Terry Lloyd's Blog, page 3

Strong Leadership.

Arguably, what is happening in the USA now has a potential to stimulate more authoritarian style regimes throughout the world. I am worried that the UK could slide into voting for extreme change yet not fully realise the consequence of what that change means. For example Labour has in a short time introduced policies that have halted economic growth and financially attacked the elderly and most vulnerable all the while spouting the need for difficult decisions. Once again the Chancellor of the Exchequer like some predecessors has run into difficulties managing her own financial affairs. Planning a progressive financial future for a country is not just balancing the books.

The voting public are desperate to find a political party that is honourable and competent. Change for change sake is not a good option. Leaving the common market was supposed to be a chance for economic growth and that did not happen. However a new political party promising eye-catching policies is making headway but one of its leaders was instrumental in the UK leaving the common market. How can the public know if the leader of the party will do any better than he has done in the past?

Strong leadership by itself does not mean that every decision is right for the whole country. Once rules of procedure are circumvented that leaves democracy in a very vulnerable position. It is important that the rule of law is enforced throughout the UK so people do not fear for their lives. Rhetoric that inflames violence against racial sections of the community should be vigorously curtailed whether by politicians or the public. There are laws but they need to be enforced in a careful and fair way.

What is happening in the USA is often reflected in the UK. A strong rule in the USA has citizens terrified of being swept up in a purge of being deported. After being granted the right of citizenship people often put down ties to family and futures, the right to capture and determine peoples’ lives in such a way as being exhibited can do excessive harm. Could that happen in the UK? That will depend on who is elected to run the country. Leadership is strongest when it can act to improve people’s lives and future with justice on side and a way forward that encourages unity and not division.

Changing Scenery.

One evening I looked up to the sky and looked at the serene white moon majestically in its place. I marvelled at the scene and yet I discovered only recently, at one time the Earth was not accompanied by the moon at all. Did you know that the moon came about later? In fact, when I took a breath of cool air, I took it for granted that there has always been oxygen. I had not realised that oxygen actually came about after the start of life, so that as well, began at a later date.

The great oxygen event, in my opinion, is a milestone in the direction that life would take. No view of history would be complete if you are unaware of its effect on the course of history. I do like to go and look out at the vast ocean. It is hard to imagine all that water was over a long period of time, deposited by asteroids. That was early in the formation time of the solar system. Water is a critical resource and vital in sustaining life. A recent volcano has erupted, as if to highlight how all the continents are resting, but very slowly moving on magna, which is very hot molten rock. The continents pushing against each other is the reason that there are earthquakes.

Everything that exists has a potential for change. I sometimes look at mountains or stars that appear fixed and unmoving. However, if I was a time traveller and looked at where the solar system should be, I might see a vast cloud of gas and debris from previous stars that might have exploded. In a supposed future earth, the stars would not be visible as they would be traveling faster than the speed of light. How is that possible, you ask? Because it is the theory associated with expansion of the Universe, so the stars are not using any energy for motion. The star is traveling in space, not through space.

It is deceptive to think making a copy of what can be seen will explain how the original came into existence. It is only after examining what one sees that can show how it is possible to be the way it is.

At one time the majority view was that the Earth was stationary and the centre of the universe.
Also the Sun every day travelled across the sky. In fact, planets orbit the Sun in an elliptical fashion. There is a view that seven is a significant number and the days of the week fit perfectly. In fact the spin of the Earth is slowing down and the measurement of time has to be constantly adjusted

There are many questions that science for now can not answer, however the correct answer I believe should be, I do not know. Is there any reason for things to be a certain way, not that I can always see, nevertheless Science can show why things are the way they are.

Gaza Malnutrition.

It could be stated that there are many things in this world that are abhorrent but night after night we can see for ourselves the malnutrition that is rampant in Gaza. I think many people would note that it is specially the young and frail who are made to suffer. The situation in Gaza is one that has come about from violence and has descended into further degradation. It is awful and while it does not in any way diminish other atrocities, the irony is it does not have to be so in Gaza. Many countries are willing to supply adequate food and water. A deliberate weaponizing of the access to the food is internationally condemned. If a radical reorganisation of how food is supplied does not take place, inhumane chaos will arise and that will not help anyone.

I think how the combatants in Gaza behave is mind blowing. One could be described as a terrorist organization and the other a civilized democratic member of the United Nations. However it must be said that in actions, both sides are attacking civilians and what should be the most basic laws of humanity.

It is only actions that actually separate the combatants in a conflict in what they really are and how they represent themselves on the word stage. Dealing with a complicated situation does not mean human rights should be violated. Starving a population is not the best way forward or promote a civilized course of action.

International organizations in the past have been able to distribute food successfully however they have been banned from continuing and the present system has the aim to concentrate the Gaza population to one small part of land. This has been claimed to be for the safety of the people, unfortunately some of the Gaza population could not get to the distribution site because of seeking shelter from gun fire. In one day at the newly placed food distribution centre at least seven people were crushed to death.

No assumption should be made as to the success of the new food distribution centre that is close to the border of Egypt either. There is also another issue about this kind of geographical shifting of a population and if Gazans are temporarily moved out of Gaza, there is the thought about would they ever return? The essentials for life are being manipulated and arguably to coerce a population into losing their entitlement to a safe homeland. I would say this is an injustice, no matter what nationality was involved.

Many have spoken and the UN has uttered many words on the matter but nothing positive has been achieved. The world should not simply watch, remark and do nothing about such a dire situation.

Morality.

Morality is an interesting point. I find the subject highly apt given many situations that have taken place in the world recently. It is fair to say that there can be many opinions concerning what is right and wrong. It might depend on what principles one is guided by, the circumstance and details in deciding what it comes down to in terms of actions and what one might have to bear in mind given the particular situation. For example, to steal might be thought of as morally and criminally wrong but in a situation whereby starving with no other choice, it may not be as clear cut a moral decision.

When it comes to life and death situations I believe everyone has a moral responsibility that can not be sidestepped. Not even by claiming immunity or by simply following orders or directions of a superior authority. However no matter what your principles are, I would hope the value of your principles would depend on the consequences.

Apart from the laws imposed by society, there are situations when doing the right thing is the deciding factor on whether a society is healthy and progressive or on the brink of disaster. Having a clear understanding on what is morally right is, I think, vitally important.

Often I hear the words objectivity and subjectivity debated as if one was superior. For me objective morality is simply a list of ideals but it needs subjectivity to decide whether to accept the action to be really moral.

Consciousness.

It is interesting when I hear people talk about consciousness, as if it was a dividing feature between humans and other animals. The reality is when the full thinking ability is present in the mind, that for me is consciousness.

In my own personal experience, many animals have interacted with me and clearly they displayed not just consciousness but a sense of humour. The animals were quick witted and at times possessed advanced thinking ability. They were aware of themselves and their surroundings. I believe that is the correct definition of consciousness.

It is only recently that studies have shown many types of different animals possess skills that enable them to communicate. This indicates a consciousness active mind.

I had an accident that rendered me for two weeks in a state of a coma, a sense of being awake but not aware of my surroundings or able to think normally. I had no proper recollection of those events.

The physical body has a huge impact on how the consciousness mind works. It only takes a variation in hormone levels for there to be a fundamental change to the capability of the conscious mind.

There are historical accounts of patients that have suffered major alterations to the brain and subsequently in one case had opposing character traits.

Damage to the brain can alter people's character as if they have become a new personality. I think there can be little doubt that consciousness is a product of the physical brain and it is shared with other forms of life. It is both astounding and a subject of astonishing comprehension.

Keeping Well.

Heart health issues can affect a vast number of different ranges in age, gender and physique. A large number of people might be troubled by cardiovascular problems, yet because of the nature of how the body works, it is quite possible not to be aware of intending problems in the future. The key to understanding and in fact combating cardiovascular problems is controlling inflammation.

The body makes little vessels that travel through the blood system to supply nourishment to the cells. The crucial point is the vessels can be divided by size into large and harmless or small dense and easily damaged. The small damaged vessels can be trapped in the artery wall and then get engulfed by parts of the defence system. Fortunately, more of the small vessels do a job to clean up the blood system. A problem arises when there are more small damaged vessels than the clean up system can cope with to maintain. The build up of material over time limits the flow of blood or a sudden burst of thick substance becomes trapped in narrowing parts of the artery thus stopping blood supply to vital organs.

The good news is cardiovascular disease can be treated and reversed If the problem of inflammation is the prime target. Drink, food and lifestyle all affect the size and quantity of the little vessels. To reduce the number of small damaged vessels in the blood system advice from a qualified medical source should be used. It is important to take advice from reputable sources that have a proven record of patients that have reversed their cardiovascular condition.

The benefits of a whole view of health have a wider effect than just cardiovascular problems.
I think it would be a mistake to concentrate on the symptoms rather than the cause of the condition. That is why now it is widely accepted that the root cause of a condition should be the prime objective.

Scientific Progress.

I find looking back at the progress of science extremely interesting. In my own lifetime, the size of the Universe has changed from being viewed as big to enormous. Not only that, but the concept of the Universe was at one time believed to be a steady state. Then the new idea of the big bang gained popularity. The evidence is quite compelling as the light from most stars indicate that stars are moving away at an ever increasing rate from each other. That means the whole Universe is expanding.

There is a major phenomenon first thought of in 1933 and later in 1998 named as dark energy.
The visible matter of the Universe comprises less than 5 percent. The rest is made up of dark matter and dark energy. Dark matter is theorised as what is necessary to keep galaxies and stars in place relative to each other. Dark energy is what causes the expansion of the Universe.

There are some physical phenomena that at the moment science has no explanation for but over time knowledge will come to light. Answers and facts such as determining the age of the Universe and the Earth. The fact that new information will change science and encompassing views on a particular topic is not a bad thing, as having an open mind is key to progress.

Even one day science might discover how matter and energy can come into existence. Until that time, I think the value of science in everyday life should not be forgotten. Science can be extremely valuable in many ways and the progress can be a feat of physical and mental accomplishment.

USA Emergency.

There is something going on within world politics that is more than horrifying. What am I talking about? There is a very strong probability that the USA is on the verge of joining other countries that are arguably ruled by a dictatorship. Recent rulings in court that frustrate the President could be the catalyst to allow him to invoke an 1807 law and rule by military force. This law was framed to guard against insurrection and give the President emergency power to govern directly.

Without the checks of law and order, what future is there for democracy in the USA? Already freedom of demonstration and opposition are being limited. Financial pressure is being used to force universities to allow censorship, minimise equality and impose restraints on the running of the sanctity of an academic institution.

In the previous term of office, the correct procedure in lieu of protocol for introducing regulations was followed, however now the procedures for introducing new tariffs are being circumvented. One might think that the turmoil created with world trade might be a diversion while the USA sleep walks into a major change of rule.

There has been much concern over how the President of the USA could encourage his supporters to commit insurrection and similarly that there have been no consequences for such an act. A former President once said the biggest danger to the USA will come from within. Those words unfortunately can not be more apt.

The rules of the constitution are being ignored and that could end up as a constitutional crisis. Judges are being sidelined as their orders are thwarted. The President could even start to make changes to the constitution. There have been questions and statements that if the population of America does not act soon, the USA could be engulfed in a civil war. Already there have been allegations that supporters of the President are arming and training for such an eventuality.

What happens in the USA affects the rest of the world. What is needed now is stability in world trade and the financial markets. The leaders who can provide stability and enhance unity, are the ones who can make history.

Tariffs.

The world economy is built upon trust and international trade agreement. Over many years a working system has been established. Each individual country may have a deficit, that is the country has bought more goods or services than they have sold, that in itself is not a bad thing. There could be many reasons for a deficit and could include the fact that imported goods are at a more reasonable price or there is a demand for goods of a special type.

It is with dismay that I have seen the smooth running of international trade turned into an economic war as two of the most influential countries are imposing high taxes on each other's imported goods. The USA has threatened the stability of international money markets by imposing abrupt tariffs on numerous countries. One result is to shake confidence in lending institutions that invest with the belief the USA is a safe place to lend money to and do business with for the long term.

Another pertinent question is who is going to pay the extra taxes? Quite simply, all the population that buys imported goods. The USA long term plan apparently is to force countries to agree to a more favourable deal for America. Another aim is to encourage more investment in companies to build factories in the USA. For the American public, they should view financial pain as being necessary, like a doctor giving nasty medicine before the patient gets better. It could be argued the doctor has induced the illness in the first place and getting better is not guaranteed.

Many countries are considering forming new trading relationships and thinking about new agenda policies. All of these propositions might not bring about the ambitions of one country and could threaten the isolationist policy of America first. I think that unless there is a change in financial thinking, a recession for America is highly likely, and this could in turn impact on how countries trade with each other.

Acting Humanely.

When it comes to cruelty to animals most people would respond in a humane way and intervene to protect the animal in question. However the same does not always apply to mankind itself. All over the world, right now mass murder is occurring on a regular basis. The world stands by while these atrocities occur. To make things worse, in the UK money that is in short supply for domestic essentials can arguably be found to facilitate destruction of buildings and of course human lives that come under the heading of collateral damage.

There are rules on how war should be conducted but these are flouted constantly and the same old excuses and lies are trotted out to justify what has happened.

Why is it that as individuals, given a choice of stopping war, most would respond with a conviction to put an end to such atrocity however our leaders appear hell bent on goals that require the elimination or removal of certain populations.

There appears to be a history of dominant powers that have used and abused the right to start and perpetuate wars. The treatment of the indigenous population by western pioneers and slavers in Africa is an example of how dominance and power can monopolise cultures. Then there was a terrible history included in how the west treated the Native Americans in America. They moved the populations multiple times and to reservations; however one of the reservations was oil rich so they moved the people yet again.

It would seem all too often that territory and making money are considered of greater importance than that of human life.

What hope is there for the world, arguably a place that for the time being has lost its way. It needs people of good heart and clear thinking to point out the inhumane way people are being treated. Then use the opportunity to prioritise peoples human rights and a future that involves progressive leadership. Leaders are needed who value human life more than financial gain, leaders who can equate justice with a better way forward for the majority.