How do we define justice?

Justice
noun

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1. The quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness: to uphold the justice of a cause.
2. Rightfulness or lawfulness, as of a claim or title; justness of ground or reason: to complain with justice.
3. The moral principle determining just conduct.
4. Conformity to this principle, as manifested in conduct; just conduct, dealing, or treatment.
5. The administering of deserved punishment or reward.

The last explanation really gets to me - "Deserved punishment or reward"...

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So, IF you keep your nose clean, you stay out of jail... You keep your "freedom", and in doing so, you pay taxes on almost everything...

Extortionate prices on fuel, food, rent and other living expenses, travel, education, healthcare...

You pay more money when you are working because the government take half of it back off you in income tax and national insurance...

OR... 

Image courtesy of Dreamstime.com

You commit criminal activity, you get put into jail (occasionally, but that is for another blog...), you LOSE your "freedom"!

This basically means you get everything paid for you - a roof over your head, free food, entertainment, internet etc... You can learn for free as well as have free medical treatment given to you whenever you need it.

This is often referred to as "paying your debt to society"! 

Maybe they should turn the system on it's head! Lock the non-criminals up and keep the criminals in society to face the doom and gloom of taxes, inflation, VAT, sky-high fuel prices, education and other expenses...

Maybe this is how criminals should really pay their debt to society!

I was speaking to a friend, Collette Howe earlier who made a very valid point. Their point was:

"what is it with all these programmes on tv where they all have some kind of special power or extraordinary memories or something...does my head in, in the 'real world' people are frigging struggling to survive everyday as it is... and if anyone with any 'special powers' existed they totally would just be a criminal anyway so they can get something on the down low and not have to pay stupid prices.... not a freaking hero like this shit on tv portrays em to be!" [SIC]

So, to sum things up: with great power comes great responsibilit.... Ahhh screw it! Wanna rob a bank?!

- Thelittlerich

Can I quit smoking using Electronic cigarettes?

Although I am not a heavy smoker, I have got to the stage where I am totally sick of smoking all together.

The only problem is, I enjoy the actual routine of having a cigarette in my hand and smoking it. 

I tend to enjoy this routine the most when I am driving, especially when I'm traveling to and from work...

Roll up, roll up! I prefered smoking "rollies"...

Until now, I have smoked roll up cigarettes. I much preferred these to actual cigarettes for several reasons:

• I enjoyed rolling them.
• I could light a roll-up cigarette, take a few drags of it and put it down, and it would go out.
• I could control how thin I wanted to make them.
• They were easier to smoke than normal cigarettes.
• They were lighter in weight than a normal cigarette.
• They were a "healthier" option* compared to normal cigarettes... 

* I say roll ups are healthier because they have less chemicals in the tobacco than a cigarette does. My reasoning is the fact a cigarette is designed to stay lit until it burns out, it contains more chemicals to stay alight...

Although I smoked roll-up cigarettes because of these reasons, I was still not enjoying them...

As far as my health is concerned, I am constantly coughing and trying to clear my throat and in the mornings I wake up all phlegmy and bunged up. 

I often feel sick in the mornings and I have occasionally thrown up because of the catarrh and horrible mucus stuff building up in my lungs.

It's not good for my health and not a good image when I am coughing and clearing my throat constantly whilst having conversations with customers at my work.

My electronic cigarette!

I heard about the electronic cigarette from Jan's brother and her sister who are trying to quit. 

I thought it sounded like a good product to try.

The idea behind the electronic cigarette is that it doesn't contain any tar or toxins, doesn't emit smoke or ash, is a non flammable product and still delivers nicotine to quell the actual cravings associated with cigarettes. (You can find out more information at http://www.10motives.com/ )

As for my smoking habits, I decided I wanted to try one, as I thought it would be perfect to keep in the car, enabling me to have a few puffs on my journeys to and from work, without having to actually light up and smoke!

I bought one today from Tesco. (It costs £5.99).

It claims to be the equivalent of about 30 normal cigarettes. 

My initial reaction is that it feels a lot heavier than a normal cigarette. However, once you get used to it, the weight isn't much of an issue.

The device is fairly large - it is very similar to smoking a super-king size cigarette. 

(I probably have noticed the size and weight more because I am used to smoking roll up cigarettes).

It tastes quite similar to a cigarette, and the device emits a vapour when you inhale, so when you exhale there is actual smoke! 

The E-cigarette has a glowing tip and creates realistic smoke to exhale!

It seems to be much better than any other imitation cigarette I have tried, and the fact I still have the "smoke" (a harmless vapour rather than a poisonous cloud of cigarette smoke) makes the sensation seem that much more realistic! 

The tip also glows, similar to a real cigarette. (Although the device I have has a blue tip rather than a more natural red one)...

I'll see how I get on with it and keep everyone posted!

Are you trying to quit smoking? Perhaps you have quit? Whatever your stories about breaking the habit are, leave your comments below!

- TheLittlerich

Why do online companies feel the need to change things?

Why do online companies always feel the need to change things? If I use a site frequently, I get to know how to use it, how it works and what I can do with it.
Suddenly, the owner of the site decides that the site needs an overhaul, and completely changes the look, the operation and the way in which you interact with a site.
It is "easier to use" is often an excuse that is given.

Well, IT'S BLOODY NOT!

Blogger : New interface...

I've just logged onto Blogger for the first time in a while (my last blog was back in March... Sorry people!) and I find a totally new layout to contend with...

Nobody ASKED me if I wanted a new system to use... Nobody told me to expect a new system to use...

Basically, it pisses me off that when you get used to how a system (such as Facebook or Blogger) works it gets changed.

Put it back to how it was, because I KNOW how to use it. Now, I just have to learn a completely different way of working, using a different method and I'm probably going to screw things up whereas before I knew how to do what I wanted to do, I wouldn't screw things up.

HOW IS THIS NEW SYSTEM EASIER TO USE?

Facebook Timeline - do you like it or not?

The Facebook "Timeline" feature is another recent example that has caused a huge outcry...

Millions of users of Facebook have complained about the new layout system, asking "what is the point?"... It is a good question - if something isn't broke, why try to fix it?

I don't really like change... I like to know where my shit is at... It's the same in my "offline" world - if the local supermarket rearranges the shelves into different locations it really annoys me! I nip in to pick up a few items and end up walking round the store twice because now I can't bloody find what I was looking for... It's not where it is supposed to be...

GRRRRRRR!!!

Does anybody else feel the same way?
Leave you comments below... (If the comments are still below, and not hidden behind a "sleek new interface design metamorphosis" ... )