Evil Inky

In my opinion, there aren't enough pubs in Lerwick: if there was more competition, they'd have to make more of an effort.

I'd have thought one of the attractions of parkour was that you can do it pretty much anywhere.

Er... no. The villagers are very accepting of homosexuality, but Matt Lucas' character insists that he's the victim of homophobia.

And here he is in the Brady Bunch Movie.

I don't think so. Imagine I stole £100, spent it on a pair of trainers, then got caught. I wouldn't expect a cheque from HMRC for the 20% VAT I'd paid on my new shoes.

Actually, that should be "nit-picking".

I wouldn't expect the same Jewish couple to want to eat dinner in a restaurant that only sold bacon cheeseburgers, but that restaurant quite rightly wouldn't be allowed to refuse service to Jewish people. I don't see why churches should be a special case.

Would you feel the same about a clergyman who didn't feel "comfortable" marrying a black or disabled couple?

It's not illegal in the UK, but it is illegal in a number of other European countries.

I would argue that "a quick slap" doesn't install respect, it installs fear. As least it would as far as I am concerned.

And if physical force doesn't work (it won't even be an option for parents who are smaller than their offspring), what then?

The simple answer is: physical pain (especially inflicted by a parent) causes a great deal of mental pain.

Well, there's always withdrawal of treats, eg no pudding, or no trip to the swimming pool. But, more importantly, there aren't specific exemptions in either the theft or false imprisonment laws dealing with the disciplining of children, in contrast with the assault laws where a parent can smack a child as long as they don't leave a mark. (In Scotland, a parent is not allowed to use an implement to strike a child.) Imagine the outcry if it became legal to hit your wife, or your employee, as long as you didn't use an implement or leave a mark.

Not at all. The point I'm making is: why should it be legal to hit a child when hitting an adult in the same situation would be illegal? I'm glad you're not my boss.

Does this apply to spouses, parents, and colleagues, or just children?

I would grab them and pull them away, much as I might physically prevent an adult from stepping into the path of an oncoming bus. ... And by grabbing them and pulling them away, you run the risk of dislocating a collar bone, tearing a ligament, etc.; in essence, causing "significant harm" than giving them a gentle tap. It's quite a small risk, though, isn't it? I've been preventing my son from playing with knives, boiling water, bleach, and electric sockets for years, and I've somehow managed not to injure him in the process. (And in the bus example, I'd rather have a dislocated collar bone than be run over by a bus.)

I would grab them and pull them away, much as I might physically prevent an adult from stepping into the path of an oncoming bus. However, I would no more smack a child for nearly burning itself on a cooker, than I would smack an adult for not looking before they cross the road.

No. Hitting people smaller than yourself is frowned upon in polite society, and I don't see why hitting children should be an exception to this rule. I don't hit my wife or my mother, and I don't hit my son.

Or perhaps you were being a little bit over-sensitive?

You will need a visa: my South African sister-in-law needed a visa to visit the UK last year, and she's married to a UK citizen. (I'm assuming that you are a US citizen, BTW.)

Classics of the cinema, my boy, classics of the cinema. But, since we don't want you getting even more daft ideas into your head, perhaps you should stick to The Sound of Music.

Really.... I could PM you a list of names and addresses and/or map references you could try visiting, if you like. Having problems telling the difference between Deliverance, The Wicker Man, and reality, are we?

This "dark side" exists almost entirely in your own head. People don't need to be warned about crazy gun-toting crofters who open fire on househunters, lost tourists, and innocent passers-by, for the simple reason those crazy gun-toting crofters are a figment of your imagination.

Did you miss the macho posturing about punching people in the mouth and waving shotguns about?

I'm still struggling with the concept that you appear to believe that "don't be so obnoxious that the homeowner is tempted to punch you" is a useful tip to keep in mind while house-hunting. I'm not saying it's bad advice, it's just I thought it would be reasonably obvious to most people.