A Rich Mans Game

I recently wrote an article for the Aspyre magazine concerning how young people are struggling to find work. It really got me thinking about how much someone from a poorer background would struggle to get the job of their dreams.

Put it this way. To get into the field of work these days you really need to volunteer or become an intern. So how would someone from a poorer background finance the period of training. Dole money?

That would be unacceptable to most tax payers. Why should they pay for someone else to do free work? That's where it gets tricky. Do the tax payer pay for someone to learn or pay for someone to look for paid work. Ultimately they want paid work but are training to obtain it. 

However, jobseekers isn't quite that simple. They have to be looking for work to be given the benefit. So essentially they must continue applying for work or be ready to be given voluntary work by jobseekers. This means they might have to give up their internship at the job of their dreams to sit on a till at Tesco. 

This is the problem that the poorer people in society are facing. They can't live off their parents to finance the dream, they have to be at the call of the taxpayer. Hence, only the rich will ever reach the top. Something for us all to think about in our society.

Martin Schultz You Swine

Having listened to to the european commission demand that europe becomes a federation, it became clear why Martin Schultz is the president. His clear ability to ignore his duty as the president and to enter debates is met with approval by those in favour of the european agenda.

This makes me nervous. The president is meant to be neutral. This leaves the democratic notion of the European Union in disarray. Martin Schultz is known for his fascist views and his anger against though in favour of less Europe. It's clear he was placed as president to help push the agenda of a federation of Europe. 

The UK needs to put the public to a referendum more than ever. The people need a voice before our democracy is gone and our sovereign right is replaced. I urge a vote for UKIP to secure this referendum. It may well be the public choose more Europe, but we need our say before we have no say.

When Discrimination Becomes Positive

Seems a silly title for an article, but a rational one. For the world of job hunting has took another more sinister approach, and one I find appalling. For discrimination against men is rising and rising and getting a job as a man is considerably more bleak.

After having an interview with HSBC and obviously failing, they gave me an overview of the interview. They then told me I had met all the criteria for this role as cashier but they couldn't take the application further.

So why's that? I met the criteria, surely I can go to the assessment centre and carry onto the final stage of the recruitment process. Only I didn't meet the full criteria. The only criteria I met was the one we can all see. Can you communicate? Is your experience relevant? So on and so forth.

The hidden criteria is all the more different. It's based on not what you can do, but what you are. Ever filled out an equal opportunity form? There's one way of implementing that hidden criteria. They refer to is as positive discrimination, but discrimination should never be considered positive.

If the UK truly wants to become an equal society then it's time to break down these labels. The workplace needs to stop looking at people as a man or a woman. Or white or black. People should be people and if they're the best person for the job, give them the job. 

Jump In And Sink

David Cameron today has announced that he is 'fighting' for economic growth. Well that took two years, where was the fight before today. Well there actually be any fight beyond words. I'm doubting any action occurring. 

The truth is there is no direction with the economy. George Osbourne announced his plans today. The infrastructure boost he claims will involve building on green belt areas and no new tax cuts. In other words, tax the poor the same whilst harming the environment, even though there are plenty of brown belt areas to build on. 

So where are we heading? Truth is to nowhere. The economy will keep slipping because nobody has any money to spend. The country isn't exporting enough, in fact the exports were significantly lower in July than they were in the previous July. Typically a good export month. 

So how would I get the economy going again? Simple. Instead of using quantitive easing to essentially have more money sitting in bank pockets. Instead of spending money on infrastructure that's costing more than it's worth. Why not invest in the people?

Crazy is it? People are born with curiosity and ideas. Britain needs to be exporting again and to export again we need new ideas. Instead of building a new high speed railway, the government could be investing in the next big idea that exports to the world. 

But these are what the banks are for right? Yes, but are they doing it? No. The banks have failed to deliver in loans. Ideas are being lost because of this. Dreams shattered. Manufacturers are packing up and heading east leaving a trail of dust behind. The future is only bleak when the mind becomes bleak. Lets get creative.

This new concept can all start in the schools and universities. Lets inspire a generation to create. Creations make exports. An economy run on services was failed before it started. Money is made in a global market and for that we need to offer the world something. 

Truth is Britain already has products that the world would enjoy, but doesn't allow them to succeed. Marmalade anyone? How about Worcester Sauce? How about all those fantastic beers and ales? Lets invest in these, lets share them to the world and help our economy. 

But we don't have the people in government to do this. Investing money where you'll get it back isn't what this coalition is about. They want to watch our money sink until it's gone. Time to shape our economy ourselves.

Being Right Is Whiter Than White

For those of you that read my article on the education system in Britain, you'd of realised the pro EU propaganda I went through as a child. Now my thoughts on this have come back to be true, as expected. A certain Mr Gove, the education secretary, as finally agreed that the education is to EU biased.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/340759/Crackdown-on-pro-EU-propaganda-in-schools

The article there explains how the EU has used it's own books to brainwash the children of today. Unbelievable. However, who reading this article is actually surprised?

Although, I must touch on one small error Michael Gove made. He claims that education in England is taught unbiasedly. Indeed, he even said politics is taught unbiasedly. Wrong. The education in England is highly liberal biased. My education article below explains this.

He Huffed And He Puffed

Julien Assange has been granted asylum in Ecuador. It seemed a strange country to run to, but some things never reach the surface. What frightens me the most, however, is the response by the British government.

If you're not aware, the British government decided to issue a threat the the Ecuadorian embassy which stated that it might consider using force to arrest Julian Assange. This is quite frankly, disastrous diplomacy. As much as it seems odd that the Ecuadorians want to get involved in this dispute, a threat to a sovereign territory is not the answer, nor has it ever been.

This was all sparked by Sweden's request to question Julian Assange about possible rape with two women. EU law states that extradition of a suspected criminal should always be granted from EU country to EU country. So this is where the problem has arose. 

Had this been a country outside the EU, it would of been unlikely the United Kingdom's response would have been so aggressive. It's simple, the EU is pulling the strings. The EU has brandished its order to the UK to get Julian Assange. 

This is where it becomes dangerous though. The American countries are all having a meeting on Friday to discuss this matter. Britain is already on bad diplomatic relations with many of the southern american countries, notably Argentina. This sort of diplomatic tension could cause a bigger rift, threatening the Falkland Islands like never before. 

This is why the threat was so dangerous, it might just threaten a UK territory where the people are the innocents. Always expect the unexpected. Julian Assange might have just caused a serious conflict down in the southern part of the Americas. 

The Generation Games

As The Who closed two weeks of intense but incredible olympic games, I casted an eye onto the effect the games might have on this generation. The legacy of the games was to encourage the next generation but there is never a time like the present.

The money spent on the project was substantial, around £9 billion. This isn't pocket money, this is business. A return on this investment would of been considered in the blueprint, notably through tourism. This, however, is when a plan doesn't come together.

The games were held in London, already one of the top cities for tourists in the world. People in all corners of the globe know London. They know what it has to offer and London didn't need the olympic games to showcase itself. 

The figures have shown that the expected tourist numbers for the games were significantly lower than expected. This could be related to the economic situation felt across the globe as we all think about every penny we spend. In Weymouth, the park and ride system that was implemented for the olympics just sat there collecting dust. The streets of London outside the olympic park looked like a wasteland. 

Am I saying the olympics were a failure? definitely not. They were organised brilliantly and the sporting side of it was a resounding success. The commercial venture is what worries me. This project was supposed to bring money to the city, that could then spread to the corners of the country. The problem is simple, London has reached its tourism potential.

It would of been better to have held the games in a city with potential for more visitors. Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff, possibly even Birmingham. Though this isn't without its problems. Would any of these other cities have been able to beat the Paris bid? It certainly would have been more difficult, but these cities have potential to have more global reach.

The problem with the United Kingdom is evident, it is a one city country. People only visit the country to go to London. Italy has Milan, Venice, Rome. Germany has Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich. Even Spain has more than one tourist destination with Barcelona and Madrid. The United Kingdom has landed all its eggs into the city of London. 

There needs to be a plan that attracts tourists out of London to visit other cities in equal measures. This country has rich history and so much potential for tourism lays outside London. The olympic games could have provided that opportunity. Instead I expect no change in the tourism figures in the future. This generation has simply missed the hurdle.

Although I believe these games will have inspired the next generation to take up a sport, I believe this generation will remain uninspired. Money unfortunately defines us and this project has created a massive crater into the financial capability of a lot of people. They will never see a return on their investment as the commercial venture of the olympic games has been a failure.

We Don't Need No Education

The famous words of a Pink Floyd song that show a rebellious anger from being oppressed and rejected from society. It might seem an extreme link to our 21st century schools, but something quite other than teaching is happening. 

You might have read my first article on what employers are actually looking for in an employee. This is directly linked to what students learn before setting off into the big wide world. This lack of free thinking or free will is 'educated' to them whilst they're young. 

Seems crazy doesn't it? Almost a conspiracy. But to understand where this is leading, there must be an understanding of the definition of education. The oxford dictionary states that education is defined as 'the act of process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life.' Sounds great doesn't it. It is until you realise the 'mature life' we live in.

It might seem I'm a lunatic against education. I'm not, education is a very important part of life. We need to learn and acquire skills to get the most out of the life we lead. However, it is the preparing of the mature life where the education system goes wrong. This is where politics interrupts the development of the next generation.

I remember when I was in school learning an array of different subjects. Back then, it never occurred to me how much of the curriculum was political propaganda. In geography, I was told there was no such thing as an illegal immigrant. In history, I was told to be ashamed of the British Empire, although for all its bad it brought rule of law and democracy to all corners of the globe. In science I was told evolution was a theory, although the clear evidence suggests it is fact. You see where this is heading.

Schools are teaching children how too think instead of giving them the tools of free thinking. Education should be objective, not subjective. Teach them the facts, the opinions on every side, and allow them to piece their own vision together. Instead, schools are programming robots for the political gain of the establishment. 

Whilst knowing this, it's important to remember this isn't the teachers fault. The curriculum comes from the governing body. Education is directly given from the government and guess who your government answers to? The EU.

Now I won't go into too much detail of the political nature of the EU. However, their attempt to merge different countries together under one single banner would require the people to have the right ideology to accept this political cause. This socialist agenda is being taught in the schools. 

I remember studying business in school and there was a school trip to Brussels. A visit to meet MEPs who worked in the EU parliament 'educating' us on what the EU does for us. It was obvious propaganda looking back, but at the time I was taught to believe the EU was the reason of everything good that happens in the United Kingdom. 

So how did I manage to piece my own vision together? Well, I found the pieces they hid from me, namely through the internet. But now even the internet is being manipulated to portray one opinion, one agenda. Anyone remember when the BBC was objective, voicing all opinions? Try the BBC website now and it's evidently socialist. 

So how do we change the education system to better suit the 21st century? Sir Ken Robinson has the answer, and it can be shown in the video below. 

See how the education system is still built around a Victorian ideology. This is where it can all change. To allow free thinking to breath once more. Until that happens, we really are just another brick in the wall. 

Money For Nothing

As imagined by the title of my first article, I'm disenchanted by my ability to find financial prosperity. In times where the United Kingdom is struggling to provide jobs for its people, the competition for the chance of monetary gain is increased too substantial levels. 

This competition is what has concerned me to the extent of which the need to find a plausible answer to ratify it. No doubt we have all been in a waiting room, drawing our eyes at the competition to whom stands in your way to the position of dreams. But these reveal more questions than they do answers. How do they choose which candidate to fit the role? What tactics have the other candidates used against you? How did they stand out against yourself?

The answer to these questions might be quite simple. I applied for a job of what I thought was a marketing outsourcing company. Having found myself in an interview room with excitement in abundance, I believed my luck had turned. This wasn't the case.

Having spoken about myself in great detail, the interviewer kept reminding me that today's interview had to be short and that he couldn't go into too much detail about the company. At the time I hadn't thought too much into this situation, believing I'd give him benefit of the doubt. There were, afterall, other interviewees to be dealt with.

However, my natural curiosity remained and the website remained bleak. The same night, they phoned back asking me to come back in for what was too be an 'on-the-job interview'. Seemed straight forward. This would essentially reveal the make-up of the business and most importantly, the chance to show my capabilities to the company.

Though this is where the problem lies, what capabilities are they looking for? I'm nothing but adaptable.  Any requirements I didn't possess i could learn. I can show a high level of eagerness that should be desirable to most businesses, yes?

This second interview essentially landed me on new ground. I was drafted off with what was a senior employee to be shown the sites. This would allow me to assess what the company does and what it has to offer me, as a potential employee. We set sail, and arrived at a neighbourhood. To my amusement, this wasn't to be marketing, but to be door to door sales. False advertisement is the legal flaw in this company, but it's their recruitment strategy that saddened me.

Over the eight hours of upsetting the neighbourhood with scripted lines and desperate sale actions, it was the role of the senior that made me ponder. Although a nice man, his role was clearly to advertise the business until the candidate nods and says yes. He used tasks to make me think, such as thinking of advantages and disadvantages of commission pay. Providing disadvantages, the senior would twist them into an advantage, to show how the pay structure they use is superior to any other. 

You must be thinking, what has this got to do with other companies? Sure, other companies may have more honour and integrity and are likely to use more friendly tactics. However, they're essentially looking for the same candidate. The Yes Man.

Free thinking died out with the dinosaurs. Companies don't want personalities, they want robots. As imagined, I turned down the third interview. Yes, a third interview. The structure of all these interviews was to weasel out the yes men and cease them. 

Where does this leave you waiting in the interview room for your next job? It's hard to say. There are still some companies out there after a person with the ability to think outside the box. These have become thin and far though. Especially in these horrid economic times where it's much easier to put someone in a position who will just sit and say 'yes'.

This is money for nothing substantial. Money for no talent. But what you going to do, beat them or join them?