Blackholes, Missiles and my Phone Signal

We've all been there. We've all experience the annoyance of it. Mobile phones and their coverage or signal when on a train. We hear it everyday that we are in the most technically advanced time that we have ever known. So then, why is it every time i am near a field, not just on a train, do i end up talking to myself on my mobile and repeating hello over and over again. It's not like the cow's and sheep have mobiles sucking the entire signal from the air. Or there's some giant machine under Switzerland taking my signal. Is there?

Over the past 13 years 13.5 Billion pounds was spent by most nations of the world on what is being spoken of as the biggest thing to happen to science ever. Or the machine, which will destroy the Earth. Depends how you see it obviously. I am talking of course about the Large Hadron Collider. This machine will, hopefully, not kill us but show us how the universe was created and we can finally see the beginnings of life when this universe started. And maybe give me some more bars of signal?

The Military budget of the UK is said to be around 59 Billion pound a year. This is being spent on setting up a nuclear missile warning in the Middle East, making sure the Army's guns work in Iraq (which they don't), and making sure that some of the Army at war might have some body armour to help protect themselves. It might also be spent on phone calls from our PM to George Bush asking what war he wants us to fight next.

I see a problem in this though. I really hope that when Gordon Brown makes that phone call he's not near a field cause otherwise we would be completely lost at who to invade next and who's the mortal enemy of the world, according to America, this week. I can't call someone across the road let alone my best mate over in America.

And if we do discover the beginning of life itself, or create a massive blackhole, or even find where all my phone signal is, how are we going to tell anyone about it? I can't get signal if im more then a mile outside of a major town so how then can they 6miles under the Earth surrounded by a gigantic death machine.

So there you have it, I travel between Southampton and Reading alot and a good 80% of my journey im cut off from the world and that's quite scary in this world, I can't live without my phone! What if someone sends a dirty joke? What if i need to check Myspace? What if a giant blackhole is coming to suck me up and my mum wants to make sure I have clean socks on? So maybe its my own problem if i have no signal, for depending on my phone to much but then again if we can create a giant death machine under France surely a little signal could be found at some point?

Who knows, no one knows what is inside a blackhole, so maybe when they turn the LHC on they will find all my phone signal in there or maybe it's them pesky cows after all, arranging with the sheep a good night out in the next field.

Ian Mccreery

Baby P

Everybody has read about it. Everybody has had his or her say on the subject. Everyone in this country will know the name of Baby P tortured and killed at the hands of the people that were meant to love and protect him. And what's more it was seen by the people paid and trained to protect him and they did nothing about it.

Many people have had their say on this, described the mothers lifestyle, spoken out about social services and some have even defended their work. I am a care worker and having spent time working closely with social services and working with abused children and children in care i feel it's time I had my say. After reading the injuries I don't believe that even the bravest man could read without feeling sad and a little sick. I know I did.

Baby P. No one knows his real name only the face of a blonde blue-eyed boy playing happily at home. Unfortunately his home was where his mother, a porn loving twisted women, his step dad, a Nazi body builder, and his brother Jason Owen, a peadophile living with his 15 year old girlfriend, also resided.

I believe we can question the Human Rights Act here. For many years many people have said the victims have no rights but the criminals do. At times I have believed this and at others I wouldn't care less. In this case that statement can easily be true. How is it that a child can die at their hands but as so far the evil step dad who trained dogs to bite a babies head, and punching a small child in the face can still remain anonymous. How could a sick bastard like him have any right's what's so ever? Surely he can't, for sure his step son didn't. The same goes for his twisted mother. Why should she be protected from people that hate her.

Secondly, two weeks ago it was discussed in Parliament about what should be done about two adults acting like little children and upsetting an old man. Obviously this is the case of Jonathon Ross and Russell Brand. It was in the newspapers, everyone was out raged, MP's and government officials called for sackings. And you know what, people have been sacked. And it only took a week.

A child has been tortured to death by his family, people are outraged, people are calling for sackings, paper's are livid the nation is pretty much one on this. So why are those social workers still in their highly paid jobs or even allowed to question their sackings for compensation. The BBC has nothing to do with the government but it was still spoke of in Parliament. Even the PM has something to say about Russell Brand so why has he not spoken out upon this.

The head of the social services in Haringey, Sharon Shoesmith, has refused to apologise and said no one, including herself, would be losing their jobs over this. There is an obvious problem in social work at this moment in time and it needs to be addressed. Social workers are too polite, to scared, and to damn weak to upset anyone, thus putting a child's life at risk.

I have worked with a guy in my past who I felt wasn't getting his benefits from his family. When I reported this to his social worker no help was given. He put steps in place to help the family and stop any investigation as he was to scared to stand up to them and didn't want the hassle. My manager, however, was outraged and storm through the offices shouting that this would get sorted. And it did. She went over everyones head to his manager. So there are some people out there who care about the children they look after.

Social work is a hard job. You have long hours and alot of paper work. The things you have to deal with are sad and heart wrenching. I remember working closely with social workers in the past and having to write reports on what I had seen and I remember getting home and drinking alot just to help me feel better. But social workers know that this is what they have to do when they applied for the job and above that we get paid well to do it.

The difference between my story above and the one of Baby P's social workers is that I did my job even though sometimes it gets scary and you have to upset people but his workers were to scared to do their jobs. I've had to check a house of children, check upstairs to make sure no one was there that weren't aloud to be there. I've been refused entry and stood my ground; my manager has had death threats, and called the police but its our job's and even if we were hated by parents or whoever we did our jobs for the safety of the children and that means I can sleep soundly at night.

Social workers do get slated when crimes like this happen. But not all of us are letting it. Unfortunately in this world more concerned about Human Rights and political correctness the workers that do speak out are silenced, forced out of jobs ,or in Baby P's case, told there was not enough evidence.

What's more is that even though Gordon Brown has said he will try anything to make sure this never happens again, just as it was said after the Victoria Climbie case, until the people responsible for his death are named and locked up for murder, and the workers that didn't do anything to stop the abuse are sacked and taken to court, Baby P will not be the last child that will undergo a short and terrible life.

R.I.P Baby P
Gone But Never Forgotton

Ian Mccreery

Chanel Bag? Check. Jimmy choo's? Check. Fashionable Tattoo?

The new must have fashion accessory. Would it be that dress seen on the catwalks in Milan? How about the new designer handbag from Miu Miu or the new shoes from Jimmy Choo? How about that bright pink scar left over from having your fashionable tattoo lasered off your skin?

Now I have nothing against tattoos. I mean if you were to ever see me you would see I'm heavily tattooed with them on my hands to my neck. But I know the prejudice that accompany tattoos. As tattoos become more of a fashion statement my life has become easier believe it or not. I am no longer looked upon as the circus freak but more as fashionable and "cool". Great! All I need now is a celebrity girlfriend and I'll be more famous then whoever's on X Factor this week.

Today you would be hard pressed to walk down the road and not see a man or women showing off their brand new tattoos. You can turn on your TV and see a celebrities like Cheryl Cole and David Beckham showing of their individuality and their art displayed across their bodies for all to see. Even a top scientist at NASA has a full sleeve. Tattoos are now part of everyday life and are seen as the ultimate fashion accessory. However, is this trend set to last? Will I ever make it onto the NME Cool list? And would it not just be easier and less painful to have a tiny dog and to be seen carrying it around in a bag?

Going back nearly 100 years ago there was a time when tattoos were rarely ever seen on anyone not associated with the armed services or prison. Anyone who broke this norm was seen as outcasts in normal society, especially women, who found that they had a life career in the Circus freak show rather then a feature in Hello Magazine. Tattoos were taboo.

Tattoo's becoming a fashion statement has become a problem though. Many people now realising that being tattooed can make you seem really cool in some peoples eyes. So they run out and get tattooed without really thinking of what this entails, apart from having a needle stuck in you for over a hour.

To illustrate this point I will tell you of the memories of tattooing I have . I remember seeing a boy of around 19 with a couple of arm tattoos come into book his next tattoo. All very good but his next tattoo was a potential career ending throat/neck tattoo. He then proceeded to show his child like attitude by getting stroppy with the tattooist who refused to do the tattoo that day and until the guy had a few more visible tattoos done before going as far as having a neck tattoo like having the rest of his arm done before making such a committment.

I have also seen people walk into studios having put no though into their tattoo " I would like a tattoo of something and i would like it on my arm or leg or where ever" Brilliant!! You thought long and hard about that!

Lastly, and most funny and cringeworthy, while I was being tattooed a few years ago a lady walked in sporting her new tattoo from the day before. It was a lovely cross being held by a teddy bear. Written above was 'In remembrance of , she went on to tell us her son's name, and his date of birth.' All was fine and looked very nicely done. She then accused the tattooists of not telling her that the tattoo basically meant that the person mentioned was dead. Unfortunately, you see, the name was of her four-year-old son, who was very much alive and with her in the shop. I didn't stick around to see the outcome from laughing to much.

Now, Even though these stories may make you smile, hell they made me laugh remembering them, thinking of these three people who share nothing in common (apart from their inability to use their singular brain cell to think things through.)I can't help thinking that they are all likely to be more then likely sporting a brand new scar from having their really unthought-of tattoos removed.

Celebrities may have them, most people you know may show them off, but people really need to think before having these pieces of work etched on their bodies. Think about what, where and why and who you want this done/for before running down to the nearest studio to have the newest band logo tattooed on you. You may be seen as cool for a while and up with the fashion but before to long you might be sporting the future fashion icon. A lasered off tattoo and deep-fried skin, so just buy the tiny dog, it's alot cheaper. Or go to rehab, Its what all the cool kids do.

Ian Mccreery

Vox pop - Assisted Suicide

In October of this year a disabled ex rugby player named Dan James traveled to a clinic in Switzerland to be assisted in his suicide.

For helping their son to travel to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland, Mark and Julie James face questioning by the police. Their role in assisting their son with his plans can hold a penalty of up to 14 years in prison.

For many years the laws that govern society on assisted suicide have divided people. Times when suicide was frowned upon by society and by the church have gone. Many people and some churches are now sympathetic towards victims of suicides. Should the laws follow suit?

"When the laws were created many of these were by a government that was ruled by the church of England." Sian Kearley, 20 of Reading says. "These laws are simply outdated and should be changed."

This would be the main view seen by critics of the law, that it is simply outdated and should be changed to reflect societies values today. However, not everyone's opinions are the same on this matter.

Andrew Wharton, 24, Hampshire, believes that more help should have been given to Dan James. He say's: "If I lost my ability to do art I would be devastated, but I would find a way to help others who suffered my way and try to be creative in other mediums.

"However hard it was for his parents I believe that someone should be seen as responsible as it is a matter of life and death."

There was a time before where suicide in any realm was seen as a sin towards God by the church. In recent times this view has changed in some religions. Jehovah's Witnesses, for example, now take into account the person and their mental state at the time.

Lisa Honor, 54 a devout Jehovahs Witness, Explained: " I would be divided towards this type of assisted suicide due to suffering. If my son wished for death after a accident like Dan James I would try to help him of course but nut personally no matter how hard it was for me to lose my son i would feel to grant my son his final wish,

She continues " But my religious side would obviously not allow me to. Though I do feel that God would understand my predicament and forgive me." Lisa also believed that the charges against Dan's mother and father were: " absolutely terrible. His parents loved him so much to do that for him. They must be having a hard time right now and should be given support not put into court to answer for their actions."

Sian added, "I believe that the laws really should change. I believe that if you're of sound mind then you should be allowed to choose whether to live or die."

Ian Mccreery

Basically

As a journalism student at Southampton Solent uni i feel its best that i post what i have to write for assignments up here for the whole world to see.

You never know a magazine may see these and ask me to write for them.

More then likely no one will read and ill be left crying on my keyboard begging for a reader ;)

P.s

I ask that you respect the views of the people that may be interviewed on some of my post's.  I ask for criticism on my writing and not on these people. 

Thank you for those who have agreed to be interviewed.