Saturday 22 November 2014
Britain's Prince Charles To Make 'Heartfelt Interventions' As King
An anti-royalist beat-up composed of unatributed hearsay and some real quotes from an anti-moarchy group. In short, this is not a news story; it is a Charlotte Alfred Op-Ed piece pretending to be news.
I do not have a problem with a news outlet printing the opinions of journalists, but I think they should be honest and label them as such.
Vince Cable 'Trying To Hide George Osborne's Abject Failure' On Exports
Nice Op-Ed piece, Mr Bennett. Why do you try to pretend it is a news story?
Occupy Protesters Converge On Central London To Set Up Camp Outside Westminster"Pro-democracy protesters"?
Not exactly what I would call objective reporting.
Who are the anti-democracy folks?
House Intelligence Committee's Benghazi Report Torches Conspiracy Theories
Well, there is truth and then there is politics - and the first rarely helps the second.
Expect this report to be de-bunked (or trumpeted) by those who don't mind using dead American diplomats as a way to score point on the opposition.
PS: "Torches"? is that what passes for objective journalism these days?
Wednesday 12 November 2014
How about £5 million per person?
£500,000?
£50,000?
£5,000?
£500?
Okay, we have established what we are, we are now just haggling about the price.
Later, we will ask who will put up the money.
Rochester byelection: a civil war on the right fuelled by immigration and elitism
Oh dear "a civil war!" How many dead so far?
Conservatives Threaten Budget Showdown Over ImmigrationQuite right, Mr Sessions. If it looks like the government might actually get something done, cancel the funds immediately. Your campaign contibutions depend on the government not doing anything - the less you get done, the more money you get. Okay, sthutting down the government wll hurt all Americans, including your own constituents, but what is that compared to a full war-chest?
Russell Brand And Jeremy Clarkson Are 'Negative Influences On Politics', Say VotersBrand is a nasty little self-publicising multi-millionaire who thinks his opinions should matter more than anyone else's. Of course he is a negaative influence on politics and on the lives of any people he comes in contact with.
Clarkson is a caricature clown with barely a poltical bone in his body. He is silly, irreverant and fun, in a juvenile nudge-wink sort of way. Mostly harmless; people laugh more at him than with him - but at least they laugh
Obama To Announce Immigration Action Next WeekSending a clear message: it is okay to break the law if you find that law inconvenient.
After all, freedom means freedom from obeying laws.
Remember: Your convenience is more important than the country you wish to be part of.
Conservatives Threaten Budget Showdown Over ImmigrationQuite right, Mr Sessions. If it looks like the government might actually get something done, cancel the funds immediately. Your campaign contibutions depend on the government not doing anything - the less you get done, the more money you get. Okay, sthutting down the government wll hurt all Americans, including your own constituents, but what is that compared to a full war-chest?
Russell Brand And Jeremy Clarkson Are 'Negative Influences On Politics', Say VotersBrand is a nasty little self-publicising multi-millionaire who thinks his opinions should matter more than anyone else's. Of course he is a negaative influence on politics and on the lives of any people he comes in contact with.
Clarkson is a caricature clown with barely a poltical bone in his body. He is silly, irreverant and fun, in a juvenile nudge-wink sort of way. Mostly harmless; people laugh more at him than with him - but at least they laugh
Obama To Announce Immigration Action Next WeekSending a clear message: it is okay to break the law if you find that law inconvenient.
After all, freedom means freedom from obeying laws.
Remember: Your convenience is more important than the country you wish to be part of.
Sunday 9 November 2014
Assisted dying will be made legal in UK ‘within two years’
About time! We need to put an end to the stituation where the only choice for those in pain is:
1) be tortured to death or
2) be drugged to eyeballs so they are no longer themselves, then wait for the body to shut down.
"Palliative care" is a boon to many, but for others being kept so high that one is not compos mentis seems worse than dying
DEMS: WHAT WENT WRONG?
UK rights groups reject official inquiry into post-September 11 rendition
"Palliative care" is a boon to many, but for others being kept so high that one is not compos mentis seems worse than dying
DEMS: WHAT WENT WRONG?
Two things went wrong:
1) poor leadership in the white house, the congress and the senate
2) an inability to get anything done.
Whining about 2) being someone else's fault didn't help
Whining about 2) being someone else's fault didn't help
UK rights groups reject official inquiry into post-September 11 rendition
Indeed, ANY inquiry that does not find what I have already decided is the case will be a whitewash.
This is why the victims in the 40-year-old sex abuse inquiry have asked to be allowed to pack the panel with people who already agree with their conclusions.
This is why the victims in the 40-year-old sex abuse inquiry have asked to be allowed to pack the panel with people who already agree with their conclusions.
US Airstrikes Hit Convoy Of IS Leaders, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi May Have Been InjuredCouldn't happen to a nicer guy.
However, when ISIS starts bombing American cities, don't ask: what did we ever do to you?
National Trust 'abuses goodwill of employees,' claim unionsHow much is Prospect willing to contribute to the trust employees' wages?
Rainbow List 2014: Introducing our annual celebration of the lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transgender people who make a real difference
However, when ISIS starts bombing American cities, don't ask: what did we ever do to you?
National Trust 'abuses goodwill of employees,' claim unionsHow much is Prospect willing to contribute to the trust employees' wages?
Rainbow List 2014: Introducing our annual celebration of the lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transgender people who make a real difference
Dear Editor: Thank tyou for publishing the self-referential Rainbow list.
When will the list of 101 Heterosexuals who make a real difference be published?
Saturday 8 November 2014
Reince Priebus Softens Push For Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Well of course he does. The overwhelming majority of the American people want immigration reform.
The overwhelming majority of Republican primary voters do not.
Guess who this congress will serve.
This Is What Tolerance Looks Like
Well of course he does. The overwhelming majority of the American people want immigration reform.
The overwhelming majority of Republican primary voters do not.
Guess who this congress will serve.
This Is What Tolerance Looks Like
Women who "choose" to cover their face offend local cultural values; as rude as entering a mosque wearing a bikini.
America does not believe there are people so high and mighty that none dare look upon their face.
Americans consider it sexist to say "one gender may look upon my face, but another gender may not."
Wearing a burkha shows either a deliberate desire to offend the local culture or pig ignorance.
Farage ‘Snubbed' For Remembrance Sunday
Oh poor baby. Were hisums wittle feelings hurt?
It is sad when other people do not share one's inflated view of one's own importance.
CPS Pursued 'Vulnerable' Daughter Over False Rape ClaimWell, if she was "vulnerable" then what is the life or reputation of an innocent person compared to that - or a hundred inncoent people? If she is vulnerable,sShe should be allowed to destroy anyone she fancies destroying, innit?
America does not believe there are people so high and mighty that none dare look upon their face.
Americans consider it sexist to say "one gender may look upon my face, but another gender may not."
Wearing a burkha shows either a deliberate desire to offend the local culture or pig ignorance.
Farage ‘Snubbed' For Remembrance Sunday
Oh poor baby. Were hisums wittle feelings hurt?
It is sad when other people do not share one's inflated view of one's own importance.
CPS Pursued 'Vulnerable' Daughter Over False Rape ClaimWell, if she was "vulnerable" then what is the life or reputation of an innocent person compared to that - or a hundred inncoent people? If she is vulnerable,sShe should be allowed to destroy anyone she fancies destroying, innit?
Thursday 6 November 2014
Vatican Slams Terminally Ill Decision To End Her Own Life As 'Reprehensible'Carasco de Paula, although reprehensible, is understandable. He reasons that if his god choses to torture a person that person is obliged to put up with it because it is what god wants to happen. Wouldn't want to offend a sadistic god.
Feminist T-Shirt Sweatshop Report Fiercely Denied By Fawcett SocietyThe Fawcett Society evades like a politician: the government-mandated minimum wage in Mauritius is 62p an hour, just as the rag reported. The resulting weekly pay of £27.90 is actually less than 1/4th of the average wage in the country, but if the sweatshoppers work for more than the required 45 hours (say 60 hours or more), they may get their wages up to 1/4th (or £37.50 a week). In the age of the internet, when these figures are readily avaiable on local government websites, it amazes me that spinners still give out this kind of waffle.
I still cannot understand why Cameron refuses to have his dress dictated by a for-profit magazine that has co-oped a feminist campaign so it can sell more advertising. On the other hand, his refusal has given them so much publicity that they must be over the moon.
Million Mask March Expected To Put London In Lockdown We are against covert surveillance and for more transparency, which is why we wear masks. That is, we are for covert surveillance and against transparency for us, it is just for other people.
Do Migrants Really Cost Britain £120 Billion?"Immigrants from outside of the European Union, who already live or moved to Britain over 1995 to 2011, did pay in £118 billion less in taxes than they took out in benefits,"
That is, immigrants from outside the EU are a drain and a burden - tell me again: why do we let unskilled non-EU folk in? Send us your best and brightest, you can keep your lazy and indigent.
"but this is massively dwarfed by the £591 billion net cost for the UK-born population."
No wonder the country is in debt, if the government pays out more in benefits than it takes in. (Something wrong with this statistic?)
PS: "they guys pay more than what they take out."
Hope this academic's math is better than his English - or should I say "better than what his English is."
Thursday 30 October 2014
Fiona Woolf Faces Fresh Scrutiny Over Re-Written LetterFormer home secretary Lord Brittan denies failing to act on a dossier of paedophilia allegations he received while in office in the 1980s." That is flat not true. He has said, and the record shows, that he did act: passing the dossier to the appropriate authorities. It is only a self-publicising politician who made the false suggestion that he failed to act, and the media have picked this charge up because conflict sells advertising - and they do not care if something is true or not, as long as it sells advertising.
Severe Punishments Don't Stop Drug Use, Home Office Report SaysTough sentencing does not deter crime - we have known that for years. This is not the first home office study that shows this clearly - nor the third. Nor, if we include academcic research and research from other countries, the 10th or 20th
However, tough sentencing wins votes, because it appeals to our desire for revenge. Facts or votes, which do you think will win?
Being "soft on crime" loses votes - so what do you think are our chances of politicians implementing the change to a system that works better and is cheaper, but is not so harsh?
Ukip Voters Are 'Darkly Pessimistic' About Their Lives
And it is not just UKIP. The media have told us that life in Britain is bad and that around rest of the world it is even worse. With a 90/10 bais towards conflict and negative stories, media outlets (including Huffpo) should not be surprised if they have made people darkly pessimistic.
FOX News To Reveal SEAL Team Six Member Who Shot Bin Laden Well, anything to aid our enemies - as long as it gets FOX some notoriety.
Washington Post Masthead Will Soon Be All-Male
FOX News To Reveal SEAL Team Six Member Who Shot Bin Laden Well, anything to aid our enemies - as long as it gets FOX some notoriety.
Washington Post Masthead Will Soon Be All-Male
Gosh. If they appointed their masthead staff on merit, we need to change this immediately and pick them on racist and sexist grounds, so the masthead looks diverse. What will that do for quality and profitability - proabably nothing either way, but who cares? Our agenda is not to succeed as a newspaper; our agenda is to be seen as PC.
Monday 27 October 2014
Fraud crackdown could wipe millions from the electoral roll
Oh no, not another policy that asks citizens to shoulder their responsibilities! Don't they understand that it is someone else's job to see that I am registered to vote? Especially if I am poor: poor people should have no responsibilities, only rights.
Humanity's 'inexorable' population growth is so rapid, even global catastrophe wouldn't stop it
We Should Help 'Frightened, Disillusioned' Jihadis Come Home From Syria
David Cameron Refuses To Wear Elle Magazine's Feminist T-Shirt... Five Times
What? How dare our prime minister not have his clothing dictated to him by a for-profit magazine exploiting the feminist movement to make more money?
University lecturers plan marking strike over pension changes that 'could cost thousands'
Universities UK.... said the pension scheme was £8bn short of meeting its financial requirements and a recovery plan was “unavoidable”.
Translation: "We stole £8bn of the lecturers money and we have NO intention of giving it back. Now that our word has been shown to be worthless, they should negotiate with us in good faith to get a new promise. Although we break our promises with impunity, it would be cynical of them to break their promise to mark exams and papers. Just because we are liars is no reason for them to be liars.
Oh no, not another policy that asks citizens to shoulder their responsibilities! Don't they understand that it is someone else's job to see that I am registered to vote? Especially if I am poor: poor people should have no responsibilities, only rights.
"Our great-great-great-great-grandchildren might ultimately benefit from such planning, but people alive today will not,” Professor Brook said.
That explains why nothing will be done about this. Our politicians can't even do anything about debt and deficit that will cripple our children or climate change that will choke our grandchildren. Great grandchildren? Let 'em eat cake!
Or we could take the Kyoto approach: everyone signs up to targets that they have no intention of even trying to meet and do not meet, but they can feel morally superior to those who didn't sign up, even if some non-signatories do better at meeting the targets.
That explains why nothing will be done about this. Our politicians can't even do anything about debt and deficit that will cripple our children or climate change that will choke our grandchildren. Great grandchildren? Let 'em eat cake!
Or we could take the Kyoto approach: everyone signs up to targets that they have no intention of even trying to meet and do not meet, but they can feel morally superior to those who didn't sign up, even if some non-signatories do better at meeting the targets.
True, we should be gentle on these thugs, rapists and murderers because they are young and did not realise that murder, rape and slave-trading are wrong. Neither their parents nor their religious leaders taught them that ISIS are mohareb enemies of Allah, so it is not their fault (i.e. they were too stupid to have an opinion of their own).
What? How dare our prime minister not have his clothing dictated to him by a for-profit magazine exploiting the feminist movement to make more money?
University lecturers plan marking strike over pension changes that 'could cost thousands'
Universities UK.... said the pension scheme was £8bn short of meeting its financial requirements and a recovery plan was “unavoidable”.
Translation: "We stole £8bn of the lecturers money and we have NO intention of giving it back. Now that our word has been shown to be worthless, they should negotiate with us in good faith to get a new promise. Although we break our promises with impunity, it would be cynical of them to break their promise to mark exams and papers. Just because we are liars is no reason for them to be liars.
Sunday 19 October 2014
Trolls To Get Up To Two Years In Prison Under New Laws
"No-one would permit such venom in person, so there should be no place for it on social media...."
Sorry, did I miss something?
If said in person, this would draw a 2-year prison sentence?
Under what law please? Why can this law not be used against internet trolls?
David Cameron's EU Immigration Cap Proposal Shot Down Pretty Quickly
A recent poll showed that 58% of Brits think that we should have the right to live and work freely anywhere in the EU. Only 39% said that EU citizens should have the right to live and work freely in the UK.
Basically, the Tories get traction on EU "renegotiation" because we want to have our cake and eat it too.
Tories also want a referendum on leaving, a repeat of the one just held in Scotland.
If Great Britain votes to leave, it will be the fault of media bias: constantly harping on the negatives about the union, whilst rarely (if ever) reporting the positives. Referenda are not won or lost on fact, but on emotion: how people feel about an issue. People feel negatively towards the EU because that is nearly all they have ever been told about it.
Zac Goldsmith Blasts Bill To Recall MPs (as too weak)
"...voters should be able to call a petition under any circumstances."
Careful what you wish for Zac: you may see elections every year, at taxpayer expense. As the recent Scottish referendum on leaving the UK and EU showed, the side that loses an election today always contains a faction that thinks any vote they lose must be rigged. They will want to keep repeating elections until they get the result they want.
That is, the "circumstances" leading to the recall petition will be "having won the election."
Prince Charles Orders Grey Squirrel Cull On His Duchy Of Cornwall Estate
So Milliband's idea is impossible and shows a complete ignorance of the facts.
How is that dfifferent from most political promises?
Mr Pollard suggests that the ignorance might be deliberate: that Milliband may know his idea is impossible.
Again, how is that different from most political promises?
Ched Evans Insists He Is Innocent Of Rape After Being Released From Prison
It is an intereasting legal principle: people who are drunk are not responsible for their actions in law.
Does that mean drunk drivers are not capable of consenting to drive?
Why Did The Washington Post Name The Volunteer Accused In Prostitution Scandal?Why did they reveal his name? Because it helps them sell advertising, It might ruin his life, even though he probably did nothing wrong? Who cares? We are talking about selling advertising here!
Louise Mensch 'Pins Tory Election Hopes' On Ebola OutbreakWhy does Huffpo give this self-serving publicist exposure after she reneged on her promise to her constituents. I understand that, being human, she may have ethical limitations, but why does a journllistic enterprise cater to them?
Question for the investigative journalist: does Huffpo get some benefit from airing her views?
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Pens Scathing Dissent On Texas Voter ID LawThe lead-in headline says "Poll Tax on 600,000"
The Texas government website says "If you do not have any of the following acceptable forms of ID, beginning June 26, 2013, you may apply for an Election Identification Certificate (EIC) at no charge."
So a Poll Tax of $0 per person?
PS: I also note that the Texas government website says: "If you are voting by mail, you do not have to submit a photo ID." This includes any Texan living otuside the USA, including those residing in Mexico.
"No-one would permit such venom in person, so there should be no place for it on social media...."
Sorry, did I miss something?
If said in person, this would draw a 2-year prison sentence?
Under what law please? Why can this law not be used against internet trolls?
David Cameron's EU Immigration Cap Proposal Shot Down Pretty Quickly
A recent poll showed that 58% of Brits think that we should have the right to live and work freely anywhere in the EU. Only 39% said that EU citizens should have the right to live and work freely in the UK.
Basically, the Tories get traction on EU "renegotiation" because we want to have our cake and eat it too.
Tories also want a referendum on leaving, a repeat of the one just held in Scotland.
If Great Britain votes to leave, it will be the fault of media bias: constantly harping on the negatives about the union, whilst rarely (if ever) reporting the positives. Referenda are not won or lost on fact, but on emotion: how people feel about an issue. People feel negatively towards the EU because that is nearly all they have ever been told about it.
Zac Goldsmith Blasts Bill To Recall MPs (as too weak)
"...voters should be able to call a petition under any circumstances."
Careful what you wish for Zac: you may see elections every year, at taxpayer expense. As the recent Scottish referendum on leaving the UK and EU showed, the side that loses an election today always contains a faction that thinks any vote they lose must be rigged. They will want to keep repeating elections until they get the result they want.
That is, the "circumstances" leading to the recall petition will be "having won the election."
Prince Charles Orders Grey Squirrel Cull On His Duchy Of Cornwall Estate
No, outrageous! The grey squirrel MUST be allowed to drive the red squirrel into extinction. Then we can all whine that human beings made the red squirrel extinct. Which, of course, will be true: it was humans who imported the grey squirrel.
Ed Miliband's Cancer Test NHS Pledge Blasted By Leukaemia Patient Stephen PollardSo Milliband's idea is impossible and shows a complete ignorance of the facts.
How is that dfifferent from most political promises?
Mr Pollard suggests that the ignorance might be deliberate: that Milliband may know his idea is impossible.
Again, how is that different from most political promises?
Ched Evans Insists He Is Innocent Of Rape After Being Released From Prison
It is an intereasting legal principle: people who are drunk are not responsible for their actions in law.
Does that mean drunk drivers are not capable of consenting to drive?
Why Did The Washington Post Name The Volunteer Accused In Prostitution Scandal?Why did they reveal his name? Because it helps them sell advertising, It might ruin his life, even though he probably did nothing wrong? Who cares? We are talking about selling advertising here!
Louise Mensch 'Pins Tory Election Hopes' On Ebola OutbreakWhy does Huffpo give this self-serving publicist exposure after she reneged on her promise to her constituents. I understand that, being human, she may have ethical limitations, but why does a journllistic enterprise cater to them?
Question for the investigative journalist: does Huffpo get some benefit from airing her views?
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Pens Scathing Dissent On Texas Voter ID LawThe lead-in headline says "Poll Tax on 600,000"
The Texas government website says "If you do not have any of the following acceptable forms of ID, beginning June 26, 2013, you may apply for an Election Identification Certificate (EIC) at no charge."
So a Poll Tax of $0 per person?
PS: I also note that the Texas government website says: "If you are voting by mail, you do not have to submit a photo ID." This includes any Texan living otuside the USA, including those residing in Mexico.
Thursday 16 October 2014
Whoa! Bad headlines! The Kurds who staged this protest theatre are Islamic.
The ISIS people who inspired this protest are NOT Islamic, nor are their auctions.
They are perverters of the faith and mohareb enemies of Allah
The ISIS people who inspired this protest are NOT Islamic, nor are their auctions.
They are perverters of the faith and mohareb enemies of Allah
Of course medical error has never, ever happened in a government-run NHS hospital. Looking at the headlines, this is not a news story, it is an ideological editorial rant.
Anthropocene: We might be about to move from the Holocene to a new epoch
Interesting idea, fueled by a very recent scientific fad. I would wait for the jury to come in: If we want to be truly scientific, in the geological sense, we should make this decision in, say, 1000 years (if we are still around). 500 years is NOT enough to define a geological epoch.
Putin Threatens To Reduce European Gas SupplyHas he been studying Dale Carnegie again?
Louise Mensch 'Pins Tory Election Hopes' On Ebola Outbreak
Why does Huffpo give this self-serving publicist exposure after she reneged on her promise to her constituents. I understand that, being human, she may have ethical limitations, but why does a journllistic enterprise cater to them?
Question for the investigative journalist: does Huffpo get some benefit from airing her views?
Senate’s inquiry into CIA torture sidesteps blaming Bush'Gosh! You mean they didn't extend their remit to include a conclusion that we (or at least the authors of this article) wanted to see, whether it was relevant or not? How dare they?
Lockheed Martin Unveils Compact Fusion Reactor Which 'Could change everything'
Gosh. I t could even change politicians self-serving posturings. No? Oh well, not everything then - but it would still be a positive development.
DJ Stephanie Hirst Told To Come Off Air During 'Unsuitable' Gender Reassignment
Oh dear. A self-centered person was not given tax-payer supported airtime to indulge his/her ego. How tragic.!
Tuesday 14 October 2014
Does America Have a Foreign Policy?Actually we do:
Keep your head down,
Try not to get involved in things you don't understand,
Tremble in a politically correct manner when anyone mentions religion,
Hope someone else will handle things,
Only act when the call is overwhelming and
Never provide sufficient resources if you decide to get involved militarily.
(The last one is the only hang-over from the Bush era.)
Apple Charged With The Death Of An Entire Country's Economy
Yep. It is always someone else's fault, Mr Stubb, innit?
Mitch McConnell: I Didn't Earn My Millions, I Inherited Them!It's why our inheritance laws need changing - so the money earned by the bright and diligent does not simply pass to the dull and idle because they happen to be children of the rich. Allow every person to leave a house, a car and $1 million to anyone they chose, whether related or not. The dull and idle willl have enough to live out their days, the bright and dilligent will use it to build another fortune.
PS: Personal bequests in excess of these limits should be taxed at 75%
Wendy Davis Campaign Defends Controversial Attack Ad
Welcome to modern American politics: never mind what I stand for, look how evil and vile my opponent is. If I can smear the person I am running against enough, you will overlook my own failings.
After all, everyone knows that candidates from the other party are trying to ruin their own country (state, county, city) and make it a worse place to live: it is the only reason they run.
Tony Blair 'emulated Hitler's oration techniques', Boris Johnson saysEver the clown, Boris, but turning nasty in your old age? Now tell us whose techniques Hitler used - and name some great orators who did not use these techniques.
Most People Caught Crossing Southwest Border Last Fiscal Year Weren't From MexicoIt's the Monty Python school of citizenship: rather than stay and fix your own country, run away.
I can undertand that: today, fixing your country is now considered someone else's job.
What I don't understand is why, once they get here, do they think we owe them sometihing
Islamic State Have A Magazine Out, And It Justifies Sex SlaveryActually, there is nothing Islamic about the so-called Islamic States, which is run and staffed by mohareb enemies of Allah.
ISIS is actually short for Inhuman Savages In Syria
Mitch McConnell: I Didn't Earn My Millions, I Inherited Them!It's why our inheritance laws need changing - so the money earned by the bright and diligent does not simply pass to the dull and idle because they happen to be children of the rich. Allow every person to leave a house, a car and $1 million to anyone they chose, whether related or not. The dull and idle willl have enough to live out their days, the bright and dilligent will use it to build another fortune.
PS: Personal bequests in excess of these limits should be taxed at 75%
Wendy Davis Campaign Defends Controversial Attack Ad
Welcome to modern American politics: never mind what I stand for, look how evil and vile my opponent is. If I can smear the person I am running against enough, you will overlook my own failings.
After all, everyone knows that candidates from the other party are trying to ruin their own country (state, county, city) and make it a worse place to live: it is the only reason they run.
Tony Blair 'emulated Hitler's oration techniques', Boris Johnson saysEver the clown, Boris, but turning nasty in your old age? Now tell us whose techniques Hitler used - and name some great orators who did not use these techniques.
Most People Caught Crossing Southwest Border Last Fiscal Year Weren't From MexicoIt's the Monty Python school of citizenship: rather than stay and fix your own country, run away.
I can undertand that: today, fixing your country is now considered someone else's job.
What I don't understand is why, once they get here, do they think we owe them sometihing
Islamic State Have A Magazine Out, And It Justifies Sex SlaveryActually, there is nothing Islamic about the so-called Islamic States, which is run and staffed by mohareb enemies of Allah.
ISIS is actually short for Inhuman Savages In Syria
Friday 10 October 2014
Amazon's Monopoly Must Be Broken Up: A Radical Plan For The Tech Giant
The scariest thing about focusing on price and squeezing suppliers (including the suppliers of labour) is that government handouts become an important part of the business model in the entire supply chain. If we can get the government to pick up chunks of employees' medical, housing and food bills, we can make the price tags seem smaller.
Of course there is some benefit to that, in that product prices are not progressive - people pay the same price in a store whether they are rich or poor, so the poor get a relatively larger benefit from low prices (in percent of disposable income terms). Plus, the rich pay the overwhelming largest share of the tax that supports the government handouts, so the poor benefit again.
What is scary is the culture of dependency and concomittent low self-esteem that we build.
PS: A pity this article sspends so much time on the problem and none on the solution:
How would Amazon be broken up? What would be the effect on suppliers? On consumers?
Federal Court Blocks Texas Voter ID Law, Calling It A 'Poll Tax'"She concluded that the sponsors of the measure “were motivated, at the very least in part, because of and not merely in spite of the voter ID law’s detrimental effects on the African-American and Hispanic electorate.”
Well whoopdee-doo for her. Given her irrelevant second-guessing of the motives of others based on hearsay evidence, I am not surprissed the state said it would appeal immediately. I'd say they have a good chance of this decision being sent back for a re-hearing.
I would have been much happier had she simply struck this down based on our constitution and the discriminatory effect of the law itself.
Supreme Court Blocks Wisconsin Voter ID LawWell, actually NOT "smacked," as the lead-in headline suggested - merely still open for debate.
Republicans Hint At Another Government Shutdown Over ObamacareWell, it will damage the American economy and hurt our own constitutents but who cares? It's an election year and we are talking about my paycheck here.
Top Gear Falklands Row Takes New Twist As Police Find 'B***end' Number PlatesThis is what Huffpo calls news? Jeez, people, get a life.
The scariest thing about focusing on price and squeezing suppliers (including the suppliers of labour) is that government handouts become an important part of the business model in the entire supply chain. If we can get the government to pick up chunks of employees' medical, housing and food bills, we can make the price tags seem smaller.
Of course there is some benefit to that, in that product prices are not progressive - people pay the same price in a store whether they are rich or poor, so the poor get a relatively larger benefit from low prices (in percent of disposable income terms). Plus, the rich pay the overwhelming largest share of the tax that supports the government handouts, so the poor benefit again.
What is scary is the culture of dependency and concomittent low self-esteem that we build.
PS: A pity this article sspends so much time on the problem and none on the solution:
How would Amazon be broken up? What would be the effect on suppliers? On consumers?
Federal Court Blocks Texas Voter ID Law, Calling It A 'Poll Tax'"She concluded that the sponsors of the measure “were motivated, at the very least in part, because of and not merely in spite of the voter ID law’s detrimental effects on the African-American and Hispanic electorate.”
Well whoopdee-doo for her. Given her irrelevant second-guessing of the motives of others based on hearsay evidence, I am not surprissed the state said it would appeal immediately. I'd say they have a good chance of this decision being sent back for a re-hearing.
I would have been much happier had she simply struck this down based on our constitution and the discriminatory effect of the law itself.
Supreme Court Blocks Wisconsin Voter ID LawWell, actually NOT "smacked," as the lead-in headline suggested - merely still open for debate.
Republicans Hint At Another Government Shutdown Over ObamacareWell, it will damage the American economy and hurt our own constitutents but who cares? It's an election year and we are talking about my paycheck here.
Top Gear Falklands Row Takes New Twist As Police Find 'B***end' Number PlatesThis is what Huffpo calls news? Jeez, people, get a life.
Sunday 5 October 2014
Lottery is 'fairer' way of deciding who gets top school placesLottery would also be a fairer way to pick parliamentarians, but we won't do that either. But, if we do one, we should certainly do the other.
Amelia: IPsoft's New Artificial Intelligence Can Think Like A Human, And Wants Your Job
"...with Amelia you can upload the entire text of a complex technical manual - in this demo it was an instructional text which had something to do with oil rig maintanence - and Amelia will digest the entire thing in seconds. Then when you type in a question (in one of 20 languages) it will be able to send you a genuinely useful answer, without having access to any other network, manual or information store. It can go from knowing nothing to being able to teach you to fix a faulty oil rig in 30 seconds."
When you interact with her, feed her texts on employment law, exploitation and slavery.
The Walmart Wealth Gap Is Getting Much More Troubling
I know! Let's steal it all from them and give it to ourselves/ That'll work, right?
John Cantlie's Father Issues Powerful Plea To Islamic State
"He sought only to help the Syrian people "
Well, as far as ISIS are concerned, that is a serious strike against him right there.
The Rainbow List 2014: A list that says: Oh look at me, look at me, oh, please, look at me!
Blackpool becomes the latest zombie airport
Gosh! It is clear that the users who love this airport are not willing to pay the extra cost of keeping it, but can't they use someone else's money? Can't we FORCE someone to lose money hand over fist or shunt the losses on to the taxpayer to keep these privileged people in the airport they would like to become accustomed to?
When you interact with her, feed her texts on employment law, exploitation and slavery.
The Walmart Wealth Gap Is Getting Much More Troubling
I know! Let's steal it all from them and give it to ourselves/ That'll work, right?
John Cantlie's Father Issues Powerful Plea To Islamic State
"He sought only to help the Syrian people "
Well, as far as ISIS are concerned, that is a serious strike against him right there.
The Rainbow List 2014: A list that says: Oh look at me, look at me, oh, please, look at me!
Blackpool becomes the latest zombie airport
Gosh! It is clear that the users who love this airport are not willing to pay the extra cost of keeping it, but can't they use someone else's money? Can't we FORCE someone to lose money hand over fist or shunt the losses on to the taxpayer to keep these privileged people in the airport they would like to become accustomed to?
Thursday 2 October 2014
Tax Cuts For The Rich? 4 Graphs David Cameron Does Not Want You To See
When and where did Cameron say he did not want me to see these graphs?
Graph 1 shows the most help going to middle earners
Graph 2 shows the richest benefiting less than the poorrest, with the greatest benefit to the lower middle
Graph 3 shows only the richest see a flat loss, the poorest gain and the lower middle swap government subsidy for keeping more of their own money.
Graph 4 is a nonsense: it simply shows that most people do not make 50K.
Note two key facts from the Office for National Statistics
52% of UK households received more in benefits than they paid in taxes. That is, the tax and benefit scheme is a straight transfer from the richest half to the poorest half - pretty much what a welfare system is supposed to do, even if the richest half may not be happy about the results of their labour being given to the idle. (Most of us do not object to supporting the ill, the infirm or the temporarily unemployed.)
Since 2007/08, the fall in income (-5.2%) has been largest for the richest fifth of households. In contrast, the average income for the poorest fifth has grown over this period by 3.5%. (So some good news on the income inequality front.)
Times Higher Education World University Rankings Shows UK Losing GroundSince 2007/08, the fall in income (-5.2%) has been largest for the richest fifth of households. In contrast, the average income for the poorest fifth has grown over this period by 3.5%. (So some good news on the income inequality front.)
Rankings are interesting: the highly respected AWRU (Shanghai) uses academic criteria only and has only 6 UK universities in the top 100, 2 in the top 10 (oxbridge). The Times table adds teaching (30%) industry(2.5%) and international outlook (7.5%) into the score, gets 10 UK institutions in the top 100 and 3 in the top 10 (add Imperial). QS puts 10% on employers, 20% on teaching and 10% on international diversity, to squeeze 15 UK universities into the top 100 and 4 into the top 10 (add UCL).
AWRU is probably the most objective, but QS is probably the best to help a student decide where to go.
Banksy Artwork Destroyed For 'Being Racist' The logical consequence of political correctness: any comment that can possibly be construed as aint-immigrant is immediately called "racist" and all racist commmunication must be expunged.
‘Republicans Are People Too’
Republicans and people; American citizens, who want America to be a good place to live.Democrates are people; American citizens, who want America to be a good place to live. They often disagree on how to achieve this.
Only idiots think the other side is less than human or wants to damage our country.
Tax breaks worth billions set to expire unless Congress acts
Oh dear. 50 welfare handouts to companies and the rich will expire? Quick do something!
Parliamentary burqa rules 'treat Muslim women as second-class citizens'.02 Oct
The parliamentary rule does no such thing. It does NOT say that only muslims must do anything - it says ALL masked people.
PS: Wearing a burqa is deliberately offensive to the local cultural values of Australia. Australians do not believe that there are people so high and mighty that none dare look upon their face. Should a burqa wearer state that it is okay for one gender to look upon her face but not for another gender, then it is rank sexism.
When and where did Cameron say he did not want me to see these graphs?
Graph 1 shows the most help going to middle earners
Graph 2 shows the richest benefiting less than the poorrest, with the greatest benefit to the lower middle
Graph 3 shows only the richest see a flat loss, the poorest gain and the lower middle swap government subsidy for keeping more of their own money.
Graph 4 is a nonsense: it simply shows that most people do not make 50K.
Note two key facts from the Office for National Statistics
52% of UK households received more in benefits than they paid in taxes. That is, the tax and benefit scheme is a straight transfer from the richest half to the poorest half - pretty much what a welfare system is supposed to do, even if the richest half may not be happy about the results of their labour being given to the idle. (Most of us do not object to supporting the ill, the infirm or the temporarily unemployed.)
Since 2007/08, the fall in income (-5.2%) has been largest for the richest fifth of households. In contrast, the average income for the poorest fifth has grown over this period by 3.5%. (So some good news on the income inequality front.)
Times Higher Education World University Rankings Shows UK Losing GroundSince 2007/08, the fall in income (-5.2%) has been largest for the richest fifth of households. In contrast, the average income for the poorest fifth has grown over this period by 3.5%. (So some good news on the income inequality front.)
Rankings are interesting: the highly respected AWRU (Shanghai) uses academic criteria only and has only 6 UK universities in the top 100, 2 in the top 10 (oxbridge). The Times table adds teaching (30%) industry(2.5%) and international outlook (7.5%) into the score, gets 10 UK institutions in the top 100 and 3 in the top 10 (add Imperial). QS puts 10% on employers, 20% on teaching and 10% on international diversity, to squeeze 15 UK universities into the top 100 and 4 into the top 10 (add UCL).
AWRU is probably the most objective, but QS is probably the best to help a student decide where to go.
Banksy Artwork Destroyed For 'Being Racist' The logical consequence of political correctness: any comment that can possibly be construed as aint-immigrant is immediately called "racist" and all racist commmunication must be expunged.
‘Republicans Are People Too’
Republicans and people; American citizens, who want America to be a good place to live.Democrates are people; American citizens, who want America to be a good place to live. They often disagree on how to achieve this.
Only idiots think the other side is less than human or wants to damage our country.
Tax breaks worth billions set to expire unless Congress acts
Oh dear. 50 welfare handouts to companies and the rich will expire? Quick do something!
Parliamentary burqa rules 'treat Muslim women as second-class citizens'.02 Oct
The parliamentary rule does no such thing. It does NOT say that only muslims must do anything - it says ALL masked people.
PS: Wearing a burqa is deliberately offensive to the local cultural values of Australia. Australians do not believe that there are people so high and mighty that none dare look upon their face. Should a burqa wearer state that it is okay for one gender to look upon her face but not for another gender, then it is rank sexism.
Friday 19 September 2014
NHS in crisis: English health service runs £500m deficit in just three months
People want more services than they are willing to pay for.
Alternatively, which government service would you like to see cut by 1 billion a year to make up this deficit?
Tory-Labour spat on the 'English question'
"Without its large contingent of Scottish MPs, a Labour administration could struggle to get its budget and laws passed by the Commons."
Translated: Labour is a minority party in England that wants to use Scots to suppress democracy here.
Tories call on PM to renege on reckless funding vow
It's why they voted "no" - they are not stupid: getting more from the tax man than others get seemed a good deal. They knew they would get a lot less from an independent Scotland.
The people of my country have brought a catastrophe upon themselves by voting No
The people of your country (the UK) did not vote no, the people of your province of our country (Scotland) did: overwhelmingly.
One reason they did is because they saw through your nonsensical arguments:
1) They knew that it was already within Scotland's power to curb the housing bubble north of the border.
2) They knew that Scotland already controls the NHS north of the border and that it gets less funding per head than in the UK because of that local control
3) They knew that Scottish jobs and wages are under Scotland's control already
4) They knew that Scotland gets more government money (investment) per head than the rest of the UK does.
I fantasised about killing Thatcher, admits Mantel
Mantel clearly is a fan of the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and ISIS: if somone disagrees with you, kill 'em.
Labour will 'name and shame' companies which don't pay men and women equally
Will it only reveal those that pay women less than men, or will it also expose those that pay men less than women?
Friday 12 September 2014
Concerns Grow As More Teenagers Attempt To Flee Homes And Join ISIS In Syria
Of course they do: it is a chance to rape and murder with impunity and there are many teenagers who cannot resist that combination. "As one said the other day: "Do you have to be Muslim to join?"
Mi5 Conspiracy Theories Rife In Scottish Referendum Debate
Silly Scots. MI5 is working FOR independence. A naturally conservative group they are ecstatic to see this drain on the treasury flounce off to form its own little ethnic enclave.
The funds that MI5 funnel to Salmond is, of course, from deep black ops budgets, so the public will never learn exactly how much and will have to wait 50 years for even a glimmer of the amounts MI5 has contributed to the Yes campaign.
Cash-Strapped Moderate Syrian Rebels Blame West For Rise Of Islamic State
Well of course they do. It can't be the fault of anyone in Syria or in the middle east - so it MUST be the west.
I can hear them singing now: "You never give me your money, you only give me your conversation...."
Missouri Lawmaker Suing Federal Government To Keep Daughters From Birth Control
Well of course he is right. No Mormon should be forced to have insurance, for themselves or their employees, that covers any accident or illness where alcohol or caffiene is involved, nor should any Jewish people or their employees have insurance that covers any accident or illness resulting from the preparation or eating of pork.
Miley Cyrus on The Cover Of V Magazine
Poor girl. The look in her eyes, the tats, the multiple piercings all scream "damaged goods, low self-esteem."
At Hearing On NYPD Force, The '5,000-Pound Elephant In The Room' Is 'Broken Windows'
Yeah this polcy is just wrong: I should be allowed to break the laws I want to break and only follow those I want to follow. How dare the police enforce any law that I don't think is important?
Obama authorizes military strikes against ISIS leadership
Well, that is pretty assuredly a declaration of war, so ISIS is well within its rights to strike at American leadership as and where it can.
Top CIA officer in Benghazi delayed response to terrorist attack
The story does not giover the most important information of all: was the CIA chief a Republican or a Democrat? How can we score party political points if your don't tell us that?
PS: Mr Paronto seems pretty ill-informed, considering the video had been big news in Libya for several weeks. Odd that he would not know about this famous video which the leader of the embassy attack said was the reason he planned the whole thing.
MPs claiming more expenses now than at height of 2009 scandal.
So what? Of course they claimed more. It is called inflation.
Provided that the claims were for legitimate and allowable expenses, what is the concern? Is it that we think their employers should require them to pay business expenses out of their own pockets? How would we feel if our employers did that to us?
Thursday 4 September 2014
Tony Blair 'Philanthropist Of The Year' Award Defended By GQ Magazine
The hatred for Blair is actually self-hatred.
The overwhelming majority the country was in favor of intervening in Iraq (only the Liberal Party opposed the idea). Later, when we saw how hard Iraq was going to be and how incompetently the Americans would handle it, we changed our mind. Once we changed our mind, we needed a scapegoat to blame for doing what we all wanted done at the time but now were ashamed of.
Once Tony Blair became our scapegoat, nothing else he ever did can have any merit, so we must think his philanthropy is rubbish, no matter how many it has helped.
Otherwise, we might have to look in the mirror.
New Book Says C.I.A. Official in Benghazi Held Up Rescue
But they have left out the most crucial bit of information: was the CIA station chief a Republican or a Democrat? See, we don't really care about the folks who were killed or how we can do better next time unless it is instrumental to partisan point scoring.
Countries Launch Global Effort To Halt Islamic State's Recruitment Of Foreign Fighters
That's not going to work. The chance to rape and murder with impunity is irresistable. The recruits don't actually care whether who they get to rape murder or why they are encouraged to rape and murder (whether for some mohareb perversion of Islam or any other reason). They just want to go murder men and rape women - having a get out of jail free card is just a bonus.
Wednesday 3 September 2014
Nigel Farage Accuses Alex Salmond Of 'Excessive Nationalism' Ahead Of Vote
It is called jingoism, Nigel, and it includes the desire to withdraw into an ethnically purer enclave of one's own - to be part of something smaller where people are more like me. It extols the virtues of my own ethnic group while decrying the influence of foreigners.
This is a growing trend around the world, exemplified by the Abkahzi, Basque, Bosnian, Catalan, Croat, Chechnyan, Kosavar, Kurd, Kasmiri, Mapuche, Moro, Ossetian, Quebecoise, Russian Ukrainian, Székelylander, Scot, Tamil, Tibetan, Uighyur, Venetan, Walloon, Zapatista and the wealthy gated communities of America.
Odd that Nigel is against this, since it is precisely Salmond's arguments that he and UKIP use to advocate withdrawl from Europe. Essentially, UKIP, SNP and the BNP all rest upon the same base rationale.
President Obama’s leadership under scrutiny as world looks to US for response to Isis
Funny how everyone whines about how America should stop messing about in other parts of the world, but when things go bad they all expect America to fix it.
There is no chance that Obama can put together any coherant foreign policy or plan for ISIS, Syria or the Ukraine, since the Republicans will oppose anything that he suggests. Even if he takes up a Republican idea (as he did with Romneycare) the Republicans will change their mind and say that they are now against it.
Ashya King's Parents Reunited With Terminally Ill Son
About Time! This is entire saga was both morally and LEGALLY unacceptable. The NHS trust and the CPS should both be prosecuted for false arrest and for state-sponsored child abuse.
Dancing guardsman at Buckingham Palace now faces a possible investigation
Oh give us a break. Investigate what? Whether anyone has a sense of humour? Slap him on the wrist and tell him not to do it again. Lighten up.
Wes Welker Suspended For Violating NFL's Performance-Enhancing Drug Policy
"...violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy"
What nonsense.
Pain killers (which do enhance performance) are perfectly acceptable, whereas recreational drugs (which probably degrade performance) are banned under this Alice-in-Wonderland "policy."
It is called jingoism, Nigel, and it includes the desire to withdraw into an ethnically purer enclave of one's own - to be part of something smaller where people are more like me. It extols the virtues of my own ethnic group while decrying the influence of foreigners.
This is a growing trend around the world, exemplified by the Abkahzi, Basque, Bosnian, Catalan, Croat, Chechnyan, Kosavar, Kurd, Kasmiri, Mapuche, Moro, Ossetian, Quebecoise, Russian Ukrainian, Székelylander, Scot, Tamil, Tibetan, Uighyur, Venetan, Walloon, Zapatista and the wealthy gated communities of America.
Odd that Nigel is against this, since it is precisely Salmond's arguments that he and UKIP use to advocate withdrawl from Europe. Essentially, UKIP, SNP and the BNP all rest upon the same base rationale.
Absolutely. And if any buildings are named after biblical character, they should use the Aramaic spelling and script; logograms if named for a chinese benefactor .
PS: Writing Arapaho in Latin script is already a racist cultural insult, regardless of the spelling used.
President Obama’s leadership under scrutiny as world looks to US for response to Isis
Funny how everyone whines about how America should stop messing about in other parts of the world, but when things go bad they all expect America to fix it.
There is no chance that Obama can put together any coherant foreign policy or plan for ISIS, Syria or the Ukraine, since the Republicans will oppose anything that he suggests. Even if he takes up a Republican idea (as he did with Romneycare) the Republicans will change their mind and say that they are now against it.
Ashya King's Parents Reunited With Terminally Ill Son
About Time! This is entire saga was both morally and LEGALLY unacceptable. The NHS trust and the CPS should both be prosecuted for false arrest and for state-sponsored child abuse.
Dancing guardsman at Buckingham Palace now faces a possible investigation
Oh give us a break. Investigate what? Whether anyone has a sense of humour? Slap him on the wrist and tell him not to do it again. Lighten up.
Wes Welker Suspended For Violating NFL's Performance-Enhancing Drug Policy
"...violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy"
What nonsense.
Pain killers (which do enhance performance) are perfectly acceptable, whereas recreational drugs (which probably degrade performance) are banned under this Alice-in-Wonderland "policy."
Wednesday 27 August 2014
"Judge Blames Poor Rape Conviction Statistics On Female
Inebriation" says the lead-in headline.
Well, Huffpo, actually she didn't. She said that women who were excessively
inebriated and had poor recall of the event had a harder time winning their
case in a he said / she said contest.
Meanwhile, Ms Russel
proposes two VERY, VERY scary changes to our judicial system: 1) If a person is
incapacitated through drink or drugs then he is not capable of being held
responsible for his actions and 2) the legal responsibility is on the
defendants to prove themselves innocent, not on the accusers to prove them
guilty.
Tax dodging is illegal. Following the law to minimize the amount
of tax one pays is both legal and something that most of us do once each year.
Of course Republican and Democratic congress people profited from companies doing this: it is one of the reasons why they wrote the laws that way.
Of course Republican and Democratic congress people profited from companies doing this: it is one of the reasons why they wrote the laws that way.
Pope Francis to China: Why not? You do.
There is a group of starving homeless. If you take them into
your home, they will survive. If not they will die. It costs you 1300 quid a
year to feed each one. How many will you accept?
What will you tell the 10th person who applies?
What will you tell the 100th?
the 1000th?
It
is just lazy journalists. If they really were hot on this topic, they'd have
interviewed Him long ago. If god really wanted anyone to believe, He'd have granted
the interview.
"the only solution is for the Mexican government to
provide Central American migrants with some form of document allowing them to
travel freely through the country"
That is: the only
solution is for Mexico to ignore its own laws and do what non-citizens tell it
to do.
And the only
solution for the US is to take in and care for people who are too cowardly or
too lazy to change their own country for the better.
Apparently, they are willing to “risk life
and limb” to run away, but will not do the same to change their own
country. Rather than stop the violence
and poverty at home, they export it to other countries.
I remember that: people putting Christians in arm locks and
holding guns to their heads to FORCE them to deny their beliefs. Happens all
the time, right?
‘
“this baby-faced schoolboy is believed to
be one of the Islamic State's youngest jihadists”
ISIS are NOT jihadi, they are haram
perverters of Islam.
ISIS are mohareb and Allah will judge them harshly.
Gosh, you mean he carried on while being accused of something he
didn't do?
Drat! There went that mode of silencing people we don't agree with. I thought one could simply accuse someone of something and that would take them out of the picture until the investigation was completed.
Drat! There went that mode of silencing people we don't agree with. I thought one could simply accuse someone of something and that would take them out of the picture until the investigation was completed.
PS: Good on ya, Shirley. You've done
good work.
AND set a good example along the way.
AND set a good example along the way.
Thank you, Mr Amin, for your thoughtful ideas.
I agree that it
is the mosques and imams who have failed the young generation of Muslims, not
to mention the general Muslim community. Both remain strangely silent in the
face of atrocities committed by mohareb perverters of the faith.
It is hard to
know whether this springs from 1) fear, 2) apathy, 3) indifference or 4) a
secret feeling that infidels are getting what they deserve
Ooooh! I wonder if any jet jockeys from the US, Russia, EU,
China or some other country have ever done this before?
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