The rest of your life...

Ask yourself a (relatively) simple question. What do you want to do with the rest of your life? It's not a trick question, so be brave and ask it! Of course, the answer will depend on what sort of person you are. Are you someone that is a bully, perhaps? Are you quiet, just getting on with whatever each day throws at you? Are you someone who hates the idea of going in to work, but knows that you have to, as the bills will simply not take any time off, even if you do! Are you someone who is a loner, or a group person? Are you a political animal, or perhaps a religious person? How political, or how religious? Are you pious, self-absorbed, and just want everyone else to love you, because you 'follow the correct path'? Are you...oh, there are so many different types of people. There's at least a book in there somewhere. So, keep it simple - never mind your background, or political or religious affiliation, or even your sexual preferences. Ask yourself the question - what do I want to do with the rest of my life? Me? I want to live it out, normally, enjoying each day as it comes, working within a market that may be a right pain some days but on the others gives me a buzz, a feeling of excitement. A challenge, a problem that I need to solve. Along the way, I would like to meet lots of different people - I must admit that I have never met any 'celebrities' (I don't count the Reality TV so-called Stars) and in a way I miss that. What do these people think, what do they feel, that sort of thing? I hate to read in the media these days that insanity seems prevalent in many areas of the world - by 'insanity' I mean action that defies any rational explanation. The main one at the moment is this abomination calling itself ISIS. There are many others - Taliban, Boko Haram, and individuals that really should be locked up! There are right-wing (and centre- and left-) election candidates in the USA who should be quietly sedated and then parked somewhere for the next few years. There are murderous groups in Pakistan who kill atheist bloggers because they feel hurt that their so-called Religion of Peace has been offended. That is truly insane! If you have an all-powerful God, then why doesn't it show up and defend itself? Does it really need these gangs of assassins to go around and strike fear (and loathing) into the hearts of the people? So, what do you want to do with the rest of your life? The amazingly insane people in the world seem to not care about anyone else except themselves. ISIS has already murdered many thousands, and continues to do so, while the rest of the world watches, impotent to stop their advances (it seems). The Middle East countries don't do anything worthwile to stop it, and so the savage attacks continue. These other Middle East countries are no real help, anyway. Should we hold Saudi Arabi as some moral compass? Hardly. It as savage and oppressive as ISIS in many ways. Should we replace one crazy regime with another one? Who is keeping count of the 'crazy' points, and who is winning? I want to spend the rest of my days in security. I want to know that Middle Eastern madness will not be affecting me, in the UK, directly. I want to walk down the road without fear for my life, without wondering if there is a killer gang roaming the streets, looking for their next victim. I want safety for my family, too. My friends. I want safety in this once-great nation. That cannot be, not while we have open warfare on the streets, where protesting becomes a full-scale riot, and dozens hurt. That is no way forward. I want a political structure that is not held prisoner to Corporate blackmail, politicians that look after me, not themselves. I want a religious structure that is not intent on undermining the hard work of the last few decades, where women count as much as any man, can vote with a clear conscience, and can even become Prime Minister. I want a religious structure that practices what it sometimes preaches! The Catholic Church has failed so many people, and continues to. Islam has splintered so much that no-one knows what is going on anymore. I want change, but not when that change puts everything at risk. I will be voting to get out of the mess of Europe, so I will be voting UKIP. I will not be joining any church or other religious group, as they have all failed us for centuries. Live long - and prosper! That will suffice, for me. :) My book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Visitor-Peter-Keats-ebook/dp/B00VGUH31M/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1428169604&sr=1-5&keywords=the+visitor

Who is for Free Speech...?

Shall we count them, the people who are holding their hands up and saying 'Free Speech? That's for me!'? First off define free speech. It is that point in time that states that you are legally allowed (not encouraged, note) to say almost anything that you want to. The USA seems to have this sewn up pretty well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution Unfortunately, there are people who simply don't understand what this actually means. http://www.newser.com/story/206299/2-shot-dead-outside-texas-draw-mohammed-contest.html We have to try to be clear here - there are things - a lot of things! - that people say, and things that people may do, that will really upset other people - anybody with half a brain will agree to this! What that does mean is that, apart from odd things like treason, inciting to riot, mass-murder, and probably things that I can't even imagine (and don't want to) mostly people have the legalised freedom to say and do pretty well whatever they want to. That established one of the ground rules. Going a little further, what that also legally means is that you, if you are the 'offended' party, have some legal redress - if you are really miffed, then you may find a lawyer who will take up your case. If you are lucky...There are some people who leave you wondering about some peoples level of sanity: http://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/nebraska-woman-files-suit-in-federal-court-against-all-homosexuals/article_91c7526c-f33b-11e4-964f-97697770307b.html In the recent Texas shootout, we see an event that is clearly open to be called 'provocative', and the response from a couple of thugs who thought they could take on the armed guards there (fail!). Bear in mind that mindless violence, whatever the rationale, is not unique to the Islamic Jihad monstrosities that we are currently seeing. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6560685.stm Violence seems to be endemic in certain parts of the world, the USA being a fine example. The apologistic people seem to be very vocal, but with no real point: they actually go ahead and blame the victim for the offence! You were attacked by armed thugs? It's your fault! This failed logic is not a winner. It is a loser. It means that no-one is safe. It means that I may not only draw cartoons of this prophet, I may not even criticise him ofr his faith, or any of those that follow it! That is pure 1930 Nazi germany, where the troopers went through and trashed anything they wanted, because no-one was able to stand in their way! If we re not able to change things in the UK, we will go the same way. yes we will. We are well on the way, if the Labour leader can promise something as utterly vacuous as this: http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/5665/uk-islamophobia-ban This not only makes no sense, it is positively dangerous! Reclaim the UK, while you can. Vote at the elections. While you still can! It's just around the corner. http://capitalismmagazine.com/2014/11/freedom-speech-go-hell/ UKIP seems to be common sense, the others are all falling over themselves and failing in making anything that makes the slightest bit of sense.