Thursday, January 29, 2009

Credit crunch = consciousness expansion !!


I'll say it, seeing as no-one else will.
The credit crunch and financial crisis is a good thing.
It's a long overdue and welcome dose of reality.
Tony Blair said on CNBC in January 2009 (can't find the video, sorry) that the events of the last few years had been a 'classic asset price bubble'. Shame he did not feel moved to do anything about it when he could. Sure, it's going to hurt, and I might well not be immune, but life does not revolve around who has the largest and latest flat screen TV, and neither should it.

So, I've been hunting for signs of life among the wreckage, and believe it or not there are two, just today!

The 'masters of the universe' at the Davos World Economic Forum got a slice of alternative thinking when they were asked to all sing Happy Birthday, not in the usual routine that the whole world knows, but exactly how they as individuals wished to sing it, all at the same time. Progress at last! The crisis will only be solved by individual bright ideas, against the trend and not conforming to the mainstream. Listen to the transformative shambles here.

Secondly, we all like a promise - even if we get let down, so here's a great one - Broadband in all UK homes by 2012. Doubtless the government will renege, backslide, pretend they never meant all homes, or try to reorder the calendar so 2012 never comes, but the announcement at least shows that they are beginning to see the positive impact that empowered people with information can have. They'll try to censor the content of course, but one thing at a time...

Celeb Watch: Denise Van Outen update

Way back last year i predicted that the we should expect something more serious in the relationship of Denise Van Outen and her 'Joseph' fella Lee Mead. So today's news is good news, for their lives rather than for my reputation.

It'll be babies next...

i wish them a happy life in a sad world.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Every Man & Woman is a STAR!

This article by the BBC is great, but fails to recognise the basic facts of life:

Every individual can do something in a way that no one else can do.
Our interests reveal our abilities.
Life is simple, grown ups make it complicated.

Using these rules can easily see that many, many children know exactly what they want to do when they grow up. It's adults that persuade them otherwise.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Yes We Can, No He Can't


Maybe he toned down his rhetoric deliberately, maybe the occasion got to him (who could blame him for that?), whatever, the inauguration was stark in its assessment of what lies ahead for the USA. I thought that he even might go so far as to appeal for the help of the nation to fulfill his task, but that would be change too far, as was the antiquated ceremony itself, overloaded as it was with ridiculous and outdated religious references.
The danger with Obama, whether we like it or not, is the faith that millions have placed in him. He is only a man. He is not Jesus or Jedi or the second coming. If we believe he is then we have real trouble waiting round the corner. He is a man that can inspire each and every one of us to do what we have to do, not to sit around and wait for it to happen to us, but to make it happen. He can encourage us to each be the change we wish to see.
Can we solve the world's problems, in our own unique way, yes we can!
Should we play follow the leader and expect President Obama to sort them out?
Can he do that? No he can't.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

RIP Freedom


It's only a TV programme, but the death of the Patrick McGoohan, the star of the TV classic The Prisoner, reminds us that we were each born free into this world and that our life is our own.
Unfortunately, scarcely a day goes by now without news of some new government wheeze to strip us of our identity and make us servants to their idea of community.
I know my view is out of fashion, but there are none so blind as those that would not see what is happening across the world. Dissent, objection and contrary opinions are being squeezed on all fronts. Whether its the suppression of pro-Israel voices on the BBC, to Palin Derangement Syndrome in the US, the wheel is turning the wrong way. I don't agree with the BNP in any way, but if you are going to outlaw them, who's next? Who decides what views can be heard and what views are beyond the pail?
We need to wake up. We now have the widest extension of state powers since WWII, and be on notice that it will all end in tears.
Human progress only ever takes place by individuality and non-conformism. By allowing suppression of such traits we allow the life of humanity to be extinguished, slowly and quietly.

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Men Are Still Running The Show

Once upon a time an outspoken and angry young man said that Men were the cause of the world's problems. He said that the prisons were chock full of men, men were the generals that ordered the killings, men were the paedophiles and men were the dictators. Most men were not like this, but most people like this were men.

Nothing has changed, in spite of a 2 female US Secretary's of State, 1 female US Speaker of the House, 1 female UK Home Secretary, 1 female UK Deputy Prime Minister, 1 female German Chancellor, 1 female Israeli Foreign Minister (pictured), 1 female failed US VP candidate and 1 female X Factor winner. With all these cracks in the glass ceiling why has nothing changed, in fact, why are things getting worse?

All these women have one thing in common - they are surrounded and advised by men. They are figureheads, maybe even tokens, who have been indoctrinated in the religion of conformity. They are towing the line, where they should be breaking it. They belong to the Male's favourite invention, the gang, party, sect, religion, club, caucus, call it what you like.

If Tzipi Livni (pictured) becomes the next Prime Minister of Israel, little, by itself, will change. She seems in fact to be the chief protagonist in the Israeli attacks on Gaza. Instead, what we need are numbers of women permeating the corridors of power at every level, in every country throughout the world. There will only be peace when the leaders (of whatever sex) are advised and funded by a balanced body of men and women, with individual viewpoints and the courage to speak their mind.

There is much work left to do.