To Delete Or Not To Delete

When friends die, they leave behind them little reminders of their presence; physical items, memories, photographs, entries in address books.  When those friends are also 'friends; on social media sites, then they also leave traces there-a page, a website, an account. And like a photograph, those electronic images often pop up to jog a memory, or sit as a constant reminder in the corner of the screen.

This year, 3 people I know as friends - 2 in everyday life and one as on-line 'friend' - have died this year (2 by their own hands, sadly).And yet, I've still to delete their names from my pages and on-line address books. Much like a couple of names in an old address book I have. There's a finality in making such a move so why am I, or are we, reluctant to take such a step?

Its for Remembering not for villifying

I had it in mind to try and write something about the wearing of poppies.  Trouble is, the i beat me to it. And here's that link again :)

Like many other people, I simply wear a poppy at this time of year because I want to, with my reasoning being that I can support the work of the Royal British Legion and mark the sacrifices made by millions in times of conflict.  It is my 'choice'. The governments of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have put in place some restrictive laws over the years but we remain, to all intents and purposes, a free country, a country where the individual can pretty well do as much as they like, say what they like, wear what they like, to choose.

And the reason that they can do this is because those same governments have opted to resist the intentions of others to impose their wills upon us and others. Hence, the wars against the German alliances in the First and Second World Wars, Malaya, Aden, Borneo, Northern Ireland, Falklands - and so on.  Freedom means choice and we should be able to make our choices without fear of rebuke from others. Today I saw my first poppy 'fascist' on Facebook. There are many who, shall we say, nag others to wear poppies but this is the first time I've seen someone implying the wearing of a poppy is pretty much mandatory.

Another year passes and still I find it insulting, the amount of people that are not wearing poppy's (sic)! Yes we are a multicultural nation, but when you live here you respect our traditions and remember all that gave their lives so we could have a better one. I for one will always respect it and I'm immensely proud of them all. - DO

Implicit in this statement is the idea that many non-poppy wearers are not indigenous as the BNP calls them and ignores the fact that a large percentage of the indigenous populace also doesn't wear them. It is possible to respect something without having to wear a badge to prove it.

I wish I could write as eloquently as Simon Kelner who has this piece in the i today, whilst an old (military) colleague posted this on FB:

Poppy supporters, please stop politicising the poppy as a nationalist or Christian symbol. It's not. Support the poppy, but for the right and historic reasons. This xenophobia (look it up) over our poppy just has to stop. Please, Just Remember! If you need a cross to bare (sic), the answer's in this sentence ;) Ta. - PG


It's pretty depressing to see the many corrupted versions of the poppy on eBay associated with political/sectarian groups.

In Laurence Binyon's 'For The Fallen',

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

Poppies, Body Shop and poppycock

The time of Remembrance should rightfully be an emotional and thoughtful time but sometimes it stirs the wrong emotions.  There are those who seek to disrupt by carrying out actions designed to provoke in the guise of a protest. This year's example  of this is Anjem Chaudary and his punny Hell for Heroes protest planned for Remembrance Day at the Albert Hall. This loathsome man is very successful at getting publicity far beyond that warranted by the scale of his protest. Of course, once the sanctimonious Daily Mail has got wind of his plans, he is onto a winner.

In the past few years the use of social media has escalated and with this comes the ready and rapid distribution of information and news. But that also brings with it the ready and rapid distribution of information that isn't so accurate. Take, for example, the case of Poundland. Poundland has a dress code and in Northern Ireland, a country that is also very sensitive to religious icons one poppy-wearing member of staff was asked to remove it. On a matter of principle that individual left work, stating that they would return to work on the following Monday wearing their poppy. Poundland recanted their policy thereby allowing poppies to be worn should staff so wish.

No-one was sent home.

The same piece of self righteous outrage also says that Body Shop have banned staff from wearing poppies. In fact, they haven't. Nor have they ever. In 2009 BodyCare asked THEIR staff not to wear poppies, but after an MP protested, they too recanted. Indeed, Body Shop have put a statement on their Facebook page to that effect and it should be noted that Body Shop and BodyCare are not connected in anyway.

I guess what it comes down to is that some people want to be outraged. Do the research, people.

Facebook Video Chat

Hallo guys,

Facebook has just added a new feature, and unless you're fellow minor-geek, you may be unaware of it.

They've added video chat to your chat window.

Facebook has done this in association with Skype which is probably the biggest name in video chat/messaging. If you want to use it, it's dead simple.

First, click on the name of the individual with who you wish to chat.
At the top of the Chat window you'll see the little camera icon.
Click on that.
You'll now get asked if you want to install and use the that feature so accept that and a download will start.
Just let that run and accept the default options that pop up.
There will be a small file installed and Hey Presto, you're up and running.
Comb your hair, check your teeth for cabbage and chat away,

On Facebook you can only videochat to one person at a time but the new Google+ allows you to chat to up to 10 people at a time. I should point out that Google+ is still only open to a few testers at this moment. On that point, you'll notice that many of the Google products are being redesigned with a cleaner, simpler look, and the latest to undergo  amake over is Youtube, although you have to opt into it at the moment. If you'd like to have a look at it, follow this link. You can always change back to the old format.

http://www.youtube.com/cosmicpanda