News

It is now the Year of the Dog.....and in Tibet, the Year of the Fire Dog.

Well, an interesting story in yesterdays Gazette....Learndirect is a company that specialises in getting people back into work. However, if you're too intelligent....then you have to pay for it....according to the article, the Learning Skills Council (LSC) provide the funding. Apparently they are looking into it. I'm gobsmacked.

I just got through reading yesterdays Telegraph, and thought I'd bring a couple of items to your attention.

1st - Simon Heffer. Now he has a full page of articles, and quite frankly they are all worth reading...so look here.

Vicki Woods on Sir Ian Blair.

George Galloway...apparently isn't selling too many tickets for his one-man show. Well, would you go to see him?

A good quote that I found on Blues & Twos -

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
George Orwell, (attributed) English essayist, novelist, & satirist (1903 - 1950).

Now, who has been keeping track of the kerfuffle about the cartoons? You haven't? Well look at the Pub Philosophers continuing coverage here. Comments by the Religious Policeman here and here.

Late Update - I just saw that it is 20 years since Challenger exploded. That seems unreal. It can't be that long surely?

News

Well, I think this is an appropriate headline:

Terrorists voted into power.

To show things are no different, there was a gun battle.

Depleted Uranium had an interesting thought....yes you read that right....it would be an act of war. I bet they haven't thought about that one. Some people don't think it was a good result however.

Now as you know, Manchester United managed to technically make a profit....despite being stupidly in the red thanks to Malcolm Glazer. Chelsea however, managed to make a record loss...despite being backed by Roman Abramovich. Scary isn't it?

£100m!

Update: Brian's Brief Encounters appears to be in trouble. Pop on over and leave a comment of support here.

Random

It looks like George Galloway has been booted out of CBB. Booed going in and coming out...that has got to be a record. Talking of which....calls for him to go.

So, Google has got a censored search engine over in China. Apparently in a difference to Yahoo and Microsoft however, it will say that results have been censored. I suppose that's all right then isn't it?

Looks like Hamas are in government for the Palestinians.

Dr Zaki Badawi

Dr. Zaki Badawi has died.

News

Ok, so if you want to watch tv in the UK, you're going to have to pay 4.2% more. That's right, the BBC will now charge you £131.50 for the privilege of getting tv programming off any channel. The thing is, Tessa Jowell, Culture Secretary, says it will enable the BBC to provide a "strong and distinctive schedule". I nearly fell off my chair when I saw that.

Strong and distinctive schedule...where? I see Eastenders is on a lot....with Holby City/Casualty, and that's about it apart from Top Gear on the box, and then of course Radio 2. The BBC News website seems to be getting trimmed down, and does anyone actually check the other ones out?

Apparently parents aren't to be informed if their daughters are getting advice on sexual issues, including abortions.

George Galloway is at it again.

It appears the Northern Bottlenose Whale is going to The Natural History Museum. It's nice to see that Westminster Council will be waiving the £300 worth of parking tickets stuck to the rescuers vehicles.

I wonder what caused the whale to get lost. Sonar? Underwater Explosions? Shipping Noise? Sickness? Perhaps it was delivering a message...


Pensions....specifically public sector pensions....account for 26% of council tax....according to the article that is £5.2b in England alone....and public sector workers get to retire at 60...while everyone else gets to retire at 67 up from 65. Nice to know they are voting on strike action then. Mind you, is it worth it?

Parking tickets....apparently a licence to print money....don't blame Bill Sticker though.

ID Card defeat....again.

So, Tony isn't going to do anything about Iran and Syria. Let's hope they don't try anything stupid then...which is still possible if the Iranians try to wipe Israel off the map. However, Israel will be waiting.

On other news, the Swiss Guards have been protecting the Pope for 500 years.

Update: Forgot to mention this. Rachel from North London got contacted for it.

More Stuff

When I saw this, my first comment was WTF?!?!?!!?? Then again, funding deranged psychopaths is not exactly new is it?

So, the probe into Rafik Hariri's murder is biased? Look at the facts then.

So, no-one is Israel is watching this. What do you expect you moron?!? Israelis have no time for a film about rabid killers of their own people.

So, seeing as Mad Cow Disease is supposed to be the UK's fault, what excuse does the US have for this in Japan? Have they learnt nothing from the near meltdown of the UK meat industry?

So, today the family of Jean Charles de Menezes held a vigil at Stockwell tube station today. One thing though....wasn't he here illegally? Let me know if you have a link, and I'll put it up.

I have this from Wikipedia about him.

Incidentally, Asad Rehman, who represents them, used to be a member of Amnesty International amongst other things, then part of the SWP (Socialist Workers Party) and is now political assistant to George Galloway in the Respect Party. How exactly does he represent the family of Jean Charles de Menezes?

Incidentally, a site of interest here.

Hmm

Wilson Pickett has died.

Other than that, apart from a northern bottlenose whale appearing in the Thames, I haven't really got anything to say at the moment.

Suggestions anyone?
Update: I forgot to mention that greenfairy's blog has gone awol.
Update 2 (21/1) - The whale is being moved.

£100m jackpot in the Euromillions Jackpot.

Update 3 - Sadly the whale has died despite all the efforts to rescue it.

Random Comments

USS Neverdock has an interesting article on Iraq. Why are we not hearing about this in the press? Maybe it is too good?

Interesting video on Sky News about the assassination of Rafik al Hariri. Story here.

Tax in the UK is stupidly high...in fact higher than the German levels. Scary isn't it? Yes, prudence obviously went on a shopping spree...from Depleted Uranium.

Looks like the Lords is not impressed with the ID cards...forcing the government to provide details of costs.

Keeping with politics, it looks like George Galloway could be in trouble....apparently he has been able to sign a number of Early Day Motions....which, considering he is locked up in the Big Brother House, is quite an achievement.

Using MP3s to dj...could be in trouble with licensing.

Keeping in tech mode, a Freeview box sent out an SOS....which is a little odd to say the least. Maybe 'they' are coming....

Raven...

Update : Forgot to mention this. Also here......is Tone getting paranoid or something?
Update#2 : You can't annoy on the internet anonymously. Nosemonkey saw it.
Update#3 : I really need to get a new brain. What I should have said earlier is that Argos Employee appears to be in a bit of trouble with the company. Hope it isn't a permanent thing.

End of an Era

Well, those of you that have been to Blackpool might have noticed an impressive entrance at Blackpool Airport...a Vulcan B Mk. 2 bomber tail no. XL391. However after having been left to rot for 21 years, the Vulcan is being broken up.

The Avro Vulcan was one of the mainstays of the British nuclear deterrent. See here for more information.

What a waste of a legendary aircraft.


XL 391 arriving at Blackpool Airport in February 1983.
Image from Vulcans In Camera in here



XL 391 at RAF Waddington circa 1976. Photo by Don Gilham.
Image taken from Vulcans In Camera in here.

Today is the funeral of PC Sharon Beshenivsky.

Hmm

Well you have to give it to the Lib Dems....they managed to make the deposal of Margaret Thatcher look like a polite request to leave. Nice way to drive off voters.

Leave something behind at a hotel?

So, going on CBB is good for politics....really? I thought an MP is supposed to represent the constituents that voted him into Parliament. Hmm....

Well...it looks like the tv screens are getting a little bit worse.

Comments on News....and an Idea....

Well....I am confused about the whole Charles Kennedy thing. It appears the party don't like him, yet won't come out properly and deal with it. I think he's done the right thing by calling a leadership contest. If no-one stands, then they haven't got a leg to stand on. I wonder which other Lib Dem MP's want to have a go on the front bench of the party?

As regards his drinking...who cares? Winston Churchill was known to have a drink or five. Did it affect his job? I don't think so. Anyone notice Charles Kennedy doing a worse job? Well??

Blair is backing Brown.......why?!?!?? We are all doomed!! Prudence went out the window, so why is he likely to do a better job as PM?

While we're on politics...barely......what on earth is George Galloway doing in the Celeb BB House? Doesn't he have a job to do? Oh well....it appears his constituents will have to do without him for at least a few days.....oh, they know. See also this. Thanks to A Tangled Web for noticing the last 2 links.

Palestinians.....surprisingly condemning some things. So, this isn't worth condemning? These people are insane. Ariel Sharon is important. Here is why.

Hmm....revolt in Syria? He's being a little extravagant. What are the chances it would work? What would happen with regard to Lebanon....and Hamas specifically?

Random thought.....blog, blogosphere....poxy names.

I was reading Nosemonkey this morning, and it was mentioned about what pathetic names there are for this type of thing. In fact someone else, I forget who, mentioned it on their blog quite a long time ago. So....what do we go for? Something with a little gravitas perhaps?

Blog.....sounds like some kind of condition....,"Sir, you have a severe case of blog. It may be fatal." Journal has been taken...perhaps this is a memoir of sorts....memoijour? jourmem? mejour? journoir? Neorant? Joir? Jora? Rajour? Logar? When I figure it out I'll let you know.

I know what the blogosphere should be renamed as...The Nexus..perhaps Neoverse....only because Metaverse has been taken. Metaverse is mentioned in Snowcrash by Neal Stephenson.

Jedi Squirrels! as Steve notes.

Hmmm

Muppetlord hates job hunting.....

Update: What are your favourite (not) questions when in a job interview?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
- If you could have any job in any country, what would it be and where?

Any more?