June 12, 2012
Plod Trap
Drivers fined for flashing headlights to warn oncoming cars of police speed trap | Mail Online
For years, drivers who pass a police speed trap have flashed their headlights at oncoming cars to warn them to slow down.
But this spirit of friendly co-operation could become a thing of the past after one police force caught almost as many drivers who flashed their lights as actual speeders.
In an anti-speeding campaign, Lancashire Police handed out 23 tickets for breaking the limit - and 20 for 'misuse of headlights'.
...the police insisted that warning other drivers of a speed trap was ‘a dangerous practice’.
Lancashire traffic officer PC Antony Gray said: ‘Potentially they are putting lives at risk.
'Flashing your lights at someone may make them slow down for a second, but it will not make them change their habits.
‘Speeding motorists need to be spoken to so they will seriously consider their irresponsible driving.’
Peelian Principles7 Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent upon every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.
Did not one of those handed a £30 ticket for flashing their lights not have the balls to just say no, see me in court. Because I bet Plod would have backed down like any other classroom bully when faced with having to justify their action.
Posted by The Englishman at 7:56 AM
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April 25, 2009
Jacqui Smith to log your porn habit
Every phone call, email or website visit 'to be monitored' - Telegraph
Has Jacqui Smith asked her husband what he thinks of this, will he write a supportive letter?
Posted by The Englishman at 11:41 AM
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January 7, 2009
Tory Trainspotter Terrorist Threat
Tory MP stopped and searched by police for taking photos of cycle path - Telegraph
...the two officers insisted on searching him after they told him they thought he was taking photos of East Croydon train station.
They searched his bag, but after finding nothing of interest they sent the MP on his way.
Mr Pelling said: "It is pleasing to see just how vigilant our police is at these times of heightened international political tension and the risk of terrorism here at home.
"I am glad my stop and search account as a white, middle-aged male shows that anyone can be suspected of, and questioned about, terrorism, regardless of race, creed or colour.
A police spokeswoman said: "An officer stopped and searched a man's bag in Cherry Orchard Road on December 30, under section 44 of the Terrorism Act.
"The officer conducted a stop-and-search, taking into account the current terror threat, as he was taking pictures in the vicinity of a major transport hub."
Whoops, the logging system at Control will notice I have just done a East Croydon train station - Google Image Search. I better prepare for the Marigolds.....
Posted by The Englishman at 6:46 AM
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May 15, 2008
Tesco - tossers
Tesco refuses beer to man shopping with daughter - Times Online
A father who tried to buy six beers from a branch of Tesco was told that he could not be served because he had his teenage daughter with him.
A cashier told Dominic Zenden, 45, that he could not leave with the Budweiser bottles in case he gave any to his 15-year-old daughter, Devon....Mr Zenden said that the alcohol was for his own consumption and he would not give any to the teenager but the cashier refused to back down and he left empty-handed...
A Tesco spokesman said that staff were entitled to ask for proof of age from anyone present when alcohol was being purchased if it was suspected that they might consume it. ..
“I can understand the frustrations of the customer but I think that any reasonable parent would understand the problem and support our policy.”
No I bloody wouldn't, I would have told the prodnose that of course I was going to offer my daughter a drink at home on that lovely warm evening. There is nothing illegal in doing so, and introducing teenagers to drink in that way is a sensible and responsible action of a parent. But whatever I want to do with the beer after I have bought it is no bloody business of Tesco. If Tesco want to not sell cans of cooking lager to an 18 year old, who is with his gang of younger mates, that probably improves the local environs; but when Tesco introduce thick as shit rules for their thick as shit cashiers in the hope they will show judgement, then Tesco shows it is as thick as shit.
Posted by The Englishman at 6:27 AM
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October 10, 2007
Blair - Lock'em up for longer without trial
Scotsman.com News - Met chief calls for more time to hold terror suspects as plots 'mount'
"If we had more time we wouldn't need to shoot them as we panic, we could take them back to the station and shoot them at our leisure, much more civilised, eh?"
Posted by The Englishman at 6:58 AM
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November 8, 2006
Value for Money
The Government has admitted that Connecting for Health, the Department of Health agency in charge of its disastrous NHS IT programme, could be scrapped.
The admission comes amid growing alarm in the Government at the spiralling cost of the programme which is likely to end up at £20 billion — £7.6 billion more than its original budget.
(Telegraph)
24dash.com - Top earner in the NHS was Richard Granger, chief executive of NHS Connecting for Health, which is in charge of the much-troubled introduction of the health service's new IT system. He got £285,000.
Posted by The Englishman at 6:14 AM
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October 7, 2006
Autumnal Morning
Finally Autumn has arrived - a brisk phone call " The hounds would like to meet at your place on the 6th January, OK?" As an animal lover how could I refuse the request from the doggies themselves?
Beaufort Hunt - with The Old Duke in the Wheelchair - 24 August 1922
Posted by The Englishman at 7:53 AM
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August 1, 2006
An Englishman's right to a Hut
Hutsman accused of flouting ban goes to court - Britain - Times Online
A man in a hut flouting a ban - probably a follow up to this story I thought:
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | When is a home not a home? When it's Hermit's Corner
A man's home is his castle. Unless, of course, the high court rules that a one-bedroom shelter under a corrugated iron roof cannot be called a home.
Stephen Grendon has been living in a 4.25 metre by 5.8 metre woodland shelter with a wooden veranda, which he named "Hermit's Corner", for close to 10 years.
Having experienced bouts of depression, he says he values "the simplicity of his unconventional lifestyle" in his Cotswold Valley home.
But yesterday the high court decided that Mr Grendon's home is not a "dwelling house" under the law (even by his own modest requirements), which means that, unless an appeal is successful, he will be evicted....
Years went by in relative peace and quiet before an enforcement notice was served indicating Mr Grendon did not have planning permission for "residential use". His defence was that the matter was time-barred under planning laws, as the building had been his dwelling for at least four years.... It is kept warm by a wood-burning stove, and while previously light was provided by candles, electricity has been connected.
The planning inspector had found there was no running water, bathroom or toilet. Mr Grendon had dug holes for a toilet and used a natural spring for washing and drinking.
..
The shelter was reroofed in 1982 and had the veranda and shutters added later. It also has a small window under the eaves, and a butane hob for cooking.
The building had not been constructed as a house and did not look like one, the inspector said.
The high court yesterday upheld the planning inspector's decision, with Mr Justice McCombe saying Mr Grendon's home "simply did not have the physical attributes of a dwelling house, even with the claimant's modest requirements".
The judge said the inspector had visited the site and was entitled to conclude it had not been turned into a dwelling house "by the mere fact of the claimant living there".
Mr Grendon, meanwhile, continues to live in the shelter in breach of the enforcement notice, and says he enjoys the peace and quiet.
Doesn't the Judge sound like a pompous fool - though of course he isn't, I add nervously, and you can imagine the planning inspector going home to his wife and 2.4 children living in their immaculate Barrett home in a nice cul-de-sac laughing over this as they sip their one, one-only-mind, glass of Pinot Grigio as she warms up a Marks and Spencer Chicken Kiev. Give me life in a hut anyday.
Oh and the Times story? Just a misprint,, it is about the League of Cruel Sports mounting a private prosecution against a HuNtsman...
Posted by The Englishman at 6:37 AM
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March 12, 2006
Smashed
BBC NEWS | England | Accelerator jam car hits 135mph
A motorist drove for 60 miles at speeds of 135mph after the accelerator on his BMW car jammed and his brakes failed. ...
"I took my foot off the accelerator because it's automatic - but I wasn't slowing down at all. ...
BMW's UK media relations manager, Duncan Forrester, said: "I would certainly like to reassure anybody driving any BMW that we see this as really nothing more than a freak accident.
"We have absolutely no record of anything such as this happening in the past, hence the reason why we want to take a close look at it."
Many years ago it happened to me in a BMW 320i, came out the pub, driving home across deepest rural Suffolk, accelerator jammed on, round a corner straight into an oak tree. I came to and walked home and poured my self a large whisky to steady some pretty shook up nerves. Leaving the pub I had for once been sober - long story but it was full of police and striking miners and I had only narrowly escaped from the tender embrace of an NUM steward. But of course when the nice young WPC turned up at my house I thought saying I had been home for an hour and had a drink was a pretty thin story. But it was true. When she went outside I poured my self an ever larger whisky and was drinking it when she came back with the Breathalyser. She told me I couldn't drink it, I explained it was my own home and until she arrested me I could do what I liked. I blew a mouthful of whisky into the Breathalyser which probably ruined it. A long time later at the Police Station after we has established my alcohol content, the brand of whisky I was drinking, the glass I was drinking from and the level it was filled to they were pretty pleased as they informed me it was easy to back calculate. So I asked if they had forgotten a question. "What?"
"How many glasses had I drunk?"
"Is that relevant?"
"Yes."
"Oh yes, How many glasses did you drink?"
"I can't remember, you have already noted that I was suffering concussion, but it was several, I just can't remember how many...."
I was let off with a snotty letter from the Chief Constable.
Posted by The Englishman at 7:19 AM
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March 10, 2006
That Report in full...
Waffle Generator
Keep refreshing and cutting and pasting into that report you have to write today before you can get out to the pub.
Posted by The Englishman at 6:58 AM
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February 2, 2006
Flyover Britain
The great middle "flyover" bit of America is routinely mocked for many things by the coastal sophisticates and the British Media. One of the more common jibes is about its Bible Bashing evolution denying mindset. How primitive they must be not to grasp Darwin to their hearts!
How unlike us, with our wonderful State proscribed education and curriculum which leads our children unto righteousness! But it looks as though Science, along with reading and writing, is yet another thing we are failing our children on....
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Britons unconvinced on evolution
Just under half of Britons accept the theory of evolution as the best description for the development of life:
22% chose creationism
17% opted for intelligent design
48% selected evolution theory
and the rest did not know
Hat Tip The England Project: Well, who's stupid now?
Posted by The Englishman at 7:16 AM
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January 6, 2006
Another Big Brother Debate
BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Galloway joins Big Brother house
Anti-Iraq war MP George Galloway and entertainer Michael Barrymore are among the 11 contestants who have entered the Celebrity Big Brother house.
I have never followed the Big Brother television show - being locked in a house with a bunch of randy weirdos reminds me too much of my first term at St Cakes' Boarding School, but I seem to recall the house has chickens as well as people; surely there is a case for a bringing in those from a Turkish Poultry farm....
Posted by The Englishman at 6:56 AM
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November 14, 2005
Good news about climate change
"This was something that was obsessing me and creating a writer's block."
Aaah the poor diddums couldn't churn out more his tedious rubbish because he was worried about climate change and the polar bears disappearing - I think I will go and vent an old fridge in celebration!
Thinking back to yesterday it is suprising that some poets managed to turn out some memorable stuff while facing death in the trenches isn't it, obviously not as worrying as the prospect of getting a teeny bit warmer.
As Thom says - get the Kleenex ready- :
What finally nailed it for me was hearing just one too many people in the media - disputing climate change. Saying - "No, the scientists agree that blah, blah, blah".
That, to me, is just the ultimate evil.
Everybody knows it's happening. I don't know where these people get off, man. Because this jeopardises everybody's future, all our children's future.
Posted by The Englishman at 8:18 AM
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June 12, 2005
Would I want to join this club?
Out of the blue I got an invitation to sign on the dotted line, send a cheque and become a Fellow of the RSA - I'm sure thousands of others got the same mailshot but it was nice to be asked.
The Society was founded in 1754 by William Shipley, a painter and social activist. He brought together a group of individuals to propose a manifesto for Society "to embolden enterprise, enlarge science, refine arts, improve our manufactures and extend our commerce".
Sounds like a good traditional club with decent aims... oh dear, they changed their aims to a new manifesto last year...
Encouraging Enterprise
Moving Towards a Zero Waste Society
Fostering Resilient Communities
Developing a Capable Population
Advancing Global Citizenship
,,,For instance - one project...
Arts & Ecology
The issue of the environment is one of the major challenges of our time. Climate change, pollution and contamination, waste and the exploitation of resources are key concerns. How the environment functions alongside poverty and party politics, conflict, global trade and land use is a pressing matter for a growing number of artists. The RSA in partnership with Arts Council England has launched a new programme to profile, encourage and support artists in addressing ecological concerns at both local and global levels.
Nah- don't think I'll bother...
Posted by The Englishman at 9:24 PM
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May 19, 2005
What a waste!
As I pointed out a long time ago, and has been officially confirmed today - BBC NEWS "Whether parents use disposable or cloth nappies makes little difference to the environment, a report has concluded."
So why has the government had spent 2.6m promoting cloth Real Nappy Schemes through the Waste and Resources Action Programme "in the absence of any proven overall environmental benefit"?
Because the Greens won't be happy until we are back in the stone age! They don't care if the poor kids suffer red raw arses and the houses stink as long as they can feel virtuous! I think I upset one who started preaching to us about nappies when I just asked if she used "jam rags" or disposable tampons - "Oh, that is completely different!" - Oh no, it is not lady!
(Note for American readers - for Nappies read Diapers throughout - we are not talking Napkins here - which should never be disposable except at burger bars.)
Posted by The Englishman at 6:33 AM
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April 18, 2005
Fighting the Good fight
Free Life Commentary No 135, 16th April2005
Free Trade v Fair Trade
A Debate Organised by Christian Aid
St Margaret's Church, Westminster
The Evening of Friday 15th Aril 2005
12:15am - 1:15 am
A Speech Together with Introduction and Brief Commentary
by Sean Gabb...
Introduction
I took a telephone call about a week ago from a young man called Leo Bryant. He worked for Christian Aid, he said, and was organising a joint conference with Oxfam on world poverty. Would I like to sit on the panel and debate the issue? The provisional title of the debate was Free Trade v Fair Trade. Would I speak for free trade? I should normally have said yes at once. The conference was to be in St Margarets Church in Westminster, and would draw an audience of around 700. I had long been scandalised by the socialist takeover of English Christianity, and this would be the closest I might ever get to addressing one of my sermons to a real congregation.
The problem was the timing. The whole event was set for Friday evening, and my debate was to be after midnight. I thought of having to wander round Central London with nowhere to go between the closing of my university and the beginning of the debate, and was inclined to turn Mr Bryant down. But he offered me a bed for the night, and urged on me the size of the audience. So I agreed.
As it happened, Central London was just as cold and lonely as I had expected. But there I finally sat last night, about 20 feet in front of the altar in St Margarets. Beside me was Alex Singleton from the Globalisation Institute. Beside him was Alan Beattie of The Financial Times, who would chair the meeting. Beyond sat Martin Khor from Third World Network and Prosper Heoyi from Oxfam. Before me was the large audience I had been promised. They were a fragment of a vast procession that had streamed all evening through Westminster, waving banners and candles and singing the rather feeble stuff that has since the 1960s passed for religious music.
Not all was grim, though. I had some friends there. David Carr, David Goldstone, Paul Coulam and a few others had braved cold and boredom to be there. More would have come, but were appalled by the timing of the event.
We began with Alex Singleton. He put the case for free trade in its most orthodox form. Trade benefitted both parties, he said. It was not an act of charity for us to open our markets to poor countries, but obvious self-interest. As for the poor countries themselves, those that had liberalised their domestic economies and opened up to foreign trade and investment had enjoyed the best growth rates over the past few decades. It was all true and all very well said.
I had expected to speak at the end of the debate. I had agreed with Mr Singleton that he should use the first five minutes to put the case for, and that I should use the next to last five minutes. However, Mr Beattie turned to me and asked me to go next. This was a nuisance. I had been settling into a gentle doze in preparation for the fair traders, and I think it was amusingly plain to the audience how I unprepared I was for immediate action. However, I had written and largely memorised a speech, and I delivered this, cutting where necessary to fit it into the time available.
Though I was praised afterwards, I know that I am a poor speaker for short occasions. I am not frightened by large audiences. I can speak clearly and grammatically. Give me 40 minutes to outline a case, and I can do a fine job. I am, after all, a lecturer. But I do not shine when it comes to the short speech. So it was last night. I had been awake for nearly 20 hours. I had given four lectures during the day. was half asleep. I found my eyes wandering to my text. If praise was due at all, it was for the content of what I was saying, not for my manner of saying it. Yet the speech was a good one. I can write well.
These reservations being made, here is what I said::
The Speech
If you think that I came here tonight to defend multinational corporations and the international government institutions, you have chosen the wrong person. These are dishonest. They are corrupt. They are incompetent. They have blood on their hands.
But do not suppose for a moment that the world trading order as it actually exists is liberal or more than incidentally connected with free markets. A free market is a place where individuals and groups of individuals come together to transact voluntary exchanges without any backing of government force. To call the actually existing order liberal or neo-liberal is as taxonomically accurate as calling the old Soviet Communist Party syndicalist. That order is based on tariffs, subsidies and a web of other often invisible regulations. The international institutions are a projection of Western states. The multinational corporations are creatures of these states. They shelter behind the privilege of limited liability. They get their political friends to cartelise markets, and do favours in return.
This is not market liberalism. It is a fraud played on us all by our ruling classes these being those politicians, bureaucrats, educators, lawyers and media and business people who derive wealth, power and status from an enlarged and activist state.
But this being said, the fair trade solution is easily worse than the problem. The ruling classes in any country never have at heart the best interests of their subjects. But in the West, we can just about afford corporatism. We still have some heritage of market liberalism. Our ruling classes are to some degree restrained in their predations. That is not so in poor countries. The ruling classes there are naked kleptocracies. All that keeps them from utterly starving their unfortunate subjects is their own idleness and incompetence. The fair trade talk may well be of import substitution or rational planning or picking local winners. The reality will be to turn poor countries into sealed territories ruled by the law of the jungle a jungle in which only the well-connected will survive. Presented in the lilting, caring tones of helping the poor, what we have is nothing more than the old Nazi policy of autarky.
Let me give one example of how fair trade works in practice. On the 1st January this year, import taxes were raised in Kenya and in several other African countries on second hand clothing from the West. The stated purpose of this was to give local textile manufacturers the chance to grow big enough to face foreign competition. Of course, the textile interests will never be able to face open competition. Infant industries never grow up. Protect them, and prices rise. Money that would otherwise be saved and invested is spent on paying the higher prices. Money that would otherwise be spent on other goods is spent on paying the higher prices. The country gains a sector in which it may have no comparative advantage - or in which it might have a comparative advantage only in less well-connected hands. Those sectors in which there might be a comparative advantage suffer. But the lucky capitalists who are protected make big profits, and their friends in government collect the usual gifts. And the people at the bottom? Norman Nyaga, a Kenyan Member of Parliament can answer here. Writing in The Kenya Times last month, he accused the Government of deliberately rigging the textile market in favour of some foreign investors. He said the effect would be to damage the livelihood of 10 million Kenyans who work in the second hand clothing sector, and to lower the incomes still further of the 56 per cent of Kenyans who live below the official poverty line and who must buy second hand clothes or go without.
I do not support the present system of world trade. But give me a straight choice between this and the economics of the jungle that is fair trade, and I will choose the present system. Global corporatism may be unfair. But it does at least allow some wealth to be created. It does allow at least some rational economic calculation. Fair trade simply gives even more power to politicians and bureaucrats and favoured business interests in poor countries - that is, to the very people and interests that made and have kept these countries poor.
If you really want to improve the lives of the poorest, forget all this kumbaya socialism - which is a cocktail of bad economics and bad theology, held together by self-righteous candle-waving. Either settle for what we have - which, unfair as it is, delivers something - or campaign for a system of real voluntary exchange. Fair trade can never be fair. But free trade can be free.
Commentary
Had I been giving a lecture rather than a brief speech, I could usefully have elaborated on some of my points. I have written at length elsewhere about the political and economic implications of the Christian faith, and so will not repeat myself here. But I grow increasingly convinced that allowing the creation of joint stock limited liability corporations was one of the greatest legislative mistakes of the 19th century. Their existence is based on a separation of ownership from control. The owners are released from all responsibility. The controllers form a separate class of corporate bureaucrats little different in outlook from civil servants. The usual psychology operates. They will commit immoral acts for their organisations they might not consider committing for themselves. The owners will assent. The legal privileges and unlimited lifespan of these corporations let them grow to enormous size and wealth. The opportunities exist for highly effective immorality. Collectively, they become part of the state apparatus, and work to destroy true, unregulated enterprise.
These corporations could not exist in any natural economic order. I have heard other libertarians argue that they might emerge without legal privilege on some loose contractual basis. But I do not agree. The shareholders would still be liable in tort, and that alone would deter them from any involvement with a business that they did not personally control. As for the utilitarian argument, that large undertakings need large companies, I also disagree. So long as it showed an acceptable return on investment, there is no project too big to be taken on by clusters of sole traders and partnerships. No doubt, things like the Channel Tunnel would not have been built but I fail to see how not having that would have made the world a poorer place. Even if some highly valuable projects might not be undertaken, their lack would be compensated by the greater general innovation to be expected in an order of small, unregulated firms.
Indeed, the matter of what to do about the corporations is more interesting to me than world poverty. As I said in my speech, people in places like black Africa are poor because they have maniacally corrupt and oppressive governments. They would do better even with the most cartelised global corporatism than left in the clutches of their own rulers. And that is it. But how can this corporatism be replaced by a system of voluntary exchange between legally responsible small firms? I think I have a few answers here, but will give these at another time.
Outside the church, I bumped into the personal assistant for one of the Conservative leaders. The usual sort of well-dressed, well-connected young man on the make who appeals to such people, he insisted I might have brought a few people over to my side had my speech been less abrasive. I replied by noting how eight years of being soft and gentle had got his Party nowhere. I also pointed out that five minutes speaking time is best given up to blunt expression, when what is expressed is probably new to the audience. I know that a few mouths had fallen open at my dismissal of self-righteous candle waving. But that effect was my intention. I wanted the audience to go away with a few memorable phrases. These might eventually provoke a chain of thought in the hearers mind, or be passed on in conversation to someone else more receptive.
There are times when arguments can be won by moderate expression and compromise. But this was not such a time. It was not even a time for argument. An hour chopped into little blocks of comments from the panel and questions from the audience does not allow for argument in any meaningful sense. As said, it was a time for blunt expression.
I wish I had been able to stay longer and have some real arguments, but I could now feel great waves of tiredness sweeping over me. So I went off to bed. The audience remained in the church, singing responses in a language unknown to me and set to music that might have been more suited to lullabies for an idiot child. The rest of the procession had taken to resolute candle waving, and had moved down Whitehall to Downing Street, where hopes were expressed of waking up Tony Blair. A pity, I thought at the time, the Salvation Army had not sent a few of its brass bands to join in the parade.
And that is it. A fuller account would mention the grotesque nonsense uttered by the other speakers. They had obviously never opened an economics textbook in their lives. Nor had most of the audience that so warmly applauded their nonsense. But I cannot be bothered to record any of what was said on the other side. There will be a DVD of the whole event, and this will speak for itself.
On balance, it was worth attending. I waved the flag for the Libertarian Alliance. I handed out several dozen business cards. I might be invited to speak at other events where I can outline my objections in more detail to the heresies of theological socialism. Together with Mr Singleton, I might even have started a few trains of thought in unknown minds.
Posted by The Englishman at 6:53 AM
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April 13, 2005
Tall poppy syndrome
Tesco announce a 5% profit margin (pre tax) and most commentators clamour for "something to be done" to cut them back down to size.
But not all as I found on :
BBC NEWS | Have Your Say | Has Tesco become too powerful?
"It's typical of this country to lend support to a failing company like Rover and then criticise a success like Tesco."
Quite!
Posted by The Englishman at 7:05 AM
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April 5, 2005
Education
The Cabarfeidh Pages (Highland Warriors) brings us:
THE 11 COMMANDMENTS - EDUCATION SHOULD:
Promote positive values, active citizenship and increased awareness of community and culture
Encourage positive attitudes to further learning
Have a positive impact on social exclusion and reduce alienation
Enable young people to play an active role in decisions which affect them.
Promote young peoples self-esteem, social development and sense of identity.
Encourage flexibility and diversity in teaching without detracting from common entitlements
Promote creativity and higher-order intellectual skills and encourage emotional was well as cognitive development
Encourage the valuing of all kinds of achievement
Help young people deal with change and uncertainty and promote their capacity for constructive dissent
Help teachers to develop professionally, increasing their self-confidence and autonomy.
Encourage parents to realise their role in supporting children's education
No mention of actually teaching the children anything, just PC bollocks!
Going through the process of finding a school for the eldest Englishette I have noted this problem before. What I want from a school is simple - I want it to turn her into a decent well educated kid who has been encouraged to reach her highest potential in all areas. The school we were recommended only talked to us about how it promoted "peer socialisation" i.e. it let the kids play together. We turned that one down.
Posted by The Englishman at 7:32 AM
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March 22, 2005
Uncharitable
BBC NEWS | England | Nottinghamshire | Charity rejects 30,000 donation
A cancer charity has rejected a 30,000 donation over animal welfare concerns.
Barry Atkinson carried out a record 148 days' worth of beating - or flushing out birds - at grouse, partridge and pheasant shoots.
The 61-year-old, who lives near Newark in Nottinghamshire, said he was appalled the donation had been rejected by the Institute of Cancer Research.
The charity said it recognised the need to minimise pain and suffering in animals, so could not accept the money.
Now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity political correctness.
Posted by The Englishman at 6:33 AM
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March 15, 2005
"Shoot over to see me"
+ So the Perky Princess of Pop the Sainted Kylie has upset everyone with her new video to the song "Shoot over to see me". The video aired last night contained graphic scenes which made the innuendo in the song's title plain. But that wasn't what caused the outrage - it was her brandishing a gun....
Oh, Bugger! I woke up this morning with this blog entry all written and polished in my head; but I think maybe I dreamt the whole thing including the offending video, maybe too much beer with Mr FM last night and playing with guns in the Pub.. Better go off and have a shower...
Posted by The Englishman at 6:54 AM
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March 13, 2005
Is it coz I'm not black enuff?
Young Tim Worstall asks "Just How Do You Define Race?"
As ever the answer is here - http://www.anenglishmanscastle.com/archives/000934.html ....
To quote
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/about/ethnic_group_statistics/downloads/ethnic_group_statistics.pdf
"Is a persons ethnic group self-defined?
Yes. Membership of an ethnic group is something that is subjectively meaningful to the person concerned, and this is the principal basis for ethnic categorisation in the United Kingdom. So, in ethnic group questions, we are unable to base ethnic identification upon objective,
quantifiable information as we would, say, for age or gender. And this means that we should rather ask people which group they see themselves as belonging to."
"an ethnic group would be defined as a community whose heritage offers important characteristics in common between its
members and which makes them distinct from other communities.
There is a boundary, which separates us from them, and the distinction would probably be recognised on both sides of that boundary."..
Well that settles it: I think it is obvious that us traditional countryfolk have a different "heritage" to the urban elite and the evidence is clear that there is a clear "them and us". We are our own Ethnic Minority, all we have to do is "self-define". So now I want my rights, how do we go about this?
And what do we call the minority? The guidance acknowledges that groups change and so there can be no objection to a new Ethnic Group self-defining itself.
"Membership of any ethnic group is something that is subjectively meaningful to the person concerned and the terminology used to describe ethnic groups has changed markedly over time. As a result, ethnic groups, however defined or measured, will tend to evolve depending upon social and political attitudes or developments. Therefore, we do not believe that basing ethnic identification upon an objective and rigid classification of ethnic groups is practicable."
"So let me publicly self-define myself to be "Traditional English" and that "Traditional English" is a separate Ethnic Group to any other, including the majority "English".
Any insults, discrimination or attacks against the heritage of "Traditional English" is now covered by the Race Relation Acts etc. and I will expect the full protection of the Law.
Of course, this afternoon I was Welsh.
Posted by The Englishman at 9:53 PM
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March 9, 2005
Tshwane Tshwane, we all fall down.
Telegraph | News | South Africa's capital to be renamed Tshwane
And just like Peking, Bombay and other non-white places the BBC will rush to use the new names. Of course they show their inate "liberal" racism by not doing this with European places like Paris, Munich and Turin.
Posted by The Englishman at 7:12 AM
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March 5, 2005
New Shooting Law - update - blame Europe
There has been some concern and confusion over paragraph 4 of the Terms and Conditions of three of the licences which require that users must demonstrate that appropriate non-lethal methods of control are either ineffective or impracticable...
Since 1979, the EC Birds Directive has protected all birds. However, it is open to Member States to make exceptions to this protection in certain circumstances. In the UK, game birds can be shot during specified open seasons and bird pests can be controlled for the specific purposes mentioned above where there is no other satisfactory solution. These exemptions and conditions have not changed in substance as a result of the new general licences. The new wording simply clarifies what is expected of those who relied on general licences in the past and those who wish to rely on them in the future....
Hum - not sure..
Posted by The Englishman at 12:12 AM
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March 4, 2005
BBC - Long term solution
The Department for Culture, Media and Sports Green Paper setting out the BBCs long-term future proposed a solution that could end the traditional fee.The paper suggested either a compulsory levy on all households or even on ownership of PCs as well as TVs. (source)
Personally I have another suggestion...
And a tip - I was in charge of the Englishettes last night so I put them to bed and settled in front of a roaring fire with a bottle of red, some cheeses, an apple and a fruit knife (I find it shocking that some people eat apples without cutting them into segments first - animals). The BBC had nothing to amuse so I slotted in a DVD we aquired "The Best Comedy DVD ever in Aid of Unesco or something". Promised some classic clips etc. You wouldn't have thought it hard to find a few amusing clips from the past eighty years to fill a DVD would you. Crap - it didn't raise a titter.
Posted by The Englishman at 8:48 AM
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February 24, 2005
We have been gathering evidence and we may use it against you..
BBC NEWS | England | Cornwall | 'Darkie Day' filmed by officers
Police in Cornwall have confirmed they filmed an event in which locals black up their faces and dance through the streets of a Cornish town.
Police shot video of the most recent "Darkie Days" in Padstow and have submitted a file to the CPS.
.....
Local district councillor Sarah Townrow said on Thursday Padstow residents were "fed up with being pushed around".
She warned Britain was becoming a "nanny state", adding: "Nobody has got any malice in them.
"I am sure there is no more trouble goes on at Darkie Day than at any other celebration in any town in the country.
"We just want to be left alone to enjoy it."
Strange people down in Cornwall - but then we have Darkies Lane in our Village named after an Indian couple who lived there over two hundred years ago - they appear to have just integrated into the village life and their genes are mixed in to the local gene pool. Amazing how they managed to do that without the aid of the Race Industry....
Posted by The Englishman at 11:28 PM
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February 23, 2005
Kim - please put all breakables out of reach before reading this.
BBC NEWS | England | Home-taught girl ordered to class
The parents of a County Durham girl have been prosecuted for not giving her a proper education at home.
They have also been ordered to return the unnamed child to school after a case was brought by Darlington Local Education Authority (LEA).
As the law stands parents are entitled to teach their children at home, but Julie Garnett of the LEA fears some children are not being taught properly.
She also warned more prosecutions would follow if similar cases were found.
A spokesman for Darlington council said: "If you are going to educate a child at home you have to prove to the LEA that you are actually doing that. ...
"There will certainly be more court cases in future as children have the right to an education."
Posted by The Englishman at 7:13 PM
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February 17, 2005
The Ruling Class
Smoking is a subversive act | Samizdata.net
An economy based on voluntary exchange is not inherently unstable and in need of programmes of demand management and a welfare state. People of different nationalities can live together without having to be bullied by law into pretending to love one another. We are not running out of natural resources, and our industrial pollutions do not threaten life on earth. There are no satanic child abusers. Sexual abuse of children is statistically insignificant. Smoking and drinking and consuming other drugs and fatty foods are at least less dangerous than is claimed, and there is no good reason to believe that passive smoking even exists. But whether a problem is real is far less important than whether the people can be brought to believe in its reality and in the need for solutions that justify income and status for the ruling class and its various client groups.
Posted by The Englishman at 10:18 AM
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Abfall Macht Frei
Residents of Croydon, south London, have been told that the microchips being inserted into their new wheely bins may well be adapted so that the council can judge whether they are producing too much rubbish.
If the technology suggests that they are, errant residents may be visited by officials bearing advice on how they might "manage their rubbish more effectively".
Ve notice you have been buying Lard again, and these tomatoes are GM. Come vith us and we will re-educate you....
Posted by The Englishman at 9:04 AM
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February 15, 2005
Calling Chicken Little!
If you ever wonder where you tax money goes...
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust - Trust to set up climate friendly communities
The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has received a grant worth 90,000 over three years from DEFRAs Environmental Action Fund that is designed to encourage community action on climate change.
With latest reports saying the world has little more than a decade to avert catastrophic climate change by ensuring that global temperatures do not rise by more than 2 degrees C, the urgency of such change is beyond doubt.
Contact Hannah Moser on (01380) 725670 if you wish to help set up a climate friendly community in your local area.
Hannah - expect a call...
Posted by The Englishman at 10:31 PM
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Lottery discrimination
Nanny Knows Best points out how National Lottery feel that the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) is not adequately targeting its resources at those elements of society that are disadvantaged. In view of this, the National Lottery will not award the RNLI a lottery grant. As the RNLI point out, what are they meant to do before they respond to a distress call; go through an ethnic and socio economic monitoring questionnaire first? Then ignore those people who don't fit in with Nanny's targeted groups?
No, take a leaf out of the wonderful fishing policy we have which doesn't prevent the catching of the wrong type of fish - only bringing them ashore. So if they are white, middle class, drinkers, or whatever - thro them back.
A further Lottery titbit from the source at The Times:
When the money handed to charities which feature the name of a religion in their title is divided by each faiths number of adherents in Britain, Christian bodies received 18p per follower. Hindu groups were handed 1.79 per believer, Muslims 2.45, Sikhs 7.14, Jews 9.74 and Jains 23.40.
Posted by The Englishman at 7:47 AM
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February 10, 2005
Climate bollocks
In Times Online - Newspaper Edition Camilla Cavendish writes on Climate Change:
Armageddon isn't the only option
I'm afraid it made me spit my tea into my porage with sheer indignation - so many errors in so short a piece....
Our great corporations should see climate change as an opportunity, not a disaster.
No, Great Corporations are statist - look for the entrepaneurs to capitalise and solve
THE WARNINGS rain down about climate change, but we devote as much human ingenuity to making excuses as to finding solutions. The sceptics have lost the scientific battle: the worlds climate scientists are now categoric that the Earth is warming, due in part to our burning of fossil fuels.
NO they are not
So the sceptics have shifted their attacks to economics..
We would be better off, they say, simply adapting to a warmer world and finding better uses for the money we might have spent on rescuing the environment.
Are you sure the environment needs rescuing? Managing change maybe
But whatever response we make to global warming will be a gamble and the most foolish gamble of all would be to keep procrastinating until some number cruncher has modelled the Universe.
So it is better to do anything - even the wrong thing rather than wait for the facts?
If you think that climate change is the result of a series of accounting errors caused by our failure to price in the true costs of burning fossil fuels, you may feel doubtful about inviting a bunch of accountants to put a price on all the hurricanes, floods, failed crops, extinct species and displaced people expected to result from global warming during this century. Try to put a value on Life, the Universe and Everything, and you will get an answer that is as meaningful as 42.
If you think that is what the cause of climate change is then there is no help for you, and what is the weather like on the world you live on?
Yet this is what is advocated by so-called rationalists reacting to what they believe is an anti-capitalist conspiracy. Bjrn Lomborg, the self-styled sceptical environmentalist, has received enormous publicity for calculating that global warming will cause $5 trillion of damage, and would cost $4 trillion to avoid.
These are such vast sums of money, he argues, that we would be better off spending the cash instead on tackling problems such as HIV/Aids. Mr Lomborg and his ilk deserve credit for asking tough questions of activists who have too often chosen the facts to suit their arguments. And they are right to argue for the most cost-effective solutions, which will not necessarily be the one-size-fits-all Kyoto Protocol. But their use of cost-benefit analysis to rank climate change against other global challenges is too crude. What the world needs from economists are sophisticated hedging strategies, not glib publicity stunts.
And you wouldn't understand a sophisticated hedging strategy if it came up and bit you..
The first mistake the rationalists make is to assume that climate change is linear, not accelerating. But we simply do not know how the Earth will respond to increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. Which is why most economists consider the cost of climate change to be much more uncertain than the costs of controlling it.
Most? - Who?
Climate scientists are much more ready to talk about the possibility of runaway warming for example, if arctic temperatures rise so much that they release the methane trapped below the permafrost. If that were to happen, well be worrying not just about vanished polar bears but whole regions rendered unsuitable for food production and millions of famine refugees.
Climate Scientists are happy to talk of all sort of things...
The second mistake is to attempt to separate poverty from climate change, when the two are so intimately linked. Climate change will hit poor nations earliest and hardest: it is likely to become a major source of conflict between rich and poor. But when temperature rises are expected to alter monsoon patterns in Asia, reducing crop yields and creating millions of famine refugees, it makes little sense for Lomborg and his colleagues to baldly prioritise hunger over climate.
Except hunger kills you in a week or so climate change doesn't
The third mistake is to assume that controlling climate change threatens capitalism. The terror of limiting fossil fuel consumption drives much sceptic fervour. But it is misplaced. Climate change is already expensive. Nine out of the 10 most costly insured weather catastrophes since 1970 have occurred in the past 15 years, as hurricanes and floods grow stronger. Swiss Re, the global re-insurer, has ordered its clients to devise strategies for handling global warming or risk losing their liability coverage.
It is the mindset of the climate change activists that is anti business. And the insurance stats are not very impressive are they?
And climate change represents a huge business opportunity. Toyota is three years ahead in the race to make green fuel cars, with its hybrid Prius. China is worried about the security of its oil supplies and would be a large enough market to give such cars the scale they need to succeed. Solar energy is growing as fast as did the mobile phone industry in the early 1990s, and every doubling in sales reduces costs by about 10 per cent. Some onshore wind power is now price-competitive with fossil fuels, though investors still worry about the newness of the technology.
Governments need to give the right market signals to encourage more investment in such technologies. This is not anti-capitalist, although it will pose difficulties for the oil industry, which cannot simply uproot its heavy investments in infrastructure. It is not anti-growth, because smart carbon taxes unlike dumb windfall levies can be offset by lower income tax. However, it will upset those who are wedded to the idea that they should drive, fly and heat their homes at the expense of the climate. Politicians fear them more than the oil companies.
Any response to climate change is a risk. But we took a bigger risk a long time ago. We have been performing a gigantic experiment on the Earths climate ever since the Industrial Revolution. It is time for those on the Right to turn their minds to what they do best: stop griping about fuel duty and help transform a mind-blowing risk into a growth opportunity.
Oh please is that meant to be a serious argument?
Posted by The Englishman at 4:53 PM
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It begins at home
The Advertiser: The Cherie effect: New laws to protect charities [10feb05]
LAWS governing fund-raising for charitable groups will be amended so proceeds cannot be "seriously eroded" by administration, management or agents fees.
Administrative Services Minister Michael Wright announced the move last night,
...less than an hour before Cherie Blair, wife of British Prime Minister Tony, arrived at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre to address 450 people who paid $195 a head.
Cherie Blair has attracted controversy for the reported $60,000 fee she is being paid for last night's speech..The events have been organised by Sydney public relations consultant Max Markson, who told The Advertiser his fee for the Adelaide dinner was $20,000.
So, 450 people at $195 equals $87750 - - Letter Box Mouth's $60,000, minus Greasy Consultants's $20,000, minus say $15 for the food. Leaves $1000 for the charity. Maybe.
Posted by The Englishman at 9:26 AM
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Bring on the Censors
Telegraph | News | Film watchdog lets James Bond carry on smoking
James Bond can carry on inhaling - whether from an elegant panatella or one of the Morland Specials that he used to produce from a gun-metal case - and the censors won't demand that Rick's Bar becomes smoke-free if Hollywood remakes Casablanca.
The British Board of Film Classification yesterday rejected calls from health groups to cut film scenes showing actors smoking. The board said such drastic action smacked of "the nanny state" and there was little public demand for the change.
Professor Gerard Hastings, director of cancer research at the UK's Centre for Tobacco Control, said: "If the BBFC doesn't accept its moral responsibility, it might as well pack up and go home."
With Michael Winterbottom's 9 Songs opening next week (a porn film that is "art"), and the producer of Tracy Emin's film saying "What is the problem with showing someone cutting their wrists realistically?", it is interesting that the Nannies demand censorship of someone having a quiet fag but that it is unacceptable to say that other dangerous behaviour - "rough sex with a stranger" "cutting your wrists" etc. - should be censored.
Posted by The Englishman at 6:43 AM
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February 9, 2005
A President of CNN speaks.
"a dreadful bunch of terrorists called the SAS, who were probably worse than the terrorists inside the Iranian embassy."
This is the view of Chris Cramer, president of CNN International in charge of its international news coverage, including everything we and the world see coming from such places as Iraq and Afghanistan.
Of course he was speaking of the Iranian Embassy siege where he was a hostage until he faked his way out after 28 hours, leaving his colleague behind. Luckily he didn't need those awful terrorist SAS scum to save his lillywhite arse otherwise they might start wondering why they bothered.
Still I'm sure his views haven't coloured CNN's view of the War on Terror. - Me, I think I will stick to blogs for news.
Posted by The Englishman at 7:29 PM
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January 28, 2005
Token Black
BBC SPORT | Football | FA apologises over England DVD
The Football Association has apologised after a DVD celebrating the best post-war England internationals failed to feature any black players.
..
But the FA withdrew all copies after complaints and will make a new edition including several black players.
So how will that make the lucky Black players who will be now included feel? "Sorry you didn't make it because you were a great footballer but we needed a few dark faces so we have now included you...
And I didn't notice any female names, or Asians or one legged players - include them all....
Posted by The Englishman at 4:51 PM
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Tsunami Joke
I apologise for not noticing this story before:
Scotsman.com News - Indian Ocean earthquake - City hunts worker over sick jokes
A COUNCIL worker is facing the threat of disciplinary action after being caught searching the internet for sick jokes about the Asian tsunami.
An investigation has been launched after the operator of an internet blog site complained to the city council.
The operator said his site, which contains a variety of news items and internet "funnies", received a hit from someone at the authority who had used the Yahoo! search engine to look for "tsunami joke".
Council officials believe it could take days to identify the individual involved as they have more than 20,000 employees.
The webmaster, on www.freedomforall.net wrote: "Somebody working for Edinburgh District Council [sic] thinks it would be fun to have a few "tsunami jokes" to tell. If the sickness of what was being done is not bad enough, they are using the council's computers and their work time to find them. I felt it was good form to give them a call and let them know. They called me to say it is being raised as a "security incident", will be investigated and result in action."
A council spokeswoman said: "We are investigating and will take appropriate action if necessary."
- A website called "Freedomforall" acting like a Gestapo informer.
A Council spending days searching out an employee to take "appropriate action".
WTF is going on?
I presume the poor sod who was trying to find a funny joke about the tsunami (all the ones I have seen have been pathetic) is going to marched off to some camp for "re-education...
Sometimes I feel there is a parallel universe out there which everyone else is living in.
Posted by The Englishman at 7:48 AM
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January 26, 2005
Fairy Tales
Some time ago I believe there was Blog set up to cover Fairy Tales - I wonder what ever became of it?
In its absence I present Little Miss Red Riding Hood.
There once was a young person named Little Red Riding Hood who lived on
the edge of a large forest full of endangered owls and rare plants that
would probably provide a cure for cancer if only someone took the time to
study them.
Red Riding Hood lived with a nurture giver whom she sometimes referred to
as "mother", although she didn't mean to imply by this term that she would
have thought less of the person if a close biological link did not in fact
exist. Nor did she intend to denigrate the equal value of nontraditional
households, although she was sorry if this was the impression conveyed.
One day her mother asked her to take a basket of organically grown fruit
and mineral water to her grandmother's house. "But mother, won't this be
stealing work from the unionised people who have struggled for years to
earn the right to carry all packages between various people in the woods?"
Red Riding Hood's mother assured her that she had called the union boss
and gotten a special compassionate mission exemption form.
"But mother, aren't you oppressing me by ordering me to do this?" Red
Riding Hood's mother pointed out that it was impossible for women to
oppress each other, since all women were equally oppressed until all wormy
were free. "But mother, then shouldn't you have my brother carry the
basket, since he's an oppressor, and should learn what it's like to be
oppressed?" And Red Riding Hood's mother explained that her brother was
attending a special rally for animal rights, and besides, this wasn't
stereotypical women's work, but an empowering deed that would help
engender a feeling of community. "But won't I be oppressing Grandma, by
implying that she's sick and hence unable to independently further her own
selfhood?" But Red Riding Hood's mother explained that her grandmother
wasn't actually sick or incapacitated or mentally handicapped in any way,
although that was not to imply that any of these conditions were inferior
to what some people called "health".
Thus Red Riding Hood felt that she could get behind the idea of delivering
the basket to her grandmother, and so she set off. Many people believed
that the forest was a foreboding and dangerous place, but Red Riding Hood
knew that this was an irrational fear based on cultural paradigms
instilled by a patriarchal society that regarded the natural world as an
exploitable resource, and hence believed that natural predators were in
fact intolerable competitors. Other people avoided the woods for fear of
thieves and deviants, but Red Riding Hood felt that in a truly classless
society all marginalised peoples would be able to "come out" of the woods
and be accepted as valid lifestyle role models.
On her way to Grandma's house, Red Riding Hood passed a woodchopper, and
wandered off the path, in order to examine some flowers. She was startled
to find herself standing before a Wolf, who asked her what was in her
basket. Red Riding Hood's teacher had warned her never to talk to
strangers, but she was confident in taking control of her own personhood,
and chose to dialogue with the Wolf.
She replied, "I am taking my Grandmother some healthful snacks in a
gesture of solidarity."
The Wolf said, "You know, my dear, it isn't safe for a little girl to walk
through these woods alone."
Red Riding Hood said, "I find your sexist remark offensive in the extreme,
but I will ignore it because of your traditional status as an outcast from
society, the stress of which has caused you to develop and alternative and
yet entirely valid worldview. Now, if you'll excuse me, I would prefer to
be on my way."
Red Riding Hood returned to the main path, and proceeded towards her
Grandmother's house. But because his status outside of society had freed
him from slavish adherence to linear, Western-style thought, the Wolf knew
of a quicker route to Grandma's house.
He burst into the house and ate Grandma, a course of action affirmative of
his nature as predator. Then, unhampered by rigid, traditionalist gender
role notions, he put on Grandma's nightclothes, crawled under the
bedclothes, and awaited developments. Red Riding Hood entered the cottage
and said, "Grandma, I have brought you some cruelty free snacks to salute
you in your role as wise and nurturing matriarch."
The Wolf said softly "Come closer, child, so that I might see you." Red
Riding Hood said, "Goddess! Grandma, what big eyes you have!" "You forget
that I am optically challenged."
"And Grandma, what an enormous and fine nose you have."
"Naturally, I could have had it fixed to help my acting career, but I
didn't give in to such societal pressures, my child."
"And Grandma, what very big, sharp teeth you have!"
The Wolf could not take any more of these specist slurs, and, in a
reaction appropriate for his accustomed milieu, he leaped out of bed,
grabbed Little Red Riding Hood, and opened his jaws so wide that she could
see her poor Grandmother cowering in his belly. "Aren't you forgetting
something?" Red Riding Hood bravely shouted. "You must request my
permission before proceeding in a new level of intimacy!" The Wolf was so
startled by this statement that he loosened his grasp on her. At the same
time, the woodchopper burst into the cottage, brandishing an axe.
"Hands off!" cried the woodchopper.
"And what do you think you're doing?" cried Little Red Riding Hood. "If I
let you help me now, I would be expressing a lack of confidence in my own
abilities, which would lead to poor self esteem and lower achievement
scores on college entrance exams."
"Last chance, sister! Get your hands off that endangered species! This is
a Police sting!" screamed the woodchopper, and when Little Red Riding Hood
nonetheless made a sudden motion, he sliced off her head. "Thank goodness
you got here in time," said the Wolf. "The brat and her grandmother lured
me in here. I though I was a goner."
"No, I think I'm the real victim, here," said the woodchopper. "I've been
dealing with my anger ever since I saw her picking those protected flowers
earlier. And now I'm going to have such a trauma. Do you have any
aspirin?"
"Sure" said the Wolf. "Thanks." "I feel your pain," said the Wolf, giving
a little belch, and said "Do you have any Milk of Magnesia?"
Posted by The Englishman at 10:50 PM
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January 25, 2005
The Holocaust and the technology of ID Cards
IBM and the Holocaust excerpts
When Hitler came to power, a central Nazi goal was to identify and destroy Germany's 600,000 Jews. To Nazis, Jews were not just those who practiced Judaism, but those of Jewish blood, regardless of their assimilation, intermarriage, religious activity, or even conversion to Christianity. Only after Jews were identified could they be targeted for asset confiscation, ghettoization, deportation, and ultimately extermination. To search generations of communal, church, and governmental records all across Germany--and later throughout Europe--was a cross-indexing task so monumental, it called for a computer. But in 1933, no computer existed.
When the Reich needed to mount a systematic campaign of Jewish economic disenfranchisement and later began the massive movement of European Jews out of their homes and into ghettos, once again, the task was so prodigious it called for a computer. But in 1933, no computer existed.
When the Final Solution sought to efficiently transport Jews out of European ghettos along railroad lines and into death camps, with timing so precise the victims were able to walk right out of the boxcar and into a waiting gas chamber, the coordination was so complex a task, this too called for a computer. But in 1933, no computer existed.
However, another invention did exist: the IBM punch card and and card sorting system--a precursor to the computer. IBM, primarily through its German subsidiary, made Hitler's program of Jewish destruction a technologic mission the company pursued with chilling success.
Posted by The Englishman at 8:53 PM
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January 23, 2005
Students today - huh!
attempting escape: Student Life - Party shows the depravity of the young.
No one smoking, not even a cigarette - let alone a monster five paper spliff. No offensive posters on the wall. No Nazi armbands. Nothing smashed. No girl crying in the corner. No sick. For God's sake man, what the hell are you playing at? Start behaving like a proper student.
Posted by The Englishman at 8:51 PM
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January 22, 2005
I said turn left!
MSN Maps & Directions - Get Directions
Then follow these instructions ...
Change the "Address in" box to Norway. In the first "City" box
enter: haugesund
Change the End "Address In" box to Norway . In the "City" box
enter: trondheim
Click "Get Directions"
(Now do it again, choosing "shortest" instead of "quickest").
Um - I think I will stick to my trusty old Atlas..
Posted by The Englishman at 7:07 PM
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Uneasy
BBC NEWS | England | Cornwall | Super-crane in Eden granite task
The crane arrived last week on more than 30 lorries and then took a week to put together.... Sculptor Peter-Randall Page will spend a year turning the stone into a giant seed which will be the centrepiece of the new education building at the Eden Project.
I have been to the Eden Project and a fine morning out it is (and having an MA in Agircultural Science - I find crop plants from around the world more interesting than most) So why am I unhappy that I have an uneasy feeling that the cost of this huge crane and the rock botherer will be paid for by the tax payer...
Posted by The Englishman at 12:42 AM
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January 20, 2005
Institutionalised
Only one entry today - been busy discussing "schooling provision" for our four year old with earnest women in sensible shoes - I tried an experiment - Getting a child "institutionalised" for school is a positive thing in their view. The ONLY benefit of going to a mainstream school that was mentioned - and mentioned repeatedly was that of "socialisation with her peers". Mrs Du Toit has written much sense on this (though her search engine seems to let her down and I can't find her last jewel about what she thinks of this argument).
I think we will continue to look at alternatives.
Posted by The Englishman at 9:40 PM
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January 14, 2005
Lazy to spend longer in prison
BBC NEWS | Politics | Minister defends fines means test
The prisons minister has defended plans to make wealthier offenders pay higher fines than their poorer counterparts for the same offence.
So it only makes sense that Lard Arsed Benefit Scrounging Layabouts should spend longer in prison than busy Middle Class types. For your LABSLs prison isn't that different from their dear home life whereas for your workaholic busy family man the gulf is huge. Therefore to make the experience of prison "fairer" LABSLS should spend twp or three times the amount of time banged up for the same crime - No?
Posted by The Englishman at 8:45 PM
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Compare and contrast
BBC NEWS | Politics | Tougher intruder laws ruled out
Liberal Democrat spokesman Mark Oaten welcomed the government's decision, ...
"What we would not want to do is extend that so you actually feel it's your responsibility to go down the stairs and actually attack the burglar,"
"The only thing necessary for evil
to flourish is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke
Posted by The Englishman at 7:49 AM
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January 5, 2005
Wessex revolt - not long ago. - Repost
IN the 1940s, George Raymond Walden, a British farmer, aged 65, was shot and killed by British police officers who were supporting members of the War Agricultural Committee in dispossessing him of his lawful property at Itchen Stoke in Hampshire
During both the First and Second World Wars the need to produce as much food as possible was paramount. In an attempt to increase food production, County War Agricultural Executive committees were set up to supervise agricultural production in their local areas. In practice the "War Ags" were the local arm of national government, especially in the over-seeing of the ploughing up land and the achievement of production targets.
The farmers were evicted - often without warning - under the Defence of the Realm Act, by the all-powerful County War Agricultural Executive Committees (the 'War Ags').
Professor Brian Short (CCS), a geographer whose research interests embrace the activities of these committees and their impact on rural communities, was able to provide vital information using newly available material obtained from the Public Record Office and via oral history.
By 1946 more than 1,800 farms in England and Wales were still held by the 'War Ags'. Astonishingly, farmers were graded A, B or C by other locals and those graded C might in some cases be evicted.
Brian said: "Families were made to feel like pariahs in their communities, although some War Ags took their roles more seriously than others." In one notorious 1940 case, a Hampshire farmer was shot dead by police for refusing to leave his life-long family farm.
"The case of George Walden was most incredible," said Brian. "When he refused to leave, police dropped gas bombs down his chimney. But he had his gas mask and refused to move. In the end they came back armed. The coroner's report described it as 'justifiable homicide'."
While it could be claimed that with wartime food-shortage emergencies, the 'War Ags' were basically successful in their aim to ensure continuity of food supplies, the social cost - arising from the sometimes callous treatment of farmers - is still felt today.
In 1952 A G Street wrote a novel "Shameful Harvest". This is the best study of how petty local bureaucrats for the best of reasons end up acting like the Gestapo and how sometimes the honourable thing to do is fight them.
Update - I have now found the inquest report, reproduced below. It tells the full story of the clash between an Englishman in his Castle and the government taking our freedom and liberties in the name of defending them. How resonant that sounds today.
Ralph Waldo Emerson: For what avail the plough or sail, or land or life, if freedom fail
The Itchen Stoke Shooting Tragedy
George Raymond WALDEN
Verdict of Justifiable Homicide
From the Hampshire Chronicle archives 1940, with kind permission.
The adjourned inquest was held on Tuesday afternoon at the Guildhall, Winchester, on the death of George Raymond Walden, the 65 year old farmer of Borough Farm, Itchen Stoke, who died on Tuesday week following a siege of his farm by police officers. Mr Walden, who was a bachelor and had lived all his life at Borough Farm (which his father had farmed before him) had resisted the attempts to evict him from his home after his failure to comply with the cultivation directions of the Hampshire County War Agricultural Executive. The inquest was conducted by Mr Theo E Brown (Winchester City Coroner) sitting with a jury. There were also present Mr R Knox (Deputy Chief Constable of the County), Mr W G Stratton (Head Constable of Winchester), Mr C G Hickson (Deputy Clerk to the County Council, representing the police), Mr D C M Scott (representing the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Hampshire County War Agricultural Executive), Mr S A Pettifer (representing Sir Anthony Tichborne – the landlord – and Messrs James Harris and Son agents for the Tichborne Estate), Mr R R Geech (representing members of the deceased’s family), Supt Fielder, and others, Police constable Draper, who was shot during the incidents at Borough Farm, attended the court on a stretcher.
William Roland Meads, 82 High Street, Winchester, Cultivation Officer for the County War Agricultural Executive Committee – the Committee responsible for carrying out the Defence General Regulations under powers delegated by the Ministry of Agriculture, said that after due consideration, the Committee made a Cultivation Order in respect of property owned by Mr Walden – an order dated April 17th, 1940. The order directed the ploughing, summer fallowing, and preparing for cropping in 1941 of two areas amounting to approximately four acres. That order was not complied with. The matter was further considered in connection with both the landlord and the tenant and an order for taking possession on July 20th was issued. That was nothing to do with the landlord, but the action of the County War Agricultural Committee under authority from the Ministry of Agriculture.
John Reginald Morton, the Carfax Hotel, Winchester, Assistant County Land Officer, employed by the Hampshire County War Agricultural Committee, said he prepared a schedule of Borough Farm, in support of the application to the Ministry. He corroborated that notice to terminate the tenancy on June 20th was served on the deceased. On June 24th, Mrs Roskilly, the sister of Mr Walden, came to see him and he gave her some friendly advice, the following day and explained the position fully to him. He was not successful in persuading Mr Walden what the real position was. Notice of intention to take possession on July 20th was then served upon him. Arrangements were made with the Chief Constable of the County that two constables should be present at Borough Farm at 11.20 am on July 22nd to see that there was no breach of the peace. He was instructed to carry out the taking possession, and when he got there the police were already there. He tried the doors and found them locked. They found it necessary to break open the back door and the inner door. As they went though the inner door one of the two policemen with him call out to him, saying that Walden was inside with a gun and advising him to go outside. He went out and Walden re-fastened the outer door.
Police constable Draper, stationed at Ropley, said that at 11.30 am on July 22nd he went, on instructions, with Police constable Cripps to Borough Farm. He saw Walden standing at the back of the farmyard. Cripps went first and said “Good morning, Mr Walden, I want to speak to you” Walden said “No!” and something else which he could not catch. Walden then closed the door and bolted it top and bottom. Cripps shouted to him but there was no reply. The position was explained to Mr Morton (who had arrived) and then he and Police constable Cripps got through the back door into the scullery. They went on through the door into the kitchen (which was fastened on the inside) and Cripps then said “Look out. Here he comes with a gun.” Neither he nor Cripps had any firearms with them then, so they withdrew out to the yard. Cripps went off to inform the Police Superintendent, while he remained to watch Walden’s movements. At about 12.50 he was standing at the entrance to the cow pen yard when he heard the back door open. He stepped behind a board fence and he peeped over. He saw Walden about 12-15 yards away, so he said “Well, what are you going to do now?” Walden raised the gun and fired with one barrel of a double barrelled gun. He was struck in both legs and one arm. Walden said nothing to him at all then or at any time. A roadman and field workers came to his assistance. There were 15 pellets in the left leg, two in the right leg, and two in the left arm. He was taken home and later to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital.
Police constable Cripps, stationed at Preston Candover, said he was with Police constable Draper on July 22nd. He corroborated what Police constable Draper had said about the occurrences that day. He said that when he was in the kitchen he saw Walden creeping down the stairs with a gun. He went off to inform the Superintendent, while Draper remained. On his return he heard that Draper had been shot. In the afternoon he tried to get Walden to come out, but without success. He went away and returned about midnight with other officers under Inspector Hatcher. He and other constables threw four tear gas canisters into the house; they then heard movements and he and another office stood by the side of the door to arrest Walden as he came out. The door opened a little and Walden fired twice through the partly opened door without hitting anyone. Then a third shot was fired, presumably from another gun as he had not had time to reload. The door was shut again and barricaded from the inside.
A half an hour later they forced the house and at the foot of the stairs they found an empty civilian gas respirator case. The witness said he lifted the latch of the door at the bottom of the stairs but heard a movement on the stairs. He withdrew quickly and just got out of the way when another shot rang out. Later he went across the farmyard towards the front door and he was shot at again, this time receiving some of the shots in his right arm, right leg and chin, and Inspector Hatcher, who was with him was also slightly wounded in the left hand. He remained on duty outside the premises until 7 am the next morning, keeping out of sight of the house. Then he left and when he returned Walden was being carried out of the house suffering from severe injuries.
Inspector Hatcher, of the Hants Constabulary, stationed at Basingstoke, said he saw Draper after he had been shot at his home at Ropley. The same afternoon police officers were stationed all round Borough Farm. His intention was to arrest Walden on a charge of attempting to murder Police constable Draper. Tear gas canisters were thrown into the farm with the intention of making him come out and from this point on he corroborated Cripps evidence. Later additional police officers were brought to the farm and the house was surrounded. Shortly before 7 am both the outer doors of the house were forced and wedged open. Walden fired at the officers then.
Sgt Longman together with three constables entered the scullery by the back door and Sgt Longman called to Walden to surrender assuring him that no harm would befall him. Walden did not comply and said “You are going to kill me or I am going to kill you; I am not going to give in” The scullery door was forced and he heard several more shots fired the last in fairly close succession. He went in by the front door and found Walden lying on the floor of the kitchen in a kind of sitting posture and with a severe wound on the right side of his head. By his right was a double barrelled gun, which he did not have hold of but which was pointing towards his head. He searched the premises, and found, in addition to the double barrelled 12 bore gun by the side of Walden, a single barrelled 4.10 gun and a certain amount of ammunition for both guns, some of which had been fired. He gave evidence also of the shot marks which were on the walls of the premises, and said that there was no mark anywhere of any shots in the ceiling. Both the guns used by the police and Walden’s double barrelled gun were firing No. 6 cartridges.
Police sergeant Longman, stationed at Basingstoke, spoke of the final attack upon the house. He entered the scullery with three constables, and found that the door to the kitchen was secured. He forced the door open and saw the barrel of a gun pointing towards him from the stairs. He pushed the door to, and shots were fired. He called out to Walden, and said “Put your gun down and surrender.” Walden replied “I am going to kill you like you are going to kill me; I am not going to give in.” He said “Don’t be a silly man, put up your gun and come out.” Walden, however, fired and taking a gun which one of the constables gave him he fired back twice towards the stairs. He called out again to Walden telling him to come out, but Walden only fired in reply. One of these shots struck him in the neck, so he gave the gun to Police constable Cole, who also called on Walden to surrender and later fired. Hearing a groan he went into the kitchen and at that moment Inspector Hatcher came in at the front door with other constables.
Police constable Cole corroborated Sergeant Longman’s statement up to the time when the latter was hit by a shot and he took the gun. He then said to Walden “Come out and put that gun down.” And Walden replied “No, I am not coming out; I am going to shoot.” He looked out of the door and saw Walden standing on the stairs pointing the gun directly at him. He could see what looked like this elbow and he fired at that. Walden’s gun was then withdrawn and after a short time he heard a groan. He then went into the kitchen with Sergeant Longman and found Walden in the position that Inspector Hatcher had described.
Dr Charles Hall Wrigley, Pathologist to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, said that the deceased man died on the same day as that on which he was admitted to Hospital suffering from gun-shot wounds. He made a post-mortem examination, and found a gun-shot wound on one side of the head; there were 30 pellets there in a circle about 4 inches in diameter. One pellet went through the right eye and it was that one pellet which caused his death. There were no signs of scorching or powder marks. Death was due to injury to the brain, following gunshot wounds.
Howard Albert Davies, 6 Southgate Street, Winchester, a gunsmith, said that there were approximately 280 pellets in a No. 6 12 bore cartridge. He said that if such a cartridge had been fired at the head of a man from 2 ft range, there would certainly be some scorching. Moreover, if a man had fired it at himself from such a range there would be a total wound of the head; he did not think there would be much of the head left. At such a distance also one would find not also the pellets but the wad.
Summing up the case, the Coroner said that it had aroused some notoriety but when one came to boil it down there was really very little in it. Going shortly over the facts, he said that this man, George Raymond Walden had been ordered by the County War Agricultural Committee in the execution of their duty, to do certain acts upon his farm. A good many attempts were made to induce him to carry out what had been ordered; but he disregarded the order; in fact he flouted it, and he did not attempt in any shape or form to do what he had been ordered to do. In consequence, the War Agricultural Committee had applied to the Ministry of Agriculture, and they had been authorised to take a certain course, which was they if they failed to get their orders carried out they were to evict Walden from the farm. That eviction, as the evidence had showed, had nothing whatever to do with the landlord, Sir Anthony Tichborne, or his agents. That was the position of July 22nd. Eviction at all times was a somewhat difficult process of law, and the War Agricultural Committee, in their wisdom, made application to the Chief Constable of Hampshire for two police officers to accompany their representative to see that there was no breach of the peace. That was a very proper and very ordinary proceeding, and the two officers – Police constable Draper and Police constable Cripps – together with Mr Morton, went to the house, and made a peaceable approach to take possession of the land. He pointed out the significance of the answer given by one of them to his question to the effect that they were not armed at the time. One of these officers remained behind while the other officer went to report that Walden was armed. Then, without warning Walden shot at the constable who was left in what we could only describe as a murderous manner.
Reinforcements were obtained, and without going into the whole of the story, entrance was ultimately obtained to the house. But before that and after it and practically continuously until 7 o’clock the following morning, this man was shooting at every officer who appeared, and as a result he wounded four. They had all seen that afternoon the poor fellow who while standing there unarmed, had been fired at and badly wounded by the man who refused to carry out a lawful, command. After that the position was entirely changed. It passed from what he might call a civil proceeding to a criminal act. Walden, without any justification whatever, had fired at Police constable Draper and wounded him. The subsequent events which took place were done in the attempt to arrest Walden. If he had not been killed in this unfortunate affair he would undoubtedly have had to stand his trial on a charge of attempted murder. They Walden died of a gun shot no one would have any doubt whatever. In his humble opinion too, the evidence had entirely disposed of any suggestion that he committed suicide. The evidence, he thought, showed beyond all doubt that it was a shot from one of the policemen which caused the injury from which Walden died. If they came to that conclusion, he thought the proper verdict for them to return was that this man died from gunshot wounds inflicted by a police office in the proper execution of his duty, and was therefore justifiable homicide.
The law with regard to justifiable homicide in circumstances like these was they where a police officer was resisted in the legal execution of his duty he might repel force by force and if in so doing, without disproportionate violence, he killed the party resisting him, that was justifiable homicide. An officer was not bound to withdraw, but could stand his ground and attack a party who was attacking him – for who would submit quietly to arrest if, where resistance was offered, the police were bounds to retire. An officer in the course of the legal execution of his duty was entitled to the protection of the law and there was no doubt that they were carrying out their legal duties on this occasion. They were met by force – by murderous force – and they were entitled to repel it with force. He had no hesitation whatever in directing them in this case that, so far as the police were concerned, it was a case of justifiable homicide.
After a short retirement, the foreman of the jury announced that they found that Walden died of gunshot wounds inflicted by the police in self defence and in the execution of their duty. Their verdict therefore was one of justifiable homicide. On behalf of the jury the foreman expressed their sympathy with Police constable Draper and wished him a speedy recovery.
The same expression was made by Mr Geech on behalf of the relatives, and sympathy with the relatives was expressed by Mr Pettifer on behalf of his clients, mentioning that this unfortunate affair closed an association lasting many years. Mr Scott, on behalf of the County War Agriculture Committee, also expressed his regrets at the occurrence.
Transcribed from a report in the Hampshire Chronicle dated Saturday, 3rd August 1940
Source
Posted by The Englishman at 8:58 PM
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December 31, 2004
Silent inflation
BBC NEWS | England | London | Silence before midnight for dead
David Campbell, of Visit London said: "We start out with a minute's silence in respect of all the people who have died and also remembering the people who have got a catastrophic life ahead....
Two minutes' silence will be held just before Big Ben chimes midnight as a mark of respect to those who died the Asian tsunami disaster...
More. A three-minute silence is to be held on Wednesday to remember the 124,000 known to have died...
Stop! One minute is enough to show respect - two minutes for Remembrance Day Services only, any more is just gratutious showing off as how "caring" you are.
The central element of Remembrance Day ceremonies is the one minute silence.
A Melbourne journalist, Edward George Honey, first proposed a period of silence for national remembrance in a letter published in the London Evening News on 8 May 1919.
The suggestion came to the attention of King George V. After testing the practicality of five minutes silence - a trial was held with five Grenadier Guardsmen standing to attention for the silence - the King issued a proclamation on 7 November 1919 which called for a two-minute silence. His proclamation requested that "all locomotion should cease, so that, in perfect stillness, the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the glorious dead".
Posted by The Englishman at 8:44 PM
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December 13, 2004
You're not from around here are you?
Guardian Unlimited Politics | This week | New Dales homes: only locals need apply
A long-awaited challenge to the open housing market is about to be launched across a swath of Northern England, after robust backing from a government planning inquiry.
Virtually all new housing in the Yorkshire Dales will be limited to needy locals and incomers taking existing jobs. The radical plan has been drawn up by all-party and independent members of the National Park authority.
.....
Peter Watson, the head of planning at the park authority, said: "There is no logic in meeting open-market demand in the National Park because we can't build enough houses to bring prices down to levels affordable for local people without destroying the landscape. The obvious approach is to build homes only for people who work here.
Calling all Austrian Economists - can we have some help here please!
Forget all the other arguments against this madness all you are doing is developing Rural Slums where the happy home owner has the rung above him removed - if you are stuck in a cheap locals house how are you ever going to build up your capital to move to a proper grown-ups house?
Of course soon I expect to see Travel Permits and Work Permits having to be shown as you cross the border into the Park - "Your Papers Please"....
Posted by The Englishman at 10:06 PM
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November 30, 2004
Geography Question 3
Which London Underground Station Name shares none of its letters with the word "Mackerel"?
Posted by The Englishman at 7:28 PM
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November 8, 2004
Pigs are squealing
The two sows and piglets are are a bit annoyed this morning - their breakfast is late. I'm waiting for the feed lorry to turn up, hopefully, at 7:30 as I have run out. As they squeal roud the trough I'm reminded of a story in the news...
BBC NEWS | Scotland | Lawyer loses 50,000 slip claim
One of Scotland's leading lawyers has failed in an attempt to sue Edinburgh City Council for 50,000 after he slipped on an icy pavement.
Gordon Jackson QC, who is also a Labour MSP,.(48,000 + perks).Mr Jackson was criticised last December for taking a directorship at Kilmarnock Football Club.
Scottish National Party MSP Nicola Sturgeon accused Mr Jackson of showing "contempt" for his constituents in Glasgow Govan by making another commitment outside Holyrood.
He was, at the time, the only MSP not to have spoken in a Holyrood debate since the May elections.
When elected as an MSP, Mr Jackson came under fire when he said he would be continuing his legal work.(243,000)
Posted by The Englishman at 6:46 AM
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November 5, 2004
Welcome to Kennet - my arse!
Today's question is why is Kennet District Council so anti-business?
I am extremely pissed off with Kennet District Council - I think my letter to the leader of The Council
and the Press explains it all. - You will remember to send me a cake with a file in it when I am languishing in the Gaol, won't you?
A few years ago I started up a business in Marlborough which luckily was successful. Marlborough is a lovely town but parking for businesses was a nightmare. When the Council proposed measures to make it worse we objected and wrote to the press. We said the changes would drive business from the town. The changes went ahead so when we received several million pounds of investment we didn't look for new premises in Marlborough, we went to Newbury where we created 60 highly paid jobs.
Six weeks ago I started a new business, in Devizes this time. It is going very well and the people and businesses in the area are fantastic. How does Kennet District Council welcome us? Is there a nice automated note from the Leader welcoming us to the area, thanking us for contributing to the local economy, a helpful booklet explaining the area and what the Council can do to help? No. The first thing we get from the Council is a summons for non-payment of rates. No rates bill, no reminder, just a summons. I don't know when they think we should have paid the rates as I haven't had the bill, but it can't have been more than a week or so overdue so a summons seems completely out of proportion.
In all my years of business I have never been summoned for non-payment before so I ring up the council and explain we have not had a rates bill, or a rates valuation or even seen a reminder. Could they please send me copies of everything so we can pay our way. I am told they "don't have any documents, we just have a list we take to the court". So it makes it a bit difficult to pay an invoice if they won't send a copy doesn't it! Hopefully the Magistrates will drill some sense into the Council .
And as we expand this new business I will remember Kennet's Council anti-business attitude.
Posted by The Englishman at 9:12 AM
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October 14, 2004
Warning: Sometimes you get what you ask for.
BBC NEWS | Wales | South West Wales | Son loses fortune over rude letter
A barrister cut out of his mother's will after writing her a hurtful letter has failed to win a share of her 250,000 estate.
Mark Parker told his terminally ill mother he 'would rather sit in the gutter' than ask her for a penny.
His mother Joan, from Swansea, changed her will and left almost everything to another son, Christopher.
Mr Parker was refused permission to challenge an earlier ruling in the county courts that the will was valid. .."her decision to cut him out of her will could not be described as "irrational".
Good for her - he sounds like a right little shit and - "tautology alert" - a barrister as well.
Posted by The Englishman at 10:01 PM
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October 5, 2004
Auditing the nanny state
Nanny Knows Best
is a website I had missed - now in the blogroll.
Posted by The Englishman at 8:38 PM
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September 30, 2004
Moonbat centre closes due to lack of support
BBC NEWS | England | Cornwall | Energy tourist attraction shuts
A tourist attraction in Cornwall which cost 5m to build has shut just three years after opening.
The Gaia Energy Centre at Delabole, which is on the site of Britain's first commercial windfarm, was supposed to attract 150,000 visitors a year.
However, only a tenth of that number actually toured the centre.
And guess who has paid for this farce..
As my local councillor said last night about something different: "it's not taxpayer's money, the government paid for it!"
Posted by The Englishman at 9:54 PM
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September 28, 2004
More on conker bonkers and pigs..
EDP24 - It's a mad, bad, sad PC world
From the cutting down of conker trees and the banning of bouncy castles to a halt on hot cross buns and literature featuring pigs for fear of offending Muslim schoolchildren political correctness must have overstepped the mark for even the most staunch devotee....
Posted by The Englishman at 10:33 PM
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September 21, 2004
Restores your faith in people.
kuro5hin.org has an article about: "The case of Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia of over one million articles where anyone is able to write or edit any article at any time. According to the canon of academic orthodoxy, Wikipedia has no right to be as well written, professional, and accurate as it is. Not to say it is perfect, it isn't, but the vast majority of the articles are well written and many are comparable or better than their encyclopedia Britannica equivalents. This from a website where any person can write or change any article at any time, with no one paid to do quality control and no real punishments to those who vandalize the system other than being banned from the site itself. How then was Wikipedia able to accomplish this, despite all the naysayers?"
You may notice I often link to to the Wiki when posting because of the wonderful articles on it. So why does it work. I think it is because basically people are good, helpful and trustworthy. If you believe that then you are one of us. If you believe no one can be trusted than you believe in regulation, legislation and persecution. The Wikipedia is a shining example in a dark and depressing world.
Posted by The Englishman at 10:49 PM
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August 18, 2004
Piss off you pompous Greek gits
ATHENS 2004 Organising Commitee for the Olympic Games -Website Hyperlink Policy
For your protection and ours we have established a procedure for parties wishing to introduce a link to the ATHENS 2004 website on their site. By introducing a link to the ATHENS 2004 official Website on your site you are agreeing to comply with the ATHENS 2004 Website General Terms and Conditions. In order to place a link embedded in copy interested parties should:
You can't even spell Committee!
a) Use the term ATHENS 2004 only, and no other term as the text referent
Or reference so if I referent(sic) the drug addled spectacle of hopping, skipping and jumping freaks I can't link, oh.
b) Not associate the link with any image, esp. the ATHENS 2004 Emblem (see paragraph below)
The last time I saw an image of "Greek practices" I nearly spilt my drink, I don't think I will look at yours if that is OK
c) Send a request letter to the Internet Department stating:
Short description of site
Reason for linking
Unique URL containing the link (if no unique URL than just the main URL)
Publishing period
Contact point (e-mail address)
Once the request has been mailed, interested parties can proceed to include the link and will only receive a response if ATHENS 2004 does not accept the link. All requests should be sent to:
The Internet Department
Iolkou 8 and Filikis Eterias str.
GR-142 34 N. Ionia, Athens
Tel: +30 210 2004 000
Fax: +30 210 2004 800
e-mail: (All information submitted using this e-mail address is governed by the ATHENS 2004 Privacy Policy)
terms@athens2004.gr
The above policy applies for links embedded in copy only and not to links using the official ATHENS 2004 Emblem.
OK I will try and remember to send a request - you guys don't get the twenty first century do you?
Thanks to Blogdial for the link
Posted by The Englishman at 5:33 PM
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August 10, 2004
More German Jokes
An Englishman's Castle: JOKES FROM GERMANY is the most popular post I have ever done! - and recently some kind Germans have been contributing some Jokes, for instance:
Ein Mann kauft sich Viagra-Tabletten.
Kommt sein Papagei und frit sie alle auf.
Sagt der Mann:
"Oh Gott, oh Gott, was mach ich blo?.... Ab in die Tiefkhltruhe, damit er sich wieder abkhlen kann!!!!"
Stunden spter erinnert er sich endlich an seinen armen Papagei in der Tiefkhltruhe, ffnet sie und findet seinen Papagei vor, schweigebadet...
"Was ist denn mit Dir los? Wieso schwitzt Du so? Du bist seit
Stunden in der Truhe!!!!"
Sagt der Papagei:
"Was meinst Du, wie anstrengend es ist, den tiefgefrorenen Hhnern die Schenkel auseinander zu biegen!"
Which translates as:
A man buys Viagra tablets. Its parrot comes and eats it all up. The man says: "Oh God, oh God, which Mach I only?.... Off into the deep-freeze, so that it knows itself again cooling!!!!" Later it reminds, opens hours finally of its poor parrot in the deep-freeze it and finds its parrot, weldingbathed... "is the matter with you what? Why sweat does you in such a way? You are for hours in the chest!!!!" The parrot says: "which you mean, like it are arduous to bend to the frozen chickens the thighs apart!"
Very Gud! Ja.
Posted by The Englishman at 8:56 PM
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August 5, 2004
Pravda tells the truth
Stotty makes the front page of PRAVDA.Ru !
"I should like to apologise for what appears to have been the disgraceful behaviour of the British delegation to the recent climate change conference held in Russia. I believe Russia is doing the world a great service by questioning the wisdom of the Kyoto Protocol and of the 'science' behind the idea of 'global warming'. continues
Posted by The Englishman at 6:49 AM
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August 2, 2004
Athletic Women
Just reviewing the all time results of Olympics - Women's Javelin Throw I was struck by who has won the most or as they put it More) Gold Medals - View image, I am sure Ruth does! - and Beate Koch (EG) was third in '88.
Schoolboy humour at its best.
Posted by The Englishman at 7:24 AM
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July 19, 2004
One for Mr Free Market
As he relaxes into another hard week at work I thought hew might enjoy this article..Mike S. Adams: How to collect guns and irritate PETA
Posted by The Englishman at 8:30 AM
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July 2, 2004
Conspicuous Consumption and Global Warming
No blogging yesterday as the Broadband line went down and in the evening I went to a Public Lecture in All Cannings Village Hall to hear about the Iron Age site at All Cannings Cross. The archaeologists have produced a preliminary report of their findings but were also kind enough to come down and talk through the whole conundrum these midden sites pose. David McOmish started talking about East Chisenbury on Salisbury Plain, which is a midden of refuse so large and strange it re-defines the concept of `rubbish' and its `disposal'.
The East Chisenbury midden is a famous example of a large dump, dating to the 1st millennium BCE. Sited on Salisbury Plain in the United Kingdom, the midden mound contains discrete layer upon layer of flint, charcoal, bones, pottery and excrement. It survives to a height of 2.5m and measures 140m in width despite 2,500 years of weathering. The accumulation is believed by some archaeologists to have a ritual basis, with ritual deposition of produce and waste being suggested as an explanation for its size and longevity.
Sampling of the site suggests that it was produced in less than a hundred years and contains half a million butchered sheep remains, plus some cows and a few pigs. That is some feasting! - Look at the size of it again. My compost heap rots down to a couple of inches high very quickly - this one is still over two metres thick after 2500 years, and it covers the area of 6 football pits.
All Cannings Cross is the same, and so it seems is another one less than half a mile away from All Cannings Cross, and there is probably a third one where my house is built!
The Vale of Pewsey seems unique in containing these vast feasting sites and about 6 have been identified so far. So all very interesting with more questions than answers still.
And how could Iron Age Wiltshire man afford such extravagance? - the climate was a couple of degrees warmer than now and a bit dryer, so agriculture was more productive. When that little episode of global warming stopped and the climate went wet and cold again it all stopped!
Posted by The Englishman at 6:47 AM
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June 17, 2004
Ecotourism
A link from not.onlymyself to a proposed ecotourist holiday - I know a man who might be interested - Norway considers tourist seal hunt - (UPI)
The Norwegian government is considering opening its annual seal hunt to tourists who pay for training and guides, the Aftenposten newspaper said Wednesday.
Norway's parliament, the Storting, cleared Fishery Minister Svein Ludvigsen's proposal to make seal hunting a tourist attraction.
There is now a quota of 2,000 animals per year for Norwegian hunters, who must pass a shooting exam and also win a permit by lottery. The quota is rarely reached because of the unpredictability of the wind and seas.
Under the government tourism proposal, in order to participate in the difficult hunt applicants must be also be gun-qualified, and would need certified guides.
Now I know what to say when my Guardian reader friends ask "Going anywhere interesting for your holidays? We have got this super litle farmhouse in the..." "YES actually I'm going Seal hunting in Norway"
Posted by The Englishman at 4:29 PM
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June 14, 2004
Disinfopedia
Disinfopedia was brought to my attention again. It is a "a collaborative project to produce a directory of public relations firms, think tanks, industry-funded organizations and industry-friendly experts that work to influence public opinion and public policy on behalf of corporations, governments and special interests." As such anyone can go in an edit and create the entries (some safeguards exist) It is interesting that Philip Stott has a couple of long pages whereas Tony Blair only gets a couple of lines. All our favourite think tanks are here, ASI, iea etc.
And also the baddies such as Greenpeace, Forum for the Future, but I notice that Lord Melchett: Aristocrat eco-warrior and Sir Jonathon Espie Porritt are still awaiting entries. If you fancy your hand at adding information to help the public it would be a public spirited act to dive in and start writing. No experience necessary.
Posted by The Englishman at 10:44 PM
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May 31, 2004
A Book to order
Thanks to Doctor Curmudgeon & Co.
for pointing out this from Economist.com | The English countryside about Roger Scruton's new book -
It is a lovely read. Mr Scruton is an accomplished stylist and his vignettes of rural life are sparklingly written, affectionate without being cloying. He starts with the history of the land, shaped by centuries of cultivation; then he describes the people, with their quirks, talents, feuds and (sometimes) failings. Next come the animals, such as the beloved, disciplined working dogs, a world away from the useless pampered pets of city life. He rails against the bureaucratisation of livestock farming: lists, registers, rules and artificial standards, all of which waste time and money, and increase both human and animal suffering.
Posted by The Englishman at 9:45 PM
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May 18, 2004
McDonald's Victims
The Times lauds a new film:
"The summer's first break-out indie hit looks to be Super Size Me, a $300,000 documentary shot on video by Morgan Spurlock about his experiment of eating nothing but McDonald's fast food for a month. This "tongue-in-cheek and burger-in-hand"� film became the most talked-about movie at the Sundance film festival earlier this year.
The statistics it rolls out are sobering, even to anyone who has read Fast Food Nation. Two in five children and two in three adults now suffer from obesity in America. One in ten develops diabetes. People who develop the disease before the age of 17 lose on average 17-27 years of their life. Perhaps the most shocking sight is the serving of fast food in school canteens to waddling teenagers.
Spurlocks own regimen offers graphic proof of the drawbacks of fast food. During his one month of McDonalds, he piled on 25lb (11.3kg), developed headaches and depression, lost his sex drive and turned his liver into pt.
Whereas the far more sensible Soso Whaley has also made a film about living on McDonalds food for a month.
She says she lost 13 pounds and never felt hungry.
- Whaley feels that some of Spurlocks arguments are unfair. For instance, McDonalds is not trying to trick anyone with the caloric content of their menu, as nutritional information is readily available. Spurlock apparently also makes a case against McDonalds specifically targeting children. Whaley says that McDonalds is no different from any other place, and that it is hypocritical to say that McDonalds doing so is a bad thing. She says that the McDonalds Play Places give kids a chance for some exercise, and an opportunity to be social with other kids.
- From the press release, Whaley was surprised at the uproar over Spurlocks film. I cant believe all the attention over Morgan Spurlocks Super Size Me film. All He did was eat like a pig to make his point.
But I guess no one is going to listen to her - Big Nasty American Corporations are EVIL.....
Posted by The Englishman at 9:33 PM
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April 16, 2004
Please make me happy by taxing me more.
BBC NEWS | UK | Blair attacked on quality of life
Sir Jonathon Espie Porritt's little think tank has come up with a report which basically says "(we) recommend higher taxes to promote healthier lifestyles....the government must fight the "delusion" that economic wealth necessarily made people happier...The problem of climate change is now as important to the world as international terrorism"
I could read the rest of this ridiculous report but I can't be arsed - it wouldn't improve the "quality of my life" to listen to more of this bollocks.
Posted by The Englishman at 1:09 PM
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March 23, 2004
Harrison's Law
Let me present to you Harrison's Law or The Maths of Crime, Victims and Community Service:
1. Thief steals from you (thief: +1 unit of energy; you: -1 unit of energy)
2. Thief ends up working for the community (thief: -0.9 units of energy; community: +0.9 units of energy)
3. Thief pays lawyer costs (thief: -0.1 unit of energy; lawyers: +0.1 unit of energy)
Totals:
Thief: 0 (he paid his debt in his eyes, clear conscience)
Community: +0.9 (free lunch, relies on criminal activity being brought to court)
Lawyers: +0.1 (keeps them in business)
You: -1 (you lose!)
You get nothing in compensation and still feel robbed.
Posted by The Englishman at 9:42 AM
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March 16, 2004
Modern Art
The Saatchi Gallery has always been in the business in buying wholesale and then "marketing" the product and selling retail. As we all know where there is "muck there is brass", but I would respect them more if they actually made their money from Septic tank cleaning rather than peddling the crap they do.
I'm afraid you are too late to visit the Chapman Bros output: "The Chapmans reflect contemporary thought by taking the headlines to their ultimate conclusion: genetic modification, nuclear war, cultural holocaust, anti-capitalism. The most disturbing thing about the Chapmans isnt the violence, or the cynicism, or the outright perverted: its the looming question of What If?
DNA Zygotic
The Chapmans sculptures of mutated children are possible by-products of gene tampering, nuclear spills, or cloning experiments gone horribly awry. Whatever the evil, its not the childrens fault: theyre placid, angelic creatures who seem to take no notice that they have 4 legs, or 12 heads, or genitals for a face. If theyre disturbing, thats the viewers hang-up. The children themselves seem to relish their strange beauty, know that theyre one-of-a-kinds: each one having been made by hand in the artists studio.
Zygotic acceleration, biogenetic, de-sublimated libidinal model
In Zygotic acceleration, the Chapmans take aim at the world of advertising. A team of pre-teen girls osmose in a bizarre, sexualised fashion orgy. Their genital-less bodies melt into each other, creating a single hermaphroditic torso. ..." and so on ad nauseam
But don't worry the next heap of ordure is being hyped now, the usual story of "shocking" someone to get the column inches - never mind it is the grieving parents of a dead girl, it gets publicity...
And this is the picture, I show it so you can judge if its artistic greatness, its skill, its subtlety, justify the hurt..
I thought not.
------------------
And what makes it worse is that Mr Saatchi goes home every night to the delectable Nigella - she is too good for him.
Now that is better to look at!
Posted by The Englishman at 9:50 AM
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March 10, 2004
Marketing arse
BBC NEWS | Scotland | Glasgow unveils 1.5m rebranding
Glasgow declared itself "the new black" as it launched a 1.5m campaign to give itself a more cosmopolitan image...The new logo is a "modern homage to Mackintosh" with a green colon representing the city's nickname as "the dear green place".
And there was innocent me thinking a "Colon" was something connected to arseholes...
Posted by The Englishman at 8:15 AM
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March 4, 2004
Torbay - just say No
You may remember the Lib Dems at work in Torquay/ Torbay when they wanted to scrap our national flags, they were routed by the council workers who mounted an official protest over plans to take down the British and English flags at seafront locations in Torquay and Paignton. The ruling Liberal Democrats also want to take down the St George's flag and Union flag at the Town Hall in Torquay.
Now "A campaign to make Torbay "smoke free" has been launched."
Torbay deputy mayor Jenny Faulkner said she was keen to support the Smoke Free Alliance.
"As children's champion on the council, having restaurants and eateries that are not filled with smoke is very important to me.
Well at least such Feckwits make it easier for me to decide where to go on holiday - anywhere but Torbay. I dislike smokey pubs but I hate illiberal Liberals more.
I think I will drop this story on their Feedback page!
Posted by The Englishman at 7:00 AM
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March 3, 2004
Kids too thin
BBC News | HEALTH | Models link to teenage anorexia
There are an estimated 60,000 people in Britain with eating disorders. Nine out of ten are female.
The BMA report calls for urgent action to reduce the pressure on young women to be thin, asking publishers in particular to be more responsible....
Posted by The Englishman at 7:13 AM
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March 2, 2004
Get your hands off..
As Unpersons says:
"British subjects, your bodies are not your own, they belong to the government."
Posted by The Englishman at 4:59 PM
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February 2, 2004
"wardrobe malfunction"
That is going to be the phrase of the year!
"I am sorry that anyone was offended by the wardrobe malfunction during the halftime performance of the Super Bowl," the singer said.
I'm sure if I had been slouched on the couch eating pretzels and drinking beer watching the game there are many things about the MTV entertainment that would have annoyed me, but Janet "getting them out for the lads" would not have been one of them.
Posted by The Englishman at 12:24 PM
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January 30, 2004
Ramada Jarvis - Just say NO.
So the company Do last night was at Hungerford - The Bear Ramada Jarvis. All was going well until I arrived at the front desk. A young oik asked me to sign in, and then demanded my home address - I put c/o The Company - he said we have to have your home address "It's The Law". There was no please or thank you anywhere. I considered going elsewhere but then remembered I was there on business and had to stay. Eventually he said they wouldn't use it for marketing purposes. So I guessed the Hotel's address and put that down. He was happy then. Interestingly several others objected and put down false addresses on their own bat, not because of what I had done.
After dinner I went to my room, and found the "Ramada International Hotels & resorts European Union Data Protection Directive Disclosure" this wasn't anywhere I could see at the front desk, and I had not been offered it - it is not online any where that I can find.
"..Personal information provided by you will be used to provide hotel accommodations and related services request and top facilitate billing and collection.
We may also transfer your personal information to our hotel locations worldwide for direct marketing purposes. Countries outside the EU may not have data protection laws as comprehensive as the EU. If you do not wish to receive future mailings from us, please send an e-mail to ...euoptout@marriott-com or fax.. or letter...
You may also contact us to enquire about your personal information maintained by Marriott by sending an email to euinfoaccess@marriott.com or using the Fax number or address above. A charge of $20 is required for all information access requests."
So I took this down to the feckwit on the front desk and asked him about them sending home addresses abroad for marketing purposes, which he had earlier denied them doing. "We have to ask for your address for "Health and Safety" reasons - in case something happens to you." I pointed out that they were operating an unacceptable opt-out policy with an exorbitant information charge and not correctly informing people of what uses the information would be put to or sent. And that hiding behind the twin gods of "The Law" and "Health and Safety" was a cop out unless he could show me the relevant statutes.
In then got a bit ugly - the night porter was called and tried to "arrest" me and chuck me out. But I went to bed instead and said I would raise this bullshit and blatant Data Protection bollocks in the morning - so I have.
(If anyone knows the actual laws involved I would be grateful for the information.)
From the Information Commissioner's website:
http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/eventual.aspx?id=302
There are eight principles put in place by the Data Protection Act 1998 to make sure that your information is handled properly.
They say that data must be:
fairly and lawfully processed;
processed for limited purposes;
adequate, relevant and not excessive;
accurate;
not kept for longer than is necessary;
processed in line with your rights;
secure; and,
not transferred to countries without adequate protection.
By law data controllers have to keep to these principles.
Go to
http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/eventual.aspx?id=1038&expmovie=1 for an expanded list - as far as I can see Ramada fails several of them....
As well as by asking for $20...
"individuals have the right to request information on all data held in relation to them. Fo rthis the company holding the datais entitled to charge a maximum fee of 10. The company holding data has to reply within 40 days ofthe payment of the fee, sending a copy of the information, description of the purposes for which the information is processed, any person who has received or handled the data and the logic behind any automated decisions"
Posted by The Englishman at 9:44 AM
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January 19, 2004
Songbird swansong?
Please compare and contrast the latest report on declining bird numbers from the RSPB BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Farming 'killing Europe's birds' calling for more money and interference from the EU with this site which seems to be more connected with the real world: SongBird Survival.
"SongBird Survival believes that there must be sensitive control of selective predator populations to aid the recovery of songbirds while habitat improvements are taking place.
The RSPB has been singularly successful in attracting over one million members. However, it cannot claim that its actions have in any way proved effective in preventing the decline in the songbird populations. It has been successful in re-introducing some raptor species, but certainly does not find it convenient to tell its members that these predatory birds will add to the killing of literally millions of songbirds every year."
(But then as a subsidy junkie farmer I can't complain with my "arable reversion" payment, and my "retention of overwintered stubbles followed by a spring and summer fallow" payment and my "creation and management of a conservation headland without any fertiliser application" payment and my "establishment and maintenance of wildlife seed mixtures providing a food source and cover for a range of wild birds, mammals and invertebrates" payment.)
Posted by The Englishman at 12:14 PM
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January 9, 2004
The third annual Numby Awards
The Balls Pond Road was in seasonal festive mood with lights flashing red, green and amber. They were, however, outshone by the powerful lights erected by the TV crews. Next year they have promised to bring cameras. Distinguished participants milled about in the foyer leading to the stairs up to the glamorous assembly rooms above the Takeaway Kebab, removing waterproofs and bicycle clips. The air was filled with the sounds of air kisses, "Mwaagh" and "Daahling".
The master of ceremonies for the occasion was Old Ned, emeritus environmental correspondent for Number Watch. He had become bored with his retirement, brought about by unexpected wealth from wind farming, and he is now taking a degree in Chat Show Hosting at the Metropolitan University of Nether Wallop. The presentations were made by Baroness Eckerslyke, Junior Minister for Truth and Stuff.
Posted by The Englishman at 5:15 PM
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Science - my arse
Science Magazine seems to be specialising in bollocks today:
Farmed Salmon : "toxins high enough to suggest that people eat no more than two salmon meals a month"
And "Climate change is a far greater threat to the world than international terrorism", the government's chief TWAT scientific adviser, Sir David King, has said.
This is same TWAT scientific adviser that set up a committee that ordered the unnecessary slaughter of millions of animals in the Foot and Mouth fiasco. I can only guess he knows something otherwise I can't imagine why he still has a job, but that doesn't mean anyone has to to pay any attention to him.
Posted by The Englishman at 10:39 AM
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January 5, 2004
Sozialversicherung macht frei!
This German example of the Nanny State brought a lump to my throat yeterday.
Times Online - registration required
For the first time in almost seven years 12-year-old Corinna Kutzner and her younger sister Nicola spent Christmas at home. The two girls were torn away from their family not because their parents abused them or did not love them but because they were simply deemed too "stupid" to care for them.
The International Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ordered the German authorities to return the children more than a year ago but it was only last month that the social services in Bersenbrck, Lower Saxony, complied. "We're not a perfect family," says 35-year-old Annette, the children's mother. "But we are a good one, and after so many years we're just trying to put all the pieces back together."
... it ends...
For Christmas the girls said they wanted bicycles, he says, so that even if they are taken away again theyll be able to cycle back.
When the children returned they did not cheer or run to wildly hug their parents that happened later. First, they quietly sat down in a circle and held each others hands. During their long years away they had only been allowed to see each other for one hour each month, under strict rules: no touching, no kissing and no emotional topics.
When they took them away we didnt know what to tell the girls, so we told them they were going on holiday and hoped we would have them back in a week, says Annette. It was nine months later, just before Christmas 1997, that they were allowed to visit them for the first time.
The Kutzners are undoubtedly eccentric. Their tiny farmhouse is shared by two grandparents, three parrots, a dog and more than 40 stuffed animals mounted on the walls. Its a bit weird but its Grandads hobby, says Corinna, giggling and pointing to a stuffed Persian cat. That was our pet Strolch, and those are some of our parrots that died, and those are dead owls he found on the road.
The girls uncle also lives with the family. A gardener who lovingly tenders an English garden in front of the house, Detlef has retarded speech and was born with a crippled right hand.
When the social worker came she found us a strange bunch and took an instant dislike to us, says Ingo Kutzner, the girls father, who works on a chicken farm in the village. She was only in her late twenties, was single and had never had kids of her own.
The social worker had arrived at Annette Kutzners request. Finding it difficult to cope with two children and a sick father-in-law who had to be washed and shaved each morning, a friend had suggested the social services might be able to help.
The family thought the young social worker had been sent to help them with household chores. In fact she was making notes on their performance as parents.
Her report said it was difficult to imagine that the parents could contribute to the childrens healthy development given their own development deficit. A court concluded they were too intellectually substandard to be parents.
After being away for a week five-year-old Corinna made it clear that the holiday was over and it was time to go home, according to official reports. Nicola was depressed and cried herself to sleep each night. But not content to separate the children from their parents, social workers also decided to separate the sisters.
After a year in the childrens home they were put into different foster families. A degeneration in their IQ is already pre-programmed into them and their only chance is to acquire new parents. It is best this is done separately because otherwise the older sister would dominate and stifle her younger sisters development, read a report justifying the decision.
Determined to prove herself a good mother, Annette enrolled on an intensive course to become a childminder. In Germany the register of tagesmutter is rigorously regulated by the government and requires first-aid skills as well as knowledge of psychology and sociology. After passing her course with flying colours in the same year the children were taken away, she presented her qualification to the social services and demanded her children back. But they were unimpressed.
We didnt know what to do, says Ingo. We had to do an IQ test even though I can read and had a job, but they told us we were just too stupid and what can you do against that? In private the family compare their treatment with how the Nazis had dealt with societys untermenschen. But of course you cant say that sort of thing publicly in Germany, says grandfather Kutzner.
Almost bankrupting themselves, the Kutzners hired a solicitor and petitioned the courts as well as parliament and Gerhard Schrder, the chancellor. But their efforts went unrewarded until Volker Laubert, head of the action group Germanys Rights for Children, took their case to the International Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
At school Corinna is doing well enough to study two languages and was able to describe in English her visit to Buckingham Palace this summer. But both girls feel divided loyalty towards their foster parents, with whom they have spent half their lives.
Despite being reunited, Ingo says the family is still living with the irrational fear that a social worker may suddenly reappear on their doorstep to take the girls away: For Christmas the girls said they wanted bicycles, he says, so that even if they are taken away again theyll be able to cycle back.
Posted by The Englishman at 9:44 AM
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December 30, 2003
Teachers
House of Dumb has a good Fisk of the Educrats - let me quote a little:
Turns out the biggest issue facing our train wreck education system isn't rampant illiteracy, endemic bullying, ideological marking, non-existent teaching standards, corruption in the testing process, pervert teachers, drug abuse, bogus sickness claims or appalling personal hygiene.
An unprecedented clampdown on parents who take their children on holiday during term-time has been ordered by Charles Clarke, the Education Secretary.
He is being backed by head teachers' leaders, who are telling schools to review the policy of authorising breaks of up to two weeks, which are viewed by some parents as an entitlement.
Ha! As if you're entitled to do what's best for your kids. Everyone knows that they're government property, you just borrow them. Besides, they only have them for 42 weeks a year, so that missing almost 5% could make all the difference (although constant halts for 'in-service training' have no effect whatsoever, of course).
Funny how 'heads teacher leaders' aren't so finicky about local control when it's someone else ox being gored. Also ironic since, given the sickness rates among the teachoids, restricing them to two weeks a year would be a major achievement.
But I suppose teachers ought to be the bloody experts on Holidays - take this whinge on Long hours
He describes his working day as starting at 8.40am and not finishing until 4.15pm with only 35 minutes break for lunch. One day a week he teaches nine 40-minute lessons and sometimes is required to attend meetings which can last as long as 70 minutes
He asks whether there are any regulations limiting the number of teaching hours a teacher is required to do.
Excessive workload leading to high levels of stress and low morale is a recurrent theme in the modern workforce, but nowhere is it more prevalent than in the teaching profession.
Can you believe it - up to NINE whole 40 minute lessons, wow! that is SIX hours of work, thank God that is only one day a week.
But the slavery has limits:
Teachers in maintained schools have to be available for work for 195 days in any year, of which 190 shall be days on which 'he may be required to teach pupils'.
The maximum number of hours for full-time teachers (other than head teachers, deputy heads and advanced skills teachers) under the direction of the head is 1265.
(Source: School Teachers Pay & Conditions Document 1998)
1265 hours - even the French average 1535 hours a year while the Americans average 1976 hours.
Oh and then they do their training during School term rather than in the 14 weeks they have off.
"INSET or Baker days
INSET or In-service Training days were introduced by the then Tory education secretary Kenneth Baker (hence Baker days) so that headteachers could bring all their staff together for training purposes. They should be an important tool for headteachers to help staff maintain and develop their professional skills and knowledge for whole school development planning.
Timing
The organisation and timing of inset days is at the discretion of the individual school and each school is expected to take local circumstances into account when planning the times. Usually they are timed to be at the beginning or end of the school holidays, as this often results in less disruption.
Attendance is voluntary
The secretary of state recognises that teachers may not want or be able to attend INSET days and expects headteachers to respect individual teachers choice and to have respect to equal opportunities."
Equal opportunity to be a skiving git I suppose - and let's not mention the sick day record!
But let us remember that this is probably all good news, kids are bright enough to see if you are a workshy-statist-corduroy-wearing-sandal-shuffling-perpetual student you end up being a teacher. Get a job, work hard, party hard and life is a lot more fun.
Posted by The Englishman at 3:18 PM
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Unmasking the totalitarian tale of Pigling Bland
Beatrix Potter is a favourite author of mine and of my daughter - the videos are also well made.
The stories are of real animals in that they hunt each other and eat other animals ( The horror on a baby sitter's face when she learnt that Jemima Puddle-Duck is saved from the Fox by a couple of hounds was a joy!), and there is a certain darkness in some of the stories, which is both good for and enjoyed by children.
One story The Tale of Pigling Bland was never one of my favourites and seemed a surprising choice to be made into a video. But my three year old loves it and so I know it well know.
Times Online - Newspaper Edition has a great article on the tale:
"THE closing days of George Orwells centenary year provide an opportune moment to consider the totalitarian or Stalinist dimensions of Beatrix Potters The Tale of Pigling Bland." which reveals new dimensions to it, and maybe makes it an educational choice for our children.
Unmasking the totalitarian tale of Pigling Bland
By Guy Liardet
THE closing days of George Orwells centenary year provide an opportune moment to consider the totalitarian or Stalinist dimensions of Beatrix Potters The Tale of Pigling Bland. Orwell wrote in Animal Farm: The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
Conversely, at Potters Pettitoes Farm, the anthropomorphised piglets control nothing; the farm is not generating the agricultural surplus even to feed its own four little boy pigs and four little girl pigs are too many altogether. Yus, yus, yus, said Aunt Pettitoes, there will be more to eat without them. So there has to be a transport, a cull of the disenfranchised.
Pigling Bland and his brother Alexander are sent off to market with various minatory strictures about their behaviour and the all-important pig papers their licences to go to market which have been obtained from the police after no end of trouble.
And remember, they are gratuitously told, if you once cross the county boundary you cannot come back. An atmosphere of political tension has been created. What happens after market is not discussed.
On the way the brothers eat their picnics and indulge in horseplay. The pig papers get mixed up. They sing the famous ditty, Tom, Tom the pipers son, stole a pig and away he run.
Whats that, young sirs? Stole a pig? Where are your licences?. This is a heavily policed society; the brothers have run into the uniformed police foot patrol inevitably to be found on this quiet country lane between town and farm. Alexander cannot find his papers and is escorted away in police custody.
Pigling Bland proceeds on alone, finds he has Alexanders papers in his pocket, panics, gets lost and has to spend the night in a henhouse. The owner, significantly named Mr Peter Thomas Piperson, is an ill-favoured prole, operating on the margins of economic viability and the law. He arrives to select some hens for market and finds Pigling Bland. He makes a singular remark, Hallo, heres another, and seizes Pigling by the scruff of the neck.
Pipersons plans for Pigling are conditioned by the fact that the hens had seen this pig and might betray him to the authorities. To cut a long story short, he returns from market slightly drunk and fails to lock up properly. Pigling Bland thus meets the other, a perfectly lovely little black female Berkshire pig called Pig-wig. Stolen, she replies to Piglings inquiry.
They escape, starting before dawn as the hens might shout to Mr Piperson. The sun rises while they were crossing the moor and revealed a beautiful landscape. Thats Westmoreland, said Pig-wig. Pigling no longer wants go to market, he wants to grow potatoes.
They must get to the bridge and the county boundary before folks are stirring. They keep under a wall, having seen a man ploughing.
Disaster! Here unfolds a scene akin to countless nerve-racking tales of borders and escapes from oppression. Between the two fleeing pigs and the boundary, a tradesmans cart comes up the road. Pigling feigns a bad limp. The horse shies and the pair are noticed. Hullo! Where are you going to? It is, of course, a given that everyone has a Stasi-like interest in everyone else. Are you deaf? Are you going to market? Pigling nodded slowly. I thought so. It was yesterday. Papers? Pig licence?
The grocers jurisdiction apparently allows him to demand and read these examples of statist bureaucracy, but he is dissatisfied. This here pig is a young lady; is her name Alexander? He decides to drive on and speak to the ploughman automatically assuming that the ploughman will have a similar interest in the proper management of oppression.
Of course, as in all police states, the grocer would be fully au fait with the status of the boundary, but such a lame pig could not possibly make a run for it.
But they do. They come to the river, they come to the bridge they cross it, hand in hand then over the hills and far away Pig-wig dances with Pigling Bland!
That the boundary was not marked by barbed wire, watch towers and tethered dogs expresses the vocabulary of 1913 rather than that of 1984. Lets hope that Pigling and Pig-wig passed unscathed through the Westmoreland asylum-seekers sieve, testing negative for swine-fever, and were able to find a plot in which to plant their potatoes.
Posted by The Englishman at 11:44 AM
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December 23, 2003
Festive Cheer
Hootinan.com
who has a stronger stomach than me and actually reads the Guardian reports that Polly Toynbee has been had for a sucker by the Nigerian scam artists - and she is stupid enough to admit it! Go and read and enjoy, but don't blame me if you splutter port and stilton over your keyboard. Because the best part is - George Bush is to blame for it all!
Posted by The Englishman at 3:17 PM
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December 17, 2003
Injecting Sense
Welcome to a new blog:
I hope it helps to dispell the ignorance around the MMR debate. Very few things get me as angry as the Middle Class anti-science hysteria around MMR.
And it opens up a new debate by calling for "compulsory innoculation and vaccination of children attending state schools in the Great Britain". I suppose there is a case for making vaccination a criteria for attending school, but my old libertarian soul gets twitchy whenever I see the word compulsory, especially in relation to medical procedures.....
Posted by The Englishman at 11:13 AM
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December 15, 2003
The Librarian replies:
I said I would post his reply - here it is:
Many thanks for your e-mail. For many years now Buckinghamshire County
Council has had a policy of not allowing material of a religious, political
or sexual nature to be displayed in its libraries. This policy arose out of
a desire to be fair, and not to be seen to discriminate against particular
organisations or groups. It was made in the context of requests for display
space from a number of groups, which although perfectly legal, are widely
perceived to be offensive or at least controversial beliefs and policies.
Unfortunately, the implementation of this policy, which until now has never
caused any problems, has been reported by the media in a highly selective way as a piece of crude political correctness designed to be anti-Christian. In
fact the library service in Buckinghamshire, in its book stock, information
service and activities, reflects the multi-cultural nature of our society,
and has very good relations with all faiths and communities.
Please find attached a press release issued on behalf of the County
Councillor with responsibility for the Library Service. Please note that the
policy will be reviewed in the light of the many comments received on this
subject.
Yours sincerely
Peter Mussett
Community Development Librarian
Posted by The Englishman at 5:48 PM
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December 14, 2003
I'm offended
From the ever excellent Samizdata.net
A church has been told that it cannot publicise its Christmas services on a community notice board to avoid offending other religions.
The Church of England may be the established faith of the United Kingdom. But Buckinghamshire county council regards it as a "religious preference group" and the ban was upheld yesterday.
A spokesman for the Tory-controlled council confirmed the distinction, explaining that because the service contained Christian prayers it was against policy.
Margaret Dewar, who is responsible for the council libraries, said: "The aim of the policy is to be inclusive and to respect the religious diversity of Buckinghamshire."
Peter Mussett, the council's community development librarian, said his member of staff was right not to display the poster.
"We have a multi-faith community and passions can be inflamed by religious issues," he said. "We don't want to cause offence to anyone."
"Contact Peter Mussett on 01296 382254 or email him." Source
Dear Peter
The Church of England believes in different imaginary friends to me, but your banning their posters OFFENDS me - what are you going to do about that?
Yours etc.
- I will post his reply...
Posted by The Englishman at 8:09 AM
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December 12, 2003
Critters!
If Mr Free Market can recycle the Beaver story I can post the Groundhog one from alt-Peeves.
"Possession of a GroundHog"
From alt.peeves
/Note:/
/groundhog n. another name for woodchuck./
/woodchuck n. a North American marmot having course reddish-brown fur./
/marmot n. any of various burrowing rodents of Europe, Asia, and North
America/
As one of the first rites of spring approaches I feel the urge to emerge
from my snug, highly-mortgaged burrow and cast about for shadows. This
day, which as a child, I called Candlemas, was a religious holiday
dedicated to a well-connected infant. On This Side Of The Puddle however,
it has been renamed and dedicated to a somewhat chubby herbivore known as
a groundhog, from whence springeth my peeve.
As a result of fraternisation with the aforementioned species I now have a
criminal record. Something which any employer who bothers to check can
discover. I now answer 'yes' to the question "Have you ever been
arrested?"...for possibly one of the most disconcerting crimes of the
century. Groundhog possession.
/Peeve:/ Inane local ordinances.
When I purchased my abode, I didn't notice the tunnel under the front
stoop. The estate agent didn't bring it to my attention either. Unknowns
dwelling beneath front steps are not Selling Points.
/Semi-related Peeve:/ Listing agents have incredible semantic ability,
I'm certain if my agent had been thinking clearly she could have renamed
my underground resident a "Small Organic Lawn Trimmer."
Once my furnishings were in place and the draperies ordered it was too
late to change my mind anyway. After a few weeks of residence I met my
lodger in the basement flat. and to be candid, being somewhat unsure of
the Local Fauna, she scared the hell out of me. Fortunately the feeling
was mutual and she quickly retired to her quarters...prompting me to push
aside the foliage and discover the entrance to her home.
A call to the local Forestry Department put my mind to rest with regard to
her likely temperament and life went on as normal. Over the next few
years I watched her on the front lawn as her figure waxed and waned with
the season. In the spring she usually had small replicas in tow. We came
to an equitable arrangement over inter-speciatal relations. She didn't
gnaw the flowers, I didn't put the hose down the burrow. We adapted to
one another and lived quite peacefully.
Little did either of us realise what was in store when the new neighbours
moved in. I looked out my office window one night to find a strange woman
poking about my front shrubbery. In an attempt to remain neighbourly I
inquired as to her need for assistance. She responded with: "Do you know
you have a platypus under your porch?"
Platypus?! Ye gawds...I may have moved around a bit, but even I have a
fair grasp as to which continent I'm currently residing upon.
We eventually ironed out the fact that the 'Platypus' was a slightly more
evolved creature and as a well-behaved citizen was unlikely to attack her
over-fed, under-exercised excuse for a cat.
/Mega-peeve:/ That damned flea bitten cat hanging about *my* house
instead of its own, causing my indoor felines to go nuts at the windows.
Two days later, I opened the door in response to a knock and found myself
facing a somewhat bemused Law Enforcement Type.
He promptly handed me a summons to appear at court for "Possession of a
Groundhog". I read my summons. I had 30 days to "remove said animal from
the premises or be found in contempt of court."
"You can't be serious."
"I'm afraid so m'am....we've had a complaint."
"And if I don't remove 'said animal'?"
under arrest...."
"For harbouring a fugitive groundhog?! Don't you have traffic citations
to write or something? Is this town so well-mannered that the only
criminals are rodents?!"
/Peeve:/ New neighbours who interfere with established routines and
impose *their* values on me. I fussed and fumed around the house for a
good hour after he left. I briefly contemplated contacting the ACLU but
instead called my attorney. It took him five minutes to stop laughing and
catch his breath. He finally managed to gasp out.
"I don't think you have to worry about deportation."
"Very funny. C'mon, lets have some legal advice...it's what am I paying
you for?"
Advice was quickly forthcoming. It was determined that I should do
Nothing. This is exactly what I did. Thirty one days later, there was a
knock on my door. My Friendly Law Enforcement Official was back. He had
apparently reconnoitered the area and concluded that 'said animal' was
still in residence and had come to haul me off to jail. Despite my
request for handcuffs and the full lights/sirens treatment, he was
insistent that I drive my own vehicle to The Station. Apparently I didn't
look desperate enough. I did however get my 'one phone call' and promptly
dialled up my Legal Wizard.
"Guess where I am?"
"Shit!! What for? And is anyone listening?"
"Yep...ears everywhere. And possession."
"
"About ten pounds of groundhog."
Dead silence.
"Hello?...."
"You've been busted for possession of a groundhog?!"
"Justice is swift and sure....now will you come get me before they throw
away the key?"
"On my way...one more question...What are they keeping the
uh....er...'evidence' in?"
"Hmph! The 'evidence' is still at large. Will you *please* put your
ass in that over-priced, over-horsepowered midlife crisis on wheels and
get over here??? I think they're going to take my belt away..."
I was hauled before a judge and it was determined that as I was unlikely
to skip town, I could be released on my own recognisance, provided I post
bond ($50.00!), the real court date was set for 60 days later.
Point in fact, my arrest took place in September, when they returned 60
days later to hunt down the critter, (Whoops! I mean, 'impound the
evidence'.) she was nowhere to be found.
Not overly surprising for Drear November, the little demon had gone into
hibernation. Technology was applied to the entrance of the burrow (sticks
poked into it....the very latest in Animal Eviction Equipment
apparently...)
Anyone with half a brain knows that once those animals hibernate, dynamite
won't budge them. There was no response from the subterranean chambers
beneath the stoop. After an hour of poking and prodding the Minions of
the Law admitted defeat.
/Worried-peeve:/ If the police can't apprehend a groundhog, what will
they do when faced with a *real* criminal? And to shorten a tedious
judicial process, the end result was the case being thrown out of court,
charges dismissed, owing to Lack of Evidence.Habeus corpus in an entirely
new light. My money was refunded and I was "Free To Go." The arrest
however, remains on my 'Permanent Record."
/Peeve:/ My tax dollars hard at work!
Spring is fast approaching. The snow is melting, the flowers will bloom,
the birds chirp and to my consternation, small animals will frolic upon my
lawn. And larger animals will once again be knocking on my door. I have
no doubt that what's-her-name next door will be complaining of "Tasmanian
Devils" under my stoop.
It is not outside the realm of possibility that my next post will be from
the Will County Jail as I languish there for 'Obstructing Justice.'Can
anyone send an e-mail with a *literal* file in it?
/!!!!!Peeve:/ The skunk which used to dwell under my shed has found new
accommodations under my neighbour's deck. I can hardly wait for their
first outdoor party of the season.
Have a nice day.
Posted by The Englishman at 1:52 PM
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December 10, 2003
Martian Warming
Thanks to The Daily Ablution for the heads up on Martian Warming / Climate Change.
The story comes from a Nasa
Press Release .
Mars seems to be experiencing a recent Climate Change which is causing warming and ice retreat - sound familiar?
It had never struck me before that Mars acts as a control for Anthropomorphic Climate Change, or will the Greens blame the SUVs for that as well?
Posted by The Englishman at 11:39 AM
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December 3, 2003
Spare the kids
Futureville CD promotes local government careers to teenagers
Futureville, an interactive virtual community on CD-ROM, has been launched to introduce real careers in local government to 12-16 year olds.
The interactive features on the CD-ROM allow young people to discover the careers in local government that will suit their skills and ambitions, and then offers an insight into the different directions their career may take. It also gives advice on how they can present themselves positively at interviews.
Sir Jeremy Beecham, chair of the LGA, said that Futureville is an exciting way to help young people explore the range of exciting and rewarding jobs that are available in local government. "Young people have a valuable contribution to make to society - we must ensure their voice is heard to create a better future for all our communities."
I would prefer my children to become drug running brigands rather than work for a local authority - have these people no shame in trying to entice the young? "Local government is all about serving our communities" if only!
Posted by The Englishman at 11:33 AM
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November 12, 2003
Papers Bitte!
Purely "voluntary" - my arse!
ID cards: these are Blunkett's detailed plans :: PublicTechnology.net :
The Government has decided to begin the process of introducing a national identity cards scheme, said David Blunkett yesterday. This is a look under the bonnet of the latest plan, watered-down after the Home Office proposal for a compulsory scheme was ditched last week.
Top line - what is planned:
> Establishment of a National Identity Register.
> Passports and driving licenses to move towards being based on biometric technology - with personalised, specific identifiers;
> Those who don't need a passport or driving license can use it as a voluntary, plain identity card. This would not become compulsory until an appropriate further Parliamentary decision can be made.
Posted by The Englishman at 10:01 AM
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November 11, 2003
I know who put on next year's bonfire.
A village in East Sussex had problems in the summer with "travellers" so in time honoured tradition when they were making up their bonfire they put an effigy on it.
Bonfire effigies can either be Guy Fawkes and the rest of the papist plotters, or The Pope, or some topical villain - Saddam, Tony Blair, etc. - it is always about having a good time never about stirring up hate - this isn't about setting up a burning cross and a noose in a tree.
But in Tony's Britain this is what happens: BBC NEWS | England | Southern Counties | Six arrests over burnt gypsy effigy
"The Commission for Racial Equality has called for those involved in the effigy burning to be pursued and "punished"."
There might possibly be a case for someone to say "Steady on chaps, that was a bit over the top". But no they are being hunted down for a hate crime...
Posted by The Englishman at 3:09 PM
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Speed Cameras
Lots in the news today about Speed Cameras - including a clutch of Rally drivers being nabbed - the end result the Rally probably won't come to the area again and 150m of tourist cash will go else where.
The The Sun Newspaper has the easiest to read article on a general campaign about cameras.
"SPEED cameras have been slammed as a 150million failure which do not save lives.
A study by Autocar magazine shows they do not deter drivers and may CAUSE accidents.
And the increased reliance on speed cameras has led to a reduction in police patrols' meaning other serious offences go undetected.
Edmund King of the RAC, who helped carry out the study, said the people caught by cameras were often not the drivers causing accidents.
Research shows that while the number of drivers caught by cameras has risen four-fold since 1996, there is less than a five per cent drop in road deaths."
And now even France is going to introduce them in an attempt to make the appalling French roads safer.
- Sorry a correction - they are "Safety Cameras" not "Cash collecting speeding cameras that are yet another Big Brother scam that lets the police off real policing".
- I wonder how long they would last if the Citizens were allowed to carry...?
Posted by The Englishman at 2:26 PM
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October 28, 2003
Nanny State - eh?
Came across pages of advice about Halloween from the Canadian Health busybodies - someone gets paid to write and publish all this stuff - but as always "it's for the children" so thats OK then...
It is all probably sensible advice, but if you are an anxious parent you will be able to look after your kids already, and if you don't care then a po-faced web site isn't going to make a difference. And Jesus wept, let the kids eat real sweets one night of the year!
Health Canada - Halloween
October 31 can be a chilly night so make sure that costumes are loose enough to be worn over warm clothing but not so baggy or long that trick or treaters can trip over their costumes.
Trick-or-treaters should wear sturdy walking shoes.
Make-up and face paint are better than wearing masks which can restrict breathing and/or vision. If you choose to use a mask make sure it is one that allows the child to see and breathe easily.
Swords, knives and similar accessories should be made of soft, flexible material.
You might want to offer an alternative to sugar-based treats. Gum should be sugarless. Stickers, multicoloured pencils or beads can be a nice surprise in place or in addition to traditional treats
Posted by The Englishman at 11:12 AM
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