dinsdag 22 juni 2010

Strika-Strika-Choo-Choo!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jun/22/tube-strike-london-disruption

A two day strike was announced by the maintenance staff of the Tube, causing massive delays and further trouble for the people using the Tube. The reason for the strike, is that the maintenance staff feels they are running too much risk for what they get paid. They say the mayor has enough money to buy up the tube, so why not give them the raises they want. So far, there has been a small compromise, causing the strike to be adjourned untill further notice. If the strike manages to go on, the railroad company has promised the passengers will not have too many problems.

The never ending struggle of the working class against the fat cats and the desire to get more and more for what you do. Yes, the people in the Tube take chances by showing up for work, but not anymore than a window cleaner or a policeman. Sure, everyone wants to have more, we are living in a society based on materialism. But they pretty much screw a lot of people over, if they go on a strike. I know from my own experience that striking in the public transportation makes it a hell of an annoyance to students and working people alike. They do not reach the fat cats in charge of their paychecks. Next time they try to do something, lets hope they come up with something more brilliant than a strike.

How to get your pension earlier; Become a Woman!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2010/jun/22/woman-sex-change-right-pension

Christopher Timbrell, or Christine, as she is called now has appeared in court, to settle a rather unique case. Since she had a sex change 10 years ago, she feels like she has the rights of any woman. The state thought otherwise and did not want to give her her pension from her 60th birthday, the legal age for women to retire. Men have to continue to work untill their 65th birthday, meaning there is a 5 year gap of pension between the two. Seeing there are no concrete laws for these matters, the judge just ruled in favor of Christine. Still, there were some complications, as she was still living with her wife, whilst marriages after sex changes should be dissolved.

Now comes my opinion to this lovely article. Transsexuals are mostly people trapped in the wrong body. A man that becomes a woman on the outside, is mostly a woman on the inside, so her rights change to one of a woman as well. Simple as that. I do not get that so many people stay ignorant about these kinds of things. People who are willing to change their intire identity are the ones that are genuine in their beliefs, that they are really a woman or man on the inside. People would not just change gender to get pension benefits, so why not make the law a little smoother, so cases like these do not have to get in court anymore? Are we not the generation that strives for progress? Acceptance is one of the things needed for something like that, that is just plain obvious. Then again, that is only my opinion.

maandag 21 juni 2010

300 And Not the Movie

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/afghan-war-claims-300th-british-victim-2006415.html

Another victim in Sangin, this soldier was the seventh of his Commando to die. His death counts up to 300 in the total of casualties in the Afghanistan war. This is starting to raise the question if it is a good thing for the soldiers to stay in Afghanistan, but with all the terorrist training camps, the people of Afghanistan still can not build up a proper life of their own, without the soldiers protecting them. As soon as the people can live on their own again, however, the ministry of Defense wants to pull the troops back out from Afghanistan. The Stop the War coalition is hopeful that the government will now take time to reflect and to possibly pull out of Afghanistan sooner.

I think the war in Afghanistan is pretty pointless. You take out the Taliban on one part of the country, they pop out from another hole in the ground, regroup and so on. It is a vicious cycle, since the country is so poor. People can not provide for their families with their jobs, since cops get paid less than a Taliban warrior. Along with that, there will always be the warlords that try to thwart the soldiers from establishing peace and safety, as they need the people and land to farm drugs. Afghanistan could provide us oil and gas, systems that were locked off back in the days when Russia invaded the country, but aside from that, I do not see any real benefits for England in the matter. 300 lives lost, for a country miles and miles away and what do the parents get in return? To hear that their sons our daughters died as a hero of war, someone that tried to found peace, but the inhabitants would not let them. Good job, good job indeed!

The Butterfinger Miracle

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2010/jun/14/englandfootballteam-worldcup2010

Robert Green, also known as 'Hand of Clod', 'Butterfingers' and 'Green for Go!'. Who hasn't heard of him in the past few weeks? Newspapers, magazines, television shows, he is in them all, all over the world even. His fatal mistake costed England's first victory, as he could not seem to stop the ball from bouncing off into the goal. Now, the poor man is being bombarded by most every country, telling how badly he played and what a clumzy goalie he is. There are also some newspapers that warn not to take him down too hard, as it might ruin the entire World Cup for England, with not having faith in your own goalie.

I myself could not care less about football. But I do think it's kind of harsh towards Robert Green to publicly humiliate him like this. Then again, he is payed for stuff like this. Being a football player, you get more money than most any working class person, so you will have to deal with the celebrity status, even when you fail. Goalies are also the most hated players on the field, aside from the referees. They are the least active and when they are active, they either disappoint their own team, our the opponent. The only fame there is to achieve, is not to let any balls pass them by and even then, the players that score take away all the glory. Those players are mostly on the frontpages from their amazing goals and when it is negative, it is because something off the field. Either way, Mr. Butterfingers better be careful in his next matches, before the English crowd crucifies him.

Killing Kids, Finding God

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3021755/Evil-Baby-P-mum-has-found-God.html

Tracy Connelly, murderer of her own sun seems to have found something new to put her heart in. When she's not able to abuse a kid, she turns to God. Too bad for her, her inmates don't forgive her sins like God does, so she has to take seperate services in the chapel. Her husband and fellow abuser, Steven Barker has turned to become one of the Jehova's Witnesses, let it be a passive one, as he won't be coming from celldoor to celldoor, asking if he could persuade someone to join their cause. People are not sure if the two are just playing an act, or if it is genuine, but one thing is for sure; the couple are not very loved by their inmates.


Personally, I think it is funny that these two think they can be forgiven, by just turning to a faith. It is not as if you could merely wash away the blood of an innocent child, just because you believe in a higher power. Then again, it could be an attempt to gain sympathy, but would you take someone in, who has beaten and killed their own child? I do not think so. Faith is something you should have during hard times, like when a family member is sick, or when you are trying to attempt to do something big and you want that extra bit of luck on your side. Robbers could be forgiven, they can have their reasons, but murderers? No, not in my book. Especially concerning childeren. As I would say: Take on someone your own size, or bigger. And do not try to hide behind a holy book after you have done something so cruel. Do not expect sympathy, just because all of the sudden, you are a child of God. Not when you played God, by taking a life.