We Were All Kids Once!

Too often people are making comparative assessments of young people as though they are similar to previous generations. They may not be.

There is a growing problem of physiological differences in the brains of some young people. A secondary factor is the perceived lack of trust between parents and the school teachers tasked with educating their children. Too often callous unemotional traits are deemed the result of bad parenting or bad schooling, or impoverished environment, or even a normal part of the rough and tumble of growing up, when they may just be bad genes that really do need expert help.

Identifying those most at risk and providing early interventions will not occur if the community are in denial. As a society we have a problem, and it is much more serious than just having kids who are lacking good role models, kids with no hobbies or fulfilling pastimes.

We were all kids, but decades ago only a tiny number of children had callous unemotional traits, today the numbers are growing. This is an issue we must all be aware of.

Just Do It!

There was an amusing but disturbing post on the Wisbech 'discussion' forum this morning. Certainly not from a person wishing to discuss anything, he was just demanding that his idea should go to the front of the queue for attention from our local councillors. He had an idea and his idea was the best possible use of our elected representative's time. I can only think that this person had never experienced an idea before and was acting from shock, without conscious thought at all.

Let's not forget

Let's not forget

First Make Your Own Bed

When Admiral William H McRaven addressed a cohort of University of Texas graduates I doubt he realised the video would go viral. But it did. His message was simple but effective.

Media Concocted Outrage?

It's happened in Oz, could it happen in Wisbech?

Will Wisbech ever get a Corporate Curfew?

Three interesting snippets appeared this morning,

Out of sight, out of mind?

How would we feel if we saw these four men in Wisbech, sitting on a bench in St Peter’s gardens?

Reality Check?

The Wisbech Discussion Forum is certainly a fascinating place worthy of research if not discourse analysis. Difficult to analyse contributions that are just irrelevant comments on the character of the contributor, and many contributors are showing high levels of self-obsession, but we must try if we are to understand the community online.

Good News at Last

On my last evening in Crete I heard a soft sound indicating an email had been delivered. As my niece wasn't present to police the "no phones at the table" policy I took a quick look.
It was the Pensions Ombudsman advising that they will be investigating my issues with Barclays.
It isn't in any way an indication that I will succeed with the complaint, but it did feel good to know that the problems have not just been swept aside. Some experienced people are looking at the facts, and that is all I can ask for. A very good note on which to end my holiday.

How Do We Measure Our Society?

You may not be inclined to enter this competition as it will require a significant commitment to deep thinking about difficult issues, but even without scribing your own entry it might be worthwhile keeping an eye on the results because the winners will undoubtedly bring some fresh ideas into focus.