Some thoughts on Europe, migration and economics.

Unless there is economic parity across a 'European State', ( or any state ) there will be a population movement from areas of the lowest economic benefit to those of the highest. That is a global, economic occurrence. Within the EU, the free movement of population between states is one of the fundamental rights. This free movement will lead to increasing pressure on the services, infrastructure and economies of those countries that are seen to be in the higher economic group. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sovereign_states_in_Europe_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita
This, in turn, will lead to a decrease in the standard of living in these areas unless there is a major investment in the infrastructure which has not been happening on a large enough scale since the economic downturn in 2007. Economic migrants following these routes, are less likely to bring with them savings, pensions, higher skill sets, qualifications or experience, all of which would benefit the economies to which they move. http://knoema.com/atlas/maps/GDP-per-capita

Do we therefore have to accept that certain areas will have to take a decline of standard of living as part of a European experiment or a global market? Could the refusal to accept that decline be partly responsible for the rise of anti-Europe, anti-immigration parties in the UK and the EU elections of 2014? After all, it is only by pulling out of the EU that countries can start to control immigration and access to services without breaking EU rules. The UK has not even had a referendum or vote on EU rules since the 1970's.

At the next level up, a global economic model will also lead to such changes. Are we seeing the beginning of a mass movement of population and wealth on a global scale? If so, there are billions of people worldwide that fall well below the average GDP per capita. Do they have the right to move freely to another country or state? Is uncontrolled immigration sustainable within individual states? Discuss.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Asian_countries_by_GDP_per_capita
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_African_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita

There be dragons! ...Lots.

The population of China in 2014 is a staggering 1.355BILLION people. Just to put that in to context, that is more than the populations of the UK (63.7million), USA (319.5million), Russia (136.7million), France (66million), Germany (80.9million), Spain (47.7million), Ethiopia (99.94million), Egypt (86.8million) and Brazil (201.1million) COMBINED!!

With a growing population, a thirst for raw materials, unlimited low-wage labour and a massive export market, the Chinese economy is growing at close to 10% year on year. At some point soon they will overtake the USA as the major global economic force.  Add in the emerging Indian economy (1.23BILLION people!) and it is not difficult to see where the bulk of the worlds raw materials, energy needs, carbon emissions, jobs and business opportunities will be focused. Frightening.

Female Bishops to sit in the House of Lords?. How very modern.

The Question should not be 'Why don't we have female bishops sitting in the House of Lords?', we should be asking 'why do we still need unelected bishops there at all?'. In a move that will no doubt be seen by some  as 'modernising', female bishops are to be fast-tracked in to the House of Lords, the upper level of our, so called, 'democracy'.  Of course, that all depends on the church agreeing that female bishops are a good idea in the first place. These unelected officials will then sit, making laws and choosing the direction of our country's politics, as their male counterparts have done for centuries. It is far from modernising, it smacks of a bygone era when religious people ( CofE ) were consulted by a monarch to help guide lawmaking. It is nothing more than a blatant attempt to make the religious appointment of unelected political leaders more acceptable to an increasingly secular society. The whole system is anachronistic, non-democratic and designed to keep religious and hereditary privilege at the highest political station of the land. There has to be a more representative and modern way of doing things. 26 Lords Spiritual. 88 Hereditary Peers. Over 650 nominated Life Peers. A couple of female bishops will make all the difference, I'm sure. Discuss.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Lords
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10844909/Women-bishops-to-be-fast-tracked-into-House-of-Lords.html

Low Voter Turn out and contempt for politicians? A solution.

Here's an instant solution to the problem of low voter turn-out, disillusioned voters and lack of respect for politicians of all varieties - a problem that effects the UK and many other democratic nations.

Make each party  MANIFESTO legally binding before an election. A manifesto that they pledge to enforce within SIX MONTHS of being voted in. These manifesto pledges will be spread over a number of political areas ( tax, health care, environment, foreign aid etc ) and they would be legally binding. If they fail to follow up on these pledges, it automatically triggers an immediate election and

Doctor,Doctor. I have a silly myth in my brain.

Thankfully, I am a fit and healthy person. I only mildly abuse my body and I get lots of exercise and eat as healthily as I can. I haven't been to see a doctor in many years as I have not had the need. If I were to need an appointment to see my health professional, I would expect to be given the best available advice, support and medicines. If there is a treatment available, I do not want to have it ruled out because of my doctor's religious or moral stance.

There have been cases of health care professionals that have refused to prescribe contraception,

Two new PapaPopes magically re-invented as saints.

Breaking News. An old man, who believes he can talk to made-up sky gods, bestows sainthood on two dead men from the same anachronistic institution. An institution that denies people contraception, has a deep set aversion to equal rights, covers up centuries of systematic abuse of children and the vulnerable, is tainted by scandal, sexism and hatred and believes that dubious claims about miracles should be taken seriously whilst ignoring all the latest scientific evidence that contradicts their out of date beliefs.

In scenes that could have been taken from a 'Python' film, the BigPappaPope was asked three times in

St George? Who the what?

St George's Day. The day needs revamping. At the moment, it is sorry excuse for a national celebration. It usually passes with a quiet whimper and a bit of flag waving, failing to be embraced by the vast majority of the English nation. Here is why. We have a Roman soldier, allegedly born in what would be modern Turkey, who was possibly persecuted and executed for his religious beliefs nearly 1800 years ago. He also slayed a dragon that didn't exist ( most likely a graphical representation of victory in battle ) and magically re-appeared to lead troops in to battle, approximately 1000 years after his death. This religious icon was thrust upon us through war and tyranny. His myth is celebrated throughout many countries including Egypt, Ethiopia, Russia, Syria and Romania. As a figurehead of 'Englishness' he has very little going for him. He never even set foot in our green and pleasant land. A small group of people 'celebrate' his holy-englishness by draping themselves in red and white flags, drinking ales and singing religious/football songs in pubs before being thrown out for fighting. It is fairly lame

Keep your religion out of our politics.

Politics and religion should be kept apart by a long stick of rational thought. Regardless of whether or not we can truly call today's Britain a Christian country, religions should have no place in the politics of a modern, forward thinking society. However, in this country today we have 'faith schools' of all denominations veering from the national curriculum, non-elected church leaders sitting in the House of Lords voting on state issues and a system of local government based on religious parishes and councils. The whole system is flawed, in need of an overhaul and is not fit for purpose.

Politics should be about taking the best available evidence, technology and knowledge to create a

The problem with the Co-op? Years of non-sustainable abuse.

The problems at the British Co-op are numerous and they reflect many of the problems within society at large. They have just announced £1.3 BILLION annual losses and have even issued an apology for their poor performance. For many years now they have paid out HUGE bonuses to those at the top, rewarding greedy people for failure in their roles, rewarded for overseeing poor investments, breaching financial rules and taking the business away from it's mutual roots. As a business model, you can not keep making bad decisions and reward people for gambling with and wasting money. Over the years, these bad business decisions, massive bonus payments and failure to stick to it's MUTUAL principals has resulted in the Co-op being sick, weak and fractured. A cooperative should benefit ALL of it's members equally and be a conscientious, sustainable and morally upright role model for a modern society. #greed #sustainable #ethical

Easter = Spring time - Something meaningful?

So here we are. It is that time of year again, Easter. Yet another public holiday based on a religious myth that has nothing to do with it's actual origins. 'Easter' is a laughably movable celebration within the Christian church that is held between 21 March and 25 April. It falls on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the northern hemisphere spring equinox - how amazingly pagan that all seems to be. Think about it. Spring equinox, a new growing season, rebirth and the return of the sun (light) to the northern hemisphere, rabbits for reproduction, eggs for fertility, and lots of chocolate because it is tasty and encourages spending - it is all just 'symbollocks'. Even the name 'Easter' is taken from a Germanic Pagan goddess and is related to the fact that sunlight returns ( the dawn ). As humans, we are

'Noah' myth used in film. Some people are upset. How did that happen?

Once upon a time in an underdeveloped society, far, far away there was a group of humans that had a very basic understanding of the world around them. They didn't understand the world or their place in it and they relied on tribal elders who made up random stories to help them make sense of the things they saw. They were fearful that the sun wouldn't rise, they thought that supernatural powers controlled the weather and that demons and monsters roamed the flat earth. They had very little knowledge.

One day, someone was walking up a hill somewhere and they found fossils and shells and evidence of previous life and they just couldn't get their primitive brains around what they were or how they could have got there. So they went to the tribal elders ( who enjoyed a life of privilege because they had nurtured fear and ignorance in those below them ).

"How can these animal bones have got to the top of the hill oh wise one?" asked the fearful and ignorant humans. The tribal elders decided that this was another great opportunity to reinforce their position as leaders so they told another story of a vengeful and destructive deity who would smite them unless they complied with the rules ( made up by the elders

15 to 1. The disappointment of a quiz show fanatic.

In 1988, the greatest quiz show that has ever graced British television began (my opinion). It would run until 2003. Hosted by the brilliant William G Stewart, it was fast, brutal, always entertaining and full of questions. A winning format and a no-nonsense style that kept people watching for years. On Saturday 5th April 2014, it returned to our screens with a new look, a slightly altered format and a new presenter, the hugely talented Sandi Toksvig.

I was a huge fan of the original series, watching or recording it almost every day to get my fix of trivia. The end of the final series was a sad moment in my television-watching life. So, on Saturday, I watched the beginning of the new series, hopeful that the intensity of those episodes would return to the screen. Here are a few of my thoughts.

Firstly, as talented and witty as Sandi Toksvig is, she is out of place as the presenter of a serious quiz show. There was never any need for banter or jokes in the original incarnation. In fact, the minimalist approach to the presentation meant that any funny moments were heart-felt and genuine. The new approach feels scripted and awkward. I don't need to know personal history of these people, I want to see them answer some seriously hard trivia questions. Just get straight in to it.

Secondly, I can live without the little tit-bits of information that seemed to follow every question, slowing the game down and preventing any build up of tension or pace. The questions are so slowly delivered in the first place that everything feels pedestrian and laboured. Just bang out the questions.

'Everyone gets 3 chances on 15 to 1'. No they don't. If you get knocked out, you wait for the next series and try again. That is part of the brutality of the original format.

The £40,000 prize for the winner of the grand final is also a new feature. Winners used to get kudos and an antique vase and losers got nothing and no second chances. It is a sign of the times that kudos and antique vases are no longer enough.

When someone gets knocked out, I know they

FGM / GM is GBH

FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) and Male Circumcision is nothing less than GBH (Grievous bodily harm) by another name. We should neither value nor respect a culture that promotes abuse of a child or adult in such a manner. It's banning should be heavily enforced and those that practice such stone-age rituals should be exposed, shamed and imprisoned. It is pathetic that in a modern country we allow such disgusting practices to go unpunished. Every right-minded person should be appalled by such activities which should be consigned to history along with many other simple-minded religious relics. A modern country should be a haven in which children are free from exposure to ancient religions and practices

Stunning. Best practice. Time to label. Time to modernise.

Religious slaughter of animals without prior, full stunning should be banned in the UK. Until we get a ban on it, all religiously slaughtered meat on sale in the UK should be labelled as such regardless of where it came from. There is no argument. We have laws to govern the best possible treatment of animals during slaughter, laws that have developed over time in conjunction with many concerned groups. These laws have evolved and advanced through study and collaboration and we should be leading the way in animal welfare throughout the modern world. ( Amongst others, the BVA, Compassion in World Farming, RSPCA, Federation of Veterinarians of Europe and FAWC all support a ban on non-stun slaughter ). We should be practicing the highest of standards when it comes to animal husbandry, welfare and managing the end of life process. There should be no room for religious exemptions and loop-holes like #RecoverableStun. There is always room for improvement and the only way to ensure that animals don't suffer is to not eat meat.

It is important that we employ the best practice during animal slaughter to minimise the stress and distress caused and the modern consensus is that pre-stunning should be part of that best practice. There are some groups however, who insist on bypassing these laws, claiming their right to religious freedom. Denmark have recently joined a growing list of countries to realise that the backward step of allowing certain groups to flout animal welfare laws is against the flow of national opinion. The Danish Agriculture and Food Minister, Dan Jørgensen

#DarwinDay #moveforward

Charles Darwin was born in England on the 12th February 1809 and he spent his life understanding and studying evolution. His work was a major contributor to our present understanding of evolutionary science. Over 200 years have passed. Yet, in the UK today, we still have religious groups, schools and zoos (!) 'teaching' children twisted and obviously wrong myths. Parents are forcing their religious beliefs on to children and these failings should be countered by a factual, scientific state education system. These outdated institutional behemoths are misleading young minds from a path of evidence based science and study, stifling

Why do we have faith in our education system?

I live in Britain, We, as a nation, should be leading the way in all areas of modern life. We should be demonstrating to other nations of the world how to move forward in to an increasingly fact-based world. We should be leaving behind outdated rules, traditions, thoughts and processes. We should be pushing the boundaries of modern science and technologies and debunking myths wherever they exist within our society. We should be modern.
It is for this reason that we need to get rid of 'Faith Schools' from the education system, not just the state schools but across the board. Schooling should be about education and knowledge, truth and evidential sciences. It should not be about brainwashing vulnerable children and forcing them to believe clearly wrong, ancient myths and religions. It is nothing short of

Do you have the time?

If you would like to understand where the thinking is behind these articles, then ask yourself this question: Why is it that this solar year is called '2014'? The answer is that it is an arbitrary number, it actually has very little meaning. The very idea of '2014' is a human creation, forced on us by power struggles, religious bigots and wars. It is merely an expression

Let's celebrate something meaningful. Humbug to Xmas.

Well, thank goodness that all that nonsense is over and done with for another year. I am talking, of course, about 'Christmas' and 'New Year'. At the risk of being called 'a humbug' or a 'party-pooper,' it really is the worst time of year. The depths of a Northern Hemisphere winter spoilt by overly commercialised, overly religious festivals that nobody thinks about and that should have no place in a modern society. I mean, think about it. Prophecies, virgin births, angels, wise men, magical moving stars, stables, donkeys, trees, turkeys, crackers, reindeer, chimneys and gifts. Really? What a load of absolute hokum. Nothing more than a mixed up, patchwork quilt of Pagan,

Think. It is time to rebalance our society to become better humans.

Like you, I am a human being. A member of a species that has evolved over millions of years to the point where we control our environment and resources. An intelligent, rational, sociable creature that has the ability to be compassionate and caring. Instead however, we have allowed our species to become ill-informed, miseducated, anti-social beings, lacking understanding and divided by our levels of ignorance. Happy to exploit each other and our world to attain levels of greed far beyond sustainable limits. We look at the world through rose-coloured glasses, given to us by a system that wants to control and abuse rather than advance and nurture. We have it wrong. We have it ALL WRONG. From the moment we are born we are bombarded

In the Beginning...

21st of December 2013.

Welcome to 'The Rational Human'. It may seem like a strange time of year to begin writing articles but there is a REASON that today is the beginning. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the 21st of December 2013 is Winter Solstice. The time of year when daylight is at its shortest. From this point on, the days will start to become longer, a consequence of the sun appearing higher overhead in the sky. It is literally 'the coming of the light'. This is why our ancestors held this time of year as an important marker in their calendar. They had made it to the darkest point in the