Serious
Time goes faster as you get older
As the 1st of october clicked around i got to thinking about how the older i get the faster the years seem to fly by. I wonder if it is becase we compare thing to how long we have lived. For example when you are 4 then a single year seems to drag because its 25% of you life. But when you are age 25 a year is just 4% of your life, and when you reach 50 a year is even less at only 2% of ones memories. Maybe we measure time not by a fixed rule but against the scale of our life memories. So as we get older each passing year seems shorter.
Its half full not half empty
Empty is by definition zero,nothing,null,void.
So half empty is still empty – 0/2 =0
So while something can be half full, it can never ever be half empty.
Feminism
Feminism was always about self respect, and about people knowing they could be themselves and be equal without having to be the same.
By this very definition it can mean very different things to other people without loosing its truth.
Society, The Media, X-Factor, Katie and Napoleon.
Historically society has apportioned importance according to role. For example Lord of the Manor or Peasent, and until recently people had limited choices in those roles. If you were a farmer’s son then you would be a farmer. One might marry into money or be born with it. Some might aspire to better that themselves and a few might succeed. Methods have included marriage, crime, business acumen, science and the production of art, more recently called “media”.
Different ages of “media” have had different styles. From gladiators fighting in an arena, to the written word with Shakespeare, through silent slapstick with Charlie Chaplin, through rock ‘n’ roll with Elvis, the advent of the music video with Queen, and the Stock, Aitken and Waterman era of early Kylie. The roles and rewards of promoters, writers and performers have changed less, with promoters making the most profits and performers risking the most
The success of any media is usually judged by the size of its patronage. Though in the majority of cases the fans will never meet or really get to know the ‘stars’. Even the name “star” implies something high above us that we can reach for the never quite touch. Talent shows promise a chance of fame to those that crave it. Most recently with the audience empowered to feel that they are part of the judging process. We all have different criteria mixing who we want to win, who we think deserves to win, and in more recent years tactical voting. Promoters, writers, performers and even politicians know this, and often try to present themselves in the best possible light to maximise their chances of success. In clear moments participants known and may even admit that they are gambling their futures in such contests, and that there are always more losers than winners.
You can love or hate the X factor or both. My personal opinion is that it is a modern day pantomime, where the audience cheer and boo like marionettes with tangled strings. If I choose to watch such a performance then I choose to yield to the machinations, and the rollercoaster of emotions, safe in the knowledge that it is not real, at least not real that anyone I really know.
As for katie, she has fallen into the panto role of the villain we should boo; whether this is because of her family.her precociousness, “Gamu”-gate, or a cultural backlash against image styling; she is perhaps the new nasty Nick. While I do not ascribe to the vitriol against her I do agree with the caller last night that the producers of X factor must share some of that responsibility whether their actions have been grounded in incompetence or in deviousness.
To close this essay I will leave you with two quotes that you may or may not agree with; one from Wagner “She’s just a girl from a council estate who got lucky when somebody gave her a job in showbusiness” ; and one slightly more profound from Napoleon Bonaparte. “One must change one’s tactics every 10 years if one wishes to maintain one’s superiority”
Remembrance Sunday
This morning I walked down to the local Polish War Memorial on the A40 West London. There was a there was a small crowd of maybe 20 people, some local community police officers and two local councillors who lay wreaths and read a short dedication.
Afterwards I spent some time reading the names of the fallen on the wall behind the Memorial, as I did so, I thought about why the Memorial was there and why I had come. I am not Polish, I did not serve in the war, though my father did. I do not believe the Polish fought for just Polish or that the English fought for just the English. I believe they thought as we should for each other. I laid my poppy at the foot of Memorial and went home quietly grateful to all who fought so that I might be free. I hope to do the same next year.
Make mentoring deductible for corporation tax – inspired by @Lord_Sugar
I read Lord Sugars speech at http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=159423317411506 and got to thinking.
Companies can claim capital expenses and R&D as deductibles for corporation tax. I believe that by extension companies should be able to claim a tax refund of up to 20% of the salary of a mentor who spends a minimum 20% of their time mentoring a registered apprentice.
Nigeria 419 Scammers must have a sense of humour
I know that the email below is a 419 scam designed to steal money but still it made me laugh when I read it.
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES
Internal Audit ||Monitoring || Consulting and Investigations Division
From: Mr. Kim Hak-SuSir/Ma,
My names is Mr. Kim Hak-Su Under-Secretary General with the United Nations. I write to inform you that I came to Nigeria yesterday from America, after series of complains from the FBI and petitions against the Federal Government of Nigeria and the British Government for the rate of scam activities going on in these two nations the UN under my capacity mandated that I come for a first hand investigation and rule out possible solution to the problem. Mrs.Inga-Britt Ahlenius has gone back and by this weekend I will go back to London too which the payment will stop this Friday.From all indication, after due investigation as regards to this very matter, it came to the attention of the minister, federal ministry of finance and the accountant general of the federation that there is no cent existing on your favor as one of the legitimate beneficiary of the contract/inheritance amount you are struggling all this while to claim, but due to the dubious interest of some top officials they short listed your name as one of the approved beneficiaries that have not been paid, well my dear, I want you to understand that your name is not short listed in any contractual/inheritance payment and you are not going to receive any money as regards to this subject, it all forged in order to extort
money from you by some officials that derive joy from doing so.Meanwhile, I have good news for you, the only place your name appeared as one of the legal beneficiary of any money in our list which bears your name, is as one of the scam affected persons to be compensated with the total sum of Eight Hundred Thousand United State Dollars (US$ 800,000.00 ) which incidentally came as a result of your involvement in dealing with some people that claims to have some huge amount of money for you which I must say is a very big lie. I have met with President GoodLuck Jonathan of Nigeria who claimed that he has been trying his best to make sure you receive your fund in your account. This is part of the resolution that was deliberated on when he visited America to see President Barrack Obama shortly before he took over still as the vice on 10th of April 2010, and immediately he took over the presidential position on May 6th 2010 he repeated the visit.
The UN secretary general Mr. Ban Ki-Moon has directed that we work in collaborations with the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crime Commission and have decided to waive away all clearance fees/Charges and authorize the Government of Nigeria to effect payments without prejudice to affected victims with Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars each with immediate effect. The only fee you will pay in other for you to receive your fund is the UN Notarization fee, after which the “UN Bill of Right” certificate will be issued to you that will supersede any injunction whatsoever.
Sincerely, you are a lucky person because I have just discovered that some top Nigerian officials like Professor Charles, Dr. Adams just to mention but this few and some British Government Officials are interested in your fund and they are working in collaboration with some faceless individuals to frustrate you and thereafter divert your fund into their personal account. I have a very limited time to stay here so I would like you to urgently respond to this message so that I can advise you on how best you can receive your fund within the shortest possible time without spending unnecessarily.
Sincerely yours,
Mr. Kim Hak-Su
United Nations Under-Secretary
General for Internal Oversight.
Burning books.
Burning anything is disrespectful whether it is draft papers, flags, korans or people. It always reflects more on the person doing the burning than it ever does on what is being burned. Equally arguing that is ok to offend provided those people will not retaliate is also disrespectful.
Self Service Checkouts
After a long day at work, I do not want to have to spend an additional 5 minutes pretending to be a checkout guy, and I really do not want to do it for free. As a paying customer is it to much to expect to be SERVED by a human being?
England Soccer Manager Contracts
The English Soccer Manager job should be a 2 year contract that is renegotiated after each major tournament ( European / World cup )
England should not be stuck with a manager for 4 years after a poor performance. Do the job well or make way for somebody else to.