tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9549885048643472672024-03-13T13:08:10.434-07:00Musicfootnotes Life BlogsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-72941605118998271852016-07-18T18:38:00.000-07:002016-08-03T18:05:55.699-07:00Upstart Scotland: The importance of Kindergarten to the age of six<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">My older son was so fortunate when we lived in America to gain from 3 years of Montessori nursery and then 2 years of Kindergarten, at Mundelein north of Chicago. The Montessori kindergarten ran from 2 to 7 years. He gained enormously from having an excellent ground work in the spoken work, speech work, creativity, number, size and more …..BEFORE he began his formal schooling at 7.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">There is a new educational initiative in Scotland now called ‘<b>Upstart Scotland’</b> to consider that young children here might be better served by starting formal education at 6 or 7 years, rather than the 5 years at primary one here. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Its important to understand that Kindergarten is not simply going out into a garden for rough and tumble play. Yes games do matter of course, but Kindergarten is firstly about laying the ground work for learning – such as colours and shapes; working on speech and how the individual letters are made; role play through house corners etc.; language development through team work, story book corners, creative work with modeling and drawing, drama etc. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Its misleading to say this is simply about play. The difference is that compared to Primary one – where there are pressures to start the Reading scheme and to begin formal writing and number in jotters – kindergarten is about learning the basics beforehand – so that when the children do start formal learning the process goes much more quickly <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Many children, especially boys lack the concentration needed to learn in primary one – so kindergarten helps to develop this. The problem in our system is that those who do not developed what educationalist call ‘readiness to learn’, fall behind right at the start. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;">*Education is an art form</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"> – that cannot be easily defined, tested or analysed. The most effective way to improve education is with top quality teachers. This requires attracting the best people, through good salaries and five year masters degrees. This saves money too – because top quality teachers require less monitoring or testing costs and can autonomously run their own schools and classrooms and make wise, informed decisions. Unfortunately many pre-school teachers here have not had enough training. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Some teachers spend two thirds of their time on ‘monitoring paperwork’ that no one ever looks at – when their time and energy would be better spent in teaching. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Keep the Primary school Curriculum Simple! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">(1) A Focus on Basic Skills for half the Curriculum<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">(2) Other Half PBL (Project Based Learning) and individual Project earning. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">For the first – these are the skills that can be counted and measured.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">However for the second of PBL, good quality education is full of equally important skills that are not so easily measured – creativity, emotional resilience, teamwork, enterprise, individual thought, oral skills, enthusiasm, motivation, originality social skills, lateral thinking, more. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">The problem with any Targets is that they measure what can be counted, rather than what matters. That’s why testing is limited. A good teacher does small test routinely to check on learning outcomes. Also Head teachers can easily do their own testing of classwork, by taking a class for some lessons. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Levels in number work are set for each level and at Primary most will meet these basic requirements. The Basic Skills should be the first requirements of the school day – with the PBL or Developmental Skills done to make the school day more challenging and motivational.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">We have a culture of elitism in both our society and education.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Closing the Attainment Gap<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">**In Scotland and the UK there is a culture of ‘Empire’ attitudes – that have been encouraged by the teaching of both the Roman and British Empires for decades, in order to perpetuate the myths and falsehoods that some are born into privileged and better than others and feel themselves to be ‘superior’ to others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">According to Stuart Hardy in his book , the ancient Scottish clans ran a more equal system (rather than feudal) – where there was a clan chief and all the clan were seen as responsible for the success of the clan by pulling together. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Scotland was never controlled by the Romans. Scotland led the way with a rich Enlightenment and innovating thought and discoveries.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">We were the first country to offer education to all boys in Parish schools. Lets build on our past successes now, by embracing a more egalitarian society and attitudes, and not simply ‘accepting’ that some children are born to be ‘lower ranks’. We can’t all be the same – all academics, or all business-minded, or all good with people, or all good technically – but we can have a society where all children are offered a much more equal chance in life to develop rich, rewarding lives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Those who live in grand, enormous estates or homes in Scotland – perhaps they should go one day a month to visit and help those children in dire poverty here and have their eyes opened to the dreadful plight of the children. It is getting worse, not better here in Scotland and they should be ashamed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">The ICESCR is looking into the failures in the UK and Scotland to offer these children their human rights to decent health , pay and work. And also to stop the discriminate towards women, the disabled and pensioners.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">The Tories say they want to improve educational outcomes – their first step might be for them to request to abolish the Private schools then? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">The educational attainment gap is mainly the result of social inequalities and only a tiny amount about schools and teachers. In Scandinavian countries childcare is free for the poorest (and a maximum of £200 per month) In Kindergarten, any failures with speech can be identified – and work done on the pronunciation of letters. I know about this as a former Primary teacher – it is too late by the age of 5 or 6 to do anything. I had one boy at the age of 9 who was still using baby talk – so it was impossible even with all the teachers best intentions to teach him the written words – never mind his being able to read.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Children are not born stupid. Their environment can be changed and the earlier this is done the better. Language is the key. England is being Americanized. Does Scotland want to follow the healthier, more socially equal Nordic model – or the elitism capitalist American model? We need to choose.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;">The Upstart Scotland program and Personal Development and Emotional Resilience</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">It is most important that this 2 to 7 Kindergarten is portrayed as highly ‘Structured Play’ - so that parents realize this is not in any way about simply running about in the park. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">We’re trapped by history and tradition. In 1870, the English parliament chose an early school starting age so children’s mothers could provide cheap labour in factories. Scotland followed suit, and ever since we’ve taken it for granted that formal education must start at five. (Only 12% of countries worldwide start children at school so early – and all are ex-members of the British Empire.) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Upstart – Sue Palmer Published by Floris 16<sup>th</sup> June 2016. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">**FINLAND<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">95% attend State Schools<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Most Teachers hold Masters degrees, from Kindergarten onwards<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">2 – 7 years Kindergarten<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">7 – 14 years. First tests at 14,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">14 – 18 years<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: black; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">No school is bigger than 600. Small class sizes </span></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-57894027510621436362015-11-15T05:59:00.001-08:002016-03-31T17:38:40.953-07:00Is a Country Judged by its Ethics<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9pt;">It concerns me greatly the lack of ethics and morality in some important places. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9pt;">It seems that lying is OK as long as you are either thick or a celebrity, an athlete or politician and as long as can get away with it??!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">The Crown decision to let Bin lorry driver Harry Clark off the hook after killing 6 people last Christmas in the centre of Glasgow last year and to condone his<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>lying on his DVLA application on his having previous blackouts (on his medical records.) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is the Law for - to prevent this kind of tragedy happening again?? This decision is unethical and morally wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">On the BBC program by Jackie Bird shown 3rd November, an expert stated that these Crown office decisions normally take around 9 months - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but this decision was rushed through not to persecute Harry Clark after only a few weeks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">The victims families were even told he was let off because he is a fat, uneducated West of Scotland man!?? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unbelievable. Does this mean only educated people are prosecuted? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">All the lying around criminal paedophile Jimmy Saville's attacking helpless children in hospital is morally wrong - it was OK to lie about him because he was a celebrity apparently!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Then there is the lies it seems that surround Tony Blair - who claims his lying over weapons of mass destruction to enter an illegal war was OK because - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>George Bush said so and Bush senior wanted revenge... and because Saddam was evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">There is also Lib Dem Mr Carmichael's lies about Nicola Sturgeon, to damage her politically last year which he claims was OK as long as it was a political lie! ??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lied to Channel 4 News, the Daily Record and the Cabinet Office! He thought he was so protected by the establishment. Some democracy we have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hadn't bargained for crowdfunding<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>£280,000 and four individuals bringing a case against him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">I was shocked at the level of lying permissible during the Referendum campaign last year. We were told in the print press that our national poet Robert Burn and novelist Walter Scott were both unionists! The vulnerable and sick were told they would loose benefits and even access to hospital treatment.. These were all downright and bold lies. After all these lies can they now justify our supposedly moral and equal union?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">After the 1707 union Scotland was free of the establishment who left for London, which must have been refreshing. How nice to be free once again! We don't live in a true democracy - that ignore the voices of its own people. Westminster seeks to erode human rights - by leaving the EBHR and scary levels of online intrusions. What happens if all this fell into the wrong hands?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">**I admire Nicola Sturgeon (and most of the SNP politicians, John Sweeney, Alex Salmond and others) because she and others appear to have high ethical standards. By that I mean honesty, integrity, morality a conscience and they believe in doing the right thing. Some may view this as religion but it doesn't need to be about religious beliefs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">I guess religion used to tell people if they did wrong there were punishments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">The fact is that a lie is a lie! There are no good lies and doing wrong will always come back to haunt you and get you eventually. Instead of religion today we have a supposedly free press, that is otne misguided and misrepresentative of supportive of the establishment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Society requires standard, ethics and morality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lies and corruption damage others in society. now we also have the lies over drug taking in athletics. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">It looks likely Blair may still be charged. Carmichael has court proceedings against him. And only after death Saville's awful crimes have come to light. We might say you reap what you sow.... <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-91692836326654121862015-10-28T08:54:00.001-07:002016-03-31T17:41:21.280-07:00Breastfeeding; Health Benefits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M9QT4PWJqNQ/VjEeLqyhO0I/AAAAAAAALe0/enTQTn_Kp0o/s1600/baby-friendly-hosptial-breastfeeding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M9QT4PWJqNQ/VjEeLqyhO0I/AAAAAAAALe0/enTQTn_Kp0o/s320/baby-friendly-hosptial-breastfeeding.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Breastfeeding</span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I am shocked by the latest figures here on breastfeeding - </span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">"</span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">The breastfeeding rate in Scotland
has stayed at a “broadly similar level” over the last decade, according to
official data.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">In 2014-15, just over </span>48 %<span style="font-weight: normal;"> of babies in </span>Scotland <span style="font-weight: normal;">were being breastfed at the time of the first child health
review visit in Scotland, which takes place when they are around ten days old. That fell to
38% by the time of the six-eight week review statistics show." </span></i></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal;">Compare these figures to </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">Scandinavia</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal;">, where </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">96% of babies</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal;"> are breastfed!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The main reason not to breast feed is a
seriously ill mother. Only a small number of woman are unable to
breastfeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span><br />
<div style="mso-outline-level: 4;">
<br /></div>
<div style="mso-outline-level: 4;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal;">Breastfeeding is
natural, easy, free and by miles the healthiest option for both mother and
baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So why on earth are new mothers
turning to the extra work of expensive cows milk formula?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div style="mso-outline-level: 4;">
<br /></div>
<div style="mso-outline-level: 4;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal;">The problem is
both formula advertising and that breastfeeding is damn hard work to start off
with. But after a few weeks breastfeeding is wonderful and offers a unique
closeness with your baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div style="mso-outline-level: 4;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal;">It is also a
nonsense that babies don't get enough food breastfeeding! My son tripled his
weight in 6 months!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don't add in extra
bottles though - the rubber teat on a bottle is easier for baby and will put
them off breastfeeding. </span></b></div>
<div style="mso-outline-level: 4;">
<br /></div>
<div style="mso-outline-level: 4;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal;">TIPS - Read a
book on breastfeeding ; make sure nipple is in a correct position, or sucking
can hurt; showers help with full breasts the first few weeks and Vaseline; and try
to breastfeed exclusively until adding solids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don't expect breastfeeding to be easy and it does take time the first
couple of weeks. It is also wonderful too and healthy for your breasts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div style="mso-outline-level: 4;">
<br /></div>
<div style="mso-outline-level: 4;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal;">The NHS should
pay more attention to preventive medicine and advertise the benefits of breastfeeding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The statistics are shocking for the UKs
health. Breastfed children as less likely to be obese and have stronger immune
systems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div style="mso-outline-level: 4;">
<br /></div>
<div style="mso-outline-level: 4;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal;">In countries
like Scandinavian around 98% are breastfed, in Canada
89%, in Australia
92%. This webpage shows charts of how poor UK figures are for breastfeeding
compared to these other countries.<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span></span></span></b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc;">I</span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: black;"> have to think these countries offer belter
maternity leave. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span></span><br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal;">IMV if the Scottish government want to
really deal with poverty and inequality the first route is through health and
then education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
</div>
<div style="mso-outline-level: 4;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b>http://kellymom.com/fun/trivia/bf-rates-2004/<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">My daughter
works in Pediatrics - and she says the problem is that new mothers are sent
home from hospital almost immediately (unless they ask to stay longer) and are
offered NO advice at all often on looking after their baby. It is no wonder
there are problems at the first 6 week check up for baby! Some mothers are only
feeding their babies every 6 hours! Many babies need fed every 3 hours
depending on their weight! Oh dear. Surely some small amount of advice would go
a very long way to give new mothers important advice on looking after their
babies.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">There is support and advice for new mothers.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/breastfeeding-help-support.aspx#close</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-24766131458304245372015-03-05T20:02:00.004-08:002015-03-05T20:12:01.334-08:00Healthy Teeth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9QVPfTsysqw/VPklE_Yn5tI/AAAAAAAAKXU/w_-4hkI8IJc/s1600/index.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9QVPfTsysqw/VPklE_Yn5tI/AAAAAAAAKXU/w_-4hkI8IJc/s1600/index.jpg" height="377" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">On the
Channel Four's recent program, ‘Junk Food Kids: Whose to Blame? ‘ - </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">they showed
four year old overweight children with rotten teeth, having to get full mouth
teeth extractions due to decay and ulcers. It’s totally shocking as all this is
easily preventable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://www.channel4.com/programmes/junk-food-kids-whos-to-blame/on-demand/57487-001">http://www.channel4.com/programmes/junk-food-kids-whos-to-blame/on-demand/57487-001</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">On the
program one young mother complained it is always easier to say 'yes' to her
young children's demands! - oh dear!. She wants an easy life. she explains. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Ignorance
is not bliss and is no excuse. I feel so sorry for these young mums – why is no
one offering them advice??! Yes it is possible to have no fillings by simply
looking after your teeth and by brushing and avoiding sugary drinks and foods. I
only allowed my children occasional chocolate or ice cream – but NEVER sweets
that drips sugar for hours – such as lollipops, toffees, carbonated sugar
drinks etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why are we not allowed to have fluoride in our
water as they do in other countries? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">My son
works as a paediatric dentist – the consultant on the program says that pulling
the teeth is like putting windows into a burning house fire. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">It is
easier and right to say NO sometimes! It is so much easier to say no and to
have children with healthy teeth - how it is easier to watch your children have
all their teeth pulled out? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Children
reach an age (about two) when they test to find out what the boundaries are - and
if a parent doesn't set any boundaries they can get highly confused. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">I had a
light bulb moment when I lived north of Chicago. I was talking with a neighbour,
another young mum the same age as me then, mid-thirties, and she mentioned she
had no fillings! I was astonished and I asked her how this was possible? She
said she flossed and brushed her teeth regularly growing up. She said it was
too expensive not to, as dental treatment is not free there. <i>Oddly in America decayed tooth repairs are called cavities, while here in the UK they are called fillings! </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
government could do much more and stop being in thrall to the sugar lobby. The
amounts of sugar and salt added to our food should be reduced, as it is in
other countries. We have managed to ban cigarette smoking in public places -
its time now to reduce sugar intake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">The advertising
of unhealthy food options to children should be banned on tv and on the front
of sugar-filled breakfast cereals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Our eating
junk food is one of the major costs to the NHS - and causes obesity, diabetes,
teeth decay, heart disease and more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Our NHS health treatment here is not
free either - someone pays for all the nurses and doctors, hospitals and
equipment!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we waste health service on
unnecessary treatments we then take money away from vital, life-saving services.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">**Its time
for more PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE – as being the cheaper approach! – through local
pedatric centres for babies and young infants, for monthly health checks, where
mothers get advice from nurses on healthy food. I had such a wonderful centre
when my daughter was born, north of Chicago near Lake Forrest and it was
invaluable. I don’t see GPs as the answer as many of them have NO pediatric
training! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to see more specialist health
centres. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>Why is
nothing improving? Many young mothers also smoke which harms their babies.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">
Children learn by example. Baby teeth are softer and more susceptible to decay.
The good news is decay it totally preventable with only a few simple
measures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xh16SjJlrck/VPkk7HnWXeI/AAAAAAAAKXM/I5MczR7yB1I/s1600/keep-childrens-teeth-healthy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xh16SjJlrck/VPkk7HnWXeI/AAAAAAAAKXM/I5MczR7yB1I/s1600/keep-childrens-teeth-healthy.jpg" height="186" width="400" /></a></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">- Brush
teeth twice a day. Also floss. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">- Use a
fluoride toothpaste. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">- Visit
your dentist regularly. Get advice on correct brushing techniques. Once
children have their back molars they can be sealed to prevent decay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">- Read a
children's book on healthy teeth with your children and talk about animals
teeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">- Avoid
sugary drinks - such as high sugary fruit juices and carbonated fizzy drinks,
which mean that unhealthy sugars stay in the mouth for hours. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">- Avoid sucking
sugar-filled lollipops, toffees and other chewy sugars that drip sugar on the
baby teeth for hours at a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Instead
offer children healthier snack options - such as snack cheeses, crackers, fruit,
nuts, peanut butter, honey. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Instead of
lollipops, I occasionally allowed my children ice-cream or chocolate treats,
which stay in the mouth only a short time by contrast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">**ALSO W<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">e have an untapped army of retired
professionals (former nurses, teachers and others) who might be used to
volunteer their time to offer advice to young mothers on such things as breastfeeding, healthy diets, parenting, DIY and much more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">http://www.nqsurgicaldentistry.com.au/keep-childrens-teeth-healthy<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-87575409029261206682014-05-26T17:59:00.000-07:002014-05-27T19:16:19.151-07:00Constitutional Change <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">The yes vote
is not about 'separation' - its about a healthier partnership in the British
Isles and a more prosperous Scotland.
I believe in de-centralised government which works for other countries. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">This is not
about nationalism either, its about constitutional change and about all who
wish to live in Scotland<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- and for
better education, health service and infrastructure and that children will not
live in dire poverty in our rich country. We never voted here for our taxes to
be used for illegal wars or nuclear weapons in Scotland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">I believe we
can do a better job. If Scotland
is one of the wealthiest countries I have to ask why so many of our children
live in dire poverty. I grew up in Edinburgh,
lived in America
ten years and I was shocked by the areas of deprivation in the West of
Scotland. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">My older son
works as a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>paediatric dentist and he has
to do many full mouth extractions for 3 years olds with rotten teeth (they are
given bottles with Irn Bru!) Dentists come from all over the world to practice
filling and drilling here as they cant’ do so in their own countries!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yes it is possible for children to grow
up now with NO fillings. It really is quite shocking as an indicator of the
deprivation and lack of education. What is wrong?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have tried breakfast programs to improve
general health but much more needs to be done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Studies have shown that Improved equality works for all and raises standards for all citizens - wheras gross inequality does the opposite. . </span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">A society in
charge of its own destiny is a healthier, happier and more prosperous one - and
we are not in charge with only one Tory MP and a Tory led administration that
is privatising health, education and more.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">I don't
believe that politicians who govern in Westminster
and an out of touch Etonian elite do or have done a good job for decades, I
feel I have no voice in what Westminster
does or doesn’t do. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">We know
other countries are able to function within Europe - so why not Scotland?
Why do we need to be dependent on Westminster
making our decision for us?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Does it all
come down to how we see Devo Max or what the difference between Independence and Devo Max
is. That's why its a constitutional question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Women are especially afraid of independence. Do they feel more secure in
a UK
that enters wars run by war criminals? We will still have a close working partnership
in the UK,
in Europe and the UN - don't believe the scaremongerers! Scotland is a strategically important country. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">London</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;"> has become a centre for foreign
billionaires who are driving property prices there sky high and those such as
nurses and teachers can't afford to live there. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Scotland</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;"> needs to break away from this false
bubble and create a healthier, more prosperous country for all - one that prioritises
co-operation, integration and shared wealth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Could we
believe that we can build a better country – improve NHS management, education
standards, encourage business, increase social mobility, increase investment in
our infra -structure and in research and development. Rebuild Scotland’s
fractured fishing industry and ship building.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">No other
country has such a centralised government. I don’t’ hate London,
I just don’t believe London’s government works
for Scotland’s
best interests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">The Better
Together offer the status quo. If you believe Scotland can do better vote yes. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">And the
question is perhaps, can a Westminster
government work for the best interests of the people of Scotland? Has
it done so the past fifty years? These are the important questions before us
now – they matter for the kind of future country we might wish for future
generations who wish to live and work in Scotland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Only a Scottish
government can work for the best interests of all those who live in Scotland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope there is a better way, and hope
matters, without vision what is there?</span></i></div>
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<![endif]-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-5891014675062935782014-03-10T18:02:00.003-07:002014-03-10T18:02:55.467-07:00What's wrong with the NHS? <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">The NHS is
run by incompetent idiots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">People will
not realise that consultants are selected these days purely based on interview
skills (these skills are NOT taught in our schools or colleges) - and that no
scores or account are taken of job performance or portfolios such as exams. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">What other
business or profession recruits their trainee staff based on interview
technique alone?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">The GPs -
general practitioners, who basically hand out prescriptions - earn twice as
much as highly trained hospital consultants!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(In America
there are no GPs!)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">And the NHS
treats their junior hospital doctors like robotic slaves who do not deserve
toilet breaks or to eat on 12 hour shifts. How can this be good for patient
care when those doing the ground work are close to fainting with
exhaustion?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">This is all
due to poor management from on high somewhere and the loss of the ward matrons.
While there are other hospital staff standing around doing nothing… makes no
sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">No one
wants to complain or say anything for fear of their training positions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">I'm posting
this for all those who are deluded into thinking the NHS is a scared institution.
While we do have wonderful doctors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">I'm pretty
disgusted at the NHS have to say. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-69330219865589652812014-02-27T17:23:00.000-08:002014-02-27T20:08:50.482-08:00 Backing Research and Infrastructure<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">It's no
wonder our streets in Scotland
are full of pot holes - which are highly dangerous for both cyclists and car
drivers! . </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">According to
the Sunday Times our devolved Scottish Parliament is only responsible for 15%
of its budget! This surprised me. The latest is that Labour, Lib Dems and
Tories may 'allow' MSPs a 50% responsibility of the parliament's 35Bm budget
and allow MSPs to decide on rates and income tax. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">I also hear
that English academics claim Scotland
punches above its weight with regard to scientific research and as a result
gets more than its share of the UK
budget for research.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The argument then
goes, much as it did back in the 1979 vote, that academics will receive less
funding under an independent Scotland?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is harking back to bribery again and
again which has proved false in the past. I don't believe for one minute Scotland is financially better off within the UK. I believe
that a Scottish government after independence would offer MORE funding for both
academic and industry research and not less!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Academically
we greatly benefit by having our own Scottish education system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">All makes we
wonder greatly.. over the state of our roads and trains! The paper also said that
72% of the money spent on the UKs infrastructure is spent in London</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Big Banks</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Its so
predictable - now the Insurance companies and Banks are threatening to pull out
of Scotland if Osborne won't
'allow' a common currency (which is in England's interests too). I say
good riddance to the big banks! They try to claim they rescue us, when actually
their financial speculations are what has been ruining the economy! Its not in England
interests to threaten and bully. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">After an Independence vote the
idea is that we all work together for an even more successful economy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We'd be much better off with smaller high street
banks that care about local businesses. I believe in de-centralized
government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;"><b>The
Financial Times</b>, which is respected worldwide for economic news, has not been
putting forward arguments against Scotland's
Independence. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">I don't like
this expression used by some - 'going it alone' - Scotland
does not intend to float out into outer space but to work closely for trade
with Europe and elsewhere. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">The problem
is that the 'Better Together' campaign have not been able to come up with any
convincing arguments<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- so instead they
resort to old fashioned scare tactics. If anyone has heard any thoughts as to
why we are better tied to London's
financial apron strings I'd be happy to hear them!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><b>I decided to set up a BLOG on the Scottish Independence debate as I have so many blogs on it - </b><a href="http://yesforscotland.blogspot.co.uk/">http://yesforscotland.blogspot.co.uk/</a></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span> </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-89797824021599168922014-02-21T16:54:00.001-08:002014-06-02T19:24:25.696-07:00The Scottish Narrative<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xsKjePJST5g/UxecRnV84MI/AAAAAAAAIwQ/UQDXeYu2jAY/s1600/pipersedinburgh.pk+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xsKjePJST5g/UxecRnV84MI/AAAAAAAAIwQ/UQDXeYu2jAY/s1600/pipersedinburgh.pk+(1).jpg" height="328" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">With our
present system the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Scottish Narrative</b>
gets lost. I know that many talented young Scottish people – young film
directors, young economists, young songwriters, young accountants, young health
workers and more – feel they have to move to London for work reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">This can be
called a brain drain, which is not at all good for Scotland<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">For example
– a young Scottish film maker has to attend London
pitches and put forward a Scottish story to a London executive who may not understand the Scottish
perspective and narrative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Much riskier
staying in the UK!
The vote is not about nationalism or borders, and hopefully for a better
partnership with England.
The vote is about an economy that suits Scotland, removing Trident, owning
our oil, and the hope for a more equal society. Norway
and Finland
are both success stories of why independence works!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Years back
we were driving through France
– we drove through <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nice</b> over to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Marseille</b>, thru <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lyons</b> and by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Paris</b> – and I
thought France has several
major cities and Paris
isn’t the largest either. Also with Italy
there are several important cities – <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Naples</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">, Rome, Milan, Florence and Bologna</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The UK has one major city of London.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-10578577532455229952014-02-07T15:40:00.000-08:002014-02-11T08:45:32.655-08:00This Scottish Independence conversation....<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">This Scottish
Independence debate is not about ‘nationality’ but about where power lies.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Both Germany and America have a Federal style of
government – that is every state runs their own affairs and the central
government decides on foreign policy and roads. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">The questions for me are moving Trident from the Clyde for starters, devolving powers in both education and the health service, and one of confidence and choice! If we look at the Scandinavian countries Finland and Norway - both have done very well since gaining their Independence from Sweden a 100 years ago. Norway is a sea faring nation very similar to Scotland. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">This is not about 'breaking away' but a new type of government - the UK model is a broken one. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">A
Conversation. We in Scotland
all need to have a ‘conversation’ about Scottish independence and mostly this
is not happening. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Also ….
perhaps the rest of England
needs to break away from Superstate London also.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Those that
support independence feel inhibited about voicing their views. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-44658793013026032312013-12-04T18:31:00.003-08:002013-12-08T06:25:42.393-08:00My Life BLOGs <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">I continue a few pieces for my Life
Blogs - Youth Violence, Kate and Morning sickness, Social Mobility, Independence, The NHS. I
write when events move me - sometimes poems, sometimes blogs. And sometimes
words can make a difference and that's wonderful. </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Twenty
years ago I wrote about the Youth cafe's I came across in Finland when I
was 17 as<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>an inviting place forteenagers to meet and hang out. It is good to see these now locally. What
spurred me to write was someone writing in the local paper that there was
plenty of places for both families and young people!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought - where!? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">I wrote
about youth violence in Scotland
after a neighbour's son was tragically killed. He was a 22 year old rugby player and he was waiting outside a club on Sauchiehall
street on the night of an Old Firm game when two
youths, one carrying a baseball bat, hit him and he fell on his head.
Apparently these youths were running about and had hit several people that
night, according to those in A & E.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I heard much later these youths only received a few years in jail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lesson is - don't go into town on the night
of an Old Firm game!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hooligans love an
excuse to vent their angers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">I have
written about pregnancy and I have much to write on being a parent and education
(more to follow!). I am a mother of three grown up children and I taught in
primary schools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">I wrote
mostly in private to papers in the past but now I have a voice on my blog.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-49397426640381250072013-06-14T20:20:00.003-07:002014-03-05T19:15:33.136-08:00Scottish Independence: YES to the Future <div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vZOP9_Naju8/UxfoL7rRJWI/AAAAAAAAIwg/oxdupL6ZPFI/s1600/edinburghhume.pk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vZOP9_Naju8/UxfoL7rRJWI/AAAAAAAAIwg/oxdupL6ZPFI/s1600/edinburghhume.pk.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Yes Scotland!
It was great to see the blue and white flags at the independence rally Edinburgh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I am tired of the Union Jack propaganda
everywhere these days….bags, bottle tops etc. And why on earth are we ‘better
together’ financially, while super state London
builds up its own ifrastructure1? Can anyone explain? Our independence is not
about political parties, but about our freedoms, confidence and the future for
our children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Today in 2012 I notice Union Jack
bread and biscuits in the shops and it all reminds me of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Big Media campaign</i> back in 1979 that
manipulated peoples' fears of change and told us we were too small a country to
be able to fend for ourselves and plotted against our hoped for
self-determination. This time, while the campaign is a more subtle one, I have
to wonder that it may back fire on them as I choose to purchase Scottish
cheese. I have taken several months to write my thoughts on Scottish Independence
and I have had several decades to think it all over!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">In ‘79 we were told that not enough
people had voted even though the majority voted for independence. After this,
some Scots were disillusioned and left Scotland. I left Scotland myself in 1980 for America and returned here in
1989.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turmoil can create great art
though and after ’79 in the eighties there was a revival of Scottish art, music
and writing. Since then there has also been a revival in Scottish pride and culture.
Back in the 70s there were fewer ceilidhs and kilts were rarely seen at events
or on the high streets and there was less pride in our Scottish heritage. Pride
in our history, heritage and culture is the only positive way forward.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">This debate is not about flag
waving. The problem for those who like to wave flags, is that a prosperous
country is one that is inclusive, encourages equality, is forward thinking,
flexible, adaptable, responsive and well educated - and I dont' believe that
the London UK government can offer Scotland the opportunities and values that
could possibly deliver these important criterion for a successful future. Most
Scots believe in equality, which is the best way forward for an efficient and
prosperous country. </span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="usercontent"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">We have to seriously ask ourselves what is wrong in
Scotland when we have the eight biggest economy in the developed world and yet
we have a quarter of our children living in poverty and an archaic
infrastructure with old trains and impossible, dangerous roads? Aberdeen is booming and
yet it is traffic clogged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The elitist
hierarchy UK
model is not working for us</span></i></span><span class="usercontent"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
Equality brings prosperity for all.</i></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Independence</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"> will mean a Scotland that is a more outward looking,
confident country and hopefully one able to cheer England,
our closest neighbours, at the Rugby Internationals the way a <i>free Ireland</i> is
now able to!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is important that we
celebrate Scottish artists, writers and musicians as we don't always recognise
the talent on our own doorsteps. Scottish music has gained good respect
worldwide in recent years and artists are no longer required to have a deal in London and are able to
access their audience directly via the networking sites online.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">We should feel free to voice our
differences and to be proud of them as our voices may at times feel lost in
today's world of mass communications and our vast media world of globalization.
Fast communication is wonderful and accelerates learning but it also can mean
we loose creativity and the power to question and can lead to uniformity and
playing it safe. We only move forward when we question and challenge. That’s
what punk, the 60s the revolution were all about. It’s about saying ‘stuff
that’ – it’s stupid nonsense. Sometimes it needs to be rough edged, off the
edge, no rules. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Debate. I attended an interesting
debate entitled ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What Does the Union Mean
for Scotland</i>?’ at the Edinburgh Book festival 2011. Leading the debate were
Lib Dem Mingus Campbell, SNP Michael Russell and highly knowledgeable historian
Neil Ascherson, who proved an<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>informed
and interesting speaker. The arguments for the UK union sounded dated, old and
negative while the arguments for Scottish Independence sounded forward
thinking, positive and inclusive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Oil. The UK
has a highly centralised government in which London has already set itself up as a
superstate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other countries there are
several major cities. London
sucks in the Financial sector, the Big Banks, the army, media, civil servants
and more service industries. Scottish Oil revenues were lost when the UK
Government created a fictional country called ‘Dogger’ to collect North Sea Oil
revenues. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">My husband works as a chemical
engineer in the oil industry and there are still plenty of oil reserves and
possibly more oil on Scotland’s
western shores. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="usercontent"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">We have to seriously ask ourselves what is wrong in Scotland
when we have the eighth biggest economy in the developed world and yet we have
a quarter of our children living in poverty and an archaic infrastructure with
old trains and impossible, dangerous roads? Aberdeen is booming and yet it is traffic
clogged. The elitist hierarchy UKmodel is not working for us. Equality brings prosperity for all. </span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span class="mw-headline">For me independence is inevitable and it now seems
</span>that the UK
model is a broken one.</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Quote: 'The UK is a Broken Model: We need to rethink the State, so that
in 100 years we will still be able to pay pensions, have a sustainable
community and eliminate the gross inequality of globalization</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">.' Alex Bell former SNP senior
advisor. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">My own story is somewhat unusual</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My family are from
Union Jack waving Unionist Ulster Northern Ireland. I used to visit Ireland
growing up and I was struck by the differences between the Scottish people and
the Irish. The Irish appeared more confident and outgoing and sure of their
future, while by contrast the Scots lacked confidence and had a chip on their
shoulders. When I was able to vote, I believed that Scotland needed more say
over its own affairs and not to feel second rate and beholden to the government
in London - I have voted SNP ever since. I also spent ten years in the US (Cincinnati
and Chicago)
where my two older children were born. America has a more de-centralized
government where each state runs it's own affairs. The federal government
decides on roads and on defence and Americans believe strongly in people
running their own local affairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Perhaps as I come from the edges and
can clearly see two sides, I am able to see the one picture more clearly and I
am convinced that independence is the right way forward. Scotland has
its own history, culture, education and law. </span><span class="usercontent"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Some claim
we are Better Together in the UK.
Do they mean better in a rigid elitist hierarchy that allows no social
mobility?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">*Today I noticed Scottish shortbread
in a London red
bus tin in M and S and I wondered was this "British" shortbread? Scotland badly
needs its own identity and pride restored again as a positive way forward. The
Scottish people once led the world in innovative thinking and we do not need to
feel second class or dependant on London
charity. We only have to look to countries like Norway
(or Finland),
also with a small population and oil reserves, to see strong independent
success stories.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">I am a long time SNP supporter and I
voted for independence back in 1979 - it has been along road getting here, but
we are here at long last and its' an opportunity we cannot let slip by again. I
have no idea why some claim we are better or stronger together - this vote is
not about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">separation or division</i> but
about a better and stronger working partnership for the UK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inevitably the scare tactics will start again
and we have to try to keep focused on the right way forward for our country. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Back in 1979 we were told we should be afraid of Scottish self
determination – why? We should be more afraid of London setting our rules. To every time there
is a reason and a right way to be – the tides of time tell</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">us
the right way to be and the right way forward. All the indications point in one
direction</i>…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">What does '<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Independence</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'</i> mean?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To me it is not about 'Borders', but about making our own decisions in
Scotland over issues like taking charge of our own resources such as oil, not
entering illegal wars, not having trident in the Clyde, making greener town
centres, de-centralising healthcare, and about feeling our votes can make a
difference. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">This debate is not about political
parties but what kind of country we want for our children. Let's not miss this
big opportunity to have our own voice. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="mw-headline"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">People's Festival
Ceilidhs</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Henderson</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"> was instrumental in bringing about
the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh_People%27s_Festival" title="Edinburgh People's Festival">Edinburgh People's Festival</a> Ceilidh in
1951, which placed traditionally performed Scottish folk music on the public
stage for the first time as "A Night of Scottish Song". However, the
People's Festival, of which it was part, was planned as a left-wing competitor
to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh_Festival" title="Edinburgh Festival">Edinburgh Festival</a> and was deeply controversial.
At the event, Henderson
performed a song, to the tune of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland_the_Brave" title="Scotland the Brave">Scotland the Brave</a>, which glorified <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Maclean_%28Scottish_socialist%29" title="John Maclean (Scottish socialist)">John Maclean</a>, a communist and
Scottish nationalist hero. </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">However, the event marked
the first time that Scotland's
traditional folk music was performed on a public stage. The performers included
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_MacNeil" title="Flora MacNeil">Flora
MacNeil</a>, Calum Johnston, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Burgess_%28bagpiper%29" title="John Burgess (bagpiper)">John Burgess</a>, Jessie Murray, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Strachan" title="John Strachan">John
Strachan</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_MacBeath" title="Jimmy MacBeath">Jimmy MacBeath</a>. The event was extremely popular and
was regarded as the beginning of the second <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_folk_revival" title="British folk revival">British folk revival</a>. Henderson continued to host the events every
year until 1954, when the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist" title="Communist">Communist</a> ties of several members of the Peoples Festival
Committee led to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_%28UK%29" title="Labour Party (UK)">Labour Party</a> declaring it a "Proscribed
Organisation". Losing the financial support of the local trades unions,
the Peoples Festival was permanently cancelled. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-57737273222437161102013-05-19T20:17:00.000-07:002013-08-02T16:41:43.826-07:00The British NHS needs De-Centralized<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">The British NHS is in desperate need
of being De-Centralized and Reformed. It is the System itself that is failing. </span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">I wonder that we have forgotten what the NHS was originally set up to do - that is to
provide good quality patient care. I have two children working as
medical health professionals in the British NHS and I am both shocked and
saddened by what they tell me. Patient notes are lost and basic care is
neglected - such as patients being unable to reach their drinking water - and staff
moral is very low.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">When the
National health service was originally conceived I am sure it met a clear
public service. Sadly today it appears to be a gigantic and badly managed
business with ever increasing demands. The first step required, as I see it, is
to de-centralised this over-bloated industry. Centralized control does not work
with such a massive operation - and how can local requirements be met that way?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">We urgently
need to take a look at health care systems worldwide that do work for patient
care and work with no waiting lists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How
on earth can they achieve this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't
view America as having the
perfect health care model though - I lived there for ten years and I had two
children there and one child here in Scotland. It is vitally important
we look at countries where the health systems ARE working for good quality care
- such as in France, Sweden or Germany. One way to make
improvements is that those who can afford to pay do pay. This happens in France
where there are no waiting lists. This happens already in dentistry and
dentists are not under such severe pressures. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">That's not
to say that there are not pockets of top quality care in the service. I know
several who have received excellent treatment for serious illness. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">The reality
is that if young medics are treated like robotic slaves and expected to work 12
hour shifts with no toilet breaks or food breaks - the system is in crisis. As
they only have 4 monthly contracts now they are unable to rent accommodation
near the hospitals and then they are expected to drive long distances home at
dawn after such long shifts - what are we asking them to do? One young girl was
killed recent in Ayrshire driving home after her 13 hour shift. Another young
medic had to have a catheter fitted because she had been unable to take a
toilet break. I ask myself what on earth is going on?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">How can well
meaning medical staff provide the best care when they are treated badly
by<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a management that sits in its ivory
towers and never comes down to see how it all works at the ground floor? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'd like to tell Mr Cameron - medical staff
are practically shedding blood to provide as decent a health service that they
can while they are hampered by an inadequate management system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">I read that
there is now an untrained army of medical assistants who are basically doing
what nurses used to do, but with no skills to do it. While nursing staff is burdened with paper work. Why were the nursing bosses (the matrons) scrapped and I hear that the new ward managers are not clinically trained. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">The
socialist ideology is that competition doesn't work (?) and that instead we
should all be motivated by Targets. Now these targets require a huge amount of
paperwork that no one ever reads (and this happens in education also). Well in the
real world that I live in, what drives and motivates people to do better and
achieve higher standards is 'competition' - sorry academics. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Another
issue that needs addressed – to inform patients perhaps with leaflets or
posters about when they should be contacting their doctor and that if they take
up the doctors time for no real reason it takes services away from those in
real need. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Medical treatment is NOT
limitless or free!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we as patients
waste these resources, if we waste hospitals and doctors time with unnecessary
visits, it takes away from critical medical treatments.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Our
out-of-date and over protected health service is desperately in need of
improved management which includes better treatment of medical staff. The
politicians like to blame the medical professionals...it is time to sit up and
realise it's the System itself that is failing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">The NHS is
not free either, someone has to pay for all the equipment, training for staff
and ever more expensive drugs!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
recent scandal of neglect for patients at Staffordshire hospital has brought
all this into focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who dares to speak
up? </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-83072867106016888552013-05-19T18:00:00.000-07:002013-05-19T18:00:52.777-07:00Scottish Pride<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LtLCj61y7ZQ/UZl1BXyJZSI/AAAAAAAAHAA/zUXnYiUhFL0/s1600/_MG_2171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LtLCj61y7ZQ/UZl1BXyJZSI/AAAAAAAAHAA/zUXnYiUhFL0/s320/_MG_2171.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RsHtb3VUwK0/UZl1HODhJaI/AAAAAAAAHAI/zvoXt457Rzs/s1600/clanchief.pk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RsHtb3VUwK0/UZl1HODhJaI/AAAAAAAAHAI/zvoXt457Rzs/s320/clanchief.pk.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">In ‘79 we
were told that not enough people had voted even though the majority voted for
independence. After this, some Scots were disillusioned and left Scotland. I left
Scotland myself in 1980 for America and returned
here in 1989. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turmoil can create great
art though and after ’79 in the eighties there was a revival of Scottish art,
music and writing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt;">Since then there has also been a revival in Scottish
pride and culture. Back in the 70s there were fewer ceilidhs and kilts were
rarely seen at events or on the high streets and there was less pride in our
Scottish heritage. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-56081589810851153352013-03-26T18:25:00.000-07:002013-12-03T07:02:39.062-08:00Kate Middleton and Morning Sickness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hdp9BlMtlIo/UVJKCDoJr8I/AAAAAAAAGnI/DDjK5ZFyRtc/s1600/article-2001737-0C7D9CAF00000578-657_634x970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hdp9BlMtlIo/UVJKCDoJr8I/AAAAAAAAGnI/DDjK5ZFyRtc/s1600/article-2001737-0C7D9CAF00000578-657_634x970.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">I post here
mostly about music, art and words but I digress here...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Kate
Middleton's Morning Sickness. I've been through it. I found it best to throw up
an hour before meals! That way there was some chance of keeping the meals down,
oh dear. Also have regular small protein snacks every few hours to keep blood
sugar levels as normal as possible - nuts, cheese, tuna, oatcakes, whatever you
feel able to eat. Drink water in small amounts regularly too. I remember even
smells in the food stores made me feel sick! Especially raw meat. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Also -
DON'T TAKE ANY DRUGS for morning sickness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Sadly I was
given an anti-sickness drug with my second pregnancy and had a very scary drug
reaction several days later when my jaw started to freeze up and we had to
drive to the emergency at the hospital. This drug allergic reaction caused me
to loose the baby at 16 weeks a few weeks later. Drug allergies can be life
threatening. My very strong advice is - DON'T take any medicine when you are
pregnant. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">I went on a few years later to
have my beautiful daughter (not without the heartache of the loss though).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was sick again this time and sorry to say
sickness can last most of the pregnancy, while it was better the last few
months - and I took no drugs this time. Who says having a baby is easy! Maybe
if men had to carry babies there would be less war and bloodshed I've wondered?
I couldn't watch the news when I was pregnant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">It may well
be a girl for Kate - I had two boys and a daughter and was only sick with my
daughter. I wish her well. : ) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Ps Also shouldn't be called
morning sickness, more like all day sickness. : ( </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-60997194044184135482013-03-26T18:22:00.001-07:002014-03-05T19:21:31.988-08:00Is social mobility dead <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">'Is social mobility
dead in the UK?
We are now ruled by unexceptional people with exceptional education.</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">'<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>British author Tony Parsons </span></b></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ay14gIzFxmw/UVJJSTYbbDI/AAAAAAAAGnE/qnON9VWgZc8/s1600/tony_parsons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ay14gIzFxmw/UVJJSTYbbDI/AAAAAAAAGnE/qnON9VWgZc8/s1600/tony_parsons.jpg" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">There is
now no social mobility in the UK says Parsons.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">From 1960
to 1975 we had five Prime Ministers who were from ordinary beginnings and who
were educated at state schools - from Harold Wilson to John Major. Parson
argues that there is now no way for that to happen now and the gap between the
rich and the poor has got wider. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
argument against the Grammar schools is that they only lift up 20%<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- well the Comprehensives lift up zero per
cent!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some argue that Grammar school
selection is unfair - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">well life is tough
and life is unfair.</i>That selected group at least had a chance for university
education - now it is zero %. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">What happens
now in schools is that </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">mediocrity<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> is encouraged in preference to excellence.</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">I know
because my three children went through the present day school system recently.
No matter how much work for excellence my daughter put in her efforts were
consistently ignored while the less able were favoured. The attitude is that
the bright children will do well no matter. What message does this send out to
the children when high standards are ignored. My daughter is now training as a
paediatrian, thanks to her own efforts - and yes my children all went to
the local state school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">One thing
that does make a big difference is offering good nursery education, and a good
grounding in pre-skills BEFORE schooling even starts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We lived in America for ten years where my
older son was educated until he was six and he benefited greatly there from the
training given in Kindergarten school. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">It is wrong
to say that the Grammar school system was inflexible. There was a young boy who
lived near me - he was immature at 11 and never made the Grammar school cut
off, but he started to perform well at secondary school and after two years he
was moved to the Grammar school and he went on to study for a science degree at
university.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Scotland the Grammar schools were
known as secondary moderns.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Parson
states that the major parties are against social mobility and that we need to
put family back at the centre. British author Tony Parsons on This Week BBC - <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01p8sdp/This_Week_06_12_2012/">http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/This_Week_06_12_2012/</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Tony Parsons</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"> (born 6 November 1953) is a British
journalist broadcaster and author.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=954988504864347267" name="more"></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">He began his
career as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_journalism" title="Music journalism">music journalist</a> on the <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Musical_Express" title="New Musical Express">NME</a></i>, writing about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punk_music" title="Punk music">punk music</a>.
Later, he wrote for <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Daily_Telegraph" title="The Daily Telegraph">The Daily Telegraph</a></i>, before going on to
write his current column for the <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daily_Mirror" title="Daily Mirror">Daily
Mirror</a></i>. Parsons was for a time a regular guest on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Two" title="BBC Two">BBC Two</a> arts
review programme <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Late_Show_%28BBC2%29" title="The Late Show (BBC2)">The Late Show</a></i>, and still appears infrequently
on the successor <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newsnight_Review" title="Newsnight Review">Newsnight Review</a></i>; he also briefly hosted a
series on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_4" title="Channel 4">Channel
4</a> called <i>Big Mouth</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">He is the author of the
multi-million selling novel, <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_and_Boy_%28novel%29" title="Man and Boy (novel)">Man and Boy</a></i> (1999). Parsons had written a
number of novels including <i>The Kids</i> (1976), <i>Platinum Logic</i> (1981)
and <i>Limelight Blues</i> (1983), before he found mainstream success by
focussing on the tribulations of thirty-something men. Parsons has since
published a series of best-selling novels – <i>One For My Baby</i> (2001), <i>Man
and Wife</i> (2003), <i>The Family Way</i> (2004), <i>Stories We Could Tell</i>
(2006), <i>My Favourite Wife</i> (2007), <i>Starting Over</i> (2009) and <i>Men
From the Boys</i> (2010). His novels typically deal with relationship problems,
emotional dramas and the traumas of men and women in our time. He describes his
writing as 'Men Lit', as opposed to the rising popularity of 'Chick Lit'.</span> </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-954988504864347267.post-91541412785196183802013-03-15T21:29:00.001-07:002013-03-15T22:11:54.300-07:00Our Culture of Violence <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I am writing about the
tragic death of a young 20yr-old boy who lived behind us here in a northern
suburb of Glasgow.
He was a strong young rugby playing man who was violently and indiscriminately
attacked in the centre of Glasgow
by two youths on the night of an old firm game. He was beaten on his head with a baseball bat. A recent studio from California cited Scotland as having the highest
rates of Youth violence in the world and when it reaches so close to home, it
shocks and horrifies us all. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">As I pick up the Evening
Times I read of further attacks. Apparently the two youths involved in this
random attack, injured several others that very same night. My son works as a
junior doctor in Glasgow
and those on call in the Infirmary talked of the numbers brought in injured
that same night. It was a Friday night after an Old Firm clash, the Rangers vs Celtic football game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">We live in a Culture of Violence
that starts in the home and spread out into the community at large. Add to this
a cocktail of alcohol over-indulgence and ease of access to drugs and you have
a lethal combination and a powder keg waiting to explode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Irvine Welsh, author of
Trainspotting, recently suggested in the press that it was time for an Open
Debate on this pressing subject. We need to look at other cosmopolitan areas
such as New York which used to have a high level of violence and who adopted a ‘zero
tolerance’ approach several years ago, which meant targeting young criminals
and the smallest crimes before they resulted in more serious crimes. My
daughter was in New York this past summer and
found she found the city a safer place to walk around in than Glasgow. We also need to tackle alcohol and
drug abuse problems through education and through stricter laws on selling
alcohol to the very young.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The introduction of new Laws
banning physical violence in the home may help to raise awareness that violence
towards others is not acceptable behaviour in our modern society. This also
raises questions about our society’s attitude to violence generally, as a way
of controlling others. There are other more successful ways of coping with
problems and with young children. Another problem is the severe lack of male
role models for many young boys growing up on the UK
and the fact that Scotland
has such a high rate of single parent families.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The second issue is
attitudes to Binge drinking. We glorify ‘being drunk’ and ‘binge drinking’ in Scotland as if
it is something to be proud of. A whole generation is being caught up in a
cheap triple alcoholic haze. Do we care - well we should. We set the example by
what we do and say. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">My view is it is the entire
Culture and attitudes here in Scotland that have to change and not about a few ‘experts’
telling the less fortunate to behave better. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">It is time we looked
seriously at these and other alternative ways of behaving before youth violence
escalates even further on our streets.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com