tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89128432011-07-14T22:23:59.464+01:00Evil liberal morons who hate freedom and godapehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.comBlogger1451100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-75311928333653766152007-02-16T11:54:00.000Z2007-02-16T12:19:39.206Z

Republicans Reach Across The Lines For FrankenWell done to Minnesota Republicans! Their 'research briefing' on Al Franken is an exceptional tribute to the man's passion, insight and wit. Just a few examples:Franken Hates Rush LimbaughQ: “Do you really hate Limbaugh or is he just an easy target?”A:“Both.”(Jennifer Senior, “Al Franken, Democrats' Favorite Comic Is Politically Incorrect,” The Hill,

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1170938212349870052007-02-08T12:31:00.000Z2007-02-08T14:37:32.470Z

A letter to the National Secular Society's 'Newsline':Dear Newsline -You mentioned in the last issue that the Tukala 'demonisation' ('kindoki') case was again reported by Newsnight on 25 January.This particular preacher, Tukala, has been mentioned in the press in connection with various allegations before (do a google search!). The case follows a number of such incidents and reports, the most

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1162473684701233922006-11-02T12:57:00.000Z2006-11-02T13:55:20.653Z

Mark Goldstraw has just been sentenced to a minimum of 35 years. He killed his ex-girlfriend and three other people because he was angry at her. Previously, he killed another ex-girlfriend by hitting her with a hammer. For this he was sentenced to "seven years" and served about three.This blog has dealt with the question of the 'manslaughter' of women before. There have been some shocking

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1159531210424152632006-09-29T12:57:00.000+01:002006-09-29T13:00:10.436+01:00

The JR fanclub note finally landed on my doormat:Oct 9 Reyjavik ICELAND Idno Theatre (monday)Oct 12 Glasgow SCOTLAND Oran Mor (thurs)Oct 13 Newcastle ENGLAND Church Hall (fri)Oct 15 Cambridge ENGLAND Cambridge Junction (sun)Oct 16 London ENGLAND Union Chapel (mon)Oct 17 Paris FRANCE Trebendo (tues)Oct 20 Rome Italy Big Mama (fri)Oct 26 Leon ITALY University (thurs)Oct 27 Madrid SPAIN Circulo

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1147718778324366992006-05-15T18:42:00.000+01:002006-05-15T20:15:36.643+01:00

Two Phones are not Better Than OneYou'll have seen many discussions of why the BNP are 'on the rise'. A common explanation is that Labour no longer represent the working class. (So says Labour MPs Frank Field, and Margaret Hodge, for example.)In general, the matter is supposed to be the result of some failure somewhere. Hodge is concerned that the people feel unloved:"The Labour Party hasn't

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1147282790084573822006-05-10T18:29:00.000+01:002006-05-11T17:29:52.510+01:00

Is, for the first time, launched!I, theragingfool@blogplace.com, being herein the undersigned, declareth that, having hitherto been underrepresented in the corridors of power, in the first place, agree that good things are mostly beneficial and less things not.And that these noble sentiments are valid in all times and places. Not like what this bloke said that used to hand out Living Marxism

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1146841110588750282006-05-05T15:49:00.000+01:002006-05-12T19:39:03.766+01:00

(Letter sent, with accompanying evidence, to the Charity Commission March 2006, see end of post for its response. Related documents to follow).PART ONE1) Introduction and Definitions: Campaigning and Political Activities by Charitiesa) This is a complaint against the charitable status of The Christian Institute (CI) (Registered Charity No. 1004774) on the grounds that it is a political

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1144752607375238992006-04-11T11:38:00.000+01:002006-04-11T12:07:53.643+01:00

No, this is not hard-hitting investigative journalism. Check out the post on Rachel Corrie yesterday, entitled "We Got Mail".It's just astounding. These people have no shame. But we know this. There is some slight relevance in reminding ourselves because LGF themselves still bleat that such criticisms are "smears", as reported on LGF Watch. So here's the process:1) They pick an email from some

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1141756638515652962006-03-07T18:21:00.000Z2006-03-07T18:40:14.280Z

Internal Strife in the Holy See? Erm, no.Newsnight's reporting of Blair's 'God' comments was extraordinary: clear bias. Here is my complaint to the Governors:"This is a complaint to the BBC Governors about the way Blair's statements about (a) 'god' and the Iraq war was reported on Newsnight 3 March 2006."By way of introduction, the BBC as a whole is grossly and persistently biased in favour of '

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1139513804265480482006-02-09T18:56:00.000Z2006-02-09T19:55:48.840Z

Ayaan Hirsi Ali has been talking plain sense on the cartoon nonsense. The matter is fairly simple: It is not illegal to publish offensive cartoons. Nor should it be. However, in this and related matters, there has been a de facto blasphemy law imposed by gangsters through intimidation.To reveal this fact was the purpose of the cartoons.What would you do if you could invent your own laws? Perhaps

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1139248209967225302006-02-06T17:45:00.000Z2006-02-07T11:18:22.286Z

Can some good come from this cartoon violence?Letter to my local Tory MP:It is pleasing to see the Conservatives responding robustly to the fascist elements who have been attempting to impose their private "blasphemy" laws through the threat of gangster violence.Dominic Grieve said "It's a clear breach of the criminal law - the existing criminal law, not new laws about incitement."The legal basis

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1138381412752342112006-01-27T16:40:00.000Z2006-01-27T17:03:32.830Z

Nice friends, chaps..It emerges that the BNP have been campaigning alongside the Christian Institute and Christian Voice in their nasty attempt to prevent the performance or distribution of 'Jerry Springer - The Opera'. (IE, the lawful activities of theatrical workers trying to make a living).Note One: This campaign is NOT trying to argue against people going to see the show or buying the DVD.

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1136836912210545652006-01-09T19:58:00.000Z2006-01-09T20:08:41.956Z

The endless stream of Quasi-victims continues..(Apologies that links are missing in this post.. all stories are easy to find, many in my archive).As Englishman's Castle notes, the two career criminals who ran down a farmer whilst he tried to stop them stealing his car were convicted of manslaughter.Outrage has generally focussed on the fact that they'd done this kind of thing before and been

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1135283252174771482005-12-22T20:18:00.000Z2005-12-22T20:27:32.190Z

Creationists may face perjury chargesvia John ColeWhat fun. A pity, that, at the end of the day, they're only lying for profit, like any other scumbags.

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1132947119588759482005-11-25T18:52:00.000Z2005-11-26T19:11:02.833Z

"Very often those who raise uncomfortable truths are denounced." - Ken Livingstone on Dr Yusuf al-Qaradawi.As a reminder, here's a photo of Ken embracing the Good Doctor, who recommends the torture of children by FGM*; that gay people should be murdered by the state; and that women who are raped should be punished. (Tragically, these principles are not news to gay men and female victims of

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1132342364453458502005-11-18T18:56:00.000Z2005-11-18T19:36:06.116Z

What a phrase!What an amazing summary of the attitude of the Christian right to sex education. The phrase is well known, although new to me. It was coined by Katha Pollitt, writing in the Nation.Essential reading. Here's some quotes:" "Giving the HPV vaccine to young women could be potentially harmful," Bridget Maher of the Family Research Council told the British magazine New Scientist, "because

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1132250119148174462005-11-17T17:34:00.000Z2005-11-17T17:55:19.236Z

Defending the indefensibleEducation Minister Ruth Kelly has been desperately defending the new proposals for sectarian schools, published in the schools white paper. The Paper is fairly clear:"We need a diversity of school providers and this in turn requires us to harness all the energy and talent that can benefit our school system, bringing in educational charities, faith groups, parents and

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1132159903986929372005-11-16T16:44:00.000Z2005-11-16T16:51:44.333Z

Silly I know. But here you go:Lord AdonisSchools Minister (Unelected)Dept for Education & SkillsDear Lord Adonis, Schools Minister,You have talked much since your appointment about ‘pupils of faith’. For example, on 25 October in the House of Lords, you said:“However, it is permissible—as the noble Lord knows—for faith schools to give preference to pupils of one faith. That is the basis on which

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1130351050391141832005-10-26T18:46:00.000+01:002005-10-26T19:24:10.470+01:00

The Government Loses Again.The Government has clearly lost all the arguments over their inane religious hatred Bill. In the Lords, unlike the Commons, this results in them also losing the vote. Yesterday, they lost very heavily, 260 to 111.The venality and stupidity of the Bill is surely unique. It is deliberately vague, so that the public would not know if they are committing a crime. To

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1129914058968725672005-10-21T17:41:00.000+01:002005-10-21T18:00:59.013+01:00

Is it just me?Is it just me, or is David Davis capable of conveying meaningful public policy ideas in compound sentences that he delivers off the cuff? This facility has always been important to my judgements. (George 'brilliant' (see third cartoon) Bush can't deliver extemporaneous compound sentences of any kind.)I listened to DD on Radio 4 this morning. OK, perhaps I was still sleepy. But that

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1129741710089916822005-10-19T17:58:00.000+01:002005-10-19T18:08:30.110+01:00

"Liam Fox 42."If Fox can get more votes than Ken Clarke (38), the Tories are serious only about marginalising themselves, not about regaining power. They just don't get it: all around the country, people are saying 'Liam who?'. 'Cameron? Pardon?'.Not that I like Ken Cancer, of course. The BMJ editorial also has an account of his career, the details of which deserve consideration.

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1128725267182068802005-10-07T23:37:00.000+01:002005-10-07T23:47:47.186+01:00

A little under a year ago we at oneampfuse pointed out that the then Iraqi President's strong opposition to the long-anticipated assault on Fallujah was not being widely reported. We are now proud to bring you the news that Iraq's Prime Minister, Ibrahim Jaafari, has denied British accusations against Iran. Perhaps he's lying--after all, he did say it on Iranian TV. In any case, to the best of

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1128362036687050722005-10-03T18:45:00.000+01:002005-10-03T18:58:24.343+01:00

Obviously.From law.com,"Friedrich's boss, White House Counsel Harriet Miers, will be a key advisor to the president as he decides who to put forward as a replacement for O'Connor. And much of the information Miers will rely on will have been compiled by Friedrich, who coordinates the office's work on judicial selections."Poor George Bush. He doesn't know very much. So he just days what he sees: "

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1128359199900698282005-10-03T17:38:00.000+01:002005-10-04T17:20:14.553+01:00

"..whoa, gee, what in the world got in -- what's he saying here? What in the world? Doesn't he know that this is gonna -- doesn't he know people aren't gonna -- doesn't he know that he's setting himself up here? Listen to what he said next. That was not reported.."Media Matters for America have Limbaugh on toast, as he trys to go on the attack to defend Bill Bennett for his comments on abortion (

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1128344776744459742005-10-03T13:58:00.000+01:002005-10-03T14:54:09.533+01:00

Think 'Brown' and guess..Cronies, cronies, cronies: for every chicken house a fox.Isthatlegal?'s Eric Muller agrees, with four repetitions. And I think he knows something about it.Crony crony crony crony crony. There. That's five.(via John Cole, another disapproving conservative.)UPDATE: As Muller says, 'the base is not happy'. In fact, they're hoppin' mad. Follow his link to 'confirmthem.com'

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1126807445586683892005-09-15T18:08:00.000+01:002005-09-15T19:25:15.116+01:00

Mike Newdow is trying again to get rid of the phrase 'under God' from the American 'Pledge of Allegiance'. He has passed the first hurdle (via CBS):"U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton ruled that the pledge's reference to one nation "under God" violates school children's right to be "free from a coercive requirement to affirm God" as required by the Establishment Clause.Last time he got this far

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1125675456658281632005-09-02T16:29:00.000+01:002005-09-14T12:16:52.393+01:00

As sideways response to the New Orleans catastrophe, our office here in the UK is going to be donating our swear-box money to the Big Woods in Arkansas from now on. This is where the ivory-billed woodpecker, long thought extinct, was recently sighted. If the habitat of the woodpecker had not been destroyed, the flood would not have been so bad. (Four miles of swamp for each foot of flood,

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1125513765499011262005-08-31T18:56:00.000+01:002005-08-31T19:47:20.406+01:00

Ken Clarke is 'unfit for public office'Ken Clarke has announced today that he is to run (yet again) for the leadership of the Conservative Party.I have little to add to George Monbiot's excellent summary of how the reasonable voter should respond to this. Ken Clarke is 'unfit for public office'. Quite right. ASH concur.Ken might respond that attributing 100million deaths to his actions in

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1124901702827379312005-08-24T17:12:00.000+01:002005-08-24T17:41:42.880+01:00

"I hope they both lose" (Hislop on the Al Fayed v Hamilton Libel Trial)I think we can all agree that this match-up is a marvellous thing. If only because someone might get described as a "drink-sodden ex-Trotskyist popinjay".Of the two, Hitchens is of course to be preferred, as he is a thorough-going secularist and honorary associate of the NSS.But he is also a propagator of the lie that it is '

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1124466135019036332005-08-19T16:17:00.000+01:002005-08-19T17:42:56.910+01:00

It annoys me greatly when the Right claim that the current problems with religious fundamentalism (meaning, specifically, Islamist Fascism) is in part or wholly the fault of 'liberals' with their collaborative 'multi-culturalism'.It is plainly counter-factual. The left have always been more secular: Look at the Spanish Civil War. After the Rushdie affair, support for the 'offended' Muslims &

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1124368416088637872005-08-18T13:26:00.000+01:002005-08-18T13:33:36.096+01:00

Reported in the Guardian, via the National Secular Society:It is hard to imagine how such an issue could even be raised in the UK, unfortunately. As I've mentioned before, we send an ambassador. Why should the Vatican, some buildings in Rome which are the headquarters of an international financial and political organisation implicated in a worldwide paedophile conspiracy, take any advantage from

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1123691731852694132005-08-10T17:27:00.000+01:002005-08-10T17:35:31.860+01:00

BodyandSoul help us see the funny side of the Vatican.The chap who's replaced Ratznazi as head of the inquisition, William Levada, once argued in court that the Church couldn't be asked to pay the upkeep of a priest's lovechild because the woman should have used protection.I don't know what to say about that. Just read it again.

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1123505503097549932005-08-08T13:41:00.000+01:002005-08-16T12:54:51.546+01:00

Hitch covers a wide array of secularist issues in this superb article in Slate.We must always remember that the Vatican, and thus the Catholic Church, is not a religion in the normal sense. It is an international political organisation that styles itself and acts as an independent state. The spooks and holy ghosts neither add nor detract anything from these facts.What is scandalous is that '

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1123087685100389252005-08-03T17:38:00.000+01:002005-08-03T17:48:05.106+01:00

In this post, she fails to distinguish (morally and legally) consensual and non-consensual sex."In the interests of helping my country, I have devised a compact set of torture guidelines for Guantanamo. It's not torture if:The same acts performed on a live stage have been favorably reviewed by Frank Rich of the New York Times; Andrew Sullivan has ever solicited it from total strangers on the

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1123084244560340932005-08-03T16:43:00.000+01:002005-08-03T17:02:02.980+01:00

A nice summary from Josh Marshall;writes our correspondent Damncommieape:"You can't make a solid argument that wages in other countries have found their natural level if one of the major 'inputs' is organized political violence to keep wages low and labor activism inert.."..if people who try to form labor unions are murdered then that whole theory falls apart.."..we're dealing with more than

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1122898410496261092005-08-01T12:52:00.000+01:002005-08-01T13:22:24.060+01:00

Suprisingly common when you keep your eyes open..Michael Morton killed his estranged wife & her body has never been found. He's not a murderer, however. The word we use for a case like this, when killing a woman is something less than murder, apparently because of the man's residual ownership rights over her, is 'manslaughter'. In other countries it might be called 'honour killing'.It seems

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1122548245767162562005-07-28T11:56:00.000+01:002005-08-01T15:49:19.250+01:00

Who's the baddest bad guy?Case number one:"Jack Rylance, 59, lost his temper with the group congregating around the flats where he lived in King's Lynn, Norfolk. Rylance threw a firework, hit one with the flat part of the machete and then fired a shotgun from a balcony."Jack Rylance was sentenced to six years in prison last Tuesday.The previous day, Paul Dalton was sentenced..Case Number Two:"A

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1122545747613332862005-07-28T11:04:00.000+01:002005-07-28T11:15:47.620+01:00

To follow up their 'shirt amnesty'.Radio 5 now have a 'radio amnesty': you give them your old radios, they flog you a new digital one, and the poor Africans get the old one. I suppose this time it's a little more nuanced than the unspeakably horrid 'shirt amnesty'.But the truth remains that 'giving' our old crap to Africa damages African industry, and should not be promoted. It's particularly

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1121706464372907182005-07-18T17:34:00.000+01:002005-07-18T18:37:37.606+01:00

Tatchell tells it like it is on Islamist terrorism.Peter Tatchell has a better claim to being right all the time, and, as often as not, being dramatically right, than anyone alive.His attempted arrests of Mugabe in 1999 (England) and 2001 (Belgium) were both thwarted illegally. Those responsible for preventing Tatchell's lawful action should be found and arrested whoever they are. It is utterly

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1121187062904082602005-07-12T17:36:00.000+01:002005-07-12T19:26:43.986+01:00

The Government's New Racial & Religious Hatred Bill Gives Encouragement to the PerpetratorsProfessor Hitoshi Igarashi was murdered by an Islamist on his campus in Japan 14 years ago today. He translated Salman Rushdie's novel, The Satanic Verses, into Japanese.(I wonder, as an aside, whether that language could possibly have borne the beauty that Rushdie achieved in English.. "and that the

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1120583218646151652005-07-05T17:23:00.000+01:002005-07-06T14:00:19.853+01:00

It is morally unnaceptable and we must immediately put a stop to it.African people and businesses have been supporting wealthy developed countries for far too long: Aid encourages the recipient countries to be unproductive and dependent. Additionally, it could be argued that African countries have urgent requirements themselves (in terms of healthcare, education, policing and virtually every

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1120146974131384252005-06-30T16:55:00.000+01:002005-07-01T11:10:08.446+01:00

Scientologists, Jedis, and Child Murderers not offered protectionTwo amendments have been proposed which define 'religion', in an attempt to negate some small proportion of the vast array of devastating criticisms that an average child could raise against this Bill.The first lists included religions:For the purposes of section 17A a religious belief is confined to— (a)Christianity; (b) Islam; (c)

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1119613498692213582005-06-24T12:34:00.000+01:002005-06-30T16:54:04.023+01:00

Furthermore, the BNP are as cunning as my arse.Ianyat Bunglawala of the Muslim Council of Britain has tried to justify the absurd new Racial and Religious Hatred Bill in an article in The Times.Bunglawala tries to pick an example of an action that might be a new offence under the new law. (This is much better than the Government could do during the debate. Uniquely, they could give no example of

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1119462873445864422005-06-22T18:51:00.000+01:002005-06-22T18:54:33.450+01:00

Here are the MPs are voted for the religious hatred law. If they represent you, ask them what they were thinking.

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1119461139483457302005-06-22T17:41:00.000+01:002005-06-24T13:01:39.770+01:00

The stupidest idea anyone has ever had. As an aside - Sorry I've not been posting.. too busy with real work and my laptop is bust.All a pity, as there's been a lot to talk about.The criminalization of 'inciting religious hatred' is back as a separate Bill. It still offers me no protection from 'hatred', this dreadful harm, whilst offering special deference to religico-political beliefs.The debate

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1118863422932174142005-06-15T20:11:00.000+01:002005-06-15T20:23:42.940+01:00

One of the most extraordinary matches in cricket historySomerset chased down 342 with 19 balls to spare. This review from Baggy Green in Aus makes no attempt to brush aside the extraordinary nature of the defeat.And the Aussie skipper was quite clear they wanted to win this warm-up. He said beforehand: "It is probably a pretty important game for us now against Somerset and we've certainly got to

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1118761923485290942005-06-14T16:03:00.000+01:002005-06-14T18:19:20.450+01:00

Elimination of slave-resistance nears completion.Everybody needs to keep reading Eric Reeves on Darfur. What else? Get angry. Write to your MP or something. Then forget about it.

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1117668380760713652005-06-02T00:12:00.000+01:002005-06-02T00:29:52.430+01:00

"You want me to switch to a less gay phone company?"(Via Sully): Eugene Mirman got calls from a phone company who invited him to switch to them so that together they could destroy gay marriage. Perfectly ordinary day. Glad he recorded the calls, as everyone needs to hear this.Sample quotes:Mirman: "Like the fist of God we will smash them".Operator: "Exactly".(snip)Mirman: (of AT&T, and other gay

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1117585956681655912005-06-01T00:18:00.000+01:002005-06-01T01:36:25.100+01:00

George W. Bush perfects doublethink*.A news report from 'Myway' introduces us to as yet unknown complexities in the mind of George. Far from being empty, it's so overcrowded that many of his thoughts have apparently never met, & certainly not been introduced formally:Regarding Guantanamo -"President Bush called a human rights report "absurd" for criticizing the United States' detention of

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1117211833763528602005-05-27T17:34:00.000+01:002005-05-27T17:37:20.100+01:00

Botham really does talk a a right load of crap.. good to see him exposed.

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1116941259037990732005-05-24T14:24:00.000+01:002005-05-24T16:58:55.806+01:00

They made 'light sabres' by filling flourescent tubes with petrol.Petrol.They might not survive.

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1115739814059810972005-05-10T16:09:00.000+01:002005-05-10T16:55:11.480+01:00

I have considered this before; both in general, and in the case of the leading conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh.The purpose of the radical right is the proliferation of ignorance. This is most evident in relation to science, particularly evolution and climate change.Little Green Footballs and its commentators have provided the most spectatular case study.Their source says:"I understood

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1115737441349033222005-05-10T15:39:00.000+01:002005-05-10T16:06:55.483+01:00

'Not on my watch' said Bush, about the Rwandan genocide. We've known for a long time that the Sudanese state is conducting genocide.John Cole is amongst those raising the question.Green Left Weekly is one of those proffering an explanation, including the somehow comic quote: "Nicholas Kristof pointed out on May 4 that US President George Bush had not publicly uttered the word 'Darfur' in the

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1115388447955981442005-05-06T15:03:00.000+01:002005-05-06T15:17:12.110+01:00

The Labour candidate in my constituency put a document through my letterbox which summarises the election very well."What issues do you want me to focus on if I'm elected to represent you?" she asked.Then she gave some options:Social Housing for Key WorkersMore leisure facilities for young peopleBetter access to higher education and trainingProtecting the train link to Burnham [there is one?]

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1115226612612912512005-05-04T17:44:00.000+01:002005-05-04T18:39:49.946+01:00

Our regular reader will have noticed a lack of interest in the General Election.Discontented cliches such as 'they're all the same' are really not my style, but i do have a problem with this election. Cyncism has prevailed, but the source of my discontent has been hard to define.There is a quite separate problem to be dealt with first:I disagree with all the parties.The Labour Government has

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1114623038314979692005-04-27T17:59:00.000+01:002005-04-28T14:19:45.726+01:00

Asks Ann CoulterAnn Coulter, one of America's leading idiots, has once again gone to extraordinary lengths to amuse us (via Balta).Some people threw pies at her.So she pressed charges.OK so far?But here's where the course of events becomes a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, tucked inside the inside left jacket pocket of a moron. As Ann says, "Democrat prosecutors somehow manage to get the charges

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1114446343916169922005-04-25T17:17:00.000+01:002005-04-25T17:25:43.916+01:00

so we won't talk about it.OH. it seems that the Vatican, in the person of new pope Ratz, conspired to obstruct justice in cases of child sex abuse.However, this particular piece of evidence was not a public document. So you're not to talk about it. Shut the fuck up, abuse victim.Does anyone remember Maxine Carr, that dim-witted victim of the machinations of a cold-blooded criminal liar? I vaguely

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1113930201350959452005-04-19T17:52:00.000+01:002005-04-20T14:13:03.096+01:00

Cardinal Ratzinger is the new pope.What a horrible choice. I hope that people leave the Church in droves. Make no mistake, the Catholic Church is now more than ever a far-right political organisation seeking to punch at the weight of a major nation-state on the world stage.Remember - Ratzinger tried to get Kerry REFUSED COMMUNION and to determine the outcome of the US presidential election. Lest

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1113827138194906012005-04-18T13:09:00.000+01:002005-04-19T11:17:14.956+01:00

"We want to kill people", says NRA Spokesman.Ted Nugent, well-known animal-executioner and world-wide icon for sad sadistic tossers, has spoken about the NRA's aims with unusual frankness at the organisation's annual convention:"Remember the Alamo! Shoot 'em!" he screamed to applause. "To show you how radical I am, I want carjackers dead. I want rapists dead. I want burglars dead. I want child

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1113820199433830532005-04-18T11:27:00.000+01:002005-04-19T11:15:08.836+01:00

">.Otto Beat

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1113788784512141722005-04-18T02:12:00.000+01:002005-04-19T11:15:35.830+01:00

After about an hour of gamely attempting to post some diverting Tory posters, I've given up. Fucking Blogger. Even their problem page is down, owing to a problem they say. Go to this poster generator and make your own.Otto Beat

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1113481211167533512005-04-14T13:07:00.000+01:002005-04-14T16:02:19.920+01:00

.Mike Hussey is busy compiling a mountain of runs for Durham against Leicestershire. The first ton of the season has become the first double and, at the time of writing, he's still going.Once again, the County season begins with tradition: the dominance of Australian overseas players more predictable than the rain.Something else is worth noting: the Leicestershire opening attack. Phil 'Daffy'

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1113410261427099042005-04-13T17:24:00.000+01:002005-04-13T17:55:31.893+01:00

Wisconsin votes to legalise cat-huntingLegalise? They should make it mandatory. Obviously, I like those cute house cats (ie, individuals). However, I also like songbirds (in the sense of species). And at the moment, the fight's just not fair. If a pride of lions killed too many antelope, then their cubs wouldn't have enough to eat.It is impossible for a domestic cat to eat 'too many' birds. They

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1113229270536644272005-04-11T15:14:00.000+01:002005-04-11T15:21:10.536+01:00

.Mind Hack's description of his visit to one of their offices explains a lot. As creepy as any thriller.Also see the comments section for a fascinating account of the Scientology franchise process: That's how those poky little office addresses come about (like in Birmingham near the back entrance to New Street).

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1113214359462168462005-04-11T11:05:00.000+01:002005-04-11T11:12:39.463+01:00

.Let's be absolutely clear about the views of the Pope and the Catholic Church: gay men and all women cannot be allowed to serve mass, because they are inferior to heterosexual men. But people who are recognised by all as having arranged a criminal paedophile conspiracy can and do. Today. And to ensure we understand, Cardinal Law has been asked to do this at one of the Church's most important

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1112981512147153542005-04-08T18:19:00.000+01:002005-04-08T18:36:08.303+01:00

I guess you've been bombarded for days just like me. Exactly how many people did the BBC send over to Rome? (Radio4 and Radio5 reported live simultaneously). And how many times did they use this outside broadcast to report on feelings - the feeling of the crowd 'right now', the feelings they'd had, and feelings that were yet to be?Ah well.Too fucking many is all I can tell you.So I cracked. And

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1112890721196657892005-04-07T17:14:00.000+01:002005-04-07T17:18:41.196+01:00

Serious & Disorganised Climbdown on mega-blasphemy lawThe Serious and Organised Crime bill has passed the Lords without the Religious Hatred provisions.Well done to everyone who opposed it. Let's hope it doesn't come back.

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1112810551677788342005-04-06T18:15:00.000+01:002005-04-07T12:13:00.516+01:00

News today of the latest arrest of John Tyndall and Nick Griffin has inspired me to check up on the progress of the two organisations Tyndall founded (which have long since split), the National Front and the British National Party.Fans of low-IQ neo-nazis will be pleased to hear that both organisations are the UK's 'fastest growing political party':The National Front (see first line on their

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1112630888935501532005-04-04T16:57:00.000+01:002005-04-04T17:08:08.936+01:00

Okay, nothing remotely topical or satirical to see here, just harsh words for Blogger. It is bollocks, and I say that advisedly. Just glance down and check out that full stop at the start of the previous post. Rogue pixels? Separatist punctuation? No, just a full stop that the ape was compelled to type because Blogger sometimes simply doesn't understand carriage return at the start of a post

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1112190281966727932005-03-30T14:06:00.000+01:002005-03-30T14:51:20.510+01:00

.This truth is self evident. But has any practical work been undertaken? Sam Hughes' website makes a brave start, whilst recognising that "It takes decades of hard work". (via Annals of Improbable Research).Marvel fans - note appearance of Galactus, "the ruler by which all other cosmic villains are measured" (absolutely!).Site also links to technical discussion of the Death Star's 'Laser Beam',

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1111673435227806172005-03-24T13:55:00.000Z2005-03-24T15:32:09.336Z

Yes, I'm still going to commentIgnoring the case itself (John Cole has given really excellent coverage if you want to know), I'd like to record some of the thoughts of our Conservative & Republican friends.Interestingly, a large proportion of their thoughts are not concerned with medico-philosophical questions about brain-death & legal guardianship but, rather, with a political philosophy called

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1111585053758285572005-03-23T13:25:00.000Z2005-03-23T13:37:33.760Z

Regular readers of this blog might have detected a certain emphasis on the more worrying aspects of religion in public life. You may even have turned your nose up at our apparently parochial concerns. I am therefore delighted to take this opportunity to redress the balance by reporting on the first positive campaign message of the year. The big church in Peckham next to Netto has mastered the

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1111171296651528162005-03-18T18:35:00.000Z2005-03-21T11:38:14.296Z

Let's Get Rid of the Blasphemy LawAs I believe I may have mentioned before, the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill was before the Lords on Tuesday. It includes the outlawing of incitement of "hatred against persons on racial or religious grounds". In previous posts in this series, I have been critical of some of what their Lordships had to say.There was in fact one very positive aspect of

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1111170580254846832005-03-18T18:10:00.000Z2005-03-18T18:29:40.260Z

"The Government is of the view that it is not listening not listening NA NA can't hear you"As I believe I mentioned before, the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill was before the Lords on Tuesday. It includes the outlawing of incitement of "hatred against persons on racial or religious grounds". In part 1 of this series, I described the ambiguity about who such 'persons' might be and how,

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1111168843081953752005-03-18T17:51:00.000Z2005-03-21T12:19:19.953Z

Yes, you have to hate hatred; No, you can't ban HatredAs mentioned before, the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill was before the Lords on Tuesday. It includes the outlawing of incitement of "hatred against persons on racial or religious grounds".Speaking in defence of the this provision, Lord Alli did little more than make a fool of himself:"This debate can be characterised by a conflict of

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1111085087981665352005-03-17T18:25:00.000Z2005-03-21T18:01:19.503Z

Is 'persons' the plural of 'person'; or does it include 'communities'? Are 'religious persons' 'persons who are religious', or not? Ask a stupid question:The Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill was before the Lords on Tuesday. It includes the outlawing of incitement of "hatred against persons on racial or religious grounds".It's worth pointing out that this is a massive improvement on the

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1111080064912401412005-03-17T17:16:00.000Z2005-03-17T17:22:03.336Z

In literary news, a chap named Michael J. McFadden has written a book called Dissecting Anti-smoker's Brains. It is being peddled by absurdly-acronymed tobacco industry front-group FOREST.It's a very welcome look at exactly what drives anti-smoking fanatics to such dishonesty & wild extremes.A sure-fire hit, it is a follow-up to his classics, "Particulate asbestos and why those fucking morons

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1109883860278096432005-03-03T20:34:00.000Z2005-03-03T21:04:20.280Z

Good to see that Destiny's Child are sponsored by McDonalds, on their"Destiny fulfilled … and lovin' it" tour (yes, really).How many Bigs Macs do you reckon Beyonce Knowles eats, lets say, in an average week?In separate news, I learn from Bitter Shack of Resentment that McDonalds has also been promoting its products in the good, old-fashioned, Victor Kayam manner: top executives demonstrating a

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1109727082979162142005-03-02T00:55:00.000Z2005-03-02T01:31:22.986Z

Mainstream coverage of the scarcely calculable catastrophe of the Asian tsunami has by now long been firmly consigned to "human interest" stories. Scroll right down the page to find out one way in which responsible journalists responded to the ill-bred malcontents who wondered aloud what the disaster meant politically. Thank Sheldon, then, for the military press, to which it's again fallen to

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1109706321263375892005-03-01T19:00:00.000Z2005-03-07T16:19:53.136Z

Theocracy in Britain, Liberal Democrat tax policy, and sacrificing children to the devil; Pt. 1.[Prefatory Note: This post was originally intended as a comment on Liberal Democrat taxation policy. I thought it proper to commence by explaining why I thought that it was worth anyone taking the Lib Dems seriously. But the intro got out of hand. I’ll get on to tax in the next post. In summary, I have

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1109260614994434002005-02-24T15:44:00.000Z2005-02-25T18:04:34.463Z

The Tories say they want more rights for householders to protect themselves against burglars (see Otto’s post below).The current law says that a householder can use reasonable force against a burglar.Presumably they want the right to use 'unreasonable force'; torturing kids to death over an extended period, maybe. Read here (first and last are especially recommended) about what has to happen for

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1109244915850054802005-02-24T11:22:00.000Z2005-02-24T11:39:46.133Z

This, as you might have noticed, is one of the Tories' campaign slogans. I root out perverse interpretations and syntactic ambiguity both for a living and for my personal gratification. So, you can imagine how pleasant it was to notice that I'd parsed the slogan thus:"The law should protect me, not burglars!"Otto Beat Dis

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1109031765831375712005-02-22T00:08:00.000Z2005-02-22T00:22:45.836Z

A few hours ago I thought that Bush's European visit was nothing more than a chance to try business-class threats and lies for a change. I can't say that that impression has left me entirely, but, there I was with Channel 4 News on, dashing off a post to that effect, when he utters the following words:"Israel must freeze settlement activity, help Palestinians build a thriving economy, and ensure

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1108748668380858322005-02-18T17:42:00.000Z2005-02-21T14:38:38.696Z

What harm does the hunting ban address?From today, hunting animals with dogs will be illegal for the English, for the first time since William the Conqueror.After the pubs close tonight, whilst the queues of the nation’s kebab shops gently vomit and fight, when the last fish-wrapper lies in the pavement and the burger bars are shuttered, we’ll be resting safely in our beds knowing that noone is

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1108748057702666652005-02-18T17:30:00.000Z2005-02-18T17:41:10.736Z

Sell your junk and move to Spain.I’ve had flu for a week. As well as being an opportunity to feel really sick and useless, it also provided me with a chance to catch up on daytime TV. Which was more rubbish?Auctions and junk sales are on all the time, every day. Not 'programs about antiques'. People selling broken toys and fake Royal Doulton in the rain under the supervision of ‘experts’: “Tracy

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1108687743330739242005-02-18T00:39:00.000Z2005-02-21T14:41:35.146Z

The NME and various skinny white boys are on TV talking about how fantastic and "relevant" New Order, Morrissey, Shaun Ryder, The Cure, Ozzy Ozbourne, The Clash, Pixies and The Beatles are, and how they "quite literally changed" music. And, I learn from a friend at work, The Wonder Stuff, PWEI and Ned's Atomic Dustbin have all done come-back gigs this year.No, there's simply nothing to say about

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1108670372580369192005-02-17T19:43:00.000Z2005-02-17T19:59:32.583Z

Dan Norris, Labour MP for Wansdyke--and, perhaps, a Blur song--was subjected to a hail of eggs, manure and verbal abuse by constituents today. According to his website, Norris has "written and lectured extensively on the prevention and reduction of violence". Displaying the mad skills for which he is rightly famed, Dan delivered an acute, unflinching diagnosis of his ordeal: "This was drink,

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1107890470590959812005-02-08T19:12:00.000Z2005-02-09T23:23:49.056Z

Sky News lists its subsections as, "UK; World; Jackson". Meanwhile, 800,000 people are owned as slaves in Niger. Oh well.

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1107787968254968092005-02-07T14:44:00.000Z2005-02-07T14:54:35.243Z

He is the only ostensibly political columnist who is paid to write about what he's seen on TV or at the cinema. Yeah, okay, I write about what happens to be on TV while I'm sat here, but it's not my job. Why the fuck doesn't he call the game off and write for Heat or something? OTT O'BEAT

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1107737166086128162005-02-07T01:39:00.000Z2005-02-21T17:39:18.963Z

Evidently I'm the only person to think that TRESamme's slogan, "look at you--professional, affordable", is the sort of thing that a prostitute is more likely to hear than two pretty girls entering a hair salon.OTTO

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1107717497337889152005-02-06T18:52:00.000Z2005-02-21T17:40:09.806Z

If these places and dates mean nothing to you, then it's a fair bet that the phrase "first signs of peace for years" or some equivalant, sprinkled liberally over reports of Condoleeza Rice's Israeli photo shoot, does not jar. They happen to be the latest, most high-profile incarnations of a particular type of settlement between the Israelis and Palestinians--Israeli withdrawal, some form of

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1107288800181269002005-02-01T19:57:00.000Z2005-02-01T20:13:20.180Z

That's right, it will, debunking or no. Not because there's any evidence that it tells you anything reliable, but because there'll always be enough people with such tepid imaginations that they long for some expert—the more self-styled and eccentric the better—to fill in the otherwise unbridgeable chasm between themselves and, say, Bill Gates or da Vinci. Btw, I don't mean to strike too

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1107288083544052772005-02-01T19:39:00.000Z2005-02-02T12:50:31.073Z

Still in bed with the theocrats Graphology (see previous post) is not really much of a problem. The story is an insight into how dumb tabloids are, and the crazy world of media 'experts'. ("Professor Giles, little Johnny has been trapped down the well under a dead cow for 3 days now. What will he be feeling?") Creationism, however, is much more serious, and not just because it is the banner of

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1107283049847460802005-02-01T18:23:00.000Z2005-02-01T20:15:39.190Z

The triangles of Death Hopefully, graphology will not recover from this embarassment: Handwriting experts were invited to say what a sheet of notes, largely comprised of single words in boxes, said about the supposed author, Tony Blair. They said lots of things. Mostly bad. And resulted in some remarkably accurate observations. Except that Bill Gates had made the note. This reminds me of the

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1106592167094028972005-01-24T18:24:00.000Z2005-01-25T18:19:27.813Z

The president's inaugural address has caused some controversy amongst whining liberal morons who hate Freedom and God. Anyone who did not like the president's speech must hate Freedom because he mentioned it 27 times. And 'free' seven times. And you hate Liberty too, because he mentioned that 17 times. (That's freedom-luvin' at 139mph, once-per-forty-words. Let's see some of you

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1106165745266632762005-01-19T19:58:00.000Z2005-01-19T20:27:27.413Z

Charles Clarke: Just like Blunkett, except without the liberal instincts. Ever wondered how anti-drugs legislation is made? New Home Secretary Charles Clarke has a crash course. Read the debate in the House of Commons, 18 January 2005. A black day for Labour. Selected quotes: Mr Jon Owen Jones: .. magic mushrooms will be made more illegal than they are currently. What benefit will that

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1105757043461503572005-01-15T02:30:00.000Z2005-01-15T02:44:03.460Z

Channel 4 News reported in a 30-second item this evening that the National Intelligence Council, a body affiliated to the CIA, conceeds in a report that Iraq is the best place in the world to train as a terrorist. Just when I'm struggling to find the right tone in which to respond to this, I come across the following imbecile description, from the same report, about "globalisation", quoted in

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1105729465058962912005-01-14T18:27:00.000Z2005-01-14T20:09:20.583Z

Support the Early Day Motion - Write to your MP. 2004 was a dreadful year for secularism in the UK, and 2005 has started badly. I kept meaning to blog about it.. the subject looms too large. But here's a start: Firstly, there is the outlawing of incitement to religious hatred in the Serious and Organised Crime and Police Bill. If you have any doubt about the Government's motivation for this

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1105552820736739372005-01-12T17:56:00.000Z2005-01-12T18:41:45.630Z

Will noone stop this rampage? Good article from Atrios, comparing press reaction to various journalistic lapses and that of the right to the CBS ‘memogate’ incident. Little Green Footballs is an excellent example of right wing foaming. They still talk about it daily: “It’s worse than you thought” is today’s shocka). You can also remind yourself of the original story there. . erm.. in some

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912843.post-1105125228354298032005-01-07T18:37:00.000Z2005-01-07T19:19:34.153Z

Limbaugh seems to be getting more and more deranged. The post on his site today about how Democrats 'defend terrorists' by opposing torture is vile enough. Now look at the way he represents the speech of Barack Obama, Democratic Senator for Illinois, during a very long post (warning: this link won't be there for long). I've added the previous two speakers for context: CALLER: Well, I would hope

apehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876229021564536121noreply@blogger.com0