Compulsory philosophy lessons for over 11s.

In the Observer’s comment section I came across the following article by Peter Hyman http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/aug/16/peter-hyman-education-teaching-exams in it he calls for what he terms as higher thinking in schools. Hyman claims that students are increasinlgy learning without thinking, it is the absence of ‘questioning’ what is lacking. I am thereofre of the opinion that compulsory philosophy would be beneficial for everyone, the earlier it starts the better, this will develop individual’s abiliy to think critically. Thinking on a hihger level is not only applicative to social sciences, indeed many a mathematician and physicist would also benefit from philiosophy lessons and no doubt make them better at what they did, human development has always been about innovation and improving on what already exitst not just knowing it, critical or higher thinking is therefore a vital component in helping us evolve.

Demonic tory MP of the week, he disguises evil intentions very well.

Daniel Hannan was in the news this week for rebuking the NHS. Intregued at how someone could wholheartadly dismiss an orgnaization that has saved hundreds of thousands if not millions of lives I decided to look up some video interviews of this man. One of the most alarming was this one http://www.youtube.com/user/DanHannanMEP#play/uploads/0/lPWlHtXhKzM where Hannan calls for the privatising of the air we breathe…

Mmmh baked beans

Having grown up in Ireland, I can say equally that I grew up with baked beans which were served with a less than healthy looking sausage every lunch time. Twenty years later my liking of baked beans continues and now that organic baked beans are available there is no longer any guilt complex associated with the consumption of these.

Obama row, more worryingly the disorderly conduct law.

This morning yet more headlines regarding President Obama’s speech pertaining to the arrest of Prof. Gates were headlining on-line newspapers across the globe. Given that the President was unaware of the full details of the arrest I feel that his using the adjective ’stupid’ to describe the behaviour of the police as unwarranted. Even if he had been fully aware of the circumstances, any number of other politicaly correct words could have been used; unprofessional, not called for, aggressive… Using un-pc words like stupid only act to inflame tensions as no doubt President Obama is becoming increasingly aware, as a citizen of this earth the US presidency effects me as it does everyone else on it and trust me I am delighted Obama is President of the US, I only hope that this incident makes him further aware of the delicate nature of the media and public sensibilities, the last thing I want to see happen is him loose office over as trival an incident as one similar to this.

Having seen the interview with the police officer who carried out the arrest in question http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/23/obama-race-henry-louis-gates I noticed that upon Prof. Gates refusing to  go outside his home he was arressted for disorderly conduct. The disorderly conduct law permits police to aresst people who are behaving in a disruptive manner to themselves or others, but present no serious public danger. In effect this law seems to me to prevent citizens from questioning the procedures of police in America, I remember Shami Chakrabarti highlighting the point that “police are there to manage dissent rather than crush it” – the disorderly conduct law allows police to arrest dissent even if it is to no danger to anyone.

La resistance!!!

Another song I have come across as of late that just begs to be shared with all those who will listen.

Unicef rioters!

I was surprised to see fans of Barcelona rioting in Las Ramblas given that they had won the Cahmpions League Final thereby deomnstrating the irrationality of football fantaticism. After having seen the footage of the riots on the BBC what remaind most clearly in my memory was the Unicef logo adorned on the Barca shirts – the logo has become embedded in my concious as a singifier of football hooliganism.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8071735.stm

Listening recommended!

Tired of absorbing myself with the current state of the world economy; how is the cyclical boom and bust nature of liberal economies going to be solved? discrepancies of wealth; my MA work: whether I am not showing intent in my deconstruction of the images in question, have I interpreted this or that theory correctly (i.e. how professor wants it to be interpreted); my stomach condition, my bad shoulder, not doing enough exercise, not eating enough vegetables, not drinking enough water etc… I’ve decided to let my hair down and share some cool music that I have encountered over the last few months of seclusion thereby contributing positively in a small way to the enjoyment derived (if any) from visiting my blog, here it is hope its to your liking:

What lies ahead?

Today I came across the following aricle http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8049574.stm it made me wonder, is Portugal’s economy very different from that of Spain. It is undeniable that both have a very strong construction component a sector which is particularly prone to the economic crisis.

Why shop?

Why is the government desperate to increase consumption when given the uncertainty of job security and the economic climate people should surely be saving? It seems like the premise behind economic growth in the U.K. has been built on the exponential consumption of retail something which we have seen is not sustainable.

The buying of life.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8013896.stm I saw this piece on one man’s struggle with HIV. I found it so moving that I thought I had to include it on my blog. Partciularly firghtening is his assertition that in order to sustain a life with HIV in the States you need to have money i.e. alluding to the fact that drugs are not readily available unless to those people with ‘means’.