Politics

The murder of the Charlie Hebdo journalists was shocking and repulsive, and has rightly been condemned. Nevertheless, it is undesirable that this tragedy should be elevated into a heroic defence of freedom of speech. Such freedom is a privilege which must be exercised responsibly. It is not an absolute human right. The law of civilised nations does not protect defamation, plagiarism, blackmail, harassment and other forms of bullying. There has to be a sense of balance. It is legitimate to lampoon living public figures such as politicians and celebrities for their politics and lifestyle. It is also legitimate to criticise religious leaders for extreme beliefs, pomp and ostentation and perhaps, above all, for child abuse. This is not the same as lampooning the founders of Islam and...

Dear Chris Bryant MP, You classist gimp. I happened to go to a boarding school. No one helped me at boarding school to get into the music business. I bought my first guitar with money I saved from holiday jobs (sandwich packing!). I was taught the only four chords I know by a friend. No one at school had ANY knowledge or contacts in the music business, and I was expected to become a soldier or a lawyer or perhaps a stockbroker. So alien was it, that people laughed at the idea of me going into the music business, and certainly no one was of any use. In the army, again, people thought it was a mad idea. None of them knew anyone in the business either. And when I left the army, going against everyone’s advice, EVERYONE I met in the British music industry told me there was no way it...

"There Are No Gangsters in Chicago" ~ Al Capone Everybody Knows Where The Booze (Cash) Is So You Have to Ask Yourself, What Are You Willing to Do?" ~ Sean Connery, The Untouchables Dear Governor Rauner, I hope both you and your lovely wife Diana are looking forward to Springfield. According to Greg Hinz, Crain's Chicago Business, you all are going to restore the Governor's residence using your own funds. On behalf of The People of The Great State of Illinois, I thank you. I am looking forward to hearing the music flow from that Steinway which one or more of your predecessors left in ruins much like the state of our finances here in Illinois. You sir have an unprecedented, once in a lifetime opportunity to "Shake Up Springfield" and I believe that you are a man of your word...

Dear Theresa May, I am absolutely disgusted by your policies concerning a "financial requirement" to sponsor a non-EU partner in this country. You are a complete hypocrite – Despite this vile draconian law splitting up partners/families and causing untold anguish to thousands of hard working people you actively support it when you yourself were quoted as saying that your own husband was your "rock". You have smashed thousands of "rocks" and done so without a modicum of sympathy. You should be subjected to the same treatment and witness for yourself the painful isolation you and your government cause. You like to portray a pro - family image but this couldn't be further from the truth. A foreigner is simply someone whom has come a different part of the world. This idea of "...