Having got home yesterday evening to the news that three school children had apparently died in a gas blast in a flat in Edinburgh, it appears that there are suspicious circumstances around their young deaths.
Although there was a fire at the flat on Slateford Road there was no problem identified with the gas supply to the flat. A woman, believed to be the children's mother jumped from the balcony yesterday afternoon.
Moe Harbi, a chemical engineering student, who lives in the block said he smelt gas at about 1am but after checking his kitchen and oven went back to sleep. Omar Barisah said that the explosion was like a gun going off.
"It felt like a big bang - it was absolutely frightening and I had to take my little brother, and his friend who was sleeping and woke up because of the noise, and we ran out of the house.
"We saw a woman lying on the ground. She was covered by a sheet, then she was taken in an ambulance and we were asked to move to a safer area."
This is a tragedy for those concerned as three young lives have been snuffed out during their school holidays.
Judge Vaughn Walker has today made an historic ruling in California when he said that Proposition 8 which overturned the State allowing same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. Not just in California State constitution but under the US Constitution. He said in his ruling that it violated the equal protection clause.
Following a lengthy court case brought by two couples. Against Prop 8 there was witnesses stating that allowing gay marriage would help the mental health of gays and lesbians, give more legal protection to their children, reduce discrimination and give gay couples more political power.
Those in support called just two witnesses who argued that retaining the ban would protect children and traditional marriage. One of them even cited unfounded figures that gays were twelve times more likely to abuse children. When one study in the US by the Child Welfare Information Gateway actually says. "A child's risk of being molested by his or her relatives' heterosexual partner is over one hundred times greater than by someone who might be identifiable as being homosexual." Indeed in that same study of 269 cases of child sex abuse, only two offenders where found to be gay or lesbian. Which actually means it is 100 times more likely that child abuse is carried out by someone identifying as a heterosexual.
I'm glad that the myths being purported as science were seen through by the judge who made his judgement. The scaremongering of the Prop 8 supporters has been stopped dead, and now for the first time they have been ruled unconstitutional, although this being the US I expect it will on to a higher level of the legislature.
But in the meantime it is right to celebrate this breakthrough as Lori Jean chief executive of the Gay and Lesbian Centre said:
"Today’s historic decision by the federal district court is clearly a milestone victory for all gay, lesbian and bisexual Californians, our families and our friends. But much more than that, it is a resounding affirmation of fundamental American ideals and core principles of the US Constitution.
"Almost from our very beginnings, one of the exceptional hallmarks of our nation’s progress has been the expansion of our concepts of liberty and justice to include those of us who were not initially considered fully equal, or who were perhaps not even considered at all.
"Although it has often taken years of struggle, we have seen profound advancements in the recognition of the full citizenship of women, of African-Americans, and of countless other ethnic, religious and social minorities.
"These changes have come about through a continually broadening public understanding of who we all are, and of the common bonds and aspirations that we all share."
"The evidence shows conclusively that moral and religious views form the only basis for a belief that same-sex couples are different from opposite-sex couples."
and also that California "has no interest in differentiating between same-sex and opposite-sex unions."
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger praised the ruling saying:
"For the hundreds of thousands of Californians in gay and lesbian households who are managing their day-to-day lives, this decision affirms the full legal protections and safeguards I believe everyone deserves," the governor said. "At the same time, it provides an opportunity for all Californians to consider our history of leading the way to the future, and our growing reputation of treating all people and their relationships with equal respect and dignity."
As of today following Judge Walker's ruling city and state officials in California are to stop imposing the ban on same sex marriage.
In a quiet little cul-de-sac on the southern edge of my home town this morning there came a horrible reminder of the past that Northern Ireland is striving to leave behind. Bangor itself had for a town its size been largely unaffected by the troubles, even at their height, it was a little oasis largely of peace not too far away from Belfast. It comes a day after a bomb went off outside Derry's Strand Road police stationed (where my Great Grandfather was once stationed).
However, this morning the presence of a booby-trap bomb under an army majors car shows that there are still dissidents out there who aren't happy with peace and Northern Ireland working together to secure its future. Thankfully the officer appears to have maintained the level of vigilance that all police and army had to keep during the troubles and didn't drive off in the car.
Local DUP MLA Peter Weir said:
"These terrorists have no support in the community and are beneath contempt.
"At this time the thoughts of everyone go out to the soldier and his family who have been callously targeted by these lawless criminals," he said.
"I have no doubt that by their actions, the criminals are trying to send a message that they can come in to a law-abiding and peaceful part of Northern Ireland in order to peddle their own brand of evil.
"They are mistaken."
The dissident republics are small in number but in recent months they seem to be upping the level of their activity. It is a shame when many want to move forward in peace that there are still attempts to kill and maim.
In Islam the devil is referred to as Iblis therefore the title of this peace is a reference to this Cliff Richard song.
The reason I've brought this up is a ruling from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran that music should not be taught or practiced in the country. There is no prohibition of music in the Koran indeed in the Ayatollah's statement he acknowledges that but carrys on:
"Although music is halal, promoting and teaching it is not compatible with the highest values of the sacred regime of the Islamic Republic."
The ruling came about because a 21 year old follower wanted to know if it was right and proper for him to take music lessons. Apparently the reponse carried on:
"It's better that our dear youth spend their valuable time in learning science and essential and useful skills and fill their time with sport and healthy recreations instead of music."
Yet there is merit in music and a prohibition on it must be a tough one to rule over. Is singing in the shower allowed? Also music can stir and inspire the soul.
Now of course the Ayatollah has always been against the influence of western style music, but the prohibition of all music teaching and promotion is a sign of someone losing control. Of maybe as Mohammad Reza Shajarian, Iran's most prolific and popular classical vocalist there is more to it:
"They are afraid of my concerts because of those moments before the concert is begun, when the whole hall is in silence and darkness when someone suddenly shouts 'death to dictator' and everybody accompanies and they are unable to identify that person."
Today Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins is being laid to rest after a ceremony at St. Anne's Cathedral, Belfast. We sadly heard over the weekend that the two times World Snooker Champion died of malnutrition in one of the UK's major cities.
However, let today be one of remembering the man for the joy he brought to fans of the sport. That is why I am sharing this cartoon tribute from the Belfast Telegraph's Stevie Lee from last week.
I see that the BBC has compiled a list of 20 films that make men cry. Sadly it misses out a number of the scenes that get me every time.
The first is the final scene of Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun in which a young Jim Graham (Christian Bale) is after being separated from his parents in a different camp through World War II is standing with other children hoping to be reunited with their parents. Jim's mum comes past him and walks right past Jim no recognising him. Enough to make the tears start to well up but then when she does turn back and he finally realises it is his mother the floodgates open.
The next is the film The Power of One. Set in South Africa under apartheid it is the story of young P.K. (Guy Witcher, Simon Fenton and Stephen Dorff) it has several scenes that bring on the tears. One is when the black boxing coach of P.K. called Geel Piet is bludgeoned to death behind a hut while a concert of his fellow prisoners is going on in the background being conducted by P.K.
Later on there is more when his girlfriend the daughter of a National Party leader is killed while teaching English in a township. Plus the final scene when he and his one time black boxing opponent who had saved his life by killing his arch enemy (Daniel Craig) in another township raid set off together to beat the system together.
There is also the film Gattaca. Where Jerome (Jude Law) plays an disabled man whereas Vincent (Ethan Hawke) was conceived naturally without the DNA screening and is therefore an "in-valid" as he does not have the superior DNA. But he does buy Jerome's "valid" DNA to fulfill his dreams of being part of the space exploration programme at the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation. There are two scenes that bring the tears on, first is when Vincent is finally found out by his valid brother Anton (Loren Dean) who is investigating a murder at Gattaca. They replay their childhood game of chicken but Vincent is not prepared to turn back towards shore. Having to be rescued his brother, Vincent reveals that he won by not saving anything for the swim back.
Again as ever there is also the final scene in which Jerome sends Vincent away on his mission and reveals a stockpile of all the samples he could possibly need in a lifetime. As the rocket is preparing to take off to Saturn's moon Titan with Vincent on board, Jerome eases himself into the incinerator at the apartment and fires it up as the rocket takes off.
Of course another film is Dead Poets Society, maybe this is because of the young poet in me when I first saw this at University. But when Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard) takes his life after his father objects to him following his dream and appearing as Puck in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream you cannot help but cry. Then also the final scene when John Keating (Robin Williams) is leaving his classroom in disgrace Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) is the first to stand up in defence of Mr Keating, but is told to sit down, then when he is at the door stands up on his desk saying 'O Captain! My Captain!' followed my many of the others.
I know there are more films that make me cry but these are four that I feel really need to be on that list.
It is often said that Aaron Sorkin's West Wing was based on the Clinton White House. So there was a little hint of live imitating art at yesterday's 'royal' wedding in New York State.
The only dress designer to feature in the title of West Wing episode was Vera Wang in the third season episode The Black Vera Wang in which CJ was put under secret service protection. Yesterday Chelsea Clinton walked down the aisle on the arm of President Clinton in an ivory Vera Wang gown.
The mother of the bride the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will have been glad that unlike Josiah Bartlett's daughter's wedding there wasn't an international crisis pending that required her attention in the situation room to the last possible minute.
Vera was born of Chinese-born parents in New York, her mother was a translator at the United Nations and her father owned a medical business. She was a pairs figues skater but in the 1968 US Championships failed to make the Olympic team. Figure skating's loss became the fashion industries gain.
As well as Chelsea's dress and the mention in The West Wing she also designed Charlotte's wedding dress in Sex and the City. Her wedding gowns are a reknowned part of her fashion house, but she also has designed skating outfits for Nancy Kerrigan, Michelle Kwan and Evan Lysacek which have earned her a place in the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame.
