Three Young Children
It is often said, that children are too protected these days.
But a couple of days ago, I was walking to the bus and noticed three children, where the eldest was about six waiting impeccably for the pedestrian lights to change, so they could cross the road.
A few seconds later they walked quickly across the road on the green and joined the queue at the bus stop to wait for the bus.
It was immaculate behaviour, by those that are generally not given that level of responsibility for their own safety.
Incidentally, my mother used to take me to the 107 bus, when I was about six or seven and sit me in the back by the conductor to send me to my aunt’s house in Enfield.
I wonder if this will start to happen on the New Bus for London?
Saving Babies By Breastfeeding
I don’t know much about breastfeeding babies, but this report on Sky has a lot of sense to it. This is the first bit.
The lives of 95 babies could be saved every hour if mothers started breastfeeding their newborns in the hour after their birth, a charity has said.
Receiving a mother’s first milk within an hour will kickstart the child’s immune system, making a newborn three times more likely to survive, according to a report by Save the Children.
I should say, that as someone, who knows about breeding racehorses, that you always get the new born foal to have the first feed as it’s the best.
My stud groom would also milk the dead mare and give that to the foal in a bottle, if she had sadly died in the foaling.
Kids-Free Zones
I can’t see what all the fuss is about! I’ve never ever had a problem on an aircraft with other people’s children, except for two thirteen year olds, who wouldn’t even take notice of the stewardess. But it was Olympic.
Now I’m a widower, who has also lost a son, which means I have no contact with my well-behaved granddaughter.
So don’t knock it! I must admit though, that I do avoid certain restaurants at certain times, but that’s not the kids, it’s the buggies.
And Now The iPotty!
I didn’t believe it, when I heard this on the radio.
But the iPotty is here.
I think it’s one of those ideas that might work for girls, but boys tend to spray everything in front, after the experience of our three sons. Or in some cases stand up and poo on the floor in front. I wonder, what that would do to an iPad!
It’s That Mother Again!
The Standard today has yet another article, about the mother who doesn’t want her son to have radiotherapy.
I’m getting rather fed up with this woman.
it’s not news, but a personal tragedy for everyone involved.
C’s Worst Nightmares
Reading the story about the little girl taken to Pakistan against her mother’s wishes, reminds me of C’s worst nightmares in her job as a family barrister.
The first was obviously not being able to protect a client from a violent partner. I don’t think she actually had it happen, although she was very worried, that a body found on a Norfolk beach, was a former client. I know she was critical of the law in that she felt as time progressed judges couldn’t give the same level of protection to clients.
Strangely, I can’t remember any child being abducted, whilst she was dealing with the case. Although, she did go to court to get children returned to the jurisdiction.
I can remember though, her discussing how some countries that you might find were a nightmare to deal with were not and others you think would be easy weren’t. It all depends on whether the country has signed and/or adheres to the Hague Convention.
In one case, a child had been abducted to a southern state of the United States and she wondered if it would be a difficult case. Everything was organised by phone and fax and the Americans said to send a responsible adult like a social worker. I think though she did have a difficult case concerning a country much nearer to home.
So the happy ending to today’s case fits the rather random pattern. Although it did take a long time to resolve.
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.
America, The Sick Man Of The World
Two of the stories I posted yesterday, showed the state the US is in. The first was the story of prisons in the US, and Alabama in particular. I started it with the words.
This story from the United States is terrible.
I felt it couldn’t get worse. But it course of did with the massacre of children in Connecticut.
The story of Gary McKinnon was really about America bullying a poor unfortunate, rather than fixing their leaky computer systems and treating him in the way he would have been in most other countries of the world.
We have also had the excursions into Afghanistan and Iraq, to wreak vengeance for the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11th, 2009. Sadly we were drawn into these ill-thought out adventures.
It’s funny too, how the three main companies being castigated for their tax position are all American.
I could also add in the stunts of bankers based in New York, which started the collapse of the worldwide banking system, the death penalty and the failed prison and justice system and a healthcare system that is the joke of the civilised world.
I shall not be going to the United States ever again and I will not buy products from American companies, where there is an alternative.
Protect Children, Not Guns
In view of the awful shootings in Connecticut, which have resulted in the deaths of 27, read this article called Protect Children, Not Guns.
This is the introductory paragraph.
In 2008, 2,947 children and teens died from guns in the United States and 2,793 died in 2009 for a total of 5,740—one child or teen every three hours, eight every day, 55 every week for two years. Six times as many children and teens—34,387—suffered nonfatal gun injuries as gun deaths in 2008 and 2009. This is equal to one child or teen every 31 minutes, 47 every day, and 331 children and teens every week.
They are chilling figures and all the Americans do is get more guns.
It’s Five Years Today
Today it’s five years since my wife, C, died quietly in her sleep. A lot has happened since, what with the death of our youngest son and my stroke, which necessitated my move from Suffolk to London.
But life in those five years hasn’t been all bad and I’ve experienced some wonderful things. I’ve also just found this in Chambers UK, which is a guide to the best lawyers in the UK.
He works with individuals who are prosecuted on suspicion of funding or having an active part in terrorist groups and conspiracies, and is a vocal critic of the implications of broad legislation and law in this area. He is described as “a great solicitor.”
The person being described is our middle son. C would be immensely proud! Just as I obviously am!
Today is a really bittersweet day!
The Anonymous Widower 