“Apes and gorillas are people too”

I was curiously surprised when I read that the Spanish government is to give human rights to great apes.  Of course it’s good news for the marvellous hairy beasts in that they will be given protection from experimentation and exploitation.  Of course that protection should already be in place by way of their animal rights but if giving them human [...]

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Bolton Abbey

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Bliss and Appreciation

Although we do nice things for others because we want to rather than because we desire some kind of material gratification, it’s still nice when friends show their appreciation by giving gifts.  And it’s even nicer when those friends have put some thought into what they have given.  
Here is a snap of how my friends showed their appreciation for organising and [...]

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Qualifications, Job Skills AND Compassion?

The government wants nurses to be rated by their kindness.  They are to be measured and marked by how much compassion and empathy they show towards their patients . .  and by how much they smile.  Health secretary, Alan Johnson wants nursing teams across the NHS to be scored and the results displayed on a website.  [...]

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Excuse Me! Are we invisible?

So asketh the Church according to St. England. 
I’ve been catching up with the news and was amused to see that the Church of England is sulking because it thinks the government is favouring Islam.  Ah bless.  My kids do this too.  They carry out all kinds of attention-seeking antics when they feel that I’m paying more attention to one of their siblings.  Well [...]

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The Dam Builders versus the Warriors

Amazon Indians have been squaring up to the mighty corporations and the state in a bid to prevent the construction of a series of hydroelectric dams that are planned for the Xingu River. 
The officials are claiming that the construction plans are part of their sustainable energy drive but in reality it’s difficult to see how concreting, flooding and connecting [...]

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The cluster bomb ban and progress thereof

The Dublin conference regarding the banning of cluster munitions is in play right now and over a hundred countries are in attendance, some of the absent countries notably being America, Pakistan, India, Russia, China and Israel.  The British position was to be in support of the ban but with loopholes - according to this report, the Brits have been the main [...]

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Tagged again!

The Motivation Monday maniac has tagged me again.
The rules of the game are simple enough…just list 5 things you wish to achieve during the week ahead and hopefully get motivated!
Well right now I’m so tired I could eat a horse.  No, that’s not right . . . that’s what you say when you’re very hungry.   Well I [...]

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On the Campaign Trail

Not the inconsequential, small-time, amateur thing that’s going on in America right now.  Noooo . . . this is the real deal.  The proper, vital, earth-changing stuff. 
Yes, folks, it’s that time of year again when the school councillors are up for re-election and my little boy has decided that he wants to have a go. 
He wrote an [...]

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The Theft of Biodiversity

Species are dying out at a rate not seen since the demise of the dinosaurs, according to a report published today – and human behaviour is to blame. The Independent
Yes, the human footprint is to blame according to the Living Planet Index.  The report, produced by WWF, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the Global Footprint [...]

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On the Badger Trail

My daughter’s friend’s mum works for an environmental charity and part of her role is to record badger numbers.  Last night she took the girls to a badger sett located in a beauty spot a few miles away from where we live. 
They all waited and waited in the hope that they would catch a glimpse of a badger.  [...]

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Garden Pond-erings and Reflections

We took advantage of the weather this weekend and worked on our garden and patio area and as I laboured away, many a random observation and idea popped into my empty head and you’ll be thrilled to know that I’m going to share them all with you so here goes:
Ponder number 1:  To build or not to build [...]

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Threshold of Viability

The sensitive issue of abortion has come up again.  MP’s are seeking to get the upper limit of 24 weeks lowered to 20 weeks.  
Most people have very strong and definite views on abortion.  And there are those who aren’t against abortion but feel that the upper limit of 24 weeks should be lowered to 20 weeks.  Presumably, their belief [...]

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Selfish Shell

Shell, who prides itself on its progressive green initiatives, has reneged on its commitments to the London Array Scheme - a project to build the world’s biggest off-shore wind farm.  The company, who recently announced profits of £4bn, said that the decision was an economical one and claims that it is still fully committed to wind power.
Apparently, [...]

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Election Autopsy

Well for me the worst result has to be London. 
He combed his hair.  That’s what did it.  I saw him on Question Time the other week and he’d swept out his branded dishevelled look in an effort to look more normal but the blubbering moron was still within.  The people of London just couldn’t see it it.
Seriously though, why on earth the [...]

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