In Another Life: What If?

It’s strange, that when you come towards the end of something, that you start to suddenly over-think everything, and perhaps even become emotional. As we reach the end of a journey, there is often a period of reflection. And then you have the farewells to people you have come to know so well – and will miss heavily. Even when you’ve been in a similar position before and come out stronger, you still wonder, how is this going to work out?

Life is an incredible thing. While before I’ve spoken about how you only appreciate the value of something when it’s gone, at the same time, on select occasions, and I find especially with people, it is possible to appreciate every moment you have with them, particularly if the time is coming to an end. But when you have shared so many moments together, you could wonder, I often do – in another life, just what might have been? It is easy to think – isn’t it – about what might have been if ‘I had done X’, or said Y.

The incredible thing about life is that for me to be writing this post, and for you to be reading this, the billions upon billions of things that have happened to get us both to where we are today – it is astounding. It really is mind-boggling to think about it. Even your decision an hour ago, or when you woke up this morning, the different decisions you’ve made since then to get you to this blog. Then you look at the wider choices made in life – relationships, holidays, new jobs, new locations. So much has happened, and has affected us to this day.

That’s why sometimes you wonder with people, that you care deeply for, what could have been. Perhaps you met the person just too little too late. Or maybe there was baggage from the past that prohibited you from moving on. These are questions that we can easily ask in hindsight. But hindsight is a powerful thing, it is important to try and live in the moment, and to do everything in your power, when you come across that special person.

We don’t know what the future holds for us. It is easy to over-think when you are coming to the end of a journey. But it is important to look forward to what comes next. It is easy to look back and reminisce about the past, but looking forward is a better use of your time. And who knows, maybe, just maybe, things will work out exactly how you want. But of course, stopping and appreciating what you have at any given point is important. As I mentioned, life is an incredible thing. It is up to us to embrace it, and do what we can in this life.

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Recent Pain: Lessons on Assisted Suicide

Recently I have been in severe pain through toothache. It is strange, whenever I used to hear of people complaining of toothache, I used to shrug the issue off, thinking – how can they complain about such a trivial thing?! And yet now, I can honestly say this is the most pain I have ever been in, and I cannot wait for what I hope is going to be a quick recovery!

At first I believed this was just going to be a brief overnight issue. A dose of paracetamol I believed would see me through the night, then to wake up back to normal. However the pain got progressively worse. It is at the stage now where I have been prescribed ‘Dihydrocodeine’ – a painkiller for moderate to severe pain. This painkiller certainly helps – I need it as I wait for a procedure to be done.

However in these bed-ridden days, the experience has led to me thinking a lot about the notion of pain. It got me thinking about the topic of assisted suicide – a delicate topic at the best of times. This is the idea that some people are in such pain, that the only feasible option for them is to be relieved of their pain. And thus, said people are able to be put out of pain, and pass away with dignity and on their own terms.

Several times in the last few days, I have felt to myself that the pain is so great that I really would do just about anything to get rid of the pain. It made me realize how some people, including those who support assisted suicide, can believe in such a position. As a Christian, I have always believed that all life is a gift from God and therefore should be cherished, regardless of situation.

Yet in the last few days, I have understood more about pain. I can only feel sorry for those in constant pain. Normally I would say I can’t imagine their pain – but after the last few days, I now have some idea of this. But I can’t imagine having to constantly deal with the pain. Assisted suicide is a topic sure to continue to be discussed in forthcoming times, but one that will surely always edge towards not allowing it.

I understand more about pain after this last week. I hope that a quick recovery is on the way when my procedure eventually takes place. As for assisted suicide, as mentioned, it is going to be a topic that will continue to attract heated debate. It is a very difficult topic to discuss and reach a conclusion too. But when someone is in a terminal position, or has long-term pain, it can be very difficult to carry on. Perhaps one day there will be a solution to this ongoing issue.

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Serena and Venus: A lesson to All

Serena Williams has defeated sister Venus at the 2017 Australian Open to claim a record 23rd Grand Slam title, and further re-affirm her position as the greatest women’s tennis player of all time. Venus, after battling back following a debilitating illness, put in a fantastic performance in the tournament, but fell short in the final. Both sisters continue to be a credit to not only their sport, but people in general.

A now famous fable has been told on numerous occasions – the story of how Richard Williams stumbled upon a tennis match while channel-hopping, only to see the winner presented with a cheque for $40,000. It was in this moment he decided his daughters – at the time unborn – would become professional tennis players. Raising them in the notorious Compton, few would have thought this was possible, but Richard’s bold expectations not only came true, but were surpassed.

Nineteen years after first competing against one another at the 1998 Australian Open, the duo would compete in the final at the 2017 edition. With a combined age of 71, few would have expected this to be possible. Throw in the fact that Venus has been battling the energy-sapping Sjogren’s syndrome, and it is an even more incredible feat. Both have ushered in a new era of women’s tennis – they have changed the game forever.

I alluded to the hurdles that the duo have faced, but in a wider context, they have done a considerable amount. The sisters have been instrumental in fighting for equal prize money in tennis. There have been several marches in recent days since the inauguration of Donald Trump, with women protesting. Yet how much does this actually achieve? These girls that sit back on social media, ‘liking’ photos and updates to apparently show support – how much does that actually help?

Then you compare it to what Serena and Venus have done. They have actually gone out and made success for themselves’. Instead of sitting back and complaining, they have actively gone out and made a difference. They have had to overcome several hurdles and pitfalls. Everyone can learn a lesson from the sisters. They should be the ultimate inspiration to these girls that are protesting. They show that if you put in the hard work – anything, and it is anything, is possible.

We are fortunate to live in an age with the best female tennis player of all time. Serena Williams thanked and paid tribute to sister Venus in her post-match speech. The bond that the duo have is robust. Their embrace after the match was an incredible moment, one that as youngster’s, they would have dreamed of one day happening. How much longer we have of seeing these two sisters compete like this remains to be seen – any tennis fan, and the wider community, should enjoy these two while we can.

After their Wimbledon 2009 final, it appeared that never again would we see the two sisters compete in a grand slam final again. Yet almost eight years later, the two competed like the champions they are. They’ve been written off before and always come back, and it’s highly possible they will compete again soon. But if not, then they have left a remarkable legacy. They have done everyone incredibly proud – they quite simply, are an inspiration.

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Time flies when you’re having… Fun?

I can’t quite believe it has been three months since I last blogged. For my followers and any other viewers, apologies! It is remarkable to think what has happened in the last few months since I posted. I’m sure anyone reading this would have had a lot going on in recent times. There is an old quote – ‘time flies when you’re having fun’. While that may be the quote, in many cases, it isn’t true.

The thing about life is that it goes so quickly. Each day comes and goes and before you know it, it is a new year. I digress, to an extent, this is how I have felt in the past few weeks, time really has flown by. But when life goes by so quickly, it is difficult sometimes to notice others, to appreciate what personal battle’s they are going through. In actual fact many, many people suffer.

Earlier this month it was the United States National Suicide Prevention week. The week aims to engage the American public, along with those from afar, about the dangers surrounding mental health, and more specifically suicide. Suicide is a huge killer. In USA, between 1999 and 2014, suicides rose a staggering 24% – it is becoming an enormous problem.

So many people suffer in silence. They feel as if there is no one to talk too about their problems. This is the issue with mental health – there appears to be a stigma around the topic, before you know it, it is too late. Take the ‘Lad Bible’ – a social media page revolving around the ‘lad culture’ that has unfortunately influenced millions of people. Not so long ago they posted an Internet meme of actor Wentworth Miller, poking fun at him. Why? Just because he had put on weight.

As Miller himself put it, big F-ing deal. In an admirable riposte, Miller criticized the meme, putting his weight gain down to mental health issues. Miller is an advocate for suicide prevention, and is a perfect example of why suicide isn’t the answer – he has admirably responded to his demons. The Lad Bible didn’t even begin to consider Miller’s personal circumstances – something sadly all too common.

That is why it is so important for society to be more educated on the topic. It is highly possible those close to you will be suffering, it is crucial to look for tell-tale signs. Just talking can be an enormous help. Having someone to talk too really is invaluable. Having someone to spell out your problems is a huge help. But sadly, not everyone has someone there for them when the chips are down. Therefore, it is vital that in our day-to-day activities, that we take an interest in the well-being of others, and offer them a helping hand when it is necessary.

This entire topic is very sensitive to me. The details of that are for another day, but it is something I, and many others, feel very strongly about. At times this can be a cruel, cruel world, but it is up to us all to rise from our lows, and try and create highs. It’s good to be back, I hope to post more regularly in the forthcoming times.

Remember, as bad as things can get, you aren’t alone.
http://www.iasp.info/wspd/
http://www.prevent-suicide.org.uk/
http://www.save.org/

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The Goldmans: Never Forgotten

In my last blog post I discussed the FX drama series ‘The People vs. OJ Simpson’, part of the American Crime Story anthology. I wrote about what a fantastic drama it was – one that made great viewing. But as the series ends, something I realised when watching the last episode was that I had failed to see the consequences of the trial from the victims’ perspectives.

Having enjoyed the series like so many other people, it is easy to forget what really happened. After all, this was a double homicide trial. While the trial revolved around Simpson and race, the victims cannot be forgotten. Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson both lost their lives in June 1994, meaning a life full of hurt would follow for the families of the victims.

One particular scene made me realise. After the ‘not guilty’ verdict had been delivered, along with the post-trial press conference, it was the end of the ‘trial of the century’ and the start of the next chapter in every person’s life. The show depicted a scene seeing the Goldman family making a lonely walk in to their car, isolated and defeated. It is hard to imagine what they felt at that time. Having just seen the murder of their family member unsolved after a long trial, the pain must have been unbearable. What made it worse was the fact that the decision was met with mass celebrations and hysteria, with many celebrating the verdict as a major human rights victory.

As mentioned, it is difficult to comprehend what the family felt at this time. I am sure over twenty years on the wound hasn’t healed – surely it never can, nothing can replace losing someone. A particularly poignant scene is the final part of this sequence and is the last addition to the anthology from the Goldman family – the sister of Ron asks – “what are we going to do now?” There is no telling after such a crushing defeat, what the family were meant to do.

That is why it is so crucial to remember in the midst of this excellent drama, that there was a real-life story behind it. In what is a move that is highly commendable – the Goldman family didn’t stop there and continued to campaign for Ron. In 1999, OJ Simpson was found liable for their deaths, being ordered to pay $33M in damages, though the Goldman family received less than $500k, for numerous reasons.

Over twenty years on and the Goldman family would have had to re-live the entire episode. For the vast majority of people, it was an insight into one of the recent incredible events in history. But for others, including the Goldman’s, it was a moment where a nightmare was relived – something that should never, and will never, be forgotten going forward.

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GTA San Andreas: The Enduring Appeal

Many years ago, back during the PlayStation era, like many people my age, I was a big fan of the Grand Theft Auto series. Apart from GTA III, I owned all of the “3D Universe” instalments. Having completed all of them, at some point I am sure I will try and find the time for GTA III! While all games were great fun, if I feel like playing one of them whether it be in sandbox mode or the storyline, San Andreas is my immediate choice, every time. While all games were successes, all this time on, it is San Andreas which in many people’s eyes is still the ultimate game!

Grand Theft Auto San Andreas was the third instalment in the 3D Universe, following on from the successful entries GTA III and GTA Vice City. While both Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories would follow, San Andreas is widely considered the high point of the 3D universe. Released in October 2004, it would go on to be one of the most popular games of all time, being critically acclaimed throughout its life. It is common that when any avid GTA fan is asked which game their favourite is – for San Andreas to be the answer.

The questions is though, what makes San Andreas a game with such a strong enduring appeal. There are several features that set this game apart from other strong games such as Vice City and Liberty City Stories. First, the storyline is exceptional. Carl Johnson – the protagonist is a good character to be. The player sees clearly the struggle he and his family go through throughout the game. Being loosely based on real events, San Andreas’ storyline proved very popular.

Next up is the incredible array of features. In terms of the games’ standing in 2004, it was years ahead of its time. The player could do an incredible array of actions – swim, fly planes, helicopters and access several mini-games. San Andreas in terms of a map as well was unprecedented – the size ensured that a considerable amount of exploring could take place. There were so many different parts to the map as well – desert, countryside, cities, the vast nature of the map ensured a lot could be done.

Perhaps what made San Andreas best was its reputation as a ‘jack of all trades’. It certainly was the pinnacle of the 3D universe, bringing together all the best features of previous games to create something truly special. Even small things like the great soundtrack or customisable nature of the protagonist helped contribute to making the game an absolute classic. The mythological universe of San Andreas certainly also deserves mention.

Overall, GTA San Andreas deserves the recognition it receives. For so many people, many, many happy hours have been spent on the game, happily exploring the game and playing it in their own way. I certainly hope to continue playing the game for many years to come, there is no denying the impact it has had. It is all the incredible features that come together to make this game a hugely memorable one – a game with considerable enduring appeal!

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2015: Embracing the Moment

Another year has almost finished, the days, months and years are flying by at an incredible rate. For many of those that read this, this year would have been a fantastic one – full of joy and excitement. But inevitably, for others, this year would not have gone according to plan. Life is very unpredictable, we never know what is around the corner.

We have to live in the moment and seize the day. As I mentioned, life is unpredictable. We don’t how many days we have left to enjoy, so it is up to us to make the most of the time we have. Trying to create memories and enjoy some good times is essential – it is always very important for everyone to find and do activities that they enjoy.

This is particularly important around the time of Christmas as well. While not everyone celebrates Christmas, it is still a very important date worldwide. For all those not celebrating it, I truly hope the festive period is an enjoyable one. It is a pleasant day for many, I hope you can find excitement also.

Finally, I wish all those that are celebrating Christmas a very happy day. It is a happy time for many – to spend time giving and receiving, along with enjoying quality family time, it should be a very happy day. For some of course, it is a difficult time. But I hope everyone enjoys their day, Merry Christmas!

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A very Merry Christmas to all! We shall see each other again soon.

IBM: In decline?

IBM – once a global powerhouse in the technology industry, once a company so big few would dare to take it on. But now, the company has hit tough times, with an uncertain future ahead. Problems with its core businesses and difficulties in advancing their “strategic imperatives” has seen IBM struggle recently. And yet, there are many encouraging signs for them going forward.

IBM were founded in 1911, after modest beginnings, the introduction of Thomas Watson as President in 1926 helped to make the company become one of the biggest. Indeed, by the 1970s, they had a stranglehold over several markets, where often firms wouldn’t dare take them on.

Having had the pleasure recently of attending their London South Bank base in London, United Kingdom, I came away with negative thoughts. Having met their staff, there seemed to overall be a lack of enthusiasm. The firm has been declining in previous years. They have five “strategic imperatives” – cloud, analytics, social, mobile and security. These are all areas that are heavily competitive. While at one point IBM would easily win any battle with competitors, it is not that way anymore.

An example of this the major own goal IBM recently scored involving a $600M contract with the Central Intelligence Agency, better known as the CIA. The CIA were offering the huge contract to a firm to help with their cloud and data storage. This was considered the “backyard” of IBM. Not many companies staged a bid for the contract in anticipation of an easy win for IBM, but it was far from the truth. Instead, despite IBM offering a much cheaper quote than eventual winners Amazon, there were grave concerns over IBM. Amazon – relatively novices in the cloud industry, secured the contract, which was an embarrassing moment for IBM.

The concern is that if IBM are unable to secure these big contracts, there is little hope for them going forward. The CIA contract is not alone, and despite impressive-looking partnerships/alliances with Apple and Twitter, there is no masking over the fact IBM are in a slow decline. But is the decline terminal?

IBM have always been a very forward-thinking, innovative firm. Virginia Rommety is the current President – it is refreshing to see a female lead one of the world’s biggest companies. In 1946, the company hired a black salesman – eighteen years before the Civil Rights movement. Then they have been responsible for some of the world’s best known inventions – such as the ATM machine, the barcode, and the POS system nearly always seen in retail.

Then there is the Watson Supercomputer. Ever since it came to the public eye in the 2011 US TV game show Jeopardy!, it has been a hot-topic for many. Making use of artificial intelligence, it is set to take the computer generation into the third generation of cognition. But with the Microsoft Azure a direct competitor, will IBM be able to control this market. Long time rivals Microsoft have often had the measure over IBM, will this market be any different?

There are a few more bright signs for IBM. As well as their reputation for innovation, which is likely to see them get out of their trouble, in fairness they are also a business in transition. Moving away from their core businesses such as mainframes and PC’s is not an easy transition – they seem to be managing it well. Then there is their impressive 2014 revenue figure – $92Bn – a staggering amount.

Overall, IBM are in a difficult moment. What was once one of the largest businesses in the world is falling on hard times. While many problems exist though, there are several positive signs that we are yet to see the best of IBM. It will be interesting to wait and see what happens with IBM going forward, especially in regards to the Watson Supercomputer and taking on their competitors. We shall have to patiently wait and see what events unfold.

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What’s done is done: An Unexpected Occurance

I had an unexpected occurrence yesterday, as the title would suggest. It made me think. The occurrence was a message from an old friend, after some time which had seen us almost lose all contact, to receive a message was a pleasant experience. This friend a while ago had been more than just a friend, leading me to think in detail.

As I alluded to in the final line, it wasn’t just a friendship. While the feelings never seemed mutual, I always felt deep down they were. I used to care very much about this person, putting in as much effort as I could to try and make them happy.

But it never worked. I wasted an incredible amount of time trying to get somewhere, but it never quite worked out how I wanted it to. Our final meeting I left very sad and disappointed, but excited for whatever the future held.

Fast forward some time and this message arrives. It was nice to catch-up and hear all was going well. Of course, for as disappointed as I was, and to an extent, still am, all I truly ever wanted was for her to be happy, which she seems to be.

This conversation we had could have gone further, it could have potentially been the start of something new. But deep down, I knew it was time to let go; As the title suggests – “what’s done is done.” For as sad as it is, I knew it would only cause hurt to carry on.

We have many great memories and shared some wonderful times. I will never quite know what I did wrong, but since I have found a new, and in my opinion, better “friend.” While it is always painful to part from those we love, sometimes it is for the best. Plus, I am working towards something I truly believe will result in happiness, which is what everyone wants.

The point of this post, is to suggest to anyone who is in a similar position, to take some advice. Like I said, as difficult as it can be, sometimes you have to put yourself first and not live in the past. As sad as it is, some things just aren’t meant to be. There is normally as well someone else around the corner. The ultimate goal is to be happy in life, it is all about choosing those in your life that are going to contribute to this happiness, because many won’t, but some of course, will.

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May the 129 people killed in the Paris Atrocities on Friday 13th November rest in peace. It just isn’t fair that something like that could happen. In time, hopefully there will be justice. RIP

Intel: How their Free Merchandise reflects the Technology of today

Today, as part of my University course, I attended a company fair, with the aim of finding out about possible internships and graduate jobs. There were a number of highly-reputable and famous companies being represented – Microsoft, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Santander among others. Perhaps one of the most famous was Intel. Intel don’t have the same drawing-power as Microsoft, yet still, like Microsoft, play an integral part in computing, particularly spearheading several technological advances we have seen in recent times.

So it was at this fair where Intel gave each interested student a bag, inside of which was mostly information based on placements, internships and graduation jobs. But also it included several “freebies”, which included several items of high value. Included was the Intel “Power Bank’ – a device which allows portable charging without the use of electricity. This is a device which is sure to grow in popularity in the coming months thanks to the incredibly saturated smart-phone market. Next was some headphones. Rather underwhelming yes, but they were packed in a very nice Intel box, plus my other ones had recently stopped working, meaning this was a real blessing!

There was one other device that came free, the one that led me to write this blog post. It was a 4GB memory stick. I was surprised to see this included in the free merchandise. However, the more I thought about it, the less surprised I was, with the use of memory stick’s rapidly declining in the past few years thanks to the advancement in online and cloud storage. So this made me think about how much technology has changed in the past few years, with the memory stick the perfect example of this.

Ten years ago, the memory stick was heavily-used by millions of people. It was the “must-have” gadget, something that would allow you to move any file from computer to computer, without the use of the Internet. Replacing the less-fashionable “floppy disks”, memory sticks became crucial to own. For many years they remained prominent, with even to this day incredibly 500gb memory sticks available.

But in this moment, memory sticks aren’t anywhere near used as much as they were previously. Thanks to the advancement in online and cloud storage, there is little need for a memory stick. The OneDrive by Microsoft is an example of the replacements for the memory stick. The OneDrive is an incredible program, offering any user the chance to access their documents all around the world, of course provided the computer is capable of running the Internet. Apple also has a well-renowned cloud storage system, with many companies now offering it.

The switch from the memory stick to online storage sums up how technology has changed. Although I will use the memory stick, many of my fellow students won’t even think of using them. But it is testament to how much technology has advanced in such a short space of time, there is no telling what the new trends will be in ten years time in relation to online storage. It is certainly an exciting time to be alive in terms of technological advancements.

Intel are sure to be at the fore-front of technology in the coming years. Their free merchandise is highly generous, after some research into them, it seems that Intel is a very harmonious place to work, I intend to enjoy their free merchandise. In relation to the title of this post, the memory stick obviously doesn’t sell so well at the moment, allowing Intel to use it as one of their “freebies”, without losing much potential revenue. In the coming times, there is no telling what will happen next, but thanks to the brave souls at Intel, along with the highly-creative minds in other technological firms, we can be sure great advancements will take place!

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Thanks for reading this post! Feel free to follow this blog for more! Intel provide a wide array of products, their website is http://www.intel.com – this provides information on their latest products and developments.