To Smack or Not to Smack!

Is it right for parents to give their children a smack now and again as a form of discipline? There are many proponents for and against, and who is to say one or the other is right. We all have our own opinions.

Personally, I am for this form of punishment for wayward children, and I believe I have tradition, and the child's well-being, on my side.

First let me make quite clear that I am not in favour of any form of child abuse, and those guilty of such things should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. However, having said that, I think discipline is essential for a child's proper development into a responsible adult.

If you walk the streets of any town or city today, you see the youth doing as they please with no regard or respect for their fellow human beings. Hanging around on street corners in an often threatening manner, getting involved with crime, drugs, alcohol and general mayhem.

This is a sign of our times, and in my humble opinion, is a direct result of poor parenting, coupled with stupid laws that have criminalised the smacking of children since Sweden first introduced the law in 1979, followed by others in later years. For the last 20-30 years, these laws have forbidden any form of 'hands-on' punishment for misdemeanors by children.

Parents have lost all control over their offspring, and it must be admitted, some have used these laws as an excuse not to get involved in their upbringing, or have given up any hope of disciplining their children.

There are of course other factors that have been a great influence on the attitudes of children today, chief among them the total disintegration of 'family life'. This however I will save for another time.

You only have to watch a family in a supermarket to see how much actual control parents have over their children. I have seen countless children told to stop doing something in particular by mummy or daddy, only for the child to show total disregard for them and continue what it was doing.

You could be forgiven for thinking I am talking through my hat, but I have had two children of my own and made sure I brought them up in the traditional way.

As a child, I was often given a slap when I did something wrong or didn't listen to what I was told. In school I had the slipper or cane from my teacher or headmaster for misdemeanors on many occasions. None of this did me any harm, but it did teach me to respect property, laws and rules, and of course, my elders, even if I don't have many 'elders' at my time of life.

The main point of it all was that it disciplined me to have respect for those things I should respect, and that is what is missing in today's society!

With the failure of proper parenting, and the law forbidding the most basic and effective means of punishing a child, it has has gotten so far out of hand, that sad to say, I see no going back.

Any child that grows up without any form of discipline becomes what I would call a 'rogue' element, and we see them daily on our streets today.

I am thankful, and I must admit, proud, that my two children have grown up to be hard working, respectable citizens, and have never 'gone off the rails' like the majority do today. They have never been in trouble, and never turned to drugs or alcohol to fill the gaping void so many of today's young people seem to live with.

I always had a simple method. They knew that I would tell them once, remind them once, but if I had to tell them a third time they would get a slap on the legs or buttocks. They got the picture in a very short time, and after making my point once or twice, I very rarely had to resort to such methods again. The ground rules had been laid down at a very early age and they knew what to expect if they didn't do as they were told. As with me, it did them no harm, and this has been proved by their attitude now they are grown.

The news article that prompted this blog describes a referendum that is to be held in New Zealand on whether to continue the 'No Smacking' laws of that country.

The crazy thing is, the reason for the referendum is not the lack of parental control or discipline, or a general breakdown in respect among children, but whether or not it would affect the number of parents who are investigated for child abuse, but use 'discipline' as an excuse for escaping prosecution. In other words, it misses the point completely.

Quite possibly New Zealand does not yet suffer from the child and teenage problems that we have in the northern hemisphere. The law was only passed in 2007 so it will take a few more years before the lack of parental control manifests itself in child behavioral attitudes. By then of course it will be too late, as it is here.

Proponents of the anti-smacking law say 'positive, non-violent parenting' is more effective, however, it is clear the children themselves have not read the book, because they see it as an opportunity to do as they please, knowing full well their parents can do nothing about it.

It cannot be denied that children in countries having this law have become less obedient, less respectful, and more violent, as a result of the lack of discipline during their formative years, and I dare anyone to prove different.

A Smack in Time Saves Nine????

Roy.

Iran - What Next?

It would seem the turmoil surrounding Iran's disputed election is not over, as yet another prominent figure has declared his dissatisfaction at the result. The hard liners are still holding fast to the win of Ahmadinajad, and even though they have tried to stifle opposition to the vote, it keeps resurfacing.

Last Sunday another former President, Mohammad Khatami, who is closely allied with the Association of Combatant Clerics (ACC), has added his voice to the call for reform, and even went so far as to suggest a referendum to end the dispute.

There is without doubt a very strong movement for reform in Iran, with many people wanting an end to the country's isolation. However, the 'ruling faction', under Ahmadinajad seems intent on projecting Iran as a nuclear power, and, more importantly, the dominant nation in the Middle East. Despite its constant denials, no-one on the planet believes that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons.

While Ahmadinajad is the public face of Iranian Politics, it is well known that the real power lies 'behind the throne' so to speak. The secretive power mongers of Iran are really various groups of clerics, for example, The Guardian Council, and in particular the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanie who succeeded Ayatollah Khomeini.

The power struggle has been brewing for some time as a new generation of Iranians start to make their voices heard, and during the last elections they made it plain they want a change from the old ways. So now we have a struggle for control by those allied with the Guardian Council and the Supreme Leader, and the Reformists who would lead Iran down a more conciliatory path with the west.

Among these is ex-president Rafsanjani who voiced his dissatisfaction with the vote hours after Ahmadinajad declared himself the winner. Rafsanjani has now been joined by other powerful voices in Iran such as Khatami, another ex-president.

Where this goes from here is anybodies guess, but one thing is sure, Ahmadinajad will not relinquish the reins of power without a fight, at least so long as he has the backing of Khamanie.

It would seem that the real leaders of Iran are in for a long period of deep thought as to where the country should go from here. I am sure they will look fondly at the prospect of Iran being a nuclear nation with all the prestige that can bring, and therefore becoming the 'top dog' in the Middle East, and with it the chance to force the Islamic Revolution onto their western leaning neighbours.

On the other hand, the leaders know they cannot go against the will of the people for too long. As history has repeatedly shown, in a situation like this it is only a matter of time before they are cast down.

May justice and truth prevail.

Roy.

And Now a Ghost?

I have just watched footage of what CNN speculates is the ghost of Michael Jackson walking the hallways of his Neverland Ranch. As one who has never believed in ghosts, it strikes me as strange that a reputable news channel like CNN should make such a claim.

However, a shadowy figure can be seen crossing a hallway during a CNN shoot at the ranch. According to the report, the figure was not noticed initially, and was discovered later. Sceptics will no doubt claim it was added later in the studio, and this is possible with modern technology, but who can say.

Another interesting report claims that Michael's sister, La Toya, is insisting he "was murdered for his money". Now that doesn't surprise me!

According to her, there was always at least a million dollars in cash kept in his home, and she has stated publicly that there was no money, or jewelry, found after Michael's death.

"Curiouser and curiouser" said Alice!

It is I believe, quite justifiable to say that Michael Jackson had among his entourage people who did not have his best interests at heart, but were there to get what they could out of him. It is a constant danger for people of his standing in the world, they seem to attract the parasites like bees to honey.

Michael, I think, was a good man through and through, a simple man who believed only in the good of people, who was so naive and wrapped up in his music that he failed to take note of what his 'advisers and financial experts' were up to.

La Toya seems convinced there was a "conspiracy by a number of people" to murder him for his money. It would appear that he had been fed a cocktail of various medicines by his doctor, and was found in his doctors bedroom, not his own bed as first thought. An intravenous drip and oxygen bottle were found in his room, although the contents of the drip are at the moment unknown.

Michael's sister has further claimed that those surrounding him "cut him off from his family and friends" and "forced him to sign contracts for 50 concerts' instead of 'the 10 that he wanted to do". She has claimed he "was the loneliest man in the world" after being cut off from those who loved him at the time of his death.

We can only hope that time will reveal all that happened in Michael Jackson's final hours, and the story may well be different from what we now know. There are many unanswered questions about the circumstances surrounding one of the most influential pop stars of all time, and we can only hope the Police and perhaps the FBI do not rest on their laurels.

Without doubt, there is a huge question mark over the drug cocktail that was administered to him, what was given, why it was given, and who authorized it etc.

The one thing that has surprised me the most about this whole episode, is how quick the pathologist was in reaching his conclusion that Michael died a natural death, and how quickly his body was released for burial. Surely, if it was known that drugs of any sort were involved, prescribed or otherwise, this in itself would be sufficient reason for a full autopsy and toxicology to be initiated. In this case it seems, these tests were considered unnecessary. Why!

I really do have to question the competence of the original pathologist, or is there something more sinister at work here? Were there people among his entourage who hoped he would be buried quickly, so as to make it impossible for the true cause of his death to be discovered? The man was worth a billion dollars, so what has happened to all his money? Has it all been accounted for? What about the cash and jewelry kept in the house? Where did it go? Did it exist, as La Toya claims?

These questions, and many more, need to be answered before the authorities can properly close the book on the Michael Jackson case.

So far as the man is concerned, it is my feeling he was a simple man, with a great love for all mankind. He did not have a devious cell in his body, and was, without doubt, totally oblivious to the intrigue and scheming that was going on around him. He lived for his music, and you only have to watch one of his performances to see that he gave each one 110%.

Watching his interview videos, you get the feel of how lonely he was. He stated openly that he desired the ability to go shopping in a supermarket and do the simple things we all take for granted. His fame however made such an everyday thing impossible, but it did give an insight, for those clever enough to pick it up, that inside he must have been very lonely indeed. This must have been very hard for an individual with so much love to share.

That he should be vilified by the press because he was different to the rest of us, and taken advantage of by those who would obtain money from him, is one of the great scandals of our time.

I hope all the facts surrounding this case come to light quickly, because only then will Michael's 'Ghost' no longer haunt the halls of Neverland.

The King is Dead! Long Live the King!

Roy.

End of an Era

Now the furor surrounding the death of an icon is over, I thought I should write a little about Michael Jackson. The artist, the man, what does it all mean?

Since he first exploded on the 'Pop' scene as a solo artist many years ago, he became a phenomenon in the industry, continually setting new boundary's in music and music video that others have tried, without success, to follow. As a star he was unique, with his incomparable dance style and the sheer professionalism in everything he did. Seldom has the 'Pop World' seen anything like him, and probably never will again.

I remember back in 1991 when I first went to visit a Romanian Girls Orphanage with an Aid Group, I took with me a radio/cassette player as a gift for the girls, thinking they might get some enjoyment out of it. I included many tapes of Michael Jackson, and to my joy they loved it. From then on the place rang to the sounds of Michael Jackson played at full volume while the girls danced. His fame, and music, had quickly spread even to Romania after its release from communism in 1989.

It is indeed sad that the man, in all his eccentricities, became a target for the World Press, which undoubtedly caused his downfall. Say what you like about the Press, but they can make or break anyone they set their sights on, and if you are somewhat eccentric, you become a natural target. Never mind if it's true or not, the truth does not sell newspapers!

The one thing that contributed most to his falling from grace with all but his most ardent fans, was the court case in which he was accused of molesting children. In my opinion, this was nothing more than an attempt to get a lot of money from him, and there is a word for that: Extortion!.

With his, to some, peculiar habits and looks, he was a natural target for those greedy individuals who thought they could take advantage of his fame and eccentricity to get millions of dollars out of him. He was of course declared innocent, but the people who should really have gone to jail were the parents of the child in the middle of the plot. Unfortunately, the Law does not allow for that!

Either way, it made a dent in what could have been a continuing career, and deprived his many fans of his genius. Not surprisingly, he became a recluse, hiding himself away from the limelight. It is sad that at the moment when he was trying to make a comeback, he was taken.

Whenever I saw him on 'the box', I always had the impression he was a very gentle man, and in many ways naive. He never looked to be someone interested in making money, he was only interested in his music. He had obviously surrounded himself with finacial and business advisors who took care of his holdings, but I often wonder if they really had Michaels interests at heart, or thier own! There is no doubt, many milked the 'golden cow' at every opportunity. I have always believed Michael himself was ill-equipped to deal with all the fame and riches that fame brought him. His whole being was orientated towards his music.

With all the money he spent on setting up 'Neverland', who can doubt his love for children. What a shame this was twisted by the scurrouless Press and the greed of certain individuals who saw only dollar signs in front of their eyes.

Now begins the legal battles for control of his estate and bank accounts. How typical that as soon as he was declared dead, the hyena's started to circle the remains. It is not just the relatives who are among the pack either. The recording industry is looking at big profits as the fans gather to buy re-releases and remixes of his music. Individuals are even out on the streets selling cheap tatty t-shirts emblazoned with his picture in the hope of cashing in.

The whole scene is distasteful and shoddy, but that's what people are like these days': 'Anything to make a buck!' It says a lot about the depths to which we have sunk as a society when all we can think of is profiting from the death of someone like Michael Jackson, who was vilified during his last years but is suddenly, in death, the 'greatest thing since sliced bread'.

It all goes to emphasise the hypocrisy of people today, with the press as the chief culprits. Since his death they all did a 180 degree about face and are now praising his genius, whereas before they never missed an opportunity to stick another knife in his back.

I doubt very much we will see another man with his talent. It is however good to know that he will go down in 'Pop' history as a true genius, along with the likes of Elvis Presley and the Beatles. He deserves in death what he could never attain in life.

Rest in Peace Michael. Your memory will live on.

Roy.

New Short Story.

Just thought I would let you know I have added another short story to a third Blog. You can access my stories at any time through the 'About Me - View my Complete Profile' menu.

I am not a professional, but since I retired, and with so much extra time on my hands I liked the idea of writing some short stories that may entertain. As I am myself a 'War Child', stories of the Second World War fascinate me, therefore my subjects.

Please feel free to comment it, even if you think its literary rubbish. I can take criticism. If however it captivates you, then I have achieved my aim.

All the Best,

Roy.

Its Not Mi Falt I Carnt Spel!

Sum Englysh peeple tooday just carnt spel if there lives dipended on it! And gess wot, exkuses are beeing mayd for them by the peeple whu do the teeching. A lekturer from one of Britans universatys has gon so far as to say wee shud even akcept sum wurds that ar speled badli as an alturnativ speling.

I'm sorry I just can't keep this up, it goes against every fibre of my body to write so badly. I often read the comments people send in on news stories when browsing the Internet news pages, and I am appalled and shocked when I see the level of illiteracy exhibited by so many writers, and I am not talking about children, but adults.

What is more, it distresses me no end to see the steady decline in written English standards over the decades. It has come to a point now where the majority of people who speak and write good English are foreigners who have English as a second language.

There is currently an article in the Times Educational Supplement written by a Ken Smith, a criminology lecturer at Buckinghamshire New University where he states that commonly misspelled words should be accepted as they are, such as 'judgment' for judgement, or 'truely' for truly.

In his view, Universities should accept the misspelled words as a viable alternative to the correct one, including all the exceptions to the 'i' before 'e' rule. My advice chum, stick to criminology!

This basic rule has been around for aeons in the English education system and has withstood the test of time. It is well known there are exceptions to this rule, and for this reason The Government of all people is urging schools not to teach it any more.

Bethen Marshall, a senior English lecturer at King's College London has said; "if you change it and say we won't have this rule, then we won't have any rules at all, then spelling, which is already terribly confusing, becomes even more so". The government document, called Advice for Spelling' (or should that be 'Advise for Speling?) has been issued for 'under-11's as part of the National Primary Strategy.

This document advises other methods of teaching children spelling, like, would you believe, studying TV listings for compound words!?!?! If the government cannot get its act together, how on earth can they expect the teaching profession, which has been failing students for decades, to pull its collective socks up!

Westminster Endowed Church of England Primary School in Stroud has now gone so far as to stop giving its pupils spelling lesson homework because "the children find it so distressing". Gloucestershire County Council, responsible for the school, said; "it was entirely up to the school to decide if they wish to use spelling lists". Its statement went on to add; "It is important to recognise the strengths a variety of approaches can bring". 'Atchooo!' Sorry I just sneezed, I'm allergic to bullshit!

I know personally many Germans, Danish, Romanians, Spanish, Dutch and Italians (Well-a maybe-a not-a the-a Italians-a) who speak, read, write, and spell, better than the average English person! Hell! Even some Americans speak better English than the English! Sorry guys and gals, just kidding!

The decline in standards has gone down to the extent that a government report last year stated, 4 out of every 5 children leaving school could not read and write properly.

We are talking about the English language here, the most widely spoken international language on the planet, and England, its birthplace.

The question is, can this problem be fixed? I am afraid the answer appears to be, no definitely not! Part of what is happening is due to the increasing influence allowed, and in some cases encouraged by the government and schools, of the immigrant population.

Some schools reported recently requests to go over to teaching in a foreign language such as Turkish or Hindu, because of the high number of Turkish or inversely, Indian or Pakistani pupils. Why in the name of Heaven should an English school, in England, teach the National Curriculum in a foreign language? It is just too bizaar to believe.

The losers in all this have to be the native English children who are being marginalised in favour of the immigrant population. This is one of the great tragedies of Britain today, but no-one seems to have the eyes to see it.

I firmly believe, and have often stated, that all immigrant children who come to Britain, must learn the language of their adopted home. Britain is the only country in the world that is turning its entire culture and beliefs over to new arrivals. Yes, there is justification for the immigrant population to retain their own culture and languages, but only so long as it does not affect or influence British culture.

Another reason why I think the decline cannot be reversed is simply there are few teachers capable of instructing the pupils in the correct use of the language, and the national curriculum doesn't provide for better teaching methods. Standards have degraded to such a low level over such a long period of time that many of the educators are lost. The only way forward is to bring back the National Curriculum of 50 years ago, and perhaps, bring all the teachers of that era out of retirement. The only other alternative is to ship all our school age children to Germany, Holland or Denmark to learn the language! It's all so very sad!

"'Scuse me Miss, how do you spell supercalifr.....that word?"

"I have no idea John now sit down."

Roy.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

Moon Colonisation-No Way Jose!

NASA has today revealed that its Lunar Programme is in jeopardy due to a lack of funds. It seems the United Sates Government wishes to save billions of dollars by slashing the budget.

Ever since the Russian Sputnik was launched in 1957 there has been a race to get into space by the major powers. So far as the moon is concerned, both Russia and the USA spent trillions of dollars in moon exploration culminating in the first moon landing in 1969. Since then of course moon exploration has continued with a myriad of unmanned satellites being launched at it with a view to finding out more about our nearest neighbour.

Speculation has been rife about the possibility of moon colonisation, and various attempts have been made to see if there is water there, a prerequisite of any eventual habitation by humans.

This week NASA launched a new satellite to study the craters and do a reconnaissance which will enable a manned return there at sometime in the future.

However, I have to ask why we continue to imagine people living on the moon? It may be well and good for scientists and perhaps astronomers, but outside of the scientific community I can't see anyone mad enough to want to go and live there! I certainly wouldn't. I wouldn't even be able to watch the F1 Grand Prix season each year, and as for an occasional fish and chips or pizza, forget it!

Can you, even for a moment, envisage people living in a dust-bowl with no trees or plants, birds, insects or animals, in fact not a bit of green or life anywhere?

And apart from that obvious hardship, there would be no cinemas, no cars as such, and probably no jobs. So how would you live. How do you build a house when all the bricks keep disappearing into the 'sky' because there is only 1/6th gravity on the moon.

The thought of having to wear such a huge bulky space-suit every time you want to go out for a meal or a drink is unthinkable, that's presuming there will even be bars and restaurants! There will be no romance in the moonlight either. Shucks!

There could be advantages to living there however; no police, no pollution, no terrorists, some will say no TV, no parking fines and no traffic lights, no jails, no mosquito's, and no politicians. However, on second thoughts it would not be long before they gained a foothold!

Can you imagine the constant complaints from the wife at all the dust that continually gets brought into the house? What would she do without her makeup, without a washing machine and hairdryer! How on earth (sorry about the pun) do you wash a space-suit? What would her reaction be when she cannot run down to the shops to buy herself a new pair of jeans or knickers? What would she do about her hair; Oh my goodness! Life would become unbearable in minutes!

Of course, the only good thing about moon colonisation would be getting away from any future nuclear holocaust here on Earth if it should happen.

But to me the downside is a lot bigger than the upside and I for one will be staying right here.

The only 'Moon-walk' I want to see is from Michael Jackson!

Roy.

Some People Are UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!

I cannot help myself! I have to write about the reaction of some insane people to an incident that occurred a couple of days ago with President Obama.

Many will have seen the articles, or perhaps Facebook video clips, of the President killing a fly during the taping of a CNBC interview that was aired last Wednesday. It was quite funny and he does have good hand/eye coordination as reported.

Today, a report has come in that an obscure animal rights group in the USA has criticised his action as "an execution".

They call themselves 'People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals', the PETA, and they are asking Obama to show a little compassion to even the "the least sympathetic animals"!

Can you believe this! It was a fly for crying out loud! It's a pest! It spreads disease! It tramps around on your dog's droppings and then on your food for heavens sake! I am aware there are 'nutters' (a good English word) around, but these idiots should be locked away as a danger to public health.

I suppose that if any of them ever got lice in their hair they would have someone gently remove them so they can be released outside!!! I can imagine they never wash because then they would be killing millions of mites that live on our skin constantly. Ugh!

When asked for their official response, their blog site gave the following answer; "In a nutshell, our position is this: He isn't the Buddha, he is a human being, and human beings have a long way to go before they think before they act." Eh! Pardon? I have heard some 'Codswollop' (another good old English word) in my many years, but this really does take first prize!

What gets my goat about all these animal rights half-wits is that most have no objection to animals being slaughtered so they can eat them, but The President cannot kill a fly.

Apparently, they have even gone so far as to send Obama some sort of fly trap that captures flies so they may be released outside. Flies being what they are, they just do a 180* and fly straight back in again, but I guess they haven't worked out a contingency plan for that scenario yet. Keep at it people!

Do they make people sized fly swats?

Roy.

The Mushroom Cometh!

Some will say we are heading full speed into disaster, and you know something, they could be right! There are two global situations, which if allowed to develop any further, will certainly bring us all to the brink, and neither are palatable. I write of course about the nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran.

North Korea is ahead in the game because they have already tested two bombs, and have declared their intention to make fissionable material for more.

As for Iran, their President denies Iran's nuclear ambitions as being anything more than the peaceful generation of electricity. No-one in their right mind is willing to believe this statement, but it does what the Iranians want it to do; it buys them time.

Today, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA), Mohamed ElBaradei has stated publicly he is convinced Iran wishes to have nuclear weapons technology to increase its standing in the Middle East and the World. He went on to say he believed they are not directly after 'a bomb', but at a minimum, the technology necessary to make one if they so desire.

He is quoted as saying; "It wants to send a message to its neighbours, it wants to send a message to the rest of the world: Yes, don't mess with us, we can have nuclear weapons if we want it".

So right now we have essentially two rogue states, one with, and one striving to get, nuclear weapon technology. It is abundantly clear that the whole world is extremely unhappy at the prospect of these two becoming nuclear powers, especially the Middle East Arab States, Japan, South Korea, the USA, and Europe.

While President Obama is clearly at a loss at what to do next, and who can blame him, both countries are getting steadily closer to their goal.

Naturally, The USA does not wish to be seen as the aggressor in either case, but I believe Obama knows he cannot wait until they have achieved their aim and developed not only the bomb, but the means to deliver it.

The threats delivered almost daily by Pyongyang indicate their willingness to go to war, or so it seems, but at the same time, Obama cannot be seen to be the architect of a new Korean Peninsular war. Most countries would agree with a 'final solution' to the North Korean bomb threat, but as hypocritical as they are, they would roundly condemn both Obama and the USA for any unilateral action it took to ensure North Korea's bomb ambitions were stopped cold.

With Iran the situation is somewhat more complex, mainly because Israel is in the mix! There is no doubt in anyone's mind that Israel will not stand idly by while Iran builds a nuclear bomb. President Obama has made it very clear to the Israeli's however that unilateral action against Iran's bomb making capabilities is, in his view, a non-starter.

However, it is easy to understand why nerves are somewhat frayed in Tel Aviv. Iran already has sufficient missile technology to plant a nuclear bomb on Israel, all they need is the payload. If they get that I am sure there will be no stopping them, such is the feeling of hatred towards Israel in Iranian government circles. Indeed, Ahmadinejad has already stated publicly that he wishes to see "Israel wiped off the map".

I think Mr. ElBaradei is somewhat naive if he thinks Iran will stop at having the necessary technology for a nuclear weapon and not actually produce one. Of course they will! If I give a child an ice cream and tell him/her to hold it and not taste it, would they?

Both North Korea and Iran were declared 'State sponsors of terrorism' by Bush and he may well have been right, so this opens up another avenue of worry for the international community. If both these States get the technology they are seeking, how do we know they will not sell that knowledge to other countries?

It was a milestone in human history when we seemed to go back from the brink of nuclear annihilation with the famous S.T.A.R.T Agreement between Russia and the USA, and the signing of the Non-Nuclear Proliferation Pact by the UN members. Now that North Korea has backed out of the latter treaty, and Iran denies its ambitions, the prospect of a nuclear holocaust may seem just that little bit closer again.

There are without doubt, many uncertainties in what the future holds for mankind, but one thing is certain, North Korea and Iran cannot be allowed to have nuclear weapons.

At some time in the reasonably near future, action will have to be taken to ensure that the dreams of domination by these two States is not allowed a fruitful outcome. At some time, before they get the technology they seek, someone is going to have to blow the hell out of the nuclear reactors and plants used in the bomb making process.

Already North Korea is starting to produce more weapons grade material from their stock of spent reactor fuel rods. Does the world have to wait until they have successfully produced another six or seven bombs before we take action? If we do, the likelihood of a nuclear response from North Korea will magnify a hundred fold.

Time is rapidly running out for any restraining action by the World, and it is clear that all the signatories of the UN Charter must come together and authorise whatever action is necessary, including force, to bring North Korea in line. An end must come to the prevarication of countries like Russia and China who seem to enjoy opposing UN Resolutions of this nature.

It is possible that if all the countries take a strong enough line with North Korea, Iran will see its position as hopeless and come into line too. Whichever way it goes, I believe we are heading for a crisis of huge proportions which only a united effort can stop. Heaven help us all.

May all your mushrooms be the eating kind.

Roy.

Contemplating One's Navel.

When contemplating one's navel, the big question today is whether those doing the contemplating can actually see their navel without looking in the mirror.

In order to get the necessary exercise, I often take a stroll along a beach close to where I live, and now the summer season has started they are beginning to fill up with sun worshippers from far and wide.

It really is an amazing sight to see so many bloated bodies turning bright red in the sun. It brought to mind the sight of elephant seals basking in the sun on some Antarctic shoreline, and made me wonder why people don't look after their bodies the way they used to.

As a young man I delighted in seeing teenage girls with waspish waistlines and slim hips bouncing down the street. It was an everyday occurrence, and when the miniskirt came into fashion, WOW! What a sight that was for a young man's eyes. In those days everyone talked about the 'English Rose'. You may have seen jokes about someone walking into a lamp-post while distracted, well, back then the distraction was well worth the bump, and embarrassment.

I think it must have been around the late seventies, when a noticeable change started to come over young women. Maybe it was the introduction to Europe of that well known American Embassy MacDonald's that started the rot. Either way fast food, and MacDonald's, has a lot to answer for, and not only in Europe, but also the USA where the problem of overweight first became apparent.

For a few years I saw women slowly grow in size until we got to the late eighties/early nineties, when all of a sudden there were obese people everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Huge lumps of fat wobbling down the street left and right, and it was around this time the men started to get it too. But for them, in many cases it was a beer belly. The eighties and nineties were a time of plenty and good for everybody.

Fish and chips (french-fries for our North American readers) are, well used to be, the national dish of Britain. Now of course its more likely to be curry! I always enjoyed some fish and chips, especially in the old days when they were served in newspaper instead of these plasticy things they have now. Way back when, if the Chip Shop was a good one you always got plenty of chips for your money. Now the amount you get is determined by the silly little plastic tray they are served in, and you pay the earth for them.

Sadly, the fish and chip shops have now all been replaced by Indian and Chinese take-aways (so much for progress), but the zest for 'chips' has remained. Walking along the sea-front here watching the English eating during the day, you can see its 'chips with everything', one of the most fattening foods around when eaten regularly. A whole generation has been raised on chips and potato crisps, another fattening delicacy, and now we have long started on the next.

What saddens me the most is to see obese children. Its as if the parents just do not care what their offspring eat these days, just so long as they are quiet. I also have a few theories about this phenomenon but I doubt they would be popular.

Firstly, since the woman of the house now also goes to work, nobody gets to eat properly because she does not have the time, and besides, feeding the younger family members is often left up to the eldest. "Here you are love, here's £5. Get some fish and chips for everyone. Mummy will be back at 6 o'clock." Secondly, there is little time to prepare and cook fresh vegetables and meat, so once again its from the 'Chippy' or a pre-cooked meal from the supermarket.

For the last decade, since 'hipsters' became the fashion, everywhere you see females with their jeans, trousers or skirts just above their fanny with great rolls of fat hanging over the top, and 'love handles' the size of truck tyres. What an attractive picture to turn boy's heads. Well, to be honest it doesn't seem to matter these days because there is nothing else on the menu. I suppose the one good point about all this is, with so little to turn your head at least the lamp-posts are getting a rest.

I do not wish to be cruel, and I certainly do not wish to forget the young men, for in many cases they are just as bad. Look around you, and see how many times you see some young lad of twenty-something with a 'beer belly', and the same can said for most middle-aged.

In current times the English youth seem to be totally occupied with only one form of entertainment, getting drunk. Its like a badge of courage to be worn like a medal." Cor, I had a skin-full last night!", but the sad thing is, the girls are just as bad, and in some cases worse.

Unfortunately, today one sees their parents basking on a sun bed with their bellies sticking up like Everest oblivious to what they are doing to themselves and their children. I despair at many women, who still think they can cavort around in skimpy bikini's with their layers of fat hanging all over the place. I cannot but wonder what they think of themselves when they look in a mirror. "Hmm! Not too bad, I am twenty-eight."

It is difficult to decide where all this will end, but I am sure of one thing. The current higher than average death rate among smokers, quoted so glibly by physicians, will be but a puff of smoke compared to the death rate from heart attacks and the like in twenty to thirty years time.

One has to wonder at what stage the 'wake-up' call will come to the masses in Europe and North America. Personally, I think it will have to come through a new generation, and then by means of education. It is already starting in many schools in Britain, but if the lesson is not continued in the home the message will be lost.

In the meantime some of us have to look down at the sand when walking on the beach for fear of being given the 'come-on' by some huge beached whale who likes your slim tidy looks. Last week I saw a woman of middle-age come out of the water after a swim, and I swear the tide line retreated a whole metre! Honest! Sadly, they all seem to think it's not their fault.

Thankfully there are still some slim people about, and not all are old or middle-aged. To the young girls, and boys, who have decided to look after themselves I say good luck to you, and don't give in. Life will be more pleasant and you'll live a lot longer.

Hopefully tomorrow's growth industry will not be crane construction!

Roy.