As previously mentioned, i am backing Hillary Clinton for the top job next year. Not that i know any of her policies or what she plans to do once she replaces the loopy Texan there at the moment, my support is entirely based on the fact that she has mammaries.
Where i was once a lone voice whistling in the European wind, my fight to get the other half of the Clinton family in the White House has been taken up by others this side of the Atlantic.
The poll conducted in Britain, France, Germany and Italy by Angus Reid Global, shows that Europeans overwhelmingly support Hillary Clinton's attempt to become the next US president.
Of course, support for Mrs Clinton in Marseille or Stuttgart means diddly squat but it is nice that we are being asked our opinion.
It is also nice to know that if Clinton gains the Presidency, whacks up tax and generally makes things a whole lot worse for the average American, we are over 5,000 miles away and can be held in now way accountable.
You go girl, you have the support of everyone here which doesn't actually count for anything but we like ya.
Thursday, 30 August 2007
Wednesday, 29 August 2007
Freedom Fighter or Terrorist?
Guess who -
The founder of an armed political wing who coordinated guerrilla and paramilitary training for the campaign against government targets.
Admitted to violating human rights, he was found guilty of 'recruiting persons for training in the preparation and use of explosives and in guerrilla warfare for the purpose of violent revolution and committing acts of sabotage'.
After living on the run for seventeen months, he's arrest was allegedly made possible because the CIA tipped off the police as to our mans whereabouts and disguise.
Offered his freedom after 18 years incarceration in return for renouncing violence, the man refused, spending a further 9 in a jail cell.
Interesting choice of statue being unveiled in London tomorrow. If ever there was a man who epitomised the words 'One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter', it is Nelson Mandela.
The British Government had him and his party labelled as terrorists, even refusing to partake in the sanctions against the South African ruling party as did the USA and the French, with the 3 of them even continuing to sell the South African regime arms at the time.
So apart from being old and spending a long time in prison, just how does someone make the transition from a named terrorist to worldwide hero and Nobel Peace Prize winner?
The ANC may not of been in the same class as the Provisional IRA or Al Queada but they took part in an armed insurrection against the government of their country.
The founder of an armed political wing who coordinated guerrilla and paramilitary training for the campaign against government targets.
Admitted to violating human rights, he was found guilty of 'recruiting persons for training in the preparation and use of explosives and in guerrilla warfare for the purpose of violent revolution and committing acts of sabotage'.
After living on the run for seventeen months, he's arrest was allegedly made possible because the CIA tipped off the police as to our mans whereabouts and disguise.
Offered his freedom after 18 years incarceration in return for renouncing violence, the man refused, spending a further 9 in a jail cell.
Interesting choice of statue being unveiled in London tomorrow. If ever there was a man who epitomised the words 'One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter', it is Nelson Mandela.
The British Government had him and his party labelled as terrorists, even refusing to partake in the sanctions against the South African ruling party as did the USA and the French, with the 3 of them even continuing to sell the South African regime arms at the time.
So apart from being old and spending a long time in prison, just how does someone make the transition from a named terrorist to worldwide hero and Nobel Peace Prize winner?
The ANC may not of been in the same class as the Provisional IRA or Al Queada but they took part in an armed insurrection against the government of their country.
Monday, 27 August 2007
Where Are The Drugged Up Athletes?
The World Athletic Championships from Japan have been dominating the Television Schedules and as the Asian country is 8 hours ahead of the UK, it is a late night or an early morning to catch the best action.
As much as i enjoy watching super-fit men and women run, jump and throw things, two things taint the experience for me.
Firstly, as a Brit, i know we are going to suck and not bother the Airport maximum luggage weight rule with bags weighed down by medals.
Secondly, and maybe this is just me being cynical, but there is always a niggling doubt at the back of my mind that the fastest or strongest has been chemically enhanced.
At the time of writing, there has not been any positive drugs tests from Osaka but there has been some debate over athletes who have been previously banned being allowed to complete.
The current rule is to ban them for two years and then allow them back into competition but surely the best deterrent would be to ban them for life or at the very least increase the length of the ban as to make it virtually impossible for any athlete to come back.
Maybe we will go through this World Athletics Championship clean and we can all then debate whether the Athletes have finally cleaned up their act or maybe it has just been that the dirty ones have managed to mask their drugs more effectively.
As much as i enjoy watching super-fit men and women run, jump and throw things, two things taint the experience for me.
Firstly, as a Brit, i know we are going to suck and not bother the Airport maximum luggage weight rule with bags weighed down by medals.
Secondly, and maybe this is just me being cynical, but there is always a niggling doubt at the back of my mind that the fastest or strongest has been chemically enhanced.
At the time of writing, there has not been any positive drugs tests from Osaka but there has been some debate over athletes who have been previously banned being allowed to complete.
The current rule is to ban them for two years and then allow them back into competition but surely the best deterrent would be to ban them for life or at the very least increase the length of the ban as to make it virtually impossible for any athlete to come back.
Maybe we will go through this World Athletics Championship clean and we can all then debate whether the Athletes have finally cleaned up their act or maybe it has just been that the dirty ones have managed to mask their drugs more effectively.
Fires & Frying Pans
While the fault for making the World a more dangerous place falls directly on the doormats marked Blair and Bush, there has been an even deadlier threat of our imminent demise coming from the eastern side of Europe.
Not quite so quietly, Russia have been tearing up arms agreement with Nato, denouncing the US, grabbing chunks of the Arctic, and buzzing Britain and the USA with heavy bombers which had the RAF and USAF scrambling fighters.
As promised, Putin had said he would resume long-range combat missions by bomber aircraft capable of hitting the US with nuclear weapons. Patrols over the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic began last week for the first time since 1992.
The revival of Russian military prowess comes after rapidly deteriorating relations with the west following the US's missile defence plans in Europe. A recent show of strength saw a new supersonic cruise missile unveiled alongside new and improved jets and Migs that had industry observers cooing in admiration.
Should we be worried about Putin restarting an arms race and filling our skies with nuclear armed bombers? Not really, the problems will come after 2008 when Sergei Ivanov, Russia's answer to Donald Rumsfeld and the leading candidate to succeed Putin, gets his hands on the Presidential Office.
Out of the frying pan and straight back into another one.
Not quite so quietly, Russia have been tearing up arms agreement with Nato, denouncing the US, grabbing chunks of the Arctic, and buzzing Britain and the USA with heavy bombers which had the RAF and USAF scrambling fighters.
As promised, Putin had said he would resume long-range combat missions by bomber aircraft capable of hitting the US with nuclear weapons. Patrols over the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic began last week for the first time since 1992.
The revival of Russian military prowess comes after rapidly deteriorating relations with the west following the US's missile defence plans in Europe. A recent show of strength saw a new supersonic cruise missile unveiled alongside new and improved jets and Migs that had industry observers cooing in admiration.
Should we be worried about Putin restarting an arms race and filling our skies with nuclear armed bombers? Not really, the problems will come after 2008 when Sergei Ivanov, Russia's answer to Donald Rumsfeld and the leading candidate to succeed Putin, gets his hands on the Presidential Office.
Out of the frying pan and straight back into another one.
Sunday, 26 August 2007
Bobo Experiment
The famous Bobo doll experiment was conducted by Albert Bandura and studied patterns of behaviour associated with aggression.
Bandura found that the children exposed to the aggressive model were more likely to act in physically aggressive ways than those who were not exposed to the aggressive model.
Bandura proves that specific behaviors, such as aggression, can be learned through observing and imitating others.
They came to the conclusion that children observing adult behavior are influenced to think that this type of behavior is acceptable.
The result of reduced aggressive inhibitions in children means that they are more likely to respond to future situations in a more aggressive manner.
As i have previously said, i believe that people, especially the younger and more impressionable minds, are influenced by what they see and hear.
Could one of the reasons that our youngsters think it cool to carry knives and guns, to take drugs and to have violent tendencies be films, television programmes, music and video games available to them today?
Mr Bandura's findings would lead us to think so, and i would have to agree that it is one of the main reasons among others.
Bandura found that the children exposed to the aggressive model were more likely to act in physically aggressive ways than those who were not exposed to the aggressive model.
Bandura proves that specific behaviors, such as aggression, can be learned through observing and imitating others.
They came to the conclusion that children observing adult behavior are influenced to think that this type of behavior is acceptable.
The result of reduced aggressive inhibitions in children means that they are more likely to respond to future situations in a more aggressive manner.
As i have previously said, i believe that people, especially the younger and more impressionable minds, are influenced by what they see and hear.
Could one of the reasons that our youngsters think it cool to carry knives and guns, to take drugs and to have violent tendencies be films, television programmes, music and video games available to them today?
Mr Bandura's findings would lead us to think so, and i would have to agree that it is one of the main reasons among others.
Thursday, 23 August 2007
Bush & Vietnam
“It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, more desolation. War is hell.”
So said Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman who it would be fair to say heard his fair share of shrieks and groans in his time.
Equally fair to mention would be that the Veterans of Foreign Wars had fired a few shots and probably heard a few whistle past far to close for comfort.
So how can a group of bona fide war veterans listen and even applaud a person who, despite doing everything possible to keep his own arse out of the Vietnam war, then goes on to say that it should of gone on longer? I am sure their 60,000 dead buddies wouldn't mind hearing about what he was doing while they got killed in the jungles of Southeast Asia. It is well known that Bush family pulled the strings to get him a cushy berth in the Texas Air National Guard where his greatest worry was getting caught driving whilst drunk.
Bush invoked the memory of Vietnam, comparing his ongoing War in Iraq to several wars and conflicts involving America over the past 70 odd years to justify his actions.
His shaky grip on History has been roundly condemned on most media outlets but the best quote came from one talking head on CNN who asked of Bush, 'If you learned so much from history, how did you ever get us involved in another quagmire?"'
So said Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman who it would be fair to say heard his fair share of shrieks and groans in his time.
Equally fair to mention would be that the Veterans of Foreign Wars had fired a few shots and probably heard a few whistle past far to close for comfort.
So how can a group of bona fide war veterans listen and even applaud a person who, despite doing everything possible to keep his own arse out of the Vietnam war, then goes on to say that it should of gone on longer? I am sure their 60,000 dead buddies wouldn't mind hearing about what he was doing while they got killed in the jungles of Southeast Asia. It is well known that Bush family pulled the strings to get him a cushy berth in the Texas Air National Guard where his greatest worry was getting caught driving whilst drunk.
Bush invoked the memory of Vietnam, comparing his ongoing War in Iraq to several wars and conflicts involving America over the past 70 odd years to justify his actions.
His shaky grip on History has been roundly condemned on most media outlets but the best quote came from one talking head on CNN who asked of Bush, 'If you learned so much from history, how did you ever get us involved in another quagmire?"'
Wednesday, 22 August 2007
1987
Twas a cold, drizzly and overcast August morning and suddenly, out of the radio speakers, came a song to send my mind spinning back to the 1987. 'Live It Up' by Mental as Anything was the soundtrack to Crocodile Dundee and will be forever a defining song of the era.
So inspired was i to relive my bygone years, i dug out my 'Now That's What I
call Music' 1980s box set and reminisced to the sound of 1987.
Faith - George Michael, Here I Go Again - Whitesnake, Heaven Is a Place on Earth - Belinda Carlisle, (I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight - Cutting Crew, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2, I Think We're Alone Now - Tiffany, I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Whitney, La Isla Bonita - Madonna, Livin' On a Prayer - Bon Jovi, Luka - Suzanne Vega, Mony Mony - Billy Idol, Need You Tonight - INXS, The Final Countdown - Europe, Lady in Red - Chris DeBurgh, Walk Like An Egyptian - The Bangles, Beds Are Burning - Midnight Oil, You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon.
Then it suddenly dawned on me. 1987 was 20 years ago. How depressing is that thought!
So inspired was i to relive my bygone years, i dug out my 'Now That's What I
call Music' 1980s box set and reminisced to the sound of 1987.
Faith - George Michael, Here I Go Again - Whitesnake, Heaven Is a Place on Earth - Belinda Carlisle, (I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight - Cutting Crew, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2, I Think We're Alone Now - Tiffany, I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Whitney, La Isla Bonita - Madonna, Livin' On a Prayer - Bon Jovi, Luka - Suzanne Vega, Mony Mony - Billy Idol, Need You Tonight - INXS, The Final Countdown - Europe, Lady in Red - Chris DeBurgh, Walk Like An Egyptian - The Bangles, Beds Are Burning - Midnight Oil, You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon.
Then it suddenly dawned on me. 1987 was 20 years ago. How depressing is that thought!
Portugal Squares Up To Texas
I don't know who died and left Portugal in charge but as they hold the rotating Presidency of the European Union, they have decided to use the position to wag a sunburned finger at places that carry out executions.
Hence the reprimand to Texas calling on the State Governor to halt executions. Hence the reply telling Portugal exactly where it can stick it's wagging finger.
Denouncing judicial killings as cruel and inhumane, the Euro representative carried on to say that 'The EU expressed great regret at Texas preparations to carry out its 400th death penalty' and renewed its call to the US to halt executions.
Now it is none of our business if America chooses to fry it's criminals as it is none of Americas business that we don't choose to plug our prisoners into the electric grid.
Personally, i agree with the EU but that is for the leaders of the States to decide and not some European from the Iberian Peninsula.
One of the biggest complaints we throw at the yanks is that they try and tell everyone else what to do, so pull your head in Portugal because as much as we may not like it, it is none of our business.
Hence the reprimand to Texas calling on the State Governor to halt executions. Hence the reply telling Portugal exactly where it can stick it's wagging finger.
Denouncing judicial killings as cruel and inhumane, the Euro representative carried on to say that 'The EU expressed great regret at Texas preparations to carry out its 400th death penalty' and renewed its call to the US to halt executions.
Now it is none of our business if America chooses to fry it's criminals as it is none of Americas business that we don't choose to plug our prisoners into the electric grid.
Personally, i agree with the EU but that is for the leaders of the States to decide and not some European from the Iberian Peninsula.
One of the biggest complaints we throw at the yanks is that they try and tell everyone else what to do, so pull your head in Portugal because as much as we may not like it, it is none of our business.
Tuesday, 21 August 2007
Another Anti-War Nutter
Don't those anti-war supporters ever give up. Here is yet another one of those
pacifist weirdo's putting in his pennyworth.
So who is it this time saying that an American invasion of Iraq would lead to a quagmire and saying "That's a very volatile part of the world, and if you
take down the central government of Iraq, you could very easily end up seeing pieces of Iraq fly off. It's a quagmire if you go that far and try to take over Iraq,""
Yes, yes, that's what we said before the Invasion and if only the Brits & American leaders had listened to you when you said removing Saddam was not worth many more American lives than the 146 lost in repelling him from Kuwait.
So who is this level headed man spouting such truths 9 years before the Iraq debacle?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BEsZMvrq-I
Oops, this could prove quite embarrassing Mr Cheney. I wonder if Fox News want me to email them the link.
pacifist weirdo's putting in his pennyworth.
So who is it this time saying that an American invasion of Iraq would lead to a quagmire and saying "That's a very volatile part of the world, and if you
take down the central government of Iraq, you could very easily end up seeing pieces of Iraq fly off. It's a quagmire if you go that far and try to take over Iraq,""
Yes, yes, that's what we said before the Invasion and if only the Brits & American leaders had listened to you when you said removing Saddam was not worth many more American lives than the 146 lost in repelling him from Kuwait.
So who is this level headed man spouting such truths 9 years before the Iraq debacle?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BEsZMvrq-I
Oops, this could prove quite embarrassing Mr Cheney. I wonder if Fox News want me to email them the link.
Friday, 17 August 2007
Denmark Saying Bedrøvelig
You wouldn't think it to look at them now, but Scandinavians have not always been the laid back, wouldn't-hurt-a-fly collection of nations at the geographical top of Europe.
Go back to around 800AD and parts of the British Isles were in the midst of getting their bagdel kicked by rampaging Danes who had little interest in admiring our elegantly decorated monasteries and were far more inclined to raze them to the ground. And then pillage, rape and generally slaughter us.
Firm believers in letting bygones be bygones, we now see Denmark as that place we get our beer and bacon from and concentrate on berating Germans for their ancestors starting 2 World Wars but those dashingly nice Danes have not forgotten us.
Arriving in Ireland on a replica Viking longboat, the Danish culture minister, Brian Mikkelson, apologised for the Norse invasions and destruction inflicted.
Apology accepted Brian, now say sorry for the god-awful 'Barbie Girl' by your fellow countrymen, Aqua.
Go back to around 800AD and parts of the British Isles were in the midst of getting their bagdel kicked by rampaging Danes who had little interest in admiring our elegantly decorated monasteries and were far more inclined to raze them to the ground. And then pillage, rape and generally slaughter us.
Firm believers in letting bygones be bygones, we now see Denmark as that place we get our beer and bacon from and concentrate on berating Germans for their ancestors starting 2 World Wars but those dashingly nice Danes have not forgotten us.
Arriving in Ireland on a replica Viking longboat, the Danish culture minister, Brian Mikkelson, apologised for the Norse invasions and destruction inflicted.
Apology accepted Brian, now say sorry for the god-awful 'Barbie Girl' by your fellow countrymen, Aqua.
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