A Pillar To Post
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| Image courtesy of Euronews |
Believe it or not, this isn't a piece on global warming. Sorry Sir David.
But funnily enough, for those of you who've watched his latest piece on Netflix, Mr Attenborough - whom the vast majority of the country treasure, lays it out for us all to see.
This planet is everyone's problem.
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| Image courtesy of Popbuzz |
So whilst we cringe and cry as polar bears drown in baron iceless lands and walruses topple from overpopulated cliff edges, maybe we should not just look at how we pollute the planet with our use of greenhouse gases and non-renewable energy sources, but also how we pollute the world with divisiveness and hatred.
No, this is my tree to hug - leave me alone whilst I continue.
So where do I start? After all, there's a lot to cover...
Ironically, I'll start by being divisive - and with the press conference announcing details of the second UK lockdown. I'm a hypocrite, I kna, but aren't we all? The difference being, that this hypocrisy isn't dangerous. The Ramblings of a Madman on an online blog, adding to the 'fake news', the mainstream media and the echo chambers of social media. Even still, I sit here typing with my hair brushed, ready to address my audience, and (this time!), on time and not late to the presentation.
An obligation not afforded by 'our' very own 'leader'.
Now, I'm not the type to bring you all the facts and figures, frankly because I cannot be arsed to forage through the frantic world of information, but what I will give you is an opinion.
I've worked in half-a-dozen office based jobs, and not once through my professional career have I ever considered turning up late to my own meeting, looking a mess and with a presentation that hasn't been sense-checked. Yet, somehow, this is acceptable for the leaders of our nation. To elaborate:
1) Boris' hair was a mess (as always!)
2) It started later than later than late it was that late
3) The slide show didn't fit the screen being presented on
4) Said slide show couldn't be progressed without saying "next slide"
5) The analysis of the data claimed the North-East was plateauing rather than dropping
6) The North-East was used both separately and with Yorkshire on separate slides, before Yorkshire somehow made an alliance with Humberside on subsequent slides
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| Image courtesy of the Shields Gazette |
Now this may be a mixture of major and minor issues, or maybe you consider them all to be minor (issues), but what I see is a lack of professionalism and reliability, which leads me to question the validity and indeed the level of respect. And these are just the things I seen whilst having a shave!
A microcosm of the issues under this political regime: Ever-changing goal posts, lack of clarity and the constant murmurings of absolute waffle as our supposedly lovable BoJo remains consistent in one thing - playing our inept bozo.
His failure to address the short-Cummings of his right hand man (š), were probably the pivotal point in this whole charade - one rule for some and another rule for others. And so the whirlwind of discontent began, and now continues, slowly gathering pace as it unwinds this, the most un-governing of governments.
Johnson could have reached a mutual agreement in that very instance, behind closed doors and had his counterpart resign, saving face for not only the man in question but also his party. Instead, he opted to back him and offered the nation a chance to distrust both him and his party.
So as £10billion is rumoured to be put aside for track and trace systems and applications that seemingly don't work as planned, and small businesses continue to be sealed shut for the foreseeable, you tell me why Ben from Barnsley, Mohamed from the Midlands or Lakeesha from Liverpool should listen to the latest legislation from this lot of arseholes? Whilst their (theoretical) small businesses go under and the muddied waters of "who can do what" continue to wash over an uneven playing field.
How apt to be writing this on a Sunday morning...
I figured Boris would focus on the economic elements of the virus and Corbyn on the health and welfare side, but surprisingly the fence-sitting that Johnson accused Jezza of on Brexit, is the exact inaction that Johnson has taken on COVID. However, one thing I've maintained throughout this absolute shit-show, is that we don't know what our alternative leadership would have brought. We don't know about the production of masks, the full constraints on the NHS, or many of us - what we would have done.
Of course we can all now have our say in retrospect - but hindsight is a wonderful thing.
What has happened, is that the pendulum of COVID has now swung back in favour of healthcare, but I suspect only temporarily, especially as the likes of Andy Burnham question what financial care package will be provided to Greater Manchester.
Oh what a horrible man, trying to look after his people!
Seriously though, what do people expect?! If Johnson is going to look after his own, why shouldn't we all?!
If a shepherd is directionless then so will his sheep be, despite what the sheep dogs of control try to enforce. Subsequently, the country continues to stumble and tumble towards the next hurdle. Inevitably, for most this is a financial one. A matter of where will my next pay cheque come from, or my latest universal credit?
In rolls "The Great Debait" (š) with Marcus Rashford and hungry school kids.
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| Image courtesy of The Guardian |
In a time when footballers are so heavily criticised for their responsibility (or lack of) towards being a good role-model for bairns, who can possibly deny Mr Rashford of being just that. Sure, his wages alone would feed many-a-bairn, but that is ultimately not the right, long-term solution. Mind, nor is supplying people with a free ticket out, where they don't deserve it.
However, who's to blame? Not the kids - surely!
Free, or funded school meals should definitely be provided to those bairns that need it. They should be managed by the education system, and should ensure that they can continue to teach motivated pupils, paving them a path to a better life. Likewise, food banks and/or local businesses should continue to assist the surging amount of families that have no other option. After all, who knows when those currently more privileged may fall upon the same desperate needs.
On the other hand, what we must be weary of is the minority of arseholes that get this universal credit and spend it on their own tabs, drink or drugs instead of their prime responsibilities. Why should smack head Ted who's never contributed fuck all get a free meal before jobless Jim who's spent his whole life contributing to a somewhat socialist system of taxation?
Funny though isn't it - how this is the discussion point and not the billionaire owners of big business whom avoid fair and representative taxation?
Nonetheless, the subject of poverty and economic downturn is an increasingly alarming one. We all know what happens in times of economic downturn, and when someone like Donald Trump is likely (in my opinion) to be re-elected as the leader of the "free world", it only suggests to me that a large scale war is potentially around the corner.
Just look at how the states teeter on the brink of civil war, as cities have been set alight and communities are at odds with one another. The American states are all but United. Likewise, our neighbours across a smaller pond in France face a similar issue. How long before we all face our last supper? Oh no - I went there - Christian extremists may behead me...
How can it be right, that to make fun of, lets say, the Ginger, White man, the Heterosexual or Jesus is any less offensive than anything else? I see joke accounts about much of the Christian faith on social media and it's all taken in good spirit. If you don't like it, don't read it. It's not intended to be offensive it's simply poking fun.
Yet do that about Muhammad and risk being headless?!
It's time we distinguish what is intentionally offensive like calling someone a "disgusting White, honky bastard" and what is just nullifying our most obvious, inherent and cultural differences to all appreciate one another, and therefore I pose this question:
Where has the humility gone?
Despite this, don't kid yourself into thinking these cowardly little fuckwits beheading Teachers and shooting Priests are anything like the typical Muslim, or foreigner. Just like Western, White and Christian terrorist groups like the KKK have previously been, (and still are to this day), these individuals are evil, just like Hitler. They aren't men of faith. There are many good Muslims who've come from foreign lands to reap the benefits of the Western lifestyle; a freedom of speech, a democracy, a melting pot of culture and diversity, just like there are many that remain across the planet.
Yet, like it or loathe it, a lot of Europe and the West are predominantly White, Christian countries. This in itself does not matter. However, the traditions and cultures of said nations do. If you decide to make a new life in these places, then you must respect their way of life. Especially, if you can live your own lifestyle without significant adversity.
Evidently you have moved there for a reason, presumably to improve your lifestyle?
If you don't like it, fuck off to where you believe your culture is the norm - if that is somewhere where beheading people that disagree with you is 'normal', then I suspect you'll find it hard to find a place to call 'home'.
Just to further emphasise this point - would I, for example, turn up in North Africa or the Middle East demanding copious amounts of Brown Ale, scantily clad women and a bacon sandwich? No. That's not their way of life. If I moved there it must have appealed to me to do so, and therefore why would I demand its foundations be substantially changed?!
For saveloy dips' sake - I'll stick to where I'm happy in the Toon.
Joking aside - the golden rule is simple - respect one another and their cultures.
And finally...
Maybe we should pause for a moment and consider just how diverse our societies really are, and how we should celebrate that, despite how they were built, they are now better as a result?
There is always room to continually improve, but let's do so through well-humoured discussion.
And so to bring this whole rant full circle, perhaps the greatest human mistake of all is that we, collectively - as a species, appear to react to the negative changes rather than proactively prevent the shit storm from happening in the first place.
Maybe it's time we re-think things like capitalism?
Open up and embrace one another and our environment, or we will simply remain like the other animals and will likely face our own extinction.
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| Image courtesy of Think Bilingual Austin |
Ciao for now...š
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