More MPs set to stand down at next general election

Erm, let's see... Yes: let's just say that I'm finding it very difficult to empathize, and that it is my profound hope that my MP feels the need to accept the pay-off.

More MPs set to stand down at next general election

And I love this little gem... Austin Mitchell (Lab), said:

"It is in the interests of mandarins and ministers and leaders to have a weak Parliament with members who aren't well-paid enough to do their job."

Erm, Mr Mitchell, it's my experience that they don't do their job, anyway. That is, of course, if part of their job involves representing their constituents' views.

Addendum:
I should point out, for the sake of clarity, that MPs don't have Job Descriptions, so the public will never know whether the cunts are doing their jobs, or not.

Is depression increasing, and what is the best way to treat it?

It seems as though NICE is in the process of making itself about as popular with the pharmaceutical industry as a fart in a spacesuit (again):

Is depression increasing, and what is the best way to treat it?

This business of drugs really only being suited to severe depression, and counselling being the best option, otherwise, is something that NICE has said, before, but it's reiterated it, just now. Incidentally, Alan Johnson, when he was Health Secretary (also in charge of the success of the pharmaceutical industry), promised that, through investment and training, more CBT counsellors would be available on the NHS (the current waitlist, I believe is 3 months for a 6-week course).

Mr Johnson now has another ministry, and I don't recall hearing word of improvements in this area. What's the betting that, were I to ask my useless cunt of a MP, he'd ignore me? I don't know why they bother even pretending to give a shit - lies are just a way of life to these people... "Yes, yes, just fob them off with some announcement, with a delivery date years down the line, and if they haven't forgotten about it by then, somebody else will be in charge, and it won't be my problem." What a bunch of wankers.

Matt

Do you know what? I don't know what the fuck to make of this.

The "this" in the caption refers to, erm, this:

By popular demand

which features a spat between Philip Dawdy and some guy called John MacManaman. I could have a go at deconstructing this, but frankly I don't really care, anymore. I could mediate the dispute, the only problem being that neither party is very likely to acknowledge my authority as mediator, irrespective of my skills in that area.

I understand, now, better than ever before, why it is that I have no real interest in trying to talk to anybody... everybody's just defending their own, tiny corner of reality, a reality that they're infinitely familiar with. And a corner, it should be said, that works for them. Moreover, conflict is so natural, so normal that, it seems to me, people will manufacture it, because they feel uneasy without it - the world looks abnormal without conflict, if you understand me - and so they create conflict, in order to feel as though they understand what's going on.

As a person who grew up in an environment of constant conflict, I find this attitude utterly detestable. Be warned people: I'm a neutral party - attack me in any way (ie, actively or passively), and I'll fuck you up. And don't test me: you'll take my words at face value, if you've any sense left.

Bluebird by Edward Shearmur

I love K-PAX, which this is taken from. I challenge you to find anything other than peace in this. Anyway, this is especially for Anna, who found her own bluebird, just recently.

Most Inspirational Blog Award

Ana's very kindly given me an award:

There are things that I've inspired that I would rather not have done. Disdain, derision, outright hatred sometimes, although nobody feels the need to explain these feelings that they have, other than to the extent that it is my fault. There are odd moments when I feel hurt by that, but less and less these days, I'm pleased to report. One can't win against a person who is agreeing with one - if one tries, it backfires very badly. That's a truth that a few people could benefit from acknowledging.

Anyway, I digress - I'll do some research and find some blogs to pass this on to.

This'll make you laugh...

My wife received a text message from my niece at some unspecified point in the (presumably), recent past.* I don't communicate with any of my family - they have nothing of any interest to say to me, and consequently I have nothing of any interest to say to them.

Anyway, it seems that my sister was thinking about trying to make contact with me, and sent my niece as emissary (but not to me, you'll note - apparently a game of Chinese Whispers is required). It seems my sister is concerned as to the reception she'll get if she tries to mend bridges, or whatever it is she has in mind (it must be four or five years since I last heard from her), and with good reason, too. I understand that it is appropriate and amusing to reject people who are trying to reach out, and this is a theory I look forward to testing.

And Ruth, dear Ruth, it wasn't my fault Dad left. Not even this evil machine was capable of achieving that at the age of two.

* I should note that while I've stated this as a fact, my wife merely told me that my niece had texted. Given that quite a lot of the things that come out of my wife's mouth, erm, strech credibility, if I may understate it like that, my niece may never have done any such thing, and my sister may never have entertained the idea of contacting me. Amazing the false paths we can be led down, when we rely on reported information, isn't it?

By 2040 you will be able to upload your brain...

I had to chuckle... This guy's, frankly whacky, ideas will be hailed as visionary, for no better nor worse reason than that people may make money from them (I contest that no idea is pursued that cannot "turn a buck," which is why most people know very little about anything else). Because money may be made from them, they will be pursued and will probably become reality, as he has predicted.

By 2040 you will be able to upload your brain...

I won't argue with any of his predictions. Partly because I don't know anything about the current state of the technology, and partly because I couldn't give a flying fuck. However, if A.I is ever deemed to have outstripped human intelligence, I'd be pleased to have a chat with it... I could do with a decent conversation.

Do you think machines will ever learn to be duplicitous? If they do, the monkey people had better watch their arses. Actually, I've just realized that that's a dumb question... If we start uploading our brains to machines, then they will replicate our thought patterns, and, presto, they will understand the concept of lying. And they'll lie a fuck sight more convincingly than any human, too, I'd imagine.