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For as long as the common wisdom is that every working age person needs to have a viable job, in order to earn a liveable wage.  The movement of people from one region, from one country to another, in order to earn money to support them and their families. Will remain a major and divisive problem. This, then, is why the governments and nations of the world, need to work together to find a common solution to the problem of collectively meeting their people's welfare needs.  And to do so in a manner which does not predicate it upon all people of working age having a sustainable and environmentally health job.  A living allowance, yes, but not one that is dependant on working for the sake of being a part of, a cog, in the chain of a financial wealth producing economy.  In the past and present, the wealthy elite did not and do not have to pursue 'wealth creating' employment.  They had/have other people to do that for them and they accumulate the r

'If, like the destiny of humans, which is that we all die, that of Planet Earth is that she also will perish.  Then the war against negative climate change is not one that can be won; it can only be slowed down.'   Many are the prophets of Earth's destruction, and, along with it, her inhabitants.  And, in citing this impending greatest catastrophe, the appeal is made now more stringently and hoarsely to us humans.   As it is us, the most rapacious sentient builders and destroyers of the Planet's artificial structures.  Who are responsible for bringing about what is seemingly an unavoidable final catastrophe.  No other Earth resident has the ingenuity and physical and intellectual resources to transform their and the Earth's environment as much as us humans.  It is us, our species, who have combined, fused and used what naturally occurring  elements we find.   To create new compounds such as nuclear weapons, computer chips, and numerous poi

But all of that is not of much concern today. As I come across one of the regular anglers who patiently go about their indulgence in fishing in the canal.  Of course, there is not much to be said about anglers, unless you happen to be another angler, after you have commented on their conviction to this pastime.   And the contemplative and actual pleasure they much be getting out this pursuit. I did not spend much time engaging this angler; in fact, it was more like a cursory greeting and a how is it going.  As I did not want to become a source of distraction for the fish, or annoyance for the angler.  So I wished him well and continued my walk, which brought me probably as much pleasure and relaxation as he, hopefully, was getting out of endeavouring to catch some fish. Notwithstanding this, it was one of the highlights of my morning stroll along the canal.  Interacting, however briefly, with another member of my species, and not just the fauna and flora.

Or with young mothers pushing their babies or toddlers in buggies. As well as runners training, and trekking parties, occasionally.  Although Canal boats are moored at a few points along the different branches of the Canals, the number of Canal Boats moving along it are not many.  Less often, in fact, very rarely do I come across children or teenagers using the Canal, however sunny and beautiful the weather happens to be.  I am often reflecting on how under-appreciated and under-used is this beautiful, inspiring and historical resource.  Life so many hard-erned resources, the canals have fallen out of favour and are taken for granted, even by those who are aware of their existence.  People, including the younger generations, prefer to spend their time preoccupied with novelty and addictive pull of the virtual world.  Preoccupied with accessing the social media through their smart phones. Virtual reality, it seems, is, for some people at least, much more enticing

Of fate and of destiny; what is it to be? Applied to us humans they do have much relevance, even though it might not matter if we live and end our futile lives not knowing of their existence or their meaning.  Because how often do we speak of destiny, when it is really fate we are dealing with, because it is the case that we often confused the two, probably believing them to be interchangeable.  But let us be clear and accurate when we speak of  a means to and end, in the full knowledge that the two are very different things.  Even as it is the case that it is only fate which offers us the chance, if you will, however small or great, of having some influence over the path, pace and timing of the fulfilment of our destiny.  A destiny which is common to all humans, even to all living species.  Whereas destiny represents the end, even of hope, both real and false.  The unconscious, unthinking, irretrievable ending self, of ergosumness, of our being as a livi

It is not good enough or is it 'just' to treat all perpetrators as an homogeneous group who are motivated by the same factors and to the same extent.  This is part of the purpose of devising a more accurate system of assessing and treating and managing people who are convicted of terrorist attacks, as well as others who convicted of crimes which resulted in grave harm to others. It is of the nature of humans, our fate, that we all die, so, it is probably rather trite to saw Usman Khan deserved to be killed, to die for his crime.  However, there is no absence of compassion, it seems to me, to say that it is just and safer for innocent people that Usman Khan no longer walks amongst us on the Earth. In terms of the response to this murderous outrage, there is nothing, except quick and uninformed political points, to be gained from having a 'knee-jerk', 'lock them up and throw away the key' response to it.  The more adult and appropriate res

The fact that Usman Khan has spent 8 long years in Prison and it has not resulted in him being effectively reformed, is an indication that it is not primarily about how long a person spends in prison that reforms them.  It is about what is being done with them in Prison to re-educate, convert and transform them into becoming good citizens and human beings. At a certain point it might be valid to say all terrorist and convicted terrorists should be treated the same harsh and systematic way.  That they should all be kept in prison until they die, and that no attempt should be made to reform any of them and return them to the open society.  However, we, humans, are trying to improve our civilization and our laws and criminal justice systems.  We are concerned not only by the physical and mental harm arising from criminal acts, but also by the motives which drive each person to commit the crimes they commit.  To be continued!