Britain is going to the dogs! The whole country is being bled dry by benefit scroungers, immigrants and anybody who hasn't been to public school!
At least that seems to be the gist of the government narrative at the moment. Ministers told of fantastical sums being paid to housing benefit claimant in excess of £100,000. When this was fact checked it turned out to be 5 extreme cases and the majority of people claiming are on ultra low incomes and get between £85-£100 a week. But hey, don't let the facts get in the way of a good narrative!
The NHS is overburdened by 'health toursits' is another political meme we are sold. Except that when you check the statistics for 2011-12 foreign nationals accounted for 0.01 per cent of the NHS budget! But hey, don't let the evidence get in the way of a good narrative!
Welfare spongers are costing the country a fortune, and living the high life whilst the honest tax payers support them After all just look at ll those people on job seekers allowance! Well, in all fairness, the welfare budget is enormous but job seekers makes up approximately 2.9% of that budget as compared to say pensions which account for approximately 44.5% of that same budget! But hey, don't let the evidence get in the way of a good narrative!
Apparently immigrants are coming over here, taking our jobs and claiming all our benefits. the irony of how these two are supposed to fit together seems lost on most people. In fact a Treasury watchdog has just implied that we need more immigration to support our ageing populations pensions and care. Other reports suggest that working migrants actually net benefit the economies they enter. But, hey why let the facts get in the way of a good narrative!
The point is simple, politicians are as susceptible as anyone to confirmation bias and wilfully or otherwise ignore evidence that goes against the narrative they have embedded in their belief systems. This is systemic and applies equally across the chamber.
Would it be too much to ask for honesty, integrity and actual reference to the facts before we go spouting off our ideologies in public? Apparently it would...because it gets in the way of the narrative!
This sickens and appals me as it should us all. Either we are pre-decided bigots who are unshiftable in attitude regardless of evidence. or we are rational, thoughtful human beings who consider the issues from all sides. I know which I'd rather we were.
Thursday, 18 July 2013
Tuesday, 16 July 2013
The bitter pill of tainted sporting achievement
Both athletics and cycling have been under the spotlight for doping related stories recently. In the latter Chris Froome has had little time to celebrate his success at the Tour DE France before the doping questions/allegations have been raised http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/23316712
Whilst in the former it has transpired that a large per centage of the fastest sprinters of all time have been caught using banned substances. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/23318701
The truth is that both sports are littered with a sad history of cheats who have debased the value of their performances and the sports themselves. It leaves a very bitter taste in the mouth and sadly leads to the sort of questions Froome has faced. As he admitted himself he's not surprised by them. How can he be? Lance Armstrong - the standard bearer for front line cycling cheating recently said he couldn't have won the race without drugs.
One wants to believe. One wants to see great sprinters, athletes, cyclists and think simply 'wow', what great performers. the trouble is now the seeds of doubt will remain for many a long year. If one sees a sub 10 second runner the first thought is always 'I wonder'...; If one sees an exceptional breakaway of mountain stage cycling lead to a win one always thinks - 'but what are you on?'
It isn't fair on the athletes if they are performing clean but unfortunately it is the nature of the beast. Thanks to all the cheats of the past, all the great performances of now and the future will be automatically questioned.
We don't want to. We want to enjoy the spectacle. I'm just not sure we ever can again without the inevitable questions buzzing around inside us.
Whilst in the former it has transpired that a large per centage of the fastest sprinters of all time have been caught using banned substances. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/23318701
The truth is that both sports are littered with a sad history of cheats who have debased the value of their performances and the sports themselves. It leaves a very bitter taste in the mouth and sadly leads to the sort of questions Froome has faced. As he admitted himself he's not surprised by them. How can he be? Lance Armstrong - the standard bearer for front line cycling cheating recently said he couldn't have won the race without drugs.
One wants to believe. One wants to see great sprinters, athletes, cyclists and think simply 'wow', what great performers. the trouble is now the seeds of doubt will remain for many a long year. If one sees a sub 10 second runner the first thought is always 'I wonder'...; If one sees an exceptional breakaway of mountain stage cycling lead to a win one always thinks - 'but what are you on?'
It isn't fair on the athletes if they are performing clean but unfortunately it is the nature of the beast. Thanks to all the cheats of the past, all the great performances of now and the future will be automatically questioned.
We don't want to. We want to enjoy the spectacle. I'm just not sure we ever can again without the inevitable questions buzzing around inside us.
Wednesday, 10 July 2013
professional cycling is dangerous - get over it!
First is is incumbent upon one to make a small disclaimer. When it comes to Mark Cavendish 'the Manx Missile' I am biased. He re-ignited a passion for this sport and turned me towards the skills involved in sprinting with his excellence, professionalism and heart on the sleeve attitude.
That said however, upon first seeing the crash he was involved in yesterday I was inclined to blame him, it certainly looks as though he leans into the rider next to him and sends him tumbling. Look again however and you see that the other rider (Dutchman Tom Veelers) takes an inappropriate line to the natural line 'Cav' is taking and potentially risks the crash occurring.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB7oi4HC0hI
this appears to be the view of a large swathe of the peleton and certainly the race officials who refused to blame/fine/penalise Cavendish in any way. If for a second they thought it was his fault they would call it - they have in the past after all.
Now however the crowds have taken against Cav
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/23251598
Clearly in the most ungentlemanly and inappropriate of ways. It is hard to fathom what they think they are achieving throwing urine at and jeering one of the great modern sprinters who has showcased his talents so well at 'their' race. he does not deserve this, no sportsman does. there is no place for it and people should mature and move on.
Cav has had (by his very very high standards) an awful tour so far. The best outcome from this would be if it really motivated him back to some sprinting dominance.
That said however, upon first seeing the crash he was involved in yesterday I was inclined to blame him, it certainly looks as though he leans into the rider next to him and sends him tumbling. Look again however and you see that the other rider (Dutchman Tom Veelers) takes an inappropriate line to the natural line 'Cav' is taking and potentially risks the crash occurring.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB7oi4HC0hI
this appears to be the view of a large swathe of the peleton and certainly the race officials who refused to blame/fine/penalise Cavendish in any way. If for a second they thought it was his fault they would call it - they have in the past after all.
Now however the crowds have taken against Cav
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/23251598
Clearly in the most ungentlemanly and inappropriate of ways. It is hard to fathom what they think they are achieving throwing urine at and jeering one of the great modern sprinters who has showcased his talents so well at 'their' race. he does not deserve this, no sportsman does. there is no place for it and people should mature and move on.
Cav has had (by his very very high standards) an awful tour so far. The best outcome from this would be if it really motivated him back to some sprinting dominance.
Wednesday, 3 July 2013
An absence of etiquette
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/is-it-rude-to-shop-while-talking-on-your-phone-dont-all-call-at-once-8683927.html
The above story wherein a checkout worker refused to serve a customer because they were on their mobile phone is wholly and entirely unsurprising in our current instant access driven society. Before one launches into a potential tirade about the horrors of these ubiquitous gadgets however one thing must be cleared up. However annoying the worker found the rude arrogance of the Mobile user who failed to interact with them at the most basic level it is not acceptable for them to refuse service. They are in a customer service driven environment and however annoying the public can be (and they really can be at times) one must perform ones job as civilly as possible and only hope that some of your own manners rub off on this sort of person.
That aside however one knows EXACTLY how she must have felt. There are few everyday things more annoying than people's obsession with their mobile phones. We are not surgically attached to the darn things you know! Can on e not simply put them away whilst undertaking an everyday task in a social situation? Good grief! How likely is it that the majority of people one sees staring a their phones or barking into them in supermarkets, shops, restaurants, public places and beyond are actually dealing with something urgent? Surely f they were most of them wouldn't be in those social places in the first place.
Furthermore what is more frustrating than talking to someone and realising that they are fixated by their phone? You try and converse and they constantly glance at their gadget, or worse, much worse - answer a call in the midst of a conversation! Is this not the height of rudeness? It is effectively the same as conversing with someone but turning your back on them because somebody else spoke to you. It makes the blood boil!
Manners, social grace and etiquette may seem like the lost remnants of some ancient pre-cretaceous world to some. yet they are still important and ever will remain so. Good manners and etiquette are the niceties that underpin social interaction, oiling the way for us to be able to associate with relative strangers within some recognisably comfortable format. Take that way and we, particularly the British on feels, are at a loss.
The point is simply made. In front of you is a living breathing human being who deserves your attention. Potentially able to contact you is somebody else via a remote gadget. It is only civil to acknowledge the person before you ahead of the gadget beside you.
Finally, there are those that would argue that the proliferation of social media in recent years has numbed us to the niceties of the real world. As a self confessed satisfied user of Twitter one would have to disagree. It brings pleasure and interest but it, nor any social media, nor any other form of mobile communication can or should take precedent over the 'real world' in format of us at any give time.
For those who wish to know the correct mobile etiquette, what greater authority can be called upon than Debrett's?!? http://www.debretts.com/etiquette/communication/technology/mobile-manners.aspx
The above story wherein a checkout worker refused to serve a customer because they were on their mobile phone is wholly and entirely unsurprising in our current instant access driven society. Before one launches into a potential tirade about the horrors of these ubiquitous gadgets however one thing must be cleared up. However annoying the worker found the rude arrogance of the Mobile user who failed to interact with them at the most basic level it is not acceptable for them to refuse service. They are in a customer service driven environment and however annoying the public can be (and they really can be at times) one must perform ones job as civilly as possible and only hope that some of your own manners rub off on this sort of person.
That aside however one knows EXACTLY how she must have felt. There are few everyday things more annoying than people's obsession with their mobile phones. We are not surgically attached to the darn things you know! Can on e not simply put them away whilst undertaking an everyday task in a social situation? Good grief! How likely is it that the majority of people one sees staring a their phones or barking into them in supermarkets, shops, restaurants, public places and beyond are actually dealing with something urgent? Surely f they were most of them wouldn't be in those social places in the first place.
Furthermore what is more frustrating than talking to someone and realising that they are fixated by their phone? You try and converse and they constantly glance at their gadget, or worse, much worse - answer a call in the midst of a conversation! Is this not the height of rudeness? It is effectively the same as conversing with someone but turning your back on them because somebody else spoke to you. It makes the blood boil!
Manners, social grace and etiquette may seem like the lost remnants of some ancient pre-cretaceous world to some. yet they are still important and ever will remain so. Good manners and etiquette are the niceties that underpin social interaction, oiling the way for us to be able to associate with relative strangers within some recognisably comfortable format. Take that way and we, particularly the British on feels, are at a loss.
The point is simply made. In front of you is a living breathing human being who deserves your attention. Potentially able to contact you is somebody else via a remote gadget. It is only civil to acknowledge the person before you ahead of the gadget beside you.
Finally, there are those that would argue that the proliferation of social media in recent years has numbed us to the niceties of the real world. As a self confessed satisfied user of Twitter one would have to disagree. It brings pleasure and interest but it, nor any social media, nor any other form of mobile communication can or should take precedent over the 'real world' in format of us at any give time.
For those who wish to know the correct mobile etiquette, what greater authority can be called upon than Debrett's?!? http://www.debretts.com/etiquette/communication/technology/mobile-manners.aspx
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