Tuition Fees; on the recent demonstrations

I find I must touch again on a topic so vital to us all... education! I do not condone violence but in this particular situation I cannot disagree with it.  We cannot mindlessly criticise these acts of violence, indeed that is the main way in which wars and revolutions have been won, how countries have evolved, how democracy is gained. If the students are hungry enough for it then they must fight! We must encourage our fellow students to protest and even boycott such preposterous fees! It is despicable that in a free and democratic society our government believes it can charge such a laughable amount of money. These kids are not made of money and neither are their families. Yet again this government show their true colours, ensuring that only the rich, upper class can get into higher education and the damned Nick Clegg who vowed not to raise fees has sold his promise for the price of money and power “Little Puppet, dancing to the tunes of his Master”.  Of course we must allow some means of money for salaries and such other nonsense. However, prior 2005/6 we managed perfectly well without fees now the minimum of £3,290 is still barely manageable. Yes, indeed there are grants, bursaries loans etc all of which have some longed out process to apply for and even with the help provided there are vast numbers of students who remain clueless of who to turn to for help and remain in the dark, vast numbers of students who remain terrified of getting into debt, how will future generations cope with this ever impending financial doom looming over their heads???

To assist my fellow students in their fight for fair tuition fees here are a few ideas I have used: petitions, flyers, demo’s etc. Make it big and loud but remember screaming and shouting can only do so much, dear students we must hit these institutions where their hearts lie. We must have support of all teachers, lecturers, universities and all students. Only when the people come together as one entity can it succeed. Ensure that the roots are strong, the foundations must not break for if they do then inevitably the whole body shall fall. Media! The media is a powerful tool- so use it well, create sympathy and slowly but surely things will fall into place. Utilise all sources of media that you can remember the works of our Gandhi and King. Listen to their words carefully.

The students must rise up, they must not falter in their aim... they must continue and persist till they succeed in their endeavour. If the people are hungry enough for it then they will win.

“I will persist until I succeed. Always will I take another step if that is of no avail I will take another and yet another. In truth one step at a time is not too difficult. I know that small attempts repeated will complete any undertaking.”

~ Og Mandino~

"Only after the last tree has been cut down, Only after the last river has been poisoned, Only after the last fish has been caught, Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten."

~Cree Indian Prophecy~

(The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the University of Greenwich - Ed.)

Your knowledge will lead you through...

Life isn’t all fun and games and certainly it has and gives you more than you can ever possibly handle at times. But what can you do?

Pick yourselves up, as all the songs go, dust yourself off ... and keep on marching. Certain situations give rise to obviously different feelings. Let me share with you, dear reader. Like I mentioned earlier, in life you come across those who annoy, aggravate and irritate you and there is nothing you can do but to clench your teeth and smile at them. But one day, one day that will stop and you will no longer have to face them. Your hard work and your determination shall see you through. Put up with the bitterness and arrogance of others for one day you will be in a position much higher than them. Your knowledge will lead you through.

There are those who will put you down, who will criticise everything you do, who will fail at no opportunity to demean and put down all your efforts. Let them not get to you, reader, be strong and determined let their harsh words not bring you down but use them as steps to bring you up... and take each letter, each syllable as steps to reach your goal.

I am ever staring at the sun, basking in its glowing light.

I will rise like the sun ever higher, always reaching further.

 “...There is nothing impossible to him who will try...”

~Alexander The Great~

Occasionally in life mistakes are made. There is no escaping from this. We are humans, built to inevitably hurt and cause pain. And yes we can occasionally be hypocrites; we have double standards, all of which are known to our loved ones. Undoubtedly, you will meet those who intentionally aim to create hurt and harm others and those like most are innocent in their actions. We humans err, we falter; our insecurities like darkness overcome and descend upon us like a swarm of locusts. The key to understanding this like all other things is patience, persistence and perseverance... to gain strength from our hurt, to use our “wounds as our wisdom” and to use our obstacles as our stepping stones.

Open up your eyes to the facade of insecurity, be broken, be shattered, fall for only then will you be able to grow stronger...

The only way to recover from illness “eat a cold and sweat a flu”. Learn that what aims to break you will only do so much. Only you have the power to make yourself stronger, to make you believe in yourself. “Everyman is an island” build yourself up from scratch; if others make you then they can just as easily break you. Yes, it may be a pessimistic view of life but the truth tends to hurt. 

“...The mighty Oak was once a little nut that stood its ground...”

~Anon~

Poem - Price of life

Price of life

Life... pain... beauty... suffering... gain and loss.

Love and hate.

All of which mean less than what they seem,

All of them above...

In life comes many of these things

Gain always comes at a price, a price of £££ (Cha Cha Ching)

It always comes at a price of losssssss,

Comes at the price of Pain.

Life has more meaning than this; do you know what it is?

Gandhi said “Abolish this slavery; we are all free and one.”

King said “Unite hands, all races disintegrate, children play without care...”

Even Michael Jackson said “Heal the world make it a better place...”

(for you and for me and the entire human race)

Now they say kids become rich, become big; make more money than you can eat.

Now they say kids don’t use violence,

While PM’s declare war.

And now kids know not of what was said before...

About peace, love, harmony and tranquillity.

Life is now at a price of money, pain, blood loss and death

Pain is now at the price of more than can be lost...

More than this Earth can endure.

Beauty is at the price of dignity..

At the price of liposuction and tan myself brown

And bleach myself white.

Beauty becomes vanity

And vanity is Narcissus who drowned in

Admiration of himself.

Learn his lesson now.

Suffering is at the price the price at what someone bought.

Suffering is the oppression of all mankind; it is the cry of a starving child.

Suffering is now at the price of innocent lives.

Gain and loss will remain the same with but one exception

More lost than gained.

Do not laugh too soon nor cry in joy.

Wait for a while for a shadow may fall.

Love taken for granted; love at the price of gifts and materialistic nonsense.

It now seems easier to hate,

no money to spend but all on yourself

the world is now a hate filled place; no manners, no courtesy.

No love but anything but hate.

The darkness is descending, only few can change it; will you join me or are you one of them?

Enter the light...

~ The Poet ~

Poem - The Road to Success

The Road to Success

Desires, lusts, wants, needs and greed’s:

Created from the corners of your heart, made in the most secret part of your mind...

Desires to conquer the world

Should fuel your fire to keep fighting

And going on.

Light the candle that has been blown out.

Realise your own self worth.

Let your candle burn

But always keep it alight.

The thirst to have what you want,

When you want

Should be quenched by all means.

The fires in our hearts are what make us human beings,

Separate from the animals.

Feed your hunger all the sweetness it can take,

Do not let it linger for anything,

Always keep it happy.

Hunger is like a child’s tongue

Always wanting more sweets.

Needs become wants that you seem to die for...

Tell me what is the point?

Compare a want to love,

They say die for love but love is just the start,

It hasn’t yet begun, just like a want that needs to be fulfilled

So live, live, live!!

Do not die for love

Live for love

Let your love conquer all and live with love,

Keep it elated at all times.

Quench your thirst for victory,

Make the word your middle name,

Know nothing else but to win;

The word defeat does not compete.

Let your dreams become real,

Do not die for your dreams,

Live for them.

Make your dreams come true

And live with them.

Always nurture your ambitions.

Remember the only limit it beyond sight.

Penny for Your Thoughts

There are some few people who just connect. Their eyes lock and without s single touch or a murmur of a word they come together in perfect harmony... like music. Two souls reach together, pull like magnets, a force so powerful, so out of this world. No, I speak not of love, dear reader, but of something more profound. Kindred spirits.

Penny for your thoughts...

This Saturday gone by was wonderful. I was at the place I love most (other than La Belle France). I found myself asking is it possible to fall in love with a place? With a building, with the landscape?

Looking at you places me in a trance. I admire your beauty, your strength. I am in awe of your presence. Greenwich you take my breath away.

Saturday 16^th Open Day so many old familiar, it feels good those faces that was the start, the beginning of these blogs.

Summer 2010 another roller coaster ride. The enquiry unit brought stability, gave me focus, security when all else was crumbling down. I expected to leave it all behind. After four weeks break all ties, get on with Uni. No attachments, how wrong I was...

I smelt and tasted freedom unlike ever before. Let me speak of the people who i came to adore, to love and admire. Lucky Klover; the first time I was out so late by myself. Pizza and WKD. We sat by the river bank admiring the compass on our buildings, spoke of the origin of that compass, China 14^th Century. We laughed together, shared our stories, shared our music “Cannon in D major by Jerry C, Puccini, Mozart”, eventually we came to share our tears and our pain. Never did I expect to meet and have such a dear friend, Lucky Klover. Of course, as with everything in life there are those who annoy you irritate you and aggravate you but they are not worth another mention, that my audience is the cycle of life. Then there are those who you need not say a word to, one look will suffice and you will know just know every detail of what they are thinking. I ask you, have you ever come across such people? Take a few moments to sit, look at someone, say nothing and penetrate their thoughts. When that final day came, it too, was the end of an era. With some you exchange numbers, FaceBook and with those very select few you decide that fate shall take the lead. Destiny shall lead the Waltz.

“ ... some say am a dreamer

But am not the only one...”

As I write this I feel so lucky, so insubstantial and delicate. It is seldom that you appreciate the things you have in life. So i propose lets take a moment, let me, reader, reach into your hearts and connect to you. Let our hearts beat as one. Health first and foremost that we can breathe, that we can feel, that we can communicate and that we should understand. Education, my dear love, to be taught and have knowledge. There is this great misconception that universities are all about partying and drinking, I assure you those who do not know that it is hard, laborious work which requires much determination. All those small things which we so often ignore.

Each week or rather with each blog I attempt to deliver deep into a particular thought and feeling... to take your hand and lead you out of the fog.

It has been brought to my attention by a fellow Blogger, of the demise of a student of our Uni, Jose Gallego. I personally did not know him but i think it is important that as fellow colleagues it is our duty to spare a part of our thoughts to him. In memory of Jose Gallego, a life lost too early. Death, dear children, is an inevitable part of life. We enter this world with nothing; in our wake we accumulate occasionally wealth, friends, and family and most certain of all things we, create our reputations, we build an image of our hearts, our minds in which people judge and remember us by. On a general basis what others tend to think of us is of no importance, it is irrelevant what they think and say. But what you make of yourself is how others shall remember you. Your words will “echo through the ages” as will your actions. You will leave a legacy behind of your mannerisms, your smile, your anger, your walk, your voice. Let us never forget.

Death is not the end, just the start of something else.

It has been the end of many things for me this year but also the beginning of a completely new age... one that is filled with potential and promise...

“...Good men must die, but death cannot kill their names....”

“It is truly said: It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires great strength to decide what to do... “

...Chow Ching ...

Why Law?

That year it was like I had been reborn. I had discovered a new me, discovered the self. Something in the universe had snapped, fallen into place, it was a cosmic doing.

War, terrorism, racism, poverty etc had shown me firsthand how sordid the human mind can be. At that point in time I decided my destiny, my fate. A light had been lit that could never be extinguished. As cheesy and childish as it may sound I wanted to change the world. Yes, it is long, gives you much grief and pain but it is so rewarding. When you make that change or help that person you feel a sense of victory. It is not merely about gaining world peace but in the small actions that we carry out which so often go unnoticed and unappreciated.

Leo Buscagalia said it best:

“...“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

 

It is no easy task to bring about change for the betterment of mankind but with persistence and determination it can surely be achieved.

Organising local Stop The War demonstrations and numerous charity events were my small steps. I, however, came to the realisation that demo’s and money could only go so far. The root of all things is laid down in society, in the public... the people. Change for the betterment would be achieved through the law; through regulating society... thus the law was my answer!

If we could adapt rules, regulations that dictate how society functions could well improve the way we are.

But of course like with everything else there was a slight problem with that... society has this misconception that the law and rules are meant to be broken.

 

As I went along my second year doing my re-take I became an ambassador (best job ever!) and then another idea came blazing into me. To inspire, influence, to teach.  Changing the law is one thing but to reach into someone’s heart, to infiltrate their minds and the way people think is an entirely different matter. Eventually in several years to come teaching the masses, the future generations shall become my path.

 

The law could regulate society and it is a beautiful tool in ensuring order in society when used correctly but it cannot reach the people’s hearts... that can only be done through wisdom, patience, experience and quite simply another person’s heart.

And so the march continues...

 “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”

~ Margaret Mead~

The Cost of Uni

Today my pockets hurt.

I do so enjoy purchasing new books. The crisp, clean sheet just waiting to be turned – to be highlighted and written up. The promise those pages hold for the coming year.

It is a joy for me to have the pleasure of purchasing my law books. (I am very proud of what I am doing as you can see) but it also causes me great concern and financial grief. These books like many others are not cheap. How can one afford to buy all these texts!

Education should be free, enjoyable. It should bring pleasure. In its intricacies and our lack of our understanding it should come to us as a challenge, which it does, for when we do understand it we will have conquered it.

But why must we pay to have knowledge?

Of course having said all this I understand that it is money that makes the world work. Money that the vast amount of people crave for, pine and desire and lust after. With money comes great power alas it is not always the most kind and knowledgeable people who have it.

Perhaps one day we shall feel free to congregate and teach our fellow man our specialities our expertise. Perhaps we will come to sit around a table and exchange what others have taught us.

“... to enter freely into a lecture room and feel pleasure to listen to our tutors, to not feel compelled as if it were a chore and a bore to complete assignments. After all one day it is that knowledge in which we place our hope to provide us a career, a future. It is that knowledge that will guide us into the real world... that all in which we will depend on...”

“Knowledge is the foundation of Life...”