I really do not understand the inconsistency shown by the UK government with regard to the illegal demonstrations and arson which are regretably currently a feature of life in Egypt.

In the UK, we have seen how the Metropolitan Police have cracked down on the criminal elements of student unrest in London. Should not the Egyptian authorities be encouraged to follow their example?

Instead, our Foreign Secretary William Hague's calls for government restraint are tantamount to encouraging Egyptian revolution - something which could ruin the hard earned holidays of many British people!

John Eoin Douglas
Edinburgh, UK
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Blog: http://johneoindouglas.blogspot.com/

Image Courtesy of DayLife - Egyptians continue their protests outside the Egyptian Embassy in London , UK. - Demotix Images

I was most upset to hear about the Red River Hog piglets at Edinburgh Zoo which were culled as they were "surplus to requirements".

As they were "euthanised" they could not, of course, legally enter the human food chain.

It would have been much better if they had been sent for humane slaughter and then fed to staff and visitors - and especially good for the education of the Zoo's younger visitors who so rarely get to make a tangible connection between animal and bacon sandwich in these days of pre-packaged supermarket fayre.

If more of these pigs are going to be to be culled, I hope that I will soon be able to enjoy tasty home reared pork in the Zoo's own restaurant.

John Eoin Douglas
Edinburgh, UK
Blog: johneoindouglas.blogspot.com/

This is a message to all would-be home-grown, radical religious extremist ‘anything’ terrorists. (Including those of you from out-of-town.) A thought. Perhaps you should rethink the idea first. And so, I offer this letter as, let’s say, a friendly suggestion of sorts.

This is Canada my friends, one of the safest countries on earth with the best Charter of Rights anywhere. Canada is the true land of freedom and choice and the world knows it. This is why people from around the world try to get immigrant status and build a new peaceful life here. Sometimes they float in on a boat. Anyway, this is the country where a person doesn’t actually have to sneak in. All you have to do is show up at the front door, knock and say the magic words – please, I come in, eh? Don’t forget the “eh”.

And as you can see, it worked for you.
 

Three cheers for the internet press leak over the consistent failure of the USA UK Military campaign in Afghanistan.

The only threat to the lives of our troops is our Government putting them into a war that no occupier has ever won.

Every lesson of history has shown that any outside power propping up a government in Afghanistan only undermines the credibility of that very government in the eyes of the Afghan people.

We can not and should not try and impose our culture and politics on an alien culture.
 

It is apalling that Labour MSP Trish Godman has tabled a string of amendments to the Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill currently going through the Scottish Parliament to make it an offence to engage in, advertise or facilitate paid-for sexual activity.

I can assure her that many decent, intelligent and well educated people of my acquaintance consider that a well paid career as a sex worker is infinitely preferable to the tedium of cleaning lavatories, flipping hamburgers or, worse, exposing oneself to public derision as an expenses-claiming know-it-all politician.

On the other hand, if her proposals do become law, I suppose that many of her parliamentary colleagues will expect to get for nothing that for which they currently pay.

Sincerely,

John Eoin Douglas
Edinburgh, U.K.