Tori Kelly - Confetti

A kiss from you

Is there anything better than a kiss from you
That look in your eye
The softness of your lips
your tongue

Is there anything better than a kiss from you
The softness of your cheek on mine
A kiss that tells a million tales
Clearly expressing if words should fail
A promise of one soul to another

Happy SMSx

Is the the rise in private landlords destroying communities?

Becoming a private landlord can be a viable source of income, a great investment, perhaps a way to safeguard an inheritance, or perhaps just a profitable long term business.
However, it can be hard work, tenants can be a nightmare and it can be a huge responsibility. Not always, but sometimes.
In the main however, it’s pretty straightforward stuff.

There are council-run accreditation schemes, a range of lease schemes in which a landlord can get a guaranteed rent from a local authority or housing association for a number of years. There are a variety of rent and deposit guarantee schemes, and support for landlords in the form of grants that can in some cases cover up to 50% of the costs of kitchen or bathroom upgrades.
It has been estimated that, by 2020, 20% of the UK’s housing stock will be privately let.

In Hackney alone there are approximately 12,590 applicants on the housing register, so the demand for homes is high.
Yet the private rented sector seems to be having a wider impact on communities.
The era of knowing your neighbours and building relationships is dwindling fast.
Those in privately rented accommodation tend not to form attachments with the property or the community of which they may find themselves a part of. The tendency to treat the property with little care is also more prevalent, as there is no real incentive to maintain it. For those longer serving community members it can be a real nightmare. Not being able to identify who lives next door, friend from foe, with the constant flow of tenants.

Increasingly private landlords appear to care little about the impact their tenants may have on the wider community, and unsurprisingly, appear purely concerned with the income derived.
It is a legacy of Thatcherism, and just another example of the demise of community.

Yet there is no reason why that has to be the case.
It’s a matter of having respect for one’s self, family and others.
A code of conduct if you like, which if applied, community tends to be a natural by product.







Sources
http://iwc2.labouronline.org
http://www.guardian.co.uk/housing-network
http://www.hackney.gov.uk/h-landlords-grants
http://www.hackney.gov.uk/Assets/Documents/homelessness-strategy.pdf

Eastenders Fan

I'm a Eastenders fan.
I've been watching it on and off for years...
Yep.. happily admit that.. duck in.. duck out.. bit here.. bit there ( see.. I'm even talking more cockney just thinking about it)

Man... I'd love to write for EastEnders.. Still I know it's not as easy as it may look

Anyway.. in case anyone knows what I'm talking about...
Question...Is there a man disgusting enough in EastEnders to rival 'Whispering Phil?'
'Cat Baloo/ Careless Whisker Ian' has begun to talk.. and his daughter Lucy is definitely a chip off her her mothers scary shoulder.. sharp

Writers please.. set Shirley up with Derek... that's a match.

The suppression of love

True love cannot be contained.
Where it is present ... it will always rise to the surface
It gives you strength where previously there may have been weakness
It gives you courage to overcome difficulties

I’ve seen people transformed by love, truly believing in themselves and fulfilling their potential
But there tends to be a flip side... to everything.
There are tales of women who have become hooked on drugs for love, or prostituted for love for example.
Parents who become unwitting enablers to their children’s ‘habit’ .. perhaps stalling their rehabilitation
But I would have to question if that is really love, or something entirely different.
You see loves aim is never to hurt or destroy
Never to fill a vessel with fear, but to achieve completeness
Liberation
It’s multifaceted yet one complete entity that dwells within yet transcends us all
It can also be highly frustrating, annoying even

But suppression of love is harmful I believe, as it takes an enormous amount of energy.. and ultimately, I'm not sure it can be done.. as the moment you stop.. it rises to the top.

Personal Tribute Post

Today I said goodbye to someone I never thought I would have to.
I can’t put into words the feeling of almost disbelief yet stark reality that the person is no longer here.
It was unexpected... and so young. It’s very difficult.
Prayers to the family.. and friends.. as their loss is great indeed.
R.I.P Femi
It was an honour to have met you, worked alongside you... a true gentleman.

This accompanied you, so whenever I hear it.. It will remind me of you

Kit Malthouse.. thought of the day

Kit Malthouse Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Enterprise, can't understand why residents overlooking the Olympic Park are complaining.
On the news today a few residents who were being interviewed felt let down by the promises of window cleaning ( which didn't take place) jobs for locals ( no comment) and other benefits they clearly had hoped for..Kits response.. 'I don't get it..they were overlooking a toxic dump full of old fridges and freezers before!!'.

Cant argue with that. hehe.. cheeky..

Kit and Boris

Does money change people?

Would winning a large sum of money change you?
What if you won £148 million?

I gave this a little thought today, and I’m not sure it does, despite what is often said.
What changes is the lives they lead, things around them, the quality of their lives.. in fact definitely the quality of their lives.
I suspect it would relieve a lot of stress, and that may alter a person’s personality somewhat (as stress often does) but essentially, they are the same people.
So... if they were nice kind and caring people before, they will remain so
If they were arseholes before, they will remain so

What it may trigger is aspects of a person’s personality that were previously hidden, perhaps aspects of their personality they themselves were not aware of.
Situations show us who we are.
Our experiences teach us who we are.
perhaps ... if you really want to know a person.. give them lots of money... or lots of alcohol:))

I don’t play the lottery... ironically I wouldn’t mind winning

£148million is a lot of money to win, I can’t imagine what that bank account looks like, no actually, I can.. and it looks great.
Imagine, not having to worry about money ever again
To be able to help out friends or family
Do things that matter to you that previously remained a distant dream
Lovely thought

Euromiilion winners Adrian and Gillian Bayford
Congrats to them.. they look so happy

Still talking 2012.. it's not over yet!

One of the disappointments for me was the women’s 800m final.
It seemed to me that Caster had no real desire to win, and I got the impression she could have won easily... had she had wanted to.

That may seem like an unfair comment towards to Russian winner (well done to her).. it's not intended to be, but even the commentators seemed bemused.
Michael Johnson didn’t think that was the case...but then ( as far as I'm aware) he’s never had to undergo humiliating tests to find out what really dwells between his legs (so to speak)

I got a txt afterwards to say... hmm... perhaps she was trying to run like a lady!?!...
Well perhaps she was.
It is possible that Caster has developed a fear of winning.? Winning = humiliation?.
It was an odd race..that's for sure.

A friend of mine overheard a few comments recently regarding tennis that I have also been privy to before.
A couple a women moaning about the Williams sisters.
‘Oh it’s not fun anymore... they hit the ball too hard!!”

Yeah... and the rest

Other highlights...
Other than Stephen Kiprotish winning the marathon today for Uganda ?...

...the sight of Mo Farah’s wife flying the flag for married women everywhere...
Seemingly having a good old moan... double gold winner or not...

‘Yeah you may be good at running... but that bin I asked you to take out two weeks ago is still there... and quite frankly... will be waiting for you when you get back... ‘
Did she say that??... :))..Perhaps not, but she did look utterly pissed off.

2015 Politics..

The next UK general election will be held on 7 May 2015.
I watched our current P.M this morning talking about the sporting legacy.
Funny how much more appealing he is with the sound turned down :) (I joke of course)

Apparently an MPs parliamentary salary is around £60,277.. they can add to this by undertaking paid board memberships or directorships.. or perhaps other ventures such as writing books, or whatever other talent they may possess.

Not bad.
Not huge, but not bad.

The P.M earns about £142,500...
similar I guess to chief executives and some school heads ( I think they get more actually)

Care workers earn between £12 - £21 depending on experience
Cynics would say it doesn't pay to care..
I wouldn't say that necessarily.. although it may pay more to talk about it.. or show others how it should be done .. then delegate
Yet we need to care more than ever.. like breathing out or breathing in
Still...like most things age and experience could increase your salary

Anyway.. I came across this 32 ways to make someone happy

It's not just salary then.. although that definitely helps

Unless there are stark differences between the parties come election time.. it may be a struggle to get the masses to vote.
Why?... perhaps it's that 'care' thing again..

The £9.3 billion mood lifter..

The Olympics has been estimated to cost around £9.3 billion, and many say it has lifted the mood of the nation.

I'll go out on a limb and say I agree.. at least it has lifted mine.
This time last year the London riots were the talk of the town, Tottenham, Hackney, Croydon.. the riots was London in a crisis, fractured communities, disgruntled citizens, and seemingly out of touch leaders, and politicians.

Well, the leaders haven't changed..
The politicians haven't changed..
Policing hasn't changed..
So what gives??...

Now I would say it doesn't take £9 billion to lift my mood, but clearly, investment in people, can, and does.

Whilst the Olympic budget was under scrutiny, and was highly questionable, especially with cuts to public services, and so many other areas such as education and training, can we now say that it has been worth it?

Team GB has brought a sense of unity amidst diversity, and national pride that's for sure, but when the lights go out, the crowds go home, and the games end, people will still need access to education, jobs, and opportunities.

The Olympics is like sex, great at the time, but the feeling wont last. It takes much more to sustain the feel good factor... and that is a genuine desire to...commitment to... and investment in.

I'm sure those who have taken part will never forget these games.. I wont either, best for me by far.
But end they will... all £9 billion + of it.

Fun link 9 things that cost as much as the Olympics

Olympic greats.. 2012

There are many, many more.. any highlights for you?


GBs Nicola Adams Boxing Olympic Gold Medallist

Bolt Blake and Weir of Jamaica
Olympic gold, silver, bronze 200m sprint

The US quartet of Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter world record holders and gold medal winners...40.82 seconds,

David Rudisha of Kenya
800m gold medal winner, and world record holder, 1.40.91

Do poor Jamaican's celebrate Jamaican 'independence'?

I remember once asking my mum why Montserrat doesn't have their ‘own flag’.
I wanted a flag to wave like my Jamaican friends, and wondered why, when I looked in books etc, I couldn’t find one for Montserrat.
My mother explained that Montserrat was not an independent country, and was still in effect.. a British colony.

"What!?!"...I was a little bemused. "Why on earth do they not opt for independence?"
"What for?" Was the response I received, and as at the time I could think of no other answer other than... “Because I want a flag to fly!"...which even at my young age I knew sounded ridiculous and was a poor argument... the conversation ended there.

All these years later, and as Montserrat has been virtually decimated by the volcano, perhaps ‘they’ were right... after all... being a British colony has helped many Montserratians to begin lives elsewhere, British passport in hand.

However, The response "what for?" was also very poor in my opinion, after all, as our children grow up and leave home, we don’t ask 'what for'... as we accept that it's an important aspect of adulthood, self determination, actualisation, and growth, for a person to be able to make their own decisions, and take responsibility for their lives.
It’s the difference between adults and children

Well... are country’s any different?

On this day, on August 6 1962, Jamaica gained their independence.
Well done Jamaica.. yet hold your applause...

Whilst we all know the achievements of this tiny Caribbean island, and whilst many of us have been touched or ‘Jamaicanised’ in some way, is it really possible for an island heavily reliant on funds from the IMF and economically restricted as a result of debt repayments, which impacts on education, jobs, growth and development, to really be classed as independent?

Lets just check an on-line definition of independence

1.not influenced or controlled by others in matters of opinion, conduct, etc.; thinking or acting for oneself: an independent thinker.
2.not subject to another's authority or jurisdiction; autonomous; free: an independent businessman.
3.not influenced by the thought or action of others: independent research.
4.not dependent; not depending or contingent upon something else for existence, operation, etc.
5.not relying on another or others for aid or support.

Whilst I’m no expert on Jamaican politics, I would say that the vast number of Jamaicans that I’ve met (and meet) who have been able to leave Jamaica, tell tales of serious poverty, and lack of opportunity, they also tend to be also often blighted by very low literacy and numeracy skills.
So whilst I've read that the government has put some educational programs in place, it still would appear that the divide between rich and poor is still great indeed.
I have searched for some stats on Jamaica, but they vary greatly, so I will not include them in this post.
On this occasion, I will go by what I've been told, from those who should know more than I....Jamaicans.

(In their own Words)

Whilst the story of Jamaica independence is indeed one to be admired, it does appear now to be reminiscent of the tale of the emperor’s new clothes

So exactly who is celebrating... and why?

Ghetto people of Jamaica need food, clothes, decent homes, education, and a future free from violence, politricks, marginalisation, and exploitation.
Now that would really be something to celebrate..
And definitely worthy of applause...

But hey.. well done Jamaica.. you're pretty cool still.

Back in the day.. One of Jamaica's former P.Ms

What would Hitler have made of Bolt?...

In 1936 Jessie Owen won the 100m sprint, 200m sprint, long jump, and men’s 4 x 100m relay at the Berlin Olympics and Hitler’s theory of Aryan race superiority was shattered. There are reports that Hitler stormed out, snubbing Owen, then again Owen is reported to have said that Hitler did acknowledge him by waving at him, and even shook his hand backstage which the press would not report on.

Jessie Owens was reported to have said that he was treated better by the Germans, than Americans, and it was his own President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, who snubbed him... never inviting him to the White House or really acknowledging his success.

Jessie Owen may not have received the type of material success that is awarded to athletes nowadays in the form of sponsorship and advertising campaigns, but he is iconic, and was undoubtedly a great athlete.

So what would Hitler have made of Bolt and Blake? (cute)

Frankly I think he would have been in awe... enjoying every moment of what was a master class of sheer athletic brilliance

Next time Gatlin... On the line he looked fierce!!!.. got a text last night that summed it up... "wot a line up!!"

Okay - where has the sunshine gone? ft.In the sun (so high) instrumental

A cloudy afternoon, yet an ideal opportunity to potter and get things done without the lure of the warm sunshine distracting you.
I often hear some nice tunes coming from Ti's speakers, and this is one of them.
Pretty chilled.