The Barnet Eye News Round up

Firstly the sad news about the passing of Lux Interiors - Lead singer of THE psychobilly band - The Cramps. This band were hugely influential. Many things will be written about them, but all I can really say is that if you didn't get The Cramps, you probably didn't get Rock n Roll. RIP Lux.

Next up, a story which caught my eye. The Tornado, the first main line steam engine to be built for 50 years entered service this week. This was built from public donations of £1.5 Million. I suspect that Great Britain is the only country in the world where we'd spend this sort of money reviving a century old technology for something which will go straight into a museum. We are an odd bunch really aren't we. Mind you, I wouldn't have it any other way.


A story which made me chuckle was that of a fellow Manchester City fan who had the face of Brazilian Footballer on his chest, only for his transfer to fall through. The dangers of being a football fan.

A couple of stories I couldn't let pass without comment. The Carol Thatcher "Golliwog" and the Jeremy Clarkson "One eyed Scottish Idiot" comments. The response of the BBC seems to me to mirror that of the Russell Brand/Jonathan Ross comments. Putting aside the rights and wrongs of what was said, it seems to me that the strength of the sanction is related to the individuals worth to the BBC. Ie Thatcher and Brand were marginal figures who didn't bring in much revenue, so they could be disposed of. Ross and Clarkson are major figures who bring in cash, hence they must be retained. I think the BBC actually used the return of Ross to boost the ratings. As to my personal opinion. I think Thatchers comments would be perceived as very insulting by many black people, but I suspect she intended no offence and didn't understand why Adrian Chiles and Jo Brand took such offence. If someone has such a lack of sensitivity, should they be on telly? I suspect that in this day and age no. As to Clarkson. He has a huge cult following, built on such inflammatory statements. I generally don't have a problem with politicians being insulted, but the quip about Gordon Brown's blindness was really nasty. By all means call him an idiot, and yes he's Scottish, but implying that blindness impairs his abilty to be Prime Minister is, in my opinion, not acceptable. Clarkson has apologised, but I think if Thatcher has been banned, Brand has been banned and Ross has been suspended, there is a lack of consistency. Personally I'm not into censorship, so I'd not have banned any of them, if the comments were made outside of prime time TV. I think it is down to the viewers to vote with their feet. I suspect that "banning" Clarkson would have the same effect as banning the Sex Pistols did. They went straight to number one and are still earning a fortune on the back of their notoriety.

One final story. The Nurse who was suspended for saying a prayer for a patient. Lord help us. Is this the sort of society we've become? It seems to me that there is a tendency towards becoming thought Nazi's. I'm a Roman Catholic, but I was an agnostic/Athiest for about 20 years aged 14/34. If you don't believe then saying aprayer is like saying a poem - where's the offence? If you are of a different denomination then so what, we all believe in the same god. Even if you are a member of the Bretheren of the Sacred Rock of Arrandene, then if it's a prayer to a different god, surely it doesn't hurt? I could understand if the Nurse in question had asked an Imam if he wanted a prayer said then brought the pope in to bless him, but a private prayer? A friend of mine had a tumour diagnosed a few years ago. He happens to Jewish. I brought him back a bottle of water from Lourdes ( a Catholic shrine with a spring producing water which has reputedly got healing qualities). On returning I gave it to him and he drunk it. His view as he drunk it "same God, if it works great, if it doesn't I've lost nothing". His tumour has behaved itself since and I've brought him back a few more bottles. If he'd said he didn't want it that would have been fine with me. He's never going to become a Christian, but he swears by it's healing properties. None of us know how these things work. If they help, great. I can see no plausible explanation that they'll cause any harm. I'd never ever advocate the use of such things instead of conventional medicine (neither does my friend) but if you are the one in a million it cures, then great. If someone proffers a prayer and you are offended, then really you should ask yourself this "Am I taking this all the wrong way". I believe there are good people and there are bad people. We each have a slightly different path Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Jew, Zoriastrian, Humanist, Athiest. If it works for you then that's what matters. Be tolerant, be open in your thought process, respect other people's traditions and ask them to respect yours. When I put out our Christmas dinner this year, around the table we had 5 Jews, 4 Roman Catholics, 3 C of E's, 2 Agnostic Athiests and a Partridge in a pear tree. We had a great time. That's how it should be.