybe we should not take him at is word that there was no Russian Collusion and dodgy, grubby deals and a certain video tape of events in a Russian Hotel.
I just hope that they are not just too hasty with the impeachment because watching Trump making an ass of himself is great viewing and a normal, non-mentally challenged President in the White House will be boring after the god-awful Trump years.
While it is not looking good for the third fattest President with the Mueller investigation coming to a head possible next week, his fellow Republicans have come to his defence, sort of.
Senator Rick Santorum has offered the most brilliantly bizarre, back handed defence of the President claiming that: 'He doesn't tell the truth about a lot of things'.
That he shouldn't be believed when he says things is not a defence that is often heard in law courts and is not often a welcome trait in your leader but somehow in Santorum's mind this makes things okay.
Not to defend him but he did say that he didn't have an extra marital affair with a porn star despite the evidence that he did and blamed the opposition for the Government shut down soon after saying he would proud to shut down the Government so he is consistent in lying so maybe we should not take him at is word that there was no Russian Collusion and dodgy, grubby deals and a certain video tape of events in a Russian Hotel.
I just hope that they are not just too hasty with the impeachment because watching Trump making an ass of himself is great viewing and a normal, non-mentally challenged President in the White House will be boring after the god-awful Trump years.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)