It is interesting to note that both David Blunket and Dr John "Comrade" Reid when Home Secretaries have used the politics of fear to keep their parties rating up, as indeed has Tony Blair. This seems to be there to cover up and obscure the fact that what they are actually very ineffective at what they are doing.
They use the passing of new laws to show how tough they are on things when passing laws makes very little difference to anything unless they are enforced.
This government now seems to be drifting from one fiasco to another. They sold off a prison ship only to now be tendering for a new one. They let foreign prisoners go with out considering them for deportation and then in the back lash tried to deport any one they could find.
I could go on.
When politicians use fear as an electoral weapon I always think of FDR's famous line "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself". How very true.
I was also amazed to hear on Radio 4 that the British Crime survey, favourite of this government does not interview women over 59 so they is little record of sexual assault on them. With the BCS also not covering crime against under 16's there are clearly massive gaps in its crime gathering statistics.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Friday, November 03, 2006
Comrade Reid Fisked by the Register
Just thought I would share this article from the venerable tech and indeed ID related E-Paper The Register.
Look at this article which Fisk's the government totally.
Here is a quote:
Look at this article which Fisk's the government totally.
Here is a quote:
"Quality control issues at the Ministry of Truth & Fear? To shore up his speech to the Society of Spook gear Suppliers yesterday Home Secretary John Reid produced some impressive (but strangely implausible) numbers showing the devastating effect the UK security services are having on terrorism. But by bizarre coincidence (?), on Monday Tony McNulty, Home Office Minister for tags, shackles and prison hulks, trotted out numbers covering precisely the same territory.Go read the article. It is worth it.But, ahem, they're different! Comrade Reid thanked the Plod on our behalf for its efforts: "On behalf of the nation I am delighted to pay tribute to our police, judicial, security and armed services for their great work and unstinting sacrifices. For example, from 9 September 2001 to 30 September 2006 there have been 387 people charged under the Terrorism Act and other criminal legislation..."
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Conservatives inconsistent on terror?
Yesterday on politicalbetting.com Nick Palmer MP posted this:
You can read the comment in context here.
It seems the argument is that if a party opposes the Government on any proposed measure then it is either weak or inconsistent on terror. I would assume that the argument also applies to Liberal Democrats as well. The position does not hold up to logical scrutiny (or words to that effect).
Firstly it assumes that what ever is being proposed by the government is going to achieve the results that government thinks it will. Secondly it assumes that the government has a monopoly of good ideas.
Neither is the case for any government on any issue, and very much so in this case. That's why we have debates to discuss the best way forward.
The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have opposed Labour on some Terrorism legislation because neither thinks that certain proposals will reduce terror. The Rev. Iain Paisley seems to agree as well, and I understand that the good Dr NO! is no softy. What these parties are interested in is the safety and security as well as the liberty of the British people.
The charge of inconsistency is of course a school boy taunt. I would not be impressed with it in a school yard and I can't say I am impressed with it in a debate as important as terrorism. It seems there to score cheap political points or rather more worryingly close down debate on a subject where debate is very important.
Terrorism will not be beaten by masses of repressive measures, in fact they may make the matter worse. It will be beaten by understanding the ground rules, dealing with the propaganda and investing in the intelligence services to look for and track these people. What the law is or is not makes little difference as frequently terrorists are already conspiring to commit an offence which in it self an offence. The trick is finding them, and again that is down to people being out there gathering intelligence.
I have written articles on the war on terror itself here and here.
"personally I don't think Iraq will be a major factor in the next GE either way. Whether it is ultimately seen as a success or not, it will be seen as less relevant to the 2009-2014 period. But of course terrorism will probably still be a live issue, and a record of inconsistency on that may be a handicap."
You can read the comment in context here.
It seems the argument is that if a party opposes the Government on any proposed measure then it is either weak or inconsistent on terror. I would assume that the argument also applies to Liberal Democrats as well. The position does not hold up to logical scrutiny (or words to that effect).
Firstly it assumes that what ever is being proposed by the government is going to achieve the results that government thinks it will. Secondly it assumes that the government has a monopoly of good ideas.
Neither is the case for any government on any issue, and very much so in this case. That's why we have debates to discuss the best way forward.
The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have opposed Labour on some Terrorism legislation because neither thinks that certain proposals will reduce terror. The Rev. Iain Paisley seems to agree as well, and I understand that the good Dr NO! is no softy. What these parties are interested in is the safety and security as well as the liberty of the British people.
The charge of inconsistency is of course a school boy taunt. I would not be impressed with it in a school yard and I can't say I am impressed with it in a debate as important as terrorism. It seems there to score cheap political points or rather more worryingly close down debate on a subject where debate is very important.
Terrorism will not be beaten by masses of repressive measures, in fact they may make the matter worse. It will be beaten by understanding the ground rules, dealing with the propaganda and investing in the intelligence services to look for and track these people. What the law is or is not makes little difference as frequently terrorists are already conspiring to commit an offence which in it self an offence. The trick is finding them, and again that is down to people being out there gathering intelligence.
I have written articles on the war on terror itself here and here.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Tom Watson's blog is down again!
When I last mentioned his blog here, it was down. Since then it came up and is now down again, which is a bit of a shame as I posted some comments there about flag burning and things on it and now I can't see if they have been passed or not.
Perhaps Tom needs to move his blog. Tom Watson's blog is here. He is famous for not doing Gordon Browns bidding by sticking a knife unsuccessfully into Tony Blair, as well as having an odious friend in Sion Simon who I discussed here.
Perhaps Tom needs to move his blog. Tom Watson's blog is here. He is famous for not doing Gordon Browns bidding by sticking a knife unsuccessfully into Tony Blair, as well as having an odious friend in Sion Simon who I discussed here.
Monday, October 30, 2006
India 6th largest investor in renewable energy ahead of UK!
This was a surprising fact to come out of watching Newsnight tonight with Jeremy Paxman going over the Stern report (which I will comment on when I have had a chance to read it)
I can't remember what the Indian representative s name was, but it seems to me to be a startling fact that we are investing so little that we come BELOW 6th, and that India which has many more problems to deal with is ahead of us.
That goes to show just how ineffective this government has been. It talks lots on the environment but does not seem any thing like as committed to it as the previous Conservative government.
I regret to say that Newsnight wheeled out Nigel Lawson who seems to be an ardent climate change denier. No mention of the fact that much of the ground work for global climate change treaties was under a Conservative government and that Mrs Thatcher was a early evangelist dealing with climate change on the global stage.
I can't remember what the Indian representative s name was, but it seems to me to be a startling fact that we are investing so little that we come BELOW 6th, and that India which has many more problems to deal with is ahead of us.
That goes to show just how ineffective this government has been. It talks lots on the environment but does not seem any thing like as committed to it as the previous Conservative government.
I regret to say that Newsnight wheeled out Nigel Lawson who seems to be an ardent climate change denier. No mention of the fact that much of the ground work for global climate change treaties was under a Conservative government and that Mrs Thatcher was a early evangelist dealing with climate change on the global stage.
Tax credits fiasco The scary letter!
I got this letter from the tax credit office.What can it mean?
I have seen two different entitlement letters in a single day saying that I owe them money on the one hand and they owe me money on the other. Easy to figure that one out. Just wait to see what turns up in the bank account. This letter I can't fathom out.
If you have any idea please post in the comments section.
If you want to find out what the other side looks like, find a blank sheet of A4 and turn it over.
Priceless.
To be fair to the hard working people at Preston they are all pleasant and I have not spoken to one who thinks Gordon Brown can find his arse with both hands, even with the benefit of a map.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Never was so much owed to so many by so few
I wrote an article on the promises made to our troops in Afghanistan here.
Some one on politicalbetting.com linked to this graphic I thought I would share.
Hat tip to an artist with imagination, Beau Bo D'Or whose blog is here.
I have moved my blogs to beta
Because earlier today I almost lost the will to live whilst trying to post this. I sat there for hours trying to get it published only for blogger.com to report that it could not complete due to a java error.
Any way it is done now, and the template editor looks good. Just one little niggle to sort out and I will be there.
Update 23:45.
I have to say the new spell checker is fantastic, fast easy clear and generally all round fantastic.
Publishing speed is bullet fast as well.
Any way it is done now, and the template editor looks good. Just one little niggle to sort out and I will be there.
Update 23:45.
I have to say the new spell checker is fantastic, fast easy clear and generally all round fantastic.
Publishing speed is bullet fast as well.
Carbon Dioxide emissions and the environment
Just wanted to clear something up just so there are no misconceptions in the green debate.
According to the Fascist Mail on Sunday David "Look at my lovely face" Milliband is proposing to tax on green issues until the pips squeak. This will hurt the poor more than the rich, the rural poor doubly so. You can read their article here. Us conservatives need to come up with better answers.
However when we talk of Carbon emissions we should be clear on what it is we mean.
If you did up some coal, or drill for some oil, and burn it you are releasing fossilised carbon. That results in higher concentrations of CO2 in the environment, and as I said in this article, it absorbs heat more than air does so the atmosphere gets hotter.
However, that does not mean that carbon based fuels are in any way bad, if they come from plants that have removed carbon from the atmosphere first.
Also from an environmental point of view it is nuts to scrap all the cars we have in favour of new ones, if we can find non fossil based fuels to run them on. Well they do exist. Cars can be adjusted, but more interestingly you can mix bio fuels with fossil fuels to get net carbon emissions down NOW. The only problem is, you may have to reduce tax on something.
Hat tip to Dizzy who also has a good article on the subject here.
According to the Fascist Mail on Sunday David "Look at my lovely face" Milliband is proposing to tax on green issues until the pips squeak. This will hurt the poor more than the rich, the rural poor doubly so. You can read their article here. Us conservatives need to come up with better answers.
However when we talk of Carbon emissions we should be clear on what it is we mean.
If you did up some coal, or drill for some oil, and burn it you are releasing fossilised carbon. That results in higher concentrations of CO2 in the environment, and as I said in this article, it absorbs heat more than air does so the atmosphere gets hotter.
However, that does not mean that carbon based fuels are in any way bad, if they come from plants that have removed carbon from the atmosphere first.
Also from an environmental point of view it is nuts to scrap all the cars we have in favour of new ones, if we can find non fossil based fuels to run them on. Well they do exist. Cars can be adjusted, but more interestingly you can mix bio fuels with fossil fuels to get net carbon emissions down NOW. The only problem is, you may have to reduce tax on something.
Hat tip to Dizzy who also has a good article on the subject here.
Cash for peerages - has the Times beaten Guido to it?
Guido Fawkes, past master at breaking political news and covering the cash for peerages scandal appears to have been beaten to it by the Times on Sunday in this article.
Mind you they could just be recycling old net news, (Which is good, Conservatives are in favour of recycling) but they do appear to have a recent source saying Lord Cashpoint is passing the blame up the line.
What I can't stand about all this is the insinuation by blind Labour party loyalists that us Conservatives have been doing it for years. Well if so how come the 1925 Honours act was brought in to deal with Liberals abuse, and no Conservative government has ever looked like being prosecuted over anything like this.
Whiter than white is what the promised us in 1997, Sleazier than sleazy is what we have got.
Mind you they could just be recycling old net news, (Which is good, Conservatives are in favour of recycling) but they do appear to have a recent source saying Lord Cashpoint is passing the blame up the line.
What I can't stand about all this is the insinuation by blind Labour party loyalists that us Conservatives have been doing it for years. Well if so how come the 1925 Honours act was brought in to deal with Liberals abuse, and no Conservative government has ever looked like being prosecuted over anything like this.
Whiter than white is what the promised us in 1997, Sleazier than sleazy is what we have got.
Banning Flag burning?
According to the BBC, gibbering idiots who can't do their job Police Chiefs want to ban flag burning. You can read the BBC's article here.
The aim is to crack down on Islamic extremists and preachers of hate apparently.
Have these useless pratts not noticed that they can already charge them with things like incitement to murder but frequently don't. Why ask for new laws if you are singularly failing to enforce the ones we have got?
Other proposed assaults on our freedoms include banning people covering their faces on demonstrations.
We need to just say NO!
As well as telling them to prosecute people who are already breaking the law.
The aim is to crack down on Islamic extremists and preachers of hate apparently.
Have these useless pratts not noticed that they can already charge them with things like incitement to murder but frequently don't. Why ask for new laws if you are singularly failing to enforce the ones we have got?
Other proposed assaults on our freedoms include banning people covering their faces on demonstrations.
We need to just say NO!
As well as telling them to prosecute people who are already breaking the law.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Yahoo are Spineless scum!
I understand that Yahoo dobbed in a Chinese emailer to the Chinese police detailing who what why and when an email was sent.
The spineless barstards, collaborators in suppressing free speech suggested that when a law enforcement agency asked for information they did not question why.
I was only following orders guv. Got 6 million Jews, and other assorted people killed did that sort of attitude.
I have been asked to provide information in connection with the 1992 Administration of Social security act, not that the pratt who was asking knew what it was. I said I was more than happy, in fact overjoyed to cooperate provided they provided details of the specific laws under which I should supply such information and the specific dates with which they were concerned. I also required the same in writing. As the matter was allegedly urgent, I suggested that they could fax it over first, so we could do the work, and stick it in the post at the same time, so that we would effectively act on the basis of the hard copy.
Needless to say neither turned up. However I was never prepared to provide information unless it was LAWFULLY required where I was.
Yahoo. Spineless appeasers of a totalitarian state. Microsoft are no better but at least Google whilst on the face of it being the same are shipping tools to get around this heinous shit.
Update 02:30:
I forgot to hat tip the BBC news 24, had their website had an article to link to I would have done so.
Also, the point of my story was to point out that you do not need to mindlessly cooperate with anyone who says you have to.
Update 12:00
Amnesty internationals UK website is here, and its campaign against internet repression is here.
The spineless barstards, collaborators in suppressing free speech suggested that when a law enforcement agency asked for information they did not question why.
I was only following orders guv. Got 6 million Jews, and other assorted people killed did that sort of attitude.
I have been asked to provide information in connection with the 1992 Administration of Social security act, not that the pratt who was asking knew what it was. I said I was more than happy, in fact overjoyed to cooperate provided they provided details of the specific laws under which I should supply such information and the specific dates with which they were concerned. I also required the same in writing. As the matter was allegedly urgent, I suggested that they could fax it over first, so we could do the work, and stick it in the post at the same time, so that we would effectively act on the basis of the hard copy.
Needless to say neither turned up. However I was never prepared to provide information unless it was LAWFULLY required where I was.
Yahoo. Spineless appeasers of a totalitarian state. Microsoft are no better but at least Google whilst on the face of it being the same are shipping tools to get around this heinous shit.
Update 02:30:
I forgot to hat tip the BBC news 24, had their website had an article to link to I would have done so.
Also, the point of my story was to point out that you do not need to mindlessly cooperate with anyone who says you have to.
Update 12:00
Amnesty internationals UK website is here, and its campaign against internet repression is here.
Friday, October 27, 2006
The NHS's best year ever!
If you didn't laugh you would cry.
This rubbish was peddled by the Labour Governments other minister for Incompetence (and health) Patricia "I have not got a clue" Hewitt. You can read the BBC's article here, an unsurprising rebuff from David Cameron, leader of the Conservative party here, and the nurses not being entirely in agreement with Hewitt here.
There is a story in this weeks Mid Sussex Times, about an 8 year old boy Joe, from the same town as I, and his experience when he broke his arm.
In summary, it took 20 hours to treat him, he faced 3 trips in an ambulance, being kept waiting in the middle of the night for a bed, so he had to wait in a wheel chair, and also being kept next to a man talking about committing suicide and how he had been raped. A and E in Brighton is in chaos.
These sorts of incidence are not isolated. We get to hear of people rushing into maternity to give birth only to find there are not enough beds available as well as other similar incidents on a regular basis.
The reason for this is that the Princess Royal Hospital at Haywards Heath, a fairly new purpose built facility serving the constituencies of Mid Sussex, Arundel and South Downs, and Lewis, is suffering the death of a thousand cuts having already suffered ward closures as well as losing its A and E.
You can read the article in the Mid Sussex Times here.
This rubbish was peddled by the Labour Governments other minister for Incompetence (and health) Patricia "I have not got a clue" Hewitt. You can read the BBC's article here, an unsurprising rebuff from David Cameron, leader of the Conservative party here, and the nurses not being entirely in agreement with Hewitt here.
There is a story in this weeks Mid Sussex Times, about an 8 year old boy Joe, from the same town as I, and his experience when he broke his arm.
In summary, it took 20 hours to treat him, he faced 3 trips in an ambulance, being kept waiting in the middle of the night for a bed, so he had to wait in a wheel chair, and also being kept next to a man talking about committing suicide and how he had been raped. A and E in Brighton is in chaos.
These sorts of incidence are not isolated. We get to hear of people rushing into maternity to give birth only to find there are not enough beds available as well as other similar incidents on a regular basis.
The reason for this is that the Princess Royal Hospital at Haywards Heath, a fairly new purpose built facility serving the constituencies of Mid Sussex, Arundel and South Downs, and Lewis, is suffering the death of a thousand cuts having already suffered ward closures as well as losing its A and E.
You can read the article in the Mid Sussex Times here.
Mayor of Cuckfield wins in cash for votes election!
Yes, The 41st Mayor of the Independent State of Cuckfield, Henry O'Donohue, has been elected to office, only on the basis of the amount of bribes he collected.
However, in order to count all bribes must be declared and given to charity. Can any other politicians claim to do this? I don't think so!
See here. Or here.
However, in order to count all bribes must be declared and given to charity. Can any other politicians claim to do this? I don't think so!
See here. Or here.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Bush 'dissatisfied' with Iraq war
No really he is. He also says "success in Iraq is vital"
You can read this from the BBC here.
I bet he is not quite as dissatisfied as all the people who have died because Donald Rumsfeld is an arrogant pratt, but that is just my opinion.
I have written on why Iraq is a mess, and it is all about the mistakes made already. Those were made by Ronald Dumsfeld and George Pratt Bush.
It's nice to know that George now sees its not all rosy in Iraq.
You can read this from the BBC here.
I bet he is not quite as dissatisfied as all the people who have died because Donald Rumsfeld is an arrogant pratt, but that is just my opinion.
I have written on why Iraq is a mess, and it is all about the mistakes made already. Those were made by Ronald Dumsfeld and George Pratt Bush.
It's nice to know that George now sees its not all rosy in Iraq.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Wow Spooks was good tonight.
However expect howls of protests from those who claim that Mossad would never do such a thing.
Be assured they would.
The Spooks website is over here if you are interested.
I like play writes/screen play writers when they make points that make you think as well as entertain. Its also one of the reasons why I like Dr. Who.
Be assured they would.
The Spooks website is over here if you are interested.
I like play writes/screen play writers when they make points that make you think as well as entertain. Its also one of the reasons why I like Dr. Who.
BNP and the CRE agree that Labour is pushing Muslims too far!
You just could not make this up.
Trevor Phillips, Head of the Commission for Racial Equality, The BNP, and incidentally many Conservatives think that the current focus on Muslims and in particular the veil are in danger of causing riots.
You can read Trevor's article in the Sunday Times here. The BNP's comment is here, from which I quote:
"It's a dangerous game the Labour establishment has chosen to play, one which could lead to serious disorder and bloodshed. Do Blair and Straw really want to see a civil war on the streets of West Yorkshire, Birmingham and Oldham?"
They also quote Richard Oborne in the Daily Mail (hardly the Guardian is it?) saying this:
"There is a whiff of the lynch mob about the wave of attacks over the past fortnight, and it is no surprise to learn that the new national mood sparked by Jack Straw and sanctioned by Tony Blair has indeed led to a number of assaults on British mosques, including one firebombing."
Does this mean that the BNP have become a responsible and respectable party? No, if you read the article in full and the rest of their website you will think not. It does go to show however just how damn irresponsible and dangerous Labour are becoming.
Trevor Phillips, Head of the Commission for Racial Equality, The BNP, and incidentally many Conservatives think that the current focus on Muslims and in particular the veil are in danger of causing riots.
You can read Trevor's article in the Sunday Times here. The BNP's comment is here, from which I quote:
"It's a dangerous game the Labour establishment has chosen to play, one which could lead to serious disorder and bloodshed. Do Blair and Straw really want to see a civil war on the streets of West Yorkshire, Birmingham and Oldham?"
They also quote Richard Oborne in the Daily Mail (hardly the Guardian is it?) saying this:
"There is a whiff of the lynch mob about the wave of attacks over the past fortnight, and it is no surprise to learn that the new national mood sparked by Jack Straw and sanctioned by Tony Blair has indeed led to a number of assaults on British mosques, including one firebombing."
Does this mean that the BNP have become a responsible and respectable party? No, if you read the article in full and the rest of their website you will think not. It does go to show however just how damn irresponsible and dangerous Labour are becoming.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Talking tactics on Iraq
Apparently George Walker Bush, The Pratt of the United States of America is discussing tactics in Iraq with his generals, and his defence secretary and legendary pratt Donald Rumsfeld. You can read the BBC's article here.
The date? The 21st of October 2006.
Should this not have been done in 2002 and 2003? I wrote about the mess in Iraq here, many people (including me) doubted the troop numbers and tactical planning ahead of the invasion as well. Meanwhile people are dying in large numbers, and we are not resourcing Afghanistan properly either.
The date? The 21st of October 2006.
Should this not have been done in 2002 and 2003? I wrote about the mess in Iraq here, many people (including me) doubted the troop numbers and tactical planning ahead of the invasion as well. Meanwhile people are dying in large numbers, and we are not resourcing Afghanistan properly either.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
The Prison over crowding fiasco II
In my last post on this subject here, I pointed out how this bunch had just sold off a prison ship, in August. I now see they are tendering to get another one. You just could not make this up. You can see the article from the BBC here.
I also note that they are allowing a sex offender to use gym facilities in schools on the grounds of human rights of the offender. That is of course complete tosh.
I also note that they are allowing a sex offender to use gym facilities in schools on the grounds of human rights of the offender. That is of course complete tosh.
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