Life is about attitude and nothing more.

I have been prompted to write this blog, my first in far too long after waking up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. We all get them from time to time, we all fear them to some extent. (& if you don’t, what’s your secret?).

For me this has changed. I have rarely suffered from nightmares in my life, but those times that I have, I remember well… Despite being really bad at remembering dreams… Tonight was my first in quite a while.

What differed this time was not the nightmare itself, that was as scary as ever… But that I did not run! On the contrary, in this nightmare I took control of the situation, armed myself and started fighting back and hunting down what was supposed to be hunting me! When I woke it was with adrenaline rushing through my system, the muscle tension and rapid breathing normal with nightmares, but nothing more than a mild anxiety to accompany it. No panic, fear or other terrors, I felt composed and in complete control.

The Politics of Human Rights...

Recently there has been a lot of Justified controversy in Human Rights circles over Bahrain. This has brought the recent decision of FIA , the Formula 1 governing body into firm media focus as the world has started to unite against their decision to continue with the Bahrain Grand Prix this year. The sport has been propelled, along with the Bahraini cause, into the public eye and centre of the world stage.

I have followed this continuing pressure, not closely enough I admit to my shame, as a result of being both a Formula 1 fan and having a general interest in the world around me. Certainly, the accusation of abuse and repression by the Bahraini Government against their own population stands up to scrutiny. It is doubly tragic as the ruling regime appears to show nothing more than disdain for public opinion and pressure. However, I feel that the decision to go ahead with the race bears further scrutiny... It could even be a diplomatic master-stroke...

Philosiphy & Maybe A Future For Society.

I was wanting to write about the Budget and it's injustices, but try as I might, it would just never work out right. Then, out of nowhere, this happened... I hope you feel stirred to comment... Good OR Bad, I won't be hurt or offended, just don't be rude, but do be honest. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, and this is mine...

One of these days, I may put my thoughts on the budget to "paper", but not just now. I feel this is where we need to start... 

Realistically, I am more interested in your disagreements and criticisms than the positives, as only with debate and differing viewpoints can the pitfalls, weaknesses and details be rounded. If it stands up, we might have something. (Although, on a personal basis, I do hope one or two of you feel moved to make a positive comment.)

Why

What the budget did do for me, was to encourage me to look beyond the rhetoric and promises (broken and yet to be broken), as well as the spin centred "Publicity Machines" that drive and buy elections today. This political process can leave even the best intentioned politicians, firmly "in hock" to their new sponsors. I will say that in my mind, I fully understand why the budget was what it was and why, a big claim I know. But, understanding is not to be confused with sympathy, or even remotely an acceptance. 

My idea will need many additional aspects, input and changes to have a chance to succeed so throw in your comments, ideas and opinions... We have more minds put together than any government. Lets turn this into a working model...

French Shootings in Toulouse, A Critique on Reporting

Modified to better reflect what I wanted to say and the intentions of the original article.
(I left too much unsaid the first time out.)  
H Samuel 16/04/2012
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Tragic yes, horrific and shocking, definitely... But in all it's violence and wasteful senselessness, let's not allow the crime today and those in recent years threaten to return us to the bad days of open persecution of religious and cultural practice along with those that openly follow their Faith and Beliefs.

The Media and those that report on the events around us have a direct responsibility to the society they serve. In modern reporting and using far too many "throw-away" excuses, this is too often ignored at the expense of feeding the dramatic and the perceived "need" of the people for big, eye catching headlines. To all you reporters, bloggers, politicians and media owners... It is just as dramatic to have a headline that reads something like "Mass killing at School. Many Dead and Injured!" and use a focus on the family and community, loss of potentially great minds, etc. over the motives of the murderer. 

We do not "need" to glorify the crime and provide an inferred platform for the miss-directed ideas of a few to attract viewers/readers to our words. Nor do we have to use the current approach to maintain free speech. A more  sympathetic and community focussed  approach can work just as well. There are good examples of this in the press today, they are just not often given the prominence they deserve.

If the media were to start switching focus towards this way of thinking, they would, in my opinion grow their audience, whilst serving to undermine justification of the "cause" of the criminal.