My Offbeat World

Residents Up in Arms Over Gun Shop Opening

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Just watching the news and the media are stirring up the residents in an area because a gun shop is opening. The reporter and the mothers quoting absolute nonsense about guns being sold to criminals and children.

As the owner stated, he will be selling clay pigeon target rifles and single action bolt rifles.
Criminals don’t buy guns from shops they get them through the criminal underground movement.

Gun owners are responsible people who have to go through stringent police checks, belong to a club or have a damn good reason as to why they want a licence to own a gun. Hunters must have the permission of a property owner or they cannot get a licence.

The shop will have to meet all the safety requirements to meet the Council and Government regulations, and believe me they are stringent.

There was a time when you could walk into our local gun shop now you have to given access by a staff member who questions you through an intercom and locked door. You are scrutinised by surveillance camera before even getting anywhere near the interior of the shop.

I am a well educated, a former Manager of a large Government Department, totally responsible; my husband is self employed and a sporting shooter, and we have been responsible gun owners for years. I find this hype simply shows the lack of anything really newsworthy on behalf of the channel 10 station.

As for the women, they say that there pre school children are reacting by showing violence and wanting to get guns and shoot people, come on now, these are kids 2-5 years old and what they are doing is simply reacting to the views of the mother.

Old People – Are They Necessary??

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I was watching what I would describe as disturbing commentary on one of those current affairs type programs on TV.

The Minister for Health in NSW was saying “Old people take up 80% of hospital bed space”.
This is only a smattering of what else was said, bear with me here, there is a common thread of thought coming.

The next item was how old people are costing employers millions of dollars because employees are taking time off to look after their elderly parents when they are ill or are recovering from operations etc.

My concern is that the thread of thought that is being subconsciously planted is that old people are a burden on society and they are costing (it’s always about the mighty dollar) the economy, the taxpayer and employers vast sums of money to keep them alive.

It all sounds innocuous at the start but the underlying theme is that old people are using up all the health resources and maybe it’s a problem we need to deal with. If a thought is promoted long enough it starts people thinking of solutions that may not be in the best interest of the elderly.

I may be over reacting but I have seen ideas promoted in the past that lead ordinary decent citizens taking a stand that is morally and ethically reprehensible. The media needs to be more responsible in its reporting and show more objectivity in it’s presentation.

How about promoting how these people require society to look after them now that they are infirm, they have generally worked and paid taxes all their lives. the government should be providing more aged care facilities allowing the aged to live out their lives in dignity. Facilities where they are encouraged to participate in activities and not just drugged up to keep them quiet and docile.

The Present – Live It – Enjoy It

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Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.

One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window.

The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end.

They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and colour of theworld outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats.Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every colour and a fineview of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man onthe other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man could not hear the band – he could see it in hismind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days, weeks and months passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after makingsure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.

It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”

Epilogue:

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.
Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.
If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can’t buy.

“Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present.”