It's been a while.

It's been a while since my last post mostly because of health issues which I won't go into. 

This once great country has sunk into a pit of self destruction due to a succession of governments that have promised to lead the country to better times but have instead lead us into an economic black hole fuelled by a fanatical pursuit of totally useless and unachievable climate goals. Also, the new Labour government have said that vulnerable pensioners will lose their winter fuel allowance whilst giving millions of pounds to Africa to help them with their unachievable climate goals, and the endless stream of money given to Ukraine. Combine all that with even more Draconian online speech laws especially when criticising Islam, we seem (are) to be witnessing the birth pangs of a police state. Whilst criticism of Islam is stamped on, criticism of Christianity is almost encouraged. Not forgetting the ongoing clown world obsession with calling men, women. The whole world is reaching the stage a volcano gets to just before a major eruption, exactly what the eruption will look like, your guess is as good as mine. The only certainty is, it won't be pretty. 

Definitely more to come, so untill next time. 

Kids are not allowed to be kids anymore.

 First bit is August 2021. I was watching George Carlin on a talkshow with Roseanne Barr just now and one thing struck a nerve. George said that kids have lost the power to just sit, look out the window and just simply daydream. Kids play is now regimented by overbearing parents who over protect their kids. Kids out playing, if in fact they're ever allowed out to play, have to check in every so often whereas, in my day it was, when the street lights come on, come home. During school holidays, I was out straight after breakfast and where I went was my decision. To be honest I did have some limitations imposed on me but not many. Today it's actually very rare to actually see kids out playing at all.

Back to the original point, daydreaming leads to looking at everyday things like clouds and trees and seeing things that come from their imagination. 

I wrote the first piece of this post two years ago but never finished it. It's still relevant but events dealing with children since then have taken a sinister turn. The powers that be now deem it appropriate to send drag queens into kindergartens and primary schools to hold so called story talks. Also children as young as nine are to be taught about sex but, not just normal sex, how to perform oral and anal sex is included in the official curriculum. Parents who object are called in and told in no uncertain terms that these lessons are compulsory. Some parents are now taking their children out of school and are now homeschooling them.

Personally, I'm on the outside looking in on this but I am of the opinion that this kind of thing is totally inappropriate and disgusting. Children should be allowed to be children. More to come.

Till next time. 

2015. A New UK Election But With A Difference.

Here we are again. On May 7th the population of the UK will once again head for the polling stations to elect another government. One of the biggest questions will be will the next government screw us as much as Cameron's coalition did for the last 5 years. There is no question that the poorest in this country have carried the biggest burden with regard to the "deficit" reduction. Note that it is not "debt" reduction. In actual fact the country's debt has risen to over £1,500,000,000 in the last 5 years. The real truth of the matter is that it is an impossibility to pay the debt in full. While lining the pockets of the rich with tax cuts and public money, Cameron's government have given us a debt for eternity.
Another big question is, can the Labour Party in Scotland actually survive as a major party. The opinion polls over the last 6 months strongly suggest that the Scottish National Party will all but sweep the board taking control of at least, yes at least 3 quarters of the seats in Scotland. Obviously, as Scotland only elects 59 MP's, the SNP will never be able to form a government in Westminster but, it's the potential loss of around 45 Labour party MP's that is causing all the furore. The SNP's YES campaign in 2014's independence referendum was defeated but, if the UK election result fulfils it's potential for SNP dominance, another independence referendum could be on the cards. One indication to that end is the fact that membership of the SNP has rocketed from 25,000 last September to over 103,000. However, another referendum is a matter for the future.
Already in this election campaign, the words "coalition" and "hung parliament" are mentioned as a matter of course. This has never happened in the UK except during a war. Numerous political analysts have actually said that coalitions could become the norm. In Scotland, the parliament is elected by proportional representation which should, every time, return a coalition government. However, at the last election, the SNP returned an overall majority of MSP's (Members of the Scottish Parliament) to confound all the experts.
You will notice that I haven't mentioned the supposed big 3 party's, Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrats. Oh yes I forgot to mention UKIP as well. I didn't mention them because although they will control the majority of seats, well the Conservatives and Labour will, they still won't have enough to have an overall majority and therefore they will have to do a bit of horse trading to be able to form a government. That is where the likes of the SNP come in. The SNP leader and Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon has completely ruled out any contact with the Conservatives and only a working relationship with Labour. No formal coalition with anyone. UKIP are unlikely to have enough seats to make a difference. This leaves the Lib Dems. Jumping into bed with the Conservatives after the last election in 2010 has damaged them, it's a question of, how much.
It is the most interesting and unpredictable election in the UK for many years and no doubt there will be many twists and turns before polling day on May 8th.
Till next time. (Hopefully sooner rather than later)

Musings on the Now.

I watched a movie on Youtube last night called "Peaceful Warrior" and while it was a good enough movie, it did start me thinking about a few things. We seem today to be looking either into both the future and the past far too much, there is not enough concentration on the "now" which to my way of thinking should be the most important time of ones life. The past is finished and as for the future, well, who really knows what the future will bring. Also, when meeting a friend for instance, he or she will ask "what's happening?" The answer often given is "nothing." When you think about it, there is always something happening, be it news on TV or radio, or just a leaf falling off a tree and brushing your cheek. Alertness seems to be a lost art but it is an art that we would do well to revive. Human emotions. Good or bad? Most would say good but, uncontrolled emotions leads us often to uncontrolled actions which in turn lead to uncontrolled lives. Controlled emotions, on the other hand lead to balance, harmony and clear thought and therefore, control of both ourselves but also our lives.
Till next time.

Are Ancient Texts Relevant Today?

I have been fascinated for years by the Apocrypha, books rejected from the bible. I have read a few of them but my understanding of them leaves a lot to be desired. At the moment I am in the process of reading the R.H.Charles translation of the Book Of Enoch. I am actually only on the introduction at the moment, but this is what I wanted to blog about. He is talking about the people who were connected with the actual writing of the Book Of Enoch and it struck me that they were experiencing a lot of the same problems with their society that we are experiencing now. I quote "the Apocalyptists despaired of the world in which they lived" Quite appropriate for our time as well, and he goes on to say,  "a world in which the godly were of no account, while the wicked seemed too often triumphant and prosperous." I know that I often feel this about the society I live in, which is a society that cares more about what various waste of space celebrities are getting up to than what their immediate family are doing. We live in a morally corrupt age in which greed is good, to quote from a movie of a few years ago. Human life is cheap as we see on our TV news programmes and documentaries. We have become numb to stories of mass hunger and poverty throughout the planet and we are being conned by the news that it is caused by human caused climate change. Thankfully, that lie is slowly being exposed for what it is, a complete load of nonsense. However, good things have come out of it, like conservation and re-cycling to name two. i am getting off my original train of thought. My main point to this post was that I hear from many sources that these books have no relevance in modern times. Personally, I believe that to be a load of rubbish. Whether the writings are literally true or not, I think the message that is given to us is what matters. Did Jesus, Abraham, Elijah, Solomon, David etc. actually live? Maybe they did, or maybe they didn't (I have an open mind about that) the message is just as relevant today as it was then. My studying continues.

The Scottish Referendum Debate.

My first post of this new year.
Being a proud Scot, I felt I had to comment on the attempt by David Cameron to hijack the proposed referendum on Scottish independence. As hijackings go, this is probably the most inept and childish one I have ever come across. When the S.N.P. party overwhelmingly won the last election, Alex Salmond said in the pre election manifesto that a referendum on independence would be held in the second half of the parliament. Cameron, however, obviously does not understand that the second half means at least two years down the line. He is so scared that the Scottish government will govern sensibly and fairly and therefore make the result a foregone conclusion, that he is trying to take control of the running of the referendum. The Tories have only one Scottish member of the Westminster parliament and therefore have no mandate to dictate anything to the Scottish Parliament. The more he blunders from one scheme to rig the referendum to another, the more the Scottish people are likely to actually vote for independence.
Personally, I am in favour of independence, but, and this is a big but, I am not in favour of Scotland joining the Euro, and if the truth be told, I don't support our proposed membership of the EU. I think the EU is now a failed institution that has lost it's way. The initial aim of the EU was purely economic and trade links, but it has moved towards a federalist organisation and I don't want Brussels to decide how much freedom, financial and otherwise, I have. That is a job for our own government. That is why, when the referendum is held, I hope there is, as well as the question on independence, there is also a question on Europe.
A final word to Mr. Cameron. Unless you keep your big mouth shut you will forever be remembered as the Prime Minister who caused the break up of the UK. That will look good alongside Thatcher's legacy. The destruction of UK society.

New Blog

I have started a new blog called stand up and be counted. This will be for all the politically motivated rants that will be spewing forth in the future. I will still post here, but probably not as frequentlly.
new blog is http://www.standupandbecounted-aristilus.blogspot.com/