Independent MSP Margo McDonald has claimed in a Scottish Parliament debate that the terminally ill should be allowed the right to “assisted death” at a time of their choosing.
Although the law is not likely to change, the Scottish Parliament does have the devolved power of healthcare…I wonder if it extends to allowing euthanasia? And would that start a cross-border trek for those who wanted to die with dignity but needed help, travelling from other parts of the UK to Scotland?
Apparently, thongs are hard to put on the right way round.
I would say more, but the story’s a wonder all of its own…
And if you don’t know what a mankini is, be thankful. If you have a strong constitution, you can Google it at your own risk…
I found this story on a US library news blog. It’s about a UK public library story (which in itself is entirely horrific), but the comments show an interesting cultural difference. As a UK resident, I find the sometimes easy American acceptance of gun ownership quite unsettling. I understand that there’s a Constitutional right to bear arms (and a huge debate about that in itself), but the culture of acceptance of the need to have access to a weapon is, to me, quite scary. For a personal example – while working in America, I managed to gain a stalker. The response of my workmates? Did they offer to help me report him to the police / give me a lift to the police station, accompany me there, offer moral support, give me safety tips, work out a strategy of how to lose him and distance him from me?
Nope – they offered me various handguns to protect myself with. I had never even seen a real gun, let alone handled one, had no weapons permit and no intention of (or probably legal basis for) getting one, and would be more of a danger to myself than anyone else with a gun, but I was being offered a deadly weapon to protect myself with, as if this was normal. Familiarity with guns can lead to them being seen as the entire solution to a problem, rather than a possible part of a strategy to solve a problem.
The comments section shows a debate over whether allowing the library staff or security staff to be armed would have stopped this. I can’t see that this is a debate that could ever even be opened in the UK.
From a case in the Court of Session, reported in the news area of the Journal of the Law Society of Scotland.
This seems to have been an unfortunate accident involving an excitable black lab that collided with another dog walker and injured her knee, while it was playing with her own dog. It was attempted to establish liability for the behaviour of the dog under the Animals (Scotland) Act 1987:
“Section 1 of the Act provides, so far as relevant:
“1(1) … a person shall be liable for any injury or damage caused by an animal if –
(b) the animal belongs to a species whose members generally are by virtue of their physical attributes or habits likely (unless controlled or restrained) to injure severely or kill persons or animals, or damage property to a material extent; and
(c) the injury or damage complained of is directly referable to such physical attributes or habits.
(2) In this section ‘species’ includes –
(a) a form or variety of the species …
(3) For the purposes of sub-section (1)(b) above –
(a) dogs … shall be deemed to be likely (unless controlled or restrained) to injure severely or kill persons or animals by biting or otherwise savaging, attacking or harrying …”
As Lord Malcolm said: “The pursuer’s case is that, by virtue of their physical attributes or habits, black labradors are likely to injure severely or kill persons unless restrained or controlled (section 1(1)(b)). I suspect that for the general population this proposition would cause much incredulity. “
Very true – I think you may well be more likely to be bounced to death, or drowned in drool than be confronted with a Cujo-type labrador attack…
Dumpling in a Hanky 