So this is my first blog of this year 2020. I don't really know why I stayed away from posting anything but I think it has to do with the fact that all of the innocent folk not just learning about a global pandemic of a virus called COVID - 19 from around December 2019, which initially was someone else's problem on the other side of the world but then during the early part of 2020, it started to show itself in western Europe and we had to start to listen to the most confusing sets of messages ever - not just from our government but from all others in their responses, as well as those from the WHO, on how people should behave going forward -- oh and from the so called leader of the major power of the free world -- "It will one day just disappear" -- "It will die out when the weather gets warmer".
Also , it doesn't matter where it came from -- china or anywhere else -- there are constantly new virus's coming and going from all manner of different sources -- wild animals bites -- the Chinese wet markets -- from laboratories -- the start point for the Covid 1 will eventually be found confirmed and a cure found, and all this before the next one comes along that has to be dealt with --- and if anyone is ever in any doubt , there are researchers globally checking and trying to treat new emerging diseases daily, and because of those efforts there is little heard about them.
So Mr President, neither did it just magically disappear nor did the warm weather kill it and the map and stats below demonstrate where we are now at the end of July.
So the thing is, some 6 months in and the world has no cure , no vaccine, with the best scientists on the planet busying themselves to find the cure, in all the top research establishments and bio-pharma companies around the globe -- and despite what this group that call themselves "American Frontline Doctors" with the lady in the picture as their spokesperson -- speaks volumes of those statements when they get endorsements from the President and even more so when the Potus thinks she is great. Worth a watch and listen to if you want to see what a witch doctor would sound like.
So while I wish the real scientists, and the real Epidemiologists and the Bio Labs the very best of luck from their efforts , I really want to talk about the potential opportunities that could/should come from this situation and that is a chance as the Human Race to make global ---
CHANGE.
Through February and March I heard leading lights from politics , business, from media outlets and well respected folk in the world today, talking of a situation which we had never experienced before with only those who are still alive today who were present during WW11, coming close to understanding what this kind of lockdown measures would have been like, but for the rest of us post WW11 babies , finding it hard to understand what was necessary and even questioning all of the measure that government were putting in place or giving guidelines , in the hope that people would act responsible -- Ok , well in the UK, that worked -- right.
It is not all down to governments to chase a cure for this kind of virus at this time although we see so many examples of some of the largest scientific companies getting in excess of a billion dollars for vaccine research and production such as one of the favourites bin the USA called Gilead Science Ltd, -- See also Handmaids Tale, spooky similarities to companies that someone like Mr Trump seams to like -- and my worry will always be that government sponsored companies will be out for profit if they should find the cure , even though they have already been paid huge sums of money-- even if it found by them and is only made available to Americans, it should be free to everyone as the monies paid is from the peoples tax dollars.
There are people who have decided to put something back to help less fortunate -- ok , so before people start banging on about how these people have got rich off the backs of ordinary people and in some case poor people , I accept that in many cases-- at least they are recognising that they are now in a position to help and with these people and their investment's in scientist , it may be that any cure or vaccine will get to people without extortionate costs.
In amongst all the clever people around the world there are some that have decided that being able to call themselves Billionaire's and just sit back and do nothing was not right and so Bill Gates and Warren Buffett decided to round up a few other billionaires (apparently there were 41 initially and now 200 at this moment who are contributing)- to see where they could do some good for the rest of the world and formed "Giving Pledge"-----
and who have joined with Philanthropic views with the aim to support initiatives around the world , from Medicine research, to disaster relief aid, poverty alleviation as well as arts and culture.
Bill Gates and his wife Melinda have established "The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation" who among other things donate hundreds of millions for scientific research to help find medicines for diseases around the world.
They also research other issues for the benefit of the world in the future and were involved in one such piece last October where along with other organisations they looked at how ready the world were to deal with a future Pandemic.
All a bit Altruistic -- maybe -- get's you a bit cynical -- possibly-- but I would much rather that there was some hope coming out of the efforts of this group than those without them.
The relevance of relating about these -- mostly -- guys around the world who have amassed as much as some countries GDP, is that I believe that they have earnt the right to be listened to by governments. And remember that these are ones that wouldn't necessarily be beating a path to Donalds door right now.
But whatever the government's in leading countries, did or didn't take notice of , they surely should be taking the opportunity to look at what the future after COVID 19 could look like if they were bold enough to take a real leap of faith and to "Take a Chance on Change", for the good of the population that they are there to serve and future generations.
I wonder if any of them , even in their dark lonely times on their own that they may have a "Wish List", but just in case they do not I have produced mine and am very happy to share this with anyone who may have the time to read this stuff and open their imagination -- I know that this is a weird time that we havn't seen as a global issue since WW11 and I know how busy everyone is both dealing with "The right now ", but wouldn't it be great for just one of the leaders in the world , took a step forward with a plan of how they would make ----CHANGE.
If I could only get the following list of mine on Amazon like this one below -- that would make life easier
So just in case -- here is my wish list for the future -----
Every government should be in a position to ensure that there is a plan for the future with any further virus's, with equipment and supplies that are always ready and available as necessary and with an Emergency Plan that is able to be implemented immediately, that leaves no ambiguity.
- While considering what is possible for the world to change for the better about Racism, gender equality, and general human rights , there has to be an opportunity also to redress the inequality in the world between men and women.
People can point to many examples of where Women have made their impact on their chosen vocations-- Margarete Thatcher, Indira Ghandi, The Queen, and the like but they are even today the exception to the rule. There has to be a way that we can ensure that the chain of learning --- education is the answer -- from the time that they are borne to the time when they are able to make their choices for their futures.
At the time of writing this Kamala Harris has just been appointed Joe Biden's Vice President candidate for the Democratic Parties running pairing for the upcoming November elections. My concern is for her not to end up being some kind of puppet for mixed race population but allowed to really expand into her own person for the future fight for President, in her own right.
But at the same time there can surely be laws enforced that ensure that ALL companies and Corporations, all Political Parties and Governments have to ensure that they seeking out females for the roles that are available - Not just because she is a woman --and bringing an appropriate balance to the business that also ensures that there is an equality in the payment structure. How can a woman earn less than a man for doing the same job -- it is illogical and just not right.
In the world right now there are hundreds of men who are Weinstein wannabees in the making , all in positions of power, and so many who take advantage of their position especially around women who work for the company and them. There have to be far stronger laws that give protection while at the same time ensuring that there are protections for men from women who bring spurious claims.
Education is where it needs to start to eliminate any thoughts that men may have that women are not as equal and to ensure that we eliminate the need to have to point out that any opening or job should be taken by the best candidate , whatever the gender. This should also apply to any religion that believes that women are subservient to men.
The picture above is an open cast lignite , brown coal , mine -- not in Africa or Asia or even one of the Americas -- it is in North Greece, supplying the fuel for one of the 3 fossil fuel power stations, and this in a country that has around 300+ days of sunshine a year.
There should be a right that everyone has access to cheap fuel no matter which part of the world they are in -- different sustainable solutions will suit different regions in the world.
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And now pollution.
There are so many places in the world that generally the human race do not get exposed to through the media but which destroy the fabric with toxins, poisons, polluting the rivers and the surrounding land , killing anything in the natural habitat.
As an example -- and one not widely known , one of the most polluted parts of the world in the graveyard for steel recovery from old worn out and scrapped ships, contaminating the rivers and seas in and around Anang , India. You really have to see the pictures and read the data recorded for this activity , along around 50 miles of coast line. However if this kind of thing was better controlled then the less mining for ore would be necessary -- oh, and maybe fewer deaths of those that are working there.
There is a huge amount of data collected about what future farming should look like -- which has to include the stop of food being transported from one side of the world to the other -- using refrigerated containers that do little for the carbon footprint.
This has to include the chance to change peoples eating and dietary habits as well as this can, have a huge benefit to the health and wellbeing which in turn reduces the impact on the health services.
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Image of Graphene , with the nanotechnology within the fabric and the nanotubes may bring power not previously seen on the planet. There is a 17 university group headed by Manchester Uni, that are developing this material with among others Intel, with the endless possibilities that this material that can be as thin as Clingfilm but stronger than steel , and that can absorb the energy from the sky, with a view to powering buildings and vehicles -- hope to see it in my lifetime.
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- One area that I would wish for people to find a way to address is that of Religion influences on wars, on abuse, both sexual and physical, on taking advantage of the people through their power , both local and international. To deal with those Religious people to abuse the power that they surely have in communities for their own gratification, should be possible if there is a collective agreement in stamping all this out.
Way too many people will continue to inform us that their religion is for peace and do not condone wars, genocide, and brutality and yet the perpetrators of such acts proudly stand up at atrocities with religious banners and slogans, displaying their messages of hate and yet the religions that they purport to follow do nothing to assist in stopping this, apart from the occasional verbal rebuke.
There is little done as a global collective to educate the world as to the reality of some of the worst of these atrocities -- from the Belgian Congo annihilation's, the British Empire atrocities, the WW11 genocides by the Nazi's , the Ruanda genocides (although you could see these still going on in Cameroon, in DRC, in Nigeria and round to Yemin and Kashmir and there has to be an opportunity to address these now once and for all, in order that people can worship whatever religion they wish to but in peace and which will help to rid once and for all the extremist groups that are totally in denial and to which so little is done to ensure that people in the world are both aware of the truth and of what are happening today.
Shouldn't the Human Race be able to expect that the Heads of all religious beliefs to be able to communicate and act together for the good of the world and the future in a way that as a collective , dealing with those extremists within their groups and ensuring that they can all live as they preach -- peacefully.
Somewhere in the future there has to be a time when Jews can live side by side in peace with Muslims -- either that or the alternative will be that they as well as everyone else who have their own disputes, will be into local wars or into another world war or actually wiped out.
Until these powerful people take the first step then nothing will change but what an opportunity.
Education is what is needed, including people of different faiths being able to demonstrate why theirs is relevant to them and their followers -- it is has to be possible to ensure that with this knowledge there can be mutual respect.
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We still have time to make a difference for the future of the planet.
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Sorry for the repeat paragraph.
I did actually miss one off the list --- wait for it -- drum roll please -- and that is that the human race learns to be "NICE" to each other, to your neighbor's -- whether those in the house next door of the country next door, or to folk across the other side of the world.
That needs to include an allowance of anyone to have their own views and religions without the fear that there will at some point be major conflict, and that can only change if there is education , remove poverty, give opportunities to the whole human race, and provide a future that is fit for our children and grandchildren.
Time for a New Dawn.
Wishful thinking -- of course.
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