No God thanks we're British

When I was a nipper up in Lincoln, Mum wanted me to join the Boy's Brigade because she thought it might be nice for me to learn an instrument. She bought me a bugle. Sadly, it turns out, I am completely tone deaf and they threw me out, so then I joined the Scouts. It didn't last long, I'm not massively keen on following orders, all that swearing allegiance to the Queen and singing the national anthem. I deserted in the end.

After the Scouts, I joined the Woodcraft Folk with my best friend Steve, which was bascially like the Scouts for the children of hippies. Steve wasn't the child of a hippy (his dad was a copper for crying out loud!) but the Woodcraft Folk allowed girls to join and they went on camps, so the attraction of such an organisation to young lads from Lincoln was obvious.

The Woodcraft Folk is an unusual organisation really. I think it started in Scandinavia somewhere. They try and teach children discipline by respecting their views and hoping the respect will engender respect for others. Fucking madness really. You can well imagine how that when down with us?! It was bedlam, absolute carnage, we'd spend our time on camps trying to source cheap cider and finger the girls.

I have some very fond memories of my days in the Woodcraft Folk, not least Emily Yates, we all remember our first time don't we readers?! :-)

I saw something today that made me cry tears of saddness for the youth of today. Famed satanist Richard Dawkins and the gang have launched something called Camp Quest. It's a summer camp for the children of atheists!! Ridiculous eh? I thought that atheists were against indoctrination!!!!!

That said, having had a look at the website, if Mum had sent me to the camp it would certainly have made me question the notion of a God. Kids get to study philosophy, science and critical thinking. Yawnsville or wot?! Where's the canoeing? The rock climbing? The team building exercises? The cider? The fingering?

Actually, I bet the last two things still happen. Still, as Michael Jackson so famously sang:

If They Say "Why, Why?"

Tell 'Em, that's Human Nature

"Why? Why? Does He Do Me That Way?"

If They Say "Why, Why?"

Tell 'Em, that's Human Nature

"Why? Why? Does He Do Me That?"

Makes you think what Wacko Jacko would have made of the Camp Quest doesn't it?

A follower!!!!

Who says journalism is a lonely career. I logged on this morning and was greeted by the news that I have a follower!

Jennifer Walker-Shannon has tied her colours to the Barry Newsdesk mast, so to speak, and agreed to follow me.

A Californian writer. She looks every bit as glamorous as she sounds too! Though I should also point out that she is married to a gentleman called Brett. Hopefully, this will assure Gill that our virtual friendship is purely platonic.

I wonder what Jennifer makes of the great public transport vs atheism debate? I know our American cousins can be quite religious, however, I also know that public transport leaves a lot to be desired in the Land of the Free!

Perhaps this is something President Obama will be looking to change during his tenure. He's probably got a lot on his plate, but he seems like the sort of man who will leave no stone unturned. Even if it means upsetting a few people.

I have yet to receive any feedback from the various editors whom I furnished with my piece on sexual harassment. It's early days, of course, and I'm not too downhearted. Particularly in light of the news that Jennifer (a published writer!!!!) is now following yours truly.

Perhaps I will go out into the virtual world and follow some other notable bloggers - in journalism, it is a case of who you know AND what you know!

The Spirit and the Sky

After yesterday's incident with the Sky engineer, I decided that I needed to do some background reading and research. Forewarned is forearmed.

In the UK there are a number of laws protecting people from harassment including the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, and the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

Both because the term is used in common English, and because where the term is defined by law, the law varies by jurisdiction, it is difficult to provide any exact definition that is accepted everywhere.

In some cultures, for instance, simply stating a political opinion can be seen as unwarranted and a deliberate attempt to intimidate — in a totalitarian society any such statement could be interpreted as an attempt to involve someone in rebel activity or implicate them in same, with the implication that if they refuse, they are putting their own life in danger.

More usually, some label such as "anti-social" or related to treason is used to label such behaviour — it being treated as an offense against the state not the person. This resembles the use of psychiatry to imprison dissidents which is common in many countries.

Clearly, from the above, Gill has a case that we can use to build a story. It looks like Sky doesn't have a leg to stand on. I think I might have to use some of my redundancy package in order to keep a lawyer on a retainer. Journalism sometimes skates on thin ice legally.

Meanwhile, the public transport vs atheism story has been snowballing in the blogosphere....check out this view from an atheist, this view from a Christian and this view from a bus driver.

Interesting times.