Lock up your daughters! Chain up your sons...

Yes, this is my third post of the day but I am really in a posting mood today.

I just came across this story about a Chinese Father who chained his son to a lampost outside a shopping centre to prevent the child from being abducted. Far from being outraged, I actually think that looking past the crude means of restraint, this works for this poor family who is trying to earn a living AND whose four year old daughter had been abducted weeks prior. To Western eyes, this may seem like child cruelty but as child abduction is a big worry for the family, this is a solution. It was also reported that the family could not afford childcare. It is very easy for me in my 'so called' cushy life to point the accusing finger and question why the child was not left with relatives but we do not know the entire situation.

I think that the story was perfectly summed up by a commentor, Adrian Wright who added,

"Who should babysit for the poorest in the world?"

Sad but true.

The story and photograph are taken from: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7014172.ece

Hey Diddle Diddle...a Castle and a Fidle(r)

I am intrigued by a story I heard on (surprise surprise) the Wright Stuff. By the number of mentions I have given that show, Matthew, I'm sure you owe me some money in advertising by now! (I accept Paypal :D)

Anyway, I digress...

Robert Fidler, a farmer from Surrey, spent two years building what can only be described as a CASTLE hidden behind some straw bales (for what reason we can't be certain) has now been told that it is to be knocked down as he did not have planning permission of some sort to erect it in the first place. Take a look and read of the story here and you will see that this is no shabby mess we are talking about! So putting the matter of permission aside, would your opinion of the plight of the building change if it was an eyesore? I don't think it should be demolished but maybe Mr Fidler ought to be fined? Why spend precious money knocking it down and rendering a family homeless?

Hmm...

CBC

xx

Cakes and Mistakes

Hello Readers!

I trust that you are all well, whatever part of the world you are in...

I'm having a quiet, stay-at-home day today where I don't plan on leaving the house and probably not my bedroom either. I feel a little withdrawn and unsociable today so I will be doing just that. I've just been pottering around my room, watching YouTube make-up tutorials and haven't done much job hunting for the day (yet). When I eventually snap out of it, I'll probably do a little cooking and tidying up and probably a little ironing too. I just don't feel in the mood for much today. Didn't have that great a night's sleep last night either...maybe it's because I couldn't get to sleep thinking about a certain someone/situation for some UKNOWN reason. And I don't mean my mother either...I really don't understand why.

LEO

Maybe it's because we exchanged friendly, catch up emails before Christmas about where we are with our lives, careers etc and then when, at the start of the New Year, I replied to the conversation thread (on good old FACEBOOK...grr) he deletes his account and disappears off the radar. Nice (one) I'm not saying that's the reason, but I guess it has been playing on my mind to some extent...

(Edit) And now, as I type this, I've got some random off the street person in the place where I live (I won't call it home), changing my more-than-capable father's DIRTY bed linen (while he sits and watches and plays helpless). Nice. (two)

I apologise if this is too much information www, I just had to get it off my chest.

But hey-ho! Everyone has their quiet days right? Oooo! I completely forgot that I had the new Alexander McCall Smith book to read so I will be visiting Mma Ramotswe in Botswana sometime today also! Very much looking forward to that.

Yesterday I had a second attempt at my marshmallow and choc-chip muffins and they came out great! I think the mistake I made on my last attempt was that I had overbaked the muffins, though still in- keeping with the suggested time in the recipe. What I had not considered was that I have a fan oven and sometimes cooking in this type of oven requires less time...So I halved the time and hey presto! Moist, yummy muffins...The reason I have been cooking a lot of sweet treats lately is because I've never been great at preparing desserts or cakes in the past and always would prepare savoury things. However, on realising how easy and cheap cakes and sweet things are to make, I've become hooked. Also, at the bookshop, to raise some money for charity, we are planning to have a 'Cake Day' where one person bakes cakes or some other sweet treat and we have to give a donation before getting our greedy mitts on the goods! If it happens once a week or month, by the end of 2010, not only will be have raised some good money for charity but I'll also be the size of a small horse...all for charity's sake!

So I'm feeling considerably better now at the end of this post than I did at the beginning and I'm going to go to a few job searches and apps (ignoring the banging around going on in the next room) and then start seasoning and marinating my chicken wings for the roasting they're going to have this afternoon!

Till next entry,

Stay on the RIGHT side of the law (and off Solicitors from Hell !)

CBC

xx

13 Year Old Rapists? Whatever next?

I know that this is a relatively new story which I originally heard from the newspaper round-up section on the Wright Stuff. I haven't posted much legal content recently and this story really interested me so I felt the need to comment. If you haven't read or heard the story you can find a report here. In summary, a 13 year old boy was convicted of raping a 20 year old female and was sentenced to only 3 years because of restrictions related to his age and the fact that he apologised.

Sorry?! 13?

I do understand that minors under a certain age are subject to different sentencing guidelines that adult offenders but 3 years seems a little inadequate. According to the article, "By law, anyone under 18 years old faces a lesser sentence for rape than an adult, and for those aged 14 or under the term is reduced further..."

I do not have the guidelines to hand but I would hope that this would be proportionate according to the severity of the act because as one of the commentors on the article suggested, Khan is potentially 'one of the rapists of the future' and if he is capable of such a disgusting act at his tender age then the thought of what he would be capable of as an adult is frightening. It also seems ridiculous merely to reduce a sentence fitting a crime committed simply because the offender comes below a certain age bracket. I fail to see how 3 years will be sufficient to make Khan see '...the error of his ways'.

However, the judge in this case, Judge Glenn has removed a restriction on the publication of Khan's name because of the severity of the offences committed. He said,

" In this case I believe there is a legitimate public interest in naming this offender. It may prove to be a deterrent to others."

Oh right. Am I the only one that thinks that the fact that Khan is only 13 is a sad reflection of the changing nature of the values of the youth of this society for the worst? I don't know how simply 'naiming and shaming' will act as a deterrent for others.

Sorry doesn't seem to be the hardest word...

What do YOU think?


CBC

xx



Soundtrack to this post(Song I was listening whilst I was writing...the lyrics coincidentally, are unfortunate in relation to the subject matter): 'Cloud of Stink' by Biffy Clyro




Quoted from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1246195/Boy-13-raped-woman-friends-jailed-just-years.html

"It was the most mournful pee I've ever had in my life..."

I'm watching Russell Brand's Ponderland on love and this fabulous title comes from a woman describing meeting the love of her life...you couldn't make it up.

I went to the Japan Centre again last week and to my delight, there are now TWO different stores: one for food and another for literature and culture. I was low on sushi ingredients and so went to stock up on rice, seasonings, wasabi and soy sauce. However, something shiny and sharp caught my attention. A thing of beauty. A Japanese knife! Now to some that might seem a little scary. I haven't suddenly turned homicidal. It's just that after a while of roughly cut sushi, having neat edges seems like a dream!

*sigh*

Additionally, I seem to be cooking a lot more in recent weeks. Like for example, a lovely friend at work made some chocolate fudge and shared this (a whole SKIP-LOAD) with me. After SERIOUSLY gorgeing on the fudge, I nabbed the recipe and last night, attempted to make some. For a first attempt, it didn't half turn out bad www! So I spent my Friday evening making fudge. In my pyjamas...I fear I may have aged 20 years for 2010! Good grief!

I must say I am embracing the "F**k it" philosophy this year. Eff it need not mean that things which need to be taken seriously aren't. It just means that insignificant things in relation to the 'grand scheme' aren't turned into bigger things than they need to be. Also moaning about any and every thing which are not in one's control will not be happening in CBCs world this year. (I will endeavour not to www...) So saying that, I must have a problem but I just do not get the current obsession of some of my peers with the opposite sex, dating etc. Now of course a lot of this blog has been about my romantic feelings towards certain people, unrequited feelings and just men in general. I do look after the 'Popular Psychology' section in the bookshop and also read a lot of relationship books out of interest. However, I am a bit annoyed with some people who can barely walk a few feet down a street without assessing which men in the vicinity are attractive, interested in them and with whom they see potential. Forgive me for not giving a flying fuck! Sheesh...

So enough of the ranting tonight, I am off looking for jobbies and keeping optimistic despite feeling utterly shafted by the bookshop. Tut...onwards and UPwards

CBC

xx

Tonight...

...tomato soup was just enough.

Happy 2010 Readers!

Hello www. I realise that I'm about 22 days late but better late than never... right? No? Ahh well, I'm just a bad person aren't I?

I'd just like to say thank you to all readers for your comments in the duration of this blog. I haven't given up on the blog and neither have I given up on law. I have merely taken some time away to deal with more pressing matters which I may have mentioned on my previous post. Now, for 2010, I am still searching for a training contract or some form of work experience but I have some new goals:

New job
New house
Save Save Save
More writing(!)

I've been sending applications when I can though I'm finding it tiring working the erratic shifts I am doing at the bookshop (which I am still loving!) Actually, as I mention the bookshop, I am currently reading 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies'. I've been reading it for what seems like an age now but my justification is that I'm savouring every moment of the zombie invasions and culling! LOVE!! *in sing-song mock operatic voice*

Today I had a day off from work so I spent some of the day trudging around in the rain buying ingredients for my chocolate chip marshmallow muffins! They turned out better than I expected though I may have cooked them a little too long as the marshmallows seem to have all melted! Och...at least that will save me money on Tesco/ M&S lunches.

"But CBC, " you say, "...whatever happened to Leo? Mr Literary?"

Dear readers, I am currently disinterested in men, relationships, dating at the minute. Maybe I should leave that subject there for the time being!

I probably should go for now as I don't feel like I'm making much sense. Goodnight for now till next entry

CBC

xx