Saturday, August 25, 2007

Dreaming Spires: CAN SO Teach Old Dog New Tricks


prisonlawinsideout: Just because someone expresses something differently does not make them truly revolting says Jailhouse as he sifts through a Dominic Lawson piece which is amidst his current cuttings on the Chindarmo case.

John: It wasn't just that Frances Lawrence attacked the tribunal decision, she also attacked Learco Chindamo and the Human Rights Act 1998. She was lashing out all over the place. Like a bear with a sore paw. It's time that injury was treated and given a chance to heal.

If Dominic Lawson wants to know what sympathy is, that's a dose of it. You can feel for someone without agreeing with what they are saying.

Dom: If anyone could be said to have a reason for becoming 'irrational', Frances Lawrence is that person.

John: I would have used the word cause, because reason and irrational are opposites. Someone who is applying reason is not irrational, and someone who is irrational is not applying reason. The solution here is to apply logic and not illogic to the situation.

There is more than one way to skin a cat education wise.

Dominic Lawson opted for glittering privilege of Chancellor/Socialite spawn via Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford, at least largely, courtesy of the tax payer.

John Hirst at two years of age was opted for Dr Barnardo's Homes where they now "believe in children" but then it was "physical and sexual abuse". More in common than you first thought then?.

Then 35 years as a peripatetic student at Her Majesty's Pleasure - also kindly funded by the Tax Payer.

John Hirst, has Asperger's (you know, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, NB Mark Haddon's latest, A Spot of Bother, eventually rewarding hard work at times. But ADULT, despite the jaunty kids' cover). John has transformed himself from a formidable law breaker to a formidable law maker, beating the powers that be on prisoners rights to vote.

He get's up right wing bloggers' noses enjoying his free speech rights. Which is as it should be, though they try to stop him.

Liarco Chindarmo has been doing the same, getting up noses - though they try to stop him too - with his freely preferred domicile being in the land of his nurture - the UK.

JUST FOR FUN: Name the three seats of learning in an email - please no spoilers - and you will feel nice and warm inside when I announce who's first, and who's whackoest. Click to enlarge.

Protesting: Against National Front Against Pride


REPORTS ANYONE? No sign of the NF when I reached the spot toward the end of the alloted time. Religious lot were still at Peace Gardens enjoying flirtatious attention from gay promenaders though.

UPDATE: Don't worry if you cannot make 10 am. The real action is later - officially the parade is 2pm - 4pm. Follow the route to find the NF with a big banner of two NF men (looks like) kissing - with some slogan about God (a big influence in Nazi circles, natch) and Adam and Eve as seen to the right of my 2006 picture. Guaranteed to get some jeering and cheering from Adam and Steve by the end of the afternoon.

We'll be there holding their hands as it were. Making sure these handsome hunks don't get ravaged by ravenous metrosexuals with inhibition issues. And no political scruples I might add.

TODAY SATURDAY (25th Aug): We're meeting at 10am Great Northern Sq, junction of Deansgate and Peter Street. Though our enthusiastically received annual picket against the National Front closet crew will very likely be somewhere else on the route.

Manchester's annual celebration of equality for gays and lesbians - a festival of fun for everyone who supports the right to live in peace and dignity, whatever our sexual orientation.

But the 'No Fun' National Front fascists can't stand the thought of gay and straight people enjoying themselves - they're once again planning a hate-picket against the Pride parade.

Unite Against Fascism is asking you to join our counter-protest against the politics of hate where National Front and Combat 18 elements got moral support from this black shirted BNP man from Burnley, Lancashire, pictured last year.

FREEDOM OF THE CITY (Citation): "To march through the city with flags waving and swords drawn and carried aloft, and wearing the tightest little disco shorts in the whole wide world".

Friday, August 24, 2007

Disgusting Exhibition: "Join the Kernow Mosk drekly and become a Musli"


UPDATE 12.30 am: Now reported at one right wing USA based site, and on India Yahoo and India's News which links the story with nearby Padstow's Darkie Day / aka Mummers Day which parliamentarians have tried to ban though local Lib Dem MP Dan Rogerson thinks it's cool.

STARTS: Seems like longer but it is not yet two weeks since Labour of Love brought you the story of the drunks in hijabs in St Columb Major, Cornwall. To be honest we had it down as young farmers, Lib Dems currying favour with their brand of pavement politics, young conservatives, or the local footie club - always game for a fancy dress laugh.

But today's Daily Telegraph (better late than never) links the only named culprit with the local Parish Church!

Not to say not also young conservative etc etc. We will perhaps delve a bit deeper and we do have some better pictures than the Telegraph and Mail have found. Mainstream Media sorts wanting some exclusive witness interviews from people NOT delighted at the skit should get in touch. And if the police are short of someone to make an official complaint so they can make an example of these ruffians then we're here and we will not hesitate.


While it is true that some village idiots were wetting themselves at this hilarious horror - featuring a certain amount of flashing of falsies, hijab hoisting, and ranting - it is also true than hundreds of people didn't know where to look and were plainly mortified at what was a highly offensive display of bigotry, ignorance and, dare I say, I dare, hatred.

The family Love stood next to a group of beach volleyball visitors from Brasil, there were music industry people in the village for the Paulo Nutini etc gig at Newquay, and this display was crass and an embarrassment.

The comments the Telegraph have garnered from local worthies are quite extraordinary and a mosque in this part of Cornwall could actually be a great boon to the diversity and sustainability of the tourist trade. Particularly off season for conferences and other business visitors. Currently the trade is sadly 99.9% monochrome and rampant-hedonist-atheist.

The St Columb Major Carnival was very good -make no mistake - apart from this nonsense.

Cameron and Dale: Both Absolutely, Totally Wrong?


Well perhaps that headline's a little harsh? Iain does his best. But Bob Piper's picked some decent sized holes in the trite Tory response to this tragic death in Liverpool. So LoL don't have to. But before we get going how about this turn on a sixpence?

Wrinkled Weasel manages to live by paragraph one of their comment for 50 words about immigrants being to blame for everything. And then it's straight back to cheap political points. Very useful I'm sure:

>>>

At 1:31 PM Wrinkled Weasel said...
It would be easy to try and make cheap political points here, but it is too important.

... snip ... immigrants are responsible ... snip ...

This is only one strand of the argument, but since the Labour government has been in denial, preferring to call it "multiculturalism" for many years, the problems of the
assault on our culture by immigrants was bound to impact
upon street crime.

You cannot deport people anymore, so unfortunately, Labour have screwed us for the long term.

Oh dear you Tory people. Please go to Channel 4 site. Watch FIVE people comment on this matter.

The Channel 4 news anchor. Mother in Liverpool. David Cameron. Jacqui Smith. And Ken Jones from the Association of Chief Constables (ACPO).

Least sense of these ... was from Cameron who placed the case in the context of a supposed breakdown in society. Sorry, it's not party political Mr Weasel. It's just nous. Cameron has very little of that. Common Sense to translate. He has Toff Sense and doesn't understand commoners. And that is utterly obvious. How could he?

His mum and dad did know where he was at night - at 15 he was "safe" at a comp near Slough ... albeit taking illegal drugs and very likely thrashing fags ... at 19 he was "safe" smashing up some restaurant in Cambridgeshire following a cocktail of er, possibly 'champagne' and Bollinger too.

How could David Cameron possibly understand?

As Iain says this is desperately hard. But Ken Jones was very good I thought. And putting this singular case into some context is essential. As this President of ACPO remarks:

1. This year is seeing the lowest gun crime since 2001. So remarkably that's lower than 2002 and 2003 and 2004 and 2005 and 2006. You would not think this to read most of our papers and blogs.

2. Overall violent crime in the UK is HALF the figure for 1995. HALF. Again, you would not think this to read most of our papers and blogs. Now would you?

Jacqui Smith was again strong and sensible and more than a match for David Cameron I thought. He needs to cut to the chase, leave politics before he is crushed by the weight of his own lightweightedness, and go make some money in the city.

He is not speaking to the problem. He is not speaking to the people. He is looking like a toff with a face like a slapped bottom chewing a wasp. It's not party political. Tony McNulty was steaming crap on there a couple of days ago on a related issue and LOL said so.

Proper Nut Jobs: Three Cheers to Iain Dale's Diary ...



Why can't we have election merchandise like this? Iain has nominated Gwynneth Dunwoody for the UK version of The Dog's Bollocks - as we say up here in Manchester. Lots more lively links.

Good Morning Iraq: How the West has Lost II



And in the BLUE corner Luke the Arms Consultant and in the RED Owen the Celtish Guerilla. Ding dong. Seconds out. Mmmmm. That McNapalm really hits the spot.

SexyBritain: Saatchi's Tory Yoof Site



Yesterday LOL reported in some depth on the secret Tory yoof-market exercise that is You Tube Channel Sexy Britain. Despite every indication that this goes right to the top of Tory Chaos Theory Marketing Week span a helpful yarn about it being done by wilful backbenchers acting NOT under orders. Ha ha ha. But to their credit although they didn't manage to digest and publish the comment below, they did manage the one above. The bare bones of the story on that is here.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Tory Trafford Meanies: Bumbled and Humbled


Fair Deal Phil has the news we've been waiting for. Better than the BBC, bloggers these days. Dr Pauleen Lane CBE, former Labour leader of Trafford Council and a Mayor - made to drive herself and her baby around while the official car carried the mayoral chain - has won £7,000 for her charity and cost stubborn and stupid Tory Leader Cllr Susan Williams some £200,000 from her budget in an arrogant insistence on dragging a mother and child through the courts.

Mrs Williams, herself famously mother of a young child when she stood elsewhere in 2001 and when the Tories took control through boundary changes in 2004, has surely lost any chance she had of unseating supermum the Rt Hon Ruth Kelly in Bolton.

Her travails also including a thankfully failed attempt to have the much-loved Town Hall demolished, slashes to the budget for the Mersey Valley Wardens Service, and - can this be right? - opposition to more Trams to Oldham and Rochdale, and towards Stockport and Tameside as well as being extended in Manchester. Lib Dem Stockport also voted against. Trafford look meaner. THEY ALREADY HAVE THEIR TRAM.

Rather Laugh Out Loud hilariously Susan is an Associate at Millar Consulting, Transforming Local Government. Apparently:

She brings unparalleled, up-to-date knowledge of Metropolitan Councils to the team, and managing the issues they face.

So that's alright then. These multiple cases of disgracing rather than transforming local government must just be a chance pattern of completely isolated incidents.


Cllr Salmon (Salford, Labour) biked, Cllr Fildes (Williams, Trafford, Tory) walked ran and Cllr Hackett (Manchester, Labour) swam in the triathlon relay. Presumably Salmon was fed up of the water?

CORRECTION: Pauleen was Group Leader but not Council Leader I think. This was probably all about a top dog battle between two women and pollies and nothing to do with good sense. Pauleen offered to take £5,000 for her charity at the outset. Susan is blaming Pauleen for the expense. You couldn't make it up.

Tory Trauma: Cyanosis of the You Tube, Painful



Following the debacle with the Tory Hospitals Chaos in Our Hands the boys in blue have another cross to bear. On August 16 Tim Ireland at Bloggerheads begins unravelling a Tory Tissue of Tosh. About clumsy "viral" videos that seem to track back towards the highest echelons of the failing institution that is the Tory Party.

Already at death's door this could provide the coup de grace rather than the expected coup de theatre. On August 19 "SexyBritain", from which the above - click to enlarge - is a grab, is launched on YouTube. It is pathetic. People drunk or playing drunk. A rude Streetsy pop video. Some Down With Da Kidz comments written by marketing executives.


A chap called Graeme from Scotland provides a pretty reasonable resume (in around 5 mins) of the cynicism and inaccuracy and sheer ineptness of the whole exercise. And while a couple of these items are getting plenty of plays this will not drive Tory votes from Da Kidz. Remarkably Graeme also turned up in the heart of the Sexy YouTube Channel with this piece of substance (BNP and Racism, c 10 mins) around which the Tories hang their tawdry rags. I'm pretty sure Graeme will be unhappy about this :



It can be viewed also - for ever and ever - via the Tory yoof site's permalink.

Yesterday, August 22 2007 Marketing Week step up to the plate to provide cover for Mr Saatchi with a likely story about how this is all down to some hot-headed and sadly un-nameable Tory back benchers.

But today comments at LDV indicate that the trail back to official Tories is pretty much complete, already.

I've stuck a comment up in the discussion and will blog about this in a moment or three. Which turns out to mean in 12 hours or so.

These are the comments and links that go with Graeme's second video:

UK Government ethnic breakdown of prison population statistics:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE...

World prison population statistics:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/icps/...

Summary: There's no proof that crime is genetic, there is no "rape gene", there's proof however that race does not dictate levels of criminality as all western countries have varying levels of criminality within white populations alone!

"According to its constitution, the BNP is "committed to stemming and reversing the tide of non-white immigration and to restoring, by legal changes, negotiation and consent the overwhelmingly white makeup of the British population that existed in Britain prior to 1948." The BNP proposes "firm but voluntary incentives for immigrants and their descendants to return home," it advocates the repeal of all anti-discrimination legislation, and restricts party membership to "indigenous British ethnic groups deriving from the class of 'Indigenous Caucasian'"[11]; the party also accepts Caucasians with non-British ancestry that are assimilated into one of these ethnicities. The BNP believes that there are significant biological racial differences that determine the behaviour and character of individuals. The party also asserts that preference for one's own ethnicity is a part of human nature.(BNP 2005 election manifesto)"

Where's Wally?: Destinations to Avoid


Iain Dale is running an interesting survey on where people might relocate if they had the time, money or inclination.

If there is a particular Tory troll who horrifies you there may be a clue soon.

But as for the pleasant generality they seem to be - in geography terms - all over the place.

This particular wally looks like Dizzy who is headed for Greecethe more glorious Greek islands. Where would you go and why? UK destinations welcome.

Manchester Blogging: One of Our Blogs is Missing



Cllr Iain Lindley is a NO NONSENSE kinda guy. Actually got quite agitated when himself and wannabe Rob Adlard were placed in the same room as a suspected drug dealer and candidate of another party. (On the Manchester Confidential site that was).

Incidentally that other yellow bellied party tried to deselect the person who reported the alleged murky behaviour rather than the murky wretch themselves. Strange.

So where has Iain's blog evaporated to? We don't have so many political blogs in Manchester that we can afford to be blasé when one vanishes. And Tories, blogging or otherwise, are almost extinct. So Iain - should we have a whip round? Have you done a moonlight and forgot to pay?

Blogging: Manchester Awards Nominations/Gala


Nominations are open for the 2007 Manchester Blog Awards. Cash prizes will be awarded in five categories:

1. Political

2. Personal

3. Arts and culture

4. New blog
(open to blogs
begun since
1 September 2006)


5. Creative writing

(HELPFUL HINT: You can nominate CP's LOL for any or all of categories one to four, and who knows add five as a precaution just in case I write something creative)

To nominate blogs, send URLs for one entry in each category to mancblogawards at googlemail.com by Sept. 7.

Please also specify where the blogger is based, if you know.

The Utterly Marvellous Manchizzle will draw up a shortlist after the close of the nominating period, and the winners will be selected by a blogtastic judging panel.

(In order to qualify, writers of the blogs must live within reasonable commuting distance of Manchester. And yes, you can nominate your own blog. Respond in Manchizzle comments with the seventeen questions they haven't anticipated.)

Also, blog book the date, for the winners will be announced and prizes presented as we:

Step away from the computer, it’s the M A N C H E S T E R
BLOG AWARDS 2007


Moho Live, Oldham Street
7pm Wednesday October 10, free

A star-studded gala affair in the newer than brand new Moho Live venue on Oldham Street. Riotous celebration of new and engaging online writing, with readings from Manchester bloggers and music from the city’s mp3 bloggers.

We’re delighted to be able to host a reading from Caroline Smailes, whose debut novel, In Search of Adam, was recently published by Friday Fiction, the new fiction imprint from The Friday Project, the innovative publishing company that specialises in putting blogs in print. Caroline’s blog was hugely instrumental in getting her book published, and we’ll talk to her about that too.

Manchester writer and blogger Elizabeth Baines will be reading the final installment of her Blog Story, What would you do? a tale set in Manchester that she’ll be writing in six sequential posts on a blog – with readers voting on what turn the plot should take. To find out more about this project, visit manchesterblogstories.blogspot.com.

Libdemologists Amend: No Credit Where Credit Due


Which is a shame. But true to form I suppose. What went through Mark's head in not acknowledging ON THE FACE OF THE BLOG - he has elsewhere, secretly, sheepishly - where he got his new information from?

Libdemologists: Almost as Out of Date as Redwood


You have to laugh! Laugh out loud even. First at the hilarious news that John Redwood is "ten years out of date" (quelle surprise) and then of course scroll down, and just an hour or two earlier find Mark Pack's LDV with another hot story. A magnificent GM food scoop.

And Labour of Love thought this was very grand and rushed into pixels ourselves, pausing only to photochop up an imaginary canteen poster for Monsanto's HQ in High Wycombe:


Genetically Modified "Green Giant" Monsanto who have tried to patent porkies and also trade mark the word 'imagine' have been forced to ban GM in their own staff canteen. Top spot from Mark Pack at Lib Dem Voice. You can report LOL for using Monsanto's logo without permission and specifically the word "imagine" without TM next to it here.

PERSONAL STATEMENT:
I am LOVING GM Food. Yum yum. Sing along: "I love to eat they porkies, porkies what I love to eat, bite they little heads off, nibble on they tiny feet".
But I am NAUSEATED by the Monsanto AGGRO Business Model and the attempt to Trademark IMAGINE.

On the Lib Dem Voice page it looked a bit like this (click to enlarge), annotations LOL's own:


So Libdemologists as top news hounds and futurologists? I don't think so! Stuck in the past? Looks like it!

In actual fact there was a Political Blogsclusive, if not world press exclusive there in LOL's piece. That Monsanto were trying to Trademark and control the word "imagine", never mind every seed and organism under the sun.

Naturally, when LOL considered doing a proper story and delved a bit deeper ... Here was the BBC and The Independent recorded getting the story first. And here was the Press Release from Friends of the Earth that set the hounds running.

So how many minutes, hours, days, weeks, months ,,,, er, years did it take for Lib Dem Voice (and their source of course) to run this very fine story? Seven years and eight months, that's how long.

There's a moral to this story, and that is this, always take a shufty, before you take the piss. Watch out for more red herrings from this crew!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Tory Funder: Aiming For 10 Million XM8s by 2021



The man-child conservative Winston Churchill (above with Thompson sub-machine gun) would be absolutely delighted. It's official! The Electoral Commision report some donation action from a gentleman known to both his friends and his very respectful enemies alike as Andreas Heeschen.

Mr Heeschen who cleaned up in detergents before diversifying his interests has donated £58,000 to the Conservative Party over the last year. So what's his main squeeze business-wise these days?

That will be triggers. Since 6 December 2002 Andreas has been one of four principals of Heckler & Koch, manufacturer of the very fine XM8 (exterminate! exterminate!) assault rifle as well as a goodly range of fine submachine guns, classic handguns and fearsome technical knifes.


Heeschen and his pals bought the company from Royal Ordnance, a daughter of British Aerospace Plc (known as Bae Systems today) who had owned it for almost 12 years. It was founded in Germany by the Mauser engineers Edmund Heckler, Theodor Koch and Alex Seidel who were it seems at a bit of a loose end in 1949.

By 2021 Heescher's squad plan to be producing almost a million XM8s per annum. Depending on the growth between 2005 when this precision instrument was first introduced launched and that date they will have perhaps put 10 million of these babies onto the planet. Very industrious. If each kill ten people - a modest aim - that's the population of Germany. Kaput.

David Osler pointed me at the story and thinks Andreas had better watch out. New Labour he says know just exactly how to deal with hecklers. He offers the lifelong pacifist Walter Wolfgang as correspondent. Which is a bit of a stretch. But opposites do of course attract.

Libdemologists: Admitting Mobile Mast Madness?


Something like that anyway. Here's the front of their Focus rag in their safest local government seat in the city. I've not seen the actual leaflet. Perhaps they're admitting that their position on mobile masts was utterly wrong? LOL have never before taken a public position on this. But I do have a mobile 'phone. And so I accept the existential necessity of masts.

Cllr John Leech MP on the other hand has slammed the Council for not opposing a particular mast WHEN THEY DID!! Even though it costs £20,000 or so of our money to oppose a mast and Councils almost always lose they did oppose this particular mast. So that would count as another Lowdown-Lie-from-Leech I think? Wouldn't it?

Perhaps the Lib Dems have remembered when they had a Nokia mast manager as a by-election candidate? She thought masts were marvellous of course. Tories and Labour were childish luddites in that case. Or perhaps they've looked in their pockets and seen their mobiles, felt a pang and realised that masts are needed and that they're being hypocrites? Or they've actually read some proper science and realised that more masts make our 'phones even safer?

Having a mobile and opposing every mast application seems pathetic. It's like having a car and being against road improvements. Flying on holidays and being against airports. Enjoying a flutter and being against gambling. Going to brothels and slamming the sex industry. Being a human being and hoaxing cancer patients.

But oh dear. What's this? Between them the Lib Dem crew in this ward enjoy at least some of these contrary positions. Which ones? That's for you to find out. Guessing in comments is allowed.

Far more interesting than this is the question: Who will be the Lib Dem candidate next time? Cllr John Leech MP is up for re-election. He has been taking two salaries for two and a half years so far. He would be a shoo in. But he is supposed to be going next time. Will he though?

If we have a General Election in October he'll probably want to stay on after being beaten. But if it is next May he'll have a problem.

Or perhaps the Lib Dems announced a new candidate? If so who on earth can it be to replace the irreplaceable John Leech? The other two are unlikely to cope without a real A-lister.

FOCUS SCAN: from Stephen Newton who may blog about this as well. Ah yes ... very interesting.

Doctor Blue: High Friction High Fiction Dr Rant



Speaking of our glorious Health Service and our ignoble opposition party's pathetic attempts to fisk it to within an inch of their life Dr Blue has sadness from wall to wall. Or actually, sorry, but it reads like glee.

All very well but let's please have straight answers to this baker's dozen:

Compared with 1997:

1. Waiting lists are much shorter YES/NO
2. Hospitals and equipment are newer YES/NO
3. There are more doctors YES/NO
4. There are more nurses YES/NO
5. There are more clinicians YES/NO
6. Doctors pay is much better YES/NO
7. Nurses pay is better YES/NO
8. Clinicians pay is better YES/NO
9. Cancer survival rates are much better YES/NO
10. Heart attack survival is much better YES/NO
11. Live births/1000 are better YES/NO
12. There are modern walk in centres YES/NO
13. Real expenditure is much much higher YES/NO

Of course there are challenges. We're living longer and (not) dying of more expensive things. That brings pressure even on extended resources.

But while Blue's post is supposed to be a rant, by definition, it is surely too high on assertions and comment and low on facts to be any use? So how about a baker's dozen of factual hospital admissions to be going on with?

TOP PICTURE: Les Fabluss Flamingoes with Dr Rant and Dr Rave. SIDE BAR: Mr Blue's more mannered than Eugenides' explosive plans for Patsy.

Hospital News: Tory Coma Worsens


But Fair Deal Phil is still kicking the crap out of the twitching corpse.

Libdemologists: A Hotch-Potch of Potty Hoaxes


You couldn't make it up! But as it goes Camden Lib Dems could, with a Recipe for Success. Latest sequel in their Cooking the Books franchise:

Main courses:

- Hubble Bubble
and Squeak
- Focus on Fishy
Finanglings
- Egg on my Face,
Once More
- Chips-on-your-
shoulders with that?
- Yet More Egg on
my Face
- More Egg on my Face
- Two Eggs on my Face
- Egg on my Face
- Another Fine Mess
- Two Race Horses
on my Plate

For Afters:

- Trifling with Truths - Pulling their Puddings - Unjust Desserts -

Hat Tip: Fanny Watson What would your Lib Dem cookbook be called?

Jailhouse: On Jailhouse Liarco, McTucky and Mrs L


John Hirst is among those who has published the full Liarco Chindamo vs Regina Caelorum ruling. Well worth a read - lots of interesting points - others will I hope blog these as there is a busy afternoon on the cards here.

JailHouse also questions Tony McTucky's fitness for purpose though I must say he seems to be doing the job he is being paid for (Bumbling Reactionary Idiocy) rather well really.

Then there is Mrs Lawrence offering to add another pointless death to the tally and a link to John's Telegraph Column (anything Dale can do etc) where liberals could go and vote for Hirst's point of view! Currently running 79:21 against which is not bad in the Telegraph.

Ministry of Truth: Ripping Into Mail with Times


Unity demonstrates clearly the Mail's deep and wide disingenuity, based on the full exposure in Murdoch's major organ of the full ruling in the Liarco Chindamo case.

This ruling is not dependent in any significant way on the HRA or even the ECHR. And it throws out the desperate attempt by the Home Office to spin and pin the dog whistle idea of clear and present danger to society on a remorseful and anger managed Mr Chindamo.

It turns out the Home Office represent that this would only be due to mass media overreaction stirring up the retributional forces of unreason. What a paradox! Chindarmo has in fact been good as gold and out on three unaccompanied visits!

Even if it were true - and this clear and present danger would be the test on which he might be deported under EU Treaties of Edward Heath vintage - it would never happen.

Because the same test would keep Learco Chindamo behind bars!

Meanwhile one Tory comment here is berating LOL for making this party politica. That's by simply pointing out in passing that Thatcher and Major were running the country when Learco was getting charming in the first place whereas the party politics free Cameron is trying to nail completely the wrong piece of legislation - not one Edward Heath signed us up to then - as a Labour law, a bad law, and a law to be repealled by your dog whistling horrid nasty Tories.

Meanwhile I’ve hit the spot with one of those, name of Newmania, and got an extraordinary comment in return, accusing me of trying to destroy Iain Dale’s blog … er. by fairly civilly disagreeing with him.

I am reporting this troll to CCHQ, CP Chair and his Constituency Association.

Still no apology for an extraordinary rant, though not so extraordinary by Newmania's standards perhaps.

If you have any Newmania blog crimes to be taken into account please do let me know today. Bloggerheads provides some pointers and background.

Tory Boy Blogger: Same Old Nasty Nasty


Having just received one of the most vile and out of order comments ever from a Tory blogger LOL have decided to officially ask their party - nationally and in their constituency - to ensure that they cease and desist. More anon. If the comment is removed by the morning and/or an apology received this will no doubt be taken into account by all concerned. But I have the screen grabs.

Hospital News: Tory Party Threatened With Closure



Fair Deal Phil has a handy list of today's dirty dozen of acute medical emergencies and tragic examples of clinical negligence. This culminated in nervous breakdown and physical collapse following a 24 hour period of great excitability.

A hospital spokesperson said: "The official diagnosis was "gross functional overlay" or GFO for short. But I'll be honest this is doctor spin for 'thou makest it all up'. The Tory party is now "poorly but stable". This is doctor spin for 'comatose'. The chaplain is on hand."

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Lib Dem Voice Private Forums: XXXX Rated


Interesting that there is a higher qualification required to read the LDV members forums than to serve as a Lib Dem councillor. To do the former - and it does sound almost too good to miss - you must join up. For the latter membership is not required. But a good 'phone manner is a must.

Norman Lamb: Smear 2.0 Reaching End Game


Iain Dale and Mark Pack at LDV feel that Norman Lamb's barmy impersonator will soon be properly rumbled.

Looking like a very Tory kind of creature to me. Apart from the general dissembling, and the coincidental sources with pro-Tory material, there have been attempts to lay off the blame on UKIP and even on Labour. Though where the gain was for either in North Norfolk I'm not very sure.

If anyone knows of the whereabouts of Grant 1234 Schweppes and his sock muppets for the duration of this scam please dial 999.

Quaequamblog: More Sense on Learco Chindamo


Quaequamblog is not sitting up to the reactionary dog whistles anymore than LOL. Comments there and at Iain Dale's Diary too have shown beyond any reasonable doubt what a bunch of hot-headed nasties the opposition Tories and fellow travellers can be.

Blogging: Just 84%? Feeling Under the Weather?


84%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Mingle2 - Dating Site Never forget to tip your hat. Mine doffed to Normblog

The Other Mrs Lawrence: Outrage Into Outcomes?


Iain Dale is off on one. Shaking his fist again at the world. Not only does he have a mole at The Mail, he also seems to share their sophisticated analysis of, you know, stuff:

IDD: The case of Philip Lawrence's murderer being allowed to stay in this country upon his release, because to deport him back to his native Italy would breach his human rights, surely has to call into question the future of this fault-ridden piece of legislation.


LOL: Absolute tosh Iain. In every progressive sense of the word "native" Mr Chindamo is a native Brit. He came here as a small child, he does not speak Italian, and Thatcher and Major's Britain made him what he was 12 years ago. Which was a 15-year-old monster, albeit one with connections and influence on another dozen young outsiders. Graphic above from the Telegraph 1997. Click to enlarge.

IDD: Listening to Philip Lawrence's widow this morning, there can surely be few people who would argue that this Act has failed her and her two children.

LOL: They may feel that to be the case but as intelligent human beings they do not really believe it. Quite a difference.

IDD: What about THEIR human rights?

LOL: Indeed. Should any of the Lawrence family move abroad within the EU with a small child, should that child go astray in a context of that countries governance and culture, should the child commit a serious crime, and should the grown up child be rehabilitated, a model prisoner, released with huge potential to make a contribution to the life of the only country they know, they too would and should get that chance.

IDD: The right to live in peace and security and free from the fear that one day they might run into their beloved husband's and father's murderer.

LOL: This is an unfounded fear in various ways. This man - now 27 years of age and we're told showing great emotional intelligence and positive leadership AWAY FROM VIOLENCE - is not a threat to them. This man is not sworn to hound them, live in their street, rub their nose in anything.

In fact he is we're told completely rehabilitated and potentially someone who can make a contribution to reducing mayhem and murder in our streets. His charisma and power over others, apparently a huge problem in his former life, is now a potential boon to British Society.

He could very likely save other families from the pain and suffering he knows he has caused to the Lawrence family. By all accounts he has already been doing that by demonstrable mentoring of fellow prisoners.

Finally on this one ... There are say Fifty Four (count 'em) Fundamental Rights we all hope to enjoy. Clearly these have to be balanced one with another. They cannot all be upheld for everyone all of the time. Free speech is an area full of examples of the need to balance liberties and responsibilities. There is NO RIGHT in there to having someone that has wronged you moved to a different country. Suggesting there is is lazy commentary. It is poppycock.

IDD: I hope the Home Office will use their right to appeal this case, because the precedent it sets will be of huge importance.

LOL: They will do. But sadly Tony McNulty doesn't seem to understand this situation any better than the Tory commentati. Except perhaps that he must appeal to dog whistle enthusiasts rather than try to explain law and moral philosophy he does not understand himself.

IDD: PS Mr Chindamo was sentenced to life for Philip Lawrence's murder. He will be released after twelve years.

LOL: That does not actually seem absurd to me. Rich men are getting away with murder every day on building sites, railway sidings and in factories. They don't even go to prison for one day most times over heinous industrial accidents. Premeditated profit over care for fellow human beings. Not to mention murder with cars and 2-year-bans from driving. Arguably far more culpable than the rage and foolishness of youths excluded from society.

IDD: So a headmaster's life is only worth twelve years.

LOL: All equal under the law. With the possible exception of certain emergency services, and I'm not sold on that, this is as it should be. What are you implying Iain? That a headmaster's death is somehow worth a substantially longer sentence than any other category?

IDD: That is perhaps just as big a scandal as the abuse of the Human Rights Act.

LOL: Please explain. What abuse of the Human Rights Act?


There is an opportunity here Iain. Last week (13 August edition) The New Nation covered the huge potential benefit to British Society from turning round the "problem" of black boys and youth in general. (Also of course Bo-Jo's appalling profile when it comes to London's real issues.)

You may have seen Jesse Jackson on C4 News; and related coverage of a rather bizarre, yet beautiful all the same, attempt to turn youth onto US Treasury Bonds and the markets as a better place to take their risks than in drug gangs.

Prison is supposed to rehabilitate as well as punish. If rehabilitation has been achieved in this case and adverse experience can be turned to good use I'm all for it. That's life.

It would be fantastic to see Mrs Lawrence 1 and Mrs Lawrence 2 uniting in their grief and helping our society to get over these huge problems. If deporting Learco Chindamo is the answer you're asking completely the wrong question.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Luke Akehurst: Boris vs Boff - a quid a call


Luke has a scoop only three or four weeks after LOL broke the story and got it in the Guardian Diary to boot.

Lib Dems: Baddest Council in Britain, Ever?


The Mirror runs a wary eye over the Southwark Lib Dems dubbing them superbad without referring to the new mayor who jests about schools failing black kids. Hat tip: Luke.

Test

There was a 40 minute period when posts were showing as published but not going live. Now over.

Of Mice and Men: Vive La Difference!



ICM has delivered a strange poll to the very fair and balanced Euro enthusiasts at the Daily Mail. This poll says that 24% of Labour supporters would be less likely to vote for Labour if they haven't had the chance of a referendum vote on an "EU constitution".

The time for that has surely long gone? The thing was knocked back by other countries. Auf wiedersehn, au revoir, arrividecci. There is no constitution to vote on. Full stop.

Besides which this is NOT an issue volunteered as a priority on any doorsteps I've encountered. Which is much more relevant to a voting choice I'd have thought than an isolated question.

Giving away no great secret: lots of Labour's natural supporters in lots of constituencies simply don't vote most of the time, whatever they may say to ICM or indeed in voter iD exercises.

If 24% of our supporters move from 10% likely to bother voting (so 2.4%) to 5% likely to bother (meaning 1.2% and a 1.2% downturn overall) over this then this will have little effect in a weigh in situation. Journalists don't do stats and polls very well to be honest.

Of course there is no new EU Constitution just an EU Treaty. Europhobes insist this has just 10 out of 250 proposals that are different. So, if we believe that all these 250 proposals are equal, which I don't for one moment, that would be a 4% variation.

But in real terms the difference of these key proposals and also changes in the other 240 proposals is much greater. It might well amount to a 20% change overall. As alike as a man and a mouse. In terms of our two species' protein coding genes.

CAPTIONS: (Top) Background "a constitution"; Foreground "a treaty". (Right) Polls can be confusing.

Wilson: Today's Hottest Ticket in Town, Scorchio!


Wilson. Tony Wilson. Anthony H Wilson. Anthony Howard Wilson. Arrogant Twat. Whatever we, his loves and lovers one and all, call him, today is the man's first funeral. Another Wilson first!

Brilliant. On the piss poor piss up in a brewery but absolutely brilliant principle that Wilson and Factory made famous. The funeral service of the man with the most close friends in the world is in the smallest fucking church in Manchester. [Bless me father for I have sinned. 30 years since etc] 2pm Today. The Hidden Gem. Family and close friends only. By invitation only. 100% guestlist. How I hate fucking guestlists.

LOL will deliver soon on the promise for more reflection on Wilson's ongoing life and times. Meanwhilst for the impatient among you dear readers I did manage a rant over on facebook's most populous of three dozen and counting love ins for the late, nearly always late, great, nearly always great, Wilson:


A response to the well meaning but inappropriate idea of a bog standard big fuck off brass statue to commemorate the man.

Like a Wellington, a Victoria, a Cromwell, a Peterloo or a Pankhurst (these last two being, alas, imaginery, though Wellington was probably in the government when the rich men's cavalry charged the disenfranchised and oppressed people; and Old Vic surely was not the slightest bit amused by the crinolene terrorist Christabel and her like).

Lib-Cons: Racially Challenged Foot in Mouth Mayor


With all the fuss about Boris Johnson's plethora of Colemanballs it would be too easy to overlook those pernicious Lib Dems.

But they're not just putting up a (recanted?) racially incorrect idiot as candidate for Mayor in Southwark. They have just made him - that's Bob "eternal regret" Skelly - Mayor. Labour councillors apparently walked out. Shades of Settle where black trade unionists were greeted by a Lib Dem mayor with a "coon" joke.

Back to Southwark. "They" being Tories and Lib Dems in a Lib-Con Alliance. Example of Bob Skelly's wit and wisdom when the Borough's lead member for Education (2004) :

"Every evening I go out in a big van and kidnap some Caribbean boys. I berate them about their lack of commitment to education and give them a booster lesson in English."

Picture and more from the London SE1 community website.

From which on the plus (?) side ... Cllr Skelly has named the Damilola Taylor Trust as his mayoral charity for the coming year and aims to raise £50,000 to support their work. And another Lib Dem Mackie Sheik who clearly learned his lessons well, in the back of Bob Skelly's van no doubt, was voted in as deputy.

All seems a rather cynical and convoluted piece of race card playing really.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Redwood Deadwood: BBC Wrong to Apologise



It is quite right and proper that the BBC should put almost forgotten political personalities in context when they crawl back out of the deadwood. John Redwood IS most famous (as Wiki say) for being a Welsh Secretary whose version of "read my lips" was sadly lacking in any tasty morsels to read.

He IS next most remembered for caring little about the Welsh economy and for sending back £100M of grant in aid - probably Billions at today's prices considering the runaway inflation his party failed to tackle. His party, Cameron's party, Johnson's party had repeatedly hammered Welsh working people. And now they simply skimped.

Just when they needed it most. He left them ... in the lurch.

And of course he IS remembered as a Thatcherite (Head of Her Policy Unit no less), a right winger (ibid), and an idealogue (ibid).

Now Redwood has floated some tax cuts which will benefit just 3% of the richest part of the electorate. When they discover ultimately that they can't take it with them.

Now, Inheritance Tax may or may not be a useful part of the tax mix. It may be after all that there could be better ways to tax the rich 'til the pips squeak. Let's keep our options open!

But the BBC - or any other competent and considerate media outlet - should not be apologising for contextualising Deadwood Redwood as he crawls from under a log blinking, mouthing sweet nothings and shaking his dead head to announce a Bush-like "un-tax the rich" half promise.

Tories like Redwood, Cameron, Osborne and Johnson are out-for-the-rich, incompetent, spoilt, knob heads. That's fair comment. If they want some better press they'll have to do something useful and memorable. Unlikely probably. But so it goes. John Prescott will no doubt generally find a clip of a dab handed if eggy punch rolled out as he re-emerges from time to time. Also fair comment. That's the epitome of JP.

The BBC should apologise for apologizing. Punch their weight like our John. Sing their own praises unlike your John. At the very least these spoilt Tories do need to be singing from the same hymn book otherwise it really will be ten more years.

Conservative Cobblers: But Jailhouse InJustice


Various Tory Boy Bloggers have fraudulently wiretapped, bin-searched and infiltrated the arse end of the Mail's ever reliable and tight sub-editing team to find a shock horror blogsclusive (tm LOL) involving some despicable Mirror journalist going under cover. What an alarming development in the Street of Shame! Going under cover!! Who'd have thought it! With a somethingly misleading cover story!! Cripes!

Here we go: Dog Bites Man! No, sorry: Journalist Goes Undercover! What an absolute barn burner of a story that is!

There is of course a lovely twist with the "victims" of this farrago being ... wait for it ... a political party ...

And there's more ... not just any party ... those lifelong bastions of honour and fidelity ... domain of the half-woman-half-old-school-hang-'em-and-flog-'em-and-then-send-them-back-to-umbongo-monster that is Caroline Spelman's ... Tory party.

Outrageous. Really. How will young Emily-Student-Journalist ever again sleep-at-night? Naturally there are one or two lewd recommendations in comments from various competing-for-outrage Tory Boy Bloggers.

Emily is I suspect doing work experience at the Mirror, down for the hols from Oxford. She's not from the BNP who are of course also sworn to infiltrate the Tories. Where exactly is the harm in it?

They did Buckingham Palace - how we laughed at Brenda's Tuperware box of Cornflakes! They most likely did a few gangs of badger baiters. And a dodgy religious cult or three. And some grimy hospitals, slack airlines, vicious rest homes, countless drugs gangs, any number of rehabs and health farms.

Now, why not, the most two-faced political party in the land? Fair game I say. After the glorious 12th. Definitely in season. Tally ho!

So where does all this angst and bluster come from? In Iain Dale's case from quite near the epicentre of angst in fact. Somewhere in Switzerland where despite having an indiginous clock industry they are not on British Summer Time leading Jailhouse Lawyer to a comradely but sadly rather inaccurate expose (exclusive! and blogsclusive!) that Dale is making a false claim of an exclusive.

MEANWHILE: Andy Coulson, the Tory Spin Supremo, is letting others do the talking for some reason. Possibly still licking his wounds over wire-tap-gate?

And although young Emily was up for a £40,000 a year role she has been delightfully upstaged by a more mature and, dare-I-say?, not remotely convincing, Tory mole who has swung £60,000, 20 weeks annual leave, a humungous pension, various perks and allowances, and a right royal welcome from we Socialists.

I'm told that everything he has so far told to Cameron and Redwood has turned to dust in their mumbling mouths.

UPDATE: Not work experience. 25 years old. School website very out of date. Must try harder.