Journalists need to speak for us

I am tired of journalists trying to stir up trouble when they have the chance to interview those in power. In the wake of Ed Milliband’s win all I seem to hear journalists ask him is, ‘how does this affect your relationship with your brother,’ ‘does this mean Labour will lurch to the left,’ ‘Didn’t you only get in because of the unions?’ ‘You don’t really have a mandate, or you didn’t really win because there was only a 1.3% difference.’

For goodness sake – as a voter does the answer to any of those questions add anything to your life? Doesn’t add anything to mine.

Why don’t they ask him how he plans to make Labour winnable in the next election? How about, how is he going to counter to ConDems’ slash and burn techniques? How can he convince us that life will be better under a Labour government than under a Tory government?

We need to demand better not just from our politicians but from our media too.

The Curse of the Mookoot

In popular Jamaican parlance, a mookoot is an idiot. Basically what we in the UK call a muppet.Now many people who seem to get onto property related reality TV shows in the UK suffer from acute cases of mookootism. The symptoms usually are:

1) Copious amounts of money

2) An acute lack of any sense, common or otherwise

What always amazes me is the restraint of hosts like Kevin McLeod and Sarah Beeny. While I am sitting in front of my TV yelling various names at the people on the screen – their response is usually considerably tempered.

The one exception is that show ‘Under the Hammer.’ The people on this show are usually incredibly sensible, except of course those who buy places without having seen them and then end up with something with structural issues.

I remember one episode of Property Ladder where the couple insisted on revamping a house as a two bedroom. Beeny told them that if they added a third bedroom (and they had plenty of room to do so) they’d add £100k to their asking price. I remember the woman saying this ‘I know, but we aren’t going to do that.’ Now keep in mind the premise of the show is that people fix up houses in order to make a profit and that is what this couple purported to do. What the-?!!!

Ahhhh, why do mookoots have access to so much money?

Men need to snatch their balls back

Too many modern British men are wusses. Now I am not advocating old style gender roles – I don’t believe women should be wusses either – trouble is as a result of man-made gender rules many women generally aren’t. Let me explain.

Over the centuries, women have been treated as though they were not as important as men, yet they have been made to do the bulk of the work in many cultures. Now because they have had to do this work and manage things like families (people management), meagre budgets (fiscal skills) and be brave in the face of all kinds of attacks (condescending mechanics)many women have had to become strong and decisive. (I’m not talking about the idiots who behave as if to have a brain is unfeminine). So where has this left the men? With few leadership skills, squat by way of fiscal skills and unable to make decisions. So we end up with wusses.

This needs to change. We need to see ourselves as equals with different roles in some areas depending on our capabilities, preferences and in very few occasions our gender. We need to bring our kids up to think differently or we’ll be producing a bunch of wishy washy men with no cohones who will not be wanted by most women

Anyone who voted Tory should be beaten in the town square

To all of you who voted for the Tories and the Lib Dems because you felt we 'needed a change' - well I hope you're bloody happy! We are screwed!!!!!

These jokers will cut until we all bleed and then they'll cut some more. At the end of these five years the UK will be fifth world country unless we all make it clear we won't stand for it. I am not looking forward to the next few months. Those who suffer - and there will be many - will be forced into behaviour they would previously have eschewed.

I pray the government sees sense before the anarchy begins.

Sympathy for the men

Have a thought for this poor guy. A really funny film.

The Integrity of the X-Factor

People are complaining that using auto tune software on the X-Factor compromises the integrity of the show.

Hello . . . . . . ?

WHAT integrity?

Silly Season Again

So the X-Factor is on again this Saturday. Well, what do you think - will we get any actual singing, or any good singing this year?

One thing the programme does is highlight how many delusional people there are in the UK and how many mentally ill people there are. Especially the particularly disturbed people who come back year after year, clearly after not bothering to take any voice lessons. But then why would they? I was watching Cheryl Cole perform live at some concert a few months ago and it was embarrassing. She has a voice but she really needs to fine tune it and most of all strengthen it. She sounded like someone on the karaoke. Yet she's a successful 'singer.' If after all those years as a singer she doesn't feel she needs to vastly improve her singing then why would the people auditioning.

As a good example, take Rhianna. When she started out she had a terrible nasal voice bordering on the whining. Now, she can sing. Listen to that cheating song of hers vs. Russian Roulette. BIG difference. Now it's clear she has done some considerable voice work.

But for our Z list celebrity culture, talent is a minor consideration, if it is one at all. So sadly, I doubt we'll get much good singing tomorrow night.

Poor shouldn't mean thick

A story on the BBC website this past week states some stats saying that poorer kids are more likely to be killed or injured on the roads than richer kids. The argument is that richer kids have back gardens and parks to play in and are driven around in cars, whereas poorer kids have to play in the street.

I disagree. The problem is poorer parents don’t teach their kids sense – in this case, road sense. I have had this experience of a poorer area. There are several playing fields within a few yards, plus a central green, yet a certain bunch of kids decide to play in the street. In fact one set, saw me go into my car ready to go somewhere and at the moment I turned the key in the ignition, that is when they decide to run out into the street RIGHT BEHNIND MY CAR. And get this, their parents were standing right there watching them and they didn’t move a muscle to remove their kids. I had to wait until the cretin, moved out of the way which took a while. Now is money the issue here?

Hell no! Some people don’t want to admit it, because it is politically incorrect – but many poor people are at least remaining in their poverty because of their mindset and the attendant habits. And this goes to how they raise their kids.

All this talk of equality – the focus is on the wrong things. Producing more and more vehicles for poorer people to do all sorts will not work if un-progressive attitudes prevail. – and no, you don’t have to be privileged to be progressive. I read on the money saving website the other day that a grant of 10,000 laptops have largely remained unclaimed. They were earmarked for poorer people. And don’t talk about if it was publicised enough – if you are disadvantaged you should be looking out for what you can get. Lord knows those who aren’t do.

At a certain point – progress has to be down to the person who will benefit from the progress. Some people, sadly cannot be helped – not until they want the help.

Ensure all have access to relevant services and opportunities – after that it is survival of the fittest.

Making roads safer not the solution - making people teach their kids sense is!

Getting out of a funk

Getting out of a funk is hard.

Been in one for a while.

But what do you do if you feel as if you are going crazy? What if you can't afford to do what you KNOW will help?

I don't have the answers but I'm going to have a stab at it.

1) Try and take a deep breath and breath slowly for at least 30 seconds.

2) Say a word of thanks for your blessings - they are likely to be many.

3) Then think of what you REALLY want to do - don't analyse it, just think of it.

4) Then - without fear, write down what YOU need to do to do that thing.

5) Then pray for guidance

6) Be obedient and then do what needs to be done in faith.

7) Keep on keeping on (being obedient and working).

I'll let you know how it works.

Learning from our mistakes

Check this story out from today's Independent.

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-we-are-wrong-about-being-wrong-2051107.html

It's very good and poses some sober questions about English people's attitude to mistakes and the lessons that can be learned from them. It is time for us to start learning from our mistakes instead of hiding them and continuing in wrong and unhelpful practices.

High Quality UK Programming

Big up to the creators of the new Sherlock show on the Beeb. This goes to show that the UK can produce excellent programmes soothe question is, why don’t they do so more often? Often the cry is money and in some respects that makes sense, but in terms of good stories and acting, that can still be done with limited sets etc. I think part of the problem is the UK audience. It’s hardly a discriminating one. Crappy soaps filled with miserable, low aspiration people are the staple. There are seemingly very few aspirational UK soaps. Nothing to look up to. Oh well, with programmes like Spooks, Hustle and now Sherlock there is hope.

Enjoy it when it comes back as the creators say it is coming back.

Comfort over Competence – the British Way

Watching an episode of Boston Legal, the one where they give Brad the partnership over Jerry. The issue here is that the partners didn’t want Jerry to be a partner because they felt he didn’t fit in. They however acknowledged that he is extremely competent and has brought in shed loads of money. They had him work extremely hard hanging out the hope of partnership each year even though they knew he wouldn’t get it. Thing is they were happy to take the fruits of his labour but didn’t want him to benefit from it.

This is the same in the British workplace. I see it time and time again, intelligent, hardworking people are kept at a low salary and low hierarchical level while those that ‘fit in’ but who are almost always incompetent to the point of madness are promoted. This means they get more money and status. By extension, they are better able to take care of their families, enjoy a higher standard of living and have the regard of many. Meanwhile, those who are at the coalface making intelligent decisions and effecting positive change are kept on lower salaries and not given any regard.

If this is you, I advise you to leave your job as soon as is feasible and either go into business for yourself or go to work for a decent company – there are some, often large multi-nationals. It is of no use to stay at companies who operate like this – they will kill your spirit.

Time to man and woman up

Simple statement today – we are given stewardship over kids, to care for them and to raise and train them to be worthwhile fulfilled adults. They aren’t given as some sort of ego booster or as a way to make you feel better about yourself. So, keeping that in mind, employ some common sense when it comes to discipline and stop wimping out. In the long run (and it’s the long run that counts) learning consequences and restraint though painful in the present is a whole hell of a lot less painful that finding bail money in the future.

Working From Home

I was thinking again about working the other day and I know that many of us can do our jobs from home with the technology we have yet we are not permitted to by our employers. Even in this economic climate – most businesses would rather spend more money on having everyone come into an overpriced office than stay home and work based on targets. Why?

Well, I say that while companies are coming to grips with the sensible way of doing things, more and more and more workers will take the freelance route. I wonder what will happen then?

Big Stars on UK Screen

How comes so many big Hollywood stars have been on the UK small screen lately?

We had Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz on Top Gear (prior to Andy Garcia a few weeks ago), and Chris Rock, Adam Sandler and Kevin James on The One Show!

Now US stars come over here all the time to premier their movies here but I can’t ever remember seeing them on everyday UK TV shows. So what’s up? Rumour is that the Cruise Diaz film is bad and they showed up on Jeremy Clarkson’s sofa in a bid to stave off the bad reviews. That would make sense out of their appearance. But still . . .

Top Gear on Sunday

Mmmm, I did wonder how they managed to scoop such big stars. This story gives a possible reason. http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/66265,people,news,tireless-tom-cruise-cameron-diaz-flog-knight-day-in-uk-london-premiere-top-gear

The Lost Art of Conversation

One of the things that exasperates me about English culture is the fact that most English people seem incapable of carrying on any sort of conversation – and by conversation, I mean an exchange of ideas. Especially women. The list of topics to prattle on about (it certainly is never an actual discussion on these topics) is as follows:

· The weather
· Whatever the hell you did or plan to do on your weekend (why the hell do they care?)
· Where you are going on your holidays
· Any other airhead subject like the dilemma of your eye shadow not matching your dress (I am not making this up – this was couched as a ‘problem’ in a bride magazine. In my defence I was newly engaged and naively thought these mags could help. Boy was I wrong!)

It drives me nuts. There are a few English women who are compos mentis but it is a very small number.

Tragic.

A good reflection of the level of intelligence of our women is the magazine rack. Take a look at the mindless tripe you’ll find in the so called women’s section and you will want to top yourself.

What is the deal? Do English women like operating on empty (brains) or do they feel pressured to do so because the vast majority of English men seem to like their women vacuous? Andy why do they? (the men that is). Are they threatened by a woman with brains? The answer sadly seems to be yes. I asked some male friends of mien if they preferred outstanding looking and dumb or good looking and smart. They preferred the former. How depressing! Even a good looking smart woman is less desirable than Gracie-Lue Freebush (watch Miss Congeniality for the reference)

If this is so, it’s a very sad statement on women in a supposedly first world country.

Trust me, if you want a good conversation you are forced to seek out the tiny minority of Englishwomen interested in conversation, men – or foreign women.

Sad.

Bin Fear

Yesterday I read an interesting quote. It basically said ‘what would I do if I wasn’t afraid?’ The answer to that was rather enlightening. The list was as long as my arm! Basically, it included everything I really want to do but don’t because I am afraid of stepping out. A lot of it has to do with money. If I do what I want to do, in the immediate aftermath I would be income-less and my home etc. would be in jeopardy. That’s what it really comes down to.

On a similar vein, last night I was watching some money show and they focused on a guy who has given up money for the past 18 months. He seems to be doing fine. And though I have no desire to go his way – there was an interesting lesson to learn from him. Money is a tool to get certain things, (and just certain things, not all things) done. It shouldn’t be a weapon. And to many people it is a weapon – one used against them, by them (and the wider society) to keep them in fear. If we keep wanting to buy more stuff then companies can keep making money you see, even the debt we get into to buy the ‘more stuff’ is advantageous to many companies.

I want to let go of that fear. I hate it, it is paralysing. So with God’s help I aim to bin it.

Many people who have become wildly financially and spiritually successful took certain calculated risks and came out on top. It’s time I did likewise. What about you?

What would you do if you weren’t afraid? It’s worth thinking about. . . then doing.

Baiting the electorate

Is anyone else fed up of journalists baiting politicians on behalf of us the electorate? I just watched a so-called feature on the Milliband brothers on Channel 4 news and as a voter I heard little that was of importance to me and much that seemed to be geared towards getting a rise out of both men. We are in interesting times and I for one want to hear from politicians on the hustings, how they will do their job if elected. I don’t give a toss about a dust up between rivals. I wish journalists would share my view.

Bathrooms – the last bastion of gender separation

‘Don’t put your handbag on the bed it’s been all kinds of nasty places,’ says HRH.
‘All kinds of nasty places, what do you mean?’ I ask him.
‘Well bathroom stall floors for one thing.’
‘No no no, when I am in a bathroom stall I hang my handbag on the peg.’
‘Peg? What peg?’

It was at that point that it occurred to me. My husband would have had no opportunity to go inside a women’s bathroom stall so he had no idea there were pegs on the back of the doors to hang your bag and coat. And I had no idea that there were no pegs on the back of the door in men’s bathrooms. I went on to reveal (to his amazement) the presence of nice smelling hand soap and hand lotion (in the better bathrooms) and sofas and separate mirrored waiting areas (in the even better bathrooms known as powder rooms).

It got me thinking. In this day and age there are very few areas of life that are not integrated in gender terms. I reckon the bathroom is the last place that exists where genders are separated. I know that there are some smaller places where there is maybe one bathroom that men and women share but I don’t think guys notice the hook on the back of the door for the simple reason that their backs are to the door when they do their business (well most times!), and I imagine they don’t give a thought to the low gray rectangular box next to the toilet either.

Men and women are equal and different. We aren’t the same and in the midst of a lot of misunderstanding about what it means to be equal, on both men and women’s part, it is good to reflect on the differences too. The differences are part of what makes us so interesting and so able to complement each other.