The shifting sexual norms in Japan’s literary history

More than 3,000 women and 900 men — that’s the number of lovers the main protagonist in Ihara Saikaku’s 1682 novel “Koshoku Ichidai Otoko” (“The Life of an Amorous Man”) tallies up as he reminisces. Saikaku, born in Osaka in 1642, became a renowned poet who wrote about the fluid, open sexuality of Edo Period (1603-1868) pleasure quarters with a startling lack of inhibition: In the 1685 collection of stories “Koshoku Gonin Onna” (“Five Women Who Loved Love”), he explores the love lives of feisty females; in “Koshoku Ichidai Onna” (“The Life of an Amorous Woman”), published in 1686, he includes a brief lesbian scene; and then there is “Nanshoku Okagami” (“The Great Mirror of Male Love”), a 1687 collection that focuses exclusively on love between men.

The sexual openness of Ihara’s characters seems to be profoundly out of place in contemporary conservative Japan. Today, the recognition afforded to the LGBT community is hotly debated in the country, and though traditionally conservative nations such as Ireland have legalized same-sex marriage, Japan is lagging behind. A recent legal ruling even rejected the right of partners (in practice, women) to keep their surnames after marriage, as a means of protecting “traditional family values.”

Though Japan’s current social conservatism appears at odds with the West’s liberalizing tendencies, it’s also at odds with the nation’s own past. Writers, stretching from Ihara to modern authors such as Natsume Soseki and Yukio -read more

as seen on children in need -doctor who xmas special 2016

Leprosy revealed in red squirrels across British Isle

Leprosy has been found in red squirrels across the British Isles and scientists believe they have been infected with the disfiguring disease for centuries.

The endangered animals carry the same bacteria that cause the human disease,research has revealed. This results in lesions on their muzzles, ears and paws, adding to the sharp decline in their numbers caused by invading grey squirrels, which appear immune to the disease.

It is possible that humans have caught leprosy from red squirrels in the past, as their fur and meat was once prized. But the last case of leprosy contracted in the UK was in 1798, indicating the risk is now extremely low.

“We should be even more concerned about the squirrels now and not frightened of them,” said Prof Anna Meredith, at the University of Edinburgh and one of the ..read more

Flaviu gets Willow as mate.

If you remember  the 2 year old lynx.. Flaviu ..that escaped Dartmoor Zoo earlier this year has now got a girlfriend.She is a 8 year old called Willow ,a special fence has been erected to stop physical contact until the big cats are comfortable with each other .

Racism.

I can not say i have never been racist as that would be a lie. i can only  say that i was treated as being gay for years as no girlfriend when young due to being shy.As for racism i did once say a comment about Pakistan people for which was barred from local gym in 80s rightly so i now try not too judgex

loo of the year awards.

The awards have a simple objective, namely, to encourage the highest possible standards in all 'away from home' or public toilets. Everyone has a shared responsibility to make this happen – toilet providers, managers, washroom suppliers, contractors, staff, visitors and customers – all toilet users.

The Awards are owned and run independently and since their introduction in 1987 the annual Loo of the Year Awards competition has helped focus the spotlight on 'away from home' toilets. It is now considered as 'the loo standard' and the Awards are supported by the national tourism bodies of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Jersey.

Any type of 'away from home' toilet can be nominated or entered in the competition, in any of the sixty separate Awards categories listed on the entry form. Entries are accepted from anywhere in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.

Anyone can nominate - staff, customers, visitors, managers, owners or contractors. Entries need to be authorised by owners or managers to guarantee payment of relevant entry fees which cover the inspection visit(s) etc.

Each entry is fully assessed against established judging criteria, covering both male and female facilities, as well as any baby changing, accessible and/or Changing Places facilities. All entries will receive a grading; Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum, following an unannounced visit by a fully trained and authorised Loo of the Year Awards Inspector.

The Attendant of the Year Awards form part of the annual Loo of the Year Awards but ---read more

Seagull-proof sack call to avoid 'annual menace'

Residents in a coastal area in south Devon have been advised to use seagull-proof rubbish sacks to prevent birds scattering litter.

South Hams District Council provides bags free to homes without wheelie bins or where waste lorries cannot access.

It said the bags were "a simple but effective solution to the annual seagull menace".

The council said it was working to arrange waste collections to avoid bags being left out longer than needed.

Rufus Gilbert, the council's environment services executive member, said "only takes one property not use them and the seagulls get to work, making a mess."also local  coastal

 town of Ilfracombe are thinking of investing in these bags. The bags  have a  secure velco  fastening.tie at back ,weighted base .As is known seagulls are scavengers  sosee open bags as free food so partly our fault.

Coping with Norovirus

Norovirus is the most common stomach bug in the UK. The ‘winter vomiting’ bug, as it’s also known, causes nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, watery diarrhoea, raised temperature and aching limbs.

It also spreads incredibly quickly, so avoid public places if you’ve been struck down with symptoms. It’s particularly important to steer clear of GP surgeries, hospitals and care homes to protect already vulnerable patients from the virus.

Unfortunately, there’s no cure for Norovirus, so it’s simply a case of letting it run its course [symptoms usually pass within 48 hours].

But if you or your child do experience sudden diarrhoea and vomiting, taking the following action can ease symptoms:

• Drink plenty of fluids to replace the fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhoea – pharmacies supply special rehydration drinks made from sachets. Babies should continue to feed as normal
• Take paracetamol for any fever or aches and pains
• Get plenty of rest
• If you feel like eating, plain foods such as soup, rice, pasta and bread are best

While there’s no specific treatment for Norovirus, babies and young children are more at risk of dehydration. So, if you’re concerned or need more advice, you should get in touch with your GP or call NHS 111.--read more

When is a photo yours?

A recent argument as made me question who owns rights to a photo.Example using old family photos when were younger or use from facebook  .Here is what research brought up ... wnership of digital photos is a thorny issue, not helped at all by the difficult legalese that Omakes up most online terms and conditions.

With many popular social networking and photo sharing websites, you may 'own' your digital photos, but once you post them online, you give the site the right to use them how it wishes.

The photo application Instagram, owned by Facebook, caused a commotion when it changed its terms and conditions to state that it had the right to sell users' photos to advertising partners. 

The UK government has also not helped the issue by passing changes to copyright laws that could make it easier for media companies to claim ownership of, or at least use, images posted online.

So just what are your rights with the various photo-sharing sites and social networks? We've waded through the hellishly long terms and conditions for some of these companies to see what they mean for you.

Instagram

Instagram's stance boils down to the uneasy difference between ‘ownership’ and ‘license to use’. 

Post a photo to Instagram and yes, you do own it. But Instagram has the right to use it in its promotional activities, and it can transfer or sub-license this right to its partners.

To put it another way, it’s your car. But park it in the Instagram garage, and you give Instagram (and its friends) a spare set of keys and the right to go for a drive whenever it likes.

But a further clause reveals that this relationship doesn’t work both ways, and you're not free to help yourself to any old content on Instagram that isn't your own. 

Facebook

As the owner of Instagram, it's no surprise that Facebook's take on content ownership is the same. 

As a Facebook user, you own any content, including photos, that you post online, according to its terms. However, it also states in its T&Cs that you give it the right to ‘use’ your content, and this right can be transferred or sub-licensed to its partners.

According to the T&Cs of both Facebook and Instagram, any profit that is made as a result of using your content will not be shared with you.Twitter

It’s a familiar story over at Twitter’s T&Cs, with the same language being used around adapting, modifying, distributing and using your content, which includes any photos you upload.

By signing up to Twitter you agree to let it 'use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display and distribute' any of your content, including photos that you post. 

Once you post a photo to Twitter, it’s perfectly within its rights to use that photo for its own purposes.

Flickr

Even photo-uploading stalwart Flickr isn’t immune to the legalese around rights to use your content. 

Post a photo to Flickr and you give Yahoo! a right to 'reproduce, modify, adapt and publish' your content, though only for the purpose of promoting its own services.

Behind the legalese

With a lot of online photo-sharing sites, the same legal terms keep cropping up. But what do they mean for your content?

Use

It's a complete catch-all. There’s not much of a limit on what ‘using your content’ could boil down to, and it puts plenty of rights within the hands of the service.

Adapt/modify

Again, these terms could cover a lot of ground, for example cropping an image to show only a part of your photo rather than the whole thing if it were used as part of a promotional campaign.

Display/distribute

These terms allow the services to use your photos in promotional activities such as advertising campaigns, although it’s unlikely you’ll see your photo on the side of a bus poster.

Transferable/sub-licensable

This lets the service transfer the rights to your photos to any partner they may work with now or in the future – for example, an advertising partner.

Royalty-free

If any profit is made as a result of using your photo, you won’t be seeing a penny for it .

Coping with Grief and Loss Understanding the Grieving Process and Learning to Heal

Losing someone or something you love or care deeply about is very painful. You may experience all kinds of difficult emotions and it may feel like the pain and sadness you're experiencing will never let up. These are normal reactions to a significant loss. But while there is no right or wrong way to grieve, there are healthy ways to cope with the pain that, in time, can renew you and help you move on.

What is grief?

Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. The more significant the loss, the more intense the grief will be. You may associate grief with the death of a loved one—which is often the cause of the most intense type of grief—but any loss can cause grief, including:

Divorce or relationship breakup Loss of health Losing a job Loss of financial stability A miscarriage Retirement--read more

Death of a pet Loss of a cherished dream A loved one’s serious illness Loss of a friendship

Tips for coping with depression

If you're feeling depressed, it can be helpful to try some coping strategies.

David Richards, professor of mental health services research at the University of Exeter, offers these self-help tips for dealing with depression.

Stay in touch

Don't withdraw from life. Socialising can improve your mood. Keeping in touch with friends and family means you have someone to talk to when you feel low.  

Be more active

Take up some form of exercise. There's evidence that exercise can help lift your mood. If you haven't exercised for a while, start gently by walking for 20 minutes every day. --read more

Mainstream Politics In Decline?

Recently the pollsters have said the usual suspects were going to win Bexit vote and recent American presidential vote .But people are starting to think for themselves and not fall for the propaganda spin and vote for what is right in their opinion.Yes some people will be upset with these events and some may goto lengths to stop or slow down  but wars were fought for the right to free speech even if you disagree with the views expressed .

Sad Monkey Death.

A six month emaciated South American Marmoset was found with a broken pelvis and missing fur had to be put down in Newport,South Wales.

lest we forget

simpsons predictions

mitzi plays with new toy

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling.

It's a "specific learning difficulty", which means it causes problems with certain abilities used for learning, such as reading and writing. Unlike alearning disability, intelligence isn't affected.

It's estimated that up to 1 in every 10 to 20 people in the UK has some degree of dyslexia.

Dyslexia is lifelong problem that can present challenges on a daily basis, but support is available to improve reading and writing skills and help those with the problem be successful at school and work.

What are the signs of dyslexia?

Signs of dyslexia usually become apparent when a child starts school and begins to focus more on learning how to read and write.

A person with dyslexia may:

• read and write very slowly
• confuse the order of letters in words
• put letters the wrong way round – such as writing "b" instead of "d"
• have poor or inconsistent spelling
• understand information when told verbally, but have difficulty with -read more-also check out possible help -http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/learningschools/school_dyslexia.htm-http://www.netmums.com/northdevon/local/index/support-groups/special-needs-dyslexia-http://devoncf.com/apply/apply-for-a-grant/

25 year wedding blessing a non starter.

this year me and my wife Enid have been married 25  years and we wished to have a blessing.but here comes the best bit ,getting a  celebrant was no problem as contracted a lovely lady -Debbie Merritt-who came to visit and discussed cost and what was required for the day. the bits were quite honestly hard and got fed up with fact when mentioned the word wedding or blessing the costs of venues and caterers went up or were disinterested due to small number of guests numbers not our fault only have a small group to invite ,the same attitude was extended when ask for level access due to my wife not being able to walk every well .yes i know some of you will say why not do it yourself but  we wanted to make it special as never had a honeymoon so i hope no one else has this hassle.

was chicken worlds first takeaway?

tooth marks found on a chicken bone dug up in Africa has shown were eaten about 800 bc. this 300 years before other finds of birds originally from Asia and Europe .this indicates were farmed before pigs and cattle .

This is one of the sessions that was presented at BlueLightCamp 2014 by Matt Wroughton of West Midlands Fire Service, as well as at the recent Policing Social Citizens in Manchester. At both events the idea was well received by those attending the sessions.

Matt Wroughton presenting 999eye

Over the past few months, a team at West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) has been working on an innovative way of increasing the availability of information about an emergency incident to control room operators and category 1 responders during the incident itself. The team developing the solution are now seeking to connect with organisations who may be interested in being involved with the project in order to gain multiple perspectives on how the solution may be developed to provide maximum benefit to a variety of potential users.

Since the birth of the internet, at the very same time a call is placed and received through the 999 system, a vast array of internet enabled services have been providing a platform of information sharing freely and easily between endless numbers of internet users.

Some examples:

• Present-day smartphones have the functionality to record and relay images and video, often in real time, and which may later be uploaded onto internet sites or sold to media agencies.
• Mobile network providers are able to detect an increase in smartphone usage at the location and could potentially have data on numbers of people in the vicinity of an incident.read more