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I have a love of life. Some may call me a cynic but I'm truly an optimistic realist. I work on the philosophy “If you expect the worst but aim for the best, you'll land somewhere that's comfortable.”

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24 December 2012

Proving The Differences Between Nomo's & Homo's


The pro's of proving scientifically there's a physical difference between the brains of hetrosexual and homosexuals are:

The first is obvious, we will know that it is not a matter of choice because very few if any humans or animals can consciously control the development of their neuropaths. This would then make it harder for people to justify homophobia.

Secondly, it would then give us a bases to research the causes and ultimately to see if it is genetical or not. Thereby, reinforcing or not the case of if it's choice or not.

Additionally, if anyone thought they were homosexual they could be “tested” for it. The risk of testing would me that it makes it more of an “illness” but if it was approached in the same way as intelligence with the IQ test then maybe not. This however leads away from the neurology and genetics and into the field of psychology. With many things in psychology they aren't solidly defined and the “choice” argument could creep in. I doubt though, that anyone would “choose” to be clinically retarded nor would they choose to be in a minority (homosexual). Yes, homosexuality could be seen as a negative thing still but at least there would be a marked and defined difference in thought processes and such. How practical this would be I don't know.

The downsides are:

That if there is not actually a difference it will reinforce the choice opinion and help justify homophobia.

However, if there is a difference that isn't genetical and is due to the way homosexuals are brought up. It could lead to abuse of children, young adults and adults that take solace in religions because they find it difficult to understand their feelings.

The people that come out when they are older may then feel worse for not knowing who they were before.

17 December 2012

The Wedding - The Last Post


The “Honeymoon” has been brought to a close by me.

This morning I dragged my butt out of bed after a disturbing choice to voluntarily watch Jeremy Kyle. If you don't know what this is Imagine Ricky Lake but with a male host and a slight increase in civility. If that fails to help you, look it up on YouTube.

So, you want the low-down on the Wedding... Here we go then...

I got up at around 9 a.m.and Sam at 11 a.m. - overall it took us about an hour to an hour and a half to get ready.

We did our own hair and make-up, somehow, everyone failed to point out a unblended patch under my eye. Never mind, we noticed it in the photo's afterwards and that's the main thing right?

My aunt doubled as our chauffeur and our witness. No, she doesn't have the big fancy limo we were planning on but after doing some research, we found that the operators were...pricks! A 2 hour hire was going to cost say £200 as soon as we mentioned the word "wedding" it increased by 50% to a 100%. I could go on a rant here about capitalists and taking advantage of a special day but I shan't. Instead our ride was a very clean and comfortable, gold Renault Cleo.

The only issue was when we got out and Sam came to guide me, I'd already started to move off and she accidentally stood on my dress nearly pulling it down (off). Once I'd regrouped we met with the rest of the “party” and headed in. After being offered a £1,000 to not go through with it and to go away for ever breaking Sam's heart (which I declined) we double checked everything with the Registrar and went through to the “ceremony room”.

On our way through, we had some photo's taken on a little landing leading up to the town museum against a banerstrade. The banerstrade was made from wood and a little creaky, me being me, I turned to Sam and asked;: Babe, will this hold your weight”. Yes, I got laughs but I also got a smack from Sam, still unsure why...

Once everyone else and the dog had their photo's taken on the same little bit we waited a few extra minutes just incase any of the people from Facebook or Twitter that'd been invited were running late (but none turned up). And then...

The bells tolled on our single life (living together) and the key was put in the door of “marriage”. Word by word it turned in the lock, before long the door was open and we walked through it to congratulations from family (in person) and friends (on twitter, Facebook and by text).

Our vowels went like this:

“I promise you loyalty and friendship, and to love you with all that I am and all that I can be. I promise you this from the depth of my heart and mind, for all our life together.”

Then for the exchange of the rings, we went for;

“I give you this ring as a sign of our partnership. All that I am I give to you, All that I have I share with you, for the whole of our life together.”

I was good to recite these off the top of my head but the Registrar got me to repeat after her just incase I forgot them:). Unlikely but it equalled things out because Sam hadn't even learned them as she would of forgot them for sure anyway.

We had more photo's taken and then got back in the car to come home.

Our reception comprised of a buffet put on by Sam's granny. It was tasty and most of the company was good too. The cake was homemade by me and went down well with everyone. It was a lemon and vanilla sponge with white fondant and smarties:)

The topper was the most expensive part at £7.50 from... Yes, eBay!


Sam stayed in her dress for the whole thing but once again me being me and despite people trying to convince me not to I got changed into track suit bottoms and a hoody. Not out of place though because it says on it “OUT And I'm Not Alone”.

After the buffet and cake had been consumed or as much of it that could be, we tide it up and kicked everyone out. Being a social hand grenade can be useful on occasions.

There was no clearing up to be done because Sam's Grandparents did it all to save us the trouble.

We chilled out and at around 9.30 p.m. we ordered a Dominoes Pizza:). Who says romance is dead! We ate the rest of the buffet food over the next two to three days, the cake however didn't last quite as long...

The “Honeymoon” has been staying up most of the night watching movies and telly, eating lots of junk food and sleeping very late. Now I've declared it over and it's time to try and get life back in gear.

Has getting Civilly Partnered/Married made a difference? Yes! We feel much closer now the open door has closed behind us and we are locked in the room that is our relationship. As the saying goes one door closes and another opens. The door on insecurity and "singlehood" has shut but the door to the rest of our life, ("married” life) is wide open. There's no point in marking time, we need to march through that now open door and conquer the lands that lay before us, together, as a team!

To all those that “don't believe in marriage/Civil Partnership” it's not the piece of paper that makes you strong or that declares your love for each other, that just certifies it. It's the action of making that legal commitment by signing yourself into a forever contract. Yes, there is a get out clause but if you focus on that your missing the whole point and I ask you just don't bother getting hitched. Yes, there are times when the clause should be used but it's like a fighter pilot's ejector seat. They know it's there but they don't dwel on it.

Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this post and here are some photo's for you.

I'd like to say thank you to the following people:

Sam for being silly enough to marry me:)
Chris the photographer for taking brilliant photo's:)
Lee for shooting a great video:) (first shot is of me pulling up my under trousers)
Sam's Grandparents for helping us get the house ready and sorting the buffet out.
My Aunt Lorraine and Sam's dad for being witnesses
Last but in no uncertain terms not least! Everyone who took the time to make our day special with their attendance, cards, messages, posts and tweets. They really did mean a lot.

If you were wondering, and it shouldn't have to be said but... No, I wasn't really bribed with money - it's real life not a soap opera. 


The Registry Office


The Kiss


Sam"s Gran


Sam's Granddad


Sam, Electra & Me

Aunt Lorraine Signing The Register


 Sam's Sister trying (poorly) to cross the cobbled road outside the registry office afterwards.
 :)

The Forth Road Bridge outside the Registry office. (Lovely day!)



The Wedding Video:




There we go then! :)
Thanks everyone!

Apologise if I didn't post your photo!

If you're wondering where my family are, read my other posts! :)

26 November 2012

Employment Wanted


I'm not normally one for self pity, however, weather it's the winter blues or just a collapse in self-belief I don't know.

I've started a new drive to find employment. I've taken the fact I'm blind out of my CV, so that can't go against me. But, I'm still getting nowhere, I know there's something silly like 100+ candidates going for every job that's advertised – it just seems like the world doesn't want me to work at this time.

I'm not one for giving up easily. When you've been out of education for seven years and no “employment history” it does make you regret a few choices. The first being, leaving school at sixteen thinking that you'd have an equal chance in the employment market as any other sixteen-year-old.

Well why did you do it if you regret it? Because, firstly I didn't know I was going to regret it then or I'd not of done it. Secondly, at the time, I was coming home from school to telephone interviews. My thinking at the time was If I'm getting Telephone Interviews just now, it's only a case of time before I get a face-to-face interview – and I did. I had the grand total of five in the first two years.

Since these I've had nothing other than a self induced sense of narcissistic self belief and ability. Now, it's got to the point where the match sticks that hold up this large ego are flexing and showing their weakness. It is scary for someone like me to get to the point where they are questioning their genuine position in life and my abilities. Will I let these flexing slithers of wood break? Of course not, I'll ignore the bending and splintering and carry on with life pricking myself on the splinters every now and again to remind me that they are still there.

What can I do? Give up? Doing this serves no other purpose except declaring myself a failure. Becoming one of the people in life that I dislike, the leaches of society that don't try (even if it is futile). Some may say trying is never futile, if you don't try you're name can't even be on the table to be considered. When your name is on just about every recruiter's desk (so it seems) trying feels like an effort filled step too far.

Why not go back to education and make yourself more appealing to recruiters? This is simple, I don't know what I want to do – other than, something. You're not going to become a drifter are you? Not intentionally anyway, I want to work doing something.

When you consider that around seventy-five percent of blind people are unemployed it gives you very little belief that the wall will ever fall. It's easy to say, “people won't give me a job because I'm blind and they have a stereotypical view of me because of my impairment.” but only one percent of registered blind people are totally blind.

To summate, I feel like I'm in a canyon and keep popping my head over the lip to find I'm still in a desert. But, I keep marching on, catching myself upon rocks every so often in hope I'll find an oasis – with the obligatory mirages on the way.

17 November 2012

Road Safety - Why's The Driver The Scape-goat?


Why are there laws for drivers/riders but not pedestrians?

It is a driver's duty to keep an eye out for people crossing; children playing at the side of the road and other road users.

If two (or more) vehicles crash, the police look for fault to make the right person pay for the crime if one's been committed.

But, if a person is knocked down because they weren't paying “due care and attention” (providing they don't die) aren't convicted. If a person sustains injuries because of poor clothing choices, they're not liable to the same rules as a driver would be if they were to drive with no lights on. If a cyclist cycles with headphones on and riders right over a junctions with no change in speed to allow for something unexpected to pop out; they're not punished.

My point is, why should it be all up to drivers? We are responsible for our own actions, if you choose to wear dark clothes it's your problem if you get hit by a car at night. Humans have variable levels of vision but none are known to have infra red capability. The driver my not have physical injuries after a collision but most will suffer some sort of psychological impact. Where is justice for them? Intension of causing injury isn't there but a lack of duty of care to the driver's mental well-being has been missed.

If a driver sadly dies but is at fault, they're not convicted. Why shouldn't this apply to a pedestrian? Maybe, just maybe, if pedestrians were accountable for their own actions – people would take more care crossing roads, in their choices of clothing and overall behaviour around roads.

My suggestions might seem mad, but if we are all tide by laws that make us take more care, surely this will make roads safer for all users?

If you have a ship controlled by a blind person and another my a sighted person, what one is at fault if they collide. The weather is perfect, both vessels are in top working order and there's no mitigating circumstances other than, one ship has no eyes looking out?

Exactly, the one with eyes looking for risk factors.

But, the sighted captained doesn't know there's nobody looking out.

If there was a sighted person looking out on both vessels, then they could both take actions – change course or speed to avoid the incident.

My point isn't about blind people not being in control of sea going craft but, two alert people can make changes to their behaviours to avoid an incident.

Coming Out - Advice/Story Not For Everyone


An important thing about coming out is, it is different for everyone but there will be similarities for us all!

1) Unless you're ready to come out, don't even try it!

2) Once you are ready, make sure you could survive with nobody. It's unlikely to happen, but it does. I always say prepare for the worse hope for the best and you'll land somewhere in between. It's hard to loose people at anytime of your life. However, it's not as bad if you expect it.

When I came out, I did it in a sneaky way. I told my sister knowing she'd tell my mum. In turn who would tell my dad. This is how it went. When my dad and I were in the car going to a football match (soccer) he asked me about it. At 70 mph going along the motorway there's not too many options for escape, I did the grown up thing and denied it and said it must have been a figment of my mum's imagination. He took this and said no more.

A few weeks, maybe months after I e-mailed him explaining it all. At first he was scared for me, unsure where that left his identity and our relationship.

I reassured him that I was the same person, still thought he was a knob like any child thinks of their parents and happy to take his money:).

I wont deny, it also took a lot of hard work for both of us to restore our relationship. But it was never the same. Not because there was an elephant in the room but because there were no more secrets. I've been lucky, very lucky, coming out has brought my dad and I closer. Our relationship is better by far than what it was in the past.

  1. Telling people, make sure that you're in control of how fast people find out.
If you know somebody will open their mouth by accident or not, don't tell them! Start with the one person that will never leave you until you die, yourself. Tell yourself that you're Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender. See how it feels when you call yourself this.

  1. Tell your family first. But who do I tell first? If you know you're family well, choose the person who will react the worst. This sounds really backward, they'll freakout, go nuts tell nobody. But with any luck it will make a bad feeling between you that others will pick up on. When people ask 'what's wrong?”, that's your chance to tell them. You want the bad feeling from the other person, so the unknowing person will be inclined to automatically sympathise with you. Once you tell them, it will be harder emotionally for that person to be against you, unless they're homophobic in the first place. If this goes as planned you've then got a team mate! Tell the Next person, and the next and the next.

5) Ultimately it's your life, live it as you see fit. As long as it's not illegal and your safe. Let people judge. It doesn't mean you have to accept their verdict.

If anyone says this way is bad and so are the mind games that are invovled, please take not of the title before putting it down.


16 October 2012

God, Love, Faith And Equality


I use “God” to mean a life force or being that is the patron of something like, Dionysus with wine and partying or Hera with home and marriage. Not just the Bible God.

God is an abstract being. The belief in God is shared by many. To all those that believe in God he is real but is interpreted differently as is his manifestation.

Love is an emotion, an abstract. It is only real to those that have experienced it. Love is shared by many and they believe in it. There's people in the world that don't know what love is, and don't believe it's true because they've never experienced it.

In both cases God and love, just because a person doesn't believe in it doesn't make it any less valid for the people that do.

I can't hold up a photo graph of God and say this is God. I can show you a photo of me practicing my beliefs and say This is how I show God is real to me. I can show you a photo of me and my soon to be wife battering lumps out of each other for a laugh and you'd not think we “love” each other. However, if I show you us on our wedding day holding hands and sharing a kiss, it'd be a different story. For us love is present in both photo's. But, in both you can't see love. You see what signs of love we share. Context is a massive part in life.

If you have to preach a faith or love it doesn't make it anymore real for none believers. It only validates it more in the minds of those that believe in it. If anything it widens the gap between people that don't share a faith – (weather it be, they don't have one or have a different one).

Faith hinders true human equality, if we didn't have a multitude of faiths then we'd all be equal. But, we do have many faiths, as humans we need to work on equality regardless of our own faith. Stop throwing mud at other humans that have different beliefs from us. Slamming a Christian because they believe homosexuality isn't equality. It's in equality. Equality allows us all to have our own thoughts, feelings and personalities. By virtue, if you slam someone for their thoughts etc you're stopping them having equality. You may not agree with their opinions and wish to find out more about their bases. However, it doesn't make their choices any less valid than yours. We are all humans, we are all different. Equality is all about being different and not being judged upon those differences. At least that's what it means to me. It may not be the dictionary definition but the dictionary is a rule book for words. Language is fluid like it moves and develops new directions.

For true equality we don't need faiths but we need to embrace the fact that everyone has their own version of faith.  

30 September 2012

Interview: With Alternative Rock Band - Under A Banner

So, with no further ado, here are the “inspired” questions I put to Under A Banner and Adam's very open responses.

Q: Who would you consider yourself to be similar to, or are you that alternative that you can't size yourselves up against any mainstream artists?

We have been variously compared to Frank Turner, The Levellers and New
Model Army to name just a few.  I'm aware of the last two (we've even
supported N.M.A) but, still to this day, I've never heard any Frank
Turner.  I always tell people we're a mostly acoustic blend of what we feel
has been the best alternative music of the last 40 or so years.”

Q: Other than general life and your emotions, who or what inspires your music?

Nature in all its majesty is a big inspiration, as are politics, people
and thousands of other emotions and abstractions.  I respond lyrically to
anything and everything that's worthy.”

Q: Do you feel as a two person band you're taken any less serious?

Although Jonny and I are the core of the band, we almost always, play as
a full band, with electric as well as acoustic instruments. These include
guitars, keys and violin.”

Q: What are your musical aspirations; do you want to headline at a major music festival or is it all about the music not the “being known” that's important?

Whilst it is primarily about the music, we'd love to play some big
music festivals and large venues around the world. The chief ambition is
to play music for a living.”

Q: Time for a cheesy one! If you could perform with anyone either live or recorded, whom would you choose and why?

Honestly, I'd love to perform with a 10 piece orchestra like one of my
favourite bands Ambrozijn. I'd also like to record with the
backing of celtic harpists and an Indonesian Gamelan orchestra!”

Q: Finally, what special message have you got for the world?

I think that artists with special moral messages sometimes have
questionable motives; they sometimes share these to assuage their guilt.
It would be arrogant of me to try and tell people how to behave. It would
be great if folks could just be nice to one another.  Beyond that, eat
fresh fruit and veg, read a lot and listen to Under A Banner ;)”

Brilliant answers, and hopefully the questions weren't to cheesy.

To find out where Under A Banner are playing and hear some of their great music head to their website, NOW!

They frequently Tweet freebie tracks and links to their great work too - @UnderABanner. They're now on Facebook too. 

2 September 2012

Poem: That Peaceful Moment or Joyous Banter


In that one moment in everyday when all falls dead
Do we keep the serenity and leave the play and joking to the birds in the surrounding trees
Maybe it'd be more appropriate to join them in their jolly banter and larking

Rolling and flapping with out nest mate
Chirping and screeching as we hop and bounce

Just like the birds we can be heard from far but
People don't come to see us even though we are just as natural as the eagle and swan.

My Attempts At Tanka Poetry

The aim is to have no rhyme, I was board and thought why not try a little LGBTQIA and the rest of the letter poetry, to fill out this Sunday evening - here's my attempts

She put on his, dress
Then danced all night with her, man's lover
He, wasn't Into her kind
They both knew it, was a lie
Their lips would never mention it though

She bought him some trousers
She could wear them with no, questions
It'd be harder if mirrored
She loved her, like he loved her
Words not to exchange just meaningful deep looks

They were opposites, but repelled
Love was never likely to happen here
Man, man and women, women
They're both the same but completely polar
When together with another one, despair relents

24 August 2012

DVD vs Blu-Ray My Views


Some may say it's because I'm a skin flint but others would say and correctly it's because I was sceptical about the hype.

However, I've now upgrade to Blu-Ray.

Why? As a blind person you'd think it'd be pointless upgrading but – I retain some functional vision and with this I can see the difference between DVD and Blu-Ray. Also there seems to be a substantial difference in audio quality too.

With DVD the colours are more pronounce, vivid and bold. Although you know they are real people, you also know the colours aren't quite natural.

With Blu-Ray, the colours are less of everything above thereby giving a more natural look. The increased resolution gives a much sharper and window like image.

The audio is slightly less tiny. I know this can be down to the equipment the audio comes out of but, with DVD, I found the sound levels weren't set the same way as with Blu-Ray.

Since it's been sometime now after the launch of Blu-Ray you can get a reasonable Blu-Ray player for roughly the same price as a good DVD player. The best deals as ever are to be had on the usual sites eBay and Amazon and such like.

Of course, to put my claims to test you can buy a triple play movie and compare the quality between, DVD/Blu-Ray and Digital (on the computer).

Now, with Blu-Ray Player and an external Blu-Ray drive you can now even play Blu-rays on Mac.

11 August 2012

Wedding Part... Second Last Bit...


As I write this it's fifteen weeks and four days to “the big day”.

In the past few weeks we've finalised a plan as far as we know what we want exactly now. We've still got to work out timings and other minor stuff.

We've got a photographer, videographer and registry office all booked. The dresses bought and all the accessories to be bought but these are already decided upon. The transport is agreed upon just to book it (this coming week) – oh, and not forgetting the rings! These will be got next week. We were going to get bespoke rings but with the limited budget and short time left it'd just be another thing to worry about. We may however get bespoke rings when we get normal married in 2015 :)

We've reverted to the “medieval” sort of style, if you don't know what this is then either look it up or stay tuned for photographs in 16ish weeks time!




18 June 2012

Wedding All Change


Don't worry we're not calling it all off and going our own way! 

The new outfit plan is a Prince Charley style blouse with the flared cuffs a black waist coat green tartan skirt (not kilt) with black tights and brogues.

It looks so much better than our first "get up" which would of been over kill for a reg office and more formal than jeans etc!

However, the dilemma now is. Since i was a small kid I've never 'done' the whole pretty dresses and stuff. So, for me to wear a skirt out is like "just punch me in the stomach". 

I have been trying to revamp my wardrobe and make it slightly more overly feminine for ages but revert to my comfort clothes. I can't bring myself to dispose of all my favourite "garbs". 

It's not like I'm even bothered about my figure or appearance. It seems to be a mental block!

I should maybe point out - yes, we were going to wear dresses in the first instance but that was different because the skirt was long (makes no sense I know!). We, decided we want the skirts to be just above the knee because Maxi skirts in tartan wouldn't look so good and anything in-between would be even worse!


I'm super fine with make-up, heals and pretty tops but really need some help with this.

So, any one that has faced this, have you got any advice!

16 June 2012

Using Hotmail with Mac Mail Client semi IMAP


Ok, Windows Live Hotmail doesn't have IMAP function for Mac Mail client – but...

If you want to have your e-mails dropped onto your desk top this is what I've done.

Firstly get signed up for iCloud if you're not already.

I say use iCloud because I'm too lazy to see what other e-mail providers support IMAP other than GMail. Anyhow,

Simply:

  1. Create an iCloud account profile in the Mail app. Mail > Preference > Account tab > Fill in the boxes. Ding, that's step on done.
  2. Go to hotmail and enable forwarding. Options > More Options > e-mail forwarding > insert e-mail address you want it to be forwarded to click save. Ding step two done.
  3. Double check, the frequency with which your mail is check by the Mail app this is in Preferences under the General tab. I've got mine set to every minute!

If you've already had or got a Hotmail account on your Mail client use it's 'out” serve route for the iCloud profile. This will send replies using your hotmail address.

The alternative to this is change to a gmail or iCloud account fully and wave bye bye to your hotmail and enjoy IMAP on you iMac (or other model of Mac, just iMac rhymes).

Plus side to my way is there's no email address to change on every website you have it registered on. The down side is that it's 5 minutes of your life you'll not get back. The down side can be offset by fast forwarding the adverts on a TV show you've recorded or getting your hands on Bernard’s Watch ;).

4 June 2012

Mac Alarm Clock & How To Stop Startup Chime On Mac

If you're a little "geeky" like me :) you might like this post.

There are three parts to this:

  1. Silents the startup chime on the mac.
  2. Get the Mac to come on at a set time.
  3. Get iTunes to function as an alarm clock.
Part One: This bit is really easy.
Download Psst click here (http://www.satsumac.com/Psst.php). Once this is downloaded install it and your off. At the minute though not all models are supported. You can tell them weather yours is or isn't using the application.

Part Two: Presuming you've got Psst installed and working.
Head for Applications > System Preferences > Energy Saver. Once in Energy Saver click on the padlock to unlock (if locked) then click on the Schedule button on the right hand side.

In here you can decide weather you want your alarm to be on every day, certain days, just the weekend or just the week days. Here you can also set it to turn off at a certain time too.

Make your choices hit the OK button and then lock the padlock again to save your changes.

Step Three: The slightly “geeky” bit.

Go to Applications > Utilities > AppleScript Editor and open it!

To make iTunes work as an alarm clock I used the following script.

Tell application “iTunes” to play playlist “Your Playlist Name”

Hit complete and then save it as an application.

When saving scripts save them to a place you're going to have to go out of your way to delete them. I've got mine in a subfolder in documents.

Go into iTunes and create a playlist of the same name used in the app you just made. Put the radio stations or tracks you want to hear first thing in it.

So far so good.

Now to make it all come together. Head to System Preferences > User Groups > unlock the padlock > Login Items

Click on the plus symbol on the bottom left and navigate to your application. Set it as the top thing to come on when you turn on. This is probably the point where I should tell you that this application will run every time you start the computer up. So if you don't want everybody knowing your love for Aqua's Barbie Girl probably best not to have that on your playlist first!

Lock the padlock to save the changes making sure your application is checked first.

Restart your computer to see if it's worked.

If it hasn't worked check each step and element out.

It worked for me but if it doesn't work for you or it send your machine into total melt down causing your computer to connect by accident to the CIA/FBI server and delete everything that's not my truck of poop to deal with. i.e. I take no responsibility for anything you do to your computer even if you follow my instruction.


18 May 2012

Religion Is The Real Abuser


It has only just occurred to me.

The biggest risk to the development isn't the LGBT community but religion!

Parents have the right to remove their child from any lesson that involves the teachings of another religion. Surely, this doesn't give the child the ability or access to learn abut other faiths and determine if the religion of their “choice” is the one they wish to follow.

It also leaves them ignorant and less knowledgable about other faith groups.

Schools are currently supposed to teach relationship and sex education that is relevant to all pupils. In my experience they only taught about “straight” relationships and all the stuff that comes with it. Given the cries of parents when a teen girl wants to keep a unplanned pregnancy is “you're a child you don't know what you want”. Isn't it more logical if both straight and LGBT relationships and so on are taught at school by default. If they are too young to keep a child how can they be sure they are heterosexual? Like it or not the school bully could be the biggest “Homo' in the school but has to hide it because he doesn't want bullied himself because others are ignorant.

Unplanned pregnancies obviously aren't a concern for a same-sex couple. But STDs are so why leave the LGBT kids with no relevant education as such. Obviously, the same rules apply “if you ain’t playing with it and someone else is put something on it” goes for Gay and Bi folk but for lesbians/Gay Females this is a little less easy to understand in the same context. Not only this but I'm sure we've all said, “why are we learning about geometry, when will I ever need it' this goes for a child that believes and may well be gay at the time of his/her education. Then when the time comes to use that “geometry” you're stuck because you've not bothered to remember it.

Sheltering children in my mind is abuse in it's own right. Obviously unless we're talking about harm then that's vital – but we're not we're talking about opening a young mind to the world in a controlled environment. Where questions can be asked safely and they don't need to go and find things out in a dodgy world called cyber-space. Admittedly the thought of asking questions about “gay things' maybe daunting but if, people know that it's not wrong to question things that fear may be lifted.

For a strong society we need to be open to all things. I've been exposed to lots of different countries, types of people and religions. I for one am very grateful for it. My dad has a saying that I believe to be very true: “If it doesn't upset the horses, nobody gets hurt and they consent – it's up to them what they do”.


28 January 2012

Keep Your Hotmail Inbox In-shape.

If you're a Hotmail® user the chances are you get a fair bit of “junk' mail – of-course there's all those notifications from the Social Networking sites that we are all on.

To keep your 'inbox' clear as possible follow these easy steps:

  1. Login to your Hotmail account.
  1. Click on options which is just under the drop down menu with your name on it.
  2. Click “More Options” at the very bottom of the options drop down.
  3. Under the heading Customising Hotmail Click on “Rules for sorting new messages”.
  4. Click on the New button to start the Rule maker, as I call it.

Here you can setup just about any Rule you can think of.. You can even set it up to delete messages that are advertising those special pills for men with erectile disfunction before they hit your mail box.

I have it setup to do just that. I've also got rules setup to put all my Twitter notifications in one folder and all my eBay messages/notifications etc in another folder.

If you know the exact e-mail address you want to block, from the More Options page you can select Safe and Blocked list. It's simple just put the address in and WAMB they're blocked.

I hope this helps at least one person.