The Battle Has Begun

The Future ?

 I  bought one of those new fangled e-cigarettes today. I'd been musing over the purchase for some time. It really is time to stop the tobacco smoking but,I do enjoy it. So, the e-ciggy is the best compromise I could come up with.

These electronic replacements contain nicotine of varying strengths but no tar or any of the other chemicals which really do the damage. Nicotine can be addictive but that's it;but so can anything I suppose if you like it enough. But there's nothing harmful in it:except of course to the anti-brigade, who would ban everything they don't like the idea of.

But they don't count. It's still a free country-so far. And anyway, I'll need to save my money in case the government wants to raid my piggy bank to pay the banks for screwing us into the ground, as they've just done to the Cypriots. Dont'cha just love the E.U.

It cost £20 for the whole kit;nice fruity oil;charger, and the inhaler thingy. Replacement oil costs about £5 and, by all accounts one should last about a week. So that's £5 per week for smokes instead of £6 per day.There really was no choice.


But can I do it? I still have some cigarettes. I've told myself it's the last packet I will need to buy. I started using the e-cig this afternoon and already I've noticed a difference-I actually prefer the taste of mixed fruit to tobacco-so maybe I'm in with a chance.

Wish me luck

2013!!

 Happy

 New Year

     To All

Yule Greetings

Today is the shortest day of the year, a time to look forward to the coming spring. Difficult I know, as we're just approaching Christmas and it's cold, and we might get snow and, according to the news,the heavy rain could cause more flooding.

All the more reason to remember Yuletide. The days will now begin to get longer. So celebrate with food,warmth,a little wine and lots of friends.  may you never thirst.

If you're a Christian, remember Christ was born at the darkest and coldest time of year for a reason. By spring time,which used to be the beginning of the year, He produced a new warmth and a new light through the crucifixion.

Blessings for Samhain

Samhain-(pronounced-s-ow-in-) occurs on 31 St October. A pre-Christian festival and ritual, which sees out the last of summer and acknowledges the coming winter. As with all of the old religions it has a strong spiritual dimension. At this time of Samhain the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest. It is hoped that the spirits of our ancestors may return to renew the ties with the living. However, it is not only good spirits who are able to break through the veil. All manner of mischievous ones come out to deceive, play tricks and frighten all the good people;hence the multitude of mini-rituals designed to ward them off.

This old festival forms the basis for the Christian festival of All Hallows Eve (Halloween) with the first day of November becoming All Hallows (all saints day) Both of them are concerned with the soul of those who have died.

Whether you participate in the Christian or the Pagan festival it is clear both are concerned with life, death and the possibility and, for some, the certainty of an afterlife. It is a time for spiritual reflection as well celebration. To think about those who have died in this context is to think of the physical body as just that, a shell. The person who inhabited that now discarded shell still lives on. How, why and where, provide much 'soul' searching and not a few discussions round the bonfires. It is clear then that both festivals have a serious dimension and purpose.

However, there is another type of Halloween festival which has been developing over a couple of decades in The UK at least. As people lose religion and any notion of spirituality they once had, I have noticed a steady rise in  blatant commercialisation of  the festivals. Clearly people without religion seem still to need some meaning in life.There is a gap where religion used to be, one which is being filled by the corporate money-grabbers. At a trip to the supermarket  last week promotion of Halloween was already under-way. Shelves stacked high with toys and costumes directed mostly at children of course. On Halloween itself I have seen hoards of children being led, snake like by their parents around the streets. The only concern of the children, because it is the only thing they have been taught to think about- is how much can I get in my goody bag. So,what bothers me about it is, they probably don't know anything about the festivals. They're just dressed up, taken round the streets and encouraged to get as much free stuff as they can.

Some people might say it's just a bit of silliness, or it's a free country and all that. Yes, that may be. However, I can't help but think this corporate rather than spiritual Halloween, is just further evidence of the  society we are bequeathing to our offspring; shallow, greedy and empty.


                               I wonder how the ancestors feel.

                                           

Something different- Who says romance is dead

I was presented with these lovely flowers today by my partner. It's three years since we met.

I think it's hard these days for men to know if they should give flowers for fear of being called misogynistic.

 No such problem for me,flowers always welcome.

Commission on a Bill of Rights (or rules)

The second consultation is under way into whether we need or want a U.K. Bill of Rights. The consultation paper,released by the Department for Justice contains some of the responses gathered from its first round of discussions and responses to it from the public. From a quick perusal of the responses it might be difficult to form any kind of consensus. Many people felt there was ample protection through the Equality and Human Rights Commission (E.H.R.C.), while others felt we should go back to relying on English Common Law. Something which had served us for centuries. The Commission also discusses potential problems of a U.K. wide Bill given that Scotland is moving toward independence and Wales has a devolved administration.

I'm not really sure what to make of the whole exercise. Will it be a futile but costly one.? There's hardly anything about it mentioned in the media. Maybe journalists now already what many of us think. Or, maybe it's low-key in order to keep the consultation and thereby,keep the outcome in the hands of the elite.It doesn't matter what rules or laws we have, governments will always get round them, ignore them, or simply get rid of them.

Cynicism? well yes,but can you blame me.For the past twenty years or so, rights have been top of the agenda. From would be politicians, to rights based campaigning groups, all declaring their love for fellow man and woman, wanting to protect us from the baddies and nurture the country into a more equal  and happy place.Yet the erosion of our civil liberties has escalated during this time.The curbs on trial by jury, the extension of surveillance, extended detention without trial and, in some cases without being told what evidence is against you; people being arrested for so called hate crimes, which might be something as minor as upsetting someone's sensitivities.

I really don't think we need more rules;because let's be clear, this is what rights have come to mean; it means more rules,more interference.

Still, it could be worth following the Commission's path and maybe even making a contribution. May be you disagree. May be you think it is a good thing to have a Bill of Rights.  Let us know what you think. If you are from outside the U.K. and you have a Bill of Rights do you feel it protects you? and would we benefit from one of our own?

Diamond Jubilee;some wittering from me

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations are starting to wind down a little.We've had marches, picnics, concerts, street parties, tacky souvenirs, t.v.docs about,well, just about everything connected to monarchy and the current Queen Elizabeth. I expect Republicans headed off to the hills at the first opportunity.

Her Majesty's persona as a good family woman has been pushed endlessly;a particularly interesting programme was that of Prince Charles rummaging through boxes of old cine film. Here was Charles and his siblings growing up in a very loving family.

There has been very little mention though of the Queen's position of Head of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith. Nor has there been any discussion of the constitutional aspect of the monarchy and it's role in our political and democratic structure.

Should we be surprised by this.?Perhaps not. To raise these issues would show in sharp relief the contradiction between the projected idea of Britain as an equal, multicultural meritocracy and the actuality of the hereditary bloc at the heart of the British establishment.

I'm not against the monarchy; I'm no republican. But let's stop pretending. Let us have a debate on the monarchy. Does it still have a constitutional role to play;does it still exercise influence in our legal and political life. How is it responding to the campaign for an independent Scotland for instance.?How about the campaign for same sex marriage and the potential dilemma for the church and Christianity. Is the present monarch allowed any involvement or to express her views.Or is she there merely to be wheeled out at appropriate times to suit the agenda of politicians; rally the masses,get the flags waving and have a BBQ? Let's pretend we're all in it together and forget; the incestuous relationship between politicians and the media, the banking crisis our money is being used to bail out,our non-referendum on the E.U. treaty, our creeping security state with secret trials, trial without jury, extended detention without charge. The list is endless.

 Centuries ago monarchs were expected to abstain from these practices on pain of being strung up.The rights of the ordinary person were to be protected. Now our democracy can do as much damage to us as the old absolutist monarchies.

So, where do we go from here. I don't know but it would be good to get a debate going. If it sounds a bit too heavy, too ponderous, too serious, then just go and wave a flag.