Saturday, November 30, 2002
Wow. A clear, unequivocal condemnation of terrorism, by a prominent(ish) Arab writer, in the Guardian
" came from an Arabic country and, as we wake up every day to hear about new bloodshed, I really feel shame at what is going on. What is happenning is affecting and putting pressure on us. I have spoken to a lot of Arabs recently, in the UK and in the Arab world. There is a big resentment and disgust at this Bin Laden madness (Kenya terror attacks, November 29). We consider him a maniac, using our problems, especially the Palestinian dilemma.
What the west has to do to solve the problem is to look at the roots and try to act in a proper way, different to Bush's, which only brings fanaticism on both sides. We in the Middle East are tired of wars more than anybody, and we are not all guided by Islam, as there are many, many people who are not Islamic or are non-believers.
We need a normal life; we want to see Israel abiding by international law and giving Palestinians their rights. But it is not up to Bin Laden or Bush to decide how we live.
Ghias Aljundi
Writer in residence, Hammersmith council
Ghias.Aljundi@hafed.org.uk "
Sure, it blames Bush a little, but it's pretty good...
" came from an Arabic country and, as we wake up every day to hear about new bloodshed, I really feel shame at what is going on. What is happenning is affecting and putting pressure on us. I have spoken to a lot of Arabs recently, in the UK and in the Arab world. There is a big resentment and disgust at this Bin Laden madness (Kenya terror attacks, November 29). We consider him a maniac, using our problems, especially the Palestinian dilemma.
What the west has to do to solve the problem is to look at the roots and try to act in a proper way, different to Bush's, which only brings fanaticism on both sides. We in the Middle East are tired of wars more than anybody, and we are not all guided by Islam, as there are many, many people who are not Islamic or are non-believers.
We need a normal life; we want to see Israel abiding by international law and giving Palestinians their rights. But it is not up to Bin Laden or Bush to decide how we live.
Ghias Aljundi
Writer in residence, Hammersmith council
Ghias.Aljundi@hafed.org.uk "
Sure, it blames Bush a little, but it's pretty good...
Not on-line, but a nice snippet: Anguilla, the tiny Carribean island, had two fire engines. One was for the airport, one for general use. The main one caught fire when the wind changed direction on a call-out. They've asked Britain to supply a new one, even a Green Goddess. They've also had a calypso hit with "Fire burn down de fire truck"...
The EU is demanding that Gibraltar stops acting as a tax haven. Currently, companies without direct connection to Gibraltar can incorporate there for £300 a year. The EU thinks this leads to tax avoidance, etc.
I say: no tax regulation without representation.
Make Spain live up to its EU treaty commitments, give residents of Gibraltar votes for the EU Parliament, then you ask for anything. Til then....
I say: no tax regulation without representation.
Make Spain live up to its EU treaty commitments, give residents of Gibraltar votes for the EU Parliament, then you ask for anything. Til then....
A female deer...
"Do - is what i spend on beer
Re - 's the man behind the bar
Me - myself, I drink his beer
Fah - how far to the pub?
So - I'll think i'll have a beer
La - ger, guiness or bitter?
Te - I'd rather have a beer
which brings me back to do...."
"Do - is what i spend on beer
Re - 's the man behind the bar
Me - myself, I drink his beer
Fah - how far to the pub?
So - I'll think i'll have a beer
La - ger, guiness or bitter?
Te - I'd rather have a beer
which brings me back to do...."
Mark Steyn envisions a slightly different Miss World contest. Here's his musical intro to the show:
"My Sharia Amour, good enough for some emir
My Sharia Amour, I'm the guy you like to fear"
My Sharia Amour, pretty little girl in your chador
One of only four that I beat sore
How I wish that I had five."
Via Instantman
"My Sharia Amour, good enough for some emir
My Sharia Amour, I'm the guy you like to fear"
My Sharia Amour, pretty little girl in your chador
One of only four that I beat sore
How I wish that I had five."
Via Instantman
In the Second Amendment debates, why are the National Machete Association always forgotten?
""The U.S. Constitution gives Americans the right to bear machetes, be it for recreational or self-defense purposes," said NMA executive director Wayne Manning, speaking at the organization's annual national convention. "For Big Brother in Washington to deny Americans this right is a rejection of the very principles upon which this great nation was founded."
Manning then hoisted a 22-inch machete over his head and exclaimed, "Out of my cold, dead hands.""
""The U.S. Constitution gives Americans the right to bear machetes, be it for recreational or self-defense purposes," said NMA executive director Wayne Manning, speaking at the organization's annual national convention. "For Big Brother in Washington to deny Americans this right is a rejection of the very principles upon which this great nation was founded."
Manning then hoisted a 22-inch machete over his head and exclaimed, "Out of my cold, dead hands.""
The Onion have a great take on a New York bid for the Olympics. My favourite suggestion? "Toughest anthropomorphic spokesanimal in Olympic history"...
Friday, November 29, 2002
Dr Frank quotes a Spectator article:
"For those of us opposed to Bush’s war plans on anti-interventionist grounds there is no comfort in today’s peculiar anti-war mood. Its rather loathsome character was summed up for me by a letter we received at spiked-online.com, arguing that those killed in the Bali nightclub could not really be considered innocent victims, since they were rich Western tourists who had ‘decided to enjoy themselves at the expense of folks in a Third World country’. Those killed in New York on 11 September were, it added, even less innocent, since they had chosen to ‘work in the generic cause of global imperialism’ on Wall Street. Our sympathetic correspondent concluded, ‘The only truly innocent are babies and the mentally challenged — the rest of us share all kinds of guilt.’"
My thought - at least they recognise that suicide bombings in Israel (and also many attacks on settlements) are grotesque attacks on the truly innocent. (as if...)
"For those of us opposed to Bush’s war plans on anti-interventionist grounds there is no comfort in today’s peculiar anti-war mood. Its rather loathsome character was summed up for me by a letter we received at spiked-online.com, arguing that those killed in the Bali nightclub could not really be considered innocent victims, since they were rich Western tourists who had ‘decided to enjoy themselves at the expense of folks in a Third World country’. Those killed in New York on 11 September were, it added, even less innocent, since they had chosen to ‘work in the generic cause of global imperialism’ on Wall Street. Our sympathetic correspondent concluded, ‘The only truly innocent are babies and the mentally challenged — the rest of us share all kinds of guilt.’"
My thought - at least they recognise that suicide bombings in Israel (and also many attacks on settlements) are grotesque attacks on the truly innocent. (as if...)
Thursday, November 28, 2002
Ain't It Cool News has a review of the Two Towers. Sounds good (they would say that, wouldn't they...) - the battle of Helm's Deep will apparently be 45 minutes long. A marathon Lord of the Rings session in a year and a bit's time will be painful...
Monday, November 25, 2002
Back soon - been having fun all weekend, and plan to fit more in this week. Coming soon - the ethics of war against democracies and dictatorships, and a vague stab at this "Anglosphere Top 10" voting malarky. Fortunately, Churchill won the overall contest, so that was OK...
