Tag Archives: Society

Rename Terrorism

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If only terrorism were renamed to ‘mild trepidation-ism‘ it wouldn’t be so effective.

Fortunately, I live in the UK, England specifically, where our stiff-upper-lip-ed-ness prevents us from being too affected by terrorist attacks.
It’s only when services are damaged that the country is really slowed.

Clearly there are some who unfortunately bear the brunt, often physically, in these attacks. Life for them, and their family and friends, may well be permanently changed.
But we have to put things in perspective: many many more people are killed by smoking than by terrorists in the UK; many more people are injured in simple DIY accidents than by terrorists. So why be so scared of it?

Being terrified by such a slim statistic is no way to live a life.

Calling it ‘Terrorism’ only serves to make it more powerful.

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Communist Britain

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It is being reported that private schools may be blackmailed into lending teachers to state schools.
Private schools provide a service to those who can afford it, just like any business, but face the prospect of having to share their resources with those who can’t (or choose not to), with no input from the parents who pay, nor the staff who work for a living.

I see this as a reflection of my own status.

Here in Liverpool I pay the highest council tax in the country.
This is partly because of the huge number of (rightly) exempt students, but also due to high unemployment.
This unemployment appears to be by choice for many – the unemployed can easily live on the benefits they receive.
If benefits only provided the barest minimum, and not in money form*, then more people would be forced to earn a living off their own back instead of relying on the forced generosity of others.

If there’s no need to work before receiving, what’s the point?
Personally, it’s a matter of pride, and being brought up knowing that that is what’s expected of me. I see far too many people being brought up with no sense of obligation (to do anything, not even not dropping litter), no sense of work before reward.

*- giving food vouchers instead for example might force them to actually get a job to pay for that big TV, that Sky subscription.

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Scientology Is A Cult

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I just wanted to use the word ‘cult‘ it since it enrages them so.

Religions generally preach peace, forgiveness, etc., yet it appears Scientology is all about brain-washing, coercion, and the elimination of anyone who even considers any contrary beliefs.

How anyone can defend such behaviour is beyond me.

I am glad to learn that its requests to be recognised as a religion here in the UK have been rejected, but am concerned that it could still happen.

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AFBO – Anti Fat-Bastard Order

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Sitting on a local train today, I watched as three larger-than-healthy people got on and found seats near me.
The gran, mum and son struggled to sit at a table designed for four, while I sat at the table on the other side of the aisle.

Gran was the smallest of the three, but had to be convinced that it would be okay for her to sit next to her grandson, rather than take a seat behind.

I noticed the Mum noticing me noticing them. She probably thought that I was rude, that I couldn’t possibly presume that her size was just possibly because she simply eats too much.
And then she opened a cool-bag (the size of a standard cool-box BTW) stuffed full of sandwiches, fizzy drinks and (I heard mention of) pork pies.
I’ve heard many people say that it’s not enough to just eat less, but this doesn’t mean continue eating too much.

With the recent discovery that there’s a gene which apparently contributes to an individual’s likelihood of becoming overweight, I am concerned that many may use this as an excuse. Fat people already claim it’s genetic, “well, Mum’s fat and so’s Dad, …”, never thinking that as a baby it was up to these people how much they ate, that as a child they were encouraged to finish their jumbo portions.

Eating is addictive, but because we HAVE to eat, it isn’t treated as something to do in moderation (as with alcohol consumption).

I’ve said it before, and I still think it – Fat people need to be reminded that they need to do something about their weight, not pitied for their struggle.

I will not deny that losing weight is difficult, and that getting overweight is easy, but there are good habits as well as bad habits.

Minutes after eating a couple of sandwiches, the Mum on the train had to go and get two seats to herself, and wheezed to herself for a bit. If this isn’t sending her signals, what will? A lecture from her GP? Doubt it. We, as a society, need to make obesity a taboo.

Society encourages and expects respect from others, and it ought to encourage self-respect too.

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Run away from Dogma

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Lifehack: 10 MORE ways to create a breakthrough in your life.

Run away from any kind of dogma. Dogma is the product of a closed mind. It’s an idea with a threat attached. If you suffer from dogma, get it out of your life. Let it go. Kick it out. Try thinking the opposite. Treat it like a crazy joke. Do anything you can to get rid of it. It’s the greatest source of barriers to breakthrough.

I was surprised (and happy) to see an American openly recommending avoiding religion, even if he did include it as part of a greater collection. I then read that the author, Adrian Savage, is in fact an Englishman.

He’s right though – traditions often stand in the way of innovation, and what’s more traditional than religion?

Brits Reputation

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Whilst in Andorra snowboarding* for a week, I found that it was my fellow Brits who were the most annoying.

It was a Brit who decided to leave his board in the middle of the learners’ hill. After my gf’s polite request that it was moved to the side, and my subsequent equally polite request likewise, it was he who decided to try and intimidate and patronise me.

It was a British (skier**) who was convinced that I hadn’t looked uphill before standing up, and wouldn’t believe me when explained otherwise, and, despite acknowledging it, didn’t see the relevance of the fact that she had plenty of room.

It was the Brits in the restaurants who were obnoxious.

Why is it that Brits Abroad are such wankers?

*- I am a web developer after all.
**- that’s another topic…

BA drops ban on wearing crosses

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BA has announced that it has changed its rules regarding religious items its staff can wear.

As with many rules and laws, problems only appeared because they were far too specific.
English law has the benefit of the word ‘reasonable’, allowing sensible flexible rules.
Had their rules simply said “non-uniform cultural and religious jewellery and attire should be kept to a reasonable minimum”, they could later point to that and say “we feel that what you’re wearing is in breach of these employment requirements” to whomsoever they thought necessary.
By singling out groups they were bound to create inconsistent treatment, or in other words: negative discrimination.

They could even simplify their rule even further to “staff must wear the uniform as it is specified, any deviation should be within reason” – eliminating the references to religion and culture all together, thus avoiding the inflammatory issues.

I feel that the underlying issue here is that people are finally sticking up for the majority.

I may be being cynical, but it is convenient that this announcement was made during the current Celebrity Big Brother ‘racism’ scandal, thus not being the un-PC story de jour.

BBC NEWS | UK | BA drops ban on wearing crosses

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You’re Too Fat

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I Beat AnorexiaThe BBC is today reporting on the suggestion that ‘Plus-Size’ clothes tags should include obesity help-line numbers.

I agree – it’s a fact that many ‘heavy’ people are fat because of lack of will-power (rather than any of the rare relevant medical condition), and every encouragement guilt-inducing-method should be used to help them.
Call me insensitive if you like, but there are many many people who are consciously self-harming by smoking, binge-drinking and eating crap food.
It’s another fact that the NHS is not able to cope with the increasing numbers of overweight people.

Large size clothes ought to be taxed as are cigarettes and alcohol and for the same reason – the associated unhealthy habits/lifestyle cost us, the tax payers, unfathomable amounts each year. It will be argued that large clothes are not the cause and so the tax is unfair, but taxing food will affect everyone more or less equally unless we go into the minefield of taxing only unhealthy foods.

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CCTV – Not Invading Privacy

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Last week saw another wave of ‘public concern’ over the increasing numbers of CCTV cameras.

The BBC recently used the topic as one of their ‘Have Your Say‘ debates.
The majority of the replies ‘recommended by readers’ were scathing remarks against the “you must have a guilty conscience” “brigade”.

Unfortunately for them, many of these criticisms were flawed, along the lines of “why do you have curtains?” and so on – missing the vital point that CCTV is used to monitor people in public places – i.e. not invading privacy as too many people think.

Fact: authorities don’t care what most of us do with our lives; they aren’t watching you – unless you give them reason to.

There were other, more meaningful, comments – CCTV costs lots, cameras push crime elsewhere, cameras can’t arrest (or help) people, etc.

I personally am glad there are cameras, I don’t like the idea that sentence can be passed on verbal ‘evidence’ alone and after semantics-stretching creative-truthing.

NFH Finale

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The front-door has been kicked off its hinges a couple of times since the last update, though it has been replaced each time. (First time by the Police at my request – which was nice.)

The actual news is that she was evicted today, hurrah!

I wasn’t here (new job, not working at home any more), but I did leave the webcam running and will talk to my neighbour (on the other side) to see if he saw anything.

The webcam only picked up a couple of guys who boarded up the a broken window, but I guess that the fact that they came at all means she shouldn’t be back.
I’m glad that I’m not trying to sell this house at the moment – next door is in such a state that I know it would affect mine.
I just hope the management company sort out the house soon, so it doesn’t look such a mess (at least from the outside anyway).

UPDATE: Spoken to the other neighbour, he says they came round at about 1230 and she had definately left that house, and is apparently living on a road about half a mile from here. Closer than I’d like, but it could be worse.

UPDATE (2 months later): The house is still empty, and looks terrible – more windows have been broken and the front-door appears to have more damage to it. I am guessing that bored kids are to blame.

UPDATE (+3 days): I left a message on the management co’s machine which claims you can’t leave a message. The next day they came and replaced the door and properly boarded-up the windows. Which is nice, but a little overdue. Here endth all mention of that house on this blog.