McGST Podcast

A very short episode in which I discuss, with myself, how the UK's freedom day is going so far.

Music by Tom Munch.

“Surely the infection rate + the pinging app + Monday’s potential free for all = a potentially unfathomable nightmare. Why does it feel like the government is in complete denial about this? It’s absolutely bonkers.” James O’Brien

“Boris Johnson’s plan to lift virtually all of England’s pandemic restrictions on Monday is a threat to the world and provides fertile ground for the emergence of vaccine-resistant variants, international experts say.

Britain’s position as a global transport hub would mean any new variant here would rapidly spread around the world, scientists and physicians warned at an emergency summit. They also expressed grave concerns about Downing Street’s plans.” From The Guardian.

Music by Tom Munch

The ‘nocebo effect’ is new to me, but it may answer a lot of the questions I have had over the past year about the differing ways people have handles the pandemic.

The ‘luxury effect’ details a recent experience in a high-end jewellers that made me feel completely alien to the world of luxury.

Music by Tom Munch.

More at McGST.com.

A quick talk about personal responsibility and masks. Who exactly is the government protecting with their new unlocking in the UK? 

Image via The Times.

Music by Tom Munch.

Joanne and I answered some of your questions to start-

Any good new music recommendations? Matt

Why have you not done YouTube? Marie

No government has succeeded with Covid. We need to accept it is here for years! Get over it! Stan

What 1st and 3rd party apps can you not live without? Tyme

Why end the site? Robson

And then we discussed the relevant merits of Garmin and Apple for fitness and smartwatchery…

Thanks for listening to the podcast over the past year. Really do appreciate the questions and feedback you guys sent in.

And thanks to Tom Munch for the music which has accompanied each episode.

Joanne and I discussed three questions that has been sent in and then we tried to cover near impossible topics including how long we will have to live with Covid for and if we are in fact all living in a version of the Hunger Games.

Music by Tom Munch.

Are we stuck using Amazon and does the company have too much of a lead to ever be caught?

Are we stuck with covid restrictions for years to come and are we heading back to exactly how we were pre-covid?

Thought on being the parents of adults.

Music by Tom Munch.

The need to create is undeniable for many of us…

Music by Tom Munch.

A quick chat with Alice about-

The Royal Family

Megan and Diana

Black + white does not = black

God

A new beginning

Psychopaths

Music by Tom Munch.

Some thoughts about why we tend to prefer to fix things rather than preventing a problem from happening.

“Climate change is a political problem of the future. A government of now isn’t interested in doing anything that costs them money NOW. Covid is different because they have to do something now.” Simon.

“I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head with this one Shaun & Joanne. Most people don’t care.

Most people don’t care as they don’t see or feel the effects of the climate change themselves. Or what they do see is so gradual that it doesn’t register. Many also know that it won’t really effect them.

It is the future generations that will really pay the price.

Here in the UK and other developed countries we don’t feel the effects quite the same because we have the systems that hide the impact. Our waste magically disappears, we don’t have massive amounts of rubbish littering our shores. Perhaps if more waste washed up on our beaches some would think differently.

The habitats most impacted by climate change are not on our doorstep, albeit everything around us is being affected in some way.

Perhaps if we watched in person massive chunks of the ice caps melting or saw the Amazon rainforest on fire we might feel differently.

We can all make a change. Small changes add up. You don’t loose weight by going to the gym once. Constantly doing so over weeks and months helps shed the weight. It is the same with the environment . If we did turn down the thermostat or take 1 less car trip then it does make a difference. Small, steps over time make a difference. Multiply this by the millions of people and slowly but surely.

I am no eco warrior, but in the last 2 years I have made big steps in being better to the planet. We drive less, if we can. I still have 2 cars, but it is very likely we will be down to 1 in the next few months. I do my best to reduce my plastic use. I do more to reuse. I recycle more items, including those that don’t go in normal household recycling. I am far from perfect but I now make more conscious decisions.

People turn a blind eye most of the time thinking there is a solution on the horizon, but the solution will ultimately take all of us.

We need to ask our employers to make a changes. We need to think more about where we spend our money. We need to think about who we bank with and what we invest in. Most of us have pensions that invest in some of the most polluting companies in the world. If we began to switch to more ethical or environmental investments perhaps things would change?

With a shift in demand comes change. Unfortunately the demand is still focused too much on not being environmentally conscious.

It needs governments to put in place legislation ultimately to drive big change. Reward those that take positive steps and penalise those that don’t. But, unfortunately it probably won’t be until the next generation of politicians are in power that we see this change as we have too many of the old guard in place.” Jon.

Music by Tom Munch.