And So We Wait . . . ..

Earthquakes Caused By Promiscuous Women

An Iranian cleric has said:

Many women who do not dress modestly lead young men astray and spread adultery in society which increases earthquakes.

Wow, I never knew my V neck top could cause such problems. I always thought earthquakes were caused by the movement of the earth's tectonic plates. How laughable of me. This could even challenge the notion that the earth is round.

Labours Censorship Of Comments

I was watching Labours animated manifesto on Youtube and was struck by the statement, "we like people with opinions" within their "active democracy" section. So I thought I would test this, I posted a comment:

So you plan to do in 5 years what you promised to do in the last 13, with no money, only debt you've created. That sounds so achievable.

It may surprise you to know it was rejected. I tried another tac:

It's nice to see a policeman on the beat . . . . . . for once.

Nope, another:

Boom and bust, where art thou?

Then another:

Please amend the dialogue to say "we like people with our opinions".

Interestingly other political parties don't censor their comments, seeming to understand that not everyone will agree with you. Yet to take away the voice and criticisms of those that don't, while I hasten to add, inviting comment, is far worse in the long run for democracy, tempers and debate.

Covering Up Abuse In The Catholic Church

Paedophilia is a "grave sin" the catholic church teaches, so grave accused priests were moved to another parish, while paperwork was buried. Just how many abuses must be reported before they stop being above the law? If you abuse a child you commit a criminal offence and you should face prosecution. It's beyond the pale that the church was not only more concerned for their reputation than protecting children, but church law is still in play with these cases. They are crimes, those priests should be put on trial, not prayed for.

Electoral Reform - An Empty Vote

Gordon Brown has written a comment is free piece over on the Guardian subtitled:

I will do everything I can to secure a referendum to let the people decide on electoral reform.

Can't help but think he'd be better off not mentioning the words "referendum" in the same sentence as anything alluding to New Labour and promises. Tony Blair pledged to do exactly the same thing their 1997 manifesto and lest we forget the Europe referendum that repeatedly never was.

Faith and trust in parliament has taken a severe knock in the past year, but I do not believe people have lost their appetite for politics, or for the change it can bring.

Indeed politics at the moment is like a haggis, bon appetit. Yet when Brown speaks of reforming politics via the voting system, it's just pointless without addressing what has done the most damage - expenses, lack of transparency, accountability, over-powerful whips and party machines etc. Otherwise the only thing you're changing is the MPs, it's like painting over mould and hoping no one notices the smell. As though I support a change in the voting system, I don't at the expense of ignoring more important reform that is yet to surface.

The vote for Browns "election reform" is thought to be next week as he says:

I am determined to do everything I can to take on and persuade those who want to deny the people the chance to decide at a referendum, and I will build support across the Commons, the Lords and the country.

Support he created in less than a working week, now that would be a good use of whips "leadership". So perhaps he could use some of that "leadership" to get the basics right first, like what on earth is going on with expenses, everyone is paying something back while 5 Sirs report on the report, that 3 separate Sirs created and rules get changed but parliament doesn't vote, but everyone criticises everyone else including the Sirs? Certainly seems the best way forward for a clear transparent system.

The Rise and Fall of New Labour

The Wardman Wire have posted a video of Liberal Vision’s take on the rise and fall of New Labour. I'm quite surprised by how I felt after watching it, I didn't expect to be so angry and disgusted. Looking over my posts it shouldn't really be a surprise to me. Yet I watched it with a growing sense of it just being so beyond the pale, it's scary that so few can have that amount of power and can do so much damage with it.

You can see it on YouTube here.

Baghdad Blast

Another bomb was set off in Baghdad today with devastating effect. Now I'm no explosives expert, but I don't see how this kind of damage was caused by a home made bomb. Which begs the question: where are they getting the explosives from?

37 Names

Since the last Prime Minsters Questions, 37 soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan. 37 names were read out in parliament today by one of the men that sent them there, that's 37 families that will never see or speak to there loved ones again. In other news MP's are squabbling about money again, huddling around to talk about their favourite subject, themselves.

Brown World Statesman of the Year

You just couldn't make this up, Henry Kissinger - the political adviser to Bush on the invasion of Iraq and the guy who's been accused of war crimes, has awarded Brown Statesman of the Year. He praised Brown's:

compassionate leadership in dealing with the challenging issues facing humanity, his commitment to freedom, human dignity and the environment, and for the major role he has played in helping to stabilise the world's financial system

I hear it was a difficult decision between him and George W Bush. Kissinger will be also awarding Fred Goodwin banker of the year later this week, Katie Price AKA Jordan will be awarded for her dignity in dealing with her divorce and they're hoping Kim Jong Il will attend to accept the award for his commitment to democracy.

Women Can Wear Trousers

I never realised that the Islamic authority in Cario were so fashion aware:

Egypt's top Islamic authority defended women's rights to wear trousers in public following a high profile court case in neighbouring Sudan were women were flogged for dressing in pants, the local press reported Wednesday.

Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa said in response to a question during a public lecture that trousers covering women's bodies are permitted, though they should be loose and not see through. He specified that "stretch" pants were in particular unacceptable.

Good call sir, stretch pants, particularly the sparkly, pink or animal print ones are unacceptable. It's not the 1980s ladies, it's about 1900, two world wars to prove you are just as capable as a man and a social revolution later, and then you may be able to wear those leggings. In the mean time, they're not the most protective choice of clothing for the flogging, not such absurd advice from Grand Stylist Mufti after all.

Caster Semenya Gender Test Saga

I've been watching the story unfold with growing disbelieve and now just disgust. Recent "reports" say that Semenya, the 800m world champion is a hermaphrodite, this whole situation should have been dealt with privately, she's 18 years old. Yet this is printed across the headlines of newspapers around the world, she must be devastated by this whole saga.

There are no easy answers here when it comes to her racing career. As of course athletics shouldn't have competitive advantage, but she's done nothing with intention. That's what really bothers me about how this has unfolded, it's been played out in the media as some sort of freak show. When it comes to her private life, she is a woman. That's how she identifies, that is her gender, let's not forget about about a little thing called humanity.

Shameful journalism, if you could even call it that.

Nudie on the Plinth

I wrote previously on the Fourth Plinth in London, since that post there have been many odd, funny, political and nude people stand on it. All of which have been met without complaint, until now, when a man stood naked upon it:

Mr Williams-Thomas, a former Surrey Police detective constable, said his three children, aged between eight and 13 years old, were "very shocked and embarrassed" by Mr Holwell's nudity.

"I fully expected that the surrounding police or organisers would stop this man. To my total surprise they stood by and did nothing."

He added: "This was a public place and therefore I should be able to take my children without the fear of them having a man naked exposing himself."

I would strongly advise against going to Florence then, as there's a 17 feet high nude man, that's a lot of nudity, the "family" might get really embarrassed. Also cover their eyes in Piccadilly Circus there's a naked cupid, oh and don't even think about going to the Tate Modern. I've been, there's a whole floor dedicated to the nude.

MS Paint Fail

Click on image to enlarge

In what could have been a possible homage to the Michael Jackson of IT, Microsoft have apologised for editing the above photo and changing the black man's head to that of a white man. Who indeed must be the chosen one as the holly light shines upon him, those light beams are simply radiating from his cheek.


Update - Abduzeedo has a post on some funny Photoshop Disasters.

Brown - Winston Churchill?

Benedict Brogan writes in his article on the holiday reading of Cameron and Brown:

Mr Brown is currently obsessed with Winston Churchill, and how to avoid his fate. Those around the Prime Minister describe how he is preoccupied by the idea of a war-time leader who guided the nation to safety through dark times, only to be thanked with a thumping defeat.

Indeed, never in the field of human economics, was so much money owed, by so many, because of so few.

Police Raid 'Rave'

This is just incredible, four police cars, a riot van and a police helicopter were sent to shut down an "illegal rave". If of course you consider a rave; 15 people legally in private field, toasting a 30th birthday, while eating burgers and not playing music, all at the late hour of 4 o'clock. How did the police know about this "rave", it was posted on Facebook as an "all-night" party. Or advertised on the internet as a "rave" as the police maintain, a police spokesperson said:

Had it gone ahead, it is likely that far more of our resources would have been used to police the event and there would have been considerable disruption to neighbouring properties.

Indeed a proportional response. Never mind the fact they pre emptive decided that the "ravers" were guilty and it was illegal. Call me old fashioned but no one had complained, you presume that they had no consideration for others and it was 4 pm, if you're going to act, shouldn't it be a response to something illegal.

Social Care - "New and Improved"

'Old Persons Home' by Sun Yuan

Three new options are being proposed by the government for social care. Andy "I can't believe this guy is in charge of the NHS" Burnham said:

For too long politicians have avoided this issue. We have an opportunity to grasp the nettle and confront the debate. If we fail to do that we face the prospect of a diminishing quality of care being provided.

What have they been doing then for 12 years? Oh that's right, turning social care into a disgraceful scandal. More than £23,00 in your home or savings, tough luck, sell your home and spend your savings. Work all your life to pay for your death, disgusting. He should go to a piss stinking care home before speaking of the "prospect" of diminishing care.

What does this say about our society when we can't care properly for the most vulnerable. The shameful audacity of it, how do these people sleep at night?

Griffin Get Tough on Immigrants-Sink Their Boats

What's next throw in some chum?

Brown Unveils - Building Britain's Future

Manic Media - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

It may be just that the Buddhist in me isn't particularly compassionate. But I'm finding the whole hysterical media coverage of Michael Jackson sadder. I've got over 600 articles so far in my Google Reader. With the prospect of hundreds more about; psychological assessment, conspiracies, plastic surgery, skin conditions, the world weeping and the pros and cons of befriending chimps. Lest we forget that he's been played out in the media as a Wacko Jacko for years. Now people say he was miss-understood?

My condolences to his family and friends, but let's be honest about who he was, which wasn't Mother Teresa, curb the frenzy and report on some other news.

Iran and British Government Reaction

The government's foreign policy makes me despair, I dread them giving a response to international situations, which consistently is just a reaction to events. Iran has been no different.

Their supreme leader calls Britain "Evil" and the government react like it's a "Yo Mama" insult. They've now topped this when today Iran ordered two UK diplomats to leave the country, Brown responds by expelling two Iranian diplomats from Britain. A tic for tac foreign policy, wonderful, I'm sure it won't be used as propaganda in Iran, nor isolate them further. When someone is picking a fight there are times to keep quiet in order not to escalate things, this is one them.

The protesters are being called terrorists and traitors, giving the Iranian government any means to reduce or discredit their message is not helpful to their plight. Particularly since Britain and the US are perceived to have rigged elections in Iran before. It is possible to support the Iranian people and the principles of democracy without, counter-productively, involving ourselves directly in an internal political struggle. As the out come of this situation has to be resolved by the Iranians, otherwise it will have no legitimacy, politics and religion are too intertwined in Iran.

It is just unbelievably ironic that when the government shouldn't have followed America's lead in the Middle East they did, now they should they don't.