They Don’t Just Rescue Dogs
The BBC is showing this news story about rescuing a dog from the icy waters of Lake Erie.
Many years ago, I visited one of our Artemis clients on the shores of Lake Michigan. I’m not sure of the time of year, but it was very cold and there was snow everywhere, when we flew into Benton Harbor. I remember the guy at Hertz had got all the engines of the cars running in the parking lot.
The client I was visiting was the nuclear power station called AEP Cook. I’ve been over several nuclear power stations and together with the old Sizewell A, this was the one, that was run in the most professional manner.
I remember asking whether they got any problems with the locals. The answer was that because waste heat from the power plant, in the winter, the ice tended to melt and the warmth also attracted the best fish in Lake Michigan. So regularly, they had hauled fishermen out of the water, who’d fallen through the ice.
Some people need their heads examined.
That was also the trip, where we had lunch in a restaurant that reminded us of the Rook Restaurant sketch in The Two Ronnies. Except the ubiquitous element was beans, as that is the area of the United States, where navy beans are traditionally grown.
London’s Swedish Black Cab Driver
I found this article about London’s only Swedish black cab driver.
I wonder what other unusual or unexpected nationalities drive London’s black cabs.
I remember years ago, when we lived in Suffolk, our postman was Californian. He’d come in the USAF, married an English girl and he’d stayed.
He actually preferred the climate, just like the Swedish cab driver says he does.
An Unintended Consequence Of Guns In US Schools
The NRA’s proposal to have armed guards in every school will lead to an unintended consequence.
Teachers showed at Sandy Hook that they are prepared to do anything to protect the children in their care. And some died!
Some, and I’ve not seen any figures, will accept the armed guards and would even arm themselves if they were asked.
But a proportion would feel that guns in a school was totally unacceptable. Many of these could easily find alternative employment or perhaps would be at an age where retirement is an option.
Could the US school system cope with a loss of a proportion of its teachers?
Radio 5 Scrapes The Barrel
I haven’t got a television listing magazine, so I thought there might be something sensible to which to listen on Radio 5. all they’ve got is a program about American football called A Week with the Cheeseheads.
That really is the pits and after all they are a British radio station.
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.
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.
US Gun Statistics
This article on US gun statistics is fascinating.
You can draw your own conclusions, but I will say this. Everybody who dies in a shooting, whether deliberate or by accident, is a tragedy for more than just that person.
I know what grief feels like and it’s not pleasant!
The Anonymous Widower 