The Archbishop Is So Out Of Touch
I shall be sitting down to Christmas lunch with two same-sex couples in long term relationships. So what right does this dinosaur of a churchman have to condemn gay marriage?
None! In my view.
I don’t know the scriptures well, but I do seem to have read that Jesus opened his ministry to all. He is said to have healed a Roman centurion’s servant in both Luke and Matthew. I don’t think that Roman soldiers were the most popular people at that time.
Let’s face it too, but unmarried priests really know nothing about how a marriage is a real strength in human life. As someone, who was married for nearly forty years, I have a lot more experience than he has.
Since The Sandy Hook Massacre 500 Have Died In The States From Guns.
This is being reported in the Independent. This is the first paragraph.
Since the outrage that shocked the world, another 500 Americans have died because of absurd gun Laws. They include a boy, just 3, a church volunteer and a victim of road rage. And the solution? More guns, says the NRA. Unbelievable…
By comparison in the UK, there are about 60 murders with guns in an average year.
What Would The NRA Do About This?
Two fire-fighters have been shot dead and two have been injured in New York state. It’s reported here.
So what does the NRA think about this one? Perhaps the fire department, should go in with all guns blazing?
Sort of fight fire with fire!
Piers Morgan Annoys The Gun Lobby
According to this article on the BBC, Piers Morgan has annoyed the gun lobby in the States, so much they want him deported.
Piers Morgan’s response has been robust.
“If I do get deported from America for wanting fewer gun murders, are there any other countries that will have me?” the 47-year-old joked after the 25,000-signature threshold was past.
Later, he added: “Wanting America to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines isn’t anti-constitutional – it’s called ‘common sense.'”
As to Larry Pratt of a group called Gun Owners of America! He’s what we call on this side of the Atlantic; a complete pratt. I remember someone with a similar name being referred to as Pratt in name and pratt in nature.
A Good Reason To Avoid Facebook
I do anyway, but their tax position, seems to be in line with Starbucks, Amazon and Google according to this report.
In fact, it’s rapidly getting to the point, where using a large company reduces tax revenues. Although, it does seem that American companies are the best at finding ways of avoiding paying tax. Or should that be worst?
If you think I’m being sanctimonious here, I once paid a tax bill of £3,500,000. If you don’t believe me, I have the cheque on the wall to prove it. I could have avoided the tax bill, by going to live in Monaco or somewhere equally boring for a few years. But then this country has so many good things, that I’d miss.
Ultrasound And Light Therapy For Cancer
The Sunday Times has a big attack on clinics that offer this treatment for cancer.
I always have one question for remedies like this. Can I see the results of proper published and correctly reviewed research? In most cases it doesn’t exist. And if it doesn’t, then I wouldn’t go near it.
All clinics who offer these cures are doing is praying on the sick and the dying. They should be charged with fraud?
Fifty Sheds Of Grey
According to The Sunday Times, this parody is outselling the EL James classic and is at number five on the best seller list!
From what I’ve read about it, it might make the ideal present for the not so modern man.
This Policeman Isn’t Fat!
This policeman, who the Mail claims is at the heart of the Plebgate affair, was virtually told he was fat on Radio 5 this morning in the Double Take program.
If I were to be his size, I’d consider myself obese. No wonder he has to carry a gun in his job. He wouldn’t be able to run after the average criminal. Even in my state, I might even be able to outrun him over a hundred metres.
David Mellor On Plebgate
There was an interesting non-meeting of minds on Double Take this morning, when David Mellor and a representative of the Police Federation clashed. Perhaps the most interesting part was when Ken Macdonald, a former DPP and probably not a Conservative supporter, was quoted as saying that the Police were the last unreformed public service.
The Police needs to sort itself out and top of the list are these questions of mine.
1. Why do the Police not have to go through annual medicals to see that they are fit for the job?
2. Why are the Police involved in incidents such as shootings, not cross-examined by lawyers for others involved?
3. Why do we have so many ranks? Especially, as various reports have recommended simplification?
4. Why do Police officers always seem to be rushing around in cars, making a lot of noise?
5. Why in Lancashire, when I ask directions of an officer, they inevitably say, they are not from round these parts.
6. Why when any reform is suggested, do the Police always say no?
I could add a lot more, but I don’t want to spend time, assembling the evidence. Or is it making the evidence up?
On the subject of Plebgate, I asked a human rights lawyer, who is not a supporter of any political party, what they thought about the affair. They just shrugged their shoulders and indicated these sort of cases go on all the time.
The World’s Gone Mad
Two stories today go a fair way to prove my theory.
We have the statement from the NRA in response to the shooting of twenty-six in Connecticut, which is reported here on the BBC. This is a couple of chilling paragraphs.
Mr LaPierre called for a national database of the mentally ill and blamed violent video games and films for portraying murder as a “way of life”.
He spoke out against the media for demonising lawful gun owners, and for suggesting a ban on certain types of weapon would be effective.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” Mr LaPierre told reporters.
But who checks that good guys are really good guys and not bad ones in disguise.
Wayne LaPierre is Executive Vice President of the National Rifle Assocation. I only hope that Europe bans him and his views from the continent.
We also have the tragic case of Neon Taylor as reported here on the BBC. In some ways with this case, I think it might be a hopeless one, as the cancer is just too aggressive I speak with hindsight here, as my late wife died from a very aggressive cancer for which there was no remedy. If that is the case with Neon, you had better let the doctors do their best, but at the end of the day, it would be sensible to let nature take its course and do your utmost to make the poor child as comfortable as possible.
That may be hard, but I had a granddaughter born with all sorts of problems. Doctors gave her a chance of 50/50 of surviving. By their own immense skill they proved themselves wrong. Ten years later, she is very fit and well.
Sometimes, I feel that a lot of people put their own crackpot theories above the good of those they say they are protecting.
The Anonymous Widower 