Author Archives: knowsharebletch

I usually avoid reading the monthly crime-watch correspondence as it makes for worrying reading at the best of times as the number and frequency of crime locally continue to rise. But this week I had a flick-through and the rate of reoffending was shocking. A murder was committed in the neighbourhood next to mine andContinue reading “An urgent need to overhaul our criminal justice system!”

Over several decades and it has gotten worse in recent years, with 2019 being the worst in the past decade, football (soccer) authorities have stood by, done very little to combat racist abuse of players by some sections of fans at matches. With every new incident there were ready-made excuses and the usual ineffectual attemptsContinue reading “Covid-19 teaching the world how to behave?”

The global economy How “global” is it? For decades we industrialised on the back of a number of highly questionable means: from forced labour to excessive use of fossil fuels (for which we now condemn countries like China) and a lopsided monetary system that has condemned many countries to unending debt and dependence We continueContinue reading “Will the world ever play by the same rules?”

Self deprecation is one of the strongest weapons we have as Brits. As a child, attending football matches in north London was a Saturday morning excitement and we witnessed a fair measure of abuse hurled at players of all variety: Irish, red-heads, blacks etc. The unfortunate aspect of it all is that we assume othersContinue reading “Racism will never end if we continue to see it as a ‘white versus others’ problem”

We live in a ‘Not In My Back Yard’ (NIMBY) world, where we all want great public transportation but nobody wants trains passing through their back garden, we don’t want the bus stop outside the front of our homes and we don’t want the airport flight path directly over our homes It is the sameContinue reading “We live in a NIMBY world! Integration should be beneficial”

We have seen the outcome of elections in the UK, Brazil and the 2016 shocker in the US. But for some dumb reason, progressives and free-thinkers like myself still sometimes believe these are irregular occurrences and there will soon be a return of civility. Well, wake up folks! It wasn’t some fringe minority or aContinue reading “We keep on making the exact same mistake over and over again: those with differing views are not all idiots or illiterate”

I am not a huge fan of politics and less so when it comes to modern day politics of fanatical base over policy. I had a Canadian friend on the phone today who was ranting and raving about their Prime Minister and I reminded him of the last time I saw him in 2013 andContinue reading “Justin Trudeau – messiah to pariah in haste?”

It is quickly becoming obvious that the world lacks the capacity to learn! The supposed “new normal” is starting to resemble the old normal. Commercial property owners in cities want governments to “encourage” workers to return to offices and no thought has been given to how they get there? In a few weeks’ time weContinue reading “Have we learnt anything from the Covid-19 outbreak?”

Many in the UK would have slapped you if you suggested not visiting the hairdressers in 5 months or not travelling abroad on holiday. Well, that has now been the reality for the majority over recent months, thanks to Covid-19. Many are now beginning to realise they can actually survive and exist without fortnightly tripsContinue reading “Back to the VANITY OF LIFE…”

If you are too young to have seen the film Spartacus, you may at least have seen the more recent gladiator movie starring Russel Crowe and aptly named Gladiator? That concept of a ruling elite satisfying the baying and restless mob (i.e. society) with blood sports that utilise unfortunate commoners like themselves (albeit in theContinue reading “We are in an insatiably gladiatorial world!”

You read about the “Power 100” list or “Most powerful 40 under 40s” and numerous other power lists. Humankind is obsessed with power… Power should come with responsibilities and the need to wield power responsibly. But we find ourselves in a reckless era, where people fail to see the end-point. You see many leaders endingContinue reading “Moronic thirst for POWER”

Since time immemorial people kneel in front of a monarch to be knighted or pardoned or as a show of respect right? So, how come the same action is suddenly said to be disrespectful? Imagine being furious with someone who has wronged you and whom you really wish to disrespect and you march up toContinue reading “Has kneeling ever been a sign of disrespect?”

Couple of years back, the then head of IMF, Christine Lagarde, provided some statistics demonstrating how daft it is, for an economy to lose a huge workforce (women) due to discrimination. There are at least as many women on earth as there are men. We don’t have to like that fact, but the reality isContinue reading “This is NOT an existential matter; the whole world gains! It’s a WIN-WIN”

What has unfolded last week and is ongoing, lay bare the meaning of bias, privilege and lack of understanding or even the willingness to try to understand I do not personally know anyone who is a direct descendant of slaves or a direct descendant of the holocaust to ask how they feel. The world expectContinue reading “Few words on this week’s hot topic of: statues, relics, emblems and perceptions”

Years back when we looked around as our High Streets in London began to change from what we were used to seeing when growing up as kids, I used to say that immigrants should follow the age-old “when you’re in Rome, act like the Romans” but over the years we have seen immigrants who haveContinue reading “Integration or Multiculturalism? Damned if they do, Damned if they don’t!”

This was a sign that was hung outside many rental properties in the UK in the 50s and early 60s. Many returned from the Korean War and couldn’t find a place to rent in London The fact that we are still talking about racism in 2020 is a global embarrassment but a friend presented meContinue reading ““No dogs, no blacks, no Irish””

Human beings are supposed to be intelligent creatures but if you speak to marketing or advertising experts, they will explain the vulnerability of humans to you. We are easily manipulated. That is why you see your neighbour’s car and you suddenly want one or you look at fashion trends set by celebrities, even when theyContinue reading “Superforecasting? here, let’s create a convenient narrative!!”

The era of hunting around for natural resources such as mineral resources, fossil fuels and gems such as diamond & gold need to be conscripted in history Sustainable self-sufficiency is not so improbable if organisations such as the UN, IMF and others can get their acts together for once. Solar power, wind farms and otherContinue reading “A moral obligation to sustainably industrialise the world”

It is hard to imagine what society want as an outcome? Can we all agree that no unarmed person of any colour should meet their death with their face to the pavement and a knee on their neck? Great! If we are all agreed on just that single point, we can move forward. The restContinue reading “The search for an “ism-free” world?”

It is difficult not to look at what’s gone on in America this week and not feel sad. Sadness that it has gone on for this long and even while they had a black president and with many of their police chiefs black. Sadness that in a few weeks’ time it will happen again andContinue reading “You can’t change the world with just words! Want to end racism? Solve inequality first!!”

Thank you to those reading this blog. Majority of readers to date are from China, France, UK and Canada. I started this blog just to have a means of capturing some of my thoughts and that remains the purpose. If along the way, we get to share knowledge and readers get to share knowledge, great!Continue reading “Thank You”

Money and what it represents (be it affluence, position in society, wealth, ability to do as one pleases, financial stability, privilege etc.) remains the root of all evil and has been for a very long time Socialism may not be the answer or the answer people want, but the closer we get to an equalContinue reading “Money remains the root of all evil!”

As a Brit it is hard not to reflect this weekend as we celebrate VE Day and reflect on those principles that led many to give their lives. Theirs was not a perfect world and the brutality of what one generation’s done to the past is not lost on any of us, but today’s societyContinue reading “VE Day: a poignant reminder of what our ancestors gave their life to oppose”

Much as we try, the concept of “us” and “ours” pervades that thin layer and it comes so easy to accept that concept of “others” When news of the coronavirus in China began to make headlines, many felt a degree of comfort in that this was something happening over there, to others and the WestContinue reading “Insouciance to the misery of “others””

When I started this blog a few months ago, I was convinced knowledge can improve the world and still am, but it has become very apparent to me that such a day will never come. Why? The answer comes from a quick peek at history: it is easier to control and manipulate people if aContinue reading “Knowledge can improve the world but it clearly isn’t going to happen!”

Regardless of what you believe in, regarding the creation of evolution of human beings it would appear we do not all start off on an “equal” footing. Some are male, some are female, some are born to wealthy families, some to poor families, some in developed countries, some in impoverished locations. That initial choice ofContinue reading “Equality? or Equal opportunities?”

Will a nation or individual stand up to be counted? In history we have always found someone, when it comes to crunch: be it Winston Churchill or others. I wonder whom or which country or people will say enough is enough to today’s societal problems and lead the search for a fix!? When you seeContinue reading “Who will save our world?”

Surely in the year 2020 we shouldn’t be talking about trying to get to a society that treat women equally as men right? This is not a minority group matter right? There are at least as many women as there are men on earth. So, setting the physical differences aside, it is nothing of disgraceful,Continue reading “International Women’s Day”

I am not sure human beings are naturally cruel. However, not being a medical expert, happy to be corrected Accepting that none of us own the earth. We are just passing through and regardless of how much or little we each acquire, we will all leave with nothing when we die. As such, what doContinue reading “Inability to look at the person next to you and just see another human being is a mental health issue?”

At some point in future the world will learn to see human beings as citizens of the planet earth. Period. At the moment, we forget that China Town’s been in existent in parts of the UK for example, for centuries and black people have been in the UK for generations. There is nothing such asContinue reading “The world order will change sooner or later”

I suppose it may well depend on the definition of ‘power’ we each subscribe to…. Why do supposedly powerful people require the adulation of those they deem irrelevant? Why would an emperor lay on events to please his subjects? If we look at the very simple example of music superstars: they have to run aroundContinue reading “Who holds the balance of power?”

From time immemorial human beings have relentlessly sought ways to be divisive. Labels are a potent means that has allowed us to create divisions. Today you hear of “left wing”, “right wing” and with regards Brexit we have “leavers” and “remainers”. The various sides each want to be right. They dig in, get entrenched andContinue reading “Human obsession with labels and labelling”

Human life is a very temporary phase. Only a very few live to see 100 years. Majority of those who get past their 75th birthday depart between 80 – 99 years old. So, what is all the hate, intolerance, excessive wealth accumulation, quest for legacies all about? Mental Health has a lot to answer for.Continue reading “The temporary nature of life”

Ok, let’s talk about Brexit and the current state of our politics, our democracy.Clearly, the real underbelly of our society is finally out in the open. And the exploitability of democracy has again been aptly demonstrated. If a majority have an issue, politicians must try to address the issue, regardless of what they believe. If theyContinue reading “Brexit and the UK General Election”

Why has the value placed on human life gone down so low? Few years ago, the level of public outrage and angst at the loss of life, a single life, was so high that people took notice and politicians are forced to take meaningful action to preempt recurrence. Nowadays we read about hundreds of livesContinue reading “Devaluation of human life?”

It has become virtually impossible to ignore politics in the last 4 – 5 years for reasons that are most unfortunate: everything is being politicised. The terms “Civil Service” and “Public Servants” which we’re casually applied to those supposedly paid for by the taxpayer to work for the greater good of the public, may asContinue reading “Public service: Politics”

It is becoming increasingly difficult to tell. When comparing developed and under-developed countries, it is a fairly straightforward question to answer But when assessing recent occurrences in so-called developed countries, it is becoming increasingly difficult to answer this question. We live in times where we are being constantly manipulated and it is not clear toContinue reading “Is education making a difference?”

Why are we still talking about equal pay in the 21st century? It must be made illegal to pay a woman less than a man just because she’s a woman! But what I cannot understand is how a man is expected to play 4 hours of tennis, entertaining people at the venue for 4 hoursContinue reading “Equal pay is a no-brainer, should be a must!”

Let me know what your current pet-hates are. Here’s mine for this week 1: Billionaires pledging to give away all their fortune – is it perhaps more expedient to stop a amassing wealth after you’ve made your first billion? Not sure I get the need to amass 4, 5, 50 …. billion in the firstContinue reading “Weekly Peeves”

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken. — Oscar Wilde.