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It's a lion's share for smart
owners in the North West
SMART owners in the North West are used to attracting
admiring glances from other people, but not quite so accustomed to
longing looks from lions… but this is exactly what is happening to
smart-driving visitors to Knowsley Safari Park, Merseyside.
Knowsley Safari Park is renowned for its authentic African Safari
experience, where visitors can drive a five-mile route through the
park to see animals including lions, tigers, monkeys, and rhino from
their own vehicles. Visitors arriving with quirky smart cars have
found themselves experiencing an altogether more 'realistic' taste
of Africa as lionesses have been chasing the compact, nippy cars,
thinking they are prey!
David Ross, Manager of Knowsley Safari Park, commented:- "The
lions are used to seeing saloons and family cars on a daily basis,
but they had never seen a smart before.
Because of the cars' small
size and unusual looks, the lions were immediately interested and
went to take a closer look.
The passengers weren't in any danger as
we always monitor traffic very closely.
We won't be excluding smarts
from the park, however, but we will monitor their progress and
ensure that the lions don't take anything more than a passing
interest."
Rob Karecky, general manager of smart Manchester, added:-
"Yes, Smarts always stand out wherever they go, but
this kind of animal attraction is very unusual!
It just goes to
prove that the car designed with the city in mind is also a
head-turner in the country!"
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Right or wrong?
YOU just can't get away from it, can you? It's like having to live a
nightmare a world where, it seems, even those who are ostensibly
intelligent and honest have to think before they link one word with
another. The rules of good etiquette have now been replaced by
political correctness, no malice or offence is usually meant, it is
the way we see things, we say what we see and how we see them.
Critics of Political Correctness argue that advocacy of Political
Correctness amounts to censorship and are a danger to free speech.
Has it all gone too far? Or do we need these measures so nobody is
offended, or is it all down to common sense and politeness, you
can't please everyone. Here are a few words before and after they
are Politically Correct.
* Fireman - Fireperson
* Chairman - Chairperson
* Black coffee - Coffee with out milk
* Fat - Horizontally challenged
* Half cast - Mixed race
* Blind - Visually impaired
There are now plans to make comedians to sign a contract agreeing to
stick to politically correct jokes, but would they still be jokes if
they were censored, so to speak. Councillors in Newcastle will be
asked to consider banning performers whose acts are branded
offensive, racist, sexist or homophobic. The policy followed calls
from the Public Sector Union to ban blue comedian Chubby Brown from
playing at Newcastle's City Hall. The policy under consideration has
come from the equalities board; it recommends the council bans all
acts which go against the council's visions, values and social
inclusions. Is there a difference in being offensive and funny,
sometimes it is a difficult line to judge. The policy will be
considered this month.
Is there a difference in how words or actions are interpreted, as in
1998 a Punch and Judy book was withdrawn from a public library
service following claims that Mr Punch's "sickening violence" could
corrupt children. The book which followed the traditional plot was
said to send the completely wrong message. Going back about 20 years
ago when I remember seeing the Punch and Judy show, in no way did I
associate it with wanting to use violence on anyone or anything, as
I knew they where puppets and that it was an act which was about
making everyone laugh.
This week the bbc has re-edited some of its coverage of the London
underground and bus bombings to avoid labelling the perpetrators as
terrorists, which to me is exactly what they are as described in the
dictionary the term terrorist means to fill with terror or rule or
maintain power by terrorism - terrorism means a policy or system of
ruling, seeking to obtain political demands etc by violence and
intimidation, therefore they are terrorists.
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