How do you create work in a country whose production industries are dying or long gone?

Is it only me who is not so quiety panicking about the debt this country is in?

Perhaps the new government has, by coming out with guns blazing, got me to talking about things I have been thinking about for ages. I did used to write about them but nobody seemed that concerned..or other concerns were more important to them. No crime but the 'ostrich' years are over.

In some ways I respect the new government for 'SAYING' it is going to be responsible and for seeming to take, at the moment, action to resolve the debt problem with it's first emergency budget due and already attempting to clear £6 billion of the debt but that is just a piddle in a massive ocean and where is the other £144 billion to be found from?

The notion of that kind of money is beyond me...particularly as I have always thought the money market is based on little substance and actually alot of notional money seems to have been moving around (heaven knows where or why). Actually, to me it is all notional rather than substancial. It certainly doesn't seem to bare any significance to anyone's life until there comes a point where debt has to be paid back...because who are 'the national we' to be paying it back to?

And then...it all gets very scary indeed because, you have to look at the hows and that means the country's capacity to do so.

Will a massive cut in public spending clear that amount of debt? I don't think it will in itself. If I put the argument about how necessary public services are to one side (because surely everyone believes there should be a public sector of some kind or other) and look at the money...I don't believe that level of debt will be cleared....and the bigger issue is ..how are we to sustain when alot of our production industries are in decline, or gone?

I was actually contemplating this notion of a 'big society' and wondering if I could sustain within work because in spite of my scepticism, I would like to be part of a society that does care, does work together and is 'better'. However, on a personal basis, I know that I would not cope nor would employers and other employees cope with me or for those who believe that illness is not all that a person is....how 'we' would cope with with my illness because, as yet, I am unable to be 'consistent' or maintain a level of coping that would fit with conventional work environments. Could start to talk about flexible work....working from home etc but as a society we haven't come that far yet. Maybe we will get there but before we get there we need to have work opportunities and lots of them...and unless I am completely oblivious to what is actually happening the work isn't there and companies are still closing down on a daily basis.

I don't see the growth of new industries...and not on a scale to replace the old and I am not sure quite what a'Big Society' means in realilty. Is it something like modern China? Because how can we compete with that? Do we want to be like that?

I am not clever enough to comprehend all this in a way that doesn't confuse me or stop me getting headaches but I do have to wonder at consistent governments who have allowed the financial sector to be so greedy...possibly encouraged it..who knows?????

Maybe the financiers pull the strings? Hmmm. Nosebleed stuff

A slightly (actually not sure how slight) bisexual's ponderings on gay and lesbian celebrity...and possible equality issues

Before I head off into territory that is going to darken my name further, amongst the PC police and their snitches, I can say that it is for reasons of curiosity that I am posting this post.

The first thing I want to look at is the growing fashion statement, amongst gay presenters, that is the 'orange fake tan' . I thought David Dickinson had the monopoly on this one. Disclaimer coming... if Mr Dickinson is gay then not openly so...and assume that he is a happily married man...assume because you never really know what goes on anywhere except in your own life and even then I am not sure that anyone can ever be 100% about anything..."We fade to grey"

Anyhows....the first presenter I clocked going for the full on orange effect was Dale Winton. Not sure if Graham Norton came on board next or Stephen Fry but, recent viewings of Mr Fry on QI (which I still find quite interesting and much more so when Johnny Vegas is on)have had me toning down the brightness on my tv. Am wondering if it is part of a 'gay celeb' status symbol. Or just really shit taste.

Let it not be said that I am totally biased, although confess to a high level of biast when it comes to Stephen Fry. I have clocked a more svelt like SF, lightening his hair (easy on the eye) and seeming to have become more aware of how to co-ordinate his costumery. Not that that actually makes much difference of my opinion of him as an 'essential item in anyone's recovery tool kit'. I didn't mind him on the plumpish side, with greying hair and not being a dedicated follower of fashion. I was more worried about this iconic status, as a MH gugu and spokesperson for us loonies at every MH gala event/media opportunity going.

No...it is for me a question of why? Why fake tan and why so orange? I mean I know us Brits love our gay celebs on the camp side. Not sure we are quite ready for a non camp gay celeb (for years we watched John Inman... telling us he was free... and although I am sure we knew in our heart of hears that he was gay...we couldn't quite bring ourselves to speak about it openly) but it wouldn't hurt for the water to be tested on that. There are possibly (because it is a pool full of lots of celeb fishes) that there are gay presenters who no one clocks are gay because they (for whatever reasons) haven't got a camp side to their personality. I am not knocking 'camp' in itself...more asking what the options are. What I am trying to say is that there must be more to gay people than being camp.

Possibly it is the historical comedic appeal of camp that prevails (stamped on the Brit psyche) but I am not sure that does gay people any favours if they actually are looking at equality or if it doesn't matter so much when they make celeb status as long as they make celeb status. Or maybe it does..and they just don't dare think about it????? Whatever, the orange thing does not look good on anyone (Gay or not) but is guaranteed to get a person noticed.

My second concern.... and this is much more serious.... is about Lesbian celebrities. How many can you name? I can only think of one: Ellen Degenereusse..I can't remember how to spell her surname but it sounds like that. If I remember rightly, she is an AMERICAN comedienne turned presenter turned talent contest judge. I have a certain amount of respect for her because I think she has actually done some trail blazing. Problem is the trail hasn't blazed it's way across the Atlantic. We reckon the Americans can be 'conservative' but I, unless oblivious to what is happening on the celeb scene, can't think of any celebs who are Lesbians. Perhaps people think this is petty but if we are talking about equality...then surely that means 'accessing all areas', being able to be open about one's sexuality (or not if one doesn't want to..but not being in the closet because ambiguity seems the most popular/safe route to take).

Are we 'as a nation' happy to stick with the camp gay male celebs but see lesbians as far more of a threat? If so a threat to what? Along the same lines but off on a bit of a tangent...female celebs seems to be becoming camper as well. What is all that about?

Maybe the fact that I am writing about celebrity is the crutch of this issue. In order to be a celebrity now...you gotta be brighter or louder or cleverer or polyfilled to the max and ORANGE!!! You gotta have a gimmick and a gimmick that keeps the suckers wanting more even if you have no real talent at all (had to get Katie Price in there somehow)...and in my books they don't get anymore camp than her.

What a backwards step for equality it all seems to be and a forward step for faking it for fame.


And maybe the orange thing is a bit tongue in cheek or maybe it is about something a little more complex. Hmmmmmmmm

Some light relief in Suffolk

My first and, possibly, last break with carers' group. I loved it but I think funding is going to be tighter than a duck's you know what in future.

From tap dancing to karoake, to magical mystery tours to the broads with some hopi ear candle massage and a couple of swims thrown in for good measure, it was a full and really enjoyable weekend. The piece de resistance being, sharing chalet with my mate Hayley, the friendliness of other carers I met and then meeting up with 2 other good friends (who travelled to meet up with me) on Sunday. Not forgetting the natives...squirrels, ducks and other types of birdies. I was told there were otters in the lake (on the grounds of the leisure park) but, sadly, didn't get to see them.

Now it is back to reality and I am very tired (everything seems to be coming back in at me). Had plan to visit a respite place today but am wobbling all over the place..so staying put, sedated and resting as much as I can.

Have some happy memories to carry me through today :>)