Now that Der Gropenfuhrer, has taken over in California, people in Floriduh are feeling pretty smug. They shouldn't be. Floriduh, where the Bushling is governor, is the official stupid voter state, the place that gave birth to expressions like "hanging chads" and "dimpled chads" , and was responsible for the dodgy election of our current Commander-in- Chimp, and no, I won't get over it! I see, personal freedoms eroded daily under this administration and here in the Kingdom of Jeb, things are not alright.
A local journalist and parent Dan DeWitt, recently dropped off some innocent film to be developed local drug store chain, what follows is an amazing tale stupidity and loss of civil rights. From the St. Pete Times 11/30
"I walked into the Brooksville Eckerd one day in August prepared for mild disappointment.
Most of the pictures I was there to pick up had been taken by our young sons and were likely to be a mess.
After quickly returning two sets of prints, the clerk spent several minutes looking for the third. She talked to her manager, who asked me my name, had a look for herself and disappeared into her office.
She seemed surprisingly grave when she emerged, but I still thought she would tell me what I already suspected, that none of the pictures on the last roll could be salvaged.
No, the news was quite a bit worse.
The photographs, she said, had been turned over to the Brooksville Police Department.
I asked her why. She wouldn't say. I asked her what right Eckerd had to seize innocent pictures of my family. She arched her eyebrows to suggest they weren't so innocent.
I asked more questions, most of which she answered the same way: "By law, we have to call the police whenever we come across suspicious material."
I drove away angry but also disoriented - a feeling of beginning to fall without knowing how soon I would land.
One part of me was ready to thunder about my civil rights. Another, quieter voice, wondered what those rights were and whether, maybe, something on that roll of film was truly shocking.
Absolutely not, my wife, Laura, said when I called her.
She had given our sons, then 5 and 7, disposable cameras to record their last day at a county-sponsored bike camp. When they returned, she had used one of the cameras to take a picture of them covered with sweat and grime.
A few minutes later she took another - of freshly washed boys and the filthy bathwater they were lying in.
"Do they know I took those pictures? Their mother?" she asked. If I was stunned, she was unhinged.
I tried to reassure her with what I thought was the truth, that the police would quickly return our photographs."
Another from the St Pete Times' Robyn Blummer:
Miami crowd control would do tyrant proud, During the FTAA meeting on Nov. 20, Timoney dispatched 2,500 police officers in full riot gear against a crowd estimated at 8,000 people, mostly union members and retirees.
'Ever since the melee at the 1999 World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle, where demonstrators blocked streets and vandalized stores, conference planners and public officials have adopted a no- holds-barred approach to potential large-scale protests. And Timoney is their man. Militant protesters, "punks" as he calls them, are anathema to Timoney. Shutting them down with Pinkerton prowess is his specialty. Rights, schmights.
When men like Timoney and [John Ashcroft] are on the A-list of the nation's law enforcers, free speech doesn't stand a chance. It is open season on dissent. A vignette reported by the Miami Herald says it all: During the FTAA action, Timoney came upon a protester who was pinned against a car being arrested; without knowing anything about the circumstances, he pointed a finger at the demonstrator's face and said, "You're bad. F-- you!" People exercising their First Amendment rights are now considered the enemy.
The scene was a "massive police state," according to the president of the United Steelworkers of America, who has demanded a congressional investigation. Congress gave Miami $8.5-million for security during the FTAA meetings - funds slipped inside the $87-billion measure for Iraq. The steelworkers called it money for "homeland repression."
The National Lawyers Guild, a liberal legal organization, said the day was punctuated by "indiscriminate, excessive force against hundreds of nonviolent protesters with weapons including pepper spray, tear gas, and concussion grenades and rubber bullets."
Observers said the provocation for officers to shoot rubber bullets and paint balls filled with pepper spray at the predominantly peaceable crowd was often one person lobbing an orange in the direction of police or lighting a trash can on fire.
Nikki Hartman, a 28-year-old Pinellas County resident, was shot three times with rubber bullets - once, she said, when a police officer fired point-blank at her behind after she stooped to pick up a bandanna she'd dropped. The officer had kicked it her way before shooting her. She was later shot in the back while retreating from police lines. Her friend Robert Davis was shot seven times while trying to help Hartman to her feet.
In addition to such shootings, police abandoned any legitimate basis for searching and arresting people. Miles Swanson, 25, a legal observer for the lawyers guild, was punched numerous times while being taken in by officers for pointing out undercover police dressed up as protesters. Eight of 60 guild observers were arrested that day; they wore distinctive green hats and were apparently targeted. When Swanson was grabbed off the street by three Broward County sheriff's deputies - two of whom were in ski masks - he said they told him "this is what you get when you f-- with us." Then, Swanson said, the deputies drove him around while looking for another legal observer to arrest. He ultimately pleaded no contest to one charge of obstructing justice so he could return to law school in Washington, D.C."
more
and finally some good news
The Department of Homeland Security has decided to discontinue a controversial program that required thousands of Arab and Muslim men to register with immigration authorities in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, officials said on Friday.
Hoping to hunt down terrorists, immigration officials fingerprinted, photographed and interviewed about 85,000 Muslim and Arab noncitizens between November 2002 and May 2003 under the program. The effort - the largest to register immigrants in decades - required annual registration. Men from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya and Sudan have already begun reporting to immigration offices for a second round of registrations this month.
Officials have acknowledged that most of the Arab and Muslim immigrants who have complied with the registration requirements had no ties to terrorist groups. Of the 85,000 men who showed up at immigration offices earlier this year, and the tens of thousands more screened at airports and border crossings during that time period, 11 had links to terrorism, officials said.
The program was sharply criticized by civil liberties groups and advocates for immigrants who said it did little to uncover terrorists and alienated the very communities that could help uncover terrorists. Advocates for immigrants have also complained that officials have done little to publicize the second round of registrations, touching off waves of confusion and anxiety.
Cherokee: "Aniyosgi Dotsigusdaa. ~ Unelanvhi Wigadoligi Ama Ayetli"
Lakota: "Nahan Akicita unkitawapi ki Owicikiunyapi kte. ~ Wakan Tanka makoce ki la waste kte"
English: We support our warriors. ~ God Bless Our Country!
In spite of my vociferous dislike of Dubya, Commander in Chimp, and because it is Thanksgiving in America, I think we should have a look at the contributions of Native Americans, after all they were invaded and occupied too. That first American Thanksgiving this is Edward Winslow's account,
"Our corn [i.e. wheat] did prove well, and God be praised, we had a good increase of Indian corn, and our barley indifferent good, but our peas not worth the gathering, for we feared they were too late sown. They came up very well, and blossomed, but the sun parched them in the blossom. Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."
America's treatment of it's native peoples wasn't always so benevolent, and in time broken treaties, atrocities, and eventual disenfranchisement, and the reservation sytem was implemented. Their lands appropriated, relegated to isolated reservation, alcohol, depression, poverty and suicide. This became part of the legacy the government has handed on to America's native people.
There was one legacy the government could not take away, and that is the legacy of service to the greater community,it is called, "the Warrior's Way." 17,000 Native Americans served in WW1, for a country that refused to offer them citizenship (Native Americans had not been American citizens before the American Indian Citizenship Act of 1924).
In 1917, at his own accord, Chief Red Fox went to Washington to see Secretary of War Newton D. Baker. He wanted to offer the services of the Indians in the Great War:
"From all over the West we now stand ready 50,000 Indians between the ages of seventeen and fifty-five. We beg of you, to give us the right to fight. We guarantee to you, sir, our hearts could be for no better cause than to fight for the land we love, and for the freedom we share."
WW2 saw the Native American, involved once again, read here about the true story of the Navajo peoples and the development of the Code Talkers. It should be mentioned that other American Indians, the Sioux, Choctaw, and Commanche, also used their native languages as a code during World War 2, for the U.S. Army, and yet have not so far been honored with any type of medal recognition. More than 44,000 American Indians out of a population numbering less than 350,000 at the time, served during World War II. The same Department of Defense sponsored study counts more than 42,000 American Indians involved in the Vietnam War. In all, more than 200,000 American Indians are veterans of military service. On a per capita basis, American Indians have been among the most active of all peoples within in the U.S. military.
American & Canadian Indians
In The Military
US/Canadian Indian Tribes
Serving as of April 1, 2003
Source: Immigration Policy Center
and U.S. Defense Department
Army - 2,985 Eskimo - 98 Aleut - 79 = 3,162
Navy - 7,068 Eskimo - 116 Aleut - 199 = 7,383
USMC - 1,111 Eskimo - 30 Aleut - 31 = 1,172
USAF - 1,696 Eskimo - 30 Aleut - 22 = 1,748
US/Canadian Indians total = 12,860, plus
Eskimo - 274 & Aleut - 291 Total = 13, 425
Grand Total All Serving = 1,401,128
You may very well ask yourself why, after all that has happened to the Native American why they are still so keen to fight.
From the Chicago Tribune, William Hageman, Dec. 13, 2002
"How in the world can you defend a country after what has been done to you?
Ron Jordan, a Korean War veteran who says supporting America - even with its less than shining record when it comes to American Indians - is a tradition among his people.
"Nobody ever backs down," said Jordan, a retired instrument-controls designer from Chicago, speaking of fellow American Indians. "Because, see, among Native American people, long before the white man came, warriors were revered among the tribe. It was the men who went out to protect … their families. They were the hunters, and they were the providers for the families. So veterans are pretty highly thought of in the Native American community."
"This is what has been shared with me: This is our land. Although it's under others' control - the government or whatever - it's still our land. We were raised on it, and it's important to protect it.
"This is the land our great-grandparents were raised on, land that provided for all of us. So it's not a matter of what has been done to us; we have to protect the land, the country that was once all Indian land."
And as Jordan said, "Even today, I get a lump in my throat when I see the flag. Because I've been to other countries and seen how they live. … There's a lot of inequities around this country, but it's still the best around."
Some British and American Luminaries, an open letter to Mr. Bush, courtesy of Grauniad
From the Blogosphere's own, Salam Pax
Dear George,
I hate to wake you up from that dream you are having, the one in which you are a superhero bringing democracy and freedom to underdeveloped, oppressed countries. But you really need to check things out in one of the countries you have recently bombed to freedom. Georgie, I am kind of worried that things are going a bit bad in Iraq and you don't seem to care that much. You might want it to appear as if things are going well and sign Iraq off as a job well done, but I am afraid this is not the case.
Listen, habibi, it is not over yet. Let me explain this in simple terms. You have spilled a glass full of tomato juice on an already dirty carpet and now you have to clean up the whole room. Not all of the mess is your fault but you volunteered to clean it up. I bet if someone had explained it to you like that you would have been less hasty going on our Rambo-in-Baghdad trip.
To tell you the truth, I am glad that someone is doing the cleaning up, and thank you for getting rid of that scary guy with the hideous moustache that we had for president. But I have to say that the advertisements you were dropping from your B52s before the bombs fell promised a much more efficient and speedy service. We are a bit disappointed. So would you please, pretty please, with sugar on top, get your act together and stop telling people you have Iraq all figured out when you are giving us the trial-and-error approach?
Anyway, I hope this doesn't disturb you too much. Have a nice stay in London, wave hello to the demonstrators, and give my regards to your spin doctors. I bet they are having a hell of a job making you look good.
Regards,
Salam Pax
The Baghdad Blogger
and from the Right:
Dear Mr President,
Today you arrive in my country for the first state visit by an American president for many decades, and I bid you welcome.
You will find yourself assailed on every hand by some pretty pretentious characters collectively known as the British left. They traditionally believe they have a monopoly on morality and that your recent actions preclude you from the club. You opposed and destroyed the world's most blood-encrusted dictator. This is quite unforgivable.
I beg you to take no notice. The British left intermittently erupts like a pustule upon the buttock of a rather good country. Seventy years ago it opposed mobilisation against Adolf Hitler and worshipped the other genocide, Josef Stalin.
It has marched for Mao, Ho Chi Minh, Khrushchev, Brezhnev and Andropov. It has slobbered over Ceausescu and Mugabe. It has demonstrated against everything and everyone American for a century. Broadly speaking, it hates your country first, mine second.
Eleven years ago something dreadful happened. Maggie was ousted, Ronald retired, the Berlin wall fell and Gorby abolished communism. All the left's idols fell and its demons retired. For a decade there was nothing really to hate. But thank the Lord for his limitless mercy. Now they can applaud Saddam, Bin Laden, Kim Jong-Il... and hate a God-fearing Texan. So hallelujah and have a good time.
Frederick Forsyth
Novelist read the rest here,
Courtesy our man in London, Glasgow's own David Walker sends us protest scenes from Trafalgar Square.
David has this to say, "Ahem: click here for more photos Just to drop off a quick url for the Stop The War conference pics of the 18th from London (Tony Benn in particular was magnificent, Harold Pinter a close second), also pics from the Alternative Royal Motorcade Cavalcade Thingy from the 19th (many times expected numbers showed up as per usual.)
Here it be. All I could manage from this webcafe PC is a geocities account, so there's a bit of a bandwidth issue going on... more pics from the HUGE march as soon as can be. Toodles! Love.
Sorry Geocities has blocked hotlinking.... please use above link to see protests from London
The cannon fodder is to be the poor and minorities, if a country is going to send people to war, governing principle must be that of shared sacrifice, with people of all economic backgrounds shouldering burden equally; and that those trumpeting war would be more circumspect if their own children were to be placed in harm's way and might bring about greater willingness to work out situation peacefully. Mind you this is just my personal opinion. There is a funny satire at www.whitehouse.org
Here's a bit of it:
PRESIDENT BUSH OPPOSES REP. CHARLES RANGEL'S PROPOSAL TO WEAKEN THE MILITARY BY REINSTATING THE WHITE IVY LEAGUE DRAFT
Statement by the President
THE PRESIDENT: "Good afternoon. As many of you know, this morning saw the publication of an Op-Ed piece in the New York Times by liberal Congressman Charles Rangel, in which he calls for a reinstatement of a military draft which is blind to both the color and socioeconomic status of potential draftees. Well I speak for all Caucasian millionaire war hawk Republicans with no relatives pathetic enough to be slumming it in the military when I say that I am categorically and inalterably opposed to such a dangerous and repugnantly Populistic move.
Now inasmuch as I strive to create the illusion that I collaborate with my political enemies, I called Congressman Rangel this morning, and I told him outright how I feel. I said, "Now listen Unky Remus (that's my little nickname for him) - I am NOT for this little Reverse Affirmative Action draft of yours. I am for an army of lower-class teens whose dreams of a better life instill in them a compulsion to march into napalm grenades all for the benefit of Ivy League princes such as myself whose lives must be protected if this country is to continue its proud tradition of inbred plutocratic rule." Well, the Congressman disagreed with me, and that's still his pre-war right. But as President, I want to assure all affluent Americans that there's not a chance in hell they're going to see their blue-eyed, blond-haired trust fund babies march off to die in a biochemical war just so some colored Harlem crybaby can work out his racial blood lust in the name of "shared sacrifice" and the "citizen soldier."
But here is what is really going on. Reinstating the Draft.
**
This FY 2004 APP identifies the activities and strategies that will take place during the
fiscal year to achieve Agency goals and objectives. It also identifies relevant performance
measurement target goals to be achieved. The performance goals for FY 2004 are:
1. Develop an Area Office Prototype Exercise that will test the Health
Care Personnel Delivery System (HCPDS) work flows and support
programs.
2. Redefine Agency infrastructure based on a Quinquennial Workload
Study.
3. Prepare and conduct an Area Office Prototype Exercise which tests
the activation process from SSS Lottery input to the issuance of the
first Armed Forces Examination Orders.
4. Ensure 90% of people tested are capable of implementing activation
procedures.
5. Ensure that 95% of the predefined readiness objectives are attained
and validated during an Area Office Prototype Exercise.
6. Train 90% of assigned State Directors (SDs) and Reserve Force
Officers (RFOs) on HCPDS and Timed-Phased Response (TPR)
functions and responsibilities.
7. Attain a 92% or greater compliance rate for men 18 through 25 years
old.
8. Attain and appoint Registrars in 85% of the Nation’s high schools.
9. Obtain 75% of all registrations electronically.
10. Maintain an average systems change request implementation time of
39 days.
11. Maintain a functional proponent and customer satisfaction level of
87%.
12. Have a telephone call completion rate of 93% or higher.
13. Answer correspondence in less than 10 days.
14. Train 90% of assigned SDs and RFOs on Alternative Service plans
and procedures.
ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT
An annual report providing the results of the implementation of these performance
measures will be submitted by March 31, 2005. This report will address attained versus
planned levels of performance, explain unattained target levels, and identify where and
how strategies, performance goals, and performance indicators should be changed to
ensure that the SSS reaches its strategic and annual goals and objectives.
"The Beatles are what they always were - the safe, money-spinning, housewives' choice. Their albums are easy listening (fine for 50-somethings, but the Beatles were cardigan-wearing duffers in their 20s). Sgt. Pepper, their much-trumpeted "psychedelic" album was as mindbending as an Asda mushroom pie. Give or take Helter Skelter, they never even rocked, really. Next to the Stones, the Who or the Troggs, the Beatles are the low alcohol lager of the 60s." more here
As far as I'm concerned he should be stripped bare made to wear a signboard, saying "Oasis is better than the Beatles" and marched through some of Liverpools more sylvan neighbourhoods, like the Dingle and Speke, then let Scouser nature take its course.
I will be blogging from home, as I sit on my well-toned bum and contemplate financial ruin. My contract has ended. This is the shameless bit where I go begging for employment. Well, I do have work publicising a particularly horrible book in the chutes. But surely there must be something better out there for moi!
also from Grauniad, wahey just for dear Melo, an interview with Hanif Kureishi. Don't know who Kureishi is, think Salman Rushdie, with something really to say.
"Hanif Kureishi used to know who his readers were. They were "hip young kids", riding the tube, reading The Buddha of Suburbia, his novel about sex, drugs and race in 70s south London. When the book came out in 1990, he was a rebel hero and 13 years on, although no longer sure of who his fans are, Kureishi retains the air of a man slightly too cool for his surroundings. Now 48 and smoothly turned out, he sits on a sofa in his publicist's office, legs akimbo, and observes the world with imperious ease. He has written a film, The Mother, about the sex life of a woman approaching 70. "I can't imagine hip young kids queueing at the Odeon to see a film about an old girl," he says laconically. "I don't really care. I didn't write it because I thought it would make me a rich man. I wrote it because I was interested in it." more insights into Kureishi here
A friend is off to the protests in London with any luck we shall have pics and an accounting of the welcome being staged for Mr. Bush.
A bit of an update on an earlier story, right in the middle of tropical Miami, World Capital of the dowagers hump, thousands are preparing. Negotiators from 34 nations are in the area until Friday, working toward an accord that would create a Free Trade Area of the Americas. They say open markets would spur economic development and raise living standards throughout the Americas.
Thousands of protesters also are in the region or heading this way. Ranging from retirees associated with the AFL-CIO to teenage anarchists, they say the free trade zone would take jobs from the United States and exploit cheaper labor elsewhere.
''We are . . . people just like you who wish to work with communities in Miami to challenge [the FTAA] meetings and work toward a world based on justice and equality,'' read a flier handed out by protesters Monday.
In other developments:
• A three-day, 34-mile march by about 140 opponents of the negotiations that began Sunday in Fort Lauderdale moved through Southeast Broward County on Monday and reached North Miami by evening. Ultimate destination: Miami, this morning.
STRIPPING DOWN
• A dozen activists associated with a group called the Gapatista Road Show stripped to their underwear outside a Gap store in Miami Beach to protest what they claimed were the company's exploitative labor practices.
''We'd rather wear nothing than wear Gap!'' they chanted.
• The SunTrust at 1400 NW 20th St. was evacuated shortly after 4 p.m., after a peculiar odor made several employees and customers cough and choke. One person was treated at the scene after fainting.
Miami police said two empty pepper-spray cans were found in a garbage container. It was not clear what connection, if any, the incident had to the FTAA talks.
Elsewhere, small scenes told the story.
An eight-foot-high fence surrounded AmericanAirlines Arena. Tourists strolled through Bayside Marketplace, but shoppers seemed in short supply. Prospects were especially gloomy at Let's Make a Daiquiri, where manager Roland Diaz bemoaned a ''rainy-day'' level of sales, as the sun shone brightly.
GLASGOW has been crowned the curry capital of Britain for the second year in a row. The city retained its title as the country's hot-spot at a prestigious ceremony in London. Evening Times readers chose the Shish Mahal, Creme de la Creme, Mr Singh's India and Ashoka Ashton Lane to represent Glasgow.
I can heartily attest that this is true. Glasgow has some of the best Asian cuisine EVER and at much better prices. Perhaps its the prodigious amounts of alcohol imbibed in this City. Bradford and Edinburgh were runners-up, beating Cardiff, Manchester, Birmingham, Leicester, Sheffield, Newcastle and London.
Each city was judged on its four nominated restaurants and a dossier put together by the local council.
Glasgow also won the accolade of Kingfisher Curry Capital of Britain last summer - the first time the title had gone to a city outside England. Curry Capital judges decided Glasgow "gave a very professional submission and the city has really taken this award to its heart".
Charan Gill, managing director of the Harlequin Group which owns the Ashoka in Ashton Lane and Mr Singh's India, said he was "ecstatic" about the city being awarded the Curry Capital title for the second year running.
Mr Gill's restaurant, The Ashoka at the Mill, was one of those which helped the city scoop the title last year.
He added: "The council put this bid together and showed its support for us."
The restaurant boss praised the staff in the city's restaurants, whom he described as "fantastic and totally committed".
Mr Gill said he was not surprised Glasgow had beaten off stiff competition from restaurants all around Britain including Bradford, Birmingham and London. He added: "The quality of food in Glasgow is second to none and our restaurateurs in this city serve up quality time and time again."
Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley Tourist Board said the award would help attract tourists to the city.
A spokesman said: "One of the reasons people come to the city is because the wining and dining experience is vibrant and eclectic.
"There are a good range of eateries in the city and people can dine in a different country each night of the week.
"The fact our Indian restaurants are superb helps the tourist board to promote the city as a destination.
"It gives us another reason to tell people to come to here and this award will be good for attracting customers to Glasgow both for business and leisure tourism." Lord Provost Liz Cameron was delighted with the accolade. She said: "This is wonderful news - our restaurants deserve recognition and our representatives in the competition are excellent ambassadors. "The title will give our restaurant trade a tremendous boost and encourage visitors to come to Glasgow and sample some great food." A council spokesman said Glasgow's Indian restaurants were legendary around the world. He added: "People come from far and wide to taste the delicious food and to sample the wide variety of dishes which originate from the Indian sub-continent."
TIMESFILE
•Glasgow's love affair with curry goes back to the 1920s, when a caterer opened a curry house on the Broomielaw for Indian seamen.
•The city's first proper Indian restaurant, The Taj Mahal, in Park Road, opened in the 1950s.
•Around 219 million Indian meals are eaten every year in the UK.
•Glasgow curry king Charan Gill is one of Britain's most wealthy Asians.
•Licensing laws helped. Pubs had to stop serving after 10pm, restaurants could serve alcohol later.
•Chicken tikka masala tops the £2.5bn curry industry in Britain, with Sainsbury's alone selling 1.1 million meals a year.
•In Scotland, a curry is known as a Ruby Murray, after the Irish singer. GLASGOW has been crowned the curry capital of Britain for the second year in a row.
Alba Gu brath!
It's been a rather longish week here, Window-ites. As a sort of compensation to listening to my long winded politicorants; I bring you an open letter to Prince Charles via the loverly peeps at theAntigeist:
"With all respect Sir, no one likes you. No one ever has. You are the saddest excuse for a prince the world has ever known. You are odd, cold, you don't photograph well, and you're boring. As a matter of fact none of your accomplishments, from your military service to your diplomatic efforts, have ever endeared you to your people. I bet even your Mum likes Andrew better. And with good reason. He's got pizzaz, a wry smile, he's dated porn stars. But you? It seems like you can't make a favourable impression on anybody, your life thus-far has been a senseless conundrum...unless your gay.
I can feel you shudder at the implication, thoughts of "What would become of the Monarchy? What would my Royal Subjects think of me?" I can't say what they'd think, but I can tell you what you would hear; A unison cry of "Oh!" bellowing forth from the Lake District to Brighton as everyone, the whole of the country, would finally put the pieces together. The shyness, the introverted behavior, the long, long voluntary stints in the Navy, the arranged marriage to the totally hot and much beloved Diana, your ditching her for a platonic existence with a mannish, horse-faced childhood chum, your impeccable (I must admit) taste in menswear, and finally, buggering your valet. You see, your being gay is the only thing that makes sense. " read it all for yourself...here
Mining the blogosphere just for you my darlings I came across this, Mango Pudding Blues, "About three days into it, as soon as I realized that my new job wasn’t like my last two evil motherfucking jobs, I felt a mainline seratonin rush, baby. You must get this; a hit of pure oxygen. Dizzyness. Paroxysms of joy. The shudder, the shudder of correcting brain chemistry washing out demons. The snapping of molecules into receptors. The bright firing of newly wired synapses blasting the cruft out of the carburetor. The buzzing ectoplasmic connection to the fractal universe, to history, to the gods. The ribbon in the sky! The ribbon in the sky! Like cocaine or a triple espresso, but cleaner burning. Like endorphins. Almost like being in love." Still cant get no satisfaction??? here from From the Spectator... Sympathy for the vicar.
Christopher Sandford says that Keith Richards — 60 next month — is a secret conservative: he eats shepherd’s pie, loves his mum and even goes to church
He doesn’t exactly look like your average squire, Keith Richards, with his piratical swagger and a complexion that’s been compared to old cat litter. But Keith, who turns 60 next month, is emerging as one of the most shockingly normal, and English, of rock stars, as well as one of the most self-aware. ‘I can be the cat on stage any time I want,’ he said some years ago. ‘I like to stay in touch with him.... But I’m a very placid, nice guy — most people will tell you that. It’s mainly to placate this other creature that I work.’ The man has dope convictions in three countries, after all. But he’s also a nostalgic and distinctly sentimental soul — a ‘diamond geezer’, awwwwwww!!!!!!
Related notes on two nasty cows: Columnist Julie Burchill is leaving Guardian, she mooed this upon leaving
"'The civility and solidarity which this great liberal newspaper has shown me has completely changed my view of what I was brought up to think of as complacent bourgeoise prison-visiting filth"
Jools, I'm fookin touched, truly. This same heifer bellowed racial slurs against Irish in 2002, of London mayor Ken Livingstone's spending on St Patrick's Day in London, when she criticised Ireland and described the country's flag as "the Hitler-licking, altar-boy-molesting, abortion-banning Irish tri-colour".
Rosie O'Donnell, bloated chat show hostess and alleged Queen of Nice, has been in a bitter feud with the publishers of her now defunct vanity publication "Rosie." Testimony has brought out some lovely observations about Miss O'Donnell's social and management skills when she confronted employee and cancer survivor,Cindy Spengler, head of marketing at the magazine, about her silence during the meeting, insisting she was as good as lying by keeping quiet.
"You know what happens to people who lie," the witness quoted O'Donnell as saying. "They get sick and they get cancer. If they keep lying, they get it again."
"Something hidden. Go and find it. Go and look behind the Ranges --
"Something lost behind the Ranges. Lost and wating for you. Go!" Arabella O'Buggery's World Tour of the Blogosphere
Ever winsome Arabella always up for a challenge has given herself a new assignment, a world-wide tour of blogs. Imagine if you will a cross between, Michael Palin, Phineas Fogg, and Nigella Lawson, all wrapped up in one delicious, jodhpur and pith helmet wearing package. Follow Arabella through the more dodgy corners of the blogosphere where she attempts to edify and entertain her one loyal reader. Where in the World is Arabella O’ Buggery???? Just follow the trail of kebab crumbs.
Still cant get no satisfaction??? here from From the Spectator...
