THE LAST POST.........

Ladies and Gentlemen, its been emotional!  A real rollercoaster of a ride.  Suffering the ups and downs, and the occasional loop the loop of social media and its now, akin to Southern rail, the end of the line.

Before the curtain falls, let us review all that we've looked at over the last ten weeks....... 

Blogger

You Tube

Twitter

Linkedin

Google Docs

Pinterest

Face Time

Google Hangouts

Hootsuite

Quite an array I'm sure you'll agree, so what do I have in store for the final act?   How can I combine all 9 media tools to deliver a formidable finale?  Our course tutor had just the thing,   Google once again was at the fore front.  You will recall my review of Google Docs and how I sang its praises, in the same vain, Google could deliver the same magic with Power point.  Allowing multiple contributors to combine their thoughts and ideas on slides collaboratively regardless of geo-location!

In simple terms, the task in hand was that the class were to work in unison apart.  Each individual in my team ( Di, Aeron, Terrence and yours truly) were to contribute to and produce a power point presentation, a beginning, a middle and the end. 

The Beginning to introduce the task in hand

The Middle, the sandwich filling covering social media tools

The End to convey lessons learnt

I dived straight in, penning an introductory slide and there after starting on the sandwich filling by covering Hootsuite, Pinterest and Google Docs.  I lay down the gauntlet and e mailed team members with the work to date and clarifying what needed to be done.  Due to unforeseen circumstances the gauntlet was not seized and the work remains sadly unfinished.  Below, however for your perusal is what was produced

My Power Point Contribution.  

In my opinion, Google had once again got it right,  superseding all things microsoft.  Allowing the author to create, edit, imbed video links and add speakers notes with ease.  The best bit..... there is only one presentation, no need to worry about other versions!  Never need to ask whether you're working on the most recent version!  simplicity personified!

And so as the curtain falls on this chapter of my learning, I look forward to the next semester when I will once again tread the boards of new technology and software.  The Future is bright

GETTING THE WORD OUT ON THE STREET - TOUT SUITE

Hootsuite is a social media platform, created in 2008.  The systems user interface (home page if you will) takes the form of a dashboard( see the below image) and allows the user to integrate their own social media preferences; currently supported are Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google+, You Tube and many more.

Hootsuite Dashboard

Hootsuite was born when it's creator Ryan Holmes needed a tool to manage multiple social media networks at his digital services agency.  When Holmes realised that no such beast existed he went about developing a platform of his own and the launch went ahead in 2008 under the guise of "BrightKit".

This software was the solution to many of the hiccups and headaches businesses were facing with regards to organising their own social networks and improving their clients web engagement.

I must confess I'd never heard of Hootsuite..... and why would I?  I'm not a brand nor am I a business keen to promote self and services.  Therefore when assigned our week 10 homework of registering for a hootsuite account... I found myself treading candidly .......

Having taken my first step into the unknown and registering (truth be told, quite straight forward and user friendly) we needed to add our compulsory 3 (no more than 3 as it would incur a cost) social media networks.  This I also did with ease, adding Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook.  First impression was that the dashboard was a little busy (refer to the above photo), I didn't like it, couldn't warm to it and was about to dismiss it when I realised I was reviewing Hootsuite as an individual rather than an enterprise or business. I needed to rethink and review Hootsuite through the eyes of a small business.....

Now, reviewing Hootsuite with entrepreneur hat on .....here's my review.....

Hootsuite delivers as promised.  It puts all of the clients web engagement in one place for ease of access, functionality and updates.  Hootsuite is for business what Outlook is for the office administrator.  Granted, I'm not a real business an I have no need to promote my brand accross social media.......however if I did, what could it do for me???? what are the good and the bad points?  these are my honest laymans' thoughts.....

HOOTSUITE POSITIVES 

Connects 35 Social Networks in one place

Scheduled Updates

Social medial analytics (Influences & Insights)

Social Media Monitoring (What am I getting right and what am I getting wrong?)

Free plans available

30 day free Pro Trial

Single click reply 

Identify Leads and Influences

Pre-empt.... you can write responses to regular questions in advance.

Upload bulk social media messages (time saver!!)

Mobile Apps for Android and apple

Social media management tool

HOOTSUITE NEGATIVES

The Pro Plan (Post free trial) is billed annually

30 day free trial sucks you in

Dashboard is a little busy

Expensive analytical report

No thumbnail or summary previews in facebook.

No data in facebook insights

Lower facebook insight

Reviewing the above lists.... there are more positives than there are negatives..... but is Hootsuite the creme de la creme ............ the answer to that is that its all dependant upon what you're after as a business.  Since the Birth of BrightKit and now Hootsuite there has been an emerging market of similar software and social media management tools. Some examples of the competition are :

TweetDeck

SproutSocial

Agorapulse

Oktopost

Mavsocial

and

Jollo

My advice would be to trial each one and then decide which glass slipper fits best. 

Finally to sumise, here is an honest Hootsuite review that chimes with some of my thinking

ARE YOU FREE????????

COMMUNICATION OVERLOAD

I know that am I not alone when I say that I have have silencnd my insatiable ringing phone, or amended my status to read "busy".  Sometimes being available 24/7 can wear thin. That said its not all bad, advancements in telecommunications and IT have revolutionised the modus-operendii for business.  No longer is it necessary to travel for meetings, to catch that flight to Boston to discuss all things tea!  In todays' modern world face to face meetings go ahead on line in the virtual world thanks to free and available software. Great examples are:-

Skype (Skype for business)

Face Time Meeting

and

Google Hangouts

The aim of this weeks homework is to sample each one of the above and have a go as a group, to dip our feet in the virtual pool and arrange a rendez vous where we can meet on line at a given time and date and evaluate the available features on each one.  Before we dive in proper.... lets review each one, starting with Skype. 

SKYPE FOR BUSINESS

According to Wikipedia, Microsoft office live communications server was launched in 2003, replacing the instant messaging service.  With annual upgrades in 2015, the skype for business server was born and offering the following features:-

* Dial in audio conferencing
* Desktop sharing
* Persistent group chat
* Attendant console and delegation
* Session invitation protocol trunking
* Mobility and single number reach.

Take a look at the below video which takes the novice by the hand and walks them through the software - a simple "how to" clip.  Fingers crossed when the time comes, lets hope that as a group..... we can!




Lets now review the competition .. starting with FaceTime.

FaceTime is a video telephony product developed by Apple Inc.  Available on supported mobile devices and unlike Skype - Face time does not support group conferencing (However if you have more than one mobile device you can answer multiple face time calls simultaneously creating your own version of the conference call.  Other limitations presented are geographical.  As of 2016, FaceTime is not enabled in the UAE, KSA and Pakistan due to the regulations in those countries that restrict IP based comms.  It would seem that one would need to revert to old school methods of e mail, voice calls etc when communicating with certain sectors of the Middle East!

During the last few seconds of the above video you will have seen a pie chart depicting the estimated active users of top video conferencing apps - top of the league was Google hangouts,.... lets briefly review why....

According to Wikipedia, Google Hangouts is a communication platform which includes IM, Video chat, SMS & VOIP features.  Hangouts allows conversations betweene 2 or more users.  A service that can be assessedd on line through GMail or Google+ or through the mobile app available for Android users.

Chat users are saved on line, allowing them to be synced between devices,photos can be shared during conversations which are uploaded and automatically saved into a private google + album.  Users can also perform a group video chat with up to 10 users at a time....

WHAT NEXT?

 Well, they are all good it would seem but what will we think when we put each one to the test??? We already know what their limitations are having done some background work, but when we are hands on what will our reviews be?  Do certain comms platforms suit certain audiences better?  Is one best for individual use, another for buisness?  perhaps one for education and teaching?  What are their real limitations................. lets see

SKYPE - WHAT CAN IT DO?
Screen Share - Yes (entire screen or just a specific window)
Present - Yes, and share photos or show someone how to do something on your PC
Let you Record - No, skype does not support recording, however for a price some software applications are available that plug into your PC.
VOIP - SKYPE is mainly a VOIP service allowing users to make very cheap calls locally and internationally.


FACETIME

Screen Share - No
Present - No and as a result your are unable to share photos or show someone how to do something on your PC
Let you Record - No, facetime does not support recording, however for a price some software applications are available that you can download (Display Recorder and Call Recorder)
VOIP - With the iOS7, apple will introduce \face time audio, a first party voice over IP extension.


GOOGLE HANGOUT - In brief yes to everything!!!!!
Screen Share - Yes, during a hangout chat, you can let others see your computer screen.  Useful for presentations, sharing docs, photos, diaries, spreadsheets or any other content.
Present - Yes, See above
Let you Record - Yes you can record your conversations using Hangouts on air - the live broadcast will be sent to your You Tube Channel or Google+ accounts or homepage.  If you would prefer  a private hangout you can purchase an external app.  Snaggit and Camtasia will do the job nicely.
VOIP -  Google Hangouts & Google Voice amalgamated in 2014 and now offers text, video and voice calls.

IN CONCLUSION
SKYPE, FACETIME and GOOGLEHANGOUTS are really shaking things up in the Mobile industry.  Bringing free long distance and international calling to I phone and Android users around the world.  Currently access to Wifi is required but this will change with future upgrades allowing functionality using 3G only.

Take a look at the figures! The world is changing.... perhaps in the future students will never need to leave home or require student loans - instead they will attend lectures from the comfort of their arm chairs and Google hangout presentation on lap! Watch this space...........

SOCIAL STALKING OR USEFUL EDUCATIONAL TOOL?

 Since its launch in 2004, facebook has continued to grow in popularity amassing 900 million users worldwide, 50% of which log in daily.  I am one of those 900 million and have been for some years.  Living and working overseas in harsh climates was a lonely and testing time,  I found that facebook kept me abreast of normal life, I was up to date with the hum drum of family life and could dip in and out when time permitted.  my facebook account

Now Ive been on this earth for 43 years and have amassed friends from all corners of this world and without the power of facebook I imagine that I would have lost contact with a great deal of them, the christmas and birthday cards would simply stop falling on the door mat..... however facebook keeps friendships alive and I will be forever grateful for that,  however something I had never considered was whether facebook could be a useful educational tool?   Lets review this, let us first look at how technology has changed the way we learn.  This short video by Goldman Sachs sums up how technology has broadened options for the student today.

Seems we all need to consider embracing technology and social media as a learning platform, in fact we may be slightly behind the curve.  It seems that teachers are a step ahead and have recognised that facebook could and can be harnessed and used as an e learning tool in the classroom.  The below 8 minute (rather dull but informative)video clip by Patty Ball evaluates facebook as a learning tool and presents a very balanced view that highlights the benefits and raises concerns regarding security and privacy.

Now how about whether I can use facebook as an educational tool?  lets see, well I read all the news snippets from Reuters, Sky, BBC and AL Jazeera but I could pick up any of those on line or by picking up a paper.... what can Facebook do that no other media form can ........I mentioned earlier that I had contacts and friends all over the world.... Could I learn something specific from one of them I wonder.

Out of a varied cast, I was drawn to a chum called John Blackwing who is a native American living in Montreal, Quebec and has been featuring rather heavily on my facebook pages of late following the US elections.  As you can imagine John has been rather vocal about President elect Trump, but again, this is a topic that is well documented in the broad sheets et al, so what else.... Well, John has been sharing the Indigenous peoples plight and peaceful demonstrations against the North Dakota access pipeline at Standing Rock reservation.  

What is apparent is the Media Gagging over this ongoing protest.  If it were not for John, I would not be aware of the following:

302 communities accross the US have held events for a nationwide day of action.

The very present police brutality against the indigenous people peacefully protesting against the pipeline.

The US Government banning Native American tribes from protesting on their own land.

This reaction originates from the non violent protest by the Standing Rock Sioux tribe

So it seems one can learn from facebook but students beware, what you will learn will of course be biased, a one sided argument and thus always research topics further on other media forums.  Make sure that when you do form an opinion its because you hold all of the facts and not before.

SOCIAL SCRAPBOOKING

Pinterest is heading straight towards the head of the pack, shadowing Facebook and Twitter - what's driving this social scrapbooking frenzy?

Pinterest is deceptively simple to use, easy to browse and offers such a plethora of interest that there's something for everyone..... .  However, when we put it to the test as a learning tool......how does it fare?  Take a look at this short clip as a starter or 10.

So the concept is simple and its easy to use, however not so the case when it comes down to following the how to instructions.  Me thinks that  "You Tube"  will not be loosing any sleep over this sort of on line competition.

According to Forbes, over 80% of the subscriber base are women.  Having perused the general content this is very easy to believe, it's awash with crafts, recipes and pretty little things.  As a pinterest newbee myself, equipped with virtual board  already awash with multi coloured pins and bits and bobs (all of which I am yet to revist ) I would describe the target audience as Martha Stewart meets Stepford wife!  

Its a great source of info and inspiration for the likes of winter soups and getting creative with christmas, however, if I needed to change the spark plugs and oil filters on a V8 engine, I'm afraid that pinterest falls flat.  The how to videos posted on you tube are far superior to the black and white two dimensional diagrams and static schematics provided by Pinterest.

Final thought, a great platform for crafting and another opportunity for media moguls to make a quick buck on the back of it with on line advertising, however as a learning tool it falls flat and has been found wanting

OLD SKOOL TOOL

We laugh out loud at the very idea of reverting back to pagers, word processors and manual typewriters, and God forbid the thought of writing a paper on any of those archaic machines!!!!

And yet, we hold on with white knuckles to the Jurassic tool that is Microsoft word!  Why?  

Microsoft Word is so old school nowadays and yet we can't walk away from it.  We hold on to it, embrace it, blinkered by it.  If I were to hazard a guess as to why?  At first blush, I would suggest to you that it's because, we human kind, don't take kindly to change,   We like to stick with the old familiar, stay comfortably ensconced in our comfort zone.  This may go some way to explain why everyone was so reluctant to grasp the nettle and work collaboratively,  but at least we started something...... see the attached link "Our work to date".  

 So we entered the race but didn't cross the finish line....... here's a few reasons we should have pulled our socks up and got involved!

MICROSOFT  V  GOOGLE.D

CORRUPT FILES 

I've experienced this malaise many a time.  Uploading your latest masterpiece on to a flash drive only to find out that when you later try and access your work - the file won't open.  ARGGGHH!!!! With Google docs however, you're only a click away, you will never need to concern yourself with corrupt files or incompatible software.

ONLINE STORAGE

Ever forgotten your laptop or USB Stick?  No longer a worry. If you're out and about  and need to access your work, as long as you have access to the internet, simply log on and get to work.  Google docs is your online storage locker, with 1 GB of space this will suffice for a weeks worth of work unless that is your name's Leo Tolstoy and your writing a sequel to War and Peace. 

LIVING DOCUMENT

Never again will you need to utter the words...."Is this the latest version?" Your Google Doc is a living thing, a work in progress that is saved and stored on line where your colleagues will have access.  You will be safe in the knowledge that this is, the only copy, and this is, the up to date version.

WORKING COLLABORATIVELY

Geo-location is no longer an issue.  Subject matter experts can come together on line to work colloaboratively on a document, adding value and editing in sync.  This does of course mean that there is no longer an excuse to invite the cute guy or gal over to help with homework.......nothing is ever perfect!

Now if your still hankering after the old school toys - the option of downloading your google docs and saving a PDF version is a belt and braces approach that remains extant.  Win win eh?

9 YEARS BEHIND THE CURVE.....

Finally, take a look at this introductory clip to Google docs, posted 9 years ago!  It's had 4, 957, 876 views and is just under 3 minutes from start to finish.  This will make you wonder why it took you so long to make the switch.  Google Docs ......I put to you, should be your new years resolution for 2017!

The Incessant Networking Chain Letter AKA Linkedin

The Incessant Networking Chain Letter AKA Linkedin 

LinkedIn is a part professional networking site, part social networking site and part job board.

Recent research has found that the profile picture is the most important element on LinkedIn pages!  Man alive!!!! I thought this was about building professional relationships rather than competition for eHarmony or PoF. 

You'll be glad to hear that I've created my very own rather short and vague profile  My Linkedin Profile (read it at your peril...... please ensure you're sitting comfortably) Good news is, I've uploaded a profile picture and so according to Forbes I'm either soon to secure a date or a new job opportunity... either way I'm a winner!

Joking aside, LinkedIn is the editors choice for employment related social networking, well that's the editors view, what do I think?  I think its the greatest tool for headhunters that ever existed.  We are doing all the leg work, creating the profile, keeping links and memberships up to date, sending endless networking e mails to known and unknown parties and all the recruiter or headhunter needs to do is type in a few key words to find their man for the job.  

You may gather from the tone of this Blog that I'm not its biggest fan, but accept that in certain circles its a necessary evil.

Twitter - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

TWITTER - THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY

So, just as I'm getting the hang of blogger!  Stefan, in his intimate wisdom decides to throw twitter into the mix!  Man alive!  Initially, I must confess that it felt like herding cats,  However, I persevered, and ladies and gentlemen below is a link to my twitter page complete with tweets from yours truly!  Quietly smug truth be told.

My Twitter page

Remarkably I now have 5 followers, they are going to be sorely disappointed because hand on heart, once this social media malarkey ends, I have no intention of tweeting.  Why? Well let me assure you that its not because I'm a creature of habit, or adverse to anything new, a dinosaur that remains in comfort zone and sticks to what is familiar!  Far from it, twitter simply does not fulfill a need within me.  Twitter the current darling of the social media networking community is no love of mine. 

Leena Roa (@leenarao from techcrunch.com said " twitter ............akin to listening to other peoples' cell phone conversations." 

Now we all know how annoying that can be, but equally, at times entertaining! In this blog, I intend to navigate through what is good, bad and ugly about twitter.  In order for me to conclude that twitter was no love of mine, harsh but true, I had to at first conduct my own market research, a little homework if you will.  I chose a subject close to my heart, windsurfing, a passion.  What information could I gleam from twitter about this watersport.  Could twitter add value.

Now this won't take long!  I searched #windsurfing on twitter this brought up all tweets new and old that had been posted by avid tweeps.  Predominantly pictures of members on boards, or links to windsurfing destinations.  I stumbled across some interesting tweets regarding the Olympics,  twitter would have been a useful media tool during the games in order to keep abreast of the medal table et al but as for it being useful to me as a learning tool, I'm afraid that it remains leagues behind you tube.

But twitter was never a contender for you tube,  it is very much a different beast.  Whats it all about? 

Barry Collins from alphr 5 Mar 2009 said this of the micro blogging sites' success:

1.  Simplicity

2.  Brilliant way of breaking news

3.  Stars interact with their audience

4.  Immediacy

5.  140 characters makes you think about what you're saying

6.  Accesible - Anyone can do it

On the flip side, Barry Collins also had this to say of the presentation ( The page layout)

"The site looks like your dad built it, in between putting up shelves and watching the rugby" 

I'm inclined to agree, visually twitter is rather haphazard!  Take a look at the the short video below purely for entertainment!  Seems I've been spending my time under a rock ....... all will become clear!

Some surprising and light hearted facts in that short clip.  I can see how in today's financial climate and economic downturn how Twitter would appeal to retailers.  Why pay for advertising when social media and micro blogging sites could do the hard work for you and for free.  In addition companies and retailers would see what the the general consensus thought of their product or service. There's no holding back or pulling punches in the face less world of open source where one can hide behind their own critique without fear of reprisals.  Also as television programmes favour live broadcasting rather than pre recorded broadcasting, twitter plays a key role in allowing viewers to comment on current affairs in real time.

What of the negatives? the ugly side. We could cover cyber bullying, fake accounts, twitter squatting et al  but I dont intend to .  Instead let me introduce you to cyber spamming techniques on twitter. Tweettornado a term used to describe a commercial spamming tool. "techcrunch.com" wrote a piece discussing how twitter could be manipulated. "....... a way of offering despised spammers a way to create an unlimited amount of twitter accounts and add unlimited amount of followers. The ability to automatically update all accounts with an identical message makes twitter the ideal tool of spammers.  Tweettornado capitalized on a missing security link in the twitter registration process.  Valid e mail account was not required when registering a new account"

In truth, all things can be manipulated.  We are all open to hackers and spammers no matter how tight our personal online security is.  They will always find a loop hole, a way in.

To sum up, its not all bad, just not for me.  Twitter allows the user to post what is happening right now "Just back from the Gym", "Just had a slice of cherry pie", "Basra has just fallen".  A platform that gets the news out to audiences with immediacy.  For the narcissistic seeking ego massages and people with smart phones surgically glued to the palms of their hands,  I can see how tweeting  could become addictive, I however, am stepping away ..... In the time its taken me to write this blog, I have a further 2 new followers on my twitter page!  Madness!!!! That makes 7.  Who are these people?...
Thanks for reading.

Generation You Tube

Words I never thought would fall from my fathers lips:

"Google it Beryl"

"Are you using spotify?........ how do you stream your music?"

And a personal favourite of mine.........

"Have you seen this clip on You tube?"

My father is a 74 year old semi retired accountant.  When we discuss his school days, he talks of chalk and slate, pen and ink..... certainly, my father is a product of the hard rather than soft copy era.

Mater & Pater

It's therefore more remarkable that he has embraced this new technology and added it to his arsenal of communication and learning tools.  In fact, ever since my parents attended a "silver surfers course" (the internet made easy for the older generation) there has been no holding him back, in fact quite often, he demonstrably puts me to shame with his online prowess.   Always googling or "learning how to" with you tube videos.  Hold that thought,  learning "how to ......." by using you tube videos.  That is exactly what I intend to demonstrate in this Blog "Generation You Tube".  I will be investigating alcohol,  and by the end of this blog, you the reader will have a greater understanding of the following:

1.  How and why we decant alcohol? 

2.  Why do we fall over when drunk?

3.  How is alcohol made?

So let us look at decanting alcohol, specifically red wine, even the lambrinin classes of this world know that red wine needs to breathe and that it should be at room temperature before serving.  But what of decanting?  Why should we decant and why?  I hope that the video below will go some way to resolving all of these questions.

So in under 2 minutes,  we have succeeded in expertly showing you not only how to correctly decant but also as a result of the sediment integral to a bottle of red wine, why we decant over candle light.  A skill to add to your dinner party prowess perhaps?  Come Dine With Me eat your heart out!

In this next part, we move on to consumption instead of decanting.  I am sure that I am not alone when I say that I have suffered from wobbly leg syndrome following a little over indulgence and certainly the women amongst you will understand when I say that I have often regretted my choice of stiletto shoe.  Take a look at the next you tube which will better explain the symptoms indicative to being drunk. A squiffy chap is trying to make his way home and failing miserably after a skin full.




So we are all now visually clear about the affects of alcohol on the body,  but do we really know and understand why this happens?  why and how does alcohol affect our coordination and judgement?  A video, posted below for your perusal has been produced by "Drink Wise Australia" and goes some way to answering those questions:



A succinct 7 minute video, viewed 2, 146, 464 times that delivers the science behind our questions.  Alcohol or more accurately ethanol affects various parts of our brain resulting in changes to our biology and behaviour.  Let me quickly recap, the areas of the brain affected are listed below and along side which I have listed the physical affect on our bodies:

Frontal Lobes   -  Act without inhibition, lack of self control, act upon urges.
Cerebellum       -  Coordination affected, lack of balance, thinking skills impaired.
Hippocampus   -  Become forgetful, prone to blackouts, memory loss.
Hypothalmus    -  Increase in blood pressure, thirst, hunger and greater urge to 
                             urinate.
Medulla            -   Body temperature and heart rate affected can lead to hypothermia.

With questions 1 & 2 answered this leads me neatly on to 3.  How is alcohol made?  During my time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where alcohol is "Haram" (Arabic for forbidden), thankfully not for Diplomats, however those expats within the gated communities they called home were quite entrepreneurial in their approach to making home made hooch which they called "Sidiki" (Sid for short).  Based very loosely on the drink we know as gin, I often wondered how it was that these seemingly average Joes knew how to create hardcore liquor in their back rooms - it seems that you tube has the answer:



Let me start by saying how thankful I am that I can simply pop into a local store or supermarket to pick up a bottle of my favourite tipple rather than having to make my own moonshine!!!!!  I looked at quite a few you tube videos pertaining to explain in a few easy steps how to make your own alcohol and the above video was by far the easiest viewing with step by step instruction.

I am sure that I am not alone when I say that this all seemed very technical, took a lot of patience and prowess with very little gain.  Who knew that you could buy a still on amazon?  any takers?  no, I didn't think so.

The internet is truly a wonderful place where much learning can take place in abundance,  today I learnt that I would rather buy a bottle of chilled white than install a still in my back room.  Horses for courses as they say, thanks for watching.

Capital Punishment - Where do you stand?

The entrance to death row - San Quentin, California State

Today, capital punishment continues and is permitted or rather is carried out in 58 countries.  That said between the years 1848 and 2009 the death penalty was outlawed in 98 countries worldwide.

Is there such a thing as a fair trial? is there scope for error? Can we ever be beyond reasonable doubt? Pro capital punishment lobbyists would have us believe so, and that countries with the death penalty experience lower crime rates. Can one ever truly compare countries with different demographics and social problems?  Is their argument valid or is the death penalty a thing of the past - something soon to be resigned to the history books?

 I set about researching a plethora of opinions on three blogs whose written word backed up with facts and figures could not be further from each other;  each blog supporting their stance with suitable biblical quotes and statistics.  Below is a synopsis of the content of each blog followed by my own conclusion based on the arguments presented.

Pro Capital Punishment Blog - Criminal Justice degree.com.  A blog scribed by Wesley Lowe, a staunch supporter of the death penalty.  In his blog, Wesley Lowe opens with the following quote:-

Viewing room for the relatives of the deceased, the relatives of the Condemned and the Press.

"In a world as dangerous and as imperfect as this one, we will always be putting innocent lives at risk no matter what we do, or don't do.  The death penalty is a choice that is least dangerous and the most sensitive to those put at risk"

Lowe backs his rigid opinion by hiding behind old testament quotes, case in point:

Mathew 26:52 "All who take the sword will perish by the sword"

Exodus 21:12 " He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death"

Whilst the author quotes the scriptures in abundance as a means to substantiate his point of view, at no point does he refer to the new testament, or the 6th commandment "Thou shall not kill".

Furthermore the author refers to article 3 & 5 of the American Constitution "Everyone has a right to life, liberty and security of person",  "...... no one shall be subjected to cruel or degrading punishment".  Lowe continues by discounting life without parole (LWP) instead of the death penalty. We are told the cost of LWP is $1.2 million more expensive than the death penalty.  I ask, can one put a price on life?  And his reference to article 3 is a contradiction in terms;  if everyone has a right to life, then why not the condemned?  why not he who committed the crime?

Modus Operandi

The undecided among you will always raise the question of "what of the innocents"?  what of the wrongful execution of innocents.  Lowe addresses this concern by quoting a US Senate report 2012:

"All that can be expected of (human atrocities) is that they take every reasonable precaution against the danger of error ......... if errors are made, this is the necessary price that must be paid within a society which is made up of human beings"

Let me sum up - the end justifies the means, so what if there's collateral damage along the way?  Oregon District Attorney Josh Marquis said the following about the effectiveness of the justice system:

"The number of inmates taken off death row specifically because DNA cleared them is 5"

A figure low enough to make errors acceptable it would seem!  The low number that bears no name nor physicality.

Lowe goes on to tell us "No murderer put to death will ever commit a crime again". 

 I ask are things really that simple?  is life and death that black and white?

I sought out a neutral opinon on line.  Tricky as people are either for or against no middle ground, however an anonymous blogger and member of the Pew Research Centre sourced an article from BBC news30 September 2016 that highlighted that Capital Punishment was "..... at its lowest for over four decades".  Research carried out by the Pew Centre found  "...a sizeable slump in public approval for state executions"

Moving on from neutral my question is, Is crime on the increase, or is more a case that media today is quicker and better at covering incidents nation and worldwide? Do we really need Capital Punishment?  or is it simply a knee jerk reaction to what we hear is happening on our door steps and further afield?   Perhaps today's educated audience may offer a more balanced view, aware that not everything is always as it seems, all that glitters is not gold.

Brian Evans , Director of Amnesty Internation  certainly thinks so. In an easy to navigate and well written Blog, Evans arms the reader with quick links to stone cold indisputable facts, hyper links that read as follows:

1.  Death Penalty and trends

2. Death Penalty and Innocence

3. Death Penalty cost

4. Death Penalty and race

5. Death Penalty and Arbitrariness

6. Death Penalty and Deterrence

7. Death Penalty and Mental Illness

Reading and injesting the content of each subheading immediately casts doubt on the the justification of the death penalty.

Erams states "The death penalty, both in the States and around the world is discriminatory and is used disproportionately against the poor, minorities and members of racial, ethic and religious communities"

I find no figure in any Blog that proves that the death penalty is a deterrent. A US Supreme Court Justice Harry A  Blackburn February 22, 1994 said " 20 years have passed since the court declared that the death penalty must be imposed fairly and with reasonable consistency, or not at all, and, despite the effort of the States and the  courts to devise legal formulas and procedural rules to meet this daunting challenge, the death penalty remains fraught with arbitrariness, discrimination, caprice and mistakes"

What is clear, having read the Blogs, the varying opinions, the cliched arguments for example " why kill people to show that killing is wrong" or the reference to the 1948 UN introduction of The Universal of Human Rights.  The declaration states that "one is permitted life and freedom".  If this were taken verbatim then not only would Capital Punishment be abolished but also all forms of incaceration.

An interesting study in the Death Penalty News Blog found that being younger and spending longer in formal education (sadly not an option for all)made respondants less likely to support the death penalty.

Could education therefore be the key?  Not only to educating the populus but also the criminal so that he may see the error of his way.  Education for all from grass roots, all backgrounds and minorities thus affording individuals a platform to prepare for the future and the next generation.   Should governments be investing in education rather than in Capital Punishment procedures?

Have we failed those on death row?  Had they been given a better start in life, an equal footing would they have walked the same path to the gallows?  You decide..........

About Me - A path less travelled

My life today is very different to what used to be, today I live a very normal life in the sleepy hollow that is North Wales.  It wasn't always this way.....

In 2003 I enlisted into the British Army, The Adjutant General Corps to be precise.  My core skills were as an interpreter and classified document administrator.  My career spanned over 10 years serving in every arm pit at home and overseas finally culminating in a Joint Commanders Commendation for exceptional work during Operation Palentine in Banja Luka, Bosnia whilst working alongside the Joint Commission Observers (22 SAS) who were working under cover.

In 2013, I was to be promoted and posted to Germany.  This was the moment I decided to pull canopy and resign my commission.  I wanted more from life, more than moving from one location to another every 2 years or so.  In August 2013 I became a civilian.  SO! what next ...... well I landed a job working for Bain & Co ( an American bank based on the Strand in London).  I was to be the new private equity coordinator, my first task, managing the private equity take over of Debenhams the clothing store.  I immediately hated the job and being civilian,   I had started work with Bain on the Monday and by Wednesday of that week I was boarding a flight to Iraq with Tim Spicer, the Director of Sandline International and Aegis.  We were heading to war, as I had done before but never as a civilian, never without the backing of the Battalion and never without a weapon.  This was the beginning, a turning point.  Below are photographs of my base headquarters, Saddam Hussein's old Palace as well as his portrait of missiles from within one of his dining rooms, the bombed out National Guard HQ and Saddam's throne.

This is where life started to became interesting .......... We were hit by a vehicle borne improvised explosive device(VBIED), I broke almost every bone in my body, lost 23 teeth and had 98 staples to the back of my head..... I returned home to the UK to recover and consider my options.  I was broken but alive and was thankful for that.

In December 2005, now fully recovered I joined the Foreign Office (FCO), following 4 years of training I deployed to the Middle East, I won't bore you with the detail but below are some pictures of the highlights of my time there.

         

Welsh Society celebrating St Davids day in the British Embassy Riyadh

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the FCO, but its a lonely existence for a single woman.  After years of being away from home and loved ones I decided to return home to Wales in 2014 and carve a new career, a new path, so here I am........ pastures new.