Tag Archives: world stuff

Paula Murray, hang your head

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I have just read Graham Linehan’s blog about the disgraceful article written for the Sunday Express by journalist, Paula Murray.  The short version is that she infiltrated a Facebook group of kids from Dunblane, some of whom survived the terible shooting in 1996.  These kids are now teenagers and are therefore engaging in usual teenage shenanigans but according to Murray, this is stomping on the memory of the children and teacher who were killed on that day.  She waited until these kids were 18 then printed their names and escapades to shame them for no reason other than to capitalise on a tragic event which occured 13 years ago.

Although the Express has pulled the story from their website, I feel strongly that this kind of hack reporting should not go ignored.  As Graham Linehan pointed out, the press crosses the line regularly but this goes even further. 

The idea that children who suffered such trauma should then go on to lead stymied lives with none of the usual high-jinx is a crual expectation – why should they be robbed of living a normal life?

I just signed a petition at ipetitions so if you agree and feel strongly about this too, please go ahead and add your name.  All you need is an email address and you can sign anonymously if you wish.

I value the prinited press media and worry for its future.  This kind of absuive reporting is doing nothing to help newspapers survive.

BAD 08 Update

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I just wanted to report back as I have had a busy day! Firstly I donated an amount to Oxfam. I also lent money to two different groups via Kiva.org. I wrote to my MP, asking him to promote and comment on the End Child Poverty campaign. I joined Nabuur which is a volunteer network. And I learned a hell of a lot. So I am pretty pleased with my progress. Five actions done – ongoing effort is needed.

Blog Action Day 2008

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The onus this year on blog action seems to be very much on the ACTION and less on the BLOG. Getting a message out just isn’t enough. It is not enough to write a blog post and think that I have satisfied my daily altruistic quotient. Instead, I plan on doing five things today to do my part:

  • Donate – whilst giving money is not the only (or even the best) course of action, it is one I can do without too much difficulty. I can forgo that DVD boxset or take-out pizza or a ton of other things I buy. There are so many worthy charities that I will spend some time researching the options.

  • Lend -as well as giving a donation, I will join a group on kiva.org. This site itself says: ‘Kiva is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world.’

  • Learn – there is still so much I don’t know about poverty – particularly in my own country. Living in the first world does not automatically preclude people from poverty. I want to find out what I can do locally/nationally to help.

  • Volunteer – I am going to commit at least some of my time to a volunteer role although I will have to do some investigation to find the right one that I can fit in with work.

  • Blog – by blogging about this today, it has made me focus on what i can do (not just think) about poverty. Ongoing, I would like to share what I have learned.

I will report back with my progress over the coming weeks. I would love to hear what you will be doing on Blog Action Day….

It has to be rock n roll

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I have been searcing for a leather jacket for a couple of years. I have struggled to find one that is the right cut with the right look. I went shopping again on Saturday to try again. My only requirement was that it had to be rock n roll. I kept finding ones that were very ‘woman of a certain age’. Leather jackets seem to be everywhere this season so I was definitely in a better position than in previous years when I had been looking. However, the style are the bomber jackets which look great on skinny minnies but not so good on the..er … fuller figure, shall we say? Also? I have long legs and a stupidly short body – I do not need to accentuate this fact by buying ANYTHING that is cropped. I had seen some lovely jackets in Superdry but their Large does not cover my boobs so I discounted them. That was until I had been through every shop in town. Then I tried Superdry again and fell in love. It is an irrational, rash love. A teenage crush. But I had to have it. Why buy a jacket that does up anyway? They look so much cooler open. Which is why I have this on my coat-rack now:

Did I also show you my new(ish) shoes that I bought when we were in London last? They are Doc Martens but dainty!!

If you could have told 10-year-old Me that I would willingly buy t-bar shoes I would have laughed in your face. But these were just another crush that I had to act on. I love them so much.

Now I have shared my shameless consumerism, I can start looking forward to Blog Action Day tomorrow which concentrates on poverty. I am well aware of the disparity of posting about nice shoes when there are millions who struggle (in the proper use of the word unlike my earlier use of it) to obtain water and food or to meet other basic needs. And I really did consider not posting at all.  But then this is the reality of my world. And another reality is that there is plenty that I can do – and you too- to help those in the world who are not so lucky.  So I will concentrate on what I (and others) can do to help. Tomorrow I will be posting about it. If you have a blog, may you could too.