Missed my train last night. Sat in the Patten arms waiting for the next one (apparently John Prescott used to be the chef here).
I settled down for a pint and then realised I didn’t have a book with me.
I had a look at the TV and started following the current affairs program that was on.
The following are 4 things I saw, and some of my thoughts on them.
Police cameras.
On the face of it, a good idea.
Just for fun, try videoing a copper on your phone and watch what happens.
Problem debt.
Some balloon on the tv was banging on about parents getting into debt. Because of this, they were unable to buy their children all the things enjoyed by their piers.
This could lead to bullying. His solution: Write off their debt, so the family can return to normal.
My thoughts:
1. They borrowed the money, they should pay it back. That they have children is something they should have considered before borrowing it (I know I would have).
2. How about teaching children real value’s, and not buying them every fashionable thing, that every other kid at school has.
3. Find the bully’s and punish them severely. The idea of buying a bully’s victim a Playstation 4 so the bully will leave them alone is ludicrous. Appeasement never works.
Women in the army.
A load of stuff about whether women should be allowed to take part in front line combat.
Women in the British army already have roles on the front line, but the debate was about whether they should be allowed to take part in things like infantry combat.
If my life was in danger and I couldn’t protect myself, I would be perfectly happy to arm Lyndsay, Sue or Debra with the proper training. Modern fighting isn’t about hand to hand with knives, its usually automatic weapons, grenades and rocket launchers.
Israel did some research a few years ago. What they found, was whilst perfectly capable as fighters, females caused problems on the battle field due to gender dynamics.
A group of men, would focus on a mission. If another man got injured, they would deal with it professionally. If a woman in the team got injured, the emotions and feelings caused an entirely different response.
Let me say right away, that I have never fought in a war, but with the facts in front of me, it seems like same sex platoons is the solution.
#bringbackourgirls
The whole Boko Haram thing, whilst tragic, is a million miles away from the real issue.
In Morocco a few years ago, I ended up being conned into a rug shop and the ensuing presentation (which to be fare, was very well delivered).
It was explained that many Muslim girls in villages, do not have an education. That making rugs and the patterns on them, is their only form of expression.
Literally millions of girls live in villages like this, are denied an education and have daily life filled with misery and a lack of hope.
But let’s focus on 200 missing girls.
Farcically, the “advisor’s” were sending are probably members of the SAS.
Satellite technology and paid informers will allow them to be found quickly.
Once this happens its an armed gang of hooligans against the worlds most elite regiment.
It will make Call of Duty on recruit setting seem hard (or for non COD players, think hunting diary cows with a sniper rifle and scope !).
But when it’s all over and the girls are back at school learning chemistry, what of all the other girls in Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan …