Write-Place

The terror attacks which took place last Friday have, understandably, produced a sense of shock and horror around the world.   Any attack which leads to the deaths of innocent people is condemned by the majority of ordinary people as disgusting and preposterous and the nearer to "home" that these deaths are, in general, affect the level of condemnation. The decapitated head of the manager of a US owned transportation company was found near Lyon in France, along with banners said to be bearing Islamic writing. French investigators have said that there are links between the man who did this and Islamic State militants. Soon after that, a bomb ripped through the Al - Sadiq mosque in Kuwait's capital city during Friday prayers, killing 27 people and injuring over 200 others. An affiliate of the Islamic State group have claimed responsibility and the suicide bomber identified as a Saudi citizen who had arrived in Kuwait that morning. Then came the news that a gunm...

Arriving at Manchester Airport recently to re - enter England / United Kingdom of  Great Britain and Northern Ireland / European Union I was faced with the option  of  two queues for passport control  - EU or Non EU. My passport looks like this and so I do know that I am classed as EU (despite having 2 conversations in the streets in Istanbul about what type of money the British use. It seems that many non EU citizens can not believe that we do not use the Euro and wanted clarification that GBP is still in existence).  I had traveled within the EU using this newly issued passport, but not taken much notice of  the symbol of the bio metric facility on it.    ePassport gates are automated, where a passport reader and camera, rather than a border officer - in theory -  verifies your identity and checks your ‘chipped’ passport. To use the ePassport gates, you must have a ‘chipped’ biometric UK, EU, EEA or Swiss passport.  These ePassp...

How do those of us who try to embrace a philosophy of doing what we believe to be good/right deal with the anger and despair that we feel over the injustices all around us? Would you rather give the world a hug, or a slap in the face?  Would you rather get up there and battle, or leave it alone for the sake of a peaceful life? I am sure that many of us can relate to this. It isn’t just my worry, it’s a human question.  We all fight with our anger over issues in our own lives as well as in the wider world. Often, it leads us to the depths of despair and we feel any effort on our part is futile. So we give up. But anger is a powerful emotion, and when it is channeled properly, it can be a force used to positive affect. Rather than ranting at the world – or worse, allowing the anger to destroy us inside by keeping it hidden, we need to find a way to use it and work for change.  "The reasonable man attempts to adapt himself to the world and the unreasonable man attempts ...

So, just when I decided that it's time I really ought to get back to using a pen or pencil instead of a keyboard constantly, I find this function on my phone. Whether it's been available all the time I've had the phone or if it's a new thing, I don't know, but I do know that it's a lot easier and quicker than the memo facility and, whilst there is definitely something to the feel of writing on paper- especially brand new paper and I've got a beautiful new notebook that is crying out to be used -  needs must, as they say and my old age and the conditions it brings with it mean that using one thumb as opposed to a whole hand is a more pleasurable experience.   I understand that I can write, edit, save and share whether online or not so have visions of me tapping out my next best seller (next ??) while sat on a beach, on top of a mountain, in the woods, on a boat ( not likely) or wherever I happen to be when the muse hits me. Yes, I am expecting it to hi...

It's difficult - nay, impossible - to comment about some one and their actions without mentioning their name. In most situations, whether celebratory or distasteful, it is my belief that to name the subject and also provide a picture of that person is both necessary and useful (unless of course by doing so an innocent person is upset or potentially harmed by doing so) In this case, the person I am talking about is the convicted paedophile and  so - called "celebrity" currently serving a prison sentence for his crimes - Rolf Harris. There,  I have written his name once but do not intend to repeat it here or post a photograph. My reason for this is that whilst in no way am I personally involved, I feel let down, tricked and disgusted by this man, as do many of my generation and later generations and do not wish to promote him in any way. In 1968, when I was 10/11 years old I went to the Sunderland Empire with my older sister to watch a show by this man, an artist, s...

I have always classed myself as a Jack of All Trades (never mind the "master of none" bit)