I'll drink to that!

As someone under the age of legal drinking in the UK, I have never consumed alcohol on anything more than a "Taste" basis. All around me, friends and peers post photos of a drunk night out, and in my opinion, this is a case of their choice.
The laws now surrounding the purchase of alcohol are, in my opinion, strong enough, and if a young person decides to have a drink, then they must face the consequences. I cannot condone Binge drinking, however. This greed of alcohol has led individuals to become addicted to losing sight of their morals and sense, just for the sake of a good night out.
I can tell you now, that I have never been anywhere close to drunk, but I have had many a good night out.
This neccesity to drink is what has led the nation to its binge drinking days.
The fact that alcoholism affects your health now puts strain on the health service to provide care to drunken alcoholics who don't know when to stop.
Taxpayer money that could be put towards better use is being wasted on a minority who can't keep control of themselves.
I have absolutely no problem with people drinking, and I am sure that in my future I will enjoy the rare drink, but I just can't bring myself to respect those who drink too much too often and then expect money to be spent on paying for their idiocy.

A video was posted on the BBC news website today, of a heavily intoxicated woman falling under a train.

Click here to view the video

We can only imagine what must have happened next, but I would guess that time and money was spent on a) saving the woman from under the train and b) treating the woman for her minor injuries.
There's nothing we can really do about this problem though, and it perhaps it is something we will just have to grow to accept it as part of society.

I just don't think its fair, that people put becoming drunk over saving the NHS money so that they can help others who need more help. If you have a drink, that's fine and I hope you enjoy it, but please remember before you get that one too many, that someone is going to have to help you find your feet and make your way home.

Oh I wish it could be Christmas everyday!!

As a child growing up, I absolutely loved Christmas. The snow, Santa, the reindeer, the tree, the presents, the carols and songs... It was the best time of the year.

That was only a few years ago, but in that short space of time, Christmas has become much more of a strain. Buying presents, sending cards, wrapping gifts and at the same time trying to give off an air of merriment and joy makes for a hard time.

The icing on this miserable Christmas cake, was as I was descending from the bus on the way in to college, I slipped on ice, fell and whacked my knee off the pavement. This was not quite as sore as the sheer embarassment of falling in front of a busload of people. On the bright side, the heat from my blushing face warmed the freezing air a little.

I don't think of myself as a Scrooge, however, and I always try my best to buy presents for family and friends (even if it is just a box of chocolates out of poundland) or at least offer a card with a few Christmas-related words etched inside.

In actualiy, it takes me until about 10pm on Christmas Eve to fully get in the spirit of the festivities, as we sit as a family, eating crispy duck and pancakes, watching the Muppets Christmas Carol.

The Sneddon family has recently started a new tradition of giving "Little House on the Prarie" gifts, which take the form of home-made presents made by us. For example, in the brief history of this gift-swapping event, members of the family have been offered hand-made scarves and hats, stories and games. This rather quaint affair, has now turned into a stormy cloud of panic, as you reach the 24th, and realise that you forgot someone in the family, and have about 2 hours to create an artistic masterpiece.

Apart from the flaw of not having enough time, the idea itself is quite a nice one. As the saying goes "It's the thought that counts", and even if your dog-shaped hot water bottle cover has been already ripped in 2 by the wrapping paper alone, it is still better than that afore-mentioned poundland chocolate.

The Microscope/Telescope Combo

We talk all of the time about the over-commercialism of the festive period, and I agree that people shouldn't give a present just for the sake of giving it. I would much rather that you donated a few pounds to charity, than to buy me a telescope/microscope combo utensil, which I received from the same person two years running.

There is now almost a requirement to buy all of your friends a gift, even if you know they won't like it or use it, just so that there is something to hand them in return for the equally useless gift they just handed you.

I am not saying I don't enjoy recieving presents, or giving them for that matter, but I believe that buying for the sake of buying is not the right thing to be doing. A home-made card is much better to recieve than a mass-produced mildly entertaining gift.

In recent years, we have been given the opportunity to let our friends decide what they want, through the art of giftcards and vouchers. An iTunes voucher opens up the entire world of music and apps, whilst a Book token allows the recipient to choose their own novel. There are even now giftcards for anything from Asda's to World of Warcraft, so there is a guarantee that there will be a giftcard that suits you perfectly.

Christmas has become more about the presents, than spending time with your loved ones, sharing happiness, and pulling the crackers together as you delve into your Christmas dinner.

This Christmas we are having an elderly friend round to join us for lunch, as she lives by herself, and normally has to spend the day sitting lonely in her house. I know that her being there, will be the best present that both she, and us, will get this year.

The gift of giving

Christmas is on its way, as we take the first step into the last month of 2011.
As I woke up this morning, to a cold and dark house, the sight of a "Toy Story" Advent calender lit up the room.

Even as a teenager, I still really love Christmas, although perhaps for different reasons than I used to. Of course I still love unwrapping the presents on Christmas morning, but nowadays I enjoy giving gifts as well. There's something quite special about passing someone a packaged parcel, with a mutual knowledge that you spent time, money and effort on buying them something. Even a Christmas card with a personal message inside, gives the receiver and the giver a magical feeling.

Of course we all know that Christmas originated as a celebration of the birth of a Jesus, but beneath it all the real message in my opinion, is sharing and giving.

I really believe the best gift you can receive at Christmas is a smile from a friend that you have just given a present to, and I hate seeing those who would rather take than give.

It is the one time of the year, spare birthdays, when the thought on everyone's mind is "What will I get for them? What will they get for me?", and I think it's great. Whether you believe it really is the day when the son of God was born, or you believe it's just a time to show thanks and recognition, or indeed if you believe that you have to leave mince pies and carrots for Santa and Rudolph so that they will pay a visit, Christmas is a time for sharing. And I really hope everyone does just that, and shares a bit of love this December.

Striking a blow??

In years gone by, a strike would grind the country to a halt. We have all heard the tales of violence filled days in the Mining strikes; of the need to have police protection for the Scabs, and the clashes between law and protest.



Strikers in action



As I've posted before, I was involved in a film about the 1926 General Strike over the Summer. This was a strike of massive proportions, and lasted approximately 15 days. It was, however, a lost cause, and the miners had to return to work for longer hours, and less pay.

Even then, when the entire country was out in support of them, the miners couldn't win a strike. Maybe this is a sign that they just don't work.

Strike

The feelings of anger and frustration displayed quite clearly by the strikers, seems to have very little effect on the Government. In reality, a day without teachers causes more problems for an adult needing childcare, than it does to Mr Cameron and Clegg.

 Maybe we need a new way of making a point, that will have more of an impact on the Government. The riots certainly made a point, yet resulted in punishment for all involved. There are plenty of other ways to raise issues in Parliament nowadays as well. Petitions for example. If a certain number of signatures are on your petition, it is taken to the House of Commons for debate. Although this is a good way of making Parliament more accessible, I doubt that it would in fact make much difference.

I'm not saying that this strike was a failure, I have no doubt it has, but unless it is followed through by more action, its effect is unlikely to last. Talk is being made of a longer strike of 6-8 weeks, being held by Border Control, Teachers etc. Now that would make a difference.



Jeremy Clarkson ~ Top Gear



Two months of uncontrolled entry into the country would almost certainly stop the Con-Dems in their tracks. It is that sort of protest that the Unions need.

As for Jeremy Clarkson, who appeared on the One show last night, your comments are apalling and disgusting. He said on the hit BBC show "I'd have them all shot. I would take them outside and execute them in front of their families."





From a man who does very little for an awful lot of money, it is completely ludicrous to make such insulting and violent comments. I can quite understand that the union Unison is now seeking legal advice to take action against you Mr Clarkson. It's been a long time coming.

David Cameron, meanwhile, has called the strike action "futile" despite an estimated 2 million workers going on strike. To be fair, they just saved him 2 million days worth of salary, but the fact his proposed changes are going to clearly affect 2 million people, maybe he should take the hint and change his ideas.

Blogging

Blogging was something I had never witnessed before I started college 3 months ago. Since then I have updated my blog each week, with a mixture of views and news.

I have really enjoyed taking part in writing a blog, and it has been a great experience, and has given me the chance to express my views. Even if nobody really is listening, just getting the opportunity to give your own opinion is a great thing to have.

A lot of people are ignored and shunned by their peers, bosses, or representatives, but can take to the internet to have their own say.

The World Wide Web has offered more people a voice, than anything else. It has brought YouTube which has given budding artists and singers the chance to share their talents with hundreds, and thousands of people. Facebook has brought people together, online news websites have made news stories easier to collect, and individual websites have offered businesses and charities the voice they need to raise their profile. And blogging has given normal people like me and you the chance to say what we want, how we want about anything we want.

Freedom of speech is a great thing to have, and I would encourage anyone who can, to make the most of the opportunies being offered to them by the internet. It could just change your life forever.

Scandal

This week, my dream job was thrown into the mud, bruised, kicked and beaten, as the inquest into the News of the World phone-hacking scandal continued. Journalism, and the press in general, is often frowned upon due to the rare few who take on the characteristics of a snake in their articles. Poisonous, fast, and impossible to catch.



Steve Coogan



Celebrities including Steve Coogan and J.K.Rowling took to the podium at the Leveson Enquiry this week, telling of their views on the disgraced journalists, and their claims that they were hacked by the newspaper.

Perhaps the most revolting part of the scandal, is that of Milly Dowler, whose phone was hacked by the NOTW, giving her parents false hope of her survival. The journalists deleted some messages on her voicemail, which her parents naturally took as a sign that she was still alive.

A fine to the newspaper is no longer a suitable crime for these offences. The individuals responsible for the hackings should be given a jail sentence, or heavy fine for them to pay. Nobody has any right to attack somebody else's privacy in such a way. It is twisted and wrong.


The Media is often viewed by many as a mass of prying, nosey and rude slimeballs, willing to do anything to get a story that matches to what they want, and doesn't give the actual truth. On the whole, this caricature of journalists is wrong, but a story like this smears everyone involved in the industry.



James Murdoch



 Newspapers these days are run by huge companies and organisations, which results in a mass media market, where individual voices can't be heard over the roaring of James Murdoch and his profit-orientated peers.



The whole saga of the dealings of the news of the world, leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, and you can't help but feel a little less optimistic about the Media world, after reading about the scandal.

If these are the lengths that one tabloid newspaper will go to, who knows what else might be going on in the private offices of all the hundreds of others of newspapers worldwide?

And what lengths will the media barons go to, just to get a good front page story?

Messages in the smoke...

Smoking is a common habit amongst people, despite the fact that we are all aware that smoking KILLS.  Not only will it affect your teeth and lungs, it can cause serious life-threatning diseases, and is often frowned upon by other members of society.

Smoking is in no way a new thing, in fact it has been around since the shamanistic rituals in 5000 BC. That means smoking is over 7,000 years old. And we still haven't learnt.

Smoking is Dangerous. Smoking can kill. I just can't begin to fathom why someone would sacrifice their lungs and life just for a quick cigarette. One of the biggest man-killers in the World today are tobacco-related diseases. The average american woman who smokes more than a pack a day, can expect to pay an average of $25,800 in additional healthcare over her lifetime.

A few years ago, the Health Act 2006 was introduced, creating a ban on smoking in enclosed public places. They also increased the age of legal smoking in Britain from 16-18. This ban has definately made a difference, with a visible decrease in smokers.

As well as having an affect on your health, smoking has a serious affect on your wallet. It is a pricey addiction to have, and one that can pull you down into a whirlpool of debt and depression.

I personally believe that whilst the Government should never impose a law against smoking, more should be done to encourage smokers away from their habit, through incentives and rewards. Those harrowing photos we see on certain packets really don't do anything, other than make smokers change brands. If you want to make a donkey move, use a carrot not a stick. Reminding people the amount of money they would save if they gave up smoking, is a better incentive. It wouldn't be too many months until you could afford a holiday from your would-be "Smoking money".

Prevention is also better than a cure. Time should be spent teaching children the horrors of smoking. A classmate explained why she had never smoked, and talked about a machine at a Science Museum she had seen as a child. The machine was one set of non-smokers lungs, and one set of smokers.

You had to press a button to make the lungs breathe in and out. The non-smokers' was easy to press, whilst the blackened smokers lungs caused real difficulty in pressing. Needless to say, she has never smoked.

My non-smoker mind just can't understand why you would put your body through the torture of diseasing it with tar and smoke, when you could save money, and health if you didn't pick up a pack of Marlboro at the shop.

A smoker, who smokes 10 cigarettes a day, loses a month of their life every year.

I cherish every day, so why would you ever throw your life away?

That's debatable...

Nothing beats a good debate, and let's face it, there are endless options of what to debate about. Money, Politics, Religion, Lifestyles... anything and everything can be taken more than one way.

Take for example a football match, where one team has romped to success, whilst the other played worse than ever. For one lot of supporters, the result was down to complete luck. Another says it was skill, whilst other groups will blame the Ref, a bad pitch, the manager...

We'll never know who's view was right, and that's what makes a debate so appealing. We humans love to get our own view across, no matter how trivial the issue. In a debate, it's down to you to put forward your argument, back it up, and punch holes in your partners disagreement.

You can walk away from a debate happy that your voice has been heard, even if it is just by a friend who knew it anyway, or you can be swayed to another, better way of thinking.

Today, a friendly debate between a few of the class covered politics, money, religion, human insticts, rights, fame and dictatorship. There were clashes of opinion, but in the context of it all, nobody takes offence if their view is disagreed with. After all, that's the point of a debate.

There's a famous quote: The pen is mightier than the sword. But I think your voice could crush them both in one swift sentence.

It's why politicians stand for election, why we vote, why campaigners make leaflets, why authors write books, and singers compose. We love getting our voice heard, and we love to win.

It's almost like debates were invented just for us! Oh no, wait, they were...

Job losses

Sometimes you can't help but wonder "What is the point?"

What is the point in spending years learning about a subject, if there's barely hope of employment. Yesterday, the BBC reported that unemployment levels in Scotland had risen from 5,000 to 215,000 between July and September of this year.

210,000 people made redundant in a matter of months. If that doesn't scare you, I don't know what will. With limited opportunities available as it is, with over 200,000 people in competition, what chance really is there of employment?

Someone in my class today said that it was because people were becoming lazy, and not looking for jobs anymore. Ehhh, no.

People are trying to get a job more than ever, through the Job Centre, experience and any other options available. The 215,000 figure is enough to prove it isn't laziness but actually a REAL RECESSION where REAL PEOPLE are losing their jobs. If there's no jobs going, nobody's going to get employed. And times like these are perfect for criminal organisations looking for cheap labour, and avoiding the minimum wage law.

It makes the World seems so much more gloomy and doomy, when this sort of news comes out. People just don't get how key the creation of jobs is. It is a key part of bringing the economy back to its feet, and if politicians don't understand this, then I fear we shall be left in debt forever.

Unemployment by age (Scotland)
Time period	16-17 year olds	18-24 year olds	25-34 year olds	35-49 year olds	50-64 year olds
Source: Office for National Statistics, Labour Force Survey I don't want to go through my life, living off dole and jobseekers allowance money. I want to support myself and my family through having a working life, not receiving money from a indebted government. If you help us, Mr Cameron/Clegg, then we want to work, we want to earn a living. We just need some jobs first. And I know what your thinking. The task of creating 210,000 jobs is in no way possible. However, if the experience and opportunities are in place, then the unemployment levels will shrink. It's all just common sense, which unfortunately, just isn't that common.
Jul-Sep 2009	19,000	58,000	38,000	49,000	30,000
Jul-Sep 2010	19,000	70,000	56,000	47,000	38,000
Oct-Dec 2010	21,000	62,000	48,000	43,000	35,000
Jan-Mar 2011	14,000	62,000	48,000	47,000	35,000
Apr-Jun 2011	18,000	70,000	47,000	47,000	29,000
Jul-Sep 2011	16,000	84,000	45,000	47,000	27,000

Have a pop about Poppies.

The 11th of November. Armistice Day. A day of celebration and remembrance of the events 93 years ago, when World War I ended after Germany signed the Armistice.

The poppy is the symbol of the day, representing all those who lost their lives. The flower, seen in its thousands on the battlefields of Flanders and Ypre, has become part of a tradition to help us remember all those who fought and died in the Great War.

But now, the controversy surrounding the Poppy, seems to overshadow the flower itself. And not just in one way.

Bit of a Scam?

When you put your hand in your pocket and pull out a pound for the red box, you are probably thinking you're giving a quid to charity. You'd be right; thank goodness. But if you were to buy a poppy from Kleshna, coming in at up to £60, less of the profit manages to get back to the charitable groups. A feeble 10% from Kleshna poppies goes to charity.

That is shocking. No business should be entitled to make money off the back of fallen heroes. The poppy seen being worn by Gary Barlow on the X Factor, earned Kleshna £54. Disgusting. How can a business pretend to be doing something charitable, yet earn a mass of money in the process?

I think there should be Law against this sort of thing. Turning memories of death, lost ancestors and war heroes into a form of business is revolting. Although not quite as much as what happened last year, which created a whole new level of disgusting.

Picture the scene. Remembrance day in London, and the city is peaceful for the 2-minute silence. Suddenly, members of Muslims Against Crusades begin burning large poppies and shout "British soldiers burn in Hell." Only one man was charged, and was forced to pay £50. That's less than the amount a business is making from profit from one poppy alone.

They plan to repeat the protest this year.

There is disagreement, then there is absolute, evil-intentioned disrespect. Nobody has any requirement to take part in Remembrance day, or to buy a poppy. So if you don't like it, shut up and let us all respect our ancestors who died for their country. We have a right to remember, so let us do that.

I have no real support of the Iraq or Afghanistan wars. But I still buy a poppy. People are fighting for us everyday. The least we can do is stay quiet and still in our thoughts for 120 seconds.

Deserve a Kicking

Even one of the most British of sports - Football - has been refusing to support the campaign. Fifa announced that the England squad would not be allowed to wear poppies in their match this weekend, as it went against a ban on religious and political symbols. They have now relinquished the ban, but only to the extent of allowing black armbands marked with a red poppy.

Why did it even get to this stage?? We are brought back to the whole argument of choice. People should have the choice whether or not they want to wear a Poppy. They shouldn't be banned by their managers, or shoved onto them by their wardrobe team. They should buy them for themselves if they want them, or just politely nod at the volunteers selling them if they don't.

I mean, just how hard is a bit of respect?

Food for thought....

We all love our food. Be it a healthy salad, or some greasy chips-and-curry-sauce, pigging out sessions are part of Human life.

We all know that fatty and sugary foods are bad for us, but today research has revealed that 4,000 people a year die due to unhealthy diets in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Last year researchers said that approximately "30,00 lives a year would be saved if everyone in the UK followed dietary guidelines on fat, salt and fibre."

A shocking number, I agree, but this all comes down to a matter of choice.



The Healthy Option?

We aren't forced to eat crisps, chocolate or cake, but we choose to, knowing that it may affect our future Health. Some of us choose to cut back on the sugary goods, and opt for Fruit or Veg. Good on them. But that's their choice as well.

The Government is now considering a Tax on foods containing High Levels of Saturated Fat.

Sorry, but stop the bus! Prices for food are already through the roof, and now you want us to pay extra for a bit of unhealthiness? Why should we be forced into eating food that we might not like, just so the facts and figures look better.

People smoking know that they're running the risk of Lung Disease. Alcoholics know that they will have problems with their Liver. We know that that fry-up is a heart attack waiting to happen. But people still smoke, drink and eat! Aren't we all allowed the choice of eating what we want?

Greased Lightning!



Some people don't even have that choice. Diabetes is a well known condition that affects many of us. Sugar is a necessity for someone with diabetes. So why should they be taxed because of their condition?

I struggle to see why anyone should be controlled by any authority, on a decision that is there's to make. It isn't bothering anyone else if I eat a nice chocolate cake!! A smoking in public places ban seems fair, as that does affect the passer-by. Binge Drinking also taxes on the Emergency Services. But eating doesn't!

We are all going to die a some point, so let's just enjoy ourselves, eat what we want, and face the consequences when we get to them.

After all, it isn't 4,000 lives saved, it's just 4,000 deaths postponed.

Apology needed???

Words slip out all the time. We've all had the awkward "no, no, I didn't mean it like that..." defence when we accidentally let a few insulting sentences tumble forth. For most, a simple apology or explanation solves the problem, and conversation continues. If you're a Celebrity or Politician, however, things can get a little bit more awkward, and in some cases can turn the media against you.

Ian Davidson, a Labour MP and chairperson of the Scottish Affairs Committee, allegedly said "You're gonna get a doing" to Dr Eilidh Whiteford of the SNP if details of a private discussion were leaked to the media.

Mr Davidson

Dr Whiteford took this into a Sexual threat, and has left the committee until there is a new chair elected. Mr Davidson has not stood down, and has apologised to Dr Whiteford.

The word that springs to mind when first reading this story is: "Really?". Accusations of sexual threats, bullying and sexism are an indiscrete attempt by Dr Whiteford to gain media attention, and a bit of classic anti-opposition smearing.

There is not a single part of me that believes that the comments were in anyway malicious or threatening, and that in no way should Mr Davidson be held responsible. It was a mistake... Surely??



Dr Whiteford



We step once more into the muddied pool of rumour, where nothing is quite clear, and there are countless channels of Truth and Lies which we could easily follow. In politics, surely you've got to have a hard skin; afterall we all do love hating our Political Representatives! Should this story be getting just as much coverage as it is getting? Is this a little splash, blown totally out of proportion to Tsunamic Sizes?? Or should our Politicians be setting a good example to our already sexist, racist, homophobic society?

Let's strip Dr Whiteford and Mr Davidson of their MP titles, and we have a totally different story. A man tells a woman he will "give her a doing" if she does something, then tells her he didn't mean it in a Sexual way. In my opinion, the story would be forgotten and their two lives would continue un-changed. If we add a bit of Political bias, and the whole of the British Media World, we are left with a totally different story.

This offers the notion that either Dr Whiteford has no backbone,can't bring herself to cope with a teeny insult and shouldn't be an MP, Or Dr Whiteford has made this a Political stunt, isn't acutally insulted, and shouldn't be an MP. Either way = The Same Result.

People elected by us should not think that they are more important than us. They shouldn't have more of a right to be in a harmless bubble of safety, protected from the storm of insults and abuse that we all risk facing every day.

If we peer back a few months, we will discover that this story, isn't the only case of supposed Sexism by our Political pals.

David Cameron, the Prime Minister himself, was forced to apologise for comments aimed at women.

"Calm down dear!" he told MP Angela Eagle during PMQs, in the style of Michael Winner. Instantly Cameron was branded a "Sexist", until it no longer hit the headlines, when everyone forgot about it.

A perhaps more serious case of sexism by Politicians is that of Tory Candidate Payam Tamiz and Social Networking site Facebook,  which hit the news last year.

"Girls in THANET ... you are all slags, hoes, brasses and bheads." he posted on Facebook "Girls who comment under facebook pics boasting to their slutty friends about guys they've f***** and had one-night stands with are as low as they come!"

He consequently resigned from the Conservative party.

If we head back to the, in comparison, rather tame case of Whiteford and Davidson, I can't help but feel that this is only an effort for Media attention and votes by Dr Eilidh.

Now get off my headlines, and let's read about actual Life-Changing stories.

BBC = Biased But Cool?

BBC is supposed to be un-biased. BBC is paid for by us.

There is a thin line between being unbiased and, well, not. Recently, however, I am starting to see glimpses of the supposedly un-biased BBC crossing that line.

I talk of the controversial, yet informative BBC show "Panorama". This week, Darragh McIntyre led us through the finance issues of Popular to Hate political party, BNP.

We all know of the General distaste of Mr Griffin and his racist, homophobic and extremist Party, so it is no surprise that I tuned in to see them get a right thrashing in front of millions. But then I remembered. The BBC is unbiased, so no chance of a great show-down.

I should have stuck to my first thought. The BBC successfully poured litre after litre of allegation all over Mr Griffin's head; Fraud, Fraud, Fraud, Fraud.

Using European Parliament money incorrectly, forging fake costs... The BNP was hardly shown in a great light. Surely, this means the BBC failed at remaining impartial?

It all depends of course on how you define Bias. If it is showing both sides to the argument in equal measure, then I think it is quite clear that the Corporation was definitely biased. If it is offering each side the chance to par-take in equal measure, then the Opposite is Correct and the whole thing should be dropped.

Throughout the show, we saw Mr McIntyre, the presenter of the investigation, continuously try to contact Mr Griffin to arrange an interview and discuss the matter of finance and fraud, face-to-face.

When Nick finally agreed, the whole interview was a sham to try and embarrass Panorama with questions from angry BNP supporters, whilst Nick slipped out the door.

If the BBC did veer into showing the BNP badly, they did bring it on themselves. A non-guilty Leader wouldn't try to hide from the cameras; he would arrange a sensible interview, and clear out the facts and allegations. Nick Griffin did not. His whole interview fiasco left himself floundering in a wallow of doubt and guilt. But the BBC tried. Is that not enough? If they can only show programmes with the subject of the investigation being shown in a brilliant light, then the show would be pointless, and potentially criminals could get away with it all.

Being totally indifferent is impossible; especially when dealing with illegal, tax-stealing Racists.

Walking with Humans...

I have been following BBC TV series "Planet Dinosaur", which offers a great insight into the Prehistoric Era, built almost entirely on fact. It is amazing what one fossil can show us about what life was like Millions and Millions of years ago. A simple tooth mark, or bone position can tell us all about a Dinosaur Eco-system; who ate what, who was hunted, how they bred, fought or found food.

But watching the tales of Massive Predators, and equally huge herbivores, makes even the most deadly of our animals feel rather tame. The most deadly animal in the Globe is a Mosquito, whereas the largest land Animal in the UK is a Red Deer. Not quite as exciting as a T-Rex or Diplodocus I feel.

But perhaps I just have a longing, like most of us, to find out just exactly who trod on the Earth before us humans. And at one time or another, we have all dreamed of going to Jurassic Park (minus the escaped Velociraptors etc.). These creatures dominated the Earth for Millions of years; making the Human Race seem like a Millisecond on the Earth's Clock.

There is no doubt that Scientists and Archaeologists the World over have been working tirelessly to help uncover the true Mysteries of the Past, and if we stop for a minute to think about it, you can't help but stand in awe of the amount of things we do know about the past.

I could tell you the length, diet, main prey, and main predator of a Huge variety of Animals, from just what has been found in the ground on which we tread, in as much time as it takes me to Google it. Only 30 years ago this would have been impossible.

Life is unstoppable. Every species, be it Human, Dinosaur, Animal or Plant, has an amazing ability to make the most of what it has been provided.

And you can't help but think; We would know very little, if not nothing, about the Prehistory of this Planet, if us Humans weren't so God-damn Nosey.

Walking in circles...

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Getting lost is an integral part of Human Life. We have all been involved in the "Excuse me, can you tell me where..." or "Is this the right way for..." conversation. Despite the creation of compasses, Maps, Globes and, more recently, Sat Navs, the Human Race still has the amazing ability to end up in the middle of nowhere, with not a clue of how they got there, or more importantly, how to get back to where they want to be.

But it isn't always a case of reading the map wrong, or missing the turn. Sometimes, there is a more clinical reason for Getting Lost.

Sharon Roseman, a 61-year-old American, has developmental topographical disorientation. In plain English, this relates to huge problems of navigational skill, most likely going back into early brain development. But her confusion over directions is much more serious. Every single morning, she wakes up in a house, which seems to resemble nothing like what she is used to. The doors, hallways and rooms seem to have moved whilst she slept. Even if she makes it to her car, the problems are not over. A simple detour in her normal route means instant confusion. On one such occasion, an icy slope caused her to search for a new way out of the Estate. 40 minutes later she recognised her front door and gave up.

This condition is of course very rare, and in the main, a Map will get you out of most places. But Say you were lost in the middle of nowhere. No idea where you are. No idea how to get out. No Maps, phones, Sat Navs. Nothing. How would you get out? You have two options. Sun or Stars.

The Sun

A very simple way of finding direction, involves the Sun, shadows and a metre-long stick. Put the stick in the ground upright and mark the placement of the shadow with a stone, or marker. Wait half an hour (or 1,800 elephants, if you haven't got a watch) and then mark the shadow again. Draw a line between the two points, and the line will run West-East with the first marker being West.

"The Big Dipper will always point to the North Star"

If you do have a watch, hold it flat and point the hour hand towards the Sun. The point between the hour-hand and the 12, shall now be North.

The Stars

A more fun way of doing it is at night, with the Stars. It seems strange to think that fiery balls of gas millions of miles away could possibly offer support in navigation, but they can. Simply find the Plough (Big Dipper), follow the line made by the front two stars, and you will see the North Star shining brightly. This will always be to your north.

Bermuda Triangle

Location of the Bermuda Triangle

Perhaps the most famous place to get lost is the Bermuda Triangle. The area in the Atlantic Ocean supposedly holds host to UFO's, Ghosts, and some say the Devil himself. A number of ships and air crafts have gone missing in the area, and it is now somewhat of a Legend.

Larry Kusche, who has written books on the subjects, says that "The number of ships and aircraft reported missing in the area was not significantly greater, proportionally speaking, than in any other part of the ocean"

However, the more fun way of explaining the missing crafts, is to blame it on the Supernatural. And that's exactly what a lot of writers and authors have done. Steven Spielburg, for example, used the missing Flight 19 crew in his alien film "Close Encounters of a Third Kind". My personal favourite explanation, however, is that leftover technology from Atlantis, the mythical Lost Continent, is somehow involved.

Back to Britain

If you do end up being abducted by Aliens, or called down to Atlantis, I think we could all agree that even the best navigational skills are going to be of little use.

But if you are merely lost in a village, town or city, there are 6 handy ways of finding the right way.

1. Satellite Dishes.

A rather humorous way of working out directions, I thought. The way this works, is that the majority of Satellite Dishes point at a satellite dish that remains at the same point all the time. In the UK, the dominant satellite broadcaster, presumably Sky, has one such satellite which is close to southeast. The majority of Satellites therefore point this way.

2. Religious Buildings

Early Churches gave hints at which way was which. Christian Churches are majorly aligned west-east, with the altar of the church at the Eastern side. This alignment is also true of Gravestones.

If the Building in question is a Mosque, you must enter inside and look for a niche in a wall, which will indicate which way to Pray. This shall always point towards Mecca.

And if the Synagogue is where your at, the Torah Ark is normally at the East End, so that worshippers can pray to Jerusalem.

3. Weather

All buildings are affected by weather; the rain and pollution is carried by the wind, leaving its mark on the walls. The majority of wind is from the Southwest in the UK, meaning that the most patterns will be on the South-West facing wall.

4. People

If you're in a city, sometimes going with the flow is the way to be. Look for where the crowds are going. In the evening, they shall be going towards the Bus/Train Stations. In the morning, the opposite is correct.

5. Road Alignment

Roads are built to carry traffic, and the main bulk of traffic is either heading towards, or away from a town. If you are in the North or South of town, the roads will be aligned North/South.

6. Clouds

Prevention is better than cure, and the clouds offer just that. Before you get lost, look up and see which way the clouds are blowing. This direction should remain constant for the rest of the day, thus offering a reliable way of knowing which way you just came.

Finally, I leave you with news, that when we are lost, we do actually walk in circles. Preliminary research has shown that when we are unsure of the way, the path we tend to take is in circles or curved lines. Further research is yet to take place to prove the point further.

That's it for now, so go on, Get Lost!!

Share it with the World...

Facebook. Twitter. Flickr. Youtube.

All have become household names in the past months and years. They are ways of networking, sharing photos, thoughts, and contacting Friends and the World. They are incredible.

But are we really aware of just how far a single photo on Facebook can spread?? Should we really be posting all our memories on the internet? It is called the Worldwide Web for a reason; do we really want anyone and everyone to be able to invade on our lives?

Selling your children...

This week we heard Brad Pitt explain why he and Angelina Jolie sold photos of their New-born twins in 2008 to Hello! and People for an estimated £8.75m.

"I know some of these guys who are in that Stalkerazzi world" Pitt said "And you really have to seperate them from the Papparazzi in our industry. That's another breed."

Brad Pitt

"We figured, 'Let's cut it off in the beginning', and instead of that money going to people I do not respect, we could make some good out of it."

The money is reported to have gone into the Jolie-Pitt Foundation charity.

But when every Proud mother begins posting pictures online of their newborn baby, who knows where they may end up?



Joan Goodchild, CSO



Joan Goodchild, senior editor of Chief Security Officer, online helps to point out some of the Hidden Dangers.

She says that:

• Your information is being shared with third parties

• Facebook ads may contain malware

• Your real friends unknowingly make you vulnerable

• Scammers are creating fake profiles

• Privacy settings revert to a less safe default mode after each redesign

This last one is particularly important, as such redesigns have taken place very recently. To put it simply, every time Facebook changes, all of your information is made public. It is important to check your settings and amend them after these design changes.

For some people, having the most friends is a key part of using Facebook. What they don't realise is that an estimated 40% of Facebook profiles are fake. If you have 500 friends, that's a potential 200 fake people.

Your only as Protected as the weakest of your Friends

It only takes one of your friends to be hacked, for all your information to go public, and potential viruses etc. to be sent straight to you.

Be Careful What You Post


Sarah Richardson



Of course, sometimes a post doesn't have to go all the way round the World for it to end in disaster.

Sarah Richardson was stabbed to death, in a frenzied attack, by her estranged husband, after changing her Relationship Status to single.

Camille Mathurasingh was stabbed to death 20 times by her ex-boyfriend Paul Bristol, after he saw her with a new man on Facebook photos.

These events seem extreme, and indeed very rare, and seem to indicate a problem with the murderer, not Facebook. However, one British police agency recently reported the number of crimes they've responded to in the last year involving Facebook climbed 346 percent. These are real threats.

Social Networking is a double-edged knife. Fantastic for keeping in touch with people, but perhaps in some cases too many, or the wrong people.

Monkeying about...

A sad, moving and in some ways disturbing video was released this month, showing a group of Laboratory Chimpanzees seeing the Outside World for the very first time. Their shockingly Human reactions strike a chord in the heart, as they hug each other for support as they enter this brand new Environment.

Click Here to see the Video

We all know Chimps are not far off being Human, so why are we still treating them as a much lesser species?
We all hate torture of Humans, but why do we not care so much about torture of our Primate relatives?

The life of a Chimpanzee is full of small pleasures. Freedom, swinging through the trees and Family. Why then, do we find it so hard to treat them fairly, and instead lock them in labs and Zoos?

When will we realise it's not just Humans that count? I fear that these wishes will not be granted soon enough.

A Crime Punishable by Death

The Death Penalty. Now non-existent in Britain, but still used in over 35 States (October 2009) in America. 

This week it has been brought into a Controversial Light, after Troy Davis was executed in Georgia, despite most of the witnesses leading to his sentence later changing their testimonies. The murder he was accused of committing took place in 1989.

So is the Death Penalty right? Should we bring it back? Or should the US follow us, and abolish it? With those questions asked we instantly step off the firm ground of opinion, right onto the thin ice of Controversy.

Let's start with the easy stuff. The Facts.

The Death Penalty was first introduced to the UK in 1707 and was abolished in 1964. The Americans introduced the Penalty in 1608, and  according to the "Espy File" 15,269 people were executed in the United States and its predecessor colonies between 1608 and 1991. There were 46 executions in 2010 alone, including one by electric chair, and one by firing squad.

Ronnie Lee Gardner (1961-2010) Executed by: Firing Squad.

Ronnie Lee Gardner, seen above, was sentenced to death for fatally shooting his Attorney, on the way to a Court hearing for a Homicide that he also committed. His first Murder was committed in 1984. His Second, the Attorney,  was 1985. He successfully kept his case in Court, with a series of appeals, for nearly 25 years before he was shot by Firing Squad in 2010. Whilst in Jail, he also stabbed another inmate.

For even this man, whose whole intent was to murder or cause bodily harm, surely the firing squad isn't suitable punishment? Isn't there a more humane way? Or is any form of execution equally inhumane?

In my opinion any form of killing someone, is in itself Murder. OK, OK there are exceptions; Hitler and his Nazi colleagues, serial killers and serial rapists. There are some people who don't deserve a place in even the darkest of Prisons. And I know that if someone I know directly was murdered, that I would want the Murderer to be punished. But to be killed?

They say two wrongs don't make a right. Surely this is the same for murder. Two people murdered and nobody's happy. But where can you draw the line between who should be sentenced, and who should be condemned?

According to Isle of Wight Conservative MP Andrew Turner, (2 August, 2011) that line is those who "killed children or Police Officers." He used the all too familiar stories of Ian Brady (pictured above) and Myra Hindley, Roy Whiting, and those who murdered Baby P.
Mr Turner also said that a Parliamentary debate should take place to discuss the matter of Capital Punishment, and whether or not it should be brought back. He said the Death Penalty is the "proper punishment" for those serious crimes.

Amnesty International responded by calling the penalty "a cruel relic of the past".

At the same time, a Government petition website was launched, giving campaigners and the public the chance to initiate Parliamentary debates. You must secure 100,000 signatures to be eligible for your idea to be debated in the Houses of Parliament.

So far the Petition to "Restore the Death Penalty" has 21,139 signatures (22.09.2011) whilst on the same day, the Petition to "Retain the Ban" has 29,592 votes.

Jeremy Croft, head of Amnesty UK's policy and Government affairs, said "In our experience public support for Capital Punishment falls dramatically when people are confronted with the grim reality of what it means to put a person on trial for their life, and then kill them."

He said that he was also concerned about miscarriages of justice such as the Birmingham Six, the Guildford Four and Stephen Downing.

Leicester City Councillor Barbara Potter, however, said "I believe in an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and a life for a life" Adding "I'm a mother myself, so I want to keep them as safe as possible."
"With all the DNA technology we can be 100% sure that someone is guilty and when we are 100% sure that this man has killed this child and the evidence is there, then capital punishment is appropriate."

We get you want to keep your child safe, as any parent would. And we get that some criminals are evil, evil people. But there is a chance that someone may be killed, and that a few months later that last little bit of evidence will be revealed which proves them innocent. Can we really take that risk?

In my view, no. If I could would I have ensured that Hitler was executed? Yes, of course I would. Would I have done the same of Myra Hindley? Probably, yes, but I struggle to actively say that I think it is ever going to be a good thing to end somebodies life. War Crimes, Holocaust, Mass Murder, Torture. These things perhaps deserve to be punished by death. But surely in almost every single case, there is a form of repentance, of regret.

Forgiveness is not something we do for somebody else, but for ourselves, to help us get well and move on. Times have changed, and maybe death isn't the answer to death.