tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55203721932163910972024-03-05T17:07:45.484+00:00Write First TimeScience, Spirituality, Dreams, Politics, Psychology, Topical Issues, News Stories of interest - you'll find them all here!Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-32861850922251830052024-02-09T18:25:00.001+00:002024-02-21T12:41:12.568+00:00<p> <span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>To Exercise or not to Exercise? That is the Question.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">After enduring two months of gym twice a week, yoga twice a
week and Pilates twice a week, I’m just about done with it all. To be honest,
it was torture. Forcing my body into all those unnatural positions has taken
its toll. Downward dog has knackered my wrists, sit ups from lying position has
knackered my back, my knees are groaning under the weight of the cat and the
gym has reduced my inner thighs to quivering wrecks.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The only upside of my short membership was a visit to the
steam room once a week. It gave me a chance to ease my aching limbs and do
mindful, silent meditation as if I was back in the womb. What a treat that was!
Sadly though, there was usually a pack of men partaking of the pleasure of the steam. What is it about men
in a steam room? It's like being at a buffalo watering hole with all the
grunting and snorting, puffing and panting. Why do men do that? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, anyway, I’m thinking of ditching the gym and the classes and going
back to my regular, brisk walks over the Saddleworth hills. I was a lot fitter,
and a lot happier, when I was doing that. Working up a sweat with a roomful of
other sweaty, panting people is probably not for me.<o:p></o:p></p>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-18992864938878239502024-01-27T11:44:00.000+00:002024-01-27T11:44:07.402+00:00<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Knowing; I Wish We Did.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The past twelve hours have brought it home to me how the human
race is fast approaching the bottomless pit, if not already there. Are we all
asleep? Blindfolded? Or do we secretly want it all to end? I watched the movie ‘Knowing’
last night. That’s the one starring Nicolas Cage. A prophecy about the end of
the world comes true because of a solar flare blowing away all the ozone that
protects us from the searing heat of the sun. Not sure if it was that, but I
had a very bad night’s sleep. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This morning, I switched on the TV BBC News channel 231 only
to be met with more of the same. It’s Holocaust Memorial Day. Mention was made of
all the other countries that have been subjected to the same genocidal horrors
over the years, with one man aggressively bemoaning the current rise in
anti-semetism in the UK. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why didn’t the
interviewer ask him the reason for that. Sadly, she didn’t and absolutely no
mention was made of Gaza. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That news item was followed by the scandalous spread of
AI-generated sexually explicit photos of Taylor Swift. It’s so easy to produce and
upload such damaging images, that it’s only going to get worse because there is
no way to control or stop it. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Next came an eight-year-old girl, with her mother, asking
for more regulation on skincare products for children. What!!!!!!!! Her
daughter and all her friends have skincare parties where they experiment with
all the wonderful beauty products they buy – and her mother goes shopping for
them with her!!! Many of which are anti-aging products! What madness is that? They’re
blaming the ‘influencers’ on TikTok. From what I can see, most ‘influencers’ (what
a ridiculous term!) are attention–seekers, so wrapped up in their own egos that
they don’t care what they’re promoting, providing people look at them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That was followed by news of the seizure of 4.5million
illegal disposable vapes – up from 4,000 in 2021. Why people feel the need to
suck on a tube, I have no idea. Maybe they are substitutes for babies’ dummies?
I guess that would make sense as so few of us are self-responsible and able to find
comfort within ourselves. If those skills were taught in schools, there would
be no need of ‘influencers’.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Finally came a report from Bejing where unmanned AI police
cars with video cameras (and face recognition capability, obviously) are
patrolling the city streets looking for trouble makers. Another small step and
they’ll be armed, indiscriminately tasering suspicious looking pedestrians.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Honestly, if this is how human beings are living and
evolving, we do not deserve to survive. Roll on Armageddon. <o:p></o:p></p>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-55423442030052294332022-05-02T17:08:00.001+01:002022-05-02T17:12:27.422+01:00Forerunner to the Smart Meter<p> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">While browsing through an old writing jotter the other day, I came across this little ditty written in 2012 about a device British Gas gave me. It sat on my kitchen counter for three years and was clearly a fore runner to the present day smart meters. It did the job very well and I want to know why the government felt it necessary to burden the consumer with the cost of something far more expensive. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>There's a little face that looks at me everyday</i></p> <i> </i> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Monitoring the cost of work and play.</i></p> <i> </i> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>It frowns at the kettle and hates the TV</i></p> <i> </i> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>I wish so much it would just let me be.</i></p> <i> </i> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Usually in the morning it smiles like a lark</i></p> <i> </i> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>It makes me feel happy when it makes no remark.</i></p> <i> </i> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Round about lunchtime the mouth starts to droop</i></p> <i> </i> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>So dinner tonight will be a bowl of cold soup.</i></p> <i> </i> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>Sometimes it throbs and its face turns red</i></p> <i> </i> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"><i>That's when I know I must go to bed.</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;"> I refuse to have a smart meter installed in my house. For one thing, the electricity meter needs moving. Currently it is below ground level, in a damp, dark pantry. I did try to bargain with my supplier, saying I would have a smart meter if they put it somewhere else. "Yes," they said, "we can do that. It'll only cost you £200." I didn't reply so they kept ringing me up, hassling me, threatening me. "Everyone must have a smart meter. Don't you understand, this will help you save on your energy bills." No it won't! It just means I'll be stressed every time I switch on the kettle.</p> Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-1440857251836467242022-01-20T10:50:00.003+00:002022-01-20T10:52:45.598+00:00Does the Covid virus target mitochondria?<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Well - here we are. Over four weeks post-covid diagnosis and
still debilitated because of post-viral fatigue. I know people who have ME and
I know what they’ve suffered because of the lack of acknowledgement from the
medical profession. And now I’m experiencing the same. “Make sure you get plenty
of sleep, eat a good diet, do gentle exercise, change your mindset - it could
all be in your mind after all.” No, it really isn’t. I have never experienced
anything like this before. My body feels leaden. It takes enormous effort to
get out of bed and great effort even to shift the position of a leg while
sitting down. It’s an effort of will and intention. Even my mind is exhausted.
I feel drunk most of the time - dizzy and disoriented. Yet I am sleeping for
England and have put on half a stone because my appetite has been undiminished
throughout the illness. It’s all very odd. I noticed a couple of days ago that
I have started to acquire a little energy around 3pm in the afternoon.
Capitalising on this, I have been doing short two to four mile walks while
chanting ‘onward and upward’. Usually tough twelve milers are more to my liking.
However, it has felt glorious and hopefully signals that things will improve -
eventually. In the meantime, I’ve been raking through my rusty knowledge of
Biomedical Science to think about what the hell can be going on. My buck is
resting with mitochondria. There’s plenty of circulating oxygen for them in my
bloodstream so I suspect the little blighters have been annihilated by the
covid virus, or may be have lost their reproductive capacity. Unless, of
course, the virus has affected membrane permeability and the O<sub>2</sub> is
not getting into the cell to feed the little critters. Whatever has happened to
them, they need to sort themselves out and up their game. If I was thirty years
younger I would apply for research funding. As it is, the only funding on offer
to me now is for funeral costs.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-U4ZEJb-PDEbqx4exXqj8RdOeFsg2dKNHuu5p1zUpnRxjI7J5kbvjO_-tVjyDdan-yFBssFfrtKngTeUTnP8hb3b3UHXbvSLRimT2C0o0i9Oa1laZVyqyJbNONvbEeAIoOViVuEltuwL/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="590" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-U4ZEJb-PDEbqx4exXqj8RdOeFsg2dKNHuu5p1zUpnRxjI7J5kbvjO_-tVjyDdan-yFBssFfrtKngTeUTnP8hb3b3UHXbvSLRimT2C0o0i9Oa1laZVyqyJbNONvbEeAIoOViVuEltuwL/" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-18064279652975061232022-01-05T18:11:00.000+00:002022-01-05T18:11:13.344+00:00<h2 style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: georgia;">Beware Covid</span></h2><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">On the 23<sup>rd</sup> December 2021 I tested positive for
covid after feeling unwell for three days. Everyone had been saying ‘Oh it’s
just like a bad cold. Nothing to worry about.’ Then there were the
conspiratorial theorists on Facebook saying it was all a con - politicians
wanting to take away our freedom and our livelihoods. World domination of the
masses. And Boris is in on it - he must be in cahoots with Russia and China. Oh
and let’s not forget Trump. These people obviously have not contracted one of
the more powerful variants of this virus, and presumably don’t know anyone who
has. Yes, I have an underlying condition - only 67% lung function because of
copd. Yet my oxygen levels have remained between 96 and 99% because I am
basically more healthy than someone half my age. Want to know what’s most
debilitating about this virus? It’s how it leaves you. I’m on Day 16 and I can
do nothing. Even making a cup of tea is a major <span style="line-height: 115%;">challenge. Not because I can’t breathe but because I
have zero energy. They’re calling it ‘Long Covid’ but it looks very much like Myalgic encephalomyelitis<span style="background: white;">, also called chronic fatigue syndrome.</span> Imagine
a world where half the population is suffering with this long-term condition. So,
to those of you who are still spouting off that it’s just a bad cold - please
STOP! </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>You are putting yourself and
others at risk.</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIs9GbD4A-BWzTLA7s3ns389Cj_wtbiiFolKEwF5E7JpNMhjssj7c0F6OtqiX-eD1ccfSZw1pE3r8F81PMwUjhE2TJUy-8LpVV9hfuSiusMNpbjc9vT6Ag4TnYNPwe5FXwoTPmnhEQoZo/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="425" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIs9GbD4A-BWzTLA7s3ns389Cj_wtbiiFolKEwF5E7JpNMhjssj7c0F6OtqiX-eD1ccfSZw1pE3r8F81PMwUjhE2TJUy-8LpVV9hfuSiusMNpbjc9vT6Ag4TnYNPwe5FXwoTPmnhEQoZo/" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /><br /></b></span><p></p>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-63745611035634147472021-09-15T15:56:00.000+01:002021-09-15T15:56:13.495+01:00A Lesson from the Universe.<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">A friend on Facebook posted this today. I ‘loved’ it of course - it is one of those wise truisms that we
should all remember and actively put into practice.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiabOp6cQzUh7ITSzcBbXreeRiW5EaMF0T6F9IQWqGizw_EQrBb9_OCgcMmBxlDXapgMI_lmPkLykA70YcNWXUQknsUjp38E5Y9aKHv5b5R9qQLIvcVt7huuTKZuO0_315uHto-VQx-wDVv/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="347" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiabOp6cQzUh7ITSzcBbXreeRiW5EaMF0T6F9IQWqGizw_EQrBb9_OCgcMmBxlDXapgMI_lmPkLykA70YcNWXUQknsUjp38E5Y9aKHv5b5R9qQLIvcVt7huuTKZuO0_315uHto-VQx-wDVv/w309-h309/image.png" width="309" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day so in the afternoon I
went out for a walk up onto the moors, which I’m fortunate to have right on my
doorstep. As I was returning home down a very steep hillside, I remembered an
ex-boyfriend who had struggled to come down this way and had slipped. The
relationship ended when he started treating me very badly. As I made my way
down I was thinking bad thoughts about him, referring to him as The Fat
Controller, and puzzled as to why I had ever found him attractive. Suddenly I
felt something on my left arm. It was a huge bumble bee! I screamed and brushed
it off but for a few seconds it seemed intent on landing again. As I was
flailing my arms and running down the hill to escape it, I remembered this
Facebook post.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Oh dear! Another test failed :(</p>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-27286693548300410102021-08-28T09:26:00.007+01:002021-08-28T10:28:14.105+01:00Review of 'Witch' by Finbar Hawkins<p>I liked this book - it was fast moving and held my interest right to the last page. I loved that the chapters were interspersed with line drawings that added to the mystery and intrigue. I thought that Evie's character, with all her anger and inner conflict, was portrayed beautifully. And for someone who isn't overly keen on very long novels, this was just the right length. The author cuts straight to the chase, without un-necessary surplus or milking of events.<br />View all my Goodread reviews here:<br /><a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/54499536-joan-harthan">"https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/54499536-joan-harthan"</a></p> Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-50253243064867104262018-04-09T10:34:00.001+01:002018-04-09T10:34:17.728+01:00My Other Half<p><font face="Calibri">I was having a conversation with a lady the other day and she used the phrase 'my other half'. I'd never given much thought to that term before - it's such an accepted part of our vocabulary - but that day it made me question my very existence.</font></p> <p><font face="Calibri">Being alone, does that mean that I'm only half a person? Or is it her that's not whole?<br> </font></p> <p><font face="Calibri">I don't feel like half a person. </font><font face="Calibri">I feel like a whole person and I live my life as a whole person - travelling the world on my own, going into bars alone etc. . . So if I'm whole, that must mean she's not.<br> </font></p> <p><font face="Calibri">And as I look around - it does seem that single people are much stronger emotionally than those who always need 'another half' to accompany them through life. <br> </font></p> <p><font face="Calibri">So if you're single - rejoice. You are strong. You are complete within yourself. And if you're looking for love, don't look for your 'other half', look for someone who is as whole as you. #<br> </font></p> <pre class="moz-signature" cols="72"> </pre> Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-49305393117336238552014-03-30T10:51:00.003+01:002014-03-30T10:51:39.028+01:00Are you a writer? Do you struggle to find character names that aptly reflect the characters in your story? Check out this brilliant, completely free, random name generator for authors: http://random-name-generator.info/random/Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-80361445147301777832013-08-21T13:27:00.001+01:002013-08-21T13:27:51.429+01:00Ministry of Justice guilty of making unsolicited telephone calls<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuq4iO37Fj-50_dNkFqMvlsL4SrCx5HOCQQ4WJRo5qxHxBjAp6OFszI-BedhEAFrwAu7IiqtLvimSAwTs0Wo_PYvizT-JmkNFvKJrUOICCWdkmHzZUUgC8wQpDXZ8VoJKoT51NMTTYkOUs/s1600/image001-771430.gif"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuq4iO37Fj-50_dNkFqMvlsL4SrCx5HOCQQ4WJRo5qxHxBjAp6OFszI-BedhEAFrwAu7IiqtLvimSAwTs0Wo_PYvizT-JmkNFvKJrUOICCWdkmHzZUUgC8wQpDXZ8VoJKoT51NMTTYkOUs/s320/image001-771430.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5914548232435511314" /></a><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <v:background id="_x0000_s1025" o:bwmode="white" o:targetscreensize="800,600"> <v:fill src="cid:image001.gif@01CE9E72.3945A910" o:title="blegtext" type="frame" /> </v:background></xml><![endif]--><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>BBC News today has announced that prisoners at Oakwood Prison in Wolverhampton are being paid to make unsolicited telephone calls, on behalf of insurance companies, to members of the public. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>"They do not have access to private information such as addresses," the Ministry says, "and public security is not being compromised." <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>What about my right not to receive nuisance calls? That's being compromised but clearly the Ministry doesn't care about that!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>I'm registered with the TPS yet I've had calls like this. Surely this means the Government is acting illegally?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-65308622305009695772012-12-18T17:48:00.001+00:002012-12-18T17:48:58.558+00:00Starbucks and the Iraq War<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriCVlLfDfLNlsdgpa5xgemK4Cw-vjKa3DGBcwOoZPfmqjJ80STlZeEC5sn3hjmcbNs4siGSemQCTakpBlli6huxnw7WWzPQnB2Fu6GbJi-bQ0xbO01A2jKGajkpK21ddrFc_xrg-z6jhN/s1600/image001-738559.gif"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriCVlLfDfLNlsdgpa5xgemK4Cw-vjKa3DGBcwOoZPfmqjJ80STlZeEC5sn3hjmcbNs4siGSemQCTakpBlli6huxnw7WWzPQnB2Fu6GbJi-bQ0xbO01A2jKGajkpK21ddrFc_xrg-z6jhN/s320/image001-738559.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5823344030462628370" /></a><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <v:background id="_x0000_s1025" o:bwmode="white" o:targetscreensize="800,600"> <v:fill src="cid:image001.gif@01CDDD46.3738A200" o:title="blegtext" type="frame" /> </v:background></xml><![endif]--><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>I've just received an email asking me to shun Starbucks because they've refused to supply free coffee to soldiers in Iraq. Starbucks says it doesn't support the war. Actually I don't go to Starbucks anyway, I much prefer Costa, but I reckon their decision will rocket them up the popularity stakes - goodness knows they're seriously out of favour at the moment with their tax avoidance schemes and all. The sender of the email seems to think that everyone should know about this dastardly Starbuck decision. Well I'm sorry but I don't support the war either, nor any war that was initiated by a capitalist manoeuvre to protect investments. Atrocities go on in other countries where the west has no financial interest - we don't try and bomb them out of existence. How can anyone condone going half way across the world to slaughter other human beings? Tell me, I need to know. I'm not against the soldiers, they only act under orders, but we must remember that they signed up for the army lured by the possibility of combat and the acclaimed macho, heroic image. I know this isn't a politically correct view but come on, let's be truthful! Sgt Howard Wright probably initiated this circulating email because he's just pissed off that he can't get an endless supply of free coffee. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-8923824646013459742012-10-05T13:10:00.001+01:002012-10-05T13:10:53.966+01:00Bless You My SUN<!-- Converted from text/rtf format --> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Is this for real? I’ve just had a glimpse into another world; a world I never knew existed. It’s a place where young girls are having conical implants because they think pointed breasts look more natural. A place where a twenty two year old man tells the world that he’s in love with the thirteen year old sister of his best friend, and a famous celebrity declares that her pot bellied pig is her soulmate. It’s a place where women</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">proudly</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">reveal their half naked bodies</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">, pumped up and sucked out in all the right places</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">. It</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">probably</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">makes them feel sexy to think a million British men are panting over their tits under the duvet.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> Well I</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">guess it would!</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> This is the world of The Sun. Don’t go thinking I usually read this sort of stuff. Oh goodness me, no! The Sun editorial team bought my patronage. I’m not proud of it but hey ho, a tenners worth of free groceries is . . . well, a tenners worth of free groceries! My total shop came to £67.67 and I was just about to pay when the cashier cancelled my card payment.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> </SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">“Hang on a mo</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">,</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">”</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> she said as she fished</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> under her till</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">and</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">with a flurry produced a copy of the infamous newspaper</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">,</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">“If you buy this,” she says, “You’ll get £10 off your grocery bill.” Her smile is triumphant. I like the word ‘grocery’, she uses it as a euphemism for alcohol</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> but I decline her offer. N</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">othing’s for free, there’s always a catch. She assures me there’s no catch and insists that I really want to buy this paper. She proceeds to open it at page 16 and rips out a voucher which she then waves under my nose. </FONT></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">“See,” she proclaims, “Your total is now £68.07 but I can take £10 off with this.” </FONT></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">OK, so I buy the paper and get my ‘groceries’ for £58.07. She offers to bin the newspaper but, as I’ve just paid 40p for it, I decide I should at least have a look. I can’t fault the reporters on their content; it’s all engrossing stuff. Why, I started reading it at 8am and didn’t finish until teatime. Will I be buying The Sun</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">newspaper</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">again? That’s a resounding ‘No’ but at least I’m now informed about what’s really going on in the world and I can return to my peaceful little bubble a whole lot wiser!</FONT></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-90766237764624826152012-02-21T12:25:00.001+00:002012-02-21T12:25:21.380+00:00The Good Old Days - you can keep 'em<!-- Converted from text/rtf format --> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Another one of those irritating “Remember the Good Old Days” emails arrived in my inbox this morning. Why do older people send these round? If you’re one of them, please let me know. Is it that they remind you of your idyllic, carefree childhood? Is there a lovely rosy glow round all your memories? Aren’t you the lucky one? All they do for me is poke sticks into old wounds. This latest one was particularly obtrusive, hence this post. One of the “good old things” about the “good old days” was (and I quote): </FONT></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><B></B></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><B></B></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><B><FONT COLOR="#800000" SIZE=5 FACE="Arial">They threatened to keep children back a year if they failed the school year. . . And they did!<BR> </FONT></B></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">I was one of those failures. I started school a year earlier than I should have done – was that because I was “bright” or was it because I was the youngest of five children and my parents needed some peace? When I was six I developed a stammer, this made it difficult to communicate effectively with the teachers. The older I got, the more they punished me by verbal abuse, smacking and hitting with rulers and board dusters. My stammer must have irritated the hell out of them. In what should have been my final year at junior school I was plagued with stomach problems and undiagnosed depression so “they” in their wisdom, kept me back a year. All my friends went off to pastures new and I was left with thirty kids who I didn’t know, who teased me unceasingly about my stammer. By the way, being a failure, I went on to a secondary modern school where I flourished but didn’t have the opportunity to excel academically – we didn’t even have chemistry or physics teachers.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> </SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">So let me say this to all those “oldies” who send these emails round. The Present is called the Present for good reason.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> </SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><B><FONT COLOR="#632423" FACE="Calibri">IT’S A GIFT. TREASURE IT; APPRECIATE IT; EMBRACE IT.</FONT></B></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"></FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> </SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Yes there is more stress in the workplace. Yes people have the opportunity to indulge their greed, and yes there are many things that we could improve, but at least we now have the choice and the freedom to improve our lives and the lives of others. In the “good old days” power hungry people (assigned the role of petty tyrants) were free to exercise their power however they chose, often without discretion and often too without compassion; certainly without the common sense to understand the</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">negative</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> consequences of their “good old” rules.</FONT></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">So please, please, please, strike me off your “living in the past” distribution list. I prefer the here and now. Even with all its warts and its carbuncles, it’s</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">a whole lot</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> better than yesterday.</FONT></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-9440938752276576962012-01-03T14:18:00.002+00:002012-01-06T11:10:23.615+00:002012 - and the world is changing<div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">We</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">re all familiar by now with the Mayan Prophesy that the world will end on the 21</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">st</span></sup></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">December</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> 2012</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">–</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> coincidentally, the Winter Solstice and my birthday.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">I so hope that</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> no one is fearing</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">an asteroid impact, a global war or global earthquakes covering our beautiful planet in fire and brimstone.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Then again, any of those may be easier to weather than the birthing pains that may be in store for us.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Though the prophecies are not fully understood, people with more understanding than most</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">interpret this as the start of a new way of being in the world. A change of attitude. A change of politics. A change</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">of perspective. Of course these things are rarely won by peaceful means.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> Currently we live</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">with</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> the threat of economic implosion</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> Governments mak</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">e</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> war on their own people</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">. I</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">ncreasing intervention by the</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">media and the</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">State</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">infringe our lives and assault our psyches. Profit is</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> more important than people or the</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">environment</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">We</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">re constantly</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">bombarded</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">by companies promising</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">to make us happy if we hand over our hard earned cash.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> Our children live for hours in virtual worlds of internet gaming and social networking.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">The</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">people</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> at the top</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">seem</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> only</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">to be</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">concerned about themselves and this ethos trickles</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">through society</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> like a weeping sore</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">, infecting</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">the populace</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">with the idea that it</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">s OK to riot and loot</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">The raping and pillaging of our</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Mother</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Earth</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">and all her inhabitants,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">has got to stop. If it doesn</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">t,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">we</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">ll continue to fall into the abyss of selfishness and greed u</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">ntil there is nothing left worth saving</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> </span></div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">But there is hope and th</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">at</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> hope lies in</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">a growing body of people throughout the world who believe there is a better way. Who believe that</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">peaceful protection of</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> the earth and all her inhabitants</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> is the medicine that will turn this around. This eclectic mix of people may have different beliefs, different gods, different ways of living</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">, but fundamentally they all travel the same path.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> The difference between these paths and the paths being currently trodden by the masses, is that these new paths</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">are paths that follow the heart. They</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">re paths that lead through rich spiritual landscapes</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">, paths that demand an open mind and an open heart</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">These people have</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> let go of the belief that</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">only</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Science</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">can</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">solve our problems, that Science</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> is</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">the rock on which we can rely;</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">the foundation on which our future</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">will stand or fall.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">They</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> embrace a new philosophy</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> and they embrace each other despite their differences.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span></div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Here</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">s a very relevant and interesting quote from</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> the</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">latest</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> edition of</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">The Arlington Institute e-magazine,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><i> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">The Future</span></i></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Vol 14 Number 24</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span></div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">“</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">If this really is a punctuation in the evolutionary process, then, by definition, the new territory that we're entering is not described by the current maps and operates in quite different ways. In this case the proposals for dealing with all of these hard problems are intrinsically soft - all about stuff like love and gratitude - which requires embracing a radically different concept of reality. It says that there is another way to operate in this human space that accesses physics and forces that are not yet described by the conventional, authoritative sources - but nevertheless work. It also means that if you don't embrace these new concepts, the world that you experience will become increasingly dysfunctional and fearful.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">”</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><br />
</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, if you want to enter into the new age with optimism</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, courage</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> and hope;</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">can I suggest that you</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">answer the call of</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> spirit</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Believe me, i</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">t</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">s knocking whether you hear it or not.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span></div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-gb"></span></div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Here</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">s a</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> quote from Walt Whitman</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">. Give it some thought</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">:</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span></div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-gb"><i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Re-examine all you have been told</span></i></span></div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-gb"><i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dismiss what insults your soul.</span></i></span></div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-gb"><i><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
</span></i></span></div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Post Script: Follow this link </span></span><a href="http://www.seri-worldwide.org/id435.html">http://www.seri-worldwide.org/id435.html</a> for an article written by someone who has the authority to inform us <strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Flettertorobin1.site.aplus.net%2Fid435.html&h=NAQHr5j-vAQHnVClzNPdWLpKwT-8Imm9ANM_oephNHX4b5Q" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">What the Mayan Elders are Saying About 2012 by Carlos Barrios</a></strong></div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"></span></div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-gb"></span></div>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-66321216971895631272012-01-03T12:58:00.002+00:002012-01-06T11:47:49.725+00:00Police State?<div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">I flew into Atlanta Georgia airport in the summer of 2009, looking forward to a conference in Asheville</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> NC</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">followed by a</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">leisurely</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> tour</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">of</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> the Smokey Mountains. I hadn</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">t been in the USA since 2006 but my memories of</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Boston, San Francisco and Los Angeles airports</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">during that visit</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">were all good; polite officials</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">welcoming me and</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">hoping</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">that</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">my</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">stay in the USA was a good one. Not so in 2009. My experiences at Atlant</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">a</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> ai</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">rport were traumatic. Bullied</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">for fifteen minutes</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">by a Passport Control official, accused of breaking federal law and threatened with arrest</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">, and then being</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">separated</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> from my luggage with no explanation. My cabin bag was examined out of my sight</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">–</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> it contained</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">all my valuables</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> including</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> money and credit cards</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">. I tell you this because I</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">ve just learned that</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">the</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Department of Homeland Security</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">has</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> asked Congress to give the green light on funding for a massive expansion of TSA</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">(Transport Security Administration)</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">checkpoints</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">. T</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">he federal agency</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">are</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">already responsible for over 9,000 such checkpoints</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">. Americans now fear that their homeland</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> is turning into a police state following the passage of</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">an</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> ‘indefinite detention’ bill.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">The increase in funding is</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> to create</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> 12 more VIPR</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">(</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">)</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> teams to add the federal agency’s 25 units that are already scattered across the country and responsible for manning checkpoints on highways, in bus and train terminals, at sports events and even high school prom nights.</span></span></div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">m back in</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">the</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">States next June. This time I</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ll go with trepidation. Whilst I've no objection at all to carefully monitored security checks, there is no reason to conduct those checks in a bullying, authoritarian manner. If people are treated with disrespect and made to feel like criminals, the people will rebel eventually. Being polite and respectful costs nothing and achieves much more. We may be told the current strategy is part of the War on Terror</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">but from where I</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">m standing it</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">s</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">a War against Peace</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> and t</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">his doesn</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">t feel like a good road to be travelling down.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span></div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-gb"></span></div>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-5950151399499667082011-12-19T14:23:00.001+00:002011-12-19T14:23:01.135+00:00STAY HUNGRY, STAY FOOLISH<!-- Converted from text/rtf format --> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">In m</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">id-November I flew out to Dubai to meet up with an ex-lover</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> in the last chance saloon.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"></FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">Yes</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">he lied and cheated on me</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">before</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">, but s</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">ometimes people change.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> Yes they do</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">–</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> honest. Sadly though, not him.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">H</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">e put me in a dangerous situation and then abandoned me.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">On my return home some people said they hoped I</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">d learned my lesson. What lesson is that then</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">?</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> </SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">“</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">You can</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">t trust people, you can</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">t afford to be</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">naive</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">,</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">you shouldn</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">t travel alone,</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">you should have checked things out more thoroughly,</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">you</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">should have</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">…</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">s</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">hould have</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">……</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> should have</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">……</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">”</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"></FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> </SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Hey, hold on just a second there, what are you say</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">ing? That I</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">shouldn</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">t take any risks</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">?</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">Is that how you live?</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">Let me ask you something, w</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">hen you</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">re on your death bed will you be glad you always played it safe?</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">It</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> reminded of what Steve Jobs</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">(founder of APPLE)</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">said</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> in 2005</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> when he addressed a group of University students</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">,</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">“</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Stay hungry, stay foolish</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">”</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">. He took risks in bu</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">siness and love</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">. He made mistakes but also tasted</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">amazing success. Living sometimes in the bottom of dark valleys, but at other times soaring over</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> the mountain tops</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">. Here</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">s an extract from his speech that day:</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Arial">“</FONT></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Arial">No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.</FONT></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I></I></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Arial">Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.</FONT></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I></I></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Arial">When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.</FONT></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I></I></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Arial">Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you</FONT></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Arial">.</FONT></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Arial">”</FONT></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I></I></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><I></I></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">Steve Jobs died of cancer at age 56 after living a full and rewarding life</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">,</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri"> despite all the obstacles he had to surmount.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">And we should remember that</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">Death</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">stalks all of us, all of the time</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">Every hour, every minute, every second.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">You can ignore</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri"> this or accept it. If you accept it, you can make Death your ally</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">–</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri"></FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">this</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri"> will ensure you</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri"> try and live each day as though it</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">s your last.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> </SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">It</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">s your life,</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">only</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">y</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">ou</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">can</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">decide</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri"> what to do</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri"> with it</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">No one has the right to</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">pass judgement on you because you</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri"> don</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">t</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri"> live like they do.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">I choose to stay hungry; it</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri"> keeps me enthusiastic about life</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">. I choose to be foolish</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">;</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">my foolishness</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri"> keeps me open to opportunity and adventure.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri"> Rock on!</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#1D1D1D" FACE="Calibri">#</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-87539276000870796222011-10-06T09:38:00.003+01:002011-10-06T09:49:27.907+01:00Economic Collapse Inevitable?<div dir="ltr"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Corporate greed has been unchecked for too long. Many economists are now warning of a total meltdown in the global economy. Perhaps we should have listened to Thomas Jefferson long ago when he talked about the potentially negative role that the financial institutions would play in the future of America if they were allowed to control the issuing of currency.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="en-gb">“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around (these banks) will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent of their fathers conquered. The issuing power (of currency) should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belong.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thomas Jefferson 3<sup>rd</sup> President of the United States.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span> </div><div dir="ltr"><br />
</div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-gb"><b><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Extracted from</span></b></span><span lang="en-gb"><b> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">FUTUREdition Volume 14, Number 18</span></b></span><span lang="en-gb"><b></b></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-gb"><b><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Future [TheFuture@FUTUREdition.org]</span></b></span><span lang="en-gb"><b></b></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Am I worried? You bet!</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> It won</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">t be the</span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">big C</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">orporations</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">or the</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Bankers that suffer</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, probably not the Politicians either, it will be you and me</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, our friends and family, our neighbours and our communit</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ies. Brace yourselves.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">#</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span><span lang="en-gb"></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-gb"></span></div></div>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-44984367893465753992011-09-26T11:19:00.001+01:002011-09-26T11:19:38.991+01:00Phone call to tell me my computer is infected<!-- Converted from text/rtf format --> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">I</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">ve just spent fifteen minutes on the phone to a girl (Chinese? Indian? Martian?) who was tr</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">ying to convince me my computer was badly infected with a programme that</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">can be</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> used by hackers to access all my personal information.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">She</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> said</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">her company is</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> affiliated to Microsoft and</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">they</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">want to clean up my computer</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> and keep me safe</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">You know the sort of call</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">–</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> we</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">ve nearly all had them. Do people still fall for this bullshit?????</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">I thought I</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">d have a bit of fun.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">I kept asking her to</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> repeat everything she said</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"></FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">(three times)</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">as,</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">“</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">I</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">m a bi</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">t deaf</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> dear. Can you speak louder and more slowly?</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"></FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">No, still too fast. Slower. Slower.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> Louder. Slow down. Can you repeat that dear?</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> No sorry, still can</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">t hear you.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">”</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"></FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">She was very obliging and slowed down</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">almost to a stop</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri"></FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">–</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> it</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">was hilarious. Then she asked me if I was at my computer now</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">. I said yes. She asked if</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> it</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">was</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">a desktop o</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">r a laptop</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> I said I didn</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">t know</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">, what was the difference?</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri"></FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">Now</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> she thought</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> I was stupid as well as deaf</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">As s</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">he scr</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">abbled round trying</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">to find the</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">right</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">words</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">,</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">I got bored and</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> put on my</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">confident</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">,</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"></FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">authoritative voice</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">, zapping</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> her with the legal stuff</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">. She</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">panicked and</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">put me through to the</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">“</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Technical</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">M</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">anager</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">”</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">, who sounded exactly</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">like her</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">. I was told</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> they needed to ask all these personal questions for verification purposes. I explained that</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">the RLS (rate limiting step)</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> was me verifying them, not the other way round.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">I went on and on and on, witho</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">ut pause, about how they were</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">committing fraud</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">, how I</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">d recorded this conversation and how they were acting criminally. S</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">he told me to</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">“</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Get Lost</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">”</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">Which caused me to</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">discharge shrieking</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> laughter into the mouth piece</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">Hopefully it hurt her ear.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">There followed a panicked conversation in a for</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">eign language at the other end</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">of the phone</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">and then</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">a voice, in pigeon English, pleaded,</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">“</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Dr. Harthan. Dr. Harthan, are you still there?</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">”</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> Then</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">the phone was put down.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">Morons.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">But morons</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">who</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> somehow have got hold of my name and my landline number</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">, despite my having been registered with TPS for years.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> What a</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">strange</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">world</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> we</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">ve made</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> for ourselves</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">!</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">#</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-36068730708084271452010-11-20T15:12:00.002+00:002010-11-20T15:45:56.639+00:00How to get rid of worms<div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mr. Rouyer is a French farmer living in the village of Gripperie-Saint-Symphorien</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">He was</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> burgled</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> a couple of months ago</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">t know</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> what was stolen but it was</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">obviously</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">enough to warrant him calling the police.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">As well as cows and sheep,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mr. Rouyer</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> keeps</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">organic</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">ducks</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, which are in excellent health</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">without the use of duck medicine.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> T</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">hey never suffer from</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">worms</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> which Mr. Rouyer maintains are very common paras</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ites of ducks.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> If you keep ducks,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">I expect</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> you</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ll want to know his secret.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">the</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">good news</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> is that</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> h</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">is secret is not a secret anymore.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the eagle-eye</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">d</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Gendarmes spotted</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">12 cannabis plants</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">at Mr. Rou</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">y</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">er</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">s farm, and a further search turned up</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">5kg of the drug</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">(</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">W</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ouldn</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">t you think he</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">d have hidden</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">it all</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">before</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">calling the Police</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">!</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">)</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">In his defence,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mr. Rouyer</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">told the</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> police</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> that he grows the weed</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">to feed</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> to his ducks</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> because it</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">s an excellent</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> de-wormer.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">He was also heard to say,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">“</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">s correct Officer, I don</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">t have worms either.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">”</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sadly</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"><i> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Duck a la</span></i></span><span lang="en-gb"><i> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Marijuana</span></i></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> is</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">now</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">off the menu</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">!</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> </span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-gb"></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span lang="en-gb"></span></div>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-68657635009757967982010-08-12T21:57:00.002+01:002010-08-13T10:58:59.948+01:00Political Deceptions?<p dir="ltr"><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">I’m not</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">interested in politics. Never have been.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">Though p</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">robably should</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">ve been.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">Should be.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">After all it</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">s the Politicians that direct the flow of our society. Well hey, they</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">re doing that alright at the moment!</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">Take,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">for instance</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">, the fact that</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> we’re</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">now being told that what we were told</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">a few months ago</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">, was wrong.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">Of course I</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">m talking about the</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">recession</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">It seems w</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">e</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">re not coming out of it at all</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">and</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> things will get much worse</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> with inflation threatening to remain six times higher than the Bank of England base rate. What does that mean? It means that we</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">re all paying more for essential consumables and services, our savings are worth less with every week that passes and our</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> main asset</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> our home, will continue to depreciate in value. Oh and don</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">t forget the job losses and the reduced pension funds.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">How many of us realise that</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">national and</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">global econom</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">ies are</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> controlled by un-elected shadow</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">y</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> figures who</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> stay in the wings of</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> societies stage.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">Have you</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">been wondering</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">why the</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> Banks</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">still</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">aren’t giving mortgages unless you’ve got</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">that</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> huge deposit</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">If you aren</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">t, you should be. Is t</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">he answer that they KNEW that house prices would drop further, despite the temporary apparent recovery</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">?</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> How did they know? I can</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">t help but see the obvious</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> What am I talking about? The fact that if you make houses unaffordable by</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">demanding</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> a huge deposit that first time buyers can</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">t</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">raise</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">;</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">houses don</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">t sell and</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> prices fall</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> as vendors compete in a shrinking market</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">–</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> supply</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">and demand; it</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">s not rocket science.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">So, i</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">s it b</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">ecause they</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">predicted</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> that property prices w</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">ould</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> continue to fall</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> or is it</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> possible that they have engineered the whole thing?</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> Why?</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">So that we</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">lesser mortals</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">, will save and save and save in an effort to raise the deposits they demand</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">, while they use</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">our</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> savings to bring back their big fat profits</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> And then</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> when</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">we lose our jobs and are given a paltry redundancy package, we</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">ll</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">spend</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> our savings on</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">just living</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> from day to day</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">, as we won</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">t be entitle</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">d</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> to any social security benefit until all</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">our savings are spent</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">That</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">ll save the Government a fortune</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> AND boost the economy into the bargain</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">And t</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">hose</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">poor souls who</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> don</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">t have any savings, will join the</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> millions of graduates and undergraduates</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">who are so deep in</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> debt</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> that they may never</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">be free of it</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">. People in debt are easily con</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">trolled</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> by those who</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">hold the purse strings</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> Should</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">you</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">be worried? You bet!</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span lang="en-gb"></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">And</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">while I</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">m having a rant about political deceptions,</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">what about the “new” NDM-1</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">(ESBL)</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">gene that’s being transferred between Gram negative bacteria such as E.coli? This gene codes for an enzyme that confers resistance to most of our antibiotics. We were told yesterday that there are 50 cases in the UK and</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">that</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">the majority of these have come from India.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">That puzzle</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">s</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> me.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">I</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">was</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">informed two weeks ago that my elderly Mum has a urine infection caused by E.coli carrying this gene.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">She</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">s never been to India, hasn</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">t had any surgery for years BUT was hospitalised after a stroke last summer and has been</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">in residential care</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">ever since</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">. If she</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">’</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">s one</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">of these 50 people</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">, then the other 49 are</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">likely to be</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> the rest of the elderly</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">people</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> in this</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">residential</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">home.</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">S</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">omeone, somewhere, is</span></span><span lang="en-gb"> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">playing this down</span></span><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">!</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span lang="en-gb"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">#</span></span><span lang="en-gb"></span></p>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-81128776229932473272010-08-07T11:31:00.001+01:002010-08-07T11:31:30.475+01:00ARCHETYPES<!-- Converted from text/rtf format --> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">This weekend I’m spending time thinking about which archetypal patterns are the main drivers for my life. It’s interesting stuff that can illuminate, not only the path we’ve trodden, but also, the path that lies ahead. It looks like it might be a useful way to ensure I make the right choice at the crossroads that have just become visible on the horizon. </FONT></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Looking at archetypes and their shadows can start to make sense of why you walked out of work in tears after being treated unjustly, why you always run away from the bullying of older siblings instead of standing your ground, why you can turn your back on some relationships so easily, whilst holding onto the memory of others for decades. Why certain people/situations empower you and make you feel good about yourself, while others make you feel demoralised and hurt. Caroline Myss has written about this in her book “Sacred Contracts”. The book makes interesting reading though I’m not sure I agree with her method of assigning archetypes to the different areas of one’s life. Also her book may need far more time to work through than most people have available. But then this shouldn’t be a quick fix process; after all your life depends on it! However, there has been a lot of research into archetypes and archetypal patterns, including of course by Carl Jung, so a Google search will pull up a wealth of information and may be all you need. And of course, you can always start recording your dreams. Archetypal patterns are very easy to recognise in what Jung termed “big dreams”. These are the dreams that seem to have a fairytale or mystical quality; dreams that seem to be about spirit rather than everyday life. A close examination of these dreams will reveal the patterns passing through your life in the present. I also recommend that you re-awaken the child within and read again those fairytales that had you enthralled as a child. Fairytales deal with archetypes, that’s why they’re so appealing and have stood the test of time. Which fairytale(s) has scripted your life?</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> </SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">#</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-49358143523939695522010-02-02T20:27:00.001+00:002010-02-02T20:27:11.096+00:00Aerobic exercise improves brain function<!-- Converted from text/rtf format --> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Neuroscientists working on mice showed that even a few days of running stimulates the brain to grow new cells in a part of the brain involved in memory and recall.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> </SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The scientists divided the mice into two groups: one</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">group</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> had a running wheel they could use at any time, and the other</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">group didn</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">t</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">. In subsequent memory tests the scores of mice with access to the running wheel were almost double those of the non-running group.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> </SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I don</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">t know about you, but I</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">m gonna get my running shoes out tomorrow and start</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> pounding the tarmac</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> again</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"></FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">–</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> mind you</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">d like to know how</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> they</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> tested mouse memory</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Perhaps they let them try the free brain games on</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Lumosity.com (</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><A HREF="http://www.lumosity.com/users/me/home"><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">http://www.lumosity.com/users/me/home</FONT></U></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></A><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> ) Try them, they</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">’</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">re really good</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"></FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">–</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> kept me amused for hours</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Wingdings" SIZE=2>J</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Now where did I put that cheese?</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">#</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-32158803118578349392009-08-15T11:59:00.001+01:002009-08-15T11:59:24.126+01:00Life, the Universe & Everything: A New Perspective.<!-- Converted from text/rtf format --> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">If you’ve ever studied science, you’ll know (at least a little) about the 2</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><SUP><FONT FACE="Calibri">nd</FONT></SUP></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> Law of Thermodynamics. Let me remind you.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">Put very</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> simply, i</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">t states that the entropy of the Universe is increasing.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">E</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">ntropy is energy and so an increase in energy means an increase in disorder. So, the 2</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><SUP><FONT FACE="Calibri">nd</FONT></SUP></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> Law is often summarised as an increase in disorder</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">with the passage of time</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">. Again put very simply, and using the most common example, you will never see a broken glass becoming more ordered as, to do this, it would have to re-assemble back into its unbroken form. That’s fine as far as it goes, it sounds logical. Astronomers and Astrophysicists have observed that our Universe is expanding in all directions; the glass has shattered and so we are told that the Universe is becoming more disordered; more chaotic. Of course, the nemesis of the 2</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><SUP><FONT FACE="Calibri">nd</FONT></SUP></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> Law is that somehow life defies it by having become more organised over time, not less. This has often been used by Creationists as evidence for intelligent design. </FONT></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">I’m not a Creationist, nor a Physicist, nor an Astronomer. My understanding of quantum mechanics is probably not much beyond that of the average lay persons understanding, but I do understand enough to know that things just aren’t adding up. And I’m not on my own. Scientists with hugely more brain power at their disposal than me have been trying to understand the underlying force(s) of the Universe in terms of quantum physics for a very long time. Their theoretical and research papers make my head spin; I don’t have the knowledge to understand their arguments or theories fully. Because of that, I have no idea how what I’m about to say fits into their existing theories, all I do know is that I’ve just finished reading an amazing book by Gevin Giorbran “Everything Forever” that, to me, makes perfect sense of all aspects of existence. I cannot hope to do justice to his theory in a few sentences, so I would encourage you to read his book yourself. I’ll try and give you a flavour here – at least in terms of my understanding. </FONT></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">The Universe is not increasing in disorder as the 2</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><SUP><FONT FACE="Calibri">nd</FONT></SUP></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> Law of Thermodynamics states, it is moving towards balance (equilibrium) and symmetry. The driving force is an attraction of opposites; let’s call these matter and anti-matter for simplicity, having been borne out of asymmetry at the “big bang” – the point at which time began. The Universe we see (and are part of) is expanding and so moving forward in time, (at least that is our observation of it) and this forward motion is governed by electromagnetism and the weak electronic forces. The strong nuclear force (this is the force that holds positively charged protons and neutrons together in atomic nuclei) and gravity (which currently we have no understanding of) are the opposing forces that are pulling the Universe back towards the past. In the anti-matter Universe, the opposite is true (which Universe we live in is debatable of course, as it’s all relative to our point of observation). Because the two Universes exist in the same spatial dimensions, they are continually in contact and thus we see quantum particles popping in and out of existence. Rather than annihilating each other they join together to produce “something” greater than the fragmented part that we observe as mass and/or density. Eventually, at the end of time as we understand it, both the matter and anti-matter Universes will be united at absolute zero (this is the point at which there is no molecular/atomic movement/vibration)and will exist in what Physicists call flat space. This will be a timeless eternity, where everything will be in equilibrium and perfect symmetry; a pure lattice. </FONT></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">So, rather than the Universe’s evolution being determined by the big bang, it’s being determined by the final state of equilibrium or perfect balance. If you’ve ever studied chemical or biological processes you’ll recognise immediately that this makes perfect sense. All natural processes move towards equilibrium, it is arguable the driving force behind everything.</FONT></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">WOW – mind blowing stuff. I hope I’ve done justice to the theory (but suspect I haven’t). For me, the book has given me a new perspective on Life, the Universe and Everything and has brought Science and Religion/Spirituality much closer together. It is most certainly on a level playing field with Fritjof Capra “Tao of Physics”. </FONT></SPAN></P> <P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Perhaps more importantly for me, is that it’s led me to explore new ways of explaining my own experiences of dream precognition, telepathy and intuition in terms of the quantum microcosm operating within a conscious universe.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> #</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-gb"></SPAN></P> Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-26783329768334976662008-10-10T14:42:00.000+01:002008-10-10T14:48:44.217+01:00Do Cat's have souls?<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>I was woken at 3am on Wednesday morning by a noise. I rushed downstairs to find the cat from the local pub lying stretched out on my kitchen floor. He was dying and was clearly in agony.</FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>I sat with him, talking to him and stroking him for three hours until he finally let go. </FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>I’m not writing this blog to chastise the owners for not taking him to a vet sooner than they did, or to condemn the vet that saw him last Saturday and, despite his bloated stomach and heart-rending emaciated state, gave him steroid and antibiotic injections and told the owner to bring him back next week. Poor Cefa should have been put out of his misery at least two months ago; if he’d been my cat, he would have been. Whatever was wrong with him, he died of starvation despite eating voraciously. Such awful agony that I witnessed that night is avoidable; there’s no comfort for the owners in leaving an animal to die like that. </FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>But <SPAN class=547243713-10102008>really, </SPAN>that’s not why I’m writing this. The reason is that I saw something quite amazing that night and still can’t quite believe I saw it. I’d been sitting on the floor beside him for three hours and during all that time I kept thinking he had died, but whenever I spoke to him he responded with a pitiful noise to let me know he was still alive. At 5.40am I decided to make myself a drink. I was standing by the kettle, Cefa was on the floor just to my right, when suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw what looked like a creamy white thin mist rise up from his head. I turned to see what it was – but it had gone, or at least I could<SPAN class=547243713-10102008>n't</SPAN> see it<SPAN class=547243713-10102008> any more</SPAN>. I bent down to check him. His eyes were still bright, though expressionless. I stroked his chin; he let out a deep sigh. I thought he was still alive but a few seconds later his pupils dilated and his eyes became black and lifeless. He had finally given up.</FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>What was it I saw? Could it have been that thing we call a soul<SPAN class=547243713-10102008>/energy body/spirit</SPAN>? I think it was.</FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>If grief is a measure of the love we fe<SPAN class=547243713-10102008>el</SPAN> for a soul that’s taken from us; then I loved you very much Cefa – I <SPAN class=547243713-10102008>just </SPAN>wish I had/could have done more to help you. </FONT></P></FONT></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=547243713-10102008><FONT face=Arial size=2>#</FONT></SPAN></DIV>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520372193216391097.post-78855691615595656972008-09-23T14:57:00.000+01:002008-09-23T14:58:37.066+01:00Is anyone there?<!-- Converted from text/rtf format --> <P><FONT FACE="Verdana">Why does no one ever comment on my blogs???????? </FONT> <BR><FONT FACE="Verdana">Perhaps because no one ever reads them !!!</FONT> <BR><FONT FACE="Verdana">Ah well...... they keep me out of mischief :-))#</FONT> </P> Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09838931633955366289noreply@blogger.com2