10 december 2020
All original writing
2014, 2015, 2016,
2017, 2018, 2019,
2020, 2021, 2022,
2023, 2024
Dr Ian McLauchlin
OPINION page 1
30 Oct 17
I’ve been thinking about the concept of the 'wave/particle duality' of light. This convoluted and clumsy construct arises, of course, not because of any property of light but because of our limited ways, so far, of explaining its behaviour. We thought we'd cracked it when we decided that light was simply an electromagnetic waveform that behaved in the classical way. Then, oh dear, sometimes that didn't fit. So we massaged our understanding in the only way we knew how, at the time.
That's a good illustration of how science can sometimes work. Note that we haven't dismissed any of the observed behaviours of light. We've modified our theory. In the future it's likely we'll modify it some more. It's called transparent and scrupulous honesty in the light of real evidence. Science doesn't pull the wool over anyone's eyes though the dishonest, ignorant and unscrupulous are sometimes happy to claim that it does.
30 Oct 17
It’s 2017 and people, for example Jacob Rees-
29 Oct 17
You only know how much you know when you realise how much you don't know. Many people, who think they know a lot, are oblivious to this test.
28 Oct 17
This is how the UK now works: Make sure there is nowhere near enough affordable housing. Then target and penalise people for sleeping rough.
27 Oct 17
Women's high heels. An excellent example of how the utterly bizarre and ridiculous can become so accepted without question that many won't even understand this comment.
27 Oct 17
“The government is committed to negotiating a deep and special partnership with the European Union . . .” -
We already have a deep and special partnership with the European Union and the government is recklessly walking away from it.
26 Oct 17
It’s becoming increasingly obvious that the government have their own private agenda which it’s determined to follow irrespective of the needs or wishes of the country or its population. It’s seriously worrying that our ‘democratic’ systems seem unable to stop them. At some point there’ll be a crisis. Everyone should be concerned about the form that might take.
25 Oct 17
Lord Lawson declares that there’s no climate change.
It's time that non-
24 Oct 17
The government insists that we must obey ‘the will of the people’. But the people are being told that they’re not allowed to change their minds on anything, especially one of the most important decisions affecting the country for decades. That's the hallmark of a Dictatorship. This, by a government that is ignoring the 'will of the people' (spit) at every turn. The people want:
- An end to the destruction of the NHS, and proper funding
- An end to tax evasion
- Safe and affordable housing
- Secure and properly paid jobs
- Respect and help for the sick and otherwise disadvantaged
- Proper policing for a safe environment
- Regulation which protects us from unscrupulous and profiteering companies.
The list goes on.
This government is NOT interested in what the people want. EXCEPT when that's the only argument they've got in favour of a reckless enterprise which the facts show is completely the wrong thing to do.
Looking at it another way, when you claim to be driven by 'the will of the people', why WOULDN'T you want another referendum, just to be sure? We all know the answer to that.
19 Oct 17
A former Archbishop of Canterbury has recently been reported as saying that he was against Voluntary Euthanasia until he had witnessed the terrible suffering of a terminally ill person. Why do we always have to wait for those with no compassion and even less imagination to catch up? They clearly have no idea that the rest of us can IMAGINE what it's like without the need to experience it first, and that's why we want change.
26 Sep 17
Whenever the cost of doing something is considered, there must also be a consideration of the cost of NOT doing it. Otherwise the exercise is incomplete and therefore invalid.
24 Aug 17
Businesses need stability and no uncertainty so that they can plan ahead and invest etc. etc. Yet it's OK, even desirable, for individuals to have precarious and insecure jobs. Just pointing out a major inconsistency 'cos no-
21 Aug 17
Many people are now using 'leftie' as a derogatory term, without thinking I hope.
A leftie is someone who believes that
- everyone should be treated fairly and with dignity and respect.
- we have a moral duty to look after the sick, vulnerable and disadvantaged
- we should not deliberately attack those worse off than ourselves nor set one group against another
- we should take from those who can easily afford it in order to give to those who have a real need.
Anyone who thinks differently really needs to examine their conscience.
15 Aug 17
Our government is still scrabbling around trying to get themselves out of a fix of their own making by trying to stretch reality so that afterwards it'll be THE SAME AS IT IS NOW ! Lewis Carroll couldn't make it up!
There's a magnificently easy solution: Don't leave!!
8 Aug 17
27 Jun 17
They’re spying on Jeremy Corbyn. They had files on Harold Wilson too.
All of this surveillance of democratically elected politicians means that behind the facade of democracy, there are forces whose job is to keep it all in check. Who authorises this, what are the objectives, who decides the limits, why are they doing it, and who polices the process? And why is such surveillance seemingly limited to Labour politicians? Just asking. (If you knew the answers, you’d know the real objectives of the tory party.)
22 Oct 15
Contrary to their protestations, the Tories really are great believers in State Ownership. The French State, the Chinese State, in fact any state can own us but our own.
