2013 Coming In

Well now, let's see: The Fiscal Cliff looms, there's Syria, North Korea, Eurozone stagnation etc.

Cheerful soul am I not?

Nevertheless, noblesse oblige: a happy new year to all of you.

Until 2013...

Merry Mayan Christmas

 

I suppose that by now most of you will have come to the conclusion that the world continues to exist, and that there have been no reported sightings of UFOs; neither have I experienced the rush of positive inter-galactic energy that some believers imagined that we were all to enjoy yesterday. 

Judging by the faces I saw whilst out shopping today in the rain, neither has anyone else. And meanwhile one poor chap has made himself very ill through eating those disgusting seasonal vegetables, SPROUTS.  Obviously something will get me in the end, but I can assure you that it will not be SPROUTS; I haven't eaten them since I was three years old...

Anyway, however you are feeling, I'll take the opportunity to wish you all a very merry Christmas.

Until the next time.

Last Chance Saloon

According to some old Mayan prophecy, the world is going to end on Saturday.

So no point in wishing you all a merry Christmas is there?

The world is of course, not going to end on Friday, although I suppose Oxford Street on Saturday will most likely feel as though it has.

You have to laugh don't you?  Apparently 12% of Americans are 'worried.'

Mind you, this is my 500th post on this blog; perhaps that is significant?

Until the next time.

They Say...

That they're protesting about the ban on the niquab - the silly headgear that unfortunate women are required to wear under the rules of their 6th century religion.

I rather like to think that it makes the oppressive uniform look pretty silly too:

Thanks to the Daily Telegraph for this one. 

Until the next time

Quel Choc! (Part Deux)

A new report today from the BBC states that M. Depardieu is to give up his French passport, following his move over the border to Belgium.

The star of Asterix & Obelix is very upset by comments from M. Jean-Marc Ayrault, the prime minister.

From the BBC report:

The prime minister had suggested that Depardieu's move to the town of Nechin, just over the border from the French city of Lille, was unpatriotic at a time of cutbacks.

"I find this quite shabby. All that just to avoid paying tax," he said on France 2 TV channel. "Paying a tax is an act of solidarity, a patriotic act."

M. Depardieu says that so far in his career, he has paid €145,000,000 in taxes.

Given that vast sum, I am inclined to sympathise with him!

Until the next time.

English as a Second Language Perhaps or Just a Different Clock?

The BBC has a feature today about the Japanese economy. In it is quoted a Mr Kiyoaki Fujiwara, the director of the Economic Policy Bureau at the Japan Business Federation or Keidanren:

"We think it is inevitable to raise the consumption tax to fund the social security system as our population ages quicker than anywhere else in the world." (My italics).

I'm mystified by this fascinating fact, if fact indeed it is.

Until the next time.

Horrible

The picture shows the pavement ('sidewalk') of Turnham Green Terrace London W.4 yesterday afternoon.  Like most of London's pavements it is covered in  unsightly, disgusting chewing-gum abandoned or I suppose spat out, by disgusting chewing-gum users.

As a smoker, I am in today's super-state, treated like a leper; gum-chewers continue with this repulsive practice undisturbed.

Since improving the manners of the masses in this Age of the Common Man appears to be impossible, perhaps the makers of these revolting products might be prevailed upon to modify them so that they rot away - like horse-shit - or simply dissolve in the rain.

Until the next time

A Pity...

[...] that his page carries an Israeli flag with the message "I stand with Israel."

Personally I can't stand Israel - at least under its present governance.

Anyway that's all off the point. The important thing is that Greenie Watch has come up with something really nice: effectively a quote from  the IPCC that suggests that they are coming round to the idea that, quel choc! the activity of the SUN is responsible for changing our climate here on Earth.

Well, well. You read it here first: I wrote ages ago that the sun just has to fart once and we're all toast. It may be only a medium-sized star, but as I think Fred Hoyle remarked, expand the earth to the size of the sun and earth's atoms would become the size of toy balloons...

Until the next time.

Quel Choc! (Pour les francais et des francophones)

No shock really: actor Gerard Depardieu is selling the hotel in Paris that he bought in 1994 for 25 million francs (£2.5 millions) - he's asking €50 million (£40,600,000) for what is a delightful property.  See the Le Monde article for a description and pictures.

Given that there is now, in the person of M. Francois Hollande a socialist president who has already raised the maximum rate of income tax to 75% and also increased the scandalous wealth taxes that have burdened the French for so long, it is hardly surprising that M. Depardieu has decided to become a tax exile: he has moved to Belgium.

Apparently M. Depardieu seeks the calme of his new place of residence; whilst this may be true, I fear that it is just window-dressing, as the French are very sensitive about rich Frenchmen 'deserting' La patrie.  I well remember the fuss when Johnny Halliday cleared out - to Gstaad in Switzerland - obviously for tax reasons.

The fact is that for years taxes have been very high in France; given the country's stagnant economy, large public debt and increasing unemployment, together with its enormous bureaucracy and expensive social model, I believe that a different approach is required - but of course the trades unions there will never wear it.  Perhaps nemesis beckons?

A la prochaine

"Creationism"

Picture Source: BBC

 

It is well known that there are people alive today who think that the earth is some thousands of years old; they are known as creationists.  Further, or so I am given to understand, there are those amongst them who believe that all was made (including light itself) in six days.

I hope that at least some of them have a look from time to time at the BBC's news pages; today for example in this piece they can see, reproduced, light that is about 13 billion years old.

Sorry and all that, but I'm afraid that creationist or not, one cannot argue with mathematics.

Congratulations to all who have contributed to the magnificent Hubble telescope.

Until the next time

Big Brother Lives - More Internet Stuff

BBC News today carries the story that the Big Brother bill is still alive although it is to be re-drafted.

A simple search on this blog using the words "Big Brother" will reveal that I am distinctly disapproving of this project, which has been under consideration for some time.  Indeed as I have remarked before, I consider that there is already more than enough government.  Also, this will be an expensive project - doubly so since the British government has a long history of very expensive failures in connexion with Information Technology, usually reported at length by Private Eye.  Recent examples include the splendid telephones cock-up at the BBC and Fujitsu's farcical performance at the NHS.

And we are supposed to be able to trust these people with our data? There have been too many cases of government officials leaving laptops in cars or even simply losing them.

Terrifying I think, although as with almost everything, there is a small silver lining: apparently Liberal Democratic leader Nick Clegg is opposed to the scheme; finally something on which he and I can agree - and something which will serve to justify his existence.

Until the next time

Definitely Worth Supporting

From time to time here I have advocated support of various campaigns launched by the lobbying organisation AVAAZ.

This time the campaign concerns alleged attempts by the likes of the well-known freedom-loving Russian and Chinese governments (together with those of the United Arab Emirates) to impose limitations on the Internet.

As any of my regulars here know very well I am always suspicious of governments as a basic point - there's just too much - and very suspicious when they start sniffing about freedom of communication, so please join me in supporting Avaaz's campaign.  Just click on THIS LINK.

After all, we don't want anything that even vaguely approaches that which pertains in North Korea do we?

Until the next time

Fortunate Tiger Cubs

Source: BBC

The BBC's website reports today that three tiger cubs abandoned by their mother, have been "adopted" by a dog.  This has taken place at a zoo in Sochi in Southern Russia.

Fortunate indeed to be in Russia.  After all, had this taken place in the UK and the dog been a member of the UK Independence Party, then those little tigers would have to be bottle-fed - and motherless, and thereby assured of a politically-correct upbringing.

Until the next time

$8,500,000,000

The sum which forms the title of this piece is the amount of money owed by Greece to the United Kingdom; I do not know how much is owed by the UK to Greece.

Even these days, when we are wont to talk of "billions" when once we spoke of "millions," $8.5 billions is a great deal of money, though Greece's indebtedness to France, at nearly $40 billions must be very worrying for the French.

I see that the Greek prime minister Mr Samaras, has remarked on "a breathing space" for Greece following the deal struck with the EU; Greece will now start to receive its next "bail-out" - which will total in excess of €40 billions, 23 billions of which will go to re-capitalising Greek banks.

Apparently part of the deal includes Eurozone creditors writing-off a substantial proportion of Greece's debt which currently stands at about 180% of GDP.  We must feel sorry for the French who will obviously be hit hard by write-offs. I have been very critical of all UK governments over the years, but I must acknowledge their wisdom at least in keeping us out of the accursed Euro.

It would be interesting to know who in his right mind would have loaned money to Greece in the first place; it is well-known that Greece massaged its accounts (i.e. lied) in order to gain entry to the Euro - back in 2001 - and the availability of low-cost loans in consequence have served to compound the country's insolvency. One must assume that presumably armed with such information, the lenders were in charitable mood at the time that the loans were made.

If they are still in that frame of mind, I wouldn't mind taking out a large loan myself - one that they can write off after 11 years.

Until the next time

More Middle East

Well, well, I see that it has been announced today that Israel has authorised further building of illegal settlements in the occupied territories and in East Jerusalem, the day after the overwhelming majority vote in the UN in favour of Palestine's status.  Is there a limit to the extent of the arrogance of the Israelis?

Meanwhile there is fierce fighting in the vicinity of the airport at Damascus, with the rebels now having possession of what are reported to be "heavy weapons" plus shoulder-launched ground-to-air missiles.

And in Cairo, Tahrir Square is once again the scene of vigorous protests.

Is it my imagination or is it fact that there was once a Middle-East Peace Envoy in the person of that slippery fellow Blair?

If fact it was, where is this all-powerful factotum, this peace-wallah?  Has he perhaps decided to take a back seat and spend a little more time with his money?

At least I never voted for him, just as I never voted for his now-prosperous wind-baggy predecessor!  

Until the next time

More Expensive Greeny Warmist Carbon Crap

Oh God!

The bloody government has confirmed that it has bought into the warmist crap peddled by less-than-disinterested scientists and misguided bores from Al Gore to those fiddlers in East Anglia whatever they were called.

The energy companies will have carte-blanche to carry on their well-known policy of piracy and banditisme under the guise that it will "save the planet"

The reality is that unless new nuclear facilities are built quickly, we'll all be in the dark. The alternative is to start digging up coal again; the idea floated this week about increasing our dependency on imported gas is strategic madness; and anyway please tell me what is "green" about burning gas?  The molecules found in natural gas contain naughty carbon atoms; oh dear!

Don't for a minute imagine that despoiling the countryside with those expensive, hideous and inefficient wind generators will have any significant effect on meeting our ever-expanding energy requirements.  They are one of the best confidence tricks of all - together of course with the absurd idea that mankind is principally responsible for the  climate which, as I have observed before, has been changing ever since the day the earth began to exist.

Fuming today.

Until the next time

Ashamed and Disgusted

It is not that I am unaware of some (at least) of the realities of international diplomatic relations, but nevertheless, I am appalled that our Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr William Hague, is proposing to abstain at a forthcoming vote at the UN in connexion with an upgrading of Palestine's status.

He would do better to demonstrate possession of some balls and remind the world that Israel has for nearly 45 years consistently ignored UN resolutions concerning the territories that it has occupied illegally and on which it condones the establishment of what are known as "settlements."

I carry no torch for the towel-headed bomb-throwers who believe that they have the authority of the Koran for their appalling acts, but equally, it is entirely unacceptable for the Israelis to behave as they have for over forty years towards the Palestinians.

Until the next time.

Characters in Books III

(Said the Cat) " Do you play croquet with the Queen today?"

"I should like it very much," said Alice, "but I haven't been invited yet."

"You'll see me there," said the Cat, and vanished.

Alice was not very much surprised at this, she was getting so well used to queer things happening.  While she was still looking at the place where it had been, it suddenly appeared again.

"By-the-bye, what became of the baby?" said the Cat.  "I'd nearly forgotten to ask."

"It turned into a pig," Alice answered very quietly, just as if the Cat had come back in a natural way.

"I thought it would," said the Cat and vanished again.

*********************

I have always loved the famous Cheshire Cat - its curious behaviour, seemingly so cat-like - so beautifully drawn by Sir John Tenniel and its brilliant creation by Lewis Carroll.  And its capacity to vanish, might just bring to mind the Cat in Animal Farm which, after the animals - or more strictly-speaking, the pigs - had taken over, appeared only at meal-times!

While thinking about this short piece I scanned others' illustrations of this mythic beast and found them very poor stuff indeed, so I conclude without further comment, just more Tenniel:

Until the next time.

"Shocked"

So the Pakistani Taliban were shocked on hearing of the hanging of mass-murderer Mohammed Qasab.

I would have thought that it would be impossible to shock the Taliban; I would not have been shocked had he been tried in England, given a telling-off and a year in jail (in order that his "rights" be respected).

Until the next time.

Mighty

The photograph shows the United States battleship Iowa firing a full broadside from her nine 16" 50 cal guns. Each shell from these guns weighed over a ton and could be landed with surprising precision on a target over 20 miles distant; each gun weighed over 100 tons and each was capable of being independently raised or lowered.

This battleship which cost $120,000,000 to build (say $6 billions today) was obsolete in fact before it was built during the Second World War, but despite this it saw service in the 1991 Gulf War. Four ships of this class were built: Iowa, New Jersey, Missouri and Wisconsin.

It is a sobering thought that this magnificent ship would stand no chance against a modern destroyer such as USS Bainbridge with its incredible ability to track 100 targets simultaneously and equally, destroy them with advanced missiles.

For me though it's form before function; since my early boyhood I have always loved the look of a beautiful battleship.

Until the next time

Characters in Books II

It was at my girlfriend's (ex-girlfriend's in her view) house that I finally found a copy of Evelyn Waugh's autobiography A little Learning; it was I think the first book that I read after arrival in England  in September 2011.

It is not a complete autobiography: published in 1964, it covers  Waugh's life only up to his first employment as an assistant master at a preparatory school in North Wales, and his subsequent half-hearted suicide attempt. Bored, with declining health and reportedly longing for death, Waugh died on Easter Sunday, 1966; he was only 62.

Waugh's first (female) infatuation (according to the book) was one Olivia Plunket Greene whom he described as "astringent."  His devotion remained unrequited.

At the time of his assistant-mastership, Waugh says that he had fallen into "mock-whimsical" style of letter-writing.

One instance of this he records - in a letter to Olivia as follows: "The fields are full of preposterous white things on legs which the farmers call 'lambs' and keep to amuse their sheep." Olivia, who says Waugh, "snapped like a lizard on any affectation, replied "I have rather a thing against lambs, I think they are common."

I have found a blog article that should give those unfamiliar with the rather riotous 1920s a flavour of the time: Cocktails with Elvira.  I so like this blog that I have added a permanent link to it here (see Links right of page).

My (ex) girlfriend used to say how she wished she had been at Oxford in the 1920s; me too

Until the next time

A Curious Coincidence?

In the past two days, two very prominent Americans have resigned from their positions.  These are General David Petraeus, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Mr Christopher Kubasik, President and Chief Executive Officer designate at Lockheed Corporation.

Both men have resigned on account of extra-marital affairs, General Petraeus describing his behaviour as "unacceptable for the leader of the nation's main intelligence agency."  Mr Kubasik's resignation follows an investigation by an "ethics committee;"  the present CEO a Mr Robert Stevens commented that Mr Kubasik's relationship was "inconsistent with our values and standards."

This coincidence prompts several reflections in this writer.

First it reinforces my suspicion of a growing puritanism which I have suspected for many years: it is now routine for British MPs to resign under similar circumstances (I have never understood why this should be so). I do not see that an MP's (or for that matter any official's) private life need in any way affect his ability or indeed, inability to carry out his responsibilities. The only exception to this last point I would consider would be where an individual might be exposed to risk of blackmail which could endanger national security.

Second, I do not think that the CIA nor Lockheed should perhaps be the first in line to be adopting a high moral tone; of course optimists will say that there is always room for improvement, but both organizations have (inevitably perhaps given their fields of operation) what at the very least might be called murky histories and I do not think that senior officials' private lives are the first place to endeavour to effect an amelioration.

Third, it is well known that the French handle this sort of thing much better, having generally a greater respect for the private lives of their officials; perhaps the Americans should have reflected a little before referring to "Freedom Fries" and "Cheese-eating surrender monkeys" and making silly jokes about the very competent French armed forces. I must add that I doubt that such words came from the mouths of the Director of the CIA or the CEO at Lockheed.

Fourth, both resignations have come immediately after the re-election of President Obama; a cleaning of the Augean Stables perhaps? How would such matters have been treated under a Romney presidency?

I read in the BBC article linked above that General Petraeus's affair was with his biographer, Miss Paula Bradwell.  Miss Bradwell recently produced a piece for Newsweek called "General David Petraeus's Rules for Living".  It is important to read the piece; they are very good rules, though it would take a better man than I to follow them to the letter; I do not think that the General has infringed them. 

UPDATE: I see that senior BBC reporter, John Simpson has published an encomium of the general.  Despite lacking comprehensive knowledge of the subject, I am inclined to agree. I note that Simpson touches on the subject of blackmail risk to which I referred above.  I'd be willing to wager that in such circumstances, the General would be more likely to follow the example of the Duke of Wellington and say "Publish and be damned."

Until the next time

Succinct

I have, in front of me Michael Barber's rather blokey biography of the novellist Anthony Powell.

I have said "blokey" because one cannot help feeling that Barber rather lets "his slip show" here and there, since it seems pretty clear that he wishes to show himself at all times a modernist; whilst doing pretty well a lot of the time he does like to have a poke here and there (and by that I do not mean a "free poke" in Borrit's words).  Overall though quite good - say 7/10.

All this is entirely unrelated to the point of this post, or at least almost... In a footnote on p. 178, Barber says that whilst Powell was unsympathetic to Liberalism, he was anxious to add that he was not a totalitarian.  To underline this he (Powell) quotes, approvingly, one Curzio Malaparte, whose definition of a totalitarian state was:

 "A state in which everything that is not forbidden is compulsory."

Rather elegant isn't it? When one reads about five fruit and/or vegetables per day, units of alcohol, tobacco, seat belts, speed limits, the race-relations industry etc., etc., one can't help asking how far away those conditions actually are in our western European liberal democratic Utopia.

Correction...Correction...Correction...Correction...Correction...

Well I did suggest that I was not overwhelmed by Barber's biography; a good thing too it seems.  The quotation does not originate with (the very interesting) Curzio Malaparte, but with another interesting character, English writer Terence Henbury White in his book The Once and Future King.  (Referring to an anthill as viewed by an ant) a notice above each entrance reads: "Everything not forbidden is compulsory." The expression has been borrowed by physicist Murray Gell-Mann in his Gell-Mann Totalitarian Principle, something to do with what to me is the utterly unfathomable discipline of Quantum Mechanics. Remember, I have never been able to comprehend the Relativity Theory so I have no chance with Quantum Mechanics.

If Malaparte used the phrase, I can find no other reference to it; he began as a fascist and ended as a communist; I suppose that he could only have used the phrase if he were an idealist within those disciplines, since I doubt any realistic fascist or communist could have kept a straight face!

Until the next time.

#44...

Congratulations to President Obama on winning his second term, albeit with a reduced majority. I recall very well writing about his 2008 victory here four years ago.  What I wrote then about Mr Obama still stands, but I am now able to add that I consider him to be a good thing for America and wish him well in his struggles with the many problems he faces.

My friends and I are greatly relieved that his opponent failed to prevail; we found the idea of a right-wing bible-basher in the White House somewhat disturbing; compliments are due though for Mr Romney's dignified concession of defeat.  He is better acting the statesman than pontificating about a  double "second coming" apparently to be in Missouri and Jerusalem.

Until the next time

The Best Breakfast in West London

If you are an unreformed character like myself, then I suppose that it is quite possible that you enjoy a decent English breakfast.

I have eschewed, you will notice, the much-abused word "traditional" in this context; this fine old word has in recent years become a tool of the marketeers, e.g. "Traditional fish 'n' chips only £9.50"  It's the "traditional" that they imagine justifies the outrageous prices demanded these days for foodstuffs that were once the province of the poor.  Bread-and-cheese has become almost a luxury.  I recall a study made I think in the late 1980s, that found that whilst over the previous 30 years, the price of butter had risen by a factor of 10, that of cheese was thirty times higher!  Be very suspicious when "Traditional" appears; my girlfriend and I always found it a cause for ironic laughter wherever we saw it.

Anyway back to the breakfast. 

If you are in West London and in need of breakfast at any time up to 4:30 pip emma seven days a week, then visit Cafe T'arte at 270 Kensington High Street W.8. (opposite Earl's Terrace).  Order breakfast and you will receive the following, to whit:

sausage, 2 rashers of back bacon, 2 excellent eggs, 2 "hash browns", tomato, mushrooms and baked beans, together with two slices of toast and tea or coffee, beautifully presented by friendly staff, all for the sum of £4.95.

How this can be done in Kensington where flats are priced in the millions is beyond me.

Long may it continue - et bon appetit!

Until the next time

Characters in Books

The title above may in future be modified to read "Characters in Books I" thereby denoting the existence of a series.  However I do not wish to claim any degree of prescience in this regard since there is always the possibility of boredom - in the worst case self boredom which is indeed, the very worst kind; the writer knows...

These days I spend probably 80 - 90% of my waking hours reading; the escape is very necessary and indeed makes existence bearable.  I make no claims as to any talent for literary criticism, so if my points are lightweight, well you know the reasons; and after all didn't someone once say that "A critic is someone with no ideas of his own and the ability to express them?"

Very well, with that out of the way I'll turn to my first character.  This fellow may be found in several of the novels in Anthony Powell's Dance to the Music of Time series.  We meet him first at school (modeled on Eton) where we are perhaps struck by a kind of languid elegance (typical in fact of the Etonian manner in this writer's experience) and a ready and elegant though rather ruthless wit.  

As the years pass he becomes a selfish drunk (though nearly always witty) - a bit of a "victim" perhaps, and finally a "dry" casualty.  When in sympathetic mood, I feel a sense of waste and indeed pity, but the character strains my sympathies a little too much; he IS selfish undoubtedly. I have had experience of living in close association with hopeless drunks (not here in England in case anyone is wondering) and believe me there is nothing more boring than a drunk.

The character's name is Charles Stringham and he was the favourite in the Dance series of my ex-girlfriend ("ex" that is in her eyes). Ironic when I reflect on it that she should select a selfish drunk; must be the wit wot done it.

I think I'll order up a bottle of Champagne.

Until the next time.

The Age of The Common Man

Those whose hearts are warmed by the subject of the title of this post might do well to reflect on the ubiquity of repellent "celebrities," thirty-second attention spans and cheap soi-disant "culture" that this age has brought us.

At least I can say quite honestly that I always found the late Jimmy Savile to be profoundly annoying, coarse and vulgar, despite his well-documented charitable efforts.

The late Evelyn Waugh once said that the world ended in 1939.  He was probably quite right; certainly my late father thought so.

Until the next time

Metaphor Problems

It is, I suppose, hardly surprising that the market for new cars in Europe is in poor shape. With Germany having to support failing economies in southern Europe to a lesser or greater extent, and with 25% unemployment in Spain and so on, the purchase of a new car is not likely to be top of the list for many people.

Late last month there was a report by the BBC about the prevailing gloom amongst the motor-manufacturers that included this splendid statement from Sergio Marchionne, FIAT's boss:  

Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of Fiat Auto agrees. "The European car market is a disaster," he says.

"It has plunged off a precipice that doesn't seem to have bottomed out yet. The prospects are anything but rosy,"

There was once some correspondence in The Times about mixed metaphors that included a superb example where a professor accused another of "Propping up the scaffolding of a collapsing hypothesis with a red herring."  Marchonne's statement runs this one quite close I think.

Until the next time

More Blood Pressure Trouble

If you do not have a blood pressure problem, take a look at the bearded buffoons (albeit dangerous ones) pictured in this BBC news item.

Despite some of my rather robust views often expressed hereabouts, I do subscribe to the principle of a fair trial, rules of evidence etc., but I wish sometimes that there were a better way of ridding my country of vermin such as these.

Note that yet again the stupid BBC accords these lunatics the courtesy of "Mr"...

Are these people British subjects I wonder?  I do so hope not. It would be wonderful if they could be thrown out and returned to whatever horrible "stan' claims their perverted sympathies, and there carry on their stupid jihad.

Until the next time

Too Good To Hide

In response to my last post about Malala and Avaaz I received the following quote as a comment:

Ricky Gervais said today " Dear Religion, this week I safely dropped a man from space while you shot a little girl in the head for wanting to go to school. Yours, Science. 

I simply do not have the words to say how much I sympathise with this; it is superb.  Thank you Mr O'nonymous.

Until the next time

Malala & Avaaz

Avaaz is running a petition in support of Malala Yousafzai's  campaign for female education in Pakistan.  You will recall no doubt that Malala is the 14-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot by the brave holy warriors of the Taliban.  Contemplating them makes it almost worthwhile believing in Hell.

Here's the link; apparently if 1,000,000 signatures are obtained, Gordon Brown will go to Pakistan to present the petition in person to the Pakistani president and media.

Yes, I agree that that is not a particularly inspiring thought (GB I mean) but at least it will be one in the eye for the Sharia Shits.

As I write this, nearly 423,000 have signed.

Until the next time

Why?

With the UK economy in very poor shape, with the problem of Israel having to be restrained from vapourising parts Of Iran, with the on-going disaster in Syria, with the threatened collapse of the Euro or at least the Greek economy etc., etc., how is it that the prime minister has time to involve himself in a stupid football match where some ball-kicker has upset another ball-kicker?

Abject nonsense: this is not work for a prime minister.

Until the next time.

Big Brother Again

Looking back through this blog just now, I was surprised how long it has been since I ranted about "Big Brother."  Here are some links to earlier posts:

Link

Link

Link

As regulars here will know, I am horrified by the ever-expanding size of GOVERNMENT.  There is far too much of it as far as I am concerned and indeed tho' it claims to be "democratic" of course it is nothing of the sort (although "democracy" has never appealed very much to me - reasons supplied on request).  My father used to say that there is only democracy at the moment one writes an X against the name of one's chosen candidate; after that forget it for five years. He was damn' right.

Returning to the theme mentioned above, I see that the great nosey-parker bill project is still alive.  This is profoundly depressing, given the innumerable examples of secret material being found on second-hand cameras, lap-tops and so on.  And the government is to be trusted with all our personal stuff? Ha-ha.

With any luck I shall be dead before I shall have to think twice about writing about enjoying smoking - the buggers would come down on me like the proverbial ton of bricks.

Until the next time

Barbarians

By the title above I am referring (again) to the Taliban those oh-so-moral-and-holy campaigning BASTARDS (praise be the holy name).

It is announced today that these brave men have shot and wounded a 14-year-old girl, Malala Yousafzai for the grievous "offence" of campaigning for education for females - and of being "anti-Taliban"; how curious.  Courageous Malala has said that she "dreamed of a country where education would prevail."  Fat chance with those vermin around.

No doubt they can produce a page in their so-called holy book to justify their appalling action. 

If that's their god, I'll choose Hell.

No on second thoughts, please nice USA, send the barbarians a present - a Hellfire missile.

Yes I know this took place in Pakistan, supposedly an ally of the U.S., but it seems that parts of the country are outside government control.

Until the next time

Suicide

I suppose most of us at one time or the other have contemplated ending it all, there are even references to this (for the heartbroken) in Anthony Trollope's fine novels.

However if this method were the only one available, I'm sure that most would be deterred...

Until the next time

At Last

Whilst I am not holding my breath, it seems that finally, after vast and unnecessary expenditure of taxpayers' money, the repulsive Abu Hamza is to become no longer our problem: he is to be a problem for the U.S.A. which I suspect will most likely deal with him fairly expeditiously.

However I would not be surprised to discover that Hamza will find the funds to employ some super-expensive American lawyers who will attempt to delay matters; if so, I hope not for too long.

Afterthought:  It is said that Hamza has described the UK as a "toilet"; well, well, now he'll have to expand his vocabulary I think once he sees the inside of an American "Supermax" prison.

Until the next time

Serious Matters in the Middle-East

The news that Turkey, exasperated by the Syrian army firing into its territory has, for the first time responded in kind, will quite obviously have set alarm bells ringing around all the NATO countries.

Turkey has a large, powerful army; Bashar al-Assad would I think, be very unwise to permit further provocations.

And since the famously secular Turkish Army (carrying on the traditions of Ataturk) would perhaps not entirely find an opportunity to demonstrate its might to its current Islamic masters  unwelcome, al-Assad should be doubly cautious. 

The fact that I think that al-Assad should disappear up his own bottom is another matter of course.

Until the next time

And Again

Two more examples of the BBC's profoundly annoying courtesy to the unworthy.

First, according the courtesy of "Mr" to the implausibly-named murderer Docherty-Puncheon (one would like to say that one couldn't make it up, but I suppose he did) and second, the same is extended to one Bridger currently being grilled in connexion with the tragic disappearance of little April Jones.

Could it be that the BBC is terrified that in witholding the courtesy, so-called "human rights" might be infringed?

In this day and age, I shouldn't be at all surprised.

Until the next time

Pathetic - and Very Funny

I have just discovered that we now have a government department that rejoices in the name - wait for it as I can hardly type for laughing - Department of Energy and Climate Change. (The italics are mine of course).

Dear God!  perhaps said dept will, by means of new policies, reverse climate change?

They'll have a fair bit of work to do, given that the climate has been changing for the last 10 billion years or so (unless of course you are one of those sadly-deluded "creationists"  who believe that the earth - the centre of everything of course (!) was created in six days - in which case substitute 6000 years for the 10 billion...).  I read in the Wikipedia piece on the subject of Creationism that a mere 25% of the population of Turkey believe in the theory of evolution; poor Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) must be spinning in his grave.

Until the next time

A Word about Abu Hamza

It really is too, too sick-making to feel obliged to write about this repulsive vermin, but duty calls.

Today the BBC reports that said vermin's health is deteriorating.

A likely story, and as likely to be as true as that of the murderer who, on Gadaffi's orders bombed the aircraft that crashed in Scotland killing all on board and as true as that of Ernest Saunders, one of the conspiritors behind the Guinness share scandal, who alleged dementia and was subsequently as fit as a flea.

I don't believe it and neither should anyone in this country with the power to eject this turbulent nuisance into the hands of the Americans who a) are likely to take a more robust view and b) are endeavouring to clear up a mess that as usual, we and the Europeans are incapable of doing.

Until the next time

Misplaced Courtesies

WARNING! WARNING WARNING! RANT AHEAD!

What possible reason can the BBC amongst others, have for dignifying terrorists, religious hate-purveyors, murderers, thugs and other scum with the title of 'Mr' (or indeed 'Mrs', 'Miss', or  'Ms')?

Makes my blood boil, so much that I may well post further examples in the future.

Meanwhile at the BBC, peers of the realm are frequently referred to by their given names, a kind of reverse snobbery I think - unless of course said peers are lefties and may have expressed a desire to be addressed thus which in my view, is rather sad in itself.

Readers of this blog who have been robust enough to remain loyal may recall that I lived for six years in France.  I remarked to a cousin that I found it charming that even the young there greeted each other with certain courtesies - two kisses (three in Haute Savoie) and/or a handshake.  My cousin agreed that this was charming indeed, "a great social lubricant" was his observation about this politeness.

Here in England we seem to have got it wrong in two senses.

Until the next time

UPDATE:

Here's another example: "Mr Collins" indeed!  I think not.

"Nicely Put"

Lord Byron, "mad, bad and dangerous to know" - which indeed he was - is a good example of how complex indeed is the human character:

When we two parted

In silence and tears,

Half broken-hearted,

To sever for years,

Pale grew thy cheek and cold,

Colder thy kiss;

Truly that hour foretold

Sorrow to this.

The dew of the morning

Sank chill on my brow—

It felt like the warning

Of what I feel now.

Thy vows are all broken,

And light is thy fame:

I hear thy name spoken,

And share in its shame.

They name thee before me,

A knell to mine ear;

A shudder comes o'er me—

Why wert thou so dear?

They know not I knew thee,

Who knew thee too well:—

Long, long shall I rue thee

Too deeply to tell.

In secret we met—

In silence I grieve

That thy heart could forget,

Thy spirit deceive.

If I should meet thee

After long years,

How should I greet thee?—

With silence and tears.

Until the next time