More Murder

Gosh I wonder what political movement was in the ascendency in the USA from 1960 onwards when the homicide rate increased by around 150%.

Murder & Guns.

Finally, gun control advocates frequently attribute the UK's low rate of violent crime to its restrictive gun laws. They would do well to bear in mind that in 1919, the year before gun control legislation was introduced, the US homicide rate was almost twelve times that of the UK. After close to 80 years of rigorous gun control the gap has now narrowed to a factor of four.

Left Wing Logic.

Felicity Heywood in the Guardian on Black History Month:

But even though its original remit - to give children of African descent a new pride through discovering their heritage and past achievements - remains unfulfilled, moves are afoot which could threaten the project's future.

Does it not occur to her to replace "even though" with "because"?

It seems likely that Heywood works in the public sector with that attitude. The fact that Black History Month has been going for two decades and is a failiure even on the terms of its organisers seems like a bloody good reason to threaten the projects future.

Blair's Speech.

One of the features of Blair's leadership is his ability to make speeches that appeal greatly to shallow people and the Labour Party conference saw the last of these pep talks. In many ways he summed up 12 years of Blairism in that single speech, the rewriting of history, claiming credit for other's achievements and the promises that he has no intention of keeping. I didn't buy into his crap in 1994 or 1997 but I could see why others did but honestly after more than a decade of this drivel it really is pathetic that so many grown men and women fall for the same trick time and again. No doubt he can charm people because a charmless confidence trickster is a contradiction in terms

His promise to spend the rest of his time in office seeking a solution to the Israel-Palestine issue was a crude exploitation of other people's suffering to massage his own image. I'm surprised he din't pledge to look for a cure for cancer in that time as well because the chances of success are about the same and he clearly has no scruples about knowing raising false hope if he profits from it. They don't appear to be waiting for the great peacemaker with bated breath in the Middle East either.

Nazi Art & Bad Comedy.

An auction of some of Adolf Hitler's artwork took place today, and like most people I have qualms about it. Not as upset as Aaron Barshak the self styled "Comedy Terrorist" it would seem as he disrupted the proceedings. Barshak's wife justified* his actions by saying:

Adolf Hitler was a mass murderer and to make money from that is wrong.

Which is a good argument to make unless you are married to a man who dresses up as Osama Bin Laden for living. Actually Barshak is so cringe inducingly unfunny that he probably doesn't make money but that isn't through want of trying.

* No link because either blogger or my computer is playing up.

Angry Muslims.

Some might suggest that it would take a lot for a former nazi to become unpopular in the Middle East, but look at the pope and the furore over his remarks on faith and reason last week. Those such as the Guardian's Madelaine Bunting who perpetuate the myth that the rioting in response to Pope's innocuous comments reflect upon him would surely struggle to explain incidents like this:

The authorities in Nigeria’s northern state of Jigawa have imposed a nighttime curfew in the wake of a violent protest by a group of Muslim youths in the state capital. The rioters attacked Christians following a blasphemous statement allegedly made by a local Christian woman about Prophet Muhammad.
.....

At least 10 churches, 20 shops as well as homes of Christians were reportedly attacked and set ablaze by the angry protestors, who claimed a local Christian woman had made a blasphemous statement about Prophet Muhammad. The woman was said to have reacted to inflammatory language denigrating Jesus Christ by a Muslim man.

So muslims man starts berating a woman about her religion she answers back, so mobs of local muslims launch a pogrom against christians. There is no doubt that at the moment much of the islamic world takes the attitude that they are entitled to launch the most vicious assaults on infidels and heretics wheras the slightest response to this behaviour can justify almost any savagery in response.

The Tolerence Stasi.

As you might expect I am a regular reader of the Pink News* and I came across this opinion piece, which asks "Would The Pope Face Arrest For Homophobia":

The obvious argument is that we can never expect religion to accept homosexuality, but why does that make it ok for them to spread and encourage homophobic beliefs.

Er that would be the whole "freedom of speech" thing that we used to have.

Punishment should start at the top, or what is the point of struggling for equality, tolerance and fairness.

Interesting definition of tolerance- If I disagree with you then you must be arrested.

* Actually I was googling "Angry Muslims" and saw a piece saying that gays should have a papal apology too. It would certainly be amusing if everytime "angry muslims" went on a protest they were joined by a gay pride parade.

New Labour Singing From The Same Hymn Sheet!

Cherie Blair on Gordon Brown- Liar!

Gordon Brown on Gordon Brown- I Lied! I Lied!

Holyrood Porn.

The Scottish 'Parliament' has been getting adult channels instead of their usual fare, supposedly by mistake. One MSP was shocked to come to work only to see naked bodies rolling around and orgies all over the place. So he decided to leave Tommy Sheridan's office and watch television when he discovered the porn.

Blog Stuff.

1/ Did I mention that I am officially the 83rd best conservative blogger in the country? Well that's probably due to having the self awareness to realise that I'm not. The list was compiled by Iain Dale, for a Guide to Political Blogging that he is flogging. Of course if certain bloggers were to "disappear" then I could find myself on the rise.

2/ Is there any way that a "latest comments" feature can be put on a blogspot site? This is because when an old post gets a comment, only I and the commenter are aware of it, for example this post from June appears to have left someone rather irate and a comment was added this weekend, over three months later.

3/ Must update blogroll soon!

Siam What Siam.

Looks like there is a coup in Thailand, Parliament hasn't had an expert on Thai affairs since Joe Ashton retired so I doubt Britain will be a major party in resolving the crisis. As with the Pakistan coup some years ago people's hostility towards the generals will be tempered by the hideous corruption of the democratic regime. Seceral predictions that I will make are:

• A speculative theory of how the coup is the USA's doing will emerge.
• No evidence will be produced
• It will become accepted as fact regardless.
• If the coup regime lasts the week then it will last for several years.
• China won't object.
• Someone wittier than me will be able to make a ladyboy joke.
  

Short and Sharp.

I've just discovered tha the New Scientist magazine has a blog, their most recent story at the moment relates to the widely reported case of the Chinese man who was the recipient of a penis transplant but rejected it. They appear to be suggesting that it was turned down because of the pschological discomfort that people have about having dead people's body parts, but their could of course be other reasons for the rejection.

Islamic Criticism Blocked?

According to the 'Western Resistance' blog the Mail on Sunday put up and then removed an article by Peter Hitchens which was critical of that non violent religion, Islam. Liberal Larry also has some wise words on the subject of the Pope's recent remarks- 'Nazi Pope Refuses to Convert to Islam'.

Polly Toynbee To Commit Suicide?

Swedish centre-right alliance wins wafer-thin election victory

Presumably Greg Palast will pop up at some point and claim it was all down to voting irregularities. Anyway like Polly I'm a huge fan of the Swedish Model:

Household Income, Race & Voting.

Gary Younge's latest column makes the claim that since Bush came to office "median household income has fallen by 3%". As an iron rule when someone uses household income as a measure of wealth it means that they are trying to con someone. Unless more people living in their own houses is considered a bad thing by Gary Younge. He also makes the strange claim that:

black people, regardless of income, overwhelmingly vote Democrat. Indeed, were it not for black people, the Democrats would have won the presidency only once, in 1964. That was the year President Lyndon Johnson signed the civil rights act, turned to an aide and said: "We have lost the south for a generation." We are well into the second generation now, and the racialised politics of the south seem to be influencing the rest of the country rather than the other way round.In other words there is a clear racial attachment that white voters have to the Republican party

So if black people are over whelmingly voting for one party, how it follow that it is white voters who are demonstrating a "racial attachment" to one party?

Coming Next, The Barry Chuckle School Of Industry.

Oh dear, our glorious and much loved leader Anthony Blair is planning his post Prime Ministerial career:

As he contemplates retirement, his staff are again looking west, seeking inspiration from the example of American presidents.

At Harvard there is the John F Kennedy Institution. Bill Clinton has his own foundation. Now Tony Blair, it seems, could have his own "school of government". According to academic and other sources, Jonathan Powell, the prime minister's chief of staff, has been sounding out the London School of Economics about the establishment of such a new body.

It might have been an idea if he had studied government before assuming office. The hilarious conclusion is that Tony Blair honestly sees himself as someone people would regard as a model of good leadership, which not even his own party consider him to be.

Labour Deputy Leadership.

Harriet Harman announced yesterday that she is standing for the Deputy Leadership of the Labour Party, her main theme appears to be that she is a woman. Whilst I can see why not having a little cocktail sausage to wave at the secretaries might be a priority for Labour after Prezza's tenure it hardly seems to be a sufficient reason for backing someone.

In 1997 Harriet Harman was appointed Social Security Secretary, despite being the ultimate Blairite she was so incompetent in the role that she had to be sacked after barely a year in the job. She was intellectually not up to the task of reforming her department and incapable of getting on with those who were capable (ie Frank Field). She has since been allowed to return to a more junior role within the government outside the cabinet. Yet this cabbage is considered the standard bearer for Labour's womanhood!

The frightening thing is that Harman might well be the stongest Labour female candidate. Despite Nu-Lab's boasting about the number of women MP's they have, the ones they consider to be cabinet material are- Margaret Beckett who was actually a safe pair of hands at Defra but is in her 60s now, Hillary Armstrong who was the worst Chief Whip in living memory, Ruth Kelly who thinks that child molesters make good teachers, Patricia 'Best Year Ever' Hewitt, Hazel 'the nodding chipmonk' Blears, Baroness Amos and Jacqui Smith. Is there a left wing equivalent of Margaret Thatcher amoungst that lot? I doubt it. Jacqui Smith could be worth placing a bet on for the number two job if Labour MPs decide they need a woman in that position.

Non Aligned.

The Non Aligned Movement (NAM) is currently meeting in Cuba. Whilst the delegates enjoy Havana's hospitality which largely consists of cigars and child prostitutes, I'm wondering what they are non aligned with. During the Cold War they were supposedly non-aligning with the USSR and the USA (although even then it inculded a few Soviet puppet regimes) but since 1990 and the demise of one of the two powerblocks the NAM is little more than identity group which defines itself by being poor and unimportant. It's the club for countries that can't get into any other club.