Hedges and Children

(not necessarily in that order!)

I've just spent one of the less enjoyable weekends of my existence trimming the hedge at the side of my house. It was one of the ones planted by the developers and builders when they put up the estate. I can see why they wanted fast growing plants to improve the green environment of the estate, in which they did a reasonable job. My problem is that the plant they used is the spiniest, thorniest, most viscious bush I have ever seen (or more to the point, felt and been attacked by). I did spend several summers doing some gardening work and have had to clear vast swathes of rambling roses and other such plants. I a reliably informed that the bush is a Pyrocanthus but I have no great knowledge of botany or the technical side of gardening. The problem is that the bush does not look pretty, nor it does not give wonderful vibrant flowers each spring or summer; it has only one function, that of security. Every house on a corner has the plant protecting the fence to prevent anyone climbing over and into the garden. Again, this in itself is fair enough, except that the plant has only been planted along half the fence. Am I to believe that a determined burglar, faced with the probabiity of being ripped to shred if he climbed my fence, but being perfectly all right to climb it 3 feet further along, would decide not to risk it? I think not, in which case the whole reason for using such a nasty plant is spurious and Sam and I have just had our arms ripped to shreds, with thorn splinters in our hands, for no reason whatsoever!

And for my next rant, children.

While we were outside there were various of the local children around, doing what local children do, i.e., playing in the road, tormenting their new kitten by chasing it into the road, crawling around on their bellies in the dirt and generally acting like brats. To a large extent, most of that is not my business, and I would be the first to complain if other people were pushing themselves into my business. However, I do not have children. Do I therefore have any right to complain or even have an opinion on how other people bring up their children, or what are the "correct" way(s) of bringing up children. Is this one of those areas where I should just allow that those people who have experienced children at first hand are the only ones who can have legitimate views on childrens' upbringing?

Initially, I felt that the answer was straightforward, but on giving the matter further thought ( I was bored while cutting the hedge), the question was expended:
should those people not within any culture, group, society, etc., have the same rights to an opinion as those inside the group and thus with experience for example;
(a) should Westminster and city dwellers dictate to countryside residents how the countryside is run, especially on the fate of hunting and farming?
(b) should people without children sit in judgement on parents?
(c) should the UK be run largely from Brussels as part of a United States of Europe?
(d) should Wales and Scotland be run form London?
(e) should Christians and the centralised state interfere in the running of other religions or cultures within the UK or elsewhere?

OK, so I was very bored while cutting the hedge, but it was very spiky.

Oh, and Dan - there are at least 7 innuendoes somewhere within this message...