The JSPrice Perception

Theresa May delivering her 'no deal is better than a bad deal' speech (Image: Time.com) I recently visited Iceland and while I was in awe of the wonders this country had to offer, more significantly (only for the purpose of what I'm writing here), this was my first trip abroad since the UK's EU referendum. So during my sightseeing and fine dining, I also had my eyes on more serious matters. Call me over-analytical and someone who is unable to relax, but my visit to its capital Reykjavik haunted me back to what UK's Prime Minister Theresa May said earlier that week about her government's EU exit strategy plan. I'll start from the beginning. I arrived in Iceland using a currency I've never used before (Icelandic Kroner, ISK), so admittedly, I underestimated how expensive everything was. I was at a reasonably priced diner, for example, where I had burger, fries and a drink for ISK 2,145. If I had a steak from the same place, without the beverage,...

Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, at an LGBT march (Image: On Top Magazine) Largely, the Western world is a welcoming society that champions inclusivity. In this, I'd like to include the Far East and Australasia whose majority of people celebrate diversity and actively encourage different communities to join forces of good that'd ultimately benefit our being. The rest of the world may have some notable catching up to do, but when it comes to other people's life choices, I'd like to think most of us are on the same page. Despite this, there are some aspects of society often misunderstood - none other than the transgender community. For decades, the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community has been at the heart of many sociological discussions - both politically and privately. The lesbians, gays and bisexuals have been at the forefront of this and have emerged victorious in many campaigns that deemed almost impossible to get pre-popular culture...

From clockwise: Tim Peake, Jenny Beavan, Ed Balls, Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey, Claudio Ranieri Having read reviews of 2016, I can't help but feel glum. The extraordinary number of recognised 'legends' and 'icons' in the entertainment industry, the never-ending tensions in Syria and Yemen, the turbulent political dramas in Europe and United States - summarising the year with these events would be enough to justify why many of us feel a little depressed, even if the elections we faced ended in our favour. But I'm a glass half-full kind of person. Away from the doom and gloom, 2016 also had moments of true brilliance and inspiration. Keep these individuals and events in mind and we won't be seeing 2017 as 'the year of uncertainty ', as some claim. I would like to see the next 52 weeks as 'the year of transparency', 'the year of boundary pushing' and 'the year of defying odds'. I don't doubt the opening month of the...