tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112962992024-03-06T02:03:39.958+00:00Tales From the Rural DivideProcrastinations from a Godless Scotsmansean slaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01768973037531247199noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-44354618632266392352008-06-10T09:48:00.000+01:002008-06-10T09:49:43.158+01:00<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="288" height="192" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.co.uk&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.co.uk%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fslarty7%2Falbumid%2F5209979708545884865%3Fkind%3Dphoto%26alt%3Drss" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br /><br />My trip over London, courtesy of BA and Heathrow Airtrafficsean slaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01768973037531247199noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-91030677819839914102008-05-30T12:26:00.002+01:002008-05-30T12:29:33.540+01:00EEEsy peeeeesyI'm sitting in Starbucks in Reading with a Lemon and Orange muffin and a Grande Latte, watching the world go by, I love this little machine. It is no heavier than a bag of sugar and yet it can bring me the world. Almost anywhere!sean slaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01768973037531247199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-84860525589425116862008-05-29T18:28:00.001+01:002008-05-29T18:33:09.074+01:00This keyboard is easy to use... <meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><title></title><meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.0 (Linux)"><meta name="CREATED" content="20080529;18165800"><meta name="CHANGED" content="16010101;0"> <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> </style> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">This is the first blog-post from the <a href="http://www.asuseeepc.com/">EeePC</a> and so it is written on the dinky keyboard. It takes a wee while to get used to but if one takes it slowly then not too many mince-steaks are made. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The<a href="http://www.openoffice.org/"> Openoffice </a>software is easy to use and anyone using MS Office will be familiar with the setup. There is no real need to buy a full Office suite when this works just as well. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I've got a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=853424290&hiq=sean,slater">Facebook</a> page now so as I haven't a Scooby what I am doing on it, come on over and nick my ID why don't you?</p> sean slaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01768973037531247199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-53859059539147758882008-05-29T14:40:00.000+01:002008-05-29T14:42:07.505+01:00New toyPicked up my new toy this week. An <a href="http://eeepc.asus.com/global/">EeePC</a> from ASUS. It is a laptop which runs on Linux, has 512mb memory, 4gb hard drive, no CD or DVD, no real graphics and a 7” screen. Why would anyone possibly want one?<br /><br />Well, it boots up in around 10 sec. It has flash memory only (expandable via SD cards) built-in wifi, webcam and mic. It weighs less than 1kg and comes equipped with Skype, Firefox, Open Office and all the apps you could really need. All for £200.<br /><br />I’ve connected a Vodafone Mobile <a href="http://online.vodafone.co.uk/dispatch/Portal/appmanager/vodafone/wrp?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=template04&pageID=MB_0001">broadband dongle</a> and I’m up and running on the internet anywhere I can get a signal. In theory up to 7mb! I’ve stuck a 2gb SD card in the slot and have a 1gb flash stick.<br /><br />It is brilliant for travelling and can be used anywhere.sean slaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01768973037531247199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-66609212054769173912008-05-03T08:16:00.002+01:002008-05-03T08:18:56.809+01:00I'm backI really need to get around to updating this blog more often. I'll try to do so from now on.<br /><br />Saturday morning, stayed up late to watch downfall last night. Looks like Bumbling Boris is won the London Mayoral elections. Thank heavens I don't live in London anymore! but maybe he will surprise us...sean slaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01768973037531247199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-76835380746827947992007-07-15T15:41:00.000+01:002008-11-19T11:13:09.277+00:00Conspiracy theorists<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxjBz4730wRC2Cf97DvMf0vdg5sMmYNHBSUl5MpjIW4iBvpQAKuxv9TT9Zzjw_M5gqcjvwllF-cXw3v5U1d5gVpgqKDmhb9anSO5WRFwaEqTKK0XTcmsQiBnahhT5dvj1-v6m9/s1600-h/dad6149.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxjBz4730wRC2Cf97DvMf0vdg5sMmYNHBSUl5MpjIW4iBvpQAKuxv9TT9Zzjw_M5gqcjvwllF-cXw3v5U1d5gVpgqKDmhb9anSO5WRFwaEqTKK0XTcmsQiBnahhT5dvj1-v6m9/s320/dad6149.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5087434333928082146" border="0" /></a><br />Here is a great cartoon which sums up irrational conspiracy theorists.<br /><br />It is taken from that great British comic <span style="font-style: italic;">Viz</span> and was published in 1999/2000. It says it all really.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-38246182109770253982007-06-30T10:38:00.001+01:002008-11-19T11:13:09.399+00:00AAAAH CUTE!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0aHvDwK6BNxfHeaTs70UyaLypRQ8DsHLtNS6-V-p6_eL0JvNV_glE5BE4JotKxj25hUyIyZjuxcZQB5aaEEOfIBgPJKYq-MfXu5WX6VT-kTqGZKwEXcAJCKxsjLKWOVyBj0Z/s1600-h/picture00002.jpeg.bmp"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0aHvDwK6BNxfHeaTs70UyaLypRQ8DsHLtNS6-V-p6_eL0JvNV_glE5BE4JotKxj25hUyIyZjuxcZQB5aaEEOfIBgPJKYq-MfXu5WX6VT-kTqGZKwEXcAJCKxsjLKWOVyBj0Z/s320/picture00002.jpeg.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5081789823828325154" border="0" /></a><br />He's big and ugly but we love him!<br /><br />This is Lucky the dog.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-74837107854563973712007-03-31T08:19:00.000+01:002007-03-31T08:36:39.379+01:00The Sitter Downers<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I fired off another email to the Sitter Downers Podcast last week after the death of my father. I was (and still am) totally confused as to how anyone could accept that it is OK to imagine someone is in hell. </span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(153, 51, 0); font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span class="109160123-21032007"> Dear Sitter-Downers</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"> </p> </span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I am sorry I have not been in contact recently, my Father has been ill and he passed away this week. I have just spent 6 days at his bedside watching him die from the effects of Motor Neurone Disease. Have I to thank your “Loving and merciful” Jesus for that? Funny how no amount of prayers can ever get God to reverse the advance stages of MND but he can, of course help someone get a new job!</span></p></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">His death brought into sharp focus what Adam said to Tom in a recent episode, when he asked “Where do you think my Mum is now?” to which Adam apologised but stated she was in hell because of her unbelief. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I assume you think my father is there to. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">My dad was a “Christian” but of course to you he was the “wrong sort”, being a Roman Catholic. He, like his father before him, was a church-going, reverential man who firmly believed in the doctrines of the Catholic Church and that he would gain eternal life after his death.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Your apology to Tom (and I suspect to me) is extremely telling. If you feel the need to say “sorry, but…” you obviously recognise the absurdity of the situation: The creator of the universe creates humans, wants us to believe (with faith not evidence) in his existence - but only in a particular way mind - or he will torment them for the rest of time. Not for one year, not a hundred years, not even a billion years or a billion, billion, billion years. FOREVER! </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">How does this concept work exactly? What about people who have not heard the “word of God” and been able to “accept Jesus as their personal saviour” (whatever the heck that actually means)? Do they go to Hell? </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">If they do, then that is hardly fair, if they don’t then it would be better if you did not tell anyone about it and risk damming them for all eternity by <u>your</u> actions. (Please do not argue it is <i style="">their decision</i>, they only have to make the decision because you give it to them, if you did not, they would be 100% guaranteed to win, but only 50-50 if you do.)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">What about children who cannot understand the implications? What about the mentally handicapped? What about stillborn or miscarried foetuses, some even just a few cells large – you seem to think they have a “soul” from conception; do they go to Hell? If they do then that is obviously unfair, if they don’t surely it is better to be unborn! “<i style="">Go directly to Heaven, do not pass Go…”</i> Sounds like an Abortion is a good thing for the foetus by that point of view, they get a free pass without all the hassle of living on earth. Do foetuses have a personality in an afterlife?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">What about all the billions of people who lived in the world before the spread of Christianity? Are they all damned? There are around 1-2 billion <span class="109160123-21032007">nominal </span>“Christians” <span class="109160123-21032007">(mostly Catholics) </span>out of the 6 billion people in the world today and it is estimated something like 100 billion people who have ever lived (see </span><a href="http://www.prb.org/Template.cfm?Section=PRB&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=7421"><span style="font-size:100%;">here</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;">). Add in all the billions of miscarriages, stillborns and abortions and there must be a very very high proportion of souls who could not “accept Jesus as their personal saviour” and who therefore are damned through no fault of their own; must be a bit crowded there.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Adam, If you and Tom die in a road accident during your visit to England how could Heaven be any sort of a paradise for you when you would know that Tom is suffering eternal torments? Would you not be upset at the suffering of your friend? Suppose your son, when he grew up, became an atheist and rejected your beliefs but otherwise was a good, honest member of the community and although he respected you, he could not lie to you about his beliefs. After you are both dead will you be happy in Heaven knowing your own son is suffering horribly and there is nothing you could do to help him? That could not be a paradise for anyone surely?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Adam, you are clearly an intelligent, thoughtful, reasonable, man who claims to be sceptical of claims of paranormal and other absurd claims. Please turn that scepticism onto your religious beliefs too. What harm could come of questioning what you believe? If your beliefs are wrong it will show them up, if they are right it will strengthen them. <span style=""> </span>It is only by questioning we can reach a better understanding and clear away any doubts we have of what the world around us actually is. <span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Stop reading Ann Coulter and start reading something that disagrees with your point of view. You might actually learn something. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Kind regards</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Sean</span></p></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">My email was read and <a href="http://www.thesitterdowners.com/">dissected</a>. To be fair I think they did a reasonable job of refuting my presumptions of damning Catholics and the fact that they read other things (Aaron said he was reading Dawkins' God Delusion) but they completely failed to answer the points about hell/heaven and the fact that it is absurd. Preferring to "hope there is a get-out clause" for good non-believers and that God would wipe the knowledge of other's suffering in heaven.<br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">I'm not even going to start on the logical fallacies and torturous excuses here, simply say that they really know for sure if any of this bullshit is true. They just make it up as they go along. </span><br /></span></span></p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-38650380618291904942007-03-27T18:05:00.000+01:002007-03-27T18:08:39.244+01:00EulogyMy Dad died last week. This is the Eulogy I read at his service.<br /><p style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">For those of you who don’t know me, I am Sean Slater and I’d like to thank you all so much for spending time here today to remember my father, John. <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">To many of you he was a friend or a colleague, to four of us a father, to eight a grandfather and a great-grandfather to ten. That he touched so many people’s lives is shown by the amount of you here today and it is a cause of great pride to me and my siblings that <i style="">we</i> were allowed simply to call him: Dad. <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">He was born in the <st1:place>Lancashire</st1:place> mill town of <st1:city><st1:place>Blackburn</st1:place></st1:City> in 1920 to James and Ellen Slater, the second of four children. His childhood in an ordinary family was uneventful, but the 8-year old John was once told that his Grandfather, who was returning from a trip to <st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, that he was bringing an elephant home for him, Dad worried for weeks where they would keep such a beast in the simple 2-up-2-down terrace! But of course the letter had neglected to mention it was only a small toy. <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">Dad was called-up in 1940 and served as a corporal in the Royal Artillery. While he was stationed in <st1:city><st1:place>Edinburgh</st1:place></st1:City>, he met a young lady in a dance hall in Fountainbridge and agreed to meet her the next night at the foot of the Mound. The girl could not remember what he had looked like in the gloom of the black-out so before she met him again, she went back and forward along <st1:street><st1:address>Princes St</st1:address></st1:Street> in a tram to check him out. She obviously liked what she saw as they were married in July 1943 and remained devoted to each other until Pauline, my Mother, died in 1995. <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">After the war Mum and Dad settled in <st1:city><st1:place>Edinburgh</st1:place></st1:City> were Dad, now a furniture salesman, became the father of Eain, Madeleine, Wendy and latterly, me. Grand-children came along at intervals throughout the 70’s and 80’s, the first was Yvonne, superseded by Graeme, <st1:place><st1:city>Martin</st1:City>, <st1:state>Victoria</st1:State></st1:place>, Kevin, Grant, Ross and James. <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">That he was a wonderful father really goes without saying to any of you who knew him. He was funny, generous, kind, comforting and above all he absolutely loved us without any reservations. One story will suffice to demonstrate this: at the age of 21 I did not know what to do with my life. A friend had asked me if I wanted to move to <st1:city><st1:place>London</st1:place></st1:City> with him and I agreed as it sounded like fun. When I told Dad he was at first sceptical of my motives but he accepted my wishes and supplied me with the train fare. (With hindsight as I was the last one still not flown from the nest he did seem rather quick to offer the money!) But he nonetheless reminded me that if I was any sort of trouble I could call him and he would ensure I had funds to return and I had a place to live. Even today, 20-something years later, I still look on the back-bedroom in <st1:street><st1:address>Frankfield Place</st1:address></st1:Street> as my own. <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>His career had progressed steadily but surely and at the point of retirement in 1981 he was the head of the Scottish Region for a large catalogue company.<span style=""> </span>He then found a new lease of life in retirement and devoted his energies and time into many diverse organisations such as The Catenians and the Probus, he drove a mini-bus to take the “old-folks” out, learned to play bowls and took up snooker; he and Mum travelled regularly to <st1:country-region><st1:place>Spain</st1:place></st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region><st1:place>Cyprus</st1:place></st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region><st1:place>America</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Basically they lived life to the full. <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">After Pauline, his wife of 52 years died from cancer, Dad slowed down. He had cared for Mum throughout her long illness without any complaint or objection but the effort had clearly taken its toll. His appetite for travel diminished but his love of people remained. He found friendship in has last years with Delores and remained loyal to a group of close and long-standing friends, many of whom are here today.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">In July 2006 Dad was struck by the illness which was to take his life. Motor Nurone is a particularly insidious disease and robbed Dad of his ability to live life to the full in the last months but we all feel grateful we could repay – in whatever small way we could - the many kindnesses he showed <i style="">us</i> throughout his life.<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">The writer Douglas Adams once wrote “The World is a place of inordinate complexity and richness and strangeness, It is absolutely awesome, I mean the idea that such complexity can arise not only out of such simplicity but probably absolutely out of nothing is the most fabulous extraordinary idea and once you get some sort of inkling how that might have happened, it is just wonderful. And the opportunity to spend 70 or 80 years of your life in such a universe is time well spent as far as I am concerned”. <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">Dad gave us more than his allotted <st1:time minute="20" hour="3">three score</st1:time> and ten and the time he spent passing through this world was time very well spent indeed. <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">Goodbye Dad and thank you. <o:p></o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-85019728651098116732007-03-25T09:39:00.001+01:002007-03-25T09:39:14.607+01:00Spiders On Drugs<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/sHzdsFiBbFc' name='movie'></param><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/sHzdsFiBbFc'></embed></object></p><p>Here is a very interesting science experiment. The effects of drugs on arachnids. </p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-11622310363103008492007-03-23T15:04:00.001+00:002007-03-23T15:04:30.119+00:00Sunshine On leith CIS Final - BBC<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/sPXCNwBu_t8' name='movie'></param><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/sPXCNwBu_t8'></embed></object></p><p>What more can I say...</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-123048548659665362007-02-09T14:03:00.000+00:002007-02-09T14:03:17.022+00:00Most boring facts2nd post today. I thought I would publish my top 10 most boring facts:<br /><br />1. When the GPO wanted to introduce postcodes into the UK, they experimented in Norwich and Croydon first and used a 3 letter designation for each; NOR…and CRO… Eventually they settled on 1 or 2 letter designations for each town NR (Norwich), EH (Edinburgh), M (Manchester) etc, but Croydon kept the CRO for it’s central area postcodes, changing the letter O for a number 0. This is why CR0 xxx is the only postal area in the UK to use a zero on the initial part.<br /><p><br />2. All UK road numbers radiate from either Edinburgh or London:</p><p>a. A1 – London to Edinburgh<br />b. A2 – London to Dover<br />c. A3 – London to Portsmouth<br />d. A4 – London to Bristol<br />e. A5 – London to Hollyhead<br />f. A6 – London to Carlisle<br />g. A7 – Edinburgh to Carlisle<br />h. A8 – Edinburgh to Greenock<br />i. A9 – Edinburgh to John O’ Groats<br /><br />Within each spoke of the wheel (going clockwise) roads are classified as beginning with the same No. For example: between the A1 and A2 almost all roads will be classified A2x(x) or B2xx and between the A7 and A8 most roads will be classified A7x(x) or B7xxx.<br /><br />You can therefore estimate which area of the country you are in by the road No. alone!<br /><br />There are exceptions, such as the A34, which cross zones but one end of it will be appropriate area, in this case between the A3 and A4.<br /><br />Motorways are not necessarily included in this classification but as they often follow trunk routes, they frequently coincide.<br /><br />3. The letter Q does not appear in the name of any US State but all other 25 letters do. </p><p>4. When the rest of the UK had it’s telephone system provided by BT, the residents of Hull had their own telephone company, Kingston Communications with cheaper bills and better service.</p><p>5. No Belgian band or singer has ever had a UK No. 1 but Plastic Bertrand got to No. 8 in 1978 with the punk classic 'Ca Plane Pour Moi'. </p><p>6. Northern Ireland have played England 75 times but won only 7 of them. </p><p>7. The third highest medal winners (after USA and USSR) in the history of the Olympic games is Britain, but the third highest tally of Gold medals is Italy</p><p>8. Light takes 8 minutes to reach us from the sun. Therefore you are looking at the sun where it was in the sky 8 minutes ago not were it is in reality. </p><p>9. Los Angeles once had a the most extensive tram-lines of any city in the world until General Motors, Standard Oil, and Firestone Tyres bought the lines and closed them down in the late 50’s. It now has the most extensive Freeways. </p><p>10. The wealthiest man to arise from the California gold rush of 1849 was William Brannan who purchased all the prospecting supplies in San Francisco at the start of the rush and resold them at a substantial profit. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-54083270144681605012007-02-09T14:01:00.000+00:002007-01-29T19:13:43.614+00:00Scepticism and the mediaFirst post today is in response to <a href="http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/features.cfm?id=210612007#new">this </a>article in the Scotsman Newspaper.<br /><br />I have just read this article in the newspaper and I must confess I am unlikely to give any further money to Scotsman Newspapers again until they agree to stop giving free publicity to scam artists and charlatans such as this man.<br /><br />Let's look at this properly. Acorah has been caught faking predictions (as the article points out but "alledgedly" - he was caught on camera repeating a planted name!) but there are other accusations. Please see here for details: <a href="http://www.tonyyouens.com/index.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.tonyyouens.com/index.html</a>.<br /><br />He claims to be able to hear messages from where? The spirit world? Please explain the mechanism, where exactly is this world? Are all 'souls' there? How about children? babies? foetuses?...Why do they only ever give him the first letter of their name (or a very common name such as George Smith - I know two of them, no doubt get 20 people together and someone will know one)? Are they playing charades?<br /><br />The world renounded US Magician James Randi would be happy to offer Derek Acorah (or any other medium with a public profile) $1m if they can demonstrate their claimed power under agreed conditions. <a href="http://www.randi.org" rel="nofollow">www.randi.org</a><br /><br />Acorah and others like him, such as Colin Fry or Sylvia Brown in the US, use the same cold reading techniques that magicians or scam artists have used for centuries<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_reading" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_reading</a>. Under the Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951 (How does one determine a real one?) I don't know why these people are not procescuted!<br /><a href="http://www.tonyyouens.com/fma" rel="nofollow">www.tonyyouens.com/fma</a><br /><br />Please Scotsman, a little less deferential journalism. David Hume must be spinning in his grave (sorry - I'm getting a message from er, a man, name begins with er "D"- David, Daniel, Desmond, Dick, something...he's a little unhappy about our lack of critical thinking but Granny loves us and wants us to know she's in a happier place!)<br /><br />You should investigate the claims of these people and ask them searching questions not just give them cheap publicity for their forthcoming shows (with suitable advertisments to be placed in Scotsman Publications media outlets no doubt). Did you mention the Randi challenge? What about Cold Reading techniques?<br /><br />Sloppy journalism by Scotland's 'premier' paper.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-41347296572329581652007-01-29T11:40:00.000+00:002007-01-29T11:46:29.350+00:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-80151469365307456002007-01-29T11:36:00.000+00:002007-01-29T11:40:50.789+00:00Immaculate DeceptionCan anyone tell me why <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/france/story/0,,1999865,00.html">this woman</a> is not prosecuted? Her actions directly led to the death of her daughter of neglect by ensuing that she did not receive appropriate medical treatment. Whether she deserves treatment or punishment should be for a court to decide but I fail to see how relying on supposed miracle cures and when they fail, concealing the fact of her death for months from both the authorities and neighbours and even telling her grand-daughter not to go “into mummy’s room, because she is tired” can be seen as normal behaviour by anyone.<br /><br />The scamming (sorry, treatment) of the gullible (sorry, faithful) at Lourdes leads to delusions as we see here. Ordinary people faced with extraordinary events will cling to anything that they believe may help them. Unfortunately the church feeds this delusion with its claims of miracles and holy water cures. Interestingly the church, as any good scam artist would do, still tells people to continue their conventional treatment just in case their faith-based treatment is all bullshit. And then they can claim these treatments as working!<br /><br />There are a number of claimed miracle <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes_Medical_Bureau">cures</a> attributed to Lourdes, each one on the face of it seems inexplicable and miraculous to some degree, but they all seem to be internal afflictions which could have been misdiagnosed in the first place. If they really want to claim a miracle why does this Immaculate Conception not try and <a href="http://www.whydoesgodhateamputees.com/">re-grow a leg</a> or a piece of missing tissue.<br /><br />Why was Bernadette believed simply because she called the vision the “Immaculate Conception”? It is trotted out in all the time to be proof, after all a 12 year old girl could not possibly have known about the meaning behind these words. However four years before the visions The Immaculate Conception was solemnly defined as a dogma (i.e. "fact") by Pope Pius IX in his constitution <em>Ineffabilis Deus</em> and surely it is less miraculous that a pious church-going girl might have heard this phrase in church or conversation around adults than it would be for a vision to have told her.<br /><br />Also, on a slightly semantic point but nontheless interesting given Bernadette’s claims, surely the Immaculate Conception is Jesus not Mary? She would be the Immaculate Conceptee and God the Immaculate Conceptor but her son (Jesus) the Immaculate Conception.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-27068466376641415332007-01-10T13:51:00.000+00:002007-01-10T13:52:24.704+00:00A Football post - Bloody Old Firm!Let’s be honest for a moment. Walter Smith will be the next manager of Rangers, Brown and Thompson deserve to be playing on a bigger stage and earning more money, and in all likelihood most of the talented youth in our country will graduate to the two biggest clubs in the country.<br />It pains me to say this but both Celtic and Rangers are perfectly within their rights to soak up the best talents in this country. It is not a recent thing; they have been doing so for years. From Colin Stein to Derek Riordan, from Duncan Ferguson to Stephen Pearson and Kris Boyd.<br /><br />But what has increasingly annoyed me, and I believe many fans outwith the old firm, is the ever-expanding expectation that there is nothing anyone can do about it. Yogi’s recent comments about Alan Gow are a case in point. Gow is a talented young player and has been a good servant for Falkirk. His contract expires this summer and he is fully entitled to look for the best deal for himself and his family and to this end he has spoken to Aberdeen and Hibs. Yogi seems to believe that Gow undersells himself by speaking to these clubs but he (Yogi) would be happy if Gow went down south or to either of the Old Firm! John Hughes, an up-and-coming young manager, is, and is entitled to be, upset if his players go to any opposition but he is happy, he claims, if Gow goes to Celtic or Rangers! Has Yogi no ambition for Falkirk?<br /><br />Ranger’s quest for a replacement for the lacklustre Le Guen meant the spotlight instantly fell on their most successful modern-day coach, the Scotland manager Walter Smith. Rangers’ board seemed to believe they could just get on the phone, offer him the job and it would be all over, leaving the SFA to look for a replacement. Only the SFA decided to play hardball and advised Rangers that they Smith is under contract, much to Rangers’ surprise!.<br /><br />Both Hughes’ and Rangers’ attitudes are symptomatic of a deep malaise in Scottish football that seems to be growing. It is not just the division between the Old Firm and the rest, it is belief that what is good for Rangers and Celtic is good for Scottish football. Some years ago when the 10 non-OF clubs resigned the league en-mass I thought perhaps the worm had turned but if it did, it soon died.<br /><br />I welcome Hibs’ stance with Brown and Thompson and the attitude of the SFA (though I expect the latter to capitulate very quickly) in refusing to countenance any move away. For too long the non-OF supporters in this country (who are in fact a majority) have been divided and torn between wanting the money and cap-doffing servitude. I say it is now time to say enough. The SFA should refuse to release Smith (even at the cost of a disaffected manager) and all non-OF clubs should refuse to release any players to the OF unless they gain full remuneration for not just the loss of the player but for the benefit gained by the OF in dominating the league. <br /><br />If a player is worth say £1/2m to Wolves, then surely he is worth £1m to the OF. Not only do they gain a good player, they deprive a potential rival of that player too! Clubs in Scotland need to remember this point when negotiating with the OF and players should be aware that the grass is rarely greener (or bluer). I will be sorry to see Smith leave Scotland managership. He has engendered a pride into the national team once again and I am unsure if there is anyone else who could do a similar role. Gordon Strachan perhaps?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-11935997702661258472007-01-08T16:04:00.000+00:002007-01-10T14:11:15.606+00:00Response to sitter downersOn the latest <a href="http://www.thesitterdowners.com/">Sitter Downers podcast</a> there was a comment about how the Big Bang was even more unbeleivable than the God theory of creation. This is the email in response:<br /><br /><br />Guys, It is your friendly Scotsman here again with feedback on the latest show: (Oh Dear...). Sorry for the length, I'm not expecting you to read it all out on air but perhaps Tom could read some of my points!<br /><br />Apart from the atrocious quality of the show and the fact it was not picked up by iTunes, it was a really really good one so thanks.<br /><br />I was shouting at my iPod all the way to work today - fortunately I drive - and really wished there was some sort of remote "slapping" button for podcasters. I'm not really promoting violence here, it is just a manifestation of my frustration at the comment about the belief that a god of creation is more likely than the current theories about the origin of the universe.<br />Torri and Adam, you stated (and I'm paraphrasing slightly) that the creation of the universe without any cause is laughable and ridiculous. Maybe it is, but the big-bang theory is backed up by observation of the state of the current universe and experiments based on promoted ideas and hypotheses; if the experiments or observations contradict the theory then we start again with hypotheses which actually fit the facts, we do not change the facts to fit the theory (as religious people always do - "of course snakes can talk...").<br /><br />Thousands of physicists, astronomers, cosmologists, mathematicians etc looked at the evidence around them and have come to a conclusion about the likely origins of the universe. They are the first to admit they may be wrong and every scientist worth his or her salt is actually trying to prove that what they know is wrong. If they can't (i.e. every experiment simply confirms their theory) then it is more likely it is the truth. It is how science works. Scientists talk to each other and confirm or refute each others ideas, if an idea/hypothesis/theory is proved wrong, it is simply discarded (unlike religious "truths") as new evidence is discovered. Of course there are objective truths but human fallibility must always enter into the equation when we try to discover them. I think that is what Tom was trying to say in the latter part of the podcast but remember, science allows us to get closer and closer as each new piece of the universal jigsaw is built.<br /><br />Your alternative is based on the conclusions that a tribe of desert dwelling nomads came to 3000 or so years ago when they looked at the world around them and concluded (without the benefit of science, the scientific method or any technology whatsoever) that some omnipotent being who lives outside of space and time created all that we see around us just for their benefit. For the past 3000 years theologians and religious believers have been trying to squeeze every newly discovered round pegged fact into this square shaped belief to cling onto this delusion. It is getting harder and harder and this is why for the past 250 years or so religious belief has been slowly but steadily declining in the developed world.<br /><br />Please Adam and Torri, can you answer this (admittedly long) question: If the idea that the universe was created out of nothing, without any cause is ludicrous, then why is the idea that an omnipotent, omnibelevolent, "creator" who has always existed out of space and time, who created the entire universe of billions of galaxies with billions of stars complete with quasars, black holes, dust and gas clouds millions of light years across, who selected one galaxy, one little star in an outer arm of that galaxy, selected one little planet orbiting that star, created on that planet billions of plants, animals, bacteria, microbes and viruses and then selected one particular species, gave them (and only them) "free will" just to see if they would believe he exists or he will ensure they are tormented for ever, any less ludicrous? Oh, and add to that he chose one people as his favourites, chose one sex as being over the other and one priestly sect as being more righteous! How vain is that to think the entire cosmos was made just for us?<br />How did he do it by the way - did he just wave his magic wand and "poof"! the universe came to be? Perhaps he used a Big-Bang!<br /><br />It is the ultimate answer to anything; "let's not bother finding out the truth - God did it!". If everything needs a creator, who (or what) created the creator? It becomes an infinite regress to previous creators.<br /><br />I (or you) cannot prove that the god of the Jews did not create the universe, just as I (or you) cannot prove that Zeus or Odin or Brama or Buddha or any ancient god did not create the universe when you postulate they live outside of it - you might as well accept the Matrix films as fact. We can only go by what is observable, testable and likely and that (currently) leads us to the Big-Bang theory. If there was a creator and they did not use this method then he sure as heck made it look like it!<br /><br />One other question for you. Are you "Young earth creationists", "Old earth creationists", "Intelligent designers" or what? Do you think the bible should be read literally or metaphorically or a bit of both?. If the latter how do you decide which is which? If the former then why are you not stoning your unruly children (Deuteronomy 21:18-21) or keeping slaves (Leviticus 25:44), if the median then it is not fact.<br /><br />Thanks again guys for keeping me entertained, Tom you really need to stop being so bloody British and this weeks episode was a good example. Even Adam and Torri agree with this, you are too nice sometimes. If you need any help, give me a call.<br /><br />Kind regards<br /><br />Sean SlaterUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-82047656283370126022006-12-30T08:34:00.000+00:002006-12-30T08:35:39.077+00:00Stupid Religious Beliefs<p class="MsoNormal">I know <a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006600358,00.html">this</a> is in the SUN “newspaper” so I do take it with a pinch of salt, but it is a good example of the idiocy of basing your life around dogmatic beliefs and rules which are not open to change.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>The proscription of alcohol for Muslims is fine - there is no reason to force them to imbibe anything if they choose not to – but the use of a hand-wash is absolutely necessary so as not to impose their beliefs on the rights of others, in this case hospital patients, not to die from infection. </p>I’ve said before on this blog, when your beliefs impose on mine, then tolerance stops. Use of alcohol in the fight against infection is not a “belief” or a “faith” it is a testable, provable fact and must trump any respect for “faith” or “belief”. <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">To clarify one point, I fully understand that someone’s beliefs can and do sometimes impinge on my life and I accept there must be compromises to allow us to live together, but when there are <i style="">adverse</i> consequences (and this example is a fine one) then the tolerance goes out the window. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>What also amazes me is the nature of the comments from readers. How self-centred and xenophobic they are! Most of them are complaining about how “they come over here and should respect our rights etc” rather than focussing on their actual reason for their refusal to use the hand-wash, namely irrational religious beliefs. <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-6322241499259583302006-12-29T09:52:00.000+00:002006-12-29T09:53:55.500+00:00Living in the PastOne of the things that western politicians use as a reason for supporting Israel is the fact that it is the only democracy in the Middle East. This is true to an extent but it is coming to something when a democracy allows <a href="http://richarddawkins.net/article,465,Woman-beaten-on-Jerusalem-bus-for-refusing-to-move-to-rear-seat,Daphna-Berman">this</a> to happen on its public transport system.<br />In a nutshell men on a public transport bus in Jerusalem beat a woman whilst other passengers looked on, merely because the woman refused to move to the back of the bus to the informal segregated area.<br /><br />Is Israel living in the same century as us?<br /><br />It seems they have formally segregated buses called “Mehadrin” buses that conform to some ancient proscription on the mingling of the sexes. I don’t really think this calls for too much comment, simply a raisin of the eyes at the sheer stupidity and ignorance of some people.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-1161973200998948202006-10-27T19:17:00.000+01:002007-01-13T18:17:00.051+00:00It's not my fault, Demons did it!<p class="MsoNormal">Take a look at <a href="http://ncregister.com/site/article/508/">this</a>. Here we have the Pope, <st1:city>Rome</st1:city>’s chief exorcist (Father Amorth) and a Father Jayachandra of <st1:place><st1:city>Boulder</st1:city>, <st1:state>Colorado</st1:state></st1:place> all being quoted extensively promoting the idea of demons and possession by devils being a realistic occurrence. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">To Quote from the article: </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt;"><i style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">Cardinal Ratzinger </i><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">[The Pope]</span><i style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);"> pointed to a deeper relationship between Hitler and the devil.“Hitler was able to foresee demonic situations,” he said. “For instance, I once read an account of how the preparations were made for Il Duce’s (Italian dictator Benito Mussolini) visit to </i><st1:state style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);"><st1:place><i style="">Berlin</i></st1:place></st1:state><i style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">. Those who were responsible for various aspects of it made their suggestions, and after a long time he said: ‘No, none of that is right. I can see how it ought to go.’ And in a kind of ecstasy he delivered a lecture about it, and it was all done like that</i><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>So Hitler was unhappy at the preparations being made for the visit of his Italian mentor and that is taken as being able to foretell the future? All this demonic crap simply allows apologists to say that “it was not really his fault; he was possessed by a devil”<br /><o:p></o:p><br />On the film The Exorcist, Father Amorth says <i style="">“</i>He [feels]<i style=""> it was particularly helpful in showing how exorcism is of value when all medical care has proved useless.</i>” He also seems to think it was a documentary! :<i style=""> “Fifteen scenes are very real, the substance of the film is positive.”</i> Which scenes, the head spinning? The levitation? What? Explain how an exorcism actually works. (i.e saying some mumbo-jumbo and showing some objects or sprinkling tap-water that some designated holy-man has waved his hand over and cast a spell is going to succeed where the entire medical profession with years of scientific endeavour using tried, tested AND PROVABLE methods fails!)<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">It seems that Fathers Amorth and Jayachandra lament the lack of belief in demons and possession anymore and that is a bad thing to them. Amorth says<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);"><br /> “People have lost the faith and superstition, magic, Satanism, or Ouija boards have taken its place, which then open all the doors to the presence of demons.”</i><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);"> </span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">Whilst Jayachandra says: </span><i style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);"> “They don’t believe in demons anymore, but it’s a biblical doctrine, and it’s a big problem, it’s a ministry, and canon law says it is so.”</i><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">So demons exist because the church says they do? Do they have any actual evidence? Obviously these two priests can collect money from grateful parishoners who have been ‘cured’ of their demonic possession, they can continue to fleece the gullible and trusting dupes into believing their white magic is stronger than the bad guys evil magic. It is not as though they actually have a tangible bad guy to fight against so they even have to make him up too!. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Think about it, what a great scam. I invent a bogey man and then scare you into believing he exists. I then claim that I alone have the cure and only I can make the bogey man go away but to do so you have to believe that only I have the power and give me loads on money.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>I call it extortion. It is the same as the Mafia has been doing for years.<span style=""> </span>Come to think of it, maybe there has been plenty of documented links between the Catholic Church and the Mafia! Could it be they are one and the same?</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-1160998930605282032006-10-16T12:36:00.000+01:002006-11-24T08:13:17.826+00:00Religious Discrimination<p class="MsoNormal">The recent furore over the wearing of religious symbols, either as <a href="http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1922900,00.html">jewellery</a> or articles of clothing seems to be getting completely out of hand. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">On the whole the ban by BA over a Christian woman being denied the right to wear a small cross on a necklace seems supercilious in the extreme. Whilst I am all for the reduction of religiosity and for secularism, this does not mean that we should always deny individuals the free expression of their religious beliefs however irrational they may seem to me or to others. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">This case does have some salient points however: British Airways suspended an employee for wearing a cross on a chain <b>over her cravat</b> and in contravention of agreed staff policy. That same staff policy allows the wearing of headscarves or turbans which are also a religious necessity to some people and these are clearly on view. The policy also allows the wearing of Sikh “<a href="http://www.oxfordsikhs.com/SikhAwareness/91.aspx">Kara</a>” bracelets which are too big to go over the clothing. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Whilst I am not in favour of headscarves per se, I see no harm in women wishing to wear these (the full veil is a completely different matter) and the turban is a stretch (I disagree with turban wearers not having to wear crash helmets) BA has a policy of not allowing jewellery not being work over the uniform. A simple policy one might think – regardless of its wrights or wrongs – but one that this employee thinks should not apply to her because she is special. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">If she, or any BA employee, wishes to wear a headscarf, a turban or a Kara then there is nothing to stop her. BA cannot, and should not, discriminate against non Muslims or Sikhs. If an employee wanted to wear a necklace over their scarf, then this would be in contradiction of policy, regardless of the symbols on display. She is not being “discriminated” against; she is the one who wants special dispensation.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>If BA does not wish to change their policy to allow jewellery to be worn outside of the uniform then I see no way forward for her unless she swallows her pride (which a deadly sin, is is not?). The trouble with BA giving her dispensation is the slippery slope argument, but one which could well happen. If they allow one item, how big should it be? What about offensive (to some) symbols such as pagan or satanic symbols? What about large items etc? the road is open for "religious" claims for all quarters. </p><p class="MsoNormal">No. Their policy is either allow no items over the uniform or allow them. Not too difficult I would think. As for Miss Eweida, she should recognise that she either puts up with her employers reasonable requests which are the same for everyone or she gets another job.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-1160427526926176892006-10-09T21:52:00.000+01:002006-10-09T21:58:46.936+01:00Scotland v France, 2006-10-07<table xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td colspan="2"><embed id="VideoPlayback" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=1063543644203400189&hl=en" style="width:400px; height:326px;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> </embed></td></tr><tr/><tr><td>I'll never tire of this. <br /><br />We can wallow for awhile but it is one of those "where were you" moments. <br /> </td></tr></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-1160427237651941462006-10-09T21:47:00.000+01:002006-10-09T21:53:58.886+01:00Scotland score against France<table xmlns="http://purl.org/atom/ns#" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td colspan="2"><embed id="VideoPlayback" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-3354012516583641837&hl=en" style="width:400px; height:326px;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> </embed></td></tr><tr/><tr><td>Scotland 1 - 0 France Caldwell's goal as seen from the West Stand - get in there!!<br />Ecosse 1 - 0 France Le but de Caldwell vu de la tribune ouest à Hampden - allez y!<br /> </td></tr></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-1156151923086946192006-08-21T10:17:00.000+01:002006-08-21T10:18:43.096+01:00There is something about modern society that has arisen from the good intentions of the P.C. Brigade yet it is something I have come to detest.<br /><br />The fact that we all show “respect” to other people of all colours, races, nationality and sexuality etc is a laudable one and on the whole one I agree with. Why should I judge another person by an aspect of himself or herself that they cannot control or does me no difference? One can only judge another by their actions and effect. I agree we should accord equal respect to peoples who differ from us by incontrollable aspects that ultimately do us no harm.<br /><br />A similar but different word than respect is tolerance. This means that I will allow someone his or her intellectual thoughts and opinions where they do not impact onto mine, but not when their deeds impact me adversely. If their tolerance extends to my thoughts and opinions then we have the basis of a reasoned and civilized society. As an adjunct to that we need to be open and accepting of rational and reasoned arguments, this is where the respect comes in. I shall respect a rational argument, I shall tolerate an unreasonable or irrational argument but I will oppose actions arising from an unreasonable argument.<br /><br />Most religious thought deserves tolerance not respect because it is rarely based on rational and reasoned arguments. In a civilized society I tolerate religious believers their belief where it does not impact mine and they should do likewise to me. Unfortunately some firm believers do not accord me this tolerance and I then I spring to opposition. <a href="http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/ac_grayling/2006/08/religion_and_education.html">This</a> article articulates this wonderfully.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296299.post-1155551459917449442006-08-14T11:28:00.000+01:002006-08-14T11:30:59.933+01:00<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=249JaIaubVw">This</a> is brilliant. I watched open mouthed as Gorgeous George Galloway laid into the unsuspecting Sky news reporter. She was visibly shocked that anyone would have the temerity to question her!<br /><br />I am not a great fan of Mr G, his rants are usually more a cringe-making diatribe than a rational argument but it must be said he livens up an interview! How refreshing it was to see a politician being confident and brave enough to actually say what he thinks is the truth? How rare it is seen in our bland MP’s and leaders who rule by focus group and are afraid to alienate a section of the voting public. Whether you agree or disagree with him, it certainly gets people thinking about politics and that has to be better for any democracy.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0