The Mentality of a Winner

In the Independent the other day (June 23) Dominic Lawson spoke about the spirit of a winner. He was talking about Andy Murray and how some people say he’s not the most genial of men. Dominic’s position was so what – In order to be a winner in anything, you have to have a single mindedness of purpose. He also mentioned a very successful cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan, and how even though he is go great he still practices religiously.

It got me thinking about the winning mentality and he is right. If you want to do extremely well in anything you have to be focused, and willing to put in some hard graft – and be mentally strong enough that setbacks don’t cripple you.

So, if you are striving to achieve a particular goal I think this is very worth keeping in mind.

Make Sport Count For Our Kids

There have been a few stories in the Gleaner lately about Jamaica’s success in Athletics and what can be behind it. The consensus is (and I agree) that it is the special emphasis placed on sports in school and the healthy competitive atmosphere that is created in Jamaica.

It got me and HRH talking – why doesn’t the UK do likewise? In the States too they have a very successful system whereby kids who take part in sports and do well can earn scholarships to university – this helps them to get an education so that when or if the body gives out they have a profession for which they are qualified.

Here in the UK the most popular sport in terms of young people wanting to get into it is football. It seems as though extremely young, not particularly well educated boys are taken into this very fast world and then if they are good, get millions of pounds thrown at them. Surely it would be more helpful if they got to the top by moving up through a system that supported them and educated them?

Also, this ridiculous notion that some official and people seem to have that competition is unhealthy is exactly the opposite. Life is competitive – the best win the best get the best. Failing to train out kids to have a healthy competitive advantage does them a great disservice when they go out into the world and does the country an even greater disservice by lumping us with low aspiration, low achievers.

If we want to be the best at anything it’s time to look at others who are successful and learn some key lessons. Let’s face it, the UK is not successful when it comes to sport by design – this is the key point - by design. Those that have done well have done so through their own hard work but I am sure we could have more doing even better if there was a sensible system. Also, we would end up with young people who are educated enough to deal with the massive sums of money they will earn and who will be able to be effective in other areas once their sporting careers are over. Also, with a healthy competitive spirit we would all be the better. Being stretched and challenged to do your best is extremely healthy.

It is worth investigation.

Please Take Care

What has happened today in Ireland is a disgrace. Sadly it is not too surprising.

What many Brits take to be tolerance and progress in areas of what they call race relations and what I call basic decency - has largely been a joke.

Here's what's happened over the past twenty or thirty years:

Non-white people have become sick of racist attacks - often after particulaly traumatic events. They have then been pushed to fight back and through this fight legislation has been enacted - under duress mind - so that white people cannot discriminate - let me correct myself, so that white people cannot be caught discriminating.

There has been no heart change - no introspection about the evil nature of being a racist in the hearts of white people as a whole - it's just the cultural climate and laws that have kept them in the closet.

Now, with the resurgence of the racists by getting elected under the guise of people being unhappy with the mainstream parties they are coming back out - hence events like what happened to those 20 Romanian families in Ireland.

People, the legislation has been enacted what is needed now is heart change but only white people can do this!

Non-white people, sadly that means we're screwed as far as I can see.

But we can do our part. It is our duty to call white people on being racist and stop keeping quiet and sucking it up. And I'm not talking about prosecutions and suing I'm talking about reason and 'drawing a crowd.' So when they make racist comments no mater how unobtrusive they might seem call them on it publicly. When they are silent on issues like those in Ireland, bring them up and force them out into the open. Sadly though, it is over to them. We cannot change their hearts for them.

Stop the Assault on Reason

I highly recommend a book called ‘The Assault on Reason” by former US Vice President Al Gore. In it he intelligently presents the case that without reason democracies cannot function.

One of the arguments he gives is that if the electorate is more concerned with the minutiae of ZZ list celebrities than they are about issues that affect them, then corrupt governments can continue to exploit the electorate.

This is exactly what happens in the UK. The last election, (the one w few weeks ago) the turnout was less that 40% I believe – it was definitely less than 50%. That means that a minority of the British electorate has decided who is in power. That is not what democracy is supposed to be about! I get the impression that most people believe democracy is a one way street – with governments supposed to do all and the public nothing. But we the public are the ones who have the power to put politicians in charge and the keep them there. If you don’t exercise that right and responsibility to vote then how can you expect things to function in a way that is beneficial to the electorate?

It is time for British people to wake up and take an interest in the things that affect us. Which cretinous idiot is doing what mind bogglingly stupid activity on a brain dead watching show like Big Brother is of now consequence. Indeed, if the electorate was doing and being what they should – there would be no market for Big Brother-like shows. Now, we need to be concerned with and knowledgeable about the issues that affect us and our families. And people that will take some effort. This will mean reading stuff and extrapolating from it and asking questions and taking part – like getting off your arse and voting.

Let’s get it together shall we?

Stop Lying

There are a number of political parties in existence in the UK. There are the three majors and more than five minors. Let me list the parties (apart from the majors and the BNP) that were on the ballot in my neighbourhood:

1) The Christian Party
2) The English Democrat Party
3) Jury Team
4) No2EU Yes to Democracy
5) Pro Democracy Libertas:eu
6) Socialist Labour Party]
7) The Green Party
8) UKIP


That means if you were disaffected with the three majors –apart from the racist BNP voters had a choice of 8 parties.

If out of the total 12 party choices you had, you decided to go for the racist party – you are a racist – not a disaffected voter. Full stop. Stop lying.

White British voters should really stop and take stock and ask themselves ‘What does it say about us when people who claim to be disaffected with the major parties decide to vote for the racists?’ This is a very dangerous state of affairs. If we as a human race insist of failing to learn from past mistakes we will be doomed to repeat them. How many times in the past have evil and stupid people used disaffection with the status quo as an excuse to enact all manner of barbaric racist acts?

If you really aren’t a racist there needs to be some introspection and some honest debate and some gathering of facts. Too many times I hear these people who have decided to vote BNP and claim not to be racists, spouting information that is incorrect and it’s quite obvious they haven’t bothered to source any facts.

People, running a country involves a wide range of very important issues – if you think that the UK can be run solely on the premise than anyone not white shouldn’t be here – you make a sad mistake.

If you vote BNP you are a racist. If you say otherwise you are a racist and a liar.

If Only They Would All Do It . . .

Got a letter today from a bank I owe money to. They offered to take £200 off of the debt if I paid £20 a month more than I am and so clear the debt within 12 months.

Previously, they had sent a letter saying they would take a certain percentage off if I would clear the debt immediately. I am in debt to them because of all that goes with the credit crunch (not willing to divulge details here) and so of course their offer was meaningless too me. Now the offer I got today was very usable - I need a reduction in the overall bill, a cessation of interest and a monthly payment I can manage in my reduced circumstances. Now we both win - they get some, well most of their money, I reduce my debt and pay it off within a year and am able to live. Now if all other institutions were reasonable they would stay in business, get their money and people would be able to keep their stuff.

I hope circumstances will prompt other companies to act accordingly. In the meantime I encourage you to make offers to your creditors along these lines.

On another note - I have found the magic formula for losing weight - you ready? Here it goes.

Step 1: Eat only the calories you need (about 2100 for women and 3100 for men but check according to your lifestyle). Eat when hungry and stop when full.
Step 2: Exercise at least 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week.

Aim to lose 2lbs a week and it will stay off.

See - magic isn't it?

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong

What Hazel Blears did today was wrong.

Imagine, on the face of it she is upset that the Prime Minsiter took her to task for not paying capital gains tax. Firstly she shouldn't be upset about that, she ought to be ashamed as should everyone else who claimed when they shouldn't. Secondly, how immature and destructive to the party and the public is it to resign in this way just to (as it seems) thumb her nose at the PM.

Voters, don't let these types of shenanigans distract you from the serious matter of voting and voting intelligently.

Make it count tomorrow.

It Must Stop

If you are a christian (and I am) then certain things are extremely clear. For instance, sex outside of marriage is wrong. If all who call themselves christians kept within the paramters of this one law then a great deal of suffering would be avoided.

God's intention for christians is unity and our guide the Bible is pretty straightforward on the important matters. This is why I am angry at certain groups calling themselves christians who continue to sin by careful design. Once you have made the decision to accept Jesus as your lord and saviour then certain behaviour change needs to take place. How can it be then that so many leaders in the Roman Catholic church knew about the sexual abuse of kids in Ireland (and other instances across the world) and facilitated it by not reporting the perpetrators?

This is unspeakable, sinful and a terrible witness. At no point at all did the suffering of these children ever seem to concern these people in authority.

This is most certailny not what God wants of us at all - this is sin and God cannot look upon sin in any way. When will so many Roman Catholics who seem to put their denomination and all the 'add on rules' they have come up with before Christ, repent? And when will the abuse of children by men who call themselves men of God cease?

It is a multi faceted problem but a major part has to be down to one of those 'add on' rules the RCs like to make up - that of celibacy. God does not call on people to be celibate for life. There is a healthy place for sexual relations - within marriage and people are more than capable of ministering to other Christians if they have a family. Imposing celibacy is obviously useless - many of these men are finding a terrible outlet for their urges. As Paul said, better to marry than burn so why on earth do they not marry?

Because it isn't that simple is it? These priests are slipping sexually but they could just as easily slip by having affiars with women. The fact that they are choosing to molest children is a sign of a deeply embedded sin. We must be careful not to pervert ourselves and our natures in the name of God. The RC church needs to realise they are God's church and get down to Christian basics - including hauling any child molester in front of the police as soon as they are found out! They must stop facilitating sin - there is no excuse for it.

Scapegoating

So they have got rid of the speaker.

Yes, he should have gone but my feeling is that MPs bayed for his blood as a diversionary tactic. I believe they think that by piling the blame on the Speaker, it will be diverted from them. But the fact is that anyone who defrauded the taxpayer of money needs to be dealt with within the parameters of the law. It remains to be seen if this will happen.

Watched ‘Dispatches’ on channel four last night. It was on British bankers. It seems that in spite of the crash, they are still earning unbelievable salaries, bonuses and pensions in spite of there being no wealth created from which these salaries etc. can come from.

That my friend, is the crux of the matter.

A person should be able to earn, yes earn their living and if able, to earn a pretty hefty one. If wealth was created by these banks, then the bankers, along with the employees of those banks, and shareholders, should benefit. What seemed to have happened and amazingly seems to still be happening, is that bankers are not earning anything – they are just taking large sums regardless of the performance of their banks, in many cases while they have been responsible for the dismal performance of their banks. Some of the figures quoted on ‘Dispatches’ last night were astronomical sums being paid to replacement bankers of banks now controlled by the taxpayers i.e. people who were put in place after the robber barons were booted out by the government!

Non-executive members of the banks who were supposed to be the internal watchdogs, and the official watchdogs didn’t do anything. The government didn’t – it has now been revealed that they were basically doing the same thing but with tax payers money.

It is a colossal mess and a disgrace.

One of the men on last night’s programme used to work at one of the banks that the governments now control. His pension after 30 years amounts to £14 per week. That former CEO’s pension (which he can get from age 51) amounts to £5,800 per week according to the programme. If this is true this is heartbreakingly wrong.

I believe that you must be rewarded in proportion to your contribution but are you convinced that the CEO’s contribution was that much more valuable than the middle manager? Especially when the bank went pretty much bust?

There is a serious class problem in the UK and it is not the one the working class are always on about. It is one in which a certain echelon of society, in their heart of heart believes that people like them deserve to be given vast sums of money for doing precious little and for contributing precious little in the way of ideas and innovation while those that do the work and add the value should be satisfied with nothing. It has little to do with the background you were born into. I know people with that attitude who were born into working class backgrounds. Additionally this greedy class believes that those who are educated and use that education and have morals and are willing to work hard, owe it to them to give their services for very very little and dare you not ask to be remunerated in keeping with your obvious contribution – it makes them apoplectic and it makes you mysteriously redundant.

There is going to be trouble because lessons have not been learned.

Going After Your Dreams

This has been on my mind lately. And I now realise something. If there’s something you want to do – you need to start putting in the work NOW and not later. And it doesn’t matter how old you are. There’s still time – until you’re dead.

The road many of us travel – go to school get a decent degree, get an office job and for many of us – ‘then stagnate until you die’ is not helpful to put it mildly.

I never really put much thought into what I really wanted to do and I am paying for it now.

If I had thought about it or had been encouraged by teachers and parents to do something specific then I would have had a lot longer to work on it. Now, at 37 for many areas, the ideal time frame has gone – not to say you can’t blaze trails, but it is more difficult to become say a world renowned pop singer when you are pushing 40.


So, if there’s something you want to do, research it, work at it and get on with it. And if you have kids, see what their inclinations are and guide them into areas that can develop them – they will thank you for it.

It's Something . . .

So, the tories are going to give some of the money back or be expelled. A good move. Let's see what happens next . . .

They Just Don’t Get it.

We’ve heard them all doing the rounds these last few days and what horrifies me is that MPs don’t get that they have done something wrong.

They keep saying that what they did was within the rules. So what? If I run a company and I institute a rule that says you can buy anything you want, claim for it and not show any receipts and take the money from people who are not fully benefiting from their contribution does that make it right?

Any way you look at this, the situation and behaviour is a disgrace. I am thoroughly disgusted. We need to show them how we feel at the polls. People, we must come out in our millions next elections and vote – and not for the BNP either. The next election will require serious work for us all.

We need to scrutinise the information that has come out – and if they put out the rest, we need to scrutinise it. We need to take note of which MPs have not been making merry with our money and vote for them. We also need to look at independent candidates because we really need to send a message. Look into your independents and if they are worthy, give them your vote. Ultimately, if there aren’t any viable candidates, perhaps we need to start running ourselves.

We can’t let this state of affairs continue.

People – your vote counts – turn off the telly for a couple of hours and get plugged in so you can make an intelligent decision. Our kids deserve much better.

Why can’t they use their salaries?

A simple question really. If you or I want to subscribe to Sky TV, or buy some furniture, or some food, or feminine hygiene products – we go to the relevant shop, take money from our bank accounts in the guise of a debit card, credit card, or cash from our purse or wallet and buy these items. Where doe this money come from? In all cases but the credit card, our salaries, wages or earnings from running our businesses.

I don’t know about you, but when I go to the supermarket, I don’t fill my trolley, get to the checkout and then demand that someone else cough up. If I did I’d quickly be dealt with.

Why then, do some MPs feel that their everyday items must be paid for by other people? They get paid to do their job, they know what the pay is like before they go for the job and so once they have it they should be satisfied and use their salary to live.

By all means, if their constituency office is too far from Westminster to be able to get home, then they should be given someplace near work to stay – but that sure as hell shouldn’t mean they can stay in a £200 a night hotel. Far from Westminster while waiting for one London residence to be sold and another to be bought.

This is obscene. It’s bad enough that people are suffering while this goes on but to focus on that would be to miss the point. What some of these MPS are doing (and yes, I know it is only some, doesn’t make it any better though) is stealing taxpayers’ money. Just because what they have been doing is within ‘the rules’ as some of them keep shamefully bleating on about – doesn’t mean it’s right. Anyone can see that defence is disgraceful – who the hell made these rules? The same people who are using them to their great advantage.

In any other job, this type of behaviour would be unspeakable and the perpetrators would be fired and probably prosecuted for theft or misuse of funds or something of that ilk. Well like it or not, MPs are doing a job and they are accountable to us the electorate who put them there. We really need to demand much better – all of us, not just that brave lady who took the government to task through the Freedom of Information act to get this information out.

Given this climate, if the disgusting defence of this continues there will be social unrest. I hope the powers that be see sense and I hope the electorate takes this as a cue to become more concerned with politics and less with Z list celebrities.

What Makes You Laugh?

I just had a look at the ‘Put a Ring on it’ spoof video on You Tube. It has Justin Timberlake and a couple of other guys behind Beyonce, in the black leotard and heels, valiantly trying to keep up with the steps. Go to You Tube and look it up – it is hilarious!

Various Matters

Twitter only on Vodafone - Not Right
Just signed up on Twitter. How bad does it suck that you can only use Twitter on your phone in the UK if you are signed up to Vodafone (which I am not). What a grand waste of time signing up.

People Need to Damn Well Stay Home!
Serious business now. If someone is sick as in it seems like they have the flu or a cold, they need to keep their sorry arses home and not ‘valiantly’ come into the office to infect the rest of us. Management needs to be firm on this and not reward people for infecting the populace. Also, I’ve had it – I am now going to start shaming those nasty bastards who go to the bathroom and don’t wash their hands, and those who sneeze and cough without covering their mouths. Enough already – nastiness must cease to backside!

Older Folk Need Help Too
The budget is making provision for people under 25 who are out of work. No offence but how many under 25s have a mortgage and kids to feed? I think help needs to be given first and foremost to people with kids to feed – perhaps I’m being unfair and they already are but all the talk of helping the young people makes me doubtful.

Take Care on the Road Usain
Seems that Usain Bolt was in a car accident. According to the Gleaner, he and his passenger are OK. Keep safe on the roads Usain!

We must Help Each Other in These Times

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8020944.stm

This is so sad. This couple lost their jobs and then their house. They rented a garage for £10 a week to store their stuff and then ended up living in it when they lost their house. They have been found out by the landlord and will now have to move.

There but for the grace of God. . .

In these times we will all need to take much better care of each other – and some of us will have to stop being so proud and ask for help. I don't know if they had family or friends who could have helped or if they were too ashamed to ask for the help. I can understand and sympathise with this.

I call upon all Christians especially to be on the lookout for help that you can give. No one should have to live in the garage – not when there are other people around. We should help each other out.

Information Security – Mine or Theirs?

When you get a phone call from someone you don’t know and the first thing out of their mouth is ‘Can you confirm your date of birth please?’ doesn’t it drive you nuts? It happened again the other day and I refused and the agent on the phone behaved as if I had done something wrong. Madness. I asked them what they wanted and they said they couldn’t tell me until I confirmed by address and date of birth. Along with my name, which they seemed to already have wouldn’t that mean passing my security details to a complete stranger? Of course I’m not going to do it.

***

Remember Dorothy on Golden Girls? She died today at the age of 86. She was a good comedienne – I remember her on another show, something or other by the sea which I am told was a US version of Fawlty Towers. She will be missed.

What a Backward Country England Can Be Sometimes!

Can you imagine the sorry state of affairs we are in? A young boy has a talent for diving – he practices, his parents support him and he becomes good enough to go to the Olympics and represent his country. He does all this by the tender age of 14. And then what? Do his friends admire the hard work that led to this success and try and learn from it? Nope. They taunt him for his success so much he has to leave his school. Read the following story in today’s Independent for more information on Tom Daley, the boy in question. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/i-cannot-stand-the-bullying-any-longer-says-diver-tom-1673403.html

What kind of society looks down on hard work and the success that follows? A pretty sorry one I can tell you.

Citizens of England – don’t we want better than this? This is one incident, but throughout life in the UK there are many more. Up and down the country kids and adults too are making people suffer because they have worked hard and done well. It’s incredibly stupid. It helps no-one. The hard worker is incredibly distressed and in many incidents (especially with kids) stops trying in order to stop the bullying. The idiots doing the bullying stay in their idiocy and don’t find their own area of greatness or how they can contribute to society. Will it ever change here? Or will people who want to achieve something and not be penalized for it have to continue to migrate to the States?

You Cannot Control Another Person

In a story today on the BBC website, Health Secretary Alan Johnson says the Prime Minister does not have to apologise for the emails sent by his advisor Damien McBride.

I strongly agree with this. There is a pernicious notion in England today that empty gestures are worthier than relevant action. How on earth could the Prime Minister be responsible for McBride’s actions? Now, if he had done something like this before, or if his actions had signposted the PM to the likelihood he’d do this then fair enough – you could say that is bad judgement on the part of McBride’s ‘line manager’ so to say. But for heaven’s sake – you cannot control what another person does!

As a British taxpayer I would gain no solace from the PM apologising for this tawdry incident. And what to do from here? Well the party in question has resigned and as far as I can see that’s the end of it. The most that can be done is to tell relevant staff not do indulge in such stupid activities – but to be honest, if they don’t already know this they are in a sorry state indeed.

On another related note, when are people going to wake up to the fact that emails and much correspondence sent over the net is not private? For goodness sake people, remember that and if you have something private to discuss do it in person. In terms of the nature of the emails in the McBride situation – that is a symptom of our culture which is sadly geared towards Z-list celebrity worship and gossip. It’s a pity that someone engaged in what I consider to be the serious business of government is interested in that world too. As I’ve often said – if England doesn’t wake up to the fact that our culture as it now exists is destroying us as a nation we will be - well destroyed won’t we?

A Shame

What happened after the Australia grand prix was not good. I hope that Lewis does not get penalised to the point that he cannot compete this year, as this would be a blow to the team, him and the fans. I understand he considers himself to be part of a team – even if his public see him as a star but I guess what this incident has hopefully taught him is that when it comes to telling the truth – that is a solo activity and not something you can leave up to the team to decide.