Editor Andrew Parkes has a number of thoughts every week, here are just five of them.
1. I took a call this week from someone complaining Jehovah’s Witnesses are “part of a cult”. His key gripe was that he had been preached at in the street and the person didn’t even believe in blood transfusions. I told him everyone has a right to believe whatever they choose and furthermore, has a right to preach whatever they like. This led him to slam the phone down in disgust.
2. Personally I’m happy talking to JWs, it’s being accosted by “chuggers” I object to. Stephen P Smith tells me he used to support Amnesty with a direct debit, but a combination of Amnesty’s top cat getting a golden handshake when she left and street chuggers saying: “step into my office for a minute” mean his money now goes elsewhere. Take my advice, never give a chugger a single penny.
3. Diego Costa and the South African rugby team – sporting behaviour, discuss. Here’s a clue, one displayed quite incredible dignity on the field of play and the other is a scumbag. There’s nothing wrong with playing any game on the edge and there’s nothing wrong with aggression in sport. But, if you hand it out, you need to be able to take it.
4. The other day, my colleague in the planning department tried to tell me she’d caught the most horrendous cold because her daughter refuses to wear a coat now the weather has changed. I told her this was absolute nonsense, but someone else in the office is equally convinced the old wives’ tale holds true. What do you think?
5. Finally, how long will it be before we become an entirely cashless society? I ask because I see more and more people flashing cards or mobiles at a whole host of different machines in shops and bars.
I reckon within a decade hard cash will be a thing of the past and my children’s children will learn about tenners and fivers in their history lessons.
PS. Last week I praised Sutton Council for its deck chairs and crazy golf. But I’m told I was wrong to praise the council as these were business funded and managed by Successful Sutton Business Improvement District. Praise where praise is due.
Send in your 5THOUGHTS by email to aparkes@ london.newsquest.co.uk Send on Twitter to @parkestheeditor Send through Facebook to facebook.com/ newsshopper
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