Where Are The Police? Oh They’re Busy On Twitter

You would think that in a country that claims to have free speech you could say pretty much whatever you want and make a joke if you wish.

I have seen plenty of comedians on TV talking about blowing up the Houses Of Parliament, suggesting that maybe Guy Fawkes wasn’t so bad and I am sure, unless my memory fails me, that I have seen news programmes with members of the public when invited to give their views on MP’s expenses saying that MP’s should be hung from the lamposts. I have certainly said that myself about some of the banks management.

So the point is we all say things we don’t mean either in jest or to make a point but it doesn’t mean we will carry out the threat. I’ll bet that in any social gathering someone, at some point will say something along the lines of we should shoot the lot of them, they all need hanging or we should blow the lot of them up.

So, when a 26 year old, on finding out that Robin Hood airport was closed due to snow he posted on Twitter that, “Crap! Robin Hood Airport is closed. You’ve got a week… otherwise I’m blowing the airport sky high!” it was pretty obvious to anyone but an imbecile that it was said in jest. The week referred to the fact that he was due to fly from that airport a week later.

Yes we live in times of uncertainty and there is an ever present threat, as there always has been right back to Guy Fawkes and before, though the availability of explosives does seem to be commonplace these days.

Anyway, apparently the MI5, MI6, all the government terrorist threat experts and the bomb squad use twitter to find out where all the threats are coming from. So, it comes as no surprise that as soon as they saw a joke posted they leapt into action. The result of which was that this man appeared in court last week charged with menacing or something similarly serious sounding.

Why didn’t they just charge him with speaking in a public forum? That seems to be the real crime he committed and in this day and age it seems we are not allowed to say anything we might think, or maybe we are not allowed to think. The thought police are very active and apparently spend their time on Twitter.

He was found guilty and released on bail awaiting sentencing which, it was pointed out, might well include a custodial sentence. Maybe all the prisons are empty and they are looking for ways to fill them up again but that wasn’t the situation last time I heard any figures. Rumor has it that our jails are filled to bursting.

You would think that when there are real crimes being committed every day and people live in fear of attack, hiding inside their homes every day, that the police really do have better things to do.

It’s yet another sad tale of society, or rather governance and regulation, gone mad and a sad day for justice and democracy.

It seems very odd that when everything appeared to be going pear-shaped in Iran after their election politicians here were applauding the freedom Twitter gave people to voice their opinions yet as soon as a British citizen says something the British authorities don’t like they come down on him like a ton of bricks.

Hypocrisy is best served by British politicians because they truly are the experts.

Gagging Order Prevents news About Tiger Woods

Apparently lawyers for Tiger Woods have obtained an injunction preventing UK publishers from publishing certain information about Tiger Woods on websites and in newspapers or on TV.

It is good to know we live in a country that could support users of twitter and other websites who were able to get news out about what was happening in Iran after the disputed election result there. Meanwhile here we are prevented from talking about something as unimportant as details about…. something or other that presumably is about or in reference to Tiger Woods and whatever he has been doing.

I thought freedom of speech was something we were supposed to enjoy in this country. We are quick to criticize other countries that restrict it. Personally I couldn’t care less about what TW has been up to and wouldn’t want to publish it if I knew, but it does bother me that I am prevented from doing so.

If you want to know I expect it is all over the American media on their websites but I can’t be bothered to look myself and no doubt people who do live in freedom loving democracies are able to Tweet about it.

Personally I’d rather go and take some photographs of some unimportant buildings somewhere in the UK. Oh, I forgot. I can’t do that because I’ll get arrested for terrorism.

What is this country coming too?

Making Noise During Sex Can Be Illegal

We all prefer quiet neighbors who cause no trouble. Most neighbors are good and we get on well. Sometimes they make a bit of noise but you have to have a bit of give and take because sometimes we do things that might be annoying for other people.

Some people go to extremes and a woman in Washington on Wearside got an ASBO earlier this year because she made so much noise during lovemaking. She has just lost an appeal that claimed it was a breach of her human rights to deny her the opportunity to express her personality whilst making love.

She now faces a trial for breaching the ASBO and making a breach of the peace for her noisy behavior since the order was put in place.

I have every sympathy for the neighbors but this does seem ridiculous. I would have thought that advice about making the bedroom more soundproof might have been a better use of the authorities time than to spend it putting this lady through the embarrassment of an ASBO and now court cases.

Presumably there is the possibility of a custodial sentence if you breach an asbo and the idea of sending someone to jail for being noisy when they make love is too ludicrous for words. I hope they find a solution that allows her to enjoy her fun and her neighbors to sleep peacefully.