I watched the documentary by Al Gore, ‘An Inconvienient Truth.’ Some of his presentation / slideshow is highlighted in this video. The kids and their ticking time bomb is a powerful touch! Then I read about ‘The Great Global Warming Swindle’ documentary, some points which are highlighted in this video >>

Now, I’m totally confused. What is under dispute is whether global warming is actually man-made, caused by carbon emissions or just the natural ebb and flow of the sun’s temperature, which implies that nothing we do on earth will make any significant difference. Read some views about the vastness of the oceans and lands, and how insignificant man-made industry / factories are by comparison and how arrogant human beings are to believe they can have such a significant impact on an ancient earth.

The former argument suggests that CO2 causes the ozone layer to become denser, which traps in the sun’s rays (the greenhouse effect) and therefore increases the earth’s temperature. The latter argument suggests that CO2 makes up only 0.1% of the atmosphere and that there is an 800 year lag of rise in CO2 after the temperature has risen.

As usual there seems to be evidence either way but both sides can be accused of political bias and warping statistics to meet their objectives. Many scientists are apparently afraid to speak up against the mainstream as there is a stigma attached, that “denying global warming is like denying the holocaust.” What is the truth? Are the environmentalists genuine in their moral intentions or is the issue being abused to curry political favour ie: David Cameron, to get more funding for research or from the public ie: recycling tax fines? Do those with integrity / ethics actually understand the science involved?

Are those opposed trying to protect their interests in oil or automobiles or hungry to maintain power over industry / technology? A couple of the talking heads featured have apparently tried to ban the release of the documentary and the director has allegedly been accused of presenting fraudulent facts before. Is this another lie? I just don’t know what to believe now, maybe I’m actually becoming a sceptic. I can see how the majority of media, news, documentaries are full of propaganda / spin with one-sided views. However, I’ll continue tearing my windows off envelopes etc.

Warning: some graphic descriptions of torture and death….

Apologies for yet another ethereal subject but I have just been to Edinburgh and wanted to recommend the ‘Ghosts and Ghouls’ tour which takes place in the underground vaults. There are various other tours on offer ie: ‘City Of The Dead’ (which I will reserve for my next visit) but we decided to chose the offering at Mercat Tours. Be warned though, if you are an englishman, you are likely to be humiliated infront of the laughing crowd or ‘cheering mob’ as we were dubbed.

Our guide was a charming gentleman called John, who wore a black vampiric cloak and carried a lit candle. We began the tour near the cathedral and heard the tale of how two englishmen toasting the new king in a Scottish tavern were stripped naked in the public square and beaten with a cat ‘o’ nine tales. He who had yelled, “Hail, the new king,” had his mouth slit from ear to ear and his tongue crushed until it turned black and the other who had rejoiced with “Hear, hear!” was nailed to the monument wall by his ear lobe and then ripped away from it. The punishment usually fit the crime in medieval times.

There were so many deaths from plagues and disease, the hordes of bodies were burried at 6 feet under until the plot was full, then 4ft, then 2ft and when it rained in Edinburgh all the coffins were displaced. It was rather a disturbing thought as the hundreds of graves were allegedly below our feet. As we progressed into the underground vaults, we were told of ‘The Watcher’ a malevolent spirit who generally resides above the doorway and how there had been a partial possession in this tomb. A man felt like he was being hung and the next day woke with a rope burn mark around his neck. Slept in his tie perhaps? Someone was breathing on the back of my neck throughout but I assume it was the tall Scottish chap with the bushy beard.

We travelled through candlelit passageways with dark crooks and crannies to the right and left, suitable abodes for resident ghosts. I tried desperately not to look too closely into the shadows, just incase I saw something surreal. Agreed, I am a coward but we are talking about the girl who ran through the ‘Haunted House’ at Alton Towers. In the next room, I felt strangely relieved, comforted by the candles and was suprised to discover it was known as the ’safe room.’ A cobbler sat in the corner protecting everyone in it, including a young boy who had curly blonde hair and the appearance of ‘Little Lord Fauntleroy.’ He often appears infront of and is seen by young children because they don’t have the same prejudices and scepticism as adults, we are told. Occasionally he holds the hand of a maternal female because he misses his mother. So if you feel an icy hand, it may be chilly ‘Willy’……

Yet another room, after passing a section of catacombs and we are told the story of one of their tour guides. Everytime she reached a certain archway, all the lights mysteriously went out. When she left the room to lead the frightened children to safety, all the lights mysteriously came on again. Okay, faulty wiring, temperimental power cut perhaps? So she went to fetch a torch, only to encounter the same problem. Functioning normally in the outside world, failing miserably in the underground vaults. However, it just so happened there were 27 American boy scouts in her tour group and their motto being ‘Be Prepared,’ they each had small torches on them. Not one of them worked that particular night.

In a cavity the size of a small cave, there was one last tale in which John built up the suspense with whispering and heavy breathing, only to shout and lurch at the end. The result of which was me screaming the loudest with a look of sheer terror on my face and making everyone laugh. I suppose it may have relieved some of the built-up tension, despite being rather embarrassing. And then we ascended back towards daylight, where we were greeted by articles about the various visits of mediums and the filming of ‘Most Haunted,’ and several photographs featuring orbs and other unexplained phenomena.

So if you are ever in Edinburgh, I’d definitely recommend experiencing one of the underground tours, and if you fancy a tipple, visit ‘The King’s Wark’ pub. There is a ghost in their cellar called Billy, who was locked in by the king’s soldiers for overhearing their conversation and died of dehydration. Every monday, they leave him a glass of water, which mysteriously evaporates into thin air but if they forget, keys and other miscellaneous items start getting misplaced. Ask the bartenders, they’ll tell you all about it….

Enjoyed watching this programme last weekend >> “Documentary series which offers some entertaining, original and thought-provoking theories as to how we got here, why and what happens when it’s all over.

Contributors including John Lydon, Fern Britton, John Humphrys, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Bill Oddie, Dame Kelly Holmes and Alan Titchmarsh give their thoughts on their own childhood beliefs such as Santa and the tooth fairy, and how hard it was to sort out the meaning from the mumbo jumbo.”

It’s on a similar vein to ‘Grumpy Old Men / Women,’ featuring narration by Dawn French and often humourous insights from the talking heads.

My parents don’t like cats and dogs, we were only allowed fish when we were young, so I have never been a huge animal lover. Plus, I’m somewhat of a hygiene freak, so the prospect of hairs, fleas and allergic reactions has never really appealed. Although I have respect for animals, I generally prefer human beings, regarding them as complex yet beautiful. No doubt there are many people who feel the opposite way. It always made me cringe when people would show me photos of their pets wearing bonnets and calling them their babies. To be honest, I’d just think, have some children already…But lately, I have been hanging out with a couple of cats that belong to my best friend’s ex-wife, and am developing an appreciation for them.

What I am particularly interested to know though is…do animals actually have genuine affection for people? Do they actually notice or care who is feeding or stroking them or are they just motivated by their instincts / needs? I have a feeling the latter may be true for cats but not so much for dogs. A friend of mine thinks that dogs are simple-minded yet loyal, whereas cats are independent and insubordinate. He respects cats more than dogs because they don’t obey human beings, they use them to satisfy their needs. Naturally, I would like to believe that animals can form genuine connections with individual people but am not 100% convinced. Can anyone enlighten me?

you were completely alone in the world? Imagine being shipwrecked on a desert island for years. Could you cope or would you descend into madness? I have spent a considerable amount of time isolated in the past due to depression and find, without any connection with other human beings, you tend to lose perspective after a while. When I lived completely alone for a year, I often found myself talking to inanimate objects and rooms even, similar to Tom Hanks in ‘Cast Away’ when he starts talking to the football. What was its name, Wilson? Yes, I’ll admit it, I shed a few tears when he drifted off to sea. Spending time by yourself can be extremely relaxing and therapeutic but it seems vital to find a balance between alienation and socialising for a harmonious mind…

An eccentric chap called Peter Aziz claims to heal patients with the help of dragons, tree spirits and fairies. Whilst remaining open to alternative therapies, chakra healing, aura balancing etc, this was definitely ‘way out there’ with the use of mythical creatures. I watched in awe as he walked to a tree that was calling to him offering it’s branches for healing properties. Apparently, only 10% of trees actually want to help human beings. Then there are water spirits that offer guidance, and can cause life-threatening illnesses if they are imprisoned in a blocked well under your house. He could even see fairies under a waterfall. Do such creatures actually exist after all? Regardless of his kooky methods and obsecure chanting, his patients seemed impressed with their results. One claimed that he saved her disabled child’s life, after the medical profession had offered no hope. If all else failed, would you be willing to try anything, even the use of dragon’s stones?

Last night, I had another surreal dream. I was a guest at a party that was filled with scandal and eroticism, women wearing lingerie etc. Then, found myself sitting at a train station in confusion as if in ‘limbo’ mode between life and death. I attempted to board the train at platform 10, which read something like ‘resolutions’ or ‘revisions’ without permission but ended up being forced by the trainmaster onto the carriage at platform 11, which was a journey devoted to re-living painful lifetime events indefinitely. Does this mean I am going to hell? Or is it similar to the ‘death’ tarot card, which can mean changes / rebirth / a new direction? I am hoping it’s the latter as I kinda had my heart set on heaven….

Wow! What a fabulous programme! Very humbling indeed. Tonight’s episode featured 62-year-old self-made millionaire and lifelong supporter of the Conservative Party, John Elliott who went under cover in Kensington, Liverpool, one of the poorest areas in Britain, to live on the equivalent of state benefit. At the end of his 10 day visit, he decided to give £10,000 to a debt-ridden young family, so that they could have a deposit towards their 1st home; employed charming Kenyan refugee Philip, who was struggling to find work in the UK, as an acountant in his own company; and gave at least 7 grand to an organisation supporting asylum seekers.

The most interesting aspect was how through the experience, John’s preconceived ’scrounging’ stereotypes were challenged as he talked to real-life people struggling through such adversity. For example, imagine fleeing with your children from a country where there is an abundance of war, poverty, injustice etc to a foreign land, where you must endeavour to survive on the outskirts of society. His donation to this charitable organisation enabled them to add a laundry room to the facility, continue finding suitable housing and buying the essentials, toothbrushes, underwear, soap. Must remember to catch it next week….

Horizon programme on BBC2 October 24th 9.00pm

“By 2029 it’s predicted that computer intelligence will equal the power of the human brain. This idea is dividing the scientific community. For some it heralds endless possibilities - we will be able to download our minds onto computers extending our lives indefinitely. Others fear it will lead to the destruction of the human race by giving rise to ultra intelligent machines.

One thing they all agree on is that the creation of this new type of human is inevitable.”

Uhhh-ohhh! What do you think about the prospect of artificial intelligence? Do you embrace or fear it?

I have been experimenting with the theory you can manifest reality via your own thoughts / beliefs. Whilst trying to get to sleep, I recently thought ‘Mmmm, could do with another project to work on, haven’t heard from client A for a while’ and the following day, to my utter suprise, I received a new brief from them. This appeared more than mere coincidence. It’s almost as if you open a door in your mind to allow something to occur. It’s like a calm acceptance, frustration just seems to keep you locked experiencing the same situation without the possibility of change.

I particularly enjoyed listening to Steve Pavlina’s podcast. He seems to use the idea of a computer game to alter his perception of the nature of reality, imaging that he is the central character and that everyone else existing is of his own creation, as if they are a part of himself. They can appear or disappear as and when he requires them and he has infinite power to mould his environment. Kinda reminded me of the matrix…

Boy: Do not try and bend the spoon. That’s impossible. Instead… only try to realize the truth.
Neo: What truth?
Boy: There is no spoon.
Neo: There is no spoon?
Boy: Then you’ll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.

I have been attempting to attract more £s into my life, partly as an practical experiment. Not that I am particularly materialistic but would benefit from the freedom it brings. I have been attempting to believe / visualise a bout of money heading my way, maybe not tomorrow but at some point in the near future. Anyway, out of interest I have won the lottery 4 times over the past month or so. I only entered occasionally in the past but have never won before. Okay, it’s only 3 x £7 and 1 £44 but it encourages me to continue experimenting. Apparently, if you entertain doubts and sceptism, you hinder the process, sending out conflicting thoughts into the universe, giving you mixed results. Must be amazing to be able to remain focussed on your desires, without conflicting thoughts or doubt, to the extent that you can manifest reality in the universe. As the author says, ‘it’s definitely a challenge’ to alter your consciousness to that level.

Complete notes here…..