No explanation given






Before I sleep tonight I offer a prayer for those who need it. 

Let them be guided along the right path through whatever they have to deal with.

I will be around to support and love as long as I am blessed to be able to do so.

Those needing this know who they are, please, can no one else ask what it is about.


What I didn’t know happens in the Philippines


Almost certainly it happens in other countries too, including the UK but few where there is such an easy opportunity.





Abuse of children is wrong




There is no good outcome, only tragic ones. The kids will go into the Philippines care system, they’ll likely be abused there too. There is no happy ending for those children.










I say this elsewhere but want it clearly understood. This is not widespread in the Philippines, many would also be appalled it goes on. The vast majority are beautiful people devoted to their families. This is a minority of Philippine nationals and a minority of westerners who create this.





Apologies for the terribly quality and editing of that video. I didn’t do it, it’s just on the net and I didn’t link to the BBC version because a lot wouldn’t be able to see it. After the programme titles come up, that’s the end. It then goes into repeating it again.so stop watching there.





The mothers will be in prison at least 15 years. There is no justification for what they do, the only regret of the mothers was that they got caught. They said they feel it’s OK for a 12 year old to make her own sexual decisions … there is no accounting for that. Some say it’s the extreme poverty there which drives this, I am not so sure. I can’t imagine any situation where I would have agreed to that with my kids and, none of the mothers looked hungry to me. I’d die of starvation to keep my kids fed, wouldn’t even cross my mind to sell them for sex. Just totally sick.





I am not letting the men off here. Majority are from the USA or the UK. Totally sick bastards the lot of them. For sure the money they pay drives the sex trade without any doubt. If the buyers didn’t exist there would be no need for the abuse but … oh my, I forgot this, some of those mothers abuse their kids just for the hell of it, they think it’s OK.





There has to be another word apart from ‘mother’ because these women are everything a mother can never be. It is sickening.





I honestly don’t see an end to this sort of abuse. I have personal experience of talking to Filipinos (not family) who think it’s totally OK to have sex with children, no shyness about it at all, just brazenly open about their underage sex exploits as though it is everyday, everyone does it. I was shocked, I protested but mildly. I am in their country, one man is not going to change the attitude that a country allows. I honestly don’t know how long I could keep that up if I actually lived there. Best I don’t meet any of those guys who think it is OK and, I am talking about guys here. Though this documentary focuses on mothers selling their kids to predominantly western nationals, many guys there, native Filipinos think it is OK to have sex with 14 year old boys, possibly younger. They seem to think it is what they look like which matters. It sickens and appals me. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing when I was introduced to one of them or why, indeed, someone like that would still be considered a friend.





What value system to use?





Is it western values? Each culture is different, I know and understand this. Do we have the right to make a moral decision and impose it on another country? The law on consent in the Philippines is 12 years of age. Having sex with a 12 year old is legal as long as they consent. The reason the mothers were prosecuted was because the consent of the children was not sought, sex was imposed on them. There is no protection in law if the 12 year old agrees to sex so, those guys who have sex with 14 year old boys, they are not breaking the law. It is our western values which object, my values.





It has taken me a long while to confirm on the web what the law is as it applies to same sex couples and, as far as my research went, the law is 12 as long as it is consensual. So, if I meet someone in his 30’s who says he has a boyfriend who is 13/14 I am meant to behave as though this is totally OK because there, it is. There are laws I read which bar any person in a position of trust having sex with someone under 18 such as priests, pastors, teachers, … you get the point so, teachers, just don’t out there!





To my mind I have been raised with expectations that children are children until at least 16 and that there should be no excuses or justifications under that age. How do I deal with potentially living in a country where that doesn’t apply, where 12 year olds can be sex objects? I don’t know, it’s a tough one.





Then again, apparently there is a law of scandal whereby same sex couples are not meant to show affection in a public place too, not sure I am comfortable with that and the fact that, as the law currently stands, I have no right to be there in relation to my husband because there, I do not have a husband, I have no rights in connection to him either. It’s a very bizarre concept to get my head around. Let’s hope they change the law in the meantime so this is not an issue!





Look, the UK is not perfect, we have our shame, not least that we currently have men and, no doubt, women, paying people to use kids for sex in the Philippines, that is a national scandal and, given the apparent scale of it, it’s a travesty we don’t get to hear about these people.

“Same-sex relationships are not criminalised by law in the Philippines, but overt public displays of affection may be considered a ‘grave scandal’ under the Revised Penal Code, and can result in imprisonment for up to 6 months”

As far as recognising same sex relationships go in the Philippines we have Duterte promising in his 2016 manifesto to recognise same sex relationships then going back on it very quickly stating that marriage is between a man and a woman and more recently, seemingly going back on that statement saying that legalising same sex relationships only needs a law change and they can do that … so, we’re always closer to it, whether we are ‘close’ or not remains to be seen.

Historically we have to acknowledge that we effectively killed one of the worlds heroes in Alan Turing, the man who cracked the German codes and was pivotal in us winning WWII merely because he was homosexual. Let’s face it, the UK has an appalling record of abuse internationally we should be deeply ashamed of. We still do it even if it is by encouraging or propping up regimes who are abusing people. Homophobia is not dead any more than racism is dead, one of the oldest protected discriminations, that of age discrimination, is rampant. I know as soon as my age is on an application form I am automatically rejected for many job roles. 





These issues of how bad the UK is can wait for another post, another day. Right now we’re talking about another country, one which I hope to someday call ‘home’.  I have been very vocal here in the UK about abuse, about highlighting things which are wrong. I will have to learn to shut up and put up there, it’s going to be a challenge.





Links:
LGBT Rights in the Philippines
The Video which started this 
UK Government Advice Same Sex
Current Political View – Same Sex Philippines






Understanding M.E.


It may seem like I go on about M.E. quite a lot. Probably I do.





You see, if I had a broken leg, it would be obvious. Many might understand how debilitating a migraine is, some might also ‘get’ mental health issues … though, that’s pushing it.





M.E. is invisible (mostly). It makes the person who has it look like a lazy good for nothing who is just looking for excuses not to do things, to avoid work. I hear people tell me that ‘we all get tired’. This is true but, with M.E., you don’t get tired, we ‘are’ tired, all of the time. Not just a little sleepy, but that sort of tired that happens at bedtime or, after a huge meal. That sort of tired like jet leg where the brain simply doesn’t function or, when it is, it’s like we are not fully in control and mistakes happen. Forgetting things, misplacing bits and bobs.





Sometimes I just randomly sleep, no idea I am even doing it.





Every day has to be planned, paced. I can keep going if I know what I am doing and know when I am doing nothing. The theory doesn’t always work, with the best plans sometimes it just gets too much. I am functioning but sort of not at the same time.





Many will pass it off as the results of depression or anxiety because they do tend to go along with the condition. Let’s face it, you really want to do something exciting but your body and mind are just hitting the sleep button. That’s going to lead to some emotional issues. Serious anxiety.





I have just started a new job and my anxiety levels are through the roof.





Example using today …. now, tomorrow I have a 3pm – 10pm shift. Today I was up at 07:30am. By 11am I was exhausted, barely able to communicate so crashed out in bed. I remained in bed until gone 4pm! When I ‘woke up’ I felt the same as I did when I went to bed! All afternoon and evening I have struggled to stay awake and been aching loads, every joint hurts, every muscle. Pain relief doesn’t make much of a dent.





With the tiredness comes depression, bad moods and frustration.





I, unlike many, are in my 50’s, this can affect anyone at any age. So, I get the excuse that these things are expected at my age. No they’re not thank you very much for your opinion.





I want and need to work yet, any job I can get I cannot really manage! I lie to myself and tell myself I can work on, get through it but, the reality is, it’s too much for me.





I also have tennis elbow, a result of a bad judgement call I would not normally make but I was on autopilot at the time and not fully in control. This huge pain is expected to last for a few years assuming it ever heals. The other day I couldn’t even put a damn sock on a client because it was too painful … let’s get real, most mornings I struggle to dress myself!





So, I have added a link here. M.E. comes in varying degrees, mine is some sort of middling one, not the most extreme but not the least either. It’s all the same condition though and, keeping going doesn’t actually make it better, it makes it worse if anything. I just keep going because we need the money.





I only just got diagnosed though I have had it a few years, it’s got worse the last year or so.





There is no cure






https://www.facebook.com/meassociation/

Arachnid Revenge


So, last few days I’ve been killing myself blitzing the house of bugs, yeah, I know, it isn’t happening but go with me on this one!





I’ve been in all the dark places, I have had webs caress my face, I have seen scuttling across the floor. I’ve not even wanted to see what came off me in the shower. All this I did to know I am the man, I am the man in charge of his own house, the boss, the kingpin … no unwanted visitors here.





The wasps are OK, they die anyway.





Did I mention the steamer?





I had that baby squirting in all the dark corners blasting away at anything that moved or, anything which could potentially move, let’s not discriminate here.





Hey, what do you get if you cross a spider with a squirrel?
A spider that’ll run up your leg and eat your nuts (ouch)





The wasps are still dying by the way





The vacuum cleaner at one point must have been like a spider reunion in there, all shapes and sizes, they must have had an absolute blast. Probably met spiders that’s not seen in months, ex spiders in the same places, the spider that went off with his secretary, the one that went off with the priest, boy what a complicated web they weave.





I heard tell that even the Irish spider was in there amongst them, ah yes, good old Paddy Longlegs.





Thankfully, for these spiders, I am not Liam Neeson. “I will look for you, I will find you and I will kill you”





I put my own spin on in and try not to kill them, I am nice like that





Anyway, last night, sitting at my PC after Dennis had gone to bed going through the news … May shocked that the EU rejected her deal, no shit mother f*****! Donald Trump goes off on one to a female reporter … well, yes, that’s what he does. USN laughs at Trump showing off … good on you, some respect for you even if it did take a while for the ripple to spread because of translation! What he said was funny in any language …. “Since I have been in office, we have achieved more than any (nearly) any other administration” Come on, you gotta laugh! Beckham uses expensive lawyer to make a joke of the English legal system to avoid points on his driving licence and a small fine … yeah, go twat face, respect for that man, not. Tommy Robinson doesn’t care about UK law if he believes it is morally wrong. I believe Tommy Robinson is morally wrong, go figure. 






‘Donald Trump has backed his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh following the judge’s emphatic denial of sexual assault allegations.’ This isn’t news, this is Trump being Trump and backing his man up until the point he fires him.





Hmm, I think we’re getting into the realms of sandwiches here which most of my readers won’t get but, funny story, trust me on this one, another time maybe.





So, I am sitting there, on my PC, OK, look, that’s a lie, obviously, I mean, why would I sit on my PC right? Why do we say such stupid things? I was sitting on a chair, not my PC, I was using my PC. Hey, don’t get my wrong, it likes being used, it’s that sort of PC, we have an arrangement, I am the boss, the PC gets used. No, I don’t pay my PC, you’re reading way too much into this …  I do not abuse my PC, I just use it. I know that sounds bad but honestly, it’s a PC already, as yet, it’s not intelligent (no offence PC but you’re not) so, it gets used, just live with it.

OK, OK already … I am working ‘with’ my PC Jeez! 





The main light was off, I have a little reading light to my right, glorified torch if I am honest but it’s more pleasant late at night than the harsh main light.





Here I am, right hand on the desk on my mouse, not a real mouse, why would I have my hand on a real mouse? No, I have nothing against mice as such, lovely little things, cute noses but this wasn’t an actual mouse … OK … yes, of course it was an ‘actual’ mouse but not a living mouse … oh my God! No, it wasn’t a damn dead mouse, why do you keep interrupting me? It was a handheld moving, pointing device. Yes, I know I could have just said that and avoided all that but … look, we’re way off topic here.





Out the corner of my eye I saw some movement, probably totally distracted by Trump I didn’t react, I should have.

Mr Spider starts … what do you mean, how did I know it was a male? Yes, I know I said ‘Mr’ but, it might have been a male, I don’t know, yes, I know, I should be more accurate in my reporting, it was sloppy, forgive me.





A non gender specific spider … Oh boy, really? There is a problem with non gender specific? Yes, it’s is true, perhaps the spider very strongly identifies as female, I didn’t know, again, sloppy of me and pure speculation.

I was unaware of the gender of the spider, it really didn’t matter … yes, I respect it probably matters to the damn spider! You know what, screw the spider, it wasn’t that interesting a story to start off with, damn spider, walks across my hand, jumps onto my top, walks all the way down my leg, there, that’s all I wanted to say and now I have gone and made people read a load of stuff they didn’t need to read, I hope you’re proud of yourself!