Monday 14 March 2011

What makes the universe so hard to comprehend is that there's nothing to compare it with.

A couple of questions that have always bothered me...

What is the Universe expanding in to?
And
What exactly IS the universe?

I've got this far...

If the universe is infinitely big, then the answer is simply that it isn't expanding into anything; instead, what is happening is that every region of the universe, every distance between every pair of galaxies, is being "stretched", but the overall size of the universe was infinitely big to begin with and continues to remain infinitely big as time goes on, so the universe's size doesn't change, and therefore it doesn't expand into anything. If, on the other hand, the universe has a finite size, then it may be legitimate to claim that there is something "outside of the universe" that the universe is expanding into. However, because we are, by definition, stuck within the space that makes up our universe and have no way to observe anything outside of it, this ceases to be a question that can be answered scientifically. So the answer in that case is that we really don't know what, if anything, the universe is expanding into.

The universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists including all physical matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. More customarily, the universe is defined as everything that exists, has existed, and will exist. According to this definition and our present understanding, the universe consists of three elements: space and time, collectively known as space-time or the vacuum; matter and various forms of energy and momentum occupying space-time; and the physical laws that govern the first two. A related definition of the term universe is everything that exists at a single moment of cosmological time, such as the present, or 'now' as in the sentence "The universe is now bathed uniformly in microwave radiation".

When you attempt to comprehend all of this, it makes you feel quite small.

Sunday 13 March 2011

Better mad with the rest of the world than wise alone.

Here are 10 Signs The World Has Gone Mad:

1. Weak Government Leaders


The destruction of any organization begins with leaders who lack moral authority. Government leaders around the world are faltering. Riots, revolutions and civil war abound. This is the biggest sign the world has gone mad.

2. Global Financial Crises 

The constant cycle of overspending, overtaxing, and over exhausting resources has global markets and citizens of many countries nearing collapse. This is most certainly another sign the world has gone mad.

3. Lackadaisical Morals


Humans today are generally pretty lax in terms of morality and value systems. People across the globe have adopted an "anything goes" attitude where more restrictive, rigorous morals once stood testament to traditional behaviour. The trend to turn away from the proverbial moral high ground is running like wildfire across the media, political arenas, and even in personal relations. This only further proves the world has gone mad.

4. Education


Parents today are self absorbed, dumb, and getting dumber. Unfortunately, kids today can only be as good as their parents. Thanks to funding issues, lack of resources, and general lack of direction, many brilliant minds are neglected, literally laying to waste. Despite multiple attempts to harness education and provide a uniform standard of learning, kids today don't have access to or derive the knowledge necessary from schools to succeed in building solid educational foundations.

5. Debt/Fiscal Irresponsibility


The world's biggest, wealthiest countries contribute to the $4,40,730,237,181,082 dollars (and rising) of global public debt with the number increasing substantially every second. In recent years, debt across the globe has risen faster than the economic output. Economists predict higher taxes may assist in decreasing global public debt. The trickle down effects of troubled economies, unemployment, and other financial issues only add to the already over-extended denizens of Earth.

6. Aging Populations


People are living longer than ever but that doesn't mean they are living better. As people age, their financial resources dwindle and their bodies fall apart, taking a massive toll on employment options, health care, education, families, and technology in developed countries. Governments lack the medical and financial resources to care for the elderly. Increased longevity only adds to health care expenses, pension programs are largely unsustainable and inadequate, and often governmental educational expenditures are cut to compensate for deficit funding.

7. Waste


Waste is everywhere, polluting the earth, contaminating aquifers, and destroying life on Earth. The more things that people have, the more they throw away. Waste is the byproduct of technology and people's discarded consumerism. With construction, commercial, industrial, medical, radioactive and hazardous waste accumulating at perhaps rapid speed.

8. Failing International Relations


Global relations between countries have never been worse than they are today. Weakened economies and inept leaders only further the divide between countries who were once strongly aligned and united in alliance. International trade, globalization, international activities, and strategies to promote cooperation are fast dissolving as governments place national interests above foreign policy. The resulting havoc from failing international relations are most prevalent in industry, agriculture, and even the quality of life.

9. Rise Of Celebrities


Poll any typical teenager today and they can more easily identify Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga faster than they recognize Mother Theresa. The rise of tabloids, the paparazzi, and gossip columns across the globe have sucked in the masses at a tremendous profit and at the expense of privacy and intelligence. It seems the public prefers trivial information about the latest A-lister's footwear or arm candy, over the cold, hard truth of the happenings in the world...just another sign the world has gone mad.

10. Food Crisis


Population increases, decreased crop production, urbanization, natural disasters, and surging food prices threaten a looming food shortage. Global food distribution is uneven and based upon wealth with experts predicting 33 nations could potentially face conflict and social unrest with global fallout. Additionally, as population increases, uneven land distribution further contributes to the threat of a food crisis. And worst of all, the over-processed foods consumed by many people are not remotely healthy.

Tuesday 8 March 2011

Well clearly Graeme it all went according to plan, what was the plan exactly?



Finance in football is a sore point with many fans, journalists and broadcasters taking different stances on the subject.

" The Football League clubs are on a financial precipice"
Football League Chairman Greg Clarke.

No football fan takes any pleasure from seeing a fellow club going into 'administration' or in some cases actually ceasing to exist. Yet having faced administration all of the clubs creditors, within the sport and outside, are effectively short-changed. I couldn't go to the supermarket, not have enough money for my shopping, stop, get an administrator and pay 20p in the £1 for my shopping so why should thse clubs be allowed to?
Clubs in the past that have faced administration have, in general, left and prospered. Leeds United, Leicester City, Southampton, et al. These clubs left with nice, large, stadia, competent playing staff and in some cases a blank balance sheet in a higher league. How was this allowed to happen? Yes, they were penalised by 10 points but that is just a one-season punishment. After leaving administration, they were able to wipe their hands of their debts, spend on their squads and challenge for or gain promotion while other clubs in the same division attempted to live within thier means and balance the books while attempting to be competetive.
My club, Tranmere Rovers, recently visited Plymouth Argyle in a league match. It was revealed after the game (3-1 to Tranmere), that ONE Plymouth player was being paid more than our whole team. How was this allowed to happen? Then Plymouth went into administration. Yes they were docked 10 points but with a team no longer laden with debt, maybe in a lower league, able to build and move upwards again. Who's going to bet against a couple of back-to-back promotions earned with money that isn't theirs? What about the caterers? The programme printers? The window cleaners? Where is their money? Being paid to failing players and over-ambitious directors. That's where.
In no other industry would this be allowed to happen. With the exception of the twisted, top-heavy, publicly funded banking system.

What if Plymouth, Stockport, Wrexham and Portsmouth were allowed to go bust?

If would cause heartbreak for the supporters of the clubs involved. I personally don't know what I would do if my club went out of business. Chester FC were re-formed, Wimbledon carried on in a lower league when their club was stolen, Accrington Stanley re-formed and eventually won a place in the league again.
What if Tranmere Rovers went bust? I couldn't face following a 'new' club. I believe I'd, after a period of mourning, find somewhere else to get my football fix. Not the 'fake', 'plastic' pointless chase for 4th or the Europa league that perennially is happening across the Mersey with the Reds and Blues. I couldn't be a Sky supporter or just be able to go to the stadium once a season. I'd probably Visit Vauxhall Motors FC, Cammell Laird FC or Heswall FC. That's the knock-on effect of a supporter losing their club. Others benefit.

So either these clubs are allowed to prosper by cheating their creditors at present or their assets are sold and they are wound up.

For Wrexham fans... What about Cefn Druids?
Plymouth Argyle fans... Plymouth Parkway?
Stockport fans... Woodley Sports?
Portsmouth fans... Havant and Waterlooville?

It may be for the good of the game....

Monday 28 February 2011

Men are swayed more by fear than by reverence

 Sea Devil (Doctor Who)

"Coulrophobia is an abnormal, exaggerated, or irrational fear of clowns"

Something that I suffer from. I absolutely shake just at the thought of the floppy-footed, red nosed, fake, evil things.

Why do we fear things?

Survival mechanism. Our autonomic nervous system controls our fight or flight response. In the wild an animal has to stay alert to potential danger so when it detects something it kind of screens the sensory input through an interpretive process to determine if it’s a danger. We don’t live in the natural world and our brains just don’t know that some of the things we fear aren't harmful. That is why fears and phobias are prevelent and so diverse in our society. From my fear of clowns and cotton wool to somebody's fear of spiders, the dark, or a fear of having phobias.

Fear can stop you doing things. Atychiphobia is the fear of failiure, which for me in a romantic sense goes hand in hand with the fear of rejection. I did ask someone out a while ago as you will have probably guessed from previous posts, she said no. Yes, it hurt and kind of still does but that's life. She's a beautiful, fun, caring person but I guess she doesn't rate me very highly. Understandable? Yeah! But the reaslisation of those fears does actually change your behaviour. Not in the way I behave when I'm with people that I know understand me, but, with people that have the power to make me feel that way again, more guarded if you will.

  

Saturday 26 February 2011

No matter how good you are at something, there's always about a million people better than you.

It is very worrying to me that our society is so hung up on what is "artificial" and not what is natural.
Today's society is overrun with individuals who are obsessed with the way they look. When I say this, you may think that I am only referring to women. Of course, the majority of people obsessed may tend to be women, but more and more men are jumping on the vanity bandwagon.It's particularly worrying that people who are judged to be attractive are generally attributed more positive characteristics than those who are seen to be unattractive. This is very true in modern politics and is a very worrying trait. People voted for Nick Clegg because he was cute, David Cameron because he was posh and looked smart in a suit. Please don't doubt this because I know and know of people who's reasons were those.
What if say, Dennis Healey knew the answers to our present economic crisis? He's old, outspoken and not by any means cute. Or 'Ming' Campbell, when leader of the Liberal Democrats was derided for being old and quietly well spoken. If he was 35, tall, commanding and 'cute', the Lib Dems would be our government now.
On another track, I've personally seen people promoted ahead of me and others in a professional capacity because they are attractive. I hasten to add, not in my present employment! To take a case in point, a colleague of mine, male, I'd say about my level on the attractive scale (I'd say 2/3 out of 10), applied for a position and was qualified, and so everyone thought, perfect for the role. Yet his opposition was an extremely pretty, flirty young girl, not qualified or respected by the staff. The interviewer was a 30-something male. Guess who got the job? Aesthetics and using sexuality to get a job.
This sounds like sour grapes from one of the 'ugly brigade' but I assure you it isn't. If you are the right person for the job, position or just the right potential partner, it shouldn't matter whether you are attractive physically or not. If you are attractive and right for the role and the lesser attractive person is not right, the attractive person should succeed.
Intelligence, personality, wit, trustworthiness, compassion, fun and kindness should be what matters, not if your nose is the right shape or if you have big ears or a tummy.....

Thursday 24 February 2011

Aspirations...

IF.....


IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
Rudyard Kipling... An exceedingly good poem.

Never pick a fight with an ugly person, they've got nothing to lose.

Ugly;- Displeasing to the eye; unsightly.

An ode to people like me..
Well, Friedrich Nietzsche believed that what didn't kill us, makes us stronger. And I believe that that is true in more ways than one. Tall, good looking guys can be as thick as **** and still get laid. Where as we have the impetus to learn how to use wit and intelligence to our advantage, and thus we generally do better academically; thereby getting better jobs! Also, we tend to improve ourselves in all the ways that we can, making ourselves more rounded people. And of course we have most probably been victims of prejudice ourselves so we can see things from many angles, we tend not to stereotype or become stuck in simplistic ways of thinking.

Beauty is everything
In this shallow world
If your ugly then prepare
To live life in hell

You’ll never be accepted
And seen as the same
Your whole life you will
Be treated as one big game

Everyone will believe
They have the right to put you down
The rule is ugly people cant smile
They must always frown

What have you got to smile about
We’re ugly in every single way
And these nasty, vein, shallow people out there
Enjoy telling us that every single day

We’ll never be treated as equals
And seen as real human beings
People out there will never understand
We think and have our own feelings