To Vote or not to Vote?

To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
- William Shakespeare, "Hamlet"

The YES or NO vote on the question of the Alternative Vote system is really a non-starter. In all my days I never imagined I would find myself where Dave call me “Dave” Con-some-One (Cameron) and myself shared common ground!

To vote Yes would be tantamount to allowing a small and non-inclusive party such as the Lib-Dems into power. A party willing to say whatever sounds nice to gather popular opinion, never really expecting to gain power. We see what this can lead to. Key election policies are reneged upon, under the guise of compromise. Truth is that policies expounded by such minority parties were never workable in the first place. A key example is: The Lib-Dems tuition fee debacle! For even the possibility of the AV system to work there would have to be an obligation for everyone to vote. Even then, we still have to trust our politicians to fulfil obligations set by their electors once in power. Under whatever system we have, most of our policies are set by negotiations among the men in grey suits with little more than self-serving interest at heart.

If it aint broke don’t fix it! There isn’t anything wrong with the current first past the post system in place. What is wrong is voter apathy. We are fed up of being lied to, no matter the system. I could write a dissertation on broken promises and falsehood used by our Leaders of whatever mast to justify their actions and what level of deceit they will engage upon to cover their proverbial ass!

Teflon Tony comes to mind: with Saddam Husseins weapons of mass distraction. This took us into an unnecessary war in Iraq. Truth is: it was more Tone’s hysteria of mass distraction!

The real question that needs addressing is why are voter numbers down, year on year, whilst the voting figures continue to rise on come dance with me and BGT. Voting and the right to vote is something that many people have died for, over the age. It should be made compulsory like the TV licence and enforced. I don’t really watch BBC television but yet am made to pay a yearly licence fee. I don’t always like the candidates in election times, but knowing they could be ousted by sheer number of voter turn-out would make them think thru policy detail.

Word to the wise: Give the AV-a big –NO come May 5^th!

Remember: Runningwater is a fulfiller of life.

I know where I'm going!

I know where I'm going and I know the truth, and I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be what I want. Consider the following; We humans are social beings. We come into the world as the result of actions of others. We survive here, in dependence on others. Whether we like it or not, there is hardly a moment of our lives when we do not benefit from others' activities. For this reason it is hardly surprising that most of our happiness arises in the context of our relationships with others. We stumble and fall constantly even when we are most enlightened. But when we are in true spiritual darkness, we do not even know that we have failed the task we must set for ourselves is not to feel secure, but to be able to tolerate insecurity. Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. Love yourself and each other.

118835277

Florida

( I stole this and thought I oughtta share,... ) these words are inspirational!

Remember: runningwater cannot be stopped,....has a character second to none.

Follow The Money

Many have been asking when will the trauma in the Middle East end. In my blog a month or so back I wrote that we should be careful what we wish for. For often the things we wish for, far outstrips our expectations. In the last few months we have seen the movement for democratic inclusion wash over the regions of Tunisia, Egypt,Yemen,Bharain, and latterly Libya. We have had murmurings in Saudi Arabia. In the west we see democracy as the foremost form of government. Better than any other system. Superior if you will.

My argument is that the western form of democracy may not be suited to all regions of the world. On closer inspection of the region of China we see that within a generation due to the hard-line of the indigenous government on self- reliance and sacrifice, China has become the world’s first economy. Whilst the wanton waste of the West has led in many countries to double-dip economies.

Wait,.. there is a method to my madness. Our argument regarding democracy is essentially about equality, liberty and fairness. The ability to achieve self –reliance without fear of prejudice, be it racial or economic. We strive to mimic a uniformity whilst trying to hold dear our individuality. Is it possible? In the West, we encourage so called democracy whilst exporting arms, we restrict trade equality by providing subsidy protection to our home grown traders. We have trade blocs that makes things impossible for the so-called third world to compete in the arena of supply and demand.

The elephant in the room is: If we are truly encouraging democracy around the world as enjoyed by the West, who shall we sell our wares to if these new democracies achieve self-sustainance? This is why I argued in previous blogs that we ought to be careful what we wish for. It’s a double edged sword. If developing countries were to achieve parity with the West? ( an altogether foolish question) A world malaise would surely be the outcome. Western democracy comes hand in hand with Capitalism and with Capitalism comes inequality, greed and social inequality. Is that what the world is striving for?

Do we need a re-think?

When I say follow the money. I mean it. In any theater of conflict or supposed good, if you follow the money, the crux of any issue is often glaringly revealed. On the question of why isn’t more being done by the west on the Libyan crisis,..its because the economies of the West have no money to fund a regime change, what with most of the economies being in the mire. Cameron/Sarkozy and Merkel are paying lip service to helping with the issues. And for America, its sufficiently far away to be involved. They cannot afford and would ideally prefer the status quo to remain in place. They just can’t say it in public. Secretly, they know that the devil you know is better than the one which is yet to be revealed. A question in point is the Iraqi experience. Would the people of Iraq have preferred with hindsight, for Saddam to remain in power but with encouraged move towards a moderated middle east version of democracy. Am sure retrospectively, the west would admit the cost of the Iraqi experience wasn’t worth the eventual outcome. Am not talking about oil or money now. Am talking about lives!

The same mistake I fear is being made in Afghanistan. The focus of the world I fear is misplaced. Our planet, our world is ill. Statistician will and can use their art to prove any incident but one cannot look at these incidents:Sept 11^th (NY), Jan 11^th(Haiti),March 11^th(Japan) and think there isn’t a bigger picture? Is there?

Remember: runningwater cannot be stopped,..it gives, it takes, it fuels, it fulfils.

Views expressed here are my own and I represent only myself. Views are not based on any particular facts but my personal observation of the prevailing winds.

After The Love Has Gone

After The Love Has Gone

Love is the only thing we need. Nothing else matters if this is absent in your relationship. You might try to stay together for the children, but what if the children have grown and flown the nest, what if you have no children, what if as statistically shown, couples in their early thirties have drifted. Recent statistics shows that 3 percent of women haven’t had any sex in a year and 2.5% of men haven’t had sex in a year. Somebody somewhere is lying. Interestingly, the statistic shows that its often women that no longer want sex. Yeah, I hear you shouting that a relationship is a lot more than physical contact! Men only want sex and women want to make love. But, what’s a man to do when his woman tells him she has gone off physical contact. First she withdraws the sexual contact, then the emotional contact, intimacy, laughter and eventually frienship. What is she trying to say. I don’t know, could it be something like if your woman turns vegan, does that pretty much mean that you become one. When your partner says am not really into sex anymore is she condemning you to a life of no physical contact or is she giving you a get you out of jail card? By this I mean the option to explore sexual contact with another. If she only wants the companionship, she could have it while you explore your sexual urge with another. Surely, this is the most suitable option for all concerned. By no means am I saying this should apply or apply only in favour of men. Shouldn’t it be the policy when either partner withdraws emotional and sexual contract. No, I didn’t make a mistake here. I meant emotional and sexual contract. Surely when you marry someone, you make a commitment and a contract to satisfy each other emotionally, physically, thru thick and thin, for better or worse! When all these things are absent there can only be sadness, emotional loneliness and chocolate.

What can be done after the love has gone?

Can it be repaired, salvaged, would you want to? Should one return down a mis-trodden path? Never more than before has it been more important to be in Love and to love who you are with. Its all that matters. Many have replaced their relationship with the Iphone (this is my observation, not a general view held or statistically proven ). Rather than pay attention to their partners, they spend their time checking interactive camera’s on the Apps of their phone. This in itself tells you a story, a clear message that the partner is no longer interested and doesn’t care. If you are living a single life within a marriage or a lonely life within a marriage,…it is time to spice it up or ship out. What a waste of time. Does the answer lie within all of us? Many more people in their early thirties have known the marriage or relationship is over but continue for the sake of children, mortgage, security, but not for LOVE! They discover in their forties that it has been a waste of time and beyond repair. This is shown in the increasing numbers of over forties seeking love in the pages of dating websites, second and third marriages.

After the love has gone, one needs to examine if the love really existed and what one considers love. Are they in the things one does for you,.. the material aspect or is it the emotional. Could you really live with the same person if they had nothing but love for you. Would the attraction be the same if you had to care for them if they got ill,..could you? Would you? Care. Everyday I see beautiful examples of love from couples who aren’t even aware they have it. How lucky.

Love is not all those idealistic rubbish we are fed in RomComs. Its in the beautiful but delirious silence shared when you are both at your most vociferous. Its that smile and warmth you feel even when they are not around, Its sitting so close even though there is ample seating. Its in the simple things shared and its in the giving.

Remember: Running water cannot be stopped,.. it always find a way

Be careful what you wish for!

Over recent weeks we have witnessed violent demonstration in Tunisia which led to the demise of Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali has stepped down after 23 years in power as protests over economic issues snowballed into rallies against him.

Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi has taken over as interim president, and a state of emergency has been declared.

Mr Ben Ali left Tunisia with his family, and has since arrived in Saudi Arabia, officials said.

Earlier, French media said President Nicolas Sarkozy had rejected a request for his plane to land in France.

Dozens of people have died in recent weeks as unrest has swept the country and security forces have cracked down on demonstrations over unemployment, food price rises and corruption.

This movement of mass disruption, pent up frustration against regimes long considered corrupt, inept and democratically non-representative have swept from the Tunisian capital Tunis to Egypt and its capital Cairo. President Hosni Mubarak’s grip on government is looking shaky. While these movement lift the veil of hypocrisy and all its inherent faults,.. one should be careul what one wishes for!

My argument is this: what do they plan to replace these regimes with, how are the life’s of the people going to improve over time, with so much uncertainty? What do these movement mean for life in the West? And for the countries in which they are taking place. In the first instance these regions who’s mainstay of economics is Tourism, can wave goodbye to their tourist industry for the foreseeable future as it will need a lot of trust building for the foreign traveller to return. Unemployment in the region at the moment stand at an all time high. This is the reason why most of the demonstrators are on the street in the first place. But tell me, how can destroying your most prominent source of revenue be the way forward? Don’t get me wrong, I do understand the need for change. Here in the West we must encourage these demonstrators to aim for a gradual movement, for inclusive and democratic change.

Whilst most celebrate the brave steps being taken by the people in the middle- East, heaven help us all if these movement for rapid economic and welfare balance sweeps into Saudi Arabia and Syria. We would witness in the West an unbelievable increase in the price of fuel, possibility of the democratic movement being hijacked by self –serving individuals or extremist who use the beautiful religion of Islam to make the situation worse. We should be careful what we wish for!

On a positive note, the events which unfolded in Tunisia has led to a more cohesive and understanding way of dealing with the movement for democratic change in Egypt. However, these are fraught times and although the armed forces have refused to fire on Egyptians,.. there is a need to maintain law and order or the ugly monster which lurks within usually well- meaning humans will out and looting may turn into general chaos. We all understand the CHAOS theory.

When change doesn’t come as quickly as desired, this leads to scenes of ugliness and lawlessness and eventually to anarchy where only the misguided are led by the should-know-betters! This is a time for men of God ( Islamic clerics ) to work with men of foresight to ensure a smooth transition. Egypt and indeed the region in which Tunisia and all the other countries sit is a continent full of historical beauty that’s had more than it’s fair share of pain. The West needs to be proactive and help these people to find a lifestyle/work balance. What they aspire to in wanting to be like the countries of the West Is not as free as it seems. Islam plays a big part in the life’s of the people of these region and mimicking or wanting the supposed freedom of the West could only lead to social ills, drug problems, western decadence, waste and footballers being paid £160,000 a week, whilst nurses average £20,000 a year. Yes, we haven’t worked it out in the west either. ( Priority! ) Yes the grass always seems greener on the other side but you still have to mow it!

Remember: running water cannot be stopped – it’s a life giver!

I wish I was George Clooney

God I wish I was George Clooney. Tall, handsome, dashing, broody, successful, a choice of the worlds most beautiful women. Homes around the world, successful film career, TV coffee advert. He's got it all. But you know its not for all these things I hold George Clooney in awe. Its for his commitment in bringing the Sudanese question to the forefront of all our conscience. A question where many have tried, some for self generating media attention.

GC brought media focus, monetary, health, shelter, food and so much more. He stayed committed as the momentum for separation of the barren but manipulative North with the capital Khatoum from the poor, undeveloped South grew. Today, we stand on the threshold of the world newest nation as these long term opponents vote for separation. The South with no development might be and should be called Cush with possibly the new capital Juba. This new nation with its proud past was once known as bilad as-sudan ( land of the blacks ) Least we forget this nation was once the gateway for the great trans-saharan trade routes with influences under Egyptian rulers.

This new nation has no roads, water, and any development of note. I wish I was GC because I know he will stay committed to seeing these people rise from the ashes of near extinction. We have come a long way from the refugee camps of Darfur. CG has been practising what most of us preach but seldom achieve. The camps now have sheltered homes, water, healthcare. I salute you CG and wish I was you for your commitment to people you didn't have to care about. For you this wasn't a passing phase, a fad or ego-rub,... something to do!

We can all do more, the south has resources. Its our responsibility to make sure these resources are not wasted. We need to support the likes of CG to ensure corruption doesn't rob this new nation of their rightful place in the body of the world. Their past cannot be rewritten,..it is guaranteed in the pantheon of the world historical greatness.

Take the applause CG for no-one deserves it more than you. Life is so precious and we are only remembered for the legacy we leave and those who's life's we touch. You are a son of Africa. Africa will remember you.

Remember: Runningwater cannot be stopped, it accumulates, gathers form and build energy.

Why are there few converts to Christianity in our affluent western society?

The question above was posed in the mass literature newsletter Sunday 9^th January 2011 Year A. Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ. Suggestions as to the answer include: some blame today’s materialism; others say it’s because of the confusion caused by suffering and scandals. It also presupposes that Christians do not try hard enough, we fail to spread the faith. The Gospel calls for us to see Christ in others. And why do we fail to see him in ourselves as the source of our strength.

My answer is that in Western society we have always lacked faith and belief. Let me explain. When you talk to most people who neither believe nor disbelieve, their usual answer is: how can I believe in something or someone I cannot see and is not relevant to my life? Afterall, Christianity is so old and has no real relevance in todays world. The bible is only full of old stories of ancient cultures and a man who walked the earth over 2000 years ago, but we could not trace 30 odd years of his life. ( from boyhood to manhood) Just where did these missing years of Christ’s life go?

But I digress,…

Why there are few converts to Christianity in our affluent society lies in the question itself. In the times of Christ,..under the the Romans we lived in a time of wanton debauchery, consumerism, greed, irresponsibility, decadence, selfishness, oppression, Rich-Poor divide, power struggles and war. Does the picture am painting seem familiar in current times???

I have often said that no matter who you believe or don’t believe in. In times of trouble, we all call out to GOD. In Yoruba they say Olorun, others say Yehwah, Rastafari, Jehovah. Call it what you will, in times of need we tend to remember a greater being that even non –believers accept, there is a Supreme being. Greater and Good and all forgiving. So to answer the question, the reason that there are fewer converts in the affluent west is because many have replaced their faith, for faith in X-factor/Blackberry/I-phone4/A-Z celebrities/daytime TV/Football stars/pornography and my personal favourite – eastenders!!!??? Go figure!

In societies that are not affluent( dont make me laugh! ), conversion to Christianity is on the increase year on year simply because of what the Bible said,..” the meek shall inherit the earth” When you don’t have the basics of life,….shelter/food/water and security it leaves you little option but to belief that only God can save you. However, I take umbrage at the fact that presupposes that in less affluent part of the world lack of consumerism is the only reason they have more people converting to Christianity. In general, people not in the Affluent west tend to have more faith, spirituality and the belief that God is the cornerstone of their life.Isnt it a shame affluence is married to wealth and presupposes that one without wealth cannot be rich. ( in spirit, body mind and soul )

Lastly, unlike in the west they don’t belief just because you can’t see it means you shouldn’t believe it. Afterall, you cant see air but you breathe it and it sustains you.

Word!

Remember: running water cannot be stopped ~ its baptises you at the beginning