Canny lass

If it's the meaning of "gay" you are referring to then you'd have to go back to long before your lifetime to find it with the meaning 'mirthful or merry' - to the 13th century in fact. Later, in the 14th century it came to mean 'bright coloured or showy' and in the 17th century it took on yet another meaning - 'dissipated'. At that time, 'dissipated meant 'to distract the mind' or 'to divert frivolously'. Need I say more?

Eggy, Nr. 13 on the school photo could be Kenneth MacDonald, my brother-in-law (now dead) but I'm not 100% on it. Run it past Joan, as she is in the same class, the name might ring a bell.

Thanks ex.Bed. I loved The Godfather! I'll try and find out where it is.

Does this mean I could put it on at the beginning of my week and that's it? Doesn't come off in the shower, sea or swimming pool! Sounds good to me! Another week before i go, Maggie. Everything arranged att short notice so no preparation, otherwise I'd have been gleaning as much information as possible on Internet and in books. We are two 'old ladies' with a return ticket, a rented car, one pre-booked hotel night and an open mind. We'll take it from there!

It's funny you should say that, ex Bed., the forestry workers here swear by it! I might give it a try.

Thanks ex Bedlingtonian! I'll put the Villa Romana del Casale on my agenda. Etna was already on it as it, and the Maffia, amount roughly to my total knowledge of Sicily. 3G - "the English drink too much" is an infinitely better reputation than that of the Scandinavians who, according to the spanish, "drink to get drunk". I'll do my best to avoid both by behaving sensibly! Good advice on mozzies. I'll see that I'm "well-oiled", so to speak. Not too worried about Zika though. My chances of becoming pregnant are zero.

Up to this point you were doing very well. I was almost beginning to believe you might be human! Thanks for the good advice. "Warm" and "green" sound wonderful after all our 'cold' and 'white'! "Seafood" sounds anything but wonderful. I wouldn't dream of putting anything in my mouth that's been anywhere near the sea. Do you know what people do in it or what ships empty into it? It's got to be the dirtiest part of our world, so I'm very greatful for "niente mare". I'm practising as I write. Sweet stuff (link) sounds right up my street. I've usually managed with spanish in mainland Italy. I don't suppose it's anything to try in Sicily?

Sicily! Anybody been there? Things to do? Places to visit? Food? Customs? Weather just now? First visit and I only have a week but I also have transport. All tips appreciated.

Pity the tongs went up in smoke (literally) many years ago! I don't think my mother was one for such new-fangled (lovely word) modernities. I think she only bought the hair tongs as the door to door salesman was my father's nephew. He was always guaranteed at least one sale in Netherton. He worked for a brush company - Ajax, I think it was called. I don't know how he came to be selling electrical appliances. Perhaps Ajax was branching out.

We northern women certainly know how to live dangerously!

Oh happy days! I remember my mother buying a pair of hair-curling tongs that plugged into the light socket. Problem was that when it was plugged in there was no light! We had to sit on a chair in the doorway to the 'kitchen' (scullery it was called in my day) and use what little light came from there. I've had many a burned ear from those tongs.

Sounds like a good idea to me!

A few familiar faces in the second picture, the two on the left in particular. Can anybody put any names to these guys (and gal)?

I paid the £30! Worked all hours delivering newspapers to get the money together. Unfortunately, I also got pneumonia and couldn't go.

I think there were many that had the same fate, Eggy!

This is what the Huffington Post said a few days ago: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/03/europe-terrorism-chart-isis For those of you who are not familiar with ‘Statista’ I suggest you google it. It’s said to be one of the most reliable sources of data in the world. The chart which they provide in this article speaks for itself. Terrorism is far less of a problem now than when the IRA was using “measured violence to create political pressure”. 3g, you say I’m deluded for comparing the terrorism of the IRA to that of IS. Deluded? Moi? It’s not me who firmly believes that 22 000, possibly dead, individuals are going to force Islam on 7½ billion people and it’s certainly not me who unshakably believes that a handful of women are about to outbreed the entire population of the UK.

BUMP! And finally, for this evening at any rate, Point 5: "Sharia law is already imposed in our country" (posted today 12.57 PM) This statement is in direct opposition to your statement yesterday (10.09 PM), that "all viewpoints will be equally valid right up to the inevitable day that Sharia law is imposed on us all." I can't seem to find any reference to this anywhere in the British legal system. Could you please quote me, or at least direct me to, the relevant paragraphs. So, just to recap, what I'm asking for is, apart from an explanation as to how I recognise a muslim soley by his appearance (perhaps you missed the question?): a clarification of what is your understanding of the Word ghetto a clarification as to why we British can't succeed with the present wave of refugees just as we did with the Ugandan Asians or the boat-people one (1) example of how any aspect of the British Culture has been replaced by a Group of refugees a source of the given definition for "true refugee" a clarification as to whether Sharia law has, or has not, already been imposed in Britain. With any possible answer in the affirmative, a wink in the direction of the appropriate paragraphs would be very much appreciated. 3g, Copy and paste gave no response. A requested link gave no response. lets try your third bit of advice. You promised to answer if I bumped it up. Here it is!

Now, that is interesting! Thanks Eggy!

3g, Copy and paste gave no response. A requested link gave no response. lets try your third bit of advice. You promised to answer if I bumped it up. Here it is!

That’s much the same as the Syrians then, but maybe with a slightly different order of priority. They, primarily, also come to Europe for the sake of their health! In Syria their physical health is threatened by many things: weapons, torture and starvation – to name just three! Their mental health takes quite a battering too. It’s not easy living in a war zone. Food is also important! Just being able to get your hands on it for a start! There’s plenty of it in Europe. Of course the Syrians, if they are of the Muslim persuasion, don’t eat pork. There is nothing strange about that. The UK has, and still does, cater for the food requirements of several religious groups. There was a time, not so long ago, when Catholics in Britain could not, because of their religion, eat meat on Fridays. Schools and hospitals, to my personal knowledge, served therefore only fish on Fridays. No doubt there were a few other institutions doing likewise. That particular religious food requirement caused me and many other non-Catholic children to go hungry in school every Friday, as there was no alternative food provided! Another example of how the UK has recognized and met religious food requirements is that of the Jewish religion. The Jews eat only kosher food, food that conforms to the regulations of Kashrut (Jewish Dietary Law) and is allowed by Halakha (Jewish Law). Believe me, during my nursing days I, and even the odd Muslim nursing colleague or two, have served many a kosher meal to Jewish patients. Britain, and the rest of Europe, respects the religious rights of the Jews so why not those of the Muslims? But, of course you’d know all about that being able as you are to relate to the Romano-Judaic life-style. One rule for them and one for the others is it? Muslims, it will no doubt surprise you to hear, can easily relate to the Christian religion. You say yourself that you are not a practicing (you don’t go to church) – whatever it is you are. However, when you say that “if the community were in any way threatened I’d be there in a local church showing my support, and indeed I do modestly help the local church charities”, you demonstrate clearly that you have adopted a Christian ‘life-style’. Muslims are only too willing to show their support for threatened communities and usually in a very hands on manner. Take a look at some of the footage from TV during the two latest terror attacks – Germany and now Brussels. There are plenty of women wearing hijabs, of course that may not indicate at they are Muslims. It could just be the latest fashion among Europeans. Those women were manifesting their support, physical and spiritual, in every possible manner. There were, no doubt some Muslim males doing the same thing. They are, unfortunately, not so easily identifiable, as you haven’t yet told us what the distinguishing features of a male Muslim are and it appears to be only yourself who knows. Then there’s the climate. Living as I do in a colder climate I can tell you that it’s deemed quite exotic by some people! Just ask the Swedish tourist industry! You are transferring your own dislike of cold weather on to people you know nothing about. Have you ever stopped to consider that people from warm countries may just appreciate a cooler climate? It’s my belief that rain, when it comes in droplet form, is infinitely preferable to rain that comes in bullet form and I’m pretty sure that most Syrians would agree with me!

I’ve previously outlined the relevant laws in another thread but, as you've asked, I’ll outline them again: Universal Declaration of Human rights (UDHR:1949) (This is not a legally binding document. Therefore, the UN General Assembly adopted (ICESCR) and (ICCPR) in 1966. These were ratified in 1976 thus becoming UK Law. - Article 26 right to protection from discrimination - Article 27 right to enjoy their own culture and profess/practice their religion European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR:1998) - Article 9 freedom of thought, conscience and religion Human Rights Act (HRA:1998) This act came into force in UK 2000, thus incorporating the above, ECHR:1998 into UK law - Article 9 freedom of thought, conscience and religion International Covenant on Economic, Social and cultural rights (ICESCR) - Chapter 12 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR:1976) - Article 18 Freedom of religion European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedom (ECHR:1953) And, albeit to a lesser degree, the Employment Equality Act: Section 18, the Racial Hatred Act (2000) and the Terrorism Act (2000) I’m in total agreement with mercuryg. I also think that using ‘above top secret’ in any serious debate is best avoided.

Thanks for some very balanced viewpoints, Brett. As you quite rightly, and with a much welcome and refreshing objectivity, point out the interpretation of the holy scriptures in any religion can be many and differing. There will always be a small, fractious minority in any group. They've always been there and they will always be. As long as we have religion we'll have these problems. Like you, I also believe that any threat comes from radicalised groups already within the country but here I'm talking not only about Islamist radicals but even right wing radicals who actively keep the pot boiling with resultant scaldings all round. They are just as dangerous and I believe, just as many. My views on the media I've already mentioned so I wont, go into them again but it's refreshing to see that there are others among us who also read critically.

Just a quick contribution before I start hunting eggs laid by cockrels and banishing witches, and then getting down to the more serious business of the egg noggs and toddies. Estimate being the important word here. What the estimate is based on would be more interesting. Now I've had a chance to have a more critical look at the video. Thanks for the link, 3g. Here we are not dealing with estimates. The figure of 22 000 names of IS members on the list is very specific. It sounds a lot. A source is also given - The files on the USB-stick, which- we'll assume are authentic. So, "tens of thousands" is not an exaggeration. However, if we look at that figure as a percentage of the worlds muslims, 1,7 billion (according to Wikipedia), then these 22 000 represent 0.0013% of the Muslim population of the world. Furthermore, they are spread over 51 countries -an average of 431 members per country. I wouldn't like to even hazard a guess as to the percentage othey represent of the world population as a whole. Islam and its holy book, the Koran, have been around for almost 1 500 years. The content of the Koran has not changed, so if the message it is trying to get across is world domination then either it's not doing a very good job or people just aren't sufficiently interested in dominating the world. 22 000 members in 1 500 years is not exactly anything to write home about. This is a SMALL fundamentalist group we are dealing with. Well, we don't actually know that. That's pure speculation. That aspect is not taken up in the interview with Abu Hamed, the alleged disillusioned, former IS member who stole and handed over the USB-stick to Sky. What we do know is that the list contains names of people no longer living! Abu Hamed takes up two of them, Junaid Hussain, killed by a drone, and Rayaad Khan from Cardiff who was also killed. Just how many others of the remaining 21 998 names on the list are also dead is not mentioned. It could be all of them. Again, mountains and molehills spring readily to mind.

Newspapers will have you believe only that which they want you to believe and they use a wide variety of techniques to achieve that, not least among them selection of ‘facts’. However, it doesn’t end there. There is a plethora of research available which demonstrates the variety of those techniques. They encompass everything from the proportional relationship of the headline, text and pictures, placement within the newspaper and amount of space allocated to the article (editorial techniques) to the manipulation of grammar, vocabulary - and even some phonological features (writing techniques). All this is done with the sole aim of making the text, and consequently the newspaper, more appealing to a certain type of reader - the type who can buy their newspaper and thereby generate income. Some of us are clearly more susceptible to these techniques than others.

Definitely not getting involved in this one. I find them all fascinating.