Psychologists have a political theory they have titled the Spiral of Silence which is a phenomenon where voters tell pollsters that they are likely to vote for one candidate, and yet, on election day, vote for his or her opponent.
The theory became known as the Shy Tory Factor in the UK during the 1990s when Opinion polls put the unpopular Conservatives behind Labour in the 1992 election only for the Tories to trounce Labour by 8%.
The explanation was that a person is less likely to voice an true opinion if he feels that it is in the minority for fear of reprisals from the majority.
In America this is known as the Bradley effect, named after Tom Bradley who ran as the Democratic Party's candidate for Governor of California in 1982 and despite most polls showing Bradley with a significant as they went into the election, he inexplicably lost to his white challenger.
With the US election only days away, the possibility of the phenomenon raising its head is being considered by nervous Obama supporters and with reason when the results of the Democratic Primary elections are scrutinised.
In the New Hampshire, polls predicted a large Obama win over Hillary Clinton however, Clinton defeated Obama by three points.
Also up for consideration is the possibility of the reverse Bradley effect where those who have said that they won't vote for a black candidate then do so when in the privacy of the voting booth.
Obama still seems to be maintaining a healthy lead in the opinion polls i have looked at but if this Spiral of silence effect kicks in, the margin of error is suddenly much larger than anticipated.
Friday, 31 October 2008
Thursday, 30 October 2008
US Plans In Czech Rep Wobbling
The push by the Czech Republic to replace Britain as Americas fawning poodle in Europe has suffered a setback as the ruling parties got their bottoms smacked in the Czech Senate Elections by the less US orientated Social Democrat Party who are opposed to the planned stationing of the US radar base on Czech soil.
The good people of the Czech Republic have overwhelming rejected the plan for their country to become part of the George Bush missile defence system which has so angered Russia with good reason.
The US plan, which would also see interceptor missiles placed in Poland, is to protect Europe and America from future attacks from rogue nations such as Iran and is certainly not aimed at Russia according to the smirking bods in Washington despite it being placed directly on Russia's doorstep.
The Governing coalition now face the danger of imploding and facing an early election which would see them turfed out by the electorate and the plans for America siting missiles in Europe suffering a blow.
Poland's leaders are also coming under pressure to resist the US plan with Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski under threat of being unseated by an electorate where the majority are against Poland hosting the American missiles.
Maybe we will be adding two more leaders to the George W Bush effect that has already seen Tony Blair, José María Aznar and John Howard removed by the electorate or their own Party largely due to their associations with the toxic Texan.
The good people of the Czech Republic have overwhelming rejected the plan for their country to become part of the George Bush missile defence system which has so angered Russia with good reason.
The US plan, which would also see interceptor missiles placed in Poland, is to protect Europe and America from future attacks from rogue nations such as Iran and is certainly not aimed at Russia according to the smirking bods in Washington despite it being placed directly on Russia's doorstep.
The Governing coalition now face the danger of imploding and facing an early election which would see them turfed out by the electorate and the plans for America siting missiles in Europe suffering a blow.
Poland's leaders are also coming under pressure to resist the US plan with Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski under threat of being unseated by an electorate where the majority are against Poland hosting the American missiles.
Maybe we will be adding two more leaders to the George W Bush effect that has already seen Tony Blair, José María Aznar and John Howard removed by the electorate or their own Party largely due to their associations with the toxic Texan.
Monday, 27 October 2008
Economics The Third Reich Way
There is a new phrase being bandied about in financial circles, Keynesian Economics.
Apparently the theory put forward by John Maynard Keynes in the 1930's is just what we need to pull us out of the present recession and by all accounts the last time it was practised, it proved a resounding success although it seems that the advocates of the British economist are a bit reluctant to say too loudly exactly who the past Keynesian was.
Everyone was suffering in the Great Depression of the 1930's but the first country to pull itself out of the financial mire was Germany under a Nazi regime implementing John Milton-Keynes ideas of beating the downturn by Government spending on massive and expensive projects.
Obviously impressed, Hitler set about building thousands of miles of autobahns, created extensive factory's to build cheap family cars and generally dreamt up grandiose plans for rebuilding German cities.
It worked but of course the unswerving drive out of the depression led directly to the German Government financing the military machine that would later stomp across Europe but the point is, Keynes ideas worked so maybe the key to reviving our fortunes is to spend extravagantly on building projects instead of cutting back.
John Maynard-Keynes, the economist Fuhrers choose.
Apparently the theory put forward by John Maynard Keynes in the 1930's is just what we need to pull us out of the present recession and by all accounts the last time it was practised, it proved a resounding success although it seems that the advocates of the British economist are a bit reluctant to say too loudly exactly who the past Keynesian was.
Everyone was suffering in the Great Depression of the 1930's but the first country to pull itself out of the financial mire was Germany under a Nazi regime implementing John Milton-Keynes ideas of beating the downturn by Government spending on massive and expensive projects.
Obviously impressed, Hitler set about building thousands of miles of autobahns, created extensive factory's to build cheap family cars and generally dreamt up grandiose plans for rebuilding German cities.
It worked but of course the unswerving drive out of the depression led directly to the German Government financing the military machine that would later stomp across Europe but the point is, Keynes ideas worked so maybe the key to reviving our fortunes is to spend extravagantly on building projects instead of cutting back.
John Maynard-Keynes, the economist Fuhrers choose.
Sunday, 26 October 2008
US Widening Middle East Conflict
It is not easy to defend American foreign policy whoever it is under. Obama said a while back that he would go into Pakistan to hunt the Taliban whether the Pakistan Government gave him permission or not. Predictably a backlash against America pursued and intensified when innocent civilians were killed earlier this month in missile attacks on the Pakistan side of the border.
It is this arrogance emanating from the American leadership that it can just ride roughshod over any Government they wish that fans the flames of negativity and extremism.
Now four US military helicopters have struck an area of farms and factories five miles inside Syria's border, killing four adults and four children.
The White House and CIA declined to comment on reports of the attack but an Iraqi security source in Baghdad confirmed that eight people had been killed.
One has to ask are the Americans deliberately trying to widen the conflict or are they just being so arrogant that they believe they can just cross into any border and drop their deadly payloads?
The Pakistan Government recently passed a resolution proclaiming that: "the nation stands united against any American incursions and invasions of the homeland, and calls upon the government to deal with it effectively".
Pakistani ground troops have already opened fire at US helicopters, prompting American forces to fire back as we witness the frightening scenario of more countries being sucked into the conflict.
America recently condemned Russia for going into Georgia after Georgia attacked Russian civilians and yet it is happy to send its military into Syria and Pakistan, inflaming passions in an area where they are already running high.
The excuse already put forward is that foreign fighters were coming from Syria to attack American troops in Iraq but according to the Los Angeles Times, almost half of the foreign militants involved in attacks on US troops are from Saudi Arabia, embarrassingly an ally of the US.
The America military has to be strongly condemned for its actions in Pakistan and Syria because it is fast becoming the best recruitment Sargent that Al Queada ever had and deepens the hatred with unlawful tactics that shamefully, both men who are vying for the seat in the White House, have already said they would continue.
It is this arrogance emanating from the American leadership that it can just ride roughshod over any Government they wish that fans the flames of negativity and extremism.
Now four US military helicopters have struck an area of farms and factories five miles inside Syria's border, killing four adults and four children.
The White House and CIA declined to comment on reports of the attack but an Iraqi security source in Baghdad confirmed that eight people had been killed.
One has to ask are the Americans deliberately trying to widen the conflict or are they just being so arrogant that they believe they can just cross into any border and drop their deadly payloads?
The Pakistan Government recently passed a resolution proclaiming that: "the nation stands united against any American incursions and invasions of the homeland, and calls upon the government to deal with it effectively".
Pakistani ground troops have already opened fire at US helicopters, prompting American forces to fire back as we witness the frightening scenario of more countries being sucked into the conflict.
America recently condemned Russia for going into Georgia after Georgia attacked Russian civilians and yet it is happy to send its military into Syria and Pakistan, inflaming passions in an area where they are already running high.
The excuse already put forward is that foreign fighters were coming from Syria to attack American troops in Iraq but according to the Los Angeles Times, almost half of the foreign militants involved in attacks on US troops are from Saudi Arabia, embarrassingly an ally of the US.
The America military has to be strongly condemned for its actions in Pakistan and Syria because it is fast becoming the best recruitment Sargent that Al Queada ever had and deepens the hatred with unlawful tactics that shamefully, both men who are vying for the seat in the White House, have already said they would continue.
Saturday, 25 October 2008
Other People's Elections
"Why should we care who America votes in" said a colleague as she quickly flipped through the pages of the newspaper dedicated to the US election, "doesn't have any affect on us".
What my co-worker and others who are complaining about the amount of coverage given to the White House race don't seem to understand is that in this time of globalisation, what happens in the major nations DOES have an affect on all of us.
Whoever is running the Government in the likes of America, Russia, China, Iran or Pakistan has direct consequences far outside of its own borders so we should be taking an interest of the make-up of the people making the decisions in these countries.
Whether Obama or McCain find themselves in the White House would mean little to us if their decision making was restricted to just matters inside America but they are not, they make decisions that have direct consequences for other countries through conflict, diplomatic efforts, financial support or the withdrawal of support.
The present fiasco in the World financial markets shows just what happens when American money markets turn bad which has hit everyone, not just Americans, and is proof that we all have a stake on whose hand is on the American rudder.
Who is guiding the massive Russian arsenal is as important as who is guiding our own if Moscow decides to flex its recently rediscovered muscles, as is staying on the good side of emerging superpower China who is rapidly gaining the ability to shape a new World order.
Our own British Government has had a direct affect on the citizens in Serbia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Ireland in recent years regardless of who these citizens had ruling them at the time.
For better or worse, we are all networked together and while it is true we don't have a voice in the elections of other countries, to think that they don't affect us while we sit in our homes moaning about the BBC banging on yet again about an election thousands of miles away, is completely wrong.
What my co-worker and others who are complaining about the amount of coverage given to the White House race don't seem to understand is that in this time of globalisation, what happens in the major nations DOES have an affect on all of us.
Whoever is running the Government in the likes of America, Russia, China, Iran or Pakistan has direct consequences far outside of its own borders so we should be taking an interest of the make-up of the people making the decisions in these countries.
Whether Obama or McCain find themselves in the White House would mean little to us if their decision making was restricted to just matters inside America but they are not, they make decisions that have direct consequences for other countries through conflict, diplomatic efforts, financial support or the withdrawal of support.
The present fiasco in the World financial markets shows just what happens when American money markets turn bad which has hit everyone, not just Americans, and is proof that we all have a stake on whose hand is on the American rudder.
Who is guiding the massive Russian arsenal is as important as who is guiding our own if Moscow decides to flex its recently rediscovered muscles, as is staying on the good side of emerging superpower China who is rapidly gaining the ability to shape a new World order.
Our own British Government has had a direct affect on the citizens in Serbia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Ireland in recent years regardless of who these citizens had ruling them at the time.
For better or worse, we are all networked together and while it is true we don't have a voice in the elections of other countries, to think that they don't affect us while we sit in our homes moaning about the BBC banging on yet again about an election thousands of miles away, is completely wrong.
X-Factor Post Ruined
A radical Muslim cleric has issued a fatwa against the X-Factor because it is releasing a charity single for injured British troops in Afghanistan. Only he hasn't, the Sun newspaper did what it usually does and made it all up.
"I'm not familiar with the show and definitely didn't issue a fatwa against it" said Omar Bakri, the radical Muslim cleric in question which blows a big hole in the post i was shaping in my mind.
So i can't make jokes about how UK Muslims have responding by rounding every copy of 2007 winner Leon Jackson's debut effort for a mass CD burning session and police revealing that 4 men have been arrested for damaging 23 CD's.
Also out the window has gone the posts central idea of negotiating with our enemies and inviting a few of the top Al Qeauda boys to grab the mic and have a go on X-Factor, maybe giving them a special where they can communicate their views through song and then have them voted on by the nation.
That would have been followed by images of Bin Laden crooning 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door' and Ayman al-Zawahiri giving us his rendition of 'Stairway to Heaven' and a duet with Paul McCartney on (Tali)band on the run.
All gone. I'll have to think of something else to write about now.
"I'm not familiar with the show and definitely didn't issue a fatwa against it" said Omar Bakri, the radical Muslim cleric in question which blows a big hole in the post i was shaping in my mind.
So i can't make jokes about how UK Muslims have responding by rounding every copy of 2007 winner Leon Jackson's debut effort for a mass CD burning session and police revealing that 4 men have been arrested for damaging 23 CD's.
Also out the window has gone the posts central idea of negotiating with our enemies and inviting a few of the top Al Qeauda boys to grab the mic and have a go on X-Factor, maybe giving them a special where they can communicate their views through song and then have them voted on by the nation.
That would have been followed by images of Bin Laden crooning 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door' and Ayman al-Zawahiri giving us his rendition of 'Stairway to Heaven' and a duet with Paul McCartney on (Tali)band on the run.
All gone. I'll have to think of something else to write about now.
Friday, 24 October 2008
What Other Election?
It may have slipped by un-noticed but halfway around the globe there is an election going on.
While the voters bring an end to the marathon that is the US elections in 11 days, the New Zealand election still has fifteen days to run but it is not as straight forward as a party being voted in and another booted out.
New Zealand hasn't been run by a single party with a majority for over 50 years and the mainstream Labour Party and National Party have to cobble together a Government from other parties to take office.
This election is between the centre left Labour Party and the Centre Right National Party but why should we care about an election in a country that has more sheep than voters?
In 2008 the New Zealand Government set about renationalising assets it had previously sold off in a Thatcher style rush to privatise everything. A decision that turned sour with the Government admitting that: "Selling of our public rail system has been a painful lesson for New Zealand".
It has bought back the Air National New Zealand and sea ferry operations after they were run into the ground financially by private owners and was one of the few countries to keep control of it's financial system and out of the hands of private companies.
New Zealand may sounds like a Socialist's paradise but it may well be developing the blueprint to show the rest the way to go as the capitalist system comes crashing down around our ears and we set about buying back all the services and amenities our Governments recklessly sold off to the highest bidder in the Thatcher years.
Nationals John Key is presently holding a narrow lead in the polls over Labours Helen Clark but the decider is which of the large parties the likes of NZ First, the Green Party and the Maori Party join forces with. It's all very complicated.
While the voters bring an end to the marathon that is the US elections in 11 days, the New Zealand election still has fifteen days to run but it is not as straight forward as a party being voted in and another booted out.
New Zealand hasn't been run by a single party with a majority for over 50 years and the mainstream Labour Party and National Party have to cobble together a Government from other parties to take office.
This election is between the centre left Labour Party and the Centre Right National Party but why should we care about an election in a country that has more sheep than voters?
In 2008 the New Zealand Government set about renationalising assets it had previously sold off in a Thatcher style rush to privatise everything. A decision that turned sour with the Government admitting that: "Selling of our public rail system has been a painful lesson for New Zealand".
It has bought back the Air National New Zealand and sea ferry operations after they were run into the ground financially by private owners and was one of the few countries to keep control of it's financial system and out of the hands of private companies.
New Zealand may sounds like a Socialist's paradise but it may well be developing the blueprint to show the rest the way to go as the capitalist system comes crashing down around our ears and we set about buying back all the services and amenities our Governments recklessly sold off to the highest bidder in the Thatcher years.
Nationals John Key is presently holding a narrow lead in the polls over Labours Helen Clark but the decider is which of the large parties the likes of NZ First, the Green Party and the Maori Party join forces with. It's all very complicated.
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
God Not Taking The Bus
Whatever our religious leanings, i think we can all agree that whoever writes the slogans for the Church has been working with the incense in an unventilated area although i did think the 'CH CH...WHATS MISSING?...U R" was clever before slogans such as 'Thinking of suicide? Let the church help' returned to amuse us.In reply to the countless religious posters and bus advertising that surround us, the British Humanist Association has launched an atheist advertising campaign bearing the slogan 'There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."
Launching around Christmas time, the campaign will see buses replace the current Alpha Courses advertisements with their anti religious message and featuring the addresses of atheist websites where readers can find out more about atheism.
One of the financial backers of the scheme, Professor Richard Dawkins, said: "Religion is accustomed to getting a free ride - automatic tax breaks, unearned respect and the right not to be offended, the right to brainwash children. This campaign to put out alternative slogans will make people think - and thinking is anathema to religion."
However the religio's seem to be quite happy about the no-god message being handed down from the BHA and number 603 from Muswell Hill with the Methodist church welcoming the "continued interest" in God, encouraging people to think about the issue. The Church of England said it would defend the right of any group representing a philosophical position to promote that view so we have to turn to the fundamentally crackers Christian Voice for a wacky quote.
"Bendy-buses, like atheism, are a danger to the public at large" they said in a disappointingly bland statement.
So there you go, there’s probably no God so stop worrying and enjoy your life. Don't spend time worrying about things that you have no power over, like getting hit by a bus.
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
Hunting Ban Not Working
2004 should have been a good year for those of us who like to see our countryside animals alive and well rather than being torn apart by dogs but the Hunting Act which we hoped would put an end to the barbaric blood sports, seems to have had the opposite effect.
Despite the ban, hunting is more popular than it was before it was introduced. Apparently the tossers that get a kick from killing the wildlife for fun just found other ways to continue being tossers, devising ways of circumventing the ban. Some shoot the fox after the hounds have chased it to exhaustion before the hounds tear into it. Others use birds of prey to kill it and the hunters know that the police have difficulty in keeping up with the hunt to enforce the law and rely on videotape evidence from hunt saboteurs who continue the battle to stop those who take pleasure in killing innocent animals.
The Conservative Party have hinted that they will repeal the legislation if they get into power which is yet another reason to keep the Cameron right wing far away from power. The current legislation needs to be tightened up with the loopholes being exploited by the hunters closed and a blanket ban that states clearly, hunting animals for sport is against the law and anyone who participates in it will be dealt with by the law. No ambiguity or back doors left open, blood sports need to be stamped out.
Despite the ban, hunting is more popular than it was before it was introduced. Apparently the tossers that get a kick from killing the wildlife for fun just found other ways to continue being tossers, devising ways of circumventing the ban. Some shoot the fox after the hounds have chased it to exhaustion before the hounds tear into it. Others use birds of prey to kill it and the hunters know that the police have difficulty in keeping up with the hunt to enforce the law and rely on videotape evidence from hunt saboteurs who continue the battle to stop those who take pleasure in killing innocent animals.
The Conservative Party have hinted that they will repeal the legislation if they get into power which is yet another reason to keep the Cameron right wing far away from power. The current legislation needs to be tightened up with the loopholes being exploited by the hunters closed and a blanket ban that states clearly, hunting animals for sport is against the law and anyone who participates in it will be dealt with by the law. No ambiguity or back doors left open, blood sports need to be stamped out.
Monday, 20 October 2008
Colin Powell's Judgment & Courage
Colin Powell is in the news it seems and on the receiving end of the plaudits for his judgment and courage in backing Obama. Ironically it is these same two characteristics that he lost so spectacularly in the UN in 2003.
Widely regarded as a dove in an administration of warmongering hawks at the time, Powell did all he could that February afternoon in 2003 to drive the UN to war in Iraq with his presentation that 'proved' Saddam had stockpiles of WMD's and was ready to launch Armageddon with them.
"We know from sources that missile brigades were disbursing warheads containing biological warfare agents" he said showing us satellite photographs of WMD facilities, chemical plants and quoting 'sources' tying Saddam to Al Queada and stating how he could "trace the story of a senior terrorist operative telling how Iraq provided WMD training to Al Queada" and that "We have no indication that Saddam Hussein has ever abandoned his nuclear weapons program".
All fabrication, all lies but Powell urged his colleagues in the UN to join America and Britain in invading Iraq. The UN rightly dismissed Powell's words and refused to back an invasion, leaving the US and the UK without the fig leaf of legitimacy they craved.
Two years on, a regretful Powell told ABC news: "I'm the one who presented it to the world, and it will always be a part of my record. It was painful. It is painful now," and described himself as a reluctant warrior.
In July 2007 Powell revealed that he spent two and a half hours trying to persuade George W. Bush not to invade Iraq, stating, "I tried to avoid this war."
Sorry Colin, you were an active supporter of war, cheerleading at the United Nations for a war that you admit you did not agree with and had doubts about but lacked the courage and judgment to speak out. You are as dishonorable as your colleagues and you must share the responsibility for everything disastrous that has happened in that country since and joining the Obama bandwagon should not cleanse you of your previous abhorrent indiscretions.
Widely regarded as a dove in an administration of warmongering hawks at the time, Powell did all he could that February afternoon in 2003 to drive the UN to war in Iraq with his presentation that 'proved' Saddam had stockpiles of WMD's and was ready to launch Armageddon with them.
"We know from sources that missile brigades were disbursing warheads containing biological warfare agents" he said showing us satellite photographs of WMD facilities, chemical plants and quoting 'sources' tying Saddam to Al Queada and stating how he could "trace the story of a senior terrorist operative telling how Iraq provided WMD training to Al Queada" and that "We have no indication that Saddam Hussein has ever abandoned his nuclear weapons program".
All fabrication, all lies but Powell urged his colleagues in the UN to join America and Britain in invading Iraq. The UN rightly dismissed Powell's words and refused to back an invasion, leaving the US and the UK without the fig leaf of legitimacy they craved.
Two years on, a regretful Powell told ABC news: "I'm the one who presented it to the world, and it will always be a part of my record. It was painful. It is painful now," and described himself as a reluctant warrior.
In July 2007 Powell revealed that he spent two and a half hours trying to persuade George W. Bush not to invade Iraq, stating, "I tried to avoid this war."
Sorry Colin, you were an active supporter of war, cheerleading at the United Nations for a war that you admit you did not agree with and had doubts about but lacked the courage and judgment to speak out. You are as dishonorable as your colleagues and you must share the responsibility for everything disastrous that has happened in that country since and joining the Obama bandwagon should not cleanse you of your previous abhorrent indiscretions.
Friday, 17 October 2008
Fat Lady Singing McCain's Tune
Beth Ditto may be gargling and practising her scales but for one bookmaker she may as well start belting out the losers song for John McCain because it has closed the book on the American election and declared Barack Obama the victor.
Irish bookies Paddy Power is so sure that the Democrat will win the election that it has paid off all £778,000 worth of bets that backed him with three weeks still to run.
"We declare this race well and truly over and congratulate all those who backed Mr Obama - your winnings await you," the company said in a statement although if McCain does somehow get himself back in the race, it wouldn't be the first time that Paddy Power has been hilariously stung.
In 2003, they coughed up a double payout on the English Premiership after paying out early on Arsenal winning the league only for the Londoners to crash and let in Manchester United to win the title forcing the bookmaker to lose a fortune by paying out on both sides of the bet.
If Paddy Power have got it wrong about the US Election the same thing will happen. Those who voted for Mr Obama will get to keep their winnings while Mr McCain's backers will also cash in.
Irish bookies Paddy Power is so sure that the Democrat will win the election that it has paid off all £778,000 worth of bets that backed him with three weeks still to run.
"We declare this race well and truly over and congratulate all those who backed Mr Obama - your winnings await you," the company said in a statement although if McCain does somehow get himself back in the race, it wouldn't be the first time that Paddy Power has been hilariously stung.
In 2003, they coughed up a double payout on the English Premiership after paying out early on Arsenal winning the league only for the Londoners to crash and let in Manchester United to win the title forcing the bookmaker to lose a fortune by paying out on both sides of the bet.
If Paddy Power have got it wrong about the US Election the same thing will happen. Those who voted for Mr Obama will get to keep their winnings while Mr McCain's backers will also cash in.
Thursday, 16 October 2008
Canada. Wherever That Is
Canada is one of those countries that everyone knows although it doesn't really seem to do much.
It just seems to sit there quietly above its more gregarious neighbour and not bother anyone except when it starts whacking seals for a few weeks each year.
It's the second largest country, has a great looking flag, dress their police force in a blindingly bright red uniform, share a Queen with us Brits and play ice-hockey but otherwise it's mostly known for not being very well known.
Most of us over here think of the average Canadian as an American without the gun fetish but one thing Canada does seem to have taken a liking to is elections with the country just concluding their third in four years. This election was won by Stephen Harper of the Conservatives, the same outcome as in 2006 although it received virtually no coverage in the UK except for the briefest of mentions on the BBC news tagged onto the end of a 5 minute report on this evenings debate between Obama and that old guy who keeps hanging about.
So why is Canada not a force in the affairs of the World as its size suggests it should be? Winston Churchill said over 60 years ago that: "There are no limits to the majestic future which lies before the mighty expanse of Canada with its virile, aspiring, cultured, and generous-hearted people" but little seems to be shaking up there in the top half of the North American continent.
The again, if i was responsible for inflicting Celine Dion on the World, i would keep my head down also.
It just seems to sit there quietly above its more gregarious neighbour and not bother anyone except when it starts whacking seals for a few weeks each year.
It's the second largest country, has a great looking flag, dress their police force in a blindingly bright red uniform, share a Queen with us Brits and play ice-hockey but otherwise it's mostly known for not being very well known.
Most of us over here think of the average Canadian as an American without the gun fetish but one thing Canada does seem to have taken a liking to is elections with the country just concluding their third in four years. This election was won by Stephen Harper of the Conservatives, the same outcome as in 2006 although it received virtually no coverage in the UK except for the briefest of mentions on the BBC news tagged onto the end of a 5 minute report on this evenings debate between Obama and that old guy who keeps hanging about.
So why is Canada not a force in the affairs of the World as its size suggests it should be? Winston Churchill said over 60 years ago that: "There are no limits to the majestic future which lies before the mighty expanse of Canada with its virile, aspiring, cultured, and generous-hearted people" but little seems to be shaking up there in the top half of the North American continent.
The again, if i was responsible for inflicting Celine Dion on the World, i would keep my head down also.
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Not Spending Our Rainy Day Fund
Over the last few days, with the Iceland bank adventure and Gordon Brown flinging around taxpayers money with abandon, a few questions have been brought to the fore that don't seem to be being asked, although they certainly should be.
Firstly, where did the Government suddenly magic the £81 billion it used to buy out banks from?
All we have heard these last couple of years is how we can't have this hospital or that school because of belt tightening with pay rises in the public sector pegged at 2%, half of the inflation rate, while all the time Gordon Brown had £81 billion set aside for a rainy day. If he had that much just idly sitting around why are the hospitals understaffed, prisons at breaking point and overcrowded schools having to make do with children sharing text books because they haven't got enough to go around?
Secondly, when the Iceland banks fell over, they took with them £858m of council money which works out at approximately £7m per council.
Did your council tax bill get hiked by a crazy amount this year? The average person's council tax bill soared by 5% this year, taking it past £1300 per household, but still council services are being cut, libraries and community centres closed and projects cancelled. The reason cited on every occasion is lack of finances but now we find out that amongst others, Kent Council had £50m stashed away, Nottingham £42m and Haringey £37m. All squirrelled away in a high interest account in an Icelandic bank while the pensioners meals-on-wheels were cut back, adults sent to prison for failure to pay their council tax bill, parks sold off and fortnightly rubbish collections introduced as ways to save money.
If the Government and councils have this kind of money just slopping around, why are we constantly being squeezed for more rather than spending what they have on facilities and services that we are crying out for?
Obviously saving bankers necks and having a healthy surplus to show off at the next Council meeting is more important than spending our money on some of the things that would make our lives that little bit more pleasant.
Firstly, where did the Government suddenly magic the £81 billion it used to buy out banks from?
All we have heard these last couple of years is how we can't have this hospital or that school because of belt tightening with pay rises in the public sector pegged at 2%, half of the inflation rate, while all the time Gordon Brown had £81 billion set aside for a rainy day. If he had that much just idly sitting around why are the hospitals understaffed, prisons at breaking point and overcrowded schools having to make do with children sharing text books because they haven't got enough to go around?
Secondly, when the Iceland banks fell over, they took with them £858m of council money which works out at approximately £7m per council.
Did your council tax bill get hiked by a crazy amount this year? The average person's council tax bill soared by 5% this year, taking it past £1300 per household, but still council services are being cut, libraries and community centres closed and projects cancelled. The reason cited on every occasion is lack of finances but now we find out that amongst others, Kent Council had £50m stashed away, Nottingham £42m and Haringey £37m. All squirrelled away in a high interest account in an Icelandic bank while the pensioners meals-on-wheels were cut back, adults sent to prison for failure to pay their council tax bill, parks sold off and fortnightly rubbish collections introduced as ways to save money.
If the Government and councils have this kind of money just slopping around, why are we constantly being squeezed for more rather than spending what they have on facilities and services that we are crying out for?
Obviously saving bankers necks and having a healthy surplus to show off at the next Council meeting is more important than spending our money on some of the things that would make our lives that little bit more pleasant.
Happy Birthday Mr Vanunu
Israel have hired a British PR firm to brush up its image around a World which doesn't place Israel that high on it's list of favourite nations. The story of Mordechai Vanunu, 58 today, doesn't help present Israel in a good light.
Depending on your viewpoint, Vanunu is either a hero or a traitor for blowing the whistle on his country's covert atomic weapons programme.
Vanunu starting to suffer a crisis of conscience while working at the secret Dimona plant which was clandestinely producing nuclear weapons and during a trip to London, divulged to a journalist Israel's deadly secret. Targeted by a Mossad honey-trap, he was drugged, gagged, bound and returned to Israel, tried in secret and convicted of treason and espionage and sentenced to 18 years imprisonment, twelve of them served in solitary confinement.
As his story emerged, he become a symbol for the international peace movement, was nominated for a Nobel peace prize and was finally released in 1994, re-arrested months later, then again in 2007 and is currently banned from travelling beyond Israel's borders
After being heckled by a hostile crowd of CND and Vanunu supporters in London in 1997, Israeli President Ezer Weizman said at a press conference: "He was a spy who gave away secrets, and the fact that he did so for conviction rather than for money makes no difference. He was a traitor to his country."
On his release a defiant Vanunu said: "I was right to reveal the madness of the Israeli nuclear secrets. I am not a spy, but a man who helped all the world to end the madness of the nuclear race."
Depending on your viewpoint, Vanunu is either a hero or a traitor for blowing the whistle on his country's covert atomic weapons programme.
Vanunu starting to suffer a crisis of conscience while working at the secret Dimona plant which was clandestinely producing nuclear weapons and during a trip to London, divulged to a journalist Israel's deadly secret. Targeted by a Mossad honey-trap, he was drugged, gagged, bound and returned to Israel, tried in secret and convicted of treason and espionage and sentenced to 18 years imprisonment, twelve of them served in solitary confinement.
As his story emerged, he become a symbol for the international peace movement, was nominated for a Nobel peace prize and was finally released in 1994, re-arrested months later, then again in 2007 and is currently banned from travelling beyond Israel's borders
After being heckled by a hostile crowd of CND and Vanunu supporters in London in 1997, Israeli President Ezer Weizman said at a press conference: "He was a spy who gave away secrets, and the fact that he did so for conviction rather than for money makes no difference. He was a traitor to his country."
On his release a defiant Vanunu said: "I was right to reveal the madness of the Israeli nuclear secrets. I am not a spy, but a man who helped all the world to end the madness of the nuclear race."
Blair Lied Shock
It was 1997 and the dreaded Conservatives were out on their ear and in came a fresh faced Tony Blair to brush away the stench of sleaze left lingering by 18 years of Maggie Thatcher and John Major.
Because it came in his honeymoon period, the Formula 1 business that has come back to bite Blair with such relish, went swiftly by and we all bought the 'i'm a straight kind of guy' speech that he made. Little did we know that later we would discover that he was as straight as a circle when it came to telling the truth.
The Government were about to bring in a ban on tobacco advertising but Formula 1 were granted an exemption, suspiciously just after Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone had met the Prime Minister and donated £1m to the Labour Party.
At the time, Mr Blair insisted that the meeting, and donation, had nothing to do with the decision and gave a emotional plea on television that he was innocent of anything shady or suspect. Handed the benefit of the doubt, Blair was 'let off the hook' and allowed to merrily go on his way to bigger, better and more murderous lies later on down the line.
Now the Formula 1 scandal has resurfaced from documents released under the Freedom of Information Act that show Blair personally ordered Ministers to exempt Formula 1 from a tobacco advertising ban just hours after meeting the motorsport's boss.
Blair lied shock?
Don't act so surprised. The guy's lies are directly responsible for over a million deaths in Iraq, he isn't going to think twice about lying over his party's immoral funding.
Because it came in his honeymoon period, the Formula 1 business that has come back to bite Blair with such relish, went swiftly by and we all bought the 'i'm a straight kind of guy' speech that he made. Little did we know that later we would discover that he was as straight as a circle when it came to telling the truth.
The Government were about to bring in a ban on tobacco advertising but Formula 1 were granted an exemption, suspiciously just after Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone had met the Prime Minister and donated £1m to the Labour Party.
At the time, Mr Blair insisted that the meeting, and donation, had nothing to do with the decision and gave a emotional plea on television that he was innocent of anything shady or suspect. Handed the benefit of the doubt, Blair was 'let off the hook' and allowed to merrily go on his way to bigger, better and more murderous lies later on down the line.
Now the Formula 1 scandal has resurfaced from documents released under the Freedom of Information Act that show Blair personally ordered Ministers to exempt Formula 1 from a tobacco advertising ban just hours after meeting the motorsport's boss.
Blair lied shock?
Don't act so surprised. The guy's lies are directly responsible for over a million deaths in Iraq, he isn't going to think twice about lying over his party's immoral funding.
Friday, 10 October 2008
Burning Down The Stjórnarráðið
This latest recession is America's doing. It 'got drunk' as someone said and the chill is being felt everywhere else with the UK taking a battering but of course Gordy Brown can't wag his finger at his good pals across the Atlantic. Too big and too powerful so he has to make sympathetic cooing noises and help his pals dig themselves out of a multi-billion pound hole of their own making.
The British solution to American's playing up used to be sending over a British force to burn down the White House but as that option is off the table, what we could do with is a small, weak nation to kick about instead. Hello Iceland.
The tiny island's banking sector has collapsed and taken with it a billion of local councils cash as well as billions more from small investors which Iceland is saying it hasn't got the funds to pay back even a percentage of our loses.
Step forward fearless Gordon to puff out his chest and show that nation of ice bound fisherman that they can't cost us Brits money and not feel our wrath. America can, and have, but we are bigger than Iceland so it's sleeves up and someone fetch Gordon his best arse kicking shoes.
The Icelandic banks froze our accounts and the British government retaliated by using anti-terror laws to seize Icelandic assets, adding Iceland to the axis of evil on our changable terrorist countries list.
Mr Brown says Iceland has acted 'illegally' his Icelandic counterpart Geir Haarde accuses Britain of 'an unfriendly act' and an awkward stalemate has been reached. They have our dough and we have them by their assets. Treasury officials have travelled to Iceland for crisis talks before we send Her Majesty's Royal Navy steaming northwards intent on crushing plucky little Iceland and its 301,931 inhabitants.
Unbelievable we would do such a thing? We did it in the 1970s over fish and NATO had to step in to negotiate the end of the 'Cod Wars' so we have precedence of not taking any nonsense from tiny countries we could safely slap around a bit.
Iceland, and anyone else smaller and weaker than us, you have been warned. Don't mess with us.
The British solution to American's playing up used to be sending over a British force to burn down the White House but as that option is off the table, what we could do with is a small, weak nation to kick about instead. Hello Iceland.
The tiny island's banking sector has collapsed and taken with it a billion of local councils cash as well as billions more from small investors which Iceland is saying it hasn't got the funds to pay back even a percentage of our loses.
Step forward fearless Gordon to puff out his chest and show that nation of ice bound fisherman that they can't cost us Brits money and not feel our wrath. America can, and have, but we are bigger than Iceland so it's sleeves up and someone fetch Gordon his best arse kicking shoes.
The Icelandic banks froze our accounts and the British government retaliated by using anti-terror laws to seize Icelandic assets, adding Iceland to the axis of evil on our changable terrorist countries list.
Mr Brown says Iceland has acted 'illegally' his Icelandic counterpart Geir Haarde accuses Britain of 'an unfriendly act' and an awkward stalemate has been reached. They have our dough and we have them by their assets. Treasury officials have travelled to Iceland for crisis talks before we send Her Majesty's Royal Navy steaming northwards intent on crushing plucky little Iceland and its 301,931 inhabitants.
Unbelievable we would do such a thing? We did it in the 1970s over fish and NATO had to step in to negotiate the end of the 'Cod Wars' so we have precedence of not taking any nonsense from tiny countries we could safely slap around a bit.
Iceland, and anyone else smaller and weaker than us, you have been warned. Don't mess with us.
Thursday, 9 October 2008
Why Nuclear?
BP's Statistical Review of World Energy appears to show that the world still has enough oil reserves to provide 40 more years of consumption at current rates.
With this resource rapidly depleting, the move is away from fossil fuels with nuclear energy being hailed as the saviour but as the worlds resources are finite, how much Uranium is there for us to mine? The World Nuclear Association put the amount, at current usage levels, at 80 years worth of Uranium but with countries planning to build multiple new Nuclear reactors at huge expense all over the globe, that 80 years will quickly fall. Within two or three generations at the most, we will be back in the same position searching for new forms of energy only this time we will have to contend with millions of tonnes of spent nuclear fuel that poses a serious health threat for the next 10,000 years.
Seems we can use nuclear fuel to stop polluting the atmosphere but the kicker is that we have to poison the ground and make large swathes of our planet uninhabitable for 10 millenniums to achieve it.
A 2003 Spanish report by the Guadalajara University Hospital into the cancer risk to citizens living around the Trillo nuclear power plant concluded: 'There is an association between proximity of residence to Trillo and cancer risk'. A German report into childhood leukaemia found that there was a 'statistically significant odds ratio for residential proximity compared to residence outside this area'. Still want one of these things in your neighbourhood?
Australia (23%), Kazakhstan (15%) and Russia (10%) hold almost half of the Worlds Uranium supplies so they would be the main beneficiaries from a nuclear era as the Middle East was from the last oil century and would face the same consequences as the supply begins to falter.
The question is why, with a limited supply and the massive financial cost of building and disposing of the fuel not to mention the environmental and safety risks involved, is Nuclear the answer when there are other cheaper, safer and never-ending resources available?
Approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered by Oceans and as long as the Earth continues to turn, there will be waves that could be used to generate power. As long as we have a Sun heating the planet, we will have wind. Wave and wind power used in tandem would create an endless and safe supply of energy so why are we focusing on Nuclear and not plowing our money into these renewable sources instead?
With this resource rapidly depleting, the move is away from fossil fuels with nuclear energy being hailed as the saviour but as the worlds resources are finite, how much Uranium is there for us to mine? The World Nuclear Association put the amount, at current usage levels, at 80 years worth of Uranium but with countries planning to build multiple new Nuclear reactors at huge expense all over the globe, that 80 years will quickly fall. Within two or three generations at the most, we will be back in the same position searching for new forms of energy only this time we will have to contend with millions of tonnes of spent nuclear fuel that poses a serious health threat for the next 10,000 years.
Seems we can use nuclear fuel to stop polluting the atmosphere but the kicker is that we have to poison the ground and make large swathes of our planet uninhabitable for 10 millenniums to achieve it.
A 2003 Spanish report by the Guadalajara University Hospital into the cancer risk to citizens living around the Trillo nuclear power plant concluded: 'There is an association between proximity of residence to Trillo and cancer risk'. A German report into childhood leukaemia found that there was a 'statistically significant odds ratio for residential proximity compared to residence outside this area'. Still want one of these things in your neighbourhood?
Australia (23%), Kazakhstan (15%) and Russia (10%) hold almost half of the Worlds Uranium supplies so they would be the main beneficiaries from a nuclear era as the Middle East was from the last oil century and would face the same consequences as the supply begins to falter.
The question is why, with a limited supply and the massive financial cost of building and disposing of the fuel not to mention the environmental and safety risks involved, is Nuclear the answer when there are other cheaper, safer and never-ending resources available?
Approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered by Oceans and as long as the Earth continues to turn, there will be waves that could be used to generate power. As long as we have a Sun heating the planet, we will have wind. Wave and wind power used in tandem would create an endless and safe supply of energy so why are we focusing on Nuclear and not plowing our money into these renewable sources instead?
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
My Idea Of Revolution
We have been talking Revolution over at David's blog and I'm always up for a bit of usurping but who to usurp and what system of Government will be imposed instead? Rather than a large scale revolution with tanks on the streets and guillotines, i propose a bastardised version of what we have now and laughably call Democracy.
The debate over the $700b to the financial markets is as good as an example as there will ever be of what's wrong with the system we have. We elect a person to represent us and they go off to do our business, or at least that's the idea.
What actually happens is they do what they want until approximately six months before they are up for nomination again and then they pay attention, don't want to upset the plebs that put him in that privileged position.
The House of Representatives that initially turned down the billion dollar hand-out
did it apparently because they had been receiving communications from their electorate telling them that they were against the idea. Very thoughtful although they wouldn't have given a second thought to their electorate a year ago.
And there is the nub of my revolution, to keep the people who we elect to do what's best for us in that perpetual state of having to do our bidding in order to stay in power. The simple answer is referendums and plenty of them coupled with a maximum of two years between elections.
We have a situation in the US and in the UK with two leaders with the lowest ratings in our lifetimes, a simple system where ratings below 35% would trigger an election would keep our leaders mind focused.
So there we have my back-of-a-cigarette-packet idea for a system of Government. Two year terms, referendums on the big decisions and a mechanism to remove unpopular leaders to stop them clinging to power at the detriment of the country they are charged with representing.
All i need now is to get elected so i can implement it.
The debate over the $700b to the financial markets is as good as an example as there will ever be of what's wrong with the system we have. We elect a person to represent us and they go off to do our business, or at least that's the idea.
What actually happens is they do what they want until approximately six months before they are up for nomination again and then they pay attention, don't want to upset the plebs that put him in that privileged position.
The House of Representatives that initially turned down the billion dollar hand-out
did it apparently because they had been receiving communications from their electorate telling them that they were against the idea. Very thoughtful although they wouldn't have given a second thought to their electorate a year ago.
And there is the nub of my revolution, to keep the people who we elect to do what's best for us in that perpetual state of having to do our bidding in order to stay in power. The simple answer is referendums and plenty of them coupled with a maximum of two years between elections.
We have a situation in the US and in the UK with two leaders with the lowest ratings in our lifetimes, a simple system where ratings below 35% would trigger an election would keep our leaders mind focused.
So there we have my back-of-a-cigarette-packet idea for a system of Government. Two year terms, referendums on the big decisions and a mechanism to remove unpopular leaders to stop them clinging to power at the detriment of the country they are charged with representing.
All i need now is to get elected so i can implement it.
Sunday, 5 October 2008
The Lefty The Right Revere
I'm not sure why but it seems that most religious folk, especially the Evangelists, are right leaning.
A Reverend was on TV this morning urging his followers to vote Republican in the upcoming US election and the general consensus seems to be that they will. As America has a very high proportion of those that believe in a creator, the church seems to speak to a large base but why has the Church grabbed Jesus as one of their own when the writings of the Bible seem to point that he represented the polar opposite of what the right believe?
With the help of a good friend with a wide knowledge of all things biblical, we have come to the conclusion that actually, if the son of God was knocking about today, he would be be on the left side of politics.
The most obvious example in the bible is the line: 'It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God' which clearly states the financial views of the creator.
His Leftist position is further enhanced by tales of Jesus running a Commune where 'There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need'. He even told his followers: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor".
Seems obvious enough to me, God doesn't much care for home ownership, what stocks and shares you possess or how big your pension is.
Without doubt Jesus was a hippy, the long hair, the beard and the sandals give that away and his anti-war slogan 'Do not murder, anyone who murders will be subject to judgement.' and his catchy 'Blessed are the peacemakers' show his unerring slant towards pacifism.
So we have the evidence that God is anti-war, anti-capitalist and strongly believes in the equal distribution of wealth.
Of course the left widely poo-poo the idea of God so we wouldn't want him anyway but just nice to know that the man the right revere with such passion was probably the Worlds first Socialist.
Amen Comrade.
A Reverend was on TV this morning urging his followers to vote Republican in the upcoming US election and the general consensus seems to be that they will. As America has a very high proportion of those that believe in a creator, the church seems to speak to a large base but why has the Church grabbed Jesus as one of their own when the writings of the Bible seem to point that he represented the polar opposite of what the right believe?
With the help of a good friend with a wide knowledge of all things biblical, we have come to the conclusion that actually, if the son of God was knocking about today, he would be be on the left side of politics.
The most obvious example in the bible is the line: 'It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God' which clearly states the financial views of the creator.
His Leftist position is further enhanced by tales of Jesus running a Commune where 'There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need'. He even told his followers: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor".
Seems obvious enough to me, God doesn't much care for home ownership, what stocks and shares you possess or how big your pension is.
Without doubt Jesus was a hippy, the long hair, the beard and the sandals give that away and his anti-war slogan 'Do not murder, anyone who murders will be subject to judgement.' and his catchy 'Blessed are the peacemakers' show his unerring slant towards pacifism.
So we have the evidence that God is anti-war, anti-capitalist and strongly believes in the equal distribution of wealth.
Of course the left widely poo-poo the idea of God so we wouldn't want him anyway but just nice to know that the man the right revere with such passion was probably the Worlds first Socialist.
Amen Comrade.
Differing With The Left Over Iraq & Afghanistan
Much to my own surprise, my feelings on Iraq are much more in alignment with the Bush and McCain regimes rather than Obama's and most of the lefts. While the left are demonstrating and making loud noises about pulling the troops out of Iraq, my view is that we took a country that, albeit run by a murderous dictator, was a working model and smashed it to smithereens. Five years on and although there have been small advances, nobody can honestly say that if we go now we would be leaving Iraq in a better position than how we found it. I maintain the view that we broke it, we have a moral and ethical duty to stay until such a time that it IS a better place than when we shock and awed it in 2003. To just up an leave would expose the Iraq civilians to the terrorists that we filled the country with and sadly, if the choice is between an innocent Iraqi being blown apart as they go about their everyday business or the UK/US military bearing the brunt, the unprotected civilian should come top every time.
Strangely, the reverse is true in Afghanistan where the left seem to be advocating a surge of troops to combat a resurgent Al-Qeada & Taliban combination. With NATO now seemingly intent on spreading the conflict to Pakistan with its cross border incursions, resulting in gunfire exchanges between NATO and Pakistan troops, we have to rethink our whole strategy in the country.
Rather than picking up an even bigger stick to hit with, we have to swallow our pride and sit down with our enemies. The truth is we are not going to win a military victory in either country, all we can do is arrange to leave both countries with a manageable level of insurgency that can be managed by the relative countries armies as Britain's most senior military commander in the country is proposing.
Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith said: "If the insurgents were prepared to sit on the other side of the table and talk about a political settlement, then that's precisely the sort of progress that concludes insurgencies like this."
We shouldn't be in either country but the situation is that we are and to continue along the same path that we have been following since the invasions is folly and will only mean more deaths and a widening arena of conflict.
Certainly we should be working towards pulling the troops out but not until we have made sure that both countries are secure and our leaders learn the painful lesson from our very recent history which is don't be so eager to start wars in the first place because nobody has ever died through sitting around a table talking.
Strangely, the reverse is true in Afghanistan where the left seem to be advocating a surge of troops to combat a resurgent Al-Qeada & Taliban combination. With NATO now seemingly intent on spreading the conflict to Pakistan with its cross border incursions, resulting in gunfire exchanges between NATO and Pakistan troops, we have to rethink our whole strategy in the country.
Rather than picking up an even bigger stick to hit with, we have to swallow our pride and sit down with our enemies. The truth is we are not going to win a military victory in either country, all we can do is arrange to leave both countries with a manageable level of insurgency that can be managed by the relative countries armies as Britain's most senior military commander in the country is proposing.
Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith said: "If the insurgents were prepared to sit on the other side of the table and talk about a political settlement, then that's precisely the sort of progress that concludes insurgencies like this."
We shouldn't be in either country but the situation is that we are and to continue along the same path that we have been following since the invasions is folly and will only mean more deaths and a widening arena of conflict.
Certainly we should be working towards pulling the troops out but not until we have made sure that both countries are secure and our leaders learn the painful lesson from our very recent history which is don't be so eager to start wars in the first place because nobody has ever died through sitting around a table talking.
Saturday, 4 October 2008
Nailin' Paylin
It isn't unusual for American Presidents to have a movie made about them. Oliver Stone has made just such a film about the present man in the big seat but I don't recall a film ever being made about a Vice President and certainly not before they have their buttocks in the chair but then Sarah Palin's film isn't going to be some big budget blockbuster.
Larry Flynt, owner of Hustler and purveyor of 'men's material', has been busily producing a hard core skin flick about the Alaskan presidential candidate, self-proclaimed lipstick wearing pitbull and mother of five.
Titled 'Nailin' Paylin', it stars 36-year-old porn actress Lisa Ann in the title role who is a certified dental assistant but gave it all up for, well, another kind of filling altogether in fims such as Big Rack Attack 2 and You've Got a Mother Thing Cumming 2.
As yet nobody is making a film about the Democrats so that's one in the eye for Obama, or possibly for the actress playing Palin if she isn't concentrating.
Larry Flynt, owner of Hustler and purveyor of 'men's material', has been busily producing a hard core skin flick about the Alaskan presidential candidate, self-proclaimed lipstick wearing pitbull and mother of five.
Titled 'Nailin' Paylin', it stars 36-year-old porn actress Lisa Ann in the title role who is a certified dental assistant but gave it all up for, well, another kind of filling altogether in fims such as Big Rack Attack 2 and You've Got a Mother Thing Cumming 2.
As yet nobody is making a film about the Democrats so that's one in the eye for Obama, or possibly for the actress playing Palin if she isn't concentrating.
What Did I MIss?
Blimey, dip out of things for a week and everything changes. The top Policeman, the odious Ian Blair, has been ordered to pack up his truncheon and sod off by the equally odious Boris Johnson while Peter Mandelson is once again back in the Cabinet for a third time after twice previously being sacked for abusing his position.
The obscene law that stopped Gurkha's from moving to the UK has finally been overturned and there are protests over a bunch of students dressing up in Nazi style uniforms and making another group of drunk students walk about with carrier bags over there heads in an initiation ceremony. TK Maxx are doing there bit for knife crime by selling jackets with knives attached and Bradford & Bingley are the latest bank to feel the cold chill of the mismanaged financial markets.
Internationally, American taxpayers were finally stiffed good and proper over the $700b handout to the financial markets and Biden failed to knock Palin out of the running despite having enough material to kick her backside so hard she would literally have been talking out of her arse.
A hard right political party have picked up the reins in Austria and North Korea have started building their Nuclear weapons again.
Tottenham are still super-glued to the bottom of the league so somethings haven't changed.
The obscene law that stopped Gurkha's from moving to the UK has finally been overturned and there are protests over a bunch of students dressing up in Nazi style uniforms and making another group of drunk students walk about with carrier bags over there heads in an initiation ceremony. TK Maxx are doing there bit for knife crime by selling jackets with knives attached and Bradford & Bingley are the latest bank to feel the cold chill of the mismanaged financial markets.
Internationally, American taxpayers were finally stiffed good and proper over the $700b handout to the financial markets and Biden failed to knock Palin out of the running despite having enough material to kick her backside so hard she would literally have been talking out of her arse.
A hard right political party have picked up the reins in Austria and North Korea have started building their Nuclear weapons again.
Tottenham are still super-glued to the bottom of the league so somethings haven't changed.
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