Why Care About Others' Rights?

The reason we don't find people guilty too readily is for the protection of all. One day it could be ourselves, our child or partner wrongly accused in court.

"While it is tempting to lower the standards of proof when dealing with rape or child abuse, it would damage the fabric of our system of law and human rights. Society needs a framework of protections for people, expecially when there are security, economic or other threats making them fearful. It is easy to look for folk to blame for social ills. It is easy to think this could never happen to me. But any of us may face poor treatment when we're old and in a home or when the health and education system fails."

"I do not believe we can live together in peace and security if we do not strive to create an equal world. That does not mean everyone being the same or earning the same. It means respecting the dignity and the rights of the other. Our children know about fairness from a young age. Caring about other people comes easily to them and we should see it as part of our job to make sure they stay that way."

Helena Kennedy, QC in Good Housekeeping, July 2015

Fishy Facts

Each type of fish provides different health benefits. 

Mackerel: high in omega 3 fatty acids, selenium and vitamin B12.

Salmon: high in omega-3 fatty acids: these can be converted by the body into three types of compounds that prevent chronic inflammation # omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is associated with decreased chances of depression, hostility in some studies of teenagers, and decreased cognitive decline in older people # omega-3 fats help in combating both macular degeneration and chronic dry eye # 

Red Poppy, White Poppy, No Poppy

Recently there has been increasing media pressure for people to wear a red poppy prior to, as well as on, Remembrance Day. The wearing of a poppy or none, the colour of poppy and the length of time it is worn, should all be a matter of personal choice.

Red poppies are a fund raising item produced for the Royal British Legion. While this charity does much good work for ex-service personnel, there is an argument that if politicians want war they must be prepared to pay for the consequences and not leave it to charity.

A spokesperson for the Royal British Legion says the poppy "honours all those who have sacrificed their lives to protect the freedoms we enjoy today, and so the decision to wear it must be a matter of personal choice. If the poppy became compulsory it would lose its meaning and significance. We are thankful for every poppy worn, but we never insist upon it, to do so would be contrary to the spirit of Remembrance and all that the poppy stands for." The RBL red poppy is on sale from the beginning of November, but this does not mean that it must be worn from then on till Remembrance Day.

Broadcasters are normally not allowed to wear symbols of other charities. Some therefore feel it is wrong to wear the red poppy. Individual broadcasters may also not believe in wearing anything which represents any kind of statement on air.

Some, including ex-service personnel, do not wear a poppy as they believe it has been mis-appropriated, even "hijacked" by latter-day politicians to "sell dubious wars" in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Some don’t wear a poppy because they believe its purpose of commemorating a "great waste" of lives had been lost. People who had no idea what the trenches were like are wearing them for "social or work-related reasons" or to look patriotic.

There is now a rather unpleasant breed of poppy fascism out there - 's/he damned well must wear a poppy!’ The tabloid press and some folk on social media engage in bullying tactics, misleadingly equating wearing a poppy with patriotism.

Some people are pacifists and prefer to wear a white poppy. The white poppy is produced by the Peace Pledge Union, an anti-war group founded in 1934. The PPU's website says the red poppies have the effect of "reinforcing support and acceptance of the military" and that many people are "concerned about the poppy's association with military power and the justification of war". The RBL says it has "no objection" to the white poppy and sees "no conflict" in wearing it alongside the red poppy.

Some object to actions of the British armed forces. As there is a growing association of the red poppy with all conflicts Britain has engaged in, this is problematic for those of Irish descent and those objecting to current engagements in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

Various sources

FotoJet for Posters, Cards and more

Make posters, cards, social media materials and more with FotoJet at http://www.fotojet.com/. It's a really nice tool with over 500 different templates that cover a wide variety of subject areas or you can simply start from scratch and make your own.

Very quick and easy to use - this is one of the best I've come across.

Phil Bradley in CILIP Update, Nov. 2015

Potassium

Potassium is the third most abundant mineral in the human body. You should not underestimate the importance of potassium in your diet. Apart from acting as an electrolyte, this mineral is required for keeping the heart, brain, kidney, muscle tissue and other important organ systems of the human body in good condition.


A recent study showed that eating plenty of foods rich in potassium will help cut your stroke risk. The protective effect is thought to be linked to its blood pressure-lowering properties.

Optimal levels are not clear yet, but the World Health Organisation recommends a daily intake of 3,510mg. Warning: If you have significant kidney problems or are on some blood pressure-lowering medications, too much potassium may do more harm than good, so check with your GP if you are in either of these groups.

Top potassium sources include:

• 150g baked potato (945mg)
• 140g salmon (504mg)
• 1 medium banana (400mg)
• 100g broccoli (370mg)
• 1 glass semi-skimmed milk (312mg)
• 1 medium orange (240mg)
• 100g green beans (230mg)
• 1 carrot (170mg)
• 1 apple (120mg)

Good Housekeeping, January 2015

Printing Web Pages without the Adverts

Q. When I print pages from websites I quite often end up with lots of material that I don't want, such as advertisments and so on. Is there any simple way to get over this problem.

A. There are a few options, depending on the browser that you're using.

In Chrome, the tool that does this best is called 'Clearly' and you can get it at http://bit.ly/philbclearly .

Readability is also a good option and you can find it at https://www.readability.com .

Both will cut out the nonsense, giving clear and clean pages to read or print.

Phil Bradley in CILIP Update, Nov. 2015

Don't Advertise to Burglars

Blackmail: Burglars may steal wedding albums and blackmail you to get it back. 

Identity theft: Keep personal and financial items locked up - burglars will take passports, bills ro bak statments and may copy file from your computer.

DO

• Photograph valuables – it helps with insurance claims. 
• Keep hedges low – especially at the front of the property.
• Take handbags upstairs at night.
• Keep small valuables like iPods, mobiles, laptops and car keys out of view.
• Chain up garden furniture or wheelie bins that could be used as platforms to reach the first floor.
• Rub out weird chalk signs outside your house – burglars use code to tell criminals about your security.
• If away use an automatic timer to switch lights and radios on and off.
• If away ask a neighbour to push post through your letterbox.
• Cancel deliveries a least a week before you go away.
• If you book a taxi to the airport, order it to the street rather than the house and don’t order the return taxi in advance.

DON'T

• Write appointments on a calendar – a burglar may return when he knows you are out.
• Label keys
• Rely on your dog, they’re anyone’s friend for a steak.
• Leave the key inside the door – it can be turned from the outside by a magnet.
• Leave packaging from expensive goods by the dustbin – it advertises what is inside.
• Close curtains – it’s a giveaway that you are away.
• Put your full name and address on luggage labels.

It seems that 78% of burglars use social media to find empty houses.

• Resist the temptation to post a selfie from the airport or advertise where you are on location tracking apps.
• Wait until you get home to upload your holiday snaps.

Various sources