Remember the science is settled? Remember there is consensus? Remember drowning pets and exploding children? Remember being told not to eat meat or the Inconvenient Truth and Al Gore's Nobel prize? Ooops: "“The Earth’s mean temperature rose sharply during the 1990s. This may have caused us to overestimate climate sensitivity"..."These results are truly sensational. If confirmed by other studies, this could have far-reaching impacts on efforts to achieve the political targets for climate." The new research comes on top of other recent reevaluations. What chance this will put a brake on wind turbine madness and energy bill rises? (Hat-tip the Captain).
domingo, 27 de enero de 2013
Oslo observations...
Remember the science is settled? Remember there is consensus? Remember drowning pets and exploding children? Remember being told not to eat meat or the Inconvenient Truth and Al Gore's Nobel prize? Ooops: "“The Earth’s mean temperature rose sharply during the 1990s. This may have caused us to overestimate climate sensitivity"..."These results are truly sensational. If confirmed by other studies, this could have far-reaching impacts on efforts to achieve the political targets for climate." The new research comes on top of other recent reevaluations. What chance this will put a brake on wind turbine madness and energy bill rises? (Hat-tip the Captain).
Oslo observations...
Remember the science is settled? Remember there is consensus? Remember drowning pets and exploding children? Remember being told not to eat meat or the Inconvenient Truth and Al Gore's Nobel prize? Ooops: "“The Earth’s mean temperature rose sharply during the 1990s. This may have caused us to overestimate climate sensitivity"..."These results are truly sensational. If confirmed by other studies, this could have far-reaching impacts on efforts to achieve the political targets for climate." The new research comes on top of other recent reevaluations. What chance this will put a brake on wind turbine madness and energy bill rises? (Hat-tip the Captain).
Olamic oblectation...
| Eternal delight: forty years ago today we witnessed something wonderful. There were many before and after but this is regarded as among - if not the - best: that fellow Edwards; the Home Unions select side vs. New Zealand, or as we know it: the Barbarians vs. the All Blacks, January 27th, 1973, Cardiff Arms Park. In fact the whole match was fantastic; what you see in the video is in the first few minutes! Phil Bennett's agility, Edwards coming at pace from deep. All amateurs, all in heavy cotton kit (much heavier when wet, like the ball, like the boots!) no squad of trainers: look what happens after that try, a pat on the back if you're lucky. Rugby as it was, the greatest game ever invented. Some really good comments here. |
Olamic oblectation...
| Eternal delight: forty years ago today we witnessed something wonderful. There were many before and after but this is regarded as among - if not the - best: that fellow Edwards; the Home Unions select side vs. New Zealand, or as we know it: the Barbarians vs. the All Blacks, January 27th, 1973, Cardiff Arms Park. In fact the whole match was fantastic; what you see in the video is in the first few minutes! Phil Bennett's agility, Edwards coming at pace from deep. All amateurs, all in heavy cotton kit (much heavier when wet, like the ball, like the boots!) no squad of trainers: look what happens after that try, a pat on the back if you're lucky. Rugby as it was, the greatest game ever invented. Some really good comments here. |
sábado, 26 de enero de 2013
Odeon options...
Having got back into the swing of life back in England I decided to push the boat out: now I have two direct debits: my cinema card arrived and I popped into town to the local moving-picture theatre. Three choices attracted my attention:
(i) Lincoln: an American historical drama already received with widespread critical acclaim and a dead cert for Oscars (although some historical facts are missing) The film covers the last four months of Lincoln's life and his efforts exactly 148 years ago to get the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution passed. No doubt a political and historical Spielberg masterpiece highlighting how close the Amendment came to failure and only a white lie (did I say white?) assuring the passage: had an end to hostilities in the Civil War peace been seen as a possibility without the outlawing of slavery and involuntary servitude (and it was a very real possibility) the Amendment would have failed.
(ii) Les Miserables: another contender for Oscars; sumptuous moving musical and film version of the extraordinarily successful stage show of the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo. The book, like the stage show, began with largely negative reviews only to overcome the bad vibes and become immensely popular (the stage show being a global phenomenon). This film seem set on the same path -except the reviews are very positive! Set in France after Napoleon has fallen (for the second time) up until the June Rebellion of 1832. Rather than bore you with the history, the Daily Beast sets the scene. (iii) The Last Stand: Arnie doing what he does best; this time as a small Mexican-border town Sheriff .'You fucked up my day off.' An entertainingly unpretentious, old-school cops-and-drug-barons action movie (hat-tip for those words to Peter Bradshaw at the Guardian): Weekend escapism and worth it just for Genesis Rodriguez's pout.
Guess which one I went to see...no contest, right?
Odeon options...
Having got back into the swing of life back in England I decided to push the boat out: now I have two direct debits: my cinema card arrived and I popped into town to the local moving-picture theatre. Three choices attracted my attention:
(i) Lincoln: an American historical drama already received with widespread critical acclaim and a dead cert for Oscars (although some historical facts are missing) The film covers the last four months of Lincoln's life and his efforts exactly 148 years ago to get the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution passed. No doubt a political and historical Spielberg masterpiece highlighting how close the Amendment came to failure and only a white lie (did I say white?) assuring the passage: had an end to hostilities in the Civil War peace been seen as a possibility without the outlawing of slavery and involuntary servitude (and it was a very real possibility) the Amendment would have failed.
(ii) Les Miserables: another contender for Oscars; sumptuous moving musical and film version of the extraordinarily successful stage show of the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo. The book, like the stage show, began with largely negative reviews only to overcome the bad vibes and become immensely popular (the stage show being a global phenomenon). This film seem set on the same path -except the reviews are very positive! Set in France after Napoleon has fallen (for the second time) up until the June Rebellion of 1832. Rather than bore you with the history, the Daily Beast sets the scene. (iii) The Last Stand: Arnie doing what he does best; this time as a small Mexican-border town Sheriff .'You fucked up my day off.' An entertainingly unpretentious, old-school cops-and-drug-barons action movie (hat-tip for those words to Peter Bradshaw at the Guardian): Weekend escapism and worth it just for Genesis Rodriguez's pout.
Guess which one I went to see...no contest, right?
jueves, 24 de enero de 2013
Ólafur's outing...
He's trying to get in my good books now! Will there be a bun-fight at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland where Iceland's longest-serving president president Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson is going to speak...and where Gordon Brown will also be a guest speaker? The bun-fight could ensure because, as the Reykjavik Grapevine reports, Ólafur told Sky News yesterday:
"The Gordon Brown government decided, to its eternal shame, to put the Icelandic government on a list of terrorist states and terrorist phenomena. We were there together with Al Qaeda and the Taliban on that list."
He added that Crash Gordon would be remembered in Iceland "long after he has been completely forgotten in Britain", hmmm, I doubt that; as Guido says, "Not sure Gordon will ever be 'completely forgotten'"!
Ólafur's outing...
"The Gordon Brown government decided, to its eternal shame, to put the Icelandic government on a list of terrorist states and terrorist phenomena. We were there together with Al Qaeda and the Taliban on that list."He added that Crash Gordon would be remembered in Iceland "long after he has been completely forgotten in Britain", hmmm, I doubt that; as Guido says, "Not sure Gordon will ever be 'completely forgotten'"!
miércoles, 23 de enero de 2013
Obumma...
Gallup has this poll: Americans Downbeat on State of U.S., Prospects for Future. It seems to be mainly a partisan split as most Republicans seem to think best days are behind them and most Democrats hope the best days are ahead. The figure was as low in 2010 BUT that is fewer estadounidenses than have said so at any point since 1979! Similarly, this chimes with their assessment of satisfaction with the way things are going in the USA: the general country mood is 25% satisfied, still below the historical average satisfaction rating (it hasn't been over 40% since mid 2005!).
Obumma...
lunes, 21 de enero de 2013
Obamaworship...
I'm turning into Bitter and Twisted: why has the BBC and other British media gone into overdrive about a load of banal piffle? Was POTUS reading out the winning entry from a primary school competition about who can write the most cringe-worthy pap about pink fluffy clouds and jam for everybody? Jeez, they even had the whole thing live on TV all afternoon. Porker Mardell (who never misses an opportunity to tell us just how absolutely wonderful BHO is...and forgets he's actually supposed to be North America Editor not Obama Fan Club Editor) writes "[Obama] went out of his way to mention issues which enrage those who voted against him"...that would be nearly half the country then. Twat.
Obamaworship...
I'm turning into Bitter and Twisted: why has the BBC and other British media gone into overdrive about a load of banal piffle? Was POTUS reading out the winning entry from a primary school competition about who can write the most cringe-worthy pap about pink fluffy clouds and jam for everybody? Jeez, they even had the whole thing live on TV all afternoon. Porker Mardell (who never misses an opportunity to tell us just how absolutely wonderful BHO is...and forgets he's actually supposed to be North America Editor not Obama Fan Club Editor) writes "[Obama] went out of his way to mention issues which enrage those who voted against him"...that would be nearly half the country then. Twat.
sábado, 19 de enero de 2013
Orange offal...
Meatgate trundles on and Dutch meat companies will be quaking in their shoes this weekend as 'Food standards officials in Ireland have asked their Dutch counterparts to investigate 'several companies' in connection with the [horse meat in beef-burger] scandal'. The guilty companies that supplied the extra ingredient as filler are thought to be from The Netherlands. They'll be all-a-shiver at the fear of the maximum €1,050 fine that could await them [DT] . Tesco have said they will get to the bottom of the scandal but I doubt that because the bottom (or rump) is worth a whole lot more than the body parts that will be making up the burger-filler (see what I did there?). The fact that this has probably been going on for years just makes the comments by stupid wankers (final part of video from 55 seconds) at trying to blame Coalition cuts as just more fuckwittery. That said, the scandal has moved on to more worrying aspects that is sure to upset many more people than the cross-species meat contamination; aspects that can and should be controlled by us. Update: Tops marks to Anna - not for the oddly disturbing shortened-horse video-clip at the top of her post, nor for the very sensible (but unspoken) question of whether anybody was inquiring what the other 71% in Tesco’s Value Added Burgers was - but for the wonderful "It’s not just Tesco’s either, there’s My Lidl Pony…"
Orange offal...
viernes, 18 de enero de 2013
Obscurantist obloquy...
“Si un hombre fuese necesario para sostener el Estado, ese Estado no debería existir; y al fin no existiría.” Simón Bolívar ("If a man was necessary to sustain the State, that State should not exist, and in the end would not exist). With these words Panamanian ambassador Guillermo Cochez ended his speeech [pdf] to the Organization of American States (about which he said was "a dead tree on the plain: that does not collapse, but it has no life.": edited 5pm!); he had stunned the diplomatic world with...the truth. Deemed (scroll down for story) a 'polemic against the government of Venezuela and the OAS itself over the delicate subject of Hugo Chávez's health' it was a perfectly legitimate attack on the Bolivarian Republic's lack of provision of information on Krusty's health status, quite rightly pointing out that this sows doubt and feeds rumors which "can not and should not be the practice of democracies or democratic people.". Venezuelan arse-hole Roy Chaderton then called Cochez and his words 'ghastly morbidity', 'perverse beyond bad', that Cochez was mentally ill, full of human misery and that he was "neither a politician, nor a diplomat, nor a gentleman, you are a lout." Cochez responded - again truthfully - that those with no adequate argument always resort to insults (a common lefty trait I must say). For this, Cochez gets sacked [ESP] [ENG], and Chaderton is congratulated for telling the truth with dignity and intelligence! Bizarre, unbelievable. Again, a big hat-tip to Daniel.
Update 5pm: and the official oddity of the signature is now shown to be clearly fake.
Obscurantist obloquy...
“Si un hombre fuese necesario para sostener el Estado, ese Estado no debería existir; y al fin no existiría.” Simón Bolívar ("If a man was necessary to sustain the State, that State should not exist, and in the end would not exist). With these words Panamanian ambassador Guillermo Cochez ended his speeech [pdf] to the Organization of American States (about which he said was "a dead tree on the plain: that does not collapse, but it has no life.": edited 5pm!); he had stunned the diplomatic world with...the truth. Deemed (scroll down for story) a 'polemic against the government of Venezuela and the OAS itself over the delicate subject of Hugo Chávez's health' it was a perfectly legitimate attack on the Bolivarian Republic's lack of provision of information on Krusty's health status, quite rightly pointing out that this sows doubt and feeds rumors which "can not and should not be the practice of democracies or democratic people.". Venezuelan arse-hole Roy Chaderton then called Cochez and his words 'ghastly morbidity', 'perverse beyond bad', that Cochez was mentally ill, full of human misery and that he was "neither a politician, nor a diplomat, nor a gentleman, you are a lout." Cochez responded - again truthfully - that those with no adequate argument always resort to insults (a common lefty trait I must say). For this, Cochez gets sacked [ESP] [ENG], and Chaderton is congratulated for telling the truth with dignity and intelligence! Bizarre, unbelievable. Again, a big hat-tip to Daniel.
Update 5pm: and the official oddity of the signature is now shown to be clearly fake.
miércoles, 16 de enero de 2013
Official oddities...
According to Venezuela's 'interim' leader Vice President Maduro, Krusty has appointed Elias Jaua** as Foreign Minister; the gang is forming [ESP] [ENG]. Jaua lost the Miranda State election last month to opposition presidential candidate against Krusty back in October, Henrique Capriles. Amusingly it was Jaua who said that Capriles didn't deserve to be re-elected governor as a consolation prize for his defeat in the presidential election...now who's won consolation prize? What's odd is that Krusty even signed the decree which is dated and signed in Caracas on January 15 (image, left) hmmm. This is odd in that Chavez hasn't been seen for a month and only this past weekend Ollanta Humala and Cristina Fernandez, the leaders of Peru and Argentina respectively, left Cuba without having been able to see him and that the Caracas government has consistently refused to provide detailed information on his health. Quite rightly Capriles has said today that if Chavez can sign decrees [edit - even being of sound enough mind to give the OK for doing it electronically] he can and should talk to the people.
** ex radical and militant leftie with two feet in the Castro camp [Daniel] (Jaua is one of many lefty ideologues and militants close to Chavez over the years: 'químicamente guerrilleros').
Official oddities...
** ex radical and militant leftie with two feet in the Castro camp [Daniel] (Jaua is one of many lefty ideologues and militants close to Chavez over the years: 'químicamente guerrilleros').
Ongoing omnishambles...
Omnishambles in general, a phrase coined for New Labour but used effectively against the Coalition. David Davis on ConHome this morning gives us a very good explication of why we appear to have an omnishambles - relating to Steve Hilton's California dreaming ("Did he actually think Yes Minister was fiction?" The Week). Although we know that most politicians have struggled with the Civil Servants Davis adds meat to the bones: "There was, throughout the Blair years, a serious corrosion of the standards of the Civil Service. It started with the now infamous Order in Council, allowing political appointees, in the form of Alistair Campbell and Jonathan Powell, to give orders to civil servants."... ..."So the problem has got worse, to the point that the reality has overtaken the “Yes, Minister” caricature. The comedy has become the training film." And finishes with a sucker punch for David Cameron:
"But what Mr Hilton needs to remember is that either car [great/good government machine] will get you to your destination, so long as the driver knows where he is going."
Ouch!
Ongoing omnishambles...
Omnishambles in general, a phrase coined for New Labour but used effectively against the Coalition. David Davis on ConHome this morning gives us a very good explication of why we appear to have an omnishambles - relating to Steve Hilton's California dreaming ("Did he actually think Yes Minister was fiction?" The Week). Although we know that most politicians have struggled with the Civil Servants Davis adds meat to the bones: "There was, throughout the Blair years, a serious corrosion of the standards of the Civil Service. It started with the now infamous Order in Council, allowing political appointees, in the form of Alistair Campbell and Jonathan Powell, to give orders to civil servants."... ..."So the problem has got worse, to the point that the reality has overtaken the “Yes, Minister” caricature. The comedy has become the training film." And finishes with a sucker punch for David Cameron:
"But what Mr Hilton needs to remember is that either car [great/good government machine] will get you to your destination, so long as the driver knows where he is going."Ouch!
domingo, 13 de enero de 2013
Obama's oncoming onslaught...
...could be over before it's begun. Talking of course about the possibility of gun control laws. Early this year (OK, it's less than 2 weeks old!) Godfather Politics reminded readers that "Most people, including politicians fail to realize that the ultimate legal authorities in the land are the county sheriffs". Now things have gone even further with the State of Wyoming introducing legislation to ban the federal government from enforcing their own bans on some weapons [hat-tip Weasel Zippers]. This is a call to 'take the Second Amendment seriously' and it's all moot at present because no such new ban/law has happened yet...but if Wyoming’s legislature can convince the courts that federal gun regulations are themselves unconstitutional it could stymie the current supremacy clause, 'which holds that enforceable federal laws trump state laws when they conflict.' Now, as we know, all this new hoohah stems directly from the latest shooting tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School and the rumours/conspiracy theories about that, which started almost immediately after the massacre, are getting weirder and louder [hat-tip Captain Ranty] with - amongst other things - condolence/donate pages being set up in the names of the victims BEFORE the incident!!!???
Obama's oncoming onslaught...
viernes, 11 de enero de 2013
Overground obambulation...
...Underground magic. “It seemed an insult to common sense to suppose that people who could travel as cheaply on the outside of a Paddington bus would prefer, as a merely quicker medium, to be driven amid palpable darkness through the foul subsoil of London.” So said an editorial in The Times two years prior to the eventual opening of the Metropolitan Railway in 1863; it was the first passenger-carrying underground railway in the world, when, on 10 January 1863 - 150 years ago this week - the Metropolitan Railway opened a line between between Paddington (Bishop’s Road) and Farringdon Street (now part of the Circle line). In fact the first trip was on January 9 but exclusive (by invitation only). It was soon extended both ways and northwards via a branch from Baker Street, reaching further afield " but the most important route became the line north into the Middlesex countryside, where it stimulated the development of new suburbs"...Metroland, Owsland. Today, the tracks and stations of the former Metropolitan Railway are parts of the Metropolitan, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, Piccadilly and Jubilee lines (and Chiltern Railways). Today, for the first time in a long time I once again travelled "below the level of graveyards". Still great.
Paul (One Page in a library of Millions) says "it's fascinating to look at the map of railways into London pre-Underground and see that all the main termini, with the exception of Fenchurch Street, were situated outside of the City of London"; I agree and too am fascinated by maps (here are just a few) and spending a large part of my youth on the Tube became equally fascinated by its development.
Overground obambulation...
Paul (One Page in a library of Millions) says "it's fascinating to look at the map of railways into London pre-Underground and see that all the main termini, with the exception of Fenchurch Street, were situated outside of the City of London"; I agree and too am fascinated by maps (here are just a few) and spending a large part of my youth on the Tube became equally fascinated by its development.
jueves, 10 de enero de 2013
Oecist obeisance...
From The Blue Collar Tory Blog, Happy Margaret Thatcher Day! I hope Cristina the oligodontous odorivector is aware.
"Today the Falkland Islanders honour the Prime Minister who fought to save the Islands from the tyranny of the Argentine Junta. Of course that prime Minister was the great Margaret Thatcher who led Britain out of decline and back to greatness. I just wish that we had a similar day here in the UK to celebrate the achievements of Baroness Thatcher who as well as liberating the Falklands liberated Britain from the grasp of the trade unions."
And a lot more besides: Baroness Thatcher is by far and away the greatest living UK PM, and consistently polls among, if not top, the best ever. The Margaret Thatcher Foundation website (the largest contemporary history site of its kind) - and linked on Owsblog for years - offers free access to thousands of historical documents relating to the Thatcher period including files on the Falklands [Link].
Oecist obeisance...
"Today the Falkland Islanders honour the Prime Minister who fought to save the Islands from the tyranny of the Argentine Junta. Of course that prime Minister was the great Margaret Thatcher who led Britain out of decline and back to greatness. I just wish that we had a similar day here in the UK to celebrate the achievements of Baroness Thatcher who as well as liberating the Falklands liberated Britain from the grasp of the trade unions."And a lot more besides: Baroness Thatcher is by far and away the greatest living UK PM, and consistently polls among, if not top, the best ever. The Margaret Thatcher Foundation website (the largest contemporary history site of its kind) - and linked on Owsblog for years - offers free access to thousands of historical documents relating to the Thatcher period including files on the Falklands [Link].
miércoles, 9 de enero de 2013
Orwell objurgation...
...not indeed at the great man himself but re the Orwell Prize. Toby Young at the DT, writes: "The enemies of press freedom should stop handing out prizes in the name of George Orwell", quite so! In fact the man himself was very clear about Freedom of the Press. I added my tuppenyworth to the comments quite early on, basically a bit off topic but [edit] repeating what I wrote on Iain Dale's blog two or three years ago years ago: that trouble is with blog** awards these days is that they go to MSM "blogs" which IMHO aren't really 'blogs' at all but mini newspaper articles, some with links. There are hundreds of really good 'real' blogs out there in the blogosphere but by redefining the term and moving the goalposts the MSM (including Media Standards Trust and all) keep it comfortably in house. Anyway, I digress; more from Toby:
"[George Orwell's] dislike of high-mindedness, piety, sanctimony, snobbery – all the vices of the Left-wing intelligentsia – is a constant theme running through his work. Anyone familiar with his essays – in particular, his views on press freedom, the “boiled rabbits of the left” and the common people of England – can be in no doubt that he would have summoned all his powers as a journalist to pour vitriol on the panjandrums behind the Hacked Off Campaign. For the Media Standards Trust to give out a journalism prize in his name, given it’s close association with this lobby group, is a disgrace to his memory."
**Like I said, slightly off topic (Orwell Prize is for political writing).
Orwell objurgation...
"[George Orwell's] dislike of high-mindedness, piety, sanctimony, snobbery – all the vices of the Left-wing intelligentsia – is a constant theme running through his work. Anyone familiar with his essays – in particular, his views on press freedom, the “boiled rabbits of the left” and the common people of England – can be in no doubt that he would have summoned all his powers as a journalist to pour vitriol on the panjandrums behind the Hacked Off Campaign. For the Media Standards Trust to give out a journalism prize in his name, given it’s close association with this lobby group, is a disgrace to his memory."**Like I said, slightly off topic (Orwell Prize is for political writing).
martes, 8 de enero de 2013
Other oath of office: ongoing Orinoco one-step...
Sleeping on straw and eating hay is no way to treat a sick man, even a clown...OK, maybe not; however the game and betting continues between Nick Ripe and God-given Hair [Eng] [Esp] (by Roger Noriega in Foreign Policy): "It will surprise no one if the Chavista factions set aside their differences to sustain their hold on power. However, as long as U.S. diplomats do not give away the store, it will be a tenuous hold by a criminal regime. Once Chávez’s legacy — a narcoterrorist state allied with terrorists — is exposed, decent Venezuelans may have a chance to recover and rebuild their country."
Update: If your not entirely sure what is currently going on in Venezuela read an excellent 'taking stock' of the situation from Caracas Chronicles.
Other oath of office: ongoing Orinoco one-step...
Sleeping on straw and eating hay is no way to treat a sick man, even a clown...OK, maybe not; however the game and betting continues between Nick Ripe and God-given Hair [Eng] [Esp] (by Roger Noriega in Foreign Policy): "It will surprise no one if the Chavista factions set aside their differences to sustain their hold on power. However, as long as U.S. diplomats do not give away the store, it will be a tenuous hold by a criminal regime. Once Chávez’s legacy — a narcoterrorist state allied with terrorists — is exposed, decent Venezuelans may have a chance to recover and rebuild their country."
Update: If your not entirely sure what is currently going on in Venezuela read an excellent 'taking stock' of the situation from Caracas Chronicles.
lunes, 7 de enero de 2013
Oath of office...
Obama's inauguration is on 21st January: normally it would be Jan 20th but this year that's a Sunday so for the seventh time, and following historical precedent, the public ceremony will be on the Monday. The 2013 Inaugural Ceremonies theme is 'Faith in America’s Future'. As you've probably heard, gun sales set a record last year - as they did last time Obama was elected - however, all is not what it seems, sales have been increasing since before anyone had heard of Obama; as Frank Miniter, contributing to Forbes writes:
"So attributing this entire trend to President Obama’s anti-gun reputation is disingenuous, yet many in the media like this explanation because by saying the increase in gun sales is only about President Obama they can then write the whole thing off as a simple-minded fear from those who 'cling to guns and religion.'"
The final paragraph (page 2) is interesting. Anyway, this year the inauguration is sure to be a goody as gun rights activists have called for a 'Gun Appreciation Day' on Jan 19th: they are urging gun owners to turn 'out en masse at gun stores, ranges and shows from coast to coast'...sure to go with a bang. Oh bam agh...
Update: sign of the times? 'Bank of America has reportedly frozen the account of gun manufacturer': [Link], hat-tip: Weasel Zippers.
"After countless hours on the phone with Bank of America, I finally got a manager in the right department that told me the reason that the deposits were on hold for further review -- her exact words were -- ‘We believe you should not be selling guns and parts on the Internet.'"
Oath of office...
Obama's inauguration is on 21st January: normally it would be Jan 20th but this year that's a Sunday so for the seventh time, and following historical precedent, the public ceremony will be on the Monday. The 2013 Inaugural Ceremonies theme is 'Faith in America’s Future'. As you've probably heard, gun sales set a record last year - as they did last time Obama was elected - however, all is not what it seems, sales have been increasing since before anyone had heard of Obama; as Frank Miniter, contributing to Forbes writes:
"So attributing this entire trend to President Obama’s anti-gun reputation is disingenuous, yet many in the media like this explanation because by saying the increase in gun sales is only about President Obama they can then write the whole thing off as a simple-minded fear from those who 'cling to guns and religion.'"The final paragraph (page 2) is interesting. Anyway, this year the inauguration is sure to be a goody as gun rights activists have called for a 'Gun Appreciation Day' on Jan 19th: they are urging gun owners to turn 'out en masse at gun stores, ranges and shows from coast to coast'...sure to go with a bang. Oh bam agh...
Update: sign of the times? 'Bank of America has reportedly frozen the account of gun manufacturer': [Link], hat-tip: Weasel Zippers.
"After countless hours on the phone with Bank of America, I finally got a manager in the right department that told me the reason that the deposits were on hold for further review -- her exact words were -- ‘We believe you should not be selling guns and parts on the Internet.'"
Olamic orts of obvious osophy...
Il n’y a pas d’alternative; "Margaret Thatcher’s words were delivered at a different time, but are as relevant as ever": there is no alternative. So concludes Tim Montgomerie's piece in The Times. There is no soft option: well worth a read, summarised here for those not subscribed. "But this [soon to be announced childcare initiatives, a single-tier state pension and help for elderly people to afford long-term care. Women will be the biggest beneficiaries of this programme] is gravy. The coalition’s meat and potatoes remains deficit reduction"; (indeed and don't mention the debt, which is a whole other ball-game!). Deficit reduction is the main objective and must continue despite hiccups and stalling due to international economic strife but also lack of will/commitment (I'll put this down - maybe wrongly - to the yellow part of the coalition). Anyway, I know the feeling: my own deficit reduction hits the same barriers every Christmas :-). Tim's main point is the comparison with France (and Ed Miliband's hopes of a lefty buddy across the water) but "Rather than delivering a sea change in European economic policy Mr Hollande has had to push through France’s toughest budget since the recessionary period of the 1980s."
"The truth is simple. Electorates in the highly indebted West don’t face a choice between anti-austerity politicians and pro-austerity politicians. The real choice is between politicians who are willing to tell voters the truth and politicians who pretend that more than a decade of over-borrowing can be wished away."
If Mr Hollande has failed them, the international Left still hope that President Obama offers the world a pain-free alternative. Like Mr Hollande, Barack Obama campaigned on the big lie that higher taxes on the rich would solve the deficit."
Plus ça change...
Olamic orts of obvious osophy...
Il n’y a pas d’alternative; "Margaret Thatcher’s words were delivered at a different time, but are as relevant as ever": there is no alternative. So concludes Tim Montgomerie's piece in The Times. There is no soft option: well worth a read, summarised here for those not subscribed. "But this [soon to be announced childcare initiatives, a single-tier state pension and help for elderly people to afford long-term care. Women will be the biggest beneficiaries of this programme] is gravy. The coalition’s meat and potatoes remains deficit reduction"; (indeed and don't mention the debt, which is a whole other ball-game!). Deficit reduction is the main objective and must continue despite hiccups and stalling due to international economic strife but also lack of will/commitment (I'll put this down - maybe wrongly - to the yellow part of the coalition). Anyway, I know the feeling: my own deficit reduction hits the same barriers every Christmas :-). Tim's main point is the comparison with France (and Ed Miliband's hopes of a lefty buddy across the water) but "Rather than delivering a sea change in European economic policy Mr Hollande has had to push through France’s toughest budget since the recessionary period of the 1980s."
"The truth is simple. Electorates in the highly indebted West don’t face a choice between anti-austerity politicians and pro-austerity politicians. The real choice is between politicians who are willing to tell voters the truth and politicians who pretend that more than a decade of over-borrowing can be wished away."
If Mr Hollande has failed them, the international Left still hope that President Obama offers the world a pain-free alternative. Like Mr Hollande, Barack Obama campaigned on the big lie that higher taxes on the rich would solve the deficit."Plus ça change...
domingo, 6 de enero de 2013
Overly optimistic...
In 2012 there was lots of news about press reform, media control etc. In the UK we have seen more than our fair share with the Leverson Inquiry seen by many as a complete balls-up in that it appeared more a patent lefty and sleb guided attempt with a seemingly sole raison d'être to muzzle/castigate Rupert Murdoch and bash the Conservatives (this was 'innocent' government bashing but of course with no mention of the government that presided over the descent into the mire).
Elsewhere other press reform is requested: "Every January, people around the world take stock of themselves and resolve to improve in the new year, vowing to break bad habits and form good ones. In 2013, CAMERA would like news media to do the same and we suggest the following 13 for '13...". I think the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America is being overly optimistic; however I agree with them and believe many in Europe, the UK and the BBC should read [edit], should realise it means them and should stop misreporting.
CAMERA's 'New Year's Resolutions We'd Like the Media to Make'. [Link]
Hat-tip: degree
Overly optimistic...
In 2012 there was lots of news about press reform, media control etc. In the UK we have seen more than our fair share with the Leverson Inquiry seen by many as a complete balls-up in that it appeared more a patent lefty and sleb guided attempt with a seemingly sole raison d'être to muzzle/castigate Rupert Murdoch and bash the Conservatives (this was 'innocent' government bashing but of course with no mention of the government that presided over the descent into the mire).
Elsewhere other press reform is requested: "Every January, people around the world take stock of themselves and resolve to improve in the new year, vowing to break bad habits and form good ones. In 2013, CAMERA would like news media to do the same and we suggest the following 13 for '13...". I think the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America is being overly optimistic; however I agree with them and believe many in Europe, the UK and the BBC should read [edit], should realise it means them and should stop misreporting.
CAMERA's 'New Year's Resolutions We'd Like the Media to Make'. [Link]
Hat-tip: degree
sábado, 5 de enero de 2013
Other options...
The Eve of War...as we know the alien invasion has begun in earnest; what we do not fear enough are the internal forces aiding and abetting.
Other options...
The Eve of War...as we know the alien invasion has begun in earnest; what we do not fear enough are the internal forces aiding and abetting.
Fighting for England...
Roger Scruton on Conservative Home: 'When will the Conservative Party fight for England?'
Some good points and good comments: here's mine: to paraphrase The Eve of War: [Link]
As was always the E.U. plan, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all complete E.U. regions, with their own parliament/ assembly. England was to be divided into 7 regions. Blair started the process (Scotland, Wales and NI) and attempted it in England; this was the proposed Northumbria Assembly, which John Prescott presumed he could win and persuaded Blair as much. It hasn't finished: the plan is still the same and moves forward slowly but surely (a bit like those aliens) in one new form or another. Only yesterday another, apparently friendly, EU fanatic was setting out the break up from within.
Some good points and good comments: here's mine: to paraphrase The Eve of War: [Link]
"No one would have believed in the last two-fifths of the twentieth century that this nation was being watched keenly and closely by egos and vanity greater than an any Englishman's and yet as mortal as his own; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinised and studied, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinise the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. With infinite complacency Englishmen went to and fro over their domain about their little affairs, serene in their assurance of their empire over matter. It is possible that the infusoria under the microscope do the same. No one gave a thought to the other modern world of Euro aliens as a source of danger, or thought of them only to dismiss the idea of them ruling England as impossible or improbable. It is curious to recall some of the mental habits of those departed days. At most Albion's terrestrial men fancied there might be other peoples within Euroland, perhaps inferior to themselves and ready to welcome a missionary enterprise. Yet across the gulf of the Channel, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, egos vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us. And early in the twenty first century came the great disillusionment."And here's one comment from CH quoted in full: Englandism's comment:
"The United Kingdom settlement as currently constituted is dysfunctional. The Labour government established a quasi-federal system for Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland that was intended to be completed in England with regional 'state governments' otherwise known as Nations and Regions. The federal division of England was rejected by popular vote so the project stalled and was abandoned open ended.Just so: the UK Parliament in Westminster has far too many (the saving of the Labour's Party) people elected in constituencies outside of England participating in debate/discussion/decisions on issues and affairs that effect ONLY England.
Consequently, the three nations with independent state government additionally elect representatives at the quasi-federal Westminster government which also acts as the English state legislature and executive. This is unsustainable and undemocratic in that electorates without a direct or legitimate interest in English government can influence and not infrequently determine English legislative outcomes.
Inevitably, given that the Labour government entirely skewed the fundamental principles of democratic representation, this incomplete quasi-federal settlement needs to be completed. The completion demonstrably cannot be in the federal division of England as a nation, therefore, a directly elected English legislature and executive provides the logical and equitable solution."
As was always the E.U. plan, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all complete E.U. regions, with their own parliament/ assembly. England was to be divided into 7 regions. Blair started the process (Scotland, Wales and NI) and attempted it in England; this was the proposed Northumbria Assembly, which John Prescott presumed he could win and persuaded Blair as much. It hasn't finished: the plan is still the same and moves forward slowly but surely (a bit like those aliens) in one new form or another. Only yesterday another, apparently friendly, EU fanatic was setting out the break up from within.
jueves, 3 de enero de 2013
Oligodontous odorivector...
 |
| image credit from HERE. |
It seems CFK is getting uppity, I...wonder...why, and need further distraction to hide the coming economic disaster (another!) from the Argentine population: she has published a letter/ad to David Cameron in today's Guardian (hat-tip Guido) and other newspapers and 'seems to have been prepared in absolute secrecy to ensure maximum impact'. This article in the Guardian has a link [PDF] to the letter/ad, a letter which begins:
"One hundred and eighty years ago on this same date, January 3rd, in a blatant exercise of 19th-century colonialism, Argentina was forcibly stripped of the Malvinas Islands, which are situated 14,000 km (8700 miles) away from London."
Stop right there! Argentina, as it is now known, didn't exist 180 years ago. Take a look at the diagram below which shows de facto control over the Falkland Islands since 1760 (records have British presence - but not officially established - some 70 years prior to this. This diagram and a very clear de facto timeline HERE (Wiki). Important: please note the (i) orange and (ii) single black line 'Argentina' sections prior to continuous UK control:
(i) this refers to the two and one third years of control by the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata, which constituted at various stages all of modern day Paraguay and Uruguay, most of Bolivia and parts of Brazil and Chile: the only fly in the ointment is that the UK officially recognized independence of United Provinces in 1825 (along with a Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation, signed by the marvellously named Woodbine Parish), but "like the US did not recognise the full extent of the territory claimed by the new state." Throughout the entire the war of independence period (1810-1831) there were constant serious conflicts between various ever-changing factions about how the state should be organised and what political aims the revolutionary governments should have; this ceased to exist in 1831. (ii) this ONE MONTH period refers to the Argentine Confederation, a loose Confederation of Provinces with no head of state; for much of which time Buenos Aires considered itself an independent state.
OK, all the above can easily be rubbished as both the above are considered former names of what is the modern Argentina, well according to their 1853 constitution anyway (Article 35, page 6 [PDF]), and I imagine eighty to ninety percent of countries in the world would have to hand something back to someone using the same principles. However, there is the 1850 Convention of Settlement, signed in 1849 that seems to make clear the re-establishment of 'perfect Relations of Friendship between Her Britannic Majesty and the Argentine Confederation'; to settle "the existing differences" between the two countries and in fact the Convention is understood to concede Argentina's claim to the Falkland Islands.** Off on a tangent: we won't mention their genocide of the Mapuches during the Argentine annexation of Patagonia in 1870.
**References (Wiki):
Roger Lawton LLB(Hons), M.Phil. "The Falkland Islands History & Timeline". [Link] Superb info!
The Falklands / Malvinas Case: Breaking the Deadlock in the Anglo-Argentine by Roberto C. Laver, page 123
Humbert F. Burzio: “Rozas, el empréstito inglés de 1824 y las Islas Malvinas”, in Boletín del Centro Naval, Buenos Aires, January/February 1944, p. 647ff.
Update 4th Jan: Two good pieces to read: Ben Macintyre in today's The Times (£) and Azeem Ibrahim in HuffPost (from April 2010).
Oligodontous odorivector...
|
| image credit from HERE. |
"One hundred and eighty years ago on this same date, January 3rd, in a blatant exercise of 19th-century colonialism, Argentina was forcibly stripped of the Malvinas Islands, which are situated 14,000 km (8700 miles) away from London."Stop right there! Argentina, as it is now known, didn't exist 180 years ago. Take a look at the diagram below which shows de facto control over the Falkland Islands since 1760 (records have British presence - but not officially established - some 70 years prior to this. This diagram and a very clear de facto timeline HERE (Wiki). Important: please note the (i) orange and (ii) single black line 'Argentina' sections prior to continuous UK control:
(i) this refers to the two and one third years of control by the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata, which constituted at various stages all of modern day Paraguay and Uruguay, most of Bolivia and parts of Brazil and Chile: the only fly in the ointment is that the UK officially recognized independence of United Provinces in 1825 (along with a Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation, signed by the marvellously named Woodbine Parish), but "like the US did not recognise the full extent of the territory claimed by the new state." Throughout the entire the war of independence period (1810-1831) there were constant serious conflicts between various ever-changing factions about how the state should be organised and what political aims the revolutionary governments should have; this ceased to exist in 1831. (ii) this ONE MONTH period refers to the Argentine Confederation, a loose Confederation of Provinces with no head of state; for much of which time Buenos Aires considered itself an independent state.
OK, all the above can easily be rubbished as both the above are considered former names of what is the modern Argentina, well according to their 1853 constitution anyway (Article 35, page 6 [PDF]), and I imagine eighty to ninety percent of countries in the world would have to hand something back to someone using the same principles. However, there is the 1850 Convention of Settlement, signed in 1849 that seems to make clear the re-establishment of 'perfect Relations of Friendship between Her Britannic Majesty and the Argentine Confederation'; to settle "the existing differences" between the two countries and in fact the Convention is understood to concede Argentina's claim to the Falkland Islands.** Off on a tangent: we won't mention their genocide of the Mapuches during the Argentine annexation of Patagonia in 1870.
**References (Wiki):
Roger Lawton LLB(Hons), M.Phil. "The Falkland Islands History & Timeline". [Link] Superb info!
The Falklands / Malvinas Case: Breaking the Deadlock in the Anglo-Argentine by Roberto C. Laver, page 123
Humbert F. Burzio: “Rozas, el empréstito inglés de 1824 y las Islas Malvinas”, in Boletín del Centro Naval, Buenos Aires, January/February 1944, p. 647ff.
Update 4th Jan: Two good pieces to read: Ben Macintyre in today's The Times (£) and Azeem Ibrahim in HuffPost (from April 2010).
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