Embarrassing.

Next time I put a vote out, I'll check the online urban dictionaries...

Seriously, it just means "Would you cheer if the pope got hit by someone?"

Nothing to do with self gratification. Sorry if I mislead any of you... ;-)

No power for three days!

No electricity for three days!

Wow. Certainly an experience. No light, heating, TV, CD player, internet... makes you realise how much we take for granted. More importantly, how much we take scientific achievements for granted. Have our lives improved because of scientific discovery? That's another blog entry ;-)

It was quite relaxing, sitting by candlelight -we even managed to play a family boardgame- and it gave me plenty of time for contemplative thinking. It was fun (for a while) to make do with what we had. And humbling to think how lucky we still were compared to millions of other families in the world. We had offers of accommodation, showers and meals (even internet access!) which were all appreciated.

Did I find it a spiritual experience? No. Although religion does often try to lay claim to acts of human kindness, it had no relevance in what was simply a power failure and the natural, altruistic behaviour of friends. There are cases where people choose a simpler lifestyle to avoid 'temptations' and they think it makes them better people; there are many who simply want to live off the land and try to harmonise with nature; some just want to be left alone; each to their own, I say. I am not the hunter-gather that my ancestors were many thousands of years ago. I have enough trouble trying to find specific items in a supermarket! I need my luxuries and people we know were more than happy to share theirs.

As I have always thought, people are basically nice. Unfortunately, even in this enlightened age of science and knowledge, some still think they need a magical sky pixie to make it so.

Templeton Prize

Just thought I'd share a fascinating article I found on the BBC website

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7955846.stm

You can even add your own opinion at the bottom of the article.

Godless society?

Phew! Reports written, Ofsted visit over and revision for my class begins...
I've also got to write a 2000 word story, create a script for a short film and (as I promised myself) keep this blog up to date!

Enough of my whining... ;-)

So, two weeks ago, I had the unfortunate chance to meet up with the real life equivalent of the 'Shameless' family. (Non UK: Shameless is a British TV program). I try not to be a snob, but when you get a group of foul-mouthed, obese scumbags take over a train carriage (age range 2 to 50) a little bit of liberal sympathy shrivels away.

The cast:
Aggressive 'father' whose advice consists of monosyllabic demands.
Loud mother who clearly takes pride in the amount of gold items she can pin, drape over, pierce, hang over her tracksuit.
Another pair of adults who behave as badly as the kids.
Three teenage daughters (clones of the mother), one of them pregnant (stereotypical) each with their own kids running rampant.
And the kids who have no responsibility; care about the other passengers; wilfully damage property and show no respect to their 'parents'.

You know that if you only look at them, you will get a torrent of abuse because you have clearly shown them some disrespect. They think the world owes them, they blame anyone else for their situation and that they have the right to do what they want.

It's wrong.

People shouldn't be like this. That entire family had no self respect so why should I expect them to be able to show respect to anyone else?

So what is the solution? Well I hear an awful lot about this being a result of a 'godless society' and, I suppose, if you like simple answers to BIG questions then clearly this seems obvious. (You probably think the world was created in six days, evolution is a myth and you truly believe in mythology...)

The idea of this all being attributed to atheism is laughable but all too common. Granted, the word 'atheism' is hardly mentioned but 'godless' is. Religion will not solve this problem. It had its chance and we are still facing the repercussions of its mistakes centuries later.

What religion does offer is a way to ‘avoid responsibility’. (This may take some explaining) You can claim an event in your life (good or bad) is ‘god’s will’ or that god wants you to do a certain thing. See? It’s already out of your hands. ;-)
It would be claimed that religion provides a role model when all it is doing is claiming credit for the deeds of kind-hearted people!
And of course, the marvellous lie that religion provides a ‘moral compass’. Utter, utter, BS!

It’s the ‘moral compass’ that makes me so furious. I’m not a violent person but I really want to punch someone when I hear that from a smug, self-satisfied, ignorant, moron.



The answer? I wish I had it but I truly believe that education, positive role models and the end of our exploitive, sensationalist media would make a huge difference to people’s ways of thinking.

It is one of my core reasons for being a teacher. I want to offer stability, for at least a few hours, in a child’s life. I want to provide the academic and social skills that will help them. I want to give them the best chance in life.

I’m not saying I’m a better person: I’m just a nice person hoping to make a difference.

Make the world a better place.

One child in Africa dies every 30 seconds.

Comic Relief (UK charity event) is raising awareness of this and asking for your help. Watching the documentaries and seeing the devastation it brings to families is heartbreaking.

A £5 donation will buy a mosquito net and will save lives.

http://www.rednoseday.com/change_lives/what_your_cash_can_do

Oh yeah!

Ofsted over!
I am officially 'good'!

Always nice to have your genius appreciated ;-)

Now where was I..? Oh yes! World domination and antipodean denial...

Want to post...

... but no time!

You may remember (in an earlier post) I mentioned Ofsted.

They are coming... so I am now very busy.

I will make a post about 'godless society' when I return. (This is all due to some interesting characters I met on a train.)

Speak to you all in a week! Take care everyone!

Books and writing.

I do love a bit of creative writing. It would be a bit hypocritical of me not to since I spend so much of my time telling my class to improve their writing and how much 'fun' it can be. This blog has also given me the chance to express myself.

I'm going to give myself a challenge. Write a creation story. There are after all, so many interesting ones out there. (Nothing, beats the disc on four elephants on a turtle!) The trick would be to make one that, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A PIECE OF FICTION, people could think, 'That might work!'

Let's face it, L Ron Hubbard did a fine job! And even after his death has managed to convince the easily led that a science fiction story is true. Amazing! Hats off to that old crook. :-)
But to his defence, he was only cashing in on a tiny fraction of what most organised religions get away with. If people are stupid enough to fall for it...

Here goes...

In the beginning, there was a possibility. And given an infinite amount of time all posibilities will happen...

Good karma...

Time for a new poll...

The last one was a 100% non belief in a fictional creator of the universe btw. :-)
(Kinda obvious really!)

Not very nice of me but...

Bit of a confession here, but I did take massive delight in seeing Spurs lose in the Carling cup. Even laughing at the despair on the fans and players. (Not that I really wanted ManUre to win either...)

It's strange that although I do believe myself to be a nice person, football and the emotions it fires up, turn me into quite an unpleasant person.

For example:
I mock other people's teams.
I take delight in their failings.
I gloat about successes.
I shout abuse about other teams.
I become single-mindedly obsessed about my team.

Hmm. You could almost say it is a religion! Heheheh.