Why the News and Other Media Outlets Follow Social Trends

In response to a post on social media I became acutely aware that the state of society is somewhat a loss. The media, news channels and other various outlets are deliberately restricting certain content whilst favouring others.

One such topic is LGBTQ rights. Now we in England and the UK have no shortage of these rights. People can identify as gay or lesbian or whatever without the risk of persecution. The gay scene is big in many towns and cities.

However, in other countries such as Uganda, these rights are non existent and merely identifying as homosexual is now illegal. I bring this up because Uganda like many countries do criminalise homosexuality but they have done so for hundreds of years. The west, like England also used to criminalise it but we only talk about other countries. Although England has changed it doesn’t mean it hasn’t always been a part of this.

So why do the news outlets focus on places like Uganda? Well, it’s simple. They are popular news stories which will garner huge attention and support in western countries from people who haven’t the faintest clue as to how or what the operation or culture of those foreign countries is. For example, the majority of citizens could be in favour of the new bill, making it a democratic process with homosexuals – if there is many in Uganda – in the minority.

However the west does a very nasty job of making these countries seem like the worst place on earth. Aside from protecting their own cultural heritage and the society they live in, they are a different way of life and people don’t seem to understand that. What is normal in one country isn’t always normal in the other. We have to accept this. Trying to impose a global homosexuality acceptance parade is offensive and undermines the majority. Remember that these homosexuality rights are modern creations, and you cannot shift the entirety of Africa, or Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia to do as the west pleases.

Taking the story of Uganda, it had been illegal since 1902 to be a homosexual including various displays of affection. The new death penalty is not something to be frowned on, in fact it is to prevent the rape and abuse of young boys and girls.

The law in Uganda now classes ‘aggravated homosexuality’ as having gay sex with someone under the age of 18 or with someone being HIV positive, among other categories…

This is not a bad thing, but the west seems to think that homosexuality should be allowed in any form, even minors. You have to laugh at the disgusting reporting going on. Insinuating our African family is less because they ban something which would otherwise hurt the vulnerable is not a good image. Although the agenda in England has started to shift to dangerous tactics like imposing LGBTQ awareness in schools.

Saudi Arabia came around, changing the law to allow women to drive, a huge milestone. Yet with all their laws banning homosexuality the world cup was hosted there! What does that say about the medias agenda? It seems they have a selective and very dangerous money grab scheme involving certain states and countries. If they hosted the world cup and built and entire stadium for the world to visit, surely they are open to making homosexuality legal? The west went there, paid them trillions and didn’t say a thing about its brutal legal system – known worldwide for persecuting people for very minor crimes.

If the news actually reported on things that matter – like the fact that Afgahnistan also imposes the death penalty for homosexuality and so do several other countries then it might seem fair to go after Uganda, but the reality is the new law is actually protecting people. Don’t forget Africa and many of the countries suffer from AIDs and HIV epidemics, with HIV being a worldwide pandemic for many years. They have to account for this, and the high risk of disease spread from homosexuality activity.

Although I am not condemning them or siding with them in any case. It seems like perhaps we, and the news of the west need to give countries a wider berth. We cannot be selective about what we choose to argue about when in reality those same things are happening in western countries. There is no end in sight for LGBTQ rights in England, and it is unlikely that they will end soon, if anything they will continue to grow.

You are Enough

Hi all. Hope you’re having a great day.

After having a read through sites lately I noticed that the general negative attitude of people is generally being dominated by positive messages. I am enjoying seeing these uplifting and heart warming posts. Particularly on Twitter (follow me if you want: @Thomas87520559).

It wasn’t long ago that the timelines – mine at least – was obscured with such ill wishes. Of course a lot are real, insulting and dangerous. Most can be classed as bait, stirring up arguments among the Writing Community. Join the community by talking to the indie authors on Twitter. Thankfully a lot of people are waking up to the fact that not responding and antagonising such people is better. I was ready to delete my account at one point before the new year because all I saw was arguing! It’s not nice!

Well this brings us to the title of this post. You are Enough. You are, truly. Don’t feel like you are worth less because you don’t respond to the negativity. Don’t feel like less even if you do. Don’t compare yourself to those who produce negativity and hate and then tell you it’s your fault. Stay true to yourself. You are enough the way you are, nobody else defines that. So, no matter how much it might impact you, in reality it shouldn’t.

I love the above quote. You don’t need to feel less worthy if for example, you wrote a story but didn’t get published. You don’t need to feel like you are better than people who haven’t published either, if you have. These are dangerous comparisons. Sure, you have goals, aims and such but that is your life. Not theirs.

I can imagine that the reason that many people are depressed or anxious is because they think it’s a race, a competition. It’s not, no matter what people say. This is life and you can do what you want. You do not need to be wearing someone else’s clothes to feel good, nor do you have to be driving a sporty car, or running ten miles a day.

If you are happy to be you, then you will always be happy.

Aside from that I’m writing on my work I’m progress today. It’s a ghost story if you are wondering. Strange happenings. I hope to have a good first draft by mid-February latest. I’m not keen on working on anything else at the moment. Although I did have another story in the works, it can wait.

That’s enough chat, time for a poem. Titled You are Enough.

A rain drop

trickles, alone

along a pane of glass

This is Hard…

I start this series of words

With an open heart

That cares

I've been in love

I've felt afraid

My day was alright

Until rain drained it away

I dragged myself through hell

I found nothing but deceit

When the time was right

We had yet again to meet

But by then the wounds had sealed

By then I could not heal

Pain that you caused me

You did so intently

Fast forward some

Past the moon, past the sun

Find me nestled in the bed

Where she strokes me on the head

And we love and we touch

I realise what it is not

It is not you

Or what you did

There was more people

Hearts so big I wanted to cry

The love they gave, helped heal me inside. 

Love, Connection.

Seeing your love is the only thing that keeps me alive

"Oh, what have you to I?" 

Darting beneath the silver mirror

"I have to give you my love"

enchanting reflective lake

a cold cabin we meet

"... and your love is a fictional lie"

perches on the train line, rail

zapping hands we meet

together, we can flee

terror and hate

doubt and misfortune

swimming into the white clouds

angels surround, us

loving you.

Buy Me A Coffee

Pumping Baby!

Pumping baby!

cos I got to lift that weight

I got to get lean by the next date

you have to see my muscles collate

and smash into the walls

feel you under my braun

being a massive beast

eating all I can eat

pumping!

Thanks for reading. Time to get pumped! Remember kids, don’t play with weights without first powdering your hands.

If only they knew what they looked like…

400! Thanking you!

I now have 400 followers on WordPress! I did not think it would be reach that number before the end of the year. That was my hope, 400 by the end of the year.

This blog started as an idea. I wanted to post my thoughts, poetry and see what came of it. It’s hard to believe that every post I make is liked by at least a few people. Time to continue building and adding, and eventually it will be 10,000 followers … if I am lucky, that could take a decade or more.

Titled 400: dedicated to all the followers.

If you had 400 notes

would you spend them?

What did I buy on my walk to the shops?

What did I buy on my walk to the shops?

It was throwing it down with hail, as I sat at my desk reading emails, and fondly gazing into the thick stones. But, they lasted a mere few minutes. Enough time to prompt me to go out. It was fairly busy considering the miserable weather.

Cafes were open today as well and bustling with non-mask wearing peeps. I have black joggers, blue trainers, a dark black dragon shirt, a black hoodie and black cap. So, it must be me when I say I don’t like to stand out…

I entered town where more people were bustling and making ways to shops and buying the usual non-essentials, because let’s face it we need more junk in the world. My sole aim? To buy some more essential oils from a particular health and wellness store, which supplies supplements, specialised foods, oils, some magazines and lots of protein for body builders!

Purchases made at the shop: activated charcoal tablets, Tisserand rosemary organic essential oil, Tisserand organic peppermin oil and Tisserand organic lemon oil. This is to supplement the 3 oils I bought yesterday from the pharmacy (lavender, eucalyptus and orange).

Rosemary essential oil.
Image result for tisserand peppermint
Peppermint essential oil.
Lemon essential oil.

What is essential about these oils? Health effects or benefits? Yes! Indeed these oils, any type of essential oil is the plant extract taken from source and distilled and pressed down until it is liquid, 100% pure oil. This has numerous health benefits. For example a favourite of mine, Frankincense – also given to baby Jesus as a gift – has remarkable benefits for brain health, and overall physical and spiritual wellbeing, being able to give us that insight and second spiritual sight we need in times of prayer.

I chose rosemary, lemon and peppermint because I had read that they boost kidney health, and I was looking for a way to detox them, that is why I also bough the activated charcoal too. The kidneys are the single most important organs in the body to eliminate and eradicate toxins, that is why we need to keep them well fed, extremely well oiled (good hydration) and through exercise and eating right. Don’t overburden an already burdened system by eating unhealthily or by sitting around waiting for that circulation to improve! Give your kidneys the love and care they desire and need in order for them to function optimally. They control blood pressure, growth, the water system, electrolyte levels, protein levels, and more!

Activated charcoal I bought.

So with that bought, I moved toward the exit of the shopping centre, which was reminiscent of the film Dawn of the Dead, although some of the shoppers were not as ravenous. I travelled along to a book, magazine store which also supplies stationary (I am not mentioning store names but you may have already figured that out!).

New scientist Essential guide No.6 – Evolution – Darwin’s theory of natural selection and what it means for life.

I was searching for a decent movie magazine, but sadly I could not see any that appealed to me. I usually get Total Film or Empire. Today I wanted to appear slightly intelligent so I decided to wander over to the magazines about astronomy, nature, science and rocket stuff…I stumbled upon this magazine – picture above. I immediately was drawn to this as – a) I don’t actually like the Darwin’s theory of evolution and b) It was a subtle dark green that reminded me of the jungle – no doubt that is a deliberate imprint on the readers mind. I have yet to read any, but it looks well written and well presented. I wanted to try and expand my mind and stretch out of my comfort zone.

One of the coolest and newest things that caught my eye was a can, yes a can, of sparkling water! It has a resealable lid and is 500ml.

Canned at source from the Austrian alps!

It matched the black I had on, but I slipped it into my little backpack before desperately racing home to try it. Cool and easy to use with minimum on the can in terms of advert. It literally says – sparkling spring water, can’o water, don’t bottle it. On the back it states the instructions to open and that cans are infinitely recyclable. I agree. I also have a preference for can or glass over plastic. Yes the lid is plastic but comes to good use. As mentioned it is resealable and that means you could shake it after opening and it would not spill out – “I tried it.” It has a rich taste and does not overwhelm your sense with bubbles. Some products like Pellegrino are way too fizzy but this can hit the spot. Of course, there is the concern about aluminium being sapped into the source but try and forget that!

I hope you enjoyed reading about some of the things I bought today. I hope to talk some more about what I do on days out. When I can, I will be taking you all virtually to various locations across England. London will no doubt be a highlight when I get the chance to go there.

For now stay safe and enjoy life! xox