Have I missed something ? I could have sworn that we haven’t had a referendum on the Iraq
Posted in General on 05. Sep, 2010
Have I missed something ? I could have sworn that we haven’t had a referendum on the Iraq war. Oh, and no chocolates …LAWRENCE FRYSHEFFIELDBlair’s vindication at the polls Sir: I cannot let two of the statements in John Rentoul’s interesting article “Blair seems to have nothing but troubles in store, but he can and should carry on” (30 December) pass unchallenged.He states that Tony Blair’s “decision to join the invasion of Iraq has been vindicated in the court of British democracy”. Their survival, to represent probably a good third of his extant works, is invaluable in showing how Mozart’s mature style was achieved. Probably they are not worth performing as part of a “whole Mozart experience” but they are hardly of “no interest”.And The Magic Flute is not “crap”. Rather, it is the product of a highly intelligent mind adapting to changed cultural and economic circumstances in the musical life of Vienna and, more importantly, it represents an arresting fusion of spiritual and Enlightenment ideas – a precursor to Beethoven’s universal brotherhood of man?If patience allows, therefore, can I suggest that Mr Hensher – and any Mozart-loving readers for that matter – raise a glass or two on the anniversary, slap Mozart’s last piano concerto on the CD/record player, and embrace the hidden laughter and tears of a truly remarkable talent. The “perfection” with which he is impatient – if it exists at all – was the result of sheer hard work: like any artist, Mozart produced his apprentice and journeyman pieces. To draw a moral equivalence between an adult consensually having sex for money, and the twin evils of sexual slavery and child rape is both offensive and dangerous.D JENNINGSLONDON SW19Hospitals hit by wave of drunksSir: Working overnight in a London accident and emergency department for 12 hours over New Year, we saw over 100 drunk patients, most of whom were vomiting from the effects of overindulgence.
Although this is widely seen, and even accepted, as part of youth culture, it hugely distorts clinical priorities, and prevents us from attending to serious medical problems: two life-threatening Ecstasy overdoses, a ketamine overdose, and four stabbings just last night.Whilst not wanting to dampen New Year’s celebrations, we hope that people consider that the financial cost of the nominally free £800 ambulance ride to the hospital is not the only cost to be borne in mind.DR KINESH PATELDR KATE TATHAMLONDON SW6Raise a glass to Mozart’s talentSir: It was disconcerting to see Philip Hensher’s normal critical acuity desert him on the subject of Mozart(“Unhappy birthday?”, 27 December). The temporary scarcity of women on the streets led to build up of kerb-crawling, subsequently addressed by the Sexual Offences Act 1985. Since then there have been various additions to the law, but the situation does not improve.May I suggest that this is because the law itself is a major part of the problem. The Home Office has failed to review the law and its impact upon sex workers, instead it has developed a new ideology which makes victims of women and demons of men. This is unlikely to help anyone.DR HELEN J SELFBOXLEY, KENTSir: Interesting article from Joan Smith on prostitution. Just a few rather obvious points: there is a difference between sex and rape; between work and slavery; and between grown women and children.
However, the women rapidly relocated in private flats, bars and clubs. This Act is still in place and no consideration has been given by the Home Office to the repeal of its injustice.The result of the Act was an immediate and dramatic reduction in street prostitution. We must equally address male assumptions that this is part of the natural order.ELIZABETH SIDNEYCHAIR, INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN AGAINST FUNDAMENTALISM AND FOR EQUALITY, LONDON N7Sir: Joan Smith rashly accuses other people of lazy thinking; she would do well to acquaint herself more thoroughly with the extensive literature on prostitution and our varied attempts at regulation.In 1959 the Macmillan government passed the Street Offences Act, which carried the stigmatising label of “common prostitute”. But for all serious purposes, his premiership is already at an end He has lost his authority. Mr Blair is now concentrating all his energies on his legacy, but that is too late. It rapidly became clear that Charlie’ s economic policy went no further than the price of a triple Glenmorangie in Mrs McTumshie’s bar in Tain.As for Mr Blair, I predict that he will leave office in May 2007, following the 10th anniversary of his becoming Prime Minister. With the help of the Building and Loan Company run by George Bailey (James Stewart), the Martinis and their children are able to move out of the slums run by the mean banker Potter (Lionel Barrymore) and buy a home of their own.
Brunetti was often cast in mother roles – such as Ma Romano, mother of a young delinquent (John Derek) in Nicholas Ray’s powerful drama Knock on Any Door, and the mother of the gangster and actor George Raft (Ray Danton) in The George Raft Story.
He has always been the man who took the weight out of lightweight. As long as no one took any interest in Liberal policy, this did not matter, but at the last election they did, so it did. Surely the Liberals will find themselves a new leader in 2006, and put poor Charlie Kennedy out of his misery. Over the past month, he has made a good start, and there is much more planned On this, I can make a confident prediction. The next year will see one of the most exciting periods in Conservative electoral history. The Tories will make tremendous efforts to reposition their public image.The other two parties are already worried, with good reason. He thinks that it is caused by chronic incompetence in public relations He is determined to put that right.