Be Safe not Sorry. Being safe online.

Hey there.

Every year, more and more children are getting mobiles, reaping it's benefits.
Every year, the average age of these children is getting younger and younger.
Every year, more and more children are falling foul to the dangers that besiege mobiles and the Internet.
Radio 1 are currently doing a share, take care campaign so I thought I too would help enforce the importance of staying safe online.
You may think I'm being repetitive and a hypocrite but I know some of the potential dangers of not being safe on-line or via mobile. I know how I feel when I do something I know isn't appropriate. I know how other people have felt as a result of not staying safe online. In one word, terrible.
Did you know:

• 33% of teens have been cyberbullied. Most haven’t told a parent
• 69% of teens admit to regularly talking to strangers online
• 20% of teens admit to sending or posting inappropriate photos

Unfortunately, I'm no innocent and I'm definitely part of the 69% who have regularly talked to strangers online. So I know what I'm talking about when I say, it really isn't good or "healthy". When I first started doing it, it seemed exciting, dangerous but now I'm 17, I've figured that there are more risks then rewards. How can you prove someone is who they say they are?
With the Internet expanding rapidly daily, there is less protection offered now to young people. Therefore, it is our responsibility to ensure that everything we post,like share,say..isn't accessed by strangers, without permission. 
I know what you're thinking, WHAT ABOUT TWITTER?!?! Yes, Twitter is a social media site where talking to strangers is the whole idea. Fine. But don't divulge personal information. I'm not going to lie, it's easier said than done but just think about who might see your tweets. You could put a tweet saying "Home alone tonight..YES!", no personal information included, true. But who on your followers knows where you live and could feasibly get to your house? Hmm? 
Slightly dramatic I know. Yet it can still happen I'm afraid. Now, before you moan at me saying that I'm a hypocrite, I do have twitter. I follow strangers, friends and people who I know by name/reputation and I have seen tweets like this myself and probably posted a couple too. Yet, I'm aware of the dangers and problems I could face if I open my big mouth too much.
Talking of opening big mouths too much, cyber bullying. The one thing about technology I hate.
Remember that time when you were about 11, on the school playground, getting bullied because your school jumper didn't fit any more, you had answered all the teachers correctly in maths or you didn't seem to wear the right clothes compared to the rest of your class? Thought it was bad then, it's 20 times worse now. With cyberbullying, this childish taunting doesn't end when the bell strikes 3, it doesn't stop by moving classes, its relentless. Texting constantly, messaging constantly, posting constantly. 
Nobody deserves to be subjected to such horror. People see harsh comments as banter and funny, so they share it. Before you know it, that comment has spread worldwide, people you don't even know are making remarks about you. This can get you down, I mean really down. Suicidal in fact. Why would you want to spend any longer in a place where you feel worthless? Everybody hates you? You wouldn't.
Yet if we take responsibility for our actions, we can help lower the amount of suicides and deaths caused as a result of bullying alone. We can help stop the spread of negativity.
If you see a post which seems quite harsh, think before you share it. Think how the person it's written about feels. Bullying only continues if it receives a reaction or an audience. 

When online, attempt to stay safe. I know that nobody is perfect and occasionally we do slip up but as long as you stay mindful about the dangers associated with social media and the Internet, then the cowards, the perverts, the opportunists can't get to you. 
Share, Take Care.

I also provide the link to the Radio 1 website where even more information can be found:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wkj8/profiles/sharetakecare

Football Rant- Get a grip Chelsea

         In the past 12 years, football has seen some highs, some lows and some absolutely terrible events. Footballers’ being paid a high wage is my main bug bear but the firing of managers is also pretty high up there. Yes, I understand the whole, our team are doing rubbish, we need a fresh insight or we are not going to improve view but this isn’t necessarily the truth.

Chelsea seem to have taken this idea and this idea alone into their managerial side. Since 2000, Chelsea has seen 11 managers grace their team.11!!!! Compared to Liverpool who over this time have seen a humble five. However as much as I hate to say it, Manchester United and Arsenal have got something right, 1 manager since 2000 and  this one manager started way before then anyway. 

Roman Abramovich may have the passion needed for the game, the enthusiasm and the money, but he seems to lack the most important thing in football ownership, common sense. Ok, taking a new perspective of things isn’t a bad thing but not constantly. Footballers need continuation if they are to do well.  Sir Alex Ferguson has seen the good, the bad and the downright awful since being manager of Manchester United, unlike Roberto Di Matteo who won some silverware one season then promptly got sacked the next when it appeared that the club were heading for disaster, so to speak.  Every season for every football team is different. A strategy which worked last time might not be as rewarding now and a manager isn’t going to learn what works for his team constantly if he isn’t given the chance.  You could argue that every individual match has the same consensus however it needs to be on a broader scale for the managers to really understand their teams’ perfect strategy.

Lets take each team individually,

                Arsenal-  Haven’t gained a major trophy since the 2005 FA cup but haven’t finished below forth in the premier league. Third League and Cup double  in 2001–02. In addition, the club reached the final of the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup (losing on penalties to Galatasaray), was victorious in the 2003 and 2005 FA Cups, and won the Premier League in 2003–04 without losing a single match.

                Manchester United- Won champions League, Fifa club world cup, FA community shield 5 times, League cup 3 times, Havent finished below third in the premier league.

                Chelsea-  Premier League- 3 times, runners up, 4 times.  FA cup, 4 times.  UEFA champions League once.  Community shield, 3 times.  Lowest premier league finishing position- 6^th?

                Liverpool-  FA cup twice, League Cup 3 times, Community Shield twice, UEFA champions League, once. Uefa Cup and super cup, 3 times alltogether.  Lowest league position 8^th.  

 So as you can see the teams with the least amount of trophies are the teams with the ever changing managers. Although Arsenal is the exception but this may be down to smaller clubs improving dramatically too. 

Making the most of the memories made

Everyday I'm reminded of the amazing summer which graced Great Britain this year. Unfortunately I don't mean the weather as that was rubbish, as always, but the Olympics. Now I know this finished months and months ago but the great courage, determination and pride which was shown over the course of a month will stay with me forever. Surprisingly we did quite well and even though they are long over, I'm still reminded of them daily. Not the sport and competition necessarily but the respect, passion and sacrifice that ALL the athletes showed. Everyday we ourselves should take on this idea and make the world a better place. We need to share the tears, laughter and happiness as a united front just like we did in the Summer.

mmm bacon..

On a lighter more silly note.
mmmm baaacooooon. Om nom nom,
xx

Without history, there is no future.

Well hello there.
           There I am casually sitting in my biology lesson. texting, not paying that much attention to things when my teacher suddenly springs this news topic out of nowhere about a 112 year old women being robbed in her own home. After returning home and googling it to find this story was true, I was shocked. Well not shocked, appalled!
What kind of a person would do such a thing?! I mean, you would have to be desperate to do that. Like, really desperate. 112 years old, born 1899, that's 2 millenniums, 2 world wars, countless other wars, From Queen Victoria to our current Queen plus goodness knows what else and yet some mindless idiot wanted to virtually kill this person for a bit of extra cash and a buzz.
What is this world coming to?
The things this women has seen, experienced, lived through. The things she could teach us. Yet someone wanted to destroy all that?!
I know many people aren't big history fans, I'm not asking you to be. I'm asking you to respect history.
Respect your elders, i suppose too. They've seen things I've been taught about in a history lesson. What they can tell us about the world will inform our decisions we make on the future. We learn from our past mistakes to make a better future. But if we don't know what our past mistakes our, how can we make a good decision. We can't.
Its not just the fact that this women has "seen lots". It's the fact that she is an old, fragile lady. Someone who should be cared for, by ALL members of society. The most dearest members of our family are usually our grandparents, this isn't the case for everyone, i know but still. I know i certainly wouldn't want my family to be treated with such disrespect.
This poor lady was left frightened after the series of attacks at her home. Its sad, its unnecessary and its pathetic.
Without history, we have no future. For we are doomed to just repeat the same mistakes over and over again. Hopefully, some people out there will learn to respect their elders more. Although knowing some people, maybe not.
x

A hug can sometimes be the best medicine.

Well hello there.
Was sitting scrolling down my facebook newsfeed the other day and saw some rather depressing statuses, a facebook friend really wanted a hug. This may seem rather boring to you but to me it is a cry for help. Hugs, to me, help 101 problems that talking and what not don't. They show support, strength, and a unspoken trust between two people.
    Ok, now not every hug is done for this purpose however quite a few are. The simplicity of putting your arm around someone can give that person such vitality and protection that no words need to be said. Not only this, but they are simple. I may sound really soppy here but a good hug shows a good character.
   For a girl, the natural reaction to seeing someone upset or down is to give them a hug. It helps.
So if you see someone who looks a bit down, go give them a hug, or at least offer. It shows good character, goodwill and a compassionate side, all from one simple action.

xx

To A2 and beyond!!!!

Well hey there.
 To fill everyone in, I've finished my exams. To everyone doing AS, this was such a great feeling.
Anyways, following exams, went on holiday to Malta for a week and now I've returned to school, to start A2. Gulp.

Started on Monday, its now Wednesday and I'm petrified already.
After having a 2 hour lecture about what is expected from an A level student and ideas about higher education, I finally started lessons where  what I was due to study for the following 5 weeks and    consequently the next year was outlined.
I couldn't wait to start ICT however what I've already done so far, is scary. Alot of mumbo jumbo technical stuff that I assume I will learn with time however at this present moment is like a foreign language. The coursework is even worse.
English on the other hand sounds so fascinating,  Child Language Acquisition, or in laymen's terms, how children learn to speak and develop full sentences and Language change, from like Shakespeare to modern day.
Biology was straight in with the next part of the course. Which looks interesting, suprisingly.
History was a gradual ease into A2, with a quick summary of the course then a task to help familiarise ourseleves with it.
 Today I also went to a higher Education Fair, which considering I've barely finished AS is an eye opening experience although there were some interesting courses and uni's.

So thats what I've been up to recently. Scary stuff. The thought of becoming an Adult is frightening.
 xx