My Life on this planet.

I think the article  is correct about a growing division between younger versus older generations, partly because the quick changes in our society take many by surprise so many can still not understand what's happening and feel left behind . Further, societies become more unequal and this angers people. And thus, I fear this generational conflict may be hard to resolve and may further intensify. Indeed, previous generations fought hard for social improvements for ordinary people in a time when people were sometimes still almost property of employers and few could afford to buy their own house while pensions but also other social benefits such as access to healthcare were almost nonexistence. Then a time arrived when it was normal to have access to social benefits such as accessible good healthcare while people earned sufficient to be able to live a good life that included luxurious items such as traveling. And now, the younger generation demands changes to e.g. the pens...

A document has been signed by many public figures in which they call to stop the import of anytrophies from trophy hunters , certainly when they kill endangered animals. I agree, those wealthy trophy hunters should not abuse the fact that many countries where these animals live are poor and need money (sometimes for the pockets of corrupt politicians). But I think it should go further whereby trophy hunters should know that they can't return to their own country after their hunt because upon arrival in their own country they will be arrested on charges that they are partly to blame for the extinction of animal species, even when they're royal. Relation developed versus developing countries But I realise we should not condemn countries where endangered but also potentially extremely dangerous animals live such as lions and tigers, elephants and rhinos when they decide the animal population became too large, certainly in the face of their growing population. The Nethe...

I'm NOT a gilet jaune (yellow jacket). Yes I sympathise with people who find it increasingly difficult to pay bills, including electricity and fuels to warm houses and drive cars. Still, I don't agree with that what they ask, i.e. cheaper fossil fuels. Indeed, unions should finally start talking reality and that means climate change is real and other energy forms are needed that will create jobs while indeed, those jobs should be where the products are sold and not in developing regions where people are underpaid while here products are still sold too expensive for many. But I accept that many of these demonstrators are not violent thugs although some are too stupid to understand that violence is no solution and use it while also opponents infiltrate to cause troubles so the gilets jaunes will be blamed. I'm not a gilet jaune However, I could agree when they would demand subsidies for the less well off to help with the insulation of their houses and installati...

Recently there was a beautiful program on Klara  (Flemish classical music broadcaster) whereby music and discussions were linked. The central theme was the past holocaust and what people can do to each other, extending up to today. I'm not sure how long this program will be available and it's in Dutch so many will not understand what they're talking about. Climate change and its possible consequences Apart from discussing only the past, they also reflected on our current time with its climate change and the miserable period it may bring. Indeed, in a number of countries dictators rule and climate change may be the tipping point when harvests fail and people start to be hungry and even thirsty so people will rise against their leaders such as in Syria but also elsewhere in Africa and Latin America. But, as we're with too many on this planet who don't want to change the way we live, many choose wrong leaders as they are angry about the cost of essential measures...

I agree with (although I didn't read the whole article): The beauty of money Staff and shareholders, and the latter include customers who can proof they buy regularly something, have a say in the salary of (top) earners at companies because when toppers play themselves too much than prices of goods and services must rise to compensate for wages and bonuses paid; Giving away shares of companies should not be possible because people who buy shares are more careful that companies behave than those who get shares for free because selling given shares are always profits while people who receive such large numbers of share they would not be able to buy themselves will one day decide to cash in and sell them so potentially large numbers of shares may float markets and can even result in decrease in the value for everyone who bought their own shares but also for those who received only a few shares from the company where they work; Employers, certainly at large companies...

I completely agree that people who live outside the country where they were born should not be able to interfere with decisions made in the country where they no longer live although during a short period such as a one election period (in general every 4 or 5 years) after they left they may still be able to vote as they still understand to some extend what's going on in the country where they no longer live. Because, as they don't live in the country they are unlikely to feel the consequences of the outcome of an election or referendum while the citizens may feel the result of the vote from people living elsewhere. Local and foreign voters can be like water and fire on certain issues Me for instance voted during Belgian elections while I was living in London (I understood I must vote as in Belgium papa government doesn't believe its citizens are intelligent enough to decide whether they should vote or not and thus people are forced to vote),even when I didn't...

Former USA President Barack Obama hit the hammer on the nail when he spoke at a Democrats fundraiser event . Democrats should stop mourning the loss of the presidential elections 2016 and start to say what they may do when in power. Analyse why then Mr and now President Donald Trump won the elections and find solutions that are better and include almost everyone in society. Otherwise, those " who are " today will be those " who were " tomorrow as the recent N.Y. democratic elections demonstrated when the main candidate lost from an inexperienced "socialist" Democrat . Still, whatever solution, some people will have none of them except the most extreme. Therefore, politicians should stop to listen to and talk with almost exclusively only (multi)millionaires and billionaires to hear their solutions, i.e. more tax reductions for the rich to stimulate the economy and more penalties for those who don't work, including seriously ill people . Those wealt...

PM May's plan to allow immigration based on skills and wealth was to be expected . After the two golden decades that started under PM Major and continued under PM Blair, the decline continues. Under these two PMs, people from poorer areas were stimulated to follow higher education and to achieve this major investments were done in education in general, including new schools. Also major investments at universities resulted in collaborations with overseas universities, many foreigners (including from poorer countries) moving to the UK and top research. Also free healthcare via the NHS whereby major investments resulted in good equipped (new) hospitals, good healthcare professionals and reduced waiting times. Also a house for everyone was promoted and thus people could buy a property, improve it and sell it naturally more expensive to buy a larger house and repeat the above. This resulted in more expensive and now difficult to buy properties, certainly when houses and flats were s...

An interesting the Guardian article about the Black Panthers. The Black Panthers was a movement in the USA that was quiet radical in their struggle for equal treatment between white and non-white and more specifically black people; some members even murdered. They were radical because for them the peaceful movements didn't achieve much. And although their radicalism even alienated people who agreed everyone should be treated as equals, it also made clear something was wrong. The article describes how some of its members are today almost 50 years in prison , some understandable as they murdered but also as a warning to other black people to not demand too much to avoid punishment and the result is that due to frustration, black people often oppose each other, even today. Still, not only black people who used aggression to show their anger were put in prison or killed, also peaceful leaders such as Dr Martin Luther King were taking great risks when they demanded black people w...

Indeed, governments should aim that people trust them to avoid anger. For me, the way to do this is not by blocking contend on the internet but via openness by governments whereby they should respond to misinformation while the information they publish can then be checked by professionals and the general public, including opponents. Of course, hateful messages that aim to hurt people should be blocked but with an explanation why. And thus, blaming Russia for the victories of Mr Trump or Brexit is (I think) rubbish because there was sufficient information on the internet and media and via direct contact between people with discussions amongst politicians, experts and the general public so most people were sufficiently informed to vote as they did; this is confirmed by the fact that opinion on these (and other) matters changes only little. Only when access to information is blocked is it understandable that people think as their leaders indoctrinate them to do as they don't have oth...

Cities are most likely the way forward with a growing number of very large cities although these megacities will be mainly located outside the USA and Europe, if migration slows down. These cities develop because people can find jobs and socialise. But, in order to remain viable, I think clean energy by the use of renewables, including electric cars, as well as waste water that is cleaned so it can be used again as drinkable water or to clean toilets is the way forward. At the same time, nature between cities should be allowed to recover so plants and animals can return. A series about the development of cities into possible future megacities , such as Lagos that grew from unknown to one of the largest cities in the world while some predict it may further grow to a population close to 100 million people. Still, I don't think this will happen soon although I may be called a racist for this. In Africa, people quickly fight with each other over resources, even when plenty are avai...