The RULES???

Has anyone else heard of these incredibly sexist blasphemies known as "The Rules"? They are a set of ten guidelines that women should follow in order to meet "Mr. Right" and eventually trap in the unholy bonds of marriage.

You might think, what's so bad about that? In today's society, when men are often seen as sexist pigs who abuse women, who would blame them for wanting to find a good man who will take care of them? It's fair enough.

WRONG!

It is almost as if the two women who write this drivel are trying to turn the tables on men, by being as insensitive and crass as the men they claim to be chasing. Although, as one of their "golden rules" states, "Men chase women."

Bull-hockey!

Men get just as raw a deal in modern society now as women. In countless television shows, mostly American sit-coms, men are portrayed as childish and dopey, whom women constantly turn down and ridicule, whereas the women are beautiful, successful and constantly the attention of dozens of guys, whom they periodically turn down and ridicule. This is proof at least in part that women have some sort of equality in this world. Obviously it is not perfect, but some of the more puritannical women should remember that men do get a raw deal too.

Anyway, I'm still in Scotland. I'm sure you were all pondering my disappearance from society and wondering why I wasn't returning your calls.

It's beautiful here, even if it is a bit Scottish. The people are all very friendly, and the local countryside is simply gorgeous. The view from the house we're in is stunning, looking over the Atlantic and many of the local Scottish islands. Even the weather has been pretty generous, with only a couple of days of rain preventing us from venturing outdoors. We even managed to collect a bucketful of mussels from the beach and eat them in the evening. Delish!

Kate is shaking her head disapprovingly at my rant as I type. I can understand why.

The house where we're staying is the scene of the recent deaths on the trawler in northern Scotland. For a couple of days we could see the upturned hull as it floated in the loch, but now it is gone, taken away by a much larger ship with cranes. Exciting stuff.

Anyway I think that's enough raw material to start off August. Hope you're all having a good holiday, and I'll see you all soon.