Coalition government (so far) vs Labour

Cometh the hour cometh the man. No greater expression has defined a nation than our own, Great Britain. 

When there are hard times Great Britain has had great men rise or made to fit the occasion, important examples come from the stubborn, resilient, and great Winston Churchill, and those upper class boys in the Battle of Britain fresh from university, arrogant but brilliant, who gave us time to prepare and build to take the fight to Hitler. There are many others forgotten by history whose names are not known to the public but who gave back to the country that which gave them liberty and opportunity, and in turn these people made us greater. Now Vince Cable, Rory Stewart and a growing body of politicians are rising, acting with common sense and a thorough approach to their work, something lacking by previous politicians who were content to maintain positions and feather their nests, rather than service the country's needs. At this point the country and the people are in need of leadership and above all people at the top doing their jobs effectively and efficiently. The waste of money and employment by Whitehall to lower employment statistics was inefficient and negligent, unnoticeable when the country was doing well but now are eyes are open we must address it and above all keep are eyes open and maintain a lean tough government for the future. 

I would not say that these individuals in government are great but they show the capacity for it, if only enough of our leaders in parliament were to put their heads above their party, then perhaps we would have something special again. Some politicians, such as Vince Cable and Rory Stewart are speaking sense, honestly, actually answering the questions put to them (a miracle in itself for a politician) and acting boldly, qualities that when followed through with action will cause a return to growth and sustained development. 

Upon first seeing George Osborne on the news I reckoned him to be an arrogant and ambitious out of touch posh boy but then I paused and thought back to those qualities of those in history who had served the public admirably whilst still being privileged, and when I put aside my prejudice and examined what he has actually done, I am now beginning to respect him. There have been mistakes, as a person who is confident and bold will do in a job that is new but there have been successes, such as the change to cap housing benefit (which should have happened years ago), as well as the reduction in other waste areas such as the vast portfolio of government buildings left abandoned. I would guarantee that the public will forgive a man for most personal qualities if he can show to be competent and for the people. As a consequence of what this coalition is now doing, I am beginning to become hopeful for a leaner tougher flyweight Britain punching hard and bravely with the resilience that is our national spirit to push forward a greater nation than our name already denotes.

On the other side of the coalition, the Liberal Democrats although with good intentions, when their policies are implemented, just fail to work in reality. They are an intelligent breed of politician so when combined with policies that are grounded in reality like those we see from the conservatives, they can then become a huge benefit in government but not by themselves. What we see from this government is thorough thinking of what is needed for our country to progress, rather than what a small group shouts loud and hard enough about what they think they want and deserve. 

Labours response to these tough times since Mr Milaband took the leadership has been a negative griping and sound bite rhetoric that benefits know one. They are devoid of policy and pour scorn on everything and everyone, so hungry for power that their only friend is the media and the next headline. Re-election of these fools who wasted so much of our nation’s potential and wealth would be a great sin of the electorate and insult to everything that we have become over the last 1000 years. Perhaps one day they will approach the same attitude in which some of our conservative and Liberal Democrats politicians are starting to assume such as being open minded, balanced, competent, and accountable but all I have heard, is two years of griping, without any substance to a solution of any issue that concerns the people of Great Britain.

In summary, if I were the politician referee and it were a football match the score would be Coalition 1, Labour -10

Teaching as a career and improvements to school systems

I started my first teaching job in September 2011 in London working a 90 hour week for £21500. I concluded that it was not worth the money and there were other options for similar or better money. I think most teachers stay in the profession because they are deluded that by making it to each holiday only to collapse, recover, then go back again, this periodical holiday justifies the loss of life during term. But I would prefer to work less hours a week but continuously and have weekends free, rather than force a mental and/or physical breakdown, or at very least accelerate the aging process through stress. The same workload for any other profession would award huge sums of money (e.g. bankers), however teaching hides behind the vail of professionalism. To take an evening or weekend off during term, when you could be working is unprofessional. The bar is set so high that misery and burn out stalk every wandering sleep deprived professional that strolls down the corridor. Having experienced research, which pays better and allows you to be flexible with your free time at weekends and evenings, I would prefer to return, however it becomes quite difficult to get back in to once you have left, while teaching has the benefit of being a high demand profession with many opportunities for employment. Most long term teachers take breaks from the classroom stress factor by having kids or take a change career after a few years, or move on to higher responsibility's like head of department or head teacher.

The necessity of money keeps many in professions that like a succubus day by day consume them, until ultimately sad and with regret they retire to potter around the shed with never ending projects that only serve to waste what little time they have left. Even after a brief time in secondary teaching I see many of these characters. Some people enjoy teaching and fit the role well, the kids on the whole are lovely, and it can be a joy to walk in to some classes but rarely all of them. The major issues in education are to reduce the teaching timetable for teachers to acknowledge the time spent acting as a social worker, I often would not get a break or free period all week because of having to deal with incidents such as self harm or inappropriate behaviour. With more time to plan at school rather than cramming it in at home the teacher would be less tired and deliver better lessons allowing greater time for personalisation too, thus raising standards. Another issue is the pupils that are highly disruptive, these tend to be perfectly nice in a one to one situation but in a class setting have no motivation to do any work and play to the crowd. They often move eventually from one school to another until leaving education but never really change or learn anything. They usually have neglected family backgrounds and gain self worth by being popular but without dedicating any time to anything else. They disrupt the lessons by taking up a lot of the teachers time, slowing down the lesson and distracting others. Private schools are selective and do not have these pupils because the parents are supportive and the school can easily remove them. State schools need specialist schools for these individuals to be removed and have their issues addressed because they will carry on in later life and probably incur costing the government further in benefits, the majority of these children will never flourish in traditional state education and just as important, they disrupt the learning of everyone else. They can be taught but require specialist schools, just as handicapped people receive currently. Removal of these students is the biggest barrier to making state schools just as good as a private school at allowing everyone to achieve their potential, and to help prevent future social problems by giving assistance to disturbed young people establishing motivation and direction while we can and are more likely to respond, before they leave school. 

English sun bathing tradition

Upon walking around England, it is evident to see every time the sun shines for one day or more a series of badly burnt English men and women. As a nation, we don't encounter the sun to significant levels but for 4 weeks of the year, and when we do, we are not experienced or lack the memory that mild exposure will cause sun burn. In addition to this unfamiliarity and/or forgetfulness we are brain washed from an early age that sun bathing is good and being tanned is a sexy look, that everyone must aspire to as soon as the sun appears. However an individual does not need to cook like a sausage all day to achieve a tan, as indicated by images of holiday makers on television, this inversely, only serves to cause a significant sun burn. A mild sun tan can be achieved just walking for 20 min a day to and from work or using fake tan, if one is so devout upon a appearing tanned.

However, a sun tan is not to be coveted. The sun emits ultraviolet radiation which we cannot see but which causes damage to the DNA in your cells. Significant exposure causes significant damage and the cells die, this is a sun burn. Those cells that do not die will accumulate damage or errors in the DNA code. As we age we accumulate errors in our DNA naturally through wear and tear, this causes the cell to become tired and aged and thus you become older. Sunbathing increases the skin cells DNA errors, which means it ages the skin. This is shown when looking at those in their 40-50's who have sunbathed all there life or been exposed to prolonged sunlight, such as Australians. These people look as if they could be skinned and turned into a handbag, as replica alligator hand bags. The wrinkled aged ugly skin is a consequence of decades of damage caused by the sun. This is also seen in those in their early 20's who sun bath every year, if you look at the face and just below the neck  in particular which are commonly burnt, you will see the skin looks older than other parts with more wrinkles and less elasticity.

It is recommended to stay out of the sun if you would like fresh young skin for a larger proportion of your life. Many celebrity women do this and wear moisturiser during the day which contains UV filters to ensure they stay youthful and attractive well into their 40's and thus still able to get those lucrative Hollywood roles. A woman's obsession in the UK for sun bathing which is almost unique to any other country is due to sustained propaganda from the 1970's onwards but if they were to stop and think, they would realise that a tan which lasts 3-4 days is a small compensation for older and more tired skin in the future. The sun is a nuclear reactor of sorts, if UK women could, they would book holidays to Japan and stand around nuclear reactors as if they thought it would give them a tan, blissful in their ignorance of future illness and decay for the prospect of appearing slightly more attractive. Even though for most a gym session or aerobics DVD at home would have a greater contribution to this aim than any other. You have one life and one body, men find youthful looking woman far more attractive than a tanned one so why sacrifice years of future attractiveness for a few days today. There are other more healthy ways to enjoy yourself which don't waste as must time and have longer lasting effects. 

If men and women are not disciplined enough to restrict alcohol to moderation, fatty foods to moderation, sun exposure to moderation, then they will become more unhealthy, and not necessarily the end of the world but not desirable, less attractive. It is in excess, that all things are harmful, and it is moderation which distinguishes us from base animals, demonstrating the capacity to think ahead and realise the consequences to our actions. Please think before you sunbathe regardless of what your friends are doing, think of your future and the damage sunbathing will do to you, it's not wrong to think of your own happiness.  

Unemployed and depressed

I find myself in a deep melancholy today, to be honest quite often, although I am healthy, enough money to just pay for my needs, got a lovely long term girlfriend, the lack of work and purpose can bring me down sometimes. What I find helpful in keeping me moving forward is writing this blog and staying proactive.

I think with the economic situation causing many people either not to be working or forced into lower paid jobs, it pays to remember that life is still there to be lived and melancholy is only a temporary condition of the mind. The expression "be happy while you're living, for you're a long time dead" is worth contemplating, think of all you have, rather than what you don't.

Below are some thoughts I put together on making the most of the moment and the time that you live.

The shortness of life

     All people, of all classes, woe for the shortness of life. Even one of the greatest thinking men, Aristotle, complained that other life less worthy was given preference by nature, of the equivalent of multiple human life times.

     But it is not just a matter of how much time we are given, the shortness of our life depends upon the amount of functional life we have left and how much we waste. Most people are just getting ready to live their life when they find that in the fullness of their years they no longer have the same functional life as they had when they were younger. The years have taken their toll upon the body and mind, consequently old age has dulled the living left to live. Seneca another great man, although he went too far with his reasoning, did have some very good things to say about the shortness and briefness of life, and the need to make the most of it. Whatever your views of an afterlife, the gift of life must not be wasted, we must live as if this is our one and only chance of life, the shortness of human life must be realised by the individual. This is the first and hardest lesson that all individuals must learn to be happy, and it must be learnt each day, as if we are born a new each day.

“It is not that we have a short time to live but that we waste a lot of it....we make it short”

Seneca

     There is a limit to the functional human life span, however if one takes care of oneself then the quantity of life including the functional life span increases. Therefore we must set a side some of our time to these aims. Although, if human life could be extended to 200 or 300 years, we would still want more. How many years of life would be enough to be satisfied with? The truth is if you have a unprepared mind there is never enough time given to any individual but if one makes use of the days that they have, then any number of years can be sufficient for the prepared mind to be content with. It is not a matter of when the body and mind become tired with life and pain that we are content to die but we are content with today, tomorrow, and the day before. A typical functional life span currently is defined by how well one takes care of oneself and their genetics but on average 65 years is all that is given, with the prime of life from the ages of 20-40. This does appear limited, however with the lessons learnt by generations of wise men we can learn how to live this brief time to its full. As Seneca wrote, a wise man at the end of his life will not hesitate to take a firm step to meet it, comforted in the knowledge that he has made the most of what time he has been given.

     Life can be broadly divided into past, present and future, the present being of the most important. Although mistakes must be learnt by individuals and the state, personal fear and regret of actions past are due to excesses in vice, and should not be dwelled upon. Those mistakes which will shape future decisions must be remembered but always in context, the past has no hold over a wise man. Unfortunately this is a difficult lesson to learn, especially those with a conscience. The majority of people find putting their past in to context a difficult task, consequently contributing to their unhappiness. 

     The present is all that should concern an individual as the future does not exist yet, as it is each present moment which makes the future. We must only consider the future broadly when planning our lives, financial investment, or to secure the survival of the collective and the individual. We have little control over anything except how we react, and it difficult to react to things that have happened in the past or that have yet to happen. A great deal of unhappiness is caused by individuals forgetting about the moment, and that they live today.

     Death can not be avoided, ponder it, but do not dwell upon this inevitability. If we can not avoid it, then we can at least prepare ourselves for it. It is best to prepare ones mind to accept death, condition your body to delay it, and live life, so that when death comes, you can be content that you lived well and did not put off your life for tomorrow. Embrace all that is good and honourable within the human sphere of experience, to love and to the develop the mind are the highest of these aspirations. I will try to instruct upon how to live ones life but one should already know how to love. To love another human being and to have them love you can be one of the hardest things to achieve as well as the easiest. To love another is as natural to mankind as breathing, and just as essential for a happy and long life. 

When to say I love you and love poetry

The use of the phrase "I love you" can be used freely and often but do we always mean it? Does it really matter? Can we show that we love someone without saying it? And how does this compare with saying "I love you" to someone?

Women expect the phrase I love you after a suitable number of dates and when she starts to have feelings of affection. Quite often it is not really "I love you" which is being said but the expression of I really like you and want to be with you, which is what the woman really hears in her head. This is because it is routine for men to say it without really meaning it as a consequence of the man knowing the woman wants and expects it to be said, so to accommodate, the man say's it to proceed with getting closer to the woman. This initial I love you, is not as significant as that later on which is unsolicited (not expected). When a man says it and she is not expecting it after the initial trial dating phase that’s when he is no longer saying yes I could have feelings for you too but I adore you and think of you all the time.

If a person is in love, it is much easier and effective to rely upon their actions to show this, as actions are a lot more difficult to fake than just saying three words. If a man loves a woman then it will be expressed in the things he does, like walking on the side closest to the road, preparing surprises to ensure that they spend time together in different ways and thus keep the woman's interest, subtle body language which is often affectionate and comforting. It’s not just a matter of words, as words are cheap and are of no great effort but to express yourself, with what we call romance then that shows intent of feeling.

One form that a man can use to express these feelings is the old tradition of poetry although popularly thought of as cheesy, if a woman already is interested and wants conformation of a man’s intentions then it is an excellent expression to use. If one does not know the woman enough or is unsure of her character then you wouldn't be in love with them and there would not be the need to express it using poetry. If you have strong feelings towards someone then why not try it, you don't have to be Shakespeare but follow the English tradition set down by many of our great men of history. I enclose a poem I once wrote for someone so that others that although cannot find the words would like to express themselves to another. Note: If you get the desired result after using this poem, you owe me a comment and a click on Google plus one icon, a donation wouldn't hurt either :)

My love for you,

Is like the sun,

Hot and strong,

Shining all day long,

It does not cease,

Even out of sight,

It burns bright,

Right through the night,

I hold you,

Often as I do,

I think of love,

And I think of you,

To live my life,

Without your smile,

Would be to hold my breath,

All the while,

For all I am,

Though just a man,

I give to you,

All that makes me,

Now belongs to you.

Pleasures of Alcohol

     Some things we ingest or drink can harm the body and/or mind. Alcohol in a toxin consumed since ancient times in ritual and for pleasure, consequently it has been ingrained in most cultures. Some cultures have tried to abandon this ritual, by using religion (popular philosophy using fear as a motivator, see section on religion) which has greater influence over men to restrict excesses but is often shown to be detrimental to the individual and society. However in many countries it is still widely consumed with far reaching personal and societal implications. It is said to have been ‘abused’ if it causes harm because it is accepted in society that only in excess can it harm you, thus many accept its use in moderation as part of the eating and socialising experience. If we remove the assumption that it is only in excess that it has negative effects, then everything is possible and alcohol no longer is just something that is done, it then becomes a choice which would represent a dramatic shift in many peoples perspective. For most there is no choice to drink alcohol, it is simply the culturally accepted norm and the pressure is to follow suit, however if one is to be happy, you must first start to make you own decisions upon what is beneficial to your happiness by questioning everything that you do.

     Alcohol in moderation can be a social tool, some might say social lubricant for the socially awkward, however in excess it is a great detriment for the body, mind, and for the time we have to pursue other things. If one were to count up the hours lost to recovering from illness, that we have little control of and compare that with the time lost being ill from alcohol consumption, one would be shocked of the waste of life. Quite often the excess has spoilt the night, although the notion persists that the more alcohol consumed the greater the night will continue to improve but in reality this is a trick of the mind, very little is needed to relax, beyond a low level of consumption and there is no net gain in experience for any further consumption. Many overcompensate with alcohol so that they no longer think and have to decide on what to do, they attempt to rely on their unconscious or lower brain function to pursue their aims because of shyness, prior bad experiences socialising, or the inability and experience of what to do within a social context. Quite often it is a mate that is the object of desire however alcohol consumption usually works in an opposing direction, at least, in terms of a long term mate, as the man has no respect for a drunk woman because she shows a lack of self-control which is not an attractive trait when ones long term mate is expected to resist the attentions of others. And for women too, the man is perceived as unattractive because he shows a lack of control, natural confidence and maturity, characteristics few woman find alluring in building trust.

     Ultimately alcohol is a toxin and if one has the resolve and courage should be avoided, especially in excess to the point in which one feels drunk and unable to control one’s body. Socially many find this difficult but if an individual is able to choose alternatives to alcohol, then they would be happier and find a partner that will last longer because you are not desperate and can evaluate a persons character in terms of their suitability to your desires.

     Most will have to learn moderation as it is not in our power to suppress completely a habit or desire so ingrained in culture. A complete suppression of alcohol consumption may result in a build-up of impulse leading to a destructive excess. Whereas if an individual moderates drinking so as not to get drunk, thus lowering its desire, it then becomes easier to forgo this desire for other pleasures which do not have negative consequences but have a greater contribution to our long term happiness.

     The consequences of excessive alcohol include the financial cost of a night out or sustained regular consumption, the body becomes fatter and more prone to illness in later life, the mind becomes slower and less sharp to opportunity, and the greatest of woes the loss of hours if not days at a time used for the body to recover, when this time could be more profitably employed with other pursuits that make us happy. Alcohol is actually acting against our happiness by using up our money and time for things that may be of more lasting enjoyment.

     It is worth discussing the phenomenon of those that drink on a regular basis in older age. For these individuals it is more than habitual or even social, it becomes one of the main sources of happiness and relaxation. The short lived outlet that alcohol provides for the older generation is more of a consequence of not knowing what other things to pursue for enjoyment and of the memories of their youth suggesting that alcohol will lead to better times. I would agree with noted philosophers and say it is right for older people to drink as much as they like for enjoyment but only if they lack the opportunity or capacity to find lasting happiness elsewhere. Alcohol is a stop-gap for those that lack direction and priority in which to focus their energies. For many this can be a life long pause, putting a halt to any further exploration of new experiences and continued happiness. At very least, if these individuals used their evenings to spend time with family or friends, or a project of some kind it would be a more satisfying and enjoyable experience.

How to reduce the numbers of alcohol incidents in the UK

The cost of soft drinks such as coca cola or orange and lemonade in pubs are crazily high. A pint of coke costs the same as a pint of beer. If you have had a few drinks and think about slowing down by having a soft drink, you're prevented by the high price because your drunken brain says; well it cost just the same as a beer, just gets another beer but drink it slowly. But as everyone knows, it is difficult to drink slowly when you've been drinking alcohol because; your dehydrated so thirsty, you talk and sip as a social habit, and as a habit to having some kind of drink in your hand otherwise feeling out of place. To reduce the drunken societal consequences, the hangover, and the expense of drinking beyond what is necessary for a good night, we need to put a cap on the price of soft drinks in pubs, if not all day, then on Friday and Saturday nights. If a pint of coke or orange and lemonade were £1 then more people would be taking breaks when drinking thus re-hydrating and lowering their hangover for tomorrow and giving the alcohol time to be processed, allowing the person time to realise they don't need another one. Alcohol from the stomach, to having an effect can take 15-30 min before it hits you, so you need this soft drink break to give your body the chance to catch up and tell you to stop before building up a back log of alcohol which is going to tip you over the edge and ruin your night or worse.

The second biggest problem is binge drinking at home where alcohol measures are not measured and drunk much more quickly so they can get out in time to get into clubs and bars, resulting in most people not knowing how much they have drunk on a night out. They base their judgements on how much they have drunk using bottles as measurements thus preventing people from establishing what their upper limit of alcohol needs to be if they are to be safe and still have a pleasurable experience. The problem is that spirits of alcohol are so expensive out in bars and clubs that people drink in as it is far cheaper,  and it is these people which will be the most drunk and problematic on the streets because they have drunk to huge excess. Lower the price of soft drinks for definite, as at least it would encourage family’s to go to pubs without spending a fortune on the kids drinks and thus boosting pub trade which may help them to lower prices on spirits with mixers, spirits alone should remain high to discourage binging and minimum mixer levels established. We have a real problem with alcohol, how can you know if a night is good if you can't remember what happened in the morning!

Workout exercises and motivation

I’m trying to continue the P90X training programme, although I tend to stick to only a handful of DVDs. The P90X workout programme for those who don't know, is a DVD series of different workout DVDs each a hour long. I bought it for £50 when I was unemployed and had a lot of spare time on my hands. I procrastinated and tried it once and a while, this will result, as all fitness programs will, with little improvement to your health. You could do any exercise as long as it is regular and you will see some benefit but intermittent exercise is a pointless endeavour. Now unemployed again after a decision that teaching is not the career path for me, I have started to do it pretty much every day, alternating between three or four different DVDs which work different parts of the upper body. What I've found after two weeks is an increase in my arms and an increase in confidence which only further encourages me to keep it up. I do it in front of a mirror because I'm lazy and when I see my muscles work, I feel good and hopeful, that if I continue, I will see a benefit and look good, consequently feel healthier and better about myself. It's not so much that I have a massive ego but that my confidence is not as I would like it to be and it depresses me to think I don't have the will power to stick at what I want. Whether it is difficult or not should not make the difference, as all things that are worth something are difficult, otherwise they would not be of value. My chief motivation is to feel confident like I did when I first went to university, as I never felt so alive. The elation of freedom and opportunity to be anything was intoxicating and I was confident in my ability and potential. I suppose those that first moved to America seeing the Statue of Liberty, may have felt the same but for a repressed Englishman who is free but caged within, university is our America. This kind of confidence must be cultivated wherever you can. One area to promote this characteristic is to show you can do whatever you put your mind to and the thing which can best illustrate this belief, is something that is visual, like improving your body.

I would recommend the P90X  programme to others as the coach is very likable and you can do it all with just a set of dumbbells and resistance bands. The shoulder and arm workout in my preferred workout and makes me feel less weedy now I have bigger arms. I always wondered how everyone else had bigger arms than me, I suppose at some point they have done some exercise too rather than just computer games.