[meme] 7 priorities which spring to mind

As you’d know if you’ve already read Blogfocus, Jeremy Jacobs has tagged various people, including me unfortunately [and I thought I’d escaped all the memes currently doing the rounds].

This one is as follows:

We're a week into 2007. Do you know what you want to achieve by the end of January? Have you set goals to reach by the end of the first quarter? How is it for you on the morning of January 6th?

The answer to that is ‘distinctly awful’, with a tender tooth, awful, magnetic weather and general depression. The snow is currently pathetic as well. However, I don’t think that’s what Jeremy meant – I think he needs a list of priorities. So, here goes:

1] To see at least one of our Blogpowerers on Doughty or for one of the top bloggers – Tim Worstall, Iain Dale or maybe even the Devil’s Kitchen, to simply acknowledge the existence of Blogpower. These seem the most reasonable guys. I don’t think there’s much hope with Guido on this one, sweet, unassuming guy though he is.

2] To take care of the health as a major priority.

3] To prioritize time and to organize clients far better than I did in 2006.

4] To find a way to escape as much of the mayhem and hoopla as possible on my birthday, on Valentines two days later, on the Russian men’s day on Feb 23rd, on the women’s day on March 8th and that will pretty well see us through.

5] To have a holiday and try to recharge the batteries.

6] To write better stuff on the blog.

7] To get a life.

And now to drop this onto Ellee Seymour, Sicily Scene, Imagined Community, Praguetory [who will surely be delighted] and The Englishman. I have to stop somewhere so that will do for now.

[blogfocus saturday] ranting - how far can one go [part 1]

The theme this evening [and I’m posting early because I’m ill and heading off to bed after this] is ‘Ranting – just how far can one go’. Most of the contributions below are from gifted amateurs but on Tuesday some real professionals at this art form will hit the field for a workout, to round out the theme. Let’s start this evening with one of the pros who’s still in second gear here but I’m sure he’ll open up soon enough in the coming days.

1] I don’t know this man. He doesn’t know me. But in his short time back at the helm, he shows he’s an old hand at the art of the rant and it seems a great many people welcomed the return of the Prodigal Son. Here are two of them. I shan’t name him but I sure like the way he writes:

Moral relativist par excellence, author A S Byatt has long been devoid of any beliefs - moral or otherwise - as was made clear in a November Independent interview: In a nutshell, my philosophy is this: Never stop paying attention to things. Never make your mind up finally. Do not hold beliefs.

As a believer that moral certainties do in fact exist, and that to believe in them is laudable, I'm heartened by the revelation in the pages of today's Indy that Ms. Byatt has - at 70 - acquired her first fundamental moral principle, having made up her mind finally that capital punishment is wrong (a view which I incidentally share).

It gets even better. Do go and have a look but of course, you have already, haven’t you?

2] ‘Phoneyness in contemporary culture’ is his tagline and Fabian gets stuck into one of the phoniest of the lot:

God, I am so sick of PMI - postmodern "irony". If well done, it is captivating and amusing for about ten minutes, after that it starts to have the grating quality of squeaky chalk. The term "irony" is, in any case, one of the worst abuses of the English language of all time. 95% of the time when it is used, what is really meant is "mockery".

BBC drama productions seem to have a particular line in PMI. It's as if all BBC producers are nowadays required to attend some training course called "How to ensure all topics and themes are treated with sufficient nudge-nudge, we-are-so-past-this knowingness".

3] With a headline like: Sex Bomb Pussy Cat Crazy No More, the eye would naturally turn to this piece by the Spicy Cauldron but does it qualify as a rant?

Miss Drusilla Barbarella, our latest feline family member, goes this morning to the vet’s to be neutered and ID chipped. She’s still in full heat even though it’s nearly two weeks since she started with the weeping and the wailing on Christmas Day.

ID chipped? First the felines, then us, would you think?

Eleven more bloggers plus the Mystery Blogger here.

[ill] two posts only this evening

Had plans to post a few this evening but toothache and feeling yucky means I’ll do the East Finchley boy’s meme tag and then an earlier Blogfocus. No e-mails from me this evening, people, sorry. Not well.

Blogfocus is on the topic of “Ranting – how far can you go [part 1]?”

[journospeak] just the facts, ma’am

In the article on the new Congress, I put in some stats near the end but I’d like to write a little now about getting those stats. What it involved was a useless and wasteful exercise. Here’s the chronology:

1] Journo reads the list of stats from the Capitol.
2] To make a good article, he chops the list around, leaving some entries out, highlighting others, stating and restating so that the whole comes out as a ‘readable’ journalistic article.
3] Blogger reads the MSM article and decides to post. So he has to reconstruct the list, piece by piece, to where it was before the journo took it apart and then has to surf to find the last little links the journo deemed not worthy of inclusion.
4] The blogger then posts.

How many of us have time for this rubbish? Why couldn’t the journo have simply posted the list as it was, leaving us to draw our own conclusions and then, for those who wanted, there would be an annotated comment for each entry? When there are lists and stats, we don’t want some beautiful journo piece getting in the way. We want ‘just the facts, ma’am’.

A perfect example of this wastage was the work behind this post.

[pres 2008] layman's view of the runners

One who won't be running

Democrats

Matt Frei comparing Obama with JFK.

So, can he win? Can he raise the cash? Can he survive the rough and tumble of the campaign and the tough questions? Will the colour of his skin not count against him? Can he be convincing about security in the middle of an ongoing war? Can he survive the fickle adulation of the media? If the answer to all the above is yes, Barack Hussein Obama will be the 44th president of the United States… as strange as that may sound.”

Against that, he's still unknown in too many places, he hasn't a heavyweight team behind him, he's black.

The Lizard Queen: Immense experience, sympathy over Lewinsky, seems to have done well as Senator, sizable section of the populace love her, she's a woman. Plus she says the Obama threat will 'diminish' and the people who are in with her would know. Against that, McCain would beat her, millions hate her, many don't trust her.

The Democratic darkhorse at present is Tom Vilsack. Early days but looks quite reasonable and might be selected in reaction against the other two.

GOP

McCain’s age [72] and wishywashiness is against him, he's not liked by conservatives but he would beat the Lizard Queen in a head to head.

Giuliani is too soft on abortion, too far left for most but for him is 911 and laura norder. The main problem for Giuliani is that the average voter who elected him mayor in 1993 and 1997 is very different than the average voter who will pick the Republican nominee in 2008.

There seems to be an opening here for a Great Hope to appear but most would probably be in training for 2012, just before the New World Order.

[obesity drugs] absolutely anything, bar exercise

Here goes half my American readership. Why do I write these things?

America, get off your bums, cut out the junk food, halve your portions and exercise.

That’s all. Then there’s no need for this rubbish:

The long-term safety and efficacy need to be documented for Xenical, Meridia and Acomplia before doctors can be certain that the benefits of these anti-obesity drugs outweigh the risks, according to a commentary appearing in The Lancet medical journal.

Xenical (known generically as orlistat) and Meridia (sibutramine) are currently approved for long-term use, while Acomplia (rimonabant) is under review by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, each of the agents carry potentially important adverse effects - frequent gastrointestinal side effects, raised blood pressure and heart rate, and mood disorders.

It’s the mindset which is upsetting – the idea that you can solve any condition with a drug. The idea that a thousand pills are better than natural remedies like actually getting out and walking.

And now I’m going to make another statement:

If the Americans were to take on Russia en masse, say in Prague and if the technology didn’t kill off both populations and if it ever came to hand to hand combat, the Russians would win. They’re in far better condition, physically and they’re more used to hardship.

[exxonmobil] openly faithful to its traditions

The great man himself

So the Union of Concerned Scientists has asserted that ExxonMobil gave $16 million to 43 ideological groups between 1998 and 2005, in a co-ordinated effort to mislead the public by discrediting the science behind global warming. Last September, The Royal Society wrote to the oil company, asking it to halt support for groups that 'misrepresented the science of climate change.'

ExxonMobil listed $6.8 million in 2005 for 'public information and policy research' distributed to more than 140 think-tanks, universities, foundations, associations and other groups. Some of those have publicly disputed the link between greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. Dr. James McCarthy, a professor at Harvard University, said the company has sought to 'create the illusion of a vigorous debate' about global warming.

The thing which puzzles me is what’s the surprise? Which group of companies would not outlay money to support conclusions favourable to their industry? And since when has Exxon been expected to be a paragon of virtue anyway? From the days of Standard Oil and the Sherman anti-Trust Acts, the game plan has been hardball.

So what? If anything, the company was being honest when it was renamed from Esso and commissioned Raymond Loewy to redesign the logo to highlight the double-cross, the old Templar logo. And their founder, John D. Rockefeller, made the company’s mode of operation abundantly clear when he stated:

"The way to make money is to buy when blood is running in the streets."

And when Exxon Mobil says:

"It is our policy to conduct our business in a manner that is compatible with the balanced environmental and economic needs of the communities in which we operate. We are committed to continuous efforts to improve environmental performance throughout our operations worldwide."

… it is no lie. They really do mean what they say. That’s the essential nature of dualism, which is also true to the tradition of their founder. It may turn the meaning of “integrity” on its head but Oxford’s definition of this word is: wholeness, entirety, soundness, before all other definitions.

Exxon is deeply committed to the dualistic ‘integrity’ of its organization, in these terms.

[freedom of speech] loreena mckennitt and peter wright

Iain Dale has a piece today on the Court of Appeal Ruling this week upholding the right of Canadian singer Loreena McKennitt to ban publication of certain passages in a book entitled Travels with Loreena McKennitt: My Life as a Friend, covering personal and sexual relationships. Iain concludes that:

This really does seem like a landmark judgement, but one which discriminates unfairly in favour of the rich and famous.

I commented that it was hardly a problem, as you could just move to Tasmania to publish. Which was a reference to Peter Wright. Peter who?

1988: Government loses Spycatcher battle The British Government has lost its long-running battle to stop the publication of the controversial book Spycatcher, written by a former secret service agent. The Law Lords ruled the media can publish extracts from former MI5 officer Peter Wright's memoirs, because any damage to national security has already been done by its publication abroad.

With the ruling, injunctions imposed against The Observer, The Guardian and The Sunday Times have been lifted. Outside the court Donald Trelford, editor of The Observer celebrated: "At long last our democratic system has reached the obvious conclusion that these were genuine matters of public importance that the public should be allowed to know about."

Really? I shouldn’t have thought it had anything whatever to do with freedom of the press but about “too late – the horse has bolted”. Oh and Peter Wright died a millionnaire.

[blogpower] my personal james highamish view

The field of sailing is quite esoteric and something like Hawaiian outrigger canoes is as esoteric as it gets. There was once a site, let’s pretend it was about that topic and it was well presented, had lots of good info and had regular guest posting on everyone’s favourite craft.

There was also a forum section where you had to register to comment and there’d be so many requests like: “What foil should I use for my underwater rudder?” [posted by Darren] to which an expert in the field of foils would reply: “Darren, you might like to try the E3016, which was designed for the purpose you’ve just described.” [Tom Speer]

And so on.

But into every idyllic world must come the dirt and first one then another undesirable entered and their combative style turned people off. Now it was: “What foil should I use for my underwater rudder?” and the reply would be: “Darren you’re a small minded twerp. Only an idiot would ask such a question.” To which Darren would reply: “Oh yeah, Greaseball [his commenter nickname], well you’re just a complete moron,” to which Greaseball would reply and Bullrutter would get into the abuse.

And so on. I just yawned and quietly clicked out of the site. Forever.

Therein lies our problem. Someone on our roll makes a deeply offensive remark to most members and we’re in shock. One of us tries to put a nice construction on it: “I’m not sure that’s an appropriate comment. Haven’t you ever seen…” and so on. The first immediately replies: “Thanks for supporting me and our views.”

Whoa! Stop. Who’s supporting what? No one’s supporting anything our pitbull friend said. We’re trying to keep decency and mutual respect going here. So one of our members writes: “Sorry but I can no longer be part of an organization which condones these views.” Another hears about it and begins soul-searching and so on.

Despite its broad scope and undoubted power, Blogpower is a very brittle collection. It’s not robust. In short, it’s finely balanced and is slowly growing on mutual trust, respect and tolerance. Into this comes one pitbull opinion and suddenly the fabric is torn. We have new bloggers and old and the new ones are delicate and easily put off. They came to us for mutual support and for new horizons and find themselves confronted with offensiveness.

This raises all my hackles, all my defensive instincts, particularly for our ladies [call that sexist if you like]. I, personally, will not put up with anyone being offensive to my blogfriends [you can say what you like to me personally – I couldn’t care less] and to lose even one of these friends is more catastrophic than to lose my blog.

So, what to do with our strongly libertarian philosophy, our Voltaire Maxim? If we insist on this maxim, we lose the most valuable friends as they quietly ‘click out’ forever. Their right so to do. They have no desire to get into a bunfight.

So we lose everything we’ve worked for and in the process reinforced the realpolitik that it takes a community to build a sandcastle and only one foot to destroy it.

[congress] first 100 hours

This historic Congress, the first one led by a woman, Nancy Pelosi, has laid out an ambitious agenda for its first 100 hours.

The plans include implementing the outstanding 911 Commission recommendations, raising the minimum wage and providing more federal funding for stem cell research.

Republicans are already angry because Democrats won't allow GOP members to offer alternative bills in the first 100 hours.

The split:

Senate: 49 Rep, 49 Dem, 2 Ind [mostly Dem voting]
House: 233 Dem, 202 Rep

[warmest winter] the ostrich syndrome

Choose any country, any authority – which one would you like? Canada? The NCDC? Russia? And it’s not just the record warm. It’s dangerous natural phenomena as well.

So if Stern is wrong, then what is this thing? As I trudged today through the slush which has never been on these streets at this point of the year since my time in this country, I kept chanting the Telegraph Mantra: There’s no global warming. There’s no global warming. Truly there’s not.

I was wearing a single layer sweat top, light rain jacket and baseball cap. In the fSU? In the middle of winter? No climate change? Give me a break.

[iceland] euro gets its foot in the door

The Iceland Stock Exchange (ICEX) suggested this week that Icelandic companies should have the right to register their stocks in Euros rather than in the Icelandic Krona. Thórdur Fridjónsson, director of ICEX, told Fréttabladid that registering stocks in Euros has both pros and cons.

For companies that mostly invest abroad, Euros are the better choice, but if they have the biggest part of their investments in Iceland, they should stick with the Krona, he explained. As the Icelandic Krona is more prone to fluctuations than Euros, registering stocks in Euros is a tempting choice, and a fluctuating currency does not attract foreign investors to Iceland.

This is precisely the problem which beset Russia [although it was dollars, not Euros] until Yeltsin and Putin took measures which haven’t eliminated it but have at least stemmed the tide. All goods must officially be sold and bought in roubles.

As the rest of Europe and others all flock to the EU, the British people alone stand up for their currency but Tony Blair has long sold them down the drain, behind their backs. This blog believes that at the end of his term in office, Tony Blair should be tried for treason and if found guilty, hanged in a televised ceremony.

[warne] english tactics help him set up whitewash

I’ve stayed out of this until now. Haven’t I stayed out of it, printing ne’er a word, leaving it all to Normblog and The Tin Drummer? Now they’ve gone one step too far, the stupid, inept English travelling cricket circus.

ENGLAND has made another error in judgement. And, as with other miscalculations on this tour, it will come at a cost. The move by England's fieldsmen, most notably Paul Collingwood, to sledge Shane Warne at the crease during his final Test was folly of the highest order. Already motivated to perform well in his farewell to international cricket, Warne's resolve was stiffened further by the barbs fired by Collingwood, resulting in an innings that all but broke the resolve of the tourists and primed Australia for a series whitewash.

That’s the Aussie point of view although, to be fair, Tim de Lisle sees it a little differently. However, none of that excuses what has been a weak, ill-organized and badly thought out campaign which threatens to brand this team the worst in England’s history. They won the Ashes not so long ago. Can this team only play at home and against the old foe?

[mary celeste] just the facts, ma’am

Part 1 below concerns events up to, including and after the event and considerable effort has been made to expunge all descriptive adjectives and speculative comments from the record of events.

Part 2 though, is highly speculative and lists theories, official and no, of what could have occurred. I have to admit that after two years of reading now, I’m as baffled as when I started. Based on the evidence below and on any other evidence you may yourself know of, what’s your theory?

The 101-foot, 282 ton brigantine Mary Celeste, was built in 1860, the maiden venture of a consortium of pioneer shipbuilders at the shipyards of Joshua Dewis on Spencer's Island, Nova Scotia. She was originally christened Amazon and was launched in 1861, the year that saw the start of the American Civil War.

Her first skipper, a Scot named Robert McLellan, fell ill and died. Then John Nutting Parker assumed command and skippered the Amazon's maiden voyage, but she ran into a fishing weir off Maine, received a large gash in her hull and had to go to the shipyards for repair. While she was there a fire broke out amidships, bringing Captain Parker's command to an end.

Amazon's first Atlantic crossing went without mishap until she entered the Straits of Dover and collided with a brig. The brig sank, Amazon again went for repairs, and her third skipper went to seek another command.

Following the necessary repairs and the appointment of a new captain, Amazon returned to America, and she ran aground off Cow Bay, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

She was pulled off the rocks and repaired, but appears to have passed from one owner to another, several of whom seem to have gone bankrupt and none of whom derived any good from their contact with the ship. She eventually passed into the hands of J.H. Winchester and Co., a consortium of New York shipowners.

By this time the Amazon had been enlarged, flew the Stars and Stripes, was named Mary Celeste. According to testimony, just prior to this trip, she had been purchased at a salvage auction in New York for $2,600 and rebuilt for $14,000. Her rebuilt condition was confirmed by the crew of the Dei Gratia later when they said, "Her hull appeared to be nearly new."

The latest captain of Mary Celeste was a stern, puritan New Englander named Benjamin Spooner Briggs. He was born at Wareham, Massachusetts, on 24th April 1835, the second of five sons born to Captain Nathan Briggs and his wife Sophia.

Continued here …

[sailing record] 14 year old crosses atlantic

A 14-year-old British schoolboy today became the youngest person to sail the Atlantic single-handed, arriving in the Caribbean after setting off from Gibraltar just over six weeks ago. Michael Perham, from Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, sailed into Nelson's Dockyard on the Caribbean island of Antigua at 10am (2pm UK time), and was escorted into dock by a flotilla of boats.

Now, as a fellow sailor [still count myself current], this is more than astounding. I began sailing about 8 but only sailed single-handed at 12. By 14 I’d graduated to bigger boats but this was all bay sailing. I didn’t try a trek until I was 23. But to get a 28 foot keeler across the Atlantic – this is more astounding than I can say and quite frankly, it’s hard to believe he didn’t have total backup e.g. some other boats alongside or near him.

Having said that, John Prescott is right in that it’s an extension of the British Maritime Tradition and there are some august personages on that list. Amazingly well done to the lad!

[sensitivity] of testimonials and insults

The Golden Greek made the point: I'd actually been toying with the idea of dropping the testimonials from my sidebar at some point - feeling that they shout "me me me" a bit too loudly.

I would suggest that this is a retrograde step. Of course, when a blogger emblazons eulogies in his header, they do have a habit of convincing people, that's undoubtedly true. Maybe I should write: 'James Higham knows Voodoo economics' or 'Make him a Life Peer - fast'. Then I'll make up some name for the ones who said them, e.g. Hugh Jensen [Houston Times] or Nitwan Purlwan [Lhasa Chronicle] and no one's ever going to bother to check.

No, the solution seems to be this: perhaps if a blogger were to run a special page, linked from the sidebar, in which all testimonials and negative comments were listed together, maybe in chronological order, as and when they come up and with brutal honesty, this would give people a better view of us. For example, Cityunslicker said : "ill-informed" amongst the positives and that's good - it's more convincing.

Which brings me to what would insult us and what wouldn't. People have generally found that it's hard to insult me - 'balding git' does nothing, 'opinionated bore' is a compliment and I thrive on 'curmudgeon'. I was called a 'bastard' and immediately thanked the girl and looked on her more kindly after that. It's not everyday one is complimented in the heat of battle.

Perhaps if it's something we really value and have worked for and it's dismissed, that would hurt. Stand by for a moment whilst I try it. 'Woeful traffic.' Nope. 'No one's interested in your crappy little blog' [from Australia]. That's getting warmer. 'Tosser.' Nope, getting cold again.

Wonder how you'd feel insulted.

[anna and liz] vital questions in the wee hours

Thought this was cute until I saw at what time they were posting:

Anna said...

When is twelfth night? And why is there an 'f' in twelfth? 2:30 AM

Liz said...

January 6th. Because there's a V in twelve. 4:45 AM

Anna said...

I know there's a V in twelve, but that still doesn't make sense. January 6th - Saturday? Yuck. I hate taking down the decorations. Is Harvey using his ramp yet? 5:15 AM

Now I’d like to meet these two girls.

[soft on crime] only 1% lead to conviction

Central News reports that: Just one crime in every hundred now leads to the offender being caught, charged and punished by the courts, latest statistics reveal. The Home Office's own figures showed crime on the rise last year and more criminals being caught by police, yet the numbers being sent before the court dropped sharply by eight per cent year-on-year. Opposition critics blamed the dramatic rise in the use of "summary justice" - instant fines or cautions and warnings handed out by the police.

I have the solution, people.

[rousseau] a gracchus on the not so noble savage

Tiberius Gracchus says, about Rousseau:

He believed that man was a solitary animal to start with and then came together to form societies. Like Hobbes or Locke he believed in a state of nature.

Or that man was ‘good’ in a ‘state of nature’.

His argument was that in a state of nature, man had no self-consciousness, that civilisation and society were the products of the development of a self consciousness as a human being amongst other human beings and that that self-consciousness was inherently competitive.

And at the same time becoming increasingly dependent on them, moving from amour de soi [satisfaction with self] to amour propre [pride].

No problem up till here but then this Social Contract business gets in the way. If citizens are to rule directly and individuals must obey the ‘general will’, then who actually defines this ‘general will’? It’s a mare’s nest.

I have other objections too. Rousseau presupposes the capacity of all men to reason in order to participate in this process. But all men are not equal. There are women, babies, criminals, youths, the ignorant, the wise and the learned and by definition, certain types will rise and others mark time or fall.

He presupposes ‘goodwill’, stemming from ‘good nature’ and whilst he may be right to a point [Adam and Eve started in a state of nature], there is the other side to man. The humanist would say the dualistic nature of man and the Christian would say an external force for good and an external force for evil. Much is explained by the latter model.

This is why I accept Rousseau’s premise of ‘good nature’. It is the serpent who perverts it but it’s also society, as Rousseau said. To resolve this dilemma, there was already in existence the Olivet Discourse and Sermon on the Mount which provide excellent models to strive for in society, without any ‘forcing’ to the general will, so beloved of the left. They have yet to be surpassed.

Tiberius’ other point that ‘one gets the feeling that Rousseau's intellectual preoccupation was the explanation of Rousseau to Rousseau’ is also right on the money.

[china] the scope of the threat [part 4]

In Parts 1, 2 and 3, the article basically looked at the Chinese mindset, their ability to uncritically obey, the hierarchical nature of their society, their fear of the US [for now] and their strategic moves.

All of which is over simplistic about a society of that size and complexity and still proves nothing. Any country is going to do these things for itself. Any country has an overdeveloped ego. Just look at the dangerous mindset with which France approached World War I – with the concept of élan which supposedly every Frenchman possesses which would allow him to prevail against two Germans.

So with the British. So with the Chinese. There’s been no major movement by land from China since Genghis Khan and for sure, if they’d wanted to and could keep Iran at bay or in alliance, not a lot could stop them sweeping through Kashmir – but to where? Why would they wish to anyway?

Why not take them at their word that they’re simply developing the west of their country economically, for GDP reasons? Why not look at their military manoeuvres as just that?

That’s how I felt until I spread my 5 foot by 3 foot German map of the world, appropriately entitled Der Welt and plotted the course of the silk road in detail. Now I’m not so sure. Plus I read a strange little book.

More here …

[iain dale] congratulations on your mindboggling stats

Iain Dale has announced that his December traffic was marginally down on November and October at 130,872 unique visitors and 228,952 page downloads. I did a quick calculation and my uniques were roughly 43 times less than his. Should I therefore:

1] Slit my wrists forthwith and give up the ghost;

2] Warmly congratulate Iain and hope he'll link to me just the once, for goodness sake so that I can double my traffic that day?

3] Feel quietly proud of being a member of Blogpower, of my traffic being three times what it was in October, of the twenty or thirty e-mails to friends each day, of being better regarded now by those excellent bloggers who were initially a little cool and of the new blog friendships which have been forged;

4] Throw up the hands and seriously consider my position as a blogger, as Clive Davis is now doing?

I think one should be gracious about these things. Iain worked to get where he is, he co-started Doughty, he brought out those lists, he's done much. And he's visible. I'm not and cannot be. Plus his blog is entertaining and always fresh. That's why he gets his Malkin like statistics. Plus I like his jaunty cheekiness and indefatigability. Now, where's that carving knife?

[blogpower] still alive - see you soon

One or two of the Blogpowerers might be wondering where I've got to. Actually, I've been roaming around the L-Z and Fine Blog section of my blogroll and am wending my way slowly up the list. I'll inflict myself on you soon, no doubt.

[blogfocus tuesday] simple, homespun prose [part 2]

To complete the simple, homespun theme this evening, we’ll look at 14 bloggers [plus one Mystery Blogger] in three different categories.

The ‘rustic’ category

1] Have you ever sat in a garden shed, having first moved the tools out of the way and reflected on life? This man has:

Every so often we should all take some time to review the larger questions in life - death certainly is high on the list and we should occasionally take the time to think it over. Not to live in fear, but to live as we always intended to with purpose and confidence. Mine's going a bit better now I've just dealt with life's other certainty - filling in my annual UK tax return !

2] This man was not exactly sitting in a garden shed but he was still fairly rustic about it all, just the same:

A view of a nicely manicured garden including olive trees near Grasse. If you look at the hill behind you see many, many more olive trees in gardens too. Once upon a time all these were "working" olive trees, but these days I would guess very few of them are actually harvested. I suspect that the ones in the foreground, which is the garden of large old chateau/villa, have always been partly there for display but I am sure that once upon a time they were used for oil as well.

3] Whilst this man moved his entire house. Well actually, he moved to another house, to be precise. Whether it has a garden shed or not is not stated:

When you move house, naturally, you then need to get the telecoms in the new place sorted out. Portugal Telecom has a system whereby you can transfer your old account to the new place. Excellent. However, there has been a slight hitch as ADSL at the desired speed is not available [we're that little bit too rural]. So, instead of telling us this the order was simply cancelled. So, today, off to the Telecom shop to get it all reinstated.

Eleven more bloggers plus one Mystery Blogger here.

[dissolution] back to the middle ages

If you are British, which of the above do you want running your life? These are the only realpolitik, the only real choices. All others are pies in the sky. Here is an Australian article, originally from the Guardian, whose motives I suspect.

1] The Union between Scotland and England has a good claim to be the most enduring and successful international partnership in history, yet the atmosphere on its 300th anniversary this month is anything but celebratory.
2] The SNP argues that an independent Scotland would be able to follow Ireland in slashing corporation tax to attract higher levels of inward investment. Rubbish.
3] The SNP argues that cutting corporation tax rates would increase revenue. It is more likely that capital would flee. England will remain Scotland's most important export market by far.
4] Scotland's voice would also be diminished on the international stage.
5] The new nationalism in England in many ways mimics its Scottish counterpart, especially in its capacity for self-pity. The "Scottish raj" in Westminster is a fiction.
6] The idea that the English are an oppressed majority is even more risible than the Braveheart fantasies of the SNP.
7] On any reasonable needs-based assessment, Scotland merits higher public spending because of lower population density and poorer health.
8] England has less to lose from independence than Scotland but England would become more dependent on energy imports.
9] It would have to find somewhere else to base its Trident fleet.
10] The British Army would become more overstretched.
11] Scotland's independence would precipitate the departure of Wales.
12] Even Northern Ireland might not relish the idea of being a mere appendage.
13] UN Security Council implications and the diminishment of the separate parts on the world stage.
14] There is almost nothing that Scotland and England could do separately that they cannot do better together as part of the UK.
15] The real issue is one of political leadership.

I feel there is another issue no one’s looking at. Broken up as a nation, British citizens are then at the mercy first of the EU and then of the World Government which is very much in the pipeline. For this reason and for reasons 13, 14 and 15 above, this blog opposes dissolution and supports the 300 year Union.

[film quiz] how many of these 10 do you know

1] In which film does Robert de Niro play the role of Travis Bickle?

2] Who played the male and female leads in the 1950 film King Solomon's Mines?

3] For which two films did Marlon Brando win an Oscar?

4] Who was the creator of the TV series "ER"?

5] Marty McFly's having the time of his life. The only question is - what time is it? Slogan for which film?

6] Which two US presidents has Anthony Hopkins played in film?

7] In the film "Summer Holiday" with Cliff Richards, where do they drive their bus to?

8] Who directed "L'histoire de Adèle H" and "L'argent de poche"?

9] In 1979, one person starred in the two biggest grossing films of the year: "Amityville Horror" and "Superman". Who?

10] What nationality is Meryl Streep's character in "Sophie's Choice"?

Answers here …

[china] the scope of the threat [part 3]

According to General Li Jijun, one of China's most distinguished military authors and former Vice President of AMS, the greater danger to a nation's survival is not warfare but "strategic misdirection".

Part 1 is here. At the end of Part 2, it was clear that China needed to develop and reinforce its western borders, develop sea lanes and form alliances with various countries. Another thing it needs to be aware of is strategic misdirection, particularly from the USA.

Strategic misdirection

According to the Chinese, The United States brought about the collapse of the Soviet Union with strategic misdirection. Through various means, such as the Strategic Defense Initiative, which the US had no intention of ever deploying, the Soviets greatly increased their defense budget.

The US also supported opposition in Poland and Afghanistan, drove down the price of oil to cut off the main source of Soviet foreign exchange, and exacerbated the domestic Soviet political crisis.

The collapse of the Soviet Union, following secessionist moves in the Baltic States, was a lesson China noted. In 1990, Washington made deliberately deceptive comments to Saddam Hussein through the U.S. Ambassador in Baghdad, to the effect that the United States did not care if he invaded Kuwait.

Citing the lessons of history, General Li warns that "unconsciously accepting an opponent's strategic misdirection causes a nation to be defeated or collapse, and not know why." An article in the June issue of Zhongguo Pinglun concludes:

"The Western forces are attempting to drag China into the mire in the arms race. The United States is planning to pursue a theatre missile defense system, so that the Chinese will step into the shoes of the former Soviet Union. In an arms race with the United States, China will consume its national power and collapse without a battle."

How can that be translated into practical action? That’s not openly stated but one would assume that China would employ some of its own strategic misdirection and perhaps the Karakoram Highway is an example of this, perhaps not.

More here …

[tumbleweeds] a personal favourite revisited

Bit difficult to read the way Blogger posts pics:

Injun: Our war canoo has sinked with all aboard!

Chief: Oh no.

Injun: They're in the water shreekin and screaming!

Chief: They're drowning?

Injun: Nah, too shallow. But the bottom's all mucky and yucky and awful squishy!

I always used to cut this comic strip out of the day’s paper and so I had quite a collection after a few years. I think they’re still in a box somewhere and you can’t get them on the web. Apart from the humour, the major thing about this cartoon was the way it got into Indian life from an Indian’s own ironical viewpoint, as well as from the white man’s. Here’s a short bio of Tom K. Ryan, the toonist:

The strip made its first newspaper appearance in 1965, and was an immediate fan favorite. Ryan claims that Tumbleweeds is the result of his exclusive access to long-suppressed files on a secret corner of the Old West.

Tumbleweeds was animated for Saturday morning television in the late 1970s, and in 1983 was the subject of a musical. The strip also inspired a live stage attraction in Las Vegas, as well as a theme-park area at the MGM Grand theme park, called "Tumbleweeds Gulch."

Ryan takes great satisfaction in the fact that American Indians are fans of Tumbleweeds. He has received numerous commendations from Indian educators, editors and tribesmen, all of whom applaud the strip's combination of comic and cultural elements and Ryan's ability to capture the Indian sense of humor.

Homesite here. Another good bio here. The real thing here.

[blimey] lasagne assault unfair

This is a totally unfair post. It's dinner time here in the fSU and I'm famished. So, I go into Welshcake Limoncello's site and blimey! I'd have to eat the whole lasagne, I really would. The instant I post this piece, I'm off to have some ravioli, which is all I have in the freezer. Hope you survive WCL's post better than I did.

[segie et sarki] deux styles totalement différents

A quelques heures d’intervalle, les deux principaux candidats à la présidentielle ont utilisé deux styles totalement différents pour présenter des vœux très politiques.

Ségolène Royal filmée dans une pièce vide, illuminée d’une guirlande multicolore et d’un lampadaire design. Nicolas Sarkozy sur un simple fond bleu incrusté d’un logo UMP. Les traditionnels vœux du Nouvel an ont donné une occasion supplémentaire aux deux rivaux dans la course à l’Elysée de marquer leur différence, à moins de quatre mois du premier tour.

Suivez …

[neujahrsschwimmen] das jahr beginnt ins kalte Wasser

Es ist ein eher ungemütlicher Brauch zum Start ins neue Jahr: das Neujahrsschwimmen. In aller Welt springen Menschen ins - meist kalte - Wasser und beweisen sich und ihren Mitmenschen Mut. Mit solchen Aktionen ist ihnen eines gewiss: Das Jahr kann nur noch besser werden.

Vermutlich ist es aber einfach nur der Wunsch, zum Jahresanfang mal etwas Verrücktes zu unternehmen. Zum Vernünftigsein gibt es ja noch an 364 Tagen Gelegenheit.

Mehr hier …

[testimonials] first ten ready

I really abjectly apologize. First I exhorted everyone to do this, The Cityunslicker and others responded but I simply couldn’t get my act together until now. Well, I’ve started and here are my first ten ‘take it or leave it’ comments on members of the blogosphere. Please, people, if you can see your way clear to doing something like it, each blogger will then have a nice little store of comments to put in his or her sidebar. But be honest. Don’t eulogize just for the sake of it.

1] The Cityunslicker: The travelling blogger with the razor wit has a habit of cutting to the chase and only ever falls by the wayside on matters of faith. CUS’s comments are as good as his posts and what bloggers appreciate is that he’s at least read the posts, unlike some. Behind that sometimes direct exterior beats a heart of gold and an astute mind, let alone a wealth of experience.

2] Westminster Wisdom: Perfect example of a Blogpower blog which should be in Iain Dale’s Top 10. He’s not every surfer’s cup of tea as he demands a concentration span longer than three minutes and the ability to comprehend both history and the English language – tall order for many. For those with the patience, he’s deeply rewarding and that's why he is rapidly entering the 'must read' category of a sizable chunk of the discerning corner of the blogosphere.

3] Ellee Seymour: What’s left to say about Lady Ellee of Ely? Superb blog, always up to date and posing a dilemma with a humane edge to it. It’s a testimony that she’s now won the first of her many awards and yet she somehow manages to visit others, comment on comments, maintain a work, study, political and family schedule and enjoy it all the while. A true lady, as all are aware, she is my prediction for Top 10 on Iain Dale’s list this year.

4] Not Saussure: Some bloggers are fine amateurs and some are professional. Notsaussure is of the latter ilk, facts always at his fingertips, never a word out of place and right on the money. He is one of the Blogpower blogs who should be up there mixing it with the big boys – he’s that impressive - and a sizable portion of the A list is coming to realize that. Virtually a must read for the discerning, his blog is also beautifully presented, which certainly helps, in my humble opinion.

5] The ThunderDragon: Already an A lister, technical whiz Thunder Dragon shows that not all A listers are stuck up stats groupies who’d sell their grandmothers for more traffic. And he’s on Iain Dale’s list for a reason – he’s simply a fine blogger, scoring highly on the ten point Dale criteria and with his finger always on the political pulse. He's also the technical brains behind Blogpower, along with Ian at Imagined Community.

6] Sicily Scene: This lady, Welshcakes Limoncello, could be charged with mental cruelty by relentlessly revealing to us the idyllically unhurried world of Sicily and photos of the magnificent fare upon her table [not to mention the card corners] but to be fair – she does often provide recipes. Rapidly becoming a must read for a large portion of the blogosphere, her wise young head and astute comments are also particularly appreciated by fellow bloggers.

7] Mr Eugenides: What can one say? An Edinburgh based A lister, a widely acknowledged political genius of the first order - still he finds time to visit Greece, sink a pint or two and take on the idiots who purport to govern our fair land. A member of that select group of high traffic bloggers who’ve not forgotten their roots and who are approachable [if you can dodge the swear-shrapnel on your way in, that is]. Mr. E is pure class.

8] Stumbling and Mumbling: I confess this is my favourite blog and yet I disagree with many of the sentiments, I don’t understand a fraction of the economics and I’m less than reverent ion my comments. Leicester boy Chris Dillow is master class and his steady elevation into the elysian zones of the blogosphere are testimony to the regard in which he is held. His point form analyses are compelling and his only direction , as far as I can see, is up.

9] Adelaide Green Porridge Cafe: Environmental expert Colin Campbell is one of the expat Scot brigade, soon to become an Australian citizen, with two beautiful children and a menagerie of pets and one mystery wife who hardly gets a mention. His blog is unique, centred as it is around family matters but he's no stranger to ascerbic comment on the political foolisness of the day. Short of ideas? Come to Colin’s blog for inspiration.

10] Tom Paine: I’m in awe of very few people in this world but I’m in awe of Tom Paine. Whilst bloggers like yours truly are rabbiting on twenty words to the dozen, Tom is taking it all in, rarely commenting and then coming out with sheer common sense, whatever the topic. You need to know what you’re talking about when you approach Mr. Paine and I strongly suspect there’s a wealth of life experience tucked away behind that moniker and it comes through in his support of good causes. Little wonder Tom is on most of the A list blogrolls and all of ours as well.

Next to come will be those listed in the blogrolls as Pub Philosopher, Out Story, Tea & Margaritas [to be added to my roll as soon as I post this], Heather Yaxley - Greenbanana, Buckeye Matt, Macadamia and Lord Nazh, amongst others plus my two fellow administrators of Blogpower.

What was the basis on which I chose bloggers for the first list? Simply those who commented on this blog in the last two days. I shall be writing a piece for each person on the blogrolls and hope to finish it by the end of this week.

[george bush] misunderstood and maligned [3]

Here are Part 1 and Part 2 of this tribute to George W. Bush. The third batch of ten is below. The idea is to vote for the three best from these ten, with a view to eventually finding an overall winning excerpt:

21] "First, let me make it very clear, poor people aren't necessarily killers. Just because you happen to be not rich doesn't mean you're willing to kill." - Washington, D.C., May 19, 2003

22] "I think war is a dangerous place." - Washington, D.C., May 7, 2003

23] "You're free. And freedom is beautiful. And, you know, it'll take time to restore chaos and order - order out of chaos. But we will." - Washington, D.C., April 13, 2003

24] "I think the American people - I hope the American–I don't think, let me—I hope the American people trust me."—Washington, D.C., Dec. 18, 2002

25] "There's only one person who hugs the mothers and the widows, the wives and the kids upon the death of their loved one. Others hug but having committed the troops, I've got an additional responsibility to hug and that's me and I know what it's like." - Washington, D.C., Dec. 11, 2002

26] We need an energy bill that encourages consumption." - Trenton, N.J., Sept. 23, 2002

27] "And so, in my State of the - my State of the Union - or state - my speech to the nation, whatever you want to call it, speech to the nation - I asked Americans to give 4,000 years - 4,000 hours over the next - the rest of your life - of service to America. That's what I asked - 4,000 hours." - Bridgeport, Conn., April 9, 2002

28] "Do you have blacks, too?" - To Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso, Washington, D.C., Nov. 8, 2001

29] "I am mindful of the difference between the executive branch and the legislative branch. I assured all four of these leaders that I know the difference, and that difference is they pass the laws and I execute them." Washington, D.C., Dec. 18, 2000

30] "Dick Cheney and I do not want this nation to be in a recession. We want anybody who can find work to be able to find work." 60 Minutes II, Dec. 5, 2000

[after new year] state of the planet, state of the head

Welcome to the New Year, everyone. Still alive? How’s the head?

Well, skipping over the killings, executions and so on, the world’s journos consider 2006 their worst year ever as they actually began to get killed going into trouble zones, whereas before they could stay at a safe distance and invent portions of the stories.

The Pope, predictably but no less correctly, bemoaned the assault on the family by modern culture, meaning the culture of sex, drugs, indiscriminate clubbing and shopping that so many parents are delighted their children are developing a taste for.

After New Year Debt. The flurry of gift shopping near the end of the year leads some down the path of least resistance and into the land of credit card debt. The average U.S. household has $10,000 in non-mortgage debt, and the holiday spend-a-thon no doubt puts pressure on consumers to buy more and boost their personal deficits ever higher.

The Consumer Credit Counselling Service offers five tips to consumers who find themselves having bought more than they had planned:
# Know how much you owe: Add up all your credit card and other bills to get a realistic picture.
# Create a spending plan: Decide beforehand what needs to be paid, then put in place a plan for your income.
# Pay off credit card debt: Stop making new charges and pay down what you already owe.
# Build a savings cushion: The goal is to have enough to cover your expenses for three to six months.
# Develop a strategy for a financial future: Monitor your finances on a regular basis. Open a retirement fund and contribute to it regularly.

Can’t see the point of this advice. Those who are careful and frugal will remain so and those with no money and big eyes will continue to load everything onto the cards with no thought of tomorrow.

The one piece of good news is that scientists seem to have developed a non-BSE cow. That’s a good start to 2007 – I’m sure the cows will be delighted by the news.

[bliadhna mhath ùr] с наступающим новым годом

A guid New Year to ane an` a` and mony may ye see!

Why do we go all Scots when we come close to Hogma – er- New Year? Never mind. I have my little tipple ready. My single malt went long ago and all I have is a drop of Chivas [it is the fSU, after all].

So, to ane an` a`:

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot and auld lang syne For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, We'll take a cup o kindness yet, for auld lang syne."

Frohes Fest und guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr
Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Ετος
bonne année
聖誕節同新年快樂
クリスマスと新年おめでとうございます
חג מולד שמח ושנה טובה
اجمل التهاني بمناسبة الميلاد و حلول السنة الجديدة

Anyone I’ve forgotten? Oh yes. Happy New Year!

[thought for the day] new year's eve

We know exactly where there've been terrorist attacks around the world. Why haven't there been any in China, do you think?

[underwear] more than meets the eye

After my last piece on undies, it was about time to follow it up.

Loincloths were originally outerwear, first worn by cave dwellers, then Egyptians and Romans. In 1352 BC Egypt, the young Pharaoh Tutankhamun was buried with 145 loincloths. Surely that was an ample supply for the afterlife.

They were each a long piece of linen shaped like an isosceles triangle with strings meant to be tied around the hips. The length of cloth hanging down in back was brought forward between the legs and tucked over the tied strings in the front, from the outside in.

Around the 13th Century, pull on underpants were invented and underwear became an important garment. Not only did underwear help shape the wearer’s figure, it also kept their clean clothes from touching skin. In Europe the underwear evolution went into full swing – men started wearing corsets, cod pieces, stockings, long johns, undershirts and drawers.

Women’s underwear included garters, lace corsets, knickers, petticoats and stocking suspenders. The brassiere didn’t appear until the early 1900s, then flattener bras of the 1920s, layered petticoats of the 1950s, cleavage enhancing bras of the 1990s

As the 20th century began, most Americans wore union suits or “all-in-ones”—undergarments that combined pants and a top. In the 1930s, they traded their union suits for separates and easy elastic waists replaced button, snap, and tie closures. Boxers and briefs swept a nation, and the word "underpants" entered dictionaries.

"Day of the Week" underpants were a craze in the 1950s. Each pair of underpants in the set of seven was labeled with a different day of the week.

Now there are reversible undies. According to Man Lore, reversible underpants are good for at least four wears: front ways, the right way; back-to-front, the right way; front ways inside-out; and back-to-front inside-out. Just in case women turn up their noses at this, Bonds have come out with reversible undies - just for women.

As the boys move away from boxers but don’t wish to cut off their prime with “le slip”, the solution is the traditional white Y fronts, as worn by their fathers.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

[china] the scope of the threat [part 2]

Part 1 ended with the words of General Gao Rui, former Vice President of the Academy of Military Science (AMS), writing that the Warring States era is "extremely distant from modern times, but still shines with the glory of truth" and "the splendid military legacy created through the bloody struggles of our ancient ancestors and today has a radiance even more resplendent."

Such talk would be quite worrying to western ears because we’ve heard similar rhetoric before, usually prior to world expansion of some kind.

That the Chinese take such things seriously is reflected in the comments of the director of research at the General Staff Department of the People's Liberation Army, which published six volumes of studies on ancient statecraft in 1996 that contained specific advice on how to comprehend the current and future security environment.

An essential aspect in this assessment is to determine the rank order of the power held by the various warring states. Although today's Chinese concept of Comprehensive National Power (CNP) was invented in the early 1980s, it originally stemmed from traditional military philosophy.

According to ancient strategists such as Wu Chunqiu, calculating CNP can aid a nation not just for war but also to "coordinate a political and diplomatic offensive, to psychologically disintegrate enemy forces and subdue them." Assessing one's own CNP can also aid a country in promoting development and growth.

Sun Zi long ago warned that victory depended on calculations and estimates of enemy strength and weaknesses made in advance. Two of ancient China's greatest advisers on statecraft, Lord Shang and Li Si, also warned of the need to calculate the future. States which rise too fast suffer attack, dismemberment, and even complete extinction.

As every literate Chinese knows, a brilliant strategist always forms a coalition that stands for several decades against the predatory hegemony of the time.

The solution, therefore, is in alliances.

More here …

[china] the scope of the threat

According to Deng Xiaoping, in order to eventually overcome, China should adopt the ancient maxim of "hiding brightness and nourishing obscurity," and Beijing adds, "to bide our time and build up our capabilities" and again - "to yield on small issues with the long term in mind."

The Warring States era in Chinese history was the age in which the classics of Chinese statecraft were produced and Colonel Liu Chungzi of the National Defense University Strategy Department states that "in the 1990s, the world entered a multipolar era very similar to the time of Sun Zi."

To dismiss China’s fixation with its destiny in terms of its ancient warlike past would be an incalculable mistake for the west but one which it’s quite likely to make in its arrogance. And arrogance with the Chinese never washes. They have their own in good measure.

I once “under-headed” a college half full of Chinese boys and the most poignant memory was that they had their own hierarchy, their own summary justice system, their own quiet insolence and arrogance which never confronted the British pattern and order but neither did it embrace it.

An older member of staff advised me one evening, over a game of snooker, to run with the Chinese and let them feel you were onside, however much it galled. “Don’t ever pull rank,” he warned or strange things would start to go wrong.

I mentioned this to another colleague who was apoplectic at their insolence – this was the Britain of the late 80s after all and he was a member of the greatest empire the world had ever seen and supporter of the greatest team – Man U.

Continued here …