Coffee Loving Meh-ilist

Catholic adoption agency has been barred by the Charity Commission from restricting its service to heterosexual couples

Catholic Care, in the diocese of Leeds, wanted to amend its charitable objectives to avoid equality legislation which requires it not to discriminate. The decision came after a High Court order in March which required the Charity Commission to reconsider its decision not to let the agency change its constitution.

Under the 2005 Sexual Orientation Regulations, all businesses and services must not discriminate against gay people. Catholic Care wanted to take advantage of a clause which allows charities to discriminate if their aims are to serve people of a particular sexual orientation. In practice, one example is gay charities being allowed to refuse employment to straight people.

It argued that if it catered to gay couples, it would lose its funding from the Catholic Church and be forced to close. It also claimed that gay couples were not harmed by its position as they can approach other adoption agencies.

However, the Charity Commission ruled that the charity had not shown enough evidence to be permitted to amend its objectives. In its decision, the commission said that it was in children’s benefit to have as wide a pool of potential adopters as possible and cited a High Court judgment which said that respect for religious beliefs was not a justification to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Catholic Care argued that it acts as a service for children who are particularly damage or hard to place with adoptive parents. In the ruling, the commission said that other local channels would fill the gap and that the charity currently only provides for an average of ten children per year.

In past submissions, Catholic Care has said that it will close rather than cater for gay couples and lose the financial support it gets from the Catholic Church. The majority of Catholic adoption agencies in the UK have closed or cut their ties with the church since the two-year window for them to comply with the law passed. Catholic Care could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Andrew Hind, the chief executive of the Charity Commission, said: “In certain circumstances, it is not against the law for charities to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation. “However, because the prohibition on such discrimination is a fundamental principle of human rights law, such discrimination can only be permitted in the most compelling circumstances. “We have concluded that in this case the reasons Catholic Care have set out do not justify their wish to discriminate.”

A spokesman from gay charity Stonewall said: “We welcome the Charity Commission’s second refusal to allow Catholic Care special dispensation to discriminate against gay couples. “Stonewall’s recent research on children with gay parents shows how their families are as loving and committed as any. A wider pool of potential loving parents is in the best interests of the children waiting for adoption.”

Yes, you are correct in your assumption about me. I have conformed to my own stereotype of gadget geekness and bought an iPad. It’s very nice. A definite netbook replacement, and definite permanent addition to the collection. I was initially concerned that I might get bored of it and return to the laptop, but I am pleasantly surprised that this is not the case. My only grumble, if any, is that the screen does suffer from glare when it’s sunny, which in this weather still makes me consider purchasing an Amazon Kindle. Inside though, or away from bright sunlight, it’s an absolute pleasure to use for Internet, tweeting, reading, and even gaming. It won’t replace my xbox but my nintendo DS will continue to gather dust.

So, for anyone tempted but yet to take the plunge, I say go for it. If you weren’t interested before then it’s probably not something you’ll use anyway, so move along please, nothing to see here!

As you might expect, I have bought one of the new Apple iPhones. I must say it is quite gorgeous to view, with the screen (retina) display being particularly good.

The reception has been better than on my 3GS which goes against certain reports about antenna issues, so we’ll have to see what happens there.

Overall, an impressive upgrade, if not the ‘revolution’ that Apple would try to have us believe.

Do you know?

If not, do you care?

If so, ask me a question. I might answer it…

“The millions of people who depend on a shot of coffee to kickstart their day are no more alert than those who are not regular coffee drinkers, say researchers. A cup of coffee, suggests a study, only counteracts the effects of caffeine withdrawal that has built up overnight. “Someone who consumes caffeine regularly when they’re at work but not at weekends runs the risk of feeling a bit rubbish by Sunday,” said Peter Rogers, who led the research at Bristol University. “It’s better to stick with it or keep off it altogether.”

Infrequent coffee drinkers who reach for an emergency hit fare no better, experiencing heightened feelings of anxiety – and withdrawal symptoms the next day. How genetic differences may influence response was also examined. Blood samples were taken from 379 volunteers who were asked to avoid caffeine for 16 hours. After that period, they were given either a caffeine pill or a placebo. Later, they took a slightly higher dose or another placebo.The researchers then used a standard questionnaire called the Mood, Alertness and Physical Sensations Scales (MAPSS) to measure the subjects’ emotional state and alertness.”

Read more at The Guardian

I’m nearly 30, and as a (slightly early) present I received a cute ickle tortoise! Conflicting reports on how best to look after it, so any input appreciated!!

So, the result of the election didn’t go my way. Dr Fox kept his seat in my constituency, and the FPTP system yet again showed what an unfair, and in some ways ‘undemocratic’ a system it is.

However, on the plus side, the Tories didn’t get an overall majority either which means the Lib Dems actually have more power in Parliament now than Labour do. Don’t you love politics?

Anyway, I’m off on a long weekend to Benidorm, which means I’m going to switch my brain off and stop thinking about things like Politics, Religion, Quackery and all the other stuff that usually winds me up, and worry about not getting sunburnt or alcohol poisoned instead.

See you Tuesday, when I will no doubt be back ranting at the world about the ridiculousness of something or other, and the unfairness of something else!

This Thursday I will be simultaneously fox hunting, and voting against it.

Basically, my local MP is a tory – Dr. Liam Fox, and I will be voting to get him out!

Read more about the potential repeal of the hunting with dogs ban, and add your support to fight it:

This is a campaign led by the Awesome Brian May

I don’t think I suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) as I’m a miserable sod all year round regardless. However, I do feel noticeably happier and relaxed when it’s a nice fresh sunny day. Ironically, I also like that 4 o’clock in the morning period where it feels as if there’s been some sort of global apocalypse and I’m one of the few people left alive.

Maybe, thinking about the above, I’m just averse to normality. Normality in this country is busy people bustling about in mediocre weather (which the bustlers moan about) going about mediocre lives. I don’t pretend to be anything other than ordinary, but it’s nice when it doesn’t feel that way.

Anyway, I’m clearly rambling (again) but a cathartic release is good for the soul. Now – I don’t believe in a ‘soul’ but if I don’t stop waffling I’ll just end up starting an argument with myself, and I don’t always win…

Well, they are all much of a muchness these days?

This tickled me though: