Ouch!...

"It would be a monumental error of statesmanship to turn our back on the EU and fall away from a crucial position of power and influence in the Twenty-First Century." Blair for EU president...seriously scary stuff (the picture, not the words, he actually said them). Anyway, scary until you realise it's a spoof...it is a spoof isn't it? Oh yes, see below...

Obvious outcome...

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IMHO there's not really too much to read into Labour's triple by-election victory yesterday, except that Middlesbrough must be full of Labour drone-clones because they nearly managed the impossible of getting the same number of votes as in a general election. [09:06 a.m. scratch that, misread]. I have adapted a graph (left) taken from a good amount of information on the Rotherham constituency at 'all that's left' here and added yesterday's results. Good analysis from Durotrigan ("good for UKIP, better for Labour") and a handy table of the numbers from Raedwald ("LibDems utterly destroyed in by-elections").



Update: Apparently 50% of the votes were postal votes...(Here, scroll down to 11:51 am).

Obvious outcome...

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IMHO there's not really too much to read into Labour's triple by-election victory yesterday, except that Middlesbrough must be full of Labour drone-clones because they nearly managed the impossible of getting the same number of votes as in a general election. [09:06 a.m. scratch that, misread]. I have adapted a graph (left) taken from a good amount of information on the Rotherham constituency at 'all that's left' here and added yesterday's results. Good analysis from Durotrigan ("good for UKIP, better for Labour") and a handy table of the numbers from Raedwald ("LibDems utterly destroyed in by-elections").

Update: Apparently 50% of the votes were postal votes...(Here, scroll down to 11:51 am).

Optimus odous II...

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In the original optimus odous I asked rhetorically if anyone could still say that the Carcharodon carcharias in the film 'Jaws' didn't look real (I could have asked the same thing here). In the picture below it's a similar tale: decoy seal, sublime predator. Photo credit Dana Allen (Cater News) in False Bay, off Cape Town in South Africa. From the DT picture gallery today. You get the feeling this shark has been pictured before: just imagine it's a dog with a bone: he's looking at the camera and he's smiling!

Optimus odous II...

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In the original optimus odous I asked rhetorically if anyone could still say that the Carcharodon carcharias in the film 'Jaws' didn't look real (I could have asked the same thing here). In the picture below it's a similar tale: decoy seal, sublime predator. Photo credit Dana Allen (Cater News) in False Bay, off Cape Town in South Africa. From the DT picture gallery today. You get the feeling this shark has been pictured before: just imagine it's a dog with a bone: he's looking at the camera and he's smiling!

Ophic oleaginousness...

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EU Referendum says it: 'Blair: with enemies like these...'. UKIP's marked increase in coverage lately is getting a further boost: what could be better than ex PM arch-vampire Tony Blair on the other side spouting hyperbole: in a speech last night to pro-EU Business for New Europe group he said that Euroscepticism was spreading "like a virus". "If ever there is anything that should convince the Conservatives to push for the exit [of the E.U.] it is that. Anything Blair is promoting has to be wholly wrong. That he thinks of the cause as a "virus" tells you more about him than eurosceptics" [sic].  Iain Watson (BBC News Political correspondent) asks if UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage believes [Blair's] influence will be negligible, Farage's assessment: was that Blair  - like his promises - is "past his 'use-by date' and that voters would not listen to a man who put 'snake oil rather than milk on his cornflakes'".



By the way: THIS may scare you. 

Ophic oleaginousness...

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EU Referendum says it: 'Blair: with enemies like these...'. UKIP's marked increase in coverage lately is getting a further boost: what could be better than ex PM arch-vampire Tony Blair on the other side spouting hyperbole: in a speech last night to pro-EU Business for New Europe group he said that Euroscepticism was spreading "like a virus". "If ever there is anything that should convince the Conservatives to push for the exit [of the E.U.] it is that. Anything Blair is promoting has to be wholly wrong. That he thinks of the cause as a "virus" tells you more about him than eurosceptics" [sic].  Iain Watson (BBC News Political correspondent) asks if UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage believes [Blair's] influence will be negligible, Farage's assessment: was that Blair  - like his promises - is "past his 'use-by date' and that voters would not listen to a man who put 'snake oil rather than milk on his cornflakes'".

By the way: THIS may scare you. 

Oxygenating onkos...

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Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of the 1992 Venezuelan coup attempts and also Military Aviation Day: Krusty failed to attend and is now on his way to Cuba - for the 11th time in 17 months - to get specialist oxygen treatment: hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT...sorry, but that makes me giggle a bit - not in a nasty way but in a totally childish way - only because of what I think was wrong with Chavez, third paragraph, here). Anyway, he hasn't been attending a lot of things lately, Caracas Chronicles have been keeping tabs. It's not hard to see a pattern in his lack of appearances (image left: click to enlarge, from El Universal, it shows minutes that Chavez has appeared/been heard etc in public). Now, admittedly the presidential election was over at the beginning of last month so there would be fewer campaign events (orange bar on graph; although there are regional elections on 16 December: state governors etc) but since then there's been some government events (blue), but no interviews, no telephone contact, no Twitter, and no press conferences...

Oxygenating onkos...

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Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of the 1992 Venezuelan coup attempts and also Military Aviation Day: Krusty failed to attend and is now on his way to Cuba - for the 11th time in 17 months - to get specialist oxygen treatment: hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT...sorry, but that makes me giggle a bit - not in a nasty way but in a totally childish way - only because of what I think was wrong with Chavez, third paragraph, here). Anyway, he hasn't been attending a lot of things lately, Caracas Chronicles have been keeping tabs. It's not hard to see a pattern in his lack of appearances (image left: click to enlarge, from El Universal, it shows minutes that Chavez has appeared/been heard etc in public). Now, admittedly the presidential election was over at the beginning of last month so there would be fewer campaign events (orange bar on graph; although there are regional elections on 16 December: state governors etc) but since then there's been some government events (blue), but no interviews, no telephone contact, no Twitter, and no press conferences...

Obamaliars...

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Beck was outing Obama over a month ago; the truth will out yet still the MSM are not doing their job: Politico is: "U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice stressed in a Tuesday statement that she did not intend to mislead the public about the September 11th attacks on the Benghazi consulate." [Link] Surely more lies? Added to that, Doug Hagman on the Canada Free Press website with the first of what could be a stunning series of interviews: "Benghazi explained: Interview with an 'Intelligence Insider'" "...part one of a multi-part interview with a government insider intimately familiar with the events that took place in Benghazi... he provides important background, and explains this administration is engaged in a massive cover-up."

"It’s one big lie being told by Obama, Clinton, Rice, and others. Many Americans are buying the lie, and the media is selling the lie."

Update: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid seems to be 'unmoored from facts and reality' (not for the first time).

Obamaliars...

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Beck was outing Obama over a month ago; the truth will out yet still the MSM are not doing their job: Politico is: "U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice stressed in a Tuesday statement that she did not intend to mislead the public about the September 11th attacks on the Benghazi consulate." [Link] Surely more lies? Added to that, Doug Hagman on the Canada Free Press website with the first of what could be a stunning series of interviews: "Benghazi explained: Interview with an 'Intelligence Insider'" "...part one of a multi-part interview with a government insider intimately familiar with the events that took place in Benghazi... he provides important background, and explains this administration is engaged in a massive cover-up."

"It’s one big lie being told by Obama, Clinton, Rice, and others. Many Americans are buying the lie, and the media is selling the lie."

Update: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid seems to be 'unmoored from facts and reality' (not for the first time).

Oriol's opening...

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The election results from Catalonia - called 2 years early - make interesting reading; they do signal that probably nothing will get done, as with all rainbow coalitions (not yet formed but necessary). There were slight changes in the political make-up of the autonomous Catalan Parliament (see image left; click to enlarge. To see the votes and seats click HERE) but by far the biggest winner was Oriol Junqueras of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (Republican Left of Catalonia) who [Ows edit: text from here on was edited at 1pm to make it clearer] is leader of what became the second biggest party, they are staunchly pro Catalonian Independence but against the austerity measures that have been introduced by the ruling Convergència i Unió party (Convergence and Union) who were also the biggest loser (despite still winning!); Artur Mas, the leader of CiU had called the early election: "El 'plan Mas' fracasa" says El Periodico (images also from there); the DT headline says it best: "Spain's Catalan separatists win election but punish Mas". Another point to note not really reported as far as I have seen: those clearly nationalist parties (CiU, ERC and CUP) lost seats compared to the combined total of the 2010 elections when they had 76; back then there was no CUP but included SI (Solidaritat Catalana per la Independència). Another big loser was the PSC (Socialists' Party of Catalonia) although they are against Independence so we can safely presume they lost a big chunk to ERC and to Joan Herrera's ICV-EUiA (Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds - Esquerra Unida i Alternativa, a greeny lefty mini coalition mouthful: Initiative for Catalonia Greens - United and Alternative Left!) also anti-austerity and who also did well. However, the PPC (right-wing popular Party) and the Ciutadans – Partit de la Ciutadania (Party of the Citizenry), both against independence, grew their number of seats and their percentage of votes. Make of all that what you will!

Oriol's opening...

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The election results from Catalonia - called 2 years early - make interesting reading; they do signal that probably nothing will get done, as with all rainbow coalitions (not yet formed but necessary). There were slight changes in the political make-up of the autonomous Catalan Parliament (see image left; click to enlarge. To see the votes and seats click HERE) but by far the biggest winner was Oriol Junqueras of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (Republican Left of Catalonia) who [Ows edit: text from here on was edited at 1pm to make it clearer] is leader of what became the second biggest party, they are staunchly pro Catalonian Independence but against the austerity measures that have been introduced by the ruling Convergència i Unió party (Convergence and Union) who were also the biggest loser (despite still winning!); Artur Mas, the leader of CiU had called the early election: "El 'plan Mas' fracasa" says El Periodico (images also from there); the DT headline says it best: "Spain's Catalan separatists win election but punish Mas". Another point to note not really reported as far as I have seen: those clearly nationalist parties (CiU, ERC and CUP) lost seats compared to the combined total of the 2010 elections when they had 76; back then there was no CUP but included SI (Solidaritat Catalana per la Independència). Another big loser was the PSC (Socialists' Party of Catalonia) although they are against Independence so we can safely presume they lost a big chunk to ERC and to Joan Herrera's ICV-EUiA (Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds - Esquerra Unida i Alternativa, a greeny lefty mini coalition mouthful: Initiative for Catalonia Greens - United and Alternative Left!) also anti-austerity and who also did well. However, the PPC (right-wing popular Party) and the Ciutadans – Partit de la Ciutadania (Party of the Citizenry), both against independence, grew their number of seats and their percentage of votes. Make of all that what you will!

So, what about England?

So, what about England? From Jim Gallagher posting in the Scotsman. Hat-tip CEP.

That comma after 'so' is well placed. So, "WHAT about the English? The independence referendum will be decided in Scotland – by the people living here.

The rest of Britain will have no say in the matter. Not all countries would take such an relaxed attitude. Spain regards the unity of the state as a constitutional principle, and so a Catalan referendum is constitutionally forbidden. In Britain just under a century ago, there were plenty of voices for resisting Irish independence by force. Wiser heads prevailed."...

It's a good article and worth a read, after all: "What the English think matters, and their interests are important – to us as well as them."

Ominous "outsider"...

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Note the 'stealth quotes' around "outsider" because whatever Lord Hall is he most definitely is NOT any sort of outsider. John Redwood hopes it will be All Change at the BBC? but that is almost certainly not going to happen; the comments on that JR post are very good and some highlight that Hall is already well and truly signed up to the AGW agenda (Roger Harrabin, British Council, Professor Steve Jones connections) so on that score at least there will be no change. "As an outsider" Lord Patten and others have said; to even try to suggest he is an outsider just because he has had one other job other than a whole life in the BBC is simply pathetic...and ominous. I say ominous because he joined straight after graduating from Oxford University, where he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)...another one: another Old Oxfordian Overseer!

Ominous "outsider"...

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Note the 'stealth quotes' around "outsider" because whatever Lord Hall is he most definitely is NOT any sort of outsider. John Redwood hopes it will be All Change at the BBC? but that is almost certainly not going to happen; the comments on that JR post are very good and some highlight that Hall is already well and truly signed up to the AGW agenda (Roger Harrabin, British Council, Professor Steve Jones connections) so on that score at least there will be no change. "As an outsider" Lord Patten and others have said; to even try to suggest he is an outsider just because he has had one other job other than a whole life in the BBC is simply pathetic...and ominous. I say ominous because he joined straight after graduating from Oxford University, where he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)...another one: another Old Oxfordian Overseer!

Ohm's ovoid offensive...

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Hilarious and so true: James Delingpole (he of Watermelons fame amongst other things) in the DT on "The great wind terror: we name the guilty man"...go on, you knew didn't you? JD is talking about "the North London Marxist trustafarian ovoid who was, as Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, more responsible than any man or weird egg-creature alive for establishing the framework for Britain's disastrous wind policy." The very same; the one that is responsible for "One of the best-kept secrets of British politics" (well not so secret these days): the most expensive piece of legislation ever - by far - put through Parliament. Anyway, the Business Green website's article highlights 'Ed Miliband's blistering attack on the government's green record'; Ohm's comment below that article is quoted in JD's blog. Miliband now seeks to draw a clear green line between red and blue (and I don't man the current watered down blue with yellow). Would that be popular?

Ohm's ovoid offensive...

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Hilarious and so true: James Delingpole (he of Watermelons fame amongst other things) in the DT on "The great wind terror: we name the guilty man"...go on, you knew didn't you? JD is talking about "the North London Marxist trustafarian ovoid who was, as Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, more responsible than any man or weird egg-creature alive for establishing the framework for Britain's disastrous wind policy." The very same; the one that is responsible for "One of the best-kept secrets of British politics" (well not so secret these days): the most expensive piece of legislation ever - by far - put through Parliament. Anyway, the Business Green website's article highlights 'Ed Miliband's blistering attack on the government's green record'; Ohm's comment below that article is quoted in JD's blog. Miliband now seeks to draw a clear green line between red and blue (and I don't man the current watered down blue with yellow). Would that be popular?

Overt outrage III...

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Where Everybody Matters...Oh dear (serious). Anyway, I'm sure it's not a connection to the following but the council in Rotherham is 92% Labour. A few bits of news from the last few months first: "Rotherham sex abuse: More girls at risk" [BBC], "Rotherham: the authorities systematically failed to prevent the abuse of dozens of teenage girls" [SW], "Vulnerable white girl, known to have been abused from the age of 12, was offered Urdu and Punjabi lessons by Rotherham Council to 'educate her'", and "Police turned a blind eye to allegations of sexual abuse of white girls by gangs of largely Pakistani men for more than a decade" [DM], 'Rotherham council hide and change key facts about men suspected of grooming girl for sex who they later murdered' [Times £] . We all know it has happened in many other British (and European...and everywhere we find this culture?) cities. Now, we read, a couple from near Rotherham who had foster children had them taken away after it was discovered they were...wait for it...supporters of UKIP!

"They took on the three children — a baby girl, a boy and an older girl, who were all from an ethnic minority and a troubled family background — in September in an emergency placement.
They believe that the youngsters thrived in their care. The couple were described as 'exemplary' foster parents: the baby put on weight and the older girl even began calling them 'mum and dad'"

Nigel Farage, UKIP's leader, called it "a bloody outrage", he's right. And the conspiracy theorist in me draws your attention to he fact that next week there is a by-election in Rotherham (Denis MacShane's seat).



Updates Sunday: 1. Interesting article from Andrew Gilligan in the Telegraph re the voting issues, labour's candidate and numbers in Rotherham [Link]. 2. Rotherham Politics: needs reading, and D Jones' comment on that blog-post.

Overt outrage III...

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Where Everybody Matters...Oh dear (serious). Anyway, I'm sure it's not a connection to the following but the council in Rotherham is 92% Labour. A few bits of news from the last few months first: "Rotherham sex abuse: More girls at risk" [BBC], "Rotherham: the authorities systematically failed to prevent the abuse of dozens of teenage girls" [SW], "Vulnerable white girl, known to have been abused from the age of 12, was offered Urdu and Punjabi lessons by Rotherham Council to 'educate her'", and "Police turned a blind eye to allegations of sexual abuse of white girls by gangs of largely Pakistani men for more than a decade" [DM], 'Rotherham council hide and change key facts about men suspected of grooming girl for sex who they later murdered' [Times £] . We all know it has happened in many other British (and European...and everywhere we find this culture?) cities. Now, we read, a couple from near Rotherham who had foster children had them taken away after it was discovered they were...wait for it...supporters of UKIP!

"They took on the three children — a baby girl, a boy and an older girl, who were all from an ethnic minority and a troubled family background — in September in an emergency placement. They believe that the youngsters thrived in their care. The couple were described as 'exemplary' foster parents: the baby put on weight and the older girl even began calling them 'mum and dad'"

Nigel Farage, UKIP's leader, called it "a bloody outrage", he's right. And the conspiracy theorist in me draws your attention to he fact that next week there is a by-election in Rotherham (Denis MacShane's seat).

Updates Sunday: 1. Interesting article from Andrew Gilligan in the Telegraph re the voting issues, labour's candidate and numbers in Rotherham [Link]. 2. Rotherham Politics: needs reading, and D Jones' comment on that blog-post.

Oleic obeisance...

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Thanks to Captain Ranty's Friday Funnies for reminding me about Lard; clearly the reason for my youthful looks...ahem...you know it makes sense. And a few years ago we came to know that it is certainly healthier than it had been made out to be and that our ancestors were onto a good thing. Lard has a high content of  mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs; these help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL, the "bad") and may even raise HDL (the "good") avoiding the "ugly" (LOL). Wiki has a good list of natural sources of MUFAs (click at right on that page to show list). 

Oleic obeisance...

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Thanks to Captain Ranty's Friday Funnies for reminding me about Lard; clearly the reason for my youthful looks...ahem...you know it makes sense. And a few years ago we came to know that it is certainly healthier than it had been made out to be and that our ancestors were onto a good thing. Lard has a high content of  mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs; these help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL, the "bad") and may even raise HDL (the "good") avoiding the "ugly" (LOL). Wiki has a good list of natural sources of MUFAs (click at right on that page to show list). 

Overt obversion...

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Who is he trying to kid? Rowena Mason, Political Correspondent for the DT reports that Sir Ian Kennedy, chairman of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA, after last week I think he's the only one left), has said "MPs deserve to be 'trusted' again on expenses". Maybe instead of 'trust' he meant 'trussed': MPs deserve to be trussed, yep, got to be that.

Overt obversion...

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Who is he trying to kid? Rowena Mason, Political Correspondent for the DT reports that Sir Ian Kennedy, chairman of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA, after last week I think he's the only one left), has said "MPs deserve to be 'trusted' again on expenses". Maybe instead of 'trust' he meant 'trussed': MPs deserve to be trussed, yep, got to be that.

Outstanding opinion...

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David Blackburn in The Spectator writes: "If you only have time to read one full length newspaper piece today, read this one by George Bridges, the former backroom Tory guru and CPS director." And in that article George is right: about 'retail politics'; about political parties becoming brands'; about presentation before principle..."The mindset of political strategy is now poisoning the well of politics." I would say that sentence is in the wrong tense because the poisoning has well and truly arrived...and IMHO another thing to hang on New Labour's long list of 'crimes'. Don't miss the last paragraph.

Outstanding opinion...

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David Blackburn in The Spectator writes: "If you only have time to read one full length newspaper piece today, read this one by George Bridges, the former backroom Tory guru and CPS director." And in that article George is right: about 'retail politics'; about political parties becoming brands'; about presentation before principle..."The mindset of political strategy is now poisoning the well of politics." I would say that sentence is in the wrong tense because the poisoning has well and truly arrived...and IMHO another thing to hang on New Labour's long list of 'crimes'. Don't miss the last paragraph.

OWS oblocution...

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That's OWS as in 'Occupy'. According to Citizen Journalist this weekend: "OWS doctor arrested with bomb making chemicals and stash of weapons". "Police have arrested a 60 year old unemployed doctor, Roberto Rivera, after finding a large quantity of chemicals used in bomb making after they conducted a raid on his home in Ridgewood, New Jersey. The search of Rivera’s home on Friday night also revealed a number of assault rifles and other weapons."



Can you imagine the shrieking headlines and wall to wall news bulletins had he been a Tea Party member? Hat-tip Weasel Zippers.

OWS oblocution...

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That's OWS as in 'Occupy'. According to Citizen Journalist this weekend: "OWS doctor arrested with bomb making chemicals and stash of weapons". "Police have arrested a 60 year old unemployed doctor, Roberto Rivera, after finding a large quantity of chemicals used in bomb making after they conducted a raid on his home in Ridgewood, New Jersey. The search of Rivera’s home on Friday night also revealed a number of assault rifles and other weapons."

Can you imagine the shrieking headlines and wall to wall news bulletins had he been a Tea Party member? Hat-tip Weasel Zippers.

Olamic obloquy...

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So many unnecessary deaths...carcasses in Caracas, a city that seems to be trying to climb the table from 6th (see image left, click to enlarge): so far this month there have been 302 homicides in the Venezuelan capital [El Universal]. Interesting list though: only 4 of the top 40 'most violent cities in the world' are outside the Americas. In fact only ONE of the top 50 is outside the Americas or South Africa.



However, there is no doubt that the list is skewed though because it is made of recorded homicides so not including any war zones, corrupt states (most of central Africa?) or any countries where infanticide and feminicide are often not treated as such (erm...wonder what religion they could be).

Olamic obloquy...

---

So many unnecessary deaths...carcasses in Caracas, a city that seems to be trying to climb the table from 6th (see image left, click to enlarge): so far this month there have been 302 homicides in the Venezuelan capital [El Universal]. Interesting list though: only 4 of the top 40 'most violent cities in the world' are outside the Americas. In fact only ONE of the top 50 is outside the Americas or South Africa.

However, there is no doubt that the list is skewed though because it is made of recorded homicides so not including any war zones, corrupt states (most of central Africa?) or any countries where infanticide and feminicide are often not treated as such (erm...wonder what religion they could be).

Ofcom obsession...

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And rightly so. What a small world; indeed...but at last it is being highlighted: Blair, Brown, Currie (ooh look, BBC), MST, Bell, Common Purpose, Charter 88, BBC all nicely interlinked. And how many other quangos and charidees are stuffed with New Labour placemen?...most of them? And many are 'Beyond Authority'.

Ofcom obsession...

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And rightly so. What a small world; indeed...but at last it is being highlighted: Blair, Brown, Currie (ooh look, BBC), MST, Bell, Common Purpose, Charter 88, BBC all nicely interlinked. And how many other quangos and charidees are stuffed with New Labour placemen?...most of them? And many are 'Beyond Authority'.

Only one observation...

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Only one observation about the paedomania that has engulfed the whole of the UK media in the past few weeks: the latest furore that is causing debilitating tremors throughout the BBC was started 'innocently' by Labour MP Tom Watson at PMQs a few weeks ago. This seemingly 'brave' revelation - surely not just partisan muck-raking...surely not - turned into an orgy of 'Tory bashing' when Newsnight decided it couldn't resist the headlines that included the words 'Tory' and 'paedophile' and 'Thatcher' so threw journalistic integrity competence and due-diligence out the window; enough of that though, we all know where that has led them. No, my observation is to ask if this revelation could have been one of those alluded to in the sordid sex smear scandal (known as Smeargate) involving Damian McBride, Derek Draper and, it was suggested at the time, Tom Watson (all closely linked to Gordon Brown), the latter was "looking at other stories for Labour List" (later rebutted); certainly fits the bill and modus operandi of how to smear senior Conservatives. Could come back to bite them in the bum though, considering many of the names on 'that list' - somewhere on the Internet apparently - are much closer to home for Tom.

Only one observation...

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Only one observation about the paedomania that has engulfed the whole of the UK media in the past few weeks: the latest furore that is causing debilitating tremors throughout the BBC was started 'innocently' by Labour MP Tom Watson at PMQs a few weeks ago. This seemingly 'brave' revelation - surely not just partisan muck-raking...surely not - turned into an orgy of 'Tory bashing' when Newsnight decided it couldn't resist the headlines that included the words 'Tory' and 'paedophile' and 'Thatcher' so threw journalistic integrity competence and due-diligence out the window; enough of that though, we all know where that has led them. No, my observation is to ask if this revelation could have been one of those alluded to in the sordid sex smear scandal (known as Smeargate) involving Damian McBride, Derek Draper and, it was suggested at the time, Tom Watson (all closely linked to Gordon Brown), the latter was "looking at other stories for Labour List" (later rebutted); certainly fits the bill and modus operandi of how to smear senior Conservatives. Could come back to bite them in the bum though, considering many of the names on 'that list' - somewhere on the Internet apparently - are much closer to home for Tom.

Owen's orisons...

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"Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) is widely recognised as one of the greatest voices of the First World War. His self-appointed task was to speak for the men in his care, to show the 'Pity of War'." 

"'Anthem for Doomed Youth' is an elegy, a lament for the dead, a judgement on Owen’s experience of war rather than an account of the experience itself. Doomed youth is right. These were young men, some very young." Then and now...Lest we forget...

Link to World War One art

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

      Only the monstrous anger of the guns.

      Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle

Can patter out their hasty orisons.

No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells,

      Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,—

The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;

      And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all?

      Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes

Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes.

      The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;

Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,

And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

Owen's orisons...

---

"Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) is widely recognised as one of the greatest voices of the First World War. His self-appointed task was to speak for the men in his care, to show the 'Pity of War'." 
"'Anthem for Doomed Youth' is an elegy, a lament for the dead, a judgement on Owen’s experience of war rather than an account of the experience itself. Doomed youth is right. These were young men, some very young." Then and now...Lest we forget...

Link to World War One art

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

      Only the monstrous anger of the guns.

      Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle

Can patter out their hasty orisons.

No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells,

      Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,—

The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;

      And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all?

      Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes

Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes.

      The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;

Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,

And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

Online obscurity...

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The US electorate were not over enamoured by either candidate, 90 million didn't vote, a whacking 10 million more than last time; and "They’re not undecided - they’re completely uninformed".You have to laugh otherwise you'd cry: seems hard to believe but that saying didn't appear from nothing: sometimes it really is true. Paul (One Page In A Library of Millions) brings to our attention the article from Fox News that begs the question just what the hell goes through the minds of your average U.S. American. Looking at the graph below (from Google search HERE) we see a chart from Google Trends showing the continental US numbers for the search of the term "who is running for president" (since 2004). Jeez, the known unknowns.

Online obscurity...

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The US electorate were not over enamoured by either candidate, 90 million didn't vote, a whacking 10 million more than last time; and "They’re not undecided - they’re completely uninformed".You have to laugh otherwise you'd cry: seems hard to believe but that saying didn't appear from nothing: sometimes it really is true. Paul (One Page In A Library of Millions) brings to our attention the article from Fox News that begs the question just what the hell goes through the minds of your average U.S. American. Looking at the graph below (from Google search HERE) we see a chart from Google Trends showing the continental US numbers for the search of the term "who is running for president" (since 2004). Jeez, the known unknowns.

Obama owns Oval Office...

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But in votes per candidate terms, only just! It's amazing how in a country of so many millions it often ends up so close (I know it's been closer!). Click on image for BBC and all the results. Makes you wonder if all the dodgy voting machines, voter fraud and intimidation could have tipped the balance this time round (although it's a moot point because the Electoral College clearly came down in favour of Obama).

Update: "The triumph of empty rhetoric over empty promises": Absolutely hilarious from the Slog.




Update 2: "electile dysfunction": an amazing stat from Kevin Jackson:  "Obama lost every state with valid voter ID and won those without it." 



Update 3: I've seen the state maps but look at the map below [from HERE]: seems even more incredible; they better start building walls around the cities!

Update 4: even better map HERE

Obama owns Oval Office...

---

But in votes per candidate terms, only just! It's amazing how in a country of so many millions it often ends up so close (I know it's been closer!). Click on image for BBC and all the results. Makes you wonder if all the dodgy voting machines, voter fraud and intimidation could have tipped the balance this time round (although it's a moot point because the Electoral College clearly came down in favour of Obama).

Update: "The triumph of empty rhetoric over empty promises": Absolutely hilarious from the Slog.

Update 2: "electile dysfunction": an amazing stat from Kevin Jackson:  "Obama lost every state with valid voter ID and won those without it." 

Update 3: I've seen the state maps but look at the map below [from HERE]: seems even more incredible; they better start building walls around the cities!

Update 4: even better map HERE

Obama's oldies...

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[Edited: 'dead' video/image removed]
I hope Romney wins...only so I'll have to think a bit more about the blog titles! Anyway, after this coming week I promise to wind my neck in a bit about the US. Anyhoo, looking at the image (click to enlarge) we'll see something ZeroHedge has banging on about for years: like the UK, the US workforce is 'slowly but surely converting itself from a full-time to part-time worker society', the reasons are obvious and explained in this post. But this isn't the only 'schism' and as Tyler mentions, it is very much an "under the radar" phenomenon; when I see - and I do - the changing 'categories' of employees in UK stores and other outlets I begin to wonder whether the same is happening this side of the pond; (apologies for multiple links to one site but it's an interesting tale).



So, if you're old, vote for Obama! Owsblog does not endorse this message!



P.S. Mark Steyn on form: "But let him keep the bomber jacket."

Obama's oldies...

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[Edited: 'dead' video/image removed] I hope Romney wins...only so I'll have to think a bit more about the blog titles! Anyway, after this coming week I promise to wind my neck in a bit about the US. Anyhoo, looking at the image (click to enlarge) we'll see something ZeroHedge has banging on about for years: like the UK, the US workforce is 'slowly but surely converting itself from a full-time to part-time worker society', the reasons are obvious and explained in this post. But this isn't the only 'schism' and as Tyler mentions, it is very much an "under the radar" phenomenon; when I see - and I do - the changing 'categories' of employees in UK stores and other outlets I begin to wonder whether the same is happening this side of the pond; (apologies for multiple links to one site but it's an interesting tale).

So, if you're old, vote for Obama! Owsblog does not endorse this message!

P.S. Mark Steyn on form: "But let him keep the bomber jacket."

Obama's oldies...

---

I hope Romney wins...only so I'll have to think a bit more about the blog titles! Anyway, after this coming week I promise to wind my neck in a bit about the US. Anyhoo, looking at the image (click to enlarge) we'll see something ZeroHedge has banging on about for years: like the UK, the US workforce is 'slowly but surely converting itself from a full-time to part-time worker society', the reasons are obvious and explained in this post. But this isn't the only 'schism' and as Tyler mentions, it is very much an "under the radar" phenomenon; when I see - and I do - the changing 'categories' of employees in UK stores and other outlets I begin to wonder whether the same is happening this side of the pond; (apologies for multiple links to one site but it's an interesting tale).

So, if you're old, vote for Obama! Owsblog does not endorse this message!

P.S. Mark Steyn on form: "But let him keep the bomber jacket."

Ohio Obama overvoting...

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I take it back: last week when I wrote "All the efforts to save Obama is shaping up to be worse than the Venezuelan shenanigans" I was wrong: it's ALREADY worse! There are already reports in three states (one of those being the immensely important - in election terms - Ohio) of early-voting problems with machine malfunctions: votes for Romney going to Obama. Hey, no worries though..."Once the machines were re-calibrated, however, the issue seemed to go away." I don't often quote the scriptures but it does seem appropriate: Jesus wept. (image credit Roberto Nasser)

Ohio Obama overvoting...

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I take it back: last week when I wrote "All the efforts to save Obama is shaping up to be worse than the Venezuelan shenanigans" I was wrong: it's ALREADY worse! There are already reports in three states (one of those being the immensely important - in election terms - Ohio) of early-voting problems with machine malfunctions: votes for Romney going to Obama. Hey, no worries though..."Once the machines were re-calibrated, however, the issue seemed to go away." I don't often quote the scriptures but it does seem appropriate: Jesus wept. (image credit Roberto Nasser)

Obamalini...

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All a bit of harmless fun...but perhaps needed as the MSM still remains almost silent re Benghazi and there is an all systems alert to get Obama re-elected; even some Saddam or Mugabesque poll results. Weasel Zippers points us towards The PJ Tatler and unfortunate Obama praise, not the crowd chanting hail Obama (or heil?) yesterday but the fact that "Whoever made it, the Mussolini/Fascist/dictator vibe is undeniable. And even if you were entirely unfamiliar with the famous Mussolini scowl replicated in the 2012 campaign sign, why would any Democrat voter find this particular Obama portrait appealing or impressive? It reeks of Big Brother-ish totalitarianism all on its own, even without an historical precedent."




It's not a Republican scam, the post points out that "these campaign signs are widely available online from various sources and even have their own blog and do seem to be sold by a left-leaning pro-Obama company"

Obamalini...

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All a bit of harmless fun...but perhaps needed as the MSM still remains almost silent re Benghazi and there is an all systems alert to get Obama re-elected; even some Saddam or Mugabesque poll results. Weasel Zippers points us towards The PJ Tatler and unfortunate Obama praise, not the crowd chanting hail Obama (or heil?) yesterday but the fact that "Whoever made it, the Mussolini/Fascist/dictator vibe is undeniable. And even if you were entirely unfamiliar with the famous Mussolini scowl replicated in the 2012 campaign sign, why would any Democrat voter find this particular Obama portrait appealing or impressive? It reeks of Big Brother-ish totalitarianism all on its own, even without an historical precedent."
It's not a Republican scam, the post points out that "these campaign signs are widely available online from various sources and even have their own blog and do seem to be sold by a left-leaning pro-Obama company"