miércoles, 28 de julio de 2010

One organised ordeal over...


Prou! Basta! Enough! La abolición de las corridas ha comenzado... Barcelona, 28 jul (Click on image for news in Spanish - ABC). The Catalan Parliament voted in favour by 68 votes to 55 against (and 9 abstentions) of a ban on bullfighting in Catalonia from 2012.

The parliament of Catalonia is 'the first region of mainland Spain to do so'. [BBC]...but will it be the last? Unlikely now although, as the Beeb article says, many believe the process has been pushed by nationalist-minded Catalans to set themselves apart from Spain.

Bookmark and Share

martes, 27 de julio de 2010

Oracle Openwallet...


Ooops, I mean Oracle Openworld; the WSJ reports on their list of the world's best paid CEOs over the last decade and Larry Ellison, founder and chief executive of Oracle Corp., topped the list with a whopping USD1.84 billion. Jeeez, that's 15.3 million a month...for 10 YEARS! Only four of the top 25 worked at financial companies and more than a couple were at 'obscure outfits'.

Bookmark and Share

Obama on Oprah...


Well, not quite...but it will be first time in history that an incumbent POTUS gets interviewed on a daytime talk show. ABC's "The View" has the honour but on the website they describe the show as "ABC Daytime's morning chatfest, featuring a team of dynamic women of different ages, experiences and backgrounds discussing the most exciting events of the day"...hmmm. Odd. Anyway, his wife Michelle will be on too; let's hope it doesn't end in tears.

Bookmark and Share

lunes, 26 de julio de 2010

On other occasions...


Seventy years ago, it is a Thursday not a Sunday. And the weather, instead of being gloomy and overcast, is fine...

...German Stukas are out early, attacking the 21-ship convoy CW8 working its way through the Dover Straits. But this time, the attacks are augmented by E-boat forays.

 
Days of Glory: Day 16 - Battle of Britain. This is yesterday's post but the series started on Day 1: July 10th.

Bookmark and Share

Obrogation obstriction...


Philip Hollobone is right; he should be supported by the public, the police and by the government. The Conservative Party MP (the ONLY one with reasonable expenses claims) has "been warned he could face legal action if he follows through on a threat to refuse to meet constituents wearing the veil". 'Women have a right to wear veil' says Liberty [Guardian].
Lawyers for Liberty have written to insisting that his stance is unlawful and that they "will be happy to represent any of your constituents that you refuse to meet because they are veiled".

The group warns him that the UK's Equality Act and the European convention on human rights (ECHR) oblige him to avoid discrimination.
This is complete bollocks. Anyone also has a right to wear any of THESE, but would it be permitted, accepted, tolerated? No, of course not.

Bookmark and Share

sábado, 24 de julio de 2010

Optimum opposition option...


What a balls-up! Or Balls out as it could well be. Ed Balls may pull out of the Labour Leadership race after the Unite union's national policy committee overwhelmingly opted for Ed Miliband as "their" preferred candate for Labour party leader. [DT] This of course is good news for anyone wanting Labour to fail miserably. Does any 'real' Labour supporter have a good impression of Milimajor or Miliminor? Good news too for the Lib Dems who will now probably recover some of their lost support after they joined the coalition with the Conservatives. What a day, with a rare Brown beast spotted (in Africa) and all!

Bookmark and Share

Odd obsession II...


Continuing the Venezuelan theme: I agree that Hugo is obsessed with Bolivar; but anyway, happy birthday to Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios; scion of a high society family (nay, almost aristocratic had the title of nobility been granted by Philip V; independence intervened); immensely wealthy, sugar plantation owning, copper, silver and gold mine owning and slave-owning family. Simon Bolívar - for it is he - was able to use his family's vast wealth "to finance his revolutionary efforts." He even wanted a hereditary chamber to the legislature: as far from what, less than a century later, was to be called socialism as you could possible hope to be...and about as far from Chavez too.

Yes Hugo is obsessed but on one thing I agree with him, when, on his own blog, says: "Yo soy apenas un microscópico ser, un microscópico soldado delante del gigante Bolívar." 'I'm merely a microscopic being, a microscopic soldier compared to the giant Bolivar.' Too right you are! In that Chavez blog post he mentions the Convention of Ocaña. It was here some comparisons between the great giant and the microbe can be seen: Bolivar wanted (for the good of Gran Colombia) a highly centralized state: central control, a lifetime presidency with the ability to select a successor. It was here that the disagreements started and Francisco de Paula Santander - who wanted a secular, liberal state - and others (whom Chavez calls saboteurs and a traitors), felt that Bolivar himself was undermining the central government's authority and the rule of law. Reforms were blocked, delgates walked out: a little later Bolivar declared himself dictator (not for the first time)...oops.

Not quite got to that last bit about naming a successor yet but you can bet Chavez is thinking about it quite a lot. Until then he will need to continue the strangle hold, the triple yoke of ignorance, tyranny, and vice* to continue his revolution.

btw, as you would expect, the comments on that blogpost are sycophantic, vomit-inducing tosh.

*From Simon Bolivar's Address to the Congress of Angostura (1819):
"Subject to the three-fold yoke of ignorance, tyranny, and vice, the American people have been unable to acquire knowledge, power, or [civic] virtue. The lessons we received and the models we studied, as pupils of such pernicious teachers, were most destructive. We have been ruled more by deceit than by force, and we have been degraded more by vice than by superstition. Slavery is the daughter of darkness: an ignorant people is a blind instrument of its own destruction."
Another quote from Bolivar: "Huid del país donde uno solo ejerce todos los poderes: es un país de esclavos.": "Flee from the country where only one holds all power: it's a nation of slaves".

Update: please don't get me wrong, IMHO Bolivar was one of the true greats of World history; I just thought a little background to piss on Hugo's fireworks was called for.

Bookmark and Share

Opposition outs Oliver's obnubilation...


The Huffington Post is making some good reading re Venezuela these days. "The simple truth is that Oliver Stone does not know Venezuela very well. If he did, he would have spent more time addressing the arguments in my previous column, rather than attacking the messenger in his response." The words of Leopoldo Lopez, shaping up to be among - if not the - major opposition challenge to Hugo Chavez in the next Venezuelan presidential election. There seems to be an ongoing tit-for-tat between Stone and Lopez after Leo slated (rightly IMHO) Stone's polished and filtered political platform for Chavez in his film 'South of The Border'. Stone responded and yesterday Leo let's him have it with both barrels:
"To agree with Mr. Stone's position, one would have to disregard the growing mountain of evidence compiled by a list of credible and respected human rights organizations, including the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, and the Inter American Press Association"...

..."But let's remember, Mr. Stone does not know Venezuela very well. He has spent a few days here, always in the company of President Chavez. He admits he has not spoken with any opposition leaders, nor has he seen first hand the real Venezuela, as opposed to the 'staged' Venezuela that was presented to him.
"
Speaking of staged, even Tariq Ali, himself a fan of Chavez's revolution, who helped write the film's screenplay said: "It's hardly a secret that we support the other side. It's an opinionated documentary" [NYT, 25/06/10] so why Ollie is battling against others' opinions is beyond me, the old adage of "any publicity" I guess.

A couple of things jump out from the articles: Stone claims that the human rights failures in Venezuela come from the right..."from Mr. Lopez and his allies". Complete and utter bollocks. And that "the victims of political violence to this day in Venezuela are also victims of the right - mostly poor peasants organizing for land reform, killed by landowners." Eh? They would dare. Or at least they didn't when there was some law and order; this didn't happen when I lived there so he seems to be admitting that safety and security is breaking down, as many have been saying.

More importantly...

The other point is linked to more recent news and Hugo the clown breaking off relations with Colombia, again. I've written about food shortgaes, less access to clean water, daily power outages etc and Leo lopez mentions these, plus the more worrying "sinister developments, especially in the border regions with Colombia, where people speak of an alarming growth in guerrilla activity, including the FARC." Why does Chavez deny this? The Venezuelan guerrilla groups were partly the subject of a Cuatro  documentary last month: in a country now with 43 murders a day (and 140 per day wounded by gunfire) Why are these groups arming? Why is Chavez arming them? Worth watching, 52 minutes long including some ads, unfortunately only in Spanish. Scroll in 21 and half minutes for the bit re Petare hospital in Caracas where 80% of the patients are with bullet wounds: a hospital with no x-ray, the operating theatre doesn't work, no analgesics, no ambulances, no antibiotics...no bandages.

All the organised, armed groups - the main thrust of the video - have one thing in common: fighting for Chavez or fighting the opposition if Chavez fails, loses or is outsed. It's all been said before: "If Chávez wants us to react, we will": ominous and obvious.

Bookmark and Share

Osborne optimistic on output options...


UK 'Treasury chief' George Osborne said that he is "cautiously optimistic about the path for the economy, the job is not yet done." [WSJ] Well we all know that he is right re "caution" but he cannot claim the credit...nor can Darling but you can bet that both will. Click on the image of the graph showing what made up the "surprisingly high" growth to go to Stephanie Flander's blog (the BBC economics editor), Stephanomics. An interesting blogpsot with a update that notes that historically quarterly GDP numbers tend to jump around, especially coming out of a long recession. The following SF post is equally interesting: the 2009 44% increase in public infrastructure orders - compared over 2008 - filtering through probably makes up the astounding 6% + growth in 2010 Q2 figures. That massive 2009 construction 'order book', knowing cuts were coming...almost as if a double dip has been built into the system...

In other important news: a fruit and cream lorry overturns on A30 in Somerset: [link] driver says he feels a fool and was only trying to avoid a jam but got his just desserts. ...I'll get my coat.

Bookmark and Share

jueves, 22 de julio de 2010

Official oversight III...


A slight? A slip? A slight slip? "David Cameron criticised over World War II history slip" [BBC]. Apparently the BBC's political correspondent Vicki Young has called the comments "pretty controversial". Why? David Miliband says "1940 was our finest hour. Millions of Britons stood up and gave their lives to defeat fascism. We were not a junior partner. We stood alone against the Nazis. How can a British prime minister who bangs on about British history get that so wrong? It is a slight, not a slip."

So, is silly-Milly suggesting that Cameron doesn't know this? The whole point is DC was on about 'the changing nature of the "special relationship"' so I'm sure Cameron said, or meant to say, 'the 1940s'. Mind you, he should be more careful...and imagine had Crash gordon said it! ;-)

Bookmark and Share

Oldie outhouse ode...



Had a couple of weeks break, recuperating. Now one of those occasional e-mails we all get sent that I enjoyed despite it's US bent (as usual all images link to more info...shit subject though).

The service station trade was slow
The owner sat around,
With sharpened knife and cedar stick
Piled shavings on the ground.

No modern facilities had they,
The log across the rill
Led to a shack, marked His and Hers
That sat against the hill.

"Where is the ladies restroom, sir?"
The owner leaning back,
Said not a word but whittled on,
And nodded toward the shack.

With quickened step she entered there
But only stayed a minute,
Until she screamed, just like a snake
Or spider might be in it.

With startled look and beet red face
She bounded through the door,
And headed quickly for the car
Just like three gals before.

She missed the foot log - jumped the stream
The owner gave a shout,
As her silk stockings, down at her knees
Caught on a sassafras sprout.

She tripped and fell - got up, and then
In obvious disgust,
Ran to the car, stepped on the gas,
And faded in the dust.

Of course we all desired to know
What made the gals all do
The things they did, and then we found
The whittling owner knew.

A speaking system he'd devised
To make the thing complete,
He tied a speaker on the wall
Beneath the toilet seat.

He'd wait until the gals got set
And then the devilish tike,
Would stop his whittling long enough,
To speak into the mike.

And as she sat, a voice below
Struck terror, fright and fear,
"Will you please use the other hole,
We're painting under here!"

Bookmark and Share

viernes, 9 de julio de 2010

Oracle octopus opts...


Spanish PM José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has shown concern about Pulpo Paul: "I am concerned about the octopus...I'm thinking whether to send a protection squad", he said yeasterday, after the defeat of the German team on Wednesday. The PM is not alone: the Minister of Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, Elena Espinosa has said she will - at the Council of Ministers of the European Union meeting - request a fishing moratorium to help defend Paul so the Germans don't eat him (the Argentines had used this threat after they lost in the quarter final)! Also yesterday, Industry Minister Miguel Sebastian advocated Paul's immediate transfer to Spain to be able to ensure his protection. Wonderful stuff. Regarding the predicted result for the World Cup final: cephalopod celebrity pulpo Paul has opted for Spain! Links: in Spanish: El Mundo; in English: Daily Telegraph.

A bit of fun: a friend just passed me an image of the named shirt of a new Dutch player (I hope the Spanish aren't getting too cocky!): Van Aperdeer (van a perder, "going to lose"...hehehe). I'm just pleased that - whoever wins - there will be a new name on the World Cup and will make a new total of eight countries that have won it.

And another bad omen for the Dutch: as Paul (no, not that one!) writes HERE. English ref Howard Webb and his team will officiate at the final and the bad omen is that "...the last time and Englishman got the big gig was Jack Taylor back in 1974 and we all remember what happened then."

Bookmark and Share

martes, 6 de julio de 2010

Ole, ole Oberhausen octopus...


Update 3: World Cup final predicted: Spain vs.The Netherlands.

Well, it seems my theory about the colours of the flag playing a part in the cephalopod selection could be about right! Either (a) Paul the tentacled tipster has made a wrong call (at last!) or (b) Germany are heading for the exit! Latest prediction points to a win for Spain! An earlier hoax has been debunked as a false image of the Spanish flag stuck over the Serbian flag (which Paul predicted correctly last month...just proves how accurate he's been as NOBODY else foresaw that...mind you, it was a Spanish ref!). Since then the real deal has confirmed what the hoax was trying to show anyway: that Paul is indeed pulpo.

Update Wednesday 7th, 11pmFFS!...this is getting silly. I make that ten out of twelve for Paul the Octopus...nobody gets that lucky. Did anyone notice if he predicted it would be one goal, scored by Puyol, from a corner? If he did then he should be president of the EU...right now! (pero que gooolaaaazo!)

Update 2: On the colour issue: the Dutch flag is red, white and blue stripes (the Serbian flag - which he picked against the odds - is red, blue and white...same colours, different order). However, I suspect Paul will go for the orange shirt of the Dutch (if he was given the choice) but the Spanish flag...I'm determined to outwit the bastard!

Bookmark and Share

sábado, 3 de julio de 2010

Ongoing Oberhausen octopus options...


Update 2: World Cup final predicted: Spain vs.The Netherlands.

Update: Spain vs. Germany octopus update HERE.

He's at it again! A few days ago tentacled tipster cephalopod celebrity Paul made another prediction: he continues to make German fans happy and/or confident but I'm beginning to suspect he just likes the colours! We know what happened last week although I can't imagine Argentina being crushed so easily. I wonder if the games he failed to pick correctly were against other bright yellow and red colours (thinking Spain vs Germany in the Euro Championships). Update: some scientific input could help here, see below**

Funnily enough, speaking of multiple limbs; the image (left; click to enlarge) has to be one of the most amazing photos so far from the World Cup:  limbs everywhere; what is going on, sychronised ballet-wrestling-volleyball?

Unfortunately we will still have to wait for the first ever African team to reach a semi-final having endured "what was one of the most dramatic endings for a game in World Cup history" Ghana lost on penalties having missed a penalty from the handball shown in the picture...this was in the last second of the last minute of extra time so, simply, they were robbed. New Uruguayan hero (or anti-hero depending on your outlook!) Luis Suarez "took one for the team"; controversial in a way but the laws were applied correctly.

** Update: Now I don't want to piss on anyone's fireworks but we knew that the 'crafty cephalopods' might be smarter than they look and I wondered about their vison: well, "Octopuses can readily be trained to choose a target marked with a particular pattern (shape, brightness, contrast etc.)", from Polarization contrast vision in Octopus. [PDF]

Don't cry for me Argentina.

Update: did I say I can't imagine Argentina being crushed so easily. Oh mein Gott!!

Photo credit: Fernando Vergara/AP

Bookmark and Share

viernes, 2 de julio de 2010

Oranje overcoat...


Brazil had to wear an orange overcoat (not Dunga's duffle coat) in the second half of a very scrappy World Cup quarter final this afternoon. In Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth (home of some Ows blood) the five-times world champions were in complete control during the first half; a sublime goal by Robinho fed by an equally sublime through ball from Kaka Melo and it looked over, especially when two or three more chances went begging. The Dutch had other ideas and after a lot of pressure forced the first Brazilian own goal in 97 World Cup matches. Brazil also paid for some dirty tactics, several intentional heel-kicks from behind (Melo and Bastos particularly) were let go by the Japanese ref - who on the whole had a good game - so when the Dutch gave some back and also went unpunished (Van Brommel, how did you stay on the pitch FFS!) the Brazilians weren't ready and seemed to have no answer, more so after the own goal: the double Dutch header for their fine second goal put the panic into Brazilians even more and Melo-not-mellow soon saw red. Robben, Sneijder, Van Persie and Kuyt kept the pressure cooker on. Great fiery game. Orange flames. Dunga ash.

Update: I have just edited the post: it was Melo's through ball, not Kaka: so, Melo-not-mellow made the goal, was a fouling menace, scored an own goal and got sent off. No wonder we saw Dunga's ding-dong dug-out bashing.

Bookmark and Share

Osama's Octel organolead octane outrage...


I bet that name got your attention but it's not who you think: Osama Naaman was the Lebanese agent of Octel, a chemical works in Liverpool. Osama has been extradited to the US and has agreed a deal with US prosecutors i.e drop his ex-employers in the deep, dark brownstuff. The UK's Serious Fraud Office is also trying to claim jurisdiction and I'm a bit surprised that not much seems to have been made of the story: bribery, corruption, 'trading in toxins', death. Basically, they recently admitted that they "bribed officials in Iraq and Indonesia with millions of dollars to carry on using TEL*, despite its health hazards"...health hazards; let's add some info:
"A decade ago, Octel decided to remain the world's ONLY manufacturer of TEL for cars, after it was banned in the US and Europe"
The bribes were around 2007/2008 throughout the UK-US occupation of Iraq but to put that in perspective, by the beginning of 2006 leaded petrol was banned throughout Africa [Indy]

* TEL: once a common additive of leaded petrol; '"Ethyl" brand leaded gasoline - tetra-ethyl lead - loony gas - one of the world's greatest environmental disasters.'

Why isn't this massive news? 

Bookmark and Share