Thursday, September 24, 2009

Monday, September 21, 2009

Be Realistic - Don't Vouch for Anyone Unconditionally

It’s amazing how people will lie to themselves about their loved ones even in face of evidence to the contrary.

Yes, you know and love them but no, you cannot completely vouch for everything they do. Don’t be stupid and put yourself on the line for someone else. We can never completely know what is in someone’s heart.

So stick up for them by all means – but don’t be naive and rule out all types of behaviour – because, well, you never know do you?

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Check out some Tyler Perry Material

Just been having a great laugh watching some Madea videos on YouTube. I checked it out and you can get them in the UK at Amazon. Check this one out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iggHnObk0ZY

I have always been fascinated with Tyler Perry because he does what I’d love to – write great material, act in it and produce it. Here’s to more people like him.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Enable People to Support Themselves

So the new unemployment figures are out and there is the usual talk. I agree with one point being made – I think the TUC made it. They say that just because some things are improving we can’t say we are coming out of this recession until people are able to get jobs. And not only get jobs, but get ones that pay a salary that can keep them.

One of the major problems I see here in the UK is that many jobs do not pay a salary that can keep a person and their family. So you have an awful lot of working poor and to be honest, they and their families are better off if they stop working and take benefits.

This is stupid. People should be able to earn a living wage. Surely it’s better for the country for people to be able to support themselves and to contribute to the country’s coffers through purchasing goods and services and taxes?

And here we have one of the largest stumbling blocks. The British tax policy. It is totally against the ordinary working person. If we were taxed fairly people would probably be able to support themselves and their families on the wages they ear, at least they’d be able to support them more.

If there was a flat rate of income tax that would be better. People earning more would automatically pay more for those of you who are so inclined. If they scrapped the tax on having a TV that would be an extra £150 a year on average. If they were reasonable about fuel tax the majority of things would be cheaper. About 70p out of the average £1.04 for each litre of gas is tax - madness!

If council tax was a reasonable figure and you were able to get a decent service in return – that would help.

And the biggie – if child care costs weren’t so astronomical it would help get a whole bunch of people into work. If you have more than ne child your salary is cancelled out by nursery costs.
Yes, something definitely needs to be done to get people a salary that can support them.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Are we forgetting that the criminals are in the minority?

Instituting these new rules regarding taking care of children is ridiculous. It seems to have come out of the fact that Ian Huntley was able to get a job at a school even though he had complaints or offences against children.

This is one of the major sicknesses with British society.

Somebody is negligent or a mistake occurs. Instead of punishing the negligent party and making things right by enforcing the rule that already exists, we create a whole new elaborate set of rules and force law abiding citizens to abide by them – oh – and the new rule is completely useless and ineffective.

This is the case with this situation. In this case someone was negligent. Huntley should have undergone a CRB check before he got that job. He either didn’t or more disturbingly, he did and the school’s authorities ignored the result and hired him anyway. So what do they do after Huntley murders those girls? Tighten up the existing rules, examine them and plug any loopholes? Nope. They wait a couple of years and institute this farce of an idea.
The majority of adults are not paedophiles – this will only hurt kids. Those who are paedophiles will not be stopped by the new rules.

Talk to the relevant authorities and the relevant specialists, i.e. teachers, parents and relevant groups and help them to come up with a sensible solution. Don’t scare responsible decent people from taking care of kids.

Monday, September 07, 2009

Taking a year out

Wouldn’t it be lovely to be able to rent your home, just pay any outstanding bills online and take off for a year of travelling?

HRH loves tennis and we could then travel around visiting the various grand slams. I dream of being able to do this. Anyone had experience of doing this? How did it work financially?

I am at the point in life where I would love to enjoy the wide open and varied spaces this world has to offer. I realise that you can spend the majority of your life sitting in an airless, too bright office, sitting in front of a computer screen and not really experience life or people or the world. And what keeps us there? Maintaining our lifestyles. So perhaps if I change my lifestyle I can get to live a little. Who know when my time will be up? So hopefully within a year or two this is what I would like to do – travel the world.

Wish me luck!

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Political Debates in the UK

There is some talk here in the papers of the political parties engaging in a US style debate. I don’t believe in copying things for copying things’ sake but I believe in copying thinks that can be of benefit to you. I believe such debates can be of great benefit to the UK. It will force politicians to actually face the public, it will expose those who are not up to the job and it may very well get more people engaged in political issues.

Now, I know that performing well in a debate does not replace a person’s ability to serve their country but it is a pretty good chance to see what they are made of isn’t it?