Child Welfare, Shootings, The Brits, and childish

As you might have seen I took a slight exception to the reports that the UK ranked bottom of the table on child welfare, so much so I decided to check out the BBC's own reporting on this. I located the relevant "Have Your Say" and registered to comment ("No you can't have my real name, I don't care that it may make reports seem more serious") My comment below made it onto the system at 16:21

How amazing. Of the 819 comments only 12 state that they've actually *read* the report, that's the full 52-pager that was only released to the web at 10am this morning. If anyone had read it they'd release what a speculative load of old nonsense it is.

Affluence -"Does your family own a car, van or truck?" Um no I live in London and use the public transport system. Oh dear you're not affluent.
Behaviour and risk-taking -"Do you eat breakfast?" Yes sugar-coated flakes swimming in a chocolate milkshake. Well done 1 point for good behaviour.

The report's own findings state the problems with such data and warn that the it only gives an "impression of precision"

Recommended by 10 people, as the most recommended comment was 339 I won't celebrate yet. What did interest me was whilst checking to see my comment was posted I came across an article entitled Methodology behind Unicef report posted at 16:16 the reporter states

"In their conclusion, the report's authors draw attention to the imprecise nature of the report"

That sounds familiar. Mostly the article points out the age of the data something the politicos have been making heavy use of, but despite the article heading doesn't really examine the rest of the report's methodology. No-one, it seems, has even bothered to ask what the definition of a "child" is. Anyway that was yesterday quick quick bring on the next story before we loose viewers/readers.

As I'm sure we're all aware there was a shooting in Salt Lake City a couple of days ago, this perked my interest as I know someone who lives there; fortunately they're fine. Normally I wouldn't bring it up, but we have our our contrast here down in South London where Shooting prompts urgent meeting Three teenagers have been fatally shot. Not, might I add, in one incident; but over a period of less then a fortnight. For any Americans reading that's 3 in just under 2 weeks in a population of 2,835,200; and that's prompted emergency meetings. Would the same occur where you live?


So as we know Robbie the King of the Brits is in rehab, how ironic then that they had both Take That singing Patience and, even better, Amy Winehouse singing <chuckle> Rehab "

They tried to make me go to rehab, I said no, no, no.

Someone's got a wicked sense of humour. Speaking of Amy I vaguely recall a quote where she said she didn't get asked out by guys a lot because they're intimidated by her. Yep that's must be it, can't be the skanky tattoos, Hair by Hedge, the drinking, or the manic depression; nope they just find you intimidating.

Okay time to be childish from the weather report this morning

"No snow, but a lot of wind from the South"

That'll be those chilli beans you had last night love. Sorry I was just in that sort of mood. Hah on the topic of wind The Belching Defence" High readings, must have belched your honour.