Controversial and thought Provoking…

Mercury fascination.

2009-03-13T22:51:00.007Z

I think that most of us have been fascinated by mercury at sometime in our lives, probably in one of those lively chemistry lessons at school, when a slight spillage has resulted in a myriad of silver globules scattering over the bench and onto the floor. Hopefully today a little more care is taken with this highly toxic liquid metal, and its harmful affects are more widely appreciated.

It was only this week that I heard about the intriguing tale of German sub U-864. On the 8th February 1945, in the closing stages of World War II, the submarine was on a mission to Japan, when it was intercepted by a British submarine called HMS Venturer. U-864 became the only submarine to be sunk by another submarine while under water. Although the incident cost the lives of the 73 luckless men on board, it also had the affect of releasing an ecological time bomb. This consisted of 1,800 canisters of mercury, which equated to 65 tons, and was destined for the Japanese munitions industry.

The incident which occurred 64 years ago, 3.6 km west of the island of Fedje in the North Sea, is far from over, as the canisters slowly corrode and release increasing amounts into the North Sea. There have been many proposed schemes over the years to deal with the problem, including the one two years ago to entomb the submarine in an sarcophagus, which was a method previously employed on other underwater hazards. It was felt however that this was only postponing the problem, rather than effectively dealing with the situation.

Lets hope the saga will finally come to an end next year, when a proposed £100 million operation, that has finally been authorised by the Norwegian fisheries minister Helga Pedersen, finally comes to fruition. The wreck will be raised with a large container underneath it that will catch loose mercury, and will be brought ashore in a special vessel.

A guilty secret.

2009-02-14T20:17:00.007Z

I have to admit that when I first heard about Jade Goody's cancer scare, I was a little sceptical. "Not another publicity stunt!" Give it a few months and she will be telling her 'dice with death' story to one of the tabloids for a few hundred thousand pounds.

Unfortunately I was completely wrong! As we hear that she is to marry her boyfriend Jack Tweed, who proposed to her on the eve of Valentine's day, the devastating reality emerges that she has months to live.

Her spokesman Max Clifford says that she was informed yesterday that she was terminally ill. There is no road back, the question is now when and not if. Love or hate her, there is no way she deserves this. I cannot imagine anything more devastating, to have two young children and know for certain you would never see their next birthday, see them grow up, and have children of their own. It must be like having a bad dream, waking up, and realising with a shiver that it has been nothing but a nightmare.

Bobby, five and Freddie, four are both very young. Although it sounds heartless, they will get over it. My sympathy goes out to Jade, we all imagine what death must be like, but push it to the back of our subconscious. But to know you are so close to the abyss, yet so young and with so much to live for. To never, never set foot on this wonderful earth again.

When we look around us and see such terrible things, why is it there are so many people, who have so much to be thankful for, turn to violence and destruction.

When I see children with Cerebral Palsy who have done nothing to deserve the 'hand that life has dealt them', smile and demonstrate so much love and strength. What have most of us got to complain about?

Pink prejudice.

2009-01-11T20:22:00.011Z

Girls like pink don't they?

Is that why stores seem to stock girls' products exclusively in pink?

Or is a deliberate ploy to widen the gap between sexes and put pressure on youngsters to conform to traditional roles. I don't believe it is the intention of the stores or toy manufacturers, but more a subtle marketing strategy to maximise profit.

The extent to which the marketers have influenced vulnerable young minds, was demonstrated by observations made by Durham 'Speech Therapists', who reported that children could easily identify the colour blue, but would answer 'Barbie' when shown a pink object.

Having products so clearly associated with either sex due to colour, certainly discourages girls or boys from thinking for themselves. Toys are either for 'boys' or 'girls', children are expected to conform, and freedom of expression is suppressed.

But what affect does this have on children as they get older? The same strategies are employed to encourage our youngsters to grow up too quickly, whether it be make-up, 'Playboy' pencil cases or provocative clothing.

Are we not creating future generations that are strongly conformist and intolerant to others' views, religion or sexuality?

The Meaning Of Religion.

2008-12-28T15:01:00.008Z

I happened to turn on the radio the other day and listen in on an interesting conversation about atheism. Despite falling Church attendance and the proliferation of atheism, it is an interesting fact that when faced with a adversity, especially in relation to life threatening situations, the vast majority of people, whether religious or not, will turn to God, often in the form of prayer. A point was made that this is the case, as deep within all of us we have an affinity to God our maker, even if we are not consciously aware of it.

I believe the real reason for this statistic is that we all have a deep seated fear of the unknown, and when faced with death it is only natural that we cling to any thought that may comfort us through that difficult situation.

I believe that everyone has a right to believe in what they want, as long as it does not adversely affect anyone else. Unfortunately this is not the case in many situations throughout the world.

"A missionary is a member of a religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith."

Of course everyone is free to believe in what they want, but surely it cannot be right to take the moral high ground and impose those views on others?

If some time in the future life was discovered on another planet, where half lived in luxury and wealth, while the other half was poor and starving, what would we think?

But is that not the situation in our world? Where world aid is left to charities, funded by selfish indulgent 'pastimes' of the wealthy.

Ramona Marquez is Outnumbered?

2008-12-02T22:42:00.005Z

Not a chance! Romona plays five year old Karen in this brilliant comedy, currently in the middle of it's second series on BBC1. It is written by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin, joint winners of the Royal Television Society's Lifetime Achievement Award and creators of 'Drop The Dead Donkey'.

Romona was described as having an interesting personality, very sure of herself, but without being precocious. Having just watched the first episode in the second series by complete accident, I can honestly say I am hooked. This little girl is so talented and engaging, I am sure she has a very promising career ahead of her.

Her contribution to the series is outstanding, and the programme would be a mere shadow without her. The first episode of the second series was shown on the 15th November 2008 , where Cousin Julie is getting married. "Executive bridesmaid" Karen asks her a whole host of troubling questions about her previous boyfriends, that have the poor bride distraught before she walks down the aisle! Her words are delivered with such sincerity, expression and seriousness for someone of such a young age.

While having her hair brushed before bed at the end of the first episode, she questions her long suffering mother about the reality of prison.

"Is it like a giant naughty step, but with walls and dogs?"

Five year old Romona Marquez is in her first acting role, and was actually spotted by Guy Jenkin's wife at a birthday party! What a lucky find, she has certainly given me a lot of enjoyment already.

The Potting Shed.

2008-11-25T22:19:00.007Z

As part of my volunteering last Saturday, I had the pleasure of taking two of my favourite children to the Potting Shed . What a fantastic place to spend a few hours! The staff there are so friendly and helpful, they made an enjoyable experience into a memorable one!
If you are ever stuck for something to do with your children and you live on the Wirral, give it a go and you won't regret it.

You select a piece of pottery, prices start at £7.50, and spend as much time as you like decorating it. You then leave your pot at the Potting Shed, where it is glazed and fired in the Kiln. You can then collect it the following week.

There is even a great little coffee shop, with cakes and other goodies to tempt both you and the kids, and all quite reasonably priced too!

I think it would also be a great idea for a kids party, there was one going on while we were there. A bit different than the usual bouncy castle or visit to Macdonalds!

I have now collected our pots and they look great, can't wait to give them to the children on Saturday!

Battery hen torment.

2008-11-03T21:31:00.007Z

Battery hens are to be banned in the EU from January 2012. An estimated 24 million egg laying chickens are kept in battery cages in the UK at any one time, which produce 72% of the countries supplies.

Why is legislation required to prevent a practise that gives each chicken only 450 square centimetres of floor area, equivalent to no more than an A4 sheet of paper. Are we that cruel that we condone such treatment?

I am afraid I am as guilty as many. It is so easy to push these things to the back of your mind when face with rising supermarket prices.

I think the majority of us need protecting from our own greed and selfishness. There is a danger however, that it will only drive this industry outside the EU, unless there is a ban on import of battery eggs!

Health and safety, Indian style!

2008-10-24T12:36:00.004+01:00

There's a construction organisation here called "Condident Group" who are building apartment blocks, shopping malls etc. all over Bangalore and Tamil Nadu. Yesterday the recently cast 20th floor of an under construction apartment block slowly collapsed downward taking successive lower floors as it yielded to gravity. It took 50 minutes as collapse was slowed by the rebar bending / pulling out. No one was killed but a few hurt falling over things in escape runs. The injured were treated at hospital and then the whole site was whizzed away by the company to an undisclosed location. Police who arrived to investigate were simply told to p........ off.

Peaches Geldoff.

2008-09-21T18:33:00.000+01:00

I always think you can be a little more adventurous with a girl’s name than a boy’s. Paula Yates and Bob Geldof have certainly pushed these boundaries to the limit. In a strange way though, I think the name ‘Peaches’ has gradually grown on me.

Bob Geldof has had to endure a lot of criticism since the death of Paula Yates, especially with regards to his daughter. I am sure Bob could have taken a more effective role in the parenting of his daughter by his own admission, but I’m certain that could go for most parents, never mind those in the glare of constant publicity, from a media ready to pounce on the least transgression. It must be even harder to be strict on a daughter who at an early age has dipped her toe in the ‘ocean of plenty’, tasted the sweetness of notoriety, and found herself quite liking it.
Peaches was quoted as saying ‘I felt like thirty when I was thirteen’. Children are too eager to become adult these days, whether it is dressing provocatively, smoking, drinking, having girl friends/boy friends, and taking part in adult type relationships. With both parents often working these days, the proliferation of computers and game consoles, all of which detract from ‘family participated activities’. Maybe children are prematurely searching for ‘love and attention’ that is often so lacking at home, in the only other way that is constantly presented to them.

Cruelty or curiosity.

2008-09-14T18:10:00.001+01:00

Cruelty or curiosity, torture or medical experiment, justice or revenge?

What if you caught your child burning ants with a magnifying glass? Would I bother you less than if you found him torturing a mouse with a soldering iron? How about the family cat or even his own sister?

Does Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the infamous Guantanamo detainee who says he personally beheaded reporter Daniel Pearl, deserve the rights he denied Mr Pearl? And if so which? A painless execution? Exemption from capital punishment? Decent prison conditions?

Changing a child to fit society.

2008-09-07T17:57:00.000+01:00

Nine-year-old Ashley had her uterus and breast buds removed, as well as doses of hormones to stop her growing taller. The mother of fifteen-year-old Katie also wanted her daughter’s womb removed, but was prevented from doing so by an ethical row that subsequently erupted.

Bob Benson, Scope’s community development director, recently said ‘We mustn’t change the child to fit society, we need to change society to meet the needs of the child’. An idealistic statement, or one that maybe doesn’t take into account the stress and difficulty of living with and caring for a severely disabled child.

I should imagine most parents have concerns about the future for their children, a desire to see them settled, happy and secure. Ashley suffers from severe and permanent brain damage, she has the mental ability of a three-year-old baby…she cannot walk or talk. Before we condemn, judge and spout on about ‘abuse of human rights’, we need to scratch below the surface and think a little deeper.

Parenthood is about raising a baby through to adulthood, seeing them develop in character, blossom and mature, become independent. To care and to cherish…the love you receive in return that makes it all worthwhile. Parents, such as those of Ashley and Katie have a life sentence of caring responsibility, with few of the aspirations and rewards that we often take for granted.
What seems to many as inhuman, are in fact desperate measures to cope. Support and understanding is what is required. What is right for one parent is not what is right for another. From my own perspective, control of menstruation could be important, where breast bud removal and hormones to stop growth maybe going a little too far. I don’t think you can underestimate for a minute the devotion, dedication and sacrifice involved in caring for a severely disabled child. How can the caring parent of such a special child be perceived as selfish or abusive…so easy to condemn, immensely difficult to live the reality.

Cesar Manrique.

2008-08-30T20:26:00.002+01:00

Who is Cesar Manrique you may ask! A few weeks ago I would have asked the very same question, but as our family holiday to Lanzarote draws to a close, I find the same name has been encountered numerous times over the last two weeks. It seems as if this man meant so much to so many people and his legacy as "Lanzarote's most famous son", is richly deserved.

Cesar Manrique was born in Arrecife, on April 24th 1919, and sadly died in a car accident on the 25th September 1992, at the age of 73. He became involved in many things during his life, he was a painter, sculptor, architect, ecologist, monument preserver, construction advisor, planner of urban developments, outliner of landscapes and gardens.

His profound influence on Lanzarote's development was inspired by its amazing volcanic landscape, so much so that he built his studio home on top of a volcanic trail, formed from an eruption that occurred between 1730 to 1736.

Malone Outrage!

2008-08-23T19:50:00.004+01:00

Carole Malone's outrageous comments in the News Of The World on August 17th condemn her to the depths of gutter journalism. This relates to her comments on Colin Stagg and his £706,000 compensation payout for being accused of the murder of Rachel Nickell. She describes Colin Stagg as "unsavoury and unlikable", as well as stating "as much as it pains me to say it, he is entitled to compensation". Malone also goes on to question if Colin Stagg would have achieved anything notable in the last 15 years that justified a reasonable salary. The series of events that followed the tragic death of Rachel have resulted in poor Colin Stagg being condemned as a national hate figure and unable to get a job, something that is going to affect him for the rest of his life! It sounds a lot of money, but do you think it is worth the media attention he has had to endure, the humiliation, to be shunned by society.

God help you if your background is less than perfect, you are accused of a serious crime and a narrow minded bigot like Carole Malone is on the jury! The majority of her comments have nothing to do with justification for compensation, in fact I feel she has little appreciation of what compensation is all about! Her opinion amounts to nothing more than a character assassination of a man unable to defend himself.

It must be devastating to be accused of murder, especially of one so brutal and callous.

Unconditional Love.

2008-07-21T19:47:00.007+01:00

I recently read a moving article in the July edition of Candis. In it Lauren Booth described how, as an adult, she broke off all contact with her Mother, after a difficult Mother-Daughter relationship that started to go wrong as early as when she was two!

Lauren seemed to put it down to the fact that she looked and sounded too like her father Tony Booth, who was very famous for his role in 'Till Death Us Do Part'. Lauren even described her mothers feeling towards her as hate.

One thing that particularly stuck in my mind was her description of her Mother's reaction, when at the age of twelve, she proudly produced her school report. A quote from her year tutor read, 'Quite simply, Lauren is an asset to the class'. After reading the report and exhaling a single word in a cloud of cigarette smoke: 'Creep'.

I can only imagine at what such a comment would do to a young girl, especially from her mother! Now a mother herself, I can only identify with her delight, as her daughter Holly ran up to her, flung her arms around her, saying 'Mummy, you are really, really nice!'

Such a simple statement may not sound much, but the love of a child is one of the the most amazing things in this world! As adults, whether we are aware of it or not, we are constantly judging people and having deep rooted unconscious thoughts about them.

A child is completely different, all they need is your time, for you to show an interest in them and to show them love. What do you get in return is worth all the money in the world... their unconditional love. Something to be nurtured and treasured for a lifetime.

My daughter Kim will be eighteen in a couple of days time and as I look back over the last eighteen years, I am proud to say that not only is she the best daughter I could have ever asked for, but she is one of my best friends. Thanks Kim.

Supermarket Scam

2008-07-07T22:12:00.002+01:00

Supermarkets seem to have moved on from the ‘buy one get one free’ type promotion, to alternatives that are far more lucrative to these dictators of the retail industry. The buy two instead of one promotion seems to have taken over to a large extent, although instead of just saving a few pence by purchasing the second, the first is priced so uncompetitive that buying two is the only option.
It is not unusual for a product costing £2 to £3 to be available as a ‘buy two’ offer for not much more than an additional 20p. Is this a case of our local supermarket being ‘super’ generous? I think not! It just means the first is so grossly over-priced that the poor old consumer has no choice but to buy two of the same item and the supermarket shifts twice as much stock in one go.No wonder so much food is thrown away rather than eaten, as highlighted by Gordon Brown in the last few days.

Extreme makeover!

2008-06-17T12:38:00.004+01:00

We know many woman would ‘Die for a new kitchen’, but maybe taking out a £4500 home improvement loan to pay a hit man to kill your husband is going a little too far!

Mr Kenealy must have been incredibly lazy, untidy and poor at DIY, if that was the best use Zoe Kenealy could find for a £4500 home improvement loan!

Is her 51 year old husband a saint for stating he would stand by his wife, or plain stupid. I am inclined to think the latter.

The seven-year sentence she received for her crime of soliciting murder, seems a little harsh, maybe a little community service would have been sufficient. She would have probably received a smaller sentence if she had been successful in her attempt!

Their families have been informed!

2008-06-09T21:50:00.008+01:00

As three more young men are killed in Afghanistan, we again hear that familiar phrase:

'Their families have been informed'

It seems to imply that the authorities have done the decent thing and we should spend a moment to reflect and move on. Worry about the football, what's for lunch and how may pints we are going to drink in the pub tonight. As Gordon Brown pays tribute to 'those brave young men' and trots out that familiar rhetoric, 'insisting those who died serving their country had achieved something of lasting value'. Not that I blame the current government, we wouldn't get anything different whoever was in power.

A former UK military commander claims the UK forces lack a clear mission and face another 'stalemate' with the Taliban. Our troops may have inflicted heavy casualties on the Taliban in recent months, but that only means they resort to different tactics, such as booby-traps, suicide bomb attacks and other guerillas type action.

I have recently been helping my daughter revise about Vietnam for her A levels, and it all sounds strangely familiar...have we learnt nothing!

What makes us think we can succeed where half a million Russians failed?

I don't have a lot of sympathy for 'families of dead soldiers', when they criticise and condemn after the event. After all, the young men joined voluntarily and only a fool would go ahead without being prepared to take the consequences.

I still think Nathan Cuthbertson, Charles David Murray and Daniel Gamble deserve a little more than a moments reflection, even if it is only to consider the utter futility and waste of so many lives. I include the lives of the Taliban in that! Surly there is a better way?

Broken man and wealthy divorcee!

2008-06-03T12:48:00.003+01:00

One day a father gets out of work and on his way home he suddenly remembers that it's his daughter's birthday.

He pulls over to a Toy Shop and asks the sales person, 'How much for one of those Barbie's in the display window?'

The salesperson answers, 'Which one do you mean, Sir? We have: Work Out Barbie for £19.95, Shopping Barbie for £19.95, Beach Barbie for £19.95, Disco Barbie for £19.95, Ballerina Barbie for £19.95, Astronaut Barbie for £19.95, Skater Barbie for £19.95, and Divorced Barbie for £265.95'.

The amazed father asks: 'It's what?! Why is the Divorced Barbie £265.95 and the others only £19.95?'
The annoyed salesperson rolls her eyes, sighs, and answers: 'Sir..., Divorced Barbie comes with: Ken's Car, Ken's House, Ken's Boat, Ken's Furniture, Ken's Computer, one of Ken's Friends, and a key chain made with Ken's balls.

Abortion debate.

2008-05-19T12:59:00.000+01:00

The abortion debate asks whether it can be morally right to terminate a pregnancy before normal childbirth.
Some people think that abortion is always wrong. Some think that abortion is right when the mother's life is at risk. Others think that there is a range of circumstances in which abortion is morally acceptable.
What should the limit be? Is the 24 week currently in place too high or not? Although many European countries have lower limits, America is 26 weeks and Australia has no limit!
When you see the statistics shown in the adjacent pie chart, is it really a significant problem? Surely the small number of abortions that currently take place over 20 weeks represent only exceptional circumstances! Surely the mothers rights and state of mind must come first?
A recent radio program included the comments from a nurse who had been involved in abortions in the past. Here she stated the womb was pierced to induce premature birth and the next morning the fetus was passed into a kidney dish, often still alive. She was responsible for disposal after watching it die. Accounts like this certainly make you thing about the morality of such a situation.

Tip of the iceberg!

2008-05-08T12:39:00.004+01:00

I was amazed to recently find out that their is a loophole in the law that allows unscrupulous restaurants to use tips to make up employees wages to the minimum wage.

I never leave a tip, not because I am mean (well maybe just a bit!) but because I believe an employee should be paid a decent wage for carrying out their job and not expect tips as a perk. Why is it that some professions expect tips and others do not? You may tip a hairdresser or bar staff, but would not think of tipping the cashier at the local supermarket! It is a system that is open to abuse by both employees and employers. Should a tip go to the person who served you or be shared between the rest of the staff? What should happen to the tip added to the credit card bill?

So many unanswered questions! I think this is clearly an issue that need to be taken up by the unions, especially after the sacking of Nabil Guiguis by Pizza Express, for allegedly speaking out against the unfair deduction from staff tips at the restaurant group.

The Humble Bumble.

2008-04-24T12:44:00.002+01:00

The UK has eighteen species of Bumblebee, of which many are under threat from habitat loss and the Varroa Mite, which causes a condition called Israeli Paralysis Virus. In addition, there is a condition, which affects Honey Bees called Mary Celeste Syndrome, named after the ship discovered deserted in 1872. This is where a Honey Bee hive is found essentially deserted and has recently been found in Scotland.

Although a lot of pollination is wind blown, Bees are very important pollinators and it seems they are all facing threats simultaneously…something that should be a big worry for us all. If there is no pollination, flowering crops will produce no crops, as well as wild flowers not producing seeds. This will have a dramatic affect on both the landscape of the countryside and the price of food in the shops.

Morality over the ages!

2008-04-16T12:29:00.002+01:00

I have often wondered where the phrase “living over the brush” comes from. We all know it means an unmarried couple that live together, but apparently it originates in the tunnel building days of the 19th century. If a boy and a girl (usually a camp follower, a prostitute in reality) took a liking to each other then the other men and woman would respect them as man and wife. They could not afford a church wedding so, holding hands, they jumped over a brush or broom handle held by two others. They were then married in the eyes of their peers.

See the light!

2008-04-09T12:33:00.007+01:00

As the controversy over the Beijing Olympics continues to rage during the flame-tour, I have the opinion that sport, specifically the Olympics, is not the place for protests of this sort. Western democracies had no need even to go along with the relay, as the tour is not time-honoured and was actually invented by Hitler in 1936.
I find quotes such as “It took stuffed shirts such as Duncan Goodhew and Seb Coe to huff that it was a ‘disgrace’ and the event was ruined by a few people breaking the law.” in the Times very biased.
If we used sporting events as a platform to criticise what we don’t agree with, it would signal the end of sport as a truly international pastime. This is even more important for the Olympics, which encompasses so many different religions and cultures…so much more opportunity to find something to demonstrate about. If the human rights abuses perpetrated by China were so much of a concern, then the Olympic Committee should not have given them the games in the first place.What about the American treatment of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay and there abuse of the Geneva Convention, the Iranian refusal to abandon nuclear development, Koreans eating of dogs (mans best friend) or the French who eat horse meat! How far do you take boycott and demonstration?

A memorable day.

2008-03-29T21:39:00.004Z

I started some new volunteering today, for an organisation called 'Family Friends'. It is all about befriending a child with a disability and taking them out for a couple of hours each week or fortnight. I chose each week as I felt it would provide the best opportunity to build up a relationship and give the child a chance to look forward to an outing on a regular basis. There are many reasons why this is difficult for the family concerned, but can often mean giving the family a break or a chance to give other children some attention.

I have been linked with a little boy who is nine and suffers with Asperger's Syndrome and ADHD. He has two brothers and one sister, all younger than him. What a lovely family they are, although I appreciate it must be really difficult for the Mum.

On our first outing we went down to Eastham Country Park. We fed the squirrels with nuts, went exploring in the woods and even came across an old bear pit! We both had a great time, finished off with a well deserved ice cream!

Equality, is it a myth?

2008-03-23T21:47:00.004Z

'Everyone's equal, but some are more equal than others.'

I always remember this quote from the book 'Animal Farm', by George Orwell. A satirical allegory of Soviet Totalitarianism. It was part of my English Literature examination at school.

The concept remains very apt in today's society, especially in relation to woman's rights. While in favour of equality, I feel women are very proactive in pursuing issues of benefit to themselves, but quietly ignore others that already favour them over men.

Equal pay is hotly pursued on every front, but the burden this can place on a small business can be significant. Maternity pay, maternity leave, training of replacement staff and the uncertainty if the employee will even return. Absenteeism can also be a major factor. Not only must the fitness of the woman be considered, but also the fitness of any children, as both amount to the same thing in many instances.

How many years were woman reaping the benefits of retiring at 60 on a state pension, when men had to wait until 65?

Human nature.

2008-03-16T20:09:00.005Z

I'm sure we are all delighted that the 9 year old girl Shannon Matthews, has been discovered safe and well after all this time. As events unfold, I find a couple of points worth consideration.

Firstly that within a 20 mile radius of Shannon's home there were 1,387 registered sex offenders. I found that unbelievable and especially difficult for the police, when they use such individuals as a starting point in such investigations.

No one can have any sympathy for Mick Donovan, Shannon's Mum's partner's uncle, but the description of his lifestyle, is the current stereotypical media description of a rapist, murderer or child molester.

' 39 year old loner who spent hours obsessively cleaning his car '

It seems a 'loner' is not simply a person who avoids the company of others, but has been hijacked by common perception, as a dreary, forlorn, sexually deviant, murderer.

You never find such a person being described using another media favourite phrase 'a family man'.

Have some bottle, stick to tap!

2008-03-08T12:34:00.002Z

With UK tap water having one of the strictest drinking water safety regimes in the world, why do we have an obsession with bottled water? Everyone objects to the cost of petrol, which has currently broken the £1 per litre barrier, but think nothing of spending up to £1 for half a litre of bottled water. With the health benefits, as compared to tap water, considerably over rated, we should be more concerned with the environmental impact.

In excess of two billion litres of bottled water are consumes in the UK every year, with over a quarter coming from abroad. The industry produces as much green house gas as the electricity consumption of about 20,000 homes in a year.

Most of the water is contained in bottles manufactured in PET plastic. The majority of these will eventually end up in landfill, which guess what…take 450 years to break down.

On a bighter note, a company called Belu will use Britain’s first biodegradable bottle, which is made of ‘corn’ and will break down into soil within ten weeks.

Perhaps some of you spring water consumers can put down your glasses for a moment and justify your obsession?

Find your true colour!

2008-03-01T20:20:00.004Z

What's Your True Color?

My Result: Black

Your color is black. The color of night.

Serene and mysterious, black conjures up images of elegant evening gowns, dashing tuxedos, and gleaming limousines. Traditionally a symbol of success, black also represents power and an uncompromising demand for perfection. Not surprisingly, you tend to set challenging goals for yourself and do whatever it takes to achieve them — your strength of character is second to none. This unfaltering determination, along with your natural elegance, impresses people. But keep in mind that your personality might be intimidating to some. Try to temper your demanding side with a little softness — trust us, it won't kill you. Overall, though, black is the color of professionalism and achievement, which means it's clearly the color for you.

A welcome gesture!

2008-02-22T12:40:00.001Z

Life can often seem so cruel. Children and adults alike affected by disabilities and life threatening illnesses that they have done nothing to deserve. Life is so precious and it is so sad to see the high instances of suicides in Bridgend, South Wales. Only this week Jenna Parry became the 17th suicide in the town in little over a year. Why is it that young people seem to feel such a desperate measure is the only solution to their problems?

As we seem to be continually bombarded by tales of despair, desperation and a decent measure of injustice, it was refreshing to hear about the amazing good fortune of Mark Gurrieri. A chance meeting with Dr Britt, through a mutual friend, resulted in a diagnosis of acromegaly, a tumour at the base of the brain. A condition if left untreated, that can cause blindness, diabetes and premature death.

Dr Britt’s suspicions were first raised after shaking Mark Gurrieri’s hand. A ‘fleshy feeling’ to his hand, together with his large facial features, resulted in a warning that quite likely saved his life!

Too good to be true?

2008-02-16T20:43:00.000Z

We are all told there is no such thing as a free lunch or if it's too good to be true, it usually is! This doesn't seem to stop many of us diving in head first to subscribe to the latest money saving offer from our generous, kind hearted credit card company!

Maybe we should all be aware of the golden rule when taking up the latest credit card offer, of 0% interest on balance transfers. This maybe even more important after Christmas when many are desperate to minimise the affect of gross festive overspending.

Well, what is this golden rule you may ask?

If you move credit card debt to a new card offering 0% on balance transfers, never never spend on that card until the 0% period is over.

Nearly all credit card companies will use monthly payments to repay the cheapest debt first. This means that you are paying off the interest free part of your debt, while new spending racks up expensive interest charges.

Many companies also offer a few months interest free on new purchases. Sound great? Not really for the unaware! It just means it takes a few months of further spending, before you realise you are suddenly incurring expensive interest charges, which you cannot avoid until your interest free balance transfer is paid off.

Energy battle!

2008-02-08T12:52:00.000Z

Do you face a constant battle with your family to save energy? Do you find yourself constantly turning lights off in rooms that family members have long since vacated?
With two senior bishops urging people to cut down on their carbon footprint for Lent in preference to the conventional chocolate or alcohol, it should make us all think a little.
I always think that many government initiatives on the subject are often thinly disguised ways of extorting more taxes out of an often naïve general public.
One minute there is a national outcry at the level of fuel duty! The next minute we hear consumer groups encouraging increases, as an effective way to promote increased use of public transport.
My favourite energy saving tip is the use of low energy light bulbs. I changed to those in our house about a year ago, when they were on special offer in Asda for 49p each.
How about sharing a shower with a friend or turning off that tumble drier when you can hang your clothes outside to dry!
Share your energy saving tips with us all!

Oh bollards!

2008-02-02T18:19:00.000Z

These men are installing bollards to stop cars parking on the pavement outside an Irish sports bar. They are cleaning up at the end of the day. How long do you think it will be before they realize?

Saving grace?

2008-01-26T18:26:00.000Z

Kevin Keegan takes over for the second time at Premiership football club Newcastle Utd. Is the ex England manager really going to bring success to a club that so desperately craves it? Here are a few of his one-liners! Does he really inspire confidence?

'The ref was vertically 15 yards away.'

'There are two schools of thought on the way the rest of this half is going to develop; everybody's got their own opinion...'

'Goalkeepers aren't born today until they're in their late twenties or thirties.'

'The game has gone rather scrappy as both sides realise they could win this match or lose it.'

'I don't think there's anyone bigger or smaller than Maradona.'

'They compare Steve McManaman to Steve Heighway and he's nothing like him, but I can see why - it's because he's a bit different'

'You can't do better than go away from home and get a draw...'

'There'll be no siestas in Madrid tonight.'

'...using his strength. And that is his strength, his strength.'

'Gary always weighed up his options, especially when he had no choice.'

'Chile have three options - they could win or they could lose.'

'That would have been a goal if it wasn't saved.'

'A tremendous strike which hit the defender full on the arm - and it nearly came off.'

'The substitute is about to come on - he's a player who was left out of the starting line-up today.'

'I know what is around the corner - I just don't know where the corner is. But the onus is on us to perform and we must control the bandwagon.'

'The 33 or 34-year-olds will be 36 or 37 by the time the next World Cup comes around, if they're not careful.'

'England have the best fans in the world and Scotland's fans are second-to-none'

'It's understandable that people are keeping one eye on the pot and another up the chimney.'

'I'd love to be a mole on the wall in the Liverpool dressing room at half-time.'

'They're the second best team in the world, and there's no higher praise than that.'

'Football's always easier when you've got the ball'

'I want more from David Beckham. I want him to improve on perfection.'

'The tide is very much in our court now.'

'There's a slight doubt about only one player, and that's Tony Adams, who definitely won't be playing tomorrow.'

'The Germans only have one player under 22, and he's 23'

'I've had an interest in racing all my life, or longer really.'

'Danny Tiatto is not going to make a mistake on purpose'

'You need 88 points for the title and we've got 61 at present with 16 games to go, but if you set targets you limit yourself'

'We deserved to win this game after hammering them 0-0 in the first half'

'He's got a heart as big as his size, which isn't big, but his heart's bigger than that'

'Well, if that's true then it would be a big suprise, but then nothing surprises me in football these days.'

'You get bunches of players like you do bananas, though that is a bad comparison.'

'Not many teams will come to Arsenal and get anything, home or away'

'Nicolas Anelka left Arsenal for £23million and they built a training ground on him'

'Maine Road was a great football stadium but as time moved on it stayed where it is...'

The tragedy of forbidden Love.

2008-01-19T21:27:00.000Z

Imagine the devastating truth to emerge, that the person you had fallen in love with, enjoyed a deep satisfying sexual relationship with and later married was actually your twin.

But this was the devastating reality that emerged for a couple recently, highlighted by Lord Alton in the debate over the Human Embryology and Tissues Bill in Parliament.

It would be bad enough to discover that your new husband or wife was being unfaithful or had a dark secret from the past of which you were unaware. Even if it resulted in the break-up of your marriage, at least you could move on, put it behind you, however traumatic. But the situation for this couple must have been ten times worse. Not only has their world fallen apart, as well as their marriage, but they would need to restructure their whole thinking about each other, from one of desire to one of sibling affection.

I suppose it could have been even worse! What if the wife had been heavily pregnant, or even already had a child with her twin. How would the child fit into the new structure of the parent’s lives?

Update:
It now seems probable that this story is in fact not true. However, it still raises an interesting dilemma and is very thought provoking!

Fear of change!

2008-01-11T12:47:00.000Z

Why is it that us humans have an instinctive negative reaction to change? One example that always springs to mind is the mobile phone mast debate. Everyone is always against one being sited in their neighbourhood, but these would often be the same people who would be first to complain if the reception on their mobile was poor!

We live in Wirral, across the River Mersey from Liverpool. Everton football club, in association with Tesco, are in the process of considering a ground move to Kirkby, which is technically outside the city boundary. The development is going to bring significant regeneration and investment to an area desperately in need of the opportunity, but guess what...the NIMBY brigade are dead against it!

But hey, make your own mind up. 'Keep Everton In Our City', for the short sighted or 'The Kirkby Project' for those who have a little vision!

Appreciaton?

2008-01-05T20:20:00.000Z

Do we all appreciate how lucky we are? I don't believe many of us do.

Of course many of us have more reasons to be thankful than others, but without exception there is always someone worse off than yourself.

Don't get me wrong I am not being patronising....for many years I could never understand why anyone would want to participate in volunteer work....why if you have a little spare time, not get a part time job and earn some extra money.

I've always loved children and as mine get older and supposedly less dependant, I missed the involvement with younger children.

It was then that I decided to look for a worthwhile volunteering opportunity that involved children. I found a fantastic website that helped me called http://www.do-it.org.uk/

It was then that I discovered a marvellous charity called 'Stick & Step', which as described in my profile, work with children affected by Cerebral Palsy. Give the link above a mouse click and find out a bit about it....it's fascinating.

After working with the children for a while now, I think I really do now appreciate how lucky I am. The children our amazing! Despite their problems, they have such a zest and vitality for life...something that could put many of us to shame!

Children don't need expensive gifts and extravagant gestures, all they need is your time. Give them that and you are rewarded ten fold...with their love and trust. These children are no different to any other in this respect.

Sale bargains?

2007-12-30T21:46:00.000Z

We live very close to a retail estate, where there are many shops that sell household goods, electrical goods and clothes. Everyday since Christmas Day I have witnessed the gridlock of never ending streams of traffic to the spending frenzy!

It never ceases to amaze me what comes over the population, when that magic word 'sale' is plastered across the media. I was always told a bargain is only a bargain if you actually need it! Sadly it seems that I am in the minority and common sense goes out of the window.

That may be fine if you actually have the money, but with credit card debt at a record high, this hardly seems the case.

In years gone by credit was a dirty word, whereas today it is socially acceptable, if not trendy.

The weak and vulnerable are exploited by our capitalist society and the financial money machine rolls on. Even the young are indoctrinated into thinking that credit is acceptable, as students are forced into significant debt as they start out on that rock path we call 'life!'.....namely as student loans!

Please read a fascinating article written by Anne Lyken-Garner. Find the link below:

'Baby animals in an adult world gone mad'

A Christmas wish!

2007-12-25T18:54:00.000Z

My favourite Christmas present this year was Amy Winehouse's album 'Back to black'.

Played out by the band,

Love is a losing hand,

More than I could stand,

Love is a losing hand,

I was impressed that she writes her own own songs, but I think many of the lyrics demonstrate what lies deeper in her mind.

What an amazing voice she has, no wonder she has been nominated for so many awards. I really hope she recovers from her recent difficulties and builds on her success going into the future!

If you get a chance take a listen to track 8 on her album, 'Wake up alone'.

Has Christmas been all you wished for?

Hope you have all had a great Christmas Day and the New Year is everything you dream of!

Stress of a modern housewife?

2007-12-19T12:50:00.000Z

To repeat a quote from Shaun Tully, a character from our well known, favourite British soap opera 'Coronation Street'....

"Aren't washing machines wonderful things! No more standing by a stream and bashing your clothes against a rock, with no time to do much else!"

With so many modern conveniences for the modern housewife, what does she do all day after the kids have been packed off to school? After the washing machine has been loaded, the quick tidy up complete and the ready meal sitting in the fridge for tonight's tea...well no wonder daytime TV is so popular!

What about the fathers role? In days gone by the children would be the responsibility of the mother. Today the man is expected to play a major part in the raising of his children....not a bad thing you may say and I would agree!

There must be a limit to the amount of time you can spend eating chocolates and watching TV, while still trying to convince the real world that being a housewife is a hard job!

Thirst quenching sandwich?

2007-12-13T12:45:00.000Z

I was in the supermarket yesterday and I overheard an irrate woman at customer services.

She was discussing the ingredients on the back of a pack of ham.

"I can't believe this pack of ham contains 70% water!"

She went on to exclaim....

"Why, it's not ham, it's 'ham flavoured water!"

I'm not sure she realised how funny her comment was, but it amused me!

Joys of Christmas?

2007-12-06T22:03:00.000Z

Is Christmas what it was?

With today's over commercialisation, has it not become a time to justify over indulgence, extravagance and greed? Parents spending what they can't afford on expensive presents for their children, to compensate for their inadequacies as a parent. Our capitalist society has convinced us under the pretext of 'giving', that possessions and 'buying power' are king! What children need is love, understanding and above all your time.

I am not a religious person, but was Christmas something to do with the birth of Jesus?

What has that got to do with stripping the supermarket shelves of food, covering your house with flashing lights and drinking yourself silly?

Little more thought perhaps?

2007-12-01T21:31:00.000Z

News story on BBC radio.

Woman complained to her local post office about her parcel delivery, which contained approximately £100 worth of DVDs ordered from an online store.

Not having been home when the parcel was delivered, she later found a note that had been posted through her door. In it she was informed that her valuable consignment had been placed in her wheelie bin, to offer protection from the weather and any opportunistic thief!

Unfortunately the incident happened on the same day as her refuge collection! The post office are investigating!

Just in case you have any doubts....it is true!

Idiots guide to capital punishment....

2007-11-29T21:58:00.000Z

When there is yet another debate over this subject, it always amazes me that there seems to be a very strong feeling that capital punishment should play a part it the British justice system.

A survey in 2005, of 1118 respondents, showed that 66.5% of the population would like capital punishment reinstated.

Thank goodness a majority of MP's have above average intelligence and quash any such ridiculous thoughts. In addition the 'EU' and 'European Convention on Human Rights' are both totally against capital punishment, making the chance of reinstatement very remote.

The average vigilante in favour of such a barbaric act, must be particularly stupid and not be able to see beyond the end of their nose!

Lets look at some very important arguments against:

Genuinely innocent people will be executed. There is no such thing as being certain.

Imagine being executed! Now imagine being executed for a crime you know you did not commit...and no one believes you!

Murder or manslaughter? Often only the accused and the deceased know what happened. It often comes down to the skill of the prosecution and defence lawyers, rather than establishing the real truth. How can a persons life be decided in that manner.

How many times have their been miscarriages of justice? Too late if someones already been executed!

Everyone appreciated the suffering of a victims family. Often overlooked is the hell the innocent family and friends of a criminal go through leading up to and during an execution.

Vengeance and retribution are terrible things...Two wrongs do not make a right!

There is no such thing as a humane method of putting someone to death.

No individual or state has the right to judge on whether someone deserves to die! You become no better than the person who perpetrated the original crime. This has nothing to do with religion, but what is morally right.

To Maddie with love......

2007-11-22T12:48:00.000Z

Detective agency ‘Metodo 3’ bring new hope, but why make their investigation so public?

Would it not be wiser to keep Madeleine’s abductors oblivious to any progress?

Although it is always possible that the McCann’s were involved in her disappearance, the police should have been left to investigate such possibilities with tact and understanding. Countless speculation through the media must have been a living nightmare for her family.

It seemed that Kate and Gerry were condemned whatever decisions they took in the months that followed Maddie’s disappearance. Those that criticised her parents for their actions both on and after that fateful evening need to look very closely themselves. In my opinion there is nothing worse that a self-righteous bigot who is always so wise after the event. A person who has never deviated from perfection, made a decision that they could have later regretted or have had judgment passed against them on.

Kate and Gerry need to carry on for the sake of their other children, to have pretence of normality. A little moment of pleasure or fun captured with their twins and maybe Maddie forgotten for a fleeting moment, only for the grim reality to come flooding back, along with the guilt. The living nightmare continues, relentlessly.

The return to England, along with Gerry’s decision to return to work, must have been a torturous, but necessary decision. Almost like admitting to themselves that Maddie had gone and it was time to move on. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Charity or self indulgence....

2007-11-18T10:37:00.000Z

With the likes of the 'Spice Girls' hi-jacking 'Children In Need' as a vehicle to promote their own money making machines, we have to ask ourselves, what is 'Children In Need' all about?

Everyone likes to think they act with integrity, so is it all about self indulgence and enjoying ones self?

Does 'Children In Need' really mean not having the right trainers, a flat screen TV in your bedroom or the latest mobile phone?

The government talks about eliminating child poverty, but does it really exist in the UK today?

Is it more about incompetent and selfish parenting?

Young & talented......

2007-11-18T10:12:00.000Z

Up and coming commercial and sports photographer Tim Piper, is carving himself a reputation in the competitive world of freelance photography.

Specialising in panoramics and web imaging, Tim is quoted as saying.....

"if only people were more willing to pay for my photographs instead of wanting them for nothing. I'm not a charity!"

Visit his web site, http://www.michael-piper-images.co.uk/.

Take a look and give me some feedback comments. Let's help Tim benefit from everyone's wisdom!

Children In Need & Terry Wogan

2007-11-16T23:19:00.000Z

What a hypocrite! Encouraging us all to donate what we can't afford for a good cause and all the time lining his pockets with a significant salary.

How many young children have to donate their 20p pocket money to cover the cost of his fat cat salary. With all the bad publicity around, I suppose the next thing we will hear is that he is waiving his fee....or maybe he didn't realise he was being paid!

Amy Winehouse..love or hate her?

2007-11-15T23:14:00.000Z

Poor old Amy!

So talented, but what a mess she is making of her life!

Would she be so successful if she wasn't so controversial?

I don't think she would have the same appeal if she was a virginal choir girl. But lets face it, she is gorgeous! Must have something to do with it!