"Coalition: Vast Majority of Iraqis Still Alive"

Another spoof article from Satirical American website The Onion:

Coalition: Vast Majority of Iraqis Still Alive

White House Had Prior Knowledge of Cheney Threat.

Cheney Threat

2006 Index of Economic Freedom

If this topic is your bag, please check it out. It's fascinating and surprising. (The clue is probably in the question, but who would you expect to rank higher, the UK or the US?) It's well worth reading the analysis - the list just gives you a snap shot of where we are now - the accompanying text gives some indication of where we are headed. Results go back to 1995 so there is a basis for comparison with previous administrations. It also provides raw data if you want to challenge their conclusions.

The index is published by a conservative think tank (the heritage foundation - you can read all about their history on the website) so it is not politically 'neutral'. However, that does not mean that their conclusions are invalid. Broadly they belive in a link between ecomic freedom and prosperity - however, it's not as simple as most free = most prosperous. There are other factors such as natural resources. e.g. Norway's oil reserves. Anyway, it's all there for you, if you want to explore it in more detail.

2006 Index of Economic Freedom

Beyond our ken...

So, the mayor has been suspended. Following the Danish cartoons and the Irving trial, this feels like another complicated free speech issue. Of course the situation is not exactly the same, but in the popular imagination it is very much about the personal consequences of saying something that is deemed unacceptable by a particular section of the community.

Personally, I do not think the mayor should have been suspended. We already have a mechanism for removing elected officials from office - it's called an election! I understand that there should be safeguards against corruption, but I am not convinced that making offensive remarks after (allegedly) a few glasses too many requires this particular measure. (A quick side note though - Ken's has said that his 'nazi' comment was to do with the Associated Press' record of anti-semitism and Moseley supporting in the 30s. He clearly didn't feel quite so strongly when he was the Standard's restaurant critic.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4749688.stm)

Lastly though, a quick question - what limits on speech should there be for people in or seeking public office. I'm wondering what sanctions we would feel would be appropriate if the Mayor (or any other elected official) started making inflammatory / racist remarks about any given group. Do we want a law that would prevent (say) a racist mayor from mobilising (for example) anti-immigrant sentiment? Genuine question. Interested in the answers.

English school plans lessons in English shock!

I think we're in 'you couldn't make it up' territory.

Critics hail English-only lessons

Education campaigners have welcomed a school's decision to scrap a disputed bilingual teaching scheme.

Turkish pupils at the north London secondary school were being taught GCSE science in their native tongue.

But the new head of White Hart Lane school in Tottenham said pupils must focus on learning English.

Nick Seaton, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: "I fully support this move back to all English lessons and would think it is very overdue."

political compass

Ever wondered just how left or right wing you are? Complete this test and find out political compass

My score - economic left/right:4.00 Social libertarian/authoritarian: -3.33

Plagued by teenagers? You'll like the sound of this

Oh joy! Do you think they'll be available for home use?

Plagued by teenagers? You'll like the sound of this
Telegraph
16/02/2006

As a form of revenge against disruptive youth, it is almost too sweet - a device that annoys teenagers so intensely they have to disperse and loiter somewhere else. Police have given their backing to a gadget that sends out an ultra high-pitched noise that can be heard only by those under 20 and is so distressing it forces them to clutch their ears in discomfort. Eventually they can stand it no longer and have to move on.

But because the body's natural ability to detect some frequency wave bands diminishes almost entirely after 20, adults are completely immune to the sounds.

And if a siren doesn't work, try this

Church of England apologises for slavery

Starting this thread:

Church of England votes to apologize for its role in the global slave trade
Canadian Press
February 08, 2006

....only so I can include this interesting thought:

Church of England Synod confused about blame for slavery
Telegraph Letters
10 February 2006

Sir - There is a serious moral and logical problem with the apology the Church of England Synod has offered to those descended from the slaves owned by bishops and the Church in the 18th century. If the religion of Christianity and Anglican institutions owe a moral apology for actions done centuries before by other individuals, then we have a theory of doctrinal and institutional guilt.

But when suicide bombings occur, we are assured by all authorities that these things are done by a "tiny minority" of Muslim extremists and have nothing to do with Islam. If the Synod is right, then all Muslims ought to share the blame for suicide bombings. Conversely, if the Muslim community has nothing to do with suicide bombing (since nearly all of them reject such actions) then the Anglican Church is merely confused in its understanding of moral issues.

Labour's Authoritarianism

In the last election Wembley posted that he felt Labour was most vunerable on their record of social authoritarianism. I read on another website that the Government wants to bring in a Bill to give them the right to enact legislation without the need for parliamentary debate and wondered if Wembley felt this qualified as authoritarianism or that some of the reaction to the bill (see Rozenberg "Henry VIII powers" below) is an over-reaction and that this is something more innocent?


Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill


Here's a report on the bill by the telegraph's legal correspondent Joshua Rozenberg.

Japan likes killing whales but not eating them

Japan likes killing whales but not eating them
Telegraph
10/02/2006

The enthusiasm of Japanese for whaling has surpassed their appetite for actually eating the mammals, leaving retailers with a glut of unsold whale meat.

...

Whale hunting was largely confined to a few coastal areas of Japan for most of its history. Only after the Second World War, when a hungry populace desperately needed protein, did it spread nationwide. Then it was seen as a tough and rather unpleasant source of nutrition, rather than a delicacy.

Japan's Lies to Justify Whaling

Political Nasdaq - Election 2008?

I'm starting a thread that hopefully will run up to the next election. The idea is to track the rise and fall in the fortunes of the three main parties all the way up to election night.

Here's a report on the surprise byelection victory from the LibDems. Perhaps everybody has been a bit rash in writing them off!

LidDem Byelection win stuns Labour

Also, coincidently, here's a link to a news report that Labour is considering scrapping next years local election. Hmmm.

Council polls could be scrapped

'Back-door nationalisation'

Interesting article about how the state pension fund envisaged in the Turner Report could lead to nationalisation through the 'back-door'. Maybe Labour could bring back Clause Four after all!

State pension fund 'could allow back-door nationalisation'

By the way Brown's criticisms and concerns over the workability of the proposals outlined in Turner's Report position him to the 'right' of the Tories (who enthusiastically expressed their support for the report). Personally, I believe
Brown's judgement is as right on this one as it was in refusing to adopt the Euro.

'Cut a deal with the mullahs' - Polly Toynbee

Here's an article from Polly Toynbee on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

No more fantasy diplomacy: Cut a deal with the mullahs

Israel & South Africa

Two countries of interest to a number of impdecers.

I haven't read this whole article yet, so can't vouch for its content, but have put it up for your collective perusal.


Worlds apart

Israelis have always been horrified at the idea of parallels between their country, a democracy risen from the ashes of genocide, and the racist system that ruled the old South Africa. Yet even within Israel itself, accusations persist that the web of controls affecting every aspect of Palestinian life bears a disturbing resemblance to apartheid. After four years reporting from Jerusalem and more than a decade from Johannesburg before that, the Guardian's award-winning Middle East correspondent Chris McGreal is exceptionally well placed to assess this explosive comparison. Here we publish the first part of his two-day special report

Monday February 6, 2006
The Guardian

Danes face fury over cartoons of Prophet

I'm sure you've all been following this story:

Danes face fury over cartoons of Prophet
Telegraph
31/01/2006

I've blogged my opinion of Jack Straw before, it hasn't changed with this:

Straw condemns cartoon row press
BBC News
3 February 2006

For me, I rank this with the Theo van Gogh murder as a key indicator of how (indeed, whether) the West will stand up for its own sacred principles in the face of the Islamist (note: IslamIST) threat. I wanted to post a lot more links, but work has intervened, so I thought it better just to get a thread going with a short posting.

Here are the cartoons themselves (thanks Dan):

Danish Imams Propose to End Cartoon Dispute

And just some food for thought:

Anti-Semitic Cartoons in the Arab Media

Major Anti-Semitic Motifs in Arab Cartoons