My wife has just nominated me to do the ice bucket challenge. I'm a little confused. Has anyone else been asked to hold a toaster at the same time?

Actually, it was not my wife, it was my best man who nominated me for this on Wednesday.

We had been out for a meal that day, thanks to the SmarterCard, we got a cheaper meal at the Lion in Leavenheath.  When there, the kids were taking about the Ice Bucket Challenge.  They asked me who I would nominate, but I said that I doubted that I would be nominated for this.  We got home, and after an interesting journey back and forth as my wife had left our keys at the restaurant and putting the kids to bed, FaceBook alerted me that I had been nominated.  I have to say, seeing my friend get drenched by his kids was very amusing, but I thought that I might be able to hide this from my kids and get away with making a donation.  But my wife, who did not tell them about my nomination, showed them the video of the nomination.  Which meant that they then were very excited about the idea of soaking me.  Well, today it was done.  The money as you can see from the video goes to the Motor Neurone Disease Association.  Macmillan have also used this to raise money, and lets face it, they are both great causes.  I might get in trouble from those whom I have nominated myself, but lets see what happens.  Anyway, the kids loved every moment of having an excuse to soak me.  I suspect that they will be annoyed that this can only happen once.  But they have this memory recorded now and my son has already watched it several times today!

I've been married for 10 years, I haven't made a decision for seven

Well, actually, I have been married for a bit longer and I have to say I love being married.  Well, the summer holidays have been great so far.  We have been to France and had a great time.  The kids did not know that they were going to spend time at Disney and it took some effort to keep them distracted on the drive to Paris.  But they did love spending time there.  My daughter though swore never to go on Space Mountain!  She was brave enough to go on it, but had not been on a roller coaster for a while, the shock left her traumatised till her next ride!  I did not think that I was going to like it there, but the magic got to me and both my wife and I loved it as much as they did (though she did not go on any of the roller coasters).  A trip to Normandy was an experience for all of us, my wife and I learning a lot about the Second World War, some of which the kids learned as well.  While it was not as warm as previous holidays, it was one which was memorableand hopefully, the kids will remember some of the French that they had to take on board.

Anyway, while I would love to type more, and there is always more to write about the kids, it is getting late.

Flight MH17 and who may have shot it down

My thoughts and prayers go out to those who died on MH17.  As can be expected, no one wants to get the blame for this.

What is interesting though is that ITAR-TASS has reported that Ukrainian rebels took credit for shooting down an An-26 transport plane near Torez earlier today.  ITAR-TASS is a Russian news site, unlike another site that has posted a similar story.

It looks from this that the destruction of MH17 appears to have been a case of mistaken identity and that the rebels in Ukraine took credit when they thought that this was a military plane.

Here is hoping that despite this, peace comes to the region as a result.  That and the hope that no one hacks my blog!

50% voting thresholds

So, David Cameron was considering that strikers should get 50% of the vote of those who are able to vote before a strike is legal.  This from the man who worked against the reforms to have voters to be elected by 50% of those who turned up to vote.

Does not make sense to me.  Unless he thinks that democracy is selective.  Well, let us face it, based on his views, MP's are less important than strikes.

I was thinking about how much money I've wasted on drugs over the years and it really got me thinking. Imagine all the drugs I could buy with that.

Well, drugs have been in the news again. There has been a call to legalise Cannabis, a drug which those who called for it to be legalised are aware that it ruins lives.  It is safer than drugs like cocaine, but it still ruins lives. But the issue that I, like others have, is that the war on drugs is not working. Drugs ruin the lives of those who use them, those who care for the users and also in many cases those who are in nations where drugs are grown. Mexico is affected by drug related gang violence and this is an issue that seems to be getting worse. Since I was a child, drugs have spread and the use of drugs has increased. Which is why I think that the time has come to legalise and regulate the sale of them. Make drugs legal and you take the profit motive out of selling them when it comes to drug dealers. Costs of drugs drop which means that crime and prostitution are no longer an issue in obtaining drugs. And you can educate people more just how much they screw up people.

Creationism: Billions of Years of Natural selection and Evolution - impossible. However, 6 days plus an old magic man with a beard... Yeah that works.

Last week Creationism was in the news.

Now let me state, I think that there is a God and that God created the universe.  I do not however wish my children to be taught that evolution is wrong.  The thing is, while I do think that God created the universe, that is a belief.  While I think that God created the human race, again, that is my view.  All the evidence that exists, states that I am wrong and that evolution is right.

What I do not understand is the view of those who think that God created the universe to only teach one view on this and to justify this using 'scientific' arguments.

In the debate above Alice Roberts forgets, like many who are against the teaching of creationism in school, that there are many creation theories.  If creationism is to be taught as a valid alternative to the creation of the human race and the formation of the universe, then people need to be taught more than one creation theory, or if you would prefer to call it thus, a creation myth. 

So in summary, if someone states that only one form of a creation myth/theory is to be taught (other than evolution), ask them why other forms of teaching are not taught?

World Cup: Don't despair, England! That was only the first game and, if we're lucky, there's every chance that Phil Neville will get fired before the next one.

Well, I had a good Fathers day.  Ignoring the fact that technically it started with England losing in Brazil.  Still, things could have been worse and we are still in the competition and technically are faring better than the World and European Champions who also lost the first game that they played in the tournament!

I was taken out to The Black Buoy in Wivenhoe where I was given beer and great food.  It was a good day, and now I have to prepare for teaching tomorrow.  The kids had made me cards for the morning, and chosen a t-shirt for me to wear and also had bought me presents!  Moments like these are moments to treasure and while the kids drive me mad at times, they are good children and I am grateful that I have them.

Anyway, time to watch the World Cup...