Wake Up and Smell the Coffee .

Have you caught the bug ?
There is this tendency for people to do a complete annual re-organisation and redecoration of their homes, just before Christmas and to usher in the New Year.
These "make-overs" would entail a lot sorting-out, dusting, cleaning, painting and decorating.
Changing wardrobes, home furniture and fittings for new and latest one is fashionable.
Apart from the delicious food , desserts and drinks ;the latest clothes, shoes , bags, home gadgets, equipment, electronics and even cars, do add some spice to life during the festive season.
Everyone knows the joy of opening our Christmas presents and finding therein, exactly what we wanted and dreamed of receiving as gifts from our loved ones; you know, the perfect dress, shoe, parfum , jewellery, iPods , DVD, or whatever!
And the pleasure which a shopping trip gives the entire family is immense!
This is the season for : "Out with the old , in with the new and the latest!".

Everybody knows this and don't the shops and stores know this? They sure do!
This is the time for them to tempt us with all those fantastic bargains and offers which keep us shopping for more and more , because every body loves a bargain.
For Londoners, the shopping spree is not only at Christmas but all through the year.
The January sales is now the talk of the town. It starts on Monday January 4th.
It is amazing that thousands of people are willing and passionate enough to queue up in the freezing cold, from night till early morning when the shops open.
So that they would be among the first group to rush in for the best bargains.

For some people , this "redecoration" is all encompassing. They extend it to touch every area of their lives which needs a special touch.
Included in the redecoration list are "failed projects" at work, in business and in personal relationships.
When we need a new wardrobe, home or car , we could shop around for replacements.
There are certain things in life which we cannot shop around for.
When they fail to meet our expectations, we work at restoring them; we seek help , believe and pray for changes in those situations.
When you are not fulfilled and fruitful in ministry ; what do you do but pray and press on.
When a business plan which you have invested so much time , prayers, efforts and money in , remains unproductive, what can you do?
Then you know , maybe , it is time to re-assess and it is time to try a new approach to your business goals. Or even to drop the idea for something better.

However, for every one, there comes a time when we wake up, one fine morning and smell the coffee.
When we, inevitably, come to the conclusion that something is not right ,is not good enough, or is not working. It just has to go .
This is the time of year for "New Year resolutions".
These are , usually born out of a deep realisation that we do not need certain clutter or stress in our lives and so we have to effect drastic changes of direction.
Some people do keep these " New Year resolutions" and never go back to square one.
Their testimonies ,usually ,are that their lives changed for good when they stuck to their "New Year Resolutions".
May this be our testimony in the new year as we hand over our lives and situations to Jesus Christ who makes all things beautiful.
The Lord will perfect that which concerns me : your mercy O Lord, endures for ever:
forsake not the works of thine own hands . Psalms 138:8.
The best life-style is not one that is based on these endless year-end resolutions ( which are soon discarded , anyway!); but a life that relies on a Relationship with the Giver of Abundant Life.

Let's face it, there are loads of "stuff" we do, places we go to and there are some people we are connected to, who we have to do away with.
Wake up and smell the coffee! There are certain things and certain people who will not budge and will not change to conform to our expectations or to the norm.
We should not, even pray to retain such "stress-inducers" in our lives, at all.
Why? Because WE KNOW that, they are not good for us and they DO NOT enrich or bless our lives, in any way.
So these have to go OUT with the old year and be kept out of your life , thereafter, for our own good!
It could be very painful to do this and one would need a mean and hard heart to do this periodic life re-organisations.
But we've got to be strong and resolute to overcome "bad habits".
There are times when we must open the doors and windows and let stuff fly away.
Let out stale air and let fresh air in.
If we are resolved to discard toxic habits , toxic relationships and toxic activities, soon, we would realise that, that was one of best things we ever did.
This complete overhaul and disconnection is life-saving and imperative.
It is similar to the gorging out of the right eye and amputation of the right hand which the Lord Jesus strongly recommended in Matthew 5: 29 -30

May you receive grace for strength to de-clutter and detoxify your life , permanently.
Here is wishing you a happy and glorious New Year ; filled with the fragrance of His presence. Amen.

In Him was life and the life was the light of men .
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
John 1:4,5.

Thanks everybody for your support during the year.
God bless you at Christmas and all through the year. Amen
Have a wonderful holiday.

Tiger Woods - Getting On With It.

Tiger Woods' decision to take an indefinite break from golf and spend more time with his wife and children is the one wise decision he has made in recent weeks.
Relocating from the "Crime Scene" for an extended period of time is just what Tiger, his aggrieved wife and their two children need , right now.
A change of scene; going to a distant location, on holiday with his family, away from prying eyes would , definitely, go a long away in healing their frayed nerves.
I pray God would grant them the grace to receive Christ's peace and love into their lives so that they would be healed and they would recover every lost ground!

So far, Tiger has not managed this crisis very well.
Immediately after his car crash , he could have clammed up or come clean; instead of making ambiguous statements about "transgressions".
Then, two days ago , he got a court order , gagging the British press from reporting on his affairs. Wrong move , again!
When you gag news hounds, especially the British Press, they smell blood and then they begin to gig deeper into the story you are trying to keep the press from.

I have this gut feeling about this Tiger Wood's sad story, that there are more revelations to be uncovered and more termites to emerge from the woodwork!
Now that all sorts of " waitresses, models and escorts" , who had never seen or held even $3,000 in their hands in their entire lives; know that there is at least $300,000 to be made from selling their stories to newspapers and magazines , from TV appearances and from writing books about "My Sizzling Romp With Tiger Woods!"; this unfortunate story would snowball and get bigger and juicer. These women would milk the situation to the last drop!
Until the public tires of the story or when another celebrity sex scandal erupts.
It is very funny that one of Tiger's mistresses has said she was sorry for the hurt she has caused Tiger's wife. Sorry? Oh yeah!
But not "sorry" for the TV interviews and magazines cover shoots which she has been gaining from , gleefully?

As for Tiger Woods , what on earth was he thinking ; knowing that such behaviour is unacceptable to God and unacceptable in the society Tiger lives in?
It is not as if Tiger thought he was living in a society where men could do anything they wanted ; societies where women's feelings and opinions count for nothing and where it is acceptable for women to be trampled upon , used and discarded , anyhow and any time, by men.
In certain areas of the world ,celebrities' extramarital frolics are not newsworthy.
In fact people would laugh and dismiss such stories with a " so what?" and a wave of hand !
In such societies, successful and affluent men eat, drink and swim in adultery, with impunity!
So, in such lawless societies, their men , even the poor ones , are encouraged to do as they please; while their women folk are admonished to accept their positions as "good women", that is, they are " home -builders who should patiently and prayerfully bear all grievances against their men , stoically".

Not surprised that people are calling for Tiger's head because of his "transgression" and unacceptable behaviour.
In recent news, celebrities and even members of the public, have expressed "surprise and disgust" that Tiger Woods "could do a thing like that".
Ironically, the most vocal condemnation have come from men.
These men are alarmed because they know that it is sheer foolhardiness and insanity for any man in Tiger's income bracket to allow himself to be caught in adultery!
Of course , it is obvious that demands for " action against Tiger Woods" have also, come from those who, for various reasons ,were unhappy about his success.
In life, when you tear down the hedge around you , don't blame your enemies for moving in and attacking you. Ecclesiastes 10:8.
As for Tiger's critics, they should let Tiger be!
People can condemn others because they have not been caught , yet.
Tiger is not the first to be caught in a sex scandal. Who is next ?
But for the grace of God , they would have been in Tiger Wood's messy position today.
Tiger sinned against God by breaking his marital vows.
God is merciful and eager to forgive when we confess and forsake our sins.
Therefore he should be left in peace to make amend with his God and to put his life and his home in order.

What is the furore about all these revelations ? Is Tiger, the only married man or the only celebrity who is involved in extra-marital affairs , even as we speak?
No , he is not.
The shocking aspect in this case is Tiger Wood's incredible NAIVETY.
It is common knowledge that men and women who cheat on their spouses or partners , usually go the extra mile to cover their tracks.
Some of them have succeeded in playing the perfect wives and husbands; so well so that the truth about their secret lives was not known until after their funerals!
The one law which most philandering men(and women!) keep religiously is; their very own Eleventh Commandment :
"Thou shall not be caught!"
But celebrities don't live in the real world . So Tiger and other celebrities like him , who have been caught, are not street-wise enough to see through people or to know how "commoners" navigate the murky waters of relationships with the opposite sex.
Tiger's well paid aides could have counselled or shielded him from committing these serious blunders which are now threatening to destroy every thing he has ever worked for. This media circus will continue for sometime because the story of how careless Tiger has been , even to the extent of been caught red-handed , does sell newspapers.

Everyone knows that there are girls, boys, men and women , out there who would give their eyeballs to get their hands on ANY celebrity .
They would want this because they know they would get INSTANT fame and a mint of cash by offering for sale to the highest bidder, their "kiss and tell" story.
So , it is indeed, the height of naivety, for Tiger to have engaged in such affairs ,openly ,so close to his home and with voice messages as evidence!
Also , it is suicidal to give any body evidence to use against you in future!
Especially , non-achieving people who have nothing to lose by "kissing and telling".
For goodness sake , Tiger! Everybody knows that spouses and partners keep a tab on each other by , regularly checking out their other half's phone records and text messages .
Checking and monitoring for all it is worth!
Veterans in the game of infidelity would laugh up their sleeves, at these futile checks and counter- checks! .
Love cheats would always ensure that their other halves see only those stuff which they want them to see.
This entails not keeping phone records and any other incriminating documents lying around for spouses and partners to see!
To escape detection , what these cheats do is to keep a secret mobile phone which they use to conduct their affairs. These mobile phones are NEVER brought into the couple's home or left carelessly lying around!

Tiger's wife has decided to keep their marriage "for the sake of our children".
Recently , some other wronged celebrity wives , have decided to stand by their men and get on with their marital lives, despite everything.
But would Tiger Woods or any man forgive an adulterous wife who has slept with several men?
Even for the sakes of their children?

This decision to "get on with it", to make an effort to repair their marriages, despite being hurt and humiliated, is a new and welcome trend among celebrities .
Being public figures, when their marriages or relationships break down, their pain and humiliation becomes public and well reported.
Recently, there have been numerous such cases of unfaithful husbands and wives; star footballers, actors, actresses, politicians and other star figures getting unusual forgiveness and second chances from their aggrieved spouses.
Some people have sneered at decisions not to seek divorce as self-serving decisions by wronged spouses who stand to gain more by remaining married to their guilty spouses.
Indeed, decisions to overlook wrongs become easier if the erring partner, like Tiger Woods earns a basic income of $100,000,000, per annum ; apart from incomes from adverts and endorsements.

In any relationship , there could be low points like this Tiger story.
What to do? Storm out of the marriage or relationship in anger; shoot someone or head for the divorce courts?
That would be playing into the hands of intruders, "strange women or men" who set out, deliberately, to break up couples by seducing one of them.
In the long run, one would realise that there is no perfect husband or wife on earth. And no perfect marriage exists, either.
Getting on with it is the better option to divorce,especially in a Christian marriage, when it becomes easier for the couple to make the Word of God their guide , in resolving irritating issues.
Forgiving and forgetting wrongs become easier to do , especially in cases where the erring partner has shown remorse, has confessed his or her sin to the other half and asked for forgiveness as Tiger Woods has done.
This is the basis of the couples' resolve to pick up the pieces of their broken relationship and get on with it on a clean slate.
Forgiving one another even as God has forgiven us is the best solution to infidelity.
But this is easier said than done. It does entail a lot of payer and resolve by both parties, to succeed in keeping their union intact.
It takes the resolve of two persons to build any relationship.
What if the erring partner is not sorry, refuses to apologise or to give up his/her affairs and does not support or desire a reconciliation?
Well! That is another topic entirely.

The Insanity Plea

Recently, I witnessed an accused person leaving court with an acquittal from a charge of causing GBH (Grievous Bodily Harm).
I was in court on a different official matter. I felt sad for both the accused person and the victims of his crime.
As I glanced at the family and friends of the victim , huddled together, heads bowed, my heart sank.
Their faces clearly showed their pain , bitterness and disgust at the outcome of months of court appearances.
The victim survived the vicious attack , but with disabilities for life.
He sat in a wheel chair speechless and looked very shocked.
I could only imagine how those people felt ; especially when the accused walked free; with a swagger and with a broad grin, like that of the cat that got the cream!
He walked free amidst cheers and back slapping for him from his supporters!
The accused person was acquitted by reason of insanity.
He was "free", sort of ; free to be taken away to a secured unit. Escorted by social workers and securities operatives who whisked him away, quickly, from the scene.
He had his day in court and the laws of the land had found him unfit to be held culpable for his actions. So be it.
Apart from the legal considerations, it is morally wrong and unfair to convict an insane person of crimes committed by him or her during the period he/she is adjudged "Criminally Insane ".
But where do we draw the line? Who qualifies for the Insanity Plea?
There are numerous cases of people committing murder or causing GBH because the culprit felt the victim had shown him "disrespect".
In another of such cases of GBH, this person who had committed similar offences twice before, re-offended. Since he was registered as suffering from "Severe Clinical Depression", he had been let off the previous charges and placed on a course of treatment and rehabilitation.
However, this time around,things were not that easy for him.
He had to be placed in a far-away secure unit, for his own good. With a complete change of identity !
The reason being that after weeks in hospital, his victim survived the stabbing by a hair-breadth and identified him!
This latest victim had two brothers who themselves were suspected to have undiagnosed serious mental problems. They had been on observation by the authorities for months for severe antisocial behaviour patterns ,even before their brother was stabbed.
They have vowed revenge. Nobody in their neighbour hood who knew what they were capable of doing ,disbelieved them!
If the brothers succeed in carrying out their threat and they are charged to court, what would their pleas be? "Insanity" or "Disrespect"?

Someone said every human being suffers, usually unnoticed ,brief mental derailment of about five minutes , daily.
Wouldn't it be just , simply wonderful to be able to exploit our perceived insane moments ? To do all those evil things which we would love to do ; but for the law and fear of reprisals which restrain us? Then plead insanity after being caught!
I mean, the list is endless. We could, all, decide to have a field day with this "Insanity" thing.
Every one knows someone who they would like to encircle that person's throat with their hands and squeeze hard.
Or we could decide to pay "courtesy visits" to the shops filled with all those luxury goods and gadgets which have caught our fancy.
We could take our pick of all the goods on offer and make our exit, quietly, with the loot!
And just in case , any overzealous store detective apprehends us at the store exit, just look at him , grin sweetly and plead insanity!
There was a case of a man who pleaded insanity when caught pants down with another woman , by his wife!

The Insanity Plea is not for persons with violent and ungovernable tempers or persons who have no regard for law and order,or for peaceful co-existence with others.
It is not for those who have no qualms about breaking the law but they think they are too "posh for prison"!

After every crime,the lives of both the culprits and the victims are shattered. Nobody is ever "free" or remains the same after shedding human blood , stealing or hurting people's feelings.
The freedom which can be gotten by a plea of insanity is only for those who , of a truth , are incapable of being aware of their actions.
If ignorance is bliss, then the schizophrenic mind is, indeed, seated on a throne in Cuckooland, completely oblivious and at peace in his world.
Pretenders to this "throne" plead feigned "insanity" in order to escape conviction.
They could escape conviction; many of them have done so , through the services of brilliant defence teams and by faulty judgments but they are never free because , for the rest of their lives , they have murdered their own sleep.
"...the VOICE of thy brother's blood crieth to me from the ground.
And now thou art cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand"; Genesis 4: 10,11.

The Countdown to Christmas Begins !

Christmas Lights on Regents Street ,London.


Oxford Street - A glittering Sight!

I saw my first Christmas lights and decorations for the year, three weeks ago( mid October) on my neighbourhood High Street Gifts Store.
As I went round the store, I heard one of the shoppers asking Imran , a non Christian why he had decided to display Christmas items so soon. He answered that he loved Christmas and was , always,excited by the season! Moreover , his suppliers had sent him Christmas catalogues since August.
He sent his order then and received the stock Christmas stock in September.
I have heard some comments, about "the commercialization of Christmas" . Indeed.
Same week, while driving around the West End, I saw that many large stores like Lillywhite in Piccadilly, Selfridges and M&S in Oxford Street and many others had put up spectacular decorations , as usual. And, of course,all the shops were well stocked for the Big Christmas Shopping Season.
In their usual style, shoppers from all over England and from outside the country have been thronging the Shops all over London in their millions. Very exciting!
Economic Recession? What Recession? No signs of that , at all.
Last night's Christmas lighting-up events were simply way-out GRANDIOSE!
The traditional annual Christmas lights in Regents Street, Oxford Street and St. Paul's Cathedral were switched on simultaneously; signally the beginning of the annual Countdown to Christmas.
The lights are a sight to behold ! Very Beautiful! They were switched on by film stars - Jim Carrey, Colin Firth and Bob Hoskins and Robin Wright Penn in the different venues, respectively.
These Christmas lights will also be lit in almost all the streets in the city and they will stay lit until the 12th of January, next year, when the Christmas season ends, officially.

Oxford Street lit up for Christmas.

 

The London Community Choir and Star Opera singer , Andrea Bocelli from Italy, led 14,000 Londoners to sing carols at the St Paul's Cathedral lights venue.
The turnout at and the grandeur of these events yesterday, have surpassed similar events in recent years in London.
The organisers of these events have done a marvelous job, every year and as usual, this year, they spared no expense, at all, to produce a befitting array of colourful lights to honour the King of Kings.
May God, touch and richly bless the designers of these beautiful glittering lights extravaganza! May all the participants and organisers of these glorious Christmas events experience the Grace of God unto the Salvation of their souls . Amen.
Other famous venues whose Lights will be lit during the weeks ahead and which will be equally exciting to watch are:
Carnaby Street and its 12 surrounding streets on November 10th. The theme for the lights there this year, will be Love, Joy, Hope and and Peace.
As from November 19th, Bond Street and its surroundings will be transformed into a glittering Winter Wonderland ,complete with snow, fir trees and reindeers ; with fireworks! On the day, donations will be taken for the Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Then the famous Putney Christmas Market in Church Square will be lit up on November 27th while the exciting Enchanted Woodland in Syon House Park will sparkle delightfully as from November 20th.
The usual complaints about global warming carry no weight because London and other U.K.cities are always lit up and sparkling with millions of lights every night, all year round, anyway.
The special recognition and high regard given to Christmas, world-wide,makes this Great Season one which billions of people look forward to.
As for talk about Commercialisation and Christless Christmas ;what is all that?
Which one is the "ChristFULL" Christmas? The cheap and dull one?
In the U.K., Christmas celebrations totally eclipse,put in the shade; all other events from mid October to mid January ,the following year.
Who else on earth could command so much world-wide recognition and respect that the countdown to his birthday celebration starts two months before the D-DAY?
Who else but Jesus Christ , the Son of God and the King of Kings !
No wonder, the Three Magi went shopping for gifts fit for THE King and they started their journey of thousands of miles to Bethlehem at least six months, BEFORE Jesus Christ was born ; to present the special gifts to him personally!
They recognised that the birth of the God-man on earth deserved special celebrations.
No honour is too early or too much for my King. So let the festivities begin!
May the Glory , Peace and Joy which comes with Christmas fill the whole Earth . Amen!
Here is wishing you a Merry Christmas !

HIS BELOVED

Tell me who admires and loves you, and I will tell you who you are.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:10.
Our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive; the risk to be alive and express what we really are.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18.

Treading Milk

The mouse story which I first heard ,sometime, in my pre-teen years, came to mind last week .Maybe you have heard it before , but the lesson the story teaches is ever-fresh.
Three mice fell into a jug of milk. They tried to get out but couldn't.
After a spirited battle , two of them became exhausted, gave up and drowned in the milk.The third mouse kept on treading the milk with its tiny legs and arms in a desperate effort to stay afloat. After a while, the milk under the mouse churned into cream , then into cheese. By its unrelenting treading efforts,"Mousey" became a cheese maker!
Thereafter, the poor little, thieving fellow was able to climb on the solid cheese , climb out of the jug and to scamper to its well-deserved freedom! Cheery story!

However, it is not cheery news to hear that, as at date, 2.47 million Britons are unemployed; most of whom are 25 years and younger!
It is scary that fresh graduates are now starring unemployment in the face .
More so, because just a couple of years ago,there was a sharp increase in the number of youths in the U.K., eager to further their education by going to "Uni".
Then, university graduates, going into first time employment were spoilt for choice of good offers.
As a parent, a social worker and a mentor to youths, I have been a strong advocate for diligence by youths, as a key or a solid foundation to a brighter future.
Diligence in getting degrees or acquiring other skills and qualifications to make one a professional in one's chosen field.
Considering what I know about the life-style choices of majority of boys and girls in the U.K., I knew that the increase in youths willing and determined to do something good with their lives was a miraculous answer to prayer!
Ambitous youths do not deserve unemployment at the end of a long period of hard work.
Thankfully, official measures are in place to alleviate the strains of unemployment in the society.
A degree is an essential asset when entering the top rung of the labour market.
It is indispensable in order to excel in most high-flying careers . As such, some top professions insist on a first degree as an entry qualification for their members.
Also, it is on record that a university graduate would earn at least £250,000 more than a non-graduate in their life-times.
Apart from the monetary advantage , a university degree does not confer the certificate only. The degree course prepares one for a higher social standing in life due to social interactions and connections between undergraduates on campuses. Some of these undergraduates are the future leaders of nations. I know from personal experience that these undergraduate-years connections are an enduring asset. Proverbs 22: 29.
My point here is that prospective graduates should not be discouraged from pursuing their dreams by unemployment, even in this harsh economic climate.
There are cheery signs , already, that the crunch time in the country is easing up . The economy is reviving; things are getting better.
What to do if unemployed after graduation? Faith and prevailing prayers are essential.
However, Faith without works is dead.
If you "exercise faith by claiming and declaring" all the prosperity promises in the Bible, "confessing positive , thinking positive", or whatever, from now till Kingdom come ; without acting out your faith; you would be wasting your time. Proverbs 13:4, 2 Thessalonians 3:10
Life goals are achieved not only by blowing "hot air" and "blowing mouth"!
To survive , weigh your options, tread milk , like our friend , the little fighter-mouse and prayerfully attain your miracle by positive ACTION!
If option A is yet to come, embark on a course of action towards your goal.
Not much can be achieved by flopping,all day, on the sofa at home, eating crisps and flicking TV channels or chatting and texting on your "mobo" or banging on Twitter or Facebook , for hours.
If you are short of options , have you considered working abroad, maybe for a short spell,until you get your dream job in the U.K.?
Last week, I was on holiday in the Benalmadena Resort in the Costa del Sol, Spain.
As usual, it was buzzing with not only holiday makers from all over the world but also with workers in the Leisure industry like tour guides , drivers, reception staff, chefs, waiters , waitresses etc. Some of these staff were foreigners but, one thing all these staff had in common was their ability to speak English in varying levels of fluency!
Although we were in Spain, there was this atmosphere of feeling at home because the excellent service was offered mainly in smattering but passable English.
At dinner , on one of the nights, we were joking with the waiter who was obviously Spanish but was making a jovial effort to communicate with us and practise his knowledge of English on us. I suspect that most of these staff got the jobs because there is a high demand for English-speaking staff in most holidays resorts, worldwide.
English, being the world's lingua franca ,has made English-speaking graduates highly sought after for top-executive positions in multinational corporations, both in the U.K. and abroad, especially in Europe, China, Russia and other Baltic States.
The British culture of going on "Gap Year", a.k.a doing a sight-seeing world tour after graduation; is the icing on the cake and part of one's education.
However, in the present climate, instead of going on a round -the -world orgy after graduating ,it is wiser to return to Uni for a Master's degree.
In any interview, a higher degree gives you an edge over the other applicants for the same job.
Also, while you are still searching for that plum job,you could try your hands on the many short courses teaching trades and crafts like Fashion Designing, Floristry, Hairdressing, Event Planning, Web-design, Paper Arts and others.
These skills could become money-spinners, if properly managed.
Eventually, you will surely, attain your dream job because you are a winner and a survivor. You will not drown because you will keep at it.
Surely, as the Lord lives, he rewards diligence.

That they may live......

Hyde Park , London . 11 am Sunday ,6th September, 2009
After months of preparation , I joined 17,000 women this morning in Hyde Park, London to run the 5 kilometres race to fundraise for various Charities. I ran to fundraise for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. I finished the race in 41 minutes and 28 seconds. The winner was 10,000 metres runner, Vivian Cheruiyot of Kenya . Her finishing time was 15.11 minutes.
Breakthrough Breast Cancer is the UK's leading charity committed to fighting breast cancer through well informed, well resourced and innovative research.They need supporters to help them achieve there vision of a future free from the fear of breast cancer.





Adidas 5 Kilometres Women's Challenge 2009

 

 

 

 

Thanks to all my Sponsors and to all those who have supported and encouraged me during the past months of preparation and training.
Special thanks to my running buddies and my Fitness Instructor , Jason Hasslock (slave driver!)
To the Adidas and Breakthrough Breast Cancer teams , kudos , for a job well done!

One Test for All

It is the duty of any ambitious athlete to maintain a disciplined and punishing training schedule for months or even years before a major event. Rippling muscles on their necks , shoulders ,arms, thighs, legs and "six-pack" hard, muscular midriffs are the end results of months of such sustained work-outs.
These muscles are essential for the athletes' peak performance.
No muscles , no medals!
This is why millions of people are suspicious of the motives behind the demand for a gender-check for Caster Semenya.
There is no dispute that Caster Semenya , the record clinching 800 metres female world champion looks like a man.
The South African female athlete DOES look and sound like a man!
And so what? Is that news? What should she have looked like?
Elegant, graceful, stepping gingerly on the tracks ;like a ballerina?
How many of the other world -class female athletes look like women?
Is is feminine to have those rippling, strong muscles of a weightlifter which are the trade marks of ANY top-class female athlete worth her salt?
One would not be surprised to hear demands for drug tests for "overperforming" unknown athletes from "nowhere"; but a demand for a gender-test for a female athlete who looks like a man ?
Strange.Very strange.
It was said that Caster came from NOWHERE to win the title. Very funny! From nowhere? Yet she defeated athletes from "somewhere " by a very wide berth. She and her coach were able to develope a winning strategy which gave her the gold medal in record-breaking time. To the chagrin of some people.
Their strategy, according to Caster was: "Allow them to run ahead , then at 200 metres to the post, sprint forward and kill them. Finish them !"
The gender-check should be not for Caster only , but should be extended to ALL leading female athletes. Especially the female athletes from Germany, Russia and the Eastern European countries. Have you seen the muscles these "women" parade?
Please, if you are reading this and you KNOW or you have seen any medal-wining female athlete , anywhere on earth, who has a feminine body, kindly "educate" me.
What does a "feminine body" look like? It is soft and supple. Not created for extreme physical exertion. Definitely, not rock hard and bulging with strong muscles!
When a man and a woman wear identical tight-fitting jeans and T-shirts, one should be able to differentiate between their body shapes. A flat and trim tummy looks good on anybody. A normal woman should not be flat and straight, front and back, like a ruler!

Since "feminity" is the issue now, it is interesting that the "powers-that-be" in the multi-billion pounds Fashion Industry have a very different mind-set to the World Athletics Governing Council about what the female body should look like.
The latter thinks women should look like women; but the former does not think so.
So while we are at it , why not extend the gender -check ; coupled with a sanity -check to the "beautiful women" who strut their stuff on catwalks and those women and girls who would do ANYTHING to maintain the "in-look" of looking skeletal and as flat as the back of a double-decker bus?
In order for them to comply with the dictates of the "all-knowing" Fashion and Fitness Industry?

It is one thing to make a personal choice to reduce oneself to a neurotic state by trying and failing to achieve some perceived "perfect shape".
What is unacceptable is the mind-control by a group of people to foist their own concepts of "beauty and good looks" on the whole world.
The truth is :the healthy female figure is one that is neither obese , flabby ,skinny or extra thin.
What is normal, feminine or attractive in a size 4 or size 0 woman? With a flat skinny chest and flat skinny bum; with all her bones and tendons jutting out? Also, it is unhealthy and unattractive for anyone, male or female to be overweight.
It is unfair to put pressures on women and young girls to become thin in order to be "acceptable" as attractive and desirable.
Such pressures have caused suicides and mental illnesses like anorexia, bulimia , clinical depression and self-harm amongst the female populace.
Who reserves the right to determine the "acceptable look" for any human being? Acceptable to whom and for what purpose?
There are professional demands on some women for them to look like "Mr Atlas" or like a flat plank of wood. There are also women who are content to choose what size they want to be; that is healthy and based on their Body Mass Index (B.M.I.)
Different women have different B.M.I.s.
Women should not live their lives based on the dictates of the Fashion and Fitness Industry.
Some women are obsessed with the desire to be thin while many others are elated when the answer to their question:
" Does my bum look big in this?" is; "Yes, it does!".
Such women spend thousands of pound on bum and bust enhancing tablets, injections and implants.
Whereas some other women prefer for their pelvic bones, shoulder blades , ribs and spinal column to jut out through their size 0 clothes.
Muscular , beefy, flabby, thin or skeletal , the bottom line is: what message is being sent out by the person?
Is it " I am an athlete, or a model,or I keep fit and trim or I live my life according to the dictates of others"?
Or is it "I please myself; I don't care what others think of me:
if you don't like my shape, get ON YOUR BIKE "!
Whatever the message is, show some understanding and sympathy for why certain people look they way they look.

Social Mobility

Social justice in any society, is not just social protection but a system that ensures real opportunities for everyone to make the most of their potential.
A recent government white paper in Britain, has detailed government policies to enable social mobility in the society.
These policies would be focused on engineering a society where what counts is not where you come from , your parents' class or situation or their earnings.
Emphasis would be on creating new opportunities for the citizens, ensuring their success in the prevailing global economy and supporting child development in early years .
Also on the agenda are the provision of world-class schools, pathways for all, getting on in work, strengthening family life and supporting communities to support individuals.

Anyone who is familiar with how the British society works would agree that some , if not all of these policies are in place already; benefiting millions of the citizens of this country in varying degrees.
However, it is obvious that not everyone has equal access to certain professions and certain groups in many areas of the society have continued to maintain their exclusivity.
This awareness has created the need for government focus on providing stronger foundations for not just a richer country but a fairer society.

One policy already in place, which has impacted millions of lives in the society is the laudable policy of helping parents to give their children the benefits of a good head-start in life.
Government support in the form of free childcare and various reliefs e.g. housing benefits and tax reliefs for each child , being enjoyed by parents ; have given immense financial reliefs to millions of parents in the country for many years.
I believe , as stated in the government White Paper, that increased support for child care is needed by parents to enable faster social mobility .
This would bridge the gap between children from different backgrounds ; aiding them to have the same opportunities as their peers.
A child's early experiences and the environment in which he lives and learns during his early years have a profound impact on his subsequent years.
When the oppurtunities for learning and development are missed at an early age,it is hard for children to catch up.
This is damaging to the children , to families and to the society as a whole .

Prior to this White paper on social mobility, other polices had been implemented to aid citizens to achieve their desired ambitions for upward social mobility.
However, as with any bunch of policies, the impact of their contents and intent on the society would depend on the extent of their implementation.
I know that government intentions and actions are not all it takes to implement policies. The individuals in any society have prominent roles to play in realising laudable government policies.
If a drowning man is offered no helping hand , he would sink , soon or late.
Or when he attempts to stay afloat , if "under-currents" drag him down or his head is pushed down , further into the mire by "hostile hands", his chances of survival would be very slim.
Worst still , there are those people who make no attempts whatsoever, to keep afloat in the turbulent waves of life.
Instead they would blame God , their parents, government and even their spouses for their dire situations.

In this society , there is an enabling environment of grants and facilities to aid anyone with a "success mind frame " to maximise their potentials, to climb and remain on the social ladder, if they so desire.
I strongly opine that the battle for ensuring social mobility is firstly, won or lost in human minds.
Why would any ADULT in Great Britain be unable to READ and WRITE simple English , their mother tongue? In a land of excellent educational facilities ?
Who is to blame for this?
There are millions of able-bodied men and women in Great Britain, who have never worked, even for one day, in their entire lives.
They would , easily, give you a dozen reasons why they CAN'T or WON'T work for anybody and why they deserve to live comfortably for the rest of their glorious lives, on the generosity of the government and good people of Great Britain!
Surmounting obstacles to social mobilty and even surviving the global economic down turn depend not only government's laudable fiscal policies but on REORDERING personal priorities and changing self-defeatist ATTITUDES.

Balancing Acts

There are days when you wish that time would stand still or that there would be more than 24 hours to the day. Sometimes, there are so many tasks that it takes sheer willpower to finish even half of them, at any given point in time.
In this society, there are numerous opportunities available for those who care enough to excel in life. To grab them,more people are multi-tasking than ever before.
The prevailing mind-frame is to put in as many nuts or iron rods as possible in the fire. With this lifestyle comes the need to ensure that every aspect of one's life is included in the total package of multi- tasking.
Each life has various facets to it and no man is an island.
There are relationships and commitments to be focused on. Regarding family life, love-life, spiritual life, nine -to -five jobs, businesses, hobbies, interests and having a relationship(time?)with one's self.
Time with one's self means ensuring a balance of the needs for the spirit, soul and body. Like self-grooming,health issues,a personal relationship with God and feeding one's soul with profitable ideas and information form reading,listening and learning.

I assume that at least 70% of the human race have these same aspirations in their lives.I try to adhere to healthy balance by sheer determination.
It has been said that women are better at multi-tasking than men. Maybe.
Whatever, when one has made the choice to maximise one's potential in life, plans should be put in place to ensure that time and efforts expended on various commitments would be well -balanced so that no one aspect is neglected.

Easier said than done because time is fixed and waits for no one.
Every one has preferences and we ,all, reserve the right to choose how and where to apportion our scarce and fixed time.
The depth of love or preferences in our hearts for someone or something , would determine the time and effort we spend on them.
Where there is a will , there is a way.
I enjoy spending my time in the company of some people more that of others who are equally important to me. Also, I prefer spending my time doing certain things more than doing others which are equally necessary to be done .
So, to avoid a vacuum or unnecessary strife in daily living, what do I or anybody do to balance up?
I have discovered that a little bit of self-discipline helps .
The human spirit or human will needs taming to prevent it from scampering off course. A man with a tamed will becomes a creature of habit. Good habits.
Self-discipline is a system of self-control with the aim of attaining stated objectives or targets and maintaining an orderly lifestyle.
There is nothing as embarrassing as forgetting business dates and time; or a family member's or friend's birthday, wedding anniversary or invitations to meet up for, lunch,dinner or a drink!
Forgetting to phone or visit someone you know who is going through a challenging period is an unforgettable faux pas.

I have my own system of controls which may not be the ideal for other people .
My pager comes in handy with ring alerts to remind me of many things.
I input little notes with alerts to remind me of things to do, of appointments ,of phone calls to be made and names of people .
I set up "TO DO" lists at the beginning of each week. Detailing things to do in my work , businesses , family, my relationships and in the church.
Also I plan how much time to spend on each of them.
Even with these controls in place , there are times when I get carried away and spend more time hanging out with my family and friends than earlier planned. That is, doing want I enjoy doing most.
But it is better to plan ahead and not meet targets fully, than not to plan at all.
Whatever the plan of action employed, a dose of self-discipline in any life is imperative to ensure a peaceful co-existence with others.
Have a happy life .

SPACE TOURISM

This week's celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the moon coincided which the beginning of my annual holiday.
I am into loads of science fiction films and computer games.
So, often, I have wondered what it would be like to jet off , not , as usual to a far away sun-soaked beauty spot here on earth; but to jet off in a space craft to an orbital space hotel somewhere in outer space. You know ,to live for one month, in a massive luxury Mother Space Ship, surrounded by the vast expanse of space. With the earth, a beautiful blue orb glowing in the far distance away. Throw in a couple or more planets with beautiful clouds to complete the picture. Here on earth I can smell the sea, the air and see loads of beautiful scenery, people, shops and stuff , all around me. What is it like in space ?
Neil Armstrong said the moon was bare and dead. That space smelt like burnt almonds. Lovely smell.
I think the scenery and smell of outer space are nothing compared with the rush of adrenalin, buzz of excitement and the overwhelming pleasure of achievement which a return space journey gave these three pioneers to the moon.
The desire to have a taste of these experiences is the driving force for those who have had the privilege of belonging to the exclusive club of "Touronauts" as Space Tourists are called.
For all of them ,their brief trips to outer space and the International Space Station has been a dream come true.
To date,there has been very few touronauts. Understandably so ; considering the fact that a 10-day space trip would set you back for at at least £10 million pounds.
The most prominent touronaut is U.S. billionaire software developer , Charles Simonyi. He is the first man on earth who has travelled to space twice as a tourist. His last trip was in April 2009. Both trips cost him about £60 million pounds.
Sir Richard Branson ,amongst others, is the foremost entrepreneur, set to make frequent holidays to the moon and outer space , a reality for mankind by 2050.
Sir Richard's Virgin Galactic Project is a pace setter in space tourism. The Project bears the hallmark of his adventurous and pioneering spirit.
There has been talk of orbital hotels in space for future touronauts and, of course, holiday money to spend in outer space.
This currency is the unique space currency: the Quid - Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination. Proposed exchange rate for the Quid is : Q1 = £6.25!
Estimated cost for one week space trip will be £575,000.
The sheer thought of it is very exciting.
That would be THE adventure of a life time and I am up for it . Any sponsors out there ?
Well for now , for me,I will have to make do with the down -to -earth kind of holiday. Same for millions of Britons who have jetted out on holiday this week.
Looking forward to the delights of plenty of sun , sand and sea and the freedom to "shut down and shut out" every day routine.
The sheer bliss of lying on the beach or poolside , soaking in the sun and sipping a tall fruit cocktail; without a care in the world. And plenty of Retail Therapy!

Even before 2050, if the Lord tarries, when space tourism will be common place trips; before you jet off to some far away space paradise , please bear in mind how much just a "paltry million" pounds can do for , say, 100 Charities on planet earth .
If you don't have a clue "WHAT" , please ask me .
There are millions out there who NEED the Cash for life's basic goodies.
Thank you and God bless you, real good . Amen!

The Need to Know and Be Known.

It is natural for human beings to want to know the juicy details about the affairs of others. Especially, about the daily lives of the affluent and successful members of our communities.
Bizarrely, people do relish news that their neighbours , friends, colleagues and especially successful celebrities are not doing well or that they are facing some challenges or some scandal.
The more they protect their private details from public knowledge,
the more determined certain people are to dig them up.
Then , the juicier the information is when they are, finally,leaked into the public domain.
Nothing sells newspapers like a delicious "scoop" of dirt about some one's secrets!
Nowadays detailed information are freely provided on Internet sites by malicious postings or by the very people concerned, the "stars " of the stories themselves!
Free photos and details about the stars, posted by themselves on their sites is one up against the paparazzi! Takes the wind out of their sails .
Some of us give out free and generous photographs and information about the minutest details of our lives and see and read same about the lives of thousands of our contacts on social network sites .
However, official and specialty blogs and websites rarely give out unnecessary personal details and photos but they concentrate on the serious issues and business for which they were set up.
Recently , private details of the home address and family life of a top British government official were freely served on one of the popular Internet sites by no less a person than the mistress of the house!
People wondered what she was thinking ,"doing all that"?
Nothing really . She did nothing unusual .
Just did what millions of people do on web sites every minute of any day.
That is, doing the "normal" business of letting others know how well we are doing , letting the world know who we and what a wonderful home , fantastic marriage , beautiful children and dream jobs we have.
The norm on these sites is posting pictures and write-ups for all to see and know about what charmed lives we are living, our foreign holidays, our many wonderful friends and the A-list social life we have! Phenomenal!
You post it all, hour by hour and then "test the water" to see how many hundreds or thousands of people actually, would log on to read the minutest details about the colour of the ties you wore today or the socks your kids wore and what they did and said in school. Don't forget to add how you woke up ,yawned lazily in bed,got up and then went for a jog, returned 15 minutes later, had a drink ,went into the bathroom.
Came out . Cleared your throat, thought of what next to do now. Bored. Yawned again.
Went out into your very large back garden, came back in, had a cold drink and then went shopping,returned one hour later and then went for a swim.Returned and went out for a lovely dinner with the wonderful hubby and kids in the evening! Went home. Had a late drink and went to bed.
Thank you very much for visiting this site. Good night.
Oh,I forgot.Got carried away and I have written more than 50 words already.
This my narration here of a person's day is too long, isn't it ,for such sites?
Some of such "valuable" details about someone's lives attract at least ten thousand hits a day from their readers and followers who need to know, daily, about what is happening in other people's lifes.
I can hear what you're thinking and you're wrong!
Some of the thousands of followers or visitors , "hits" to these sites are sane , responsible adults ; not impressionable ,star-struck , screaming teenagers.
The husband of an American actress posted a photo of her naked back only, as she laid face-down on the bed and a second photo of her sitting on the toilet seat.
The pictures got over five hundred thousand "hits" in one day.

The main attraction to these sites is that thousands are signing up, daily and many follow the crowd because they believe it is the "in thing" to do and the best place to satisfy the human need to know and be known by others.
And why not? Being part of the on-line community is harmless fun and is beneficial to millions. It is a fantastic forum for social networking and marketing people ,ideas and products .
Especially if and when we need to present our products to a diverse audience and we want them to know us and we want to know them.
Nothing promotes a person or product like being online , being in contact, being seen and heard by thousands if not millions on the world -wide web.
Feedbacks from many lonely people,who have nobody to talk to for days or even weeks show that they derive pleasure from logging on.
It is where they can live their lives anonymously and find some human contact.
Where they can post a few lines of details about themselves and receive some comments from total strangers.
Then , they in turn can see and read about what is going on in the lives of total strangers.At least,in that way, they get a sense of belonging to the human race.

So why begrudge a wife for the naivety of posting security details of her husband on an Internet site? I guess she was a novice to the Internet and didn't know that you shouldn't give out certain information on the Internet.
Or may be she was carried away ,like people could be when they are having fun .
The problem is, when people are carried away while giving out personal information, a lot of stuff are exposed which shouldn't be.
For some, the details exposed are the truth about the state of their lives.
But for many, the time spent online is SHOW TIME!
Their fun is heightened when they lie, embellish the truth and or conceal the facts about their person ,in order to pose ; to impress and attract others .
Professional liars and fraudsters or just simple , male and female amateur liars: dreamers all ,living out their fantasies by "releasing" terrible white , pink , black or green fibs ( lies )are in abundance on these sites .
The red light on Internet sites is: Have fun. Relax . Not every one online is a pervert or fraudster. Interact with strangers. But watch it .

UP IN ARMS !

There has been some ridiculous and frightening false accusations of "discrimination" which is making a mockery of the seriousness of this crime.
The way people are nowadays, I have, often, wondered whether anyone, at work or play, could ever feel free to express harmless humour or comment on anything.
That is, without getting into "boiling water"; or stirring the hornet's nest!
People have become more litigious; especially in this harsh economic climate.
It is worrying that it takes so little to get people up in arms , nowadays!
So where has all the humour gone?
Why can't we see the funny sides of life; laugh at ourselves and be free to laugh at others?
Any newspaper editor ,TV or Radio presenter worth his/her salt knows how to maneuver and meander around the "mines fields" of preventing the publication of offensive materials!
Politicians ,bureaucrats, film and fashion stars and even religious leaders have perfected the art of Political Correctness (P.C.)
Everyone is now extra-cautious :tip-toeing and pussy-footing around the truth!
The message being sent out is: "The avoidance of speaking the whole truth in public is the beginning of wisdom.
Be P.C.in public,always; watch out for those hidden cameras.
Pretend ,smile , even when you feel like screaming out at people what you, really, think and feel about them!"
However, try as people might to pretend to be P.C.,
in their unguarded moments, their masks slip!
For out of the abundance of the heart,the mouth speaks. Matthew 12:34.
In recent times,we have been regaled with the news about prominent men and women, of all races , caught on camera , making discriminatory comments or jokes.
I find such "whistle-blowing" news very funny.
I would give anything to see the faces of the "culprits" when they see the film of their faces and voices ; knowing that, at last, their hypocritical P.C.cover has been blown ! The cat is out of the bag!
It is a harrowing experience to know that all the unpleasant stuff said in private and harboured in the mind about others, have been laid bare for all to hear!
Sometimes , I feel sorry for the ones caught on camera because some of them have maintained in public, a P.C.(Politically Correct) facade for years, even for decades, which was a complete opposite of their ACTUAL secret views and actions .
Usually, in the heat of such scandalous revelations ,lots of self -righteous people speak out to express their "shock and dismay at such unacceptable comments" and to condemn the persons caught in the wrong side of the P.C. game.
As if they are not partners -in -crime; but not yet exposed.

The injustice of being told " Sorry,IT HAS BEEN TAKEN"(when it has not!) Or "Sorry you failed the exam or interview" (When you did not!); is rampant, though often denied in this society.
When and if proven, employers and landlords have been dragged to Employment and Rent Tribunals and forced to cough out huge monetary compensations to employees, prospective employees and tenants and students who have been victims of sexist , ageist or racial discrimination.
Discrimination is unjust and it is symptomatic of a diseased mind.
It is an expression of hatred and fear; a grab-it-all game.
But it is a not a one -way street. It is not the sole preserve or stock-in-trade of a particular race or group.
Perpetrators and victims of it abound in all races and groups.
However,the "aggrieved-victims" game could be over-played, by some.
The fact is: given half the chance,every group or race on earth would be as guilty and as capable of discriminating against "outsiders" as any other race or group.

We have heard of Men-on-women ,women-on-men, women-on women, white-on white,white-on- black, Gentiles-on-Jews, Jews-on-Gentiles, Asian-on-Asian and Arab-on-Arab and Everyone-on-Arabs discrimination.
And, oh boy!, what of the stereotype name-calling and jokes we tell in the secret recesses of our homes and in our exclusive clubs!
The insane , rib-cracking jokes about other races which we share with families and friends!
About white women's bums, about oriental women's chests and their bums,about black women's bums and jokes about white/black/Asian/Arab men's "sizes" .
There is mutual condemnation and resentment of the cultures and lifestyles of other races. With every race claiming to be better than the others.
You should hear the awful comments made by old people about young people ; by women about men and vice-versa!
It seems each group on earth has unending uncomplimentary names and accusations about others.
May God have mercy on us all. Amen.

How would the human race survive this volatile landscape of human relations?
-By ACTIVE diplomacy and showing LOVE TO EACH OTHER.
- By purging ourselves of self-destructive words and SELFISH thought patterns.
Remember, every human being, in love , peace or in war, has the ability to give as much as they have received.
The realisation that ,one day, we shall leave all we have cheated and fought for and all we hold dear, behind in this world is enough to make us resolve to live at peace with others .
The mad rush to out-do each other and grab-it-all ,to the exclusion of all others is vanity and nothing but vanity.

JOKES GALLERY

Joke 1.
Two old men bumped into each other; one said to the other:
"Sorry,I didn't see you . I was looking for my wife!"
" I was looking for mine too."
" What does she look like?"
" She is 25, statuesque; 6 feet two inches tall, slim, with honey-blond hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a pair of white shorts and a skimpy blue top".
"What does yours look like ?"
"Never mind . Let's look for yours first!"
Joke 2.
If you take an Oriental person and spun him around many times ; what does he become? Disorientated?
Joke 3.
If love is blind , why are lingerie very popular?

These are three of the jokes which appeared in a North England Parish Newsletter recently. They provoked protests from readers who were offended at their "sexist, ageist and racist connotations".
This has forced the publishers to apologize for "the inappropriate contents" of their newsletter.
During the week , a radio phone-in programme aired the views of some members of the public about the "offence" caused by these jokes in the parish newsletter.
The public responses were as entertaining as they were spot-on realistic.
The recurrent questions from many contributors were:
Who is denying that men prefer younger women and that men are turned on by beautiful lingerie?
How would a disoriented Oriental cause a racial war?
While some felt the jokes were very funny and harmless or that they were mere, harmless word-play; others thought they were tasteless and insulting to women , old people and Oriental people!
There were no phone-in comments from Oriental people.
I would have loved to hear what they thought about the "Oriental" joke .
If you are Oriental and reading this, please comment: tell me your war plans.

This is another instance of a lot of brouhaha over some comments made about sex,age or race.
Though,this time the uproar was mild, sometimes it could be widespread!
But what was it all about?
Some times people speak words and do things which are unintentionally hurtful or offensive to others.
They were just simply, JOKING ; having innocent fun. No harm intended!

That is not to say there does not exist,in our society, as in every human society; men , women and children who maliciously upset and harass others who they see as "different".
Jokes could be ice-breakers or door-openers to making friends.
However, jokes can make or mar an event because just as they liven up an atmosphere ,there are jokes that are indeed unpleasant and outlandish!
These would not be tolerated in any decent gathering.
So it is the responsibility of the joker to assess his listeners' sensitivities.
To know when and where to joke and who to joke with.
Also it helps to know when to draw the line between a harmless joke and a nasty, malicious barb ; sent out,deliberately, to hurt and dehumanize others.
If you cannot or would not guard your tongue; for your own sakes, keep your poisonous, hurtful words and thoughts to yourselves and within the inner recesses of your personal space(s).

I think the extent and contents of jokes and banter should depend on the depth of the relationship with the persons you are joking with.
You should not unleash your brand of unwanted humour on an unwilling audience or on strangers.
The wisdom to know when and where to joke could be the difference between receiving an applause or a physical attack ; a kiss or a broken jaw ; or even a life or death matter.
Some people out there just don't take kindly to certain jokes.

I have friends and neighbours male and female ,from all the different races in the country and we exchange jokes and banter about each other. I mean way-out jokes and name-calling. There is a familiar bond between us . So we have not swung flying kicks or pulled guns ,daggers or punches at each other .
Neither have we headed for court to complain of "offensive comments "!

When you lose your sense of humour, you lose the essence of living.
Being touchy about jokes could make you lose valuable friends and contacts .
Life is too short to moan and complain about perceived wrongs .
So let the jokes flow! But do it sensibly and responsibly.
Most importantly, the recipe for success and peace in life is in imbibing these words:
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil,
and his lips that they speak no guile:
Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace ,and ensue it.
1 Peter 3:10,11.

For Micheal

LOVE YOU LOADS

Thanks for the beautiful memories !

For Micheal

Thank God for the message beautifully expressed ,for this age and for all times !

DELIGHTFUL !

The highlights of the summer months in London are here.
They are Trooping the Colour parade which takes place every June ; to mark the Queen's official birthday and The Royal Ascot Horse Racing Festival, also in June.
After watching the Trooping of the Colour, several times , over the years , one would think I had seen enough of it. But the beautiful array of the troops and their horses in all their fine attires and colours, the music from their bands and the troops' intricate marching steps have never failed to fascinate and thrill me.
Most of the years past , because of time constraints, I chose to watch just snippets of the parade on TV but sometime I go to the parade ground , the Mall and Buckingham Palace on a fun-filled outing with friends and family.
It is a favourite outing for most people, especially children .
Usually there is a massive crowd at the parade and the Palace on such occassions; thousands of them are tourists from all over the world.
Last year,I was at the Parade grounds and the Mall to watch the parade and to cheer the troops and the Queen.
I had guests from outside England, so it was an excellent treat and sight-seeing for them and I enjoyed every bit of the atmosphere there.
Usually , the high points of the Parade for me are seeing the Queen and her carriage and seeing the Colonel Princess Royal, Princess Anne; all dressed up , on her magnificent horse, barking out parade orders at her men and then strutting majestically with elaborate gestures; saluting as she rode past the Queen's podium.
This year,the Queen was 83 and Trooping the Colour was last Saturday, June 13th while the Royal Ascot started on Sunday.
I watched both on TV from home and it was almost as good as been there.
The weather was gloriously sunny. It was a spectacular display , as usual, but it wasn't as exciting as being there, physically, in the thick of the action; with my camcorder!
Looking forward to next year's Parade.
Here is wishing Her Majesty, the Queen many happy returns of her big day and long may she reign. Amen.

The Triumph of Talent

The results of this year's "Britain's Got Talent" competition, once again,showed that the ground is shifting in voting patterns and attitudes.
Each of the top three winners deserved to win the competition , although , Susan Boyle who was, deservedly, consistently tipped to clinch the title, came second.
The surprise was not that she didn't win; it was that she was given the recognition she deserved , by millions world wide, despite her age and looks.
At first sight, the judges and viewers took her for just another joker because of her age and looks. But when she started singing, everyone sat up and listened to her and were bowled over!
From then on,there was an avalanche of votes for Susan.
This is a very pleasant change not only in the British public voting pattern but worldwide,indeed! This is heartwarming.
Usually,a female contestant's age and physical attributes would decide how far she went in any competition !
The change is that people now vote, honestly and truthfully for the most talented acts instead sacrificing raw talent by voting on emotional and biased considerations.

Susan Boyle didn't win her show, but she won many hearts. Many doors are now open to her. I wish her the best and many years of joy and success. Amen.



Until recently, the voting trend had been for some contestants to be voted off before others, their excellent talents not withstanding:
First to go were the older contestants; "old" as in 30 years and above.
Next were, bald or short people, the freaks, jokers and the downright tuneless singers.
When push comes to shove ; on getting to the quarter final stage;the following would be likely to be voted off:
- over-weight people;
- black people
- Bible -thumbing persons or contestants who gave the slightest hint of strong religious inclinations.
Then in the semi-final and final stages; some people were definite goners, e.g.,
- very talented contestants who commit career hara kiri by being rude and aggressive to the Judges;
- popular contestants who had done well so far but ended up choosing the "wrong song ";
- contestants whom the Press decide to hound and dig up the dirt and scandals about them!
Talent - hunt competitions are held with big financial returns as the prime motive of the organisers.
In the critical final stage, when equally talented contestants vie for the crown; the chosen contestant would be the one with the "total package" that fits the look of a star , which will be acceptable to the CD buyers; i.e. majority of the general public.
At this final stage, apart from talent, phone-in voters have voted and still vote for the contestant's style, dress sense, hair, figure, face, skin tone , skin colour,stage performance and temperament.
In a TV show last week ,someone said Susan Boyle had no right having a voice like that with a face and a figure like that!
Over the years, many budding talents had been stifled due to unfair rejections by phone-in voters.
But the tide is turning and has been turning for many years now. Hope is rising indeed.
For those who have followed reality TV competitions in Great Britain,in the last six years, they would remember the delightful change that occurred when an extra curvy lady won the "X Factor" competition , some years back. I have forgotten her name .
She had a good dress sense which suited her figure,had a good-looking face and a warm and bubbly personality!
When I first saw her and heard her sing , I was very impressed by her voice and by her guts for coming forward to take part in the show. She was, apparently, one of the best top five in that show.
I felt sorry for her because I knew that despite her talent and pleasant personality , she stood the chance of butter in hell; because of her SIZE!
Although she had a fantastic voice ; but like Susan Boyle, she didn't "fit the picture" of a female Pop Star!
In fact NOBODY thought she would go beyond the preliminary stage.But voila! What a surprise! She went on to win the competition, in style!
However, despite her winning the"X Factor",not much success followed her debut CD.
Last year's "X Factor" winner, Alexandra Burke is a very beautiful dark-skinned woman and her winning song was the "Halleluyah Song"!
She had auditioned and had been rejected for the contest, three years before.



Hope rising , indeed. Who knows; maybe ,soon, you could get a pleasant surprise to see yours truly in the final of "X Factor",dressed up to the nines ,strutting some mean dance steps and belting out a winning song.
Singing in alto soprano and declaring to the whole world;"Arise thou that sleepest;arise in his power and his might. Repent today or you will surely perish! Halleluyah! Halleluyah!" WOW!
I can just hear the thunderous applause and see the votes flooding in! Amen.

It is indeed commendable that the whole world is speaking the truth with one voice and saying:" Let the best man or woman win!"; that people in their millions, now respect enduring talent and honest hard work and rate these far above fickle matters , like a human being's age, body and looks.
Surprise winners like Susan Boyle who break through the barrier of unjust prejudices are warming hearts; making one have faith that there is hope for the human race. Not only in shifting ground in voting patterns in reality TV shows or voting for a Black President in a predominantly White nation; but that millions world-wide are being bold enough to stand for all that is just and true.

PHONE SCAMS

The female voice on the phone sounded frantic.
" Your cousin Alice , is in hospital , on admission for injuries sustained in a motor accident today . She gave us your phone number . Please call 0908------ , urgently for full details ". Although , I knew no "cousin Alice , I was alarmed enough to call the premium rate telephone number , immediately after I received the phone message. I thought, maybe, it was someone who knew me and she needed help . It was after I had been told to phone another number, then another and then told to "hold on to be connected to the ward manager " for upward of ten minutes , that the penny dropped !
That was about four years ago. Then phone scams were common place.
Lots of people had different stories about some wild phone calls they had received informing them that they have won something , REAL BIG.
Like , they had won a world cruise or a European lottery , competitions , holidays abroad , or that you have qualified for some credit card promotion or you have won hundreds or thousands of pounds (how large the sum depended on the criminal's sense of humour and imagination !)
After you had been informed of your wonderful windfall , then you were asked to call a number to hear the "full details" of how to collect your prize.
If you did call that number, you were likely to listen to a long recorded message or answer some long , winding list of questions whilst being charged at premium rate for the call .
Like the "cousin Alice" call I received.
Apart from the "cousin Alice" saga ,in those days, I remember that many people including I, had received scam calls that I had won a Mediterranean cruise for two ,that I had won £2500 , £950 , a car ,or a dinner for four at the London Savoy , an oriental herbal slimming wonder drug worth £500; for free! , a three - nights holiday for two in Disneyland Paris , that I had an insurance claim of £800 against me for a traffic offence / accident which caused serious injuries to someone and vehicular damage , and so on ! Each caller had, requested nicely , that I sent money ranging from £20 to £100 for "processing and administrative costs " and , or , I call a premium rate number for "further details "or else , kiss the "largess", goodbye !
Usually , I would hang up on such callers .But , out of curiosity , I returned the call for the £950 claim . The man who answered said it was a genuine offer. He congratulated me warmly, because , you see , my number had come up in a customers phone number lottery . I needed to send £30 , urgently , or else I would forfeit the prize . I thanked him for his kindness and for calling me to inform me . I insisted that they should send me the cheque for £950 , minus the £30 processing fee . At this point, the pleasant voice turned very hostile and he cut the conversation short!
End of story .

Internet scams are the latest plagues and are more wide spread.
On the Internet, are offered all sorts of stuff from "free downloads", to Jackpots-"You have won a Chevrolet for being the 1000th viewer!", e-books, DVDs on "How to make £5000.00 a week while staying at home!", Miracle anti wrinkle creams, Fat-bursting Slimmers Complete work-out DVD, Bust or Penis Enlargement Creams, Hair-growth creams, Networking Sales , Mega -marketing sales and the list is endless.
There will always be people eager to take advantage of the growing army of unemployed people by promising them huge incomes from some self-employed marketing deals.
The bottom line is: the greedy , the unwary and the naïve will always fall victim for any scam. Therein lies the oppurtunity for criminals to attempt and succeed with financial scams .

It seems phone scams have resurged and increased recently, with the economic crunch.People have been complaining about receiving all sorts of funny phone calls about winning something or being asked to buy something.
Someone I know received a "World-cruise notification" phone call, two weeks ago. She was asked to pay £20, only, for processing her win, by giving her bank card details on the phone , within 48 hours or else she would lose the offer!
She promised to think about it and the male caller promised to call back.
I suggested that if he did call back, she should tell him that she wanted to meet him and see his gorgeous face. That she would pay the £20 only after the man making the call accepted her invitation to take him out for dinner.
He did call back next day, demanding the money.
He declined the dinner invitation citing company policy not to mix business with pleasure. Smart guy.

At the height of phone scams ,thousands of people and businesses in the United Kingdom had lost substantial amounts of money to phone scams.
Criminals can get hold of the most closely guarded information about people's phone numbers and personal details like names and addresses.
Their most likely sources are : through the staff of phone companies , information gathered from data banks containing consumers' details and statistics,through " hacking " into cellular switches and corporate switchboards and through "cloning " or "hijacking mails" to collect people's phone numbers.
Affected persons can seek redress by complaining against fraudulent companies to the I.C.S.T.I.S. (the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services). This body can investigate complaints and has the power to penalise erring companies and recommend them for criminal prosecutions .

CHILLING OUT

Bank holiday weekend with gorgeous weather .
Just what we prayed for; just what we needed for a relaxing weekend break!
We had loads of fun ; shopping ,sight-seeing, long drives and Al-fresco dining .
Ended the long weekend yesterday with a sumptuous dinner and refreshing cocktails .

It is barbecue season and there were many BBQ-parties this weekend.
But the shopping malls , all over London, as usual, were the crowd pullers.
Shopping in this economic climate has become a whirlwind of pleasant "deals" and mega-reductions.
It is indeed a shopper's paradise, nowadays.
Most stores are offering 50%price cuts and on some goods 75% reductions.
One is spoilt for choice because there are so many options to choose from at reduced prices, as the major stores in London compete for shoppers.
Problem is; the reduced prices encourage one to buy more, so you end up buying much more than you planned for.
On Saturday, it was a delightful time as we got beautiful, high quality clothes, hand bags, shoes, cosmetics and perfumes at reduced prices,some at half price, even within the opulent section of Westfield Shopping Centre in White City , West London.
It seems that price reductions are not enough any more to lure big -spenders .In order to out-do each other, shops are giving away , for free, gifts and other products.
Which is just as well. So bring it on.

Marks and Spencer sprung a big surprise during the week.
As part of their 125th anniversary celebrations ,they offered a one-penny sale on selected items!
So , top-quality lingerie which should cost an average of £15.00 each, were on sale for 1p each , for 4 days. On a first-come , first -served basis.
Well, needless to say,it was once in a long time offer so there was a massive crowd scrambling for stuff. There were long queques in major M & S stores, all over London ,up to Thursday evening.
M& S knew the stampede this offer would cause. I guess that was why they fixed the sale during working hours. I couldn't be there , so, some of my friends who were off-duty were kind enough to get me dozens of lingerie and other items for me and my family, for under £20.00! It was simply unbelievable.
I am sure everybody is hoping and looking forward to another such surprise sale from M & S,in the near future!
It will be a fun-filled summer,indeed.

"Ne'er cast a clout till May be out !"

Warm weather does make the difference!
I have noticed how it puts smiles on faces and springs in peoples' steps .
Waking up to see bright sunny skies ; to feel the warmth of sunshine would make any body's day.
I have woken up many days in the past week giving thanks for beautiful weather
After months of wintry cold; what else could I wish for? Not much. Certainly not a sudden change in a perfect weather!

Weathermen and ladies do commendable jobs to make forecasts as accurate as is humanly possible. So their competence is not in doubt. What is in doubt is man's ability to keep the weather in check ; to make it conform to initial forecasts!
There are sceptics who are not impressed with any show of early morning blazing sunshine. Neither are they reassured by the relatively reliable weather forecast for the day , promising " fine weather"
What is it in me and millions of other commuters in the City of London which makes us go out with top coats and brollies (umbrellas) in hand every day, even when driving and despite early pointers to a fine glorious day?
Why do we saddle ourselves the extra baggage of coat on arm and brolly in bags?
We are the ONCE-BITTEN-TWICE-SHY ARMY !
Is it lack of faith or is it caution or wisdom when I listen to the weather man or lady as they reel out their forecasts of "warm weather , slight showers , with sunshine in between" and like millions of people, I'ld smile to myself and make sure I go out with a coat and a brolly?
We go out "dressed sensibly" not because we disregard the weatherman's efficiency; but because we know that the "warm , sunny morning" could change , suddenly, even within the next one hour!
Change to the "normal English weather" of dark clouds and chilly weather.
One morning, last week , I laughed at the weather man's usual rambling on the news because I remembered someone, recently, describing her estranged husband as "unreliable and undependable as the English weather!"; and vowing to sue him for children support claims for their two children.
Advice to her to be patient and consider other options than litigation , fell on deaf ears!

Oh , poor English weather ! People are always complaining about the weather!
When it is cold and rainy, people call it " sad, miserable weather!"
Blazing hot summer days are not welcome in England because of humidity and the fact that there is an absence of air conditioning in most public places.
The shortest journeys on the Tube and buses are very unpleasant adventures not for the faint hearted!
It has always been complaints galore in the summer.
I remember last year April was unusually, above- average hot(11.6C/ 52.2F).
Quite unusual for spring in London and at the height of it the heat did become unbearable for many people.
The Metropolitan Police officers had to go on a radio talk show to appeal to people to stop calling and jamming their phone lines to complain about the hot weather.
Some of such calls to the police were aired by the talk show host. The complaints were as amazing as they were bizarre.
Someone had called the police to complain that she couldn't think straight , she was dizzy and aggravated because of the heat!
A woman called to say she couldn't find her cat and her glasses.
Others called to complain that they were sitting at home, or out and about shopping , or standing at the bus- stops and train stations and the heat was unbearable for them.
They were calling to inform the Police to do something about the heat.

As for being "unreliable and undesirable" ; that reputation has stuck to the English weather for centuries.
In fact ,unfavourable weather has cost England billions of pounds in tourism revenue and even recently , England lost out to South Africa in the hosting bid for the International Cricket tournament.
The "plus" for the weather is that it makes England what it is ;
a fair , green and pleasant land of beautiful, green rolling pastures.
A dream destination for many ; despite its unpredictable weather!
A centuries-old English adage about the weather is ;
" Ne'er cast a clout till May be out!".
"Button to chin , till May be in
Cast not a clout till May be out !"
Never go out without a coat or brolly until the end of May .
And to be warm , NOT sorry; preferably, not until well into June!
Enjoy the weather while it lasts.