Happy New Year!!

Well here it is early January 2010, a new decade, and another new beginning!

I hope you had a great Christmas and New Year, today in Britain we are covered in a layer of snow and have had a week of freezing temperatures, up North near Manchester where I currently live we have had a constant temperature of -2 oC to -8oC.

The weather people at the Met office in London are saying it is the coldest winter in Britain since 1987 and snow like this has been seen since 1976.  It always gets me though that as soon as it snows Britain seems to ground to an absolute stop.

I was born and lived in Germany due to my fathers posting to Paderborn with the Army, over there in mainland Europe and most of the world, snow brings a different routine rather than a complete breakdown in public services as in Britain.

Still it is a lovely experience waking up to proper snow that crunches under your feet. It really feels like winter here at the moment, people enjoy it and stop complaining about not being able to get to work or on public transport. In this weather have fun if you can’t get somewhere then stay at home.

What on Earth:

It’s only January 7th 2010, and already I think I have stumbled upon the most pathetic craze since Pokemon!

It’s called the choking game amongst other things. It’s crazy,  basically it is literally what it is says, a kid or maybe 2 or three strangles them self until they pass out.

They say they get high from it, in fact it is simply that they are cutting off the oxygen to the brain and it can cause all kinds of problems like heart failure to stroke to epileptic fits!

I mean is life really that boring?? Whats worse is it’s all over youtube at the moment with friends filming the happenings as there friends or brothers or sisters go some way to killing themselves.

Honestly if you want to kill yourself for fun, then jump of a building on to a solid surface. Or play Russian Roulette.

No I am not making light of suicide but these kids don’t realise that they are simply killing themselves and may even cause brain damage!

I’d hate to see the youtube video when someone films their friend playing this game on to realise that in fact the friend is no longer on this earth.

But kids playing with their lives is not my concern am just giving my support to the people out there who are trying to stop people from doing this crazy pass time.

This year:

I’ve made a resolution this year, I am going to write more to this site, I’ve been really busy during 2009, but now things have settled down again in to some normal routine.

I’ve had a few emails recently asking me questions about Christianity, I am not a Priest but I will do my best to answer the questions to the best of my knowledge.

Of course there will be plenty more rants and raves coming during this year, and if you have any comments I love to read them and your emails to.

Happy New Year Everyone

Here’s a video of the New Years Eve fireworks in London this year enjoy

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdU-YUSzkUI

Till next time….

Gordon Brown and the Governement plans to Cut the British Forces Post Office (BFBO) in Mainland Europe!

Reading the Newspaper this morning I noticed an article in The Daily Telegraph, regarding the governments plans to cut/close the British Forces Post Office in Mainland Europe! Here’s the link to the article .

I agree completely with what Simon Heffer says in his article.

Having had first hand experience of the BFPO it is one of the most essential services, for servicemen and women and their familes worldwide.

My family are all ex services, and it was during my Fathers posting to Barker Barracks in Padeborn in the then (West Germany) with REME (Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers) that I was born.

The posting to Germany lasted for over 6 years, during which time you live completley in that countries territory and by their standards and laws. The BFPO enabled us to send parcels and letters home as well as receive from home.

The men and women serving out in these Countries surely deserve a first class dedicated postal system, lets face it, although you choose to join the Army, there isn’t much choice in where you are posted.

Whilst abroad on a posting you are working/serving your Country, why should a member of the Services or their dependants and families back home be forced to use that Countries existing postal services!?!

Another Cut to cover their inadequacies

The Government again, seem to be attempting to make cuts to recover some of their losses due to this so called “Credit Crunch” or Economic downturn.

They seem to have an obsession with Postal Services, they like to shut down Post Offices on Mass, maybe now they found that they can’t at present shut any more down, so to avert any political backlash they are trying it with the BFPO!!!

In my opinion

The BFPO should remain untouched! OK it may not be financially viable, but then what is in todays financial climate?

But the Armed forces are working for this Country, they are sent there by Government, The Forces are already stretched, and they seem to be asked to do more with less money!

I understand why our forces are out in Afghanistan and Iraq… and it is NOT 100% political, we are out there fighting to keep the terrorists out of Pakistan, where if they successfully infiltrated the insurgents have easy access to Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons, this is why it is important for free elections, so that the the terrorist groups such as the Taliban and Al qaeda forcefully getting political control and forcing their way through.

But we forget the Forces on Posts in Europe, such as Germany, yes maybe originally we were and still are primarily there as an occupying force from World War II but even so we are still there ready for mobilization, they are still separated from family, and remember though it is a choice to Join the Armed Forces, it isn’t their choice to be posted where they are.

Surely considering the Government are deploying the Servicemen and Women to all corners of the world they deserve their own postal service.. Does it matter if it is down the road or in a neighbouring Country?

If the Government in the attempts at cost cutting withdraw the BFPO, and say “use the Countries service” what will they do next?? Withdraw BFBS Radio and Television and say “Use the Countries broadcasters?”

Come on… It seems that the bigwigs are more concerned about developing London’s East End for the 2012 Olympics rather than keep our Armed Forces in a bit of home comfort!!

For me the General election cannot come soon enough, agreed it is a difficult economic environment to work in at the moment, but won’t the pending increase of Value Added Tax to the minimum of 17.5% or more and another few pence on a pint of Beer or Tobacco not compensate for the running costs?

Save the BFPO Online Petition

There is a petition on the official 10 Downing Street Website asking the PM and the Government to scrap this plan!

If you live in the UK and are a UK Citizen Please consider adding your signature. To date there are 41006 signed already the more the better!

The Petition and all details can be found here

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/SaveBFPO/

Until next Time….

I thought I’d add them here in what I call my perfect Soundtrack to life! You’ll find a mix of oldies and new ones to. Hope you enjoy it… Let me know what you think!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBbXKsKXyNU

A bit of Richie Havens singing A George Harrison Classic!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqh54rSzheg

Need I say more, damn I miss Smoking in a public place to, nice Smoke Holder!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKUBTX9kKEo

www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_FZVD5lsAw

A Couple of The Who Classics, well they always said I shared the same gene pool as Keith Moon!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZdDxFsopVs

This track runs for over 7 minutes on the Album but here is a version with the Original intro to!! The day when music was a powerful message giver!!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dsz4dB6DuM

mmmmm

www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_bvT-DGcWw

Oh What fun, the amount of information here is worthy of PH.D on it’s own!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=C86oH5RwyJg

I grew up listening to this tune thanks to my Dad, it still brings back memories of British Army Barracks in Paderborn West Germany, long live BFBS! If by some odd occurance any REME from Barker Barracks ever see this, Good luck out there! From a “Padbrat” Circa 1980-87, for those who don’t know, it means I was born while in Paderborn whilst my Dad was posted there with the British Army.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8iZ8jIqrQo

Nothing Needs saying here!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkjWwz3kc3Q

Great Bass line on this makes it to me worthy of an Anthem!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxm-4AwtB5w

Damn this Tune is still Shit HOT!!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1pMeyy__r0

Well we’re be back with Richie Havens, Here opening Woodstock, with Handsome Johnny and then moving into Freedom. This man is a total Legend!!!

To finish off here are some tracks from The Beatles and John Lennon solo

www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5gaIXI2Mn4

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0usAtAh5y0

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwVRzbgC7hc

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a4RlRk_klI

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkcRZSdc8us

www.youtube.com/watch?v=okd3hLlvvLw

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZtQh5EIgWQ

You can’t beat the original

www.youtube.com/watch?v=erLZ-zW9Ti4

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wynYMJwEPH8

Hope you enjoyed this blast from musical history?

Until Next Time……

Derren Brown Master of Psychological Illusion

Derrens Done it again…

Well I’ve been watching the TV again,  and have been totally captured by Derren Brown’s New Series “The Events” Currently running on Channel 4 Friday nights at 9pm here in the UK.

Who is He?

Derren is a self confessed Psychological Illusionist, who uses the power of the persons mind to amaze and stun his audiences both live and on his television shows.  In my opinion he is a master showman who unlike other so called “magicians” reveals the techniques he used to achieve the “Trick”. Also has a great way of keeping people guessing as to how he achieved the feat.  Which is for the most entertaining bit of his shows.

The Events

Is a series of 4 shows covering the subjects of;

Episode 1, Live National Lottery Prediction

Episode 2, Control the Nation “Could he Stick both Live Audience members and viewers at home to their Seats? More about this later…

Episode 3, Become a Psychic Spy

Episode 4, Casino

Full details of the series can be found here

So in episode 1, could he correctly predict 5 of the 6 numbers that would make the winning combination on the Lotto draw? Video below

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_2h4UH1qaM

and another video showing a video of both the BBC Stream of Live lottery show and the Channel 4 show above, there are legal reasons for why the draw can’t go live on Channel 4 and contract reasons.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmxua_V1AcM

(Video contents are Copyright Channel 4)

Yes as you can see he did correctly predict it!  Still now people are trying to find explanations which is highly amusing to me, however he did it you can be sure it was a trick, either that or he is a mathematical genius!

It's all in the Mind!

Episode 2 How to Control the Nation here’s the one I want to talk about in detail

In this show the concept of Subliminal messages and mind control was examined.

The Idea

There would be a point in the show when a video would be played, after it had finished we wouldn’t be able to get out of our chairs “Stuck to the Chair”)

The Actual “Experiment”

This involved sitting in a Chair and watching a 1 minute video of a white background with lines (Much like an “A4″ feint lined refill pad) swirling around Clockwise and anticlockwise at different speeds and intervals accompanied by some frequency music or (funnel Focus) as I call it was playing the lines and music had the effect of making you feel like you were being drawn down into the centre of the lines if that makes sense? At the end of the minute video we were “told” (this is important) that we would be stuck to our chairs.

My View

Now I know the Human mind pretty well studying Psychology and Music, we spent a lot of time looking at Subliminal Messages/advertising ”The power of Music within them and deeper effects on the subconscious” Today this is referred to as PWA or Perception Without Awareness. Again I have no need to explain this as Derren has given a full description of what PWA is and how it is used here

The whole idea of Sublimation is that an idea is given to you without realizing it you may feel need to buy something after you watched an advert containing a “hidden message” here is a very simple explanation of how it may be delivered:

Your out at the Cinema and on comes on an Advert for a Well known fast food chain, after viewing the promo you are feeling hungry.. This is NOT Sublimation, it is down to clever advertising psychology, the way the food is photographed, the lighting, the surroundings all play a part in stimulating your senses and therefore you feel hungry.

But why after watching 2 minutes of film containing nothing but that Burger or whatever do you suddenly feel thirsty and crave that brand of drink? Remember there has been no mention of it anywhere in the advert right?

N0. there has been, it was somewhere in the film you didn’t notice it could have flashed for a millisecond or it could be that someone in the film wore something with a drink on it. Either way you may just need to pop out and get a large drink before the Film starts.. Or next time your in that Food chain and order that Burger I bet you order that drink brand with it.

They are actually promoting the drink and not the Burger. Clever isn’t it.

OK So in my opinion How did Derren Stick us to our Chairs?

Simple he used Suggestion to make us “Think we were stuck” don’t get me wrong the experiment worked and people were stuck to their chairs including me! Which was er excellent. 

Explanation;

All the way through the show which ran for an hour Derren kept referring back to the video that was going to played at the end of the programme, that caused us to look forward to it and anticipate what was going to happen so expectations play a massive part in the result. There were also pre-recorded sections where a similar “Trick” was used with a lady in a Toy Shop, Derren guided her to select a particular Stuffed toy a Giraffe and also name it a certain name, he left messages throughout like UV ink on books spelling out the name of type of toy she was to choose left pictures of Giraffes in odd places and even mimicked a Giraffe while he talked to her, oh and most importantly he “told” her Giraffe while chatting said like this “Giraffe a favourite type of toy” G’ Have (PWA there). For the “Experiment” he tells you to sit a certain way and then oh an advert break, great timing “anticipation” comes back and says focus on a circle about a foot around your head “Don’t move out of the Circle” see you actually stuck then without realizing it! Video finishes says remain where you sit for a minute or two while he speaks to the live audience, see your in the same postition and waiting anticipating your stuck.  Then he says to us TV viewers now focus on the parts of you that are stuck and try to stand up!! While your think your stuck you cant move because your willing yourself to think of being stuck.

See it is all about suggestion you “stick” yourself to the chair as I did, he confirms to you that your stuck tells you don’t fight it and there you have it can’t move. What worries me is with my grasp of PWA how did I get stuck, I am not sure I think I wanted to be stuck and therefore I was.

Here’s a final Video of a viewer who was Stuck to her Chair during the “experiment”.

And we really were stuck to, it is a “Trick of the mind”.

Until Next time… What do you think?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrSwRfLdBRY

Thanks to MissGandMissS for posting this video!

Whats this all About?

Welcome to

Billboblaggins.com, I’m Bill (not a Hobbit and don’t live in Middle Earth). So why Blaggins… Well life is strange, things happen and mostly we don’t notice it. We are left then to have to work with life and sometimes we have to simply “Blag it”! This is a place just to spill my thoughts about anything and everything from what really irritates me or what really makes my mind tick.

What I hope to write about?

A bit of Celebrity Happenings

News Items

Politics

Religion

Music

TV and Media

Emotions and Psychology of life!

The list is endless and will change regularly, I hope to make a place for a bit of everything if you know what I mean?

Not just another pointless place to republish news articles!

No! What makes this site different in my opinion is that each and every article you see on this site will be written by me and will be MY view on what I see, and I admit now that my opinions are sometimes not very “PC” but they ARE honest. I have no intention of “Slagging people or subjects off. I simply like to share my views and hope I entertain you in the process?!?

The site is totally organic, I intend to begin writing and see where things lead. It will have some structure but it is not a sole focused “Niche” Site. Literally taking what life throws up in my face and writing about it, whether it be A massive Rant or venting my annoyance at something. It is all real.. A Trip into my Mind.

I write a “Niche” Blog over at Great Britains Past and Present and will continue to write to the two sites. Think of this site as a personal journal with a difference.. I will aim to update this site every day or two. I would love to hear your opinions on what I am writing whether you like it or hate it you can mail me through the Contact Page RSS is all up and running also there is an option to subscribe to my updates by email.  This service is provided by Google Feedburner and a link to that is at the top of the site.

And Finally…

I really hope you enjoy visiting, reading, there are many updates to come and hope you enjoy them all if you have any ideas for content please let me know and I will add them, eventually I would like to set up a “Guest Author” section the Worlds the Oyster as they say.

“The Mind is a weird thing lets see where it takes us.

Until The Next Time…..